A Lost Hope

“I know this feeling that drives you, to feel without a reason to draw in your next breath. It comes from a lost purpose, one born from a promise made between two souls. A promise that can no longer be kept.”

“A promise broken by means beyond our power breeds uncertainty within a soul; uncertainty can make victims of us all.”

“This place was built upon a promise, one that has given many others a sense of purpose and a reason to go on when they could find none within themselves. We were all called here to take up that promise, Sombra. If you should decide to stay with us I can offer you only two certainties, the first being that you will always have family among our number. The second, is that if you follow me up those stairs; you will never be the same…”

~Amethyst Song

/ / / The Crystal Empire, 11,925 A.C. / / /

“I thought you said that you knew where you were going…”

“I said that I knew where I wanted to go,” Sombra corrected defensively as he pulled himself up onto the next ledge, his words leaving a foggy trail in the glow of his horn as they entered the chilly night air. “If the path I travel should differ from the one that was expected then so much the better. Or, if you prefer, we can return to the keep and listen in rapture to the berations this little venture is sure to glean for us.”

“Oh would that not be just like the captain,” replied the young mare below with another of her dazzling smiles, graciously accepting the offered hoof that pulled her up to Sombra’s little perch. “I can hear him now, ‘how could you be so reckless Sombra? What would your father say if he were here Sombra?’”

“A flawless impersonation,” Sombra nodded with a grin, suppressing a chuckle as he looked past her to the castle nestled in the snowy valley far below, knowing full well the recompense that was sure to be waiting when they returned. “I think the only thing missing would be the diatribe directed at my accomplice.”

“Accomplice?” she snorted in retort, a mischievous gleam flashing in her vibrant arctic blue eyes as she waited for Sombra to negotiate the next part of their climb. “I intend to imply this was all to your design…”

“I would expect nothing less from you,” Sombra groaned dramatically, testing the next set of holds carefully before continuing upwards.

“Ah, but that would hardly be the end of it,” the shimmering crystalline mare continued with a confident smirk, pulling the collar of her ornate cloak further up her withers before following. “If I can manage to be sufficiently distraught over the whole matter I may even shirk any punishments directed my way.”

“And leave all the blame square upon my shoulders a day before my birthday?” Sombra breathed with the deepest of wounded sarcasms, only slightly flinching as she smacked at his posterior with a playful giggle.

“Oh my poor prince, how ever wilt thou survive?” she asked woefully, cocking a sarcastic eyebrow of her own. “Although, after tomorrow I suppose it will no longer be a problem, you could even order the captain to undergo the punishments for you.”

“Brought some salt for the wound as well I see,” Sombra couldn’t help but grumble, a slight chill in his tone that he had not intended. Securing himself atop the next ledge he turned and again reached down to help the filly behind him. “Though, I concede your point; I just do not know if I am ready for such responsibilities. That is the whole reason behind why I asked you on this venture; for one last night of freedom before my father’s mantle is thrust upon me.”

“Truly, the only reason?” she asked coyly, waggling her eyebrows as they both sat down to rest a moment, nestling into each other’s warmth behind a rock that curtailed the worst of the wind. “Whisking me away into the mountains in the middle of the night? Ponies might start talking if they were to see us…”

Sombra stiffened slightly as she leaned in closer and nuzzled his shoulder, his heart hammering away at his ribs in a vain attempt to escape. The faint scent of wild flowers wafted into his nostrils from her mane as it passed under his chin, driving a feeling greater than any intoxication to jolt along his nerves.

“Yes, well, that and the surprise I offered to entice you from your quilts,” Sombra replied sheepishly, a hint of red brightening his cheeks.

“And what of this surprise?” she asked with a curious tone, pressing ever so slightly closer. “You cannot keep it from me for long; I have known you my whole life, Sombra. Whatever this mystery is it must be quite brilliant if you offer it behind such a veil of obscurity. So, what say you Prince?” the mare urged, her curious tone turning mischievous. “What scheme of yours awaits us atop this peak?”

Sombra dared only glance down at her for a moment lest he be lost in the one big brilliant blue eye peeking up at him from behind her bangs, glinting in the glow of his own magic. He couldn’t look, he did not trust himself.

“For that answer you will have to wait until we have finished our climb,” Sombra said firmly, swatting away the hoof that had been slowly sliding down his back towards the large bag he carried.

With a huff the mare’s shoulders slumped. “You flustering thing, you have been saying that for over an hour!” She whined woefully.

“Good things come to those who wait; you mustn’t lose hope,” Sombra quipped teasingly, shrinking down a bit as her gaze narrowed. “Otherwise we may never reach the top.”

Leaning away from him the mare’s ears splayed back as she gave her friend a bedeviled sidelong glance, her gaze heavily implying upon what thin ice he trod. The display had little of the effect she so clearly desired, serving only to make her appear ever more adorable in Sombra’s eyes.

“I seem to have misheard you, what with all the wind from being up so high, could you repeat that…?” she asked through gritted teeth, a hoof pawing the snow in a manner that suggested it would not remain there for long…

“Well… What I said was, that good things come to those who wait and that you just need to have a little faith, is all,” Sombra backpedalled, realizing that his usual jesting towards her name might cause a scuffle, not that he would have minded as such. It’s just that she tended to fight dirty and it was a long walk yet to be moving stiffly in the hind end…

Her narrowed eyes gave him a quick once over before softening into their usually agreeable nature, a smile tugging at her lips. “Well that is much better, for a moment there I was worried I might have to explain to the court why Trench and his soldiers found the Prince buried up to the tail head first in the snow on the side of a mountain. Which would only have been after an exhaustive search that had taken days because no pony knew where you had gone to in the first place…”

Synching his own cloak a bit tighter as a shiver ran up his spine Sombra cleared his throat, buying time as he searched for words that would not further deepen the hole into which he had fallen. Scratching at his chin in as nonchalant a manner as he could manage he looked down at his friend, his heart warming when he spied the look she immediately attempted to hide from him.

“Apologies if my jest was in poor taste, Hope. I suppose I just, I have felt as though our positions have grown a divide between us in recent years and then some days ago I realized that what comes tomorrow would likely drive a wedge within it, irreparably separating our destinies,” Sombra grumbled out begrudgingly, leaning his head back to rest against their stone protector, his eyes closed in thought. “Do you ever miss those days? When we used to play in the gardens with nary a care, before circumstance and duty had to come along and ruin it all.”

“Oh buck up Prince,” Hope replied with a not so gentle elbow to the ribs. “Fate can throw anything it likes at us; you should know by now that I am not going anywhere,” her tail flicked in emphasis. “Manny thanks for the hint by the way and for the record, I never lost faith in any of this, or my hope…”

A heavy moment of awkwardness settled over the cliff side as the two friends pretended to watch the snow fly past, occasionally one would catch the other glancing their way but failed to salvage the conversation.

