Fire and Shadow: The Rebirth of Spike and the Descent of Sombra

As the march reached its end, the army arrived in the wintery region surrounding the Crystal Empire. Following a trade route provided a certain safety level to travelers. But after losing the Crystal Heart, the roads remained treacherous, frozen over and surrounded by cliffs. White Shadow Penumbra had never ventured into such a place, the casualties too great to risk if they came unprepared.

Lily Longsocks huddled close to his side to relish in his warmth, knowing they couldn't openly flaunt their relationship. He was at the head of the procession, where the caravans strained under chilled winds. Gales eerily wailed around them. “Make sure the rations don't freeze over,” he reminded his men. “This could prove the most dangerous part of our journey!”

The cart teetered on the icy road that overlooked a cliffside where a white void awaited below—the wind threatening to pick up velocity and blow until it forced them towards the edge of the abyss. Lily whispered, “Do you think the legends about the Windigos are true? And if so, would they even remain after the Eldritch invasion?”

“Let's hope we won't have to find out,” he conceded and used binoculars to stare past the snow blind. From what his parents told him, most myths tended to be true, or at least have some truth to them. There were things beyond imagination out there that would make the average pony shudder. His father knew firsthand. What worried him most was that his father's actions may have damned his bloodline to be cursed.

“You look troubled,” muttered Lily with a concerned frown.

“Merely cautious,” he insisted, casting a reassuring smile to which she returned. Truthfully, he did not wish for any more wars or bloodshed. Penumbra just wanted to return home, introduce Lily to his family, take her out on a proper date...live as normal a life they could forge. But he was a soldier, and responsibilities to ensure his land and fellow ponies' safety came first. Any plans to settle down would have to wait. "If only I knew what lied ahead of us."

Hours passed on their perilous trek. Gales buffeted them, and the wizards wrapped the wagons in their aura and strained to hold them in place. Unfortunately, as the wheels slipped on the slick ice, one was lost. No magic or strength could keep the wagon and supplies from careening into the chasm, the screams of his men echoing.

"Oh, no!" Lily cried out.

Before Penumbra could secure his troops, pegasi unfurled their plumes to leap after their fallen comrades. "Wait, stop!" He ordered. "You'll be lost too! HOLD YOUR GROUND!"

But it was too late. The pegasi forces could not break the howling gale's strength before plummeting to the great white below, ensuring their deaths. As much as he hated to accept it, they were lost. The pale unicorn's hand balled into a fist, trembling at his side. He did his best to hold back his frustration, yet unable to hide the feelings of fault rising within him.

A warm hand settled over his own, causing his head to turn to Lily, shooting him a sympathetic frown. He stared back long and hard before nodding, resting his head over on hers. He expected there to be casualties during this crusade, but he had hoped his men would have honorable deaths in battle and not by some random, senseless accident.

"How many?" Penumbra demanded in a flat voice.

“Ten soldiers and a cache of supplies, sir,” replied Lily. “It...it could have been much worse.”

“Could have.... But it's a massive blow to our mission. We must move on,” he commanded and pointed his sword forward. Perhaps he appeared cold, but he knew there was a much greater risk were they to linger here. Better to push ahead and take shelter once they crossed the passage. Sadly, there were no bodies to recover from shipping back home. Which meant that he would personally have to break the terrible news to each lost soldier's family once they returned.

How many more lives would be lost before the end of this? What was the point of this senseless war? Penumbra felt his heart yearn to turn around now, to demand answers from his father. But to do that would be dishonorable to the many lives they lost. All they had suffered would be for naught. Their nation depended on them to press on.

Yet as their remaining troops resumed their march through the heavy snow, Penumbra couldn't shake off the feeling this small disaster was a bad omen. That those around him would be condemned to the curse of his dark lineage. His eyes shifted to Lily, his heart heavy with melancholy, as doubt settled in over if he should pursue her...

*****

Despite her reservations, Cerise Silhouette helped her father complete his latest ritual. His guards had dragged in Cozy Glow, naked and covered in lacerations, restrained her within powerful arms. His black book rested on a stand, and she chanted in unison beside him. Runes glowed on the cover and bled down the sides until the pages rustled open amidst a flutter.

Opened to an empty portion, the trio shrank and was sucked inside. They reappeared in a black void, and the Pony of Shadows laughed. “Yeeees! We've done it! We've created a link to the Necronomicon,” he announced, adjusting to the empty world around them.

Cozy asked, “W-what do you plan to do with me...?”

“This is your imprisonment. Unless you'd rather face execution," he offered to her coldly. "An illusion of you will be sacrificed before the nation. That will boost morale and prepare my soldiers to triumphantly storm and destroy the alliance."

