“Spike! Spike!” called out Spark as he looked around the Dragonlands in search of the missing, purple dragon in spite of Smoulder’s instructions to stay hidden. As he continued to search, he happened to make his way towards the very sealed cave that Garble and Chrysalis had trapped him in.
Approaching it, he recalled what Chrysalis had mentioned while disguised as his brother. “That bug lady did say something about Spike being trapped in a cave,” he mentioned to himself. “Could he be in here? Spike? Spike? Are you in there?”
There was no reply, but, rather than giving up, the young Dragon claws at the rocks covering the entrance, attempting to clear a path. However, in spite of his efforts, Spark was not strong enough to move such large stones, wedged tightly together or not.
“Come on!” he groaned, refusing to give up. When his claws scraped off the stone he clung to and tumbled backwards onto the ground. “Mmph! Ow… I can’t give up. I gotta do this. Spike wouldn’t give up.”
Getting back up, Spark was about to try again, but got distracted as the ground in front of him began to shift as something was attempting to emerge from underneath it. The small, yellow dragon watched curiously, unsure of what was happening and gasped as he saw purple claws emerge first, followed soon after by a head topped with familiar, green spikes, covered in dirt.
“Spike!” Spark gasped in surprise while Spike did the same to inhale some much needed oxygen.
“Finally,” groaned Spike as he averted his eyes from the bright sunlight. “I didn’t think I was ever going to get out.”
“Oh, there you are, Spike!” cheered Spark as he hurried over to him. “I was so worried about you when you weren’t there, this morning.”
“I’m sorry I disappeared on you,” he apologized as he attempted to dig the hole wider to get the rest of his body out. Spark gave him a hand and soon his dirt-stained body was freed.
“We know,” answered Spark. “Garble and that bug lady told us everything. Then they captured Dragon Lord Ember and went to take over the Dragonlands.”
“I was afraid that’d be the case by the time I got out,” Spike admitted. “What else happened? Where’s Smoulder?”
“She met with her friends and they attempted to delay them while she went to get out of the Dragonlands to warn about the invasion,” he explained.
“If she has to fly all the way to Ponyville there won’t be enough time for them to get ready,” stated Spike. “Spark, do you still have my backpack?”
“It’s back in the cave Smoulder brought me to,” he answered.
“I need to get there right away,” he explained. “I need to get a letter to Twilight immediately.”
“It isn’t very far from here,” Spark told him. “Just follow me.”
“I don’t know why things had to turn out this way,” sighed a solemn Spike. “I was just trying to help Garble, but was it my fault he decided to team up with Chrysalis of all creatures?”
“It’ll be okay,” Spark said, trying to encourage Spike.” Because now’s your chance to save the day, just like you always do, right?”
“No, not this time,” answered Spike as they reached the crevice that led into the cave. Leaning down to get a better look at it, Spike then turned around to slip in feet first and then stood in position to catch Spark, in the event he fell as he made his way down to.
“What do you mean?” wondered Spark, confused as he climbed down. When he got low enough for Spike to reach, picked him off the wall to plant his feet on the ground. “Something bad is about to happen. You can’t just do nothing.”
“I don’t think there’s anything else I can do besides warn Twilight about what’s happening,” explained Spike. “Something like this, it’s not something I can handle.”
“Sure you can,” Spark told him. “You are Spike the Brave and Glorious. You’ve saved the Crystal Empire before, won the Gauntlet of Fire, and done so many other amazing things. You can save the Dragonlands too.”
“Despite what you might think of me,” sighed Spike. “I’m not really much of a hero, to be honest. Most of the time, it’s my friends who end up saving the day while I’ve just stayed home, waiting for them to come back triumphant. When I am involved to save the day it’s only because I’ve had help from my friends. On my own, I’d have never been able to get as far as I have.”
“But,” whimpered Spark, saddened to hear all this. “You’ve done so many amazing things even though you aren’t some big, strong Dragon. Y-You’re a hero.”
“I’m nothing special,” Spike told Spark, simply trying to be honest, but his words were even disheartening himself as well. “I’m just a Dragon that tried to do the right thing and that just happened to be enough. It’s always been my friends who have had the power to save the day. They are the real heroes. I’m fine as a support, but I not like them. They were born with a great destiny they have probably only scratched the surface of, while I am probably just lucky to have even been born at all. My best, right now, is to alert those who can really fix this mess.”
“Then there really is nothing you can do?” asked Spark crushed upon hearing this. “You can’t stop the Dragons? You aren’t even going to try?”
“If Garble has the Bloodstone Scepter then what can I do against him?” he asked. “It has power over all Dragons, right? If the biggest and strongest Dragons can’t beat it, then how can I? What’s the point of trying if I know it’s already pointless?”
