Shattering a Heart of Darkness

"That cloud looks rather weird, doesn't it?"

The changeling guard stared queerly at his counterpart and sighed. "It's a cloud, Mandible. They only look weird because it's how your brain is interpreting the shape. Now stay quiet and focus. The queen doesn't like slackers."

Landing on the ground, the first changeling folded up his wings and crossed his forelegs defensively. "I know that, Ala!" Mandible snapped. "I'm saying that this particular cloud looks weird. Just-just take a look."

Ala rolled his eyes and peered into the distance. "So it's black. Big deal. Probably just a storm cloud."

"Just a...? Since when is there a single storm cloud on a sunny day?"

This gave Ala room to pause. It was strange considering that every other cloud was white and fluffy while this one was pure black and appeared to jagged and spiky around the edges. "True. And is it just me or is it getting closer?"

Mandible scratched his chin. "It is. And...wait, it's really moving! It's coming right for-..."

There was a booming roar as the supposed storm cloud charged towards the hive, a tendril-like appendage slamming into the hapless guards and knocking them aside as it encircled the structure. A battalion of changeling drones witnessed the mass of darkness growing a pony-esque head, its large green smoking eyes glowing like bonfires and glared angrily at the insectoids. A part of the darkness cleared away to reveal a limp but very much alive Queen Chrysalis wrapped up in its dark tendrils.

"CHANGELINGS, I AM SOMBRA, THE KING OF THE CRYSTAL EMPIRE AND THE LORD OF SHADOWS. I HAVE YOUR QUEEN. IF TWILIGHT SPARKLE ISN'T RELEASED TO ME, I'LL SQUASH HER AND LET YOUR WHOLE DAMN SPECIES DIE OFF. DO NOT TEST ME."

Loud buzzing filled the air, a thousand voices debating amongst their selves as the changelings considered their options. The creature was clearly too strong to attack and was powerful enough to incapacitate their leader. Any actions taken against this King Sombra would only serve to piss him off and they decided that wasn't a road worth taking. Then there was the issue of succession as their queen had yet to produce an heir. While all changelings were fertile, only a royal changeling could birth multiple larvae and in half the time, something that would take a single non-royal changeling a lifetime to accomplish.

A changeling by the name Calyptra stepped forward and calmly replied, "Sombra, King of the Crystal Empire, we accept your proposition. Release the queen and you shall have your mare returned to you."

The pony head lowered so that it could stare directly at Calyptra, a massive eye showering her in its light. "DO YOU THINK THAT I'M A FOOL?! BRING TWILIGHT OUT HERE AND I SWEAR TO YOU UPON MY CROWN THAT YOUR QUEEN SHALL BE RELEASED. TICK-TOCK, TICK-TOCK. THE CLOCK IS TICKING!"

Calyptra swore under her breath and reluctantly agreed, ordering two guards whose names she couldn't be bothered to remember to bring the prisoner out and to do it post haste. The two gratefully fled into the hive, happy to be away from the creature while everyone else stood anxiously outside as the shadow pony glared impatiently at them. Twenty minutes later, the two guards brought out an unconscious unicorn, her body dripping with green fluids as she lay slumped between the two. The shadow pony levitated the unicorn up to his face and after an inspection, which involved smelling her and scanning her with a purple horn-beam, pulled her into his body and into the darkness. It then released Queen Chrysalis, letting her tumble to the ground and roll into an undignified heap as she coughed and stared daggers at her former captor.

"This isn't over, Sombry," Queen Chrysalis hissed, weakly attempting to stand on her own legs and having to resort to using two of her drones as living crutches. "I won't forgive nor forget this insult upon me and my hive."

"KNOW THIS, CHRISSY," Sombra growled, "THE ONLY REASON THAT YOU ARE STILL BREATHING IS FOR MY TWILIGHT'S SAKE. CROSS ME AGAIN AND I WON'T BE SO MERCIFUL NEXT TIME."

And with that, the cloud of darkness soared away, leaving a terrified changeling colony and a vendetta-driven queen in its wake. That was of little consequence however as Sombra shifted himself into a smaller, more comet-shaped form as he stared down at the unconscious mare in his forelegs. He had his soulmate back and that was all that mattered to him at the moment. He tenderly brushed aside a few stray locks of her mane. "Twilight? Twilight, honey, please wake up."

