Umbrum ad Infinitum

by Pixel_Spark

Umbrum Ad Infinitum

Sombra got up of his own behest that morning, and the Doctor was surprised to hear Sombra wanted to take a walk.

“How is your magic?” he asked once he'd checked the injuries, satisfied they were healing nicely.

Sombra looked at the bedspread and sighed.

“Fits and starts. You'll be pleased to hear, as far as I can tell..” he shut his eyes, sighing “-I think it's permanently scrambled.”

“Well hold on a second-” the Doctor realised Sombra wasn’t as hidden in his own world as he'd thought. The big pony smiled sadly and looked out the window.

“I'll miss it, but eventually it'll fade.” he got up and headed for the door “I need some air.”

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Left behind, the Doctor frowned. What he'd just seen was denial, pure and simple. Sombra missed his magic as any unicorn might. But he was preparing himself to bid it farewell regardless of Celestia's promises of help.

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Sombra kept his head down as he walked along. The guards kept out of his way, but still monitored him. Eventually he wound up outside, alone, in the same spot where he'd collapsed on Celestia the first time.

He could see the six ponies he'd become aquainted with playing some sort of game, but they kept breaking out into fits of laughter. They looked so happy, so content. His chest ached, how he wished he could have a life like that. He looked out across the grounds, imagining a place of solitude like this. Maybe he could have a garden?

He became lost in his own thoughts, contemplating what a happy life would be like. A life not lived alone…

“Boo!” he jumped as he heard Discord's voice.

“Sorry..” the Draconequus chuckled. He nodded at the girls goofing about “you could go sit with them, talk to them..”

“I don’t want to interrupt.” Sombra said shortly. He felt strange, uneasy, as if this was all just an illusion destined to break. He made to leave but Pinkie Pie's super senses had her suddenly spinning round.

“Hay!” she cried, waving at them. She beckoned them over as the rest ceased giggling and sat down for a breather. Discord started across the lawn, then realised Sombra was still staying hidden in the shadow of the archway.

“Aren’t you coming?” he asked. Sombra shook his head. Pinkie Pie and Applejack trotted over, and Pinkie Pie asked Discord if he could make the chocolate milk rain from the clouds again? Applejack approached the on-edge Sombra.

“Its alright Sugarcube,” she said kindly, but bluntly “we aint gonna hurt y'all. Ya suffered enough with that brute-”

Sombra opened his mouth to say he'd deserved it for what he'd done, but Applejack cut him off;

“No ifs, buts or coconuts!” she said sharply “y'all didn’t give that power to that loon. Ya told him ta get stuffed, and he hurt ya for that. Ya didn't deserve to have yer bones broken to stop you running away. Nopony should go through what y'all did. And if Celestia says she's gonna keep a promise, than by gosh she WILL!”

Sombra stared at the ground, then looking down at the neck band.

“Come sit with us, ya don't haveta say a word if ya don't wanna. Just relax, forgive yerself for today, alright? Just one day at a time. Also we got cake!”

“What say you to that?” Discord gestured to the peaceful scene ahead of them. Sunshine, cakes, laughter. Such unfamiliar things, yet he yearned for them, Discord could see it Sombra's eyes.

With what must’ve been a concerted effort, he nodded, and Applejack smiled

“Well lets get goin' then! Don’t y'all dilly dally!” She trotted back across the grass, Discord, Pinkie Pie and Sombra following behind.

“Perfect!” Rainbow Dash flew up to Sombra and Discord “we're trying to play twister but we can't keep stopping to spin the thingy.”

“Ooh, this is fun!” Discord chuckled. Sombra sat mutely and watched him telling the six who had to put what hoof or wing where. There was a mat covered with various coloured dots. He soon realised it was possibly the silliest game in existence. The aim seemed to be to dislocate as many joints as possible! And he was convinced Pinkie Pie was a rubber-being. She didn’t seem to notice she was tied up like a pretzel.

“What do you think?” Discord interrupted Sombra's puzzling “I’d say she wins!”

Pinkie Pie grinned at Sombra, she didn’t seem exhausted at all.

“Certainly seems correct.” Sombra said at last.

“Pinkie Pie wins!” Discord declared. The girls all collapsed to the mat with a groan. Pinkie Pie rolled onto the grass, uncoiling herself.

“Seriously Pinkie Pie, how do you DO that?” Twilight Sparkle stretched her wings.

“I’m naturally bendy, like a straw!” Pinkie Pie giggled.

“Who fancies chocolate milk?” Discord snapped his fingers and many little rain-clouds appeared.

Even Sombra seemed to perk up when handed a glass. Pinkie Pie opened the basket shed prepared and handed out cakes. She made to sneak Sombra couple of them, saying he needed the sugar boost. Sombra couldn’t deny THAT, he did like the cakes in this day and age!

