Disclaimer: My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic is the property of Hasbro and all characters credited to Lauren Faust and the design team at DHX Studios
"I demand to know what is going on!" The Duke of Muleton said, stomping his hoof on the floor.
Luna narrowed her eyes, as much as she wanted to help her sister, she did not care for having to see to the Duke of Muleton. Especially when he had forced his way in ahead of the earth pony couple that were now regarding him with annoyance.
"Everything has been rectified, is that not evident?" Luna said tersely.
"How can we be sure that it's not just the eye of the storm? What if more chaos is to come?" The Duke demanded.
"It is ended." Luna insisted.
"Is the traitor Starswirl dead?" The Duke prompted.
"Starswirl was not to blame for this." Luna said, keeping to a truth of sorts.
"Then who was to blame? A changeling?" The Duke said flippantly.
"In a sense." Luna hazarded, it was true that Starswirl had changed his shape, did that not make him a changeling of sorts?
"Then it wasn't a changeling." The Duke said flatly.
"Does it matter if the problem has been resolved?" Luna asked, feeling her annoyance rise, why would the Duke not go away and leave the matter be? "Our sister and I risked life and limb travelling north to rectify this problem? Whither were thee Your Grace? Hiding out in the local tavern if memory serves us."
"It's easy to get places when you can fly." The Duke said with a shrug.
"If thou had taken note during the time of chaos thou would possess the knowledge that all flight was rendered useless." Princess Luna said stiffly. "Princess Celestia and I had to go by hoof, but we persevered and now everything is fine. Dost thou doubt our word sir?"
"Well it would be wrong to call my future wife a liar." The Duke said with a shrug.
"Thou art deluded." Princess Luna said incredulously.
"It would strengthen relations between our kingdoms." The Duke said enticingly.
"I will never marry you." Luna said firmly, slipping out of the royal we in her annoyance.
"You think you'll marry that good for nothing soldier Sombra?" The Duke demanded with a sneer.
"How dare thee!" Luna exclaimed, shooting to her hooves, her wings held wide as she felt the anger boil within her. "Sombra is a knight of this realm and has proven his mettle many times. He chose to accompany his princesses into danger. He did not cower in a tavern. He is worthy of the affections this princess holds for him. Affections that will never be thine for thou have done nothing to earn them. IT WAS THEE WHO TRIED TO CONVINCE THE PRINCESS OF THE NIGHT THAT HER SISTER WOULD SELL HER TO A WRETCH SUCH AS THOU! WE ARE NOT SO FOALISH! WE KNOW OUR SISTER WOULD NOT DO SUCH A THING! NOW GET THEE FROM OUR SIGHT! THERE ARE PONIES WHO WISH TO TAKE SERIOUS THIS OPERTUNITY AND NOT WASTE OUR PRCIOUS TIME!"
"You have not heard the last of this." The Duke of Muleton said haughtily before he lumbered out of the smaller council chamber.
Luna turned to the earth pony couple that were looking shocked and were trembling slightly.
"We are sorry thou had to witness such a scene." Luna said in a softer voice as she settled once more upon her haunches, her wings folding neatly behind her. "We are also sorry that the Duke of Muleton did push ahead of thee. Now how can we help thee this day?"
"Um…uh…" The stallion stammered then cleared his throat as he stepped away from the mare and she urged him forward. "Beg pardon Your Highness." He said, dipping with a bow. "We have a farm north of here, and well, we lost all our crops to flying pigs. There's nothing left! Was worse than parasprites."
"We are sorry for this loss thou hast suffered. We will consult the royal accountant in order to divine the price of thy loss. Once we know the amount we will compensate thee to enable thee to re-establish the income thou hast lost." Luna stated.
"Thank you Night Princess." The stallion said, bowing.
Luna nodded her head in return before she rang the bell beside her. A moment later a light grey unicorn with a pair of wire-framed glasses perched on her muzzle entered the room.
"You rang Night Princess?" She asked.
