When Two Worlds Collide

Chapter 35- That Empty Feeling

Star's eyes slowly opened, awakening after an unplanned hour or so of sleep. Star tried stretching but realized that she couldn't. She was chained to a pillar within the room. She observed her surroundings, realizing that she was in some sort of throne room. Star looked up, looking at a tall ceiling with an open window at the very center of it.

"Wha?" Star breathed, wondering why there was an open window above her. There had to be a reason for that. "Wait a second..." She said to herself. Where did Marco and Skywynne go? Star suddenly heard a male groan. She turned her head to her right, seeing Marco tied to a pole nearby.

"Marco!" Star called.

"Huh...wh-..." Marco sounded, turning his head to the sound of his name. His eyes shot wide open. "Star! You okay?"

"Who cares. Are you okay?" Star asked.

"I'm okay if you're okay!" Marco said back to her.

"Um, I'm alright too...you know, if anyone's wondering." Another voice said nearby. Star and Marco immediately turned their heads, seeing Skywynne tied up at a third pillar not too far away from them.

"Oh! Skywynne! Well, at least we're all okay...except being chained to a pillar but anyway! Still! This is good!" Star breathed.

"Okay. Yeah...but...what's that?" Marco asked, looking in the center of the room. Star turned her head, seeing a large, glowing, pink crystal placed in the middle of the floor. She raised an eyebrow. She felt as if she knew what it was...but couldn't exactly recall.

"Why does it look familiar?" Star asked herself. Skywynne turned her head.

"Wait, you've seen it before?" Skywynne asked.

"I don't know. I think? Maybe? I just wish I could remember where I think I've seen it." Star said. She looked over at Marco, who was staring at the crystal with a raised eyebrow. "Okay, you're making the face." Star spoke. Marco snapped out of it, hearing what Star was saying.

"What face?" Marco asked.

"The 'I've seen this before but don't know where I've seen it' face." Star told him.

"Well..." Marco added.

"Hold on. Don't tell me it looks familiar to you too." Skywynne spoke.

"Okay...uh...I won't?" Marco nervously told her and Star.

"You've seen it too!" Star exclaimed.

"Yeah, but...I don't know where." Marco told her.

"Maybe I can help jog your memory just a bit." A voice said from in front of them. Star, Marco, and Skywynne looked up ahead of them, seeing a dark figure sitting at a throne on the other side of the room. The dark figure stood up, walking closer to the trio until her face was revealed. Skywynne's eyes went wide.

"....Astroida?" Skywynne called.

"Hello, sister." Astroida replied, in a vengeful tone, holding the magic wand tightly.

Janna and her friends continued battling against the shadow sentinels outside the castle alongside Ms. Lily and the soldiers. However, their strength was starting to wear thin. There were too many shadow sentinels to fight off.

"Okay! I don't know about you but I'm getting tired." Ponyhead exclaimed.

"There's too many of them for us to fight!" Tom added. "We need back-up like...now."

"Maybe we can help!" A voice said from nearby. Tom, Janna, and Ponyhead looked around, searching for the source of the voice. They suddenly saw Jackie and Chloe on their skateboards, each holding a heavy-duty flashlight.