//------------------------------// // Chapter 2 // Story: The Dragon Knight // by Spideze //------------------------------// The Dragon Knight Chapter 2 By Spideze CANTERLOT It was a slow day in Canterlot, as is everyday, especially for a certain sun goddess currently sitting in her thrown listening to two particularly obnoxious ponies arguing as to who should receive some funds for a social gathering they are both hosting. “Your highness i am sure you can agree when i say not only a pony of high standing as yourself but all of Canterlot would benefit from having a sophisticated gathering like my auction of refined art, hosted in your honor of course your highness.” The art enthusiastic pony with a jet black mane and a silky white coat that was almost as bright as Celestia’s if not a few shades darker, wanted to host an art auction for the recent of Ed Ruscha, and oddly named unicorn recently becoming the next up and coming artist of Canterlot. “Now hold on right there your highness i believe we could do with those funds much more important things like hosting my idea of a magic fair near the School of Gifted Unicorns you so gracefully created, it would attract ponies who weren’t previously interested in magic specifically to maye delve deeper into the subject of magic. It would also give the ponies at said school a chance to shine and show off what they have learned under your teachings” The nerdy looking pony with a light brown coloured mane and light tanned coat had been asking the princess for weeks to host some type of fair demonstrating and teaching different types of magic to young fillies and colts striving to better themselves in the field of magic. Ever since him and many other discovered that Twilight Sparkle the savior of Equestria, bearer of the Elements of Harmony and the newest princess of the group had at one point in her life gone to Celestia’s school. “Canterlot is one of the most magically accumulated city in all of Equestria! Celestia has better things to do then to host a fair for a subject most if not all of Canterlot ponies know about” “Right and you think Celestia or any other pony would want to go to your useless art auction? With my magic fair ponies would actually learn and benefit from it! Unlike your little art show” “MY art auction will be talked about throughout all of Canterlot as being one of the most elegant and cultivated social gathering that has happened in years! And Princess Celestia would much rather go to my gathering than your pathetic little magic fair.” “Pathetic?! Why would anypony go and see your stupid paintings?” “HOW DARE YOU, YOU UNCULTURED SWINE!” “ENOUGH!” Celestia had grown very irritated looking at the argument in front of her and decided enough was enough, she silenced the two annoying ponies and lit her horn up casting a silencing the two preventing them from giving her anynore of  a headache “Now you two listen very closely, you two are acting like FOALS and i will not tolerate any insults in my day court.” Celestia trotted towards the two ponies with a stern scowl adorning her face, levitating the two ponies dragging them to the doors leading outside of her throne room. “And frankly while both of your ideas have pros and cons you clearly don’t understand the purpose of my day court. This court is meant for very serious issues and here you two are selfishly asking for funds for a social gathering!” Celestia tossed the two ponies and leaned towards them flashing a threatening fake smile “Do you two want my advice”- Celestia got close enough to only whisper - “Use your own money. Celestia curtly turned on her hoof and trotted back into her throne room “Sun court is dismissed so if you would all so kindly as to leave!” Celestia shouted as she quickly trotted back towards, just as she was about to reach her throne room a sharp pain shot through her brain and her eyes flashed white Pain Death “Yes….YES I HAVE DONE IT! I have defeated all four of the princesses and conquered Equestria!” Celestia mentally gasped as she saw her faithful students laying at the steps of her throne, drained of any life of their bodies, souls no longer contained to their vessel. She looked past the bodies at the top of the throne was a dark silhouette of a pony sitting on her throne looking down on its victims with pride. “Last time that pathetic little dragon and the crystal heart defeated me but how about now? The dragon is dead the heart is destroyed and in front of me are all of the princesses and bearers of the Elements lie dead at my hooves, it’s almost….blissful!” The dark silhouette pony stepped out of the shadows walking down the steps with a cold steel clang. What Celestia saw made her already white face go even paler, out from the shadows standing just above Twilight Sparkle’s body stood a battle worn king Sombra, wearing a dark purple and black steel a play armour wearing a creepy and evil smile that sent shivers down Celestia’s spine Suddenly the surrounding area faded to white as Celestia returned to reality, once her vision returned she suddenly collapsed to her knees not caring who saw her at this vulnerable state, she was shaking feeling the cool salty tears fall down her snow white coat leaving a damp trail in their wake. “Your highness?!” The two guards who were stationed at the Throne room door quickly dashed over to their princess concerned that something had happened to her “Your highness what’s wrong is everything okay?” “Go get my sister, now” Celestia slumped to the floor thinking about what she had just seen. “Sister are you sure what you saw was a vision and not maybe a trick or something?” Luna’s personal guard had bursted into her private chamber and awoken her tranquil sleep but was soon on high alert once her guards had informed her what had happened in the throne room, moments later she teleported into the throne room to see a crying, broken Celestia laying in the middle of the room. “Yes sister it had to be real, it felt real it…smelled real” Celestia had to refrain from gagging as she relived