"Yes Computare, we have need of thy skills. This couple own a farm that was destroyed in the storm of chaos that swept our world. Would thou look over their records, calculate how many bits will be required to ensure their farm is fully functional once more and see to it that they are compensated." The Princess ordered.
"Yes Night Princess." Computare said with a bow, before she motioned for the earth ponies to follow her out of the room.
Luna turned to the unicorn at her side that held a clipboard and quill in his magic.
"How many more wish to see us Dusky Scribe?" She asked, moving slightly to avoid cramp.
"At least one hundred." He replied, "But more are turning up every hour."
"Oh dear." Luna said with a sigh. "I wonder how Princess Celestia is fairing."
Celestia stood in front of the throne; she couldn't bring herself to sit upon it, as she dealt with the latest in a long line of ponies. This one was a sandy coloured earth pony stallion. Like so many other ponies here today, it seemed his farm was in disarray.
"…And our south field is under a metre of chocolate milk and the barn is now made of nachos." He finished up his complaint.
"I see." Celestia said, tapping her chin thoughtfully, it appeared that although most things had turned back to normal not everything had been restored.
"What can you do to rectify it?" The farm pony asked.
"Drain the field and provide a new barn." Celestia stated.
"Where are we supposed to drain gallons of chocolate milk to?" The stallion asked.
"We have our best unicorns working on spells to transform the milk back to water, but it will still need to be drained regardless." Princess Celestia remarked.
"Yes Sun Princess." The farm pony said with a nod of his sandy head.
"Leave the location of your farm with the Minister of Records and we will see that your problems are rectified to the best of our abilities." Celestia counselled.
"Thank you Sun Princess." The farm pony said with a bow before trotting over to the Minister of Records who was working in one corner of the throne room.
"Send in the next petitioner please, Raven." Celestia said to the unicorn mare at her side.
Raven nodded before she went to the double doors of the throne room. The unicorns on guard inside the doors opened it with their magic and Raven called the next pony forward, a pink unicorn mare that was wearing her finest couture for this interview with Princess Celestia. She was half way through the door when a streak of brown knocked her down and came to a stop in front of Celestia. It was the Duke of Muleton and he was a shaking ball of rage.
"Can I help you Your Grace?" Celestia asked as she motioned the guards to help the mare up from the floor, but otherwise keep back for the time being. The mule was in a rage and it would not do to antagonise him further if it was something she could rectify.
"You need to rein in your sister." The Duke said angrily. "She has yelled at me again. If you wish for relations between Equestria and Muleton to remain civil you will have her apologise for this travesty."
"Why did Princess Luna yell at you?" Celestia asked calmly, although she felt angered that this so-called duke was demanding and ordering her around.
"Because she doesn't understand the delicate nature of politics or the true nature of marriage." The Duke replied huffily.
Celestia scowled before she managed to regain her composure.
"Queen Faust, may she rest in peace, would not have wished her daughters to marry for anything less than love. We are not pawns to be bargained with. I have no idea where you formed this idea that my sister should marry you. What signal did we ever give that this should be so?" Celestia inquired.
The Duke frowned.
"It's to be expected." He said in tones that suggested he could not believe that he had to explain this to Celestia. "We are your closest neighbours. A marriage treaty is the most effective contract, but I can hardly expect to win your hoof."
"Why am I exempt?" Celestia asked out of sheer curiosity.
"You are the oldest. You are now the ruler of Equestria, I am not so worthy of you, but Luna is the spare." The Duke said dismissively.
"She is not the spare anything!" Celestia exclaimed in affront. "This is a Diarchy, we rule together. Neither of us has seniority over the other. We are equal in our rule."
"But there's only one throne." The Duke said, pointing to the big gold throne behind Celestia.
Celestia turned to look at it for a moment, it was big and foreboding, but it was only one throne. Celestia turned back to the Duke.
"Once Luna and I are crowned then we will have two thrones. We are equals." She said firmly.