The unicorn moaned before her eyes fluttered open. "S-Sombra? How did...?"

"Shh, you're safe now. That's all that matters. Listen, about before...I'm so sorry. I was an idiot...-"

Her lips came crashing down on his own and he immediately forgot what it was that he was saying as everything else dissipated, leaving only him and his mare. Everything that either one of them wanted or needed to say was expressed solely in that one kiss. Twilight pulled away and buried her face into his chest fur, her nostrils flaring as she took in his scent. "Just shut up and hold me."

No arguments here. Sombra thought warmly, attempting to come up with a witty retort but then thinking better of it. Wrapping Twilight tightly up in his embrace, he sighed gently as he tucked her head beneath his chin, reveling in the warmth of her body once again pressed against his. As the Crystal Empire came into view, he knew that his world was complete once more. It didn't matter if they got married a year from now or even ten. All that mattered was that they were together.

The five ponies were escorted into the throne room, their minds and hearts so full of fear that not one of them, not even Pinkie Pie, had exchanged even a single word on the train ride up to Canterlot. Princess Celestia's letter was vague but the part about Twilight being in danger had them promptly charging up to the train station as fast as possible, determined to get to the castle and find out what they could about their friend's plight. Even Rarity had forgone bringing a mountain of luggage, instead toting a single purse and even paying for all of their tickets. Say what you will about Rarity but when her friends' lives are on the line, she is hellbent on rushing to their aid. The guards retreated, leaving the ponies with the three princesses and Shining Armor, who all wore masks of stark apprehension and fear.

"Greetings everypony. I'm sorry that I had to drag all of you up here," Celestia began. "But it was urgent that you come."

"It's what friends are fer, Yer Majesty," Applejack spoke earnestly. "What's goin' on? Ya said it had ta do with Twilight?"

Luna brought forth the Blue Bead and set it upon a small pedestal. "It'd be better if we showed thee."

The crystal ball glowed and its surface depicted images and sounds of such a disturbing nature, that there was not a single dry eye in the room. Once the crystal ball's surface cleared, the Element bearers stood in abject horror and shock, trying to wrap their heads around what they'd just seen. In all of their previous conversations with Twilight and Sombra, the two had seemed genuinely happy and content, as if they are living in paradise. They were even willing to give Sombra the benefit of the doubt and think that maybe, just maybe he'd changed and could be reformed. This, however, blew those hopes clean out of the water.

Surprisingly, Fluttershy was the first to speak: "But...but how?! They seemed so happy and they're soulmates! How could Sombra do that to Twilight?"

"I knew he was rotten!" Rainbow Dash yelled, her face staring darkly at the Blue Bead. "He'll pay for that."

Rarity was too busy sobbing into a deflated and gray Pinkie's chest to answer as the normally bouncy and happy-go-lucky pony consoled her weeping friend. "How...I thought Sombra was nice now. I thought they loved each other," Pinkie droned morosely, speaking her thoughts aloud as opposed to talking to anypony in particular. "They're supposed to be happy."

"Now hold on everypony," Cadence interjected. "We don't know if this truly has happened or will happen. According to Clover the Clever's own notes, the Beads are capable of projecting false images. We should talk to them first before jumping to conclusions."

Shining Armor jabbed a hoof at the Blue Bead. "And what if it's the real thing? Twilight might need our help and warning Sombra of our approach would just give him time to clean up his crime!"

"I don't think he did it! I felt their love and it's pure, it's true! He wouldn't do that to her!" Cadence placed a calming hoof on Shining Armor's chest. "It's the same as how we feel about each other. Even more."

"We should travel to the Crystal Empire immediately and investigate the matter," Celestia commanded. "If Sombra has indeed harmed Twilight, then he shall answer for it. Shining Armor, Cadence, you shall remain here."

"But Princess-..."

"No Shining. Your emotions are far too volatile."

"I shall remain here, Sister," Luna stated. "There must always be a princess in Canterlot."

"Thank you, Luna. The rest of you, let's move out. Time is of the essence."