Chapter 2:

“What do you say, my jewel?” King Sombra whispered “Prevail over Equestria as my Shadow Queen”…

Twilight was frozen, never in her wildest dreams she would imagine such words.
His voice echoed over inside Twilights head, she was stuck in the centre surrounded by a wall of crystals trapped with King Sombra.

Is he serious? “Are you INSANE?!” Twilight snarled at the demon.

Just then the floor disappeared beneath her, the darkness swallowed her whole.
Falling into the darkness, Twilight felt like she was drifting out of consciousness, like she was drowning.
….

She awoke, and she was inside the Crystal library, her favourite place in the Empire.
Twilight felt dizzy like she woke from a hangover, “was it all a dream?” she muttered to herself as she lifted her heavy eyelids, “did it really happen?” just then, she felt a stabling pain in her back… It was the wings Sombra gave her, soft pure pearly white feathers and black crystals formed on her body, spreading over her skin.

But that wasn’t all that changed, now she was in a dark silk dress, blue and silver like the night sky, almost like her dress from Celestia’s Gala. But this dress was softer with longer flowing layers, then it hit her, It was a bridal gown.

Her horn was encrusted with black gems and on her head was a small thorn tiara, similar to Sombras crown. On her hooves were golden horse shoes and around her knees and neck were metal bands, almost like shackles, and in the center of her chest plate was the Crystal heart, softly glowing and pulsing like it was alive.

A deep chilling laughter echoed through the halls of the library.
Stepping before her was a large black stallion, King Sombra, no longer just a head, now in full form.

“Sombra!” Twilight shouted “What is the meaning of this?!”

“The Crystal heart merged itself into your soul” Sombra smiled “the heart chooses the pony worthy enough of its power. I would have no use for it however with you as my queen… “

“I am NOT YOUR QUEEN, y-your heartless BEAST!”
Sombra let out a deep thundering laughter, “I remember studying here in this very library when I was very young. As a youth I was studious… ambitious… HUNGRY for knowledge… like yourself.”

Twilight felt herself blush, staring back into his eyes.

“Allow me to give you a little history lesson, my dear”. Sombra raised his horn; his eyes burned in a green flash and beneath Twilights hooves was a projected image of the Crystal Empire. Peering into the portal there stood crystal ponies, all of them chained together, all pale weak and thin.
…

“Before the Royal sisters banished me” Sombra started “the Crystal empire was under my command and the crystal ponies were driven into slavery. A few wise ponies, recruited into a secret elite of Sombrians, my followers. They were trained to harness the power of the dark crystals and their loyalty towards me was exchanged for their captivity.”

The map projection vanished, Sombra gave a smug grin as if he was hiding something. “I have never seen such power in a young unicorn before, think of the possibilities of mastering the dark arts.”

“Never,” Twilight turned away from him, “I would rather die than surrender to the darkness”.
Sombra chucked to himself, he was amused by her loyalty.

He raised his horn and the shadows merged taking form of a large black book.
Twilights eyes grew wide, “I’ve seen that before, Luna and Celestia had it before I left Canterlot”

“This is the ancient Book of the Dark magic” Sombra revealed the cover “and this is the mark of my followers”.
And on the front cover of the book was a big bright six pointed magenta star, surrounded by five smaller white stars. Twilights eyes widen, it matched her cutie mark.

Her mouth went dry, “No, it can’t be” she whispered to herself.

“Darkness runs in your veins, Twilight” he trotted towards her. “Celestia hid the truth from you to prevent you achieving your destiny. Remember she said you’ll move onto the next level of your studies?”

Twilight felt a knot in her stomach, “black magic?” she gasped.
“We all have shadows within us, my sweet” he beamed as he crept towards her “and when you embrace the darkness, you achieve full power’.
…

“Remember when you first got your cutie mark?” He hummed.
Twilight tried to focus again, “It was at Cesestia’s school of gifted Unicorns, I had an exam where I hatched an egg and then… I lost control of my magic”

“Your magic is beyond the standard unicorn level, my pet” Sombra nodded “You are the element of Magic right?”… “The strongest of the Elements of harmony. Did it ever occurred to you how come you are so powerful?”

In a flash the library faded away like a distant memory, in a blink of an eye she was back at Celestia’s school of gifted unicorns. It was Twilights old classroom, where she did her first exam. In a flash a small purple egg appeared.

“Remember the spell you used?” Sombra whispered “do you have what it takes”
“Childs play” Twilight smiled confidently. With a twist of her horn the egg started to glow and then it started to crack.
The egg split open and a shadow raised itself from the shell, suddenly it began to warp itself and take life. The shadow swooped up in the air and became a giant roaring bat like dragon.

Twilight was frozen in place, the beast roared and lunged towards Twilight.

In a flash the entire room vanished and she was back at the library.
“see what happens when you release the shadows inside you?” Sombra crept slowly towards Twilight like a tiger.
“What does it mean?” Twilights head was pounding, “I don’t understand”.

Sombra softly nudged her face “It means that as your mentor, I’ll shall teach you to achieve your next level of magic and you shall have power beyond your wildest dreams…”

To be continued…