The weeks of training that followed until the winter were far more difficult than Indominus had thought. The dragon lord put him through grueling training that pushed his limits in every aspect of fighting. Every week Indominus was tested in a different aspect of fighting, Smaug wanted to make sure the dinosaur could cover everything about fighting so he would have more tactics and strategies. During the sessions, Smaug forbade the hybrid from transforming in order to focus on strengthening his body more. Also so Indominus wouldn't feel like he had to resort to using his transformed state if a battle got to be too much. He did however, let Indominus use his wings and the blasts to train for better flying and for controlling the amount of power used in each blast.
Indominus's first week with the dragons focused on utilizing every weapon he had in his arsenal. The dragons taught him not to just rely on his claws or blasts, he had to make use of all the tools he had been born with. The hybrid faced many dragons during that week and the matches were relentless, but he learned quickly. By the time the week had ended, Indominus was able to hold his own and fight against five dragons at once. It warmed Smaug's scaly heart to see how much progress Indominus was capable of making, and how he was developing into an incredible fighter.
The other weeks focused on Indominus's flight speed, his combat prowess and energy control. Smaug had seen that Indominus was fast during the gauntlet, but he seemed to have difficulty with the higher speeds. Indominus was taught not to push himself too hard while in flight, because if he couldn't control himself in the air or sustain his flight, it could wind up with crashing into the ground. The hybrid did appreciate what Smaug was trying to teach him, but that area of training was best suited for Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo.
Covering Indominus's prowess as a fighter was a training session that involved him and Smaug spending so much of the day brawling with each other. The two carnivores got swept up in the thrill of sparing with each other that they often forgot about time altogether. It would be pitch black by the time the dinosaur and dragon had had their fill of sparing with each other. They would cap off their sparing session with a night hunt and enjoy the other's company while they chowed down on well earned meat. Those moments of training were a rare time for Indominus and Smaug to bond with each other as mentor and pupil.
Controlling the amount of power being put into each blast was a difficult area for Indominus to learn. He was so used to pouring as much power as he could into his blasts, but Smaug showed him that would only wear him out faster.
"You must be able to concentrate a certain amount into each blast. Otherwise you're just wasting your energy on the hope that you can kill your opponent with a single attack. Controlling the amount of energy will allow you to last much longer in a brawl, while maintaining your dominance over your foe."
Smaug's teachings were simple and brilliant to understand, and Indominus learned quite well from each lesson.
Smaug didn't just train Indominus til his bones broke, he was a stern yet understanding teacher. Halfway through each week of training, the dragon lord would give Indominus time to relax in the lava baths, provide him with plenty of meat and always gave the right amount of encouragement. The dragon lord found that the more time he spent training Indominus, the more fond he was becoming of the hybrid. The dragon lord had finally found a creature that could handle his way of fighting and was making him more proud with each day.
When he wasn't training in the Dragon Lands, Indominus had to keep up under Rainbow's watchful eye. Smaug had given her the task of making sure her fiance didn't slack off on his training, so at the end of every week the dragon trio gave her Indominus's training regime for that week. She could teach Indominus in the training of flying better than Smaug could, but had to transform for the combat parts. Rainbow and Scootaloo offered their support and help in keeping Indominus on track, but didn't put him through nearly as much training. He needed some much needed rest every so often after the constant training and sparing that would prepare him for his winter duel.
On the month before the winter duel, Smaug had a special training in mind for Indominus: tapping into the power of the Immortal Phoenix. Since Indominus had already tapped into the power during the gauntlet, Smaug was sure it would be easier to use over time. He couldn't have been more wrong, Indominus had been unable to trigger it since the gauntlet. Smaug knew the form could only be triggered by tapping into a pure, animal rage. Yet despite how intensely he and Indominus spared in hopes of triggering it, they didn't get any luck. When their strongest punches collided they got a few flames, but no significant results.
There didn't seem to be any way of getting Indominus angry enough to trigger the transformation. Smaug had one idea left, but he was going to save it for Indominus's final test in the winter.
When the time finally came for Indominus's test, the dragons returned to Ponyville once again to take the group to the dragon lands. They all made sure to bring extra gear because none of them knew how cold the Dragon Lands were in the winter. Tyrannosaurus and the raptors had the auras up the whole way because the brisk, cold air was more than they could handle. When they reached their destination, it was clear just how extreme the winter was for dragons.
