The Lord of Ragnarok
Chapter 12: Return of the King
Battlefield outside of the Abandoned Equis Village - Rainbow's P.O.V.
Finding the battlefield was easy. I had spotted the village, and then I saw the dead soldiers outside of it. Moving close to the village I found a half crushed and melted crystal spiral standing at the edge. Ash littered the ground, but I didn't see anything. There were no bones, nothing, until I looked at the melted piece of the spiral. There, inside of it, trapped like a fly in tree sap on Applejack's floor was a part of a fang.
Tenderly I reached down and removed Lord Sombra the Magnificent's fang. I lifted it, holding it close, and took off again. Finding the Village had been easy, finding the fang not so bad, but waiting for my love and lord to resurrect one of my fathers was going to be torture. I flew back, hoping that I could keep from wanting time to jump forward. I could see the Everfree Forest, as Lord Mannulus called it, and I swooped into it. I landed outside of the Temple, and I walked into it. Stepping inside I saw my Husband, still talking with the others, and I prepared for how he may react. What I did was in the best interest of the Temple, but it was also selfish.
I wanted Lord Sombra the Magnificent back. I wanted him, my parents, and all of the other supreme beings to be here. They needed to be here, all of them needed to be here, and I knew that he understood that as well. My hope was that he wouldn't be disappointed in me for not telling him what I was going to do. I understood that he worried about all of us, but as far as I knew I was the fastest being on this planet. I could pull off speeds that would strip flesh from other beings. Once I was in the open, nothing, but nothing could catch me. I walked toward him, bowing my head in respect, and I felt a hand touch me.
"What have I said about being contrite?"
I looked up at him, a small smile crossed my face, "I found part of one of his fangs."
He gave me a smile, "And that should be enough. Come with me."
We walked down to near the dungeon and vaults of the Temple. Once we were there I saw him open a special room. Hundreds of clay jars, each with runes that looked to be made of swirling magic, were lined against the walls. Long tubes ran from each jar to a center jar, and he opened the lid. Once it was open he dropped the fan into it. He then closed his eyes, gripped the jar, and I watched as green magic covered it. As it did he began to look weaker, and finally he released himself from it. I touched his face and he smiled.
"Hard part is over, now we wait. In three days his body will be regrown, and we will need to resupply. I suppose that won't be an issue."
I looked at him, "How?"
He studied me, "Because, we are still going to war. I refuse to allow them to do this to another of us, or another life regardless. Besides, they so willingly gave us over a thousand lives to bring back one of our own. I can only believe they will do so again."
We walked out of the lab together, and I helped him back to Fluttershy's floor. I wasn't sure, but it looked as if recreating a new body took almost all of his MP. We reached the floor and walked toward the rejuvenative springs. Slowly he undressed, slipped into the springs, and then he looked at me. I smiled, stripped, and slipped in beside him. He took me into his arms.
"I'm sorry," I said as he held me, "I should have said what I was planning on doing."
I felt him kiss the back of my neck, "Rainbow, you have no need to apologize. What you did was to save my friend, and in a sense one of your fathers. You are the embodiment of Loyalty, and you behaved that part of you."
I turned toward him, seeing the love in his eye, and I kissed him. He was my love, my husband, and eventually the father to my foal or foals. Ultimately, he was who I wanted to give all of my loyalty to, but there was a small part of me that wanted Lord Sombra the Magnificent's approval. I want to know that he loved me. I know that Lord Mannulus loves me, and I hate that I want to have Lord Sombra show that he loves me. To hear him tell me that he's proud of me.
I felt tears well up, and I reached down finding my husband's shaft. I stroked it, slowly, getting him hard, and then lowered myself on it. I wanted him to use me. To rut me with abandonment, and to let me know my place. I wanted it because even though I knew he didn't believe I betrayed his trust, I felt like I did.
Temple of Celestia Sol - Fifth Floor Rejuvenative Springs - Mannulus P.O.V.
Feeling Rainbow ride me wasn't unpleasant, but rather it was something I felt that I needed. Still, I wasn't an idiot. She was crying, openly crying, and after a moment I hugged her. She hugged against me, and I felt her shaking sobs. I held her, kissing her neck, telling her that she was loved, and I refused to simply rut her with abandonment. No, she needed tenderness right now. She needed to be shown that she was loved. At least I believed that. Finally she leaned back.
"Please, rut me hard. I'm sorry, just please rut me hard," she said.
I kissed her softly, "My love, you deserve to be made love to, not used like a sex toy."
