Book 1 - The Behemoth came to Canterlot

by Equimorto

Redeem

Sombra shrieked as his body was at once enveloped by the flaming black energy of the weapon's fire roaring through the sky and pierced by Shining and Cadence's joint spell. In his last moments as he was being swallowed by the torrent of power red magic crackled from his horn and around his body, but he was consumed before he could direct it into anything to attempt to save himself. There was an explosion, a swelling within the continuous blast where he'd entered it, stretched by its uninterrupted motion, and past that point on the other side the small bubble of condensed magic the two ponies had fired passed through the current and out into the sky, sailing a little farther before shattering into sparks and dust.

Cadence and Shining both watched the creature disappear, and the last traces of its presence being wiped away by the spell's incessant motion. Their breaths were heavy, even though breathing hurt against their lungs by that point, and Cadence's legs held her up more by virtue of fortunate balancing than by strength. Shining had no such stability, but he did manage to make his collapse look close enough to deliberately sitting and lying down prone. He still held his neck high though, as much as that was difficult too. At that moment, even exhausted as they were, neither cared much about their condition. Relief washed over them, enough to dull any ache and wash away any worry for the time being.

Then they saw the cinder-like fragments of shadow drifting down from the sky. For a few seconds, holding their breaths, they hoped they were merely what remained of Sombra. When they began to pool on the ground and regain their consistence, the two ponies lost even that shred of hope. Rising from a shapeless amalgam of darkness, Sombra retook what still was there of his form. Hurt, half its body missing, his innards exposed, his limbs withered, his features maimed. But alive, and even the one empty eye socket he still had was enough to convey the primal fury coursing through his being.

Shining stood up, something that hurt more than standing up ever should and perhaps even more so due to the hopelessness of their situation. He prepared, though he wasn't even sure what he was preparing for. Not using his magic, that he knew, with his exhaustion and the conditions his horn was in at best he could have made himself pass out. He thought, maybe, he was preparing himself to die, at least knowing he'd helped weaken Sombra enough for someone else to finish the job. With what energy he had left he leaned to the side, touching Cadence's shoulder with his own as she weakly wrapped a wing around him.

Sombra finished recomposing himself. He didn't look like he should have been alive, but that didn't stop him from moving all the same. It didn't stop him from turning towards the two ponies, or for spouting a horrifyingly choked roar from the half of his mouth and throat that still was there. Stumbling forward on his broken and mutilated limbs, he headed towards them, ready to charge. Shining, realising time was running out, took one last breath, and chose to keep his eyes open.

Sombra moved forward. Something else moved into him. Something that looked like a broken chunk of a crystal building, roughly the size and shape of a train wagon. Something moving at about the same speed as a train wagon, too. Shining blinked, unsure of what he'd seen. To the side was a newly formed trail of broken buildings, left by what evidently hadn't been stopped in its path by merely running straight into Sombra's body. The space in front of him was empty. He fell to his knees again, and breathed out, and thanked whatever or whoever had just saved his life and most likely his wife's.

Comments

[Speckle]

OoOoOoOo!

[Saix]

Then they saw the cinder-like fragments of shadow drifting down from the sky. For a few seconds, holding their breaths, they hoped they were merely what remained of Sombra. When they began to pool on the ground and regain their consistence, the two ponies lost even that shred of hope. Rising from a shapeless amalgam of darkness, Sombra retook what still was there of his form. Hurt, half its body missing, his innards exposed, his limbs withered, his features maimed. But alive, and even the one empty eye socket he still had was enough to convey the primal fury coursing through his being.

Holy shit, what does it take to kill this guy?

Nice save by Starshine at the end there.