Dark Magic

by newHelm

In These Wars

Spike stood next to Macintosh and Shining Armor. They were on the edge of the Crystal Empire, in the snow, with their armor on. Spike turned towards the white unicorn in gold armor. "I don't like this plan." He tightened his grip on his machete till his knuckles popped. "It's too risky."

Shining Armor slumped his shoulders. "I wish we had more options, but in a straight fight, we'd get murdered. Tactic is something we have that they don't. The drakos are too strong, and the small force they have barrels through our ranks. Plus most of my troops are green at this sort of thing. I mean, not all of us are skilled enough to even learn how to use a sword. If only we had an army of your unit, this would be a breeze."

With a stoic face, the drakos turned to his commander. "Even members of my squad die Shining. Has the rank of general dulled your memory?"

Shaking his head, he grimly replied. "No, I could never forget the ponies I lost." Hope crept into his voice. "But with ponies like you and your team, maybe one more gets to go home to his wife."

Laughing, Spike elbowed him. "What about rugged good looking bachelors like me? I ain't got a wife."

It was Shining Armor's turn to laugh. "From what I hear, one day you might. Make it back to them alive." He raised a hoof to the drakos. "Good luck soldier."

Spike placed his fist on the hoof. "You too general. Bring our men home. There's not enough Spike to comfort all those mares."

Rolling his eyes, Shining laughed. "There's not enough Spike for one mare. Now get outta here you sly devil."

"Yes sir." Spike gave a smile and a nod before running off.

A small burst of green fire blew out of Spike's mouth. He used the fire to warm his hands before rubbing them together. Looking up, he found himself face to face with Macintosh's wide, glaring eyes.

With a roll of his eyes, he looked over at their third companion, Burns. Spike hung his head as he realized he was surrounded by not one, but two silent ponies.

Macintosh tapped his shoulder and pointed at the board above them. Spike grinned as he looked at the snow around him. He was glad to be getting out of the infernal frozen crystals.

"Now!" With a roar and yell, they sprung up from the hole. Looking around, they saw the rear of the drakos formation as well as many ponies jumping out of similar holes in the ground.

Spike mumbled a hope. "Good luck. Hope it works." He took notice that all of the drakos either were black, dark purple, or dark green. Black magic embedded.

Burns turned the drakos around and pointed to a small hill. Sombra stood atop the hill with three purple drakos. Coming towards them were five green and the black drakos with red spines, the duke, Spike's rival. "I got the duke, keep the others off me." The two ponies nodded as they all charged.

The duke and Spike meet first. Blades clashed as Spike swung his machete and the duke raised his large battle ax. Without wasting his momentum, Spike stabbed his tail into the ground and kicked with both feet. Once his opponent lost his balance, he went to strike. He saw a blade come at his head, and didn't flinch. In an instant, Macintosh's blade shot out and deflected it.

He trusted his team to have his back. Even if they died there, it would be protecting each other or fulfilling their mission. None of them expected to die, but knew they could.

Spike leapt at his foe, blade raised, and meet the flat of the ax. Machete pushed on ax, trying to gain force. A purple tail shot out and wrapped around the base of the ax just as a black tail caught a purple leg. They both yanked, sending them both reeling back. Spike rolled and landed on his legs and a claw, and noticed his foe had done the same. They meet in the middle, blades clashing over and over.

Finally it came to an end. The two were locked bladed when the duke roared at Spike. Big mistake because as soon his jaws opened, Spike let loose his fire straight down his throat. The duke dropped his ax and clutched his throat, his other claw swiped at Spike. A purple arm blocked the claws as the machete pierced the drakos' chest.

The duke fell to the ground, disbelief in his eyes. Spike looked down at the foe he had fought so many times. They both shared scars from their battles. Sorrow filled Spike as a single tear fell down his cheek. "Why?"

The duke grinned before coughing. He managed to reply in a gravelly voice. "My father and your mother were weak. Peace and love are meaningless. My father was strong enough to destroy all of his enemies, but he sparred them. Had he killed me when I opposed him, he would still live. Your father would still live and we would have been brothers, soaked in the blood of our enemies. You are weak to defend these puny ponies, but at least you kill your opponent, unlike my father and your dirt of a mother." He let out a laugh, and continued to do so as his eyes dulled. He laughed even still as his voice lowered. He only stopped when his body finally lost all life.

With a mighty roar, Spike screamed to all. "This war is over! Equestria has won!"

All ponies and drakos turned to look at the scene. The pony army cheered at the victory as the drakos chuckled.

With a swirl of his cape, Sombra disappeared from the hill and appearing in front of Spike. "Not quit baby dragon. That is what you believed you were when last we meet?"

With a snarl, Spike swung his blade at the dark pony.

The blade stopped in dark purple and green magic. "Temper temper your majesty."

"I killed the duke. I am also the heir of the drakos throne. Heed my words Sombra. The war is over."

"Not quite young drakos. Shadowfang and his dark magic embedded descendants are the rulers of the Wastelands. Not just his some pony in scales from his lineage. Drakos, attack!" With that, the war resumed.

