Moonshadow

I found myself playing chess with the former Princess of the Night, the one who once brushed with tyranny. Anyone who doesn't know them might think that princesses are brilliant strategists, endowed with ancient wisdom.

And yet, there she was, frozen behind the board, her gaze lost among her pieces. I would swear she was sweating cold under her fur. I had already beaten her several times, so out of sheer boredom, I gave her an advantage, curious to see what she would do with it. But I wasn't planning on giving her the game.

It was easy to come back from that. Too easy.

It was hard to believe. A millennium ago, I fought against this same pony, and now we were here, in front of a chessboard. At least she didn't have the habit of lecturing like Twilight.

Later, Starlight would arrive with snacks and another board game. She seemed annoyed, maybe jealous that Luna was progressing faster than her, but I didn't pay attention.

Now that I think about it… I haven't played with anyone else except Hope.

I close my eyes for a moment, and there she is, as if time hadn't passed. Her laugh, her warmth… the way she always found a way to make me feel less alone. Maybe she did love me. Maybe I wasn't just a convenient option.

But no.

The sweetness of the memory turns sour. I know how it ended. I know what she did when she discovered what I am.

I shake my head. There's no point in going back there. The more I stir up those moments, the more bitter they become.

"I won!" Luna shouted, moving her pawn to the other side of the board.

"Luna, this is chess, not Chinese checkers," Starlight said.

Luna shrank in her seat when she heard her. I stifled a laugh before sarcastically adding:

"Apparently, to be royalty, you don't need the slightest bit of military knowledge. Is that right, Lunita?"

I smiled with a hint of sarcasm as Luna struck the table in a comedic way. Despite everything, the atmosphere was oddly pleasant. No one would think we were three former criminals, once capable of reducing Equestria to ashes.

—Seriously, how did you do it? —Starlight whispered into Luna's ear. —I tried everything I could think of and it wouldn't open even a little.

—I have my methods —Luna replied proudly.

We kept playing in that small room until the sun faded into the horizon. After chess, in which, of course, Luna sucked, Starlight brought out one of those modern games with trapdoors and little colorful figures. I told her that in my day, we used our imagination and didn't need those things. Luna joined in, saying that back then, little foals spent the day outside, playing with whatever they could find.

Starlight teased us, calling us a couple of old timers.

A squeak sounded from the door before it opened, revealing Spike. He was carrying a pile of pizza boxes and a bucket full of gemstones. His eyes widened in surprise; clearly, he hadn't expected to find us here.

—Oh, I'm sorry —Spike said, setting the snacks aside—. Usually, no one's here.

—It's fine, Spike. You can join us if you want —Starlight invited.

—No, it's just that I already had plans with someone else and… —He turned to Luna—. I'm telling you for your own good, you should hide.

Then he froze, and for a moment, I felt like he was starting to sweat cold. Could dragons sweat? I don't know, but it seemed like he could.

Before anyone could say anything else, the door slammed open. A dragoness with crimson scales and a streak of bright pink entered, clearly the same age as Spike.

He tried to rush her out of the room, but she didn't take him seriously and walked right in without hesitation. Her pupils dilated when she saw Luna, and suddenly, she let out a high-pitched scream, like an excited foal.

—Luna! Oh, Celestia, I didn't expect to find you here. —She shook her claw violently in greeting—. If I'd known, I would've dressed up better.

—Young dragoness, there's no need for formalities. Besides, any friend of Spike is a friend of mine —Luna replied calmly.

The dragoness became even more excited, nearly on the verge of tears from happiness. Luna, visibly uncomfortable, tried to lighten the mood.

Meanwhile, Spike sneaked over to me and whispered:

—You should take advantage of her being distracted to escape —he said nervously.

—Oh, yes, the great and powerful Spike has to save the tyrant —I joked in a monotone.

—I'm serious. Don't say I didn't warn you —he insisted, while trying to shake me with his adolescent dragon arms.

The pink dragoness twisted her neck unnervingly in our direction, her eyes wide with surprise. She walked toward us with an almost unnatural calm, showing no emotion at all. When she was close enough, she stood nose to nose with me and, with a trembling claw, touched my face as if she couldn't believe I was real.

