//------------------------------// // 5: Premonitions & Preparations // Story: Before the Darkness // by Riku006 //------------------------------// In hindsight, my decisions in the days following the initial attack were blinded by determination and national pride. But, even if I retained my current memories, were I given the chance to make those choices again, the result would be the same. --Excerpt of Sombra’s Journal With a shout Sombra shot to a sitting position, his breathing rapid. Slowly, he regained his composure and looked around, only to almost lose it again. Sombra sat in darkness. Apart from the occasional swirl of grey or purple, there was nothing else. Even beneath him there appeared to be nothing, like he was floating in a void despite gravity still holding sway. “H-Hello?” He called out, rising to his hooves as his ears swivelled and eyes scanned his bleak surroundings. “Quartz? Quartz, what happened?” Fears beginning to increase, Sombra readied a light spell, only to get a splitting headache in response. As he reached for his horn, something caught Sombra’s eye. It vanished before he could turn to see it, yet mere seconds later it flashed by again. “Hey, wait.” Sombra hurried after it, running on darkened air after the only thing other than himself. It flashed once more in-front of him; a pony-like form turning right. Sombra leant right, only to smack into an invisible wall. Quickly clearing his head, he kept moving forward, his tail dragging against the wall until there was none there. Sombra wasn’t sure how long he had been following this pony, twisting and turning through this invisible maze. But regardless how long he may have been taking, the image always seemingly waited for him before flashing again. Finally, Sombra came to some form of distinguishable landmark, an area where the ground glowed a soft purple. Yet what he saw stopped him dead in his tracks. In this area were dozens of the insectoid ponies from the Crystal Fair, climbing on the invisible walls and hovering as they gathered around something in the centre. Looking through a gap in the group, Sombra’s blood ran cold. In the centre was an unconscious Quartz Guard. “Quartz!” Sombra yelled, rushing forward only to be blocked by a large group of bugs. Sombra tried using his magic again only for a migraine even stronger than before nearly swept him off his hooves. Looking back up, Sombra caught a face full of green magic. The blast blew him back, slamming into another wall with a loud smash, a visible crack merely floating in the abyss. Shaking the cobwebs out of his head, Sombra looked back up to see himself surrounded, the beasts smiling wickedly at him. “No,” Sombra pleaded, backing up against the wall as he felt his horn begin to burn. “Stay away!” The bugs responded by advancing, their jagged horns alighting with a green hue. Despite the rush of fear and the burning sensation of his horn, something else sparked inside him, that same feeling from earlier. “I said stay back!” Sombra roared, his magic finally unleashing its fury in a blinding flash of darkness. As Sombra’s sight began returning, he noticed the burning sensation and that familiar feeling had receded, and all of the insectoids had vanished. “S-Som… bra…” Sombra quickly looked around, not seeing anything until he looked down. Instantly, he wished he hadn’t. There, where those vile insects had been mere moments before, lay an injured pony. Save their head, the body was limp, contorted in ways Sombra dared not imagine. That is, the parts that were still attached. Out of the corner of his eye he noticed an entire hind leg off in the distance, as well as a few organs strewn around within the large pool of blood. But that wasn’t what scared him. It was who the pony was, and the tear-filled emerald eyes that bore into his soul. “S-Sombra… My little Sombra… why?” -\--\*/--/- “NO!” Sombra cried out as he sat ramrod straight. The sound of metal clattering on the floor around him did little to calm him down as the young stallion’s eyes quickly darted all around, his surroundings a bright blur. “Sombra, calm down! You’re safe.” Hearing that voice, Sombra’s panicked state began to fade. Forcing himself to take deep breaths, his surroundings became all the more clearer; a curved rectangular room with crystal walls. Beds like the one he currently sat upon lined the outer wall, with ponies in medical garb and bedridden spectators stared back at him in surprise and another emotion Sombra couldn’t pinpoint. And, standing beside his own bed, stood his mother, concern filling her emerald