The Fall of an Empire (Human AU)

by Stormy-Sketch

Rating: teen
Tags: Original Character, King Sombra, Princess Celestia, Gore, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Dark, Alternate Universe, Human, Romance, Princess Luna
Length: 14288

The tragic tale of love and war between King Sombra and Princess Luna, that took place a millenia ago.

“That man is the Soldier-King. He is the Restorer. The Fearless one and Just. The Saver of the Crystal Empire. He is none other than His Majesty, King Sombra!”

If King Sombra could have hear him, he would have sighted. All this constant devotion had never make any sense. However, he couldn't dwell too much on the subject, there was still much to be done.

The Princesses from the South would arrive today.

This is the story of the rise and fall of King Sombra. Untold since a millenia ago.

This story is a short exploration in Sombra's origin, inspired by the songs in "Fall of an Empire" by L-Train and the Royal Canterlot Symphonic Metal Orchestra.

The cover of the story and all the artwork inside the chapters are done by me :3
So please do not repost it. Thank you.

Just in case, I added the "Gore" tag because I plan to add an artwork that shows blood, but just in one chapter.

Published 2019-05-11 01:10:01 UTC
Last updated 2020-01-18 02:20:02 UTC

Chapter III: Crystal Hearts can shatter

The Crystal Palace was pretty hectic today. The maids and the general staff were hurrying from one room to another, as if there was a banquet scheduled. Groups of men could be seen around carrying large chests, heading towards the South Entrance. This somewhat registered on the back of his mind, but Prince Uman didn’t care at all. He was storming through the halls without a clear destination.

King Sombra… Kicking him out of the palace?!

He who was a powerful wizard?! He who was a proud prince from Saddle Arabia?!

A group of nervous maids cleared the way as the black man passed by. The hood covering half of his face couldn’t hide the sour scowl he was making.

King Sombra was a reasonable man, he knew it, and nobody would throw out a foreign diplomat unless they had a solid justification. Oh yeah, according to Dunstan they had “plenty.” Prince Uman scoffed. That old man must have worked pretty hard for this ambush. It must be nice to be King Sombra’s most trusted commander.

The most ridiculous part was what he was being accused of.

Sure, he had sometimes cast mind spells on guards.

And it’s true, he had experimented with magic on the occasional maid or citizen.

But there wasn’t a single proof of that.

Under the black hood, his eyes glinted with mischief. He remembered all those fun times he had played with Commander Dunstan in the last few months. Sometimes, the commander had gotten really close to catching him. After all, that was what had made the game really amusing.

What he didn’t expect was that Commander Dunstan would accuse him of something he didn’t do.

He rolled his eyes. ‘How pathetic. Couldn’t catch me fairly and now you must resort to slander, huh?’

Prince Uman stopped walking. In front of him, the corridor seemed to continue endlessly. The windows were arranged to let a good amount of sunlight into the hall. The man looked through a tall window to his right. For a moment, he closed his eyes and felt the sun rays bathing the long black cloak he always wore. His burnous, as it was the proper name. Not that people knew anything about his culture here. Still, the slight warmth managed to bring him some sort of comfort.

What should he do now? He couldn’t go back to Saddle Arabia. Not so soon. His parents were going to kill him. And if they didn’t, his oldest brother would. At the very least, King Sombra had agreed to be discreet about the issue. But where could he-

“Celestia, explain yourself!”

“I’m asking you to be patient!”

Some distance shouting interrupted his train of thoughts.

Prince Uman stood very silent, trying to understand what was being said. When he heard Princess Celestia’s name, he quickly hid behind an engaged column, attached right next to the nearest window.

“Tell me why are we leaving so soon!” A woman’s angry voice filled the hall soon enough. She seemed to be walking in long strides for how fast she was getting close to Prince Uman’s hiding spot.

“There’s too much to prepare, sister.” A second woman answered. “Let’s talk when we’re in the carriage.”

The sounds of steps stopped abruptly.

“I’m not taking a single step until you answer my question.”

‘Oh~ Do tell.’ Prince Uman grinned behind the column. This was exactly what he needed to cheer himself up.

He didn’t think twice before casting on himself the brand new spell he had developed. An invisible spell. He simply was a genius! And yes, he was aware that normally geniuses wouldn’t waste their magic on some random princesses… But he really needed a distraction.

Plus, it didn’t harm to know what the rulers of a nation hide from their allies.

“Not here, the long way home will give us enough time to-”. The woman didn’t finish her sentence. Instead, he heard a heavy sigh coming from her. “Luna, if looks could kill…”

Prince Uman curiously peeked from behind the column and immediately saw that Princess Celestia was walking in his direction. He could only hold his breath while the woman stopped a few inches from him and leaned against the window. She scanned the area below as if looking for prying eyes. Princess Celestia didn’t seem to have noticed him yet. Up close, he wondered briefly what was all that fuss about them. Well… aside from those wings on their backs that were impossible to miss. Celestia’s for that matter, were pristine white as those belonging to a swan. He recalled how peasants believed those wings meant that the princesses were immortal and he found it ridiculous.

However… It did give room to some speculation.

Was it a side effect of some magic experiment? Perhaps, they fused themselves with some pigeon? Suddenly, Princess Celestia turned around and went to face her sister again. Princess Luna had her arms crossed and was fidgeting, not bothering to hide her impatience. Princess Celestia closed her eyes as her hands became surrounded by a golden glow.

The black prince narrowed his eyes and then he felt a familiar wave of warmth enveloping the surroundings.

A sound blocking spell. A magic barrier, to be exact.

Prince Uman readjusted his hood, deep in thought. He was surprised to say the least. He decided to try again and take a look from behind the column. In a hall full of windows, he needed to be very careful and avoid casting a shadow, less they discovered him. The good part of the ordeal was that he had been close enough to the princesses that he had ended inside the sound blocking barrier.

He smiled with expectation.

“My dear Luna, in this second visit to the Empire I’ve realized…” Princess Celestia paused as if she was carefully choosing her next words. “It seems you’re growing far too fond of our ally."

‘What?’ Prince Uman grin was erased from his face.

"Pardon?” Luna asked clearly surprised. “What is this?”

Prince Uman began to feel disgusted. It couldn’t be what he was thinking, right?

“Please, do not tell me that’s the reason you want us to go so soon.” Luna continued with her inquiry.

“…”

“I don’t understand! Is it a crime to share a bond?” Luna asked. “Sister, I assure you he’s a true gentleman. It even shows on his letters to me!"

‘So that’s why you were acting all suspiciously? No treason or secret war preparations?’ Prince Uman looked from Princess Celestia to Princess Luna with bitterness. Why was everyone so obsessed with romance? It was like looking at his own family when they had meals together. They were eleven brothers and sisters and he was always the only one not bickering about who was with who, or wondering if they had someone to marry or not. He didn’t want to lose his time hearing this kind of conversation.

‘Wait.’ A realization dawn on him as soon as he decided to leave.

If he crossed the sound barrier, Princess Celestia would feel it.

He was trapped.

"My dear sister,” Princess Celestia started slowly. “Remember that as rulers of Equestria, our duty takes priority."

"But he is a King.” Luna clarify quickly.

Celestia didn’t answer.

“I do not see the problem when he is royalty, too." Luna pressed further. Celestia regarded the woman in front of her for a moment with an unreadable expression.

"Bound… by his mortality." Celestia said finally, knowing full well the weight of those words.

Luna gasped. She quickly tried to regain her composure.

"That doesn’t matter, at least, not to me."

"But it will." Celestia whispered. Then she took her sister’s hand making Luna hesitate for a second. Princess Celestia knew it was her only chance to make Luna understand what she was really getting into.

“I did not want to mention this…” Princess Celestia looked at her sister with resolve. ‘But if this is what it takes to make you reconsider, I will.’

“Do you remember how it was for you when our parents died?”

Luna narrowed her eyes suspecting what point she was trying to make.

“…You also grieved for them, Celestia.”

“My sadness and grief were very different from yours.” The older sister frowned with real concern. “You have a sensitive soul, Luna. That trait is beautiful but you must become aware of what it entails.”

“What are you trying to say?” Luna snapped. “That I’m weaker than you? You are wrong! Very wrong!”

Luna bellowed. “I’m just as strong as you are, Celestia!”

A hollow laugh interrupted her outburst.

“Me? Strong? Oh Luna…” When she called her name, it was filled with an unexpected sadness.

“I’m not so strong that I could see you go through that twice.” Celestia paused, praying inside that her words were reaching her.

