//------------------------------// // Blood, Brothers, and Oblation // Story: Son of Sombra // by Stargazer42 //------------------------------// “If you want her,” White Lightning said grinning “you can have her.” From out of nowhere Applejack appeared as if summoned. But she wasn’t the same. All the color was drained from her, and she had an insane look on her face, and apart from that, she was old, as old as Granny Smith. Barely able to walk, when she saw Twilight and her friends, she tried to rush over and see them, but her legs gave out and she started to fall. Lock Light rushed over grabbed her just in the nick of time. She looked up at him and asked “Hey? Who are you?” She even sounded like Granny Smith. Twilight glared at White Lightning “What did you do to her?” “To me?” Applejack said “Twilight he didn’t do nothin’ to me.” “Applejack,” she said “look at yourself.” She refused to listen and without even acknowledging Lock Light’s presence, she walked towards her friends. She started talking to them, when Lock Light turned and faced his once loved brother “Why did you do this?” “You know perfectly well brother,” White Lightning said as he paced back and forth in front of him “you ruined my life, you stole everything away from me.” “I thought we resolved this a hundred years ago,” Lock Light said sighing with exasperation “you know that what I did was the right thing.” “For YOU maybe,” White Lightning said his grin disappearing in a flash “my entire world was destroyed because of your slave loving ego.” “They were being murdered every day,” Lock Light protested “whipped, beaten, molested, and often slaughtered.” “But they were only slaves!” White Lightning countered “ponies that weren’t worth a single thought. Worthless! Yet you sided with them, befriended them, and loved them, after everything our father had done for us.” “You talk about your world being destroyed?” Lock Light yelled “Sombra killed MY father!” “Yes,” White Lightning said “but YOU killed mine!” “We never killed him,” Lock Light said “Celestia and Luna only banished him.” “To the frozen north to die!” White Lightning interrupted “you know nothing of the lands beyond these walls. Of the creatures that live there, of the weather which turns on a mere thought.” “I do actually brother,” Lock Light “but we’re not talking about that now. Why did you take Applejack from her friends? She was innocent. Your quarrel is with me, not with her.” “How else was I supposed to get you here,” White Lightning said “you would never have answered my summons.” “You still didn’t need to bring her into this,” Lock Light countered. Twilight interrupted them “What did you do to Applejack?” “I simply accelerated her aging,” White Lighting said nonchalantly “and also toyed with her brain.” “More like destroyed it,” Rainbow Dash snorted. “Rainbow Dash,” Fluttershy said “you don’t have to say that. I’m sure that deep down, where it really count’s she’s still the same strong, honest…” At that moment Applejack twitched so violently that she went into a seizure. It startled Fluttershy so much she jumped in the air. “On second thought,” she said ‘perhaps she does need a little help.” “Lock Light,” Twilight asked “can you do anything to help her?” “There might be one thing,” Lock Light said “but…” “There’s actually nothing you can do Lock,” White Lightning said “no magic can cure her.” “There’s always a cure for every disease,” Lock Lightning said “even one caused by magic.” “Well then,” White Lightning said “it would at least take you many years to figure it out, and that’s time that SHE doesn’t have.” “What do you want from me brother?” “I want you to die,” White Lightning hissed “I want you to suffer as I have suffered for these past thousand years. I want you to die a thousand deaths. I want you to lose everything you love…just as I have…” “Brother,” Lock Light said “you’ve always had me. I know it’s hard, but you’ve always had me as a brother, and always have known that I love you.” “Not…anymore.” With that, White Lightning flashed up in the air and dove on Lock Light. Lock Light dodged, twisted around and fired a burst of magic. White Lightning deflected it, then countered. The blasts of magic shot between them made it look like a contained firework show. Pinkie Pie was ecstatic “Oh,” she said “I love this game!’ “It’s no game Pinkie Pie,” Twilight said. “I’d help,” Rainbow Dash said “but they’re moving so fast! I can barely see them!” Lock Light parried a thrust by White Lightning’s horn, then created a shield using a spell which deflected flew upwards again and kicked White Lightning, White Lightning lashed out with his own hoof kicking Lock Light in the stomach. Lock Light gasped for air when White Lightning again took his hoof and brought it crashing down on his head. Lock Light bloced and countered with another thrust from his horn. Like two expert swordsman, they blocked and parried, thrusted and cut. Finally, as if by a blessing from Celestia, White Lightning exposed himself briefly, a window of an opportunity exposed itself, but that was all Lock Light needed. He thrust his horn forward, and pierced deep into White Lightning’s side. With a howl of agony, frustration and fury, White Lightning crumpled to the ground, his life, slowly ebbing away from him. Lock Light ran over to him and checked to see if he still breathed, but he felt nothing. Tears brimmed Lock Light’s eyes and he sobbed. Twilight and the others watched him as he rocked back and forth with White Lightning’s body the water streaming down his face and into the hole in White Lightning’s side, the blood mixing with his tears on the floor. Fluttershy turned away and was being held by Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie