//------------------------------//
// Chapter 10 
// Story: True origins 
// by Digitalis 
//------------------------------//

Even in the middle of the blizzard, there was silence. Even the battle around them seemed to fall into background after what Spike had said. Finally, Strom laughed.

“Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha! Really? You, just a mere whelp, challenge me to a duel? Please, kid, don’t make me laugh!” Strom hadn’t taken Spike seriously, probably due to his small size. Yet, Spike wasn’t going to be discouraged by this.

“Ka-Hurr! Stand back! I don’t want you to get involved in this.” Kiguroth tried to sound as commanding as possible, but his voice lacked the strength needed in that moment.

“What is it, Strom?” Spike smirked. He knew how to convince the warlord to accept the duel. “Are you going to decline a challenge because you don’t want to get your hands dirty? Or maybe you’re afraid?”

The last part seemed to have got the result Spike wanted. Strom’s mocking grin disappeared immediately. He glared at Spike.

“I could crush you under my boot, insect. I’m not afraid of you. I’m not afraid of anything.” He practically spat at Spike.

“Then why you refuse my challenge? Maybe you’re a coward.” 

Strom snorted strongly. It seemed to have worked.

“Very well, ‘prince’.” Strom said, menacingly. “I accept your challenge. Right here and right now.”

He then took out a war horn and blew it. The sound it made was heard by all the storm giants who, knowing what the sound meant, stopped fighting and rushed to the warlord. At the same time Kiguroth roared at the sky, sending to the dragon soldiers the order to do the same. In some minutes a large crowd had gathered, leaving Spike and Strom some space in the center.

“I’ll state my conditions.” Spike raised his voice so everyone could hear him. “If I win, you and the rest of the storm giants will surrender and never attack Draconia again, nor any other inhabited territory in the Northern Wastelands.”

“Very well.” Strom snarled. He obviously knew he had been tricked. “But if I win, you lizards will surrender and leave the entire kingdom. Every one of you. Did I make myself clear?” Spike nodded. He knew he was risking a lot in this fight.

Before the duel started, Sarr lifted his claws at the sky and muttered some words, the same did the rest of the dragon mages. When they did this the blizzard subsided until it stopped completely. It was an almost complete silence, save for the shuffling of armor that could be heard sometimes. Spike and Strom looked at each other in the eyes for what it seemed some minutes.

And then, the duel began.

Strom attacked first, sending a vertical slash towards his opponent. Spike unfolded his wings and jumped to the right, avoiding the attack. He then drew his sword and launched towards the giant, but a swift move of his massive hand was enough to repel the young dragon as if he was a fly. Spike stumbled back but recovered in the air, then he tried to attack again. Strom tried to hit him the same way as before, but Spike was ready for that. He avoided the giant’s hand and flew up to his face. However, he had forgotten the other hand, and Strom tried to hit him with a slash of his axe that almost cut the dragon in two, but was able to dodge it by pure luck.

‘That was close!’ Spike thought. ‘I have to be careful. One hit and it’s over.’ He retreated to a safe distance to think of a plan.

“Who’s the coward now?” Strom mocked. “Come on! Come here and fight as a man!”

Of course, Spike didn’t fall on that. Strom kept trying to hit Spike, but Spike was fast enough to avoid the giant’s axes. ‘He may be bigger and stronger, but that makes him slow. If I can use that as an advantage, I could have an opportunity.’

Spike flew around the giant, searching for a weak spot in the armor. He tried to attack the joints of the armor, but Strom was fast enough to block the sword. Each time Spike attacked, his sword bounced on the thick steel. In the last attempt, Spike was open to an attack, and Strom used that to his advantage, and sent a slash towards him. The young dragon almost got his right wing severed, but he was able to avoid the hit at the last moment. 

Spike started flying around Strom, who kept sanding slash after slash of his axes. Spike had to think quickly, if he avoided fight for too long, he would automatically forfeit, and Strom would be the winner. He kept searching for a weak spot where his opponent wasn’t covered in armor plates or mammoth skin, when he found a place. Right behind Strom, Spike found an open spot in the back of the giant’s knee. Spike dived down as fast as an arrow, Strom started turning around but it was too late.

Spike drew the first blood.

“Gah!” Strom made an exclamation, mostly of annoyance and anger than of pain. Spike had stabbed the giant with his sword, only the handle visible in the injury. “How dare you! You will pay for that!”

