Chapter Two: Training and Worry
Despite still being in the cell, somewhere in the Crystal Empire, Twilight was able to sleep rather well then she did in the past three days. When she woke up, Mr. H was still waiting for her, floating up in the air like he was taking some sort of nap.
“He came twice to wake you up, and use his spell… But I convinced him that it was too late, and it was too much work for the hour.” Mr. H said, looking down at Twilight with a nod.
“T-Thanks…” She muttered, smiling after knowing that he was keeping his end of the bargain.
“Hey, I gave my word I would help you through this, until you, or myself, are strong enough to teleport out of here.” He quickly left the resting position and floated down to her. “Are you ready?” He asked, tilting his hooded head.
“Y-Yeah… What do I need to do first?” Twilight asked, looking up at the strange new mentor she had.
He nodded, before starting to think about it. “Well… To understand the shadow, you must actually feel it first.” Mr. H answered, when Twilight was about to ask how, he instantly answered the question. “Simply sit up straight, close your eyes, let the silence and shadows surround you. Clear your mind of everything, allow your body to feel the shadows that are draped over your body. Like a blanket, or a veil.”
Twilight nodded, sitting on her rear, front legs in front of her, and closed both of her eyes. She started to clear her mind, slowly hearing everything within the cell, and out. She could feel something around her, but a cold wind sent a shiver down her spine. A few drops of water started to hit the ground, making her concentration break. “It’s harder than it looks…” She admitted.
Mr. H gave a nod to her statement. “Which is why Shadow is considered the hardest Magic to learn. However, meditation is a key factor to its power. You must learn to clear everything from your mind, and let it in…. To flow through you, like it would as if you weren’t even there.” He said, as Twilight instantly thought of a comparing magic.
“Like water magic?” She asked, as Mr. H nodded.
“Yes. When you meditate with shadow magic, you must do so within the darkness. With water magic, you must do it near water. See the connections here?” He asked, as she smiled.
“I do… That makes it even easier to understand.” She said, going straight back into meditation. The moment sounds started to enter her ears, causing her other senses to go… She instantly cut them off, clearing her mind completely. Mr. H nodded, as he watched. Her mind started to allow herself to think like she wasn’t even there… Twilight’s horn suddenly glowing with a shadow-like glow, but with a white aura to it. Before the young mare knew it, she became transparent.
“Heh… First spell down, many others to go.” Mr. H said, breaking Twilight’s concentration.
“Huh? What?’ She asked, opening her eyes and looking up at him.
“You got quite the natural talent, Twilight…. You were able to use a Transparent Spell just then, allowing you to become see through. With some fine tuning on that spell itself, you could pass though solid objects at one point.” He explained, giving a slight nod.
“R-Really?” Twilight asked, looking up at him, and smiling. “Even these walls?” She looked around the cell.
“At some point, don’t get ahead of yourself, or you’ll run face first into a wall, or worse…” He said, as her gaze returned to him.
“What could be worse?” She, regretfully, asked.
“Easy, you could get stuck in the wall. Half on one side, the other on the opposite side.” He answered, making Twilight think of what that’ll look like before shaking it off.
“What’s next?” She asked, looking back up at him.
“Easy, keep meditating. We need to cover the basics first.” He answered, Twilight giving a nod before going back into her meditative state.
In the upper levels of the Ruins.
Not far away, Sombra was in the upper levels of his domain, in the kitchen to be exact. He was fixing a sandwich with jelly and honey butter, before something smacked him back into realization. “Wait…. Why am I making a sandwich?” He asked himself before throwing it all in to the wall. “Last I remember, I was in Twilight’s cell and I suddenly got a craving for a jelly and honey butter sandwich.” He admitted, thinking about it for a moment.
The tyrant shrugged it off, and went into the hallway, where several guards were standing. He eyed each one, smirking at the crystal ponies within the armor. Each one of his loyal servants from the long past, returning to their master’s command when he had returned… Knowing, if something were to happen, he would be in this ruined castle.
“It is good to have obedient subjects…. Those who understand where their place is.” Sombra said, as his guards suddenly stood at attention and saluted their lord, and master.
