The King's Shadow

Chapters

Attack on Harmony
In good hooves
Burning hate
Sombra's Heart
A plan forms
New worlds and old
Stop in the name of love
Final: New ways of thinking

Attack on Harmony

Bamboo wind chimes clinked and whistled in the breeze outside of Zecora’s hut. The zebra closed the window-hatch, shutting out the grating sound.

She’d been feeling uneasy all day. A red star twinkled in the sky before dawn, lasting well into the morning, and quickly returned in the evening. That alone was a bad enough sign, but as the sun went down red light mixed with purple in the thin, wispy clouds, as if the sky were bleeding. The animals were quiet and the wind whispered words of fear into Zecora’s ears.

There would be chaos soon.

Zecora sipped from her cup and let the tea leaves settle at the bottom, searching for a clue as for what to do.

But time was up.

The door burst open and a hulking gray earth pony stood in the shattered frame, his torn brown cloak fluttering in the breeze.

“I’m sorry,” said the stallion. “I’m doing this for a very dear friend. Tell me where the Alicorn Amulet is.”

Zecora’s eyes went wide. “I won’t give that up for free. You’re going to have to go through me!” Zecora shot green mist at the earth pony.

On the Friendship Express, Twilight Sparkle lay down on the seat as she stared into an open box. Sitting on a cushion of gold-colored silk, King Sombra’s severed horn pulsed with dark energy, struggling to break free of Twilight Sparkle’s containment bubble.

Off and on, she used to wonder about King Sombra and what could possibly turn a pony into such a monster. She and her friends had fought frightening monsters before, but not a pony. Even Nightmare Moon had a different sort of madness: she seemed not to understand that eternal night would destroy Equestria.

But Sombra was more like Tirek, a monster strait from Tartarus. Did the Nightmare make him that way?

The sound of an expertly played accordion took Twilight’s attention off of the horn. She looked back in the car to see Pinkie Pie playing the instrument as she danced between the other Elements of Harmony. Pinkie sang, “It’s always so much fun riding trains with all of you, but this time’s so much better because this one has bathrooms. I thought it would be scary with our horn-searching quest, but it only took two hours and now it’s time for a nice breakfast!”

“It’s lunch, dearie,” said Rarity.

“But that doesn’t rhyme,” said Pinkie. Dropping the accordion, she jumped into the seat next to Twilight. “Isn’t it yucky, staring at a unicorn’s broke-off horn? You’ve got a perfectly good window right beside you. The snow’s going away, it’s turning to grass again, and there’s a broken up brick wall that used to be part of a house. I bet it was an alchemist who accidentally blew it up. Oh! I hope she’s ok.”

“I was just thinking about Sombra,” said Twilight. “We never knew what made him the way he was. I saw he used dark magic and I know what that can do to a pony’s soul. I feel awful that we didn’t save him. If we’d brought the Elements, maybe we’d have been able to cure him, like we did with Princess Luna.”

Listening in, Apple Jack leaned on the back of Twilight’s chair. “He was so evil that love killed him. Only way that could work is if there was nothing left of him to save. Wouldn’t have been no different if we’d used the Elements.”

“Maybe,” said Twilight, frowning at the horn. “But I really think we let him down. I’ve learned so much since then, and it’s just never that simple. I don’t think anypony is ever beyond all hope.”

AJ wasn’t sure she felt the same, but her friend’s attitude really made her smile. She gave Twilight a pat on the head. “Whether that’s true or not, ya can’t save everypony.”

Twilight let out a sigh as she closed the box. She started to say something, but the ponies all heard a loud crash from the rear cars.

The door at the end of the car burst open revealing a unicorn with very dark, crimson fur. At the same time as she made her entrance, one of the windows shattered as a pegasus pony crashed inside. The pegasus had dull yellow fur, like amber, and forest green hair that also spread to her feathers, as if they’d been dipped in green ink.

“Do you see the horn, Lydia?” asked the pegasus.

“No, Nightshade,” said the unicorn. Lydia looked Twilight in the eye. “But I bet I know who’s got it.”

Always the first two ponies scrapping for a fight, Rainbow Dash and Apple Jack charged at the intruders as other passengers in the car hid under their tables. Lydia teleported a few feet forward, out of AJ’s way and the orange filly tumbled, rolling into the next car. Nightshade grappled with Rainbow Dash and the two of them got into a slap fight at the other end of the car.

The others jumped in, Twilight and Rarity attacking Lydia. Rarity hurled dining ware, biting back a sob as the expensive crystal cups shattered against the wall. Twilight traded horn blasts with Lydia, shooting holes through the train walls. AJ snuck up behind Lydia with her rope, intending to hog-tie the crimson unicorn, but Lydia deflected a blast and sent it back at AJ, knocking the cow-filly back.

“Apple Jack!” Twilight yelled.

At the other end of the car, Nightshade fell back from blast from Pinkie’s party cannon. She shook the streamers and confetti out of her mane as Rainbow dropped down again.

“Rainbow, be careful!” said Fluttershy.

Rainbow yanked Nightshade by the tail. “This is a fight, Fluttershy! Now isn’t the time for the shy stuff. For the love of Celestia, it’s three on one! Jump in!”

Nightshade’s kick under Rainbow Dash’s jaw knocked the Wonderbolt backward, dizzy.

Fluttershy bit her lip. Rainbow’s right, she thought. I’ve been so much braver lately. I can’t hold back while my friends fight! She gave her best squeaky growl as she galloped at Nightshade.

Pinkie’s eyelash started twitching. “Fluttershy, wait!”

Pinkie tried to leap toward them, but Nightshade kicked Pinkie’s party cannon, sending it crashing into the pink earth pony as Fluttershy attacked. Fluttershy grabbed Nightshade’s hair, but the yellow and green pegasus produced a needle hidden between her feathers.

Fluttershy saw a flash of light which seemed to come from behind her eyes. She never felt the needle going into her neck.

“Get away from her!” Pinkie screamed. She hurled the party cannon with every ounce of her rarely used earth pony strength. The cannon crashed into Nightshade and sent her out through the wall, tumbling over the passing landscape.

With all of the ponies distracted by Fluttershy, Lydia teleported over to the box and grabbed it, teleporting out of the train just in time to avoid Twilight’s horn blast.

Pinkie held onto the barely conscious Fluttershy. Rainbow shook some sense into her head and gathered around with the others.

“It’s poison,” said Pinkie, throwing the needle away.

Rainbow immediately started crying hard. “Fluttershy! Wake up! Fluttershy, I’m sorry! Please wake up!” She held on to her unconscious friend as the battle-damaged Friendship Express sped toward Ponyville.

In good hooves

She’d only done it once before.

Twilight and her friends gathered close around Fluttershy. The yellow mare seemed to struggle breathing and sweat soaked her fur. Twilight spread her wings and concentrated with everything she had. Purple energy circled around them. A few times, Twilight felt the magic trying to slip away, but the stakes were too high and she didn’t allow it. Her horn blazed white as she teleported herself and all of her friends to the one pony she knew could help Fluttershy.

She almost collapsed as she teleported them all to Zecora’s hut. Apple Jack held Twilight up as the sobbing Rainbow Dash held on to Fluttershy. Spike and Rarity ran in through the smashed-open door frame. “Zecora!” Spike yelled.

They found the zebra hog-tied with vines. Spike sliced the vines off with his claws and Rarity helped Zecora up as the rest of the ponies carried Fluttershy in.

“What happened to you?” Rarity asked.

