"That's definitely him," Luna sighed heavily, though there was a note of relief in her voice. "I'm sure of it."

Alexei caught bits and pieces of the alicorns' conversation, who were tensely debating whether what emerged from the mysterious hole was really him or some unknown entity that had taken over his body. Engrossed in exploring the capabilities of his new body, he let them speculate without showing the slightest interest in their arguments.

Of course, Alexei would have preferred to be considered dead, but it would have been far worse if the alicorns started seeing him as an unknown threat coming from a creature that had assumed his form.

However, he didn’t answer their questions and simply ignored them, continuing to manipulate the tentacles, testing the limits of his new body. Any explanation would only complicate the situation and arouse suspicion. He needed the alicorns to reach certain conclusions on their own.

Fortunately, the alicorns weren’t fools, and Luna, with whom he had spent considerable time, quickly realized that she was facing a human, not some sinister entity. Such parasites could take over bodies and copy the personality of the previous hosts, but they always needed time to imitate, and their body language remained unnatural.

After the metamorphosis, his body was filled with new energy, so powerful that it was literally overflowing, unable to find full application within. The excess energy slowly seeped out, like a thin mist, enveloping his figure. He urgently needed to find a way to channel this excess so as not to waste it, and growing tentacles was an excellent option.

The tentacles turned out to be incredibly useful. By directing mental energy into his internal organs, Alexei could grow them and manipulate them at will. Now, numerous thin tentacles were sprouting throughout his body. The idea was simple: just as materials are stitched together to give them shape and increase strength, Alexei was reinforcing his body from within.

He quickly realized another important advantage of his new body—the ability to "turn on" and "off" pain sensations. This discovery thrilled him. Alexei had never been a masochist, and the thought of now being able to avoid pain was exhilarating. That’s why, despite the countless tentacles piercing his flesh from within, his face remained calm and serene, almost indifferent.

Controlling the tentacles, Alexei shifted his focus to the pulsing point within his mind—his core. The core emitted a soft, soothing white-gray light that gradually condensed into a gray mist, filling his consciousness. The power hidden in this mist was almost palpable, like the air before a storm when the sky is charged with energy and tension.

"A new body, magic, and no more pain," Alexei couldn't suppress a smile as the core's energy smoothly flowed through his body. "Life is definitely getting better."

When Alexei emerged from the Depths, he was somewhat out of sorts, but with each moment, his mind grew calmer. His face took on its usual indifferent expression, but inside, he was practically glowing with happiness. This time, he had truly made a significant step toward his goal, and that brought him immeasurable satisfaction.

"So, you've turned into an abomination," Celestia's disdainful voice pulled Alexei out of his thoughts. "Just like you always dreamed, huh?"

Her words were filled with coldness and disgust, but Alexei only smirked, meeting her gaze.

"An abomination?" Alexei chuckled, a challenge flickering in his eyes. "You’ll be lost for words when I’m done."

He already had a few ideas, but there were more pressing concerns at the moment. Like killing Sombra and taking his memories.

Alexei shifted his gaze to the other alicorn, and his lips twitched slightly. Luna. She was possibly the only one genuinely happy that he was still alive, even if she tried to hide it. He knew all too well: without the bars between them, she would have already lashed out at him, unleashing all her frustration and repressed emotions. And yet, it was a bit pleasing. After all, how many beings in this world cared about his life at all?

Of course, his actions had led to this situation, but he regretted nothing. Despite all his rationality, Alexei was a fairly simple guy. He felt no regrets for one simple reason: he always listened to his heart and lived according to his true feelings. Luna might be pleasant company, but he wouldn’t hesitate to betray her if it was advantageous for him.

Sometimes Alexei felt like an outsider in this world. Yes, he truly was a stranger, but it wasn’t just about his origins; it was about his mentality. When he first arrived in Equestria and learned about all the possibilities magic offered, the fire of ambition reignited in his soul. With each passing day, this fire grew fiercer until it turned into a full-blown storm.

However, the local inhabitants turned out to be different. While there was no shortage of ambitious creatures among them, striving toward their goals, the pony society mostly resembled human society. They formed bonds, started families, and raised children.

Alexei could understand why they did this, but at the same time, he absolutely couldn’t understand them.

Friends, love, family—all of this was nothing more than privileges in a man’s life. He had a choice; he could have stayed with Imani or even with Luna. Sooner or later, Luna might have developed genuine feelings for him. But he had no qualms about discarding all these relationships like unnecessary junk.

