Bred for War

by LupoMikti

The Warrior's Heart

Bred for War

By LupoMikti

Chapter 6: The Warrior's Heart

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I opened my eyes to stare into the piercing gaze that Princess Luna so intensely cast in my direction. I wanted to drill my conviction into her mind so that she would know I was never going to surrender and the battle would rage on. I chose my next words carefully and decided to deliver them in a way that only Luna would understand.

“Sener genikse sur kamro pfose cyke. Sener kakidoresa sur pügrome y mirmsa kräda. Senerewonein kakre y den jo trevre!”

My words were in a language lost to time, the language of the once thriving race of wolves. While in training, this was the chosen language of secret communication among those of us that showed enough skill to not just fight in the war as special assets, but who had the potential to embark on missions of espionage and intelligence gathering in other nations. Luna taught us this language personally, and my only goal in uttering those words in Lykärn was to make it as personal as possible.

The expression of pure shock but also outrage on Luna’s face would be enough to send any of the most resolved warriors into shaking spiral of fear, and I was no exception. Luckily, those words doubled as an incantation for a spell that would save me from my predicament.

Mere seconds after the last word left my mouth, dozens of shadowy tendrils sprang up from the ground wherever a shadow was cast. The ones that came from Luna’s shadow shot up and pierced her armor and hide wherever it was exposed. Blood gushed from every wound while Luna shouted in agony and fell onto me as I lied there, planning my next move.

The King was attempting to fight the shadows off and was driven back, away from me, however, his sword was able to defeat each tendril it cut, confirming my suspicion that it was powerfully enchanted, though with what I still did not know. My concern was now with Celestia. If everything was going favorable, her horn would still be numb enough to be unable to perform a spell complicated enough to block mine. My hopes were not high as she had teleported to this location easily enough before.

My fear was confirmed as, calm as ever, she readied a spell composed of light to burn away the shadows. Everyone was momentarily blinded while the spell was in effect, but I had to act fast or end up in another difficult situation. I teleported away, once more hiding myself in the thick of the forest.

I wasn’t safe at all though. Even from my now considerably farther away hiding spot, I was able to hear Celestia shout, finally angered with me, “I hath had enough of thine tactics of hide-and-seek!” This could only mean one thing: fire, and lots of it.

I needed to get out of the forest fast, but to someplace they wouldn’t see me at first. My mind raced for an answer until it came up with one solution: take to the skies once more. I drew on the power of the crystal once more to create my wing spell. I knew I didn’t have much time, but I was to complete it. Once finished, I immediately teleported into the air where I knew I would be able to see where my opponents had gone. They were still unable to fly after all.

I scanned the area outside the forest and found them quickly enough. If I had any doubt of Celestia’s power before, it was quickly wiped out at what I witnessed next. At the tip of her horn, steadily growing, was what I could only described as a miniaturized sun. The shear heat from the thing kicked up violent winds whipping every which way imaginable. Once it reached the size of, oh I don’t know, five Ursa Majors, she fired it in an arcing pattern toward what looked to be the center of the forest. How she was able to remember exactly where it was and then aim for it from the ground I’ll never figure out completely.

The moment it hit, the brightest flash of light all day by far forced me to shield my eyes once more and when I opened them, every last measurable quantity of that forest was on fire. I couldn’t imagine the amount of heat pouring out of the inferno. Everyone was still until it was over. We were literally watching the world burn in all its rage filled glory. I flew closer to my combatants, making sure they would not notice me or my shadow.

When I was close enough, and the fire had finally died down and most everything was ash, I heard Luna ask Celestia, “Dost thou not think that might have been overdoing it, sister?”

“I think it was rather impressive, actually,” I said, getting their attention. They all turned to face me as I hovered in the air, only half surprised to see I escaped. “It was a brilliant display of power and exactly what I expect of an alicorn. However, I must say I’m extremely disappointed in the performance you’ve displayed here.” It was time implement Phase four of my plan: rile them up and end the battle.

Celestia spoke up next saying, “Disappointed? What dost thou mean by that word?”

“Exactly what it sounds like, Princess. So far, I have managed to escape all of your attempts to defeat me. I was expecting this battle to not last even five minutes, yet we’ve been fighting for nearly twenty. I expected more of a challenge. This is supposed to be the battle that leads to my rightful death, is it not?” I only needed to push a little bit harder. At the very least, Luna might have become angry enough to engage me with as more power as Celestia displayed.

I decided it was time to go for the gut shot. If there’s one thing that gets the Princesses riled up, it’s death of the innocent. I started off slowly, saying, “Or did all of those lives I slaughtered mean so little to you that you cannot even muster the strength and ability to defeat me? Are you not the nearly omnipotent beings everyone believes you to be? Perhaps… I need to destroy a few more villages and cities before you take this seriously enough to pose a challenge.”