The ponies laid Fluttershy up on the table and Zecora ran up to her. “It seems we’re all pieces in the same wicked game. I too was attacked, Steel was his name.”

“Did he hurt you?” asked Twilight.

“None of my bones were broken, but the Alicorn Amulet was stolen,” said Zecora. She moved a hoof across Fluttershy’s forehead. “This pony has a massive fever. Whatever was done to her?”

“A poison needle,” said Twilight.

Tears soaked Rainbow Dash’s face. “Can you help her?” she asked.

“An unknown poison leaves much to fear, but we probably have the answer here,” said Zecora. She brushed through Fluttershy’s fur around her neck. “Most poisons don’t strike the metabolism. A fever would suggest a harvested animal venom.”

“Animal venom on the needle?” Twilight asked.

Zecora nodded. “Many bites have I seen in my travels, near and far.” She brushed through the spot on Fluttershy’s neck where the attackers poked her, finding a rash, mostly obscured by fur. But Zecora could see a distinctly straight edge. “But only one leaves a rash in the shape of a star.”

“Star-spiders!” said Rarity. “Fluttershy told me all about them.”

“What’s the remedy?” Apple Jack asked.

“There is no certain potion which I can brew,” said Zecora. “But if we manage her fever, I believe she will pull through.”

“She might not?” Twilight’s voice sounded as if it were about to crack.

“It is likely she will recover from this, but I cannot make a promise,” said Zecora. “Rarity, I have medicines and herbs for stew. The rest of us have things to do. While Fluttershy fights her battle, we must fight ours, for the thief with the Alicorn Amulet is still at large.”

“Chase after him?” Twilight asked. Her face was wet at this point as well, although Rainbow had calmed down.

“I’m not leaving Fluttershy,” said Dash.

“The strongest fighters will I need, for our enemy is mighty. Fluttershy is in fine hooves with Spike, Pinkie Pie and Rarity.”

Spike almost argued the point. He was a dragon warrior, for Celestia’s sake. But he really didn’t want to leave Fluttershy.

Rainbow Dash leaned down and nuzzled Fluttershy. “If I’d had any idea how dangerous that pony was, I never would have let you near her. I’m sorry, Fluttershy,” she said.

Zecora filled a bowl with water and Twilight used her magic to freeze it. Apple Jack dumped the ice out and broke it into bits for Rarity to collect into an ice bag.

“Don’t worry, dears,” said Rarity. “Fluttershy’s young and she’s no stranger to animal bites. She’ll be right as rain before you know it.”

“And she’ll be mad if you don’t get justice for the star-spider that those baddies stole the venom from,” said Pinkie.

Rainbow Dash led the others out, wiping the sting out of her moist eyes. If Steel really was with the same group that hurt Fluttershy, she was going to make him tell her where Nightshade was, and she was going to make that pegasus wish she’d never been born.

Burning hate

There were only a few places in the entire world where star-spiders could survive in the wild. Since most of those places were overseas, The Everfree Forest seemed like the logical place to start the search.

Zecora led Twilight, Rainbow Dash and Apple Jack, following Steel’s tracks until they got to a rocky trail that couldn’t form hoof prints.

“What now?” asked AJ.

“There is a clearing rather close that a visitor might make his home,” said Zecora.

Rainbow Dash shot out ahead, but AJ grabbed her by the tail. “Whoa there,” she said, her voice muffled. She spat out Rainow’s tail after the pegasus settled down. “We stay together,” said AJ. “’Sides, don’t none of us know where that clearin’ is.”

“Are you ok?” Twilight asked.

“Yeah,” said Rainbow Dash, but the bitter edge in her voice said otherwise. “Let’s just kick this guy’s flank. Sooner we get back the amulet, the sooner we can get back to Fluttershy.”

Apple Jack motioned for Rainbow to get low as they got closer to the clearing. Zecora took the lead and they kep hidden in the underbrush as the trees parted. Out in the moonlight, a camp-fire crackled under a cauldron, cooking vegetable stew. Three tents stood around it. Only one pony was visible; the big earth pony, Steel, sat on his haunches and sipped stew directly from a wooden bowl.

“Is that him?” Twilight whispered.

Zecora nodded.

“Alright, let’s do this,” said Rainbow, and she shot off toward the earth pony.

“Wait!’ said Twilight.

Rainbow crashed into Steel, knocking him into the campfire. Steel yelled as he rolled around in the dirt, smothering the fire that singed his tail and sword-shaped cutie mark.

The mares, Nightshade and Lydia, rushed out of the other tent as Zecora, AJ and Twilight caught up. Seeing Nightshade, Rainbow forgot all about the hurting Steel and charged the other pegasus. Twilight’s force field saved the reckless pony from taking a needle to the neck and the two pegesi slammed into each other rolling in the dirt.

Zecora squared off with Steel and Twilight faced Lydia while AJ galloped over to help Rainbow Dash. Twilight saw that Lydia wasn’t wearing the amulet.

“Where is it?” Twilight asked.

Lydia’s horn flared up and the unicorns prepared to fight, but they stopped as the flap flew open on the third tent, flapping from a breeze that came from inside.

A dark unicorn in a hooded robe strode out onto the camp. Twilight saw how their adversaries’ eyes all darted toward him immediately. The unicorn’s horn glowed red as he used his magic to yank Nightshade away from her two attackers. The mare’s muzzle was split and bloodied from Rainbow’s vicious beating. Rainbow and AJ both tried to charge, but the dark unicorn summoned a wall of fire to block their path.

“Prince Umbra, thank you,” said Nightshade.

Steel growled like a diamond dog as he tackled Zecora. With Twilight distracted, Lydia hit her with a burst of magic. The mare’s magic wasn’t nearly as powerful as Twilight’s, but it hit her square in the barrel and knocked the air out of her.

Rainbow flew over the fire wall and bat her hooves against the male unicorn’s force field. “Get out here and take what’s coming to you!” Rainbow shouted at Nightshade. “I’m going to make you pay for hurting Fluttershy!”

The prince looked down at Nightshade. “I poisoned one of them,” Nightshade explained.

“Is she alive?” asked Umbra.

“You’d better hope she is, or I’m gonna rip your horn off!” said Rainbow.

Twilight’s purple magic knocked both Lydia and Steel to the ground. Everypony could see that Twilight and her friends were going to win. Umbra calmly magicked a glass bottle of pink liquid out from inside his tent. He raised his voice so that everypony could hear. “This is a potion brewed from the Exquisite Magic Flower. This potion will save your friend.”

Steel and Lydia stood up on shaky hooves.

“We want the amulet and horn,” said Twilight. “Give them back!”

Twilight’s force field stopped Lydia and Steel from getting closer to the prince. Umbra sat the bottle in the dirt. “The bottle’s yours if you back off. You could fight me for it, but you’ll risk breaking it.” His voice dropped low. Somehow it reminded Twilight of a wolf, if wolves had speaking voices. Somehow it sounded predatory even when making an offer of truce. She hesitated, considering her chances of winning the fight and escaping with the glass bottle intact. Fluttershy would probably be ok without the potion, but she couldn’t be sure.

Umbra raised a rock over the bottle.

“Alright!” said Twilight. She dropped her force field. Lydia and Steel brushed the dust off of themselves and moved closer to Nightshade and Umbra.

“What in the hay do y’all want with those things?” AJ asked.

“They’re my inheritance,” Umbra said, simply. The prince and his ponies teleported away, leaving the bottle behind.

