Chapter 38

Sombra materialized on one of Fortress Umbra's balconies facing the city as he sent out a mental command to his undead servants.

"Take the city. Kill all in your path."

A resounding roar, audible even through the heavy rain reached his ears. He watched gleefully as the Maletha horde surged onto the field, their numbers causing the ground to tremble and quake.

Sombra began to laugh.

"Your enjoying this, arent you?" Said Rainbow Dash appearing behind him.

Flaming boulders and bolts were launched from Canterlot's walls as he answered. "You have no idea."

Rainbow Dash joined him at the balconies edge while explosions tore through the Maletha's ranks. "Realistically how long can they hold out?"

Multi-coloured energy balls arced over the walls into the horde, incinerating, freezing, or otherwise blowing to bits any Maletha caught within the blasts. "Not long." He glanced over to her. "Is everything in place?"

She nodded. "Arctic's standing by and Twilights..." She shuddered before continuing. "...with that thing."

"Good." Sombra said with a nod. "Once Commander Meadows begins her assault you will be free to engage."

"What will you and Twilight be doing?" Asked Rainbow Dash as he turned away from her.

A malicious smile that went unseen slowly spread across Sombra’s face.

“Enjoying the show.”

"Maintain fire!" Shouted Captain-General Steadfast. He managed to duck just in time to avoid a charred Maletha helmet. Returning to his full height, the walls rocked in answer as the siege engines launched another barrage out into the field. The air vibrated from the explosions.

“Sir, we won't be able to stop them from reaching the wall!” An engineer shouted over the sounds of battle.

Steadfast looked out over the battlements edge where the neverending wave of creatures continued their unyielding charge.

“Rarity!" Steadfast shouted as he turned to his left where the mare had remained standing by his side. "Get out there and obliterate them!"

Several seconds passed without reply and just as Steadfast was about to repeat himself, Rarity turned her glowing green eyes to him and smiled.

"Gladly."

Turning away, a purple aura began to flow from her eyes as her horn glowed a brilliant blue that quickly darkened to a greenish black. Blue and green lighting arced along her body only to dissipate into the ground while the air around her hummed with power.

Cackling loudly in a multitude of voices, Rarity lifted her right hoof high into the air as a glowing azura ball of magic formed. The ball pulsed once before collapsing in on itself. There was a faint flash of light along with a dull thud moments before the entire field exploded. All those standing on the wall besides Rarity were nearly blown off by the shockwave.

Steadfast managed to grab onto an iron pole and was looking out into the mile high fire storm when the heat washed over him. His magical armour protected him from the worst but his eyepatch caught fire and the pole he was holding onto began to glow a cherry red before sagging. He tore his eyepatch from his face just as the first terrified screams reached his ears. Tearing his eye from the sight before him he looked down the wall.

What he saw would haunt him forever.

The Soldier's who had been manning the siege engines rolled around helplessly on the ground underneath their burning machines, their own bodies engulfed in flames. Those wearing plated armour and chainmail simply slumped to the ground as their armour ran in glowing molten streams down their bodies. Worse still was the cackling of Rarity, heard even above the roar of the flames and the screams of the dying.

After what seemed an eternity, the firestorm dissipated. The fires which were caused by the heat burned out, leaving behind a scorched field of ash and even more scorched bodies.

The silence that followed was deafening.

Picking himself off the ground, Steadfast slowly turned towards Rarity, who had ceased her laughter and now stood silently watching him.

"What did you do?" He whispered, his voice shattering the silence.

Her red eyes flashed briefly. "What you ordered me to do." She said.

He gestured to the many bodies around them. "Not this. I never ordered you to do this!" His voice grew louder with each word.

Rarity's expression did not change. "You ordered me to obliterate the Maletha.". She waved her left forehoof out at the field of ash. "Thats what I did."

"What about them!?" Steadfast shouted as he pointed at a blackened body of a soldier beside her. "They weren't your enemy!"

Her face showed no emotion but her eyes bore into his soul. "Weapons do not discriminate."

With that, she turned away from him as her shadow rose up to around her to form a pair of tattered wings. Springing from the wall, she unfurled her wings and with several silent beats headed towards Sombra dark fortress. Leaving a stunned Steadfast behind.

