The Castle of Dreams

Chapter 5

In the airspace above the Empire, Starfyre was still looking around for suspicious activity when he noticed…

“Ivory?”

Looking through his binoculars, Starfyre could see Ivory running as fast as he could while carrying an unconscious Midnight on his back! Instantly knowing something was wrong, Starfyre zoomed down to meet them.

“Ivory! What happened, dude?!”

“Sir Starfyre!” panted Ivory while just barely managing to salute, his legs wobbling a bit as he grunted and shifted Midnight to make sure he didn’t fall.

“Something’s happened to Sir Midnight! I don’t know what though!”

“Give him to me,” Starfyre ordered, “I’ll take him to the castle, you round up the rest of the guys.”

“Yes sir,” Ivory complied as he carefully passed Midnight over to the Pegasus stallion. Without a word, Starfyre heaved a mighty flap, sending him and his vital charge skyward.

Before long, all the Knights of Adventure, along with Ivory and Prince Pollo, were back in the room where they’d originally put Midnight. Pollo’s eyes were furrowed in concentration, Thunderlane reaching over to wipe away his sweat, as the prince divided his efforts in maintaining the artificial sun outside and using a spell to diagnose Midnight.

“This is very disturbing,” Prince Pollo stated when he was done.

“What’s wrong with Midnight, Prince Pollo?” Forester asked, trying his best not to whimper in concern.

“He’s caught in a waking nightmare?! Oh!” Bravisimo started making a scene. “Say it isn’t so!”

“I’m afraid it’s worse,” Prince Pollo reported. “I’m not sensing Midnight’s essence!”

“Wha’ in th’ hay does that mean?” Big McIntosh wondered.

“Well, physically Midnight’s healthy as a horse. But at the moment there’s… no one home,” Prince Pollo explained while tapping his head with his hoof.

Meanwhile, wherever they were, Midnight and Shining Armor explored the mysterious castle, the shadows around them reaching out as though they were alive. And considering who they were up against, they probably were, for at that very moment, somepony watched them through the door-sized facet of a crystal. Chuckling darkly, the observer whispered, Come to me, my prey…

He then focused and his horn brightened crimson with bloodlust.

The dark hall the two unicorn stallions walked down was eerily empty, devoid of any furnishings aside from an occasional statue of a pony, all of them faintly sparkly. Midnight was vigilant, kept moving and looking forward, waiting for whatever might jump out. It was a few seconds before he realized he heard only his own hoofsteps.

Shining?

He looked back, and saw that Shining Armor was looking sadly at a statue of a stallion, lying on his back, holding his hooves up to shield himself, along with a look of terror on his face. Midnight went over, looking at the statue a moment before he asked, Somepony you know?

Long Jump, Shining Armor nodded. He was part of the team I was training for the Equestrian Games. He was so dedicated, driven to succeed! …It was such a stomp in the face when he ran. Not a lot of good it did him…

We’ll free him, Midnight swore, his voice edged with a little rage. Then Sombra will get what’s coming to him.

It was in that moment, the two of them heard something – A distant series of cracks and clattering of something falling to the floor echoing distantly behind them, as they whipped their horns in that direction, spells charged.

What was that…? Midnight asked.

I don’t know, Shining Armor replied.

But then, they could hear multiple hoofsteps. They both suddenly feared what it might be, which only escalated when they noticed several pairs of glowing green eyes glaring at them from the darkness.

This doesn’t look good, muttered Shining Armor.

As responding to his words, they heard a crackling sound and looked to see the statue of Long Jump, webs and lines cracking here and there as pieces fell to the ground, and Long Jump got up. But before either of the unicorns could say anything, Long Jump’s eyes opened, glowing a fearful green and his pupils red, a look so menacing spreading across his face as he glared at them.

Definitely not good! agreed Midnight.

RUN!!! Shining Armor brayed as they bolted, continuing down the hallway, as they heard the mindless equines behind them give chase.

Their hearts pumping, the two unicorns ran as hard as they could, the furious herd behind them braying and screaming with such fervor it drove their hooves all the more to escape for any form of sanctuary. All of a sudden, Shining Armor noticed an arched doorway ahead.

Midnight! Exit coming up, to the left!

Midnight looked to see it but felt a shiver inside him.

No, Shining! Keep going forward!

Midnight, we have to! They’ll be on us in seconds!

Midnight felt his insides squirm but the frightful sounds behind them getting closer invigorated his instinct of self-preservation.

Ok… Now!

The two of them leapt through the door, and suddenly, they both shot a spell from their horns. Each spell hit one side of the door, spreading until they outlined it in a white light before a transparent wall of magic formed, barring the horrible herd from entering. The two stallions panted, trying to calm their beating hearts, but Midnight felt that shiver turn into a cold-sweat. Suddenly, the door and the wall of magic disappeared, as it appeared to burn from bottom to top in a wreath of black flames, until the door was gone, like it was never there at all.

