The Heart of Shadows

by TheSilentAuthor

True Colors

Sombra followed the doctor to an isolated room where he had set up as temporary laboratory. The doctor went over to a giant box looking object that was concealed by a blanket.

"Now what I am about to show you may disturbed you quite a bit. So just let me explain before you jump to any conclusion." Vig said going over to it. "Ready?"

"Just get on with it." Sombra said nervously.

He was worried what was about to be revealed to him. Vig pulled the blanket off to reveal a steel cage with thick heavy bars tightly compacted together. Inside something was resting but it soon began to to move. It turned it's head back to reveal a pair of cold eyes. They were lifeless almost as if the creature was blind but it also gave off a threatening glance at the same time. It's skin was grey and looked like it was hard almost like armor. It was almost like an insect's exoskeleton had manifested itself on a small pony. The skin was also riddle with sharp rises all over the place and it's wings were thin like paper. Sombra swallowed hard for many of these characteristic matched Chyrsalis's own features.

"Vig, what is this?" Sombra said slowly.

"This sir is a true changeling." Vig said leaning against the cage.

"That's a changeling but its so small and animalistic." Sam said cutting in.

The creature leaped up slamming into the side of the cage as if trying to get out. It hissed revealing it's inner mouth which was dressed with rows of sharp teeth.

"Yes this is in fact a wild changeling strait from the deep south of Equestria. I was able to get a few from a trader who lived near there. Factor the other experiments I had to preform this is the last one that I have." Vig said.

"Other experiments? What did you do to the others?" Sombra asked.

"I had to do away with them for I need to figure out the inner workings of some to understand them completely. Vile creatures they sure did put up a fight. Anyway as much as you are surprised at this imagine my shock when I got them." Vig said laughing. "I was thinking they would be a lot like Chrysalis but boy was I wrong."

"There's no possible way that this thing can be related to Chrysalis. It's like their two different things entirely." Sombra said.

"Thats the mystery sir they are the same creature yet Chrysalis is more intelligent on a level not found in any of the ones that I had." Vig said.

"Vig why are you showing me this?" Sombra said.

"Sir in my studies I found one disturbing thing about these creatures that you may find interesting. "Vig said grabbing a clip board. "These creatures are not like other creatures who survive on food and water alone. They shift and change into a form so that they can't feed off the emotions of they're prey. Usually they transform into somepony that their victim cares deeply about or should I say somepony they love."

Sombra froze in place not knowing how to ask the next question. "So Chrysalis's looks like this?" He asked pointing to the changeling.

"Well not exactly, though they share many and I do mean many characteristics. Chrysalis is not entirely the same kind of creature as this changeling you see here. She is more evolved in a way mostly in intelligence. The way she is right now is her true form." Vig said. "Like I said they feed off emotions." Vig said digging the point it.

Sombra picked up on it. "Is there any side effects that these creatures can have on somepony."

Vig smiled as if he wanted him to ask the question. "Yes they do in fact, some included headaches, pains, and severe pains to the chest. In some studies their magic can be really dangerous among unicorns."

"Unicorns?" Sombra said growing wide eyed.

"Yes in most cases they can affect the unicorn's magic that can lead to pain beyond measure if not treated." Vig said. "Especially when the victim pours a lot of emotions into it. I would say it that it can almost lead to consent pain, heart pains, eye infection, nightmares, and overall just not feeling good. It can effect you're attitude as well like making you feel paranoia all the time also violent behavior can be found in some cases."

"Vig there must be some kind of mistake Chrysalis would never secretly try to hurt me." Sombra said.

"Oh I believe you sir and I know she didn't do all the damage you helped." Vig said.

"Excuses me? How do you even think that this is mine fault. Let alone how do I know that you are not making everything up and just doing this to spite me?" Sombra said growing angry.

"Watch and learn." Vig said pulling a rod out from behind the cage.

As the rod was produced the creature let out a hiss and back away from them. Vig slid the rod in as if to poke the changeling to annoy it.

"Come close Sombra." Vig said beckoning.

Sombra did as he was told and sat in front of the cage.

"Here you go boy got somepony new for you too feed on. Go on transform for us." Vig said. the creature did nothing. "I said take aim and feed." the doctor said stabbing the creature underneath the neck.

With that the creautres eyes turned green and horned in on Sombra. It began twitching then with one flash it turned into Chrysalis. Sombra jumped back in shock.

"What.....how....it?" He said slowly.

"Sombra please help I don't know how I got here but am scared." It said sounding exactly like Chrysalis.

