The Rise of Shadows (EFNW 2014 Writing Contest)
Rise of Shadows
In the beginning, there were three ponies. One of white, with multi-colored mane and tail. One of blue as dark as the night; with a mane and tail that shimmered with the stars of the night sky itself. Last, but not the least in the slightest, one of dark grey with a mane the color of a shadow.
The white mare was known as Celestia.
The blue mare was known as Luna.
The grey steed known as Sombra.
Growing up together, Celestia didn’t spend very much time with her sister Luna and would often boss her around. Celestia preferred to play in the day time, conversing often with the sun. With her big sister Celestia pushing her further away, Luna grew fonder of the night and conversed with the moon.
One day Celestia was given magical powers and crowned as the keeper of the sun. That same day, Luna was crowned as the mare of the night, and given the duty to bring the moon out at dusk. All the ponies in Ponyville were able to get a goodnights rest, to be woken up in the morning with the sunrise that Celestia would bring. The two sisters were now known as Princess Celestia, and Princess Luna. From the power of the magic bestowed upon them, their bodies were transformed into that of Alicorns, the same race as the ones who created them.
Sombra however, was given no title.
There came a time when these powerful Alicorns were sent down to Equestria to fully carry out their duties as keeper of the sun and moon. Sombra was sent below with them. Sombra’s only company was his sister Luna. Together they would play in the night, and sleep by the day. Eventually Princess Luna became jealous of her sister Celestia, because all the ponies of Ponyville would play by day and sleep by night. During that whole time Sombra had been thriving in the shadows deep in the Everfree forest and messing with dark magic.
One night he came to Luna with answers to her burning questions of how she could be a part of the ponies lives during the day.
“My sister. Come with me to the depths of the Everfree forest. I have many things to show you, and an answer for power.”
Sombra stood before Luna wearing armor as silver as the stars. His eyes glowed green. There was something new about him, something that stood out prominently. Sombra now bore a dark red horn.
“Sombra!” Luna gasped, “You have a horn… But it’s not… Natural! What’s happened to you, brother?! What have you done?”
Sombra grins in reply. “As I said Luna, I have found a power. Something so dark and so strong, the daylight won't be able to withstand any measure of it. Follow me.”
Sombra starts to leave the clearing in the Everfree Forest and heads toward the part with the thickest, tallest trees. Luna starts after him.
“Are you sure about this? I don’t know if this is what I truly want. Look at yourself Sombra. Your horn glows with evil. How can this be the right way? I want to be loved by the ponies as much as you do… But we are of a different breed. We can’t simply just win them over and destroy our own blood to become of the day…”
Sombra stops at the edge of a cliff, staring into absolute nothingness. A fog so thick and so dark smothered everything in sight. It was almost painful to gaze into. The shadows seemed to engulf all light.
“My sister, this is the only way. The only way we shall be known for what we deserve to be. Celestia has reigned long enough. It is our time to dwell in the sun, and we shall do it by harnessing the power of these shadows. I’m not sure what it is that lies before us, but it was powerful enough to change me into this state. It must be of the same magic that was bestowed upon you and Celestia if it is able to change me into a unicorn. What harm could possibly come of that? Our creators made this entire world, and placed this magic here at the edge of the forest, allowing me to become something they couldn’t make me themselves. It is simply a magic booster, nothing more. No evil. Now sister, walk straight forward into the darkness and soon we will be wading in the light. All the ponies of Equestria, playing in the sun that we shall cause to rise together!”
Luna stares into Sombra’s eyes. Is this really the right way? She thought. I should just trust in my brother. Closing her eyes, she takes a breath, and steps into the dark.
Whispers fill Luna’s ears. “Heart...The chosen one…”The wind pulls at her mane and tail, taking them every which way. “She has more power than him…” She opens her eyes, glowing green and speaks in a dark voice
“An Alicorn we shall be!”
“Ughhh!” Sombra roars out in pain. Shadows are spilling out of Sombra’s eyes and muzzle, flowing into Luna’s horn. Sombra grows weaker, falling to his knees. “Sister… My Luna…” Sombra passes out.
Luna rises into the night sky, her wings open wide. “I am Nightmare Moon!”