What happened…? whispered Shining Armor.

I happened! thundered a voice behind them.

They looked ahead, and almost at once torches of purplish-green flames ignited along the walls, revealing in their grim light, a ruby red carpet leading towards a raised platform with stairs. Atop it was a throne of dark crystal. Astride this throne was a stallion even bigger than Shining Armor, his coat gray like the ashes of a pony cremated, clad in cold metal armor, a cape fit for a king covering his back, his swept-back mane black like a void, his eyes burning red with rage tempered only by a chilly satisfaction evident by the wicked sneer stretching across his face, revealing a pair of fangs. His horn was unusually smooth and seemed to curve a little backwards with the tip reddened, joined alongside the spiked protrusions of his steel crown.

King Sombra…! whispered Midnight in horror.

At long last my guests have arrived, Sombra spoke in a dark voice that oozed with wicked intent.

Please come in. We mustn’t lurk in doorways, gentlecolts – It’s unbecoming…

How can you still be here? Cadance destroyed you! Shining Armor exclaimed.

Your insipid sorceress destroyed my body, Captain, corrected he black unicorn, with mocking spite of Shining Armor’s rank.

My spirit however is made of stronger stuff, so to speak. I have bided my time, recollected my strength, but everything you’ve seen thus far has been but a prelude of what is to come.

Where is the Crystal Heart! demanded Midnight but a slight shake in his voice betrayed his shaken confidence despite his attempt at composure.

Ah, Midnight Blaze, Captain of the Knights of Adventure, Sombra praised although his tone was clearly sarcastic.

I am so pleased to finally make your acquaintance.

It took everything in him to maintain his cool as Midnight asked the thousand-bit question.

You lured me here… You were the voice that told me to come to the Crystal Empire, you tried to get me before I made it into the Empire, which is protected by Pollo’s conjured sunlight, you left that crystal shard in Evening Star’s coffin, which means you knew I would figure out Rubenstein’s trail, and you kidnapped Shining Armor to give me more reason to find you. There’s just one thing about that I want to know, Sombra. Why?

As your Royal Guard friend here so fervently reminded us, Midnight Blaze, Sombra answered with a hungry look in his eyes as they fixated on the blue unicorn.

My body – My physical body – was destroyed... and while my powers seem potent now, I require a more…personal presence to utilize the full of my potential. In other words, I’m in the market for a new skin…

Horrific realization fell upon Midnight like ice-water as whatever bravado he’d been clinging to suddenly washed away, and he felt frozen in mind and body.

Rearing, Shining Armor charged a spell, shouting, You’re not getting him!

Sombra smirked as a red spark danced off his horn, and Shining Armor felt the magic he’d charged instantly dispel, and he was thrown back by a dark pulse of power, held against the cold stone wall, well off the floor.

Shining Armor! yelled Midnight, the sight of his friend being so easily overpowered thawing the cold that had held him in place.

But the cold returned when Midnight saw, in horror, a dull crystal substance spreading over Shining Armor, as the white unicorn struggled to free himself, unable to charge his magic.

Chuckling darkly, Sombra sneered, Princess Cadance shattered my body… See how she feels when she learns I shattered her precious hubby!

Wait!

Sombra stopped the crystal as he looked to Midnight… who was bowing to the dark king.

King Sombra… I beg you, return Shining Armor, alive and unharmed, to the Empire… and I’m yours.

Midnight, no! Don’t you dare! Shining Armor shouted.

Really? Sombra chuckled, but not sounding surprised. You swear, in the name of your teacher and as a Knight of Canterlot, you make this offer of your own free will?

Midnight, I’m not worth it! pleaded Shining Armor. You know what he’ll do once he has what he wants!

Unable to face him, Midnight ignored Shining Armor’s pleas as he stepped forward, and stated, I swear…

Never had Shining Armor ever heard a voice that sounded so defeated.

…Done, Sombra agreed, his eyes flaming with triumph. He looked at Shining Armor, who struggled to free himself, cast a spell, anything to stop the black unicorn.

You services are no longer required.

Midnight! Shining Armor screamed as a shadowy aura surrounded him.

He watched as Midnight finally turned around, smiling sadly with a tear going down his face.

So long… best friend…

Nooo…!!! Shining Armor shouted as he vanished.

Midnight felt it in his heart that Shining Armor, his friend since foalhood, as true as a brother, was safe. But the presence behind him, so vile with depravity it made him sick to his stomach as it breathed a cold breath on his shoulders, told him he was not.

Don’t be sad, my prodigal son returned… You are about to become the face of Equestria’s new Monarch…

And the following sound of Midnight’s agonized screams was truly music to the ears belonging to the Tyrant King of the Crystal Empire.