Zecora opened the bottle, examining the contents closely. “I believe the prince spoke true and this is indeed a healing brew.”

“Rainbow, get it to Fluttershy,” said Twilight.

Rainbow popped the cork back into the bottle and took off. AJ, Zecora and Twilight looked around at the abandoned tents.

“Of traps, we should all beware. They may have left some nasty snares,” said Zecora.

“Everypony, be extra careful,” said Twilight.

The ponies split off with Twilight searching Umbra’s tent. For an alleged prince, his tent was sparsely furnished. Only a bedroll and a chest.

Twilight opened the chest, keeping her force field up in case of traps. Even with the tenseness of the current situation, Twilight felt her heart leap at the sight of her favorite thing: books.

There were only a few, but they were clearly old. Very, very old. From a time when all books were hoof-written and they didn’t stitch the pages into the binding. Twilight flipped through a few, finding fascinating early scientific notes on herbs and potions that she would be sure to look through later, but a book in black was the find of the century, both for their current situation and in general.

She shut the book up in the chest and picked it up with her horn magic. She forced her excitement down so that she could examine the implications of what she’d found. She’d have to mentally prepare herself for the dark secrets she was about to uncover.

Somehow, it never occurred to her that King Sombra might have kept a journal.

Sombra's Heart

A little cold water woke Fluttershy up enough for Rainbow Dash to give her the potion. Fluttershy didn’t even open her eyes, but drank like a baby with a bottle until she drained the flask. Rainbow laid her back down as Zecora brushed through her fur. The rash disappeared.

“Fluttershy will be at her very best after a night of well-earned res,” said Zecora.

“Thank Celestia,” said Rainbow. She laid down next to Fluttershy. With her friend out of danger, Rainbow finally had a moment to think and she looked down at her right hoof, cracked from pounding against Nightshade’s face. What did she almost do tonight?

The ponies all took a few moments to bask in relief for Fluttershy, but Twilight’s thoughts soon distracted her. She opened the chest, taking out the black book.

“What did you find, darling?” Rarity asked.

“A journal,” said Twilight. “King Sombra’s.”

Rarity raised an eyebrow. “What could he possibly have had to write about? Important growls he wanted to remember?”

“We didn’t see much of him at The Crystal Empire. I’ve always thought there must be more to him than that,” said Twilight.

Zecora moved closer to Twilight. “As important as it is to know your enemy, I fear you may risk your sanity.”

“Zecora’s right,” said AJ. “Do you really want to know how that psycho’s mind worked?”

“It’s probably got something to do with these attacks,” said Twilight. She took a breath. “Ok, here goes.”

She opened the book.

Their ignorance sickens me to the very core of my bones. Twilight could practically hear Sombra’s gravelly voice behind those words, but what shocked her was the penmanship. She’d expected mad chicken scratch, not beautiful calligraphy.

Every day of my life, I wondered why they had parents. Why they had the most delicious food and homes and warm beds, and I had none of those things. Most of them never gave it any thought At most, they dropped a few bits in a bucket to feel better about themselves, then they devoted their energy into not thinking about it while they enjoyed their holidays.

They’re self-indulgent fools, every last one of them. They hate me so much and it’s because they live in a childish fantasy. That weakness will be the end of all ponies, myself included. But no matter what I do, they never get it and they never make any attempt to see past the grand lie they’ve built around themselves. They frolic like foals in a flower meadow but they don’t stop to question how a race of herbivores became the dominant race in Equestria, nor why the dragons and griffins tremble in fear at the mention of the names of the goddesses that the ponies love so much.

They never question how the mighty basilisk went extinct.

Twilight skipped that section. She’d wondered that before and she’d long since decided that she didn’t want to know.

Which was exactly what Sombra meant.

That thought made her frown, but she pushed it aside. She’d do some self-examination later, after they figured out this whole fight.

There was no rhyme or reason to the different entries, Sombra seemed to write down his thoughts in no particular order as they came to him: random musings, magical theories… and poetry. Another surprise.

She stopped when she found Sombra’s writings on other worlds. Twilight had been to alternate worlds before. Two, in fact. She visited the second not long after retrieving her crown at Canterlot Hight. She’d studied the magic and she considered herself Equestria’s expert when she found a way to travel to Canterlot High without waiting for the magical window to open on its own. But Sombra’s knowledge of these other worlds dwarfed hers. He may have even known more than Princess Celestia.

Sombra described worlds of beauty that most ponies would never leave, and he described worlds of fear that haunted even his nightmares. But he never found the one that offered him what he wanted most.

Twilight turned the page. The change in handwriting shocked her. Sombra had been in a rage when he wrote this.

The damn rebel who called himself Spirit! If I had something to pray to, I’d pray that he survives for an eternity in the nightmare world that I banished him to. I’m as angry at myself as I am with him. I was foolish and let that pegasus grab hold of the Changeling’s Heart Gem. He probably has it with him now. It’s of small consolation that the gem will keep him alive and suffering for a very, very long time. I’ve searched for weeks already, but the world of Jotunheim is vast. I will never find it.

The hoofwriting suddenly became neat and beautiful again. Twilight guessed that Sombra must have taken a few moments to calm himself.

It took me so long to find the gem. I’ve repaired my machine, but for what purpose? There would be no point in activating it without the gem. It would still punish these ponies, these singing fools who had everything I didn’t. But I can’t help but feel that such base vindictiveness without a tangible reward would be… beneath me.

“The Changling’s Heart Gem,” Twilight said out loud. “I remember that. Disappeared over a thousand years ago. It channeled love, like the Crystal Heart. But the Changling’s Heart channeled the wearer’s love into vitality and made its wearer immortal.”

“What in the hay good would it have done for Sombra if it needed love to work?” AJ asked.

That was a good question. She’d never read or heard anything so hateful in her entire life. But he must have loved somebody. “Umbra,” said Twilight. “He said he was looking for his inheritance. I think it’s pretty clear by now who his father was.”

“Who?” asked Rainbow.

“Sombra!” said AJ.

“And if he’s after his inheritance, that would probably include the gem and whatever this machine is,” said Twilight. "It's dangerous, whatever it is. We can't let Umbra get it."

“I smell a rat though, Twi,” said AJ. “Why in the world would Umbra have just left that box behind?”

“Because he wanted to get out of there before I ripped his horn off?” asked Rainbow.

“He seemed cool as a cucumber to me,” said AJ. “Seems t’ me, he probably wanted you to find that book.”

Twilight hadn’t thought of that. She considered herself smart, but AJ had a sort of understanding about other ponies that nopony else in the hut could match.

“We’ll check on everything. Cadence must know something,” said Twilight. “Everypony get some shuteye. First thing in the morning, we’re off to the Crystal Empire!”

A plan forms

Cadence and Shining Armor waited for the train to pull in. Twilight hadn’t said exactly when they’d arrive, but Cadence always knew. The love that the seven friends shared was like a flare in the darkness to Cadence; she could sense them from miles away.

Fluttershy rested well on the long train-ride to The Crystal Empire, though she still felt a little wobbly as she stepped out onto the platform. Rainbow Dash stood next to her, letting the yellow filly lean on her. Cadence and Shining Armor brought a chariot to take her to her room in the palace.

“Are you ok, Fluttershy?” asked Cadence.

“Oh, yes,” said Fluttershy. “I’m just so angry.”

“I can only imagine,” said Shining.

“That poor spider,” said Fluttershy. “Robbed of its venom so that mean pony could use it as a weapon.”

