//------------------------------// // Chapter 13 // Story: Fall of the Crystal Empire // by Blaster Master //------------------------------// Chapter 13 “Thee can surrender, Sombra,” Celestia said coldly, “And face punishment for thy crimes.” “And what are you going to do? Arrest me?” Sombra mocked, “Lock me up in your castle dungeons and take my empire for yourself? I don’t think so.” “That was thy only warning,” The sun goddess advanced towards the throne, “Surrender.” “Wait!” Luna interjected, stepping in front of her elder sister, “Sombra, is it true you killed your brother? Why would you do that? Why would you cause all this suffering? What do you have to gain!?” Sombra first only answered with a small laugh as he rose from his throne. Then he spoke. “Power, of course. Which is what it all comes down to in the end, isn’t it? Power… And who has the power. I have done nothing more and nothing less than take what I deserve. I’ve made some compromises to get to where I am, spilled some blood. But I regret nothing. I took the power my brother didn’t deserve and made it my own! The Crystal Empire is mine by right, and I will not surrender my kingdom lightly! And if you two choose to oppose me, then you will suffer the might of the true king of the Crystal Empire!” “You’re insane, Sombra!” Celestia snarled, “An insane, evil, greedy little murderer! And we end this now!” Celestia’s horn glowed a bright yellow and she fired a burst of magical energy from her horn at Sombra, but his own horn glowed and he deflected the blast with a shield. “Such simple magicks, Celestia…” Sombra commented, condescendingly, “Can’t you try something a little more advanced? Like… This!” Sombra’s horn glowed again and the crystalline walls and floor of the throne room began to warp and crack. Rising out of the floor and coming out of the walls, composed entirely of crystal, were wolf-shaped golems of Sombra’s own construction. The wolves howled at the sisters and attacked viciously, coming in by the dozens. They lunged and bit and swiped, but they were easily dispatched, little more than a distraction. Just like they were supposed to be. As Celestia bucked a Crystal Wolf aside with her back legs, a force of dark energy slammed into her side and sent her sliding across the throne room. She looked up to see Sombra had conjured a magical mace construct, composed of his own magical energy. However, the mace soon disappeared into a flash, as it was replaced by a dozen dark crystal spears, hovering in mid-air. With a thrust of his horn, Sombra sent the deadly projectiles flying at Celestia. The white Alicorn hit the incoming spears with her own magic, turning them into water droplets and hitting Celestia was a gentle mist. Luna rushed to her sister’s defense, but didn’t want to hurt Sombra, so she used her magic to shroud the Unicorn in a ball of impenetrable darkness. “Stop this!” Luna called, “We do not wish to fight thee!” “No, Luna…” Sombra replied from within the confines of the darkness, “No, you don’t.” Suddenly, a tongue of flame erupted from the darkness, streaming towards the sound of Luna’s voice. Luna flew upwards and the fire burned directly beneath her. Suddenly, there was another sound of wings, as Sombra lifted himself out of the darkness on a pair of leathery wings. Celestia and Luna could only gawk in disbelief. “Animal mimicry spell,” Sombra clarified smugly, “Mimicking Dragons were a challenge to learn, but the benefits are abundant!” Sombra opened his mouth wide and, like a true dragon, another bout of flame erupted from it. He swept the flame wide, making both the Princesses put up shields to protect themselves from the flames. When the flames had departed, Celestia took to the air with her wings, flying towards Sombra with her front hooves raised to slam into him. But the Unicorn King was quicker and evaded to the side, breathing more fire at Celestia. The sun princess just barely barrel rolled out of reach of the gout of flames and spun around to cast another spell, summoning huge chains to wrap around Sombra’s wings. The dark king found himself weighed down too much and fell to the ground, pinned under the weight. Dispelling his mimicry spell, Sombra lost his wings and was freed from Celestia’s chains. Celestia gave a war cry above him as she used her magic again, this time to fire a flurry of yellow beams at Sombra. Sombra galloped, trying to avoid as many as he could, but it was like avoiding raindrops. He felt a dozen stings in his back and legs as the blasts rained down around him. He whirled around when the flurry ceased to see Celestia flying directly towards him, her horn pointed at his heart. Sombra teleported a short distance away and the sun princess’s attack missed. Celestia pulled up, flying almost high enough to touch the tall ceiling. She looked down upon Sombra and saw his attack coming in: a flurry of giant vampire bats Sombra had summoned. Celestia fired a wide blast from her horn and turned the bats into ash. As Sombra looked up at Celestia, he suddenly turned to see Luna had closed the distance with Sombra and was reared up on her hind legs. Her front hooves slammed into his chest, knocking the wind from him and sending him sprawling. Celestia landed next to her sister, and the two advanced on the prone king. Sombra had to finish the duel quickly; he was a clever spell caster with centuries of experience and study, but even he would be outmatched by the raw power Celestia and Luna possessed if this battle was drawn out too long. He was a poor match against two goddesses… So he had to even the odds. “Celestia… Please!” Sombra pleaded as he rose to his hooves, backing away slowly, “I beg you to show mercy! There’s a way we can settle this without further bloodshed, don’t you think?” “Mercy!?” Celestia