King Quartz moved through his palace, blade at the ready in one hand, and the hand of Queen Viola D'amore. He spoke in a deep voice and with quick words.
"Go to our daughters room, lock the door, and barricade it." He looked to the light pink mare. "I will buy you all the time I can, but if anything happens—"
"Don't talk like that! You will come get me and Cadence..." The mare spoke, her fear resonating in her voice.
"If anything happens, I love you. Now go!" He pointed down the hall as he turned and went down a different hallway. He looked back to see her fight back tears and run the direction he had pointed. He moved through the hall and moved through a large set of doors to the throne room, and spotted a dark furred figure in a long red cloak standing before the throne, one hand beneath a light blue crystal in the shape of a heart.
"I see you have come to submit to your new king." The figure turned to the king. His voice was dark, and it dripped with malice towards the crystal stallion. His eyes were a piercing red, that glowed an eerie green color with black smoke drifting off.
The figure was clad in silver armor, and a silver crown, pointed and cruel just like the stallion that wore it. The king took a step into his throne room and brought his blade to the ready.
"I will not allow you to corrupt this kingdom!" He pointed his blade to the intruder. "Your evil will end today, and my people will be free of you."
The robed figure let out a dark chuckle and his eyes began to smoke. "You will be dead today."
The green stallion charged the grey unicorn and thrust his blade. The dark stallion's magic made the Crystal Heart fade away in dark smoke and it was replaced with a curved blade of pitch black steel. The black blade parried the thrust from the king and they began to clash, each stroke, thrust and clash of the steel blades, there were crashing echos around the room.
"You fight with the knowledge that all of this means nothing." The dark stallion taunted, his silver steel armor glimmering with the flickers of the torches in the room. "You will fall, and with your death, my kingdom will rise."
King Quartz made another slash at the stallion. "This kingdom has survived far worse than you. Many a warlord and bandit king has tried and failed to remove my family. You too will fall."
"Many lacked the drive, and fewer still lacked the willpower to make it happen." The dark pony laughed as he parried blow after blow from the stallion he faced. "Surely you are delaying the inevitable. Death is coming for you, and I am its courier."
The grey stallion made a wide slash at the king, and the elder stallion dodged it. Sensing an opening in the invader’s stance, the king kicked the dark pony in the stomach, knocking him off balance and to his knees, and brought the blade down to end the threat to his family and kingdom. His blow was blocked when a gauntlet-clad hand caught the blade while the dark smoke billowed from his eyes.
"Those others lacked something else as well." The stallion rose up. "Magic, and the strength to use the most powerful forms."
The king felt a searing pain, and looked down to see the dark steel blade piercing his chest. He coughed and tasted his blood spilled from his lips.
"And with the death of King Quartz, the reign of King Sombra begins." The dark stallion twisted the blade and pushed the dying king away from him and watched him collapse on the ground. "Such a shame. That will be a hard mess to clean."
A pool of blood began to form around the stallion slowly, staining the stone deep red. Sombra chuckled as he walked past the former king. He paused for a moment and walked back to the dying stallion. With a wave of his hand the blade in his stomach faded away.
"And now, for your queen."
As the last lights of light faded from the king’s eyes, he muttered out a prayer that the dark stallion ignored.
Sombra stalked through the halls, his mind bent on the last few acts to control the kingdom. All that stood between him now was the queen and her daughter, and both were easy problems to solve. He reached the bedroom of the princess and heard the clatter of something shoved against the door.
He chuckled at the pathetic attempts to bar him from his destiny. His eyes glowed and smoked gently as he reached his hand out towards the door.
"Your majesty, the reign of your husband has ended."
The moment his hand touched the door it burst into purple and green flames around his fingers and began spreading across the surface of the door. In mere moments the door was consumed and so were the chairs propped against it. Sombra strode through the flames to see the pink queen in front of a crib.
Sombra gave the queen a hollow smile and a mocking bow. “A pleasure, your highness.”
"Please! Do what you will with me, but spare my daughter, please..." The mare cried out, tears and terror in her eyes.
Sombra laughed and brought his hand up before him. The queen felt an invisible force around her neck, pressing hard on her throat. Her hands moved to the pressure, trying to claw it away, but found the action futile.
"I will do as I will for you both."
The grey stallion lifted his hand slowly and the mare was lifted into the air. She gasped for breath as the pressure increased, her legs kicking to find ground, but found no purchase.
"But I will give you some mercy." His eyes glowed green and more smoke billowed from his eyes. "The knowledge that your daughter is mine now, and will live past this day..." He turned his head to the crib. "And a swift death."
His final word was punctuated his fist closing quickly and with a loud crack. The queen went limp in the air and the last breath flowed out of her mouth. Her body fell to the floor in a heap, as his gaze fell to the cradle, and the prize within.
Twilight Sparkle rushed through the halls, her pace kept at a power walk due to her new status. Her coronation had been less than three days ago and today was the first free day she had been granted. Three days of ceremonies, signing documents, talking to nobles, and wearing dresses that were so formal that she was certain they had their own titles, and now, she was able to simply breathe, and be herself.
