A life stolen for a war unclaimed

Luna Had Sombra pinned against the wall as Damocles fell unconscious. The crowds freaking out as Spike moved forward to check his vitals with Starlight.

"He's Alive but his Breathing is weak." The Crystal heart Pulsed as its shield powered down.

"What did you do to my son!" Luna growled.

"Nothing!" Sombra strained to speak Luna's Magic gripping him at the throat.

"How Do we fix him?" Her magic Released him by the throat alone so he could breathe.

"Throw him into a pit." Sombra coughed Starlight Spike and Trixie all jumped when they heard that.

"YOU WOULD WISH THE ONE WHO SAVED YOU DEAD! HE WAS CAPABLE OF KILLING YOU!" Trixie was the first one to angrily Call Out. "You Who are Inferior to the mighty prowess of the Great and Dark Damocles, would desire him harm after he sought fit to Spare you To honor a Request for one Who YOU LONGED FOR! YOU WOULD DARE SAY SUCH THINGS?!" Trixie Screamed in rage as she walked forward towards the Former king before smacking him.

"Trixie!" Starlight Cried as she dragged her friend back. As Sombra grunted in pain.

"You all misunderstand... He is known as Pure Darkness Yes? Then Think of it this way, He was just Exposed for a long time of DIRECT UNDILUTED CONTACT with the very thing that can tear him apart. He needs to be steeped in darkness again, In Umbra or penumbra at least. He need to rest and recover. I have no reason to lie and killing me wouldn't work! I am as doomed as he is but there are fates worse than death!" Sombra pleaded. Flurry heart at this point struggled from Cadance's grasp and flew over to Luna making concerned baby noises as she tried to shove her her shoulder while pointing at Damocles.

"Then why aren't you in the same state." Twilight asked him her horn glowing.

"Because I am one born of light. Who Stepped into Shadow... All that did was cleanse and weaken me... For him its like a Penguin trying to swim in lava. Regardless of permissions. He was born of darkness for darkness in a world of light." Sombra explained. "He needs to steep and recover... His wounds." His eyes flicked to Damocles before focusing Onto Flurry Heart. "You," His voice was weak with rage, Flurry responded by blowing a raspberry at him, "If he does not awaken soon he will need a beacon telling him which direction. He navigates that maze better than any I have seen." Everybody was still trepidation before spike breathed a lick of flames his eyes more reptilian than normal.

"If he does not recover in well enough time... You will answer for this." Luna said before Dropping him and picking up Damocles in her magic and walking. White fires began to drip from his wings unto the ground which slowly turned into a multitude of colors before growing slightly then fading. Burning into the ground the names of every soul that was used to make the Windigos. As Luna got to their guest chambers she laid Damocles on the bed and used her magic to weave a cocoon of shadows around him.

Spike Following wanting to be near him, Sunburst and Starlight not knowing what else to do went to look at the damage done to the different suits, along with Twilight. Cadance had seen about restoring the natural order since they were apparently no longer in a crisis. Sombra was taken into custody under the Phantoms. Shining Armor wanted to prosecute further but any kind of spell or punishment he would try to do would just meet a wall mixed light and dark even despite their being a Alicorn level inhibitor ring on his horn. Flurry Heart made it a point to try to bring her mother towards the Resting Area of Damocles. Unknown to all however, was the internal struggle happening in his mind. By all medical explanations afterall, he was in a coma.

Twisted Plateau

"Come now Rowan... Wasn't it so much fun Finally being able to shake some of the dust off? Use some REAL Firepower? We could do so much more if just invite me in and accept what I have to offer. All that anger and rage you have in you after all. I know it better than one." A dark figure that looked like Rowan Wicker except for a pair of horns that jutted forward and black broken halo behind his head. "We both know it's better fix what's broken this way don't we? After all you just took on a lot of peoples burdens and despair." the being laughed as he watched from across the gap an anthropomorphic white thestral"It Must feel so heavy if it's taking you this long to get to over here. Or is that you are considering falling again?" the being mocked his voice slowly becoming more and more hysterical.

"SHUT UP!" Damocles ordered as he walked on the tightrope bridge. Hooks stabbed into his wings back arms and legs, connected to chains that hung things into a swirling abyss that threatened to drag him down. " We split apart after high school when I made my decision to try and live a normal simple life."

