once given, the heart must be kept.
Pain, torment, utter agony. The shadows within him blazed and burned. It had not been like this since he first fell to the shadows. He could see the light, it scared him. It was painful. Too painful to look at. The pain was more than just how it burned away at his tainted soul, he could see their faces, every last one of them. He could hear their screams. WHY? He got what he wanted, security for the empire. Nopony alive could take what he loved away from him. Nopony... but himself. Their eyes make it stop!, why can I not stop seeing their eyes? Bloody and down cast. Their eyes looked up only in fear and submission. He loved his people but he still did this.
I DID THIS. He could feel himself wretch. Had he been in a physical form he would have vomited in pain and disgust. Gods above... I did this, I did this to myself, I did this to my people. Is this my fate?..darkness eternal.... I deserve it... I deserve worse... Gods... if you are there.... give me more... I do not deserve anything but the pain I have brought on myself.
The light extended further searing his flesh and burning his soul. The flames of Tartarus were nothing compared to what he saw before him. The light from above burned him and the darkness below spoke out in his own voice.
"Well said king.... emperor... ruler....when first you found us you knew... YOU KNEW!!!! and still you took the power offered."
The voices in his head still recited it. "Darkness abound, power taken, we know not whether we shall see good nor evil, darkness or light guide the soul. Fear be known destiny shown, bring forth the power and baptize the eyes of the chosen....."
His voice returned in seething livid rage "IN FEAR!!!"
His eyes opened and the burning light was all he could see. The shadows that hid him refused to shield his body. He was naked to the world, pained and alone. He could hear his subjects screaming in fear and pain. NO!... NOT THIS TIME... I WONT FAIL THIS TIME
The pain did not matter, if the light burned his flesh he would bare it. If I am destined to be a beast of the darkness so be it... but BY MY SOUL, I WILL PERISH RECLAIMING MY LIGHT!!
Two pegasi slowly made their way through the distant volcanic lands. "Pay us double time they said... no problem at all they said... damn it all! This is the last time I trust the boss... sending me out here with the klutz retard through this end of the woods... ANYTHING could be out here..."
Derpy flinched at his words. She was kinda used to it but still it hurt every time she heard the cruelty of others. Trying to speak her mind was no help either. Nopony cared, ignorance was bliss. If they took one look at her eyes and decided they were better than her or she should be thrown away, sure maybe it made them feel better about themselves. But it still left a scar on her soul. Maybe she wasn't the brightest, maybe she was not the most coordinated, but she would always try her best.
"Hurry up you dolt!....there is all kinds of terrible creatures in these lands... we just need to get in there deliver the package and get.....oh great sun above...." Fair Winds had not been looking where he was going. All he saw when he turned back to face front was his hoof on the foot of a very large elder hydra.
First was the combined roar of seven heads as the massive beast began its charge. Both Derpy and Fair Winds ran as fast as they could. Flying in this area was a simply off limits, the winds above the ledges were deadly and pushing down into the rocks below, every rock ledge was razor sharp obsidian. It was travel via hoof or be shredded to nothing on the volcanic glass.
Fair Winds cursed the sudden reverse in lead. Derpy was further ahead than he, but he was easily faster on hoof and in the air. He pulled the strings on his back releasing the package letting it fall to the ground. At this point they could fire him and he didn't care. He only wanted to live. The folks back in ponyville NEED me... I know they do.... oh by the sun if I make it out of here alive Im going to propose to Rarity. Of COURSE she will say yes... I am important... of course I'm important more important than....
He grinned. He knew just how he was going to get back home. This was a dangerous place. And he would be known a little better for trying to save some dumb mare heroically. But alas I was just not fast and strong enough, if only my physical power matched the strength of my noble heart. He snickered and just as he was passing Derpy he bucked firmly. He didn't need to outrun the Elder Hydra he just needed to outrun its meal.
