The Eyes of Nightmare

by DunDunWub

Rating: everyone
Tags: Drama, King Sombra, Twilight Sparkle, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Dark
Length: 5663

Twilight thought Sombra's eyes were terrifying; the striking glow and the ominous smoke unsettled her. But only after learning the secret behind those eyes, does Twilight realize what it truly means to fear something.

Twilight thought Sombra's eyes were terrifying; the striking glow and the ominous smoke unsettled her. But only after learning the secret behind those eyes, does Twilight realize what it truly means to fear something.

Published 2018-07-22 01:20:02 UTC
Last updated 2018-07-22 01:20:02 UTC

The Eyes of Nightmare

Author's Note

IMPORTANT: While this story takes heavy inspiration from the MLP comics, it is in no way meant to be in that continuity (there are some major and obvious deviations). Think of it as an adaptation of some of that material. In any case, the comics are not required reading.

In terms of the show's timeline, I'm not 100% sure. I think it's safe to say it takes place after School Daze though.

The Eyes of Nightmare

“I can’t believe I’m going back down there,” said Twilight, eyes fixed upon the purple crystal above Cadence’s throne. Twilight was there to investigate the castle. So much about it, and the Crystal Empire in general, was still a big mystery. As time passed, these secrets were becoming of larger concern to those who lived in it.

Twilight was there alone. Cadence was currently in an important meeting—something about trade routes. Spike, and the rest of her friends, were preoccupied with business in Ponyville.

Twilight channeled a breath, attempting to steady her galloping heart. She conjured up as much dark magic as she could muster. Hatred, anguish, sorrow, loneliness. These emotions coursed thickly through her blood, building up a pain in the back of her eyes. It was there for only a moment, before relief wash over her. The secret passage was open—a staircase slinking down into the unknown.

She manifested a light at the end of her horn and began the long trek down. Along the way, she studied the architecture closely. She hadn’t exactly had the opportunity last time. It was all so ancient. The staircase had to be millennia old, with magic alone keeping it from decay. “Huh, that’s odd. It isn’t dark magic,” she said. This secret section of the castle couldn’t have been created by Sombra; it was too old, and the type of magic didn’t match. “He must have repurposed this whole area.” But what was its original function?

When she reached the bottom, she was met again with that infamous magic door. Last time, it had forced her to live her worst nightmare. She wasn’t going to fall for its tricks again. With a carefully calculated spell, she forced the door open with no issue. As its neglected hinges creaked, she was met with a surprising sight. Instead of the staircase to the castle’s top—which she had seen previously—there was a small room. As she entered, a few cleverly placed candles lit themselves, perfectly illuminating the space.

Twilight coughed away the smell of dust and wax. The room was narrow, many objects scattered about the place. There was a desk covered in quills and parchment. She tried to read some of the text but found the writing too messy and erratic to decipher. There were a lot of sketches though—exclusively landscapes of Crystal Empire locations. Next to the desk was a crooked chest, probably homemade. Without needing to really look, she could tell it was sealed magically.

Twilight nearly tripped over a mug. It had an image of the Crystal Fair on it. Looking around, she found many objects left forgotten across the floor. A crudely made diorama of the public library, some vague origami, and a few random books. Unable to stop herself, she lifted and organized the lot. “It’s a safety hazard after all.”

On the topic of books, Twilight stepped over to a small bookshelf across the room. She ran her sight across the many spines. Every title drew her attention, and a building sense of awe gave her goosebumps. “I’ve never seen anything like these. Not in any library,” she said. Texts on space-time, dark magic, theories on the origins of spells, histories of extinct races, and much more.

She slid her hoof across the sleeping tomes, and her leg was stopped by a particular book. It stuck out a little more than the rest, literally. “Magic Eyes: How Mystic Craft Affects the Ocular Senses,” she read. She pulled it down and wiped the cover clean. “I wonder . . .”

The light at the end of her horn gave way to a new spell. The book stretched open, pages turning in a paper hum, until it reached the page that was last viewed.

