Before Spike’s eyes opened, the first sensation to hit him was aching hunger. The second was a light, feathery touch on his back, tickling him. He groaned, voice heavy and weak. Waves of enfeebling exhaustion wracked his body. He could not so much as cough. In the middle of his foggy vision, a brown shape darted away in to the misty jungle. The tickling on his back left with it.
Every muscle groaned in protest, anticipating his movement. On all fours, Spike dragged himself across the sand where the shape had vanished, ignoring the ever growing pain. The gravel scratched his stomach, clinging to him and weighing him down like miniscule parasites. Stumbling along, his movements sapped his already diminished strength. He collapsed onto the lonely shore, surrounded by this terrible sand. It was coarse, like sitting on a bed of needles. But it was a bed, nonetheless; one that wrapped him in its vice grip. His eyes grew weary, his already blurred vision fading.
He saw them. Standing where the sand merged into forest were Twilight, Rarity, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Shining Armor, Cadence, Night Light, Twilight Velvet, Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, Princess Celesta, Princess Luna, Moondancer, Ember, and so many more fading as soon as they appeared. Each stared at him with vacant expressions, emotionless statues. Resisting any longer would be futile. His face sank into the sand. Yet amidst the figures, another stepped forward, outshining the rest. He stared at Spike with accusing eyes, as though giving up now would be a crime. A limb rose and gestured to the lush vegetation.
Time to move.
Spike’s nose twitched, meager strength returned to his body. Using what little wisps of power he had, the little dragon rose from the ground once more and crawled towards the forest, towards the already fading figure. The sand clung to him with every step, deterring his advances but no longer capable of halting him. He finally escaped the sandy tomb and entered the shimmering, vibrant catacombs of forest.
The sand beneath him became muddy, brown soil, littered with twisting roots, plant debris, and lead litter. His hands shifted through the dirt, stumbling through the barely lit gloom, which concealed everything visible to his weakened eyes.
The aching intensified its grip. Spike’s hand was incapable of rubbing his empty stomach. His four limbs worked their way past the tall shapes before him. Some extended without end while others taunted him with a fluorescent purple or green glow. They seemed to anticipate his inevitable demise with relish. Under their non-existent gaze, he felt emptier.
Where was the dirt? Now, all his hands felt was something hard, rocky. Collapsing to his heavy, empty stomach, he sniffed the stone his left hand encountered. It smelled like a gem! His tongue snaked out of his jaws towards the stone, licking the object. He had no doubt; he had found food. Wrapping around the stone, his tongue dragged the rock to his agape jaws. His strength weak; he nibbled the rock. As the small pieces slid down his throat, his strength began to return. Soon, he was chewing, no longer nibbling, and then, he was standing. His eyes finally adjusted to the darkness and recognized the tantalizing gem field before him. He ate his fill.
He rose to his feet, observing this world he fell into. Where darkness should have engulfed the world, viridescent luminescence pierced through the haze, illuminating some vegetation and outlining the rest. Glancing upwards, he noticed massive trees, dressed in damp, shimmering moss and brimming with life, extending out of sight, covering most everything above with their leafy shields. Through a gap in the shield, Spike could discern webular strands lazily suspended from the distant cave roof, which shone brightly through the canopy to the forest floor. The bases of the trees shimmered a light blue, which flickered from the ground into the arching roots. As his eyes adapted to the dark, he stared in awe. Never in his wildest dreams could he fathom such a magnificent, untouched kingdom.
Instead of freezing, he felt warm. A pleasant wave of humidity energized his body and clogged up his nostrils, which grew twitchy and uncomfortable. He moved quickly, covering his nose with his hands to suppress a fiery sneeze. The flames did not pass his hands, but the sound echoed through the forest. Soon, this sound was lost among the nature chorus. Melodic, whistling chirping mingled with harmonious, natural song in a never-ending symphony, constantly alternating in pitch, tone, volume, and wordless voices. In the midst of these natural sounds, one continuous dizzying sound hummed in the little dragon’s ears, nearly popping them. Far off, a light, silvery tune burst through the forest for a moment before fading into the melody.
