A Ray of Dusk

by AlphatheGriffin17

Bury the Hatchet

“Twilight, Dusk. Thank you both for coming to see me. I’m sorry for delaying your return to Ponyville,” said Cadence, approaching them from her throne.

Twilight smiled. “It’s no trouble at all. Consider it our way of making up for getting mixed up with the Equestria Games committee.”

“There’s no need for that. We still ended up being picked to host the games regardless. Besides,” she tittered, “it’s a little funny to think back on it now.”

“There is that, I suppose,” agreed Dusk. “But I take it that you didn’t just bring us here for a social call.”

“As much as I love seeing you two, I’m afraid you’re right.” Cadence paused for a moment. “We’ve received a message, from Sombra.”

The two unicorns looked at each other in surprise. The last time they’d seen the former ruler of the Empire, he had exiled himself to the Frozen Wastes for his misdeeds. Aside from leaving a small token of his affections for a certain Princess of the Night, they hadn’t seen him for a long time.

“I wanted to wait until after the welcoming committee to tell you,” Cadence went on. She levitated a chunk of red crystal to them. “I think it’s best if you hear it for yourselves.”

She concentrated for a moment, her horn glowing bright. The crystal responded and Sombra’s rich voice echoed from it.

“Princess Mi Amore Cadenza. I realise I have no right to ask this of you, but I must speak urgently with Twilight Sparkle and Dusk Noir. I have news of great importance to deliver, but I don’t want to risk this message being discovered by unwanted parties. Tell the young Dusk to seek me in the way only he can. I will explain all when I see them. My thanks in advance and may your rule be as bright as the Crystal Heart.”

“Hmm…” Twilight frowned thoughtfully as the message ended, then looked at Dusk. “Do you think we can trust it?”

“Sombra has been good to his word, so far,” he replied. “It’s thanks to him we have confirmation of Fallen Soul’s involvement. I’m not saying we shouldn’t be cautious but I’d say it’s worth investigating, at least.”

She nodded. “I agree. Thank you for telling us this, Cadence.”

“Of course. Shall I assemble an escort for you?”

“I don’t think that will be necessary. He only asked for the two of us. We’ll be on our guard and I’ll send regular updates with my message puppets,” said Dusk. “If anything is amiss, we’ll let you know straight away.”

“Alright, I’ll hold you to that,” she said. “If I remember right, he said he would be going into the mountains. Make sure you wrap up warm. Even the Crystal Heart’s power can only do so much against that kind of cold. Good luck, you two.”

She gave them both hugs and saw them out of the throne room. They waited until they were down the corridor before speaking.

“So, off to help another stallion with a dark past, courtesy of corrupting magic,” remarked Twilight. “If I had a bit for every time that’s happened… well, I’d have three bits but it’s strange it’s happened three times.”

Dusk chuckled. “I concur. What do you suppose he wants to tell us?”

“Well like you said, he told us about Soul. Maybe it’s connected with that. Either way, we won’t know until we see him.” She went quiet for a moment. “Dusk, are you sure he can be trusted? I know you helped him overcome what happened, but even before his darker self, he wasn’t exactly the nicest of ponies.”

“I won’t deny that. But he seems to genuinely regret what he’s done and every sentient being deserves an opportunity for redemption,” he replied.

“I suppose you’re right. Who said that?”

“Optimus Prime.”

She giggled. “Oh of course, the greatest of philosophers.”

“Hey, don’t roll your eyes. You enjoyed those books as much as I do, after I introduced you.”

“I never said I didn’t. You’re still a dork though.”

“Takes one to know one, Miss Sparkle.”

“Fair enough.” She cleared her throat and put on a deep voice. “Well, then I guess it’s time for us to roll out!”

“’Till all are one,” quoted Dusk and followed her at a gallop.

---

Cadence had them supplied with woollen scarves, boots and hats before their departure, along with goggles for the snowstorms. Once they were out past the Empire’s designated border and facing the mountains, Dusk cast a colour puppet in Sombra’s image. He channelled his empathy for the former king’s plight and before long, it was leading them to their destination.

The closer they got to the mountains, the more the cold bit into their skin. Even through their fur and winter wear, Dusk couldn’t help but shiver. He certainly didn’t envy Sombra’s situation, all the way out here and on his own too.

Before long, the bodies of Jagged Crown Mountains towered over them. From what Cadence had been able to tell them, very few crystal ponies ever ventured this far north. The mountains themselves were considered cursed by most and it seemed to be to the Empire what the Everfree Forest was to Ponyville: one of the few truly ‘natural’ places in the world, beyond the influence of pony magic. No weather control and crawling with all manner of strange creatures.

Thankfully, they hadn’t run into any of them. Yet.

For added measure, Twilight cast a spell around them which provided a bubble of warmth. It also helped to keep out the snow when the wind picked up. Even so, Dusk could hear the wind howling beyond its borders. Occasionally, he thought he saw the swirling winds form the shape of a ghostly horse but dismissed it as imagination. Hopefully.

“Is that a pony up ahead?”

Dusk squinted. There did seem to be somepony, near the base of one of the mountain ranges. He could make out a hoof, waving in their direction and the puppet was making straight for it. They quickened their pace and soon saw the pony who had requested their presence.

He was dressed in a woollen robe, patched and frayed with age, with a hood obscuring his face. He inclined his head to each of them in turn.

“Dusk Noir. Twilight Sparkle. I am pleased you have come. There is much to discuss.”

Before he led them off, Dusk took a moment to send a message back to Cadence that they’d found him.

“Don’t worry,” he said to Sombra, “I’m not including specifics and I’ve commanded the puppet to take a wandering path before going back to the Empire.”

“A wise precaution. Come then, quickly. It isn’t safe out here.”

They followed him up the pass, stopping before an outcropping of stone. Sombra’s horn glowed and Dusk realised it was actually crystal, perfectly camouflaged by the surrounding ice and stone. It fell away at Sombra’s command, revealing a cave mouth. He beckoned them inside, sealing the crystal behind them after.

They emerged into a sizable cavern. Various crystal formations provided Sombra with approximations of home furnishing, including tables, chairs and what looked like a kitchen. A large fire was roaring in the centre of some crystal chairs, which Sombra bade them to sit in. A pot was boiling over the fire and a tempting smell was wafting from it.

“I expected you might be hungry from your journey. This soup is made from mushrooms that grow uniquely to these mountains and this water is from a fresh spring within this cave.” He levitated full bowls soup and water to them. “Please, help yourselves.”

“How did you know we were coming? We only just got your message today,” said Twilight.

“I was watching from a little further up the slope. Between the spell and the puppet, you were hard to miss. You were fortunate I was the only one who saw you.”

“I appreciate that, Sombra but we’re capable of handling ourselves.”

“There are those who never made it back from this place who doubtless said the same.”

Twilight glared. “That sounds almost like a threat.”

Sombra bristled, but seemed to realise his mistake and bowed his head.

“My apologies. It was merely a warning against the myriad of dangers the Jagged Crown holds. Diplomatic sensitivity was one of my many weaker points as king.”

“That’s alright, Sombra. We understand.” Dusk took a sip of the soup. “This is quite good. Thank you.”

“I am pleased you like it, though I cannot take full credit for its conception.” They waited for him to elaborate on that, but he remained silent.

“So, you wanted to see us,” said Twilight. “Tell us what this is about.”

“I appreciate your directness, young one,” he said. “To put it simply: I wish to offer aid. A great evil is gathering, as I told you when last we met. After much thought, I have decided that my penance for my previous failings would be better served taking action rather than wallowing in despair.”

“I see.” Twilight looked at Dusk who shrugged uncertainly. “What would you be willing to offer, exactly?”

“Information. Deep within these mountains resides the King’s Vault. I established it during my reign, to house various artefacts and treasures I felt were of worth or interest. One of these items is a stone tablet, one that depicts the Beast which is imprisoned in the body of your friend, Ray Strike.”

“Really? That’s amazing!” Twilight cried. “What is it? A historical account? A banishing spell of some kind?”

He shook his head. “I’m afraid I don’t know. The original text is in an ancient dialect, one that has not been used for a millennia. However, I have knowledge of it and can translate it into modern Equestrian. In addition, I am willing to divulge the rest of the Vault’s contents to the Crystal Empire’s new princess, as a demonstration of good faith.”