Sombra began feeling a burning sensation in his chest. It was like all the other times he felt just before the pains would come. Sweat began forming around his head.

"You see the creature takes form and begins to drain you. You feel it right now don't you?" Vig said.

"I do." Sombra said hating to say it.

"Well since Chrysalis has been the only one around to feed on you a new changeling can be more deadly. They don't usally feast on the same host. Now this is only temporary, imagine once they don't have to take a form to get their prey to give them emotions." Vig said.

"Are you saying that they are stronger once they take natural form?" Sombra asked stepping up to the cage.

"Yes once they shed their cover they can fully feast off they're victim at the most weakest state. Much how Chrysalis has been able to feed on you without having to conceal herself. Thus creating the pony that is standing here right now." Vig said.

"Now hold on theres no way that she was able to change my skin and my eyes with just feeding on me is there?" Sombra said realizing that he was losing faith in his once beloved.

"Ah that is where another form of magic comes in. Do you recall that spell that you picked up from that wondering pony you found down by the old fort?" Vig said.

"Yes." Sombra said suspiciously.

"Well after going over it I had a friend who is sort of a wise one when it comes to magic. He explained to me that the spell did work but not clearly. It showed what the cause was, just take a look at your coat. What color is it?" Vig asked.

"Grey." Sombra said.

"Now what color is Chrysalis's skin?" Vig ask hinting.

"Really dark....." Sombra stopped. "I've been played for a fool? No she wouldn't would she? She couldn't? "The evidence is starting to point that out but? But how? I thought that she and I were......." He stopped for a second. "It was all a lie wasn't it?"

"Exactly sir a ruse to get close to you, to feed off of you." Vig said.

Sombra felt his eyes burning with rage. Deep down he was trying not to seem weak in front of the two but it was hard. How could she lie to him? How could she use him like a sack of meat to feed on? All the feelings he had for her, all the moments that they shared were all just pretend for her? He grew more and more angry by the second.

"How could she do this to me?" He asked grinning his teeth.

"Now sir calm down we will handle the situation." Sam said.

"NO! I will deal with this myself." Sombra said storming out of the room.

His mind was flooded with emotions mostly sadness and hatred. "It was all a lie, everything was a lie. The moment I freed her she played me like an instrument. I was so stupid, so caught up in feeling for another that I was blinded from reason." A tear began falling from his eye. "All my suffering, all my problems where cause of her. How? How could I have let myself think that she was actually in love with me?" Sombra said.

"Everything alright sir?" A guard asked.

"Yes everything is fine." Sombra said biting his lip. "She was nothing more than a snake that waits to strike a traveler down. That coining beast."

He made it to his throne room, knowing that Chrysalis would come looking for him there. He sat on the floor and waited for the door to open. Being alone allowed his mind to be clear for a second. A tiny voice inside his mind kept echoing over and over the same thing. "Hurt." Tears began flowing from him, he no longer tried to hold them back. All of his emotions were staring to come forward and mix with the others. Shame mixed with anger, bitterness with nervousness, and depression sat on its own consuming the others. His heat pounded inside of his chest making him feel miserable every time it gave a thump. His tears burned against his skin as they rushed down his face. A small noise shot to his ears and he immedialty sprang up to see the source. Standing in front of him was Chrysalis. All his anger submitted to the sadness leaving only that to be shown. He could tell that he looked broken with the tears and the expression on his face.

"Sombra what's wrong?" She asked.

"Don't come any closer." He warned. "You have done enough already."

"What on earth are you talking about." Chrysalis asked worried.

"You......monster, you used me." Sombra said blubbering. "All I ever did was care for you and then I fell in love with you. And what would you have done? Rip my heart out and feast upon like the savage animal that you are!"

"Sombra please what are you going on about?" Chrysalis asked.

"I know now what you are. Vig showed me another creature that shares your genes. I know that you feed off others to satisfy yourself. I know that all that I felt for you in return was nothing to you. Thanks to you I was in severe pain for weeks and when a solution came it only made things worse." Sombra said drying his tears. "Well what do you have to say for yourself? What do you have to say for yourself 'Chrysalis'? ANWSER ME!"

"What do you want me to say?" Chrysalis shouted. "That yes I am a monster who feeds on others? You want me to say that I purposely used you for some sort of pleasurable gain? Well to answer one of those question than yes. Yes I am a creature who feeds of emotions. But that does not mean that all I felt was......"

