The competitors all gathered at the cliff overlooking the shore and offered a perfect view of Flame-cano Island. Most of them now wore armor and looked up towards Torch as he was about to address his candidates.
Nearby, sitting together on a cloud that overlooked everything going on, Midnight and Twilight sat together as the latter worried, "I know I told Spike we'd cheer him on, but is there anything-"
"We already discussed this, Twily," Midnight shook his head. "We cannot interfere with the Gauntlet. If Torch or any other dragon believes we've meddled with a contest that is sanctioned by Dragon Law, it could lead to an international incident. You and I can only be observers in this competition, nothing else."
"Besides!"
The two of them were startled as Singescale flew up... and alighted herself on the cloud with them, "Spike will do just fine. He may be young and small, but he's got much more brains and common sense than the rest of these pitiful wyrms."
"Do you really think Spike can win, Singescale?" asked Twilight.
"Who knows? Spike seems like the kind of drake who can surprise you when it counts," Singescale shrugged, "In any case, hush. Torch is about to speak and here comes Spike."
They peered down and indeed they saw Spike hurry towards the cliff with the other competitors.
"I thought I released you, Tiny One..." Spike cringed and looked up to see Torch leering down at him.
"I decided to compete," Spike answered in a respectful manner, "I am a dragon, after all."
"Are you sure? You can't even fly!" Garble mocked, pointing out Spike's lack of wings, and most of the other competitors laughed at Spike as well.
"All dragons summoned are welcome to compete, but they do so at their own peril..." Torch spoke up, cutting off the chuckles, "Reaching Flame-cano Island is only the first of many challenges you will face in your quest to find the Bloodstone Scepter! RRAAAAAUUUUGGGHHH!!!!!!!!"
The gout of flame Torch launched form his massive maw startled the competitors as all (but Spike) took to the air and started flying for Flame-cano Island.
"Here we go," Midnight took a breath.
"I just hope Spike- !!!!" Twilight let out a cry of alarm as they watched Spike get knocked off the cliff by Garble and fall towards the ocean below.
"It's alright, Twilight," Singescale assured, "Even a young dragon like Spike can survive a fall like that no problem."
They leaned forward in anticipation as Spike fell into the water... and surfaced only a few seconds later. no worse for wear.
"Oh thank goodness..." Twilight sighed in relief.
"Don't forget," Singescale brought up, "the competition's only just started and the first challenge is just getting to the island."
"If you don't mind my asking, Singescale," Twilight responded, "why don't you compete? You're a dragon and I think you would make a fine Dragon Lord."
"I most certainly would," Singescale nodded with a casual shrug, "but I wasn't summoned by Torch when he used the Scepter. Only dragons who are less than a hundred years and are descended from or otherwise related to the first Lord of Drazgard can qualify as candidates for the mantle, it's how the summoning for this occasion works. Besides, I'm already a Representative of the King's Royal Court."
"Wait, so if Spike was summoned..." Twilight was putting two and two together, "that must mean-"
"Oh...!" Midnight winced, alarming Twilight again.
"Is it Spike?!"
"Nah, it's just one of Torch's obstacles," Midnight pointed with his wing to show some strange fish-like serpents popping out of the water and shooting powerful spouts of water skyward, already knocking several dragons out of the air and into the sea.
At that moment, Spike was swimming, ignoring the serpents, when a dragon fell into the water right in front of him! He noticed the dragon sinking and gasped, "He's gonna drown!"
Taking a deep breath he went under... and soon surfaced with the dragon, gasping for breath before helping the dragon stay above water while swimming the rest of the way to Flame-cano Island. He carefully pulled the dragon ashore, noticing some thing strange.
the dragon wore golden armor, including a helmet that hid his face, but his scales appeared to be turning from a shade of green to a familiar blue. He peered through the eye holes of the dragon's helmet and noticed his eyes fluttering open.
"Hey, are you okay?"
The dragon began coughing out water and Spike removed the helmet so he'd be able to breathe easier... only to notice he was actually a she!
"Princess Ember?!"
Finally regaining her breath, Ember stood up, suspiciously asking, "Whattya think you're doing?"
"You fell into the water and were sinking," Spike explained, "I couldn't just let you drown!"
