//------------------------------//
// Chapter 4: Endings 
// Story: Once, We Were Slaves 
// by stupidhand14 
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        He was a fool. He was the leader of the Dragons. He was the oldest creature in Equestria, the single strongest dragon in existence. His study of the mind was equaled by none, yet he had fallen to a deception. He was stuck in the Bloodstone, forced to watch his subjects suffer because of his mistake. He could see all of them, see through their eyes, but could do nothing to stop them.
        “Come to me, Minions!” he felt come through the Bloodstone, through his spirit. “Burn the Equestrian Army to ash!”
        The compulsion rose over every dragon in the world. Pain, more vivid than anything that any of them had experienced rose over each one. Yet somehow, they resisted. Oh, some of the couldn’t resist for long, but they tried. Every young drake, every baby dragon, every adolescent tried to resist. The young weren’t able to continue for long, and were forced to begin their way across the treacherous land and sea to get any relief from the compulsion.
        The older dragons, however, held their ground. There were, of course, one or two that made it through, but out of the hundred and some adult dragons that could have left, only two did so. Others simply died. Two of the four remaining elders died from the pain, the Green and the Purple. They wouldn’t join him, he was stuck watching as his civilization suffered.
        Before, when Sombra held the weapon, he could have talked to him, accused him of the crimes he was committing, but he didn’t. He had learned to keep quiet after the black dragon had tried to attack Sombra’s mind and was swiftly erased from the Bloodstone, leaving behind only memories. He could leave when he wished, though he was not so inclined at that point. He would stay and watch over the world he had helped place on its path to destruction.
        Yet, that was not the case. Sombra was defeated and the compulsion that was once enforced vanished. Some dragons were saved from the pain while others, already unconscious, were unaware of the change. He cast his thoughts, but could no longer feel Sombra’s influence over the Bloodstone. If a spirit could smile, he would have.
        Suddenly, he could feel a new presence. This one felt more pure.
        Hello, who is this? he asked through the Bloodstone.
        I am Celestia, Princess of Equestria, and one of the two Alicorn Sisters. Who is this?
        It’s been a long time, my little sunshine.
        How do you… What?! You’re here, in this Bloodstone?
        Yes, I was deceived and slain by Sombra. Tell me, what happened to him?
        He lies defeated, banished within the northern ice. My sister and I are taking out the dangerous artifacts. We’re just leaving the Crystal Empire now.
        That is good to hear. A few seconds passed. Might I ask you a favor?
        What would that be, exactly?
        Destroy this staff and the Bloodstone.
        I can’t do that, it’s magic is linked to the dragons. If it’s destroyed, so are they.
        Is there nothing you can do to it?
        I can weaken it and guard it, though I’d rather not keep an artifact such as this in the hooves of ponies.
        What are you suggesting?
        Name a dragon as your successor. I’ll weaken the Bloodstone so compulsion only causes irritation, not pain. That way, dragons can rule dragons and you’ll still……
        Sunshine, I don’t need to continue in this world. I’m already dead.
        I know but…  No more words came. They didn’t need to. He could practically feel the tears streaming down her face.
        The Blue Dragon. That is who I name as my successor.
        Thank you.




