//------------------------------// // Shadow // Story: Sapphire Blue // by ReptiRosary //------------------------------// The land was dry and cracked. Unforgiving and cruel, a land so harsh, hardly a thing could sustain life in the baron soil. A few tiny spindly bushes remained leaching the remainder of the nutrients out of the ground in vain. Within the cracks and pockmarks in the dehydrated ground something stirred. The essence was tiny, only a cup full of black smoke, it could be easily mistaken for some discolored sand blowing over the surface of the packed clay. The tiny life force did not expose it’s self to the purifying rays of the sun. Instead it clawed it’s was way around the labyrinth of splits in the ground searching for the shattered pieces of itself to absorb. The bit of smoke retreated violently into a crack as large black hoof came down on the ground. The smoke quickly took it’s chance, it slithered onto the hoof, wrapping it’s self securely around the back of the hoof to hide it’s self from the sun. The small life force clung to the hoof as it stamped quickly across the hard packed earth. A sickly changeling trotted quickly across the dead plain. He was returning from yet another unsuccessful scouting mission. The lack of nourishment was starting to show on his already frail looking body. His leathery hide was stretched thin over brittle bones. He had large, blue pupil less eyes were sunk in deep in his sockets. His frail wings were completely worn out from flying tirelessly searching for new sources for food. He was close now, only a few more miles until he was back with his colony, back to his queen. That is all that drove the solitary changeling onward. He had the intense primal drive to report back to his queen, more than he wanted to rest, more than he wanted to feed, he needed to be back with his hive. The intense sun heated his black skin to almost unbearable temperatures, the hot dry hair was sapping what little bit of strength he still had in him. The changeling lifted his head, and finally off in the distance he saw his colony’s home. The changeling colony lived in a huge spiraling structure made out of the same light brown earth that colored the rest of the land. The Hive had many tiny windows carved out of the walls for ventilation. The structure resided at the far end of a dry lake bed, surrounded by foreboding black granite spikes. All around the hive there were changelings buzzing, trying to escape the oven like heat from within The Hive. Once the solitary changeling heard the buzzing of his colony a new jolt of energy shot through him, his heart filled with joy, he was almost home. The changeling jumped weakly into the air flapping his frail wings wildly to allow himself to slowly glide over the granite peaks, and down onto the earth of the dry lake bed. As soon as his hooves touched down on the ground he took off in a feverish gallop toward his hive. The little changeling ran straight though the front archway of the hive, due to the arid climate there was no need for solid doors. He galloped up the crude spiral stairway until he reached the only set of doors in The Hive. The huge black doors lead to the queen’s throne room. He stopped for a minute to catch his breath, he then pushed hard on the immense door and slipped though the small gap he was able to produce. Unlike the rest of The Hive the throne room was finely decorated with black marble and granite, giving it a polished and menacing look. The throne sat at the far end of the room, it was made out of a forest green stone that had a faint shimmer to it in the right light, the back of the chair was ornate, carved to look like a tree with no leaves, and seat of the chair was upholstered in fine black silk. The open windows of the throne room were closed behind thick green curtains that stretched nearly to the ceiling and spilled onto the floor. The tired changeling noticed that his queen was not in her throne, he scanned the room quickly then he spotted her gazing out of one of the immense windows, with a dissatisfied look on her face. “My Queen!” The changeling said in a meek raspy voice. Chrysalis, the changeling queen only acknowledged her subject by looking at him briefly with the side of her eye. “What news have you brought me my subject?” she said in her monotone insect like voice. The changeling bowed in respect. “My Queen. I am truly sorry, but… my scouting mission was unsuccessful.” The small changeling’s voice trailed off on the last word. He braced for his Queens furry. “Unsuccessful.” Chrysalis repeated in a low dissatisfied tone. She turned her gaze back to the world beyond her window, her expression hardening. The small worker did not know how to react. Should he stay silent? Should he explain the