//------------------------------//
// Complications  
// Story: Dr. Sombra 
// by Mr Inkhooves 
//------------------------------//

After a lengthy silence, I answered Cadence's question; omitting only the more harrowing details. Her expression became all the more sickly and her hue more pale as I continued.  After I had finished, she spoke. "These apparitions... can harm you?" 

"To be honest with you, I'm not entirely sure. But, when I enter a vision, everything feels, looks, smells...real. With my barrier gone, I panicked. I didn't know that I could do much more than coax the subject. To be able to produce a shock wave like that... It should be impossible; The barrier keeps the images separate and prevents me from physically interfering."   

I sighed and ran my hooves through my mane. Cadence lay a reassuring hoof on my shoulder. "Well, your interference clearly did something. Before I mentioned your name, Shining was as alert and focused as anypony is like to be. To tell you the truth, I thought he was cured."   

I looked up at her: "That's what I don't understand. I interfered with the dream through physical action, I always imagined that would cause mental over stimulation and have catastrophic effect. Yet, his focus has shifted to me..."

I got up suddenly, my brain whirring. Cadence looked bewildered as I began pacing and muttering to myself before staring at Shining.  "Sombra?" She said uncertainly, "What is it?" 

I turned to her with a curious grin. "I need to go back in."  

She looked like she was about to protest, but I stopped her with a hoof. 
"I need to see what effect my actions had and furthermore, If i'm the cause of the trauma, all he need do is 'slay' me and everything will right itself."

"That's ridiculous!" She spurted, looking worried "If anything in your account was true, you could die!"

I smiled hugely and filled with bravado, I said "They're just visions. Nothing more, nothing less."

Before she could call me out on what I'd said, the spell was cast. 

                                                                                                                                                             

I instantly regretted that decision. My barrier didn't form! I was falling, the wind whipping at my ears, my eyes watered so I couldn't see a thing. I tried everything I could, but the ground drew ever closer.   

"So this is how it ends" I thought as I waited for the impact. 

It never came, I opened my eyes, completely off balance, to find myself in a king sized bed. 

I sat up and rubbed my face "What the hell?" I said before taking in my surroundings. My eyes grew wide as I beheld a room almost entirely composed of crystal: crystal dressers, crystal floors, crystal walls...even my bedsheets seem to shimmer. It was like something out of a dream...no, wait...this was a dream, vision even.   "Cadence?" I called as I got out of bed and  moved about the room.  

Her voice came through statically. "S...krrr Ombra?" followed by a jumble of odd sounds.  I breathed out "I think something's up with the crystal, I can't really hear you. I'll try and contact you later, shouldn't be long.  No doubt Shining will burst in any minute for a heroic duel."  I snorted at the image, Cadence didn't respond, the static sound no longer on my ears. 

I shrugged and walked over to what I guessed would be the bathroom. Odd that I should need it in a construct, but as they say 
"When you gotta go.." I washed my hooves in the translucent basin  and jumped at the fierce visage that greeted me in the mirror. 

The reflection jumped too. I laughed, "Do I really look like that?! Not bad, a great villainous look. I guess I have a forked tongue, too?"   I beamed "Oh my God, I do! My canines have become outright fangs! Got to credit the guy's imagination, even I'd slay me!" 

I have no idea why I was in such a stupid mood, but I roared with laughter. It echoed in a deep bass, the perfect ominous sound. 

Then, something I didn't expect happened, a voice came from the main room, It wasn't Shining's, it was snivelling, wormish and pitiful all at the same time. "My Lord?"  

I jumped out of my skin, before replying; "Yes? What is it?" The tone was serpentine and grumbly, it made everything seem threatening. 

At least it did to the figure in the other room. " A-a thousand pardons my L-Lord! I heard your laughter and imagined you were ready." 
"Ready?" I said, "for what?" again, the tone gave a keen edge to my words without my meaning to. 

The figure stuttered more as I made my way out of the bathroom. "Gah!" I said in surprise at the sight.  A cyan pony, deeply lacerated and covered in horribly disfiguring scars It  had some jagged object jutting from under the skin of its back. The thing  jumped back in terror. "T-t-the Prostration m-m-my L-llord." 

I didn't want  to know if that entailed anything more than bowing, so I grunted. "Well, I can't go out like this, I suppose." I meant it lightly, It didn't come out that way. The thing loped over to a cabinet and drew out my attire desperately .  

A shimmering ruby like cape, trimmed with ermine and what appeared to be armor. "At least I'll look the part" I thought, as the intricately carved, greaves, breastplate, and crowned helmet were drawn out. 

The pony then began fastening my tyrannical gear to me. Upon closer inspection, it appeared to be made out of the same lightweight metal, patterns burnt into the gear with acid. Finally, the crown helmet; the sides running along the skin of my cheek as it locked in place. The cloak was then pinned via broaches in the breastplate. A mirror was wheeled over by the pathetic figure and I was blown away.

"You did well" I said, admiring the look. It flinched as if i'd struck it, then began gibbering, bobbing its head up and down.  
"T-t-Thank you! My Lord is most generous" 
"Please let this end soon" I thought. 

"Alright." I said, "Take me through." thinking that the "Prostration" would be Shining's cue. 

It loped ahead of me, opening doors and continued talking in that pathetic mewl of a voice: "Your Magistrates await you on the balcony and the Overseers have made the preparations you requested." 

The entire hall was crystalline, a gray-black colour that seemed fitting for a lair such as mine. There were no windows, just a long hallway, lit with wandering orbs of green fire.Then we came to a set of stairs, that seemed to be cut from the same stone. I couldn't see an end to them as I ascended. My breathing became slightly heavier as we reached the top. "Whoever designed this has never worn armor before." I said aloud. The loping creature said hurriedly "A-apologies, I'll see that it's dealt with."

I shook my head "He's really starting to irritate me now. Where the hell are you Shining? I'm not sure how much more of this I can stomach."

Having finally reached the top, a rumble sounded beyond an archway. I stepped under it and two guard ponies standing to either side beat their breast with their weapons, the noise seemed to be taken up by the square.  Elaborately dressed ponies gave respectful bows as I passed them, to look over  the crest of the perch. A cacophony of noise greeted my arrival. An endless wave of soldiers, all with their weapons raised in a jubilant cry. It was then that I noticed the chained ponies in the centre of the square. The soldiers had formed a ring, prodding and swinging at the poor creatures . Some of them flinched, others didn't respond, staring  ahead, blankly, no matter what punishment was inflicted. 

My look of horror must've gone unnoticed. A monstrous pony in guard attire moved to my side, one eye deeply scarred and milky white. He boomed at the square: "Hail to the King!" 

The soldiers echoed him with gusto,even the chained wretches seemed to echo it as their warbling tones carried over the other, more uniform shout.

Through the link I uttered: " Uuuh.. Cadence. We have a problem."