Sombra let out a scream. "How? How? I loved you? I was willing to give you everything I could offer. All the times that I said I 'loved you' were just me digging the dagger just a little more deep huh? Everything we experienced was nothing but a sick prank on your part." His head began swelling with pressure. A burning sensation was starting to build up in his horn. "You lied to me! You betrayed me!"

"Sombra please let me explain." Chrysalis said slowly. "At first yes I used..."

"You beast, you monster I'll make you pay for what you did, you hear me!" Sombra said lunging at her.

Chrysalis jumped out of the way and began galloping as fast as she could out of the room. She bolted down the stairs not turning around at all. Sombra mind rushed with the single thought of running her down and soon he began to give chase. He pushed ponies out of the way as he kept her within seeing distance. Every corner she turned he would gain a couple of more inches closer to catching her. He began wondering what was to become of her once he got her. Several scenarios ran in his head but all had the same conclusion. Chrysalis shifted pass a corner leaving Sombra's gaze. Turning the corner he could not find a single trace of her.

"Where are you?" Sombra shouted. "I will find you eventually, you can't hide here. Soon I will make you pay!"

He took a deep breath taking in what just had unraveled. Letting out a couple of more tears he stopped when he heard somepony coming. A group of servants came down the end of the hall, they stopped once they saw they're prince.

"Anything we can help you with sir?" One asked.

Sombra gazed over the group eyeing each one of them. "She can change her form, she can be any one of them." He said to himself. "No, not at the moment but thank you."

"All right sir." She said motioning the others to follow.

He watched as they left making sure none made a suspicious move. All of them went about they're business as usual. Sombra punched the ground as hard as he could out of frustration. He felt his hoof begging to ache, looking down at it he saw that he drew blood. All his anger and sadness began reemerging out of him. Breaking down he wept for a good solid minute allowing himself to feel every second of his misery. Each tear was a memory that he had shared with Chrysalis. Each one represented all that he felt for her. He felt miserable right down to the core.

"No, I will not be alone in this. If I am going to be alone and afraid then everypony will be as well. I will make them all feel like I feel . All will share in my misery." He said standing up. "I'll make them suffer just like I have. Each one will fill hopelessness fill their minds until it makes them insane."

He rushed as fast as he could to find anypony to take his anger out on. Coming into a hall he stared at the general happy faces of his servants.

"They all will suffer." He whispered.

His horn began crackling with energy. Every dark thought, every single ounce of his anger was being channeled to his horn. The servants soon began to notice this and some instantly started to walk away. "Let the party begin." Sombra said to himself. Within a few seconds Sombra brought many of them kneesm some laid on the ground. Their screams of agony made Sombra feel good, he felt that he needed something to get rid of his pain. He needed more of it. Rushing throughout the palace he attacked every single pony he could find leaving non untouched in his path.

"Yes, yes I will find you Chrysalis and you will suffer along with them." He said to himself laughing.

"Sir what is the meaning of this?" Sam's voice cutting through the air.

Turning to see his butler standing their Sombra prepared himself.

"Sam." He said causally

"This is madness what you are doing? What happen? Where is Chrysalis?" Sam asked.

"I don't know but I will find her eventually wait and see." Sombra said.

Sam looked around. "Well there has to be a better way then hurting every single pony here. We can set up searchers or have...."

"No this is how its going to be. If I am made to suffer then they will share in it." Sombra hissed.

"Sir this has gone to far, you're not well in the head anymore." Sam said.

Sombra frowned. "I feel fine except for a place in my chest thats now empty and cold."

"Sir I know you feel hurt by this but this isn't the way to show it. You have to reached deep down and overcome your sadness." Sam said trying to calm him down as best he could.

"I don't want to feel anything anymore and if I can drive others to this maybe we will all live in peace." Sombra said.

"Sir thats not wise at all. Please listen to me you have to calm down." Sam said.

"No I don't have to listen to you at all. I am the leader of the crystal empire. I don't have to listen to anyone." Sombra said.

"Any fool can use authority to ignore good judgement. Sir you have to focus on the good that comes from the bad." Sam said. "Even a prince must do the same."

"A prince must do the same." Sombra mumbled. "I am a KING!"

Sam shook his head in disbelief. "A king?"

"Yes I am the King of the crystal empire." Sombra said charging his horn. He blasted Sam with a spell knocking the butler out cold. "A king who can do whatever he pleases."

Sombra rushed to his throne room where he found the crystal heart still sitting on the throne. Taking it he walked over to the window.

"I am a king. A king who will be ruthless to all who oppose him. A king who will be feared by his kingdom." He said to himself. "Do you hear me Chrysalis? I will make you fear me!"

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[Phoenix Fire]

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