//------------------------------//
// More to Come 
// Story: An Aeternian's Conviction 
// by The Real Darkness 
//------------------------------//

Arctus slung his spear over his head, spouting flames at the incoming fighters, some were hit directly by the icy fire, yowling in pain while it singed them in its cold energy. He could hear two steel clashes behind him, Silver Spike was battling the leader on his own.

"You're the whelp of the two of you, huh?!" The leader taunted, "don't worry, when I beat you, I'll kill you off quick, a rare mercy of the Horrid Hounds."

Arctus zipped to the right of the ten, blocking a sword strike and ducking under a greataxe before drawing his spear close and tripping one with the boot.

He yanked his hatchet with he fended two blades off with his spear, slamming it into the forehead of the dog thing that fell to the ground. The Master Scout stoked the fire in his spear while they pushed their swords onto his spear, though he had no tone, his muscles were strong enough to keep them held until the fire flashed over both their bodies.

"Your friend is killing my best men left and right...maybe I will torture you after all," he heard a cackle after a shout of pain from the trainee, "fucking amateur."

Arctus had his own issues to worry about, he threw his spear right into the head of the seventh warrior against him before he drew his bow and pulled back one of the two giant arrows he had. 

"How the fuck is he aiming that?!"

"Duck!" He released and shot through the sixth and fifth, the arrowhead chewed through one dog creature just to socket in the stomach of another, the two slumping over promptly. 

"You're not taking this from me! This is my chance!" Silver Spike shouted over the combat and a howl of pain came from their leader, Arctus placed his bow back and drew his spatha for the second time that night, sparing a peek to see Silver's spear in the leader's knee.

Trainee Silver Spike had ambition and audacity.

"Plienas karka savininkas."

And to his right hand his spear came, landing firm while he parried another both and spun the spear under the combatant in front of him, cutting his legs and forcing him to his knees, steel blade meeting his neck. The battle quieted down and he could hear the choking in front of him.

Another glance and he could hear and see the leader in an intense agony, Sile Spike drove his spear further in, clearly shattering his kneecap before stomping on the shaft near the head of the weapon, ripping flesh, bone, and tendons on its way out. The braggart of their enemy outfit went down with a shriek.

His spear caught the head of an axe, rounded butt of Arctus' pride near his head. He rammed it into his face, causing some disorientation before thrusting the impeccable weapon into his foot, earning a yelp.

He gripped the axe's shaft and punched to dog's hand hard, claiming it and sending it into the enemy's temple. Two more stood against him and they instead chose to run rather than face the guillotine of a man that executed their comrades.

Arctus looked over to his trainee and saw him dive his spatha as the killing blow into the chest of the dog, puncturing skin and lung. He lost the will to fight. The Master Scout took his hatchet back, wiped blood clean of his weapons, and placed them all back. He went to his trainee.

"Damn, I was not expecting you to kill someone today, let alone him," he looked the trainee up and down and saw a gouge in his right shoulder, the only wound he had, "and you're not dead."

"Where...where did your serious tone go?"

"You're sticking as a Scout, Silver, that's proof enough," he pointed to the dying leader, "we still got some searching to do, but fir-."

Shouting, pleas for help and assistance came from below at the armory, "I'll fix you up soon, let me go check and see if we have more enemies."

He descend the stairs in a hurry and found quite a lot of equipment, but most of it was missing, the pleas came from further down and he was met with cages. Each one was filled with numerous screaming women of some kind of species.

"What...what do we do?" Silver Spike had followed him down.

"Seems like you still wanted a fight. Aeternian protocol would dictate we kill every prisoner that's not an Aeternian, but that seems a bit barbaric given their situation," most of the prisoners looked malnourished and barely any had clothes at all.

"I guess the Horrid Hounds," Silver made fun of the name, "did this to anyone who stuck around in the city when they got here."

Arctus sighed, "go search the leader for some keys, he's likely to have some to these cages," the trainee nodded and went back up.

"Attention, please!" Arctus silenced their shouts, "I am Arctus, a Master Scout, it was not my intention to save anyone today let alone spare any lives. I am in service to Equestria. If any of you are in dire need of a new home, head there, mention I sent you and nopony will give you a hard time while you carve out a little spot for yourselves."

Silver Spike had returned and handed Arctus the key, "do not fight us or you will end up as the dogs upstairs. Take whatever clothing, weapons, food, water, equipment you may need, but leave all papers and military intelligence behind," he approached the first cage, "don't make me hunt any of you down for the information I need."

He unlocked them, one by one and the groups within ran out and up the steps, he could hear some rummaging for a while but eventually it went quiet. On their way out, they were muttering endless thanks to them both.

"So, Silver Spike," Arctus started conversation while he went upstairs and pointed to a spot for the trainee to begin searching, "what's it like to take your first life?"

"I-I..."

"That's an unfair question. This is what we do, feeling something when you kill or not, it doesn't matter. We do what we do because we must and because others can't."

