The Abyss Stares Back
"Sombra!"
Spike had just recovered from being slammed into the rock wall of the abyss in time to see Sombra impaled through the head with a shard of his own sword.
Spike's mind involuntarily switched off a number of primary functions in that instant. It was a natural feature of a dragon's amygdala, often referred to as the 'lizard brain' of even mammalian creatures. It handled the most primal of instincts and responses in even the most evolved species, but a dragon's was special.
It could override other functions to devote more energy into raining hell-fire and bloody gore upon whoever had wronged the dragon at a nearly spiritual level.
Spike moved faster than he had ever moved before, and despite his battered and bruised condition he landed a solid hit upon Arimaspi. A slash with such force and speed that Arimaspi's skull essentially shattered into countless fragments.
It of course couldn't do anything permanent to Arimaspi, but the phantom beast was forced to regroup momentarily. Spike saw a glint of gold whisked away with a section of shadow and miasma, but Spike couldn't think about the idol just then. Enough sense had returned for him to grab Sombra's limp form and Jay's still recovering body.
With great care Spike placed Sombra beneath his wing and Jay beneath the other.
"Gotta get out of here. Gotta get away and give Jay time to recover. Sombra is gonna be out for weeks without regeneration serum, so I shouldn't take the sword shard out until it's safe. I don't wanna hurt his brain any more than it already is." Spike told himself, trying to hold himself together.
Spike couldn't help but cry as he walked briskly away from the clearing they had found the idol in. He could feel Sombra bleeding out across his back, his immortal body keeping his heart pumping blood through his compromised system. It was all he could think about.
Spike just told his body to keep moving, having no other alternatives. He had never been so completely outmatched before. There was literally nothing to be done. No attacks would deal lasting damage, and Arimaspi's strength was enough to outdo Spike's already incredible physical prowess.
All Spike could do was run.
If Sombra fell into evil hands, or if Spike was slain it would all be over.
...
All there was was darkness.
Darkness and cold.
A brief stirring occurred in the void, a ripple in the starless night sky of unconsciousness. A memory, or something even less. A sense of deja vu, a vague notion of familiarity.
The loneliness of being in the dark and cold by yourself.
I was so alone... I didn't even know it... So cold without him...
Before long, the darkness birthed a form somewhat distinguishable from the utter colorlessness of the backdrop. Black and ashen gray, floating through the void in the fetal position. Slowly regaining awareness and a sense of self.
There's always been nothing but darkness for me. Even as I sleep. I've always known it was where I belonged... Sombra thought sadly.
Another ripple, a thought running through Sombra's injured psyche. A true memory. The feeling of warmth and love, the opposite of everything Sombra had once known. The feelings that had been instilled into him.
The blackness of the void was changing, adapting to Sombra as he was now. Whoever Sombra had been mattered very little now, and his brush with near-death had allowed him to take stock in his own head.
Meditation had taught Sombra much, but he had never tried to delve too deep into his own psyche. Just deep enough to keep Dootha's influence at bay. But there was so much Sombra had been too afraid to delve into. Places that were too dark to be good.
Or so he thought.
Spike... You started out weak, and your loved ones made you strong. Strong enough to protect them. I started out powerful, but I was nothing but a tool. I was weak too once I lost my power, but it was there all along. I was merely too afraid of it to realize.
But now... Spike could die if Arimaspi isn't defeated. I can see the darkness inside me... And I can see Dootha... We are not one in the same. Dootha is a parasite dwelling within me. The power in this body isn't his... He was using me as a lens to magnify his depleted strength.
Sombra opened his eyes, seeing everything clearly for the first time. It was as if he had new eyes.
Deep within the blackness there was a writhing mass of purple, green and a color beyond black. It was small in comparison to the void, but full of a malevolent energy Sombra was all too familiar with. It was hiding in the darkness, biding it's time until it could awaken. Unfortunately for it, Sombra was all too aware of it.