Luna, now taken over by the same dark shadows as Sombra, has become Nightmare Moon. Nightmare Moon soars with shadows traveling behind her to Celestia’s castle in Canterlot. There she confronts her sister, only to be banished to the moon and night itself by Celestia’s overwhelming power of the light. Sombra is left weakened and devastated at what has become of his sister. Part of the dark magic that Sombra carried in his heart was taken from him and put into Luna to transform her into Nightmare Moon. The shadow matter knew that because it had grown close to Sombra’s heart, Luna’s body would be more accepting of the transformation because Sombra is her brother and she trusts him. When Sombra wakes up, he travels to Canterlot and begs of Celestia to set Luna free, and tries to tell her that he realizes what he has done to his sister. The shadows have lessened their control over Sombra, allowing his true heart to come through, though the shadows and dark magic still remain within him. Because of this Celestia doesn’t want to banish him, but she gives him the title of King Sombra and sends him to the Crystal Empire to rule over the ponies that live there, in hopes that the Crystal Empire will be far enough away from Ponyville and whatever dark shadows that lie in the Everfree Forest.
Celestia takes charge of not only bringing out the sun, but bringing out the moon in the night, seeing her sister’s face in the moon every time. Only it’s not her sister’s face anymore. It’s something of the shadows that only resembles what her little sister once was.
Thousands of years pass and Nightmare Moon comes back to life through the power of the shadows. Secretly, all this time King Sombra has been meddling with the dark shadows near the Everfree Forest. Celestia is unaware of King Sombra’s relapse to the dark magic at the time, and her newest student, Twilight Sparkle and her friends manage to bring Luna back to her original state, only not entirely. Once a Unicorn or Alicorn, especially an Alicorn with that much magical power; learns dark magic, it never fully leaves their heart. Celestia gains news that King Sombra is back to his old way and goes to the Crystal Empire straight away with Luna and they destroy him into a thousand glittering pieces. His horn still remains. Luna watches it fall from his body, but Celestia does not see it.
There came a time when the darkness rose from beyond the Everfree forest and started to spread across Equestria. When the dark shadows ascended upon Ponyville, their intention was to find Luna and possess her again with dark magic and transform her into Nightmare Moon, or find Sombra and whatever dark magic still remained within his heart. Then they could shroud all of Equestria in eternal darkness. As the shadows grew closer to Ponyville, Princess Celestia had no idea how she was going to stop this from happening. She knew she couldn’t call upon Twilight and her friends, because even though Twilight’s power connected to the Elements of Harmony was the most powerful weapon in all of Equestria, it was no match for the strength of what the dark held. The only thing powerful enough to take out the shadows was dark magic itself. Therefore when Luna came to Celestia saying she had a way to stop the shadows, Celestia didn’t question her for a second. Whatever Luna had was her last hope, and she would have to fully believe in her sister to not only save Ponyville, but all of Equestria.
Never Forgotten
The sound of hooves crunching in the soft snow can be heard. With only the light of her horn shinning low, Princess Luna makes her way to the spot where it happened... The spot where she performed the magic herself... The magic that banished an old friend.
“I have to make this right”, she whispers. Closing her eyes she focuses on that dark red. The dark red of Sombra's horn. Luna hears a faint whisper in the wind.
“Come to me, brother” she says quietly. From buried deep beneath a patch of snow, not far from where Luna's hooves are planted; an object slowly starts to glow red. Luna opens her now green eyes and focuses the magic from her horn. Slowly the glowing intensifies. Luna's horn is ringing with a dark cloud of power. The snow begins to melt as Sombra's horn rises up from the slush. Luna tucks the horn into her saddlebag and gallops off into the night. “Soon my brother, I will correct this mistake”.
The Medicine Zebra
The air gets thicker and smells of muck. There is a small hut in sight with colored smoke rising through the roof. Luna walks up to the open door.
“Come in o’ Queen of the Night. There is no need to linger in fright”
Luna gracefully walks in, her mane and tail billowing around her.
“I do not fear you. I-”
Zecora cuts her off .
“Your energy trembles, shakes and quakes. What is it that brings this change in your face? It is as if you have made a terrible mistake. Luna, tell me what makes your heart ache”.
Luna closes her eyes taking a deep breath and then letting out a sigh. “I need to know how to bring my brother back.”
Zecora walks over to her cauldron, taking some bottles off the shelf on her wall, and pouring them into the already neon green brew. Zecora stirs the concoction, the liquid turning a deep red. She breathes in the fumes that arise from the potion.
“Sometimes to get close to someones heart, you must ruin your own first, or at least make yours an equal part”.
Luna thanks Zecora, leaving her hut. She travels to a clearing in the Everfree Forest that her and her brother used to play in when they were younger. Using a spark of the dark magic that still remains in her heart, Luna activates the dark magic in King Sombra’s horn long enough so that she can resurrect Sombra by giving him some of her own dark magic power.