Spike gaped at the battle. "But their law states-"

"Just what I said. I may not be blood, but my magic is descended from the evil king's. They are warriors and killers. Did you really think they would follow the likes of you? A scaly pony. I, on the other claw, heh, am a furry drakos. More evil in my hoof than most of them also. The only being on the world close enough to the marvel their true king is. Now time to die your majesty." With a pull of his magic, Sombra had the blade and went to jam it into Spike's chest.

Quick as lighting, Macintosh's blade slammed the machete down as his shoulder mounted blade pierced the evil king's side. The large red pony grabbed the purple drakos and threw him over his shoulder. Burns followed close behind, Spike's machete in his teeth.

Sombra yelled out after the retreating trio. "No matter! You cannot kill me with such useless tools! Oh, and Traitorous King, I have the Elements of Harmony. See you soon!" With a swirl of his cape, he vanished.

Spike jumped off of his friend and retrieved his blade. "Thanks, I'm going to check up on the girls, you stay and help Shining defeat these guys."

Macintosh nodded as him and Burns veered off towards the battle. Spike lowered to all fours and ran through the battle. He didn't pause in his sprint. He would slice at one or two of the drakos as he ran through, but it never slowed him. "Sombra, you had better hope you're wrong. Cause if not, I'll kill you in the most excruciating way possible." He ran, not even knowing it was to late already.

Rarity stood in the throne room with Cadence and her friends. Guards filled the room, including the remaining ponies from Spike's squad.

She noticed that private Brass stayed close to Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy, keeping a close eye on the mourning pegasus. Off by the two princesses stood Flash Sentry, a pony who had a certain twinkle in his eye when he looked at the purple alicorn. She smiled as she saw these possible futures and the hope they brought. Fear had gripped her this entire time, but she stood up and decided it was time to face it, figuratively of course.

She smiled as she focused on Bumble once again try and approach Applejack as she spoke with Pinkie Pie and Twilight. So focused was she, she failed to notice Cliphoof standing next to her. "Hello there miss, mind if an old pony chats with you?"

Jumping, she turned to the stallion next to her. "Not at all, but first find me an old pony."

Laughing hard, he rubbed a tear from his eye. "Thanks for the compliment, but I am more than twice your age."

"That is still not very old, I am still quite young."

"Well I've been in the guard since I was able, and war makes you older everyday."

"You seem to be in good health, how does it make you older, if wouldn't mind my asking."

"No, don't mind miss. I was told about your dad, how's it feel when you think a him."

Head and eyes lowered, her hoof touched her chest. "Like somepony is crushing my heart under their hoof. It gets better every day, but there is a heavy sorrow that never leaves."

His hoof gently rested on her back. "I understand. My paw died just a few years back, maw even longer. War is filled with that feeling as well. These ponies, and a certain drakos, all become like brothers. We don't even have to know or like each other but we're all brothers. We don't always get along, and some are just plain prissy." He coughed and let out a not so subtle. "Wonderbolts. Anywho, but only a brother gets to pick on a brother. Sometimes in war though, brothers die, and it hurts like hell. We see gruesome things and have to live with them. Blood tends to stay on our hooves, even years after water washes it away. And don't forget we do some horrid things and have to live with the knowledge that," He ran a hoof through his mane. "something's not goin home to their families, and it's our fault."

She was shaking. Her nerves were on edge and she bit her lip to keep it from quivering. "Why tell me all of this?"

"Cause captain Macintosh has family to go back to, and will go back to. Captain Spike, on the other hand, feels undeserving, and he's gonna need somepony on those quiet nights. I know that if it wasn't for my wife, I would've jumped off the nearest cliff first chance I had. Glad I didn't, wouldn't have seen my kids grow up."

"You think Spike would.... you know?"

"Probably not like that, no. He likes the sound of his own voice too much. But there's other ways to kill yourself."

Steel entered her eyes. "Well he will not be doing anything of the sort! Even if I have to drag him home and lock him in a basement!"

Cliphoof laughed loudly, earning himself a few stares. "Good on ya girl. Good luck. Oh, just thought you should know. Brass over there, he has family over y'alls way. Look after him over there if you can, all y'all."

Rarity smiled as she looked at the night blue pony trying to cheer up her sky blue friend. That is until he reared up playfully, and found an arrow in his side. Screams echoed throughout the room as Rainbow Dash clung to the bleeding pony.

The world became fuzzy around Rarity. She had her hooves over her head as she laid on the ground, Cliphoof over her. She noticed all the guard ponies running around, spears and arrows went out the windows in retaliation to the incoming array of weapons and rocks. A crystal guard pony fell in front of her, an arrow sprouting from his neck. Her eyes could not leave the body as she speedily backed away, straight into a scaly belly.

She spun around, expecting to find a familiar light purple and green, but her cry of joy turned into a scream of terror. Standing in front of her was practically an army of drakos warriors.

The one she had backed into grabbed her and slung her over his shoulder. His gravely voice reaked of hate and malice. "I've got this one! Hurry with the others!"

As she was rushed out of the room, she managed to she princess Cadence ushered out a passage in the back which relieved her, and a drakos bury his sword into Cliphoof's chest, which horrified and sickened her.

He dragged her out into the streets of the empire and landed with a thud as the brute tossed her. Glancing up, she saw a face she had not wanted to see so soon, nor in these circumstances. Sombra sneered as her grabbed her face. "Hello my little pony. We will have much fun, as I rip you to pieces before your precious drakos friend."

Comments

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good story my dude