Tears continued to pour from her eyes, landing on his chest. She stared at his body as the sunlight beamed down on him. Feilbach was dead now, and he was the only pony she had ever fallen in love with. The leaves from the tree continued to fall. Amber knelt beside him, scooping as many as she could up and placing them over him.

She whispered in his ear, “Rest in peace, my love…”

She stood up and turned to walk away as the leaves continued to rain down on him. Just as she had taken the first step, a voice called after her. You were the only pony he trusted. You never left his side, no matter what. This doesn’t have to be the end, Amber. Feilbach can be saved.

She spun around, searching for the voice’s source. “Who are you? How can I save him?” Tears poured from her eyes, her mind prepared to do whatever was needed.

Look into the core of the dead tree you two once shared.

Amber walked over to the tree, looking inside of it where it was split in half. To her surprise, there was a round object laying on the soil. She picked it up to examine it. The object was silver, as reflective as a mirror, and was very light and spherical.

This orb contains his life, just as it contains mine. If you wish to revive him, it will cost you your own life. Would you give your life to give his back to him? His time has run out in this world, but yours is still ticking. Would you give him life in exchange for yours?

Amber stared at the orb, “Of course I would! I…I love him! He didn’t deserve to die yet! All he wanted was…to be happy…” The orb began to shine brightly, and a gem emerged from its surface.

Place this gem on his chest. It will enter him, and he will awake. In his stead, you will become a gem, and placed into the orb. If this is what you want, then I will not stop you.

Amber walked over to Feilbach’s body and placed the gem on his chest, as she was told. Instantly, the gem sank into him, and his eyes opened. He raised himself from the ground, staring at Amber. He began to speak, when the orb behind her flashed brightly. When the light faded, Amber was gone. Where she sat was a blue gemstone. It flew through the air into the silver orb. The orb began to lift into the air.

Feilbach snapped at this sight. “No! I won’t let you take her from me!” He leaped onto the orb, bear-hugging it, trying to hold it down.

The orb let out a burst of electricity, trying to shake Feilbach off. He took the full blast, not even wincing at the pain. He continued to hold the orb, trying the keep it with him. Trying to keep Amber with him. Before long, hundreds of black gems shot from the orb, flying all around it. They each shot themselves at Feilbach, one by one. As they did, they entered into him, and each essence preserved in the gem entered his own.

Minutes passed as the gems entered into him. The orb began to lose its power, and fell to the ground with a thud. The gems continued their onslaught, until there was none left. A dark fog surrounded Feilbach’s body, and his bones began to ache. His head throbbed, and his heart stung. He twitched and convulsed, the dark fog engulfing him.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity of pain, it all stopped. Feilbach stood in place, examining himself. The essences of all the gems filled him with anger and hatred. His only source of happiness was gone. Amber was gone. And now he was filled with the rage and vengeance of hundreds of lost souls.

His coat changed before his eyes into a pitch-black coal color. His mane was dyed silver. His eyes altered shape, growing large, and pure red. He was no longer the Feilbach he once was. He was no longer a pony like everyone else. The voices and desires of all the lost souls inside him called to him. They begged him to find their vengeance for them…

He grasped the silver orb, noting his own reflection. He pushed the orb onto his chest, and his newly formed body absorbed it with ease. Now, he and Amber could be together for all eternity…

He set out to appease the souls within him. “It’s time to feast, my children…”

Next Chapter: Chapter 12: Quartz Estimated time remaining: 1 Hour, 2 Minutes