Sombra looked over Sweetie Belle as she slept. The other fillies cuddled together next to her, though since they had rushed to bed last night, their covers were blown every which way. He noticed a piece of her mane dragged onto her muzzle and with a gentle hoof, combed it back in place. It brought a soft smile to her face as she felt his warm touch.
He didn’t return the gesture. The fore-hoof he had used came into view bearing heavy bandages. The wound he had gotten the night prior was still there, it hadn’t even closed up yet. Still fresh, like if he just gotten slashed. He feared perhaps it would pass on to Sweetie Belle like his other cut. All night he watched over her to make sure she was treated when it happened, but thankfully it hadn't.
He didn’t understand it, the curse and how it worked. Was it even a curse at all? He had pushed all these questions to the back of his head until now, but seeing how much he’s grown to care for Sweetie Belle, he could no longer ignore it. Especially after his dream.
His memories had rekindled his desire for revenge, but more importantly, gave him a new found direction in his search. With those red and yellow eyes burned into the back of his mind, Sombra was now more determined than ever to find him. Finally he had pieced all the pieces together and his mind straightened it. It wasn’t a stone he had been after, or rather, not at first.
“Sombra?” A voice called out, bringing him back to reality. He jerked his head to the open door and saw Twilight.
“Something wrong with Slice?” He asked as he stood up quickly.
“No.” She said as she gestured him to come to her. “He’s still locked up in the cellar. He’s not going anywhere until Canterlot’s Royal Guard arrives.”
“Good.” Sombra relaxed and lit his horn in a red aura. Making sure Sweetie Belle was covered up well, he turned and began to leave the room to join her in the hallway. Twilight frowned as she noticed that he had uncovered Applebloom and Scootaloo in the process.
Twilight paused. She stared over at Sweetie Belle for a while longer after Sombra had left her side. Patiently he waited for her to break out of her trance and close the door. Together they began to walk down the corridor. It was already an eerie atmosphere on its own, but with their awkward silence, it only intensified.
Though he didn’t spare her the same gesture, he knew Twilight looked him up and down. He could feel her eyes look him over.
Her feelings about him were scattered. Yesterday morning she had thought of him as a friend. It certainly wouldn’t have been the first time for an enemy to become an ally, and his actions in discovering Dice ahead of time painted him as just that. After what she saw was left behind in his battle, however, it made her feel the need to be more cautious.
She had thought that perhaps he had been misunderstood. Her conversation with Luna certainly showed Sombra in a different light. He never lied either, so he had several things going for him. Yet it was only now that she realized that all those instances in which he had been nice, had either been towards Sweetie Belle, around her, or because of her. Whenever Sombra was alone with somepony else, he was a completely different stallion.
“Care to tell me what’s wrong?” He finally said, breaking the silence and making eye contact.
Twilight furrowed her brows as she stared down his crimson eyes. His thinned pupils, his deadpan expression, it all spelled out ‘bad news’.
“Can I ask you something?” She said.
“Depends on the question.”
“Did Slice and Dice have some sort of animal with them? A tiger or lion perhaps?”
“No.”
“A dragon?”
“No?” He raised a brow at her strange questions.
“Any sort of beast with claws?”
Sombra came to a stop. He finally understood why she had been acting strangely.
“No. If you’re talking about what was left behind on the battlefield, I made those markings.” Sombra replied as he raised his hoof.
Twilight glanced over at his hoof then at him, wondering what he was about to do. Lighting his eyes in purple flames, Sombra called out his magic and engulfed his forehoof in crystal. After his new gauntlet was in place, he extended three long blades to create a clawed hoof for himself.
“I see. You left quite the destruction in your wake. Though, I guess I should be thankful. It led me to you.” She said.
“Sweetie Belle was in danger. I acted accordingly.” Sombra’s flames went out. Thrusting his hoof down onto the ground, he smashed it to pieces before continuing their route. She began to lead him to her study.
Twilight didn’t know if she felt better or worse about the situation. She was terrified of the thought that he was still a loose cannon and his only leash were the rather forgiving orders of Sweetie Belle. Still, his little demonstration managed to bring his injured leg to her attention.
