Chapter 13

Ebonwood Forest, The Wild Continent

Spike sighed forlornly as he stared into the emerald flames of his campfire. He could still feel the soft warmth of Ember’s skin pressed against his as they slept together. With all of the progress they’d made with their relationship the night prior, he felt terrible just leaving her to sleep while he prepared to leave. Despite his desire to cuddle with her in bed, he knew that he had to compete in the Gauntlet. A promise had been made, and he had no intention of breaking it.

Last night, as they walked back to Spike’s home with arms intertwined, Ember wished him the best of luck by pressing her lips against his. She had also given him a satchel fashioned from the hide of the Charrick she had killed when they first met. After blushing profusely, the princess explained that along with her virginity, it was the second part of his “going away” present for the Gauntlet.

After she composed herself, Ember adopted a more serious expression. She warned Spike to keep his wits about him and stay safe. While the Gauntlet was no longer a competition where participants fought to the death, there was still a very real possibility that one could become gravely injured or die from the many hazards it presented.

The competitors were expected to trek through a snaking path which included the Ebonwood Forest, a series of dark caves, an immense fresh-water lake, and a towering mountain that was, in reality, an active volcano.

If the environment wasn’t enough to contend with, there was also the fact that many dangerous carnivores called this place home. None of which would have any qualm gobbling up a wandering Wyvertii to satisfy their hunger.

Spike chewed on a sliver of deer meat as he imagined Ember’s peaceful expression while she slept. I’m sure she understands. I just—I should have woken her up to say goodbye. At least I left a note, telling her how much I care about her. She definitely knows that… right? Gah! This is no time for doubt, Spike! Get your shit together! Focus on surviving and… winning.

When he had left for the forest at dawn, he had been surprised at how few competitors there had been. By his own rough estimate, he counted only twenty men (including himself) at the gates of Brimstone. The vast majority of them were just as young as he was, eager to prove that they were worthy of the title of Dragon Lord.

One of them happened to be Garble, and Spike was none too pleased to hear the same man who had ridiculed Ember boasting about his physical prowess. If anything could make the arrogant guard change his attitude, it was the Gauntlet of Fire. To his credit, Spike simply ignored Garble and molded his anger into resolve.

Unlike when he had first arrived, the Ebonwood Forest hadn’t proved to be too difficult of a challenge for Spike. Both Ember and Onyx had taught him what to expect and how to survive. According to the map Lord Torch had given to all of the participants, he was barely half a day’s hike from Lake Tranquility. Now, the name of the lake was rather misleading. It only referred to how calm it appeared to be on the surface. In reality, the lake teemed with aquatic life lurking in the azure depths below.

Initially, Spike had been shocked to learn that a fresh water lake could even support large predators. Onyx assured him that they were not mystical sea monsters, but very large and dangerous creatures that should not be taken lightly.

As it turned out, the lake had been formed thousands of years ago by a meteorite gouging a large crater into the middle of the forest. Hence, it was an extremely deep lake. The same impact that had made it so deep also caused the lake to be very wide as well. That meant that Spike was in for a rather unpleasant and dangerous swim.

Competitors were allowed to carry whatever weapons they deemed necessary. In Spike’s case, he mostly relied on his physical and magical training, but decided to take what amounted to the Wyvertii version of a combat machete. It was more of a tool than a weapon, but could deal some serious damage in a pinch.

The machete would at least help somewhat if he ran into any large “lake monsters”… or so he hoped. Since the fire he summoned was magical in nature, he was easily able to cast it while underwater. Onyx had shown him how to do it only a few weeks ago. However, the young man wasn’t entirely certain how effective it would be. He’d never once tried to cast fire against anything living before.

After finishing up his lunch, Spike snuffed out the campfire and began his trek towards Lake Tranquility. He was pleasantly surprised at how little time it took to arrive there, but the feeling didn’t last very long. Several other competitors had already arrived, and his jaw dropped in shock when he saw how massive the lake actually was.

Without so much as a warning, two Wyvertii jumped into the lake and began swimming towards the other side. Spike had to admit that it was pretty impressive how fast they were going. Only people who were in supreme physical condition could possibly hope to swim like that and still have the endurance to keep going.

Spike’s grin morphed into a grimace when he started to hear screaming. From the depths below, a massive reptilian creature breeched the surface with a mighty roar. It was slightly larger than the Hydras one would expect find in the Everfree Forest, except that it had flippers instead of legs.

The creature’s entire body was covered in dark blue scales that Spike could only assume made it blend in with its environment. Two equally dark blue head-frills jutted out from where its earholes would normally be located. When it opened its maw, rows upon rows of dagger-like teeth clamped down on the hapless Wyvertii who had been swimming on the surface.