"But...why are you so brutal?"

"Ask yourself that. You pulled someone's knee out and ripped it to tatters. Then you let him choke on his blood with a collapsed lung."

"I had to!"

"Because that's what it takes to win the fight."

He had finished going through a corner when he remembered and came back to his trainee.

"I almost forgot, show me that wound."

Silver Spike was still, it was bleeding but not as bad as early which meant some clotting had occured.

"You're going to the hospital when we get back, but you hold still and bit down on something," arctus retrieve a fishing hook and line from a pouch of his, threading it before he held it to the skin of Silver Spike.

And with a quick, somewhat violent movement, he punctured and began the process of sowing him up. while he took a torch and laid it on the stone floor, his spatha's blade tip atop it.

Silver Spike grunted the whole way, punching the shelf he was at quite hard.

And Arctus eventually finished, "here comes the exceptionally painful part. This is so any kind of filth on that ae doesn't fester and so you don't bleed to death before we get back," he fetched his spatha and looked to Silver's face, "ready?"

He nodded slowly and Arctus pressed the blade at one end of the almost closed wound. He did know first aid, but performing it on a pony was a bit difficult. Silver Spike shrieked loudly, his body trembled and Arctus slowly dragged the tip across the gouge, sealing it with the burnt and melded together skin.

To him, only a few seconds, to Silver Spike, a trauma to last a lifetime.

"Done. You can breathe now. You won't die and that scar might even be a good start to conversation."

Arctus left him and the pony slumped quick, breathing heavy. The Master Scout went back to searching through documents, the trainee joining him after a while.

"This...this is a weird symbol, what is it?" Arctus looked and saw the mountains and stars on top of a large binded book.

A journal, every higher up is required to keep one to log their life, activities, and actions in case the need to review or the need for some knowledge within arises.

And this was such a time. Arctus skimmed through and noticed it contained information from when Kanna first came to Equestria, it even mentioned a couple names and...

the notice of another Scout in service to someone.

"Shit. This is her entire journal and it's got the information I need in it, but we need to make haste out of here . We've made plenty enough noise and its time we get a little rest before we return home so we're going to the meet up point."

And so they went, quiet and with discretion, back to the portcullis, setting up a quick camp to sleep whatever few hours of night they had left.





"Silver Spike, did you enjoy your first Scout assignment?"

"I...I don't know. It's exactly what I expected and not at all at the same time."

"I had the same sentiment. If you train rigorously, you'll be a full Scout and capable of doing any kind of assignment on your own," the pair were walking up the footpath to Canterlot.

"Does the journal...scare you?"

"It does, but that's my job to worry about. Rather Celestia's once I report this back to her. You should do some heavy reflection, it's only after a Trainee Scout's first mission that they get a last chance to rescind their decision to join, after that you sign your oath and learn some secrets."

"Secrets?"

"Knowledge that can crumble kingdoms."

"O-oh."





Their journey back up to the castle had been a quiet one, but with plenty of looks and in their unclean, wild, messy, and almost savage looking state they went into the castle and right to the throne room, where they waited until the current court appointment holder left, they then entered together.

"Art!" Celestia galloped down from her platform, hugging him tight, "you were gone for six days!"

"We had to rest up a bit on the way back and do some foraging," he embraced her back, "we're okay, but we've come to give a report."

Shining Armor entered the throne room shortly after, "the city is full of rumors about some crazed po-," he looked to Arctus wrapped lovingly in Celestia's hooves and then at Silver Spike, "oh. That would solve that issue. Silver Spike, are you alright?"

"I'll tell you later, Cap-, Shining Armor. I'm giving a report."

The Captain nodded and left, closing the door behind him.

"Today's almost done for court, I'll help you get cleaned up soon," Celestia fretted.

"Princess, we have some news to tell you," Silver Spike interrupted her anxiety.

"O-of course. What happened on your excursion?" Celestia released Arctus but still kept a wind around him.

"We met a bandit gang consisting of Diamong Dogs, they called themselves the Horrid Hounds. We're certain we've ended their outfit, but they may still have considerable numbers."

"Thank you, Silver Spike. What of Kanna's reason for raising an army?"

Arctus presented the book he held, "every Aeternian in an officer like position is required to keep a running daily log in the form of a personal journal. You're welcome to read it, but I've marked when Kanna arrived in Equestria. IT was the same day as me."

"I'll definitely read it later, thank you."

"It...she fought another Scout, another Aeternian Scout who is in service to someone called the Storm King who rules in the South. I may have saw his kingdom and urged before to allow me to destroy it. I ne-."

"Arctus, when you described the city in the desert mobilizing for war, did you notice how different it was from the nation to the South that was conquering? How were they preparing troops differently? Equipping them?"

"The...I see. They were different, while both a source of concern, you believe that the nation that still stands is not a true threat and the soldiers in it are...? Are?"

"Good hearted beings with bad orders. And if anything has that good center, we can help them become that and shed any evil."

