Post by Mal on Mar 13, 2015 22:15:55 GMT -5
Lord Sombra would close his eyes, and soon was submerged in the ethereal and mutable realm of dreams. In his dreams lightning shot around without relent, and would have appeared to any onlookers a shade of pink or red. The dreamscape? A desolate nondescript wasteland more akin to acres of salt flats and flat as a mirror. The only break from that monotony being windows of sorts not unlike what Twilight may have seen immediately prior to her ascension. There'd appear in one window a stallion, streaks of blue in his mane and a tear rolling down his noble cheek. In another window or perhaps the very same window of sorts, the alicorn amulet was snug 'round his neck as necrotic magic disassembled his foes [and possibly among Equestria's best and most heroic]. And another two or three appeared to be Sombra in various mental reiterations and or memories. One a prim and proper Sombra, surprised by something that'd never been revealed. And yet another appeared to be his banishment and or destruction. Among the strangeness though was a lonely and bloody form, pierced with numerous javelins, swords and spears. More then any pony could likely endure [or likely survive]. This was the confusing jumble that'd await any that entered Sombra's unconscious mind, wont and likely to change at a moments notice. If it weren't already making that transition already.
Princess Night. The realm of dreams was spread out before the lunar princess like a glittering map. At any time she could enter any one of them at her leisure, but there was only one that intrigued her and drew her in. Could it be the dreams of who she thought it was? She felt curious enough to investigate to see exactly what Sombra dreamt of. The princess stepped into the dream, and found herself in a bleak wasteland filled with what looked like scattered memories. She, herself, was but a shade upon this realm- a mere alicorn-shaped silhouette that drifted soundlessly forward on silent hooves towards the odd figure. At least, she aimed to, as she sensed an unsteadiness to the place she walked; a coming change, perhaps?
Lord Sombra was suddenly hit by one of those bolts! And in a flash all had changed. Suddenly Sombra walked the halls of the crystal palace in the crystal empire, no soul, stallion or mare in sight. Nobody but him and the silence. At the end of hall a vague silhouette that Sombra seemed impossibly interested in, curiosity and fearful expectation on upon his strangely benevolent [moreso then usual] visage. As he approached though, an arc of magic rammed into him, blasting him against the stone walls where the dream changed again, resembling those salt flats. Except this time those salt flats were presided by the crystal empire in the distance as well as a very nearby pair of recognizable alicorns, gazing scornfully upon him. Just as suddenly to be struck by the strangest feeling, as if something was just slightly out of place. In that moment the entire dreamscape wavered, rippling outward from Sombra like ripples in a pond. Even then his unconscious mind was trying to transition to its next vista, the alicorns fading [albeit slowly], and the desolate flats taking on some of the semblance of nearby ponyville. Minus ponies of course. His cheeks felt wet too as if he had just cried! But when his hooves had tried to wipe it away, they'd left saturated with blood. Sombra had cried tears of blood?
Princess Night stood quietly by as each scene shifted by beneath her hooves, and his. The lunar princess made an effort to memorize what little she saw, storing it away for later. Deciphering the hidden little meanings in dreams always proved to be an interesting, and entertaining past time. Especially for the dream walker herself. The lady focused upon Sombra more fully once the dream seemed to finally settle upon a stable landscape. Luna tilted her head, puzzled, as he seemed to be.. weeping? She chose that moment to approach him, gliding silently towards him. As Luna neared, her manifestation as a silhouette seemed to shimmer away, revealing her as she was. "What troubles you so, that you should have such dreams?"
Lord Sombra didn't understand these strange images. Some though familiar appeared to be fragmented fragments of a memory, sometimes tossed together with overexaggerated attributes of a wayward thought. Such a wayward thought had real influence upon the unconscious mind, thus oft changing the dreamscape in a flash. More importantly though, Sombra now realized where that strange feeling had originated from. Luna had entered his unconsciousness! Perhaps that had been only a hunch however. "Were the Alicorn Amulet around my neck, that reality would become manifest. A mind as warped as mine should expectedly yield twisted fruits should it not?" Sombra hissed. None too pleasantly either, sarcasm entwined with his guarded wariness and wrapped together with no small amount of indignation to hopefully mask everything else. "I might ask you why you trouble yourself with my dreams princess? And so suddenly I might add?" A hostile edge slipped between the calm courtesy of his question. He wasn't happy, that was for sure.
