Dream's Fading Shadow

The Tyrant's Linger

They had kissed! They had kissed! It couldn't be, oh my gosh! Twilight hadn't left the bed since that dream, hiding under the covers. She couldn’t process what had just happened—who could?

She had stopped dreaming so much about the beast, and now her dreams were replaced by abrupt encounters with King Sombra, in strange situations where he always seemed to want to imprison her somehow. Was this real? Or was her mind just creating these scenarios because she enjoyed tormenting herself? She didn’t know anymore. She had lost track of the days. She almost felt grateful that her friends were busy enough to leave her alone.

She knew it couldn’t go on like this forever. She wanted to understand it! And it frustrated her because she had no idea what was going on.

“This isn’t going to stay like this,” she said with noticeable determination, throwing off her blanket.

But what if he tried to kiss her again? That thought crossed her mind, causing her to cover up with the blanket once more.

That kiss—oh, that damned kiss! She was acting like a teenager obsessing over a kiss that happened in a dream—just a dream!

But who could blame her? It felt so real, too real—the warmth of his lips, the roughness pressing against her. Maybe she was going crazy again, once more.

She took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and went back to sleep.

Twilight opened her eyes, and there he was—King Sombra. No sign of the beast.

BSombra was turned away, sitting and gazing into an imaginary horizon. Twilight sighed, gathered her courage, and approached him.

—Sombra—she said firmly.

The unicorn turned towards her, not surprised at all. In fact, he looked almost pleased, which left her with a strange feeling. In her mind, happiness didn't seem like something he should have.

“Aren’t you coming closer? I’m not going to eat you,” he said with a laugh that only heightened her unease.

She kept a safe distance, and rightly so; the last time she let her guard down, they ended up kissing. That was not happening again!

King Sombra watched her with amusement.

“Oh, come on. I’m more fun than that thing,” he murmured, deliberately leaving the last word unspoken.

Twilight scowled, even more puzzled. What did he mean by “thing”? Was he referring to the beast? Did he know something about it? Everything was so tangled that she couldn’t make sense of it.

“What do you mean by that?” she asked, her voice tense and fixed on him.

King Sombra chuckled softly, his smile widening.

“Oh, nothing in particular,” he said with a seductive tone. “Just an observation. How about we skip the formalities and get to know each other better?”

He moved closer and touched her cheek with an unsettling gesture. Twilight, stunned, felt a wave of confusion.

She had dreamt about him three times already, and each time he had been an obsessive jerk. But now, why did he sound so sweet?

“You’re much more beautiful up close,” he murmured, his tone soft and melodious. “I always knew it, but now I can truly feel it.”

He leaned in closer, whispering with a tone full of desire. Twilight blushed; it was the sweetest thing she’d heard in weeks.

“Don’t you think we’d make a perfect pair?” he asked, drawing nearer. “I think we could be very happy. You and me…”

Twilight tried to pull away, but he held her firmly. Her heart raced, and her body felt weak.

“Don’t touch me…” she murmured. “Why are you acting so different all of a sudden?”

He stepped back, startled.

“Different?” he asked, not understanding what she meant. Then he seemed to think about it. “Oh, that… forget it for now, okay?”

“What?” Twilight asked, even more confused.

“Shhh,” he whispered. “Just enjoy the moment, dear Twilight.”

His tone shifted, becoming sweeter than before.

“I admire your intelligence,” he said. “I’ve never met anyone like you.”

He stroked her cheek with an unexpectedly gentle touch.

“Why fight this, Twilight?” he said softly. “You know you want this.”

She felt paralyzed. For some reason, she felt trapped, but not in the same unpleasant way as before.

“What do you want from me?” she asked, her voice trembling. “Why do you keep showing up?”

“I want you,” he said with a malicious smile. “I want it all. Your devotion, your heart, everything you are.”

He leaned in closer, their faces almost touching.

“You know what I can give you,” he whispered. “You know what I can do to you.”

He caressed her hair firmly.

“I want you to be mine.”

“I…” Twilight said, looking away. “Enough… let me go.”

King Sombra’s smile widened.

“I’m afraid I can’t do that,” he said. “I need you here. And you need me… don’t you?”

“No…” Twilight said, her voice breaking. “I don’t need you… You’re a monster. Don’t you remember what you did?”

He leaned in even closer.

“A monster?” he hissed. “Do you consider yourself a saint? I see no innocence here. You're just a liar just like me”

“What are you talking about?” she tried to pull away, but he kept her held. “I’ve never lied.”

“We’re both monsters, Twilight,” he said, still smiling. “Monsters should always be together.”

“You’re wrong,” she replied. “Why do you keep showing up? What’s your connection to the creature?”

Sombra was silent for a moment, then he stepped back, turning his back to her.

“My dear Twilight, you should already know…” he said, not looking back. "What a shame..."

“What? I don’t understand what you’re saying!” She tried to move towards him, but he turned around.

“Time’s up. See you around, my dear Twilight…”

It was the last thing she heard before she felt herself falling into a bottomless pit.

Suddenly, Twilight's eyes snapped open. She was back in her room, her body drenched in sweat. Her breath came in ragged gasps as she looked around, disoriented. The familiar surroundings of her bedroom were a stark contrast to the eerie dreamscape she had just been in.

“Ugh, not again...” she groaned, her heart still racing. She sat up, trying to shake off the remnants of the dream.

“Why do these dreams keep happening?” she muttered, rubbing her temples. The unsettling feelings from the dream lingered, making it hard for her to calm down. She glanced around her room, trying to ground herself in reality and remind herself that she was safe and sound.

to be continued.