The blinding light advanced with terrifying speed. Like a massive wave that would soon overtake him. The overwhelming sensation of impending destruction was paralyzing. Not that he would have been saved even if he could force his limbs into motion. The Celestial Sisters themselves would not have been able to outrun this. King Sombra stared at the blue light that would soon envelope him, the beginnings of fear clamping his throat closed even as his jaw hung open in disbelief.
Had it been worth it?
If he was honest with himself he hadn’t even realized when he had passed the line. Gone to far. Or maybe he had known things were getting out of control but he couldn’t stop it. Hadn’t wanted to stop it.
The ability to rage and storm and unleash his anger on the deserving world whenever he chose was easier. It was blinding and empowering, things were easier to ignore as rage fueled rage. He was in control and out of it at the same time and it had been bliss. He had gotten his revenge.
But that had only taken him so far, now here he was.
Time seemed to slow as his fate climbed towards him. His heart pounding in his ears. His mind seemed to withdraw slowly from his body with each thud, he felt himself go numb.
Had it been worth it?
Things hadn’t always been about revenge and a cataclysmic obsession with the limelight. Sweet memories flooded into his mind. Familiar yet foreign. Many had been locked away in some dark recess of his mind, but now they all had found their way back to the forefront of his thoughts.
Despite everything that was happening Sombra felt himself smile, something he had not done for a very long time. He supposed it was true what they say, your life really does flash before your eyes when you’re about to die.
He could see his mother…Her soft red mane tickling his belly as she nuzzled him, cooing affectionately.
“Look at my little prince..”
He remembered staring bewildered at a limp form that had taken his place in his mother’s arms. His joy when playing on the ground with what turned out to be a baby sister and soon a baby brother. He remembered his father coming home weak and tired, but happy to be back with the family. It seemed like a lifetime ago…..Someone else's lifetime ago.
The melted light was swallowing him now. Blue cracks began to form along his forelegs allowing light to shoot through.
RedSun’s shining face and Anvil’s big questioning eyes looking up at him, but that had been back when it hadn’t mattered. As he had grown, however he began to take notice. Notice of the eyes that passed right over him, the ears that never seemed to hear him. Notice of the hardship that was deftly hidden behind each sparkly facade. But it had been alright. His mother Sanguine had remained ever positive even after the death of their father, Silicon, due to a tragedy in the mines that no pony ever heard anything about again. Sanguine had continued to provide and comfort and things had been okay. He had his family so things would be alright in the end.
But that had merely been another childlike hope.
“Momma?” The mare’s cheery pink eyes seemed to glaze over as the strength left her body. She collapsed on the ground, newly acquired bags and supplies from their grocery trip tumbling to the cobblestone market street. “Momma!!!” Sombra dived to her aid, catching her head with his muzzle before lowering it to the ground. Her face suddenly looked exhausted and overworked and….old….too old. RedSun and Anvil fluttered by her side grim expressions on both of their faces. “Momma!!” Anvil called with desperation and the beginning of tears in his eyes. Sombra’s heart constricted and he felt nauseous, a sudden weight settled on him and it felt like it would crush him. “Help!!” He cried as ponies milled about stepping over or around the fallen mare.
She’ll be fine....She has to be….
He lied to himself.
“Somepony!! Help us!! I don’t know what’s wrong!!!” He was frantic. He could feel the panic slowly beginning to take over.
“Sombra?!” Anvils voice called, anxious.
“HELP US!!! Please!!!” Sombra tried to meet someones eyes, heart going so fast he was half expecting it to explode. But they walked by. Nopony looking…Nopony caring..
“Sombra!?!”
“SOMEPONY!!! ANYPONY!!”
To this moment he can remember the way RedSun screamed. It had pierced his ears, rupturing his eardrums and, it seemed, his heart.
He stared transfixed at the cracks opening slowly on his chest. How appropriate.
Sanguine had died lying in a crowd of thousands and was laid among many more. That was when he had understood. They were invisible. Something had shifted deep inside his chest then, that was when he had begun to change. Afterwards with Silicon and Sanguine gone, everything fell to him. He worked in the crystal mines like his father had, night and day trying to provide and care for his siblings but it had made no difference. There was no food and no money. Anvil even began helping out the local blacksmith while RedSun took to serving, aiding and running errands with a smile on her face.
