Temor

by Askre

Chapter 18. The Order of Umbrum.

Author's Note:

I mentioned this in a blog, but just in case some might have missed it. I fixed the first part of chapter 16 to better reflect that some time was passing, I mention this here, because I did have to fix the first two segments of this chapter as well due to the error I made.

Chapter 18

Prince Temor arrived at Starlight’s house looking weary. The unicorn mare was waiting for him, looking surprised to see the prince looking so ragged. She wasn’t really sure what had happened, just earlier the prince had vanished from the house.

“Sire?” Starlight quickly went to the prince’s side and helped him to a seat. Temor sat down with a tired sigh.

“It looks like I won’t be using that bedroom for much longer,” he muttered. “Enemies had arrived, I went to repel them. The High Shadow then came and captured them. She told me to tell you to prepare and that we would soon depart.”

“Oh…” Starlight seemed mildly disappointed. “Well she warned me this might happen. She said that there would be a backup plan if enemies came too close and tried to stop us. I suppose then we are heading to the headquarters.”

“Headquarters?” Temor raised his brow confused.

“The Order of Umbrum has a fort in the mountains down south in the Badlands. It’s just outside of Equestria proper. The High Shadow uses it as her headquarters and to shield away anypony who has been discovered by our enemies,” Starlight explained and sighed deeply, glancing to the door, as if she was viewing her own village.

“All my work here… but if enemies got this close and the High Shadow is calling us, then I suppose I must just rebuild again,” she said ruefully before looking at the prince again. “Can I bring you a drink, Sire? Help you rest?”

“No… I need to be alone for a moment,” Temor said, subtly glancing towards his father who stood and watched.

“Very well. I will start preparing for our departure,” Starlight nodded and trotted over to the stairs and ascended to the second floor.

When Starlight was gone, Temor looked fully at his father. A very burning question was now on the prince’s mind. The battle was playing again and again in his head, up to the point his father had ordered him to stop.

“Why did you call me by that name?” Temor asked confused and bewildered.

“Your horn was about to explode. I had to get your attention quickly and so far… only your old name seemed to work to do that,” Sombra told him and sighed. He didn’t show that deep down he had been terrified over what could have happened.

Temor showing so clearly his loyalty to him had really touched him, making the king regret more that he hadn’t been a better father. The king was determined to repay that in whatever way he could.

“You could have died. I could not allow that,” Sombra added, he had felt the same dread and when Temor had been injured by the toppling armor when he was just a colt.

“I hate that name. It reminds me of…that weakling I used to be. That…I’m not…a true Dark Pony…” Temor looked down, grinding his teeth. Sombra looked at him and smiled warmly, knowing what to say now.

“You are a Dark Pony, Temor.” Sombra approached him. “You have mixed blood yes, but it has only made your ancestry stronger. I saw the rage of a dark earth pony, the cold fury of a dark unicorn, the battle prowess of a dark pegasus. You just need to control it more properly.”

“But I still have this!” Temor lifted the cape and dispelled the illusion spell, revealing the book on his flank.

Sombra regarded it for a moment, knowing too well that the book was a symbol of Temor’s origin. A symbol his son deeply resented. The king knew better what it could represent. He knew his way around his son’s mind, having a pretty firm hold on it, the events of the battle alone just showed that. The spirit realized he needed Temor to see it differently, that would help if his enemies tried again to use his origins against him.

“And is it so bad to have the magic of Equestrians in you as well? You keep looking at the wrong things Temor. You keep looking at the disadvantages instead of the opposite,” the king smiled gently, wishing he could put a reassuring leg around his son right now. “You think I would have adopted you if you were just a run-of-the-mill Equestrian?”

Temor frowned and glanced at the hated book image. He had cried when it had appeared so many years ago. He had gotten engrossed in old history books in the library, kept studying more and more of the history of the Crystal Empire, kept asking Sombra about the history of the Dark Pony Empire. Sombra had been more than pleased to tell him of it. Then in a flash, the book appeared on his flank.

