The Origin Chronicles Vol. 2

by SmokeShadow95


Ch.18 . . . And the Diamond Within

Spike stood before the fortress. It was more than he could have ever imagined. Immense in size, terrifying in appearance, and filled with Mad ponies. He could see many of them now. Legions of ponies filled the outer areas of the fortress with who knew how many more filling the inner chambers. And yet Spike stood before them, defiant and powerful.

“It's time,” Spike whispered, “Now or never.”

Spike stood up tall and straight. The edges of the coat he wore blew slightly in the breeze. It whisked past his scales with a cooling touch. It was nice, but Spike wasn't here for the breeze. He closed his eyes and thought back on everything and everyone he knew, all he wanted to protect. And then Spike stepped off that ledge.

Down, he fell. Down, straight down toward the ground. The air rushed past his scales like never before. No wonder Rainbow Dash liked flying so much. But Spike had to focus. HE put all his mind into one thing. His eyes snapped open to reveal a green glow. His wings snapped open to catch the air beneath them. Spike soared above the land on his dragon wings.
His eyes were locked onto the fortress that towered above everything else in the region. It was familiar to Spike, as well. This was the same barren region where he defeated Galeek. This was a massive expanse of barren wasteland. No wonder it was so hard for anypony to track down the fortress.

Spike soared on the winds on his way to that fortress. They carried him closer and closer. His own wings all the power he needed at the moment. Spike unleashed a mighty roar as he neared the fortress. He could almost touch it at any moment. The roar shook the land surrounding the fortress.

An immense forest, darker and wilder than the Everfree could ever be and Spike's roar shook it loose. Animals within scurried about to avoid whatever beast produced that sound. Birds flew from the treetops in droves. Even the trees themselves seemed to shudder as Spike passed by overhead. Their canopies seemed to lower themselves closer to the ground to put as much space between them and Spike as they could. The whole forest shook, and the Mad Ponies felt it as well.

All eyes were on the forest as it shuddered and quaked. That mighty roar echoed through the valley where the fortress was located. The tall valley walls funneled enemies to the fortress, but it also carried that terrible sound. It moved all the ponies, whether they knew it or not. It shook the very foundations they stood on.

Rarity stopped suddenly. “Could it be. . .”

“What is it, dear Rarity?”

“Ebony, I do believe we have a guest.”

“Is that so?”

“Oh, yes. Spike has arrived.” Rarity announced with a wicked grin.

And she was correct. Spike rose high above the Mad Ponies of the fortress. They saw as he soared in the skies above them. They massed outside the front gates to see him. To attack him. That was a big mistake.
Spike looked down on them. His entire body coursed with magical energy, and he knew how to use it. Spike pulled his wings in close and dived down. His speed was magically enhanced and he slammed into the ground with full force. The ground shook even more violently than before. A cloud of dust and dirt spread out in all directions. A wave of pure force erupted outward from the point of impact. Several waves of Mad ponies were sent back and onto their backs. And when it all cleared up, there stood Spike.

Several of the Mad Ponies readied themselves to attack. There were many of them. Spike didn't move as they encircled him, surrounded him. Even the skies were cut off from him as Pegasi took to the air.

“Do not attack.”

Spike knew that voice. He looked up at the main gate. A portcullis rose up. The sharpened points rose from the ground. The sounds of winches and chains moving filled the area. Behind the portcullis stood a set of large double doors. They opened themselves to reveal a darkness behind them. It was as Spike suspected. Out of the dark came a pony, a pony with red eyes, a sharp mind, and name to match.

“Ebony Thorn.” Spike said.

“Quite the entrance,” The words slithered off her tongue like vile poison. “That roar actually had some of the ponies worried, but I knew the truth. It was just a little dragon, trying so hard to fill the scales of an ancient empire long dead.”

“I want nothing to do with the ancient dragon empire. I am here to protect my friends, and all those closest to me. That is all.”

“And how do you suppose you'll be doing that? Do you think you can face the entire horde of Mad Ponies all by your lonesome.”

Spike stared at Ebony Thorn. He looked into her eyes. His Mystik side faded and his eyes returned to normal. A smirk appeared on his face, much to Ebony's surprise. That smirk, that defiant smile. He was not supposed to be doing that.

“Did you really think that I came here all alone, Ebony? You are supposed to be smarter than that.”

“Of course, you didn't come here alone. I know you are smarter than that,” Ebony said. “But the feeble friends you have left won't matter. There is an army here, and you can't fight all of us.”

