Author's Note

Greetings and Happy Halloween/All Hallows' Day, whenever this gets published.

Just a small note to say that this story is standalone. It may reference my other works but it is not canon to them. Also, Spike is well over eighteen (18) in this story.

Thank you and enjoy.
-Dormio

Errant Knight

Far below the surface of Equestria, a lone figure made his way through the underground. Girded in a cloak of crimson and greaves of polished steel, the gallant Sir Spike strode forward with his lance at the ready and dragon fire in his breast. He was a drake on a mission as the fair maiden Rarity had been abducted by diamond dogs. The perfidious pilferers of all things precious had whisked away the generous mare in the dark of the night and carried her off to their rude burrows. Spike had set forth on his quest without delay, even deigning to leave his trusty steed, Twilight, behind. Now the brave knight was alone in the warrens of the brutish thugs, his steely eyes keen to every creaking gate and the distant march of guards.

“Only the foulest of the ranks of evil would live in these hovels.” Spike muttered in disdain as he turned over a pile of rubbish. “At least the Crystal Tyrant had some class.”

“Help! Help!” The sonorous yet distressed voice of Rarity called out from the depths.

“Gag ‘er already!” The rough dialect of the gem hounds followed after. “I can’t stand that screamin’.”

Spike determined the direction of the voices and charged ahead, his draconic strength and breath making short work of any ramshackle defense. Soon he came upon a junction where the villains were loading their hostage into a minecart. The drake’s heart soared at the sight of his beloved and hardened when he saw that the thugs had despoiled her nightgown, scandalously exposing her ample bosoms to the chilly air.

“Stop right there, criminal scum!” The dashing knight challenged as he leveled his lance at the villains. “No one abducts innocent mares on my watch!”

“It’s da dragon!” A terrified dog shouted.

“Leg it!” Another cried as he dumped the unicorn into the cart and sent it rolling. “Get da ‘ard boyz in ‘er now!”

The cowardly hounds scattered as one tripped some sort of alarm. Reinforced doors slid shut as armed and armored canines rushed in. The steadfast knight appeared to be surrounded by he had neither the time nor inclination to do battle with his muse in peril.

“Count your lucky stars, if you even know what those are.” Spike exclaimed as he spread his powerful wings and took flight. “We shall have to test your mettle another time.”

The gallant drake swooped over the heads of the ground-bound hounds and dove through the mine shaft just as the doors slammed shut. He gave chase through the winding labyrinth of mines and burrows, knocking aside any hapless guard that dared stand between him and his fair lady. Their merry chase came to a fiery end when Spike blasted opened another set of security doors and landed in the heart of the subterranean complex. Gold and silver coins cascaded over chests bursting with loot pilfered from across the map. Gems and precious metals twinkled amidst the sea of riches yet none of them compared to the pearly beauty lying supine on an altar. Surrounding her were aged and wizen dogs, draped in moth-eaten robes with scrimshaw talismans hanging off their necks.

“Stand aside, fiends!” The knight commanded as tongues of fire flickered past his bared teeth. “You shall not have this one!”

“Fool!” One of the ancient and surprising articulate hounds pointed a bony finger at the dragon. “We must do this! For the good of all above and below the earth, the Beast must be appeased!”

“It will have to make do with one of you!” Spike brushed off the sage’s warning as he stomped forward. “Have at thee, cur!”

Before he could join the shamans in melee, the cavern began to tremble. The knight’s valiant charge was fouled as the ground shifted beneath his feet, forcing him to take a knee to keep his balance. From amongst the piles of treasure emerged a behemoth of malignant design; a demon of billowing smoke and tenebrous scales. Its eyes burned with the fires of wrath and ruin as it glared down at the single noble soul. Claws that could shame a phalanx of pegasi fell over the prone form of Rarity like a possessive cage.

“MINE!” The foul beast roared, its cavernous maw lined with blood-stained fangs that gleamed in the infernal light of its throat.

“You have doomed us all.” The head hound lamented as it was crushed beneath the bulk of the benthic creature.

The courageous knight steeled his admittedly flagging resolve and got to his taloned feet. As he stood before what might as well have been the mouth of Hell itself, Spike shouldered his lance and charged. His heroic cry was nearly drowned out by the enraged roar of the beast as it lunged for the fool that dared to defy a god.

“Gah!” Spike awoke with a start and nearly hit his head on the spine of his tent. “Damn it, not again.”

Cursing his weak will, the mulberry and spring green dragon crawled out from under his shelter. His campfire was still smoldering so he had not slept long but he knew well that even a fleeting moment in the Dreamworld could spell disaster. The proper course was meditation, power naps, or intricate dreamcatcher wards once used by Luna to achieve some form of rest but true sleep was always a temptation used by the insidious tantibi that now ruled the Realm of Dreams.

“Such is life in Equestria…” Spike grumbled as he broke down his camp, kicked dirt over the embers, and stood over a bluff overlooking the landscape with lance in claw and cloak over his broad shoulders. “…ever since Nightmare Moon returned.”

A pale moon hung over the benighted land, its malignant light bathing the forsaken nation in an ethereal glow. The once lush fields and bountiful orchards had been reclaimed by the expanding Everfree; choked by gnarled trees and strangled by creeping vines. Abandoned townships and dilapidated villages stood as grim headstones of a once-thriving civilization. The residents that once called this land home now drifted between the darkness like ghosts as the profane moonlight washed over their haunts. Inheriting their place were a host of nightmarish creatures; twisted abominations of unknown origin, vampiric and nocturnal beasts that rose along with their resurgent Goddess of the Moon and ethereal tantibi that had managed to tear their way into reality. Yet, for all the doom and gloom that now hung over the world like a pall, a way out had been offered.

“There is always room in My realm for those willing to serve.” The Usurper had declared for all to hear.