The poor man was flung into the air, screaming, and with a thunderous snap… he was eaten whole. Just like that. The other man desperately swam in the opposite direction, but it was no use. The creature was simply too large and fast for him to make any headway. With a quick flick of its muscular tail, the creature dragged the other swimmer underwater, presumably to drown him.

After that, everything became calm and quiet once again. Spike and the three remaining competitors hesitated to take any action. What could they possibly do against such a leviathan? Spike sat down in the grass cross-legged and let out a huff of frustration. There had to be something he could do… but what?

A ruby-haired competitor walked over to Spike. “Delmira have mercy! It’s bad enough that half a dozen men were hunted down by a pack of Charricks, but this is just ridiculous. How are we supposed to kill a Nagaradon?”

“I assume that’s what that creature is called?”

“Of course it is, what are you a—ah, forgive me. I forgot that you were raised by Outlanders. On the mainland there is a creature called a Hyrda. From what I understand, Nagaradons were once Hydras, but adapted to live in our homeland over thousands of years. Have you seen one?”

Spike nodded. “Yeah, you could say that I’m familiar with Hydras.”

“That is good news! Then you know how to kill a Nagaradon.”

Spike rubbed the back of his neck. “Not… exactly. I never actually fought a Hydra directly. I just happened to see one of my friends defeat one.”

“Some help you are! I should have known it was too good to be true.”

“Hold on! Maybe we could work together to figure out how to kill it… or at least create a distraction long enough to get by.”

The ruby-haired man scoffed. “Work together? Ha! This is a competition where the winner becomes Dragon Lord. Only a single Wyvertii can claim the title and the power that comes with it. What a foolish notion!”

“I understand that, but how else do you expect to swim across the lake? Teamwork is the only way! Please, put aside your stub—”

The ruby-haired man swatted Spike’s hand aside. “Bah! I don’t need your weak, Outlander sensibilities. You can stay here and wait like a coward, but I’m going to cross that lake.”

Spike looked on in frustration as the man did exactly what he set out to do. And just like the other two that had attempted the crossing before him, he was doomed to fail. He was only a few meters away from shore, but the water was deep enough for the Nagaradon to come up underneath him.

Within seconds, the great beast rose up and took hold of the man’s body. Spike fought back the flood of bile in his throat when he heard the sickening crunch of flesh and bone being ripped apart by the Nagaradon’s jaws. The only thing left of the ruby-haired man was a tiny slick of blood on the surface of the water.

The other two competitors fled in fear after they witnessed the carnage. Spike could hardly blame them, but it wasn’t as if the Ebonwood Forest was any safer than the lake. He hoped that the two of them would make it back to Brimstone unharmed. As he retched into the grass, Spike finally understood why the Gauntlet of Fire was so dangerous.

Spike waded into the lake as slowly and carefully as he could. He bit back the urge to gasp even though his body shivered violently. Despite how warm the climate was on the Wild Continent, the water of the lake was anything but. It wasn’t quite as bad as meditating under a raging waterfall, but it was hardly pleasant. After moving around for a bit, Spike eventually became acclimated to the temperature of the water.

After taking a deep breath, Spike dove underwater to reduce his swimming profile. The last thing he wanted was to alert the Nagaradon to his presence by splashing around on the surface. Such a strategy had not worked out well for the other competitors, considering that they were now nothing more than meat digesting in a lake monster’s belly.

Had the situation been less dire, Spike would have taken a few moments to marvel at the world around him. Since Lake Tranquility was so large and deep, it was essentially like witnessing a miniature ocean-like ecosystem. Dozens of different species of fish swam about, while bottom dwelling crustaceans scurried along the sand for any spare morsels.

As fortune would have it, Spike happened to be near a forest of kelp. He swam towards it, hoping that the aquatic plants would help conceal him from the Nagaradon until he got his bearings. It worked for a time, that is, until he needed to breathe again.

Spike surfaced with a bit more force than he had intended. Honestly, it wasn’t entirely his fault. The need to fill one’s lungs with oxygen generally outweighs any other issue as far as the brain is concerned. Even so, the young man cursed his carelessness. When he dove underwater once more, the yellow glowing eyes of the Nagaradon greeted him in the distance.

Thinking fast, Spike summoned mystical fire into both of his palms and blasted it to the side. The casting was not meant to hit the creature, but propel Spike through the water far faster than his legs could ever hope to carry him. Unfortunately, it was only good for short bursts of speed.

The fire bolts needed a lot extra power in order to achieve the propulsion Spike needed. As a result, it was far too taxing on him to cast it continuously, especially when he was trying to conserve his air supply. Not one to let an opportunity pass him by; Spike used the creature’s temporary confusion to grab a fresh gulp of air.

