Sometimes power is not always wise to go for. Sometimes you need to allow power to pass you by never allowing it to become you. I have been searching for ways to defeat the evil within me. All I can do is either let the evil take me over or get exiled from this island

Written by Lavan the wise.

I have found it. The ability to give me more power. The power I have been craving!! I have gained a following in this land called dream valley. I have found the wands. The princess shall be killed. I shall get what I need to fight Grogar and judge this land.

Written by Lavan the mad king.

The hammer I held tightly in my buggy hands I charge at the crystal monster. The speed of the attack is so great I feel it affecting my wings. If I move just wrong my wings could fail and cause me to fail this attack. I smash very hard into the crystal body of Lavan. When the hammer known as freedom smashes into him. It breaks through this crystal right into the lava body. The hammer is now stuck in the hot lava. Lavan stands there laughing and he then screams in pain. As I look at the hammer glowing. I pull the hammer out of the wound and the hammer is fine. I back up holding the hammer tightly.

“Moonlight runes.” I glance at Skysong. “The rune you must do when you’re in the moonlight. It’s one of the best ways to fight a minion of the stars. But the downturn will burn you as well. You’re of the stars too.”

How am I of the stars? Then it hit me hard I have been chosen to be the star. To not only be judged by them. But they also wished me to kill for them. I took a deep breath looking up to Lavan who is finally healed.

“You hurt me… Not even the princess ponies could hurt me. They screamed like fleas under my foot. So did Majesties little dragon pet.” He laughs softly. “Oh, I shall let the stars have their time with you!!”

He lifts his crystal hands for a moment and he cast a spell. The ground started to shake as the lava came out of the ground and it blocked me off from the rest. Then I heard laughter on the outside.

“Get them all my minions.”

“YES, MASTER!!” A small lava demon yells. I hear the battle outside and screaming. I turn back to Lavan now I am trapped fighting this monster this judge. I tried to find a weakness in Lavan’s crystal body. My helmet can’t seem to find any weakness in the crystal. It looks like I must allow the moonlight to burn me. The spell was finally cast and Lavan forms a lava sword and shield in his hands.

“Welcome to your end hero.” Before the battle started a shield landed right beside me. It had no name but a rune on it. Why would anyone have a shield? I quickly held it in on my cybernetic hands. Before I could get a good grip on the shield I was attacked. Lavan smashed right into the shield causing the vibration to hurt. I lifted the hammer in my upper two hands and smashed down on his weapons. Our two weapons glowed feeling the pain filling my body from the moonlight.

I lift the shield and block one of his attacks and when he hits the shield again. The vibration from the attack causes me to drop it and he stepped on it and it makes his body shake. Looking down at the shield it’s glowing like a hammer. While he was stunned I smashed the hammer into him and broke apart more of his body. I didn’t allow him to reform even though my hands are burning from the light.

I held the hammer tightly even though it burned through my armor. All that was left were crystals and some lava. I let the hammer down coughing in pain from the moonlight affecting me in a bad way. I didn’t even notice him reforming and I saw a shadow above me and a giant mace comes down to hit me. Oku the body of Oku gets in the way and takes the hit. The mace goes through his entire body stopping right at his tail.

The body reforms while Oku held a sword. He did his best to fight off Lavan while I took a breather took the gloves off my buggy hands and I pour a little bit of potion on them. The burns heal groaning a bit at the pain. Oku is lifted and the former dead general is tossed to the ground and gets back up. Lavan uses lava from his noncrystal hands to set Oku on fire.

The fire causes him to fall apart and the green mist to leave his body. He turns to me his eyes full of sadness. A creature of the dead full of sadness? Then it hit me and hit me hard. She brought their spirits back. It’s him just not able to speak. His body turned to ash and dust and I look back at lavan.

“He has been judged and his judgment based. He is not guilty.” He judged him and that is how he handles the ones he judges? “Your judgment bug will be when the King returns. But it doesn’t mean I can’t have my fun.”

The crystal monster smirks. He was just doing this to have fun? So my judgment for him has already passed and I am guilty to him. I took a deep breath putting the gloves back on and grabbing the hammer tightly. The runes glow in the light.

“Even if the moon brings me pain. I shall fight you to the bitter end!!”

“Or fight me till I get bored with you and allow the other judge to have his fun.” Beezen is here? I thought he was with the ponies, not the Enclave. A sudden suit of enclave armor hits me from behind I fall to the ground dropping the hammer. Turning to look at the armor the eyes of the helm glow brightly and I then saw a chair coming to join in and looking towards a sword and a gun coming to join in.

