Luna sat alone in the Nocturnal Garden. It was here that the flowers and creatures of the night could bloom and grow peacefully without being disturbed. Luna always came here after something had troubled her, and today was quite troubling indeed. She let out a small sob as the days events refreshed themselves in her mind. She looked up towards her beautiful moon for comfort as the horror of what had taken place raced through her mind.
First all had gone well, Twilight and her friends had arrived on time at Canterlot. They were soon escorted to the war council meeting chambers, which is when all hell broke loose. The commanders had instantly started to bicker. One of them a huge male Pegasus by the name of One eye proposed a quick immediate assault on Sombra's kingdom. The other commander a small unicorn called Quickstrike wanted to hold back and scope out the enemy forces to determine the threat Sombra was.
"But we shall lose the advantage!" shouted One eye, his face a mask of fury. He was about to continue when a loud knock on the chambers vast gold gilded doors resonated through the room. As a guard opened the door, a pony ran inside quickly bowing to the two princesses.
"Your majesty I have found a scout... one of ours... but he is injured" breathed out the pony almost collapsing.
"Say no more, you have done us a great duty today. Strong arm! Quicksilver! escort our friend to the guest rooms. ensure he is comfortable and gets some rest." Commanded princess Celestia.
"See" exclaimed Quickstrike. "it must be one of my scouts as soon as he is here and healed, he shall give us a full report and we shall have the intelligence we need to formulate a real plan!" They didn't have to wait long. Soon the scout still dressed in his lightweight armour was brought into the chambers. Twilight and her friends, along with Celestia and Luna and the two commanders crowded around the scout. Then it happened the scout opened one eye drowsily... and then started to scream. Luna recoiled in horror with the other ponies. The sound was something that nopony should make. EVER. but make it the scout did, he twisted and roiled about on the stretcher as the guards tried to restrain him. All the while screaming loudly, his eyes rolled up in his sockets as his body began to contort. Then a great spiked black crystal erupted from the pony's body bursting out form his chest. Twilight screamed in horror as tears rolled down Luna's face. Celestia cast a spell that simultaneously destroyed the crystal and put the scout out of his misery.
twilight had stopped screaming now and instead silently started sobbing, Celestia's face had a look of horror on it as she realised the ingenuity of Sombra's plan. He had planted a shard of crystal within the scouts body and had forced it to grow within him. Then with the crystal present in the presence of the ponies King Sombra appeared.
"We are waiting. We stand upon the ground of the valley of blood. The sacred field where all battles for Equestria have taken place. Come face me or we march into your territory and raze it into the ground" The image of Sombra disappeared.
A small bat flying overhead brought Luna back into the present, today had not been the most pleasant of days she reflected. Now plans where being made on both sides on how to stop the other. Little did Luna know that soon, very soon she would be getting a visit from an old friend, a visit that like so many years ago would again take place under the midnight moon.
Far away in the central command tent King Sombra was pacing up and down the length of the tent. The tent -the largest one there of course- was black with red lace crisscrossing throughout the fabric. Inside Sombra was still pacing, he was in a truly foul mood already three mutilated bodies of guardsmen who had dared to disturb him. Wherever his steel clad hooves landed black crystal spouted violently from the ground. He trotted outside and stared at the moon.
"It truly is beautiful, but dim she must be upset, perhaps I should not have subjected her to my little surprise" King Sombra muttered. He pause fighting the ridiculous sentiment to find her, comfort her. By the gods! he was King Sombra overlord of all, not some ridiculous lovesick foal. But he could not help remember a different time, a different place. \where shard had ruled his mind and the Princess of the night his heart.
"DAMN THEM ALL!" he snarled angry with himself. He hesitated, looked up and inhaled deeply, the sudden memory hit him...
"Luna? Luna where are you!" shouted a young unicorn with a grey coat and pure white horn and a glossy black mane. he yelled out in a surprise when Luna suddenly appeared out of nowhere and jumped on him.
"Luna! you know I hate it when you do that!" The young unicorn shouted with a playful tone while the Princess of the night just giggled.
Another memory. This time the unicorn was older and as he turned nervously towards Princess Luna. They where both sat in the Nocturnal side of the royal gardens.
"so Luna... I was wondering whether or not you would be my special somepony..." The unicorn trailed off as Luna turned around and kissed him! actually kissed him!
"of course you fool!" Luna yelled with glee as they both embraced.
The embracing ponies faded away as a final memory took place. The unicorn was growing larger, his coat had turned into glossy black colour like his mane. His horn began to elongate and become curved The top became a crimson red which then melded into a obsidian black base. His Irises turned blood red, the whites turned green and purple smoke began to leak out of his eyes. The cold wind of the artic tundra howled angrily around him.
"Please! Shard don't do this!" Luna cried tears running down her muzzle. The former Shard turned around and glared at her.
"I AM NOT SHARD! I AM SOMBRAAAA!" He roared. he started towards her, with a grin on his face. Two fangs had now erupted into existence giving him a carnivorous look.
"I'm sorry" whispered Luna, tears still running down her face. She turned away as the ice began to swallow Shard or rather Sombra. The screams of the new tyrant rang throughout the tundra slowly fading away.
Sombra shook himself, even after all these years he secretly forgave Luna. Sombra quickly quelled that feeling of... of love! yes that was the name of the horrid emotion weakening him! But... looking up at the moon he decided to pay her a visit. just like all those years ago, under the midnight moon.