The Rise of the Shadow Sniper

by chrisharte97

First published

A Red Sniper is found by King Sombra in the Arctic North and is trained to use Dark Magic.

A Red Sniper got telaported to the Arctic North and is found by the tyrant of the Crystal Empire; King Sombra. The Lord of Dark Magic takes the Sniper back to the Crystal Empire and teaches the human Dark Magic...

Years later the Shadow Sniper returns to the world where his master taught him everything he knew and tries to help him take back the Crystal Empire.

Chapter one: A Shadow is born

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The Rise of the Shadow Sniper

By Chrisharte97

Chapter one: A Shadow is born


It was 7:48 pm at 2fort and a Red Sniper was sitting out in the watch area looking at the Blu's base ready to pick off any Blu team members that even dared to come out of their base and attacked his base. Just then, he saw two Blu Snipers out on the watch of the Blu team base so he pulled out his huntsman bow, grabbed an arrow from his arrow pack, took aim at one of the Blu Snipers as he whispered to them, "Keep yubbin' that big mouth, while it's still attached to your bloody neck," as he released his arrow and saw the arrow hit and kill one of those Blu Snipers. The other Blu Sniper was surprised by what had happened to his friend and hid into cover with his sniper rifle held tight in his arms. "Standin' around like a bloody idiot!" the Red Sniper said to himself as he grabbed another arrow from his arrow pack and took aim at the other Blu Sniper. He was impatient to get this last kill and he back to the Red spawn and relax for the night.

But unknown to the Red Sniper, a enemy Blu Spy that was disguised as a Red Demoman was watching the Red Sniper taking aim at his fellow Blu Sniper and responded by sneaking up behind the Red Sniper to stab the Sniper in the back. But the Red Sniper was also listening for any spies around him and with luck he heard the disguised Blu Spy walking slowly towards him as he said, "Spy!" pulling out his bushwacka and swung it at the Blu Spy, but the Spy managed to dodge the swing as his disguise disappeared. "Spies, bloody useless," he stated to the Blu Spy, "Why won't you Spies just give up?" he asked him.

"Without Spies, armies would never know enemy defenses and have old leaders taken out, paving the way for new leaders to replace the old ones," the Blu Spy replied to the Red Sniper, "So you are wrong you repulsive bushman, Spies are not useless."

"We'll see about that when I'm done with you," The Red Sniper said as he swung his bushwacka again, but the Blu Spy blocked the attack as he moved away away quickly before the Red Sniper said to him, "Hold still you two faced, back stabbin' mongrel."

The Blu Sniper at the Blu team base took aim at the Red Sniper while the Red was still fighting the Blu Spy and at the last second the Blu Sniper whispered to the Red Sniper, "Go to Hell wanka," as he fired a shot at the Red Sniper's legs. The bullet did find it's target, hitting the lower part of the Red Sniper's left leg making him a defenseless target for the Blu Spy, and that is what the Blu Spy took advantage of and stabbed the Red Sniper in the back. The Red Sniper started falling to the ground bellow, but strangely he didn't respawn as he's suppose to, and disappeared in a thick cloud of black smoke so suddenly after he hit the ground. "Bloody hell," the Blu Sniper exclaimed seeing what happened to the Red Sniper.

"You saw that too, right?" the Blu Spy asked him as the Blu Sniper nodded in response.

As the Red Sniper reappeared into cold, windy, frozen tundra, he opened his eyes noticing that his vision was a big blur, and thought to himself, 'W-where the bloody hell am I?' He soon managed to get back up on his feet while feeling the cold wind and snow blowing up and around his body. "I-I got to find... S-some shelter... B-before I freeze... T-to death," he said to himself as he walked to where he thought could be a path to civilization. But the freezing conditions where he's walking through were just becoming too much for the Assassin from the outback and he fell to the ground from the freezing conditions and he was close to blacking out, but before he did black out, his eyes noticed a large black silhouette with big glowing green eyes.

King Sombra walked towards a white skinned figure that was wearing red sensing the anger and hate within the figure. "You are searching your own path for revenge," he said to the two legged figure in red clothing, "I will help you discover your full potential so you can get that revenge you long deserved," as he used his Dark Magic to lift the creature out of the snow and carried it all the way back to the Crystal Empire. The creature seemed heavy, but not too heavy that he can't lift the creature with his Dark Magic.