She wore a button up shirt, and simple pants, a far cry from dresses of the royalty. A staple of her student life, and the sort of clothing she loved most to wear when she went to a library. The newly transformed alicorn smiled and squeed at the thought. She was heading to the Royal Library, and even better than that, she was going to enter a wing she had never been able to see before.
"The Forbidden section." She spoke it out loud, and for a moment looked around, almost expecting one of the guards to appear and tell her to go back to her room for even saying it. She giggled and continued her walk through the familiar halls. She had practically lived in the castle once she became a student to Celestia, and as such she knew the halls like she know the Tree Library in Ponyville.
The alicorn was greeted with the sight of the library doors as she turned a corner and felt her lips turn up into an excited smile. She was so close now, and she felt her heart beat pick up as her hand reached the door knob and opened the door. She walked past the bookshelves that were well used by the mare, and through the aisles that were a second home to her, and came upon the locked door to a room she had never entered.
Twilight read the sign hanging from the top frame. "Princess's only."
She shuffled and swallowed. She knew that the door was enchanted to keep all but the princesses out, as she could feel the energy radiating from the handle, but that did little to calm her nerves. What if they haven't updated the security enchantment... oh this could end badly. The mare shuffled in her place and wrung her hands together. She took in a deep breath and put her hand above the handle on the dark wooden door.
"Here goes nothing."
She placed her palm on the doorknob and braced herself for anything. A moment passed and she heard a click from the door, and it opened slowly for her. Twilight let go of a breath she didn't know she was holding and quickly walked into the room. A series of lamps hung from the ceiling burst to life and lit up the entire room in a gently light.
"Where to start?" The princess danced in place and heard the door shut behind her. She took only a cursory glance back to the door before she began walking up and down the small aisles. "So many books... but they aren't using the normal system..." She inspected a small book that barely fit in her hand.
It appeared to be a small journal of some sort, and every page held bizarre pictures hand written onto them. It wasn't the pictures that worried the mare, but the fact that they hurt to look at. She quickly closed the book and placed it back on the shelf. She looked at a few more, some looking extremely old, and others looking like they were just placed on the shelves moments ago.
"These books must contain all sorts of strange magics..." She bit her lip and walked towards the back of the small room. She could feel energy coming from several of the books as she walked neared them. “Or dangerous ones. No wonder they are in here."
She began browsing the books, some containing the written works of kings of forgotten or distant kingdoms, other’s holding magical diagrams from the greatest minds of long passed centuries. Twilight found one particular journal of Star Swirl the Bearded to be deeply interesting for several minutes. The original. I wonder why it’s here. Twilight found her answer when one page towards the back of the journal was dedicated to several poems about the sun and it’s beauty. Twilight smiled as she read them and placed the book back gently.
“Celestia always did praise him deeply.”
She gazed at a tome that looked promising but became horrified once she got a better look at the binding of the book. She had thought it was some sort of velvet that it was bound in, but it was the cutie mark on the front, and a distinct smell of tanned flesh, that made a shiver ripple through her spine. Repulsed, she placed the book back on the shelf quickly.
The goddess spotted a small tome in the corner as she put some distance between herself and the book. She walked over and gently picked the book up, the experience of the last book making her cautious with touching them.
"Oh thank the goddess... it's normal leather." She looked for a title or a name on the book, but aged leather was all she could see.
She opened the book and braced for something horrifying, but all she saw was simple handwriting, and a few equations. Twilight began reading the page with interest.
"Wait... I know this. That looks like a form of Gally's Equation for Telekinesis. The math is a little rough, and has too many steps though..." The young princess moved to the single table in the middle of the room and sat down with the book. "How old is this book?"
The mare flipped to the front, but found the front of the book seemed to have suffered water damage, distorting the page, and warping all of the ink writing illegible, but she could see in the lower corner that there was an ancient seal. As the mare places the book on the table she recognized the symbol.
"That's the old Equestian Seal... a moon and a sun." She sat back and rubbed her chin in thought. "That puts this book to over a thousand years old. The author had new ideas on telekinesis three hundred years before the Magus Reformation."
She began flipping through the pages and was amazed at what she saw. Several pages had the beginnings of theories that, while unfinished or rough in form, were hundreds of years ahead of their time. Pyromancy, the theory of transmogrification, conservation of magical energy, and even theories in several fields of science were all in here and well before they became the mainstream thoughts of their respective fields of study.
"This has to be one of the greatest minds to ever exist. Easily an equal to Star Swirl the Bearded... who wrote all of this?"
She continued turning the pages and came across several pages with diagrams, equations and lines of reagents. She studied the text and realized it was a spell. Oh, interesting. This looks pretty complete... but it doesn't say what this spell is for. She turned back a few pages and looked at other spells that were complete, and included what they were for. Fire spells, ice spells, Illusions, and several other types throughout the tome.
"Looks complicated..." She bit her lip. "And needs a few weird reagents. Where would someone find a ruby that large?"
She flipped past the spell and saw that the next few pages were blank. She quickly scanned the rest of the book, and it was empty.
"Well... maybe this spell was untested, and that's why there is no description of its use."
The young unicorn leaned back in her chair and looked at the open tome. The equations and descriptions of energy on the pages were of a form of magic she had never used before mixed with several she had, and some she had never seen. The possibilities of what the spell could be were endless, and the fact she could be the first to perform it and rediscover a possibly lost form of magic thrilled her.