“The Eyes of Nightmare,” she read. “Dark magic relies on negative emotions, but this is a simplistic description. In reality, there are many subsets of dark magic that vary greatly in technique and use. One such subset is called Nightmare Magic. The user relies on the power generated by fear to cast spells, be it the fears of those around him or the fear from within himself.

“Often, when one is under the influence of Nightmare Magic, or when one uses Nightmare Magic, it is reflected in the eyes. This manifestation is seen when the pupil and iris become red and the sclera becomes green. In addition, a purple smoke emits from the corners of the eyes. This manifestation is a side effect of feeling, imagining, or experiencing one’s worst fear.

“However, these eyes normally only last for as long as spells are being cast. If these eyes persist, and appear constant even when no spells are being cast, then they are called the Eyes of Nightmare. This phenomenon occurs when users of Nightmare Magic experience their worst fear constantly. In a sense, they live their worst nightmare.”

Below the text was an image of an eye that looked eerily similar to that of King Sombra’s. Twilight shut the book and returned it to the shelf. Cold guilt curled around her chest as the image of King Sombra’s destruction came to mind.

Twilight’s attention was drawn to the end of the room. She noticed another door across from the entrance. It looked wooden with metal supports. It also looked as though the years hadn’t been kind to it, as its edges were splintered, the paint had faded, and a few rogue cracks decorated it. As she stepped closer, she could feel a strong magical aura surrounding it. Twilight reached for the doorknob with her magic.

Twilight jumped back as a wall of crystal jutted up from the ground. The shadow that was cast by the wall deepened in color. It flickered upwards, inflating into three-dimensionality before finally taking the form of King Sombra. His glowing eyes bled through the darkened room. “King Sombra!” said Twilight, trying and failing to blink away the pony that stood before her.

“Formerly King. Now just Sombra,” he said, his rough voice meeting her ears smoothly. The study door slammed shut behind her. “I apologize, but I cannot allow you to leave now that you know of my presence.”

Sombra lacked the crown and cape; she noticed that he didn’t have a cutie mark. His eyes were the same red and green pattern, the purple smoke leaking into the cramped room. “How is this possible? We destroyed you.”

“I cannot be destroyed,” he said. Twilight scoffed. “No, I mean that literally.” A wicked grin unfurled itself onto his face. “I am an umbrum—dark magic in the form of a creature. Whenever I am ‘destroyed,’ I will simply reform.”

Twilight’s eyes nearly popped out of her skull. “What?” she said, sweat forming on her temple. “You can’t be serious?” Was he basically immortal?

“I am. Which means you have no hope of defeating me—not this time. Make this easy, and surrender.”

Darkness emanated from Sombra and spread across the floor, walls, and ceiling. A coldness tugged at Twilight’s coat and feathers as it swallowed the room whole. Soon, there was nothing but Twilight and Sombra floating in a black void. A dizziness overcame Twilight as her legs could no longer understand where they stood in space. She struggled to simply stay upright and missed when Sombra's form disappeared. His low chuckled drew her attention away from herself. Twilight forced her breathing to slow, knowing that hyperventilation was a serious concern.

“Fascinating. You were not a Princess when last we met,” said Sombra, his voice coming from no discernible direction. “Celestia’s doing, I presume?”

She shook her head roughly, trying to get a hold of herself. “No, I earned these wings, thank you,” said Twilight. “Celestia didn’t just give them to me.” Twilight mentally chided herself. She’d felt insulted and lashed out. Not a good way to present yourself.

He laughed, but it was strangely hollow. “You ‘earned’ those wings? Are you sure? Celestia is a meticulous pony. I imagine she had decided you would be a Princess the moment you became her student.”

“Of course not!” said Twilight.

“It is Celestia’s nature. She likes to plan ahead. Take Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, for example.”

“What about her?” she said slowly.

“Celestia groomed her specifically to defeat me and rule over the Crystal Empire. It is no coincidence that her powers perfectly qualify her for the position. In fact, she is a relative of Queen Amore Luminosa the 52nd, the previous ruler.”

Was that true? Twilight didn’t want to believe it, but the facts were lining up too well. Twilight started to question how in control of her own life she really was. “Ow,” she said, placing a hoof to her head. Pain coursed through her skull, and her gut starting twisting itself into knots. She felt a stinging in the back of her eyes. A chilling fear filled her lungs.

