The crystal city was still, not a sound to be heard but the distant sound of hooves hitting the pavement. King Sombra looked towards the sky, darkness loomed overhead, the crystal ceiling behind the blackness. The buildings were looming in around him, ghost-like from the absence of busy ponies that usually filled the empty rooms. Sombra walked up to a statute, curling mane and hair, recognizing the face of one of his workers. She was frozen, crystallized from the curse. An expression of fear froze upon her face. Sombra scoffed. “Some curse, more like a gift!”
He began to move towards his castle and then looked back at the frozen pony and sighed. At least, for them.
The flicking of the flames from the candles placed in the lanterns lined along the streets began to grow dim. Shadows sprouted from the allies, flowing into the streets as the light diminished. Sombra watched from his balcony as the shadows consumed the streets, filling the buildings until they were not visible to the king’s eyes. He walked into the throne room and enveloped the ornate doors behind him in a black aura, closing them. His guards were frozen in place, made up of solid crystal which was gathering dust by his throne.
He walked up to the wall and scratched a line into the crystal. The wall was covered in scratched lines, every day a new line. However, no matter how many marks were made, it did not bring about any change to his new life. They were just a reminder of how long this cage had held him, the last time warmth had brushed along his fur from the sun, the last voice he ever heard other than his before he was sentenced to this prison.
The king looked at the wall, running his hoof over a few of the scratch marks, and closed his eyes. I deserve more than to live in this frozen grave.
Letting his hoof slide to the floor, he shook his head and dragged himself over to his throne where he lay upon it, wondering if he was ever going to go mad, like so many others condemned to the dungeons he once controlled. The princesses would love that, wouldn’t they? Finding the great king of the Crystal Empire, behaving like a rabid dog from years of solitude.
Scowling he looked at his reflection on the polished floor. The stallion who stared back at him was a stranger, his fur was bleached white, his eyes began to look dull, without life, and he looked tired, and old. Shaking his head, he knew he was not aging, but that could not stop the emotional toll that overwhelmed him after the many centuries of seclusion. It’s not like he had a social life to begin with, but the many ponies who served him still provided some sense of ponyhood. That he was not so different, even though he had long been consumed by dark magic.
King Sombra began to think of that day, the day he fought with Celestia and her sister, Luna. How the sun goddess was weak, easily falling to the powers of darkness. Thinking he had won, he made the mistake of underestimating the younger one. Princess Luna was an entirely different case when it came to his magic, she was immune. Growling at the thought of the young alicorn's attitude towards him. My magic is supposed to encase the inflicted into their worst nightmares. The only explanation for Luna being immune would be for her to be currently living in her worst nightmares, but that’s not probable, she’s a princess of Equestria with the responsibility of the night itself.
He remembered the brush of her soft navy-colored mane against his dark gray fur as she stood over him in triumph but sadness lingered in her eyes as she stared at him. Something seemed so familiar about her but he couldn’t grasp the memory quick enough before it was gone. Living in your nightmares, hm? Perhaps we are not so different, dear Princess.
The kingdom was gone, frozen underneath the crystal structure below, they were too late. However, he did not count on the princesses to encase him inside the stilled city. How long had it been since that had happened? Centuries seemed to be like weeks to him now.
Why do they not adore me such as their dear Princesses? Is it because they are whole inside? He slammed his hoof into the side of his throne, shattering the outer layer of crystal. He curled up in his seat and stared into the darkness. Will my curse never be lifted? Shall I never know who I truly am?
He tried to think of his past, to remember something, but his mind never provided any answers only more questions. The earliest memories he had were of his alicorn crown and the alicorn amulets, his earliest works. Containing the power of alicorns in them, along with the desire of the wearer for power fueling the dark magic, they were supposed to go to his successors. Who knows where the amulets are located now? Perhaps the princess found them and disposed of them, I suppose I will never know.
The clouds in his memory were aggravating, pieces here, others there. In the Crystal Kingdom, he was there with the princesses, talking with them. He had left him in charge, but why? Why had they turned on him when he was doing as they asked of him? He became stronger, and brought the kingdom to the peak of economic state! It was all recorded in his notebook, his journal that Luna had given him, the starry one. What ever happened to that notebook?
His shoulders slumped in defeat, It’s not like she would give me another one. The only thing I will ever receive from those two is another prison sentence.
Looking out the windows to his balcony he stared into the darkness, nothing waited for him out there except another reminder of his old life as ruler. Sadness overwhelmed him, King Sombra stretched across his throne, Nothing I can do about my past now but go mad trying to remember. I suppose I might as well get some rest for another pointless day of wandering in darkness.
Placing his crown beside his throne and laying his coat over him as a blanket, he closed his eyes, and his breathing slowed as he was lulled to sleep by the silence. The kingdom was still, except for a crack that was beginning to travel along the ceiling.
Author's Note
I gave hints to who Sombra actually is in the story so hopefully you caught them.
Thanks for reading!