“How’s your hoof?” She asked as they made a turn to the destined room. It was rather messy to say the least. Certainly not like her to keep her personal research area so disorganized, though she didn’t exactly have time to clean up when she was visited by Applebloom and Scootaloo last night.
“Fine. It should heal up.” He said as he grabbed onto it for a moment. That was more of a hopeful statement than anything else. Sombra was in no small amount of pain but he hid it well. It was the reminder of it that made his mind think if his ‘master’. “Any news on what sort of spell Sweetie Belle cast?”
“Huh?”
“To summon and bind me. Weren’t you doing some sort of research?”
“Oh!” She shouted as she hopped into the air, flying over Sombra and simultaneously lifting several books and scrolls in her study to look through them. “I researched every nook and cranny of the Royal Records to find any trace of anything similar to whatever Sweetie Belle had done.”
“And?”
“I didn’t find anything.” She said sternly, still looking for the scroll she was after.
“¿De verdad?” He asked a little confused. “Nothing at all?”
“Nope.” She finally found the files she was looking for. “In every case where somepony tried to revive the dead it either ended in failure or tragedy. Usually both. So I broadened my search.”
“To what?”
“Well, instead of focusing on finding ponies that were brought back to life, I looked for things that shared your...condition.” She glided down to Sombra and levitated the files in front of him. Consuming them in his own magical aura, Sombra quickly began to read through them. “This is Sir Swift Silver. A pegasus from a well know family in the East Coast. He was born several hundred years ago.”
“And what condition are you talking about exactly?” He questioned as he flipped the pages. It was a very detailed report on the pony. Everything from a very descriptive bio to events he attended in his life and other achievements he was known for.
“Being bound. I found Swift’s death certificate in Canterlot’s extensive citizen catalogue. He died in battle at one of the many wars he took part in.”
“So he’s dead.”
“Keep reading.”
He did just that, and soon he began to see what she meant. At a monster attack in his home town, witnesses saw somepony who looked very similar to Sir Swift Silver help defeat the menace. This happened seven years after he died.
Again he was seen aiding soldiers during one of the many wars for control of the coast. He was even reported taking part in a key battle that turned the tides of the war. This was fifteen years after his death.
Famine, death, any sort of threat that befell his hometown and he would be there to help. The most recent one happening just a decade ago. Sombra narrowed his eyes as he reached the end of the documents before lifting his gaze.
“Who- What is he?”
“A familiar.” Twilight said with a prideful grin. “Well, that’s my guess anyway. I haven’t spoken to the family in question yet. I’ve sent word that I’ll be heading in their direction soon, but we don’t have a planned date yet.”
Sombra raised a brow as he awaited more to be said.
“If I’m correct and you two are both bound the same way, we could speak to whoever did the binding in the first place. Maybe there’s a way to undo it.”
“Hmm…” Sombra hummed to himself. He had forgotten that that was her goal. His literal undoing. He couldn’t have it. No, even after all this time there is still a shot at his revenge. He can’t have Twilight dispel their binding just yet.
His stare was almost that of a glare as he continued to look at Twilight. Still, he had little options available. Perhaps, a distraction?
“I-Is something wrong?” Twilight said, visibly uncomfortable with his death gaze.
“I need...help...with something.” Sombra said as he took a few steps forward, placing the documents on the table close by.
“I, I’d be happy to help.” She retreated slightly.
Twilight could almost not look at him in the eyes. His gaze was one thing, but his towering stature only made him more...intimidating. She couldn’t read Sombra or what he was up to, but something about how he look at her made her stomach twist.
“My wound.” He said as he raised his hoof. “It’s not healing.”
“Huh?” She blinked her eyes in confusion. Suddenly, Sombra’s powerful demeanor banished and was replaced with a weakened pose.
“I’m worried about Sweetie Belle.”
“Wait, I’m not following.”
“Do you recall Sweetie Belle having a band-aid over her cheek recently?” He said with a sigh. “That was my fault.”
“Huh? I thought you couldn’t hurt Sweetie Belle.”
“I can’t.” Sombra replied, almost insulted by the remark. “That cut was originally mine. But it somehow transferred over to her.”