Wait a minute . . . fear? “No!” she shouted. “I won’t let you mess with my head anymore! You’re just trying to get me to doubt myself, to doubt Celestia, but I won’t!” A spell began to form. It started at the bottom of her diaphragm and pushed its way up her spine and into her glowing horn. Her jaw tightened as she unleashed the strongest light spell she possibly could.

Sombra’s voice echoed as a blinding light filled the void. “No!” he cried. Twilight wrenched her eyes shut as the room turned white.

There was a moment. She heard nothing. Then laughing.

Twilight dared to open her eyes. The study had returned to normal. Before her stood Sombra, except . . . she nearly vomited at the sight. Large chunks of his body were missing—blown off by the spell. She could see his insides, which consisted of jagged, black ribs and clumps of swirling dark magic. They weren’t actual organs, but they were close enough to make Twilight gag.

Sombra’s laugh turned into thundering guffaws pouring from his deformed face. More than half of it was exposed skull with wisps of darkness clinging tightly. As his laughter continued, the shadows of the room pooled into him and covered the exposed areas. Within a minute, he was completely healed.

The laughter, like the howls of a hyena, began to die down. “It has been so long since anypony has been able to inflict that sort of pain upon me! Not since I have been cooped up in this study all this time.” His manic grin persisted upon seeing Twilight’s horrified expression.

“I-I’m sorry,” Twilight spit out in a weak mumble. The reality of what she’d just done was beginning to set in.

His smile faltered before fading completely. He stepped closer, and Twilight stumbled backward. “Do not apologize,” he said in a low voice, deathly serious. “I have already told you what I am. No sympathy is necessary.”

“W-what? What are you talking about?” Was this guy insane? She continued to back away, and he continued to step forward.

“I am not a pony. My suffering should not elicit guilt from you,” he said, his tone growing furious. His fanged teeth were starting to become visible with his growling snarl.

Twilight’s back made contact with a bookshelf, a couple of tomes falling onto her head. She didn’t know what to say. “I’m sorry,” she repeated lamely.

His anger became quiet, as his eyes scanned her face, taking in every minute detail. “I am a monster. Only hate shall be reserved for me.” A red aura formed around his horn.

Twilight tried to conjure some magic, only to realize she still needed to recover from that light spell. Twilight, in confusion and panic, bent her head down—as if that would protect her from the oncoming attack. It was then that she saw several books at her hooves. Not knowing what else to do, she grabbed one and chucked it forward.

Sombra growled and smacked it away. It flew across the room and connected with the leg of the desk, knocking down the diorama Twilight had placed there. In this moment of distraction, Twilight scrambled out from the corner she’d fallen into. She dashed for the door, before narrowly missing a crystal projectile. It connected with the exit, sticking into the now splintered wood. Twilight changed trajectory, her new goal to simply not get impaled. She barely missed another one. This time it connected with the chest, obliterating the lid. “You cannot escape, Princess.”

Twilight saw him approach. He was taking his time preparing another attack. Twilight wasn’t thinking at this point. She was simply reacting in any way her body thought appropriate. As Sombra neared, she stuck her hooves into the chest and held out the first item she found as a shield. She shut her eyes, preparing for this poor excuse of a plan to fail.

She waited.

A few seconds had passed, yet nothing happened. She peeked an eye open. Sombra stood there, no recognizable anger on his features, and no attack prepared. He simply stared at the object in her hooves with a sad look on his face. For the first time, Twilight noticed just how tired he looked.

Twilight turned the object. It was a framed photo of a lavender mare with a sky blue mane. She was smiling brilliantly in front of the Crystal Empire orphanage. Sombra approached her once more, yet all trace of malice was gone. With his magic, he took the picture from her to study himself. A sigh escaped him—a sound that was foreign coming from him. “How sad is this?” he said. “I fall apart just at the sight of her.”

Twilight watched his eyes rake over the image at a deliberate pace.“Why is that?” said Twilight, potentially pushing her sudden luck. At the very least, this would buy her time to recharge her magic.