Pinkie Pie began singing a song, and a memory uncurled in Sombra's head. A fun memory. Of the orphanage director teaching him, under oath he was NEVER to repeat it to the other kids, a ruder version of the song. He let out a snort of laughter and quickly clapped a hoof over his mouth.

“OK, what's so funny…?” Rainbow Dash eye-balled him.

“Nuh-,” Sombra cleared his throat “nothing.”

“You’re a crap liar, silly Sombra!” Discord tweaked his ear again, causing the pony to glower at him. “now spill!”

“Its hardly the thing that your age group should hear!” Sombra objected to the girls.

“At least tell me! I’m older than you are, give or take a thousand year imprisonment!” Discord objected.

“Oh you are SO telling us now!” Applejack grinned at Sombra. They clamoured to know what was so funny, and at last Sombra sighed.

“Fine, but don’t say I did not warn you of this. There's a second version of that song.”

“So….sing it….” Discord motioned him to do so.

So he recited it. They managed to hold out until he finished, at which point they all creased up laughing, even Fluttershy, who was a bit red faced.

“Its basically one continuous sexual innuendo.” Sombra said, red faced.

“Got a dirty mind have we?” Discord teased him.

“NO- shut up!” Sombra snapped “the director taught it to me, to make me laugh after a bad day at school...”

“Know any others?” Rainbow Dash sniggered.

“No, enough of that!” Sombra blustered.

“Aw.” Another voice spoke from behind them. Sombra turned, seeing Celestia there.

“I thought it was rather good,” she told the unicorn as she studied his flushed expression “must tell Luna that one!”

“What's up 'Tia?” Discord chuckled.

“I thought we could all have lunch in the throne room, a fresh batch of doughnuts just arrived!” she offered.

Sombra tried to slip away, but Celestia caught up to him, saying she'd like to talk to him once more.

Sombra nodded, slowly following after her. He felt tired and achy again now the laughter had faded, and the sensation things were unravelling returned, stronger this time. Like there was a nagging fear at the back of his mind but he couldn’t vocalise it.

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The others noticed he seemed to have retreated into a shell of sorts when they all sat down to lunch. It seemed to take an immense effort for him to react to anything. After how he'd almost seemed to open up when they'd coerced him into reciting the song, they were confused.

As Sombra was eating, Spike came up to him.

"I found the next issue, I figured you'd want to read it!" the dragon held up a Power Ponies comic “did you read the others?”

“Yes, I did. They were very intriguing...”

"I know, its awesome.." Spike plonked down beside him as Sombra opened it.

While the big pony read, the little dragon studied him. He didn’t look as fearsome now. When Spike had first seen him, he'd been gunning for the crystal heart, eyes blazing in fury, fangs bared. Sitting here now, he looked calm, ears twitching occasionally. A faint, almost sad smile on his face. He looked a lot different when he wasn't angry.

He resembled a normal pony, Spike decided, bar the unusual horn and magic.

Sombra snickered at something in the book, and Spike asked what bit he was laughing at?

Sombra showed him the page, and spike couldn't help laughing.

"That makes me laugh every time, Filisecond is hilarious!"

"You have a favourite?" Sombra asked curiously.

"Yeah, Radiance! She’s so cool.." Spike sighed dreamily, remembering seeing Rarity in Radiance's outfit. She'd looked ever more stunning...

"I see?" Sombra raised an eyebrow, as if guessing. Spike went red, and flapped a hand at him.

"Shush, don't tell anypony!" he said softly.

"I will not mention it." Sombra promised, which made Spike relax.

Rarity gifted the dragon with a sweet smile, and Spike felt himself turn to mush again.

Sombra was starting to feel oddly drowsy, yet content, when suddenly he felt a familiar presence, one from his worst nightmares...

The sensation sent chills down his spine, and he froze up, panic clawing at his chest.

--No, no...please...not now..--

"Hey, what’s wrong?" Seeing the look of peaceful contentment wiped off Sombra's face and replaced by a look of fear alarmed Spike, who tugged at Sombra's mane, then hurriedly called for Twilight Sparkle. She and the others looked over.

"Sombra, what’s wrong?" Celestia sat in front of him, peering worriedly into his eyes.

"It's....something is coming..." he shuddered again "I don’t know what’s-"

He was cut off as faint screams echoed from far outside, then the wall behind him was wrenched away, thrown aside. This forced the ponies and Celestia to dart away lest they be crushed. Sombra however...

He tried to run, but something was holding him in place, a strange shield.

"Ah, at last! I must thank you for taking care of my pet while I was looking for him." it was Scorpan, but he’d changed.

He'd grown, his form enhanced so he now resembled his brother, only in lighter shades, and still with the wings he'd had in his previous form.

Celestia tried to charge forward, and was stopped in her tracks by Scorpan's magic. A similar red glow surrounded everypony else, lifting them into the air. Twilight Sparkle recognised dark magic. She wiggled and squirmed, trying to free herself, but to no success.

"You know, at first I was angry you’d stolen my pet, but I had enough magic to evolve, and after being pampered by you pathetic ponies, its time for him to fulfil his destiny!"

