Piercing the Heavens

by Calm Wind

Chapter 152: Those Who Lead

MLP: FiM
Piercing the Heavens
By: Calm Wind

Chapter 152: Those Who Lead

---

“Rrrrr…RARGH!” Sombra growled as he forced Soarin’s body along, reaching a hoof up and jamming it into the snow. His hoof plunged right through the densely packed flakes and grinded against the rocky mountain surface as he pulled and tugged himself another few inches upward. He repeated this motion with the other front hoof, his back hooves kicking and slipping as they tried to assist from below. He snarled as he was pelted in the face by icy winds and the rushing flurries of snowfall around him, but kept on moving, one hoof at a time, one inch at a time.

Until he slipped and skidded down a yard or two. With a solid effort, Sombra jammed Soarin’s hooves into the snow until he halted before grumbling to himself. He shook his head out, removing a buildup of snow in his mane from the whirling winds and gusts before snorting and glaring upward. He took a deep breath and continued up the mountainside, barely able to see where he was going, but at least knowing he was ascending.

“Blasted… feathered… appendages…” he began saying to himself as he continued his struggled climb. He grunted and stopped as he began to skid again, but barely an inch this time, gripping the rocky surface beneath the snow tightly. “How do these even work?!” he suddenly blurted out and he glared over his shoulder at Soarin’s wings. He tried to move them but they flexed separately, not together, not to mention they moved in different directions. He had gotten them to work in his desperation to get away from Rainbow Dash, but that seemed to be an instinctive reflex, and once he was out of danger and in the air, he lost all control and flew like a meteorite through the sky until he crash landed. After that he hadn’t gotten them to work at all.

Before continuing, he gathered a collection of magic into his horn, the curved, red surface lighting up and glowing brightly. He was attempting to illuminate the area around him, but it had little effect with the snow rushing every which way. It at least gave him a better view of what was immediately around him and he used the extended vision to find better hoof holds. Slowly but surely, he kept climbing up the mountain as his body was battered by harsh winds.

---

Inside his conscience, Soarin’s spirit remained on the ‘ground’, still bound by the shadows that lurked and crept within his mind, moving freely to and fro as they passed between him, Celestia, and Dash’s spirit, all flowing from the large silhouette of Sombra. There was no longer any pain coursing through him. Perhaps it was because he was no longer struggling to free himself. The bindings only tightened and squeezed him if he tried. He had accepted that he was currently not able to move, instead focusing mostly on the image of Dash beside him that seemed to be locked down even closer to the invisible floor than he was. The image had her cheek pressed to the ground, her eyes closed as she breathed steadily, but otherwise appeared not to be in pain like him. Sombra still loomed over him as well, a trail of light connecting Soarin to the unfilled silhouette of the old king as he remained in control of his body.

Soarin had not said a word since Sombra finished his tale about his life and Celestia. He was still trying to process it all… and deciding whether or not he believed all of it. But he was definitely considering it all seriously, because Celestia had not said a word since the story either. She made no immediate effort to defend herself against Sombra’s story, and looked incredibly distraught. If it weren’t true, would it really hurt her as much as it seemed? Sombra’s words seemed to completely silence her, a state Soarin never thought he’d see from the usually radiant and powerful goddess.

The only pony to speak since was Sombra, but it wasn’t to them. It was basically him cursing and grumbling to himself as he moved Soarin’s body, struggling with the wings and from time to time showing a lack of total motor control.

But what was especially odd to Soarin, was that he could still ‘see’ through his eyes. He wasn’t sure how to identify it, maybe he was still feeling sensory activity. The same went for the rest of his senses. He could feel the cold sting of the blizzard winds against his body from without, he could taste the icy gusts with every breath, he could hear the whistling winds. It was as if he was still connected to his brain, just had no control over his body. He knew exactly what Sombra was doing with his body, he could see the mountain extended above him, he could feel the cold touch of the snow with every effort Sombra made.

Where was Sombra going? Knowing who they were dealing with, Soarin assumed Sombra would head straight for the Crystal Empire, something that worried him because of his friends heading there too. If that were his destination… why scale a mountain? Especially with the inability to use the wings and a clear lack of full control? Whatever the reason… Sombra was not giving up on it as he tugged and pulled his way up little bits at a time. The peak was not in sight, so who knew how much farther Sombra was going to struggle.

Soarin found himself unable to remain silent. And before he knew it…

“Why are you climbing this mountain?” he spoke up, his curiosity getting the better of him. The ears stood up on Sombra’s silhouette, but he didn’t look or acknowledge Soarin. Soarin waited in hopes of a response, but never got one. “Sheesh, never mind…”

“You’ll know when I reach the top,” Sombra suddenly answered. “If your blasted wings were cooperating with me, you’d know sooner,” he added with a sharp tone.

Soarin furrowed his brow as he thought about biting back, but really, what was the point? It’s not like arguing with Sombra would make the situation any better. He felt his time, or however long he may really have left was better left trying to understand everything he absorbed from Sombra’s story. Everything he thought he knew about certain points in Equestrian history as well as everything going on right now was being challenged. It was forcing him to take a serious look around him and consider all he had been through up to this point from a very different perspective.

But… as baffling as it all was, he didn’t want to jump to any conclusions. Especially since he had only heard one side of the story.

He glanced at Celestia lying bound a few yards away. She was still looking away from them both. Soarin wasn’t sure if he’d get much out of her. If he had asked her first, he likely would have been told everything he already knew… or at least thought he knew. But now with Sombra’s story out there… would she be willing to tell her version of it fully and honestly without any spin? Soarin wasn’t about to label her a liar without first hearing why she changed the story or what changed the story, assuming Sombra was to be believed.

He had to know.

“Hey, Princess…” he called to her. Celestia flinched, but she didn’t look at him. Instead she turned her head further away. Soarin furrowed his brow. “I’m talking to you,” he added in a sudden, sharp tone. It clearly caught Celestia off-guard as her whole body visibly twitched. But she did not retort. She slowly looked at him, acknowledging him this time, perhaps feeling that his tone was rightly justified. Soarin waited until she was facing him before continuing. “Can you tell me your angle on this?”

The moment he asked he felt his body stop moving. He glanced up to see Sombra’s silhouette looking over his shoulder at them. Soarin took no notice and returned his focus to Celestia.

“I want to hear your side of the story,” he elaborated to her, but quickly earned a loud scoff from Sombra instead.

“Don’t even bother with her,” Sombra said with a snort. “I already told you everything you need to know.”

“I WASN’T talking to you,” Soarin growled at Sombra, glaring up at him as Sombra lowered his head down closer to Soarin. There was no face and no eyes to glare back at Soarin, but he could feel it anyway.

“She is incapable of telling the truth or admitting fault, she will only waste your time,” Sombra hissed.

Soarin just kept glaring for a moment, pretty much the only way he could fight back with his body being held down, but then he softened his eyes and lifted his brow.

“Wasn’t it you who just told me to listen and decide what to believe?” he asked in a slightly smug way. Sombra didn’t reply. He just stared, his lack of face likely hiding the reaction to Soarin turning his own words against him. “I want to hear her side too!” Soarin took advantage of his silence. “You wanted me to make a choice right? To join you and help you ‘save’ Equestria from her and the gods? Well if you want me to take you seriously, I’m not going to make that choice without hearing both sides of the story!”

Sombra just kept staring as Soarin returned to his glare, reaching his neck out a little more in a gesture to show he wasn’t taking no for an answer.

“Feh…” Sombra scoffed and turned back around. “As you wish.”

Without a moment of hesitation, Soarin turned his attention back to Celestia.

“Well?” he asked without repeating his question. She knew damn well what he wanted to know.

“There…” Celestia spoke finally, but her voice was raspy. She paused and swallowed, clearing her throat quietly before shaking her head lightly. “There isn’t much more I can tell that hasn’t already been said…” she trailed off in an awfully pathetic and defeated tone that instantly ran contradictory to Sombra’s claims of her honesty and admission. But Soarin didn’t back down.

“You agree with him?” he asked while making a sharp head motion to Sombra’s shadow. Celestia looked up at Sombra, keeping her eyes on his back as he continued to focus on climbing the mountain with Soarin’s body.

“Not entirely… no,” she admitted, but did not seem to have much resolve.

“Then let’s hear it,” Soarin pressed her regardless of her lack of enthusiasm.

Celestia remained quiet as she looked down. Soarin wasn’t sure if she was avoiding the subject again or collecting her thoughts. He was ready to tear her a new one if she tried to wiggle out of it again, but thankfully she didn’t.

“As you’ve already been told,” she began. “The Black Dragon Scourge was when Sombra and I first crossed paths. The Scourge was not the first time I had encountered the unholy beasts, and when they showed themselves again I was determined to bring them down for good after they had destroyed everything I had once known and loved.”

Soarin blinked. Sombra glanced at her as well. Soarin noticed Sombra’s curiosity along with his. Second time? If Sombra didn’t know what she meant either, this predated even him.

“Everything you once…?” Soarin repeated her words, trailing off. Celestia quickly shook her head.

“That’s a story for another time… if we live through this,” she quickly diverted while looking towards Sombra. “What matters is that I had a score to settle with the beasts… And Luna was just as eager as I to bring them down.”

“Just not on the front lines,” Sombra suddenly cut in. Soarin growled under his breath as he shot Sombra a glare.

“Okay, that’s enough from the peanut gallery. Let her speak!” he shouted at him.

“Hmph…” Sombra huffed as he turned back around again. Celestia stared towards him for a moment, but said nothing before continuing.

“Though it went against our rules as gods… we revealed ourselves in full to the world,” she paused and blinked as if feeling she already hit a snag that required explanation. “Before the scourge, I had never been among mortals. Luna and I lived high up in the sky upon clouds out of reach, higher than any Pegasus dared to fly without risk of either losing consciousness or being repelled. Our existence had been known… or rather, theorized for some time. Our record of remaining out of sight was not perfect. We sometimes traveled to the world below, always to unpopulated places to keep our exposure limited, and we never shed our divine light so if anypony stumbled upon us, the glimpse would be brief before they had to shield their eyes. Some claimed to have seen us high up in the sky. These stories, these sightings… though unintentional led to us being worshiped and spoken of in legends and prayers, giving the mortals below true belief that they were being watched over by higher powers that controlled the natural forces of the world. It was something we gods reveled in as we watched over the world below, but we had never fully stepped out or descended down into the world of the mortals or placed ourselves among their communities. We felt it for the best, as we were higher powers they could not fully comprehend.”

“But we had no choice, Luna and I saw no other option and refused to hide away as the dragons turned their ire away from us and towards the world below and ravaged kingdom after kingdom. Everypony bowed to us without question and we took command, using our influence over them to organize a collective effort to fight back. The battles were hard fought, and for months we never had any successes that could truly be called victories. It was very different from when the gods faced them. With the mortals it was like throwing wood into a fire, the dragons swatting them like flies as we threw armies at them. The constant death we witnessed began to wear on Luna and I. We were goddesses, we were powerful, we were revered… but we had already fought the dragons once and failed… even with several other gods fighting by our side. It hurt so much to see all the ponies around us… looking up at us with pleading eyes, begging for us to save them, seeing us as saviors and obeying our every word as if we had to be appeased to bring them victory. But we were already doing everything we could. The black dragons were just that powerful… powerful enough to destroy gods. Yet their faith in us remained, the mortals saw us as their salvation no matter how difficult it seemed. But we feared it was only a matter of time until our efforts proved to be ultimately fruitless. Were the black dragons the apocalypse that would destroy everything as we knew it?”

Celestia paused and took a deep breath, sighing loudly as if it was very difficult for her to speak about it.

“But then… we heard of a kingdom far to the north. A kingdom that was holding the dragons at bay on their own without the help of allies… or two goddesses. We wasted no time, as soon as we heard of this phenomenon, Luna and I made haste to the northern mountains with a detachment of our armies in hopes of seeing with our own eyes this powerful army challenging the dragons. With a force like that on our side, it may be just enough to defeat these fiends.”

“As we drew near, I began to recognize where we were headed. The Crystal Empire had always been a beautiful sight from the sky, a place where Luna and I once dreamed of seeing up close… But we never expected a place of such beauty to also be a kingdom of unparalleled strength. When the Empire came into view, we landed atop the mountains… and observed. Chance would have it that a trio of black dragons were approaching the empire at the same time we were. A large force of crystal ponies of all three races met them halfway, halting their advance towards the empire and engaging them fiercely. Luna and I were speechless… we watched in awe as this army fought with thrice the strength and ferocity of our own, every single one of them showing the heart of a lion as they fearlessly attacked the beasts… defending their kingdom from the mythical dragons that the very gods of Equestria had struggled against. I was in awe… as was my sister, both of us wondering how such a thing was possible…”

Celestia paused again.

“But then we saw… him.”

She slowly glanced at Sombra. Sombra’s ears twitched, but he made no effort to turn around.

“The battle was raging very close to us in an open field of snow at the base of the mountains. No less than a hundred yards from us, a black dragon spread its massive wings and rose up into the air. It looked like it was trying to fly over the fighting. But as it lifted itself up, an explosion of blue light erupted from the ground below… and something shot up into the sky. From our vantage point it was hard to make out exactly what it was, it almost resembled a shooting star. But as it peaked and arced back down, I could see something within… It looked like the shape of a unicorn within the enormous flickering aura. The image within became clearer and clearer as it fell towards the dragon. It was a stallion… a large, dark grey stallion with a long, flowing black mane, donning a set of heavy, polished silver armor. His horn was shining as bright as the sun, a large sword formed of his own magic growing larger and larger above his head until it was at least three times his size. The dragon locked its eyes on him and roared fiercely, the stallion nothing but a small speck before it… But then the stallion unleashed a mighty roar of his own and surged downward, swinging the massive magic blade and smashing it right into the dragon’s face. The massive bulk of the dragon proved no obstacle, it’s head and neck whiplashed downward as if it had been hit with something its own size. Its whole body was pulled down with it as it plunged and slammed to the earth, the very ground we stood upon shaking as it crashed.”

Celestia’s voice had changed slightly as she described the moment. Soarin noticed it clearly, she almost sounded a little excited as she relived the memory. He stole a quick glance at Sombra and noticed that he had tilted his head down a little. Perhaps he was reliving it too?

“The stallion slammed to the ground,” Celestia continued. “He cushioned his landing with a powerful magic burst before planting his hooves and glared directly at the dragon, showing no fear as he stared it down. The beast was not defeated, it pulled its head from the snow, an inferno building within its maw. It unleashed its fiery breath upon the stallion… but the stallion did not move. The flames careened towards him, I gasped and spread my wings instinctively, ready to launch down and save him. But then his magic came alight… and he erected an enormous shield before him. It was not the typical dome shield unicorns are taught, it was shaped like a shield one would pair with a sword. Its surface was angled in two directions, the mighty stream of fire splitting in half as it struck the surface. His hooves dug through the snow, his powerful body holding strong as the mighty force slammed against his shield. My wings still outstretched, my own body twitched, my instincts telling me he was doomed if I did not help, but after what I had seen, I could not help but feel he did not need my assistance. And I was right… he was only distracting the dragon. A force of at least a hundred strong crystal ponies suddenly leapt forth and descended on the dragon striking it with magic and weapons alike as it roared out in agony. Eventually the dragon forced itself into the air and retreated, leaving the soldiers cheering victoriously. But they only celebrated briefly before they turned to take on the other two dragons nearby.”

“But while everypony with me watched the dragon leave… I could not take my eyes off the stallion. He stood stoically as his soldiers cheered, simply pointing a magic sword towards their next target before they charged again and left him behind to catch his breath. ‘How?’ I asked myself. How could such a powerful mortal exist? It was unthinkable… these dragons had destroyed gods and leveled entire cities with little effort.”

“It was then that he suddenly looked over his shoulder… and spotted us in the mountains. Only I saw him look, Luna and our army still watching the rest of the battles raging on. The moment his eyes landed on me, I was moving. My wings were pumping and I was in the air, flying down the mountain. Luna called out to me in vain as I glided towards the warrior, his eyes never leaving me as I approached. I had to see him face to face… I had to look him in the eye.”

“I landed before him… and slid to a halt no more than a few yards away. I was at a loss for words as I took him in. His form was so majestic… his body looked so powerful, his eyes were so deep and sharp. What was most staggering was that he was almost as large as me! The top of his head reaching right to my chin. And he was a unicorn? Unicorns are not known for physical strength or stature… but he was larger and more muscular than any earth pony I had ever seen. His armor looked incredibly solid and heavy as well, yet he wore it without an ounce of difficulty in his posture.”

“He looked… surprised. His eyes widened slightly with curiosity as he looked me up and down, but despite his more controlled nature I could still see it. The same look deep within his eyes that every other pony had given me the first time they saw me. It was the look that acknowledged he knew perhaps not who I was… but what I was. He knew I was a goddess.”

“But… unlike everypony else… he did not suddenly turn and bow to me. Perhaps it was because we were in the heat of battle, but at the time I felt that he was simply that strong willed. He was looking at a god, yet he did not fear me. He did not cave beneath the pressure of my presence.”