“I’m sure Cadence will appreciate that. Just show us where the Vault is and we can help you find what’s needed,” said Twilight.

Sombra shifted awkwardly. “That is where things become… complicated. The location is not an issue, but accessing its contents is another matter.”

“I’m not sure I understand. If you built the Vault, how can you not enter it?” asked Dusk.

He bristled again. “Because the enchantments and measures which guard it were set in place by the tyrant I became before my banishment. They no longer recognise me as the same pony and some of the magic I used is lost to me. As such, I can no longer dispel the security measures, which are both devious and deadly.”

“Then what do you want us for?” asked Twilight. “If you can’t get into your own Vault, what chance do we have?”

“You are both students of Celestia and Luna. Particularly you, Dusk. I have seen with my own eyes that you harness some of the magic I once did, of darkness and shadow. With these skills, you will be able to help penetrate the Vault’s defences and access its heart.” He paused. “I realise this does not paint me in the best light. I understand if you are reluctant to trust me. I give you my word that I’ll do my utmost to assist and ensure you come to no harm.”

“That’s… good of you, Sombra,” said Twilight. “You’re right, it is a little difficult to accept. I also can’t help but ask: are the three of us really enough? If the defences are as bad as you say, surely we need more help.”

“And you shall have it, Twilight Sparkle!” a high, reedy voice declared from behind them. “For what better assistance is there, than from the Great and Powerful-!”

“Trixie?!” Twilight cried. They both looked to see the showpony emerge from a side entrance. “What are you doing here?!”

“Hey, you interrupted my dramatic entrance! You’re supposed to exclaim in shock and awe after I’m done! Hmph!” she huffed, flicking her purple cape over her shoulder. “No appreciation for showponyship.”

“Sorry,” said Twilight with a quick roll of her eyes. “I just didn’t expect to see you here, of all ponies.”

A smirk flickered on her face. “Well, Trixie does have a way with showing up in unexpected places.”

“That’s one way of putting it,” remarked Twilight.

At her tone, Trixie seemed to wilt a little. Dusk couldn’t say he was brimming with sympathy for her. Their last encounter had been far from enjoyable. Trixie at least had the courtesy to recognise that. Even so, it wasn’t long before she managed to recover herself.

“Well, as you can see, Trixie is just as talented in hospitality and good food as she is at illusions.”

“Ah, so that’s what you meant,” said Dusk to Sombra, who nodded. “Yes, your soup was delicious, thank you.”

She smirked. “But of course. Trixie is often on the road, so being a good cook is a must. Your stallion has good taste, Twilight.”

“Least somepony does,” she muttered quietly.

“Wait…” Dusk rose slowly to his hooves. “If you’re here, then that means…”

“Indeed,” a low, guttural voice rumbled. From behind Trixie came a unicorn with rippling muscles, jet black fur and a shock of white mane. “Hello brother.”

For a long, seemingly eternal moment, nopony moved or spoke. Dusk took a couple of involuntary steps back. The jade green, narrow-pupiled eyes of his ‘brother’ bore into his own.

“Doom…” Dusk turned slowly to glare at Sombra. “What is he doing here?”

“They have been here as my guests, if you will,” said Sombra. “I found them, near the base of the mountain a few weeks ago. Both of them were near dead, so I took them in and restored them to health. They were both looking to hide, so I let them remain. It seems we share a common foe. The same one who restored myself and the Empire.”

“Fallen Soul?” Twilight’s eyes widened. “You met him, Trixie?”

“Not personally, but one of his associates. A runt of a stallion with red fur.”

“Test Tube,” murmured Dusk.

“Yes, him. He told me where to find the Alicorn Amulet, with the implication that he expected me to join his little posse when I had… well, you know.” She glanced away for a moment. “A-Anyway, obviously that didn’t happen and Trixie didn’t like the idea being involved with whatever scheme they have in mind so we decided to lay low. I had meant for Saddle Arabia, but the amount of bits I had left this place as the only option.”

Dusk glanced at Doom, expecting him to make some remark of how weak and pathetic that was. But he remained silent, keeping his gaze fixed on Dusk.

“They have both offered their assistance in this matter. Doom, likewise, has prowess in shadow magic and Trixie’s knowledge of illusions may prove useful. I understand there is some bad blood between you all, but with our combined efforts, we can accomplish this together.”

Dusk and Twilight exchanged looks. He could tell she shared his apprehension in this matter. She beckoned him gently, wordlessly conveying to Sombra they needed a moment. He nodded and they crossed to a far part of the cave.

“So, this was something I didn’t expect to be dealing with today,” she murmured.

“I quite agree,” replied Dusk. “I’m willing to trust Sombra, but those two? I’m just not sure. He doesn’t know them like we do.”

“I know what you mean. I know that last time we met Trixie, a lot of what she did was because of the Amulet and Doom is, well, Doom but that doesn’t completely excuse the horrible things they’ve done. Maybe we can convince him to leave them behind?”

“That’s a possibility, but then Sombra has an idea of what we’re getting into. If he feels we need their help, we should at least consider that.”

“But do we even want their help? He’s all your negative emotions embodied and she took over the town with powerful magic. Who knows what they could do this time? They could be tricking Sombra, or worse: they’re working together and this is just a trap!”

“Um, Twilight?”

They both looked to see Trixie. She’d once again lost her usual confidence and looked penitent.

“I understand that you’re not sure about us. Doom and I, I mean. I get it, I do. Neither of us are proud of the things we’ve done-“

“Don’t speak for me, Lulamoon,” growled Doom.

“Well one of us has to!” she snapped. “But my point is, we want to help. We’ve done a lot of damage, in one way or another. We want to make up for it, if we can. Please?”

She pawed her hooves at the ground, her eyes downcast. Dusk couldn’t help but feel a pang of sympathy for her. But then there was his ‘brother’. He hadn’t moved and was still staring at Dusk, his expression unreadable.

“Is this how you feel, Doom?” he asked.

His lip curled. “My reasons are my own. They are no concern of yours.”

“I disagree,” said Twilight. “You’ve left Dusk with traumatising memories of the things you’ve done, through him. You’ve hurt our friends. What guarantee do we have that you won’t do something similar?”

“You dare-?!”

“Doom!” Sombra snapped. “Control yourself! The young mare’s concerns are valid. Do not dismiss them so.”

Amazingly, Doom appeared to rein in his temper. He closed his eyes for a few moments before speaking again.

“As long as Sombra and Lula… Trixie are allied with you, I will not harm you. I… promise.” This last word was spoken through gritted teeth and he sharply looked away. “That is all I will say.”

Dusk considered. On the one hoof, it was hardly a satisfactory answer. But he recalled their last encounter, the state he’d been left in after he’d hurt Trixie. Beset by new emotions he’d never experienced before. He’d still hurt her and that certainly wasn’t excusable, but Doom as Dusk had known him would have simply laughed at her pain. If he held some kind of respect for Sombra and Trixie, then perhaps…

“I’m willing to go along with this,” said Dusk. “But if you make your promise, brother, then here’s mine: if at any point, I believe that you’re going to hurt either myself or Twilight, I won’t hesitate to act against you. I’ve beaten you before and I will do it again. Am I clear?”

“Transparently,” rumbled Doom after a long silence.

“Alright then,” said Twilight. “If you’re both willing to make up for the past, I’m willing to give you another chance. When do we leave, Sombra?”

“As soon as you are ready,” he answered. “Take a moment to rest yourselves, then prepare. The road ahead of us is treacherous and we must be ready for what lies on it.”

---

The party of five left the cave about half an hour later. Sombra led the way with close at hoof, with Trixie behind them. Dusk and Twilight brought up the rear, keeping an eye on the two former rogues. Dusk sent off another message, with assurances they were alright and giving some very barebones information about Sombra’s aid. He didn’t mention the presence of Doom or Trixie, both for caution and to not cause undue concern.

They continued up the peak in silence. The wind had died down somewhat, but the cold was just as biting as ever. Twilight had cast her warming spell, but they noticed Trixie was lurking on the fringes of it. She looked like she was trying to cast her own, but it didn’t seem to be doing much for her. The two royal students looked at each other and nodded.

“You can share our spell if you want, Trixie,” said Twilight.

“Hmph! As if the Great and Powerful Trixie needs your help to battle the cold!” Another gust blew and she shivered. “… After consideration, Trixie has decided to add her spell to yours and double the warmth!”