When the Red Sniper was starting to regain consciousness, his vision was still a little blurry, but he did feel that he was on a bed. When he got his vision back, finally realized that he was in a shiny black room, on a black bed, with a view of a dark yellow sky, blackish gray clouds, and the sight of many colorful ponies miserable and in chains. "Ah, your finally awake," an evil voice said as the Red Sniper turned to see a gray stallion with red eyes, a black mane and tail, a red horn in the shape of a dinosaur's claw, and was wearing silver armor plating around the neck and body area, a red and white cape, and a silver crown with four spikes of the same color at the top of the crown, "I thought you were surely dead."

The Sniper jumped out of the bed, reached for his bushwacka, and pointed the tip of the blade at the gray stallion as he asked it, "Who the bloody hell are you?"

"I'am King Sombra: the ruler of the Crystal Empire," the King replied to the Red Sniper, "I suspect that you have many questions for me to answer."

The Red Sniper pulled his bushwacka away from King Sombra as he replied, "Yes, I do."

"Then follow me," King Sombra said to the Red Sniper as they went for a walk through the halls of the castle, "I found you in the Arctic North just two days ago and I sensed anger, hate, misery, and your thirst for revenge within you," the King of the Crystal Empire explained, "I thought that you might have the potential to be more powerful than you are now," as he preformed Dark Magic right in front of the Red Sniper.

"How the bloody hell can you do that?" the Sniper asked the Crystal King with a surprised look on his face.

"It's my Dark Magic," King Sombra replied to the Red Sniper, "This is one of the many special things I can teach you in order to help you get your revenge on whoever did this to you."

The Assassin from the outback thought for a moment until he asked the gray stallion, "What about those ponies out there that are in chains?"

"They are my Crystal pony slaves," King Sombra replied, "I had to punish them for casting me out like a dog when I was a young colt." The Sniper was shocked as he looked out one of the windows in the castle halls looking down at the Crystal ponies that were all in chains just all miserable and forced to mine crystals in the crystal mines. "I can see the doubt in your eyes, my new friend," King Sombra continued looking at the Red Sniper eyes, "I can help you understand your true destiny if you will let me teach you the ways Dark Magic," as he held out his hoof wishing for the Sniper to join him as the Crystal King student in Dark Magic.

The Red Sniper thought for a few minutes and he soon then remembered the Blu Spy and Sniper that had killed him back at 2fort, he also remembered that he wasn't really respected by his team on Red, they never did respected him like they did with the other Red Snipers that were like him, all they did was just shun him since he was assigned to fight the Blu team at 2fort, and now he really wanted his revenge on those two Blu's and his former Red team members. "Okay then, mate you have my exception to be your student," the Red Sniper said as he reached out and took King Sombra's hoof which made the Crystal King give the Sniper an evil smile in success and they both gave out an evil laugh.

To be continued in chapter two...

Chapter two: Training

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It had been a full day since the former Red Sniper got telaported to his new mentor: King Sombra's world and had accepted his mentor's offer to make him even more powerful than he could ever be in his life and to help get his revenge on his former Red team members and the Blu's that have become his enemies. They planned to start his first training session tomorrow so there wouldn't be any delays; not like there would be any delays considering that all the streets of the Crystal Empire were just all quiet as a mouse. As the Sniper walked through the dark, quiet, and empty streets, all he thought was getting his revenge on his enemies back at his world, and becoming more powerful than anything or anyone in this, his, or any other world. And when he is done with his training, he he would show the Red and Blu teams the true meaning of the word fear, and not only them, but other worlds would know his name and that he was the one and only god to be worshiped. When he made it to where King Sombra said to meet him to start his training in use of Dark Magic, there were a few large pieces of crystal set up along their training area.

"This is where the first part of your training in Dark Magic shall begin," the King of the Crystal Empire said to the Sniper, "Let's see if you can shatter these pieces of crystal with that blade of your," as he pointed at the Sniper's bushwacka.

"I'll try to shatter them with just one strike of my bushwacka for each of them," the Sniper said with confidence in his voice knowing his experience with his bushwacka and as he took a swing at the first large piece of crystal, but that single strike was not able to shatter, and it took another three strike to take a piece of the crystal off the whole thing, "These crystals are as hard as a thick piece of steel," he said with a grunt of frustration.

"That's because with Dark Magic it will be easier to shatter a whole piece of crystal into much smaller pieces," King Sombra stated as he used his Dark Magic to create an energy blast at the same piece of crystal that the Sniper cut and blew it into many different smaller pieces. He then turned back to the Sniper and said, "I can sense a spark of Dark Magic within you, you just need to turn that spark into flame by letting out all of your anger and hate, and only that will help you preform Dark Magic," as he suddenly attacked the Sniper, but the Sniper managed to block his master's attack with his bushwacka, "Let's see if we can not force it out."

