//------------------------------// // The Test of Strength // Story: The Legend of Spike: Krazoa Island // by DiabloGuapo //------------------------------// General Scar’s Galleon circled above the floating piece of island known as Dragon Rock. The overgrown Doberman sat in his chair, fiddling with the red talisman around his neck as he stared at the large yellow stone that lay on the table before him. There was a knock at the cabin door and he looked up from the stone. “Enter!” The door opened and Scar’s lieutenants, Rover, Fido, and Spot, stepped inside the cabin. The three subordinate Diamond Dogs shuffled their feet, rubbed the back of their necks, stared at the ground, and did anything else to prolong delivering the bad news to their boss. “Well… Speak!” The three flinched, but Rover finally spoke, “Um, well… you see…” “The dragon got the red gem!” Spot blurted out then covered his mouth. General Scar pounded his fist onto the air of his chair and rose with a snarl. The three cowered in fear as the Doberman raised his fisted paw and knocked them to the floor. When he raised his hooked paw, they cowered and tried to shield themselves. However, Scar tempered his anger and turned around. When nothing happened, the other dogs tentatively looked back to the alpha dog and saw him staring out the window with his arms behind his back. Ever since Scar took over the pack, things had been different. Before, the Diamond Dogs stuck to their holes and only cared for the gems they dug up. For the most part, they didn’t bother anybody. Sure, there was that one time they came up with the plan to enslave a baby dragon, but that didn’t turn out so well. They ended up kidnapping a Unicorn for her ability to locate gems, but she wasn’t worth the trouble. When Scar came, he spoke of a place where gem grew on trees and that they could have them all if they just followed him, but they never imagined that they would be going to war with the inhabitants of the island. The Diamond Dogs may have been greedy, but they had never killed for treasure before. At first, the Diamond Dogs were hesitant to follow the newcomer and Rover didn’t want to relinquish his position as the alpha dog. When Scar pulled out his red claw-like talisman and used it to torture Rover until he submitted, the rest of the pack followed in suit. “I would have thought nothing could get pass the RedEye Tribe,” Scar said calmly to them. “You’re not mad?” Rover cautiously asked. “But he’s got three of the magic gems and we only have one,” Fido pointed out. “An inconvenience, but in the long run, it doesn’t matter,” Scar told them as he looked over his shoulder. “They may hold most of the cards, but I still have the trump card.” “Uh… what’s a trump card?” Fido asked, scratching his head. “This is.” The General pointed to the yellow SpellStone on the table. “As long as we have the SpellStone of Air, the island will continue to fall apart. Our plan remains intact; if the dinosaur tribes want the SpellStone back, they will have to surrender the island to me. If they don’t…” Scar then grinned sinisterly. “There won’t be a Krazoa Island anymore.” “But boss, if there is no island, then we won’t get the gems,” Spot said to the towering Doberman. “You idiot, the dinosaurs won’t risk the safety of their island,” Scar berated the smaller brown Diamond Dog. “They’ll have to give into my demands sooner or later. And once they do, we’ll enslave all of them and force them to harvest the gems for us!” General Scar laughed maniacally and the other three canines nervously laughed along with him. There was another knock at the door and Spot opened it to let a Diamond Dog grunt in. “Boss, he is here,” the dog reported as he saluted. General Scar grinned at the news and then said to the dog, “It’s about time. Let him in.” The dog stepped aside and a tall figure came through the doorway. The lesser dogs gazed up in a mixture of awe and intimidation when they saw who it was. The figure stood a foot taller than General Scar, who stood taller than the average Diamond Dog at seven feet, and looked just as cruel. The two towering beings stared at each other, Scar with his green eyes and the stranger with his yellow eyes. “So what’s this about?” the mysterious figure asked holding up a piece of parchment. Since the EarthWalkers had called in for reinforcements, Scar decided he should do the same. “I have a job for you,” Scar started to explain. “You see, I’m trying to take over this island and to do that I took the four magical stones that hold the island together. The dinosaurs that live here have hired a team of mercenaries to try and stop me.” “Uh-huh, that’s nice. But what does that have to do with me?” Scar’s guest impatiently asked. “Due to the incompetence of some of my dogs,” Scar said as he cast an angry scowl at Rover, Fido, and Spot. “They have managed to steal back three of the stones, freed the prisoners, and helped the dinosaurs reclaim the lands I have conquered.” “Sounds like you’re not too good at your job there, General,” the stranger mocked, causing the Doberman to growl. “But again, what does that have to do with me?” “I want you to guard the last stone,” Scar told him, pointing to the yellow gem on the table. “That’s it?” the guest said with a raise of his