She fell in step next to Dusk, immediately ceasing to cast her warming spell and sighing from the effects of Twilight’s. She noticed them looking and her cheeks tinted red.

“So what were you doing all the way out here?” asked Twilight. “Why not just stay in the Empire, put on your show there?”

She rolled her eyes. “Oh yes, why didn’t I think of that? Wander into a populated area with a unicorn that’s known to the region’s ruler as a former servant of evil. What a great idea!”

“Hey, I was just asking,” Twilight retorted. “If that’s how you feel, I’m surprised Doom is even still with you. I thought he would have left, found his own way.”

“At first, he did, a few days after we left. He woke up, didn’t say a word and walked away. I tried to stop him but, well, you try and see how you do. Then a few hours later, he just… came back. He had food with him. Still didn’t say a word, just left it for me and went to sleep.”

“Food? From where?” asked Dusk.

“He didn’t steal it, if that’s what you mean. Not that I blame you, that was my thought too. But he apparently went and picked up a little work while he was out. I found about it the next morning. Pearbucking at a nearby farm, if you can believe it.” She looked over at him. “He was like that a lot. He’d get food or bits from work as we travelled. Never said anything about it, he just… did it.”

Dusk frowned. “That sounds… well…”

“Unbelievable? I know, I felt the same,” agreed Trixie. “But that’s how it is.”

“How did you deal with what happened though?” asked Twilight. “He hit you and that’s terrible, but from what the others told me, you were pretty awful to him as well if he stepped out of line. How did you reconcile that?”

“We… don’t really talk about it,” admitted Trixie. “I mean, I tried to but I might as well have been talking to a wall. I guess, on some level, we know we’ve both done bad things but at the end of the day… we’re all we’ve got. At least, that’s how I see it.”

“So he never apologised?”

Trixie rolled her eyes. “Please, can you imagine? I guess what he does is his way of making up for it.”

“Is that enough?” asked Dusk.

Trixie didn’t respond to that. Twilight decided on another line of questioning.

“What about Sombra? I saw what happened before and the only being that ever told Doom what to do was Discord.”

“You know what you said, about getting used to his new feelings? That’s what Sombra helps him with, getting a better handle on them and such,” she said. “It’s what got him actually talking to me again. Not that he says much, but still.”

“I see.” Dusk looked at Doom. “Today is a day full of surprises, it seems.”

“We have arrived,” announced Sombra, standing at the entrance to another cavern.

They stepped inside, gazing around for something that could indicate the entrance to the Vault. But there was nothing. It was a completely unremarkable cave, one that almost felt colder than the mountain they’d just left.

“Well, consider me blown away,” remarked Trixie.

“As an illusionist, Trixie, you should know nothing is ever what it appears to be,” said Sombra. His horn glowed and a cluster of crystal arose from the centre. “Dusk, your particular talents are required.”

Dusk nodded and reached into the shadows. Their darkness coiled up the base of the crystal to its peak. Its shadow lengthened, deepened until it was like an abyss consuming part of the wall. Dusk could just make out the form of a door. Twilight’s eyes and horn flashed a mingling aura of black and green, casting a dark spell on the top of the door. It solidified, appearing before them as if it had always been there.

“Finally,” Doom growled. He was standing closest to the door and went to open it.

“Doom, wait!”

Dusk ran for him, but not before his ‘brother’ opened the door. A cold unlike any they had felt before burst through. Dusk shut his eyes, but even then it felt like his eyes would be frozen. He could hear Doom roaring, Twilight calling his name. Before he knew it, he was swept off his hooves by the winds and through the door, which slammed shut behind him.

---

Twilight’s head was spinning when the cold winds finally subsided. It was dark, wherever she was so she cast a light from her horn. It looked to be a basement of some kind, but it had definitely seen better days. The walls were cracked and chunks of wooden debris littered the area around her. The stairs leading up had been partly blocked by some of it. Machinery lay in broken tatters, shards of metal and wire left scattered.

It seemed oddly familiar, yet she couldn’t quite place it…

A groaning got her attention. She looked to see Trixie, getting shakily to her hooves. She went to help, but Trixie batted her hooves away.

“I can take care of myself,” she muttered. She shook herself off and looked around. “Where are we? Is this in the Vault?”

“I’m not sure, I’m just trying to figure it out. Wait, where are the stallions?”

“I don’t know, I wasn’t exactly keeping tabs,” said Trixie. She lit up her horn too. “I can’t see any of them in here.”

“Maybe they got transported somewhere else. Come on, we need to get out of here. Can you help me move some of this?”

Trixie sniffed. “What, you mean your magic isn’t good enough that you can do it?”

“Trixie, will you please just help?” Twilight groaned. “I thought you said you wanted to make up for what happened.”

“Fine, fine. Let’s get this over with.”

Together, the two unicorns shifted the debris blocking the stairs and ascended. The surrounding environment told a similar story to the one below: completely wrecked. There wasn’t a whole lot left, but something occurred to Twilight. What little remained all seemed to be made of wood. But where would you get wood this far north? She hadn’t seen a single tree that wasn’t crystal.

“Looks like this was a library of some sort,” said Trixie. “Look. You can see the remains of a bookcase here. Maybe somepony already broke in here and took everything.”

“But if Sombra was the only one who knew about it, how could they… wait…” Twilight felt dread settle in her stomach. “Did you say ‘library?’”

She crossed over to where Trixie indicated. There wasn’t much of it left, but she was right. It was definitely a bookshelf. She could even see the burned remains of the books before a small gust of wind blew it away. It also served to blow away the smoke that surrounded where they were and Twilight felt her throat clench.

She knew this landscape, but it was nothing like what she had grown to love. The small, rustic homes had been reduced to smoking wrecks. The lush green fields were barren and dead. Dark clouds gathered in the sky above them, obscuring the light of the sun or the moon. She couldn’t tell if it was day or night, but neither state would have made the sight that surrounded her any better.

“Wait a minute,” said Trixie as she joined her. “Isn’t this…?”

“Ponyville,” she whispered.

---

When Dusk awoke, the cold hadn’t subsided. If anything, it had gotten worse. As his vision started to clear, he could make out that the cave walls were not of stone, but ice. Ice as thick and uncompromising as the mountain itself.

He could also make out the sounds of exertion and magic being cast. Doom had picked a spot and was hammering away at it with magic and hooves. The ice barely cracked and when it did, it almost immediately froze over again.

“Break! Break, blast you!” he bellowed. He glanced around to see Dusk. “Awake at last. Make yourself useful and break this ice.”

“Please helps,” muttered Dusk, but decided not to push it. They needed to get out and it wouldn’t do to seek conflict right now.

His hooves flashed orange and he joined Doom’s efforts punching the ice. He fired blue colour pellets at it. He called on both light and shadow, trying all he could muster to break through. None of it worked.

“Still as weak as ever,” growled Doom.

“Yes, insult me, that’ll help us get out of this,” retorted Dusk. “Besides, you were the one who asked for my help.”

“For all the good it did.” He pushed away some of the snow to expose the ground beneath. “Here, we can try and dig.”

Dusk rapped it with his hoof. “Doom, this is solid rock. Hard headed as you are, even you’d be pressed to get through.”

“I don’t see you thinking of a solution, brother, despite your professed intelligence,” he snarled.

Dusk rolled his eyes. “There is a way out of here, brother and it isn’t with brute force. We just need to think.”

“Then by all means, proceed.”

Ignoring the evident sarcasm from Doom and the cold of their surroundings, Dusk started to look around. He wasn’t sure exactly where they were, but they must be in the Vault somewhere or a chamber before the Vault proper. Doom must have triggered some kind of defence against intruders. The initial question to consider, to him, was if there was an intended way to leave the room.

It didn’t seem that way. With thick ice surrounding them and the rock beneath them, they couldn’t force their way out. He started to scan the room, but it was the same unremarkable stone. Nothing that seemed to be a trigger or hidden panel for a door. No riddles inscribed on the stone, pushing them to test their wits. They were just stuck in here.

But that couldn’t be it. There had to be a way out. There was always way out. They just had to find it. Somehow…

---

“But I… I don’t understand.” Twilight was only just comprehending what she was seeing. “What happened? How did this…?”

