Imbalanced

by Nameless Narrator

The Shadow King: Final Clash

[Last Page]

Rats in the walls! I know I'm sitting in a tent but that doesn't mean there can't be rats small enough to live in the fabric! HAHA! I'll get them... later, later.

I have to deal with Sombra while I still can. Or I could tell the shadows to do it but whenever I talk to them they just stay silent and laugh at me.

THEY CAN DO IT SILENTLY!

Stupid book, doesn't know that shadows can taunt me without words.

Equestrian soldiers were useless as usual but they are now doing what they were born to do, the only thing they know how to do. I hope they enjoy serving as amusement for Sombra's forces because if they weren't so worthless it wouldn't be up to me to somehow think about how to stop him.

The princesses were useless and now they are chained like pets to the only guy who actually knows how to run a kingdom.

Sombra...

Heh, think about how to stop him up to me it is... words are funny like that. I can mix them all up and make things happen in my head.

Focus!

It's difficult to think straight right now... maybe I should think gay? Sombra and me, just two dudes one on the top and one on the bottom.

Right, I have to confront him. There's no time to prepare. Thanks, Luna! Maybe I'll lose and then I'll get my rest.

No rest for the wicked. Oh how wicked I am. How can anypony ever trust me anymore when I'm switching sides faster than a weather vane in a storm? Perhaps I'll just steal Sombra's mane conditioner supplies.

The horror, the horror.

Twilight told me Fluttershy is dead which means the crystal king is all alone. She was killed by the other Elements who are trying to stage a coup.

TRAITORS! ALL OF US. We're gonna get it when mom finds out.

Sombra must be getting desperate. Not enough forces, nowhere to return to.

Nowhere to turn to when everything seems to be crumbing under him... I know the feeling, your Majesty. I know it more than well.

Here, have a drink! It helps get to sleep. Maybe the morning...

I still wonder how the foal of a dragon and a pony looks like.

The shadows are creeping.

They don't know I have my tin foil hat ready!!!!!!!

Victory shall be mine.

Here, here, little bat. Vant to sook my blut?

[Last Page]

---

It's been a week since Canterlot castle fell and I partially have to admire Sombra's tactical genius which allowed him to take over easily after some royals including the head idiot Blueblood showed him secret underground passages to the castle known only to members of Celestia's family.

An unexpected turn of events came when we stormed the throne room to get Luna. After suffering heavy losses to the Nightguards refusing to surrender and fighting to the death we finally got through and found out that a part of the job had already been done for us. The moon princess' defensive magic was immensely powerful but with Twilight and Neighcronomicon in her hooves it fell immediately after we secured the area.

I could feel the presence of Nightmares disappearing from the room full of sleeping guards and Luna crying uncontrollably on the floor and apologizing repeatedly to her sister. My guess is that Guiding Light somehow got to know what Luna did to me without hearing the full story. One good thing about all that is that both my daughter and her little swarm are probably safe and far away from Canterlot. I just hope they don't go crazy and begin attacking ponies in revenge.

Well, that was the end of Canterlot resistance. With Luna stuck inside her head and Celestia in coma there was nopony for the defenders to turn to and aside from few incidents of single stragglers attacking Sombra's soldiers the city fell. It was then when I realized the difference between 'our' soldiers and city guards/Equestrian army.

Sombra's army is composed of soldiers from a world united by diplomacy at first and finished off by strength. Celestia's benevolent rule and peaceful negotiation with other countries wasn't a good tool to create real soldiers. Sombra's soldiers are ponies, griffons, minotaurs from all over the world who all have the king's name engraved into their heads. In short, even without magic the siege of Canterlot proved that it was a fight between war-hardened behemoths and a bunch of armed foals.

With the citizens of Canterlot almost untouched and not repressed in any way it wasn't a problem finding ponies to get Sombra's forces to the Crystal Empire. It was almost sad how an entire city state relied on magic for the restriction of physical access. I was sort of hoping they would have learned after last time but I was wrong. After the defensive barriers fell one by one to me and Twilight Sombra didn't even have to lift a hoof. It made me think whether this Equestria wouldn't actually benefit from having a ruler like that.

It probably would but I promised Chokey things would be better tomorrow... or maybe next week and I'm running behind schedule as it is. At least I have to try while I still remember what I have to do.