Sombra tried to wriggle free, but Scorpan shook his head. He clapped his hands together, and more arcane spell lines wrote themselves into the carpet around the pony. Chains snapped into existence around his hooves.

"What’re you doing?" Sombra gasped, as Scorpan stepped back and pulled an amulet from his bag. It was one Twilight Sparkle recognised from her book. It was filled to maximum capacity, glowing a sickening purple-reddish colour.

“This contains the most potent blend of magic’s I could get my hands on. Power of this magnitude will trigger your final evolution!”

Scorpan opened the amulet, and the power flooded out, swirling flames surrounding Sombra like a tornado, before wrapping themselves around Sombra's body, absorbing into him.

Sombra panicked and tried to pull the chains free, sheer terror making it hard to breathe...

Sombra cried out, doubled over as the massive amount of power flooded into him. He felt a stab of fear as he seen the crystallization was starting up again, spreading too rapidly for him to fight it.

"Haha...yes, that’s it, release the final form!" Scorpan cackled.

Discord and Celestia managed to exchange looks of "what?!"

The last they heard was Sombra's cry of fear and agony as the light became blinding, and it enveloped him completely.

There was an explosion of light, and the sound of chains clinking...

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When the light cleared, everypony stared in shock. Sombra had taken on an entirely new appearance. As the earlier semi-complete transformations had hinted, his body was now made of semitransparent crystal. Now that it’d completed, it had taken on subtle hints of colour. His body was a pale grey, mane black with facets of red in it, and his horn was a pale red crystal. He looked a little taller, and when his eyes opened, they were still a crimson red, but with a fractal pattern in them.

With the sound of something shattering, two massive crystal wings, their tips coloured in hues of red, purple and grey, unsnapped from his back, widening to full size.

It was beautiful, nothing had been like it before. Sombra appeared to be examining this new form, tilting the wings to inspect them. He beat the air with them, but discovered he was still chained in place, and was forced to land back on his hooves. He snarled at Scorpan.

"You don’t think I’m going to let you run free just yet do you? Oh deary me, no.." Scorpan mocked. He snapped his fingers and a glowing ball of energy appeared in his palm.

"I have the final piece right here-!"

He lunged for Sombra, who tried to retreat, biting and snarling. But Scorpan's hand snapped around his neck. Scorpan laughed as Sombra screamed in pain, then let him drop. The crystal Alicorn crumpled to the carpet, a black band locked around his neck. It pulsed with the same energy that was being used to restrain the other ponies.

“Up you get, my pet!” Scorpan cackled. Sombra stood up, each movement a languid, unhurried affair. He radiated a sense of strength that was almost hypnotic. But there was nothing in his eyes, just a blank, hostile stare.

Seeing their shocked faces, Scorpan couldn’t resist showing off.

"What’s this? The great Celestia doesn’t know what this is? Well let me enlighten you all before I destroy you. THIS;" he proudly indicated Sombra "is an Umbrum ad Infinitum. The eternal crystal shadow. There exists a prophecy that states when it is time, the Umbrum will rise again, led by their KING."

He chuckled faintly "all I needed to do was resurrect him and the prophecy began anew. He's the only one left, the duty falls to him! But I had to break through a lot of mental defences to prepare him."

"You monster!" Fluttershy cried, wishing she could get free "you hurt him that way so he'd be your puppet?!"

"You catch on fast. With his mind all but shattered, persuading him to change was much easier. He was too afraid to fight it in the end. Too afraid of ME. Of what id inflicted upon him."

“You big...JERK!” Pinkie Pie screamed.

“Why is he so important to you? Wasn't he more trouble than my brother? A tyrant, a monster. He’s not even a pony like the rest of you-” Scorpan sneered, but Rarity cut him off.

“That doesn’t matter! Looks...looks aren’t everything!” Rarity seethed “Anypony can tell you THAT!”

“Yeah, so buck y'all to next Thursday!” Applejack swore. “Now let 'im go!”

“Oh how cute!” he turned to the puppet Sombra “did you hear that, little Umbrum? They actually want you to save them now. And laid bare every false promise and lie they’re prepared to state to get you to do it! But I wonder...”

He walked so he was standing beside Sombra, leaning in close “do you really think they'll be so kind once they're safe?”

“I made a promise!” Celestia cried angrily “and I’m not planning on backing out!”

Scorpan walked so he was facing the crystal Alicorn, and smirked, tapping at the necklace around Sombra's neck, the oath band Celestia had given him. It appeared to have fused to become part of Sombra's new body, a golden V-shaped band of metal, with a jewel at its centre.

"Interesting....but not a problem.." Scorpan sneered. "A little trinket, worthless!"

As he boasted, Discord distinctly seen a flicker pass over Sombra's eyes, and he held out a shred of hope.