“More important, how did we get here?” asked Trixie. “It isn’t exactly a hop, skip and a jump. Is this some kind of weird transport spell? Ugh, that idiot, Doom. Trust him to just leap straight into it without even thinking.”

Trixie’s words disrupted Twilight’s mounting fear. She was right. It didn’t make any sense for them to be here. The kind of power needed for a teleportation spell like that was well beyond what she was capable of. Even then, why would the defences of the Vault send them here?

She recalled the last time she had overcome enchantments devised by Sombra. The door that wouldn’t stay still and when it did, it showed her something. Celestia, telling her she’d failed the test. Except…

“This isn’t real,” she said. “This must be part of the magic protecting the Vault. It creates a vision of your worst fears.”

“Oh.” Trixie frowned. “But why am I seeing this? No offence, but I don’t really care about Ponyville in the same way you do. I mean yes, it would be horrible if it was destroyed, but it’s not exactly my worst fear.”

“I don’t know, but we have to find a way to break it. Last time, Spike was able to snap me out of it and I did the same for him.”

Trixie blinked and looked down at Twilight’s shoulder. She suddenly punched Twilight, hard.

“Ow! Hey, what was that for?”

“I thought it might be like a dream. You punch somepony and they wake up.”

“It’s pinch and that obviously didn’t work. Unless you want me to try,” she said, her horn glowing.

“N-No need for that!” Trixie said quickly. “You’re right, we need to try something else. Maybe if we look around, we can see if there’s a way out of here.”

“It’s better than standing around here, I suppose. Come on.”

The two of them set off through the ruined remains of Ponyville. No, not actually Ponyville, Twilight told herself. It wasn’t real, it was just a mental projection. Still, that didn’t make seeing it any easier.

Even in its destroyed state, she could still recognise certain points. The Quill and Sofa store. Sugarcube Corner. The Mayor’s Office and the Town Hall. Not a single building remained standing.

Her mind was running through the possibilities of what could have caused this. Nightmare Moon didn’t fit, she would just plunge the land into darkness. Discord didn’t either, he’d only put his twisted chaos everywhere. Could this be the changelings, revenge for Chrysalis? But even this seemed like overkill. There was one other distinct possibility…

Red as bright as burning fire and the heat to match. Growls loud enough to shake the ground beneath their hooves. The burned out remains of the forest around them…

“Twilight!” Trixie barked. “Pull yourself together! Like you said, none of this is real so don’t get pulled into it!”

“R-Right, I’m sorry. It’s just, even if it’s not real, seeing it like this is just…”

“I know,” she replied. “It’s not easy, watching something you love be torn down. Like what happened with my… never mind.”

“You mean your show?” Twilight asked. Trixie didn’t reply. “Look, Trixie, I didn’t want to show you up, I really didn’t. But I couldn’t just let that Ursa-“

“I know, I know!” she snapped. “I get it, I was a horrible pony who boasted too much, embarrassed your friends and took over your town! You don’t have to keep bringing it up!”

“I wasn’t even going to say any of that!” retorted Twilight. “What is the matter with you, Trixie?! You said you wanted to make up for what happened, but you’re still acting like you’re mad with me.”

She rounded on Twilight. “So what if I am mad at you? What does it matter? You don’t know me, Twilight Sparkle! Who are you to tell me whether I can or can’t be mad with you?! I overheard you chatting with your coltfriend before all this. You were thinking about leaving us behind!”

“That wasn’t…” Twilight felt a twinge of shame, but overcame it. “Are you really that surprised? Do you think we’d really trust you, after what you did?”

“So when you say you forgave me, you actually don’t?”

“Well, if this is how you’re going to be when you’re supposed to be making up for it, then maybe I should reconsider that forgiveness!”

“Good we’re finally being honest then. Let’s get one thing straight here, Sparkle. Yes, I am here to help but that doesn’t mean we’re friends! Got it?”

Twilight was stunned for a moment. Here she thought Trixie had finally learned her lesson and some humility, but it looked like that wasn’t the case. It didn’t hurt exactly, she and Trixie had never really been friendly. But she’d be lying if she said she wasn’t disappointed.

“Fine then,” she said. “After this, you never have to see me again. Maybe that would be for the best.”

“Finally, we agree on something,” Trixie spat. “Come on, let’s get out of here so we can… do you hear that?”

Twilight was about to ask what she meant, when her ears perked up. There was something actually. It sounded like hooffalls, but there was something else too. It gave added weight to the steps. It was something like… metal?

Something triggered in her memory. She remembered the last time she’d heard a sound like that. When she’d been the prisoner of Chrysalis in Canterlot. That sound, drawing ever closer. Just like how it was now. She knew what they would see as it turned the corner.

A stallion, tall and imposing, clad in grey armour and a purple robe. A black and red crest at its centre. A cold, obscuring helmet set with a purple plume and unseen eyes, gazing from beneath its helm.

For the longest time, neither sets of ponies moved or spoke. Twilight and Trixie were frozen in shock. The stallion seemed to be considering them. Then, a harsh and cold voice breathed from the helmet’s depths

“Well, it seems I missed a pair.” A magic aura appeared around the clasp of his robe and it fell to the ground. “A moment, ladies. I will tend to thee.”

The aura appeared around the hilt of a sword as it was pulled from its hilt. Wings flared from behind his back. Twilight and Trixie took one look at each other and ran, as Fallen Soul began to stalk after them.

---

“Well? Any revelations, Dusk?”

“If you’d give me more than a few minutes, Blackhole, then perhaps I would.”

“Forgive me. I wouldn’t want to disrupt your concentration.”

“Yet you’re doing a very admirable job of it currently.”

Doom scoffed. “Your efforts are wasted. If anypony is going to get us out of this, it’ll be me.”

“Yes, because you were doing such a good job of it while I was unconscious.”

“Dusk…” He approached him, in a bid to tower over him. “I’m not sure I care for your tone.”

“Blackhole…” Dusk looked him square in the face without flinching. “I’m not sure I care.”

The two stallions stared each other down for a moment, neither of them backing down. Dusk felt some lingering fear, but he wasn’t being untruthful with his earlier statement either.

“Hmph,” he snorted. “You’ve finally grown some spine, then. I suppose there’ve been some improvements.”

“Indeed and they all took place when you weren’t here.” Dusk smirked. “Funny how that happens, isn’t it?”

“You…!” He bared his teeth in a snarl. “Still irritating as ever. You should be thanking me.”

Dusk barked a laugh. “Thanking you? For what?! Tormenting my friends? Taking over my body? Beating me to a pulp?!”

“Strengthening you, bringing out your potential! Do you forget who it was that unlocked your abilities of shadow and mental manipulation?”

“I learned those abilities in spite of you, not because of you. And even then, are you really going to tell me that torturing me and my friends was a good thing?!”

“That? That was nothing! You only had a taste of what I’m capable of!”

“Then why not give me the full experience?!” Dusk stood back, holding his hooves out wide. “Come on, Doom! It’s just you and me in here! I know you’ve been wanting to fight me, the moment you saw me! So go on then!”

Doom did raise his hoof a fraction. His eyes narrowed and a growl built in his throat. It seemed to mingle with the stormy winds blowing from somewhere. Dusk braced himself for the hit, ready to show him he wasn’t going to be pushed around anymore.

But it never came. He looked away, waving his hoof dismissively.

“I don’t have to prove anything to you. We’re wasting time that could be better spent escaping.”

Dusk was speechless. Hearing about it from Trixie was one thing, but actually seeing it… he wasn’t sure what to think.

“She was right,” he said quietly. “You have changed.”

“Don’t get your hopes up, brother. I still despise you.”

“The feeling is mutual, brother,” he retorted. “At least that much hasn’t changed.”

“Something to be thankful for.”

“Do you really not feel any guilt or remorse over what you’ve done?” asked Dusk. “All the pain you’ve caused, the suffering you’ve inflicted on others? On me?”

“Why should I? They were weak, you were weak. You got what you deserved.”

“Is that the same for Trixie too?”

Doom whirled to face him again. An echo of Dusk’s old fear for him flared when he beheld his face. But only for a moment.

“You dare…!”

“Yes, I dare! You hurt her too, but I remember what happened to you afterwards. Twilight had to render you unconscious due to the state you were in. You can’t stand there and tell me you thought she was weak, when you-!”

WHAM!

