> In A Life Of Darkness
>  by Jhoira
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> So Shines Light
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King Sombra looked over the ledge of the cliff, gazing out over the land of Equestria. He sighed as he looked up at the sky. Taking a deep breath, the king closed his eyes. Letting his mind wander over his entire life. Its waste, its troubles, its triumphs, its pleasures, everything. Then he opened his eyes and looked around, and let out a sigh.

"So, once again, I am a king without a throne." He looked over the land from his perch. He could go out, conquering again. He might win again. He could conquer Equestria again, reclaim what was once his. Put all the ponies that had thwarted him most recently under his hoof.

"I could always turn over a new leaf." But he couldn't, he knew that. He had never been one for philosophy, but he would say he believed people had free will. They could choose to do good, or ill. But at this point he had embraced the darkness too long. He might even make an impressive go of good. A month, a year, even a decade. But eventually something would go wrong, and he'd slip back into old habits.

So, of his two options, he only had the path of conquest. He could have rally his dark magics and invade Equestria with full confidence in his powers. But he hesitated this time. He was still as confident as ever. If he wished, he could once again conquer, drive lesser ponies before his power and take what should be his. He even had a plan for dealing with the princesses this time.

"But I'm tired... So, very tired." He couldn't help but think it was all so tedious. He had died and been dead multiple times. But only in an abstract way. His ancient powers had given him immortality in a sense. His body could be destroyed, but his spirit would persist, and regain its strength. He shook his head, it was all so tedious. 

No matter how he fought, he had gained his power and been overthrown so many times. Twice in the Crystal Empire, but numberless times before that too. Though the ponies only knew him as Sombra, he had carried many names, and many forms. Fighting, winning, being defeated, and repeating the journey. Over and over, over thousands of years he had lost count of it all.

Now, in this moment of self reflection, it all seemed so meaningless. He didn't know if he'd finally hit some form of revelation, or if Grogar's spell had this effect on him. His guess was not spending hundreds of years as a shade gathering power and hating with envy all those with bodies likely was what let him come to this catharsis. He had two paths to choose, one of conquest, which he was unwilling to travel, and one of good, which he was unable to travel.

Sombra had many faults, even he could admit that. Determination, though, was one of his most distinguishing features. He just had to put his head down and push; he would attain his goal eventually. So he would forge a third path, one of good from conquest, for while he knew himself, he could not change his ways, he could break the cycle.

With a flash of his horn dark energy sloughed off him in waves. Even he was surprised by the amount of power the spell had been leeching from him. But it made sense; cheating Death of his due was hardly an easy prospect. He smirked in wry amusement, if he hadn't been keeping up that spell he likely would have beat the princess when they fought. A moot point now. 

The decision he made was unnatural to him, but he chose it. It was better than the alternatives. Though he didn't often seek, or need reassurance, this time Sombra spoke out loud to reassure himself. "Whatever comes next, judgement, mercy, silence. I'm ready for it. I'm tired of this eternal cycle. I've lived by might, overthrowing dozens of kingdoms, but what I have to show for it are the whispers of dark times in history books."

He looked over at the distant cities. "And now there are new kingdoms, full of ponies that... Love their rulers, they don't fear them." He smirked a little, even though he had decided his way didn't work, he still couldn't feel that theirs did either. "But they are still weak, they are not ready for what is coming for them." He glanced back at the cave entrance, leading into darkness. "I cannot betray the one who saved me, so I just ready them, by forcing their hand."

The first step was the hardest, he took a single, faltering step, then another, and another. As he went his walk firmed. He had made his decision, his final decision, and then, finally, he would be free. "Today, their magic will be powerful, and mine, just a little weaker. They will defend their kingdom and be stronger for it." Encouraged by the thought of the solution of his tedium, he sped up to a trot.

It was a new feeling for Sombra, it was small, but it was there. A feeling somewhere in his horribly twisted soul, he was giving of himself for the benefit of others. Though no other creature would know, in his own way, Sombra was using his last moments to help others. Though Sombra was now at full gallop, he felt like he could breathe just a little easier, as one of the many knots in his soul started to unravel.





Discord, disguised as Grogar, slunk out of the shadows of the cave, looking out after Sombra as he sped across the terrain. Discord looked out after a being very like himself, off to his own, defiant end. He smiled, struck by a little bit of poetry in the moment. "So shines light in a life of darkness." With that, Discord smiled, and disappeared. He would play his part gladly.