Prologue: To Write the Truth
Sombra woke from his sleep. He groaned as he felt his joints crack and the disks of his spine slip slightly. He looked to the wall as and saw that it was many hours until Celestia would have to get up to raise the sun. He sighed as he got out of bed and looked at it and Celestia sleeping in it. A small smile formed on his lips before he levitated the blanket and such back so to keep Celestia warm. He turned and left their bedroom, heading towards the castle’s study. He grunted and strained as he walked, his age had caught up with him long ago and has overtaken him recently.
“King Sombra?” came a stallion’s voice. Sombra turned and saw a bat pony guard that was mostly black with what seemed to be yellow stripes. “What are you doing up?” the guard asked as he walked up to Sombra.
Sombra squinted a bit as he tried to identify the guard, “I think I know you…” Sombra muttered. His eyes then widen in revelation, “Oh, Mr. Bumble Tiger.” he chuckled.
“Haha.” ‘Bumble Tiger’ laughed, “Foxhelm, your grace. But with all due respect, you haven’t answered my questions, because your physician said that you should be in bed”
Sombra sighed as he dipped his head, “I can’t die in that bed. It’s the bed Celestia and I consummated our marriage in, the bed my seven biological daughters were conceived and born in.”
“TMI,” Foxhelm said as he tried to keep his mind blank.
“The point is, it’s a bed for Life… and I…” Sombra stopped. He knew his time in this world and life was coming to its end, but he didn’t have the courage to face it. “Will you assist me towards the study?” Sombra asked. Foxhelm nodded and walked to be beside Sombra. Sombra placed his left front leg over Foxhelm’s shoulders and the two walked, Foxhelm being more or less a living walking stick.
After a half-hour walk, the two arrived at the study. Sombra used his magic to open the door. “Thank you, Foxhelm,” Sombra said as he went in. He got to the desk and levitated a set of quills, a fairly large ink fountain, filled it, and a slightly larger than a normal journal. “You can go back to your patrol. Just shut the door.”
“Wouldn't you like some more light, maybe get the study's fireplace going, a couple of blankets, you are supposed to be resting after all.” Foxhelm countered. Sombra nodded reluctantly and waited for Foxhelm to light a few long wick candles, got a fire in the fireplace going at a low but constant heat and finally placed a large blanket over Sombra's shoulders. “And now I shall obey your order to leave, shut the door and return to my patrol.”
As Foxhelm was heading out, there was a question that Sombra had to ask, “Excuse me, Foxhelm, one last thing. Would care to give me your thoughts on a Spring-Winter Romance?”
Foxhelm stopped and then face-winged. “Seriously, every pony I know been asking me that ever since they found out about the nickname Princess Gale gave me and that she's the one that gave it. Why does every pony ask me that?” Foxhelm sighed. “With all due respect, Your Grace, but that's frankly none of your business.” Foxhelm then started to the door again. “Good night, Your Grace,” Foxhelm said and shut the door behind him.
Sombra chuckled as he was in on a joke. He took a breath looked out the window to see the sky still very much night. He adjusted the blanket Foxhelm got him and opened the journal. He took a breath before he levitated the quill to get ink. Once he was satisfied he got enough, 'My dearest daughters, you each have heard of my ascension and the various adventures in. But that story is only true from a certain point of view. Think of what your mother has told you of my life is a lot like your annual Hearth Warming Eve plays, it's true, but there is a lot more to the actual events. What you will read in this journal is like what you would find in the first-person logs of Smart Cookie, Private Pansy, Clover the Clever, Commander Hurricane, Princess Platinum, even Chancellor Puddinghead and anypony who wrote back then.’ He finished his note and let the ink dry. He sighed, “Well, it’s time.”
Sombra placed the quill aside before he put his right hoof to his chin. He thought back to a couple of days ago.
Celestia had called for the whole family to be in Canterlot. They were in the gardens, from Celestia to Discord to Flurry to little Gale, to Twilight to the in-laws, the whole family, even Cannon Ball of Maretonia and Button of Marendelle. They were all present for Sombra's naming day, as no one knew Sombra's actual birthday. They had all gotten together for the family photo. Sombra had stepped aside and had asked for on without him, Photo Finish was perplexed but turned to work the 'magics'. Sombra looked at his family as they were being rearranged. He couldn't help but chuckle until he felt pain in his left front leg and then the side of his chest. He limped over to a place to sit down, his breathing labored and gritting through the pain. As he sat down Sunset came up to him. “Dad, you don't look so good. Are you alright?” she asked cautiously.
“Susth.” was all he could say as part of his mouth didn't seem to work.
“DAD!!!” was all he heard as he blacked out before he felt himself land on the ground with a thud.
When Sombra next woke he was back in his room, hooked up to a medical monitor. “And it looks like his vitals are back to… your grace. Good afternoon.”
Sombra groaned, “What happened?”
