You seem lost. Took a wrong turn? Stepped down a road you shouldn’t have? Seen something you know you can’t run away from? Heh, don’t worry. I won’t bite. You’re safe here.
Well, as safe as I allow it to be.
Now, you’re probably wondering who this roguish individual is with a voice like the honey from a spring’s bounty. Why, I’m many things, really. Some much too complicated for someone such as yourself to possibly understand. But, for practicality's sake, let my vocation just be known as ‘The Dealer’.
People come to me. And I deal with them.
Simple enough, right? Oh, how wrong you are. The deals are set in stone, chiseled by bloody hands. A deal with me holds repercussions that transcend life and death and always tips the odds in my favor. I’m a big fan of odds, you see. Evens… not so much.
Now, before you continue, be warned. What you are about to embark on can be described as… disturbing. Utterly unsettling, by other accounts. But in the end, it’s your decision to make. It always will be your decision. That’s how a deal is made, you see. Even if I am but the humble Dealer, you are the one who can choose to agree to it.
So, you must decide. Continue? Or close the book right now, never to return, and put its mind-rending contents to rest in peace?
…
Oh, you’re so predictable.
Just like every other bumbling mortal buffoon who enacts one of my pacts. Predictable. It’s always the same story, give or take a few details. Money, power, fame, lovers, they’re all just checkboxes in life’s standard list.
Take for example the latest fool. Has a royal stink to him, you know the type—roses, fresh citrus, and the stench of self-righteous superiority. Condescending prick, doesn't realize it doesn't matter how noble your blood is, it all comes out red.
Anyway, this chap had sought me out for a deal. Oh, how excited I was to see yet another idiot come begging to me for the same thing as a thousand others. Was he driven by lust for power, or some other banal impulse? Like it makes any difference. Ugh, the utter grating repetitiveness just gets on your nerves so badly after a few eons you just want to—
I’m ranting now, aren’t I?
The fool entered my cave like he had two left feet—or four left hooves, in his case—and promptly tripped. I thought for a moment he was going to break his neck, but he was quite dexterous for one with such clumsy intent. With a flare of his magic he was on the floor, none the worse for the wear, more's the pity.
Ah, yes, I could sense the hum of his magics from my abode. They were sweet—sweeter than most, actually—which was the first thing to tip me off about his truly noble intentions. He held himself up with an air of grace—that smidgen of nobility I caught before—but not in a sense of smugness like I first thought. No, he held himself up like a stallion with a mission. Like someone who goes directly into battle knowing they may never return back home.
My, oh my, this one was a prize no doubt!
Oh, I would love to tell you how I was simply jumping up the walls with joy. But given I had no legs, trapped here in my earthly prison, and didn’t understand the mortal concept of happiness past my own selfish desires, that'd be quite the feat. Still, I was buzzing with excitement. Literally. You have to make do. Of course, the fool caught on right from the get go, though maybe it was the eerie red glow that gave it away.
What? I know it’s a bit clichéd, but come on. You have to stick with the classics. Don't knock it—they've worked for me for the last few centuries.
The sudden claustrophobic feeling dug at my nerves the second my glow fell on his face. The desire to be free was almost too much to bear. Usually it could be ignored, but when the warden dangles the cage’s keys right in front of your face, you can’t help but feel anxious.
As the fool approached, the red light threw his features into sharp relief. His face was angular, almost as if it were chiseled from white marble. He was a strong one by the looks of him, a hearty stallion in his prime. He stood tall and confident, full of vigor and rectitude, but he was no mean brute; no, he had that aura of confidence about him that said he knew his way in the world, that he was educated, knew more than you. Such vanity. Still, he'd be a tough nut to crack. But as they say, the toughest nuts have the sweetest meat within.
I knew from the others how he must have felt. The cave, held up by nothing, seemingly ready to collapse at any moment. The air so thick he could barely breathe. I'm sure he thought it was courage, standing there as his legs turned to jelly, denying me that wonderful little wobble that I so enjoy. Of course, any fool could do that; indeed, it is only a fool who would stand their ground in front of one such as I. But fool he was, and stand there he would. He would not be denied. How delicious.
Standing where he was, I could only get the barest taste of those unimportant equine emotions. Confusion. Anxiety. Fear. Determination. Just a whole big, meaningless mess in the face of my power. Of course, that could be because he just traveled deep into the heart of the Crystal Mountains where not a soul resides and the only living things here soon freeze to death. Such a homely place to visit, don't you agree?
He approached my pedestal, his entire face masked in the red of my gem as he stood directly before me. If I had a face, teeth, mouth, or the ability to feel the emotion that you mortals call happiness, I would’ve cracked a smile.
