It was still morning by the time he returned to his bedroom and sat at the chair placed at the balcony, paper having been retrieved and rod of charcoal made for him was in his hand, he was listing down the things that he knew.
Arctus was certain there was some sense to be made in all of it and began making bulleted lists.
He was, in annoyance, trying to make sense of it, wishing he had his same stars in the sky to guide him.
He put down the three godhoods he could use.
And the other five he knew but couldn't use.
"Perhaps it's time to learn, but I'd need those stars to do it."
He looked over the city, it was because of his actions Canterlot still stood, on two different occassions. The capital of Equestria was prospering well. And that's when it struck him.
Couldn't Celestia draw out the stars he needed? She was moving them, the moon, and the sun about.
There might be a more personal trauma to the reason why she doesn't, it was her sister's responsibility.
"If there's something worse out there than Kanna...I'm gonna need the strength to fight it."
"Whooooa, Arctus? You live in the castle?" A flying pegasus guard swooped low, landing on the balcony rail.
"Who...who are you?" Arctus gripped his spear that laid next to his chair.
"Eeeeasy, not here to fight, name's Sergeant Light Lancer."
"Why did you approach?" he gently released his spear.
"I'm a big fan! I also had no idea you had your own quarters. I thought you lived in the Everfree Forest."
"My forest. I sometimes go there, I'm recovering from my last assignment."
"We've all heard, Celestia asked for patrols around your room, but she's also been lowering our number as Equestria becomes more peaceful, most in part to your efforts and presence."
"That's concerning."
"Hey, do you think...when you get better, you can take some of us with you? I know a couple of the guard who wished to do more for Equestria, in line with what you do."
"I'll think about it."
Light Lancer flew up, "cool, I'm going to be flying about, but your privacy is still guaranteed, Master Scout."
He breathed in deeply and turned back to the paper and fetched the reference parchment from inside his tunic, drawing the three other godhoods.
While magic was special in his world, the godhoods embodied the heroes would flung the Destiny Stars into the sky, there were numerous of them and each Destiny Stars was linked to a volcano in Aeternia and to forge a special weapon, you had to dip it on the night the star associated was present.
There were twenty-eight different Trepidatory Volcanoes and not a soul dared to dip a weapon into the sacred magma of the central volcano that was used to launch the Destiny Stars. Except on the day of Arctus' birth. The day he was found, they showed the boy he was many different weapons and he chose a spear, so they forged quickly and dipped it into the magma as all the required stars were out and being the central volcano it imbued it with a very special power.
Magic absorption.
It took years for Arctus to notice, but each time he did place it against a spell coming at him, it stopped it without fail and actually repaired the spear, making it harder, more durable, sharper, and removing nicks and bites along the edge of the head.
He didn't tell anyone about what his weapon could do and it became his triumph in every battle, even in Equestria.
The Scout finished drawing the symbols again, replicating them perfectly on paper. He'd have to try them later, after he recovered, and later when Luna could be saved.
Arctus did just pick up the verbal spell Kanna used and intended to use it at some point.
But that probably won't be until far in the future.
He had one thing to focus on, Celestia, he couldn't practice magics, fighting, repairing, nothing.
So he stood from his chair, feeling weaker than his usualy self, but mushc better than the last two moons had left him.
"So, a celebration tonight."
"Hope it's a good one."
Arctus left his room, donning his full kit and slowly began making his way out of the castle and toward the opposite side of the gardens. He was faced with the training yard and quielty walked, looking at the hooves that trodded the grass dead as the guards were practicing different attacks in spear combat. Lieutenant Silver Spike was guiding them, his strikes much more precise and repetitive.
He also had a stronger stance.
"Our goal here is to iron out your hoof stances, you," he pointed his spear towards a guard in the unit of twelve, "your stance is too slim, widen it, you're gonna get knocked over like that!"
Whispers were going about them.
"Silver Spike!" Arctus called.
"Master Scout!" He came over to him, "something wrong?"
"What do you know about Sergeant Light Lancer?"
"I know he was assigned to patrol your room today during your recovery," Arctus was getting hints that there were more in the guard and army like him.
