Chapter 1: Road to Vengeance

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hey, guys. This didn't take nearly as long to update as I thought it did. However, I feel that some chapters in the future will be much longer. Anyways, if anyone wants to know the two crystal ponies who are mentioned in this chapter they are Sugar Glass (the food stand vendor) and Bright Smile. I also wanted to show a difference in belief between Sombra and Radiant Hope. Sombra seems to be more fatalistic while Radiant Hope seems to be more of a determinist. Anyways, I hope you guys enjoy it.

SOMBRA'S POV:

I had waited in the snow for hours. Without magic, I was no longer able to transform into a black mist. My armor, cape, and crown also didn't come back with me when I was resurrected. Nopony was out there. At least in the ether, I had my mother. She may have just lambasted me but at least I had somepony. Now, I was all alone in the cold.

At least that mystery pony seems to have left me a cloak. It had warmed me up quite significantly. I had a feeling it had an enchantment put on it.

Who was that pony?

I remember not being able to get a good look through the blizzard. The cloak they were wearing didn't help me see them either.

However, the tingling numbness in my legs has started to subside a little. I have a feeling that within a few hours I will be up and moving again. I knew my way to the Crystal Empire but trotting there was going to be quite the trek. I could just imagine how sore my hooves will get. When I was king, my servants would carry me on my crystal palanquin but now I actually have to trot in the snow like one of them. However, the journey would be worth it if I were to reclaim my rightful place as king. I would never have to step hoof in the snow again.

The thought of me eventually bringing on those meddling ponies' demise comforted me. If it was to take back the Crystal Empire then I had all the patience in the world.

TWILIGHT'S POV:

I was trotting down the castle halls, with a list I had just finished writing in tow. It was a list of the preparations for this year's meeting with the Council of Friendship. I was reading over my list when I heard...

"Twilight!" shouted a familiar voice.

I turn around to see my friendship ambassador, Spike, sprinting up to me.

"Spike, wonderful to see you", I said, "I need you to help me with the tapestry".

"I'll get right on it but I need to inform you that I just got a letter from Princess Cadence and Shining Armor".

I stopped trotting and looked at him in case it was serious news, "Let me see the letter".

He hands it to me and I pick it up using my magical aura.

Dear Princess Twilight Sparkle:

We are sending this letter to inform you that we would like to partake in this year's meeting with the Council of Friendship. We feel the Crystal Empire should be more involved spread the magic of friendship across Equestria. Please get back to us as soon as you can.

Sincerely, Princess Cadence and Shining Armor

P.S. Flurry Heart will also be coming along with us.

That last part made me smile. I hadn't seen my niece in a while. Each time I see her, I notice how fast she is growing up. The last time I saw her was at her last birthday party when I gave her a copy of me and my friends' friendship journal. All of us had signed and personalized it for her, even Spike. Discord added his own personal touch to his signature and message.

I turn my head to Spike and smile, "It looks like we're getting three other guests in this year's friendship meeting".

"Three?" he tilted his head.

"Princess Cadence, Shining Armor, and Flurry Heart", I explain, "They say they feel that the Crystal Empire should be more involved in helping the magic of friendship spread far and wide".

"That's good to hear. But why is Flurry Heart coming along?"

"I don't know. But I feel this would help prepare her for ruling the Crystal Empire".

"That's a great idea, Twilight", he goes on, "As friendship ambassador, I'll show her the ropes".

"Thank you, Spike", I reply, "Take a letter for me".

He pulled out a paper and quill.

I recite:

"Dear Princess Cadence and Shining Armor:

It is pleasing to hear that you would like to assist our efforts in spreading the magic of friendship across Equestria. I would be delighted to invite you two and Flurry Heart to our Friendship meetings. I feel that you both can provide some good insight and Flurry Heart can learn a lot from this meeting. This year's meeting is in three days at three o'clock. I look forward to seeing you three, again.

Sincerely, Princess Twilight"

Spike rolled up the scroll and blew on it with his fire breath, with a poof it turned into a pink shroud of mist.

SOMBRA'S POV:

I had regained feeling back in my legs around an hour and a half later. I knew the way to the Crystal Empire so that was my destination. I had made it there within a few hours.

I was just outside its walls. I felt as if spears were penetrating my hooves I had been trotting for so long. My stomach was quaking and my throat was as dry as a desert. I was so hungry that I had honestly considered eating the snow for some form of sustenance.

It'll be worth it, Sombra, I thought, It'll be all worth it.

I knew all I needed to do now was think of a plan. I was completely powerless so I had to rely on my wits instead of brute force.

Looking at the snow stopping so abruptly on the border, I step over to feel a sudden wave of sunlight wash over me. I kept trotting down the path until I reached the pillars welcoming me into the kingdom.

I trotted through the town square, luckily I was wearing that cloak so nopony recognized me. From what I saw it looked like Grogar's plan had failed. Everypony seemed to be merrily going about their lives. I panned the expanse to see vendors selling their wares. I saw one selling crystal pottery and the other one selling traditional crystal pony accessories.