The Sniper jumped back to get more space between him and his master, but he was immediately thrown off of his feet after being hit from one of King Sombra's energy blasts, and sent crashing into the ground like a big bolder running down a mountain in the outback. He managed to get back up on his feet, but only before King Sombra made the fatal blows; the King of the Crystal Empire struck the Sniper in the left leg, the stomach, and the arm in which he always uses to swing his bushwacka with. The Sniper was now starting to bleed from his arm and he felt his blood starting to run down his arm, but before he could do anything to either move or fight back, King Sombra strikes the Sniper in the head by using his back hooves with such force that the Sniper was sent into the air, but then hit the ground hard on his back, causing great amount of pain in the Sniper's back. "How pathetic," King Sombra grunted to the Sniper as he placed a hoof on the Sniper's stomach which made the Sniper groan in agony and pain, "I thought that you would be worthy of being taught in the ways of Dark Magic, but I can see that I was wrong about you." He then let go of the Sniper and walked away to let his student die on where he lays.

"Hold on there... Master," the Sniper said as King Sombra turned around to see his student was getting back up with a massive dark purple aura forming around the Sniper, "I-I'm not done yet, not by a long shot." Then all of a sudden, the Sniper punched King Sombra in the face, sending his master crashing into of of the large pieces of crystal.

"Excellent, my apprentice," King Sombra grinned at his student's work while the Sniper was still in a state of anger and hate, and was still glowing dark purple, "You finally released your inner darkness."

The Sniper took a minute to look at him self; this power, this feeling, he wanted more, "This power feels incredible," the Sniper said as he laughed evilly.

"Now let's get your training started again, shall we?" King Sombra asked his student as the Sniper nodded in response and his training really started to begin.

A few months later:

The Sniper started to become more powerful as he survived every single test that King Sombra threw at him. Ranging from torture, darkness, and hunger when he was training to use Dark Magic. It may have been bitter work for the former Red Sniper...
But the results were worth it.

A knock came at the entrance. "You may enter, my apprentice," King Sombra called to his student from behind the doors.

The Sniper entered the throne room in his new black jacket, a black cape that he wore around his waste, a pair of navy blue colored pants, a katana sword and it's holder around his belt, his old bushwacka, and glowing green eyes with red pupils and purple fumes coming out of his eyes. "You've come so far my apprentice," King Sombra stated to his student; the new and improved Sniper, "I taught you everything I know about Dark Magic."

"So what will I do now, my master," the Sniper asked bowing before his master.

"We both know that I should keep my end of the deal I promised you and I shall," King Sombra replied just as one of his shadow guards came roaring into the throne room, "What is it guard?" he asked his guard.

"Princesses Celestia and Luna and their royal guards are just outside the empire, my king," the shadow guard replied to his king, "They might have come for you."

"We don't have much time then, my apprentice," King Sombra said to the Sniper as they hurried their way down the stairs towards a magic mirror, "This magic mirror will take you back to your own world," the king of the Crystal Empire explained to his student, "Those two Princesses Celestia and Luna must not know of your presence here at all, so me and my shadow guards will keep them busy while go back to your world in hiding... now GO!"

"But master, I can help you take on Celestia and Luna..." was all that the Sniper managed to say to his master.

"DO NOT QUESTION YOUR MASTER!" King Sombra roared to his student, "If they know that I have an apprentice, they will surely turn you into stone, NOW GO!" as the Sniper went through the magic mirror without another word and King Sombra went out to join his shadow guards in the fight against the two Princesses

(Here's a part of how the battle between Celestia and Luna against King Sombra turned out...)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsCRLollOW0#t=0

Back with the Sniper:

The Sniper managed to land on his feet then looked around the world he was in and he knew that he was back in the 2fort map. He let out an evil grin. "Ready or not..." the Sniper whispered to himself as started floating about twelve feet off the ground, "Because you wankas are going to meet the one and only Shadow Sniper." He soon gave out an evil laugh after saying that and before he telaported to the Red base.

To be continued in Chapter three...

Chapter three: Payback and plans

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Chapter three: Payback and plans

The Red team was relaxing for there was no attack by the Blu team since their Sniper's disappearance, but some the Red team members were getting concerned for the Sniper, and went out to other maps to search for him, but the announcer said to them to stay and guard the intelligence with their lives. "I hope the Sniper is okay," the Red female Scout said with a worried look on her face.

"We hope so too lassie," the Red Demoman agreed to his fellow Red team mate, "But if we know our Snipers well, I'm sure the lad can handle his himself." Then came the very same laugh the Snipers use. "Was that any of you lads?" the Red Demoman asked the Red Snipers next to him.