And serve many did. The opportunistic and maladjusted went willingly into the darkness followed by sycophants, criminals and other villains. As the Ceaseless Dark dragged on, those unwilling to welcome Death’s embrace joined if only to survive. Others still were abducted from their hovels, dragged into the Night by those they once called friends for an unknown purpose.

“Dash thinks warm bodies for the legions…” Spike muttered as his breath misted in the chill air. “Twilight suspects a ritual…”

It gave the drake some modicum of pleasure that for all Moon’s efforts to erase all memory of the land that was, Harmony still endured. The brilliant Twilight Sparkle, her fellow Element Bearers, remnants of the Solar and Royal Guard and other heroic souls labored to keep the light alive if only to spite the Dark Alicorn. It was in that capacity that Spike had gone from a humble assistant to a decorated knight as the scars across his scales could attest to. It was during a mission to recover what remained of the Castle of Friendship’s library that the Lunar Empire struck back. One of their safe houses had been raided and while casualties were manageable, the Element of Generosity had been taken. Spike had set off on his quest as soon as he heard the news, the protests of his closest friends falling on deaf ears.

“Still don’t know how the imperials found us. Something about getting imposters among us?” The drake muttered aloud as he reached his destination and looked up at the looming edifice. “Maybe I can find out while I’m here.”

Canterlot, the once opulent and imperial capital of Equestria, now stood as a festering abomination. Black onyx stone had replaced the once pristine marble walls. Sun emblems, banners of harmony and other symbols of the world that was lay broken and tore across the ground, the work of industrious and vindictive iconoclasts. In their place stood the waxing crescent emblem of the new empire, monuments to the Usurper’s vainglory and an ever-present frost as a testament to the Second Long Winter. The dragon knight pulled his cloak tighter around his broad frame as an unearthly aura radiated from the citadel.

“I wonder if the witch factored another Long Winter into her plans when she snuffed out the sun.” The chilly traveler chuffed as predatory eyes peered out at him from the deep shadows. “Then again, she probably doesn’t care.”

Steeling himself, he crossed the threshold of the umbral fortress and entered a courtyard. The talons on his feet knocked loose stone and masonry across the broken cobblestones but he paid it no heed. She knew he was coming before he landed on the lone mountain. Such was the folly of hiding secrets from the Tyrant of the dream-scouring tantabi.

“So why haven’t I run into someone by now?” The interloper wondered as tongues of flame licked out from his maw. “Afraid of a little fire?”

Well aware that the halls were stalked by the traitor Night Guard and fouler things, the drake kept his guard up as he came to a staunch doorway leading inside. Not even bothering to check if it was unlocked, the dragon balled a clawed hand into a fist and slammed it into the door. Worn wood and wrought iron proved no match for draconic strength as the door exploded inward, sending splintered flying into the floor and walls. The dragon allowed a prideful smile as he entered what appeared to once be a conservatory. Dead and rotting plants littered the damp floor as a chitinous growth spread out across the floor and roof like roots. A sickly emerald glow emanated from hanging sacks that occasionally twitched at his passing. Spike gripped his lance tighter as he realized he had both discovered how the empire had attacked them and blundered into their nest.

“My~ what is this?” A familiar voice, dripping carnivorous desire, called out from all around him. “A dragon comes to roost?”

“Chrysalis.” Spike growled as his lips peeled back in a toothy sneer. “I should have known.”

The drake knew of the changeling queen both before and after the Nightmare’s return. The insectoid shapeshifters survived on love, joy and other positive emotions and used any and all means to obtain them. When Equestria fell and the frosts came, the swarms were among the first to reach a crisis point as their primary food source was compromised. Most thought the bugs had gone extinct but rumors circulated that the last surviving Hive Queen had offered vassalage to the Dark Despot in exchange for food. Spike was among those who dismissed these rumors but with reports of rebels like Shining Armor disappearing and the raid on the safe house, he now knew that was dangerously naïve.

“You know me.” The changeling matron cooed. “I’m flattered.”

“Give me one reason why I shouldn’t burn this place to the ground?” Spike growled as fire welled up in his core.

“You would risk immolated these delectable morsels?” Chrysalis buzzed as a pulse of vibrant energy shot through the hive.

A chorus of muffled cries of agony echoed about the hive. Spike felt a chill crawl up his spine as most of the luminous cocoons still held living equines. He was tempted to follow through on his threat regardless, say that burning the captive now was mercy but his virtue as a dragon would not let him. He expelled his fire as a long sigh of ember-flecked smoke.

“There is a special place in Tartarus reserved for you, parasite.” The drake spat.

“I have been told.” The changeling matriarch chittered lightly.

A wet squelching sound from above caught Spike’s attention. Nestled in the core of the growth was a cluster of eerily glowing orbs held together by a mess of sinuous webbing. The liquidated foodstuff of the shapeshifters sloshed about as something moved within the nest. Slowly and delicately, perforated limbs emerged from between the ghastly prisons. Flexible beyond any normal standard, the twisted legs and arms pulled out a chitinous body and an inverted head. A fanged smile and green and opal eyes greeted the intruder from behind a membranous veil of cerulean.

“Why, if it isn’t little Twilight’s pet.” The Hive Queen tittered as her head slowly rotated right-side up with sickening cracks. “You’ve grown since I last saw you.”

“Can’t *ugh* say the same for you.” Spike fought to keep the contents of his stomach down as the changeling crawled down the tree-like growth like an oversized spider. “Moon needs to take better care of her playthings.”

“Tsk, take a closer look, handsome.” The changeling matron clicked her tongue as she reached the floor and stuck a handstand before tipping forward onto her hooves. “You’ll find I’m growing quite nicely.”