Personally the king hadn’t really cared, he always knew eventually Temor would get a mark. Even his corruptive magic wouldn’t prevent that. However, Sombra saw now that he had been a little too effective in instilling loyalty into his son. To Temor, the book represented a pony and a life he could never return to again. That needed to change, the king needed him to gain a new perspective on it.

“Think of it Temor - you not only have dark magic of the Dark Ponies, you have Equestrian magic and that is more powerful magic than you can believe. These Equestrians banished the Windigos, they put Discord in stone. You know how much dark magic I had to pound into that annoying spirit to keep him away from the Crystal Empire? One flash, the princesses got rid of him,” Sombra continued and sat down in front of Temor. If there was one thing he had taught Temor, it was to respect power.

Then he thought back to the battle and realized he had hurt his son by using his old name. Sombra’s face turned more solemn. He was done hurting his son.

“I do however, apologize for dragging up your old name and using it to stop you. I had to stop you somehow. I did not want to see my son blown up like I was.” He hung his head. “Losing you would be just as bad as when I lost my sister.”

The prince looked at his father. He dropped the cape so it would cover his flank again. Temor nodded, thinking about it he could see why his father had to stop him. He had just become so enraged by that unicorn’s insistence on calling him by his old name. His horn was still healing and Sombra knew magic better and how it worked. Upon reflection, Temor also realized that his father had a point about his cutie-mark.

Perhaps it’s time to stop being so bothered about it, he thought.

As Temor calmed down, he remembered Emerald, he had left her still sleeping in her room as far as he knew. The prince started to rise up from his seat.

“I better go and see if Emerald is still with us or wants to leave,” he said and started to walk away.

“You have freed her?” Sombra asked, choosing to remain where he was.

“Yeah,” Temor nodded and departed to where the bedrooms were.

Sombra smirked. Though his apology and pep talk had all been genuine and indeed meant to help his son, there had been another purpose to them as well. It hadn’t escaped the king what Twilight Sparkle had been trying to do, by not attacking and just trying to talk.

Nice try, little pony, the spirit thought, his smirk turning more sinister. I’ve been in there for far too long.

---

Temor found the crystal pony still asleep in the room. Next to her was a toy wooden figure of a pony with a mane painted blonde. The prince tilted his head. Carefully using his normal magic, he picked up the toy and pulled it closer.

She actually kept this? he thought. He remembered painting the toy, fantasizing that he was this strong brave warrior long time ago. Then his eyes diverted back to the sleeping mare. You know, she is kind of beautiful like this.

Temor smiled and put the toy figure on a nearby nightstand. He stepped closer to the bed and continued to admire the sleeping form of his former concubine. The unicorn was almost tempted to lean over and kiss her, but held himself in check.

No… I will tarnish this beauty no more. If she wants me, she will come. She is not mine to keep. She is my friend, he thought. Something seemed to click within him and suddenly he found that he really did care about the crystal pony, it was as if the long lost emotions to the memories he had of her had all rushed back. He didn’t know that Chrysalis had warned Sombra that the drain was only temporarily and needed to be done again periodically. That hadn’t happened in a long time now.

“Emerald,” he spoke softly and reached with a hoof to shake her gently. Slowly the crystal pony woke up.

“Temor… I fell asleep again,” Emerald muttered and started to rise. The prince stepped back from the bed. “What happened earlier. I saw you talk then you vanished?”

“Our… I mean, my enemies were closer than I thought. I had to go and repel them,” Temor explained, then he grabbed the toy and showed it to her and smirked. “I can’t believe you kept this.”

“I…” the mare cringed and grabbed for the toy. Temor let her, watching her hug it to her chest. “I was hoping it would help restore your memories… also it reminds me of you… before…”

“Before father suppressed the memories.” The stallion nodded. “Keep it, it’s yours. I have no need for it where I’m going.”

“You’re leaving?” Emerald looked startled at the unicorn, nervously stroking the toy figure.

