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// A Wild Lich Appears 
// Story: The Dragons in the Mountains 
// by DracoTitan 
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	Once Spike and the others reach the crystal empire, Fluttershy took the time to look at the strange gem. That when she heard a voice from it.
“I am Asphyxious. The Iron Lich. If you need my aid, just take this token and call my name.”
	Looking at the others to see if they heard the voice, she frowns as they argue about the merit of continuing before deeply into the gem, “Um excuse me Mr. Asphyxious could you come over here...if you don’t mind that is?”
A large portal opened up and gave everyone scare, that when Asphyxious and his warjack Seether and Bone jack Cankerworm walked out of the portal looking around. Asphyxious took the time to look around before staring at Spike. “What the, how and when did you get blighted?!” He asked.
Spike turns a questioning gaze to the Lich before slowly taking a fighting stance, “There are two different types of dragons here, those that are born of Toruk...and those that are made from his children.” A proud smile cross the dragonspawns face as he thinks of his father figure, “My father Everblight has help me grow into the proud and strong drake I am.”
“Back up… Everblight and Toruk are HERE!” Asphyxious roared as his body coat fire. His form changed and grow larger as a Large dark took his place. “I’LL EAT THAT BASTARD TORUK IF IT THE LAST THING I DO!” Asphyxious growled as smoke poured out of his maw.
As the ponies took a few steps back, Spike and the other dragonspawns blink before Amber snorts in amusement, “Yea, ya gotta wait yer turn there.” “I mean, first off where the Tartarus did ya come from,” looking up at the figure, she contemplates the consequences of a free will thinking undead do who knows what in the world.
“Right sorry, let me change into something less likely to eat you.” The dragon before them changed forms again, this time into a Human with white hair a tail and was ate feet tall. “Much better so, witch one of you was displaced? I know Flutter called me with my Token. Let me guess, you're the displaced right Spike?” He asked them only getting looks of confusion.
“Umm, what do you mean by displace,” Spike look questioningly at the others before sighing as they shrug, “let me call dad, if anything either dragon or pony knows, it’ll be him.” Closing his eyes, Spike trust his friends to watch his back before linking minds with Everblight, ‘Hey umm dad...we may have a problem.’ Feeling the ancient dragon stir and look through his memories, he blinks in surprise when the old dragon told him to bring the Lich when he returns. Looking at the being, Spike smile nervously, “Sorry about that but dad said that the mission Twilight is on is too important.”
“That fine with me kido, let me help after all. Now I’m here might as well help out. Come on Seether and Cankerworm we got work to do!” Asphyxious calls the two jacks to his side as he smiled at everyone. “My name Asphyxious Hellbringer, King of the diamond dogs and devour of Everblight.” He then bowed to the group.
Clump chuckle while shaking his head, “Yeah, the old man is gonna have a great laugh with ya.” “Or try to see if you can truly be called a dragon,” holding out his fist to the undead, he waits patiently while the others roll their eyes in amusement, “names Clump, one of many dragonspawns that is adopted...by Everblight.”
“Hmmm, interesting. Never meet a dragonspawn that could talk. But it nice to meet you.” Asphyxious replied giving Clump a fist bump. “So what this mission you all was on about?”
Spike sighs before looking at their recently made ally, “For Twilight and the girls, they have to ensure that the Crystal Empire is in perfect condition as well as help out Shining Armor and Cadance with an inventory.” “Meanwhile, we drakes and dragoness have to both protect them and...either retrieve or destroy one of Everblight’s athanc.”
“Right… Better keep that away from me then. I may try and eat it.” Asphyxious added as he rubs the back of his neck. “I’ve already found one by Pinkie Rock farm back home and that was… Interesting…”
“Just asking as our father would, Bow Chicka Bow Wow?” the younger dragoness tilts her head like a puppy before smiling widely while pointing at herself and the gold dragons, “OH YEAH, I’m Chute and this is my mate Thrasher.”
“...Okay now I have to meet this Everblight after this, because it sounds like he's the displaced of this world. Huh, didn’t think I’d meet a displaced of Everblight before.” Asphyxious said rubbing his chin in thought. “Also nice to meet you two.”
“Right then, let’s hurry up inside those gates,” Rarity pace past the group with a frown on her face, “a lady shouldn’t have to deal with this much cold weather and we still need to find out what hit Twilight!”
“Twilight got hurt?” Asphyxious asked looking her over. “Hmmm, where did she get hit and with what?”
“Around her lower stomach area although it seem to be pointed more to her pelvis,” Fluttershy pulls out the dart, “and an undead reindeer use this on her.” Asphyxious took the dart and looked it over as he started to think.