Shining Armor suppressed a grin.

The chariot carried off Fluttershy, Rainbow riding with her. Twilight, AJ, Pinkie, Rarity, Spike, Zecora all walked with Cadence and Shining Armor as Twilight told them what happened.

“I don’t know anything about a Changeling’s Heart Gem,” said Cadence. “But I do know the name Spirit.”

“He was the first hero of the resistance against King Sombra,” said Shining Armor. “Everypony thought he died freeing captives in a secret chamber.”

“He didn’t,” said Twilight. “That’s why I need to find out about this world called Jutenheim. The Changling’s Eye might have kept him alive all this time.”

“I don’t know about that, Twi,” said Shining. “I mean that’s sweet, but don’t get your hopes up. We’re talking about a thousand years here.”

“If the gem’s powered by love, I’d sure like to think he’s alive,” said Cadence.

“Does the gem heal any wound?” Shining asked.

“No, it only keeps him young and cures illness,” said Twilight.

Shining Armor decided not to press the point. His sister was smart. She knew the odds.

With a frown, Twilight turned toward the library with Cadence as Shining Armor led the rest of them to the castle. Twilight would have liked to play with Flurry Heart for a few minutes. Hours. Days. Her niece was so adorable! But she had work to do before that prince and his thugs hurt somepony else.

“Cadence,” said Twilight “Have you ever heard of Sombra having a son?”

As the climbed the library steps, Cadence said, “There were rumors. Do you know about the previous princess of the Crystal Empire?”

“I heard she went missing a few years before Sombra rose to power.”

Inside the library, Cadence opened a book to show Twilight an image of Princess Diamond Heart. “She was a princess of love, just like me,” said Cadence. “A unicorn for start. She earned her alicorn wings when she stood between two armies and convinced them all to back down and negotiate. The Crystal Empire stands between Equestria and the yak empire, which was hostile at the time, so she was perfect to rule here.”

Twilight turned the page, but found it torn out. “That must be the part where she met Sombra,” she said.

“Princess Diamond loved every creature on this planet, without exception,” said Cadence. “How could she not try to help a pony that she knew was hurting? That didn’t mean she was in love with Sombra, but being a princess of love didn’t make her immune to the effects of a love potion.”

“What happened to her?” Twilight asked.

“She was the first pony to disappear,” said Cadence.

Twilight wasn’t surprised. She hoped she was right, that Umbra really was her son. If he had more of his mother in him than his father, she might change his mind about whatever his plans were.

With a little help from the librarian, they found the book which made reference to Jotunheim. The librarian told them it meant “Troll world,” which Twilight found discouraging. Though she didn’t know what she expected.

The book treated Jotunhiem as a myth, a curiosity from an ancient religion long dead even before the disappearance of The Crystal Empire. From what she could tell, opening the portal to this world shouldn’t take more than a few days of preparation and magic.

A smile spread on her face and she almost jumped into the air, but then she remembered Sombra’s problem. “Getting there isn’t even half the problem,” she said. “We’ve still got to find him. Or…” she glanced over a description of Jotunheim; several pages detailing wars, monsters and murderous tyrants. “Or at least the gem,” she said with a sigh. She had to acknowledge they might not get Spirit back.

“An artifact powered by love,” said Cadence. “I should be able to sense something like that.”

“How?” Twilight asked.

“It’s a part of my special talent,” said Cadence. “I can sense love. I know that the necklace the librarian is wearing is a gift from her husband, I know that colt we passed on the way here is working up his nerve to ask a filly to the prom, and I know you were thinking about Flash Sentry all night the last time you visited.”

“Hey!” said Twilight, turning red.

Cadence brought up her wing to cover her smile. She’d spent months fighting the urge to tease Twilight about her crush, but she just couldn’t help it anymore.

“The point is I can find it,” said Cadence. “Just open a portal a little way at first. Button size. And I should be able to find out where it is.”

New worlds and old

A cloak hid Nightshade’s colors and cutie mark as she circled over the Crystal Empire, scanning with her eyes. Down on the ground, hid under his own cloak, Prince Umbra watched from under the shade of a merchant’s awning.

A chill breeze blew and he watched a weed sway in the breeze. The hardy little plant sprouted up from a crack in the stone street. His eyes went out of focus for a moment, but a child’s crying made him look up.

A crystal earth mare put her hoof around the filly, who apparently was grieving for a cat. “I know it hurts,” said the mother. “She had a great long life. That’s what we all hope for. Life ends. That’s why we fill our time with as many good things as we can for the time we’ve got.”

Umbra gritted his teeth, grumbling deep in his throat. He felt heat and pressure building up and pounding at his skull from the inside out. They’re all just like that little filly. Every last one of them. Complacent, running to their goddess-mothers to tell them lies and make their fears and sadness go away. Umbra sneered, lowering his horn as the filly wiped her tears away and gave her mother a brave smile. Not even a year after the centaur almost destroyed the entire world, and still they’d rather die than take responsibility for their own lives. Sheep! So afraid of reality that they’ll take any lie that makes them feel safe. My father never should have let them live. He should have burned the Crystal Empire! Burned the crystal ponies like the garbage they are!

He felt a hoof on his shoulder. He jerked as he looked at Lydia. The unicorn mare watched him with concern and Umbra realized that his horn was glowing.

He wore the amulet now and he could feel its effects pulsing through him. It wasn’t so much the power he felt, although he knew it was there. It was the hate.

He took a breath, trying to calm himself. He didn’t really want to hurt that little filly, he reminded himself. Not that the absence of one willing slave would have left the world any poorer. They have the right to their choices, even if those choices are unbelievably stupid.

Let them die on their own. He and his own friends can live forever and leave this common trash behind.

Nightshade landed in front of Umbra, Lydia and Steel, who sat at a picnic table.

“They’re going to the mountains. North,” said Nightshade.

Steel asked, “Why would they go there?”

“Because anything might suddenly pop out of that portal when they open it,” said Umbra. “And they want it away from the city.” Umbra let his head sink a little as he held a hoof to his stomach.

“Are you alright, Prince?” asked Steel.

“Mind your damn-“ Umbra stopped himself. The damn amulet made it so hard to control himself.

Umbra couldn’t remember the last time he wasn’t angry. His anger stayed with him his entire life, and grew. But the Alicorn Amulet made it worse. Before, he’d always thought of his anger as a hot coal smoldering under a mound of ash. But with the Alicorn Amulet, it was a raging inferno inside his soul just waiting for a chance to explode.

He focused on calming himself as best he could. Anger was power: he knew that. But only if a pony controlled it and directed it properly.

His father never learned that lesson and it got him killed.

“I’m fine,” said Umbra. “Being so close to the Crystal Heart. It’s a little difficult.”

“I don’t like that amulet,” said Steel.

“Love has never been your enemy before,” said Lydia. “That thing is going to turn you into a monster.”

“I can’t fight two alicorns without it,” said Umbra, keeping his voice even. The voices of his friends had always been a comfort before, but now they irritated him like dragon claws on a chalkboard. “The sooner we get the gem, the sooner I can be rid of this damn thing. Let’s go.”

Elevem imperial guards escorted Cadence and the Elements through a winding trail leading up to the rocky slopes. Fluttershy rode on a carriage, but accompanied, since they thought they might need to summon their elemental magic if some hulking troll from Jutenheim jumped out of the portal.

Cadence led them into a massive cave. Durable lichen grew on the stones, semi-sheltered from the cold and melted permafrost dripped from the cave ceiling.