The wind felt 20 degrees colder and the dragons that couldn't survive the cold were frozen solid. The snow was blowing so wildly that it was near impossible to see anything ahead. It was an insane level of cold that only the most durable creatures could handle. The ponies huddled close to the dinosaurs as Smaug descended out of the air. He touched down in front of Indominus, who had the most determined look in his eyes ever.
"So Indominus, are you ready for your final test?"
"Yes Smaug, I'll take it and prove my worth to you at last."
Smaug smiled at his pupil's determination. "That's what I like to hear. Now follow me."
The dragon lord led Indominus onto a frozen, barren battlefield for the final test. There was parched snow covered ground and mountains in the background, it was a grand setting for the hybrid's last test. Dragons began gathering alongside the dinosaurs to see how Indominus would fare. Everyone heard Smaug call out over the wind to Indominus.
"This is your final task: you must beat me in a fight without transforming, and make me bow before you with a roar. Not just any roar, the roar of a true dinosaur and king. The only way to achieve it is to awaken the Immortal Phoenix. If you can't awaken that power within yourself, then you are not even fit to walk among the ponies."
Indominus knew that he had to find a way to trigger the transformation, but if he couldn't change during the fight, how could he pull it off? There was a way, he would just have to find it before the fight got the best of him. He heard cheering coming from the ponies, but there was only one voice that truly stood out to him.
"Show him why you're my fiance Indominus. Prove to all of the dragons why you are the best they'll ever see!"
Indominus gave Rainbow Dash a nod and turned back towards Smaug.
"This I swear to you Smaug, I will come out on top in this fight. I will not LOSE!!!"
"Then let your last test begin. NOW FIGHT!!!"
The carnivores bellowed massive roars and charged at each other. As they got closer, Indominus was already planning his first attack. Smaug was wondering what Indominus had planned as he closed in on his student. When they were within striking range Smaug lunged forward and tried to bite Indominus. The hybrid's counterattack was far different than what Smaug had expected.
Indominus fired a contained blast right in Smaug's face. The explosion sent the dragon reeling back, but he was able to stay on his feet. As he recovered from the attack, Smaug spotted Indominus lunging for him almost immediately afterwards. The dragon lord swung a fist out to stop him, but Indominus grabbed it and clamped down on the underside of Smaug's neck. Indominus had gotten himself at a perfect angle to attack Smaug, one which the dragon lord couldn't defend himself.
Indominus was too close to Smaug's body and with his neck in the hybrid's jaws the dragon lord couldn't maneuver for a clean shot. Because his arms were also his wings, they could only bend so far in and Indominus was too close for his free arm to reach. Smaug had to admit that Indominus was still surprising him, with a sneak attack and already drawing blood the hybrid was definitely a worthy creature. That didn't mean that Smaug was going to take it easy on him, he was the dragon lord for a reason and he was going to remind Indominus of it.
The hybrid noticed that Smaug's chest was lighting up, that meant Smaug was getting ready to unleash his fire. Even though Indominus had him by the underside of the neck, Smaug had a clear shot of the hybrid's back. If Indominus didn't move he would be blasted by the full force of Smaug's breath.
"Alright Untamable King, let's see you get out of this one."
Indominus reacted quickly by releasing his grip on Smaug's fist and neck and pushed himself off the dragon's body to put some distance between them. Unfortunately, Smaug was ahead of Indominus this time. As Indominus pushed himself off Smaug's body, the dragon used his free arm to seize the dinosaur by the leg and throw him into the ground. Smaug then pinned Indominus to the ground so there was no way for him to fly away.
The ponies on the sidelines were getting really nervous from seeing how Indominus was trapped. All except for Rainbow Dash, who was completely calm about the ordeal.
"Rainbow ain't ya in the least bit nervous about Indominus? He's about to be blasted in the face by Smaug."
"I'm not worried Applejack, because I helped train him for this moment. I know that Indominus can get himself out of this mess."
Applejack had never heard Rainbow put so much confidence and faith in somepony before. But Indominus was a very capable dinosaur, so Rainbow's faith in was more than justified, She then took notice that Indominus was concealing a blast within his mouth. It was only visible by small amounts of energy that were coming out of his mouth. Then the Mane Six watched as Smaug and Indominus opened their mouths and fired their blasts.
