Entities of Emotion 2: Dark is the Night

by Michael_Ravencroft

Episode 5: Reunion of the DEAD

Cloudsdale didn’t have a regular cemetery like those of their earthbound brethren, no, they had floating spires where their dead were kept. Frozen for all time and preserved so that the ravages of time may never touch them. Since the pegasi lived in the skies, disposal of their dead was a limited.

The ancient, as still used, method was that of cremation, ceremonial burning of the dearly departed. But a new method came about later on, that of preserving them in a mausoleum, frozen in near diamond hard ice produced through weather manipulation magic.

This way, the family members had a place to visit their deceased family in much the same way any unicorn or earth pony might their buried dead. The tall spires were just as much a work of art, regarded as a wondrous structures around the realm.

However, even though the spires were hallowed grounds, there was still a need to protect them. Every once and awhile, the Turribus Mortuorum would see its share of teenage pegasi trying to break in after hours on a dare or because they were bored.

So the city saw fit to post Royal Guard sentries at all the tower entrances and exits. And ever since, they hadn’t had any disturbances. Two pegasi Royal Guards stood outside one of the entrances, one mare and one stallion. Both were armored and held their spears steadfast and ready for use.

Celestia’s sun had fallen, and Luna’s moon was a quarter of the way into the sky, still early at night. Despite the low temperatures, pegasi were naturally used to the cold, having built up a huge tolerance to it since their tribe lived in the skies above.

The stallion pegasus yawned loudly and smacked his lips. Only for something to hit his helm and make a loud clanking sound. The stallion glanced to his right and gave the mare a scolding look.

“Indigo, what was that for?!”

“Not supposed to be dozing off on duty, Flash,” replied Indigo in a smart-alecky tone.

“Hey, you may be my little sister, but I’m still your commanding officer.”

Indigo rolled her eyes and huffed. “Yes, sir.”

Flash Sentry noticed the slightly sad look his little sister was giving as she stared straight ahead. “What’s up? You look a little down.”

Indigo Zap sighed as she glanced to her big brother. “It’s just, we’re here guarding on Hearth’s Warming Eve. We should be home and celebrating, you know, family time and all that.”

“I know, still not easy guarding the place where they’re buried right?” Flash asked.

Indigo snorted her indignation. “We lost them young, and we entered the Royal Guard together, but we promised that we’d always spend the holidays like we used to, together and at home. Remembering the fun times and all that…forget it.”

Flash moved a little closer to Indigo Zap and draped his wing over her back. “Hey, it won’t always be like this. We just happened to get a crappy shift, don’t forget, we aren’t the only ones who have relatives buried here, some of the other Guards probably have someone they loved in one of those ice coffins.”

Indigo felt a twinge of guilt stab at her heart. “Yeah…I know, sorry.”

“It’s fine, tell ya what, I’ll get ya any kind of present you want, anything at all.”

Indigo’s eyes widened with glee as she smirked. “Oh, okay, hope your bit bag can back up that promise.”

Flash gulped, wondering what can of worms he’d just opened on himself. But then he felt some weight on his right shoulder, looking down, he saw Indigo resting her head on his shoulder.

“Thanks, bro.”

Suddenly, both brother and sister stiffened up. Something was wrong.

“Hey Flash?”

“Yeah Zap?”

“Is it me or does everything feel like it just went completely still and quiet?”

It definitely wasn’t her, that much Flash was certain. The air had gone stale, no hint of the breeze that was flowing earlier. Suddenly, Flash and Indigo caught sight of movement in the distance, they weren’t sure if it was a pony or something else, the shadows were making it hard to see them, or it.

Flash and Indigo separated from each other and entered combative stances, pointing their spears towards the unknown figure in the darkness.

“HALT, WHO GOES THERE?!” Flash shouted.

There was no reply.

“SHOW YOURSELF, BY ORDER OF THE ROYAL GUARD!” Indigo ordered.

That was when brother and sister saw two red dots appear in the inky black shadows, making their eyes widen, tightening the grip their spears harder. Suddenly, the shadows far ahead started to undulate and move, lifting off the clouds around the red dots.

Then, swift as a sparrow, the shadows and red dots shot up into the air and crashed through the wall high up in the tower. Densely packed cloud chunks cascaded down in a shower of debris. Flash and Indigo flared their wings and shot off in opposite directions, just in time to miss getting hit by the many hard pieces of cloud landing on the spots they were standing at.