“My aunt...she was not happy that my enemies had arrived. Starlight and I will be departing to the new headquarters of the Order of Umbrum soon, I think. I don’t think she wishes to risk them finding me again,” Temor explained and sighed. He began rubbing the back of his head. “Like I told you yesterday, you’re free. You no longer have to serve me and I will not force you to come along. I can ask Starlight to arrange to take you back to the Crystal Empire.”

Emerald looked down at the toy. Things had certainly not gone as she had thought they would. The crystal pony continued to caress the figure, wondering what to say or do. She didn’t recall ever having a choice in her life.

Except when I befriended him. That was my choice, she thought. Slowly the crystal pony looked at Temor again. No… I have to see this through. I can’t leave him now.

“I’ll come,” she said and put the toy down.

“Really?” Temor blinked, still confounded by this loyalty she was expressing towards him. “Are you sure? We may be friends, but I still intend to have my father brought back to life. Nothing will change that. In fact, that part is out of my hooves. The High Shadow will be doing that, somehow.”

“At this point, there is no point in going back. My family is free, that’s good enough for me. I will come with you,” Emerald assured him.

Temor restrained himself from rushing forward to hug her. Instead he just smiled and nodded. Then he instructed her to pack before leaving the room to see how Starlight was doing with the preparations of their departure.

---

Ira appeared in a large stone hallway lit with torches. Banners were strung on the walls with dark insignias that showed a unicorn’s head with a bent horn. Coming after the dark unicorn mare were the six spheres holding her prisoners. Already approaching were ponies wearing dark-colored armor.

“Your Majesty, the summoned have begun to arrive. Most have gathered in the great hall as instructed,” one of the soldiers addressed her as they all bowed before Ira.

“Very good,” Ira nodded and smiled. Then she released her prisoners from their magic prison, letting them all drop onto the hard stone floor. The High Shadow then lit up her horn with dark magic and manacles formed on the horns of Twilight and Rarity, suppressing their magic. Restraints formed on the wings of Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy, then finally shackles linked with strong chains formed on the legs of the six mares.

“Take them to the dungeon for now. I will have them called forth when the time comes,” she instructed the guards who all bowed before grabbing the six mares and began dragging them away.

“You won’t get away with this,” Twilight called, struggling for a moment but giving up when finding her restraints too strong.

“I will have my family back. I will gain back what I so cruelly lost!” Ira snarled as she glared back at the prisoners. The purple unicorn arched her brow when hearing this. So did her friends.

Ira took a moment to compose herself before she headed in the opposite direction. Guards bowed to her as she passed. The mare smiled gently at them. When she approached a large doorway, servants hurried to open it, revealing a large, brightly-lit hall beyond it. Large crowd of ponies were already gathered on either side of the long red carpet that led to a stage. Hanging from the ceiling were similar banners as in the hallway.

“Hail the High Shadow!” The ponies began chanting when they saw her.

“Hail Queen Ira!” They then called as the dark unicorn began walking towards the stage. Ira looked at the crowd as she did, always sporting that gentle smile.

“Hail King Sombra!” with that final hail the crowd burst into stomping applause and cheering loudly.

Ira stepped up to the stage and turned to face the large crowd of ponies before her. She kept smiling as they continued to cheer and some even repeated the three previous hails. Finally, she raised a hoof and everything went silent as the ponies waited for her to speak.

“My dear subjects,” she started and felt herself choke up a bit. “It warms my heart to see you all answering my summons. Many of you can trace your ancestry to the once great Dark Pony Empire which was so brutally destroyed and I, the last Queen, viciously slain. But I am back to embrace you, the descendants of those of my ponies who escaped.”

Ira looked over the crowd, tears formed in her eyes. She had dreamt of this day for a long time and it was finally happening. It had started small, figuring out what Dark Ponies had escaped the destruction of the empire, then slowly building up a following of their descendants. Always working in the shadows and out of sight from prying eyes.