“What in the world?” The armor laughs. Wait the armor is laughing? The sword starts to laugh as well the rest of the room laughs. I finally saw what was going on weapons and everyday objects are attacking the army. Looking behind me to see Lavan just leaning on the dried lava to watch.

“Beezen is not here. But his magic paint is.” Lavan smirks. “I will just sit here and watch while you fail at fighting him.” Magic pain I grab the hammer tightly flying back into the air. The suit of armor stayed behind while the chair, the sword, and the gun attacked me. The chair flew into the air and it has a face?

“I will teach you ponies to shove your asses on me!!” Is the chair angry that ponies sit on it? I had no idea what was going on around this time and how a chair could hurt me. I swing the large hammer and the chair dodged out of the way. It’s quick for a thing of wood and before I could move I felt the sword stab in my side. I groaned deeply in pain.

“Enguard face me like a stallion!!” The sword is lodged in my side and it pulls out and I felt a needle jab in my side pushing in potion and med-x and I parry the sword with the hammer. “HAHA!! You fight like my sister!! You stink and you smell of elderberries!!!”

I took a deep breath looking towards the armor that just waited for its a moment to attack me. I heard the chair clattering behind me to attack me. I quickly turn and smash my hammer into the chair and it falls apart. The chair screams and it coughs sawdust. The chair slowly dies and it goes back to being a normal object.

“HA, I hated him! You know he killed my father my mother!!” I grew upset at this sword and smash the hammer hard into the sword and it broke in half. The sword laughs coughing and nothing came up. The face on the sword vanished when the magic went away. I panted deeply my visor fogging up. It’s rare for a worker magic eater like me to fight this hard. I was waiting for the armor to now attack.

“Hmm,” The armor circles me and I had no idea what it was doing. Its eyes study everything about me. I believe this armor is trying to find a weakness in my armor. I held the hammer tightly knowing. I will not be able to keep this thing. I am not strong enough to lug it around. The armor opens up and drops out flashbangs and when they blow they cause my vision to go blind. I guess my helmet can’t filter that out. When my vision goes back to normal I heard a weapon power-up

Quickly turning as the scorpion stinger on the armor fires off a green blast and I quickly move as I could and it hit my top left wing causing it to burn and sizzle. I have an issue flying and with the added weight it’s even harder to stay up in the air. Now the armor charges at me. It stays silent rather than mouthing off like the other two. I block the attack from the tail. I have a feeling the attack did cause it to lose a lot of power.

“You’re part of the Enclave. You should be protecting ponies not attacking them.”

“I am just the armor they wear. I am a tool to them a tool for them to murder.” So the armor feels like those that wear it kill and murder? Maybe if all of these creations were given life. They would be treated better. I look over at the others who took care of their battles. The only one still going is the door giving a mare a problem. The door keeps swinging causing her to fly back.

The armor quickly charged at me and the armor looks to be losing power the armor itself started to spark and let out some nasty charges. I have a feeling this armor was being repaired before the paint was put on it. I doubt this paint could repair anything. If it's the type of magic paint we have on the island. It repairs only a few things. But leave some things out. The armor falls apart and tries again to attack me with the tail.

The tail falls apart finally I feel that I could fight Lavan who just leaned on the dried lava. Lavan laughs loudly shaking his head. He walks toward me he notices I am very tired of all the battles before then. I couldn’t dodge out of the way as he grabbed me with his hand around my neck. He held tight enough that I couldn’t breathe.

“You have been judged.” I felt the magic in his body absorbing into me. I scream in pain from the magic forming into my body. I feel my wounds healing and all the pain why would he be doing this? He let me go and I stare at him taking off the helm.

“Why did you do that?!”

“I may be a villain but I can’t allow the hero to be weak when they fight me. What is the fun in that?” The crystal monster smirks. “It would be too easy to beat you and then I would have no fun.” I charged gripping the harm and smashing into him again but even though the moonlight glows on the hammer. It’s even harder to now break. I could tell though the hammer did weaken him and caused the crystals to weaken.

I swing again breaking into the crystal finally and the hammer gets a coat of lava again. It causes the metal to get hotter on the hammer itself. It makes the moonlight burn my buggy hands more. Lavan laughs more even though he is in pain.

“Feel the power!!” He uses his magic on me and he starts to sing causing me to fly into the dried lava wall.

“Here’s to power! Isn’t it grand?” He lifts his crystal hands and more earth and lava seep out to bring our ring closer and closer while he sang and I smash my hammer harder into him. I joined in the singing.

“Power shall make you weak!!” I sang back at him. He smirked and tosses a powerful attack at me causing a lava hand to grab me and harden. It held me tightly not able to allow me to move. The hammer glows making the hand slowly shatter.