"Now..." Scorpan walked a short distance away, and made the chains vanish. Sombra took a few steps forward, gaze fixed intently on the group of pony's locked in place in front of him.

“Dispose of them!” he laughed at the cold expression on Sombra's face as he stepped forward.

"Sombra, please..." Celestia said softly "don’t do this.."

He didn’t answer her.

"Listen!" Discord snapped "what happened to that peace and quiet you told me you wanted. You'll lose everything if you go ahead with this-"

Sombra snarled at him, but again Discord though he seen a flash in those emotionless red eyes.

Spike noticed he’d dropped his comic a few feet away when they’d all scarpered, and caught Sombra's eye.

“Hay!”

Sombra turned towards him, took a further step forward-

“Spike!” Twilight Sparkle gasped.

There was a crinkling sound. Sombra faltered, looking down. A colourful illustration featuring a pony speeding along at light speed met his gaze. This triggered something in the back of his mind. An offer of something precious, from a dragon to HIM-

Then he seemed to snap back to his masters control. But the band around his neck now sported just a small crack in it.

His gaze narrowed once more, and he took a step back, wings raised. He closed his eyes, magic swirling around his horn.

"Dispose of them NOW!" Scorpan laughed.

Sombra raised his head, the magic seeming to peak. The sheer force of it was overwhelming, the air crackling with sparks, the drapes in the room being whipped about by an unseen wind.

Spike prayed Sombra wasn’t going to be become a bad guy again. That the comic had reminded him of something GOOD.

Sombra let his power race through his body, feeling oddly FREE. He just had to destroy these meddling ponies.

Ponies that’d offered him cake, looked kindly upon him. A Princess who’d made that band to prove she would not back down. And a Draconequus that’d given him some very blunt life lessons, and given him a peaceful respite from his nightmares during the worst nights. He'd shown Sombra that deep down, the pony still wanted to live-

--I'll lose it all...if I…-- Discord's words echoed in Sombra's head now. His eyes stung, and he seen the ponies through blurred vision-

Being closest, Celestia seen his lips move, forming two words:

“Not today...”

What happened next took only a second, but seemed to play out in slow motion for those imprisoned.

Sombra opened his eyes fully, and his crimson red met Celestia's pale pink. She seen his expression soften, something almost kindly in his eyes, then he moved at an astonishing speed. Ducking low, he swirled round, and fired the massive blast at Scorpan.

His collar kicked in as soon as his mind chose a different target, but he was still able to keep his aim steady. The pain only heightened his senses….

It punched Scorpan in the gut, catching him off guard. He hit the far wall, and slumped at its base.

Sombra turned to the group, closing his eyes and using HIS magic to cut Scorpan's spell, dropping them all to the plush carpet. But the next second he stopped in his tracks, flinching as the necklace glowed ominously, trying to exert its control-

He gasped in pain, biting his lip. Blood bloomed red against his crystal façade.

Pinkie Pie's next action stunned the winded Scorpan as he got up.

So pleased was she that Sombra had chosen the good path, that she bounded up and threw her forelegs around his neck.

“Pinkie Pie-” Twilight Sparkle cried, about to warn her the control necklace might harm her, but she got a shock at what happened next.

The necklace WAS crackling, but it was with blue sparks, reminiscent of Pinkie Pie's harmony element. Not JUST that, but other colours too. THIER colours. Each girl felt a funny tingle around their necks where the elements had once rested in their golden chains. There was a flash and a loud snapping sound, and Pinkie Pie, who'd been holding onto the necklace for leverage, was deposited on her backside as it broke apart under her hoofs.

“Ooopsie!” she declared, waving it in the air like a trophy.

Sombra shook his head, expressions altering to one of confusion as he took in the ponies in front of him, all staring in shock.

“What’s-?” he looked down at himself and back-peddled, staring in shock. Then he seen the wings “What-?”

“How-?!” Scorpan roared, glaring at Pinkie Pie and firing a bolt of red lightning at her “how dare YOU?”

Sombra grabbed the stunned Pinkie Pie's tail in his teeth, and flipped her over his head so she landed on his back. Then he flew up and out of the range of the blast. The others ran back out of range, every unicorn and Alicorn charging their magic. Discord snapped his fingers, appearing behind Scorpan and tapping his shoulder. When the creature whirled round, Discord took the most direct course of action and punched him in the face. The power punch slammed Scorpan to the carpet, where he glared up at Discord.

“That's for being as big a fool as your brother!” Discord snapped “I fell for this shtick last time, and oh you’d better believe I regret it!”

He looked at Sombra “he refused you from day one, didn’t he? Well you know what? That equals respect in MY book! Even as bone headed as he no doubt was when you woke him, he still had enough decency to tell you to stuff your plan where the sun don’t shine!”

“No comment.” Celestia muttered as Pinkie Pie stifled a giggle.

“You want to take Equestria, just try it!” Discord cackled as he made a portal open under Scorpan, and one in the ceiling as well, so he was plummeting in a constant cycle.