Luna stood before the doors to her sister’s throne as the final hope for Ponyville. The guards greeted her with a slight nod, opening the door. Princess Celestia sat majestically, her head held high. She looked as if she had not had a moment of rest in many a moon. Her mane and tail did not shine as bright as it once did, and her eyes read curious and hopeful to what her sister had to say.
“Celestia” Luna breathed.
“My sister” She replies standing up weakly. “I know not what to do of this darkness Luna. The dark magic I still know how to perform is not strong enough to stop the shadows. The little bit that I have taught Twilight is not either and she is in no shape to try and perform something that dark. I have been trying and trying the same spells over and over in hopes to strengthen my dark magic, but to no avail. I am too much a part of the sun, and my magic reflects the light of which the sun possesses” Celestia pauses smiling. “I have never been one to favor the night and the power that it holds, have I?”
Luna smirks and lets out a chuckle, then regaining composure. She takes a deep breath before giving Celestia the news.
“Sister. I have the power to stop this.” Luna pauses.
Celestia’s face turns grave, her mouth tightening.
“Luna, you kn-“ she begins but Luna cuts her off with a bold voice.
“I must have your word. I must know that no matter what I have to do to save us that you will not try and stop me’’
“It’s too much of a risk!” Celestia yells threateningly. “You know I would not be able to save you. If you return to that state as equal to the dark magic that dwells in the shadows, and you are overwhelmed by the power, there is nothing that I can do. Not even with the help of Twilight using the Elements of Harmony”.
“It’s a risk that will have to be taken. There’s no other choice”. Sighing Luna prepares herself for what Celestia will say after this, “Besides. It won’t be me sister. Do you forget that I am not the only one who can harness the power of the shadows?”
Celestia’s eyes grow wide as the doors to her throne room open again.
Standing at the end of her hallway is none other than King Sombra.
Luna, Celestia and Sombra debate on what must be done to stop the shadows from reaching Ponyville. Celestia agrees to Luna’s plan to have Sombra stop the shadows, by using his dark magic. The plan will turn fatal if Sombra can’t control the dark magic. In order for Sombra to cast dark magic he will have to open up the dark part of his heart for the magic to be powerful enough to fight the shadows. Luna agrees to go with him and use the light magic within her heart to help him.
“Sombra, you must let them go. You must take the dark magic they have given you and use it against them and return them to the edge of the forest they came from.” Luna says to Sombra on their way to the shadows.
“You realize that the reason these shadow creatures have come to Ponyville is to find me, don’t you Luna? You and your sister allowed me take care of the Crystal Empire, but I just couldn’t stay away from my old ways could I? Then you and Celestia banished me into a thousand pieces, sending me back to the shadows. Now you have resurrected me with the same dark magic of the shadows that still lingers in your own heart. They have come for me Luna. They want me to return. How do you suggest I go about banishing them to the edge of the forest forever, especially if I am the vessel to carry them into the light that they claim I am to be?” Sombra replies.
Luna looks at Sombra.
“Trick them brother. That is the only way. Go to them, make them think you are still of their kind and then use their power against them to banish them to the edge of the forest. Or destroy them completely. I don’t know how much of your own power can do that but, I will be right here beside you. I will help you if you start to go astray.”
Together they reach the shadows at the edge of the Everfree Forest. As Sombra approaches, whispers fill the air. Shadows spill out from between the trees, like arms reaching for Sombra’s heart.
“You can do it brother.” Luna utters from behind him.
Sombra closes his eyes.
“The lesser one” The shadows whisper as they get nearer.
Memories appear in Sombra’s mind. It’s a vision of when him and Luna were younger, playing in the Everfree Forest. He had gotten lost and was calling out to Luna for help.
“I’m right here” Luna says behind him, just as the younger Luna in his memory coos the same words.
Sombra opens his eyes glowing green, full of dark magic. He rears up on his hind legs, smoke coming from his nostrils.
“He walks in the light!” The shadows let out a piercing wail.
Aiming his horn directly at the center of the shadows he lets his power unleash, Luna at his side.
All around them shadows scream, shattering into dust.
Sombra begins to laugh, now standing on all four hooves.
Luna places her head over his shoulders, giving him a hug.
“Come on brother. It’s finally time to play in the light together” Luna says smiling.
Together they travel back to Canterlot; where all the ponies are awaiting the warriors in celebration.
With the shadows destroyed, brother and sisters united, and Ponyville lit up by Celestia’s morning sun, all the ponies lived happily ever after; knowing that they are safe under King Sombra’s watchful eye at the edge of the Everfree Forest.
here
Author's Note
For the Everfree Northwest 2014 Contest