“I love you, Luna.” She continued. Her voice normally filled with confidence was starting to crack. “Don’t you see that I’m cutting our visit short to prevent both of our hearts getting broken?”

“…”

“…”

They watched each other silently.

A heavy sigh echoed inside the small area inside the sound barrier.

“I… understand.”

Celestia perked up at those words. And feeling relief washed all over herself.

“Thank you for listening to me.” She replied “Come here.”

Celestia wrapped her arms and wings around her little sister, nuzzling the top of her head. Luna felt her warmth spreading to her. After a few seconds, she returned her gesture.

“Your hugs always make me remember mother somehow.” Luna showed a small smile. She paused and finally said: “Sister, return to Equestria without me. I want to spend some last few days with King Sombra.”

Celestia frowned at this. “Wouldn’t it be better to come clean as soon as possible?”

“No. The castle staff is working really hard to prepare for today’s banquet. I assume now with what… we’ve talked about that you want to return home for fear that King Sombra asks you for my hand in front of the rest of the dignitaries tonight.” Luna looked directly at her sister’s eyes. “He won’t put you in a tight spot. He’s not that type of man.”

Celestia just looked back at her little sister, quickly deciding not to voice her doubts. But Luna knew was she was thinking.

“Even if you don’t want to stay here, I really… want to live some final happy moments with him.” Luna lowered her eyes trying to contain her tears. “And then say a proper farewell. It’s the least I could do after accept… accepting….”

Sobs made her next words incomprehensible. Celestia hugged her sister tighter.

After a while, Prince Uman felt the sound proof barrier melt all around him.

‘Finally!’

His head now thumped for the effort it took to maintain the invisible spell for so long. He felt his energy drained.

At least it hadn’t been a completely waste of time.

It seemed there was an empty spot on the equestrian caravan now. And he did prefer to visit a warmer location.

Being as far as he could from Dunstan was a bonus.

Inside the Crystal Palace there wasn’t a single soul. Today, the so awaited princesses from Equestria had arrived to the capital and a parade was taking place in their honor. Even the complete castle staff were given a day off. The only exception were the Royal Guards who had to help keeping order in the streets and obviously continue protecting the palace. The security was thin, though. It was perfect. Prince Uman checked each corridor twice before continuing his stroll on this restricted part of the building. He knew that around this place there should be a book that could help him. Uman was currently developing an “invisible spell.” It wasn’t turning out great. He sighted. This wasn’t his area of expertise in magic so he wasn’t sure what he was doing wrong. Only a few percentage of the people he had experimented on had actually turn invisible, and without completely understanding the catalyst, he would not apply the spell on himself.

Suddenly, he heard some heavy steps from close by. His first instinct was to hide. Yet, the steps weren’t coming from behind him but from the place he wanted to go. Only royalty had actual access to this area and since he was sure that King Sombra was on the festival showing the princesses around…

‘Oh~ a kindred spirit maybe?’

He waited and soon enough a man appeared walking straight to his direction. Thick white eyebrows, a strong body built and crystal violet skin that matched his uniform. Yep, no doubt about who he was. The black prince chuckled at the sight.

“I’ve never taken you for a lazy officer, my dear Dunstan. Are we taking a stroll?” His mocking tone didn’t receive a response like normal.

The old guard just continued his way showing a deadpan expression. The hooded man walked towards the soldier and as soon as they were face to face, a pair of violet eyes glared at Uman.

“Don’t call me by my name, wizard!”

“Wow! Seeing you so silent, I thought something had happened.” He chuckled.

“Stop speaking nonsense, Prince Uman.” Dunstan suppressed a snarl. At least he seemed to try.

“Say Dunstan, what are you doing here?” Prince Uman asked in an amused tone. “This hall only leads to the Royal Library, the forbidden part.” He smirked “Or is there a secret passage I should learn of?”

“I…” Dunstan looked puzzled for a moment. The festival was today and he should be in the plaza. Why-

Commander Dunstan grabbed Prince Uman by the neck. It was so sudden, Uman couldn’t react in time. His black hood fell, revealing long raven hair braided skillfully.

“I warned you that if you ever, EVER, pulled one of your mind tricks on me again, I would make sure you go back to the sandbox you came from!” Dunstan nostrils flared. Uman felt that his feet weren’t touching the ground anymore.

“Wha-?!” He managed to articulate. “It-it wasn’t me!” Commander Dunstan looked at him furiously. “REALLY!” The wizard tried to free his neck from Dunstan clutches but it was to no avail.

Dunstan was too strong for him.

He couldn’t concentrate enough to cast a spell.

All the air in his lungs had been used on those last words.

His face started to become blue.

“Tch.”

The old guard let him go as quickly as he had grabbed him.

Uman fell to the floor and his coughs echoed in the lonely hallway.

“I’ve wasted too much time already. We’ll finish this later.”

“I really didn’t do anything this time…” The prince finally managed to say. Commander Dunstan silenced him with his eyes.

Without giving him a second glance, the commander marched towards the exit. “It will best for you that I’ve not been out of my post too long!” He barked as he disappeared from Uman’s line of sight.

The Crystal Kingdom Anthem could be heard in the distance.

The tournament of ice archery was about to begin.

Author's Note

About the artwork at the end, I tried to represent the main trio of the story and their real feelings until this point: Sombra trying to chase after happiness, thinking that he's about to reach it. Celestia worrying hard about her little sister, thinking this is the way to spare her from another scar in her heart. And Luna...

By the way, I know Sombra doesn't look a lot like his pony counterpart....

for now... tun tun TUN.

Hope to see you on the next chapter :3

Chapter IV: As the candles cry in pain

Author's Note

Hello,
This is a warning that in this chapter I'm gonna put the artwork that made me add the Gore Tag in the story. So you may continue at your own discretion.

And yeah this is one of those chapters I originally wrote back in 2017, I just edited it a bit.

P.D. In this chapter I used a few verses from here "Fall of an Empire" from Royal Canterlot Symphonic Metal Orchestra so credits to them for being incredibly amazing people.

Chapter IV: As the candles cry in pain

His throat was dry.

A rotten smell reeked the air, reaching his nose and making his eyes sting.

He blinked a few times, and noticed that he couldn't see anything. Had he...gone blind? No! It couldn't be! Surely, this was also part of the process... With his left hand, he clutched the desk in an attempt to regain composure. But it was to no avail as his whole body trembled and ached. A poisonous vapor pricked his torso like it was made up of a hundred needles. Every part of himself was burning. Or at least that's how he felt. It was proving futile to imagine a cool sensation on his skin. He was still trying, though.

“Ice, Snow, Wind, Ice, Snow, Wind”. He repeated the words to himself without success. Nevertheless, those words began to bring images of that night to his mind, and despite having chapped lips, he began to smile.

Luna had stolen his breath like never before. He remembered how his princess had suddenly spread both of her powerful wings, and then, took flight at full speed, becoming in seconds a shooting star.

The strong wind created by her launch had caused him to fall backwards. His head had hit the floor but he hadn’t lost consciousness, and now, he couldn’t thank God enough for it.

The thing is... Immortality is a very rare gift in this world, and even more rare is to have the opportunity to see some of the winged-blessed soar through the skies.

He would never be able to describe how enchanting she was as she illuminated the night sky. While escaping.

When Sombra had finally realized what was happening, he had immediately mounted his fastest crystal wolf, and had begun to chase after her.

Their conversation was not over! THEY WERE NOT OVER!

King Sombra had followed Luna all night, however, when dawn broke, her light had vanished on the horizon. The snow that fell heavily around him hadn’t helped.

He had been left behind.

Sombra kept that last moment in his mind, but he could not feel coldness as he wanted. Only pain.

The smell of putrid flesh began to intensify. He really wanted to vomit. “Stop, Sombra!” he commanded to himself. He needed to be strong. Sombra knew very well he was dealing with powerful forces and he will have to pay in some way. He wasn’t naive. It just didn’t matter. During his life, he had tasted power, he had lived his youth, he had gained fame and respect from others, and he could assure anyone, that all of those things were meaningless without someone to share them.

Furthermore, he was certain Luna felt the same. The difference between them was that there wasn't any escape for her. It was up to him to- He felt a sudden tug of pain in his back, as if there was someone stabbing him with a sword, just that it was from his entrails to the outside. He muffled a scream. Was this normal? The process wasn't going terribly wrong, right? He didn't have anyone to ask. Sombra tried to shake his head. It was essential to get rid of those thoughts If he wanted to ascend, he couldn't do this halfway.