"...Well, thanks," Ember took her helmet back, looking uncertain for a moment before hardening her expression, "now if you'll excuse me, I have a Gauntlet to win."
Spike started to bring up, "But I thought your dad said-"
"I don't care what my dad said!" Ember snapped, sounding sore about it, "I'll show him and everydrake that thinks I'm just a little 'princess' that there are better things to be than just being 'big and strong'! Besides, even if and when he does try to bellyache about my victory, I have the support of- !!"
Ember stopped speaking, looking just a tad uncomfortable, as if she'd almost blown a whistle, Spike asking, "The support of who?"
"None of your business!" Ember responded when they heard a cry of alarm and looked up to see Garble come crashing down on the shore, a heavy rock pinning him down. As eh struggled to get free, Ember quickly donned her helmet, knowing the fewer dragons who knew she was competing, against her father's wishes, the better.
Noticing him nearby, Garble cried out, pleading, "Don't leave me here, Spike!"
Although he wasn't exactly fond of Garble, Spike couldn't in good conscience ignore a plea for help. He hurried over and carefully helped Garble by pushing the boulder off of him, causing him to stumble forward and fall down.
"Ha ha! I knew you'd do it," sneered Garble as he stood up and dusted himself off, "Those pony friends of yours have made you soft!"
To add insult to injury, or perhaps injury to insult, Garble then spitefully kicked sand into Spike's face, the young drake narrowing his eyes as he contemptuously responded, "You're welcome..."
"For what? I didn't say 'thank you'," huffed Garble when he felt someone punc him a bit in the shoulder and Spike saw it was Ember, still wearing her armor and helmet.
"What are you wasting time with him for?" said Ember while deepening her voice, "We've got better things to do than stand around all day when there's a Gauntlet to win, and frankly I could do with some worthy competition like you."
"Huh! Good point, stranger... Say, don't I know you fro msomewhere?" asked Garble, giving the disguised Ember a shrewd look, "You sorta look like..."
"My old neighbor!" Spike stood between Garble and Ember, shiftily-looking around, "Uh, uh... Sandy... Rock... beach. Yeah, Sandy Rockbeach!"
Sandy Rockbeach, Spike, seriously?! Spike thought to himself, That's even worse than when you called Thorax Crystal Shade.
A loud noise caused the three young dragons to look up towards a higher ledge to see some large reptilian beasts throwing boulders with their tails, launching them towards all the incoming dragons.
"Huh! Stupid slingtails knocked me down. But I've wasted enough time making small talk. Get it? Haha, because you're too small to win this!"
Garble laughed jeeringly as took off, saying, "I'm funny...
Once he was gone, Ember took off her helmet and asked Spike, "Why did you cover for me? You could've had one less competitor."
"Well, you stood up for me," Spike pointed out, "Despite what you said, I know you did what you did to get Garble to get off my case."
"Well..." Ember hesitated as she began to sound just the slightest bewildered as the words came out, "I just... don't like seeing others be picked on."
Despite the apparent dawning on Ember's face, Spike smiled a little, having a feeling there was more to Ember than even she thought about herself. They heard a commotion and looked up to see the dragons, including Garble, were having a hard time avoiding all the boulders from the slingtails as they tried to make their way to the Flame-cano.
"Yikes! That looks rough..." Ember truly sounded daunted but gathered herself, "But that's what makes it a challenge."
"Are you kidding? Those boulders are hee-uge!" exclaimed Spike before he had a thought, "Hey, what if we work together?"
Ember gave him a suspicious look as Spike went on, "You fly me up there and I'll help you look out for boulders. Like a second set of eyes!"
Ember looked unsure, but she could see the logic in Spike's proposal.
Back on the cliff, Midnight, Twilight, and Singescale were using binoculars to do their best to follow what was going on.
"I'm a little surprised Ember defied her father's orders and participated in the Gauntlet anyway," commented Midnight, "If Torch had really wanted for Ember to not participate, he could've used the Bloodstone Scepter's magic to enforce his authority."
"And it looks like she and Spike are teaming up!" Twilight added, "Wow, look at them go! Spike must be helping Ember avoid the boulders that she can't see."
"Heh, that's my girl," Singescale sounded pleased, "I knew I made the right call..."