For being such a large beast, the Nagaradon was deceptively fast and agile in the water. Such a thing shouldn’t have surprised the brother of a learned woman like Twilight Sparkle. The creature did happen to be in its native environment. But… it wasn’t every day that one was forced to battle a real-life leviathan with little more than a machete and some magic.

Spike concentrated as much magic as he could into the palm of his right hand. Immediately, a brilliant, emerald-hued fireball flared to life in his palm. Using the kelp to steady himself, the young man aimed his hand towards the monster and loosened yet another fire bolt. In an instant, the blast struck the creature’s side.

Unfortunately, it had little to no effect. Much like the Hydras of the Everfree Forest, the Nagaradon had an innate resistance to all forms of magic, including Wyvertii fireballs. Spike stared in disbelief as the creature rushed towards him like an underwater freight train. Summoning another set of fire bolts in his hands, he shot them towards the lake bed and sped towards the surface.

The abrupt change of pressure in his ear drums made Spike scream in agony. But such pain was preferable to being ripped to shreds by a massive sea-serpent. Spike frantically looked around for his foe, but the creature seemed content to bide its time underneath the surface. The brief moment of inactivity gave the young man a moment to catch his breath.

That single fleeting moment was all Spike got before the Nagaradon’s head fin began racing towards him once more. Although it was a long shot, he gripped the handle of the machete and prepared to find a soft spot to stab the beast. The scales obviously weren’t going to work. If they were tough enough to deflect pure fire magic, Spike doubted a blade could pierce them.

Eyeballs were always a weak point on any creature. The only problem was how Spike was going to attempt to strike said eyeballs. Due to its long, snake-like body, the Nagaradon had an equally long snout. That meant that the creature’s eyes were quite far apart and difficult to reach, especially with how fast it was moving.

It was incredibly risky and a longshot by any measure, but Spike decided to swim directly in front of the beast so that he could attempt to gouge out an eye as it passed. Seeing its prey floating helplessly, the Nagaradon practically flew through the water and opened its massive maw.

Spike’s plan evaporated in an instant. The beast had caught up to him far too quickly, thus making him have to adjust his position in a hasty, albeit sloppy manner. Due to his panicked state, the young man accidently dropped his machete into the inky depths below. The only weapons he could rely on after that point were his wits and magic.

Adrenaline coursed through Spike’s veins as he witnessed a torpedo of flesh and bone careening towards him. There would be only one chance of success. He had to time his spell perfectly or… he would end up just like the others. Spike channeled every iota of magic he could muster into the palm of his hand. The immense strain on his body threatened to make him black out, but he stubbornly refused to lose consciousness.

After a few moments of concentration, a dense emerald ball of fire formed in his hand. Had anyone been there to witness his magic, they’d have sworn it was so bright that it looked like a miniature sun. In fact, the heat radiating from that single ball of plasma was intense enough to constantly boil the pocket of water surrounding it.

The Nagaradon’s jaws had begun to open. Countless rows of vicious teeth were poised to tear Spike’s body to bloody shreds. It was at that precise moment the young man chose to launch the fireball. While the creature’s scales were tough and resistant to magic, Spike wagered that the inside of its mouth was not.

The sea serpent failed to react in time because it had not expected its prey to attack with such ferocity just before being devoured. The entire lake glowed with emerald light as the fire ball exploded in the creature’s mouth. All that was left of the Nagaradon was the cauterized stump of its lower body, which slowly sank to the bottom of the lake.

Utterly exhausted, Spike slowly swam to the surface. Fortunately, the blast had been so powerful that it had propelled him towards the opposite side of the lake. Even so, it took him an agonizingly long time to crawl onto the sandy shore.

Now that his life was no longer in danger, Spike simply lay in the sand and took a moment to catch his breath. Every gasp of air was like having shards of glass in his lungs. Even the barest hint of movement made his muscles feel like they were being dipped in molten lava. Such was the price one paid when channeling so much magic.

But it had ultimately saved his life. For what felt like hours, he did not move from his position in the sand. The only thing that motivated him to get up was the pang of hunger he felt in his stomach. With a loud grunt of pain, Spike slowly rose to his feet.

Thinking back to when Twilight used to have magic surges, he concluded that it was inevitable that he felt so hungry. The body needed to consume quite a bit of energy in order to generate spells of that magnitude. He was elated to have been able to cast such a powerful spell, but there would be ample time to revel in his achievements later. The need for nourishment came first.

Spike was supremely thankful for the new satchel Ember had made him. By some miracle, it had survived the elements as well as being jostled around underwater. But even though it was intact, the contents inside of it had not fared quite so well. With a heavy sigh, Spike pulled out a soggy strip of jerky and began to chew on it.

