Corruption

The Crystal Lie

Celestia stood in the wasteland of the very spot where the Crystal Empire once stood. She was wearing the armour she wore on the day that she fought Sombra. She took around frantically. Frantically trying to find any sign of life. Luna. She had to find Luna. She looked through the snowstorm.

No pony. There was supposed to be a war here. There was supposed to be an Empire here. Her sister has supposed to be here.

"You are a failure." The familiar rough voice called out. The voice that had been plaguing her. There was no empire because the empire had been gone for more than a thousand years. She looked towards the source and watched as a shadowy figure headed in her direction. "Fear is what keeps ponies in line. Only a true leader would understand...Would accept it."

"Show yourself."

The figure stepped into her view. She gasped and stumbled backwards in shock. She should have known. The voice. She should have recognized the voice as...as...

Sombra.

"What are you doing here?"

"I have come with good news. For the both of us." He said with a cocky smile. "I have returned. My presence in your mind will dwindle as I grow stronger in the Empire. When you wake up your guards will confirm this. I will be waiting for you."

"I know who you are." Celestia snapped. "You are a pony who was used as a test subject by a pony that you trusted. A pony who promised you that if you survived the test, you would become his personal student. But instead of surviving...You fused with the dark energy and became a monster. There is no way Starswirl would accept a monster as a student. He gave up on you so you had to take it out on Equestria. That is the true origin of dark magic. The Pony of shadows had dark energy. When it fused with unicorn magic it leaked from you to the rest of Equestria when you polluted the Empire. It went to every unicorn, earthpony, pegasi and Alicorn."

Sombra growled.

"I already know that you are aware of my history. Part of me was in your head remember."

"I know. I just thought a reality check was in order. You have continually tried to make sure that I lead the way you want me to. You have tried to make me like you. Unlike you, I am not a monster."

Sombra chuckled as he got closer and moved his mouth near her ear.

"Everyone is a monster. Even before I was born. Even before the Pony of Shadows existed."

Sombra moved away with a toothy smile showing off his sharp teeth as the world around them started to fade and the dark abyss started to grow. Sombra watched as he started to fade away and gave her a sweet smile.

"How's Dizzy?" He said. Using a mocking tone at the last word.

"Shut up."

"I will be waiting for you outside the Empire. You know how to find me."

---

Celestia woke up. Breathing heavily. Her first thought was how relieved she was that she didn't allow Luna to check on her dreams. Her second thought was a wave of panic at the thought that she couldn't feel the presence. Sombra's presence. She had figured out the problem too late.

She got out of her tangled sheets and used her wing to wipe away sweat from her brow. She climbed out of bed and grabbed her brush with her magic. Carefully brushing through the tangles of her mane, fixing it into the soft flowing magical mane.

She heard a soft knock on her door and she used her magic to open it. Allowing Arone to trot in with a concerned expression and a scroll.

"I...I have some bad news." Arone said. He opened his mouth to speak again but Celestia held up her hoof to silence him.