"That wasn't any of us mate," one of the Red Snipers replied to the Red Demoman.

"That's because it was mine, you wankas," a voice said to the Red team members from out of nowhere, "It's so good to be back home."

"Who and where the bloody hell are you?" the Red Sniper asked the voice, "Come out and show yourself so that we can talk to you in person," he demanded.

"Very well then, mates," the voice said as the Red team members saw a black shadow like mist appear before their eyes, but the black mist soon turned into a black Sniper in a black jacket, wearing a black cape that went from around his waste down to his feet, navy blue jeans, and was armed with a huntsman, katana sword, and a bushwacka for weapons, "It's good to see you wankas again," the Sniper said as he floated down towards the Red team members.

"Is that really you lad?" the Red Demoman asked the black Sniper as he nodded in response to the Red Demoman's question, "What has happened to you lad?"

"I actually found a way to become more powerful than you pikers could ever think," the Shadow Sniper replied, "I'm not the old Sniper that you wankas had no respect for anymore," he continued getting furious with a flaming purple aura forming around him, "I'am a new and improved version, the one and only Shadow Sniper, and now it's payback time." He used his energy blast on one of the Red Snipers which killed the Red. The blast made a huge concussion which the Blu team members on the other side of the map could feel from their base and went out to investigate what made that concussion and saw the Shadow Sniper glow purple and beating the living crap out of his former Red team members.

"Who the hell is that?" the Blu Scout asked, but he made the mistake of saying that as the Shadow Sniper stopped from beating the living daylights out of the Red team members and turned around to look at the watching Blu team with his evil eyes glowing green.

"I'll deal with you pikers later," the Shadow Sniper said to his former Red team members that were still alive as the Shadow Sniper telaported out of the sights of the Blu's.

"Where did he go?" the Blu Soldier asked.

"Right behind ya' mate," the Shadow Sniper said to the Blu team members and he struck the Blu Soldier in the back with his bushwacka. The other Blu team members ran back to their spawn hoping that he wouldn't even follow and that they would be safe from him.

Once they made it through, they saw the Shadow Sniper, and started taunting him, "Ha ha, you can't get to us now, can you?" the Blu Scout said to the Shadow Sniper.

But to their horror, the Shadow Sniper actually made into the Blu team's spawn without a single problem, "You were saying, wankas?" the Shadow Sniper asked them, "Now who's first?" as he pulled out his bushwacka and his katana sword.

A few hours later:

After a few minutes of unrelenting bloodshed with the Blu and Red teams, the Shadow Sniper was meditating at the 2fort bridge, when he heard a familiar voice call out to him from inside his head, 'Shadow Sniper..."

"My Master," the Shadow Sniper said, "Is it really you?"

'Yes it is my apprentice,' King Sombra replied to his student, 'Now listen, in three years on your world, I shall be free from my imprisonment in the Arctic North, but in my world it will be a thousand years until then,' he explained to the Shadow Sniper, 'I want you to train and be ready for my return, then come back to our Empire, do you understand my apprentice?' he asked him.

"Yes my master, I understand what I must do," the Shadow Sniper replied to his master.

'Good, very good,' King Sombra said, 'I'll be looking forward to seeing you again at our Empire of Crystals.'

"As will I, my master," the Shadow Sniper agreed.

Three years later:

The Shadow Sniper was waiting for a portal to open so that he could get into the Crystal empire. But there was no portal to be found opening and he was getting furious at this. But instead of letting out an energy blast of Dark Magic in anger like he normally would, he actually created a portal, and on the other side of that portal was the Crystal Empire; the very same Empire that his beloved master trained him into using Dark Magic. He gave out an evil smile as he walked through the portal that he created, ready to support his master in taking back their own Empire of Crystals from the control of the Royal pony sisters of the Sun and Moon.

'Master,' he called out to his master through his mind, 'I have made it to our beloved Crystal Empire.'

'Excellent my faithful apprentice,' King Sombra said to the Shadow Sniper through his thoughts, 'Now you must find the Crystal Heart before Princess Celestia's most faithful student does, I put it in the secret vault in under my old throne room, and when you have it, you must destroy it.'

'I understand what I must do my master,' the Shadow Sniper continued to say to his master in his thoughts, 'I shall not fail you.'

'I know you won't my apprentice,' King Sombra said to his student of the shadows, 'Good luck.'

And with that, the tyrant of the Empire of Crystals' student turned into his shadow form, and went to his master's old throne room as he said to himself, "Ready or not student of Princess Celestia, because here we come."

To be continued...

