Of Villains and Heroes

By the time Scutum opened his eyes all his pain was gone, and the room was silent. He felt different as he looked around the room. As he looked around though, he was shocked to see the dead bodies of the five enemies threatening to kill them. He looked across the room to see Aduro's limp body lying next to the unconscious guard. "Adur-"

Be quiet! Scutum flinched at the mare's voice and looked around to see where it came from. Oh stop looking around, I'm inside your head.

"Did you kill him?" Scutum asked anger lined his voice.

Of course not. I promised didn't I? Scutum rushed across the room only to trip half way.

"What the?" He looked down at himself to see a dark gray coat instead of his white hair. "The heck?!" He picked himself up and noticed that he was taller than he was before. "I'm. . . taller?"

Not only taller. But you're physically stronger, your magic is more powerful, and you now have wings!

"Wings?!" He twisted his neck to see his back and there adorning his sides was a pair of black bat wings. "But. . . How. . . WHY?!?!" Scutum exclaimed in confusion.

Oh hush up! You'll wake the others.

"But why am I like this?!"

Well, you did put on the helmet. Didn't you?

"So the helmet made me like this? Then if I take it off I'll turn back to normal right?"

I don't know. No one else has ever put it on Scutum quickly took off the helmet and waited for something to happen. Nothing changed as a lock of his hair fell across his face.

"Is, this my mane?" Scutum touched his new mane. It had grown longer. "It's. . . blue. Dark blue."

Hmm it's more of a midnight blue to me, nice shade too. But not as beautiful as mine. One part of Scutum's mind wondered what the mare actually looked like.

"But, I'm still like this." Scutum moved a hoof to feel his forehead. "And I also have my horn still. What am I?"

You don't know what you are?

"No." Scutum blatantly replied.

You're a horned bat pony! The royalty of the Darkion Civilization!

"Darkion Civilization?"

You've never heard of it? It's the first civilized nation on the continent!

"But, the Lumin Empire is the first. Founded by the First King, King Aquitas Aduro Lumin I."

Aquitas? That incompetent fool founded a nation!?

"You know the First King?"

Know him? He lead a rebellion against me, put my city into stasis, and sealed me in this stupid helm!

"Your city? You. . . ruled it?" Scutum raised an eyebrow.

Yes, I was the Queen. Scutum stood in silence. It doesn't matter now anyways. She sighed. What were you and your little band of guards doing here that made you get ambushed anyway?

Scutum thought about her question before smacking his forehead with his hoof. "The war!" Scutum headed towards the exit, smacking into the wall next to it.

War?

"I have to get back to Lumin. I have to use the helm to stop the war." Scutum got back up and tried to walk out, only to fall again.

Now just calm down. She waited for Scutum to calm himself. I can help you stop the war.

"Good lets-"

But~ only for a favor afterwards. Deal?

"Deal."

Alrighty then! Scutum's horn started to glow as he was teleported, involuntarily, to the top of the ravine.

"Whoa what the?" Scutum said in surprise. His leathery wings began to flap as he started speeding back west to the Lumin border. "What in the wor-" Nothing else could be heard as a shock wave rattled the trees below.

It only took about half an hour for Scutum to travel a distance that had taken them days to make. As Scutum was nearing the furthest Lumin village, he could see what the war was doing to his home. The villages were ransacked and burning, the crops trampled. Here and there he could see the piles of dead bodies of all nations. "This war must not be allowed to continue." Scutum promised. "The main battle must be closer to the capitol."

Then let's go. Scutum's wing's gave another flap as he flew towards the capitol.

Soon enough Scutum was approaching the fields and could hear the fight raging on. He could see the fields full of soldiers from all nations. "Ok, now let's land over-" Scutum ponited over to Akturo.

Let's make an entrance!

"What?!" Scutum exclaimed as his wings folded and he began to dive into the middle of the battle. He collided with the ground and created another shock wave, only this one launched anypony unlucky enough to be 20 meters near the impact. Scutum's shock wave created a crater and opened an entire area so all could see him. Scutum stood up holding his head. "That. . . Should have hurt more than it did." He looked around to see the wriggling bodies of both Lumin and enemy forces on the ground around him. A few were bleeding. "Hey there are some Lumin guards injured here."

Collateral damage.

"No, no hurting Lumin forces."

Fine Scutum heard a yell from behind him. As he turned around he saw a Kludarian wielding an ax. He couldn't react in time. Scutum watched in fear as. . . a sword impaled the warrior's stomach. The warrior soon went limp and fell to the ground as the sword slid itself out of the body. You must watch yourself. I won't save you every time. Scutum watched as the purple aura surrounding the sword turned dark blue.

