The Woods Are Lovely, Dark and Deep, Part 4

…it’s not that hard at first. Once you get over the initial shock, I mean. There’s so much to do. All these details. And there’s always someone around helping you. Someone’s always there. Thank goodness for that.

A casket. You have to pick out the casket. And what you wish to bury them in. Decide on how you’ll do the wake, WHEN you do it…and then the funeral itself. Then…what do you do with all their things?

The tiara-esque crown…the armor. Father wanted all of that to me. His marriage brooch to mother. What you keep and what you decide to burn…what goes to Luza and what goes to mother. It’s hard to burn anything. Doing that seems wrong. Destroying anything that was his seems…wrong.

The room we’ll seal off. It’s a tough decision, but I have to. It’s just…too painful to look around. Little by little as there’s less to do, you finally realized you’re finishing erasing a life. The generals and father’s staff slow their visits. Then stop. Everyone goes on with their lives. Then you realize you’re alone.

…except for her. Thank heavens my sister’s still there.

…and, of course…my dreams.

Lovely Lady Luna. Developer of the Trinity of Strength. Willpower. Intelligence. Passion.

And she comes to see me nightly in my dreams. She brings her sister’s regards…

…and, of course…tea.

“I appreciate this.” Sombra quietly remarked, looking up into Luna’s soft eyes. They seemed to faintly glow in the light of the stars that hung overhead in his dream, the two of them sitting upon a small couch made of shadow and mist, Sombra sipping from the teacup with his hooves, forehead matted with sweat, ponytail hanging over his shoulder, greasy and unkempt. “…I’ve…not gotten much sleep when you aren’t visiting. It’s as if you’re a good luck charm.”

“We are here to provide support for you and to implore you to consider opening up negotiations with the opposing armies.” Luna requested, her head bowing softly as she looked deep into Sombra’s eyes, the unicorn flinching a bit.

“…Luna. They killed my father. I want…every minotaur’s…head. And the fact that my kingdom is now CUT OFF from our trade routes thanks to what they did…besieged by those bullheaded…BASTARDS…and worse still, the Gryphon and Zebra kingdoms have joined in opposing us! More and more of our conquered lands are uprising. Our tax collectors are being stoned! LITERALLY. As in TURNED.TO.STONE.” Sombra hissed out, showing off sharp fangs.

“Oh, that spell…” Luna murmured quietly, flinching herself. “Yes, we know it well. But it’s easily cured with the proper-”

“If there was anything but their head left in the crates they launch over the city walls, that would be one thing…since that’s all that they left that isn’t RUBBLE!” Sombra growled darkly, crushing the tea cup in his hooves, frowning as the tea dissolved into the air. “…buck. Lady Luna, forgive my…anger. Can’t you assist us? You and your sister’s magics were able to halt even Discord. A stoning spell from ME would barely freeze his arm.”

“You have everything you need in HERE to succeed.” Luna insisted, putting out a hoof and placing it against Sombra’s head. “You are a brilliant and intelligent person. You will find a way. Have faith in that and in your people. Find the will within to succeed. My sister and I will try to speak to the other kingdoms, appeal on your behalf, but if we should fail…it shall fall on you.”

“I understand.” Sombra sighed quietly, bowing his head, biting into his lip as flying fish soared overhead, one leaping over the moon as the dish in his lap ran away with the spoon, his chocolate pudding still untouched. “My father’s spellbook could be of use. I’ll try and look for a way to create resources and become invulnerable to any similar…assassination attempts like the one that claimed him.”

“Sombra Nyh-Tyaim, We wish you the greatest of luck.” Luna proclaimed dramatically, bowing with a deep sweep of her head and her arms, Sombra finding himself slowly rubbing his eyes free of sleep with his hooves as he sat up in bed, Luza sitting at the end of it, rubbing her kneecaps and chewing on her lip.

“Lul-Loo?” Sombra quietly inquired as she cringed a bit.

“…I can’t sleep.” She mumbled out. “…daddy keeps bleeding all over  me.”

