Launching the Last Star

by The Real Darkness

Launching the Last Star

Sunset had shown him how to call Atti forth quickly enough but not the prayer to invoke him, but Luna had called him to the gardens one last time.

"Arctus, we believe we've located the last star you've been searching for," the sky already pitch black and apinted with spots of illumination.

"I owe you a great deal for this, Luna."

Her horn lit and a blue star with yellow flickering in its place was pulled into the sky above, "we know how much you do for Equestria. You owe us nothing," she smiled at her own painted canvas.

Ezith was a very different hero to embody. Instead of being focused solely on effectiveness in combat, he toyed and teased to allow for a very merciful killing. To manipulate your foe that they ask for death rather than having to be injured or brutalized into a killing blow.

Arctus began to attune, searching inside himself for those feelings of despair on the field of battle, wishing a peaceful death to those who stood against him.

A soft flickering light of the same two colors descended over him as he started to move his feelings around to soak in Ezith's beliefs.

"I know him, I know all Eight," his eyes stayed focused on the star, "I leave tonight. I go to the volcano in the dragon lands."

"Please, await our sister," Luna's horn lit again for a brief moment and in a flash of yellow, Celestia appeared next to her.

A quiet pause took us space before the diarch of day spoke, "I assume it's time, dear Art?" He nodded.

"Asarele!" The now mostly independent bird flew from the top of their bedroom tower, landing in the clearing of the gardens. Arctus leapt and climbed atop her, standing on the wood platform that was carefully and comfortable strapped to her back.

"Luna, I'm going with him as we discussed," Celestia flapped her wings and landed beside him.

"Arctus, our friend, please be careful in this endeavor. We will not intervene with the stars unless we deem it necessary."

He smiled at his sister-in-law, "I will. I have no intention of abandoning Equestria to its foes," he leaned to Asarele, digging his nails into her feathers, "Ponyville please. We need to get Savus."

---

He groggily laid on the wood platform with Celestia and Arctus, "I know I have all my equipment here," his right hand held his own greatsword, "but couldn't you have waited until morning?"

"No, it happens now."

They were already swiftly approaching the Dragon Lands, Asarele could see the other flying beasts on the horizon, "easy, just take them down if they get too close. They know who we are and won't dare to bother us," Arctus closed his eyes, lifting his spear from his back. His mind floated from hero to hero, summoning and bringing each of their stars forth.

The sky was beginning to look more like a light show.

Asarele screeched and an immense spear of ice skewered a younger approaching dragon, an adolescent. The single act was enough to make the others run off in fear. The dragon had been properly neutered by Arctus and Savus long ago. The party landed atop the now empty dragon throne, at the volcano. Savus clambered of the bird, looking as the dragons fled from the sight of him.

"I forgot how good it feels to be feared in combat," he laughed, "so is this why you brought me?"

"To deal with any dragons, yes," the Master Scout answered as he approached the lip of the volcano with Celestia next to him.

She stared into the lava below with him, "are you sure about this? I can save you out if necessary."

He pointed his spear to the sky, meeting her worried pupils with his own determination, "all eight of them are watching. I will launch as a star to them and know more of me."

"You know you don't have to do this. You'll still be Arctus, Protector of Equestria."

"And I'll still have the burning question of 'why' branded in my mind," he pointed his spear to the bottom of the volcano, letting mana flow from his feet into the rocks below and the molten earth started to rage more.

"Come back if anything goes wrong," she hugged him tight, planting a kiss firmly on his own lips, "and we'll have cause to celebrate if everything works.

Arctus embraced her back with fervor, making her back tingle with the force applied in his arm. His lips met her own again before he released and looked to the glow below.

In Aeternia, he had hungrily looked for all knowledge regarding the first launch and when the heroes launched themselves.

He leapt into the volcano as Celestia watched him. He landed not on top of the supremely dense liquid as most geologists would expect.

He landed in it and sunk rather fast below. The heat did not burn him, but he could feel it. His flesh did not melt. Fire, flame, lava were all things the Heroes were known to be immune to. He summoned mana within him and made a motion to jump, but he went nowhere in the bubbling mass of the now active volcano.

He attempted again, point his spear up and he could feel a force exert on his feet as he shot out of the magma, leaving a trail of glowing red and orange as he bounded into the sky.

---

Luna looked above on Sunset's balcony, staring as the streak of orange and red was smeared acros the sky by a birhgt blue star that soared toward the heavens.

"He's launched as a star."

"Did you not think is possible, Sunset?"

"I didn't believe that talk of Eight heroes," she held Arctus' journal in her right hand, "and then Atti talked to me and labeled me a favored warrior. And now Arctus is going to those Eight."

"We are still not quite sure what the Eight heroes are, but we know they are powerful enough to influence a pony and a person's fate," Luna commented.

"What do you think he'll do up there?"

