The Shadow Lives (Bellosh & Raridash)

[Bellosh]

In the countryside lying beyond the Crystal Empire’s capital, no blade of grass penetrated the snow covering the landscape. Although it was cold on the outskirts, the weather was surprisingly calm even as the Sun sunk below the western horizon. Except for the occasional chilly breeze, not a sign of a brewing storm could be found for miles. This granted anypony with a winter coat the opportunity to stroll through the winterscape at night, if they wanted to brave all the other dangers beyond the Crystal Heart’s protection.

Case in point: the one stallion surveying the lands, a grey-coated hornless unicorn of shadow. A unicorn forced to find refuge in the dark and deep places of the world, and could only walk openly when the Sun came down. This pony, a mere shade of his former self, no longer possessed the freedom to do as he pleased. Not if he wanted to last long enough to regain his former strength.

Sombra could not think of any greater indignity than lurking from here to there like a coward. The stallion should be ruling the equine realms as a mighty King! Having to hide in the shadows and lick his wounds was beneath the likes of the rightful lord of all ponyfolk. As one can imagine of such a proud stallion, Sombra endlessly thought about those wretched crystal ponies that stole his imperial throne from under his hooves. In time, they will all experience the full wrath of King Sombra. For the dark stallion had long ago unlocked the secret of cheating death; a secret that remains known only to Sombra alone.

With what little magic of his remaining, the Dark One sensed a familiar presence. A piece of his own essence. Could this be Sombra’s lost horn that he searched for ever since his first defeat at the hooves of Cadenza the Usurper? The stallion had no hope of ever becoming whole again as long as his curved horn remained hidden somewhere in the Crystal wilderness. And yet, it felt very close now. Immensely pleased, Sombra smiled to himself as he galloped towards the source of the familiar presence.

[RarityDash]

Tourmaline Glass was in a daze.

 

She had grown haunted for what she had seen, what she had experienced. The foundation of her world had been shaken and split by some terrible rift. The events of the day still playing tauntingly through her mind, each time further revealing her own naivety.

 

Long had she been a pony tempted by the shadows. Bored of her life and lonely, they had closed in upon her empire, romancing and enticing her with their darkness. She thought, in seeing them for the first time, that she had come to understand the world in which she lived.They had compelled her, brought meaning to her existence. They called to her so much so that even when they were finally thrown off, a thousand lost years passing in the process, Tourmaline still looked to them with fascination. She had seen the power there was in those shadows, and she had thought it was possible to know what lurks in the shadows.

 

Then came the Crystal Faire. Orphic Mystery's book had convinced Tourmaline that there was a darkness lining the clouds that day which would prove harbinger to the return of the shadows to her land. She had been excited by this. She had wanted it to happen. When it had, however, the form it took was one such that it moved the young filly to her bones.

 

The evil sorcerer Cyprianus had come with warriors wielding weaponry and monstrous and terrifying birds. Tourmaline had been stunned into a silence, as she, for the first time in her life, saw  death with her own eyes. It was only the intervention of another filly with a well timed pie who had saved her from being sliced in two herself. She had survived, even as others did not, only by the kindness and grace of ones such as that filly, th changeling Kahz who had been kind to her, that guardsmare Sugar who had fought valiantly despite her clear silliness, and others whom she barely knew but would always remember.

 

It had shown her once and for all how small she was. As much as she read, as much as she knew, she was powerless. The dark was tempting, but what could be found within it was only more darkness.

 

In the wake of the Faire, Tourmaline had become even more moody and withdrawn than usual. She barely paid attention to anyone who spoke to her and stayed mostly stuck within her own thoughts. She felt like she was searching for something, but she had no idea what ti was.

 

It was that searching which lead her to the outskirts of Crystal Spire, beyond the protection of the Crystal Heart. There was much work to do rebuilding the empire. For it, no one noticed when the filly grabbed a spare winter coat slipped away. She didn't know where she was going--there truly was nowhere to go by hoof from the empire but wondered if she didn't feel the distinct call of something all the same. As she drew further from the Crystal Heart, that feeling only grew in size until it was overwhelming.

 

That was when she happened to find it, a strong pulse of familiar dark energy buried in the snow. She began to dig, excited for what she might uncover until it became visible to her. Her eyes went wide as she stared upon the curious artifact, the severed horn of a unicorn pony, lying before her. powerful magic emanating from it.

