Sombra rose from the fog, standing atop a crystal platform levitated by his magic. He sneered excitably at his empire, sitting there just waiting for him to reclaim it…!
“The empire is under attack!” Shining Armor said worriedly, before helping his wife to her hooves, and she found strength in the encouraging smile he gave her.
She furrowed her brows, looking towards the edge of sphere of influence and forced the magic forward!
Sombra took the time to relish the moment as he slowly levitated his platform towards the empire. But he gasped to see that meddlesome barrier reforming!
Growling, he urged his platform faster, only to feel something ensnare him `round the neck, tightening enough to make him forget all about the empire as he began to choke. He leered down and saw that annoying blue unicorn, an energy tendril extending from his horn and ensnaring Sombra.
“Ergh…” Midnight was in great pain but he growled, “I’m not through with you yet!”
With a mighty heave, Midnight yanked Sombra from his platform, and right in the nick of time. Not a single part of Sombra made it through, as all of him came down hard onto the ground. Groaning, Sombra stood up and glared murderously at Midnight, and was intrigued to see the young unicorn’s eyes were still green and red.
Intriguing… even bewitched by my dark magic, he manages to retain clarity enough to persist in defying me! He would’ve made an excellent apprentice… A pity he chose to remain an obstacle!
Growling, Sombra charged Midnight, snarling, “If that first blast wasn’t enough to trap you with your demons, this overdose will drive you to madness!!!”
An orb of black and red fire gathered at the tip of Sombra’s mutated horn, and he launched it.
“AAAAAUUUGGGHH!!!”
Midnight was sent flying, his Helm of Faith coming off, and he rolled yards away as he began to succumb to the dreaded mind game Sombra had cursed him with.
“A pity…” Sombra growled, in disappointment and in irritation.
He barely managed to hold himself up. Every inch of his body hurt. He’d been battered, bruised, burned, cut, bled, blasted, but it all compared to nothing as he panted in horror, his heart pumping so hard it threatened to burst, as he began to sink into his darkest nightmares…
“Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha, Ah-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA!!!”
That dark laughter got Sombra’s attention and he turned to see the blue unicorn standing up, his back to Sombra, but he sensed something so terribly wrong.
“Were you truly naïve enough to think I would deign to follow you? One who endeavored years to master the dark powers… Powers of the like Fate chose to gift unto me?”
Midnight turned around, his eyes now as red as Sombra’s but the pupils were slits, like a cat, as he smirked in a way that made Sombra quake in his hoof-boots.
“Shadows, light, neither has meaning without the darkness… Even the moon that offers its gentle guiding glow throughout the night is nothing more than a reflection of the harsh and blinding sun!”
As Midnight approached Sombra, a crystal shard was enveloped in the blue unicorn’s aura, and quickly shaped into a jagged sword, looking very much like a monster’s claw.
“And yet it is that light that blesses me the power to trespass into the territory of a god! Whereas you… The might you boast and toss around, as though it were something to be impressed by, is inconsequential next to the powers that be!”
“STAY BACK!” roared Sombra as he fired a red energy bolt.
Midnight quickly raised his crystal sword, and absorbed the bolt, causing the blade to inflame with a harsh crimson light.
“Compared to them you are nothing, just as you are nothing compared to me…!!!”
Sombra was thrown back into a large boulder, pinned with unyielding pressure, as he felt a blade to his throat. As he opened his eyes he was horrified!
Gone was the blue unicorn over whom he’d so easily dominated, trounced, pushed around as though he were nothing but a toy. This creature, to whom he was held completely at its mercy, was a monster!
It was taller, muscular, and to Sombra’s confusion it looked like him! The coat had turned from sapphire blue to a poisonous dark purple, the dark blue streaks in his black mane and tail had brightened to angry red, the man and tail even had lengthened and flowed in a wind from an invisible source, much like Sombra’s did. The armor had darkened and looked as cold as his own and the leather apron had been restored and now flared out, edged with spikes!
But then Sombra saw this creature’s horn, looking so much like his own!
It had lengthened, smoothed, and curved as his own was, and faded from the base to a bright and sickening green at the tip.
“YOU CLAIM TO KNOW FEAR?! I WILL DRIVE YOU TO MADNESS!!!”
“Who… are you?!” Sombra felt that same cold and hopeless terror he had felt so long ago.
“Hm-heh-ha, I… am- Begone!”
“Huh?!” Sombra was surprised as the creature suddenly clenched its eyes shut, backing away as though it were in pain, hissing and growling, when its eyes opened again while Sombra slumped to the ground, gasping for breath.
The right eye of the monster remained hateful red with a slit pupil but the left was the normal eye of a pony and the same turquoise blue as the unicorn this creature originally was. Then Sombra noticed something nearby, sparkling.
It was that odd helmet the blue unicorn had been wearing, with the white jewel. It pulsed and flared, just as the creature appeared to be in battle with itself.
“I won't let you do this, get lost! Ergh, you fool! You don't have the guts to do what needs to be done, he's mine Never! Curse you!!!”
