As Damos and Veil walked Into the Training Field Luna hit Damos with magic returning him into Damocles. The Phantoms where all just sitting and talking until Veil Spoke up.

"Attention On Deck!" Veil called out. Everyone Snapping to attention. As Damocles moved in front of them. Veil right by his side.

"Fall In." Damocles ordered. "So its time for Promotions. I have a lot to say about Initiation Night... Some Great Some terrible. So let's start from the top." He Turned to Face Veil. "Thrall Veil Front and Center!" She marched to be at the forefront of the Group. "What would you rather to hear what you did wrong privately or have it aired out like dirty Laundry. Because if there is one thing my old homes military taught me. 'Shit Rolls down hill.' Eventually Someone will learn about it."

"I would rather all of us know it sir, so that those behind me do not make the same mistake if they are put in charge of a mission, Sir." Veil said straight Faced.

"Admirable... OK lets start with the First Screw up. You gathered Absolutely NO INTEL before initiating the Mission. You had a Wellspring of Knowledge about whats on the other side in the form of 2 princesses. One who has actually went their multiple times. Not to mention anyone else who might've been there. Say Spike Drake, or even Starlight Glimmer." He said. "Information Can mean the difference between Life and Death. Spike was Ready with a map and information for you guys had you simply ask him. He would've told you all that whats on the other side is similar to what I Was. with a map that that shows where you can go to get transportation. And what you need to do. The 2nd Blunder was trusting the people in an unknown environment. Always be wary of Civilians some will try to help you Others will Attempt to have you steered off course if not pose as a threat to begin with. And now for the biggest Blunder. You left someone behind." Damocles's Voice seethed with unbridled anger. "I understand that you have been Ingrained that the mission comes first. But the mission is and was not Do or Die. We are to Prevent That matter from ever Arising. You didn't need to defeat me or fight me. Just find a way to distract me long enough for all of you to escape. Never Leave someone behind do you understand me?" He turned and faced all of them.

"From this point on we are going to be a family. If the end of the world comes, Through Fires and Damnation or High Waters and Salvation, we do whatever we can to keep each other alive. If we fail a mission we fail a mission. Yes it will look bad but where we fail, there is another group ready to act. I don't ever wanna hear we lost someone. Which Brings me to this point. From this moment On. The Phantoms will have a rather odd Motto, 'Phantoms Never Die, They just go Missing In Action.' From this point forward. As a Phantom your Military record will be so Fucking Red Taped only the top Royalties will get permission to look at them. That means Only Kings, Queens, Ruling princesses and The Dead will be the only ones allowed to know anything about what we are doing." Taking a breath to compose himself again he looked at Veil whose ears were splayed back. The only sign of emotion in her otherwise stoic look. "Now what I must commend you on. You kept the group focused and you easily set up what the purpose for each and everyone of your squad was capable of doing. With that In mind And per the normal situations Congratulations, You are now the Rank of Acolyte..." A visible rising Dark Aura Whips around Damocles as He extends his hoof out to Veil. " For you service and controlling the situation at the Fox's Den during the fight you have achieved this rank. You proved yourself as a capable leader when the chips are down, but you still have much to learn. Don't Disappoint me."

Veil slowly Held Her hoof out and touch the extended hoof of Damocles. Suddenly the Aura of Darkness Stilled before moving to the connection point that was their hooves locking Veil's to his. The Darkness moved like ink across her coat and spreading slowly as panic and fear filled eyes.

"Kids you must learn. The closer you get to the Light," Damocles Said as the darkness began to fully cover Veil leaving her eyes and chest for last. "The Darker your shadow will become." He said as suddenly the Darkness exploded off of her before recollecting onto her with a weapon holster and a Scythe. A black rose Growing in her shadow. "Congrats on your shadow Weapon. Now Fall in behind me." Damocles ordered as he pulled his hoof from the Newly Promoted Acolyte. The scythe itself seemed to glow with a white light that seemed to move. The same could be said for her holster and even her wings. "Next... Fall in, Virulent." The Thestral in question Stepped forward.

"Same deal?" Virulent asked as he stepped up.

"Yeah."

"Whelp Dirty Laundry stinks so everyone will smell it eventually." He shrugged.

"Very well. Virulent, you were Too Hot Headed. You didn't think about securing the area, And let you yourself be too exposed. That being said. You knew your Limit's or what were your predicted ones, and you surpassed them. When Pushed came to shove you became the backbone the team needed to hold me down for longer than a few moments. I mean You actually damn near broke a bone on the first hit that made contact." Virulent smirked at that. "The only thing holding you back is your own arrogance and anger. Some times attacking is not the best solution. But sometimes its the only solution. Learn when to pick your battles. Congratulations," Damocles became engulfed in Darkness again, "Vandal Virulent," He held out his hoof. Virulent smiled as he pressed his against Virulent. The Darkness Repeating the Process. Engulfing him until his eyes glowed Breaking the Darkness forcing it to reform, Instead of becoming a weapon like Veil the Darkness Seemed to seep into his entire body. And in a blink the darkness took to virulent like a second coating of skin the White light shifting around his body, Giving him a more demonic look.