“Oh good,” Sombra eventually managed to stammer out pitifully, shrinking back a bit. “See just there, that waterfall means our destination lies right ahead!” he added, the words stumbling along in a pitiably high pitched manner as he quickly rolled away from her and onto his hooves.

Giving his retreating form a predatory grin the filly in tow stood as well and made to follow, rolling her eyes at his momentary lapse in demeanor. “You are sure this time, yes?”

“Within reason,” Sombra answered somewhat awkwardly over his shoulder, adjusting the small saddlebag before jumping up to the next craggy outcropping of rock that looked ready to support his weight.

The next few minutes were spent in relative silence as the pair made their way further up the side of the mountain, the stars covering the night sky and an occasional swirl of snowflakes drifting by on the breeze being the only witnesses to the trek.

As they neared the falls the dull roar of endlessly plummeting water filled the air, accompanied by clouds of swirling vapor that coated the rocks in glittering ice, so pure the lights of the night shone within it. The wind grew stronger as they neared the top, ruffling their garments and manes, all while decorating them with freshly minted crystals of white.

Grasping the edge of one final ledge Sombra eagerly pulled himself up, taking a moment to quickly look around before leaning down and once again taking hold of the expectant hoof that waited for him. Before pulling however he made sure to catch the mare’s gaze with a sheepish grin.

“Close your eyes,” he told her with a hint of mystery, his grin only growing when she rolled her eyes up at him instead.

“What are you, twelve?” Hope replied with a laugh that may as well have been from the heavens above, though she quickly complied with the request, an adorable whinny escaping her as she was unceremoniously hoisted into the air in a cloud of Sombra’s magic.

“Says the filly that used to tell me to speak more softly so as to not scare the fairies,” Sombra retorted, setting his friend down and steadying her while she found her footing in the deep snow.

“You were scaring them!” she said playfully, her face scrunching up in a grin. “Your constant overzealous attempts at my attention were always so boisterous you would hurt their tiny ears!”

“For which I would always apologize,” Sombra attempted to counter, releasing her from his magic and nudging her forward. “Though, I must say I found it difficult; making apologies to creatures I could never see was always so awkward.”

“Yes…” the mare muttered under her breath with a sigh. “You always did have trouble spotting things that were right in front of you…”

“I…” Sombra hesitated a moment, his heart hammering faster than he thought even possible. “I like to think that I spot the important things, eventually,’ he replied softly, making sure to guide her carefully up an abrupt incline.

The dull roar of the falls surrounded them as they both set hooves on the fresh powder which crunched pleasantly with each step. The fresh scents of mountain pines hurried past on the calming breeze, the chill of the wind lessening the further they walked.

Growing restless the mare began to squirm as she walked, her shoulder purposefully bumping into her guide. “We are nearly there, yes? Or is tonight going to resemble the last time I gave my trust to such shenanigans, only to open my eyes atop the battlements right as you pushed me off the edge into the castle moat…?”

“Now, in my defense,” Sombra interjected quickly, taking his friend’s hoof to guide her around a large rock. “That was immediately after you gifted me a book containing an open portal hidden within its pages, which if you recall, led to the bottom of the glittering sea…”

Unable to suppress a mirthful giggle as she smirked in remembrance of the victorious prank Hope bumped him again. “Yes, I suppose the retribution was well worth the moment I heard your maiden like screams. It was a week before your chambers had dried.”

“If not for that open window I would surely have drowned! And I still find sand in a corner from time to time…” Sombra grumbled with an overly dramatic growl, bumping her hip back with his own. “And no, I’ll not be knocking you from any great heights, I’ve learned my lesson.”

“That is a shame,” Hope sang through another soft fit of giggles, swatting at him with her tail. “I do so love a challenge, was already pondering on what I should inflict upon you next…”

“I have no doubt it will live up to your usual nefarious standards,” Sombra replied, trying to disguise the tremble in his voice with humor, his hide twitching involuntarily as a few strands from her swishing tail graced his leg. “Though, hopefully whatever it is can wait for another day…?”

“Perhaps,” she replied in an unnervingly serious tone. “Provided your next utterance should herald something along the subject of our arrival…”

“Then I can breathe with relief,” Sombra said with a grin as he led her up one final rise, quickly glancing around to see if all was truly in order as he had left it. “Stand here; now open your eyes.”

When the mare did so she was greeted to a truly wondrous sight. The river had cut a wide ravine deep into the side of the mountain, snaking its way through a copse of lonely pines where it widened into a large pond at the base of another fall, this one looming and frozen.

The wind was at their backs here, rushing up the mountain and billowing the spray from the falls as the water rushed over them, the sound like unending thunder. Everything further back from the edge was quiet and still, a calming contrast to the power of the river, the snow covering everything in a blanket of white finer than the finest wool.

With a flick of his head Sombra sent a spark of magic flying towards a torch set into the snow further along their path; a simple ignition spell that set ablaze with a flickering violet pink hue before quickly streaking off to ignite the next torch. In short order there was a subtly lit path that snaked its way through the sparse trees to the pond not far away, a welcoming flicker dancing with the shadows all around.

Another line of torches sprang to life a moment later, encircling the pond with their warm glow, their reflections playing over the towering ice falls. The light scattered through the ponds mirror smooth surface, mixing its moving colors with the deep blue hues of the frozen waters.

Sombra could not help but feel a bit pleased with himself, everything about the scene was perfect, from the torches to the pine scented air and the cloudless night above. It was all here and it was all as he had hoped it would be. Almost as if Fate had gifted him perfection.

“Oh, it is beautiful!” Hope exclaimed, nearly squealing with excitement as she looked around.

“Yes, it most certainly is,” Sombra agreed, no longer paying their surroundings any mind as he watched her spin in place, the filly’s eyes wide with wonder and glee.

After a few moments of her frenzied antics Hope remembered herself and managed to calm down enough to once agin resemble a sophisticated mare of the court, at least until she caught Sombra staring at her with an endearing grin.

“What?” she asked with a somewhat embarrassed smile, a hoof absentmindedly reaching up to stroke at her dangling mane.

“Nothing,” Sombra said with a warm smile of his own. “It has just been a long time since I have seen that.”

“Well, it has been a long while since our last adventure,” Hope replied softly after a moment, a hint of pink warming her cheeks as she looked away. “And I have been looking forward to the next one…”

“Well, you needn’t wait any longer,” Sombra said warmly, holding out a hoof which was readily accepted.

The pair gingerly made their way along the short path towards the frozen pond, walking close to one another and happy to just listen to the snow crunch under hoof. The roar of the falls behind them slowly faded into the backdrop of the breeze and creaking trees, the patter of spiraling snowflakes landing where they pleased tying it all together.

Somewhere out in the darkened trees an owl made its presence known, the call haunting and mournful, a stark contrast to the pleasant liveliness provided by the light. Sombra would have grumbled a complaint about the interruption if not for the mare beside him pressing just a bit closer.

