The Broken One

I sat on my throne and stared into space as I idly stroked the arm of Shadow’s throne. The events of the night before drew fresh tears from my eyes and I squeezed them shut. I felt hollow inside, as if I was missing a major piece of myself. In reality I was; I was missing my wife.

“Your Highness”, Queen Chrysalis greeted me tentatively.

After her sudden appearance the night before I had shouted at her until she disappeared from the room with tears in her eyes. I felt bad about making her cry now but at the time if I could have gotten to her I would have destroyed her with my bare hands.

“Your Majesty”, I replied brokenly.

“I cannot begin to pretend to know how you feel”, she smiled sadly, “but for what it matters, my heart goes out to you and Cindra both. The love you three had-“

“What do you want”, I growled.

“I was going to discuss commerce but now is not the time”, she bowed.

“The only thing I would care to discuss is how to resurrect my wife.”

“Resurrect”, Chrysalis muttered. “Only the Lord of the Dead could possibly do that.”

“I AM the Lord of the Dead”, I shouted as I jumped to my feet. “Don’t you think I already thought of that?!”

“Then what stops you”, she asked in shock.

“I don’t know how to do it”, I muttered in sorrow.

“Is that all?”

“What”, I hissed.

“What would you say if I could help you with your deathly powers”, she asked quietly.

“Name your price”, I said as my vampiric speed put me in front of her and I grabbed her shoulders.

“There is no price”, she smiled gently.

“Then what do you gain from this”, I asked skeptically.

“You are dear to my daughter, and so are dear to me”, she whispered as she pulled me into a hug.

“Speaking of daughters”, I said as I pulled from the hug.

Cindra had just entered the throne room with my daughter. She stepped slowly up to us and leaned into my side. I hugged her back and stared down at the filly laying in my sole confidante’s embrace.

“Is this your daughter”, Chrysalis asked as she crept closer to the murderous little bundle.

“This is Aliya”, Cindra smiled halfheartedly.

“Quite the little cutie”, Chrysalis smiled. “She has your mane. And your fascinating eyes.”

The elder bug pony asked if she could hold her and I shrugged. She handled the foal carefully as she cradled her close. She cooed to the little monster who had the audacity to giggle at her. I turned away from the three females and began pacing as I thought about what Chrysalis had asked.

“Can you help me”, I suddenly asked as I spun to the changeling queen.

“Not me personally but yes, I know somepony that may be able to help.”

“Take me to this pony”, I demanded.

“Now”, she asked.

“Yes.”

“I’m visiting with my granddaughter”, Chrysalis smiled at the foal.

“She isn’t Cindra’s”, I growled.

“As close as she was to Princess Shadow she may as well be”, she said as she gave me a sad smile. “Very well, but I would like to come back to see Aliya.”

“That’s fine”, I said loudly. “Let’s go.”

After Chrysalis handed the foal back to Cindra I hugged my assistant and barely patted Aliya’s head before I turned from them and nodded to Chrysalis. She touched her hoof to my arm and we vanished with a pop. When sight and sound returned I realized we were on some tropical island.

“If you brought me here to try to seduce me I will kill you”, I growled.

“No, nothing like that”, she laughed. “We’re here to see the Maribbean Sea Oracle.”

She led the way into a massive cave and I swirled fire idly around my hand. I had recently started doing that and it helped with magic manipulation training. The tunnel narrowed and we had to go single file before the tunnel widened again. The sight before me was quite unique.

In the middle of the massive cavern we found ourselves in there was a crystal clear pool of water with all manner of sea creatures in it. I saw ponies splashing in the water but when I got closer I saw they had the front of a pony but the tail of a fish. They gasped and dove under the water when we got too close but I didn’t care. What I was focused on was the glowing pony floating high above us.

“Chrysalis”, the glowing pony greeted with an accented voice as soft as a spring rain. “It is so good to see you again.”

“And you as well, Oracle”, she bowed.

The Oracle landed gently on her hooves and stepped into an embrace with the queen. When she broke from the hug and turned her pure white eyes on me I could feel her stare piercing me.

“Why did you bring this chaotic death to me door, Chrysalis”, the Oracle spoke calmly.

“You already know so stop teasing”, Chrysalis giggled.

“What is it you seek”, she whispered as she turned to me.

“I want to awaken my Reaper abilities”, I replied.

“Why is that?”

“To get my wife back”, I answered impatiently. “Look, can you help me or not?”

“I can but I think you won’t like what you must do.”

“And what is that”, I growled.

“You must let go of this life”, she smiled sadly. “To save her life you must forfeit your own.”

“Seriously”, I snarled.

“A life for a life”, she smiled sadly.

“How about I give them yours”, I shouted and summoned my sword into my hand with the tip at the Oracle’s throat.

“Jackson, stand down”, Chrysalis gasped.

“She already knows whether or not I’ll kill her”, I grinned.

“I caution you, Prince of Chaos”, she said calmly. “The path you will take is a dark and dangerous one. It will lead to what you want, but at what cost?”

“I don’t care about the cost”, I growled.

“So be it”, she intoned deeply. “Prince Jackson of Everfree, the assistance you seek has been with you since Canterlot.”

“What the hell are you talking about”, I growled.

“That was no ordinary pendant you purchased.”

“How did you… Oracle. Never mind”, I muttered.

“That pendant was in fact a key to a mysterious place of strange magic”, the Oracle explained.

“Where is this mysterious place”, I demanded.

“It is not my place to help you discover that”, she replied. “Those close to you will be of the greatest aid to your journey. As will your daughter.”

“Leave now, Jackson”, Chrysalis said as I balled my fists up. “I will be right behind you.”

I sent my sword back to the castle and turned from the Oracle to stare at Chrysalis. I held my arm out and extended my middle finger, laughing at the confusion on the bug pony’s face. Before either of them could respond I poofed back to my castle and stared at the highest tower before flying up to the balcony attached to the tower.

I eased the door open and stepped into the dimly lit room. Against the wall was a raised platform I knew I would become familiar all too familiar with. I walked up onto the platform and stared down through the lid of a glass coffin I had created that very morning and a tear slipped from my eye. I fell to my knees as I gazed upon Shadow’s still form.

“I’ll find a way to bring you back”, I whispered as I lay my hand against the glass.

“Master”, a familiar voice whispered from the doorway.

“I don’t want to be disturbed”, I said hollowly.

“I understand, but your mother is here”, she replied hesitantly.

“What does she want”, I sighed as I slowly got to my feet.

“It’s your f- Discord”, she corrected herself quickly.

“What about him”, I growled as I turned around.

“He’s escaped”, she whispered and flinched.

“Well, fuck.”