A boom of unseen magic resonates within the Crystal castle throne room. Nothing seems to have changed but the complete silence coming from outside defying the victory celebration proves something did happen. As if to answer my unspoken question Sombra speaks up.

"Right now, this room is back in my world. Thanks to Twilight's research and the remains of Corrupted Heart we won't have to walk home through the rift in Everfree. As long as the rift exists the linking spell will work just fine."

Twilight slightly bows at the praise. There's only the three of us inside the throne room.

"Aren't you afraid the other Elements will attack this place since we're home?" she asks.

Sombra shakes his head in obvious amusement.

"There is just one last thing missing and I'll deal with them personally. Is everything ready for the corruption ritual?"

"Our forces are scouring the city for any signs of resistance but your mere presence showed the crystal ponies their place. The alicorn of Love and my... her husband are locked in the dungeons so I guess the city is ours."

"Good. Secure the Crystal Heart then and get to work. You, general, make sure nopony tries to disrupt the effort."

"At once," I say and follow Twilight out of the throne room.

As soon as we clear the door the sounds from outside return and I grab Twilight's shoulder.

"Is there any chance your Element friends can get back inside and help me kill Sombra?"

Her eyes go wide when the realization dawns.

"What? How did you? That's impossible."

"I would explain but I don't think it matters. Just take it as if a series of very unlikely coincidences happened at the right time. Can you make sure nopony leaves or enters the room after I go back?"

"Only if you tell me how you broke free from the Element of Imprisonment. There are others I'd like to set free."

I shake my head.

"It probably won't help you but I think Luna's curse and my lack of sleep, coupled with Fluttershy's death, my being an Element bearer and a schizophrenic had something to do with it. I'm sorry but I don't think it's too useful."

"Most of those are mental conditions that can be simulated or caused by outer interference, thank you. If that's the case I might be able to bring my princess Celestia back."

"I still don't understand why you haven't killed Sombra yourself already. My destruction of the Corrupted Heart must have given you a good opportunity."

"You don't know much about my world and you underestimate the king. I could make his magic work against him but that wouldn't be enough. I might have more power thanks to the alicorn amulet, Neighcronomicon and the stolen Element of Magic but he's got centuries of experience in both magic and combat. Since your stopping him last time I've been trying to find a way to deal with him but I've got nothing. Even if by some coincidence I managed to kill him the nobles in the Empire and all influential citizens all over the world would try to grab more power. It would break our world apart and wars would begin again."

"I hate politics. I have to try and stop him while I still can."

"You are barely standing, what do you think you can do?"

"Who knows? I might get lucky."

"You are an idiot but if you somehow succeed and the media get to know Sombra got killed by an assassin from other world I might be able to take over the Empire. I have earned some respect from royal families which should support my claim, especially if I manage to help princess Celestia get better."

"Can you help me somehow?"

"Aside from keeping everypony from entering or leaving the room I can't. In truth I don't think you can win."

"Well, I'll either bash his skull in or he'll kill me and I'll get some sleep. Win-win, right?"

"I can't even begin to explain how wrong you are..."

"Then don't. It might make me nervous," I smile at her and go back through the door to the throne room.

The echo of the two slabs of crystal slamming shut booms ominously and then there's just me, swaying and breathing heavily, and the king sitting calmly on the throne.

---

Minutes pass with Twilight focusing on maintaining her barrier. There's nopony else in the long hall leading to the throne room and the eerie silence is getting on her nerves. She ponders she should have stopped Blazing Light but she knows there was nothing to say that would make him change his mind. Right now she's just waiting for the outcome with no illusions about what the result is going to be.

A black spark flies through the hall and catches her attention. A strange, cold feeling envelops her and she summons all three of her artefacts. The floating book opens, the red eyes of the alicorn depicted on her necklace begin glowing and a crown appears on her head.

An amused snort rings through the air and the magical aura around Twilight disappears with the black spark transforming into a black alicorn.

"You're the guy from last invasion," she assumes a defensive stance but her magic is refusing to work.

"Do not fret, young unicorn," says Void.

"What do you want?"

"I am here to present you with a choice."

Twilight narrows her eyes but Void continues unphased.

