What is it like to die...but not truly be dead?
Is it...strange? To be a spirit? To float aimlessly and have no one see, hear or know your there?
A chuckle escaped a transparent unicorn’s lips as these thoughts roamed through his head. “It is...quite annoying.”
I am King Sombra. And I am bound to this world by my will. I will never truly die. I have lived in Equestria my entire life. Sought power and gained it. Used it for what I believed would benefit my kingdom only to be turned to a shadow and cast away from all I had.
“But that didn’t mean I wouldn’t take it with me” the unicorn smirked. “History was right to have me placed as the most feared creature in the world. To think a mere unicorn could leave such a mark when the two most powerful and beautiful creatures were in charge of Equestria still baffles and amuses me, even when all believe me to be dead.”
It’s strange isn’t it? You’d think after I blew up into a billion pieces I would be dead, but I vowed when I returned I’d eventually come to take back my rightful place as king. Though I was defeated, that never meant I’d give up.
Power. It’s something everyone wants, everyone desires they had, if they’re given the opportunity ponies would take it without hesitation. I know, I’ve tested them. And I’ve punished them accordingly for misusing it.
Why else do you think I enslaved all of my people all those years ago?
Did you think it was for my mere entertainment? The unicorn hesitated as a group of shining crystal ponies walked by him before continuing.
Sneering as he watched the group continue their walk he said “Perhaps it was partially because I enjoyed it. However, I did what I believed to be best for my empire. To maintain order sometimes you must become the villain. And I believe I played that role quite well.”
The wind blew through Sombra’s dark transparent mane as he watched all of the Crystal Empire go about their carefree lives. Unknown to them that the one who had kept them all in place, was watching them right now.
“Ignorance” he thought. “How could all be so ignorant to the one who had kept them safe all those years? Kept them in line and made sure they always had work to do?
“Am I truly that easy to be forgotten?” Sombra said out loud, not that anypony could hear him. He sighed. “All I ever wanted was the power to make my enemies fear me, too make it so my subjects would never have to know pain, but is it possible during my reign I lost sight of that and became...a tyrant?” he thought touching the spot where his horn had been, the only thing left of it now being a small jagged remain jutting out from his head.
“Impossible” the unicorn shook his head. “I was simply misunderstood. They know not what it is like to rule thousands with an iron hoof, keep all the worms under control so that there is no crime, no suffering. No pain.”
A memory flashed into his mind as he recalled the times Celestia and Luna had begged him to stop his tyranny only for him to shun them out of his home, so his anger would not take over.
“They would never understand what it is like to be only a unicorn” he whispered. “To have all that power they were given at the very start, ponies like them would never understand. How tough it was to work their way up to the top, to train relentlessly and wait patiently till the moment arose before one could take the spot they had always desired to have” he snorted.
No...no one would understand what I went through to get to where I am. I forced all my enemies to submit. I made my people crawl under me like they should so that in return they would hate only me and me alone.
I made the world my enemy so I could make myself to be what I had always desired, a great king. And there’s not a day I ever felt regret on my actions, I have pride in what I did. I had pride in inspiring fear into all that crossed me. I suppose one could say I lost sight of things along the way, but who cares? If I never enjoyed myself from time to time I would’ve snapped years ago.
The carol of horns dragged his attention skyward as he watched the new prince and princess walk out to the veranda of what used to be his own home.
“Princess Cadence” he snarled watching the pink alicorn and her husband trot forward and wave to the crowd, that had gathered.
“One of the two responsible for my demise. I should’ve cursed her before I lost my body” he growled as he watched the princess and prince go back inside the kingdom after they had made their daily appearance.
“Oh isn’t this great!” a mare said in pure delight. “It’s so nice to live peacefully again without having to worry about having a shadow cast over us.”
“Agreed, Sombra was such a bore, but I’m just glad the Princess and the great and powerful Spike vanquished him once and for all” the other mare responded as the two trotted away.
Sombra watched in silence as the two mares that had so ill spoken of him trotted away in pure ignorance. He felt anger rising in him, the type of blinding fury that usually would’ve had him start something with one of the neighboring cities or double the work of his subjects to teach them a lesson. He moved to strike a rock only to have it pass through him.
“Insolent SWINE!” he yelled, but once again it went unheard as his chest heaved in and out. The crowd dispersing around the nonexistent figure.
With a snort the broken unicorn looked back to his castle longingly. “Though my body is broken I will never die” he said to himself.
I wish I could return to my body, so that I could regain my rightful place as king. “If only I knew where my horn was, then maybe I would have a chance” he thought as he lay in the middle of the town square.
Then he felt it. His eyes glowed that sickeningly dark green color. The color of his power, the power that meant his return.
Standing on his hooves almost immediately the broken unicorn looked around, his forehead tingling where his horn had been.
“Where is it? Where is it coming from?!” he thought looking around. “Where!?” galloping off the unicorn took off into the direction of where his senses were leading him. Unknown to the once powerful king his journey would take him far away from the crystal empire.
“Beautiful isn’t it?” a earth pony said, as he placed the horn down on his booth in Ponyville.
“No” the mare responded in clear disgust.
“And why not? This is the very horn of King Sombra I found, laying around here and wrapped it up in that cloth you gave me. Glad I did wouldn’t want somepony stumbling upon it.”
The mare merely rolled her eyes.
“Just get rid of it when no pony’s looking I don’t like that thing being in here. Gives me a bunch of bad vibes” she said before trotting off.
The dark green earth pony merely shook his head as he watched his wife leave their front door. Once he was sure she was gone the stallion immediately picked the broken wrapped up horn in his hoof and stared at it. After a few minutes of silent examining he put it down.
Well guess I probably should get rid of it. Wouldn’t want the very thing that Sombra used to enslave thousands be with me, plus that’d just look bad if my unicorn friends ever saw it he thought. Just as he was about to get something to carry the broken horn something caught his eye.
It was glowing. And the glow was getting stronger with every minute that passed.
“That’ can’t be good” the stallion said taking a defensive step back.
“You’re right” the cool voice of a figure said behind him. “It’s not.”
Slowly the stallion turned, his eyes stopping and widening in horror as he saw the familiar figure of the unicorn that had enslaved millions in front of him. Sombra.
“Sombra? B-but how you’re dead” the stallion asked his body shaking with fear.
“Yet here I am” he said a sly smirk forming on his lips. “And my horn seems to have found me an ally.”
The green pony looked around hoping against all odds the transparent figure before him was talking about some other pony. “You don’t mean...me right?” he asked his voice shaking. “Not ol’ Tinker Bolt” Tinker said.
Sombra trotted forward placing a hoof under the retracting earth pony’s chin. “Yes, Tinker Bolt” he cooed seductively as his eyes once again gained their green color. “You’re going to help me. Help me regain my once powerful reign over all. But before I do that I need power, and you will help me get i” he said his horn also shining in green light as it formed into dark crystals.
Slowly the eyes of Tinker Bolt turned the same sickly color green color as Sombra’s signifying he had control.
“Now” Sombra smirked, licking his lips greedily. “Let’s go get back my kingdom.”