We’re all born alone, and Alexei was never bothered by solitude—in fact, he relished it. Family? Children? They’re nothing more than instincts for reproduction and a desire to achieve symbolic immortality by passing on one’s DNA. Alexei understood why that made sense on Earth, but in a world where there was a real possibility of becoming immortal, all of that seemed cheap.

That "fairy" from the Depths mocked him, thinking he was crazy after he talked about good and evil. Sometimes he felt like everyone around him was insane. And they probably were—after all, each of us is mad in our own way; we just have different reasons.

In this world, there was no need for eternal questions like morality, ethics, or the meaning of life. In a world where one being could stand at the top of everything, the meaning of life was determined by power. If you’re weak, a random passing dragon could turn you to ash, and no one would seek justice for you.

Still, Alexei had often heard debates about right and wrong in Canterlot. It was strange to him to watch these ponies burden themselves with such pointless questions. Perhaps the ponies of the Crystal Empire also engaged in such thoughts until Sombra came along and showed them what truly mattered. Power stands above any definitions of good and evil, and these ponies realized that too late.

In a world where one being could become so powerful that rules and morals would bow before them, such things had no value. Yet, many continued to live in illusions, refusing to accept reality.

Luna had been silent all this time, as if assessing the situation from afar. Her restraint was almost palpable, like a taut string ready to snap at any moment. She didn’t even attempt to speak, perhaps due to her sister’s presence, or maybe she simply couldn’t find the words. They stared at each other for several long moments, then Alexei smirked, winked at Luna, and turned toward the exit.

His gaze slid to the floor and stopped on a charred spot. The remnants of Chrysalis’s blood served as a reminder of recent events. Before beginning the mad ritual, he had, of course, removed all unnecessary items from his insides and pushed them far from the cage. But the vial of blood hadn’t survived his crazy alchemical shenanigans and had exploded.

Alexei merely sighed inwardly. He had risked his life and made every effort to obtain that blood, but in the end, he didn’t get a chance to use it. Well, that’s just how life goes.

The blood itself no longer held much value for him, but it was still a piece of a high-ranking creature. He could drink it, but of course, he’d need to dilute it first, or it would burn through his stomach.

Now, with the stomach of one of the Depths creatures, Alexei already knew that he had become truly omnivorous. He could digest anything: from the flesh of beings to metals, transforming it into mental energy.

Of course, it wasn’t that simple. Digesting meat was much easier than metal or stone, and the process of transforming energy also required its own costs. It would be more beneficial for him to eat, say, a zebra, who had a higher concentration of mental energy from birth than a pegasus or unicorn. Even better would be to feed on creatures made mostly of mental energy, like those beings from the Depths.

Who would’ve thought that his offhand comment to that "fairy" would come true so quickly—it seemed he really would be returning to the Depths soon.

But energy was just a resource. The most important thing was to obtain the "blueprint" on which to build the foundation of his power—a meditation technique. Without clear instructions and direction, his path would eventually lead to a dead end, no matter how much energy he accumulated.

If he could get such a technique, his development would progress even faster than that of the nobles. They could spend astronomical sums on potions that sustained and restored magical energy, but Alexei’s situation was much simpler: he just needed to keep eating creatures from the Depths. The main thing now was to get a meditation technique. He’d likely have to create one himself, but there were still some hopes pinned on reference materials from Sombra.

"Wait!" came a dual voice from behind him. "What was that noise, and what happened to Ele..."

Alexei didn’t even turn around. As if he was going to satisfy their curiosity.

Approaching the corroded door, he carefully grasped the handle and slowly turned it. There were no traces of spells on the door—if there had been any, they’d vanished during his metamorphosis. He was just concerned that the door might fall apart in his hands.

The corridor of the Crystal Empire’s castle appeared before his eyes. Everything around seemed shrouded in a ghostly mist. The stone walls, usually gleaming with cleanliness, were now covered in cracks and deep scratches. Debris from columns and fragments of marble tiles lay scattered everywhere, a reminder of the recent battle. Golden chandeliers hung from the ceiling, some twisted and torn from their fixtures. The remnants of carpets, once adorned with intricate patterns, were now torn to shreds, with only a few rare pieces of fabric hinting at their former splendor.

