Anger from the Shadows

"Prepare yourself." Spiritus said, pointing the sword at Ember.

Twilight stepped forward, but Ember blocked her. "This is my fight. Dragons fight with honor. I will not let another take my fight."

Ember and Spiritus looked the other in the eye. Spiritus concealed the Lumen Tenebrae. His claws came out and the two charged each other at full speed. Their arms were pressing against another, Spiritus standing taller than Ember. He forced himself against her, but her strength was enough to keep him at bay. Moving his left leg, he kicked her chest and charged her head on. She formed a shield with her arms, but his head broke her guard easily. He grabbed her by the arm and spun around three times, releasing her into a tree. She turned to look at him, his hand grabbing her face and smashing it into the tree.

"I need no blade to kill a dragon." Spiritus said. "I killed Garble with my bare hands." He threw her on the ground and tried to step on her.

Ember rolled out of the way. "I may not have killed other dragons, but that's only because I never needed to." Ember said. "Until now." She built up a flame, followed by Spiritus charging one as well.

"Move." Twilight yelled, grabbing Spike.

Both dragons unleashed their flame. Their flames were equally matched, starting to move over another and forming a sphere. Ember's red flame was impressive, burning brighter than Spritus's black flame. The sphere was growing larger with every moment, the stream of flames shrinking as it was added. Ember was starting to sweat. Her legs getting tired, starting to slowly retreat. Spiritus forced every speck of strength inside him into one final breath. The pure black flame became too much and the sphere exploded. Ember concealed her face from the smoke with her wings. Opening them, Spiritus was at close range and swung at her. He let loose a small fireball, singing her wings. He circled around her and wrapped his arms around her head.

"You do not deserve the title of Dragon Lord." Spiritus said. "You are weak and pathetic. I bet Garble would've beat you in a fight."

"That may be true," Ember said, "but I'm better at you in one area. Intellect." She bit into his arms, her teeth sinking deep into his scales. She threw him off, claiming his left arm. "Now you'll see the power I've hidden." Around her, a golden aura formed around her. Her eyes sank back and her voice changed into that of a frightening dragon.

She punched Spiritus in his chest. Ember then rotated her body in a full circle and kicked him across the face. In her hands, she conjured two small flames and pushed them into his chest. Spiritus was blown backwards. He got back up, Ember charging at him. With both hands, she shoved a golden fireball into him. With one claw, she slashed across his throat and then across his left eye. He tried to get a hit on her, but her speed had increased. She dodged every hit, until he grabbed her with his tail. He threw her away from him and recovered his breath.

"I forgot about dragon magic." Spiritus said, panting. "Let me show you my form."

He allowed his magic to surround him, forming a black shadow over his body. The shadow darkened his entire body that the only color was his blood red eyes. His magic formed another arm to replace his lost one. In his new left arm, a black ball of magic was forming. Ember was using both to form one. Charging, Ember got the first hit into his face. Turning back he struck her in her chest. They continued to perform single blows while the others watched from a distance.

"The magic dragons possess," Twilight said, "is frightening. How could anypony hope to defeat one in combat?"

"Is that power inside of Spike?" Flash Sentry said. "If it is, he could tap into it and --"

"No." Twilight yelled. "I wouldn't let Spike do something that dangerous."

Spike was watching the two dragons fight. Tears started to form as he saw his kind fight each other to the death. To not understand your kind other than they are beasts hurt him. "How could they?" Spike said. "How could they kill another and feel no remorse?"

Spiritus used both fists to hit Ember right on the top of her head. She fell to the ground, the rest of her body growing numb. Spiritus, panting, dragged her by the head to a tree. He threw her against it, then fell to the ground as well.

"I'll give you one thing," Spiritus said, "you are strong. If I didn't have to kill you, I'd respect you as Lord."

"Why is it your mission to kill?" Ember said. "You've killed pony and dragon to get to me, but why? Why kill your own kind?"

"I've asked that question many times." He looked at her. "I kill for one reason. To avenge."

"Avenge what?"

"To avenge the name of my father." He grabbed the Lumen Tenebrae. "He was a draconic historian, but his works were never accepted. He would publish them, but they'd get burned or ruined. If I kill dragons, it is of my dragon blood."

"Your father was --

"My father was a pony." Spiritus dropped the blade. "I am a half-blood, but he used his fire magic to hatch me in a pool of lava. One that was on a remote island, where there were no dragons watching the eggs. I will do anything for father, even if it means killing Princess Celestia. As Dragon Lord, I will find every one of his works and prove their claims. He knew of the blade's existence, but could never find it. I did it for him. I understood my magic at a young age, an age when he disappeared."

"I can help you." Ember said. "Let me help you."

"He can't be helped." A voice said. "He has nothing."

"Who said that?"

"I did." The Lumen Tenebrae floated in the air. "I've seen into his mind and his past; he's always been weak. After learning how to tame his dragon magic, he sought power. Thanks to him, I can fulfill Starswirl's wish."

The blade absorbed the magic emanating from the dragons and mixed them. "Starswirl created me for a purpose, to kill dragons. In order to kill a dragon, one must have the draconic spirit of war. The brutality, the bloodshed, the intimidation is what makes a dragon." The auras created the outline of a dragon, the body build similar to a 'teen' dragon. "Now, this will be a true battle."

"What in Tartarus are you?"