She bit her lip and looked through the spell again. "A few crystals, a few magical herbs and roots, and a large enough table... Weird, but if it works, then it works."
A few hours passed and Twilight found herself in an unused section of the dungeon. She placed the final of the crystals on a large sturdy table, and checked the diagram again. Her hand moved the crystal slightly to the left and nodded. She inspected the table, and was very glad that the Canterlot castle was situated above an abandoned mine, and was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to find a ruby.
"Okay, the seven crystals are in place, the herbs are where they need to be and a ruby where it needs to be." She checked the book once more. "Now... I need to channel the energy needed..." She sat down and re-read the book for what she was certain was the hundredth time. "That's a lot of magical energy. Must be why they couldn't perform the spell... this must take several unicorns to do it."
For a moment the mare considered getting some volunteers from the University of Magic in the city, but decided against it. After all, the spell could harm them, and she couldn't think of having other get hurt because of her. She ran her hand through her mane, wondering how she could finish the spell, when she came to a simple realization.
"I'm the barer of the Element of Magic, and now the Goddess of Friendship. I should be able to do this."
She summoned a small stand to place the tome on, and began gathering energy into her horn. She felt tingles through her body due to the unknown energy coursing through her body, but it was the effect in the room that drew her attention. The air became stagnant, and cold. The stones began forming a rime of frost on them, and Twilight felt as if she was being watched. The lantern she had lit went out, and she was plunged into pitch darkness.
Keep pushing through... the spell might be worth it, if only to see what it is. She quickly threw up a magical barrier around the room and continued channeling. She was only going to risk herself in this endeavor. Her eyes began glowing bright white as she pooled more energy in herself but they slowly began to turn black, and smoke began drifting from her eyes.
Oh no... She felt her body begin to revolt. Her head began to ache, and she felt her limbs go weak. Twilight had felt this before, when she had casted dark magic. To late to turn back now. She reached her limit and poured the magic into the ritual crystals before her and into the intricate form that the book called for. Exhausted, she collapsed to her knees and took in sharp breaths, her lungs screaming for air painfully.
She coughed for a moment and shivered in the frigid air. Her gaze slowly moved to the table, her eyes widening as the crystals glowed a deep ruby color, and bright streaks of lightning arced between then, and lighting the darkened room for small instances. The mare felt like she was caught in a blizzard, and decided to just wait for it all to end. The lightning continued for several seconds, then abruptly stopped, leaving Twilight alone with the eerie green glow of the crystals.
The unicorn slowly stood up and stared at the table. Well... I guess that's all it does... She shuffled and reignited the lantern. Light returned to the room, and the mare walked back to the tome, and inspected the pages. Part of her was worried she had failed, but another deeply glad that it was all over. She didn't like using dark magic, and would hate to hear Celesita lecture her on the dangers of it again.
Twilight let out a small sigh. "I did everything correctly... and I even put more magic into it than I needed to." The mare closed the book and drummed her fingers on it for a moment.
"I suppose this was just a failed spell." Another sigh left the mares lips and she began to pick up the tome when she heard something.
Thu-thump
Twilight looked up from the tome and looked for the source of the noise. Finding the room empty, her brow furrowed in confusion.
"That sounded like a—"
Thu-thump
Her eyes snapped to the table, certain that was where the noise was from. Her gaze scanned the table, and found nothing but the items for the spell sitting there.
Thu-thump
The ruby lying on the table glowed dimly with the noise, and then faded to normal once silence returned. Twilight blinked a few times and gently rubbed her head. I must be imagining things... there's no way that ruby made that noise. She watched it for a moment then jumped as it once more lit up, and the thumping noise filled the air once more.
The gemstone shuddered for a moment as the alicorn blinked. She watched it return to normal and rubbed her eyes. "Okay then... the dark magic must be messin—"
Twilight was knocked off her feet as a sudden blast of wind erupted from the table, creating a small vortex around it and keeping the young goddess pinned to the wall. She watched with wide eyes as the ruby floated into the air, thumping filling her ears, and glowed brightly. Twilight swallowed hard, and after trying to get up, braces herself against the wall and watched the scene before her.
The floating stone began to reshape itself, as if made of a much more pliable substance, and formed a rounded form. It began pulsing in time with the thumping, and Twilight gasped as she recognized the shape. It was a heart, and much to Twilight's rising fear, it was beating.
Twilight's terror rose as she realized the wind that was pinning her to the wall of the dungeon was silent, and the only sound was beating of the heart. As it slowly beat, the crystals around it slowly began breaking apart, and the pieces slowly floating up near the heart, some around it, others forming little clusters connected to the ones around the heart with rows of other crystal fragments.
The fragments began expanding, slowly becoming opaque as they formed new shapes. A skeleton formed from the transforming pieces of crystal, and once they finished, others began moving around it. As with the crystal pieces that formed the bones, the new ones began forming the organs, growing, and changing color, while the heart continued to beat.
Twilight was a captive audience, but that didn’t stop the scientist in her from studying the forming skeleton and watched as the herbs and other reagents moved within the form, and began growing into the organs. A detail she was surprised she spotted was that almost everything that had transformed became perfect in form. The organs were the right color, the skeleton the right texture, but one thing stood out. The heart looked crystalline in form, shimmering and shinning from its own light.
