This was a bad time indeed for the land of Equestria. A forgotten empire that was sealed away, has now resurfaced, and along with it, the monstrous tyrant that ruled it with no mercy. Cadence and Kenji had been sent to the empire to take charge, as Celestia had named Cadence the new ruler of the Crystal Empire. Once there, Cadence immediately took leadership and has been using her magic to keep the former king out of the kingdom until the issue could be resolved without the use of her magic.. But it hasn’t been easy, With her magic constantly in use, she has got exhausted, lost her appetite and just all around close to running out of magic. Kenji has been there to support her all the way, but it was time some help had come in. Twilight and her friends, by order of Celestia have come to the empire in order to help them. After some extensive research. Twilight found out that there is a way to combat King Sombra to making his way back to the throne. But even with all this, Kenji couldn’t shake the feeling that something was going to happen. Something very bad. And it involved him directly.

--Balcony Of The Crystal Castle--

“Come on Cadence..hang in there just a little longer...I am sure Twi and the others will figure something out…”

He said as he cradled the alicorn in his arms lovingly, gently caressing her cheek with a look of concern on his face. She smiled weakly up at him. She was so very tired.

“I know Kenji...but, my magic is fading quickly...I can’t...I can’t…”

Kenji shakes his head and lightly presses his forehead against hers.

“I am here. Come on, don’t give up. Soon this will all be over and you can sleep as long as you want. I will make sure that you aren’t disturbed…”

He said trying to lighten the mood for her, even if it just a little bit. Kenji looks up and notices black crystal jutting out of the highest tower of the castle, his gut turning at a very bad feeling that something has gone horribly wrong with this plan that twilight had had. And to make it worse. Cadence’s magic has finally given out, the barrier was gone and King Sombra was now in the empire, terrorizing every citizen as he made his way back to the castle to claim his prize. Kenji wasn’t going to let this monster touch his wife though. He gently lays Cadence down and looks to Twilight’s friends.

“Girls...what over her for me will you? I need to go and settle things. I will not let him harm her or any of these ponies here.”

Cadence reaches out with a weak hand and worried eyes.

“Kenji….please you can’t take him on alone…”

Kenji gently takes her hand into his and lightly squeezes it, giving her a warm smile and loving gaze.

“I have to try, Cadence. And...if things should get bad. All I ask is you don’t look.”

When he said that, it only worried her even more. What did he mean by ‘don’t look’? What was he planning? Before she could ask that very same question, he leaps off the balcony and lands in the courtyard, unsheathing his weapon from his back and standing in front of Sombra who had made his way there.

“Hmmm, what kind of creature are you then?” You certainly are not one of my crystal slaves. But you look like you might be useful for something once I kill the crystal princess and take over again…”

He said in his deep gravelly voice, a wicked grin and glare on his face as he looks Kenji up and down.

“I won’t let you lay a hand on my wife, Sombra. You will have to kill me first.”

He laughs and flies in close to Kenji, his eyes meeting his.

“Why do you even care for them? You aren’t one of us. I can the fear in your mind, boy. You are afraid of betrayal. To be left alone with no one. And I can see hatred brew within your soul...darkness and corruption fight to surface and take you over.”

Kenji was having issues fighting the magic that Sombra was using on him. It wasn’t like Chrysalis. Sombra was targeting Kenji’s deepest weakness and fear, betrayal. And it was working. Kenji grabs at his head as his eyes change colors, his sclera turning toxic green and his pupils dark red as the dark magic began to take hold of his mind, it all happened so face that he didn’t have time to jump back or look away. Cadence however, was looking on as she knew exactly what was happening. Her heart sank as she knew that Sombra’s magic was targeting his greatest fear. This was bad news for every pony there, including Sombra. By tapping into Kenji’s fears, he may have just triggered the monster that Cadence would have never wanted to see.

--Inside Kenji’s Mind--

Kenji looks around as he stands in a barren wasteland. Dark clouds and sandy wind blowing against him.

“Where..am I? Cadence? Twi?”

He turns to see them walking away from him. He reaches out to them and calls them out again.

“Hey..where are we? I remember Sombra and-”

“Get away from us you monster. Go find some place to rot away.”

Said Twilight as she backs away from him.

“Yes, get out of here...you don’t belong in this world,much less with me. I never truly loved you. How could I? You aren’t even a pony. You are a freak, a monster. An abomination. Who could ever love you?”

Kenji’s heart dropped at the words that came from Cadence’s mouth. They both turned and walked away from him, vanishing into the sandy wind, leaving him alone. Kenji fell to his knees, grabbing his head as words echoed around him.

Monster...

Killer…

No one cares for you…

You do not deserve to be happy…

You are alone…

Kenji screams out in anguish as the words haunt him over and over, tears pouring out of his eyes in his mind and in in the real world.

--Outside Of Kenji’s Mind--

Sombra laughs as he sees the suffering that Kenji has been through, and his fears play out.

“And just think...I am going to take away the very ponies you hold dear, starting with your princess and then that nuisance of a unicorn who tried to steal the crystal heart. I will spit their blood right in front of you.”

