Might Makes Right

Chapters

Chapter I: Might Makes Right

Chapter I: Might Makes Right

Only about a third of Vanhoover seemed to have been destroyed in the takeover, which was good. Rebuilding cost resources, and they were a waste when there were already buildings there.

Of course, more important than the state of the buildings was the state of Vanhoover's citizens. Some would have died, of course. Many would object to doing anything for Sombra, indirectly or otherwise. Those ones would become mind slaves, ready to be sent into battle or simply do menial labor. Some would be quick to change sides, but would be too incompetent to get anything done, and would probably also become mind slaves. Some would be ready to change sides, to acquiesce to Sombra's strength, and would be good enough. It was hard controlling thousands of mind slaves, even with the armor they were wearing assisting Sombra, so the more ponies willing to work for him, the better.

Then there'd be the few...the precious few...who would excel. Those who were stronger than their fellows. Those with ambition.

There were always so few. Celestia's rule had made the ponies weak.

Once upon a time, he recalled, the world had been a violent place. There had been many strong ponies back then, but Grogar and the Windigos had been stronger than them.

"M-my liege!"

Sombra was broken out of his reverie by one of his scouts flying down. The pegasi, if they would serve him, he preferred to leave free of mind control. They were strong, and had a noble ancestry—both of which appealed to him.

Unfortunately, you couldn't always see it.

Ship Jumper was a light-blue pegasus with a dark brown mane—an unfortunate combination, really. She was a coward, and had the frankly abhorrent tendency to stammer and never speak properly.

"Yes?" he said.

"The surviving, uh, townsfolk have all been gathered," Ship squeaked, flinching back. Her wings were stretched out, ready to take her to the skies, as little help as that would be against Sombra.

"Excellent. What about casualties?"

"Sixteen townsfolk, counting military and civilian, were killed," Ship said.

Sombra bared his teeth. "I trust that that was neccessary?"

"I-I'm sorry, my liege...I, uh, guess we weren't strong enough to capture them," Ship said, stepping back and lowering her head.

Sombra accepted the deference. "Fine. How many wounded?"

"Two military and one civilian were seriously wounded. Several received minor injuries, but, uh, nothing that would even prevent work. And...our side..."

"Continue," Sombra stressed, trotting down streets streaked with blood. Every once in a while, he saw a severed hoof or head, usually with town's guard armor. Rarely was the body seen nearby...his soldiers seemed to have cleaned the path for him.

"One mind-slave was killed, two injured severely. A third seems to have...broken free somehow? I-I'm not sure--"

"Kill that one," Sombra ordered. "And the rest of my troops?"

"Hoofticuff broke one of her forelegs when several of the defenders dropped on anvil on her--" Whatever else he had to say for Earth ponies, they were definitely sturdy. "—And Broadmane was skewered by a lance, but the d-doctors think he'll recover fine."

Sombra stepped up to the town square, eying the townsfolk. All of them cowered, flinching back, and several started a fresh round of weeping. "And what of--"

"My liege!"

Sombra suppressed a groan. With the war having spread far from the Crystal Empire by now, he was forced to fight on more fronts than he alone could handle. His most trusted commanders were off on most of those, conquering in his name. This left him with his lieutenants as Ship Jumper, and Weather Vain.

Weather hopped down in front of Sombra, doing a quick bow that the king was barely willing to count, before rising with a grin. "I do believe they're good and ready for your speech," he said.

Sombra smothered his irritation. "Of course," he said. Weather was the most infuriating of pegasi to talk to, and his arrogance proved no end of irritation. "Ship, go handle the mind-slave issue." She saluted with a wing, then flew off at high speeds. Sombra turned back to Weather Vain. He noted that his black coat was seemingly spotless, his armor with only a light coating of dust, and his mane still immaculately groomed.

"Do explain to me," Sombra said slowly, "why we have sixteen potential slaves, or better, killed, when we only had one of our troops die, and that was an expendable?"

Weather flinched. "Ah, yes, that. The defenders seemed to reach the conclusion that if they held long enough, their beloved princess would arrive. With you being yet to arrive, I decided to blow open their defenses with targeted lighting bombardment. Thirteen of the dead were upon the walls when they collapsed, and the other three were the standard ones while rounding up the survivors."

Weather was good at his job, at least. It was roughly what Sombra himself would have done, if he'd been a pegasus.

"Very well," Sombra said. "It is forgiven."

"Thank you, my liege," Weather said, with an infuriating smirk and a deep bow.

"But your story does beg the question: what of Celestia? Has she shown herself?"

"Hah!" Weather shouted, bolted back upright. "She hides upon her mountain! The coward refuses to fight you, Your Majesty!"

Sombra turned to the crowd, intent on adding upon Weather's statement, but a voice interrupted him.

"But if Celestia is a coward for acknowledging King Sombra's superior strength, then aren't you a coward for working for him?"

There was a long pause. Weather spluttered for a moment, and several pegasus troops of Sombra's exchanged nervous glances.

The townsfolk, seemingly fearing an upcoming retribution, cleared a wide circle around the speaker. Sombra focused his attention from Weather Vain, to a unicorn filly, seemingly barely out of her school years, with a fiery red and yellow mane and the strap from her saddblebags hanging loosely around her neck.

"Come to think of it," she said, tapping her chin with one hoof, "I do believe you just called his entire army an army of cowards, as well. Tartarus, if he acknowledges his own strength, would that make him a coward, too?"

There was a very long silence, before Weather Vain regained his composure. "How dare you!" he snarled, stomping towards her. "You wretched--"

Sombra stepped past him, and he immediately fell silent. "Are you saying that people only follow me because I am strong?" he asked.

The unicorn thought that over for a second, hiding her fear extremely well. "Well, I don't think it's because of your worker's rights policies, Your Majesty," she said.

Sombra barked out a laugh, then turned to face the surrounding townsfolk. "As it should be," he told them. He marched back to the center of the square, continuing. "Who else should rule in this world but those with the strength to do so? Has it not always been like this? Dating back to Grogar, the strong have always given orders to the weak. You've enjoyed Celestia's reign, no doubt—but a new reign comes. My reign." He let them process that for a moment, then finished. "Those of you who are strong may become much more than you used to be. Give yourself to me, and I will make you into something you couldn't have ever dreamed of. The time for weakness has passed! You must be strong to live in this new age."

Silence filled his proclamation. None of the ponies looked particularly enthusiastic about it.

Except for one little unicorn, with a curious expression on her face.

"Weather, get to work on interviewing them," Sombra ordered. "I want their professions, skills, and special talents documented. I want them working for my Empire by the end of tomorrow."

"It will be done, Your Majesty!" Weather declared, saluting with a wing. He turned to shoot one last glare at the unicorn, then stepped back to start giving orders to some of the other soldiers and the townsfolk.

"You," Sombra said, turning to the unicorn.

She paused, stiffening, matching Sombra's gaze, her brave facade finally cracking. "Come," Sombra ordered, moving at a brisk trot.

The unicorn followed, moving to walk at his right side. Fear radiated off of her, but she hardly showed it if you were just looking.

Sombra stepped into one of the buildings, marching up a staircase to the roof. Half the building had actually collapsed, with soot marks from lightning strikes.

Sombra stopped at the edge of the roof, looking out over the town. The unicorn moved to stand next to him, hesitantly.

"A thousand years ago, ponies didn't live this far north," Sombra said casually. "The cold was too harsh a reminder of the Windigos, and the sea held nothing but terrors. So it's ridiculous to think that despite the fact that they conquered that fear, they've grown this weak."

"Perhaps it's because they conquered it," the unicorn said slowly. "I mean, there's been no conflict of any sort until you arrived. So, how would they grow strong without anything to fight?"

Sombra nodded. "Perhaps. They will come to accept this new order in time, or they will perish." He turned partly to look at the frightened filly, saying, "So, in this town of cowards and weaklings...what makes you acceptant?"

"I...what?"

"Did I not speak clearly enough for you?" Sombra said, moving his muzzle closer to hers.

"No, I just...I'm surprised you're taking this time just to talk to me. Y-your Majesty."

"Did you see how your fellow townsfolk responded?" Sombra scoffed, turning back to look over Vanhoover. "You are the only one who showed strength. Suffice it to say, I'm curious...especially with how you spoke of Celestia."

The fear returned in full force, and she flinched back. "I--"

"I know what familiarity sounds like," Sombra said. "You've met her, haven't you?"

She looked away. "I...was her student."

"Was?"

"I...quit," she said.

"You had one of the most powerful positions on the planet," Sombra intoned. "You were a student of pony who was, at the time, the most powerful pony alive. And you gave it up?"

"I didn't give it up!" she shouted. Too late, she remembered who she was speaking to, and flinched back.

"Continue," Sombra ordered.

"I...I wanted to keep being her student! I wanted to learn! I wanted...I wanted power." Sombra felt his lips tug into a light smile, though the filly didn't seem to notice. "All she ever seemed to want me to get was friends. All 'friendship' this, 'friendship' that...rich coming from a pony who's lived alone in her castle for a thousand years." She snorted, stamping one hoof. "I wanted to learn from her, but...she just couldn't see what I had to offer, I suppose."

"No," Sombra replied, "it's that she had differing priorities."

