Before the Dawn

by SilverMuse

Chapter 18: The Alicorn Amulet

Chapter 18: The Alicorn Amulet

For weeks, Sombra visited the crystal library to bask in the newfound information about his magic. He sat for hours on end, learning all that he could and practicing his powers. When a spell was particularly tricky, Quill was there to help guide him through it. Many spells she had accomplished or even written herself, but others, the darker ones, only Sombra could perform; her magic was neither strong nor dark enough.

His tutelage consumed his entire day and swirled in his head in the evenings. Each night, he felt Luna poke and prod at his mind, urging him to speak to her, but Sombra shut her out, too exhausted to argue with her again. She would understand in the end, he was certain of it, but for now, he had to focus on his task and not on his love. His dreams carried him away, bringing him to a beautiful castle made of ebony crystals that glowed and reflected the light of the moon, making the entire thing look almost silver at night. He loved it, and he dreamt of Luna standing at his side while their kingdom rose around him.

He suddenly awoke in the middle of the night during such a dream with the thirst for knowledge. An idea had started to spawn in his mind the day before, and it now came to life, dragging him from his peaceful sleep. He crawled from his makeshift bed, which he had created in one of the other caves. Quietly, he walked into the library and looked around at the books, searching for one in particular.

“Quill said that she was able to make that guard, Heartstone, say what she wanted,” he told the Nightmist. “I want to find a book like that…one that will teach me how to control others should they turn against me.” He thought he had found a passage about it in a tome yesterday, but the information had still eluded him.

“We will find it,” came the reply. “Let me aid you.”

Sombra nodded and let his magic return to the books. The black and purple tendrils stroked the spines of the tomes, searching, seeking the correct contents. After several long moments that left him yawning, his magic paused on a book and pulled it down. Sombra grasped it and set it before him, opening the pages with a careful hoof

He started to read it and a slow smile lit his muzzle. The magic book was not just about making ponies obey. The spells he found could help him make ponies forget or love him unconditionally. Briefly, he wondered if he could use the latter on Luna, but then he realized that he didn’t need such a spell; she would love him regardless.

He pored through the book, his eyes darting left and right until the words blurred before him.

“Still awake?” Quill’s voice jerked him from his study.

Sombra looked back at her and blinked in the lantern light. “What time is it?”

“Near dawn,” Quill replied and walked forward. She eyed the book, which Sombra quickly closed and put off to the side. “Seems you have found an interesting tome.”

“Hm, yes. I could not sleep,” Sombra explained and rested his hooves against the desk where he had left the volume. He glanced around then felt something shift in his armor. He looked down at his leg and remembered, for the first time in days, that the necklace was still there. “I have something to ask of you,” he said and turned to face her.

“Anything,” Quill replied as she set a lantern down. She brushed her wavy mane back and cocked her head curiously at him.

“The necklace that was made to capture Luna’s power…was that its original purpose?”

Quill sighed and leaned against the table. “A botched attempt at a greater spell,” she admitted. “It worked to our advantage because we were able to harness the Princess’ power, but it was meant to keep her at bay as well. It was supposed to be stronger than it was, but somehow, the spell did not work entirely. We were able to lay Gemfyre low with it, briefly, but only because she is older and weaker. Luna is stronger, so she was able to fight its hold better.”

Sombra nodded slowly. “But now that you have used it, the necklace is infused with Luna’s magic, isn’t it?”

Quill nodded then lifted an eyebrow. “What are you thinking, my lord?”

Sombra stared at the pile of books beside him then reached for a scroll that had been stuck amongst the tomes. He rolled it out and set a book on either end. The image sketched on it was that of the necklace. The art showed five ponies standing in a circle with the necklace and a sixth equine at the center. “Five ponies wielding the magic…it reminds me very much of the Elements of Harmony that I read about.”

“It should,” Quill replied. “We modeled the necklace and those wielding its power after the Elements. We had hoped to repel the magic of the Elements with it as well, should Celestia and Luna try to use them against us. It did not work as I had intended. It wasn’t strong enough, so we thought, perhaps by infusing it with Luna’s magic, that would make it more powerful.” She stared at the parchment. “We had hoped it would also give us the additional strength to raise and lower the astral bodies without wasting too much of our own magic.”

