Zecora's Ballad

by Strange Charm

Rating: everyone
Tags: King Sombra, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Other, Adventure
Length: 1190

Zecora tells a group of fillies about King Sombra's rise and fall. Yes- it's a poem!

Told in quatrains, this is a tale of Sombra's jealousy and hate, and how love will always win in the end.
Sombra is a powerful warrior in a warrior clan. But there is one pony he cannot defeat: his rival, Double-Edge. Sombra's hatred grows as time progresses, and Sombra will go to great lengths to ensure his rule.

Published 2013-12-04 03:50:03 UTC
Last updated 2013-12-04 03:50:03 UTC

The Ballad

Come here, little children, and let me see,
What story today is meant to be.
I think today Zecoura will tell,
Of a grand pony king and how he fell.

The evil king Sombra, as we know him today,
Was not always trapped in his evil ways.
He was once a part of great nobility,
And he had grand physical and mental ability.

He was a member of a warrior clan
That was renowned for power in all the land.
Sombra had risen through the ranks of this tribe,
For he was one of the most powerful alive.

But there was one that he could not best,
Whose name was Double-Edge the Blessed.
Edge was the greatest of Sombra's tribe,
He was strong, wise, and without pride.

But it burned Sombra up inside to see
Someone with power he could not be.
Although he tried his hardest for years,
Sombra could not believe his ears

When the dying leader chose his heir,
He tossed Sombra aside without a care,
And instead chose Double-Edge the Blessed
To lead the clan, and gave him the Crest.

And although he chose Sombra next,
To be the King's second-best.
Sombra's rage filled his soul,
Because he would not be in control.

Sombra, the new second-in-command,
Spent years brooding and perfecting his plan.
During this time his heart turned black,
His hate consumed him, he could not change back.

For his coup, he remembered a pony tale,
Of a dark magic that would not fail.
Sombra turned his hate deep inside,
Into the Alicorn Amulet before his eyes.

The Amulet gave him power, yes,
But it also shrank the heart in his chest,
It turned it blacker than before,
And the warmth inside it was no more.

No more was Sombra satisfied,
With merely ruling his great tribe.
He wanted vengeance on the King,
He wanted the Death bells to ring.

In the night, Sombra went inside
the palace, where Edge would die.
Sombra approached the good King's bed,
He knew the king would soon be dead.

Sombra raised his twisted knife high,
Before he struck, Edge's eyes were wide.
The King saw what Sombra would do,
Edge could not stop him, this he knew.

Instead, the King laid on a curse,
"I cannot think of a fate worse,
Than to live life as you have, without love,
This is a curse you cannot be rid of."

"You will live your life a hundred times,"
The King's horn began to shine,
"But never once will you have love,
This is the worst curse I can think of.

"And when those thousand years are done,
Your fate will come from my dear son,
His offspring will be your demise,
At last will be the end of your lies."

Sombra let out a mighty yell,
And before him, the dark blade fell.
Crimson blood stained the sheets,
The King and Death, at last, meet.

The boiling blood of murder rose,
And the howling wind of death blows,
As Sombra satisfies with blood,
The Blessed's family, now a red flood.

For Sombra feared the worst, you see,
That the King's curse would come to be.
So he killed every pony that was in sight.
Not one remained in the palace that night.

Sombra's victory sweet on his lips,
His vengeance satisfied. He slips
Into the King's chambers now,
To claim his new scepter and crown.

Sombra would surely be dismayed,
That not all in that night were slain.
A pregnant mare escaped that day,
She fled in horror, and got away.

The King's daughter-in-law now safe,
The King's curse to be kept awake.
You see, this mare was the Son's wife,
Double-Edge's family kept alive.

Through this mare's son the family stayed,
Despite Sombra's devouring blade.
Through him, the Double-Edge family,
Twilight Armor, its name now be.

Ignorant of the King's family,
Sombra ruled hatefully.
For love would always evade his grasp,
Rage sought more worlds to clasp.

He knew of a kingdom, not far away,
With crystal ponies that laugh and play.
He hated their joyous, cheerful ways,
So he conquered them and made them slaves.

He feasted on their Crystal Heart,
Covering their love with his black art.
Life was horrid in the crystal arch,
Until their saviors came: monarchs.

They were princesses from the south,
Come to deliver from Sombra's mouth.
They used their love to banish him,
Turned to a shadow on arctic wind.

His Alicorn Amulet stolen from him,
Flying away into the distance,
He could not best the two sisters,
Against love, his magic withered.

Again Sombra was not to rule,
He could see this, he was no fool,
But he took his new kingdom down
If the king falls, so will the town.

As Sombra was turned to shadow,
To be forever lost in dark sorrow,
So forgotten too would be his cursed slaves,
They would be lost in dark magic waves.

And so the Crystal kingdom lost,
Amidst the icy northern frost.
And so it was for a thousand years,
The ponies slumbered with their fears.

But Double-Edge's curse endured,
Just as promised, it was not cured.
Sombra lived out ten lifetimes,
Slowly paying for his crimes.

A thousand years of frozen pain,
Sombra's mind was barely sane.
All that remained in him was hate.
Although the hour was getting late,

And Sombra's time was very short,
There was happiness to thwart,
And Crystal Hearts to be devoured,
With punishment to be showered.

The Crystal Empire was awake,
The arousal sent a magic quake,
Icy prison shattered: Sombra was free.
He laughed as he foresaw his deed.

The dark shadow approached the light,
A thousand years gave Sombra might.
He charged his mighty self ahead,
But saw a thing that gave him dread.

The Crystal Empire was shielded, you see.
Royal couple defending their ponies.
Enraged, he could not believe the sight.
But the princess's magic was growing light.

Surely her shielding would soon fail,
Leaving Sombra to his prevail.
He watched and waited; the hour was soon.
Those Crystal ponies would see their doom.

The blue magic flickered, then faded away.
Surely the kingdom would die this way.
But alas, the husband's undying faith,
Gave the wife the strength to make

The shield return, but fleetingly.
Sombra planned his attack strategically.
But the couple, their salvation come at last,
The Crystal Heart returned, steadfast.

This saving Crystal Heart came back
As Sombra was charging his attack.
The love of the good crystal folk
The Heart amplifies, then revokes

Sombra's evil, charging straight ahead.
Into the wall of love he tread.
The crash was mighty, strong, and great,
But against love dost evil quake.

The shadow of Sombra was ripped apart
By the lovely light of the Crystal Heart.
The darkness cannot exist before the light,
At last, the end of Sombra's night.

And who should this great savior be,
The one who saved the Crystal ponies?
Shining Armor and wife with princess crest
The descendants of Double-Edge the blessed.

Despite Sombra's best efforts, the curse came true;
By the King's descendants was Sombra slew.