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// Eight-Sombra 
// Story: Nightmare 
// by Blackdrag-rose 
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	Seattle, the once peaceful city, was now covered by a permanent black cloud that was growing larger by the hour. Scattered across the entire city were pillars of black crystals, either coming out of the ground itself or growing out of the buildings that surrounded the Space Needle. Some of the buildings were already falling apart, due to the fighting that occurred between King Sombra and the Changeling Swarm a while ago.

Sombra had prematurely activated the hatred in the corrupted Crystal Heart when the changelings attacked, but it was worth making them retreat in fear. Now it sat at the top of the Space Needle, his new palace that sat away from others, with a beam of pure hatred pulsing out of it and connecting to the large black cloud. Here he observed everything, his eyes scanning the immediate area for the telltale signs of the changelings in case they decided to attack him once more. He could, even now, see several of them staring at him before turning around and fleeing to the immediate south.

Sombra wasn't an idiot, he knew that some enemies attacked again after feigning defeat so they could attack their enemy while they let their guard down. He had never allowed that to happen to him; he had always kept his guard up and made sure that his enemies were kept at bay, away from him. Thanks to the black cloud and the hatred that filled the air the changelings were thinking twice and were leaving him alone, if he could trust that they went after Nightmare Moon a day ago. He allowed himself a rare smile, it seemed that he was winning after all.

"My King," Thomas radioed in, the strange contraption making some noise in the man's voice, "Everyone that you captured on your latest raid, including those from your former employer and Rayger Fell's personal army, have become ponies. Everypony is awaiting your word to begin the advance towards Discord's location in Las Vegas."

Another thing he had seized when he had conquered both of the men his servant had mentioned; he had taken in a vast amount of weapons and a bunch of military vehicles. As such Sombra now had the means to traverse the land he had arrived in, thus allowing him to travel wherever he wanted whenever he chose to. With the expansion of the black cloud he could afford to take the battle to Discord, which is why he had sharpened his broadsword earlier that day.

"Prepare the troops," Sombra commanded, his voice ringing out across the entire city, "We march on Discord and whoever else dares to stand in our way. Nothing will stop me from taking control of the entire continent, nah, the whole world. Discord had better watch out, because I'm coming and I'm bringing the destruction of Chaos itself."

~Las Vegas, that same moment~

Discord's ears twitched, causing him to look to the north and imagine what Sombra's plans really were. The stallion had said something about him, something that had caught the attention of the sensors he had placed around his name as soon as he had arrived. He didn't track those who simply said his name, that would be too easy, but he did track those who truly threatened him and the chaos he was trying to create. Right now Sombra was doing something that was messing with his sensors, which led to his ears twitching under his hood at the moment.

He returned to his poker game, allowing himself to mess with his competition on auto pilot while he mentally prepared his chessboard. Nightmare Moon and her New Lunar Republic were currently controlling the eastern boarders of Las Vegas, making it hard for many to enter and exit. Queen Chrysalis and her Swarm were covering the southern and western exits, seeing how many changelings that covered the skies on those locations. The Solar Empire, without it's mighty leader Princess Celestia, were somewhere inside the city, covering their tracks and watching his every movement.

The Elements of Harmony, on the other claw, were a different ballgame altogether. Rainbow Dash and the ever loveable Fluttershy had been captured by the Swarm and were currently being held somewhere around Las Vegas. Rarity and Pinkie Pie were hanging around the city itself, seeing how he had seen the pink mare the day he had appeared in the city and he made sure to steer clear of her. Applejack was everywhere and nowhere, seeing how the changelings liked to play games and that made it harder to find the real farmer. Dear Twilight Sparkle was in Utah, but she was so close that he could literally taste her nerdiness in the air itself.

Returning to the game at hand he flipped over a royal flush and knocked everyone out of the game in one turn, making him the winner yet again. Money was just the pastime while he waited for his enemies to make their plans clear. He just had the feeling that Sombra was going to do something against all of them sooner or later.

~Seattle, Sombra's military caravan~

Not ten minutes after announcing that he was declaring war on the rest of the rulers from Equestria did the military caravan of King Sombra leave his new Crystal Empire. There were dozens of vehicles, ranging from troop carrying trucks to hummies with armor plating, and, for good measure, a tank as well. Sombra had lucked out with Rayger Fell's stash of military vehicles and weapons, seeing how his entire army was loaded up with stolen weapons and were driving the stolen machines. The only difference between them before and after he acquired them was now they were powered by the dark magic that coursed throughout his entire body, hence the black aura around each machine.

With his dark army he was going to obliterate all of his competition and claim the land for himself, such as was his conquering nature. Four enemies to defeat and the land would be his. Six annoying elements to dispose of and the rest of the world would follow him into the darkness. Sombra grinned and rested a hoof on his broadsword, waiting to cut open any of the opposing ponies that would dare to stand in his way. Soon everything would be his and there was no one and nopony that could stop him.