“Feh…” Sombra suddenly scoffed, drawing Soarin’s eyes for a moment. He was definitely recalling the moments as Celestia spoke. But again, he did not turn and withheld his comments.

“The moment was brief, and neither of us said a word,” Celestia went on. “As soon as the next roar of a black dragon filled the air, the stallion turned his focus back to his soldiers… showing more concern for them than the curious sight before him. He charged headlong back into battle. I did not hesitate. I saw everything I needed to see. A warrior of his caliber would be an ally without equal. I called my army down from the mountains and we joined the fray… successfully fighting back the dragons and even managed to kill one, a feat we had yet to accomplish up to that point. It felt like the first real victory of the entire scourge. It was a clear turning point, not only for discovering a new ally, but also exposing that the Black Dragons were not invincible. I doubted we could destroy them all, but knowing that we stood a chance was a morale boost unlike any other.”

“As our armies celebrated, I eventually made my way through the crowd towards the stallion. I barely made a sound of cheer despite our victory, my mind completely focused on him. I wanted to introduce myself formally and to get his name as well. Everypony I passed from my army froze in place and bowed as I moved by them… but his soldiers did not, nor did he again as I stood before him once more. He faced me with the same strength and posture as he had in the heat of battle. His gaze had softened slightly, but remained firm, not giving an inch to my sublime presence.”

“I asked his name first… perhaps forgetting my manners for a moment, but I was just too curious about him for proper etiquette. He did not seem to care… and answered. His deep, smooth voice was intoxicating to my ears, the moment he spoke I was so distracted by his impressive vocal tone that I almost missed what he said.”

Soarin blinked as that one sudden detail came out. He lifted an eyebrow and glanced towards Sombra. But he showed no reaction to it. Soarin didn’t disagree that Sombra had a well refined, powerful voice, but what exactly did that have to do with the story? Celestia’s demeanor had changed a little more as well, showing faint signs of eagerness. In general, her approach so far seemed to be quite different from Sombra’s. Sombra was straight to the point and didn’t dilly dally in the details… Celestia was being very specific, diving into the fine points of how it all happened and going back further into the origins. Soarin didn’t care as long as he got the story, and anything was better than listening to them go back and forth with the he said she said.

“I was shocked to learn that… that he was actually King Sombra, the ruler of the Crystal Empire himself. I could scarcely believe it, a king out on the front lines with his army? I had encountered several kings, queens, and monarchs among the mortals… but thus far, not a single one dared to join the front lines in fear of what their demise would mean for their kingdoms… not that any of them could be considered warriors in the first place. With that revelation in place, I revealed to him who I was… what I was… and where I came from.”

Celestia glanced up at Sombra, the changed look remaining on her face, her eyes almost lighting up a little compared to the somber, dejected look they had held since she had revealed herself.

“But even after I revealed it all, he did not bow or grovel. His soldiers didn’t budge either, following his example. I can remember the gasps… the outrage shown by some of my higher ranking generals and knights. The celebratory air faded quickly into calls of hubris and blasphemy, into demands that they bow and pay proper respect to my divine presence. Luna was particularly peeved. Perhaps she had let the way others had treated us go to her head a little. Luna had always felt strongly about where we stood as immortals and believed we deserved the worship, at least much more than I ever did. But unlike the rest, Sombra’s actions failed to strike me as insulting. There was nothing within Sombra’s eyes that hurt me, there was nothing about his adamant poise that I found distasteful. I did not see his failure to worship me at my hooves as a challenge. I saw it as strength, both physical and mental.”

Celestia grinned weakly.

“I was impressed. Something I had not felt towards any mortal yet. He was the first to walk in my presence without crumpling and lowering their head, humbly begging I be merciful. And after seeing the way he fought and the punishment he solely brought down upon a black dragon… I was not surprised in the slightest.”

“But the surprise was yet to come. When I asked him to give me command of his army and for him to fight under my banner… he refused without hesitation. It was another rush that I was not expecting. A sharp inhale shot through my lungs and my body shivered. I could barely hear the second burst of outrage from all those under my command.”

“No? He said no? It may seem simple but… you have to remember, I had spent my entire time in the mortal world thus far never being denied as if I’d pass vengeful judgement and strike down any who questioned me. Nopony dared to, as I was seen as a deity. Luna was in his face, standing eye to eye with him and screaming at him for his apparent disrespect as she angrily pounded a hoof against his armor. He did not budge, but drew another round of gasps, when he reached up and grabbed Luna’s hoof. Luna froze… as did everypony else. But he did not show any sign of anger… or malintent, he simply held her hoof in place and calmly repeated his refusal, making his choices clear. He would not give us control of his army, but he would gladly fight by our side to end the wrath of the black dragons. And then he let go of Luna, never once gripping her arm or squeezing it, but she was visibly shaken. Luna was clearly not seeing him the same way I was, her body language and expressions showed disgust and shock while mine showed awe and interest.”

“I had never had a stronger impression left on me in my life. From the moment I had laid eyes on him I had been entranced. Strength and courage radiated from every fiber of his being. His stalwart air… his unwavering eyes. I was not prepared for him… I could not even begin to describe the feelings rushing through me the longer I remained in his presence. I almost felt like I was looking at a fellow god, but perhaps that was why I was so impressed… so awe inspired. Because he wasn't a god. And he wasn’t trying to be one either, he seemed like one through his natural behavior. What an incredible discovery… what a specimen… what a… a…”

Celestia suddenly trailed off as her breath became audibly different, and a faint, rosy tint appeared across her nose and cheeks, just visible enough upon her translucent image. Soarin was beginning to wonder if she was actually reliving the moment… she was really getting into it after all and it seemed odd considering the situation… and the fact that she was apparently trying to convince him that Sombra was… well… evil.

“What an astounding stallion… he was too much. The tables had been completely flipped on me, I was looking at him the same way everypony else had been looking at me. It was no wonder that his army was so strong and fought so valiantly against such impossible odds. A leader like him… a figure like him brought out the best from those around him, from his highest ranking knights to his lowest ranking soldiers.”

Sombra finally moved. Soarin instantly glanced at him as he looked over his shoulder at her. Soarin glanced between the two of them, Celestia was staring at his silhouette with an odd twinkle in her eyes. Soarin couldn’t read it completely, but from his interactions with those of the opposite sex, it almost reminded him of the way Fleetfoot swooned over hunky stallions. What they hell was Celestia doing…?

Unless… Was she using her turn to speak to her advantage? He recalled some of their past conversations before Sombra took over… how she wanted to give him a second chance to clear his name and be remembered as the ‘great stallion he once was’. She was supposed to be convincing Soarin to believe her, but was she trying to convince Sombra instead? Was this why she was going through the small details of a single moment instead of the broader story?

Soarin wasn’t sure how to feel about that… it was pulling him in two directions. On one end, it was definitely contradicting with Sombra’s argument that she would never admit weakness. She just admitted flat out that her initial meeting with Sombra made her legs wobble like jelly and probably caused her ass and maybe the sun itself to briefly blink on and off. He made her feel like she was with a god. That’s quite a high mark from Celestia herself…

Yet on the other hoof, if she really was focusing on Sombra instead of him, it proved Sombra’s point that she intentionally sacrificed Soarin for no other reason than to create a vessel for Sombra’s soul and give him his second chance… regardless of how Soarin felt about it.

Or maybe Sombra was a stallion and Celestia was a mare… brains are wired differently, thought processes and the way events are recounted and what’s believed to be important differed greatly between the sexes… this was something he knew well too. Just common knowledge Soarin had obtained from hanging around with a bunch of weirdos with different hormone balances.

Soarin stopped thinking about it and decided to just let Celestia go on. He had a feeling her eagerness to dive into the details may make it take a while, but he needed to hear both sides, no matter how differently they were told, before coming to any conclusions.

“Call me overconfident,” Celestia kept going, seemingly oblivious to her change in demeanor and the fact that both Soarin and Sombra had noticed. “But the day we met Sombra the Great, King of the Crystal Empire, was the day I knew we would win the war. It took quite a while to calm down my subjects and Luna towards him and his choice to forge his own path instead of bow to me, but if that’s what would allow him to fight the way he did, then that’s exactly what I wanted.”

“My overconfidence was brazen, but he proved it was well placed… because just as I thought, the addition of Sombra and his army made a world of a difference. We suddenly stood a fighting chance and we took the fight directly to the dragons themselves. After the gods had failed to defeat the dragons themselves, I had never dreamed an effort by the mortals would yield fruit, but Sombra was no mere mortal… he proved to be so much more.”

“Though we had victories, though we managed to kill a few more… once we had figuratively evened the conflict, we found ourselves stuck. It became a never ending stalemate where they would push us… and we would push back. And if we pushed them, they would push back. It became clear to me quickly, that there would be no end to the war and death if this continued. But eventually, I looked to my heritage. I looked back into my knowledge and studies of my power and the extent of my magic to devise an alternative solution. Divine Alicorn magic is a mysterious force of unparalleled power and possibility. It has all the means and properties of regular unicorn magic, albeit hundreds of times more powerful, but it has one factor that Unicorns do not. It is capable of absolutely anything the user can imagine… As long as the user can come up with the means to make it happen. More importantly, if one does not fully understand the nature of what they are trying to cast and have not mastered the process through careful trial and error, it can severely drain or even destroy the user. I discovered a method… a sealing magic, one which I could make as powerful as I wish as long as I did not lose control of it. It was risky, and I did not have time to spend the years to centuries it usually took my father and fellow gods to create and control such powerful magic.”

Soarin flinched as a few of her last words replayed in his head.

“Father?” he repeated out loud. Celestia shook her head.

“Again, another story for another time,” she deflected despite both Soarin and Sombra showing intrigue. That was the second time Celestia had deflected from her life before the scourge and had also brought up other gods again. She claimed it wasn’t important… but that didn’t stop Soarin from wishing she’d elaborate. Celestia had a father? There used to be more gods? All he could put together was that she said the scourge was the second time she faced the black dragons. She had never elaborated, but she implied that the first time… the black dragons destroyed the gods. Did that include her father? He assumed that’s what she meant when she said ‘everything she loved’ earlier.

“I knew the dangers, but I had to try,” Celestia continued before she could be pressed. “And at this point I was willing to do anything to save another life.”

Soarin’s eyes widened slightly as soon as she phrased it that way, ‘I was willing to do anything to save another life.’ Before she could continue he instantly turned to Sombra, who as expected, was staring at Celestia, leaning towards her slightly, and just starting a very angry growl.

“DON’T!” Soarin yelled at him, causing Sombra to stop tilting, but he kept growling. “I already know what you think about that!”

“FEH!” Sombra huffed as he whipped back around and continued to focus on moving Soarin’s body, grumbling to himself. Celestia’s ‘excitement’ had faded a little, Sombra’s little advance clearly hitting her, but she went on.

“I was scared when I cast it… and I felt a pressure on my mind unlike any other. But as I unleashed the spell upon the dragons, Luna joined my side, risking herself as well as she added her magic to mine to help ease the pressure. It allowed me to control the spell without worry… and I sealed the Black Dragons away, they were plunged into the earth, pulled down into magical crevices that split along the ground, enormous ethereal chains hauling them in as if they were being pulled down to Tartarus itself. They disappeared, the seal shutting tight and not a trace of them remained.”

“As we arose victorious… Equestria celebrated, free from the disaster and death wrought by the dragons. But it was not without mourning. So many lives had been lost, and as the one who led the charge… I felt wholly responsible. And I barely had time to let it sink in before I found myself faced with a new task. Luna and I were no longer hidden from the rest of the world… and the population of the world revered us as gods and saviors. They specifically focused on me, praising me for devising the magic that defeated the dragons. Before I knew it, I was sitting on a throne in Canterlot Castle, the most central location of all the pony kingdoms… and all at once, the kings, queens, and monarchs of all kinds were gathered before me… lying their crowns at my hooves, proclaiming me the true ruler of all Equestria. I was hesitant to accept it all at first, but it became clear how the mortals felt about me, and I accepted the role as their leader. I felt it was for the best, I know that may sound like my heart was not in it… but during my time out of sight I had seen many things below… and one I never enjoyed was conflict. If all ponies saw me as their one true leader, perhaps I could be a beacon of peace. I would gladly wear the crown for that.”

“But... again. There was one royal who refused to give up his crown, despite the shock of all those his equal,” she glanced at Sombra. “He was scorned and branded a heretic… again. He stood in the center of the hall, still wearing his crown upon his head. He did not budge as the kings and queens of Equestria hissed and hurled insults at him… but he only scoffed at them, shaking his head as he stood over them and held his ground.”

“And…” Celestia smiled. “I did not care. I quickly silenced those berating him and gave him my blessing to continue his reign as he wished. The moment the words left my lips, all those scorning him turned and bowed their heads, afraid to speak out against me.”

“Sombra simply smiled, thanked me… and left. I watched him from the moment he turned. I took in his every step as he walked through the crowd, standing tall as everypony else hunched over and bowed. I could not take my eyes off of him. He had left me in awe on the battlefield, and was once again leaving me in awe here. He was so much to take in, and the way he stood tall and strode through the bowing crowd was so symbolic, so breathtaking. His pride… his elegance… how every step he took was filled with strength… it made my fur tingle… it gave me goosebumps… It intrigued me to no end. He was just so different than all the other mortals. Every other mortal I looked upon felt just like that… a mortal, a pony less than what I was and it was only reinforced by how they caved to my every whim and decision. He was so strong willed and so assertive… even to me! He was a maverick, unwilling to bow his head and give up his life as a king and leader. Call it strange… but his willingness to say no to me made my heart flutter, it filled me with excitement. Perhaps it was because despite me being a goddess… he treated me like an equal? All I knew was that I liked it…”

“I… had to know more about him. I had to look deeper. I had only seen him on the battlefield, and he had left me speechless there. What was he like in times of peace? I was so curious, so interested… it scared me. Luna quickly noticed. Just days into my role as the ruler of Equestria, I could not focus and I would not stop bringing him up. My subjects and advisors constantly spoke of the Crystal Empire and Sombra with disgust, and urged me to consider forcing him from power, but their words fell flat. I would do no such thing… I had no desire to tear down a figure that had me so infatuated. Luna eventually expressed her concern for my interest in him. She pointed out how I would brush aside my advisors when it came to him, yet I listened to them and acknowledged them with everything else. She asked me of my emotions, of my feelings, pointing out that my face would light up and sometimes change color when talking about him.”

“I knew of everything she spoke of, and tried to change the subject quickly, but she wouldn’t have it. Luna tried to remind me… to warn me of the philosophies and ethics once preached by our father in order to keep the balance of all life… including rules about coexisting and mingling with the world below… We had already broken most of those rules, but merely the general rules. In our role as rulers, leaders, we could still uphold most of the more specific of morals and obligations we carried as immortals.”

Soarin forced himself to stay quiet. She brought up her father again. All his life he had been convinced Celestia and Luna were eternal deities, beings that had always existed together and stood above all. What was this about a family and other gods? Were they also divine alicorns? This little revealed tidbit of her origin wasn’t helping her case to convince him of honesty and transparency, especially since she refused to go into it.

“More than anything else… our father had warned us to never fall in love with a mortal. It was an emotion destined to bring us pain… and bring pain to the mortal involved as well. I knew exactly what she was talking about… Luna had always been more wary and strict of our father’s wise words than I had… and I had always listened to her.”

“But… this time I did not. I even dismissed her concerns and lied right to her face, claiming that I had not forgotten our morals as immortals and would never go against the words of our father. I was interested, but not in love. And at the time… I think I believed that was the case. I was more interested than I admitted to Luna, but I don’t think I had yet realized exactly what my interest meant. I had only been in love once before in my immortal existence, and it was feelings I felt towards a fellow god, though nothing ever happened between us. I thought I understood it… I felt very different towards Sombra and assumed it wasn’t the same. But I was a fool… the feeling was simply much stronger… many times stronger.”

“And before I knew it, week later I found myself taking a brief leave of absence from Canterlot under the guise of a diplomatic trip to the Crystal Empire. It was easy to deceive my subjects and Luna, all I had to say was that I wished to hold a serious talk with him about his cooperation as a king. Luna seemed suspicious, but I held up the façade and appointed her to take charge while I was away. I felt bad being deceptive, but I had to do it… I had to visit the Crystal Empire. I could not get Sombra off my mind.”

“This is pathetic,” Sombra finally broke his restraint. Soarin glared at him again, but couldn’t get a word off as Sombra loomed right over him, the silhouette bearing down towards Celestia. “What are you trying to pull here? Use your wide eyed, feminine charms to soften me up?” He made a sharp head motion towards Soarin. “Or are you trying to soften him up and draw him to your side with all this fluff and romantic talk?”

Celestia glared at him, for the first time showing anger and defiance towards Sombra.

“He wanted MY side of the story!” Celestia said firmly. “And I’m GIVING it!”

“Such a waste of time,” Sombra brushed off her harsh words, growling and turning back around. He glanced down at Soarin, snorting before returning his focus outside again.

