2 Hours before Celestia sent her letter...
The environment around Shining Armour, and his advisory had seemed to completely freeze around the two titans on either side of the small plain. For what seemed like minutes, the two respected warriors just stared at each other. Shining just wished that Silver Fang would make a move, do something stupid. His special talent was after all DEFENSIVE magic. Unfortunately this wasn't looking to be the case.
So instead Shining Armour took the chance to fortify himself, and the surrounding area from whatever the Dragon was planning. Enchanting his armour to be more fire resistant would be a good place to start. He brought his gaze from the continually staring Drake. Ironically his armour started flaming and emitting a red flowing aura, a sign of a powerful enchantment. He knew If he were to make a complete enchantment, he would have to lower his guard, and that’s not something he was willing to give up. Was he planning to stare him to death? His steadfast gaze looked like it could cripple if it truly wanted to. But the captain of the royal guard had some tricks up his sleeves as well.
Little did Shining Armour realise the Drake was building up a spell himself, one that could easily win the battle in one fell swoop. The Drake never blinked having the power of three dragons and the moon, he never really needed to blink and he hoped that would distract his small mortal opponent. Charging up the earth alteration spell he was ready to unsheathe, he made one fatal mistake that almost ended the battle before it began. He had closed his flaming eyes.
This was a dead give-away for Shining Armour, but for a warrior of any lesser combat prowess they would have missed it, or disregarded it completely. He knew what this meant, but didn’t know what type of spell the powerful Drake was readying, but it wasn’t good.
There was a great tremor in the ground, and spiked vines erupted from the ground, splitting the ground in places making for fewer places to move. The only way to counter a spell of this magnitude was to take out the caster, or to cast a greater counter spell, but Shining neither had the time to cast such a spell, or the knowledge. Instead he cast he spell to give him temporary wings the spell would be slow, but faster than his opponents earth shifting spell, if he were going to win this fight he would need all the help he could get.
A mighty roar erupted from the bowels of Sliver fangs throat, almost ear shattering as he was bringing his spell to its climax. An eruption of poison oak trees had erupted form the ground, reaching a full height of 30 feet. The once scorched and tarnished battle plain on one side was now lush and green with deadly plants, trees, and poisons that lay within the conjured forest.
Shining Armour's side was now completely compromised, he was forced to advance on his enemy. Luckily for him, Silver Fang's eyes were still closed for the remainder of his spell giving Shining an opportunity to hit his enemy's weak spot.
Unsheathing his mighty sword he lept toward his opponent, a sword was not common for a Unicorn warrior, but still appropriate for this battle situation. The sword was forged by no other than the fabled Black Hammer, making it a legendary weapon, Priceless in fact. Only a select few knew about the Black Hammer. His weapon was easily 6 feet long, and was 4 inches thick in the middle. Being a guard of the light, his sword had every light enchantment possible: lightning, fire, lava, etc. The list was endless. It had a wide base slimming until one foot at the end, where it got wider again covered in small, vicious spikes. It was like literally wielding the sun its self.
The still concentrating Drake was completely oblivious to his charging opponent building up another spell to surround the arena with fire. Shining armour had reached the back of Silver Fangs neck and gave it a mighty blow with his sword.
The two very powerful enchantments seemed to freeze time as the battled each other in a seemingly infinite struggle. They had repelled each other successfully both flying opposite directions. Shining was lucky his sword didn’t impale him as it flew off to the ground clanging loudly and releasing enormous amounts of heat as it hit the ground. Silver Fang's armour also flung its self-off of his body and wasn't anywhere to be found. He had been pushed forward by a very powerful force there was no doubt, so he assumed that his neck piece had flung off into the newly conjured forest somewhere to be lost forever. Losing his sword was not an option for Shining though as he scrambled to grab his sword diving down at speeds that should have broken his wings. Luckily he was a powerful unicorn, so his spells would have more strength than many of the mages he would ever encounter.
Recovering his sword gave the Drake time to draw his own weapon from its sheath, a massive war hammer, also forged by the Black Hammer. No doubt his weapon came with dark enchantments, such as famines and Freezing spells. A sword fit to wield the power of the moon.
With one mighty swing the hammer was already descending upon Shining Armour. Dipping, diving and dodging every mighty swing that he delivered was already tiring Shining out, so he decided to go back to his magic, and summoned a deflection spell. Moments later after it was fully charged up he raised it at the perfect moment. His foe's mighty hammer came down upon his shield making it flicker but still knocking it and Silver Fang back a step. Not to say that Shining wasn't affected by this blow. He was affected almost the same, lightly cracking the tip of his horn. He came over with a crushing uppercut to the dragon’s stomach, the sword reached probably two feet deep and 5 feet up in his opponent before his mighty scales stopped the flaming sword from going any further. Shining had to retreat before he could make another attack, pulling out letting the spikes do extra damage at the tip of his sword.