"You may have noticed that there is only one being still alive in the room behind you, your barrier is preventing me from seeing who it is though. No! Do not dispel your magic yet. Normally I would not have interfered but there is a pony inside to whom I owe my current happiness and I intend to give something back."

"The king has dealt with an alicorn already."

Void just smiles again.

"That is of no consequence as my business is not with him but with you. Your power is dangerous, more dangerous than his and with all respect to my friend I am going to make his world safe from you."

"You want to kill me?" snarls Twilight but with her magic failing repeatedly there's very little she can do.

"That is... one way this can go if you choose so."

"Choose?"

"Yes. I will be returning the Element of Magic to its rightful owner no matter what. I could of course end your existence but I feel that would be a waste of somepony so talented. The choice presented to you is this - you can give me the Element willingly and I will limit your ability to use magic. In case Blazing Light won against Sombra you will not need either of those with your experience and your friends which Blazing himself set free from Sombra's rule. If Sombra won then this world will be safe from him at least until the Element of Magic changes sides eventually which is not going to happen for millenia."

"That would screw my world over completely! In case you didn't know YOUR Celestia caused that all we have are the evil Elements of Harmony."

"You are thinking about this the wrong way. Ponies in your world are strong thanks to the Elements making sure every bit of good is much more precious than here in this peaceful world where every evil influence is much more rare but destructive. I also believe that your bearer friends would scoff at you calling them evil."

"Are you saying the worlds aren't imbalanced thanks to the Elements?"

"It was Scream's insanity which set all this in motion, the Elements had nothing to do with it."

"So... what if I refuse?"

"I am taking the Element one way or the other and giving it back to princess Twilight who is currently hiding in the old castle in the Everfree forest with all other bearers from this world. Your choosing this path will result in peace for you and your old mentor."

"I won't do that. If I die and Sombra is still alive, and let's face it - there's no way the wreck of a pony who challenged him won, then there will have to be somepony to try and stop him. With the Elements united we might be able to do it this time."

Twilight takes off her crown and hands it to Void who makes it disappear in a burst of black fire.

"The rift will disappear shortly after your magic fails and every being from your world will return to the place from where the rift originated. Same goes for anypony who might have passed through from our side."

"Can you somehow help us? With this you're taking away my only chance of eventually dethroning Sombra by force."

"As I said - Blazing Light gave you your friends back and you should draw your strength from them. I am just paying back my debt to him."

"So what happens now?"

Void touches Twilight's horn with his own and small black cracks begin spreading through the purple bone.

"It might not seem it from what I did but I wish you all the best in your future. Perhaps your new path will bring you more than your old one."

A headache makes Twilight slowly lie down on the crystal floor and before she passes out she's able to make out a soft, sweet breeze enveloping her.

---

"General Fading Light, I though I gave you your orders," Sombra raises his eyebrow when I step back into the throne room.

"Can it, marebelline mane!" I enjoy taunting the king a bit.

"I would ask how but I honestly don't care. I guess you're here to fight me or something similarily pointless but it's too late for that."

"You're underestimating me, mage!"

A cloud of black dust swirling around the throne is the only clue to the pain in my side and my rapid involuntary kissing one of the walls.

"You are nothing! You stand here with no idea why I let you get this far," Sombra rolls his eyes while slowly walking from the spot where I got thrown from back to the throne.

I try to focus but it's just too hard. In my state I can't identify his magic fast enough to counter it and it dawns on me that his knowledge might rival Luna's meaning my power is mostly useless.

"Finally realizing how insignificant you are?" Sombra laughs, "Were you actually thinking you got here with YOUR power? You are just a nopony who accidentally became important to me without knowing anything."

"What?" I croak from the ground, unable to even stand up.

"After you stopped me last time I had Twilight scrying day and night to find out more about you."

"Why?"

"I want your body."

"I already have a marefriend."

To my surprise Sombra actually chuckles.

"Enjoy your games while you can. You are right where I want you. I will soon pry you out of your magical shell and use it to do great things."

"It's just a body Scream made for me because mine got damaged and I had to send it back to the shop. They didn't even give me store credit, bastards."

Sombra stomps the ground at me saying 'just a body'.

"You ignorant waste of oxygen! Why did Scream waste her power by giving it to YOU?"

"What's so special about my body then?"