He shook his left leg, and Spike was sent flying. Unfortunately, his sword was still stuck in the giant’s flesh. ‘I have to get it back!’ He dived down to retrieve it, but Strom blocked his path slicing the air just in front of him.

“I don’t think so! It was really entertaining following your little game, bug, but I’m tired of it. Now DIE!”
He sent down the other axe, right over him. Spike’s father closed his eyes…

And saw no blood. Somehow, Spike had dodged it, letting Strom’s right axe stuck in the ground. ‘Perfect!’ Spike thought, and quickly flew down to retrieve his sword. He extracted it quickly enough to notice when Strom had dropped the right axe and tried to catch him with his hand, and sent a stab to the gloved hand.

“Arghh! Why you little…!”

Strom had dropped both axes now, and was just trying to catch Spike with only his hands. The young dragon was able to dodge every attempt to catch him, but that left him unavailable to find another weak spot. This went on until Spike saw the little cut he had left on the giant’s glove. ‘That’s it!’ He thought. ‘It’s dangerous, but it can work!’

He then stopped flying around and hovered in the air. Strom smirked. “Tired already? Too bad.” And gave a slap to where Spike was with both hands. Spike waited until the last moment, when he drew his body a bit up, leaving the pair of massive hands just under him.

“It will be bad for you!” Spike shouted and slashed at the giant’s wrist. It didn’t hurt Strom, but left a big cut in his left glove. A cut Spike used to crawl under Strom’s armor. Kiguroth and some other dragons, as well as some giants, held their breaths.

“What in the name of Thorimus are you doing?!” He shouted, trying to hit with his other hand the place where Spike was under the armor, like if a bug had got under his clothes. “Get out!”

Being between Strom’s skin and armor was like being inside the belly of a beast. Spike had to crawl with very little space, stepping in the giant’s sweaty skin that felt really uncomfortable, with very little air to breathe, and having to dodge Strom’s palms on the arm. The stench of sweat was almost unbearable. Still, Spike crawled up the arm, and descended through the chest, until he was at the left side of the giant’s chest, just between two ribs.

Hastily, he drew out his sword and stabbed between the two ribs. He heard Strom shouting, and some blood started pouring from the recent injury. However, Spike wasn’t done. He quickly sheathed his sword and crawled round the body, until he was on the middle of the giant’s back. ‘This won’t leave permanent damage, but it will be enough.’ He then stabbed the giant right between two vertebrae.

Strom screamed, this time in real pain, and clutched his back. He fell down on the snow looking upwards. Spike crawled out of his armor and pointed his sword to the giant’s throat.

“You surrender?” Spike asked. He had the advantage, where he was, with one swift movement, he could have severed important arteries, effectively killing the giant. But he hoped he wouldn’t have to do it. 
Fortunately for him, Strom accepted. “Okay, okay. I surrender.” He slowly and painfully stood up, more hurt in pride than anything else.

“Remember the conditions. If I won, you and your kind would leave us alone, and would never attempt to conquer any other place in the Northern Wastelands again.” Spike stated. Strom just spat at the ground.

“Over my dead body, insect.” He grabbed both of his axes and lifted them, but Kiguroth drew out his own sword.

“Those were the conditions of the duel. You lost, and you must follow. Or you don’t have any honor.” At hearing this, Strom bared his teeth, but took a glance at his surroundings. All the storm giants were looking at him. Reluctantly, he sheathed his axes.

“Fine.” He grumbled. “Fall back, we’re leaving!” He then shouted.

The dragons cheered loudly. The storm giants turned back and left to their own lands, while the dragons went back to the watching post.

Spike smiled to himself. He had done it. He had resolved a conflict by himself, without risking more lives. However, all feelings of happiness vanished when he saw his father with a serious face, frowning slightly at him.

“Come with me, Ka-Hurr. I’ll have a word with you once we get back to the palace.”

Spike gulped down. This wouldn’t be pretty.




Back in the palace, Kiguroth sat on his throne, while Spike was in front of him. The Dragon King looked at his son in a disapproving manner. At his side, Sarr was doing his best not to look scared. The mage knew he was going to be punished too for not telling the King about his son’s presence.

“Ka-Hurr.” Kiguroth said, his tone high and formal. “Your status as my son and Prince does not matter to me. You disobeyed an explicit order to stay at the palace, and put not only yourself but our entire kingdom in danger with that challenge. You could have got hurt just as me, you could have died, and you could have lost, effectively making all of our kind to leave our ancestral home.”