“Spirit’s rebels hid in the caves in between raids against Sombra,” said Cadence. “This is one of the few caves known to be his. Ponies say that Spirit and his lover used this cave when they wanted privacy, away from the other rebels.”

“He had a lover?” Twilight asked. “Is she still alive?”

“Nopony knows who she was. That was Spirit’s most closely guarded secret, because he knew Sombra would go after her to get to him,” said Cadence.

Twilight held up a spent stub of a candle that she found on a rock. “Looks like somepony’s been lighting candles for him. Maybe it’s her?”

Some of the guards chuckled.

“This is also the place where young ponies come to be alone,” said Cadence. “Sort of a tradition now. I adore places like this, the love just clings to it with all of their memories. I wish you could feel it, Twilight.”

Twilight heard one of the guards say, “I always felt it when I was here.”

Twilight smirked as she sat down on a flat area between two pools of water, filled with drops from the ceiling. One of the guards laid a map down on the floor: a very rough map of another world. Twilight’s horn lit up. She’d been up all night adjusting the spell that she and Starlight Glimmer came up with to restore the castle’s table map.

Her face contorted as she concentrated hard and her horn glow turned white with hot magical energy. She shot a beam into the rough outline and a three dimensional miniature image of the world of Jotunheim appeared over it, the alien globe floating over the map. Twilight’s eyes went wide with the thrill of seeing this alien world.

Cadence worked her magic next, using the magical connection to Jotunheim that Twilight already forged to create the energy globe. She reached out with her senses, searching. She almost shed a tear because of what she felt: a world of such pain and hate and very little love. But that lack of love made it all the easier to find the pulsating magic from the stone, beaming like a lighthouse at midnight.

A tiny pink dot appeared on the globe.

“Oh, wow,” said Cadence. “I kind of can’t believe that worked.”

Twilight let out a tired breath. Cadence saw that the fur over her brow looked a little damp. “Need a rest?” asked Cadence.

“No,” said Twilight. “Let’s open that portal. I want to see if…”

She stopped as she saw Cadence’s expression change. The Princess of Love looked toward the mouth of the cave, feeling a chill through her spine. “Everypony, get ready,” said Cadence.

Apple Jack and Rainbow Dash moved up to the mouth of the cave. A circle of flame appeared out of nowhere. Prince Umbra, Nightshade, Lydia and Steel appeared in front of all of the ponies.

Apple Jack nudged one of the guards. “I hope y’all boys are better than the Royal Guard in Canterlot,” she said.

“We’re not!” he said, his knees shaking. “I don’t even know why the buck we’re here!”

Prince Umbra blasted first with his horn. Twilight leapt ahead of AJ, forming an energy shield as Rainbow darted around, heading straight for Nightshade again. Nightshade tried her needle trick, but Rainbow was ready this time and batted the poisoned needle away with her wing.

Steel crashed through the Imperial Guards like a bull through a china shop. AJ jumped on Steel’s back, pulling his mane and riding like a cow pony as he bucked. Lydia, her horn blazing charged toward them but Pinkie Pie’s party cannon knocked her back. Lydia hit the cave wall with a painful sounding thud, making Pinkie wince.

“Wow,” said Pinkie. “For a race of vegetarian pacifists, we can get into some pretty hard-core fights sometimes, huh?”

Cadene and Twilight squared off against Umbra, shooting him with their horns at the same time. Umbra staggered, but his force field held. His horn began to smoke and glow red, like a hot coal exposed to a breeze. He reared back on his hind legs and opened his mouth, breathing out a burst of flame from his mouth like a dragon. Twilight and Cadence used their magic to protect the guards from the consuming flames.

Pinkie brought her party cannon around, but as she pulled the string, Lydia used her magic to nudge the horn away, sending the blast at Apple Jack and knocking the farm pony out of Steel’s way. With Steel’s opponent down, the gray stallion pulled Rainbow Dash off of Nightshade, spinning Rainbow by her tail and flinging her against Rarity.

“MEANIE!” Pinkie yelled. She shoved her cannon and set it rolling on its wheels. The metal hit Steel ion the barrel, knocking the air out of him. Her head steel spinning, Lydia could only manage a thin whip of magical energy which lashed Pinkie over the flank. Pinkie’s eyes went wide with the horrible sting and she took off in a gallop. “Ow ow ow ow!”
Still woozy from the poison, Fluttershy stood on wobbly legs and faced Nightshade. Nightshade’s own legs trembled from weakness after Rainbow Dash’s second vicious beating.

“Oh my,” said Fluttershy. “You poor thing, you can’t fight anymore. I’ll let you go if you promise to apologize to those spiders and stop taking their venom.”

Nightshade blinked, her eyelids sticky with blood. In her state, she didn’t know if she could take even this weak filly, but hearing the mare talk gave her an idea. She spotted a pill bug on the cave floor and held her hoof over it. “Give up, or the bug gets it!”

Fluttershy gasped. “Oh no!”

Nightshade grinned. Then they both ducked at a flash of purple light.

Twilight Sparkle’s eyes glowed white as she and Cadence shot energy blasts at Umbra, blocking the Prince’s flames. But the Alicorn Amulet amplified Umbra’s already considerable magical power. The moment Twilight and Cadence made the mistake of getting too close, trying to blast him out of the cave, he expanded his force field and slammed them both against the cave walls.

With the two princesses and most of the elements down, Umbra summoned a magical chain to bind Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy and the few guards who hadn’t been knocked completely unconscious.

Twilight Sparkle forced herself stand as Umbra advanced toward the magical globe, still floating in the air. She stumbled as she hurried toward him, but Steel grabbed her. She tried to blast him, but she’d hit her head too hard and her entire body felt like rubber. “Whatever you’re doing,” said Twilight. “Stop. I couldn’t save Sombra. And I can’t save you. Only you can save yourself. Rip off that amulet, you don’t have to keep this cycle of hate going!”

A jolt of anger surged through Umbra’s body at the sound of the word, that the Princess of Friendship could even say the word. “What could a mare who was raised by Celestia possibly know about hate?” Umbra asked. His horn flared, but instead of blasting Twilight Sparkle, he focused the energy into a spell and fed it into Jotunheim, through the connection that Twilight and Cadence already formed.

Steel threw Twilight to the cave floor. In front of Umbra, a ball of flame appeared in the air and spread out in a circle. The air in the center of the portal shimmered.

“You haven’t won yet,” said Twilight. “You still have to get the Changling’s Heart Gem away from Spirit.”

At first Umbra thought she must not have known how much time had passed. When he realized she believed Spirit would still be alive after so much time, fighting in a savage land and kept young with love, it made him sick to his stomach. “This is reality, Princess of Friendship,” said Umbra. “I realize you’ve probably been avoiding it for your entire life, but try not to-“

A blur the color of amber from within the portal caught Umbra’s eye. The next thing he knew, a crystal hoof connected with his face, knocking him for a loop from a right hook out of nowhere. Umbra fell to the cave floor, his head spinning and vision black. The blow must have cracked his cheek bone. He blinked his eyes, attempting to see the pony who hit him.

The world seemed to spin out of synch with the motions of his head. He saw a set of crystal legs the color of honey and ponies all around looking shocked. Except for Pinkie.

“Everyone’s acting so surprised,” said Pinkie. “Have you never seen a movie in your lives?”

Spirit spread his wings as the portal behind him disappeared. Around his neck, he wore the Changeling’s Heart Gem.