—Do you need something, miss? —I growled, showing my fangs to make her back off.

She lifted her gaze, and her eyes gleamed with a strange glimmer.

—So… you really are… King Sombra —she asked, incredulous.

I nodded with disdain.

The scream she let out was so high-pitched it would have made dogs deaf. Then, without thinking twice, she pinched her scales hard, as if she needed to make sure she wasn't dreaming.

—You're a thousand years old, right?! What was the world like a thousand years ago? Is it true that the Crystal Empire is more advanced in magic? Oh, why is your horn red? Why do you have fangs? Is it some kind of deformity caused by dark magic? Is that why you don't have a cutie mark, or do you have one? What would a red crystal be? Why does your hair move like that? It looks so long and silky... What's it like to be trapped in ice for a thousand years? Is it true you had a romance with Celestia? My friend ships you two, though I ship you with Luna. Did you have something? —The dragoness screamed, growing more excited with each question.

My mind started spinning from the avalanche of inquiries. I could barely process half of her shrill outbursts. When I finally gathered myself, the dragoness was passed out on the floor.

Spike caught her carefully before she could collapse.

—Mina! —he exclaimed, rushing her to the couch.

—Looks like you have a fan after all, Sombra —Starlight said with a mischievous smile.

—Your girlfriend is weird —I grumbled softly.

—She's not weird and she's not my girlfriend! —Spike protested, annoyed.

I smiled maliciously, but before I could make another comment, Luna surprised me with a friendly slap on the back. I barely had time to react when Starlight jumped up and hung herself around my neck.

My muscles, tense from habit, relaxed. The rage I usually feel in these situations just… didn't arise. It didn't flow through my body like it should. Instead, a strange, cold, foreign feeling took over me.

What's happening to me?

The days passed like the others, with a strange normalcy. Twilight didn't return, and Starlight seemed not to be too concerned. I continued with my activities alongside her, and Luna stayed by our side; she was a curious mare, different from what you'd expect from a princess.

She and Starlight were among the few tolerable things in this castle, but still, I felt a thorn twisting inside me. If I didn't act soon, it would be harder to confront them for the throne.

This is why villains shouldn't have friends. Sooner or later, doubts arise that eat away at us.

When I reclaim the Crystal Empire, they will once again be my enemies. I'll see in their eyes the same gleam of hatred and fear as always. It's not like I'm used to any other reaction.

My only friend lies dead. No one cared. Why should I care if this world ends in ashes? It's not like this world hadn't tried to kill me over and over again… even before I realized my purpose was evil.

What will I do once I accomplish my goal? I don't know.

What I do know is that I won't release the Umbrum. Those psychopaths brought me to this horrid place, and when I'm king, their freedom will only serve to have them tortured for centuries.

The crystal ponies will pay for what they did to me and Hope. Or they'll watch their beloved city reduced to rubble.

And after that...? What happens after that?

It doesn't matter what I do, in the end, I'll be dead. I have no allies, no family. Every living being follows a path that leads to death… but I wonder if I was ever truly alive.

—Why, Amore?! —I screamed to the sky, my voice filled with rage and despair—. Why didn't you kill me when you knew what I was? You knew and still left me to suffer! You made me believe I could be free… You only lied to me.

The tremor in my voice threatened to break into something more vulnerable. Before the tears could escape my eyes, the echo of footsteps resonated from the balcony.

—She believed every living being was capable of choosing their own destiny —Luna said, approaching me.

I turned my gaze toward the horizon.

—She never met a being like me.

—Sombra, I'm sorry. Amore was very important to Celestia and me; she was our guide when Starswirl disappeared. It was unthinkable for me not to hate her killer —Luna said with sadness—. But now I see that she didn't know what to do with you. We thought the Umbrum were incurable monsters.

I made a gesture of annoyance, but she continued:

—I saw you in your memories. You were just a child… a child who wasn't to blame for suffering because of his ancestors. Had we known sooner, we wouldn't have rested until we found a way to ease your pain.

—The "what ifs" don't exist —I replied coldly—. I've already accepted that I'm a monster.