The creature’s horn suddenly ignited a blazing blue, and it screamed an unearthly scream as it was enveloped in a pillar of blue flames that reached skyward. Sombra couldn’t help but gape at the sight before him as the creature burned away, leaving the blue unicorn it had originally been, as the flames died down, and he felt to his knees, gasping for breath.
“Now... back to the matter at hoof.”
Sombra glared and growled apprehensively at the blue unicorn as he racked his brain.
He succumbed… and retook control! He made a virtually-complete transformation into a reflection of the darkness inside him yet he managed to wrest back control and even revert to his real self! …Impossible!!!
But then Sombra realized something else. He was tired, and had actually been fighting hard against these meddlesome stallions. Despite feeding on their negative emotions, his body was losing stamina. These fools had actually forced him to fight seriously the whole, never mind his overpowering them all and tricking them.
Curse his arrogance!
He’d fought so hard he had not realized why they had engaged him to begin with!
To draw his attention away from the barrier, which he had been continuously hammering against before they’d arrived, trying to wear down the strength of whomever was projecting it over his dominion, and now that he’d wasted so much energy fighting these wretches there was no way he’d have the strength to take back what was his, unless he managed to get through and sow seeds of fear and doubt into his crystal slaves.
But then again, he had only just regained his physical form. Even with the energy he’d fed on from their dark emotions, he was foolish to think he’d be at the full of his might.
I have to end this here and now…! No more games!
Sombra recalled his scythe and roared as he charged Midnight, still clearing his head and catching his breath. With murderous fury, Sombra leapt, raising the black blade to cut down this inconvenience…!
*BONG*
*BUCK*
“AUGH!”
Sombra was sent tumbling away and looked up, growling in vexation to see the red earth pony and dark gray pegasus standing with their brother, with their weapons raised protectively.
“Y’alright there, pardner?”
“`Cuz it looks like you could use a little backup!”
“You’re both okay,” Midnight whispered with happy relief.
*Smack*
“Ouch!” Midnight rubbed his head where Thunderlane had brought his wing down hard.
“That’s for knocking us out!” Thunderlane gave him a goodnatured smirk.
“What, did you want me to stand by and watch you kill each other?!” Midnight aggravated.
“Naw, he’s jus’ foolin’ with ya, little brother,” Big Mac helped Midnight to his hooves. “Come on with me, boys! Let’s get this varmint!”
Midnight nodded, calling back both his Helm of Faith and Crescent Blade.
“Hold on. There’s a message I have to send, keep him busy for me.”
“Will do,” Thunderlane gave him a nod before saying, “Come on, Mac, I say it’s time to get a little payback!”
“Eeyup!” Big Mac agreed as they charged Sombra.
Midnight sat on his haunches as he concentrated.
Twilight…!
“What are you doing here?”
Twilight turned around and saw Princess Celestia, apparently busy looking over documents.
“I don’t know!”
She’d just stepped through a door, after walking down a very long hidden staircase, forced said door to open after it wouldn’t stop moving, and when she’d stepped through after blasting it with the same dark magic Celestia had shown her, she found herself back in Celestia’s throne room.
“I opened the door and-”
“And now you must go,” said Celestia curtly.
“Go where?” Twilight could sense something was not right, Celestia was never this curt or stern unless there was something wrong.
“Doesn’t matter to me,” Celestia said before giving Twilight an uncharacteristic stink eye, “You failed the test, Twilight!”
Twilight gasped in such horror it took her a moment to find her voice again.
“I don’t understand- The test?!”
“Not only will you not move onto the next level of your studies, you won’t continue your studies at all!”
“But I… You didn’t say anything about no longer being your student if I failed!” Twilight protested, her heart beginning to break, tears welling up in her eyes.
“Didn’t I?” Celestia asked rhetorically as she rudely pushed Twilight out of her way with her wing and started to walk away.
“But- What do I do now?!” Twilight pleaded. But then she noticed something, it was a stained-glass window… showing herself falling before Sombra’s power!
I… failed!
It was everything she truly feared, failure, dismissal, disappointment, and letting everypony down.
As she sank to the floor, the fear washing over her, she heard a pair of hoofsteps.
Was Celestia coming to kick her out? Yell at her?
“Twilight?”
Twilight gasped at that sound of his voice.
She looked up and saw midnight, clad in armor, the Helm of Faith on his head.
“Midnight…!”
She threw her arms around him, crying into his neck, “Oh Midnight…! I failed, I let everypony down! And now- And now… I am no longer Celestia’s student!”
“Twilight!” Midnight grabbed her by the shoulders, and wiped her tears away, a look of worry on his face. “I don’t know what you’re seeing but listen to me! This isn’t real!”
“What?” Twilight sniffled, not understanding.
“Twilight, I’m still outside the barrier protecting the Empire,” Midnight explained, “This isn’t the Canterlot Throne Room, and whatever you saw or heard, it wasn’t real! You’ve fallen into a trap, set by Sombra!”
“But… if this isn’t real, how are you here?” Twilight asked, her heart beginning to feel at ease, “If you’re not really here, how do I know you’re real?”