A closer sound caught Spike’s attention. Turning to his left, he recognized a shape the size of a pony skimming through the undergrowth. Perhaps, they knew a way out of the forest. He opened his mouth to speak.
“Hello?” He waved his hand to the distant figure, as he closed the gap between them, “I fell down here and I was hoping you could …”
His voice trailed off and he flinched, when the figure suddenly jerked in his direction. Spike could have sworn for a moment, all noise in the forest ceased, to stare at him. He thought the figure was a pony, but ponies had four legs, not six skinny limbs extending laterally from a flat body. The figure’s round head had two long appendages, scanning for the source of the intruder. What truly unnerved Spike was not the alien itself but a menacing shape, outlined by the light on the creature’s tail: two enormous curved sickles clicking like gnashing teeth.
The creature stood still for a moment, antennae tingling. Without warning, it darted away into the decaying leaf litter. Spike released a breath that he unconsciously held so long. His wobbly legs almost gave way with relief. A rustle from behind him and relief turned to dread. His eyes darted to the source of the noise, but could find no visible creature. His body quivered, beads of sweat rolled down his face. His feet slowly moved, keeping his eyes trained on the shadows while taking him away from the noise into the line of vegetation. He reached the edge of the forest, nothing. Another step. Nothing. One more step. Nothing. Perhaps, he had imagined it? He stared once more where the sound originated. At this distance, the purple dragon studied the darkness once more. Far above him nearly concealed by the forest, two wretched circles were trained on him. Beneath those, an open maw lined with sharp daggers.
He prayed his eyes were deceiving him, but he dare not blink, lest the shadow charge. One more step away. CRUNCH! A twig beneath his foot snapped in two with deafening loudness. The shadow charged from its hiding place, revealing its colossal bulk, and sharp claws beneath the light. Spike raced away through the trees, with the monster in hungry pursuit.
THUD! THUD! THUD! Massive paws slammed against the ground, creating rhythmic vibrations that grew closer with every second. He dare not glance behind him to confirm his fears. Branches snapped with every step, small stones dug into his feet, suspended vegetation swiped at his face and scaly body, bruising him. The noise behind him only came closer and closer. Spike’s legs screamed. If he could have taken a breath, he would have screamed too. Screamed in some desperate hope that Twilight would fly to his rescue. With her friends, they could ward off the creature or at least safely escape. Twilight would teleport them home and they would laugh at this whole ordeal before embracing. But no pony could hear him. His friends had no idea he was down here. And the creature’s panting breath scoured his back.
The tall trees came to an end. A few feet in front of him, a clearing spotted the growth like a stain. In the midst of this clearing, a black boulder with orange luster merged into the forest floor. In the middle of this stone structure, a single uneven gap dug deep, carving out a small cave. If he could just make it there, he might have a chance! Achieving his second wind, Spike bolted from his spot where jaws snapped at the evasive meal. A massive house-sized paw, lined with scales and gray fur, struck the ground, impeding his path. Before the jaws could clamp down, the little dragon darted around the claws, narrowly avoiding outstretched claws.
With all of his might, Spike leapt into the cave. A single claw pierced the opening, trying to claw out the dragon. He crawled deeper into the cave, away from the razor-sharp blade. The blade withdrew. The ground trembled. Debris fell from the ceiling as loud pounding shook the cave. Spike wrapped his body in his arms and clenched his eyes shut, hoping the cave would hold against the monster’s wrath. As more dust fell from above, Spike tightened his lonely embrace, waiting for the inevitable. It never came. The creature shook the ground and made the boulder tremble, but for all its might, the boulder was mightier. The trembles stopped completely. For an entire minute, everything was still. Spike opened his eyes. From the entrance, a tall limb belonging to the colossal figure stood unmoving. It snuck away from the entrance to the left, resting out of sight. Minutes that seemed hours passed. Neither one moved a muscle.
Amidst the forest chatter, a distant wailing sound resounded through the clearing. Almost instantly, the creature rose. With limbs that shook the earth beneath it, the creature vanished into the trees.
