//------------------------------// // Prologue (rewrite) // Story: Redemption of a Monster // by Raven Shadow //------------------------------// High above the ground a battle waged and drew on for weeks. In such time none could ever say there wasn't things like good or evil. The force was in the form of two beautiful sisters who ruled with benevolence and love, their beliefs compelling them to push all things of harm. Their foe was a true opposite. Evil's champion was a bloodthirsty tyrant with an insatiable lust for power, so much so he made dark deals to expand upon his self greatly. The sanity he once had was stripped away slowly through this process, leaving him an empty shell. His attacks were on par with these two sisters, each gaining nothing on the other party. His rage grew to hights as he wasn't able to best these two beings who stood their ground. His mind expertly picked through numerous tactics in order to deal with them. Yet they attacked just before his plan could be implemented, forcing the dark king to improvise his next move. The darkness swirled towards it's master as he called forth more power to crush his enemies. Black tendrils shot forward at such speed none could have witnessed it, they wrapped around the elder Alicorn with ease as she was caught off guard. With a mighty bellow of anger she was cast down onto the spire's roof, her form still but breathing. The younger sister flew head on into the black prince in righteous fury, knocking him off his construct. The princess of the night smashed her hooves into the monstrous stallion's chest repeatedly. Her anger being her weapon against this foe. Over and over her hooves crashed down upon his form until his blood began to spill, until the voice of the elder Alicorn spoke up. "Luna... please stop..." Her breathing was ragged and her front hoof was held off the ground. "He is beaten... just please stop." "No! His crimes are far too great to have mercy! Tia, look below and see the terror this mongrel has wrought upon these fair ponies!" Luna shouted, her hatred of him showing to the world. "He has hurt you, yet you wish to see him well?" "Luna... we don't kill... we forgive... and he will... serve his punishment!" Celestia cried out as she took painful steps forward. Something wasn't right, she could feel it. The blood from the black king hissed as it touch the metal shoes, the smoke becoming a thick shadow. The eyes of the dreadful king shot open as he lunged for Luna's unprotected throat, his sharp fangs aimed precisely for her jugular. Before he could react a blast of solar magic knocked his head off to the left, missing the Alicorn's soft flesh. His hooves pushed Luna off, his breathing was a pained shallow gasping. "Sombra, please just stop this... we can help you..." Celestia whispered to the monster. "No. You can't help me..." Sombra shook with pure and undiluted hatred of ten thousand suns exploding, his form shifted underneath his skin. He became more of that anger and less of a pony in seconds, flesh split to reveal a mass of darkness swirling just under the surface. His power soared to new hights as he no longer feared bodily harm. "H-how? How can you do this?!" Celestia cried out in panic as she watched the mass of cruelty twist and turn before her, her eyes wide and wet with tears. All around the two sisters this mass of evil stretched, a chilling laugh rang out from it. "I am pony no more! I am a god!" Sombra's eyes opened within the dark cloud filled with malicious intent focused on his foes. "This is the end of our battle, once I kill you both the entirety of the world will knell." He struck at their darkest fears, turning them against one another in an instant. His cruel smile grew as he watched Luna land a blow upon her sister's side with such ferocity that gained a chuckle. Sombra would see his foes gut each other by day light's end. Unnoticed by the godbeast was the sisters sent hidden messages to each other for their surprise attack with their last resort, Sombra gloated as he shifted back into his body. "Strike and prove you want to live!" "You call that an attack? Worthless." "Kill her!" The sisters noticed Sombra turning away from their "battle" for supremacy, they pulled the Elements of Harmony from the saddle bags and began to charge the blast. Sombra turned back when the sounds grew quiet, his eyes went wide with surprise as he saw the Elements. He knew them all too well. After all he helped retrieve them from the Tree of Harmony, now those were pointed at him. For the first time in a decade Sombra, the beast of the north, felt fear. His heart rate shot through the roof as he noticed the Elements were finished charging, he could do nothing as the power within the Elements would protect their bearers from all harm. Time slowed as he watched the rainbow streaked towards him faster than any attack would, his fear held him in place for the beam to connect with him. To all who awaited the outcome heard the blood curdling screams from the black king. His nerves jolted this way and that, the pain was beyond anything else. All along his body cuts opened but instead of shadows leaking away it was his blood. His screams intensified tenfold as the powers of Harmony invaded his form, they ripped away his physical connections to the world. This was his end, yet he would have the last laugh. The beam ended with the two sisters floating gently down to the floor, they expected to see a statue in Sombra's place or a pile of ash. They didn't expect him to still be lingering on the floor. "H-how d-did this h-happen?" Sombra asked himself, his body barely clinging on after what just happened. "I h-had the power, h-how?" "Sombra, please just ease yourself. Sombra I want you to know that this was your doing, I didn't want it to be this way but-" "Liar! I am KING! Liar! Blasphemous whore! You did this to me!" He screeched back as the pain began once more. "I did what was necessary to live, yet you condemned me... I swear upon everything I am I will return!" His voice gave way to coughing, his blood now blue instead of the normal red seemed to flee from him as he still glared death upon the two. "Sombra... I'm so sorry it came to this." The master of hatred and fear closed his eyes for the last time as his body shifted once more into shadows before fading away. Historic records wouldn't existed about this monster's reign, the sisters would make sure of it. As they took flight to inform the Crystal Ponies of their tyrant's destruction they saw the last ploy of the master of darkness. Everything within the boarders began to fade away until nothing but a clear field remained. The damage was done. "Tia, fret not he will return to the world." Luna spoke, comforting her sister. "And when he does, they will as well. But we must not linger here." Celestia watched as her sister took flight from the ground, an odd sensation coming over her. Foreboding yet soothing. Her gaze went to where the battle had taken place and she allowed a tear to fall, she mourned for the Crystal Ponies and for Sombra. Celestia couldn't help but choke back the sob for those defenseless ponies whom had no choice. Sombra had stolen from those ponies a chance for a wonderful life and so much more... This should not have happened, the Royal Sisters prepared for mind altering attacks but nothing could prepare them to watch as the entire Crystal Empire vanished. Celestia never before truly felt this heavy of a blow from an enemy, she simply sat down and stared out at the emptiness.