Princess Night was silent for a moment, pondering her answer. "The alicorn amulet is a mysterious object, but I do not believe it would so readily pull horrors from one's own mind. It has already proven to make unicorn users become unstable with its power." The alicorn finally answered, ruffling her wings against her sides. "I am the bringer of the night, and thus the guardian of dreams. It is my duty to observe, and lend a helping hoof where I can. Your psyche seems quite the tangled one, from what little I have glimpsed." Luna continued. "But it is not irreparable, I am sure, and I am simply curious."
Lord Sombra had meant the necrotic magic part. Even Sombra wasn't completely sure what'd happen if the Alicorn Amulet was around his neck. Nothing good though and most certainly 50 shades of nasty. "That isn't even nearly all of it." Sombra crooned with pride, and yet seemed shamed by that admission too. Macho pride masquerading as shame? Doing its damned hardest to obscure the lack of control Sombra felt when he sometimes dreamed, and or other things Sombra would prefer to ignore? His body language might have said a bit more then his words had. "And what if its not repairable? What if I don't wish to be repaired?" Sombra angrily hissed. And yet there was real pain behind those words, as if Sombra had been scorched by an unkind brand or flame.
Princess Night reflected upon her words and realized that she may have worded something incorrectly. "You are not an object that requires repair. I only mean that you are not so bad a pony as you seem, Sombra. We are granted the freedom of choice, and you have simply chosen to act upon your darkest impulses. As I once had." The princess fell silent for a moment, gazing at the stallion thoughtfully. "The only difference is that I was given an opportunity to see the error of my ways, and I still had someone to anchor me to what is just and good. What of you, Sombra? What has made you give unto your darkness?"
Lord Sombra couldn't look at Luna, his steely heart cracking. "I embraced my rage and my pain. I caressed it with the fervor of a lover, and fed it with my contempt and despair." And before long that had became all Sombra knew. "...And I became the monster that history shall record me as." The entire scene changed again, resembling the throne room that Sombra once had presided over. "It became my salve, and like fine wine I grew drunk upon it all." He'd divulged much that Luna already knew. Rage not unlike Luna's prior to her apotheosis. But there was so much more Sombra still withheld from the lunar princess. "I became fear. Fear deftly applied without recourse or mercy." Some of what Sombra said however appeared shake'y, a vestige of that bastion that locked everyone out. Essentially the pull opposite to Luna's pull. Dragging his hooves might have also been an apt metaphor, but for the complexity of the trouble which Ail'ed Sombra. He'd dabbled in things any sane and wise pony wouldn't touch with a mile long pole. What was he to do now?
Princess Night quietly stood by, lowering her eyes as Sombra spoke. She only looked up once the dream saw fit to change to the Crystal Empire's throne room. Frowning faintly, she looked it over. "I do understand that fury and power does have its.. allure, especially to those who are suffering, rejected or alone, but it is not the answer." The moonbringer murmured soothingly. "The history has been written, but what has been done, is not set in stone. The future is open to us and has yet to be written. You are not a monster, nor do you have to remain one forever. We can change. We can always change and become a better pony for it. What say you?"
Lord Sombra heard Luna's plea. Or perhaps not a plea but rather a call to reason. Her hopeful prognostications whispering to Sombra's cold beating heart. Such a bitter soul Sombra was, conflicted by what he saw in the mirror. All that rage festering beneathe the skin, bubbling like Zecora's cauldron did not certainly help. Yet, Luna's words twisted a dagger deep inside Sombra's coiled gut, chipping away at Sombra's pride. Then the anger began to bubble, but not for the usual reasons many associated Sombra with having. "I'd say leave me to my respite princess." Sombra imperiously pronounced. That though was a far cry better then no or nada and perhaps indicative of the change working at Sombra day and night. "..Leave me to my respite and rest..." That Sombra also having ambled over to his throne and laid on it without decorum or grace. He just flopped upon it, aware that it was but the conjurings of the dreamscape. And closed his eyes. Perhaps there was hope for Sombra yet!?