“She was the first.”

“The first?”

“The first to call me a monster. The first to see me with these eyes.”

Twilight took a silent breath. “Please. It may be hard for you to believe, but I want to help you,” she said softly.

He met her eyes. “Why?”

“I believe everypony deserves a chance. Even self-proclaimed monsters,” she said, a tiny smile on her lips.

He stared at her, and it was then that Twilight realized just how similar her appearance was to the mare in the photo. She imagined Sombra was thinking much the same. “I . . . I will tell you my story. Then you will know that I truly am a monster,” he said stoically. Twilight nodded, satisfied with this peaceful turn of events. “Where to begin? I suppose . . .

“As a foal, I was discovered lost and alone. I had no memories and could not speak very well. I grew up in the Crystal Empire orphanage. All my foal-hood I was plagued with night terrors of shadowy demons. These dreams caused me to act out in destructive ways, getting into fights and becoming disinterested in education.” He placed the photo on the desk, fiddling with its placement. The candlelight made the picture glow. “Then I met her.

“She was strange and kind. My first friend. She helped me out of the darkness in my life and we were happy. I graduated with honors. In fact, we both did. She had a promising future in medical magic ahead of her.” With his magic, Sombra lifted the diorama from the floor. He tugged at it, straightening the sloppy walls. It was nearly acceptable when he placed it back on the desk. “Her destiny was bright. It was when we reached adulthood that I discovered what my destiny was. They . . . called to me.”

“‘They?’” said Twilight.

“The umbrum,” he sneered. “You see, the umbrum were imprisoned beneath the Crystal Empire millennia ago by Queen Amore Luminosa the 1st. They sought to corrupt the Crystal Heart and extinguish the light of the world. While imprisoned, they created . . . me. I was designed to resemble a pony just enough to pass through the barrier. I was their salvation. I was meant to free them.

“I was afraid. I was not a pony, but a dark creature made to look like one. I did not know what to do with this information. I went to her. I told her everything, and she . . .” Sombra closed his eyes, the smoke falling away in larger plumes. “She looked at me with disgust and horror. She called me a monster. That was when I got these eyes—when I realized it was true. I am a monster.”

“What happened next?”

“I banished her, as well as Queen Amore Luminosa the 52nd. Then I took control of the Empire, enslaving the crystal ponies and preparing for the return of the umbrum. I did a little research; she lived out the rest of her days in Canterlot, making great contributions to medical magic. After she left, I scoured the castle high and low until finally discovering it,” he said. His attention shifted to the door Twilight almost opened. “The door of the umbrums’ prison.”

“You’ve known where it was this whole time but haven’t opened it?” said Twilight. “Wait a minute. I almost opened it but you stopped me.”

He walked past her, towards the topic of conversation. “That is not important.”

“I disagree. You told me this story to prove you’re a monster. But It doesn’t add up. You never wanted to be . . . this. The fact that you haven’t unleashed the umbrum proves to me that there’s good in you.”

He scoffed. “This door is shut out of cowardice, not compassion. I am a monster, there is no way around it. I am simply weak, unable to commit to my destiny.”

“I don’t believe in destiny,” she said, not entirely sure if she meant it.

He laughed. “You should. It is why you are a Princess. It is why I am a monster. These things were decided for us before we ever had a say in the matter.”

“You’re acting like you never had a choice.”

“I did not. That is why I am here.”

“We all have choices to make Sombra. You’ve chosen not to open that door, right? Because of that, peace and happiness have been the status quo in Equestria all this time.” He was looking elsewhere, clearly trying to tune her out. Twilight huffed. “In fact, I’d go so far as to say you’re a hero,” she blurted out.

That got his attention. “Do not make me laugh,” he said without a lick of humor. “You are the hero, Princess. I am the villain. Anypony with functioning sight could tell you that.”

“Why are you so eager to hate yourself?”

“By nature, everypony hates me. Why should I not join them?”

“I don’t hate you,” she said.

He gave her his full attention, unobscured by his own rising annoyance. There was a moment of silence as he again seemed captivated by her. “What exactly are you the Princess of?” he said.