As Spike heard himself say this, he couldn’t help recall the conversation he had with Garble the other day. He remembered the anger and frustration the big, red Dragon felt being unable to beat his father to protect his brother. Clutching his chest over his aching heart, Spike imagined he was feeling that same powerlessness that Garble did. Just thinking of the word, “futile” filled Spike with despair to almost make him cry.
“I… don’t know,” Spark sniffled, just as upset as Spike was. “Is there really is no hope?”
“I didn’t say that,” replied Spike as decided it was best to focus on what he could do. Going into his backpack, he gathered a quill, an inkpot and some scroll paper. With his supplied placed before him, he started to write a letter to Twilight. “Help will come. We’ll wait this crisis out here. Everything… will be okay.”
As Spike said this, he heard the unmistakable roars of dragons outside, lots of them. Hurrying out to take a look, his mouth was agape as practically every dragon in Equestria was airborne and flying towards the border of the Dragonland. Many were equipped with armor and wielded weapons. Plenty had no extra defense beyond their natural scaley hides and some were going without the aid of weapons, but with large bodies, razor sharp claws, and the ability to scorch the land with a mere exhale of breath, they were hardly any less dangerous.
“I didn’t think they would be moving this soon,” admitted Spike, his eyes taking in the army of Dragons as they moved into his field of vision from on side and left it on the other. “At the rate they’re going they’ll be waging war in every city in Equestria in hours, if not sooner. Canterlot… Ponyville… My friends…”
Clenching his claws tightly, Spike hurried back in to continue writing his letter to Twilight, his quill moving much faster as he almost tore through the paper or snapped the tip of the feather from how hard he pressed it down. As Spark watched, he saw a different look in Spike’s eyes, the same one he had when he stood up to Crag, back when they first met. All the fear and doubt he had a moment ago was suddenly swallowed by a fierce determination that was reflected in how he swiftly and sharply he struck quill against paper and wrote words. Spark looked over Spike’s letter and what he wrote didn’t reflect what he had talked about earlier.
Twilight,
I don’t have time to go into much detail, but the Dragons are invading ALL of Equestria. You have to do whatever you can to hold them off for as long as possible. The source of this trouble is the Bloodstone Scepter and those misusing it. I’ll go into more detail about all this once I have taken care of the problem and put an end to it all. For now, just believe in just as I always believe in you and everyone else. I promise I won’t let any harm befall you or anyone else. You have my words as a noble dragon.
Love,
Great and Honorable, Spike the Brave and Glorious
P.S. I’ll send letters to Celestia, Luna, and Cadence to inform them too.
“But you said there was nothing you could do,” commented the scared, yellow dragon as he looked up at Spike after reading what he wrote. “Has something changed?”
“Nothing’s changed,” admitted Spike. “It is probably impossible for me to stand up to the power of the Bloodstone Scepter and it is probably senseless to try, but… my friends, they’ve had to face impossible odds before and found the strength of heart to win. If I could have gained anything from being raised by them, I would want it to be that.”
Placing a hand on his heart, he could feel it still racing from all tension he was feeling, but the aching was gone. “I can’t deny that I am frightened,” he continued. “More than I’ve been since… well, when I stood up to your father the other day, but right now none of that matters because I’m more frightened of what might happen to my friends if I don’t do anything. When I feel like this I think I feel most like a Dragon.”
“You do?” wondered Spark as Spike finished quickly writing letters to the other princesses and rolled them all up to burn simultaneously. “Why?”
“Because my friends are my treasure and I won’t let anything happen to them,” he answered and turned all the letters to smoke in his claws that flew out of the cave and to their proper recipients. “Maybe that is my true strength, that I’m not just a Dragon or a Pony. I am both and everything that is great about them is a part of me too.”
With the letters sent, Spike then started to climb out of the cave. Spark hurried after him and watched as he rushed off, making his way to the armory. “Where are you going?” called Spark, expecting Spike planned to head straight for the Throne of the Dragon Lord and confused why he was headed in the opposite direction.
“To get myself ready to fight,” Spike answered back as he flew low to the ground with all the speed he could muster. “If this is a war, then I’m going to have to be dressed for it.”
Reaching the armory, Spike saw that it had been picked mostly clean by all the other Dragons in their preparations to attack Equestria. However, to his luck, all the other Dragons had already come and gone, leaving him free to scavenge what remained. First he found a staff that had a familiar dent in it. It was the same staff Spike had used against Garble in his match.
“Looks like Hammerhead managed to fix it,” observed Spike as he saw it was properly straighten after guarding against Garble’s rage-filled attack hand caused it to bend. The purple dragon then noticed nearby, a small suit of armor covered in a golden sheen. “And I guess he did finish working on this too.” Picking up the helmet, Spike tried it on and found it a perfect fit. There was no doubt in his mind. This golden suit of armor was the very same one he had worn the day prior, but now it was a perfect fit as well as cleaned and shined back to its former glory. Eagerly, Spike put the rest of his armor, standing tall and proud with it on.