“I won't have to,” Spike said. As he spoke he felt something, something only he could feel. It was something from deep within him. Deeper than even his magic went. This feeling, it came from beyond his soul. It was like his very being was radiating this feeling. They were coming.

“Would you like to hear a secret, Ebony?”

“Oh! You know I love a delicious secret, Spike.”

“I lied. I actually did come here all by myself, but I knew you wouldn't attack me.” Ebony had no real comeback to that. She didn't expect him to say that, and furthermore he was right. She didn't attack him. She ordered the ponies to not attack him.

“Why are you here, Spike?” Ebony asked, genuinely curious, “It's obvious you didn't come to fight, so why? What is your purpose?”

“What is my purpose,” Spike repeated. “Well, I came for Rarity. I know she went with you willingly, but I would like to see her. I'd like to talk to her.”

“Hmm. Took your sweet time getting here, didn't you? Maybe she doesn't want to talk to you, have you thought about that?” Ebony said, her wicked tone seeping back into her words, “Or maybe she is just too far gone by now?”

Spike's face made absolutely no movement. He stayed the same as he was. Everything, from the way he stood that exuded confidence to that defiant smirk that he wore. Ebony didn't know what was going on with him. She had pressed his buttons before so well. Why was it not working now?

“Ebony Thorn,” Spike said, “I have another secret to share with you.”

“Oh? Do tell, my dear dragon.”

“I was honest when I said I came for Rarity,” Spike said, “But what I forgot to mention was what my friends were doing in the meantime.”

“And what might that be?”

Spike's eyes flared up with Mystik power. The pressure from him forced all the ponies except for Ebony to take a step back. “They were gathering an army of our own!”

The full force of his words came within in the next seconds. A silence had fallen over the entire fortress. It was an uncomfortable, eery silence. In truth, it really wasn't the silence itself that caused the unease felt by the Mad Ponies. It was really the sounds that came after it, that replaced it.

Rumbling. The ground was shaking again. This was not like the last time, when Spike's roar echoed throughout the land. No, this was much different. There was no echo to this. Instead, there was almost a rhythm to it. Thump, thump. It was coming from the forest. The entire forest carried this noise up to them. Ebony couldn't figure out what it was until it finally dawned on her. By then it was clear to everpony else as well.
Hooves. It was hooves. The force of a thousand pony hooves shook the land. The ground itself trembled as they approached. Spike was right, an army was approaching. A big army. The clamor of metal on metal rang out with the trembling lands the closer they got. As they got closer and closer Ebony could see them more clearly. Ponies from all cities, gathered together.

She saw the golden armor of Celestia's royal guard forces. The light of the sun caught their armor just right. The entirety of their forces seemed to radiate a light from within, but they were far from alone. They had some darker brothers in arms with them.
Although not in the same number as Celestia's royal guard forces Luna also offered as many of her own royal guards she could part with. Clad in a darker armor than their guard kin the sun did not glean off their armor. They had no radiance. It was quite the opposite actually. Their entire number seemed cloaked in shadow, like the light itself was being slowly consumed by them. From the depths of the ranks of these two forces rose a single pony. She flew up to the front lines. That is where Twilight Sparkle stood proudly and just as defiantly as Spike.

“Oh, well. That is definitely an army,” Ebony stated.

The rest came up next to Twilight's forces. In smaller number than Celestia's forces, but still more than Luna's came the Crystal Guard. Ponies clad in armor of crystal that reflected the light of the sun. They came up with Twilight and were lead by none other than her brother, Shining Armor. He stood at the front of his troops and looked over at Twilight. She saw that even Little Flake Frost was with him. They all nodded silently. They were ready. Even though these forces now stood silent the forest still shook. The rumbling had only died down a little. There was still much more to come.

“Oh, look there. More ponies.”

The forest gave way to new and frightful noises. Whatever they were they came from something big, and a lot of them. The Mad Ponies could have never foreseen this. It was the entire town of Appleloosa, or at least all the ponies that were left after they attacked. They had come looking for some payback, and they weren't alone.
For every single pony that stood at the ready there had to be at least two buffalo standing beside them. They were just as effected by this scourge of Madness as the ponies and were as deeply hurt as the ponies when Appleloosa fell. They had their war paint on and several carts full of pies ready and waiting to be thrown. Leading the charge for both sides was Applejack.

“Buffalo, really? At least they brought snacks.”

