Chapter 13 – There can never be one without another
The bright white shining moon has come into the sky of Equestria, the calm warm night air wisp around the sleeping crystal empire. But above the city streets Star Swirl feveriously paces around with eyes so wide the stallion could see clear over the empire's reach if it were daylight.
However no subtle thought such as this is able to stir this stallion as his hooves pound against the platform's ground, "How, how could I have been wrong!?"
Swirl's horn glows bright as the book that shields his face from the world stays pinned to him, but the book doesn't stay to him long as he turns to the dormant crystal heart. His breaths are heavy and his tone is hard no longer able to refuse what has transpired before the moon's rise, "How could you do such a thing?!"
No answer comes from the lifeless stone as Swirl nears it holding the same bewildered voice, "H-how could an item of such harmony possibly do such a thing?" His head comes to a shake as he stammers over his words, "T-there is no reason?"
Star Swirl quickly turns his head from the stone as he looks away and towards the stairs of the castle, "No no, I-I just need a moment to gather my thoughts." Swirl's horn glows a faint gold as his bag quickly rushes over to him with his items being collected in an almost rushed way.
The grey stallion takes his hooves to the stairs fast as the sound of the stallion begins to fade from the empty chamber of the Crystal Heart.
- - -
(Elsewhere in the castle)
The room around King Sombra is dark as the luminescent glow of the crystal castle begins to finally wear off to the dark of the world around it. But the silence in the room along with the growing darkness does little to console the stallion as his eyes stay pinned to the pink mare who has yet to stir for hours now.
No tears come from Sombra's eyes, and his body stays solid without the slightest tremble. But the emotion that builds to the stallion with each passing moment has left him paralyzed, unable to shift his eyes from the gaze of the quiet mare.
As the new hour of Sombra's long night begins to dawn closer something finally breaks the silence to the room as the magical locked door lets off a low chime to its opening.
The dark grey stallion doesn't turn his head to the sound of hooves as he struggles to spark his horn up, "...Now is not the time Sir.Swirl..."
There's a moment of silence to the room as the hooves stop and the door closes, but the quiet room is brought up with a happy sounding tone, "Well that King Sombra is a good thing..."
To the unfamiliar voice King Sombra's horn sparks up in dark green glow that lights the room as he takes up an offensive stance towards the door.
But in the light of his horn his eyes meet an unfazed old tan colored stallion, his yellow-orange eyes move over Sombra's figure as the pony looks him over. Sombra's eyes show nothing but despair and sorrow and his tired body speaks for itself, but this doesn't affect the old pony's tone as he speaks, "I warned you my king."
To the words a large bolt of magic is sent screaming towards the older stallion, but he doesn't move as the bolt cracks into the crystal wall behind him with a loud and violent shake.
The older stallion remains unflinched as he stares to the panting king, with a shake of the head the pony starts to click his tongue, "Tis tis tis, come now Sombra you would have awoken the whole castle...if you had not sealed your room magically."
A deep echo of Sombra's horn echoes around the room as he tightens his eyes still holding another spell at the ready, "The next spell will not be a warning, and you should expect punishment for trespassing in my-..."
The old stallion cuts him off as he laughs, "You are not even the bit curious as to how I have entered your chambers?"
Sombra is unfazed to the comment as his horn glows a bright dark green, "Leave now!"
The echo runs around the room and bounces from the walls as the older stallion goes a little wide eyed to the tone, but his surprised stare doesn't last long as his yellow-orange eyes glow a little, "King Sombra, I shall not deceive you nor shall I cause you grief...I wish to help you."
No answer comes from Sombra as his eyes stay pinned to the pony, to the silence the old stallion continues, "The first thing I promise you is that I shall not lie to you, just as I have not thus far."
At the end of the comment the stallion becomes shrouded in a bright orange light that causes Sombra to slightly turn his head, but the cut gaze of the intruder doesn't last long as he quickly brings his eyes back to the pony's position in the room.
Only, the old tan colored stallion is not what his eyes meet, instead Sombra's eyes go a little wide as he looks over the new creature in his bed chambers.
Where the old stallion stood a long and tall serpent like creature begins to stand on two back legs, but the creature can not be placed as Sombra's eyes move over the mismatched body parts. The echo from Sombra's horn doesn't show his confusion as it rings out, "What are you beast?"
A laugh rings from the goat headed creature as he holds his clawed hand out, "Truly, that one was new...I am so used to being called a dragon on first glance I-..."
His voice is cut off as Sombra lowers his head, "Answer my question!"
The laugh stops as the creature tilts his head up as his clawed hand sets to his chest, "I am Discord." His head comes back down quickly as he shakes his arms out a little in front of himself, "...Do not let the name fool you King Sombra, I only wish to bring order to Equestria." A smile comes over his face as a sharp tooth protrudes from his mouth.
Sombra doesn't bring his head up as he holds his spell, "Why do you seek me out!?"
Discord rolls his eyes a little as he sighs, "I tried to warn you but you did not listen to me-..."
"How do you know so much! I have never meet you before nor have I meet any pony associated with you." Sombra's eyes hold thier tight stare to Discord as he impatiently waits for an answer.
"My knowledge is not of your concern, time is short if you wish for me to help your Queen." Discord's eyes drift towards the bed but his sight of the mare is cut off as Sombra's bolt of magic runs dangerously close to his face.
The echo from Sombra banks off the crystal walls with a sharp tone as his words ring out, "Do not drift your eyes beast!"
Discord's face holds a bit of surprise to the dark grey stallion, but he pushes past it as he gives a slight bow, "OH of course my King...I would have just thought the matters of your Queen would be priority." Discord turns his head towards the door with an over played sad expression as he speaks, "I see I am not needed."
"WAIT!"
To the words Discord holds his smile to the door for a moment, but he turns back towards Sombra as he looks over the distraught stallion's expression.
Sombra's horn drops to a low green chime and his eyes go to a plea as he looks over the creature, "...Please....how can you help?"
Discord nods his head as he taps his lion pawed hand to his chin, "Well my King I will be in need of an item."
Sombra nods his head as the echo comes back quick, "Name it."
"The Crystal Heart, my king." Discord cocks his eye to the stallion as he continues, "...I will need the Heart before tomorrow's end or your Queen will be to far pulled by it's magic."
The dark grey stallion is silent as he thinks over the request, "W-what do you plan to do with it?"
Discord takes on a serious face as he takes a step towards Sombra, "It's power is too great, I will see to the Heart's destruction."
Sombra grins a little to his jaw as he turns his eyes back to the motionless mare, but his gaze to her is too painful to hold any more as he turns back to the smiling beast, "I-I can not pass an item of that power...How do I know I can trust you to do what you say?"
A sly smile comes over Discord's face as he bends his head down to pin his eyes squarely to the stallion's, "I shall prove to you that my word is not lie."
Chapter 13 end