She frowned, meeting his gaze.

"To me, there is but one thing that matters above all else: strength. It can be in the form of cunning or raw power, but strength is what matters. Celestia simply sees other things as more important—I'd blame her other teacher, but I doubt he'd have cared much for friendship, either." He never cared about our friendship, anyway, Sombra added to himself. "Nevertheless, you stand in an advantageous position right now, my little pony."

"Um...does that mean you're not about to execute me?"

"I have no plans to do so, at the moment," Sombra corrected.

The unicorn collapsed, breathing out a long sigh of relief. "Thank God," she whispered.

"No," Sombra said. "Thank me."

She looked up, meeting his eyes, then nodded. She stood up, then hesitated. "What exactly is advantageous about my position?" she asked.

"In front of you stands a sorcerer vastly more powerful than Celestia," Sombra said. "One who happens to share some of your own ideals and desires. And one who happens to be able to make great use of you."

The little unicorn blinked, seemingly understanding what he was getting at. "Are you offering to teach me?"

"I see a fire in your eyes, my little pony," Sombra said, turning to fully face her. "Serve me, and I will tend that flame. I will let it grow like Celestia never would. I will teach you so much more than she ever would."

She took a step away, then looked over the town, at a plume of smoke in the distance. "What would you have me do?" she asked.

"Depends on your skills," Sombra said. "You could make a general, or an enchanter, or perhaps a guard. To an extent, the choice is yours. But whatever I ask of you, you'd best be ready to do."

The unicorn paused, biting her lip, before turning to the sky again. She looked up, perhaps hoping for answers. What she looked into was the sun, as it began its descent over the horizon.

Her face hardened, her lips tightened into a line. Her eyes glared at the sun's light, then she turned back to Sombra. With determination, she bent her forelegs and bowed.

Sombra grinned. "Have you a name, my little pony?"

"Sunset. Sunset Shimmer."

"Rise, Sunset Shimmer," he said. "Your life begins anew."

Sunset stood, hesitantly. "One...one of your soldiers took my journal."

"Weather Vain," Sombra said. "That's why he was the victim of your sharp tongue, right?"

Sunset nodded.

"I will have it returned to you," Sombra said, eyeing a pegasus that hovered nearby. "Ship!"

Ship flew in, landing on the edge of the roof with wings outstretched. "Your Majesty?" she said.

"Sunset Shimmer here has decided to serve me," Sombra said. "Make sure she gets special quarters. Also, Weather commandeered her journal, and I would see it returned to her."

"Yes, Your Majesty!" she said. She hopped down from her perch, trotting over to Sunset, adding, "I, uh, also handled the...o-other issue."

"Good." Sombra turned, saying, "I shall call upon you tomorrow, my little pony. For now, get some rest. You will need it."

"U-uh—"

Sombra turned to Ship Jumper again, with annoyance. "Yes?"

She flinched back. "Th-the town hall is set up p-per your orders."

"Very well. Now, if that is all, you may leave."

Ship bolted into the sky...before returning back to the roof. "Um, this way...Sunset? Y-yeah, that was your name..."

Sunset followed Ship, sparing one last glance at the king. Sombra turned, surveying over the town, before she left.

It was an hour or so later when Weather Vain arrived, carrying a saddlebag. He landed near Sombra, and bowed deeply.

"I take it that I am not being disturbed for some trivial matter?" Sombra said simply.

"I do not believe it so," Weather said, his usual pomp somewhat lacking. He gestured to the saddlebags, saying, "I have retrieved...'Sunset's' journal."

"And?"

"The contents of it, and her reluctance to give it up, made me hesitant to give it to her before letting you see it."

Sombra accepted the saddlebags, holding them in his magic, before pulling a dusty old tome out of them. He examined the Cutie Mark boldly emblazoned upon the cover, before opening it to the first page. He raised an eyebrow at Weather.

"I am unfamiliar with the language," Weather said, "and while she looks and acts like an Equestrian, she is definitely not from Vanhoover."

"She's from Canterlot," Sombra said. "Or so I assumed." He turned his gaze back to the journal, frowning, as he read the contents. She'd made the odd choice to write her journal in Old Ponish, and while he knew the language well, he was, perhaps, a little rusty...not that Weather needed to know it.

"She does tend to act like Canterlot nobility," Weather muttered, hoof to his chin. "She carries that polite cruelty unique to them, with thinly-veiled insults ever present..."

He continued talking, but Sombra ignored him in favor of the 'journal'. He flipped through a few more pages, viewing the content within.

"You did well," he interrupted. "But I command you to silence on this. Speak not a word to anypony."

Weather saluted with a wing. "Of course, Your Majesty."

"Is there anything else?"

"Nothing I am aware of, Your Majesty."

"Then leave me," Sombra ordered.

Weather Vain flew off, leaving Sombra alone. Sombra examined the journal, thinking carefully. It was enchanted, to convey messages to Celestia. Sunset had been honest with him earlier—she was no longer Celestia's student, he was certain of that. But she could always swap sides again. Yet he didn't want to do anything that made her swap sides—she was a powerful asset, and he refused to just give her up.

His horn glowed, and he teleported into the room set up for him in the town hall. True to Ship Jumper's word, it was set up to his liking, including several extra tomes in case he desired them.

Celestia's magic, while strong, was not prepared to handle his prodding. Of course, dismantling the enchantment would have been easy, but was also the marked difference between 'intelligence' and 'cunning'. Yes, he could break the enchantment, but Sunset would notice. If she noticed, she would run, one way or another. So instead, he altered the enchantment.

It was finicky to alter an enchantment so that it would also look the same to prying eyes, but he managed it nonetheless. When he was done, he was certain Sunset wouldn't notice he'd changed the enchantment.

A small change, but massive, in its own way. The journal would now send its text to a journal Sombra held, and stashed in the drawer by his bedside cabinet. He returned Sunset's journal to its saddlebags, smiling to himself. Now he'd know if she tried to betray him to Celestia, and he wouldn't risk losing a potentially very variable asset.

Strength was the way he ruled, but without cunning strength was only a tool. Meanwhile, cunning without strength was inevitably pointless, as seen in the likes of Weather Vain, who could only cling to something of real power and hope to stay in his good graces.

Sunset could turn out to be one of his strongest lieutenants. She had cunning a plenty, he could tell, and strength...she was certainly strong. She had dared to speak up in that crowd, just to spite somepony she was mad at. It took courage to do something like that, and Sombra doubted he'd find many more ponies like that in Equestria.

He climbed into bed, magically sending his cloak onto a rack. The day had turned out to be more productive than just taking Vanhoover, it appeared.

Sombra's thoughts were pleasant as he drifted off to sleep.

Sombra had several chalk lines circled around the former town hall's main foyer by the time Ship Jumper arrived with Sunset. He chose to make them wait in silence a moment, while he closed off another circle, making three in total.

He floated the now defunct piece of white calk to an aide, taking the next one from them as he turned to Sunset and Ship. "Morning rep--" He cut off, staring at Sunset.

Sunset now wore a chestplate like any of his other soldiers, with armor around her neck and forehooves as well, but it clearly didn't fit her properly. The neck armor folded down somewhat, the chestplate hung loosely, and the forehoof armor rattled as she fidgeted.

"I'm s-sorry, Your Majesty, but we, uh, didn't...h-have anything immediately ready for a filly her size," Ship apologized, scraping the ground with one hoof as she turned away. "This, um, is..."

"I understand," Sombra said stiffly. "Noteworthy, set her an appointment for this afternoon to be fitted properly."

His main aide, an elderly unicorn colt, scribbled that down his notebook. Sombra turned back to Ship, saying, "Morning report."

"The catalogue of the townsfolk's special talents is completed," Ship said. "Mainly, lots of ponies adept at sea-fishing for pearls and underwater plants used as food. There, um, was only one smith pony." She winced. "The town's unicorn college, um, it's...hmm."

"Spit it out," Sombra ordered.

"It seems that the local g-government, uh, thought to, um, place their funds in other, uh...enterprises. So, uh, the unicorn college of magic had only eight students and two teachers, and one of the teachers, uh...was on the walls yesterday."

Sombra let out a slow breath through his nostrils. "Let me guess. Dismembered?"

"Y-yes, Your Majesty. We, uh, found some of the pieces, but, uh...I don't think you can really do much with that."

"Ew," Sunset said, wrinkling her nose.

"I could do a lot with that, but nothing that would be worth the effort," Sombra muttered. He'd made zombies before, and while he could make ones that wouldn't rot, it tended to be a hefty investment for little payback. "And is there anything worthwhile in the rest of the unicorn college?"

Sunset cleared her throat, giving a slight head bob.

"You may speak," Sombra said, turning to her.

"I actually came to Vanhoover to see if I could enroll at their college, but I found it...sorely lacking to my goals," Sunset said. "Mostly, a couple of dusty old books that didn't contain anything beyond the most basic of information."

"Disappointing," Sombra said, "but it is a predominantly pegasus town, so not unexpected."

"Otherwise, very, um, little of note until we are ready to go overseas," Ship said.

"The location is good," Sombra said slowly, "and the food supplies will help my soldiers. But, all the same, this town has proved quite disappointing."

