Author's Note

hope you like and once again please send advice but do it nicely.

Darkness comes

(POV Spike)

After I had followed the group of armored soldiers into the dog's tunnel I began asking the pony to my left numerous questions hoping I'd get an answer.

"Miss who was that that was leading you," I said meekly as I had barely caught the end of the armored war god's name.

"That little dragon is Lord Ausar the God of War he is our leader and savior," said the large Zebra as the pony nodded in agreement before moving to the head of the group. "Allow me to introduce myself I am Zulu one of the many people that follow Ausar."

"Why do you follow him is it because he's the strongest or the smartest?"

"No, I follow him because he saved me from being oppressed under the rule of a slaver," The zebra paused. "I was in that cave for ten years serving that vile beast Ragnarok."

"Did you say Ragnarok?" I questioned in disbelieve remembering the history lesson on the battle between Celestia's father and the immortal dragon.

"Yes I did child," said the zebra calmly as I began to notice the tunnel we were in getting brighter and opening into a massive underground cavern.

"Ah Zulu good to have you back but where is Ausar?" asked a large muscular minotaur.

"He is wrapping up a few things the princess decided to blast him he had us leave early with the artifacts, books, and the kid," said the dark purple unicorn.

"Ah so this is Spike," said the massive minotaur. "It is nice to meet you kid I'm Stone Hoof and the pony here is Stormy."

"Hey," she said before walking off levitating books and locked magic safes filled with artifacts one of which I knew to be dangerous.

"Be careful with those artifacts some have a mind of their own," I said to her as she walked deeper into the cavern and into a tunnel.

"Thanks for the warning Sipke," said Stormy as she walked off.

"AH so you made it good," I heard from the anonymous voice behind me as I turned to see Ausar with Twilights blood coated spear and a demonic scythe.

(POV Ausar)

"First things first let's get everything stored," I said before yelling at my soldiers. "You four grab the mirror and follow me and don't break it or I'll shove my spear up your ass!" I yelled startling the little dragon. "Spike you and Zulu will also accompany me no let's go," I said to the others as Stone walked off to oversee the soldiers as they returned their weapons to the armory.

"So Ausar where are we going," asked Spike.

"To my bunker so I can research the runes on you," I said as we walked down the tunnel eventually entering the gunmetal grey bunker where I had the dogs set down my mirror before leaving. "Now Spike I need you to do something for me."

"What?" he asked innocently.

"I have a machine here to analyze your body so I need you to lay down on this metal platform," I said as he hopped on and I started the machine releasing multiple robotic arms that spun around his body shining blue lights across him with the occasional blip showing up on my screen notifying me of biological alterations such as carvings on the bones or testosterone blockers. "Fucking hell she did a number on him," I said quietly and showed the screen to Zulu who despite not understanding the words could easily see the many runes on Spikes' bones.

"Ausar these runes are embued with dark magic used only in blood rituals."

"Hey is everything okay over there you look a little upset Zulu," he yelled over the mechanical whirring.

"Everything is fine Spike," he replied before looking at me. "There is no possible way to undo all of this we could fix his growth but I do not know enough about blood magic to fix everything."

"Omega, redirect all fabrication systems to the MKII suit and integrate this one," I say as my suit floats away in a shadowy mist leaving behind a pistol and Twilight's spear.

"Sir, that will stop the android project and force you to go see Celestia personally."

"I know, and make sure my armor is intimidating!" I calmed myself before walking over to Spike.

"So how's it look not to bad right?" He looked up at us hopefully.

"You are an adult sao I will be honest with you, "I paused to compose myself." Celly fucked up your body she put anti-growth and intelligence runes on you due to the species of dragon you are."

"What do you mean all dragons are the same."

"No spike, not all are alike the ones nearest to Equestria are lava dragons but your kind come from the less tamed parts of the world where magic runs rampant and may be used in any form the user chooses," said Zulu.

"So I'm a magic dragon?"

