Shards of Hatred

by ChaoticHarmony

Clandestine

—— Shards of Hatred ——

---- Chapter XX: Clandestine ----

---

The sound of two pairs of hooves clicking against cobblestones filled the alleyway, though the legs that were doing the stepping made them soft enough that anypony who was in the street would have only been able to hear a very faint sound. If they had been in the alley, however, they would have been able to see two hooded and cloaked figures darting away into the maze of the back-end paths that every city contained. Of course, if anypony had been unfortunate enough to do such a thing they’d have found a knife in their chest before they could have shouted in alarm. The two shrouded figures weren’t ones to take any chances in the oppressed city, believing that they alone were the only ones cunning and skilled enough to have survived Sombra’s invasion. As depressing as such a thought was, they knew down in their guts that it was true, and nothing they had seen in the city since the invasion has proved to them otherwise.

Neither of them said a word as the one on the right bent down to lift the sewer hatch, gesturing cheerfully into the depths below whilst the other stood looking at the former in what seemed to be a disapproving way for a few seconds before jumping down. After giving one last glance at the world above and sparing just a second’s look for the stars, the second figure stepped forward and fell out of sight.

After his hooves splashed down in the gently running water that coated the bottom of the sewer pipe, Jumping Jack lifted a leg out of the liquid to sniff at it and grimace before setting it back down none too slowly. “Agh, this place smells like the armor that those guards always wear. I swear, the way that those metal plates stick with the smell you’d think they wear them to bed or something.”

“Well you know, they do say that the job of a guard kinda stinks, Jack.” Dodger had managed to land off to the side, where there was no water, and somehow do it silently as well. “I wouldn’t be so surprised that this water stinks like them either, because the shower drains lead here too.”

If Jack had been closer, and if they weren’t trying to stay quiet,
he’d have likely smacked his lighthearted twin on the back of his skull. “Funny.” As it was, he huffed angrily and began trotting along one of the side tunnels that led directly to where they had hidden away from the patrolling soldiers that had been scouring the tunnels in search of anypony who had tried to do what the two jesters had done. They both had some unwanted memories of lying there in the dark, just after the soldiers had begun attacking those in the sewers, forced to listen to the dying screams of the ponies who had thought that they were safe from them. Within a few minutes and quite a few confusing turns, they made it to their hideaway. After pushing aside the false wall that they had constructed from various pieces of debris, Jumping trotted in and immediately began going over their weapons that they had covering the top of the small table that had been tossed down into the tunnels what seemed like ages ago.

“What are you doin’, Jumpin’?” His brother had apparently tossed his gear onto the floor and flopped over to the one mattress that they shared without any thought for the tools that helped to keep him alive.

“Looking over what we have so that we can save the Princess. Without her, I feel that the Crystal Empire won’t simply rise again after Sombra is defeated.” He ran a sharpening stone along one of the blades, smiling just a small bit at the metallic ring the dagger gave off at each stroke. “Just because we were lucky once, Dodger, doesn’t mean it’ll happen again.” He chuckled a bit at how his brother’s mouth snapped back shut before he had even said a word. “If things go sour we’re going to need more that just one dagger and a few witty lines to stave off the ponies that will stop at nothing to kill us.”

“You sure? I’m pretty sure I could take on a whole group of guards with my cutting edge skills and sharp wit!” Jumping Jack looked over to see Dodger up on his hind legs, punching the air with his front ones and looking all the world like a true fool, though to be fair that’s what he was.

“With jokes like those and a stance like that, you’d be dead by their first swing.” To make his point, Jumping Jack leapt through the air and spun around, kicking his brother firmly in the chest and knocking him to the ground. “See? Completely undefended.” He snorted and turned away, trotting back to their supply table and sharpening his third dagger. “Unlike you I know how to use the knives I juggle, and then some.”

“I’ve been with you my entire life, but even I’ve never seen a pony do something like that! Where in the Crystal Heart’s name did you learn that stuff?”

“The guards, after long days of guarding the castle, often found themselves very bored in their barracks. A few approached me and asked if I could perform for them.” He lifted one of the shorter daggers; it was short enough to be called a knife by some. “Of course in return I asked for payment.” His hoof was a blur as he whipped around and sent the blade spinning through the air to come to a rest inside a plank of wood that was part of their makeshift door. “They taught me some things that kept both you and I alive during those first few nights.”

“Well, I’ll make sure to cower behind you then if we get found out.” His brother’s sarcastic tones weren’t anything new to Jumping Jack, so he paid them no mind. “I still think that we’ll be fine. It’s not like anypony’s gonna find us. We’re too good at sneakin’ around.”

With a sigh, Jumping slid the last of his daggers into a sheath and turned around, a grim look on his face. “I hope that you’re right, Dodger.”

---

He stared over the jagged landscape, smiling to himself. It wasn’t every day that the Crystal Empire’s gag-worthy colors of orange, pink, and red were replaced with beautiful hues of black and grey. “Of course, it will be this way forever now.” His cruel laughter went unheard as his gaze roved freely over the city and its inhabitants, all of their manes drooping and their crystal hues lost again just like they were a millennium ago. With a quick jerk of his head, one of the ponies fell down screaming in pain, the dark threads of hatred magic coiling about her body and diving into the flesh. After a few moments he let the magic dissipate, smiling to himself with a smile that didn’t touch his eyes. “I so badly wish to crush those who think things that they shouldn’t about their king.” He turned away from the balcony and gazed into his mirror, sighing to his reflection. “But if I did that I wouldn’t have any slaves for my empire, would I?”