"So..." Sunset paused, then said, "It's not just me?"

Sombra resisted the urge to crack a smile. "I suppose not," he said aloud. He pulled up a small bag with his magic, then said, "This is yours?"

Sunset's eyes alighted on the bag with her Cutie Mark on it, and shone with greed. "Yes," she said.

Sombra put the saddlebags on her, meeting her eyes. "I return this to you," he told her.

She held his gaze, then nodded slowly. "Thank you." Good, it seemed she could tell where she stood.

"Ship, finish your report," Sombra ordered, turning back to the pegasus.

She jumped slightly, then swallowed. "Right, um..." She hastily flicked through her own saddlebag, finding a piece of paper, then struggled to get it into a position to view it. Sunset seized it in her telekinesis, lifted it out of Ship's hooves, and held it in front of her.

"Thanks," Ship muttered. "There have been some signs of Celestia's forces gathering, but, uh, mostly, scouts. Weather's out doing patrols, making sure there isn't anything bigger than that, but uh...he hasn't...found anything yet. Noteably, um, there is one pegasus who keeps showing up. We think she's, uh, some sort of head scout?" Ship fished in her saddlebag, pulling out a small slip of paper.

"A photo?" Sombra asked. He still didn't fully understand how they worked, but he understood the results well enough.

"We tried," Ship said.

Sombra took it in his magic, examining it. He paused, then frowned at it.

"She was, um, quite fast," Ship said, "so, uh, our best efforts, to, um, photograph her...made the resolution, uh, turn out quite a bit, um, on the blurry side. If we could find a decent lensmaker, then--"

"Give me useful information," Sombra ordered, throwing the photo back in her face.

Sunset took it with her magic as Ship flinched back. "Camera's don't work well on fast-moving objects, so a photo of this pegasus won't work," Sunset said. "That said, couldn't you try giving a physical description, if information about some random scout was that important?"

"If I had decided that he was unimportant, I would have said so," Sombra said firmly. "I have made no such decision yet."

"Oh...s-sorry, Your Majesty," Sunset said, flinching back.

"Um..." When Sombra nodded at her, Ship continued. "She was too fast for anyone to, uh, see anything more than a Wonderbolt suit, which is why we think she's, um, a scout captain. She hasn't, uh, come near the town yet, but..."

"I see," Sombra said. "Tell Weather that he and his soldiers should feel free to engage this one at any point. Dead or captured, but preferably captured."

"Yes, Your Majesty," Ship said with a nod.

"Anything else?"

"Um, another mind slave broke free," Ship said slowly. "Got the jump on one of our soldiers, but was, uh, taken down before any real harm was caused."

"When this happens, kill them immediately, and send the armor in for examination."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"Good. Now, get on with your tasks." Ship bolted out in a blue blur, shooting out the door and into the sky. "Now, Sunset," Sombra said, turning to her. He gave a slight nod to the room, and the chalk circles inscribed around it. "Do you have any idea what I'm doing here?"

Sunset paused, examining the chalk circles. "Two big outer circles...and then that small one in the middle..."

Sombra reached out with the chalk, drawing another line reaching from the outer lines, and let it curve inwards towards the middle circle.

Sunset traced it with her eyes, then froze. "One moment, Your Majesty," she said, horn glowing. She teleported. Sombra traced her path with his eyes, finding her as she reappeared on the second floor. After a second, she returned to his side with a flash of green sparkles and a twinkle in her eye. "Is that a teleportation rune?" she asked excitedly.

"Yes," Sombra said, smiling.

"It's huge!" Sunset said, bouncing to his other side, before leaning down close to examine the lines. "You could probably go halfway around the continent but—wait, aren't they supposed to get more complicated the bigger they are?"

"Yes. Quite so, but I know what I am doing," Sombra said, waving the chalk at her. "I want you to study me while I draw. Watch carefully, and I will give you some more details when I am done."

"Yes, sir!" Sunset saluted with one hoof, and pulled out her journal. She paused, however, staring at it.

"Is something the matter?" Sombra asked carefully.

"Oh, um—nothing, really, it's just...is there...something else I can take notes in? This one's...not really suited for that purpose."

Sombra smiled to himself, then pulled a fresh book over. "I tend to have extras lying around," he said. "You can take your notes in this."

"Thank you," Sunset said, dropping her journal back in her saddlebags and taking the fresh one.

Sombra resumed his work on the teleportation rune, but the task was so rote to him that his mind kept wandering to the little filly taking notes besides him.

She seemed to have considered that writing notes on Sombra's magic equations in a book that would transmit them to Celestia was a bad idea, which meant that she had no plans to betray him to her just yet.

On the other hand, she had, for her own reasons, decided not to tell him, and he could only see bad outcomes from that. She needed to be immediately obedient to him. But...perhaps it was because she feared him too much. She was probably scared that he would simply throw her out if he found out about it.

That was a touch irritating, actually. But if he let her know he already knew, then he might scare her enough to make her run away. Well, that wouldn't be the biggest loss. She didn't know anything that Celestia could use yet, anyway, assuming Celestia believed her.

Yet, watching how eagerly she was taking notes, tongue stuck out in concentration like so many young ponies did, Sombra knew she was too valuable to risk like that. This little pony was strong. He knew that, but if he didn't handle this right, he could risk losing one of the most powerful assets he'd acquired since his return.

Sombra finished off the rune, then set down the chalk.

"Are you done?" Sunset asked.

"Almost," Sombra said. His horn lit up, and a glowing circle of red light appeared under him. "It is still just chalk at the moment. I now need to enchant it."

Sunset flipped to the next page in her new journal, but Sombra shook his head. "Without familiarity of another one to connect it to, you could not enchant it," he said. "I connect them all to the one in the Crystal Empire, and then they can be connected to each other." He let the magic flow, and the chalk runes glowed fiercely. The magic swirled, and finally, a red glow filled the room, before it all died down.

Sunset blinked. "Is that it?"

Sombra dusted some snow off his cloak with one hoof. "Yes, if you're not the one doing the enchanting, I suppose it wouldn't look like a lot of work," he said. Sunset blinked, looking around at the fine dusting of northern snow that had appeared around the edges of the room.

He pulled a sofa over with his magic, then climbed upon it and stretched out. He turned to Sunset, seeing her stare at him with a quizzical expression. "I don't believe you even have enough magic power yet to connect a teleportation rune this big," he said. "It's draining, even for one such as myself."

Sunset stepped over, then tapped the outermost circle with one hoof. She jumped back, shaking the hoof and hissing in pain.

Sombra couldn't resist a slight smile. "If you see an enchanter pour that much power into something, I strongly suggest not touching it immediately afterwards."

"Duely noted," Sunset muttered. "So, um, if this thing makes you tired, how, uh...how is anypony else supposed to use it?"

"What makes you think other ponies are allowed to?" Sombra asked.

Sunset rolled her eyes. "I got enough of the 'questions with questions' game from Celestia," she said. "If you wanted to personally travel across the continent, you could just teleport. You could teleport yourself from Whinneapolis to Manehattan and back again for the effort that goes into just making a rune on this scale, let alone repeatedly using it."

"You know you're spells," Sombra mused. "But you should try to temper that tongue of yours. I find it considerably less endearing than Celestia must have."

Sunset flinched. "Sorry, Your Majesty." She bowed her head, just slightly.

"It is forgiven," Sombra said. "As for the rune, though, are you not aware that pegasi and Earth ponies can use them, using their innate magic?"

"Yes, but they have to go through considerable training to actually do anything with one of these, especially if it's connected to more than one," Sunset said, gesturing. She narrowly avoided touching it directly, looking at the chalk lines in concern, but then continued. "You'd need around five or six ponies trained to use one this big, and then you'd be kind of stuck for the return trip."

"There are other solutions," Sombra said. "Were you aware that crystal ponies can power them?"

"Crystal ponies?" Sunset cocked her head sideways.

"Questions with questions?" Sombra said. He chuckled to himself as Sunset searched vainly for some excuse. Before she could find one, he answered her question. "The natives of the Crystal Empire. A fourth kind of pony." He sent a pulse out to the closest mind slaves, making them approach the town hall.

"Huh," Sunset said. "Are they...unicorns of a sort?"

"No, but they are incredibly magically charged," Sombra said, as three mind slaves stepped past Sunset. Sunset jumped, looking at them in alarm as they strode over the rune, to stand near the center.

Sunset stared at them. "Those...what's wrong with them? They look..."

"They are under my complete control," Sombra told her.

Sunset stared at them in shock. She stepped over—carefully avoiding directly touching the chalk—and looked into the faces of the shackled slaves. She waved one hoof in front of them, then booped one on the nose with her hoof.

"I thought that...was just a wild rumor," Sunset said slowly. She backtracked across the rune, over to where Sombra reclined. "You...you're..." She let out a breath, returning her gaze to the ponies. "This still shouldn't work, though. You can't force them to charge it and use it...can you?"

"I could, if I were willing to manage every single teleportation needed," Sombra said, "but that would defy the purpose. See where they're standing?"

Sunset nodded. "Those sigils aren't on smaller rune circles."

"Anypony standing on those could be used as a battery for it," Sombra explained, "willing or otherwise."