The attacks couldn't have been more than a few feet apart, and the explosion covered their bodies. Smaug was sent flying away as the smoke began to cover more of the area. He landed on his back as he recoiled from the force of the explosion.
"That was fast, how could he possibly block an attack that close? I was right in his face when I released the blast."
As the smoke began to fade, Smaug saw that Indominus's body was steaming. The attack had done some damage to him, he had just blocked the majority of the blast with his counterattack. As Indominus got back on his feet, he gave Smaug the first snide remark of his life.
"What did you think of that Smaug, am I becoming more than you expected?"
"What's this now, am I sensing an ego and some pride in you? I didn't think my attitude was rubbing off on you. I must admit that you're still surprising me Indominus."
The hybrid gave his mentor a smile from across the battlefield.
"It's because you're strong Smaug, I find that my toughest opponents bring out the best in me. Plus I thought using snide remarks in a fight could throw my opponent off their game."
"Well that is a good idea, but use them with the wrong fighter and you'll wind up in a world of hurt. Besides, you're still a long shot from beating me. Remember, you needed your fiance's help to bring me down last time." Smaug had his own bag of retorts to use, after all two could play this kind of game.
"Oh don't worry, I've trained to prove myself to you. I'll show you just how much stronger I am."
Good, cause I'm just getting started, Smaug thought to himself.
Then Smaug took two leaps and went airborne, Indominus unfurled his wings and gave chase after the dragon. In the blinding snow and strong wind it would've been impossible to spot Smaug in the sky. However, Indominus had been born with a very unique perk: being able to sense the heat signatures of other animals. So even with the snow blocking his normal vision, his thermal detection allowed him to see Smaug's body clearly against the elements.
Smaug turned back and saw the hybrid was still chasing him, and gaining ground. The dragon let loose a torrent of flame at Indominus and waited to see what the dinosaur would do. Indominus fired a blast of his own and it countered the attack. Smaug waited for Indominus to appear from within the smoke, but there was nothing after the smoke had cleared. Indominus had disappeared and Smaug knew that he was using his camouflage to try and ambush the dragon lord.
Smaug scanned the sky, trying to spot the hybrid's movements in the air. With the snow falling Indominus should've been given away, yet Smaug couldn't spot him or hear him. The sound of his wing beats couldn't even be heard and it had Smaug wondering how Indominus was managing to stay so quiet in the air.
Then all of a sudden.
"SURPRISE!!!"
Smaug felt teeth clamp down on the back of his neck and his arms were being held back. The dragon lord was plummeting toward the ground with Indominus on his back, weighing him down and restricting his flight. Indominus had flown above the explosion, glided in the air so Smaug couldn't hear him and successfully ambushed the dragon. Now they were falling back towards the snow covered ground, but Indominus had something else in mind. As they got closer to the ground, Indominus began charging more energy in his jaws.
When they were close enough to the ground, Indominus bellowed out, "see how you like this one?"
He fired a powerful blast at Smaug and flew back as he released it. Smaug was sent speeding right into the ground and collided with a mountain of snow. When he resurfaced the dragon looked back at his prodigy.
This isn't going anywhere, he's just using fancy moves and clever tactics. He'll never awaken the power of the Phoenix like this. I didn't want to do this, but it looks like I'll have to get him angry myself.
Smaug burst from the snow angrier than ever. He looked at Indominus with a fiery glare in his eyes and spoke with a deep voice that could've been mistaken for Death's tone.
"Is this how you intend to win this fight? Using all these fancy moves and not fighting me like the dinosaur that I faced in the gauntlet? Maybe it was a mistake to train you if THIS is how you're going to fight me."
That last statement got under Indominus's skin, it had been so long since someone had called him a mistake. Smaug could see a red glare in the hybrid's eyes and knew he was getting close to bringing out Indominus's inner fury. As the hybrid began walking towards Smaug, he responded with his own deep tone.
"I am no mistake. I'm the Untamable King, Indominus Rex. I'm not afraid to fight you like a true dinosaur, I will fight you tooth and claw and nothing else. If that's how you want this battle to go down, then so be it!"