Doom’s hoof hit him with such force, Dusk’s vision went spotty for a moment but he recovered it in time to see Doom, his teeth bared and his hooves raised to bring them slamming down on his head.

---

Twilight and Trixie turned a corner, their hooves pounding against the ground. Twilight dared to look over her shoulder. Soul was already coming around the bend. Even with his steady pace, they didn’t seem to be getting any further ahead.

“Twilight! Is… is that-?”

“The pony in charge of Tube? Yes! I saw him in Canterlot. The vision must be manifesting him from my memory. We have to go, hurry!”

“Wait a minute!” Trixie screeched to a halt. “You said none of this is real, right? So what are we running for?”

Twilight was about to argue, when she realised Trixie was right. Though the vision did feel very real, it wasn’t. No more than a dream was.

Trixie smirked. “See? Good thing you have a showpony with you, to remind you it’s all just a trick. And I’ll bet that if we defeat him, we’ll be able to end this subpar production.”

“I mean, that could be the solution. But I think we should-“

“Stand back, Twilight! I’ll lift the curtain on this!”

She levitated a nearby barrel, flinging it at Soul. Twilight didn’t even see his sword swing when the barrel was suddenly bisected. He was hit by a hail of apples stored inside it and was distracted for a moment. Trixie took the opportunity to coil a rope around his legs, tying it tightly.

“Ha! See? What did I tell you?” She approached Soul, preparing another spell. “Even this one cannot stand before the might of the Great and Powerful-!”

Soul’s sword sliced through the ropes binding him and slashed at Trixie. Out of instinct, she raised her hoof and cried when the blade’s tip whistled past. Twilight glimpsed flecks of blood in its wake.

“What the…?” Trixie’s hoof gingerly touched the spot. “That… that hurt. But if this is… that shouldn’t…”

She didn’t see Soul raising the sword to thrust at her. In an instant, Twilight teleported to her, grabbed her and transported them to the upstairs of a ruined house. Even despite how quick her spell was, she’d felt the blade miss them by inches.

“That was close,” sighed Twilight. “Are you okay?”

“No thanks to you, Sparkle!” she snapped. “You said this was only an illusion!”

“It is! O-Or I thought it was. Maybe it still is, but it’s just a stronger version of the magic I encountered.”

“W-What are you saying? That we can actually get hurt or even…?” Fear clouded Trixie’s face, but anger competed on it as well. “I can’t believe I put myself forward for this. All because I felt I had to make up for what happened before.”

Twilight stared at her in shock. “What are you saying? That you’re not sorry for what happened?”

“No! I mean, yes! I mean…!” She slapped a hoof to her forehead. “This wasn’t how it was meant to be! I gave you my fireworks, I let you keep the Amulet, I’ve been caretaker for that idiot brute Doom and I’ve left your stupid little town. Haven’t I done enough? Why did I feel I needed to do this as well?!”

“You came with us to a secret Vault, created by an evil king! What did you think was going to happen when we got here?!”

“I don’t know, not this! You and the others were meant to do all the heavy lifting! I would have hung back, provided moral support or something! I don’t want to die, I didn’t ask for this!”

“Yet it is what thou hast.”

They both whirled around to see Soul, flying above them. He soared towards them, his sword slashing down. The two mares dived apart, barely dodging in time. He rose slowly, already bringing it back up.

“Fallen Soul!” Twilight stood at the ready. “Stand down, now!”

His helmet turned slightly to her, like she wasn’t worth his full attention.

“A brave heart thou possesses, young filly. Or perhaps…” The sword levitated next to his head. “Foolish.”

“I…” Twilight’s throat tightened, but she tried not to let her fear show. “I-I will stop you! I have powerful magic, taught to me by Princess Celestia herself!”

“Indeed? It seems there are many great claims made today. Not the least of which…” He turned slowly to face Trixie, eyes wide in fear. “… from thee.”

His armour clanked as he stalked towards the showpony. Twilight started forward, but stopped when a wall of flames blocked her path. Even through the fire and the heat rising from it, she could make out Trixie. The fire enclosed around her in a ring, cutting off her escape.

“N-No! Get back! Don’t c-come any closer!”

“But thou called thyself Great and Powerful. Prove it to me. Show me thy strength.”

Desperate, Trixie cast a lighting spell. The bolts flickered across his armour, but didn’t even slow his advance. She levitated random objects, flinging them with abandon. They either missed or he cut them aside. She tried to run, but the fire flared every time she did, chasing her back to the centre.

“Perhaps thou needest some assistance.” He reached behind his cloak and threw something to her. “Here. Take it.”

Both unicorns stared. It was the Alicorn Amulet. Grey as a stormy night, the rubies sent into it flashing against the fire.

“Thou knowest the power it holds. With it, perhaps thou will be a worthy match.”

Trixie’s eyes were fixed on the Amulet. They flickered between it and Fallen. Was it due to the haze of the heat or did Twilight see the glimmering of Trixie’s magical aura appear around it?

“Trixie, no!” cried Twilight. “It’s not worth it, don’t-!”

The tongues of flame lashed out at her, cutting her off. She had to create a magic forcefield to try and keep it at bay, but Trixie wouldn’t be able to hear her.

Her eyes found Twilight. They were wide with desperation and fear. She slowly rose to her hooves. Fallen gestured in an almost welcoming way. Twilight slammed her hooves against the field, but Trixie didn’t stop. Her foreleg inched ever closer to the Amulet, her aura raising it to eye level.

---

Dusk didn’t stay in that spot. He only just managed to dodge Doom’s attack slamming into the ground, bouncing away on pink hooves. He blocked Doom’s charge with a butter yellow shield, straining against his strength.

“You self-righteous, sanctimonious little whelp!”

“You overly-aggressive, psychotic thug!”

The shield broke and Doom struck him across the face. Shadows wrapped around Dusk’s legs, but he banished them with a flare of light and pelted Doom with blue pellets. Doom powered through them, shoving Dusk against a wall of ice with his foreleg.

“Weakling!”

“Brute!”

“COWARD!”

“LAPDOG!”

Dusk kicked him in the gut and shoved him away. Their horns flashed and they held each other in a glare, tensed and ready to fight. The wind seemed to be howling with greater ferocity, matching the scene perfectly.

A realisation struck Dusk in that moment. They were inside. How could the wind be with them in here? A look at Doom told him he just had the same thought. At almost the same time, the two stallions turned their eyes upward.

A vortex was swirling above them. Winds colder than Dusk had ever felt came spiralling down. Little flakes of snow and ice came with it, offering small bites of cold where they landed. And cantering around at the edge were a trio of spectral horses. Their eyes were aglow with burning cold and their whinnies were a ghostly wail that mingled with the winds.

“Windigos,” Dusk murmured. “That explains why the ice keeps reforming.”

“And why it’s spreading,” said Doom. “Look.”

Dusk saw he was right. Not only was the ice surrounding them getting thicker, but it was also spreading towards the centre. Where they currently stood.

Doom bared his teeth and blasted magic at the circling spirits. It phased straight through them, not even slowing them down. The horse spirits didn’t retaliate, merely continuing their circular gallop.

“You must have known that wouldn’t work,” said Dusk.

“It worked for me,” he replied.

“Conflict feeds these creatures. No wonder they picked us up, we’re a veritable smorgasbord. The only possible way to ward them off…”

“… is with the warmth and light of friendship,” finished Doom.

Dusk looked at Doom. Doom looked at Dusk. Above them, the Windigos circled and the ice crept ever closer towards their hooves.

---

Trixie’s hoof was touching the Amulet. She gazed at it. Then at Fallen. Then at Twilight. Her forehead was sweating, exertion evident on her face. Was she trying to keep back the flames too?

That was when Twilight saw something else moving behind Fallen. A large piece of burning, fallen lumber. Moving to right above Fallen’s head.

In a single motion, Trixie hurled away the Amulet and grinned in triumph when she let the beam fall right on top of him.

The grin became a grimace when he sliced it clean in two without even moving a muscle.

“Disappointing, just as thou hast always lived.” The blade angled towards her again. “Is that not true, Trixie?”

He began to stalk towards her again. All semblance of defiance was gone and she backed away from him against the wall.

“No! No, stop it! Don’t!”

“Leave her alone!” Twilight tried to teleport again, but the flames danced towards her as well. Every time she tried, they would disrupt her concentration. “Trixie!”

