Crystal Outcast

by Azreale

Rating: teen
Tags: Tragedy, Crystal Ponies, Gore, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Dark, Sad, Original Character, King Sombra
Length: 5471

A look into the Crystal Kingdom Empire's past, it's ruthless past ruler before Sombra, and the reason why none of the Crystal Ponies have wings or horns.

Over one thousand years ago, the Crystal Kingdom Empire was ruled by the cruel and feared King Umbra. Yet even though the King had everything that a pony could desire, he craved more. Jealousy swelled in his dark heart, and one insane decree turned his once peaceful empire into a kingdom of chaos and panic, and two guards alone risk everything they have to save a lone orphaned colt from the pain and misery that Umbra had brought upon their once-fair home.

~~~~~~~

While watching the Season 3 premier, I noticed that none of the Crystal Ponies have wings or horns - they were all Crystal Earth ponies. This is my headcanon as to why that is!

Published 2013-07-09 05:40:03 UTC
Last updated 2013-07-09 05:40:03 UTC

Crystal Outcast

“Sombra is a miserable little foal with no place in our kingdom.” The King of the Crystal Ponies, King Umbra, hissed angrily to the female crystal unicorn standing in front of him. The mare shrunk down from his anger and bowed her head low to the floor, whimpering in fear. Umbra could see she was shaking.

“P-Please, King Umbra…” She trembled, “I only wish the best for him. You m-must understand that, can’t you?” The crystal unicorn lifted her head and opened one eye, peeking out at the King. He glowered down at her, rage filling his heart.

“I only have one child, Abalone. You know that. Sombra will never be allowed into my kingdom. What part of that can you not comprehend, you simple little fool?” Umbra stood and walked down from his throne. Even the crystal guards that watched over his throne had a hint of fear in their eyes. Abalone threw her head back down on the ground and trembled vigorously. Umbra leaned down and snarled at her. “Head up.” He demanded. Abalone made no movement. The King’s horn glowed a sinister green as his magic wrapped itself around the unicorn’s neck and tugged her violently upwards until she was standing. “I said, stand up!”

“Y-Yes, your m-majesty…” Abalone managed to squeak between gasps of air. Umbra snorted at her and dropped her onto the ground.

“What did you hope to gain from this, little pony?”

“W-What…?”

“I said,” Umbra snapped, “What did you hope to gain from this? Did you think that I would rise him to princedom? Did you think you would become my Queen? Did you think that someone of your insignificance would ever be anything more to me?” Umbra grinned maliciously at the tears that Abalone was fighting to hold back. She swallowed hard and turned her head away to the window for a brief moment, the sunlight gleaming through catching her crystal mane and making it sparkle.

“N-No, your majesty, I just… I had to try. I have nothing to my name, King Umbra… my son…” She looked up at him hopefully. “Our son deserves more than what I could give him.” Umbra glared at her through half lidded eyes. An animalistic growl arose from deep in his throat.

“Never sat that that runt is my son. Do you understand me?” Abalone didn’t say anything. Umbra seized her by the neck again and hauled her up into the air, choking her once more. “I asked you a question, idiot.”

“I… understand.” She managed to say. He dropped her back onto the ground once again and turned back to his throne, slowly clopping back up to it.

“Never bother me with such trivial things again. Use your brain next time you come back here, and don’t say such blasphemous things in my presence. As if there would ever be more than one royal child…” Umbra sneered and collapsed back down on his throne, resting his head in his right hoof, bored. “Now, if there is nothing else, I ask that you leave me in peace, finally. I grow so tired listening to you talk, Abalone.”

“Yes, King Umbra.” Abalone bit her lower lip as she trotted out of the throne room and past all of the royal guard. They looked at her, some questioningly, some with pity, some with sheer joy out of seeing her so miserable. The crystal unicorn was completely and utterly humiliated by her King, and she kept her head down the entire way as she trotted quickly back to her home, a little shack of a house on the outskirts of the Crystal Empire. Pushing open the door and slamming it shut behind her, Abalone screamed in frustration and embarrassment into the single pillow that lay on her mattress, and cursed the name of her King that she had so foolishly laid with in bed one bloody, accursed night.