Arctus inhaled and then exhaled, "then it could be as simple as killing a leader."

"I'm not sure about that, but I have a feeling it will work itself out just fine," Celestia smiled at him.

"One more thing...there were, at least according to the journal, observances of Aeternians in the Dragon Lands and the Griffon Nation. The journal counted at least four unique separate individuals.

"I'd like you at home for a while, Art, call it a Princess' intuition, but I think we'll be having need for you. It's my turn to mention a topic," Celestia began, "we had a group of creatures seeking asylum appear across Equestria so we fed, clothed, gave them water and some beds, but they're under close monitor, almost like prisoners. Every single one mentioned your name."

"Princess Celestia," Silver Spike began, "we apologize, but there was some wrongfully taken prisoners. Instead of following Aeternian protocol to leave no witnesses or potential future enemies, Arctus saw fit to release them and offer them aid."

"I see. Thank you, Silver Spike. With both of you vouching for them, we'll integrate them into Equestrian society."

"Thank you, Princess," Silver Spike bowed to her.

"You are dismissed," she directed to Silver Spike who promptly bowed and turned around, "Art, I'll be up to your quarters shortly, please await me."





Acrtus did head up into his quarters and began looking over his equipment himself, laying all his weapons and tools out, numerous metal glints shining back at him in the late day sun.

He reached into a drawer and drew out a whetstone, gifted to him by the guard, and went about sharpening and maintaining his arms. The sound of the metal grinding echoed through his room while he worked, taking time to look at his giant arrows while he automated his arms.

"Wonder...wonder if I could get these blessed."

"Blessed?" Celestia had opened and shut the door behind her, "you bless your arrows?"

"I don't, the temple would. It was a professional arrangement," he stopped scraping the blade of his hatchet on the whetstone and put the stone away.

"What did it mean to bless arrows?"

"They would fly truer, nobody understood if it really changed anything about them, but everyone would report they flew different. War archers and Scouts were the only two groups to use that service."

Celestia trotted over and leaned her head down her horn lit and the arrows did as well for a long time after her magic focus dimmed.

"You...blessed them?"

"In a way, yes. How was Silver Spike?"

"He...he's incredibly promising. I worry I scarred him, but he's already so close to doing what I can do, he only needs practice. I tend to let him loose in the city and among the guard for his stealth and for him to study my journal and see the creativity a Scout keeps behind the curtains."

"That's very grim. Did you manage out okay?"

"Only he was harmed, I pushed him hard and demanded a lot of strength from him, everything he had."

"Be careful with them."

"There's a tailor...I used her services frequently, but she's requested the chance to join as a Scout."

"Hmmm, there's an interesting notion," Celestia began to assist him, repairing his tools and weapons.

Arctus began sharpening once more, "I intend to let her take a shot, but...is that okay with you?"

"Interesting that you should ask, I'm not any insecure, you can test her aptitude."

"Would she be welcome in the guard should she fail?"

"I think we can make room with Silver Spike's absence."

"Sergeant Light Lancer, he's eager, but I don't think I'll take him. He's not the same kind of determined."

"It's odd, I don't know whether you're seeking counsel from me or just telling me about your day."

"I don't often seek advice from anyone, rather from the stars and they aren't here."

"The day my sister returns...is coming closer."

"I'll be in the woods within the week that she's returning."

"Thank you, Art," she put a wing around him while the two looked over his equipment.

"Do you think we'll ever see peace?"

"By my hand, you're seeing it now. What you don't see is what keeps the current peace. Did you mean if I'll ever see peace?"

She stopped, looking to him out of the corner of his eye, "you're more astute of emotions than you let on. It's a feature I've noticed and come to admire."

"You learn a lot about minds and emotions over so many years spent here."

"While you were gone, Art, something wondrous happened. I've picked a new student."

"Who did you pick? What are they like?"

"They're young, but they hatched a dragon egg and advanced its age some, let alone it listens to her. I'll introduce you tomorrow, she'll be moving into the castle for a while, a room near yours."

"Understood."

"What do you have planned in response to the information you reported to me at court?"

"I'm going to this Griffon Nation, to track Aeternians and then to the Dragon Lands. You wished me away from that Southern kingdom."

"In contrary, I'd like you to investigate them, learn everything you can without being detected."

Arctus looked to her as he put away his equipment back to proper spots, finishing his maintenance, "I can tend to that well enough. If I meet the Scout that resides there, what should my direction be?"

"Capture them, but do not kill them."

That, from Arctus' view, was an impossible request, but he would not let that slip, not even his composure.

"I will carry that out, but I have a mention."

"Once you go to the Griffon Nation and then to the Dragon Lands, I know you'll make good judgement in your actions there, but when you finish, please return."

"I intend to, I'm finding it is harder to leave each time I return," Celestia quickly dragged him into her hooves.

"I'm staying the night with you and the next night, we'll be opening that cherry wine."