There was silence for a moment as Celestia stared at me with the most cold and spiteful eyes imaginable and Luna stood, visibly shaking, with her eyes closed tight and head hanging slightly. I couldn’t read anything from the King’s face. He just stood there, staring at me. My confusion at his reaction was lifted, however, the moment Luna shouted, augmenting her voice magically as she did so, “Enough with thy wretched words!”

She looked to Celestia who only nodded in response as if they had an entire telepathic conversation in a mere second. She looked back to me, spread her wings, horn aglow, and hovered at the same level I was. It was safe to assume my gravitation spell had already worn off. But that wasn’t my concern. I was only focused on what she was about to do next, and that happened to be saying a chant or a poem. I’m not quite sure what it was, but I know I didn’t like what was being said.

With wings spread wide, I shine my light
To act as a guide through the dark of night.

Shadows cast, they rapidly spread
Opposite the blinding light.
Omnipresent protection offered
With incomprehensible might.

Manifest now my power of the night.
I am all thou fear, yet thine only hope.
I am the silent guard, protecting thy mind,
Holding out a helpful rope.

Let now my true form be revealed.
Let now my title be heard.
I am the Princess of the Night,
Alicorn of the Moon and Shadows.

Know my name and gape in awe,
For I am the one, the only,
Stella Lympha Nox Renascentia!

I had lost count at this point how many times a blinding light had shone during this battle. This only added one more to whatever that number may be. When it was over, Luna could be seen again, but this time without any of her armor or weapons, her wounds healed, eyes glowing, having a darker coat, flowing mane filled with stars in contrast to her previously motionless light blue mane, being as large as Celestia if not larger, and with darkness pouring out from different places on her body, including black lightning.

The only way to describe what felt at that instant was pure, unending terror. I knew then that the Princesses had power beyond what the military knew normally. I had no idea why they would have to keep this power sealed, but every fiber of my being screamed that I was about to find out.

I went to draw on as much power from the crystal as I could to protect myself from whatever was coming. But at that moment, I found that almost all of it had been depleted when just before Luna transformed, there was still a good sixty percent of the total energy left. I only had seconds to contemplate where it had all gone though, for faster than I could see, and with no indication of teleporting, Luna was above me, speeding down and charging up what looked to be nothing but pure magical force to hit me with.

I saw not but her glowing white eyes before being hit with the full force of a mountain falling from the sky and subsequently crashing into the ground, everything in my body momentarily shattered before what energy was left in the crystal mended things enough that I didn’t die upon impact. But Luna was not done yet. She silently teleported next to me, looked me in the eyes and said, “Bärnremonze sylore sei y mäd komi de fenirafärlos. Atewlizredoma imon dar nykta a neigredoma pfür.”

Before I could fully process her words, a white dome surrounded me, telling me they were words for a spell as well. I didn’t even want to guess what was about to happen. my best hope was that I was being transported somewhere. When the dome disappeared, I found myself in the same place and confused as to what may have happened, but quickly received an answer.

It’s very difficult to describe pain in detail. There are different kinds of pain as well, from emotional pain, to physical, to even mental. At that moment, I did not just feel pain… I knew pain. It was as if the very meaning of pain was being forced into every particle that made up my existence. I knew all the types of pain, all the ranges of intensity they could produce. I was able to know pain through all five of my senses. I of course felt pain, but I also heard pain, tasted pain, smelled pain, and saw pain. I was convinced I was being unmade from the universe because of how much pain I was in, and it continued like this for probably the next five minutes, but you don’t keep track of time when you’re in pain.

When it was finally, thankfully, over, I was left unable to feel anything else. My body was numb and I lay there awaiting death. Luna was swift in granting me more suffering, though. I was lifted into the air, hovering just above the ground. I was held still for a moment more, then countless spikes of what seemed to be solid moonlight were shoved through my body as if the concept of armor was foreign to them. When they dissolved I was dropped back onto the ground in a pool of my own blood, the last of the crystal’s energy repairing the wounds on the flesh, but unable to repair my damaged organs. I was certain a lung was punctured and had collapsed. I collapsed where I lay, barely gasping for air as everything went dark.

---

Coming back to reality, unable to feel anything, one eye refusing to open, gasping for air in my dying moments, I attempted to look around for the three I had fought. They were gathered around me, waiting to see if I was truly dead. It was then Luna approached me, back to her normal form.

“What dost thou feel for thine actions? Regret, remorse, guilt? What possessed thee to take so many innocent lives? Answer us!”