Chapter four: Shadow Sniper's Revenge

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Chapter four: Shadow Sniper's revenge

Years after the humiliating defeat at the Crystal Empire and the loss of his master, the Shadow Sniper was back at 2fort training to avenge his fallen master. He was pushing his powers to the limit of what King Sombra had taught him. "Why... Can't... I... Any... Stronger?!" he asked in total fury as he started beating some training dummies into the ground, but then he started feeling a new power course through his black being, and he began to spin around while hovering off the ground. Like a rocket, he and the dummy flue up in the air, and then slammed the dummy to the ground. "This new power, this feeling, it's wonderful," he said hovering in the sky, "Twilight Sparkle, you're end is close at hand," as he began to laugh evilly.

A year later...

The Shadow Sniper returned to his master's world, but in the land of Equestria where he began spying on the Princess of the sun's faithful student in her own shadow. As time went on, he watched the Unicorn, and he found his time for revenge when the Unicorn became an Alicorn Princess. During her coronation he just broke out an evil chuckle, "Oh Miss Sparkle, you and your friends are so foolish," he said to her.

"Who's there?" Twilight Sparkle asked, "Where are you?"

"I have been around you the whole time just years after you're victory at the Crystal Empire," Shadow Sniper replied to her.

"Show yourself then," the lavender mare demanded to him.

"As you wish 'Princess'," Shadow Sniper said to her as Twilight Sparkle's shadow began to grow larger, but then started to form into a bipedal figure's shadow. Then, black smoke started to form on the shadow, and Shadow Sniper appeared out of the shadow in front of a whole crowd of Canterlot ponies.

"Who are you?" Twilight Sparkle asked the Shadow Sniper.

"I am the Shadow Sniper, Miss Sparkle," he replied to her, "I'am now honored to meet you, your friends, and the Princesses of the moon and sun in the flesh," bowing to them revealing his green eyes with purple fumes coming out of them, "But I'm afraid, Miss Sparkle that I will have to end you."

"Guards!" her older brother Shining Armor called out as six Royal Unicorn and Pegasus guards surrounded the black warrior, "You will go nowhere near my little sister."

"Oh, please, spare me the lecture 'Shining Fool'," the Shadow Sniper said to the white stallion as he used his Dark Magic to disarm the Royal Guards and sent their swords into their chests, "I'm not going to kill her just yet."

But just as Shining Armor was going to fight the black human, "Wait!" Twilight said to them stopping Shining Armor as she turned her attention to the Shadow Sniper, "Shadow Sniper, how can you use Dark Magic?"

"My master had taught me nearly everything I know now while the rest I had discovered by myself," Shadow Sniper simply replied to her question, "But you destroyed my master back at the Crystal Empire," as the whole crowd even Princesses Celestia and Luna were horrified to hear what he said.

"King Sombra is you're master?!" the pink Alicorn known as Princess Cadence exclaimed.

"That is right Princess Cadence," Shadow Sniper answered, "And now I am here to get my revenge on Miss Sparkle for killing my master," as he used his Dark Magic again, this time on Twilight turning her back from an Alicorn into a Unicorn, everypony was in complete shock.

"Twilight!" her friends said gathering around her.

"But that is only the first part in my plot for revenge," Shadow Sniper continued, "I will also challenge you Twilight Sparkle to a Magic Duel to the death with out the aid of your family, friends, and your pathetic mentor and her younger sister," as he used his Dark Magic once again to telaport closer to them, "But just to make sure that doesn't happen... Princesses Celestia and Luna, what you gave to my master, I now return to you..." then summoned a black energy ball, "A one way ticket to oblivion." He then sent the energy ball toward Celestia and Luna. It began to grow larger, trapping the two Princesses inside, but in a split second, they were gone.

"Princess!" Twilight cried watching her mentor and her younger sister vanish, "Bring them back!"

"Only if you can beat me in the Magic Duel, Miss Sparkle," Shadow Sniper stated, "If you win the Duel, I will bring the Princesses back, but if I win the Duel, you will die."

"Don't do it Twi," the lavender Unicorn's friend known Rainbow Dash said to her.

"I warn you Miss Sparkle," Shadow Sniper stated, "I don't think I can hold back my impatience an longer."

"What is that suppose to mean?" Rainbow Dash asked him.

"Keep me waiting, and I might slaughter anyone that might cross my path," he replied, "You're choice Miss Sparkle."

"You cause death to the innocents?!" Twilight exclaimed, "Then I except your terms in this Magic Duel."

"Meet me out side the Crystal Empire in two years," Shadow Sniper said to her, "I will be looking forward to fighting you, Miss Sparkle," as he used his Dark Magic for the final time to open a portal back to 2fort.