“What? How?!”
“Wish I knew.” He said looking down. “But I am worried it might happen again with this.”
“A simple cut is one thing, but your hoof!” Twilight erupted. She almost forcibly took Sombra’s hoof and examined it as she undid the bandages. “It’s a deep cut. If something like this suddenly appeared on Sweetie Belle, it would be unbearable for her!”
She quickly tried to use some healing magic, though it proved ineffective. If anything, her jerking of his limb only caused him to begin bleeding again. It was nothing she had ever seen before.
“No sign of your natural healing taking place. It’s still fresh open!”
“I know.” He said in a serious gaze. “So I need to ask a favor of you. Since you're doing research on our binding, could you focus on trying to get this situated first? I would think this takes first priority.”
“Of course!” Twilight replied. “It’ll be like a research paper within a research paper!”
Sombra did his best to hide a smirk. Two birds with one stone. Now he needn’t worry about his time running out any time soon. Still, what he said was true. Looking down at his gash, he could only imagine what sort of pain Sweetie Belle would be in if it transferred to her.
“Twilight!” A voice called out from the door. Both ponies looked over and saw a rather out of breath Spike panting as he leaned on the wall. “The...Royal Guards...are here.” He managed to get out before falling over onto his back to rest.
“That’s wonderful! Let’s get this out of the way so I can get back to researching.” Twilight said gleefully, fluttering her wings towards her assistant and levitating him with her magic. “Sombra, let’s go!”
“Right.” He replied almost hesitantly He wasn’t sure of it was because he would soon be out of her hooves or the fact she had a new goal on her research, but Twilight seemed overly excited. “If Dice is planning to rescue his brother, he’d probably do it before he is transferred to a high security prison in Canterlot. Keep your eyes peeled.” He finished as he walked over to Twilight. “Also, do invest in some guards. Making rounds at night gets tiring.”
“I don’t need any guards!” Twilight argued back as she left the room behind Sombra.
“You’ll regret that when somepony sneaks in.” Sombra’s voice echoed just as the door was shut behind the mare.
They were gone and the room remained still for a moment. The candles that provided light in Twilight’s study flickered as a shadow threw itself onto the ground. In a soft echoing of hooves on crystal, Dice smiled as he stood up straight in the deserted room.
“Do listen to him Princess.” He mocked as he stretched his neck. With him, his saddle bag filled with trinkets and gadgets he usually uses to break in somewhere. “After all, I’ve never had such an easy time sneaking into a Princess’ Castle before.”
Dice had snuck in to do just as Sombra had thought, break his brother out, however, he managed to overhear quite the interesting conversation Twilight and Sombra were having. Lucky he was here when they happened to come by. He quickly began to make his way to the desk filled with documents and began to read through the report they were discussing, though the more he poked around the more interesting the tale became.
“Are you even a pony?” Dice asked himself as he read through Sombra’s bio; reading everything Twilight had on him. “To go against two Princesses and live, just what are you Sombra...And why didn’t you kill us? My brother and I were no match for you…”
Dice took a moment to ponder the thought. Sombra certainly didn’t have a moral code to abide to, not with such a title as Tyrant of the Frozen North. No, there must be something else.
“That filly…” He said as he recalled the fight. “Binding...were they talking about that filly and Sombra? If so...I could use this information.” Dice said with a ghastly grin.
Hurrying as fast as his hooves allowed, Dice began to stuff his saddle bag with documents. All details he would be wanted to read up on later. Though more importantly, he took the document on Sir Swift Silver.
“Sorry brother, looks like you’ll have to wait a while longer.”
<=•=>
With the echo hooves shuffling along crystal, Sweetie Belle stirred awake. Her eyes still only half open, she did her best to figure out what she was hearing.
“This way, umm…” Twilight’s voice said from the other side of the door to the room.
“Adamant.” A stallion responded. “The new Captain of the Royal Guard. I replaced your brother after he left to be at the Crystal Empire.”
“Hmm…” Sweetie grunted as she sat up, listening to the passing conversation. “Hey girls, you awake?” She asked as she looked to her friends, though they were still fast asleep.
