The horrible destruction and scents of death and burned flesh did nothing as a young lone unicorn walked through what was once her home. This village was small, hardly involved in the war effort other than a single flag that they had in the town center. This was never meant to happen… The young unicorn was silent and stoic, ignoring the fallen around her, as tears stung her eyes and she looked down at two corpses that were intervened with each other in an everlasting embrace. She shook uncontrollably as she cried and broke down in front of the bodies, only looking up again when a dragon roared and it’s mouth filled with flames aimed at her.

The next thing she remembered seeing was red as she was drenched in blood and the dragon fell, body torn in half from something. The unicorn screamed as it felt like her head was splitting in two but a kind hoof on her shoulder caused her to turn and come face to face with a regal figure.

“Twilight Sparkle, let me help you. I am Princess Celestia. There is nothing left for you here…”

. . .

Twilight screamed and shot up in a cold sweat. Memories, faded ones that she had tried to bury with destruction of her old life but with a dragon being so close again must have reawaken them. She wasn’t going to get much more sleep that night so she went to the restroom to prepare for the day. Her mane was a mess and eyes looked red, growling the unicorn brushed her hair and felt her stomach rumbling. After a quick shower, she walked down to the kitchens but was stopped when she heard two familiar voices.

“I only request that you take some time to rest princess, even you have your limits and should the city be invaded then we’ll need you.”

“Captain, I have full trust in you and your soldiers and you should in me. I have been raising the moon and sun for the last thousand years and keeping the field up isn’t so bad as it was before the towers were built.”

“True but I can hold up the field, I don’t want you to be holding up the world on your own…”

“I’m not alone, I have you, Cadence, Twilight, and the rest of my people by my side.”

“Then let us help you, you don’t need to protect us like when we were little. We can help you.” Celestia walked to the stallion and put a hoof on his shoulder while smiling kindly at him.

“Thank you but I must raise the sun now. You should take your own advice Shining, I haven’t seen you sleep since you captured the prisoner. Even you aren’t immune to sleep.” Shining smiled and left the room to go wake his soldiers, missing Twilight as she had turned herself invisible. She walked away from the room and her princess as her mind returned to the plan she had made so long ago. She knew that it would work, all it took was somepony that was willing to… no she would never be allowed to put herself in that position. The princess would forbid the very idea but if it could give her the power to stop this… would the risk be worth it?

“Why does life have to be so complicated?”

“I wouldn’t have an answer for ya, princess~” Twilight jumped as she was pouring herself some cereal and turned to see a young guard who was leaning back in his seat while chewing on a sandwich. Twilight put her nose in the air and scoffed at the boy playfully while sitting across from him.

“You know I hate being called that Flash.”

“Yep which is why I keep calling you that heh.” Twilight smiled at his dopey looking grin. The two had been friends since Twilight was brought to the castle and she knew that Shining had the most amount of trust and pride in that boy. “So what’s up? You saw that dragon we caught right?”

“My brother caught the dragon, where were you?”

“I was ordered to take out the other dragon’s body, those things weigh a ton! You unicorns are lucky with your magic.” Twilight didn’t answer as she ate and thought about dragons and her nightmare. She looked up as Flash had put a hoof on hers. “Hey, it’s okay. He can’t hurt you, the princess and your bro would never let another one near you.” She smiled and nodded, thanking him before the two went back to their meals and joked with each other before Flash cursed and ran out shouting that he was late and Shining would kick his flank for it.

“So what to do now? A bit early for hitting the books…” Twilight looked at the clear skies overhead and decided to take a short walk around Canterlot. Leaving the castle, she noticed the extra guards that were stationed everywhere and knew that they would only be scaring the common folk. “Security comes with it’s own sacrifices I suppose...” She waved and spent some time talking to the locals who seems a bit panicked after the dragon attack and the main tower being destroyed but all felt at ease when Twilight would say that the princess was back. She entered the local bookstore and got several volumes that she had been meaning to read and a novel here and there that were her eyes only.

“Howdy!” The sudden shout shocked Twilight as she was nose deep in a book while she was walking. She blushed and dusted herself off while looking up at a mare who was wearing a hat and had a thick accent. The girl had scapes and scars all over her body but still attained her beauty which Twilight noticed and blushed a bit at her thoughts, knowing that she was spending way too much time in those books.

“O-oh hello! I’m Twilight Sparkle, are you a new refugee?”

“Didn’t mean to scare ya any, Ah’m Applejack. Refugee? Nah, Ah live in a small village named Ponyville, about a day’s walk from here. We Apples have been there for generations and no matter what will always be there! Let those dragons come and cause trouble and Ah’ll show them why Ah’m the best applebucker in the world! Other than my big bro course. Oh, do ya want an apple? My family sells them to the castle for the army.” Twilight smiled a bit at the girl’s confidence and was curious to see her home but knew she should be getting back to the castle for lessons.