This disoriented Scorpan for a few seconds, but then he grabbed something from his side-

A blast of energy hit Discord, throwing him across the room. Sombra caught him mid flight with his magic.

“Much obliged-” Discord said dizzily.

“You OK?” Pinkie Pie called from atop Sombra's back.

“I’m fine thank you Susan...” Discord burbled.

“Who?” Pinkie Pie squinted at him.

Sombra set him down, touching down to ground himself. Pinkie Pie patted his mane. It looked like crystal but actually felt soft.

“What sort of magic is this?” Scorpan snarled.

“Duh!” Pinkie Pie balanced on her hind legs to wave a hoof at him “tell him girls!”

“The magic of friendship!” They all chanted, gathering around Sombra.

“So suck it!” Applejack hooted.

“Yes indeed!” Rarity said proudly.

Sombra blinked at them.

“Yes, friends.” Discord recovered his senses and stood beside Sombra “we both got lucky with these guys!”

Pinkie Pie beamed at Sombra, nodding.

Scorpan lost his rag then, refusing to surrender his prize to these pastel coloured loons.

He charged up a ball of energy and shot this at the group of ponies. Sombra flung up a shield to block it, but while he dealt with that, Scorpan fired multiple shots. These careened round, attempting to bypass Sombra and strike!

The other two Alicorn's took up defensive positions, the others crowded between the three.

“Whadda we do?” Applejack blurted “where’s he getting so much power from?”

“It's what he took from ME.” Sombra said softly. “Those amulets!”

“Then were getting it back!” Rainbow Dash punched the air.

“Got an idea?” Twilight Sparkle looked at Rainbow Dash, who nodded, waving one hoof in a circular motion. Then she flew up in the air, and shot towards Scorpan. He swatted at her, but she twisted and flipped in mid air, dodging his grasp. She began to fly round and around him, soon generating a rainbow tornado. Scorpan roared at her, but couldn't grab this flying pest!

Twilight Sparkle ran out from behind Sombra's shield, teleporting into the tornado.

Sombra felt a stab of panic as she disappeared. A second later, Rainbow Dash was knocked out of orbit with a yelp. Pinkie Pie bounced up, catching her friend round the middle, only a quick tilt of Sombra's wing stopping them both from falling off.

“Whoa, those are pretty neat..” Rainbow Dash tapped the crystal wing with her hoof.

Twilight Sparkle reappeared as Scorpan finally regained his balance.

“You will PAY!” He growled, then realised something was missing;

“Looking for these?” Twilight Sparkle waved an entire foreleg strung with amulets. She'd stolen quite a few of them.

“Give me those, you wretched Princess!” he fumed. Those amulets were the key to overtaking the city. With that much power-

He charged the group, who scattered, Sombra flying up once more, still with Pinkie Pie and a winded Rainbow Dash clinging on for dear life.

Twilight Sparkle spun like a discus thrower, and the amulets soared through the air.

“Aw yeah!” Applejack jumped up, hat in her mouth, and caught them in one swipe. Without breaking stride she ducked Scorpan's claws, kicked him in the gut when he snatched at her, and threw the hat to Rarity.

Scorpan aimed at her next. Rarity shrieked, throwing the hat into the air. Fluttershy flapped about, catching the amulets strings on her wing-tips. From there she flung herself towards Sombra, tears in her eyes as she flew at maximum speed. She pressed them into his hooves, just as Scorpan lunged-

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There was a massive kaboom, and a blast of purple magic. Fluttershy opened her eyes, seeing she was enveloped in a shield of swirling magic.

Sombra raised his head, as the power absorbed into HIM.

“Back where it belongs-” he said firmly. When he fired at Scorpan next, the blast of magic was massive, punching the invader out the wall and creating another hole. They could hear his screams of rage as he hit the ground below.

Sombra turned and ran, heading for the hole in the wall.

"Sombra!" He paused as Celestia called his name.. The wings twitched, folding down as he cast them a sad smile;

"This is my responsibility, I’ll stop him." his voice had a sad tone “but thank you. It's been wonderful, to have a friend or two.....”

Then he leapt out of the hole in the wall, the sunlight flashing off his crystal body as he spread the wings wide and dove towards the ground.

"What do we do now?!" Rainbow Dash blurted "this is crazy."

"He didn’t hurt us..." Fluttershy looked relieved beyond belief.

"Something in him managed to keep control.." Discord shook his head.

"Now we know what those two transformations were about before..." Celestia ran towards the doors "his body was trying to prepare him, but he wasn’t able to face it, he was still too hurt!"

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They ran outside, seeing Sombra fighting Scorpan. The ponies were running about screaming. The guards were torn between gawking at the fight, and shepherding the terrified civilians away from the two behemoths.

“So you have a little extra power!” Scorpan cackled deliriously “no matter! I can still shatter that body of yours, and use the shards to carve my name into this world!”