"No. You will never be equals. You cannot have two ponies in power. One will always outrank the other. Even if they don't mean to, if they do everything they can to seem equal, their subjects won't perceive them as equal. They will always show bias to one, most likely you. Wouldn't it be better for you to be rid of Luna now before animosity grows between you?" The Duke asked earnestly and Celestia realised that he truly believed this.
She had to correct him.
"There will never be animosity between Luna and I. We will forever reign as equals and I will never force her to marry for my own gain. Luna will marry whom she sees fit and if you cannot accept that then there will be no more relations between Equestria and Muleton. Is that clear?" Celestia said in a voice that left no room for argument.
"You'll regret this." The Duke said snidely and he turned away from Celestia and waddled out of the throne room with his nose in the air.
Raven was back at Celestia's side.
"Organise a personal guard for the Duke and see that he doesn't cause anymore trouble. The sooner he is out of Canterlot and Equestria the better." She said in a low voice.
Raven nodded before she went to arrange a guard.
Celestia turned to the unicorn mare that was straightening out her mane and dress.
"Please accept my apology Miss, the Duke is very excitable." Princess Celestia apologised.
"What can one expect from a mule." The unicorn said haughtily as she approached Celestia.
"What can I do for you?" Celestia asked kindly.
"I am merely seeking reassurance that this will not happen again. I have foals and they were so scared, they still are if truth were told. I need to be able to give them comfort that this will not happen again." The mare explained.
"As far as I know this will not happen again. I cannot make any promises, only that my sister and I will act in all promptness to counter any problems." Celestia said truthfully. "You can rest assured that we will always protect Equestria."
Raven returned to the room silently and took her place at Celestia's side.
"I suppose that is enough." The mare said. "Thank you Sun Princess, your loyal subjects are glad to have you returned."
"You're welcome." Celestia said with a nod.
The mare bowed then left the throne room.
"This will last all day." Celestia muttered, before indicating to Raven to send in the next pony.
Sombra read over the page in front of him, and then turned to the crystals laid out on a small table. He thought of the spell in his head, powered his horn, and sent it forth toward the crystals. The crystals absorbed the magic and glowed for a moment before they dimmed. Sombra watched them expectantly, but nothing happened. He sighed, turning back to the book, but a high-pitched sound drew his attention back to the crystals. They were vibrating and with the sound of crystal scraping against crystal they doubled in size.
Sombra grinned, that spell had always eluded him in the past, but finally it worked. Yes it was so clear now, he could make them expand however he saw fit. He had control of them. He could grow a city from these little crystals if he chose. That's how the Crystal Empire had been built after all.
The Crystal Empire?
Could he really be from there?
Was he a prince of that land?
No, the idea was foolish. He wasn't a prince. He was nothing more than a soldier. Of course if he was a prince it would explain something he had always wondered about, why Queen Faust had taken him on as a ward. It made sense now to know that he was royalty. Deposed royalty perhaps, but royalty never the less, and everypony must think he was dead. The assassins had killed his father and his mother. The assassins had mortally wounded his mother, but she got her little foal to safety, unbeknownst to them. She had died never the less, just as her husband had perished. As Sombra's father had perished. The prince. The Crown Prince of the Crystal Empire.
Was Onyx the older brother of Light Shine? It had to be so, because Light Shine had been crowned twenty years ago when Sombra had been ten. Queen Faust had gone to the ceremony, but had left the princesses behind, which was an unusual occurrence. Had Queen Faust decided the princesses should not go because she always took Sombra wherever she took the two fillies? Had she hid him in plain sight all these years but didn't want to risk somepony in the Empire recognising him. If Onyx was the older brother and heir to the Crystal Throne, then Sombra had a greater claim to it than Light Shine, especially now he was a fully-grown stallion. Sombra wasn't merely a prince, he was a king.
No, that was a foolish thought. He was not royalty, because if he was then how many years had he wasted in the shadow of his Night Princess? How much time wasted watching her from the wings thinking he was unworthy of her love because she was a princess and he was nothing more than a common soldier? He might be a knight, but he wasn't worthy of one of the most important ponies in Equestria. If he were king of the Crystal Empire, or even a prince, then there would have been nothing standing between their love. Yes Luna was starting to admit to her feelings, and Celestia had given her blessing for them to go ahead, but how long had Sombra wished to ask Luna to be his very special somepony? Too many years.