started balling with Lock Light. Twilight, strangely enough, also had tears. She was curious as to why she had them. She’d never felt any strong emotions really for Sombra’s Prince. But now, she realized, it was because she understood why Lock Light was crying so much. He was all alone. The last of any family that he’d ever had or known. He would probably wander the world forever and ever, in sadness and misery. Twilight’s heart swelled with compassion and sympathy, but she kept her distance. Perhaps this was part of what it meant to be an Alicorn, to be royalty, to understand not some, but all things, when to give comfort, and when to let others mourn their loss. Lock Light got up from his brother, blood still dripping from his horn. He cleaned it with magic and walked over to Applejack. She was still giddy, but had recovered from her previous seizure. Lock Light grabbed her and held her close her eyes darting back and forth, not recognizing him. Twilight walked over and asked “Will she be alright?” “I don’t know,” Lock Light said “she’s had it pretty bad, three days of torture with White Lightning’s techniques are bound to make any pony insane. She was strong, but her strength was her downfall. She wouldn’t give up, and as a result, she was still able to be toyed with and manipulated by White Lightning.” Lock Light sniffed “I have something I can try, but it’s pretty risky.” “What is it?” Twilight asked “and can I help?” “You can’t help me unfortunately,” Lock Light said “for it’s personal and more powerful than any magic you have yet performed. But I will tell you.” He turned and faced the rest of the mane six, Shining Armor, and Princess Cadence and said “When one becomes an Alicorn, many think that you automatically become immortal. This is not the case, immortality is only granted after conducting certain ceremonies, and of course, it grants the performer the ability to keep youth forever and ever. That is why Celestia, Luna, and myself look so young even though we are ancient by your standards.” They all looked at him paying attention as he continued “However, there is a way for the spell which is cast upon you to be broken. It can’t be done by any outside force, but it must be given up freely.” Pinkie Pie gasped “You mean, your…going to give it up?” “Yes,” Lock Light said “as I’ve told you before, I would give everything I own for Applejack, as many of you have sacrificed for each other. But now, I need to give her my greatest gift…and she will be young again.” “Will she be immortal?” Twilight asked quizzically, scholarly curious as to what was about to happen. “No,” Lock Light said “but she will be given a second chance at life.” With that, Lock Light embraced Applejack, tears threatening to pour again and whispered “Oh Applejack. I’m sorry that any of this had to befall you. The only regret I have, is that I wasn’t able to grow old with you.” “Hey?” she said “what’s that? Quit buzzin’ in my ear like a mosquito and talk proper!” Lock Light then stepped towards Applejack. She shied away from him, but he gently reached and held her. She still couldn't remember who he was. Then to their surprise, he began to sing a soft lullaby, one which his father once sang to him, and one which he used to sing to Apple Rose: Through the wilds of night And under Luna's moon While Celestia sleeps And the loud thunder booms Underneath the stars We know the dawn will come And though we can't see It's always dark to some See Celestia's rays And the white clouds do break Morning doves do sing Just for the old one's sae Will we live again? I do not know my friend But while I'm with you I know life will not end Friendship never dies And love will there remain Find yours little one And you won't be the same Then Lock Light closed his eyes, a little tear streaked down his cheek, and raising his head, he touched Applejack’s forehead with the tip of his horn. Closing his eyes, his horn began to glow a bright brilliant white. It was so bright that all of Equestria could see it in the evening light, Celestia and Luna saw it, and immediately took off from Canterlot and flew towards the source. Lock Light’s cutie mark glowed and his whole body became illuminated. He opened his eyes and there was nothing but white shining forth. Applejack, in her crazed mind could only stare into them, she couldn’t shut her eyes against the glory. The whole throne room in Storm's Tower shook violently. And then, as if from an inward explosion, the light burst forth like Rainbow Dash’s Sonic Rainboom. It was a brilliant white fire which flew across the evening sky and knocked everyone except Applejack and Lock Light off their hoofs. When they all got back up and the light started to fade, Applejack’s color had returned, her face was normal and she blinked several times “Howdy ya’ll,” she said “what kept you so long?” Everyone except Lock Light cheered and rushed forward to Applejack embracing her and chattering incessantly. Lock Light quietly smiled to himself. The spell had worked flawlessly. It was the one good thing he’d done in his mind that he’d ever done in his entire life. Everything he’d caused was set right. He saw Applejack smile and that same warm glow he felt when he first saw her sparked within him. Slightly abashed, he turned his head…and saw White Lightning standing up. He was shaky on his legs, quivering nonstop, but his face was a mask of fury and indignation. He shouted “Brother! I’ll have you yet!” With that, he fired a blast of dark crimson red magic which ripped a hole the size of a dinner plate in Lock Light’s side. He screamed and collapsed on the floor. White Lightning laughed hysterically and panted “Now…it…is finished.” And then, he too fell again on the floor.