The Drake let out a Blood churning scream. "YOU WILL PAY FOR THAT MORTAL!"
Shining Armour grinned and lit his horn setting the dragon on fire with his magic. Most dragons are fire resistant, but the adrenaline in his body channelled his magic making it two times as powerful as it usually would be.
The Dragon screamed in agony and countered by breathing his fire at him. This was no regular fire though, this fire was a black famine of pestilence, it casted shadows in places, like a light would light up dark corners.
Shining brought up the most powerful spell he had ever came up with in his life, mixing a telekinetic push with a sun ray, powered by the souls of the fallen bodies around him.
Both sides seemed evenly matched with each of them pouring their souls into their assault on each other. But Shining Armour was starting to give in, souls were running short on the battle field to fuel his spells, and he never trained in dark magic that much anyways. It only blackened ones soul. He needed to break off. There was no way he could go on for long with a spell of this magnitude. It was then he brought one more huge push gathering all of his strength and souls into that one shockwave spell.
The spell he used was enough to knock his opponent’s assault back, but unfortunately for Shining Armour all he seemed to repel was his opponents Dragon breath.
Before he knew what was going on Shining was gripped by a set of massive claws, crushing his back legs, and sending a howl of pain heard throughout the field.
Celestia had to look away, the sight of her dear friend, her faithful students bother, top soldier, and her newly family being brutally murdered in front of her was too much to take, as she vomited at another one of Shining's screams of agony.
"Ha" Silver Fang said in his deep and evil voice. "You were fun, but now it is time for you to die." It was true Silver Fang never had this much fun in years. Only dragons could bring up this much of a challenge, and none of them lasted as long as he had. "It’s almost a shame to kill you" The powerful Drake laughed.
With a great swing he thrust Shining Armour to the ground breaking almost every bone in his body. But he wasn't dead yet. No he would give it one last go, no matter how much his body screamed at him to just fall limp and die. No this was for Twilight... This was for Cadence... This was for Celestia! "THIS IS FOR MY FAMILY!" The Unicorn roared.
With a blinding flash of light Shining had disappeared. The Drake just scanned the battle field.
Another blinding light came down like a mighty guillotine behind the Savage beast. Shining's eyes were white. His pupil's and bright blue eyes were gone, replaced by the sheer amount of magic coursing through him. In his unrelenting amount of power he cast down a surge of rage and sunlight. The spell acted as a bright yellow guillotine chopping Silver Fangs head Clear off. With that Shining had returned to his princess, who just sat there in awe. No words were exchanged. None were needed. Shining Armour gave a goofy look to Celestia, and then continued to take a nap right in front of his leader.
"Well sister" Said Luna her voice seemingly unshaken. "Now that they have finished I think that we now are to take our turns at a battle."
Celestia just sat there her eyes wide.
In The Present...
"Spike?" asked Twilight. "What's with the letter? I already got a reply on my recent findings on the Magic of Friendship two days ago."
Spike was sweating prohusively he had to find a way out of this. Could he lie? No Applejack would see right through it. All six mares were now closing in on the now hyperventilating Dragon curious to see what this was all about. He could only manage to break down for the second time that day. Except for this time it was for real.
"Ah reckon y'all give em some room ta’ breathe." Applejack pointed out.
The mares all except for Twilight backed off on the now comatose Dragon.
Twilight went to read the letter that Spike had burped up. All Spike could do was stare at Twilight eyes wide with fear.
Twilight read the letter out loud for her friends to hear. The letter read:
***
Dear Twilight Sparkle,
I wish for you, and your friends to come visit Canterlot tomorrow, I won’t get into details, but it involves a very serious matter, for all of the Elements of Harmony. I am sorry to summon you so unexpectedly, but recent events deem it necessary. Oh, and bring Spike along with you. It has been a long time since I have seen him, and wish to speak to him. His ears only for now.
You’re Mentor Princess Celestia.
***
"Hmm I wonder what that means" pondered the purple, practical, perplexed Unicorn, as she brought a hoof to her chin. Rubbing it and pouting.
"Well Uhhh Twilight Umm I think we should go..." Squeaked the butter coloured Pegasus mare. It’s not like we can just say no to a direct summons from the princess, if that’s ok with you... "
"Well if Fluttershy's going, so am I!" Rainbow Dash cried.
"Well Heck im gonna go s'well!"
"Oooh! Me too!"
"And I as well."
Twilight now looked at her friends, she always could see the princess, and getting a chance to spend time with her friends was an added bonus.
"Alright" Said the purple mare. "We'll go first thing in the morning!"
Twilight and her friends had COMPLETELY forgotten about the terrified Dragon in the far corner of the library, when Twilight read the letter from Celestia. He slipped up stairs when Fluttershy recommended they go to Canterlot to see the princess, relieved that she had not sent a reply yet. Future Spike would have to worry about tomorrow’s problems. Right now he had some sleeping to do.