“Hmph!” Celestia huffed at his back, glaring for a few more seconds before continuing. “So AS I WAS SAYING…” she continued, putting herself back in the moment. “I traveled to the Crystal Empire, with a small escort of guards. The Crystal Airborne division received us as we drew near, sending word ahead of my arrival. I was not prepared for the welcome. Sombra had worked quickly upon hearing of my visit. When we landed on the castle approach there where lines of knights and soldiers standing on both sides of the path, holding banners as Sombra himself walked forth to receive me. His expression was soft, he looked delighted to see me, a stark difference from his demeanor in the heat of war. He greeted me, not with a bow, but with a kiss on the hoof like a gentlestallion, welcoming me to his kingdom as a mare, an equal, a fellow ruler. The greeting alone was enough to send waves of excitement through me. I finally got to see him face to face in times of calm. I wanted to see more of the softer side, the gentler side that he had just used to greet me. And the way he greeted me… it felt like I was being treated like a friend, not as a goddess. It was heartwarming, it made me feel comfortable the moment I arrived…”

She was beginning to trail off again, her voice starting to sound dreamy.

This was too weird. Soarin couldn’t understand it. It felt like Celestia didn’t understand the situation or was completely ignoring the severity of it… or how he felt about it… OR… the fact that she was trying to convince him of the dangers Sombra presented? This was not the manner of explanation he was expecting at all, nor the one he wanted. Maybe Sombra was right… was she trying to butter him up?

“Princess, I don’t mean to interrupt…” Soarin spoke up. He paused for a moment as Celestia glared at him too, as if she was trying really hard to relive a moment in her life and was miffed that she kept being interrupted. Soarin didn’t let the look phase him, he was fed up with gods trying to intimidate or control him, even if this case was very different as a whole. He was going to make his opinion on her whole ‘fairytale’ style explanation loud and clear. He glanced up at Sombra, then back down at Celestia. “If you’re trying to convince me that we’re dealing with an evil and dangerous foe here… you’re not doing a very good job.”

Soarin flinched as Sombra suddenly burst out laughing, guffawing heartily. Soarin could feel his body outside jolting as well, as if it was laughing along with him. Celestia flattened her brow, looking very miffed as Sombra laughed at her expense.

“Again…” she said with a harsh sigh. “You want to know everything, and I’m giving you the FULL story, I’m not leaving out key details like he did.”

“I could do without knowing how much his well-endowed, super alpha-male masculinity made your plot wiggle and shake like a paint mixer.” Soarin added sarcastically with an eye roll.

They had to pause again as Sombra, once again, burst out laughing to the point where Soarin’s body outside lost his hold on the mountain side for a moment and slid down several yard.

“Blast it… heh… hahaha…” Sombra cursed, but kept chuckling as he refocused on climbing. “Wait, what’s a paint mixer?” Sombra suddenly asked, but neither of the other two took notice.

“I’m telling you what I think is important, okay?” Celestia grumbled as she glared at Sombra, her face turning a little red out of embarrassment.

“Okay,” Soarin shrugged as much as he could from the ground with the shadowy bonds. “But you’re clearly not selling the story we were all taught in history texts.”

“I’ve accepted that your common knowledge and education on Sombra is very incomplete. It was purposely designed that way, but you already know more than I ever wished anypony to know. I am no longer trying to defend that version of the story. If you wish to know the full story…” she glanced at Sombra again. “And why I still believe he is dangerous, then you will let me tell it in full.”

Soarin gave Celestia a hard, impatient look. Now he was getting a little confused. Several points kept contradicting… The one that perplexed him the most was… Did she want to give him another chance and save his name, or did she want to contain him?That single point felt like it was being punted back and forth. Did she really know what she wanted or was she grasping at straws? The more he heard the more he felt Sombra was being more consistent… he wasn’t really considering trusting Sombra over her… was he? Though despite her long drawn out story and slight confusion, she was being much more specific, Sombra’s story was much more general, if anything Soarin would hear more of the fine points with Celestia… and Sombra had only spoken out against her clear tone difference, he had not spoken up to challenge any of those points… yet. For now, he just nodded and let her continue.

“Sombra gave me a full tour of the Crystal Palace,” Celestia went on before Soarin could get another word in. “I was in awe every moment, taking in every corner of the beautiful architecture and listening to him explain every function and significance of its halls. It was all very formal, very proper with a few of his guards as well as mine in tow. There was not a misstep in his language or his words. It was all of refined polite manner. Our last stop on the tour was the highest balcony of the central spire that overlooked the northern expanse of the Empire. It was a breathless sight, even more so than everything I had seen thus far. Both the palace and the kingdom itself were much more than I could have ever imagined, seeing them for the first time up close.”

“He then surprised me by bidding our guards leave us alone, and leading me over to a table already set up with tea. Now with just the two of us and the fresh, sweet aroma of crystal herb tea, he quickly dropped the formalities and spoke freely. To my surprise, he expressed just as much curiosity about me that I had about him. You’d think I would have seen it coming. He was, after all, staring at a goddess once only spoken of in legends and fairytales by mortals. But it flattered me nonetheless, perhaps because he actually was asking me in a conversational fashion and not bowing to me without hesitation like the rest. Truth be told, I was not prepared for his fascination with me. He wanted to know about me and my life as a goddess, but he asked and spoke as if I was just another pony… it was charming. I was a little embarrassed.”

“I told him many things, at least the parts about myself and godhood that I felt comfortable speaking about. And then in turn, he told me of his life as a king, and shared many fascinating details that were so different than my knowledge of typical rulers. We spoke for a long time, but I barely noticed the time going by. It had been so long since I had spoken to somepony normally, not even Luna had provided me with much in the ways of casual or personal conversation. It almost felt like he knew I needed it. His perception was unmatched, and he’d likely put it together during the tour of the palace. I had grown accustomed to being formal and stiff, but it was tiring, and I had no doubt my frustration with it showed a little. I never speak of this, but that afternoon we spent on the balcony may have been the first time I realized the power of friendship and the effect it has on an individual. Sombra knew I was a god, but could see how much I needed a friend over another groveling subject.”

“But… then the subject of the black dragons came up… I…” Celestia looked down, hesitating. “I lost my composure. Everything had been happening so fast, I was suddenly the ruler of Equestria and had many duties and decisions forced before me. I had nearly forgotten what had gotten me there in the first place. Being in his presence, feeling comfortable and relaxed for the first time in ages… I felt intense emotions rush over me. I began thinking about everything I saw… and everything I had lost to the dragons, both during and before the scourge. I felt so ashamed, shedding tears in front of a stallion who had fought so bravely alongside me, but I couldn’t help it… I couldn’t hold them back. He looked surprised, clearly not expecting it. Maybe it was because he made me feel so comfortable and so normal that I let down every guard and opened up my heart, but I told him everything. I told him about how hard it had been to be the ‘beacon of hope’, how difficult it had been to shoulder the burden of being a goddess yet being powerless to stop the dragons on my power alone. It hurt so much to see so many die while those who lived to fight another day looked up and reached out to me with pleading eyes… hoping and believing that I would save them all, bring them salvation… when I knew it was impossible for me to really do so on my own. I’m a goddess, and with the dragons gone, I was technically an all-powerful being. But that was not a status I could claim during the scourge, even with the mortals treating me like I was. I even went as far as to say I did not deserve the praise and status the mortals bestowed upon me once victory was achieved.”

“I thought for sure he found me weak… What kind of leader lets her emotions pour out? What kind of goddess cries in front of a mortal? It was a horrible first impression, or at least first personal impression. It went against the very air I put on while leading my armies, it made me feel fake.”

“But he quickly moved to reassure me that he understood exactly what I was feeling. He acknowledged that I was a goddess and reminded me that I had just recently come down from the clouds and inserted myself into the world below that I had once only known from afar. Just because I saw it from up there, didn’t mean I knew what it was really like. He did not expect me to know, or understand the burdens I immediately put upon myself, the hardships and dangers of a common life, though commended me for keeping my composure as I led the charge against the dragons. His words did not strike me as condescending, nor did they feel they were meant to label me as naïve. It felt like he understood… something I did not expect to feel from anypony.”

“He then told me of his own experience during the Scourge. How despite how he looked and how he held himself, that didn’t mean he enjoyed it… or was used to it. Every life lost was like a knife stab in the chest. He cherished every soldier and every knight no matter the importance or rank, because in the end they fought for him just as much as they fought for the rest of the empire. He felt personally accountable for every death. And once the war was over, he personally delivered the armor and weaponry of the fallen stallion or mare to the home of their family. He did so without regalia or anything that marked his status as the king. It was his way of showing each family that he was speaking not as a king, but as comrade, to be one warrior speaking about another as he praised the fallen soldier for their bravery and courage to defend all they hold dear.”

“He also told me of how my situation of being thrust into a leading role reminded him of his, how his mother and father were both killed in a war and he was forced to take the throne before he was even halfway through his teenage years. It became his duty to lead the armies to victory despite his youth and inexperience, but he held strong and did everything he could to fill the shoes of his parents. He was forced to go above and beyond, discarding all he once knew and understood about the world, training both his mind and body to become a king unlike any other… one that would make his parents proud.”

“His recollection touched me in a way I never thought I’d feel. Perhaps it was because I too had lost my mother and father, only to the black dragons… but the loss forced Luna and I into action, forcing us out of the sky and into the world below and lead the fight. Though Luna and I were not immediately thrown into a duty like his, it only made me admire him more for accomplishing such a feat.”

Soarin’s ears twitched. Again, divine alicorns aside from Celestia and Luna being brought up. She had already mentioned a father, this time a mother too. She made it clear she wasn’t going to elaborate, but there had to be more significance around it.

“Upon having our heart to heart, Sombra expressed that he did not wish for me to leave so soon… and invited me to stay in the Empire for a short time if my duties allowed it. He wished to show me all the comforts and luxuries his kingdom had to offer so that I might be at ease and put my mind at peace. I did have duties to attend to… I pretty much left Luna to deal with my schedule until I returned… but I accepted immediately. Why did I do such a thing? I had misgivings the moment I accepted, speaking faster than I was thinking. I felt like I was neglecting my responsibilities. But… being in his presence had been such a unique and enlightening experience. I never expected to feel so… comforted, so normal. The way he treated me was so charming. I wanted to stay with him. I wanted more.”

She was starting to get the dreamy look in her eyes again. And Soarin could hear Sombra grumbling to himself, though it did not sound like an angry grumble, more of an exasperated or a frustrated one. Soarin assumed he wanted her to stop digging so deep into the details and just get to the point… just like he did. But maybe he was missing something? Soarin had developed theories as to why she was making the story so long and drawn out… and most of them did not shed a positive light on her, but now throwing Sombra’s current reaction into the mix, he wondered… Was she also trying to remind Sombra of it? Sombra’s story was clearly focused on how he felt wronged and the major events that led to his demise. Celestia’s thus far… had focused on what a great stallion Sombra was. One side of her intent in this whole situation was his redemption after all. Despite Sombra’s insistence of knowing how she really felt about everything, was she trying to convince him otherwise? She was not dancing around her weaknesses either, like he so adamantly claimed she would. It was an interesting tactic, if this was her intention, but again, Soarin felt like she was forgetting that he was tucked in the middle of this and had been used for her ambition. She had yet to refute that. Either way, he was definitely stuck listening to the fluff and romance… and he assumed that’s exactly where she was going with this.

“Words cannot describe how delightful my stay was,” Celestia went on with a content sigh. “Sombra treated me to every bit of pleasure and entertainment of his land. I had never had so much fun in my life, and I mean my ENTIRE long life. And had never felt so welcomed by normal ponies, it was so much different than Canterlot. He showed me everything and everywhere we went we were welcomed right in. Nopony bowed to him, nopony knelt or groveled. He was greeted like a guest at every venue… and I was given the exact same treatment. They all followed his example in making me feel like a welcome guest and not as a messiah. Nopony blinked when they saw a mare roughly three times their size and taller than their own king walk in. He took me to restaurants, theatres, parks, libraries, spas, museums… Things I had never experienced, though I knew they existed in Canterlot. Yet my duties simply never allowed me time to enjoy myself, nor did I expect to be treated the way the crystal ponies did.”

“I had always wanted to see the entirety of the Crystal Empire… and it was as if he knew. And throughout the whole ordeal he continued to treat me as an equal, never once bringing up or alluding to the fact that I was a goddess. He acted like a gentlestallion, chivalrous and polite. Treating me and pampering me like a lady. Everything he did felt designed to detach me from the drag and strain that had been put on me with my new duty on the throne of Canterlot and give me the freedom to enjoy myself, if even for just a short time. And the more time I spent with him, the more my heart fluttered with delight. I began to notice that it wasn’t just the experience that was making me feel so good… it was HIM too. He made me feel so good. There was no doubt I would not feel the same if it were another pony simply leading and showing me around. I was spiraling… every word he said to me and every step he took infatuated me, enamored me. I began hiding my face from him every few moments because he made me blush so easily.”

“On the final night of my stay, it was the night of the Crystal Ball. Something I’m sure Sombra took into account when he proposed my stay. It was an annual event, one that typically took place a month from then, but it had been moved forward to celebrate the defeat of the black dragons. It was unlike anything I had ever seen or experienced. I had watched celebrations from afar up in the sky, I had heard the joy and laughter and always wondered what it would be like. It was beyond my wildest dreams. The entire empire participated, there was music and dancing in every direction, out into the streets in one large, nation-wide festival that spread forth from the castle courtyard where all were free to come and go, to eat and drink, dance and sing. Sombra and I remained at the castle, but I must’ve seen every single citizen of the Empire at least once, as ponies came and left, many approaching Sombra happily and he greeting them warmly like family.”

“We enjoyed the festivities, and Sombra eventually offered me to dance. I had wanted to from the start, but I declined nervously. I had never danced before and was… well… larger than everypony else. I was worried I’d draw attention to myself or break something. But… Sombra insisted. I think he saw right through me and knew I really wanted to. He led me out despite my misgivings. I was very clumsy, but once he got me to relax he led me gently and gracefully despite me being larger than him. It allowed me to flow with his lead, and once I understood that he was in control and all I had to do was follow his steps, it was easy. And it was so much fun, his strong, yet soft touch guiding me as the ponies around us parted, clapped, and cheered for us as we danced. But I barely noticed any of them, our eyes were locked on one another the whole time. I couldn’t look away. I didn’t want to look away.”

“Hmmmmm…” Sombra suddenly hummed quietly. Soarin quickly glanced towards Sombra, but he was still facing away. His head was tilted down, his whole silhouette glowing dimly.

“You remember that night, don’t you?” Celestia asked him, drawing Soarin’s attention back to her. She was looking towards Sombra with eyes that contained a mixture of pleading and longing. “You remember our dance?”

“Enough…” Sombra shook his head, remaining turned away. “I don’t want to remember it.”

“I remember the look in your eyes…” Celestia continued despite his request.

“Stop.” He raised his voice slightly, but it remained hushed.

“I remember my heart beating with glee as we danced… The look you were giving me was making me melt, I felt like putty in your hooves.”

Sombra’s silhouette was shaking. He wasn’t making a sound, but he looked like he was struggling with something.

“You told Soarin that it was I who pursued you…” Celestia suddenly brought Soarin into the conversation. “And that is true. I do not deny that I fell head over hooves for you. But can you really claim that you were not trying to woo me?”

“Enough…” Sombra repeated, this time with an angered growl laced within his breath as Soarin glanced between the two of them.

“You see, Soarin?” Celestia turned to him. “Perhaps it was a blunder of mine to fall in love, perhaps it was wrong of me to ignore the implications… But the reason I’m telling you all of this right now is so that you understand,” she paused and looked back towards Sombra. “We both had a role to play in it.”

“I SAID ENOUGH!!!!” Sombra suddenly roared, spinning around as the dim glow surrounding his silhouette erupted into a bright blue flash. “That does NOT free you from your own sins!” Sombra growled, leaning right over Soarin and presumably glaring at Celestia. “Do I have to remind you which of us is immortal?! You keep referring to yourself as a goddess, but your whole story thus far has been nothing but an attempt to put yourself on the same level as those who are not! You accepted a role that put you in a position of power above all and immediately acted irresponsibly, exploiting what you were for personal desires! I knew what you were! But I was not aware of your principles and you never stopped me!”

“I didn’t fall in love with any mere mortal! Are you not aware of what you were compared to the rest?!” Celestia fired back, cringing slightly as the shadowy bonds that held her down seemed to tighten. “You were so much more! You were beyond description! Everything you did was beyond the curve, it set you far above all others! Can you blame me for being so drawn in?!”

“Oh! So now I’m guilty for being ambitious?!” Sombra snorted. “Guilty for seeing limits as a challenge instead of a bookend?! Am I also guilty of being hospitable?! YOU were the one who made the first move! You were the one who initiated the personal visit while hampered by mare-ish romantic delusions!”