“Not today!” Sombra hissed, feeling the powerful crystal wings carving through the air as he threw himself against Scorpan's might.

The livid gargoyle tried again and again to hit Sombra, but the Umbrum pony wasn’t an easy target!

One of Scorpan's stray bolts hit a clock tower, sending chunks of masonry tumbling down. Sombra heard a scream and dove to the ground, landing so he shielded a family of three from being hit. One of the chunks hit his wing, causing a minor crack in one of the immense crystal appendages.

"Whoa.." the kid gawked up at the big crystal pony.

"Aren’t you-?" the mother began.

Sombra didn't answer, just ushered them away, before taking off into the sky once more. He and Scorpan clashed time and again, bolts of magic crackling through the air. Sombra flew up into the glare of the sun, and fired a massive ball of magic. Closing his eyes as soon as he fired, he teleported away. While Scorpan blocked the incoming shot, Sombra appeared behind him, firing a sharp bolt of magic at Scorpan's back.

The gargoyle staggered forward, roaring in fury...

"It's like Tirek all over again!" Rarity cried.

"Let's help get everypony away from the fight!" Twilight Sparkle cried. They all nodded. Twilight Sparkle, Celestia, Rarity and Discord all teleported around, grabbing ponies and pulling them out of the danger zone.

"What is that your highness?!" one guard babbled to Celestia.

"THAT is the only one that can save us right now.." Celestia told him "Sombra!"

"Him?! THAT'S him?!" the guard stared at the crystal pony as he flew overhead, shielding against a magical bolt thrown at him by Scorpan.

"He’s an Umbrum pony, I can explain later!"

The crowds stared and pointed, eyes wide as saucers. They watched as Sombra ducked and banked to one side, a bolt of lightning narrowly missing him. The sunlight highlighted the crystal pony as he landed on a rooftop.

“Go on Sombra!” Pinkie Pie hollared, dressed in a cheerleaders garb “whoop his butt!”

“Did she just say Sombra?!” one mare shrieked “that’s not Sombra, surely? H-he was a monster, that things an Alicorn-?!”

“Look, its him.” Rainbow Dash got up in her face, frowning “he just saved our butts, now he’s trying to save yours too, so hush it up!”

“Princess?” the noble couple looked from the irate rainbow to Celestia.

“Every word she says is correct.” Celestia confirmed, as she helped escort some kids to safety.

“Told you!” Rainbow Dash boasted.

Sombra was proving more agile than he looked, banking and swooping around the massive enemy. Scorpan swung for him, but he was bigger and slightly slower, allowing Sombra to dart and dive out of his clutches. Each time he got close, he fired a volley of crystals, which tore gashes into Scorpan's new form, starting slow leaks of power. the energy bleeding out into the air like smoke.

"You pathetic wretch!" Scorpan retaliated by pulling a whip formed from glowing red energy from thin air. This whipped around Sombra's left wing, tightening around it until a fissure appeared. Sombra broke off his attack, crying out. He struggled to keep aloft as he tried to aim an attack-

Scorpan tugged the energy whip, dragging the pony towards him, and grabbing hold of him in one massive hand. He began to tighten his grip, threatening to crush the crystal pony’s body.

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Amidst all this, Celestia's letter had finally reached the empire, and Cadance and Shining Armor had arrived. They’d reached the palace, after abandoning the carriage and running on hoof.

"Twily!” Twilight Sparkle turned as she heard her brother's voice, and raced over to hug him.

"BBBFF! Cadance!" she hugged her sister in law a second later.

"What’s going on?" Cadance asked, and then she noticed Sombra fighting Scorpan head to head "what is THIS?!"

"That, as it turns out, in the inheritor of the Umbrum race...." Celestia raised an eyebrow, her mane in disarray.

"The what now?" Shining Armor asked, "are you seriously saying THAT'S what Sombra was all along?"

"Yes, the Umbrum are literally crystals, but sentient and capable of magic use. I thought they were long gone...it seems Sombra was the last one left alive, the rest are sealed away beneath the empire."

This made both their jaws drop.

"There’s an entire bunch of lunatics like him under the palace?!" Shining Armor shouted.

"Wait!" Celestia shook her head "after we recovered him from Scorpan's hold, he was able to tell me what happened back then.." she sighed "it seems the crystal hearts power has a nasty effect on Umbrum's, even more so since Sombra was barely aware of what he was when he stole it. Prolonged contact with it was what caused him to snap. He was convinced he could resurrect his people as an army, against who or what I can only imagine."

"So he’s a talking crystal..?" Cadance shook her head "this is..."

"Up until his discovery of what he was, it seems he led a fairly normal life, I’m guessing he couldn’t cope with having his perception of life shattered, and lost it. I don’t think the one that created him intended for him to do what he did."

They heard a cry of pain, and realised Scorpan had a hold of Sombra, and was trying to crush his body.

Cadance started in shock as, even at the distance they were all standing, a fissure could be seen lashing up across Sombra's side.