"I won't be the one who will be dead Shadow Sniper," Twilight said as the the portal disappeared.

"Twilight, are you sure about this?" Shining Armor asked his little sister, "He seems to be more powerful than you."

"I'm sure about this Shining Armor," Twilight replied to him, "He said to meet him at the Crystal Empire in just two years, that gives me enough time to learn some new magic powers."

"Ah don't think that would be enough Twilight," her friend Applejack said to her, "You seen how powerful this Shadow Sniper is."

"But if I had declined he would have slaughtered everypony that would come across him," Twilight reminded them.

"But Twilight..." Shining Armor tried to say, but was stopped by his wife.

"Shining, this is her choice," Cadence said to the white stallion, "She's old enough to make her own choices."

Back with the Shadow Sniper...

The Shadow Sniper walked about the old RED base at 2fort, thinking of perfectly his plan for revenge was coming together. 'Master,' he said in his thoughts, 'I will avenge your death and make Twilight Sparkle suffer for what she has done to you.' He then went out side to start training for the coming Duel. He was going to get his revenge one way or another. 'You will not have a chance Twilight Sparkle,' he continued in his thoughts, 'And I will have your head,' as he was punching one of the training dummies.

'Shadow Sniper...' a familiar voice called out to him.

"Master?" the Shadow Sniper exclaimed, "Is that really you?"

'Yes, my apprentice,' King Sombra replied to him, 'I have been watching you and I am impressed you have made it this far.'

"And I will avenge you're death master," Shadow Sniper said to his master, "I have now challenged you're killer, Twilight Sparkle to a Magic Duel to the death."

'Be careful on your actions my apprentice, do not underestimate her powers,' Sombra stated as his apprentice nodded and continued to punch the living crud out of the training dummies.

To be continued...

Chapter five: Plans and Rise of the Empire

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Chapter Five: Plans and the Rise of an empire

Shadow Sniper was meditating at the Red base of 2fort and under the dark of the moonlit night. Until his master Sombra called out to him. ‘My apprentice,’ he said to him, ‘It is almost time.’

“I know master,” he nodded to his master, “And I have a plan.” He then got up and opened a portal to the Everfree Forest.

He walked through it and he was in the area of the Castle of the two Royal Sisters. ‘What is it here that can help you defeat Sparkle?’ Sombra asked his student.

“Not in the castle, master,” Shadow Sniper replied to him as he jumped down the canyon that borders the castle to the rest of the forest that ruin was facing, “It’s what’s under the castle that shall help defeat Twilight Sparkle.” He walked into a cave and there in front of him was the Tree of Harmony, but it had many dark plants called Plunder vines spreading quickly around it and far into the forest.

‘Plunder vines,’ Sombra said to him.

“Yes, I plan to take these vine’s powers and use them against Miss Sparkle,” he nodded to his master. He performed a spell on the Plunder vines, taking their dark magical energy and combine it with his own. As this was happening, the Plunder vines began to slowly wither into dust from having their energy taken away. He could feel the power of these vines and it was glorious to him. And with that new power combined with his dark magic, he would most certainly be able to crush Twilight Sparkle.

An hour past as Shadow Sniper had finally drained the last of the Plunder vines energy causing the plants to wither away into nothing but dust. He now felt even stronger than ever before now. “Yes! I feel the power coursing through my blood!” He roared just as a new Plunder vine suddenly came out of the ground, “What is this?” Then it started to move as if he was controlling it.

‘Interesting, it seems you have gained the power to summon and control the Plunder vines,’ Sombra said to his student with interest.

“How is this possible?” he asked as he made the Plunder vine disappear.

‘It must have been from taking the Plunder vine energy,’ his master replied to him. Shadow Sniper then looked at his hand for a moment and then gave out an evil smile under his double-cross com.

“And it might just help me against Sparkle,” Shadow Sniper laughed, “Oh this shall be rich, the Element of Magic shall be defeated by the magic she had already faced before.”

Meanwhile with Twilight…

Twilight was busy working on new spells and skills so she can be ready to fight the Shadow Sniper. She had to be ready for anything for she hasn’t fought something like this guy before. This made her worried as well for it maybe her first fight without her friends at her side. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. “Who’s there?” she snapped to whoever was at the door.

“I’m a friend,” a familiar voice said as a white Pegasus came from the door wearing a vest, a cloak, and a mask. He was a stallion with a reputation to show for it.

“White Lance, what are you doing here?” she asked him in surprise, “I thought you were looking for a friend of your’s.” They met before the Canterlot Wedding began and White Lance had fought Queen Chrysalis and her Changelings of for the girls so they could get the Elements of Harmony.