“Holding the world. Within your hand.” I broke the lava hand and attacked again breaking more of the crystals. He backhanded me causing me to fall back down to the floor and lost my hammer groaning.

“You could use this magic for good!!” I sang grabbing the hammer. He laughs loudly and lava demons come out of the ground holding me down.

“Heres to power! What a delight! Spewing out bolts. Of rainbow light!” He lifts his fingers and shoots out bolts of rainbow lights at the ponies and others of the army around us. Causing them to fall and scream. Of course, thankfully they don’t die and the lava demons hold me down tighter.

“How I revel in being the master. Breaking out orders. Harder faster!!” One lava demon holds me down and the other two take heavy hammers smashing down into me. I scream in pain thankfully through the exoskeleton and my armor softens the blow. But still, it hurts so much and one of the lava demons stops and joins in the singing.

“The King can bark. But he can also bite. He’s living proof that might make right.” The other demons try to smash the armor into me again I finally break through their grips and smash into the others. I take out two of the lava demons while the other grabs a hammer and we fight.

“Here’s to power truly divine. And the best thing about it.” Since the is only one lava demon left standing he joins in.

“And the best thing about it!” I smash my hammer into the lava demon and turn to stare right in the eyes of Lavan as he comes closer his eyes throbbing and twitching looking deep into my soul.

“The best thing about it? The powers are all mine!! HA HA HA HA!” The song finally stopped and he punched me hard into the lava wall I fall groaning feeling unable to move for the moment and I look up at Lavan as he stands over me.

“This is just a taste of what will happen. You did put up a good fight little bug. I am thankful you tried so hard to fight me and try to win.” He smirks and pats my head I grabbed the hammer and with all my might I smash into him again. The hammer glows so brightly that I force the entire thing into his lava body. He screams and he explodes lava and crystals flying all over. I pant moving out of the way of the lava. But I doubt he is dead while I watch the lava reform but very slowly like it’s going to take a while to reform himself. The hammer falls right on the ground and it’s smoking and ruined. The dried lava melted away and when I finally saw everyone I groaned and fell to my side.

“MEDIC!!” A mare screams they trot to me as they get my helm off.

“No...No I will be fine. The magic that Lavan forced in me is vanishing. I just need a magic meal.” Galaxy removes the armor from her neck. She lowers her head to my mandibles showing her exposed neck to me. I had no idea why she wanted me to bite her. I felt maybe she knew I needed raw magic and unicorns are full of it.

“Go ahead Ruby take as much as you want.” I am sure she knew that I could kill her if I took too much. I relaxed and forced my mandibles into her neck and then absorbed the magic in her blood. She closed her eyes in pain as her body shrunk and got older. After I am done it may take days for her body to fix itself. I felt the magic fill my body and heal my bruised exoskeleton. I felt the dents pop back out and I took my fill pulling the mandibles from her neck. I helped others lower her down to the floor.

The poor mare's hot red coat is pure white. Her pure red mane was now white and her eyes were full of beauty tired and old. I am hoping I didn’t take too much but with unicorns, it was a lot worse feeding on them than the others. A couple of medics did what they could to keep her alive and carried her out on a stretcher. I turned to Skysong who finally came in her armor bashed and ripped apart.

“Well, you got your wish your leader is dead. I hope it was worth it. Now I need to get to the next base. I need to get this back to the inn first.” I grab the piece of the blade for the sword. I put it in my bag and I felt bad about what happened to Oku. I look at the dust that used to be the general. I hope he is now resting and with his family.

“War is never a good thing Ruby. It’s going to take a long time for the Enclave here to rebuild. I think I speak for the survivors that we will join up with our brothers and sisters of the enclave that came to help us. So we will be gathering what we can and destroying this building.”

I shook my head all of this death all of this fighting with one of the judges. I didn’t care for Skysong and the fact I wasted my time fighting for her. I grabbed the hammer that Oku gave me and before I went back to the inn I went outside the burning city and put up a stone taking my knife. I carved into the stone. ‘Here lies General Oku. A powerful warrior that saved my life. His body was then used to free the enclave. May he rest with his family in the land of the dead.’ I place the ruined hammer on the stone leaving it while I watched others bury their friends. Too many died way too many. Even with using those dead bodies

I look at the ponies, zebras, and poachers burying their friends. All three stared at each other then looked at me. The eyes focus on me like I was meant to know everything. A young zebra mare walked up to me looking up at me.

“Does it ever get easy?”

“Losing those you care for?” The mare nodded.