Back in Canterlot, in the throne room of Princess Celestia and Luna
Princess Celestia paced back and forth, along the two thrones. Many thoughts were entering her mind about what King Sombra could be doing to her poor student right about now… Not to mention, all the things that he could be filling her head with. I was so stupid, in sending Twilight… I should have gone myself! She thought, blaming herself for her student’s capture.
She didn’t notice a Royal Guard entering the room, saluting her. “Princess! I have report from the search teams!” He shouted, startling her a little.
“Oh! Uh, yes? What have they brought back?” She asked, hoping to hear good news.
“Unfortunately, Princess, despite the effort from the Crystal Empire’s own attempts in trying to locate Ms. Sparkle… We still haven’t found a trace of her. Each second, the Royal Guard Pegasi are flying nonstop around the surrounding area, while platoons of Royal Guard on the ground search every place the Pegasi cannot see.” The Guard reported, the news making Celestia frown.
“I see… Thank you for informing me.” Celestia said, the Guard saluting and leaving the throne room. Once he left, the Princess made her way to the window, and looked towards the direction of the Crystal Empire. “Oh, Twilight… What did he do with you? Where are you” She asked, herself, hoping for some answer to appear before her.
It was then, that Celestia heard a strange screeching sound, metal against stone, and looked to her left… To see something edged into the wall, by what looked like a blade. It read “She is safe.” Those words, strange and mysterious as they are, suddenly made Celestia smile. She didn’t know why but something about them actually made her feel relieved. They were much needed words at the time.
For some odd reason, Celestia reached her hoof up and placed it on to the crystal around her neck. Big Brother… What would you do if it was me in trouble? She thought, now making her way towards her chambers. A smirk appeared on her face, as she remembered the cloaked figure that always played with her as a foal. “I know exactly what you’d do… You told me yourself.” She said, to herself.
She remembered the cloak figure suddenly having armor appear around him, now holding a shield and sword in both sleeved hands. “That’s an easy question, dear little sister.” He said, before holding the sword up towards the ceiling, and striking a heroic pose. “I would storm the castle, and charge any who would stand in my way! I would fight the worst of monsters, just to break into where they held you… And whisk you away to safety!”
The memory made her laugh a bit. Despite being so young, seeing such a strange figure like that, always acting so silly around her, made her giggle back then. She walked into her bedchambers, moving over to her bed. “You always knew how to make me happy, Big Brother.” She muttered, not knowing that some pony was right at the door.
“We had a Big Brother?” A voice asked, making Celestia turn to see Luna standing in the doorway, a smile on her face.
The sight of her younger sister, allowed the smile to remain Celestia’s face. “In a way… We did, little sister.” She answered, the darker alicorn walking up to her.
“What was he like?” She asked, curious as to who it was.
Celestia thought about it for a moment, then looked out towards the sky. “For one, he was so kind, gentle, for something like he was. Always happy to be there for others, even though most feared his presence.” She looked at her younger sister, smiling even more. “He would have even loved your nights. He often took me out, in his arms, just to star gaze at the highest points of the castle.” Celestia leaned in, and nuzzled against her sister’s neck. “Oh, Luna, you would have loved Big Brother.”
As she listened to the slight description, of the fabled older brother, Luna could only think of one question right now. “W-What happened to him?” She asked, looking at her sister…. Noticing a tear form in her eyes.
“H-He… Left our world, to protect us further.” She said, looking down at the ground. “He was a master of shadow…. So the job was only for him to do, really. The others argued about them needing to do it, and I learned his was the only one that could pull it off.” Celestia moved towards her window, looking out towards the direction of the Crystal Empire. “I just hope… He’s watching over poor Twilight.”
Luna walked up next to her sister, looking up at the elder Princess. “If he is kind, and gentle, as you say… I’m sure he truly is.” She assured, smiling up at her.
“One can only dream, Luna… One can only dream of such things.” Celestia responded, lowering her head. At that moment, Luna instantly remembered something, before looking at her sister. “Would you like to hear one of his lullabies? That he used to get me to sleep.” She asked.
A smile appeared on Luna’s face, as she nodded. “I would love that sister!” She said, excitement in his face.
Celestia nodded, before taking a moment to remember said lullaby… One she used as a filly, during dark nights that gave her nightmares. She breathed in, and breathed out, her voice becoming sweet as honey to Luna’s ears.