"You dare defy me, I gave you life you wretched cur!" Scorpan glared at Sombra "yet you turn on me and protect those traitorous princesses!"

"Ughh...you...." Sombra gasped in pain "you’re insane, I should know. You wont succeed..." he turned his head slightly. Amidst the pain he seen Cadance and Shining Armor and felt a funny pang of fear, what did they think, seeing him alive again?

Scorpan spotted them too, Seeing three of the Princesses in one spot he decided now was the time for revenge.

He threw Sombra aside, the pony’s crystal body hitting a building with a loud crack. He fell tot he street below, landing in a crumpled heap.

“Say goodbye little Princesses!” he threw a flaming red fireball at Cadance and Shining Armor, the closest two-

But as the flares tore towards them, a crystal barrier formed in the air between them and it. The fire struck the crystal, creating a brilliant reflective light. But it held.

“What?” Scorpan turned to look at Sombra. The pony had got to his hooves. He was stumbling, wings trailing the ground, cracked and scuffed. But magic swirled around his horn as he focused on the crystal empire's rulers.

“Get….out of here...” he said.

--I want to apologise...and for that...I need...to live...--- he closed his eyes, remembering what Discord had said and calming his breathing.

--I am crystal. Maybe that's my answer! I can make this monster a statue.--

He started to glow with a bright purple aura as his magic began to collect at his core.

"What?! What are you doing?!" Scorpan swung back and lunged for Sombra, claws gleaming.

Cadance cried out as he succeeded in grabbing Sombra, and tried to crush him. Sombra opened his eyes, and they shone with a fire and determination. He unleashed a blast of light so blinding Scorpan had no choice but to look away, screaming in fury. He flung Sombra away, but the crystal Alicorn wasn’t done.

Gathered below, the group watched as Sombra flew back, up into the air, magnificent wings spread to maximum. Magic formed around him in a swirling globe, then, as Sombra opened his eyes again and lowered his horn, gathered itself into an arrow.

The light faded, and Scorpan only caught a glimpse of the arrow as it, with all Sombra's strength behind it, flew towards him. It struck him in the chest, tearing a gaping tear in his body, causing magical energy to leak out.

"Noo.." he bellowed, refusing to believe it, no way could he lose to a pony he'd left shattered and scared. But Sombra wasn’t done.

As the last of the energy faded, and Scorpan was reduced to his old, smaller form, the gargoyle looked up at his victor.

“Good bye.” Sombra spat, closing his eyes and firing one final spell at Scorpan. It wrapped around him, slowly turning him to crystal.

“No, I won't be defeated by a wretch like you, nooooo-!”

His scream cut off. Scorpan, frozen with one claw reaching angrily up towards Sombra as if wishing to rip him apart, was finally stopped.

Sombra landed on the ground, approaching the statue.

"It's done.." he felt himself beginning to shake. He wasn’t out of the woods yet. The injuries he'd sustained would require him to either let himself be destroyed, or return to crystal...

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He heard hoof-steps behind him, and turned to face them.

"You're an Umbrum..." that was Cadance. Shining Armor stood beside her, staring at this crystal Alicorn in shock.

"Yes…" Sombra closed his eyes and bowed his head to them.

"You wanted to find your people beneath the castle." Shining Armor stated. Sombra nodded.

“I made a fatal error. I tried to change what I was to escape the pain of what felt like betrayal by everypony around me. That my whole life had been a lie was unbearable.”

“It wasn’t all bad...” Pinkie Pie recalled the funny rude song “the orphanage mare must’ve loved you a whole lot, she took care of you!”

“She had to go elsewhere, I was left alone again. I couldn’t do it a second time. She was the only one who made me feel like I had a right to exist. Without her, I was sure my fate was sealed, so I ran...”

He stumbled as he tried to take a step forward, and Shining Armor winced as he seen one of the cracks in Sombra's body fracture and spread, cutting across his chest. Sombra gasped in pain, and Cadance took a step forward, but Sombra backed up, shaking his head.

"I’m not here to hurt you!" Cadance declared "you just saved Canterlot. You shielded us. We owe you a chance-"

“Then let me take it now...” Sombra drew himself up as regally as he could, and he looked about to cry as he prepared the words he knew needed to be spoken.

“Let us help!” Celestia cried, seeing how much pain was in his eyes. Sombra shook his head;

"Please, I want to do this..." Sombra sighed peacefully, pained tears in his eyes as he formulated what he wanted to say;

"I wont last much longer, and before it becomes impossible for me to talk, id like to tell you I’m sorry. You AND the empire. It will mean nothing to them, but I ask you to convey it to them nonetheless. It was...home. Even to a creature born from a crystal it was a chance at a life.” he gathered the fragments of magic he had left, and flapped his fractured wings, lifting up into the air. Above his head a small ball of energy formed, and shaped itself into a key. He stumbled onto his hooves again, the key drifting down into one out held hoof. He approached Shining Armor, and held the key out.

