//------------------------------// // Chapter 7: Very Big Vashta Nerada... Sort of // Story: Time Lord: The Story of Polaris // by Thrawn1800 //------------------------------// Chapter 7 “I'm Sombra.” said the charcoal stallion, his reddish eyes twinkling happily. “Celestia sent a message, and she asked me to help you.” “Thank you.” said Luna. “I- we would be glad of your help.” I dipped my head in greeting. He nodded back. He gestured for us to follow him and led us into the city. The crystal ponies were happily going about their business, meandering through the streets. Unlike in Everfree, they were all fairly welcoming, and greeted us as we passed by. Street vendors were calling out, and there was a market to our left down a street. Sombra led us through the streets toward the castle. Its spire glinted in the sunlight, refracting it into glorious array of colors. Sombra gave us a running tour, pointing out the features of the city. Several small arenas dotted the city, hosting the Empire’s famous jousting matches. When we reached the castle, Sombra gestured to a structure that extended from the ground to the ceiling of the dome-like courtyard. “That is the crystal heart.” He said, now pointing at a heart-shaped crystal, suspended in the air between the two small spires. “It protects the Empire from outside threats.” I examined the crystal heart. “Have there been any changes in the heart? Maybe around the time the storm started up in far north?” Sombra rubbed his chin, thinking back. “None that I noticed, but it is not like I watch it around the clock. We should ask around.” “That sounds like a good plan.” said Luna. “We could split up, so we can cover the city faster.” I nodded in agreement. “That should work. Could you three do that? I’d like to examine the Crystal Heart, see if anything is wrong with it.” They agreed to my proposition, and the three of them fanned out in different directions, moving outward back into the city. I approached the Crystal Heart, and cast a spell that would let me see the structure of spells and magic. What I saw startled me. The Crystal Heart itself didn’t seem to have any kind of magic on it, but the entire city was humming with magical energy, which radiated from the Crystal Heart. The entire city was an amplifier, gathering in some sort of magical energy. The Crystal Heart was the part that released that energy. Something was wrong though. The Heart should have been radiating massive energy, nearly blinding me with light. But instead, it was completely dull, and none of the magical energy in the city was moving into it. This Crystal Heart was a fake! I ran to find the others. ___________________________________________ I found Sombra in the westernmost section of the city. He was speaking with a mare, and I assumed he was still asking ponies if they’d noticed anything. That image collapsed when I saw him hug her and lightly nuzzle her. I wished I didn’t have to interrupt, but I needed to tell him about the fake. “S-Sombra?” I called, once I was closer. “Yes?” he said. He didn’t look the slightest bit embarrassed. “Did you find something?” “Yes. The-” I glanced at the mare. I could cause a massive panic if I told him here. “Can we talk? In private?” “Sure.” He followed me to the side. Once I was sure nopony else could hear us, I started talking. “Sombra, is the crystal heart ever removed for any reason? Maybe to clean it?” “No. Why?” He seemed unnecessarily anxious, which made me suspicious. “Because,” I said, watching his face closely, “the one you showed us, isn’t real.” “Are you sure?” he asked, far less surprised than I had expected. “Yes. Another thing I’m sure about…” I narrowed my eyes and stepped closer. “You’re hiding something.” He looked like he was about to make a run for it, so I got ready to grab him. Just when I expected him to dash off, he sighed and sat down. “You are right. I am hiding something.” he admitted, defeated. He looked thoroughly unhappy. He looked up at me. “I guess I have to tell now, right?” “Yes, you do.” I said, firmly. “So, spill the beans.” He raised an eyebrow. “Do what?” Exasperation. “Never mind, just tell me what happened.” He drew in a slow breath, then began his story. ___________________________________________ Sombra’s Point of View Several Days Previous ___________________________________________ I was meandering through the streets of the city with my marefriend Amethyst. I was contentedly watching the citizens of the Crystal Empire go about their daily lives, and I was enjoying time with Amethyst. She was easy to talk to, and she helped me to feel less lonely. As we walked along, I looked up at the spire of the castle, radiating prismatic hues across the sky. While during the day they were bleached and outshone by the sun, at night, in the kinder light of the moon, they were radiant. After I’d taken Amethyst home, I walked to the library. In the library, I resumed my studies of magic. I was particularly fascinated with the Crystal Heart and the magic of the Crystal Empire. I was trying to replicate its magic, but it was slow going. This led me to the conclusion that I needed something to work off of. Unfortunately, there was nothing like the Heart anywhere in the entire Empire. I… I took the actual Crystal Heart. I figured that nopony would miss it as long as I had it back as soon as possible. I took it to the library, hidden in my saddlebags. Unfortunately, there were consequences. The storm from the north was caused by the replacement Heart. It made the magic running through the Empire go haywire, and that messed with the Empire’s weather magic. The Empire has no pegasi, so the weather is regulated by spells that were cast a very long time ago. When I realized what was happening, I immediately returned the Heart. I returned home Nopony knew but me, but that’s the problem. I’d been able to study the Crystal Heart for a good period, but this is where the real problems started. Several days later, I was in the library, studying an old crystal spellbook, when I decided to attempt one of the spells. It was a spell that could make you… make you a sort of ruler, make others respect you. I… I admit to my selfishness. After I cast the spell, the entire library went dark. Then, I saw it. The spell hadn’t done anything to me. It created