“And Fluttershy just SNAPS,” Pinkie Pie grab onto the Lich’s shoulder with wide eyes, “she was all like WACHA, HIIYAH AND ORA!!!”
“To be fair miss Pie, I would have done the same thing only eaten them.” Asphyxious replied as he slowly had a realization on what the dart was for, but kept it to himself. There was no need to worry them over something that may not happen.
“So what do you bring to this party,” Thrasher spoke, his voice much quieter than most other dragons, “I mean we’re mostly single combat or can fight up to ten bipedal opponents each with a few draconic spells, while Fluttershy and Rarity have some experience with taking care of wounds...but that’s pretty much it.”
“Guys, we really should hurry,” Clump looks up as the purple unicorn shiver with a groan, “I want to get her somewhere safe before we have three alicorns, a unicorn, our alpha dragonspawn as well as Everblight get ticked at us for not making sure she’s healing.”
“Right, let go.” Asphyxious added as his warjacks followed him.
As the group trek on, several mindless undead, from ponies to reindeers and diamond dogs, would cross their way before seemingly going away. “Why in the world, are they not attacking us now?! They seem to want nothing more than to chew the flesh from our bones when we got here,” Rainbow Dash growls before nuzzling closer to Chute to warm up. Asphyxious saw this and just smiled at them.
“It might have to do with me, I am the only warcaster here. So there master must want to know why two Cryxean warjacks are under my control.” Asphyxious said as he looked at the undead as they moved away even more from his gase.
Spike look over to Amber before the pair smirk, Spike opening his mouth, “I’m liking you more and more.” “Once the other dragons fight Toruk, I’m putting you forward to have your own brood here,” tapping his chin with a talon before looking over at Amber, “we’ll probably have to destroy pop’s athanc so the real question is...who’s going to eat the damn thing?”
“One thing at a time, one thing at a time.” Asphyxious added as they walked. “Let’s find it, then worry about who going to eat it.”
As the dragonspawns nod, they turn their gaze to the gates before them and the pair of guards standing at attention. The two took a glance at Spike before saluting, “SIR, welcome to the Empire...we’ve been expecting you since Garble and four other dragonspawns arrived.”
As the pair of guards open the gate, Amber looks between the Lich and one of the crystal ponies, “The Lich is with us, he’s vital to operations.”
“That things a Lich?” Asked the other guard looking at Asphyxious and his human like form. “Huh, he still looks alive to me.”
“Just call me a dragolich if it helps.” Asphyxious replied as he walked past the guards with his warjack, Cankerworm hissed at the guards before following it master.
The dragonspawns could hear the hush whisper of the first guard as the pair glance at each other, “For a Lich, he seems alright...better than Sombra and his weird as Tartarus scythe.”
“I know, the damn thing could bring back the dead,” the other cut his eyes as though the mad king would return, “there’s also that weird way he spoke to his ‘master’ as if it was some form of god.” “I’m just glad he ain’t here anymore, he can keep that scythe, his undead slaves and those weird crystals.”
“What crystals?” Asphyxious asked as he stopped walking, then looked back at the guards.
“They're supposedly the hearts of dragons if ya believe such a rumor,” the first guard snorts in amusement while looking at his partner, “he had stolen a large blue sliver of gem to use for a hidden blade in the end of his scythe and has a collection of other gems in various sizes.”
As the guards took their places, Amber look over to Spike before he shook his head, “I sent what we heard to dad but he’s busy.”
“With what,” as soon as the words flew from her mouth, a loud roar echoes through the landscape as two mountain size dragons one black and orange with the other white and brown glide over the city. As they flew further North, cries of anger erupts as one of the old mountains broke apart as a pair of dragons of equaling size fly to meet them in battle, “...oh, well shit.”
“Oh this is going to be fun.” Asphyxious commented as he called on his Bane Knights, who were a mix of pony, griffon and Diamond dog. “There a collision of athanc stones in this city. Find them and show us the way.” The Bane Knights scattered as they went off to look for the stones. 
Groaning, Twilight blearly rose up and rub her eyes. Looking down at Clump, she smile softly, “Thanks Clump, you’re a great friend and any dragoness would be happy to have you.” Ignoring the blush, she turns and looks up at the bipedal figure before her, “...Okay I give, what are you?”
“Well, I guess I could say I used to be human, then thanks to Toruk I was turned into a Iron Lich before being sent to equestria. Then got hit by the elements as my daughter was with me. So now I’m a mix between dragon, Lich and changeling. But I’m more dragon than the other two.” Asphyxious replied with a smile.