"Lieutenant Silver Spike, come with me," he started walking away from the training yard.
"You! You're leading for the rest of the day!" He pointed to a pony while he caught up with the Scout, "where are we going?"
"I rarely ever needed an escort, but today, you're joining me while I go into the city."
"Oh? Interesting that'd you'd choose me. You know the city is safe, right?"
"A Scout does not last long based on assumptions," Arctus went down the stairs slowly getting close to the front gate of the castle, "I do have some errands to run."
"Okay, where first?"
"Out to the far side of town, we're headed to a seamstress," he pushed open one of the gates and let Silver close them.
The ponies were looking at Arctus, amazed and shocked even.
"Oooooh, is this what it's like to be you? Kinda jealous."
"Don't be. Usually they try not to pay me too big a deal and whisper rumors, nothing like this at all."
"Your bounce back from death might be circling around. Celestia sent scouts to find out what happened, though she couldn't really they didn't dare go near the place. You got a lot of adjectives when they got back."
"Was hero one of them?"
"Nnnnoo...sorry. Monster was the word more prevalent."
"I heard that one in Aeternia, more often than you thought."
"Cheer up, you're the reason our city stands after all."
"I don't need cheering up, I need to accelerate my recovery and get the hell back out there!"
"We all read those reports, worrying isn't gonna make you better any faster."
"You don't understand what another Aeternian being here means."
Arctus sighed, "are you just being willfully ignorant?"
"A lot of us are, we know exactly how strong you are and knowing there could be another out there that isn't in our corner...it wouldn't be good for our society if we faced it. Celestia knows and she's taking some actions, but you're the special one she has in her pocket for these situations."
"So you focus on recovery."
They arrived far out at the seamstress he visited and the bell of the small shop rang when he entered.
"Welcome! My nam-...Arctus!" The seamstress turned around and pipped, "it's been a while since you've been in here! Your clothing need more repair?"
"Actually, Celestia did a splendid job, but I came to request something else," he took off his aged tunic, "how much would it cost to get a couple more of these made?"
"Oh...oh! Um, I'm not sure, can I ask you to pay later when they're complete?"
"That would be fine with me, could you make four or five of them? I don't care much about colors as long as they are all dark, some variety might help me blend better with specific environments."
The seamstress nodded, "I'll have them sent when they're done...um, where do you live, Arctus?"
"I have two homes, but you can send them up to the castle when they're done and I'll come back to pay for them."
"You live in the castle?"
"I have a room there," he smiled, "sorry if this is a hefty request, but you've always repaired my tunic so I figured if anypony could make some new ones, it'd be you Strong Stitch."
"Oh! Thank you! I'll get on them right after my open shopping hours end," she smiled and waved as he left, Silver following him.
"We went all the way to the wall for that? For that?! You could have asked Celestia's person-."
"It's not about who, but the principle. She repairs my clothes well, she knows them and me. She respects my privacy."
"Sure are secretive."
"I just like others to not investigate my personal business."
"Were there any other stops?"
"I'm getting lunch and then I'd like to see you in one of the training arenas, if you think you can assist me with a new magic."
"You want me to join you for lunch today, too? And then...help you practice?" He was getting visibly excited.
"That is what I requested."
"Suuuuhweeeeet, I get to spar with the Master Scout."
"Quiet."
They entered the Sun's Ray together and the host present over the upscale restuarant immediately galloped to the kitchen, another host seating the two.
"I've never been in a place this...fancy."
"They make some good food, order whatever you like. I'll be paying today."
"Must make twenty times my pay..." Silver looked over the menu, Arctus was not even given one.
"Welcome back, Arctus, we're glad to see that you recovered," the waiter came by now and whispers were going about the room, mainly of how Arctus was accompanied by a guard and what it implied, "we have your usual order already cooking the moment you arrived," he turned to face Silver Spike, "what can I get you?"
"Um, pumpkin soup, eggplant pasta, and a slice of dream cake?"
"A big eater just as Arctus, Master Scout you must keep only ponies who train all day around, hmm?"
