At the inside the dark tower where the dungeon is, Starswirl the Bearded is still hanging in chains, breathing and coughing because of the torture the Dredoks has done to him. But until, he hear the sounds of hoof steps and said. "You have come to torment me again, then make it quick. I am already suffered now."
"Then I would be gladly enjoy it, but I'm not a barbarian." Nemnok said when he appears out of the shadow.
"Nemnok, after all these years, I thought you were gone long ago. How are you returned?" Starswirl asked in anger at the sorcerer.
Nemnok has taking a seat and began to tell a story. "After the end of the great war and Empress Ravahna's defeat, I survived through the field of battle where YOU left me for dead like an animal. But I escaped from it. Year after year, I hid in the shadow among the ponies and searching for my Empress where you imprisoned her. But like a lowly peasant, I never stopped growing old and weak. I did all my research to find a way to keep me alive and remain my age forever. Few years later, I've heard rumors of you and your companions defeated the three terrible sirens, it is quite outstanding admittedly. But then... you all disappeared since the another defeat the Pony of shadow, Very heart broken of your absence. But I do believe you will one day return, until now."
"Now that I'm returned to this world, are you willing to finish me off as much as your Empress do?" Starswirl asked with a attitude.
"I would likely wanted to, but no. The reason I come to see you is to show you them." Nemnok answered when he revealed a glowing orb that had trapped the mane six within in his hoof, causing the wizard's eyes widened. "The bearers of Harmony, Equestria's righteous heroes, but all I see is they're children who's plays in their imaginations."
"Let them go sorcerer, this is between you, me, and Ravahna, nothing more." Starswirl said for caring about the mane six.
"Why would I, they can be a good use for me." Nemnok said while he the glowing orb inside his cloak. "Right now, I shall be leaving you to your agony, farewell my dear old friend."
"Nemnok, NEMNOK!" Starswirl angrily shouted as he watches the sorcerer walks away.
....
Meanwhile at the valley, the sun is nearly setting down on the horizon until there is a hole where Spike has crawled out, it really took him and Sparx an hours or more to crawling upwards. The baby dragon is finally relieved when he feel the breeze on his face and his little buddy Sparx is flying around in circle happily.
"Ah, thank Celestia we're finally back the service Sparx." He said while laying on the ground, until he didn't notice where they are now. "Wait a minute, this is... a Froud Valley?" He recognize when he look up on the giant stone statue of pony head.
Suddenly, Spike feels the compass is shaking from his neck when he grabbed to see what's going on with it. The arrow pointed at the statue, meaning that the amulet must be there. "Sparx, I believe this is where it is, we've made it, come on."
They began to run slowly to follow the arrow inside the compass, it was a long way for almost twenty-two minutes. But suddenly, they stopped because the compass that led them to... a stone wall. Spike and Sparx were very confused about it. "Okay... I think the compass is broken Sparx." Spike said while he shake it to see if it's broken or not. However, he believe it's not wrong because he moves it left and right to see the arrow moved directly at the stone wall, but still confuse. "This doesn't make any sense, the compass was supposed to led to the amulet, not the wall." He sat down on the stone in gloomy.
The sun goes down when it disappeared on the horizon and the moon rises up to the sky. The light of the moon shines on the stone walls reveals the light lining which caught Spike and Sparx's attention. Revealing the light shapes like a door with an ancient unicorn writing. Their eyes widened to see its amazement and move closely towards it. The baby dragon believes the compass is never wrong after all. "Of course, this isn't just a wall, it is the door that holds the amulet inside, we did it Sparx." Spike said in happiness with his little dragonfly friend.
The baby dragon placed both his hands and starts to push the light door to open, but it won't opened. He try with all his strength, but it wasn't enough for it. "Come on... come on... please... open!" Spike barely said and then exhaustion affects him. "Why won't it open, don't tell me the door needs a key."
Spike tried everything he can for seven minutes, scratching, hitting, charging, and burning, but that still wasn't enough. A few moments later, the baby dragon and dragonfly didn't notice the writing on top of it. It says, 'If thy desires to enter, speak friend and enter.' Spike now understands what it means, in order to open the stone door. Luckily, Twilight once teaches him mostly history languages back home. "What was it I remember... um...'knewah'?" Spike asked himself, and then he answered to the door, if he is correct.