Sombra opened his jaws and delivered a fanged smile down at the being he despised so very much.
Through his fangs, Sombra stole away the darkness that was hiding Dootha.
The darkness that was itself hiding deep within Sombra. The darkness that belonged to Sombra. The darkness that was Sombra.
All that was left when Sombra was done reclaiming his power was a cloudy grey sky of a void in which Dootha sank to the bottom and out of sight. It was clear Dootha was still there, but he was still in check for the time being.
More important at present was the way Sombra could feel himself changing. The pain in his physical body ebbing slightly. He could feel himself mending, though the process hurt considerably in itself. Even through the pain Sombra felt good. Like his pieces were fitting together better than before. As if Discord had rebuilt his body wrong.
A possibility Sombra chose to ignore, given the likelihood.
The thought of thanking Gavin for the awakening briefly passed through Sombra's mind, but expressing anything other than contempt for Gavin would have left an awful taste in his mouth.
Once Sombra had prepared himself he closed his eyes and began meditating in his own mind. Powers or no, it would be quite a feat to get back into the realm of consciousness. Getting stabbed in the head wasn't something Sombra could just shake off, no matter how powerful he was now.
"I'll be with you again soon, Spike. Just as soon as I can force myself awake." Sombra said into the still and seemingly endless realm.
...
Spike was still currently running for the collective lives of the entire party. Himself, Jay, and the most injured of them, Sombra. Arimaspi had reformed himself after a few minutes and was following behind at a rather impressive speed.
He could have of course been able to pursue them even faster, but Arimaspi continued to shift between acting like a living creature and a member of the deceased. It seemed increasingly likely he had landed on his head when he fell into the abyss so long ago. His base intellect was also in question, but things were a little too one-sided for any taunting.
Spike wasn't complaining at present, but his stamina was far from endless. In a little over an hour of the current pace and Spike would be overtaken. The magic he had performed earlier had taken it's toll on his mana supply, and he had very little chance of resting to recover any, or stamina.
I shouldn't have used up so much juice on one move... But damn that was cool. Next time I need to make sure whoever I'm gonna hit isn't going to turn into a cloud. Hit them first, see if they're meat. Spike berated himself.
Spike had ran for what had to be miles, the abyss stretching seemingly forever. He wasn't going to be able to keep going much longer, and Jay still wasn't even able to speak. There seemed no end to Arimaspi's energy, and Spike had no intention of allowing him any sort of openings.
Every chance he got, Spike set obstacles in Arimaspi's way. Boulders mostly, many of which Spike set aflame. The giant specter was at least slowed momentarily as he paused to crush the opposition. If the ghost were in his right mind Spike shuddered to think how doomed they would have been.
Leaving Jay behind to be killed wasn't an option, and Spike felt sickened that the thought had even crossed his mind. Returning to Gavin broken and battered without Jay or the idol seemed suicidal as well.
After rounding a corner Spike took a moment to look back at Arimaspi, but in that instant he tripped.
There was a difference in the height of the rock floor, indiscernible from Spike's vantage.
By some miracle, Spike was able to roll in a way that minimized the damage to Jay and Sombra. Spike was naturally unscathed thanks to his sturdy constitution, but it was essentially over either way. In the time it took Spike to tumble expertly and save his compatriots from further harm their phantom pursuer was upon him.
As Arimaspi raised his arms to slash at Spike, the dragon did the only defensive maneuver he could manage under the circumstances.
Spike rose up and exposed his underbelly to the attack. The very same attack that had crippled Jay, and would have ended the life of any ordinary mortal creature. While Spike's scales were strong, the underbelly was much more supple and weak, at least by dragon standards. They could withstand anything in the realm of the ordinary, which unfortunately did not include phantom goat-beasts.
Spike smiled in spite of the overwhelming pain he was experiencing. There were two trails of three slashes running across his chest in an 'X', bleeding profusely. But Spike had achieved what he had hoped to do.
