Chapter 37 – The promises we keep
The swirl of magic that has built around Violet has encased her in an opaque field of dark green almost black bubbly magic; and for the last few minutes the light purple mare's figure has been completely absent from sight.
For the most part Discord's stare has been left with just a slight confusion to the magic. However his stare quickly changes as the chime of the magic begins to fade and the encasement of dark green turns to a smog cloud like look.
From the center of the growing cloud made figure two bright green and reddish orange eyes start to form.
For a moment the foreboding cloudy mist covers where Violet once stood, reaching almost all the way to the top of Discord's dome. But the cloud's rise doesn't continue for long, instead it quickly recedes with a rush of wind as a dark strong standing unicorn is left standing where Violet once stood.
Sombra's eyes stay pinned to where Discord is as the light purple wisp from his eyes gets a little darker. The stallion's horn still holds a dark greenish black glow to the tip of his long reddish horn as the Crystal Heart floats beside him.
The sound a paw on claw clasp comes ringing through the area as Discord nods his head excitedly, "Bravo, bravo...You really had a good sentence." He snaps his claw as a score card pops to his hold, "Ten out of ten."
Luna's teal eyes hold to the dark stallion that stands next to her as she slowly starts to bring herself up not knowing how to react to what she's just witnessed, "V-Violet Sparkles?"
The name doesn't turn Sombra's head as he just looks over the mismatched being in front of him that now speaks up to Luna's question.
"Yes, yes that is Violet...Somewhere in there." The sound of his claw comes back as the score card poofs from his hold and his claw goes up to stroke to his goatee, "Like I said before...You choose well Sombra." He gives another nod as he continues, "Alright...Time to get this rolling a lot of things we still need to do my kin-..."'
"Did you know she was alive?" The deep echo springs from Sombra's chiming horn as he stares to Discord.
"Hmm..." Discord pulls and twist to the strands of hair on his chin as he thinks, "Oh I know...Lets pick names out of a hat." A silly smile comes over Discord's head as his claw starts to glow, but before he can roll through a simple snap of his claw Sombra's voice rings around the room, halting any movement with it's intensely magical chime.
"I demand an answer to my question."
The loud chime of Sombra's voice breaks the smile over Discord's face as he cocks his head and changes his jokey tone to a more sincerely low banter, a perfectly faked feel of competition comes over Discord as he holds his mismatched hands to his chest, "Sombra, you know I would not lie to you...The mare that Celestia has put here in the Crystal empire is nopony special, your Queen can still be brought back." His claw extends as he holds a smile, "Just give me the Heart, and I shall reunite her with you, my king." His smile pokes his sharped curved tooth from his mouth as he waits for Sombra's response.
But before Sombra's echo can come back the dome around them starts to pulse as a wave of purple green magic comes to it.
Discord quickly looks around his encasement as he sets his eyes to the silent scene he's ignored outside of the dome, "Oh...It seems the changelings were not as effective as I thought." As his words end his eyes turn dark as a new found smile runs across his face, "Well if you want something done right."
The crown atop Discord's head starts to glow a bright orange as he stares out of the dome, but the build up of his magic is only for a moment as a bolt of magic runs past his face.
Discord's eyes turn to the dark blue mare who's horn now fades from the magic she's just expelled, "We will not allow you to harm-..."
A laugh rings from Discord's figure as he shakes his head, "Honestly, Princess come up with something better to say, it's repetitive....But I see you are ready for round tw-...AH!!" His words are cut off as another bolt bashes into his figure.
However it wasn't the dark blue mare's horn that sent this bolt as Discord cradles his arms around himself for a moment as he grunts with a little bit of pain, but the sounds of his pain turns to laughs as he looks up to Sombra's hard stance, "Ha-ha! Y-you just made a big mistake."
"NO, the only mistake I have made is allowing myself to bow to others. Allowing myself to believe in lies!" Sombra's face takes on no change in emotion as he tilts his head down a little.
The flexing of the dome of magic continues around Discord, but his mind has now changeed priorities as he speaks up, "You insolent mule! Give me the Heart!"