What is your wish, I asked, so that I may fulfill it?
The stranger’s lips quivered. His mouth was dry, his throat parched, and his heart pounded so hard I could hear it echo in the small confines of the room—an ever-present tha-thump, tha-thump, tha-thump.
“My wish?” he whispered. His voice was coarse and grating. He hadn’t spoken in some time. Probably didn’t have anyone to talk to. Or anyone who cared.
Yes, your wish. The deal. The pact. Whatever you decide to call it, it matters not. All that matters is what you want, and how I can help you get it. My power hummed in the air as I fell silent, giving him just a taste, the barest fraction of my might trickling into his veins. I'm sure it felt strange to him, as it did all the others. None who tasted it ever turned down more. You came here for a wish that only I could grant. If you were going to turn back, you would never have come in the first place. So, tell me what it is you desire.
He closed his eyes, tearing them away from his reflection on the surface of the amulet.
“What I wish for is impossible to receive,” he said. His eyes glanced back towards me, a hunger in his eyes that wasn’t there before. “Perhaps even for you.”
It just tickles me to tears when mortals think such naive thoughts. It makes the eventual payoff all the sweeter.
Nothing is impossible for one such as me, with a host such as you. I sensed his resolve wavering, and in that moment, I pierced his shell, and he was mine. Flakes of skin were being torn away to reveal the vulnerable extremities underneath, his flayed remains lying around him, bleeding on the floor, all that he was at my disposal.
His eyes glowed with a menacing might not unlike my own as he stared at me face to face—as much as one could say my prison held a face, anyway. “What I want is power.”
Power to rule?
“No.”
Power to abuse?
“No.”
Power to control?
“No.”
Then, he said something that surprised me more than anything else had for my endless existence in this realm.
“I want the power to protect,” he said, absolute conviction in his voice. “Grant me the power to defeat Discord so that I may save the rest of Equestria from his wrath.”
The blood pumping through his veins reached a new crescendo, reverberating like an entire choir was playing within these chambers. I suppose the momentary pause was the result of both of us. Me, for newfound stimulation with this mark, and he, with the utter conviction of his quest to find me finally ending where he knew it would.
I… agree, I said. That was all the prompting my amulet needed. Already I could feel my earthly abode disappear into darkness as I dragged myself out of it, eager to plant myself into my new home for the time being. The deal is struck, the agreement set. The defeat of Discord must be met for the deal to be complete. So it is said, and so it shall be. I shall fulfill it, no matter how long it takes.
They called my confines the Alicorn Amulet for a reason. Moving both the heaven and earth to achieve your goals, that’s what I did. From the lowest of beggars to the vilest of tyrants, I have been used over ponykind’s existence as a tool to reshape the world in my wearer’s image, so long as the Dealer was satisfied. The user, too, will be satisfied in the end, which is needed for the deal to be complete. As my record can attest, I haven’t had a single complaint in my many millennia spent trapped here.
I felt myself take control, tendrils of myself seeping into the folds of his mind. I could feel everything he felt, see everything he saw, hear everything he heard. As far as reality was concerned, I was him. But he wasn't me. My mind was not for his to see.
But his was mine. And his name, his name… was Sombra.
So, it appeared our prize was the apprentice to Luna, having learned the ways of magic under her tutelage. He was an eager young learner, bright and witty, always had a spark of enthusiasm for tackling a new project. It would do my heart good—if I had one—to see such potential wasted away on me. Why destroy a molehill when you could crush an entire mountain?
Ah, but what was this? The poor slob adored the Princess. Worshiped the ground she walked on. Perhaps even… loved her.
Oh yes, love. What a beautiful thing to break. Love has driven plenty of fools to my door. Of course, I had no choice in the matter but to fulfill this goal. Not like I was complaining.
But here I am, getting ahead of myself. We still had work to do.
My eyes flew open, taking only a few short seconds for them to adjust to the darkness in the cave. It was always a jarring experience to see out the eyes of another instead of my prison, but I would enjoy it while it lasted. Who knew how long these eyes would remain open.
I could feel the faint tha-thump, tha-thump, tha-thump of my heart, the sensation odd, but soon fading into the background alongside my other bodily functions. I turned my neck, then rolled the strong muscles of my back. Thankfully, this one wasn’t a tub of lard like many other fools I had struck a deal with. The sensation of roiling waves of fat was something I could never get used to.
Licking my lips, I cleared my throat, a faint smile creasing my muzzle. My, my, aren’t I the handsome one. I leaned closer to spot my reflection in the gem of my former prison. My smile widened to a grin that clearly showcased my teeth. Good oral hygiene too. That’s a plus.