“I’m all set now,” he smiled and opened his wings. Taking to the air, he made his way straight towards the Throne of the Dragon Lord.
In the distance, Spark could just barely make out Spike as he flew across the sky and headed straight for the throne of the Dragon Lord. As he watched him head over, his golden armor shining in the light of the sun, Spark couldn’t help feeling a bit of the hope he had for Spike return. Then, unable to help himself, Spark started to make his way over, as well, on foot.
“Oh, this is all so exciting,” stated Chrysalis unable to deny her own excitement at finally getting her long awaited revenge. “I wish I could see the looks on their faces as our army of Dragons burn all that they hold dear to the ground.”
“Nothing’s stopping you from going to see it for yourself,” Garble told her. Like the other Dragons had garbed themselves in their armor, he too was wearing his silver pair.
“As much as I’d love to, just for the sheer satisfaction it’d bring, until we have secured our victory we must not lower our guard,” she stated quite adamantly.
“Lower our guard?” questioned Garble. “Against what? We’ve already captured any Dragon who would get in our way, not to mention with the Bloodstone Scepter in my possession I am unstoppable against them, even if they weren’t. Every other creature in Equestria will be too busy battling against our invasion force in vain to stop us. as well. How have we not already won?”
“I was on the verge of victory myself, many times,” she explained. “Take last time for example. I had captured all the Ponies that could have stopped me and even those who had come to rescue them. I had thought I had won, but in a brief moment of hubris they turned the tables on me and snatched my victory away. I will not allow us to repeat such a mistake again.”
As she spoke, she noticed something shining in the sky that was heading towards them. Squinting to see further, she did her best to see just what it was, she groaned and glared, her happy mood gone as quickly as it had come.
“What are you looking at?” asked Garble as he tried to look too. “What is that?”
“Someone come to oppose us,” she assumed before finally being able to see clear enough that it was Spike. “Ugh, that little dragon is coming here and he looks ready for a fight. I didn’t expect him to escape so soon, but we’re more than prepared to handle him.”
“You act as though he could actually do anything to stop us,” remarked Garble.
“We don’t take any chances no matter who it might be!” she hissed. “Now, do as we discussed and eliminate him without mercy.”
“Fine, but this is about as overkill as it can get,” he replied and lifted up the Bloodstone Scepter, making it glow as he spoke an order. “Okay, big guy. Go get him.”
Getting up from beside the throne of the Dragon Lord, Torch turned his head towards Garble, an even more angry expression on his face than usual. He snorted smoke from his nostrils and looked ready to chew out Garble for everything he was doing, but he didn’t and merely flew off towards Spike.
“Heheh,” laughed Crag chained up beside Ember, Smoulder and the other captured dragons. “It’s rather satisfying to see Torch finally put in his place.”
“You mean like you are?” Ember pointed out.
“Though I am furious at being unable to participate in this monumental moment in the history of dragonkind, by my own son, no less,” he admitted. “I am pleased that this moment has finally come at all.”
“How can you seriously think any of this is a good idea?” argued Smoulder. “Don’t you understand what’s about to happen to Equestria? Don’t you care about what is going to happen to everybody?”
“Of course I do,” he answered. “The Dragons will finally take their rightful place as the rulers of this world.”
“And what about everyone else?” she asked. “The Ponies, Hippogriffs, Changelings, and every other creature in Equestria? Don’t you care what is going to happen to them?”
“My goal has always been to unite all Dragons to strive for greatness,” he answered. “If any other creatures should choose to stand in the way of our glory then we will remove such a hinderance. It is as simple as that.”
“Simple?” snapped Smoulder. “Do you not see how terrible this all really is? Don’t you understand why no other Dragon Lord has ever attempted something like this before?”
“They were all too soft-hearted and weak,” he told them. “Countless centuries and not one leader who could do what needed to be done. Each and every one of their failures has only persisted in making our kind softer with every generation. It’s a disgrace to our great ancestors whose blood flows in our veins!”
“Well, for all your claims of being so big and strong,” Ember reminded him. “You never became the Dragon Lord.”
Her words forced a savage snarl from Crag as he tugged at the chains binding him, managing to bend them a little before he managed to calm down. “That was an unfortunate setback, but I learned to be patient and finally this moment has arrived. Garble is the Dragon Lord and he will be the one to lead all worthy Dragons to greatness.”
“Torch?” asked Spike as the massive dragon flew straight towards him, till he was close enough he could have snatched the pipsqueak of a Dragon right out of the sky. “What are you doing here?”