The walk came to an end all too soon though as they reached the edge of the pond, a welcoming clearing of level ground their destination as Sombra shrugged the heavy sack from his shoulders. As he undid the bindings he offered only a mysterious smirk when Hope gave him a curious look, the mare’s keen eyes locked on every motion.

She did not have to wait long as Sombra set the bag down and pulled out a thick blanket which he quickly unrolled across the ground, revealing two sets of old ice skates and another small sack.

“Oh Sombry, wherever did you find these?” Hope asked with a hint of astonishment, a hoof covering her chest as she gazed at the familiar hoofwear.

“Out in the old fort, that place up in the east tower where we used to hide,” Sombra said as he tenderly arranged the skates into their respective sets. “I had the smithy adjust them, I hope they fit.”

“Is that why I caught him with my gala shoe?” Hope asked with a hoof on her chin, a thought clearly forming. “That was months ago, how long have you been planning this?”

“Long enough,” Sombra admitted with a somewhat embarrassed smile, removing his cloak and folding it neatly beside the blanket. “As I said before, things have just felt, at odds for a while. Honestly, I was not even certain this was a good idea until recent-“

Sombra was abruptly cut off by a pair of crystalline legs that wrapped themselves around his neck as Hope tugged him in close for a hug, burying her face in his shoulder. She just stood that way for a long moment, occasionally nuzzling at his mane and breathing deeply.

Eventually and to Sombra’s less than expertly concealed dismay, she released him, a hoof brushing a few errant strands of blue mane from her face as she looked away. Everything grew still around them, silent for that one moment as if Fate itself did not dare to interrupt.

“I uh…” Hope began with a whisper before clearing her throat and looking back up at her friend. “Thank you for this,” she said, glancing around again, her eyes trying to go anywhere but his. “I have been wishing for something different to happen for a long while.”

“It is my privilege,” Sombra said tidily as he stepped aside, offering a slight bow as she summoned one of the skates in her magic to inspect it.

“What has it been, five years?” Hope muttered absently as she turned the hoofwear over and over. “I suppose I owe the smithy an apology; this is fine work.”

“Almost six,” Sombra replied with a wry grin, recalling the time with a fond sigh. “I could not think of a better way to spend my last night of freedom, with you.”

“And this was the activity you settled on was it?” Hope asked under her breath with a saucy undertone, simply returning his confused stare with an amused smile as she stepped past him towards the blanket, her magic loosening the clasp of her own cloak.

“I had, considered others,” Sombra admitted as he joined her on the blanket and retrived one of his own skates, his magic fumbling and fizzling, unfocused. “But as I said I have been uncertain about, us, as of late. This seemed the safer gambit.”

“There is no need to feel so uncertain and certainly no need to hide your worries,” Hope said confidently, already tightening the straps on her second skate. “You can talk to me about anything; I will always be here to help you.”

“Promise?” Sombra asked after a moment, still struggling to lash his first skate in place, the unruly thing seeming so much more difficult than it had in the past.

“I promise,” Hope said reassuringly as she bumped her shoulder into his. “As I said, I’m not going anywhere. You big dummy.”

“You may never know just how much I needed to hear that,” Sombra said with a grateful smile, his voice just above a whisper.

“I can speculate,” Hope replied teasingly, her own smile hidden away behind her mane as she finished her second skate and moved on to the third. “You are so delicate, Sombry…”

“Now who is reaching back, I had nearly forgotten about that nettling name,” Sombra commented with a chuff of disapproval.

“It seemed appropriate if this is to be a night of reliving old merriments,” Hope jested jovially, her face twisting in concentration as she fiddled with one of the straps before releasing it and starting over.

“A little nostalgia is all well and good, Hope, but I would like to find some time for a few new memories,” Sombra said with a strained grunt, falling to his side as he struggled with the fitment on one of his back hooves. Such was his focus the stallion hardly noticed as his friend rose beside him and moved off the blanket. He very nearly had it, if he could just get a bit more slack on this belt he could-

“Well, how do I look?”

Click!

If Sombra had died in that moment he would have turned away from the gates of whatever afterlife he found himself, for what stood before him then surely had no equal here nor there.

The mare before him stood with head held high, one foreleg crossed over the other as she looked back at him expectantly, perfectly balanced. A thick red scarf that ended in gold tassels was wrapped twice around her neck with the end draped over her withers; the light of the torches danced with her pale blue coat and twinkled in her eyes.

For just that moment the breeze picked up and played with her mane, draping it perfectly about her shoulders and decorating it with a few extra flakes of snow. For that instant, in Sombra’s eyes, angels from the old tales could not compare.

The cogs in his head churned in a frenzy as he desperately searched for the perfect words he knew she wanted to hear. Unfortunately, he was still very much the young obnoxious prince…

“Absolutely radiant,” Sombra said cheekily, ducking under the glob of snow she tossed his way with a giggle that quickly devolved into a snort of laughter, nearly falling over as her sides heaved.

Sombra shook off a bit of snow that had found its target while his ears twitched at the pleasant sounds, always wishing to hear more of them. She was happy and that was all he had ever really wanted.

Cinching down the last strap Sombra rose with what little grace he could manage, his uncertain legs just able to keep from making a fool of himself as he hobbled down the shore to join Hope on the ice. It mystified him how she pranced about on the freshly sharpened blades while he remained hard pressed to do more than blunder about like a foal. It was almost as if something were distracting him…

“I know what your fathers steel means to you, but is there no place you will go without it?” Hope asked with mild amusement, stepping closer and gesturing to his side with a shake of her head.

Sombra took pause for a moment before reaching to his chest. In his rush to ensure that he had gathered everything for the nights activities he had managed to dawn his father’s sword without intent. The old piece of metal had long since become a part of him and it was truly a rare thing for the Prince to part with it, even going so far as to leave it strapped to his side as he slept.

Sombra had never liked change. He had hated it ever since that fateful day the patrol had returned late, battered and bloody, his father not counted among their number. But as he glanced back up at his friend he knew in his heart that this would be a night of change.

With a well practiced flash of magic the brass buckle that held the scabbard to his side opened and the weapon fell into his waiting hoof. Turning back to the blanket the prince gingerly placed it next to the bag and their discarded cloaks, giving it a tentative tap before turning away to rejoin the mare that waited for him.

“And the bag?” Hope asked, tilting her head inquisitively as he sidled up next to her.

“Strawberries and a bottle of your favorite huckleberry wine,” the Prince replied somewhat bashfully, trying to remind his hooves how to work with the skates now stuck to them. “Just in case…”

“In case of what, exactly?” Hope asked with an innocent yet knowing smile as she stepped out onto the ice and pushed away a few strides before turning to look back over her shoulder, a tantalizing flick of her tail emphasizing the expectant look in her eyes.