And he will ascend. That was definitive.

He remembered the last look she had given to him. He had tried to make her understand that their relationship could work, even with his mortality. It was simply too soon to give up. Her eyes had wavered with doubt. He saw it. And a second later… her turquoise eyes had been filled with tears. It was as if Luna had to carry the weight of the world alone, and he knew that was truly the case. Under Princess Celestia's influence, Luna was living a solitary life, and now her sister had convinced her that pushing him away was for the best. But he will not abandon her.

His blood began to boil, and he couldn’t tell if it was caused by the transformation spell… or by his own rage. He couldn’t believe the nerve of Princess Celestia. He had already found ridiculous her half-baked excuses for keeping Luna from participating in the political affairs of Equestria. It was a way “to lessen her little sister burdens”? A way to “protect” her?

At the time, when he had first learnt about Princess Celestia’s reasons behind her behavior, he had found her shortsighted. But as the transformation was taking place in himself, he was gaining a new clarity in his mind.

He now understood the truth.

That sugar-coated smile Princess Celestia wore at all times was only a mask to hide her greed. Her sins.

Undermining her sister like that, raising her supposedly co-regent since childhood to ignore the affairs of their kingdom, destroying Luna’s hopes, casting a shadow so great her little sister will never find the will to rebel. And why did she separate them, anyway? TO PREVENT A BROKEN HEART? He shook his head with violence. How ridiculous! It was more likely to prevent that their union made Luna more powerful than her.

He laughed out loud, ignoring the way the vapor pierced his throat as a knife.

“Oh, sweet Celestia, you’re so vicious for treating your own sister like this,” he whispered in a tender voice. “So corrupt and degenerate, but don’t worry I have a solution to that problem.”

Fire was scorching every last bit of his flesh. This time he didn’t muffled his screams.

He decided to embrace it all.

…

"As the candles cry in pain,
Their echoes carry softly.
Shadows fall before his name,
As light bows down before him.
One by one their embers wane,
They dim while his grows brighter.
Feed the fire, the violet flame.
The flame that burns eternal.”

…

A new magic, different from his own and all magic he had encountered before, pumped through his veins. He felt vigorous, and he recognized that he was now omnipotent. But had his eyes been truly affected? His golden bracelets, his most prized possession along with the rest of his armor, looked as if they were nothing more than ordinary objects. In fact, they didn’t even look gold anymore. He still didn’t know what type of sacrifice he had paid to transform himself, yet, the sacrifice couldn’t be just his armor being void of crystal magic. With how he felt right now… he would never need its defensive magic again. Moreover, it wasn’t as if it had been destroyed, so his sentiments attached to it, and the sentiments of his people, were still spared.

Suddenly, he caught sight of a giant shadow in the corner of his eye. He began to turn his head slowly. Could it be… Princess Celestia? Was she breathing in his neck in this instant? Waiting for a chance to kill him and end it all? When Sombra managed to decipher the form of the shadow, he immediately turned his face and tried to take a glance at his own back. In disbelieve, he stretched his neck to have a better look.

A wing. A pair of wings.

They were dark as his own skin and covered with blood as if they belong to a newborn.

“YEEES! I DID IT!” A shout of triumph echoed in the dark room.

The last proof of his change was there. He was free from any limitations now! Finally, they could love each other without anything in the way!

“It isn’t enough!” Someone shouted interrupting his train of thoughts. Sombra frowned as he clearly heard another voice chanting: “More! You need more!!”

He noticed the voices in his head for the first time.

While he had been analyzing the spell effects, he had been ignoring them subconsciously. But paying closer attention, he realized that most of the voices were screaming in his head like they were in tremendous pain. As if their invisible bodies were being dismembered. Or on fire.

He chuckled. "Oh, I guess... this means I will never be alone again."

In the back of his mind, he knew he should at least be a bit bothered by the voices. But he just couldn't bring himself to worry about them. It felt so... natural. King Sombra decided to ignore them for the meantime. After all, there were more important things to do. His body turned to face the only window in the room.

It was time for a visit.

As the Shadow King rushed to his destination, getting intoxicated with the new sights and the bright prospects of the future, any desire to find out the prize he had truly paid, forever disappeared from his mind.

Chapter V: What do you mean?

Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.

Chapter VI: Empire Ablaze

The Mist came down like the wolf on the fold,

And as it crawled around, eyes shone like emerald gold;

His slave cohorts they all became,

And the sheen of their spears was for Him to claim.

For Fear spread his wings on the blast,

And breathed in the face of all crystalfolk as it passed;

His forces were growing,

The North Aurora was blinding.

“March now, ever faster,

Our King is rising!”

Like the raven flies high when death is near,

That host with their banners at sunrise appeared:

It happened like a Running of the Leaves during Fall,

All towns who resisted lay withered and strown.

The Moon was up when the Mist appeared again,

Silently and secretly, the night colors were drained;

It poked around where soldiers slept,

Many things in their hearts they zealously kept!

No one was spared. Visiting even its Lord.

It wanted warmth memories to eat as a reward.

An era of prosperity…

Had it ever happen?

Minds became hollow and it swallowed their world.

Author's Note

Hello,
As I warned you this chapter wasn't going to be so good. I basically just adapted this famous poem to fit the story:
The Destruction of Sennacherib By Lord Byron (George Gordon)
So credits to Lord Byron for being the amazing poet he was.

I originally planned to do my own poem (and learn first how to write a poem in english) but at least I tried in the last part, right? Anyways, thanks for reading.

Chapter VII: The Warmest Ray of Light

Black. Everything around me was completely black.

It was as if I was sinking into an ocean full of ink. Except, I wasn’t drowning, and there was this strong resolve inside of me to swim deeper to…where? I couldn’t remember.

Abruptly, the scene changed.

I was now standing in front of a large window. It was night-time. There was a very thick wall surrounding the building I was in. Thankfully, the window was located in a place with enough altitude to see beyond the wall. Outside, I could see an incredibly large meadow with thousands of flowers. In the starry sky, there were shimmering lights of vibrant colors. They were red, yellow, pink and even green! The lights seemed to dance in the cool night. My gaze returned to the meadow and gasped. The flowers seemed to be carved out of glass! No! They actually looked like diamonds! They were mirroring the colorful sky and sparkling so brightly!

"Beautiful." I mustered the word in awe.

Someone flinched at my side. I didn't realize there was a child to my left. From his startled expression, I concluded he hadn't noticed me either. I took a good look at him. His eyes were bright red and he had raven hair. His skin was dark and he was dressed like it was expected from a farmer's son. When our eyes met, his initial alarm disappeared. He smiled warmly and that warmth quickly reached his eyes.

"You are here." He whispered.

The boy tried to take my hand and I backed away a few steps. It seemed the child had yet to learn how to act like a proper gentleman.

"Little one, you mustn’t act like this with a lady you haven’t been introduced to before.” I tried to explain.

"Really? Oh, but I know you so well." He said proudly with a wide smile. “And we have talked many times before.” He paused. "Even… if you always forget me.” He dropped his smile and lowered his gaze.

‘Oh, I can't see his eyes.’ I was strangely saddened by the fact. But above all, I felt confused by his words.

“Maybe it’s because you're not a real person, but I wish you could at least remember me!" He shook his head. "I know I'm asleep! Then why can’t I control what happens here?!" The boy crossed his arms and put on an extremely grumpy expression. I had to smile at it. Poor child, he must had hit his head with a rock.

"Well tell me boy, where are we anyways?"

He sighed but didn’t answer immediately. He just silently looked at the meadow below us. Maybe he didn't know, I concluded.

"This place... It’s the garden that I will build one day in my palace." He finally replied. I noticed his cheeks had reddened. He looked to the side trying to evade my gaze. I returned to look at the meadow, again. He was so strange. The flowers were there already, weren’t they?

“When the garden is ready, I'll give it to you." I looked back at him and he returned my gaze. All I could register was that he was still blushing.

I was utterly shocked.

"Wha- What are you saying, boy?” I asked him. “You do not even know me."

‘Are children always like this?’ I had to wonder.

"Because you deserve it. This and the whole world." He replied immediately. In his eyes there was a spark of determination. As if he was saying the gospel truth. I didn't know how to handle this situation.

"The audacity of your words is surprising for a child." I regretted that my words sounded so condescending. However, I needed to draw a line even if he was too young to understand it.

"You are also a kid." He said rolling his eyes.

"Huh?" I blinked several times. “Excuse me?”

He pouted. “Take a look, we are the same height.” He positioned himself in front of me.