a duplicate, a shadowed version of me. The duplicate escaped from me when I tried to capture it. It’s out there now, somewhere. ___________________________________________ Polaris’s Point of View ___________________________________________ I watched him closely during the entire story. I wasn’t sure I believed him, but I didn’t see how this story could make him sound less guilty than he already was. While there was fault in his actions, I couldn’t judge him. I was curious about the workings of the Crystal Heart too. “Any idea where this copy is?” I asked. “I’m assuming he took the real Crystal Heart.” “I don’t know for certain.” he said. “But I think I have an idea.” “Really? Where?” “The castle.” he said simply, pointing a hoof towards the looming structure. “And why would he be there?” I asked. “Just a hunch.” said Sombra. “If the spell did what it should've, they he would be attracted to a symbol of power.” I followed him towards the castle, completely forgetting about the others. ___________________________________________ We searched the entire castle from top to bottom, examining every room closely. I didn’t find anything. Sombra and I met in the empty throne room, and he told me he hadn’t found anything either. We were discussing other possibilities when Luna and Starswirl entered the room. “Hi guys.” I said. “Find anything?” “No.” said Luna. “You?” “Nothing. But Sombra here has something to tell you two.” I glared at him, and he sighed exasperatedly. While he told them what had happened, I examined the throne room. I couldn’t see anything suspicious or wrong. Everything was in order, and nopony had seen the shadow Sombra anywhere. As I reached the conclusion that this was a wild goose chase, the room began to shake. “What’s going on?!” I asked. Through the windows, we could see dark clouds swirling in around the castle. The sky faded from blue to a depressing orange-brown. The crystals around us began to lose their luster, fading away. In the distance, a snowstorm was moving in on the Empire. Behind me, the doors opened with a resounding boom. I turned slowly around. Behind me, framed in the archway, was Sombra. But no, Sombra was standing next to me, looking determined. I looked back at the Sombra in the door. His horn was strange, orange and curved. His incisors were longer, and his eyes glowed maliciously with green and orange fire. This must be the shadow duplicate. He advanced on us, smiling evilly. I tried to stand between him and the others, but Sombra pushed me out of the way. “He is mine.” he growled. I moved back, not arguing. The two began to circle each other, glaring at one another. I stepped back, watching. The two Sombra’s began to throw magical attacks at their opposite. Sombra’s magic was red, and his opposite’s a crackling green and black. They intensified their assaults, dodging and shielding against the other’s magic. They were unrelenting, and the air in the room began to heat up. I looked back and forth between the dueling unicorns and my friends, then I charged up my own horn. I began to weave a spell around Luna and Starswirl, doing so slowly so they wouldn’t notice. When I’d finished, I activated it. Swirling lights began to surround them. “What are you doing?” asked Luna, surprised. I looked her in the eyes. “Protecting you.” I said, my voice breaking, and finished the spell. Light flashed, and Luna and Starswirl were gone, returned to Everfree. Hopefully. I turned back to the dueling unicorns, and repeated my spell. I had to protect the citizens of the Empire. We reappeared in the field surrounding the city. The snowstorm had covered the area in a thick white blanket, and the pond had frozen over. A chilly wind flowed through the air. The real Sombra was standing next to me, and the other was on the far side of the pond, waiting. “Let me help you!” I demanded. “Don’t fight him alone.” “No. This is my fight.” he said, his determination evident in his voice. I began to protest. “But-” He covered my mouth. “This is MY fight.” he said. I nodded, despite knowing that it was a bad idea. I backed away, and Sombra walked towards his opposite. I watched as they resumed their duel, Sombra wielding red crystal, Shadow Sombra his dark shadows. Sombra pelted the other with red shards, which were deflected without any apparent difficulty. Sombra summoned a crystalline sword to himself, and charged the other. The other blasted him with a wave of dark power, which shattered his sword and left him covered in small burns. Sombra reared and smashed the ice with his forehooves, and cracks ran towards the other, guided by Sombra’s magic. When it reached the other, a large red crystal erupted from the ice, catapulting the other backwards. Sombra teleported himself on top of the other, pinning him to the ground, a hoof at the other’s throat. The other smiled widely, laughing as if he’d been waiting for this. He dissolved into a shadow, which wrapped around Sombra, pulling him against the ice. I cried out and ran forward, watching as the ice underneath him gave way. He fell into the icy water and I stood at the edge, desperate, unable to help. From below, a green light began to glow, and the source began to rise. I stepped back from the water, which splashed outward as Sombra emerged. But something was wrong. His eyes were glowing green, his mane flowed unnaturally in the wind. His incisors had grown in length, and worst of all, his cutie mark had faded, and now showed a black crystal. He laughed, and walked towards me. “S-Sombra?” I asked, the cold feeling in my heart not caused by the wind. “Yes.” He said. His voice resonated through the ground, causing me to back further away in fear. “Now I shall rule the Crystal Empire! The crystal ponies shall be my slaves!” He threw a shadowy bolt my way, which I barely managed to deflect. He assaulted me, and I continued to back away, unable to hold against the onslaught. Finally, one of the dark shards shattered my feeble shield, knocking me back onto the snow, where I lay, gasping for breath. Sombra walked to me and stood over me, laughing. He stared down at me, his eyes full of the green fire and which now contained violet flames. I thought of the others, now far away. I was glad I could keep them safe. Something hit my head, then there was darkness.