He was hungry enough to eat a kitchen’s worth of food, but jerky and some dried berries would have to do. The young man simply did not have the strength or energy to go hunting. Even if he did, there was nothing to hunt on the side of the lake he now currently resided on.

What was once lush forest had turned into grey, ashen soil. This was due to the slow, but constant pyroclastic flows that oozed out of the “mountain” like fiery sludge. It pretty much burned everything underneath it that was unlucky enough to get in its path. As such, the wildlife had learned to avoid this side of the lake long ago.

Despite the apparent desolation, there was a silver lining to be found. Since the soil was mostly composed of ash, it was relatively soft and comfortable to walk on while barefoot. This was a blessing for the young man, who had grown tired of walking on pebbles and twigs.

Spike had, more or less, gotten used to not wearing shoes, but every once and a while he yearned for a good pair of hiking boots. On the plus side, his feet were far easier to clean and they never wore out. Besides, being barefoot meant that Winter Silk was more than willing to give him the most amazing foot massages, which often led to—nope, it pretty much always led straight to sex.

The young man sighed wistfully. Not for the first time since staring the Gauntlet, he yearned for a soft bed and the company of a beautiful woman. Even just a friendly face would have been nice too. Having been raised in Equestria, he enjoyed a closer knit relationship with his friends and family.

While the Wyvertii weren’t exactly a bunch of loners, they were far more aggressive and competitive towards one another. It made being out in the wilds, by his lonesome, that much more difficult to bear. He shook his and tried to focus on the reason he was doing this in the first place: his promise to Ember.

After mechanically hiking for a time, Spike finally made it to the base of the mountain. Unlike the ground below it, the rocks were sharp and jagged and stuck out at awkward angles. There was a small, albeit narrow path winding up to the summit… but that didn’t necessarily make it any easier to reach the top.

Just as he suspected, the surface of the mountain was incredibly hard on his poor feet. But at least he wasn’t winded from the hike itself. That was the great part about being in such excellent physical condition from training so much. Spike was just about to pull a pebble out of his heel when he heard a strange noise.

It sounded almost like sobbing. Not the melodramatic kind that Rarity was often prone to, but the desperate sobbing of someone who was grievously injured and had given up hope of anyone coming to help. His interest piqued, Spike carefully walked towards the spot where it was coming from.

As he drew closer to the disturbance, it became clear that there had been rockslide. Buried under a pile of rubble was none other than Garble. Spike cringed when he saw that one of his rival’s legs was crushed underneath a fairly large boulder. The sobbing now made sense. Garble had to be in an immense amount of pain and there was no telling how long he’d been there.

Spike knelt down and pressed the nozzle of his water skin against Garble’s lips. “Don’t worry, I’m here to help. Drink some water.”

Garble greedily chugged the water and began coughing violently as a result. It was clear that he’d been trapped for a while because of how dehydrated he’d become. Spike admonished him to drink more slowly, and the guard complied…hesitantly. Once he’d had his fill, Spike took a swig too and sat down.

“Thank Delmira you survived! I thought I was gonna die up here.”

Spike cocked his head. “What do you mean survive?”

“I—erghh—the Nagaradon, I saw you fighting it. No offense, but I figured I’d go ahead and cross the lake while it was distracted. I’m… glad that you managed to get past it.”

“It wasn’t easy, but I managed to shoot a fireball into its mouth. You don’t have to worry. It’s definitely dead.”

Garble let out a pained grunt. “That’s pretty… damn impressive. Please, I can’t take the pain anymore! Isn’t there anything you can do for my leg? You know healing magic, don’t you?”

“I do, but I’d have to see how bad your injury is first. And even if I manage to heal it, you’re not going to be in any condition to hike up or down the mountain any time soon.”

Garble started to panic. “Y-You’re not gonna have to cut off… are you?”

“Calm down! I have no idea. Just get ahold of yourself.”

The boulder on top of Garble’s leg was not terribly difficult to pry off, much to Spike’s relief. He still screamed in pain, but at least he was no longer pinned to the ground. Spike tried not grimace when he saw just how bad the injury was. While the skin was still largely intact, Garble’s leg was bent at an unnatural angle.

“I’m not going to lie to you, Garble. Your leg doesn’t look too good. I’ll try and heal it the best I can… but I’m not sure you’re going to be able to walk for a while.”

Garble began to cry. “You’d d-do that… for me, even though I was a complete asshole to you and Princess Ember?”

“No one deserves to be left out here to die. But yeah, you were a total jerk. Just try to act nicer from now on, ok? I’m sure that kind of attitude doesn’t win you any friends…”

Garble nodded. “It’ll take some getting used to, but I think I’m up for that. Besides, I kind of wanted to start being nicer because—ermm—of a woman I met on the night of the festival.”