I watched him and then I looked at my hands. They were so small.

'How strange' was what I thought. 'Am I a child?'

I couldn’t decide if it was normal or not. In fact, I did not remember who-

"Who…Who am I?" I asked out loud.

"I…don’t…know." The boy replied eyeing me carefully.

"Thank you. You are so very helpful." I crossed my arms and frowned. No matter how hard I tried, I could not recall anything. Absolutely nothing. My oldest memory was the blackness before arriving to this place.

"Sometimes,” He interrupted my thoughts. “I believe you're real.” I was sure he saw me frowning but he continued anyways. “Other times, I think you’re just part of my imagination. The strange thing is that whenever I wake up, I always forget that I have ever dreamed about you. In turn, whenever I'm here I remember every single dream I've had."

The boy began to ramble on and on about his theories. I did not pay attention. Honestly, I could have appreciated them… if he wasn’t doubting my existence!

"Wow, how interesting." I said flatly.

He stopped talking and showed his grumpy face again. He looked a bit hurt.

"No! I'm serious." I tried to cover my smile with my hand. "A case like that would be very interesting to study ... and ... I think I like to study?" I tilted my head.

It was very odd. I did not know who I was or what I was doing there. Nevertheless, I felt… calm.

My main theory is that since I never remember anything in these dreams, there are no memories of wounds or…. betrayals to affect me. Not even a memory of my sister warning me about strangers to make me wary. My second theory… is harder to explain, at least for me.

Harder for my heart.

"Hey! If you like to study, come with me!” He said showing his big smile again as he unexpectedly began to climb the window frame. “I'll teach you all about the Northern Aurora!" With agility he turned his back on me, ready to jump to the void.

"Au-ro-ra?" I repeated confused.

"Yes!" he announced excitedly, pointing up towards the vibrant colors in the sky. He grabbed the window frame to steady himself. "It's much nicer to see from outside and I know everything about it!” He was puffing his chest proudly, clearly wanting to show off. I laughed. He was actually a little funny.

"If you please give me the honor, my lady" he said carefully, offering me his hand. Was he planning that we both jumped down from this height? I looked at the boy's extended hand for a moment and then back to his face. It looked like he was afraid I would reject him. He was trying to cover his act with a wide smile, but I knew better. I recognized that feeling very clearly, somehow. I sighed, trying to measure the situation, as much as somebody without memories can do it. I decided that in the end I liked him. Even if he was a crazy boy with a crazy plan.

"No thanks, sir!" I fumed. "You want us to jump down together and end splattered on the ground!”

"No! No no! This is a dream!" He tried to explain.

“And you think I’m not real, right?” I countered, arching my eyebrows.

“Well…” He avoided my gaze nervously. I shook my head hiding my smirk. I only wanted to tease him a bit.

Without warning, I spread my light blue wings to their full length. Until then, I had kept them folded behind my back. Flying to the place was a much better idea!

In retrospect, I must admit I could have asked him if he was willing to let me carry him while I flew. I did not. I couldn’t! And it was his fault!

When I fully revealed my wings, and I was about to explain my idea, I saw that his red eyes sparkled with… was that…admiration? His face was so weird. I followed his gaze and discovered he was gawking at my wings! My heart twisted inside my chest and I clenched my teeth. How long did he planned to stare at me!?Without thinking, I grabbed both of his arms and propelled both upwards with all of my strength. I heard him shrieking in surprise. Humph! He should have been paying attention instead of... whatever he was doing. My cheeks were burning. I didn’t understand it.

We were out in the cold night. The wind was hitting my face as I soared with my passenger.

I know I said it was a good idea flying to the meadow. And it certainly was... except for the tiny detail that boys could be heavy. I didn’t know that.

The raven-haired boy was beginning to slip from my hold. I was desperately flapping my wings to regain altitude but it wasn’t working. I decided to go at full speed. We had to reach the meadow quickly before his weight pulled us both down! We both screamed as I thrust forward. He began to kick the air with his legs, surely fearing for his life. It did not make flying easier.

"HEY! We are almost there!" I was flying too low. I just needed to gather enough strength to loop over the wall. Nothing difficult.

"AaaAAA, WE ARE GOING TO CRASH!"

We didn't reach the outside garden.

"I think I managed to take us quite far." I announced as soon as I stopped spitting dust. We had achieved to make a forced landing on top of the thick exterior wall.

The boy had fallen flat on his stomach. When he heard me speak, he got up as fast as lightning.

"Why do you always have to throw me in the sky?!" He shouted at me.

I narrowed my eyes. "What do you mean always?! We met today!"

"What?! Did you not listen to anything I said?!"

"DO NOT YELL AT ME!!"

"YOU ARE SCREAMING, TOO!!"

"WHAT?!" I was indeed screaming… at the top of my lungs.

I blushed. What was I doing?

"Ahem, what I meant was,” I said in a calmer tone, “please do not raise your voice at me."

He didn’t reply so I raised my eyes and saw that he had been trying to contain his laughter. I made a pout. He burst out laughing, even rolling on the ground.

“Hey! It’s not that funny!” He made me remember when horses rolled on the grass. And I was suddenly laughing, too.

However, I stopped when I saw the view in front of us. The sight of the meadow filled with crystal flowers peacefully resting below the aurora was so beautiful I cannot describe it. Seeing it from outside was really different than from a mere window.

"If you want, I can tell you the story of how the Aurora and the Northern Lands were created, my lady." He said clearly happy by my reaction to… his dream? Future palace? I didn’t care anymore.

"Yes, please do, my lord! I hope it’s as crazy, ahem, I mean as interesting as all of your theories." I looked at him, smirking. He narrowed his eyes and pouted, clearly trying to be angry with me. He couldn't contain his smile for too long. He chuckled. It made me smile warmly at him. Somehow, this happy moment had become very precious to me. I looked up to the colorful night and while he talked, his voice began to sound distant. Very distant.

The world became a blur.

I tried to find anything close to grab and steady myself. Everything was spinning.

Suddenly, I heard a loud thump. I had hit my head with something sturdy. Slowly, I came back to my senses. I couldn’t see anything from where I was but I felt I was laying on something solid. The place smelled a little cramped, but mostly like old books and wood.

I stirred and carefully began to emerged from under several piles of books that were covering my body. I looked around confused but I recognized several of the titles:

“Guide of cursed artifacts.” by an anonymous author.

“Experimental Research on Curses: Effects on the Subject’s State of Mind.” By the great wizard Uman the Black Prince.

“Mind Magic: Principles and Explorations.” by Start Swirl the Bearded.

“Study of Dreams and their Connections to the Mind.” and “The Dream Landscape Theory” both by Ceresse the Bookish.

I was still processing where I was and who I was. I stared at the books for a long moment.

Remembering something, I quickly looked at my hands. They were the size expected of a young woman.

The sound of birds chirping could be heard at some distance and a warm light was beginning to reach every corner of the small room I was in. Dawn had arrived.

I have failed yet again.

Author's Note

I actually wrote this chapter before I have written chapter 5 and 6 because initially my main goal for The Fall of an Empire (Human AU) was to draw artwork, so I just wrote parts of the story (chapters) that could accompany certain artworks. It wasn't until I decided to upload all of this to fimfiction that I decided to write chapters for all the artworks.

Anyways, this is what I wrote in Deviantart at the time I uploaded the story there:

NOTE: So I was thinking that Luna had to learn at some point about dream magic So I want to believe it was here It's up to you how do you interpret this but my notion was that Luna is trying to get to the subconscious mind of sombra to free him from his madness curse. She discovered that one way to get there is using dreams, but is tricky business. She's having trouble taking her whole conscious mind over there. The only part of Sombra that is not contaminated yet is the part of his mind where he is still a child. And the thick wall outside has a meaning, too :3

Chapters 8, 9, 10, 11 & 12 and Author’s Notes

When he shall die,

Take him and cut him out in little stars,

And he will make the face of heaven so fine

That all the world will be in love with night

And pay no worship to the garish sun.

-Juliet in Act Three, Scene Two-

(Note: The next lines will be exactly the same on both Fimfiction and Deviantart)

Hello person reading this! I’m the author of the story XD So... that was all :3 Thanks for reading until this point!

And you maaayyyy be feeling like I cut the story short or something?