~~~~~~~~~~

“Who was that, daddy?” A small, feminine voice piped up, echoing throughout the quiet throne room. Umbra’s ears perked up and he glanced idly to his right, where the sound had come from. A small, shimmering crystal pony with a flowing silver and lilac mane, and a white coat stepped into the room, rubbing her pale violet eyes. Umbra gazed in wonder at his child.

“My dear, dear daughter.” The King stepped down from his throne and walked towards the little filly, who started towards him with a hazy, sleepy smile on her flawless features. Even the guards marvelled at her innocent, uncorrupted beauty. “That was absolutely nopony of importance. I’m sorry to have disturbed you.”

“That’s quite alright, daddy. I was just on my way to play with Clover!” The filly’s eyes shot open and she jumped up excitedly, seemingly having regained all of her energy. The King smiled inwardly to himself. The filly bounced up and down on the spot. “Can I go play with her, daddy? Can I, can I?”

“Of course, dearest. Just be careful!” Umbra warned her sternly, yet not deterring the little filly even the slightest bit. The princess was the only pony in the entire kingdom that would never flinch under Umbra’s gaze.

“I will, daddy! Don’t worry!” The crystal unicorn turned and started bouncing to the doorframe, calling out Clover’s name.

“Be careful, Platinum!” Umbra called after her one last time. But the princess had already bounced around the corner, off to play with her crystal friend, Clover.

~~~~~~~~~~

Umbra drummed his hoof against the table, glaring out the window at his subjects far below. They went about their daily life, buying and selling their amateur goods, laughing and smiling with their families. Each and every one of them had a horn or a pair of wings strapped to their heads and backs.

And Umbra hated them all. He looked up to his own red horn, and glanced to the picture, lying on the table, of his own crystal daughter and her glistening horn. The King looked outside again. A crystal Pegasus flew by the window a bit in the distance, laughing with a colt soaring beside him. Father and son, Umbra thought to himself. Umbra was painfully, utterly aware of the lack of appendages missing from his back. How I would love to unfurl my wings and soar above these ponies, seeing them drop to their knees in fear! Umbra grinned maliciously. Yet deep inside, even though King Umbra had servants, a castle, an empire that feared him, and a beloved, beautiful daughter, he wanted more. He wanted to feel like a God amongst ponies. King Umbra was jealous. He growled.

“Jasper!” Umbra yelled in demand to his Captain of the Crystal Guard. The kindly, dark orange pegasus came screeching into the room, stopped on a dime the second he saw the king, and snapped to attention.

“Yes, my liege? How may I be of assistance?”

“You and your guard have a task before you.” The King snarled. Jasper cocked his head and lowered his hoof from his forehead.

“Anything, your majesty. What will it be today?”

“Follow me.” The King ordered. Umbra left the room and took a left, stomping down the hallway loudly. The many guards lining the hall saluted to Umbra as he passed, who ignored them completely. At the end of the hall, the unicorn king flung the door open, making the female unicorn inside nearly jump to the ceiling. The beautiful, light pink Morganite was the royal scribe of the empire. She bowed her head low and then rose.

“My King, what may I have the pleasure in assisting you with today?” Her horn glowed with a light pinkish twinge, and the quill and scroll that were lying on the table beside her levitated into the air, hovering before her.

“Write this down.” The King snarled at the unicorn. Morganite’s smile faltered ever so slightly out of fright.

“Yes, my King, please continue when ready.” Morganite waited for Umbra patiently. The King looked around and made sure no one else was present. Good, he said to himself as he saw that it was only himself, Morganite and Jasper.

“Listen closely, pony – and do not mess up a single detail.” Umbra raised a menacing eyebrow at her. Morganite gulped and nodded. The King cleared his throat and began his speech. The mare furiously scribbled the rough copy of the decree down as he spoke, but one thing he said made her falter.

“I beg your pardon, my King? Could you repeat that last line?” Morganite gulped again and looked to Jasper, who also looked slightly pale. The Captain of the Guard wore an unusual frown on his face, instead of his happy-go-lucky smile that everypony loved to see. Umbra growled at her and leaned forward.

“You heard me.”

Morganite nearly fainted from shock.