brow. “Yes, that’s it. As long as I have this stone, I am still in control. Without it, the island is doomed. I have moved the majority of my forces to this miserable piece of rock to insure that they don’t get the last SpellStone.” “Why not just take it far away from the island?” “Because I need it close enough to return it to the temple that it belongs to once my demands are met and I am ruler of Krazoa Island.” “Fair enough, but what about my payment?” General Scar opened a chest and pulled out a bag. He tossed the bag onto the table next to the SpellStone of Air and a few gems spilled out from it. The stranger picked up the bag of gems and the few that had fallen out and sorted through them. In it was an assortment of emeralds, diamonds, sapphires, rubies, sapphires, and other precious stones. “This is it?” he asked, glaring down at the small fortune worth of jewels. He clutched the bag in a fist and held it up to Scar’s face. “This is chump change! Your letter said you’ll pay with more gems than I can imagine! Believe me; I can imagine more than a bagful!” “That’s just for the trouble of coming all the way to listen to the offer,” Scar told him. “Once I have complete control of the island, I’ll have access to all of its resources. I will be able to pay you a mountain of gems if you want.” “Ha, that’s if you win!” the stranger snorted. “You’re offering me something you don’t even have your one grimy little paw on yet! Remember this; whether you win or lose, I’m expecting to get paid!” General Scar bared his teeth and snarled as his talisman was surrounded by the aura of dark magic, but his guest stood his ground and snarled back. Usually, Scar could intimidate anyone with the threat of his dark magic. Even the EarthWalkers were no match for the power of the talisman, but this guy wasn’t backing down. General Scar then smirked and the talisman returned to normal. “Did I mention the bonus?” the Doberman asked. “What bonus?” the stranger asked back. “The particular mercenary that’s been a thorn in my side is a dragon.” “A dragon?” “Yes, a purple teenaged dragon with green spines. I am told his name is Spike. If you wait here long enough, you may get the chance to kill him.” Intrigued by the offer, the stranger grinned and said, “Alright, I’m in.” After the mysterious figure had left, Scar walked onto the deck of his Galleon and observed the barren wasteland below him. The dinosaurs were desperately trying to take back this piece of the island from the Diamond Dogs because, even though Dragon Rock was desolate, it was the sacred land where the SpellStone of Air was forged. From the railing of his Airship, Scar could see a rainbow streak flying back and forth between the airships. Something was down there giving the dinosaurs air support, but it matter little to the General. Even though he had told his own mercenary and it was what he promised the other Diamond Dogs, Scar wanted something else from the island than the gems. There was a power here, a power that could make him unstoppable and it dwelt within Krazoa Palace. If he was able harness that power for himself, then not only would he rule Krazoa Island, but he could conquer Equestria as well! As he reveled in his own dark ambition, the Galleon flew away from Dragon Rock and headed back to Krazoa Palace. ***** Spike and Tricky led the ponies through the trail north of ThornTail Hollow to the Volcano Force Point Temple. On the way, Twilight was fascinated by the unique terrain of Moon Mountain Pass, but it gave Applejack and Fluttershy the creeps. Applejack gave a look of disgust at the glowing pink and white fungi. Every time a geyser would erupt green gas, Fluttershy would squeal in surprise. Pinkie Pie didn’t seem to mind it. When one of the bloated creatures popped its head out its crater, she would giggle at it and imitate its face while making exaggerated sounds. Unamused, it hid back into its hole. When they reached the temple, Spike opened the gates of the temple using the SpellStone of Fire and led them inside. “This place is amazing,” Twilight said as she looked up at the pillars of the main hall of the temple. “The architecture of the temple is unlike anything else on the rest of the island. While I can see the influence of Equestrian culture in the other structures, this place has its own unique style.” “That’s because it’s said that the Krazoa themselves built this place along with the other temple and Krazoa Palace,” Tricky explained as they entered the chamber with the six Krazoa statues. Taking the lift down to the central chamber of the temple, they walked onto the circular walkway that was suspended over the heart of the volcano. They gathered around the red altar that was meant for the SpellStone of Fire as Spike held the large gem over it and Tricky activated the portal. In a flash of red teleporting magic, the six of them were taken to the Force Point far beneath the surface of the island. “Those must be the Krazoa,” Twilight said as she looked at the six large statues on the wall. “They look all mystically,” Pinkie said, titling her head curiously as she looked up at one of the mask-like faces. “They’re the ones who made the SpellStones to hold back the magical force that tries to push our island apart,” Tricky explained, motioning to the