The mare felt her terror begin fading as the body formed itself in the air. She didn't know if she should be terrified, or fascinated by the sight. She felt the wind die down as the blood vessels and muscles of the body finished forming, and she slowly stood up. She took a tentative step towards the floating body as she became aware that the beating of the heart had become muffled. Twilight swallowed nervously as pale skin formed over the body, and she took a moment to scan the body over, taking in the details. It was physically fit, and from what she could see the form was taller than she was.
She slowly approached the table as the wind died down, and the body, now fully furred, touched down on the table and the beating of the heart ceased. She shuffled in her place, and her eyes wandered up and down the body, briefly looking below the waist and seeing the male anatomy. Okay then. I made a stallion. Her eyes moved to the chest of the stallion and saw no movement.
"I guess this was a spell for medical purposes?" She rubbed the back of her neck. "Great... so I have a cadaver now."
Twilight looked over to the tome and then to the body, worried about having to tell Celestia about the body in the dungeon she created. Her worries were banished and replaced with a new one then the body began gasping for air, his hands frantically searching for purchase on the table. His breathing was heavy, his lungs burning as they drew in air. The stallion sat up quickly, his eyes snapping open, bulging as he looked around the room, his gaze settling on the mare a few feet away.
"Who are you?" He asked between ragged breaths. "Where am I?"
Twilight shuffled and made sure her eyes maintained contact with his own. "I am Twilight Sparkle."
The stallion looked to his hands and closed them and opened them. He looked up to the mare and swallowed as he shivered in the cool air. Twilight swallowed as her stomach dropped as the piercing red eyes she hoped to never see again looked back to her. She felt her palms become sweaty as her mind was filled with the memories of her first trip to the Crystal Kingdom.
"And... who am I?"
The New Apprentice, The New Master
Twilight paced back and forth in the dungeon, her hand on her chin, the other holding her elbow as she was deep in thought. A worried sigh passed her lips as she took a quick glance to the stallion sitting on the table. She blushed as she looked away, keeping her eyes off the chiseled body, and his inquisitive glance.
"Thank you for the pants..." The grey stallion spoke, his hands exploring the pockets and the cloth of the pant she had given him. "Lucky they fit me. What are they made from?"
Twilight glanced over to the stallion. "Cotton. They were my brother’s old pair."
She continued her pacing, occasionally glancing to the half-dressed stallion as her mind was a blur, her face pulling into a worried frown.
I just brought one of the most feared tyrants ever back to life... and he hasn't a clue who he is! She swallowed as she stopped her pacing, biting her lip. I am in so much trouble now. Not only did I bring Sombra back to life, but I did so with dark magic, and necromancy... The mare rubbed her chest and sighed. I am so screwed right now.
Twilight took a breath and let it out slowly as she extended her arm out before her. She glanced back to the stallion to see him rubbing his head, his eyes closed tightly.
"Are you feeling well?" She asked, concerned by the pained look on his face.
The stallion shook his head slowly. "Headache... I'm certain it will pass." He opened his eyes and looked around the room. "Are you part of a cult?"
"What? No!" Twilight cried as she stopped her pacing and stared at the stallion. "Why would you ask that?"
The stallion pointed around the room. "Table with weird looking symbols... podium for a book, and a dungeon looking room." He shrugged. "It all gives off that vibe."
Twilight shook her head. "No, I'm not part of a cult." She made a quick gesture to the room. "This was just somewhere private for me to read and um... cast magic."
"Ahh, well that's nice to know. You don't look like a cultist." The stallion chuckled then sighed as he rubbed his head. "So, where am I exactly?"
"The dungeon of Canterlot Castle." Twilight resumed her pacing and rubbed her chin in thought.
Silence fell between them for several moments. The alicorn paced slowly, her mind abuzz with all the implications of her actions. Celestia won't be happy, and he might be in trouble as well. She sighed heavily then stopped, her eyes focusing on the book she had minutes ago used to bring the stallion to life.
The stallion rubbed his arm momentarily then spoke softly. "Am... I a prisoner?"
Twilight stopped in her tracks once more, then looked over to the unicorn on the table. "No, this is just where we are."
"Oh... right..." He muttered while he stood up, rubbing his head. He stopped rubbing his temple and looked up at the alicorn. "Wait... you said Canterlot Castle?"
The mare nodded. "I did."
"This is the palace of the sister goddesses." His eyes scanned over the purple mare for several moments. "I thought there was only two alicorns. The Goddess of the Sun and the Goddess of the Moon..."
Twilight shook her head. "Actually, there are four goddesses right now." She pointed to her wings. "I am the most recent to become one. I am the Goddess of Friendship. "
She watched the male look her over once more. She felt like a specimen on the table of a scientist, and while she was slightly flattered at his intense interest, she shuffled and gave a small cough at the uncomfortable sensation washing over her body.
"That makes three... who is the fourth goddess?" He asked as he gave a small smile. "Also, what do you mean you became a goddess? Were you a normal pony before?"
Twilight nodded as she walked back to the podium. "I was a unicorn less than a week ago." Her hand rested on the podium. "The fourth goddess is Cadence, and she is the Goddess of Love."