Sunset stared at her notes. "Huh," she said. "That's..." She looked back to the crystal ponies, somewhat unsettled.

"Is something the matter?" Sombra asked.

"Don't take this the wrong way, but you were terrifying enough before I knew you could do that," Sunset said. "I'm a little, uh...spooked, is all."

Sombra's mouth twitched into a wicked grin. "I'll take that as a compliment," he said. "But, if it's any consolation, I reserve the mind control for those who refuse my side. Those who willingly fight under me tend to be safe."

Sunset paused, then nodded. "Good to know," she said quietly. "A-anyway, I do believe I drew it properly." She flipped her notebook around, displaying a near perfect rendition of a grand-scaled teleportation rune.

Sombra barely hid his surprise. "Yes, you did very well," he said. "I've half a mind to say you've done this before."

"I learn quickly," Sunset said proudly.

Sombra rose, sliding off the couch and onto his hooves again. "Let it never be said that Celestia doesn't recognize talent," he said.

Sunset grumbled something he couldn't quite hear, but he decided to ignore it...for now. "I want you to practice that drawing more. I want you to be able to make these on your own." If she could manage that, then it would greatly increase the speed of his conquest. As it stood, he personally had to oversee the creation of the runes every time, leaving his troops moving at much slower speeds than would be preferred.

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Sunset said with a salute.

"But for now, come," Sombra ordered. He turned and trotted off, opening a door into a smaller, side room. A storage room of some kind, perhaps?

"This will do," he muttered to himself, before turning to Sunset.

"Do for what?" she asked.

Her attitude could use some work, he decided. But he'd handle that later. "I know you were a student of Celestia, and it is readily apparent to me that you have much magical talent," he said. "What I'd like to know is how much talent you possess."

"So, it's a test?" Sunset said with an eager grin, horn lighting up in anticipation.

Sombra matched her smile. "In a sense," he said. "Show me what you can do, my little pony."

They stopped every once in a while for Sombra to manage some detail or other, and for Sunset to catch her breath.

As he could easily expect, she didn't know many offensive spells, but, thankfully, she had been greatly into magic dueling. She was more skilled than he would have initially guessed, but her fighting skills were, nonetheless, limited.

Otherwise, though, her magic was fairly strong, though not at the point to where she could cast things like age spells. She could cast a variety of enchantments, hexes, and cantrips with ease.

As far as politics went, however, he was fairly disappointed. All she knew was what Celestia had taught her, which was a very different political system than what Sombra desired. It was unfortunate, but nothing he couldn't manage.

It was quite late in the afternoon when he heard hoofsteps from behind them. "My liege," Weather said in a stiff tone.

Sombra was about to turn around and answer him when Sunset snickered. He turned to her, seeing her perform a vain attempt to hide her amusement behind a hoof.

Sombra turned to see Weather in a disheveled state, mane mussed up, and covered in dirt, scratches, and a black eye.

He dusted off his breastplate, ignoring Sunset, as he said, "My apologies for appearing before you in this state, Your Majesty, but I bear news of the enemy."

"Out with it," Sombra said simply.

"We set up numerous ambushes for the scouts' leader, but in vain," Weather said. "Despite a prosthetic wing, she has got to be the fastest pegasus I've ever seen. Our fastest fliers couldn't keep up, and she didn't seem interested in combat. Up until we caught one of her compatriots, that is." He gave a slight smile. "Unfortunately, she herself escaped in the end, but with the capture of the other, the rest of the scouts have pulled back somewhat."

"If they're willing to pull back over a single loss, then they're not planning on any sort of larger scale attack," Sombra mused.

"I concur," Weather said, nodding. "There's none of the normal signs of such an attack, either."

"Has the captive been interrogated yet?" Sombra asked.

"Not yet, Your Majesty. She seems quite low rank, and undoubtedly knows hardly anything, so I came to alert you beforehoof."

"Excellent. Along with me, Sunset."

Sunset looked up in surprise, abandoning her quiet mockery of Weather. Sombra turned to Weather, asking, "Where is the prisoner?"

"In the town's jail, along with the rebellious townsfolk," Weather said. "Shall I meet you there?"

"Yes," Sombra said. Weather saluted, then zipped out the door and into the sky.

"Um," Sunset said, slowly trotting up to Sombra.

"Come," Sombra ordered, moving out the door.

Sunset hurried to catch up, ill-fitting armor rattling slightly as she trotted. "Um, King Sombra," she said.

"Yes?"

"Is this one of those, uh, 'observe and watch' moments, or do you want me to do something here?"

"If I want you to watch without acting, I will tell you so," Sombra said.

"Oh. So, what do you want me to do?"

"You will see."

Sunset let out a frustrated noise. "You teach like Celestia does," she muttered.

"She teaches like I do," Sombra intoned, "because I taught her that way."

Sunset looked up at him, wide eyes.

Sombra allowed her to see him smile. "Back in those days, she had two teachers: Starswirl taught her magic, whilst I taught her politics and logic. If you see similarities in our teaching methods, that would be why."

"Huh. You'd think she'd have turned out better."

Sombra stopped abruptly, causing Sunset to falter, pausing and looking back just ahead of him. Sombra narrowed his eyes, the flames that came from them flickering as he met her gaze. "Why do you think she turned out poorly?"

Sunset opened her mouth, but Sombra put his hoof to her mouth. "Stop and listen a moment," he said. "Celestia has ruled for a thousand years, my little pony. She has weathered time, betrayals, and all manner of foes over those years. She and her sister even bested me, and banished me beneath the Frozen Wastes for these past thousand years. Do you know what that means?"

Sunset shook her head.

"That she is strong, my little pony. She had the strength to impose her will upon the land all those years. I can find no fault with how she chooses to rule because, quite simply, it was her right." Sombra tapped Sunset's chest with his hoof, adding, "It is her choice, as how I choose to rule is mine. The strong impose their will on the weak. As it is, as it always has been, and as it should be. Do you understand?"

"I...I think so," Sunset said, looking to the side.

"Good. Now, we do still have one last matter to attend to this day," he said, his his magic to open the door to Vanhoover's jail. His soldiers saluted him as he passed, Sunset following slowly behind him.

Weather met them in front of a closed door, saying, "The prisoner is inside, Your Majesty. I did assemble the interrogation tools for you, in case you desired them."

"That is well, but unnecessary," Sombra said, pushing open the door.

Sunset winced upon seeing the captive. The pegasus was young, perhaps only slightly older than Sunset herself, and had her hooves bound to cinderblocks. She was covered in dirt and blood, and one of her eyes was squeezed shut. One of her wings had had most of its feathers clipped, leaving her flightless, but both wings were flared up to full length.

She stopped her pointless tugging on her chains, looking up and straight at King Sombra. She met his gaze, pausing in fear, but then lunged. Of course, still being chained to the ground, she only fell on her face, and lay there, gasping for breath.

"Do you think she would be likely to join us, Weather?" Sombra asked.

"No, Your Majesty," Weather said, looking at her haughtily. "She is, in fact, still under the belief that her friends are going to come in here and save her."

"She is going to be sorely disappointed," Sombra mused. He turned to Sunset, then stepped out of the way, leaving a clear line between the young unicorn and pegasus.

The pegasus looked up at Sunset, curiosity breaking through her fear and anger. Sunset met her gaze, then looked to Sombra questioningly.

"I told you outside: the strong impose their will on the weak," Sombra said. "I've known you were strong since I first laid eyes on you, my little pony. I saw that strength. I saw the fire inside you. I desire to tend that flame. Which brings us here."

"Is...is this a test of some sort?" Sunset asked.

"Yes," Sombra said. "I need to know, Sunset. Can you do what I ask of you? Whatever I ask of you?" His horn lit up, and from the ground a jagged spike of black crystal arose.

Sunset nodded, but her eagerness seemed more subdued than it had during their earlier practice. "What...what do you want me to do?"

The spike shifted, changing into the shape of an axe. "Kill her," Sombra said. He broke the axe of the connection, holding it out to Sunset with his magic.

Sunset blinked, eyes going wide.

"You've never taken a life before, have you?" Sombra said with a smile. "I don't require anything fancy. Any way you choose to kill her will work for me."

Sunset took the axe in her own magic, then looked over to the pegasus. The pegasus stared at the axe, then jumped, tugging vainly at her chains once more.

Sunset swallowed.

Weather rolled his eyes, as Sombra simply watched.

Sunset stared at the axe, not moving.

"Your whole life," Sombra intoned, "you've lived as a chick inside an egg. Seeking to break the shell is a worthy endeavor—perhaps, the greatest anypony could hope to achieve in their life. But once you have, you will not be able to go back inside. Does that scare you, my little pony?"

Sunset nodded.

"It's only natural," Sombra said. "Everypony feels fear. The difference between a cowardly pony and a courageous one is whether or not they face it. Will you face your fear, Sunset? Or will you be blinded by the sun's light, and return to your little egg?"

Sunset stiffened at that. The barb seemed to have the desired effect, but still, she waivered. Then, she looked to the prisoner.

"Please," the pegasus begged. "I don't want to die."

"And I don't want to return to being a nopony," Sunset scoffed. "I don't want to return to being a pony who can't live up to expectations! I don't want to be just some random, nameless orphan that nopony cares about because she can't do anything! I refuse!" She lifted the axe, then slammed it down.