“Perhaps thou shouldst consider alternative adjectives. Worthless. Insignificant. Mediocre. More familiar and honest, are they not?”

Trixie had given up on coherent speech. She resorted to cowering, hiding beneath the folds of her cape which was beginning to singe at the edges. Soul was almost upon her, his sword moving towards her neck.

Twilight looked around desperately. Her eyes spotted a water tower, standing above them. It was a long shot, but it was worth a try. She bent the supports with a spell, causing it to tip over. Its contents spilled out, dispelling the worst of the flames. Wasting no time, she teleported to Trixie and away again, this time to the edge of the Everfree Forest.

“We can’t keep doing this,” said Twilight. “We need to find a way to stop this vision and fast. Come on, Trixie.”

“I-I… I can’t…” She was still shivering under her cape. “I’m not… I-I can’t do this.”

“But you have to! Come on, get up!”

“He’s right. I… I am insignificant and worthless.” She looked at Twilight, tears falling down her cheeks. “I c-can’t do anything right and whenever I try, I just… just make it worse. I can’t even apologise to you properly…”

“Trixie, that’s not true.”

“But it is! Look at me!” She threw her hooves out. “There’s nothing Great or Powerful about me! I-I’m nothing but a useless, big-headed coward! There, I said it! I know that’s what you think of me and you’re right! I managed to kid myself and everypony else with my show, I thought I had something special but…” She looked away. “Just goes to show. No matter how good you are at something, there’s always somepony better… I’m sorry, Twilight. I’m so, so sorry…”

Twilight was so stunned by this admission, the situation they were in was driven almost completely from her mind. Something about seeing Trixie in this state reminded her of herself. All the times she’d let her mind run wild with thoughts of failing Celestia or her friends, of messing up in her studies or tests. But had her friends there to help.

But Trixie? Who did Trixie have? A brooding, angry stallion who was a former servant of the Lord of Chaos? Did she have any family or friends back at home? Where even was home for Trixie? Twilight just didn’t know. Despite what she’d done in the past, all she felt for the unicorn was pity.

But she hadn’t completely forgotten their situation. Harsh as it was, she didn’t have time to stand and feel sorry for Trixie. Soul had found them before, he’d find them again. That teleporting had taken it out of her. If they were going to get out of this, she needed Trixie on her hooves.

“Trixie, you’re not pathetic,” she said.

“Y-Yes, I-“

“No, you’re not!” She gripped her shoulders. “Think of the work you put into your show. Always on the move, roaming all across Equestria and amazing ponies with your magic! You’ve dazzled and delighted so many ponies and you did it all by yourself! Trixie, that’s amazing!”

“Sure yeah, then lost it all because of one boast that got out of hoof,” she said bitterly. “All because I wanted to be special and important. Anything that… that wasn’t me…”

“We’ve all made mistakes, Trixie.” Twilight considered a moment. “You know, there was a time I tried to make a friendship problem happen because I hadn’t reported one for a week?”

“W-What?” Trixie looked up in surprise. “Seriously?”

She nodded. “Oh yeah. Cast a Want-It, Need-It spell on my favourite doll to make everypony go crazy over it so I could fix a problem about sharing. I uh, may have also knocked out Dusk when he tried to stop me.”

“You didn’t!”

“I did. Not to mention the time I nearly messed up Winter Wrap-Up, when I was an accessory to stealing Celestia’s phoenix and when I acted like an idiot before my brother’s wedding.” She paused. “Actually, I turned out to be right about that last one, but I still could have gone about it in a better way. Plus there’s all the times I’ve messed up dating Dusk, but I’m not going to go too much into that. My point is that I’m not perfect either, nopony is. We all mess up, in big and small ways. But it’s our friends who help us pick up the pieces afterward, so we can move on and be better ponies. You even showed it just now. You could have taken that Amulet, but you didn’t. That took strength, Trixie. Real strength. I know what we said earlier but if you wanted to… maybe we could start over?”

She held out a hoof to Trixie. She stared at it, then back at Twilight. She placed her hoof in Twilight’s and let her pull her up. A very slight smile was beginning to form. Then her eyes focused on something behind Twilight and the fear returned.

“Friendship later, run now!”

Twilight looked just in time to see Soul slam into the ground near them. His blood-red aura encompassed the handle of his sword, the dark holes of his helmet glaring.

“I believe this little game is over, ladies. Time to end it.”

“Oh no, you don’t!”

Trixie plunged a hoof into her cape and threw something at the ground. It burst in a puff of smoke and Twilight found herself pulled along into the Forest.

“Are you crazy?” cried Twilight “We can’t hide from him in here!”

“We’re not hiding! I have an idea, follow me!”

“But why are we going deeper into the Forest?!”

“For the same reason you used that water tower last time.”

“What do you…?” Twilight caught her meaning and grinned. “It’s this way, come on!”

They galloped through the trees, leaping and bounding over thickets and roots. Behind them came a slicing sound and the creaking of falling trunks. They didn’t look back, just kept on running until they reached their destination.

It was the mouth of an enormous cave. The darkened clouds overhead made it impossible for them to discern what was inside, but they didn’t need to. They knew exactly what lay within.

“Foolish fillies.” Soul cut down two more trees as he strode towards them. “Is this all thy efforts amount to? I had expected more.”

“Oh please,” said Trixie. “A showpony always saves the best trick for last.”

“Indeed? And what may that be?”

The two unicorns exchanged a look and cast their magic. Twilight fired exploding orbs whilst Trixie let loose some fireworks, hidden in her cape. Once again, Soul either let them glance off his armour or deflected them with his sword.

“Thy final trick then?” he remarked. “A less than engaging display.”

Twilight smirked. “That wasn’t the trick. That was just a wake-up call.”

“For what?”

The answer came in the form of an earth-trembling shake. Then another. Twilight and Trixie hurried out of the way, just as the massive, star-clad paw of gargantuan, purple bear emerged from the cave.

Her eyes narrowed on the first pony she saw: Fallen Soul. With a deafening roar, she charged him and he only just managed to avoid her massive paw. He took to the sky, soaring and slashing with his sword, but this only enraged the mother star-bear further.

“So that’s an Ursa Major. O-Oh my,” murmured Trixie. “Glad we’re not dealing with it.”

“Same here. Hey, there’s a familiar face.”

Twilight pointed to the Ursa Minor who padded out after his mother. Seeming to recognise Twilight, it bounded up to her and licked her with its massive tongue. Its eyes turned to Trixie who took a few steps back.

“H-Hello,” she said with a little wave. “Uh, no hard feelings? Right?”

The baby bear seemed to consider, then licked her too. Trixie looked disgusted but she kept her complaints to herself. The Ursa Minor let out a rumbling noise and jerked its head into the cave. There was a light shining at the end.

“Where’s that coming from?” Twilight wondered. “This cave is meant to be a dead-end.”

“I think we’ve been shown the way backstage,” said Trixie. “Unless you want to stick around here?”

Twilight looked at the battle unfolding behind them and decided this was probably the better option. She thanked the Ursa Minor, who sent them off with another lick, before they galloped towards the light.

---

Dusk Noir and Blackhole Doom stared at each other, with eyes as cold as the ice growing around them.

They had done their best to move into the centre of the cavern, away from the spreading ice. It had slowed down, now that they weren’t actively fighting each other. But it hadn’t stopped either. Even now, Dusk could feel it creeping towards his rear hooves. The only way to stop it was to stop the Windigos.

Neither of them said anything, but they both knew what the other was thinking. Their shared existence had been dedicated towards fighting the other. With all they had put each other through, what warmth was there? What friendship? Dusk tried to think of something, but his mind was a blank.

“No. No!” Doom stood up, glaring up at the Windigos. “I will not die like this!”

“I’m not sure they much care how you die,” said Dusk.

“You certainly don’t seem to!” he returned. “We can’t just sit here and wait to be frozen!”

“And what do you suggest? We know what it takes to dispel Windigos.”

“Then do something! You’re the bleeding heart obsessed with friendship!”

“It’s not some spell I can cast, Blackhole! You know the story of Hearth’s Warming as well as I do!”

“So you expect us just to sing a song and all will be well?!” He slammed his hooves on the ground. “You are infuriating beyond belief, Noir!”

“Once again the feeling is mutual, Doom!”