Princess Night looked upon Sombra with curiosity, but she did not set her hopes high- she would have figured he wouldn't change so quickly. And he didn't.. but there was something. He seemed to listen to her and it was perhaps the first, small step. Her eyes followed him up to his throne while she unfurled her wings- she could tell from his answer that this was as far as she could get with him tonight. The lunar princess dipped her head gracefully and leaped into the air with little effort, wings scarcely beating. "When we are at our lowest points, we are most open to change." Luna whispered and left it at that. She turned in a graceful swoop and seemed to disappear into one of the high, crystalline windows with little more than a silvery flash of moonlight. Her work in his dream was done, for now.
Princess Night. The realm of dreams was spread out before the lunar princess like a glittering map. At any time she could enter any one of them at her leisure, but there was only one that intrigued her and drew her in. Could it be the dreams of who she thought it was? She felt curious enough to investigate to see exactly what Sombra dreamt of. The princess stepped into the dream, and found herself in a bleak wasteland filled with what looked like scattered memories. She, herself, was but a shade upon this realm- a mere alicorn-shaped silhouette that drifted soundlessly forward on silent hooves towards the odd figure. At least, she aimed to, as she sensed an unsteadiness to the place she walked; a coming change, perhaps?
Lord Sombra was suddenly hit by one of those bolts! And in a flash all had changed. Suddenly Sombra walked the halls of the crystal palace in the crystal empire, no soul, stallion or mare in sight. Nobody but him and the silence. At the end of hall a vague silhouette that Sombra seemed impossibly interested in, curiosity and fearful expectation on upon his strangely benevolent [moreso then usual] visage. As he approached though, an arc of magic rammed into him, blasting him against the stone walls where the dream changed again, resembling those salt flats. Except this time those salt flats were presided by the crystal empire in the distance as well as a very nearby pair of recognizable alicorns, gazing scornfully upon him. Just as suddenly to be struck by the strangest feeling, as if something was just slightly out of place. In that moment the entire dreamscape wavered, rippling outward from Sombra like ripples in a pond. Even then his unconscious mind was trying to transition to its next vista, the alicorns fading [albeit slowly], and the desolate flats taking on some of the semblance of nearby ponyville. Minus ponies of course. His cheeks felt wet too as if he had just cried! But when his hooves had tried to wipe it away, they'd left saturated with blood. Sombra had cried tears of blood?
Princess Night stood quietly by as each scene shifted by beneath her hooves, and his. The lunar princess made an effort to memorize what little she saw, storing it away for later. Deciphering the hidden little meanings in dreams always proved to be an interesting, and entertaining past time. Especially for the dream walker herself. The lady focused upon Sombra more fully once the dream seemed to finally settle upon a stable landscape. Luna tilted her head, puzzled, as he seemed to be.. weeping? She chose that moment to approach him, gliding silently towards him. As Luna neared, her manifestation as a silhouette seemed to shimmer away, revealing her as she was. "What troubles you so, that you should have such dreams?"
Lord Sombra didn't understand these strange images. Some though familiar appeared to be fragmented fragments of a memory, sometimes tossed together with overexaggerated attributes of a wayward thought. Such a wayward thought had real influence upon the unconscious mind, thus oft changing the dreamscape in a flash. More importantly though, Sombra now realized where that strange feeling had originated from. Luna had entered his unconsciousness! Perhaps that had been only a hunch however. "Were the Alicorn Amulet around my neck, that reality would become manifest. A mind as warped as mine should expectedly yield twisted fruits should it not?" Sombra hissed. None too pleasantly either, sarcasm entwined with his guarded wariness and wrapped together with no small amount of indignation to hopefully mask everything else. "I might ask you why you trouble yourself with my dreams princess? And so suddenly I might add?" A hostile edge slipped between the calm courtesy of his question. He wasn't happy, that was for sure.
Princess Night was silent for a moment, pondering her answer. "The alicorn amulet is a mysterious object, but I do not believe it would so readily pull horrors from one's own mind. It has already proven to make unicorn users become unstable with its power." The alicorn finally answered, ruffling her wings against her sides. "I am the bringer of the night, and thus the guardian of dreams. It is my duty to observe, and lend a helping hoof where I can. Your psyche seems quite the tangled one, from what little I have glimpsed." Luna continued. "But it is not irreparable, I am sure, and I am simply curious."
