Chapter 2

Princess Celestia’s Chambers, Canterlot

When Spike awoke, the first thing he noticed was the scent of blueberries. It’s not as if he minded the smell, but it was a bit odd. Then again, the dream he just had was plenty weird too. Luna appeared to him clad in a skimpy set of armor that left little to the imagination and urged him to state his full name and intention to participate in what she called “The Gauntlet of Fire”.

It was all very confusing and surreal. Mostly because he had a difficult time taking his eyes of the night princess’s goddess like physique. He would never admit such a thing to her face. No, that would probably only invite her ire. It was unwise to anger a woman who was the literal avatar of the moon. Besides, he was probably a few thousand years too young for her. That still didn’t make her any less sexy…

He did as he was told and saw his own body became surrounded in emerald light. After that, he just woke up. The second thing he noticed was a peculiar sensation near his forehead. It took a few moments for him to determine that something incredibly soft was pushing against him.

For a second, he thought it might have been an ice pack but that couldn’t be it. Ice packs were cold. What he was currently feeling was actually…warm. In fact, if he didn’t know any better he’d swear it was—LUNA’S BOOB! Panic hit his brain like a sledgehammer. Why was she squishing her boobs against his head?!

“Princess Luna…is that you?”

She pressed herself even closer. “Indeed it is, dear Spike! I am quite relieved that you followed my instructions. All of us feared for your health and safety. But it seems that I was able to reach you in time.”

Spike cleared his throat. “Thanks. I guess I must have passed out. I can’t feel any more pain coming from my hand, did the tattoo go away?”

“Nay, it is still present. The compulsion spell has merely been dissipated for the moment being. However, you still need to journey to your homeland in order to get rid of it permanently.”

“I’m sorry; I don’t understand what you’re talking about, Princess.”

At that comment, Luna actually had the decency to blush. She still insisted on cuddling close to Spike as if she had no concept of personal space…but the young man didn’t really see any reason to call her out on that. She smelled wonderful and it was painfully obvious she wasn’t wearing a bra under her t-shirt.

“I apologize, dear Spike. My eagerness to see you well made me forget that you weren’t privy to our earlier discussion. The gist of the situation is this: The ruler of the Wyvertii has sent out a compulsion to all males of age in order to choose a worthy heir for his throne. It shall be determined in a competition called ‘The Gauntlet of Fire’.”

“Ok. That doesn’t sound too bad, but the whole compulsion thing seems a bit extreme. All I have to do is go to this Wyvern place and say I don’t really want to compete. I come back home and my life will go back to normal, right?”

Luna seemed to consider her response with far more trepidation than Spike felt comfortable with. In fact, moments stretched on into seconds until an entire minute of silence occurred between the two of them. The princess of the night remained silent, but began to rub Spike’s back as tenderly as she could to show support. This certainly did not bode well.

Luckily, Celestia arrived on the scene only a moment later. She knew her younger sister was terrible at delivering bad news to their subjects. It had always been that way. But Luna was also more adept at the physical aspects of showing empathy, as she so clearly demonstrated with Spike. This was why the two of them worked so well together. They complimented each other’s strengths and weaknesses.

Celestia took a deep breath. “I’m afraid it isn’t that simple, Spike. For one, The Valley of Wyvern is an incredibly isolated place. The path there is fraught with danger and can only be reached by foot. That alone may take you a few months.”

“Oh…”

“Furthermore, I doubt your people will take any blatant disregard of their traditions lightly. They aren’t as…reasonable as we are and may bring harm to you if you refuse. It would be in your best interest to compete with every shred of skill and might you can muster. Besides, I imagine it shall be a wonderful learning experience, if nothing else.”

Spike fidgeted underneath the bed sheets. “Is there really no other way? I don’t want to be a Dragon King or whatever it is! Why does my life have to be so complicated?”

“I’m truly sorry, Spike. I wish I had more encouraging news to share with you. But if you don’t make this journey, you will die. The compulsion spell on that tattoo contains an ancient form of Wyvertii magic that neither my sister nor I can possibly hope to break. You must do this.”