“P-please forgive me,” Cerise said, her head lowered, hopeful she wouldn't see this as a betrayal. But there wasn't any other choice. Despite how cold and cruel he was, she sensed part of her father was still in there, somewhere. Maybe the answer lied within the treacherous corridors of the Necronomicon?

“What am I supposed to do now?” Cozy looked around her, only to see an endless bleakness.

He snickered. “Do all that you can to survive. This realm draws on one's subconscious. Who knows what may manifest from your heart and mind? You may be haunted by your past! Unless you're truly heartless as some have believed~. It all depends on you how your survival goes.”

Not that it truly mattered to the Pony of Shadows. She was simply another sacrifice to his tome, a picture of her now inscribed on the open page.

It began within moments. The void around them twisted to become a cavern, thick with the glow of eerie emerald phosphorescence, moist with shimmery eggs that were cocooned into the rocky walls. Cozy shuddered, back in the lair of Chrysalis, who had betrayed her and Tirek to receive the boons offered by the Eldritch.

The centaur, shriveled and half-alive, was embedded by a sticky mass to one portion. A buzz sounded, and a hiss came from above, as Chrysalis, twisted by Eldritch tech embedded into her, descended on her fresh prey, fangs bared and dripping.

“Come, daughter,” said the Pony of Shadows, taking Cerise's wrist and pulling her. "We have more important matters ahead of us."

“Wait! Daddy, we can't just leave-” But she was yanked after him into the portal, his guards maintaining it for him. She sobbed, stared at Cozy, who shivered and huddled, and within moments she appeared back in the room by him. “Please,” she pleaded and placed her balled up fists on his chest between sobs. “Don't abandon her!”

“It must be done, child! I need a sacrifice to empower the book. Fear not,” He traced Cozy's likeness, the nude, stylized figure of the pegasus stricken by sheer terror. “There's a slim chance she'll overcome her inner demons.” He slammed it shut with finality before addressing his guards and soldiers. “After the last preparations are made, rally the troops! We march on the Badlands! There, I will take on Spike in glorious battle to fulfill my destiny!”

His armed guards nodded, leaving the two alone as Cerise did her best to choke down on her muted sobs. "No.... She'll die!"

Wisps rose around his eyes, now almost back to normal. He pulled his daughter by the waist to him, wanted her by his side for reasons he couldn't fully comprehend.

Somehow, her presence comforted him. An experience he never knew he desired. He met her lips, felt her limp body pressed to him by his pull, too wracked by shame to resist his heated advances.

Yet whatever love he maintained for her due to memories of the flesh he inhabited was tempered by the former tyrant's ambitions. Sombra had a need to conquer and dominate, a trait that made him the perfect host for the Pony of Shadows.

As he left to prepare himself for his confrontation with the Dragon Lord, a new sound graced the dancer's ears with its strange tone. "Is that...ballroom music?" She sniffled to herself, stumbling to follow her father. That's when she noticed an eerie, scratchy-looking aura faintly glowing around his head, the nostalgic melody growing louder the closer she was to him.

"W--what is this?" She wondered cautiously. Was she the only one who could hear the distorted tone? Her father seemed oblivious to it. Whatever the case, this deeply unsettled Cerise, her concern over the situation deepening.

Little did the young mare know of the true puppeteer pulling strings.

*****

Spike rallied his own forces with his inner circle to provide support. War horns sounded, noncombatants led into the deepest portions of the underground pleasure gardens, and his soldiers armed with any enchanted weapons and armors left over after the Eldritch conflict. Rarity and Sweetie Belle tasked themselves with the production of more runes.

Garbed in his ancient Dragon Lord armor, he stood proudly and inspired many to take up arms. Much as it pained him, he knew better than to stop his children who volunteered to help. His nobility and stubbornness no doubt a trait he passed down onto them.

At least they would be bolstered by the mercenaries the alliance hired. He didn't dare allow them into the underground portion, uncertain how much these soldiers of fortune that came from all over the world could be trusted. Their numbers were stocked by many exotic races, griffins, hippogriffs, minotaurs, and centaurs...several races once believed extinct after the Eldritch invasion. Yet he feared they still might not be enough to take on the forces of the Pony of Shadows, their numbers dwarfed in comparison.

In the meantime, he couldn't do much more than wait. That, and take care of a little itch. He retired to his chambers, where Ember and Smolder awaited...alongside a couple dozen mares he was unfamiliar with, bare and ready for him.

“Somnambula's told us all about your little problem,” said Smolder. “So we decided to take the initiative to help you out!”

“You'll need your strength, and they've volunteered to help out,” said Ember, who waved a claw at the mares who batted their lashes, blushed, winked, and posed for him. “These are just the ones we could fit. There's a lot more out there.”

Spike swallowed the lump in his throat while licking his chops. Much as he wanted to jump their bones, he couldn't help but wonder if they only wanted to bed him because of his status as Dragon Lord. Would that be so bad, though? It was obvious they wanted this, too.

