The Arrogance of Man

by Johng117

Chapter 65: The Rise of Darkness

The Frozen North was always a place of chills that would eat the nerves and travel to the bone of any living thing, but during nightfall and winter, the cold was much worse. As the blizzards scourge the land and anything that it touched, a low hum filled the air. The light from the moon was covered by a massive rock and temple that hovered through the air like a flying battleship. A black, green, violet, and red aura encased the temple as it descended from the air and onto the icy ground. With a rumble and shake, the temple planted itself into the snow, far from the mountain that it had originally been built into.

Within the temple, Sombra inhaled deeply and sighed as his magic aura died down from his hand. With the help of the Avatar amulet and his abilities in dark magic, it was possible for him to pull this feat. The shadow king opened his red eyes and turned towards his followers who began to shake off their disorientation from the travel. Sombra began to walk towards an icy throne that sat in the hall and took his seat on it. His brows furrowed.

"I want the last artifact, the Aurum Dragon, and I want the girl with the powers of the demon. We need them if we are going to have enough power to harness the energy of the violet star," said Sombra in an authoritative voice. He pointed to his servants with his cold gauntlet covered hand.

"Bring them to me! We are running out of time!" said Sombra. The Shadow's Hand all bowed before their dark king. One by one, they all dispersed from the substituted throne room that he held. Sombra was disgusted at how he was reduced to this state. His old throne was worthy for a powerful king and it represented the tyranny that he was capable of.

"Things were much better long before the damned Avatars interfered. I had it all," said Sombra as he narrowed his eyes and leaned back in his throne.

---

1000+ years ago...

It was a morning day in the Crystal Empire. The people of this great kingdom glittered as their bodies reflected the sun's light. The Crystallites, the natives of this land in the kingdom, where buildings and roads were entirely made up of crystals. Including the inhabitants themselves. The people wandered about their city on this lovely morning, passing the great spire-like castle that sat in the heart of the kingdom. A crystal shaped heart hovered in between two pointed crystals that protruded from the ground and the castle itself. It gave a soft glow as it spun around in a levitated state, giving a soft warmth from it.

From a humble crystal house, a young Sombra sat at a desk with an old tome in his hands. Being a man in his late teens, recently coming back from a faraway ruin in Equestria, he bore an eager expression as he read through the text, tracing a finger over it. The text contained ancient text that bore spells that the writers created and recorded. He placed the book down as he took a calm breath.

"You can do it, Sombra. Just let it flow naturally," said Sombra as he closed his red eyes. He then opened them as he raised his hands. His fingers strained as sparks of purple magic came from his fingers. A bright light came from his hands, causing the young man to wince. The sound of the magic humming filled his ears, and his lips curled into a smile. He then grunted as he felt pain in his hands and the magic flickered. His eyes burned as tears formed in his eyes while he tried to force the spell, but it would not be cast. He yelled as he tried one last push, but the magic dissipated, leaving him with smoking fingers.

"Damn it!" yelled Sombra in frustration as he slammed his hands on his desk. He panted as he allowed a couple of tears to stream down his cheeks and drop onto the tome's pages. He lowered his head as he sniffled and wiped a few tears away. He then heard a soft knock at his door, causing him to immediately turn.

"Sombra? Are you home?" called a feminine voice. The elf man wiped his eyes as he approached the door.

"One second!" called Sombra as he placed on a neutral expression. He sighed as he opened the door. He found a young elf woman around his age, bearing light grayish arctic blue long hair. She was an Elf, bearing the aesthetic of a Crystallite. She bore a soft smile as the elf opened the door.

"Good morning, Sombra," greeted the young woman.

"Oh. Good morning, Radiant Hope," said Sombra with a soft smile. Hope was shorter than him, but she didn't have to crane her neck back to meet his eyes. Her apparel was a long moderate heliotrope dress that reached her shins and bore a corset over her torso. Her long sleeves covered the crystal skin on her arms. An image of a pole with two serpents curled around it and a pair of wings above it was depicted on the breast of her corset.

"Come in," said Sombra as he stepped aside. The young woman smiled as she stepped inside of the house, with Sombra closing the door behind her.

"Shouldn't you be heading over to the medical house for work? Those patients could really use your healing magic," said Sombra.

"Well, yes. But when I heard that you were back from your journey, I had to come see you. It has been weeks since you've been gone this time," said Hope as she admired the books and tomes that sat on the shelves in the living room. The house was always a mess from this man’s work, but it always seemed to get more cluttered whenever he went off on an expedition.

"The journey to this temple was much more difficult. Tracking it was no easy task. The records I acquired were rough and written in an old language," said Sombra as he made his way over to the ancient tome that he was reading. He looked to Hope with a smile.

"But it's good to see you again, old friend," said Sombra. Hope's eyes brightened up as she took his hand.

"Hey, why don't we have dinner tonight? You can tell me about your journey and maybe tell me what you learned!" said Hope. Sombra lightly flushed at her touch and her energetic smile. It had been a long while since he had seen her this way. The most excited he saw her was the first time that she had gotten her Cutie Mark.

"Well, I suppose I have time. Yes, I would like that," said Sombra. Hope smiled in delight.

"Wonderful! Well, I should be going. I'll see you tonight, alright?" asked Hope as she left to the front door. Sombra nodded as he escorted her out.

"Alright. I'll just finish studying up these ancient texts that I acquired," said Sombra. Hope lightly giggled as she wrapped the man into a hug.

"Don't study too hard. You sometimes lock yourself in your home with these old books and lose track of time when studying," said Hope.

"Well, it's important to have ambition," said Sombra with a bitter smile. Hope lightly frowned as she held Sombra. His tone gave a hint of disappointment.

"Hey, you'll get your Cutie Mark soon. I know you will," said Hope. Sombra sighed as he released Hope.

"It's not just that, Hope," said Sombra as he released Radiant Hope. "Now get going. Your patients need your help,"

"Sure. Take care. I'll see you tonight," said Hope as she left the house. As Sombra closed the door and she walked down the street, Radiant Hope gave a heavy sigh.

Sombra shook his head as he lowered his bore a downcast look. He made his way back into his study area and sat down at his desk and levitated a sack filled with dusty old tomes from his journey. He looked them over with half open eyes, recalling of reading just about all of them during his travels back to the Crystal Empire. Yet not one of these spells were able to be cast by him. Ever since his youth, he had the misfortune at never being good at magic. At most, he could only perform basic magic feats, despite having an above mastery level on magical knowledge, but he still struggled to even levitate a small object.