Of course, nopony could really afford any servants anyway, so she mainly served at the castle, helping where she could and picking up little things here and there. She had returned once with leftovers from a feast that Princess Amore had had with the ambassador from Griffonstone. Anvil had been delighted, but Sombra had been furious to see the delicacies that the Princess took part of while her empire starved.
Did she not see the tribulation her empire was falling into? Or was the height of the balcony to high to hear the mourns of her country?
It wasn’t fair.
Every night when he slept nightmares would plague him. The images of RedSun and Anvil withered under the stress of their life, eyes sunken and bones poking through their pelts was burned into the back of his eyelids. Yet he was powerless. There was nothing he could do. He was a nopony. He was minuscule. He was invisible. Yet the ones who could, did nothing.
“Theres no point getting mad about it Sombra.” Honey Wheat smiled at him from where she was sprawled over a big rock. Sombra lifted his pickaxe with his horn again and took another swing at the wall. “Why not?” He panted. Sweat dampened his pelt and ran into his eyes, but if he finished this last section he would get to go home tonight…get to see his siblings.
Honey Wheat lifted her head, watching him with those big gray-blue eyes. “Well, because the way I see it everyponies doing their absolute best to fix things right now and getting mad won’t help anypony.” She paused for a moment before continuing. “We just need to work harder. We’ll either fix it or we won’t and anger just doesn't have any place.” Bitterness welled up inside him, giving him a foul taste on his tongue and making it hard to swallow. “Work harder?!” Sombra hissed, hitting the wall with more force than was probably necessary. “Don’t you see that’s what’s killing everypony?! The only one who’s not working their rump off is ‘Princess Amore’.”
He spat the name out like it was dirt in his mouth. But as far as he was concerned it was. “She’s too busy worrying about other countries nonsense and doesn't even give a bit about what’s going on in her own!!!” This wall wasn't looking promising…again. There hadn’t really been any sort of finding in the crystal mines that was of any worth but it was a steady job. If you disregarded the high fatality risk. Honey Wheat shook her head, her purple mane following her movements. “Thats not fair Sombra. Its important to develop relationships with other countries, especially since the Crystal empire is such a new one.”
“Its going to be a dead one soon.”
Honey slid off her rock, eyes narrowed.
“Don’t say that.”
His pickaxe hit the wall hard and made a dangerously fragile sounding clink. If he broke another one they’d be out of food for a while to pay for it. “Its true!! Ponies are dropping like flies. It’s only a matter of time before its you and me who are next. You should know that most of all!! Look what happened with Barley!!!” Sombra knew he shouldn't have said it the moment it passed his lips.
Honey’s eyes widened in shock and pain before she looked away from him. His pickaxe lowered slowly to the ground as he fumbled for something to say. Anything that could heal this wrong. “Honey I-I’m sorry I didn’t……I wasn't trying to-”
“Its okay.” She mumbled.
But it wasn’t. Not at all. He tried to come up with something else but nothing came. He sighed, feeling all energy he may have had due to his anger leave. “If I can’t fix it…Its gonna be RedSun next…or Anvil….or…or you…and I can’t. I can’t fix it.” He felt his throat constrict. Painfully. His eyes smarted and he closed them leaning his head against the stone. Softly the sound of hooves came towards him before Honey placed her forehead gently against his jaw.
“It’ll be okay..” the soft whisper of her voice floated into his ear like a precious note of music. He closed his eyes tighter. He didn’t believe her. Things would never be okay unless he could change things. The torches flickered behind them dancing in their dying moments. It was late-no early morning. Honey groaned softly. “I’ve got morning shift.” Sombra blinked pulling back surprised. “What are you doing here then?!? You need to rest! Are you trying to kill yourself?!” Honey only seemed to laugh at his worry. “I had some free time for once and wanted to come here!!”
“Why?!”
Honey’s eyes lost some of their brightness for a moment and took on a sadder light. “I like being around you Sombra.” Sombra scoffed rolling his eyes. “I stink.” Honey’s laughter rang throughout the mine. Something that only happened with her. “Yes!! Yes You do!! You need a bath badly!! But all the same…I like being around you.”
“Go home.” Honey smirked and flicked him with her tail before beginning the walk out the tunnel. She was almost to the corner when she turned and called back to him. “Mom thinks she can get her hooves on some potatoes soon. You should stop by for some!!” It was a false hope. Even if there was a potato import coming into the Crystal Empire nopony could afford them. “Yeah I’ll do that!” He called half-heartedly.