“In case anything should change,” Sombra whispered out, more to himself than anything as he too stepped onto the ice, all the while trying to maintain his composure. It had indeed been quite some time…

“Sorry,” Hope said as she kicked herself further away from him in a lazy arc, flipping her mane as she went. “A bit of wind out tonight, you will need to come closer so that I can hear.”

Sombra’s hooves very nearly escaped from beneath him as he attempted to push off, eliciting a fit of nearby giggles which he only partially ignored. He knew exactly what she was trying to achive by goading him on so after gathering himself, he obliged her and gave chase.

It was not the largest of ponds by any means but after only a few laps their limbs began to remember lessons they had learned in years passed, muscles burning from the unfamiliar exertions as they raced after each other. An occasional shout of glee or a laugh at the other’s misstep were the only sounds to join the soft scrapping of the skates as they bit into the ice or the occasional dull creaking of the pond itself.

Around and around in ever wandering circuits they chased, chests heaving and hearts pounding. With every completed trek around their little sanctuary of freedom their smiles grew and one would goad the other on with more speed.

The cold was seemingly forgotten as they went, growing bolder in their newly revived skills. It was not long before their dance became more intricate, employing more and more graceful spins and jumps. The minutes quickly turned into hours as they both became lost in eachother.

“Complain if you must about the climb,” Sombra eventually piped up, skidding to a stop with his sides heaving for breath as he looked around. “But surely this must be worth it?”

“It certainly has more appeal than sitting in the courts all day listening to the latest trade disputes with Commander Hurricane’s forces,” Hope affirmed with a nod as she coasted by. “Or the Yaks with all their boasting about, well, everything…”

“You are certainly one to speak of boasting little miss, ‘I can do a triple axel!” Sombra joked as he pushed off after her, his grin only growing as she scoffed dramatically.

“It is hardly boasting when what one claims is true,” Hope chided back, flicking her tail as she gracefully angled back around to slide past Sombra again, giggling as she spotted his mocking yet accurate facial mimicry. He truly was still the same endearing colt at heart through and through.

“Is that so?” Sombra asked with a challenging grin as Hope went by, his own hooves maneuvering to follow once more. “Because by my recollection there were many attempts, yet rarely were the results anything graceful.”

“Then your memory is as filled with cobwebs as your skills on the ice,” Hope called back, pushing herself further ahead.

“You accomplished such a stunt?” Sombra balked, an ear twitching involuntarily as he tried to envision such an occurrence.

“Indeed,” Hope affirmed, turning abruptly to evade the Prince as he attempted to sneak in close for a friendly shove. “Not that you would remember of course, you were off playing with your sword at the time.”

“Swordsmanship, Hope, I was learning to help defend the relm,” Sombra grunted out as he again reached for his goal only to have her spin gracefully away. “I knew you used to go without me…”

“Yes well, practice makes perfect as they say,” Hope stated confidently before launching herself forward into a perfect layback spin, a single hind leg holding her majestic form aloft as she twirled faster and faster.

Sombra could not have looked away to have saved his life as his eyes drunkenly followed the flow of her mane, the way her crystalline coat glittered in time with the light reflecting off the ice. Outshining all of it though, was her smile, gleaming just the way it had all those times gone by.

It was a warm contented smile of genuine happiness; the value of which Sombra could never have compared to any number of something so common as coin nor jewels. Though, he would have happily emptied the keep’s coffers of such things if he thought the act could grant him even just one.

The mare quickly finished her spin and used the momentum to skillfully throw herself into a practiced figure eight that Sombra knew all too well, angling back around before pouring on the speed into the final turn, the Prince square in her sights.

Rearing up Hope tucked her forelegs to her chest and lept, bringing her back hooves together as she twisted her body into a graceful spin, practically floating through the air.

It was almost perfect…

Sombra noticed the flaw in her technique only a moment too late as he attempted to backpedal with the intent of granting Hope more room but the time for that had passed. His own hooves faltering for purchase Sombra instead rose to meet her, reaching out wide with his forelegs and grabbing the mare as she flailed out of her stunt and flew straight into his grasp.

Grunting under the impact Sombra held her tight as they skidded backwards across the ice, trying not to laugh as she protested childishly, struggling halfheartedly for a moment before joining in the embrace.

“Practice makes perfect, hmm?” Sombra quipped with a chuckle, smilling as her ears flicked at his voice.

“You got in my way,” Hope whined, her chest heaving against his as she gulped in the frozen air, a giggle of her own escaping as she snuggled a bit closer.

Their momentum slowed as they neared the point the lake narrowed back into a river before heading down to the falls, the dull thunder just audible from somewhere through the trees. Sombra angled the rear of his blades inward, slowing them further as the mare he held shifted against him.

“You got carried away, just like every time I’ve watched you try that,” Sombra pointed out, emphasizing his words with a gentle squeeze, looking down to find that single pool of light peeking back at him from behind her mane. “Are you okay?”

“I think I will be,” Hope replied with a faint smile, standing up just a little straighter as she eyed him. “What about you though? Will you be alright?” She asked, eyes searching his face for something.

“I think, I will be too,” Sombra assured with a nod, leaning down ever so slightly closer, his own eyes asking a silent question, seeking a permission that had long since been given.

Gazes burning into one another’s they crept closer, nothing else needing said as they held each other tightly. Their hearts beating as one.

Closer, she closed her eyes, he did the same. Nothing left of the world but them and this moment…

Bliss.

Sombra could not have articulated his thoughts in any other way that would have been comprehendible in any sensible manner. The gentle warmth of the shared action nearly overwhelmed him, his brain exploding as years of secretive pining suddenly found vindication.

It was soft, wet and full of passion as they drew each other in closer. Sombra found himself desperate for air yet unwilling to let her go. From the feel of it, Hope had reached a similar impasse, her grip suddenly tightening even as she began to tremble.

He was so lost in the moment that at first the Prince failed to notice that she had began to pull away from him, his lips following doggedly after hers as Hope started to push against his chest. Had he done something wrong? Oh Goddess, had she changed her mind?

Sombra opened his eyes only to find that Hope had done the same, a terrified expression growing on her face as her muffled voice cried out at something. He was struck with horror; what could he have done?

Then it hit him…

Something with all the force of a battering ram slammed into Sombra’s back, hurling the pair of equines across the ice. One with a scream of pain, the other, of terror.

Sombra landed hard, bouncing off the ice and tumbling another several yards before coming to rest in a moaning heap. His world was spinning as he blinked back stars and tears of pain, trying simply to figure out what had just occurred.

Struggling to sit up straight Sombra froze, his heart going cold as he spotted Hope in a similar state not far away. But it wasn’t the blood trickling down her cheek that stole the breath from him though, nor was it the way she seemed to be cradling her foreleg. No, it was the hulking beast that was stalking its way towards her.

It was a monster straight from myth, something spoken of around a campfire that would have made most laugh in disbelief. A creature with the appearance of a great wolf chiseled from the crystals of the north, shining like demonic diamonds in the violet torchlight.