"Ask them for the answers to questions he's always had," Luna answered and laughed, "Arctus will likely fight them all, as well."

Arctus could only see a blinding white as he felt his body soar before the momentum suddly began to drop and he stood on a surface he could not see in the white void. He held only his spear, but he felt the rush of a million wars in his veins, he could feel so many battles in his heart and the heat of clashing wills on his hands. A blurry shape came into view in front of him, followed by seven others. He could not truly make out any features, but he knew they were human, wielding an assortment of weapons.

One with just a dagger was upon him, but the knife slid over his head and his spear slid over the human's ribs before the point thrusted deep into the back of the unknown's neck. His movements were incredibly fast in this new space, as if he had no mortality binding his abilities back anymore.

The other seven dove at him in very coordinated attacks, but he was able to clear past each of them easily, fend aside blow after blow to counter flawlessly with just his spear, slaying as he would in a war on the frontline, as if he was Savus charging soldiers ahead and raining blood across dirt.

"He is beyond us."

"All that glory, I never thought possible one man could cleave it alone and just by himself."

"The stars recognize him as the greatest warrior even here."

"Welcome to the heavens, Master Scout Arctus. We've kept eyes on you."

Arctus didn't speak, he knew these eight shadowy silhouettes.

"Child, I, Kamna, and approve of every move you've executed in combat. You truly know how to make warriors feel as if they never had a chance in the single movements you execute," it laughed, "you came with questions."

More silhouettes, these ones not even solid appeared behind them, but Arctus knew their hearts nonetheless. He could feel the shared blood in his veins burn.

"These are your fellow Scouts. They stand up here, battling their days away, destroying kingdoms in the heavens, slaughtering foes, reveling, and sharing stories as they wish."

Arctus knew it was true, he could even see the transparent shape of a unicorn.

"You trained Silver Spike well. Sunset Shimmer and Strong Stitch are also fine scouts."

"Reba! Quiet! The boy came with questions and we should answer."

Arctus exhaled and then inhaled, "who am I?"

"Protector of Equestria, Master Scout Arctus. The warrior with the most glory."

"That's not what I asked. Where am I from? How was I found in a volcano?"

A pause.

"You are from here. You are starborn, the suspicions are correct."

"But you are also more. You are born from all of us, each of us gave a portion of our power to the Sacred Volcano when we launched and that power formed together to become you."

"Our people could not live without a paragon of power and you've ensured they will seek out glory."

"Every Scout in Aeternia can feel you in the night sky, they know your name and they know you've launched into the heavens. Every creature saw it. Following us is no easy feat."

"Did...did you Eight intend for me to be born?" Arctus asked the burning question.

"No, we did not. You just appeared and through our power as now divine beings, you were protected against aging, but that is all you are warded against."

"But you have become a great example of what a real warrior should be."

"And you've taught what it means to build, protect, and find true purpose in serving one's home. Many Scouts become blinded killing machines, hungering to write their next story until they die or become blood mad."

These Eight heroes were incredibly hard to follow, Arctus could only make out Kamna's distinct voice, "do our answers change you?"

"They never would," he answered.

"Are they satisfactory to you?" She continued.

"No."

"But you are satisfied with getting here to the heavens?" Kamna laughed.

"I am."

"I, all of us, we hope to see more of what you accomplish. We believe you will, soon enough, have a final accomplishment to overcome."

"Kamna, we won't speak in riddles. Master Scout Hazth. This will be the first real battle between two Master Scouts. We await it eagerly."

"You wish to go back, yes?"

"I have more questions. Is it true you all were mortals?"

"That is true, Master Scout."

"Did you have plans when you created me?"

"Not at first."

"But we did find that we could help push you into place to lead Aeternia into an age that didn't rely on destroying other kingdoms to indulge in luxuries."

"And then we decided against it. You are not to be our puppet, but to lead a life of your own."

Arctus didn't choose to wrestle with the rising emotions, not now, not yet, "why...how did I get to Equestria? What happened that night?"

"A long argument between us eight, but we decided that there were some who didn't belong in Aeternia. You, Savus, and others. Those who had won too much glory, fought with too much power and casted too great a shadow over others."

"We also moved one who could help you adjust to a new species, help all of you do so."

"As you can see from how all of you were across Equestria, that did not go as planned."

Kamna spoke directly, "but it was I who decided to move that disgraceful pompous dead mage here, even wrote that entry to Kanna's journal myself to lead you to kill him."

"Do you have any questions left for us, Arctus?"

He shook his head.

"Then we shall return you home. When you meet your end, we'll launch you as a star ourselves."

"I und-," before he could finish his sentence, the sruface he was stnaind on gave out and the shapes all vanished after his eyes blinked again.

---

From the dragon lands, Celestia, Savus, and Asarele could see the falling blue beacon and the orange and red flames falling from it. She could teleport, but Savus certainly couldn't go that entire distance with her, neither could Asarele, they'd likely be displaced and a panicked elemental bird is not what Equestria needed at the current moment. The icy avian would listen to her in the absence of her master however. Celestia teleported herself and Savus aboard.