Alexei felt the energy fluctuations coming from afar, indicating that the battle between the Elements and Sombra was in full swing. But he still had time.

They say that to achieve success, you have to work hard. Alexei always considered that a fairy tale for naive commoners. He worked to reach a minimal level of power and the ability to act more freely, but he certainly wasn’t going to limit himself to just those methods.

Why work hard when you can rob those who have what you need? True success comes not to those who just work, but to those who know how to seize opportunities.

Hidden from the alicorns’ sight, Alexei could finally focus on the main issue—his attribute. He wasn’t about to experiment with it in front of them. Even though they were behind bars, they might suspect something, even if they couldn’t sense anything specific. Why reveal his cards to them when it was better to keep them in the dark?

Concentrating, Alexei carefully released a small wisp of gray smoke from his fingertip. The smoke began to thicken, quickly taking shape, and within moments, a tiny figure of Celestia appeared on his left palm.

The small replica, surprisingly lifelike, glared at him with an expression of rage and contempt. Her long mane flowed as gracefully as the original’s, as if blown by an invisible wind, and even tiny, almost imperceptible particles of light danced in her hair. The curved eyelashes, piercing eyes, and slightly twitching wings—everything about this illusion seemed completely real.

Alexei couldn’t suppress a faint smirk. His lips twitched slightly, and with a flick of his finger, he tapped the tiny Celestia on the nose, feeling a strange sense of satisfaction. Mini-Celestia snorted angrily, her nostrils flaring, and she spread her tiny wings, hissing at him like some village goose. The comparison made Alexei chuckle quietly—too many memories from his rural childhood.

Chuckling to himself, Alexei clenched his fist, instantly dispelling the illusion. The figure vanished as if it had never existed, leaving only a faint trace of smoke that quickly dissipated in the air. He was pleased with the result.

After obtaining the attribute of deceit, his mind buzzed with ideas for new spells. The attribute was like new hands that had just been given to him.

Imagine a person born without hands who spent years studying card tricks, listening to lectures on finger dexterity. Even if given prosthetics indistinguishable from real hands, could they become a good magician? It all depended on their intelligence, perseverance, and desire to explore their new capabilities. This description perfectly fit unicorns. But those born with hands could learn tricks without lectures, just by experimenting.

And that was the essence of the attribute. Besides enhancing a specific type of magic, the deceit attribute opened new horizons for Alexei. Illusions were just one form of deceit, and he knew there were far more interesting ways to apply them. Several times, his thoughts brushed against the surface of these new possibilities, but each time, he seemed to hit an invisible wall. He had to master the basic use of the attribute and understand the true nature of deceit before attempting to use it at a more advanced level. This was the level of understanding he sought. Pegasi constantly interacted with the wind, striving to grasp its true essence. Alexei, it seemed, would have to constantly deceive everyone around him.

Amusingly, his understanding of the wind might have even surpassed that of some pegasi. Fire, earth, water, air—aren’t these the four states of matter? Alexei wasn’t sure if Earth’s knowledge applied to Equus, where elements were given mystical significance, but his scientific perspective still helped him better understand what was happening.

After conducting a few more experiments, Alexei was satisfied with the results. He could create not only visual and auditory illusions but also mimic energy. For example, he could make an opponent think he suddenly appeared behind them. These effects might seem insignificant, but combined with his attribute, they were indistinguishable from reality. Alexei immediately found hundreds of ways to use such simple illusions in both combat and various schemes.

Now, only one thing remained to be tested.

Raising his hand, Alexei began feeling the space in front of him, carefully tapping his fingers on random points as if searching for something. His face grew more focused, his features becoming sharper, and his gaze fixed on an invisible target.

Finally, after five minutes of searching, he seemed to find what he was looking for. His fingers touched something invisible but tangible. He pressed slightly on the spot, and gray smoke began to flow from his finger.

Suddenly, a crack appeared in the space. It spread slowly, like a thin layer of ice underfoot, revealing solid darkness beyond, from which a pale mist oozed. The crack was accompanied by a strange sound, both hissing and the creaking of old boards. The darkness inside seemed alive, breathing, moving, as if trying to escape. Alexei listened to the faint whisper emanating from the void, but there were no words, only a sound, like wind rushing through closed corridors.

