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// 19. And Bleed We Must 
// Story: The Unbroken Spear 
// by Jamis 
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Luna wandered the dreamscape and saw the mirrors of her subjects. Luna smiled as she saw a few mirrors outside of the usual, she even saw Shadow Wing's. The mare's cutiemark was on a bat's wing sticking out of a black cloud. There were a few others among the mirrors that became unique. All of them were very peaceful, 'They worked so hard I doubt they have the energy to dream much.' As Luna walked she noticed her sister's mirror was close by, as she moved closer she noted its semi-upset state. As Luna entered the dream it seemed to turn to a more neutral state. 

Celestia sat in her office chair and looked out the window. It wasn't until Luna looked out the window herself did she see the source of Celestia's emotions. Canterlot was ruble and ruin, nothing left as the sun and moon switched so much that it was never day or night but some sort of hellish eternal twilight. Luna began to subtly change the dream to slow the sky, the city was whole again as ponies moved in and rebuilt to create their homes. In what would have been years of work, it showed to be fast if you look at it. Canterlot was there and ponies were happy. Luna walked to her sister's side and made herself noticeable to her sister.

Celestia looked at her and smiled, "I guess that was a dream huh? Should have guessed I have had it enough to know see it from memory alone."

"You have this dream often, why did you not tell me?" Luna's face showed worry at the princess of the sun's words.

Celestia stood and hugged her little sister, "I haven't had it in many years, I guess I just didn't think of it. You don't need to worry about it either. You don't realize what your return means to me, I can't tell you how much I have missed you because when the entirety of your life seems to have a hollow point it makes the rest feel odd." Luna hugged Celestia and spoke.

"Sister I understand, and all that matters is that we are together again, if we just stick together I know we'll be alright." Celestia bore a sad smile at those words Luna reformed the dream to give them both chairs to sit in. The sisters sat in their chairs and faced one another, they needed this talk and since it had started no point in stopping it.

"I don't know if I can give you enough of anythting to make up for the pain you had being alone. Even more alone then me, I may not have been able to talk freely or with anyone, but I made friends and made memories. In those thousand years I hated losing my friends. They had been the closest thing to family since I banished you. You never even got that though, I don't regret losing them because I was their friend and I can't imagine not having them be that. I denied you your life and made you lose so much." Luna interjected.

"Celestia, the only ones I have lost were the friends who I didn't see after that night. Not the ones I never met. I was gone when Nightmare moon took over, it was like I was a prisoner in my own head. Pushed to the side only seeing small bits and pieces, I had no consept of how much time passed, it didn't feel long. I don't blame you for a thing." the elder sister nodded but still looked unconvinced.

"I understand your point, still. I will never allow you to feel alone now if I can. And the fact that you have your guards again is one thing. You'll be friends with them in no time, but I need to make sure you have family as well. I am working on my schedule to give us two full days every month to spend doing what ever you want. I can do my work and you can you keep up your studies. But we need to spend time together if only to reconnect."

The sister talked for only a few minutes in reality but it felt like was much longer in Celestia's dream.


...


The drills were going well, the thestrals were indeed not lying when they were asked about their skills. They would be trained and ready in a week and a half. By that time all of their armor would be complete and the Lunar guard would most likely start to take all of the Night shifts in Canterlot. The drills were not only supervised and instructed by Luna and Pantheon but they themselves joined. The told their trainees it was to “stay in shape” and while true, the purpose was to ensure no resentment was felt towards them. It is better to show you would not make a pony do something you yourself would not do. Not that resentment would happen but sometimes it can be unconscious.

After the pair had lunch with Celestia they returned to the training grounds. It was odd, there were several solar guard and lunar guard talking. Though arguing would fit better, “What is happening here?” Luna’s voice was a stream of cold water down the backs of the solar guards, that is to say they had a shiver go up there spine.

“These guards believe that we should leave this sparing ring to make room for them princess, we tried to explain that the Lunar guard has this courtyard as its training grounds for now but-“ a lunar guard started to explain before he was cut off.

“What you seem to forget is that we have to stay i shape too. There are no other courtyards that can be used for sparring or weapons training right now.” a solar guard cut him off.

“Is that so? In that cause why not share?” The two groups and the princess glanced at the man, Pantheon’s question hung in the air.

“The circles are too small for two groups to both spar sir.” a mare in the lunar guard answered.

“I meant spar together.” the two groups were confused.

“No offense but we have armor and guard experience, they don’t, isn’t that just a clear advantage.” a solar guard spoke as if Atreus was an idiot.

Luna was about to berate the stallion for speaking like that to Her friend before said friend spoke. “You will not always have a fair fight. Your opponent may be stronger, more experienced, more skilled, better equipped, but it doesn’t matter. Because you have to try to win regardless. This is good practice, besides the Guard corps will need to be at near equal skill. I want to see how you both compare now.” Pantheon moved his hand from the two of them in a slow zig zag motion.

“A good thought, begin sparring. I’ll make sure neither side is hurt.” Luna ordered.


...


Celestia sat at her desk working over paper work when a letter appeared in a flash of green. She smiled, Twilight was almost like a daughter to Celestia at this point. She had gotten a few letters at this point. Twilight had a lot to learn about friendship, there was more to it than what many thought. However, the magic of friendship was not the best part of it. The bonds of friendship needed to be explored but Twilight made Celestia giggle often, she seemed to act like friendship was a science and needed to be tested and examined. 'What have you sent me today?' Celestia held the letter and began to read. Celestia nodded along as she read before she finished and shook her head. After her dream it was good to remind herself she wasn't alone and would not ever be fully alone.

