//------------------------------// // Broken Crystal // Story: The Returned // by King Sombra11 //------------------------------// The Frozen Tundra Snow. As far as the eye could see, an endless flurry of snow. A shadow, HIS shadow. Great leathery wings tipped with ragged spines creaked out there protest against the cold as they strove to keep the monstrosity aloft. BOOM The ground trembled under the weight of Drakos as his form landed. In front of the Ancient was a cave. The entrance more alike a gaping maw than anything else. The most curious thing however were the shadows, they writhed and twirled temporarily forming shapes. Disturbing shapes. To any other passer-by the cave would have driven them insane, the fear stopping their hearts stone cold. Drakos however was undeterred, he was an Ancient, a being that predated everything in existence. A force so malevolent that the earth itself wept at it's presence. Drakos lumbered towards the cave, he passed through the shadows without encountering even a slight amount of resistance. The interior was black. Pitch black. Dark crystals coated the walls the shadows lingered on the fringes, hovering over the crystals themselves. Drakos sighed, the memories came flooding back to him. The Crystal Cavern a Thousand Years Ago Drakos stirred from his slumber. His coma was...disturbed. Certain points in the world were linked to his very being, a sort of fiery chain linked to his soul. One such point was being desecrated by the presence of a..."PONY!!!!" Drakos realized. Shard stumbled into the cavern, the ice had already started to form on his coat. The cold working it's way through to his bones, chilling him to the very core. He took a moment to look around, it looked like any other crystal cave but...something felt wrong he realized. "PONY. YOU DARE TO DESECRATE MY MORTAL ANCHOR????" boomed a thunderous voice that struck fear into Shards very soul. A eye. A single eye wreathed in flame had appeared in the centre of the cave. It's gaze rooted Shard to the spot. "WELL? SPEAK FOOL OR SUFFER MY WRATH!". "I...I...am deeply s...sorry I did not mean to trespass" Shard stuttered in response, quivering under the single baleful red eye. Just as Drakos was about to strike the fool from existence he stopped, looking closer he saw...potential and felt...pity. A emotion he had not felt for a millennia. Shard at that moment chose to look up, how he wished he had not. The eye once again caught him in it's gaze but this time advanced upon the small quivering pony. Shard screamed, the scream rung out and continued till his throat was raw from it. His very soul was being bared to the Ancient, his being scrutinised and evaluated. Finally the pain stopped, Shard lay down panting. "You are...alone. Follow me" The voice uttered, but quietly this time. Shard looked up, still in pain but surprise and curiosity forced him to lift his head. "I shall take you under my wing, I shall raise you aloft and you shall rule. Before you ask why, I have seen your soul and your isolation, your pain and most of all your deep seated hatred. I shall teach you to wield it and most importantly I shall be with you, though I may return to slumber I shall always be with you." with that Drakos manifestation floated away deeper into the cave, without a second thought Shard followed. Present Crystal Cavern "Ahhhh Sombra it was going so well, my faithful student. You progressed so well, your hatred grew as did my fondness for you. Then you met her" the last word was said with a sneer so sour it could have curdled milk. "She drew you away from your studies, and tempted you into the light and then I fell asleep...let us see what you achieved during my...vacation." Drakos muttered. A forked tongue slithered between ragged, razor sharp teeth. The tongue touched one of the crystals gently, like the caring caress of a child's parent. Suddenly the life of King Sombra Tyrant of the Frozen North flashed before his very eyes. Drakos shook with rage, his scales glimmered with infernal fire and his talons scored deep gouges into the floor of the cavern. The shadows became agitated responding the Ancients anger. Drakos body burst into flames, he thundered out the cavern into the frozen wasteland and roared. ""SOOOOOOMMMMBBBBBRRRRAAAAAAAA!!!!!!! WHYYYYYY?????" His wings spread in all their glory, the flames roared and doubled in size. Drakos maw opened, fully and completely. It was awful, his maw gaped open like a void something that no thing could escape from. An eternal and terrible force that swallowed all, and at the end a light, a small flicker which transformed into a roaring flame. As Drakos roared, he rose into the sky, using his talons the leviathan pushed himself higher off the cavern. His flame poured over the black crystal melting and twisting whilst his talons shaped and built. Finally he rose ever higher, submerged in his own infernal flame he finally pivoted and made towards the Dragon Lands. "You were my son in all ways except blood, you returned unto me and then left the path of shadow again. I forgive you Sombra...I forgive you". Though many would claim it impossible, a tear... a single blood red tear burst forth from the eye of the Ancient. Canterlot "What in the name of Tartaurus..." Luna trailed off her snout slack in awe, the glimmer of fire was visible even in Canterlot. "SISTER!!!" Merely a few hours later the Elements, Royal sisters and the newly crowned Royals of the North stood at the spot where the crystal caverns used to be. "My word" Twilight breathed out. In front of them was a statue. As tall as the Crystal palace and Canterlot castle combined it dwarfed everypony there and stood tall in the Frozen Tundra. It was Shard...or rather King Sombra. The likeness was eerie and identical, his face was pulled back into a snarl. The scene depicted Sombra atop the crystal heart with the Elements and Celestia, as well as Cadence and Shining lay strewn about...dead. Luna...Luna lay at his feet looking up with despair as Sombra snarled. Worst of all the statue was formed from the dark crystals that for years had signalled his presence, shadows formed around the base and whispered depraved murmurs. ""Flessssshhhhhh....sssssso sssweeeeet." "Givvveeee it tooo usssss" The group collectively took a step back. All but Luna, her face contorted with grief she took a few faltering steps towards it. "Sister no!" Celestia cried darting forward to retrieve her seemingly insane sibling. Suddenly a shadow struck with lightning speed, becoming tangible the dark form wrapped itself around the solar deity's hoof and threw her aside casually. The others looked on in shock. Luna carried on, the others cries soon died out as they saw... "They're, they're parting for her" whispered cadence not quite believing her eyes. Luna carried on, she reached the base of the statue. That's when it happened, slowly at first but gathering velocity flames began to engulf the monument, not harming it but rather bathing it in an unholy glow. "Is this to be you legacy? A dark infernal statue depicting your days of tyranny and torture. A testament to your dark nature? Now no-pony will remember you for who you truly were Shard all they...all they shall see is the shadow." Luna sobbed in a hushed tone. The others stood a little bit behind, not daring to enter the shadows range and as they watched, Luna, Goddess of the moon. Former of the Nightmare and reformer to the tyrant wept. At the base of the unholy testament that proclaimed the evil of the great shadow tyrant she wept. Great huge sobs wracked her body and through the sound of her own grief Luna thought she could hear a roar. A roar of anguish. A roar that promised fire and death. A roar that was older than time and primordial in nature. A roar. The roar of an Ancient.