The Broken One

We had just finished eating when a gray blur streaked into the dining room and huddled against my legs under the table. Cindra and I shared a look of confusion before I glanced under the table to see Umbra cowering beside me.

“What was that all about”, I asked.

“She is insufferable”, Umbra hissed quietly.

“Why do you say that”, I laughed.

“She would not stop speaking at first”, Umbra said before shivering. “She tried to mate with me just a few moments ago.”

At that moment a perturbed unicorn burst through the doors and trotted toward our table. She eyed the vampony cowering underneath the table and sighed lightly.

“I wasn’t finished asking questions”, she said testily.

“Asking questions or molesting vamponies”, I grinned as the unicorn blushed.

“I… I… never mind”, she sighed as she hung her head.

“Mistress Twilight Sparkle”, Umbra began nervously, “I do not feel that way about other mares.”

“But how is that when you’re essentially another Shadow”, she asked.

“Audrey, please explain”, I sighed.

Of course, Prince Jackson. Shadow and Umbra, while genetically identical, would not necessarily have the same speech patterns, mannerisms or preferences. Umbra is, by all definitions, a completely separate entity.

“Thank you, Audrey”, I nodded. “Do you see what she means?”

“I do”, she sighed before turning to Umbra. “I’m sorry about the confusion, Umbra.”

“It is a small matter”, she replied as she crawled out from under the table.

“If you wouldn’t mind I would like to finish the interview”, Twilight smiled gently.

“I only ask that you do not do those things again”, Umbra said guardedly.

“I won’t”, Twilight smiled.

The two left the dining room discussing the physical traits of Umbra’s wings as well as the benefits and drawbacks of vamponism. I smiled at Cindra and clasped her hoof on the table.

“Cindra, I need to go to the dungeons tomorrow”, I said and she shivered. “Don’t worry, I won’t do anything unethical.”

“Jackson, do you even know the meaning of ethical”, she laughed uneasily. “What kind of clones are you using this time? Or do I even want to know?”

“I’m bringing Shadow herself back tomorrow”, I replied.

“Seriously”, she asked with wide eyes. “You figured out how to get her soul back?!”

“Her soul left her when she was cursed with vamponism”, I replied. “The way Umbra explained it to me, she didn’t actually die.”

“Really?”

“Yeah”, I smiled. “Apparently she just went into some form of undead hibernation.”

“Is that what would happen to you if you bled out”, she asked quietly.

“I think so”, I replied.

“I’d rather not find out”, she said as she shuddered.

I stood and waited for Cindra before we left to go on with our day. I suggested the library and she happily agreed trotting along beside me as we made our way through the halls. I was pondering just how I could improve the distillery behind the castle when a siren blared through the castle. I jumped and spun wondering what was happening.

Fire detected inside castle. Please evacuate. Incoming magical assault.

“Where’s the fire”, I shouted.

Fire located in north tower.

“Shadow”, I gasped as I began racing down the hall.

The clatter of dragonfly wings told me that Cindra was keeping pace with me as I took to the air and burst out of a window. I stared in horror as flames engulfed the entire tower that housed my wife. I saw a fireball come from the tree line and changed course.

“See what you can do at the tower”, I shouted before I filled my wings with magic.

I summoned my sword as I zipped through the trees and caught sight of a lone unicorn. His grey fur shone in the sunlight as murderous intent filled my heart. He turned and spotted me a split second before I slammed into his torso wrapping my arms around him.

“You’re dead”, I shouted before teleporting the both of us to the courtyard.

As we burst into existence I slammed the unicorn to the ground and wrapped my hand around his horn. Fire burst from his horn blistering my skin but with one mighty heave I broke the offending appendage off flush with his skull. His cries of agony were ignored as the sound of crumbling stone filled my ears. I turned around right as the tower collapsed.

“NO”, I bellowed and bolted toward the rubble.

I slid to a stop yards away from the ruined tower and dropped to my knees. I let out a guttural cry of rage and sorrow as I stared at the flaming ruins. The unicorns on my staff launched jets of water into the mess causing clouds of smoke and steam to rise from the ruins.

“Cindra”, I gasped in sorrow. “Shadow.”

Before long the flames were extinguished as well as any joy that had been in my heart. I stood shakily and turned my eyes to the unicorn held down at spearpoint with a dozen horns trained on him. Darkness crept into my heart as I stormed across the courtyard.

“YOU FUCKING BASTARD”, I screamed as I got close.

I ran the last few yards and kicked him in the chest as hard as I could. I heard ribs break when my boot connected and sent him rolling. Before he stopped I was on top of him smashing my fists into his face and slamming his head into the ground. I called his horn into my hand and drove it into his throat as I continued to pummel him. I went back to slamming his head into the ground until I heard a sickeningly satisfying crunch.

“Rot in hell motherfucker”, I grinned as I watched the light fade from his one undamaged eye.

“Master”, Umbra cried as she flew through the air toward me. “You’re hurt!”

“That’s not his blood”, Twilight gasped when she galloped up to us.

The two mares stared at the dead unicorn before turning their eyes to the ruined tower. I looked down at myself and saw that I was splattered with the attacker’s blood but I didn’t care. I rose to my feet and stepped up to the two mares as they began to sob. I dropped to my knees and pulled them into my arms as my own tears began flowing.

“Where’s Cindra”, Twilight whimpered.

“She was in the tower”, I choked through my tears.

I stared at the destruction and openly wept. I could feel my heart breaking all over again as I thought of the two mares taken from me before my very eyes. I hung my head and just sobbed while Umbra and Twilight held me.

The various ponies had begun picking through the rubble clearing it away as they searched for any sign of Cindra or Shadow. I rose and helped clear rubble as I cried. My heart leapt to my throat as one of the ponies called for assistance. I rushed over and dropped to my knees when I saw the very corner of Shadow’s coffin sticking out of the rubble.

“Somepony give me a hoof”, he shouted.

I reached out and wrapped my magic around the large chunks of stone that surrounded the coffin and lifted them free. I dropped the stone to the side and turned my eyes back to the coffin but my heart stopped when I saw emptiness inside.

“What the fuck”, I whispered.

I used magic to lift even more stones out of the way until I had uncovered the foundation for the tower. To my confusion there were no bodies, no blood, no sign that they had even been there.

“Audrey”, I choked out.

Yes, Prince Jackson?

“Where are Cindra and Shadow?”

One moment while I locate them.

Several seconds of silence that seemed like hours passed before I heard Audrey’s silky voice.

Cindra and Shadow are in the infirmary. Shall I teleport you to their location?

“Yes.”

In an instant I stood in the middle of the infirmary scanning the room as quickly as I could. Nurse Redheart rushed up to me with a look of total shock and fear on her face. I waved her off as I rushed through the room in search of my mares. For the thousandth time my heart stopped as I spotted the bandaged changeling laying in a bed holding Shadow’s body tightly and snarling viciously at anypony who came near her.

“Cindra”, I cried in relief as I ran toward the two.

Upon hearing my voice she turned her head toward me and I stopped short when I saw the purple stained bandage covering her left eye. My heart dropped as she teared up and held a hoof out to me. I fell into her and held them both tightly.

Prince Jackson, Princess Celestia has arrived with Prince Blueblood in stasis. She demands entry.

“Let them in”, I hissed as I disentangled myself from Cindra’s terrified grasp.

I kissed her cheek and promised I would be back as soon as possible. I stormed out of the infirmary and started down the hall. I took several turns and saw a familiar doorway. I stopped in my tracks and stared at the little nurse standing in the hallway looking in the direction I had just gone. It was then that I realized I was lost.

“Well, fuck.”