Celestia glared hard as Sombra’s silhouette as he hovered his featureless face inches from hers. It was different from the glares she had given him thus far. It wasn’t one of defiance, or the glare one would give an enemy. It was a glare of dissatisfaction… a glare of disappointment… a glare of disapproval as if she couldn’t believe what he was saying, or trying to claim.

“Sombra,” she said sharply, her breath hissing through her nostrils. “Look me in the eye… and tell me that you felt nothing for me. Tell me that you did not find me beautiful before that one specific night!” She made a quick head motion towards Soarin. “Look Soarin in the eye and tell him that you had no desires flowing through you! That your treatment of me like a lady was nothing but protocol! That you never thought of courting me and stealing my heart!”

“I… I…” Sombra stuttered, his silhouette shaking and his growl still just as fierce… but he struggled.

“You are guilty of being ambitious… but being ambitious is NOT a sin. You always wanted more, you never backed away from any challenge,” Celestia continued. “Perhaps the reason you had no queen was because you felt none would satisfy? But a goddess!? No mortal had ever had such a chance!”

“I…!” Sombra tried to answer again, but ended up just growling very loudly while nudging his face closer.

“ALRIGHT! ENOUGH!” Soarin suddenly yelled out,

“AGH!” Sombra grunted and twitched hard as a sharp pull yanked him away from Celestia followed by the entire area of Soarin’s mind flickering and buzzing. Sombra frantically glanced down at Soarin, again wondering how Soarin still seemed to have some grip on his mind, even if it was just on a mental level.

“Celestia, keep going,” Soarin demanded as Sombra recoiled and tried to hide what he felt. “And don’t stop to take any more personal jabs at him!” Soarin added. Celestia was still angrily pouting at Sombra, but she huffed and refocused on Soarin with an odd, calm expression on her face with her eyes slightly narrowed.

“Fine… We eventually left the party behind,” she went on with a quicker, fed up tone, her eyes darting to Sombra and glaring every moment or so. Soarin flattened his brow. She was going to go at him again, right after he asked her not to. “We retreated into the empty halls of the castle together and into the inner courtyard. He pulled me along, the two of us laughing as he led me in and we started dancing by ourselves to the tune of the hushed music from outside. He was no longer trying to lead me in step, we both moved clumsily like two little foals jumping and giggling as we stumbled and teetered our way in between the thick brush of crystal bushes and trees. We slowly disappeared from view, even from the few guards patrolling outside that remained dutiful and let us have our fun…”

Her tone did not change throughout. And the more she spoke, the less she focused on Soarin and the more she focused on Sombra, never dropping her flat expression or annoyed tone. Soarin cocked an eyebrow as he began to put together where this was going. Sombra suddenly turned back around as well and stared at her silently. He had no face nor any expression to read, but based on his quick reaction to the direction of the story, Soarin could tell this was simply meant to get under his skin.

“He showed me to a particular spot that completely hid us among the crystal bushes… He threw himself to the grass, pulling me down with him, we playfully wrestled for a moment, still laughing and giggling. I eventually used my size to my advantage, pinning him down with my longer arms… but after giving me a smirk, he put his great strength to use, and had me on my back before I could blink.”

“Are you kidding m—?!” Sombra tried to speak up but Celestia kept going.

“The moment became ours!” she yelled over him, lifting her brow towards Sombra as his chin extended, suggesting his jaw was nearly unhinged. “We could only stare into one another’s eyes so long before we shared our first kiss!” she kept yelling while staring right at Sombra, her eyes narrowing further, clearly trying to stick it to him. He kept trying to cut in but she wouldn’t let him, Soarin’s eyes twitching as he realized he let it go this far without stopping her.

“Uh…” Soarin managed to say, but was not heard at all.

“It became so passionate! It was the most perfect moment of my life! And it wasn’t long before he was dragging me to his bedchamber!”

Sombra’s silhouette was shaking with anger while turning back and forth between her and Soarin.

“HAVE YOU LOST YOUR M—?!”

“And when we got there we made—!”

“WHOA! WHOOOOOOOOOOOOA!” Soarin finally yelled out as loudly as he could. “OKAY! I. GET. IT! Will you stop it already and get to the part that matters?! You’re clearly just trying to get to him! I don’t need him going postal in my own body for crying out loud!”

“You asked for my side of the story! HMPH!” Celestia shot back in a haughty tone and huffed, turning her head away.

Soarin wanted to pull his mane out, but his arms were still bound. What the hell happened to the dangers of Sombra?! It didn’t seem like Celestia was being serious about this at all, at least not in the way he thought she’d be. Was he possessed by the soul of an insane monarch or just an old ex-coltfriend of hers?! This felt like it had turned into a bad marriage counselling session. Celestia seemed more interested in sticking it to Sombra than getting him the facts. He had never seen her act this way before. Was this what she was like outside official business?

“Let me finish this part for you,” Soarin spoke up. “The two of you went to his bedroom and made whoopee. I think I can piece that together without you giving me all of the details. I don’t need a play by play of you two having sex!” He yelled, but Celestia didn’t look at him, she kept her head turned away, it looked like she was subtly shaking too.

“Made… whoopee…?” Sombra suddenly spoke up. His voice filled with confusion. He clearly understood what they were talking about, but he had never heard that before. Soarin blinked and sighed, realizing he was using modern slang and terms in front of a being that had been sealed away for over 1000 years. And that was only one of the many new words for it he had learned from Fleetfoot… and Silver.

They were getting way off topic, he had to refocus both of them, Celestia specifically.

“I don’t get why you’re going through so much of your first meeting with him. It’s all very interesting, but you’re taking forever to get to the part that matters!” he demanded as Sombra continued to mumble to himself about words he didn’t understand.

Celestia remained quiet for a moment, not looking at Soarin, but her expression slowly turned glum and she sighed.

“It… matters to me…” she said in a sudden, choked up tone. Soarin blinked, the swift emotional change catching him off guard. “But… it apparently doesn’t matter to him.” She said with a sniffle.

Silence suddenly stretched between them.

Soarin had no idea what to say. He looked towards Sombra, who was facing Celestia. But again he had no visible features, so Soarin had no expression to judge a reaction.

But it seemed the silence spoke all on its own, side by side with the quiet sniffling from Celestia. Sombra had not hesitated to lash out at anything Celestia had said thus far. That left two possibilities. Either it didn’t matter to him, and his silence was an agreement… or he was unable to speak, because he did not want to cave and admit that the events Celestia spoke of meant just as much to him.

Either way, Soarin found himself in the middle of it. He suddenly felt a little bad for pushing her to this point… but only a little. He was still determined to get the rest of the story, but maybe with a little softer approach.

“Okay, look… sorry,” Soarin began, softening his words but keeping a strict tone. “You’ve made your point… you loved him. I understand that completely. And…” Soarin looked back at Sombra. “He loved you too.” Sombra flinched and quickly turned back around, remaining silent as Soarin refocused on Celestia. “I’ve learned some things from this part of the story and it has been an enlightening look into the past, but… I’m more interested in your point of view around when everything went wrong. If I’m going to decide what to believe… I must have your side of it.”

The silence returned once he finished. Celestia sniffled once more before sighing, turning her head back to Soarin without letting her eyes move to Sombra at all.

“Very well…” she agreed reluctantly. “Our love was strong… and only grew stronger as time went on. He was so much more than any other mortal around him.” Her voice sounded shaky, but she didn’t break down. “I was drawn to everything he was, everything he stood for. Years passed by, and our bond never weakened. Though it never really became public, rumors and whispers about the two of us swirled year after year. Some spoke of it romantically with starry eyes like a fairy tale of two rulers who fell in love… some spoke of it harshly, saying it would be improper. I never acknowledged any of it, and neither did he. But honestly, the rumors and whispers never surprised me… though we both kept it under wraps, I was horrible at concealing my admiration for him. It was likely my fault that the rumors were there in the first place.”

Sombra suddenly made some faint grumbling noises, but seemed to be paying more attention to moving Soarin’s body.

“But… as the years went on and turned into decades. I slowly began to realize why my father always warned us not to fall in love with mortals.”

Celestia paused, swallowing. She looked like she was trying to hold back tears and not let herself get all choked up. Soarin couldn’t tell if this was left over from her emotional shift, or if this due to where the story was going.

“Sombra was aging… and I stayed the same.” There was a slight slip in her words that sounded like a vocal crack or a hiccup, but she held it down. “He never lost his charm or demeanor… but his face was growing older, his mane was turning grey, his eyes were becoming softer… I… I was at a loss. I could see what was happening right before me, but I was unwilling to face it or accept it. But It wasn’t long before I could see it in his eyes… Sombra was no fool. He knew what was happening too and no matter how many times I gave him the same smile he always drew from me, he could tell that I was not at ease. He could tell there was pain growing in my heart.”

“I was filled with dread… I knew he still had many years left, but the days of his youth were gone while mine were eternal. The fire, the passion, the lust between us… it had all dwindled. We could not enjoy the pleasures we had once indulged in. It did not matter to me… he meant more to me than simple pleasure… and I did not believe it mattered to him either. We were in love, that would not change. He was still the stallion I fell in love with. But I knew it hurt him. I knew his waning strength and body damaged his pride.”

“It got to a point where I could no longer hide it from those around me. There was a sharp decline in my demeanor that coincided directly with Sombra growing older. It wasn’t long before Luna took notice. She knew very well of my fascinations with Sombra… and knew of the gossip as well. But… she had never suspected the two of us were actually romantically involved. She was one of my most adamant defenders against those who suspected. Luna believed in me… and always told me she knew I was smarter than that… that I would never go against the teachings of our father. Oh… how innocent and naïve she was… and how dishonest of me to lead her on for so long.”

“I will never forget the look on her face… her reaction when I finally told her the truth. She stared at me in shock. She was speechless, staring as if she didn’t even know who I was. All she did was turn and run off. It resembled the reaction of a young filly learning of a grave secret that ran contrary to everything she knew and… that’s more or less exactly what happened. I expected her to react that way… While we had been settled in for years now, living amongst the mortals was still new to us compared to how long we had spent only amongst our own kind. Luna had remained far more attached to our old life… and had never attempted to fully assimilate, feeling that we had to remain different, that we had to remain above in order to keep our status as higher beings. She had stayed firm to the teachings of our father and true to the belief that we had to keep ourselves above as immortals… I… had not.”

“Luna avoided me for quite a long time after that... as if she could no longer trust me or believe I was the sister she had always known. So now I had my cherished little sister at odds with me while also worrying about Sombra. And… while my commitment to Sombra did not falter, I began wondering about Luna… and if my failure to follow my father’s words like she had was a grave mistake that caused this situation. I felt torn in two directions by two ponies I loved. The weight in my heart was now so heavy that I no longer cared about being secretive. I refused to accept the consequences of either side and stuck to what I believed. I began traveling to see Sombra more and more, often pushing aside some of my duties to do so. My paranoia about him and his waning years was taking hold of me. I wanted to stay by him… stay loyal to him, I could not tear myself away from him.”

“And then one night… I finally snapped. What was yet another regular night in Sombra’s presence took a dramatic turn as I lost all control and burst into tears before him. I cried and cried while hugging him tightly and poured out everything I was feeling, telling him how afraid I was to lose him, how much it hurt to see him grow old while I did not change at all.”

“He kept his composure, even as I, a goddess, clung to him in tears. Even in his age he showed how much stronger he was than me as I let my weakness pour forth. But as my tears slowed down, and I eventually became comforted by his embrace… he asked me to follow him. I was surprised… I thought he’d simply continue to comfort me… and we were already in his bedchamber. What did he wish to show me?”

“There was a sudden light in his eyes, one that I was unsure how to read. Was it eagerness and excitement? That’s what I thought at first, but something was strange… something was off. It seemed unnatural, unlike him but I wasn’t sure why. He had my curiosity, but it was laced with plenty of worry as he pulled me along through the halls.”

Celestia looked down and shuddered, preparing herself to go forward.

“And then he showed me his study.”

There was a long pause. Soarin felt his body stop moving outside as well. He glanced towards Sombra, but he did not turn around. He remained facing away, but was definitely acknowledging the current point of her story.

“I was speechless… breathless,” Celestia went on. “What he showed me caught me completely off guard. He had been looking for a way to become a god.” She shook her head harshly. “And this had been going on for a long time, he had been hiding this from me, loose papers were everywhere, books were stacked high, incantations and magical equations had been written on book covers, on the drapes, even scratched into some of the walls. The unnerving state of his study and the research marking every corner… mixed with the look he had in his eyes as he showed it all to me… it terrified me. His face was lighting up with excitement that seemed normal on the surface, but when paired with what I was looking at, it sent my thoughts into a maelstrom.”

Soarin blinked as he caught movement out of the corner of his eye. Sombra had turned to look at her. Celestia saw him but averted her eyes from him.

“I know he will never accept me saying this now, but… at the time, at the moment, he could never have known what was going through my mind, he could never have known the thoughts and the memories that pounded through my head. The disconnect returned… I found myself thinking of what I had done by falling in love with him, the situation I had created by ignoring his wisdom. I thought about Luna, and the way she reacted to knowing I had committed such a wrong within the teachings of our kind. I looked around at the room with words written on the very walls, the obsession towards a sinful goal that Sombra was showing me. I shook as I found my memories reaching even further back… I could almost hear my father’s words in my head about our significance to the world… how he believed that we were created immortal for a reason, and that it was our duty to adhere to strict morals and protect everything we stood for. It was this very reason that my father, Astron, led the Alicorns against the Black Dragons when they first appeared. For he feared that their great power and ability to challenge the gods made them a threat to all existence. And that was when… All Luna and I knew and loved was destroyed… by beings that were as powerful as the gods.”

Astron. She finally dropped a name as well. Something both Soarin and Sombra noticed, but they knew she wasn’t going to elaborate, much to their dismay.

“Sombra was doing it for me, those were the words that left his lips… but I did not acknowledge them. All I could hear, all I could think of… Were the screams and cries of my family from the past as they were destroyed by beings with power that should not be allowed to exist. It drowned out everything and suddenly, I did not see Sombra before me… My vision had become plagued, clouded by past trauma. All I could see now was a pony that was trying to obtain a power that matched the gods… The same kind of power that the black dragons had.”

Sombra snorted quietly. Turning around sharply. Celestia visibly cringed as Sombra reacted, reinforcing her claim that he would not accept it, but she went on anyway.

“I lost control of myself. All the emotions I had been weighed down with, all of the misleading, the lying, all of the memories of my father and his guidance I had ignored, my questioning of my own actions… Had I been of stable mind I would have confronted him with concern. Instead… I snapped and it all came pouring out in the form of anger, frustration, fear, every possible negative emotion erupted from me as I lashed out at him. I condemned him for blasphemy, loomed over him and berated him for hubris, using words and concepts I had barely given a thought… the very words I once had to stop my own subjects from hurling at him."

"He backed away from me with a look of shock in his eyes that I completely failed to feel anything for as I unleashed on him and called him all sorts of horrible things. There was not a single bit of struggle or remorse in my voice, my base instincts as a goddess overpowering my conscience in ways I had never let happen before. I had fallen in love with him because he reminded me of a god, reminded me of those among my kind and my family that I had lost. Despite being a mortal, he was godlike and wasn’t even trying to be, it was just who he was. It always had me in awe, always had me enamored… But all it took was that one small shift… From naturally… to an actual attempt. It ran contrary to everything I loved about him and it caused my composure to collapse, the straw that broke the camel’s back along with everything else that had been on my shoulders. I knew it was impossible for a mortal to become a god, it just wasn’t universally possible, but I was not thinking logically and accused him of a crime of thought, a crime of consideration, a crime of attempt as if it was suddenly my duty to pass judgement on him.”

Celestia went silent for a moment, her body shaking a little as she swallowed and glanced over at Sombra.

“Sombra is absolutely right… At that moment, I did forget everything we had. I had strayed from the old ways of my fellow immortals, but it had clearly lingered in the back of my mind, erupting forth and stabbing at him beyond my control. I erupted with rage, blind to what my actions and words were doing to him, blind to the look of shock and pain in his eyes, deaf to his attempts to calm me down and explain himself. To me… at that moment… all I could see was a mortal committing what I still believed was a grave sin, and in my erratic and irrational anger… I thought nothing else of it.”

“I turned and left… I left him there and flew home without looking back. I did not think about what I had just done for a single moment the entire way. I was so angry, consumed with uncontrollable emotions from the moment I turned my back on him to the moment I landed back on the balcony of my chambers back in Canterlot Castle.”

“I stormed through the halls, my guards and subjects all frantically moving aside as my heavy steps nearly shook the entire castle. My mind was only set on the anger flowing through me, no rational or complex thoughts about the situation could squeeze their way in. But when I ran into Luna… she did not move aside like the others… and the look in her eyes confused me. We had not spoken at all since I revealed the truth about Sombra and I, but… her expression was filled with concern. She asked me what was wrong, but I ignored her and kept on past her. But then she asked… ‘Why are you crying?’”