Even if he was the rightful king of the Crystal Empire it was a moot point. They obviously didn't want him as their king. They had tried to kill him as a foal to ensure this never happened. There was no point going to the Empire and demanding his crown, causing upheaval. There was a danger he could send the Empire into a civil war.
No, it was better to remain here in Equestria where he was a respected member of the guard, a knight of the highest rank and where his love, Princess Luna, resided. She was worth more than any crown. Being her partner and protector was the only thing he wanted out of life. He would gladly give up his crown for her.
Of course, that didn't mean he should give up on his ancestral magic, it could come in useful one day. Still unable, or perhaps unwilling, to sleep, Sombra carried on practicing his crystal magic, despite the insistence of General Butler that he should rest.
"Are there many more ponies?" Luna asked. "It is nearly time for sundown, we will have to wrap this up soon."
"There are no more ponies." Dusky Scribe said as he checked his clipboard.
"Thank goodness." Luna said with a relieved sigh as she stood and stretched out her wings and legs, hoping to work out the stiffness that had built up due to a day of sitting talking to ponies. Not to mention she was exhausted since she hadn't slept at all this day.
There was a knock as the door and the sound of somepony clearing their throat. Luna turned to see a unicorn mare whose purple coat was almost as dark as Luna's own, she had a mane that was a lighter purple and amethyst colour. She was dressed in dusty overalls, and there was a miner's helmet attached to her saddlebags. Her face was dirty, although she'd made some attempt to clean it.
"Yes?" Luna prompted.
"Am I too late to seek audience with you?" The mare asked.
Luna checked the time on the clock.
"We have ten minuets before we must raise the moon. What can we do for thee?" Luna asked.
"I am Dark Amethyst, my family owns the north section of the gem mines below Canterlot. I am not here to petition you for anything, but merely to warn you that one of our main tunnels collapsed in the wake of the recent chaos. We're not able to get to the most magical gems. I discussed it with my family and we thought that it was best to bring these to you." Dark Amethyst said as she levitated a pouch from her saddlebag and placed it at Luna's hooves.
Luna looked at the mare in confusion for a moment. The mare nodded toward the pouch, Luna opened it with her magic and took hold of the contents. There were purple stones that looked rather dull, not really anything one would use for decoration. They didn't sparkle the way diamonds, sapphires and rubies sparkled or even sparkle the way normal amethysts did, they were rather dull. Luna pulled one of a stone closer to her eyes to inspect it more thoroughly, she gave a gasp of surprise as she felt the spark of magic within the gems and recognised them for what they were.
"Are these…?" She began in wonder.
"Night amethysts?" Dark Amethyst asked in a hushed voice. "Yes."
"But, there are so many." Luna said, shaking the pouch and determining there were at least forty of these extremely rare stones inside.
"There are." Dark Amethyst confirmed. "My family mines them in the north mine, but until we clear the tunnels these are the last night amethysts that will be uncovered in all of Equestria. We thought that you, as Princess of the Night, should take possession of them."
"We could not possibly…" Luna stammered. "There are so many. Surely thou would seek some form of payment?"
"No. We give them to you in honour of your impending coronation. They are a gift from the Miner family of Canterlot. If we clear the tunnels you will be the first to know Your Highness." Dark Amethyst said with a bow.
"We thank they greatly dear Dark Amethyst." Luna replied.
Dark Amethyst left and Luna placed all the night amethysts back into the pouch. She turned to Dusky Scribe.
"You will not mention this to anypony." She said firmly.
"Of course Night Princess, I am sworn to secrecy." Dusky Scribe said promptly.
"Good." Luna replied. "Now there are no other ponies I will retire to my room to freshen up before I raise the moon."