"So... Cadence, Luna, Celestia, and yourself." He took a few steps towards her then sighed, his hand returning to his head as he stumbled a few steps. "How did I know who they were?" He looked at his hands for a moment and blinked slowly. "I don't know who I am, but I know so much about them..."
Twilight bit her lip and slowly closed the tome. "I... don't know exactly what I did, but I think Princess Celestia can help us figure it all out." The stallion looked at her, hope sparking in his ruby eyes. "But, I think we need to do one thing before. You should have a name."
The stallion took a few more steps and looked at the tome in the princess’s hand for a moment, his eyes narrowing as he looked at it. "I feel like I should know that..." He shook his head lightly, then looked into the purple eyes of the goddess. "Umbral Hue... my name is Umbral Hue."
The mare gave him a small smile. "That is a good name. It matches your coat pretty well."
"Thank you." He returned the smile, and watched the mare close the book, then summon a small jacket of a light blue color. "What is that?"
"A jacket. They are like your pants, as in made from a comfortable material." She handed it to him.
Umbral looked it over, his face still confused. He nodded slowly, placing the jacket on his body. "This is soft..." His hands touched the metal of the zipper as his face became inquisitive.
"What is this?" He gave the zipper a look. "There are no buttons..."
The goddess couldn't help but smile at the child like wonder on the stallions face. "It's called a zipper, due to the noise it makes." She walked over and demonstrated how to connect the zipper and moved it halfway up the jacket. "See? It's quicker than buttons, and is more efficient."
The stallion spent a few moments moving the zipper up and down, mesmerized by the noise and function. He stopped when he noticed the mare suppressing a laugh. "Right... so, to the princess?"
The goddess nodded and motioned for him to follow. Umbral took a few steps then stumbled, and fell to the ground. Twilight moved to his side and helped him back to his feet.
"Are you okay?" She asked, and brushed his jacket.
He nodded and held onto her tightly. "I... might need some help until I get used to walking... please."
She placed his arm around her shoulders, and they pair moved to the door of the room. "Of course.” She slowly helped him into the halls of the dungeon. “Just let me know if you feel able to walk."
The pair walked through the cobbled stones of the dungeon, stumbling a few times as they reached the narrow stairs.
Umbral sighed. "This... will prove interesting."
"But it's doable." She smiled to him, and they slowly climbed the stairs. The stallions free hand either held the banister tightly, or was placed on the wall. It took them several minutes, but they made it to the level they were looking for, and reached the smooth white stones of the castle. Umbral spent most of the walk studying everything he could as he walked past. He stopped the pair as they walked in front of a small painting of a laughing mare.
"Everything looks... familiar, yet so new."
Twilight studied the painting as well. "Maybe it's just the effects of the spell. I don't think you would have seen this place before." She motioned for him to come to her. "We shouldn't waste time. I want us both to know what is going on..."
Umbral nodded and smiled. "And I wish to learn more... this castle is beautiful, and yet mysterious." He looked to Twilight. "I know things, but so much more is not in my head." He lightly ran his hand through his mane as he separated himself from her gentle guiding. "Is there anywhere I can go to read up on this world?"
"There is. The—"
"Library." He interrupted with a smile on his face, but it was short lived as it changed to a confused frown. "I knew that... but, I couldn’t have learned that…"
The mare bit her lip. “Celestia might know. We aren’t that far from her office, so let’s keep moving.”
And for the princess to help me figure out what to do about this whole thing... She thought as she bit her lip. She cast a worried glance back to the unicorn that was studying the wall, his hands in the pockets of the hooded jacket. At least he isn't acting like Sombra, and seems to be adapting to this rather well.
Together, they walked through the halls in silence. Umbral spent his time looking at everything, and making the occasional nod of approval when he spotted a painting he liked, or a well carved statue in the halls. Twilight spent her time thinking, and was troubled by what the stallions knowledge could mean.
If he already knows things, then that means he might be a resurrection of Sombra. She cast a quick glance to the smiling stallion. But his lack of knowledge of myself, Cadence, or this castle means that technically it would be a failed spell... wouldn't it? She looked ahead of them, to the halls of the castle that lead to the private office of Celestia. Nopony has ever done this, or at least, haven't come forward to say they did, so there is no control group for this. Her mind began filling with all the possible scenarios. Twilight was thrilled to be working in a new field of magic, but at the same time terrified of doing it blind.
"Is this the place we need to be?"
Twilight was pulled from her thoughts as she realized that she was standing in front of their destination. "Yes, it is." She placed her hand on the door, and then pulled it off the handle a moment later.
"I think it would be best if you wait out here... I need to talk to her and explain everything." Her expression was stern, but friendly. "I won't take long."
The stallion nodded. "Take your time... I will not leave the hall."
He walked over to a painting and began looking it over while Twilight gently knocked on the door. She heard the voice of her teacher within call out, and she quickly entered the room, closing the door behind her swiftly.
Twilight had always loved Celestia's office. It was a large semicircular room that managed to mix the business of an office with the comfort of a living room. There was a large fireplace on one wall, and a book case with filing cabinets on the other. In the center of the semi-circle sat the desk of the goddess, and at the desk was her teacher, and a pony she wasn't expecting to see up at this hour.
