//------------------------------//
// Whence Evil Comes Pt. 2 
// Story: On Call and Battle Ready 
// by Solum 
//------------------------------//

	Rise, princess...

Death is worth the witness. 

A chill woke Twilight from her slumber. Her eye lids were heavy and she could only stir from her resting place. Nothing registered to her but the throb pulsing from her horn. Her strength built as she began to panic. She fought hard to open her eyes. A horrified groan far from Twilight's recognition escaped her lips. The pain continued to beat at the front of her skull. This was bad, this was bad! She had to... GET...  UP... Another Another moan came out, her mouth would not form the words. 

Struggle, mortal. Your body fails you.

Her surroundings slowly came to her; she was laying on her side in the dark. Fetal position with her forehead soaking in a lukewarm goo. Where was she, what in the world happened?! She needed to get up, she couldn't. Her limbs barely responded. 

"...oooow..." She gasped. "unnng...!"

In her struggle, Twilight managed to flip herself over. She now laid face down in what she could only guess was her own blood. Too weak to move, she couldn't help but breath in the liquid. Blood. Get. UP...

Drink in the surrender... The return will only serve you harm.

She was drowning! Sickly warmth slid up her airway. Where was her strength?! She couldn't summon the will to lift her head from death. She couldn't die like this. She would not allow it! 

With the last of her stamina, she concentrated it. One of her wings grabbed the air and pushed against it. With the lift, Twilight found herself back on her side. Oxygen could now be felt, she choke and sputtered. Maybe she needed more sleep... She gave in and fell.

Your resistance impresses me, princess. But this nightmare will settle... and you will be consumed.





Spike slipped into some light armor as fast as he could and made his way to the back of the train. He kept his sword in his grip, no stopping to see it was continuously getting brighter. The back door of the caboose was approaching but before Spike could reach it, the handle turned and it swung wide open. 

"INCOMING!" Echo shouted mid-dive.

Spike instantly followed suit, hitting the floor for cover. With a split second to spare, a projectile tore through the back of the cab. It flew over the pair and landed with a thud behind Spike. He looked back to see a black steel ball and chain. The ball snapped loudly and sprouted jagged metal arms, the chain began to tighten.

"Move! MOVE!" Spike warned.

Echo looked up and saw the ball gain speed again. He rolled again, avoiding the sharp hooks as the device slammed into the back wall.

"FUCK!" Echo quickly got up but stayed low. He glanced at Spike. "Stay down! I need to find out who these fuckers are."

Spike nodded, he wasn't planning on standing up anytime soon anyways. In the back cab there was a private bar (if you got the train to yourself, you might as well roll in luxury). Echo peeped out from his cover and quickly ducked behind the bar. He found some hard cider a table cloth... All he needed. Echo crawled back to his spot for another glimpse of the pursuers. He followed the chain into the darkness. They were slowing the train down!

"They're closing in, Spike!" Echo lit the mollie and grinned. "Let's see how they handle the heat!"

With a grunt, Echo through the improvised molotov as hard as he could. The wind carried it to the target. The small trail of light exploded in the face of the attackers, illuminating the night sky.

"Holy. Shit."

Spike and Echo starred back at the army of changlings hovering overhead, all battle dressed and ready for blood. They were everywhere. The light from the molotov faded quickly, leaving the two blind and the enemy, once again, hidden.

Echo motioned to Spike. "Okay, let's just slowly-"

The shattering of glass and the whizzing of arrows cut through the air. 

"Fuck it! RUN, GUY!"

The two bolted to the front of the cab as it got pelted. Spike could only hope he didn't get hit. Pure adrenaline pumped through the dragon, so much so that he didn't realize the busted door under his feet. With Spike leading, the pair made it into the second train car. The arrows had stopped though, the car was silent. 

The train jarred as it suddenly lost speed. Spike tripped, flying face first into the front of the cab. Echo managed to cling to a nearby pole and steadied himself against the jolt. The lights flickered, the train shook and groaned.

"What was that?" Spike asked, trying to rub the pain off his face.