Spike considered it fortunate that Garble had something he wanted to talk about. His healing skills were up to the task, but it certainly wasn’t going to be a painless process for the injured guard. If Garble was distracted, then he would pay less attention to the pain coursing through his broken limb. Spike gently placed his hands on Garble’s leg and began to channel magic.

“A woman, you say? Who is she, if I may ask?”

Garble grunted. “What does healing have to hurt so damn much?! Ah… well, I met her near the kitchens. She was just sitting on a cushion, drinking mug after mug of ale. She looked bummed out for some reason, so I decided to try and cheer her up.”

“Oh… that was really thoughtful of you, Garble.”

Garble narrowed his eyes. “I’m not complete idiot, you know. Plus, it didn’t hurt that she was really cute. We talked for a while and I found out that we both loved to cook. And you'd better not tell anyone that I said that or I'll AGUH!”

“Easy there, stud. You don’t want to aggravate you injury. And besides, what’s wrong with cooking? I like to cook too sometimes.”

Garble bit his lip. “That’s b-because only housewives and maids are supposed to do stuff like that. It’s unmanly! Not that I’m surprised a soft-hearted Outlander like you enjoys—shit… I’m doing it again, aren’t I? Sorry, I really suck at this being nice thing.”

“That’s ok, I’m not angry. So, did anything else happen?”

Garble blushed. “Yeah, we snuck off to the barracks and fucked each other silly. I think it was because we were both drunk and really desperate for some company. Hey! Don’t judge me! There was no way I could have refused such a beautiful woman like Sepia…”

“Ember and I pretty much did the same thing, once she finished dancing.”

“You actually managed to fuck the princess?! That’s crazy! What was it like? I’ll bet it was like mounting a tiger. What, with how strong she—”

It was Spike’s turn to blush. “That’s none of your damn business! A-anyway, I’m done healing your leg. Just try not to put too much weight on it. You can lean on my shoulder for the time being.”

The climb to the summit of the mountain was an arduous and agonizingly slow journey. Both of them had to move slowly, due to the extreme conditions and Garble’s constant need to rest and recuperate from his broken leg. Even though it was slow going, Spike and Garble managed to form a bond of mutual respect and friendship along the way.

Garble willingly gave up his claim to the title of Dragon Lord, stating that he was unworthy of carrying it. Instead, he swore an oath to become Spike’s manservant as well as to abide by his new master’s teachings. Spike was, of course, flustered over the whole affair. The young man didn’t feel that Garble owed him a life-debt, but the guard stubbornly insisted upon his own honor that he was obligated to serve the one who had saved his life.

Much as Spike had expected, the summit of the mountain was, in reality, an active volcanic crater. As the two of them stepped closer to the edge, they immediately felt waves of heat wash over their bare skin. The stench of sulfur was present in the air, but it was not overpowering. Sitting cross-legged atop a boulder, looking into the crater was none other than Lord Torch. The giant of a man slowly opened his eyes and turned towards Garble and Spike.

“I was hoping that I’d see you here, Spike.”

Spike’s jaw dropped. “Sir, if I may ask: what are you doing here?!”

“When a Dragon Lord hosts the Gauntlet of Fire, he must test any challengers who would seek to claim the title. It’s to see if you’re worthy of ruling all Wyvertii, lad. Don’t worry; we aren’t going to fight to the death. I just want to see how strong you’ve become.”

Spike tensed his muscles. “I understand. I guess… I’m ready when you are, sir.”

“Not quite yet. There’s something I want to teach you first. Come, stand next to me.”

During the course of his life, Spike had been exposed to all sorts of magic. He easily recognized the signs of an experienced sorcerer gathering power to execute a complex spell. This time was no different. It wasn’t something he could put into exact words, but the air felt… more electrified. The ground shook ever so slightly as well.

Not but a few moments later, Torch stood in front of him. However, the Dragon Lord’s appearance had changed drastically. His skin had suddenly sprouted scales, his teeth became sharper and more dagger like, and his fingers and toes extended slightly to become claws. When he finally spoke, his voice had a deep, rumbling timbre to it.

“You’re frightened by my appearance right now, aren’t you?”

Spike swallowed a lump forming in his throat. “I’m s-sorry sir, but… yes, I am.”

“Don’t be sorry, lad. This transformation is not a technique that I use very often. I imagine that even my own daughter would be frightened if she saw me like this. Only the most skilled Wyvertii sorcerers can utilize such powerful magic.”

“What did you do… exactly?”

Torch stroked his chin. “I channeled my inner magic to emulate the goddess, Delmira. We are all her children, so it stands to reason that we may become dragon-like if we concentrate hard enough.”

“O-ok, but what does it meant to become dragon-like?”