Until, the stone wall is cracking in line and opening the two doors wide. Spike couldn't believe it works. "Yeahahaha finally. This is it Sparx, once we go inside, we gotta get the Empress's amulet and then take it to Starswirl." Spike said when is planning what to do. Spike now taking his first step inside to begin their way to the amulet.
But without Spike's knowing, is on top of the other is the four Dredoks were watching the baby dragon went inside the secret door. One Dredok make a magic to appear the raven and set it free to deliver to their masters immediately.
....
The inside of this place is very dark, but luckily for Sparx is always glows. All they now see is dusty floors, webs everywhere, and... two standing old skeleton pony guards which causing Spike and Sparx spooked. "Well... it looks like somepony's forgot to take a vacation." Spike said when he feels sorry for those skeletons and Sparx is nervously nodded. "But there's no time, we gotta keep moving." They Continued to headed forward where they saw a path that lead to some kind of hallway while Sparx lead the way through the dark.
While walking and seeing all the ancient writings and pictures really scares them to know the dark cruel history of Equestria, but right now, they don't have time for distractions. Little do they know, they have stopped their tracks because there is no problem, there are two path on left and right with written words. "Um... that doesn't look, which way do you think we should go?" Spike asked and Sparx shook his head, meaning that he don't know which. "Okay, let's try this then." He reached out his hand and pointed his finger and said. "Eenie meenie miney mo, which of path are we supposed to go to the amulet, eenie meenie miney mo." He pointed left.
Spike and Sparx now both headed to the left path of direction, but they do not know is that written words on the front wall saying 'beware the traps'.
While Spike is walking and following Sparx, the baby dragon just step on the floor which triggered a trap and shoots out a darts, causing them to shock in panic. "Waah!" Spike shouted when he dodged it and accidentally stepped another trap that shoots out more darts. "Run!" They began to run as fast as they can to avoid multiple darts that Spike steps on, almost entering the next entrance and then he jumped.
"Phew, that was a close one, who's idea's to make every darn trap?" He asked to while he's getting up. "I gotta watch where I step next time." They once again continue to moved to another entrance, but close are they to reach the final destination to the amulet?
Suddenly, the another trap is activated itself to release the flames from two walls. Spike thought he accidentally stepped on the bottom on the floor, it wasn't him. "Okay this time it wasn't me." He said. Luckily for Spike, he can walk through the flames without getting burn because dragons are fireproof. But there is only one problem, Sparx can't go in the fire because he's not fireproof at all. The baby dragon need to think of some other ways for Sparx to go through without getting burned, until the idea came up with. "Sparx, I got an idea but... you're not gonna like it."
Spike grabbed Sparx's wings and put him inside of his mouth. He can feel the struggling by his dragonfly friend, wanting to get out. Spike starts to run through the flames as fast as can, and then he made it. The baby dragon opened his mouth to free Sparx while his dragonfly friend fly out, but Sparx is upset at Spike for not telling him. "I'm sorry Sparx, you're right I would told you before I put you in my mouth." Spike said when he chuckled a little, but the glowing dragonfly is not amused.
But then, they didn't notice that they are in another chamber that is full circle around the area with unicorn statue in front. The two of them were very surprised to see this while they moved forward in the middle. But then, the eyes of states are glowing and lighted at the baby dragon, causing them to shock and blinded by the light from the eyes. "GAAh, what's going on, it's to bright I can't see." Spike said when he and Sparx covered their eyes.
"HALT, YOU WILL NOT SHALL PASS." It speak which started them for hearing what the statue is saying. "I AM THE KEEPER OF EMPRESS RAVAHNA'S AMULET, AND IT IS MY TASK TO GUARDED FROM EVIL. IF YOU DESIRE TO SEEK IT, YOU MUST ANSWER ONE RIDDLE, SUCCEEDED AND YOU WILL PASS, FAILED YOU WILL BE DESTROYED IN THIS SPOT. BUT YOU HAVE THREE CHANCES." The statue said that makes Spike and Sparx terrified to hear that part about destroy. "SPEAK IF YOU ARE READY."
"Sparx, I know it is dangerous to try the riddle. But we can do this for everypony's sake and ours." Spike said to his dragonfly friend when Sparx regretfully nodded to try. The baby dragon turns his head and said to the statue. "Okay I'm ready, give me whatever riddle you got."
"IF THE LIGHT SHINES ON IT, IT GIVES OFF THE COLORS OF A RAINBOW. YET RAIN WILL NOT MAKE A SINGLE AFFECT. IT IS A SHAPE. WHAT... AM I?" The statue said the riddle.