“Wow that is interesting...but now my other question is where are you from,” tilting her head back, she grimace as her head felt spilt, “and does anypony have a tylenol?” While the dragonspawns shook their head, Pinkie Pie reach into her mane before pulling out a bottle. With a smile, she places one in her hand, “So what happen while I was...incapacitated?”
“Fluttershy went ripper on the undead that hit you with the dart,” Rainbow Dash smile playfully at a blushing Fluttershy, “she cuts off the arm of the reindeer before stabbing through her skull with your dagger.”
“I’ll save that for when we meet Everblight.” Asphyxious replied. As he looked off to one side as if someone was talking to him.
Spike feels before he hears the sound of a heavy object hitting the ground at high speed before, with the heavy flap of wings, Everblight and Blighterghast headed for Ponyville, “Well dad and Uncle Blighterghast seem done on their end so let’s get to work.” “But first we need to meet up with Garble and the others,” looking at the ponies, he seem to hesitate, “Chute, you and Thrasher go grab the others while Amber, Garble and I will help Asphyxious find and take care of the athancs.” As the three dragonspawns and six mares left, Spike look to the Iron Lich with a smirk while singing, “Do you want to kill a tyrant?”
“Been there done that, don’t mind doing it again.” Asphyxious replied pulling out his cutlass. “Let do this.”
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Garble turn as he see the ponies walk in with his old friend Clump, the runt and her boytoy, “Where’s Spike and ya big, sis runt?”
“Wouldn’t ya like to know brute?” the pair smile at each other before Chute points behind her, “he wants you to go to him and help him, sis and a new friend retrieve some athanc.”
“Don’t you mean destroy?” seeing her shake her head, he sighs before looking at Puff, Shakes, Vex and Fumes, “alright, if they strong enough, we might have some allies in this war, Guys, she’s in charge until I get back or the missions are done whichever comes first.”
As he took off into the air, he keeps an eye open for his rival, “How fucking hard is it to find two dragonspawns and a...that’s not a pony. What the fuck is that?” Shrugging his shoulder, he close his wings before diving at the trio with the wind whistling behind him.
“Well, my Bane Knights found nothing but I think I know where the stones could be.” Said Asphyxious as he started to walk to the castle. “Keep up please, I don’t want to eat them all by mistake.”
As Spike and Amber walks forward, they hear the wind whistling before ducking with a sigh as a red mass swoop from behind the group, “Hey Garble/Sup Garb.”
“Yo Spike, Amb, tall biped guy,” smirking at the trio, the lightish red dragonspawn lands beside them before walking at the set pace, “heard ya needed me.”
“Eyup...for meat shield duty,” Spike and Garble glare at each before chuckling at each other.
Asphyxious said nothing as they walked, he seemed to be thinking about something.
“Ya sense somethin big guy?” Amber turn to the Lich with a worried glance.
“Hmm? Oh, nothing just… Thinking.” Asphyxious replied before looking annoyedly at the doors to the castle. Before whispering. “Shut up.”
“Let me guess,” Garble grumble with his tailblade lashing at the ground, “you feel Toruk wake before drifting back to sleep.”
“If that what that feeling was then yes, also talking to Sombra who living inside my head… Yes I felt they did need to know that.” Asphyxious replied to Sombra as he opened the doors. Leaving the dragonspawn to look at each other.
“Do you have a rough idea where the athancs are,” Spike glare around him as shuffling and groans are heard. A large group of undead ponies and reindeers walk out in heavy armor wielding axes or dual curve swords.
“Look at that Bane Knights, I could use something like them.” Asphyxious said as he cast Hellfire on one of them as they caught fire. “Remind me to bind some of their souls after this.”
“Sure, we’re not going to use them,” Garble grins before jumping into a group and bisecting several with his tail blade. As one, the three dragonspawns unleash a torrent of fire catching several more on fire before they split off.
“Well, Seether, Cankerworm go back and keep the girls safe. I’m going to have some fun.” Asphyxious ordered as he walked up to the undead, as he changed into his Lich form. “Look at me and despair.” He roared swing his large sword into the undead.
Slowly, Spike climbs up the rafters before grabbing one of the bane knights by the ankle and throwing it into Garble who slice it half without glancing back. One of Asphyxious Bane knights cuts another down before yelling. “For Lord Asphyxious”
	“Gotta love the enthusiasm...can’t wait for the other projects to be ready,” Amber smile before jumping over to the Lich, “we’re not gettin anywhere with this, we gotta head to the inner sanctum...he’s probably waiting for us there.”
“OUT OF MY WAY!” Asphyxious roared as he cuting down undead and casting spells like crazy. One undead landed on Spike's head as it was cut in half.