Now that she was standing before him, Spike could see that he was far off the mark regarding the infamous seducer. Aside from her characteristic perforated extremities and crudely sown rags she dared call a dress, Chrysalis was burgeoning with life in both the fullness of her flanks and chest and the maternal swell of her very gravid belly.

“Ooh! They seem excited to see you.” The soon to be mother of another thousand young giggled as she ran and gnarled hand over her active nymphs. “Want to see?”

“N-no.” Spike shook his head as the shapeshifted tugged on the hem of her dress. “*Ahem* I’m looking for someone so-!”

“Oh, how delightful.” Chrysalis clapped her hands together. “The gallant knight charging into the villain’s lair to find his lost love. It’s almost storybook.”

“Where is she?” The knight took a threatening step forward.

“Who? I’ve been a busy bee lately.” The changeling matron smiled coyly. “Could it be this?”

The changeling’s gnarled horn ignited in an emerald glow. The drake cringed away from the fell magic as the seducer transformed. Broken chitin was replaced by pristine fur white as snow. Her drooping mane gained volume and curled as brilliant indigo washed through it. The torn rags hung loosely as the pregnant figure faded into a more lithe form. Only an insectoid green flash in the otherwise azure eyes betrayed the façade the shapeshifter now wore.

“Rarity…” Spike whispered as he beheld his beloved.

“We knew someone would come for the Element of Generosity.” The ‘fashionista’ said in Chrysalis’s insectoid chitter as she struck several sensuous poses. “I am surprised it was her little ‘Spikey-wikey’ but these are strange times.”

The dragon flinched as if he had been slapped before his muscles tensed and smoked wafted from his nostrils as an inferno of rage welled up inside him. Before the pretender could say anymore, the drake seized her by the neck and hoisted her into the air.

“HOW DARE YOU?!” Spike roared in fury.

“Ack! Harder Spikey!” Chrysalis choked out defiantly as her disguise failed.

“Where is she?” The dragon growled as flames flickered past his bared teeth. “Tell me or I’ll-!”

His ultimatum went unheard as something slammed into his back like a drunken Rainbow Dash. Spike stumbled but stayed on his feet as his ambusher was joined by swarms of drones emerging from concealed alcoves and warrens. The lone knight slung the bewitching shapeshifter at the closest group, their instincts demanding they protect their Queen. He used the small opening to shed his cloak and stretch his wings. A powerful flap granted him flight and a better vantage but he knew he only had so much time before the winged members of the swarm overwhelmed him.

“I need a window or a gate or a...” Spike paused as he saw moonlight streaming through a sizable crack in the roof. “...I’ll take it.”

The dragon launched himself at the fissure and dropped his shoulder. The impact of scale and sinew meeting stone and masonry rattled the drake’s teeth but he nevertheless burst through into open air. The sudden reveal of intense moonlight stunned his pursuers, granting him a needed reprieve to gather his thoughts.

“Damn that bloated bug.” Spike growled as he nosed over and flew low so as to not stand out against the night sky. “They must be keeping Rarity in a dungeon somewhere. I just need to find a landmark and get my bearings.”

The dragon knight crested over a wall and touched down into another courtyard. This one he recognized as the statue garden, once a collection of monuments now just another despoiled ruin. Broken stone littered the ground where statues had been toppled and destroyed. If he had to guess Spike would say that this was more to safeguard the Empress’s reign from other resurgent villains than mere spiteful vandalism. The shattered figure of a draconequus was inclined to agree.

“I’d take your chaos over this.” The drake whispered as he tapped the misshapen stone only to see it was lifeless. “Okay, the dungeons should be right about there so I might be able to sneak-!”

“Interloper!” A voice called out. “Seal the exits!”

The dragon knight groaned as a general alarm was raised. The citadel came alive as the traitorous Night Guard and imperial legions were mobilized. It did not take them long to find the lone dragon and rush him. Thinking quickly, Spike took to the skies again to at least give them a harder target. Arrows and bolts of both mundane and magical nature filled the air but Spike’s natural armor and training with Rainbow Dash gave him just enough of an edge to stay alive.

“I need to get into some clouds.” The drake grimaced as a bolt grazed his cheek. “Lose them and then double back to the dungeons before they call the-!”

*SCREEE!*

Once again, Spike’s train of thought was derailed as if the universe was conspiring against him. This time, a soul-hallowing shriek pierced the cold air. The knight knew that call well as the majority of his battle scars began to itch.

“Thestrals.” The dragon grimaced as the vampiric enforcers of the Usurper’s will emerged from their hidden lair.

He saw the flash of fangs and blood-red eyes of the first one. He felt the preternatural blows of the second and third. The drake lost count after the seventh as the leathery-winged fiends surrounded him. Despite his strength, the dragon was hard pressed as teeth and claws sought the precious blood flowing through his veins. His battle-tested scales once again rebuked their efforts but the same could not be said of his wings.

“Argh!” Spike roared in pain as the thestrals shredded his wings and forced him to land hard.

Fueled by pain and rage, the drake unleashed a torrent of fire at point-blank range to clear out the closest attackers and give him time to at least stand. Panting heavily, Spike readied his lance as his foes stood just outside his ring of fire. By now, the legions had locked down the courtyard and thestrals filled the skies. The knight glanced down at his trusty lance; not the best weapon against a horde. Nevertheless, Spike shouldered the iron-shod shaft and readied the last of his fire.

“Geist is going to be busy tonight.” The drake snorted as the fiery ring flickered and then went out. “I only wish I could see Rarity one last time.”

There was a tense moment as the dragon stared down the nocturnal horde. He expected them to mob him as soon as the barrier was down yet none of them moved. Then a flash of magic out of the corner of his eyes caught his attention. Spike turned just in time to catch it between the eyes as the spell exploded against his scales. The dragon stumbled as his vision blurred, not out of pain but from sudden intense fatigue. He sank to his knees with his lance being the only thing keeping him upright. Through the haze, he saw a graceful figure approach him along with a throng of legionaries. The knight tried to stand only for the figure to place a finger on his muzzle.