Luna teleported to her bedroom and went to the furthest corner where she moved aside a heavy chest carefully in her magic so nopony would hear it scrape on the floor. She then removed a loose floorboard, inside was where she hid her most treasured possessions that she didn't use on a daily basis. She placed the pouch of night amethysts inside and put the floorboard back in place before levitating the heavy chest back into place.
Luna then teleported to the throne room as she had arranged to meet with Celestia. Celestia had been right, it was good for the ponies to see the diarchs performing their duty to their subjects. Once the princesses had performed this task, on the balcony once more for all to see, Luna retired to her chambers where Sombra was sat up on the cushions, reading a book.
"Are you feeling better my Knight Sombra?" She asked.
Sombra looked up and greeted Luna with a smile.
"Yes Night Princess." He replied, but Luna knew he was lying.
"Have you been reading all day?" She asked with concern. "You should rest."
"Forgive me Luna, but my mind cannot rest. I have always been active. It is galling to lie here doing nothing. I had to do something, and reading seemed the least strenuous activity." He explained as he levitated the book away from him now he could speak to his Night Princess.
"I suppose I would find it hard to sit here all day doing nothing." Luna conceded as she sat down near Sombra with a relieved sigh.
"You look exhausted yourself." Sombra observed.
"Yes." Luna said, stifling a yawn. "I have spent the entire day giving audience to many ponies." She continued as she laid her chin on her front hooves.
"You should rest too Luna. You should go to bed." Sombra advised.
"I am comfortable here." Luna murmured.
"Are you certain?" Sombra asked.
"Celestia gave her blessing for us to proceed as we saw fit. Did I not tell you this?" Luna asked.
"Yes. Before this turmoil." Sombra replied, remembering that magical moment up on the balcony.
Luna raised her head and looked into his magenta eyes. She too remembered that night and it seemed like a lifetime ago. How things had changed since then.
"I still wish for us to proceed, if only in private for the time being." She stated.
"However we are not in private." Sombra said carefully and directed Luna's gaze with his eyes.
Luna looked in that direction to find Starswirl's colt servant, General Butler, standing there, trying to blend into the background like the best gentle colt's gentle colt. Luna had forgotten he was here, and she felt a blush rush to her cheeks, but she refused to show embarrassment in any other way.
"General Butler, thou art relieved for the night. Please find thine rest and return here upon the morrow." She instructed in a smooth voice that didn't belay the embarrassment she felt.
"Yes Night Princess." General Butler said with a bow before leaving.
Luna looked around her chamber to make certain that nopony else was here. Then she turned back to Sombra.
"As I was saying, we may proceed." She stated.
"Are you not worried General Butler will talk of what he saw here?" Sombra asked with concern due to Celestia's warning about court gossips.
"He is not a gossip, he is much too professional for that." Luna said with certainty. "It matters not, let them whisper that I invite you to call me Luna. That I do not address you with the royal we, or that I hold you in higher regard than other stallions. The duty you performed for Equestria is great, you are a hero and they have no right to question us." She said firmly as she stomped her hoof on the ground, before she shook her head, dismissing the subject. "Let us forget this. You should sleep, I am here now to guard your dreams."
"Thank you Luna." Sombra said with a smile before he laid his head down on a cushion.
Once again Luna watched over his dreams.
Celestia flicked through the pages of the index once more, cross referenced the three books in front of her, pulled another book toward her with her magic. All the tomes seemed to lead to the same conclusion.
"It can not be." She said, "Oh Luna I am sorry."
The clock on the wall chimed, it was time for dawn once more. She had spent another night reading, trying to find a cure for Sombra, but all her research had brought up only one conclusion. She had to inform Luna, but she was uncertain how best to do so. She had to know soon, time was running out.
Celestia took Philomena back to her rooms before she teleported to the throne room to meet with Luna. Luna appeared a moment after Celestia and smiled at her sister.
"Good morning big sister." She said happily.
Celestia felt dread knot in her stomach, Luna's cheery disposition had to be down to Luna thinking Sombra was on the mend. How could Celestia ruin her sister's happiness with her news? Perhaps she should allow her this happy time in ignorance that her time with Sombra was growing short.
