One...two.......three.........four........no, it was...six?
Time had passed painfully slow, as always, he tried to count the days so he would have some idea of time; that it might help him in dealing with her. The alicorn had finally given in to her own shame, all he needed to do was drive the nails in the coffin with guilt; a little smooth talk and maybe a little something extra here and there would be the key to his freedom...
Lowering his head to rest his neck, the chains jingling softly and echoing in the room a little unpleasantly. Soon his thoughts turned to the only events he could mark as noteworthy, things like earthquakes, floods or other natural disasters caused by somebody royally screwing up their job always made him laugh; to think...the guilt or shame they must endure, knowing that in an environment controlled by them, they killed innocent ponies...perhaps he could find them later to thank them for the entertainment. The biggest event that stuck out was when the afternoon sun was simply a red light, he was worried that the sound of explosions outside might reach him; there was a lot of shouting and yelling that day in Canterlot...
It was all nonsense to him, or irrelevant, or maybe it was just a dream, after all, wouldn’t some disaster free him if he were so close to the surface? Celestia was well known for her misdirection. Yet nothing mattered unless it served his escape. After that incident, the noise outside of festivities was pleasant, if only to stave off the silence without expending his own energy; that, and the sound of a mare going full drama queen on some poor stallion made him laugh for quite a while.
The feeling of impatience was getting uncomfortable again, he had no choice at this point but to try and take his mind off the coming meeting; something nearly impossible to do when it was the only interesting thing to happen since the guards left.
What about...my castle...
The Crystal Empire belonged to the princess of love; it was a lost cause to reclaim something like that. The guards were dug in too deep; the protective magics were too strong...and that husband of hers was a master tactician. Numbers and strength alone would not win the old Empire. It would take a traitor; just one knife in the back; but who would give up the monotonous life they all so enjoy murdering the queen...
It needs to be an outcast, or perhaps a power hungry noble. If I can trick him, promising power or...mares, anything to have my way inside. Then a I'll place my dagger in her frail neck and let that thick husband of her watch the rivers of blood...
The thoughts nagged at his mind until he shook his head out of that pit, he recognized the path to madness and stopped thinking; making sure he doesn't lose the fight at the final stretch. Odd that he would begin to sink back into his pit of obsession at this stage...the new contact was almost resetting his time, in some strange way he did not understand; or rather, refreshing old memories and rekindling old fires.
The heavy door lock suddenly shifted and again, heavy iron against old oak, it echoed and swung open with a slow creak. Quickly, he looked up and watched the door open to a purple light once again. Those big purple eyes and that sullen face...it almost made him laugh at how pathetic she looked; the light made it easy for him to see her better than before, she had that new vanilla streak in her mane and an odd...weathered look.
Glancing up, he didn't have the energy to really care, food was still a little way away, so he didn't care to put on a show, today.
"Afternoon...Princess of the night? I can't recall your name." He said, voice rolling with the gravel of thirst.
The alicorn looked confused, but not saying a word to confirm...
"Apologies, it has been far too long since I've seen you, goddess. You're familiar, but you aren't her."
Purple eyes filled with sadness, they shone with her growing weakness as she sat down, a plate slowly floated in the air, wrapped in a purple velvet swirl and floating in the it, past the alicorn and stopping at chest height inches from him. It smelled of heavenly aromas long forgotten in the slew of varying degrees of slop and gruel. This was bread, hay, greens and even spice! This was a meal fit for a well breed noble...now a small fork carried the meal to him, gently, rather than forcefully by the silent handmaiden that worked with the brute outside...
"What is this...?" He asked, trying to control himself...
"It's okay...I won’t let harm come to you anymore."
Hunger...or rather, starvation is a powerful force. To achieve the revenge he so desired, he had to get out, that was the first step, so he needed to gain the trust of this sympathizer. So, he let go of a little more of his dignity and let his jaw hang and nearly broke down right there when the first taste of the delicious food hit his dry tongue.
_ _
Sombra was almost like a child, a young colt with his defiant eyes and fragile body. The idea made Twilight sick, not disgust for him, but from the self-hatred that consumed her mind; but there was something about helping him like this that made the guilt bearable. In her long years, her innocent years, she once thought this master of darkness was dead; it was only recently that she found out the truth.
Even then, there were some things that were almost better left a secret; Sombra would have existed in this prison until time itself forgot about him, existing in this space with such haunting caretakers that exist in the timeless space just as he did. Just as she does.
The plate was half gone, both of them sat in heavy silence save the sounds of eating and metal against ceramic, she understood that he was no longer even a ghost of his former self, this was a shell, a broken...thing, left behind in the wake of wrath; he even looked like he knew this...
Twilight set the plate down when it was empty, building up her courage and steeling herself for any insults that may come.
"Hello...I...am not Princess Luna." She said, trepidation and a slight fear in her voice.
Sombra looked at her with confusion plain on his face, a little disappointment as well, seeping into a scowl.
"My name is Twilight Sparkle..."
_ _
That....was a name he was not expecting to hear; he didn't even have a real hatred to place with that name. Yes, he did hate her for just being like the other god sisters, but she was almost alien to him. Yet he would not doubt the fact that he knew her face. Just too much was unknown at this point, he needed time to learn her angle before he worked a plan around her own schemes. So, he cleared all the judgment and hate from the surface and kept to a dignified look of distaste, nodding as slightly as the brace would let him in greeting.
"Greetings...What is it you want of me?"
The mare took a deep breath and looked at the ground for a moment, gathering her thoughts before answering.
"I would like to simply speak. I hope to...right a very old wrong."
Twilight stood up once again, bowing slightly and turning for the door, he forced himself to stay silent this time, he showed far too much weakness the first time they had met; she was coming back, soon...and he could wait.
"I will return with more food and water...then we shall speak of time lost."
Yet when she turned around, the mare looked back and gave him a lingering look...eyes empty, devoid of life...it gave him a chill. Something about her eyes still reminded him of her, the callus of impossible decisions grew thick over her skin and showed him her true age.
"But I need a reason to trust that you will not attempt to escape until I pass judgment..." Twilight's tone was ice cold, a frightening shift for the kind hearted tone she had just a moment ago.
The chains jingled quietly, their breathing echoing near silently and the tension in the air grew thick within seconds.
"Is that your purpose? Are you the one to free me?"
Twilight pushed down the fear in her mind when he spoke the plain truth.
"I believe your punishment has been served...but my decisions affect the world...so I cannot make these choices on a gut feeling anymore. I need your word, Sombra."
Insolent...
The silence was getting heavy between the two, he felt his fear starting to kick in and make him jittery; but he needed to push those things aside for just a little while longer.
"This prison has been designed to break a mortal stallion...to twist his mind into a irreparable heap of shattered screams and hallow memories, to make him fear the very darkness he lies in while shunning the light that burns his skin and eyes until he goes blind...I am not a mortal stallion...my torture has been prolonged, and so my suffering can be without end; I cannot go blind, I cannot forget the pain or ignore my fears. Princess Twilight Sparkle...I wish nothing less than to see the light of day or the rest of death. Tell Celestia...Tell her that I no longer seek revenge."
Twilight looked like a dagger had grazed her cheek, pain rising rapidly to the surface and eyes becoming watered again; but no tears fell, she simply turned and left the room again; the heavy lock falling into place and only the shame of the truth his words to remain.
Yet she was touched by his words, he lowered his head and a small smile came to his face for the first time in a long... long time. The weeds of doubt had been planted, even chained and locked against a cold wall, he was just as dangerous; he was just as sly, perhaps even a little cunning in him remained...because sometimes...
The truth, was the best lie...