Broken Reigns

CHAPTER 3: Four Horses'

They're late. He thought to himself, Or perhaps they are on time? Ugh, all this fate business regarding my premonition is going to give me an aneurism. For the last few minutes, Ambros had sat silently in front of the back window to the conference room, slowly watching as the Sun drifted further down out of the sky. If there is anything worse then watching paint dry, it must be watching the Sunset when there is work to be done. He huffed impatiently. No point dwelling on it, they will arrive when they do, and not a second sooner, after all I foresaw it....or did I? With the thoughts swirling around his head positively driving him mad, he turned from the window. His eyes rested on the small round table before him, made of crystal with four pillows positioned on each of it's sides, currently vacant of their respective heads of state. A little further beyond the table was the two tall double doors, the sole entrance into the meeting room.

Growing tired of taking in the scenery that he already had twelve times before, his eyes shifted to the right to find a tall mirror tucked away in the corner. He trotted slow and dignified towards it, once he stood squarely before it he began to take in his features. He flailed his wings, trying to make himself seem broader, and taller then he really was. His dark blue coat, was eerily reminiscent of the vast ocean he had seen only a few times in his life. His mane flowed in a dark purple untamed swirl behind him. He squinted and drew closer to the mirror, the light blue of his iris reflected only a few inches before his face. In all these years nothing has changed, even if I have. Well of course unless I count my transformation. Drawing back from the mirror he saw something that immediately caused alarmed. He swiveled his head around, only to find nothing, whatever dark figure he thought he had seen standing there was vacant. I could have sworn...no its just my overactive imagination.

After a few seconds he shrugged it off, and went to take a seat on the pillow farthest away from the door. When he had taken his seat his eyes fell upon the small black crystal he had retrieved from earlier. There it was just laying on his crystal table like it belonged, for the longest time he had forgotten about it all together. But just staring at it felt like a bucket of cold ice water being dumped into his veins. I'm not even sure I will need this wretched thing. It has been ages since I have needed to kill to protect Equestria. It was true the small crystal that lie before him, was the repository for all the bad memories he had of the past. He had created it for the sole purpose of disposing of memories that were to hard for even an immortal to deal with, mostly it had been created to deal with loss. Grieving had never been one of Ambros's strong points, so he often times chose instead to lock away the emotions in this crystal.

Ambros lifted his left hoof, and with a small flick the small crystal began to spin in circles. Hello again Ambros, have you missed me? Ambros froze, his hoof dangling an inch above the black crystal.

There's no way, I must be hearing things.

Oh but I assure you, your hearing is quite fine. His first instinct was to smash it, but quickly saner thoughts got the better of him.

I must be going insane if the crystal is talking to me. But the warming sensation, like a burst blood vessel in the back of his neck made him reconsider.

Are you so naïve, to think that putting all your fractured memories and sorrow into a vessel wouldn't breed consciousness? In all honesty, the thought had never occurred to him. Do you even yet realize why you brought me with you? The knots that were beginning to form in Ambros stomach told him he was about to find out. You made a grave mistake when you made me, without the light, darkness grows. And long have I lavished in your darkness.  For ages now I have never known form, only feeding off the meager scraps you have thrown to me when your precious conscious couldn't handle it. I kept my existence hidden from you, and now it has finally paid off. Our psychic link existed only within the dreamscape, and the premonition that I twisted lead you to me.

Ambros tried to move his gaze away, but he was transfixed on the crystal. The madness called to him, singing a melody of sweet sorrow. Suddenly what the crystal had said sunk in. You mean the premonitions I saw were just a fake? His question was greeted only with a blood curdling laughter.

But before his line of questioning could continue the double doors before Ambros swung open. Thank the stars, they're here. Laughing the three Alicorn princes made their entrance to the conference room.

"Your telling me Solar, that not only did you beat Sagitarius in a race, the undisputed "Prince of darkness" found himself hooves up in the dirt after you spun him out?" Tempest was clearly enjoying the exciting conclusion of whatever story they had just been swapping. Most likely a recanting of the events that lead two of three Alicorns' to be late. Ambros forgetting temporarily about the conversation in his head tried to greet his friends, but his words never escaped his mouth. Now realizing the gravity of his own situation, he tried in vain to blink his eyelids furiously, or even flail a hoof, all to no avail. It seemed for now, that Ambros was just a passenger in his own body.

Laughing Solar turned to the gray Alicorn Tempest to his right, "The best part was when Sagitarius, thinking he had all but won blurted out and I quote. Eat my dust Sun spot."

Sagitarius now scowling turned to Solar who was in the middle of them, "I would have won to, if you hadn't cheated by blinding me with that burst of sunlight before the finish line." The pitch black Alicorn who typically could have hidden a blush, all but seemed red as a tomato.

The first to acknowledge Ambros's presence was Tempest, "Hows it going old colt, what doom and gloom should we thank for this little gathering of misfits."