“I was crying? How could that be? I was filled with anger, I was so focused on what I had seen and the weight of everything giving way and crashing down upon me that I completely failed to notice the wetness on my face, the droplets dripping from my chin after running down my cheeks. Luna’s words reached deep within me, the words and concerns of a fellow goddess grabbing hold and pulling my conscience and reasons free from my outburst… but it was not a relief. It was a hard slap to the face, an intense rush of realization.”

“I said nothing to Luna as she stood right in front of me and held her face close to mine, looking over me with deep concern as the tears continued to fall. I could not bring myself to say anything to her, about what had happened, about what I had done. Because I had finally broken away, stepped back and looked upon everything I had just done… and could not believe how I had acted. The tears were real, very real… my body was reacting without my mind, knowing what I had done before I could even think about it. And now I was crushed… in pure disbelief…”

“I had just said so many awful things and made so many baseless accusations to the pony I love. I had hammered down judgement without trial or explanation. His endeavor was impossible, but I did not even think to put that logic in play. Instead I crushed him verbally and emotionally, labeled him corrupted and twisted despite the fact that I knew he couldn’t really do it.”

“I left Luna in the dark. No matter how many times she asked me, I gave her no response. I locked myself away and remained out of sight for days… weeks… months. My subjects were alarmed, Canterlot was in disarray with their ‘leader’ refusing to show herself, but I didn’t care. I was devastated about what I had done, but I was…”

Celestia suddenly trailed off, she pulled her eyes away from Sombra, shut them tight, and cringed hard.

“I was afraid… t-to admit… my m-mistake,” she forced out. Soarin blinked. It looked like Celestia literally had to push the words out, force them as if it was incredibly painful to say. Sombra suddenly turned, noticing as well, but his movement was accompanied with a low growl. Celestia took a long, deep breath and continued.

“I was afraid to face him… afraid to hear what he’d say if he saw me again. I had gotten so used to being accepted and loved by the mortals, to never being questioned. The mere thought of being lashed out at, questioned, berated, rejected in any way… it scared me. Or perhaps it was because it was him specifically? Either way, it felt like I had made such a critical, irreversible blunder… and I did not want to face the consequences… I was a coward. I had let my emotions get the better of me, I let old memories and traditions take control in my confusion and I lost my grip on what actually mattered to me. How was I going to fix it? Could I fix it? No… I didn’t know and didn’t even try. I simply remained locked away, feeling I had already done too much damage and trying to right the wrong would only make it worse.”

“Eventually I emerged and continued my royal duties, but with a clear lack of gusto. And I never looked back. Out there in the Crystal Empire, I had left an old, aging King Sombra… the love of my life, in likely irreparable pain and emotional suffering, and had pathetically concluded that any effort would only yield more pain. I let it stew for years… the days ticking by without a single ray of joy ever gracing my face. None dared to ask what was ailing me, but many noticed that my trips out of the kingdom had ceased completely. Luna, try as she might, was never able to pry it out of me. She knew it had to do with Sombra, but beyond that she had nothing.”

“Not a moment passed that I did not think of him, and every second that went by my heart hurt more and more. With each passing day, the weight in my chest grew heavier… and as the days grew to years I felt like my heart was going to burst from the guilt as it continued to build and build. And the longer I remained away from Sombra, the less and less I felt it would make a difference if I were to actually act. Why? Why did I refuse to go to him? Why was I so scared? I was a goddess… ruling over mortals… yet the troubles of the mortal world really terrified me this much? My father was wise to keep us detached from their world in the clouds far above… nothing could have ever prepared me for this.”

“But then…” Celestia looked up at Sombra, who was still looking at her. “One day after several years of not seeing him… a wizard from the Crystal Empire suddenly arrived in Canterlot and demanded an immediate audience with Luna and I. The news of his arrival took me by surprise, and I quickly set aside all other duties to accept his request. My heart was beating quickly as he entered the throne room and for the first time in years I showed eagerness. I could not explain why. Was it because it was a visitor from the Crystal Empire? A messenger? Though I was shamefully unwilling to seek out Sombra… was he sending word to me instead? How childish of me… for a moment I believed that he had solved my problem for me… after years of no contact? I believed it, but how foolish I was…”

“He did have a message… but it was not what I had hoped. In fact, it shook me to my core. Sombra had not stopped his search for immortality after I left him behind years ago. And worse, he had lost all sense of restraint. He had been hurting himself, manipulating himself, casting forbidden art on himself, all in the desperation of unlocking the secret to eternal life. He had turned his studies on himself, becoming his own test subject.”

“At first my reaction was the same as all those around me. Shock… disbelief… fear… breathless gasps filling the room with every word spoken. This was Luna’s first time learning of his push for immortality as well, the look on her face spoke volumes, reminding me of my initial reaction. But then something happened to me. While I was just as stricken by the message of the wizard, nopony else in the room knew Sombra like I did and none of them were around for that moment, nor did they know of how the two of us separated. My heart jumped, a rosy, hopeful case of realization filling me from head to hoof. Had he continued because of my harsh words…? Or was it because he could see through my impulsive tirade and knew deep down that I was still afraid of his death? It was a heavily misguided fairytale of a thought… but at the time, I forced myself to see it as a glimmer of hope. I did not know the extent to which he had damaged himself, but perhaps… just perhaps… this would be my last chance to go to him… stop him… and fix all of it. I had fallen into a hole that I felt insurmountable, and this was a rope dangled just within my reach. I had to go to him, to tell him how I truly felt about it all with a level head and free of the base instincts planted within me through my father’s teachings. I did not know if Sombra was long for this world… or if there would be much of him left to apologize too, but if I did not take this chance and he died before I could make amends, I would be filled with sorrow for all of my eternal existence.”

“I had not heard the entire second half of the wizard’s message, I had gotten lost in my delusional hopes and leapt up from my throne, galloping right by everypony. I ignored all calls to stop as I spread my wings and flew as fast as I could all the way to the Crystal Empire, not slowing down for a moment as I pierced through the air like an arrow freshly loosed from a bow. I had let it go for far too long… possibly long enough that it would mean nothing… but regardless I was eager for this chance to face my shame, to look it in the eye and understand what I had done… so that I may never harm myself or anypony else again.”

“But… I was also worried for him… worried for what my words had driven him to do to himself. I did not know what I would see when I arrived. Would there be any trace left of the Sombra I once knew and loved? Or would I simply see an empty husk of his former self? An empty shell with a broken mind? I did not know, but I had to find out… I had to try and make things right, I didn’t care if it was a pathetic attempt… I needed to do it.”

Celestia stopped right there. She just stared right at Sombra in silence. Sombra stared right back, or at least Soarin assumed he was without features to show it. He had also stopped growling. This was the part of the story Soarin was waiting for, and from the silence he felt as if the two were reliving it quietly, something he’d never be able to fathom.

“But when I arrived…” Celestia went on, her voice shaking for a moment as she started. “I witnessed something that haunts me to this day. I flew right to the Crystal Palace, evading all calls by the Crystal Airborne Guard as I rushed by. They did not try to halt me, they knew me well, but the manner in which I approached alarmed them. I shot directly towards Sombra’s study, assuming he’d locked himself up in there. My heart pounded as I got closer… and when I saw an odd glow shining through the window, anxiety crawled beneath my skin. I landed on the balcony and forced the door open, breaking its lock and tearing it right from its hinges as I charged in and… froze.”

“Sombra was right there… it was the first time I had seen him in years. He looked very old and weak… almost too old, as if his experiments had caused him to age further, but that was the least of what caught me off guard. He was not alone.”

“Discord was there… He was standing before him, his arms outstretched and his chaos magic flowing from him into Sombra. There was a maniacal look in Discord’s eyes. A crazed, delightful expression on his face. I gasped and yelled towards them.”

“Discord’s head snapped towards me, his face instantly changing to a wide-eyed look of shock. I did not think about it for a moment. I had known Discord for eons and had never turned my magic against him with the intent to harm… but all I could see right now was his unstable, dangerous magic rushing into the stallion I loved. My magic was alight upon my horn and I was ready to unleash it upon Discord… but he disappeared in the blink of an eye as if he was never there.”

“With Discord gone, I came to my senses, suppressed the magic buildup in my horn, and desperately rushed towards Sombra… but it was too late, the damage had been done.”

“At the time, I had no knowledge of how chaos magic worked or how to repel it, so I was powerless and forced to watch as the chaos magic enveloped Sombra and… twisted him. My body filled with dread as it corrupted him. His aging reversed, his face growing young and his old, withered body once again filling up with powerful muscles. His horn shattered, a bright red, curved spike jutting forth from his skull. He grew fangs, his eyes glowing green with purple magic vapors endlessly rising from them. He grew larger, matching my size, but the pressure of his presence made him feel like a giant looming over me.”

“When the transformation ceased… I was now looking upon a monster that was once the stallion I loved with all my heart. I did not think of my own safety. Instead, I began calling his name. My words were shaky and laced with wails as tears rolled down my cheeks. But no matter how many times I called to him, he did not answer. He fixed his eyes on me, snarling and growling like a wild beast and… he attacked me. He unleashed his newfound power upon me.”

“It was a one sided battle. I could not fight him. I could not focus. I simply defended myself as I continued to say his name, begging him to stop and hear my words. Something within me refused to believe he was gone. I believed he was still in there, and could still hear me. But my hopes nearly got me killed. Sombra almost destroyed me, his ruthless attacks pelted me over and over as I hesitated to return fire. He roared and… laughed as he struck me again and again. It was insane, out of control laughter. It chilled me to the bone… and dashed all of my hopes.”

“I was crushed emotionally… I was hurt physically… I had to get away. So I fled.”

“Upon my return to Canterlot, my strength gave out before I could make it to my tower chambers. I fell out of the sky and crashed in the courtyard, falling right at the hooves of a large force that Luna was about to launch to go after me. I was swarmed by my subjects and Luna immediately. I was pressed from all directions on what happened to me but… I was too stricken to speak. I simply requested that I receive medical attention first. My subjects demanded I explain, but Luna forced them all aside, and helped me to my room, I lost consciousness halfway there. I did not come to until a day later, and despite my alicorn magic, it took a few days for me to fully heal. It spoke volumes towards the kind of power Sombra had acquired. I did not speak up during those days I was bedridden… but it did not matter.”

“News quickly reached Canterlot of King Sombra going mad, a strange, unknown power corrupting him. Refugees were already arriving from far north, speaking of how Sombra had plunged the Empire into a state of fear, slavery, and tyranny. He was already attacking nearby villages, and threatening nearby kingdoms with war if they did not submit to him.”

“Upon hearing of all this from a very frantic Luna, I rose from my bed and made my way down to the throne room, enduring questions from her every step of the way. I got exactly what I expected when I entered the throne room. I was bombarded from all sides, everypony turning to me for some insight, for an answer on how this happened, because it was known Sombra and I were ‘acquaintances’ and some had already put together that I was likely injured by him. The fear and worry in their eyes was palpable. They did not question my power, they were fearful of a power that could hurt me, showing just how faithful they were in me as a goddess.”

“But…” Celestia sighed, stealing a quick glance at Sombra as if knowing what she was about to say was part of his criticism of her. “I did not tell them exactly what I witnessed.” She paused, and as expected, Sombra grumbled to himself for a moment. “Why? Perhaps I was foolishly believing that, despite what I had seen and encountered, that Sombra was still there? Maybe it was because I didn’t wish for them to press me on how it all came to this point? Or… could it have been that I was reluctant to tell them that this had been caused by a god? By Discord? Would that harm their trust in me?”

“I saw no benefit to any of those scenarios. This was a mess caused by the gods and it was now a problem for the mortals… so as a goddess, I felt it more important for us to act. How we reached this point was in the past, there was no changing it, and no use explaining it. I had to do something about Sombra before he wreaked havoc all across Equestria and beyond.”

“So I struck down their questions, and took on a commanding air. I called upon all my advisors and military captains to meet with me immediately. It was clear they were confused, but I… reluctantly… used my status as a goddess to force their questions aside and convince them to heed my word.”

“As Sombra mentioned before, I sent word out to all kingdoms within our reach and created a massive coalition. The news of Sombra had already reached far and wide, well beyond the borders of Equestria, and they were all eager to come to the table and discuss what had to be done. The mightiest militaries all came together to fight. Even the Griffons and Drakes, for the only time in their long bloody history, set aside their wars to join us and fight back.”

“Throughout the process of gathering our allies… the reality of the situation really began to sink in. I began to understand and realize where I stood… and that there was really nothing I could do to save Sombra. I saw with my own eyes what had happened to him and I knew of no way to reverse it. It hurt, it tore my heart in two, but I had to be strong. I could not choose a twisted, possessed lover over the rest of the land. I was a leader… I had to make the right choice.”

“Ha!” Sombra suddenly guffawed, turning and chuckling to himself while shaking his head. Soarin glared at him, but Celestia’s lack of response prevented him from telling Sombra to shut it. Her lack of rebuttal and the look on her face signified that she knew exactly why he laughed. One of his themes of his side of the story, after all, was that Celestia was never really the ‘leader’ she claimed to be.

“Our coalition outnumbered Sombra’s armies nearly ten to one,” Celestia shrugged it off and continued. “But regardless it was not easy. Sombra’s army was relentless, the same warriors that tipped the scales against the dragons were now facing us head on. One would think being forced to fight would cut into their motivation and efficiency, but in his crazed reign, Sombra had forced the families of every soldier, knight, and captain into captivity and threatened to kill them if they disobeyed. The motivation and drive of Sombra’s soldiers was replaced by desperation. They fought like animals in fear of losing what was most dear. It was a horrid sight, but we had no choice. We eventually forced Sombra and his military all the way back to the Crystal Empire, boxing him in from all sides as the superior numbers of our force eventually overcame the skill and prowess of his.”

“It was there in the very streets of the Crystal Empire, on the road approach to the palace, that I met Sombra on the battlefield. And this time… I did not hold back. I had prepared myself for this moment. I knew it was coming and had steeled myself. For the first time since confronting the black dragons, I fought with all of my might. I can remember all of those around me… both armies had stopped fighting and turned to watch as the two of us clashed in the very heart of the battle. They were left frozen in shock and awe as their leaders collided. Sombra’s powers were greater than I ever imagined, forcing me to unleash my divine power to an extent which I never had before. The area around us was pounded, shredded, buildings collapsing and roads turning to dust as our magic flung wildly, rushing and smashing together, deflecting and sending wayward beams and blasts everywhere. But even pushing myself this far… Sombra was able to keep up. He had become exactly what my father had always feared… a mortal with the power to challenge the gods. My body strained and burned as I was forced to harness the very powers of nature I possessed… the power of the sun itself.”

“But… even though his power nearly matched mine, there was one difference that was ultimately his downfall. I was immortal… he was not. And as the fight went on, it became clear that his body could not sustain such a constant flow of awesome power. He also lacked mastery, overusing energy with every attack. He was imprecise and his execution sloppy. He did not understand the power he wielded and in his crazed state, could not see that he was hurting himself. Eventually, his power began to wane… and I finally had an opening. I struck him down, and he lay twitching on the ground, groaning in severe pain.”

“But then my heart began to twist, my chest felt tight… as I watched him slowly roll over and push himself back up. He was covered in his own blood, riddled with burn marks, his erratic magic seeping upward from his body and horn as he grunted and panted. My body tensed up, but I did not falter, I struck him down again. But despite the intense punishment, he stood up once more. So… the process repeated, I knocked him down over and over again. Each time hurt me more… because what I was looking at, what I was seeing… it reminded me of our first encounter… it reminded me of what I saw when we fought side by side against the black dragons.”

“He would not give up, he refused to stay down no matter how many times I delivered what would have been a decisive, fatal blow to anypony else. Eventually his eyes appeared behind the fading glow. They were still crazed, still the eyes of the beast he had become, but they were filled with nothing but unwavering determination. And all the preparation I had done, all the focusing I had forced myself through to be ready for this moment, it was all for naught.”

“I felt tears welling up in my eyes, despite holding a firm expression. The thought that held me back before was returning… was I looking at him? Was he still in there somewhere? Despite the eyes, what I was looking at reminded me of everything, of his will, of his strength, of everything that made him so special, everything I fell in love with. It made me incredibly conflicted and it was clear that no matter how many times I hit him, I would never extinguish his fighting spirit…”

“But that did not change the situation, no matter how much it pained me. He had become something that I could not allow to exist. In his current state, he possessed a forbidden power that was a danger to all. I came to the conclusion… that I would have to seal him away. I saw no other option, no other way around it.”

“But would I be able to? What would be the cost on me? It was not so simple. The black dragons, they were strong, they were intelligent, they were powerful… but Sombra was different. It didn’t matter that the black dragons were enormous, and that they were many. That was not the core of how the sealing spell operated. Sombra had something the dragons did not that would be a challenging roadblock… Unbreakable willpower and unyielding determination. A sealing spell is only as powerful as the mind of the caster… and if the target is also one of strong heart and will, they can resist it. Divine alicorn magic is also dangerous, as I already mentioned. If I was forced to push beyond my limits, beyond safe levels, I could destroy myself trying. But there was no other solution… so I had to use what was available to me, even if it meant taking drastic measures. Failure was not an option, so I was forced to make a bold, heartbreaking move to ensure success.”