“You spread the power out too much,” Sombra said and pointed to the five ponies. “The Elements of Harmony draw on the five elements, and the sixth that appears. These powers together created the beam that froze Discord. However, the way the necklace was constructed, the ponies draw from the necklace instead to infuse their own power into it. If we were to put all their jewels together into this one necklace…make it an amulet, it might harness enough magic to counter the Elements.” He glanced at Quill. “It could also lend the wearer strength rather than absorb his power.”

Quill was quiet for a moment. “I do not know if that much magic could go into one amulet.”

“I think it can,” Sombra explained and tapped the image. “It already has the magic of an alicorn; it just needs additional power, the power that belongs to the five unicorns with the golden necklaces. With it, I could be as strong as, if not more so than the alicorns.” He settled back on his haunches. “It would mean the Princess and the Queen could not stop me from taking my kingdom. It would also make me a more suitable match for Luna.”

Quill stared at the sketch for a long time then sighed. “This could work, my lord, but it took us at least a year to craft the last amulet. Without the original, I am afraid it cannot be done, not quickly anyway.”

Sombra reached down and slowly drew the necklace from the armor. He set it across the table and looked at Quill’s startled face. “Bring me the jewels that the unicorns wear, and I will make the amulet.”

“Yes…yes of course!” Quill said and ran from the room.

Sombra smoothed the necklace out and stared at the sketch again. “Is it possible?” he asked the voice.

“Yes, yes it is. If we push those stones into the heart of the amulet,” he tapped it, “then we will create the ultimate weapon against the alicorns.”

“But not against Luna,” Sombra reminded himself.

“No, never against lovely Luna.”

Sombra waited impatiently for Quill to return. When she did, she levitated five crimson jewels above her head. The former bearers entered the library slowly to watch as Sombra took hold of the jewels and set them near the amulet. They now wore simple rubies rather than the more intricate ones that Sombra held. “What is the difference between these,” he nodded to the intricate necklaces, “and the ones they now wear?” he asked.

“These hold the power to connect with the amulet,” Quill explained. “The other necklaces are just used to help enhance their abilities...and to keep them loyal.”

Sombra cocked his head. “And if they were ever broken?”

“The hold the Nightmist, and I, have on them, will break as well,” Quill replied.

Fascinating. He would have to remember that. He glanced at the instructions on the parchment. “I’ll need your magic as well to help me.”

“Yes, my lord,” Quill said and stood on one side of the table.

Sombra stood on the other and set his hooves close to the amulet. He lifted the jewels with his magic and held them over the heart of the amulet. His mind raced through the hundreds of books he had already read until it settled on a memory of a spell that joined power-infused gems with jewelry. It was one of the spells he hadn’t practiced yet, but he was confident in his skills.

“Chant with me,” he instructed Quill then began to speak in a rhythmic tone, uttering the unusual words that had been written in the tome. Quill listened for a time then began to chant as well, and together, their horns took on a bright glow.

Sombra pointed the tip of his towards the necklace and focused on the five gems. They wobbled then began to spin around. His black and purple magic and Quill’s white merged the longer they spoke the words. Their powers swooped around the gems and caused them to spin faster and faster until they became nothing more than a single red orb. The necklace’s surface started to spark and crackle. Sombra lowered his head, urging the magic into the necklace. It rebelled at first, sending angry sparks of red light shooting across the room.

With a loud snap, the orb crashed into the amulet and sent a blinding red flash of light throughout the cave. Sombra cried out in surprise and stumbled back, blinking against the dots dancing in front of his eyes. He saw Quill carefully pick herself up from where she had fallen.

“Did…did it work?” she asked.

Sombra looked at the amulet, which still had a few streaks of red light dancing across its heart. He touched it hesitantly, but it was cool and did not spark. With a slight wave of magic, he caused the amulet to rise and brought it to his chest.

