The Legend of Spike: Krazoa Island

by DiabloGuapo

The Test of Fear

The yellow light of the teleporting magic faded and Spike found himself in the familiar setting of a Krazoa Shrine. Stepping off of the glowing round altar, Spike walked between two statues of Krazoa Spirits through a doorway. He was feeling rather sure of himself, because he had already easily conquered one other Krazoa Shrine and passed its test.

The first corridor that Spike came across had the standard trap of fire jets lining the walls. On the other end of the hall was a gate blocking the exit. A pressure plate laid at Spike’s feet and the dragon pressed down it with his scaly foot. Spike could hear gears clanking and the gate lifted as the switch was pressed down. Spike took a few steps then heard a rumbling sound. He looked back and saw the plate rising back up from the ground. Then Spike heard the gears of the gate starting to grind again and the gate started to slowly lower. Spike sprinted through the flames and walked under the gate before it closed. If he wasn’t a dragon, that puzzle would have been difficult to solve. Anyone else would have to carefully time the bursts of fire and then make it through the chamber before the gate closed again.

“Not bad, but you’ll have to do better than that,” Spike said to the unseen architect of the shrine. The next corridor had another gate on the other end, but the switch for the door laid at the bottom a long trench that ran the entire length of the room. Spike climbed down a ladder to the switch and stood before it. He prepared to run as soon as he would activate the gate. If this was anything like the previous room, he expected some trap to be activated as soon as he stepped on the plate. He ran forward, pressed the switch, and then started to flap his wings to get fly out of the pit. As he started to rise out of the trench, rushing streams water poured from vents in the ceiling onto the dragon’s back. The impact sent Spike crashing back down into the trench and he struggled to stand underneath the powerful flow of the water. Unable to flap his wings under the torrent of water, Spike trudged through the trench as it began to fill with water. As Spike waded to the ladder on the other side of the trap, he panted as he was slowed down by the rising water and by the fountains that were constantly trying to push him down.

Coughing up water, Spike climbed out of the trench and saw that the gate was closing. He rolled across the floor under the gate and into the next corridor. Spike stood up and shook off some of the water. He then found himself at the bottom of a ramp that led up to the next gate. At the bottom of the ramp was the switch.

“Well played, but let’s see if this one is better.” The dragon stepped on the switch and the gate started to rise. Spike ran up the ramp, but then tripped and fell face first onto it as the ground beneath his feet started to move. The slope of the ramp was a giant conveyor belt that led back to the bottom. Spike stood back up and was about to run when something hard hit him on the head. He winced in pain and muttered as he looked up at the ceiling. Instead of water, the ceiling was dumping rocks on our purple protagonist. Running uphill on a moving ramp, Spike shielded his head with his arms as he was bombarded with falling stones. Rocks pelted his back and wings while he tried to swat away as many as he could as he ran. After making his way up the ramp while tripping over some of the rocks, Spike made it to the top where he saw that the gate was almost closed. He ran and slid under the falling gate. Once on the other side, he quickly pulled his tail out from under the gate before it could crush it.

“Welcome to the Test of Fear,” announced the ethereal voice of a Krazoa Spirit. Spike looked up and saw the floating blue spirit in the center of the chamber. He raised himself off the floor, dusted himself off, and approached the spirit that pulsated with a purple light. Looking around, Spike didn’t see anything else in the room; no sign of any stone warriors to fight. “You must stand and face your deepest fears. If you succeed, I will become yours to return to the Krazoa Palace. Do you accept?”

“Yes,” Spike answered the mask-like spirit with floating tendrils flowing behind it.

“Then let us begin.” The Krazoa unexpectedly rushed towards Spike and entered his body. Spike’s body was carried by the force of the spirit and he floated above the floor for a second. Landing back down, he looked around in confusion.

“Was that… it?” Spike asked. He could feel the spirit within him like last time. He waited for a moment for something to happen, but nothing did. “Well, that was anticlimactic.”

Suddenly, the room around Spike vanished, leaving him in a black void. Realizing that this must be the test, Spike took a defensive stance and cautiously panned around. In the distance, a light appeared and Spike walked towards it. As he drew closer to it, the light grew until Spike realized it was the sun. As it rose, its light revealed that Spike was standing on a hill that overlooked Ponyville. However, the village looked different from when Spike last saw it a week ago. Observing it carefully, Spike could his that there were more buildings than he remembered. The town was a little larger and the newer buildings were made from brick and stone unlike the older thatched roofed cottages. That is when Spike realized what he was seeing.