Cadence screams out to get Kenji’s attention. Tears flowing from her eyes.

“Kenji! Whatever you are seeing it isn’t true! Snap out of it!”

Sombra growls and leaps up and pushes Cadence down onto the balcony floor by her neck.

“There is nothing you can do, my dear crystal princess. Soon your beloved monster will be alone, and his nightmare will become a reality once I slit your pretty throat and claim my throne once again. As for the unicorn mare...let’s just say I plan to have my way with her till she loses all will and hope. I like to break my sex slaves…”

Cadence struggles weakly, already sensing a change in Kenji, even though she couldn’t see him. His dark corrupted chi was taking hold while his mind was being attacked.

“You have just awakened something that could be our end...including yours…”

Right on cue, a dark hulking figure leaps up onto the balcony. Sombra turns around to find Kenji radiating with dark chi, and it was bad. It was like a raging fire had consumed his body. Kenji’s veins were bulging from his body, they were solid black. His eyes changed to a black sclera with a iris that was a mixture of dark purple, crimson red, and fiery orange. Black and purple jagged spines along his arms, back and legs, and sharp tendrils that flailed about seeking a target to destroy. Kenji didn’t even give Sombra a chance to speak, before he jumped over to him and grabbed him by the throat and threw him off the balcony. Cadence did as Kenji had asked. She closed her eyes when he approached and ripped Sombra away from her. Sombra screamed as he flew through the air and landed on the ground hard, grunting in pain as a few of his ribs break from the impact. Kenji jumps back down in front of Sombra. He was breathing heavily and growling. Steam coming from his breath

“Liars...betrayers...they all must die!!!”

Kenji screamed as he lunged at Sombra with great speed. Sombra himself makes a sword appear in his hand and gets ready to fight the now true corrupted form of Kenji. Once Kenji made contact with Sombra’s sword with one of his spines, the fight was on. There was nothing by two motions of pure blackness as the two fought it out, landing one hit after another on each other.

“It looks like I underestimated you! I should have killed you when your mind was still lost!”

Kenji only responded with inhuman growls and roars. The tendrils behind him swinging around and lashing at Sombra as he also had to avoid the sharp spines along Kenji body. That dark fiery chi aura continuing to flow about like a massive bonfire. Cadence could bare it no longer, she opens her eyes to see what had become of Kenji, and what she saw put the greatest amount of sadness in her heart. He was now a beast of pure darkness and hatred. Because of what Sombra had done to his mind. He was really a true monster

“Kenji..no…”

She said as she started crying again. Seeing her beloved in such a state absolutely broke her heart. And to see him become so bloodthirsty and violent. This was even worse than with Chrysalis. Suddenly, the fight was now drawing to a close. Sombra was losing strength, he had been locked away for so long that his power diminished greatly. And just like that, he slips and makes a mistake that will cost him everything. He gets in too close to Kenji, which allows his tendrils to impale Sombra through his torso, arms and legs. Normally he would just use his smoke form to get out of situations like this, but...something wasn’t letting him. He lets out a scream of pain as the tendrils rip and tear through his body, blood spewing from his mouth as Kenji rips him apart from the inside.

“You...think you know true darkness? You only prey on those who have great fears...but when you find out they have darkness that is more potent than yours...look where that has you now…”

Kenji said as he began to slowly start ripping Sombra’s body apart, the flesh tearing and blood spilling onto the ground in massive puddles.

“You are right...I am a monster. Because you drove me to become one. And now, your life you be the one to sate the monster. Because of you. My beloved had to witness this form, something I never wanted her to see.”

Sombra grunts in pain and speaks his last words.

“You...are more of a monster than I.”

“I have to be, to protect my loved ones from those like you…”

And with that, Sombra’s body splits into two halfs. Blood flowing from the now split corpse of the dark king. Kenji tosses the two separate pieces of the body to the ground. He looks up at Cadence who was looking at him in horror, but at the same time worry.

“I told you not to look…”

“I-I know you did...but I couldn’thelp it. What he was doing to you. I Couldn't…”

“I know Cadence. But what he did may have been good for this in some way. Why I wasn’t in control of...what you see as I am now before. It has actually opened up full control of my corrupted chi. I become this...hideous thing before you. I told myself...if it is to save you and those I cared for. I will become a real monster and kill those who threaten my loved ones.”

Cadence reaches out to him weakly, wanting him to be near her again.

“I don’t care...I just want my Kenji back…”

“Even though you have seen me in this grotesque form?”

“It doesn’t matter Kenji...I love you. Always have and always will...please come to me so that I may see the gon I married and will always cherish each and everyday.”

“Kenji jumps up back onto the balcony and picks up the exhausted alicorn in his arms, she reaches up and caresses his face gently and places her horn against his forehead, a bright light surrounds them both as it starts to turn Kenji back to normal.

“I love you Kenji...no matter what you become, I will always be here to bring you back…”

“I Know Cadence...I love you to…”

Author's Note

And here you go, something grotesque and bloody for all of you out there. Enjoy!

May the darkness grant you peace.