~~~~~~~~~~

Every guard in the empire looked around guiltily at the townsponies. The rest of the townsponies all went about their days, smiling and laughing with joy. Nopony had seen Abalone or her bastard son Sombra in days. Two of the guards patrolling the streets stopped outside of the mare’s home and looked at it with pity.

“I wonder where Abalone’s been lately. Townsponies been getting’ worried about her.” The first guard mumbled. The second one nodded.

“True that. I hope she’s okay. That Sombra already has life hard enough. He should at least have a mom that loves him.” Both ponies were silent for a moment, and then exchanged looks, each knowing what the other was thinking.

“Maybe we should… check out how she’s doing? See if she needs anything?” The two said at the same time. They both nodded and started walking towards the house. The first guard peered in her window as the other knocked on the door.

“Abalone? Are you in there? It’s the guards. We wanna see if you’re doing alright.” They waited for a reply. There was none. The guards exchanged glances. The second one pushed the door slightly, and it creaked open slowly. Shrugging, the guard stepped into the shack.

“Abalone?” The two heard a sad sniffle. The first guard dipped his head low and looked under the dining room table, a simple wooden structure with a poorly put together chair standing beside it. A pair of wet, green eyes with red pupils jolted open at him. The guard stumbled back, yelping in fear.

“By Umbra’s mane, kid, you scared me half to death.” The guard brushed his mane down and blushed slightly. Sombra looked out from under the table, making both stallions jump back again in fright. Before, everypony around town had only ever seen Sombra while he was wearing a large cloak over his head, obscuring his face. Seeing him now, the guards could understand why Abalone had hid him from the world. The little colt was hideously disfigured; His horn was gnarled, red and curved in a way that normal horns shouldn’t be curved. His eyes looked like something out of a tale made to scare little fillies, and his coat was a sickly dark gray color. When he spoke, a voice that was far too deep for a colt his age erupted from his throat.

“Are you here to save me?”

“S… save you?” The guards stuttered. “Save you from what?”

“From being… alone.” Sombra looked like he had trouble speaking, as if every word to him was foreign. “I’m so alone.” The guards looked around the shack.

“Where’s your mother, Sombra? Where’s Abalone?”

“She… left.” Sombra said plainly. The guards looked back to him, confused.

“Left? Left to where?” The guard asked. Sombra shrugged sadly.

“I don’t know. She said… she was going to a better… place. And that I couldn’t come and… say goodbye.” Tears welled up in Sombra’s eyes – a terrifying sight. “Please, don’t leave me alone too.” The guards backed up slowly, looking around the room. Abalone was nowhere to be seen, and the ponies were horrified of Sombra and his deformities. The guards exchanged frightened glances, but the first one cleared his throat and tried his best not to tremble.

“There, there, little… boy. Everything will be alright.” Was the only thing that he could manage to say. Sombra still looked terrified. The second guard nudged the first as he looked at the child.

“Sombra, I’m gonna talk with my pal here about something quick, alright? You wait here and we’re gonna be just outside, okay? We’ll be back in a little bit to take care of you, okay?” The guard told him. Sombra nodded sadly, a few tears left in his awful demonic eyes. The two guards backed outside quickly and slammed the door shut.

“What are we gonna do with him, mate?” The first one whispered.

“Well we can’t just leave him there, not with what’s happening today…”

“Do we know if Abalone had any other family that we could send him to?”

“No… Umbra curse that mare! Abandoning her own child like that… what an awful, awful woman.”

“Didn’t you hear about how she was humiliated in the Court yesterday though? One could hardly blame her for not wanting to hang around anymore. King Umbra tore her a new one.”

