It was all over.

First his family, then kingdom, and every chance he had to take it back. Sombra now was about to lose everything that would come next, and there was no plan this time. Looking around at each of those six sets of eyes, it was clear to what will happen now. What he thought was impossible, an unfaultable plan, had failed. Now made clear in Sombra’s mind, a thought that tore at his heart; the price of vengeance, of peace, was death.

“Try to hurt my friends!”

That enraged voice screamed from a short distance behind the king.

“And I’ll send you back to where you came from!”

Twilight was first, charging her horn. Bright flashes, swirling lights, now was the time. Sombra stared at the ground, feeling his mane and cape rise with the ponies about to annihilate his body. Now way to return, the end of his life felt drawn out, tormenting him with looming death.

Only one pony could have possibly wanted to give him another chance, but she was gone long ago. And he would see her in a moment. With only a bright burning light engulfing the king’s body, and the pain of losing everything, he let out a horrific scream. Not a scream of physical pain, but the overwhelming sorrow.

Everything was dark again, in the void before finally death. The light was already there, waiting for him. Sombra sat still, crumpled in on himself, tears forming around his eyes. Radiant looked down at him, sighing with a look of sympathy.

“What are we going to do with you…” Disappointment was clear in her tone.

Like a foal being scalded by his mother, Sombra kept his gaze down. After everything, he could not bring himself to look her in the eye.

“It’s not just you failed, but what really gets me is that you took advantage of my position.”

Shocked, Sombra jerked up to fix his tear ridden face at the stern looking unicorn.
“But…” He choked, “I did all of this for us!”

Radiant sighed, composing her frustration. “I never saw anything, because you didn’t do anything different.”

Seeing the stallion was in disbelief, she went on. “What’s the point of a new life if it’s the same as the first? There is none, it’s insane, meaningless.”

Finally, Sombra’s silence ended, his voice warrying with sadness. “Everything I did… Was for us!”
He leaned forward, feeling the weight on his shaking joints. “How could it be meaningless! I got closer every time!”

Radiant looked thoughtful, slowly beginning to approach him. “Was it for us? or for yourself?”

She knelt down, and looked Sombra in the eyes, taking his head in her hooves.
“Oh Sombra, you tried so hard to be the best, you forgot to be good.”

He stared in confusion.

Radiant hummed to herself, “I fell in love with you too quick, I should have taken the time to teach you about life.”

“It’s not your fault.” Sombra rose slightly, just enough to meet the smaller unicorn’s face. “It’s them, they are the one’s who need to pay! They destroyed our lives!”

Radiant smiled faintly, “They paid enough, every time, with all the damage you caused.”

She lets go, leaving Sombra's head to shutter on it's own. “I brought you back because I needed you to try again to get it right. So you can learn that you can make your own life.”

Radiant paused, seeing the hurt of realization in the umbrum's face. "After all, I had my life to live. It wasn't fair you had to go so early."

As the mare stepped back, more tears fell as Sombra stood up shakily, fighting the spell pulling him back to life.

The light pulsated, and the dark void trembled.

“Seems that somepony else thinks you deserve a second chance.” The pink unicorn smiled.

Sombra froze, speechless.

“You’re lucky, you know that?” The mare smiled, eyes sparkling with sadness.
“Now live your own life, I will always love you.”

The dark king watched his beloved fade away, revealing the buildings that were once there. Along with the dirt roads and clear sky. Sombra’s body curled into a ball, covered in charred cape and brittle metal.

Author's Note

not yet the end