She screamed tumbling and looking forward in disbelief and shock before looking back in horror at the monster descending upon her. Tears welled up in her eyes and she clenched them shut. She could tell what happened. Not many ponies would blame him. She was useless, worth nothing but a way to escape. She stopped to sniffle before the deafening roar of the Elder Hydra was challenged by a deeper more wrathful roar.
Guided solely by noble instinct and the training he endured since his foalhood the dark gray blur plunged the red crystal blade into the face of the first head. He twisted the blade until it broke off. The next head moved to counter him as he summoned another three blades. slashing the next head's throat he fought with savage rage. Massive razor like claws rend his flesh, a tail thicker than a tree smashed his ribs but instinct called on. His blade once again broke off in the creature's eye. Five of its heads were dead and the others weighed the cost of a small lump of flesh over its several lost heads. Sure it could consume the heads and later grow more but this was dangerous. This new creature was far more fierce than he.
The massive elder hydra growled and stepped back fearfully leaving. It did not dare try and enjoy a dinner of Pegasus tonight. Leaving the larger than normal heaving bleeding unicorn standing over Derpy.
Did I win?... is the darkness purged?... are my people safe?... please light above... let me go... let me free... let my people be safe His glazed over eyes weakly shut as he stumbled forward. He would have fallen completely had Derpy not stood quickly and caught him.
"That was amazing... you sir are at true warrior... what is your name?" Fair Winds came up quickly completely forgetting how Derpy would feel about more recent events. Though his advance was halted as the unicorn struggled to stand and met the stallion halfway and quickly reared back only to headbutt him hard enough to knock him directly into the ground.
The only words he managed to spew were mumbled and almost didn't come out. "dishonorable sow....coward and a fool..." Strike... he deserves it... feed the beasts of this land with his filthy blood. He cringed and quickly passed out. At least he would be spared from the darkness for that short while longer.
His eyes shifted gently and simply breathing brought a pain unlike anything he had known. His horn was on fire and his eyes pained him. He could still feel the darkness hiding from the light just beneath the surface of his soul, he could still hear it waging around within him. The voices were cruel and loud just barely beneath the surface, but one voice stood above the rest. He didn't even recognize it. But it was there, begging and pleading. It did not take all that long for his mind to come about and notice that specific voice was coming from outside of his soul.
"Oh please oh please don't be dead Mr.... " Derpy struggled, flapping her wings as she pulled on his forehooves dragging the much heavier pony further into the dense brush. She had no way of getting him out of the volcanic planes on her own power so she would need to keep him safe until he woke up. Originally she had just drug him around the corner and tucked away under a ledge so she could go back for Fair Winds, but when she returned he was gone. Best she could tell from the tracks he had woken up and took off. Or had not been entirely downed from the righteous blow from the strange unicorn that literally came out of nowhere, taking off as soon as he was sure he was not in danger from him anymore. She nearly spat out an angered 'good riddance' before coming back to tend to her savior.
"....are you alright?..." Derpy nearly jumped out of her skin at the sound of his voice. Letting go she stood back nervously looking back down at him as he barely managed to look back up at her. "Your eyes are... well..are you ok?"
She silently cursed her eyes. It was the first thing anypony ever saw and all they judged her by. "Y...yes sorry I was just born with wonky eyes."
"Why are you sorry?..." His voice was so calm and even noble as he spoke. It honestly shocked her to hear. "You need not apologize for something that is not your fault..." He offered a very weak smile, despite the ungodly pain that racked his body he was actually thankful he had someone to speak to, it helped drown out the voices.
Derpy was quite taken back by the comment. It was practically the first time somepony actually said it like that. Everypony she met either coddled her like she was some broken or disabled thing or looked down at her with condescending eyes. "I.. um.. thank you for... for doing what you did.." She couldn't think of any other words.