Indominus put away his wings and charged towards Smaug with ferocity in his heart. The moment they met each other head on, both dinosaur and dragon went into a flurry of punches and slashes. They had disregarded their flight and blasts completely, and were just throwing punches at each other as hard as they could. Indominus was putting all his strength into each punch, and every attack produced more golden flame as his fists collided with Smaug's.
This pleased the dragon lord, knowing that he was on the right track in getting Indominus to awaken his potential, but it still wasn't enough. Brute force wasn't cutting it, even with both of them angry as possible, or so Smaug thought. Then he remembered how Indominus had protected Rainbow Dash so many times during the gauntlet, and then a horrible idea popped into his mind. He realized that the only way for Indominus to awaken the power of the Immortal Phoenix, was to attack the one pony that Indominus cared so much for. Such action would push Indominus's anger over the edge and awaken the power within him.
It was a risky plan, but Smaug didn't have any other choice. After he and Indominus separated from their fists colliding, he called out to the spectating dragons.
"DRAGONS! GRAB RAINBOW DASH AND HOLD HER FOR ME!"
The dragons obeyed Smaug's word and seized Rainbow Dash before she could transform. Scootaloo tried to help her, but the dragons outnumbered her and captured her as well. T-Rex and the raptors were surrounded by the others and couldn't move in to help their family. The Mane Six could only look on in horror as Smaug began charging towards Rainbow Dash. Indominus tried to stop him but Smaug just smacked him aside and continued dead ahead.
Smaug was almost within striking range when Indominus stood right between him and the captured ponies. The hybrid stood his ground and held Smaug's fists as the dragon lord continued to press further ahead. Indominus didn't understand why Smaug was suddenly resorting to lashing out with anger and going after the ponies.
"Why are you doing this Smaug? What have they ever done to you?"
"I'm going to do whatever it takes to make you angry and bring out your full power. If your family ends up dead in the process, then you can blame yourself for being so stubborn."
Indominus was hoping that he didn't just hear Smaug threaten his girl's life.
"You did not just say that."
Smaug continued to push Indominus back more as he was getting closer to reaching Rainbow Dash.
"So what if I did, it's not like you have the power to stop me. I'm going to slaughter your whole family, and you won't be able to do a thing about it."
Smaug was about to regret saying the few words Indominus hated to hear. The dragon lord suddenly found that he wasn't moving and couldn't push Indominus back any further. He then saw that more golden flames were starting to form around Indominus, and the hybrid hadn't done anything to trigger them. Suddenly Smaug found himself losing ground and was being forced back despite trying to fight against Indominus.
"You dare say that you will kill the pony I love more than anything!?" The deadly tone coming from Indominus sent chills down Smaug's spine. He had no idea what rage he had awakened within Indominus. "How dare you. HOW DARE YOU!!!!"
Suddenly Smaug felt himself being lifted off the ground and thrown with the strength of a thousand dragons. Indominus felt himself boiling over with anger and it was threatening to take over him. He was going to tear Smaug apart for making a threat against his family, but a voice brought his reason back.
"Remember Indominus, you can do this. Don't let Smaug tell you otherwise. You are my fiance and one of Scootaloo's saviors, there's nothing you can't accomplish."
"Thank you Rainbow Dash," Indominus said to himself before he threw his head into the sky and bellowed a roar that shook everything around him.
Lightning streaks burst from within his body and were arching in all directions. He had found a power greater than what Rainbow Dash had given him, and everypony was witnessing it firsthoof. Smaug watched in shock as golden flames came from within the hybrid's body and began to envelop him. The flames were also spreading out in shock waves, going over anything that was in their way. As his body began undergoing its new transformation, Indominus turned around to face the dragons that were holding Rainbow and Scootaloo.
"Let. Go. Of. My. Girls. NOW!!!! " The dragons immediately let go of the pegasi and backed away trembling at the authority in the transforming dinosaur. With his girls safe, Indominus turned his attention back to the dragon that had made the threat against their lives in the first place.
Smaug was stunned at the magnitude of power Indominus was emitting. The hybrid's wings unfurled and the gold flames instantly covered them. Indominus was being enveloped by the inferno, thousands of fiery tongues licking at his body and filling him with incredible power. The dragon lord had underestimated Indominus's rage, and now the dinosaur was going to kill him. Smaug immediately released a long torrent of flame as Indominus exploded off the ground mid-transformation, and bolted forward.
