Spike wanted to leave the castle using the same path, but one problem appeared: guards gathered in one corridor, near the middle of the way out. There were only eight stallions, but dragon had to walk on the ceiling if he wanted to remain unnoticed. He didn’t want to waste his energy, so he chose the most simple way – to reach the exit using other corridors.
There were almost no patrols in them – only four soldiers, which were several hundred steps away from each other. Do not face them seemed to be the easiets task. But if there are only few guards, it doesn’t mean that watching will be less vigilant: among those four was, probably, the most particular guard in all divisions – Superior Sense. He wasn’t very good in training battles, but while on patrol he could easily replace whole brigade. Practice and training in Europonia and Eastern Kingdoms made his already well-developed senses even more susceptible. He was real live sensor, and he was able to compensate flaws of one sense organ with features of other. For example, during night watches, when he walked down dark corridors, he, unlike his friends, tried to hear, smell and feel the movement.
Spike didn’t know about this, so slowly walked as he usually did it. Superior Sense couldn’t see him, but he was able to feel. Wary guard felt weak vibration, and determined that its source was near. Judging by the characteristics of the waves, the source was rather big, and it moved – it looked just like a pony was walking near him. But he couldn’t see and hear anything. If so, then this one uses powerful magic, and he found a serious problem. But he isn’t so strong, he can’t deal with magician alone. He needs help.
And Superior Sense shouted.
He was found. There were no doubts: the only reason why this guard shouted was that he somehow detected him. Guards from all other corridors began to come running. Spike got frightened and ran away.
“What’s happening?” – exclaimed the first appeared soldier.
“There is a magician that uses invisibility spell in the castle!” – screamed Superior Sense and ran, - “We need to catch him! Run!”
Guard nodded and rushed follow him. Soon twelve other soldiers joined them. Spike looked back and shuddered: fourteen unicorns chased him! He won’t be able to hadle with all them, he have to scoot.
He accelerated, but didn’t break away: guards were trained and could run for a long time. And their loud clatter ponies could hear all over the castle. Spike did his best, used all powers of the device, but got no results – it took a lot of energy to be invisible and very fast at the same time. The distance didn’t change. Guards soon relaized that they won’t succeed if they will continue like this, so decided to use the hard way: they began to try to hit the runaway with magic blasts.
It was incredibly risky: their aim was invisible, and it’s very difficult to detect things exactly using only sounds. So blasts hit everything: they burned holes in carpets and singed the walls, broke windows and doors, damaged the paintings and split decorative ceramics. The noise was so loud that it made all other ponies get out of bed – from other guards till princesses. All ponies worried and wanted to know what is happening, so they rushed to the source of sounds.
When the fire was started, Spike, if he was visible, would became even more pale than sheet. But several little explosions that happened near him caused unexpected stimulating effect: he remembered that he’s able to teleportation now. Having cheered, he concentrated, but then one blast hit his neck. It was a miracle that he didn’t lose consciousness and didn’t fall down. But the salvo did its part: shift-suit was damaged. Spike lost almost all his energy and became visible – his silhouette that seemed to be made of smog was noticeable now.
Guards, having seen this, froze: blasts shouldn’t cause such reaction! They should neutralize the spell, but this… The thing what was before them now was manifestation of incredibly powerful magic, or wasn’t magic at all.
Spike, using this moment of confusion, ran away. Now, when he was weakened, he needed to gain some time. Fortunately, he got the possibility soon: having push away shocked keeper, dragon slammed himself into the repository of rare books.
Soon all guards-chased and about fifty other ponies, including princesses, were near the heavy door of repositary:
“Who gave the alarm?” – asked princess of the day.
“What is going on?” – exclaimed princess of the night.
“Intrusion, Your Highnesses.” – reported the senior officer, - “It’s a magician that uses powerful invisibility spell.”
“Hiding magician?”
“He is in this repositary?” – asked councillor.
“Yes.” – guards answered.
“Is he locked there?” – asked three shivering maids.
“Yes. This repository protected by special spell that doesn’t allow any teleportations, and it has no windows. This door is the only way in and out.”
“Will break?” – asked few guards.
“Wait!” – answered commander, - “This magician can do a lot of harm to us if we break in. We have to act differently: open this door slowly, and then we’ll send small group. If he will resist, we will move on.”
Other guards nodded and beagn to open the massive door.
Meanwhile Spike feverishly looked for way out. He felt that this repository was protected by spells, and he hasn’t enough energy even for small fight. Ideas zipped in his mind, but then, absolutely suddenly, he remebered one sci-fi story that he read few months ago – “Who Goes There?” It was about dreadful creature that terrorized one polar station and was able to take any possible appearance, but it wasn’t a changeling – comparing with that being changelings are noble creatures. Spike was dawned on: that’s it! He has to transform himself into a creature that will be able to break through. He imagined the figure and gave the order to shift-suit. He almost finished, when guards began to open the repository.
Black hole appeared before ponies. Darkness in it was so deep that made some ones to shudder. Guards looked at it, gulped and hesitantly stepped in. But only they entered…
Scary shadow jumped from the doorway to ceiling. Entering guards were knocked down. But other soldiers and princesses didn’t panic and lit the corridor with their magic.
The thing that appeared from the darkness made fifteen ponies to faint, and other to freeze with fear: the most terrible creature that they all, even princesses, saw in their lives – it had mutilated body that only remotely resembled a pony, with dozen of limbs, among which were ones with hooves and ones with clawed fingers, without ears, without eyes – there were only black pits instead of them – with wolf jaw, bald-pated. While ponies trembled, creature took the bag and… put it in its another mouth that appeared on its stomach. Some servants vomited. And beast, having shouted, dived into the dark.
Princesses and guards roused and rushed to catch it. Soldiers ran, alicorns flew up. And they all prepared to unleash their powers to smote the montser.
Dragon realized that he won’t be able to run away from every pony. Only chance was to do something really desperate.
The creature, clinging with its claws to ceiling, sharply accelerated, then jumped and… having broken the nearest window, swept above few small roofs and disappeared in the gloom.
Overwhelmed ponies stopped in few inches from the broken window. They weren’t able to say even a word and only looked at darkness. Only in several minutes they began to come to their senses.
In the morning Spike, rumpled and tired, returned to Ponyville. He approached the library and knocked on the door. Twilight got surprised, as her assistant promised that he will return full of energy, and when he presented her “The Luminary” tome, just was struck dumb. Little dragon explained everything: he said that he knowingly went to Canterlot to take the book, but because he missed the train, he had to wait for the next one. Pony came to her senses only after few minutes, and when she did it, she firstly keelhauled him, but then thanked her assistant.