“Well do we know who the kid’s father is?”

“No clue, mate. Whoever it was, Abalone wanted to keep it a secret. Nonetheless, we should try and get Sombra out of here as soon as possible… the King doesn’t care for him already, having a grudge against his mother and whatnot.”

“Why does King Umbra hate her anyways? She always seemed nice enough to me whenever I talked to her.”

“Who knows. Do you know how long it will be until it starts?”

“Little over an hour, I’d reckon. But we can’t smuggle Sombra out, we’d lose our jobs!”

“As opposed to losing our justice and morals? I don’t know about you mate, but I wouldn’t be able to sleep with myself under Luna’s moon knowing that I let an innocent child be tortured in such a way.” The first guard sealed the argument with that. The second one fidgeted uncomfortably from hoof to hoof, as if weighing the options. Finally, he nodded and sighed, exasperatedly.

“Alright, you got me. But where are we gonna send him? If Umbra finds out about this, it won’t just be our jobs on the line, but our heads as well!”

“Is that really any better than knowing our current fate?” The first guard fixed his partner with a sad stare. The second one looked back, confused.

“What do you mean? The King said that the guard and his servants wouldn’t be a part of this whole thing.”

“The only ponies that will be spared are his personal assistants, and the higher ups, like Jasper.”

“How do you know that?”

“Jasper warned me.” The first guard flexed the wings on his back. The second one recoiled, terrified.

“Nopony warned me about this! Why would Umbra do this to us? We served him loyally for years! My mum was so happy when I got in the guard! Now…” the second looked out onto their town sorrowfully, “We’ll share the same fate as them then.”

“So do we agree then? We take Sombra and leave? Make a home somewhere else? Maybe we can head to Canterlot or something… warn the Princesses.”

“Just like that? We have barely an hour to get out! Do you really think we could do this? Take the kid and flee?”

“Nopony would notice a bastard child and a pair of guards missing, mate. Head towards the barracks, collect a few of my things and yours, and meet me back here in twenty minutes.”

“What are you gonna do?”

“I’m gonna tell Sombra what’s about to happen. The kid has a right to know.”

“Do you think he can handle it?”

“Mate, he has to handle it.” The second guard nodded once firmly. With that, the two had nothing more to say. Quickly glancing around to make sure that nopony had heard their conversation, the second guard lifted into the air and flew as fast as he could towards the castle as the first guard pushed the door open and fixed the deformed child with a humble smile.

“Sombra? We’re gonna go on a little trip, okay?” The guard outstretched his hoof and helped the colt to his hooves. Sombra took it, shakily and uncertainly.

“To where?” He asked as he stood.

“Where’s your room, Sombra? Do you have any favorite things that you would like to bring with you? A toy, perhaps? A blanket?” The Pegasus guard asked, ignoring Sombra’s question completely. Sombra shook his head.

“No.”

“Why not?” The guard asked.