She shuddered, "No… I…" and I kissed her, stopping her again.
"You deserve to be loved, and there is no reason for you not to be. Now, let me love you."
With that, I began to kiss down her body, taking care to linger on the spots that I knew made her squirm and squeak in pleasure. I had every intention of making her feel as perfect and wonderful as I could. I made her moan softly, and I began to feel her movements change. Together we moved toward a healing that I knew she needed. The time we spent in the rejuvenative springs was spent in more than healing bodies, but it was spent, I hoped, in healing souls.
Rainbow obviously felt conflicted about something, and I didn't understand what it could be. She was loyal, and her actions were for the good of the guild and the temple. But then again she had acted without a clear order or direction. She had acted on her own, and while I was impressed I could only gather that it was her actions that was tearing her apart. When we had finally climaxed for the last time, and I held her lithe body against my scarred one; I understood that what I had done for her was helping.
Before she had questioned if I thought she was beautiful, did I think that her form was any less desirable than Twilight's, Solar's, or Luna's. What she didn't understand was that it wasn't her form, or beauty, that I loved. It was her. It was who she was at her core. She was loyal, caring, unafraid to do what needed to be done, and she was soft and vulnerable at times as well. We slowly got out of the springs, and found the robes used to cover us. Instead of taking her own, she seemed to want to share mine. I gave her a smile, and I indulged her desire.
We left the fifth floor, and instead of finding the others I took her to my personal room. The room was as it always was. The master bed in the middle was easily a king size, or larger, book shelves upon bookshelves lined the walls, a closet, off to the side, held other player clothes, robes, and armor I had collected in Ragnarok. But what held my interest was the bed. I led her to it, and she moved to the side. I watched as she leaned forward, her tail lifting and moving, and she presented herself. Instead I crawled into the bed, and she followed me. She looked confused until I put an arm around her and pulled her close to me.
"L...Lord Mannulus?" she asked.
"Rainbow, my love, you need to rest. Something has bothered you, and it has weighed heavy on you. I don't know what it is, but I want you to know that you are loved, you are desired, and you are more than just a tool or object. Sometimes, the easiest way of learning this is to just be held for a while."
She gave me a small nod, laid her head on my shoulder, and rested her wings against my chest. Sleep soon took her, and I let her drift into the realm of dreams well before I moved. I looked up and saw my other wives standing there. None of them looked upset, or angry that I had taken time to help Rainbow through what she was feeling. Instead I looked at Luna.
"Can you peer into her dreams, and then let me know what has been bothering her?"
She smiled, "Of course, do you want me to ensure that her dreams are sweet?"
I nodded, "Yes, there is something that has weighed heavily on her, and I want to know what it is. Anything that is attacking her, even if is a stray thought, is an enemy, and I will not allow any enemy to hurt those I care about."
She smiled, "Of course my love, and I am glad to know that you desire us to be well in spirit and body."
I studied her for a moment before I nodded, "It only makes sense, doesn't it? Being well in both means that you are happy, and being happy means that you will do your best for each other and for the temple."
Solar moved toward me, "But I feel that it is more for us to be happy, isn't it beloved?"
I nodded, "Yes, it is. Luna, please stay with her while you visit her dreams, let me know what you find."
She undressed, moved toward the bed, and spooned against her. I watched as her eyes closed, and then I looked at my two brides, "Now, we have much to do in order to prepare for Sombra the Magnificent. Rainbow has found the means to bring him back, and even after going to the springs I am not fully back to where I had been."
Twilight looked at me, "Is there a reason why?"
I knew that hiding anything from her would be useless, "The magic I used comes at a high price. In order to give his new body life I had to give it some of my own."
Solar Flare looked at me, her eyes narrowing, "How much?"
I studied her for a moment, "About half of my full HP. That's what the spell demands, well that and the components from about a thousand slain enemies."
She looked at me, "The Rejuvenative Springs only replenishes about a quarter with each dip, and you can only regain that HP once in twenty four hours."
I nodded, "I know, but this was important."
She hugged me, "I'm thankful that you wanted to do this for all of us. That you wanted to bring back our father, but my love, what if you would have been in battle? It is possible that the spell could have killed you!"
I looked at her, "I know, but to save a friend, it is worth it. I don't have time to stop though. Between monitoring the growing of his new body, and preparing for war, I fear that my time will be stretched thin as it is. Luckily L0rd0f7hund3r and Lightingsword are both here. They should be able to help with some of it, but I don't want to push it off on them.
Twilight touched me, "There is us my love. We can take the responsibility on and do what she can to help. I believe we can devise a plan based on what we know."