Shaking her head violently, Sweetie Belle forced herself awake and jumped out of the bed. Curiosity taking hold, her first impulse was to chase after the voices she heard, though before darting forward she looked back at the bed. Using her magic, she neatly stretched out the covers and placed them over her friends.
“I’ll be right back!” She shouted as she opened the door and shut it behind her. Surprisingly, the sound didn’t wake the fillies.
Sweetie Belle made it to the corridor and she began to inspect everything around her. It didn’t serve her any purpose; she couldn’t find anything of importance. With a rather disappointed look on her, she walked in the direction she heard the voices go.
“I bet Mister Sombra would have figured out who many ponies had walked by by just looking at the floor.” She said to herself.
“Seven.” Sombra said suddenly from behind her, promptly scaring her and making her hop in place. Turning around to look at him, Sweetie Belle did her best to not shriek in fright.
“M-Mister Sombra?” She asked as she tried to calm herself. “W-When did you get here?”
“Just now. I’ve been following the guards too. Just watching the rear in case Dice decides to show.” He said as he kneeled down to allow Sweetie Belle to climb on like usual.
“Are they the Royal Guard who are gonna take Mister Slice away?”
“Mhm.”
“How long is he gonna be in jail for?”
“Not too long, I'm guessing.” Sombra replied as he felt her get into place. He began to walk towards the cellar to meet with the others.
“Cause he didn’t hurt Twilight after all?”
“No…” He said grimly.
“Then why do you say he won’t be in jail for long?”
“Well…” Sombra paused. The answer was a little more complicated than Slice being behind bars for any amount of years. No, knowing how things transpired only solidified the idea of an execution with a hunt and bounty set out for the other.
“Mister Sombra?” Sweetie Belle asked out, still awaiting an answer. He sighed.
“You would hear about it sooner or later, I suppose….” He said as he came to a stop. “Slice will probably be killed for high treason. Attacking the Princess is a serious crime and if memory serves, he’ll likely be killed quite soon. His brother’s search and death will soon follow.”
“What!?” Sweetie Belle shouted out. “But-but!”
“Why all the screaming?” Sombra asked as he folded his ears against his head, trying his best to shield them from the filly’s high pitched screams.
“But they’re the Royal Guard! Princess Celestia’s and Princess Luna’s soldiers!”
“Yup.”
“They’re the good guys!”
“Uh huh.”
“Good guys don’t kill!”
“Don’t they?” Sombra asked out, his question suddenly silencing her. Lowing her head, Sweetie Belle was at a loss for words. “I’ve said it once before. Sometimes to be good, you have to be the bad guy.”
Sombra then began to walk again. Still with nothing to say, Sweetie remained extremely quiet, which made Sombra a little uncomfortable. He knew it would be hard news for her to hear, though he wasn’t exactly sure what to say at a time like this. Still, it sort of pained him to see her this way. She seemed deflated and depressed just by hearing what would be happening.
“Why?” She finally asked out.
“Kill the bad guys?”
“Mhm.”
“So they can’t be bad anymore.”
“But-”
“Dice got away.” He interrupted her before she could finish. “He now has the liberty to steal, and possibly kill, somewhere else. If Slice is allowed to live for long, he could escape, get broken out, and the cycle of evil would continue.”
“But…” Sweetie said again. “Isn’t there another way?”
“There is.” Sombra said with a half smile. His words suddenly got her to look up with a hopeful expression.
“Really?!”
“But.” He said firmly, quickly downing her spirits once more. “The way I see it, you can help the world in one of two ways. Be righteous and add to the good of the world, or take out the bad.”
“Add good or subtract the bad?”
“Your friend, Princess Twilight. She’s a good mare. She tries to see the best in ponies and turn them good. She’s the sort of pony that fits in the righteous category. I’m sure many of your friends would also fit in well. Me, however.
“Don’t?”
“No. I played my role as a Tyrant. Say what they will about how I ruled the Crystal Empire, but disorderly it was not. I protected my people from invaders, kept them safe and fed as I promised I would. But my magic required something else. Simple as that.”
“But is it really okay to k-kill somepony?” She asked. She hesitated to even say it out loud.