“Well maybe I’ll visit someday, thanks for the snack!” Twilight galloped towards the castle as Applejack smiled and then looked around confused.

“Now where did that filly run off to?”

. . .

Dragons were creatures extremely prone to falling to their emotions and even the strongest of them had a weakness to them. Only two dragons in Ember’s life were able to control their emotions and actions at all times, her father Torch and the little dragon named Spike. Torch was the dragon lord and for it saw every horror that the dragons suffered and that experience closed off his heart and left him a jaded warrior. His emotions never took control because he barely had any but anger, something that Ember experienced first hand.

Spike was different however, the young dragon was a pure light in the dark. Even after being orphaned by the ponies and being put in the same place as so many angry dragons, he held onto his emotions. Ember would actually say that he probably showed more emotions than any other dragon she ever met and it may be how he dealt with his sadness. Instead of closing himself off like Torch, he opened up his heart fully. Because of that he was never bottling up anything and couldn’t be clouded by those things, making him one of the smarter dragons. He was young when he lost his parents and followed Ember since she was the one that told him of their fates. She hated him at first, an annoying pest that she couldn’t get rid of, but she found over time that she regretfully came to care about him.

She was strong and be the first one to prove it to you but she was frightened. Frightened of feeling things and of becoming just like her father, leaving her between Spike’s caring nature and her father’s expectations. That indecisiveness is what has allowed her emotions to cloud her judgment as her army descended upon Canterlot and prepared to rain fire on her command.

“Now.”

. . .

Spike groaned as he was trying to reach a bit of food that the guards had teasingly left just out of his reach. He glared at the food as the castle began to shake and he looked up and his eyes widened.

“N-no… why did she come back now!? Let me out! If you don’t they’ll die! Let me go!!”

. . .

Twilight stared up in fear as fire seemed to rain from the sky and continuously smash into the field which was holding strong but without the main tower it won’t hold forever. That amount of dragons wouldn’t be able to beat the princess but the death and destruction that this battle would cause would ruin Canterlot. Twilight looked down to see the ponies panicking and hiding with their foals and even a lone colt crying. She ran down stairs and met with the princess as she was holding the field up and Shining was preparing his army.

“Princess! I want to join the front!”

“No, Twilight, I am counting on you to defend the city if I’m to fall. You are my student and I’ve taught you enough to stand in for me if the need arises but I will not put you in needless danger.”

“But Princess!” Shining Armor stepped up between the two and stared his sister down.

“No, Twi! The princess is right, you are to stay here as our backup. I am not losing you too...” He hugged her and Twilight teared up before pushing him away and running back into the castle. Shining looked after her but turned away, he had a job to do. “I’m sorry…”

Twilight ran through the hall until she arrived in her room and angrily blasted several of the things in there. She huffed as she looked around at the mess she caused and shook her head. “Not here… not again… no, I will not hide away this time.” She searched through her mess until she lifted a leather-bound journal that had dust covering it. She opened the book and looked up with determination burning in her eyes before she raced to the dungeons.

. . .

Ember stopped her army’s attack as the princess herself approached and the two nearly came face to face. “I am the dragon lord’s daughter, Princess Ember! I command that the dragon in your custody be given over to us!”

“You have no authority here princess and your dragon attacked us so I will not give him over. He will suffer punishment for his attempted murder.”

“You will give him back to me. Willingly or by force.”

“Give him back? He’s that important to you… I truly am sorry but I refuse.”

“Then your city will burn!” Ember restarted her attack as Celestia backed away calmly and ordered that the shield be lowered. Her army prepared to take the offensive while the dragons are caught off guard.

. . .

Twilight arrived at the deepest parts of the castle but found her path blocked. “Hey, you saw me here earlier with the princess, I’m Twilight Sparkle her pupil. Move aside I need to talk to the prisoner.”

“We’re sorry Miss Sparkle but the captain ordered no one but her and the princess be allowed to see the dragon, especially you.”

‘Damn it Shiny… you should know that I never quit. Their armor makes weak spells ineffective… sorry guys but this is gonna hurt.’ Twilight turned and began to walk away before she turned and a whip of electricity came from her horn and wrapped around one of the guard’s throats while the other attacked her. The first guard fell unconscious while Twilight dodged several of the attacks from the guard's spear and spun under one jab, using all her strength to buck him right in the jaw. He crumbled and Twilight apologized to them both before opening the door and seeing that the dragon bleeding from pulling at the chains. He looked up and the two stared at each other as the world ended above their heads.

“Canterlot is under attack from dragons… both ponies and dragons will die this day. The princess is here and she has faced far worse than the small army they brought, you know that they can’t win this.” The dragon growled and finally spoke.

“Why come all the way down here to tell me something I know? Just to gloat… I didn’t want this! I didn’t ask them to come back for me...”