“Mommy said we… didn’t have money for toys. So I stay in the house all day… or help mommy.” Sombra said, half-heartedly, as the guard felt a twinge of sadness. Here, a kid barely older than a foal, lead the most miserable life that he could think of for a child, and now was being forced to run for his life from his home, however pathetic that home was. The guard fixed Sombra with a sad stare, and decided that he wouldn’t tell him about the upcoming events. That could wait until later. Pushing the uncalled for guilt out of his mind, the guard glanced outside the window, sat down next to Sombra, and waited for his partner to return.

~~~~~~~~~~

It wasn’t even twenty minutes before the guard came zooming back through the streets. He carried with him three sacks.

“What’s the third one for?” The first guard asked.

“First ones my stuff, second ones yours, third ones food.” The second guard replied, seeming proud of himself for remembering to bring sustenance. “Does the kid not have anything that he wants to bring?”

“Nope. Not a thing to his name. But let’s go… we’ve already wasted enough time talking and waiting. We gotta get outta here before anyone notices us.” Just as the guard started pushing open the front door, with Sombra cowering behind them, they all heard a high pitched, feminine scream. The guard pushed the door open and the two jumped out to find and help out the origin of the sound. Sombra screeched in terror and dove under the table again.

“No…” The two pegasi stood transfixed by the events unfolding all around them. Now that more crystal ponies had started coming out of their homes to investigate the scream, chaos ensued. The townsponies had seen what had happened to a poor unicorn mare who had screeched so loudly, and feared for their own lives. Because directly ahead of them, at the fountain in the middle of the town square, the mare was lying on the ground, blood spurting from her head and pooling around her stilled body. And in the hooves of a guard standing near her, was a sharp, pointed object that previously protruded from the mare’s head. The guard stuffed the mare’s horn into a saddlebag that was slung across his back, and cleared his throat.

“All pegasi and unicorns, please form a neat and orderly line in front of the fountain for the Purge, by right and decree of our royal King Umbra.” He shouted for all to hear, but the ponies ignored him. They screamed and ran about, obviously and rightly panicked. The pegasi townsponies in the area took to the air and tried to fly away, only to be caught by their fellow pegasi guards and be wrestled to the ground. The guards all brandished knives in their mouths, and the two guards attempting to flee with Sombra saw one Pegasus townspony get his wings painfully cut off and thrown aside.

“What’s happening? What’s going on?” Sombra wailed, peeking his head out from under the table and crying, terrible deep sounds irrupting from his throat. The second guard squeezed his eyes shut as the first one grabbed Sombra by the scruff of the neck and started sprinting down the back roads towards the edge of town. The second Pegasus wasn’t too far behind, taking to the air periodically to gain some speed. The first Pegasus was running so fast that he nearly bowled into Lieutenant Larimar, who had stepped out in front of them suddenly, looking not pleased at all. The tall, gruff second-in-command to Captain Jasper glared down, first at the guards and then at Sombra.

“What are you two doing down here? Why aren’t you in the town, assisting with the Purge?” Larimar demanded. The first guard shrunk down before the Lieutenant and Sombra dashed behind the second guard.

“I… we… sir, we can explain…” The second guard stuttered, backing up ever so slowly. Larimar loomed over him.

“Oh, can you now? You weren’t thinking of leaving town, were you?”

“N-No sir! We would… never think of it…”

“Then what are you doing way back here in the back streets and not with your fellow guard?” Larimar noticed, for the first time, the whimpering Sombra hiding from him. “And why do you have this little runt with you?”

“Sir, I…” The first guard thought quickly for an excuse. After a moment, he visibly relaxed. “Sir, King Umbra has requested to see this child personally.” Sombra let out a short yelp of shock and fear. Larimar raised a questioning eyebrow.

“Oh really now? And why does our good King demand an audience with this little demonic runt?”

“He’s Abalone’s son, sir. That should speak for itself.” The first guard swallowed hard, hoping he seemed confident enough for his lie to work. Most ponies in the kingdom knew of Umbra’s intense hatred for Abalone. Larimar leaned back, eyes clearing with clarity.

“Ohh, he’s Abalone’s then, eh? That makes sense. Obviously the King would want to handle his own son personally. I must be daft to have not realized that sooner!” Larimar grinned.

“What?!” Both guards let their jaws drop to the floor. Larimar laughed heartily and pushed his way past.