Luna fell silent for a moment before asking with a calm voice:

—Sombra, who are you? Are you really what the Umbrum taught you to be? Will you truly continue following their orders?

I closed my eyes and exhaled slowly.

—I'm something that was never meant to exist. In this world, there's no place for me. My stars, the ones that should guide my destiny… they've never existed.

—That means you're free to be whoever you want to be. You don't have to follow what others think of you. —Luna smiled. —If you decide to, I'll help you leave all that behind. You'll finally be able to live like any other pony. And if I have to go to the ends of the world to do it, I will.

A strange sensation ran down my spine, a joy I didn't want to accept. I tried to stay calm, but my voice trembled a little.

—Why are you doing this for me?

Luna looked at me with sincerity.

—Because among monsters, we must help each other.

Shining and Twilight rode out toward the icy north, feeling miles away from the Crystal Empire. Their hooves slipped on the thin layer of snow covering the treacherous ice. They were farther than any pony had ever ventured before.

—A crystal wolf... Not even in my worst nightmares did I imagine something like this —Shining growled, annoyed.

—I thought they were just tales to scare naughty little foals. By now, nothing should surprise me —Twilight replied.

—Is there anything in the old records about wolves?

—Just rumors and old legends. You know, those stories ponies tell about how, under the full moon, some transform into beasts. Why are wolves so popular in those stories?

—They're big, strong, and have sharper senses than any creature. Of course, not as big as this one...

A cold gust of wind blew through Twilight's ear. Among the icicles, a patch of fur moved fleetingly. Unknowingly, they had reached the mouth of a cave. The darkness inside was dense, but in the back, a frosty glow outlined the shape of an ice structure. Twilight squinted, trying to make out the shape more clearly, when something struck her full force and slammed her to the frozen ground.

Her vision failed for a moment, the light fracturing into blurry flashes. But amidst the haze, she made out colossal fangs, twice the length of her horn. Eyes, black as the void, stared at her emotionlessly, like two lifeless marbles in the vastness. The beast's muzzle twisted into a threatening snarl, and its breath escaped in clouds of frozen steam.

It was like staring a demon in the eye.

Its white fur, hardened by stalagmites of ice, revealed the powerful muscles rippling beneath the frost. Twilight felt terror grip her, her body fighting against the urge to succumb to paralysis. But before she could give in, a blue glow interrupted the scene: her brother's shield enveloped her in a fleeting refuge.

Twilight clung to Shining's back, desperately flapping her wings to escape. She didn't see the treacherous icicles hidden in the shadows. A cruel shard slashed through her wing, tearing a muffled scream from her. The pain shot through her like a lightning strike, and though she managed to soften the fall, they could only crash into a pile of rocks that, for the moment, served as their only defense.

But they wouldn't protect them forever.

—Hold on, sister —Shining wrapped her in a firm embrace, his voice trying to convey calm—. I sent a call for help to Starlight. She'll help us soon… unless you can teleport.

Twilight tried to concentrate, but between the fear and the sharp pain in her wing, even the simplest spell seemed unthinkable. Sadly, she shook her head in silence. Shining held her tighter against his chest as he enveloped them in a force field.

The wolf's claws sank into the thin layer of ice separating them. Its heavy, ragged breath echoed through the cave like a sinister melody of disaster.

Then, Twilight spotted an intense blue light. For a moment, she thought her mind was abandoning her, that her consciousness was dissolving into nothingness. But then, a clear and determined voice brought her back to reality.

—Get away from her! —Starlight shouted, unleashing a sky-blue bolt at the beast.

The attack didn't seem to cause any serious damage, but it was enough to make the wolf retreat. Shining didn't waste the opportunity; holding Twilight, he bolted out of the cave in a frantic sprint. When they finally left the darkness behind, fear and relief mixed in their chests with such intensity that they felt as if their hearts were about to burst.

They leapt over the snow mound and rushed to Starlight, embracing her with palpable relief. The sensation of having narrowly escaped left them breathless.

—Starlight... If you hadn't come, I don't know what would have happened to us —Shining said, still stunned.