“…come here.” Sombra asked of her, reaching out with a hoof as Luza crawled across the bed and rested her head against his soft, grey chest, Sombra tenderly stroking his little sister’s head. “All will be well, Luza. It’ll all be okay…”

I’m going to MAKE it okay…

…

…

…

…they couldn’t believe it.

They couldn’t…believe it.

Chrysalis of the Changelings…and her private army…captured. Captured by Shining Armor and his mares. The queen of the Changelings had evidently been trying to dig TUNNELS into Canterlot to try subterfuge, and it had ended up them breaking up and through the floor…and straight into Canterlot Castle.

But not into the soldier’s bedrooms, allowing them to take over the army. No, no, see, the rooms had been switched since the previous invasion. They’d popped right up into the training grounds. In the middle of a training session.

With experienced veterans grilling fresh-faced and VERY eager new recruits.

It had been a complete, total and utterly one-sided battle. Changelings were getting punted left and right, piled on like it was a wrestling match, their high-pitched, insectoid screeches echoing through the air as everyone outside the castle waited with abated breath, magic, torches and pitchforks at the ready.

And luckily, Celestia and Luna were also prepared, calmly trudging towards the field of battle, not a changeling able to lay so much as a hoof on them as Chrysalis had tried to escape down through the tunnels…only to be forcibly hovered out. Now she was in a big bright pink bubble, being essentially wheeled alongside her men as Twilight Princess watched it all unfold with the denizens of Ponyville. Yes…Chrysalis and her people had been brought to Ponyville.

With a wave of her hoof, the bubble was gone and Chrysalis dusted herself off. “Was the BUBBLE necessary?”

“A precaution.” Shining Armor remarked calmly. “And be lucky that is ALL I did.” He added angrily, with a narrow glare.

“SHINING. Please. Currently, Ponyville has THE largest collection of Changeling-blooded citizens, from purebloods to mixed race.” Celestia informed Chrysalis, nodding at the crowd before her, the Changelings flanked on all sides by Shining Armor as he smiled cheekily over at Twilight. “These citizens have managed to integrate well with our society to large degrees. Whether you wish to pursue THAT avenue...that is up to you. For the TIME, we believe you’ll be best suited to live here until we can draw up papers for your species’s possible integration into Equestrian society or perhaps even creating a kind of homel-”

“As if we’d EVER want to be part of your pathetic kingdom. We are our race! Proud! Noble-”

A loud, visible series of snorts from the crowd as Chrysalis glared daggers in their direction. “You. I know YOUR type.” She hissed at the nearby Changeling-blooded young filly named Squirt, who blinked nervously as he clung to his adopted father Shinedown’s leg. “A disgustingly little Faux-ny.” She muttered. “So far removed from your true roots. How ironic that your ancestors the Ghainham prided themselves on being elite, when now I and my clan, the Sugnbohn, are now closer to being pure changeling than YOU are?”

“This land is a sandbox a dozen species are sharing. You need to learn to play nice.” Shinedown snapped back. “The other Changelings we have here found ways to adapt into Equestrian soceity and they seem really happy!”

“Only because they aren't STARVING. My race deserves a true home. Why do you think I tried to take Canterlot? Our people have no homeland since the Shadowlands are...gone.” Chrysalis muttered.

“That can't be right. Where are your noncombatants? Your women and children and-” Shinedown began to ask before he noticed every single Changeling, even Chrysalis, was...not looking at him. In fact, they all looked tremendously uncomfortable at the mere idea of talking about what had happened.

“They're...all gone?” Twilight asked nervously.

“Our people are nomads. We do not have a true "home". And...and anyone that couldn't fight alongside us has been long since lost to the wilds, be it at the claws of a creature, or...things I could not control properly.” Chrysalis quietly mumbled.