“No,” he whispered to himself with dread.

“What’s the matter darling?” a voice asked from behind him. He turned around to see that Rarity was standing behind him. With her were Twilight Sparkle and the rest of their friends.

“Please, not this again,” Spike pleaded with the Krazoa Spirit. He knew where he was and what was about to happen. Unable to look away and unable to do anything to prevent it, he watched as the six mares that he loved began to lose the luster in their coats. Rainbow Dash’s wings became arthritic and she landed when they longer could keep her airborne. Applejacks joints became wobbly and her face wrinkled until she resembled an orange version of Granny Smith. Pinkie Pie’s joyful bouncing slowed until it ceased altogether. Fluttershy’s long veil-like mane became white and Rarity’s elegantly styled mane faded from a rich violet to a smoky purple.

“I feel rather tired,” Twilight Sparkle stated and started lay her aged body onto the grass of the hill. The others nodded and yawned in agreement as they too lay down. Spike knew what was going to happened next and watched helplessly as his friends crumbled into dust. From the places where they had been laying, six tombstone rose from the ground. Each of the headstones bore the cutie mark and names of their respective pony. Spike clenched his fists and gritted his teeth in anger as tears ran down from his green eyes.

“I know that I’m going to outlive my friends! Why must I be keep getting reminded of it?!” Spike screamed to the heavens. Ever since his adventure in Trotina, Spike would have reoccurring nightmares of what he had seen when he faced the Trials of the Elements of Harmony in the parallel world. The trial that haunted him the most was the Trial of Laughter. In it, he was shown a vision of the future where he was already grown and everypony was afraid of him. What hurt him the most was to see the graves of the Bearers of the Elements of Harmony.

Spike fell to his knees and gripped the ground with his claws. As sorrowful tears fell from his eyes, he heard cruel laughter. He snapped his head up to see that he was no longer on the hill overlooking Ponyville but on the roof of Krazoa Palace. Rarity still floated unconscious in her crystal prison and a dark figure stepped from behind it. Spike stood back onto his feet as he saw General Scar stand between him and Rarity.

“How sad,” the General mocked as he ran a finger of his one paw along Rarity’s crystal. “Such a lovely mare and there is nothing you can do to save her.”

“Get away from her!” Spike demanded and started to charge towards the towering Diamond Dog.

“Oh, I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” Scar threatened. Spike halted when he heard the noise of muffled cries and rattling chains coming from behind him. Turning around, Spike gasped when he saw his friends bound and gagged on the floor while Diamond Dogs held their chains. Twilight was trying to shake off a Diamond Dog who was gripping her horn to prevent her from using magic. Applejack tried kicking her hind legs and Rainbow Dash tried flapping her wings, but to no avail. Fluttershy sobbed through her gag and Pinkie Pie was wrapped up in so much extra chains to prevent her from escaping that only her eyes and tufts of her poofy mane could be seen.

“No!” the dragon cried in despair.

“Yes,” Scar gloated evilly. Spike turned around to face the dictator again. “Do you now see? It’s futile to oppose me. No one can defeat General Scar!”

“I will!” Spike defiantly declared. “I’ll find all of the SpellStones and stop you!”

The General laughed and black, purple, and green magic swirled around the talisman that hung from his neck. “Stop me? You can’t stop me just as you can’t stop time.” As Scar spoke, a black cloud formed behind him that grew larger as he continued to talk. “Your friends will grow old and die long before you do, but that hardly matters anymore! I promise you this dragon; you will never recover the remaining SpellStones! My forces will conquer this island and enslave its inhabitants! You will watch as your friends die!”

As the storm of black clouds raged behind him, General Scar laughed manically as his eyes glowed green and red and a purple aura flowed from them. Spike clasped the side of his head with claws as knelt down on the ground.

“No! This is just a vision! This isn’t real!” He told himself as he shook his head. Scar continued to laugh and Spike covered his ear frills to block out the awful sound. “This isn’t real! This isn’t real!” As he repeated those words, the dragon felt a surge of strength welling up inside of him. He opened his eyes, stood up proudly, and faced the illusionary General Scar. “This isn’t real.” Mirage stopped laughing and glared at the dragon. “I will stop you. I will find all of the SpellStones and Krazoa Spirits. I will rescue Rarity and the rest of this island. I may lose all of my friends someday, but that day… is not this day!”