“I placed those seals on the cloaks I gave everypony so you could focus on what must be done,” Midnight explained. “You must find the Crystal Heart! Awaken from this phantasm and step through the door, but listen! When you find it, don’t run up to it, there will be another trap! If you spring it you won’t be able to escape it and deliver the heart to Cadance!”
“But what about you? What about Big Mac and Thunderlane?!”
“Don’t worry about us, we’re doing fine! We’ve been fighting Sombra this whole time to keep his attention off of ramming the barrier, to give you the time you need to do what needs to be done!”
“But then how are you here if you’re out there fighting Sombra?”
“I entered a telepathic trance to reach out to you, and found you in this bewitchment. Now go, Twilight! Remember my warning about the trap, and deliver the heart to Cadance! One more thing, when next you see me, you must convince Cadance to trust me. Do you promise?”
“But what’re you-” Twilight tried to ask.
“Do you promise?!”
Seeing the desperate hope in those turquoise eyes she was falling in love with, Twilight sighed and nodded.
“Thank you, and good luck,” Midnight kissed her on the forehead and everything blurred.
“Twilight! Twilight!”
Twilight snapped out of it, shaking it off as she found the door open but it only revealed a wall. Spike came running down the stairs to her, blabbering, “I know you told me to stay up there, but you were down here for such a long time and you weren't answering and I got worried so I came down here and you were just staring at that wall and... I was calling your name, but I couldn't seem to get your attention, and–
He paused as he noticed Twilight scrutinizing the open door and wall.
“What were you looking at? I mean... it's just a wall,” Spike wondered as he stepped up to t, not noticing a black crystal atop the door’s frame bubbling with purple mana that glowed green.
“Ponyville? But how did I get…?”
Twilight noticed Spike’s eyes had turned green, his pupils red but then he started to panic.
“No! I don’t wanna go! Please Twilight, don’t make me!”
*SLAM*
His tearing up eyes returned to their true colors, Twilight having kicked the door closed.
“King Sombra’s dark magic, a doorway that leads to your worst fears!”
“We were home,” Spike whimpered, the bewitchment having really had an effect on him. “You told me you didn’t need me anymore! You were sending me away…”
“A fear that will never come to pass,” Twilight swore as she gave him a warm hug, the two of them sharing a smile. “I’m never gonna send you away. And I’m not gonna fail my test!”
This time Twilight send positive magic into the door’s crystal, and the door opened for real this time. As Twilight stepped through, Spike asked warily, “What’s in there?”
“Stairs,” she sighed as they both looked up to a column so high they couldn’t see the top. Encircling it were, “Lots and lots of stairs.”
Twilight took the first few steps but then looked to Spike, “Maybe you should come with me this time.”
Spike smiled brightly and followed her without hesitation.
“HYAH!”
*CLANG*
Sombra grunted as he was forced back, Midnight and Thunderlane wielding their blades with surprising skill. Every time Sombra attacked them, they hid behind Big Mac and his shield, Big Mac protecting his brothers and pushing Sombra back. Then the unicorn and pegasus would attack together, they were wearing him down even more!
But Sombra didn’t dare use more magic, he would need it to have any chance of reclaiming his empire! No, this contest would have to be decided, not with their knowledge of the mystic arts, but by their skills as warriors. Yet even without his magic, Sombra was still a ferocious adversary. As he was now resorting only to his fighting skills, he was also trying dirty tricks. He’d kicked dust and dirt and snowy powder at the Guardians’ eyes and tried to attack them when they rubbed their eyes clear. But he was outnumbered, focusing on one only meant losing sight of the other two, enabling one to get the drop on the dark king while the other protected the temporarily incapacitated.
Their teamwork was flawless. They knew each other well, and it was their powerful friendship that finally won them their aim to begin with, as Sombra was pushed back, and panting from exhaustion. And Midnight noticed Sombra’s telekinetic hold on his scythe waver for a moment before he regained his hold over it.
“Now’s the time, guys! Surround him!”
They hurried out, to Sombra’s confusion, and took their places.
“NOW!”
Around Midnight erupted a pillar of blue flame.
Enveloping Thunderlane was a pillar of electrifying lightning.
Surrounding Big Macintosh chunks of rock and even shards of crystal rose up in a pillar of red power.
Then Sombra gasped as walls of golden energy bridged between the three, entrapping their adversary in their barrier. Sombra then felt his hold on his scythe vanish, the blade toppling over.
They’ve nullified my magic! But even this cannot stop my dark magic..!
Deciding the situation demanded it, he concentrated, purple bubbling around his horn, black crackling around his body, his eyes brightening a sickening green.
“There it is, boys!” Thunderlane shouted, “Do it!”
The jeweled bands they wore on their fetlocks glowed and pure white tendrils of energy lashed out, enwrapping Sombra’s horn and ensnaring him around the neck and barrel. Sombra gasped as he felt his dark magic extinguish!
“No…NO!! Release me, I COMMAND IT!!!”
“Sombra, by our duty as the Guardians of Harmony,” Midnight declared, “and in the name of Princess Celestia, you are under arrest!”