extent of his mission? He decided the latter to try and dispel some of the tension building in the room. “Yes, My Queen. I traveled far to the west, out to the tribes of the buffalos and pony’s scattered across the plains. Their numbers were few, so few it wouldn’t be worth it to try and feed off the population. Since they could only sustain a few changelings at a time. Also since the community is so small, we would surely be noticed.” The changeling explained. Chrysalis bristled, the small changeling could feel a magical static zip though the air. Before he could do anything in protest the changeling queen threw him hard against the wall like a rag doll with her magic. The small changeling squealed in pain as his skull cracked against the marble. “So that’s it then!” The Queen snarled venom dripping from her voice. “You checked one place and came running home as if your job was done! Does the survival of your colony, of your queen mean NOTHING to you!” The Queen stalked toward him, her presence was formidable to say the least. Her eyes were pricing emeralds, burning with furry, only made more unsettling by the thin snake like pupils. Her horn lit up again with her sickly green magic as she stood over her mortally injured subject. “mm My Queen! Please, I beg of you!” The changeling wailed “I promise you I searched as far as I could I-I tried My Queen.” He bawled tears streaming from his eyes. He tried to stand, to have some sort of composure but he was hopelessly dizzy from his head injury, he simply fell onto his side and gazed into the burning green irises that were currently bearing down on him. The small changeling hated himself for upsetting his queen. He looked into the eyes he wanted to please so much, hoping to see some forgiveness. “You little worm, how dare you beg and plead like a little foal!” Chrysalis hissed as she wrapped her magic around his neck, lifting him off the ground so that he was eye level with her. “You FAILED your Queen, why should we keep you around? You’re just another sniveling mouth to feed!” Chrysalis said, her mouth curling into a snarl, bearing her long fangs. She slowly tightened her hold around his neck, stopping his ability to breathe. As the Queen gazed into his face, watching as he gasped for air and struggled against his grip. Why should I allow him to live? My colony is already starving. If he can’t help us feed then he must die. Chrysalis thought The queen noticed something flicker at the corner of his right front hoof. Was he trying to use magic against her? Chrysalis released her hold on his neck and wrapped her magic around the magical force lingering on her subjects hoof. She brought the small black cloud up to her face for closer inspection. It was small, about the size of an apple. The small cloud at first struggled against her magic, then it relaxed. The changeling queen sensed a suppressing amount of magical energy coming from the small ball of smoke. “What is this?” Chrysalis barked at her subject, who was currently gasping for air on the floor of her throne room. The small changeling shrunk away from her words. “I…I have no idea my Queen, I’ve never seen it before in my life!” “LIAR!” Chrysalis screamed stamping her hoof on the ground. “Is this some sort of poison, some sort of spell used for spying?” “N…NO! No my Queen, I promise I’ve never seen that thing before in my life.” He pleaded. Chrysalis stared coldly at her subject. “ I will deal with you in a minute, first I must find out what this thing is.” Before walking away from her wounded subject she stomped down hard on his right front foreleg until she heard the bone break under her hoof. Chrysalis walked away from the now screeching changeling and walked into an adjoining room. It was a small room full of magic books, ingredients for potions, and most importantly a magical table used to create enchantments and try out new spells. Chrysalis placed the small ball of smoke into the table, as it tried to rise up Chrysalis sent a blast of magical energy around the perimeter of the table, binding the ball of smoke so it could only move about the table. The Queen sensed a peculiar magic from the smoke, almost as if it were conscious. It seemed to be calculating as it tried to feel its way out of the enchanted table, not running on a pre-determined set of tasks like a spell would be. Chrysalis peered deep into the smoke, trying to find a trait or quirk about it that would help her unlock its identity. Then she saw a flicker, like at the bottom of a fire pit. She squinted to try and focus on it, but it kept flickering on and off, so slight that the Queen wondered if perhaps her eyes were playing tricks on her. Then out of the darkness of the smoke two eyes, blood red and glowing like molten rock appeared, staring