Yep, that was exactly what I did because I originally planned to write 12 chapters. There is a reason why I’m gonna end the story like this, and I will vaguely talk about that in the lines below, however, if you don’t care about that, then you can skip those paragraphs and find below a summary of my ideas for what would have been chapters 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 (yep, the ones I decided not to write XD). Just for those who are curious about how the story would have been if it had continued. But either way, for me the story could work as it stands now, it can be taken as an exploration of Sombra’s origin :3

Well see you in the next paragraph for an explanation or you can skip it and just keep scrolling until you see a bold text that says “SUMMARY HERE” for the notes about the chapters :3

Hello again Curious One, soooo one reason that lead me to not continue this story is because I’m leaving the MLP fandom.

Yeah… XD

Maybe it’s weird to say it now that the show has already ended and maybe it doesn’t seem important... But it was an important decision to me, very important. And the reason I’m leaving is veeeery important. But I don’t want to discuss it or anything XD

Please don’t send me any messages asking me about this!! XD

It was a huge decision since this show was very important for me, and yeah I’m using the word “important” a lot XD Welp.

Sooo when I decided to leave the fandom, I had to make a decision about this fanfic.

Should I just delete it?

Well... I started to think that even if I don’t like the show anymore (because of things… please don't send me any messages XD)... The truth is that during the time I was a fan, the show and the fandom made me grow as a person and as an artist.

That happened. And I’m thankful.

So I thought... maybe I could finish this single fanfic as a testimony to that, right? I could just finish this one fanfic, right?

WROOONG XD

Because I lost my motivation. It became too hard to continue this story.

Maybe it was obvious or maybe it wasn’t, but english it’s not my first language jaja (I have reviewed this lines a few times). So when I write a chapter I have to do tons (and I mean tooons) of research. For example, in chapter 5, King Sombra kissed Luna’s hand and that action is described very shortly.

I did research for that.

I could picture the image of both of them in my mind, but what are the english verbs for that? The english adjectives? The english words that can describe the events that take you to that action, give you a flow. I was literally looking for tutorials in english of “how to kiss a girl hand” to seek out the words to describe the action.

My advice is don’t look for tutorials of that XD

And yeah all that research for one line I think jajaja XD I wanted that kiss to be kinda special but it turned out like that XD

So you see, all this story/fanfic is FILLED with my research. Filled!

And am I complaining about it?

No, not really :3

Because when I wrote this story I was doing it out of my love for these characters, for this romance, for this! And since it was for love, of course I wanted to make it the best it could be.

Anyways, I hope that this long text helps you understand that without the motivation, it’s very hard for me to continue this fanfic.

Finally, I want to thank everyone who read until this point. Maybe you read every chapter, maybe just a few ones on Deviantart, but anyways thank you very much!

Thanks for making me happy and giving this story a chance. Especially the people that have been reading this story since 2017 on Deviantart. It was a fun ride! :D :D XD

By the way, if you recently commented on the story (you know who you are XD), I just didn’t answer because well… I have already decided to say all of the things above in this final chapter (like about me leaving the fandom) sooooo I don’t know XD I just couldn’t say anymore “yeah I’ll continue to write even more chapters!” but thank you very much for your kind words! Really really :3

Finally (finally XD), I also want to mention that another reason I decided to not erase the story at least for now, and finish it until chapter 7, is because of a special person on Deviantart who followed this story since its beginnings in 2017 called DilverEye. Thank you so much for your comments! I hope what I wrote until chapter 7 made you smile as much as your comments made me smile :3 I hope you’re healthy and happy and that whenever you get down or fail at anything, you continue to rise up again and never lose hope. Thank you for being there :3

And to anyone who’s reading this, thank you as well for reading my first fanfic :3

Anyways, that’s all. Thanks for reading this looooong text and below you’ll find the summary I was talking about earlier.

SUMMARY HERE

of how the story would have continued

CHAPTER 8

So maybe chapter 8 would have started with the two Royal Sisters talking about how confused they are that none of their magically sent letters to the Crystal Empire are answered, and the messenger they sent has not returned either. And suddenly, they get some unexpected visitors to their castle…

Ok so do you remember Commander Dunstan? From Chapter 1 and 3? He manages to escape from the Empire with very few people (yeah he helps them escape even with how old he is T.T An amazing guy T.T But well even if he’s old, he’s very fit XD). Anyways, the refugees tell the Sisters about how King Sombra is using some weird magic to turn everyone into mindless slaves and soldiers, and of the misery of the land.

Of course, Commander Dunstan is super sad and confused. He feels very betrayed since he admired Sombra greatly. And that’s why the Sisters believe the sincerity of what he’s telling them.

Luna explains to her sister about how Sombra is immortal now and how she suspects that the spell that turned him immortal could have taken a toll on his mind. However, she never suspected he would act this way with his people, and never so fast.

Commander Dunstan suggests that if the cause of this is something related to a curse or mind magic, they should get help from that prince from Saddle Arabia, Prince Uman. But he doesn’t know where he is because he was kicked out from the Empire a while ago.

At the mention of him, Princess Celestia says she knows where he is. It turns out, she gave him permission to enter Equestria when he requested it.

Luna recognizes the name from one of the books she was reading while searching for a cure for Sombra.

She didn’t know he was in their country. He could have helped her all along so she gets angry with Celestia for not telling her about the royal diplomat that was now in their country.

(Uman is not staying at the castle so she couldn’t have stumbled upon him)

Princess Celestia recognizes she forgot to tell Luna but it slipped her mind because it happened right after her heavy talk with Luna (of Chapter 3), but in turn Luna hadn’t told Celestia about Sombra’s issue. So after an argument between them, Celestia summons Prince Uman and they explain everything to him.

Uman wonders if this has anything to do with how weirdly Dunstan acted the day the Princesses arrived for the first time. They have an argument but at the end Dunstan allows Prince Uman to pry on his mind. Prince Uman realizes that Dunstan has traces of a mind spell that was cast on him recently (obviously not one of his own.) But he doesn’t recognizes the magic traces.

And he says there’s nothing he can do about the whole Sombra issue.

Before everyone can complain, he explains that even if he went past all the security and chaos of the current Crystal Empire and reached King Sombra in secret... or even if he joined him openly and he accepted him in his legion, it would take Prince Uman many years to analyze a curse with an effect of this level and that allows the host to become immortal.

Why you may ask?

Because beside his own studies there is absolutely nothing written, or studied, or researched, or published about magic related to curses.

NOTHING.

He is the first known person that had ever studied this. THE FIRST ONE!

That means nobody knows anything about it besides what he had managed to discover on his own. So NOBODY understands anything about it. And even with all of his research the understanding of that type of magic it’s still on its beginnings. There are too many things unknown about this topic.

And why is it like this?

Because... it's considered taboo.

If you are openly interested in these topics or worst research about it, you simply become the worst thing that had ever lived for the people around you.

That’s why Prince Uman became an outcast in Saddle Arabia and with his family. And since he had lived that level of ostracizing firsthand, he doesn’t blame anybody in Equestria or anywhere for not studying this area of magic.

...And that would have been what Prince Uman would have talk about when summoned. He rants a bit in this chapter. Deep down, he’s actually hurt by his family rejection and during his rant it would have been a bit visible. But only a bit.

The conclusion of his speech about their request is that it would take him years to understand Sombra’s curse, and many more to develop a cure. And he suspects the Royal Sisters probably want an immediate solution since according according to the refugees, King Sombra may arrive with his army at this very moment and that a slaughter its imminent.

The Sisters realize they can't wait for a cure.

They can't let innocent people lose their lives in a war on the meantime.

Celestia asks Luna what she thinks and they both agree that even if it hurts they must face Sombra head on.

CHAPTER 9

In this chapter, I’m not sure but maybe I would have tried to write a battle between Equestria and the Crystal Empire. Luna tries to talk with King Sombra during the battle to make him stop his actions, but she fails. He’s really become mad for power and destruction. Celestia becomes completely determined to stop him after seeing the current misery of the Crystal Empire.

CHAPTER 10

Maybeee this chapter would have been a flashback of Celestia and Luna’s childhood from Celestia’s point of view, showing how she loves her sister dearly.

But I don’t know what I would have written.

Maybe a happy memory, maybe a sad memory. Maybe both. Maybe the moment she realizes she’s responsible for Luna since their parents died. And maybe a bittersweet memory about her experiences about that.

Maybe, it would have been the day Luna first raised the moon. And at the end, Celestia ia singing a lullaby to Luna while she softly sleeps satisfied with the events of today.

CHAPTER 11

When he shall die,

Take him and cut him out in little stars,

And he will make the face of heaven so fine

That all the world will be in love with night

And pay no worship to the garish sun.