“In the throne hidden in the shadows, in my private office, there is a second dimension. In it, everything I once hid from the empire. Records, books, secrets of the empire from my era. Get them back to your people.”

Stunned, Shining Armor took the key from Sombra's out held hoof. Sombra stumbled back, a further fracture slashed across his right foreleg and he pitched to the ground, crumpling in a heap.

“Stop it!” Shining Armor cried “you’re killing yourself to give this to us?!”

He hauled Sombra into a sitting position, and noticed his wings were fusing to his body.

“What’s happening to you?” he asked. Sombra drew breath, and was able to study the pony that'd faced him so bravely back then.

“My body is too damaged, and I have no magic left. I cannot heal myself. I'm returning to a crystal state. It cannot be reversed, it's too late.”

“Why didn't ya say that!” Applejack cried “why keep jawing away like that?!”

“I...” Sombra closed his eyes, shivering as another minute crack ran across his back “I would rather have the chance to try make up for what happened back then, than survive and keep running from it.”

He smiled sadly, and Cadance could see the genuine apology in his eyes.

“There’s one thing I'd like to do...” Sombra closed his eyes “I’d like one last look at this city before I sleep. It was so beautiful when I seen it that day..”

Discord appeared beside Sombra, helping him to stand on shaky legs. Without a word, and leaving only a blinding flash of chaos magic behind, the two disappeared.

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“After them,” Twilight Sparkle blurted “right now! Please!!”

“We have to get to him, there must be a way to fix an Umbrum's body!” Cadance declared and they ran inside.

“Where can you get a good view of Canterlot from?” Shining Armor asked. Celestia racked her brains, then realised “the upper towers!”

As they ran in, they encountered Luna, who was ordering the guards around. She'd been woken by the explosions, and had found the palace staff in frantic panic. Several fires had been started by Scorpan's magic in the throne room, and she'd hurried to put them out!

“What is happening?!” she blurted as Celestia raced by.

“Sombra-!” Was all she caught, and ran after them!

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Sombra felt dizzy as the Draconequus teleported them both to that same tower. He seen the view and felt his heart lift. By now he could barely stand, thus he sat down with a bump, and it was only thanks to Discord's help he could stay upright!

“Enough of your guff, surely chaos magic will set you right!” Discord tried to direct his magic to Sombra's body, but it made little difference, only slowing the fusion currently overriding Sombra.

“Why-?”

“It cannot be reversed, the damage is too much...” Sombra reminded him.

“Damage my ass!” Discord said stubbornly, and Sombra laughed at the phrasing.

“I have not the fire-power for that!” he managed to kid, which made Discord do a double take.

“Was that a joke, silly Sombra, hm?” he asked ironically, flicking the pony’s crystal ear. Sombra laughed, the sound almost musical, like crystal wineglasses connecting and sending sound waves through each other.

“I want to remember this sight, it was nice to see somewhere new,” Sombra said weakly as he looked out over the royal city.

“You’ll see it again!” Discord swore, there had to be a way to revive him, surely. Sombra turned away from the view to smile weakly;

“I owe you a debt of gratitude. You gave me peaceful nights during that hellish nightmare torment. Perhaps I will be able to follow the migrating coconuts you left in my dreams while I slumber in the crystal.”

Discord could see how afraid Sombra really was, but the pony was trying to make his last conscious moments worthwhile.

“I'll give you a flipping LECTURE on coconuts once 'Tia wakes you back up!” Discord pointed out, poking Sombra in the head. The Crystal pony laughed and smiled honestly. He looked content.

“You should let go of me, unless you want to be encased in crystal too...” he said weakly.

Discord was forced to step back, seeing crystal rising up around Sombra's body, obscuring him from view.

As it reached his neck, Sombra turned his gaze to the skyline once more, before finally closing his eyes and-

With a final crackle of crystal, Sombra was...gone, hidden inside a multi faceted lump of smoky grey crystal.

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The door was flung open and the others all raced into the tower.

“Oh no...” Twilight Sparkle's heart sank.

“We're too late!” Cadance coughed.

“Discord!” Applejack stomped over to him “why didn’t ya let us help him?”

“Even I could sense what he was saying was the truth. The process could not be reversed, not after that much damage. He wanted to see the city one last time, so I gave him what he wanted!” the Draconequus shot back.

“Is there a way…?” Shining Armor looked from the massive crystal to the key Sombra had given him.

“If there is, we WILL find it!” Celestia vowed “for now, lets just move him somewhere safe...”

Author's Note:

Guess what? i have a fever higher than a giraffe on a trampline! Whee...

Heehee, coconuts. Blame Monty Python...

Comments

[Princess OtakuGeek]

My gosh. I sincerely hope they succeed. Sombra come back!

[rileyknudson]

nooooooo sommmbrraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

[Coco Candy]

noooooooooooooooo!!!!!

[grim dash]

I axially tired up towards the end of this chapter