King Nothing

  All things die. All things succumb to the void. Except for his father.

  As the first born of The Beast's sickness Uthra felt his father's power to break the cycle's limits. Uthra started life with The Giver as a weak and pathetic fish, but his father made him powerful. How odd it was on the day of battle to side with The Beast instead of the one who granted him life. Uthra pondered these simple things of his extremely long life.

  He remembered his mother's look of shock at his rebirth, how she regarded him with disgust and revolt. How dare she mock his appearance, how could she turn him away?

  "Moloch! Open the portal!" Uthra growled as he approached two creatures who were reborn. "My father has ordered to begin our return."

  "Why? The world will still be there tomorrow." Moloch grumbled.

  Uthra, who in his long life had listened to many virtues of time and patience, slammed his hardened fore arms into the fat sack of flesh in rage.

  "Because it is what is expected from us! I thought you knew better than to question my father." Uthra snarled as his arm began to draw blood. "You are lazy, gelatinous, and unfit to even be apart of my father's grand scheme! Give me one reason not to flay you here and now."

  "Cause... I know... how to successfully... open... the portal." Moloch gasped as his throat was being crushed by the first born.

  "Good, you know your place then." Uthra's face split in two for the briefest second before reforming into a wide smile. "Now earn your keep."

  Uthra dropped the overweight mass to the floor, watching as the portal slowly opened before his nine eyes.

  #######

   Sombra sat with Luna through the night playing whatever games she decided upon. Very few times did Luna suggest to prank Celestia, all of which Sombra declined immediately. He never wanted to deal with her angry.

  "Well Tia will be up in a few minutes shall we meet her in the dinning hall?"

  "I agree, plus I am feeling famished. Two birds one stone I suppose."

  "Don't allow Fluttershy hear you say that, she might faint." Luna giggled at the image of the kindest soul passing out at a saying. Sombra didn't need much time to figure that one out on his own, making a mental note as well. They walked mostly in silence expect for the nostalgia of the distant past, like when Luna threatened to throw Sombra into the dungeons for even speaking with Celestia. They shared laughs knowing that many more hilarious moments would soon become a fact of life.

  The doors opened with the vast table in full view, each seat with it's owner upon them. Blueblood, Cadence, Shining Armor, and Celestia all turned to the door at the pair as they made their way towards the rest of the "family".

  If not for Celestia Sombra would felt completely out of place, but her smile was one that always welcomed him. Not so much for the rest of the group.

  "Well I see we were the ones late Luna." Sombra tried to ease the awkward tension, only to be rewarded with more.

  "That would appear to be so."

  "Sombra come and sit with me, I have wonderful news." Celestia beckoned the once madman to the chair beside her. As he sat, Celestia pulled him closer with a good morning kiss. "I spoke with the planner just before you arrived and she wants to hold the wedding in the Crystal Empire. Cadence and I agreed it would do you some good for their populace to see you for who you really are."

  "Now wait, wouldn't that be a horrible idea seeing the ex tyrant?"

  "Well it would be if you were that monster, but not as you really are my sweet prince." Her smile shattered any resolve he could have in that very moment. "Cadence has already spoken to her subjects about how you changed, they are curious about you."

  Sombra turned to the princess of love with a glare.

  "Then why did you spend four hours shouting at me?!" He chided.

  "I had to be sure you weren't all dark and evil, oh and I brought your journals back from the empire. I may have read them before bringing them... sorry." Her trailing voice could be mistaken for a small whisper.

  "Well they belong with Celestia now, I believe she could learn more from them than myself." Sombra smiled to his one time foe with a slight chuckle. "She deserves to know what happened to me."

  Uthra began his quest in the griffon lands, with his shape easily noticeable flaw. He was twice their size. His father instructed Uthra to bring a false peace to the lands so once the fires of war came none would be prepared for it. The Beast was clever and cunning, aways thinking ahead. A trait passed to Uthra.

  Uthra was never instructed how to bring peace, only left with his own intellect to finish his mission. So with a clever plan in mind he began to speak in the town square.

  "Brothers and sisters, I've come from the farthest reaches of the world to tell you about the glory of my father. For he favors the griffons with love!" Uthra began spinning the web of deceit into their minds. A religious movement would be sure to have these fools fold into submission.

  "Why should we believe you?"

  "Because my father wants the griffons to reach the glorious rebirth! He is the lord of this world and he is generous to all who return his love! I am living proof of his love, I will demonstrate." Uthra smiled to the growing crowd, his attention fell upon the guards watching. "You there, stab me."

  The crowd and the said guard gasped as Uthra closed the distance, his gaze still soft and cunning. He reached the guard and impelled himself.

  Those who held their lunch down found themselves emptying their stomachs as Uthra pulled the weapon from his gullet to reveal a large gaping wound, his skin reforming together quickly.

  "My father has bestowed this gift upon me, for I know no pain or fear of harm! He has given me life anew, for I was weak. He made me strong." Uthra pulled the crowd in with his words. "You are all weak, but my father will make you powerful beyond your wildest dreams! He has seen your troubles and offers his hand in loving faith to uplift the griffons, he has sent me here for a reason. I only wish to introduce the girffon kingdoms to my father's love."

  "Wait he gave you the power to heal yourself and he wants to grant us this gift as well?! Why would he?!" A crowd member shouted.

  "Because he favors the griffons, in the days of old he could hear their praise of grand fortune. He watches us even now! His will alone has kept the griffon race safe from the horde of insects known as Changelings, for he too hates those that forsake his kindness." Uthra smiled inward as the crowd began to murmer amongst themselves.

  "How do we know you're telling the truth?"

  "Because I never have reason to lie, where does lying get you? My father does not tolerate liars in his keep." Uthra watched as the griffons began to slowly believe his web of deceit. Soon they would begin to build churches all devoted to The Beast.

  #######

  Celestia couldn't stop reading all that she missed of Sombra's life in the form of his journals, tears flowed freely as she felt her own heart break in his past suffering. The shade did this to him! Lied to him! Turned him into a tyrant of tragedy and fear, she cursed herself for allowing it to happen.

  "My love, please take a break. That all happened in the distant past and I'm not going anywhere soon, please sit with me." Sombra whispered silently to Celestia to calm her.

  "I'm so so sorry Sombra I never had any idea this would happen to you, I feel like I failed you..." The tears threatened to break free once again, her fears were thrown to the breeze as Sombra held her in a loving embrace.

  "It wasn't your fault... but my own."