This time he was the one to flinch. He had been in a daze, sure he probably would have done it again if he was clear headed but still didn't change the facts. Honestly... I am the very last pony who should ever be thanked... "I could not just let you be killed..." He groaned under the unbearable pain as he rolled upright. She looked like she wanted to stop him from moving but didn't have the courage to speak up about it. "Don't worry... my well being is not something that should be worried about... I am as tough as they come..." He thought about using his magic to speed the healing but again he could feel the darkness just below the surface. The more he used his power the easier it would bleed through. So in the end he decided against it.
"What is a mare like you doing in a place like this anyway?" He did his best to ignore the pain and held his head up.
"AH!... w..well we took a job to deliver this package...." She hefted the box that was now dirty and scratched up not to mention partially stepped on by a massive Elder Hydra. She just sighed and let the package slip and drop back to the ground. It didn't really matter anymore. Wherever Fair Winds was he would not be blamed for the destruction of the package. She would, after all she was the reason most of the mail was damaged, destroyed, or lost. Why WOULDN'T they blame her.
"Hey!... why do you look so sad?" He could not help but flash back to when he had first taken over as the king of the Crystal Empire. Talking to some young Crystal filly. He silently grit his teeth as the precious memory was touched by darkness and he saw those same bleeding oppressed eyes from his nightmares.
"I... well this was like my last chance... I might lose my job because of this mess up... and you saw what he did... I'm not the most well liked Mare in ponyville." Her wings drooped and she looked down, unable to look back up. "I don't blame him... it was either me or him... and I never get anything right...maybe if I had ju-"
"Shut up!" Her eyes opened and looked up to see his eyes peering deep into hers. "Don't you dare speak that way about yourself. What he did was VILE, don't ever try and justify something like that... You are not to blame for something you received at birth... you cant CHOOSE not to have a birth defect nopony can.... What determines your worth is your heart...." ...the heart is your balance, for when you accept the power you must place the heart and once given it must be kept... The image of his old Oracle flashed before his eyes. He could see the crystal heart below them and could hear the happy chatter of the Crystal ponies as he weighed the risks and benefits of this obscenely powerful magic.
The unaligned eyes broke off and stared down again. "Th...thank you...but... but what have I really done?...its not like I make a difference.... look at the world...everypony has their place. Some sell wares, some lead, some entertain... some save lives... I cant even .... I cant... I ..." She looked down at her hooves and the tattered box before she felt a hoof on her chin.
Pulling her eyes back up his gaze did not relent. "STOP!.... stop focusing on what you CAN'T or HAVEN'T done... Those who can't are in no way placed below those who DON'T....If I died trying to save you... would my intent be ANY less honorable? Hrmm? would you have been ANY less thankful for what I tried to do?" Derpy couldn't answer she just stared into his soft red eyes. "Intent.... actions.... deeds.... the will of the HEART write in stone the path you trot.... Who you are is determined not by your failures or how other's perceive you... but by WHAT you do and why you do it... it is that very reason that even I have worth less than you... but you don't see me wishing I had gotten eaten..." His mind was tempted to flinch at the idea. But he knew it was more or less true. Even this single mare who was so convinced she was dragging the world down beside her, was easily a better pony than he. After all it was doubtful she had sold her soul in some misguided pact. He was responsible for countless deaths and an age of tyranny. He doubted that many would have made such foolish choices as him.
"Bu..but..."
He slammed his hoof down. "But nothing!...you cant live your life through the eyes of others. I look at you... and I see a mare who has a heart, a mare who tried as hard as she could to do a job before her even though she met constant resistance, a mare who falls short ONLY out of fate. If you really were so useless then why am I here instead of back out in that field waiting for the Hydra to return?"
"But... anypony would have done that...its only what is natural"
"Is it?...you and I BOTH saw a stallion kick you in the face to ensure that you and not he would be eaten... That selfish desire drove him to to value his life far over yours can you honestly look me in the eyes and tell me that he would have done the same for me that you did?"