Flash turned around rising into the air to see where the intruder had entered the tower. Indigo flew beside her brother, keeping a close eye on the big hole that was created.

“Flash…what was that thing?!”

“Don’t know, but we need backup! Call in the other Guards and I’ll go in and scout what it was.”

Flash began to move forward, but was cut off when Indigo’s spear shaft blocked his path.

“You’re not going in alone, Flash, no way!” Indigo spoke with finality and authority in her voice, showing she would not be swayed.

She then forced her big brother to take her spear as she moved backwards. Indigo Zap shot up into the air, wind whistling around her as she climbed higher and higher. Sparks of electricity zipped in the form of a speed trail, until, she made a sharp U turn to head back down. The sudden turn sparked a giant lightning bolt symbol, crafted in the shape of Indigo Zap’s cutie mark.

When she returned back, Indigo took back her spear. “There, alarm sounded, now let’s go!”

Flash knew better than to argue with his little sis, she was as stubborn as all Tartarus.
Reluctantly, Flash nodded and the two of them entered the newly made entrance into the tower. Cautiously, they hovered on either side of the smashed wall, peeking around the corner. When neither of them spotted anything they landed on the floor, spears quickly poised and ready to strike.

The air was cold, even colder than usual. The towers were normally chilly, but this was a different kind of cold, like something was reaching out and teasingly raking its icy claws against their very souls, threatening to rip it from their bodies should they make one small mistake. Just then, they heard something akin to ice being struck. With great haste, both brother and sister flew down the hallway, determined to stop the would-be grave robber.

The impacting sounds grew louder the closer they got. It was definitely a pounding sound, someone or something was actively trying to break open one of the ice coffins and take the body.

“What kind of sick SOB would steal a dead body?!” Indigo asked.

“Don’t know, but after what we saw, I’m more inclined to spear first and ask questions later!”

Flash Sentry and Indigo Zap zoomed down the hall and stopped before one of the open crypts. Signs of destruction were apparent, the wall and door smashed in, along with the constant hammering sounds.

Flash and Indigo entered the room, ready to skewer the individual who dared to desecrate somepony’s grave. But any and all thoughts of delivering righteous punishment faded when they saw what the intruder was.

“These damn ice coffins!”

*SMASH*

“Could they make them any harder to get into?!”

*SMASH*

“How do they expect me to raise and army of the undead if I can’t even get the damned dead out of their resting places! I swear I’ll – Oh? Guests.”

Standing – or rather floating – over two ice coffins, was Sombra, clad in his armor and smiling with curious, wicked glee. His shadow cape having formed two giant mallets that had already chipped away at a good chunk of the ice surrounding the two dead bodies within. Indigo shook with rage as she saw this creature try to break open the ice that housed her and her brother’s long since dead parents.

“GET AWAY FROM THEM YOU FREAK BASTARD!!!” Indigo yelled with fury.

Sombra eyed the pegasus mare, peering past the surface and seeing red light rise within her. “Oh, it would seem these two mean a great deal to you. Let me guess, parents? Judging by how brightly the light of Rage shines in you, it must be so!”

The Entity of Death shifted his gaze to the pegasus stallion beside her, seeing the glow of Willpower and Compassion, along with a shade of red Rage.

“Sombra, you’re Sombra aren’t you?!” Flash inquired.

The Dark One bowed to the Guard. “Ah, one who recognizes me, I am humbled that my name has not yet died in the sea of history. And I shall presume that you are this loud mouth’s sibling, are you not?”

“What are you doing here?! You were destroyed years ago by the Crystal Heart! I don’t know what you’re up to –!”

“ENOUGH! SKEWER FIRST, QUESTIONS LATER, RIGHT?! RIGHT!”

Indigo Zap didn’t even wait for confirmation from her brother before charging straight for the Tyrant King. The pegasus mare swiftly thrust her spear and plunged it straight through Sombra’s neck, striking dead on a major artery. The spear ran all the way through, exiting with black blood coating it. Indigo backed away as Sombra choked and spat out his ebony ichor out of his mouth and flailed in pain before dropping out of the air and hitting the floor.

Flash couldn’t’ believe what he saw, happy though he was to see the monster felled, it was still shocking. Indigo Zap returned to her brother’s side, huffing and trembling with anger, smirking from her victory in killing the monster who dared to try and rob their parents’ bodies.

“That was completely and utterly reckless, Indigo! What were you thinking?!” Flash scolded.

“I was thinking of killing the ugly son of a bitch who was going to steal the bodies of our dead parents, you're welcome.”

