A shiver went through him as his magic flowed effortlessly from his horn to the shield before the gates. He watched intently as the corrupted being vanished into the blizzard and left his sight. He allowed the shield to fizzle out and fade into nothing as he watched. “My flames can hurt it; good to know.” He thought to himself as the adrenaline faded from his body, and he took a deep breath. He held his breath for a moment before he slowly released it. The fever of battle faded into the back of his mind, and he shook himself free of its hold. He turned on his heel to find all of them watching him closely.

Sasa gave a loud purr as she approached him and ran her body across the front of his chest. He waited until she had left him, and he moved to join the group. Shining smiled as the black pony joined them, and he turned to lead them into the city. The streets were as he remembered them, and his ears flicked as their hooves gave off a slight bell-like noise as they walked over it. He could see the lights of the ponies as they walked through the streets. They remained holed up in their homes and seemed content to watch them through their windows. As they neared the castle, Rarity began to gush about its architecture and bright façade.

Oblivion looked up to see the spirit of Cadance as it shone above them. They moved through the castle, and Shining led them directly to her. He could sense the amount of magic that she was channeling. His medallion shuddered the closer they got to her. He looked at her closely as they reached the throne room. He could see that her body and spirit were nearly spent, and she showed signs of exhaustion. He paused with the others as Twilight happily trotted to her former foal sitter. He watched as they did their dance, and he saw her falter for a moment. He watched as the shield blinked in time with her, and the Princess of Love sat down heavily with a deep sigh.

“We need to meet sometime when there isn’t a crisis,” she said with a weary laugh.

“Are you going to be okay?” Twilight asked her as the others reached them.

Shining Armor limped up to stand close to his wife. She smiled at him and looked down to see that his one leg was not holding any weight. “What happened?”

Shining looked at her for a moment before giving her an embarrassed smile. "Oblivion protected me from Sombra, but I sprained my fetlock. It’s nothing.” He said to her. “Cadance has been using her magic to create a shield of light and love to protect the Empire. That seems to be the only thing protecting it. I tried to help, but Sombra countered all of my shield spells. She hasn't slept and has barely eaten anything. She can’t keep doing this. If her magic fades, then he can get in.” He explained.

“I’m okay, Shining. I’ll be fine.” She tried to reassure her husband, but the white stallion seemed less than convinced.

“There has to be something I can do to help.” Shining lamented as he leaned his head against hers.

“I can do this. It’s going to be fine.” She assured him.

“That’s why we are all here. We will do anything we can to help out.” Twilight said to them.

Oblivion stepped a few feet away and looked at the shield she had created. He could see why the corrupt had an issue with it. It was pure light, and its corrupted darkness could not handle it. He narrowed his eyes and saw the corruption just outside; it stalked the barrier, searching for weak points. He knew that the more it bombarded the shield, the more strain was put on the mare. Thankfully, it seemed to think that the shield was similar to his, so it stayed away from it for the time being. He glanced back to the ponies in the room, and he could see Twilight glancing at him and then back to the pink Alicorn.

She broke away from the group and walked quickly up to him. She beckoned for him to bring his head down to her so she could speak to him privately. “Is there a way you can mimic her shield?”

“No,” he admitted to her, and she looked momentarily upset. "I was thinking of using one of my designs.”

“Will it work?”

“I put it in front of the shield when we got here, and it hurt to touch it.” He explained. “My flames seem to be able to hurt it.”

Twilight nodded as she understood him and looked back at the exhausted mare. “How long can you hold it?”

“Days if needed,” he informed her. "I ate before we left, so I am at my best now.”

She pursed her lips for a moment before she looked up at him. “Please?”

He nodded as his horn lit. His azure flame glowed brightly as he sent his magic to the shield. He bade it to start at the top and cover the shield from top to bottom. Twilight stayed with him as his flames grew more robust, and they billowed on his horn as he overtook the shield outside. Twilight looked outside, and she could see the azure flame as it touched the ground. He sent the magic out into the area along the ground, and it caused a bit of a concussion wave that went through the Empire as well. The pulse of magic went over them, and Cadance yelped in surprise. Her magic faltered.