“Sleep, my knight.” A feminine voice as soft as velvet whispered directly into his mind. “Save your strength.”

“No… I… must… find…” The dragon slurred as he slumped forward with a thud.

“Fear not, my darling.” The Enchantress said gently as the thestrals carried off the now slumbering hero. “You will find someone far better.”

Spike’s slowly opened. Darkness lurked at the edges of his blurred vision before he shook off the last of the sleep spell and fully returned to reality. His first clear sight was the insectoid visage of the changeling matron.

“Hey, you~” Chrysalis cooed with a playful smile. “You’re finally awake.”

“Mmph!” The drake attempted to literally snap at the shapeshifter only to find himself muzzled by a band of hardened bug sap. “Rgh?”

“Not in a mood for love bites, Sir Spike.” The Hive Matriarch tutted as she flicked his snout. “Nor heat play so save your breath. You’ll need it.”

The dragon scowled at the vexing seducer as smoke streamed from his nostrils. He was loathed to admit it but he doubted the changeling was bluffing. The same substance that prevented him from flash-frying the bug also held his hands and feet fast to a frame of insidious cold iron, no doubt an instrument of the Usurper’s malice.

“I do hope the thestrals weren’t too rough on you.” The maternal matron said in mock concern as she circled the captive drake. “She wants you intact.”

“Mrgh.” Spike grunted as he fought against his bonds to no avail.

“Hmm? Ah, your wings.” The Hive Queen paused behind him and ran a finger across his useless appendages. “I can sympathize, truly.”

Chrysalis flared her own abused wings and buzzed, buffeting the dragon knight with a chill breeze. The insectoid seducer then slid her hands off his wings and under his outstretched arms, coming to rest on his pectorals. Spike shifted slightly as he felt something taunt and kicking press against his back.

“By the Progenitors, if I knew you would grow into this I would have snatched you up ages ago.” Chrysalis moaned as she traced intricate patterns into his scales. “You were wasted on Equestria.”

Choosing to ignore the growing heat within his core, the drake took stock of his surroundings. Rather than a prisoner in some dingy dungeon, he was the centerpiece of a lavish den. Strewn amongst the booths, pillows and tables were signs of the one holiday to survive the regime change; warmly glowing crystals of what he thought to be rare dream stone, emblems of the new government and jack-o-lanterns stuffed with sweet confections. Thick curtains obstructed the windows and doors, providing the occupants the utmost privacy.

“Now what are you hiding in these?” The Hive Matriarch regained his attention as her fingers slipped into his leggings. “In fact, why are you even wearing-!”

In an instant, something changed in the air. Both jailer and captive froze as a pall of dread settled over the den and grew stronger with each passing second. Chrysalis nearly tripped over herself as she got away from Spike.

“Don’t want my hand caught in the cookie jar again.” The clearly unnerved matron muttered quickly as she smoothed out her ragged dress. “Gird your loins, sir knight. She comes.”

The drake watched as the vassal of the Night Queen dutifully stood at attention by an entryway. Spike did his best to put on a brave face as the warm orange of the crystals suddenly went out and reignited in an icy cold azure. The tense silence was broken by the echoing tone of hooves on marble. Like a ticking clock counting down his doom, the steady hoof falls grew louder until they were right outside his lavish prison. A door creaked open and the curtains billowed in the fresh draft before they were seized in a cyan aura and parted. A pair of teal slitted eyes gazed out from the shadows below a long, goring horn before the figure strode forth.

“Mrrgh!” The dragon groaned as he beheld Nightmare Moon, God-Empress of Benighted Equestria.

Spike was not sure what to expect of the Nocturnal Oppressor. He had caught a glimpse of her during her ill-fated second attempt at conquest but that was a lifetime ago before he had even earned his wings. The more modern accounts, mostly from propaganda and witness accounts from survivors of her many purges, were completely biased and painted drastically conflicting pictures. The dragon knight had always envisioned her as a dark caricature of Princess Luna; the twisted result of envious attempts to replicate and surpass her more benevolent and beloved sister. Now that she stood before him, however, Spike had to admit that the Usurper had certainly succeeded in that aspect.

The fact she was completely nude may have also been affected his judgement.

“Is this him?” Moon asked a now deeply bowing Chrysalis.

“Yes, your highness.” The changeling matron kept her eyes on the floor as she answered. “He should serve your purpose.”

“Very good.” The midnight blue Alicorn patted her vassal on the head as one would pet. “But I shall be the judge of that.”

The Usurper approached her new captive, every step causing her violet-peaked mounds to bounce like tantalizing fruits before a starving wretch. To complement the ancient Tartarean punishment, her sculpted abdomen flowed like water to a diamond-shaped gap between her swaying dappled hips. Silhouetted by the Alicorn’s billowing star-blessed mane and tail, Spike caught the briefest glimpse of her bare nethers and the supple pear nestled within before tearing his gaze away.

“Hmhmhm~ Beyond your wildest dreams, am I not?” Moon tittered with a cruel fanged smile. “Did you expect any less from your Goddess?”

“Mrph Ymm!” Spike grunted defiantly as the Tyrant lidded her eyes in amusement.

“Ha! That is what they all say right before they die.” Moon’s smile somehow grew even wider as she ran a claw-like finger under his chin. “I know you are wondering why rebel scum like you still draw breath.”

The dragon knight rolled his eyes as he anticipated a monologue coming on. Chrysalis seemed to share his intuition as she mirrored his reaction. The Empress’s smile morphed into a frown as she gave him a hard slap that he felt through his scales.

“Well, I am going to tell you anyway.” Moon huffed irritably. “It concerns the future of my world and the part you will play in it.”