The sound of clanking armour wormed its way into his mind, breaking him from his stupor as did the frantic voice of Lt. Col. Dux.

"Sir, are you alright?" A pale faced Dux asked, doing his best to keep from looking at the carnage around him. "When the heat wave hit and we heard the screams I thought the worst."

Steadfast continued to stare after Rarity who was rapidly shrinking into the distance. "Im fine." He said, the words sounding forced even to him.

Steadfast hurriedly looked to Dux. "Was anypony else injured?"

Steadfast reached a hoof up to touch the empty socket of his right eye as Dux shook his head. "A few bruises from being knocked down by the initial shockwave but nothing major." He allowed his eyes to move to the scorched field, fear creeping into his voice. "Was this Sombra's doing or...?" He trailed off, unwilling to finish his thought.

A deep laughter filled Steadfasts mind. "Go on, General." Sombra's voice said once the laughter had stopped. "Tell him."

Steadfast looked away and ground his teeth in anger. “Rarity caused the explosion that did all this. I had ordered her to wipe out the army and that's what she did.”

"But..." Began Dux, fear creeping into his voice. “She’s still on our side, isn't she?”

Steadfast did not have an answer.

"What must it be like?" Echoed Sombra's voice. "Knowing that even though I made her into the monster she is now, you were the one that unleashed her unto the world." He paused and Steadfast could picture the horrible smile that would no doubt be slowly spreading across his face. “No matter the outcome, we will both share the blame.”

“Genreal! Out in the field!” Dux frantically said. With Sombra’s words still reverberating through his mind, Steadfast looked out into the field where churning shadows were forming together into a several story high wall.

Steadfast turned to Dux. “We need archers and battle mages up on the walls. There's no tellin-”

A monstrous roar drifted out from the shadows, cutting Steadfast off. Both Steadfasts and Dux’s gaze returned to what they both realized was a portal. Another roar sounded as a dragon began to emerge from the portal. Scarred and bloody limbs propelled the beast's massive body as it spread its torn and mangled wings to take to the sky. Dull and lifeless purple scales fell from its body with each mighty beat of its wings and Steadfast could see green fire building in its belly through the many rotting holes in its torso and neck.

The dragon suddenly whipped its head towards them and spewed a fireball directly at the city's main gate. It struck with enough force to completely blow the heavy wooden gates from their iron hinges, eviscerating the soldiers stationed behind it in a shower of shrapnel while the flames engulfed those who were remaining.

“Dammit!” Swore Steadfast as he grabbed Dux and the two of them ran for the stair which would take them down into the streets below.

“Thats the same dragon!?” Dux asked once they had reached the stairs. Steadfast threw the door open with magic and lead the way down the winding stairs. “Looks like Sombra brought it back to life.” Answered Steadfast as they emerged out into the streets below. Several hundred ponies lay about either riddled with splinters or burned to a crisp. Those still alive screamed for help while soldiers who had been stationed further back moved in to assist.

The dragon roared again, this time from overhead as magical energy balls exploded around it. Each blast tore chunks of flesh from its body but otherwise didn't seem to be affecting it.

“At least some ponies thinking.” Commented Dux as helped a wounded soldier to his hooves.

Steadfast surveyed the damage done to the gate and decided that there would be no repairing it. “Get the wounded to the castle.” He ordered. As the wounded were being carried off towards the castle, Steadfast noticed a slight tremor entering his hooves from the ground. As the tremor grew more noticeable, he looked out through the shattered gate where the shadow portal had remained open.

A mournful horn sounded just as a new wave of Maletha charged out from the portal, their numbers quickly swelling to an unstoppable tide which headed directly for the destroyed gate.

“Fall back! Fall Back!” Ordered Dux.

“Belay that order!” Shouted Steadfast as he grabbed Dux by the shoulder. “Have the Pegasus squadrons lure the dragon back towards the gate then have the mages bombard the area until it's in pieces. If that doesn't work, use the MDP, I'll stay here and hold the gate until you're ready.”

“General thats-” Started Dux but a quick shove from Steadfast cut him off. “Thats an order!”

Without waiting, Steadfast turned away and started shouting to all the nearby soldiers to fall in behind him as he ran towards the gate.

“Form a line! Spears and swords up front, archers behind.”

He drew his silver sword as a wall of ponies lined up on either side of him, their weapons at the ready. In front of them the Maletha were rapidly closing in.