The pegasus slammed to the ground, the axe burried partly into her neck. Sunset paused, then gave the axe a tug with her magic. The axe budged, but for whatever reason, remained stuck.

There was a moment's silence, before Sunset screamed. She screamed in bloody, blind fury, and charged forward, stomping both her hooves on the axe. The pegasus's head rolled away, but Sunset didn't stop. Still screaming, she brought her hooves down again and again in ceaseless fury.

Sombra watched, a faint smile tugging his lips.

"I shall send a pony with a mop," Weather said, nose upturned, before leaving. Sombra let him, watching as Sunset stepped away, panting, and examined the body.

"Well done," Sombra told her. "Congratulations, my little pony. Welcome outside."

Sunset stared at the corpse for a moment, then turned, stumbled away, and threw up.

Sombra suppressed a sigh. "Take the rest of the evening to yourself. Your work begins in earnest tomorrow." He turned, leaving her as he strode out of the room.

He met Weather Vain just outside the jail. Weather Vain moved to follow him, trotting along just behind him.

They walked in silence a minute, before Sombra asked, "Are you going to say anything?"

"Between my personal spite, and the other matter we discussed, you are already well aware of how I feel," Weather replied. "I know that if you truly wished for my advice on the matter, you would ask."

"Quite so," Sombra said, "but it does surprise me. I suppose I've misjudged you."

Weather didn't reply immediately. "I didn't think I'd get to hear you admit to that."

"Pride is like an alcohol," Sombra said, "a pleasant treat, if you don't overly indulge."

Weather laughed. "Then Your Majesty must consider me a drunken fool," he said. "Which only serves to give me more pride, really."

Sombra turned, looking at him quizzically. "Pride over what?"

"My position," Weather said. When Sombra didn't reply, he explained. "I am well aware that I am not a likeable pony, Your Majesty. I am well aware that you don't like me much, and my conceitedness is quite irksome to you."

Sombra raised an eyebrow.

"And yet, despite all of that, I became one of your generals," Weather said. "You trusted me to take this city. And I didn't break that trust, either." He grinned. "Quite the accomplishment, if I do say so myself."

"Hmm. As irksome as it is to hear you say it so brazenly, you have a point," Sombra said.

With a cocky grin, Weather replied, "I thought you liked the strong."

"I have my limits," Sombra said. "Were there any other issues involving the scouts?"

"None, Your Majesty," Weather said. "As I mentioned earlier, they seem to have retreated somewhat after we captured the..." He paused, then looked back to the jail. "Well, what is now a corpse, I suppose. I doubt they'll try to pull some hare-brained rescue plan, but I have told the guards to be alert."

"Good. Any intruders you manage to capture I want interrogated."

"No more...tests...will be necessary, then?" Weather asked.

"None of that nature," Sombra said, mostly to himself. "You may leave. Attend to your other duties."

"Yes, Your Majesty," Weather said, before zipping into the sky.

Sombra teleported back into the town hall, then paused. The three mind slaves he'd called earlier were still standing there. He sighed, then sent them off, back to whatever other chores his soldiers had them doing. A mistake on his part, but nothing serious.

But...what if Sunset could learn to mind control ponies, as well? That would ease the strain on him, having to keep control of them all the time. Of course, he wasn't quite ready to teach her his most powerful magics, but he could definitely work his way up there. If she could be trusted.

That thought put a grimace on his face. He'd hate to have all his work end up being wasted.

She showed up the next morning with Ship, with properly fitting armor and a wild case of bed mane.

Sombra chose to ignore the fact that she clearly hadn't brushed her mane once, and instead focused his eyes on the goggles around her neck. Pegasus flight goggles, with a cracked lens. He didn't comment on it, and instead looked to Ship. "Morning report," he said.

"The enemy scouts have all but vanished," Ship said. "Even, uh, the leader. Some of our own scouts, uh, followed them out a little, and they seemed to be returning to Cloudsdale. At that point, our scouts, um, had to come back. Other news is that, uh, our weather teams had a little, um...'error'...and destroyed some crops in Coltston."

Sombra blew out through his nose. "How much damage was done?"

"About a quarter of the town's hay harvest," Ship said. "Which, uh, isn't that much, considering the size of the town, but, uh...yeah."

"I take it the ponies responsible were dealt with accordingly?"

"Uh, the messenger didn't say," Ship said. "But, well...you did leave Ashen in charge, so..."

Sombra nodded. "Yes, she'd have dealt with them. What else?"

"Vanhoover is now officially repurposed," Ship said. "There were, uh, a few dissidents, but we only had to kill one." Sunset blinked, looking over to Ship in surprise. The pegasus didn't seem to notice, and went on. "And we've put roughly a tenth of the town's population into a Camp. The armor seems to be working fine on them so far. There are three ponies, um, who look like promising army recruits. Weather's taking them out on a patrol to gauge them."

"Only three?"

Ship nodded. "Yeah. Counting Sunny, that's, uh, four? That ain't great."

"No, it's not," Sombra agreed. "Let me know of any further advancements regarding the town, but don't expect me back until this evening."

"Yes, Your Majesty," Ship said, nodding. "We'll oversee things in your absence."

"Good. Sunset, with me."

Sunset followed Sombra, but hesitated as he stepped onto the rune. She blinked, then looked to her side as several mind slaves walked right past her. "Uh, where are we going?" she said.

"Coltston," Sombra answered. "Come."

Sunset stepped up next to him, eyeing the mind slaves. "I've used these things once or twice before, but, um, your modifications...do they hurt?"

Sombra gave her a cruel smile. "They won't hurt you," he answered.

Sunset gave an awkward chuckle. "O-kay. You know, sometimes, the resemblance between your teaching methods reeally stands out."

"Acknowledged," Sombra said, horn lighting up.

While the mind slaves didn't scream, he acutely felt their pain as the rune activated. He decided against sharing that information with Sunset, however.

After all, this trip was about a different kind of education.

They reappeared in a small building, standing on an identical rune, in front of a pair of soldiers with a game of cards set up between them.

The soldiers stared at them a moment, then jumped from their table and swept into bows. "Your Majesty!" they shouted.

Sombra let out a sigh. "Where is Ashen?"

"The general's, uh, schooling some new recruits," one of the soldiers said. He pointed with a hoof, saying, "Pretty much directly that a-way. Want me to go fetch her?"

"No. Pick up that card game, you're on duty."

"Sorry...Your Majesty," the Earth pony said, bowing his head.

"Don't let it happen again." Sombra marched past them, leaving Sunset to follow.

"Who is Ashen?" Sunset asked.

"My third in command, Ashen Dusts," Sombra replied. "I figured it might do you some good to meet her."

"Really? Is she, like, a real badflank or something?"

"If they're one of my generals, then, yes, they are a..." He raised an eyebrow. "'Badflank'."

"It's...oh, right, you've been beneath the ice a thousand years," Sunset said. "Uh, it means--"

"I appreciate the attempt, but I know what the expression means," Sombra interrupted. "Now, stay silent and watch."

Sunset nodded. "Yes, Your Majesty."

It took a minute of walking, but the sound of shouting made sure Sombra knew exactly where they were going.

They stepped into a small training area, the ground coated in fine, white sand, and, of course, little tufts of mane and hoofprints.

As they neared, a pegasus crashed into the edge of the arena, before climbing to his feet and spitting to the side.

"Is that all ya got?" shouted a small gray unicorn in the center of the arena. She was significantly shorter than the two pegasi and the Earth pony all currently spitting sand out of their mouths, but had only a fraction of the bruises they all sported.

She saw Sombra, blinked briefly in surprise, and then turned back to the soldiers she was training. "Celestia's soldiers ain't all softies! Some of 'em are real tough! And where will that leave you if three of you can't take on one of 'em?" She stomped her forehooves hard, sending sand scattering around her in a ring. "Are you done yet?"

The three other soldiers rose, glaring at her resolutely.

The small unicorn grinned. "Good. Now, come on, then."

The three charged her at once, but they were lacking in coordination. Sombra looked to Sunset, who stared in fascination as the unicorn proceeded to fight. "She's not using magic," Sunset said.

"Because she's not fighting seriously," Sombra replied. "And she is, her magic is just subtle."

Sunset narrowed her eyes, squinting at the fight. Then her eyes shot wide open. "Wait...'Ashen'...is that..."

The unicorn dismissed the soldiers after 'beating' them, sending them off, before trotting over to Sombra. "Your Majesty," she said with a polite head bow. She looked at Sunset, saying, "Who's the kid?"

"My student," Sombra said. "She looks to be the most promising young pony I've seen since I met you."

The little unicorn shook sand out of her red mane, saying, "Ooh, high praise indeed."

"You're...Ashen Dusts," Sunset said slowly. "The...the number one duelist champion."

"Heh, nice to see ponies still remember that," Ashen chuckled. "Mostly, they just think, 'oh, Sombra's right hand mare'." She flipped her mane, adding, "Lovely job, but not the only thing I'd like to be remembered for."

"Let us return to the town hall," Sombra said, turning. "There's work to be done."