As the day wore on she signed more documents, she passed or rewrote everything that came her way. She saw one or two forms on funding allocation, one of the districts in Canterlot needed a renovation. Another funding outlet was for the galla's preperations, it was a couple months away but would require this form of foresight. She set aside a mental note to have Twilight and her friends attend. 'It will be a fun evening for them I am sure. Though maybe I am just tired of it and want some company.'


...


The matches that had taken place were not as one sided as you might think, the thestrals all had wings and were fast. That made them win some matches. There speed was useful because their opponents were slower due to their armor. But they did lose, if the batponies weren't careful the more experienced and better armed/armored solar guards had pin or incapacitated their sparring partners on more than one occasion.

Luna and Atreus watch these matches rarely having to step in. They stood next to each other about two feet apart. Each was focused on the sparing only taking their eyes off of the two clashing groups to check the rest of the bat ponies progress. There were less than twenty solar guard here and the majority of the thestrals didn't want to be caught slacking even if they wanted to watch the fights.

After the matches the crowd of solar guard dispersed and a few of them nervously muttered about being late for their shift. Over all the two groups of guards had grown to respect the other, no hate or malicious, simple advice or banter was exchanged in matches and only a few on both sides were unhappy with the results. Luna hoped that these solar guard would have a positive influence on the lunar guards perception both among the rest of their guard bur with the ponies of Canterlot as well. After a much needed break the thestrals ate dinner in the mess hall. Afterward they were gathered and sat in the courtyard after the princess and Pantheon had returned.

A few ponies came to the courtyard with a couple of crates, they dropped these off before a earth pony with a black apron and a face covered in dark smudges walked up to the princess. Luna looked at his arm and saw a anvil. 'Rather straight forward.' she thought almost no symbolism at all.

"Greetings Princess, these are the first bunch of arms and armor for your gaurds. There is only thirty five but we should have the rest down in batches by the end of the month." the voice was a bit gruff but unmistakably a mare's, considering the short hair, muscles presentation, and general masculine form it was a bit of a unexpected thing.

'Well, clearly even if she isn't the only smith she would have gained this look from her work.' Luna smiled and asked a question, "Ah thank, you what is your name may I ask?"

"Name is Blacken Coal princess, oh I just remembered!" the mare dug into the crates as if looking for something before crying out in success, "Here we are! This here is the first armor you requested, it kinda got over shadowed by the massive and sudden demand for more. I mean we were making lunar guard armor but at the time it wasn't a major priority. I don't mean to tut my own horn but I think it is one of the finer works I have done." Coal showed a blue tinted steal armor torso with golden edges. In similar fashion was upper arm guards nearly identical to the illusions Pantheon had had in his initiation. But the two of them had a different feature that Luna had requested personally when they were commissioned. Unlike the rest of the lunar guard armor Atreus' didn't have a blue eye like crest on the front. On the center of his new torso armor and the top of his new arm guards was a star. More specifically a red four pointed star, the red metal on all the equipment shone in a almost orange tone.

"Ahh, thank you Coal these look perfect, here try them on to be sure they fit." Luna handed the armor pieces to Atreus who did as she instructed though he did look at them with a bit of curiosity. He looked at Luna and then the rest of the lunar armor.

"Why is mine so different. I understand given my unique position but I feel there is some other reason or meaning." he pointed to the star as if to exemplify his point.

"Well, aside from differentiating you I think it shows off your individual personalty." Pantheon frowned under his helmet.

"What do you mean?" he continued to strap on the armor almost as automatically, his focus was on Luna's word. It wasn't an intense stare but he did look at her none the less.

"Thank you for the armor Miss Coal you can go back to your duties." Blacken bowed and nodded to the two of them before leaving to the same direction her companions had left to, "Well you told me that whenever your weapons are set alight and you fight on death's door your namesake star appears from the blackness. You also said that the Pantheon constellation had four stars in it. So a four pointed star."

Atreus' frown deepened, he took off his helmet and titled his head as he spoke, "I may still use the name and armor but Pantheon I am not. I hardly see how his stars are mine." Luna frowned herself she turned to look at the threstals choosing who would get armor through a tournament. She didn't pay their incredible organization any thought as she turned he head back to Atreus.

"You remember how I visited your dream correct?" the man nodded though now his head titled farther in confusion.

"When I am in the dreamscape ponies dreams appear as mirrors and give off their dream's mood and vague subject from that. When I see the dream of someone I know it takes on characteristics of that person. Most mirrors show the pony's cutiemark and tend to have a frame which fits them in design and colour. My sister's mirror has her cutiemark of the sun at its top and is white and edged in gold, the frame is smooth, it fits her. Your mirror also fit you, but instead of a cutiemark. There was a star, or at least a glowing reddish orb that shone as bright as one on a clear night. I understand, you don't want to think about being  connected to the Aspect that possessed you, anymore than you already are. Bu-"

The princess stopped speaking as he smiled at her, "I understand, thank you. It shows you put thought into my armor, even if it wasn't exactly a gift you meant it as something close to that. Besides I guess you are right in some sense." Luna was pleased to hear him say that but kept listening. "In my mind, we are what we overcome. I suppose I am in one way of looking at it, the only remnant of the Aspect of War left. I stood up where they fell and succeeded where they did not, even after defeat I continued to press forward. I am the a new Pantheon, I intended to be this when I slew Aatrox. But I guess that comes with being compared to the Aspect."

"If what you have told me and my sister is any indication, even if they had done good. The Pantheon that betrayed you had no true reason to. You don't need to worry about ponies think you are someone else either, to them, you are Pantheon unless you tell them your name. And to them you will show them what Pantheon should have been." Atreus smiled at her word before returning his helmet to his head.

"Thank you Luna. Come we need to make sure no one hurts themselves. We also need to teach them how to care for their equipment." Luna followed Atreus as he walked to the various circles that had formed. The tournament was a sight to see to say the least.