A satisfied smile appeared on Alexei’s face. This was the source of his confidence—like any creature from the Depths, he could open a rift and return there at any moment. But unlike other inhabitants of this world, he wasn’t fully bound to the Depths. His rebirth had taken place on Equus, and he didn’t need complex rituals and sacrifices to escape those horrific places. Now Alexei could enter and leave the Depths at will, as if it were his own home. At any moment, he could open a rift and disappear, slipping away right under the noses of Sombra and the alicorns.

However, there was one problem: he had no idea where he would end up when he opened a rift. Even now, with the darkness yawning before him, he couldn’t see what lay on the other side. Alexei could only vaguely sense the immediate surroundings in the Depths, but the place was too distorted. Every time he touched a new point in space, a new layer of the Depths opened before him. During five minutes of searching, he hadn’t touched the same layer twice.

Creating a rift took only a few seconds, but finding the right spot for the transition could take much longer. And all because he felt the presence of powerful beings or hazardous environments near every point. This rule likely worked in reverse—who knows where he might end up? What if one day he appeared right in Celestia’s chambers? With his luck, that was entirely possible. Good thing alicorns’ rooms were protected by thousands of runes, or sooner or later, that could really happen.

Alexei’s face, deep in thought about the dangers of his personal teleportation analog, suddenly twitched. He quickly jumped aside, and the next moment, a tentacle covered in slick slime burst from the rift. It was as thick as his leg, dark, shiny, and reeking of foulness. The folds of its skin writhed as if alive, and bulging spots that resembled eyes appeared and disappeared on its surface.

The edges of the rift crackled, unable to contain the entire creature, but the tentacle stubbornly continued pushing through, trying to grab Alexei.

The tentacle thrashed on the floor, leaving greasy trails of slime behind. It pounded the walls furiously, trying to feel out its prey, but Alexei, staying out of the tentacle’s owner’s line of sight, was already predicting its moves.

The tentacle began slowly retracting back into the rift, realizing its prey had escaped. Alexei wasn’t about to wait for it to disappear completely. With a wave of his hand, he released a cloud of gray smoke. The rift slammed shut with a thunderous crack, slicing the tentacle in half. The remaining piece fell lifelessly to the floor, emitting a foul, suffocating stench.

Alexei frowned as he looked at the writhing stump on the ground. So, these are the first dangers...

When he opened the rift, he hadn’t sensed any threat nearby, but something on the other side had picked up on the disturbance and came to investigate. The difference in the flow of time gave the creature more than enough time to react. There was another risk too: if someone were to attack the rift at the moment he was passing through it, he could be sliced in half, just like this tentacle. Such a wound probably wouldn’t kill him in his current state, but it wouldn’t be pleasant either.

Reaching out, Alexei mentally commanded the severed tentacle to come to him. Obeying his will, it slithered towards his hand. As soon as it touched his fingers, it began to writhe, trying to coil around his body and crush his bones. But Alexei was ready. Several of his own tentacles burst from his body with a wet hiss, instantly wrapping around the aggressive appendage and holding it in place.

Without a moment’s hesitation, Alexei sank his teeth into the tentacle’s flesh, tearing off a juicy chunk. The taste was strange, barely perceptible, but definitely rich with energy.

This is what he meant by using opportunities. The food had come to him, and Alexei saw no reason to refuse such a treat.

The hall was filled with a powerful, deafening bang that echoed through the space with a wild, cracking sound. In the next moment, there was a sinister crunch of bones, and the room fell silent.

The brief quiet was shattered by a piercing scream—Pinkie Pie’s cry, sharp and shrill, tore through the silence. Shocked and in pain, she lost consciousness and collapsed to the floor, her right foreleg a bloody mess. Bones jutted out in all directions, the limb twisted and shredded as if it had been put through a meat grinder.

Why were there so few users of spatial attributes in this world? The answer lay not only in its rarity. The real reason was that such mages often died very early on. The slightest mistake in handling spatial magic could result in their bodies being torn to pieces by the spatial distortions of failed spells. The danger was too great, and many didn’t survive long enough to master this powerful yet complex attribute.

Sombra let out a cold snort and unleashed several shadow blades that viciously struck Twilight’s multi-layered shield, forcing her to raise her defenses again. Without paying attention to what was happening, he rushed to the door and sprinted down the corridor toward a specific room.