“By Everblight’s Fangs, IF YOU DON’T WANT TO BURN THAN GET UNDER COVER,” rising above the crowd, Spike engulfs his body in blue, green and red fire before slamming down and making a wave of flames wash away from him.
Once it was over Asphyxious was nowhere to be seen until he poked his head out of a wall. “Little close there.” He said as Asphyxious came out of the wall like a ghost.
As Spike sheepishly chuckle, a dark presence covers the room as the Lich formerly known as Sombra walks into the room ‘with a sneer, “Should have known you can’t trust anypony to do the work but yourself.” “I should have killed you reptiles myself instead-”
“Somebrareo! I have someone who love to meet you.” Asphyxious said as he stabs his sword into the ground and opened a dark portal. That when something came out dressed in armor, wielding a large mace with crystal spikes on it. “Meet Bane Lord Sombra.”
The dragonspawns look between the two Sombras before Spike nods his head, ”Oh yes, I’m bringing you to dad as soon as we can.”
“What I want to know is where is Princess Cadance?” Garble blinks at the two dragonspawns and the Lich, “Well I don’t want to kill our friends toy so I’ll go and look for the athancs.”
The Bane Lord roared before swing his mace into the floor as black spikes of crystal shot out of the floor. Heading for the Lich Sombra. Slashing his scythe before him, the Lich disperse of the spikes before thrusting out his fist and black lightning erupts at his undead foe. Asphyxious however swings his sword into the lightning as he stands in the way.
“You really didn’t think this would be a fair fight?” Asphyxious asked as he casted a spell along with the Bane Lord.
“Once this is over, I’ll enjoy taking your magic and then I’ll take over Asphyxious body!” roared the Bane lord as Asphyxious rolls his eyes at this.
“Who says I’m fighting alone,” as Sombra smirk, a dead dragonspawn rose from below Asphyxious and threw him into the sky before breathing fire at the Bane lord, “Lord Toruk would never let his best general ever be without a trump card or two.” As he says this, a second dragonspawn rose up only for Spike to latch onto its neck with fangs and claws.
“HA, you. Don’t make me laugh.” Asphyxious said after landing. “You don’t even fall into the ranks of a Lich Lord. You're not even a Iron Lich…” The Bane Lord Sombra rized up from Asphyxious shadow with a smirk of his own. “Let me ask you this, if you’re his best where the Deathjack?”
	As Sombra stammer at the twist of words, Spike drags the undead dragonspawn up by its neck glaring down at the abomination, “Die and return to the leylines!” Taking a deep breath, Spike breathes a large beam of fire that slowly decapitates the undead drake. Snarling at the angering Lich, Spike dove to the Lich’s scythe wielding hand, ‘Hope dad will forgive me.’
As Sombra glare at his counterpart, he doesn’t notice the drake flying towards him, “You insolent worm. I have conquer in his name, killed in his name and drove my people INSANE in his name...and you believe me expandable!?”
	“And unlike you, I commanded an army!” Asphyxious replied as his Bane knights came out of the floor and drove their weapons into the undead dragon. “Unlike you, I’ve taken the Deathjack for myself! And unlike you, I know true suffering!” Asphyxious roared as he and the Bane Lord charged forward and cut and smash into the undead dragon body.
As the mad king rose his scythe, he feels a sharp pull on his arm as it’s bitten clean off from the shoulder while Spike flew up and swallow the athanc. Slowly, the many undead that dwell in the castile turn towards him, rage filled in their eyes before slowly closing around him, “Wh-What are you doing?! I am your MASTER!”
“You didn’t bind their souls properly, you left them with their minds intact. And their hate for you, what you have done and made them do.” Asphyxious replied smugly. “Now, they want you to die.”
	The tide of undead grab onto Sombra’s form as he kick at them, demanding they release him. Slowly a reindeer warwitch siren walk over with a smile and nods at a bane knight that gives her his axe, “This for my children, my husband and for forcing me away from my liege.” With one swing, the screaming lich’s roll from his body as the group of undead cheer. Vengeance was their.
Asphyxious and the Bane Lord Sombra look over the body of the lich. Asphyxious reached down and pulled the chest open and pulled out his core. The thing that holds the Lich soul. “What do you think? Want a roommate?”
“No.” The Bane Lord replied coldly. Before returning to Asphyxious shadow, the Lich Lord shrugs before crushing the soul cage in his hand and watched as the soul left the cage.
The undead, from ponies to diamond and a lone dragonspawn, look over at the Iron Lich before each of them nods and took a knee, “My Lord and Liege, we serve until the world rots beneath you.”
