Anger from the Shadows

by xgenwolf99

Meeting for the First Time

"Where is it?" Spiritus said, holding a young dragon by the neck. His other hand was still wielding the blade. "Where are the Dragonlands? Tell me now, or you'll meet the same fate as those other dragons."

"It's North of here." He said.

"Thanks." Spiritus through the dragon on the ground.

"Why do you harm dragons?" The dragon said. "We are of the same kind, why attack us?"

Spiritus used the Lumen Tenebrae to kill him. Lifting himself into the air, he flew north. His fate would be dealt with shortly, but he was going to get as far as he could.

In the outskirts of the Dragonlands

Spike was walking alongside Ember and a group of soldiers. Each dragon was armored up and carried a spear. The captain of the guard was in full black armor. His chest plate was roughly four layers thick and heavy like a boulder full of gems. Instead of a spear, he used a two-handed sword. The hilt was composed of iron and gold. Gold for decoration, iron for durability. It may have only been a group of six soldiers, but they were the strongest ones in the Dragonlands.

"Halt," The captain said. The bushes near them rustled. "Something approaches." The guards encircled Ember and Spike, their backs facing them. "If there is something, we will take it on."

Out from the bushes stepped, a hoof. "Do not attack." Ignis walked out, Flash following. "I journeyed here to find that dragon and stop him. He's destroyed two cities already, and I fear more will follow."

"What do you mean?" Ember asked. "What cities?"

"I was originally stationed in Canterlot, but I evacuated the remaining civilians. Ponyville is now a crater." Ignis said. "He must pay for what he's done."

"This can't be." Spike said, falling to on his knees. "Ponyville. Rarity. They can't be gone." Tears were falling.

Ember walked Spike to a different area. The guards were waiting for them while talking with Ignis and Flash. "Now do you see Spike," she said. "Do you see that he can't be helped. Death is our only option to stop him."

"I still refuse to believe that." Spike said. "Twilight has succeeded in bringing other ponies together. Ones that have used dark magic or magic to alter time and space. Ones that were deemed helpless, but she did it. If she can, then so can I."

"You're still a fool Spike. Don't you see I'm trying to help you. I --

An explosion erupted from behind them. As they turned, a cloud of shadows was in the sky. In front of the soldiers, stood a black dragon. His right arm held the Lumen Tenebrae, the other was a fist. His eyes were blood red, shadows emerging from the sides, but his scales were thin in the chest. "Looks like I found my welcoming committee." He looked them in the eyes. "I am Spiritus, a dragon once banished from the Dragonlands. You're father will remember me, Ember."

"Leave the Princess out of this." The guard captain said. He raised his blade.

"Are you challenging me," Spiritus said. "to a duel? Don't make me laugh." He turned his head and saw Ignis. "Have we met before?"

"Yeah," Ignis said. "You destroyed my home in Canterlot. You killed the civilians as if it was for fun."

"That's right. You're the one I let live." He held both hands out. "And now you've created a small force to try to kill me. Cute. But nothing can stop me." He spat out a black fireball.

The dragons were in the air and Ignis and Flash Sentry on the ground. Two dragons charged him, but he ducked below them, using the Lumen Tenebrae to slash one of them across the chest. He turned to the one in the air and shot out a ball of black fire. It hit the dragon. Falling to the ground, he landed on the other dragon. Spiritus launched a stream of shadow magic and it hit both dragons. Their bodies were surrounded by black and their breathing was slowing. Flash Sentry, stupidly, charged Spiritus. Spiritus grabbed him by the head, until he was shot by a ball of magic.

"Let him go." Twilight said, flying towards him. She shot again and Spiritus let go Flash.

"Charge him." The dragon captain said.

The remaining dragons flew to attack alongside Ignis. Flash Sentry and Twilight fled alongside Ember and Spike. Spike watched what happened. Spiritus was able to kill the three dragons but left the captain and Ignis left to fight. One dragon was stabbed straight through by the blade, another's head detached, and the third one burnt to a crisp. The last ones Spike saw were Ignis and the captain. Spike, Ember, Twilight, and a wounded Flash Sentry stopped to catch their breath by a lake. The sun was starting to set.

"Did we lose him?" Flash Sentry said. "Did we lose that dragon?"

"I'm scared to say yes." Twilight said. "Ember, who is that?"

"I don't know." Ember said. "I've yet to go through the birth certificates of other dragons. If I had to guess, he was a former soldier; but he seems too young to be one. Plus he knows of the Legend of the Lumen Tenebrae." Ember looked at Spike. "There is nothing else we can do Spike. He can't be saved. He has to die."

"I agree with Ember." Twilight said. "A dragon like him, they can't be saved. Not like Starlight Glimmer, or Trixie."

Spike sat by the lake, looking into the water. He couldn't help but think, maybe they were right. Maybe there was no way to save him. That he was too dangerous to live. In his reflection, he saw tears around his eyes. He saw what made him weak. If he couldn't come to the point where he'd need to kill Spiritus, then he'd die. Ember sat next to him and wrapped an arm around him.

