From Shadow Unto Snow

by Child of Stars

Rating: everyone
Tags: Adventure, King Sombra, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Mystery
Length: 1325

I awaken in this void with barely any memories of what was before. All I know is that I have to remember and then figure out what to do next. But, why is it so dark and cold? So very, very cold...

I'm in this void. A mind separated from it's body and just thinking. I don't know what or who I am or even if I am. Do I exist? I must, but then why can't I remember anything...

Well I can remember one thing, it has something to do with shadows and crystals.

This story is a kind of what if story that takes place during the MLP FIM season 6 premiere. It's basically the idea that what if the Crystal Heart was preventing Sombra from returning, and when it was destroyed it let him return. Then the story takes place from his perspective in his own mind.

Published 2021-08-09 21:00:00 UTC
Last updated 2021-08-09 21:00:00 UTC

And So I Awake

Cold.

I feel cold.

Dark.

It's so dark.

What am I? I know I must exist because I can think and feel, but how? Who am I? Am I anything, or just a mind in a void? No, I don’t know how, but I know that I’m more than just a mind. I wasn't always like this. I had a body and a life, but why can't I remember any of it? What was I?

I’m…

I’m a pony! I don’t know why that came to me, but I just know it to be true. Yes It’s starting to come back now and fast. I’m a male. My coat is a dark ashy gray and I have a flowing pitch black mane. My cutie mark is… I don’t have one? Then am I a colt? No, no I’m definitely a stallion. I don’t have a cutie mark because I’m a unicorn? No that doesn’t make any sense, but I am a unicorn right?

I have a curved horn the same color as my eyes, red. Wait… I’m no unicorn, I’m an Umbrum! A race of shadow ponies trapped beneath the Crystal Empire…

The Crystal Empire? Why does that sound so familiar-

The Crystal Empire! That’s my empire, because I’m its king! I wear silver armor, a blood red cape, and a black crown. Then what happened to me? I see no one else around me in this darkness, so I must not be trapped with the other Umbrum beneath the empire. So, then where am I?

Also, if I’m the king of this empire then why would my subjects, presumably, cast me out? What did I do, and how did they even-

Sombra…

My name is Sombra. I’m King Sombra, the rightful ruler of the Crystal Empire. Okay, so I remember my name, but that still doesn’t explain anything else… Wait, my subjects didn’t cast me out, they tried to kill me! Why though, and with what! With…

With the… It’s starting to come back to me.

With the crystal… It’s all coming back.

With the crystal heart… hold up, the crystal…

The Crystal Heart! I-I, I remember it all! Those wretched crystal ponies! Those slaves and their “Crystal Princess” used the heart to kill me! But, then how am I alive now? Ah yes, my horn of course. It must have survived and I’m regenerating back to my physical form. But it's too soon, if my memory serves me correct, it’s only been about three and a half years since I was destroyed. But that can’t be right. It would normally take me around one hundred years to even get a fraction of this level of cognitive thought. Unless some outside force were to intervene or the Crystal Heart was destroyed… The heart, I can’t feel the heart!

It must be gone! The heart must have been destroyed somehow. Ugh, I’m gone for only a couple of years and the crystal slaves have already destroyed it. Well no matter, either way this helps speed up my plans tenfold. With the heart gone only few things in this world could stop me. Such things like Discord, but he’s in stone last I checked, the two sisters with their banishment spell, but that won’t work twice, and the Elements of Harmony's power. The elements… I felt their magical presence in the Crystal Empire at the time of my defeat. This must mean that they have chosen new bearers since Celestia was nowhere to be seen at that time.

This complicates things, with new element bearers on the prowl I’ll have to be careful as to whom I pick a fight with. Matters not, I’m still going ahead with taking back my empire. For it is a sovereign nation that needs to rid itself from the tyrannical grip of the two sisters and oust it’s current puppet government! Now, I think it’s well past time that I form into some matter of being and not just sit here in my own mind.

Okay then, in 3… 2… 1… go!

…

Hmm… A lot less pain than I thought. It really didn't even hurt, I must be stronger than even I thought. At this rate I’ll be able to return to my former glory by the end of the month, if the Crystal Heart stays destroyed that is. Knowing my subjects I bet they have already found a way to fix it. Well too late now, I’m clearly already too strong for the ambient magic of the Heart to keep me down. Whether it takes a month to reform or a year I will return and reclaim my empire. Now to actually open my eyes and see.

Snow and ice. What did I really expect? It’s about mid-day by the looks of it. Well this hybrid between my physical form and shadow form I’ve taken is quite interesting. Keeps me from feeling the cold yet I can still interact with the world, too bad it leaves me weak and defenseless. It’s better than waiting one thousand years or so to reform fully I guess. Lets see, on my right... There’s snow. On the left… More snow… Hmm, guess I should just pick a direction away from the Empire and start walking.

In front of me, snow.

Behind me, snow.

Everywhere, snow. There is just so much snow! I didn’t expect much else, but still this is infuriating. Couldn't my horn have landed somewhere nice like a warm beach or an abandoned cave? Just not so close to the empire. Even though I’m stronger than its ambient love magic it still burns me a little whenever I stray too close to it. I wish I could fly in my shadow form, but it seems that I’m still too weak to do that. Dark magic is out of the question, too taxing. Even regular magic is just too much of a struggle. Guess I'll just have to settle with walking for right now, at least I can’t feel the bitter cold I suppose.

Back to looking around. In front, snow.

Behind, snow and the empire by what I can feel.

To my left, more of the “Frozen North” as I hear it’s called.

To my right, more snow and a cave. Back to walking I guess… Wait, a cave! Finally, a place to rest up and gain some strength back. It looks abandoned too, just my luck. Huh, finally a moment to just rest and not try to remember my life or think about better times yet to come. Hmm, this cave looks sturdy enough from inside it here. Hopefully no cave-ins are in my near future. Now to lay down and watch Celestia’s wretched sun dip below the horizon and just… I haven’t even tried to speak yet. How did that not occur to me till just now? Well here goes nothing.

“I’m King Sombra, and I will take back my empire.” Wow, okay not doing that again. A voice that has been seldom used for a thousand or so years is not meant to speak yet, noted. My voice sounds scratchy and ghost like, not far off from my real voice I suppose. Hey it seems I’m starting to feel again… Just in time for a freezing night, great. Better hunker down, tomorrow is going to be a big day. For now however, It’s getting dark and cold.

Very…

Very…

Cold.

Author's Note

This story takes place during the MLP FIM season 6 premiere.
This is also my very first foray into writing. (Yup, my very first story!):twilightsmile:
Though I've had experience in writing before, nothing like this. As in writing fanfiction for fun. So, please rate and review! Constructive criticism is welcome as I would love to know what I could improve upon in my writing, as well as knowing what I did well. Thanks! ~ Child of Stars