“As I conjured the spell and gathered my magic, I also drew forth the magic of the Crystal Empire itself, using its very spirit to hold him down and support me. Unfortunately, this method meant that I would be sealing the Crystal Empire away with him… and since the Crystal Ponies shared such a strong spiritual connection with the kingdom… they would be dragged down too. I felt it tyrannical of me to commit such an act, the citizens of the Empire were not to blame for Sombra’s actions… but without the Empire and its magic, I felt I could never had ended it. It was a necessary sacrifice of few… to save many.”

“So with a heavy heart… I cast the spell. A bright light shot along the ground from my hooves, spreading forth until it expanded to cover every inch of the ground surrounding the Crystal Empire. Tears fell down my cheeks as I watched the Crystal Empire… slowly sink into the light. Sombra’s enslaved soldiers cried out and screamed as they were pulled down and drawn into the light with it. But even as the vacuum tugged at him, Sombra resisted. He sank down slowly, but was not pulled in like the others.”

“As the light reached the middle of his legs, he halted, growling and straining, still refusing to go down despite the enormous pressure. Not even his magic could escape, the vapors rising from his eyes turning down as the very power he possessed was sucked out of him. His very aura was being yanked from his body as he struggled to stay up… but again slowly sank in.”

“But then I gasped, my eyes widening immensely… because I saw something. As the light reached his chest and his magic continued to be pulled in faster than he… His eyes changed. The possessed eyes wrought by the chaos magic… they were faltering, flickering, and slowly vanishing to reveal… the eyes I knew.”

“It was him. It was my Sombra.”

“I could not stop the seal… but in the brief moment I saw his eyes, right before his body gave out and he was pulled under. I did something, an impulse… a reflex… I cast another spell quickly without a moment of thought or even thinking about which spell it was as if it were an instinct. It was automatic.”

“The light beneath me vanished. The Crystal Empire was gone… the Crystal Ponies were gone… And Sombra no longer stood before me. The leftover residue from the seal soaked up and gathered in front of me… and before me floated the Crystal Heart. Mere seconds after it appeared it shot down and plunged into the earth below and disappeared from sight.”

“As the dust cleared and the empty, open expanse where the Crystal Empire once stood appeared before me… Our coalition of armies cheered and celebrated. Several commanders and Luna all landed near me and rushed up to me with delight.”

“But I did not know what to say to them… because none of them knew what I had just done. I smiled and nodded nervously as they praised me, several of them, or at least among the ponies, bowing and acknowledging my might as a goddess and telling me they never doubted my power. But it was a complete façade on my part. Not even I was sure if I could explain what I had just done. I was still trying to put together in my own thoughts what had caused me to cast the second spell before the seal was complete. It wasn’t even a spell I had thought could do what it had just done. It was a nature spell… a spell meant to draw forth spiritual forces from living things… and I had just used it here on instinct, a reflex. It was only meant to harness spiritual power… but the matter in which my body cast it, the amount of power that was forced into it… it took ALL of it. All of… him… right out of his body.”

“And now… I had the soul of another pony stored within my body… Sombra’s soul. It was in tatters, a broken spirit, but it held together by some unseen force. Perhaps it was his will to live, holding his soul together despite not even having a physical body. That brief glimpse of his old eyes before he was gone, it was all I needed to see to know there was still a trace of his old self in his possessed body… and in that split second, I managed to extract it and keep it on a whim. For the moment… I did not know what it meant nor what I was going to do with it… but as several groveled at my hooves and praised me for ending the tyrant Sombra had become… I knew that I would have to keep it a secret. No amount of convincing would sway everypony, not after what we just faced.”

“For all I knew, there was nothing I could do with it… but if nothing else, I would always have a piece of the stallion loved with all my heart inside of me forever.”

Celestia released a long sigh.

“There was much celebration after the defeat of Sombra, and I played along with all of it. Songs were written of our battles and triumph, lore was written in texts… and as time went on, it became clear I would have to keep the presence of his soul to myself. Sombra was always a subject of scorn amongst those in powerful positions. His unwillingness to submit to me drew great ridicule… and this mindset was reflected in history writings and archives. I wanted so badly to speak up, to refute their words and set the record straight, but I did not know what to say. I did not know what it would do to their perception of me if they knew my role in all of it. So I kept my lips sealed and was forced to watch over time as Sombra’s name slowly became that of a villain. His true legacy tarnished and forgotten."

“I thought he was lost for good. That the only truth about him would live on in my thoughts and a small sliver of his being would be dormant in me forever… but I was wrong. As years passed… hundreds of years… as several events in history transpired… Discord’s first wrath… Luna’s banishment… several Griffon Drake Wars… I began to notice something. Sombra’s soul was not docile, and to my great awe, over time it eventually completely reconstituted itself. It was whole again. I could scarcely believe it! I could not speak with him… but he was all there, I could feel his entire presence. Even after all this time… even with no body, Sombra was proving, yet again, just how incredible he was. He had reconstituted his spirit, pieced back together his conscious, and hold himself together without a body through sheer force of will. No mortal pony was supposed to be able to do that, I always believed holding an ethereal, spiritual form without a physical presence was only something gods were capable of.”

“But he had done it… and now I had the whole spirit of Sombra, a fire that never seems to die out, stored with me.”

“And…” Celestia locked her eyes on Soarin. “That is how we got here… to the events that you know today. I felt that having Sombra’s soul free from the chaos magic would bring him back to his senses… but over time as his thoughts became clear in my mind, I noticed that he still sought the power of the gods. At first I felt I could possibly return him to his body… but when the seal on the Empire broke free and his empty body rampaged… I was afraid to approach it, afraid what the reaction of his spirit inside me would be. That’s why I sent Rainbow Dash’s friends to take care of him instead of going myself. But even after his body was destroyed… I still felt there may be a way… I did not know why, but I felt determined to redeem him regardless of his vengeful thoughts, of his desires to still find the power of the gods that led him to insanity. I wanted him to be whole again in some way so that I may face him and bring him back to his senses. I did not trust giving him a new body… but I felt maybe, there could be somepony that could keep him at bay within their own… somepony with a strong will and unbreakable spirit just like his. Finding such a pony seemed like an impossible task, there was no pony like him."

"And that’s where you came in. You know the rest. My reasons for putting him within you were just as he said, but my intentions were never to harm you… I had faith that you’d be able to control him. But it looks like I underestimated him again… And now everything has gone horribly awry. We’re both trapped in your body and he’s in control, still being driven by the desire of acquiring forbidden power that he does not understand nor can he control.”

Soarin stared blankly as she finished.

That was… A lot to process… but she had complied, that’s what he wanted to hear and he got it, even if it was a bit drawn out and full of details he didn’t really need to know.

But before he could say anything, Sombra suddenly loomed over him again.

“What a pathetic recount…” Sombra growled towards Celestia as she kept her eyes on Soarin. “You twisted it into a tear-jerking sob story,” he harshly criticized as she slowly looked up at him, her eyes remaining calm.

“I told it from my heart… Sombra,” she said in a gentle tone, only to be scoffed at.

“You’re trying to win him over with sympathy!” he snarled. “You’re putting yourself in a favorable light instead of admitting you were in the wrong and—”

“She DID.” Soarin suddenly cut him off, causing Sombra to freeze and turn his head down towards him. Soarin was glaring harshly right back at him. “Unlike YOU.”

“I beg your pardon?” Sombra hissed towards him, narrowing the gap between them. Soarin shook his head slowly.

“I wanted to hear both sides of the story… and I did. You both told the same story from very different points of view.” He pointed at Sombra. “Yours was very eye opening… it revealed many things I had never considered, but you told it with anger, with a clear vendetta, a thirst for revenge.” He pointed at Celestia. “SHE… told hers with regret. And several times admitted fault in her actions. That doesn’t quite line up with your claim that she would never speak poorly of herself. In fact, she did several times. And I’ve never seen her act this way before in my life.”

“Perhaps the truth laid forth compelled her to!” Sombra shot back. “Are you truly foolish enough to be swayed by beauty and long eyelashes laced with tears?!”

“You cannot blame me for all of your actions.” Celestia suddenly cut in. Sombra sharply turned to her.

“Yes I can, and I WILL!” he barked in her face, causing her to wince and turn away. “None of this would have happened if you had adhered to your laws of godhood you so like to cite often to others! And perhaps you can elaborate on this apparent father of yours you keep bringing up so perhaps we can understand just how far you strayed from his wisdom?!”

Celestia shuddered and frowned, shutting her eyes tight and whimpering as Sombra brought up her father again. Soarin snorted loudly, trying to keep Sombra focused on him.

“You really believe she’s to blame for all of it?” Soarin spoke up, immediately drawing Sombra’s attention back to him.

“With every fiber of my existence,” Sombra confirmed without a moment of hesitation. Soarin lifted an eyebrow.

“You don’t feel you are at fault… in any way in this?”

“It all happened because of HER!” Sombra pounded a shadowy hoof on the ground between them, causing the surrounding light to jolt and flicker, but Soarin didn’t even flinch.

“ANSWER THE DAMN QUESTION!” he yelled, the flickering lights freezing as Soarin projected his voice, his words echoing throughout. Sombra did not move, he just kept his head angled towards Soarin. Soarin was getting tired of not being able to see his face, but there was nothing he could do about that. “Correct me if I’m wrong, but YOU were the one who invited her to stay in the Crystal Empire. I recall both of your stories included that. And it was also YOU… that treated her to the comforts of your kingdom.”

“She is a goddess!” Sombra tried to cut in. “She should have—”

“Okay, I’m sick of this too, is she a goddess or not?! You can’t seem to decide!” Soarin cut him off, causing Sombra to shift back slightly in surprise. “One moment you tell me she does not deserve to be called a goddess, the next you’re citing and acknowledging the fact that she is one as part of your argument against her. WHICH IS IT?!”

Sombra did not reply.

“Don’t talk to me about her twisting her story when you’re contradicting yourself!” Soarin continued to press. “And in this case, I don’t think it really matters. You want me to look at her and judge her as a normal mare? FINE! If you ask me, any mare would have fallen head over hooves for some big shot, ‘god-like’ king who personally treats them to every pleasure available to him. Or were you really not as great as she claims?”

Sombra kept silent.

“You two danced together in a festival and ended the night lap smacking! And you expect me to bend over backwards and assume the situation was entirely her doing?! I don’t care how old you are or what time period it was! Stallions will be stallions!”

Even Celestia was speechless as Soarin laid out his thoughts on the whole matter.

“Grghhhh…” Sombra growled, but still did not retort. Soarin looked between the two of them, giving them both harsh glares.

“Falling in love isn’t a one-way street, and if you want me to look at this without the labels of ‘king’ and ‘goddess’… then all I see is a mare and a stallion in a romantic, yet tragic course of events. As far as I’m concerned… you are both equally responsible for how this all began, and neither of you can say that the end result was entirely because of the other. You both made missteps!” He turned sharply to Sombra. “And you know what? She admitted she made mistakes and came clean.” He narrowed his eyes as he paused. “Anything you want to admit?”

The two stared at one another, Soarin’s glare piercing right through the translucent silhouette of Sombra. He remained quiet for several seconds, very faint grumbles and grunts could be heard as he seemed to be stuck in a corner Soarin had forced him into.

Then Sombra suddenly and quickly turned his back, moving away as he refocused on controlling Soarin’s body. Soarin flinched and blinked as he felt his arms and legs move outside again.

“Hey!” he yelled, “I’m waiting!”

“You are a fool…” Sombra finally said quietly. “Just like I was.”

Soarin gritted his teeth.

“I’ll take that as a no,” he said harshly, but Sombra only shook his head.

“It doesn’t matter. I have control of your body, and I will have full control eventually. I’m only giving you the choice between the process being painless or painful. This is just another goal in my life that I will figure out and surmount. You are nothing but an obstacle. And you will be dealt with.”

Soarin exhaled sharply through his nose as he kept glaring at the back of Sombra’s head.

“We’ll see about that, tough guy…” he said mostly to himself, knowing Sombra was no longer listening to him. Sombra was beginning to annoy him, an odd way to describe something that had control of his body, but that’s truly what the situation had become. Instead, he looked to the resting image of Rainbow Dash’s soul, still lying beside him. If anything, seeing her would be enough to calm him down.

“Soarin…” Celestia suddenly spoke up. Soarin blinked and looked to her. She was smiling weakly. “Thank you…”

“Princess, save it.” Soarin harshly snapped at her. Celestia gasped and Soarin felt his body stop moving. Sombra was glancing back at him again, his ears up, perhaps surprised? “I appreciate you giving me your side of the story, but… Is what he said true?” Soarin asked while making a head motion towards Sombra.

“Wh-what?” Celestia asked, still stiff from surprise. Soarin kept a serious gaze on her.

“Did you purposely not intervene or warn of the Shadowbolt tornado attack on Ponyville… so you could go through with this?” Soarin elaborated.

“I…” Celestia shuddered and looked away, her lower lip quivering.

“Princess… where were you that night?” Soarin pressed, not letting up and not letting her fragile state hold him back. Sombra thought her charms and delicate mannerisms swayed him? He was about to prove him wrong. “Answer me,” Soarin kept on. “And be honest. Give me a reason to believe your side of the story.” He made every word sharp and stern.

Soarin could not see it, but Sombra was watching him very carefully.

“I… was…” Celestia struggled, swallowing as she paused. “Yes… I knew it was going to happen.”

“And?” Soarin pushed. Celestia shut her eyes tight and sniffled.

“And I… was watching from afar.”

Silence.

Soarin felt a tightness in his chest. He was remaining level headed… but what he just heard… it made him angry. So it was true… she really was there… and she watched as Ponyville came under fire, and as Descent almost killed him. All because she wanted a smokescreen to transfer Sombra’s soul to him… and apparently a piece of hers as well.

“Hmph,” Sombra suddenly grunted. “She admits it.”

Soarin narrowed his eyes as he slowly looked towards Sombra.

“You’re right,” he said to him, getting Sombra’s attention as he glared defiantly at him. “She did admit it. Now how about I ask you again… is there anything you want to admit? Or are we just going to stick with your angry story and thirst for revenge?”

Sombra inched backward, remaining quiet.

“You want to ‘save the world’ from the ‘gods’ and replace them?” Soarin snorted. “I don’t know, how am I supposed to believe you won’t go mad with power… like you already did? Discord gave you his magic huh…? Sounds like you already had a chance to control some godly power and failed miserably!” Soarin yelled. Sombra was clearly caught off-guard. And Celestia was as well. Soarin was continuously pressing them both, and wasn’t letting anything slide. He was poking holes in their narratives, pointing out the faults and wringing them for answers.

“Y…YOU…!” Sombra roared while moving his head down towards Soarin.

“YEAH?! WHAT?!” Soarin extended his neck forward as far as his bonds permitted. Had he been free, he would have definitely butted heads with Sombra, regardless of his lack of physical form. “Who made you the judge of what’s best for Equestria?! You can’t assume the same thing won’t happen!”

“YOU don’t know me!” Sombra barked right back. “I learn from my mistakes! I adapt! I conquer all of my weaknesses!”

“And THEN what?!” Soarin didn’t let up. “You’ll destroy the two icons that all of Equestria loves dearly and expect them all to just fall in line?! ‘Oh goody!!’” Soarin suddenly took on a sarcastic tone. “‘The beautiful princesses of Equestria were just killed by this crazy guy that we all thought was dead and are all convinced is an evil tyrant! But that’s okay! We love him now! Happy days!’” Soarin slammed his teeth shut and snarled at Sombra. “You haven’t even thought about what happens after that, have you?! You just want to get back at the gods! To crush them under your hoof for doing you wrong! Is that it?!”

Sombra kept inching forward, each time taking a breath, but never saying a word back.

“WELL?!” Soarin yelled right into his face.

Sombra inched forward one more time…

But then suddenly pulled all the way back.

“E…enough…”

Soarin’s ears perked up and his eyes widened. Celestia noticed it too. Sombra’s tone had done a complete shift. He turned away from them… and Soarin felt his body moving outside again, climbing once more.

“You could never truly understand what I’ve been through… The course of my life, the fall into despair, consumed by a power I could not control… and then locked away, my legacy forever tarnished, my deeds as king forgotten, and little to no hope of ever regaining my purpose again.”

Soarin was speechless. Had he actually… cracked through Sombra?

“What…?” was all Soarin managed to say.

“Purpose… Soarin. We are nothing without it.” Sombra went on as he faced away from him. “Everything I was, everything I knew and stood for… My purpose is over a thousand years gone… yet here I stand now, a soul within a borrowed body, given a chance to walk Equestria once more. I did not expect a second chance. I did not believe Celestia would be so naïve to set me free. I lay dormant for centuries, thought over my entire life millions of times over… and now here I am.”

He paused for several seconds, then shook his head as he turned and looked at Soarin.