“Hello again, small one,” he greeted Spike. “I wish we could be meeting under different circumstances, but I have been ordered to stop you from interfering with the new Dragon Lord.”
“I knew the Bloodstone Scepter was powerful, but even you can’t fight it’s power?”
“Even I am helpless against it,” he admitted. “It was created from the very blood of our ancient ancestors, Dragons far greater and even more powerful than I and they too succumbed to its unrivaled might. When tasked by its wielder, our boils hot as the flames of Critias himself, if we try to resist. The burning and itching you may have experienced was bad a sample of its true potential.”
“But there must be some means to overcome it,” replied Spike.
“There have been many who have tried,” Torch told him. “But no raw strength has been great enough and no iron will resolved enough has ever prevailed. You had best turn tail and run away, while you can.”
“I can’t, not with everything that’s on the line,” he stated. “I will just have to be the one to find a way to beat it.”
“There is no way to beat the bond of blood,” he explained. “Only when the blood is severed can a Dragon be free of its control. That is how the legend goes. Do you understand what that means? Only in death can any dragon escape its influence. Knowing this, do you intend to still try?”
“I do,” Spike nodded.
“In spite of how impossible it would be?” he added.
“I have been raised by Ponies who eat impossible for breakfast,” Spike answered confidently. “I have a guy’s night every other Saturday with someone who does impossible as easily as snapping his fingers. If they can do it, then I’ve got to at least try.”
“Very well, but your first impossible task will be to get past me. Come any closer and I will be forced to stop you and… I do not wish to harm you, small one.”
“I’m glad to hear you don’t want to,” replied Spike as he took a few big breaths to ready himself. “But I’ve got to get past. I have to stop Garble before the Dragons start their attack on Equestria.”
“I’m afraid it’s already too late for that,” he informed Spike, his words making his heart sink. “Even if Garble were to lose possession of the Bloodstone Scepter to another Dragon, it would not change the orders he has already given. Until they have carried out his will, they will not be able to stop. I’m sorry to say this, but no matter what you or anyone else tries at this point, Equestria will soon be set ablaze.”
“No,” cried Spike. “That can’t be true! There must be something I can do!”
“I wish there was, but do you honestly believe you can stop the Dragon Lord on your own? Can you even get past me to do that? Does such a tiny, little dragon like you have the power to accomplish so many impossible things?”
“Just watch me,” Spike spoke and gritted his teeth.
“Then, one last bit of advice,” added Torch. “Dodge.”
“Uh, dodge?” questioned Spike. “Dodge what?”
“This,” he answered as swung his massive arm at Spike, attempting to snatch him up in his claws. However, thanks to Torch’s warning, Spike was able to just narrowly swoop downward and avoid his clutches.
“Whoa!” cried Spike as he attempted to steady himself in the air. “What was that for?”
“I can’t help it,” he reminded Spike. “It’s all I can do to restrain myself. Now, flee.”
“Flee?” asked Spike wondering what was coming next.
“This,” he replied again as he opened his maw to take in a big breath. The sheer force of the massive Dragon inhaling was on par with hurricane force winds, strong enough to pull Spike towards his maw till he finally filled his lungs to full and stopped. Knowing what was coming next, Spike turned to fly away just as a powerful flame erupted from Torch’s mouth. Even clad in both armor and fire resistant scales, the small, purple dragon knew better than the stand his ground against the raging inferno of a fully grown dragon’s flames, especially one as big as Torch. Just being close to them started to make his body sizzle against the metal of his suit.
As he reached the limits the flame could travel from Torch’s maw, Spike dove down below it, using it as cover as he made an attempt to sneak past the large Dragon. The heat, even from the distance he kept away from it, made him sweat over his entire body and aggravate his thirst.
When the fire died down, Torch’s gaze returned to Spike. Lowering his head, to aim his nostrils at him, this time, he snorted out a huge plume of smoke that swallowed Spike up covered his field of vision.
“Well,” coughed Spike, barely able to draw a breath without taking in some smoke too. “Nobody ever said doing something impossible was going to be easy.”
“Heheh,” laughed Garble as he watched Spike struggle against his massive opponent. “The runt’s finally getting what he deserves.”
“Some Dragon Lord,” scoffed Ember under her breath.
“What was that?” he asked, overhearing her comment.
“Oh, it’s nothing,” she told him. “I just didn’t think you were such a coward.”
“Just ignore her,” Chrysalis told Garble. “All she’s doing is baiting you.”
“What do you mean, I’m a coward?” he questioned Ember as he ignored the former Changeling queen.
“Just look at what you are doing,” she continued. “You are hiding behind my father and the Bloodstone Scepter. When I was the Dragon Lord I chose not to use its power, but for you, it’s just a crutch you rely on.”