Spike let out a long sigh through his nose but let the Despot have his attention. Appeased for the moment, she ignited her horn and conjured forth images to aid in her presentation. The drake studied the images, calling upon his experience with the scholastic Twilight to help him make since of the sinister symbols as Moon began.

“No doubt you have encountered the twisted creatures that stalk the ruins of the old world.” The Dark Alicorn indicated a twitching abomination with a disgusted grimace. “Has that foal, Sparkle, divined their purpose?”

“Mmh hrr mmph oomph hmm.” Spike did his best to convey the idea that the beasts were both forms of punishment and terror weapons.

“That was not the intention but even failures can have their uses.” Moon either assumed or read his mind without him noticing. “The truth is this is my gift to mortal kind, though it is currently flawed.”

“Hmm?” The drake arched an eye ridge.

“Despite what you light dwellers may think I do not intend to rule a world of ghosts and monsters.” The Usurper said with a dismissive wave. “That is someone else’s domain.”

For a moment, a grave chill swept through the room. All three occupants cast wary glances at the shadows as if watching for something lurking within them. As quickly as it came, the spell passed and Moon refocused on her speech.

“I wish for the world to be a cold, dark and very gentle place.” Moon said wistfully as she painted an image of bustling metropolises under a kinder moon. “Two of those aspects have been established now we labor on the third.”

“Hmm mph hrr hm.” The captive knight hinted his skepticism at the Empress’s ambition.

“To that end, mortal kind must be liberated from the shackles of the sun as I have.” The Alicorn ignored him and switched to another image of the dichotomy between Night and Day. “You must adapt or you will perish.”

“Mrgh hm ym.” Spike shot Moon a death glare that told of the simpler alternative.

“A futile effort in more ways than one.” The Empress scoffed before she lost her place. “Where was I? Oh, yes. Thus I have called forth the tantibi.”

The drake’s eyes widened as the pictures changed once again. There was a lot of technical and magical jargon but he could deduce that the Tyrant had been delving into the Dreamworld and cavorting with the nightmarish denizens within. What was more, she had been bringing them through into the waking world. He was beginning to suspect as to why and the thought made his scales itch.

“Only the most powerful of the dream eaters can manifest in reality but even they will fade back in time without an anchor.” Moon explained as she indicated the appropriate sketches. “Beings not bound to mortal laws; an ailing populace that needs to shed those same laws. Can you piece it together?”

Spike shook his head in disbelief. That anyone would inflict what was essentially demonic possession on innocent people was almost beyond comprehension. Yet the Usurper was proposing just that and, he feared, had already made trial runs. The drake retched as he felt bile build in the back of his throat.

“Think of it as a symbiotic relationship between the tantibus and mortal; each critical to the other’s survival.” The Alicorn, unaware or uncaring of her captive’s disgust, continued. “Unfortunately, there have been... complications.”

The presentation flickered as a memory was displayed. The dragon watched with mounting horror as a restrained mare was set upon by a shimmering phantom. The helpless victim struggled for a few moments before she suddenly went rigid. The mare then began to convulse violently, screaming in an unknown language as her body betrayed her. Spike screwed his eyes shut and did his best to ignore the grisly sounds of the transformation. Mercifully, Moon dispelled the memory and ended her crash course on vile science.

“Most do not survive. You’ve seen the ones that do.” The Empress sighed like an overworked professor. “Thousands of trials and all have failed… until Chrysalis here captured a most unique unicorn.”

Spike’s heart turned to lead and fell into his stomach. His mind raced with possibilities, each one more horrific than the last. A cold chuckle from the changeling matron only compounded his worry.

“I think he wants to see her, mistress.” The Hive Queen chittered. “Shall I summon her?”

“Do let's.” Moon nodded. “The time is almost nigh.”

The gravid shapeshifter ignited her gnarled horn as she silently sent orders to her servile drones. A few moments later and a pair of changelings escorting a third figure entered the den. The drake averted his eyes, unwilling to see what ghastly fate befell his beloved. Moon tut-tutted in disapproval as she cupped a hand under his jaw and forced him to look ahead.

“What’s the matter, Spikey-wikey?” The Nightmare blessed Rarity asked coyly. “Does this vision of beauty steal your breath away?”

It was no secret that Spike considered the former fashionista gorgeous even when his infatuation was merely a precocious crush. Age had done little to temper that particular fire even after he met other, perhaps more compatible, females. That old flame exploded into an inferno as he gazed upon the once pearl white Element of Generosity, now a deep indigo denizen of Eternal Night. Like her new Empress, Rarity had eschewed clothing with the exception of a glaucous tiara with a flawless diamond at the base of her elegant horn. Complementing the simple headdress was a matching necklace around her slender neck, the diamond pendant almost lost in her bountiful bosom. The corrupted mare smiled as she basked in the adoration of the captive, stoking his building desire by tracing a finger along her navel while playing with a strand of her voluminous coiffure of glittering violet streaked with a shock of white. The Usurper let out a cruel chuckle as she wrapped a raven wing around Her subject and pulled her close, pressing Rarity’s gem and star-studded flanks against her crescents.

“Hahaha, I think the poor lizard is beginning to see the benefits of your ascension.” Moon said slyly as she tapped the end of her subject’s horn, earning a sharp gasp from the unicorn. “Now if only we could find a proper title befitting a New Equine such as yourself.”

“I’ve heard ‘Nightmare Rarity’ whispered amongst the guards.” The former heroine rubbed her chin in thought. “I’m also partial to ‘Vanity’ or ‘Radiance’.”

“There is only one Nightmare.” Moon leaned in menacingly and eclipsed the unicorn’s bust with her own, non-too subtly reminding the smaller mare who reigned supreme. “For now, we will use your day name.”

“Of course, your majesty.” Rarity shied away from the Alicorn as she returned her attention to Spike.