eyes. “M-Mum?” He panted, half convinced this was merely another scenario like before. “You’re safe Sombra,” Sunbeam replied calmly, slowly bringing her son into a reassuring hug. “It was only a bad dream.” Sombra’s racing heartbeat began to slow, his muscles relaxing. After a few moments, he pulled back to see his mother flash that loving smile of hers. “Sorry Mum,” Sombra mumbled tiredly while looking at his surroundings more. “Where are we?” “We’re in the medical ward of the castle,” Sunbeam replied before shaking her head. “And it’s alright. After what happened yesterday, anypony would be exhausted to the point of nightmares.” This caught Sombra’s attention. He was about to ask what happened before it all came rushing back; the first, fatal strikes, the ensuing chaos, Quartz. “Quartz,” Sombra asked rapidly, panic slowly creeping back into his voice. “Where is he?” “Here.” Sombra turned to his right, the voice coming from a familiar, glasses-wearing mare on the opposite side of the next bed. Recognising his old headmistress, Sombra slowly looked down as he clambered out of bed, ignoring the complaints of the medics. Sombra struggled to swallow the lump developing in his throat as he watched his best friend lay unconscious in the bed before him. “I’m sorry miss,” the unicorn muttered, finally looking back at her tired features. Rosetta Stone shook her head. “It’s not your fault Sombra. If you hadn’t found him when you did, Quartz might not be here today.” “Will he be okay?” “He just needs rest. But…” Rosetta’s resolve wavered a little before forcing herself to continue. “But there’s a chance his coat will never shine again.” The news hit Sombra with the force of an avalanche. Looking back down, Sombra now noticed how Quartz’s grey coat no longer had the shine crystal ponies were known for. But looking back up, Sombra realised Quartz wasn’t the only one. All ponies in the room lacked their shining coats. While the young colt in him would’ve been cheering for such an event, he knew something was severely wrong, and that there was only one pony that could answer him. Determination now pumping through his veins, Sombra tapping Quartz’ shoulder, passing on his wishes of a swift recovery, before turning for the door. “Hey! Where do you think you’re going?” Sunbeam scolded, stepping between her son and the exit. “I need to find Uncle Cobalt. I need answers” He tried side-stepping her but Sunbeam once again blocked his path. “You need to rest,” she said while levelling a stern look at her taller son. “You’re in no condition to be walking around right now.” “She’s right son,” one of the medics spoke up. “You need to regain your strength after what happened.” “I’m fine, really.” Sombra protested. “Besides, I need answers and right now the King is the only one who has them.” Sombra then turned to Sunbeam, looking her in the eye. “Mum, please.” The two unicorns held each other’s gaze for a moment that seemed to stretch on and on. “You’re so stubborn,” Sunbeam sighed before turning to the medic. “I’ll accompany him. If he collapses I’ll teleport him straight back here.” The medic looked ready to protest, but sighed in defeat as well. “As you wish, Milady.” Sombra smiled at Sunbeam, with her returning a weary one as the two walked out of the medical ward. As they walked, Sombra glanced out the palace windows to the city beneath a darkening, evening sky. The sight stopped him in shock, as the only souls visible down below were all members of the Royal Guard. Any civilians he saw were nervously looking out from their homes. But, like everyone in the medical ward, not one pony’s coat was shining. “Sombra,” Sunbeam called out, and soon he fell into step beside her as they reached one of the main staircases. “What happened to all the bugs?” Sombra asked after a few minutes of silence. “Cobalt and the Royal Guard fought them off. They either fled or were ki-” Sunbeam stopped and shook her head. “I’m just glad Cobalt found you and Quartz out there.” “So, he brought me back?” Sunbeam nodded as the two exited the stairs, a pair of royal guards passing them in a hurry. Sombra breathed a sigh of relief, with two of his questions sated. But in their place a new one rose to the surface of his mind. “Are you okay Mum? I mean, you were pretty shaken up yesterday.” Sunbeam froze for a moment, causing Sombra to stop and look back in concern. “Mum?” “I… I’m fine now Sombra,” Sunbeam admitted. “It’s just… it brought back memories, that’s all.” Sombra’s eyes widened. “Memories of what?” “I’ll tell you later,” She replied, quickly walking past him. “Come on, Cobalt