He realized they too had come from all over, refugees who'd heard about this paradise and wanted to settle down. And, in some cases, wanted to bear his offspring as well. Armor clattered to the ground. He took an unnamed pair of them to bed. And everything felt like a blur. He sank into them, lost in the rhythm of ecstasy while his cock remained harder and vigilant, pounding, claiming, and skewering every mare and female offering her pussy to his service.

Lips touched and pressed against each of them, fluid milked out from his loins to soil their wombs. The sounds of flesh meeting flesh and moans crying echoed throughout the cavern.

He departed from his latest claim, the poor pegasus left panting as his spermed oozed from her freshly used slit. He took a moment to sit up, panting heavily, his muscles straining. Smolder laughed, grabbing at his ass while admiring his handy work. “Told you he'd take to it~!”

Ember, who had been watching from afar on the wall, joined them, pressing her lean body up into Smolder's, tails linking and snouts mashing into each other for hot kissed. “Good. Spike will need to be in top shape!” She murmured during a brief period before hungrily kissing her fellow dragoness.

He watched his lovers momentarily before getting back into it, his pillaring dick erected as an earth mare shook her round posterior to him. With a grunt, he slammed on top of her, rapidly rutting her jiggling rump as plumes of smoke escaped his snout, Spike's eyes glowing faintly white.

And not long after, another pair of mares were being pummeled into the ground, mewling for release. Soaked in sweat, he finished in over a dozen mares and other female participants until he felt his bestial lust temporarily subside.

Twilight, who'd reluctantly agreed to the plans the dragonesses shared with her, peeked in from outside. “Oh, Spike...” She cupped one of her breasts, feeling the heat build in her loins, fighting over the jealousy brewing within her while watching him lay with so many other mares.

“We must not deny ourselves,” whispered Somnambula, pressing her hefty breasts against Twilight's back, wrapping her hands around her. “The spirits blessed us with flesh so that we might enjoy ourselves. It would be wrong to deny yourself just for his sake.”

“I-I know,” she murmured, a nipple pinched by the priestess while she traced her perky mounds.

“Think of this as a ritual to prepare him. Spike running a gauntlet of lovers before ending it with the dream faun. Then you can help me sate the beast~,” She wrapped Twilight in her plume, the alicorn melting into her embrace.

“Y-yes!” She practically purred.

As the two rubbed into another, Spike released a loud groan after dumping another load into a happily fucked mare. He reeled back once more, panting hotly over the sloppy mess of mares sprawled all over the spacious bed. He left them soaked in perspiration, cocks still moist and erect while coated in many juices.

"My goodness! It seems I was wrong to doubt your prowess in this field," a voice exclaimed as the Dragon Lord turned his head, his eyes heavy in lust over the sight of Lady Ewe, making her entrance with a delicate smile to her snout. The other girls all stared as the shepherd removed the robe and tunic off her round, curvaceous body. If Twilight wasn't jealous before, she began downright envious over how well endowed the goat woman was. Spike was practically salivating as she held up her hefty breasts in each hand, thick nipples already erected and cheek red from watching his 'conquest.'

"You've been dreamin' about this for quite a while, aye~?" She teased, her golden-brown eyes meeting his own under fluttering eyelids.

Spike's face flustered, chuckling sheepishly. "W-was it that obvious?"

"Hard to ignore the many vivid scenes you conjure up of me while ye sleep, Graí," She giggled, swaying those wide hips in wooly fleece before she knelt down to his messy twin shafts. A soft hand rubbed his stomach, causing him to groan and tremble. But the moment his hands went to hold her head, she grabbed at his upper cock with a firm grip. "Ah-ah! You'll be takin' yer time with me, lad."

"B-but there isn't mu--"

"Shhhhh," she soothed before kissing over his top shaft, her tongue slowly licking off the cum and fem juices that covered it, much to Spike's joy. "We've got plenty of time. Yer not the only one whose been wantin' this, y'know~" She winked at him before she bobbed her head over the first couple inches of his dick, her hand lowering to stroke and rub his second shaft.

"A-auugh.... W-whoa!" Spike groaned, his head aching back. For all the time, his draconic lust demanded him to fuck each mare in his path with relentless force. To have the dream faun gently tend to her lover with care and affectionate sucking was an entirely new feeling. Precum easily rewarded her for her efforts as Oona popped off her first suck before lifting both shafts to trace her flat, wet tongue along the underbelly.

"O-oh fuck, she's good," Smolder mumbled, her claws digging into her own slit while Ember watched with a chewed lip. "I-I would have never guessed someone so elegant and pretty would know how to handle a cock like that!"

"Heh...I don't often do this. But I tend to get reoccurring dreams about me from previous nights," Oona smiled proudly. Once each of Spike's pillars was lubed up in her kisses and saliva, she allowed some drool to drip down her vast valley of tit flesh before enveloping both dragon dicks between her mountainous breasts.