I grinned, "The plan to get allies I already have, I just need more information gathered from Lala and Maxine."
Twilight looked at Solar Flare. The two of them seemed to silently speak to one another before finally Solar Flare cleared her throat.
"Then perhaps we should send someone else out to help gather information. Since we know that our kind are fairly common here, why don't we send Lulamoon?"
I turned to look at Solar Flare after she suggested that, "Lulamoon isn't the best idea for an intelligence gathering mission. She's capable, but she tends to be a braggart and a showoff. I doubt that she could endear herself to anyone enough to get the kind of information we would need."
Solar Flare smiled, "True, but Lady Trixieisagoddess did give her the ability to fit in with high society. If she has currency, I could see sending her to help Lala. Perhaps she could fit in easier with some of those who hold themselves to a higher standard. It is part of what she is anyway, isn't it my love?"
I couldn't argue there. Lulamoon was basically the showmare that was supposed to be Trixie, and Trixie always presented herself as someone of means. Well, as much as someone with means could be while living in a crappy wagon.
"Okay, but she needs to understand that she wants them to talk about the Princess. We need to learn how well loved she is, and how often she travels alone."
Dreamscape - Rainbow's Dreams - Luna's P.O.V.
Flying, it didn't surprise me. Rainbow had always loved to fly, and she seemed to be the most free when she was soaring through the air. At this moment I saw her as the beautiful, and graceful, work of art I know she was. She moved with a grace that was nearly ethereal in its own right. The sky around us was blue, the sun warmed my body, and I felt mostly at peace. I would never be so crass to say so aloud, but perhaps our husband shaft was magic in and of itself.
The sky began to turn black, storm clouds began to gather, and the scenery changed. Lighting flashes matching the color of Lord Sombra the Magnificent began to erupt around the two of us, and Suddenly I saw not one, but two Rainbows floating there. One was the mare that had given herself to our husband, but the other, the other seemed to seethe with anger. She pounced at Rainbow and I wrapped her in magic. She howled with anger, shouting betrayer, shouting unworthy, and I saw our Rainbow hug herself. I turned toward Rainbow.
"Do you truly believe you have betrayed any of us?"
She opened her eyes and looked at me, "No, but I will."
I studied her, "You are the most loyal…"
She looked away from me, "I wanted our father back, and I didn't wait to find out if that was the best for the temple. I just acted, and now… Lord Sombra the Magnificent is my creator, my master, what if he tells me to stop being with our husband? What if he tells me to hurt him? I… He's our creator."
I studied her, and brought the foaming version of herself toward her. She shied away, but I held her close.
"Your other self isn't wrong, but she isn't right either. You are loyal, in truth, you are loyalty, the very concept of it exists inside of you," I said as one of the dark clouds took shape. She watched as it formed into Lord Sombra the Magnificent. The other became Lord Mannulus. Lord Sombra the Magnificent walked toward her, his steps full of confidence, his actions that of true royalty. He stopped, just short of her, and looked at her.
"Mannulus, my old friend, is wrong. He is wrong on how to run the guild, he is wrong on the decisions he's making, and he is wrong in having ruined you. Prove your loyalty to me," he said as he handed her a dagger, "Slay him."
She looked at it, and then at the face of our husband. She looked back at the dagger, and then tossed it away, "No."
"You are my creation! My daughter! I gave you your parents, I made this body for you! Slay him where he stands!"
She shook her head crying, and her other self moved toward her, stepping behind her, closing her wings around her as a protective parent might would, and a light shined over the the both of them. They became one, and a much more confident Rainbow stood there before the image of our creator.
"No, my heart belongs to my husband. I am loyal to the temple, and I will do what is best for it, but I will serve, honor, and be ultimately loyal to my husband and my own heart!"
With that the image of our creator and our husband disappeared. She turned toward me, a more confident and vibrant mare. Strolling toward me she stopped just before and gave me a small smile. Then she lightly punched me.
"So, was that really the only way to help me?"
I grinned, "To do as our husband asked, and heal your mind and spirit? Yes it was the only way. You needed to see for yourself that when the choice was presented that you would stand with our husband. I love Lord Sombra the Magnificent. He is my father. He created you, and your parents, but he is every bit my father. Yet, I know in my heart, if he asked such a thing of me I would disobey him."
She shook, standing nude in the dream, and looked directly at me, "I was worried though. I mean, if I could act on my own, would I choose to side with him? Would I turn on our husband if given the choice?" She breathed out a sigh, "I'm glad that I know now, but it scares me that it may happen."