". . . Thanks."

Your welcome. Look out. Scutum turned to face a group of northern and southern forces as the rushed at him. With his sword skills and the powers of the helm, Scutum zoomed pasted each enemy, slashing and dodging. He would cut a soldier's throat, duck under an ax, spin and slash at the Kludarian, and dodge another swing. It felt as if he could see everyone in slow motion. Being able to take in his surroundings and act in a single second. Scutum spun around to face the next enemy to see an arrow flying straight at his neck. Scutum tried to dodge, but the arrow was faster. However, just as the arrow hit him, a purple field surrounded his neck. The arrow bouncing harmlessly off it. How many time must I save you? Don't expect me to save you every time. Scutum smiled.

"Thanks." Scutum parried an attack and stabbed the attacker in the stomach. "Can you explain to me-" Scutum dodged an arrow and blocked another sword. "Why my reaction time-" He pushed his sword forward, off balancing the soldier and cutting his throat. "Is way faster?" Scutum said as he jumped back out of the way of a mace.

Well, The mare started to explain. I'm actually enhancing your mind's power using my magic. Allowing you to react in a split second.

"Well that's ugh-" Scutum stopped a downward blow from a Kludarian warrior, then jumped to the side and sliced the warrior's side open. " -quite handy."

Look out! behind you! Scutum quickly spun around to slice the attacker's gut. But as Scutum turned to see the pony, his eyes widened in shock. He couldn't stop his blade, he was spinning to fast. His mind went blank as blade met flesh, and blood flooded out of the wound. Everyone around him seemed to stop as the attacker's body fell to the ground. Scutum stared in shock at the golden armored body that lay before him. Scutum, had just slain the King of Lumin.

Scutum continued to stare at the King's dead body as ponies around him began to notice the King's body as well, and stopped fighting. "No," Scutum muttered. "Why?! Why did the King attack me?!"

You must have been seen as a larger threat.

Scutum began tearing up. "I should have looked first. I could have stopped myself."

You were in the heat of battle, you had no time to check.

"I doesn't change that I killed him though!" Scutum's voice slowly raised.

"DEXUS!!"

Scutum raised his head to the familiar voice. Then he saw him, his father in his Captain's armor racing towards him with eyes full of anger. "Dad?" Scutum said in disbelief as his father raised his sword and cut a downward strike onto Scutum's face. Scutum let out a scream as the blade cut directly on his eye. His father ordering guards to take the Kings body as Scutum screamed in pain. "Why?" Scutum cried, blood falling from his left eye.

You're injured, we must leave! The mare told Scutum as his wings flew him into the air, the sword dropping to the ground. The battlefield slowly came to a stop as ponies on all sides realized that the king, had fallen.

During the flight, the mare had used her magic to stop the bleeding from Scutum's eye. Though it was still bloody and hurt him immensely. We must get to a safe place so you can rest. I'm-

"No," Scutum exclaimed. "Take me to the ruins."

But-

"I must at least make sure Aduro is safe."

. . . Very well then.

By the time Scutum reached the ruins, the blood on his eyelids had dried and clotted. The pain had subsided and he descended into the crevice. Once he reached the bottom he landed and walked down to the dig site. When he reached the bottom, Scutum saw Aduro standing out side of the walls. Soon Aduro's eyes meet his and Aduro ran towards him. "Aduro, Aduro! It's me Scutum!." Scutum pleaded

"I know Scutum, I saw." Aduro reached Scutum and supported his side. "Are you alright? What happened to your eye?"

"I- I went back to Lumin, I- I fought them."

"Are you alright?!"

"But then. . . then your father Aduro, he"

"What?"

"I killed him!" Scutum began to cry as he remember what he had done.

"Scutum it's going to be ok, we'll go back and fix everything." Aduro tried to calm Scutum down. "I'm sure that-"

"Hey, you! Get away from the Prince!" a guard's voice yelled as he ran, sword drawn. Scutum's eyes flashed back to his father running towards him. "No, NO! Get back! GET AWAY!" Scutum freed himself from Aduro and back off as dark blue magic began to swirl around him. "STAY AWAY FROM ME!" Scutum screamed as the magic exploded from him, knocking back everything around him.

As the dust settled Scutum breathed deeply and launched himself into the air. He flew up out of the crevice and flew in a random direction, only wanting to be alone.

Aduro raised himself and watched as his best friend flew away. "Prince, are you alright." The guard from before approached him. The other four guards arriving as well.

"I'm fine." Aduro looked up as his friend flew out of sight. "I hope Scutum is as well."