"I have no clue." Echo could feel the train slow further. "But I'm sure we'll know soon enough."





The conductor was puzzled, his engine never had problems before. The stallion looked at his speed again... Still dropping. Dammit, If he had to make a pitstop to fix this, he was going to be late. The Princess specifically told him that this cargo was imperative to national security. He couldn't be late, less he wants a sun goddess angry at him... he shuddered.

In the hope of speeding up the train; the conductor shoveled another load of coal in. He could hear the engine work harder, but still didn't accelerate... odd.

"I must say, you are a very honorable conductor." A voice hissed behind him. The stallion turned to see the dark silhouettes leaning in the doorway. "But we'll take it from here."





There was another jolt from the train, the screech of metal on metal. Echo's ears twitched.

"That's OUR brakes." He motioned towards the front of the train. "What does that conductor think he's doing!"

Spike turned to the door, opening it quickly. "Let's go! I got a plan."

Echo passed by Spike and into the next car. He looked back to see Spike standing over the connecting steel beams and rods. Spike took a deep breath in and spit hot fire out. The metal connections grew weak from the heat; with a quick swipe of his claws, Spike cut the dead weight from the rest of the train. The back cabs faded into the darkness as the changlings reeled in their empty catch.

Spike turned back to Echo and nodded. "Let's get this mission back on track."... He mentally face palmed at the pun.

Ugh... That was terrible.

"Right."

"Halt there, Dragon!" The pair's attention to a group of changeling soldiers with their bows raised. Spike's eye's wondered to a nearby coffee table, now he waited and hoped for a window of opportunity. "If you come peacefully, there won't be a need for... casualties." The soldier finished with a toothy smirk.

3...4... Shit, don't like the odds here.

Echo could sense the dragon thinking, he was going to make a move. He focused his vision and kept Spike in his peripherals.

Spike slowly raised his hands in surrender, trying to buy himself more valuable time. With the beat of his heart, the time crept. He heard not a word as the soldiers slowly approached. 

"That's it, keep those claws up!" They inches forward cautiously. "You too, bat!"

Echo complied, hoping Spike would make his move.

Mind went blank, Spike feels the track over him. The wheels contact with the metal rack.

Wait for it. One more step... Wait.

A screech rang out again, the car jolted once again. Mid-step, the soldiers were caught off guard and stumbled. Time flashed before Spike, he saw the table tipped slightly. Eye's went wide.

Thank you, lady luck.

With his new-found speed, Spike took to the air. Echo saw the advance and used the given momentum as well, bolting towards their attackers.

With one fluid motion, Spike flicked his tail up, taking the small table from it's spot and hurling it at the changelings. Recovering only to receive a face full of coffee table, the group found themselves on the floor. The leader, being the one who suffered the blow, was knocked out cold. The others looked up just in time to see an adrenaline-pumped dragon upon them.

Spike reached for one of them, lifting him as if he was weightless. He cried out as the claws dug into his collarbones. The changeling was quickly thrown out of a nearby, shattering window. Echo being close behind, pounced one the third soldier. Making him short work was easy, Echo's blade found a neck exposed.

Echo and Spike searched for the last enemy only to catch a glimpse of him escaping through the front of the train.

"Fire! Three down, fire!"

Echo spread his wings. "UP! Keep away from the windows!"

The pair zipped to the ceiling just in time. Another wave of arrows came down on the train cab, destroying the innards within seconds. Echo and Spike clung upside down to the roof, just out of the line of fire. They hung for dear life for a solid minute before there was a flash of green light.

"STOP!" A loud female voice screeched. "YOU IDIOTS!"

In a intant, the arrows seised. Spike blinked, listening closely. Echo did the same, confused on the halted fire. He looked back at Spike and pointed to the back exit of the train. Spike nodded in response, Echo's hand held up three fingers. With each bob, he counted down. On one they both soared. Shooting out of the back of the cab, they hoped for a swift escape.

Two big nets interrupted the thoughts. Spike and Echo caught the net with their wings and landed hard at the changeling's feet...