“Well, you two hurry and drop off the runt at the castle, and get back to the square. There’s a lot of work to be done.” With that, the Lieutenant trotted off in the opposite direction without looking back and began barking orders to his subordinates. The two guards just stared for a few minutes longer, first at where the Lieutenant had stood, and then at Sombra, who still cowered behind the second guard. The bastard child poked his head out and looked at the first guard, confused.

“Does King Umbra really… wanna see me? What for?” Sombra looked back to where Larimar had disappeared to. “He was… scary.” The child shuddered.

“I… agree….” Was the only thing that the first guard could say. Both pegasi exchanged looks before shaking their heads and ushering the young colt forward. Sombra’s legs still shook violently, but after some time had passed, he eventually grew steadier. The guards kept their heads low and avoided eye contact with anypony they passed. Eventually they reached the city borders.

“This is it, mate. No turning back now.” The first guard mumbled to his partner.

“No turning back now.” The second guard echoed.

“Hurry.” Sombra pleaded, not understanding what was happening in his home. The guards felt sorry for him. It was scary for anypony here, including themselves. The second guard shifted impatiently.

“Let’s go. I’m not too eager to stay here myself.” The second guard took the initiative and stepped over the border. For some reason, the first guard flinched back. He had expected some big alarm to go off, some force field to push him back into city limits. But nothing came. The second guard stood outside of the Crystal Kingdom Empire with a quizzical look on his face. “Well? You guys coming or not?” The first guard shoved Sombra lightly over the border line before stepping over himself.

"Do you see anypony coming anywhere?" The two guards looked around.

“Nope.”

“Negative.” The two said at once. Looking at each other, and then to the rolling hillsides nearby, the three sprinted towards them, being sure not to go too fast so that Sombra could keep up. The little colt was panting like mad by the time the three stopped for a break when they reached the top of one of the lower hills. The guards overlooked their former kingdom with sorrow heavy in their hearts.

“So this is it then. This is the last time that we’ll ever see our home.”

“Drink it in, mate. We’re never returning here again.” The second guard turned away from his home sadly, and looked towards the many crystal formations that grew on the hill. Trotting over to it, one crystal in particular caught his eye – a shiny blue one, in the rough shape of a heart. He picked it up, turning it over, and examined it.

“I think I’ll take this one along with us – as a reminder. The Crystal Empire wasn’t always such a mess. We gotta remember the good times. When the Kingdom was at peace.” The second guard turned back to his partner and smiled warmly. The first guard nodded in agreement.

“Aye, mate. Remember the good times. That’s a good idea.” The first Pegasus started trotting towards the crystal cluster too, but stopped dead in his tracks when the familiar sound of magic swirled behind him. It was an indescribable sound, a sound that was only made when a unicorn either teleported in or out of a room. His partner’s smile drooped and the crystal fell limply out of his mouth made him pause. The second guard, trembling, lowered himself to his knees, his mouth quaking. The first guard slowly turned around.

“Well, well, well. What do we have here?” King Umbra snarled, encircling the two guards and his son. Sombra’s eyes went wide and his legs gave way, making him crash to the ground with a cry of fear. Umbra swung towards the colt and grinned maliciously. “Trying to leave now, hm? And why would that be?”

“M-My K-King… what are y-you-“

“’What am I doing out here?’” King Umbra reared back and laughed maniacally. “I believe that I asked that of you first! You can’t honestly think that you could do something and the Unicorn King wouldn’t notice it!”

“N-No, my King…” The first guard choked out, his throat suddenly feeling very dry and scratchy. The second guard glared at the King and pulled Sombra behind him. He didn’t notice his crystal glow ever-so-slightly.

“What you’re doing here is wrong, Umbra!” The second guard yelled, suddenly inspired. Umbra reared his dark head towards the guard and narrowed his eyes.

“And here I thought that Jasper had weeded out all of the rotten apples from the bunch, so that I could trust my guard completely. What right do you claim to have that allows you to refer to me, the great King Umbra, so casually?” Umbra leaned forward, towering over the three ponies.

“I claim to have no right, Umbra. But I’m not going to allow you to harm this young colt while I still breathe. I swore an oath when I joined your guard – that I would safeguard the ponies of the Crystal Kingdom Empire until my last breath,” The second guard fumbled slightly for his words, “But because I can’t do that, I’ll do what I can do. I’ll save this little colt from you if it’s the last thing I do.” The Pegasus stood up and took a step towards Umbra. The Unicorn King almost appeared to falter for a moment. This time, the guard took a vague notice of a glow out of the corner of his eye. The first Pegasus stood as well.

