Spike gulped as he entered the dragon lands with Ocellus, hippogriff and griffin. He wasn't certain about what he'd find there but he knew he had to take care of it. If he was going to be honest? He wished one or more of the girls were there to help him. But he also didn't want to put the girls at risk. Less of all Rarity. Taking a breath he turned to his team. "Ok. We need to stay together and keep an eye out for trouble." The others nod in understanding. Turning the group made their way for where they thought the source of the local threat was.

It didn't take the group long to come across a pit where Spike remembered meeting the dragon lord for the first time. This time, there was what looked like a line of a hundred black zombie eyed dragons looking right at them. Gulping, Spike's fear became true as one with what some would consider hair over his eyes stepped forward. "Sorry. But we have orders to either kill or capture you." He laughed before licking his lips. "Then again. You can always give yourself up to her horde."

Spike blinked and scratched the side of his head as Ocellus looked at him in concern. "I hope that doesn't mean that we have to fight Chrysalis."

"I don't think so… but I have a bad feeling I know who it does mean." He replied. "Let me speak to her!" He called.

"Give up and you can. Or we'll decide your fate." The dragon replied. With a sigh from Spike the two groups charged at each other as Spike's team made a path for him. Sadly that meant that as he looked back. He saw the griffin get decapitated. Not seeing any other option Spike ran for the next area.

Smolder's cave
The dragon lord sat in her throne and looked out at her collection of gems as a yak stomped on a dragon that Smolder admittedly didn't mind seeing in pain. Taking a deep breath she sighed before looking over at the strange undead thing that had taken over her homeland. "What's the matter? You look like you just got a pike shoved up your tail hole." She laughed.

"It seems our fo has arrived. And targeted our comrades." It hissed.

"You scared?"

It grinned back at her as a slab of flesh fell from its face. "Not at all. In fact. Our friends are fighting as we-."

"EMBER!!!" Spike called as he slid to a stop, causing all eyes to turn to him. "Please. End this madness."

"I… can't. " She sighed as the pony thing laughed.

"Oh look. Looks like our fo decided to come face us as well." It turned to the yak. "What do you say, wrath?"

"Yak… SMASH!!!!" The yak called charging at Spike and slamming him into the wall. "Yak is best host for smashing." It got on its hind legs and grinned down at Spike. "Be good and let me smash you. Or yak will have slave smash cute dragon." It laughed as a large dragon stepped out and started over Ember.

Spike twitched in pain looking over at Ember before clenching his fist. "Just a little longer." He hissed through the pain.

Back in Canterlot Dungeon
Phoenix smiled as he took a deep breath. "Just a little bit longer." He said softly.

Celestia looked over at him blinking. "For what?" She asked as a once smiling stallion she knew served them dinner in chains. "I wish there was a way I can do something for my subjects,for ones. Other than signing papers." She huffed.

"You give them strength far more than you know." He replied. "If you give in then so will they." He smiled and picked a gem from his applesauce. "And if they keep fighting." He tucked it in his sleeve. "We have a chance."

Taking a deep breath she looked to her subject and smiled at seeing the spark of hope was still hidden behind his tired eyes. "Yes. We must stay strong. As I shall be their pillar, so they are mine as well." Taking a deep breath she started to eat as the stallion slid a pill over to Phoenix as he walked away.

A quick chapter with a hint to the final conflict... that is all... I can't think of anything to add. Lol