Gradually, Spike’s fearful trembling became tearful sobbing. Tears rolled down his face as the monster flashed through his mind once again with its fangs, nearly snapping him in half like a twig. Eyes that gazed at him hungrily soiled his conscious mind. The more he tried to avoid remembering the creature, the more thoughts of his close encounter with death poisoned his mind. He tried to reason with himself. There was no point in crying. He had faced danger before. Those terrible timber wolves almost made a meal out of him once. Sure, he was scared but he made it through that ordeal without so much as a tear. Hadn’t his life been in danger when he had to retrieve the crystal heart? Sombra could have destroyed him. He was terrified, but he never cried. Three times already he had hostile encounters with unfriendly dragons that nearly cost his life. Yes, he was frightened but he remained strong. When the Crystal Empire almost froze over, the little dragon feared they would all perish, but he remained calm and level headed. He constantly faced danger with his friends but always triumphed. How were any of those situations different from this?
The answer hit him violently. His friends. Applejack frightened away the wolves and kept him safe. Cadence rescued him from Sombra's clutches. Rarity and Rainbow Dash came to his aid when facing those bully dragons. When the empire was in peril, his friends stood side by side to solve the crisis. Through most anything, Twilight had always come in to protect him, risking her life in the process. When it was all over, they would hug, say their thanks and find themselves closer than before. Now? He had no friends. No Applejack, no Cadence, no Rarity, no Twilight. No Twilight. With this revelation, his sobs became wails. He snapped at himself. Now was not the time for crying. He had to contact Princess Celestia.
He turned to the rocks on the cave floor. He never tried sending anything to the Princess besides paper, but now he had to try. Gingerly picking it up, he blew a green flame enveloping the rock. It merely heated up in his palm, standing still as a rock should. Irritated, he chucked the offending stone out the cave. Picking up a smaller pebble, he tried once again. Once again, the pebble remained in his hand. Not for long though, soon he sent it flying outside the cave. He dared not venture out of the cave to try leaves or bark with that creature nearby. Deep down, he already knew those would burn in his flames. Nothing else would work; he needed paper.
No, he needed his friends. He needed their support and comforting presence. He wanted them to protect him from this savage world. He needed Twilight. He needed her like he needed air. He wanted her beside him in the cave, coming up with a plan to escape, reassuring him that they could endure with each other. But despite his despairing wishes and futile state, the unmovable fact remained: he had no one. He was going to die, all alone. The sobbing tore through his body, enfeebling him to the point of exhaustion. When his body had no strength left to weep, he stared at the darkness of the cave, which now slithered towards him, enwrapping him in a constricting strangle.
Suddenly, the murky fog dissipated as though it had never existed. Out of the corner of his eye, a strange reflective light at the cave entrance pierced through the darkness. He tried to focus his eyes on the source but the light entered the cave with powerful strides. In the darkness, the shimmering faded allowing Spike to perceive some of the strange figure. The light had a body three times his size, bearing silver armor that grew dimmer of its own accord. Above him, two green eyes studied him. Yet, Spike was not frightened.
“Hello, little dragon,” the figure spoke with a strong voice. “What are you doing down here?”
Spike blinked. The stranger did not disappear.
Spike stuttered through his sore throat, “I f—fell. W—who’re you?”
“My name is Sir Knight.” Through the darkness, Spike saw him straighten in a salute. Now the armor made sense. In spite of himself, he could not suppress his incredulity.
“Sir Knight?” Spike felt a small smile on his lips. “How’d you get a name like that?”
“By fighting to protect my kingdom,” the knight’s responded curtly. “Now, I believe you should introduce yourself.”
“Spike,” the dragon answered. He shifted uncomfortably, “I’m sorry, is this your cave? I didn’t know. Please don’t make me go back out there.”
“Calm yourself,” Spike heard a chuckle emanating from the figure. “This cave doesn’t belong to anyone and you can stay as long as you like.”
“Thank you, sir,” Spike nodded, still having difficulty saying his name without a twinge of disbelief. “So, you really won’t kick me out?”
“Of course not,” the shadow replied, “that would be highly dishonorable. As I said before, you have as much right to this cave as anyone else. And I certainly don’t mind sharing.”
Spike sighed with relief, “So then how did you end up here?”