In a flash of yellow light, Spike founding his in the chamber underneath LightFoot Village. He blinked and looked around. He saw Tricky was waiting for him atop of the balcony and he heavily sighed.

Well done, the voice of the Krazoa Spirit said in his head. I will remain in your body until you return me to Krazoa Palace.

“Spike! How was it?” Tricky asked as the dragon climbed up the ladder. “What was this test?”

“The Test of Fear,” answered Spike as he reached the top.

“Ooh, what was it like?” Tricky asked, intrigued by the idea.

“It was just a cheap trick,” he told the ceratopid, his eyes glowing purple from the Krazoa Spirit within him. “An illusion made just to throw me off, and nothing more.” The answer was hardly satisfactory for the dinosaur, but the dragon smiled and said, “Come on, the others are waiting for us.”

As the two return to ThornTail Hollow from the southern road, they could see the Great Fox sitting in front of the Queen EarthWalker’s bunker. Spike could hardly contain his excitement as he ran across the valley. He entered the shelter and saw the rest of the Star Fox Team standing beside a yellow, a pink, and an orange pony.

“Spike!” the three mares exclaimed when they saw him walking down into the bunker. Pinkie Pie bolted like lightning and crashed into Spike, wrapping her forelegs around his waist in a bone crushing embrace. Spike coughed from the tight hug and staggered backwards as he nearly was knocked over from the pink party pony’s affectionate assault.

“Oh my gosh I’m so happy to finally see you again even though we talked over that magical glowing blue stone thing that the other pony has but that was earlier today and when you didn’t show up I started to get super worried that you wouldn’t show up even though you said you were but then you did and now everything is okay because now we’re going to meet back up with Twilight and Rainbow and then we’ll can all go find Rarity together and then we can all go home and have great big ‘Welcome Home’ party for you!” Pinkie Pie rapidly said in one breath.

“Um, Pinkie? Do you think you could maybe let go of Spike?” Fluttershy requested. “I don’t think his face is supposed to be blue.”

“Huh?” Pinkie looked up and saw that the scales on Spike face had taken on a bluish tint from the lack of oxygen. She released her grip and sheepishly smiled as Spike gasped for air. “Oops, sorry Spike. I guess I got carried away. I’m just so glad to see you.”

“I’m glad to see you again too, Pinkie,” Spike said as he regained his breath.

“Well look at that,” Applejack said as she walked up to Spike. “You really did grow wings, and here Ah was thinkin’ Fluttershy was pullin’ my leg.”

“Yeah, it’s a recent development,” he nonchalantly stated as he looked back at his wings and gave them a flap. The farm pony stood up on her hind legs and wrapped her forelegs around his neck.

“It’s good to see you, partner,” she told him as she gave him a warm hug. Spike smiled and wrapped his arms around Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy as they joined them in the hug. After the four friends ended the group hug, Applejack gave Spike a curious look. “Any reason to why your eyes are glowin’ purple?”

Spike filled them in on his mission to that point. He explained that he has already returned two SpellStone and that he has found Rarity. He told them that she was captured in her attempt to recover the Krazoa Spirits and that he must finish what she had started in order to free her.

“Oh my goodness,” Fluttershy exclaimed after she had heard that Rarity was imprisoned in a giant crystal.

“Well then, if you’re goin’ to this ‘Krazoa Palace’ to rescue Rarity, then we’re comin’ with you,” Applejack declared.

“I’m sorry Applejack, but only I’m allowed to go,” he apologized.

“No buts. Rarity is our friend, so we’re goin’ too,” she argued.

“I know Applejack, but it’s the Law of the Test,” he explained. “The Krazoa want me to do this alone. Don’t worry; I’ll be back in a few minutes. Once I get back, we can go get Twilight and Rainbow Dash.”

“Well, Ah don’t like it, but go and do what you gotta do,” Applejack conceded. The three mare reluctantly watched Spike as he left. The dragon ran up the hill and asked the Warp Stone to transport him back to Krazoa Palace. The stone pony lifted Spike up onto his hoof and sent him on his way in a flash of blue magic.