"What kind of elf cannot perform greater feats with so much knowledge swirling around in his head?" asked Sombra as he clutched his head in frustration. He was the laughing stock of his peers in school when it came to learning some of these modern magic feats. They mocked him for his inability to do anything above levitation and illumination even to this day. Sombra glanced at his side and found a painting in the corner of the room with a younger version of himself next to a younger Radiant Hope. He lightly smiled as he kept his eyes on the portrait.

"At least you'll always be by my side," said Sombra. With that, he nodded in determination. He popped his fingers and began to sort all the books he had. As he continued, he noticed one last book in the sack. He raised a brow at the black tome.

"Hmm. I must have missed one," said Sombra as he noticed how this book was much more distinct compared to the others. He took the tome out of the sack and found what appeared as a six-pointed star in the center of a circle. It was an amulet that was built into the book. Sombra grabbed the cover of the book and opened it. Inside, he found a mostly blank page, but in the center, small lines of text was scribbled on the page that was made of a tan parchment.

"Curious. This text," muttered Sombra to himself. It appeared as a table of contents. They read to be ranging from subjects of spell casting, and a few historical conveniences with the spells. He then noticed a text that read, 'The Mirror of The Other Side'. He hummed to himself, curious. He turned to the page, careful not to damage the parchment of such an old book, and found the chapter that had drawn his curiosity.

"From within the temple of the Serpent, a mirror with the power to speak to the unseen was placed inside along with some of the scrolls of Dark Magic were taken from the fallen tribe of the Nephilim of San Palomino Desert," read Sombra as he scanned through the text. He cocked a brow.

"Nephilim? Where have I heard that term before?" asked Sombra. He shrugged as he went back onto reading.

"The mirror is said to allow communication with the unseen, where they may bestow gifts or knowledge upon he who stands before the mirror," said Sombra as he continued reading. He found an illustration of a tall mirror on the page, where a serpent was curled just above on it.

"Hmm. Sounds like an old folktale by superstitious elders," chuckled Sombra as he turned the page. He then raised his brows as he noticed another set of writing.

"The temple has been hidden from the imperial kings that had ended the golden age. But, these writings hold the location and the way to the temple and its treasures," read Sombra. His interest peaked at the helpful tip of where to find knowledge on magic that has yet to be uncovered. He snatched a separate parchment from the side and took an ink and quill into his hand and prepared to jot down the information that was written.

---

Later that night...

Hope and Sombra sat across from each other in the dining room. The two shared a pleasant meal together on this night, where the northern lights shone above in the heavens.

"So, I was chased by this massive Manticore across the woods. I managed to get away when I hid inside of a cave. Unfortunately, the beast knew that it was infested with giant spiders so he gave up. I had to find out the hard way," shuddered Sombra as he ate his meal.

"You worry me to death whenever you go on these adventures! Would it hurt you to hire some protection to help you get to these ruins?" asked Hope.

"I don't make enough money to do so," said Sombra as he ate his meal.

"Oh! Why not make a request to Princess Amore for some help? I'm sure she'd love to help assist on finding ancient knowledge for magic," said Hope. Sombra looked at her with an unsure expression.

"Hope, please. It's not my place to make such requests with the princess," said Sombra.

"You never know. She might be supportive of it," shrugged Hope. As she took another bite of her meal, Sombra looked down in thought.

"Hope, I think I might be leaving again next week," said Sombra. Hope stopped chewing and swallowed her meal.

"Heh. Sombra, you just came back home. What in Equestria could cause you to want to leave home so soon?" asked Hope. Sombra smiled as he pulled out a parchment with scribbles and lines drawn onto it.

"This. This morning after you left, I found a book that I hadn't read yet and found a tip to where another ancient temple could be. Best part is, I doubt anyone has found it yet," said Sombra as he pointed to the map and held it out to Hope. The young woman analyzed the map.

"The temple was known as the Temple of the Serpent. The tome reads that there are some different kinds of spells of a higher level along with Dark Magic scrolls," said Sombra. Hope's stomach sank as she heard the last couple words.

"Dark Magic? Sombra... You know that's forbidden, right?" asked Hope. Sombra nodded to her.

"Of course, I do. It's just that... Well I want to explore everything that I can find. Of course, that doesn't mean that I'll dabble in something as taboo as Dark Magic. But it might be good to hand it over to the princesses in Equestria. I hear they have a lot of things archived," said Sombra.

"Well, it'd certainly keep them from falling into the wrong hands," said Hope. She then looked back at the map.

"But according to this map, the temple is outside of Equestria. It's in Trottoman territory. That's on the other end of the world!" said Hope with wide eyes.

"Technically, the temple is at an old Greecian settlement that had fallen to the rise of the Trottoman Empire. But yes, it is on the other end of the world," said Sombra as he took the map back and read through it.

"The temple was hidden just beneath an old altar in the region. Surely the Trottomans did not find it and ransacked it," said Sombra with an eager expression.

"But... the Crystal Fair is starting next week. You could be on that journey for weeks," said Hope with a look of disappointment. Sombra lost his smile in realization.

"Oh. Yes, that's right," said Sombra as he slumped his shoulders.

"We... We were supposed to go together this year," said Sombra with a look of shame. Hope glanced back at her dear friend.

"But... If you really want to go, you can. We can go together next year," said Hope. Sombra looked at her in surprise.

"You... You mean it?" asked Sombra.

"Yes. But you owe me a lot of snacks next year from the fair!" said Hope with hard eyes. She then gave a playful wink while Sombra chuckled.

"OK. Thanks Hope, you're the best," said Sombra.

---

Three Weeks later...

Sombra panted as he walked through the exhaustion that he felt on himself. He climbed grand green hills on a large part of land that stuck in between the Blood Sea and the Mediterranean Sea. He was on the very edge of this country's side on the Trottoman's territory. He found old ancient ruins of what appeared to be from a city and a grand altar. Sombra panted as he adjusted his travel bag and wiped the sweat from his brows. The seawater glistened under the sunlight, creating a wonderful view of the green hills and islands over the waters. Sombra picked up his pace until he came across the ruins, where he found fallen over bricks and pillars. He took out his map and began to look it over.

"Travel to the grand altar and offer the wine of life to the serpent's gaping jaws to enter the temple," read Sombra as he looked through the tome that was levitated by his magic. He tapped his chin in thought as he pondered the meaning. As he made his way to the altar's center, he still could not decipher the meaning of the text.

"Damned ancients. Everything has to be a cryptic message," cursed Sombra in annoyance. He looked around the area in annoyance as he tried to find any hint or clue as to what the directions were telling him. As he climbed the large altar, he passed broken statues that lied scattered on the ground. He yelped as he tripped over an object and fell over. Sombra groaned in annoyance as he got up and looked to see what he had tripped on. His eyes widened in surprise as he found a serpent made of iron sticking out of the earth in the corner of a pillar that was nearby. He noticed that the serpent held its jaws wide open, and it appeared to be hollow inside.