“Fire at will!”

He readied his own weapon as arrows sailed over his head into the enemy's ranks, doing nothing to slow them down.

“Standfast!”

The dark fortress was in sight. Passing through a wall of shadows, she was immediately soaked by cold rain that fell in torrents. Seeing a faint light emanating from a window, she manipulated the shadow wings so that they formed a protective barrier around her as she crashed through the narrow window . HItting the floor, she rolled twice to slow herself, finally coming to a stop on her hooves with a spell charged and ready.

To her surprise, no attack came. She slowly released the magic in her spell and stood upright, cautiously scanning the room. It was empty with the only light coming from a single candle floating at the center of the room .

"So good of you to come, Rarity."

Torches with green flames sprang to life along the rooms walls. The sickly light illuminated the darkness and revealed Sombra sitting casually on a large black stone throne with a gleeful smile on his face.

"Allow me the honour of formally welcoming you to Fortress Umbra." Sombra said. He stood up from his throne and bowed low to Rarity before glancing up at her with a smirk. "Would you care for a refreshment?"

"Your head on a platter." Rarity said darkly. Sombra's smile only grew.

"Hm?" He said in wonder, returning to his upright position. "I had assumed you incapable of humor." His smile darkened. "No matter." Sombra walked forward to stand a foot away from Rarity. "You wish to kill me? Then do so. I will not stop you."

No sooner than the words left his mouth did Rarity lunge forward and ram her left hoof into his chest with a loud squeal of metal and squelch of flesh. Sombra looked down into Rarity's eyes as she twisted her hoof deeper into his chest.

A pained smile crossed his lips. "Not...wasting...time...are-"

His words became a garbled, blood soaked mess as Rarity tore her hoof free in a spray of blood. Sombra's knees buckled and he slumped to the ground in a steadily expanding pool of blood while Rarity stood over him, his beating heart in her hooves.

"That was for Applejack." She said. Her horn flashed, sending a spark down her leg and into her hoof. His still beating heart ignited in green flames, instantly filling the room with a strange smell. The faintest of smiles crossed her lips as she forced his, now burning heart back into his chest, causing him to wince in pain.

"Was..that...necessary?" Sombra asked weakly, smile still in place. The strange smell grew more potent as the blood flowing freely from his chest began to bubble and smoke.

"Entirely." Said Rarity before taking his head in her hooves and crushing his skull. Her own smile grew wider as his blood sprayed over her face and head with enough pressure to coat her hat. Releasing his near headless corpse, she allowed it to slump to the ground where the blood continued to pool on the floor.

Standing over the body of the tyrant king with a wild smile on her face, Rarity felt true joy.

“I have to admit, I'm very surprised.” A familiar voice said from the shadows. Looking up, Rarity felt her rage returning.

Twilight stepped from the shadows, red eyes glowing brightly beneath a crown of iron. She smiled warmly at Rarity. “It's been awhile.”

“So it would seem.” Responded Rarity, anger apparent in her voice.

Twilight's eyes glanced over to the Sombra’s body before returning to Rarity. “Luna must not have told anypony about me.” A glum look crossed her face. “Shoot that could have worked out so well.”

“Why?” Interrupted Rarity.

Twilight’s eyes met her. “Why what?”

Rarity’s eyes flashed red. “Why did you join with Sombra?”

“He saved me.” Receiving no response from Rarity, she continued. “The Princesses aren't what they seem. They made him out to be a monster, all with the goal of hiding their own sins. They are the true threats to this world, not him.

“All that matters to me is that he's now dead.”

Twilight waved a hoof dismissively. “Please if you think tearing out his heart and crushing his skull is enough to kill him, then you are sadly mistaken.”

“Is that so?” Rarity said casually. Her horn flashed green as Sombra’s body simultaneously caught fire and exploded, covering the room in flaming chunks of flesh.

“Lets see him come back from that.” Said Rarity.

For the first time since their conversation started, Twilight appeared angry. “He wouldn't tell me why he gifted you with his powers.” Her eyes flicked to Rarity’s blood stained stetson atop her head. “But he has reasons for everything he does so I trust him.”

Rarity sneered. “You were a fool to trust him.”

“Maybe so.” Agreed Twilight. “But then love tends to make us foolish. Wouldn't you agree?”