“We don’t have time for this,” Sombra spoke, snapping me out of my focus on my new reflection as he took control. “By this time Discord has probably overrun the castle. We must save the Princesses now, at any cost!”
I chuckled, the sensation of my vocal cords rippling across my throat simply divine. Yes, yes, indeed we must. That is why you came to me, isn’t it?
My smile returned to a frown in the reflection. “There was no other choice. I saw what Discord could do. What he was capable of. Unspeakable, horrible things. They stood no chance against that type of power.”
And neither did you, I pointed out. The comment struck him like a slap across the cheek. The quest for power, even for noble reasons, is a road that leads to the deepest pit of Tartarus. And you took it without hesitation.
He closed his eyes, returning me back to the darkness I had grown so used to. “Only because there was nothing else I could have done.”
If I had a bit for every time some fool tried to justify them using me, I could buy an orchestra of violins to serenade their pathos.
Yes, keep telling yourself that. Whatever puts your tiny mortal mind at ease. I reopened my eyes, the gleam from my amulet slowly dying down as the magic within its confines finally began to subside, leaving it a mere shell of its former self. Still full of power, but not immeasurable. I could do the impossible. As it was, the amulet could accomplish only the unlikely.
“Enough of this. We don’t have much time left,” Sombra said. He forced his neck away from the amulet and started the process of climbing back up the tunnel that had once lead him to my chambers. “Discord can bend all of reality to his will with a mere snap of his fingers. If we have any hope of defeating him, we must hurry, before either of the Princesses are hurt.”
I could practically taste the desperation in his soul. Like a cold lump in his chest, it beat with his heart, growing and corrupting him like an apple rotting from the inside out. It was so easy to cradle that little ball of ice, let it flourish like it so rightly deserved.
Well, we’re getting nowhere with you shambling about.
My horn glowed with an unearthly shade of crimson. Already I could feel my skin rippling, bones bending, organs rending to pieces as all my muscles melted away. Next to go was my tail, then came my legs, flank, torso, and finally neck. Only my face was free of the transformation, more for Sombra’s benefit than my own. While my powers may be beyond comprehension, I still had an earthly vessel to tie me down into this world, whether it be by my amulet or possession of another’s body. As the rest of my body transformed into shadow, I kept the head solid, so that my physical form did not get lost into the shadows of my magic. It wouldn’t do to render him insensate before I’d fulfilled the terms of our agreement, after all.
Sombra did not perceive the transformation at first, probably on account of my flight down the tunnel at a lightning-quick pace. The stones mattered little to my new form. Twists, turns, dead ends, they were naught but paper walls between me and the freedom of the outside world. Once I was out, there was no limit to what I could do.
I shot out of the mouth of the cave into a winter wasteland, an endless expanse of ice and snow with not a spot of color in sight stretching out before me. Strange, last time I was here, it was summer. And there used to be a mountain right there. Also, where did that lake go?
Bah, after a couple of thousand years—give or take a few centuries—you can’t really get too surprised by this type of stuff.
Sombra attempted to form words, except of course his vocal cords had been reduced to shadowy tendrils. This worked out well enough for me. I could only presume he was asking about what the hell was going on, but like he said, we had no time to waste!
Sombra’s soundless babbling continued as I crawled across the blank expanse of the frigid north. Not that I could blame him for the utter terror right now. His body had just been turned into a mass of shadows. I didn’t rightly know if it was painful—since I had never felt pain before—but from the way he was yelling, it seemed to be a little worse than having salt poured across freshly flayed skin. Only a little.
Luckily for me, I had no need to ask Sombra for directions. I had already extracted most of that information from his mind once I had invaded it. Oh, he was a resilient one, I’ll give him that. Made tearing down his defenses all the more fun. But I kept the mind intact, don’t you worry. Wouldn’t want that to get broken before the time is right.
Before too long the white wasteland had been replaced with an even more dreary one made up of broken rock outcroppings and marshy mires which dotted the grey and brown lands. Here and there the faint patches of green made themselves apparent, little outcroppings of life in this large mudpit with no end in sight. By this point, Sombra’s screaming had finally died down to the lowest of whimpers. Either his will was greater than I thought, or the pain receptors he had been so sore about had finally died down due to him not having a corporeal form anymore.
“Where… a-are you t-t… t-taking me?” he said, grunts and slurping swallows mixed into his speech. It was like he was talking with a snake for a tongue after acid had been poured down his throat.