When Spike rematerialized on the platform outside the palace, he found that it was still raining over the Krazoa Palace. He looked up to the top of the structure where Rarity was located. He spread his wings and took off towards the roof. He landed on the platform with the rotating mechanism. In the crystal in the center, Rarity was in the same place as she was when he had last seen her. The two released Krazoa Spirits circled around the crystal and Spike place his claw on the force field, causing it to ripple.

*****

Rarity was dreaming of the day she and Spike went gem hunting. The pop star, Sapphire Shores, had made a large order that required a lot of jewels and she simply didn’t have enough to complete it. When the Diamond Dogs attacked, Spike bravely tired to hold them off so that she could get away. However, he was much smaller back then and she was taken down to their underground lair. Even though she had eventually resolved the situation herself, she later learned that Spike had rallied their friends together to attempt a rescue mission.

She then dreamed of his first birthday in Ponyville since he had moved there from Canterlot with Twilight Sparkle. He had obtained a rare fire ruby to be his birthday meal for himself, but when he saw how much she admired it, he generously gave it to her. She then made it into a necklace, which has since become a symbol of their relationship. When Spike became a greed-fueled monster, what stopped him was seeing her wearing the heart-shaped necklace. It reminded him of his selfless act and brought him back to his senses.

As she continued to sleep under the enchantment, she once again felt her beloved’s presence. It excited the Unicorn and she tried to reach out to him. He was so close that she felt as though she could reach out and touch him. To her disappointment, she couldn’t seem to find him in the darkness.

Spike, I am here! Rarity called out to void of the dream world. I am here!

*****

Spike, you must continue on your quest, urged the Krazoa. Taking one last look at the white Unicorn, Spike removed his claw from the crystal and started to walk off the platform with a longing sigh. The sanctuary that I belong to is located on the second level of the palace.

Spike found an airlift shaft and floated down into the central hub of the palace. Spike looked over the edge of the balcony and spotted a chamber with a white altar inside it. He flew down and landed before the shrine and saw the image of the Krazoa face on a rippling mirror. He was about to step onto the altar when he heard someone approaching. He turned to see that a patrolling Diamond Dog had spotted him and was rushing in to attack. Not in the mood for a fight, Spike focused and casted the dragon-spell. When the dog saw the penetrating eyes of the dragon, he froze in his tracks.

“Go away,” Spike ordered the feeble minded dog. The dog turned about face and marched off under the influence of the dragon-spell. With the distraction taken care of, he stepped on the altar and the uncomfortable sensation of the spirit leaving his body forced him to his knees. He groaned as it worked its way out of him and it entered the shrine. Spike gasped and started to pant once it was over. The statue’s eyes glowed white and the third Krazoa Spirit joined the other two in circling the crystal. Spike was then returned to ThornTail Hollow by the Krazoa’s teleporting magic. As Spike hurried across the grassy valley to rejoin his friends, the communication stone on his wrist activated and glowed with a golden light.

“Spike, report to my lair,” summoned the voice of his master.

“But Master, I…” Spike started to say.

“It is time for your next lesson,” the master continued. “The sooner you finish, the sooner you can join your friends.”

Spike looked to the bunker that was so close then across the river to where his master’s lair was located. Reluctantly, the purple dragon headed away from his friends and went between the ancient stone buildings to the entrance of the cave. Once inside, he found the enormous dark gold dragon waiting for him.

“So, you have recovered to SpellStones and three of the Krazoa have been returned to the palace. You are also mastering the techniques that I have taught you very well,” complimented the elder dragon.

“Thank you, Master.”

“For your next lesson, you must incorporate everything that you have learned,” the colossal dragon lectured. “For it is time for you to unlock your magic potential and to become a dragon mage just like me. Command of the dragonfire is but a small step into the development of dragon magic. Every wyrm is born with. You already know how to send items long distances with it. That was your introduction to magic. When you learned how to command the power of ice, you had to learn control. When I taught you how to consciously use the dragon-spell, you had learned focus and the strength of willpower. These are the keys on how to use magic; knowledge, concentration, strength, and willpower.

“Remember, dragon magic is different from pony magic and only a few dragons ever bother or even know how to master it. It may not be as refined or precise as Unicorn magic, but it is far more powerful. To compare the two is to say Unicorns use a key and a lock to open a door while dragons simply break it down.”

“But how do I learn how to use magic?” Spike asked. The elder dragon mage looked down at his apprentice and grinned while his eyes burned like a green furnace.