might be in here.” Sombra looked at his mother strangely for a moment before following her towards a door at the end of the hall. The door was flanked by two royal guards, who crossed their crystalline halberds before it. “I wish to see the King and Queen.” Sunbeam stated, regaining her composure. “I have their permission to enter this chamber.” “We know, Milady,” one of the guards replied, “But given yesterday’s attack, we will need confirmation of who you are.” “What?” Sombra asked, but a look from Sunbeam silenced him. “Our enemy is one that can shapeshift,” the other guard responded, his professionalism helping him keep his emotions in check. “All civilians are being asked for confirmation as to who they are so we can be sure there aren’t any more of those monsters masquerading as one of us.” “Very well,” Sunbeam responded, lighting her horn for them. Upon checking its golden hue with a nod, the guards’ attention turned to Sombra. Putting his annoyance aside, Sombra stomped a hoof and summoned a chunk of ruby from the floor. Satisfied, the guards withdrew their weapons and let them pass. Once inside the room Sombra had to stop to take it all in. The walls were draped with either flowing tapestries, beautiful paintings or noble coat of arms. Below them were bookshelfs and a desk littered with papers and ornaments crafted from gold. Before a burning fireplace on the far side of the room lay a large, elaborate mat, surrounded by expensive-looking lounges lined with the softest velvet. On one of these lounges lay Jade, her face lighting up when she saw her new arrivals. “Sombra!” She nearly shouted, flying off the lounge to embrace the young stallion. “What are you doing out of bed? I thought you still needed rest.” “It’s okay Aunt Jade, I’m fine.” Sombra smiled sheepishly before looking around. “Is Uncle Cobalt around? I wanted to ask him something.” Jade’s mood dimmed slightly as she shook her head and led her guests to the lounges. “No. I’m afraid he’s still in a meeting with Fracture and his advisors. They’ve been in discussion for most of the day, and not wanting to take any chances, he asked that I stay here until he’s done.” “You’ve been stuck in here all day?” Sombra asked in surprise. “That doesn’t sound like Uncle Cobalt.” “Well, he is trying to protect us from shapeshifting monsters Sombra,” Sunbeam answered. “I’d do the same for you if need be.” “Of that I have no doubt.” The three ponies turned to see Cobalt and Captain Fracture entering the room, the bags underneath the King’s eyes a rare sight for all gathered. As Fracture stood by the door, Jade met and embraced her husband. “You need to rest,” she told him, looking into his weary golden eyes. “I’ll rest once this threat is dealt with and everyone is safe, including you.” He replied softly, bringing a hoof to her cheek for a few moments before noticing Sunbeam and Sombra. “Sombra? Why are you out of the medical ward?” “I need answers,” the unicorn began, “and I figured you’re the only pony in the Empire that would have them. What were those things that attacked yesterday? Why did they attack us, and what did that one do to my friend Quartz?” “Sombra, that’s enough questions.” Sunbeam chided him, but the king raised a hoof to stop her. “It’s alright Sunbeam, I believe you’re all entitled to some answers.” Motioning with his hoof, Sombra, Sunbeam and Jade sat down and awaited his explanation. Fracture stayed by the door, but Cobalt had become accustomed to the professionalism that the stallion held. “It’s taken some time,” he began, “but we were finally able to extract some information from one of our captives. The foul beasts refer to themselves as Changelings; a travelling insectoid race that feed off of strong positive emotions, their favourites being hope and love. It’s my understanding that they came here to feed on masse, given how we here in the Empire hold those emotions as core values of our nation.” “Then how come they weren’t blasted away by the Crystal Heart when it activated?” Sunbeam asked. “We believe that,” Fracture stepped forward to explain, “At the time of the Crystal Heart’s activation, it didn’t recognise the Changelings as a threat. After all, they were disguised as crystal ponies.” “Which is why the Royal Guard has been conducting identity checks throughout Glacier Spire,” Cobalt continued, “and I’ve ordered these to be performed in the Empire’s other cities and towns as well.” The other ponies present lowered their heads in thought. That was, until Sombra stood up from the lounge. “What happens next?” All eyes turned to the king, who