Spike needed his wings to escape once at least Jay had recovered, and of course Jay and Sombra would have taken even more damage than his wings. Even though the wounds were nearly five inches deep they hadn't penetrated the full density of muscle Spike possessed. The only real problem was their positioning.
Every movement Spike would make from this point on would be excruciating, but he could bare it. The growth of his wings, and the carving of his bones by the Tree of Harmony had been much worse.
"You would really be doing me a favor if you just decided to pass on." Spike growled as he lunged forward.
Spike was getting uncomfortably used to dealing with enemies his own size, all thanks to Lyra's increasing skill at solid mana projections. Predicting Arimaspi's movements, Spike was able to grab hold of his horns and pull his skull free of his shadowy form.
Unexpectedly the miasma burned Spike's wounds fiercely, but he knew if he let go it would be the end of him.
Looking the monster in the eye, Spike blew a steady stream of fire into the ghost's only consistently solid piece.
Arimaspi bellowed otherworldly screams of pain, the magical flames doing at least superficial damage. It was impossible to know exactly how the attack was effecting him, but Spike couldn't think of a better course of action. Sombra and Jay were basically strapped to his back, and Arimaspi had proved that he wasn't about to let them simply leave.
Spike could only carry one person without the saddle, and it would absolutely have to be Sombra. Jay would need to fly on his own power.
As soon as Spike had exhausted his breath he threw the melting skull in the direction they had just come from.
The shadowy body dispersed, fleeing after it's screaming head. While it was a meager lead compared to the first hit he had scored on Arimaspi, Spike would take what he could get. Dropping back onto all fours, Spike prepared to begin running once more.
He only made it a few steps before he suddenly felt the overwhelming atmospheric presence from the beginning of the excursion. Only now it was far more intense. As if Arimaspi was standing atop his body, drilling Spike with his overwhelming dark power.
Yet somehow it felt familiar to Spike. As if it wasn't coming from Arimaspi. Spike felt his legs wobble at first, until the cold and oppressive darkness seemed to transmute itself. Instead of flowing like a cold and oppressive fog it began surging like fire, and it seemed to wrap around Spike like it was welcoming his presence.
Spike could see through this seemingly friendly darkness, seeing small traces of the dark magic trailing towards him. It was the final piece of the puzzle Spike hadn't realized he had been looking at.
"The blood trail?" Spike wondered aloud.
Spike raised his wing, checking on Sombra. He tempered his nerves in expectation, only to find his vision obscured as the darkness exploded outward from beneath his wing. Spike was utterly powerless to stop whatever was happening, but he tried fruitlessly to grab Sombra as he felt him lifted off his back.
Everything came back into focus as the shadows condensed around the familiar shape of Spike's beloved stallion. It was as though he was covered in black light, a bizarre parody of the magical effects that shined forth when the elements of harmony used their power.
It was breathtaking and horrifying at the same time, as Sombra's injuries began to mend themselves. The darkness filled in his injuries quickly and efficiently, but Spike couldn't help but fear the worst. Yet the darkness felt as though it wasn't Dootha, or Arimaspi.
It felt like Sombra.
Spike couldn't say how he knew, but it felt like Sombra. Something about it told him to trust what was happening.
The shard of Sombra's prized sword embedded in his skull shifted positions until the broken blade pointed straight. The shadow's power redoubled it's intensity, looking as fuel had been added to the unnatural fire. In the same way Arimaspi's skull reformed itself from shadow and darkness the grim power surrounding Sombra engulfed the shard.
Instead of removing the foreign object the magic seemed to have other plans.
Through the shroud of blackness a curved shape emerged. A complete horn, in the same curved manner Sombra's horn had been before. Though now instead of the blood red end it was the same purple of the sword, and of Spike's scales. It appeared that Sombra had absorbed the fragment, a little piece of Spike now permanently fused with his being.
It was equally worrisome and heartwarming.