Despite his iron will, forged over a thousand years, Sombra was irritated. He had already taken five hits from the Elements of Harmony and couldn’t find enough time to recover. Some cursed artifact, which had left a mark on his soul, allowed the Elements to track his movements easily. He didn’t have enough power to remove this mark or counter its effects. This constant threat, unpredictable attacks, and the need for continuous defense had worn him down. Every time he tried to recuperate, those pesky ponies would attack him again, giving him no respite.

The Elements of Harmony couldn’t be used in combination with other spells, but these ponies had found a way, which even surprised Sombra. Perhaps it was because it was the innate magic of one of the Elements, supported by the purple unicorn, the embodiment of Magic itself.

Their strategy was simple but effective: they tracked his location using the artifact, the pink pony used her attribute, and a Harmony beam shot through a mini-portal directly at Sombra’s head, piercing any defensive spells.

While he was weakened, they would catch up and engage him in battle. It was a relentless assault, with Sombra suffering from the backlash of the ritual, which manifested at the most inconvenient moments. He couldn’t break this vicious cycle. With the defensive artifacts the Elements possessed, he couldn’t kill them, and they couldn’t kill him.

But now, he had a chance. He would have an entire hour to recover, and during that time, he planned to regain at least his fourth or fifth rank. After that, there would be nothing left of the Elements but ashes. Sombra’s eyes gleamed with cold determination as he raced down the corridor.

Fluttershy flew over to Pinkie and, ignoring the mangled limb, touched her head with a wing surrounded by green energy. With a sigh of relief, Fluttershy used another spell to stop the bleeding.

Groaning, Pinkie opened her eyes.

“What...” she mumbled in confusion, her gaze darting toward her leg, only to be blocked by the pegasus.

“It’s okay,” Fluttershy whispered, wrapping her wings around Pinkie’s head. “Don’t look.”

Pinkie blinked in confusion as the pegasus gently stroked her sweat-matted fur. She distinctly remembered something happening to her leg, but now she felt nothing… And what was that melody playing in her head?

Fluttershy glanced at Rarity, who hesitantly took a few steps toward them. The paleness of her face was evident even through her snow-white fur. If it weren’t for a few spells and calming potions, she would have fainted at the sight of the bloody mess that had once been a leg.

Gritting her teeth, Rarity lit her horn, and a multitude of blue threads swirled around her. These threads shot towards the injured leg, wrapping around it and beginning to pull tight. With a sickening crunch that made Rarity wince, they started to restore the mangled limb to a more recognizable shape. The leg, gradually returning to its original form, was encased in a cocoon, hiding everything happening inside.

Suddenly, a potion bottle surrounded by a purple aura appeared beside Fluttershy. She nodded gratefully to Twilight, who was grimacing from a headache, and quickly poured the potion into Pinkie’s mouth.

“Just lie still for a while,” Fluttershy said, gently releasing Pinkie’s head. “Your leg will be fine.”

Pinkie cast a quick glance at her leg, hidden behind the many threads, and with a groan, fell back.

Fluttershy’s gaze swept across the hall, assessing the condition of the other ponies.

Rainbow Dash and Applejack were unconscious, but their lives weren’t in danger. Twilight had a nosebleed and a few minor wounds, but she had already tended to them herself. Rarity, though unharmed, was exhausted both mentally and physically. The pegasus herself had a few minor injuries. Naturally, Sombra had targeted the team’s healer first, but her protective artifact turned out to be the strongest among those present.

Fluttershy was the first to recover from the shock. She approached Rainbow Dash and Applejack, gently placing her wings on them and infusing them with healing energy. A soft glow enveloped their bodies, gradually bringing them back to consciousness. With quiet groans, still unsure of what had happened, both ponies slowly opened their eyes. Though they still felt weak, they were ready to take action again.

Meanwhile, the others rested, regaining their strength after the brutal encounter.

There was no time to lose. Once everyone was back on their hooves, they gathered in a small circle for a quick meeting. They all understood the urgency of chasing after Sombra—every moment he used to recover could be their last chance to stop him. Their voices were tense, each pony fully aware of the critical nature of the situation.

The decision was made—to press on despite their injuries and fatigue. The time for rest was over.

Pinkie’s leg had partially healed thanks to the high-quality potions, but she could barely walk and was noticeably limping. Rarity noticed this immediately and rushed to her. Ignoring her friend’s protests, she gently lifted Pinkie with her telekinesis and placed her on her back. To her surprise, Pinkie was very light.