As if in answer a figure stepped from the the shadows, one whom Rarity recognized all too well, though the sight filled her with horror.

“Impossible.” She said in disbelief.

Applejack walked over to stand beside Twilight, her orange fur and skin clung to her emaciated body, tearing with each movement. Her mane had started to fall out and her skull could be seen clearly underneath the lifeless skin clinging to her face. Worst of all was her eyes, those beautiful green eyes that Rarity longed to see once more were now the deepest colour of black.

Twilight chuckled at Rarity’s reaction her, anger having lifted. “Nothing is impossible.” She said, smiling “Sombra and I have proven that many times these past few weeks.” She gestured towards ‘Applejack.’ “Take this for example. We took the body of a dear friend and infused it with a higher spirit of the void.” She paused as she searched for the appropriate word. “A ‘Lich’ if you will .” She placed her hoof back on the ground and grinned. “I call it ‘Applelich’.”

Seemingly in response to its name being said, the ‘Lich’ jerked its head violently to the left, tearing the skin on its neck in the process. Its mouth fell open and guttural sounds came from its throat as it attempted to speak.

“Raahrrriiiiittttttyyyy.”

Rarity’s recoiled in horror as the abomination spoke her name in Applejack’s voice..

“Wow.” Twilight said. Glancing over at the Lich in amazement. “Thats the first time I've heard it speak.” She looked back to Rarity. “The spirit must be able to draw upon residual memories in the body. Ill have to remember that for later.”

Without warning, the Lich rushed towards Rarity, a howl of pain and rage on its lips. Rarity jumped to her left but was surprised when the Lich leapt into the air and fired a black beam of energy from its right hoof.

“I forgot to mention it can use magic.” Called out Twilight as the beam tore into Rarity’s exposed side. The pain was excruciating but nothing she hadn't felt before. She prepared to fire her own magic into the creature as it fell to the ground but hesitated as memories of Applejack came unbidden to her mind.

The Lich’s howls brought her back to herself just in time for it to wrap its hooves around her body and sink its teeth into her neck. She screamed and twisted, managing to grab the thing and throw it into the nearby wall.

Relief washed over her as black tendril repaired the damage to her side and neck. Carefully watching as the Lich pulled itself off the ground. Teeth fell from its mouth as it turned its soulless gaze to Rarity. “Kiiillllll…..Raahrrriiitttyy...” It said before launching itself at Rarity once more.

Rarity dodged its attack all while trying to rid her mind of memories of Applejack.

“Its not Applejack. Its not Applejack. Its not Applejack.”

Repeating that like a mantra, Rarity caught the creature's leg when it attempted to kick her and with a sharp twist, slammed its body into the floor. Still holding onto its leg, she charged her horn with magic before unleashing a powerful beam directly into its back. The Lich screamed as the beam tore through its body. It twisted and squirmed, doing everything it could to break free, but Rarity held on all the while pouring more power into the beam.

The Lich’s screams grew louder as its body began to burn away under her magical onslaught. With great effort, the Lich managed to look back at Rarity and she saw that its eyes had changed to resemble Applejacks.

“Raaahhrrriiiitttyy!” The creature cried out, the eyes staring pleadingly at her. “Pllleeeaaassseee....sssstttoooopppp.”

Rarity closed her own eyes as tears began to fall but even that wasn't enough to erase the sight of Applejacks eyes. “Its not Applejack. Its not Applejack. Its not Applejack.” She repeated to herself over and over again until the Lich’s screams had longed since fallen silent and she had no more energy to spare.

Drained of strength, Rarity collapsed.

As she lay there next to a pile of fresh ash with tears falling freely down her face, Rarity had an epiphany.

“Twilight.” She called out weakly. “Kill me...please….I….want...to...die.” The sound of hoof steps slowly approached before stopping beside her. Mustering the last of her strength, Rarity opened her eyes.

Sombra stood over her, his body whole once more. He looked down at her with pity and understanding though his smile was one of malice.

“Death is a luxury you and I cannot posses.”

As Rarity closed her eyes, she saw a mare with a mane of golden silk and eyes the colour of spring looking down on her. The mare smiled warmly and held out her hoof, silently beckoning her.

Rarity smiled even as shadows rose up around her.