The fire breath flowed over the dinosaur, but it didn't even slow him down. Indominus was plowing through Smaug's blaze as if he didn't even feel the attack. Smaug continued to pour on the fire until he saw a clawed hand covered in golden fire come out from within the blast and smack him across the face. The force from that one attack sent Smaug reeling and drove his head into the ground. As he got up the dragon lord was paralyzed as he caught sight of Indominus's transformation as the dinosaur stepped out of the flame.
His body was covered completely by the golden fire, there wasn't a scale to be seen on him. Not even his eyes were visible, only glowing red patches were where his eyes should've been. The falling snow evaporated the moment it made contact with the flames. It looked like his entire body was made of golden fire, he no longer looked like a dinosaur. Indominus had finally become what Smaug had seen within him: the Immortal Phoenix was born. The transformed hybrid walked in front of Smaug and spoke in a demonic voice.
"You shouldn't have threatened my girl, now you'll see what happens to those who hurt my family."
Smaug felt his whole world turn on its head as Indominus punched his face with enough force to send the dragon lord crashing into a mountain. The attack happened so fast that Smaug didn't have time to react. All the spectators had wide eyes and dropped jaws at the unbelievable display. As Smaug got up from the attack he noticed something peculiar about Indominus.
The dinosaur seemed to be battling the anger within himself and trying to stay in control. He had experienced so much anger and now he was doing his best to keep it from getting control of his mind. The dragon lord had to commend Indominus for his perseverance and not let the rage control him.
"Excellent work Indominus. Now let's see what you can do as the Immortal Phoenix."
The carnivores flew back into their fighting frenzy, only this time it was far more intense. Indominus was punching at a faster rate than before and could easily block all of Smaug's blows without any trouble. The golden fire covering his body had enhanced all of his potential and made into a fighter beyond anything Smaug had encountered. Indominus was truly giving his best and Smaug was loving every minute of it.
The spectators couldn't make out much, all they could see were the lightning strikes and flashes of gold flames coming from Indominus's attacks. Rainbow was still amazed at how Indominus had transformed and the great creature he had become. This great dinosaur was going to be part of her life and she would get to see him in action with this new gift more often.
"Go Indominus! Kick his tail!"
The transformed hybrid seemed to hear Rainbow's cheer because he broke Smaug's flurry of punches and nailed an uppercut on his head. Indominus instantly followed up by grabbing Smaug's mouth, pulling his head in and nailing a right hook across his face. The dinosaur exploded off the ground and gave chase, easily catching up with the reeling dragon and catching him by the back of the head in his mouth. Without wasting a minute Indominus used Smaug's momentum to spin him around and throw him clear across the battlefield.
Indominus's speed and agility were far greater than when he fought Smaug in the gauntlet. While Smaug was still reeling from all the swift attacks, Indominus began dealing a wide array of fiery slashes and bone breaking blows. Smaug was helpless, against Indominus's fury he couldn't strike back at all. Indominus's new transformation had completely turned the tables on Smaug and now the dragon lord was getting what he had wanted.
Indominus finished his round of attacks by kicking Smaug into the sky and zooming past him. The spectators lost sight of them for a moment, but gasped in horror as a giant golden blast rained down from the air, with Smaug on the receiving end. The blast exploded into a flurry of fireballs and expanding flames as it made contact with the ground. When the fireworks died out, Smaug was lying face down in the dirt and steam was pouring off his body.
The dragon lord had one hand on his face as he struggled to get back up. He didn't think Indominus would reach a level of such an extreme caliber. He knew the Immortal Phoenix would make Indominus strong, but he never imagined that Indominus would be able to exceed him and render him unable to fight back. It was a rare moment for the dragon lord, he never expected to come across a creature that could outclass him entirely. However, he didn't have time to dwell on it as the golden dinosaur landed in front of him.
"Now to finally finish my test and prove myself."
Smaug knew what Indominus was talking about and prepared himself for the roar that was going to be heard. He had no idea how much power Indominus's roar had until it escaped his jaws. The roar had so much magnitude that it shook the entirety of the Dragon Lands. All the dragons felt their bodies trembling and were forced into bowing. Smaug felt his own body tremble under the power and authority in the dinosaur, and was shocked as his own body was brought into submission by Indominus Rex.