screamed in rage. She advanced upon the cowering tyrant, her fury making the very air around her shimmer with heat. “Did thou show mercy to your Crystal Ponies when thou used them for thy sick experiments!?” Celestia caught up with Sombra and knocked him to the ground, putting her forehooves on his chest and pinning him to the ground. “Did thou show Sonatina mercy when thou choked the life from her!?” “How do-? Ahhh… Cadance… She must have heard about what really happened to her dear mother somehow.” “She told me she hid in a chest and watched thee slay her,” Celestia said, her voice low and threatening. “Ah! That would explain a great deal. I suppose I shouldn’t have underestimated my niece’s acting skills.” “Thee shall pay for this, Sombra!” Celestia leaned in threateningly, “Thee shall rot in the dungeons, bereft of thy magic and thy freedom until the end of time itself!” “Perhaps not, Celestia…” Sombra summoned his magical energy and teleported out from under Celestia. And before the princess could react, Sombra reappeared a short distance away and his horn glowed brightly. So focused on her quarry and blinded by her anger, Celestia hadn’t noticed Sombra leading her into a circle of runes on the ground, but she noticed them now as they glowed faintly. But before she could get out, Sombra activated his trap. Dark crystals shot out of the ground, surrounding the white princess in a cage of crystals. Celestia tried to teleport out like Sombra, but she was yanked back in by the power of the crystals. “SISTER!” Luna cried, rushing to aid her, when Sombra stepped in front of her. Luna’s horn glowed and she prepared to fight, but Sombra put up his hoof. “Wait, Luna! Let us not fight!” Sombra implored, “Why should we be enemies, when we can be friends?” “Thou art a murderer and a fiend! Why should we join thee? How could we trust thee!?” Luna questioned, her defense still raised. “Because I would hope you’d know me well enough to know I would only do what had to be done. I don’t want to hurt you, Luna. I want you to join me. You’re far too interesting and beautiful a mare to be tossed aside. Why would I destroy someone when they’re more useful as a friend? Why would you?” “What doest thou speak of?” “I think we both know that I’m not the real villain here. I’m not the one who’s been demeaning you all this time, am I? I’m not the one belittling you and making you steward of a thankless job, am I? Why should we fight against each other when we are so alike? Aren’t you tired of kowtowing to your sister? Aren’t you tired of being in second place to your older sibling? Why do you think I did what I did?” Sombra approached Luna now, and the princess did nothing to stop him. He paced around her, looking her over. “Think what we can do together… Together we could defeat Celestia, and with her gone the ponies of Equestria would have only you! You to guide them, lead them, show them your way, and make them see things as you see them. You could have everything you’ve ever wanted: Love, respect, acknowledgement, power… I’ve seen in your eyes the jealousy you have for the day, so why not snuff it out? Why not let your beautiful night reign as long as you want?” “Don’t listen to him, sister!” Celestia called from inside her prison as she bucked against the crystals, “He will poison your mind!” But despite her warnings, Luna’s horn had stopped glowing and she relaxed her guard. “And why should you listen to her?” Sombra countered, “If you do side with her, do you think she’ll treat you any differently as soon as you’re back in Canterlot? Start listening to you more, heed the advice of her little sister? Or will she just do things as she’s always done them?” Sombra sidled up next to her whispered into her ear: “You and I have always had a special bond, Luna. We both lurk in the shadows of our siblings, outshined by the light. But together, we can be so much more. Long have I known you were the mare of my dreams, Luna. And long have a dreamed of this moment where our love would let us smother the light of day. Be my queen of the night, my love. And I will be your king of the shadows… And together we will rule this world…” Princess Luna was motionless, her eyes on her sister’s crystalline prison. How often had her sister disregarded her? Overruled her? How often had Luna spent her nights going from dream to dream to see that none of the ponies she visited had cared for her carefully crafted night skies? She is your sister! Part of her cried, Your own flesh and blood! She needs you! You must stand beside her! Why should we? Another part argued, She is selfish! Tia thinks nothing of what we want! We fought Discord together! We found the Elements, saved Equestria from his chaos, and became rulers together! We are stronger together then we are alone! Ever since then, she’s taken all the power. She rules Equestria while we get to sit by, powerless to do anything. She thinks we’re just her foolish younger sister, unable to handle real power. And she’ll never change! We will always be ignored as long as Celestia rules! Luna battled inside her mind, desperately trying to make her decision. Whichever one she chose, it would be a betrayal: either of her sister or of the stallion she had grown to love. “Sister!” Celestia cried as she now tried firing magical blasts into the crystals, “Help me! Please!” “That won’t hold her forever,” Sombra reminded her as he put a hoof on her shoulder, “Celestia will break out soon. You must choose now: your arrogant, self-righteous sister or me… The key to all your dreams.” Luna closed her eyes as she struggled inside herself, wrestling with that she truly wanted. The possibilities all ran through her mind and she furrowed her brow as she asked herself, deep down, what she wanted. Finally, she whispered her answer…