Conflicting Love

"Hello?" Twilight called out as she walked through the darkness. "Is anypony here?" She wasn't given an answer as she looked around her. All that she could she was darkness, even if she had her horn she wasn't sure it would make that much of a difference. All she could do was walk endlessly, hoping to find some way out of the darkness and find her friends. I wonder if anyone has found their elements yet. I hope so, this darkness isn't bringing back good memories.

"Twilight Sparkle," A voice slowly said, causing the unicorn to freeze in fear. She knew that voice but it couldn't be him.

"Just ignore it Twilight, it's just Discord trying to mess with your head. I mean ponies can't come back from the dead, right?" She tried to reassure herself to no avail as she started shaking while continuing to walk.

"I see you."

Once again, she froze in terror at the voice. How could he be alive? She slowly continued her pace as a chill ran down her spine, almost like something was behind her. But when she turned there was nothing but darkness still. Calm down. It's just Discord and his stupid games. There's nothing to be afraid of. She turned back around only to instantly cower in fear.

A small portion of the darkness around her had merged together to create the head of King Sombra, who was grinning evilly at her. "The unicorn who's dragon shattered me into pieces."

"W-what do you want from me?" Twilight asked still rooted to the floor.

"What do I want? Simply to have a new body. Thanks to that scrawny dragon and that princess, my form was turned to crystal and scattered into the winds, all except for my horn that is. With it still in tact, I was able to resurrect myself with ease. Though the only form I now have is my gaseous state. But if I were to take the body of a unicorn, well..." He stopped as he grinned more, not needing to explain more as Twilight's eyes widened.

"You're going to take my body?!"

"I would prefer a more powerful body, one whose magic was actually capable of simply teleporting away from a few crystals," He taunted. "But as you are a student of the one who imprisoned me in the arctic wasteland, what better way to enact my revenge?"

"Y-you won't defeat C-Celestia. She's the most p-powerful being in Equestria," Twilight tried to sound strong but Sombra simply laughed.

"For one so smart, you aren't very bright. My magic alone is stronger than yours will ever be, you know that. But imagine my power combined with that of the Element of Magic, nothing could stop me from taking control of this world, and crushing it."

Twilight wanted to blast Sombra right then and there, she wanted to stop him, she wanted to show him that she could defeat his magic. But she couldn't, even if she still had her horn, she was no match for him. She couldn't stop him before, so how could she now? She was alone, magic less, and powerless. What could she possibly do?

"You're afraid, you know your fate, good. You can not stop me, even with your friends and magic, I am unstoppable. Your feeble magic is nothing compared to my power." Sombra raised himself so that he was high above Twilight, ready to finish her. All Twilight could do was watch as this beast prepared to take over her body and use it to destroy the world. She would never get to see her teacher, her family, her friends, everything was over.

"Twilight darling, where are you?"

Rarity?

"I think I heard something over here."

Rainbow Dash too?

"Hm, it seems that your friends wish to deal with me now. I enjoy a good fight," Sombra said as he snarled at Twilight.

Twilight looked back to where she heard her friends speak and realized how she could stop Sombra. "You won't hurt my friends."

He laughed. "Is that so? Who shall stop me? A weak unicorn like you? You have no magic and your friends can not stop me either. You are hopeless."

"You're wrong," Twilight stated as she looked at the shadow like unicorn as brave as she could.

"Pardon?"

"There's more to magic than just destroying things or gaining strength or just having a simple strategy. Without one important thing, power is just an empty threat."

"Indulge me. What is this factor that I need in order to defeat you?" He asked before his horn became fueled by dark magic, raising dark crystals around Twilight like at the Empire. "Even with your magic you were helpless against my power. What is it that your weak magic has that mine does not?"

Inside of the crystal prison, Twilight concentrated all of her energy to the top of her head, hoping she could do the same thing Sombra had done. She strained as her body began to ache but she needed this to work. With all of her strength, she slowly created a new horn. It glowed a bright purple as it shattered the crystals around her.

"The one thing that your black heart can never achieve. The magic that fuels the power of the Elements of Harmony, friendship." Her eyes and horn turned into a bright assortment of light, targeting the creature in front of her. A light as bright as the sun shot forward to Sombra who only grinned as he was enveloped. Once the blast subsided, Twilight passed out from exhaustion.

"Come on sugarcube, wake up," Twilight heard Applejack say as she slowly opened her eyes to see four of her friends standing around her looking relieved.

"Are you alright Twilight? What happened?" Fluttershy asked concerned as the bookworm rubbed the back of her head.

"I... I was in darkness and... I found King Sombra."

"But didn't that guy get blow to bits?" Rainbow asked confused.

"Indeed he did," Discord said from behind them, causing the five ponies to jump.

"What do you want Discord?" Twilight readied her horn to attack.

Discord put his paw and talon in front of him in defense. "Hey I'm not here to fight, I just want to give you help is all."

"Why should we believe you?" Twilight questioned the spirit who brought his paw to his chest in feign shock.

"You won't trust a poor misguided spirit who only wants to help? That truly hurts Twilight, I thought we could be good friends. After all, wasn't I the one who gave each of you your elements back?"

"After taking them away," Twilight reminded the spirit while glaring.

"Meh details, details. I don't give gifts to ponies with attitudes, not even coal."

Twilight sighed as she asked with as little annoyance as she could, "What is it?"

"See, was that so hard? Since you at least tried to ask nicely," Discord tossed the Element of Magic to Twilight which glowed as it rested on her head. "5 down, 1 to go little ponies."

"But how did I-?"

"Like you said my dear, power is just an empty threat if you don't have the strength of friends with you. So I thought to myself, what is the best way to have Twilight unlock her element to its full potential? Well I couldn't figure anything out so I took a little peek into your memories to see if there was something in there."

"You went into my memories?" Twilight asked disturbed. "And created your own copy of Sombra?"

Discord created a cotton swab to clean Twilight's ears. "Didn't I just say that? What, you didn't actually think that King Sombra was alive did you? He was turned into crystal and blasted into pieces. Nothing could survive something like that, except for timber wolves but other than that, nothing. Also I would like a thank you for giving you your horn back."

"What? You mean that I didn't remake it?"

"Sorry to say but pretty much. That is very powerful magic that would take years, at least months for you to learn. Now where's that thank you?"

"For making me think that all of Equestria was going to be destroyed by someone controlling me?"

"Well when you say it like that I sound a bit rude, but yes."

Twilight let out a quiet, frustrated sigh. "Thank you."

"You're quite welcome. Now if you all will excuse me for just a moment while I escort the final element and those two fillies here." With that he flashed away leaving the five elements alone in the room.

"He's only bringing Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo?" Applejack questioned. "Where is he keeping Applebloom?

"I don't know darling, but so far he has kept his word on everything he's said."

"And if he does try anything, we can just use the elements and stop him for good instead of just turning him to stone just so he can somehow escape again," Rainbow remarked.

"I'm gone for a few seconds to get the rest of your friends and this is how you all thank me?" Discord asked as he flashed in with Sweetie, Scootaloo, and Pinkie Pie, with her element glowing around her neck, next to him. Sweetie immediately ran to her big sister while the other two simply walked over.

"Are you alright Sweetie? He didn't hurt you, did he?" Rarity asked checking every hair in her sisters mane.

"No, he's actually kind of nice when you get to know him." Just after she finished her sentence, a bucket of water fell on Rarity's head with Discord laughing on the floor.

Trying to keep her temper in tact, Rarity turned all her attention to Pinkie Pie who was struggling to not laugh. "Hello darling, may I ask how you got your element?"

"Well, it all started when I opened a cool looking door..."