//------------------------------// // 4.The stars lie // Story: The Unbroken Spear // by Jamis //------------------------------// The meal was a simple and homemade variety of vegetables, bread and small amounts of cheese. The sort of meal one could expect from another. Tough Dough was by no means rich or a talented chef. The meal he prepared for his guests to eat wasn’t special but if anyone were to complain about a warm and fresh meal of healthful choices. Atreus could barely understand how people took breathing easily for granted much less a good meal. Now before the meal Tough had asked Atreus what his species ate. When he had responded they seemed fine till he mentioned meat. Especially the younger two our the group. They explained to him that the only accepted form of meat to eat among ponies was fish, even then most found it distasteful. Ponies couldn’t really stomach true meat both morally or socially. Pantheon reasoned it stemmed from some bodily aversion to it which resulted in the social norms. As he took another bite of the bread a thought crossed his mind, ‘Aiula, do you still put bread above the hearth of the farmhouse? Will I ever return to you?’. He had not seen the widow of his friend Pylas since he had recovered in her care. In those months of recovery she had been like an angel, only better since she wasn't one. Tending to his wounds and needs without complaint, she was very upset when he tried to push himself to do work to help her after only a couple of weeks. She had scolded him but had relented eventually muttering under her breath that he needed to move around to get better anyway. He would always hold a place for her in his heart even if not in a romantic sense, though the beginnings of something had started between them. She was a strong willed woman and he would have give his life to protect her, he had tried to do so when he went to face the barbarians north of the settlement. ‘There was more to that battle than I knew.’ “Atreus?” Sky asked aloud. He turned to her a look of confusion and question on his face. “Are you okay, you stopped eating for a minute there and looked troubled?” She leaned forward slightly and continued her innocent look of concern. Atreus smiled at her and nodded. “Just thinking about some old memories nothing to worry about anymore.” the man finished his bread and returned his thoughts and focus to his present situation. As the meal began to wind down and the sun started to set farther they waited. “If I might, may I ask some questions?”, Pantheon asked facing Steal, at this point all of them had partially removed their equipment. Pantheon’s helmet and weapons stood by the door lying against the wall. Both of the mares had removed their own helmets and had seen to taking of their breastplate and leather armor for the convenience of moving. While they didn’t have to take them off, sitting around with a stiff and immovable piece of armor on your stomach is slightly annoying. “Shoot.” the response from Steal had been quick and to the point. “I wish to know some basic social norms among your people, while I hope to not be here long. It would be beneficial if I knew how to properly greet someone or what would be appropriate to ask if I was in need of help.”, the group nodded to his word in several different ways. Steel gave a slow nod while Mr. Dough gave a long constant nodding to each word he said, as if to show he was listening and his nods were showing his attention. Sky on the other hand gave Atreus two fast nods up and down when he was done speaking. Why he paid attention to this was anyone's guess but it probably had to do with gauging their reactions. “Well it is quite simple really, you could ask for help with anything you think a person is capable of giving so long as it isn’t too personal to them or yourself. As for greeting someone, well just smile and say hello. Most ponies you will meet will be friendly enough to tell you are not from around where they are and simply be patient with you.”, after her explanation he smiled. Sky had a tanned skin tone and silvery hair, her face was round and young. She showed signs of strength in her muscles and intelligence in her eyes. The older ponies were different, both were paler though Dough was less pale. Both had brown hair though Steal’s was darker in shade. Each was muscular though miss Gait was much younger and Tough was thinning because of his older years. Steal spoke again, “I was wondering if it is not too personal, how did you get that scar on your chest. That has to be one of the worst injuries I’ve seen, though I’ve not seen much.” The man frowned slightly, it wasn’t a painful memory though he did remember great pain. It was simply too long of a story, how was he supposed to explain his world’s deities and the methods they used to influence the world in a timely enough manner to talk about his place in that story. “That is a long story, for you to fully understand I would have go explain far too much. But in simple terms, I was injured greatly by a battle and had to seek help in recovering which took a few months.” The group moved from the subject with a bit of awkward pause, “I feel you're skipping more then you are even saying you are. However, not much reason to push you. You don't need to be reminded more than you already have been.” Tough Dough was correct, though what he said could have gone a bit better in an unspoken form of acknowledgement. "Umm, I have a question," the young miss Ray started as she placed her hand on her chin unconsciously. The man looked toward the Pegasus and motioned with his hand for her to continue. "Well, I don't think you ever answered the questions about your weapons. So I wanted to know why they glow, they seem special? And your helmet, why did it have some glowing orb when you put it on?" "For the same reasons as the last question I will only say this, they are the weapons of the Pantheon. That shield was wielded by the previous Pantheon if I am not mistaken. They wielded it many years ago, I believe it is called the 'Aegis of Zeonia'. As for my helm it is simply magic making itself manifest.", Atreus stated in a factual tone. 'All of these are brought forth by celestial magic and my will. The will of a mortal makes even the gods tremble, they are nothing before the moment of truth in battle. Where a warrior must think of who they are, who they love, and why they fight. I know this, Asose knew this better than even myself. Because she sacrificed more than myself.' he thought reflectively. "They? How do you not know whether they were a mare or a stallion?" Steal asked confused, "Wouldn't you know when they passed the title to you?". She motioned her hand to him and his weapons in a sweeping gesture. "The title is earned by trial not inheritance, the last pantheon died before I could pick up a spear.", as spoke he began to frown slightly, however he was not looking at the ponies but his hands. 'I am not lying but I am not telling the whole truth. Even my name is a lie, that man died on Targon's peak with his brother Pylas. And there is nothing that I can do that can bring either of them back.' he finishing thought was a bitter one, slightly angry, and mostly sad. The man glanced out the window, the time had pasted faster than he had though it would. "Well, I for one am too interested in this to simply stay home and not see what you will confirm when you check the sky." Dough chuckled in a lighthearted tone. "I am going to exit the town's perimeter as night fully falls. You three may join me." he rose to a standing position and walked to the door. He placed his helm under his arm and grabbed his weapons in each hand. "Are you sure you'll need those I'm sure we are safe for a bit of stargazing?" Sky Ray asked inquisitively. Pantheon chuckled, "No I do not think I will need them, however if I do. I would not want to partially destroy Mr. Dough's house calling them to me. It would hardly be a proper repayment to my host for the meal." He smiled to Tough who looked a tiny bit alarmed at the idea of his house being damaged or destroyed. "What do you mean, 'calling them to me' are they sentient and come when you whistle like a pet would?" Steel asked both confused and amused by the idea. Atreus simply turned to Sky handed her his spear and walked outside. They group quickly followed, they exited the house and saw the beginnings of stars appeared on the edge of the sky. The saw Pantheon at the edge of town behind the house a few meters away walking further out. As they started to walk they paused as he stopped, he turned his head to look back at them. His spear arm shot from his side and an "eeeep!" escaped Sky as the heavy spear she had carried in both hands shot from her grasp and flew into his waiting hand. The side of his visible face smiled at them as he returned to walking out of the town limits and into a field of what looked like wheat.