Chapter 36

A loud knock awoke Granny Smith from her nap. Lifting her head from her chest she blinked the sleep from her eyes and looked around the living room for the source of the noise. A similar knock sounded from the front door, answering her question.

"Just a minute." she called out tiredly as she slowly got out of her rocker. As her hooves touched the floor her joints cracked loudly, startling her.

"Must be getting old." she mused to herself while she slowly made her way over to the front door. With some effort she unbolted the door and swung it open with her customary greeting.

"What can I do yah for?" she asked when she had opened the door.

The Pegasus stallion standing at the door saluted her and Granny saw that he was wearing the armour of the Canterlot Royal Guard.

"Good morning, ma'am." He said when he had replaced his hoof on the ground. "I bring news from Captain-General Steadfast, Leader of the Equestrian military and Lord Regent of Equestria."

Granny Smith squinted at him before smiling broadly. "Well good to meet you Mr. Steadfast, come on in." She turned away and waved the Pegasus in while he looked on in confusion.

"No, ma'am I'm not-"

"Big Macintosh, we've got guests." Called out Granny Smith. Moments later the stairs groaned loudly as the large figure of Big Mac came down the stairs.

He glared at the guard. "If yer here recruiting I already said no." He said sternly as he stepped off the stairs and towered over the guard.

Before another word could be spoken, Granny Smith smiled at the guard again. "You two chat and I'll get ya'll some cider." She began to hum a happy tune as she walked into the kitchen.

Big Mac continued to glare at the guard until Granny Smith's happy tune regressed into choked sobs that echoed through the house. Applebloom came running from one of the side rooms and disappeared inside the kitchen.

The guard looked surprised and confused. "Is everything-" He began.

"Step outside." Big Mac said, cutting him off with a sad nod of his head. He walked past the guard and held the door for him as he stepped out onto the porch. Big Mac closed the door behind him before walking towards the porches edge.

"Why are you here?" Big Mac asked without turning around.

"I'm under orders from Captain-General Steadfast to evacuate the surrounding area."

Thunder rumbled in the distance, drawing both of their attention to the black clouds darkening the northern sky.

"Thank you for your warning." Big Mac glanced back at the guard, his gaze hardening into cold steel. "Now get off my land."

The guard hesitated. "Of course." He then saluted, unfurled his wings and took to the sky. Big Mac watched until he passed from sight. Another rumble of thunder sounded, this time closer as he turned back towards the door but the sound of someone clearing their throat stopped him.

"Excuse me." A deep stallions voice said, causing Big Mac to turn in place. Three strangers stood a few feet from the porches steps. All three wore long black cloaks and hoods that covered their heads and hid their faces. He wasn't sure why but they filled him with a strange sense of unease.

"Is this the residence of the Apple family?" Asked the center figure, obviously the stallion.

Big Mac glared at the trio. "It is, now kindly leave." He said curtly.

The stallion brought a grey forehoof to his chest and inclined his head. "My apologies if we intruded. We came only to pay our respects to The Element of Honesty, Applejack."

At the mention of his sister's name, Big Mac's entire demeanor changed. "The funeral was last week." He said simply. "Your a mite late."

"Sadly we were held up and thus was unable to attend." Said the stallion, placing his hoof back on the ground. "If you would allow us, we would like to visit her resting place." There was a faint glint from inside the stallions hood but it was gone as quick as it appeared.

The door opened behind Big Mac. "I got Granny to go to bed Big Mac but she's still crying." Applebloom informed her brother sadly. She noticed the three cloaked figures standing just off the porch. "Who are they?"

"Just some ponies here to visit your sister." Replied Big Mac with a glance towards his youngest sister. He looked back to the strangers. "I'll take you to see her but then I want you gone."

The stallion bowed low. "Of course."

"Applebloom, you stay and watch over Granny." Big Mac said, turning towards his sister. "I'll be back shortly."

Tears began to form in Appleblooms eyes. "But I want to go to!" She pleaded.

Big Mac placed a comforting hoof on her head. "I know. When Granny is feeling better the three of us will go visit her. I promise."

Applebloom sniffled quietly before nodding her head. "Alright."

Big Mac removed his hoof as Applebloom went back inside the house. Turning back to the strangers he pointed off towards a copse of apple trees. "Follow me."

He walked off the porch and took a sharp left turn as the three strangers followed behind. He lead them to a small dirt path nestled between the trees and following this they moved deeper into the orchard. They walked with only the sound of distant thunder and the rustling of leaves breaking the silence.

Roughly ten minutes later, Big Mac stepped of the path into a small clearing with three headstones at its center.

"We're here." He said as he moved out of the way so the strangers could pass. "Mind yourselves."

"You have my word." Replied the stallion as the other two figures slowly approached the newest grave.

"So it was true after all." Said one of the strangers, this one obviously a mare.

"It always had the possibility of being true." replied the other, also a mare.

The first lightly placed a hoof on the headstone engraved with Applejacks name. "Inside a million lies there's always a single truth." The mare turned suddenly to the stallion. "Can it be done?"

Big Mac looked to the stallion standing beside him in confusion as a sickly green light emanated from within his hood. "Indeed it can."