“Oh no!” She shouted as she tried to get the shield back.

“It’s okay,” Twilight told her as she walked back to her. “He’s got it.”

Cadance looked up as Twilight tipped her horn toward the Black Unicorn. Cadance stared at him for several seconds, and she tried to understand what had happened. Oblivion evened out his magic, and the flames evened out and grew more stable, no longer billowing with barely restrained power on his horn. He turned to them and returned to them to allow him to help Twilight explain.

“I can take it over from here, Cadance.” He assured her. “My magic can hurt it. When we arrived, I created a shield before the gates. When it struck it, the flames hurt it badly. So let me tend to this while you rest.”

Shining stared at him for several seconds but seemed to recover his thoughts faster than his wife. “Can you hold it?” Shining asked, and Oblivion gave a slight nod.

Cadance set a hoof on his shoulder and looked at him. “Please don’t exhaust yourself on my account. I can hold it.”

“Don’t worry about me, Cadance. Get some rest, and I will hold the shield for as long as needed. As a Witcher, my stamina exceeds your average pony's.”

“He’s right.” Twilight agreed. “We have seen him withstand a lot of things that should have been too much.” She said, and the other mares nodded in agreement.

“See? It’ll be okay.” Shining assured her. “If he can battle Chrysalis to near defeat, he can handle the shield.”

“My flames hurt it. So, I will use them to protect the Empire. When it touches them, it causes it to flee.” Oblivion explained. “Trust me to protect these ponies on your behalf.”

Cadance finally smiled, seemingly convinced. “If you can do this, then I will trust you.”

“Get some food and rest.” Oblivion said to her as he turned to leave.

“He’s going to be fine, Caddy.” He said to her, his voice soft as he nuzzled her. “You should get some rest. He’s a capable pony, so we have nothing to worry about. I think I saw some ingredients for a smoothie in the kitchen. Plenty for a nice sandwich as well.”

The mare smiled and finally relented. “Okay. A sandwich and a smoothie does sound nice.”

Shining watched as she left the throne room, and he turned quickly to his sister. “How long can he hold out?” he asked. “I need a rough number.”

Applejack stepped up to speak. “Ah, have seen ‘im bend time, copy memories, and other big spells. He defeated Chrysalis a few weeks ago. He can ‘andle this.”

“He can do a few days, he said.” Twilight supplied. “I asked him that before I asked if he thought he could take over.”

Shining sighed and closed his eyes for a moment. He opened his eyes to look at them and sat down heavily. “He protected me and beat it back once already. I hate to say it this way since it sounds like I’m using him, but the longer he holds out, the better. Even if he can hold it for twelve hours, she can take over if needed. They can bounce it back and forth if needed.”

“Twelve hours will be easy for him, I promise,” Twilight assured her brother.

Shining nodded and got to his hooves to go after Cadance and ensure she rested. Twilight and the others walked for the exit. “We should go to the Crystal ponies and ask them what they remember. With their memories, we can find out how we can best help them. Come on, girls. Sasa?”

“Yes?”

“Do you want to go with me or Applejack?”

“I’ll stay with you since you can hear me.” Sasa said to her, and Twilight nodded.

As he walked through the Empire's streets, he occasionally saw the shades of a house move as the ponies inside looked out at him. He didn’t blame them for remaining hidden. Considering what he knew, they had no reason to trust him. He had almost knocked on a door to get information, but when he heard a slight cry from the house he had chosen so, he decided to remain silent. He was used to being feared, so the reaction did not shock him. If he had heard right, then Sombra would have been a pony they feared. So their reaction to him as a stranger didn’t shock him.

“Chosen?”

“Yes?”

“Can you summon me to you?”

