The sterile hospital room was quiet save for the low beeping of machinery and the hushed whispers of a doctor who didn't think the filly could understand her. Outside the glass walls the backs of four elite guards could be seen manning a post while Lieutenant Hurricane stood staring in.
"There was a three hundred percent increase in crystallization of the cell walls, particulates in the blood, and then... nothing. Her irregular anatomy is giving our tests a great deal of trouble but there was no trace of infection in her system," the attending physician explained, "We don't know what set off her fever, or dehydration, and as far as we can tell the coma induced by extreme exhaustion."
Nurse Clarity was hysterical. "Are you telling me she just felt like taking a nap for three days?"
The doctor hesitated. "Not at all. We just can't find anything medically wrong and that is good news."
Though Sombra stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Nurse Clarity it was clear that there was still a great distance between the two. A chasm that grew wider with every passing moment. Something was troubling him and even Treeling could feel it. She pulled her tablet onto her lap and started sketching. The sketch was rough and difficult to make because her jaw and lips were still somewhat numb. The scraping of chalk on stone garnered the interest of the three adults in the room.
On their approach the rendering was completed and revealed a scribbled outline of an alicorn with a moon on her butt. The drawing could only mean one thing. The outside world now knew that it could get in, but it was more than that, those trapped inside could finally get out... the war had truly come to the Crystal Empire.
Though impossible for Sombra to turn stark white he did manage to make it down to several shades of a lighter grey; but that was before a ruckus in the hall caught their attention.
"Cadet!" Lieutenant Hurricane shouted, "Report."
"It's, uh... actually, um, Private... uh– sir!" Pansy said with a salute, before continuing on with the report as though she were ripping off a Band-Aid. "News from the Queen: the prisoners are summoned."
"Congratulations on your promotion Private. If you want to keep it– you'll get out of my sight." the Lt. barked after he swiped the requisition order. He read it over and nodded to the guards. The glass door slid open as they funneled into the room. "She's coming with us." The order was delivered with the orders that Liutenant Hurricane slapped into the chest of the doctor. "Them too," he said motioning that Sombra and Crystal Clarity should be rounded up.
***
The prompt pegasus delivered the three unicorn prisoners into the custody of the castle guard and turned to leave when a voice stopped him. "Sir. You're going to need to stay for this," a guard said, "Queen's orders." Lieutenant Hurricane's wings flapped in frustration, as he was clearly tired of sitting on them, and looked to another highly decorated pegasus who hovered nearby in anticipation. After a look of shared misery between the pair of antsy pegasai the doors to the court hall swung open.
"Thank you, your highness; the library shall prove a most valued resource in this ongoing conflict." Celestia told the Queen as she and her sister bowed before their exit. Regal splendor could still be found in her words if not slightly haggard by the endless and tiresome engagements with Discord.
Luna nodded from her bow. "We shall show the utmost discretion with our findings." The addition came as the pair rose and turned to leave. The decent down the stairs was a slow one that filled Luna's eyes with a recognition when they reached the base of the steps. "Sister... A moment, please," Luna said.
"Brigadier Firefly," Celesta beckoned, "We have her blessing." and with that one of the two pegasai was allowed to fly into action.
"Sister," Luna said again trying to get her elder sibling's attention, "This is the child that we spoke of."
"No way..." Nurse Clarity uttered in disbelief as the Celestial Sisters resumed their decent toward them.
"Way," Celstia said with a wry but gentle smile. This was the first time that Sombra had seen them in the flesh, and though they had never spoken to him before; in a sense they still had not.
Luna lowered her head to the eye level of the filly and peered inside before whispering: "Thanks to thy bravery we are here now. Thou must keep thy courage; for the war tis nearly over." Luna's smile reflected her inner light, the way the moon reflects the light of the sun, and she reached up with her royal hoof. Slowly she descended it upon the face of the filly and pressed it to her nose.
To which Treeling's eyes centered and widened in an abstraction of shock. This phantom from her dream was real and their experiences were shared willingly not through the painful or invasive magic of the Crystal Ponies she was at the behest of. Instead, through a relatively peaceful repose that they had shared. On top of that, she was as kind as she was powerful, and the levels of magic that radiated from her and her sister washed out the rest of the rest of the empire entirely.
There was also something dark behind those eyes, and when Treeling stared into them the reflection of Asheveld stared back. She reached to Treeling's reflection and placed something behind her ear. Confused by the experience Treeling scratched her head as the grown ups continued talking.
"Sister," Celestia said and her words softly nudged Luna to action.
"Yes. We must go," Luna concurred.
Only after the two were out of earshot did Nurse Clarity speak and she did so in a frantic but hushed tone, "That was the mane, from the hospital, when all the machines malfunctioned– that's what Treeling's mane looked like!"
"Interesting..." Sombra thoughtfully uttered as the guards prodded them into the throne room.
***
A trio of horns stood in the presence of a dissatisfied pair of mighty of wings. The Crystal Queen rose from her throne to a towering height as she looked down on her prisoners. "You're dismissed," she called to her council. The bleak words signified that a judgment had already been made and that no further considerations need be discussed. As such those serving in the advisory role best not be present lest they object to what was about to occur and share the fate.
"A colossal failure," the Queen said to the trio once they were in the company of no prying ears. "I can no longer justify your experiments to my people; not after five murders."
"Five?" Nurse Clarity objected as if two were any less damning.
"Lance Dancer, Prim Palisade, and Quicken Squall did not survive their injuries." The Crystal Queen stepped down off her throne with the delivery of the words, as if each name was embossed on a sword, and each sword meant for the heart of a unicorn. The royal pegasus paced as she spoke, "None who have faced the wrath of 'the outside' and survived will be fit to lead squads for weeks to come. We have been left more vulnerable since this exercise began."
"And I am responsible for their failings?" Sombra questioned.
The Queen stopped before Sombra to address him directly, "She is responsible. You are responsible for her. I sentence you to share her fate."
News of the triple murder charge trickled down into Crystal Clarity's mind. "What, you mean both of us?" she protested again.
"Yes," the Crystal Queen responded to Nurse Clarity's concerns without breaking eye contact with Sombra. "Sombra, you are a guest in my lands, subject to its laws, and Clarity– you are a citizen therein."
Treeling patiently watched the back-and-forth as Sombra objected again. "I am a foreign dignitary. I demand representation from my home nation."
His heart sank six feet when the Queen delivered her bone-chilling return. "You're nation has been ravaged by war in your absence. They believe you to be dead and I wasn't about to dredge up such an uncomfortable past for them," she explained. It was then that he knew that she knew of his title and crown, but she continued with the reminder, "You had begged this court for the opportunity to forge this sword, and now you shall carry it into battle. The cost of war has been to great to stand idly by any longer."
Sombra deadpanned. "So has the cost of peace."