"I... guess this is the serpent. But what is this wine of life?" asked Sombra as he scratched his head.

"Wine. What is wine? Wine is an alcoholic beverage made from fermented grapes or other fruits. Wine is stereotyped to be red in color. Hmm. Is it literally asking for wine? Something sacred perhaps?" asked Sombra as he tapped his chin. He winced as he felt his knee sting. He knelt down and found his clothing on his leg to have torn a bit, revealing it to be bleeding.

"Damn," said Sombra. His eyes then widened as a thought came to him.

"Wait. Red wine. Wine of life. Blood is red. You need blood to stay alive," said Sombra as he looked at the serpent. It appeared to have traveled into the ground. Sombra reached into his pocket and pulled out a knife and looked at his knee and then the serpent.

"Well, it's worth a shot," said Sombra as he stood over the serpent and pricked his finger. He held his finger over the serpent's mouth and shakily waited for a drop of blood to fall. After a few seconds, he squeezed out a drop, which fell into the serpent's throat. Sombra waited for several seconds, waiting for something to happen. After a minute of waiting, he scowled.

"I guess not," said Sombra, disappointed at his failure. It seemed that there was no way to enter this secret temple. As he stood up, he heard what seemed to be the earth caving in. He whipped his head around and found a small area of dirt collapsing within the ground and fell. He slowly walked over to the hole and found stoned stairs leading down into a dark abyss. Sombra smiled to himself and carefully traveled down the stairs.

He spent the next minute cautiously stepping down these steps with his magic lighting his way and his steps echoed in the darkness. He felt a tinge of nervousness within himself, but he was too eager to see what this place had to offer then to walk away now. As Sombra made his way to the bottom, he found himself in a great cavern with bricks stacked along the walls and ground, making up a temple-like formation. Sombra stared in awe at the great cavern. He looked around and found statues of serpents wrapping themselves along pillars along with a serpent-like dragon at the entrance, standing erect with its wings splayed out while it snarled at him.

"Fascinating," said Sombra in awe as he admired the craftsmanship of these statues and the architecture. As he continued further into the temple, he found halls leading him somewhere. Curious, he trailed down the halls where he found a room with dozens of chests and shelves. Sombra gasped as he rushed towards the shelves and found scrolls to be on them. He quickly took one and unrolled it, finding an ancient writing in a language that he was familiar with.

"This... This is one of the Dark Magic scrolls. Just like the book said!" said Sombra. He took a separate bag and placed it down and prepared to unload more of the scrolls. After placing a few in, he realized that there were far too many to take. He frowned, but then turned to one of the chests in curiosity. He walked over to one of them and opened it up. He found several more scrolls. As he opened it, he found more text.

"And he said unto the sons of man, 'ye shall have power beyond thy current state. Accept my teachings, and ye shall be kings over nations, with wisdom of the unseen'," read Sombra. He hummed in thought.

"There it is again. The unseen," said Sombra to himself. He felt a chill run along his spine, causing him to whip around. No one was present with him. Sombra cautiously walked further into the archives. He soon came across a large mirror. His eyes widened as he recognized the design, from which he had seen on the tome's illustration. A serpent was present over it, just like the illustration. It was black as night, and stood to be seven feet tall. Sombra slowly walked over to the mirror, finding his reflection.

"A mirror with the power to speak to the unseen. But... What is the unseen?" asked Sombra as he slowly raised his hand and brought it over the glass. As he touched the mirror, he felt a small vibration, causing him to pull his hand back.

"Who calls to me?" asked a male voice. Sombra gasped as he looked around frantically for the source of the voice.

"Who's there?! Show yourself!" demanded Sombra.

"My, isn't this interesting. No mortal has come to this temple for nearly a thousand years," said the voice. Sombra turned to the mirror, and found clouds of smoke to replace his reflection, where a figure hidden in darkness was revealed. It appeared to be masculine in figure, bearing red eyes. Sombra stepped fearfully away.

"Fear not, Sombra. I am not your enemy," said the figure. Suddenly, the dark clouds dispersed from the figure, revealing him to be covered in a bright light. Sombra shielded his eyes from the stranger's light, and then his eyes slowly began to adjust.

"Who... Who are you?" asked Sombra. "And how do you know my name?"

"I know many things about you, dear boy. But I go by many names," said the figure with a chuckle.

"But... just call me, Attar," said the figure. Sombra stared in awe at this being's appearance. He stood with a masculine appearance, bearing robes and armor that were as bright as lightning. The boots of his soles appeared as hooves, much like an oxen’s. The armor bore golden details. His eyes were like diamonds, which stared into Sombra's soul, and his curly, golden locks of hairs mesmerized and frightened Sombra. It was though they were burning like fire.

"Wha-What are you?" asked Sombra.

"I am the brightest morning star. I am a spirit that has existed since the dawn of time itself. And you my friend, have summoned me before you," said Attar with a smile as he walked towards Sombra. He placed a hand on his shoulder.

"You have been presented a rare opportunity. My knowledge surpasses all on the Earth and beyond. I am also willing to share my knowledge with mortals such as yourself," said Attar. Sombra backed away as he appeared to have a hard time standing.

"Y-You're a spirit from beyond! Surely this must be some sort of dream!" said Sombra. Attar chuckled at the man's flabbergasted mood. It was amusing to him to see mortals react this way.

"Oh, I assure you, Sombra. This is all real. You came to this place once you read a tome. The one you have," said Attar as he gestured to Sombra. The Elf glanced at his side and found the journal sticking out on the side. He then turned back to Attar.

"What sort of knowledge could you offer me?" asked Sombra. He was curious to know what this spirit could possibly know that he and others may not already know.

"I can tell you the total amount of stars that resides in our universe today, and how many there were in the beginning. I can tell you the long history of this world. I can teach you about the elements. But... I can see that you came here for a problem of your own," said Attar as he paced around Sombra.

"Ever since you were a boy, you have had a hard time casting magic spells. You've been mocked by other magic wielding humans from your home. You were already an outcast being that you are an elf that lacks the blood of a Crystallite," said Attar. Sombra looked down in shame at how the spirit was bringing up the abuse he went through.

"Don't be so down. I sense your ambition," said Attar as he glanced back at Sombra. "Despite your shortcomings in magic, you strive to become stronger. I admire that."

"You do?" asked Sombra in surprise. He felt flattered that a higher being could possibly admire him.

"I do. Which is why I shall help you," said Attar as he kept his back turned to Sombra.

