Sombasi, Brother of Sombra

by Pomp-Neigh

Chapter 21~

“Th…this is…far more than I e-expected, Fimbulvetr.” Luna is besieged by absolute shock, the only other revelation rivaling and surpassing this one being the windigo’s association with her parents.

However…

“Heimdale Bifrost… I’ve heard of that name before…” the alicorn pondered with a hoof tapping her chin, a strange sense of familiarity creeping into her mind. Her eyes then widen in sudden realization. “Starswirl’s library… I-I recall seeing that name before in one of his works pertaining to the north.”

Fimbulvetr remained coiled around the weeping form of Snowdrop and his deceased lover, although the past iteration of Snowdrop was naturally oblivious to his and Luna’s presence. But before the windigo could form a single word, the entire dream-like experience, the world within, began to shake, shudder, and distort.

Luna’s eyes go skyward as the ‘dream memory’ begins to break apart, accompanied by a familiar voice that, although started at a whisper, began to grow in volume.

“Luna…!”

“Sister?” the lunar mare questioned.

“It would seem we’ve run out of time, Moon-and-Star.” Fimbulvetr’s words instantly garnered Luna’s attention.

“N-no, wait!” Luna screamed with an outstretched forelimb. “I still have so many questions!”

“Luna…!” Celestia’s voice called out from beyond again as the dreamscape crumbled away - Luna looking up and shifting her gaze back to the windigo frantically.

Now gone was the Crystal Empire, replaced by the same black void from before, with Fimbulvetr floating over Snowdrop, who still wept against Heimdale’s lifeless body. The foundation the duo found themselves upon was almost akin to laying on a water’s rippling surface.

“You will awaken in the outside world soon,” Fimbulvetr began, getting Luna’s attention, although she still wished to have answers to her myriad of questions. “I can only leave you with a warning…and a request.”

Luna’s eyes shot in every direction, ears perked up as she listened. Snowdrop and Heimdale faded slowly, leaving only the alicorn and the windigo while Celestia’s voice continued to call out for her.

“Beware, Moon-and-Star, for remnants of Ragnarok still remain to this day. The Crystal Empire is a battleground that often hosts the conflict between darkness and light. Love and hatred.”

“Wh-what doth thou mean…?!” Luna screamed out as Fimbulvetr’s form became distant, almost like she was being pulled away from him.

“The battle that transpired within the empire during Ragnarok would ultimately determine its future. The crystal ponies, the light, triumphed over the umbrum, the darkness—even going so far as to rename this domain in their likeness.

But depending on the victor, the empire would go by a different name: Svartalfheim or Alfheim. The light, Alfheim, has been victorious as of late. But I fear that only means that Svartalfeim, the darkness, is overdue for their own victory.”

“Fimbulvetr, wait!” Luna’s hoof reached out as if it would have any effect. “Tartarus, damn it! Sister! If thou canst hear me, stop trying to disrupt my slumber, I command thee!” the effort was admirable…but futile.

The windigo remains silent as the dream realm, even in the black void, slowly closes in on itself and, soon, on Luna. Fimbulvetr’s presence was now wholly lost to Luna, but before a subsequent explosion of light became known, she could hear the windigo’s final words - words that would stay with her even as she was forced out of unconsciousness.

“As for my request…it would do me great honor if you, Luna, would…”

---

-Mount Everhoof-

At the highest peak of the vast mountain that overlooked the frozen north, Fimbulvetr, having given his final request to Luna, looked down from this throat of the world.

The weather conditions are calm for the moment, allowing him to see many distant nations and kingdoms throughout the north: Yakyakistan and the North Polar Lair of the amphitheres, feathered serpents with ancient ties to Jormungandr. The caverns to the eastern frost-covered mountains served as the countless dens for Skoll and Hati’s descendants, the direwolves. And across the North Sea was Hailberg, where moose dwelled.

There were others, too, not to mention distant forms of the many castles that littered Equestria, each home to a lord and noble who answered directly to the alicorn sisters. But despite the scenery, the windigo remained focused on the Crystal Empire, which practically rested at the mountain’s base.

“I have done all that I could for you, dearest Snowdrop…” he said somberly while slowly turning away and floating across the flattened precipice of Mount Everhoof.

Spires of light-blue and white ice pierced the skies around him but were arranged to make it look like the mountain wore a crown. And it was at the center of this crown where a flight of carved-out stairs rested, leading up to a throne that seemed to have been carved into an unbreakable wall of ice.

He soon reached the first step and floated over every other step that followed, but as he rose higher and higher to the throne, a legion of voices, male and female alike, reached out to him.

“Traitor…”

“Release us…”

“Our return is nigh…”

“You keep us locked up here just for wretched mortals?”

“Disgusting…”

Many more insults would be thrown Fimbulvetr’s way, but he ignored them all. However, as he finally reached the very last stair and floated before the throne, a deep female voice, far stronger than all the rest and causing them to go silent, boomed from a mysterious jagged crown encased in ice just above the throne.