swirling vortex of raw magical energy. “They must be mighty powerful to do all that,” Applejack commented. “I’ve read that the Krazoa protect the island and support the growth of life on it,” Twilight claimed. “All this reminds me of the Tree of Harmony and the Elements,” Fluttershy said. “The Tree of Harmony?” Tricky asked. “It is the source of peace and harmony in Equestria and we are the Bearers of the Elements of Harmony that it provides,” the Alicorn told the Prince. “Oh yeah, I remember. Spike’s told me how you use them to save the world.” “Speakin’ of returnin’ things, isn’t that where the SpellStone goes?” Applejack asked as she pointed to the pillar that was the focal point of the magical force. Spike pulled out the SpellStone of Fire and placed it in the red framed slot next to the SpellStones of Earth and Water. The SpellStone glowed red as it absorbed the flow of the magical energy and the vortex decreased in size until it was a fourth of its original size. The red light appeared again and they were taken back outside the temple. “Now we’ve found three of the SpellStones and two of the Krazoa Spirits,” Spike announced as they walked down the trail from Moon Mountain Pass to ThornTail Hollow. “Don’t forget about the one Rarity found!” Pinkie Pie reminded as she hopped along. “Three of the Krazoa Spirits,” Spike corrected himself. “So, are we going to look for the next SpellStone first or try to find another Krazoa?” Fluttershy asked. “Where are the Krazoa hidin’?” Applejack asked. This caused Twilight Sparkle to pause and think. “Hhmmm…” She hummed as she tapped a hoof to her chin. She then gasped excitedly as she remembered something and pulled out her maps. She flipped through the maps, scanning their contents until she found what she was looking for. “Aha! I knew I recognized that symbol! Look here. See that six pointed image? I saw it all throughout the Volcano Force Point Temple. It must be the crest of the Krazoa Spirits.” “But this is a map of SnowHorn Wastes,” Spike exclaimed as he recognized the landmarks on the map. “That’s not far from here.” “I bet that there’s a Krazoa Spirit there,” Twilight proudly declared, tapping the map. “Maybe Garunda Te might know where it is,” Tricky suggested. “Alright then, sounds like we’re headed back to SnowHorn Wastes!” Applejack cheered. Taking the northeastern path through the aqueduct, the six made their way to the snowy home of the mammoths. As Spike, Twilight, and Fluttershy flew over the cold water of the tunnel, Spike carried Tricky and Twilight used her magic to telekinetically lift Applejack. Though Twilight offered to also transport Pinkie Pie, the Earth Pony pulled a yellow inner tube with pink polka dots and floated across the icy water. “Burr, that was cold!” she enthusiastically said as she shook the water off her coat. Ignoring her antics, they continued out the tunnel and into the snow covered valley. They could see the SnowHorns clearing the valley of the remains of the Diamond Dog fort. “Garunda!” Spike called to the Chieftain as they ran up to him. “Ah, I see you’ve found each other,” the mammoth leader happily noted. “Yes, and we also returned three of the SpellStones,” Spike told him. “That’s great to hear. Well done, my friend.” A look of regret then formed on Garunda’s face. “Did you by chance happen to find my daughter?” “We did,” Twilight answered. “She’s safe. She can’t wait to see you again and to help you lead the tribe once more.” The news brought grateful tears to the old mammoth’s eyes and it softened his prideful heart. “Oh, I’m so happy she’s safe. Is there anything I can do to repay you?” “Actually, there is. We’re looking for Krazoa Spirits and we understand there’s a shrine nearby,” Spike said to him. “Ah yes, follow me.” The SnowHorn led them up to the waterfall that flowed into the valley. On the other side of the stream was a short trail that took them to a cave hidden in the mountains. Inside the cave was a glowing yellow altar. “Be careful, Spike,” Twilight urged the dragon as he stepped onto the circular altar. He looked back and nodded to her before he was whisked away by its magic. Spike reappeared in a Krazoa Shrine and stepped off the altar. He foot slipped and he landed on the floor with a thud. To his surprise, he found that the floor of the shrine was made of ice. Wobbling a bit as he rose, Spike stood back up and made his way across the frozen corridor. The first chamber he came to had a narrow winding bridge made of ice spanning over a pit. Anyone that tried to walk across it would have a hard time not slipping of the bridge. Bypassing the bridge, he flew over the chasm to the other side. The next chamber had a pool of water with a series of fire jets over the surface. Sticking a claw into the water, he found it was freezing. Apparently, the challenge of this trap was to swim under the surface of the freezing water to avoid getting burned by the fire. Normally, someone trying to complete the Krazoa’s tests would rather risk hypothermia than face incineration, but Spike was a dragon. He would take the fire any day over the cold. He flew through the flames and landed on the other side of the pool. In the final corridor, there were those floating sentries that were present in the other shrines and