The Growth of a Dark Crystal
Solitude: the one thing I hadn’t prepared myself for when I had been locked away about month ago. Looking around for the umpteenth time, I glared at the empty walls encircling me, tinted a light blue by the layer of ice that covered what little there was of my prison, gleaming a bit as though daring me to try to break out. There was one bit of satisfaction to be had for me however. Crossing my eyes, I looked up at my horn, which had grown curved and sharp over the last year of my rule, dyed crimson by the evil that now pervaded the whole of my magic.
Sighing, I set to work on my plan to escape. The magic that had sealed me here also prevented me from performing magic that took more effort than basic levitation. Thankfully though, my affinity with crystals made it much easier to create and grow them, even in places where they shouldn’t be. My horn ignited as I created the biggest crystal I could manage with my restriction, which turned out to be just as big as a walnut. Coloured black like my magic, it was a bleak reminder of my defeat at the horns of the Royal sisters not so long ago. Shaking my head, I readied myself for the next step. Tilting my head toward the dark crystal, I directed my magic to make it grow, slowly shaping it to suit my needs. When it was grown, it would reach the walls of my icy jail, continuing to grow outward until the prison broke, letting me loose once again to rule my empire.
I gave the crystal a glare; it was barely moving despite the magic I was feeding it. Growling my frustration, I kept up the stream of magic necessary for it to grow. At this rate, it would be a millennium before it would be grown enough for my purposes. Folding my legs under myself, I schooled myself into quiet patience. It seemed as though the prison would work in my favor in one aspect: the chill would preserve my body from age, keeping me sustained for however long I was to be trapped here, or until my plan would be complete.
Closing my eyes, I thought back to the past, back to when it all started…
* * * * *
“Why can’t they just leave me alone,” I wondered aloud as I walked away from school and the 3 fillies inside who made it a hobby to make me feel miserable about my markless flank. My hooves moved with a mind of their own, leaving my mind to remember all the terrible things they'd said, as well as all the ponies who had stood by and watched. Eventually my hooves led me to an out of the way lake I often found myself visiting whenever I was feeling bad.
Gazing out at the crystalline waters for a moment, I felt something in me stir, gathering my frustration and forcing it into my horn, even as my magic weaved it into a spell, the likes of which I had never seen. All at once I felt the magic complete itself, my horn casting the spell upon the earth before me. Feeling a bit drained, I sat and watched in muted fascination as the ground in front of me bubble up before a violet crystal pushed up from the ground.
Fascination gave way to joy as I realized that it was my magic that had grown the gem. Jumping to my feet, my excitement overrode any weariness I previously felt, driving me to bounce around the newly grown crystal in joy. My celebration lasted for only a moment before I stopped to check my flank for a mark. Almost as though waiting for my gaze, the fur covering my flank glowed brightly for a moment before fading to show my new cutie mark: a black crystal shaped beautifully into a multifaceted heart which, oddly enough, seemed to glimmer with an inner light.
I leapt once more for joy before I uprooted the crystal, intent on taking it home and showing my parents. My family celebrated that night, my older brother so happy for me that he refrained from his usual antics, opting instead to muss my mane up at every opportunity. The day ending on a high note, I found my energy from earlier was leaving me, an excited afterglow taking it’s place in me. With little else to do, I found my bed, anticipating the reactions of my classmates to my cutie mark.
The next day found me at school. My classmates, though glad for my newfound talent, largely now ignored me. Even the fillies now limited themselves to looks of disdain.
* * * * *
Gritting my teeth, I repressed the memory. That one was too early for me to use against the Royal Sisters. I needed a memory closer to when I met Celestia. Calming my agitated mind, I drew in a breath and cast my mind back once again…
* * * * *
I shifted my legs a bit as I tried to wait patiently. I had been standing in line to meet Princess Celestia, as per the letter that had been sent to me by her scribe instructed. Contrary to how I felt, I wasn't in any trouble, but that brought no peace to the anxiety building in my chest. My heart nearly leapt from my mouth as I heard my name called by the guard, who gestured for me to enter. My nerves fairly roared at me as I passed into the throne room, stopping a few steps in to bow to Celestia.
"Rise, my little pony," she said, her small smile doing wonders to calm me down. Standing up, I composed myself as best I could before the Solar Princess. “You are Crystallinum Sombra, are you not?” she asked. Nodding in affirmative, she followed up, “Can you guess why you have been called here?”
“No, your majesty, I’m afraid I can’t,” I tell her, anxiety rising in me once again.