"What was that, Singescale?" asked Midnight, a tad absentminded from watching Spike and Ember.
"Nothing!"
Meanwhile, Ember had just reached the entrance to the Flame-cano, which was a third of the way up, after easily outflying the slingtails' many boulders, thanks to Spike watching her tail. Unfortunately, Garble had flown in before them. Hopping off of Ember's back, Spike asked, "So whaddoo we do now?"
"I think we go through there," Ember pointed out the mouth of the cave right as two more dragons flew in... only to get blasted by a wave of fire. They flew out, looking crispy and whimpering.
"Eesh, that didn't look pleasant..." Spike commented lamely.
"Listen, Spike, I wouldn't have made it this far without you," Ember admitted rather humbly, "So, if you want to, we can keep working together. I mean- Just until we get through that tunnel."
"Okay!" Spike gave her a thumb's up and they hurried inside and it wasn't long before they caught up with a couple of other dragons and saw the way barred by what looked like a mouth of stalagmites and stalactites shutting and closing hard like a mouth crunching food. Looking harder, they saw there was more of these stony teeth, along with several other dragons having trouble getting through.
Nodding to each other in determination, Ember let Spike climb onto her back and took flight. Very carefully, remembering the timing between each moment the spikes closed, Ember got them through just fine. Unlike Garble, who got caught in the third wave and growled furiously, seeing his rivals venture ahead of him. He forced himself free though not without discomfort before hurrying to catch up.
At that moment, Spike and Ember were dodging seemingly-random spikes of giant red gemstones that came from left, right, up, down, diagonally, at one point Spike dove at Ember to push her out of harm's way by the scales of their hides. Like before, Garble didn't get through this obstacle unscathed either.
As they reached the end of the tunnel, Spike and Ember found themselves in a large cavern with descending lava pools.
"This is pretty cool," Spike marveled at how something amazing could be found in such a scary place.
"I don't get you, Spike."
"Huh?" Spike turned to see Ember giving him a look of bewilderment.
"Why are you competing in the Gauntlet? You don't strike me as, well... Dragon Lord-material," Ember responded.
"I overheard Garble and some other dragons talking about what they were gonna do if they became Dragon Lord," Spike explained how Equestria would be in danger if any of those other dragons won, "...and the only way I can keep that from happening is to win Gauntlet and become Dragon Lord so none of them will threaten my friends."
"For real!? You're basically risking your life and potentially giving up your life in Equestria for friends?" Ember was absolutely baffled, "Not only that, those alicorns... They stayed to watch the Gauntlet to support you!"
"That's just what friends do," Spike said as if it were the most obvious thing, "Don't you have anyone who looks out for you like that?"
"Not really. Unless I count you..." Ember looked uncomfortable before hardening her heart, "Which I don't because we were only helping each other get through the tunnel, and now we're through the tunnel! So... that's it."
"Wh-What do you mean?" Spike didn't like the direction this conversation was going.
"Well, there's only one winner, one Scepter, and one Dragon Lord of the West," Ember pointed out with an edge in her voice. "So, I guess it's every dragon for themselves."
"Oh... so we aren't really friends?" Spike asked, his eyes wavering with some hurt.
"Maybe if we were in ponyland but like I said," Ember responded with a definitive tone before turning to walk away, "Dragons don't do friendship."
Then, without another word or even looking back, Ember spread her wings and took flight deeper into the Flame-cano, leaving Spike despondent.
"Hmm..." Singescale had her eyes closed but both Twilight and Midnight sensed the dragon sorceress was casting some kind of spell. After a few long moments, she opened her eyes and looked disappointed, "...perhaps my faith was misplaced."
"What are you talking about, Singescale?" asked Twilight, feeling concerned.
"Let's just say... one of the competitors isn't living up to the hopes I had for her," Singescale answered cryptically. "But based on what I sensed, Spike is doing well. He's deep inside the Flame-cano though he has yet to find the Bloodstone Scepter."
"I just hope Spike comes out of this in one piece," fretted Twilight.
Midnight said nothing and peered over his shoulder to look at Torch. The soon-to-be former Dragon Lord was sitting back on the stone he'd first appeared upon to address his competitors, looking still as a statue. He didn't care who won his Gauntlet as long as they brought back the Bloodstone Scepter to him to prove their worthiness, which was more the pity. Singescale was right about her kind; unless a real change was made, the dragons would never evolve as a culture and as a society, firmly stuck in their brutish and violent ways. Unwilling, or perhaps even afraid, of making a change in themselves and in their race.