“It’s a crutch?” he wondered, looking hesitant.
“Don’t listen to her,” hissed Chrysalis attempting to restore his resolve. “She’s just trying to make you doubt your power. They are the ones relying on a crutch, this friendship of theirs, but that pales into comparison to the absolute power that you possess, the ability to command countless dragons with but a single word.”
“Y-Yeah,” agreed Garble, still not sounding completely convinced. “That’s right. He’s the weak one. Not me.”
“Are you sure about that?” wondered Smoulder aiding Ember in taunting Garble. “If you aren’t even willing to test your power against Spike’s, how will you ever know for sure? Or should we just take this that you are too weak to stand up to Spike and have to defeat him this way?”
Gritting his teeth as smoke seeped from his nostrils, Garble looked ready to blow his stack. “Just ignore them!” warned Chrysalis as she desperately tried to reason with him. “They are baiting you! This is exactly the thing we mustn’t let ourselves be taken in by. Do you hear me?”
“Graaah!” roared Garble.
“Watch out,” warned Torch from beyond the smokescreen.
“Ugh, what now?” wondered Spike as he held his breath to keep from inhaling the smoke. He flapped his wings, staying in place as he waited in anticipation for Torch’s next move. Mind racing and heart pounding, Spike couldn’t keep from trembling or his teeth from chattering. His eyes darting in all directions and his head kept turning every which way too, trying to make certain he didn’t miss a thing. “Where is the next attack coming from? The left side? The right? Above or below?”
A dark shadow appeared all around the smoke, in every direction. Swallowing hard, Spike saw both of Torch’s palms moving in together to crush him in between them. Quickly, Spike flew to where their shadow wasn’t and escaped before he was boxes in and crushed between them. As Torch’s hands collided, their impact sounds like two thunder clouds crashing together.
“L-Little one,” cried Torch as he pulled his claws from the dissipating smoke to see if anything was on his palms. “D-Did I smoosh you?” Opening his hands to check, he gazed down upon them, fearful to see if he had truly crushed Spike like a bug, but to his relief, there wasn’t a trace of him. Then, his ears picked up some panting and he adjusted his gaze to his right arm. There, he spotted Spike, running up it towards his shoulder. “Oh, I’m so relieved that you’re alive.”
Torch’s left hand came down, attempting to crush Spike once more, but the speedy, little Dragon barely escaped the giant set of claws. As Torch raised up his hand to strike again, it encouraged Spike to run even faster.
“You sure have a funny way of showing it,” wheezed Spike as he watched Torch prepare another strike, this time aiming for his shoulder as Spike reached it. Quickly, the small dragon leapt and slipped through the narrow gap in the giant Dragon’s claws as he successful escaped once more. Opening his wings, he took to the air again.
“Never thought I’d be so glad to be so small,” breathed Spike, exhausted before even reaching his final destination. “But at least I’m past Torch.” Turning to look behind him, Spike felt relieved to see Torch’s back, only to feel the dread return as he simply turned around and went from blocking to pursuing. “Oh, come on!”
Flying as faster as he could, Spike tried to escape, but it wasn’t enough as Torch easily to reached forward to grab him. “That’s enough, big guy,” instructed Garble to Torch, stopping him just as he was closing his claws around his purple prey. “Take a breather.” Snorting with as much contempt for his new Dragon Lord as ever, Torch complied with his new orders.
“Garble?” questioned Spike. “Y-You saved me?”
“Don’t get the wrong idea,” he told him. “There is something I need to prove and I need you alive to do that. Now come on, runt.”
Arriving at the Throne of the Dragon Lord, Garble gestured for Spike to fly down to the ground where Smoulder, her friends, and Ember all stood. Garble took a seat at the edge of his throne and looked down at them. His father was still at the back of the throne, chained up and helpless while a couple dragons kept an eye on him. Chrysalis approach Garble and sat down beside him, an upset expression on her face.
“As fun as this game of yours sounds,” she told him. “This is precisely the thing we should NOT be doing. Better to exterminate them all now that they are all together. Just one command from you and it’ll all be over.”
“I know what I’m doing,” he retorted adamantly. “I am going to prove to them that they are helpless against my power.”
“Smoulder, Ember,” greeted Spike. “I’m so glad you’re both okay.” He looked at the other three Dragons, unsure of who they were. “Uh, I’m guessing Smoulder’s friends?”
“Ax. Tia. Gorge,” they all introduced themselves.
“Wish I could have met you all under better circumstances,” he admitted.
“Let’s just save the awkward introductions for later,” Smoulder interrupted. “Provided we make it out of here alive.”
“When we get out of here,” corrected Spike, trying to remain optimistic.
“We’re glad you are okay too, Spike,” Ember told him. “We heard you were trapped in a cave.”