The very creature spoken of by the survivors the day Sombra’s father had been killed…

The hound moved with a graceful beauty, its shimmering body difficult to track against the snow and ice like a miasma, strikingly bright blue eyes glowing and locked on its prey. There was something else about it to, something that just wormed its way into the mind and gripped at your heart like a primal fear.

Sombra only allowed this fear to hold him still for a moment, his thunderous heartbeat drowned out by the feral shriek of anguish that rocked his mind, demanding that he move. Demanding that he rend the earth if that is what it required to stop what was coming.

Without even realizing it the Prince had forced his way up, planting his hooves with teeth grit, his horn flaring to life on instinct even as he recalled something about this monstrousity. A boiling bolt of blistering energy lept from Sombra’s horn, burning the air with desperate fury as it flashed over the ice and painted his target in a sickly orange glow.

The attack which could have burned its way through the stonework of a guard tower popped and fizzled away into nothing as it splashed harmlessly over the creatures faceted hide, the spell’s structure unraveling upon contact. Unfazed, the beast continued on without so much as turning its head to acknowledge the Prince was even there.

It leapt, jaws wide open as it bore down on its prey. Hope was struggling to retreat, her skate clad hooves scraping at the ice in an attempt to push herself away. The fangs aimed at her throat glistened in Hope’s eyes as the end drew near.

At some point Sombra had begun to scream, not in fear or sorrow, but in rage. Pure unabated rage as instinct took hold of his magic. He wanted this thing gone, to see it smashed and broken. His magic reached out, grasping for something, anything that could make that happen.

A boulder slammed into the side of the wolf with incredible force, the multi-ton piece of rock alight with magic as it crumbled like clay against the impossible creature. Sombra let loose a bellow as the wolf was spun around by the impact, its claws leaving deep gashes in the ice as it landed with an annoyed bark of its own, Sombra now square within its sights.

The Prince only had a moment to congratulate himself though as the great hound pulled back a massive paw and swatted a chunk of the broken boulder straight at his face, the rock whistling with enough speed to crack a pony skull.

Throwing himself to the ground Sombra felt the stone scrape across his ear as it sailed past, impacting the frozen falls some distance behind him. The sound echoed around them, bouncing through the trees and filling the air with the chilling noise of cracking ice.

Without giving the downed stallion another thought the diamond clad hound turned its malice back toward Hope and charged at her again, its agile form reaching the mare in mere moments. There was fire in the monster’s eyes as it once again made to lunge at her, jaws opening wide enough to crush her between an insane number of wickedly sharp teeth. It lept, only for it to be yanked down where it smashed into the ice face first with a startled yelp.

Horn glowing brightly Sombra poured more magic into the appendage, having shifted his focus from the wolf itself into the environment around it. Hundreds of hours of asking and searching and learning about this fiend poured through his mind and though he had only ever found very little he had learned one thing. Pony magic had held no power over it, spells and enchantments doing nothing but annoy the beast. So he had studied hard on the ways of nature, learning the elemental magics so that he might bend those to his will instead.

That is why the wolf now struggled and howled as it bit at the ice that crawled up one of its forelegs, slowly freezing the limb and securing it to the lake’s surface. The wolf gnawed and thrashed violently as its other paw scratched at the frozen water that continued to build up in a bid to entomb it.

As the monster struggled to pull its claws from the ice Hope backed away, her eyes turning to Sombra as her horn sparked to life, gathering energy. Just as the creature tore itself free and began to round on her again the mare blinked out of existence, a blinding flash of tell tale light the only evidence she had been there.

Snarling at the light the hound’s teeth bared, its gaze turned, almost as if it was following something-

-The beast swung its head and lunged in an impossible blur of agility, the fire in its eyes flashing as its massive jaws slammed shut with a snarl. Hope appeared out of thin air, one of her hind legs ensnared within the dagger like teeth, screaming as it thrashed her from side to side in a violent rage.

Sombra charged, his heart going wild as his mind clouded over with rage and anguish. Looking back he never remembered when he summoned it but his father’s blade was suddenly with him, flashing forward as he lept at the nightmarish thing, plunging the old piece of steel deep into the wolf’s side with a cry of livid fortitude.

The wolf howled in pain as it rounded on its attacker, flinging the mare within its teeth across the pond as it tried instead to snap at the pony now hanging onto the offending sliver of metal that protruded from its ribs.

Sombra just managed to flinch away from tha nashing maw as it came at him again, swinging himself back before launching his rear hooves straight into the wolf’s muzzle, the impact snapping its head to the side. Sombra’s hooves exploded with pain from the strike but he pressed on, even through the skates it felt like kicking solid rock. He released his hold on the sword and lept to the ground, only just narrowly avoiding the swip of a giant paw that nearly took his legs out from under him.

The diamond hound howled at him as it reared up and brought its weight down in a powerful front legged pounce, missing by mere inches as the Prince threw himself out of the way. The beast’s paws smashed into the ice, shattering it in a wide arc as it tumbled forwards into the water, its considerable bulk carrying it down deep into the bowls of the lake with a mighty splash.

Sombra scrambled backwards the best he could on his mangled skates, the blades on his back hooves destroyed from the impact with the beasts hide. Some part of his mind finally caught up with the moment and his horn lit again, the frothing water inside the hole in the ice quickly stilled and refroze in a cloud of his magic.

He sat there for a moment, chest heaving wildly as he watched the disturbed patch of ice for any signs of movement, anything that might indicate they were still in danger. Nothing happened; everything was quiet save for the sound of his bursting heart.

With another brief flash of his horn Sombra tore of his skates and headed for where he could see Hope laying near the end of the lake. She didn’t seem to be moving much, but he could hear her.

“Hope!” Sombra called out as he rushed to her side, dropping to his knees as he nearly slid into her. “Hope, are you…” His voice trailed off; she was not okay.

There was a lot of blood. It pooled around her savegly torn leg and dripped from several deep wounds around her head. Her horn was chipped badly and one of her forelegs was visibly broken. Her whole form shuddered with pain as she tried to turn and look up at him, a weak smile touching her lips as she reached out a trembling hoof.

“Did you see?” Hope asked quietly, her gaze a bit unfocused. “I finally nailed that triple axel.” She finished with a cough that speckled the ice with even more blood.

“I…” Sombra tried, taking her outstretched hoof in his, her skate nowhere to be seen. “I was busy, I did not see.”

“Figures,” Hope muttered with another cough. “I finally get you all to myself, and you still can’t see me.”

“I see you, Hope,” Sombra whispered back, giving her hoof a little squeeze.

Pulling his hooves a little closer to herself Hope leaned her cheek against them and let out a contented sigh, her breath slowing as her body relaxed.

“That is all I ever wanted to hear you say, Sombra,” she cooed with a glassey far off look in her eyes. “But, do you think we could go home now? I. I’m so cold.”

