My dear friend,
I am a Pony stood upon the precipice of destruction. I am the provider of that which would bring us unto the peaks of ruination, and the solution to which may well tear me apart. I am a Pony with a terrible decision to make.
Like you, I was designated Head of Magistrate for my Empire – The Crystal Empire, whose monarch I have served with great loyalty – many years ago. Do you ever stop to think about what that entails? How much we are charged with? We are charged with the presidency over all that is Magic. We are the Ponies that reside o’er the governance of Magic and its uses, and the research of all Magical. As such, the securities of our Empires lie upon our haunches; the securities both with and against the Magical, from which come amongst our darkest threats.
Do you know what a Changeling is? Of it, there are many things to say, all of which are horrid; for a Changeling – curse its very being – is a horrid creature. It is a shape-shifter. It possesses the ability to take the form of any Pony it may please; indistinguishable from the true persona whom it may imitate. It does not eat. It does not drink. It feeds, and feeds upon that which drives every Pony within our glorious lands of Equestria. Its wretched existence is sustained in that it feeds upon Love. I could not tell you the manner by which it does so, but it does. From all that I have seen of its effects, it feeds upon our Love, leaving its victims hollow, as if their very Souls were torn from their being. ‘Tis a pitiable sight; and one which I hope never to see again. I’m sure, by now, you can comprehend the threat that these creatures pose, especially to my fellow citizens.
I stand in the servitude of the monarch of the Crystal Empire. Through the Grace of our Princess, and the symbol of our unity, the Crystal Heart, we spread Love throughout Equestria. I am blessed to have been born within the shining city from whence this Love is emanated, so it was nigh impossible for me to imagine another way of life besides that of Love. However, it is in that we are a powerful source of Love wherein lies what I fear to be the path to our destruction. We are the strongest providers of that upon which they feed. We are an open carcass, lying in a field of beasts.
I have seen them, in my time outside of our fair city. I have seen their Queen; spoken to her, and by some Graces escaped alive and whole. I have seen their numbers. I have seen their intent, and this I can say will full surety: they are coming.
So why, then – you must wonder – do we not simply arm ourselves; prepare for a war against an enemy that stands upon the precipice of our icy borders? Why has no Pony in Canterlot, or Gryphon in their Empires, heard more of this menace? You cannot imagine how much I have pleaded with our Princess and her Council; how much I have pressed for a preparation at our borders. They do not understand. They believe the Changeling an idle threat; of no significant danger to our might. They are under the impression that we are more than capable of defending against a foe like that which I have described. They cannot understand the dangers I have lain witness to. As I write these words, I wonder if they simply do not want to understand. After all, who among us would wish to dream of such darkness? No Pony wants to die, and no Pony would dare to dream of a titanic force, against which they are essentially helpless. It is just another storm in the twilight; nothing to fret over. I almost wish I were of the same mind, so that I might find comfort in their ignorance. However, it is that I am not.
The Crystal Empire stands upon the brink of destruction. I have seen what I must do to protect it; to protect all of Equestria. The path that I must take is a wretched one. It will tear me apart, and will cost me the Love of all that I hold dear, including my beloved Crystal Princess. It will be a painful path, not just for me, but for my fellow Ponies of the Crystal Empire; mares, stallions, fillies, and colts alike. However, I am secure in my belief that it will be our salvation.
I will starve the Changeling.
By the Graces of our Princess, the Crystal Heart, and the adoration of our citizens, we spread Love throughout Equestria. I will harness that power, alter it, and spread hatred and despair in its place. Though it may seem impossible, I have found ways by which to harness the hatred and despair that lies within our deepest recesses. I can reach into the darkness of the heart, and command these forces. They are wretched, but they are powerful. By temporarily eradicating Love from our lands, I can simultaneously eradicate Equestria of one among our greatest threats. It will require me to commit high treason against our monarch, and seize absolute control over this Empire and its power, but I believe it a necessary evil. After all is over and done with, every Pony will thank me for it.
Believe me, when I say that I do not choose this path lightly. I have sought after any alternative, and I am sure that there are none. The Crystal Princess and our Council have left me no other choice. They will be overthrown by my horn, and our will be driven to despair, but it is the only way I can combat our enemy. I can only hope that you can understand, and that every Pony can forgive me.
This will be my last letter to you. I go now to walk a darker path, and I fear that to further connect you to me, after my actions, may prove disastrous to your renown. I wish you all the best in your future endeavours, with good health in many days to come. Good-bye, Starswirl.
Your friend, always,
Sombra
P.S.: I had failed to mention something in the above text, for fear that by writing the words, it may come to pass. If it should become so, then I want you to know; I want some Pony to know. As you are aware, hatred and despair are corruptible forces. They turn hearts to dust, and minds to madness. I fear that, in embracing these wretched forces, I may succumb to their influence. By attaining so much power and wealth, I may enter a state of delusion, as so many rulers have before, wherein I abuse my authority for selfish gains. I hold a strong Love for the Ponies of my Empire, but a corrupted Sombra could turn his back upon them. I would be lying if I said that I haven’t had dreams of grandeur, in my youth, so it is not impossible that they may arise once again. If this should become so – if I should become a monster by embracing the monstrous – stop me. Stop me by any means necessary.