“Like this,” the gold dragon said before opening mouth to unleash a wave of rippling orange energy. The orange shockwave enveloped Spike and he began to be weighed down as though each limb weighed a ton. Spike fell onto the pile of treasure, unable to move. “I have placed a paralysis spell on you. Remember your lessons. Use your magic to break the spell and then you may leave.”

Spike tried to open his mouth to shout in protest, but he was frozen stiff. It was though he had entered a staring contest against a cockatrice and had been turned to stone. No matter how much he tried to move his muscles, he remained as stiff as a statue.

Okay Spike, you can do this, he thought to himself as he laid face first in a pile of gold coins and jewels. Let’s see, what have I learned? He said that magic requires knowledge. Okay, I know I can do magic. I’ve been using it all of my life. There’s also concentration. Seems simple enough. How many times have I seen Mom focusing before she practiced her spells? Okay, I’m frozen and I want to be unfrozen. I’ve just have to focus on the spell and use my strength and willpower to break it.

In his mind’s eye, Spike could see the spell casted on him as thick golden chains. He used his desire for freedom as the fuel for his inner fire. He then reached out with his mental claws and grabbed the chains that held him captive. He pulled at them, but they wouldn’t break. Instead of giving up, he kept feeding the fire with more determination and continued to pull at the chains. Either he or the chains would give first and he wasn’t going to break so easily. With a mental roar of fury, he pulled the chains apart and they snapped at their links.

Spike’s internal struggle then carried over into reality as the purple dragon gave a primal yell and trashed his limbs about. He panted as he looked around the cave. He then looked down at his arms and flexed them, glad to have the use of them once more.

“Congratulations.”Spike looked up behind him to see his master’s approving smile. “You are now a dragon mage, Spike the Purple.”

Spike stood up and bowed to his master. The older dragon nodded his head in return, giving his permission to leave. Spike left the cave and returned to the Queen EarthWalker’s shelter, where his friends were waiting for him.

“I’m back!” Spike announced as he walked into the shelter.

“Great! Now we can continue on our mission to find the SpellStones!” Tricky cheered.

“He’s right, where can we find the next guardian?” Spike asked the Queen EarthWalker.

“I’m afraid I have some bad news. Tricky’s father is the Guardian of the SpellStone of Fire and he is imprisoned up in the Walled City,” the Queen explained.

“That’s where Twilight went when we split up to go looking for you,” Pinkie Pie added.

“Then I’m afraid she is also in grave danger!” the Queen told them.

“What do you mean?” Captain Pepper asked.

“The Walled City is the EarthWalker’s homeland. We built our city in that location because it borders the territory of the RedEye Tribe! For years our tribe has been able to keep them at bay and prevent them from spreading throughout Krazoa Island. When General Scar attacked, he released the RedEyes and imprisoned our tribe! With the island falling apart, our forces are trapped up there with those monsters!”

“We got to get up there and help Dad!” Tricky exclaimed.

“Alright, everyone to the ship!” Captain Pepper announced. The six ponies, the dragon, and the young dinosaur ran to the Great Fox and it took off towards the northeast, heading to the Walled City. Spike knew his mother, Twilight Sparkle, was somewhere up there searching for him. Apparently, a dangerous tribe of dinosaurs called the RedEye awaited for him once he got there.

Comments

[DiabloGuapo]

3676780
Maybe.

[Kamen rider yokai]

Dude I only have this to say. You sure like to torture spike jeez give him a break already enough with that dang vision we get it already it's getting old with the constant reminder.

[DiabloGuapo]

3678934
It's like your shadow; it will always follow you and you can't get rid of it.

[DARKPHANTOM13]

Ten bucks says the Redeyes are T-Rexes or the like. And I wonder what other stuff Spike can do now?

[Reisentanith]

3679064 They are.

[DiabloGuapo]

3679088
Clearly you are someone who has played Star Fox Adventures or know enough about it.

[thatguywholikesanime]

Holy crap, I just realized that AppleJack is named after a cereal...

[DiabloGuapo]

5361048
But they don't taste like apples... I still like them.

[Mewaponny]

5361048 no, Applejack is named after an alcoholic beverage that is flavored with apple skin. That's why Spike referred to her as Appletini in the poison joke episode.
img15.deviantart.net/a775/i/2012/086/4/a/what_do_ponies_drink____applejack_by_4suit-d4sb173.png

[bronyvamp]

6337076 applejack does taste like apples and is a really strong drink