Sombra stood up tall, glaring at the ponies around the room. His supporters shook in fear and excitement. They bowed as his sharp gaze went over them. He locked eyes with Starburst, who glared back at him. “And who do you think you are,” he said in his strangely soothing, rich voice.
“I-I’m Starburst, and these are my friends. We’re here to stop you from taking the Crystal Empire, and the rest of Equestria!” she announced. There were a few chuckles from the followers, knowing the fate of those who defied Sombra.
Sombra laughed deeply, then teleported inches away from her. She flinched, but held her gaze. “You’re a brave one,” he said, looking behind her at the cowering prisoners.
“Do you really think these useless jokes can help you?” he sneered, looking back at her. Luna stepped up, which cause him to glare at her with a snarl.
“Yes, we know they can,” she said defiantly.
Sombra threw his head back and started laughing. The crystals that made a summoning circle on the floor, plus the ones his followers used as weapons began to surround him in a sharp, dangerous tornado. Starburst went into a trance that cause tears to begin streaming from her eyes. She was the only one of her team that was close enough to go into Sombra’s nightmare world. The others ducked in fear. The crystals surrounded his followers as well. Some of them shrieked, and others smirked.
The loud clinking sounds of crystals, and Sombra’s malicious laughed echoed through the cavern. Suddenly, everything fell silent. Sombra and his army disappeared, along with the crystals. Starburst stood straight up, still in her nightmare. Night ran up to her and tried to shake her awake. “Star, Star! Wake up!” he yelled. She still didn’t return.
Big Mac tapped him aside and shoved Starburst down. She rolled until she stood up, then started wiping away the tears. “What happened to you?” Night asked.
Starburst started stammering, “I.. I was… It… Mom, she got sucked into her o-own tornado and she just… She got hurled to the forest! I f-found her, she was on a tree…. It.. the branch was sticking out of h-her…”
Darkecho walked up and put his front hooves over her mouth. “It’s fine, you told me that happened years ago. It’s over now, you’re fine,” he reassured her. She relaxed a little and took a deep breath.
“What happened? Where’s Sombra? I have to kick his butt,” Starburst got back to her normal self.
“He vanished, and took all of his minions with him,” Darkecho said. Starburst kicked the ground and growled.
“Then lets find him! Where would he be? Because I’m guessing the Crystal Empire!” she yelled.
There were murmurs of agreement from the small crowd. “Then lets go!” Star ordered. While half the crowd, including her friends, starting going for the exit, the other half didn’t move, and looked nervous.
“What’s wrong?” Star asked.
The unicorn in the front said, “Well, we have families, and we want to return to them… alive and free.” Star glared at the ground, wrinkling her nose.
She looked back up and said, “I understand… but we’d better get more of an army if we’re going to defeat Sombra.”