Sombra opened his eyes, still the purple Spike had grown so fond of looking into as he descended to the ground. While he seemed healed, he looked as though he were dead tired. Spike had no idea what had just transpired, but he was incredibly happy and fraught with panic at the same time.
The term nervicited, which had become increasingly popular over the last few years failed to describe his emotions utterly.
The only logical course of action Spike's tired mind could think up was to grab him and hold onto him for dear life.
Sombra seemed dazed, taking a moment to acclimate to his surroundings before remembering precisely what was happening. Once Sombra snapped back to attention he raised a hoof to his head, feeling the new addition to his face. A mixture of emotions crossed his face, looking like he wanted to be pleased with himself, but at the same time felt bad about it.
"I have no idea what just happened, but you had me so worried." Spike sniffled.
Sombra surprised Spike by pushing him away, a somber expression on his muzzle.
"As happy as I am to be back in the land of the living with you, we aren't alone. Arimaspi is still here, and I believe he has finished piecing himself back together. You have done all you could to him, but now it falls to me to get us out of this." Sombra declared resolutely.
Spike stared slack-jawed at Sombra, unable to process what Sombra was saying.
"Even if you've got your magic back, without Dootha's power do you even stand a chance against Arimaspi? My magic doesn't seem to do anything permanent to him, and you're obviously not up to full strength even if your wounds are gone. You're going to get hurt again!" Spike pleaded with Sombra.
Sombra motioned for Spike to lean down, as he often did. On reflex Spike complied, allowing Sombra to plant a playful kiss on Spike's cheek.
"I am going to need you to trust me when I tell you I can handle this. I will be fine, and you may step in if you feel I need any help. For the moment, you must protect Jay. Gavin is likely to be more of a threat than Arimaspi if Jay's crystal gets broken." Sombra implored Spike.
Spike hated the situation all the more for being asked to step aside, but he couldn't see a reason not to trust Sombra.
As Sombra had predicted, Arimaspi made his reappearance only seconds later.
It seemed he had finally grown into the role of phantom, a menacing cloud rushing forward from around a curve in the abyss. Only his eye was visible through the melding of shadows and miasma, alight with murderous intent and overwhelming rage. It was as though a storm of pure hatred was gunning for Spike.
Unfortunately for Arimaspi a disturbingly confident Sombra stood in his way.
Just before Arimaspi could overtake them Sombra lit his horn. It was the same impossible light of roiling shadow that had surrounded Sombra as he reawakened moments before.
In that same instant Arimaspi stopped, and even seemed to try in vain to retreat.
Sombra's dark aura had connected with Arimaspi's body, pulling away at the shadowy mass.
It soon became clear Sombra was siphoning away Arimaspi's cloak of darkness. The ghostly being screamed and struggled to free himself, but Sombra stood firm with a devilish grin on his face. Before long Arimaspi's bones began showing, his cloak of dark power reduced by more than half.
Instead of the jet-black aura covering his ancient skeletal remains it was more of a thin foggy gray intertwined with the purple miasma.
Arimaspi was growing weaker by the second, and Sombra was becoming stronger and stronger at the same pace.
Spike watched in grim fascination as Sombra's mane and tail began to flow like fire. The warm aura from earlier returned and filled the area, replacing the natural darkness of the abyss and the oppressive magical veil of shadow Arimaspi produced. Sombra wasn't merely winning, he was dominating what was easily the mightiest foe they had come across yet.
In the span of five minutes Arimaspi was stripped of his substantial power. All that was left was a skeleton draped in miasma, the lingering power of Dootha that kept him tethered to the land of the living. He was far from defenseless, but Spike could see his eye quivering in fear of the much smaller opponent.
Sombra surprised Arimaspi a final time by cutting their connection and reshaping his mane of living shadow into a reasonable facsimile to one of Spike's enormous clawed hands. With the strength he himself once possessed, Arimaspi found his skull being crushed. The miasma flared and tried to protect him, But the darkness smothered it, forcing it to fade out.