“Why?”

“Ponies keep slamming the door in Twilight’s face. They're too scared of me to talk to her, even with my collar.” Sasa explained.

He could hear the tinge of sadness in the cat’s voice as he summoned her to his side. She nuzzled his shoulder in thanks as he began to walk once more. She fell in at his side as he resumed walking through the streets. As they walked, the curtains of one house shut at the sight of the two of them. He paused as the shield shuddered momentarily, alerting him to it being attacked at one point.

“What is it?” Sasa asked.

“It’s attacking the shield. Come on.”

He broke into a lope, and the feline fell in at his hip as he let his magic lead him to where it was being tested. He could keep the shield from appearing as though it was struggling just by channeling a bit more into it. Unless somepony were close to it, they would not see a difference. As long as he upheld the constant movement of the magic that held it, it would not waver. Oblivion said nothing as he neared the point that the shield had been being tested. He watched as the corrupted being slammed itself into the shield again.

“Not real bright, is it?” Sasa asked as they stopped to watch.

He didn’t reply as he watched the being struggle. When it backed up, he looked closer, and his eyes narrowed. The World Spirit thundered into the front of his mind, and he realized why it had been silently pushing him.

“It’s Sombra.” He whispered.

“Hmm?”

“That’s what the World Spirit wants. It wants him.”

“That’s Sombra!? What the hell turned him into that?!” Sasa yelped.

“The Fallen. It has his hoof prints all over it.” He growled.

“Why would he use Sombra for his experiments?”

“Why not? He’s the perfect one to use. If he had issues before, why not have the corruption pushed into him, and at the same time, the torture from it drives him insane.”

“Oh wow.” Sasa muttered. “That’s… Horrific.”

“I agree. He needs help.”

“Can he be saved from that?” She asked as she stared at the mass of corruption.

“He hasn’t fully faded away.” Oblivion replied. “He’s still fighting for his spirit. I’m unsure if a body is inside that darkness, but I plan to find out.”

“You’re going out there at some point, aren’t you?” Sasa asked.

“The spirit is almost gone but not completely vanished. I can save him and purge the corruption if I can get to it. It will not be easy, but if I can get to him, I can do it.”

“Be careful.” Sasa encouraged. “You have the strength to do it, but does he?”

“Meaning?”

“Does he have the strength left to fight?”

“I hope he does,” he admitted, his voice low. "I will find out soon enough.” The mass reared back and slammed against the shield again, and he heard it scream as the flames licked at it. “He’ll keep doing that till the shield either gives or I go out to get him.”

“We can’t go out there right now. We need to wait till the others develop a plan so that they can work in the background while we do this.”

Oblivion was about to argue when he looked up to find Sombra backing off and heading back into the tundra. Sasa sighed and sat beside him as the corrupted Sombra moved away from them. The Witcher said nothing for several seconds as he vanished into the driving snow and wind.

“Do you think he was corrupted before he banished them or after?” Sasa suddenly asked.

Oblivion said nothing for a moment before he looked down at her. “I am not, to be honest. I can’t tell unless I get close to him.”

“Try the World Spirit?”

“Perhaps. A moment.”

He summoned the World Spirit to his command and sent it out to check on Sombra. He watched it come back and slammed against the shield as it went over him. Sasa yowled in surprise and jumped back several feet. Oblivion stared back as a pair of green eyes emerged from the darkness, and the purple shadow that came off them showed plainly. The black Unicorn stared back at him and locked eyes for several seconds. The corruption continued to scream, and Sombra remained too close to the shield. Oblivion watched the spirit within the mass as it struggled and fought.

“Wait for me to come back to you.” He whispered.

“What the hell?” Sasa growled. “Did it say anything about when he was corrupted?”

He brought the World Spirit back to the front, and its white fire flowed over the mass. It began to back away when nothing happened, and he watched as it fled.

“A crime was committed on that spirit; I will fix it.” He said to the retreating spirit.