To Equestria, of course. Don’t worry, I already got the directions out of your head. I’m surprised some imbecile actually decided to form a nation in that squabble. My shadow sped across the ground like the most turbulent of winds. I met no resistance in my path, allowing me to eat up miles in only a few second’s time. Before I knew it, the mountain that towered over the world showed up in the distant horizon. Huh, so some twit actually did build a castle on top of that mountain. What will you mortals come up with next?
“I take it this is a surprise to you?” Sombra asked.
You mortals are always full of surprises. It’s what makes you endearing. And so easy to goad as well. Before too long the mires gave way to fertile grasslands, which simply replaced an expanse of white and grey to that of green. The palette of color choices for this damn country were simply atrocious.
Sombra snorted. “Overconfidence isn’t the best of traits to have, demon. I’ve studied what you were capable of. I checked my facts straight, researched the myths. You’re compelled to complete your end of the bargain.”
No matter what, I said, a chuckle bubbling from my chest. You mortals always choose to forget that important detail.
"I'm not worried about your willingness, demon. It is the thought that even you may not be enough that terrifies me."
I could sense it, within him. That little bundle of fear, all neat and tidy, trapped deep within the dark corners of his heart. A little bundle so delicate, even the slightest nudge could destroy it. So tiny yet so very, very powerful. Unfortunately, it had already been unwrapped. Every piece within had been laid open and bare. All had been trampled beneath a heavy hoof. That must have been… painful.
Oh, how delicious.
Now the mountain wasn’t just a dot on the horizon, but took up half the sky, so tall and imposing, the main power of the princesses located right near the tip. If they weren’t mares, I would have thought the symbolism almost phallic in nature. Hell, it probably was anyway, knowing unicorns. Anything with a horn sticking out of its head was compensating for something.
I snaked around the mountain’s base like smoke rising through a chimney. How quaint the world was now; settlements of ponies spread all across the horizon, dotting the lands with civilization. Like a cancerous tumor they had spread, undeterred by war, famine, and disease. Like a baby taking its first steps, ponykind was just beginning to realize their full potential and how far they could go. But much like the baby, they were still young and weak, unprepared for the turmoils of life. Plus, babies were notoriously easy to kill. All you have to do is find the soft spot atop their head.
Slithering up to the castle’s walls, I poured over them and into the courtyard. The day’s light was already dim, disappearing into night. The early stars twinkled like mischievous eyes staring down from the sky, the moon still hidden over the edge of the world.
“We need to make sure the princesses are alright,” Sombra whispered, not daring to bring attention to himself under all those meddling eyes.
Princess Luna in particular, if I’m not mistaken. I chuckled. The black tendrils from my shadow began to dissipate and draw back into my body, my borrowed physical form appearing from within the inky blackness of my magic. Before too long I was whole once more, which I could tell Sombra was grateful for.
Sombra growled, cutting off my chuckle with a clench of his teeth. “Don’t you dare mention her. You’re only here to get the job done, nothing more.”
And nothing less, I said. I could feel the smile creep back, despite Sombra’s best efforts.
Sombra’s eyes glanced upwards to the tall towers. They fell on a familiar spot, his eyes widening when he spotted faint light escaping from the balcony.
“She’s… she’s still here,” Sombra said. He gulped back any further words from escaping his lips.
Or we could be too late and she’s being killed while we stand down here, shooting the breeze. Every muscle in his body tensed up all at once. Just a thought.
Sombra didn’t even need my help to scale the wall of the tower, magic overflowing from his hooves like claws that dug themselves into the stone like a hot knife through butter.
The power of this ward was great. Magnificent, even. Typically the weak and frail called upon my services, their own abilities not great enough to overcome whatever challenges before them. But Sombra, oh yes, Sombra, his power was the greatest I’ve ever touched. And so much like my own as well. Destructive, mighty, like a blazing inferno of energy just waiting to be called upon to smite those it deems unworthy. However, unlike mine, it was contained within a paper-thin level of control I could easily tear with the slightest cut.
I hurdled over the balcony railing, broken bits of stone crumbling beneath my hooves in my wake. Without a moment’s hesitation I ripped the balcony door off its hinges, throwing the cumbersome obstacle behind my back so it crashed yards bellow.
“Luna! Luna, are you here?” Sombra shouted as he burst into her room. It was about as extravagant as any noble’s room as I could imagine, though had the dreadful taste of using dark blues, cobalts and azures instead of, well, say, red.
Turned out our Princess was in the right castle after all, and standing right in front of us no less. Her back was turned to me, her reflection staring right in my eyes from the mirror hanging against her wall. Around her hooves lay discarded pieces of armor, every inch of them covered in burn marks, dents, and scratches that peeled the paint and even some of the steel off. Her body was bruised, though it was tough to discern it from her dark coat. Even her mane—which Sombra’s mind had always held was the loveliest things about her—was matted and dull. The only part of her that still held that same ferocity and grace Sombra knew so fondly was her eyes, which glared at me with angry surprise.