“As you can see, a viable union between tantibus and equine is possible.” The Empress said as the unicorn fixed the dragon with a smoldering look. “But one out of thousands is hardly ideal; it would be an elite few surrounded by chaos.”

“Assuming the seamstress isn’t a fluke.” Chrysalis spoke up. “We still haven’t been able to identify what made her receptive compared to the freaks.”

“The matriarch speaks out of turn but she’s right.” The fallen unicorn glared at the changeling queen who stuck out her tongue at her. “If only the mares I called friends could see me for the wonder I am now, they might aid us in preserving the beauty of this world instead of huddling in holes waiting to die.”

“We will see to that soon enough.” The Tyrant said with a vengeful edge in her voice. “That does segue to why you are here, dragon knight.”

“Hmm?” Spike found his limited voice as all eyes returned to him.

“The common rabble has thus far only produced failures; death or mutation, sometimes both.” Moon reiterated with a knowing grin. “This has led me to believe that just as only the strongest tantibi can breach the walls of reality; only the strongest of mortals can host their essence.”

“Such as the heroes and heroines Old Equestria once placed their faith in.” Rarity concurred deviously. “An Element Bearer such as I or the Great and Honorable Spike the Brave and Glorious.”

“Brmm hm Mmphmm?” Spike repeated the woefully outdated title ever since the Crystal Empire had been annihilated.

“You are a prime candidate, my little dragon.” The Dark Alicorn said in a low tone as her gaze drifted down past the drake’s waist. “Should you become a New Dragon, not only will you give credence to our methods but you will be the first male of this nascent populace.”

“Mmm?” The dragon asked when she placed emphasis on that word as more implications began to fill his mind.

“Say that New Equines can only come from heroic stock.” Rarity explained with a hungry look in her twinkling eyes. “Even if we manage to capture and turn those that remain alive, we would barely break double digits.”

“If you can’t find hosts, you will have to make more.” Chrysalis finished as she ran a hand over her maternal swell, the future brood trembling happily at their matron’s touch. “Lucky you.”

Spike’s mind nearly snapped as his rational, heroic mind clashed with the red-blooded drake staring at two beautiful mares. Streamed wafted out of his nostrils like a whistle as his eyes darted from Rarity to Moon, once to Chrysalis, and back again. The Empress watched his internal battle with growing bemusement.

“Bwahahahaha! Do you think to have all three of us?” The Queen of the Night cackled as she flicked her captive on his snout. “While your desire for my godly delights is understandable, there is a more… regal stallion that I wish to sire the new Royal Family.”

“Do I even need to say it?” The maternal matriarch asked incredulously.

“Your dreams are about to come true, Spikey-wikey.” Rarity cooed as she formed a heart out of her fingers and held it just above her nethers. “As are mine.”

“First we need to see if he even survives that long.” Moon pointed out as her horn ignited. “My moon is at its peak and the changeling has prepared the knight. We may begin.”

The drapes and curtains were flung open, allowing the baleful moon to flood the room with its light. Spike felt something burn on his chest and looked down to see a series of intricate glyphs and runes painted on his scales. He looked back up at Chrysalis who waggled her gnarled fingers at him, their tips glossy with ink. So distracted with her teasing was the knight that he failed to notice that everything in the room from his bindings to the position of the dream stones was all deliberate. The den of iniquity was a ritual site and he was to be its next victim.

“Nmm! Mrgh! Frrgh!” The dragon fought against his prison with all the strength he could muster but could only stain the iron frame.

“Don’t fight it, Spike.” Rarity cooed reassuringly. “Something wonderful is about to happen.”

“Stand back.” The Empress warned as she peered beyond the walls of reality. “We have a supplicant and it is mighty indeed!”

The fallen unicorn complied and retreated to a safe distance beside Chrysalis. Spike continued to struggle as the air around him shimmered with ethereal power. Phantom images flickered in and out of focus before space suddenly buckled inward. The Alicorn flinched as a hollow boom echoed throughout Canterlot. She focused her empowered magic as a second impact fractured the air. The Mistress of the Night focused on these fissures and finally breached the barrier between worlds.

“MMMMMRPH!!” The drake could only give a muted scream as he beheld the realm of nightmares with waking eyes.

Out of the breach emerged a set of talons as long as pikes that dug into the floor. A second set emerged that just barely missed the helpless knight as they found purchase in the solid ground. With a deep rumble, the limbs of the deepest night sky dragged the rest of its mass into the benighted world. The tantibus slowly rose to its full height as its Tyrant closed the breach behind it with a gasp of effort. Spike froze in fear as the dream demon loomed over him, its eyes of blazing starlight studying him intently. The three mares held their collective breath as the creature approach the drake, each step sending tremors through the foundations.

“Mine…” The draconic apparition intoned as it gripped the knight’s head in its claws.

“Nmm! Mmph!” The captive thrashed in panic as the tantibus’s jaw opened vertically all the way down to its waist, the facsimile of ribs acting as mimicry of teeth. “NMM! NM-!”

Spike’s muffled cries were silenced as the nightmare completely enveloped him. The starry mass shifted and rumbled as it molded itself to the noble dragon. In time, a silhouette of the errant drake stood in the center of the den before the stuff of nightmares began to seep into its new host like water into a sponge. Spike went slack against his bonds as a stygian miasma wafted from his still body.

“Oh no!” Rarity slapped her hands over her mouth in dismay. “It-!”

“Hold!” Moon ordered curtly. “It is not over.”