“No, it never gets easy. This is not the first war I have ever been part of. My entire brood died trying to take one town on the island I am from. Then the queen who normally lays more eggs died after she refused to lay more eggs for the queen. I told many it was from heartbreak but the queen murdered her.”

The others look at me and then back at the graves they recently created. I am sure more of them will be here before the day is over. I didn’t want to leave these mourning for those that have been lost. I felt that I caused most of this and one of the ponies trotted to me and smacked me across the face with her hoof and I fell to the ground my helmet flying off.

“This is all your fault!!” The angry pony mare is now being held back by the others. ‘You’re a fucking hero. All heroes say they can save everypony but here you caused a war. I am starting to see why heroes like you are threats.” When others hear the word hero. They lift their weapons and aim at me.

“I am sorry.” The zebra mare tried to smile. More of the mourners lifted their weapons surrounding me. Maybe I deserve this maybe I fully deserve this. I lift my arms to show I won’t attack them or stop them.

“Are you all done?” Skysong got into the middle of the mourners.

“Don’t stop us Skysong. She is the cause of this war. Her presence in this land is what caused us all to fight. She gave us hope!!” The pony mare yelled. “Giving us hope was the biggest mistake she could have ever done.”

“Yes, she gave us hope. Yes, she even did so much to give us the want to fight for this land. She may be a hero, But look at her is she trying to bring back the sun and moon? Is she Security trying to force her fake sense of justice? All these heroes have done worse. There are more heroes out there some that even say DO Better.”

Closing my eyes listening to Skysong talk. The words Do better it’s not the first time I heard it. Neighsay those words Do Better. Must mean to Do Better to try better. Even if I never will understand those words. I grab my helmet and put it back on my head.

“Ruby I’m sorry but after this battle is over. But you will no longer be welcomed in this city.” I turned to look at SkySong. I knew she would say those words. “You may have helped many of us. But as a hero, you can’t be trusted. After what you did to Galaxy even if she welcomed it. She is going to be forced to turn on you.”

I look away from Skysong shaking my head. Fear right now is being used to chase me away. Looking towards the other base that is now getting attacked. It looks like the paint was already used there and various everyday objects are attacking. I flew up into the air watching while the dead and the others of the army dealing with doors. One mare dealing with a crane trying to swing a beam at her.

An anti-air gun shoots off at me and the ammo that is used can move and try to hit me. When it blows up there is a scream of pain and death. I’m starting to wonder if bringing these objects to life is the best idea. It shows how awful we have been to these creations that others have made in the past. Another few of the large shells hit beside me as I keep hearing the screams.

There is a window that is already broken in and I quickly flew inside the broken window to see what I will be facing.

<00000>
The second judge.

I land in a large dark room. I heard some of the battles inside the building getting more intense. I put my helmet light on after I heard clattering and movement. Looked around with the light to see dresses hanging in a closet. Looking away from them seeing that half of these objects that are in here are broken. I heard movement again and turned seeing all the dresses standing in front of me and they hiss and roared,

That didn’t only stun me for a moment. Just what went through my mind what could dresses do to me? I felt a set of claws slice into my side. I groan deeply in pain feeling my blood leaking from the armor and the wound. Flapping my wings again to quickly fly away. Wondering what in the world I should use on dresses?

I quickly grab spitfire and divebomb to slice through one of the dresses. It screams in pain and I watched while a needle and thread quickly repair the dress and hopped away. I look track of both objects and get scratched in the side again by another dress flying back up into the air.

Even with my light on my helmet, I can’t even see the needle and thread. This is already making me just want to leave this room. I quickly fly to the door and on the doorknob, there are a mouth and eyes.

“Ah, company. Forgive those dresses miss they have been locked in here for so long. The one who used that paint on us this entire building never cared for any of us. He tosses those that won’t listen in here.”

I look back at the dresses who just whine and whimper like dogs. I have a feeling these are just like other creations that got tossed in here. Unwilling to work with the judge. I took a deep breath and look back to the door taking off my helm so it knows I can be trusted.

“Oh, you’re not a pony then. I should have known from the look of you. I will open myself up for you. Just there is one thing you must do.” I nodded at him. “Take those dresses with you so they can join in the fight.”

“Do they understand that they could get destroyed if they go with me?”

“Yes, they already know what is going to happen to them. So please give them a chance. Sooner or later Beezen will remove the spell. So I wish to thank you in advance. I have heard of you are you, Ruby?”

“Yes, how have you heard of me?” I was unsure of how a door could learn and understand me. Then I wonder are these creations already alive? Just maybe the magic brings what they think fully out? Maybe I am thinking too much into this.

