As the announcer stepped out of onto his balcony, the crowd began to roar, so loud, in fact, that the very earth beneath the arena began to shake and tremble. The announcer raised his hands, and bashfully refused the applause; the audience silencing themselves to hear him. Spike watched intently from the competitors box along with Coba; a combination of eagerness and excitement overtook them as they heard the crowd's cheers die down.

"This is it, Spike," Coba said as he nudged Spike on the arm with his elbow. "Look alive."

"You all been waiting so patiently for this last one on one fight, and I can't wait to give it to you!" The announcer hollered joyously. "Now, this is it folks, he last fight of this round... I hope you're ready for this... because this fight might get intense! Do want some intensity fans?!"

"Yeah!" The mass of fans bellowed.

"Alright! Now, let's begin!" The announcer cleared his throat once more as he began to stare down the audience. "You may pick two competitors of your choice, one at a time, but they must not be fighters who have fought before, no rematches, and no competitors from the same team. You must shout the competitor's name, so we can come to a conclusion, but I'm not going to hog all the judging for myself! No, no, no... I'll get some help, from your very own Prince!"

The crowd screamed again as they saw the young Prince step out onto the balcony beside the announcer. He looked nervous, almost as nervous as Spike when he had to come face to face with a crowd of similar size. Coba chuckled to himself quietly as he looked up at his brother.

"You never were good with crowds," Coba mumbled to himself.

"All right, all right! I'm liking your enthusiasm folks! What about you your highness? Are you as hyped as they are?" The announcer wondered as he looked back at Wantinga.

The Prince was stone cold in fear for a brief moment before coming to and noticing the announcer eagerly awaiting a reply to a question he didn't hear.

"I'm sorry, what was that?" Wantinga asked as he blushed; realizing what he had asked.

"Hahaha! I'll take that as a yes!" The announcer said jovially. "So! Without further ado, we shall decide on our first fighter! Let's see, shall we?"

The crowd shouted various names, Sigrid, Armandura, and Angriefer but the most prominent name amongst all others was Viper. The fans loved his first fight, and he certainly knew how to put on a show for the crowd. The announcer silenced the audience again and turned to Wantinga for his input.

"So, what so you think,your highness?" The announcer inquired; putting his arm around Wantinga's shoulder as he did so.

"I heard the name Viper more than most other names," Wantinga suggested to the announcer as he looked down and pointed at Viper in the competitor's box.

"I'd have to agree with you on that one your highness!" The announcer said in his usual intense, yet somehow relaxed tone of voice. "So, it's decided then! Our first fighter is none other than Emmerich Daggerfang! Otherwise known as Viper!"

Viper looked across the competitor's box to Spike and stuck out his forked tongue to mock him; giving a slight hiss as well. He hopped outside into the center, the crowd cheered him on, and he replied with a boastful hiss and tongue display to ignite the crowd with anticipation.

"Here we go..." Draven muttered as the announcer hushed the fans.

"Alrighty then! Let's see who are the second fighter will be!" The announcer uttered in excitement.

This time, the crowd had mixed feelings, as Spike and Stín seemed to be tied. Spike was torn as well, he didn't know whether he should be eager or terrified. One part of him wanted to be brave and fight, but the other half wanted Stín to enter the ring instead. Granted, he knew deep-down that regardless of his feelings toward the situation, he had to persevere, as a lot more was at stake than just a silly tournament. He had a mission to accomplish, and he was going to fulfill it.

"Hmm... this is a close one ladies and gentlecolts, but I think I've come to a decision. How about you prince?" The announcer asked.

"I believe I have as well..." Wantinga agreed.

"Now, then... who's it going to be? I think... Spike Drafir, the blazing dragon!" The announcer shouted, followed by a brief round of cheers from the crowd. "And what about you prince?"

"I agree. I believe Spike has more support here." Wantinga said as he scratched his chin trying to make heads of it. "I'll have to go with Spike..."

"So, it is done! Ladies and gentlecolts, I give you... the final match of Round One!" The announcer hollered as he raised his hand to gesture to the two fighters. "Fighters! Take your positions!"

Spike tried flushing away his doubts, his fears, but the more he tried to let go, the more he thought about defeat. Twilight noticed the look on Spike's face, and the fear in his eyes, she knew him better than anyone, and she knew what it looked like when he was truly scared.

"Don't worry," Draven said as he saw the worry on Twilight's face. "He'll be fine."

"How can you know for sure? I mean, look at him." Twilight said as she pointed towards Spike, who was standing in the center of the arena, stressed beyond belief.