-Juliet in Act Three, Scene Two-

In this chapter, their battle reaches its peak and they defeat king Sombra.

I really don't know how would I have really written this chapter, but what I saw in my imagination was Luna tightly embracing Sombra as he meets his end.

Sombra is emitting light and becoming broken like a mirror. And maybe their final words to each other.

I kinda wanted that while they embraced, Sombra said (or maybe just though) something based on this poem called “She Walks In Beauty” by Lord Byron:

She walks in beauty, like the night

Of cloudless climes and starry skies;

And all that's best of dark and bright

Meet in her aspect and her eyes:

Thus mellowed to that tender light

Which heaven to gaudy day denies.

One shade the more, one ray the less,

Had half impaired the nameless grace

Which waves in every raven tress,

Or softly lightens o'er her face;

Where thoughts serenely sweet express

How pure, how dear their dwelling place.

And on that cheek, and o'er that brow,

So soft, so calm, yet eloquent,

The smiles that win, the tints that glow,

But tell of days in goodness spent,

A mind at peace with all below,

A heart whose love is innocent!

CHAPTER 12

The last chapter :3

I wanted to write this chapter in the style of letters, so the reader could see the correspondence between Luna and Sombra after the Royal Sisters first visited the Empire.

How they got to know each other and fell in love through letters.

But don’t imagine anything too complicated XD I wanted to write like a set of three correspondence:

1)Sombra and Luna’s first letter to each other (very formal and yeah at odds in many things XD)

2) Then another pair of letters that showed their friendship and how they trusted and admire each other (like after a lot of exchanged letters).

3) Then a pair of letters that showed them in love (and maybee madly in love? <3 maybe talking about marriage?)

And it would have been amazing to leave that bittersweet feeling of: “Awwww they are so cute and funny together... but omg we already know how Sombra and Luna ended so why author!!?? *reader tears*”

That’s all.

Thanks for reading.

<3

Wait.

Could you be wondering what happened with the little girl on chapter 1?

…

XD

Well actually even if I had written all these chapters, I’d have still left that part vague and untouched. Like left to the reader's imagination XD XD

That was my intent.

However, since mmmm…. I’m leaving this fanfic behind I could vaguely tell you that

*SPOILER?*

My idea was that she was a siren.

Tun tun tuuuun.

Is she one of the The Dazzlings as a child?

Could she be an ancestor?

Could it be she is not related to them at all and there are others sirens around the world?

Was she related to the previous evil that King Sombra defeated when he became the King of the land?

Was it revenge?

Was she influenced by another?

Was it just for fun?

Was it to gain power through the conflict?

I leave that to your imagination :3

XD But this is where the story ends. I didn’t plan to mention her again in the chapters but oh well.

Again thanks for reading until this point, I hope all the best for you :3

Chapter I: Welcome to the Empire!

"My warmest welcome, my dear princesses!” A deep voice echoed in the plaza. “On behalf of all of the people from the Crystal Empire, I can say we are overjoyed to receive you in our home! Welcome to our oasis in the snow!” The statement was followed by thundering cheers. There was a huge round of applause and hundreds of flags were waiving in the hands of children and adults alike. Many families had camped last night outside the castle. Everyone wanted to secure the best spot possible to hear the emperor’s words and see the famous southern princesses. For months the capital had been preparing for their visit. On this especial occasion the town buildings, which were made of crystal and polished stone, were glowing with carefully crafted decorations. There was a rumor that the younger princess had been so surprised by the sight, she had compared them to a starry night. The citizens were filled with pride!

The first event that had taken place was a welcoming parade. Ten allegorical chariots with dozens of dancers and acrobats travelled through the main streets of the city. All of the crystal chariots shined, showing the beauty of the mining resources of the area. Each one had a theme that reflected in some way the local lore. Some of them, even had small patches of grass on their platforms and many tiny ewes eating them happily, gaining a big “Awwwww” from the audience. Everybody loved the fluffy creatures.

After the welcoming parade in the morning, even more people had gathered and tried to squish inside the plaza. A young girl that could not be older than 7 years old, had even decided to climb one of the dragon sneeze trees. She could easily blend in with the flowers due to her strawberry blonde hair. Thanks Celestia no guards had seen her yet! She simply was trying to get a better view. On the other side of the plaza, three dazzling figures were saluting from the front balcony of the castle. The person in the left side, was a woman with incredibly white skin. It seemed to be made of white porcelain. However, her most striking feature was her aqua blue hair that had stripes of pink, purple, and green color. It made the young girl think of a pastel colored rainbow or a delicious cake. The citizens were delighted by the regal composure she exuded. It was only befitting of a queen. A mother of a nation. The woman contrasted greatly with her sister that was in the right side of the trio. The second princess had dark blue hair, almost black, and it seemed to sparkle beautifully from the distance. Her skin had a light blue tone and she wore clothes of dark and purple hues. The young woman was waving energetically to the crowd. She glowed with enthusiasm, so the people were happily waiving back at her. In the middle of the women, stood a man of dark skin and raven hair wearing a golden armor that glistened against the sun, just as the rest of the city. “The Crystal Empire it’s flourishing under your rule, King Sombra.” The beautiful white woman answered, allowing the citizens to finally hear her voice. “On behalf of my sister and me, and of course, of all of the citizens of Equestria that we represent, I want to thank everyone present for this warm greeting! Indeed, ladies and gentlemen, it is time we join our people as they’re meant to be!” Among the cheering crowd, the ginger haired girl narrowed her eyes and then gasped. Both women had wings on their back as if they were angels. It was true! The girl began to search for something inside her bag.

“HEY YOU!” A booming voice called from below the dragon sneeze tree. “Get down from there, lady!” The little girl was startled enough to almost fall from the tree. When she regained her balance, she slowly moved a branch so that she could peek from behind the leaves. Perhaps, the man was talking to another girl. Their gaze met. “You have to get down NOW!” A guard from the empire was looking up at her. He was old, with thick white eyebrows above an angry stare. It was clear even with the uniform, that he had a strong body built. He was wearing the violet helmet and crystal armor the girl had seen so many times today. It matched the old man’s own crystal violet skin. The truth is that among the humans in the continent, the people from the Crystal Empire were famously known for their looks. Their skin would normally be a gradient of a cool color like blue, light purple or white, but always shining with a faint glow. One could see polygonal reflections all over their body as if they were one of the minerals often found in their lands. Some people even wonder if they were human at all. And…Oh boy! The old guard was growing impatient. “Our King has explicitly forbidden people from climbing the trees of this area. Remember the injured people from the last parade? You could break your head, too! If you understand, get down!” The girl looked at him for a moment.

“Uh… Ok.” The girl said hesitantly.

“About time!”

“But uh…”

“Is there a problem?” The guard narrowed his eyes. His thick eyebrows were threatening to cover his line of sight.

“Uh… I can’t get down…” The girl smiled nervously at him. The guard sighed.

Five minutes later, an old guard was carrying a little girl in his arms. The guard mumbled an apology to the little girl for his harsh words. He hadn’t noticed how young she was from the ground. He could be rude, he knew it. The little girl didn’t seem to mind and accepted his apology with a bubbly laugh. She was just staring at his crystal sheen armor as if it was a jewel.

“Now kid, where’s your mother?” He asked.

“She is not here anymore.” The girl lowered her eyes.

‘I’ll be dammed’ “Sorry, kiddo. I didn’t mean-”

“Because she went to search for my aunt!” The girl giggled at the shocked face of the old guard. He looked at her for a few seconds with a blank expression. Then, his wrinkles crooked with a smile and he chuckled.

“Heh. You got me, kiddo.” His own daughter used to pull pranks like that a lot when she was younger. He had to admit that he missed those days. The girl seemed delighted that he had laughed as well. She told him her mother was going to come back soon and that their meeting point was actually the dragon sneeze tree she had climbed. The old man grumbled about how irresponsible that woman had been. He needed to be back on his post but it was simply impossible to leave a kid alone. He would have to wait for the woman. It shouldn’t take too long- A slap sound interrupted his train of thoughts.

And the pain that followed made his nostrils flare with anger.

“How dare you!? You little-” The girl giggled innocently. “Mr. Sparky your skin is so hard! It feels like a rock!” She was looking back at him with admiration. The old guard grimaced. What was wrong with her? Plus, his skin was as hard as anyone else’s. Wait.

“Kiddo… You aren’t crystalfolk!” He raised his white eyebrows. How could he haven't realized it before?
“Nuh-uh.” The girl shook her head making her curls bounce a bit.