 

Hoof trembling, Tourmaline grabbed the horn and carefully brought it before her eyes. Her breathing became heavy as she looked at it, unable to even process what it was. She slowly brought it to her forehead then and pointed it outward. A freezing cold sensation swept across her body at the touch, leaving her trembling and terrified. She kept it there all the same, seduced by the power within it, even as she knew not what she would even do with such power herself.

 

After a moment of standing there mystified, Tourmaline placed the horn in her coat and wordlessly turned back the way she came, starting toward the empire, sure that somehow, she had found the thing she was missing.

​

[Bellosh]

 

As he homed in on the magic signature, King Sombra sensed a disturbance. Paradoxically, it seemed that the closer he got to where his horn might be buried, the further away it felt. Alarmed at the thought that the object the stallion sought would somehow escape his grasp, Sombra hastened his pace. Slowly building up to a full gallop, the grunting Lord of Shadow swore to do anything to ensure that his enemies would not steal that which meant everything to him.

So it was that the hornless unicorn stumbled upon a most unfortunate sight. Sombra screeched to a halt when he witnessed the remains of a hole dug in the snow. A set of hoofprints led away from the hole, leading back towards that wretched hive of love and harmony where the crystal ponies cowered in the glow of the Crystal Heart. It was obvious to the Evil King what had just happened; somepony stole his horn! Sombra wasted no time in venting his anger towards the heavens;

“UuuuuuuuurrrrraaaaaRRRRRAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

Whoever the thief was, they would have most certainly heard a cry that resembled that of a wounded but raging beast. Left with no time to lose, Sombra growled with pure rage as he galloped in the direction of the hoofprints in the snow. Should he catch up to the thief, that scum of a peasant would first see through the darkness a figure of a towering stallion bereft of garments, with only a pair of furious red eyes the only thing indicating who this dreadful being actually was.

 

[RarityDash]

Tourmaline managed maybe two steps through the snow before the impossible roar of some great an terrible beast sounded clearly through the boundless darkness of the night. She stood frozen in horror for a moment, stray tears coming to her small eyes as the horn in her coat pocket pulsed with a burning hot intensity. She trembled a moment, before her mind caught up with her situation and she realized at once she was in mortal danger. A tiny yelp escaped her chilled face and then she staggered ahead.

 

Momentum built behind her hooves, taking her from a trot to a canter and then to the best gallop her small body could muster. Her breathing intensified. Her mind went blank. Her only thoughts were to return, to find her way safely back to whence she had come--to find her way back to the light she had strayed from and never look back at the shadows again.

 

In time, Crystal Spire was drawing nearer. The safety and protection of the crystal heart's barrier was only moments away. She was almost there. Her body was tried for the cold and the fear, but she was almost there. Just a little further and she'd be safe.

 

Sure she would make it, Tourmaline turned her head slowly around, a curiosity compelling her. She saw nothing but darkness there and breathed a sigh. Before her eyes were fully on the ground before her once more, however, the filly's foot snagged on a rock sticking out of the snow. She stumbled ahead, falling on her face there in the snow. She picked herself up quickly but soon became aware of a truth. The horn had been jostled from out of her pocket during her fall. Compelled by its magic, Tourmaline did turn around slowly and take two step back toward the other way. She saw it lying there, and once more she was helpless to do anything but lift it from out of the snow.

 

Just as she raised it before her eyes however, the atmosphere changed from bleak and empty to oppressive. Before her appeared the dreadful figure of a towering black stallion with eyes which flowed red. His form was different, but Tourmaline knew him in a moment...

 

"No..." she muttered, barely audible. "Sombra." she grasped the horn between her hooves tightly, even as its magic began to scald her.

​

[Bellosh]

King Sombra’s wrathful pursuit of the thief never faltered, spelling ill news for the stumbling prey who had almost reached the safety of the Crystal Heart’s magic. Even worse for the thief, they managed to drop the horn of the Dark King during their fall; by the time they picked it up, it was too late. Sombra now towered over this pony, seeing that the attempted robber was nothing more than a puny little crystal filly. The evil stallion couldn’t comprehend why this girl before him was out in the frozen wastes alone, nor did he really care why. All that matter was that Sombra was finally claiming the horn that was rightfully his.