The purple that dances from Sombra's eyes turns dark and begins to wave as his voice goes to a calm low echo, "Your mind has betrayed you Discord...No longer do your lies constrict my abilities, tell me Discord. Why did you need me to bring you the Heart?"
Discord's arms move from where they held around his body as his ears stay pinned to Sombra's continued words, "...If you are so powerful why is it that you have not taken the Heart from me and destroyed it like you said you wished to?" A devious smile comes over Sombra's lips as he cocks an eye to Discord, "Did you ever actually have the power to destroy this item? Are you even able to use your magic on this? And if so why have you not taken it from me yet?" Sombra's mouth opens as his sharpened teeth smile to Discord, "You have no way of destroying this item, you can not even take it unless by hoof...You only wish to take this item and hide it from all those who oppose your word."
A laugh comes from Discord's defeated and angry face as he speaks up, "You have a little bit of dark magic Sombra, Congratulations, and you were able to realize something...Sure it took you over a thousand years to figure out..." His laugh ends as his claw glows, "...But it's going to take a lot more than words."
Sombra's smile holds as his horn's bubble reaches its apex, the bolt of magic that has been building to his body comes out in full as it races towards where Discord stands. The intense black and green magic that rings around the dome from where it made contact with Discord sends the already wobbly dome crashing down as the world's natural light comes pouring into where Discord's magic once was.
You're unable to break your spell from the sudden collapse of magic as your hit with the ricochet and sent a little back, which flings you hard to your back as the winds knocked out of you. However your eyes stay open to the crystal castle's underbelly that stand above, your breathing may be stressed and your head pounding but your alert all the same...Even if you are unable to move for the moment as your magic still runs around your body.
However everyponies eyes now pin to where Sombra's magic has struck as the look over the dark blue mare that now lays on the ground with a barely visible breathing.
Discord's spell has switched himself with Luna's spot as he now capitalizes on Sombra's confusion, sending a quick low bolt to the dark stallion's side. The bolt of magic from the Crystal Heart from Sombra's magical hold as it clangs to the ground. However before Discord can grab at the stone a pained gallop comes from Sombra as his figure starts to becomes nothing more than a shadowy dark cloud that quickly rushes over to where the Heart lays.
To the dense obscuring cloud of two bright eyes Discord grinds his teeth as he sends another bolt from his claw. No effect comes to Sombra as his cloud just shits to a different spot and parts to the magic, the two bright green eyes squint to Discord almost mocking him as the ground where the Heart once laid now shows to be devoid of Discord's desire.
"Give me the heart!!" The gold crown atop Discord's head now starts to glow as his quick cessation bolts, however as a new stream of magic runs through Sombra the last hole in the cloud begins to fill.
Sombra and Discord's battle continues to rage as the few ponies around where you lay start to take cover behind the nearest pillar that holds the castle above them. You however are not so quick to your hooves as you continue to just lay and pant, but you feel a hoof to your side as Sparky's voice comes to your ears, "You need to move."
You slowly start to bring your body up as you look over the intense magic dual that's going on in front of you, however you're mind blanks as you look over the dark shadow that Discord has his attention to. "Sombra?!"
Just as you make it to your hooves Sparky begins to pull you to the large pillar Spike, Cadence the foal and a few other ponies have taken refuge behind. The light purple dragon has his head buried to his knees from where he sits, but before you can move to comfort him your eyes lock onto the dark mare that still lays on the ground, "Where's Violet?"
Your words don't receive an answer from the ponies around you as their eyes continue to hold to the crown that sits atop Discord's head.
With another loud grunting and slight pant Discord's claw and paw jet another cracking bolt towards Sombra's wall of dark clouds, this time focusing on where the two eyes rest.
This time the bolt of bright orange magic slams to the cloud and it's pushed back as the two eyes close, but they come open again as a large open mostly abstract mouth fitted with sharp teeth comes into view under where the eyes now reappear.