‘I must be going senile’. He thought to himself worried.

“So who is that, Mr. Sparky?” The girl pointed to the balcony from where the three rulers were waving to the crowd. The younger princess seemed to be talking.

“Those two woman are the rulers of the Kingdom of Equestria, our southern ally. I have never seen one of those equestrian princesses before. Let me tell you, kiddo, I still can’t believe they have wings! They say… It means they are immortal or something.” He rolled his eyes. “But that is gibberish for sure.”

“No silly!” The girl grabbed his face with her little hands, and make his face turn towards the center of the trio. “I meant him! Who is he?!” The man realized who she was asking about.

He shifted his gaze back to the child with a puzzled expression. “Little one, don’t tell me you don’t know.” The girl shook her head with energy. What did this child’s mother was teaching her?! That’s what he wanted to know! When he sees that woman... On the meantime, there wasn’t going to be a kid left this ignorant. Not on his watch!

“That man is the Soldier-King." The little girl tilted her head but the man was no longer looking at her but directly towards the balcony. "He is the Restorer. The Fearless one and Just. The Saver of the Crystal Empire. He is none other than His Majesty, King Sombra!” The guard violet eyes’ sparkled with fiery passion.

“But why he doesn’t look like you?” The girl asked without letting go of his crystal cheeks. “How can he be the king?” The old guard looked at her surprised. He was itching to meet her mother. “He is not crystalfolk since his family wasn’t originally from the Crystal Empire, they moved here looking for a better life. But that doesn’t matter, he’s one of us!"

"One of you?" the girl asked.

"Yes, kid. You see ten years ago… Before you were born, an ancient evil creature appeared in our lands. It killed the previous royal family and secured the royal castle and its treasures. It seemed to suck out the life of our crops and we were truly in despair. One morning, we saw how Sombra leaded a group of heroes to the creature’s dent.”

The girl gasped. The old guard nodded solemnly. “They defeated it and saved us all.” The old man eyes sparkled. “He freed us! How could he not be fit to be our king? And now he rules with justice and kindness. Look, do you see the golden armor he’s wearing?” The little girl nodded with a lot energy. King Sombra’s armor gleamed brighter than regular gold, it looked a little like... “Crystal. It’s an armor casted with crystal defensive magic. It was our gift for him when he was crowned. Only the best smiths worked on it.” The old guard looked at the little girl clearly satisfied by his explanation.

“Well what do you think, kiddo? King Sombra is the best, isn’t he? Those southern princesses will learn a thing or two from him! That’s to be sure!” He chuckled.

“The princesses are great, too!” The girl defended them making a pout. “Huh? Are you from Equestria?”
“Nu-uh” The girl shook her head making her short hair bounce again. “But my mommy taught me a song about them. And I love it!” She smiled widely and she began to sing and clap.

“Sun, little Sun,

You keep me warm!

Be a good boy and let Celestia run!

Sun, little Sun,

You give me food!

Be a nice boy and let Celestia rule!

‘Ugh’ This was the part he didn’t like about kids, they could go on forever with their songs and games. And he certainly wasn’t interested in a “song” about those princesses. When was the mother going to appear?

“Moon, little moon,

Don’t let monsters roam!

Be a good girl and let Luna come!

Guard, little guard,

Don’t go to sleep,

Look at me in the eye

and listen me a bit.

Guard, little guard,

You told me things,

Be a great boy and do a thing for me!”

The girl was silent for a moment and then smiled adorably to the guard that had her in his arms.

“Thanks Mr. Sparky!”

“What... for, child?” He furrowed his eyebrows, making a scowl. He felt weird and very... angry?

The girl giggled and then adjusted the strap of her bag. She rummaged inside of it and took out a thick book with a cover made of black leather. It had a symbol of a silver alicorn with ruby eyes. He looked at the book. Alicorns drawings were normally a symbol of blessings and goodwill, but this one...

“Oh~ For the information. I wanted to confirm a few things about the Emperor. Since you are his first commander, I will take your word!” The girl gently traced with her fingers the alicorn symbol in the book and then touched the old man’s forehead. He didn’t speak another word. She lean in as if to kiss his cheek and whispered a few words.

His eyes flickered between their normal violet and green.

Finally, the old guard gently put the ginger haired girl in the ground, and left the spot without giving her a second glance.

He disappeared in the crowd with the black book under his arm.

Chapter II: They saw eye to eye (more or less)

The moonlight filled the night as it had never done before in the Northern Lands. The city rested peacefully after a day full of festivities and celebration. In the middle of everything, stood the pride of the crystalfolk: an enormous crystal palace carved from the depths of a mountain so long ago. The reflection of a thousand stars appeared on its recently polished walls. Inside everything was silent. Only the sound of steps echoed through the halls as he ascended the long staircase. He was not entirely sure that she was going to be there, but this tower’s terrace was the closest one to the bright moon outside. He considered it a good guess.

This day had been so satisfying in many ways. All of their hard work and preparations had paid off. The parade had been a huge success. Everyone had shown such passion and talent! It had downright inspired him! He needed to become stronger and wiser if he was going to keep up with his subjects.

When the parade had ended, and after a few words from him, the festival had officially begun. King Sombra had decided immediately to go congratulate the Parade Committee and all the participants he could recognize along the way. Princess Celestia and Princess Luna had followed him, even after he assured them it wasn’t going to take long.

At first, he genuinely expected them to stand to the side. When he had finished talking to Lady Yellow Shards, he found the Royal sisters talking enthusiastically to the rest of the Parade Committee, as well as with the artists that had performed. It was surprising. In a good way.

Throughout the day, King Sombra had led the southern princesses through the colorful streets stands. A variety of people were eager to meet them and chat. Specially children, curious of their wings. There wasn’t a single time the princesses stared down or dismissed someone. Poor or noble. Young or old. And he respected that…No, he liked it. He was really liking his southern allies.

Everywhere they went, there was a delicious aroma of freshly baked sweets in the air. From bagels and biscuits, to crystal berry pies and brittles. All kind of food had sparkled from the stands. In certain squares, people had danced to the happy music of flugelhorns and violins.

Oh! But the gem of the day had been the archery tournament! Among all the sports, Ice Archery was the favorite among his people. During an ice archery event, special arrows were casted with an ice spell and thus given to the participants. The archers shoot their arrows consecutively, freezing whatever part of the target they managed to hit. Whoever first encases their entire target in ice, wins. In short, it’s a speed competition.

As the host, King Sombra had a special place reserved for him and their esteemed guests in the center of the coliseum. Everybody knew that. When they were about to reach the entrance that lead to their seats, a young boy had appeared out of nowhere.

King Sombra was startled as a young boy with sparkly blonde hair, crossed their path. The boy knelt on the spot before him, effectively blocking their way towards the southern entrance of the coliseum. It’s not that they couldn’t go around him. The entrance was immense after all. However, the boy seemed so serious… King Sombra ordered the pair of soldiers in the entrance to leave him be.

“Your Imperial Majesty.” The blonde boy greeted him bowing his head deeply.

King Sombra looked at him carefully. The boy was carrying an empty quiver over his shoulders and a silver bow. His name was Konan, if he remembered correctly.

“Please rise, young man. Your name is Konan, is it not?” The boy shot his head up in surprise. King Sombra knew his name?! HIS name? Wait till he told his parents!

“It seems to me you are not sixteen years old yet. Who gave you that equipment, Konan?”

The boy flinched at those words. His smile disappeared.

“N-no, my King. I’m thirteen but-” He was still kneeling on the floor. “That’s why I came to you. I was hoping to get your permission to participate in the tournament…”

“Young man.” Princess Celestia walked towards Konan. “Could it be you want to prove yourself against adult archers?” She asked looking worried.

“No! It’s not that! It’s because-” The kid peeked for a second towards Princess Luna’s direction and blushed. Oh boy, Sombra knew were this was going. “Your Highness, when I saw you three at the balcony today… She was…” The boy’s eyes sparkled. “Simply… Wow!” He sighted and Princess Celestia tilted her head confused.

“I mean I’ve never seen anyone like Princess Luna before!” He finally said. Konan clenched his fists around the silver bow next to him and his face became even redder.

“She has moved my soul deeply and-and… I want to compete to win my fairest lady's heart!”

Princess Celestia opened her eyes as wide as a plate. Speechless. That boy had left her speechless! King Sombra tried to remain calm. He coughed and looked to the side. He couldn’t laugh at his visitors now! Everyone’s work would go to waste! He took a deep breath. Nobody seemed to have noticed his struggle.