"Excuse me", I heard a voice calling me.

I turned my head to see a vendor waving me over. He was an Earth Pony with violet eyes, a cream-yellow coat, and a mane highlighted with a butterscotch blond and apricot orange. He also wore traditional food stand attire.

I trot over to him to see he was selling food and water. My mouth started watering at the sight of all his comestibles. There were ears of crystal corn, loaves of bread, and pies. Pans with pies and plates with individual pie slices. Pies in all flavors: blueberry, gooseberry, raspberry, strawberry, and blackberry.

"You look hungry, sir. Would you be interested in something to eat?" he puts on his best salespony smile.

As much as I wanted to gorge on everything on the table, I had to restrain myself. I had no money nor did I want to arouse suspicion.

"Keeping my head down, I hoarsely reply, "I'm sorry but I have no-".

Poof! A light briefly emanated from my right cloak pockets.

I suddenly felt my pocket being weighed down slightly.

I turn my head slightly and check my pocket.

Using my hoof, I open it slightly to find a sack. I pick it up and hear a slight jingle from the bag.

Jewels?!

I open the sack to see if chock-full of them.

How?

I had no time to question. I needed to fill my belly and quench my thirst.

"I-I'll take an ear of corn, a full loaf of bread, and gooseberry pie", I stammer, "and water if you have any".

He slides a slice of pie to me and starts getting the rest of the things.

"No, no", I tell him; clumsily taking out my jewels.

He looks back up at me with a raised brow.

"A whole gooseberry pie", I corrected; my jewels tumbled out on the table.

I definitely was not used to picking things up the Earth Pony way.

I then made my purchase, it was ten jewels for everything. I put the bottle of water in my pocket, my ear of corn and bread on my back, and held my pie with my left hoof. I started stumbling away from the vendor, not knowing how to walk on three hooves. Luckily, I had regained my balance but my corn and bread slipped off my back.

I noticed ponies trotting by giving me awkward looks.

I sat up, picking up each item that fell individually with my free hoof. I put the ear of corn in my other pocket and held the bread in my mouth. I made sure to bite down on my bread so the crystal ponies wouldn't recognize my bat fangs. The bread's crust crackled when my teeth bit down into it, I would have gobbled it up right there but that would have attracted unwanted attention. I was salivating uncontrollably, luckily I didn't feel the drool leaving my mouth.

As I scurried away, I felt their eyes burning holes through me. It was almost as if they could burn holes through my cloak and see it was me.

So much for not drawing attention.

However, I didn't seem to raise too much suspicion. They seemed to think I was just a clumsy oaf.

I trotted by houses and saw a barren grassy land. I remembered that was where the Crystal Heart Foal Center once stood.

Flashback:

"Sombra! Wait for me!" shouts Radiant Hope.

We were galloping through the playground. My hooves trampled over the flowers causing their seeds to detach and float in the air. The seeds were getting in my midnight black mane.

"Sombra! Wait, stop!"

My hooves grind to a halt and I looked back to her.

"What is it, Hope?" I asked as she caught up to me.

"Be careful", she said, "You'll step on my fairy friends".

"Oh, s-sorry".

I had forgotten about her quirks for a brief moment. However, I found her eccentricity to be charming.

"That's okay. Anyways, what do you wanna play now?" she beams.

"Umm", I pondered, "how about pretend?"

"Okay. We can play dragons and princesses".

"No way! I always get eated", I told her.

"You don't have to be eated", she frowns.

"I swear if I looked into the Crystal Heart again, I would see myself in the dragon's stomach!"

"But do you remember what Princess Amore said?"

"What?"

"That whatever you see in the Crystal Heart, you have the power to change it"

I scoff, "I don't believe that".

"Why?"

"Destiny is destiny, Hope", I explain, "Fate is something that cannot be changed".

She puts on her signature bubbly smile again, "Well, you'll see. When you go back to see the Crystal Heart this year you'll actually see something".

I solemnly put my head down, I hadn't told her about what the Crystal Heart had shown me when I looked in it.

"Are you excited to see the Crystal Faire this year, Sombra?" She asks.

"Um, yeah", I put on a psuedo-smile.

While it was true I wanted to experience the Crystal Faire, I was scared of what the heart would show me.

The last time I looked in the heart, I saw a monster. A monster shrouded in darkness. I still hadn't figured out what it meant, yet.

"I can't wait to eat all the crystal corn!" she cheered.

The backdoor to the Foal Center opened. Chestnut Falls stepped out.

"Time to come in!" she shouts.

We look over to see that the foals started to congregate by the door, lining up in a single file.

"Well, I know you've never been to the Crystal Faire before", we start trotting over to the other foals, "I'll show you all the festivities".

"Thank you, Hope", I said, "You're the bestest friend I've ever had".

"And you're mine too, Sombra".

Flashback Ends

I shook off the memories and waddled through some bushes. I sat down under the shade of a tree, my hooves were throbbing from all the trotting. I had dropped my bread and sat down my pie. I take out my water and crystal corn, laying it out beside the other food.