"Oh Luna... The strength I feel... The energy and Power!" Virulent eyes began to take on a paler look until Damocles knocked him on the head. Dispelling the Form with a an annoyed look. "S-sorry I got a bit drunk there didn't i."

"Yeah. Go fall in behind me." Saluting Virulent left to join Veil. "Satin Fall in." Satin Approached. "Which do you want?"

"I would like to address it in private sir. Along with a few questions if you don't mind." She said softly. Damocles rose his eyebrow at this but nodded slowly. "Then in your dedication to the mission and willingness to risk yourself for the sake of the mission in more than 1 way, I promote you to Acolyte. See me in my Quarters for the full details." He holds out his hoof encased in darkness. "Just breathe... It only looks scary." Nodding satin presses her hoof against his. Her eyes light for a brief moment as she opens her mouth.

"I accept the terms." She says The darkness spreading from Damocles's Hoof suddenly stops. Her shadow however Lifts up slowly and stands with eyes of white looking at Veil. Behind the Shadow on one of the walls an Eye of Ouroboros Opens up. The shadow's Jaw begins to move and directly into everyone's mind who is near it A message is said.

"You accept to bear a portion of his burden?"Keeping her hoof to Damocles Whose darkness has receded back to only his. She turns to face her shadow.

"That is what I said... I wish to be able to Prove myself." The shadow turns its head towards Damocles.

"Father of Shadows, King of Void, Lost Darkness, Do you agree to share your pains with this one who is young?" The snake spoke with a duality to its voice. The shadow looking and becoming more physically real with each second outside of the fact it has no shadow of itself. Damocles looks at Veil and Sighs.

"I do not. Grant her a portion of what she would've received but I do not share my burdens with any of these." He says and the shadow pony nods slowly before lowering back into the ground the darkened life it had shoots up from the hooves of Satin and into Damocles who merely shudders. Damocles Turns towards Veil as the Eye Disappears. "Never Accept something you cannot handle. Ever." His glare hardened as he turned to address everyone else behind him. "How many of you now knowing that this is a thing want to do it?" nearly everyhoof including Princess Luna's went up. This made his anger rise and a snarl escape his lips. "Everyone Fall in. It's time to begin our Training."

"Let me start off with something Simple NONE of you are ready to carry this burden. Because of something very fucking simple!" He stared into the eyes of his adoptive mother when he finished his sentence. "You are all Prey. Where I am from and even now I am still the APEX PREDATOR!" Wrenching his glare away from his mother to the recruits he continues. "To Be the Apex is to be the Top of the food chain. As in you will eat anything and everything. Your species is feared by all, and not even the gods of the Heavens or Devils of Tartarus will challenge your reign. When we move we leave nothing but destruction, Desolation, and the quiet silence of death and decay behind us. At the end of the day I am the final Villain you will all have to deal with. Do you understand?!"

"Sir, Yes, Sir!" They shouted in unison.

"WHAT?!"

"SIR YES SIR!"

"I CANT FUCKING HEAR YOU, YOU FUCKING SILVER SPOONED WEAK CHINNED DINNER MEALS! DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME!"

"SIR YES SIR!" Nodding with a smile.

"Alright Everyone pick up a bow staff... We have a lot of work to do and we don't know how much longer till the next villain appears and start traveling." He said. "Also Heart Breaker? NO magic. And NO flying from the rest of you. Not for a while. So we go back to the basics."

"Sir... we have already been through basic." Veil explained. This Made him grit his teeth.

