It was cold. Not that he wasn't used to that after one thousand years being trapped under ice. The sentient horn had been biding it's time. Our rather, the soul inside it was. It had been only a few months, yet it felt like an eternity more than his previous imprisonment. Every moment he built up his power. Every moment, he planned. When he was strong enough to restore his body, he would make that pretty pink princess pay. He would take back his empire. And once he made sure nopony would ever find the crystal heart again, he would take equestria. Then he would make the dragon pay. The lavender unicorn too. In fact he would make all who had crossed him pay. Their lives would be living nightmares. Literally. If only he had a body. He could have taken his smoke form long ago of course, but then it would take longer to regenerate his form. But finally, he felt something other than hate and cold. He felt a spark. He was ready.

The soul focused. Every ounce of magic and energy was being used. Clouds of black smoke seeped from the horn as it bubbled purple and green. The acrid smoke started to take form as the horn levitated to the vague silhouette of a head. The first stage was done, now for the second. The shape became more precise, more solid, allowing the horn to melt into the head and become one with the head. Then, it gained his coloring, his blood red eyes and slit pupils only shone with rage and anticipation. He was 'alive' again. His strong, regal, build and ever moving jet-black mane were a sure sign of that. Now for his armor. Coils of smoke wrapped around him and not long after, drifted away. Revealing a new crown, a helmet, plated armor on his neck and legs, and a regal red cape. The unicorn took a deep breath. Purple smoke drifted out of the corners of his closed eyes. It was time. He opened his eyes, only to immediately glower at nothing in particular. His sclera was bright green and lightly glowed the same color. The king of fear let out a deep laugh which turned into a smile that showed off his razor sharp teeth.

Sombra took a step forward, his cape shifting in the almost endless blizzard. He laughed, "The king is back."

And with those four words, he shifted into a cloud of smoke and dove into the ground.

Sombra knew even at full power he stood no chance against the crystal heart's power, and he was still weakened from the regeneration. But then again, his magic was fueled by anger and other negative emotions, and he had a lot of those at the moment. Besides, he wanted revenge, and he wanted it now. The great black cloud of smog moved swiftly across the tundra, until it reached an oasis of colors in the never-ending white. Sombra looked over his Kingdom with disgust. All his slaves, his workers, his subjects. All so happy. He wanted it to end. With a roar he charged back down into the ground and rose back up, no longer a cloud of smoke, near the middle of his empire.

The crystal heart's magic was sapping his strength and threatening to destroy him again. But he didn't give in. At this point every crystal pony was watching him with fear as small, thin, glowing blue cracks appeared on his body, and he acted like it was nothing. He roared at the spectators and they screamed. It was satisfying for him to know that after all this time they still feared him. And their fear made him stronger. All his subjects screamed and scattered. Most yelled 'Sombra' or 'help.'

"Let her come," Sombra chuckled, "I can't wait to kill her."

Inside the crystal palace the pregnant pink alicorn awoke with a start to the sound of screaming. Then she heard something that caught her attention even more. Sombra. She jumped up from her bed just as Shining Armor burst into the room.

"I guess you heard... We have a big problem..." He trotted over to Cadence.

"How is he here? We destroyed him! I have to protect the crystal ponies!"

"No. You have to protect yourself, and our child."

"But--"

He put a hoof over her mouth, "No, I have guards ready to attack. If we don't succeed, get the crystal ponies out of here, but he should be weakened from the crystal heart's power." Shining Armor nuzzled his wife and quickly joined the guards and gave the order for them to attack.

Sombra's horn bubbled purple and green, he summoned a barrier of black, purple tinted crystal in front of a group of ponies trying to flee. He approached the cowering group and laughed.

"You know," He began in his deep, growl-like voice , "I shouldn't of had to go through this much trouble to get my kingdom back, I should of had it in the first place, from the beginning. And once I kill your princess it will be. I hope you stick around for that." Before any of the ponies could react he shot a beam of magic at them, encasing them in crystal.