"Celestia? Are you feeling well Sister?" Luna asked in concern.
"What? Oh yes, I am merely a little tired. We should do our duty and welcome a new day." Celestia replied.
"Of course." Luna said, giving her sister a curious look. "Have you been up all night?"
"The sun needs to rise, we should do that now and we will talk afterwards." Celestia said in order to gain herself some time.
"Very well." Luna agreed, but she was determined that they would talk.
The princesses went out onto the balcony and went through the usual task of lowering the moon and raising the sun. There were ponies down in the courtyard once more, thankfully there were not as many as the previous day.
"I will see to them myself today." Celestia stated as they entered the throne room once more.
"But Sister, you are exhausted. Have you slept?" Luna asked with worry.
"No. I am fine however. I will have an hours nap before I see to the first ponies." Celestia promised.
"Allow me to help, we will get through them all the sooner." Luna offered, after all they were meant to rule together, that meant they should have an equal share of the work.
"No Luna, I can see to them. You should go, go spend time with Sombra." Celestia said with an encouraging smile.
Celestia had hoped Luna would take up this offer enthusiastically, but instead of a look of excitement, or merely a smile, Luna was frowning deeply as she regarded Celestia with suspicion.
"What is going on?" She demanded.
"Nothing." Celestia said, smiling, hoping Luna would accept this answer.
"There is something Celestia. I know when you are hiding information from me when you think it's for my benefit. What has occurred? Is it a danger to Equestria? I thought we were equal rulers, the diarchs of pony kind, but how can we be if you keep things from me?" Luna said, giving Celestia a level look.
Celestia looked back at her sister as she weighed up the pros and cons. Yes it would be nice to allow Luna to go on in ignorance to spend time with Sombra without a shadow hanging over her head. Of course they already had a cloud hanging over them in not knowing, it was kinder in the long run to let them know their time was short.
"We need to talk." Celestia said solemnly. "In Starswirl's chambers."
"Very well." Luna said, feeling a pang of worry in her heart, something grave had happened, and she worried that perhaps it was better not to know the answer.
The princesses teleported to Starswirl's room. Books were scattered about the place, and around the lectern several heavy tomes had been left open. Luna noted from the piled up teacups that Celestia had been in here all night.
"You did not sleep." Luna said with slight admonishment.
"It doesn't matter." Celestia said. "I will sleep tonight. At present we have much to discuss. Actually it is one thing we must discuss. Sombra."
"Why? Have you found a cure?" Luna asked hopefully as she looked around at the open books.
"If only I could answer that question with a yes." Celestia said as she shook her head sadly.
"Then you have not found a cure yet?" Luna said, feeling her heart sink at the ill look on her sister's face.
"There is no cure to find. He was hit by raw chaos. There is nothing in this world that can counter it, not even the fabled Elements of Harmony. It is taking him over, and soon it will have a hold on his heart and when it does…" Celestia trailed off with a sigh.
"Will he die?" Luna asked.
Celestia shook her head as a tear escaped the corner of her eye, death would be so much better.
Luna spent the day attending to royal duties; anything to keep her mind away from the news Celestia had given her. She did not want to accept it as the truth. It could not be true, there had to be a way. Yet she'd spent several hours pouring over the same books Celestia had read, trying to find somewhere her sister had miscalculated.
Celestia had not miscalculated.
She had spoken with Clover the Clever; the old healer had confirmed what Celestia had told her. It was the truth and Luna had no idea how to deal with this news. She had to keep her mind busy so she did not think about it. She kept away from Sombra until after she had raised the moon, but she could stay away from him no longer, especially if their time was limited. She had to go see him, but how to tell him?
She walked back to her room and looked at the guards either side of the door.
"Thou art not needed this night." She said.
"If you are certain Night Princess." One of the guards replied.
"We are." Luna said firmly.
The guards bowed and moved away from the door before marching down the corridor. Luna opened the door and stepped into her room, Sombra was reading again.