"W-waaagh! H-holy shit!" Spike cried, his hips automatic in pushing between her pillows in vigorous motion. Not a lot of mares could boast of being able to titfuck both his long jagged shafts. His hands resumed to grab over the ram's horns, to which she allowed while panting heavily. The musk she inhaled was inviting, her mind slowly melting over the thought of taking this beast while he used her pillowy chest to relieve himself.

"A-aah~ That's it, Graí! Let yerself loose~" She chanted, kissing and slurping whenever a tip was close to her mouth. A puddle began to form under her thighs, her pussy glistening with warm liquid staining her bushy mound.

"O-Oonaah! I-I can't take this!" Spike begged, more smoke fuming from his mouth as the grip on her shoulders tightened. "I need inside you...n-now~!"

"Alright, deary. J-just hold on a wee bit more," she nodded, holding his hips to help herself back up before she turned around to present her equally massive backside to the Dragon Lord, her wooly tail wagging excitedly. Looking back with her best pair of 'fuck me' eyes, one hand spread her cheek to better expose her puffy pussy. "I'm all yours, lad. Do with me how you will~."

The drake seized her hips with an animalistic snarl before pushing his hardened cock into her respective offices, slowly sinking his flesh into her tight holes. The sheep girl sharply gasped, clutching at her knees to try to keep standing while those meaty cock spread her insides wide. "A-ahh, sweet lucid dreams!! Y-you're a lot bigger inside than out~!"

Spike couldn't respond, too lost in the haze to breed this goat like the rest, beginning to mercilessly slam his hips into her wooly ass. She squeaked and moaned softly, her flesh jiggling with each impact. Yet, in his consciousness, this angle was right. So he adjusted by grabbing hold of her horns to properly ride her, arching her head back to gaze into her wide eyes.

Now he was reaching deep, her holes clutching up tighter. Spike leaned his snot closer to capture Ewe's mouth in a sloppy kiss, his hands greedily cupping and squeezing her fat tits as he smacked his groin her plush buttocks before emptying himself into her.

Ewe's muffled moans poured out once he pulled away from her kiss. She felt her womb bathe in the warmth of his seed, their combined juices gushing out from their crotches before the two laid down into the ground. The goat woman panted softly, cuddling into the arms of the drake before he slipped his shafts out of her holes.

"Mmnagh.... I might have a bit of trouble gettin' back to Beatrix now," she mused before twisting her pudgy form around to kiss the dragon's snout.

"Mnagh.... You sure you can't stay for another round?"

"Hah, Don't be greedy now, Spike~" Oona sniggered, raising up from the ground to brush off the dirt from her soft wool coat. "You've got others needing yer love an' embrace. I'm sure you and I will find the time to do more once the war is over and Zeloph is vanquished." She beamed brightly at him before fetching her clothes and making her way out.

Spike returned her bright smile before joining Twilight and Sommabula on the bed, kissing and holding them as he resumed to fully sate himself for the battle ahead. But with how invigorated he felt and blessed to be around such warm and loving faces, Spike was determined to take on all threats that stood before him.

*****

The sun was setting over the distant shore as Beatrix stretched out on the sandy beach. A little excited over her first real lesson in the ways of the archaic, the witch was anxiously waiting for her teacher to finish up with preparing Spike for the coming battle.

The most she did was watch Fluttershy and Tree Hugger frolic naked in the water, wishing she could be as carefree as they were. But Beatrix remained plagued with worry and dread.

The Pony of Shadows held Sombra's form, doing unspeakable things to the people around him. And Zeloph.... Ever since her encounter with the enigmatic fiend, she felt horribly off physically. At first, Beatrix wrote itoff that she still felt messed up after letting herself sleep with the enemy, and she'd get over it. She always found a way to bounce back after moments of stress.

But in her heart, she knew it was more than that. The feelings they shared during that moment were real. And regardless of how she felt aftward, the witch couldn't deny how...happy she almost felt at the gift he offered. She shuddered, clutching her head. Why did she end up with complex emotions over tyrants, villains, and monsters?

"You seemed troubled, Beatrix," a voice said next to her. She rose her head to find the mask that harbored Sombra's soul floated over her shoulder. "What's on your mind?"

"What isn't?" She laughed bitterly. "A war is on the horizon, with impending death to a lot of good ponies. Not only that, we have a psychotic entity masquerading as a pony doing who knows what! I don't know what to do! All I can think about is running away and hoping the best comes, but I know better. I had a part to play in this, and I need to fight for everyone here.... I just wish that I didn't feel so helpless and used all the damn time..."

"Isn't that why you're about to learn Arcane magic?"

"Partially. I mean, I'm grateful for all Lady Ewe has done, and I'm eager to learn new powerful spells! But what if that isn't even enough?"