The baby dragon placed his finger on his chin when he's thinking of finding an answer for it. But the problem is, he doesn't know. Until he starts to answer. "I know I know, um... um... you're... you're order."
"INCORRECTION." The statue denied Spike's answer when its stone horn starts to glow, meaning the beam is charging up to incinerate.
"Okay that's not good. Come on Spike think!" He said to himself nervously until he got another one. "Uh... maybe it's... justice?"
"INCORRECTION." The statue denied another answer from Spike when the beam is almost ready to fire. If Spike get one last wrong answer, he and Sparx will be done for into oblivion.
Tge sweat dripping down from his, thinking carefully for the right one, but it's very hard. "Come on, please please please. If I don't get the right one, all hope is lost and my friends everyone's doom... wait a minute." Spike said when he have a thought at the word he say. "Hope. I know what it is, the answer is hope!" He closed his eyes quickly incase if he and Sparx are toast, but then...
"... CORRECTION. YOU SHALL NOW PASS." The statue accepted Spike answered it when the beam is faded. Below at the statue has opened a light shine entrance that appears to be a final chamber.
Before that, Spike have felt really much relief when he breathe heavily, still sweating, and collapse backwards to the floor. "Oh boy, I nearly died." Spike said while his dragonfly friend landed on the baby dragon's chest. "Yeah, I'm okay buddy. I just need to catch my breath that all." But for now, Spike is getting back up from the floor and looking at the entrance. "This is it, were almost there to the amulet." He said as they headed towards the light shine entrance.
By the time when they're inside the final chamber, their eyes widened for the very moment of what's in front of them. A floating object that appears to be Ravahna's amulet. It is made of gold shape like a coin with a green jewel in the middle.
"The amulet, this is what Starswirl say that he is talking about." Spike said to Sparx. The baby dragon walks towards it, but he stopped because the bridge has no full space and see all the way down to bottom pit full of bones and corpses. This is very difficult for Spike, his wing is still sore. However, he can try to balance himself by lifting both his arms and walking very slowly and carefully. "Okay, here I go."
As soon as he keeps walking, Sparx is making sure that he doesn't let Spike fall down the pit. "Almost there, slow and steady always wins the race." He said while he's almost at the end. until then, he made it there. "That was a close one, right?" He said to his little buddy and Sparx nodded.
He turned his head at the amulet and about to grab with his hands, but he can't because he thinks the amulet could hurt him or worse. His hands are shaking and moving towards it, and then he got it. But nothing happens. Spike and Sparx sigh to each other in relief, expecting it to happen right now, but It didn't.
A couple minutes later, Spike and Sparx have made back without getting injuries from any trap and found the first entrance where the secret door is open while the baby dragon already put the amulet inside of his backpack. "There's the exit, now we gotta go to Canterlot and then handover to Starswirl so he knows how to deal with it." Spike said while they are almost outside. "Canterlot, here we co- AGH!"
Suddenly, Spike's words were cut off because there were magic aura frozed his body, especially Sparx. The baby dragon is struggling to try moving, but the magic is too strong to break free. "A very well done little dragon." A male voice that appears to be Nemnok along with Dredoks on both his sides. "No wonder why Starswirl and their highnesses have send you on your quest, because you are quite the clever one Aren't you."
"Y- your... must be... Nemnok... that... Starswirl told... me about, give... me back... my... friends." Spike barely said for trying to move his mouth.
"Your friends, ah you mean Twilight Sparkle and her friends." Nemnok said when remembered the mane six that he have within the orb. "But I'm afraid I cannot do, also yes I am indeed Nemnok, I am taking back what belongs to my Empress." The sorcerer uses his horn to move Spike around to reach his hoof inside the backpack to grab Ravahna's amulet.
On that very moment, the sorcerer finally got the amulet in his grasp, smiling victoriously. "Thank you for your generous offer dragon, but now you will die" he tosses spike and Sparx back inside the chamber. "Sealed it in."
He commanded Dredoks while they shoots out the beams at the ceiling to cause crashing down for not letting Spike and Sparx out. The baby dragon gasp and eyes widened while get up and ran towards it. But he is too late. "NO!" He shouted while pounding the stone that block the only exit.
And so, the evil have merged victorious for taking the amulet back for the Empress of evil and will soon began the war again. How will Spike and Sparx can get out of here? But they will soon find out the way, before they will suffocate without an air.
To Be Continued...