“Hope, please,” Sombra almost begged as he stared down at her, willing himself to stay strong as he spoke. “I cannot lose you too…”

“What?” Hope asked, suddenly sitting up as if nothing were seriously wrong. “I’m not dying you mook, just hurt, really bad.”

“You, but all the blood, and you said you were cold!” Sombra nearly wailed as he gestured to her gore slickened leg.

“I have been cold for hours! We are at the top of a mountain you fool!” She chuckled merrily before wincing and leaning back against the ground. “I just couldn’t bear the thought of saying anything and ruining the fun, now I am all wet and sprawled out like a rug on this cursed ice.”

“You do look a mess,” Sombra confirmed, giving her hemoraging leg a concerned look as blood continued to ooze from it.

“I can fix that,” Hope said with a reassuring pat on Sombra’s shoulder. “Looks worse than it is actually, by some miracle the beast seems to have missed all the arteries.”

“Wish that I had such luck,” Sombra grumbled with a sour look as he rubbed at his side, his spine piping up in protest as his adrenaline began to fade. “Are you sure that you can, your horn…”

“One way to find out,” Hope finished with a slow nod, her horn sparking to life with an unfamiliar snap of static before blinking out. “Cursed thing,” She hissed with pain as her good leg put a hoof to her forehead.

“Can’t concentrate?” Sombra asked, his suspicions confirmed a moment later when she tried again only to whimper and fall back against the ice with a grunt.

“Where are you going?” Hope asked through grit teeth as Sombra rose to his hooves and headed back towards where they had left their belongings.

“To fetch the blanket,” He called back, taking care to keep his hooves planted on the slippery ice. “We need to dress that wound and get you wrapped up, and if you don’t give me too much fuss you can have some of this wine for the pain.”

“Does this mean the Prince of the land is going to carry me back to my bed?” Hope asked coyly, her voice sounding almost hopeful.

“Even in this state you are hardly the picture of a damsel in distress, Hope,” Sombra comented as he returned and sat down beside her, his horn flashed as a corner of the blanket tore free and began to fold itself around her leg. “We will get your legs under you and gate back, I can get us there with a few jumps and have you to the healers soon enough.”

Rolling her eyes Hope gladly accepted the offered bottle that floated up to her and took a greedy swig, the decadent liquid warming her frozen core with a soothing tingle.

“And they say chivalry is alive and well,” She said with a delighted hum before taking another appreciative sip, “Ah well, a girl can dream I suppose.”

“Dream all you want, just keep some moderation in mind,” Sombra muttered with a serious face as he worked the cloth into a tight bandage around her blood slicked limb, though a faint smile was touching the corners of his mouth. “I need you sober enough to corroborate the story when we get back, otherwise I’ll never live this down.”

“Still telling them this was all your idea,” Hope said sweetly, eyeing the bottle before her gaze wandered back to where the wolf had disappeared through the ice and she took another drink. “Still though, not like they will belive us anyway; I am not entirely sure I belive us,” She glanced back at her broken leg. “The evidence notwithstanding, ouch, Do you think it’s dead?”

“Sorry,” Sombra said as he finished synching the knot holding the bandage together before giving the hole behind them a wary look of his own. “Probably, but right now my concern is for you,” he said warmly, his smile only growing as Hope snorted into her bottle.

Satisfied with his handiwork Sombra gingerly wrapped the remains of the blanket around Hope’s barrel, folding an end around her shoulders before tucking it into itself to secure the blanket in place.

“How is that?” Sombra asked, eyeing the way the fabric shifted as she moved.

“Warmest I have been all night,” Hope sighed, sitting back up and snuggling a bit closer, the bottle making another trip to her mouth a moment latter.

“Hey now,” Sombra muttered as he noticed the half empty bottle tilting ever higher, her throat flexing with every ravenous swallow. “Save me a draft of that; you aren’t the only one who’s gotten cold up here,” he added, grabbing for the bottle.

“Mmm mm!” Hope mumbled with a mouthful of her favorite wine, doing her level best to hold the bottle just out of Sombra’s reach. The effects the liquid was having on her aching body were heavenly.

“Fine then,” the Prince said with a scoff as he rose, shaking his head at the mare’s antics. “But if you should become sick while in the gate I will be leaving you up here.”

“Finally,” Hope whispered seductively to the bottle held protectively to her chest. “We would be alone at last.”

Glancing at the decidedly less than half full bottle of liquor Sombra just shook his head, happy that her pain would at least be quelled for the time being. Miracle or no though the blood loss would soon catch up to her which ment they needed to move.

“I only, Hope, the two of you will be happy together,” Sombra quipped, offering her a hoof and an apologetic grimace.

“Nah,” Hope replied with a giggle as she accepted the offered assistance and allowed herself to be pulled up onto her shaking limbs, her eyes screwing shut in a silent curse of discomfort. “It would never last; this guy is great for a quick night of fun,” she said with a lick of her lips before glancing back at Sombra. “But, under pressure he shatters, and his wit is just so dry. I want a stallion who can catch me when I need him, and still not be afraid to make jokes about it.”

“Well, I Hope, that we can find you sompony who checks all those boxes,” Sombra said pointedly, his serious expression returning as he gauged her reactions.

“Well…” Hope muttered thoughtfully as she gave Sombra an appraising glance, her eyes roving over him a bit longer than what one might consider necessary. “You might do, with some more work.”

“And that’s how we know you’ve had enough of that,” Sombra said with a slightly reddened face as he gently swiped the wine from her in a flash of magic, his victory shortlived though as he brought it up only to find the bottle empty. “Clever girl…” He muttered as he set it aside.

Hope just smiled one of those dazzling smiles of hers as the pair leand in closer to each other, the cold and the pain forgotten for just that one moment. A final reprieve before Fate stepped off the reins…

The distant sounds of ice cracking filled the air and echoed across the pond, drawing the equines’ attention towards the falls. A spiderweb of cracks had spread across nearly the entire tower of glittering hoarfrost, tiny rivulets of water spewing from deep within them.

A thunderous bang rang in the ponies ears as a rather sizable chunk of ice shot out of the wall, skipping past them across the lake before bouncing off someplace into the trees. More water poured from the new hole left behind, gushing now as the larger cracks widened, telling of the great disaster about to unfold upon those hapless enough to be in the way.

“Figures,” Sombra muttered as they pressed closer together, becoming distinctly aware of the thin layer of ice cold water now rushing around their hooves. “I, hope, you’re ready, I’m going to port us out of here.”

“Not the time, Sombra!” Hope chided, glancing down at the water now deep enough to wet her fetlocks.

“I know, just, being facetious out of habit,” Sombra growled as he pressed against her, his horn flickering to life in a shower of unexpected sparks before, in a similar manner to how Hope’s horn had done, simply fizzled out completely.