The truth is, King Sombra wasn’t as surprised as Princess Celestia. Tournaments sometimes were held to win a lady’s honour. Even when they weren’t, it was common all around the empire to use these events for declarations of love. Sombra had to admit he even felt a little proud of the boy. Declaring one’s love to a princess! Hah! He had been very brave. Even if he was too young to understand the implications.

“To win her heart and a kiss, I would defeat everyone here!” The boy assured.

Wow, wait. Sombra blinked a few times. He had to stop Konan! They were foreign dignitaries after all.

“Very well, child.” Princess Celestia interrupted whatever King Sombra was about to say. She looked past Sombra where Luna was probably standing… and smiled. Then, she returned to look again at Konan. “It will be as you wish, child. As long as you win.”

Huh? King Sombra frowned. Had he heard wrong? Or perhaps… Equestrian society might be more relaxed than what he thought. He turned to look at Princess Luna. She was petrified. Nope, they were not. Upon hearing the Princess’s words, the boy had thanked the royals quickly before sprinting towards the coliseum. He would have to run fast to arrive in time before they ran out of ice arrows.

“Sister! Wh—why?” Luna stammered finally.

Princess Celestia only chuckled “Oh shush, my sister. You didn’t want to break his heart, right?”

“WHAT?” Princess Luna stopped herself and glanced towards King Sombra. “Ehem. Care to explain yourself, my sister?” She mumbled under her breath.

“It was just a little comeback.” Princess Celestia smiled proudly at her sister. “For the thing that happened the other day.”

Princess Luna looked at her, clearly puzzled.

“You know, when I visited my old room at the castle. Remember?” Princess Celestia narrowed her eyes, but kept smiling.

“I set those ages ago, sister. It isn’t my fault… entirely.” She mumbled.

King Sombra glanced from one sister to the other. Should he ask about it or…?

“Don’t do this again, please.” Princess Luna said, with a serious expression.

Princess Celestia walked regally to stand next to her and whispered: “Huh? Were you planning to steal more hearts, my sister?”

King Sombra didn’t hear what she said but he did see Luna’s murdering glare. Oh yes, siblings, can’t live with them, can’t live without them.

“Oh Luna, don’t be angry! There’s nothing to worry about. This boy… As eager as he is to prove his love for you,” She chuckled again making Luna frown. “I’m quite sure he still has a long way to go before he can compete against professional archers.”

Princess Luna just sighted. “I suppose that’s true…”

“I apologize for the delay, King Sombra.” Princess Celestia turned to their host. “Please lead the way.”

King Sombra remained silent. It seemed they didn’t know crystalfolk very well. And the power that love can give them…

It had been good Konan had only asked for a kiss on the cheek. If the boy had asked for Princess Luna’s hand in marriage… King Sombra shook his head. Better not to think about that scenario. He looked up. Sombra had just arrived to the top floor of the castle. A terrace that overview the whole sleeping capital. He was greeted by the massive sight of the moon. It had never been this close before. And tonight, it was competing in beauty with the Northern Lights. What a strange sight it was. He shifted his eyes and saw a lone figure sitting on the balcony railing. It was the princess he had been looking for. King Sombra had decided that, as a good host, he should keep her company as she guarded the night skies. A job, he understood, she did all by herself. He walked towards her side of the terrace to greet her. Her hair could only be distinguished from the starry sky by a faint glow that surrounded it. It had intrigued him from the first time he had seen her, and at this moment, he couldn’t help but stare at it. Watching her hair at night was a completely different sight. How could it match the stars so perfectly...?

Suddenly she turned her face, and looked right into his eyes. King Sombra realized he was standing too close to her. At least, more than what was considered adequate.

"The moon is rather bright tonight, isn’t it?" he blurted out.

Yes, climate. Always a safe topic.

"I beg your pardon?" The princess frowned.

He tried to elaborate: "I was simply addressing…” He tried to order his thoughts. “How intense the moonlight is tonight. Yes, that’s it. I suggest you to dim it just a bit. That way, you will be able to see better the lights of the Aurora Borealis."

“Does the moon not deserve to be in your skies, Your Majesty?" she asked, glaring at her host. King Sombra wanted to sight. One couldn’t suggest anything to noble ladies. Everything offended them!

"I mean no offense my lady, your moon is extremely beautiful." He began to answer. She narrowed her eyes. That make him want to continue his remark. "However, when a night is blessed with the Northern Lights, it is better when they can occupy the center of the sky.” He smiled and added in a kind voice: “I can assure you, it’s an incomparable view." Princess Luna closed her eyes and answered calmly: "It seems to me that you cannot accept how glorious it is tonight that two events are occurring at the same time."

“It's seems to me that your love for sharing, does not allow you to consider other possibilities."

She opened her eyes in surprise: "Are you referring to the government system in my kingdom?"

King Sombra knew he was, perhaps, digging a hole for himself. ‘What would a noble say here?’ He wondered. But he hadn’t been trained to be a royal since birth. And his pride didn’t allow him stop defending his point of view.

“Perhaps. What if I am? What would you answer then, Your Highness?”

They both sized each other for a moment.

“Heh.” Princess Luna broke the silence with a small smile. “I hope you’re not afraid of my retort, Your Majesty.”

Thus, they began to discuss the form of government of each of their lands, the existing economic models, whether it was more efficient for Princess Luna to defend her kingdom alone against the forces of darkness versus training citizens to fight alongside her while putting them at risk.

They began to talk about their views on immortality.

In Equestria, no one asked Luna her opinion in politics since her older sister was in charge of the administrative and diplomatic duties. Celestia had explained to her that she didn’t want to overwhelm Luna with any responsibility on top of defending their kingdom every night. Luna had gladly agreed at first, but with time that sort of arrangement had… isolated her. But she shouldn’t dwell on those things right now. She was surprised of how much she was talking tonight. She admitted, King Sombra had made an awfully irritating entrance earlier, but after a while, he was proving to be a gentleman. He was listening attentively while she talked. He considered what she said before he expressed his own insight. And he was clever. She was learning so much of how another monarch thought, and about other ways to rule. Also, he was asking her many questions. Questions to understand her culture and to understand her point of view. Questions to understand her as a person.

She wanted to understand him, too.

On the other hand, Sombra couldn’t remember the last time he could speak to anyone as an equal. It had been around 10 years since he ascended the throne, and nobody seemed to remember he grew up as any normal citizen of the Empire. This amnesia happened even with the very same friends who saved the Empire with him. As a kid, he wouldn’t have believed he would miss their arguments and shenanigans. But here he was, wishing everyone didn’t behave so distant. They now thought twice or thrice before contradicting the “Soldier-King, the Restorer, the Fearless one”. It really surprised him how his ally from the south was doing the exact opposite. “I hope you’re not afraid of my retort, Your Majesty.” She had first answered. It was a welcome change of pace.

Sombra looked at Luna, who was carefully explaining how was a class with her former mentor Star Swirl the bearded. The fond memory revealed intelligent eyes filled with enthusiasm. Behind that formal front she was putting, her eyes were so bright and curious of the world.

‘Wait.’ He stopped his train of thoughts. It was better… he paid more attention to what she was saying.

Suddenly, Princess Luna froze. King Sombra followed the line of her gaze. In the distance, a figure of pale skin and minted colored hair, was passing by a window from the main tower. "It seems my sister is already awake." Luna whispered in disbelief. It took a few moments for Sombra to understand the meaning of her words.

Sometimes, dawn comes too quickly.

Author's Note

Helloooo. So this chapter was actually my first fanfic ever. I wrote it on 2017 and uploaded it to Deviantart. Since I wanted to upload it to fimction, I decided to edit it, and wooow it really needed a lot of changes XD Too many weird words and weird ways of writting. I hope you like it, but since the original has a special place in my heart, here is a link where you can read it: sta.sh/02rqjeb49lb

About the story, I just wanted to share with you my headcanon of Celestia and Luna before Luna was banished. I believe Luna would have been very uptight, trying to demostrate she was as a good as her sister. On the other hand, I think Celestia was originally very playful. It was just her personality. And since everyone loved her so much, she didn't feel the same pressure as Luna. It's just that, after she became the sole ruler of Equestria...well she had to change. Trying to uphold a perfect image so that her subjects didn't dispair. Maybe copying Luna's serious approach to her job. And in the present, thanks to Twilight and her friends, Celestia can show those playful sides of her again :3 That's my head canon and how I was trying to write this XD
Hope to see you on the next chapter!