"Your little brain probably doesn't know this but there is no way to achieve immortality outside of being an alicorn. Your body is the pinnacle of defensive magic left behind by the alicorn of Life which is the closest a mortal pony can get. There hasn't ever been a magic user powerful enough outside of Scream to create it but she's never even entertained the thought of allowing her student access to that kind of power."

"I hate to break it to you but I'm definitely not immortal even in this thing."

"Somepony of my power and knowledge would be able to use the body to full extent compared to a commoner like you. I'd have to drain lifeforce from a pony from time to time to recharge the magic in it but my survivability would rival the one of alicorns."

"Well, too bad it's mine then."

"Not for long. Your princess Luna's curse made you a little bit confused, didn't it? Weak in the head? Tired? I can't risk breaking the body in its weakest state but soon I'll be able to just scoop out your little mind and take over."

"Thanks, Luna..."

I silently curse my giving Betty to Chokey. I know the body isn't resistant to Elements so I could have broken it with this new information. This way I'm just going to give Sombra a path to immortality.

"Well, I wanted to use you a while more but since you've revealed yourself already I'm not going to wait for your brain to melt completely."

He doesn't bother teleporting me to him and just enjoys my groaning when an invisible force picks me up by the neck and forcefully drags me to him. At least even the memory of Canterlot gardens it brings is warmer than the numbness spreading through my legs. I try to twitch my head but can't move at all and then his horn touches the crystal stuck in my forehead which shatters from the stream of power coursing through it.

---

Sombra's body lifelessly keels over and the purple runes on the changeling's body begin glowing with unprecedented strength. Cracks of the same color begin spreading from them throughout the chitin and finally the glow dies completely.

King Sombra wakes up.

He isn't surprised by the fact that he's in a body of a bronze-coated unicorn because it just shows his mind was strong enough to take over and activate the magical body. He shakes off the crumbling remains of the changeling shell.

He tries to take a step forward and falls to the ground again.

Then one of his front legs begins hitting him in the face. For a moment he regrets not waiting for Blazing Light to die away completely but this is just a temporary setback.

Then his other front leg begins punching his ribs.

Still, there is very little damage a dying soul can inflict to the ultimate defensive spell. He can feel the power coursing through him and while a lesser being wouldn't be able to use the body his magic is enough to access the power even this soon after its activation.

He decides to finish things off. Using a visualisation spell on his own mind is unorthodox but he's decided to eradicate the remains of the previous owner.

Everything blurs and he's suddenly standing in complete darkness.

"Come out and let me wipe you out completely," says Sombra calmly.

"Okay," comes from nowhere and a bronze unicorn with broken horn appears.

He scratches his head at the situation and when his hoof touches the remaining half of his horn he rolls his eyes.

"It's been a while since I saw this body. Where are we and why am I a unicorn again?"

"This is a visualisation of my mind good enough to help me get rid of the little pieces of your broken psyche and get my body back completely. You see yourself as you believe yourself to be. Coincidentially it's the same form Scream's spell reverted the body into," explains Sombra. He has no problem gloating a bit at the failing remains of his victim.

"Great... even in my own head I can't believe I'm a unicorn."

"You really are a stain on the unicorn race."

"You sound like my dad. I regret not punching the bugger in the face myself."

"Blah blah, get out of my head! I have worlds to rule."

"Nope. I have to thank you though. I don't know what will happen to me thanks to Luna's curse but you got to the only place where I can actually fight you."

"Fight me? Don't be silly. The little fractured remains of yourself after over a week of lack of sleep have no power."

"Fractured?"

Another Blazing Light appears next to the one talking.

Then another... and another.

Suddenly all the eye can see is darkness filled with bronze unicorns with sandy-blonde manes.

They all speak at once.

"Every little bit of paranoia, every reason for self-hate, every regret is here. None of us will have a problem disappearing thanks to Luna because all of us believe the world will be a little better place but we can take you down together."

Sombra tries to use magic but nothing happens.

"You've entered a mind full of weaknesses. You, the genius of combat and magic, can't have an idea how to turn weakness into strength."

And then there's only one body left alive in the throne room with no mind to occupy it.

Comments

[Anonymous Critic]

...

[Teraunce]

Well who knew his Schizophrenia would become such a strength.

[SWEETOLEBOB18]

"I can't even begin to explain how wrong you are..."

What part of :schizophrenia" do you not understand?