Umbra forced himself to his feet, falling to his knees once before he managed to stand. His cheeks burned with embarrassment. Every pony in the cave heard him start to say that there was no way this pegasus could still be alive and there he was. The Alicorn Amulet pulsed with energy, filling Umbra with a rage that the Prince even knew was petty. “Make a fool of me…” he said softly. “Do you THINK THAT’S FUNNY!” He screamed.

“I do!” said Pinkie.

`Umbra blasted a massive ball of fire at Spirit. A thousand years of experience gave Spirit the edge and he shot up into the air with a beat of his wings, coming down with his hind hooves. Umbra jumped out of the way of Spirit’s stomp and the impact of Spirit’s hooves left a small crack in the cave floor. Not quite earth pony strength, but enough for Umbra to back up a few steps.

Apple Jack took hold of the magical chain binding Pinkie and Fluttershy. Pinkie pushed against the chains as AJ pulled, Fluttershy adding as much muscle to as she had to offer. Pinkie and AJ’s combined earth pony strength snapped the chains and the links disappeared in flames.

Rainbow Dash charged. Nightshade ducked, but Dash had finally decided to give the pegasus a break and charged at Steel instead. The two of them duked it out, Rainbow ducking and dodging Steel’s blows as she connected with jabs against his face.

Lydia stood at her Prince’s side and the two of them squared off with Spirit, Twilight, Cadence and Rarity. Rarity looked around at her comrades, feeling a little out of her league, but determined to do her part.

Umbra began to see the writing on the wall. Even with the Alicorn Amulet, these ponies had the advantage. His power could help them retreat, but the amulet pulsed again. He bared his teeth.

“Your anger is clouding your mind,” said Spirit.

“Anger is power,” said Umbra.

“Only if you control it. You’re letting it consume you,” said Spirit.

Umbra hesitated. Was he right? Was he making his father’s mistakes all over again?

He shook his head. “Nothing clouds my judgment, Spirit!” he said. “You have the key to immortality, what I’ve worked for my entire life! If I must die like common trash with the rest of you, there’s no reason to live at all!”

Umbra reached into the mountain with his magic. All of the ponies stopped what they were doing as the cave began to rumble.

Nightshade’s eyes went wide. “Lydia, stop him!” she said.

Lydia grabbed onto Umbra’s horn and tried to muzzle him with her magic. Umbra threw her off of him, The other ponies all closed in on Umbra, but he sent a surge of energy deep into the mountain. Spirit and Twilight both grabbed onto Umbra as the chamber began to rumble.

“Everypony out!” AJ yelled.

Those still standing helped up those who weren’t. Twilight and Spirit grappled with Umbra. Twilight tried to contain Umbra’s magical energy with her own, but she realized the damage was done. Stones began falling from the ceiling and dust rose. She allowed Umbra to fling her away, focused now on getting her friends and the guards out alive.

Umbra’s shield absorbed another blow from Spirit. Even after a thousand years in Jotunheim, Spirit was no match for the Prince’s power amplified by the Alicorn Amulet. Umbra cast a spell that attacked Spirit’s nervous system directly, filling the pegasus’ body with agonizing pain. As Spirit screamed, Umbra yanked the Changling’s Heart Gem off of his neck.

Lydia, Steel and Nightshade rushed to Umbra’s side as the Prince summoned his flames. The group disappeared with a flash, and made their getaway.

Twilight threw up a force field under the ceiling, shielding all of the other ponies from the massive stones, but her brain and entire body ached under the strain. Cadence focused her magic on getting everypony out. AJ still held her ribs from a vicious kick from Steel as she dragged two guard ponies out by their tails.

Almost all of the ponies were out by the time Twilight’s strength gave out. The stones began falling again and she was just about to follow the others out, but her eyes caught a hue of yellow and pink behind the dust.

“Fluttershy, what are you doing!?”

“Go on without me!” said Fluttershy. Fluttershy searched desperately through the dust. Over-turning a rock, she finally found her quarry: the pill bug, rolled up in a ball. She snatched the bug up with her wing as Twilight grabbed her tail with her magic, dragging her out of the cave.

The cave and most of the cliff above it collapsed and the ponies covered their ears against the thundering crash. Rainbow used her wings to beat the dust away and Twilight took a quick head count. There were eleven guards, she remembered, because it was a prime number. Cadence and all of her friends were accounted for as well. Pinkie’s chin quivered as she stared at the collapsed cave, grieving the loss of her party cannon. Fluttershy did her best to comfort the pill big.

“He got the gem,” said AJ.

“That was nothing short of a total disaster,” said Rarity.

Twilight found it hard to agree. Cadence stood over the newcomer: Spirit lay sweating on the ground, still recovering from Umbra’s cruel spell. Cadence stroked his forehead with her wing. “There’s a bright side,” said Cadence.

Stop in the name of love

The world looked blurry to the crystal pegasus. Still weak from Umbra’s vicious pain attack, Spirit rolled over onto his back on the gravel. The sun’s rays blinded him, shining through the tree leaves, and he smelled the fresh air. He’d spent the last thousand years breathing in air mixed with sulfur fumes. Now he was back in Equestria, which he never thought he’d see again.

But Umbra was waiting. And with the Changeling’s Heart Gem, the Prince had the power to end the world.

He forced himself up. Cadence tried to stop him. “Wait, Spirit. You need someone to look at you,” she said.

“There’s no time,” said Spirit. “We have to stop Umbra before he can take that gem to his father.”

“Sombra’s dead,” said Cadence.

Spirit went wide-eyed for a moment. That was the last thing he expected to hear. But he shook his head. There was no time to hear about that right now. “It doesn’t matter, if he’s re built his father’s machine.”

Twilight used her magic to hold onto Spirit as he stood, making sure he didn’t fall over. “What does the machine do?” she asked.

“It’s Sombra’s curse fully realized,” said Spirit. “It’ll tear the love out of every pony in The Crystal Empire. If they even survive, they’ll be monsters like him.”

Twilight felt goose flesh bump up under her fur and a sensation like cold water pouring down her spine. “Do you know where it’s at?”

“Maybe,” said Spirit.

Umbra’s face lay pressed against the ice-cold mud by a stream, his hair waving in the flow of melted snow and ice. His head was pounding. If he were more experienced with alcohol, he’d compare it with a hangover.

The ponies of his court kept close to him. Lydia gently ran her hoof over his fur. Umbra leaned down, taking a drink from the stream. It was almost freezing from being so recently melted, surrounded by frost and snow on the banks. Ordinarily, he craved hot tea and coffee out in the frozen wastes. But his body was burning from whatever the Alicorn Amulet did to him and it soothed his raw throat.

But he had it. The giant emerald lay in the mud near his hoof, looking so plain and ordinary in the low light.

The secret to immortality. The one thing he’s always wanted and thought he could never have.

“You can take off the amulet now, my prince,” said Steel.

“No,” said Umbra. “Father’s machine is too complicated for my magic alone.”

They all looked glum, but said nothing as they helped him up.

Spirit led the others from the head of the line as they raced over the snow planes, far ahead of all of them except for Rainbow Dash. He stopped several times, giving the others time to catch up. It was agony for him to wait, but he doubted he could fight Umbra on his own.

He cursed himself. For a thousand years he’d defended that gem, but all it took was some magical enhancement to give this prince the edge he needed to escape with it.

He and the other pegasi, plus the two alincorns, took flight as the plane fell away to a ravine. The grounded ponies moved slowly down the steep path. The winged ponies touched down in the half melted slush near the entrance to a cave.