She couldn't answer. All she could do is stare, mind boggled at this strange unicorn that came out of nowhere to save her even when she could do nothing to pay him back. Yet he seemed so adamant that she was the better pony here. His every word hammered away at the foundation of who everypony said she was. Her mind churned and chewed on it for a moment. The way everypony says I am... She looked deeper into his eyes and for just a moment something began to click. But the moment was ruined as he looked up to the west.
"The sun is setting..." He sighed painfully."... get some sleep... perhaps in the morning we can move to safer grounds." He lay his head down for a moment feeling the chilly air blowing through the brush that concealed them.
Derpy had just about gotten comfortable when he spoke again making her peek her head up. "Hey... it is going to be a cold one... at least lend me a wing..." She blushed a little bit thinking about sleeping so close to her rescuer but then it hit her. He was being quite serious. These lands got very cold at night and there was a danger of being too cold without a fire or at least somepony to snuggle up to.
Without another word she stood up and made her way over laying against him. He promptly lay his head over her body keeping watch as he slowly began to drift off to sleep. "What's your name?" His eyes opened again in a bit of surprise.
"Som....."He choked on the name. It was his by birth, it was who he was but it was also the name of the worst pony he knew. He could not comprehend why, but the long dark memory popped into his head of a squeaky little colt swinging the wooden sword by his mouth as he dashed about in his father's castle. 'I am sir knight umm... sir knight... sir... umm...I am SIR KNIGHT!!!' His old foal friend laughed and cheered 'sir knight! huzzah! he will save the crystal empire...' "Call me... Knight..."
She let out a soft hum still blushing a little she could feel the weight of his head on her shoulder. "Thank you knight..."
He did not quite have the strength to speak back, something sapped it up. He was so tired, he could not quite tell what was keeping his mind so busy until he felt it over his muzzle. Tears streaked down. He was almost awake enough to be puzzled. Almost.
"My son.... power... is not the right to do what you please... " He looked up at his father, his tush still red, proper consequences for his actions. "Power is the responsibility to do what is right... and the privilege to do so with your own two hooves..."
The shadows blew like dust in the wind obscuring the memory. Only to bring about another.
"Yes... yes of course it will. There is no question... the Crystal heart consumes a massive level of power through the ethereal realm tapping that energy will give you all the power you need to protect your empire my lord... but you MUST be strong. It is a fickled thing... if love is not what is in your heart... it will bring forth what reigns true within..." He felt the hoof press against his chest as the scrolls and books were spread firmly about the tables.
The dust whipped up again and in they crept. The voices biting at his hooves and nipping at his ears. Closing in like wolves in the dark. 'failure!... father trusted you!' '... blind lust for power... you don't deserve the power YOU DON'T DESERVE THE KINGDOM' 'petty petty thing, do you truly believe you can stand before the heart?' Something leaped from the darkness and sank a bland dark crystal blade into his chest, into his heart. His eyes could make out the image before him. The figure wore his own face, eyes ablaze with bubbling black magic. 'Once given... the heart must be KEPT!'
He woke with a gasp. He was sweating heavily, he began to move but a soft sleeping moan came from the mare to his side. My legs hurt enough already... just let her sleep.... He closed his eyes but his own face flashed in his vision, eyes overflowing with dark green and bubbling black dark seething magic. He opened his eyes again. Sleep is for the weak I guess...and the deserving.
His tired eyes flickered in the low light, he was not certain but he was confident enough that there were still plenty of creatures watching the bushes they hid in but those who DID see most likely could feel the darkness hiding inside him and wisely decided to steer clear. His pristine focus was shattered when Derpy let out a loud snore and rolled over hugging over his neck and burying her muzzle in his mane mumbling softly about fluffiness. "......um... Ma'am...ah... um.." This time the blush was on his side as his eyes shrank in embarrassment. He didn't want to wake her but at the same time it was pure and simply ungentlecoltly to just let this happen.