Seconds turned into minutes without as much as a muffled moan from the drake. Then he twitched; a slight jerk of the head as if he was lost in a restless sleep. The twitching intensified into violent spasms and then full body convulsions before the possessed dragon’s teal slitted eyes snapped open. The changeling resin around his muzzle cracked and fell away as his snout elongated into crocodilian proportions with teeth to match. Finally free of his gag, Spike let out a bloodcurdling scream that rapidly deepened into a bestial roar as his transformation spread to the rest of his moonlit form. Bones cracked and regrew anew as iron-hard muscle coiled and swelled beneath his darkening scales of imperial tyrian and flaxen gold. The already broad-shouldered drake broke free as the cold iron proved insufficient to contain his new herculean physique. Rending claws and razor talons carved gashes into the stone floor as the dragon’s reach and stride lengthened. A series of staccato cracks filled the air as a crest and series of spines the envy of even the most virile of bull dragons erupted from his scalp and arched back. The leathery flesh of his ravaged wings knitted back together before nearly doubling in length. His leggings, fashioned by Rarity herself in bygone days, split and tore as they struggled to contain the hulking drake. Inevitably, the masterful stitch work failed and Spike shed them along with the last vestiges of his aureate allegiance. The New Dragon remained kneeling on the floor, his massive barrel chest heaving as his breathing slowed and steadied.

“Muhuhahaha! Excellent!” Nightmare Moon clapped her hands together in glee once the ritual was complete. “Can you hear me, dragon?”

“Yes.” The beast grunted a low and rumbling noise akin to an avalanche.

“Then arise, my Champion of the Night.” The Empress bid as she bestowed him a new title. “Let us share in your rapture.”

The newly dubbed Champion blew out a plume of tenebrous smoke as he got to his feet. Raw corded muscle creaked and popped as the drake stood tall and proud. At his full height, even the Usurper had to crane her neck to look him in the eye but hers were drawn elsewhere. Hanging between the dragon’s powerful legs was a veritable totem of virility. Following a glossy gradient of flushed, tapered glands along a muscular shaft crisscrossed with veins to a series of ruddy maroon dorsal lamina, the dragon had no reason to feel shame. The corners of his maw twitched in a smirk as this time he caught all three mares staring.

“What a huge *ahem* success.” The Dark Alicorn cleared her throat and turned to the unicorn. “Come.”

“I was going to suggest casting a fertility spell but I don’t think that will be a problem.” Chrysalis whispered as Rarity took a moment to compose herself. “Enjoy yourself.”

The former Element Bearer approached her soon-to-be lover, stealing glances at his glistening pride that twitched in anticipation. Soon the fallen unicorn stood before the corrupted drake, predatory eyes gazing into twinkling irises. Their Empress silently backed away and took a seat on a stack of pillows to revel in what was to come. Rarity took a bold step forward and placed a hand on the Champion’s rippling abs, his scales hot to the touch.

“We’ve waited too long for this, Spikey-wikey.” The unicorn whispered, her voice dripping with desire. “Take me.”

“Spike…” The ex-knight’s claws trembled in a moment of indecision before primal instinct took over. “…WANT!”

The hulking brute grabbed the smaller mare by her waist and hoisted her into the air. He held her level with his now turgid length and brought her down as he thrust forward. The first attempt went low and wedged the drake’s pride in the valley of the unicorn’s generous rump. He overcompensated next and raked the vernal barbs against Rarity’s pearl, causing a deluge of love juice from her winking nethers. Finally, with some magical aid from the Nocturnal Queen to keep them on target, the Champion parted the Enchantress’s carnal flesh and delved into her depths.

“WAH-HA-HA-HAAA!” The unicorn cried out in euphoric bliss as she felt every bump, ridge and pulse of her mate’s searing girth within her most treasured passage.

Words failed the dragon as he held the mare in place, grunting and snorting as he felt her vice-like canal mold itself to his exotic shape. Out of some lingering concept of chivalry, the corrupted knight waited for his not-quite maiden to adjust to their union. Once Rarity gripped his wrists and spread her legs as far as her flexibility allowed, the drake resumed his conquest slowly at first before ramping up to borderline savage abandon.

“Shining and I have some new tricks to try.” Chrysalis muttered as her hand slid past her swell and settled between her legs while another found an engorged tit. “I know he *Ah!* has the stamina for it.”

The unicorn’s eyes rolled back into her head as her tongue lolled out of her mouth, undignified songs of passion mixing with her lover’s bestial rumblings. While his partner was adrift in the sea of bliss, the drake was entranced by her more worldly treasures. With each clash of their hips, Rarity’s magnificent mounds danced in his vision. His eyes tracked the dusky peaks hungrily before he lunged forward and captured one in his mouth. The Enchantress let out a series of high-pitched squeaks as the dragon’s teeth grazed her silken flesh and his serpentine tongue lashed her hardened bud.

“Stars above~” Rarity slurred as the Champion switched breasts. “I love you, SpiiaaAAEII!”

Her declaration was lost as the mare suddenly reached her peak. The dragon released his hold on her creamy flesh as he felt her convulse around him. After a few moments, Rarity went slack with her lover still deep within her and eager to continue.

“Set her down.” Moon advised with a casual wave. “Not all of us possess a dragon’s endurance.”

The fallen knight snorted irritably but heeded his Empress’s word and laid the limp Rarity down on her back as he withdrew. The unicorn took the opportunity to catch her breath as the dragon loomed over her possessively. The Enchantress flashed him a heart-melting smile as she ran a hand over his crest and tickled one of his ear fronds.

“Thank you, good Sir Spike.” She cooed sweetly. “I’m ready for more now.”

“Hrmm.” The drake’s expression softened for a moment as his tongue snaked out and caressed her pouty lips.

