The Life of Penumbra Heartbreak

by Unwhole Hole

Chapter 2: Twin Gods

Slowly, Sombra approached the edge of his icy kingdom, to the border where his dome of magic met the Hyperborean tundra beyond. Though it was frigid and icy within the Empire, beyond was nothing but uninhabitable and unending storm. No mortal pony could survive there unless the stories of the Ancients were to be believed.

When he reached the shield, he stopped. There had been a time in his life where he could have gone farther. That time had passed nearly two hundred years before.

He did not need to. From above, two ponies descended from the endless storm- -if they could even be called ponies. They were tall, thin creatures. One of them was even more white than the freshly-fallen snow, her pastel-rainbow mane drifting behind her in a cloud of her own warmth. She was clad in gold. Beside her was her twin, a pony of equal height whose skin was the color of the darkest night. Her cold eyes were blue and like Sombra’s own, and she was clad in silver.

“Celestia. Nightmare Moon.”

“Sombra,” said Celestia.

“Must you frown, goddess? It’s so very unbecoming of you.”

“We could hardly be expected to greet thou with a smile.”

“Indeed,” added the far more beautiful of the two immortals. “Sombra? Willst thou not step out farther, to greet us more closely? Or are art thou frightened of the cold?”

“You mean would I step farther so that you could cut me down with your magic. As you did with Discord, and Tirac.”

“Or is it perhaps because thou cannot any longer?”

Sombra frowned. “Is there something you desire, Nightmare Moon? My kingdom is sovereign. You have no right to approach me.”

“We have not entered your Empire,” snapped Celestia. “We have not violated the treaties.”

“Although perhaps you have,” added Nightmare moon. “Do not think that we do not bear witness to the accursed armies that grow within thine borders.”

“The Crystal Empire is neutral territory. Where scientists and sorcerers are free to pursue the topics of their interest without your incessant censorship.”

“Thou meanest pursue topics of thine own interest,” growled Celestia. “Indeed, topics accursed and terrible, abominations that no pony ought to ever consider.”

“If you do not like it, leave. Unless you wish to provoke a war.” Sombra glared at Nightmare Moon, refusing to address the lesser twin directly. “And I do not appreciate having spies placed within my kingdom.”

“We have no need for such trivial things. We oversee all dreams in Equestria. Even thine shield of fear cannot stop the glow of our moon, or our stars.”

“Or our sun,” added Celestia.

“A threat, then. Depart! I have no need of you two imperialists, there are matters I need to attend to within my borders.”

A thin smile crossed Celestia’s face. “Oh yes, Sombra. We are aware of thine ‘problems’. That is why we have come.”

Sombra’s eyes narrowed. “Tread softly, Celestia. Or do you truly believe two goddesses can challenge an immortal and his generals?”

“We do not seek to challenge thou,” said Nightmare Moon.

“However, we are aware of the child,” continued Celestia.

“And?”

“And our request is simple. Bring her to us. Thou hath no need for her.”

“In fact, you are in danger,” added Nightmare Moon. “We have no access to thine dreams, as thou doth not sleep, but we know thine fear regardless. And it is well-founded. A child will in time usurp thou, or be used to. Thou hath sired a god, Sombra. When the time comes for her to challenges thou, thou will fall.”

“She is one of our kind. Her very existence is a miracle. She belongs with US.”

Sombra stared across the shield dome, and then slowly smiled. He even laughed. Celestia began to look nervous, but Nightmare Moon’s expression grew cold.

“The child? I created her, did I not? Do I not own her?”

“You fiend- -”

“Sister,” said Nightmare Moon, shaking her head. “Sombra. Do not be a fool.”

“Fool? It would be foolish to give YOU another goddess, to turn against her own father and my kingdom of peace and freedom. To give my own daughter, to be raised by my immortal enemies?” He bared his pointed teeth. “Do not insult me.”

“This is absurd! We only seek to give her the life she deserves- -”

“By turning her against her homeland. No. I refuse.”

“Fine,” said Nightmare Moon. She stepped closer to the shield until she was nearly touching it. “But heed my words, Sombra. That child spells doom for you, and will bring about an end to the abomination you have worked so hard to construct.”

Sombra smiled. “She does indeed spell doom. But not for ME.”

Comments

[NandN]

Let me say that before I read this story ,that because I know Celestia's back story in this universe, that I hope that she dies and gets what's coming to her. I know that this is set in the past but I can always hope.

[AppleTank]

9814626
uh, the only story connected to this is Hand of Doom. I don't recall much of Celestia's history revealed there. And 485K isn't this.