Despite her own exhaustion, Rarity knew that no one else could take on this task. Applejack was constantly on the front lines, protecting the others; Dash depended on her speed and agility; Fluttershy was the primary target of Sombra’s attacks; and Twilight, as their main powerhouse, was also unsuitable for this role. Rarity, despite her fears and fatigue, understood that she was the only one who could take care of her friend.

Once they were ready, Twilight once again used the artifact to locate Sombra. Alarmed by how quickly he could regain his strength, she focused, and within a few seconds, all the ponies knew which direction to go. The Elements of Harmony were still recharging, and they wouldn’t be able to use them again anytime soon. This forced them to act even faster and more decisively.

They moved through the corridors, trying to advance as quickly as possible while remaining vigilant of every corner and wall, wary of potential traps. Their steps were quiet but full of determination. The tense silence, broken only by the faint echo of their footsteps, hung in the air, and every movement was accompanied by restrained tension. The walls around them seemed too close, the darkness ominously thickening in the corners, but they pressed on, determined to finish what they had started.

Soon, they reached the door beyond which, according to the artifact's readings, Sombra's trail ended.

They exchanged quick glances, checking each other’s readiness. Everyone understood that a mistake here could cost them their lives.

After receiving confirmation of readiness from her friends, Twilight resolutely stepped toward the door and tried to open it, intending to storm inside under Applejack’s cover. But the door wouldn’t budge.

Gritting her teeth and narrowing her eyes, Twilight focused her magical power, lit up her horn, and unleashed all her might on the barrier. With a terrifying crack, the door was obliterated, and part of the wall along with it exploded into pieces. The smell of burning and hot stone instantly filled the air as chunks of the destroyed walls crumbled to the floor, turning into dust and rubble.

But Twilight only frowned—through the smoke and debris, she noticed a faintly shimmering transparent barrier behind the demolished wall. Twilight blinked in disbelief—the seemingly fragile barrier had easily blocked her full-force attack and also obscured all her senses.

Nevertheless, the barrier was transparent, and they could see everything happening inside the room.

The ponies’ eyes widened in shock—a scene of primal brutality unfolded before them.

The grand hall in the Crystal Empire’s castle was a somber reflection of its former glory, like a frozen monument from a bygone era. The dark crystal walls, once shimmering with all the colors of the rainbow, now appeared dull and lifeless. The soft light of magical candles barely touched the floor, casting long, wavering shadows. The ceiling, towering high above, seemed infinitely distant, shrouded in darkness, from which faint rustling sounds occasionally emerged, as if the castle whispered in its ancient language.

Along the walls hung old tapestries depicting scenes from the Empire’s history. One tapestry, particularly striking due to its size and vivid colors, drew attention—it depicted graceful unicorns soaring above crystal palaces. But time had not spared even this treasure: the fabric had torn in places, the golden threads had faded, and deep shadows obscured the embroidery's details, making the image ghostly and eerie.

When Sombra stormed into the hall, the heavy door slammed shut behind him with a loud echo. His horn instantly lit up with a sinister purple light, and the air grew tense. At that moment, a faint creak sounded from the center of the hall, and the entire room was enveloped by a translucent barrier, shimmering with a soft blue light.

The barrier was made of the same material as the cage that had held the alicorns—the remains of Imperfection. After creating that cage, Sombra had a small amount of this rare and dangerous substance left, and he had prudently created several such halls protected by barriers for emergencies. Although this barrier was weaker and would only last an hour, it was still capable of containing most beings, even powerful forces like the Elements of Harmony. For the next hour, nothing and no one could enter or leave the hall. This time was what Sombra needed to recover his strength, and he knew it would be enough.

Exhaling in relief, Sombra lowered himself onto the cold floor in the center of the hall, crossing his front hooves. Closing his eyes, he began to meditate, focusing on restoring his magical energy. The hall plunged into a tense silence, broken only by the barely audible whisper of the wind seeping through the narrow windows.

Suddenly, his horn flared, and several shadowy needles shot towards the old tapestry with a screech. But before they could touch the fabric, a bipedal figure emerged from behind the tapestry, with gray smoke quickly dissipating around it.

Sombra squinted instantly, his eyes flashing as he scowled at the intruder.

“You really thought I wouldn’t notice?” Sombra’s voice was cold and threatening as he scrutinized the uninvited guest.

“Sorry to disappoint,” Alexei smirked as he began slowly circling Sombra. “I’m still learning.”