By now, the shaking had stopped. The ground stopped rumbling and everything was settling back into place. Until Applejack whistled. The whole forest erupted with sound after that. The cries of all the animals sounded off at once. The chirping of dozens of birds filled the air with chaotic chatter. The roars and grunts of the larger animals echoed between the trees. Out of the dark came many animals, some of which the ponies didn't even know lived in the forest. Fluttershy was leading them all with Discord at her side.

“A cave troll?!” Ebony shouted out in shock, “Seriously, where do you even go to find a cave troll nowadays?”

“Uh, caves?”

Ebony Thorn punched the pony next to her. She hit him right in his face. Pretty sure she broke a tooth, or maybe two. She ground her own teeth as even more of Spike's army showed up.

At first, it started as a shadow. Not a big one or even a dark one. Just a shadow. More like some storm clouds were moving in and the skies were getting dark because of it. Ebony soon found out she was closer to the truth than she realized. For you see, the shadow in the skies was lead by Rainbow Dash herself.

She had brought the entire collective number of Pegasus ponies from all of Cloudsdale, as well as quite a few from other cities as well. Ebony could see the armors of all three Royal Guard Forces counted among the Pegasi. She also noticed a rather impressive number of Wonderbolt uniforms. And there were several other ponies mixed in as well.

“Gah! How many more of them are there?!” Ebony shouted out.

Spike held up a hand and began counting down with his fingers. “Well, we got Twilight and Shining Armor bringing the Royal Guards. We got Applejack with the buffalo and Fluttershy with her army of animals. That's four. Rainbow Dash just arrived with the Pegasus ponies. That leaves just one pony missing. Where is Pinkie Pie?”

Just then a new rumbling came through the ground. By now, even Spike was getting tired of the rumbling. This wasn't going to last long, however. Pinkie usually moved pretty fast. This time was no exception. The rumbling came from a small path to the side of the forest. The fortress used it to bring in supplies. Only now it was bringing in the two ponies that could make Discord work for the title of Lord of Chaos.
The tank rolled up faster than anypony believed a tank could move. It swerved side to side and nearly ran over a couple ponies as it went. They were Mad Ponies. The tank eventually put on the brakes, sliding sideways for a little bit before coming to a complete halt. Almost immediately the hatch on top flung open and pink head emerged.

“Hey, Spike! I found Cheese Sandwich. He let me drive the party tank. Can you believe that? You gotta try this. It is so much fun!”

Pinkie's face suddenly contorted into a look of confusion as she was forcefully pushed the rest of the way out of the tank.

“Ye gods! Where did you learn to drive a tank, Pinkie?”

“What? I don't know how to drive a tank. Where did you get that idea from?”

Cheese looked down at her with pure astonishment in his eyes mixed in with just a hint of horror. “But then why did I let you drive?”

“You didn't, silly. Boneless 2 did.”

Cheese Sandwich quickly turned to face his rubber chicken partner in partying. “Boneless 2, how could you betray me like this? I could have died you know.”

The chicken fell to the side and made a squeaky noise.

“We will talk about this later, you know.”

Ebony just stood there and watched this whole thing unfold. “I'm really not sure what to say about that.”

Ebony stared at what just unfolded in the past several moments. Before, she stood in front of Spike. He stood alone before the entire might of the Mad Pony horde, but now he had an army. This was unexpected to say the least. But she was hardly a pony to give up. This was a fortress after all.

Ebony started to snicker after a moment. She didn't even try to contain it as it exploded into a full blown fit of wicked, evil laughter. This went on for several moment before subsiding into a evil grin with her wicked teeth showing.

“You really think this misfit army can do anything to stop us,” She exclaimed loudly so that all of the army could hear her speak, “You've done nothing but make it so much easier for us to pick you all off. Now, my little ponies, it is time for you to give in to Madness!”

With those words spoken, the battle doth begin!

Ebony Thorn flew up into the air as Mad Ponies spilled out from the fortress. She flew threw an open window higher up that swiftly closed behind her. Spike set his eyes on the fortress. What he said to Ebony before was still true. He wasn't here to fight some big battle. He was here for one pony, and only one pony.

Spike charged the doors with everything he had. Ebony disappeared inside just as the battle started and the doors closed just then as well. Spike slammed his hands into the doors hard. His eyes glowed with an intensity he hadn't felt in a long time. The claws of his hands dug deeper into the wooden doors. Spike was putting all his strength into it, as well as a large amount of magic. It was no use, though. The doors didn't move. Spike threw his head back and roared out his growing frustrations.