“Oh my, a squabble between two close siblings?”

Flash and Indigo’s eyes widened with horror at hearing that voice. Both turned to were Sombra had fallen and gasped when they saw that the unicorn was still alive, now standing with the spear still in his neck. His shadow cape formed a large claw that gripped one end of the shaft. The claw pulled out the spear all the way, causing black blood to spray for a moment before the wound closed itself. Sombra’s dark claw then tossed the spear back to Indigo Zap, letting it roll to her hooves.

“Pick it up if you want, I know how these little toys make you feel safe in situations like this,” said Sombra as chuckled evilly.

Indigo wasted no time in picking up the spear and pointing at Sombra again, for all the good it would do.

“So what, you’re after the Crystal Heart again?!” Flash asked.

“Oh no, nothing like that, I have greater ambitions than just ruling over my former empire. In fact I come with glad tidings of a new age.”

“What age?” Indigo asked.

“The Age of the Dead. Picture it, a world freed from the strife and harshness of life! No more wanting, no more war, and no more bigotry among species and tribes! All will be one under my black banner of death, for Death does not discriminate and it does not judge! All deserve its blissful touch.” Sombra then flashed them a toothy grin. “And all for the meager price of your hearts.”

Indigo and Flash gritted their teeth and flared their wings. “We won’t let you get away with this Sombra! And neither will the Princesses!”

Sombra scoffed at the mention of them. “Spare me the threat of those two ancient hags, or that glorified concubine and librarian. Now, if you don’t mind, I’m thinking of granting you two a great gift. If I’m not mistaken, it is Hearth’s Warming Eve, and children shouldn’t go without a present!”

Sombra floated back to his position above the ice coffins. He then formed his shadow cape into two black drills. The drills spun rapidly as they descended upon the coffins, the moment upon contact the drills sprang out razor sharp blades that cut into the ice and chipped away at it second by second. Flash and Indigo felt every fiber of their being scream at them to strike down Sombra and save their parents’ bodies, but at the same time, they knew that they were no match for him, at least not alone.

Soon the drills busted open a hole in both coffins and Sombra cancelled his constructs. His eyes shined bright red as the room became heavy with his power.

“The Blackest Night falls from the skies,

Let us hear your deathly cries!

We’ll twist your souls as your light dies,

By my command the dead shall RISE!”

Sombra’s mouth opened up and bellowed forth a stream of darkness that split into two, flowing right into the holes he created. The inky substance covered both bodies, obscuring them from view and making the ice turn into a black diamond. The two siblings watched as their parents’ bodies were defiled, shaking with rage and horror at the very sight of it all. In the end, Sombra cut off his stream with a snap of his jaws and wiped his maw of any excess.

Suddenly, the ice began to crack, fissures spider webbing across the surface. With a great shrieking burst the ice coffins blasted apart, making both Flash and Indigo duck down for cover as sharpened black ice shrapnel flew in every direction. When it was over, they dared opened their eyes to see what had happened, and as if this night couldn’t get any worse, it did.

Standing where the ice coffins were, were two pegasi. One a stallion and the other a mare, both donned in a black suit, with gray greaves and bracers, and white upside down triangle symbol emblazoned onto their outfits’ chests. Their mane and coat colors were dulled considerably, but they looked just as they did inside the ice coffins, untouched by time, no decay whatsoever, preserved perfectly, if it weren’t for the dulled colors, they could’ve sworn they were alive. But that hope was taken when they opened their eyes.

Their bright, confident, comforting eyes were now pools of darkness, with two white dots for any indication that they were even looking at anything. Their movements were rigid, with multiple cracking sounds that echoed in the silent mausoleum.

“A little stiff, but understandable, you two have been frozen corpse-sicles for years now. Let the dark ichor flow through your bodies, let it rejuvenate your limbs, and strengthen your bones,” said Sombra.

The two undead pegasi heeded their lord’s command, channeling the darkness now swirling inside their bodies, letting it flow through limbs and organs, chasing away the stiffness, allowing them to move without creaking and cracking, and allowing their dead muscles to move to their will. Both parents looked down upon their two children and smiled sinisterly.

{Oh my darling little Flashy, how you have grown,} spoke the mare.

{And look at our Indigo, she looks quite lovely. Still the little tomcolt I see,} said the stallion.

“Mom…Dad…” Indigo whispered.

“It’s…It’s not possible…! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE, SOMBRA!!?” Flash shouted in rage.