The ground beneath Big Mac cracked as dark green tendrils burst out and wrapped themselves around him. He struggled against them but they only became tighter.

Unable to move, Big Mac could only stare daggers at the stallion as he removed his hood, revealing a spiked red horn and flowing black mane.

"I trust you know who I am?" asked Sombra, grinning wickedly at Big Mac. When he didn't get a response, Sombra bowed mockingly. "I am King Sombra, Ruler of the Crystal Empire, Master of the void," He looked up into Big Mac's eyes as his own glowed brightly. "And the murderer of your dear sister, Applejack."

Fiery hatred erupted within Big Mac's heart. "I'll kill you!" He snarled.

Sombra only grinned. "That would be highly ambitious of you."

Big Mac strained with all his might against his bonds and managed to take a small half step forward, much to Sombra's delight.

"Incredible." He looked towards the two hooded mares. "I always thought of the Earth ponies as a lesser race but clearly this one is an exception."

"Oh so Im guessing Pegasus are a lesser race now to?" One of the mares declared angrily before removing her hood and letting her rainbow mane fall out.

"Calm down, Rainbow." The other said as she removed her own hood, revealing her own spiked horn and flowing two tone purple mane. "He didn't mean it like that."

The sight of two of his sister's friends in the company of the one who killed her only added fuel to the already raging inferno contained within him. Mustering all his strength, Big Mac set his sights on the monster before him.

"Consider me old fashion." Said Sombra as he idly watched Big Mac struggle. "During my reign the three pony races did not coexist like they do today and naturally each race held themselves up as superior to the others."

Big Mac gritted his teeth as he managed to take another step towards Sombra.

"Well things are different nowadays old timer." Said Rainbow Dash. She stuck her tongue out at Sombra who only grinned in response.

Big Mac grunted with effort and lunged forward. The green tendril pulled against him but could not hold him back as he wrapped his forehooves around Sombra in a deadly embrace.

"Sombra!" Twilight exclaimed. Rainbow Dash drew her shortsword from under her cloak as the blade erupted with red fire.

Big Mac breathed heavily from his exertion but held on tightly to Sombra, determined that he would not get away from him alive.

"Is this ambitious enough for you?" Asked Big Mac as he began to crush Sombra.

"I got him!" Rainbow said but Sombra cast her a look that stopped her.

"You are full of surprises." Sombra said, glancing back into Big Mac's eyes despite the crushing pressure. "Would you consider joining me?"

Big Mac only applied more pressure. "I will break you."

Sombra began to laugh, a deep condescending laugh that echoed around the clearing. "Shall we test that?" He said happily when his laughter died down.

Big Mac let out a blood curdling scream of pain when all four of his legs suddenly bent in different directions, breaking the bones cleanly in half. The tendrils holding him dissolved into nothingness as he fell to the ground in agony while Sombra calmly turned around to look down on him.

"Twilight, would you care to assist?"

Twilight grinned darkly as she walked over to stand beside Sombra. Rainbow Dash extinguished her blade and sheathed it before turning away.

"Do you think he knows his place?" Sombra asked Twilight over the screams of Big Mac.

Twilight's horn glowed green as an aura enveloped Big Mac's legs. "Not yet." She said with a dark smile before twisting them like a rag. Big Mac's eyes bulged out of his head as his screams grew louder.

"That only made him louder." Sombra half yelled. He grabbed Big Mac's head in his hooves and with a sharp jab broke his jaw, instantly reducing the ear shattering screams to a low gurgle. "Much better." He said in the sudden quiet.

Still holding Big Mac's head, Sombra leaned in so that they were eye to eye. "You will exist in unimaginable agony without end, denied death and madness solely because I will it." He released Big Mac's head and turned away. "Thus you will witness what I do here today and despair forever more."

A sickening cracking sound filled the clearing as Big Mac's bones began to rearrange themselves. The pain overwhelmed him as his skin crawled and split from his bones splintering and attaching themselves together in strange ways. His sight remained the same, leaving him only able to watch in silent torment.

"Now." Sombra said. The wind began to blow through the clearing, rustling the leaves and causing the trees to groan in protest. He turned towards Twilight with a dark smile and offered out a hoof, one which she gladly took. "Let us begin."

Together they approached the grave of Applejack and took up position on either side. The wind became a gale as they raised their forehooves into the air, whipping through the clearing with an unnatural fury. The colour drained from the air around them, contrasting sharply with the rest of the clearing.

With slow deliberate motions, Sombra and Twilight lowered their hooves until they were touching just over the grave. With a loud cry they threw their hooves apart as the sky above was torn asunder, revealing black nothingness within.

A mighty roar echoed from within the gaping wound in the sky. Raising their hooves towards the sky once more, Twilight and Sombra made a grabbing motion before throwing their hooves down towards the grave.

A thing which could only be described as a screaming horror was torn from the wound and flung down towards the earth where it passed into the grave, halting the screams.

High above the wound closed and Twilight and Sombra stepped away from the grave.

Rainbow Dash, having made her way over to stand behind Twilight spoke up. "What in Tartarus was that?!"

Sombra looked in Rainbow's direction and smiled malevolently.

A horrifying scream floated up from beneath the ground before an emaciated orange hoof burst forth from the grave.