Spike lowered his head. He knew this would happen. Yet, he didn’t regret going to the battlefield, he would have done it a thousand times if it was to help his father and his people. So he would have to accept the consequences. But what he heard next was something unexpected.

“However,” Kiguroth went on, his tone a bit more warm. “You effectively drove the storm giants off Draconia, as they will never break their pact again, I hope. For that, I congratulate you.”

Kiguroth Stood up and kneeled in front of Spike, putting a finger over his son’s shoulder. “I am proud of you.” Spike felt not only relieved, but also happy.

“And as for you, Sarr.” Kiguroth stood up again and faced his counselor, who was doing his best not to faint. Kiguroth’s tone was seemed hard, but Spike could see that he was trying to hide a grin. “You should have warned me about Ka-Hurr’s presence, but I will let you pass this one. You have been of great assistance, and a good friend.”

Sarr almost fainted, but of great joy. Trying to control himself, he bowed. “Thank you, Your Majesty. It will never happen again.”

“Very well.” Kiguroth turned back to his throne, but saw Spike’s troubled expression. “Ka-Hurr, is there some problem?”

“Oh, nothing.” Spike shook his head. “It’s that just… it has been almost a month since I left Ponyville and my friends, and I just miss them. Sorry, but I can’t help it, they were the first friends I had.”

He expected his father to get angry, after all ponies were not considered too important by dragons, but instead Kiguroth only sighed. “I understand, son. You are very attached to them, and I value that, despite the fact that they are ponies. But with your status, you can’t just leave. However...” Kiguroth sat in the throne, thinking about something. “That could work. Alright, I think we can resolve this, but on one condition.” Spike nodded, hopeful. “My time as a king will soon come to an end. Even if we are immortal, it has become tradition to left the throne when the time comes. It may be in many years, but it’s close. So I ask you, when the time comes, will you come back and take my place as Dragon King?”

Spike was left speechless as realization dawned on him with all its weight. He would have to become King. He would have to rule Draconia. It was his destiny. But he didn’t mind now. He knew his time would come sooner or later, but he wanted to be with his friends until it was time.

“Okay, dad. I promise: when it’s time, I’ll become King.”

Kiguroth smiled, pleased. “Very well. Then I think I have the solution.”




Twilight Sparkle sighed, once again back at home in Ponyville. The wedding had been a success. Despite the changeling invasion to Canterlot, everything had ended well. And Twilight had been able to reunite with her brother and ex-foalsitter. 

‘Only one thing would have made it perfect…’

She shook her head, dismissing the thoughts. He was gone now, maybe forever. She had to let him go and follow his own path. Just some time after he had left she had understood. He wasn’t a pony, he was a dragon. Maybe going back to his kind’s home he would find out who he really was.

So deep in her thoughts she was that she almost didn’t hear the noise from outside. It sounded like the beating of wings. Of many, big wings.

“What is that?”

Twilight rushed to the entrance of the library, just to see where the noise was coming from. Four immense armored dragons were flying straight to Ponyville. In a matter of seconds they landed right in front of the library. Twilight was the only pony in sight, the rest of Ponyville had hidden in their houses.

Twilight didn’t know what to do. These dragons wore grey armor, and they looked as firm as the royal guards from Canterlot. What why they were here? Just then she noted something else, a purple spot that quickly grew, and landed right in front of her.

The spot was in fact another dragon, clad in silver armor, and wearing a large sword across his back between his wings. He stood in four legs, but he was still a bit taller than Twilight, his scales were purple while his spines were bright green. He seemed familiar to the mare, but she couldn’t guess who he was.

Suddenly, a loud chirping was heard, and Peewee, Spike’s old pet phoenix, flew around the young drake and landed on his head. The dragon just smiled.

“Hey there, little guy. I missed you too.”

Then everything fell into place for Twilight.

“S-Spike?” The shock was such that her voice was caught in her throat.

The young dragon looked at Twilight, smiling. “I missed you too.”
“Spike!” Twilight couldn’t hold back. She jumped to him and hugged him as strong as she could. Spike returned the embrace softly. “But how? I thought you wouldn’t be able…”

Spike only chuckled, as the dragon guards, seeing that they were not needed anymore, lifted up in the sky, and went back from they had come. “You are talking now to the new ambassador of Draconia. I’ll be able to stay here in Equestria, and I could try to make an alliance between Equestria and Draconia. What do you think?”

Twilight was barely paying attention at what he was saying. He may have changed, but he was back. He was back.

Now, for Twilight, everything was perfect again.