“Had I killed Slice and Dice last night, it would have been the end of that. At the end of the day, the twins committed a heinous crime in the eyes of Equestria. They might not die by my hooves, but in the end, they will be executed.”
“Hmm…”
Sweetie Belle, still displeased with what he said, took the time to think things over. Everything Sombra had said was certainly true, she couldn’t deny it. Still, the very thought made her chest ache. Was there really no other way? Was the fate for Slice and Dice really sealed? But after hearing him say all of that, perhaps she shouldn’t hold the actions of her friends against them. The fact that they killed Sombra.
The sound of chains rattling quickly made Sweetie realize that they had arrived at their destination. Looking through the door that led down stairs into the cellar, she could hear the conversation about Slice take place.
“Now be careful, he has a twin brother. He might try to ambush you on the way back.” Twilight’s voice echoed.
Arriving just in time to see Twilight undo the cage magic she had previously used on Sombra, Sweetie Belle saw the guards forcibly restrain Slice and place a strange device over his horn.
“There!” Adamant said as he inspected the prisoner.
“What?” Slice said in a mocking tone. “Proposing marriage to me?”
“Very funny punk, but you won’t be so quirky in Canterlot.”
Curious as to what they were doing to him, Sombra squinted his eyes to try to make out what sort of contraption they put around Slice’s horn. Though as he looked over at him, he noticed the leader of the guards. He instantly recognized him as the same captain he had embarrassed by pulling a disappearing act when he and Sweetie Belle broke into Canterlot to see Celestia.
“What’s that?” He asked out loud, looking at the ring shaped machine.
“Oh! Oh!” Sweetie Belle yelled. “I read about it on the paper! Twilight made it! You see, we have these door things that turn off a unicorn’s magic for a little while. We use them during important events like the Equestria Games, but Twilight made a smaller, more portable version. I hear it’s very popular in with guards and police officers.”
“Huh, is that right?” He said as he continued to look from the entrance. “If I grow my dark crystals on a pony’s horn, I can accomplish the same task.”
“Really? They do that?” Sweetie Belle asked, shocked the crystals had that sort of power.
“Yes. The dark matter they are composed of, they drain and absorb energy and light respectively. They’s why they’re black.”
“Cause black is an absence of color, and white is all the colors at once?”
“I see you know about art.” Sombra joked as he finally began to make his way to Twilight.
“Halt, who are you?” Adamant asked as he took notice of the duo.
“Just now saw me?” Sombra chuckled. “I could have killed everypony twice over already.”
“Sombra!” Sweetie Belle shushed him, their previous conversation still fresh on her mind.
“Think this is a joke?” The captain said as he got into a battle stance, though Sombra couldn’t help but take him lightly.
As a unicorn, he had an advantage against him as an Earth Pony in every combat situation presently available to them. He would have to get close to do anything, something that would give him enough time to cast out a spell to end the battle almost immediately. The only thing Adamant had going for him was command over the other guards, though it was a slim chance they proved to be any trouble either.
“Enough!” Twilight shouted, though they continued to glare at one another. “No fighting with one another. Getting Slice to Canterlot takes priority.”
“Princess Twilight.” Adamant persisted. “I recognize him.”
“Yes. He’s Sombra, formerly Tyrant of the Crystal Empire.” She said, thinking she knew what he meant.
“That was clear as day, Your Majesty. But I saw him the other night. You’re the guy that broke into Canterlot Castle the night Princess Luna disappeared, aren’t you!” Adamant growled.
“Denying that would be a lie.” Sombra smirked.
“Guys, seriously.” Slice called out, though still restrained by the other guards. “Captain Adam was it?”
“Adamant!” He corrected.
“Right, you realize there’s a filly on Sombra’s back, right? Are you really willing to attack knowing you’ll be putting a young girl at risk?”
Slice’s question baffled the ponies. They all looked over at him in astonishment. It certainly wasn’t something they expected to hear from him. Sweetie Belle in particular looked over at him with a wide expression before smiling softly at him. He caught her gaze and smile back for a moment.