Midnight respected the dragons but saw the majority of their kind in the way most of the world saw them, as violent, bullying, monstrous thugs who threw their weight around, took what they want when they wanted it. The only thing keeping them in check was the law of their king, and even he hardly made any efforts to be more than his race was seen as by all other creatures. There were few exceptions, Spike and Singescale being among them.
Midnight didn't know whether or not he really wanted for Spike to win the Gauntlet. Winning meant Spike would have to stay and rule a territory of dragons that would surely look down on Spike despite having the Title of Dragon Lord, and Spike, while organized, intelligent, and brave in his own right, would be biting off more than he could chew. Not to mention, they would have to let Spike go and hardly be able to see him anymore.
Midnight leered over at Singescale, miffed that his old mentor had talked him into supporting Spike's participation and now that it seemed like her plan wasn't working he wasn't sure if he should stand by and let this situation escalate anymore than it already had.
Spike, he thought, don't let us down...
As he made his way through the bowels of the Flame-cano, Spike wondered if he had been right about Ember or not.
She stood up for me in front of Garble, even if she acted otherwise, and we worked together to get into the Flame-cano... No, whatever Ember said, we are friends! She just doesn't understand it yet.
Spike refused to lump Ember together with the rest of those boulderheaded dragons, as she called them; she wasn't like them, she'd made that clear by how she'd defied her father forbidding her participation in the Gauntlet. Unlike Torch and so many other dragons, Ember placed value in other strengths besides physical might and size. Perhaps she could see the value in friendship the way Spike did, as well.
After wandering for a while, Spike was beginning to feel lost, until he took a moment to really give his surroundings a good look. He noticed a crevice that he was certain he'd seen at least three times already... until he noticed one passage he hadn't checked out before. Venturing down that way, he came around a corner... and gasped!
Ahead of him, at the end of a natural catwalk of rock, was the Bloodstone Scepter!
"I can't believe I'm the only dragon to make it this far!" Spike smiled so big-
"You're not!"
-and that smile turned into a grimace of worry as he looked back.. .and there stood Garble, looking vicious and ready for a fight as he marched up to Spike and poked him in the chest, "And I'm not losing to a puny pony-loving dragon like you!"
Garble then grabbed Spike around the throat, causing him to thrash and gasp for breath, "What're... you doing?!"
"What I should have done the moment we met!" Garble sneered wickedly as he held Spike over the edge of the catwalk, holding Spike over a chasm of stalagmites below.
Spike tried to gasp in horror but couldn't as Garble was pinching his windpipe. He struggled to get free though it was useless as Garble growled with a wicked glint in his eyes, "See you never, peewee!"
Then he let go.
Spike thrashed as he fell, looking for anything to grab onto though nothing was in reach. He glimpsed Garble watching him fall when Garble seemed to gasp at something else, and Spike felt something grab him, and lift him upwards. His heart racing, he looked and saw it was, "Ember! I thought you said it was every dragon for themselves!"
Ember got them both onto solid ground, onto the catwalk between Garble and the scepter, before she answered, "Because that's what friends do! And I am- I mean... we are! I never should have left you back there. Ugh, please don't make me talk about my feelings..."
"Princess Ember?!"
The two friends looked back to see Garble glaring at them, "I thought daddy said his little princess wasn't big and strong enough to be in the Gauntlet!"
"Well, this princess is gonna show you and my dad that there are more important things than being big and strong," Ember cracked her knuckles before saying, "Spike, get the scepter!"
"NO!!" Garble launched himself towards Spike, only for Ember to tackle him aside and force him against one of the cave walls. Noticing how close Spike was getting to the scepter, Garble grunted angrily as she managed to shove Ember aside and again zoom at Spike, only for Ember to yak him back by the tail at the last second, the both of them flapping aloft. Snarling, Garble spun `round to grab Ember by the shoulders and force her down onto her back, where she struggled to force him off. Noticing Ember was pinned, Spike didn't hesitate to run to her air, jumping onto Garble's back and pull at his ears, annoying him so that he grabbed Spike and threw him towards the edge of the path that he nearly went over, grabbing onto the ledge just in time.