“Yeah and I spent all night and most of the morning digging my way out,” he explained. “After that, Spark helped catch me up on what had happened and sent word to Twilight and the other princesses.”
“At least you were able to warn them,” commented Smoulder. “After this is over, you’ve gotta teach me how you send send letters with your flames. If we get out of this mess.”
“When,” Spike corrected her again.
“I’m glad you weren’t hurt,” Ember continued. “But you really shouldn’t have come. If we didn’t trick Garble into stopping my father you’d never have made it here.”
“Yeah,” added Smoulder. “And even if, uh, when you rescue us, there’s nothing we can do about the Dragons going to invade all of Equestria.”
“Torch told me about that,” Spike told them. “But I refuse to give up. There has to be something we can do to prevent it. We just have to work together to stop Garble.”
“About that,” Ember started to explain.
“Time to see which is stronger,” announced Garble, certain he gave them enough time to catch up with one another. “The power of the Dragon Lord or your lame, Pony friendship.”
“Uh, what’s happening?” asked Spike, getting a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach.
“While we managed to trick Garble,” Smoulder explained. “He decided to have us fight. It’s you and me against Ember and my friends.”
“He wants us to fight?” cried Spike as he turned to glare up at current Dragon Lord. “Garble! If you have something to prove then come down here and fight me yourself!”
“Why?” he questioned Spike. “Can’t your precious friendship help you overcome this? Well, let’s find out. Ember! Uh… you three! Fight them!”
“This is crazy,” Spike stated. “We shouldn’t fight against one another.”
“You think we want to,” asked Ax as he and the others struggled against power of the Dragon Lord as they gripped the weapons they were provided and took steps towards Spike and Smoulder.
“Ugh, it feels like I’m being barbecued from the inside out,” cried Gorge. “Someone, please, make it stop!”
“Just get out of here, you two,” Tia suggested. “Go now while you aren’t under his control.”
“If we do that then who knows what he might decide to do to all of you,” countered Smoulder.
“But what can you do against the power of the Bloodstone Scepter?” asked Ember. “No Dragon has ever been able to overcome its power.”
“If we’re going to stop them then we’re going to have to try,” stated Spike as he readied himself, gripping his staff tightly. “It’s the only way.”
“Didn’t you hear me?” questioned Garble, growing impatient for the fighting to start. “I told you all to start fighting!” As he gave the command once more, the Bloodstone Scepter began glowing even brighter than before. Ember, Ax, Tia, and Gorge’s bodies began to glow brighter too and their groans of pain turned to wails of agony.
“Are you all okay?” cried Spike only able to imagine how much their blood had to be boiling, roasting them from the inside.
“Th-This is nothing!” lied Ember through a pain-filled face. Even resisting with all her might, she was unable to keep herself from running forward to lash out at Spike who quickly backed away and blocked her attacks with a staff with his own. Just being close to her, he could feel just how much overwhelming heat her body was radiating. As he started to sweat, he had to imagine she was almost hot as Torch’s flames. “Don’t worry about me.”
“Make it stop! Make it stop!” screamed Smoulder’s friends, unable to keep up a brave front as well as Ember. They came at Smoulder, swinging clubs in the air wildly, most of their attacks missing or smacking into one another than actually coming anywhere near Smoulder for her to defend against.
“How are we supposed to do that?” asked Smoulder. “Garble’s the one doing this to you.”
“Just beat us,” instructed Ember. “If the fight ends then so should our order to fight.”
“But we don’t want to hurt you,” Spike started to stay, before Ember struck him with a horizontal strike that knocked him off his feet even though he guarded against the attack.
“I’d say you two have a greater risk of getting hurt compared to us,” pointed out Ember as she continued after Spike, not waiting for him to take his time and get back to his feet.
“Hurry and beat us already,” begged Ax.
“Please, Smoulder,” Tia told her.
“But no hitting me in my gut, please,” added Gorge.
“I’ll try not to,” responded Smoulder as she blocked her friends attacks as they moved in to strike, being careful not to be too rough as she aimed low to hit their feet and upset their balance. This was made simpler as her friends were already unbalanced as they struggled against the control they were under. Then before they could get back up, she kicked away their clubs and pinned them down, with a foot atop Tia and Ax and the end of her club pressed against Gorge’s gut.
“You said you wouldn’t hit me in the gut,” whimpered Gorge.
“Technically, I didn’t,” she pointed out.
“Not bad,” groaned Ax as he attempted to get up, but Smoulder made certain he remained underfoot. “I’m sorry we teased you about getting soft while you were away. If anything, you’re tougher than ever.”
“Thanks,” she replied with a smile before she turned to see how well Spike was managing against Ember.