“Slice is right.” Twilight re-enforced. “Captain Adamant, I understand your worries, but Sombra is a friend and that night was just a misunderstanding. Luna is back where she is needed. There is nothing for you to worry about. Please take Slice and head to Canterlot immediately.”
The captain remained still, his glare never deviating from Sombra until Twilight’s own gaze finally made him back down.
“As you wish, Your Majesty.” He said as he quickly ordered the guards to carry on with Twilight’s command.
As they began to take Slice away, Sweetie Belle couldn’t help but feel bad for Slice. Throughout the fight with the twins last night, she was a constant target to try to corner Sombra and win, but at certain moments in the back and forth, one of the twins refused to attack her. She knew now that that twin was Slice.
“I’ll come visit!” Sweetie Belle shouted after Slice, trying to give a sense of hope to his dire situation.
“You better make it quick, cause I can promise you that he will have a swift execution.” Adamant said as he watched his guards go on ahead. His remark left Sweetie Belle conflicted on what she wanted to do, and what was the right thing to do. At this moment, she didn’t know which was which.
“You know I’m at your command.” Sombra said softly to her. Twilight overheard, but kept quiet. “But think of what will happen next if you make that move. Remember, chess is about knowing how your opponent will react.”
“Right…” She said rather sad. Sweetie knew full well the consequences. Ultimately, she decided against helping Slice, though she felt guilty about it. “I’m gonna go. I want to see them off.”
Quickly Sweetie Belle jumped off of Sombra and sprinted towards the door after them. Twilight looked over at Spike who had now recovered from his sprint earlier. In a silent agreement, he chased after her to make sure she was alright.
“I should have caught the other twin.” Sombra said with a sigh.
“I should have done a better job at catching him.” Twilight joined him in sighing. If Sweetie Belle managed to do one thing, it was make them both feel guilty over turning in a thief over to the Royal Guards.
“You would have if you invested in some combat training.” He said, poking fun at her.
“Again with the investment advice.” Twilight replied as she rolled her eyes. “Though considering what I go through on a daily basis, it’s not a bad idea…"
<=•=>
Coming to a slow stop, Sweetie Belle leaned on the railing at the balcony of Twilight’s castle. She wanted one last look at Slice as he was pushed into a chariot that would take him straight to Canterlot. She wished she could do something. It still felt wrong to her.
“You okay Sweetie Belle?” Spike asked now that he had caught up to her.
“Yeah…”
“You don’t look it.”
“Just sad.”
“About Dice still be out there?”
“No, it’s a little more complicated.”
“Lay it on me.” Spike said said, jumping onto the railing so he could get a better view, though after a watching the chariot take off, he looked at the filly.
“Is it okay to kill other ponies?”
“Woah, sounds like Sombra’s getting in your head.” He said, quickly putting the blame on him. Sweetie quickly pouted and looked away from him.
“You took credit for killing Mister Sombra, so you’re a killer too.”
“Ah…” Now it was Spike’s turn to be short of breath; unable to think of a proper comeback. “Well, you got me there…”
“He’s not all that bad. He’s a little violent, but I can tell it’s cause he wants to do good deep down.”
“You’ve known him what, a week? Don’t you think he’s trying to play you?”
“At first he was. I could tell.” Sweetie Belle said with a sigh. “He purposely said this and that to push me in a certain direction. But after a while his words became more, I don’t know, genuine? I trust him completely now.”
“If Sombra told you to jump off a cliff, would you do it?”
“Yeah. I would bet he has a plan to save me after.” She said as she chariot finally got too far to see. Looking over at Spike and finally making eye contact, Sweetie was met with a grin. “What?”
“I’m the same way. If Twilight told me to do anything, I would have absolute faith it was for the best.”
“So you don’t think it’s weird that I trust Mister Sombra?”
“I’ll admit, he has his moments. Twilight has been keeping tabs on him and well, he’s done good. You know, considering.”
“Yeah, you’re right!” Sweetie Belle shouted out, regaining some pep.
Spike smiled at his friend. He wasn’t sure if saying all of that really as the right choice. After all, while he managed to cheer her up, he also re-enforced her faith in Sombra, for good or for bad.