“I DO sympathize...but we must take measures to ensure you don't harm my people. As such, we’ve placed glyphs upon you.” Celestia added with a sweep of her arm. “All of you captured changelings have my and my sister’s magic presence upon you. If you attempt to feed or directly harm any nonchangeling here in Ponyville, you will be given an IMMEDIATE marking that will signify you are a criminal. And we shall have a constant presence here with our military to ensure you don’t try anything to my little ponies. I…” She halted for a moment in her speech. “…am sorry it has to be this way. I wish I could simply let bygones be bygones. But until you prove you’re not a true threat to us…you’ll be treated with a certain amount of suspicion. And to make sure you don't try to make use of your OWN species to sneak around that spell, I will be staying here to keep an ADDITIONAL eye on you along with my guard.”

“It isn’t racism, it’s…caution. You DID try to take over the world several times, Ms. Chrysalis.” Squirt muttered. “Even Mister DISCORD’s reformed by now.”

“Oh, NOW you show mercy. You didn’t help dear Sombra much when he asked your sister for aid.” Chrysalis snarled. “My darling King was practically abandoned.”

“He made his choices. My sister and I tried to convince the other kingdoms to halt what they did, but he failed at making things easier for himself AND for us.” Celestia calmly intoned. “He made a great many mistakes…focused on the wrong things.”

“You wouldn’t understand.” Chrysalis murmured, Celestia walking away to join Luna, the princess of the Night looking angrily over at Chrysalis, furious that this hateful woman was dragging her through the mud before their subjects. “Not like I understood him…”

All of the Changelings slowly but surely shuffled around. They seemed…lost. Unsure of what to do. The only person left was Shinedown and his adopted son, and they approached along with Twilight, Squirt clearing his throat as he struggled to speak in the Changeling’s true tongue.

*Miss Chrysalis. Please tell us of the old times. Tell us of the King’s rule over the Shadowlands.*

“So you DO know the language.” Chrysalis whispered as she looked over at Shinedown, then at Squirt, Twilight furiously scribbling notes on a notepad. “…perhaps you’re not as…fauxny as I thought.” She murmured. “Intriguing…”  She looked into Shinedown’s eyes…and for a brief moment, Twilight was CERTAIN she saw…faint recognition, as if she somehow was seeing someone ELSE there, but…then the look faded as Chrysalis smirked darkly. “You really desire to know about the reign of the king? It was positively gloooorious.”

…

…

…

… “The city-wide pachinko game will be held in two hours.” The town criers proclaimed, gesturing with a hoof at the burning magical letters above, spelled out across the air in the streets as people milled about. “But first! An announcement from our Shadowlord!” The criers went on as people huddled together, sitting down on benches and on chairs as they glanced around at each other. Sombra Nyh-Tyaim stood atop the towering castle ramparts, a faint, glowing, dark red aura surrounding him, oozing black veins running through it in a dark protection spell. He coughed slightly, Luza frowning as she stood next to him alongside Chrysalis, seeing…his hooves were marked up, cut open, slashed. Clearly this spell had required blood seals…

His mother stood near Luza, coughing a bit, Sombra looking concernedly at her, titling his head slightly to the side. She was…abnormally pale. “Mother, are you sure you can handle being outside?” He inquired as Mina Nyh-Tyaim cringed a bit and scratched at her neck with a hoof.

“D-don’t you talk down to your mother.” Mina hacked out. “D-Don’t you do that.” She insisted. “I’m just FINE.”

“If we’re all set, I’m going to begin the amplification spell.” Chrysalis announced, pointing at the small crystal atop the ramparts they were standing on, about to tap it with her hoof. “Remember, they’ll hear everything you say and see your face everywhere. Be concise. Be strong.”

“Don’t lick your lips like you like to do.” Luza added as Sombra chuckled a bit before nodding at Chrysalis, who tapped the crystal. With a “PING” that rang through the air, Sombra’s face appeared before the populace in a burning, blackish/grey mass, his eyes glowing green and red as he “harrumphed” and cleared his throat.

“I wish for only one thing, my citizens, my servants, my people. To keep you all safe from the forces that now threaten our borders and our cities. We must endure and strike back however we can until the trade routes have been reopened. This, however, will take time. And it shall take sacrifice.” Sombra proclaimed. He stretched a hoof out, looking proud as the citizens whispered amongst themselves, placing the hoof tenderly upon his chest and bowing his head, as if accepting a great burden from the citizenry. “I will do all I can to preserve this city and keep it an idyllic society as it was always meant to be.”

