//------------------------------// // Ch.8 Can't Do It Anymore // Story: The Origin Chronicles Vol. 2 // by SmokeShadow95 //------------------------------// Spike rose hid head slowly. He felt a great pain in most of his body. And what was that stuff he was laying in? Sand? The memories came back to Spike little by little. He rose his head above the sands. He was feeling groggy still, and his head throbbed if he moved to fast. Not too far away he saw something. A tower? A column? As he made his way to his feet, slowly, as more than his head started to throb he noticed something. He noticed the distinct absence of anything. No ponies. No plants. No life in general. As he thought about this a thought made it's painful way back into the forefront of mind. No, not really a thought. An old memory coming back to him. Twilight. Fluttershy. Pinkie Pie. Rarity. Applejack. Rainbow Dash. Friends! His friends! They weren't here. He saw that night had fallen upon the sands. He could feel the chill in the air around him. Every breath he could see as it exited his body. He had to find a place to stay for the night. He looked around a bit and saw something. Due to the sandstorm earlier he was unable to see that there was a tall rocky cliff not too far away. If he could make it there maybe he could find some shelter. Every muscle in his legs groaned as he freed his feet from the sand. The walk over to the cliff was not far, but Spike was feeling weaker than usual. He nearly collapsed in the way there. With luck, Spike was able to find a small cave nestled into the side of the cliff. He ducked under the low ceiling and wandered inside. The iris' of his eyes glowed slightly as he used his night vision to peer into the darkness of the cave. The cave floor declined to take him further underground. It took him to a small round room in the cave. This was a simple enough place. It would do until the night passed. Spike moved to take off his coat only to be slammed by new wave of agony that originated from his chest. He rolled his shoulder back as he dealt with the pain. He straightened his arms behind him and the heavy coat slid off and hit the floor. Spike immediately repositioned himself into the most comfortable spot he could find. He started a low fire in middle of the cave room. Just then he saw a small glow emanating from inside his coat. The Night Calling Mirror! Spike rushed to his coat and pulled out the mirror. When he looked into it he saw a familiar face, but not one of the ones he wanted to see. Cadance looked like she couldn't believe her eyes, “Spike?” “Cadance,” Spike said as his eyes started to water, “I lost them. I lost them all.” “Spike, what do you mean? Spike,” Cadance said as she tried to reach him. “First it was Rainbow Dash, and then Applejack,” Spike said, “And then Pinkie and Fluttershy. I have lost them all.” Cadance urgently tried to get through to Spike, “Spike! Please, get to me as soon as possible. I need you at the Crystal Palace right away.” “No,” Spike said flatly, “I can't do it anymore.” “What,” Cadance couldn't believe what she heard, “What do you mean you can't do it anymore? Spike, will you help me? Will you help us?” “What is the point,” Spike said with growing anger, “When I have lost everything?!” In his anger Spike gripped the mirror tightly. So tightly that it shattered in his claws. He had shattered the mirror. Twice now it had been broken. This time by his own hand. His anger lessened and he looked down at the broken pieces of the mirror in his hand. He opened his claws and the remains fell to the cave floor. All but some mirror shards that pierced his scales. He winced a little as he pulled the shards out of his hand. He gazed at the shards he held for a moment after he pulled them out. His blood stained the mirror he tossed them aside and laid down to rest. His body was sore. His mind was a wreck. His spirit was broken. Spike dreamed of better place. A better place than where he was now. He dreamed of a place where he could look around and see his friends. All of them. They were all around. Happy. Twilight was sitting in the shade of a tree reading a book with Owlicious perched on a branch above her. Fluttershy was having a lovely picnic with all her animal friends to which Applejack had provided all the tasty treats. Those two were talking and laughing and having a nice time. Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash were both challenging each other in various things. Most of them Dash won, but Pinkie just wanted to have fun. Rarity was using the moment to draft up some new designs for dresses. And then there was Spike. He was off to the side just watching it all. Luna was at his side. That was the perfect moment. And then it was gone. The clear, sunny skies were covered with dark clouds that poured rain onto them. Lightning struck the ground and it split open. A darkness came forth and rushed all around them. Spike turned his back to it. He knew it was nothing but a dream. However nice it was, he knew it wouldn't last. He closed himself off to it, and then something strange happened. Spike opened his eyes expecting to find himself awake in the room of the cave. Instead, he found himself in another room. One he had not seen for a very long time. It was the hidden room under the Crystal Palace that he had originally trained in with his mentor. Smoke Shadow. Spike put a clawed hand over the black scar over his heart. The last memory of Smoke Shadow lived there. Or so he thought. “Do you remember, young blood? All that you learned here?” Spike looked up from his scar. The voice was the same. But it couldn't be him. It just couldn't be. And yet, sure as Spike was the figure standing before him couldn't be him, it was. Smoke Shadow. “This isn't real,” Spike said, “You died. You can't be here.” “Spike. With all that you learned from me, and all that you learned yourself how is it you still know so little,” Shadow said, “I am not dead by your definition. I am a spirit of shadow now. I am bound to this shadowy realm forever. “I defeated Galeek. I stopped him before he could do anything,” Spike said. “I know. Even in this place the effects of that battle were felt by many, myself included,” Shadow said. “But his evil is still here. There is a Madness spreading. Ponies are being taken by it. They are strong, and powerful, and angry, and I don't know what to do,” Spike said wit ha defeated tone, “All of my friends are gone because if this. I need help.” “What is it exactly that you need,” Shadow asked. “YOU,” Spike shouted, “I need you! This is too much for me. I never wanted this. Why is that when I learn this magic that this evil shows up and I have to be the one to stop it? I can't do it anymore. Not without my friends. Not this time.” “I can't do anything to stop it,” Shadow said, “Not even if I was right beside you in the flesh with all the power I used to have. I still could not do anything to stop it.” “What?! You knew Galeek. The source of all of this. You know better than anyone-” “I am going to stop you there, young blood,” Shadow interrupted with a serious tone, “I knew of Galeek. He was a king when I was but a teller of stories. I never once met him face to face. And that was eons ago. Most ponies don't even know there was an Equestria back then.” Spike listened as his old mentor spoke. He felt just like he did when he first started to learn dragon magic. He was so small back then he had to look up to see Smoke Shadow's face. Now he was looking him in the eye. But this was a little bit different. Smoke Shadow seemed more than a little irritated at Spike. “You face these evils because you are the only one who can. You are a powerful force in the world Spike. You are good. And so there must be a powerful evil to keep it all in balance. So you go and you fight.” “How am I supposed to fight,” Spike asked, “With all that I have lost?” “DO NOT TALK TO ME ABOUT LOSS, DRAGON,” Smoke Shadow furiously shouted, “In case you don't remember: I am the last dragon of an era long since dead and gone! I had a family once. Friends too. I had to watch from the shadows as they all faded away, one by one. So don't you dare talk to me about loss when you have lost nothing.” “'Lost nothing'” Spike repeated, “Does that mean they are still alive?” “That is for you to find out, young blood. Just have hope, ad keep fighting,” Shadow said. “How? Nothing I do works. I can't simply destroy them like I did the Black Colts Galeek threw at me. These are real ponies. Please, Shadow, help me one more time,” Spike pleaded with his old teacher. Shadow paced around for a short while. Spike watched as he muttered to himself. A little bit about madness. A little bit about ooze. Even more about Spike. Then there was some sort of internal debate. Spike wasn't sure which side won, but after a while Shadow came back over to him. “There is one way you can fight back against them Spike,” He said, “But be warned: This is the most dangerous form of dragon magic. You wondered why dragon magic is so feared. This is why.” “What are you going to teach me, Shadow,” Spike asked with some worry. “Soul Magic.”