Sunset trotted just behind Sombra, while Ashen slid along on the tips of her hooves. It looked, he'd freely admit, somewhat ridiculous, but he'd seen her in action. She was one of the quickest ponies he'd seen, and the rest were pegasi.

Sunset stayed quiet until they returned, at which point Ashen asked, "Hey, King, we got some of that, uh, crystal mulberry wine stuff you like. You want a glass?"

"Yes," Sombra answered. "You know my tastes well."

Ashen grinned as she nodded, then turned to Sunset. "You?"

"Uh...sure?"

"Hey!" Ashen barked at a servant. "Get us three glasses, a bottle of the crystal mulberry wine, and an ice pack." She rubbed her face, wincing as the servant ran off. "Ow. Those three have some talent, Your Majesty. I'm pretty sure that Earth pony is aimin' for my job, too."

"I'm certain he has a very long road ahead of him, then," Sombra said with a grin.

"Hah! He ain't taking my job 'til I retire!" Ashen barked out a laugh. "Anyway, Sombra, what's the sitch?"

Sombra normally let her get away with it, but Sunset needed a good example. "King Sombra," he corrected.

Ashen flicked her gaze over to Sunset, smiled, then nodded. "Sorry, Your Majesty."

"It is forgiven. And the..." He hesitated.

"Situation."

"...Situation is that I had to come over here to check after I heard about the hay harvest."

Ashen grimaced. "Ugh. Yeah, that kinda sucked, but we don't produce much hay here, anyway. Mostly, we ship it through here back up north." She jerked her head roughly north. "So, yeah, not too much damage was done."

"And the ponies responsible?"

Ashen looked confused, before she seemingly remembered Sunset. "Oh. Well, we get a lot of random clouds floating from Cloudsdale, and they're too scared of us to come back and get 'em—as they're problematic, I'd actually let them, but they don't. We have somethin' of a weather team, but mostly, our pegasi soldiers substitute for them. In this case, however, one of them thought to speed up the process by makin' a tornado."

"A...tornado," Sunset said, "for...cloud busting?"

Ashen nodded. "A little excessive, in my mind, though she got bonus points for style. Heck, she pretty much made the thing on her own, too. If she hadn't have lost control, she'd have gotten off with a light scolding, but as it stands, she and the two ponies she roped into the stunt got punished."

"And how did you punish them?" Sombra asked.

"To teach 'em the value of patience, and going about things slowly when needed, I had them each carry a bucket of sand across a thirty meter stretch," Ashen replied smoothly. "The bucket was balanced atop their pretty heads, and any time they spilled some, they had to go back and clean it up. And to teach 'em about the consequences of their actions, they don't get meals until they're done."

"Harsh," Sunset said. She paused, thinking, and added, "But...kinda fair. I mean, some ponies might go without food because of them."

"Precisely," Sombra told her. "Fairness is important, isn't it?"

Sunset ran a hoof through her mane, saying, "I thought...she was just gonna say that she'd killed them."

Ashen burst into a laugh. "No," Sombra replied, "not for this. It would take something a little worse than one simple mistake to have me execute you."

Sunset touched the flight goggles around her neck. "I see," she said simply.

"Now, come. There is no reason why I can't teach you a little magic while we're here." He gestured for her to stand in front of him.

Sunset complied, standing at attention, eager.

"Close your eyes and concentrate," Sombra ordered. "I want you to feel the magic flowing through your body. Feel it as it progresses along."

Sunset opened one eye. "Is this basic magic flow control...?"

Sombra suppressed his irritation. "No. It is something similar. Progress like you would normally. Let the magic flow, let it out slowly. Take a look inside, and tell me where it's all coming from."

"My horn," Sunset answered, closing her eye, "for focusing. My brain, for control. And my heart, for energy."

"Very good," Sombra said. A perfect textbook answer. "Now, the 'heart for energy'. Why does the heart supply energy?"

"Technically, it doesn't. It's emotions that do, which would actually classify under my brain," Sunset said. "Happiness, excitement, fear--"

"Fear. Hatred. Anguish," Sombra intoned. "Those are emotions you've been taught not touch, have you not?"

"Y-yeah. That's...that's some dark magic." Sunset opened her eyes again, staring at him. "Isn't that very dangerous? I know it can take ponies over--"

"Magic cannot take over ponies. Hatred can, fear can, but magic taking a pony over would look nothing like what you're imagining," Sombra said. "If you can master your hatred, then it will serve you. If you fail, it will consume you. You hate Celestia, do you not?"

Sunset nodded vigorously.

"Such is life. Hatred is natural. She wronged you, after all. In the past, you would let the hatred go, choosing instead to go by safer emotions to draw magic from. Draw from your hatred."

"This is...really dangerous, isn't it?" Sunset asked slowly.

"Quite. My first attempts nearly killed me...but I was drawing upon a lot more hatred than you could hold in your tiny little heart." He gave her a grin. "You can manage this, can you not? You've yet to disappoint me, after all."

Sunset touched the flight goggles again, took a deep breath, and closed her eyes. Sombra watched, feeling out the magic coming from her. He watched, then leaned closer as magic sparked along her forehooves. It crackled around her neck, and, as he watched, black spots appeared in the glow around her horn. The darkness spread, rising form her horn as shadow flames burst from her eyes.

"Yes! Yes! That's it!" Sombra cried. "You--"

Sunset let out a wild cry, and a bolt of magic ripped free from her. Sombra dissipated, turning to shadow as Ashen bent away from the bolt with impossible agility. The stray magic blasted a hole bigger than a carriage in the wall behind them, leaving bits of rubble falling down.

Sombra rematerialized, staring at the hole, then turning to the unicorn filly in front of him, lying on her stomach and panting.

"What in bloody Tartarus was that?" Ashen burst out. "Nothin' like that happened when I did that! Why was--"

A servant nervously poked his head in, with a small, wheeled tray containing their drinks.

"It would take," Sombra said slowly, "a truly astonishing amount of hatred to produce that much power, on accident." Sombra looked Sunset dead in the eyes. "Well done, my little pony."

Ashen poured the first glass, floating it over to Sombra, who gave it to Sunset. "Yes, well done, little filly," she said. "I'd be right and properly pissed if I was gonna have to fix that wall myself."

Sunset looked away. "I...I'm sorry, Your Majesty...I failed...I..."

"You did not fail in any way that particularly matters," Sombra said. "With a little effort to control it, you could be the next most powerful unicorn to me one day." He gave her a grin. "You just need to work on controlling your emotions. Tempering them. It takes a talented smith, after all, to make a helm from liquid bronze."

"I don't think they make bronze helmets any more," Sunset muttered, climbing to her feet. "I...thought it's all steel, now."

"Hardly the point, is it?" Sombra asked. "Catch your breath, have a drink. Then, get right back at it. You should be able to master your renegade power within the next couple of days."

Ashen looked back to the hole in the wall. "I'm not sure this building can take a couple more days of that, Your Majesty."

"Then it's a good thing we have slaves," Sombra said, sending a command to the nearest mind slaves.

"Oh. That'll make things easier, yeah."

"So...I..." Sunset gestured to the hole. "I did that?"

"Yes. It's quite impressive, actually. That could have killed Ashen if she hadn't dodged."

"It coulda killed you, too, probably, but you're tough, so it wasn't ever gonna happen," Ashen growled. "Yeah, it theoretically coulda killed me, but it was so unlikely--"

Sombra glared at her. Ashen sighed, but stopped talking.

"I...does this mean I failed the lesson?"

Sombra turned to Sunset. "No, you did exactly what you were told, and succeeded."

"But...I failed to control the outburst! I nearly took off your head!"

Sombra grinned. "If that's what you were aiming for, you'll have to try a lot harder than that," he said. "But, Sunset...tell me. Is a pony strong because they have no weakness, or because they conquered their weakness?"

"Well...I assume the latter is what you're saying?"

"What is it that you think?"

Sunset sighed. "Yes, I think it's the latter," she said. "No one's perfect. Every armor has a chink."

"Precisely. One mistake does not fail the lesson. Weakness exists so that it may be overcome, but strength exists so that we can."

"General!"

A large pegasus flew into the room, grated to a stop, then paused. "Y-your Majesty!" He swooped into a bow.

"Out with it, feather-brain," Ashen said, rolling her eyes. "What is it?"

"Lightning Dust tried to bolt. We caught her at the edge of town," the pegasus said.

Ashen let out a frustrated noise. "Had she finished her punishment, or was she in the middle of it?"

"In the middle," the pegasus replied.

Ashen slammed a hoof into her face. "I'm afraid I have to go hoof this one," she said.

Sombra eyed Sunset, who was looking at Ashen with an odd expression he couldn't quite place. "Allow us to follow," he said.

Ashen raised an eyebrow, but shrugged. "Whatever you will," she said. "Ain't gonna be much to see, though."

She lead the way, with Sombra eyeing Coltston as they moved. Various ponies moved past on jobs. Only a few had time to stop and look at Sombra as he moved past, and were clearly shocked and surprised. He distinctly remembered giving his speech in this town. The cold weather had made the ponies here strong, and more than a few had willingly sided with him.

Of course, a number of them moved along in chains, eyes low to the ground as they carried blocks of stone or lumber, but it was nothing out of the ordinary.

Sunset watched them as they passed, but said nothing.