The crowds cheered, bellowing with joy and happiness as they leapt up and down, clapped their hooves, whooped and hollered and danced about, the speech ending as Sombra fell to his knees on the ramparts, panting and heaving before finally rising back up.

“My…nightshade spell is…rather draining.” He managed to get out, allowing Chrysalis to lift him up as she dusted him off. He looked deep into her eyes, taking one hoof in his own as he stared longingly at her. “It will take time for me to be used to the blood loss. But I’ve got to get to work on handling possible…uprisings. How many do we have in our jails? I’ve a new system to put into place…”

“You know I’ll be there to support everything you do, Sommy.”

“Oh, Chrissy. You’re going to make me blush in front of my mother and sister.” Sombra chuckled, Luza giggling a bit as Mina laughed.

“We don’t mind! Honest!”

…

…

…

… “Chrysalis said it was ingenious. He began hypnotizing those within the jails into doing most of the work. No more backbreaking labor for his people,  no struggle for food or shelter, just people relaxing as a war waged around them.” Twilight informed the princess as she dictated a letter to Spike, sitting on a bench in Ponyville cafeteria. “The people of his kingdom were being divorced from the reality of war. And he was clearly getting better at…getting into people’s heads if he could enslave people even without the heart…”

“He had to keep doing it to them every week but…yeah, being able to make it last for that long, even if it’s only for a few hundred people, that IS pretty…well, I can’t say “good”.” Spike cringed, shaking his head back and forth as he kept writing on the parchment.

“And Chrysalis evidently…” Twilight halted for a moment. “…I…I’m not comfortable writing this. Or even thinking about it. I doubt she ever truly cared about Sombra. Her “love” was idolization. Worship of an IDEA more than a pony. He was a THING to horde and make use of.”

“You so SURE about that?” Spike asked, tilting his head to the side, raising a nonexistent eyebrow. “I mean, we’ve seen these changelings can really show real emotion. At least, sometimes…I think…” He mumbled.

“The others might be different. In fact, I believe they ARE...but She herself said she can’t feel love, Spike.” Twilight muttered. “And I’ve been reading the journal.”

…

…

…

…unsatisfying. Empty. Hollow.

And not over nearly fast enough.

An entire night just…lying in the same bed, her wrapped around me. Softly murring into my neck, holding me close.

This ought to feel right. She and I have been so close for so long, yet…I don’t feel attached to her when…

She’s always, always on top. Always so...rough. Harsh.

And she’s always biting into my shoulder. At least It allows me to use the blood for new seals.

I’ve been practicing. Heard much about the power of crystals…the right kind of crystals can enhance my abilities to immensely large levels. I hope one day to find one, at least, when the trade routes are reopened. However, things are difficult in the kingdom. My little slaves do all the work, helpless to resist, punished for their defiance to the Shadowlands. But supplies are regrettably getting rather low. Lower than I’d like.

I’m actually having to ask people to turn in metal so I can melt it down and use it for refurbishing the walls. And then of course there was that baby that vomited upon me as I walked among the people, that disgusting little-

WELL! An enormous boulder just SMASHED through the walls and into me. Evidently the Griffons are now taking to flying through the skies, tossing boulders with their hulkish Praetorian Guard. I am beginning to despise Griffons. I feel the urge to cook one of them alive in front of them when they’re in the middle of attacking my castle just to show them what happens when they defy…

I’m still not sleeping well. Luna has not visited in months…mother is…sick. Very sick. She’s been going downhill since father perished, and I have yet to find a cure. However, I’m close. Close to a breakthrough. Because I bonded with the Shadows, I’m immune to such diseases. Mother never did…she just couldn’t. But if I could distill the pure essence of Shadow I could have her WILL her body to be cured, just as the Way of the Shadow allows me to WILL my body into becoming virtually untouchable.

Soooo…close.

But there’s always so much to do. THIS realm of the city got damaged by catapult, this one had a fire break out, that one is seeing a rash of thefts, THAT one’s being invaded even now-

Sometimes it all feels like too much.