They exchanged glances filled with hidden menace and tension. Sombra carefully studied the man, analyzing his every step and movement. In turn, Alexei didn’t rush to attack, as if waiting for the right moment.

Sombra, however, had no desire to fight. He was surprised that this bipedal being had survived their last encounter and even somehow managed to rise to the first rank. But all of that seemed secondary; what truly concerned him was that his peace had once again been disturbed.

Sombra had no idea why this man had come. Did he want revenge for what happened before, or did he sense an opportunity and seek to strike a deal? Last time, when scanning Alexei’s memory, Sombra had focused only on key moments, such as his arsenal of spells and combat skills, without delving into the details of his life. As a result, the man’s identity remained a mystery to him.

“I don’t know how you managed it, but you survived and are free,” Sombra finally said, his voice cautious but tinged with respect. “You truly have talent. You can leave the Crystal Empire. I won’t chase after you or make your life difficult.”

Alexei’s eyebrow arched slightly, and in the next moment, he burst into loud laughter, as if he’d heard the funniest joke in the world. Sombra frowned, looking at him in confusion.

“What’s so funny—” Sombra began, but his words were cut off as he suddenly sensed danger. His eyes widened, and his horn flared with magic.

At that moment, numerous tentacles burst from Alexei’s sides, and he lunged forward, launching a direct attack on Sombra!

As Alexei charged at Sombra, his instincts kicked in instantly. Being a spellcaster, Sombra did what any unicorn in his position would do—he attempted to widen the distance. Activating a teleportation spell immediately, he prepared to move to a safe distance, but something went wrong.

A piercing screech filled the hall as a ghostly figure of a girl appeared on Alexei’s shoulder. Sombra’s spell abruptly faltered, leaving behind a disorienting hum. In the next instant, there was a horrific sound of flesh tearing, and Alexei appeared before him, seemingly out of nowhere.

Gritting his teeth, Sombra instinctively activated a magical shield, but his effort was in vain—moments later, a powerful blow sent him flying.

Half of his shield shattered under the force. Sombra felt blood trickle from his nose, but he wasn’t seriously injured. Without wasting a second, he used teleportation again, reappearing on the other side of the hall.

Sombra’s horn constantly flickered—he had quickly learned his lesson and wasn’t going to let the human disrupt his spells so easily again.

Suddenly, Sombra's horn sparked with energy, and a black-and-white sphere appeared in the center of the hall, which instantly exploded with a brilliant light, consuming everything around it. The light was blinding, like a small sun being born and dying in the blink of an eye.

Blinking, Alexei tried to regain his vision, and when his eyes finally adjusted to the brightness, he was surprised to find that the hall had completely transformed. Instead of the familiar interior of the Crystal Empire, he was now in a completely white space. In this silent hall, dozens of shadowy figures of Sombra wandered aimlessly, moving slowly as if they were trapped in a dream.

Alexei froze, not rushing into action, while his eyes carefully studied each figure. He tuned into his senses, trying to catch even the slightest hint of the real Sombra’s presence.

Suddenly, he lunged at one of the shadows, stabbing its head with his tentacles. The shadow instantly solidified, turning into the real Sombra, but only for a moment—then it shattered into pieces and vanished. A new shadowy figure immediately appeared behind him, replacing the fallen one.

Alexei frowned—he didn’t feel any difference.

He had an attribute of deceit that should have allowed him to easily distinguish illusions from reality, but now it was useless. When he had stabbed the shadow with his tentacles, it had felt like real flesh, but from the start, it was just a fake. His senses told him that all the shadows, despite their illusory nature, were real. Alexei had no idea whether Sombra was hiding among the shadows or somewhere else, but one thing was clear: Sombra had no intention of fighting—he was just hiding, calmly regaining his strength.

Alexei's face grew more intense with each passing moment. He scanned the surroundings with mental energy multiple times but still couldn’t locate the real Sombra. The hall seemed empty, yet at the same time filled with countless shadows, any of which could be either an enemy or just another deception.

So he stood there in the middle of the hall, with the figure of a ghostly girl hovering behind him, her misty outlines blending with the surrounding light. Sombra tried to fool him, constantly flashing his horn, but Alexei did the same, not in a hurry to dismiss the ghostly figure and constantly threatening a mental attack. Both had been trying to deceive each other from the very beginning of the battle.

“I can’t unravel this spell,” Alexei sighed mentally, ceasing his scanning.