“I came back here to help you Twilight,” White Lance replied to her.

“I’m sorry White Lance, but Shadow Sniper is wanting me to fight him alone,” Twilight said to him.

“You don’t understand what powers this human is capable of,” he told her, “I have sensed great anger, hate, I do not think you can handle him alone.” she turned to face his masked eyes. The eyes appeared from behind the sky blue colored glass telling her that he was telling her the truth of a possible danger.
“Alright, you can help me White Lance,” Twilight admitted to him.

“I know a pony up north that makes armor out from the metal that comes from my fallen nation,” he said as he summoned a suit of armor with his magic, “And I asked him to make some armor for you.” Even though White Lance was a Pegasus pony, he is one of many Earth ponies and Pegasi that were born with magical abilities. He gave Twilight the armor as she looked at the armor’s helmet. She knew that White Star Pony armor was the strongest and lightest battle gear ever used.
“I’m not really sure if the armor can actually stand against the likes of the Shadow Sniper’s dark magic,” she said to him with a concern in her voice.

“You know all too well how strong my nations armor is and it is better than nothing,” the White Star Pony stated, “Oh, and I also had a friend forge a sword and shield.” He soon summoned her new sword and shield that was in the shape of the lavender Unicorn’s cutie mark with his magic. He then gave them to her. She used her own magic to grab the two pieces of equipment.
“Thank you for these White Lance,” Twilight thanked her friend.

“You’re welcome Twilight,” White Lance said as he left the library to herself. She then looked back at her armors helmet and had some new confidence. With the White Star Pony helping her and the new armor that will protect her in the battle, she might stand a chance against the Shadow Sniper.
‘But I have to think of a plan,’ she thought to herself. She then got right back to her books.

Back with the Shadow Sniper…

Shadow Sniper was meditating while controlling the Plunder vines he had just summoned with his new powers. He was starting to enjoy it as he began to spread them across the map. ‘Shadow Sniper,’ Sombra said to his student, ‘this is the last day before the duel.’
“I know master,” he nodded as he released his grip on his Plunder vines, “And I shall make sure she shall fail in front of an audience.” He snapped his fingers as a group of Plunder vines appeared each holding a different class of mercenary.

What he was doing was transforming every single mercenary in the map into his kind of soldiers of war. They were a part of the audience that would be watching the duel. But he started sensing another force joining in the duel. “Master, I sense a presence that shall join with Twilight Sparkle in the duel,” Shadow Sniper explained to his master.
‘Yes, I sense it too,’ Sombra said, ‘And it’s a presence I haven’t felt in over a thousand years.’

He began to let the Plunder vines’ grip on the mercenaries go. And they had been transformed into the loyal soldiers he sought with their eyes green, and their minds changed to serve their new lord and master. “Even so, we shall crush it and Miss Sparkle,” Shadow Sniper said with confidence.
‘Be careful my student,’ Sombra told his best student, ‘This force is just as powerful as you are.’
“Yes master,” he said to him as he turned to his new soldiers.

“Alright you bloody fools, I am going to train you all on how to fight in both the old and the new ways,” he barked to them, “And we shall defeat the corrupt Red and Blu administrations and build an empire. Do you all understand what we are going to do?”
“Yes lord Shadow Sniper!” they all replied to him.
“I have some books on our new ways,” he said to them as he presented a large number of books, “I want you all to study for the day. Tomorrow we are off to the duel against the killer of my master.”

Yes lord Shadow Sniper,” they said as he pulled them into groups. As they studied, Shadow Sniper was busy working on mastering the Plunder vines. And he soon found out that the more Plunder vines he summons, he is able to become more powerful. Within just an hour, he has mastered the Plunder vines. Now, he was ready to face Twilight Sparkle and this new force himself, but at the same time he has to take responsibilities for his new empire he has forged.

He plans to return to this world after the duel even if he did lose and start the campaign to crush the Blus and the Reds for good. After that, he sees the responsibility to maintain the empire, help advance human technology, science, industry, and weaponry. But he knew that destroying Red and Blu won’t be easy because he needs a way to get the mercenaries on those teams to defect to his side. Though he knows that this was all for possible futures. The plan he is more focused on is to defeat Twilight Sparkle.

Back in Equestria…

Twilight, her friends, and White Lance were discussing a plan to stop the Shadow Sniper. Even though White Lance was the strategist stallion, but he wanted to hear the plans that the girls have. But they don’t know what he and Twilight should do in the duel. “White Lance, do you have a plan?” the lavender Unicorn asked him.
“He may know I have joined the fight so he is going to be more careful when he fights you and me,” the White Star Pony said to the girls, “So, I’ll try to keep him distracted while you can strike the Shadow Sniper from behind.”