“You had a heart attack and a stroke almost simultaneously.” the doctor informed. “Given your age, it's a miracle that you were able to ask that at all,”
Sombra rolled his eyes, "You could work on your bedside manner." the former king retorted.
He then proceeded to get up and out of the bed, but Celestia’s magic forced him down. “You are in no shape to be out and about, dear. If you push yourself…” Celestia stopped.
Sombra knew in that instant that things for him were pretty bad. Celestia never had a problem speaking her mind to him. It was one of the things that drew him towards her. He turned to the doctor, “How long have I got?” he asked as he thought on why Celestia stopped herself mid-sentence.
The doctor sighed, “If you're conservative about what you do, two weeks at best. Your body has lasted longer than what most ponies should, and it can no longer compensate...”
“Thank you, doctor. If there is nothing else, would you unhook me from these contraptions.” Sombra ordered as he turned his gaze to the ceiling, “I'd like my family to see me now and I very much appreciate not hearing these things go off because I get a little excited because my great-grandchildren can only really show their affection by hugs.” The doctor did as ordered
The memory ended and Sombra turned his focus to the pictures of all his family and spotted on of him sleeping on the floor next to Fluttershy’s bed when she was a couple of years old. “I remember that night.”
It was decades ago and Sombra and Celestia both were woken from their sleep by the cry of their then youngest daughter, Applejack. As Celestia was about to leave, “Hold your horses, I got this. You have to get up in the morning and you got a pretty active foal in you,” Sombra said as he pointed to Celestia’s swelling womb. She didn't challenge her husband and Sombra left their room and went into the room of their daughters, currently, there were three but the two had planned for seven.
As soon as Sombra got to Applejack’s crib, the little filly grew quiet and pointed towards the bed of her eldest sister Fluttershy. “Fluttershy being scared makes you uneasy?” Sombra asked. Applejack nodded, of all three fillies to that point, Applejack was the quickest to understand grown-up ponies. Sombra kissed the filly's head. “I got this little one.” Sombra walked over and saw that Fluttershy had wrapped herself into a little ball in her bedsheets. The filly was shaking in clear fright. Sombra brushed his mussel against the center, “Fluttershy, dear, it’s Daddy. Can you come out to talk with me?” he asked.
“No.” the frightened filly replied. “Scary.”
“What's scary?” Sombra asked. Just then lightning flashed and there was a very loud boom. Fluttershy shrieked and tried to hide deep in her blankets. Sombra internally laughed, his question was answered. He sat on the bed, “You know Fluttershy, I too was afraid of the stormy nights.”
Fluttershy stopped her panicking and slowly crept her head outward. “You were scared, Daddy? But you're the bravest pony ever.”
Sombra gave a soft chuckle, “Too bad you'll never meet Gusty, now she was a brave pony. But yes, even I was afraid of stormy nights.” As Fluttershy looked at her father, “Let me tell you a story…”
With the flashback over, Sombra readied a quill and was about to write. He knew how he wanted to tell the whole truth.
Once upon a time, in the dawn years of Equestria, almost a century and a half after the founding of the principality of Canterlot, it's ruler, the recently crowned Iron Hoof sought for a wife, but a decade into his reign found none. Until one night, as he walked the streets of the city, he met a mare whose coat was night black and mane a star-filled dark blue and blood-red irises. Her name was Lilyth, and as soon as Iron’s eyes met hers, his marrow erupted in desire. ‘She’ll be mine’ Iron thought, but little did he know she had already purchased him. Iron Hoof was enthralled by her, not only by her appearance alone, but she reminded him of a prophecy he was told when a cloaked figure read his hoof, ‘The light shall bring the darkness; the darkness shall bring the light’. “She must be the darkness to bring the light.” he thought to himself as he watched Lilyth walk by him without even addressing him as her prince. This only stoke Iron’s fire as she would not be so easily swayed to him. He pursued her, but she kept just out of his grasp, like a shadow in a well-lit room, all the while she encouraged his pursuit. It took him a decade, (on and off as he also took the affairs of the state into his hooves) but he caught his query.
However, Lilyth welcomed him. And yet the Lilyth would not tie the knot with Iron. However, Iron’s efforts did bear fruit as his mistress soon delivered unto him a son, Greystreak he was named, for even as a foal, his mane was gray like an old stallion. However, as soon as Greystreak enter the world, Lilyth exited, her death weighed heavily on Iron. But Iron looked upon his son and accepted him, making Greystreak his lawful heir. Time passed and Iron expanded his domain and before he died, the Kingdom of Canterlot was fully established with Iron once again coronated, this time as a king, before he left this world.
Such a gentle fate was not to be handed to Greystreak. While things went well for him and the ponies he was the king of for nearly a decade, all good things must come to pass. On a dark night, a giant one-eyed being that seemed to be a cross between a mountain goat and a large ape came upon the castle and Greystreak vanished. The monster, who called himself, Arimaspi claimed Canterlot as his own, for even under his iron hand it was a bountiful and plentiful land.
