The chariot flight back wasn’t nearly as long as the flight there. Probably because it was down rather then up but I’m sure there’s some magical BS involved. As we approached Ponyville, I could see the smoke from the battle yesterday. I can’t hold back a sigh as I see the bodies of ponies and soldiers I killed being buried in a trench outside of town. Disgraceful to the dead. They deserved the pyre. Sure they tried to kill me but they fought like lions when I ended them.

The chariot dropped us off outside of the library. Spike ran out immediately after we landed and hugged Twilight.

“What’s going on?” he said worried. He looked past Twilight and saw me stepping out of the chariot. “Ah! Why’s he still here?”

“Thanks for the warm welcome griffon bait.” I say a little insulted.

“He’s not going to hurt you Spike. He’s here to help.”

“Help? Twi, he’s one of them!”

“Again, thanks for the warm welcome.” I repeat.

“He was their general back in his world. He wants to help fight them off.”

“And end this before it starts if at all possible.” I add taking the bag with my armor out of the chariot before it took off. “There a blacksmith near here?”

“I have a forge in the lab. Spike, did anything come for me while we were in Canterlot?”

“Just some bag.”

“Bag?” I ask.

“Yeah. Brown, heavy. Wouldn’t fit anypony around here, your name all over it.” Spike said.

“Where’d you put it?” I ask walking briskly into the library.

He didn’t have to answer. A light brown satchel lay on the middle table of the library next to the book I was reading earlier. I drop my armor on the floor and rummage through my bag. I start taking stock: a few assorted maps, a black iron Zippo lighter with a dragon head as its lid and a black leather book bound in string to keep it shut.

“Ah. Thank the Gods, my log is still here.” I say slinging the bag over my shoulders.

“Why is that so important?” Spike asked shutting the door behind Twilight.

“Reasons that you will never know griffon fodder.”

“Would you stop calling me that? It’s getting annoying.”

“Exactly why I’m doing it. If you don’t need anything further,” I pick up the bag with my armor in it and sling it over my right shoulder. “I have work to do. Get me when the supplies get here.”

I don’t wait for Twilight to get a word in edgewise. I go down a flight of dimly lit stairs. The sound of my feet striking the wood is absorbed by the wooden walls rather then reflected as I get to the bottom. I’m greeted by a room lit by hanging lamps. Witch was odd since the rest of the library was lit by candles. That aside, various machines hummed on one side of the room. On the other, a row of four empty stone furnaces sat next to a pile of wood, a sealed bucket of oil with a ladle, a large tub of water and an anvil with all of the tools of the trait. Not quite my mother’s workshop, but it’ll work.

The inside of the furnaces had racks for things that needed to be heated up but not softened. I lay my armor out on a table and start taking the metal from the frame work and leather. I reach into my pack hanging from my side and I pull the lighter out of a side pouch. The silver dragon’s head looks at me, begging me to open its mighty jaws and unleash hell. I knew it was out of its regular fuel, but it would never lack fire.

After I chuck seven logs into the furnace, I pour a small ladle full of oil into the top of the wood pile and I pull the metal rack out. After a few minutes or putting the metal plates of the shoulder pads into the clips on the top of the rack, I open the top of the lighter and watch the light blue flame flicker to life on its own. As carefully as I can, I light the oil on top of the wood and watch it start with a massive whoosh.

Once the plates were put into the flames, I take a seat and pull my log. I flip through the pages until I find an empty one. The pen I used before was still strapped to its spine thankfully. I click the black ink pen and start my first log in a long time.

Log Date: 15/4/1064 ANM

No, I haven’t traveled a few thousand years into the past. I only wish, I would rather deal with the kings of old then this. I’m- well I don’t know exactly. The people here are some highly evolved form of equus ferus caballus. A pony in layman terms. They aren’t just any small horse however, they’re intelligent. Right now I’m sitting in a per industrial lab with a forge beneath a tree hollowed out as a library. There are even Pegasi and unicorns! If I hadn’t just fought my fellow soldiers in the streets, I would think I was going crazy.

Earlier today, the town I am currently stationed in, Ponyville, (I don’t like the names here but bare with me) was under siege by soldiers of Rome. Rome for Romulus’s sake! They weren’t under my command, oh no, they were under the command of Cipherus. That bastard brother of mine. I only live to end his life. The leaders here don’t trust me. I wouldn’t either if something like me popped up in New Rome and killed about twenty soldiers.

Though through it all, I seem to have won the trust of one of the four. Princess Twilight Sparkle. An alicorn. (combination unicorn and Pegasus) It was because of my gilded tongue and her relation with her sisters that I was able to save myself the death penalty. Instead I am to lead a platoon against Cipherus. I don’t know how my brother came to be here, but I know he will die. The God of Chaos here, Discord, told me that two praetors shall bathe in fire and one shall die for their selfish desire. I still carry Nemesis’ dagger. The curse will kill me. It’s the only way I can kill him. But something else he said troubles me.

He told me that three praetors walk the land. One atop a pillar of sand, one in chains and the other in pain. And that in the forest of Everfree will the three meet their destiny. I already know Cipherus is here, but who else could be talking about. I have a hunch and I don’t want to be right. Thought it’s the only thing that makes sense. Regardless, I have to end this before it starts. No matter what the prophecy he gave me says, I will kill him. His blood will wet the battlefield and he will wander Tartarus blind, def and dumb.

This is the start of something; something I will end before it gets worse. I am the last true Centurion. I am the head of a Single Man Legion. A Ghost of Rome.

I shut the book and slip the pen into the spine. Then I see a small book mark sticking out of the top of the pages. I don’t remember having a book mark for anything. I grab the piece of paper at the top and I pull it out of the pages. The first thing I see a picture of two teenagers; one boy one girl; making the dumbest faces they could think of at the time. I smile a bit remembering that quest to Pennsylvania. There was something, I can’t for the life of me remember what it was, hidden in The King of Persia Mall.

It was the largest mall in the USA and we had to find something the size of a pearl. The girls light skin, long brown hair and bright blue eyes were breathtaking. I chuckle a little thinking of how she never took off that purple t-shirt. Even when it was on fire. Rose was a good friend. I suddenly remember why we had decided not to be near one another in a battle or during anything important, she distracted me. It made it harder for me to keep my concentration. It’s as though Venus is trying to get me killed.

I put the strip of pictures back into the book where I had just written and I go back to the forge to cool my metal plates.

Author's Note

Nexus: This still isn't that good.
Me: You can only polish a ball of dung so much Nex. It's not as bad as it use to be. And some people seem to like it.
Nexus: Yeah, all of five people.
Me: Let's just move on shall we?