“In this cave?” The knighted continued speaking before Spike could clarify what he meant. “I heard you crying from afar and came to investigate. I just wanted to know why you were so upset. Perhaps, I could help.”
Turning away, the dragon folded his arms across his chest. He wanted to deny ever crying, but he also wanted Twilight. The little dragon was not going to achieve either.
Spike sniffled, trying to stay strong. “I just want my friends. I want to go home.”
As an idea dawned on him, he turned back to the knight, “You wouldn’t happen to know a way out of here, would you?”
The knight shook his head. Grimacing, Spike rubbed his eyes with his arm.
“Then,” Spike choked, “do you know how many monsters there are out there?”
“In all honesty, there could be billions,” the knight replied. Spike closed his eyes, remembering those terrible fangs.
A loud THUD on the cave floor snapped his attention. Sir Knight’s green eyes scowled at him.
“I thought you had friends back home? Are you going to give up when they’re worried sick?”
Spike cringed under the knight’s rebuke, “But I don’t have any way to tell them where I am.”
“You don’t know that. It may not have a way to the surface, but this forest could have just what you need to reach your friends. If you give up now because of some creatures, you’ll never know.”
“But I can’t beat those, those things!” Spike protested, “I’m not violent! I’ve never intentionally hurt another being in my entire life, even in self-defense! And even if I became violent just to defend myself, I could set the entire forest on fire.”
“Why should you care about this place? Isn’t everything out to get you?”
“No! I mean, yes, they might be. But this place doesn’t deserve to burn just so I can survive.” Spike stared into those green eyes, “If I’m getting home, I want to be the same dragon I was before. I don’t care if every single thing in this mad world thinks I’m food. I’m not killing.”
Silence. From the darkness, Spike discerned a faint, proud smile. Had Sir Knight been testing him?
“But,” Spike twiddled his nervous fingers, “I don’t know how I can do that. I mean, I barely survived an encounter with –,” he faltered at the memory. “I don’t know how I could fend off another monster. Do you?”
The pair of green eyes studied him yet they stared through him, as though they pondered the little dragon while considering his dilemma. Finally, the voice reverberated in Spike’s ears.
“Every ‘monster’ out here preys on other ‘monsters.’” Sir Knight seemed disappointed at Spike’s choice of words, “Every one of them has their unique abilities that allow them to either catch their prey or ward off predators. Take a look at what other creatures do. You could learn a lot.”
Spike nodded. He wanted to ask Sir Knight if he could stay with him for protection, but the knight paced to the cave wall, and leaned against it. He folded his arms in silent thought.
“You can stay in this cave as long as you like, and while you sleep tonight, I’ll protect you from harm,” the knight stated, “but I’m afraid even I wouldn’t be able to fight off many of these creatures, especially while protecting you.”
Spike’s mouth opened in surprise. Whoever he was, Sir Knight was remarkably perceptive. Miffed, he pursed his lips and gazed at the knight.
“I can’t make it on my own,” he remembered Twilight’s face and nearly choked once again. “Those things would eat me alive. I need your help.”
“I promise to watch you from a distance and assist you as I can, but when you encounter these creatures you need to make them respect you, not me. Otherwise, they would just devour you when I turned around. They may seem powerful, but most creatures will avoid other creatures that at least appear more powerful.”
Spike sighed, realizing he could not win this argument. Following Sir Knight’s example, he groggily rested on the cave wall.
“When you wake up, your first task is finding food and water to last you through your time down here. There are many gem quarries down here that you could locate with your sense of smell. Not too many other creatures would care to eat gems or think to use it as a hunting ground, so it should be relatively safe. But never let down your guard. The moment you do, you make yourself vulnerable.”
Spike nodded half-heartedly, not feeling even slightly optimistic of his chances, particularly his chances on his own. With his friends by his side, he could do anything; confront angry dragons, risk his life for an empire, or protect an entire coliseum of ponies. He could only accomplish such heroic actions because his friends depended on him. Now, he depended on himself.