“I failed to protect the empire and my beloved subjects in its greatest hour of need. I will not fail now; I will not fail you. I have supported you all, given assistance in your struggles, helped you during trying times. Offered my shoulder to cry on, comforted you, assured you. You are all so very dear to me.”

As she spoke, Ira spotted two particular ponies in the crowd. Her smile turned warmer and she gestured to Mirage Rock and Barricade to step forward and come to the stage.

“Sister Mirage, Brother Barricade,” she spoke softer now as mother and son hesitantly began climbing to the stage. “To you two, I have promised the most.”

When Mirage arrived on the stage, Ira raised her hoof to gently caress the mare on the cheek. “You lost so much. Your son, your husband. I cannot bring Hard Shovel back, but I did promise to bring back your son.”

She then turned to Barricade, who stepped closer to his mother and gave her a gentle headrub to assure her. Ira smiled wider. “And Barricade, you lost a brother and a father. Your father’s memory will live with all of us, but I bring back your brother.”

Ira lit up her horn and there was a flash of light. On the stage appeared Starlight Glimmer, along with Temor and Emerald. Mirage gasped when seeing the prince, Barricade arched his brow. Temor looked around in mild confusion, at the crowd, at Ira and then at the two ponies next to her. Unseen, Sombra observed, quite impressed by the large gathering before them.

“Behold. Prince Temor, adopted and raised by King Sombra as his son and herald of the king’s True Return.” Ira gestured to the newly arrived. Temor took that as a sign to walk closer. He glanced over the crowd as it began cheering and stomping their hooves in approval.

“P-Private?” Mirage whispered and hesitantly approached, then darted forward and grabbed the prince in a tight hug.

“Do not throw her off, that must be your mother,” Sombra whispered into his son’s ear. Prince Temor had been just about ready to toss the old mare off him.

“Private?” Barricade finally shook off his own shock and took a hesitant step closer. He almost took a step back at the glare from the prince.

“It’s Prince Temor,” Temor snorted. He made no attempt to return the hug from his mother.

“I don’t care what you call yourself now,” Mirage spoke up and parted from her son, tears streaming down her cheeks, but the old pony was smiling. She put a hoof on his cheek. “Look at you, you’re all grown up.”

“Thank you, mother.” Temor raised a hoof, but used it to gently remove Mirage’s, figuring it was best to keep up a proper appearance right now. “My father raised me well.”

Mirage seemed almost ready to hug her lost son again, but this time Barricade stepped up and kept her back. He smiled nervously at the prince. The unicorn was fit, but Temor looked far better built and with the armor and red horn looked quite fierce.

“Now let it never be said that I do not deliver on my promise,” Ira spoke up, the attention turning back to her. She gestured to Mirage and her two sons. “But I still have one promise yet to deliver. Behold your king!”

Ira activated her dark magic and sent out a spell. Sombra frowned as he watched his sister in action, then he realized that all eyes were on him. Stunned, amazed eyes. Everybody in the room could see him. He heard Emerald whimper where she still stood next to Starlight. Then every pony in the crowd began bowing. Barricade dropped in a bow as did Mirage and even Starlight.

“Hail King Sombra! Hail King Sombra! Hail King Sombra!” the crowd chanted as well as those on the stage, save Temor, Ira and Emerald. The crystal pony looked terrified at the spirit.

“Speak brother, as the hour of your resurrection is near,” Ira addressed the spirit with a smile. For a moment the king looked at her, unsure, then he smiled

“The hour is near indeed,” Sombra returned his attention to the crowd. Everyone still stayed bowed before him. “My enemies thought me vanquished and defeated. How wrong they were, for they did not take into account my son. Rise and behold the one who delivered your king!”

The ponies started to rise and as instructed looked at where Temor was on the stage. Mirage and Barricade were smiling at the prince who looked over the crowd with a stern yet dignified expression.

“Long live the king!” Temor simply shouted and that prompted the crowd to begin chanting the same. A smile came over the prince as it dawned on him how truly close to his goal he was.