Coltston's jail was a lot smaller than Vanhoover's, as the town as much smaller to begin with. A few cells had occupants, though they were undoubtedly imprisoned for something much milder than the newest prisoner.

A teal-green pegasus with a short cropped mane paced in her cell, with bruises on her face, and one wing held limply at her side. When she saw them, she raced to the bars, saying, "General! Thank goodness. I just wanted a bite to eat! I was going to get right back to it, I just—I needed some food!"

"And you were heading out of town to get it because...?" Ashen gestured with one hoof for her to continue.

"I just got turned around! I was starving, I-I couldn't tell right from left! I wasn't trying to desert, honest! Please...I..."

Ashen rubbed her face with a hoof. "Y'know, you've never really seemed like you properly fit in, Lightning. You were all tough talk when I found you. I thought you had potential. But you've never been a proper soldier. You've never had the discipline, nor the ferocity, to be a proper warrior." Ashen leaned her face up against the bars, adding, "I gave you a chance. I gave you another one. And now, I don't know if I can trust that you're telling me the truth, and you're not worth the effort to figure it out."

"Please! I swear! I was just trying to get a bite to eat!" Lightning Dust begged, crying. "I'll do better! I promise! Just give me one more chance!"

Ashen shook her head. "That chance would just get one of my better soldiers killed, Lightning. You'd blow it, like you have in the past. You're nothing more than just another Wonderbolts washout. You were kicked out of the Wonderbolts for the same damn thing, weren't you? I was willing to overlook it, but it seems you still can't think to any measurable capacity. I've gotta set an example, anyway, even if I believed you." She turned, and ordered one of the nearest soldiers, "Get the axe."

Lightning Dust fell to her hooves, sobbing. "Please," she begged.

"Your Majesty," Sunset said slowly.

King Sombra turned to her, eyeing her up and down. "Yes?" he asked.

Lightning looked up at her, eyes full of tears. Sunset took a deep breath, then looked Sombra dead in the eyes. "Let me do it."

Lightning's last hope flickered out, and her jaw dropped with it. "You want to do it?" Sombra asked Sunset.

"'Weakness exists to be overcome, but strength exists so that we can'," Sunset repeated. "I showed weakness last night. Let me overcome it."

Sombra turned to Ashen. "She is your direct subordinate, so the choice is yours."

Ashen let out a slow, sigh, eyes closing. "Alright, but if you take too long, I'm just doing it. Lightning was a good soldier, the least she deserves is a quick death."

"To hell with that!" Lightning screamed. "I don't deserve this! It was one mistake! Please! One more chance!"

Ashen rolled her eyes as a pony in a black hood brought a massive axe into the room. "Just stay still. It'll be over in a minute."

Sombra, for want of expediency, lit up his magic. Lightning jerked, then fell onto the stone black Sombra pulled over, restrained by his magic.

"Damn you," she croaked. "I hate you...I hate you!"

Sunset lifted the axe in her magic, then examined the blade. She poked at it with her hoof.

"What are you doing?" Ashen asked.

"The last one of these I held didn't do its job right," Sunset said. "I'm testing its sharpness before I swing, thank you very much."

Ashen waited until Sunset poised with the axe, watching her lift it with her magic. "Stop," she ordered.

Sunset glared at her, but Ashen pulled the axe slightly closer with one hoof. "You don't need to magic the entire thing," she said. "You don't need to rely on your magical power alone to get it through, the thing is heavy enough to do that itself. Use your magic to hold the handle, and that ring up on the top, and let go of the ring when you swing. That'll get the maximum power for your swing. Get it done in one chop."

Sunset nodded. "Thanks."

"I hate you! I fucking hate you!" Lightning screamed. "Damn you! Damn you a--"

The axe dropped, making a loud, dull thunk as it hit the stone block. Lightning's head rolled away, eyes wide still.

Ashen sighed, shaking her head. "One little mistake...poor little pony." She turned to the surrounding soldiers, adding, "Give her a soldier's burial. I'd like to see her good side honored."

Sunset stepped away, leaving the axe where it was. She surveyed the corpse, shadows trailing from her eyes.

"Weakness exists to be overcome," she said, very quietly. "Thanks for the help." She turned, trotting from the room slowly.

Perhaps a little brash to do, when Sombra was there, but he allowed it.

"Sunset and I shall be returning to Vanhoover shortly," he told Ashen. "I'll leave you to finish your affairs here."

Ashen nodded, depositing the head with the corpse. "How'd she handle her first kill, anyway?"

"Not well," Sombra answered. "I was only half certain she'd actually do it." He turned to the decapitated pegasus, and added, "She's shaping up nicely."

Ashen nodded. With nothing further to say, Sombra teleported outside, then moved to catch up to Sunset. She paused, looking back, with shadows streaming from her eyes. Curious...

"Continue," he ordered. "We shall head back to Vanhoover soon."

"Ah. Okay." Sunset kept walking. "Hey...Your Majesty. Am I...do I..." Sunset bit her lip, then said, "Do I still look promising?"

Sombra nodded. "Quite. You took initiative here, too. You have a few points that you need work on, but you are, perhaps, the most promising recruit I've seen."

"Really? Ashen would wipe the floor with me in a fight, and she's more ruthless, to boot."

"Ashen is quite strong and ruthless," Sombra said, "but she lacks a scholar's mind, and her magic is limited. I taught her a couple of spells, but she can only properly perform one of them. Yes, right now, she is more talented than you are, but I think you could remedy that far faster than she could."

"Is that why you wanted me to see her?"

"I had my own reasons," Sombra replied, "and shall leave it at that."

Sunset let out a stream of incoherent grumbling.

"Your temperament would be one of those points to work on," Sombra intoned. "I tolerate such attitudes, at best."

"Yes, Your Majesty," Sunset grumbled. "Gotcha."

Sombra let out a sigh. "Did Celestia tolerate such behavior any more than I do?"

"I don't think she noticed the change in me," Sunset said. "You'd think somepony constantly advocating friendship would listen more."

"Perhaps she did listen," Sombra said.

Sunset stared at him, raising an eyebrow.

"Celestia and I have very, very different ideals," Sombra said, "but even though I think of hers as lesser, I'm certain she upholds them as best she can. I'm certain that whatever happened, she did try. She simply had the wrong student." He gave her a grin. "I think you fit much better in that armor than in a fancy ball dress."

"Maybe I do," Sunset said. "But I don't think it matters. She wouldn't take me back, anyway."

"So why keep the journal?"

Sunset stopped abruptly, looked at his face, then sighed. "You know what, I shouldn't be surprised. The enchantment's fairly obvious if you're looking, isn't it?"

"Quite."

Sunset sighed. "I suppose so I can pretend that she kept her copy," she replied. "So I can pretend she loved me like the daughter she claimed I was. Of course, if she did, I'd be a princess, wouldn't I?"

"If she did love you to that extent, yes," Sombra said. "Those who love you should show it, not merely claim."

Sunset stared at him curiously.

"Let me tell you a story, my little pony," Sombra said, as they approached the town hall. "There was once a king, and a sorcerer. They were great friends, or so the king thought. They would help each other, and kept the fledgeling land of Equestria protected from outside threats." He smiled. "One day, however, another pony was declared ruler. The king became an advisor. He was fine with it, really, at least, at first. After all, now he could devote more time to his studies. Time passed, and, as it did, tragedy befell. The king's daughter fell ill, and he called upon the sorcerer for aid."

Sombra fell silent, striding upon the teleportation rune.

"What happened?" Sunset asked.

"He was out, helping some little village," Sombra said slowly. "This tiny place, really. They needed some help, and he decided they were more important than my daughter. That showed me well and truly where he stood—others would always come first." Sombra smiled bitterly. "Take it as a lesson, my little pony—there can be no everlasting friendship. It is something of fairy tales. Any friendship you make should keep one thing in mind."

"And that is?"

Sombra met her gaze full on. "Who comes first," he said.

Sunset bowed down low. "Of course," she said.

Sombra's horn lit up. "Good," he said.

A burst of will later, they were back in Vanhoover. Sombra dusted off his shoulder, saying, "Now, let us keep practicing on your control. It would be--"

"Your Majesty!"

Sombra let out a frustrated sigh as Weather careened into the room, sliding to a stop in front of the king.

"What is it?" Sombra asked, turning to him.

"We received a message from the enemy," Weather said. "They want to pay ransom for the scout we captured."

"The one I killed?" Sunset clarified.

"Yes," Weather said simply. "I already had the body loaded into a bag, even though some...scraping was necessary."

"Arrange the meeting for tomorrow," Sombra said, "I would see the body returned to them. Don't make them pay for it, either. And Sunset will be with you when you do so."

Sunset looked up, staring at him.

Sombra nodded. "I would like it if you would have at least one encounter with them, though I don't expect this to be violent."

Weather nodded. "As you will," he said in an unhappy tone. He saluted with a wing, then bolted outside.

Sombra turned to Sunset. "I would still like to get in some practice with your restraint this evening," he said. "If you can avoid disintegrating anything we don't want disintegrated, that would be my preference. Besides that, there is one more spell I shall teach you today."