“You can’t keep me here forever, mortal-loving filth.”

“Apparently, I can.” Fimbulvetr dismissed her certainty as he spun around ceremoniously and set himself on the throne. He rests his forelimbs on the armrests, his lower spiritually elongated body lazily swaying side-to-side, down, and across several steps like a tail.

“The seal cast by Baldak and my Heimdale shall keep you all at bay. Forever. And I shall guard it until the end of all things.”

The other voices cried out in rage, but the powerful female’s voice remained silent.

“Never forget, only a windigo can set you all free. But I am all that remains, and I have no intention of doing so.”

The many raging voices then ceased abruptly. “You underestimate me, Fimbulvetr,” the powerful feminine voice challenged. “Have you forgotten who I am? I am Hela, Queen of the Windigos and ruler of Helheim, the frozen wastelands of the Underworld.

I. Am. Death. And like death, you, my dear, are a fool to think you can forever best me.”

Fimbulvetr’s ‘eyes’ narrowed, “We shall see.”

A moment of silence takes hold, but the tension building at the top of Mount Everhoof could practically shatter glaciers.

After some time, the silence was broken.

“Remember this, traitor: death is patient. Opportunity will present itself, and I will claim it when it does. Hela. Has. Spoken.”

A haunting series of distorted neighs sounds off after Hela’s decree. Soon, the ghostly celebrations slowly fell to whispers before seemingly vanishing without a trace. But through it all, Fimbulvetr stayed firm.

He must stay strong. And no matter what happens, one goal will always continue to drive him forth, amongst several others.

He can never allow Hela to know of Snowdrop’s existence.

---

-Crystal Empire: Crystal Castle Medical Wing-

“Grauuuh!” Luna cries out as she suddenly and rapidly lifts her upper body from the bed, having been laid on her back as a series of medical equipment, many of which are made with crystals, the works of a great mage or artificer, and furnishings are present nearby.

She gasped as she looked around the room, breathing rapidly, only to realize that she had been transported to the castle's medical wing during her…slumber, given the room’s aesthetics.

But the sun’s rays from the nearby window sparked even further concern, causing her to shoot her gaze toward a clock that rested over the room’s wooden door’s crystalline doorframe. She had to admit; it was a far more convenient and advanced version of the clock-handed ones they had back in Equestria.

7:46am

“T-tis already been a full night…?”

No, this couldn’t be right… It only felt like barely an hour had passed throughout the entire affair within that strange dream-realm-like experience. And yet, a whole night had passed; she hadn’t even risen the moon, let alone lowered it.

Wait…

Celestia had… No. No! That’s not fair! They agreed that neither one would ever impede upon the other’s celestial body, yet that overgrown glory hog dared to-!

Luna’s inner bitterness was abruptly thrown off as her ears perked up, her senses finally catching up with her. She could hear murmured voices just beyond the door, prompting her to throw off the bedsheets and disembark from the furnishing as her hooves clopped against the marbled floor.

There were many things on her mind, but what Fimbulvetr had requested of her was something she was already beginning to consider even before everything that’s transpired with the windigo.

And so she stood there, thinking back on what was said before she was seemingly thrown out and disturbed by her slumber.

-‘As for my request…it would do me great honor if you, Luna, would adopt my daughter. Please…keep Snowdrop away from the Frozen North.

I have been waiting for this opportunity ever since my beloved’s death. I know Snowdrop can be happy with you, and you, with her. That’s why I influenced you to come to the empire.

I have aided you, your sister, and your parents without asking for anything in return. But now I ask this in the spirit of good and fair payment…’

She was uncertain if there was more, but those were the last words she had heard.

“Snowdrop…” Luna said somberly, eyes cast to the floor. She maintained this state of deep thought and sadness as the seconds passed by.

Then, she lifted her head with determined features, ears reaching for the sky as her blue mane shuffled over her shoulder. And she whips her tail to the right while stomping a single hindleg.

“I hath decided.”

Comments

[Bronycommander]

interesting

[Pomp-Neigh]

11603112
Thank you!

[Bronycommander]

11603375
Youre welcome

[Legioner8]

I got Frozen Throne vibes from the throne scene
static.wikia.nocookie.net/warcraftlore/images/8/8b/Lich_King.jpg

Never forget, only a windigo can set you all free

But what about a half-windigo?

[Pomp-Neigh]

11604679
Yup! You guessed it. The design I picked is based off of the Lich King’s domain/throne.

This isn’t technically a spoiler since it’s hinted at in this chapter, but that is exactly why Fimb wants Luna to take Snowdrop.

Not only so that they have each other, which benefits Luna’s loneliness and Snowdrop having a mother and a parent who can be there physically, but to also keep Snow far from the Frozen North.