//------------------------------// // Putting Them in Their Place // Story: An Aeternian's Conviction // by The Real Darkness //------------------------------// They landed, the canoe thudding the shore and Lohey rose up appropriately. "Go North," he pointed, "you'll find a large city named Baltimare. You mention my name enough and you'll get somepony to take you to Canterlot where you'll be in front of Celestia," he drew his hunting knife from the ragged leather sheath he kept it in. Lohey climbed out from the canoe and he gently handed it to her, holding the blade in his hand. His left index finger pointed to his first initial on the bottom of the wooden handle. "This will help, but when you are brought to Celestia. Mention that the Glacegere's egg is in my quarters. That should be all she needs to confirm that you were with me an not some kind of spy." "Is...is it safe?" "It is, follow my instructions. You might get detained for a while, but they don't treat any criminal or prisoner poorly." Arctus stepped out of the canoe and pulled it completely ashore and into the swamp farther in, "go, stop standing about." Lohey began to leave, "and," she stopped looking back at him, "tell Celestia I love her," Arctus looked to the canoe and then to the swamp. He was in Equestria again, a safer land and so he took to the forest, desiring some sleep and food. Lohey left, going along the shore. She gripped the knife tightly. They didn't talk about it at all, but they both wanted to know what happened that night in Aeternia. Arctus had bagged an entire deer, roasted, gutted, skinned, and ate some of it. The meat was being held in the canoe, lined by plant leaves that were harshly boiled. He even boiled the already roasted meat to ensure it had no new diseases or parasites before he left that night, using the stars as a guide once more to land on a sandy shore of a rocky beach. In the dawn breaking sky, the Master Scout pulled his canoe aboard, taking the pound or two of food he had left and shoving it roughly into an empty pouch on his left leg. There wasn't enough sand to really hide his canoe. The violent waves and some rocky alcoves already filled with seaweed gave him a second method, not as stealthy, but enough to hide it so he could get back home once he was done. After layering the canoe and oars thoroughly with seaweed, the sun was well up again and Arctus left the beach, scaling a sharp rocky incline, as he came to the top. His head peered over. And just as the name suggested. The Dragon Lands awaited him along with an immensely arduous, yet surmountable, task. "For the glory of me. For the glory of Equestria. For the glory of Aeternia," he heaved himself up, keeping his body low. The flying adversaries and grounded large bodies were a far distance away from him, busy watching their young. The colorful creatures noticing him could easily show him the final moments of his life. So he crept about, heading along the north side and toward a rockier area. He already noted that he would be bunking down soon and likely a spot above his canoe, in one of the many rocky coves he saw on the cliff. Arctus had scaled down the cliff using his own two hands and his own two feet, his bedroll was set and some equipment was already laid out in the deepest part of the alcove. It was up higher and would prevent him from getting wet even during a tropical storm if one were to land. He slept and woke after he ate what food he had left. The first order of business was set to begin as the sun had already gone down. The Scout climbed back up, using the same rocks and holds he used to climb down. His cape was blackened and he held his spear as he crept further in to the continent. Stealth, subterfuge, surveyance; tasks that were all important to the success of this assignment. He needed to cripple them the easiest way he could, but he still didn't want to run them extinct. No, to rob someone of a chance at battling a future dragon wouldn't do. Dragons had their place in this world, evident by Twilight's hatching of one. His mind turned to his own egg. A lot of time had passed since he first acquired it and it was still incubating. He was beginning to wonder if raising it was ever in his stars. Arctus clung behind a rock, peeking his head out and making mental notes. Children, very young, too young to survive well without their giant parents about. They seemed able enough, walking, sometimes even flying, hunting was definitely an ability they had. Fighting him, however, is something they likely would not be able to handle. The adults varied in shapes, sizes, and body mass, but all had four limbs and a pair of wings. Some were even actively breathing fire. That was not magic. That was real fire and it would pose more than just some uncomfortably hot conditions for Arctus. He was still taking down his mental study guide. Some of these adults were asleep, some awake, some flying with their children. He could make out some words of them, general things, but they talked of violence and strength much more than other races here. Power seemed to be their goal in life along with the size of their hoard. But he did make out the title Dragon Lord. Arctus had a mark he needed to dispose of now. From