“Hurry up and beat me already,” Ember ordered Spike. “It’s hard enough to restrain myself as is.”
“I’m trying,” Spike told her, backing up each time he blocked her attacks. “But I came to save you, not fight you.”
“They’re the same thing right now,” she told him. “Now, focus. I’ll give you an opening to hit me. Just parry to my side and attack. Think you can do it?”
“If it’ll save you,” Spike nodded.
“Then you better get moving,” she warned him as she swung her club down at him with all her might, to create the opening he needed. Already prepared for it, Spike rolled out of the way, and reached Ember’s exposed side. Aiming at her legs, he swung his staff low and knocked her off her feet and onto the ground with a thud. Before she could get up again, Spike pressed the end of his staff to her chest to ensure she didn’t get up again.
“Not bad,” she admitted with a smile on her face. “Perhaps, when this is over, we can have a real match against one another? Of course, I won’t be holding back when we do.”
“N-No thanks,” answered Spike, certain he’d get his tail kicked in that scenario. “I think I’ll have enough fighting, for a while, after this.”
“You make a good point,” she agreed. “There’s no way that Garble is done messing with us just yet.”
“Happy now?” questioned Chrysalis to Garble as the fighting finished. “You pitted them against one another and had a mildly interesting show. Now, finish them off, quickly, so we can revel in our triumph.”
“But the show isn’t over yet,” Garble pointed out and raised the Bloodstone Scepter in the air. “Congratulations, you two,” he announced to Spike and Smoulder, with a smug grin on his face. Their bodies starting to glow red as they could feel his influence heat their blood like it had the others. As much as they attempted to cover their ears to avoid hearing what he was about to say, it was already too late. “You both won your fights and as a reward, you get to finish off the defeated.”
“G-Garble!” snapped Spike, glaring fiercely at Garble. He wasn’t able to do it long, however, as he could feel the flesh beneath his scales start to burn as he struggled against the Dragon Lord’s orders. However, shakily, he started to lift up his staff up over his head to strike down Ember with it. At the same time, Smoulder resisted as best should could to keep from attacking her friends, but wasn’t have any more success than him. “Stop this at once!”
“What’s the matter, runt?” he mocked him. “They were going on about how much stronger you were than me, but it seems it was really just a bluff in the end. You really aren’t different than any other Dragon, after all. Weak or strong, you are completely helpless against the power of the Dragon Lord, helpless against me. It was foolish of you to even try. Absolutely futile.”
“Garble!” snarled Spike as he gritted his teeth while he looked down at Ember. She and Smoulder’s friends were also under Garble’s control, unable to move or defend themselves from what was to come. His arm trembled as he did all he could to avoid striking Ember, but his blood only boiled hotter, paining him to submit to the Dragon Lord’s command.
“I-I-I can’t restrain myself any longer,” cried Smoulder, her body burning so bad it was causing tears to run down her face and blur her vision. “I d-don’t wanna hurt you. Not, my friends.”
“I-It’s okay, Smoulder,” sobbed Ax, tears flowing from him and the others too. “We know you don’t wanna.”
“Despite how things have ended up,” added Gorge. “We did enjoy you being back with us. And sorry again for giving you such a hard time before.”
“Now you guys are starting to sound all sappy,” she told them with a little chuckle.
“What can we say,” commented Tia. “You’re our leader and we follow your example.”
“This is so wrong,” wailed Smoulder, barely able to fight against the pain anymore. “I’m finally starting to feel at home, right before I’m going to bludgeon you all to death. This has to be some kind of sick joke!”
“What’s the matter?” asked a grinning Garble as he looked down at Spike and Smoulder. “Are you finally starting to see how pointless it is to fight me? Well, I can be a nice and generous Dragon, when I feel like it. Just accept defeat and I’ll spare you all. I have proven my power is superior, after all. Just admit your defeat.”
“L-Like we would ever let you have the satisfaction,” snapped Ember.
“I… I sur…” Smoulder started to say, on the threshold of how much pain she could stand. What little bit of reasoning she could manage was debating over whether she should submit or resist. With each second that passed the former was gaining more ground.
“What’s the hold up?” shouted an impatient Garble. “Get on with it already! Do you surrender or not?”
“I sur… surren….” she struggled to finish saying that word, but, in the end, she just couldn’t bring herself to say it. Instead, she cried out, to her friends, “I’M SORRY!!!” In a pained shriek, like she was the one being attacks, Smoulder swung down her club at her friends, unable to keep from using all her might in the process.
KLANG!!!
Smoulder’s strike was blocked as Spike swung his staff and knocked her club right out of her claws. “Sp-Spike?” she spoke, only able to see a purple and golden smear in her tear-soaked eyes before she wiped them dry. Her friends were in just as much shock, as was Ember, and Chrysalis. However, none of them were more surprised than Garble, who just stared, jaw dropped at the sight of his orders somehow defied.