"THATS IT! I put in an order to the Empire to send me badasses and pillage hungry Murder machines but INSTEAD, All I got was you Cupcake COCK CLOWN and a side order of FUCK-Nuggets. I can tell at a glance at least 50% of you cock suckers, and the other 50% are cock suckers who have never been told to believe in themselves! I'm Gonna Shove my Hoof so HARD and FAST up your ASSHOLES it will trigger a Geological Event! You all Reek of Poverty, and Animal Abuse. Every breath you take is a stunning endorsement of Abortion. You Shitstains are a collective master piece of Failure, Your gonna end Cock gobbling and circle-clopping each other to exhaustion every night! You Signed up to get pounded by me and probably cried like little sissies when you realized I Don't have a thing for ponies! You're Sensitive ponies Cried so many Tears I could Float away on river of Douche Canoes. You glitter-toed, cock-wrangling, fairy-tinkle bag puff of fuck nuggets are gonna get you collective anal cavities stretched so far apart you'll think you're Pile-Drived By Ouroboros! I will reorganize the failure that is all your lives, I will FUCK-START your soul! I'll make you Mongoloid rock-chomping thunder cunts scream harder than your mothers after her fourth failed coat hanger abortion. I'm Gonna chop off your shriveled balls, Put'em where your eyes should be, Put a Sombrero on your head and Beat you Like a Pinata! Hell, I'll make you shit so many bricks, you'll put Mexicolt out of buisness. BUT FEAR NOT! Because in the Next Few Months, I will Turn you COCK MONARCHS into FUCK MASTERS OF GALACTIC DESTRUCTION! YOU WILL BECOME THE NEW SPARTANS OF THIS WORLD AND THE LAST TESTAMENT OF HUMAN STRENGTH!" Damocles Ranted in rage his eyes lighting with the fires of passion. In that Moment something stirred deep within the ponies standing across from him. Their eyes glowing with will as their shadows darkened. Their ears all flicked as if hearing a voice call out to them from the distance.

"HOU HOU HOU!" They Chanted Each one Stomping Their Rear left hoof with each cry. A wicked grin appeared on Damocles Smile. Music Began to play as Damocles Kicked up a staff Grabbing it with his hoof before spinning it expertly around himself to grip it infront of him with both hooves. It horizontal to his body.

"LETS Get down to business! To defeat our foes!" He began to walk them through the motions they would be using.

"HOU!" They Called out as they replicated.

"Did They Send weakness me When I Asked for Strength?" he called as the field began to change into a field with stone pillars into the sky with no 'Visible' Bottom. Damocles was using his staff to move about to each different stone pillar. As the Phantoms tried to replicate what he was doing with the shifting terrain they ended up falling to ground. Damocles shaking his head landed on the ground in front of all them shaking his head. "You're the Saddest Bunch I've Ever met. But you can bet before were Through," Damocles using his metal wings up righted them all shoving the staffs back into their hooves, "Somehow I'll Make a Man Out of you!" The scene changed as they appeared at an archery field With planks and apples. Grabbing a bow and 3 arrows using his front hoofs standing on his back legs. Stomping up on a plank launching 3 apples into the air firing the bow landing a hit on all 3 apples before they struck their targets. "Tranquil as a forest, But a fire Within!" The others attempted to repeat this usually either hitting an apple or hitting the target off center, Tender on the other hoof decided to try and use her magic to hold the apples in place for her arrows Which was met with a scowl from Damocles as he walked up to her. Smiling Sheepishly she let the apple fall from her grasp. The Next Scene showed Damocles Standing on a pillar of several rocks in the gorge blind-folded with with a bucket of water balanced on his head. The others all had several rocks.

"Once you find your center," he began as each began to throw their rocks at him using the staff to block the rocks keeping the bucket of water balanced and maintaining his balance on the uneven rocks. "You are sure to win." One by one each of the other tried to repeat what Damocles did. Virulent swinging too hard causing the rocks to shift and fall from under him. Veil Jerking too much making the bucket fall, Tender Heart Getting knocked off. Satin getting the bucket knocked off as she knocked the rock under her towards Damocles dodging it as it struck Virulent who was laughing behind Damocles.

"You're a spineless pale, Pathetic lot." Damocles said as he walked up picking up Satin. "And you haven't got a clue." The Scene changed to them being in a babble brook near Fluttershy's cottage Damocles Moving Rapidly to catch a fish in his mouth Holding it before spitting it back into the stream. The others trying to Replicate it Tender heart accidentally Grabbing Virulent's foot making him fall into the water as other missed or grabbed a stone. "Somehow I'll Make a man out of you."

Scene Changed to the late at night in the training yard with Damocles, Starlight, Trixie, and Spike Firing mini fire works, small blasts of flames, or weakened magical blast from diffirent locations in mass amounts as the others tried to dodge.

"I'm Never gonna catch my breath! Say goodbye to those who knew me." Veil said as she tripped and got pegged with an emerald fireball in flank.

The scene changed again and Tenderheart was about to attempt to smash a slab of concrete. "Boy was I fool for cutting Gym." She said before near breaking her hoof on impact as her body shook from the tremor.

In hoof to Hoof combat training Satin and Damocles were fighting until Damocles landed a Round house kick knocking her into a tree. Discord was pouring water on her and waving a towel.

"This guy's gottem scared to death!" he sang with a glare at him.

"Hope he doesn't see right through me." Veil said as discord helped her up to fight again.

The scene changed again with them jumping over logs locked into place in a river in Everfree as the Sea Serpent Steven Magnet, made the waters near un-survivable. The Thestrals all had their wings tied to them as Damocles was doing backflips from log to log the others barely jumping across them only having enough room for a single hoof.