“Yesssss... yessssssssssssssssss.....” King Sombra felt the darkness stirring in him as his severed horn glowed and dissolved into a magic mist. This close to the black stallion, all the mist craved for was to reunite with its true master. In a matter of seconds, the incorporeal mass of dark energy shot straight into Sombra’s forehead, allowing for his crooked horn to grow back onto the King’s body once more. The evil unicorn laughed with glee the entire time, finally feeling whole again after having lost his horn due to that dreadful Crystal Princess.

The ecstasy of King Sombra was short lived however, for he noticed the crystal filly still in the vicinity. Joy quickly turned into anger, and a desire to carry out retribution. “THIEF!” the growling lord advanced on the little girl; “It’s time for you to face... your punishment.” Aside from a thirst for vengeance, Sombra also recognized that he couldn’t risk letting the pony escape to warn the Crystal Empire. No... she’d have to be silenced for the King could make good on his escape, and he was prepared to do whatever it took to accomplish that goal.

[RarityDash]

Tourmaline, still frozen in her tracks, let out a shrill scream as the horn left her and returned to where it belonged atop the head of the face of evil. Her breathing exhilarated until she was hyperventilating. As he looked at her, as he spoke to her, all she could do was shiver in the snow, meek, powerless and afraid. 

 

Punishment? She was going to die now wasn't she? She gulped and her mind screamed at her to run, but her tiny legs were too frozen and stiff to accept the command. Instead a limp, numb feeling spread in her as the terror became too much for her to bear.

 

Darkness washed over her and the filly fell over in the snow, fainting outright from the horror. She hit the snow with a thud and did not move again from that spot. She remained still, completely at the mercy of the evil tyrant who loomed over her.

​

[Bellosh]

Even as King Sombra’s horn glowed with a fell light, ready to deliver royal justice onto the little thief, Sombra’s mind started to second-guess the logic of his actions. Whatever happened to the girl, the crystal ponies would inevitably discover that one of their young went missing. They’ll then search for her, and eventually discover that she received the most severe punishment that a king can give a subject. Undoubtedly, such an action would enrage the Crystal Empire enough to send multiple patrols to catch the culprit, making it that much harder for Sombra to evade detection.

However… there was another option. While King Sombra realized that he’d be pursued no matter what course of action he took, the ingenious stallion figured that he could potentially make his enemy think twice before bringing their full forces to bear. Just as long as the crystal ponies risked losing something precious to them; the scheming ex-tyrant knew full well that oftentimes, the sheer threat of something harmful did so much more to bring equines in line than actually carrying out the threat. All too many times, those who defied Sombra the most were those without anything left to lose.

“No,” the Shadow King’s horn stopped glowing, his face cleansing itself of any sign of hate; “I won’t send you to oblivion, little thief.” Maniacally chuckling to himself, Sombra lowered his head so that the dark stallion’s face was face-to-face with that of the filly’s. A fanged smile and a rancid breath greeted the cowering youth; “...You’re more useful to me allliiiiiiiiive.”

[RarityDash]

Tourmaline was out cold for only a spare moment before the ominous air about the foul tyrant started to suffocate her. Her breaths became heavy as the little heart in her chest began to beat wildly. Her eyes shot open and she stared straight in the face of evil.

 

The words were soon seeping from out of his mouth and at first she could not comprehend them. Then, all at once, the black haze around her brain parted ways and suddenly the real danger she was in became woefully apparent. She couldn't do anything. She could not react. All she could do was lie there prone, terrified by the monster which loomed over her, gazing unblinking into his unearthly eyes.

 

Why? What could he possibly want from her? What use could she possibly be to him? She couldn't possibly fathom it. She was before him naught but an insect... so why would he spare her? The possibilities escaped her... and yet they terrified her beyond measure.

 

She lied still a while longer, shivering upon the snow until the feeblest of voices could be found. "A-anything... I'll do anything for you... my king..."

​

[Bellosh]

A demonic smirk appeared on the muzzle of King Sombra. “My king”; two words that the stallion hadn’t heard in a long, long time. For ages, in fact! Sombra had almost forgotten how inherently pleasing it was to hear the sound of a subject addressing him properly. Even with all the flagrant treachery of the crystal ponies as of late, perhaps there was still a hope that one day, those indignant fools will once again recognize their rightful sovereign.