Above them, the Windigos screeched. Dusk jumped when he felt the cold against his hooves encroach further. He flinched when he realised he and Doom had jumped close together. They held each other in a withering glare.

“So, this is what becomes of us,” muttered Doom. “Encased in ice, at the behest of spectral steeds.”

“We’re not done yet,” said Dusk. “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but you’re right. We need to try something. Maybe if I just think of my friends…”

Doom scoffed. “Now you’re willing to try something.”

He closed his eyes, doing his utmost to call upon every warming memory he had. Even against the gathering cold, it all came to him.

Celestia discovering him and giving him a chance at friendship. Applejack being the first to greet him in Ponyville. Rainbow Dash being one of a few ponies who learned of the talent he’d spent so long hiding. Pinkie Pie, always there with a smile on her face and eager to bring one to his own. Fluttershy, his adoptive sister, always so kind. Ray Strike, assuring him that his darker feelings didn’t make him bad and hitting him with a pipe to combat his low self-esteem. Luna, the laughs and smiles they shared to ward away their memories of darkness. Spike, his brother in library assistantship, always happy to lend a claw.

Twilight Sparkle. The day she first asked him to borrow the book he was reading. Finally meeting her face-to-face. Becoming her friend. Falling in love and her returning his feelings. All the lessons about their relationship they’d learned together, growing closer with every day that passed.

He could feel the warmth spreading through him. His horn began to glow and he expelled the energy building within him. The Windigos whinnied as it struck, but he could already feel their cold dousing the fires. It wasn’t long before he cancelled the spell, feeling light-headed.

“Is that all the magic of friendship can muster?” snorted Doom. “I’m hardly impressed.”

“It’s… it’s not enough,” said Dusk. “It takes more than just me. Doom, I… I need your help.”

He barked a laugh. “Then you’re stupid as well as pathetic. We both know I have nothing to give. Friendship is your area, not mine.”

“Not even Trixie?”

“I’ve warned you already, Noir…!”

“She told us about what you did, after you left together,” Dusk pressed on. “You could have left. I practically expected you to. But you stayed with her, you helped her, even despite her being ‘weak’. Why? Or Sombra. He’s been teaching you to control your anger and other emotions, hasn’t he? You’ve always striven to be independent, even when you served Discord. Why change that for him?”

Doom gritted his teeth and growled in his throat. But he said nothing. He looked away from Dusk.

“I know how it feels, Blackhole,” he went on. “To live with the feeling of knowing you’ve hurt somepony you care about. That nothing you do will ever make it right or make it better. Guilt is a terrible thing to live with-“

“Enough.”

He didn’t raise his voice. He didn’t even sound angry. Just defeated. It was something Dusk had never heard from him before. Even in the times where he’d overcome his darker self, Doom had fought to the last. To see him like this…

“Blackhole? May I ask you something?”

“For what purpose?” he asked in that quiet, defeated voice. “What good will it do us now?”

“Well, there’s nopony else here but us and the Windigos. Whatever way this turns out, I can promise it’ll remain between us.”

Doom glanced back at him. For once, he didn’t see rage or callousness in those jade, slit-pupiled eyes. It was something more akin to… curiosity? Bemusement? Very slightly, Doom nodded.

“Do you… do you resent the emotions you’ve started to develop that much?”

He snorted again. “Why ask something you already know the answer to?”

“Please, I want to hear it from you.

Doom looked at Dusk, then briefly up at the Windigos. Then at the ice, which was almost upon them now. He was quiet for a long while before he responded.

“As much as you resented yourself, brother.”

“Yes, I… I suppose I did, didn’t I?” Dusk murmured. “In some ways, I suppose I still do. But you probably know that, better than…”

And in that moment, Dusk finally understood. He looked up at the imposing, visage of cruelty and hate that still tormented his most unpleasant memories.

Their entire shared existence had been defined by conflict. Dark against light. Bad feeling against good feeling. Always this push and pull, that never seemed to end, no matter how many times they thought they were rid of each other. Dusk had always seen his ‘brother’ as a tormentor, created by Discord from his fears of a dark side made manifest. Like Nightmare Moon for Luna or Sombra’s Dark King persona. But in all that time, he’d forgotten something important.

The feelings that Discord had used, the fears he’d crafted into this being before him… they hadn’t been plucked from nowhere. He recalled again when Ray had spoken to him, in the wake of Doom’s second emergence.

“…in order to overcome darkness, you have to learn to accept it as part of who you are. Fighting it will only make it stronger and harder to resist… as long as you continue to deny this, you’ll never be truly happy…”

“What are you staring at?” growled Doom.

“The answer,” Dusk murmured. Then, in a louder voice, “Brother. I have something to say.”

Doom blinked in surprise. Dusk had never called him by that title, unless it was in sarcastic response to his use of it.

“I don’t like you and you certainly don’t like me. I think we could be trapped in this cave for a thousand years and that wouldn’t change. But we don’t have to like each other, in order to accept one simple fact: you are a part of me, as I am of you. We may not like the feelings and sensations associated with that, but that’s what enables us to become better than we are, stronger than we used to be. You… you were right.” He coiled shadows around his hooves. “You unlocked potential I don’t think I could have on my own. Likewise, whether or not you want to admit it, the emotions you’ve gained from me have led to you gaining a friend in Trixie, Sombra and, given time and willingness, perhaps more. We may not be friends but… we are brothers. It’s not as if you can choose your family, is it?”

There was no derisive snort, no harsh put-downs. Doom was looking right at Dusk, again with no hatred or anger in his gaze. His expression remained unreadable. They barely noticed that the ice was starting to freeze their lower bodies.

Once again, almost imperceptibly, he nodded. So did Dusk.

At the same time, the two unicorns closed their eyes. Alongside the warmth of his friends, Dusk recalled other feelings he often tried to ignore. Those old feelings of self-loathing and worthlessness, festering inside of him. The shame at feeling like he’d let his friends get hurt by Doom. His determination to never let his darker half surface again. The satisfaction at overcoming him, three times and at pulling himself back up when he’d been knocked down. Or helped up by those who cared for him and their efforts at helping him see past those darker feelings.

Their eyes and horns were aglow when they opened them. Flames of both darkness and light shot from their horns. The Windigos shrieked, tried to fight back. But they didn’t let up. With one, final howl, the Windigos were banished. Their magic receded, culminating in a gathering of energy, floating above their heads.

It wasn’t a violet heart, but an orb of shifting colours. It didn’t burn with vibrant, warming fire. It was at once cold and warm. Flickering with light but casting deep shadows. It wasn’t friendship. Not as anypony else would know it. But it was enough.

“Hmph,” huffed Doom. “I suppose you are good for something.”

“Likewise, brother.”

Doom frowned. “It sounds… peculiar, coming from you.”

“You think it sounds any better for me?” said Dusk with a small laugh. “Come on, that looks like a way out. Let’s-“

He was cut off by a loud roar, echoing from down the tunnel. With a quick glance, the two took off towards the sound. They ran down the stairs to an adjoining corridor where they met two familiar faces coming down the opposite stairs.

“Twilight!” Dusk cried. “You’re okay!”

“You had doubts?” They reunited with a quick kiss. “Did you hear that roar just now?”

He nodded. “Any sign of Sombra?”

“No, but I have a feeling. Come on!”

“Great, more trouble. No thanks to you,” Trixie remarked to Doom.

“I’m sorry.”

“Oh here we go, with the…!” Trixie froze when she realised what he’d just said. “What… what did you just say?”

“I said that I’m-!” He caught himself and looked away. “I said that I’m… I’m sorry. For triggering the traps. For… for everything.”

They all stared at Doom, then at each other. Then the roar sounded again and they were snapped out of their state. They ran down the corridor, emerging into some kind of overlook for an arena.

Sombra was down there. He was battling against a massive, crystalline dragon. It was so pale, it practically glowed. Its wings were not unlike a butterfly’s and its lower half, oddly enough, was comprised of tentacles instead of legs. Instead of fire, it breathed shards of crystal that grew from the earth to pierce anything stood there. By the look of it, Sombra wasn’t faring well. He had many cuts and bruises and he seemed to be tiring.

“Sombra! Hold on, we’re coming!” called Twilight.

“What? No, stay back!” he shouted. “This creature cannot be harmed from here! You must help me!”

“What can we do?”

“Those emitter crystals!” shouted Sombra, pointing. “Destroy them and the dragon will be rendered vulnerable! Hurry!”