"You mean you tried to put me to sleep permanently and kill me when that first BITCH wasn't happy with what was going on with your REAL LIFE! We had so much power, We were so happy, We were whole and weren't at each others throats constantly because we lived the life we wanted. I just want us to go back to that, Is that so wrong?" The shadow looked honestly hurt and sad. "It tears me apart to see us like this. I get why you don't want me to come back. I do, its because you're afraid we will taint and destroy this pure world right?" The shadow watched Rowan take another few steps towards the other side before the Thestral nodded. "Then how about we make a deal?" he said as he walked towards him. A stone Path forming for him from the abyss as he moved towards him. Grabbing some of the chains and hooks and taking it upon himself.

"What kind of a deal?"

"First lets establish something I don't want to be just a shadow of the past. Let me be Rowan and you be Damocles. Let me be awake but only to observe and offer input. No other being except those two in this entire world will be able to detect me and he shouldn't be around for the next while. And even then He will have to look for me. She on the other hand has known of my presence." Damocles nodded slowly "We... You live life as is necessary for us to survive and be happy, because your survival is my survival. We both understand that with this they will know a portion of our strength. So they will try to use us. All politicians and rulers do. Let me help carry our burden, no reason for us to use half our strength for no reason. So the real portion of the Deal is this. If we can outlive the need for us I wont interfere with life after that and we can live that simple boring life you wanted us to have. I won't lie it was a nice a change of pace. But if we end up needing to use our full strength a total of 3 times. Regardless of everything to protect that which we are growing to cherish. We come together permanently, Sound fair?" Rowan offered as he and Damocles finished carrying the load across. The Plateau starting to wisp away.

"Fine... 3 times when we both agree we need to but i have my own condition. We will need an heir and find away to fix ourselves. 1/8th of our strength no matter how powerful we are is... Infuriating. If we had our full strength that first hit would've been enough to fully destroy and devour the darkness of Sombra." Damocles laughed as Rowan smiled "So we shall need to find one who we can be happy with to bare our child, but if anything should happen to those two. No mercy no Quarter is to be given." Damocles held out his hoof which pulsed with the faintest light his eyes glowing red. Rowan eyes glowed Yellow as he brought forth a fist pulsing with darkness that wreathed and wrapped around the two of them when they met. The light pulsing through both as the shadows cocooned them like a warm blanket. This was where the true beauty of darkness was often forgotten. The purest dark was that of peace, Protection and healing. No maliciousness, Just true intentions. its where those hurt could go when afraid. As the dark would protect and warn them of the monsters that prowled. Before the first betrayal there was only Darkness. A single thought echoed across the minds of the Phantoms, heard loud and clear. Shared into Sombra's mind as well as the Princesses, and elements and Shining armor and Blue Blood.

Reality

" The closer you get to the Light, The Darker your Shadow becomes. The deeper you step into Darkness the easier it is to be blinded when faced with the Light. In this contract I do adhere my power shall ne'er be wrought to fruition, less I scar the land 3 times and I give myself to that which I was, am and Shall always be. This Vow has become a Blooded Oath and shall be forevermore etched into mine heart. Those who wish to follow this Vow be warned for your greatest foe shall be yourself as you follow me into depths Dark and Yet Darker." Damocles woke up that same night 5 days after the Duel of Darkness. Piercing the Dark Veil Luna placed upon Gasping as if he had been drowning. Spike was the first to see he was OK tackling him. It was at Dinner Everyone was Gathered. Including Sombra for final Verdict and Punishment.

"Prince Damocles." Shining Armor began. "As per the Verdict with the 'Purest light'" he strained to regard it as Flurry's insistence who was sitting upon Damocles' head. "You have Final Decision on What happens to Sombra. I feel it is prudent to offer an execution for it. To this Damocles laughed slightly."What's so funny?"

"An Execution would do nothing Shining."

"I see why you say he is more of a soldier now." Sombra mumbled earning a quick shock from Virulent who was standing on his left like a warden.

"he was given the same curse as I, to much lesser extent. He cannot die as I cannot die now. No I have a much better punishment in mind. Stand tall Sombra, Head up high and face your Fate."