“This is where it was last time,” said Spirit.

Although Rainbow Dash didn’t move, Twilight still grabbed onto her tail just in case she tried to blast on ahead.

Twilight used her glow to light their way through the tunnels. They seemed to go on forever. Twilight had absolutely no idea where they were going, but Cadence said, “We’re getting close to the Empire.” She could feel Shining Armor far above the roof of the tunnels, near the Crystal Heart.

“Sombra needed it to be close to the crystal ponies,” said Spirit. “I assume, anyway. It could just be that he wanted to be close enough to hear them screaming.”

Twilight felt queasy at the thought. And also oddly curious. She would have just assumed Sombra had a pragmatic reason. A pleasure in cruelty wouldn’t have occurred to her. For all of her studies and focus on the brain, she’d never really thought about what might go on in a mind so alien.

She thought about the journal again. The answers to all of her questions about Sombra would be in there.

“We’re getting close,” said Cadence.

“How can you tell?” asked Rainbow Dash.

“Love sense,” said Cadence. “From Umbra’s servants.”

That depressed all of the ponies. Twilight noticed that she didn’t mention sensing anything from Umbra himself.

They slowed as the tunnel began to open up.

The machine reached to the top of the cave like a clockwork tower. Entire sections rotated. Several ore carts sat empty and Umbra used his magic to dump the last load of red crystal shards into a chute, channeling the crystals inside the machine. Umbra wore the Changeling’s Heart Gem around his neck, hanging below the Alicorn Amulet.

A blast of purple magic shot at the machine. A teal blue force field appeared, shielding the machine as Twilight’s magical energy burst.

Umbra shot back without thinking as Twilight and the others charged in. Twilight and Cadence teleported in front of Umbra as Spirit shot in like a dart.

“Stop this, Umbra!” Twilight said. “You’ll kill them!”

Twilight dodged a blast of flame from Umbra’s horn.

Rainbow Dash landed in front of Nightshade. “Ready for round three?” she asked.

But Nightshade was ready for her this time. Nightshade swung with her wing. Dash swiped her own wing, expecting to bat away another needle, but Nightshade tossed a plume of green powder that dusted past Rainbow’s wing and hit her face. Dash hit the cave floor in a sneezing fit.

“It’ll stop soon,” said Nightshade, approaching with a vicious look on her face. “Just enough time to give you a little payback.”

She loomed over Dash. Then Fluttershy jumped in the way, hitting Nightshade in the face with all the power she could summon into her frail hoof. The hoof-slap left a stinging red mark on Nightshade’s cheek.

Fluttershy gasped. “What did I just do? Oh, do you need an ambulance?”

AJ and Rarity traded opponents this time. Applejack’s lasso made short work of Lydia, leaving the unicorn hog tied. Rarity attempted her flirt attack against Steel.

“Oh. A big handsome stallion like you wouldn’t hit a lady, would he?”

As it turned out, he would. But Pinkie’s party cannon blew him across the chamber before he could land the blow.

Closer to the machine, Cadence hit Umbra with her most powerful love spell, attempting to break the amulet’s hold over him. It affected him just enough to make Umbra pause with worry over his fighting vassals, but he shook it off and formed a rope of flame, attempting to grab hold of Spirit.

The crystal pegasus charged at Umbra’s machine, hitting the blue force field with everything he had, but it held.

The lower gear stopped and Umbra used his magic to hit a lever.

Layers of the machine began to fall off, exposing antennae and pillars of fused crystal.

“You have to stop!” said Twilight. “They’ll die, or lose their love!” She was near tears. “You can’t do this. You’re not a monster, Umbra!”

“Sure I am,” said the Prince.

As he dueled with the three ponies, the fused crystal in the machine began to glow. Spirit charged at Umbra, throwing his weight at the Prince, but Umbra teleported away behind the force field. Twilight tried to teleport after him, but Umbra’s magic kept her on the other side.

The other fighting ponies all separated from each other, looking at Umbra. Their battles didn’t matter anymore; Umbra had checkmate.

Cadence, Spirit and most of the unicorns hit the force field with everything they had, all at once. The energy field warped under the energy and hooves, but didn’t break. Umbra laughed as the Changling’s Heart Gem began to glow.

“You grew up with a monster that didn’t have a heart,” said Twilight. “That doesn’t have to be you.”

“They’ll be like Sombra!” said Spirit. “Don’t you understand? You’ll strip their love until only blackness and hate remains!”

Lydia and Steel looked at each other. Nightshade got close enough to Pinkie Pie to ask, “What are they talking about?”

“I dunno,” said Pinkie.

Fluttershy said, “It’ll take away all of the love in the crystal ponies, and it won’t grow back.”

“Master, you can’t!” said Steel.

“Shut up!” said Umbra. “This rebel proved that love can’t be destroyed. They’re just repeating some lie they’ve heard, no different than any pony who has ever lived.”

“Then see for yourself,” said Cadence. “The love is already shifting. You can feel it, can’t you?”

“The gem can let you see,” said Spirit. “Close your eyes and concentrate. Block out the Alicorn Amulet’s hate for a moment and you’ll see that you can feel the love in the empire.”

Umbra thought for a moment. He couldn’t think of a way that the ponies could trick him. Even if he closed his eyes for a moment, they couldn’t get through his energy field.

He closed his eyes. It was difficult blocking out the rage, but he thought about campfire meals with Lydia, Nightshade and Steel. It helped him access a part of his soul that the Alicorn Amulet tried to bury.
Then he could feel what the Changeling’s Heart Gem felt. Thousands of little pin-pricks of light in the city above him, like fireflies: their energy being drawn to the crystals in the machine. And the machine was hungry, like a gaping maw in the void, drawing in and devouring the light around it.

Were they right?

“It doesn’t prove anything,” said Umbra. “I already knew the machine drew power from love. That doesn’t mean they’ll lose their love forever.”

“Then you have to decide if you believe us,” said Twilight with a soft voice.

Lydia got closer to them. Her eyes were wide and afraid. “They’re not all garbage, Umbra,” she said. “Listen to them.”

Umbra focused on the love energy again. He only had their word and his vassals’ pleas. It could all be a lie, or a foolish misunderstanding.

But if he was wrong, if he destroyed the ponies of the Crystal Empire just because he was too stubborn to hear these warnings, then that would make him the thing he hated the most: a self-deluded fool.

His magic moved slowly. He didn’t want to give in. More than anything, he wanted to see this through and get back what rightfully should have been his all along. But he unfastened the Alicorn Amulet and let it fall. Then he did the same with The Changeling’s Eye Gem and shut off the machine.

As soon as the force field dropped, Twilight magicked the gem and amulet away. Just in case he changed his mind.

Lydia, Nightshade and Steel all moved closer to Umbra. Steel gave the most relieved sigh of his entire life.

“You did right, Prince,” said Steel.

“Did I?” asked Umbra.

They all wondered what was supposed to happen now. Umbra showed no expression at all, but his vassals looked at the other ponies with expressions that made it clear that they wouldn’t let their prince go quietly.

“We’ll destroy the machine,” said Cadence. “I think we’ll be good, then.”

“I don’t like the idea of lettin’ them run off,” said AJ. “They’re all kinds ‘a dangerous. Not to mention they almost killed Fluttershy.”

“Oh, I can let that go,” said Fluttershy.

“Four new students would be a great challenge,” said Twilight. “Plenty of room at the castle.”