“But what if it doesn’t work?” the orange Earth Pony known as Applejack asked him.
“I’ll think off something,” he replied to his friend.
“Well, the duel is tomorrow so we have to get a plan quick as some of us get some sleep,” the white Unicorn known as Rarity said with a yawn, “Goodnight everypony.”
“Goodnight all,” Applejack said as she and Rarity left. The other girls went home as well, but when White Lance got home, he went to his training room to train for the night.

With the Shadow Sniper…

He was still training with the Plunder vines when the timer on his watch went off. “Well, time for them to finish up,” he said to himself. He went into the former Red base as he saw that they were finished with the books. “Excellent work men,” he said to them as they turned to face him in surprise, “The duel is tomorrow.”
“What do you want us to do my lord?” one of the scouts asked him.

“Well Scout, since you asked, I want three snipers, two soldiers, pyros, and spies, four engineers, three scouts and heavies to stay here in case the Reds and Blus try to reclaim this map,” he told them as he got in front of a Medic. He looked at him dead in the face. “And I am leaving you in charge Medic.”
“Th-thank you lord Shadow Sniper,” he thanked in loss of words.
“Don’t get emotional on me, Medic,” the black hearted sniper said to him, “And that goes for the rest of you as well.”

“Now the rest of you will come with me as an audience,” he continued, “Am I understood!?”
“Yes lord Shadow Sniper,” they all replied to him.
“Be ready for tomorrow,” he finished. They took it as a sign to set up around the map. Shadow Sniper gave them shifts to keep watch around the map.

During the night he was planning for the duel. “Mister Sniper,” a mysterious voice said to him. He quickly pulled out his katana feeling a possible threat.
“Who is here, in my own office?” he asked the voice to attack at a moments notice.
“Please, Mister Sniper I mean you no harm,” the voice said as a pale man with dark grayish hair, cosmic green eyes, and wearing a grayish-blue suit appeared from the darkness.

This man had a briefcase in his left hand. He was somebody that he had never seen before. “Who are you?” he asked him, “You don’t look like someone from the Blus nor anyone that I am familiar with.”
“Who I am is not a matter of importance right now,” the man replied to the new economic emperor, “But my employers have an offer for you.”
“Well then, tell your employers that I am busy at the moment,” Shadow Sniper said to him, “I will hear their offer my after my matter of importance is crushed.”

The man looked at him curiously before saying to him, “Very well then, but they shall not keep this offer held up for long.”
“I shall keep that in mind,” the new economic emperor said as the mysterious man faded into the darkness. He put his katana away and got back to his plans. And just a few minutes later, he has a plan. He is sure this plan was perfect.

And yet he had to be prepared for this fight. He doesn’t want to suffer the same fate of his master. He has to keep his opponents on the defensive. His plan was to surround their fighting area with his Plunder vines to make him stronger than his enemy. He hopes to have the advantage over the duel with this plan.

But the Reds and Blus are also a serious issue to his plans. He knows that they will be a threat to his empire. They will most likely try to reclaim 2fort from him. But at least he is going to leave a defensive force while he is at the duel. After the duel, he shall start making plans to conquer the two teams, take control of the world while making an alliance with the minor teams like Grn, Yellow, and Purple.

He also has to get ahead of the world in technology as well. And he has an idea to do just that. “Spies, report to my office at once,” he said to them on the inner com.
“You called us lord Shadow Sniper?” a Spy asked as he and four other spies appeared from the shadows.
“I have an assignment for you,” their emperor replied to them as he handed the spies a portfolio, “The Reds and Blus here in Mannworks are having trouble fighting the machines.”

“What do you want us to do about it my lord?” the Spy asked taking the portfolio. They began to look through the layout of the map of Mannworks.
“The Red and Blu administrations are doing nothing to help them,” Shadow Sniper replied again, “I want you to give them an offer; you create and share the plans to your mech suits, and join our empire, in return we can pay you great respect while helping you protect Mannworks.”
“Of course lord Shadow Sniper,” the Spy nodded to him as they left his office. Everything was falling into place for the Shadow Sniper.

He privately spoke to the Medic he has left in command of 2fort while he was going to be at the duel. He told him to convince the Reds and Blus in the trade maps to join their empire. They were going to need more mannpower to take on the Reds and Blus that oppose them. This and Mannworks were going to happen while he is at the duel. He is going to make sure that this empire survives.

To be continued...