Sombra feigned hurt. “Now that is rude, here I go through all the trouble of raising your parents from the dead, and you don’t even give me so much as a ‘Thank you, Sombra’ or ‘Bless you, Lord Sombra’! No gratitude, you two raised some delinquent children.”

The undead ponies chuckled at this.

{You can’t be too harsh on them Milord, we were dead for many years now and they have been deprived of a father’s stern hoof.}

{Or that of a mother’s love, but we can correct that right here and now.}

Both undead parents stared at their children, seeing the glow within them. Both Flash and Indigo had the violet light of Love, happy to see their parents yet again, and yet there was the yellow light of Fear mixed with it, and rightly so.

Flash leaned closer to Indigo. “Sis, listen, I’ll distract them, and you get out of here and warn everypony you can!”

Indigo shot her brother a disapproving glance. “WHAT?! I’m not leaving you here to face our undead parents, and a psycho unicorn, alone!” She replied in a harsh whisper.

“Look you’re faster than me! You’ll be able to get word to the Princesses and warn the Guards who are coming here!”

“I am not going to leave my brother to die!”

“Think fast you two.”

Before they could settle their argument their undead mother and father lunged for them with great speed. Flash and Indigo sped out of the way, watching as their parents skidded to a halt and did an about face. With little wasted time, the zombies splintered off and took one child each. Indigo saw her father come closer, stalking her like a cat corning a mouse.

{Now honey, be a good girl and just be still. We’ll be a family again in the new world,} said her father.

“Dad, Daddy, if that’s really you in there then snap out of it! You’re under some kind of dark magic spell! I know you two can break free of it!” Indigo pleaded.

The zombie shook his head. {You always were a stubborn one Zappy…} Dark energy began to gather to the stallion’s forehooves, and in the blink of an eye they had formed into black construct claws. {Guess I’ll have to discipline you.}

The zombie lunged at Indigo like a deranged beast. The mare quickly flapped her wings and ascended into the air, narrowly dodging the dark claw as it struck the cloud floor and making it cave in from the impact.

Meanwhile, Flash was squaring off with his zombie mother, keeping his spear pointed out, trying to maintain some distance between them.

{Oh Flash, I’ve finally come back, and you won’t even let me come to give you a hug?}

“I don’t know what you are, but just stay back!” Flash ordered.

{Flashy, don’t be embarrassed, we’re all family here, it’s okay to hug your mother. Here, I’ll come to you.}

Flash watched with a horrified expression as the zombie trotted closer to him. He held his spear firm, showing that he wasn’t backing down. When the spearhead touched the mare’s chest she stopped and looked to Flash with sadness and disappointment. A look that shifted to wicked glee as she pushed forward, impaling herself on the spear. Flash’s mouth hung open as he watched his undead mother continue walking forward, pushing more of the spear through her chest and out her back, as if it were a minor inconvenience.

Flash abandoned his spear and flew up and away from his zombie mother, who looked up at him and continued to smile her creepy smile. Her left hoof formed a black construct claw, which she used to pull the spear from her body and chuck away from her.

The zombie mare flew for her son and slashed at him with her dark claws. The claws easily sliced through his protective armor, just grazing his body underneath.

Sombra watched all this transpire, it was glorious. It was just as he figured, nopony had the guts to kill someone they loved, even if they were dead already. Lovers, parents, family, friends, all had emotional ties, all had ponies who loved them at one point in their lives, and it would be those ties that would prove their downfall and at the same time, their salvation.

The zombie ponies were circling their children, dragging out the last moments before the final kill. Both siblings knew that at this rate they would be killed by their own undead parents.

“Zap.”

“Yeah, Flash?”

“We’re screwed here.”

“Agreed, but there’s still one last thing we can try,” suggested Indigo.

Flash raised an eyebrow in confusion, but soon understood what it was she was talking about. “On three. One.”

“Two.”

Flash Sentry and Indigo Zap zipped into the air at breakneck speed. Sparks of electricity formed in their wakes as both crossed paths and formed an X. At the center of their crossing a bright flash of light shined within the tomb, hitting the eyes of both zombies and Sombra. The brother and sister had long since developed a signature move, one that only when together could it work. This was Flashbang, using their combined magics to create a blinding flash of light that temporarily blinded anyone and everyone that set eyes upon it.

Flash and Indigo quickly flew out of the tomb and down the hallway. Flying towards the hole that Sombra made when he broke in. Soon they could see the moonlight pouring out of the hole and doubled their speed to get to it. Just when they were hooves reached the edge of the light they stopped. They flapped their wings harder and harder, but couldn’t get anywhere. It wasn’t until they looked behind them that they saw their hind legs were wrapped in dark tendrils.