Answer her? Did I even have the strength to do so? I knew what I wanted to say, so I mustered up what I could and responded weakly with, “Reason? Regret? These are… things that no longer… plague my mind.” I had pause for a fit of coughing but continued nonetheless. “I accomplished… what I set out to do. Whether my mark on history… was a good or bad one… at least my name will be remembered for ages to come,” I said, now with a weak smile on my face.

Luna’s retort was quick. “Thou art a vile and disgusting pony! The world doth not deserve for thy name to stain it!”

“Enough, Luna.” Celestia was quick to quell her sister’s increasing distaste. She made her way over to me instead though. “However, thou speaketh nothing but truth. Surely a pony such as thee sees this as fact?”

I had little strength left. This reply would probably be my last. I needed to say something, though. Through the ragged breathing, the blood pouring from my agape mouth and filling my remaining lung, and the fatigue that had gripped me, I had to reply. “It does not matter… how true… that may be. My name, my very essence… shall live on in history.” Another coughing fit began after I had said this. It seemed feeling was returning to me, because this one was violent and painful. I could see flecks of blood flying from my muzzle and landing before me. I only needed a little more strength. “And there is naught that thou canst do to change such a fact.”

What Celestia said next, though, was the first truly terrifying thing I had heard in my life. “Thou art very much in the wrong with thy words. Thou shalt wither and die here with only the knowledge that thine actions and life shall never live on through the test of time. We shall see to it personally.”

The venom in her voice was entirely too noticeable. I knew that she meant what she said. I would not live on; my name and life, my purpose for existing, would be lost to everyone. As I laid there dying, I could only think of those accomplishments, and failures, as the Princesses and King walk away to lead their nations.

Darkness is now fast approaching. I have only my thoughts to accompany me, and the blood of the many I’ve killed. My body grows cold and I prepare for the end.

I can save you, you know.

“What are on about now? I got what I wanted, now leave me to die in what manner of peace I convince myself of.”

Unfortunately, I can’t let you do that, Nova.

“What? Wait, what do you mean?”

You see, we may be connected by our minds, but it is time I come clean to you. We are not one in the same. I am a separate entity, a life all its own.

“Like I didn’t expect that to be case, and you know it. You can die here too then.”

True, you did have your suspicions. But you listened to me anyway.

“Well, if you’re not me, then who are you? Surely you have a name?”

Oh yes, I do. I am Sombra. Pleasure to meet you.

“Charmed.”

My goal was to use your body as a vassal to carry out my plans. But then you had to go and have a death wish. So, I needed to formulate a backup plan. You noticed the crystal drained of a significant portion of energy, correct?

“Ah, so that was you then? Well, let’s have it. What do you need all that energy for?”

Well, I’m glad you asked. You see, I needed it to take over your body as my own.

“What!? No! I won’t let you do that!”

Oh, but you see, it’s not a choice I’m giving you.

I can feel my body attempting to move itself. In fact, my wounds are starting to heal! I have to fight him off. There’s no telling what he has planned.

It’s useless, you know. I have more power than you. And with this power, I can easily imprison you in the depths of my mind, something you should have done to me a good while ago. Good bye, Nova. I’ll be back to speak with you, eventually.

“Sombra!”

…

“Hmm, I can’t go around looking like Nova. I’ll have to change my appearance a bit. A grey coat and black hair will do fine. Now, let’s go get some crystals.”

To be continued…

Author's Note:

Yep, this story's finally done. Now I can move on to some of the other things I have to do. Like rewrite Mind vs Matter, my other story. And write the sequel to this. And all the other story ideas I have. Oh, and to try and come up with an update schedule so it's not months between updates. Really sorry for that, by the way. I at least hope you've enjoyed the story so far.

Now for the little extra bits: those two instances where Nova and Luna speak a different language are a language of my own creation called Lykärn (pronounced Lee–CARE–n). It's meant to be the language of the old wolves, a race considered long dead, and a language of magic (there are a couple of them, this being one of them). The first one, spoken by Nova, translates as "This soul was born for battle. My heart was built for war. Those who run, will be burned." Luna's translates to "Not even the moonlight can save you. Stare into the night and know pain."

It's been a real pleasure writing this story for you and I hope I didn't disappoint with what I consider a refreshing take on Sombra's rise to power.

Emoredoma wid dom sylon.

~Lupo

Comments

[GodOFInsaNity666]

made a sequel with the "CRIMINAL" song

[LupoMikti]

4517742 In due time my friend, in due time. The next one will actually have to do with The Night and Divide. I'll leave it up to your imagination with those songs to try and figure where this story's headed.

[phlamingsoul]

I waited far too long to finish reading this.

Amazing job, and thank you for the read.

i.imgur.com/33MqeXq.gif