"It will be," Sombra insisted, turning towards the rocking waves. "For all the trouble you may cause, we would be heartbroken to lose you. You're incredibly gifted mare when it comes to thinking on your feet and adapting to all situations. Don't forget that."

"Yeah, I know.... Thank you." She turned to the mask with a small smile before resuming to watch the nude couple swim and splash each other through laughter.

"Why not go for a dip yourself?" Sombra offered. "It'll help take your mind off things."

"Mmm, I guess it would.... I'd need to change out of my costume, though!" Tapping into the Prima Materia, Beatrix switched her leotard, boots, and gloves for a backless one-piece bikini, sporting her signature plump purple and blue colors. Only a single trap held up the front, keeping her breasts pressed together for a hefty amount of cleavage. "Been a while since I wore this...and it seems to be a bit tight," she noted, stretching at the material before it snapped back into place, adding a noticeable jiggle to her boobs. "What do you think?"

“Erm, I mean. You make anything look good on you, really,” the mask answered, trying his best to focus on the things to come.

But the witch detected his tone and smirked. "You think so~? Or are you saying that because you think I'd look better without this," she teased, tossing her hat aside while eying the mask with half-lidded eyes. "Bet it's awfully lonely in the dream world, having this old mask be your window to the physical world. Why don't we give you a better view, hmm~?" She winked before seizing the shaking mask and pressing it up into her cleavage, squishing her bountiful flesh together. "Hehehe~!"

"Augh! Beatrix, this isn't the time!" His voice emanated, muffled between her boobs. "Let me go; I can't see anything!"

"Awww, c'mon, teach. Everyone deserves to have a little fun here and there. Say...I wonder what'll happen if I put you on my face!"

"Beatrix, wait! I don't think that's uh--hey! Don't you dare!" He argued, but the witch was far too curious to pass it up. She wore the mask over her face before a sudden flare of spiritual light enveloped her head. Her body froze in place momentarily before the witch shook her head around.

"Huh!? What happened, how did I..." Sombra's voice asked in confusion before looking down. “W-what in the...”

He clutched Beatrix's hands as if they were his own. Slowly, he studied her body to get a better look and feel, realizing that he was now in control. "I don't believe it," he said astonished, wiggling the mare's fingers. "I never would have suspected such magic... That old goat really knows her stuff... W-whoa! I feel so heavy," Sombra reached to feel up her stomach before slyly lifting up Beatrix's chest in each hand if only to better understand the weight her mammaries carried. "Good lord, how do you walk around like this?"

Then, a sudden bout of inspiration struck him. Perhaps if he had the chance to get close enough to the Pony of Shadows, he could potentially seize his body back from control!

"Wait...what is this feeling?" he questioned, noticing that her body felt extremely wonky. Almost sick. There was mounting pressure in her stomach. Something wasn't right, as this didn't feel like a tummy ache or anything. Was this a side effect of the mask or...

"If you're done fondling my student, I'd like you to remove herself from her face, Sombra," a voice sighed from behind, making him turn to find Lady Ewe stroll up in her own swimming wear. It was a dark green one-piece, though covered up a lot more of her figure while showing off her curves. An unamused look sat on her face before Sombra removed Beatrix's palms from her bosom.

"Why didn't you tell me I could possess whoever wore the mask?"

"You never asked," she huffed. "And don't worry about Beatrix. She's asleep while you move her around. She'll wake up the moment you remove yourself."

"Ahh, of course. An archaic spell?" He asked before withdrawing from his host. The dream faun nodded before smiling as her student came too, rubbing her face.

"Rough, what happened," she asked groggily. "It felt like I was in a dream."

“You were, Ceann Oga," giggled the goat. "I'll explain how it works later. Right now, it's time we begin. I know there isn't much time, but we have to do this properly."

Beatrix nodded, her hand once more holding her stomach. "Got any balms or ointment? I'm feeling really under the weather."

'I wonder why' Sombra said suspiciously to himself, watching Lady Ewe hand her another balm to help ease nausea.

It was touch-and-go, for at times it was a struggle simply to walk a short distance. Trying to put on a cheery facade, she spun on a heel and announced, “Okay, Lady Ewe! I'm ready! Show me what you've got!"

“Not so fast, dear. This is a process we must do alone," she stated, her head turning to the floating mask.

“Bah! As if I could do anything by learning your secrets. But very well,” he replied disappointedly before drifting off to give the two their privacy. Fluttershy and Tree Hugger thankfully left the beach as well.

Beatrix frowned, watching her teacher being sent away. Did Lady Ewe still not trust him? No, she got the feeling something else was the matter, something delicate that related to her, and wondered if it had to do with her recent run-in with Zeloph. Was she trying to protect her?