closed his own and bowed his head in thought for a moment before determination brought life back to his tired gaze. “We cannot allow this attack on our most sacred tradition, on our Empire’s very ideals, go unpunished. Fracture,” Cobalt called, the captain stepping forward and standing to attention. “Raise the expansion wall to full height and the outer wall to half height. Double the border patrols and ensure nothing slips through undetected.” “Yes, Your Majesty,” Fracture saluted, yet remained in place as Cobalt continued. “Furthermore, spread word to all corners of Glacier Spire; Any and all ponies of sound body and mind are asked to gather near the palace at first light if they wish to join the Imperial Army. Ensure this message is spread to all other cities and towns, and have their volunteers head to Granite Wall. As of this moment, the Crystal Empire is at war.” With a small nod, Fracture galloped out of the room. “War?” Jade asked, bringing his attention back to the other three ponies in the room, his concerned wife especially. “Cobalt, I understand the severity of the situation, but… War? We haven’t been at war in centuries.” “Jade,” the king began, bringing a hoof to his wife’s cheek. “These vermin attacked us on our most sacred day, our most sacred tradition. They slaughtered scores of ponies and injured many more. They even dared bring harm to my family,” Cobalt said with a glance to Sombra and Sunbeam before returning to Jade. “They tried to kill you. I am unwilling to give them a second chance.” Jade closed her eyes, leaning into Cobalt’s hoof before looking him in the eye. “Then promise me. Promise me you will return.” Cobalt’s serious expression finally cracked a little, a small smile forming upon his muzzle. “Of course.” With that, king and queen embraced, sharing a gentle kiss before Cobalt noticed something. “Sombra, you have something to say?” The unicorn nodded, having stepped forward a little. “Your Majesty, I wish to join the army.” “What?!” Sunbeam nearly shouted as Cobalt’s regal composure returned. “Why?” “Mum, we were attacked,” Sombra retorted, turning to face his mother. “I want to do whatever I can to make sure that doesn’t happen again.” “But… Cobalt, you can’t allow this.” Sunbeam demanded of the king. “Sombra is of age,” Cobalt calmly replied, understanding the reasons behind her otherwise disrespectful outburst. “It’s entirely his decision.” “See?” Sombra continued. “Uncle Cobalt said its okay.” “But there are plenty of ponies already in the military,” Sunbeam shot right back. “I’m sure they’ll be able to manage. And what about your job? How do you think Stone Cutter will take this sudden decision of yours?” “Better than you,” Sombra replied, as the argument intensified. His headache from earlier returned slightly, but he paid it no heed. Meanwhile, Sunbeam was growing more and more irritant, which drove Sombra to continue. “Mum, you’ve always been supportive of me up until now. Why take that support away? Why won’t you let me do this?” “Because you’re a son of-” Sunbeam yelled before slamming a hoof in-front of her mouth. Her eyes grew as wide as saucers as she realised what she nearly did, while Cobalt and Jade had similarly shocked expressions. The outburst stunned Sombra into silence and, after slightly regaining her composure, looked her son in the eye while tears started forming in hers. “B-Because… because you’re my son.” She sniffed. “I… I-I just don’t want anything happening to you. If you…” With that, Sunbeam’s tears ran freely down her face as she sat down, head bowed as her emotions took hold. But shock forced her eyes open when someone brought her into a tight embrace, that someone being her son. “You won’t lose me,” he calmly said, his chin resting on top of her head. “I promise I’ll come back.” Sunbeam moved back slightly so she could look her son in the eye, scanning it for something she realised wasn’t there; fear. In its place was nothing but honesty and compassion. “I’ll hold you to that.” She finally relented, hugging back just as hard as she shed tears once more. Jade joined in on the hug, her eyes also watery. But Cobalt, simply smiling at the scene, turned and left the room before alighting his horn and vanishing in a pulse of blue light. -\--\*/--/- “White Mare, what a mess,” General Steel Scabbard sighed as he leaned back into the chair of his office. Reports of the attacks in Glacier Spire, as well as those throughout the Empire, were scattered haphazardly across his crystalline desk. His home, the great fortress city of Granite Wall, was on high alert with