"Spend four years here in this temple, Sombra. I shall change you into a man capable of casting many spells. As a bonus, I shall teach you all the magical spells that are here in this temple from the most basic of spells to the most advanced," said Attar. Sombra stared at him with wide eyes. This offer was simply too good to be true and that bothered him.

"Attar, what do you want in return?" asked Sombra with caution in his voice. Attar smirked to himself.

"What I want from you is to spread my teachings throughout Equestria. That is all that I ask of you," said Attar. Sombra looked down in thought as he pondered his decision. This would be his chance to finally break free of his inability to cast real magic. He would finally be able to reach his true potential and enact the knowledge that he had gained, but that would mean that he would have to remain here for four years without seeing his friend, Radiant Hope. They wouldn't be able to spend their time together at the fair next year. Sombra sighed as he slumped his shoulders, but hardened his eyes. This was his only chance to fix his problem, so he would break his promise to Hope and make it up to her later.

"Attar, I accept your proposal." Sombra held a firm expression.

"Teach me, master," said Sombra as he bowed his head. Attar smiled as he turned back to face Sombra.

"Kneel before me," said Attar. Without argument, Sombra knelt before the being of light and bowed his head. Attar brought his hand over Sombra's shoulder and pressed his palm against it. The elf winced as he felt a burning sensation on his right shoulder. He cried out in pain as his sleeve burned off, revealing the bare skin of his arm and shoulder. As Attar removed his hand from Sombra's shoulder, a mark appeared on the human's shoulder. Sombra panted as he felt the pain subside. He looked at his shoulder and was shocked to find what he thought was a Cutie Mark on him. But, it was a burn mark, shaped like an inverted star in the center of a circle. Sombra looked back up at Attar, who bore a smile. He then gestured to the bag that contained the scrolls and book.

"Now, levitate that bag, my apprentice," said Attar. Sombra looked at the bag hesitantly. Even basic levitation was too much for him to perform without straining himself. Still, he had to trust his teacher. Sombra sighed as he raised his hand and concentrated, his hand glowing with his magic aura. Sombra grunted as he tried to keep his focus, but his eyes widened as the bag was levitated into the air. All the difficulty that he felt from using the spell was suddenly nonexistent. Sombra was levitating an object without so much effort. Sombra laughed as his eyes shed tears of joy.

"Come, Sombra. Your lessons begin now," said Attar as he turned around and began to walk away. Unbeknownst to Sombra, Attar's eyes briefly changed from their beautiful appearance to a hellish red.

---

One year later....

Sombra was kneeling on the ground as his eyes were closed. Attar paced around him. His glowing appearance seemed to have been losing itself to a more ethereal shadow.

"Now, what is it that you have learned?" asked Attar.

"Magic is influenced by emotion. Depending the strength of emotion on the caster, the greater the strength of the spell," said Sombra. Attar nodded in approval.

"Good. Now, to perfect your magic, you must remember to keep in mind my laws. What do you do about a guest in your home?" asked Attar.

"Do to others as they do to you. If a guest disrespects me in my very home, treat him or her with the same disrespect, for love should not be wasted on ingrates," said Sombra. Attar smiled.

"Excellent. Remember, the world is filled with rude and pretentious beings that deserve no kind treatment. Only kind beings deserve to receive kindness," said Attar. Sombra lowered his eyes as he narrowed them. Memories of his childhood came flooding back to him. The humiliation that he suffered from being unable to perform magic caused him to grow frustrated. However, there was at least one person that was worthy to receive kindness from him.

"Now, you can see how alienated you've become in the Crystal Empire, my student. You are shunned by most merely because you lack the crystal coating of skin over your very being. It seems that they carry a certain view on how their citizens should be. Capable of casting spells without too much trouble and being of Crystallite descent," said Attar as he ran his hand along a stone serpent. Sombra sighed heavily as he lowered his eyes.

"Yes. Ever since I was a child, I was an orphan and no one would adopt me," said Sombra.

"Do not be ashamed of yourself, Sombra," said Attar as he whipped around to face the human. Sombra shot his head up and met eyes with Attar.

"You have no need to conform to such nonsense. You are greater than that!" said Attar. He gestured to the hall around them, where scrolls lied stacked together on the ground.

"You've read hundreds of these scrolls in just a year! You've memorized all of them and you are growing stronger as the days roll by!' said Attar as he levitated the scrolls by an invisible force.

"My apprentice, you have potential! Don't waste it on conforming to the expectations of others! This is why you are here! To pursue your desire to ascend to a higher level then what you were when I found you! You are your own god!" said Attar as he held his hands out, displaying two pairs of bird-like wings that were pure white and radiated with light. Sombra stared in awe, feeling inspiration fill up inside of himself by his teacher. Sombra nodded as he bowed his head in respect.

"I understand, master," said Sombra. Attar smiled as he licked his lips with a forked tongue.

"Now, let us continue. Soon, we shall move onto greater magic," said Attar.

---

Year Two.

Sombra lied down on a bed, resting in the underground temple. The next day would require him to learn about dark magic and perform it. Truth be told, Sombra was uncomfortable when he heard the news. It was considered taboo among humans to perform it let alone learn about it. Still, Attar reassured him that the art was not dangerous to the user as most people believed. After all, the Avatar Princess Celestia knew how to cast it and has done so on a couple occasions. This came as a shock to the elf once the spirit revealed this information to him given that he has heard about how benevolent and pure she seemed.

In bed, Sombra mumbled in his sleep as he turned. His hair had grown longer from the time that he had spent in the temple and he was barely able to maintain his hygiene due to his extensive studies and magic practices with his master. As he slept, Sombra heard whispers in his ears.

"Sombra..." whispered the voice. Sombra's brows furrowed as his name was repeatedly whispered into his ears.

"She's no different," whispered the voices. Sombra turned in his bed as he moaned.

"They are all the same," whispered the voices. The voices continued to speak his name and speak undesirable words into his ear, reaching into his resting mind.

"You should treat them the same way as they treated you," whispered a voice.

"Yes. They oppressed you. Do the same to them," whispered another voice. Sombra's eyes shot wide open as he shot up out of bed. He panted as his heart raced in his chest. The whispers had stopped. Sombra looked around the stone room, finding no one to be present. Sombra sighed as he pinched the skin on his fore head. He lied back down in bed, not noticing the shadows that moved through the room.

---

Year Three

Sombra's eyes were half way opened as he stared off to the wall. His hands were bruised and felt as though they were burning. His fingers were red and bore burn scars. He sighed in exhaustion as he began to shake. He raised his head and found Attar approaching him.

"It seemed that you were not yet ready to handle the power of dark magic. This was my mistake, Sombra. I should've given you more time to train," said Attar as he began to walk away. Sombra winced as he stood up and shakily walked after the spirit.