“My purpose had always been to protect my kingdom, my ponies, and any of those I could consider a friend. My world might be long gone, but that belief has not changed. And after what I’ve been through, after what I’ve seen and experienced… I feel it is my duty to stand against the gods who have abused their position, neglected their followers, and ultimately brought me to my end and erased my legacy. I will stand against everything they are, even if it scares those who stand beneath me. They may never know why I stand above them, they may always scream and run from me… But I don’t care. I’m doing this for them. And—”

He suddenly stopped and gasped, turning abruptly.

“Huh…? Soarin blinked.

---

Soarin redirected his thoughts and fixed his focus on his body, specifically his eyes as he ‘felt’ what was being seen through them on the outside. Sombra had made it to the top of the mountain, or at least a small plateau near the peak. He had stopped, frozen in place as the wind and snow continued to whistle and rush around him.

But there was something distinctly different. It was night… and yet something was lighting up the area as if it were bright as day.

It was the Crystal Empire in the distance.

Soarin joined Sombra in looking out and viewing the Empire from afar. It was glowing beautifully beneath the large magic dome that surrounded it, the snowflakes glistening as the light of the Empire touched them.

Soarin quickly noticed Sombra’s behavior through the position of his own body. He was standing still, his eyes wide and his mouth slightly agape, simply staring towards the beautiful sight far below.

Soarin was briefly distracted as he noticed the Nimbus parked near the castle. It stood out like a sore hoof compared to the unique architecture of the rest of the city. He felt a huge wave of relief wash over him, knowing that the Wonderbolts had made it safely to their destination, even though it was without him.

But what was going on with Sombra? He had not moved, nor spoken since he reached the summit. He was just staring.

“My…” Sombra’s voice suddenly squeaked out, instantly catching Soarin’s attention. “My kingdom…” His voice sounded choked up. Soarin could feel his lower lip quivering slightly, his eyes felt misty, and one of his hooves dug harder into the snow. “It’s… just as beautiful as I remember it…” Sombra continued.

“It was sealed away with your body,” Celestia suddenly spoke up from within. “And was only released recently. So it’s only aged a few years since—”

“Celes, I know,” Sombra cut her off. “But that doesn’t change the fact that I haven’t laid eyes on it… in over a thousand years.”

Soarin felt wetness in his eyes. And a tear rolled down his cheek.

“Perhaps…” Sombra’s voice was almost shaky. “My world is not completely gone after all…”

Soarin didn’t know what to make of the situation, and it was going back to Sombra opening up a few moments ago. While he wasn’t sure who to believe, he had concluded that Sombra was thirsty for revenge, somewhat fitting Celestia’s narrative about how he must be stopped. But here… and in the moments before. His heart was showing through.

A king, sealed away for over a thousand years… looking out and seeing his kingdom for the first time since he was locked away… and the sight had moved him to tears. Soarin could feel Sombra’s emotions flowing through his own body.

“Well… there it is,” Celestia suddenly spoke up, butting in on his moment and surprising Soarin. “Your throne sits right where it used to be, and it’s occupied.”

There was a sudden sharpness to her tone that Soarin noticed quickly. Ironically, it was the same kind of tone Sombra used when he claimed she was trying to draw sympathy. The roles had reversed.

“You have the body you wanted… and I have no control. Soarin said it himself… do you honestly think you can just waltz right back in? What are you going to do? Attack it?”

“Of course not,” Sombra replied calmly without any animosity. “It is my own kingdom. And those are my ponies walking the streets… Some of whom were alive and sealed away with me all those years ago.”

Celestia went quiet. That was clearly not the kind of answer she was expecting. Soarin felt like his brain was going in circles with how the roles seemed to suddenly switch between who was being harsh and who was being calm, but he was too curious to let it bother him. Instead he focused on Sombra.

“Is this why you climbed the mountain?” Soarin asked, stepping in before Celestia could say anything else.

“Yes,” Sombra answered without hesitation. “This used to be my favorite spot to look out upon my land.”

Soarin remained quiet for a moment, simply looking out at the Empire as well, joining Sombra in taking in the sight.

“So… what are you going to do now?” Soarin added.

For a long moment… Sombra did not answer, the whistling winds filling the void of silence as he reached up a hoof and wiped the tear streak from his face.

“I… don’t know.”

Soarin did not press further. And Celestia remained quiet as well, both of them caught off-guard by Sombra and the way the sight of the Crystal Empire seemed to completely pacify him.

“I think… for now…” Sombra went on. He slowly lowered Soarin’s body, lying down in the snow, but keeping his head upright and his eyes focused on the Empire. “I just want to remain here.”

And he did just that, leaving Soarin to his thoughts as he continued to observe… and try to piece together everything he knew and everything he wanted to figure out.

But obviously, what he was seeing right now was the most fascinating. King Sombra, a stallion from the depths of history that had always been portrayed as an insane, evil villain, sitting before him calmly in a moment of reflection and calm. Obviously, his common knowledge of who Sombra was had been completely thwarted over the course of all of this, but it didn’t stop it from being enlightening.

Soarin was starting to notice a pattern with Sombra. Whenever it came to discussing the gods, Sombra lashed out, became vicious and angry to an alarming extent, at times circling and contradicting his own arguments as he raged. But when things became personal… a softer side showed. Celestia’s mention of the night they fell in love clearly moved him, despite his demands for her to stop, but nothing gave Soarin a better view of it than right now as Sombra looked out upon his kingdom. He was completely lost in the sight of his home and the ponies he once ruled, a sight that he had been deprived of for so long. Not to mention he climbed a mountain with a body he could not fully control just so he could see it from his favorite perch.

But Sombra was not the only one Soarin was learning about here. He was getting a closer look at Princess Celestia than he had ever gotten before. Whenever he had seen her or met with her in the past, it had been all business with rare bits here and there where some mischievousness poked through. But now he was diving so deep into personal feelings that he barely recognized her. She had been all over the place emotionally as well. Her story shifted from a starry eyed romance to a teary eyed tragedy and at one point was clearly trying to make personal jabs right at Sombra. While her story and thoughts remained steady, her emotional state was hilariously inconsistent, making it hard for Soarin to tell if anything was being exaggerated or avoided. Sombra tried to call her out on embellishment, but in the end it was Soarin himself who caught her in a corner and forced her to admit she had willingly sacrificed him. It convinced him that she was being honest, but it didn’t excuse her from the act. And just when Soarin thought he had figured her part of the story out, she suddenly became testy once Sombra reached the peak and stared out at the empire, Sombra becoming emotional as they completely flipped who had which mindset.

Soarin got what he wanted, he got both sides of the story, but in the end he still didn’t know who to believe. Instead… he found himself wondering something else. The more he heard, the more he began to wonder what this was really all about. It seemed like both of them were focused on themselves directly, and neither of them brought up the situation going on with the Shadowbolts and their mystery puppeteer Kayn Ost.

This was a personal conflict. Nothing more. An argument between a Goddess and an ancient king. Celestia didn’t even bother addressing her supposed ‘plan’ to face a ‘threat’ after going through the whole story. But Soarin didn’t want to jump to conclusions because that wasn’t what he specifically asked. Either way, this had everything to do with the two of them being at odds with one another… and felt like it had practically nothing to do with what Soarin was worried about… His friends and the fight against the Shadowbolts.

Did Celestia really know about the Shadowbolts and Kayn Ost? Or was his appearance simply convenient to her goals? Did she really believe Sombra would see things her way? Or was she simply desperate to have him back? Would she really go so far just for a love interest? And what was all of that about her father? Other gods? Soarin had never once heard or read of there ever being other gods aside from those known to Equestria: Celestia, Luna, and Discord. Was there a whole separate history of their world and the forces that watched over it that was never told?

His curiosity aside, it really wasn’t important to the situation, just a juicy bit of detail… for now. There was something else Soarin had noticed as he thought back on both of their stories.

There was one particular part that neither of them elaborated on… Discord.

Where did Discord fit into all of this? Both Sombra and Celestia seemed so intent on proving which one of them was to blame between themselves. The moment Discord used his magic on Sombra, at least to Soarin, seemed like an incredibly important detail. Why did they not say more? Why didn’t they give it more focus? Was it so personal between them that they felt Discord was just an afterthought, an irrelevant piece? That couldn’t be it. Sombra used harsh words when speaking of him and Celestia described how she more or less was ready to blow him away with her magic when she found them.

Discord clearly played an important role… But Soarin decided not to press them on it for now. Especially with Sombra currently so lost in the past.

Instead, Soarin brought his thoughts back within his body, and stared at the dormant image of Rainbow Dash lying beside his spirit. He’d learn more later. He wanted to learn more. He didn’t know what good it would do in all honesty, but even though he told Sombra to let him ‘choose’ to help him or not, he wasn’t going to just let him have his body as long as he could resist in some way. It was just a way to get him to shut up. But how long would he last? He’d hold on for as long as he could.

For Spitfire…

For Fleetfoot…

For ALL the Wonderbolts…

For everyone else too…

But especially for Rainbow Dash.

As Soarin remained trapped in his own body, stuck there with Sombra as the old king looked down from the mountain, he began to wonder how everypony else was doing. That was definitely the Nimbus parked north of the castle. He was sure everypony was worried about him and already planning what to do… but strangely… part of him hoped that they were simply relaxing for the time being, finally within safe bounds after so much hardship.

He wasn’t going anywhere, that was for sure… so hopefully… just hopefully… they were all getting some much needed and much deserved rest.

---

“Ah… ah… aaaaaahhhoooooooo…” Spitfire couldn’t hold down the enormous yawn, stopping in place with her hoof attached to the hotel door handle. Her head tilted backwards and heaved forward slowly as she released it, shaking her head out and shuddering lightly. “Hnnngggg…” she groaned as she pulled the door open and shuffled her hooves through, barely picking them up as she dragged them into the lobby.

Was the day over yet? She was pretty sure the day was over, but she couldn’t tell. Either way she was done, if anything else came up, it would have to wait. Her steps were wobbly, she teetered as she moved, and her eyelids felt like they weighed a hundred pounds each as she struggled to keep them open. She was so tired that she didn’t even acknowledge the illustrious and luxurious interior of the resort hotel lobby she was walking through. There were incredibly comfy looking couches and chairs all over the place beneath beautiful crystal chandeliers that emitted a soft comforting glow, providing mood lighting that dimly glistened off every crystal surface. But Spitfire didn’t want a couch or a chair, no matter how soft they looked. She wanted a bed and a pillow. Nothing else.

Despite reaching the safety of the Empire, she did not have the same luxury as the rest of the force. After she sent the last of them to the hotels, she had to stay behind in the palace to talk with captains and commanders of their military, talk administrative needs for the Wonderbolts, and run some more fine details past the other princesses and the prince. It was all taken care of, everything. And with the Crystal Airborne sending out multiple scout teams to track down both Soarin and the Shadowbolts to keep them in the know, she finally… FINALLY… felt like she could relax without worry… or at least immediate worry. It was a feeling she felt like she hadn’t experienced in long time.

Her body was sore, all of her muscles and joints felt like they were going to fall apart. Her brain was shot, burned out with all her thoughts turning to mush. She was absolutely exhausted in every possible way imaginable. So exhausted that she didn’t notice Fire Streak approaching her until he was roughly two steps away.

“Captain?” he spoke while tilting his head, as if it wasn’t the first time he said it. Spitfire blinked once sluggishly, keeping her eyes shut for a second before opening them again.

“Hm?” she hummed in response as she kept moving towards the reception desk where she could see a large board with names on it. She assumed it was the room assignments. Fire turned and walked beside her.

“I did a routine check and roll call with every squad. Everypony is accounted for,” he reported, sounding a little sleepy himself, but not nearly on the level of Spitfire.

“Hm,” Spitfire hummed again, not even looking at him.

“Well, actually,” Fire scratched the back of his head. “Everypony except for one member of recruit squad Foxtrot, but… I’m not sure if we should count him since he’s—”

“SIS!!!!!!!” Blaze suddenly shrieked from nearby. Spitfire didn’t react, but Fire grunted as Blaze forced him aside and rushed up to her.

“Hm?” Spitfire stopped, bumping into Blaze’s nose with her chest as she got in front. She took another step before stopping, effectively pushing Blaze back a little. But Blaze didn’t seem to care, she was more worried about freaking out.

“Who the FUCK organized these room assignments?!” she demanded frantically and angrily.

“Hey babe!” Lighting Streak’s voice suddenly came from a nearby hallway and he stepped out, bobbing back and forth as he sauntered with a smirk on his face. “Why you gotta run from me? Just give me one night and you’ll wake up bi!”

Spitfire heard every word, but didn’t show a single sign that she gave a damn about Lightning’s behavior.

“GAH!!” Blaze whined as she quickly ran around Spitfire and hid behind her from Lightning.

“Hm?” Spitfire hummed.

“Windy isn’t even on the same floor as me!!!” Blaze continued to complain, flinching as Lightning Streak spotted her and chuckled as he approached. “And why was I paired with LIGHTNING STREAK?! They didn’t even separate them by gender! FIX THISSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!” Blaze cried while grabbing Spitfire’s shoulder form the side and trying to shake her.

“Blaze, I don’t care who you have sex with,” Spitfire replied, swaying slightly as she fought to stay awake.

Blaze’s eyes went wide and her jaw dropped, but she winced hard and growled as Lightning Streak slide up beside her and draped a wing over her back.

“Too bad babe, looks like you’re stuck with me!” he said jokingly as she struggled beneath his wing.

“GET THE FUCK OFFA ME!” she raged at him as she tried to get free.

“Just sleep with whoever you want…” Spitfire said sleepily, seemingly unaware of how silly and unrelated to the issue her answers were.

“Yes ma’am!” Lightning Streak chuckled and tightened his wing’s grip on her.

“FUCK YOU!” Blaze roared at him. “SIS! MAKE HIM STOP!” she whined.

“Brother…” Fire Streak sighed, knowing Lightning was just taking advantage of the situation to mess with her… mostly. Spitfire’s exhaustion was clear as day, so he tried to get a hold of the situation, but this was his twin brother he was dealing with.

“Which room did they put me in?” Spitfire asked with a yawn, completely ignoring the scuffle as she dragged herself the last few steps to the reception desk.

“HEY!” Blaze yelled towards her as she managed to yank free from Lightning. “ARE YOU EVEN—MRPH!” she was cut off as Fire Streak pressed a hoof over her mouth.

“Blaze, just go rest wherever you like,” he said, as Blaze released muffled whines. Lightning suddenly appeared on her other side and put his arm around her, pulling her away from Fire and pressing her face right into his chest.

“Best bed in the house is right here babe!” he snickered while rubbing his other hoof through his chest fur. “And maybe a little further down, come to papa!”

The look on Blaze’s face was comparable to getting punched in the gut while sucking on a lemon as her face contorted and she twitched.

“Fucking EW! Quit it, asshole!” she demanded while trying to punch him, but did not have a favorable angle to land any direct hits. “Stop touching me or I’ll break your fucking crystal dick off!” she snarled.

“Might be a tough job, babe! It’s literally rock hard now!”

“Brother, enough…” Fire glared at Lightning sternly. Lightning shrugged, throwing his brother a smarmy grin.

“Sorry bro, Captain’s orders!” he chuckled. “Isn’t that right Cap—” he looked towards Spitfire, but she was already gone, heading right for the elevators and slumping into the first one that opened. “—tain?” he finished, both he and Blaze staring towards where they last saw her despite still being locked together.

“The hell is up with her?” Blaze asked, still stuck under Lightning’s arm.

“That’s enough, both of you,” Fire scolded them calmly, glancing towards the elevators before stepping in front of them. “Leave her be.” He ordered, looking back again.

He had never seen Spitfire so tired before in his life.

---

Fleetfoot was awake… tired but awake as she rested her head on her pillow. It was so soft and comfy, just like the bed. She wanted to sleep, but she was still in a bit of shock over Soarin. They made it to safety, they finally could rest, but without Soarin it felt like an empty victory. She wanted her missing best friend back and it was keeping her from dozing off.

If nothing else, she was at least comfortable. She had seen the doctors upon making it to the hotel, they cleaned up and treated all of her external bumps and injuries. Now she was just trying not to move at all. Her body was still incredibly sensitive and tender from being… forcibly stretched out and blown up by Nightshade, so the less she moved while it healed, the better.

But her ears perked up when she heard the doorknob turn, and the door behind her open. She moved as little as possible, turning only her head and neck.

It was Spitfire.

“Oh… Hey Spitty,” Fleetfoot greeted her solemnly, assuming she was just as worked up over Soarin, but she blinked when she saw the blank, exhausted look on her face.

“Hm…” Spitfire hummed as she dragged her hooves, slowly moving towards Fleetfoot.

“You’re finally back… What did they say? Are they looking for—”

“Hm…” Spitfire hummed again before she could finish. Fleetfoot tipped her head slightly.

“Spitty?” she said as Spitfire moved in between the two beds and began patting her hoof on the other mattress.

Before Fleetfoot could ask anything else, Spitfire weakly and awkwardly climbed onto the bed, almost falling off a few times as she stumbled into the center of the large soft mattress. The moment she was centered and the pillow was right beneath her head… she dropped, falling flat onto the bed, her chin landing on the pillow with a soft plop.