“Then I’ll get to the point,” Celestia said, maintaining her serene smile. “Your talent, similar to your family’s talents, lies with rock growth, correct?”
Biting back a retort that I knew I would regret, I instead answered, “More along the lines of crystals, and not quite limited to their growth either, your majesty.” seeing her nod in understanding, I continued, “Is my talent the reason you called me here today Princess?”
“It is,” she replied. “t’s come to our attention that there are resources in the northern tundra that aren’t available in the surrounding forest. The ice there would prevent us from making stone structures as shelter…” she trailed off.
“But you think that buildings made of crystal would be better?” I finish.
“Indeed. There is also the abundance of crystals there, showing that they do form in cold climates.” Celestia’s face faded to a more regal expression. “Sombra, will you go north with my ponies, making shelter for them as you go?”
“Princess, I’d make them an empire if you asked,” I reply, excited to use my talent for the princess. I brought out one of the crystals I was carrying, focusing my magic to guide it into the form I envisioned. I held the result out to Celestia: a multifaceted heart, shining clearly with rainbow hues glowing throughout it. “I swear on this heart, it shall be done.”
* * * * *
I reflexively smiled at the memory, recalling how pleasant it had been to be in Celestia’s presence. My smile faded as my mind recalled just what had happened to change that. These memories felt different from the others, as though I was becoming just a puppet going through the motions somepony else dictated…
* * * * *
It had been two years since the empire had finished forming, another year since Celestia had crowned me as king of the new land. As the inexperienced ruler of a new land, I had felt a nervous anticipation not unlike the anxiety I’d experienced before my first meeting with Celestia those long months ago. Standing on a balcony overlooking the empire, I looked out with pride at the kingdom I had built, gleaming brightly like a beacon through the snowstorms of the north. I smiled as I looked at the artifact that made it possible to live here, an artifact I myself had created: the crystal heart, an object that, when filled with hope and love, activated a powerful shield magic able to not only protect from inclimate weather, but also from any of the malevolent creatures found in the north. My smile dimmed as I recalled that, for some reason nopony could understand, I was unable to contribute to activating the heart.
I turn and walk back into the castle, trying to tune out the whispers sounding throughout the corridors, telling each other how incompetent I was as a ruler. As I made my way to my room the whispers became quieter, disappearing entirely when I shut the door. I slump wearily, letting my haunches fall to the ground as my mind goes back to the whispers.
Surely I was not as bad as everypony was saying I was. True, I’ve made my share of mistakes and didn’t quite have the regal bearing of a true noblepony, but I was only a unicorn, and if they wanted perfection, then too bad. I smirked, wisps of shadow starting to leak from my green-hued eyes. If they wanted a true king, then I would show them what it meant to be under a true ruler of such an empire as mine.
* * * * *
I groaned as my mind returned to the present. I growled angrily as I recalled those who had spoken ill of me, feeling their disdain with every word that passed their mouths. Getting up, I stretched and turned my attention to the crystal I had been magically feeding while I reminisced. It had rooted itself to the floor of my gleaming cell, and while it was indeed noticeably taller, it was still a far cry from what my escape would require. With a weary sigh, I settled back down on the ground, resolving to be patient. Closing my eyes, I once again cast my mind back to the past, this time determined to look through and learn from my entire past, knowing that doing so would also serve to pass the time until my crystal was ready. I relaxed, mentally bracing myself for the long wait to come…
* * * * *
Opening my eyes for the first time in countless decades, the first thing I saw before me was the crystal I had been feeding this whole time, carefully shaping it until it had branched out from the very center of the room to each of the walls surrounding me, taking root on the floor and ceiling as well as the walls. Taking a closer look, I noticed that though it wasn’t very pronounced, the colour of the crystal had changed, lightening a bit and giving a barely noticeable shine.
Dismissing this change as insignificant, I guided my senses through the grown structure, judging it’s strength and stability in comparison to what my plan required. Smiling in satisfaction, I withdrew my mind from the crystal and went about preparing for my escape. Trotting around the edges of my cell, I worked the muscles that had gone unused for so long.
As I exercised, I could faintly hear whispers from all around me, mutterings of dark deeds to be done. I frowned, remembering only now that they were familiar to me. I felt a jolt of recognition: I had heard the same voices when I first came to the north, muttering of discontent and betrayal to come. Even as I remembered this I felt my body seized in an icy grip, the voices surrounding me grow in volume as they seemed to slither into my mind and take control of me. Now a prisoner in my own head, I recognized the feeling that had driven me toward the darkness. With this feeling came a single name: Windigo, the spirit of ill will and discontent.