He cleared his throat and Derpy mumbled a bit before looking up at him. Her eyes shrank and her cheeks turned bright and rosy red. "...g...um..g....good... good morning mr... Knight..." He glanced at her hooves around his neck then back at her. She quickly whipped back distancing herself from him as he sat up and looked the other way. Every muscle in his body screamed at him to stop moving but at this point he was going to keep moving just so he could hear the pains drown out the embarrassment.
"Ma'am... um.. the sun is going to rise soon... we should go ahead and move out..."
"Derpy...." He looked back at her raising an eyebrow. "M...my name is Derpy Hooves....Thank you for everything you have done for me..."
It took him a few moments before he smiled warmly and nodded. It was odd feeling such warmth but he was very happy to know the sensation once again.
He took the lead, he was sure that Derpy knew the way back the way she came but she had no problem following him and he had spend his youth looking over his father's shoulders at the maps, learning how the land stretched out and how one should progress. He did not know these lands but he knew very well that this was once a heavy volcanic land and downhill was the right way to go, as well to avoid any water. Large predators lay in wait at water and he had already seen plenty of those in this area. His ribs still shot pain through him with every hoof fall. "Do you smell that?... grass... we are close to a far safer land..." He smiled looking back at her and she too smiled back at him as he hobbled along.
No.... no I cant let them return, No... if they make it back everypony will know... sure shes some worthless stupid pony but everypony will know I tried to kill her to save myself. Damn that stupid unicorn... no.. I cant let them make it back... I cant... The image of disgusted looks of everypony in Ponyville all staring at him made his creeping anger grow. I don't deserve that... Rarity would never even speak to me again.
The half mad Pegasus followed closer. He would have moved in already but something about that Unicorn scared him sick. Instinct informed him that he could not afford to let the stallion be close when he silenced Derpy, then he would worry about silencing or at least discrediting this new stallion. But how in Equestria would he manage this. He watched in silence before he got his answer. This was not the way they came but the unicorn had taken Derpy there. A short hazardous climb down from a frighteningly steep cliff. One stumble would spell death for anypony. And the wind here was much easier to handle. Had the unicorn not been there Derpy could have just hopped up and flown all the way back to ponyville in one go. If he was going to save his image he had to do it now. His mind churned with justification. He was young, he was going places, he was going to be so much more than just a mail pony. How dare they try and take my future from me!
"Be careful now... these cliffs may not be very far but they are still very sharp and there is plenty of rocks below..."
Derpy giggled. "I'm a Pegasus silly, you have to worry about that....not me" She smiled warmly as he took his first few steps.
"ah... yes... well it would not be proper if I had not at least said something..." He put on his best smile. It felt good, it felt right. Her smile warmed his heart. He had not felt such joy since he first took over as the king of the Crystal Empire. He happily bathed in such positive energy, but suddenly something was wrong, VERY wrong. The air shifted, it was not natural. His father's warnings and teachings of combat told him right away something was happening. Shadow's shifting quickly as the air whistled around an outstretched hoof. But what was really wrong was the pain in the pit of his stomach. Fear, it was so thick he could did not even feel the heavy blow to his chest that sent him careening over the side of the cliff.
"KNIGHT!!"
Derpy lunged forward but was knocked back by Fair Winds. His eyes filled with a crazed glare. "Why didn't you just DIE!" His hoof raised high as he stood pinning her against the rocks from above. His hoof started to swing down in full force but stopped when his mouth opened and he began to scream.
The fear was not for his own safety, it was not for hers either. It was fear of what he would do when the fool's actions were finally registered. And fear was all the darkness needed to remind him of what he was. A blaze of pitch black shadows both cut and burned their way up his legs, past his flanks and deep into his raised foreleg. The black flames then shot up to his eyes forcing every last nightmare and fear that the dark King could dredge up into the helpless stallion's mind. He didn't need to actually physically harm the Pegasus. He lived through a thousand deaths in an instant tortured for years never allowed to die, seeing everything he loved burn to cinders.