“Ummm, what?” Asphyxious ask confusion. As he looks at everyone, before looking to Spike. 
“Don’t look at me,” the smirk on his face was echo by Garble and Amber laughter, “we don’t own the undead...besides can you really turn down volunteers.” A pair of mostly intact reindeer sisters looks up at the lich with sad puppy dog eyes and slightly trembling lips.
“Sigh, I guess I have to take them. Looks like Ava going to get more business from me.” Asphyxious replied as he looked up. “Ok, let's meet Everblight.”
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As the group disembark from the train, they see the winged form of Nephilims and Grotesques dot the sky while reindeers and a few diamond dogs patrol the ground. Heading towards the center of town, the towering form of Everblight could be seen talking to the reindeer leader, “We need to amp up the patrols and gather more full fledge dragonspawns.” “I want this country more locked up and safe than Celestia hidden cake pantry,” the female reindeer look up with a delicate eyebrow raise, “...yes I did break in but she didn’t have to throw a sword into my eye.”
“I think we have company,” the dragon blinks at the reindeer before looking down at the dragonspawns, ponies and the Lich with his army.
“Son it’s good to see you,” leaning his head down, he raise an eyeridge at the being before him, “I’ve been on this world since I was born as Toruk son, I have fought, conquered, and blighted many beings...but I have not seen a human in a long time.” “Where did you come from?” curiosity dance across his eyes before smiling friendly at the Lich.
“My friend, we have much to talk about.” Asphyxious replied as he walked up to Everblight. “But just to be clear, you used to be human to right?”
	Everblight close his eyes with a small smile, “It has been...many eons since I had been human.” “The worse thing about being a near immortal dragon is that nothing seem to fit your...genre let’s call it,” frowning, he shakes his head, “but I have never seen a human on this world before, has Faust finally made your race?”
“Not that I know of, But we my friend are called displaced. Humans sent into a equestria after buying something from a displacer called the merchant.” Asphyxious replied. “Well that what happened to me anyway, I was called here by Fluttershy with my token.”
“A Token,” looking down at Fluttershy, he see the emerald in her hand, “I see...fascinating.” “What is the purpose behind our...displacement?” looking down at Asphyxious, he holds up a hand to have a closer look.
“No idea, I think he's doing it for giggles.” Asphyxious replied as he looked at the warwitch hugging him. “Also They want to come home with me.”
	Nodding his head, Everblight smile, “Ah I remember back when I was young...I actually had a crush on my Auntie Faust.” “Eventually though, I realize as a mountain size dragon, you’re less likely to find the one for you,” sighing deeply he shrugs his shoulder, “live and learn as the saying go.” “Ah but I’m rambling again, go on I don’t mind plus,” smirking at the lich, Everblight snorts in amusement as the warwitch hugs him tighter, “who am I to stop a brother from getting some.”
“I Already have a hoard back home, the last thing I need is more. Sadly I can’t say no.” Asphyxious sighed as he said that.
“Come talk to me when you can’t breed with anything, speaking of which,” Everblight narrows his eyes at the small crystal, “how do you make a Token?”
“Well you empower a item, then leave a message and drop it into the void. Don’t know how it works it just does.” Asphyxious said with a shrug.
“Hmmm,” looking over himself, he blinks before reaching for his mouth and pulling out a large fang that could be use as a great sword by a giant. Focusing his power, he doesn’t notice the dragonspawns’ pupils slitting and their complete focus on the fang, “I am Everblight the Redeemed. If you require my assistances whether to defend your realm or to seek advice, call upon my name and I shall arrive with my brood for war...or to simply talk.” Bringing a claw to the air before him, he pulls down opening the void, “Never thought Father’s paranoia would ever help me.” Looking down at the Lich, he smile, “Like that?”
Snapping his talon together, Everblight looks around, “Which reminds me, Toruk was paranoid before my siblings and I fought him the first time.” “I remember him going on a monologue of how he’ll stop himself from dying at our claws,” shaking his head, Everblight frowns, “can’t remember what he did for the life of me...something about caches for him to reawaken if he were to fall here.” “Should you meet him, I’ll assist you in any way possible,” holding out his claw for a handshake. Asphyxious then shake it.
“Thanks, Miss shy be a dear and send me home, Just say our contract is complete and I’ll be on my way.” Asphyxious replied.
“Oh right...sorry, our contract is complete,” Fluttershy smile warmly at the Lich before he leaves, “come back for a visit sometime ok?” Asphyxious waved as he left with his warjacks and small army of undead. Everyone looked at Fluttershy with a smile, making said mare look at everyone confused.