"Let me tell you something about us dragons, lass. No matter what enemy we face, no matter what the odds are up against, we always push forward and surpass our limits." Draven said with great pride. "It doesn't matter if we're clumsy, daft, or scrawny. Once we get into a fight, there isn't anything that phases us. Deep down, whether we like it or not, we dragons are fighters, and we'll keep going until the life is sucked out of us. And Spike here is the finest example of that kind of spirit. I saw it in him from the first moment I laid eyes on him."

Twilight thought about what he said, and as she thought, she remembered all the times that he had aided her. No matter what the task, he would do it, no matter what he would do it, and he'd do it with a smile on his face. Right then, she saw the worry melt off Spike's face. He narrowed his eyes to focus on his foe, and then... a smile stretched across his face. Emerald flames spouted from his fins, and his eyes began to burn with determination. Viper tried countering Spike's sudden change in attitude with a series of hissing and growling to try and startle him again, but Spike didn't seem bothered.

"What did I tell you?" Draven gloated as he turned to Twilight with a jolly smile on his face, to which Twilight replied with a similar expression.

"Alright everyone! With me! Three! Two! One! Fight!" The announcer clamoured along with the crowd.

"It's just you and me now little hatchling. I'm going to enjoy this." Viper hissed as he drew two daggers from the leather bandolier strapped across his chest.

Viper slashed both of his wrists, and out from the cuts leaped two green sabres that found their way into his hands; constructed from the venomous liquid coursing through his veins. Spike shrouded his body in a veil of flame, preparing his attack.

"What is that? The fire his fins are engulfed in?" Twilight asked Draven. "I've seen him use it before."

"That, lass, is Dragon Fury. It's a technique usually learned by fire dragons at a younger age. It's used to double the user's strength, speed, and magic ability. Think of it as a speedy way at getting a head-start in a fierce battle." Draven explained. "Although, he's got to watch out... using that form too often in battle triples his magic-consumption. He'll burn out like a withered twig if he doesn't use it properly."

Spike launched himself at blinding speeds toward his foe using the propulsion of the fire around him, but Viper was quick and dodged, slicing Spike across the back of his shin as he passed by. Spike tumbled down and smacked his head with great force on the hard ground. Before Spike could even recover, he felt a lasso-like venom-weapon bind his arms to his sides and was tugged backwards, followed by a firm elbow to the back of his head.

"Heh, pathetic..." Viper snickered as he raised one of his sabres.

"C'mon, boy! Don't be reckless!" Draven shouted down to Spike. "Think!"

Besides the ringing in Spike's ears, he could hear Draven loud and clear. As Viper attempted to chop Spike with his sabre, he dodged by rolling to the side and counterattacked with a potent fireball that pushed Viper far enough back for Spike to gain ground again. Spike then followed-up with a blazing punch to Viper's jaw that caused him to stumble back, allowing Spike to fire a blast of flame from his mouth.

Viper came to quickly, and defended by moulding his venom into a protective shoulder-mounted shield that blocked the fiery attack. Viper tore away at the sides of his leather armour with his daggers and cut two large gashes on both sides of his ribcage. From the two gaping holes, four tendrils shot out. They looked like bioluminescent vines that shone a dull and sickening green, and they whipped around and lashed about as if they had a mind of their own. The ends of each tentacle shape shifted into a ferocious viper-head; one of them resting its head on Viper's outstretched hand so he could give it a scratch under the chin.

"Do me a favour little draglet... let one of these snakes here impale you." Viper hissed as the four snakes began their assault.

One snake tried to slam its head into Spike; fangs at the ready, but Spike dodged, and the sound of the snake hitting the sturdy ground echoed throughout the arena. The snake had lodged itself firmly in the ground, and Spike took this opportunity to hurl a large fireball near the end of the tendril; causing it to explode.

"Rrrgghh! Damn you!" Viper shrieked as he ordered two other snakes to attack.

The snakes advanced, and Spike succeeded at evading the first one, but the second sunk its fangs deep into Spike's other shin. He cried out in pain before grabbing the snake's head and tearing it off the tendril, and from his shin; the snake's hissing and squirming ferociously before liquefying into venom.

"Oh no, he got bit!" Twilight said in horror.

"Damn it, Spike, hang in there..." Draven thought to himself.

Spike immediately began to feel the effects of the poison coursing through him. A searing, burning sensation caused his muscles to spasm, and he fell backward; unable to control his actions. A rage overtook him. This rage was not of revenge or anger, it was fury, a berserker within him that didn't want to be put down. Spike's body began to burn hotter and hotter as flames spewed out of his mouth in a massive jet, burning away the venom like tissue paper, as the venom tried escaping through his mouth.