curfews being implemented and border patrols and gate examinations being intensified to ensure security. The grey stallion brought a hoof to his forehead, cursing every son of Tirek he could remember for the headache these attacks had brought. He wasn’t one vain enough to obsess over his reputation, but never before in his ten year tenure as General had the Crystal Empire been attacked on this scale. Opening his steely blue eyes, Steel Scabbard looked to his left. Hanging on the wall was a map of the Empire, with gems matching his eye colour protruding from each location that was attacked, the most damning of the eight locations being the capital and Granite Wall. When a stray sheet of paper flew past his line of sight, he leapt out of his chair as a flash filled the room. Instincts and training taking over, Scabbard landed and summoned a broadsword in one motion. Taking the handle in his mouth, he swung it over his shoulder to point at his intruder, yet he released his grip when he realised who had entered his office. “A-Apologies, Your Maj-” Scabbard began, only for Cobalt Blade to silence him with a hoof and cast a spell, a light blue bubble engulfing the entire room before fading. “I’m sorry to barge in unannounced General,” Cobalt began, “But there is something which I need to discuss with you.” “There’s no need to apologise, Your Majesty,” Scabbard replied after a hasty salute. “But what was that spell you just cast? And what could be so important that you’d arrive unannounced.” “A Silence Field. It ensures everything said within this room will not be overheard by any undesirables. Recent events have forced my hoof to be discreet, as I’m sure you understand.” Scabbard acknowledged with a nod as he returned to his chair. “With these attacks, I’ve decided to mobilise the army. You’ll be receiving new recruits from Glacier Spire first thing tomorrow morning, and others from the rest of the Empire will arrive thereafter.” Scabbard brought a hoof to his chin. “Won’t the savages who attacked us use this as another opportunity to strike?” “I’ve already ordered all available crystal smiths to forge a suitable countermeasure, to help reveal any Changelings posing as crystal ponies. But until they are completed, you and your men will need to be vigilant and thorough in your identity checks.” “Understood Sir.” Scabbard nodded. “Was there anything else?” “Yes. One of the recruits tomorrow shall be… different from the rest.” “It’s the son of Lady Sunbeam, I take it?” Cobalt nodded. “Yes. His magic will make him a valuable asset, but I fear about troop comradery should a unicorn try to join military ranks.” “We’ll stamp that out Sir. That I can promise you.” Scabbard said with a small smirk. “I have no doubt about that, but that isn’t my only concern for him.” Scabbard said nothing but looked on, waiting for the King to continue. “I want you and your instructors to observe him; his personality, his actions, his interactions with other recruits. And I want weekly reports on his progress.” “With all due respect Your Majesty, these seem like extreme measures to watch over a noble’s son.” “It’s not because he’s Sunbeam’s son Scabbard,” Cobalt sighed, turning to the map to his right. “It’s because I fear what he could become.” -\--\*/--/- Sombra took a deep breath of the crisp morning air, his stomach tying itself in knots as he stood outside Stone Cutter’s workshop. The sun had barely peaked over the northern mountains but Sombra knew time was short. Steeling himself and adjusting his lucky scarf, he stepped inside. Despite being early in the morning, Sombra stepped through the barrier of the dampening spell and was bombarded by the sound of crystal being shaped. Huh, he thought to himself. Cutter usually waits for me to arrive before getting started. The banging soon ceased, however, and the old stallion poked his head out of the back door. “There you are, you lazy colt.” Stone Cutter said with his usual grumpy tone. “Come on. We’ve gotten a mass order from the King for the army. We’ll both need to work overtime just to fill today’s quota.” “Hey, Cutter,” Sombra began, tugging at his scarf. “Can we talk for a second?” “Talk while you work,” Cutter replied curtly as he went to disappear out back again. “But it’s about work, and me…” There was silence from the other room before Stone Cutter trotted out and stood before Sombra. Despite being younger and larger than him, Stone Cutter could still be intimidating when he wanted to, like at that moment as he levelled his annoyed glare on Sombra. “Well?” Cutter asked, almost as if he already