A loud rush of air comes from Sombra's shadow as it begins to rise taller than Discord's figure, the large jagged tooth mouth has now taken up most of the dark fog's outline as it starts to move towards where Discord stands. His eyes pin to the relentless wall in front of him as he flinches his arms up to embrace for impact.
Without hesitation Sombra’s dark wall comes crashing down over Discord's body with the same sound and effects of a wave crashing to a beach as the foggy black smog starts to take up the area where you and everypony else stands.
The sound clanging sound of metal on stone runs to your ears as you watch the now dull crown fall to the ground and slide to where Celestia still stands, but the white mare doesn't flinch her head as she continues to look over where her sister still lays.
As the smoke from the encased Discord only moments ago starts to dissipate the tall mismatched being is left in a defensive curl with his arms covering over his head, from where he must have jet his arms up in instinct. However the moment of fear ends fast as his bright orange and yellow eyes burst open as he feels to his head, "The CROWN!!"
The dark stallion now stands in front of where Discord has jumped up, there's still no emotion to Sombra's face as his horn now glows with a low green hold to the Crystal stone that hovers just beside him.
Discord's breathing almost stops as he looks to the stallion in front of him, but his ears flick to the sound behind him as Celestia's horn takes on a bright gold glow, "It's over Discord."
The seriousness of Celestia's voice pounds to Discord's head as he turns towards her, "Ha ha...C-come on Celestia, you know it was all FUN!" His words heighten as he lunges into a dive towards the gold crown next to her hoof, his tongue hangs almost to the ground and his eyes burn with desire as he extends his arms.
But Discord's mostly unplanned last ditch attempt at regaining his fail safe falls flight as he hits the ground just a claw tip short of his goal, unable to move now as a power magic runs over and encases his body.
The Crystal Heart next to Sombra's body has come up in front of him, but his horn like the heart both hold a bright blue whiteish light as the stream of magic runs to Discords body.
A agonizing scream comes from Discord as he cries out from the magic that now rips to his body, there's no blood but around his figure cracks begin to form and a bright light shines out as he becomes consumed by the growing brightness.
You like everypony else have to avert your eyes and ears from the horrific sight of Discord basically imploding into himself.
But the boom of magic only last for a moment as you turn your eyes back to where Discord once was...Nothing remains.
Celestia's horn has lost it's glow and her mouth hangs a gasped to what she has just witnessed as she looks over the stone floor where Discord was last seen.
To your left the sound of a magical pop comes and you quickly turn your head, the foal in Cadence's hold has changed to a full grown stallion as Shining leans to the pink mare trying to regain his balance.
Celestia's awestruck expression changes as she turns her attention to the dark stallion who still continue to stare down to her.
The exchange of these two ponies only last a moment as Celestia's horn sparks back up. There are no words spoken from anypony as the remaining guard ponies move to the side of Sombra's escape, no pony blocks the exit behind Sombra. But it's not needed as the dark stallion's body continues to remain still, the only movement from the stallion is from the wisp of purple that steam from the corners of his eyes.
Your quick to regain some kind of real balance as you move to better face the remaining evil, Cadence and Shining follow your move as Shining's voice comes up, "Sombra, will you give up the Crystal Heart?" The stallion's words are strong but even you can see the uneasiness to Shining's face as he waits for the emotionless pony’s response.
Truthfully what you just saw has left you to confused to want to talk, but not seeing Violet anywhere still brings a burning thought to your mind to just send a bolt of magic at Sombra. With this thought in your mind you start to build whatever magic you still have left in you.
As your coat begins to glow however Sparky's voice comes up as he almost knocks you to the ground, "No, don't!" Your ability to hold your magic is lost but your saved from falling as the stallion holds you up. You blink to the pegasus's bold rush of you as you now just listen to Sombra's echo that's directed to Shining.
"I believe your mind has still not yet matured foal...Because of this I will not punish you for the folly of asking me a question you all to well know the answer to." Sombra's eyes don't lock to the white stallion for longer than a moment as he turns his gaze to Celestia's glowing horn, "For so long I have waited...Lost in my own mind you have left me." The echo pauses as he closes his eyes for a moment, "I have longed to do what you did to me...To make you feel the same anguish I felt as to what you have kept from me."