Spike watched the former enemy struggling in utter futility, and for a moment he was worried that Sombra was falling to Dootha's influence. But in the last instant, Arimaspi's skull shattered, and Sombra's smile ceased being one of a villain.
Arimaspi seemed gone, but when Sombra opened his newly formed hand there were two objects in his palm.
The first of which was the Idol of Boreas, which had been nearly forgotten about in the fray with the ghostly Arimaspi. The other was something Spike could never have expected to see. Let alone in the bottom of the Abysmal Abyss.
It was an almost spherical wisp of bluish-white ether. It flowed and pulsed with such presence and importance that Spike had no doubts as to it's identity. It was a soul, the core of one's being. Presumably, it belonged to Arimaspi.
"I stole away the darkness that he had created and claimed it as my own, then I purged Dootha's power from his spirit. I could have merely destroyed it... But that would make me just as bad as them. Dootha and his shadow." Sombra told Spike, tears flowing freely from his eyes.
Sombra dropped the idol, pulling the extension of his mane back into proper order. It clattered to the ground noisily, but neither Spike nor Sombra cared. They were too focused as they saw the soul of Arimaspi drift upwards into the sky at a slow but steady pace. Once it reached the top of the abyss it seemed to fade, presumably passing on to it's final destination.
Sombra's eyes changed in that instant, icy blue pupils and irises, pink sclera, and electric green vapor. The negatives of Dootha's power. Sombra had achieved something new. He was the first to completely break free of Dootha's influence once falling to corruption, and now he had spared another soul the same fate.
Sombra's power was of darkness, that was undeniable. But darkness didn't mean evil. Sombra had passed through the darkness and made it his own, yet he had not lost his heart. A heart of darkness.
A cutie mark unlike any Spike had ever seen appeared upon Sombra's flank. A black heart wrapped in shadows. A somewhat grim image for one's cutie mark, but Spike couldn't have imagined a better image for Sombra in that moment. He was a truly awesome figure with his flowing mane and tail, and the darkness wreathed around his hooves. To say nothing of the magical effects in his eyes.
"Sombra! You got your-" Spike started to exclaim happily, but was cut off.
"I know, and we can celebrate later. But there is one last thing I need you to do for me right now." Sombra asked with a tone of urgency.
"Sure?" Spike agreed warily.
"Catch me before I pass out."
Spike barely managed to process the request in time to make a dive to catch Sombra.
Sombra's hair had stopped flowing when he lost consciousness, and it seemed his eyes had changed back to normal. Spike was scared, proud, and confused all at the same time. Sombra had overcome Dootha's power and awakened his special talent, but the change was so drastic.
There was so much he didn't know, and there was only one person they could ask that might have some answers.
Fortunately they now possessed the one thing that might be able to butter up the insane tyrant who ruled the kingdom of New Griffonstone. Spike collected the Idol of Boreas with his tail before opening his wing. The formerly broken griffon laying atop his back managed to open his eyes, confused and delirious.
"What... What has happened?" Jay groaned.
"A lot. But we won. Once you can move, you're brother has a hell of a lot to answer for." Spike practically growled.
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you do such a wonderful job. Bravo bravo, you are quite gifted. I can't wait to read your nect chaptars
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THIS. WAS. AWESOME!!!!!!
6884323 Lol. Thank you. I put quite a lot of time into this one.
I just don't won't this story to end, I wish it could go on forever... Amazing chapter and I can't wait for the next one!
Love this chapter, it's got everything thing Sombra getting a horn and being badass.
Is that attack going to leave a badass X scar on Spike?
6885513 I could tell you what Arimaspi was talking about, but that would be a huge spoiler. Plus there's already been clues in previous chapters. I actually spent a lot of time dropping subtle bits of info at specific times.
Still, I really appreciate your continued patronage!
It has a lot of tints from many other stories and yet you're still able to keep the feeling that it is your story. Loved the chapter, keep up the good work, still following this project and more importantly still enjoying it.