As much as he wanted to continue to sit on the bed and enjoy Luna’s snuggles, he knew that he had to stop feeling sorry for himself and prepare for the long journey ahead of him. He gave Luna a quick hug as thanks, which she proceeded to return tenfold. She nearly crushed his ribcage, but it was totally worth it.

Celestia, on the other hand, was far more reserved about showing her affection. She opted to grasp him by the shoulders and plant a soft kiss upon his forehead. When the smell of her rose scented perfume hit his nostrils, a feeling of melancholy crept to Spike’s heart. He was going to miss her far more than he cared to admit. He always considered Celestia to be the closest thing he had to a mom.

Such a thing was not entirely surprising, for the solar monarch always seemed to project a motherly aura around her subjects. But in Spike’s case, she had literally raised him when he was a small child. It was only for about the first seven years of his life, but the two of them had bonded nonetheless.

Such was the reason why he saw Twilight as more of a big sister than anything else. Though, that didn’t mean he loved either of them any more or less for their respective roles. Speaking of Twilight, she came running into the room as soon as she saw that he was getting off of the bed. The two shared a brief embrace, and afterwards she handed him a leather satchel.

“Luna and Celestia told me about where you have to go. I prepared a kit for you while you were still unconscious. It’s got your basic travel supplies in it, along with a few things I thought would be good to have just in case.”

“Thanks, Twi. You know that I’m really gonna miss all of you while I’m gone. Are you sure you’ll be alright without me around? I can ask—”

Twilight put her finger on his lips. “Don’t say another word! All you need to worry about is your own problems right now. I’ll figure out how to take care of all that stuff later. Just promise me that you’ll make it back home safe. Ok?”

“I…I’ll try. Geez, this satchel is really heavy! Did you stuff an encyclopedia in here?”

Twilight blushed. “No, but I did include textbooks on wilderness survival, topographical maps, and first aid. Sorry! I just wanted you to be prepared for any situation.”

“Nah, don’t sweat it. I’m sure they’ll all come in handy at some point. Well, I guess I should head back to Ponyville and pack some clothes.”

Spike took only a few steps before his arm was grabbed by Celestia. In a rare moment of emotion, her eyes became glassy and she seemed to be on the verge of tears…but after taking a deep breath, the solar monarch composed herself. With a brief flash of magic, she summoned a ticket and gave it to Spike.

“That is a royal train voucher. As long as you have it in your possession, every train in Equestria shall be made accessible to you. I know it won’t get you the whole way to the valley, but—”

Throwing all decorum to the wind, Spike hugged Celestia as tightly as he could. He knew that she would probably be embarrassed afterwards, but he could care less. It was important that she understand how much he loved her, even if he wasn’t her biological son. That was all it took to break Celestia’s crumbling resolve. She wept softly into Spike’s shirt.

“Thanks, Mom. I’ll use it when I can.”

Celestia sniffed. “It’s been far too long since you last called me that.”

“Err…well I didn’t want to embarrass you.”

Celestia sighed. “I suppose that’s my fault. It is difficult sometimes to separate my royal façade from my private one. Please forgive me, Spike. I didn’t mean to imply that you aren’t precious to me. So…from now on do try to call me ‘Mom’ more often, alright?”

“Yeah, I can do that. Thanks again for the ticket.”

“You’re quite welcome. And be sure to send me letters at regular intervals! They don’t have to be friendship reports or anything like that, but I still want to know how you’re doing.”

Spike chuckled. “Don’t worry, I will.”

Equestrian Naval Outpost Sigma, Edge of the Ebonwood Forest

The initial part of Spike’s journey had been relatively straightforward. All he had to do was take a train from Ponyville straight to Baltimare. Once he arrived there, the young man boarded an Equestrian Naval cruiser called HMS Solaris bound for what was colloquially known as the “Wild Continent”. The name certainly didn’t sound too inviting.