Indominus Rex, the Untamable King, had completed Smaug's task and had truly defeated the Dragon Lord. Everypony was applauding for Indominus and the hybrid had a delighted smile on his face after having proven his worth to all of the dragons. Indominus could see a happy and extremely proud smile on Rainbow's face. He couldn't wait to hear what she had to say now that he was finished with his training. But first there was his mentor who had some praise of his own to give.
As Smaug got back up he too was applauding his prodigy. The dragon lord extended his arm to Indominus and despite the golden flames still surrounding him, Indominus gladly shook his mentor's hand now that he had won.
"Congratulations Indominus, you truly are my prodigy. I'm sorry about everything that I did during the fight, it was the only way I could bring out the Immortal Phoenix inside you."
Now that Indominus understood his mentor's methods, his frustrated mind relaxed.
"I see, well next time try to let me know ahead of time. If Rainbow hadn't given me some much needed encouragement I could've killed you."
"If you had known beforehand, you wouldn't have gone to such a degree to protect your girl. I'm amazed at how you've turned out because of it. This is the very same form that I've only seen one other time."
Now that the fighting was over, Indominus finally got a good look at his newfound power. Seeing the golden flames covering his body was startling at first, but he still liked how wicked he looked. It was so bizarre to see his body flowing with such power and to have control over it. One thought occurred to him that had him concerned, how was he going to change back?
"Uh Smaug, how am I going to change back?"
"You have to relax and allow the anger to seep out of your mind. Once your mind is calm and no anger is present, the flames will part away."
"I'm not good with that."
"I can help with that." Indominus and Smaug turned to see Rainbow Dash walking towards them, having increased her size and ready to help her fiance.
"Rainbow I'm not sure it's a good idea for you to be around me while I-" Indominus was cut off as Rainbow put her wing to his mouth. The flames didn't burn her at all, they felt very warm against her fur. Despite how Indominus looked, she wasn't afraid because Rainbow knew Indominus was still the same dinosaur that had helped save her and Scootaloo so many months ago.
"Let me help you as you've helped me Indominus. Now brace yourself big boy."
Indominus was taken aback as Rainbow Dash went and kissed him on the mouth. He hadn't expected her to be so bold, but he didn't care as his eyes closed from the warmth of his girl's kiss. The Mane Six were still marveled by how Rainbow Dash wasn't afraid to show her feelings around Indominus, but were shocked as the flames began to leave the hybrid's body. Her love was soothing Indominus's mind, and before long the golden flames had completely parted from her lover's body.
Unfortunately for Indominus, he nearly doubled over from exhaustion after he had changed back. Rainbow laid his head on her back to keep him from falling over, Smaug and the others rushed over to check Indominus and make sure he was ok.
"What's happening, why do I feel so weak?"
"Your body spent quite a bit of energy during the time we were fighting Indominus. It seems that while the form protects you from pretty much any attacks, it also drains your body of energy. I think it would be wise for you to practice with the form and limit how much time you spend using it. But only after you've given your body time to recover after this fight. After that I'll be looking forward to seeing you back here again."
Indominus's head perked up when he heard Smaug.
"You mean, you still want me to come back here? I thought that once the test was over I wouldn't be needed around here anymore."
Smaug brought his head alongside Indominus's and looked into the eye of his student.
"Indominus, you are my prodigy now. While you aren't required to come back, you are always welcome to seek me out for advice. There is still plenty about the Immortal Phoenix that you're not aware of, and that is where your next level of training will be. Now that you have obtained the Immortal Phoenix, you must learn to master and control it."
"Consider it done Smaug, I will continue to remain your prodigy."
The dragons all roared in great cheer, grateful that Indominus would continue to learn under their guide. With his test complete, Indominus and the others began making their way back to Ponyville. After the dragons had treated the dinosaur to some well deserved meat for all the work he had put into his training. On the way back Rainbow insisted on helping Indominus since his body was still drained, but by the time they were halfway home Indominus was feeling strong enough to walk on his own.
Training with the dragons, becoming the Dragon Lord's prodigy and gaining a new power, all just another part of Rainbow and Indominus's bonding over the year until they would be married. There would be plenty more adventures for the dinosaurs to have, and they had all the time in the world to explore them.