"Another one?" Sunset asked, looking eager. The shadow flames, which had been growing weaker for some time, finally flickered out, leaving her eyes mundane once more.

"Yes. A 'just in case' spell Ashen crafted."

"She taught you?"

"A lot of ponies make their own, unique spells around their special talents," Sombra said. "Obviously, I don't know all of them. But, if I see one that interests me, I learn it. That is the essence of scholarship, my little pony. Not knowing everything, but endeavoring to."

"Huh." She looked back at her Cutie Mark, then looked over to Sombra's cloak. "I...this is kinda weird, but I don't think I've actually seen our Cutie Mark."

"Because I don't have one," Sombra announced.

Sunset stared, jaw dropping.

Sombra flashed her a fanged grin, adding, "What, are you going to laugh at me and call me mocking names because of it?"

"N-no! Of course not! I'm just...surprised. You're a blank flank?"

Sombra nodded.

"But...but what about..."

"There is nothing particularly special about a Cutie Mark," Sombra interrupted. "It is a symbol that refers to what you already wanted to do. It does nothing for you aside from tell you something you already know. Besides, if I had one for some ridiculous, mundane thing, would it stop me from doing what I'm doing? No. It would change nothing, because the mark means nothing."

"But...no! It's...it's destiny!" She looked back to her flank, then back to Sombra. "It's a symbol of my destiny! My destiny to--" She cut off, abruptly.

"What destiny?" Sombra asked.

"Well...I always thought it was to become a princess," Sunset said awkwardly. "But I somehow don't think that's too likely anymore."

"Not on as grand a scale as you might have once thought," Sombra said. "But my most worthy generals, after the war, shall be made stewards, and given their own land to rule in my name. Does that entice you?"

"Very much so," Sunset answered.

"And would it be obtained because you were destined to do so? Would your destiny commandeer my decisions, and make you a steward that way? Furthermore, would your destiny be what made you worthy? That would mean that you didn't do anything to earn it." Sombra tapped her chest with his hoof, adding, "That is precisely the kind of thinking I detest, my little pony. Your destiny does not give things to you because you were born lucky. You take things because you have the strength, and forge your own destiny. Make your way in this world, Sunset. Do not rely on others to clear the path for you."

Sunset considered that, head turning side to side as she thought it over. Then, she nodded. "Yeah, I guess that makes sense," she relented.

"Glad to hear that you validate the beliefs I've held for thousands of years," Sombra said dryly.

"Hey, was that a joke?" Sunset grinned. "You just cracked a joke."

"I spend too much time around imbeciles," Sombra replied easily. "Now, come. Let us begin."

Sunset Shimmer had decided from their very first meeting that she did not like Weather Vain. The only thing that had stopped her from blasting him with all her magical might had been the fifty or so other soldiers there. She could have taken him, too, but had erred on the side of caution, and simply fumed as he took her journal.

Weather, for his part, did not seem to enjoy being made to spend time with Sunset any more than she did with him.

"For crying out loud, just get the bag in the cart!" he shouted. He growled, stomping off towards the ponies struggling to get the body bag into the cart.

Sunset sighed, watching for a minute, before she used her magic to grab the bag.

Before, lifting something as heavy as a pony—or, one's corpse, anyway—would have been nigh impossible. But with her newfound power, it felt almost easy.

As a side note, her magic aura seemed to have turned faintly red, but it actually matched her colors now. The sickly green had never suited her style.

The other two soldiers going with them hitched themselves to the cart, as Weather sighed. "Get over here," he told Sunset.

Sunset bristled, but did as he was told. He's technically my superior officer, she thought. At least, she felt certain Sombra would have informed her if he was placing any soldiers in her command. In a way, that meant that it was Sombra ordering her around, and not Weather.

...The thought did nothing to assuage her pride.

They started moving, heading swiftly out of town. If Sunset had been the same pony she'd been in Canterlot, then the brisk trot would have been difficult, but living on the road had made her sturdier than she'd once been.

Weather didn't speak to her for the entirety of the journey, even once they cleared the town's border. He said nothing at all until they spotted a small group of ponies wearing blue, by the side of the road.

"Let me do the talking, and for the love of God, don't start a fight," Weather said. "This is a neutral meeting. We're not here to fight."

They stopped in front of the small group of pegasi in Wonderbolt uniforms. Four of them, with a small chest in front of the commander.

The leading pegasus pulled down her flight hood, letting a mess of six colored hair loose. She narrowed her eyes at the sight of the wagon. "Where's Bolt?" she demanded.

"By the time we received your message, she'd already been summarily executed," Weather said simply. He nodded to the other two soldiers, who dropped the bag on the ground with a heavy thud. "His Majesty, in a rare fit of mercy, decided to let you have her body for funeral rites."

The pegasus stared at the bod bag, eyes wide as plates. "Why?" she asked slowly.

"Why kill the enemy?" Weather rolled his eyes. "I'm not sure you can hear yourself."

The pegasus glared at him, wings flaring up. Then she paused, and looked to Sunset. Her gaze traveled to the cracked flight goggles, and her eyes narrowed. "Why?" she repeated.

"Because King Sombra told me to," Sunset said. As the pegasus continued to stare, Sunset shrugged. "Does there need to be more to it than that?"

"She...Bolt was just a kid. Just some rookie that...she didn't need to die!"

Sunset looked to Weather. Weather looked back at her, and shrugged. "His Majesty decided otherwise," he said.

The pegasus glared at Sunset, eyes full of hate. "She was twice the pony you are."

Sunset examined the body bag, then nudged it with one hoof. "Well, I mean, she kind of is, at this point," she said idly.

There was a long silence. The pegasus's eyes widened, then narrowed. Her flanks tensed, her wings stretched out to their full height--

"Rainbow," one of the other Wonderbolts said, shoving her commander. "This is neutral ground."

'Rainbow' paused, then stood up straight, abandoning her fighting posture. "One day, I'll meet you on the field," she said, "and I'll kill you for this."

Sunset flipped her hair. "Well, I look forward to seeing you try."

"Keep the coin—we don't have a prisoner to exchange for it, after all," Weather said, turning around. "If you're still here this evening, we will kill you. And I doubt we'll be as quick about it as we were with little Bolt." He began trotting away, leaving the other two ponies to carry the cart after him.

Sunset hesitated one final moment, then moved to follow.

The Wonderbolts stayed where they were, staring at the bag.

Sunset trotted alongside Weather for a minute. Weather didn't say anything at first, but, after a moment passed, he snickered.

Sunset stared at him, as he developed into a full fit of laughter. "'She kind of is, at this point'...." He laughed, wiping tears from his eyes. "That tongue of yours is hilarious if it's pointed at somepony else."

"I imagine it would be," Sunset said. "Pity you just had to take my journal, hmm?"

"Hmmph. Pity you just had to kill Bolt, then?"

Sunset stiffened, as Weather gave her a cheeky grin. "It was simply my orders," he said. "No reason to be mad at me about it, after all. It was King Sombra's command I was following. I'd kill you if he told me to, too."

"You'd try," Sunset scoffed. "I'd whoop your sorry flank."

"Thursday," Weather replied.

Sunset blinked, staring at him.

"We'll meet Thursday, and settle that dispute right out," Weather said simply. "Sombra allows dueling, after all. Quickest and easiest way to decide who is stronger, hmm?"

"Agreed. Thursday."

Weather sniffed haughtily. "You'd best be ready," he said.

"I will be," Sunset declared.

Sombra was giving orders to his other soldiers, leaving them to wait a moment before he turned his attention to them. "Well?"

"They received the body," Weather said. "Their commander almost attacked, but one of her subordinates got her to keep her temper in check."

"Hmm. Good work," Sombra said. "Get on to handling your other tasks."

Weather poised to take off, then hesitated. "Actually, Your Majesty, I did challenge Sunset to a duel. We set the date for Thursday, if your will allows it?"

Sombra flicked his eyes to Sunset, then nodded. "Very well," he said.

"Thank you, Your Majesty," Weather said. To Sunset, he said, "See you Thursday." He bolted into the sky, leaving a faint trail behind him as some pegasi did.

"And you?" Sombra said. "You conducted yourself properly?"

"I stuck to light barbs," Sunset said. "And didn't insult my commanding officer in front of the enemy, however tempting it was."

"Good," Sombra said, turning around.

"Your Majesty?"

"Yes?" Sombra turned back, looking into Sunset's face.

"If you had known that they'd try to pay ransom for her, would you still have ordered me to kill that pegasus?"

Sombra considered it. "Most likely," he replied. "The lesson was worth more to me than the coin would have been. Why? Second thoughts?"

"Nothing so major as that," Sunset said. "Just curious. So...what do you have next for me to do?" Sunset gave him a wide grin.

Sombra grinned bac, showing his teeth. "One or two things. Let's get started."

Author's Note

This took me the nonconsecutive better part of two months to write, pretty much from the ground up for the Imposing Sovereigns IV contest. It did go through a few changes as I went through--namely, the original story was more focused on Sombra's backstory, but that story didn't fit properly in with the contest. I'd love to write more content for this particular AU, but my writing schedule is a little full at the moment, so we'll see about that later.

Anyways, I wish good luck to the other IS4 contestants, and hope you enjoyed the story! Well wishes and (hopefully) see you next time!