Despite the short distance across the Celestial Sea and the “The Wild Continent” it was by no means a short journey. The captain informed him that it was impossible to land the ship on the north shore because of the strong currents and the beaches there only led to a high mountain range called The Teeth of Delmira. So, they nearly had to sail around the entire western edge of the island continent just to find a spot to anchor the ship safely.

Even then, there was very little flat land for them utilize. The ship was still a few kilometers out to sea, but Spike’s eyes widened in awe as he saw the massive forest that seemed to swallow up the land beyond the coast. He swallowed a lump in his throat. Some of those trees had to be bigger than the skyscrapers in Manehatten.

Captain Iron Sides nodded solemnly. “I don’t envy you, young man. Many explorers have braved those woods and never came out again. But I suppose you can’t help it, being what you are.”

“Don’t I know it? I’m only here because of this stupid compulsion tattoo on my hand. Otherwise, I’d rather be in Ponyville with all of my friends and family.”

“Aye, it’s been a while since I’ve seen my wife and daughter. At any rate, I think it best that we not dwell on such thoughts. I’ll have a shore party assembled to escort you to the outpost, and you can stock up on whatever supplies you might need. From that point on, you’re on your own.”

Spike shook his hand. “Thanks, sir. I appreciate all of your help.”

“It is always a pleasure to serve the crowns. Good luck on your journey, Master Spike.”

The outpost was little more than a few tents and a small command building. The complex was well supplied despite how utilitarian it appeared to be. Spike had brought some food with him, but had since gone through most of it in his travels. That only left him with the less than appetizing solution of taking as many MREs as he could fit into his satchel.

The young man sighed. They would at least keep him fed for a while, even if they tasted like sawdust. He could always forage for berries and plants in the forest, if he needed to. Towards the back of the room, he noticed that the entire wall was covered in an assortment of firearms and blades. Spike had never been a fan of violence, but recognized the need to protect himself should the need arise.

Judging by all the rumors he heard from the sailors, there was a vast array of dangerous creatures that lurked within the Ebonwood Forest. His hands trembled when he reached for a pistol. It felt utterly alien in his grasp, but he was glad that Shining Armor had taught him how to maintain and use one. The final item he took was a curved blade machete, which slid into a sheath upon his back with a satisfying click.

There was one niggling thought that crept into the back of Spike’s mind as he approached the forest. The Captain had stressed that early morning to late afternoon was the best time of day one could chose to venture into the forest. The canopy was so thick that very little light came through. Therefore, it was imperative that one traveled when the sun was at its brightest. Woe betides the explorer who braves these woods at night!

The darkness was not really the only issue. Who knew how many nocturnal predators could be lurking in such a vast and primeval forest. Spike understood that he was going to have to set up camp in there somewhere, but it frightened him out of his wits to even think about it. That was why he brought a long a couple flashlights and a fire starting rod. Fire would frighten most of the predators…right? At least that’s what he hoped.

Luckily, it was still quite early in the morning and he’d already eaten breakfast with the sailors in the mess hall. He checked his watch. It read only a few minutes past seven. Because the island continent was closer to the equator, the sun’s rays were slightly more intense than they were in Equestria. But oddly enough, it wasn’t terribly hot. In fact, the temperature was quite pleasant…if one didn’t mind giant spooky forests and impassable mountain ranges.

At least he wouldn’t sweat to death while trudging through the forest. It was a small blessing, but one he would count nonetheless. The most unusual thing he noticed while going through the forest was the lack of underbrush. There were ferns, moss, and twigs covering the ground but otherwise he had little trouble keeping a steady pace.

Spike took a sip out of his canteen. It made a certain amount of sense, he supposed. With how little sunlight there was trickling down from the canopy, smaller plants probably had no chance of thriving. The other thing that struck him as unusual was how eerily quiet it was. There had to have been thousands of animals living here, yet he only heard the occasional bird call and a few buzzing insects. His instincts screamed at him that something was wrong. He wasn’t alone anymore.