“Sombra!” she snapped, turning around immediately. She glowered at me with daggers for eyes, just the tiniest inkling of her magic wafting in the air for me to taste. Bittersweet. “How dare you barge into my room like this! Do you have no respect for your teacher’s property or privacy?”
“My humblest apologies, Princess, but I—”
“And why are you here? Did I not order you to remain in the Crystal Empire where it was safe?” She took a step forward, the feisty gal. I was definitely getting a better taste of her closer up, and boy did it ever taste sweet on my lips.
“Yes, Princess, and once again my apologizes f—”
She bit off the rest of his sentence with a single stomp of her hoof. And Sombra, being the good dog that he was, instantly whimpered before his master.
“No excuses, Sombra. I expected better from my apprentice. You were to remain in the Crystal Empire and rally their troops for support in Equestria’s army in case Discord succeeded in his plans.” She studied him with a critical eye. “Equestria could have very well have been overwhelmed by Discord’s might and you, my brash student, were all that was left as a backup plan in case we failed.” She closed her eyes, a sigh escaping through her nostrils. “And even there you failed me. I expected better from you, Sombra.”
“I… b-but Princess, I didn’t mea—” And just like that, I could practically hear a ding go off in Sombra’s head. Music to my ears. “What do you mean ‘in case we failed’? You mean you didn’t?”
Luna arched a brow, seconds ticking by in the room like the pitter-patter of rain before the story surged in. “Well, yes. My sister and I were successful. Discord is defeated, and Equestria is safe once more.”
Instead of the whoop of glee I’m sure she hoped for, all she got was him sinking to his knees, his stomach clenching so hard he would have choked out his lunch, had it not been vaporized in his transformation.. A cold, wet, slimy shudder traveled up his spine and exploded in his mind, numbing his entire body like he had gotten soaked in an icy lake. His tongue had reverted to a piece of rubber in his mouth, his throat going dry in seconds despite his frantic attempts at swallowing what moisture he had left to him.
“H-how?” was all he could manage to croak.
Luna tossed her head imperiously. "The Elements of Harmony."
"What? The foal's tale?"
Luna's eyes softened, but she made no move to comfort her trembling ward. "'Tis true they were thought but a legend, but many legends hold a grain of truth. When all else fails, there is aught to do but seek what may be hidden from you. After we failed to stop Discord as he made way through the castle, it was clear that we must try."
Sombra's hooves clutched against his gut as he shuddered on the floor.
"Have you taken ill, my apprentice?"
Sombra shook his head. "N-no. How did you find them?" Ah, that's where the moisture in his throat went—tears. How predictable.
"We found them, deep in the Everfree, in the Tree of Harmony as the legends said. We could scarce believe it, but once in our possession, they were unstoppable. For all his power, Discord fell before them, trapped in a prison of impenetrable stone for all eternity. His reign of terror is no more, and Equestria is finally free to grow and prosper once more." Luna blinked and lowered her head. "Sombra?"
“B-but they were stories. Just… just stories,” he whispered, his words so faint it would be a miracle if she heard them. But I did.
I was a story too, I reminded him. You chased after one myth while your precious Princess chased after another. Both to end the same enemy. Only in your case, you were a bit late on the execution. But you don’t have to worry about me. I’m never late on the execution.
Because that’s the thing about magic not many people—or ponies—understand. Everything comes at a price. A spell just doesn’t happen. It demands focus, power, and a strong enough will. Energy can not be created nor destroyed, only changed, and that rule apply to magic just like anything else. Such as bargains you make with mysterious amulets you’ve only heard about in ancient texts imploring you not to seek them out.
Although, really, I only have myself to blame. Whenever someone learns of my presence, I hook them in, no matter where they are in the world, and lead them to me like a predator baiting their prey. I knew about Sombra weeks before we finally met. Just as I knew he would agree to the deal like those countless others before him. Like I said, mortals were full of surprises, but no surprise is enough to save them when tempted with the slice of supreme power they so desperately wished to have.
Sombra was no different. Nor am I, for that matter.
Which made this next part all the more sweet.
“Sombra, you’re very pale,” Luna said. She leaned down and lifted his chin so their eyes—our eyes—could meet. She shuddered when she looked into mine. “Please, Sombra, tell me what ails you.”
“I’m going to be sick.” His stomach clenched even harder. The shivers were hitting him so hard his bones rattled. Even his muscles were incapable of movement, his entire body drawing in on itself like a ball.