“Aye mate, you speak the truth. We’ll protect young Sombra here with our dying breaths. As long as you’re on the throne, we will fight against you and protect him,” The first guard stood beside his partner and puffed out his chest smugly. “Prince Sombra, your son.”

“What?!” Umbra did falter this time, glowering from his former guards to his son. “How do you know?!”

“Your Lieutenant informed us. And that’s why we’re leaving – take him to safety, so someday, he can return and end your reign here. You don’t deserve the throne, Umbra – you never did.” The two guards lowered their heads and puffed out their wings, ready to do battle with the King that they had once sworn to serve. As they did, a flash from behind them caused them to shield their eyes, even as they were turned away from it. They saw Umbra recoil.

“What… what is this magic?!” Umbra screamed at them as the blue light got brighter and brighter. “What are you doing?!” The guard’s crystal shot up into the air, and the two pegasi stood and stared upwards in wonder and fear as they backed away from Umbra, shielding Sombra with their arms.

“Sombra, you have to run while you have the chance! Get away from here as fast as you can!” The first guard turned to the colt and demanded, pushing him away from the kingdom. Sombra looked back at him, scared.

“What about you?” He asked, shaking. The guard shook his head.

“We have to stay here. We’ll hold him off for now. You worry about yourself. Just run! Run to Canterlot!” The guard yelled as he turned back around to where the crystal floated about Umbra’s head, its blue aura slowly enveloping the King. Umbra shrieked in anger at the two guards.

“Fools! You truly think that a little light could stop the Unicorn King of Crystals! Think again!” Umbra’s horn glowed a sinister green and shot out at the two guards. The green glow wrapped itself around the guards, lifting them into a magical cocoon suspended in the air.

“LET THEM GO!” Sombra screamed, as he tried to make his own horn glow, but just couldn’t. Umbra was nearly completely obscured in blue light. The King laughed darkly as the crystal flashed brightly and flew towards Umbra.

“Mark my words, Sombra – someday, I will hunt you down! I will hunt you down, and I will find you, and I will rip your pathetic horn straight from your head and drive it through your heart!” Umbra screamed as the crystal touched his own cocoon – and without another word, the King winked out of sight. The crystal fell to the ground with a quiet thud as it tumbled through the grass. Sombra stared, eyes wide, gaping at the spot where the King had stood.

“H-Hello?” The child called out after a few moments of being in utter silence. Looking around, he saw that the guards had gone too. The second that Umbra had winked out, so did his green cocoons. Sombra took a cautious step towards the crystal. It looked as it always did, shiny with rough edges. The colt poked it once with his hoof and quickly recoiled. Nothing happened. He was all alone out in the wilderness with no clue what to do or where to go first. Tears rolled freely down his gray face as he realized that he was alone again.

“The guards sacrificed themselves.” Sombra realized, sobbing out loud. He walked to the edge of the hill and looked out over his former home. Nothing in his mind made him believe that Umbra was dead – simply teleported away. Far in the distance, pained screams of torture could be heard echoing through the crystal roads. The sound carried to him and Sombra found his heart filling with an unlikely emotion – joy.

For so long, the colt could remember being relentlessly bullied and teased and tormented throughout his life because of his appearance. He was the outcast, the kid without a father, the poor one. On more than one occasion, Sombra had come home crying with bruises and cuts all over his face from where the fellow children’s crystal hooves had punched and beat him relentlessly. And now they were gone. And they were getting what they deserved.

“No,” growled Sombra, rising up to his full height, “They aren’t getting enough for the pain and torment that they put me through.” Turning away from the Crystal Kingdom Empire, Sombra started trotting towards the mountains to the south, towards Canterlot as the guards had told him to go. “I will return one day.” The colt thought to himself, smirking maliciously. “And on that day, ponies will realize just what fear truly is.” A multitude of thoughts ran through Sombra’s dark mind.

“They will wish that Umbra was still around.”

“They will realize that the pain they went through today was mild.”

“They will pray to Celestia for death.”

But one thought echoed the most prominently throughout his mind.

“They will be my Crystal Slaves.”