“Now my dear subjects,” Ira spoke once more once the chanting was over. “I ask you to go and prepare yourselves, for the True Return is near.”

“Sister Mirage, Brother Barricade, you may remain,” she then addressed the two ponies.

“I will return once I have escorted my wives and our daughters to our quarters,” Barricade replied, bowing his head. He looked at Temor, as if he was waiting for permission. It took a second for the prince to realize.

“Right, you do that,” Temor had to admit having momentarily forgotten that he was strictly speaking in charge of the Order. He had figured his sister had already given the permission to either stay or remain.

Barricade jumped off the stage and Temor watched him go to two pegasi mares, one gray and the other maroon with a white back and muzzle. Three fillies were with them. The unicorn spoke softly to them before walking with them out of the hall. The prince turned his attention to his mother, watching her.

He felt nothing.

Ira looked at the spirit of Sombra and motioned to him to follow since he could move a distance from his son. The High Shadow walked over to the stage where Starlight and Emerald were and had them follow out a backdoor. Leaving Temor and Mirage behind, mostly alone, a few guards did remain.

“It’s really you,” Mirage whispered and stepped closer, not even daunted by the emotionless expression she received.

“It is, as the High Shadow promised. I am back, but it’s Prince Temor now. You may have named me… Private… but that name holds no meaning to me anymore,” Temor said sternly, wanting to immediately address the naming issue.

“Yes of course,” the mare nodded and wiped away few tears. “I’m just so glad to see you again. What happened? How did the king get you?”

“Does it matter? He raised me, made me strong and then I returned,” Temor turned to fully face her. He looked at the mare intently, wondering if the relief of just seeing her long lost son was overriding all her other feelings.

“Yes… of course,” Mirage nodded slowly. Temor wasn’t really sure how to read that. Frankly he didn’t really care. However Ira had made a big show of him being reunited with his mother and brother and he would play his part.

“Why do you not go to your quarters. We will talk later. I need to speak with the High Shadow anyway, learn what is going to happen next,” he said. He did detect a hint of disappointment in the mare now.

“Yes of course,” she nodded and started to go down from the stage. At that moment Barricade returned. He stopped to speak with his mother who smiled weakly at him before leaving the hall.

“So, you are my brother.” Temor jumped down from the stage and strode over to the other stallion.

“Uh, yes, I guess I am.” Barricade looked at Temor and inwardly gulped, still feeling that the prince looked quite intimidating.

Temor started to circle his brother as he examined him thoroughly. He glanced at the image of a brick wall on the stallion’s flank, snorted, then stopped when facing him. The prince had to admit they did have uncanny similarities aside from the image and the indigo-colored eyes.

“Barricade, wasn’t it? I must apologize. The king was my only family for a very long time,” Temor said and smirked. “I’m not accustomed to having a brother.”

“Well… neither am I. Not after you disappeared,” Barricade muttered, the sorrowful look on his mother was still high on his mind.

“How did you join the order?” Temor asked curiously.

“The High Shadow approached me. She helped me through a difficult time in my life and was very supportive. She even mended the relationship I had with my wives, Foxy and Derpy,” Barricade said and frowned. “She was the only one who accepted that I could have two wives. Derpy had to live in Ponyville with our daughter until the proper time came, which I assume is now?”

“It is. My father will soon return and you will be rewarded for your service to the Order. I will reward our mother as well. I understand she did us a great service while I was still on the run,” Temor declared, then his smirk turned devious. “You have any military experience?”

“Some. I was in military school but quit the guards after a while,” Barricade said nervously.

“Then come with me to talk with the High Shadow. I have something in mind for you, dear brother,” the prince chuckled and started to head back to the stage, his direction was the backdoor. Barricade hesitantly followed.

End chapter 18

Comments

[Dxinsider]

Heehee let darkness rain all over the lands

[Revluc_The_Pony]

Still scary...