Torch dipped his hand into the lava. “My strength, stamina, and endurance are greatly enhanced with the transformation. It also increases my resistance to heat. So much so, that I can touch molten lava without fear of injury.

“However, this transformation does not come without consequences! The longer one stays in this form, the more magic it consumes. Ultimately, if the spell exhausts your magic reservoir, it will drain energy directly from your body.”

Spike’s face paled. “But that’s extremely dangerous! Why would any—”

“Aye, it is very dangerous, which is why you need to be an experienced magic user to even attempt it. We will fight one another in this form, but it shall be brief. Otherwise, we would die from exhaustion. Are you ready to learn how to use it?”

“I suppose so, sir.”

Torch nodded. “Not exactly a confident answer, but I understand your trepidation. Close your eyes and concentrate on the magic inside you. Let it pool in your belly until the heat becomes unbearable. And then… let it explode!”

Spike followed Torch’s instructions word for word and felt the transformation take hold of him in a powerful burst of magic. In the blink of an eye, he felt like he was invincible! The ecstasy that followed when the primal power of dragons flooded his body was just as much sexual as it was animalistic.

He looked down at his hands to find that they had become claws. The skin along his arms and stomach became coated in thick, purple scales. He very nearly was about to giggle with glee… until he looked down at his now fully erect penis. Despite how good this new power felt, Spike’s entire face burned with embarrassment.

Torch laughed. “Ah, I should have warned you about that. It takes a bit of practice to umm—control the baser urges the transformation tends to accentuate. We shall start the fight when your manhood becomes flaccid again.”

The mortified young man stared down at the bubbling pool of magma, trying desperately not to make eye contact with anyone present. Here he was, in the Gauntlet of Fire, trying to face the current Dragon Lord in a contest to prove his worth and he had a raging hard-on. Why did these sorts of things always have to happen to him?

Garble patted him on the back. “Don’t feel too bad, Master Spike. All things considered, your transformation looks really—ermm—impressive?”

“Please don’t tell me you were gawking at my junk, Garble.”

“Believe me; you’ve got nothing to be ashamed of! I mean, it’s pretty much impossible to ignore someone’s dick when it’s so ridiculously hard like that. By the goddess, now I understand why Ember wanted to fu—”

Spike blushed and glared at Garble. “Alright, I get it! Lesson number one when trying to make new friends: know the appropriate time when to keep your mouth shut!”

“Sorry… I’ll keep that in mind for next time.”

Luckily, it didn’t take very long for Spike to calm down. The initial rush of euphoria he experienced had now faded, but he could still feel the immense amount of magical power flowing through his body. Torch stood across from him with a satisfied grin on his face. Spike cracked his knuckles and took a few deep breaths. It was time to fight and both men knew it.

The Dragon Lord charged towards Spike at a speed that should have been impossible for a man of his side. Since Spike was not expecting it, Torch managed to land a heavy blow to the young man’s side with his shoulder. Spike tumbled across ground, but quickly recovered and delivered a sweeping kick right behind Torch’s knee.

Due to the awkward positioning, Spike was unable to put much power behind the kick, but it did unbalance Torch enough to give him the time he needed to get back on his own feet. Taking the initiative, Spike sprinted towards Torch and threw several; rapid punches to the Dragon Lord’s torso and face.

The concussive force of the punches was so great, that when they connected, it sounded like someone was splitting a log with a an axe. Garble involuntarily winced when he heard the noises, certain that Torch and Spike had broken some bones in the exchange.

Yet, this was not the case. Both men continued to grapple with one another as if nothing had happened. Garble silently muttered his thanks to Delmira that he wasn’t the one currently fighting the Dragon Lord.

Torch let out a loud grunt as he ripped a giant chunk of rock from the ground. He hurled the massive projectile towards Spike with all of his might, making it fly through the air like it was nothing more than a dodgeball. One would think that stepping out of the way of such a large object would be easy. As Spike found out a few seconds later, this was certainly not the case.

The boulder slammed into Spike, imbedding him in a portion of the crater wall. Had he not been in his dragon form, the impact would have squashed his body like a bug underneath someone’s boot. The thick scales that now coated his body prevented him from sustaining any deep lacerations, but they only did so much.

Spike gingerly rubbed his clawed fingers over a long, albeit shallow cut that now ran across the length of his chest. Everything hurt, no matter what part of his body he tried to move. But there was no time to rest, Torch wouldn’t allow it.

Spike summoned fire to his palms once more and blasted the boulder towards Torch. The rock was split into a dozen pieces, but the remaining chunks were sufficiently large enough to strike the Dragon Lord with considerable force.

After getting up, Torch wiped a trail of blood from his mouth. “It has been a long time since I’ve fought against such a strong opponent. Onyx and Ember have taught you well.”