Spike struggled to pull himself up while Garble and Ember wrestled each other, Garble seething, "I'm sick n' tired of you two helping each other!! Dragons don't. Do. HELPING!!!"
"These dragons do!" Ember yelled back before she leapt over Garble's head, somersaulting forward so that she was standing right behind him, reached backwards, and threw him over her head, sending him for a loop as he landed on the ground again.
Helping Spike up, Ember stepped aside and gestured to the prize, and Spike smiled at her before he seized it. Climbing up onto the cluster of red crystals, in which the scepter had been hidden, he grasped the handle as he held it up... and gasped as the Bloodstone Scpeter flared with life before unleashing a crimson pulse of power just as several other dragons arrived and bore witness.
The pulse spread through the cave, out the tunnels, and out the top of Flame-cano Island so that all observers knew that the prize had been claimed!
Except for Garble, as he'd been a little dizzy during, but he'd just gotten up and was about to attack Ember from behind-
"Leave. Her. ALONE."
Garble gasped in abject shock to see Spike standing triumphant, the Bloodstone Scepter in claw, "What?! YOU!?! You have the scepter? But- That means that you're..."
Garble couldn't bring himself to say it, so Ember did it for him, "The Dragon Lord of the West. Dragon Lord Spike.
Garble looked back to see Ember bend the knee, as did the other dragons who'd managed to arrive in time, and though it was a most bitter pill to wallow, Garble grumbled as he too bent the knee and said, "Dragon Lord Spike..."
"That's right. Uh, now go start your long journey home," Spike commanded Garble before adding with a cheeky grin, "and give every dragon you see on the way a hug! Don't tell them why."
"WHA?!! But- That'll be super embarrassing!!" Garble couldn't help but whine as he cringed.
"I command you to do it," Spike pointed with the Bloodstone Scepter for emphasis.
"Ugh... I can't believe this!" Garble grumbled as he hugged a random dragon (which caused said dragon to have a flattered smile) before he flew off.
"Dragon Lord Spike, hm," Ember tasted the words in her mouth as Spike approached her with the scepter, "Has a nice ring to it."
"Dragon Lord Ember sounds a lot better," Spike retorted as he placed the scepter into her claws, passing the authority it carried to her.
"What? No, you're the Lord of Drazgard now," Ember protested, trying to hand the scepter back.
"The Lord of Drazgard is whoever brings the scepter back to your father," Spike amended as he gently pushed the scepter back, "Besides, you'll make a great leader. I only participated in the Gauntlet to protect Equestria, but I know you'll protect the peace between Equestria and the Dragon Lands just as well as I would have. Probably better, even."
"Are you sure about this?" Ember asked, still reluctant to accept something she hadn't truly earned.
"Absolutely. My home is in Equestria with my friends," assured Spike.
"...Well, you'll have at least one friend here too," Ember replied with a smile, getting a hug in response. "What're you doing?"
"It's called a hug!" Spike laughed.
"Oh. I don't know if I like it but... okay," Ember smiled awkwardly.
"Oh, I wish something would happen already!" Twilight fidgeted on the cloud she, Midnight, and Singescale were still sitting on, a fair distance away from Torch, who appeared to becoming impatient as well.
"That power, it was just like before when Torch threw the scepter to the Flame-cano!"
"Yes, it means someone has claimed the scepter and is most assuredly coming back to assume Torch's role," Singescale nodded with her arms folded before she smirked, "and it seems my hunch was right."
"Are you sure?" asked Midnight when he noticed Singescale gazing upwards.
"You'll see soon enough," she responded as a red light shined through the dismal clouds above, catching Torch's attention as well.
They weren't kept waiting long as Ember descended, the scepter in claw, with several dragons following behind her. While they flew down to witness what was about to unfold, Ember flew up to her father's face, "Ember? You?!"
"I know you didn't think i could do it, but I did!" Ember retorted.
"I expressly told you NOT TO DO IT!!!" roared Torch, "Because you're-"
"Not big and strong?"
Torch and Ember looked to see Singescale intervene as the smirking sorceress said, "Well, it's obvious to everyone here, Torch, that your daughter won anyway!"