It was an extremely complex spell with multiple effects, all within a low-level first-rank spell. Sombra truly lived up to his reputation. But even if Alexei couldn’t unravel the spell, he still had options.

The many tentacles growing from his sides began to intertwine and merge, forming four larger, more powerful appendages.

Suddenly, he began striking the floor with the tentacles, sending waves of mental energy in all directions, resonating with each other. At first, the tremors were barely noticeable, but with each new wave, they intensified, becoming more and more palpable.

The shadows, restlessly wandering through the hall, began to ripple and distort, like reflections on the surface of a pond after a stone is thrown into it. Suddenly, several of Alexei's thin tentacles ignited with a crimson light, and like snakes, they darted to a single point in the center of the hall.

The tentacles were part of his body, his limbs, and he could use them as a resource for blood magic spells. Technically, they were also his internal organs, but he didn’t have the appropriate spell.

As soon as the tentacles reached their target, a powerful explosion followed, illuminating the hall with a rich red light. The flash consumed everything around it, and Sombra's spell collapsed, revealing the familiar interior of the hall. In the center, barely standing, was Sombra, weakened by the backlash of his shattered spell.

Alexei immediately located Sombra and dashed toward him, propelling himself forward with a sharp strike of his tentacles against the ground, like a massive whip.

Despite his weakness, Sombra responded instantly with a barrage of shadowy beams. Alexei twisted in midair, dodging most of the attacks, but a few beams still hit their mark, leaving several holes in his body and tentacles. The ghostly figure of the girl accompanying him was completely obliterated by this barrage, her form dissipating like smoke under the blows of magic.

Sombra’s horn flared again, preparing to teleport, when Alexei opened his mouth and let out a wild, unnatural screech. The sound was not of this world, piercing, like the scream of a thousand dying souls, and it instantly disrupted Sombra’s spell, plunging his mind into chaos and pain.

When Alexei first discovered this ability of his body, he had only mentally rolled his eyes. Barely receiving a spell in Canterlot that became the second mental attack in his arsenal, now he had a third. Another similar attack seemed excessive to him, but now it played to his advantage. He had deliberately let the ghostly figure take the beams, knowing that Sombra wouldn’t expect it. Alexei had also suffered from the backlash of the shattered spell, but it was still worth it.

Sombra staggered as the mental attack struck his mind like a hammer shattering fragile glass.

The next second, he heard the sickening crunch of tearing flesh, and his instincts screamed danger. He tried to cast a spell, but it was already too late.

Alexei was already upon him. One of his tentacles suddenly unraveled into a mesh of flesh that fused with his right arm. The mesh of thin tentacles wrapped around his arm, tightened, and there was a gruesome tearing sound.

In the next instant, Alexei put all his strength into one devastating punch.

A burst of blood and chunks of flesh painted the hall’s walls and floor in crimson. Bones shattered and flew in all directions like shards of glass, and in the next moment, Sombra’s lifeless body collapsed to the floor. The upper half of his body was completely destroyed.

Alexei's arm hung limp, like a whip, all the muscles torn to shreds from the monstrous strain, but it concerned him little at the moment. Numerous tentacles rushed toward Sombra's remains, intending to rip out his soul, but they were too late. A shadowy figure shot out from the corpse and immediately dissolved into the air.

Alexei immediately began scanning the hall, trying to locate Sombra's soul. But it was nowhere to be found.

Suddenly, a soul-chilling scream of a foal echoed through the air. Alexei quickly turned around and saw a small, round pool on the floor, emanating thick shadows, with something furiously stirring in its depths.

Alexei's tentacles instantly ignited with crimson light and struck at the pool, attempting to destroy it. There was a powerful explosion, deafening and bright, like a star’s flare, but the shadowy pool only flickered and reappeared in another part of the hall.

Alexei let out a cold snort, realizing that he wouldn’t be able to interrupt the resurrection process. All he could do was watch as everything unfolded before his eyes.

Grabbing Sombra’s corpse with his tentacles, he began ravenously devouring it, absorbing the energy with every cell of his body. The tentacles writhed like hungry snakes, tearing into the flesh, all while he kept his eyes fixed on the seething shadow pool.

Within less than a minute, the pool's surface began to bubble, the shadows stirred, and slowly, Sombra rose from it. The unicorn was now at the second rank.

Author's Note

Rarity

Alexei watches as Sombra is resurrected