intently at Chrysalis. Chrysalis gasped and took a step back from the shock. In the center of the red eyes there were two sickly green irises staring back at her, cold and full of hate. “What is this sorcery?” Chrysalis wondered out loud, visibly shaken. Whatever this presence was, it was amazingly potent given its small size. Just gazing into the eyes gave Chrysalis a feeling or sorrow and dread that she had never felt before, and yet she could not pull her eyes away from those burning red orbs. This force was obviously conscious, perhaps it was a ghost of some sort or some creature not yet discovered by pony-kind. Whatever it was is scared and fascinated Chrysalis immensely. Chrysalis decided to take a chance, it was obvious that whatever this thing was it was trying to tell her something. It was obvious by the was the eyes burned into her, and the way the smoke was boiling angrily under the restraint of Chrysalis’s spell. Chrysalis steadied herself for what she was about to do, she knew this could have dire repercussions, but as much as this black entity scared her, she had a strange feeling that it could save her and her colony. If she could only control it. The changeling queen closed her eyes and focused her magical energy, slowly she began to extend her consciousness into that of the black cloud. It was similar to what she would do before taking on the form of another pony to find out their quirks, relatives and friends to make her disguise more real. She felt a wall as she began to reach into it’s mind, it was resisting. This was strange, most normal creatures did not know, nor had the ability to block themselves from Chrysalis’s mind-reaching ability. This made the Queen even more excited. She pushed harder, trying to break though the wall, she could sense a roiling field of energy past this mental block. In one last attempt Chrysalis focused all of her energy into a fine point. Finally she broke though the wall, a torrent of emotions, visions and memories flooded into Chrysalis’s mind. Anger, Hate, Malice, Greed, Power, Green fields, rainbows dancing through an azure sky, strange sparkling ponies with chains around their necks, pulling huge crystal blocks to build a monument, Hooves clad in steal coming down shattering a crystal floor in rage. Blood pooling below dark grey hooves… slowly looking up to see a white alicorn with a flowing pastel rainbow main and tail. Celestia? Who’s memories are this? Just as she thought that the visions stopped. Everything when black, then a unicorn stallion appeared before her. He had a very regal presence, he was royalty for sure. He was clad in steal armor, and had a red cape draped over his back with a mink-tail fringe. His main was black as coal, slicked back and held in place by a metal crown adorned with red and metallic spikes. His face, was chilling, those green and red eyes staring back at her, now had a face to go with it. The last thing was his horn. It was a strange horn, red and curved upward like a molten hot blade. The mysterious unicorn smiled at her revealing sharp fangs. “Hello Queen Chrysalis.” He said with a deep rumbling voice. Chrysalis stared in wonder at the royal unicorn in front of her. How had she never heard of him? Chrysalis raised her head. “Who are you?” She asked guarding herself mentally, she didn’t know how much she could trust this being. The unicorn smiled, a low rumbling laugh rumbling from his chest. “I forget how long I’ve been gone, trapped under artic ice for a thousand years, raising again only to be blasted to pieces by that damned crystal princess. It’s not a surprise you haven heard about me.” Chrysalis didn’t budge, she was not going to put her guard down until she knew who this pony was. “No need to have your guard up Queen, I promise you I only want to help you.” He said with a smile. Chrysalis raised and eyebrow. “Help me but your only a small ball of smoke.” He chuckled “Well yes, so I guess I will require your assistance first, however I assure you, if you choose to help me your efforts will be greatly rewarded.” Chrysalis was still skeptical “And how would that be exactly? As you probably tell from peering inside of my head, my kingdom isn't exactly thriving.” “Yes, and I have a solution for you as payment for your… generosity.” The unicorn said slyly. “I’m listening.” Chrysalis said intrigued “I believe we have a mutual enemy… tell me if the name, Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, Means anything to you?” He said with a smile Chrysalis’s eyes widened and a huge smile crossed her lips “More than you know.” Chrysalis let her guard down a little. “You still haven’t told me who you are.” The unicorn laughed again “Oh forgive me.” His eyes gave a brief flash. “My name is King Sombra.”