Despite the difficulty, Fleetfoot lifted her head up extending her neck as much as she could as she looked across to the other bed, examining Spitfire.

Spitfire was breathing steadily.

She was asleep before her head even hit the pillow.

Completely out.

Considering the amount of stress that had been on her shoulders up to this point, Fleetfoot wasn’t surprised in the slightest.

Her ears drooped down and she sighed. She shakily turned over, wincing lightly until she found a comfortable position, and put her head to the pillow again, trying to follow the lead of her captain.

---To Be Continued---

Author's Note:

Well then... that sure was a lot to take in. Celestia has let it all out, but where does this put Soarin? He's now caught between two version, two narratives of the same events... and in the end... it's nothing but a personal problem between the two of them? Where does all of this fit in with what's going on with the Shadowbolts? Soarin didn't ask about that specifically, so it looks like he might have to dig deeper, Celestia already admitted to purposely not helping him with the tornado... and as the all seeing goddess she is she MUST have known the tornado's origins... and therefor MUST have known about Kayn Ost... Did Kayn Ost's appearance prompt her to seek out a vessel for Sombra? Or was Kayn Ost's appearance a convenient coincidence that gave her the excuse to? (Also who the hell is Kayn Ost anyway? Am i dick for keeping the villain faceless for so long...? Or have I?)

As for Sombra... it looks like the 'evil tyrant' has a bigger heart than most would suggest... Who is Soarin to believe or Trust? And is there really anything he can do to stop Sombra?

But why don't we point out the obvious... why didn't either of them elaborate on Discord when he was clearly a key factor in the sad twist the story took? There is still more to be delved into... you can bet Soarin isn't done.

As for Spitfire... man she sure needed that bed, didn't she? Not even blaze and Lightning causing a scene in a public area was enough to snap her out of her exhaustion.

And Fire... who from squad Foxtrot is missing...? Oh i think we all know

First image in this chapter by: Penumbraglow

Second and third images by: Foxenawolf

Once again, sorry that it took so long for me to get going into the new year on this. I can't guarantee the speed of updates anymore with how many things are going on in my life right now (not bad things, just busy things), but it's definitely not going to be due to a lack of effort. I'm still very much interested in writing this story, that won't change.

Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed!

Comments

[Hooper_Canson]

Me right now

[Stellar_]

“Though we had victories, though we managed to kill a few more… once we had figuratively evened the conflict, we found ourselves stuck. It became a never ending stalemate where they would push us… and we would push back. And if we pushed them, they would push back. It became clear to me quickly, that there would be no end to the war and death if this continued.

They push.
We push.
Every once in a while, we push hard enough that the light breaks through the clouds,
and the world beyond the war glimmers.

[NyOs29]

Well considering that Discord has always been jealous of Celestia and Sombra’s relationship with each other and it was clear that he hadn’t expected Celestia to catch him in the act of corrupting Sombra and ultimately ran when she confronted him. At least Celestia’s admitted that she is just as mortal as anyone else is.

[Hooper_Canson]

8709165
Just out of reach

[WildStallion]

Well I’m under the assumption that Discord has feelings for Celestia and decided to make sure she hates him by corrupting Sombra but that didn’t work it seems. One reason why he didn’t let Sombra die of old age maybe. I’m sure if he did Celestia would’ve grieved for some years.

[Stellar_]

I want Twister back

[TexasDragon1995]

Well Calm Wind...I can definitely see why that took you longer than normal.

That. Was. MASTERFUL

So much to say. First, thank you for posting BEFORE the Super Bowl (third times the charm). Secondly, Between my long Christmas break and dealing with college, I had forgotten how brilliant you are with the handling of the characters and the dialogue. It REALLY is refreshing to see a chapter from you again

So in the end, when it comes to your writing, (you know what i'm gonna say) keep up the good work my good man

Now let me go a little off topic to something personal. I HAVE to say. MUST say, I really REALLY respect how you're able to write so much so consistently. I want to thank you for helping me want to write my own little story NUMBER ONE ASSISTANT. I wrote this 23,000 word little baby in less than a week. And. It. Was. TOUGH I don't know how you do it. Regardless, it was worth it. I wanted to personally write this to you but with visiting family and going back to college it slipped my mind. So THANK YOU. You were one of my inspirations to write it. Thank you

I look forward to more from ya

[NyOs29]

8709258
Bloody hell no!

[NyOs29]

Okay let’s review: we know that Celestia is deeply scarred by something big and we know that she didn’t intercede when the Shadowbolts made that tornado. Luna mentioned that they hadn’t sensed it so was Luna lying or was Celestia covering up the truth again? Sombra’s got to figure out what his plans from here on out are going to be. And Luna still sees him as some sort of monster and apparently this whole god crap has been apparently so engrained in Luna that she can’t stand not being given blind devotion aka leading to her becoming Nightmare Moon.

[Animak]

somber sombra makes me want for him to have a good ending, somlestia ship it to the moon, or would it be celbra?
I'm also wanting Soarin to make celestia go public with alot of this info

[Animak]

8709419
with luna that does go along with her demeanor in recent chapters

[Gargon94]

This chapter was very informative.
8709258
I also want Twister back. He is the best pony yet.

[jnzsblzs]

Okay this title is not promising. Calm missed the element. It shouldn't be about those who Lead it should be about those who Silver.

[Dusk_Writer]

I swear, the more answers we get, the more questions pop up in our line of sight. No one seems keen on really bringing Discord up which makes me wonder why. I mean…I get why but…like why? (im a confusing person)

Honestly, all of them deserve a rest, Spitfire especially. Considering she has to burden the loss of her best friend, she still has to organise, explain and lead everything. I'm surprised she hasn't collapsed yet.

[jnzsblzs]

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand still no Silver in sight.

(Also there were no spandex crazed apple horses either but I shall wait until we actually meet an apple horse.)

[rainbow awesome dash]

YES!!

[Thunder-Bolt]

“The moment became ours!” she yelled over him, lifting her brow towards Sombra as his chin extended, suggesting his jaw was nearly unhinged. “We could only stare into one another’s eyes so long before we shared our first kiss!”

Soarin:

“And when we got there we made—!”

Soarin:

I haven't even finished the chapter yet

[Midday Giggle]

Took me two hours to read 3/4 of this chapter and half an hour reading the rest... Just how the hay you make your chapters so long? (Not complaining at all, keep going on).

Welp, that for sure was a lot to take upon, so many little details I loved so much... I wish they elaborated a little more in Discord and not only focused on their personal conflicts and vendetta, had Discord showed up to them before? Or at least to Celestia? I'm pretty sure Celestia had a love affair with him sometime before the Black Dragons' attack, but this is as juicy as a TV drama.

“We enjoyed the festivities, and Sombra eventually offered me to dance. I had wanted to from the start, but I declined nervously. I had never danced before and was… well… larger than everypony else. I was worried I’d draw attention to myself or break something. But… Sombra insisted. I think he saw right through me and knew I really wanted to. He led me out despite my misgivings. I was very clumsy, but once he got me to relax he led me gently and gracefully despite me being larger than him. It allowed me to flow with his lead, and once I understood that he was in control and all I had to do was follow his steps, it was easy. And it was so much fun, his strong, yet soft touch guiding me as the ponies around us parted, clapped, and cheered for us as we danced. But I barely noticed any of them, our eyes were locked on one another the whole time. I couldn’t look away. I didn’t want to look away."

I remembered Soarin and Dashie dancing in the Gala back in Flying Sky-High. What if they danced the same way?

"Uh…” Soarin managed to say, but was not heard at all.

“It became so passionate! It was the most perfect moment of my life! And it wasn’t long before he was dragging me to his bedchamber!”

Sombra’s silhouette was shaking with anger while turning back and forth between her and Soarin.

“HAVE YOU LOST YOUR M—?!”

“And when we got there we made—!”

“WHOA! WHOOOOOOOOOOOOA!” Soarin finally yelled out as loudly as he could. “OKAY! I. GET. IT! Will you stop it already and get to the part that matters?! You’re clearly just trying to get to him! I don’t need him going postal in my own body for crying out loud!”

Oh God

"Let me finish this part for you,” Soarin spoke up. “The two of you went to his bedroom and made whoopee. I think I can piece that together without you giving me all of the details. I don’t need a play by play of you two having sex!” He yelled, but Celestia didn’t look at him, she kept her head turned away, it looked like she was subtly shaking too.

“Made… whoopee…?” Sombra suddenly spoke up. His voice filled with confusion. He clearly understood what they were talking about, but he had never heard that before. Soarin blinked and sighed, realizing he was using modern slang and terms in front of a being that had been sealed away for over 1000 years. And that was only one of the many new words for it he had learned from Fleetfoot… and Silver.

Poor Spitty, so tired She needs someone to help her, like, I don't know, a personal secretary or something like that

A masterpiece, Calm! Great job!

[Animak]

I just realized something, Princess Cadence is likely and perhaps ideally the best pony Sombra and Celestia can go to in order to resolve their relationship problems heh heh Isn't that a kick in the head. I'd like to think after she hears their story that she'd be in shipping mode whilst Twilight is writhing on the ground foaming at the mouth at this side of her idol princess

[Animak]

What's a paint mixer and made whoopee? are way funnier then they should been, Great job on them calm, although i'm curious to know what other idioms and neologisms you had considered for these lines.

[Phoenix Flight]

Wow. That was a lot to take in.

First things first:

Also who the hell is Kayn Ost anyway? Am i dick for keeping the villain faceless for so long...? Or have I?

Yes. Yes you are.
Next.

I don’t need a play by play of you two having sex!

Pfffftttt

“Made… whoopee…?” Sombra suddenly spoke up. His voice filled with confuSoarin blinked and sighed, realizing he was using modern slang and terms in front of a being that had been sealed away for over 1000 years. And that was only one of the many new words for it he had learned from Fleetfoot… and Silver.

AUUUUUUGHHHHHHH EVERY TIME SILVER IS BROUGHT UP IT JUST STABS ME IN THE HEART AND HE ISNT EVEN DEAD!!!!

As for that beautiful art by Penumbra:
OOOOMGGGG dat maaaaaane!!!!! Whatever shampoo does that dude use??!?!?!??!!! XDDD!!!

Honestly though— Geez this chapter was... enlightening to say the least. Well, as much as it can be for Calm. We all know he gets panic attacks at the mere thought of telling us the whole story.

[Animak]

i wonder whether Sombra has his own Chauvin, an old maimed pony who everyone avoids because he touts how great Sombra was

[Veyron]

Well now the plot thickens and we finally get the whole story out of Sombra and Celestia. Hmmm, me thinks a major clue to who the villain is has been dropped but I think I will have to wait and see if there was and if I caught it.

[0PinkamenaDianePie0]

That picture of Spitfire sleeping is adorable....omg.

[Thunder-Bolt]

8709567
Crazy shit's going down. And according to Calm, we're just starting to get into what happened with Kayn Ost, Sombra, and Celestia.

though, i'm curious... Does Sombra know Kayn Ost?

[PinkDragonJr]

So, Calm Wind, How does it feel to have a story longer than Project Freaking Horizons and still not be finished.

[Delphina34]

“As you’ve already been told,” she began. “The Black Dragon Scourge was when Sombra and I first crossed paths. The Scourge was not the first time I had encountered the unholy beasts, and when they showed themselves again I was determined to bring them down for good after they had destroyed everything I had once known and loved.”

Maybe the Black Dragons are what caused the extinction of the alicorn race, and Celestia and Luna were the only ones to survive (because they were fillies and their parents gave their lives to protect them?).

[Sorril]

On some real shit right now, Sombra is daddy material as fuck.

[Dusk_Writer]

8711161
*buries self in a hole* s-started? *eye twitches*

Hmm…I wouldn't be surprised. Now that I think about it, there could've been some stuff that could easily be kept out of the limelight when they were explaining how Discord turned Sombra. I have a feeling that there's more to it than that and Kayn Ost is involved in it somehow.

[Thunder-Bolt]

8711491
yeah boi. he's a real dilf

[Thunder-Bolt]

8712123
Oh yeah. I'd love to know how Kayn is tied into this whole ordeal. Was he around for the Dragon Scourge? How did he know Sombra's soul was inside Soarin? So many questions!!!

[Brightblue]

Man that was deep... You’re forgiven for taking a long time to post. you do have a life outside of this fanfic. I hope I see the rainbow dash and her team along with stormfront, thunderlane and derpy in the next chapter

[Those Kids In The Corner]

Definitely have mad respect for Soarin, snapping on C and S with no fucks given. Interesting answers and even more interesting questions. Wonder if we'll ever learn more about Celestia and Luna's parents.

[Delphina34]

Found some typos as I was reading. It's a bit of a long list, but oh well. Mostly minor errors.

Soarin gave Celestia a hard, impatient look. Now he was getting a little confused. Several point kept contradicting…

"several points"

The flames careened towards him, I gasped and spread my wings instinctively, ready to launch down and save the him.

"save him."

She made a quick head motion towards Soarin. “Look Soarin in the eye and tell him that you had no desire’s flowing through you!

"desires" (no apostrophe.)

Sombra frantically glanced down at Soarin, again wondering how Soaring still seemed to have some grip on his mind, even if it was just on a mental level.

"Soarin"

It was a hard slap to the face, an intense rush or realization.”

or --> of

I did not come too until a day later, and despite my alicorn magic, it took a few days for me to fully heal.

too --> to

Or would she simply see an empty husk of his former self?

she --> I

“But…” Celestia sighed, stealing a quick glance at Sombra is if knowing what she was about to say was part of his criticism of her.

is --> as ("as if")

One would think being forced to fight would cut into their motivation and efficiency, but in his crazed reign, Sombra had forced the families of every soldier, knight, and captain into captivity and threatened to kill them if disobeyed.

"if they disobeyed.

What would be the cost on me? It was no so simple.

"not so simple."

As years past… hundreds of years…"

past --> passed

We’re both trapped in your body and he’s in control, still being driven by the desiring of acquiring forbidden power that he does not understand nor can he control.”

desiring --> desire

And perhaps you can elaborate on this apparent father of yours you keep bring up so perhaps we can understand just how far you strayed from his wisdom?!”

bring --> bringing

And after what I’ve been through, after what I’ve seen and experience… I feel it is my duty to stand against the gods who have abused their position, neglected their followers, and ultimately brought me to my end and erased my legacy.

"experienced"

For a long moment… Sombra did not answer, the whistling winds filling the void of silence as he reached up a hoof and wiped the tears streak from his face.

"tear streaks"

His curiosity aside, it really wasn’t important to the situation, just a juicy bit of detail… for now. There was something else Soarin had notice as he thought back on both of their stories.

"noticed."

[Animak]

just thought of something funny, Sombra saying the line " I Am the One Who Knocks"

[ButtonMash]

Great quality and length, as always. Personally...
I'd believe Sombra. He's made it clear on where his allegiance lies, somewhere around lawful neutral, and his own personal vendetta is overshadowed by loyalty. Honestly, it would be a better angle for Soarin to work off of if he tried to explain how unjust it was for Sombra to just use another pawn in his vendetta. Maybe it would be best for Sombra to body-hop to another, one that shares his allegiance as would act as a more positive influence, working for the Crystal Empire rather than revenge?
Eh, just a thought.

[RainbowDashTheLoyal]

Oh, so you are alive!

[Calm Wind]

8709164

s10.postimg.org/45lkp1uzt/212.png

[Calm Wind]

8709165

I liked that game

[Calm Wind]

8709179

At this point enough shit has broken loose that she really can't hide behind a guise of perfection the way her sister does.

[Calm Wind]

8709222

Indeed, i wonder what role Discord played in all of this. Seems fairly obvious, but you can never be too sure with him.

[Calm Wind]

8709258

He never left

[Calm Wind]

8709398

Thank you! Glad to know i was an influence to write a story of your own, and i see it was pretty successful too! Awesome job!

[Calm Wind]

8709481

Sombra definitely isn't the pure evil villain they were all lead to believe. And it's even more interesting that Celestia always knew he wasn't evil, yet shied away from the truth as all those around her recorded him in history as a demon. It's interesting that she's suddenly admitting so much fault, but perhaps she feels like she's truly failed and there's no more point in putting on airs.

But caving so soon is clearly a drawback, what if they DO find a way out of it? Soarin is definitely not going to let the truth simply slide back under the rug.

[Calm Wind]

8709490

He's closer than you think

[Calm Wind]

8709567

Rule number 1 of keeping readers hooked: Every time you answer an important question, introduce two more

[Calm Wind]

8709662

We're getting around to that. And the AppleSpandexFetish likely wont be featured here, but you definitely gave me an idea to use in the small interlude fic for Thunderlane i plan to write in between arc 3 and 4

[Calm Wind]

8709855

[Calm Wind]

8709963

Thanks!

Yeah it does seem odd that Discord had a major role in how things went down, but neither seem to blame him for anything.

And yeah it was fun having Sombra react to modern slang and terms That gag is likely going to continue