“I’m guessing he’s been that way for a while?”

“How he’s survived this long, I have no idea. But it’s an old corruption that he is afflicted with. I’ll need to purge it slowly when I get to him. I’ll have to draw it out of him.”

“So he has been suffering inside that for a thousand years?” Sasa asked, and he nodded. “By my claws… That poor pony.”

“He won’t suffer for too much longer if I have my way.” He assured her.

Sasa sat beside him again and watched as the pony faded from sight. “It just makes me hate the Fallen even more than I did before.”

Oblivion nodded in agreement with her and leaned back on his heels. “Luna did ask that I find a way to tend to him however I choose.”

“And you choose to save him?”

“Correct.”

Sasa yelped suddenly and went stiff as she looked up at him. “Twilight is asking for us to come back.”

“She has gotten quite good at reaching out to you.” He said.

“Yeah, I just wish she was gentler about it. It’s like getting hit in the face by a brick.” Sasa complained. “So yeah, thanks for teaching her how to do that.”

Oblivion chuckled gently as he turned to head back to the castle. Sasa fell in at his side as he broke into a trot.

Oblivion rejoined the others in the throne room, and they all smiled as he joined them. Twilight smiled brightly, and he came to stand next to her. She bumped his shoulder. He looked to the side and winked at her as she watched him. He turned his attention back to the front as Shining entered the group.

“How are you holding up?” He asked the black stallion.

“I’m fine. There is no need to worry about me. I can hold as long as needed. How is Cadance doing?”

Shining brightened at the mention of her. “She’s finally resting. She had a good meal and fell asleep almost immediately. Thank you again for taking over the shield.”

“It’s nothing. How is your leg?” He asked. “If you want, I can heal it?”

Shining chuckled and looked down at his leg. “It’s fine. My dignity is more damaged after being thrown around like a sack of apples.”

“You were the one that insisted on taking on Sombra with a shield he had already countered.” Oblivion teased.

Shining cringed at the reminder. “How can your magic hurt it when mine can’t? I heard it scream when it touched your magic.”

“I’m not exactly certain. I think it has something to do with the Element, but I’m not certain.” He admitted. “I can see the pony within the black mass, which helps.”

“You can see Sombra?” Shining asked as his eyes went wide.

“I can, yes.”

“Can you stop him? Or even get rid of him?”

Oblivion narrowed his eyes momentarily as he considered what he had been asked. “Are you asking me to push him back or kill him outright?”

Shining looked at him momentarily as he considered what to say in reply. “The Empire will never be safe so long as he walks the land. We have to get rid of him for good. So I’m asking you to kill him if you want it, in plainer speak.”

Oblivion understood his desire to protect and knew it would ensure the Empire was not in danger if he did. But he could feel the World Spirit pulling him back toward Sombra, and he looked back out the balcony and toward the tundra. He could not see Sombra from this distance but knew intuitively where he was.

“I will not be killing him today.” Oblivion told him.

He saw Twilight look up at him as she looked curiously at him. “Why not?” she asked.

He started to speak, but Shining stomped a hoof, and he looked back at the Prince. “So you’re not going to kill him? What is your plan then?”

“I plan to free him of what…”

“Free him!? Are you insane?” Shining nearly shouted at him. "That monster is trying to break into the Empire to enslave the ponies all over again. Not only would that endanger all of the Crystal Ponies but also the rest of Equestria. Is that a risk you’re willing to take responsibility for?”

Oblivion knew that Shining was asking the right questions. But he knew that he could not fully answer the questions without admitting what he knew and what he was. He breathed in and closed his eyes briefly as he considered what to reply.

“There is more than one way to stop a threat,” he said. "I do not need to kill him to end his threat.”

Shining stared at him, and Oblivion could see his spirit roil within him as anger rolled over him. “Oblivion. You are one of my closest friends. I trust you beyond measure. I trust you with my life and that of my wife, sister, and friends. Plus, you are trusted by every pony under that shield. You cannot tell me that the life of one tyrant is worth more than all of them.”