"As you Command Prince Damocles." He said as he took on hi royal pose

"I Prince Damocles Meteora, Hereby decree that your punishment shall be this, In accordance with the trial of Light and Dark, written into thy being with my word. You who forced those under you to serve you shall now serve them as a protector. Using your Dark Magics and skills, mind and heart, you shall protect not only the Crystal empire but all lands united together, as one of my Phantom elites." This caused Multiple Gasps and a few screams of what. "Furthermore you who understands darkness and walked the path of corruption shall serve directly under me to help show the difference between pure and Corrupt. Between defilement and Destruction and shall teach the balance to all other Phantoms. You shall Learn to wield True Darkness and Do so until the avatar of Purest Light at any point in time says you have fulfilled your service and may finally rest." A wave of shadows pulsed from Damocles as Chains formed and flowed slowly over locking into place on Sombra before fading into him. A collar being made with a lock of darkness and beam of light going towards Flurry heart who giggled happily her right eye glowing blue.

"As the purest LIght Dictated you have delivered." Sombra kneeled. "I adhere to the punishment and accept my fate with as much dignity and heart I can. My will is yours to do as you please, my blade is yours and my eternal servitude is bound to you until the lights final word." The Dark lock snapped shut at his words and the collar dissipated.

"Welcome to the phantoms, Second in command. Witcher Sombra." Several of the glasses at that moment shattered. As 4 Mares spoke in the Royal Canterlot Voice all at the Same Time.

"WHAT?!" Spike Could only start to laugh at this as Sombra smiled, Virulent, Veil, and Satin's Jaws dropped. Trixie, Starlight, and Sunset just didnt know what to do, the first of them settled for a glaring eye Twitch.

"You sly devil, You had this planned all along didn't you, Sir." Sombra said.

"I have no idea what your talking about, Witcher. But seeing as how my punishment has been decided and you have agreed to the terms I believe everything is Settled."

"No its Not." Celestia said glaring at Damocles. "Prince Damocles, I have several Questions for you. As well as several complaints and must note of the Failures of Compliance you agreed to."

"Please feel free to point them all out right now, Your Royal Highness. As long as I am given proper Accordance to explain my position for any of these alleged Failures you seemed to have conceived."

"First and Foremost upon entering the Protective barrier of the Crystal empire instead of staying on the Train you jumped into the snow out the window moments before contact. Why?"

"If i may sir," Sombra said smiling. "After all I was born to these lands and there for can explain it easiest to her." Damocles nodded.

"Princess Celestia, With permission allow me to explain the Commanding officers reasons for the actions. As one who was not there for the event, I fully understand why it happened. The shield was generated by Princess Cadance." Sombra gestured to the pink pony who seethed at the usage of her name by his tongue. "But was empowered to defend against myself and all darkness like myself by the Crystal heart itself. Instead of suffering continuous painful, and potentially lethal harm from the Crystal heart he enacted an old write. A permission of sorts has to be granted for free movement and even then its restrained until meeting with the source and getting permission. Since she graced all of us with her presence it means that He," Taking a moment to point at Damocles, "Is Granted into every area except for the inner most sanctum, and even then he may be allowed to view it. I know I'm not." Sombra said whistfully and slightly annoyed.

"That answers some of my questions and raises more. How do you know of these ancient rites Sombra? Not even my sister and I knew about this. The same question goes to you Damocles. There was nothing in your memories from what Luna had told me about this stuff." Celestia Said. Luna subtly flinched when she said this, and small flicker of something in Damocles's Shadow happened Sombra was the only one to see this as his eyes flicked to the shadow and then Damocles.

"Please Princess," Damocles began Neutrally, "You insult both myself, and my second in Command. We are ones that have either been forced down a single path, or searched tirelessly for the hidden truths of the path. While you who are all born in light and revel in it blind to the very forces that empower you, we, in order to survive, have to learn these things.

"Or else we end up losing ourselves to it completely. Becoming not even a shell of what we were but simply another tool for it to work its dark ministrations. A balance must be made and kept after all. Between Raw Energy, Manipulation, and Destruction. These are the building blocks of everything. Your subcatogories of harmony and the like, are all under the light. Most of this world is light. Balance was lost a long time ago, and when nothing but light is there? Of course something would be twisted and corrupted."

"This is what led to beings like myself and the Draconequus watching us from afar." Sombra explained straight faced. "We were presented with the option told of its clauses and all details that pertain to it good and bad. And we accepted it into our beings. However occasionally luckily enough beings Like Prince Damocles are made but more often than not, they are snuffed out by the very light they were made to protect before they can mature. That is why I am corrupted and he is pure. I was made through defiling of the light. Born of light and steeped in darkness this is the path I walk." Sombra finished.

"Born of darkness and burned and burdened by the light, This is the path I walk." Damocles agreed. Narrowing her Celestia exhaled heavily. Princesses don't snort after all.