"Master, I can press on! Please, give me a chance!" cried Sombra.

"Sombra, if we continue as you are, it will only kill you. You must rest and continue to train with the advanced light spells. I may not be able to teach you dark magic," said Attar. Sombra gritted his teeth and refused to let his weakness hold him back. Sombra could feel himself destined for greatness among the people of the Crystal Empire and Equestria

"Master! Please, surely there is something that we can do! I want to learn everything! That is why I asked that you teach me!" cried Sombra as he dropped onto his knees. He coughed furiously as he felt himself growing weak. Attar continued to walk back to the mirror.

"Attar! Please, I can't fully hold up my end of our deal if I can't learn everything that you know," wheezed Sombra. He coughed as he lowered his head. Attar glanced back at Sombra with a smirk.

"He's growing frail and desperate. He truly is ambitious to be the best," said Attar to himself. He turned away from the mirror and began to approach Sombra.

"There is one way that we are able to continue to practice the art of dark magic," said Attar. Sombra looked up at Attar with hope in his eyes.

"I-I'll do anything! What do you desire?" asked Sombra. Attar pointed at Sombra.

"In exchange to grant you the durability to continue performing the most advanced dark magic spells, I must break down your old body," said Attar. Sombra's eyes widened.

"Wha-What?" asked Sombra.

"Your body is holding you back, Sombra. The dark magic is proving to be too much for a mortal like yourself. However, I can change you into a being that will be suitable for such power," said Attar as he waved a hand and spawned a black crystal into his hand. He held it out, revealing the crystal to be radiating a black mist. There was a sharp pointed end on the crystal.

"You must become one with the shadow," said Attar. Sombra backed away with an unsure expression.

"I... I..." Sombra looked down with an unsure expression. Attar furrowed his brows, but then quickly softened them.

"You will be able to manifest yourself into a physical body again, able to feel and such. Becoming one with the shadow is merely an enhancement, my student. You will become stronger," said Attar as he held the crystal closer to Sombra.

"But... Is it right to change my very being?" asked Sombra in hesitation.

"Sombra, my dear boy. You can be greater if you change yourself. Change is a natural part of nature. All you're doing is changing into something that no normal human can ever amount to," said Attar as he brought the crystal closer to him. Sombra lowered his head.

"Yes. Hmph, I guess I'm forgetting why I'm here," said Sombra as he stood up. He bore a firm expression.

"Let me become one with the shadow," said Sombra. Attar smiled darkly as Sombra closed his eyes and held his arms out. Attar held the crystal back and then plunged it into Sombra's chest. The human groaned in pain as the crystal impaled him. He felt himself growing cold as the dark magic from the crystal coursed through his body. Sombra groaned in agony as he dropped to his knees. His body cracked and the white in his eyes turned green and his green eyes turned red. Attar began to chuckle darkly as Sombra's skin started to break apart and dark shadowy tendrils burst out of him. Red flashes ignited the temple, and Attar laughed maniacally. Every time a flash came, Attar's appearance briefly changed from his beautiful form to a humanoid horned creature with red eyes and a dark body. Sombra cried out as his body burst into oblivion, leaving behind a mass of shadow on the ground. Attar smiled as the shadow began to take shape and form. From the shadow emerged Sombra, bearing grey skin over his body and fanged teeth. His black hair flowed through the air like flames. Sombra gave an echoed and relieved sigh as he turned to face Attar.

"Now, you are ready to learn more about dark magic," said Attar as his eyes glowed red. Sombra smirked to himself, feeling free. He felt strong and powerful.

---

Year Four.

The four years of training were finally completed. Years of a lack of proper hygiene, comfort, and complete meals had plagued Sombra. Years of nonstop reading, pain, sickness, magic usage, and solitude were all over. After all of this, Sombra had now finished his training. The shadow elf grunted as he forced his hands forward and destroyed a pillar outside of the temple, leaving only pieces of stone on the grass. Sombra smirked as a violet aura radiated from his red and green eyes. He then heard clapping coming from behind, prompting the shadow elf to turn and find Attar standing behind him.

"Excellent work, my apprentice. You've learned everything that I have taught you. As time goes on, you shall grow stronger with your power," said Attar. Sombra bowed before the angel of light.

"Thank you for your teachings, master. Because of you, I can finally perform the greatest of magic spells. I look forward to discovering more spells that are out there and mastering them as well. I shall hold my end of our deal and pass on your teachings," said Sombra. Attar smiled in approval.

"But, now that I know these powerful spells and have grown strong, what should I do with my powers? I mean for more personal use, rather than as a mentor," said Sombra as he looked up at Attar with a questioning look. Attar smirked as he pointed to Sombra's chest.

"Look into your heart, and you shall find the answer," said Attar as he backed away from Sombra. He then spread his great wings out and ascended into the air. Attar then vanished into a flash of light, leaving Sombra alone. The shadow elf looked down in thought as he pondered what he should do. Obviously, he should go home, but home wasn't exactly the nicest place as he remembered. All he remembered was the ridicule that he went through by the other Crystallites. Being away from home for four years was a great get away from that. Yet, he couldn't help but think back to the humiliation that he suffered. His eyes sparked with anger. Sombra then thought back to the issues that plagued the Crystal Empire. Although the Crystal Heart was said to be one of the strongest forces in the kingdom, all it did was put on a light show and be put on display during the festival.

"If I were in charge and the Crystal Heart was in my hands, the Crystal Empire could be much more," said Sombra with a hum. No doubt that he would be able to show off to those who put him down to show that the once weak child that he was had grown into a powerful and enlightened man. Then, Sombra gasped as a thought clicked to him. Sombra smirked as he gave a chuckle. He turned to his bags, filled with dozens of scrolls and the black tome with the star on it. He suddenly dispersed his body into shadow and then began to surround the bag and took off into the air like a black cloud.

---

The Crystal Empire stood proudly over the northern lands of Equestria in the evening. The castle's bright light on the tip shone like a great beacon over the rolling green hills and crystal buildings that surrounded it. Sombra stood in between the two crystalline pillars that led to the empire with narrowed eyes. His body was cloaked by a ragged brown cloak and his eyes continuously glowed in the night. He made his way down into the streets of the Crystal Empire, sprouting black crystals out of the ground with every step that he took. Sombra continued, being sighted by a few residents who were present. They gasped in fright as they saw the crystals sprout from behind him with every step that was taken. Sombra's negative energy channeled into his magic, manifesting itself into every step he took and reflecting itself into black crystals. The dullness of these crystals the bore in their appearance contrasted with the more colorful and vibrant crystals that normally made up the Crystal Empire.