He looked at the waiter, "I need ponies who can keep up with me," he affirmed.
"Ah, of course. We'll be back with your food shortly, any wine today?"
Arctus shook his head as well as Silver Spike, "just the water then."
Another waiter came by and dropped off a large pitcher of water, sliced lemons and limes floating in it and poured them their first glasses. The first servicer had gone to the kitchen.
"Why choose such an upscale place?"
"Nopony dares to approach and talk to me here and the workers are polite," Arctus opened his mouth again, "except for Sunset Shimmer, she made a spectacle here one day."
"I remember hearing about that. You can turn cast an invisibility spell."
"I can, it's useful, but I rarely use it."
"Is it hard to cast?"
"On the contrary, it's easy to cast, but it makes noise itself and relying on it would dull my stealth skills which are already far above what I need."
"So having a lot of strength is all about maintaining it?"
"Like a business, your body needs to be kept up to a certain status so you can continue to perform transactions," the food began to come out, Silver Spike had gotten his pumpkin soup and dream cake while giant platters were being placed on the huge table full of different dishes and large quantities of plain food.
"You...you eat even more at lunch?!"
"I'm not a glutton if that's what you're saying. I never know when my last meal is and I spend most of my time recovering or training."
Arctus went quiet after he started eating, focusing solely on consuming all the food before him, he was a staple of the restuarant. Silver Spike got his last dish of eggplant pasta and while eating, Arctus tipped the waiter.
Soon enough in half an hour, he was finished and Silver Spike was as well, barely keeping up with him, he stood, pushed his chair in and walked to the front, paying for his meal and the Lieutenant's after recieving the bill before he promptly left.
"We graciously await your next visit, Master Scout," the host bid him farewell.
"So, the training yard?"
"I'm feeling like I have enough energy in me to practice today, maybe enough to ride out tomorrow and dig up some more information on what was going on in that town."
"You know the spies we sent out, the Wonderbolts, were specifically chosen after the ground scouts refused to investigate. They reported there was still evidence of the giant battle out at the front gate, but the town itself was empty and no signs of anybody being there."
"Then tomorrow I depart."
The kept moving to the castle and eventually made it back, heading left to the training yard, "I'd recommend staying light on your feet and keeping a shield up," the Scout informed as they hopped over a wooden fence into an arena.
"Yes, sir."
Arctus drew his spatha, and inhaled deep, exhaling and dialing back to his mana.
"Ready?" Silver Spike put up his shield.
"Ready!"
"Zaibas surasti sykiu!" Arctus spoke with power and slung his spatha through the air, focusing on the Lieutenant.
Yellow lightning boomed and crashed across the air, striking the shield almost instantly, a shatter rang out loud and his shield fell but the Scout had already sent another strike and the Lieutenant quickly leapt out of the way of Arctus' honed in eyes, the strike landing jsut where he had been.
Silver Spike launched the spear he held at Arctus who grabbed it out of the air and started to dash, holding his own spatha.
He made two steps before Arctus grazed his cheek with the spear in a high jump over and behind him.
"What was that?" The Master Scout gently tossed the spear back to the warrior.
"Sorry, reflex, I forgot you were just practicing a specific thing."
"Lieutenant, if anyone belongs in the field, it's you. Unlike the other E.U.P. guard I've fought...you're truly talented and committed."
"Oh, I was wondering if that loud thunder was you, Arctus," Celestia began trotting to the arena, guards in tow, "I see you've made a nice recovery."
"I'm setting out tomorrow to try and get some clues."
"Very well, it pains me to see such an ally leave, but I know you must," she winked to him, "Lieutenant, are you injured?"
He put his hoof to the small cut on his cheek, "we got kinda carried away. Arctus picked up a new spell from a battle, Princess Celestia."
"So that was the lightning we saw on the way over," she smiled, "you're proving to be more and more amazing each day."
"Celestia," Arctus turned to a serious voice, "with your permission, I would like to develop a unit here."
The guards behind her looked curious at him, "go on," Celestia had an idea already.
"I'd like to begin training certain ponies to become scouts, a traditional Aeternian Scout."