Guardian of a Fallen Queen

Cameron made the two pegasi fly like fighter jets back to his home. There was only one explanation for why his alarm had tripped, and that was Umbra. He flicked a few bits into the guard’s saddle bag for the rush and unlocked the barrier. As it was closing, he noticed an open window in the bedroom.

“Fucking hell. I gave her one rule,” he groaned in exasperation.

He opened his front door and there sat Umbra with a look of anguish in her eyes.

“I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to!” Umbra sobbed as she grabbed his leg.

“What did you do?” Cameron asked, anger laced in his voice.

“I was just trying to see what I could do with my magic. I tried opening the window and my head really hurt. So I tried again and a bolt of magic shot out and hit that barrier. It flashed red and I knew something was wrong, but then I saw that crystal necklace on your dresser glow and vibrate red and I knew that something was wrong and-” Umbra rambled on.

“UMBRA! STOP!” Cameron shouted.

Umbra retreated back a few steps, fearing incoming wrath.

“Are you telling me the truth?” Cameron asked.

“Yes, I promise I am!” Umbra said, her eyes still flooded with tears.

Cameron walked into the bedroom and looked at the open window. The sill had black singe marks on it, which matched Umbra’s story of her overexerting herself.

“Umbra, come here,” Cameron said.

Umbra scampered into the room.

“Did you do this?” Cameron asked, pointing at the burnt wood.

“Yes.” Umbra hung her head.

Cameron knelt down and met her at eye level.

“Are you ok?” Cameron asked.

Umbra was a bit shocked by his shift in tone.

“Y-yes. Why?” Umbra answered.

“Don’t lie to me.” Cameron looked at her sternly.

Umbra looked at Cameron for a moment before her eyes rolled back into her head and she toppled over.

“What the fuck?” Cameron shouted in panic.

The mare convulsed and seized on the bedroom floor as she screamed in agony.

Cameron looked her over, desperate to find what was wrong with her. Suddenly, it became very apparent. A dark, wispy shadow slowly traveled up from Umbra’s forehead to her horn.

Cameron remembered what she had said about demons living inside her and stepped back, unsure of what the magic could do to him. Umbra’s screams only increased in volume as the shadow began to disappear. As it left her horn, Cameron noticed that her horn was losing its curved and red shape and becoming normal, rippling like jello in the process.

“Holy shit,” Calvin mouthed.

As the last of the shadow left Umbra’s horn, her body went limp, her tongue lolling out of her mouth and her horn now completely re-shaped into a normal unicorn horn.

“Umbra!” Cameron yelled as he picked the mare up. He put two fingers to her neck and felt for a pulse but found none.

He listened for breathing but heard nothing in her chest, not even a heartbeat.

Cameron then remembered that magic was used to resuscitate ponies. He grabbed the other crystal necklace and placed it around her neck.

A pink flash blew Cameron across the room and shattered the dresser mirror. Darkness came before he could find the source.

As Cameron came to, he rubbed his throbbing head and looked around. His head spun in all directions like a fucked up gyroscope. Everything in the bedroom was askew, as though a large gust of wind had come into the room.

Cameron’s mind then recalled how he had gotten there.

He looked to the spot where Umbra’s body had been but saw nothing.

Cameron then became aware of a quiet sobbing.

His gaze shot to the window where Umbra sat with a shard of glass to her neck.

“No!” Cameron croaked as he tried to make a move for the mare, but only ended up flopping back as pain shot through his body.

“Cameron?” Umbra sniffed as she looked back at the shattered mirror and the human beneath it.

“It worked...” Cameron whispered.

“I thought you were dead. I couldn’t live without the creature that helped me finish my reformation and gave me the means to protect myself from it,” Umbra explained as she dropped the glass shard from her hooves and galloped over to Cameron’s weak and battered body.

“You saved me, Cameron. I am forever in your debt.” Umbra let another tear fall from her eye.

Cameron dragged himself to his feet and staggered over to the bed. He flopped down and groaned in pain.

Umbra hopped up onto the bed beside him and looked him over.

“Painkillers and bandages coming right up!” She said eagerly as she trotted off to the bathroom and grabbed the pills and gauze pads, along with a glass of water.

“Here,” Umbra declared as she delicately put the pills in Cameron’s mouth and made him drink.

Still without her magic, Umbra would have to treat Cameron’s cuts with her hooves.

Being as gentle as she could, she treated and bandaged the cuts on Cameron’s head, back, arms, and legs.

“Thanks, Umbra.” Cameron smiled weakly.

“Anything else you need?” Umbra asked.

“No, I just need some rest.” Cameron coughed.

“I think I could use some sleep too.” Umbra yawned as she made herself comfy on the bed.

Umbra then made a daring move, she scooted right up to Cameron and nuzzled her head on his chest.

“I’ll keep you safe and return the favor,” Umbra whispered as she began to be lulled to sleep by Cameron’s breathing.

“Umbra.” Cameron croaked.

“Yes?” She replied sleepily.

“I think I believe you now.” Cameron said.

“Believe what?” She asked quizzically.

“The demon thing.” He said with a weak smile.

“Now that you mention it, I feel so pure and happy. It’s as if there’s nothing that can make me as sad and angry as I was.” Umbra said, her voice going up with every word.

“Seems to me that you are rid of the demons.” Cameron said, running a hand through her charcoal mane.

Umbra cooed in approval as she moved her head into the crook of his neck.

“Umbra, I think we’re going to get along just fine.” Cameron said with a small laugh.

All Umbra could do was smile to herself and nuzzle a little closer, relishing the feeling of warmth and joy she felt for the first time in a long time.

As they slept, the crystals that they each wore around their necks vibrated and strained at their chains, trying desperately to make it to the other.