Lightning trembled in fear of the monster from his nightmares. The evil unicorn king laughed at the child's fear and slowly approached. Lightning tried to run away, but King Sombra used his magic to create large dark crystals to block the only exit. Lightning then found himself restrained by the same dark glowing magic from earlier. Sombra chuckled in delight as he continued to walk towards the crying, terrified colt.
"There's no point in trying to escape or call for help Lightning Twister," he said menacingly "Your trapped and no one can hear you scream."
Lightning was so scared he felt himself choking somewhat as Sombra knelt down and got eye to eye with him.
"W-who are y-you? Wh-where am I" he said almost inaudibly as his tears flowed down his cheeks.
A grin came across Sombra's face as he replied, "You and I are in the Crystal Caves just under Canterlot, and I am King Sombra."
Lightning began to tremble even harder as he covered his head with his hooves as he began to cry even harder.
"P-please l-let me g-go," Lightning wailed "I- w-want my M-Momma!"
King Sombra laughed at the young colts misery and said, "Your not going anywhere, my little pawn."
Lightning's crying became even louder as he continued to call out for his mother.
"Silence, you little vermin!" Sombra yelled as he struck a bolt of Lightning that landed only feet away from Lightning.
Lightning fell silent and was completely frozen in fear as the evil unicorn king smiled.
"Your not going anywhere because you are an essential part of my plan." he hissed
Lightning was confused, but he was to scared to show it as Sombra began speaking once more.
"I was once the ruler of the Crystal Empire. I had countless crystal ponies under my control and I was the most feared and most powerful king in all of Equestria. Until those blasted royal pony sisters appeared and overthrew me. I was turned to shadow and sealed away in the ice of the arctic north. I had been sealed away for one thousand years, until the seal was somehow broken and I was able to break free. I tried to take back what was mine, but that blasted crystal princess and her idiot husband stood in my way as well as those accursed holders of the elements of harmony. The crystal ponies were able to use that horrid crystal heart to completely destroy me and I lost all of my power. After that, I was nothing but a memory. I was humiliated and reduced to nothing for the longest time, but the fear I left on the crystal ponies managed to help me keep some of my power which helped keep me from being completely destroyed. However it wasn't enough, I no longer had a body, I was nothing but a wondering shadow, and no one's fear was strong to help me return to normal!"
A wicked little smile formed back on Sombra's face as he looked down at Lightning.
"That is, until you arrived." he said with a tone of voice that made Lightning even more scared than he already was.
"W-what do you m-mean?" Lightning stuttered
Sombra let out a sinister chuckled before speaking once more.
"Your fear was greater than any fear that I had ever felt and I could feel my strength slowly returning. Everything you had been through in your life only increased your fear including your nightmares."
Lightning gasped in horror , "s-so y-you-"
"Yes, you stupid little colt," Sombra snapped harshly "I was the one that created your nightmares. I created them out of some of your deepest fears, and I used your fear to help me return to normal."
Lightning couldn't help but cry once more as he remembered every horrible nightmare he had since they started.
"Your fear, is what gives me strength, my boy." King Sombra said "And the more fear I fill you with, the stronger I become. Soon I will be strong enough to take revenge on the ones who caused my downfall and not only will I have control of the Crystal Empire, I will have have control of all of Equestria."
Lightning gasped and became afraid for his friends, family, and most of all, his mother. Sombra smiled as he felt Lightning's fear surge through him from within.
"Yes Lightning, be afraid, be very afraid. You are the key to Equestria's destruction. But don't worry my boy, I won't hurt you..." A wicked smile formed on King Sombra's face once more "...yet."
King Sombra then broke into a fit of maniacal and crazed laughter as Lightning covered his head with his hooves once more and cried while calling out for the one person he wanted.
"M-Momma, h-help me. I-I'm s-scared."
Back in Ponyville everyone at Twilight's Library had tears flowing down there faces. Fluttershy had told them everything with every painful detail. Applebloom and Sweetie Belle were both softly and quietly crying by there sisters while Scootaloo was outright wailing in Rainbow Dash's hooves. Spike had finished writing a tear stained letter that was for the Princess to inform her of Lightning's disappearance but Twilight had told him to wait and send it in the morning because it was to late at night now. The young baby dragon was wrapped in Twilight's embrace as Fluttershy continued sobbing in Rarity's embrace.
She had not stopped crying since Lightning was taken and no one could stop her they tried there best to comfort her but it proved unsuccessful. Rarity softly stroked Fluttershy's back as she softly hushed her in her ear.
"Shhh...It's going to be okay, darling." She softly cooed
"N-no it w-won't, m-my b-baby boy is g-gone." Fluttershy sobbed "I l-let him g-get taken ag-gain. I'm a h-horrible m-mother."
"No your not, sweetie." Rarity reassured
"she's right, sugarcube," Applejack said softly while gently rubbing Fluttershy's arm "This wasn't your fault, I promise you we'll get Lightning back just like I promised when he got taken by his father."
Fluttershy began to cry even harder at the painful memory.
"Oops, sorry." Applejack said, realizing that she was only making things worse.
Rainbow quickly took over and said, "What she meant was, we will get Lightning back."
Fluttershy sobs reduced to sniffles as she rubbed her eyes with her hoof. Rainbow pulled her into a sisterly hug and both mares let out a yawn.
Twilight looked at the clock and said, "It's getting late everypony, how about we all stay here tonight."
Everyone nodded there head as Twilight went to Fluttershy and hugged her.
"I promise we'll get him back, Fluttershy." She said softly before laying down with Spike curling up beside her.
Everyone else nodded and promised the same thing before finding a spot to sleep.
Rainbow eventually laid down, but Scootaloo stayed up and went over to Fluttershy.
"Can I sleep with you tonight, Fluttershy." she asked before crying once more.
Fluttershy quickly hugged hugged her and gave her a soft kiss on the forehead.
"Of course you can sweetie," she said sweetly before laying.
Scootaloo laid down and snuggled up beside Fluttershy and began to quietly cry herself to sleep. Fluttershy gently stroked the young filly's back with her wing as she looked out the window and looked up at Princess Luna's beautiful moon.
"Please be safe, Lightning." She said softly before falling asleep with Scootaloo snuggling into her soft warm fur.