~ 97 ~
"Can I Trust You to Escort the Others If I Distract the Dragon?"
A green light throbbed from inside the black sculpture. At first, the flashes of light went unnoticed, until it's brilliant intermittent flashes could be dismissed no longer by the tearful eyes. The ponies looked at the green light, recoiling slightly as every flash was brighter than the last, as the heat emitted burned against the black goo surrounding the wrist.
The light reached the apex of its intensity, sending the black liquid splattering in different directions and momentarily blinding those around. It took a few moments, of waiting for the overbearing whiteness to fade from their vision and the hearing of distant panting, but when they ponies could see again, they set their sights upon Spike again.
He looked back at them in equal confusion. A green-forcefield of energy surrounded his body just a few inches away from his scales, its source coming from bright light emitting from inside his wrist
“Have you already forgotten about our contract?”
“Count!” Spike cred in relief, looking intently into the light, despite the fact it was burning his eyes. He blinked, before finally looking down his body. “I knew you said you would be joining me on my travels, but I had no clue you could still use your power while inside me.”
“Only a sliver of it, my dearest dragon,” the voice simply oozing sophistication said, making the drake smile as the magic faded from around his body. “I inhabit the residence of your being. Therefore my presence itself repels that which tries to take my place. But my power remains locked away, unless you’re willing to say those two magic words.”
Spike cracked his neck left, then right, never taking his eyes away from the black tendrils shooting toward him. He fell into a fighting stance, both his wrist alight in a green glow. “Let’s hope it doesn’t come down to that.”
The tube of the tendril expanded outward as liquid surge through its length, its end opening up to let pour the liquid over the platform. It fell to the ground, before erecting upward in the form of a black Spikes.
“That makes four of them,” Count’s voice came from within the purple wrist, its owner focusing on the four dragons walking in tandem closer toward him. “Do you believe yourself competent enough to take them out?”
Spike burst forward in a dash, throwing back his fist into the air, before striking it downward into the black dragon. His claw traveled through the goo, and came out the other side.
The dragon turned its head to smile at his failed attack, only to notice how the drake was laughing. The green light came alive from his wrist, currently inside the black dragon as the energy destroyed its entire being.
Then there was a hissing sound. Spike looked to his left to feel a black fist descend heavily upon his cheek, the impact of the attacking causing him to stumble a few feet back, before charging forth with a green glowing claw.
The black drake at the same tacit in mind, sending his other claw to meet the fist, as the two met in the middle. There was some resistance, but Spike’s glowing fist cut through the black liquid like a hot knife through butter – the green glow dissipating the very liquid itself as it plunged into the black drakes core.
...and let out yet another blast of energy.
“Spike, behind you!”
The drake felt the shadow of the thing come over him, rolling leftward just as another black drake had tried to bring his combined black fists upon his back. Once out of harm’s way, Spike twirled around, transferring the green glow down to his leg, as he discharged a kick into the goo’s chest – transferring the energy and causing the black dragon to explode in a great splatter.
“Looks like I’m still a little rusty,” Spike said as he brought his leg back down, looking to his finaly black clone. Just as he was about to make his move, one of the fellow guards had decided to make it for him.
With his sword raised in the air by the blue aurora of his magic, the guard brought the blade down upon the black liquid. Repeatedly. “Do you think that we ponies are going to give up that platform so quickly. After everything we did to take it back from that dragon!”
The latest slash manged to slice straight to the construction core, the path that had been created filling back with black liquid, as the weapon itself was sucked inside the dragon. Its pull was too strong, causing the unicorn to cease his magic, and instead cock his hoof.
Spike quickly rose a claw. “Don’t do it!”
“Keep your trap shut, drago—AH!” The hoof was successful in piercing into the liquid, only it suckled upon his arm, and pulled his body into the liquid. The unicron try to pull away, to summon his magic and to call for help, but before he could open his mouth, his entire body was pulled into black blob.
Spike breathed a heavy breath, the image of being eaten alive burning into his mind, but he quickly shook his head. In a flash he dashed forth, watching how the liquid coalesced around the unicorn's body and took his form, as its blank black eyes set upon him.
Then, he saw a black aurora surrounded the base of the unicorn’s horn, as the same sword from before shot out from the liquid. Spike’s breath caught in his throat, the pools of his eyes reflecting the glint of the blade.
The ponies watched on. Some guards went to charged forth, but were stopped by an outstretched orange hoof. They looked to its owner, only to see a head shaking no.
Spike raised his wrist at the last second, the green glow far too weak to repel a physical instrument as it cut through its field of magic and into the purple scales. The drake winced, before twisting his body slightly, and raising the fist of his other claw.
The ponies watched with baited breaths as the fist struck across the unicorn's jaw, the impact delivering a charge of green electricity, which surged through his body flying backward. He landed with a thud server feet further, taking a few seconds to come to, before carrying a hoof against his jaw, and looking up to the drake standing before him.
“What were you thinking charging into battle like that!” Spike exclaimed as he quickly whistled for more guards to come, the golden hoof holding them back for but a moment, until it retracted out of their way. They quickly galloped toward the drake. “This isn’t just some dragon were facing off against. Even I wouldn’t be alive if it weren’t for the Count’s supernatural abilities.”
The guard simply stared up at him, before turning his head elsewhere.
“Sir!” came the two voice of the approaching guards, causing the drake to pull on the strap of his guitar case, before turning to face them. “Applejack says that we’re at your command.”
Spike quickly looked over to her, to which, she nodded her head.
“Like I said, there’s no point to you risking your lives to that black liquid.” Spike sighed, turning to look at the guard he had struck. “But you three seem to be the last one with any nerves to fight. Can I trust you to escort the others if I distract the dragon?”
The two guards looked to each, gulped, and looked back to Spike. Even the thrid one rose back to his hooves. “You plan on taking that thing down by yourself?”
Spike only chuckle, turning back around to the black dragon standing on its rear legs, erected at its full height. It looked down at with its same blank black eyes and experienceless face. He knew that Dispair was just toying with him now, that when he finally set the beast upon him, that there would truly be a problem.
But, for now, the purple drake simply came a thumb’s up from over his back. “You ponies have already done a fantastic job warding off this beast. It’s only fair that I go dragon on dragon in honor of that.”
The two guards held their mouths agape, before prompting shutting them, and began to rush back to the group. Spike tossed the lot a worried glance, before takins a steady breath, and focusing on the beast before him.
A plethora of tendrils erupted along the sides of the black dragon, siphoning more liquid out onto the platform in the form of dozens of drakes, all being made in rows and rows of lines. Soon, they became like a wave, enough to keep Spike occupied while the rest finished off those trying to escape.
Spike looked at the carbon copies of himself to the figure of dispair standing atop the dragon’s head, laughing at the top of his non-existant lungs. The purple drake tighten the cord to his guitar case, letting his body loosen instead of becoming tense.
Spike walked forth into battle.