"General Butler?" She prompted.
"Yes Night Princess." He said with a bow as he appeared before her.
"Thou art dismissed. See that we are not disturbed." She ordered.
"Yes Night Princess." General Butler said with a bow before he left the room.
Luna closed the door and locked it with her magic. Sombra was watching her curiously as she turned to him, the tears that had been threatening through this long day doubling their effort to fall.
Silently Luna took hold of Sombra's book and levitated it over to the table.
"What is wrong?" Sombra asked.
Luna faced him so he could see that she was sincere in her remorse.
"I…I am sorry Sombra. I have failed you." Luna whispered as the tears stung the corner of her eyes. "I am the Princess of the Night, I protect ponies from the shadows, why can I not protect you?"
"Don't…Don't cry." Sombra said, reaching a hoof out to Luna to wipe away her tears. "It's not that…bad."
"Not that bad?" She demanded. "You are dying my brave knight." She stepped closer to him. "And I, with all my power, cannot help."
"Even alicorns cannot hold back death." Sombra whispered.
Luna dropped her head warily.
"There is nothing that can help. No magic cure that defeats all ills." She muttered.
Sombra shook his head and there was silence for a moment before he laughed.
"There is one thing." He said in amusement.
"What?" Luna asked, raising her head to look at him in hope.
"The one thing that breaks any curse in all the pony tales." Sombra continued with a wry smile.
"What is it?" Luna asked, almost demanded, if there was anything that could help, anything at all.
"Oh you will think it stupid." Sombra said with a dismissive shake of his head.
"Tell me, perhaps it will help!" Luna said urgently.
"But we used to scoff at the notion as foals, knowing it would never truly work. Magic is not so simple that it has a universal corrector." Sombra said with a sigh of acceptance.
"What do you speak of?" Luna asked in a whisper, wishing him to merely state his theory and allow her to decide for herself.
Sombra laughed before he said in a sardonic voice, "True love's kiss."
Luna gasped.
"Yes, it is a most foalish notion." She replied, but was thoughtful for a moment. "However they say all pony tales are based somewhere in fact. Besides, at this very moment I will give hope to anything."
"I was merely joking." Sombra said, taken aback that Luna would actually consider this a viable option.
"I know you were joking, but I am not. I would kiss you my faithful knight in the hope that it cures you." Luna said with conviction.
"A magic kiss from my Night Princess." Sombra mused with a smile and began to sit up.
"What are you doing?" Luna asked in alarm.
"If this is the only time I get to kiss you I would sooner be on my hooves." Sombra said. "Looking into your limpid blue eyes…as I've always imagined."
"Please." Luna said and used her magic to gently lift Sombra onto his hooves.
She pulled away her magic and Sombra remained standing. Luna stepped closer to him, reaching out her hoof to place against his cheek. She looked into magenta eyes, his love for her still burned brightly and she felt that odd beat in her heart once more as she leant toward him. Her eyes closed as she pressed her lips against his. It was a very chaste kiss, a quick brush of the lips before Luna pulled her head back.
Sombra managed a weak smile.
"It was worth a try." He whispered, trying to laugh, but there was fear in his voice now.
Luna pulled him closer, enfolding her wings around him as she leant her head on his shoulder. She hugged him dearly as if they were parting ways forever.
"Why does it seem as if you fear you'll lose me to something other than death?" Sombra asked with concern.
"Celestia has come to a grave conclusion." Luna whispered, unwilling to let Sombra go.
"What?" Sombra asked.
"It…" Luna trailed off; it was too painful to put to words.
Sombra stepped away from her, but slumped back down onto the cushions from the effort. He looked up at Luna as she dropped her head, tears gathered on the brim of her eyes.
"I deserve to know." He whispered.
Luna sat down in front of him, looking sadly into his eyes.
"The shard of chaos that pierced your heart is slowly corrupting you. It is turning you to the opposite of what you were. Where there was once loyalty, there will be betrayal. Where there was once kindness, there will be cruelty. Where there was once selflessness, there will be selfishness…" She trailed off with a sob; it hurt her heart to continue.