"Alright, let's head in now," Oona sighed wearily before taking Beatrix's hand gently. She urged the mare to step into the water before the waves rocked along their thighs. The witch sighed, almost at ease in feeling the cool water that splashed around her.

"Wow.... If only we weren't on the brink of battle. I would love to just swim here."

"I know, friend," Oona nodded. "But we must focus on realizing yer potential. If ya have any questions, now is the time to ask."

The two stood apart from each other, not needing to tread to deeper waters. Beatrix looked down at her rippling reflection. So many things on her mind, yet she couldn't find the right words to say them. She took a breath and started slow.

"Well.... How was your 'meeting' with Spike?" She asked coyly.

Oona blinked, blushing heavily before a warm smile spread her muzzle. "Well, it wasn't the first time I laid with a dragon...and it certainly won't be the last~."

"Hehe! Sorry, needed to get that out there."

"No, it's fine. Part of the process of discovering your archaic signature is by letting go of all thoughts and worries. Only in oneness can we find our true selves."

"You make it sound so easy," Beatrix frowned. "How do I just let go of all the stress and crap messing with my head?"

"Look inward, Beatrix," Oona instructed, holding her hand over her chest. "It's a dark and scary place to be, I know. But of all the demons and monsters you've fought, the scariest is the one that's a part of you. You must confront it, nurture it, then let it be free."

"And what if I can't?!"

"You can," she assured with a kind smile. "Everyone can. Sombra may figure it out should he take the time to sort out his affairs with Inky Rose and his daughter. Spike may find longevity if he surrendered his instincts and discovered his trait. Everyone can hold arcane magic within their spirit. Even the cruelest and merciless fiends may wield it."

"Even Zeloph?"

"Especially Zeloph. His is an insidious kind of power that no mortal can withstand. And while I haven't fully figured it out, I have a few theories. But if we find the source and how it works, we can counteract his magic with our own."

"Wow.... My mom would have loved to partake in this!"

"Heh, oh, for sure~. Now relax, Beatrix. Let your body move freely in the waves and open your mind. Open your heart and peer through to your inner self. Take as many deep breaths as you like." The goat woman demonstrated, eyes closing while taking slow inhales and exhales. Soon, her silver-blue aura shined, bubbles floating from the atmosphere into the fading orange and purple skies. Beatrix marveled over the spectacle before shaking her head to focus.

"Okay," she breathed, closing her eyes and slowing down her breathing. The sound of the sea washing over her form filled her ears. She cleared her head of all the thoughts screaming at her as best he could, using the sea to focus on. Her hands held over her breasts, looking into places and parts of herself she wanted to forget. That made her feel shame. Tears streamed down her face, sobs easily breaking through.

"That's it, dear. Don't fight it! Let it happen.... Find yourself, confront it. Hold it.... Let it know who you are and that you are here," Oona eased gently.

"I-I am here," she sniffled, her breath shaking. She repeated it until she felt her nerves calm down, her breathing returning to normal as she held her chest tighter.

"Yes. Let the pain wash away into the sea. Show yerself the love you've neglected. The love you felt undeserving of. Tell me who you are."

"I'm...I'm Beatrix," she said, a swirl of sparkles and color glowing around her body. "Beatrix Belladonna!!" Her eyes lit up in pure white as her aura showed itself, her platinum mane whipping around. Oona watched in astonishment, her mouth agape at the wonderous purple magic around her student. It looked as if the very cosmos of space and stars had touched the violet mare, bathing her in its essence. The surge disappeared from Beatrix's eyes as she looked over the flow of energy emanating from her arms and body.

"I-I did it! I DID IT!!" She exclaimed ecstatically, her arcane magic bursting with more vigorous sparkles. The witch laughed in triumph, striking a fabulous victory pose.

"Well done, Ceann Oga!" Oona praised. "Now hold onto it just like that! Now we can learn which archaic trait you possess."

"I've never felt so alive! I-I can't believe so much energy existed in me!" She was crying again, but these were tears of joy. This was the first real sign that she wasn't a byproduct of the Necronomicon. That her destiny could be changed!

Her magic prowess continued to flow into the air, though it was becoming a bit too large. Expanding magic that size could wain the body and soul. "Alright, maybe take things down a notch, Beatrix. You don't want to overexert yourself!"

"I-I'm trying!" Beatrix said, grinding her teeth in trying to relax her energy. "A-augh! It's too much!"

"Ceann Oga, be careful! Just let it go," Oona warned, but her student's aura grew larger until it nearly reached the skies. The cosmic pattern of space suddenly darkened in the wisps of Beatrix's arcane flow. The witch clutched onto herself, groaning in pain.

"L-Lady Ewe! I-I can't stop it!"

"Beatrix!" The lamb reached forward until her eyes widened upon gazing into the sudden change in her spiritual pressure. A glowing eye revealed itself within the space. Then another...and another.