Ambros tried to respond but the words to leave his lips were not of his own making. "My fellow Alicorns', last night I was visited with a premonition. A fork in the road if you will." His captor waited for the three Alicorns to take their seats on the pillows he had arranged. Once their seats were occupied the presence controlling his words continued. "I was visited with four visions of the future.  The first foresaw of a new foe Tirek, in this future we decided to do nothing before his arrival. With that the consequence is that he stole not only our magic, but the magic of all of our subjects. In time all of Equestria perishes. The second is that we ride out to meet this new foe, but in our absence chaos arises. Bringing with it the awakening of Discord, and our return is only met with a swift defeat at the cloven hooves of our old adversary. The third is we decide to shield ourselves within the safety of the Crystal Empire, until Tirek grows tired of waiting and moves on. But the third is met with a great influx of refugees, and soon we find a great famine as the Crystal Empire's crops fail to satisfy the hunger of so many."

The presence controlling his mind now waited for at least one of the Alicorns' to respond. It wouldn't wait long, as Solar the white Alicorn, and most righteous of the three responded.

"Tell us Ambros, what of your forth vision? Is there any chance we can avert the crises' that lie ahead?" The presence within Ambros's mind twisted its tentacles deeper into him with anticipation, that's when Ambros first felt it. A maddening hunger pain not isolated to his stomach, but feeling as if the entirety of his body was slowly being eaten away by starvation. "The forth path is uncertain, but I believe the plan that we once abandoned to defeat Discord is our best chance for suvival."

This time it was the black Alicorn, Sagitarius to respond. "Forgive me if I'm mistaken Ambros, but it was you who dissuaded us from that course. Claiming that such madness would surely disrupt the balance of the world."

Ambros now more then before wanted to scream out to them, he knew where the conversation was heading now, and he wanted no more part in this game. But once again his voice was replaced with another's.

"I only chose another path for us because I saw a way out, but now without a doubt we must walk that edge to avoid the abyss."

Why are you doing this? If you really are apart of me, you know full well what that path will cause. The blackness of the voice in his head returned, before growling in response.

I am your sin Ambros, behold as all your schemes fall like a house of cards in my wake.

"My fellow Alicorns, let us perform the ritual to borrow the magic of the elements, both celestial, and terrestrial. Only with their power in our hooves can we defeat the powers of Discord, and this new challenger Tirek."

Ambros's head began to swivel out of his control to each of the Alicorns, the first to nod was Tempest. The second to nod was Sagitarius. With two of three in agreement, Ambros's glare fell upon Solar. Ambros hoped now that the soul voice of reason and righteousness, could dissuade the rest from the path that he had just presented. Just as he expected, Solar instead of nodding spoke.

"If it is as you say Ambros, why have we not been graced with a similar vision?"

Try to talk your way out of this, demon.

I have chosen a name taken from yours, it is Sombra, and you would do well to remember it.

"I'm sorry my Alicorn brethren, I believe that no matter the course, the events to unfold most likely spell your demise."

The words just spoken by himself fell like a rusty dagger upon his heart, he hadn't expected the entity that controlled him to find such a eloquent solution. It was true, impending death would be a likely reason to obscure ones vision of the future, if not completely erase it. That's when the realization donned on him. It's not that the visions were false, you just obscured my vision of the forth possible future because it heralded your arrival.

The three Alicorns's that sat before him, exchanged remorseful glances. Sadness now gripped Ambros's heart if he were in their position, he would believe the lie to.

"We must not tarry, time is of the essence and if we do not act now, all might be lost." the entity now said with reckless abandonment.

It seemed as if an eternity of uneasy silence, and apprehension passed before Solar once again spoke.

"Very well Ambros, as the sole recipient of this premonition, if you deem it necessary then I am in agreement as well." Solar's faith in him was humbling, if in this moment not misplaced. The entity began to recite it's final piece.

"I will be the first to cast the spell, each of you must match it for this to work." The controlled Ambros, stood and began to channel his magic above the center of the circular table, the other members of the council soon began to match his, with theirs. The white light of Alicorn magic shining out of each of their eyes, soon avatars of their respective captors began to form. In front of Tempest a small slowly revolving hurricane appeared before his chest, Solar's avatar was a small ball of floating light shooting whisps of white energy away from it. The last Sagitarius's avatar, was a swirling ball of black and blue, with a small beaming moon in its center. In front of Ambros however, nothing appeared. Whatever spell had been cast, it surely was not performing its required task. But then again, Ambros had already guessed at this conclusion.

Because with this particular spell once it had been channeled, it could not be stopped until completed. Tempest was the first to yell out to him, through great concentration, and visible effort.

"AMBROS, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!? CHANNEL YOUR ELEMENT NOW!"

But the entity controlling Ambros only met his request with a booming and maniacal laughter, audible enough that he was sure each heard it, even over the roar of channeled magic, and swirling elemental vortexes.

All Ambros could do was look on in horror, as slowly each of the Alicorns' before him began to succumb to the element they had channeled. The first to fall was Tempest, swallowed whole by the now steadily growing hurricane. Soon to follow, with their concentration broken by the screams of their comrade, Solar was lit afire by his now raging element. The last to fall Sagitarius, never moved, continuing to channel even as his body slowly froze beneath the frigid cold of the void. For the next few minutes Ambros looked on as the life, and screams of each of the resilient Alicorns' slowly began to fade. Ambros racked with guilt and grief, knew that in these their final moments, they probably thought he had betrayed them.

I believe you understand now, there is no hope Ambros, only death and suffering.

If he could have he would have shed a tear, as he watched the only life long friends that remained, fade.