the sounds of it, being the Dragon Lord was something any of them could achieve. It's like the talks of being Emperor of Aeternia, what people would do if they had the power, what they would change. It was just a different species discussing it in their own political system. The Master Scout breathed in. Killing the Dragon Lord would not be enough to topple them, another would take their place. He would need to kill every single candidate, every single adult. A daunting task to stare down. The best way to do that was to strike fear into them. And if they saw him, they'd definitely feel superior from size alone so a direct confrontation, even if short lived would not be desirable. The way they spoke to each other made them sound like none of them were kin or friends and would betray one another just to prove they are stronger. Pride, he could use that to his advantage. There was only ever one mind spell he learned from the temple. The priests kept them all as forbidden knowledge, but he made off with a scroll when he was being ran through the discussions of becoming head priest due to his abnormal birth conditions. But he was once that prideful and would showboat his own abilities. It had changed him knowing he had something to protect. That did cause another thought to run through his mind. What made Equestria so different in his mind that it was worth protecting as opposed to Aeternia? Arctus already knew the answer to that question, but he felt there was still more to gain from asking it. The Master Scout had a plan hatched in his head and he marched with his greatsword drawn and leaned against his right shoulder. Towards the nearest gathering of dragons. His spear, blessed by magma, was capable of protecting him from magic, but to protect from a natural weapon like dragonfire. He'd need his own physical prowess and heavy use of shield spells. Arctus was bravely walking right to his adversaries. Once he was close enough for them to notice the family of dragons ceased their activities and collectively stared at him while he approached. His behavior didn't change when they reacted to his presence. Instead, his spear found its holster again and he slowly drew his greatsword from its holster and out of his cape. At this closer distance, what he thought were originally storm clouds across the island just prior to the torrent of rain were puffs of smoke. Smoke streamed from the giant adults nostrils and mouths, showing the flame they held within. Arctus' heart began to pump hard. A human walking, hiking through the woods comes across a bear and their fight or flight kicks in. Adrenaline slams into their heart and they're ready, the body is burning an incredible amount of calories for them to use the energy they need right away. That's what it meant to be alive. As a Scout, those moments become fewer and farther apart. As a Master Scout whose lived as long as he has, they never happen. But today was that exception, he had his bear in front of him, a giant cyan four limbed monstrosity that towered above him. A second bear that was orange, long, lanky, but with only four limbs. His heart was pounding hard in his chest. Marching right to the child of these two dragons, the pink scaled creature that was just as big as him, Arctus assured his chest that he was prepared and that his fight-or-flight response was voided. One of the beasts lurched forward, inhaling. The second its mouth parted, Arctus broke into a sprint, grasping his greatsword firmly in both hands. "For the glory!" He shouted his war call again and stoked mana within himself, maintaining focus on an impressive amount of things. Flame began to chase his back as the cyan dragon breathed it and followed him while he made a run to the fledging dragon. He reared the thick blade behind him and swung it about, pracing the handguard against his shoulder the moment before it made contact again the scales of the frightened creature. Blood sprayed over the rocky ground and Arctus as the head of the family's youngest flew through the air. The Scout ran on, turning in a half circle to come face to face with two intensely angry parents. The veins popped on his skin and he could feel sweat dripping from his brow. The orange dragon roared while Arctus traced the air, "relentless Gær! I invoke your name. Give to me," his body shook as the ground did from the roars following the orange's, "your breath, blown into my nostrils so I may not." A green light bounced from the smoke fumes above and soaked into Arctus. He lifted his left hand and summoned a black ball in it, gently guiding it to the greatsword while the two dragons stampeded toward him. The blade soaked his magic up, a magic Arctus learned before he went to war on the front lines against the first rival nation that openly declared hostilities against Aeternia. The greatsword oozed black smoke while the blade became tainted and Arctus let his mana slowly seep from his hand to the sword to keep the enchantment active, "here we go, Arctus." He spoke aloud to himself, gripping the sword with both hands again. "We don't know the journey, but we know the victory," he assured himself and leapt a foot forward, rushing to the orange dragon that approached with its mate.