“Gooooood,” the Shadow King licked his lips, bringing a chin to the filly’s chin so that she’d have no choice but to look Sombra straight in the eye. “My enemies… they’ve pursued me relentlessly. So far, I have eluded them all. They would try their best... to destroy me, if they could.” The dark stallion half-laughed, mocking the efforts of his foes. “But,” he emphasized with a fanged smile; “If I had... a hosssstage..... nobody would dare bring harm to me, would they?”

 

[RarityDash]

Tourmaline gasped as Sombra's icy grasp brought her suddenly face to face with him. She shivered desperately as he spoke to her. Hostage? The word repeated in her mind until the sound of it was deafening. She thought to scream but couldn't. She was sure she'd faint again, but something in his power kept her eyes open. What could she really do or say here? His power over her was absolute. She had no control.

 

"Where will you take me...?" the freezing filly tearfully spoke. Truthfully, she realized it did not matter. Whatever his intents for her were didn't change the fact that she was helpless before them. She was small and useless. He was like a dark god in comparison.

 

Whether he would have her locked away, enslaved or made into one of his dark soldiers there was nothing she could do to fight it now. Unless someone intervened, so long as his cruel eyes were upon her, she was in every way his to do with as he might please.

​

[Bellosh]

King Sombra had no intention of putting his captive’s fears to rest. “That question,” proclaimed the stallion; “... Is none of your concerrrrrrn.” As he cackled to himself, the fugitive overlord summoned his magic to inexorably lift the poor filly onto his back. Unlike most other living things, no heat remained in Sombra’s accursed form. He was a creature of shadow, so the little one could not count on bodily warmth from her adult captor as a defense against the chill.

“Do not fear,” Sombra mockingly pledged; “If you obey your king, l shall... keep you ssssssafe.” With his prizes secure, the Dark King saw no further reason to linger on the outskirts of the Crystal Spire. Making haste, he turned around and started galloping at full speed eastward. There was a long ways to go yet before Sombra reached a safe haven, away from the long reach of Equestria. Assuming those who called themselves WRAITH remained loyal allies, they would provide the exile with refuge on an island base in the Crimsomarine Sea.
 
Many miles laid between King Sombra and his destination, and he knew that pursuit by his equine enemies would be relentless. But with a helpless crystal filly under his power... perhaps the cowardice of his foes would provide him a chance of escape yet.

[RarityDash]

 

Tourmaline just let herself fall limply into the tyrant's grasp. She was unsurprised he had not intentions of  telling her anything. What cause had he to? She had no power here. She was at his complete mercy. She would know only what he wanted her to know. 

She thought of her favorite epic novels and the heroes within them who would come to challenge the darkness and ensure the safety of the helpless. Was rescue possible for her? The events of the Crystal Faire had proven for her that such heroes did truly exist. This was different though. No one knew where she was. No one knew to look for her. In time her family would notice, but not immediately. It was not strange for her to wander. Even when they did notice, who would be compelled to act for a miserable child like her?

It was hopeless.

Tourmaline said nothing and just cried as she was sped across the snowy lands.

 

[Bellosh]

*SOME TIME LATER*

It did not take long before King Sombra reached a small cave that he had made his hideout the day before. If he really wanted to escape the Crystal Empire with haste, he would have endlessly galloped day and night eastward toward the Crimsonarine Sea. As the Dark One wasn’t exactly a mortal unicorn these days, he would have been capable of such an audacious trek through the Arctic wastes. Cold would not stop Sombra.

However, the Evil King was not ignorant enough to forget that his crystalline hostage was incapable of withstanding the harsh elements. Out beyond Crystal Spire, the weather possessed a malevolent will of its own, and would think of nothing of destroying a little filly. And should harm come to that girl, she’d no longer be of any worth as King Sombra’s equine shield. So for his selfish sake, the dark stallion needed to keep the little one alive and well.

Unceremoniously dumping the crystal filly onto the cave floor, Sombra used his magic to ignite an ethereal blue flame close to her. One of Sombra’s remaining lesser abilities entailed lighting a fire without requiring wood. While this small flame restored warmth to the girl, the exiled King stood vigil at the cave entrance, pondering his next move.....