Lord Sombra had meant the necrotic magic part. Even Sombra wasn't completely sure what'd happen if the Alicorn Amulet was around his neck. Nothing good though and most certainly 50 shades of nasty. "That isn't even nearly all of it." Sombra crooned with pride, and yet seemed shamed by that admission too. Macho pride masquerading as shame? Doing its damned hardest to obscure the lack of control Sombra felt when he sometimes dreamed, and or other things Sombra would prefer to ignore? His body language might have said a bit more then his words had. "And what if its not repairable? What if I don't wish to be repaired?" Sombra angrily hissed. And yet there was real pain behind those words, as if Sombra had been scorched by an unkind brand or flame.
Princess Night reflected upon her words and realized that she may have worded something incorrectly. "You are not an object that requires repair. I only mean that you are not so bad a pony as you seem, Sombra. We are granted the freedom of choice, and you have simply chosen to act upon your darkest impulses. As I once had." The princess fell silent for a moment, gazing at the stallion thoughtfully. "The only difference is that I was given an opportunity to see the error of my ways, and I still had someone to anchor me to what is just and good. What of you, Sombra? What has made you give unto your darkness?"
Lord Sombra couldn't look at Luna, his steely heart cracking. "I embraced my rage and my pain. I caressed it with the fervor of a lover, and fed it with my contempt and despair." And before long that had became all Sombra knew. "...And I became the monster that history shall record me as." The entire scene changed again, resembling the throne room that Sombra once had presided over. "It became my salve, and like fine wine I grew drunk upon it all." He'd divulged much that Luna already knew. Rage not unlike Luna's prior to her apotheosis. But there was so much more Sombra still withheld from the lunar princess. "I became fear. Fear deftly applied without recourse or mercy." Some of what Sombra said however appeared shake'y, a vestige of that bastion that locked everyone out. Essentially the pull opposite to Luna's pull. Dragging his hooves might have also been an apt metaphor, but for the complexity of the trouble which Ail'ed Sombra. He'd dabbled in things any sane and wise pony wouldn't touch with a mile long pole. What was he to do now?
Princess Night quietly stood by, lowering her eyes as Sombra spoke. She only looked up once the dream saw fit to change to the Crystal Empire's throne room. Frowning faintly, she looked it over. "I do understand that fury and power does have its.. allure, especially to those who are suffering, rejected or alone, but it is not the answer." The moonbringer murmured soothingly. "The history has been written, but what has been done, is not set in stone. The future is open to us and has yet to be written. You are not a monster, nor do you have to remain one forever. We can change. We can always change and become a better pony for it. What say you?"
Lord Sombra heard Luna's plea. Or perhaps not a plea but rather a call to reason. Her hopeful prognostications whispering to Sombra's cold beating heart. Such a bitter soul Sombra was, conflicted by what he saw in the mirror. All that rage festering beneathe the skin, bubbling like Zecora's cauldron did not certainly help. Yet, Luna's words twisted a dagger deep inside Sombra's coiled gut, chipping away at Sombra's pride. Then the anger began to bubble, but not for the usual reasons many associated Sombra with having. "I'd say leave me to my respite princess." Sombra imperiously pronounced. That though was a far cry better then no or nada and perhaps indicative of the change working at Sombra day and night. "..Leave me to my respite and rest..." That Sombra also having ambled over to his throne and laid on it without decorum or grace. He just flopped upon it, aware that it was but the conjurings of the dreamscape. And closed his eyes. Perhaps there was hope for Sombra yet!?
Princess Night looked upon Sombra with curiosity, but she did not set her hopes high- she would have figured he wouldn't change so quickly. And he didn't.. but there was something. He seemed to listen to her and it was perhaps the first, small step. Her eyes followed him up to his throne while she unfurled her wings- she could tell from his answer that this was as far as she could get with him tonight. The lunar princess dipped her head gracefully and leaped into the air with little effort, wings scarcely beating. "When we are at our lowest points, we are most open to change." Luna whispered and left it at that. She turned in a graceful swoop and seemed to disappear into one of the high, crystalline windows with little more than a silvery flash of moonlight. Her work in his dream was done, for now.