You dare challenge me?... petty weak FOOL... I am the king of darkness.. the emperor of fear. There are NONE who can truly stand against me. You will BURN!!
A screaming weak voice begged and pleaded with his darkness, dwarfed by his seething rage and hate. The voice continued begging for mercy, but he could not find any in his burning mind. His hooves raised to give one last burst of pain before the fool was properly dealt with, but all this stopped when he recognized the pleading voice. It was not the Stallions and it was not his. The shadows faded from his eyes. Fear washed away with the one emotion his dark power kept him from feeling all these years. Guilt.
Tears flowed from his eyes as all he could see was Derpy pushing back against him weeping and begging for mercy against the stallion who just tried to kill them both.
He only knew his mother for a very few short years, her words rang hollow on such a young mind. But they felt like fire against his soul now. "Some day Sombra... some day you will be king.... and you have to know the three choices...."
"choices?..." The little colt looked up at the soft dark blue fur of the unicorn mare.
"Yes.... Justice...it is to give to someone what they deserve... whether it is good or bad..." His mind went back to spankings and time outs that he hated so much. "... Mercy... to spare someone from getting what they deserve... then... then you have Grace... never forget grace my little Sombra..." She kissed the top of his head making him scrunch up his face in annoyance. "... Grace is like mercy.... but through selfless love... you not only spare somepony... but you give them love, so much more than they deserve... so much more..." She snuggled him and he threw something akin to a tantrum whining about his mane and how uncool it was to have kiss marks on his coat. She just smiled and kissed on his head even more. "... Sombra... some day you will grow up... and some day you will find yourself in position to do either something justified... or to do what is kind... you will act on matters of the heart.... you will love.... even if it is not deserved....be a loving king my precious child...."
The green fire in his eyes went out and he let out a horrid gasp for air. He was utterly disgusted. He looked at his hooves and all that came to mind was disgust. How could she care so much about something as disgusting as him. Death and cruelty were the only languages he could speak. The darkness came to him for a reason. He did not deserve this little mare's love. If anything he deserved the cold steel blade if a headsman. Even this Stallion Pegasus was more justified in his life's choices than he was. All the pain he caused all the death. Derpy Hooves.... you are too good for this undeserving world...
The darkness all about him now was mixed with light, battling in his soul. With a heavy flash of red and black his magic's clashed, he and the gray wall eye'ed Pegasus flashed into place in an unknown land. The earth about them was split between rolling soft green pastures and dark savage crystals beaming with power, a dark DARK power that flowed from a single spot within the center of the land they stood in. A well that almost looked like it was made half of unicorn horn and half of some smooth thick red tainted substance that trickled with sharp green static charges. The water within the well mostly spewed a thick black tar like substance. The rest looked like plain water in danger of being swallowed up by the ugly darkness.
"Your play time is over.... the king needs to return.... Ill be taking control again..." Derpy glanced up at 'Knight' who stood staring at somepony she now remembered. She had seen the pictures ever since Ponyville began buzzing over the fact that they had a princess who lived there. Twilight had faced this dark pony before. Sombra the old tyrant king of the Crystal empire.
Why does he look so much like Knight?
The dark stallion glared at her before smiling."You didn't get it then... why do you think you will get it now?..."
'Knight' growled and stepped between Derpy and the new threat. "I don't care what you have to say... I wont let you hurt anyone any more..." His eyes leveled at the evil form who just laughed and stepped forward.
"You know just as well as I do... there is nothing for you here. You have no REAL power and of what you do have, most of it 'I' control... " 'Knight' rushed against the dark form but instantly and effortlessly was smashed by an ocean of darkness that rose up to meet him, sending him sprawling back and sliding to Derpy's hooves. "The power gap is still there and as obvious as ever. How long are you going to hold up this petty little resistance?..."