What was he even supposed to do on his own? He knew he wasn’t like his friends. He wasn’t smart, powerful, or knowledgeable like Twilight; he wasn’t fast or brave like Rainbow Dash; he wasn’t resourceful or clever like Rarity; he wasn’t capable of talking to animals like Fluttershy; he wasn’t strong or tough like Applejack; and he certainly wasn’t boundless in energy, persistent, or nearly ingenious as Pinkie Pie. He was just himself: Spike, the dragon, Twilight’s number one assistant. If he could just have one friend down here, everything would be so much more bearable. More than benefiting from their many skills or qualities, he would actually have someone to help him through all of this, provide an emotional shoulder to lean on. Then, he glanced at Sir Knight. Despite just meeting him, Sir Knight promised to watch over him and give him advise to make it through. He didn’t seem to think less of Spike for crying and actually seemed to admire him for refusing to injure another creature. He cared enough to offer him support. Spike wasn’t alone.
A sharp hiss, and the knight held a long, slender, edged stick in his hand. The stick reflected light, revealing its blade and hilt.
“Whenever you feel like giving up, just remember that someone is waiting for you. Remember why you have to survive. If not for yourself, then for those who would be devastated by your demise.”
Sparks flew from the cave wall as the knight’s sword carved into the cave wall with no visible effort. Rising to his feet, Spike shielded his eyes and approached the knight. He intended to tell Sir Knight something that faded into the back of his mind as he watched the mesmerizing sword work. Three minutes passed before Sir Knight stopped. Sheathing his sword, he stepped to the side, allowing Spike to approach the wall.
Tentatively, the little dragon placed his hand where the marks were made, feeling the imprints that he could not see in the dark. He felt seven, separate shapes carved into the stone. Tracing his finger to the first shape, he ran his claw through the figure trying to discern its winding shape. It was a crudely drawn snake. The next was a single curve. Gradually, the message became very clear. These seven shapes alone were meaningless; together, they stated one command.
Survive
What was he doing? He had nearly given up when his friends back home could have been worried sick. Surrendering now would be a disservice to them and everything they ever did to protect him. Rarity’s artistic inspiration might be marred by a close friend’s sudden and unexpected death. Applejack could never feel content with her life and her family, knowing one of them vanished. Proud Rainbow Dash might try to deny any remorse, but it would weigh her down forever. Fluttershy could never stop mourning or happily tend to her animals again. Pinkie Pie might never smile again or brighten up every pony’s life. And Twilight. Spike’s worries became all too vivid. Twilight would never stop blaming herself if he perished. She would regret every moment she did not spend with him. Maybe even scour her books for some way to reverse his fate, leaving the rest of Equestria possibly forever. She’d stop having fun, stop eating, stop breathing. What if soon after, she died from unhappiness? Spike didn’t know if that was possible, but he knew one thing for certain: he had to survive for his friends’ sake.
He rested on the wall, and reflected on Sir Knight’s words. Tomorrow or whenever he woke up, he would find another gem quarry. He would then go search for water; there had to be some to sustain so much life. He would learn from observation and survive this place. Even if his friends were not physically beside him, he would carry them in spirit, feeling them support him from afar, hoping for his safe return. In a sense, they would spur him to endure by reminding him they were waiting for him. His memories of them would keep him strong. He would survive.
As he drifted off into sleep, he gazed at Sir Knight once more and whispered, “Thank you.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“He seemed harmless to me, princess,” the knight spoke his honest mind. “He could scarcely walk let alone conjure a spell.”
“You should know better than to be deceived by appearances,” she scowled at her naïve warrior.
The knight nodded, seeking to avoid an argument, especially with her majesty. That argument would have no happy resolution. She could be stubborn to the bitter end.
“I do not trust him,” she stated plainly. “And neither should you.”
A loud roar resounded from outside. The knight and princess rushed to the window to locate the source of the noise. Beyond the castle walls, a manticore with a crimson mane approached, surrounded by horses equipped for war.
Without missing a second, the knight grabbed his battle horn and blew the trumpet signaling his troops to arms. He turned to his princess, uncertain what to say. The soldiers depended on him, the kingdom depended on him, but she depended on him, and he her. For all his strength, he was nothing without her.
“Just come back to me,” she softly sighed.
He held her gaze a moment longer, before offering a reassuring grin and racing to the battlefield.