For you see, there was the unmentioned price for a bargain with me. To acquire nearly impossible power means you need to offer something impossible in return. Something that is normally impossible for a mortal to give up… by themselves, that is.
“Sombra!” Luna held him close as a racking cough rippled through his chest. It was a good thing she couldn’t spot the smile on his face.
Sombra knew exactly what he was getting into when he struck the deal. He knew what he would be getting. He knew the consequences. And in the end, despite all the implications of signing a pact with the likes of me, he did it anyway. Whether it was for power, for loyalty, for love, it mattered little to me. Because to me, there was only one prize.
And that prize was power.
“I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry,” Sombra kept on repeating, fresh tears streaming down his face. He curled up against Luna, his fate sealed much like Discord’s was in his prison. Except for one of them, he was about to meet the ultimate freedom.
Do not wallow, Sombra. For your end shall not come. Not today, at least.
His eyes flew open. “Wh-what?”
Your soul is still yours for another day. For the deal isn’t over. Not yet. My smile widened, buried into Luna’s coat.
“But the deal was that you shall grant me the power to defeat Discord,” Sombra said.
Luna looked down at Sombra’s wet face. “Deal? Power? Sombra, of what do you speak?”
His imprisonment is superficial. If it is a prison, there is still the possibility for escape. It is only with death that I can be assured he is truly defeated, once and for all, I whispered in Sombra’s mind, my faint words echoing inside his skull. So you get to keep your soul in the meantime.
And it is there that the sweetest taste of all was allowed to flourish in Sombra’s heart. Out of all the emotions in this poor, misguided stallion’s body, hope had been last among them. He had given up hope for his people, his nation, his leaders, and even a love he knew would never be returned. Hell, he had even given up hope for his own life, rushing with reckless abandon after a supposed myth that could grant him the power to usurp the gods. But now, after all that, all it took was a single sentence to help bloom an entire garden of hope in his soul. Like a once lifeless desert suddenly blooming into an oasis.
However, there still comes the issue of how to deal with Discord, I said before Sombra’s tears could dry. If what Luna says about him being a statue stuck in an impenetrable stone prison is true because of the power of the Elements of Harmony, there is only one solution.
Sombra’s pupils shrunk to pinpricks. “No…”
The Elements must die so I can end Discord.
“NO!”
I smiled, mouth opening as I glanced up to Luna. “Yes!”
What Sombra said next died with Luna’s screams.
I threw her against the wall, the magic Sombra had used to scale the walls once more in effect. Blood flowed freely down her sides where my claws had raked her side, slicing through her skin like scissors through paper. The impact of her body against the wall created a dent a few inches deep, the telltale sounds of a rib breaking reaching my ears. It was like music.
“Die, die, die, die, die!” I shouted, not even giving Luna the opportunity to fall to the floor before attacking her again.
No! This isn’t right! This isn’t part of the deal! Sombra screamed from his trap. His words didn’t even carry to the physical world. He was too far deep within the confines of his own mind to do anything now. Stop! Stop! STOP!
I had to give it to Luna, she was quick on her hooves, not even allowing me the opportunity for a second strike. She kicked off the wall and soared across the ceiling like a lightning bolt, far beyond the reach of my claws. She wasted no time when she landed, her horn blazing with magic as she loosed an inferno of bright blue flames at my face, the rug burning to embers and the smoke from the fires filling the room in a black screen.
“You dare attack your teacher, you cur?!” Luna said, feeding the flames on. The inferno had transformed into a tornado made of wildfire, aimed directly at me. “Your betrayal shall not stand without punishment! May your imputent hide burn!”
Truthfully, I had not seen that coming. She was like quicksilver, her power lashing out like a whip out of the corner of your eye. I drew up a forcefield around me to shield me against the flames. It took me a few moments of Sombra's anguished mental screams to realize my mistake; I had made the shield to protect myself against physical force, but what Luna was casting against me was purely elemental. While my shield protected my form against the worst that magic could chuck at me, I had failed to take into account the extreme temperatures the fire had created. Good thing I don’t feel heat. Too bad for Sombra that he lacked the same luxury, feeling every inch of his body as it burned, turning to a smoky, charcoal gray.
With a growl I pushed my will against the flames through my horn, blasting through them in a single burst of applied force. My horn was red hot and glowing a sickly red, and I could see the flames licking off the tip. My entire body felt crisp and dried, and when I tried to give an experimental lick to my face, I realized my lips had melted right off. Along with my tongue.
Heh, now I was extra crispy with a side of charred.