One belonged to their father, and the other to their mother. The brother and sister were being reeled in like fish on a hook to their deaths, and no matter how hard they struggled, they couldn’t break free.

Indigo looked behind her, and saw that she was being dragged in faster than her brother, she could see where the tendril was wrapped around his hoof. She then looked back behind her, and then to Flash, and that’s when Indigo made her decision.

“Happy Hearth’s Warming, Flash, here’s your present!”

Indigo reached into her armor and pulled out her knife sidearm and threw it at the tendril. The tendril was cut, snapping Flash free from the construct’s hold.

“INDIGO!”

“JUST GO, NOW!!!”

Flash saw that his father was preparing to send out more tendrils, he then looked to Indigo who was glaring at him to leave. With a heavy heart, and cursing himself, Flash flew off towards the exit and spared her one last look mouthing the words “I love you, Indigo” before flying out of the window.

“I love you too…big brother…”

Indigo was violently ripped back and soon brought into the iron grip like embrace of her dead mother. {Now stop struggling dear, the more you resist the worse it will be.}

Black tendrils wrapped around Indigo’s mouth, making her screaming protests muffled. Her father moved closer as his dark claw readied itself. The pegasus mare’s eyes widened with fear as tears fell from her eyes. Indigo’s mother made soft cooing sounds, comforting her daughter as if she was about to get a shot from a doctor. Both Black Lanterns could see it, the light of Fear glowing bright, lighting her up like a firefly.

Indigo’s father raised his black claw and looked to her. {Close your eyes, you don’t want to see this, close them.}

With swift action the zombie stallion thrust his claw straight into Indigo’s chest. The pegasus mare’s eyes widened, pupils shrinking to pin pricks, and blood splattering through the gaps near her mouth. The Black Lantern stallion pulled back, clenching his fist as he opened it up so that Indigo Zap could see her still beating heart, which, oddly, was glowing bright yellow. After a few seconds, the light died in Indigo’s eyes and her body went still as her undead mother continued to comfort the corpse of her daughter. Suddenly black energy entered the deep wound, causing Indigo’s body to convulse and spasm.

{The Blackest Night falls from the skies…!}

The Black Lantern mare released Indigo Zap, letting her fall to the floor as her corpse continued to convulse and writhe, the blood Indigo spat up changing from crimson to ebony.

{Let us hear your deathly cries…!}

The color of her coat began to fade, her golden armor changing to obsidian black.

{We’ll twist your soul as your light dies…!}

Her eyes became black, with two white dots, and the star emblem on the armor shifted, changing to that of the Black Lantern insignia.

{By Sombra’s command, the dead shall RISE!}

At last, Indigo Zap arose, no longer in pain, but now smiling with a level of murderous glee that would make grown stallions pee themselves.

{Welcome to the family, Zappy,} said the stallion.

{Aww, thanks Daddy, Mommy! Sorry I let Flash get away,} apologized Indigo.

The Black Lantern mare waved it off. {Oh don’t worry, honey, we’ll find him later.}

The three Black Lanterns heard the hoofsteps of their lord and master approach. All three zombies bowed in the presence of the Entity of Death, and Sombra drank it in, seeing how nicely Indigo Zap was assimilated into the new world order.

“Excellent, Indigo Zap, correct?”

{Yes Milord,} answered Indigo.

“Good, given that you seem to have a decent amount of military training, I’ll have you mobilize our soon to be army. But first, I wish for you lot to go to the rest of the towers. There’s plenty of dead that need to be awakened.”

{YES LORD SOMBRA!} The Black Lanterns acknowledged in unison.

All three split up and began raiding the different rooms, Sombra, however, sought out a particular tomb. The black unicorn stallion walked down the hall, stopping when he spotted the placard atop the room read “Headwind Zephyr”.

Author's Note:

Next Time:

Hearth's Warming night, oh what a fright.

The black rain shall fall, and so will they all.

Comments

[Alphamon_Ouryuken]

Poor Flash.... poor Indigo....

[cyberlord4444]

I'd say kill him with fire, but that's too quick.

[Thestoryteller]

The shadow of death begins to fall.
Destroying all and taking lives.
The final battle is drawing near.
So sit back and let's see who survives.

[aalelu]

7909771
Poor Zephyr.... Poor Fluttershy....