"So then maybe it takes more than being big and strong to be a good Dragon Lord, Dad," added Ember, and several of the dragons who'd participated yet lost, they all nodded in agreement.
"...I was wrong, Ember," Torch finally spoke, his tone taking on a firm yet humble tone, "You might not be big, but you are strong. And smart. And perhaps that counts for more than I thought, and you will make an excellent leader."
"Thanks, Dad," Ember smiled at her father before giving everyone else a shrewd look, "AGREE WITH HIM!!!"
The dragons all looked flabbergasted and uncertain of what to do until Ember added, "Just kidding! That's not gonna be my thing."
Tickled pink, Torch let out a boisterous yet proud laugh when Midnight shouted, "All hail Ember, Dragon Lord of the West!"
"Hail! Hail!! HAIL!!!!" the dragons all shouted and cheered, Ember basking while giving Singescale a grateful wink when she noticed Garble fly up to hug Torch's nasal horn.
"What is the meaning of this?!"
"I can't tell you!"
Later, Twilight, Midnight, and Spike were walking down a path, deciding to journey home the hard way for a while before they used a ley-line empowered teleport to finish it. Joining them was Singescale, who'd insisted on coming along.
"You did well, Spike," Twilight congratulated her Number One Assistant, "With Ember as Dragon Lord of Drazgard, Equestria is safe and you've gained us a powerful ally."
"And a new friend!" Spike added.
"Oh, Equestria was never in any danger, Princess Twilight," Singescale spoke up with a sneaky smile.
"What?!" Twilight looked flabbergasted.
"But- The dragons who participated!" Spike pointed out, "They were all planning to-"
"I wanted to tell you before, guys," Midnight sighed as he gave Singescale the stink eye, "But Singescale asked me not to."
"Tell us what?" Twilight asked.
"That there is a non-aggression pact between Equestria and the Dragon Lands," Singescale explained, Twilight and Spike's jaws dropping, "It was established over a thousand years ago between King Korangar and the Royal Sisters. Neither side is allowed to threaten the other, and so even if any of those witless wyrms had won and become Dragon Lord they couldn't do anything to Equestria, as all Dragon Lords are bound to enforce the laws of the Dragon King."
"But then why did you have me go through all that in the first place?!" demanded Spike.
"Because I wanted to... try and make sure a worthier dragon won the Gauntlet and become Dragon Lord," Singescale responded, "I encouraged Ember to participate in the Gauntlet against her father's wishes and you too, hoping you would have a good influence on her."
"And you knew this the whole time?!" Twilight glared at Midnight, who shrank back at the sight of his angered wife.
"Twily, please, I wanted to tell you-" Midnight begged, only for Singescale to come to his rescue.
"Oh, don't be so sore at your hubby, Princess," the sorceress waved off the drama, "I put him up to it, after all, and besides, it all worked out, and if that's not enough for you, I'll answer any questions you may have about dragon culture!"
Twilight glared at Singescale and at Midnight, the former betraying no loss of composure while the latter hid by wrapping himself in his wings, before taking a deep breath and sighing, "Anything I want to know?"
"Enough to write a whole book if that's what you'd like," Singescale offered.
The very idea of authoring an entire book about dragons the likes of which had never been read before filled Twilight with such giddy excitement, yet she still felt the anger that Spike putting himself at risk had been completely unnecessary. She gave Midnight a hard look and said, "When we get home, you're cleaning the castle. Without magic!"
"What?!" Midnight gaped at his wife, "Without ma- TWILY!! I can't clean an entire castle by myself without magic!!"
"Oh c'mon, Twilight," Singescale put a claw around Twilight's withers, prodding her along, "At least let him use telekinesis."
"What the- Singescale, it was your idea in the first place!" Midnight protested, "YOU should clean the castle!"
"Sorry, Blazy, I think Twilight and I will be too busy writing a best-seller," Singescale and Twilight both giggled as they ventured on, Midnight falling back onto his haunches as he hung his head with a groan.
"Eh, no worries, Midnight, I'll help you out," Spike offered while patting Midnight on the back, "Between the two of us, cleaning the castle should only take... a couple of weeks?"
Midnight groaned as he morosely followed after the ladies, Spike bringing up the rear.