"Lumen Tenebrae is not just a name. It is not just a blade. I am Lumen Tenebrae, the spirit of the Dragon of Light as well as Darkness." He formed a fireball in his hand. "With dragon and pony magic, I am unstoppable." It shot at Spiritus, scarring his left eye.

Spiritus turned to look at the form, and was consumed in a large flame. The Lumen Tenebrae dragon form held him by the neck and threw him at Ember. Ember pushed him off and tried to spit out a fireball. Her injuries were too much, and she fell before firing. Spiritus looked up at her. He had tried to kill her, yet she stood in front of him. Lumen rushed her, seizing her by the neck, throwing her against a tree, and spewing a fireball at her. Ember used her arms to block it, but fell. Spiritus felt a foot pushed against his back. Looking at an angle, he saw the Tenebrae's form above him.

"You let free your own destruction." It said. "Nothing will stop me."

An aura started to form around Spiritus, but was getting absorbed by the Tenebrae. He charged his opponent and swung at it. Lumen dodged all of his attacks. Jumping back, he stepped forward and punched Spiritus in his gut. He hit him again in the same area, and shot a flame at a his face. Spiritus was knocked back. Both he and Ember lie on the ground, defeated. Lumen walked over to them, creating an aura around one of his hands.

"Ember," Spiritus said. "if this is our end, I'm not going down without a fight."

"Spiritus, what do you mean?" Ember asked. "You're in too much pain to do anything."

"I may be a part-pony," Spiritus stood, a fire burning in his eyes, "but I am still dragon. Nothing will take that away from me." He assumed a fighting pose. "Come at me."

Lumen flew towards him, headbutting him. Spiritus, knocked back, was then seized by the arm and taken to the air. Spiritus was then spun around and thrown back towards the ground. Flapping his wings, Spiritus crashed to the ground. Lumen dropped to the ground and walked over to Spiritus. Recovering, Spiritus shot a small fireball at Lumen. He smacked it away and kneed him on the underside of his chin. Lumen continued to strike Spiritus, slashing across his face and chest. Spiritus grabbed Lumen by the arms and placed a foot on his chest, slowly pushing him away as if to rip off Lumen's arms. Lumen's arms came off.

"Looks like this got a bit easier." Spiritus said. "How can one win without one's a-

Lumen's arms grew back. "Don't you remember, this form is created due to your dragon magic." It said. "I can't be hurt physically, so those arms are worthless. Magic is all there is." With his new arms, he shot out to smaller fireballs at Spiritus.

Blocking them with his arms, Spiritus shot back. Releasing a stream of fire, Lumen was being slowed. It continued to walk closer and close to Spiritus. The flame stopped, and Spiritus shoved one of his claws into the torso of the dragon form. He gripped the handle of Lumen, only to get pushed away. "Found it." Spiritus moved the shadows around to regain power. Flames spawned around him, growing larger than ever before.

The Lumen Tenebrae stood in its tracks. Its eyes twitched just by looking at the amount of magic before it. "Where is this power coming from?"

"This is the true power of a dragon." Spiritus said. "Why have I killed my own kind? I now know the answer." His flame grew even larger. "I've been trying to eliminate myself. I've felt that I was never a dragon and based all of my dragonhood on the past of dragons. Today, dragons stand stronger together, not apart. I will fight for all of the dragons I've killed, to right my wrongs. And you are one of them."

Spiritus charged Lumen Tenebrae, leaving a streak of flames behind him. His attacks hit harder and faster, but only slashed away at a regenerating aura. Spiritus then took a large breath, taking in the aura he created. Lumen charged Spiritus, but the flame was released. Lumen was engulfed by the shadow flame as it poured out into a large stream. It burned through the forest, catching several trees on fire and scorching the earth beneath them. Spiritus was barely standing, looking dazed.

"Not good enough." Lumen said, barely standing. "Let me show you true power." Lumen harnessed the remaining magic that was shot at him. Combining his own magic, he shot a wave of energy. It drilled right through Spiritus. He fell.

"No," Ember yelled. "Spiritus, get up." She ran to his side.

"I'm sorry Ember," Spiritus, coughing up blood. "I failed as a dragon. I failed to serve the Dragon Lord. But I know how to stop it."

"Tell me."

"Break the gem within the blade. That is what houses the mind." Spiritus coughed up his last bit of blood.

Ember dropped his body and stood up. Her injuries were visible but she felt nothing. Her golden aura returned, shining brighter. Her wings stretched out and she flew towards Lumen Tenebrae, cutting through the wind. Lumen punched, but she dodged to the side. Ember punched right into him, piercing the dragon magic form it created. She grasped the handle of the blade, and tried to pull it out of the form. He grabbed her, but Ember put a foot against it and pushed off. Ember ripped the Lumen Tenebrae out. The magic aura around it dissipated.

She held it high. "Wait," Lumen said. "I can give you more power, strength that rivals the magic of all the princesses of Equestria. Let me aid the dragons on a path to victory."

"If I give you any chance at life," Ember said, "you'll use your freedom to kill me and my kind. I will protect all of dragonkind," She swung it at a rock, "from you." The gem within the Lumen Tenebrae cracked on the first impact. Ember hit it repeatedly against the rock until it completely shattered.

She through the blade aside. Flash, Twilight, and Spike came running towards her. Spike hugged her leg. Ember pat his head hesitantly.

"Is it over?" Twilight asked. "Is the Lumen Tenebrae gone?"

"Its dead." Ember looked at Spiritus's body. "And so is he."