"Princess Twilight!" Luna exclaimed and smiled. "A most pleasant surprise."
The purple goddess smiled as Luna walked over to her, and hugged her. "Princess Luna, it's great to see you too."
The pair broke their hug when the gentle voice of Celestia reached them. "So, Twilight, what brings you to my office?"
"Oh, um... well, it's sorta hard to explain, but well..." She rubbed her neck and swallowed hard. Here it goes. Better just say it all right now.
"Yes?" Celestia said, her eyebrow rising slightly.
"I was reading a book from the princess only section and I stumbled upon a book... this book." She held up the journal and watched the color drain from Celestia's and Luna's faces. Celestia's eyes widened in worry, and an emotion she couldn't read, while Luna's became worried and curious.
"Twilight... what did you do?" Celestia spoke, her voice cold and stern.
"I... performed one of the spells." She shuffled in place. "It was the last one in there, and well, I ended up summoning a stallion."
Luna's face became confused, but it was Celestia's steely expression that worried her. "You didn't..."
"I did. He is in the hall. He doesn't know who he is, or much of anything, but he seems to be remembering things. He said his name is Umbral."
Luna looked to her sister for a moment then to the door. "You two talk about this. I will collect this stallion."
The princess of the night stepped out of the room, and closed the door, leaving the mares alone in the room. Twilight looked to her teacher and shuffled.
"Twilight Sparkle, do you have any idea what sort of magics you have delved into, without even thinking?" Celestia scolded. “The risk you just took could have risked much more than physical health. You mind and soul could have been destroyed, or worse.”
The mare shuffled and shook her head. "I... was just curious."
Celestia stood up and moved around her desk. "Curiosity is a good thing, but caution needs to be exercised my dearest student." The princess of the sun straightened her pearl white dress and sighed heavily. "I want to know everything that happened."
Twilight nodded and quickly explained how she had found the book, gathered the reagents for it, and then how she set up the room in the dungeon. She reached the part of the summoning after a few minutes and then sighed.
"And then, his body formed, and landed on the table. For a few moments I thought I just created a cadaver, but then he sat up, and asked me who I was and who he was."
Celestia nodded and placed her chin in her hand. "Resurrection, or reincarnation..."
"Or a vassal for Sombra’s soul. I've read a few books on the theory of soul transfer..." The younger goddess shuffled. "Still, he doesn't seem to know too much, but he does know Equestrian, you and Luna, and seems to be a fan of art." She quickly explained Umbral's fascination with paintings and sculptures. "But at the same time he had trouble walking, and has had a head ache."
“Perhaps the spell is a success, but not in the way it was intended to be…” The elder goddess nodded and sighed. "Twilight, do you know what this means? The potential danger that this could bring to the kingdom could be huge."
Twilight nodded and shuffled. "I know, but... he doesn't seem like a threat right now, and if he isn't Sombra then he could be just another stallion."
The sun goddess sighed and nodded. "I suppose, but at the same time, we must be cautious. If he is Sombra, he will be playing dumb until he can strike us. We must observe him closely until we are certain about this."
"So... where will he be staying then?" The purple mare asked.
Her answer was cut off by the door of the office opening.
Luna closed the door as she stepped into the hall, leaving her sister and Twilight alone to talk. She looked up the hall and spotted a stallion that was familiar to her.
He looks just like him... before the dark magics corrupted him. She took a few steps towards him, and took a few quick brushes of her deep midnight blue dress to look presentable. She reached his side, and looked to the painting that was hanging on the wall. It was a stallion and a mare, both wearing royal attire.
Umbral glanced over to Luna and his expression quickly became one of recognition. He took a moment to make sure his jacket was fitting correctly, and then gave her a small bow. "Your majesty, it is an honor.” He pointed to the painting, his hand shaking slightly. “I was just admiring the artwork on this piece.”
Luna gave a small smile to him and continued looking at the painting. "A pleasure to meet you. You are Umbral?"
The stallion nodded and returned the smile. "Princess Luna, an honor to meet you." He turned back to her and wore a small smile. "I wasn't expecting to meet you today. Twilight and I came to see Celestia."
The goddess nodded. "Indeed. I was visiting my sister to discuss a few matters, but..." She sighed and her expression was darkened with sadness for only a moment but she smiled to the stallion. "They can wait, I have more important matters to attend to." She motioned to a pair of chairs in the hall. "Sit, and let us talk."
Umbral nodded and the pair sat down. Luna looked him over and then looked into his eyes. "I want to know everything you know."
"There is very little to tell..." He sighed. "I woke up naked on a table in a cobblestone room, and Twilight was there. She summoned pants for me, and we just sorta talked about a few things."
Luna nodded then looked him over once more. "Perhaps a better way is needed... Will you allow me to delve into your mind?"
The stallion nodded after a moment of thought. "As long as you do not erase the memories I have."
"I promise to be gentle." She moved her hands to the sides of his head and stared into his deep ruby eyes. "Relax, and let your mind open up."
He nodded and spoke, his hesitance clear in his voice. "Will this reveal who I am?"
Luna was silent for a moment then looked the stallion in the eyes and shook her head. "I do not know, but it will give me a clear picture of who you are based on how you think and what you know."
