Authors Note: I just want to clear up beforehand I bumped up Arthur's age from ten to fifteen for story purposes. I also want to make it clear I'll be taking liberties with some locations such as this one. Also the story will get its namesake a few chapters in. Enjoy.
Squire Arthur Maxson stood in the center of the Citadel's armory amazed. This was the first time he had been in here, and the sight of the multifold destructive armament made him smile. R91 and Type 93 assault rifles, AER9 laser rifles, and a smattering of plasma rifles hung on the walls, with 10mm conventional and AEP7 laser pistols on tables directly beneath them. On shelves in the center of the room were an assortment of behemoth 5mm miniguns and punishing gatling lasers alongside devastating missile launchers. In a separate area that was more akin to a cage were a few sniper rifles and the ammunition for them; Knight Captains Colvin and Dusk argued quietly as they dismantled their weapons for routine repairs, as was the rest of the Pride. Arthur watched them and marveled how the Brothers (as he referred to them despite Sarah and Dusk being female) could move their hands so fluidly to deal with such intricacies. It was Sarah's idea to bring him down here; after her recovery from the events of Project Purity her guiding arm was placed about his shoulders once again. He didn't mind, of course he didn't mind. He loved spending every moment with her, even when her helmet hid her beautiful face. Fortunately it did not now. He gazed at her fondly, letting his mind wander with his fifteen year old thoughts. If anyone in the Brotherhood had innate mind-reading powers they would certainly blush at his reverie.
"You paying attention Squire?" the Sentinel cajoled him, making him start.
"Yes ma'am." he quickly lied, giving her a nod.
"Good. This may seem a bit basic but it's essential to your training as a Brother of Steel. One day you'll be expected to maintain your own weapons. So..." she trailed off as she stepped away from the table bearing the dismantled laser rifle. "Better start now." she told him with a grin.
Arthur cursed inwardly. He hadn't paid attention to a damn thing and now he was going to pay for it. As he stepped up to the table he readied himself to try and perform the remantling on the fly. He hoped he could figure it out on his own...
He was saved from his apparent personal humiliation by what felt like the end of the world.
Without any preamble the entire room rocked, chunks of plaster falling from the ceiling as the ground beneath him shook like a mighty earthquake had gripped the world. Rifles and pistols clattered to the ground as the area bucked and swayed, causing a few misfires to make Arthur hit the deck to avoid stray rounds. Every five seconds it felt as if the force doubled in intensity with a tremendous roar, causing shelves to topple and knees to buck. It lasted for all of one minute before it stopped and the world was quiet.
"What the fuck was that?" was Dusk's eloquent query after it was over.
"Earthquake?" came Kodiak's hopeful theory.
"Too damn loud for an earthquake." was Sarah's reply, and Arthur couldn't agree more. It was something far more sinister than a simple earthquake.
"Bombing run." was the simple statement from Knight Captain Gallows.
"And we felt it this far belowground with who knows how much concrete and steel between us and the surface?" Paladin Vargus couldn't seem to help but snap at the Knight.
Gallows simply shrugged and cocked back the bolt to his customized scoped and suppressed assault rifle, looking menacing in his power armor with attached helm. Arthur had never seen him without his helmet or armor off.
"Whatever it was we need to find out. Gallows, Kodiak, get topside and figure out what the hell is going on." the Sentinel barked to her special operationist and generalist.
"Roger that." the two sounded off, Gallows taking the lead as Kodiak shouldered a laser rifle and followed, stepping over the newly-made debris of weapons and ammunition to make it to the hallway leading out. After they had left, the Sentinel knelt down next to Maxson.
"You alright Arthur?" she asked him gently, worry lacing her voice.
Arthur brushed some debris from his coat. "I'm alright Sentinel." he responded gruffly, though he was taken by the concern. The shock from the unexpected event had passed, and now concern for the rest of the Citadel had replaced it. Vargus was right, what could it have been to make them feel it down here? It couldn't have been anything good. Arthur had heard rumors that the "Lone Wanderer" had been tasking with a mission to destroy the new Enclave base at some airfield that housed a weapon of massive destruction... maybe he didn't make it in time? That thought made the Squire's blood run cold and goosebumps prickled his flesh. No. No. It couldn't be. The Wanderer wouldn't fail them now after all he'd done. Would he?
Following that line of inner musing came the return of Paladin Kodiak. He stopped just short of the threshold, laser rifle lax in his grip.
"Sarah." came his heavy voice through his armor's external speakers. "Sarah... guys... come look. Just... come look." was all he spoke in a voice laden with the shock of one who had seen something unfathomable.
Arthur's blood turned to ice.
The entire Pride followed Kodiak outside.
Outside into what had used to be the Citadel.
What was now a still-burning crater of fallen stone and warped metal.
Sentinel Sarah Lyons fell to her knees and screamed a blood-curdling scream into the mid-afternoon sky as Colvin began to chant softly for all the lost souls of the murdered Brotherhood. The other members could only stare in complete disbelief at the devastation as Arthur Maxson, fifteen year old descendant of the Brotherhood's founder, with a heart made of forged steel, broke down and openly wept.
