Dark Crystal Fires - Book One: Child of Shadows
"Build a bridge between the worlds,
With blood you do not have.
With Luna's moon and life's last gasp
Your chances will be had."
~ a nursery rhyme based on Prophecies of the Umbrum
Deep underneath the frozen wastes of the North, whispers moved in the dark. Everywhere else in Equestria and beyond, shadows did not speak, had no life but what was given them by the movements of the creatures they belonged to.
These Shadows were different.
They moved, they had life, were the second things to be born into the world after light. Be that a story for another time, the Shadows in our tale held counsel, spoke of the dank, filthy prison they had been cast into, mourning the loss of their life and freedom above in the cool, clean air of the world.
Tua, the latest Umbrum Queen, was bitter and angry, desperate to escape the wretchedness of their existence. She was clever and it was not for nothing she had earned the respect of the others as their leader.
There was a way, she told them, a chance they could escape with careful planning and patience. In the world above, a delegation of ponies on their way to the Crystal Empire had died in the cold wastes above, right at the entrance to their prison. Even now, a wild pack of animals feasted on the carcasses, blood staining the snow and the crystal set to guard the Shadow Prison entrance. This life-giving force of ponyfolk was slowly dripping into their realm, unencumbered by the magical locks, and could be used by them for one chosen Shadow to escape and seek a way to liberate the others.
They had already chosen their champion – not the strongest of them, nor the eldest or cleverest, but the only one that had even a wisp of a Shadow's chance to make it. A tiny child, Tua's grandson, would probably be the last Umbrum born, so depleted was their own life force. When there were protests, she explained that only young, new life was able to bond to the blood for Tua's brilliant, mad scheme to work.
The infant was brought to them by his mother, Sharia, who kissed him tenderly before passing him to Tua. She shook her head at his tiny, weak cry. Poor thing would not survive without this chance and though it was certain this plan would mean his mother and Tua would not see him for a very long time, the sacrifice was necessary.
Tua, her daughter Sharia and the Shadow Council went to the prison entrance with their precious charge, seeking out the base of the crystal where the blood had been seeping in from.
Another Shadow whispered to Tua. “There hassss been nooo drip forrrr a while nowwww, Mother. I fearrrr...”
“Looooook!” one cried, floating up to a spot in the ceiling, bobbing excitedly.
A bare trickle, one of the last drops, gathered. Tua took the infant and floated close, waiting. The magical barrier, so close to the entrance here, sent a buzzing sensation through her, made her want to flee. She endured it, when yet another problem arose.
The child, so weak, mewled pitifully, its efforts to stay cohesive and alive threatened by the barrier itself. If Tua could have cried, she would have. Cried for her grandson, cried for her people. Had centuries not been enough punishment -
The drop fell, catching faint slivers of Luna's moonlight on its way downwards towards the child. Tua tensed, concentrating all her smoky essence as thickly as she could underneath him, hoping if some of the blood clung to her, she could pass it on to the babe.
A wave of fear washed through the air as the assembled Shadows saw the little essence go limp as the crystal-infused pony's blood sent a small, magical spark through the babe upon contact. Had Tua made a horrible miscalculation? Crystals reflected light, was infused with energy...was it possible it was too -
The child grew too hot to hold, forcing the Shadow Queen to yelp and shrink back. Then the light came, the terrifyingly painful light that drove her and the others back into the deep, dark sanctuary of the cave. Her daughter's scream only a whisper, it was heart-breaking to hear just the same.
When the light faded, they swarmed back, quivering. The infant was gone!
A soft sound that was not a Shadow, stirred the cave drafts below them. There, on the cold ground, lay the source of the sound. Tua and her daughter floated closer. It was a small foal, a male, with a coat of smoke shadow grey.
“Pleasssseeee beeee an Earth Poooonnnyyy,” Tua prayed aloud. Earth ponies were the strongest of the three types – Shires, Clydesdales and the breathtakingly beautiful Fresiens the largest of the Earths...any of them would have the best chance to survive the frigid tundra above until one of the patrols came by and saw him.
They waited until the sleeping child stirred enough more of his features came to view. No tiny wings graced his back...good. The Council saw his build was sturdy as well and the new, strong aura of life that radiated from him sent their small, whispery voices excitedly chittering through their empty realm.
But there was something wrong with his head, his mother noted. If only she had flesh hands to caress him with, see what -
The child stirred again, ebony hair parting just enough to expose a tip of crimson bone.
“He isssss hurt!” someshadow whispered sadly. “The fall...poor child!”
“No,” his Sharia whispered, brushing his cheek with her smoky essence. “Not a fallll...not all Earth Pony...Uuuunicccooorrrnnn!”
The little one, hearing the soft, familiar whisper of his mother in his ear, opened his sleepy eyes. There were murmurs and exhalations as they beheld the soft glow of crimson crystal its depths.
“Myyyy childdd,” she swirled around him. Fascinated by her movement, how different it looked from what he remembered, he reached out a hoof to touch her. She flowed over and around him with a sensation no longer warm, but chilly to his new flesh. Curiosity lit up his crystal-red eyes. “You will saaaveee us...my darling...my Sombraaaaa...”
Author's Note
Dedicated to all the King Sombra fans out there - and there are a lot more of us than anyone (even The King himself) realizes. Also, there's not enough CUTE, baby Sombra to go around!
Hope you enjoy. I love constructive feedback. If you catch any typos. please DM me with them and I'll fix them straight away.