He slowly pulled out his pistol and chambered a round. The dose of adrenaline that now coursed through his veins sharpened his senses and made his hands tremble. For a moment he tried to steady himself but it was no use. He was afraid. He was more afraid than he had ever been in his entire life. It was a fear that his ancient ancestors knew only too well. It was the fear of being hunted.

Spike panted heavily. “O-ok, just keep your wits about you. You can do this, Spike.”

A twig snapped in the distance. He spun around in the direction he thought it came from but found nothing. By sheer coincidence, he turned to his left and saw a pair of reptilian eyes glowing in the gloom of the forest. Spike squinted and found that there was just enough light to make out its hulking silhouette. The creature was nearly the size of a fully grown bear.

The reptilian beast clearly was in no mood to play games. It made no attempt to intimidate its prey by growling or roaring, the creature simply coiled its muscles and lunged at full strength. Despite its size, the creature was incredibly fast and agile. Spike was only saved from getting torn to pieces by virtue of the fact that he slipped on some moss in his attempt to flee.

The creature was momentarily stunned since it charged headlong into a tree trunk instead of flesh and bone. Now that Spike had a chance to collect his wits, he got a good look at the beast. It almost looked like a flightless dragon, save for the all of the muddy green feathers covering its body. He was absolutely certain that they had nothing to do with flight and the creature’s bones couldn’t have been hollow either.

Such a creature would have been fascinating to study under more controlled circumstances, but he had more important things to do at the moment…like fighting for his life. Exotic reptilian biology studies would just have to wait.

The beast bellowed out a cry that sounded like a war horn mixed with a wolf’s howl. It shattered the relative silence of the forest and sent a chill down his spine. Spike wasn’t exactly an expert zoologist, but even he could tell that the reptile was more than a little pissed off. Scrambling to his feet, the young man aimed his pistol at the beast.

*CRACK* *CRACK* *CRACK*

Spike was only able to fire three shots before he had to start moving again. The beast just shrugged off the blows and kept charging, unhindered whatsoever. It wasn’t that the shots had missed their mark, the caliber of the bullet was simply too small to significantly injure the creature.

He cursed himself for not bringing a rifle instead. A few well-placed shots with one of those might have been able to kill the creature. Unfortunately, the only option he had at this point was to fire as many rounds into the beast as possible and hope that it would slow down enough for him to escape.

Only ten minutes had passed since the initial encounter, but it felt like an eternity to Spike. From what he could tell, the lumbering predator was beginning to slow down somewhat due to fatigue or blood loss. But it wasn’t enough. The stupid thing just kept coming.

Spike’s entire body burned from his exertions, screaming at him to stop and rest. Every ragged breath he took made him want to throw up. But he couldn’t stop. It would mean certain death if he did. For a mere moment, he happened to spot a steep gully ahead of him. If he could manage to lure the beast in there, all of his problems would be solved!

With a newfound surge of hope, Spike started running towards the gully. Now that he got closer to it, he realized it was quite a bit deeper than he first thought. The bottom must have been at least ten meters deep. A cold knot formed in his stomach. Even if anything survived such a fall, the rocks embedded in the ground below would make a mechanical injury nearly impossible to avoid.

Spike planted his feet along the edge of the gully, prepared to move a moment’s notice. It would take an incredible amount of luck and good timing to make sure that he didn’t fall along with the beast or get turned into dinner. Just as the beast started walking towards him, he heard a strange whistling sound accompanied by a meaty squelch.

To his astonishment, someone had shot an arrow into the beast’s eye. Since it had happened so fast, the creature did not yet realize it was dead. It took a few more steps, growled softly, and slumped onto the ground like a sack of potatoes.

Spike unabashedly wept like an infant, thanking whatever deities he could think of for sparing his life that day. The young man was so absorbed in his celebration that he failed to notice the hunter who felled the beast. When he finally noticed someone else was standing in front of him, it surprised him so much that he lost his footing and tumbled down into the gully below.

So much for being saved…