“No, even if we are going to beat the dragons I know you all won’t go down without a fight and that means that innocent ponies will die for nothing! What’s the point of all this fighting when we are only destroying ourselves!? My friend, my brother, and my teacher are up there right now and could be dying just to keep you here… I won’t stand by and watch another home be destroyed for this stupid pointless war!! I saw you that day we caught you… you could have killed that filly that got in your way but you ran past her…”

“...I didn’t have the time for something like that…”

“You didn’t want her hurt! You cared!”

“So what if I did!? You can’t help me and I can’t help you… that war up there is ours just as much as it is theirs…”

“I don’t believe that this is all my life can be, that all newborns and hatchlings should have to be born into a fight that they never chose! I believe that this can end… that we can be happy…” Spike stared at this strange pony and lowered his head.

“A dream that could never be… but one that I… would like to see… Why did you come here?”

“I think I found a way to stop this but I need your help. Will you trust me?”

“What are you asking me to do?”

“You are the first dragon who has ever allowed themselves to be captured, so you either have no loyalty and is a coward.” At those words, Spike attempted to break free again out of anger but stopped when Twilight spoke again. “But seeing your eyes I know that dragons value loyalty above everything else… that only means that you are loyal to someone important to you and they asked you to live…” Spike thought of Ember and shook his head.

“WHAT ARE YOU ASKING ME TO DO!?”

“Keep that promise and live, I am asking what are you prepared to do to keep it!” Spike looked up and sighed.

“I’ll do whatever it takes…”

“Then let’s begin… before we do this, I’m Twilight Sparkle.”

“Spike…” Twilight began to focus every ounce of magic she had in her body and pumping it into her horn. It began to glow and surge with power as she opened her eyes and they were bright white, her mouth moving so fast that Spike couldn’t keep up but noticed that she was speaking in every language he knew and others he didn’t. He caught one word that she spoke in ancient dragon tongue that even the dragons have long since forgotten. The word was death. Spike’s eyes widened as she walked closer to him and the horn touched his chest, right over his heart, before she stabbed it into him.

Spike screamed as he felt his entire body burn from the inside out and suddenly everything turned black. The blackness evaporated in an instance, only to be replaced by a blindingly white void. Spike covered his eyes and only opened them when a voice spoke, the figure in front of him appearing to be a unicorn with a beard.

“Spike the Dragon, the bond has been forged between your soul and that of Twilight Sparkle’s. This bond is everlasting and unbreakable until the day you both breathe your last. You will never again be the same, your power and abilities will be enhanced but know that this is no blessing. The power I created so long ago was a curse that I wouldn’t cast on my worst enemy but the choice is yours if this power is what you seek.”

“I… we are going to stop this war and if this power is needed then I agree to the bond…”

“Born by trust, broken by death, the connection is made and fate has been changed. Good luck Spike, good luck to you both.”

. . .

Twilight screamed as she opened her eyes and steam was coming off of her but looking around she wasn’t hurt, in fact, she felt incredible. Faster and stronger than she ever had before. “Is this… the powers of a dragon in me?”

“Ugh, I feel… so weird…” Spike rubbed his head as he was overwhelmed by the amount of random knowledge he knew and the strange sensation deep in his chest which he could only say was… magical. He examined his body and found that a nearly invisible chain around his neck and the other end was tied around Twilight’s hoof. “W-what in Tartarus?”

“This chain must be the link of our souls, no one can see it but us I would guess.” An explosion above brought the two back to the situation and they nodded at each other. Spike deciding to trust the pony for now as he felt his strength and power leave him and enter her through the chain. Twilight screamed at the rush and smiled a crazed smile as something deep and primal took over…

. . .

Canterlot was standing, barely. The armies struck at each other harshly and were out for blood as ponies were using their size and number to overwhelm the dragons but others were too big and would result in endangering innocents to win. Ember fought against Celestia herself but the dragon princess found herself out of her league as she was forced on the defensive and pushed back.

“You can’t win this.”

“Even if I can’t, today will not be a victory for you!” Ember released fireball after fireball into the sky which fell hard on Canterlot and destroying more of the castle. The fighting stopped, however, when the ground shook and a pillar of fire and magic erupted from the center of the castle and two figures came out, stepping on a ground that wasn’t there. Twilight Sparkle had green slitted pupils and a large smile, flames dancing off her fur elegantly, as Spike had the chain tight against his neck and claws that glowed with magic. Both seemed to be crazed as they spoke in unison

“Victory… is ours!”

Author's Note

Hiii every pony and fan! I decided that I had a tiny bit of time and as a thank you for those that have read and enjoyed my story so far I hope this is something you'll like! Now I have to really get back to my other story for a bit but I want to thank those that have liked (And that one person who disliked all my stories, I see you) and I hope you'll be there for whatever comes next. I do use comments to help decide which way a story should head unless I have a clear idea but I do try to please everyone so if you have a question or idea don't be afraid to speak!