"They will all see my greatness," said Sombra with a dark smile as he grazed his hand along the walls of a building, causing it to spark and turn dark. As the dark crystals began to spread, cries of panic filled the air. These dark crystals surrounded citizens in their homes or burst in front of them in the streets. The shadow elf suddenly morphed into his shadowy form and swarmed through the city, leaving behind more black crystals. Soon, more cries of panic erupted from the city as the dark magic interrupted their peaceful night. Eventually, Sombra came across the castle and caught sight of the Crystal Heart, hovering and glowing. As Sombra smiled to himself in his shadowy form and grew closer to the object, he suddenly felt himself in pain. Sombra cried out as he was knocked out of his shadowy form and into his physical form. He groaned in pain as his red and green eyes flickered, returning to normal. His irises were once again an emerald green. Sombra looked at his hands in confusion and found that his hands were slightly cracked, causing him to gasp in shock.

"Wha- How can this be?!" exclaimed Sombra. Attar's alteration to his body should have made him impervious, yet he felt pain and bore cracks in his palms. Sombra then looked at the Crystal Heart and found its glow to be slightly brighter. Suddenly, the castle doors burst open, revealing men in armor rushing out with spears. Sombra shakily stood up as he ignored his pain and found himself surrounded by the guards. Sombra growled as he glared at the guards. As the rest of the guards came, an elf Crystallite woman, standing to be six feet tall, made her way out of the castle. She wore a very pale vermilion colored gown that exposed her shoulders, where a snowflake Cutie Mark was shown. A cobalt crown sat on her head, where a small golden heart was in the center. Her hair long hair was a Gradient of brilliant raspberry that changed to a moderate cobalt blue at the ends of her locks. Her brilliant amber eyes were firm as they locked onto the shadow elf.

"Sombra, stop what you are doing," said Amore as a few of her guards stood by her side. Sombra's eyes widened.

"You... You know what I'm doing?" asked Sombra in surprise.

"I do. I was warned on what you were planning to do," said Amore in a calm voice. Sombra relaxed himself as he held a firm stare. It was best to at least reason with the princess, for she may be open to the idea.

"Princess Amore, I've... I've been cured of my curse. I now can perform the greatest of magic feats! I have learned much on my journey!" said Sombra with pride in his tone. His eyes changed back into being green and red with a violet aura emitting from his eyes. The guards stood aggressively as the shadow elf took a step forward. Amore looked at Sombra with pity.

"Sombra, do you not see what you've done to yourself?" asked Amore. "You've dabbled with dark magic, you've traded your humanity for power, and now you plan to corrupt the Crystal Heart with your anger!"

"Corrupt it? No, I plan to improve it! Amore, my power will lead the Crystal Empire to greatness! I want to share what I learned from my master! I want to make everyone a God like I have become! Together, you and I can rule the Crystal Empire and spread our glory across Equestria!" said Sombra. He then looked at his red and scarred hand with furrowed brows.

"All of my life, I was weak. I had no place among you or other Crystallites . You always said that love and kindness was something that everyone deserved, but I've never received that from the others. I was nothing to them!" shouted Sombra as he glared at the princess

"I've learned that not everyone deserves kindness! Only those who have ever showed kindness deserve to receive it!" said Sombra with anger in his eyes. Amore can see in his eyes that the elf had grown arrogant in his time of absence. Whoever his master was had caused him to hold onto his anger and to be unforgiving. Now, he was proposing a union between them to rule over her kingdom, with a corrupted Crystal Heart. Amore noticed that a few of her subjects were coming out of hiding and were witnessing their confrontation. She had to keep the situation from getting out of hand.

"Sombra, please stop this. If you continue this path of anger and hate and corrupt the Crystal Heart, you will bring darkness over Equestria. I don't want that, and I know that neither do you. The Crystal Heart is already trying to repel the darkness that has taken over you. Please, it's not too late to stop this," said Amore with pleading eyes. Sombra narrowed his eyes.

"You're just like the rest. You're afraid that my power would be better suited to replace your power over the Crystal Heart!" shouted Sombra as he clenched his fists.

"No! Sombra, I am trying to help you!" cried Amore. Sombra yelled angrily as his eyes grew brighter.

"Help?! I do not need your help! I demand that you hand over the Crystal Heart to me, now!" shouted Sombra. Amore narrowed her eyes.

"Never," said Amore in a firm tone. She then pointed a hand towards the shadow elf.

"Seize him!" ordered Amore. The guards immediately rushed Sombra, tackling him to the ground. Sombra yelled angrily as he burst into shadow, surrounding the area. The guards gasped as they searched all around themselves. Suddenly, Sombra reappeared near them in physical form and shot forth dark beams of magic, engulfing the guards. They cried out in agony as their bodies were burned and covered in black crystals. They dropped to the ground, shattering into pieces. From their shattered crystal bodies came sparkling blood. Amore raised her hands and fired a cyan beam of magic towards Sombra, blowing the shadow elf back. He cried out in pain as he felt the power of the light magic strike him. He gasped as he found more cracks on his body. He then narrowed his eyes.

"She's drawing power from the Crystal Heart," said Sombra with a growl. As Amore fired another beam of magic, Sombra dove into the ground as a shadow, evading the beam and causing black crystals to sprout as he grew closer to the princess. People stared as they watched the confrontation. From the crowd, emerged a wide-eyed Radiant Hope as she watched the princess battle against a shadow that sprouted black crystals. She wondered what kind of force that she was dealing with.

Sombra continued to move along the ground in his shadowy form, avoiding every beam and bolt of magic from Amore. This was his strategy, to avoid her attacks long enough until she was exhausted. He noticed Amore beginning to tire and her reaction to his dodging was becoming slightly delayed. Once Amore missed again, Sombra acted. He burst with high speed in his shadowy form and lunged out of the ground with his right-hand glowing with a magic aura. Amore's eyes widened as she found Sombra suddenly in her face. He grabbed her by the neck and forced his other hand towards her abdomen, sending a burst of dark magic into her. Amore gasped as she felt the pain course through her, unable to scream from the shock. Her subjects cried out in shock and horror, while Hope's eyes widened as she found Sombra looking at the princess with a wicked smile. He forced Amore to the ground as she bore a gaping hole in her abdomen that was as wide as a man's fist. Her breathing was ragged and her eyes were wide. Sombra leaned down over her with narrowed eyes.

"You're weak. I shall be a stronger ruler for the empire," said Sombra as he stood over Amore. The princess reached her hand for his ankle to keep him from walking away, but the shadow elf kicked her hand away. Amore turned her eyes to the Crystal Heart and then her eyes became cloudy, losing all ounce of life in them. Her subjects cried out in despair as their princess lied dying before their very eyes. Radiant Hope trembled in place as she stood with teary eyes as she focused on the body of the princess. She then focused her gaze on Sombra, her best friend. The man had fatally wounded the princess in cold blood. She couldn't comprehend why he would do such a thing. There was still time to save the princess if she acted now. Hope knelt beside Amore as her hands glowed with her magic.