Lady Ewe stared with horror as many eyes popped in and out from the aura, shining that ominous magenta glow while looking at every direction around. "O-oh no!" Oona gasped before calling forth her staff. Using her own archaic magic, the dream faun used a spell to push her student off balance, the witch stumbling back into the shallow end. The arcane aura completely evaporated, leaving shimmers and sparkles in the air before Oona rushed towards her fallen student. Beatrix stirred, weakly sitting up from the water while clutching her head.

"I-I must have overdone it," she groaned. "I was just so excited that I didn't know how to let go. S-Sorry, teacher. But hey, we could...Lady Ewe?"

She looked up at concern while Oona stared horrified over her student, breathing frantically. Before she could ask again, the goat woman leaned down, a shaking hand feeling up Beatrix's sore head before trailing down to her diaphragm. Her hand glowed faintly before illuminating bright upon reaching her stomach. Beatrix looked between her hand to her face, confusion and worry returned on her expression. "O-Oona, tell me what's going on! What do you sense?!"

"Life," she said, the words escaping her voice while her wide honey eyes held the witch's in fear. "I-I sense life."

"W-wh-what?!"

"Beatrix.... You're pregnant!"

*****

Zeloph's eyes opened. The realm around him remained yellow in color—nothing inside this space but still water below his feet. Before him stood a small child, monochrome in color, with long white hair draping over her until it became pitch black. Her coat was darker compared to his own. A small dark grey dress adorned her fragile body, but he noticed this time that she had fuller arms and legs. The last time he saw her, the poor child was bony thin.

The young filly smiled up at him, white eyes shining through her black sclera. She looked much healthier despite the scaly growths on her arm and the minor deformity in her face.

"How do you feel?" The Vice Lord asked, hunching his tall robed figure down to her height as he brushed his hand over the child's forehead. Her smile widened as her tiny hands held his wrist.

"I'm feeling a whole lot better, daddy!" She replied. "I haven't had an episode at all today!"

"That's good, sweetie! It's good that your feeling better. It means mommy is carrying you as we speak."

She bounced a bit on her feet in excitement, the water splashing below her. "I can't wait to show her all my drawings.... Do you think she'll like me?"

"Oh, honey, o͟͟f c͠o̵͡ùrs͜e̛̕ she will! You mean the whole world to her," Zeloph insisted, stroking her cheek until the young filly wrapped her arms around his neck. In response, he wrapped an arm to hug her close.

"Will I be able to see her again soon?" The filly asked with big hopeful eyes.

"Yes. I believe you should be able to maintain your form around her now without risk to your health. While you're with her, daddy will be busy cleaning up and purifying the world before your arrival."

"And then you, mommy, and I can play together forever!"

"Yes, my sweet, little A̧͢͠bb̵̡a̵͝d͜o̸͞ǹ̛ńa͟! We will play together f͘or̸e̷̢v̨͢͞ȩ̷͜r~!"

Zeloph opened his eyes, finding himself back on the balcony of his tower, gazing over the vast buildings and homes he had crafted from the essence of the planet itself. His city a pure, stainless utopia for all refugees escaping the fires of war brewing from the resistance and the Crystal Empire. He could sense every mind within his structures, the joy and hopeful thoughts from the inhabitants, enjoying the quiet evening.

At last, some thought. A place without conflict and all was peaceful—a place filled with harmony.

The pale emperor couldn't contain the proud smile slithering over his lips before turning to address Fleur de Lis and Fancy Pants, the two-headed lovers returning from a patrol.

"More refugees are discovering your fortress, my lord," Fleur bowed, keeping her mane stylized and coat manicured despite how pale she was becoming.

"We're beginning to suspect that some scouts from both sides will make mention of this place," Fancy added in. "Are you not worried Spike or Sombra will send troops at our front gate?"

"Not at all," Zeloph responded, his magnificent magenta eyes shimmering with promise. "Should they come, I will allow them to settle their troubles in our colosseum, so that all may bear witness to the birth of a new era for Equestria. Whoever is victorious may join us in our sacred mission of serenity and peace."

"Are you sure about that? Spike already knows much about you. How do you know he'll come to us willingly?"