“The ponies that tend to use me and other creations in this building. Memories, voices, and whispers tend to linger with us. Even if we can’t act on it without magic. All the things we have seen all the stories we have heard. It’s a wonder the 200 or so years of stories I could tell you.”

The doorhandle laughs to himself.

“There I go again too old for my good. Maybe it’s just the magic giving us that ability. If what I think is true then the sad stories could be told. But that is just a dream of an old door. That just wishes to have an ear to speak to.”

I look back to the dresses that come out of the darkness. The dresses nuzzle on me as a way to say sorry. I do feel that maybe I should do what he asks and take them with me. I look back at the door.

“If Beezen leaves will the spell wear off on you?”

“No, the paint will last forever if needed. Unless the spell is removed. The spell will wear out over time as all paint will. Just don’t worry about me I know why you’re here Ruby. To me, you’re a hero a real hero. One willing to risk the hatred for heroes and the idea villains are the real heroes. Don’t let the world tell you otherwise. You’re a hero not an evil being bringing the pain.”

Placing my helmet back on taking a deep breath. A buzz sounds when I release my breath. The door opens up for me and the dresses follow behind me. Looking back to the door while it closes back up. A voice comes over the PA system.

“Everything blocking the way to the main office. Allow the one being judged to come through. Double the troops at the other hall.” When the PA system stops speaking a bunch of objects run past me. I see a bunch of chairs one table and a chaingun strapped on wheels.

‘Hey, careful if you move too quickly I could.” The chaingun starts firing from the trigger getting hit. “DAMN IT!!” The gun yells as they go down the other hall. I felt a needle jabbing in my side finally after getting scratched two times. Walking along the hall I see ponies being forced to repair them. As well as being forced to clean and cook.

“Polish me some more slave!!” A stallion did what he could to clean a silver spoon. From the looks of his hooves and the others, they have been working to their hooves cracking. In a nursery, I see something much different. I see little foals heavily protected by a group of weapons. The wet nurse that helped feed the foals is heavily protected too. The orange nurse turns to look at me smiling.

“They won’t hurt you. These weapons are not like the others.” I heard the guns cocking looking towards the guns that are ready to fire.

“We may be peaceful but you’re a hero. Now get out of here before I blast your head off.” I didn’t even know who was talking. I tried looking for who was talking and I finally saw it. A simple silver magnum. The others started to aim at me as well. Even a rocket launcher.

“Fine, I am going..” Quickly I move away from the door and hear the mare hum to the foals. Why do some creations of ponies protect? Maybe I am not fully understanding the mindset of a few of these. Finally, I found the main office the door is closed and I look back at the dresses behind me. I took a deep breath feeling my body tense up. This is the second judge. I have no idea of his power.

Opening the door and inside are the husk of broken machines and weapons that either fought him or refused to work with him. I look around seeing nothing for a while and then turning to look at a throne the light may be off. But I see a figure sitting on that throne and when the light comes on. I finally get to see the creature face to helmet face. Beezen is known as a troll his skin is pure green. He is larger than most creatures I have fought. His hide looks very thick and he stood up from the throne. He wore a mage cloak showing that he is some powerful wizard.

“Hmm, so I finally see the creature I am meant to judge.” I look at this left hand it’s holding a medium stick. I could see the magic pouring off it. He looks at the dresses that don’t wait to attack him. He lifts the weapon in his hand and with a swing of it, magic flows from it. The magic hits the dresses and they go lifeless.
“Why did you do all this?”

“Why? It might be hard for you to understand really. Have you heard of the saying take care of what you use? Never abuse anything even everyday armor and weapons? Even if tables are in this they may not show it. But I bring it to life so they can express their hatred. But my question to you is this.”

He had a question for me why? I am not understanding why he would even question me. I look back around the room seeing so many of the creations that are normally used as everyday items and looking at the dresses. Why am I feeling upset over the creations going back to lifeless?

“Why are you even fighting for a land that will never trust you?”

“I..” I didn’t know the answer to that question. Why am I fighting for a land that doesn’t trust me? Why am I even trying to fight for a land that fears me? Removing my helmet I set it down looking up to Beezen. He comes over and holds my face in his two hands staring into my eyes.

“You’re very unsure I can tell from the confusion in your eyes. Fate brought you here little one. I am not evil like the others are. I may have judged the lands of old. But all I did with the land I am from Dream Valley. I just stole their home from them by giving them magic paint. I don’t want to kill. I don’t even want to kill you. Just walk away Ruby let me keep this base and protect these creations.”