The first to break the silence caused by Spike was Spike, as he cried out in pain and dropped to the ground, clutching his sides. His body burning so hot, he felt like he was roasting alive and then it faded, much to his relief. “Ugh, thank Celestia,” panted Spike as he breathed deep and waited for the pain to subside.
“How did you do that?” Garble demanded to know. “How could you, of all Dragons, defy the power of the Bloodstone Scepter? You’re not big or strong! You’re just some runt that was raised to be soft by Ponies.”
“It seems like I wasn’t bluffing after all,” smiled Ember as she turned to Garble. “Spike might be far from the biggest and strongest of Dragons. He’s probably not the bravest either, but he does have a strength greater than any other Dragon possesses. It’s that power that allows him to stand up to even the dominating might of the Bloodstone Scepter and he has that power because he was raised by Ponies. It’s thanks to that strength of his that he’s done so many great things in his life. It’s also his power that I was able to become the Dragon Lord and it’s why I know he’ll be the one to stop you.”
“If you know what it is, then, tell me already,” barked Garble, clenching the Bloodstone Scepter tightly as his anger began to overflow. “What is this great power of his?”
“The Bloodstone Scepter might be able to control a Dragon by the blood in their body,” answered Ember, as Spike managed to rise to his feet once more, recovering some stamina while Ember kept Garble’s attention focused on her. “But it has no sway over his heart, a heart that’s filled with kindness and compassion for others. Even at his own expense, he is willing to endure any hardship, for the sake of those he cares about. I can’t think of many other Dragons who can be so noble. That’s how I see it, anyway.”
“A kind heart,” fumed Garble as he glared over at Spike, just about ready to resume the fight. “He has the power to challenge me because of something as stupid as that? That’s just a bunch of nonsense! That’s not strength. All those sappy emotions just make you weak and vulnerable.” He turned to Smoulder and her friends, still in tears, but embracing one another in a hug after such a terribly tragic fate was narrowly dodged. “And it’s contagious too.”
“Is that what you really believe?” questioned Ember. “If so, then why not fight Spike yourself and prove it to all of us.”
“Fine!” he agreed, opening his wings to fly down.
“No, no, no!” countered Chrysalis, attempting to keep control of the situation. “You will do no such thing! Don’t you see that this is exactly what they want, so they can turn the tables on you?”
“If I don’t do it,” he told her. “It’ll be the same as admitting that they are right and I’ll lose everything that matters to me.”
“And ruling all of Equestria with a scaly fist doesn’t matter to you?” she hissed.
“Of course it does,” he countered. “But what about Spark? I only agreed to do all this so I could make things the way they were before. So I could be his hero again.”
“Forget about him,” she snarled as she began to lose her patience with her partner. “Why care about some maggot you wish to idolize you when there are countless others you can have groveling in fear beneath you feet. Trust me when I tell you that, it is far better to be feared than loved. Now, use that scepter of yours and put it to good use already!”
“I think that’s just what I’ll do,” said Garble as he turned to the Dragons guarding Crag. “You two, restrain this cockroach. And if she won’t stop wailing like a banshee then put a muzzle on her.” Obeying Garble, the two Dragons quickly grabbed Chrysalis, each holding one of her front legs tightly to make sure she couldn’t break free or focus to channel any magic through her horn. Unguarded, Crag started to pull and tug at the chains binding his body.
“You’re betraying me?!?” she hissed as she thrashed about, but couldn’t escape the grip of the guards. “You, an oafish brute with rocks in his head?”
“I might not be the smartest dragon,” he admitted. “But I know you were only doing this for yourself and you wouldn’t hesitate to get rid of me the second I was no longer convenient for you. Luckily for me, you outlived your usefulness to me first, so, the one getting double-crossed is you.”
“Just wait till I get my hooves on you, you-” As Garble instructed, the Dragons muzzled Chrysalis.
“Are you in a decent enough condition to fight?” Ember asked Spike.
“Like I have a choice?” he replied as Garble flew down, his silver armor shining in the light of the sun. He had the Bloodstone Scepter strapped to his back and clenched in his claws was his battlestaff. “Do you really think I can beat him in a real fight?”
“It’s either you defeat him or all of Equestria is doomed,” she reminded him.
“Right,” he gulped as he readied his own staff as Garble landed across from him, appearing every bit as intimidating as ever. “No pressure.”
“It’s time to settle things between us once and for all, Spike!” declared Garble.
Keywords
dragon
139,135,
pony
102,625,
mlp
67,760,
my little pony
62,272,
spike
6,107,
smoulder
21
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4 years, 8 months ago
14 Aug 2019 23:05 CEST
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