One of those slaves stood off to the side, quivering in fear as his eyes snapped over to her. Before he could do anything, however, the doors to his chamber slammed open and a guard galloped in. “Lord Sombra! Princess Cadence—“ The poor stallion wasn’t able to continue his words as strands of grey rope appeared out of the air and began constricting his throat without mercy.

“She is no longer a Princess. She will be known as my crystal slave and nothing more.” He slowly stepped down from his elevated platform, the guard shaking violently with every step the king took. “I think that you still have a bit of loyalty towards that little whorse, Guardspony.” Sombra’s smile was ghastly as he formed a claw over his hoof and brought it to the stallion’s neck, tracing along its contours and drawing a bit of blood here and there. “Do you really think that being loyal to her will get you anything but death?”

“N-No, of course not! You are my Lord, King Sombra, and you will be until I die.” The stallion saluted as best he could with the lack of oxygen sapping his strength, trembling weakly as he tried to look anywhere but the hatred-filled eyes before him. “I-I-I meant nothing b-by it, Lord.”

“Of course you didn’t, Guardspony.” He squeezed the neck in his magical grip ever so slightly, relishing in the feeling of the fear sliding down the stallion’s throat in the form of a gulp. “Just like I didn’t mean to grab you and squeeze till you popped.“ Sombra was so very tempted to kill him and hear that little mortal neck crack, but he had something to hear first. Instead of pressing just a little bit more and cutting into the flesh, he removed the magical ropes and claw, though he kept both ready just in case. “Tell me what you came to report, Guardspony.”

“I have news for you, my Lord!” The stallion’s voice was barely understandable now, marred horrifically by Sombra’s intimidation and his own fear. “Th-The slave you keep in the dungeon h-has escaped.”

There wasn’t any room for further reasoning or mercy in Sombra’s mind. As soon as that last word had left the guard’s mouth, it became the last word he had ever spoken. “RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!” His wordless shout of anger rocked the entire castle to its core, making anypony inside look up in fear and then send them running for cover from the falling crystals and the off chance that their angered king would pass by them and end their lives. Despite their fears he didn’t storm through the castle to kill whoever had been on duty and anypony unfortunate to be near them. Sombra had instead stormed over to the window and glared out over the city, his eyes literally burning the rooftops as he scanned for the pony he knew was amongst the streets. “I will find you, Cadence. There’s no running from your shadow.”

The next explosion that rocked the palace surprised Sombra, though he found its source without much trouble. Above the city floated a golden figure, flanked by one that was slightly smaller and enveloped in a shroud of blue. “SOMBRA!” Their twin shouts were enough to blow his mane back over his ears. “Your time of rule has come to an end! It is time to pay for your crimes towards Equestria and the Crystal Empire!”

Despite the rage that flowed through his body, Sombra couldn’t help but smile to himself. “Though I suppose your relatives can try and fight your shadow for you.” He chuckled and turned away, walking over to the set of midnight black armor that rested on a statue of himself standing atop the Crystal Heart. He had had it removed and placed there after his victory over Cadence, and often times found it a good hoof-cleaner when nothing else appealed to him.

“Three Princesses with one war? So be it.”

Comments

[SwimmingDalek98]

... wat?

[Sonati]

I got a little confused with this one. and you sure it is "Whorse"?

“I think that you still have a bit of loyalty towards that little whorse, Guardspony.” Sombra’s smile

[DarthWill3]

Somehow, I knew that Cadence would escape!
Man... I've never seen Sombra this angry.
There's gonna be war, alright.

How many chapters do you have left?

[ChaoticHarmony]

3136080 It's supposed to be a pony pun for the word "Whore"

[Sonati]

3136391 I see.

[CrossingOver]

Awww~ Too short! You normally do longer! Depression is I. *whipper*

Well... I guess it's did leave a good impression for a good chapter to come. This conflict is gonna be sweet!

P.S. Sombra is so EVIL!

[ChaoticHarmony]

3137180 B-B-But this chapter was actually longer than my average chapter length?

[CrossingOver]

3137376
Oh my, you're right. lol
i1283.photobucket.com/albums/a542/inuyasha3090/mlfw2685-80751_-_Sweetie_Belle_blue_screen_bsod_exploitable_zps07896392.png
Well... it felt short! ...Um, I blame the lack of Twilight Sparkle?
Ok, ok, I just caught up, like, a chapter ago. I've been reading about 2 a day. So I may had been comparing the length of this to the previous 2 chapters

[ChaoticHarmony]

3139719 *coughs* Gonna write a long one-shot side story about the cut... *cough cough*

Basically they were successful in breaking her out, which happens to coincide with the attack on the Crystal Empire and stuff.

Yup.

[OtakuTheWIse]

3139856
Oh okay I thought that you suddenly went to a flash back to when Celestia and Luna took down Sombra the first time. Thanks for the clarification.