As the creature accustomed, I felt the chill in my mind slowly yet surely lull me toward oblivion. Still able to see what was going on, I found myself unable to work up the strength of will to act against the force controlling my body. A prisoner in my own body, I watched as I wielded my magic, forcing the crystal to push against and break the walls of my prison. I felt the magic that once held me break, both releasing me and the Crystal Empire back into the world. The spirit was still becoming accustomed to my body though, leaving enough time for the empire to become defended by a new alicorn. Time soon began to lose meaning to me, lost in the snows of the north.
Something jolted my mind to awareness: a white unicorn stallion, escorting a few other ponies, was being chased by the possessive spirit within me. I roused myself to action, wrestling a small measure of control from the windigo as the stallion attacked my body, now in shadow form. I pulled most of my power away from being used by the creature, severely limiting the danger to the unicorn. He managed to escape, but at the price of his magic being sealed. The specter, enraged at its loss, sealed me deeper in my mind, locking my into unconsciousness as it maintained control. The next thing I knew, the specter had made it past the shield, pushing my body to recapture the crystal heart. Rallying myself for one final stand, I pulled every bit of magic I could from the specter, forcing it to personally catch the heart.
It failed though, the Crystal Princess retrieving it and using the love within it to destroy my body and it’s hijacker. The last thing I felt was a warm tingle flowing over my spirit.
* * * * *
As I drifted through the void beyond life, I had a feeling vaguely reminiscent of my life at home, something I had always felt after a good day of hard work: contentment. Smiling faintly, I closed my eyes and prepared for whatever might happen next.
As I continued to float through space, I began to lose track of time. I had thought that something would happen, yet still I waited. I bit back a sigh of resignation as I came to terms with the fact that, in all likelihood, I would remain adrift for decades, if not centuries, before anything of interest happened. Looking back at the way I had interfered with the evil in me, I came to the realization that even if I had known that I would die for stopping myself, I would still have done as I did. To do otherwise would have tormented me for the rest of my days.
I opened my eyes; there wasn’t a distinguishable difference from when they were closed. I was about to close them again before I noticed that the space in front of me gently glowing. I turned my attention to it even as the indistinct glow gradually sharpened into a window, the bright scene beyond bringing another smile to my face: there, laying in a birthing bed, was the young alicorn who had protected the empire. She was obviously pregnant and, if her pained growls sounding beyond the window were any indication, going into labor. I let myself feel joy, to know that the one who the people of the empire loved was bringing life to a place where I had caused despair. Before I realized it, I was crying, the tears trailing gently down my cheeks before drifting into the inky space around me.
Blinking away the tears, I looked in once again to see Shining Armor, the stallion who had confronted me, beside her bed, speaking in a reassuring voice as his wife’s contractions quickened. All at once I felt a sensation tugging at me, trying to pull me into the window. The feeling grew until I found my spirit pulled through the window, guiding me towards the crystal princess’ pregnant stomach.
Unable to resist, I instead focused on the increasing sensation of new life I found myself rapidly approaching. Coming to a realization, I smiled and readied myself for what I now knew would happen.
Cadance let out a feral scream as her biggest contraction hit, the unicorn doctor positioned to catch the foal before it fall. A second later, a foal’s crying could be heard as the doctor levitated a nearby towel around the newborn and handed it to Cadance. “Congratulations,” he said warmly, “it’s a girl.” The princess smiled as she took her child in her forehooves, pulling her close while her husband moved closer to her, looking warmly on the foal he would raise in the years to come.
“What will we name her?” he whispered into his wife’s ear.
Closing her eyes for a moment, she smiled at her husband briefly before turning back to her newborn. “Skyla,” she replied. turning again to Shining Armor, she didn’t see the foal’s brief look of surprise, neither did she see her flank, concealed as it was by the towel. If anypony had taken the time to look however, they would have seen the image of a faceted heart, colored onyx like the crystals which had plagued their empire not so long ago. The image sat proudly upon the newly-named Skyla’s flank for a moment before fading away, leaving the foal with vague memories of a life left behind. As the new parents nuzzled their child, an unspoken resolve made itself known briefly in the young foal before it too faded from memory: the resolve to make amends with the second chance that was given to it.
Author's Note
So here's my submission for the EFNW Writing Contest. Here's hoping they like it.
I originally wanted to go into a bit more detail, but due to the limit (1,000-3,000 word limit) I had to be a bit brief. If enough people want though, I'll try going back and writing it as I wanted to.
Usual stuff applies: like if you want, but if you dislike it please tell me why.