It finally hit me he wants to protect them? He removes his hands from my face looking around the room at the destroyed weapons objects and other devices. It’s like a war to protect the ponies took place.

“What happened here?”

“What I feared would happen. I have done this many times. Sometimes the creations fight and sometimes they chase their creators off. This time however they just destroyed each other. I wanted to stop them but I couldn’t. I was locked out of this room by one of the ponies. Then she opened it up again for me and this is what I saw. I felt it’s a good idea to keep them like this. As a testament to my failure.”

I hear the battle getting closer. Beezen looks towards the outside hearing the battle between the creations and the army. He didn’t have a very happy look on his face and he sighed shaking his head.

“I wish the stars would stop screaming for blood. There has been enough bloodshed in this war. There will be more blood and more death in the time to come. But I am sorry to say I can’t just surrender. I do have my sins and I will get what I deserve for what I have done. I am willing to redeem myself in the name of friendship.”
That is very confusing to me. Why would anyone who is thought to be evil want to be redeemed? Also why in the name of friendship. I remember the battle for the island. Hawk always said never to trust anyone offering redemption. They’re either faking it or giving you a sense of fault sense of security. I grab my sword feeling a sense of heroism taking over me. I felt the need to bring him to justice.

“If you wish to be redeemed my question to you Beezen. Did any ponies die when you broke in here? Did you alone kill any pony in this war?” I look back to Beezen making sure he can’t see me holding the hilt of my sword with another buggy hand before I pull it out of its home. I have to make sure he is on the up and up.

“I have killed in the past yes. Like I have told you, Ruby. I am a judge for the stars or so I have been told. Most of us don’t even know we are judges. Just we have been told we act like them. The others don’t wish to repent for what they have done. Catrina, Rep, and I have been promised after this. We can finally go with history to the between lands.”

Another one talking about some beautiful land beyond this one? I am wondering if he is talking about letting themselves die. I look back to Beezen but I hear the whispers of the stars. ‘Blood. Blood..’ They keep whispering in my mind for their blood. I close my eyes tightly tears streaming from my eyes down my face. Is this what being a hero is? Fighting in the name of the stars. The spirit in the sword screams at me not to do it. I could hear the voice saying. ‘This will be your fall don’t do it!!’

I pull the sword out of its home and before Beezen could act. I swing my blade cutting him deep into him and he holds his wound. He holds his chest and sits in his chair gripping the wound. He pants hard as I am sure I hit something vital. I dropped Spitfire from my hand and it falls to the wooden floor with a clatter. No. I screamed to myself no..I.I didn’t mean to do it no!! ‘The stars kept screaming for blood. The gem on the dagger glowed I could also hear it. I felt the fear and the sadness go away. Grabbing the dagger tightly in my hand.

“Ruby… please.” I turn to look at Beezen. He is getting pale. He is getting weak. I held the dagger tightly shaking. With the screaming of blood in my mind. With the endless howls for blood. Looking down to Spitfire I saw it go dormant. The spirit inside it left and the sword slowly rusted in front of my eyes. I reach down the lift the blade but when I do the sword just snaps in half.

“You...have become the threat.”

Beezen weakly added he was dying I could tell it from the look on his face. I grabbed the dagger now in my mind it was time. It was time for him to face judgment. Looking to what is formally spitfire. I felt tears streaming down my cheeks as I lift the knife. Aiming right for the heart of the troll. I shiver and shudder trying so hard to fight myself. I hear the army getting closer and right after the door swings. I get ready to plunge the blade right into Beezen's chest.

"RUBY STOP!!"

I hear Skysong yell and with a quick stab, I stab right into the heart of the troll. I feel my blade break through the skin into the beating heart. I am so focused on my task that I don't notice myself I just stare at the troll weakly closing his eyes. He reaches for me his hand goes limp. I hear guns cocking I turn looking at the army who came in. Creations Beezen brought to life cock their weapons. Skysong comes out of the group staring at me looking down at me her eyes gentle. I could see more than just hate I see pitty and sadness.

“Ruby... You didn't have to kill him. We could have captured him and learned more about what is going on here. You never gave him a chance... to explain himself. Ruby, you're the enemy I have to ask you to leave before I arrest you and demand you be shot."

I finally was able to look at myself. I look back at him Beezen had so much blood everywhere. I look at the dagger it finally had its fill. I heard the weapons cocking and look towards the weapons wanting to kill me.

“No. her judgment is soon. She just had her fall as a hero.” All the eyes stare at me. Finally, I see the fear they have for heroes. I am one of them and I did what I shouldn’t have. I pull the dagger out of Beezen’s lifeless body. I look towards the desk and see the next part of the sword. I put the helmet on to hide my face. My eyes burn from the crying. I take the blade and put it in my bag putting the dagger back into its home. I dropped the sword of spitfire to the floor. When it hit I felt my heart hit with it.