Spike yanked his claws out of the doors. His mind raced with thoughts and images. Those he cared about. His friends: Twilight, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and Rarity. Each of them was here with him, and one of them still needed to be saved. He was not going to let them down. He was not going to fail Rarity!
His fists rose high in the air and fell hard onto the wooden doors. They were built of tough wood and made to endure, but he was going to get through. Spike pulled his fists back again, and again they fell. He growled and grunted with effort as he hammered the doors down.

Thoughts still raced around in his mind. They drifted back to old memories, and to recent ones. Images of his friends passed by, but they were fleeting. Images of those new relationships he forged after getting these powers dominated the forefront of his thoughts.
Strikefire, the Crystal Empire forgemaster. A strong pony with a big heart, kinda like Big Mac. Spike once helped his whole family, and they helped him in return. It was because if him they their family was able to survive, as they themselves have said. Spike had an obligation to protect all of them. But theirs was not the only family he met.
Little Flake Frost was barely a filly when Spike first met her, a Unicorn with almost no magic to show for it. He was injured and the Frost family took him in. He worked of that debt definitely, and in the process made a lifelong friend in young Flake. She was counting in him as much as every other pony.

Spike's frustrations rose ever higher with each slam of his fist. When he rose them this time a nimbus of fire enveloped them. This fire, bright and white, burned with a heat hotter than even Spike knew. It was coming from him. It was him. His need, his passion to protect those he cared about. As he thought about this, he thought back onto the one pony he loved above all else.

Luna. She accepted him back when he was just a small baby dragon working his little butt for Twilight. Then by chance, Luna asked for his help and he found dragon magic. In many ways, Luna is responsible for him being the way he is now, but that was nothing. His thoughts now focused only on the pony, and nothing else. And as he thought of her an image formed in his mind. It hazily came together and Spike realized that it was not a memory, but a vision. This was Luna as she was now, at that very moment.

Luna stood at her balcony railing. She held her head up high and stared off into the distance. It was the same way that lead to the fortress, but how could she know that? Spike didn't tell her. He sent her a scroll telling her the mission, but he left out that detail. Yet, she was staring right at him it seemed. The more she stared the more Spike felt her presence here with him.

“Luna, you are staring again.”

Spike could hear the other voice. He knew it well. Cadence joined Luna on the balcony and looked out into the same direction that Luna was staring.

“Luna, talk to me. What is it?”

“It's Spike,” Luna said without breaking her gaze, “He struggles now. I can feel it. I can feel him. I don't know how to explain it, but I know it is real.”

“So do I, Luna,” Cadence said with a smile, “It's called love. You are as madly in love with Spike as he is with you. You know it, too.”

“I do,” Luna admitted, turning to look at the Princess of Love, “I do love, Spike, and I know he loves me. I guess Spike would say that our souls are connected, now and forever. Soul mates, if you will.”

“Yes, I can see Spike saying that,” Cadence said with a laugh.

Spike snapped back to reality. The sounds of battle rang true behind him. His flaming fists were planted in the wooden doors. The latest points of impact not even seconds old. What was that just now? A vision? He knew it was real and yet, it almost seemed to real. Luna's words still echoed in his mind. We are connected, now and forever.

Spike brought his fist out again, but he felt so tired now. Whatever that vision was drained the energy from him. There was no way he was opening this door on his own, magic or no. Good thing he was not there alone.

He held his hands on the door, refusing to fall to his knees. He sensed something behind him, he looked back to see familiar faces. Twilight came up on his right side. She walked up and put her own hooves on the door. Next to her, Pinkie Pie did the same, and Applejack after that. Rainbow Dash took the last spot on that line.
Spike looked left to see that it was little Flake Frost next to him. Beside her stood that large and imposing Strikefire. He was as strong as two ponies. His brother stood next to him and that line ended with Shining Armor placing his hooves on the door.

“We are with you, Spike,” Flake said confidently.

“Lead the way,” Twilight said.

A new strength rose up in Spike. A fiery passion grew and rose up. His eyes flared green once again, but this time it was joined by a white circle. Spike let out a small roar. Every scale of his body seemed to glow almost as if something inside of him was creating the light. Spike stared at the doors, his piercing gaze looking through them and into the darkness that lay beyond.

Together they all pushed. The sounds of chains snapped taught greeted them. So that was why Spike was having so much trouble. They chained the doors shut. They left their forces out there to deal with the enemy. Spike didn't look back, but by the sounds of it they were losing the battle. It would seem that his “misfit army” were winning.