"Now I realy wish that I knew how to swim!" Virulent sang as he nearly caused everyone else to fall into the waters.

The scene changed again to the night as they were beginning Target Practice with some heavy Munitions "Be A Man!" they sang and chanted as they're shots missed by yards.

"We Must be Swift as a Coursing River! With all the Force of a Great Typhoon!" Damocles sang as Discord decided to play a small prank on Tender Heart, making her aim go off by having the stand fall. Grabbing the Firework and holding it up it ended up blasting skywards before circling down and crashing into Trixie's Cart as she just walked out with more Fireworks. Right outside of Twilight's home. "With all strength of a Raging Fire, Mysterious as the Darkside of the moon." the scene changed again to the middle of the afternoon. Everyone was running with weighted armors and saddle bags Spike was riding Damocles who grabbed his attention and pointed out Satin falling behind.

"Time is Racing Towards us." Damocles ran back to Satin Using the metal to strip the armor and saddle bags putting it on himself. "Till our Foes Arrive. Heed My every Order, And you Might Survive!" He sang as ran back ahead to the front of the pack. That night Damocles approached Satin and Tenderheart, with a pair of tickets.

"Your Unsuited for, the Rage of war. So pack up, go home your through." He said pushing it into their hooves. "How Could I, Make a man out of you!"Damocles walked away to meet up wtih Starlight, Spike, Twilight and Rarity In Damocles's Lab. Luna watching from the window saw the two mares nod their heads as they tore the papers up and began training Hard in the Dead of night.

"Be A Man." Discord sang as he watched over them.

"We must be swift as a coursing River!" Satin declared as the two sparred.

"With all the Force of a Great Typhoon!" Tenderheart Added, as they met each other blow for blow before healing themselves up and moving on to muscle building and Defining.

"Be A Man." Discord Sang as he helped intensify it. At this point the rest of the group was waking up and watching the two Cheering them on.

"With all the Strength of a Raging Fire!" Satin Sang as she started Climb the walls with weights she wore when running before going and making a strike at Tenderheart.

"Mysterious as the Darkside of the Moon!" TenderHeart Sang as Her eyes pulsed with darkness for a moment as the two's movements got easier. Luna Landed before Damocles who had just walked outside and smiled nodding her head to the two. Damocles Looked on as the two were sparring in full gear before the both launched a cross punch and knocked eachothers helmets off to land directly infront of him.

"Be A Man!" They all Sang.
The scene Changed to a run in which Satin and Tender heart are leading the pack. "WE must be swift like a coursing River." the scene changes again to Veil sparring against Damocles using shadow weapons and skills before Fulling Knocking him back into a rock. "Be A Man!" Shaking off the dust Damocles gripped his jaw with a hoof before grinning violently. "With all the force of a Great Typhoon." The Scene changes back to the Everfree River with Virulent Jumping between the Posts Alternating the hoof non-stop between all of them. "Be a Man." The scene Changed to night as they were all dodging with great ease all the darts, Fireworks Flame Blast and magic Blast. "With all the Strength of a Raging Fire." The scene Changed to Tender heart Shattering 2 slabs of Concrete with her Fucking Face like it was nothing. Finally the scene changed to all 4 of them using their dark gifts to combat Damocles and successfully, Despite Discords Attempts to trip them up as 'Murphy's Law' Pinning and Detaining Damocles. "Mysterious as the Darkside of the moon!"

Everyone stood at attention as Damocles in full Regalia Stood before them.

"Congratulations Everyone. Over the Course of 5 Months, you have all become presentable and fitting Wardens for me. I have essentially completed Basic schooling. So Celebrations are in Order, Now you have the next few weeks off until we get assigned to something. Enjoy your time off. When you get back each of you, Good luck providing Of course, will get a shiny new set of armor. Now, Im going to go to sleep, Wake me up at you're own risk, just understand its not very healthy. If I need you Watch your shadow for a letter, you all know exactly what I mean." Damocles said as he shambled off to his room.

In the Frozen Wastes of the North

A dark Stallion surrounded by a perpetual vortex of Ice wind and cold looked at the army he created.
"Yes... There we are. Everything is ready now to reclaim what is mine." The dark steed turned his head and the vortex shifted a break for his vision. Across the sky was an aurora that led the direction. "I am Coming for you." He said with a Dark Laugh.

"My Crystals"

Author's Note

Im sorry... Its all I can say... i've been wanting to do this chapter for a while I thought of modifying a lot. But In the end i feel like I had to BS it.... But thats ok. New Armors and a Dark Wind is blowing. Some One sing me the songs of my people!

*Cricket Cricket*

...oh... Thats right...