"Hold on, your highness. I can-" Hope was interrupted as black crystals burst out of the ground and surrounded Amore, encasing her inside. Radiant Hope cried out in despair as she slammed her fists on the crystal tomb. She turned and ran after Sombra as he walked over to the Crystal Heart.

"Why?! Why are you doing this?!" cried Hope in a distraught tone.

"She was weak. She denied the empire growth. Now, I'm taking leadership," said Sombra as he approached the Crystal Heart. The object hummed as it flashed, sending a wave towards Sombra, causing him to grunt in pain. He growled as he pressed through his pain towards the Crystal Heart as it attempted to protect itself from him.

"Sombra, please let me heal the princess!" cried Hope as the Crystal Humans all lowered their heads in despair around the crystal tomb.

"Oh, Radiant Hope. Why let her rise when you can take her place?" asked Sombra as he turned to face Radiant Hope. The young woman stopped as she looked at him with teary eyes.

"I... I don't understand," said Hope.

"Hope, you've always been so kind to me. You were like me too, a misfit among the people here. Lacking a Cutie Mark until you were sixteen, yet you remained my dear friend. With that, I want you to join my side as ruler," said Sombra as he held his hand out to Hope. The girl looked at him in disbelief.

"No. No, you can't be serious," said Hope.

"I am. You see, our magic is strong! We know what it's like to face hardship for being different. We can crush those who have wronged us and others. We can change the Crystal Empire. And together, you and I can rule as King and Queen over the empi- no, over Equestria!" said Sombra. Hope shook her head as she gritted her teeth. The words that came out of Sombra's mouth were unlike anything that she imagined him ever saying such things. This was not the same man that she knew four years ago.

"I... I don't know who you are anymore. You changed!" said Hope. Sombra furrowed his brows at Hope.

"Change occurs naturally in nature, Hope," said Sombra.

"But your change is wrong! It isn't you! You've become a... You've become a monster!" cried Hope. Sombra glared at Hope angrily. The words struck him harder than the years of ridicule that he faced. His one and only friend had turn on him, declaring him a monster.

"I'm a monster? Hmph. Then I guess monsters are the ones with the guts to change things for the better," said Sombra as he turned to the Crystal Heart and reached for it. With the citizens despairing over Amore's death and their lack of focus of love to power the object, it was vulnerable.

"Sombra, no!!' screamed Hope as she reached out to the shadow elf. Sombra's hands burned as he reached for the Crystal Heart as it attempted one last wave to repel him. However, Sombra pressed through the pain again and grabbed the Crystal Heart. The heart suddenly turned grey, bursting into a green light. Hope was blinded by the light, and the dark magic from Sombra's being along with his negative emotions infused themselves into the Crystal Heart. A great burst of energy flowed through the city, reducing the once beautiful crystals into jagged black crystals that stuck out wildly. The Crystallites suddenly lost their crystal coating, with their hair coming down and their bodies becoming pale with somber. The castle grew jagged and darker, becoming an ominous tower of doom. Radiant Hope backed away with fearful eyes as Sombra laughed maniacally as he held the Crystal Heart into the air.

"Yes! All will see my greatness! Kneel before me, your new king!" shouted Sombra. Hope turned and ran away as fast as she could as her eyes ran with tears. The rest of the Crystallites stayed behind in fear as Sombra became a great shadow over the castle, laughing maniacally.

---

It has been over two months. The Crystal Empire was in turmoil. The sky lacked beauty and appeared to be tainted by the evil atmosphere that was in control. The green hills were now brown, nothing but dirt. Sombra smiled darkly as he stood on the balcony of the castle, looking down over the kingdom that he ruled. All the citizens of the Crystal Empire were towing great black crystals and digging foundations all around. Things are finally looking up for the elf. Now, he was the most powerful being in all the Crystal Empire and ruled it with an iron fist. He looked over the kingdom as dark magical flames crackled on the spire, adding to the ominous atmosphere. Sombra turned as he heard footsteps approaching. He found a young Elf man with silver hair standing with a cloak, along with four other elves. They were all, excluding the man with silver hair, residents of the Crystal Empire as well, but their bodies were of flesh and dull in tone. They knelt before Sombra.

"Master, we have succeeded in capturing a large number of the resistance the previous day. They have been brought to the slave labor camp," said the man with silver hair.

"And what of Radiant Hope?" asked Sombra.

"She still hasn't been found since last week's raid," said an elf woman. Sombra shook his head as he pinched the bridge of his nose. He sighed in annoyance as he turned back to the balcony. No doubt that the girl was long gone already.

"Thanatos, I want you all to go out beyond this city and keep searching for those who continue to resist. And I want Radiant Hope brought to me, alive," growled Sombra. The members of the Shadow's Hand bowed before him and left Sombra alone. One by one, they vanished in a spark of black and violet magic. Thanatos looked back at Sombra as the tyrant made his way back to the balcony. He then turned and vanished via teleportation magic as well. The shadow elf scowled as he looked down on the fields. Ever since his rule, there had been a few souls that were brave enough to oppose his will. They hid in the snow and caves of the North and recruited others into their cause to overthrow him. From Sombra's sources, Hope had taken refuge with them for these past couple of months. In that time, Sombra had been running both his empire, recruiting loyalists, and hunting these rebels down. His plan to dominate Equestria was much too slow. The Crystal Heart was corrupted, but there was not enough power in it to spread its influence all around Equestria. Amore had drained most of its reserved power, and only fear and hate provided the power necessary to enforce Sombra's will over the Crystal Empire. Still, it wasn't enough. There were still plenty of crystallites resisting his rule to prevent him using all the fear in their hearts. There was some who still had hope.

"I'll find them. I'll find them all," said Sombra as he narrowed his eyes. As he was about to leave the balcony, he spotted two figures in the distance, flying through the air. Sombra squinted his eyes, able to make out Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. Sombra's eyes narrowed and raised his hand to spawn a black sword. His cape flapped through the wind and his armor reflected the light of the sun. Sombra kept his eyes on the Avatars as they hovered in the air just several feet away. Their eyes were firm as they stared down at the shadow elf.