“I never said he was worth more. I am saying that they are equal.” Oblivion clarified.

Shining stared at him, his eyes wide. “You must be kidding. What makes them equal? Is His life equal to anypony else? He would bring nothing but pain and suffering to the world if he were allowed to live. And you want to save him.”

“I will not destroy him.” Oblivion said, his tone flat.

Shining stared at him, and an angry snort pulled from him. He shook his head. “Well, let’s hope somepony can do what you can’t… or won’t.”

Oblivion bit back a derisive snort. “They will never be able to break him.”

“I don’t need them to break him.” Shining snarled. “I need him to disappear from this land.”

Oblivion felt a slight anger spike in him, and it quickly quashed as he shook his head. He gathered magic into his horn and let it lay over the shield. It layered more magic onto the shield to ensure it had the strength to repel any threat. Sasa looked at the shield outside and saw the layers going over it. Twilight bumped against Oblivion's shoulder in an attempt to calm him. She could see Oblivion and Shining were both standing their ground.

“Just calm down, everypony,” Twilight spoke up. “Oblivion won’t let Sombra hurt anypony, right?”

“Of course not.” He replied.

“And Shining is not saying for you to wipe him from the face of Equus, right?”

“No, that is what I meant,” Shining said to her.

Twilight looked down at the ground as she tried to find a way to settle them both. “We can agree on this if we try.”

“I think we have come to an impasse.” Oblivion replied. “I will not allow him to be destroyed, even if I must stand before him.”

“Darling! You can’t mean you would protect Sombra from some form of justice?” Rarity asked.

“I can, and I will if needed.” Oblivion said to her. “I will continue to maintain the shield despite our difference in opinions. Unless you’d prefer I not?”

“No.” Shining growled. “It needs to be maintained.”

“I can maintain it for three to five days if needed. Luckily, we will not need to hold out that long, and this can be resolved quickly. Until then, I believe we are done,” Oblivion said calmly as he turned to leave.

Shining pulled in a shaky breath. “Oblivion!” He shouted. The black unicorn looked over his shoulder. “I won’t forget this.” He vowed.

“I know. Neither will I.” Oblivion responded, his tone calm.

Sasa sat in one place as the Witcher walked away and out of the room. She debated on following, but something gave her pause. She looked at the shield as another layer of magic went over it, strengthening it further. Twilight reached out and pulled the cat close, and Sasa snuggled close to her.

“Sasa? What just happened?” Twilight asked her.

“Which part?” Sasa replied.

“All of it.” She said after pausing for several seconds, debating on what part she wanted the cat’s opinion on.

“He has a reason to do this. I’m not sure exactly what he’s thinking, though.” He knew she had a pretty good idea of what he was doing and why, but she had to tread carefully.

“Why is he defending Sombra?” Fluttershy asked.

Sasa considered what she knew, and her mind whirled about how to phrase it. “He sees what the mass of darkness has become, and he sees something he can do about it. I’m unsure of his exact plan, but he is determined.”

Twilight looked at the other mare and looked even more uncertain. “What is he doing now? I can see something happening to the shield from here.”

“He is pouring a lot of magic into the shield. Eventually, he plans to stop channeling into it, and the shield will be self-sustaining.” Sasa explained, and Twilight spoke for her.

“That’s a good thing,” Twilight said as she spoke for the cat. “If he can do that, he can help with more outside the shield. Then he can elaborate on why he’s arguing against getting rid of Sombra.”

“I don’t think that’s why he is doing it.” Sasa interrupted.

“Then why?”

“I think he plans to go outside with him.” Sasa clarified.

“Oh well that’s…” Twilight stopped and stared at the feline before her eyes went wide. “WHAT?!”

The others were now staring at her. “What’s up, Twi?” Applejack asked her.