Dusk looked. To the left and right of them, following along the path of the overlook, were two, thin blue crystals, shining with pale light. He nodded to Twilight. She ran with Trixie down one side, he with Doom to the other.

“Come on, Trixie!” Twilight blasted magic at the crystal. “Let’s lift the curtain on this!”

“Already on it!” She added her own blast. “Guess everything here is just smoke and mirrors!”

“Here we go.” Dusk prepared one of his light spells. “Ready, brother?”

“Well before you, brother!” he replied with a fierce grin.

Dusk returned it and the two combined their magical energies together. The two crystals shattered into pieces. The pale dragon roared in displeasure, clutching its head. Sombra let out a bellow and rose on his own crystal formation.

Just as the dragon recovered, he jumped and plunged his blade right into the centre of the dragon. It howled, flailing its arms and wings before shattering as well.

Dusk cast a colour cloud to catch Sombra, lowering him gently to the ground. He did the same for himself, lowering down into the arena as Doom simply jumped down. They met with the mares when they reached Sombra, Twilight already helping him to his hooves.

“Just take it easy, Sombra,” she was saying. “You’ve really been through the wringer.”

“I could… say the same of you all,” he replied. “I’m sorry. I tried to come and find you, but that dragon was rather… demanding of my attention.”

“I’ve never seen one like that before,” said Dusk. “How has it survived down here?”

“It… was not alive. Merely a golem, of sorts. The last line of… defence.” He looked around. “I take it you have overcome the rest?”

“Obviously,” said Trixie, flicking her cape. “Did you expect any less?”

A smile came to his face. “I didn’t. I knew you would all be up to the task, challenging as it was. I regret what you have had to endure once again as the result of my past misdeeds, however.”

“Yes, well, there’s a lot of that going around at the moment,” said Dusk, sharing a look with Doom. “Now, shall we go and retrieve what we came here for?”

“Hold on.” Trixie approached Doom, struggling to look at him. “L-Look, don’t think one apology is enough to make up for what you did. But… I guess that I’m… I’m sorry too. F-For what I did.”

Doom didn’t say anything. The only reaction he showed was his eyes widening a fraction. In the end, he simply nodded and walked away. Trixie exchanged a look with Twilight and they both shrugged. Dusk had to agree mentally. That was probably as good as they would get.

Sombra took the lead and together, the strange party of unicorns proceeded towards the door the dragon had been guarding. His horn glowed, making the crystal in the centre shine in response. With a rumbling of stone, it rolled away to admit them inside.

The five of them stared in collective awe at the contents inside. Chests laden with jewels and gold. Weapons of every kind. Armour that looked to fit any being from ponies, to griffins and even dragons. Some artworks were scattered about as well, paintings and ancient books.

“Look at this. I mean just… look at all of this!” Trixie started to gallop, then halted. “Wait, there aren’t any more traps, are there?”

Sombra shook his head. “The crystal dragon was the last. There should be no further danger from here.”

“In that case…” She squealed and ran her hooves over the piles of bits. “I could take just a hoofful of these and never have to work again!”

“And all these books!” Twilight levitated a few. “Some of these look pre-Equestrian! Imagine the kind of historical finds we could see in these.”

“Hmm.” Doom levitated an axe and a war-hammer. “Impressive. Though they may need to be treated for rust.”

“Why am I not surprised that’s what you went for?” Dusk said, examining a sword. “Though it is quite impressive.”

Doom snorted, but said nothing.

Sombra was examining the trove intently. They heard him exclaim when he apparently found what he was looking for and levitated it for them.

It was a piece of very old stone, layered with a script Dusk couldn’t even begin to understand. But there was image that was unmistakable for anything else. An enormous wolf, especially in comparison to the tiny ponies that were suffering beneath it. The colour had faded, but Dusk could see the faded spots of red all across its body.

“Wrath,” murmured Dusk. “I hope there’s something useful in here.”

“As do I, my little pony,” replied Sombra, his eyes focused on the image. “As do I.”

---

When they returned, Dusk and Twilight were the first into throne room. This time, both Cadence and Shining were there waiting who both beamed at the sight of them.

“Twily, Dusk! Good to see you’re both safe,” said Shining. “We received Dusk’s message. Apparently you have good news?”

“We do,” said Twilight. “First of all, somepony here has something he’d like to say.”

The door opened and Sombra stepped in, removing the cloak and hood covering him. The guards nearby tensed at the sight of their old king, but Cadence gestured for them to stand down. They did, but they watched him closely as he approached.

“Princess Mi Amore Cadenza. Prince Shining Armour.” He bowed to them. “I come before you, not as a conqueror and enemy but a stallion, humbled and penitent.” He levitated a chest next to him and opened it. “The contents here are but a small sample of what resides in my Vault when I called myself king. I have no use for, nor do I deserve, their contents. I bestow them to you. In addition, I bring this.” He levitated the tablet. “I don’t know if it will be of use, but I will work tirelessly to translate it and use what it has upon it for the good of all. I do not expect these things to excuse my past misdeeds or for you to forget them. I only hope it will serve to demonstrate my willingness to change for the better. If that is not sufficient… do with me as you see fit.”

He kept his head bowed and waited. Cadence and Shining looked at each other, the latter obviously suspicious. However, he silently deferred to his wife who rose from the throne and stepped towards Sombra.

“Sombra, former king of the Crystal Empire. Do you come here, to seek recompense for your past evil acts?”

“I do, your highness.”

“Do you regret your action and will you ensure they don’t repeat themselves?”

“As long as I have breath in me, your highness.”

“Dusk Noir and Twilight Sparkle. Do you vouch for this pony, in his sincerity for change?”

“As the Element of Magic and student of Celestia, I do.”

“As the Element of Unity and the student of Luna, I do.”

“Good. Then, as Princess of the Crystal Empire, I extend my hoof to you as an ally… and a friend,” she added with a smile.

At this, Sombra looked up in bewilderment. He waited, perhaps to see if Cadence was truly serious. She was. Slowly, cautiously, he raised himself up, reached out and shook her hoof.

“Thank you, Princess Mi Amore Cadenza,” he said quietly. “Your compassion is a great gift to me.”

“If you’re willing to earn your forgiveness, I’m willing to give you a chance. And please,” she added, “just Cadence is fine.”

“Very well then… Cadence.” A small smile appeared on his face. “Though may I suggest that I work somewhere beyond the Empire. I feel my presence wouldn’t be entirely welcome here still and I would not see your rule undermined.”

“We appreciate that,” said Shining, clearly still a little wary. “Would you object to being sent to Canterlot to work there?”

“Not at all, your highness. It is a prudent measure, certainly.”

“Not only that,” said Cadence with a smirk, “I know somepony who’d be very happy to have you there.”

“Yes, well…” Sombra’s cheeks turned red, but he cleared his throat and turned to Dusk and Twilight. “Thank you, both of you. I wouldn’t be here, were it not for you.”

“Everypony deserves a chance at friendship, if they’re willing to take it and it wasn’t just because of us. Oh and that’s another thing,” said Twilight. “We had some other help getting into Sombra’s Vault. They’ve been in contact with associates of Fallen Soul and are willing to help us against him in exchange for protective custody.”

“If they can help us against him, they’re welcome,” said Shining. “Bring them in and we’ll-“

“Behold!” The doors burst open, accompanied by the whizzing of fireworks. “The Great and Powerful Trixie is here! So, where can I leave my things?”

Doom followed in behind her, looking like he was only just managing to restrain himself from hitting something. Cadence and Shining stared in stunned silence.

“Twily,” said Shining slowly, “what exactly went on while you were away?”

“Um…” Twilight grinned sheepishly. “It’s a long story.”

Once again, Dusk mused, today was certainly full of surprises.

Author's Note:

Expect another, shorter chapter this Sunday! It'll wrap up the events of this one and establish some stuff for next Friday's update.

Comments

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Yes Twilight. Optimus Prime is a great philosopher and you will be happy to know that you will be meeting him soon… wait, what?

Another great chapter, Alpha!

Loved how you separated Twilight and Trixie and then Dusk and Doom to hash it out and come to an understanding.

And Sombra’s road to redemption has finally begun! Looking forward to seeing what transpires with him in coming chapters.

Overall, the same great storytelling I’ve come to expect! Thank you, Alpha!