The shadowy figure whirled around it’s darkness along its body, what was supposed to resemble its mouth shifted into a grine. “Hostage?” it let out a maniacal laughter that echoed through twilight’s ears, “oh you fools! You haven’t realised the true meaning behind all of this yet? Have you never thought to yourself, why Starlight?”

Twilight went deep in thoughts, trying to make sense out of words that came from the writhing shadow, the life of Starlight was at dear risk but she had to focus! “I-I don’t unders-”

“Quit the riddles and give Starlight back!” Rainbow Dash shouted, increasing her distance from ground, “Or we make you pay for what you are doing shadowy egg head!”

“SILENCE!” Said the writhing show figure, “what makes you think you can hurt me? Didn’t you just witnessed with your eyes?” the figures anatomy twisted around and wriggled, letting momentary peepholes to exist to peek at Starlight’s body.

“Rainbow, this isn’t how we should approach this” Twilight let out a cry, and turned her head towards the living dark cage that held her student hostage. “Just tell us what you want!”

The writhing darkness grind ear to ear, revealing what resembled sharp teeth. “I have, what I want.” it’s shadowy hooves stepped forward, and it got closer to twilight and her friends, “But do YOU have what you want?”

Twilight went deep in thoughts once again, once again, attempting to make sense of the writhing shadows lightless claims. Only for her to come back to reality by remembering what she is here for, “We want Starlight back” she shouted staring at the lifeless eyes of the monstrous being who stood tall in front of her. “And I reckon what you want too is also Starlight.”

“Not necessarily, but yes!” it’s wriggling darkness moved sporadically on its body, and lowered what resembled a neck down, “She does offer quite a lot of what I need!” it whisper echoed through their ears.

Twilight, Sunburst and spike took a step back, keeping their distance from the personification of darkness and sorrow. It smirked and turned back to leave. It was then that rainbow dash charged at it.

“Hey! Come back here!” She shouted flying at Starlight’s moving shadowy cage full speed. The shadows started to move furiously, joining at the back of the creature and formed a tentacle that wrapped itself around Rainbow Dash in an instance. “What da-” she said before being tossed at ground with pure force. She screamed in agony briefly before she hit the surface, dusting up the area.

“Rainbow!” Shouted Twilight, as she ran towards her with spike.

The moving shadow marched and continued its way. “You puny creatures can not stand against our kind!” and let out an echoing laughter that defend the sky.

Rainbow dash however, was in an awful state, her wings were badly damaged, one was broken and the other one had very bad bruises. Her left shoulder was dislocated, and perhaps cracked. She was passed out, however still breathing. Twilights eyes were filled with tears, dropping out of the socket without her will. Spike was sitting close to rainbow dashes head, holding it with among his hands.

Sunburst however, had lost every breath in his chest. Frozen in place, he expected the events, but his body was unable to move. He was breathing, but he felt as if he was choking. His eyes were fixed on the monsor who held his best friend, not even blinking for once. He was seeing that it was leaving, escaping from his grasp. He would have lost track of his best friend again. Even though his whole body was shaking, even though he was still in shock of what happened to Rainbow Dash, he stepped froward, and another step forward. Slowly he speeded up, charging to the shadow monster without questioning the logic, chance or even the situation. Was it adrenaline? Rage? Fear? Or perhaps a dear feeling from the deepest part of his heart? Whatever it was, he had one thing in mind: “Getting Starlight out, whatever the price!”

The personification of darkness sensed the desperate unicorn rushing at it. Writhing its shadows like worms moving in sand, created another tentacle to fend off the foolish stallion. It swung around like a whip in the air, ready to smack the brave pony with a critical blow! Sunburst enlightened his horn, from the corner of his eyes, he saw the strike coming and before it could have touched him, he blasted the newly formed limb of the monster away. The living shadow turned it’s head to witness the cloaked stallion charging at it with its hollow eyes. Another tentacle was formed, this time from the side. It went straight and impaling for the bearded ponys heart. However Sunburst managed to step out of the way, and blast the tentacle off from where it was connected to.

“Do you want to kill your dear friend?” said the living shadow, while forming two more tentacle on it’s back, both rising high, ready to hammer down on the charging pony.

Sunburst was close though, he was almost behind the dark living cage of his friend, he was not concerned about the menacing tentacles that were reaching the clouds. The path was clear, he required only the courage to do what he thought of.

As the two sky scraping tentacles were coming down, Sunburst jumped into the living shadow!

Author's Note

Written by Armid.