Krazoa Palace. Spike easily defeated them by shooting green fireballs at them, disrupting their magic. With all obstacles out of his way, the purple dragon walked to the chamber at the end of the hall, where a glowing purple and blue Krazoa Spirit was waiting for him. The ethereal entity floated over a large stone carving of the Krazoa crest that rest in the middle of the room. Connected to each end of the six pointed crest was a large stone cylinder and there was one of the stone statues from the Test of Combat standing by one of the points. Spike then noticed the crest was unaligned with the one on the tiled floor. “Welcome to the Test of Strength,” the Krazoa greeted in its otherworldly voice. “Use your strength to push the crest against your opponent until it returns to its proper place. If you succeed, I will become yours to return to the Krazoa Palace. Do you accept?” “Yes,” he answered the spirit. “Then take your place.” The Krazoa then sank into the center of the crest and its blue light spread through an arm of the device until it entered the statue. Its eyes and crest lit up and it leaned against a stone cylinder, ready to push back when Spike did. The dragon took his place and started to rotate the crest counterclockwise. Sure enough, the stone giant pushed the crest clockwise. “Okay, time to see how strong I am,” Spike said to himself, gritting his teeth as he pushed against his end of the stone crest. Summoning his draconic strength, Spike shoved against his end and he heard the sound of stone scrapping against stone. On the other end of the crest, the giant statue was being dragged by the spinning arm, its feet scrapping against the floor as it tried to regain its footing. The crest rotated counterclockwise until it matched the symbol on the floor and locked into place. The lights on the statue fade and it slumped over as the Krazoa Spirit left it. The Krazoa then emerge from the rippling mirror on the wall and entered Spike’s body. He felt the familiar floating sensation as the spirit entering his body lifted him off the ground. Well done. I will remain in your body until you release me back in Krazoa Palace. With the Krazoa Spirit recovered, Spike was transported back to SnowHorn Wastes. “Did you find it?” Tricky asked as he saw Spike emerge from the cave. Spike pointed to his glowing purple eyes to answer his question. “Yeah, four down two to go!” “Alright, we’re one step closer to saving Rarity,” Twilight announced. They then headed back to ThornTail Hollow and waited by the Warp Stone as Spike went on to Krazoa Palace. Once Spike arrived at the palace, he found it was still raining. Is it always like this? he wondered to himself as he flew to the roof of the building. He made it a point to check on Rarity every time he visited Krazoa Palace. Even though he knew she was safe inside the crystal protected by the three Krazoa Spirits circling it, he had to see for himself. Whenever he would touch the magic barrier surrounding the white Unicorn, he felt connected to her. As he looked at her peacefully sleeping face, he said to her, “Soon, Rarity, soon. I’m almost there.” He then headed down the ramp off the platform and went inside the building. As he went to find the sanctuary to release the next spirit, it guided him to the second floor of the rotunda. There he found two torches on the wall with an empty space between them. Spike tapped on the stone wall, trying to find a secret switch or something to reveal the sanctuary. However, it seemed to be nothing but a stone wall. When he tapped against the wall between the torches, he felt something strange. It didn’t feel solid like stone, but it did resist him and the image of the bricks wavered when he touched it. It must be some sort of illusion, Spike thought. He then placed a claw on the magic barrier and focused on the enchantment creating the image. Releasing a surge of dragon magic, Spike dispelled the illusion and the magic barrier retreated. On the other side of fake wall were a white altar and the image of a Krazoa. This was the part Spike hated. The spirit left his body when he stepped onto the altar, causing him to groan with discomfort. Once it was out of him and back into its sanctuary, the statue’s eyes glowed and the fourth Krazoa Spirit joined its brethren in circling Rarity’s crystal. As before, the Krazoa then returned Spike to ThornTail Hollow. ***** Spike had come to see her again and Rarity was thrilled. When he would reach out to her, she tried to reach back. In her dream world, she could feel the power of the Krazoa strengthening every time she felt Spike’s presence. She realized that Spike was continuing what she had started and was returning the spirits to the palace. You can do it, Spike! she cheered her hero on through the void. I believe in you! She then felt something else approaching. It was far away, but it was drawing closer to Krazoa Place. In the dream world, it was represented as a black mass, like a dark storm cloud. Purple and green thunderbolts shot out the cloud of dark magic. As it came closer, Rarity could make out a figure in the darkness. It’s you! she angrily shouted at the one who had imprisoned her there in the first place. The entity in the darkness laughed and the sound echoed throughout the void.