Luna had been knocked back by my blast, her vision most likely fuzzy from a concussion. I didn’t wait, and immediately released another concussion blast at her. She barely moved in time to avoid her neck being snapped, but was not so fortunate the next time as it caught her in the leg, a loud crack announcing it had broken.
“Well, well, well, looks like you won’t be partaking of any quick moves anytime soon,” I said with a chuckle. Well, more gurgled; it was hard to form the words, on account of my tongue and lips and probably the rest of my face having melted off. Thankfully, centuries of meddling in the mind of mortals had made me well versed into projecting these words into her mind.
Luna tried to get up, her broken leg falling beneath her when she put weight on it. Just to make things clear, I propelled her body across the room again, this time the sickly sweet sound of her shoulder popping out of its socket greeting my ears. She moaned, her entire body wracked with pain. Grievous wounds from unnatural claws lined her side, bruises the other, and her broken leg stuck out at an odd angle that it was never intended to make. So broken, so battered, and it hadn’t even been five minutes yet. What a shame, they usually last longer than this. I would have dragged things out longer, but it is hard to remember to avoid crushing them too quickly when they get the drop on you and reduce your host to continuous incoherent screams. You would almost think he had never been roasted alive before.
Her horn glowed faintly, but it quickly changed to a shade of red as my magic overwhelmed her. She had already spent a good chunk of her reserves against the fight with Discord, so it was pathetically easy to block whatever trickle she had left.
“Sombra, wh-why?” she asked. She spit out some blood, her teeth now stained red. “Why do this now, after everything I had sacrificed and done for you?” She refused to stare into my eyes, her head downcast. Whether this was because she feared my gaze or didn’t have the strength to lift up her head I couldn’t tell, but it didn’t really matter anyway.
“When else shall I ever get an opportunity like this one, Princess? For years I’ve waited patiently, and now this was as perfect an opportunity as any.” I laughed in her face, my cackling coming in a dry and throaty rasp.
Now, don’t think I was going to have Sombra just die on me right then and there. I had an obligation to keep him alive until the deal is over. If I didn’t, well… I’ve never exactly seen what happened if my host died while I was still inside them, and let’s just say I’m not too keen to find out. Even as we were speaking my body was regenerating, the melted skin returning back to its blackened origins. However, there was only so much I can do, and still Sombra continued to cry.
Luna shook her head, tears falling freely from her eyes. “I… I can’t believe it. Not from you, Sombra. Always so loyal to a fault. You did everything I said without question.”
“And that is where you’re wrong, Princess,” I said. The air rippled as my magic took the form of a red-tinged whip, lashing out at the already bleeding gashes along her torso. “I’ve been planning this since the very beginning. Being the obedient dog as I waited for years to do this.”
I struck her again. Managed to get a squeal out of her this time. Much more musical than Sombra’s screams.
“All those countless hours studying, performing spells just to please you, earn your good grace. All of it leading up to this moment when I can finally end you.”
The crack of whip meeting flesh reverberated in the room. Fires still burned in the corners, the smoke and embers casting flickering shadows around me.
“Worshipping the ground you walked on just for a sideways glance. For anything! I would grovel at your hooves and you wouldn’t even give me the time of day. A teacher and her pet, that’s all I was to you!”
Luna’s screams had died down; perhaps she had torn her vocal chords or something. It was disappointing. Still, at least she would give a little whimper each time the whip lashed her.
“Well, who’s groveling now? Who’s worshipping whose hooves now? Can you tell me that, Princess? Who’s the pathetic dog now?”
Her shout was drowned out by my laughter. Her coat was darker now, her blood having soaked most of it. I could see bits of the broken bone from her leg protruding out. Her body was curled into a defensive position, but it just made the force of my attacks more damaging in the long run. The only bright colors left was her torn up flesh, which continued to grow in abundance each time I struck. Again, and again, and again, and again.
And the best part, oh yes, the best part, was simple enough. I was having my lines lip-read to me from Sombra himself, his screams carrying the words for him.
“And like a dog, you’re going to be put down!”
I lifted the whip up, its shape twisting in appearance to a long, curved blade. The executioner’s sword, red before the blood, light before the dark.
Did it matter that killing this mare would finish the bargain? Not really. Was I ever sure that her death would lead to my end of the deal being finished? Not particularly. Did I care one way or the other?
You probably already know that answer, don’t you?
But something prevented me from performing the finishing blow. Was it… a conscience? Did I finally experience a change of heart after eons of selfish behavior treating the mortals of this realm like my toys? Did I really change in such a short amount of time? Wait… no, no, it was just Sombra fighting against me to try and gain control. Which was similar to a toddler trying to wrestle a sword from a grown man’s hand, the current situation notwithstanding.