"What the hell is-. What is this!" Viper screamed as he watched Spike burn up his snakes. "That's it hatchling! You've forced my hand!"

Infuriated by this, Viper summoned more tendrils that began piercing and stabbing away at his body; his cries of pain morphing into cries of sheer hatred and evil. His body became clad in a hardened venom armour, and his face transformed into a hideous snake-changeling hybrid. His pupils began to sharpen like a reptile, his jaw outstretched to make room for four venom-laced fangs, and his hands turned into clawed and scaled paws.

"I'll kill you Ssspike! I'll ssmash your ssscales and feasst on your heart!" The mindless abomination howled, his forked tongue whipping about with a desperate bloodlust.

"What the hell is that... thing?" Gin asked Draven; repulsed by the sight of Viper.

"I don't know, but I don't think we're dealing with alchemy anymore." Draven worried.

"It's a curse of some kind, like lycanthropy or vampirism," Twilight explained. "This curse seems to be high-level magic, definitely the work of a sorcerer or warlock. I'm not sure who'll win now..."

"Hard to say, it pretty much boils down to whoever has the most firepower, and the way I see it, Spike has a chance to even to odds," Draven said as he looked down at the snake-stallion and raging fireball staring each other down.

Spike shot off like a comet at Viper, who dodged it easily and laughed at the reckless attack.

"Ha! You miss-." Viper was interrupted as he felt a firm kick impact his back.

Spike zoomed by, and landed on a wall, only to launch himself in the opposite direction like a bullet ricocheting. Spike hit Viper again and again, tearing away his armour piece by piece.

"Damn you! Damn you!" Viper hissed as he knocked Spike out of the air with a venom-constructed mace.

Spike hit the ground but rolled backwards; landing on his feet without a scratch. He was pulled back, however, as a venom-whip constricted his hand and tugged him closer to Viper. Viper then began to beat the young dragon senseless with elbow strikes, knee attacks, and claw slashes to the chest. Spike then fell to one knee for a moment; trying to regain his strength, and eventually rising back on his feet.

"Oh no. Spike! Don't give up Spike!" Twilight cheered in desperation; fearing the worst.

Viper smacked Spike around more and more. He gave him a kick to the chest, a jab to his snout, and an uppercut to his jaw, but still we stood before him; eyes blazing with fury.

"Damn it, why won't you just give up!" Viper screamed as he launched another punch, but was stopped halfway to Spike's face by the beaten dragon's hand.

"Because I can't," Spike whispered. "I've come so far. I can't stop, no... I will never stop."

Viper was silent as Spike raised his head to look into his foe's eyes. His body began to heat up again, only this time, even hotter than before. Spike grabbed Viper's hands and melted away his gauntlets. Viper then tried to attack with a tendril, but Spike tore it in half with his bare hands. Spike struck Viper's chest-plate with a burning fist, and it shattered like glass.

"No! S-Stay back!" Viper hissed as he launched tendril after tendril, only to have each one burned away or ripped apart.

Spike burned away the armour on his legs, and walked faster and faster towards Viper until he was in a full sprint.

"S-Stay away!" Viper shrieked in dismay.

Spike grabbed Viper by the throat and tossed him high into the air, and for a brief moment as Viper flew high into the air, the world stood still. Spike took a deep breath and uttered a magical phrase that sent shivers down Draven's spine.

"Dragon King's Fiery Breath!" Spike roared, as a beam of pure green flame shot out of his gaping mouth.

The beam of fire that escaped his maw was massive- like a fiery pillar rising high in the air. It scorched Viper and blew him upwards higher and higher, until his fell to the ground with his eyes rolled back, unconscious. Spike had won. The crowd went wild. They cheered and cheered until they lost their voice. Spike sat silently on his knees, before smiling, wider than before.

"Why are you smiling Spike?" Twilight mumbled to herself. "You've been beaten, bitten, and broken. Yet, you still smile anyways... you can't even stand. Why?"

"I couldn't tell you," Draven replied to Twilight. "Maybe... maybe he's found it."

"Found what?" Twilight wondered.

"Out there, maybe he found it. His passion..." A prideful smile stretched across Draven's face as he looked down at the young dragon. "His purpose."

Author's Notes:

Sorry about the wait! Exams are coming up, and I've been studying these past few days. But, I'm back, thanks for waiting so patiently, and as always, I hope you enjoyed!