"And where there was once love?" Sombra asked, realising what his princess feared.
"Hatred." Luna said wretchedly as the tears spilled over onto her cheeks. "Or obsession. I'm not sure which I would find worse."
"I will be as good as dead, but still alive?" Sombra asked. "I…I would sooner die than become some monster. If that happens, that I should become somepony other than your Knight Sombra, please promise to preserve my honour."
"How could you ask such a thing?" Luna demanded. "No. No, I will save you. With all my kisses, whatever it may take!"
She leapt at him, wrapping her hooves about his neck as she kissed him desperately. Sombra returned the kisses, lost in a mixture of elation that he finally held his princess in his hooves whilst feeling the utter despair that the tinge of salty tears confirmed the reality that he would soon be lost.
He broke the kiss and rubbed his nose against hers, raising a small giggle through her tears. He managed a weak smile.
"I think it's starting to work." He stated.
"Liar." Luna replied, but she laughed as she sat away from him and rubbed at her eyes. "What am I to do?"
"Whatever happens, whatever I become, remember your Knight Sombra loved you and he would lay down his life in your honour." Sombra said solemnly.
"You already have." Luna said sadly.
Sombra winced as a flash of memory caught him, Luna standing there, pleading with that, that creature as it threw about chaos without thought. Of seeing that bolt of dark twisted matter, of leaping through the air, thinking he would not be in time to save his princess. The powerful magic striking him directly in his chest, the zing of lightning wracking his body, but it was all worth it for her.
He looked up at Luna now; her limpid eyes sad, sticky tear tracks in the soft fur of her face. He wanted to make her smile again, just one last time before he was gone.
"I…" He lay down on his side; he was starting to feel exhausted. "Come closer."
Luna leaned closer.
"Come lie here beside me." He said.
The princess backed away slightly.
"Just to lie here so that I won't have to strain my voice. I want to tell you a story." He explained.
"A story?" Luna inquired as she moved closer.
"One for you to keep with you always. Of how the lowly Knight Sombra loved his Night Princess and would do anything she asked of him. Of their life together in a kingdom without chaos." He began.
"It sounds nothing more than a pony tale." Luna said as she settled down next to him.
"They say most pony tales are based on truth." Sombra said with a smile as he reached a hoof out to Luna.
Luna managed a real smile as she placed her hoof in his. With his task complete Sombra was content as they talked for hours about their imagined future. It was in the early hours of the morning that they both fell asleep.
Luna woke with a start and sat up. Sombra was gone. She turned to the door and realised that was what had aroused her. Her door was no longer there. It had been forced open by enormous dark crystals, leaving a hole big enough for a fully-grown stallion to fit through.
Luna stepped through and felt a tinge of relief she had dismissed the guard, they would have been impaled on crystal had she not done this. She galloped down the right hand corridor, she was certain Sombra was heading outside. The crashing sound from the main gates confirmed this. She teleported and appeared at the main gates that were now twisted and fractured by dark crystal. The unicorn guards were slumped and dazed on the floor, dark crystals imbedded in their horns.
Luna left the castle taking to the air, she hovered high over Canterlot and she caught sight of Sombra. She swooped down toward him.
"Sombra, wait." She called.
Sombra did not answer, an aura of dark magic surrounded him and he teleported away, leaving behind a crop of dark crystals. Luna landed beside the crystals and reached toward the crystals with her hoof. The crystals grew, reaching toward her. Luna shuffled back in worry. She snapped a stick from a near by tree and moved it near the crystal. The crystal grew and surrounded the stick.
Very quickly Luna created a safety shield around the crystals just as several pegasus guards landed next to her.
"Ensure nopony goes near those crystals." Luna instructed. "I must consult my sister."
Luna left the guards guarding the crystals and took to the air. She flew back toward the palace a knot of worry growing in her stomach. It seemed Equestria was in a state of emergency once more.
Big thanks to Gempire for improving the small parts I think up and make them big and heartbreaking.