Dumbfounded, the Prince tried again, certain that he retained more than enough energy for at least several long teleports. He couldn’t have exhausted himself in that brief scuffle, even if he had allowed his magic to run wild. Try as he might however, he simply could not form a stable gate around them. It was as if something were happening to destabilize the energy as he organized it.

Almost as if something nearby were sucking it away…

In a violent surge of shattering ice and strobing light the Diamond Hound burst up through the ice directly beneath them, its massive jaws ensnaring Hope once again as it lunged. The ice around the beast disintegrated as it thrashed about wildly, a single great paw crashed down on the Prince as well, driving him down into the chilled water with the wolf as it sank.

The three of them plunged into the frigid dark, tumbling along in the current, the turbulent water pushing them onward with no concept of mercy or care. Sombra tumbled head over hooves across the bottom, buffeted by rocks as he struggled to keep his eyes on the wolf, the creature practically a ghost in the darkness.

The wolf’s claws seemed to be faring little better at clinging onto the boulder covered riverbed, the beast thrashed as its limbs struggled to find purchase. Finally though it caught itself, a back paw finding a place to lodge in and act as an anchor. It stood there then, nearly invisible in the all encompassing darkness, nothing but a pair of blazing blue orbs giving the creature’s outline any context.

Eyes wide and ears pricked another shot of adrenalin surged through Sombra’s veins as he smashed straight into the face of the monster, his ready hoof driving forward straight and true right into the wolf’s eye. Latching on as best he could Sombra pulled his hoof back again and again, striking home as hard as he could despite the water’s efforts to drag him away.

Clearly agitated at the actions of this puny pony the wolf swiped at Sombra with its free front paw, the claws slashing at his side leaving deep gashes that immediately tinged the water red with his blood.

What was meant to be a scream came out a muted croak as Sombra jolted upright, his sides heaving and slicked with sweat. His eyes flicked back and forth, still searching frantically for something he knew wasn’t there as he struggled to rise. Try as he might though something held him back, keeping him down while his blurry vision swam in and out of the dark.

“Settle.”

It had him pinned, unyielding to the efforts of his spent muscles as they strained against its seemingly endless strength. Teeth like knives dug at his flesh while claws as big as swords held him against the bottom, the sounds of thundering waters rushing by all around deafened him.

“Return.”

The voice was calm and familiar, a shard of warming tranquility that pushed aside the anxiety and fatigue that gripped him. For another brief moment Sombra instinctively continued to struggle against what held him, his limbs barely responding to his commands in their efforts as fear turned to desperation. Air came to him in ragged gasps that would not satisfy; the sensation of drowning surrounded by the frigid burn of glacial runoff overwhelmed his senses.

“Have peace and be still.”

The voice came again, spoken in the mystical tones of the ancient Caribou tribes that roamed the furthest realms of the frozen north. The words were like a strong embrace reaching down to drag Sombra from the waters, pulling him free and up into a place of safety and warmth.

With a final defeated whimper Sombra collapsed back against the cold crystal floor, the dazzling faceted ceiling above him spinning in a dizzying blend of colors and subdued lights. His skull felt as though it had been shattered and the heavy taste of copper covered his tongue where he had bitten it.

As he lay there blinking away the last of the spots swimming through his vision and wishing the world would hold still even if only for a moment a few final visions flashed across his mind. Sombra would have gladly accepted the most grisly of physical tortures than to see Hope’s terrified face again, her eyes begging for him to reach just a little further even as the distance between them grew.

The thought had barely echoed through Sombra’s mind before something grabbed his shoulder and shook him gently, trying to rouse him from whatever state of being this was. He really did not care; it was as if his very being did not have the energy left to care, yet something told him he should.

Sombra’s eyes fluttered open again, the glittering ceiling assaulting them with a light that was somehow far too bright, though it had mercifully ceased its spinning. Blinking a few more times seemed to appease this as well though they still stung and refused to clear fully. It was the throbbing of his skull that irked Sombra the most, pulsing and aching worse than any magical migraine he could recall.

All these things considered; it was a far greater place than where he had just been.

“Ah, as I have long suspected, Sombra. Your skull is much too thick to be troubled by such things,” a familiar voice spoke as Andvari leaned over him, an intolerable smirk adorning the ancient caribou’s face. “After so much time ignoring my words; I was beginning to think you still were refusing to listen.”

“I heard you elder,” Sombra replied groggily as he pushed himself up to have a look around. “And thank you for, whatever it was you conjured to repel that monstrous drake. I do not suppose the rest of it was mearly a dream?”

“I wish I could say that it was,” Andvari replied sadly, her antlers coming alight in a deep emerald glow as her eyes scanned over him. “You and two others were fortunate enough to be collected quickly. Unfortunately, by the time we found poor little foxglove her mind was already gone; there is nothing further that I can do for her.”

Sombra glanced around the room, eyes blinking tightly as he tried to make out the few faces he spotted in the darkened interior. “How many are here?” he eventually managed to ask.

“About ten, that I know of,” Andvari said quietly as she straightened up some fresh bandages around the wound on Sombra’s neck. “I had hoped we would find more before the situation forced us to flee but the tower is-“

A dull rumble echoed up from somewhere deep within the Citadel’s base which caused dust and tiny bits of crystal to rain down from the ceiling. Another crack appeared along the far wall, joining dozens of others that Sombra was only just becoming aware of.

“With the Heart gone the Citadel withers; like ours the great sentinels time has come,” Andvari said with a somber hint of finality. “We must make haste and leave this place.”

“What of the Reliquary?” someone called out, their voice urgent, almost pleading. “Surely we cannot leave the Citadel’s artifacts behind!?”

“The Reliquary is no longer of importance.”

Turning towards the voice the best he could Sombra spotted Gelek limping into the room, the Donkey’s grim expression mirroring the others. It came as a great relief to see that following close behind him was Steel Resolve, the hulking Minotaur moving confidently despite his gruesome injuries.

“The only items not destroyed or missing are here,” Gelek added as he made his way to stand before the elderly Caribou, placing a bag down between them. “All we found worth recovering was the amulet and the scepter.”

Blinking through the haze that held stubbornly to the edges of his vision Sombra could just make out the latter of the two items as Andvari levitated it infront of her, the golden cane sparkling in the twilight.

“Did you find any of the others?” the Caribou mystic asked after a moment, carefully placing the item back within the bag.

Steel released a heavy sigh as Gelek looked away, head low as he spoke. “None that could be helped.”

Another distant vibration ran through the floor, stronger and more lingering than before, drawing concerned glances from around the room. Sombra’s ears flattened as he watched a new crack slowly snake its way across the floor right underneath him.

“Then we have done all we can here,” Andvari said with finality in her tone as she set the surviving relics back across Gelek’s shoulders. “Take these and guard them well. Any of you that are still able go with Gelek and get out any way you can; we will meet at the source gate below Steel Resolve’s village. Gather there as quickly as you can and may the Heart guide you.”