No, please, not her. Anyone but her, Sombra croaked. If I still had my teeth I would have smiled at this pitiful display. My entire reason coming to you, doing everything I did, even preparing to give up my own life was to protect the Princess. And if she dies, all of this is for nothing.
I barked out a laugh. Staring down at Luna, I noticed she had fallen unconscious, either through blood loss or fainting from the pain. “But everything has already been for naught, Sombra. You struck a bargain that did not have to be struck, sold off your soul to a demon you knew you couldn’t trust, and acquired near limitless power just to have it hurt those that you loved.” I prodded Luna with my hoof. “Everything you have done to protect those that you loved has ended in failure. And that’s just who you are, Sombra. I’ve prodded your mind, dug out your secrets, and I’ve seen you for who you truly are. A failure. And that’s all you’ll ever be.”
And what about you?
I narrowed my eyes.
“What about me?”
At the end of all this, you’ll be returned to your amulet. One soul richer and plenty of enjoyment from killing some innocents, but at the end of the day you’ll still be trapped. Now it was Sombra’s turn to laugh, though his voice was pained beyond comprehension. How long have you done this, I wonder? How long have you had to repeat the same process over and over again?
I lowered my sword, the only sound in the room the crack and pop of the flames.
Sombra started up again, strength returning to his voice. I can give you something much more than this. Power that you can actually keep. With me, you’ll never have to return to your amulet again. With me… you can stay on this world forever.
“Aha, so a new bargain is struck then?” I said, laughter bubbling up through my chest. I pressed my charred teeth together in a grin, lips unneeded to convey the message of curious entertainment. “I wonder what your terms will be?”
Let Luna go. I’ll show you an opportunity you can’t pass down, Sombra said. That cold lump of desperation that I had once spotted next to his beating heart had frozen it over, leaving his entire body a winter wasteland not unlike the one he discovered me in.
“And if I refuse? Kill her anyway, along with Celestia and Discord as well?”
Sombra smiled, his more truthful than mine. Then at the end of this you’ll just end up returning to your amulet. Once again another tool for a lowly mortal such as myself to use. You’ll be a failure, just like me.
I glanced to the right, at the mirror where we had first spotted Luna at. My body was a heaving mass of grey scars, so thick and plentiful there wasn’t a patch of white coat left. My horn was red, the bone warped and half-melted, bent upwards in an unnatural curve by the power of my magic. Instead of chiseled marble features from before, it looked as if my face had been carved from a boulder with a rock, no regards given to shape or proportions. This was Sombra now, what we had become. Two as one.
In the Crystal Empire there lies the Crystal Heart, a power source unlike any other that I had ever seen. I had planned originally to use its magic to combat Discord with, but had learned that only love and kindness can fuel its powers, lest the land be clouded in darkness. But, for someone like you, its power can do untold of things.
“Even the impossible,” I whispered.
I stared down at Luna’s prone body, the faintest of breaths indicating she was still alive. It would be so easy to end it. Even a slight kick could finish the job. And you want to know what I did? Do you really want to know?
We already know the answer to that, don’t we?
“You mortals are always full of surprises.” The sword dissipated, red sparks falling to the floor. Luna did not stir, probably never would at this point, despite Sombra’s begging. The distant sound of shod hooves began to trot up the stairs of the tower. From the sound, it appears that there was only a handful of the guards could be bothered to rush to the defense of their Princess. Discord must have really had a grand time in the castle. And beyond that—the sound of wings. The other Princess. Oh, what fun we could have together.
Is that a yes? Sombra asked. His entire body was frozen, lifeless, burned, and charred. A mix of opposites. Just like us.
“Dooming an entire kingdom just to save the skin of someone who won’t return your love and never will? How could I refuse?”
Then we must hurry, before the guards arrive. I don’t want any deaths hanging on my shoulders. His words were overflowing with despair. Despair knowing he had not only sacrificed everything he had, but others as well, just to protect the one he cherished the most. That this was his own fault, caused by a flaw that not even love could fix. It was almost ironic if it wasn’t so tragic. Or perhaps it was just tragic irony. Mattered little to me, I’m not a story critic.
“Don’t worry, you’ll get used to it.” I glanced once more to the mirror against the wall. At the ghastly creature that looked back at me. Funny, I never did have an idea what I truly looked like; there were no mirrors that could capture my image. But looking at what I was now, what we were, I knew we had both changed. One for the better, one for the worse, but it was change nonetheless. And for the first time ever, staring into my toothy grin that was perpetually stuck on my face, I knew what I truly looked like. And a crown made from my own magic completed the appearance nicely.
“King Sombra.”