"Yes and once we get this magic block off your gonna be a damn powerful one just try not to blow up a mountain accidentally," I said jokingly. "How about we get you a place to stay?"

After conversing with Spike I allowed him to stay in an extra room in the bunker so I could make sure the runes didn't teleport him back. I had omega explain all the electronics to him while I went to begin a plan for our soon to be mine which unfortunately would have to be mined by hand until I had sufficient resources to start a better mining system. After a while I had one of the smarter dogs come help me as I described what metals would be needed and asked if he knew them some he showed me in the treasure pile from Ragnarok's hoard while others were mines the slaves had been in.

"Listen, Fido I want you to gather some dogs and dig out some tunnels to the ore no need to mine it."

"Where we put dirt?"

"Pile it outside we'll use it for something later," I said not caring as dogs took the papers Fido had drawn and started digging into the walls like they were swimming through water, another dog pulled out dirt and rocks, while two more loaded them into mine carts that another pushed out. Gems and other precious materials were placed in large wooden boxes with images painted on them. "Wow, ya'll are good diggers."

"Thanks, boss we keep digging I get you when done oh boss black white not ponies have potion for you," said the dog in broken almost indecipherable english.

"See ya later Fido keep up the good work."

(POV Stormy)

Honestly, I told him not to touch the black and green book and what does he do...touch it.

"AHHHHH," screamed the terrified voice of the griffon named Charcoal who was currently trying to get away from a group of black tendrils flowing from the shadow magic book. "Help me!"

"I told you not to do it and you did it," I sighed as Ausar walked in,"

"Finally a way for him to die and me not have to get his pervy blood off my armor," He said as I noticed his lack of said armor.

"Ausar this isn't funny that book is going to eat him!" I yelled as the book opened wide showing off razor teeth and an endless void of a throat.

"Fine, you two," he pointed at a Zebra and Diamond Dog, "Go get that pony who hurt a pup."

I watched the two runoff as Ausar sent out a metallic looking whip that wound its way around Charcoal's body. Ausar then pulled a spear from his back and planted it deep in the wall using it as a point of leverage. Just as the spear began to slip the dog and zebra returned with Stone behind them and threw a panicking pony at the tendrils which dropped Charcoal and gruesomely squeezed the pony in with a series of crunches and screams followed by the sounds of blood spurting from an open wound. After the event, I then proceeded to expel any of the food in my stomach in the nearest corner along with many others.

"Ouch," said Ausar in a dark voice. "Lock this one up."

"OH MUST YOU LOCK ME UP I WAS STARVING YOU KNOW," said a deep grumbling voice in my mind and from the others looks they heard it too. "PLEASE ALLOW ME TO ASSIST YOU I ONLY REQUEST ONE SACRIFICE PER YEAR."

I looked at Ausar the same as the others.

(POV Ausar)

"What is your name creature?" Ausar asked spear flashing with lightning as he motioned for us to leave.

"I HAVE MANY NAMES MUCH LIKE YOU LITTLE ONE YOU COULD CALL ME A CERTAIN BIPRODUCT OF MAGIC AND MACHINE I wAS ONCE UMBRA ONE OF THE THINGS THE PONIES FEARED A MECHANICAL MONSTER THAT SPAT FIRE AND EXPLOSIVE BOLTS BUT NOW I AM MERELY A MIND INHABITING A BOOK."

"Umbra the American black-ops unit that employed cybernetic enhancements and drones?" I asked the floating mass before me.

"I REMEMBER SOMETHING LIKE THAT BUT I ONLY CLEARLY REMEMBER EVERYTHING AFTER MAGIC WAS BROUGHT TO THIS LAND. SO YES I REMEMBER AS THE LAST OF MY CREATORS DIED AND I WAS LEFT TO WONDER THE EARTH FOR A MILLION YEARS."

"If you promise not to eat my people you can stay here perhaps conversing with others may help you reintegrate," I say calmly as I grab the now not so evil looking book and bring it to the bunker. "Return to your duties and do not touch any more dark magic books," I said speedwalking past my subordinates.