"Listen Spike," she said. "I know you want to help him. That might stem from how you were hatched."

"What makes me different?" Spike asked.

"Dragons are to be born in the Dragonlands. Not only that, but they must be incubated in lava pools. Those pools is what helps dragons develop their scales out of protection. If a dragon cannot develop scales hard enough to protect them from lava, then they die as a youngling. I was almost like that." Ember started to tear. "My father always wanted me to be protected because of it. He thought I wasn't strong enough to fend for myself, so I tried to prove it to him at every chance I could get. That's why I took part in the Gauntlet of Fire. Now, I'm the leader of the dragons. What do I have to show for?"

"Ember," Spike hugged her.

"Why are you hugging me?" Ember's face started to blush. "Dragons don't hug, remember Spike?" She pushed him away. "Besides, now isn't the time. We need to ensure his demise." A black cloud emerged from where the soldiers stood. A figure emerged in the sky holding a large blade, but covered with shadows.

25 minutes ago

"Charge him." The dragon captain said.

The three dragon soldiers charged him. Spiritus jumped over the first one and used the Lumen Tenebrae against the second one. He swung down and cut his head clean off. He dodged the last one and turned around to face the two. He took a breath in and shot a ball of dark magic at both of them. One dodged, the other had no chance of escape. His armor melted to his scales and the spear into a pool of liquid. Spiritus then put the Lumen Tenebrae in front of him and lunged forward. The blade went right into the third one's chest. Spritus pulled the sword up and sliced his upper body in half. All that was left was Ignis and the dragon captain. He pointed his blade to them. "It's time I exact my revenge against the dragons."

"Why do you kill your own kind?" The captain said. "We are dragons, why attack us instead of join us?"

"I've asked myself that question before. It's meaningless to find an answer." Spiritus said. "As long as dragons are led by Ember, they will fall." Spiritus launched a stream of fire, turning his head to try to hit both of them.

Ignis started to circle around him while the dragon captain took to the skies. The dragon started his own fireball. Ignis charged Spiritus, who was catching his breath. Ignis kept swinging his own sword, the handle in his mouth, but couldn't land a hit. Spiritus glided through the space between them to move. Above him, a fireball was coming. BOOM. Spiritus was launched back but got back on his feet. Ignis swung again and hit one of his scales. Enraged, Spiritus poured some of his magic into the Lumen Tenebrae. A black aura surrounded the blade. Spiritus swung and a wave of dark magic was thrown at Ignis. He was hit back, his armor now broken. The dragon captain dived in, but their blades were crossed.

"There's one difference between you and me, Spiritus." the captain said. "You lack experience." He started to take in a breath.

Spiritus hit his blade to the right and used one arm to grab the captain by the throat. The captain could hardly get the flame he needed to kill Spiritus and his eyes started to close. His breath was coming in only through the nose, but it wasn't enough. Ignis came charging so Spiritus threw the dragon towards the pony. Colliding, the pair was thrown back. Spiritus, with an aura around the blade, sliced the air and created a wave of darkness. The pair dodged and charged him simultaneously. Slices and slashed were thrown against Spiritus, but he dodged every one. With the little distance he had, he spat up a small fire and hit Ignis back. Spiritus and the dragon collided blades again. With a quick movement, Spiritus angled his blade and launched himself into the dragon. Stepping back, a large hole was in the dragon captain.

"No." Ignis said. He charged Spiritus, but to no avail.

Spiritus sidestepped and lunged his blade into his chest. "You're a fool. I'm amazed you've lasted this long." Spiritus forced the blade even deeper. "It was fun seeing you again. But now, you're time has come." He forced the sword out and beheaded Ignis. "I'll keep this, as a trophy."

Spiritus put his claw on his forehead. His mind was in pain, but he couldn't understand why. The blade started to shock his body, but the aura grew stronger around it. In a fit of pain, Spiritus let out a volley of fire aimed at the dragon captain's corpse. He flew up in the air, and looked around.

"You will grant me your body, in exchange for power." A voice said. "If you want true power, you must grant me your soul."

"Who said that?" Spiritus said, looking around. "Where are you?"

"I am in your hands. I am Lumen Tenebrae." The sword started to glow black. A flame surrounded it, sending a shockwave through Spiritus. "I can sense your power. It just needs a connection with you." The aura flowed into his arm. He screamed in agony. "Now, our minds are properly connected."

He caught his breath. "You'll give me power, in exchange for what?"

"You'll find out soon enough." The sword said. "But first, your targets are nearby." Spiritus around and saw them. The Lumen Tenebrae created a black aura around him. He dove towards Twilight and Flash. Ember and Spike joined the commotion.

"We meet at last, Princess Sparkle." He pointed the sword to Ember. "I will claim the title of Dragon Lord, one way or another." He smirked, the blade turning black. "Prepare yourself."