Quill held out her hoof. “Are you certain? What if it attacks you?”

Sombra lifted an eyebrow. “How else will we see if it will work?”

“I could try it first,” Quill offered.

“I think not,” Sombra replied and attached the amulet to his neck.

Power that felt very much like the Nightmist rushed through him. It streaked through his mane, body, and tail, sending red sparks spraying around him. He expected it to hurt, but all that was left behind was a pleasant tingle. He gasped and reared back, his horn taking on an even redder hue. He glanced at the crystals and saw his eyes turn a deeper crimson. His pupils thinned and became serpentine. The smile that greeted him revealed two sharp fangs at the front of his mouth. He grinned and started to laugh.

“Yes…yes, this is what I needed.” He lifted his horn and let the magic explode from the tip. A wild spiral of power raced around the library, lifting every book, and even dislodging some of the shelves until they spun in a tornado above him with ease. He remembered how difficult it had been to levitate Luna’s crown. Now look at him!

Now look at me…the somber thought hit him hard, and he nearly dropped all of the books and shelves. He caught them with his magic and settled them carefully in place. His eyes went to a crystal, and he just stared at what he had become. There seemed to be very little traces of the old Sombra left.

“Do not let sentiments distract you. You have the power now. You know what to do.”

Yes, he did know what to do. He looked at Quill and saw both wonder and jealousy in her eyes. The latter concerned him, but only slightly. What could a mere unicorn do against him while he wore the alicorn amulet? “My power cannot be matched now. Even the Elements of Harmony will be unable to destroy me. It is time I find my kingdom.”

“Indeed,” Quill replied and smiled broadly. “But why build your own when there is an Empire ripe for the taking?”

Sombra stilled. “Do you suggest that I overthrow Gemfyre and take the Crystal Empire for my own?”

“Exactly,” Quill hissed, her eyes filled with desire and hate. “She has ruled for too long, and she would allow her ilk to continue the royal family line. No, the Empire needs new leadership, and you are the King they deserve.”

“Let me ask you something,” Sombra said slowly. “Why did you choose to help me? What is in it for you by betraying the Queen you pledged to serve? I, at least, was banished so I have reason to hate her.”

“I made no such pledge,” Quill snapped. “I bided my time as her servant so that I could gain her trust and help the unicorns and the Nightmist gain access to the Empire. From birth, other ponies saw me as a simple scroll writer, but I am far more than that. I want to write magic, but those in Canterlot thought my spells were too dark. Teacher after teacher turned against me and cast me aside because they did not understand the potential I had...the power that blossomed within me. I wrote some of my own spells, but when a certain alicorn found one, she sent her unicorns out to hunt me down.” She smirked. “Of course, I had used a different name at that time, and dear Celestia never saw me, so how could her guards catch me?”

Quill started to pace in front of him, her tail swishing. “I visited and left many kingdoms and towns to find my purpose. The Nightmist helped me see what I could be, and what the unicorns could become. If a new ruler took hold, then I could write my magic without the fear of being condemned. It wanted Gemfyre, and so I became a messenger and scribe for the Queen.” Quill shook her head. “I want to serve someone who will allow me to continue my magic. The original spell for the now alicorn amulet was one of my own. You have perfected it, and that is what I need in a leader.”

Her response was sound, but he still felt leery around her. She had already turned her back on Gemfyre and had even tried to have Luna drained. For the latter, he could not forgive her, but he would work at her side until he had what he wanted.

Sombra strode from the library with Quill at his side. He looked at the other unicorns and caught sight of the white mare with silver mane and tail; Moonstone, Mystic Topaz’s sister. She watched him with red eyes and bowed her head once more.

“The Crystal Empire would certainly give me the kingdom I want,” Sombra said and glanced at Quill. “However, there is still the matter of the crystal heart. So long as it stands, and those in the Empire are filled with hope and love, I cannot step through the shield with my magic; Gemfyre banished me.”

Quill’s face took on a wicked expression. “Leave that to me.”

Comments

[moonlightmare]

Ooo this is getting good!

[Eny]

Omg