The dark form suddenly hesitated before smiling as Derpy stepped between the two raising her wings. "Stop... I don't care who you are. I wont let you hurt Knight!"
The dark stallion howled in laughter before slowly haunting his way forward looking at her with a sickly grin across his lips. "Knight?...KNIGHT?... Ha... even he knows he has no place in this pitiful form. Do you know what your... heh... Knight is? What kind of a pony he is? What he has done?... petty little insignificant foal.... HE AND I ARE THE SAME!"
Derpy grit her teeth but didn't move from her spot staring up at him with defiant eyes. "No!..." Her voice was sturdy and confident much to the dark stallion's surprise and disappointment. "I KNOW who you are... Knight would NEVER do anything like you did..."
"Derpy...." The voice was weak and pathetic. She looked back at him, tears from his eyes as he stood. "He speaks the truth... I was a young foolish King...I wanted to protect everything... So I took power I was not ready for... power I didn't understand. And because of that... my heart went dark... I am not your Knight...and I am no pony who deserves your admiration... or love..."
There was a sudden swat, a spark of pain. His eyes wide as Derpy's hoof had contacted over his cheek leaving a soft red mark. "Dont you DARE speak like that about yourself!"
He could not speak, he wanted to but nothing came to his mind.
"You wanted to protect your kingdom right?... nopony can say that is a bad thing. Your value is not determined by your failures, by what you can't or HAVEN'T done... it is determined by your heart!" She looked him firmly in the eyes, oddly straight for her condition but she succeeded in this none the less.
Hearing his own words thrown back into his face hurt, stung like Tartarus but something about them coming from this little wall eye'ed pegasus made it feel right.
"I don't care if you look at yourself and see him!" She pointed at the dark form that watched on in growing aggravation and impatience. "..But when I look at you, I see the same brave pony who put his life on the line for me. I see the pony who did what nopony has ever done for me. I see the Knight I met and the Knight that showed me kindness when nopony else was willing. I saw a pony who gave me more than I ever deserved!"
His mind snapped at those last words. It almost sounded as if they had come in his mother's voice. some day you will find yourself in position to do either something justified... or to do what is kind... you will act on matters of the heart.... you will love.... even if it is not deserved....be a loving king my precious child
He stood on shaking legs staring at the well behind his own dark form who scoffed at the sight of renewed effort. "You still don't get it you little fool. He failed, as he always has, as he always will. The blood of thousands stain his hooves. And what little power he actually has is but a candle against an ocean of darkness... every little flicker of light he has will be drowned out by my darkness. His power amplifies my own. So long as his magic is connected to the heart I will ALWAYS be here."
"Derpy..... thank you..." He looked into her eyes, tears running down his cheeks. He smiled and leaned in kissing her softly. "I give you my heart... please never forget me..." Before she could even register his words over the kiss he turned about and stepped forward glaring down at the darkness.
"Tell me...do you know what love is?" The shadows grew larger and larger but paused when he spoke. The green tinted smoking eyes stared down at the much smaller in comparison dark gray unicorn. "I didn't think so." He opened his mouth and his mother spoke with him as if she was just a short distance to his left. "Love... is the burning passionate desire within your heart, the desire to do what is best for the subject of your love. For the ones you love. No matter what it costs you. It is completely and utterly a selfless thing. A beautiful and selfless thing..." He opened his eyes which sparked with a soft tint of cyan.
The darkness quivered and shrank back. "Shut it.... I don't care!.. you lost already, It doesn't matter what you do. So long as the connection remains I and I ALONE will reign!"
He did not so much as flinch as his eyes looked up at the great darkness. "You are right, on both counts...the proof is right here. My soul as you can see..." He waved to the surrounding lands, tainted and torn between beauty and tainted power. "it is torn in two with one side obviously superior in power to the other..."