“And Anvil wanted me to ask you if you would be able to stay home for a few days this time. His birthday is coming up and he wanted to know if you would be there.” Sombra already had picked up his pickaxe again. “Yeah, I’ll be there.”
It was a lie.
The bitterness he felt only grew overtime and his anger began to harden his heart.
It was up to his neck now. And he stupidly lifted his hooves and watched the cracks grow. There was nothing he could do of course, but wait for his end.
The limelight is such a funny thing, because in this twisted world we live in you’re either in it, or you’re invisible. Theres no in between. And when you’re not the desire for it is obsessive and irresistible.
Maybe that’s how he had ended up meeting Luna, princess of the night. She had been different back then, less sure. She didn’t travel through dreams, helping those in need so it was only by some accident they ran into each other while having similar nightmares. It had been strange meeting a princess in a nightmare. It had been an entirely foreign concept that royalty had fears. Fears were so….well…ordinary. That and the Celestial sisters always appeared untouchable in their precious metal armor. Unshakable.
They had talked then. Surprised to find their stories were quite similar despite being from two totally separate ends of the economy. But neither could find a solution.
“They don’t see me. Only her. It hardly matters if I’m present at meetings or not. I’m sure if i were to just fade away nopony would even notice…..Its like I’m invisible. ”
“What do we do?”
“I…………..I don’t know.”
It would have been better if things had ended that way…
Ended with nothing but the comfort of another in the same situation. The solace they found in their conversations, lighted by the stars as they meet in the woods. But Sombra could never be satisfied with that. His thirst for control had grown beyond the point where it could be quelled. Instead he ended up meeting others of the same mindset and determination. Together they strove for a solution and found something much worse in the process. Power.
“This is madness!!!” RedSun shook her red mane. It swung around her head wildly with the one black highlight. “Sombra, stop this. Please.” Sombra growled from where he glared out the filthy window into the dark night. Shadows swirled ominously outside. The streets looked abandoned. “It will work. You’ll see.” He insisted, voice gruff and impatient. RedSun hastened to his side, her voice growing desperate. “I don’t care if it will work!! I-We care about you, Sombra and I just don’t want you getting caught up in it. These-these ‘ponies’ aren’t normal. They’re insane, bewitched by whatever sorcery they possess!!”
“They’re Umbrum, RedSun. And they’re not bewitched. They’re strong.” He argued, defending them. His voice holding a strange tone of admiration that RedSun decidedly didn’t like.
“I don’t care. They’re horrifying and what they’re doing is wrong. We need you here Sombra. Not gallivanting off with….with demons.”
“I’M TRYING TO SAVE US!!” He snapped his tone causing Anvil to scramble back in fear. Sombra froze, seeing the terror in his eyes. Fear of him…his own brother. RedSun was not about to be deterred. “They have glowing eyes and control the shadows!! They’re vandalizing and attacking the castle!! You can’t believe what they’re doing is right?!” Sombra didn’t answer. In fact, he didn’t even met her eyes.
“Sombra?…” Slowly he raised his head.
“Soon you’ll understand…You’ll see…Soon..” When he finally turned to look at her his eyes glowed green and red with purple smoke trickling out the corners. RedSun took a quick step back, her breath catching in her throat. She could hear Anvil whimper behind the sofa.
“Y-you’re….You’re one of them!!” She squeaked. As she stared into those eyes, she realized something, maybe she had known since he had first started sneaking off in the night and talking all that nonsense about revenge. This wasn’t Sombra anymore, and it scared her.
The Umbrum changed him. Gaining power is a deal with the devil and Sombra’s lust for recognition made him sign over his soul. He supposed somewhere along the line he had known that but hadn’t cared. Even after their original plan had failed, he continued. Because now he had a taste and was addicted. Now he had finally gotten what he wanted, was being seen. But the cost of that was high. He lost Luna and Honey and he was never sure what became of RedSun and Anvil. He had given up everything.
Luna was already waiting in the clearing when Sombra arrived. His excitement was so great he didn't even notice the troubled expression on her face. “Luna!! I’ve done it- or, at least, I will do it!!” His gait slowed as he came to a halt in front of her. His panting the sole sound among them. When he caught his breath, he paused, studying her. “You seem…. displeased. Why?”