Sombra's voice again for a moment as he opens his eyes once more, "But...There is no fighting you. To strike you down now would bring no satisfaction, there would be no victory for me...And I have come to the idea that there never will. Lost in time is my life." An angry stare comes from Sombra as his echo rings up, "Lost in time is all that I have done, perfectly misconstrued by your desires and your belief..." The angry tone slowly comes down as he turns to you and Shining, "I do not expect you to have any idea as to what I am speaking of...The land before them was much different then from where you all stand now, strangely though without my ostracizing and my disparage nothing of what we stand on would be here."
The dark stallion nods his head to his words as he straightens his stance and floats the Crystal Heart directly in front of himself. However as his eyes move to the pink alicorn as he gives a little smile, " Weather it be my own fault or my own guilt, but I know I have placed myself in this place. And Weather my thoughts be correct or not I still must say this if I wish to put an end to my torment...I'm sorry Apatite ."
A deep sorrowful face comes to Sombra's face as his horn starts to glow, and you don't know why but you feel your own sadness to the stallion's words, despite not fully understanding what he's said.
Cadence's mouth hangs as she holds a strangely formed tear to her right eye as she just nods her head to Sombra's stare.
Without hesitation Sombra's magic is snatched up by the Crystal Heart as the same field of blueish white aura starts to overcome the dark stallion's figure, but unlike Discord no scream of pain comes from the stallion and no sticking expression of agony comes out. Instead his figure is just encased in a bright blueish white light, and as it's brightness reaches its apex you like everypony else turns away as you shield your eyes.
The moment of absent view comes to end quick as you turn back to the sound of the Crystal Heart clanging to the ground. However your hooves quickly start up in a gallop as your eyes meet the light purple mare that lays to were Sombra once stood, a few wisp of magic still fall to the ground as you dart your hooves to the young mare with a shaky voice, "Violet! Violet are you ok??"
For a moment there's no movement from her closed eyes, but after a few seconds the young mare's eyes open as a faint and tired out smile parts her lips. You tighten your hug as you sniffle your nose a little.
Celestia follows your trot forwards as she rushes to tend to the dark mare that you just barely can hear the voice to.
However the dark mare is not what you've come here for as you slowly help the young mare up, "Violet...we need to get back to Ponyville ok? We need to get going." You turn your gaze towards the pillar you once stood at as you continue to steady the mare, "Spike?"
The little purple dragon slowly reveals himself from where he stood, but his voice is cut off as the light orange pegasus speaks up, "I can go and get everything..."
You nod your head as you turn your attention back to Violet.
Sparky and Violet both lock eyes for a moment but from where you stand between them the light orange pegasus just is able to bring a soft gazed smile as he swallows his voice back and quickly turns to the castle.
Luna now comes to stand with Celestia's help as the white mare speaks up, "You informed me of Vanhoover correct?"
The name brings a quick nod to your head as you speaks up, not taking even the slightest moment to turn an eye from the light purple mare, "Yes...And you had better do something."
Even though your eyes don't face her Celestia nods her head as she speaks up to one of the guard ponies, "Please bring me the Element of Harmony crown."
"Yes Princess."
As the commotion around you starts to begin you slowly help to start up Violet's hooves as you wait for Sparky to return.
However Shinning comes to you now as he speaks up, "Where is Twilight? Is she safe?"
You nod your head as you speak up, "She's in Ponyville hospital, she went into labor on our way here."
The words bring a little of Violet's strength back as she now starts to move a bit quicker.
Cadence and Shining’s eyes both go wide as the white stallion speaks up, "S-she was alright when you left right?"
Again you just nod your head as you speak up,that's why we need to get back; as your words end Sparky comes back out from the castle with a few heavy bags around him. To the light orange stallion's sight you speak up as you begin to lead the trot, "Lets go home..."
End of chapter 37