She grinned. “Friendship.”

He groaned and stuck his tongue it. “Of course you are. Your optimism makes me want to gag.” Twilight laughed.

The door to the study creaked open as Cadence stepped through. She looked warily from the protruding crystal projectile to the rest of the room. “Twilight, are you in here-“ She stopped short. “King Sombra!” She gave him a black look. Her horn hummed with a strong aura.

“Wait, Cadence, he-“

Using her magic, Cadence pulled Twilight behind her. “It’s a good thing I got here when I did, Twilight. Quickly, if we work together we can defeat him.”

“Cadence, no! He’s just a pony that needs our help!”

“What are you talking about, Twilight?” said Cadence, not releasing her hate from Sombra. “He enslaved the crystal ponies, banished the Crystal Empire for a thousand years, and is a threat to the safety of my family and my people. He’s not a pony. He’s a monster!”

Sombra’s jaw became tight. Like an opened faucet, the purple smoke from his eyes billowed away in faster and larger plumes. The red and green of his eyes glowed more vibrantly, and an evil grin was summoned upon his face. “No. You are wrong, Princess. I am not just any monster. I am King of the Monsters!”

The wooden door behind him flung open. “Sombra, no-!“

Hundreds of shadows rocketed into the study, causing the room to shake violently. Twilight fell over as the lights were extinguished and a new darkness surrounded them. Twilight felt a fear and cold that stretched down to the marrow of her bones. The emptiness around them swirled about in a hurricane of movement. Laughing and cheering from sickly, raspy voices bombarded her from all sides.

Twilight felt as good as blind as all sense of direction vanished. She didn’t know where she was or what was happening. All she knew was that this was very bad. After a moment, Twilight’s vision was cleared, and she nearly fell over. The three of them were standing in front of the castle as the tangible darkness took its true form.

Horrific impressions of ponies stood before her—like mangled corpses. Their bodies were these unstable amalgamations of smoke and shadow. Towering figures of disproportionate, lanky anatomy. They sat dead center in the uncanny valley; Twilight’s brain wouldn’t stop telling her that they were just . . . wrong. Their eyes were pure white, devoid of soul or meaning. Their lipless faces were set in permanent, yellow grins. The stench of decaying flesh poured off of them in unyielding waves.

These were the umbrum.

These shadow creatures stampeded through the streets, their hooves stomping a foreboding tune. Darkness radiated off of them, dimming the optimism of this once sparkling city. The umbrum surrounded the castle; the monument’s wonder faded, replaced with an ominous aura. The shining sky was overtaken by a legion of gray clouds.

The crystal ponies panicked and ran every which way in an attempt to escape. They were chased by the umbrum, a growing fear gripping their hearts. When caught, the fear escalated to crippling terror, and a ball and chain formed around their legs. They were slaves once more.

The guard got involved almost immediately, trying to defend the fleeing citizens. Their armor was nothing but weight on their shoulders, and their weapons were just useless sticks. Spears slipped through these monsters as if they were clouds. It occurred to Twilight how absurd it was: trying to fight the dark with spears. The guard suffered much the same fate as the civilians.

Another task the umbrum were occupied with was just a general level of destruction. lampposts fell, windows were smashed, and entire buildings crumpled to the ground in clouds of debris and broken dreams. It was obvious that they wanted to create an atmosphere of despair.

“Sombra, why did you do this?” said Twilight, facing the stoic pony.

“She is correct,” he said with tightness in his voice. “I am a monster, and I was foolish to entertain any other notions. We all must submit to our fates eventually.” He wouldn’t meet her eyes.

“You! You did this!” Cadence’s horn sparked brightly, and she shot forward a hot beam of energy.

Before it impacted with Sombra’s side, Twilight shot off a counter-spell. She was momentarily thankful that some semblance of her magic had returned. “Stop! That won’t solve anything.”

Cadence looked beyond shocked, frustration painting her countenance. “Twilight, what are you doing!?”

“We need to give him a chance. We didn’t give him one before, so we owe it to him now,” said Twilight, standing between the two.

Sombra shook his head. “No, Princess. She is correct. I am a monster,” he said, his sharp voice faltering slightly. “I am a monster.”