“And you’re ridiculously strong for someone who is sixteen hundred years old.”

Torch chuckled. “Age is but a number, lad. Hah… since our bodies are near their limit, why don’t we settle this little contest with a magic duel?”

“Yeah, that’s probably for the best. I can barely stand right now…”

“Aye, my vision is starting to get a bit blurry too.”

With little more than a slight nod towards one another, Torch and Spike took their positions and began building fireballs in their palms. Unlike earlier, the fire they unleashed came in a constant stream rather than a single bolt. This particular technique took far more skill to control and often consumed twice the amount of magic to maintain.

A mighty roar echoed within the crater when the two streams of fire clashed. The vibrant emerald hue of Spike’s flame mixed with the intense yellow-orange flame that surged from Torch’s hands. The heat from their flames colliding was so intense that it distorted the air around the impact point like a mirage in the desert. Garble made sure to keep his distance from the two. He had no desire to be roasted alive.

Spike could feel his energy waning. His magic reservoir was nearly empty at this point, and it would be dangerous to continue for much longer. He looked over at Torch and for the first time, the Dragon Lord looked every bit the age he claimed to be.

Over the past few months, Torch had become a surrogate father to him. Though he had never said it directly, the young man had come to love Torch just as much as Ember or Winter Silk. Therefore, Spike took no pleasure hurting him, nor did he wish to push the Dragon Lord beyond the point of exhaustion.

With a fierce look of determination, Spike channeled the remaining dregs of his magic and blasted it strait at Torch. The surge of power was more than enough to overwhelm the stream his opponent was casting, and it ended up throwing the Dragon Lord into the rock wall behind him. After the final wisps of flame died out in his palm, Spike reverted back to his normal form and collapsed on the ground.

Spike awoke feeling like he’d been run over by a bulldozer. Much to his relief, he found that Torch was sitting next to him with a grin on his face. But after taking a quick glance at the myriad of cuts and bruises adorning the Dragon Lord’s body, Spike couldn’t help but frown. Noticing his expression, Torch gently patted Spike on the leg.

“There’s no need to feel that way, lad. You fought me with all of the strength you could muster, and ended up defeating me. It was a spectacular contest, and I’m proud to call you my successor.”

“Are you sure you’re alright? I didn’t really want to hurt you too badly.”

Torch grunted softly. “To be honest, I feel like shit right now. But that’s beyond the point. Given time and rest, I’ll recover soon enough. If nothing else, you’ve given me the opportunity to get pampered by Onyx for a while.”

“So… I’m the Dragon Lord now?”

“Not quite yet. You still need to enter Delmira’s chamber and retrieve the Bloodstone Blade.”

Spike rubbed his neck. “Wow, this is a lot to take in. I’m not sure if I’m ready to be the Dragon Lord. Are you certain that I’m worthy?”

“It’s not something anyone can ever truly be prepared for. But aye, I believe you are. And I imagine Garble thinks you’d make an excellent Dragon Lord as well. You saved his life and stuck by him even though you didn’t have to. That’s the makings of a great leader if ever I saw one.”

Spike blushed. “I-I was only doing the right thing…”

“Indeed! Many of the other contestants would have left him to die, so they could have all of the power and prestige to themselves. Go, Lord Spike. Claim your reward.”

Even though every step Spike took hurt like Tartarus, the young man slowly made his way to an unassuming cave hewn from the side of the crater. Once he headed down the craggy path, he immediately realized that this was a sacred place to the Wyvertii.

The walls were decorated with beautiful gemstone frescos that bore the likeness of Delmira and various mythical figures throughout Brimstone’s history. At the very end of the path there was a large, open chamber which housed the Bloodstone Blade. It stood atop a granite pedestal, and the jewel in the center of its hilt bathed the room in an eerie red glow. Spike was about to place his hand on the hilt, when he noticed someone familiar standing behind the blade.

“Greetings, Master Spike~ I take it that you passed Lord Torch’s test?”

Spike nearly stumbled. “Winter Silk? What are you doing here?!”

“It is only proper that I be here in person to give you my blade.”

“Your… blade? Wha—”

Winter placed her finger on Spike’s lips. “Please, allow me to explain. I am Delmira. What you see before you is merely my mortal construct. It is the best way for me to watch over my children without arousing suspicion.”

“B-b-but… that’s…”

Winter sighed. “I know that it’s hard to believe. Perhaps… a visual demonstration of my power is in order. But before I do, I want you to promise me something.”

“O-ok. What do you want?”

Winter gently grasped his hand. “Promise me that you won’t run away in fear, no matter what happens.”

“I promise. There’s no way I could ever be afraid of you.”