—Hey, it's nothing. No monster is a match for... —Starlight cut off her own bravado as soon as she clearly saw her former mentor—. Twilight! Oh, Celestia, we need to get you to the hospital right now.

—It's just a scratch —she tried to downplay it, though her voice betrayed the pain that pierced through her wing like a knife. The cold wrapped around her with invisible claws, claiming her warmth, her life. It was terrifying.

They set off towards the Crystal Empire. Finally, it seemed like their adventure had come to an end.

But then, an unsettling hiss reverberated in Twilight's ears. Her coat stood on end instantly. For a moment, she forgot about her injury.

The calls of her friends seemed distant, drowned out by the rumbling of the earth shaking beneath their hooves. The ice cracked. It split open.

There was no time to react.

The ground collapsed beneath her, and the darkness swallowed her whole.

She plummeted toward a frozen lagoon. The air escaped her lungs in a strangled cry. She tried to flap her wings, but the pain paralyzed her. Her friends were too far away. No one would reach her in time.

She felt the chilling embrace of the water engulf her completely, a sensation she wouldn't wish on her worst enemy. Her skin prickled instantly, and a shiver ran down her spine as the current dragged her away. Despite the panic threatening to consume her, she gathered the courage to open her eyes, clinging to the faint light flickering above, marking the way to the surface.

Each movement became heavier, as if her body were turning into lead. Her strength faded with each passing second. She struggled desperately, raising a trembling hoof toward the light, but just as she was only a few inches from reaching the air, a shudder paralyzed her.

She felt gravity reclaiming her once more, slowly dragging her back to the depths. Then, something grabbed her. Firm hooves seized her roughly, preventing her from sinking any further.

Consciousness rushed back to her all at once. Amid shadows and whirlpools, she distinguished a pair of scarlet eyes. Even in the darkness of the water, they shone with a hypnotic intensity.

He held her at the edge of the lake, still with water covering both of them. Twilight gasped, her body trembling from both the cold and the presence of the stallion holding her. In front of her, Sombra stood motionless, his expression stoic and impenetrable, as if the scene evoked no emotion in him at all.

The icy air pressed against her chest, but it was something else that made her blood freeze further in her veins. Her eyes widened like a prey caught under the gaze of its predator.

Sombra opened his jaws, and the same demonic grin of the creature on his dark coat appeared on his face.

When Twilight opened her eyes again, she found herself out of the water, her body lying on the frozen shore. She gasped heavily, her breath escaping in trembling clouds as she tried to fill her lungs with the air that had been ripped away from her.

Beside her, Sombra remained impassive. Without a word, he shook himself with a sharp movement, scattering drops that struck the ice with a dry sound. Then, without even glancing at her, he made his way toward the cave's exit.

Outside, Starlight was waiting for them.

After the incident, Starlight teleported them to the outskirts of the Crystal Empire. The icy wind greeted them immediately, carrying snowflakes that stuck to their manes. There was no time to lose: Twilight needed medical attention before the fever and cold weakened her further.

Sombra, however, seemed immune to the frigid temperature. He stood upright, with snow accumulating on his dark coat, showing no signs of shivering. Unlike the others, he didn't display any discomfort or exhaustion.

But his presence was still an issue. Shining Armor's attitude made it clear: his hostility, though contained, was palpable. After all, what Sombra had done to Cadence was still a raw wound for the crystal ponies. Bringing him into the Empire was not an option.

—I'm not leaving you here alone —Starlight insisted, frowning.

—Do it anyway —Sombra replied indifferently, letting himself fall onto the hardened snow.

Twilight looked at them with concern before taking a step toward the illuminated path that led to the city.

—We'll be back soon —she assured, before moving forward, disappearing with the others into the icy mist.

—How can we leave him so close to the Empire? —Shining Armor was visibly upset, the tension in his voice even more apparent.

—He won't do anything, trust me —Starlight replied firmly.

—What I don't trust is him.

Shining snorted in frustration and started walking, accompanied by Starlight, who continued protesting under her breath. Twilight walked behind them, but before entering the illuminated path, she turned her head toward Sombra.

—You saved me —she murmured. The blizzard swallowed her words before they could reach him.