The Rise And Fall Of A Unicorn King

Sombra loved his room at the castle.  He was being afforded a private room where he can study and perform assignments given him by the princess, who had recently taken him on as her private student.  Sombra was tasked with studying higher levels of magic than the normal advanced classes.  The room at the castle had everything he could want.  A shelf for copies of books he requested from the library, a comfortable bed, a writing desk, art on the walls that would change periodically... it was decorated lavishly like a hotel room he would rent out, had he been traveling.

He was being visited in his room by his teacher, the fair and radiant Princess Celestia.  They had been at intense magical studies for a long while now, and Sombra had been enjoying every bit of it.  No matter how exhausting or mind-sapping, or brain-draining it got. Every new spell was like a puzzle to put together, or a mathematical formula to work out, and Sombra loved ALL of it.

The young Unicorn had just finished turning a zap apple into a pear.  Celestia clopped her hooves together, "Very good Sombra, you're progressing through the lessons much quicker than anypony else at the school," the princess complimented.  "You've certainly mastered transformation spells."

Sombra grinned the biggest grin he could muster.  He was living the dream for any unicorn born in Everfree, to be personally taught as a private student of the princess.

Most transformation spells functioned the same way, even though certain objects provided more resistance than others.  Living objects more so than inanimate objects, for example.

"Now Sombra, I want you to focus on this next magical spell..." Celestia instructed.  "The next lesson is altering properties of objects.  In this case, age."

Sombra was presented with a pot and a flower bud.  His task was to make it grow and blossom.

"You want me to grow the flower like an Earth Pony?"  Sombra almost sounded insulted.  Because of his magical aptitude, he was already far beyond the other unicorns.  In Everfree, there still existed the tribal bias between Unicorn, Pegasus, and Earth Pony.  Naturally Sombra, who felt himself above other Unicorns, also felt to be that much more above Earth Ponies as well.

Celestia closed her eyes and shook her head.  She frowned when she reopened them, "Sombra, I want you to remember something.  We ALL have roles to play in the circle of life.  The Unicorns control the day and night cycle and make society better with magic, the Pegasi control the weather and also act as the guard.  Earth Ponies have possibly the most important job, without which nopony else can perform their task."  The princess took a moment to compose herself again, "they grow and prepare the food."

Sombra was becoming annoyed with this whole contributing member of society business.  Why shouldn't he be free to study magic as he wished.  He wasn't harming anypony.  Why should it suddenly be his responsibility just because he's better than everypony else?  He too, took a moment to compose himself.  He closed his eyes to help in focusing his magic through his large red horn and unto the flower bud.  The glow surrounded the flower bud, urging it to grow and blossom into a beautiful flower.  Celestia smiled as she watched the magic take shape.  This was truly an advanced spell, only for the highest level of Unicorns.  The smile quickly faded however, as the blossom reverted back to a mere flower bud.

"It's okay, Sombra," the princess assured him.  "It's a challenging spell, and nopony is expected to get it right on the first try."

"Is this how immortality works?" Sombra asked.

"No, of course not," Celestia replied.  "Vera immortalitus is not dying from old age or illness."  When Sombra looked confused,  the princess felt she should elaborate.  "My sister and I are immortal, for example.  Discord, the former ruler of the land, is also immortal."

"Is that why he couldn't be killed?"  Each answer seemed to bring more questions from the dark-coated Unicorn.

"Immortality doesn't mean you can't be killed, it just means you won't die of natural causes such as age, sickness, and so on."  Celestia was starting to get uncomfortable with this line of questioning, because she knew what the next question was going to be before he even asked it.

"How do I become immortal?"

There it was.  The princess was reminded of the faculty meeting where she had agreed to take Sombra on as her apprentice.  One of the teachers had mentioned him asking about soulstones.  Sombra wanted to live forever.  Or at least he didn't want to die.  Princess Celestia appeared deep in thought for a moment before responding.  "You can't."  Here comes the inevitable 'Why not?' she thought to herself.

"Why not?" Sombra asked, predictably.

"I can't answer that."

"But..."

"Sombra, we're getting away from your studies."  Celestia sought to refocus Sombra on the lesson with the flower bud.  "You do wish to learn even the most difficult of magic, no?"

"I do, but..."

"Any Unicorn can destroy.  It takes a truly gifted one to create," Celestia said, trying to persuade Sombra to continue his lesson.  "You are a very gifted Unicorn, and I know you have it within you to create something wondrous, perhaps even new magic."

Sombra started to be unsure of himself, as if suddenly caving to the pressure he perceives being put on him.  He closed his eyes to focus once more.

"I know you can do it, Sombra," Celestia urged him, "I have faith in you."

His large red horn began to glow again.  The light given off by his horn slowly traversed the air and enveloped the flower bud, the magic once again taking shape.  The flower grew a bit taller as the blossom began to open once again.  The flower bloomed, showing its face to both ponies present.  The princess smiled.  Sombra opened his eyes and began to smile, but noticed a petal drop from the flower.

"I think I..." Sombra began.

"...overdid it," Celestia finished.

Sombra looked down at the floor, sad.  Celestia draped a foreleg over his shoulder and pulled him close in a tight hug.  "It's okay, Sombra," she whispered.  "You didn't kill the flower."

Sombra felt the princess's warm embrace for a while, but then she let go and stood up abruptly.  "That will be all for today, my faithful student.  You've made so much progress, I look forward to our next lessons."

"As do I, princess," Sombra bowed.

"Study and practice that age spell," Celestia said as she approached the door.  "I would like to see you make another attempt in a week's time."

"As you wish, Princess."  Sombra looked up again as she blinked away.  There must be some technique I'm missing, Sombra thought to himself.  His stomach rumbled though, and for the time being, further studies would have to make way for food.