However, once one deposes a ruler, he opens the door for himself to be deposed and for nearly two hundred years many monsters challenged and took Canterlot for themselves. From dragons to rouge Niriks, to griffon warlords, a sphinx from the south, an ahuizotl, a chimera, to a large pack of diamond dogs, a minotaur, even a changeling queen once claimed Canterlot's throne. All the while Canterlot was also plagued by parasprites, ophiotauri, maulwurfs, manticores, hydras, fly-ders, bugbears, cockatrices, and twittermites, with bite-acudas, cragadiles, and cipactis residing in the waters, but to list a few. Yet Canterlot was still a bountiful kingdom.
This back and forth and change of monsters claiming dominion was halted when a large ram with blue fur, a white mane, fangs from his lower jaw and a bell around his neck entered. He was Grogar, the father of monsters, and he grew tired of his children fighting over what he deemed his. And for a century the tyrant ruled, and Canterlot was at peace, the peace of the graveyard.
One night, Grogar was looking into his crystal orb, which resembled a goat's eye. He knew he couldn't reign forever, he needed an heir. “Show me one who can house my powers and carry on my legacy,” Grogar asked as he stared into the orb as his horns glowed yellow, while his front hooves waved in front of it. Just as an image was starting to form his chamber doors were flung open with a thud. Grogar groaned at this disruption.
“Sire, I bear urgent tidings,” Grogar heard as he turned his head to the doorway of his chambers. There stood a donkey dressed as a squire, his most faithful servant Bray.
"What do those ponies want now?" Grogar asked in utter bemusement and groaned.
"No, sire," the donkey replied, "It's not the ponies…” Bray started. He then paused when it was clear that Grogar wouldn’t believe that, “Well it is them but also isn't...”
“Get to the point!” Grogar shouted as he was just done with the mule.
Bray gulped before he continued, “There have been reports of a black cloud that keeps stealing food…”
“Enough.” Grogar groaned as he left his work and started to the door, the ram then groaned, “I’ll deal with this now.” he sighed and started to leave the room. Bray kept close behind him. As the ram walked the streets, the ponies shut their doors and windows, hiding from the ram. All the while a storm was raging on. After about an hour the ram stopped as he heard something crash. “There,” Grogar said as he pointed to his left and went into an alleyway, thunder cracked as the ram walked until he heard Bray scream. Grogar sighed before he turned to see a small unicorn colt with a jet black mane and tail, he had a gray coat and … “red eyes…” Grogar whispered in awe.
“MASTER! HELP!” the donkey pleaded.
Grogar shook his head, “you are a useless ass.” he muttered before his horns started to glow and he blasted scaring off the colt. The colt then ducked behind some rummage. Grogar walked to the colt’s hiding place and moved it aside. “What is your name, colt?”
“Sombra?” the colt asked as it shook in fear.
Grogar raised an eyebrow, “Do you understand me?”
“Sombra.” the colt replied as he seemed to whimper in fear.
Grogar smiled, “You fear me?” he mused. The nodded, Grogar was about to blast the colt when he saw the pupils become slits, and a set of fangs grew in the colt’s mouth as tears came from his eyes and bit at Grogar like a frightened cat. Slowly the colt’s eyes shifted from white to green as a purple mist started to float from the corners of his eyes. Grogar stopped and took a step back. He felt something he had never felt before. He started to shiver and shake. Just then he saw something change in the colt’s eyes as it focused on him and the colt… grinned. Grogar blinked and that was all the colt needed as it dove at him and try to get to the ram’s neck. After a few seconds, Grogar regained himself, “Sleep!” he said as he cast the spell on the colt.
“Master are you…” Bray started as he got back onto his hooves only for Grogar to levitate and drop the colt onto the mule’s back. “Oof”
“Yet again your incompetence proves most useful.” Grogar chuckled softly.
“And you were no longer scared of stormy nights?” Fluttershy asked.
Sombra smiled with a small laugh, “As soon as I saw that Grogar felt fear, and of me nonetheless, most things did not scare me for much longer.” He saw Fluttershy turn from him and look down. Sombra then leaned down and rubbed Fluttershy’s check, “but it's okay to be afraid,” he said comforting, “It’s what you do that matters, you can either run or stand your ground. However, if you always chose to run from small things, you will never stop running.” He then smiled upon his daughter, and while she was starting to put on a truly brave face, he could tell she needed more than his story. “But there are times it’s easier to stand when you have somepony standing with you.” He then went to the closet for the spare bed linen and pillows. He made a makeshift bed on the floor.
“Thank you, Daddy,” Fluttershy said hugged her father before she pulled her sheets on and even while the thunderstorm was still raging, Fluttershy was at ease. Sombra smiled and shut his eyes.
