//------------------------------// // Tricks of the Mind // Story: Redemption of a Monster // by Raven Shadow //------------------------------// Celestia could feel the fear rushing through the air. Every animal from the Everfree forest rushed to and fro, snapping at each other as they sped away from the dark mass forming inside the forest. The solar princess could feel Sombra's energy quickly passing her own, his power overshadowed hers once again. Her wings pushed herself through the air with a hurried pace. Something was very wrong. Below her the trees began to twist and turn from the dark energies pulsing through the dirt, animals that were caught by the darkness became mutated monsters. Celestia stole a glance back at the poor creatures, nothing could be done for them at this time. An explosion of dark energy erupted caused Celestia to fall without grace into a tree. The branches slowly encircled her form, making her trapped. "Sombra!" Celestia screamed into the mutating forest at the very top of her lungs. "Sombra please stop this!" Her voice was drowned out by a wind gust. With her will keeping her body fighting she summoned her weapon, "Staff of Dawn", to cut the branches that held her. The beautifully sharpened edge sliced through the wood binds like butter. She began to fall with nothing to support her, landing on her back. Celestia pulled her head up to see what new surprise the forest had waiting for her. Her staff created a shield of light cause the ooze of back magic to hiss as the light touch upon the corrupted dirt. The darkness was all around Celestia and it would be a matter of time before it would claim her. Her staff burned the darkness, Celestia took a moment to see the ground purified once more. Celestia felt hope seeing this and knew there was a way to save Sombra after all. ----- Sombra attacked the shade in his mind with the full force of his anger, in doing so he unleashed a massive wave of darkness in the world. The shade begged Sombra for any mercy, none would be given. The shade was ripped from Sombra's mind with an ear piercing scream that could be heard for miles around. "Please my lord I did not control your actions! I merely gave you the means of power! I have always served you my master!" "You are nothing to me!" "Master I hate to do this but you leave me no choice!" The shade lept away into the shadows with Sombra giving chase. Sombra shot flames at the shade who tried to hide within the darkness. The tree caught like a match head. The flames licking at the wood with vigor. The shade hid well and took Celestia's form. If it could not reason with the dark lord maybe his love could, so with it's new body it climbed to the top of a tree ready to fall at the perfect time. Sombra broke through the foliage, murder written on all of his features. A white blur fell strait from the sky before the dark king. "Celestia? What are- how did you find me?" "Sombra please stop this! Please my sweet prince, just come back with me, I can help you." The imposter cooed to Sombra, sensing his anger was ebbing away. "Come here my love." The fake opened her arms in a loving embrace, one of which Sombra was fooled into. Once Sombra wrapped his arms around the shade it struck with a dagger made by the dark energies the forest pulsed out. The bite of the blade forced Sombra into reality, Celestia's form morphed back into it's true self. The pain coupled with his new anger blew away trees as well as the shade, flames slithered out of his finger tips. The ring of fire died into smoldering lights. "Aaaaaaaarrrrrrrrgggggghhh! Come out and die you lowly filth! Coward! I'll just burn you out!" His voice boomed like thunder, his right hand soon was set aflame as he was about to make good on his threat. ----- Celestia tripped over a large root that just needed to snag a foolish passersby. Cursing to herself for being clumsy at a time such as this, Sombra needed her now more than ever. Another explosion rocked the earth beneath her hooved feet. Celestia looked upwards to see a massive wave of fire shoot up covering the sky with its orange glow. Fear reared its head once again, with her heart racing, Celestia shot forward with amazing speed. The closer she got to where the fire storm was born the more scarred the ground became. She slowed to a light jog once the clearing came into view. The destruction was the size of Ponyvile or maybe Canterlot, trees knocked over were lit with tiny flames clinging to life. In the very center of the carnage was Sombra, his back facing Celestia. "Sombra?" She called unsure how to proceed with the current situation. Her mind told her to run, to hide, or teleport to safety thousands of miles away from this exact spot. But her heart will her legs forward to her beloved. "Are you hurt?" "I see through your lies... SHADE. You may take her shape and voice but you cannot fool me twice. Stand where you are." His tone of voice instantly put every fire out, the air becoming cold. Celestia obeyed, knowing to anger him would mean certain death. Slowly his eyes locked onto her, Celestia's blood froze with an overwhelming sense of dread. Celestia could not move even if she wanted to. "Sombra it's me... It's Celestia please don't do anything you will regret." Her voice shaking by this point as his heavy feet crushed branches beneath his weight. "Silence!" Instantly Celestia shut her mouth not wanting him to be angered any further. "If you think I will fall for your petty attempt to confuse me, you're wrong. Prove to me that you aren't her! Or I swear I will make the very pits of hell feel like a field of roses!" "Kill me if you must Sombra... Just spare all of my sister and my subjects." Celestia finally said with her eyes shut to keep the image of her loving Sombra alive. While her eyes were closed she didn't see what happened next. Sombra fell to his knees in front of her with closed eyes, his head down in shame. "You are the real Celestia. I'm so sorry. I do not deserve to live. Celestia strike me down to allow me to repay this horrible deed." In his right hand formed "Soul Ripper". Celestia shot towards him. "I cannot hurt you as I know you would not hurt me, I love you and I will never bring myself to kill you." Celestia held him close to her chest so he could hear her heart beat. "It only beats for you." "Celestia... It took your shape... I... I was scared it hurt you... and I don't know what I would do if I lost you... please forgive me... please." Sombra wept into her once beautiful gown that was now torn, singed, and wet from Sombra's tears. "Shh its okay, shh I'm here my prince, I'm here." Celestia said before planting a kiss on his forehead. What both didn't know was beyond the tree line were nine pair of eyes watching them as Luna, the mane six, Shadow, and Heavenly Pencil d'awwwed at the moment. They too heard the loud explosions as well as Sombra's thunderous voice, and followed the noises came upon the scene before them. "Sombra." "Yes, Celestia?" "I love you." "I love you too." Sombra replied as he began to pick himself up. As he stood to his full height the shade shot out from behind the trees once again and aimed itself at Sombra. "Sombra!" Time slowed to Sombra as he saw the shade drawing closer to him and Celestia, his hands pushed Celestia out of its path. She fell backwards at just the right moment. Celestia could only watch as the shade collided with Sombra with enough force to pick his body off the ground and carry it for fifty feet. Sombra hit the tree, effectively blowing it to bits. The shade reared its clawed hand to strike at Sombra's neck, only to be stabbed by "Soul Ripper". As the sword dug into the shade's skin less body it screamed an unholy cry as it fell to pieces before everypony who was there. "Sombra! You will choose one of two paths! Redemption! Or Damnation!" With a enormous bang, the world fell silent.