Umbral took a quick breath. "And if I am not a good person?"
Luna's eyes glowed a soft blue. "I think we will have to wait to see that for ourselves."
The aura of her magic slowly grew around her hands and then connected to the stallions head. Little tendrils of magic connected to his temple, connecting to random points of his head, and after several connections, Umbrals eyes softly glowed blue with the aura of the goddess. Luna closed her eyes and pushed her spell further.
She opened her eyes and found that she was surrounded by pitch blackness. She felt an odd numbness across her body, and confusion. The confusion built as she began to slowly feel sensations for the first time. The beating of her heart and the feeling of something solid on her back. Slowly, the body of the stallion formed in the blackness, and under him, the table he was created on.
His first memory is waking up. She felt a burning in her lungs, and couldn't understand why it felt that way. Then, it clicked. I need to breath. As she took in her breath, she heard the stallion do the same. The burning in her chest vanished as the stallion gasped for air and thrashed on the table before sitting up. As he opened his eyes the darkness faded and was replaced with the dungeon cell, and the confused, and frightened, Twilight Sparkle.
Luna could hear the stallions voice, not just from his mouth, but from within her own head. He took a few ragged breathes between sentences. "Who are you? Where am I?"
She watched the mare shuffle and look away from his naked form. "I'm Twilight Sparkle."
Luna could feel the stallion understand her name, and for a moment a question popped into his mind, then flowed from his lips as he looked to his hands.
"And... who am I?"
Both Luna and the yet unnamed Umbral watched Twilight shuffle, and look to the stallion. "I don't know... but you really need pants."
Luna followed the gaze of the younger goddess to the male. She chuckled a little as she spotted the reason Twilight was blushing. She must not be used to that sight. He is gifted though. Her own gaze moved over his body briefly. A fine form, but only a little taller than Twilight by the looks of it. She watched the stallion look at the pants then his own body, then to Twilight pacing. The night goddess's mind was filled with a sudden burst of knowledge, a barrage of information ranging from cooking, to math, science, and history.
Umbral and the goddess gasped lightly and their hands moved to their heads as a throbbing pain moved through their temples.
"Are you okay?" Twilight asked, stopping her pacing for a moment.
"I'm fine." The stallion responded, and decided the best course of action was the focus on the pants he was wearing.
A near perfect body, and a mind filled with information, but no actual past. Luna circled the stallion as he put on the pants, and for a moment he stopped and looked at his hands. She felt many of his emotions as he took a moment to look at his body. Fear, confusion, and a small bit of curiosity. This spell that made him clearly didn't work the way the creator intended. She stopped in front of him and saw him look up to Twilight as the pain in his head dulled for a moment.
"Thanks for the pants..."
I have felt enough of your mind. The moon goddess's eye glowed and she blinked. When they opened, her hands were holding the head of the stallion before her, and his eyes were closed. She had returned to the hall, and the chair she had been sitting in before the spell.
"I have seen enough to know." She spoke softly as Umbral blinked away the glow of magic from his eyes. "You are no evil stallion."
Umbral smiled and gave a small nod. "Thank you... did you learn anything about me?"
Luna nodded. "Your headache was caused by a sudden burst of knowledge being implanted in your mind. The spell implanted a lot of things in your mind, which is slightly convenient, as you won't need to use time learning basic concepts." She gently released his head. “Some of it is a little out dated, but most will hold up.”
The dark mane stallion nodded. "That does reduce some reading needed." He chuckled lightly. "So... what are they talking about in there?"
Luna looked to the door of her sister's office, then spoke with a small smile. "Let's find out."
The pair got up and strode to the door. Luna opened it, and spotted Celestia and Twilight standing in front of the desk.
"I hope you two have made some progress."
The pair of goddesses looked to Luna, and Twilight spoke first. "We were discussing the sort of magic that brought him to life."
"Perhaps we should put that talk on hold for a little while." The moon goddess strode into the room and to the desk. "A more pressing matter is where he should stay?"
Umbral shuffled into the room and moved along the wall and sit against it. He watched the three goddesses talk, hoping that whatever their choice was; he wouldn't be stuck in the room he woke up in.
"We can't let him go very far, in case he is like his past self." Celestia spoke as she moved to the chair behind her desk. "We have to keep an eye on him, observe him."
Luna nodded. "Perhaps he could stay with Twilight?"
The elder goddess looked to the purple mare, hopeful. Twilight shook her head.
"I have a lot going on at home, and I already have to are for Spike, Owliscous, and a library." She sighed. "I don't think I could handle living with a stallion as well. I wish I could, but I can't." Twilight rubbed her arm. "Also, his past life might leave some of my friends very uncomfortable."
Umbral was looking at the nearby bookcase when he overheard the phrase "his past life" and looked to the purple goddess. She knew who I was? He felt his heart beat a little faster. I was someone else before today? Who? He took a step off the wall as his curiosity burned through his mind.
"Um... excuse me?" He spoke softly.
Luna sighed and shook her head. "I think it would be best if we kept him here in the castle. That way he will be more comfortable."
"And easier to watch." Celestia stated as she placed her elbows on the desk, her fingertips pressed together. "We cannot risk losing track of him."
"Princesses?" He spoke a little louder.