“What of the rest of you?” Gelek asked hesitantly as he helped Resolve pass out what meager clothing and food they had gathered along their search of the tower. “The injured ca-“

The room suddenly shifted as something supporting it collapsed, leaving a lasting tilt as the cracks along the floor and walls continued to creep along. A dull creaking and groaning began to build from below that refused to fade, sounds that signaled the end for this place.

Andvari used her magic to shove Sombra and Gelek back as the floor near the center of the room began to crumble from underneath, dropping away until a large chasm had appeared between them. The entire length of the tower shuddered as more and more of the interior began to give way.

“I will take Trillium, Foxglove and these two and gate as far as I can,” Andvari called out over a particularly loud shriek of splintering crystal, her magic slowly coalescing over the Knights laying on the floor behind her. “Sombra, can you?”

Sombra, already struggling to his hooves shook his head, breathing heavily with the effort. “I do not think I could move myself beyond these walls much less take any with me,” he admitted tiredly, pawing the floor once before looking around at the others.

“Take them and go, Andvari,” Gelek called back with an upward nod, helping another knight to their paws. “We shall find our way.”

“Then, until we meet again,” she replied with as reassuring of a smile as she could muster, the glow of her magic intensifying until with a final flash, her little group was gone.

Taking a stumbling step forward Sombra nearly yelped as a single massive gray skinned arm wrapped its way under his barrel and unceremoniously hoisted him into the air, pinning him to the rippling chest of a Minotaur. The weathered stony face of Steele Resolve gazed down at him, offering Sombra a determined nod before glancing at the few others that remained.

“Right then,” Gelek said with a sigh, the aging jack taking a grim look around, his gaze lingereing where Andvari and the others had been. “We should make for the port gate down in the reflecting hall, it is the most likely to have remained functional.”

A few mutters of agreement went up around the room as the remaining Knights filed out, their weary gazes vigilant of the fading colors that bled from the walls around them, the lights fading quickly. The trembling was ever present now, steadily growing into a shaking that stumbled and unnerved them.

They picked up their pace, most doing their best to ignor injuries as they pressed on, the sickening sounds urging them forwards. Great fissures began to appear in the walls and floor as they went, the entire structure twisting and warping as its damaged magical lattice disintegrated.

Rooms and quiet nooks of meditation flashed by as they ran, stretches of hallway unrecognizable as they were forced to negotiate around and over collapsed sections of what had been millennia old living spaces. It all went past in a blur as Sombra fought just to keep his eyelids open, struggling not only against his own creeping exhaustion but the crystalline dust in the air. Steel was clearly doing his best but the jostling ride was doing him no favors either, the stallion’s wounds ached and the rough treatment was sure to make him bleed again. If only they could reach-

-The floor gave way beneath the hulking Minotaur, collapsing as he vaulted over a particularly obtrusive obstacle in their path. The pair of them plummeted into the dark, crashing straight through what should have been the next level as well before landing hard on the floor below.

Somehow Steel managed to catch himself, stumbling forwards into a wall and slamming his wounded shoulder against the cold stone, a gargled whimper of pain escaping the Minotaur’s mangled throat as moisture formed around his tightly clenched eyes. How the battered bull was still on his hooves Sombra didn’t know, but he was certainly thankful for it.

Muffled shouts could be heard coming from the others above, no doubt calling out for their fallen comrads but another series of violent tremors brought more dust and debris raining down, silencing the cries.

Amazingly, Steel Resolve pushed himself back up, his shaking legs quivering as something audibly snapped. Fresh blood oozed from the stab wounds on his hand and neck, but his eyes were like fire, burning with inextinguishable determination. With a staggering breath he slid one hoof forward, then the other. Then, he took a step.

A long dark hall was laid out before them, a set of stairs that whould have been their salvation by means of reaching the reflecting hall above lay broken beside them. That heart numbing sight left the two with no other alternative, any remaining possible exits were far removed from their location and they were down to moments at best.

Steel’s gaze hardened, an ancient chant of strength running through his mind as he stepped forward again, the Citadel groaning around them as small bits of the ceiling bounced from his shoulders. He took another step, then another, faster and faster until he was running. His body screamed in protest; he ignored it. A plan was forming within his thick skull, a desperate plan but it was the only one he had left.

The floor shifted under him, no longer level as Steel Resolve felt himself lean to the side in order to compensate. He snorted loudly as his speed continued to build, prepairing himself for what came next. Sombra was not going to like this but it was their only way out now.

Having finally surrendered to gravity’s call the great monolith began to tilt, its base crumbling, the outer walls slowly shattering under the shifting weight. Like an old dead tree in a windstorm the Citadel shifted, lurching in a sickening fashion, the final reserves of its magic drained away and it began to fall.

Steel Resolve charged forward for all he was worth, shielding the pony he carried as best he could as larger and larger chunks of the ceiling collapsed down around them. A shard of the wickedly sharp material cut deep into his hide as it crashed over the back of his head and tumbled down the Minotaur’s shoulders, stumbling the determined bull yet he did not falter even as his hooves struggled to retain their purchase on the increasingly slanted floor.

The wall ahead was his target, spider-webbed with ever growing cracks and its light visibly fading as he drew nearer. Lowering his horns Resolve slammed into the puny structure with all the force of a rockslide, crashing straight through the wall and out into the cold beyond.

Sombra, only dimly aware of their surroundings by this point, felt his stomach drop out as the pony realized he was falling. The chill northern air ripped at his coat as the pair plummeted towards their certain demise. Desperately trying to think of anything he could do, horn sparking feebly, Sombra forced himself through the haze of his fractured thoughts and found the faintest scraps of energy.

Where they came from the pony did not know but he wasted no time weaving them together into a meager field of telekinetic force, wrapping it around the Minotaur which carried him and pushed. The energy flickered and sparked against the weight it attempted to move, slowing them down by the tiniest degree as they banked away from the leaning tower.

Sombra’s teeth were grit so tightly he could hear them crack, blood began to trickle from his nose when finally, there was simply nothing left. They fell freely, Sombra’s eyes looking up blearily as Steel Resolve rolled them over to place himself between him and the rapidly approaching ground.

The last thing Sombra saw was the crumbling tower still coming straight at them before his vision was shrouded by white and a sudden impact took him away into the cold dark once more…

Thousands of tons of falling crystal sang out in a thunderous crash as the glittering structure that had stood guard over their world for eons untold shattered across the frozen plains like so much glass. The pieces slid and tumbled outwards in a grim mosaic across the snow, greens and blues and purples fading away as they came to rest where they may.

In mere seconds it was over, the violent end leaving behind only silence as the driving snow quickly began to pile up against the rubble and cover any trace the tower had ever been at all…

Yes, it has been a long time...

Yes I'm sorry...

No, I can't promise that it won't happen again...

Yes I will be taking steps to prevent it from happening again...

And yes, this story will continue...

Occasionally...

As life permits...