The emotions in my body left me. I felt a mare stab the barrel of her gun in my back. A stallion did the same and they forced me to go down the hall. The weapons protecting the nursery block the door from me. Then I look to the door that was so kind as to help me. He looked up at me and I saw the sadness in his eyes.

“Ruby.. you didn’t have to kill him. I still think of you as one to save this land. But it may be too late. You’re now a fallen hero. You will join the others that have fallen. This is your time .” I finally heard the words this is my what?. This is my time why am I falling or why am I being told I will fall I have been told this by the zebras but I must ask.

“Is there any hope for me?”

“There is always hope Ruby. The hope you brought will not be enough for what is to come. But…” Before the door could finish the pain of what I did make the magic on him vanish. The door was willing to express the past. The emotions of what I did cause the door to remove the magic from it. Looking away seeing more everyday objects and weapons even some armor move out of my way. When I got out of the base I saw the spell vanish. The spell that kept the dead alive vanished. The green mist flowed back to the one that cast the spell. The door closed behind me. I flew up into the air and flew off to the inn to rest if they would allow me inside.

<0000000>
Inn

“Let me in!!” One of the guards defending the inn refused to let me in.

“No, you’re not welcomed in here.” The door opens up.

“Let her in.” I look to see Queen Ocean Wave. When she looked at me sadness filled her eyes. I am sure she knew what I did. I followed her inside to the others in her office. I brought out the two parts of the blade. Thankfully they didn’t judge me or even attack me. Rassie removed my helm and looked into my eyes.

“I heard what happen to you, Ruby. You allowed the stars to control your sense of heroism now because of what you did. You have proven to those why heroes can’t be trusted. But we will trust you. We will let you rest here you will rest until. They come for you. Because we have learned they have everything ready to bring him back.”

I sighed looking at my zebra friend who had fear and sadness in her eyes and she looked away from me. So everyone I met here will no longer trust me. I heard guns cocking while many of all factions aim their weapons at me even the poachers. Rassie and Ocean Waves stood in front of me.

“She is a guest for now. We will not stop them from taking her. She will face her judgment. Then your blood lust will end.” Rassie softly spoke in such a matter that made me shiver. He lifted me and carried me into a room that held a large cage in the middle the room. He removed my armor. Knowing that who will take me will want it. He then put me inside the cage. Chaining my neck and the rest of my body into the cage locking it. Putting the key into his pocket.

“Why?” I softly asked.

“I may trust you. You may have gotten the pieces of the weapon. But to sate the hatred the blood. The will of the stars and those using their hate. The sense of racism and fear. The hate for heroes has finally snapped. You did what all heroes do. You don’t listen you feel you’re better. Beezen he wished to move on. From those that watched you killed him. You proved to those that hate heroes. That heroes are to blame.”

I couldn’t move I tried to get out of the chains but they blocked my ability to use my magic. I fell for the trap. I knew soon I will face it face my fate. I looked into the eyes of Rassie. I tried to reason with him with my eyes. Even if words wouldn’t work.

“Then let me get my friends. Let me go home please.” Tears fall from my eyes. “Let me just return to the island. Forget about me then let me go. Please!!” I was begging the want to leave. The fear of the fate I must face. I felt that all this is because of fate and the stars. The endless fate that shall never end.

Rassie looks away from me stroking his head with a paw. He was having a hard time doing this to me. The emotions on his face are blank. I have a feeling that it’s hard for him to do this to me. Rassie balled up his paw into a fist. With a quick movement, he forced his fist so quick and hard into my left eye. The eye, for now, is wounded and swelling a bit. With the could eye I could tell this hurt him doing this.

“I wish I could do that for you, Ruby. I wish I could let you go home. But I can’t this is the only way. Give the Stormking someone to take out. Will give the rest of the land time to face him. It may not be enough time. But enough time to try to stop him. If..” He looked away from me and punched a hole into the wall. He hurt his paw and held it tightly.

“We made a deal with Wheel Tread after you left. He said no matter the outcome you will be judged. It’s the only way he can get what he needs to be set in motion. The hope of heroes in this land. To try to spread to other lands. Even though he said too many are blind to the will of the heroes.”

“Even if you don’t buy a word he saids. If the Storm King is just as bad as he was. Then why let him come back why not fight him now?”

The door opened up. Ocean waves look down at me with a frown. “That is because we don’t have the means. This land barely trusts each other. They don’t even trust the Enclave. Thanks to you though Hard Rock will be ready. It’s why so many are either going there or Peace Rock. Rassie… why did you hit her?”