"If he is here, then what will he be doing?" Twilight spoke, clearly missing the voice of the stallion.
"Well, I believe another addition to th—"
Bamf!
The noise ripped through the room quickly, silencing the sun goddess, and causing all three goddesses to jump and look to the stallion. Umbral had his hand in front of him, and an amazed look on his face.
"I wasn't expecting that to work..." He mumbled then looked to the goddesses. "Sorry, but... you said my past life. You knew who I was before I woke up." He watched the standing goddesses shuffle. "Who was my past life?"
He stood there as the goddesses all looked to each other then back to him. Twilight rubbed the back of her neck and bit her lip. Luna looked to her sister after a moment then sighed.
"Your past life was a very..." She hesitated, and her sister finished the explanation for her.
"He was a monster." She spoke plainly and her eyes maintaining contact with the stallion's. "He was a murderer, a tyrant, and committed regicide."
Umbral's ears pinned back and he rubbed his shoulder. "Oh... I um... wasn't expecting it to be that bad."
Luna sighed then gave her sister a sharp glance, then looked to the stallion with a kind smile. "He was a bad pony, but you are not him." She walked over to him and placed her hand on his shoulder. "You can be anypony you want to be. You have that choice."
He smiled to the goddess and nodded. "You think so?"
She nodded. "I have seen into your mind. I know you are not an evil stallion."
Celestia cleared her throat and spoke sternly. "However, we need to be cautious. You will be staying in this castle under observation, but it won't be for long." The sun goddess looked to Twilight. "To answer your question, maybe he could be a student? A letter correspondent for you?"
Twilight shook her head. "I am sorry, but I can't take a student either. I am still working with you, and I don't think I am that mature."
The older goddess's face fell a little. "Oh, well then. I thought you would jump at the chance."
The younger mare shook her head. "I would love to be a teacher, but right now, I want to settle things down with being a princess, and figure out where to go from here."
Celestia looked to the stallion. "Well... there is always the guard."
Luna stepped to the side of the stallion. "Or, I could take him as my apprentice."
"Really?"
"Really?"
"Really?"
All three other ponies looked at the goddess, curiosity on their features. Luna nodded and smiled to the group.
"Of course. I need to do more with my time, and he needs a teacher that can connect with him." She looked to Celestia. "I understand what it feels like to be out of place in the world. The knowledge in his mind is a little outdated. Like he is from over a thousand years ago, and then awoke here."
Celestia sighed then looked to the two younger ponies. "Leave us alone for a few minutes. I wish to speak to my sister in private."
The younger ponies nodded and quickly retreated into the hallway, leaving the goddesses alone. Celestia leaned back in her chair and covered her mouth with one hand as she studied her sister. Luna moved to the desk and waited for her sister to speak as she sat in the chair in front of the desk. Celestia took in a breath then sighed for a moment.
"Luna... are you sure about this?"
The moon goddess nodded. "You keep saying I need to connect with ponies more and this will not only help him, but allow me to make a friend and form a bond like that you and Twilight share."
"And this has nothing to do with the stallion you used to know?" Celestia spoke, her voice heavy with concern for her sister. "Last time Sombra was alive, I lost three of my closest friends to his madness."
Luna stood up and walked around the desk. "I want this stallion to be better than the pony his former self was. If I can make him a good pony, then I will do what I can for him."
Celestia nodded and sighed heavily. "Fine, but he does not leave the castle until we are sure he is not Sombra."
"Agreed." Luna smiled at her sister and hugged her. "I can promise he is not that stallion."
The elder goddess nodded. "I will arrange his living arrangements. Send Twilight back in, I have a few things to talk to her about."
Luna nodded and hugged her sister. "Thank you my sister."
Celestia returned the hug with a kiss to her sister’s cheek. The moon goddess watched her sister smile to her then pick up a few pieces of parchment. She walked to the door and moved into the hallway, spotting the younger ponies against the wall. Twilight was pacing once more, and she was wringing her hands. Umbral was sitting on the floor, his back to the wall, and his hands on his knees. Twilight spotted the goddess exiting the office, then walked up to her quickly.
"Your teacher wishes to see you." Luna smiled. "And I must speak to my new apprentice about his lessons."
Twilight nodded and smiled. "Of course." She turned to Umbral. "I hope we can meet again. I have a few books I can recommend."
Umbral smiled back to the purple goddess and slowly stood up. "I hope so too."
Twilight smiled and walked into the office, leaving the moon goddess and the coal colored stallion alone. Luna smiled and let out a small squeal of delight. Umbral couldn't help but chuckle at the foal like joy the mare was showing. He stood up and watched the goddess bounce in place.
"You seem to be enjoying this." He smirked.
Luna nodded. "I am! I have been wanting to teach the magics of the night to someone, and now I can." She stopped her bouncing and shuffled. "Is it alright if I hug my new student?"
Umbral nodded. "I suppose that would be okay."
The excited mare hugged him and she let out a small giggle. Umbral smiled and chuckled as the goddess let out a filly like squeal of delight as he returned the hug. The embrace broke a few moments later, and the moon goddess adjusted her dress and gave a small cough as she took on the air of princess once more.
"Now, let's go to my office. I have a few ideas for your first lesson."