Twilight looked at her friends. “Sasa says that Oblivion is pouring a lot of magic into the shield so that he can go outside, and it will keep doing its job without him actively channeling into it.”

“Isn’t that a good thing?” Applejack asked.

“Yes. But it’s what he could be doing while the shield maintains itself.” Twilight went on.

“What is it?” Fluttershy asked.

“He might be planning to go outside of it. Into the snow, with Sombra.” She explained.

Even Shining spun to look at her as she spoke. “Is she sure about that?”

Twilight looked at the great she-cat, who sighed deeply as she regarded them. “I am not one hundred percent sure. But considering what he and I have been discussing, it is a strong possibility. Something is driving him forward, and he will accomplish his plans.”

Twilight spoke for her to the others, and they all looked alarmed. Shining scoffed and shook his head. “So he would leave the shield and hope it stays in place? Has he completely lost his mind?”

Sasa looked at him, her aqua eyes boring into him for several seconds. “Oblivion does nothing unless he is certain of the outcome. If he is certain that the shield can withstand without his magic, then it can.”

Twilight repeated what she had said to the others, who looked more worried. Shining limped to the cat and sat down in front of her. “What would he be doing out there?”

“I am not certain. If he chooses to save Sombra, then he will.”

Twilight looked at her brother, hesitating to repeat what Sasa had said. “If Oblivion chooses to save Sombra, then he will.”

Shining’s eyes widened, and he shook his head. Anger and frustration warred on his face as he stood back up and backed away from the feline. “If he saves him, he will bring him back here. By Faust, what is he thinking?”

Twilight and the girls all looked uncertain. Sasa was quiet as she reached out to him. She could easily sense him, and he was not too far away from them. She could sense that he was more annoyed than he was angry. She sighed again and looked at the purple mare. “Oblivion has the power to keep the shield powered. He has chosen to use that power to benefit those around him. I do not know exactly what he has planned, but I know he plans to go after Sombra personally. If he puts his mind to it, you know he will succeed as well as I do.” She said, and Twilight nodded in agreement. “He cannot be stopped once he has settled on a path of action. Even you could not dissuade him at this point.”

Twilight managed not to blush at the cat's wording. She repeated most of the cat's words, leaving out the last part. Shining looked even more upset than he had a few seconds earlier. “Twily. We have to stop him. If he lets Sombra in, this will all have been for nothing. The Crystal Ponies will end up Sombra’s slaves again. I know Oblivion is your close friend and mine, and I want to believe he has a plan. But we can’t let him do any of this.”

Twilight opened her mouth to speak, but she paused, and it closed as she considered what to say. “Shining.” She finally said, and her brother focused on her. “Oblivion would never put the ponies of the Crystal Empire at risk unless he knew exactly what he was doing. You trust him just as much as we do. He has proven that he is working for all ponies. He didn’t have to take the shield from Cadance, but he did without question.”

Shining looked away from her for a moment before he nodded slightly. “I know that. But why is he choosing to help Sombra? What could be his goal?”

She got to her hooves and tried to look more confident than she felt. I have no idea. But we can use the Crystal Faire to help the Crystal Ponies while he does what he feels must be done.” She said as she tried to reason with her elder brother. “If we can accomplish both things, then that’s even better for everypony.”

Shining Armor looked at her, and a sigh pulled from him. “Sombra cannot be allowed to walk back into this city. The Crystal Ponies will be too terrified to do anything except hide.”

Twilight walked out onto the balcony and looked over the side. Her eyes widened as she saw Oblivion go down a side street. “Let me try. I know he might be a bit annoyed right now, but he’s not the type to be cruel. Just let me talk to him.” She said, and her brother nodded as her horn charged, and she teleported down to where she had last seen him.

Author's Note

This one was easier to get going than I thought it would be. Let me know if I missed anything. Thanks for reading! I'm hoping the next part will be as easy as this one was, lol.

Featured: 6/3/2024