I studied her, "Why do you say that?"
She looked at the sky around us, "Lord Sombra the Magnificent wasn't keen on any of the Supreme beings being with any guardian. Something about it not being fair if they couldn't choose."
I grinned at her, "Then there is no worry. We can choose, and we have chosen. Our choice was a wise one. We have the ultimate lord of the Temple. The most powerful Necromancer to ever live, and perhaps the one stallion that seems willing to do everything in his power to help not only us, but the world around us. Our choice was well made, and I believe our creator would say so."
She smiled at me and looked around the empty sky. She then turned back toward me, "This dream is kinda empty. Can we have anything in here?"
I nodded, "Of course."
I watched as the sky changed to the room our bodies lay in, the bed was present in the middle, and then not one, but six different versions of our husband walked into the room. My eyes widened.
"R...Rainbow, what is this?"
She laid one of him on the bed, straddling him, and then she looked over her shoulder at me, "It's a celebration, and besides, haven't you wondered what it would be like to service three of our husband, three exact versions of him, at the same time?"
I shivered, "Yes, but then I prefer for my dock to not be sore for days afterward."
Her answer was leaning forward, taking him in her mouth while another version of him lifted her tail, entered her rectum, and cause her to moan deeply. I felt hands on shoulders, and I felt a flash of warmth spread over me. It was a dream, and there would be no sore dock tomorrow.
Temple of Celestia Sol - Flesh Golem Lab -Three Days Later - Mannulus P.O.V.
Looking at the body I began pulling the soul back. It had taken three days to regrow Sombra's body from the components taken from the deceased soldiers left over from when Solar Flare and Rainbow had helped me defeat the Sanctus Theocracy outside of Oppidum. The lab had worked just as I had hoped it would. The magic fueled the magic jar on in the center of the casting circle, taking the partial fang that Rainbow had found, and from it the imprint of Sombra's own body began to develop.
It lay there, breathing, heart beating, and showing every sign of a living body except for having a soul. So that was all that was left for me to do. I had to attach Sombra's soul to this body. With the people of this world, and I assumed the NPCs, there was little worry. Their souls were connected to this place. But for one of us I could only hope that I was right. I closed my eyes, reaching out into the aether, reaching beyond the physical, and deep into the spirit world. I could feel the dead around me, hundreds crying out for relief that would never come, and as I searched I began to feel panic. I wasn't finding him.
Finally, I found Sombra's soul, but it was different. It was two souls combined into a single one. There was no way I could separate one from the other, and the only choice I had was to bring it whole and complete back. I considered the magic inside of the black book, I could split the soul, but they were so intertwined I was uncertain that I had the precision needed to separate one from the other. Touching it I felt what the soul truly was. It was who he had been outside of the game, and the soul of Sombra the Magnificent the avatar. Together it formed who he had truly been.
I brought the soul back with me, and I focused it onto the body. I opened my eyes to see a green mist enter into the nostrils of my friend, and then his eyes shot open. A long and pain filled howling scream escaped him and echoed through the room. I watched as he held himself, rocking back and forth, obviously experiencing the pain of his death. I reached out with my magic, taking part of the pain upon myself, hoping to dull it for him, and slowly he began to settle down, his eyes no longer frantic, and instead they settled on me. I saw the confusion setting in.
"M...Mannulus?"
I nodded, "Welcome back old friend."
He shivered, "Everything hurts," he nearly whimpered, "It feels like someone set me on fire."
I nodded, "It was the dragon."
His expression grew angry, "Anok," he said with a growl before a painful groan escaped him, "Is this how I'm supposed to feel?"
I looked at him, "I'm uncertain. I've only attempted to raise the dead, not a full resurrection. From what I can tell it should be working correctly. I believe you will get to feeling better, eventually."
He stood, his body still appeared to be frail, "It feels like I'm all wrong inside. Something, something doesn't feel right. It's like there's a whole different me, and I… Mannulus, I'm worried."
I saw his eyes harden, "No, things will not be right until vengeance is taken."
"Sombra?"
He looked at me, "Mannulus, Lord of the Temple of Celestia Sol, Head of the its guild, and old friend, tell me that we are going to destroy those peasants that dared to attack my royal person."
I nodded, "Of course they are going to be dealt with, but are you alright?"
He flashed a fanged smile, "Of course, but I have an empire to establish on the ashes of our enemies."
He walked out, and I realized what had happened. Sombra the Magnificent, the character he created in the game, had taken over.