        
        Spike went straight from the void into his own body. There was no longer any hesitation between the time it took for him to regain his senses and the past. The sun had recently risen and he needed some food.
        In the dining room, he found Starlight already up and having pancakes. Waving to her, he sat down and began to eat. Fortunately for him, she hadn’t “experimented” on the pancake flavors, trying to enhance them.
        “So…” Starlight said, clearly trying to step lightly. “Sleep well?”
        “You could say that,” Spike answered with a small smile. “You’d be surprised what you can learn in your sleep.”
        “Did you come up with a new idea that will revolutionize Equestria?” Starlight’s face was now painted with a smirk. Learning while asleep, how ridiculous.
        “Maybe I did. You’ll never know.” Spike now wore a teasing grin as Starlight’s face faltered. It was, technically, possible for him to have done something amazing last night.
        After several more minutes of Starlight trying to drill him for information, Twilight burst into the room, her mane slightly disheveled.
        “Good… morning?” Starlight asked rather than stated. Twilight stood there huffing for a few seconds before walking over to Spike.
        “I know what you went through,” she informed him. Grabbing him into her embrace, she let a few more tears fall. “You shouldn’t have been forced to go through all that. Celestia told me everything.”
        Starlight, still clearly out of the loop, sufficed herself to simply watch rather than participate. She knew the general idea of what happened, though not the specifics. Instead, she ate another pancake, leaving the emotional challenges to be faced by the two who faced them.
        “What did Celestia say?” Spike asked.
        “She told me of how Sombra created the Bloodstone, the betrayal, and the enslavement and near extinction dragon race. She told me how you witnessed all of it.” The two broke off the embrace.
        “So, what are we supposed to do with this information?” Starlight interjected.
        “What do you mean?” Twilight looked at her student, tilting her head slightly.
        “Well, you both have all the information of the fall of the dragon culture. You both know how it turned from freedom to enslavement to an autocracy… so what now? Are you going to turn it into a history book, put it out as a research paper, maybe even destroy all copies of that information and hide the truth?”
        “Spike,” Twilight turned to her number one assistant, “It’s your choice, since you carry that experience with you. You are the only dragon here, and it’s only right for you to decide to share such a thing with the world or not.”
        Their eyes turned to Spike, even those that the others couldn’t see. The eyes from the past, the ones from the dead and the ones that would never be remembered without him all turned to him, watching. They all were waiting for his answer.
        “I can’t choose,” he said. “I…  I need a few minutes to think about this.”
        “Of course.” Starlight looked behind her, out towards the door. “Oh, Twilight, I forgot, there’s a spelI found earlier that I wanted you to take a look at.”
        “Sure, let’s go.” Twilight took a final glance to Spike, who was now staring off into nothingness. She left the room, leaving Spike by himself.
        What could he do? He couldn’t simply choose the future of this information on his own. It belonged to the dragons, every one of them, and they deserved the choice, not him.
        A tingling sensation began to arise from Spike’s stomach.
        Why did he have to decide? He wasn’t the Dragonlord, he wasn’t the one in charge. He was just an assistant, a dragon raised by ponies. Why did he have to decide?
        The sensation grew, and the gasses in his stomach began to prepare themselves.
        Maybe he could ask Ember to decide. She seemed willing to take charge. Or maybe a group of dragons could form some sort of council to decide.
        With an unconscious burp, Spike released a new scroll. Opening the rather small scroll, he found only a handful of words.
        
        If you need to talk, we will always listen. All you have to do is open your mind.

        Spike looked at the words again, reading through them and feeling confused. Was there some sort of hidden meaning? Was it a code? Did he get somepony else’s mail? Was there some clue in the past, something that would show him what he needed to do? 
        As Spike was thinking, he began to subconsciously scratch the back of his head. Ever since he had given Ember the Bloodstone Scepter, he had felt a knot on the back of his skull. Twilight said there was nothing, but he was sure there was something. He had been trying to ignore it and hoped it would go away.
Wait… Bloodstone Scepter, opening the mind, that knot in his head… of course!
 Spike, with a triumphant grin on his face, sat on the floor. He began to focus on the knot that had formed. He needed to untie the knot, open himself up once more. Very carefully, and with painstaking slowness, he worked to unravel the knot until he finally felt it give way.
Again, his senses began to disconnect. Into the void he leapt, this time by his own effort. He could no longer see, feel, or hear anything. He was simply floating in the void. Without a guide, he wandered the void aimlessly, trusting in the note sent to him. After several minutes, a form came before him. A dragon, its scales pure gold, came up to him. It’s wings were pale white, and a silvery light illuminated its form.

        Hello, young one.
        You’re still here?
        Yes, I am and always will be here. A silence pervaded for a few seconds. You know of Celestia and Luna, and their immortal reign over Equestria. I am the equivalent for the dragons.
        Then you know the decision I have to make, right?
        I do, and it is one I would not give to any creature. But I have spoken with Dragonlord Torch and Dragonlord Ember, as well as a few other wise dragons. Each one is in agreement. You should make this choice.
        Why? Why me?
        In time, you will have your answer. For now, know that we see something in you that you do not.
        What is that supposed to mean?
        It means, stop asking questions and go with your heart. It has yet to lead you astray.
        
        With that, the dragon left Spike, leaving him to his thoughts in the void. However, the dragon never left, only shrouded itself in the darkness. Throughout Spike’s inner thoughts, it watched.
        Spike thought this over for a time. How could he follow his heart when it was torn? Sighing, he began to pace aimlessly in the void..
        The dragon race was counting on him to do something with this information, and they somehow knew he’d pick correctly. What made him more suited than any other dragon that existed thus far?
        He paused when the idea struck that it could be due to his sense of morality having been instilled by a kinder culture. 
Spike’s eyes widened at this realization. It was not analysis nor tradition that would guide his choice. Only what he thought was right.

        I know what I’m going to do.
        Then do so, young one.

        Spike ended the connection and walked through the door leading to the outside world. He needed to give his answer to Twilight.