“Still, when it comes to things you think are right and wrong, I'd follow your gut instead of Sombra. Oh, speak of the devil.” Spike said as he glanced down and saw Sombra and Twilight at the ground, looking around. No doubt they were trying to find Sweetie Belle.
“We’re up here!” Sweetie shouted at the top of her lungs. “Oh right!” She said to herself as they waved up at her. “I finally finished Mister Sombra’s gift. I need to give it to him.”
“What gift?” Spike asked as he jumped down to look at her eye to eye.
“I made him a necklace. I forgot it in the room. I’ll just get him up here real quick.”
Looking back down, Sweetie Belle smiled at Sombra and took a deep breath. Making sure she spoke loudly enough, she shouted out a command.
“Become my shadow!”
Spike’s smile soon disappeared. In a split second between Sweetie Belle saying the command and Sombra coming up as her shadow, a large cut slashed open on Sweetie’s fore leg. All he could hear was a loud shriek of pain as she came to realize what pain she was under.
No sooner did she yell that Sombra emerged from beneath her and cradled her. Devastation spread across his face as held onto Sweetie Belle to grasped her injured leg. Looking down at his own, his wound was gone.
Finally Sombra pieced the clues together. Sweetie Belle had only acquired the cut on her cheek the moment he had used his shadow form to escape the sight of Cherilee after their adventure at the Canterlot Labyrinth.
“Twilight!” He shouted out in a mix of anger and worry. She had already made her way up the moment she had heard the shouts.
“Let me see!” She said as she reached for Sweetie Belle. A quick glance made it all too clear and she got to work on her healing magic.
After a few moments, Sweetie’s screams muffled as the pain slowly disappeared. Still, her hoof trembled as the echo of pain remained for a moment longer even after the cut had been fully healed. Looking up at Sombra, her eyes swelled up in tears, her voice not finding its way out.
“Shhh, shhh.” Sombra did his best to calm her down. “It’s okay. Everything will be alright Amethyst.”
His voice was enough to calm her nerves. Her breathing began to catch a rhythm and soon all the pain had disappeared. Shock was the only thing she had left to recover from. It proved to be a difficult task, but soon Sweetie Belle was able to pull herself to her hooves. Her breathing still heavy. The entirety of the pain had lasted but a minute, yet it was such a powerful feeling rushing through her all at once that it had felt like an eternity. She didn't even know how to react, much less say.
“Are you alright?” Twilight asked out.
“Ye-yeah. I am now..." She said, still trying to stabilize herself. "W-What cut me?”
“It came from me.” Sombra said as he showed her his own fore leg.
Looking at Sombra and then at Twilight, Sweetie Belle gulped.
“Let’s head inside. I think we need to go over a few details.” Sombra said as he stood up. He opened the door and held it open for the rest to come through. Sweetie was the last to walk by and just seeing her almost limp by made his heart ache. What made it worse, was the small puddle of blood left behind by Sweetie Belle. So much blood for a cut that lasted such little time.
Unknowingly, his eyes had caught in a dark flame. The pain he felt in his chest, it was identical to the one he felt in his dream. The memory of Amethyst.
<===•===>
<==•==>
<=•=>
“Amethyst!” Sombra shouted as he chased after his daughter. She ran impossibly fast. It was difficult to keep up with her. That terrified look on her face told him everything he needed to know. That creature he had seen through the window, the beast that had attacked him in his dreams. It must be after her.
Try as he could, he could not see the beast chase after them. It almost appeared like Amethyst was running from nothing at all. Still, he couldn’t rest until he made sure she was okay.
“Oh-oh.” Sombra said as he began to recognize the terrain. Amethyst was on a crash course with a cliff. Though there was a river at the bottom, it was much too shallow to help her anything. If she was planning on escaping by jumping off, it would prove fatal.
“Daddy!” She shouted out as she ran. “Where’ are you?! Daddy, help!”
“Mija, I’m here!” Sombra screamed out, though it didn’t do anything. Amethyst couldn’t hear him.
Finally the moment of truth. Sombra looked up and took a sigh of relief as he saw his daughter come to a stop. He smiled, knowing that for the moment she wasn’t in danger, or so he thought. Across her face was still the frightened expression of a filly running for her life.