“Sombra you can not do this. Hasn’t one time been enough? Stop now. What else do you plan on doing?” Luna adjured. The expression on her face was unreadable, Sombra didn’t like it. “Do not tell me what I can or can not do!!” He snarled.
Lately his temper had been getting worse. He softened his tone, excitement taking place of the anger. “It was the past failure that has enlightened me to the truth. The only way to fix things is by taking over the Crystal Empire. Taking the rule away from Princess Amore.” Luna looked away, her face grim but otherwise her thoughts remained undecipherable. “Haven’t you already tried that? With the Umbrum?”
Sombra grinned expecting this. “Yes but you see we did not take into account the Crystal Heart. Now that I know where we failed. I may succeed.” Luna closed her eyes, as if her worst fears were being confirmed. “What is your plan Sombra?”
“I must take the Crystal Heart. Than the Empire is mine.”
“I can not let you do this.”
Sombra was shocked at her sudden repulsion. But shock quickly turned to anger. “Was it not you who said you felt inferior?!? Was it not you who said you wished for the attention that is so graciously bestowed upon your sister?!? And here I have solved our problems and you forbid me!!” Sombra leaned in with teeth bared, eyes glowing. “They see me now Luna!! Every time I walk down those streets their eyes SEE ME.”
“They look to you in fear!!”
“They will worship me when the empire is mine!! It is only a matter of time now, even Amore has taken notice.”
“And so has Celestia!!”
Sombra blinked the smoke clearing from his eyes as he realized the source of Luna’s unsettlement. “What do you mean?”
Luna wouldn’t meet his eyes instead gazed at the array of stars she had designed for this night, for once finding no pleasure in her work. “Celestia has taken notice of your actions and if you decide to take the Crystal Empire by force….” Luna paused gathering strength. “She means to war.”
Sombra stared at her for a moment truly surprised…..before he laughed. His deep bellowing laughter carried far into the trees around him and Luna shuddered at the hysteria that was tainting it. “Let her come!! Once I have the Heart I will be unstoppable.” Luna gritted her teeth. “You know not what power she wields!!…… What power I wield.” Sombra’s laughter stopped, and he lowered his head to study her, incredulous. “You mean to take arms against me?” Luna straightened before meeting his gaze straight on.
“Do not force my hoof.”
Sombra felt a growl building inside him. “I am no fool Luna and I did not take you for one either. Do you not see that this is the only way it plays out?!? It is only a matter of time before Celestia turns on you!! You really think she ever cared?! Join me now. Otherwise you are only delaying the inevitable!!” Luna’s steely blue eyed gaze did not waver.
“I will not.”
Sombra growled teeth snapping in rage at her defiance then he roared. Black crystals exploded up around them. Snapping trees as they shot through their bark and trampling bramble.
“Sombra it is not too late!! Stop this and you can be saved yet!!” Luna pleaded. Sombra turned on her. His friend. His companion. The only one who had understood him. The last one who cared… His eyes glowed bright and smoke again flowed from the corners of his eyes. “The next time we meet, Luna…We will be enemies.”
The blue light was enclosing his head and he could feel the cracks in his legs begin to heat up.
It was ironic how he was to go the same way he had killed off Princess Amore after he had seized control of the Crystal Empire. He could remember laughing as the cracks appeared on her pelt deepening till they scattered across the land.
Had it been worth it?
The war, the separation, the struggles. All in a lust for power yet here he was counting the seconds before he was to be no more. He had lost his own soul in the process long ago. For what? Attention? Affection? But in the end he had gained none of those things and now he was to die still deprived.
“We care about you, Sombra…”
The words hit him like an arrow in the chest. Had he not had that all along?
“Look at my little prince…”
His mothers caress, his siblings adoration, Honey’s affection, Luna’s comfort? They had been there the whole time.
“I like being around you Sombra…”
Maybe it was too late a realization...
“You can be saved yet!!”
Then again….Maybe it was just in time. As the light covered his eyes and he felt the heat growing unbearable, Sombra closed his eyes. Despite everything, he suddenly wished he could tell Luna.
Luna….I solved it..
Maybe like him, it would’ve have saved her some trouble to know she had everything she was yearning for, all along…
Author's Note
Thanks for reading!!! If you liked it, I would love love love it if you could vote for me in The Pony Games by going on instagram @inkmage and liking the picture of Sombra or leaving a comment. I would really appreciate it!! Thanks again!!