Cadence scoffed. “See, Twilight, he even admits it! He . . .” She stopped, the glare falling right off her face. Twilight turned.

Tears escaped from Sombra’s glare as he watched these creatures—his people—embrace their evil. The trail had stained his gray face. “I am a monster.”

“Yes,” said a new voice, slippery and sinister. “You are.” The group turned to see an umbrum. She had a purplish hue to her form, and her grin was, if possible, even larger than the rest.

“Queen Rabia,” said Sombra. He looked up at her with wide eyes.

“Do not cry, my child. You will finally fulfill your destiny,” she said, a tilt of warped happiness in her voice.

“Tell me. What is my purpose among you?” he said, a desperation trickling down his throat.

“You are our weapon, of course!” Rabia proclaimed. Her eyes turned from white to red. The red of Sombra’s iris broke free and leaked into the green of the sclera. Sombra’s flesh began to crack as shadowing tendrils shot out from his legs and drilled into the ground. He tried to pull away, but he was rooted down. Rabia’s stare became stronger, her stance more rigid. Against his growls and protests, red consumed his eyes until he finally ceased all movement. He stood straight, rigid, not betraying a single emotion. The tears ceased and everything about him stilled. “Good,” said Rabia, relaxing her body. She patted him on the head.

“What have you done to him!?” said Twilight rushing up to inspect him.

“I did him a kindness. Those foolish dreams of happiness still plagued him. Now he will not be distracted,” she said. She pointed towards the Crystal Heart. “Now, Sombra. Be darkness! Be corruption!”

His whole body turned to face his target. A sickly glow encompassed his horn, and a beam of pure darkness shot forward, rocketing through the air until making contact with the Crystal Heart. The ground shook. Darkness seeped its way into the relic and began to spread. Twilight gasped as the very light within her soul dimmed.

Twilight shook him with failing strength. “Sombra! You need to stop. You don’t need to do this!” she begged. She tried to meet his eyes, but it was as if nothing was there. No soul in sight to communicate with.

Rabia cackled unnaturally. “Your efforts are futile. Give up now, and succumb to darkness just as he has,” she said. She disappeared into the surrounding chaos, her laughter fading away like thunder in the distance.

As the Crystal Heart darkened, so did the world around them. The sun itself was turning black behind the barrier of clouds. There was no doubt that this phenomenon was being experienced all across Equestria, since the fate of the world was linked to the fate of the Crystal Empire.

Twilight tried to summon a barrier between Sombra and the heart, but it was dissipated immediately. Not only was this magic unbelievably strong, she could also feel her own magic fading once more. She tried pushing Sombra out of the Heart’s path, but he was glued to the spot. “Sombra!” she said, “you need to take back control!”

In the distance, there was screaming as a tower came crashing down. A small quake splintered through the ground as the tower smashed into several other structures. Then there was the laughing of the umbrum—a sound that would surely haunt her dreams.

Twilight felt a gentle tap on her shoulder. Cadence looked between Twilight and Sombra, her frown slowly morphing into a look of steel determination. “My magic is weakening, but I can still help. I will connect your hearts together so that you can speak to him, okay?” she said quietly.

Twilight forced away the trembling of her legs and gave Cadence a nod. Twilight grabbed Sombra, one leg around his neck in a kind of hug. Cadence placed a hoof on Sombra and a hoof on Twilight. She closed her eyes and forced the serenity necessary to concentrate. Her horn glowed, although it was faint.

Twilight looked to Sombra’s emotionless face, the purple smoke still pouring away from the red in great quantities. She then felt a sensation deep within her soul. Love, compassion, empathy, kindness. These emotions were being drawn out and connected to those of another. Their hearts were bridged, and she could feel his very soul. Anguish and fear clung to him, his core having given up the fight.

With mind and soul, she spoke to him. “Sombra,” she said softly, “this may have been the purpose you were created for, but that doesn’t mean this is your destiny. You see, we choose who we become. Nopony else gets to decide who you are. Only you. That’s what destiny is; it’s who you decide to be. Sure, you can say I had no choice in becoming a Princess, just as you had no choice in being an umbrum. But that means nothing! Being a Princess doesn’t define who I am. It is a title, nothing more. So what if you’re an umbrum? That tells me nothing about who you are. You decide that.