Rest now, little one,
For I am here.
Sleep now, little one,
For I am by your side.
Do not fear the shadow,
For inside, you will find me.
It seems scary,
This I know.
But I’ll forever be by your side.
No matter how far I am,
I will always be there.
No matter where I go,
I will always be there.
Celestia started to tear up, the song making her remember when her Big Brother sat by her bed, slowly petting her mane, during nights that scared her. The nights when both of her parents were gone, fighting the demons, leaving her in the castle alone… Only for a single figure to comfort her.
Rest now, little one,
For I am here.
Sleep now, little one.
For I am by your side.
Do not fear the shadow,
For inside, you will find me.
Goodnight, my little Princess.
When Celestia finished the lullaby, she noticed that Luna was tearing up a bit. “That… Was...” Before Luna could finish, Celestia quickly hugged her younger sister… Even though Luna wasn’t crying, the younger Princess could feel the tears of her sister.
Back at Sombra’s ruined Castle, several days later.
Twilight’s screams could be heard throughout it, as she was going through the torture from Sombra. His magic putting the young mare through the worst nightmares her mind could possibly come with, or feeling needles stabbing into her body, but not making a single mark upon her flesh. When Twilight tried to crawl away from the tyrant, she was drugged back by his magic. “Oh no, not yet… Your session is not over with just yet.” He said, smirking before unleashing a final spell over her, making Twilight relive the nightmare Mr. H broke when he arrived.
When he felt she had enough, for today, Sombra left the cell and left Twilight to think about things. She just laid on the floor, panting and trying to get what breaths she possibly could. The screaming left her weak, her voice hoarse. A tear slowly fell from her right eye, before attempting to get up. Her leg quickly collapsed, but was soon caught by a shadow. “T-T-Thank you, Mr. H.” She whispered, her throat hurting too much to actually speak out loud.
“I’m sorry, Twilight… I truly am.” He admitted, not appearing in his cloaked form. “Where does it hurt the most?”
“H-He threw me against the wall…. I think I may have...” She was able to get up, before a shadow appeared over her muzzle.
“Shhh… Not another word, Twilight. I’ll take care of it.” His words were soothing, and the shadows simply lowered her head down to the ground. She felt the darkness slowly surround her body, the grip was rather painful but quickly became soothing. “Just hold still, I have to heal the injury.” She felt something snap in her ribs, the pain making her scream out, and laying back down on to the ground. “There… The rest was mental, all physical injuries are healed.”
“W-What kind of spell was that?” She asked, looking up to where the shadows were actually massing a bit. There wasn’t a body forming, but several tendrils of shadow energy was formed in the area.
“Shadow Mending. Another basic spell, that also takes time to learn.” Mr. H said, before she felt one of the shadows caressing her muzzle. “You rest now, no more training for today. I’ll be sure he doesn’t return.” She nodded, feeling her eyes slowly close, the darkness taking her and falling asleep where she was. A blanket of shadow slowly covered the mare’s body, as she silently slept. I don’t know if I can stand watching this, but…. She must endure to use the shadows. Mr. H thought, before he quickly floated up into the castle, to spy on Sombra.
When he saw the Dark King, he was walking into his throne room, a young crystal mare right beside him. “If she doesn’t break soon, I’ll just have to kill her myself! She’s becoming more of a problem than I thought.” Sombra growled. His spells usually broke ponies within the first few hours, but over two weeks is unheard of. “Where does that brat get the will!?”
“I don’t know, my King. Maybe, this one time, you cannot turn somepony to your side? It is not unheard of.” The young mare said, making Sombra glare down at her, before sighing.
“Maybe you’re right, Feather Drop.” He admitted, looking up at his throne. “I have more things to concentrate on, rather than trying to break a young mare for weeks.” He slowly stepped up on to his throne, and faced those that gathered there. “If she isn’t broken within the next three days, I’ll just end her life right then and there.”
This revelation made Mr. H glare at the Dark King with daggered eyes, before floating back into the cell with Twilight. His shadows still covered her in a blanket, and she was sleeping soundly. We don’t have as much time, like I originally planned… I hope you’re the good student Celestia says you are. He thought, slightly rubbing the side of her muzzle.