…I wonder if I can shoulder this responsibility. I really do. I’m not entirely sure sometimes…</i>

…

…

…

…the devastation was terrible in the southwestern section of the city. A dark, awful haze filled the skies as Sombra walked along with Luza, who held onto her mother with a single hoof, almost pushing her along as Sombra slowly glanced about the damage. It was hot and humid, the air stung your lungs as you breathed it in, and the bodies…

The bodies were…it was almost impossible to look at them. The fire spells that the Manechurian platoon had leveled at this portion of his home were designed to inflict as much pain and agony as possible. Even the bandages designed to keep blood flow down as the mages worked their healing magic weren’t really working. Foul cold iron stench ripped through them, blood oozing out and staining the bandages from beneath like a modern art painting, lips burnt off, eye sockets sizzled, pupils never to see another sight again…and the maggots.

The maggots. These filthy carrion crawlers were slinking all over the bodies, squirming and slithering about like the disgusting little pests they were. There were a hundred maggots to every body…you couldn’t take one step without stomping down on them…

“We need to burn the bodies. They’re too rotted and diseased to be of any possible use otherwise.” Sombra informed Chrysalis as she oversaw a small platoon of guards carrying the corpses away onto little carts.

“You’re so sure? With the right season-”

“I’m quite sure.” Sombra said quickly, his mother Mina coughing madly as he quickly glanced back at her, a look of pure fear on his face before he stared back at Chrysalis. “I’m loathe to waste resources, but this is simply too much.”

Chrysalis sighed a bit, nodding at the guards. “You heard the Shadowlord.” She informed them with a bark. “Get to work burning them.” They nodded in agreement, wheeling them off down the streets and away from the shattered and blown-open homes as Sombra glanced over at his mother.

“What about those left in the sector?” His mother coughed out, hacking slightly. “OOGH. You should…set up…set up beds and…and mosquito netting to…to keep them cared for…” She moaned. “Until their homes are rebuilt…HACGHK…”

“I’ll do what I can.” Sombra insisted as Mina Nyh-Tyaim looked up into his eyes, sighing mournfully at his expression.

“I’m not going to be around for much longer.” She told him softly.

“Mother, you WON’T die. I’m not letting you.” Sombra insisted, quickly grabbing her by the shoulders, shaking his head back and forth. “I’ve been studying.” He said, his mother looking over his form…seeing how he was ALWAYS armored. Always…even in this burning hot weather. He was clearly hiding something underneath, something faintly visible at the top of his chest now that she was so close to him…full-body bandages to hide deep, bloody wounds. Worse still, Sombra’s voice was always different now. It felt like it was hard for him to speak, his voice filled with a whispering, harsh, ravaged tone. “I’ve almost completely perfected my Shadow form. Soon I’ll distill it’s pure Essence, I can put it into you, you’ll be completely cured! And if it works on YOU, then…”

“You want to do it to the entire kingdom, is that it?” Mina asked as Luza tilted her head slightly to the side in confusion.

“Why’s that bad?” She asked. “If everyone was always happy and never died and was always with the ones they loved…isn’t that what everybody wants, momma?” Luza wanted to know as Mina slowly looked from her to Sombra.

“…this life is but a…thoroughfare. We depart with it with nothing but our spirit, that carries with us our deeds, good and ill. But it can’t be the ONLY thing that matters. That’s too much. It tips the balance we believe in. It’s why there’s a trinity of inner strength, without the other two, one would dominate over all. If we focus too much on one thing…we lose sight of all else.” Mina murmured, holding her son’s cheeks with her hooves. “You’re getting too concerned with me and not with the city. You have to learn that sometimes you have to let go.”

“It shouldn’t have to be this way.” Sombra mumbled back. “…good things deserve to last forever. The best things always do.”

“The best things go on. Just not in the way we always think.” Mina said tenderly.

“And you’ll go on. But in a way nobody else would think was possible.” Sombra swore. “…I will. Luza will. My kingdom will. I will be ETERNAL…” He whispered. “…nothing’s going to stop me. Not even death.”