"Surrender Sombra, or face thy doom," said Luna as she raised her hands, illuminating them with her magic aura. Sombra tightened his grip on his sword. He gave a war cry as he leaped into the air with his sword leaving a trail of black smoke as he swung the blade towards Luna. The younger Avatar evaded the attack and kicked Sombra on the skull, knocking him down to the ground. The force of Luna's kick forced Sombra to create a crater on impact on the earth. Sombra growled as he stood up in pain. It seemed that he was vulnerable to these powerful beings.

Celestia dove down towards Sombra as she fired bolts of magic, which Sombra rolled out of the way of. He fired bolts of dark magic, which Celestia blocked with a magic bubble shield. As Sombra was occupied, Luna appeared next to him and fired a beam of her magic, striking Sombra in his face. He cried out in agony as his face was burned. He growled angrily as his eyes burned with fury, causing Luna to recoil in shock.

"Die!!" shouted Sombra as he swung his blade against Luna, but his sword was shot out of his hand by Celestia's bolt of magic. The elder sister burst with great speed as she flew towards Sombra and tackled him to the ground. She grunted as she sent powerful punches down onto his face, causing the ground around them to crack.

"Where is the Crystal Heart?!" demanded Celestia as she sent another fist to Sombra's face. The shadow elf caught it and held it tightly. He shakily held her off. Celestia's physical strength was much greater than his own, putting him at a disadvantage in close quarters.

"Somewhere that you'll never find it! The empire belongs to me!" shouted Sombra as he kicked Celestia off himself, forcing her to stumble back. Sombra then morphed himself into shadow and dove into the ground. As the shadow surrounded Celestia, crystals burst out of the earth and trapped her inside. Sombra reappeared in physical form outside of the prison and forced a hand towards Luna, catching her in his magical telekinesis. He swung his hand, slamming Luna into a pillar of black crystal, causing it to topple over in pieces. Luna groaned in pain as she emerged, covered in cuts and bruises. Sombra suddenly appeared before her and swung his fist into Luna's gut, making her to hunch over as the wind was knocked out of her. He then kneed her in her chest and lifted her up over his head, yelling as he threw her on the ground at his feet. He then raised an armored foot over Luna's head. The young Avatar quickly shot her hand up and fired a beam of magic at Sombra's chest, blowing him high into the air where he crashed into a water tower. The tower fell over and drained gallons of water onto the dirt, forcing the enslaved Crystallites to back away from the chaos. Sombra groaned in pain as he shakily stood on one knee. He panted as he held his chest.

'I can't beat them. They're much stronger than I am. Damn it!' thought Sombra angrily. Despite the years he spent training, he still was no match against the Avatars, let alone individually. He had not enough time to grow stronger and to improve upon himself. His own hubris was his downfall. Then, a thought came to Sombra's mind. He remembered something that Attar had taught him in his years of training.

'They may beat me in this battle, but there is still one chance,' thought Sombra as he narrowed his eyes. He closed his eyes as his body pulsed with dark magic. From the prison of black crystals, Celestia burst out in a flash of magic, freeing herself. She joined Luna's side in the air as they hovered over Sombra.

"He's able to morph himself into that of a shadow. If we combine our power, we can trap him in that form and imprison him in the ice further up north," said Luna. Celestia nodded in agreement. She then narrowed her eyes down on the shadow elf that had turned a wonderful land into a land of misery.

"Surrender, Sombra!" ordered Celestia. Sombra chuckled and then laughed maniacally.

"You may have won the battle, but not the war!" shouted Sombra as raised his hands, which burned with his aura. Celestia and Luna both acted, firing their beams of magic upon Sombra just as he slammed his hands onto the ground, where an inverted star in the center of a circle appeared in the dirt as violet and green fire. A low hum came from the mark as it burned brighter. Sombra cried out in pain as he was engulfed by the magic of the Avatars, forcing him into his shadowy form. He suddenly felt himself being pulled through the air by an invisible force. He struggled to break free of this spell but it was futile. Sombra found himself fleeting away from the Crystal Empire, finding a bright light shooting up into the air, where sparks began to encircle the empire. Celestia and Luna gasped as they found the people suddenly vanishing before their very eyes, one by one.

"What's happening?!" cried Luna as the buildings began to disappear.

"He... He placed a curse over the empire," said Celestia with wide eyes. As she finished those words, a great flash blinded the two Avatars. Just as the flash died down, the Empire was gone.

Meanwhile, Sombra cried out angrily as he continued to drift on as a shadow form of himself. He passed over hills and the Shadow's Hand members that were outside of the empire for their mission. Their eyes widened as they spotted Sombra diving into icy mountains, which then sealed together shut, trapping the shadow elf inside. Thanatos clenched his fists angrily.

"No. Damn it! I knew that girl's escape would have cost us!" shouted Thanatos. Radiant Hope was likely the one who had gotten word out to the Avatar princesses, who had succeeded in defeating his master. He yelled in anger as he dropped to his knees, his voice echoed. The rest of the Shadow's Hand felt his anger. Their mentor and leader was gone. They looked forward to his plans and for more of his teachings.

"The Empire is gone. I... I knew that he had a plan if the princesses were to come and over throw him, but I never imagined that he would actually be forced to use the curse," said an elf woman solemnly.

"Our home is gone along with our king. What do we do now?" asked another elf man. Thanatos sighed heavily as he closed his eyes.

"We have to find a way to bring him back. If we do that, the curse may break and the empire will return. We will be able to pick up where we left off," said Thanatos as he stood up to his feet. He then turned to the far mountains, which were covered in snow.

"That means that we will have to teach ourselves in the art of dark magic, where Sombra can no longer do. We will continue what he started. We will spread the teachings of Sombra. Glory to the Crystal Empire," said Thanatos as he narrowed his eyes and brought his hood over his head. His fellow members nodded in agreement. They began to tread through the snow that piled up, uncertain but determined for their future.

---

Present Day...

Sombra sat on his icy throne with a hard expression. How short his reign was. He worked hard to get to where he was in those days. Now, he is forced to jump more hoops to bring back his empire and defeat the meddling princesses once and for all. Now all that was left was the Aurum Dragon and the rest of the demonic power that was inside of Sunset Shimmer. All of which needed to be obtained soon before the curse that he placed over the empire wore off. Otherwise everything that he worked for may be stomped into dust. Still, he did have to wonder, what ever happened to Radiant Heart after all those years ago. It was most likely that she had passed away after he was defeated, much to his satisfaction as the traitor was but a painful reminder of a friend lost. Yet, he had found himself thinking back to the time that he had with her before he had grown into the man that he was today. Speaking of old faces, he also wondered what ever happened to the spirit Attar. No doubt the angel was waiting for him to spread his teachings. However, he always wondered why he never showed up again after the day that he returned to him 1000 years ago, to provide him with an edge that will allow him to take over the modern Equestria. But for now, Sombra was focused on his own plan.