“Under the watchful eye of your God Empress Celestia,” said Umbra with disdain. “No thank you.”

The blasphemy shocked Twilight. Was he good now or wasn’t he?

“There are other options,” said Cadence. She got closer. The warm expression n on her face convinced Umbra’s vassals that it was perfectly safe to let her in. Cadence reached out with her wing and dropped Umbra’s hood back, brushing his cheek. She felt his bitterness toward her and all royalty and it stung her heart. But she also felt the love in his heart returning now that he’d dropped the Alicorn Amulet.

“Won’t you be my guest in The Crystal Empire for just a few nights, until we can get you a train?” asked Cadence. “I have a few ideas on what you could do now. I promise it’s not a trap.”

Umbra gave a shrug that said, ‘what the hell have I got to lose?’ He already gave up the one thing he wanted most in the world.

Only a few of the crystal ponies noticed a mild tremor as the Cadence and Twilight destroyed the machine underground.

Umbra led them all through a tunnel that let out into the city. Spirit had to shield his eyes for just a moment, then he let the sun beat down on him. His hide remained dull from the sorrow of his thousand-year exile, but a tiny hint of shine on his ears showed that he was still a crystal pony.

Cadence put her wing around him. “Welcome home, Spirit. The crystal ponies are going to be so happy to see you.”

He gave a faint smile. “It’s good to see them. It still looks the same.” He shook his head, sad. “But it isn’t. Princess, this isn’t my world anymore.”

“You’re not staying?” Twilight asked.

“It hurts to much to look at this place,” said Spirit. “I kept going because, honestly, there wasn’t a doubt in my mind that Sombra would still be alive. I had to make him pay for everything he’d done. And just maybe I could save enough of Equestria to honor all of those who couldn’t be here today. But The Crystal Empire is safe now. Without a purpose, I can’t just build a new home here. Looking at these sparkling towers every day, it would be a constant reminder of Morning Glory.”

Cadence looked confused. Twilight asked, “Your special somepony?”

“Yes,” said Spirit.

“Sombra… killed her?” Twilight asked.

“I have no idea how she died,” said Spirit. “But it’s been a thousand years and she didn’t have a Changeling’s Heart Gem.”

They all kept silent for a moment, then smiles slowly spread across their faces as they figured out the misunderstanding. Cadence grinned wider than everyone. She knew the names of almost every pony in The Crystal Empire.

“She’s alive, Spirit,” said Cadence.

He almost said, “That’s not funny.” He’d spent the better part of a thousand years coming to terms with the fact that he’d never see her again. But he stopped himself and asked, “What?”

“Sombra banished them. They all came back just as they were a thousand years ago,” said Cadence. “Morning Glory. The unicorn who loves poetry and painting, right?”

Spirit couldn’t say anything. Slowly, his body became more translucent.

“1933 Sparkle Berry Lane,” said Cadence with a smirk.

Spirit took off, tripping over his own hooves before he beat his wings and blasted up into the air.

He flapped his wings as hard as he ever had, dodging buildings recklessly. His breath came in shallow gasps. A part of him couldn’t accept it. He thought he’d get to the address Cadence gave him and find out it was some vicious joke.

He landed in the backyard garden, surrounded by sunflowers. Her favorite. A good sign.

He took a deep breath, sweating from anxiety more than the fatigue of the flight. Where was she? He was so out of his head that he didn’t even think to knock on the door.

The door to the crystal home opened. He didn’t even hear it until a watering tin hit the stone porch, dropped by the unicorn in her shock.

He spun around and saw the most beautiful golden unicorn he’d ever seen, with a sun cutie mark. Her crystal form sparkled in the sunlight. As both of them realized what they were seeing, their forms turned as clear as tinted glass.

Spirit tripped one more time as he rushed over to her and threw his wings around her. Neither of them had the first idea what to say. Spirit pressed his forehead against hers, awkwardly with her horn in the way.

“Hi,” said Spirit.

A thousand years to think of something to say if they were ever reunited and that’s what he came up with. But he supposed that was good enough.

Final: New ways of thinking

From miles away, Princess Cadence could feel Spirit and Morning Glory's love sending a shockwave through the Crystal Empire, like an explosion.

She suppressed a grin when she imagined how intense that explosion would be tonight.

Prince Umbra and his vassals stood away from the others. Cadence took a few steps toward them, deliberately putting a warm smile on her face to put them all at ease.

"Nopony's going to lock you all up," said Cadence. "Let me arrange a private train to Ponyville."

"I told you," said Umbra. "I'm not interested in studying Celestia's ways."

"I know," said Cadence. "There's a third option."

Several days later, with Steel, Nightshade, Lydia and Umbra working hard, they put the finishing touches on their hut out in the Everfree Forrest. It was primitive, this wide, circular hut. But well made with plenty of room for the four of them.

Umbra had long since shed his cloak. He wasn't used to the southern heat, nor manual labor, and he was sweating. The fatigue and the camaraderie of working with the others did a lot to shake off the lingering feeling of that amulet.

After eating dinner with the others, he let himself in to Zecora's hut.

"You've had a stressful several days. It is good to see you gay," said Zecora.

"What makes you think I'm- oh. Happy. Yes," he said. "I had a castle in mind. On another world, of course, I didn't want to stay here. Still, this is much better than camping in the frozen wastes."

"Everything you wanted was within your grasp, but for the lives of ponies, it was too much to ask," said Zecora. She stopped a moment to pour a red liquid into the pot.

Umbra opened his notes, reading from a scroll, and he laid out some of the herbs he'd gathered.

Zecora inhaled the steaming mist from the pot, then looked at Umbra as she spoke again.

"Alchemy is all you really can learn from me. How to live your life, you know already. The one thing that life can not take is the wisdom to weigh the choices you make. A crown on your head cannot heal your soul, nor can eternal life ease your woe. Underneath your anger, so heavy and dark, you remain the pony that you are, and although you see the world as an enemy, still you chose mercy. For no reward, you granted this mercy for free. Because that is the pony you chose to be."

Umbra didn't respond to that as he ground his gathered herbs. He wasn't sure it was as complicated as all of that. There were some lines that he would never cross. It didn't speak of a massive shift in his outlook for the world.

Still, all choices have consequences. For immortality, the consequence would have been blood on his hooves from the murder of an entire city. As far as consequences go, studying in a beautiful forest with a brilliant alchemist wasn't a bad consequence for choosing mercy. It wasn't an ageless castle on the edge of eternity, but at least he could look himself in the mirror.

Owlowiscious gave a soft hoot in the pre-dawn hours, watching with worry as his master tossed and turned in her bed.

Twilight Sparkle woke up in a jerking motion, as if someone had just grabbed her. She blinked hard and took a moment to calm her racing heart.

Nightmares every night this week.

She dragged herself out of bed and into the kitchen, not wanting to wake Spike for some tea. She brought a steaming cup back to her room and sipped from the calming brew.

It was sort of weird, the nightmares. She didn't feel any fear reading the journal. It was only asleep, when she let her guard down.

She supposed it must be because Sombra's thoughts were so against her own innocent pony nature.

She knew she should stop reading it. But there was a book in the chest by her bed with ideas and dark knowledge that she never would have thought of. It was like asking Fluttershy to stop talking to animals.

She couldn't resist. She opened the chest and took the book out again.

Owlowiscious cocked his head and hooted at her, but she didn't listen. The feathers on his neck stood on end as a small, thin smile spread across Twilight Sparkle's face.