“Yes~” The changeling matron hissed softly as she drank in the ambient lust and love now permeating the room, her hands ripping open her gown to better access her petal-smooth marehood and aroused tits. “More~”

Rarity gripped the back of the dragon’s neck while her free hand nestled within her own cascading mane. Now certain that his lover was comfortable, the drake slid back into her welcoming depths with a modicum of restraint. The unicorn writhed and moaned as his ridges bumped past her peeking pearl and the very tip of his lance pierced the gate to her inmost chamber. The fallen knight’s growls became ever deeper and rougher as that most pleasurable pressure began to build in his molten core. Suddenly the drake lurched with a pained grunt. The unicorn looked down at their union as his thrusts became slow and shallow. Her eyes widened in awe as even more of the dragon’s pride emerged from his loins in the form of a swollen knot of ruddy flesh.

“By the Moon!” The Enchantress gasped as her lover instinctively thrust forward and sent a shock through her body as the mound slammed into her lips.

“He is close.” Nightmare Moon inferred as she easily rose to her hooves. “You just need to tie the knot.”

“I-it won’t fit!” Rarity stammered as another thrust pushed her along the floor. “I c-can’t take i-it!”

“Oh, you can.” The Empress said slyly as she came up from behind the pair. “He just needs a little push.”

The dragon let out a grunt of surprise as Moon straddled him just above his tail. A damp furnace of heat came to rest at the base of his spine as the Dark Alicorn ran her long fingers along his sides. Her heaving bosom pressed against his shoulder blades, the hardened peaks digging into his scales. The drake instinctively flexed his wings to dismount the Usurper but she held fast with a mocking laugh.

“Hahaha, is that how you treat your benefactor?” The Tyrant teased. “You owe your existence to me now; all of you.”

Nightmare Moon ground her hips against the drake, his ridge of spines sliding in and past her dripping marehood as she egged the beast on. Her voluptuous body belied her unholy strength as the dragon fell flat against the Enchantress, the unicorn’s own prodigious mounds holding him just shy of her muzzle. Rarity let out a pained whimper as the dragon’s swollen member rammed against her. Inch by agonizing inch, the drake slowly parted his lover’s folds. Tears appeared in the former Element Bearer’s eyes as it felt like she was being split in two.

“I-I can’t! Please!” The unicorn cried out. “Spike! I- oh!”

*POP*

With that, the Champion’s hips meshed with the Enchantress’s as he slipped fully into her and breached her most precious chamber. The room froze as the two lovers stared at each other, their surroundings melting away as they were united in a state of paradisiacal intimacy. While they were lost in their shared nirvana, Moon manually restarted their rutting with her thick thighs.

“Come back to us, you two.” The Empress commanded impenitently.

The drake growled as they were rudely returned to reality. Rarity took his focus off their meddling Queen by leaning forward and planting her lips on his snout. She gave him a lustful smile as she hooked her legs around Moon’s and nodded. The Champion rumbled intently as he thrust into his love with renewed vigor. The Usurper timed her own gyrations with the dragon’s in a sensuous symphony of wanton ardor. The spectating Chrysalis abandoned all semblances of rank and decorum as she moved to the front of the trio and sat on a leering jack-o-lantern. Her spindly fingers plunged into her sopping folds as her gravid belly trembled with teaming life.

“Spike~ My dragon, my Champion~” Nightmare Moon whispered lustfully in the drake’s ears. “Claim her. Plant your seed. Give me my little ponies.”

The beast felt himself nearing his limit. The bounty of velvety flesh gliding across his back and chest, the surge of passion washing over his loins and tail and the pleasured moans from all three mares in the room fueled the inferno threatening to break out of his core. Something warm and sweet-smelling suddenly splashed on his nose. The draconic Champion looked up to see the changeling matriarch in the throes of climax, her hands cupped around her buxom chest as honeyed milk gushed from her dusky peaks. The nourishing nectar flowed like alabaster rivers down her maternal mound. The dragon’s mind imagined Rarity in such a state, heavy with her own future generation; their children.

*crack*

The core burst within the dragon as he plunged deep within the unicorn and let out a primal roar of fiery triumph. Chrysalis rolled off her now drenched perch as a conflagration of emerald fire exploded out from the drake. Moon wrapped her arms around her Champion’s chest and bit into his shoulder to muffle her own peak as every fiber of his corrupted being roiled and bucked beneath her. Rarity’s screams harmonized with Spike’s roars as she felt him erupt inside her, his molten seed surging directly into her fecund crucible. The unicorn shuddered as she was filled to and beyond capacity, her lithe stomach swelling with each virile deposit. Eventually, the flames were quelled to flickering sparks and the dragon slowly withdrew from his panting mate. The Enchantress gasped as the still swollen knot pulled free along with a flood of his steaming seed. Her velvety canal reflexively squeezed around his retreating shaft as if begging him to stay but Spike slid free all the same. His still twitching member painted her flanks and thighs a milky white before it was finally spent. The drained drake let out a contented rumble as he nestled his head between Rarity’s bust. The equally spent unicorn lovingly kissed the top of his muzzle as his generous gift settled within her.

“You have performed far beyond my expectations.” Nightmare Moon gasped as she shakily got to unsteady hooves, her thighs dripping with evidence of her pleasure. “The future of my Equestria is assured.”

“You already look far along, Rarity.” Chrysalis emerged from her cover, a strip of her ruined dress wrapped around her lactating mammaries. “Now will it be a dragon or a unicorn?”

“Most likely a kirin; a hybrid of the two.” The exhausted mother-to-be answered as she rubbed a hand over her warm belly. “Once the tantibus is joined, it may be a new species altogether.”

“Time will tell, my blessed chosen.” A now more composed Empress said as she gazed out a window at her benighted world. “There is still the matter of collecting viable hosts.”

“Ah, yes.” Rarity nodded in agreement. “Spike, darling, do you happen to know where the rest of the Element Bearers are hiding?”

The noble knight turned dark champion glanced up at his love. Somewhere deep in the corners of his mind, the last remnants of his virtue protested against this betrayal. Like an annoying gnat, it was swatted away.

“Yes.” The drake replied as his lips peeled back in an evil smile.