Star Hunter and the lost Kingdom

reporting in

"Equarnum? You're sure of this?"

Star Hunter was used to this question. After a day of being bounced about dimensions, he should have expected this not to go smoothly. He took a breath to calm himself before speaking. "I have details that will prove my story, milady."

Princess Luna pulled to her full height, starlit mane flowing in a magical breeze. Her aquamarine eyes read the dark pegasus up and down, noting that he bore a constellation cutie mark and moon-round eyes. "Speak of this place long lost."

"I am fluent in Ancient Equestrian," the pegasus began, "and the exterior had clearly carved out 'Equarnum Artemii Tidus Lunar', Garrison of the Moon and Tides. This was Aphelion's complex back in the day, was it not?"

"Aphelion...." Luna looked away. "Where was the garrison? We thought Discord had wiped it out of existance."

"He banished that garrison to a dry cavern someplace. The barracks are crumbling and the area was littered with weapons, skeletons, and Phalanx armor."

"You know of the Phalanx armor?" She raised an eyebrow at the stallion. "What is your name? Are you a soldier?"

"Star Hunter," the pegasus replied in Modern before switching quickly to Ancient Equestrian. "I was Officer Starwatch during the Discord wars."

"Explain yourself! I did not grant you such a gift!"

"I'll leave it that I have lived many lives. As Starwatch I remember my Phalanx armor, and I remember my initiation. Proof of my time then? I was bloodwinged."

Luna gasped. "That practice was banished-"

"Shortly after the Discord wars ended. Portcullis and Cloudseeker did it. The scars were under my armor, so they didn't get caught."

"We will have to talk further of your days in the Phalanx. Tell me more of what you saw at Equarnum."

"The arena's ceiling had been decorated in a night sky, accurate to a summer night during the Wars. The soldiers died of starvation and thirst but continued to serve even in death. The ghosts and skeletons that remained were tricked by a trapped demon named Mastenarus, the blue demon of the mists and mountains.I undid the ruse, so he may not be there anymore."

"what could be salvaged from there?"

"some weapons, some armor pieces. Museum ready at best, but your armorers could replicate if they had a suit. A skilled smith might be able to restore the Sword of the War Dogs if all the pieces are still there."

"There were two suits of Phalanx armor in storage," Luna explained, "we are trying to replicate the process but Something is missing from these new armors."

Star Hunter paused to think. "Phalanx armor had a lot of ritual involved... these were some of the first steels, are you cooling the metal correctly? The metal for the armors has to be cooled in tidewaters gathered at a full moon. The metal must be hammered twenty-eight times, every time, to signify the moon's cycles." His mind raced, knowing he had forgotten something. "I don't recall if there was a ritual or the forming or the leathering of the armors..."

"I will find the scroll again and speak to the smiths. The Phalanx will be the moon to the Solar guard's sun."