“G-Get back!” She shouted as she looked back, slowly cowering backward.
“It’s okay, I’m here!” Sombra said as he came to a stop too.
“I-I said get back!”
Turning around, Sombra got down on and got into a battle stance, though he was met with nothing but the empty darkness in the woods. He waited, but the beast never came.
“Amethyst, where is the-”
“G-G-G-Get back!” She shouted again. She had inched back so far, she was practically at the edge of the cliff now.
“Amethyst, come here, you’ll fall!”
No response from her. Again he turned around and looked for the beast, but again he saw nothing. Still, that was the least of his worries. Turning around one last time, he took a step forward towards his daughter.
“Amethyst, it dangerous over there. Come here, come to daddy.”
Again she tried to edge back, but her hooves were already at the edge. She felt one of her hind hooves slip back, though she still remained on the edge.
“One, two, three, four…” Sombra began to count as he made eye contact with Amethyst. Finally he heard the sound of the pebbles Amethysts had kicked off the edge with her hoof. “Nineteen. No, that’s too high a fall. You can’t survive that!”
It was no use, she wasn’t listening. Her terror filled eyes only proved how far gone she was. Maybe if he took a couple more steps closer he could jump and grab her before she falls. That was the only thing he could do.
Hesitantly, Sombra took one step forward.
“Get back!”
One more.
“No!”
Just one more and she’ll be in reach…
“Daddy!” She shouted as she turned around and jumped off.
“No, Amethyst!” Darting forward as quickly as he could, Sombra dove in after her.
For the first time in his life, Sombra’s eyes lit up in a purple blaze. His dark magic unlocked.
A huge splash of water echoed in the woods as both father and daughter landed in the shallow river. The soft sound of drizzling was heard as the water began to sprinkle back down into the river. The sound of flames sizzling against it hummed as Sombra soon found himself grasping his daughter.
“Mija, wake up, Mija please wake up.” He said softly as he held the filly’s body close.
No response.
She was still and so was he. His head couldn't process what had just happened. The smiling, joyful filly he once knew laid on his hooves, dead. No, he couldn't understand it, could not comprehend it. He wouldn't accept this to have happened. He didn't know what to do, what to think, what to say.
Finally there was movement as his hooves began to shake. Reality slowly sipped in as Sombra stared at his motionless daughter. He felt his throat choke up as his tears fought the newly formed flames at his eyes. They sizzled as he held on to Amethyst in a tight hug. Finally he let it out, a roar, a cry of anguish as his emotions were finally free to come out. His bellowing shout echoed through out the trees, shaking away the forest around him. A sad silence was his cry's only response. All he could do was weep as he gave his daughter a loving embrace. All of his feelings were poured out into this one shout.
At was now, at his lowest moment, that Sombra began to understand what was happening. There, in the water, he saw something. His tears blurred his vision, but he could tell. In the water he saw the reflection of the beast. He saw the monster that had attacked him, that had chased his daughter, he saw it, hugging Amethyst.
Finally everything clicked and his memories were rushing in. The events that occurred just before the monsters appeared, he remembered it all. He recalled a true monster that spoke to him, taunted him. He recalled red eyes with yellow scleras. He recalled this very monster taking him and changed him. He finally recalled the being of chaos, Discord.
What was once agony quickly transformed into anger. Gritting his teeth and baring his new fangs, Sombra's rage boiled with in him. His dark magic bleed out through his eyes as his irises disappeared into the green sclera the his pushed out. His dark blaze only grew more intense as his powerful emotions translated into hot flames. He gave out another shout, this time, though, it was one of a monster.
The roar that echoed pulsed out, shaking the very ground as any sort of restraint was done away with. The water he sat on pulsed as the fires he let out heated the river, making it emit steam.
Finally Sombra was quiet. Once more he remained still as his flames raged on, pulsing out wildly. All he could think of was that monster that turned him into this. That thing that thought transforming him would be amusing. Discord was all he could think of. And so, with one last soft kiss on Amethyst's head, Sombra stood up and began to make his way out of the river.
"If it's a monster you wanted..." He said as his flames pulsed out savagely. "It's a monster you'll get."