He took another step forward and opened his mouth to speak, this time his father spoke the words with him. "Stand for what is right, even if you stand alone. Do what is right... even if it costs you everything. And if you cant succeed..." His eyes snapped into a focused glare. "make it as hard as bloody possible for the next guy to do what is wrong!" His horn gave off the same soft red glow and a crystal sword formed firmly hovering above him.
"You really want to fight me again?....HA!" The dark form still trembled in what appeared to be fear but was clearly not impressed by the thought of Sombra's physical resistance against such vast powers. But the darkness quivered as the sword raised and swung in a tight arc, then screamed in a soul shattering pain as the blade made contact with it's target. The well in the middle of the land cracked then shattered as Sombra's body fell it its knees, missing its horn.
The pain was staggering but easily worth it. He smiled feeling the blood trickle down his face. The darkness screamed in fear and pain just like he did when he bound his magical power to the crystal heart. He did not understand love back then, it was not truly in his heart, so the unguided power latched onto his fears and insecurities, his shortcomings and doubts, until it became an avatar of fear. Something that far out powered him and conquered his soul. But now the connection was severed. He destroyed his own magic. He weakly looked up and smiled, he could see his parents smile back at him as the land around them all began to melt.
It became increasingly hard to breath as his body began to give into the shock and previous injuries. But a hoof pulled him up and slung him over a back supported by legs nearly too weak to even stand while supporting him. "Knight!... how do we get out!...Where is the exit?!"
He smiled nuzzling against her neck. "Shh... you will be fine... so long as this world dies and nothing happens to you, you will be fine... just go...I never entered this fight expecting to win... much less survive. I have done all I can... please... go... be safe. Be happy, live life to its fullest and know all the joy you can get your hooves on."
"NO!" She grit her teeth and moved forward pulling his weight as she forced her body to push them both forward. It didn't matter that there was no way out, she would not stop even if it meant her death.
"NO!!" a much darker voice sounded. She barely got the chance to look back as the failing darkness and mass of fear and hate rose up in livid rage. "NO!!! I WILL NOT BE CAST DOWN... I AM DARKNESS I AM FEAR! I AM DEATH" He shot out at them both and Sombra's eyes widened
"Derpy! run... leave me, please... run!"
Tears in her eyes she shook her head. "No!....I wont leave you! don't you remember Knight? You gave me your heart... its mine... and IM KEEPING IT!"
Her shout echoed and the world they stood in shook and rumbled to its core. The seething darkness halted with a genuine look of fear. The shattered well was glowing. The water that gushed out glowed a bright cyan and burned away at the darkness. The green pastures glowed and filled with a blissful haze.
The darkness launched at them both in desperate savage anger but a sudden wave of cyan colored crystals leaped up from the ground smashing the darkness, pining it against a melting crystal. A second glance at the well showed that it was slowly reforming in a perfect harmonious cyan light. Derpy looked up to see crystal wings floating gently over them both and from the once bloody stump atop Sombra's head a crystal was shaping. Bright and soothing light shone through by the new horn. The wings did not attach to his body but still gave a full few strokes to ascend as Derpy was magically suspended by his side.
The well surged with energy and released a massive nova of light cleansing all the surrounding lands and dissolving the darkness. The sight was beautiful beyond all she could imagine but slowly faded into a pure white light just as her eyes opened. She saw Knight standing before her with a warm smile and a slightly longer than she remembered horn.
"Wha... what happened?... Kni-" He cut her off as he leaned in and kissed her. 'Your heart was given, and it was kept... the power of the heart is yours. Use it wisely my son' His father's voice shown brightly before his mother's followed suit. 'Never forget what you learned, I may be gone but my words are with you. Never focus on what you don't have. You will find that you have everything you need right here, you need only to open your eyes'
He looked into the soft loving crossed eyes of the mare and smiled. The dark king was dead, all that remained was the noble Knight who would live to serve. The Knight of Love.
~~~The End~~~