The Vice Lord chuckled. "The fools know n̴ơ҉t́h̡̀i͢͡n͘g! Whatever tidbits of information the dream faun may have given do not compare to the pure madness I'll instill that dragon and tyrant should they intervene with my plans. Make no mistake, my lovers. Ţ́͡h̶i̧s͘͡ ̢wor̛ĺ͝d̕ ̵͟͢w̕͢͠į̨͡l͟͞͠l͏̛ ̕͟b̕ȩ͢ fr̢͢e̡͘é fr͏ǫ̧m͞ ̡͠al̛͢l̢͠ ̢͘ţh̡i͏̴̛ngs̵ ̀͡u҉̴͞n͢p̕u̡r͟e ̴b҉e̷fo͡r̵͡è́ my̛̕ ͟҉̕d͟a͟͠u̧͟g̢̛͠h̨t̸̡e͞͞r̡͟ ̴i̛͟͏s̷̢ b͘͠òr̸͢n͠!̡͝"

"As you wish, Emperor Zeloph," Fancy acknowledged, uneasy. During his time back with his wife, he had thought things would become better by agreeing to aid in Zeloph's plight. This beautiful city was certainly a start. But he couldn't help but feel unnerved by the primordial's 'devotion' to purification. His goal seemed just, if not a little fabricated. Even if he wore a male stallion's face, there was a certain lack of compassion to his mannerisms. Something about it all seemed false.

"It is awfully impolite to be having such doubts about me when I am present, Fancy Pants," Zeloph said, staring curiously at the male unicorn head, a notable frown on his lips. Fleur gazed concerningly at her love.

"O-oh, please! Forgive my suspicions; I'm just thought this all seemed...so..."

"Haha! Relax, friend. I understand my methods are...u͘n̵o̡͡r̨t̷ḩ҉͡o͢d̷̢͠o͡x̵̀ to say the least. I was the one to fuse the two of you together, after all. To accept me so quickly is a foolish notion on my part," he chuckled, looking back down from his ivory tower. "But in time, I hope that all will welcome me as the righteous savor."

"Especially Beatrix, right?" Fleur noted with a cocked eyebrow.

A hint of color glowed over his pale cheeks. "Well.... That goes without saying. There is much I want to share with her. To share with e̵̢ve̴r͏y͘͞o̵̸͟ņ̷e͡͞! Soon, all of them will see me for what I truly am~!" With that said, he dismissed the lovers as they walked back to greet the arrivals. Fleur, of course, couldn't care less if Zeloph wasn't as saintly as he made himself out to be.

He gave her her life back. All else that mattered to her was Sombra dead and her husband there to cherish their nights.

"A-augchk!" She coughed, rubbing her throat.

"Me amour! Are you alright," Fancy asked with worry. That particular cough was nasty sounding.

"I-I'm fine. I just need my medicine, is all," the soldier-turned-assassin insisted. "...where did I leave the bottle again?"

"You left it on the cabinet in our room."

"Ahh! Right, thank you." The pair head back while the male unicorn head detected that strange music was buzzing near his ear. It sounded like an old song playing on a scratch record. Now, if only he could figure out where that was coming from...

*****

After the public execution of 'Cozy Glow,' no more than an illusion layered over a body double who had agreed to lay down her life for the sake of the nation, Sombra mobilized his forces and began his own march on the head of the alliance. He took Cerise with him and left Inky Rose in charge, albeit she was little more than a figurehead, surrounded his elite guards at all times.

Seated on her throne, Inky was thankful that Radiant Hope, Diamond Tiara, and the twins were there to keep her company. Outside the pyramid, the capital was awash in celebration. Effigies of Spike and his inner circle were thrown into pyres.

She shuddered and gripped the sides of her throne, studied helmeted and masked soldiers, a constant reminder she was helpless.

Torches crackled and cast a warm sheen over the interior, almost like the Pony of Shadows had taken a part of the darkness with him. She rubbed her false wing, trembled, and closed her eyes. “Cerise, Penumbra, please be okay.”

Radiant touched her arm. “It's out of our hands now. All we can do is wait.” The Crystal Heart continue to swell in her bosom, the twins simultaneously excited and nervous to hear that the Crystal Empire would surely be involved soon, as rumor had it that Penumbra moved on the area. “Worry not. Shining Armor is an honorable stallion, from what I know.”

Inky nodded. “To a fault. Just like my son. Whoever wins, I...I...” She choked down a low sob.

“We'll pray for Penumbra,” said Radiant, and the twins nodded.

“I could lose Cerise, too. Some people think I sheltered her too much, but I couldn't stand to lose her. She's the last part of Pacific Glow I have.” Inky reclined in her throne, her plume protectively wrapped about her.

“Don't focus on that. Trust in them,” urged Radiant, who drew her snout into a line.

“Yes, I.... I-I must,” Inky told herself, unable to help but dread all the possible results. She'd often been cynical, pessimistic, Pacific Glow the foil to her bleak outlook. Cerise had become the bundle of joy in her life after her loss, a reminder there would always be warmth and smiles, whatever damage the Eldritch had done. She feared her husband was already long lost to her.

She couldn't bear to lose her children on top of that. “We'll fetch you some wine,” said Foal-Bearer, who with permission of the guards in attendance went with Wet Nurse to do so. After their swift return they poured their Queen a drink, who sniffled and soon all but drank herself into a stupor, unable to understand what darkness had befallen her beloved and turned him into a monster.