I take off my hood, knowing nopony was around. I had just noticed my hair was stagnant. I figured when I lost my magic, that the enchantment on my hair must have gone with it. It was also really slick with sweat from wearing that hood in the sunny weather.

At that moment, I had just remembered that I was hornless. I felt my forehead with my hoof, I felt a scar where my horn once was. I was too hungry to think at that moment.

I picked up my bread loaf and started scarfing it down. I drank water in between bites. Food had never tasted so good to me, I was eating like a timberwolf.

I started devouring the crystal corn so fast that I accidentally bit down on the cob a few times. I had saved the gooseberry pie for last. Not even bothering trying to cut it up, I started scooping the filling out with my hooves. Like a foal, I was getting my face and hooves covered in the sweet and sour filling.

When the disposable pie tin was empty, I wiped my mouth and hooves the best I could with my cloak. I finally had the energy to think.

Rubbing my forehead again with my now sticky hooves, I started to think.

Who was that pony? Why was I freed? Why did they flee after resurrecting me? Where did my horn go? Was it part of the spell? Where did that bag of jewels come from? Were they connected? Was I being watched?

I eerily panned around peeking over the bushed to see nopony was watching me.

I then realized these questions didn't matter at the moment. I needed to plan my next blow.

I was contemplating my next plan of attack:

If I deal with the royal family of the Crystal Empire, Twilight Sparkle and her friends would just come to stop me again. That and my powers are completely gone. I know better than to try that tactic again.

I could try stealing the Crystal Heart again. The kingdom would be defenseless without the Crystal Heart protecting it. However, the princess would probably put another temporary barrier over it. Then Twilight Sparkle and her friends would come and get it back.

Maybe I could take down Celestia and Luna. Not having anyone to raise the sun and moon would devastate Equestria. No, Twilight Sparkle and her friends would just intervene again.

I was coming across the same roadblock, the Elements of Harmony.

I realize then that I needed to prioritize something else. I needed to find a way to get rid of the Elements of Harmony. As I was thinking, cheering from the street erupted.

Intrigued, I put my hood back on and peeked over the bushes.

I was seeing red, my teeth gritted. I saw the royal family riding in a chariot being towed by two pegasus guards down the crystal road. They were all three humbly waving as their adoring subjects. I got a good look at their daughter, she has grown quite a lot since I last took over the empire. She had to be at least twelve to fourteen years old.

I must have been imprisoned for many moons.

The thought of them being the rulers of the empire made my blood boil.

The Crystal Empire belongs to me, they should be in the castle dungeons or kneeling before me!

I should have been crushing them along with the rest of the crystal ponies under my hoof.

The chariot was slowly beginning to ascend into the skies.

In my rage, I overheard somepony shout, "We look forward to your return, Princess Cadence!"

My ears went up. I made sure my cloak was concealing me and stepped out from behind the bushes. Somehow my hooves started hurting even worse after sitting down for awhile. I trotted up to him.

With my head down, I said, "Excuse me".

He turned and looked at me. He was an Earth Pony with an electric blue coat with a gold mane and eyes. I could see his cutie mark was that of a battlement tower.

"What is going on?"

"What's going on?! Didn't you hear?! The royal family is going to participate in their first-ever friendship meeting!" I had to admit his smile was sickeningly happy.

"Friendship...meeting?"

"You know? Princess Twilight Sparkle's first royal decree when she took over as ruler of Equestria!"

My eyes widened, but I kept my head down.

Twilight Sparkle, is now the ruler of Equestria? My, my. A lot of time has passed.

I smirked under my hood.

All I could reply was, "Interesting".

He turns back around waving at the royal family, "Why do you-?"

I briskly trotted away before he could finish his question.

This little meeting had to be in Canterlot. If Twilight Sparkle is the successor to Celestia and Luna this would make sense.

I have not come up with a plan just yet, but I knew I had to take the next train to Canterlot. All those potential threats in one place were just too good to pass up.

I knew when I got to Canterlot I'd think of something. All I knew now was that those meddling ponies wouldn't know what hit them. I smiled malevolently at the thought of those ponies being brought to their knees.

On my way to the train station, I trotted past the castle and saw the Crystal Heart. I could tell by the way I was feeling that the Crystal Faire had not happened in quite some time. I stop and look at it for a minute. I hadn't dared look into it again ever since the last time I looked into it. The monster I saw in the heart terrified me as a colt. I now know that I was the monster.

I wondered for a moment, what would happen if I looked into the Crystal Heart again. What would it have shown me this time? Would I be king? Would I be vanquished again?

Even though I was the King of Fear, I ironically could not bring myself to look into the heart a second time.

I know now what it would have shown me. However, I don't know if I would have been glad or terrified. Either way, I shrugged off my curiosity and started trotting to the train station. I was too hellbent on revenge to ponder about it anymore. I needed to get to Canterlot. I needed to have my revenge.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: So, what did you guys think? Feel free to leave me some constructive criticism in the reviews. I know there was not a lot of Twilight in this chapter, but I promise you will hear more from her in future chapters.