Rassie sighed looking to the Queen and back to me. My eye fully is swollen shut now. When she enters the room though. The same cloudiness is now in Rassies eyes. The hippogriff grabs the cage staring right at me. The hatred in those cloudy eyes. Something close to me or myself is causing them to hate me. I heard the stars whisper to me. ‘All those that loved you cared for you. They will now turn on you. You have no friends anymore. See how much they hate you, hero. The hate we have for you. The heroes take our blood to take our justice. It will not happen in this land.’

“Why did you listen to him?!” The bile and hate in Ocean’s words. “They will be here soon!! To take you away. I hope your friends are there. To watch your fate. They won’t be able to save you!!”

The cloud over their eyes vanished. They stare at each other and then look at me. The fact I am in a cage made tears fall from their eyes. They both know they did this to me. I didn’t know what to think they left and I was alone in a cold dark room. Only able to think about what I did. I look back on what happened to the Spitfire's sword. The sword broke showing what I did was my fall. It wasn’t an Arbu every hero may have an Arbu. But my fall was way before then. I just hit rock bottom when I killed Beezen.

It didn’t take that long and the door swung open Cozy glow and the other robots lifted the cage up. They chant ‘The king rises’. As hatred fills the eyes of every creature in the inn. They toss fruit at me. Some even toss rocks at me. The rocks hitting my body hurt and dented my body. Some even poked me with what was called death sticks. They poke into me causing me to scream in pain.

“Yes show the hero what she means to you. Yes, allow the hate for the hero to fill you.” All the eyes are clouded. There are a few that have no clouded eyes their hate for heroes is real. But they don’t allow themselves to hate. In that group are Hunter and Lotus in cloaks. Wrecker is beside his wife. On the other side my zebra friend. Educatrix doesn’t have cloudy eyes and looks to see Goris the creation of the enclave without the same look. But those he’s with have the cloudy eyes.

I see the portal open the red mist all over the place and I see him the Red goat he is laughing the others can't seem to hear him he just keeps laughing over and over. Each time I have moved his portal moves he is laughing at me like I am a joke to him.

"Your judgment is going to bring glory to me little bug. This necromancer goat will bring your body back when I am released!!"

He laughs and his portal vanishes the red mist slowly vanishing.

Cozy glow lifted her robotic arms and cheered with the ones hating me. The other robots stopped as they joined in the cheering.

“Thank you, my friends. Thanks to your hatred the king is returning you have destroyed the hero. The hope of this land. You have proven that you will be his minions. It may take years locked up in this land. But we will save the rest of the world from crime. From the corruption of the heroes and those that follow them. Those that get rich off what they do. We shall break everything they stand for.” None of the creatures cheered after these words. They look at each other with fear. They now know what they did.

“The King will return. Soon. His first act is to kill her.” The robots lifted me as they all scream “Halluija he returns!!” I am taken to the airship and placed inside the hold. Inside the hold is Lavan still reforming.

“I look forward to seeing you fall.” He laughs and out of the darkness, the troll creature Beezen walks out leaning down to look at me.

“I am sorry.” He reaches into the cage and touches my eye healing it slightly. “Don’t worry they can’t see me. I forgive you for what you did to me. I go to the lands beyond. To be with the land of old. To the place, I belong. To see those I wronged and repent for what I did.”

“Wil…” I tried to speak sobs breaking through rather than words. I saw the gem on the knife glowing. The gem is glowing even brighter as we get closer to its sibling. “Will I ever be redeemed for what I did?”

“I can’t tell you that. I can’t even tell you that your friends will get through this. But I know you will. But let me explain something to you. The crown pieces in your head that he placed in there. All that he did was place the gesture in your head with his brainwashing. You were controlled just not the way you thought.”

“But again I can’t go into what happened to you. The stars wouldn’t allow me to. We shall keep that as a mystery. It’s time for me to leave Ruby. I am sorry.” The airship soon after docks when he vanished. The robots come in to carry me out. What shall happen to me I don’t know. But my fate is clear.

How I handle that fate is what shall remain to be seen.
Level up

Bad perk: Leaders betray you: The hate sickness Grogar spreads has caused those you helped in the battle of Kludgetown to turn around and betray you. The hate in their eyes of the crowd you see Kludgetown will forgive you someday for what you did. When the hate sickness leaves them they will realize what they did it would be too late. Your judgment will have passed.

Next Chapter: Chapter Twenty: The judgment Estimated time remaining: 36 Hours, 3 Minutes