Sombra turned around just in time to dodge a purple magic beam and glowered at the source. The princess's husband, charging and shooting at him, leading a large group of guards. Not the princess but oh well. This would be just as fun. He dodged shot after shot from Shining Armor's horn but as the soldiers grew near he went on the offensive.

A few of them split away from the group and he took the opportunity to teleport the two front runners in front of him. He stabbed one in the chest with his horn and the other one he used a heat spell to melt his armor then threw him through the air, screaming in agony, towards the others who felt the burning heat even before the forceful, deadly contact. Sombra stomped the ground and summoned pointed crystals under the approaching soldiers. Some were impaled, others were flung by the force, landing in unnatural positions with sickening cracks, and the rest were lucky enough to have only been knocked out. He nodded in satisfaction but realized there was one pony he didn't see.

A purple beam hit his side charring the flesh and making him roar in both pain and anger. Both the stallions charged, locked in hoof to hoof combat. Shining Armor landed many hits that bruised and bled, but then again, so did his opponent, and as he raised his head to dodge a swipe from his curved horn, Sombra lunged forward and locked his jaws around the prince's neck. Though just as he was about to bite down fatally, a blue-ish laser shot his back and went through his chest. He turned, releasing his grip on Shining Armor as glowing cracks spread though his body. There, behind him, was the princess of love herself. He jumped towards her and exploded into light in midair and Cadence quickly grabbed his horn with her magic to prevent it from being blown far away and allowing him to reform again. Cadence ran over to her husband, the horn still in her grasp. His wounds were nothing serious and he stood up, almost with ease.

Cadence supported Shining and levitated the horn infront of them, "We should probably see what Celestia wants to do with him, after we fix the empire and tend to your wounds, of course."

Shining armor nodded and walked to where the hospital was while Cadence began restoring the empire.

Dear Princess Twilight Sparkle,

I'd like to request that you and your friends come to Canterlot as soon as possible. When you arrive, please enter the castle alone. It is very important.

Sincerely,

Princess Celestia

Twilight read the letter over and over again in her head by memory as she trotted towards Canterlot castle with her friends. Rainbow Dash flew beside her.

"So, what do you think Celestia needs us for?"

"I don't know," She stopped at the palace's front doors, "but she wanted me to go in alone. Can you girls stay out here for a bit?"

The rest of the Mane 6 nodded and Twilight walked inside to the throne room. Cadence, Luna and Celestia were waiting for her there, each said hello, with Cadence greeting her with their usual ritual.

"So why did you need me here? Is there a threat to Equestria?" Twilight looked between the three alicorns.

"Sort of. You see a few days ago, Sombra attacked the crystal empire." Celestia paused to let the information sink in.

Twilight's eyes went wide, "But we destroyed him! How? Besides shouldn't the Crystal Heart of protected the empire and destroyed him again?"

Cadence shook her head, "He somehow resisted it's power."

Luna nodded, "Yes. He is a very powerful unicorn, and seems to be getting stronger."

"Which is why I called you here." She paused and Cadence levitated something towards Twilight.

Her eyes widened as she realized what the object was, "Is that..?"

"He could be an asset to us, Twilight. You see, we are going to reform Sombra."

"That's crazy! He'll destroy everything!"

"He will have no power, Twilight."

"But..."

"My dear student, we must do this. Are you with us?"

Twilight sighed, "I suppose..."

"Good, first we must use our magic to bring back his form. Ready?"

The princesses' horns all glowed as they simultaneously preformed the spell. Shadow spilled from the horn, eventually going from the vague silhouette of a body, to a precise shape, to a fully furred, detailed, stallion. The grey king dropped to the ground, not even processing what was happening yet.

"It is done..." Celestia said in a hushed tone.

Twilight swallowed, "And soon, back to Ponyville with him..."

Author's Note

And so it begins. Well hope you enjoyed, more to come ^^
A comment would be much appreciated :D