All of them pushed into the doors. They poured all their strength into the doors. They could hear the wooden frames creaking and groaning. The old doors would not be able to handle this forever. Spike grunted as the effort snapped one of the chains. The doors crashed inward, revealing the mess of chains holding them shut. Only a few inches of space was clear between the doors, and Spike was looking right into it.

“Get back, everyone,” He called out. He himself stepped back as well. He stood up tall and faced the doors. He leaned into a deep breath and held it in. Both Twilight and Flake knew what was coming, and rushed to get the others back in time.
Spike breathed out a torrent of dragons fire. The flames shot out from his mouth and crashed into the doors. They slammed back against the chains. Almost immediately the sounds of a couple more chains snapping filled their ears, but it was far from enough. The chains were woven in front of that door like a spider web, yet Spike was ready. He was going to destroy them.

Spike's torrent was much larger than just the small hole that was provided. Only a small fraction of his flames traveled through. The rest hit the doors and scattered out upon the impact with the wooden frames. Slowly, but surely the flames ate away at the wood. Several moments passed as Spike's flames continued. HE finally stopped his flame torrent and all that was left of the doors were blackened, scorched over husks of what they used to be. Spike stared into the darkness. The only light came from the low red glow of the superheated chains.

“Flake,” Spike said, “Send them a snowstorm.”

Flake stepped out in front of Spike it was time for her to show off what she could do. “I'm gonna need a second, here. Gotta build up the cold.”

During the moment or two that it took Flake to build up what she needed a few of the Mad Ponies tried to attack. Quite a stupid thing to do considering the group that stood around her, and defended her. Spike threw up barriers of stone to block the path of charging Earth ponies. Twilight's own magical barrier took the blasts of a few Darkmares while Applejack and Rainbow Dash swooped in and took them out. They had barely even moved when Flake called out that she was ready.

Flake thrust her head to the sky, her horn glowing as the magical power flowed into it. The ponies watched as the skies above that were so clear suddenly clouded up. Clouds formed from nothing and turned dark. The shadow was cast over the entire battlefield. Spike smiled happily. He was very proud of Flake.
Twilight just stared at the little filly. She had no idea that Flake was this powerful. She would have to get to know her better after this whole Madness thing was over with. The other ponies were already feeling the noticeable change in the temperature. A chill had swept through the area leaving ponies seeing their breath clutching themselves for warmth. And it hadn't even begun to snow yet, but that coming.

And come it did. The clouds that now darkened the sky poured forth a flurry of flakes as Flake herself called them down. Torrents of harsh winter winds gusted forth. Snows like that of a blizzard rained down. It was as if a demon of the cold winter had been summoned to fight their enemies, and her name was Flake Frost.
Flake locked her eyes onto the doors and the dark beyond them. She ground her teeth with effort before screamed out a battle cry. For a split second the world stopped. Everypony there stood still as the very air seemed to freeze for just a second, and then it moved. Flake funneled everything she had just brought down into the doors of the fortress. The severe snow, the harsh winds, the bitter chill. Everything was brought against the Mad Pony stronghold. Needless to say it could not stand up to that power.

The doors were already weakened by Spike's pounding fists and the slamming of them against the taught chains that bound them. Spike's dragon flames further wore them down and now there was a cold like nothing they had ever felt. The doors exploded into splinters and kindling under the force of Flake's snowstorm. The swirling mass of harsh cold demolished everything in its path. For a solid minute Flake pushed it further and further into the fortress. After that she stopped. The magic glow around her horn faded and she was left there panting from the effort.

“Flake, that was-” Twilight was going to say amazing, but Flake fell over before she could. They rushed to her, but all they was a sleeping filly. She was exhausted.

“I'll look after her,” Shining Armor said, “Strikefire, you and your brother stay with me. Spike, end this.”

Spike nodded his thanks to Shining Armor and turned back to the fortress. He ran inside with the five girls at his side. They all cleared the debris of what was left of the doors. They ran inside to see the destruction that Spike and Flake's opposing elements did. There were scorch marks blackening the walls right next to a sheet of ice and frost. There were fires burning hot while that bitter chill still hung in the air. As the six of them rushed into the fortress they were greeted by a a couple familiar faces. Ebony Thorn smiled at them wickedly, but it was the other that had them all stop in their tracks.

“Hello, friends,” Rarity said with a wicked giggle.