knew this wouldn’t be what he wanted to hear. Sombra took a reassuring breath before meeting Cutter’s gaze. “I’m joining the military. I already have both the King and Mum’s approval… I’m sorry Stone Cutter.” Sombra closed his eyes, expecting a verbal barrage. Instead there was silence. Opening his eyes, Sombra saw Stone Cutter was just standing there, still glaring at him. This both confused and terrified the unicorn. “Well?” “Well what?” Cutter responded quickly, his tone clearly unimpressed. “Well…” Sombra paused, considering his next words very carefully. “I thought you’d be more… furious.” Stone Cutter didn’t respond that time, simply shaking his head and walking out back whilst muttering to himself. Sombra was about to follow before one almighty bang rang out from the workroom. Sombra lowered his head, mentally chiding himself for saying that. But Sombra reeled back when a sheathed sword landed not far from his head. Looking back up, Sombra saw a now angry Stone Cutter in the doorway. “What the Tartarus is wrong with you?!” Somrba yelled, a fire lit in his belly. “If you’re going to die like an idiot, you might as well use that,” Cutter shot back. “Might actually help get you home instead of being crystal-fodder!” Sombra was about to shout back when he stopped to look at the blade. The more he looked, the more detail he noticed and the more his anger made way for curiosity. Lifting the sword from the floor with his magic, Sombra inspected every inch as he would a product he would forge in this very building. The guard and pommel were made of shining silver, with intricate lines curling around red jewels in the centre of each section. The grip was encased in dark fabric, and in his magic Sombra felt the weapon was well balanced weight wise. The scabbard was made of polished dark steel, dark enough to reflect Sombra’s face. Unsheathing the sword, the thing that caught Sombra’s attention most was the blade itself. Ninety centimetres long and fifteen wide, there was no curve near the tip of the blade, making it look like a roughly-cut rectangle with a sharpened point at the end. Then there was the material of the blade. “It’s made of ruby,” Sombra commented, still turning the blade over and over in his magic. “You have no idea how fortunate you are for your talent to be shaping rubies. Most crystal smiths have a lot of difficulty shaping it, let alone summoning it. That sword is most effective for parrying, though I guess you could ruin it faster by hacking away like some lumberjack.” “Wait…” Sombra stopped, looking back at a somewhat calmer Stone Cutter. “You can’t summon rubies. Where’d you get these?” “From you.” Sombra’s confused gaze forced a tired sigh from Stone Cutter before he continued. “Remember back when you got your cutie mark?” Sombra nodded. “Well, the academy kept a fair chunk of it, but I kept the rest. I forged it shortly afterwards, but it’s been difficult trying to refine it.” Sombra looked at Stone Cutter, then to the sword and back to the old stallion, one question on his mind. “Why?” Stone Cutter sighed again. “I’ve always known you wouldn’t stay here forever. I just never thought you’d be stupid enough to risk your life joining the army.” Sombra pouted, but Cutter ignored him and carried on. “But, regardless of what you chose, I wanted you to have that as a reminder of your time here. “And if you come back, once this whole thing’s blown over…” Stone Cutter paused, walking over to Sombra before putting a hoof on the unicorn’s shoulder with a sombre smile. “I can only hope you come back here, even if it’s only for a visit.” Sombra, finally getting what Stone Cutter was saying, smiled back and put hoof on his mentor’s shoulder in kind. “I’ll be back. That’s a promise.” Stone Cutter nodded, his smile now genuine as he pushed Sombra away and headed back to the workroom. “Well, go on then. I’ve got a lot of work to do now you’ve gone and abandoned me. Go ahead and leave.” “Says the pony that boasts he could do twice the job without me.” Sombra shot back with a grin as he headed for the door. “Well now I can prove it, so go on. Get.” Sombra shook his head with a smiled as the pounding of hoof on crystal returned. But as he was about to leave it stopped once more. “Sombra.” The unicorn looked back to see Stone Cutter standing in the doorway one last time. “Give those bugs Tartarus for me.” “Will do.” Sombra replied with a salute before stepping out of the store, sheathed sword now strapped over his shoulder. Breathing in the morning air once more, he broke into a gallop and headed towards the central plaza.