what the vision had shown her, her face scrunching up in disgust as a tear had threatened to fall once more. “So you’re saying that King Sombra returns and kills us all?” Luna said with a mixture of sadness, panic and a little bit of disbelief, i mean after all she was the princess of the night sister of the one and only princess of the sun! How could King Sombra beat all of them especially the Elements of Harmony? And in such a brutal way. “Yes sister and i know that look Lulu and no i don’t know how he could have beaten us, maybe he obtains some ancient powerful item or maybe her tricks ponies into obeying his will all i know is we have to stop that vision from coming to fruition.” “Well then what are we waiting for? Let us send a letter to Twilight and her friends so that they can prepare for what is to come!” Luna summoned a parchment and quill ready to write her warning when Celestia stopped her. “Luna wait,” said Celestia while grabbing the parchment and quill and setting them on the table. “I agree that we should inform them up the impending danger however i have a better idea that may just give us a secret weapon and win against Sombra” “And what is that sister?” Luna asked noticing the sly smile on her sister’s face. PONYVILLE “Spike, please slow down!” Twilight breathed heavily only barely being able to keep up with the dragon as he sprinted towards the screaming pony. A million thought racing through her mind, her heart threatening to burst through her chest as all she could is hope that the pony was okay. As the duo reached near the edge of town, they turned a corner to see Fluttershy backing away slowly from a manticore, the beast’s eyes looking predatorily at fluttershy, flashing its teeth as a sign of dominance slowly stalking to its prey. Twilight looked on in horror a look of shock and terror on her face, before she could react however a growl was heard from her side as Spike ran towards the manticore intent on saving his dear friend. “Don’t you hurt her you disgusting beast!” Spike dashed in front of fluttershy shoving her backwards to protect her, mentally noting several cuts and bruises all along her yellow coat, tears raining from her eyes, most likely out of fear. “Spike wait! I’m com-” “NO! Twilight i got this go get the others NOW i will defend Shy and by you time but you have to go now!” Spike quickly dodged a quick swipe from the manticore and growled in response challenging his dominance and showing he wasn’t about to let this beast hurt one of his best friends. Twilight flashed him a face on concern before he returned a quick serious expression as if to say “trust me” Twilight teleported away to get the other as Spike slowly pushed Fluttershy back to get away from the manticore, a plan which failed as the manticore very quickly charged towards the two. Spike had very little time to throw up his arms as a very weak attempt to protect himself and the frightened pegasus. The manticore thrashed at spike flinging him into a nearby tree, Spike screamed in agony as he slammed his arm into the tree and could feel what could only be described as a bone breaking. Spike slumped down to the ground feeling nothing but agonizing pain as he saw the manticore walk towards Fluttershy, he frantically looked around for anything he could use as a weapons or as a means to get back up, he saw a rock nearby and he used all of his will to force his body to get up into a slouching position. He picked up the rock and quickly threw it at the manticore sending it right into the back of it’s head, the manticore quickly whipped around and roared in anger before he charged at Spike intent on mangling the poor dragon for challenging such a ferocious beast. Thinking quickly Spike threw his body out of the way as the manticore slammed its face into the tree stunning the beast, thinking quickly Spike leaped forward landing a clean right hook against the beast. The manticore stumbled onto it’s side, taking the opportunity Spike quickly ran over to fluttershy to defend her. “Shy do you think you can fly out of here?” “N-no...when the manticore took a swing at me it clipped my wing and now i can barely move them let alone fly…” Fluttershy whimpered as she looked back and looked at her cut and slightly torn wing, wincing at the pain and she tried to prevent herself from crying anymore. A roar caught both of their attentions as they looked over to see the manticore glaring at spike with a burning rage that slightly terrified Spike, he looked over to Fluttershy and saw her almost break down crying, she was afraid, she was crying...something made her cry. A new flame sparked within Spike, his features noticeably darkening as a low growl emitted from his scowling muzzle. To Fluttershy and the manticore’s surprise Spike roared in total rage as he charged towards the manticore, noticing a rather large stick near the tree he had slammed into, mentally wincing at the sudden pain in his left arm from the memory, a planned formed in the dragon’s mind. When the manticore was close enough it leaped into the air towards Spike hoping to get the jump on. ‘Just what i wanted!’ As soon as the beast jumped into the air spike slid under the beast and immediately made a run for the stick, by time the beast turned around and prepared to attack the “fleeing” dragon Spike was already mid swing, cracking the stick over the manticore’s head sending the beast to the ground in agonizing  pain. Spike’s mind suddenly filled with images of how hurt and scared this beast had made Fluttershy, anger flooding his body as he started to have dark thoughts that had never appeared in his mind before, Spike sulked towards the beast. “Spike we’re here let’s save-” before anypony could even react, Spike blasted a giant flame over the body of the manticore, the ponies too shocked to even notice the screams of pleasing of the manticore, but Spike noticed, it satisfied him. After what seemed like minutes, Spike stopped his torrent of flames, looking over the body of the now charred manticore, burnt to a crisp.