“I know for a fact that this isn’t what you want to be. Rabia said it herself, you still dream of happiness. So do I. Now, fight against this, and we can pursue our dreams together.” Twilight’s face was wet with tears.

There was a moment of silence among the horrors of the world. Twilight stared into Sombra’s face as the light of the world faded and gave way to despair. Their connection faded away.

Sombra’s eyes snapped back into their original green and red pattern, and the beam of dark magic ceased completely. The world sighed in relief, and Twilight could feel the strength of her magic returning in waves. The light of the Crystal Heart grew as it purged itself of the darkness inflicted upon it. The sun shined brighter, pushing away the surrounding clouds and returning light to the land. Sombra pulled his legs from the ground, the tendrils retreating back into his body, his cracked flesh repairing itself.

Sombra met Twilight’s eyes. For a moment, he simply stared, captivated by Twilight’s very presence. “Thank you,” he finally said. The purple smoke dissipated, and the red and green pattern faded into a pair of normal, emerald eyes. He gave her a pat on the back as she still clung to him in an awkward embrace.

Twilight just grinned and hugged him tighter. “I knew you could do it!”

Cadence smiled. “I’m sorry, Sombra, for not giving you a chance,” she said. Twilight and Sombra broke from the embrace, oddly embarrassed.

He coughed away the feeling. “No need to apologize, Princess,” said Sombra.

“WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS!?” a voice boomed throughout the entire Crystal Empire. They all watched as Rabia approached, her eyes having returned to a blank white. She was livid, the shadowy smoke of her body whipping about violently. Everyone in the area stopped and stared—ponies and umbrum alike halted all commotion as their attention was drawn to a single point.

“I will no longer be your weapon, Rabia,” said Sombra.

“That is not for you to decide,” she snarled. Her eyes turned red again. Sombra winced, but his eyes remained unchanged. “I am not your weapon.”

“Then what are you?”

He smiled. “I do not know yet. That is for me to decide. Not you. You shall return from whence you came.” His lips stretched into a smile. His horn filled with magic, and crystals began to form around Rabia—around each and every umbrum in the Empire. “Right about now, I think you might be regretting how powerful you made me.”

“No! We will not be contained again!” Rabia screamed, thrashing against the spreading crystal. It was to no avail. “You treacherous little-“ She was cut off by the forming container. A familiar pattern emerged upon her wretched face; red and green eyes with purple smoke. Abject fear was the final look on her face before the crystal encompassed the forms of every umbrum in the Empire.

Twilight stepped up next to Sombra and gave him a nod. Her horn glowed brilliantly. A dark purple hue encompassed the crystal cocoons until there was a mighty flash. The Crystal Empire was temporarily blinded, but when their vision returned, the umbrum were gone. It had worked, and they’d been teleported back into their locked prison.

There was silence. Then a chorus of cheering and happiness. The balls and chains faded, but the destruction remained. Regardless, there was relief and joy at having survived a near catastrophe.

“Sombra, your eyes,” said Twilight, barely containing her glee.

“What about them?” said Sombra.

Twilight summoned a hoof mirror. “They’re really nice.”

Sombra studied his reflection. “I have not seen these eyes since . . . ,” he stopped. “Thank you, Princess.”

She laughed. “You already thanked me. And please—‘Twilight’ is fine.”

He nodded. “Alright. Twilight.”

“What will you do now?” she said.

He studied the battlefield as ponies already began repairing the damage done by the umbrum. She chose to watch him. While his eyes had changed, everything else about him was virtually the same—gray coat, flowing black mane, fanged teeth. Yet Twilight couldn’t help but think he looked completely different. Like Twilight’s sharp optimism had actually managed to pierce his shell of despair.

“I think I will remain here for a time to assist with repairs. In any case, a lot of these structures could use with some improvement. In my opinion,” he said.

“And after that?”

He smiled with his eyes. “I am not sure. The possibilities are endless.”