Winter adopted a sad smile. “You’re always a gentleman no matter the situation, Master Spike. Very well, I will reward your trust with my own. Please stand back.”

Winter Silk’s lithe body was engulfed in rose colored flames until the blaze became too bright for Spike to continue watching. When the flames finally died down, an entirely different creature emerged before the new Dragon Lord. A massive snow-white dragoness covered in smooth, shiny scales looked down at him with a pair of mischievous, yet benevolent pink eyes.

When the two of them stood before one another, Spike knew that deep down; this magnificent beast was still Winter Silk. As if she were reading his mind, Delmira lowered her snout and nuzzled Spike’s chest as gently as she could. For a brief moment, the young man tensed up. It was difficult not to when a divine dragoness was literally in your face.

But he kept his promise. He would not be afraid nor would he run away in fear. To reassure her, he ran his fingers along her spines and kissed her snout. The dragoness let out a relieved sigh and smiled (or at least as well as a dragon could without being completely terrifying). Delmira then wrapped Spike in one of her leathery wings and guided him towards the Bloodstone Blade.

“Thank you, Lord Spike. It means the world to me that you didn’t cower in fear from my true form.”

Spike chuckled. “You’re welcome. But for what it’s worth: my mom, sister, and aunt are crazy powerful magic beings. I guess I’m just used to it by now.

“Winter, everything that happened between us, was it… genuine? Or was all of that just acting on your part? Please, I need to know!”

Delmira licked Spike’s chest. “My dearest Spike, I cherished every moment we spent together. I may have been in disguise, but I never once concealed my true personality or feelings from you.”

“Thanks, I appreciate your straightforwardness. Umm… is it weird that we had sex? Because you said something about children earlier and—”

Delmira giggled. “No, you needn’t worry about that. We aren’t physically related in any way. What I meant was that all Wyvertii share my magical essence. The ability to cast the mystic flame was my gift to the first Wyvertii who settled here.”

“Who else knows about this?”

“Torch is the only other mortal to know of my true identity. Do not blame him for not telling you. Once I reveal myself, I place all Dragon Lords under a geas to ensure that my secret is preserved.”

Spike nervously shuffled his feet. “Oh, I guess that makes sense. Before I take the blade and become the new Dragon Lord, could you p-possibly turn back into your mortal form?”

“If I transformed into a mortal once more, it would take most of my magic away. Why do you wish me to do that?”

“Because… I want to see the woman I love one last time.”

Delmira’s eyes widened. “The woman you loved? Lord Spike, you don’t mean—”

“I’M SORRY!” Spike wailed.

“I know you were only trying to help me develop a relationship with Ember, b-but I still… ended up falling in love with you. Now, I have no idea what to do! It’s not as simple as just forgetting about all the time we spent together and moving on. I want to share my life with you too!”

Upon hearing Spike’s heartfelt declaration, Delmira used her magic to transform back into her mortal from. When the last of the pink flames died out, Spike ran over to her and embraced the goddess as tightly as he could. The two of them simply stood in each other’s embrace for a time, neither able to work up the courage to do anything more. Finally, Spike broke their embrace and pressed his lips against her forehead.

“I love you, Winter Silk. Goddess or not, nothing will change that.”

Delmira felt hot tears roll down her cheek. “I told myself that I wasn’t going to get too attached to you but… damn it all! Goddesses aren’t supposed to fall in love with mortals, yet here I am.”

“Winter, you really did have fee—”

Delmira silenced Spike by mashing her lips against his. “Yes, and now you’re going to have to live with the consequences. I will not reveal my true identity to Ember, but you must tell her about the relationship we share. I love her too, but she must approve of us… sharing you as a mate.”

“Oh, umm—yeah that’s a pretty big deal. Wait, you said you love her? Did you two ever, you know, h-have sex?”

Delmira smiled. “Oh my, Lord Spike~ Are you fantasizing what a threesome between us would look like already?”

“Hey! That’s not—you didn’t answer my question!”

Delmira playfully fondled his balls. “No, I never had sex with her but I’m more than willing to give it a try. I just hope these little guys are up to the task of satisfying both a princess and a goddess at the same time~”

Spike was far too exhausted to feel aroused by her ministrations, but he did have enough energy to pull her in for one final kiss. Much to his satisfaction, Delmira returned the kiss with just as much passion. When Spike finally managed to pull away, she mewled in disappointment but the goddess was nonetheless happy at how things had turned out.

Finally, Spike grabbed the Bloodstone Blade from its pedestal and took a moment to simply admire its craftsmanship. After waving it around a few times, realization dawned on him. He was now the Dragon Lord. Little old Spike from Ponyville was now the ruler of all Wyvertii! Even though his life was bound to become more hectic and unpredictable than ever, he wouldn’t have traded it for all the riches in the world.