"Fine I will accept that, The next thing I wish to bring up is you Failure to defer to either Myself, Princess Luna, or the Crystal Rulers."

"Princess Luna, Do you remember what i told you the purpose of the Phantoms was?" Damocles asked his eyes never leaving Celestia's Cold glare as he stifled his emotions to that of a drinking void.

"You said it was to be designed for the purpose of ending all conflicts, and eliminating any malevolent factions." She stated questioningly.

"The exact words were somewhere along the lines of 'Armed Intervention of all wars, by eliminating both sides armed forces.' Meaning this became a matter of a Civil War. If i had deferred to either of you in that regards then the Phantoms would've selected the side they wish to represent. I simply upheld the truths that i found evident."

"So when you said you were representing the Crystal empire and Equestria, You meant you would stop me or both would fall didn't you." Sombra said scowling.

"There is no way he could've known that." Shining Armor stepped up to argue.

"Princess Twilight... I would like to request for you tell your brother what a Normal Windigo is capable of." Damocles stated as he mechanically turned his head to him.

"The original pony tribes excluding the crystal empire were forced to move to a new land or fall to them in totality. But were beaten back by love and friendship." Twilight said. "According to history the few who said they 'saw' them saw 3 ephemeral equine Figures of wind and snow."

"Sombra starting off where your Windigos normal?" Sombra laughed at the question.

"Anything but. So long as I had my rage They would've never faltered."

"And how many did you have?"

"The total amount of that which was equal to the Royal Cavalries during my reign and all who had perished during it," He paused as he looked at Celestia and Luna. "From both armies."

"A rough estimate if you would?"

"Approximately over ten thousand or so."

"Translation if I had not released them?"

"You're armies would've frozen over the first moment contact was made. The only reason his Armors didn't was because of the composition of them, the partial dark rune network he had crafted and the power of the crystal hearts energy fighting to protect them. For Equestria? It would've been naught more than a Winter wasteland. Even the Forest Everfree, would've been turned to Diamond Dust in the wind."

"And after you would take the Crystal empire with access to the trains as the Windigos need you near by how fast would've you been able to move across the land?"

"Fast enough that by the time they could've made something to fight back it would already be too late."

"This is also why he is appointed to my second in command. He understands the finer workings of ancient dark magics. Hell the whole transformation Sequence you us do is simple basic stuff." Damocles said with a roll of his eyes. Sombra was nodding his head to the statement. "With that being said I was simply working with the allowed parameters agreed upon when you first allowed me this sect. Because we arent allied with any one group If I had found that Sombra was in the right, I would've just as easily helped him. But because of Queen Crystal-" A flash of yellow runes in front of Damocles made him flinch before they dissipated. "Because of Serina-" Blue green runes flashed infront of Damocles, " Asking me to do this and giving me her view on the situation and how long its been going on." He paused to scowl at Sombra who gave a sheepish smile his green eyes glistening. "I believed it in the best interest to act upon the beliefs of her."

"So you would fight equestria, not only you but you would order your group to fight against them if you believed we were in the wrong?" Celestia asked her anger apparent.

"Princess Luna, Didn't we use you as an example? That if you fell from grace again to become a Nightmare once more that we were to detain and attempt to save you if possible and if not that I specifically was to eliminate your life force." Damocles responded, Celestia went wide eyed and turned to look at her sister. Luna's eyes were slightly watery as she nodded slowly gulping. "So I don't see a failure but adherence to what my group is to do."

"Damocles... You are my Nephew so I ask this as family. You called yourself a broken sword before, You did not want to fight So why are you fighting now?" Celestia Asked, her voice was hard but filled with concern. Her eyes seeking comprehension and filled with tough love.

"Because sister, that's all he knows how to do." Luna spoke up for the first time. "When one loses so much so many times as he has from his home. He want's to ensure he will always have a place by any means." She lowered her head. "So he will fight to keep it no matter what anyone says."

"After all beings of darkness no matter how civil we may be, At the end of the day no one knows how to handle the truth in our hearts that even we know."

"And what is that?" Starlight says.

"That no being of light can truly see our hearts as we can perceive theirs. That at the end of the day, when everything is said and done. When all chips are on the table, we are, have been and always will be, Monsters, Traitors, And Devils. So we shall walk our paths ever alone unless we die burning in the light for those that we love." Damocles said before getting up and leaving Sombra and the rest of the Phantoms following him. Spike running after behind before being lifted up by shadows and put on Damocles's back.