"Woah, Princess, warn a veteran before you do that."

"Apologies, Savus. Asarele, fly," she pointed her hoof from the wood platform as the bird took to the air, "chase!" The ice entity shrilled through the air and took to the skies, racing back to Eqestria.

---

Arctus could see the ground approaching rapidly, but he could only view it, he was powerless to stop his descent. He could not act without a physical body, but upon impact he found himself looking at the now burning crater and blazing fields around him. He stood what must have been several feet deep in a blackened soil pit.

"I ascend and launch myself as a star just to be sent back from that space."

He spoke to himself while he gripped his spear, "Lohey would be interested in hearing about this. Every Aeternian would."

He felt rain begin to drench him and the area, extinguishing the flames in record time.

"Yo! Master Scout!" He knew that voice, "could you not wake up everypony in Ponyville and burn down the whole place?" Rainbow Dash landed next to him after the short heavy shower ended.

"It was not my intention," he defended, holstering his spear away while he began to climb out of the crater.

"Looking at the crater, I'd say it absolutely was your intention."

"Stars above, he just fell from the heavens!" Asarele had landed near the crater and Savus was first to approach with Celestia in tow after sharing a whisper with the bird, "cut the Scout some slack."

"F-fell? From how high?" Rainbow looked at Arctus again.

"The stars, Rainbow Dash," the soothing voice came over and helped Arctus out of the crater. He didn't need the assistance, but it was rather that Celestia wanted to and had always insisted on him accepting help.

"Thank you."

"Of course, can you start with explaining what happened up there?" Celestia was just as eager as all others present. In a flash of light, Luna appeared next to her sister, gaining a nod from the white alicorn.

"Rainbow Dash, I ask you to leave. The information discussed is not the kind for your ears," Arctus directed to the pegasus.

"What do you mean?! I've helped save Equestria like nine times now or something!"

"RD," Savus began, "it's not that he doesn't respect you, but some things are meant for Scout ears alone and the Princesses direct him. Want me to go also, Arctus?" The Master nodded to him, "alright, come swing by Ponyville some time, we need to go crawling through the woods some time."

"I'll see what I'm allowed to manage," the two of them left the group of three and Asarele in the fields.

"Pray tell, were you successful? We saw your rise and descent from the stars by our balcony," Luna spoke up.

"Could you sense my presence in the stars?" She nodded to his question, "I spoke with the Eight, they battled me on my arrival."

"Yet you don't have a scratch on you? Is my Master Scout that powerful?" Celestia posed.

"They said something that enlightened me as to how that white void works. Most physical features fade, but I could see all of mine just fine and some of the Eight as well, but the space recognizes glory and mortal accomplishments as power, not actual combat prowess."

"So, you've won more glory than the Eight?" Arctus nodded to the Lunar Princess' question, "we did not think such was possible. You must have killed many."

"It'd be impossible to count. They...confirmed that I came from them as part of their power they left behind in the Sacred Volcano."

Celestia began to smile, "and your purpose?"

"I was born accidentally, with no purpose. Then they tried to steer me to gain glory and show all of Aeternia its roots again but decided against later, letting me have free will."

"Art, does that bother you?" Celestia didn't have any motherly voice while addressing him, but her tone did show concern, "to not have a destined purpose in your unique life?"

"It does and doesn't," the white alicorn trotted forward and wrapped a wing around him, "we...I came from the stars so it feels like there's a part of me I'll never know, but it was just a destiny that was never even there."

"So you chased something that did not flourish a fruit, I'm familiar with the feeling."

"But I, our, anything's existance is not special, it's only special because of what we shape it to be."

Both princesses smiled, "we agree," Luna went on, "our actions define us."

"I share that as part of Aeternian belief and philsophy, but I did not practice it as precisely as I should have."

"Art, did they explain your arrival in Equestria? The other Aeternians?"

He nodded, "they removed us from Aeternia to force the entire nation to begin a journey to seek glory again. They took Aeternians that had earned too much glory and unknowingly caused others to stifle their pursuits."

"I'd deign to meet your Eight Heroes myself," Celestia commented.

"The Eight even complimented me on finding reason to seek glory rather than blindly pursue it and lose myself in it like most Aeternians, especially Scouts, do. I suspect that's even the root of why Hazth opposes us."

"We might yet still help him then, couldn't we?" Celestia posed.

"Sister, I don't think that would be wise."

"Agreed. Hazth is certainly capable of the same level of violence I am and I don't wish to entertain him in Equestria or anywhere. That is too great a risk."

"We might yet be surprised by what unfolds," Celestia always had a way of knowing more than other ponies and people did. Arctus had never questioned it, "what we do," she looked to Arctus a little more closely, "what you do will surprise even you."