"EQ Game Quest- Ruins Execution"
By klimino (https://pastebin.com/u/klimino)

URL: https://pastebin.com/VRaVk3Me
Created on: Friday 8th of September 2017 05:50:36 PM CDT
Retrieved on: Sunday 25 of October 2020 03:44:31 AM UTC



```It had been three days. Three long, nerve wracking Days. Ruin had been kept locked up, the visits between him and ruby short, watched, and nothing allowed in save Ruby herself.

The townsfolk had been rather receptive of Ruby otherwise though, frenziedly and cheerful, mostly, giving her little but warmth unless the topic of Ruin came up, as she was allowed to explore pretty freely so long as she had her escorts.

Meanwhile though, the day had come, Ruby watching as they prepared the open field for Ruins execution, via firing squad, before his corpse would be thrown over the islands edge unceremoniously to be dashed across whatever it would hit. A graphic end for a graphic act, they told her.

With only an hour til it was time, one could only think, and hope, for a way out to present itself...```

```Ruin though, sat in his cell, two guards on either side of it, as another detective type, some wolf being named Marina watching him from the desk casually. He was given a last meal at least, that being a bread bowl full of cheap gravy and vegetables, though not even a plate was handed over to lay it on. ```

```Back at town, Basso and Nightlight prepared to leave, when out of nowhere there was a small yellow flash, and one of the bronze mirrors appeared right outside the southern gate, surprising everyone( @here) that was around. A moment later,  Leaf Duster stepped out, and looking around, spotted those he had come for. 

“Ah, ya two, come.” he said blankly, and giving little time, he ushered them in, though they tried to convince him to let Homily in too, this was turned down, and they were forced to go with just the two of them.

Not too long later, they were brought forth to meet with Ruby, Leaf looking between the three of them. “well, have been given permission to allow you to meet with Ruin one last time, if you wish.”```

Ruin hasn't touched the breadbowl, but has laid silently on the cot in his cell. He finally decides to speak up, for the first time in three days. "That outburst on my first day here was unwarranted. Sorry about that, I was going through a bit of an emotional roller coaster."

"Yeah, I do wish" Basso said coldly. "What about you though Ruby? How have things been here? The religious folks been treating you well?" 

night gulps "Yeah id like to see him one last time." night has a somber expression and looks around 

Ruby waves her hoof with a sad smile "theres no way we can turn him over to the equestrian authority? Nothing I can do to change your mind?" she says as they ade ushered along 

```Leaf shakes his head. “nope. Equestria has no jurisdiction in this, far as im concerned.” he quickly lead them along, ignoring Bassos tone, as he let them into the jail, giving a nod to Marina and the other two guards there aswell, as he turned to them and pointed to the bin next to the door, otherwise blocking their path. 

“gonna have to ask ya to dump your gear in that, sorry, tis the rules.” ```

"Seriously, I said some rough shit to Leaf. He was just doing the right thing, he didn't deserve that treatment." 

Night complies with a sad look "can I at least give him one of these" he pulls out a cookie 

Shaking lose his saddlebags Basso tossed them into the bin. "Where is Passion Fruit? I assumed she would have been around to greet us." 

Ruby sighs heavily. Its not like its her first time here so she knows the drill already "I didnt want to have to siffer your familjes through watching another brutal end, no mafter how villifying" she says honestly, not a fan of an eye for an eye 


```Leaf shrugs. “they get to see a murderer put down so he cannot end any more lives. Seems a good way to put an end to things, and costs less then feeding them and housing them for the rest of their life.” 

turning to Night, he frowns...and then takes the cookie, breaking it in half, sniffing it, then breaks off a bit and takes a bite. “hrm...doesn't seem to contain anything special that could help him...sure, you can give him the rest.” he said, shrugging. 

With his frown only deepening, he addresses Basso with something Ruby had overheard more then once. “she is busy.....keeping Bolt Burns father from...lashing out too harshly.” he clears his throat. “it does not help that family is not allowed to be part of the firing line for these things I reckon.”

as he steps aside to let the three in, he turns to Ruin as he addressed Marina, who just sits and watches him, not responding. 

“need a break Marina?” he asks her. 

“nope.” she says, smirking a bit and waving to Ruby.```


"I imagine it must be difficult for him" night sighs as he steps in and offers the cookie to ruin behind the bars "brought you a little something from home"

"Uh huh." Basso said, walking by Leaf, "If calling him a murderer makes you feel better about murdering him, go ahead." While Nightlight was giving the cookie to Ruin, Basso looked around his cell, curious of the conditions they were keeping the unicorn in. 

waves back to Marina, someone that Ruby surely already knows from a few visits. She gives her a sad smile and a wave "well family shouldn't directly deal that kind of thing. Cycle of hatred and whatnot" 

"You guys shouldn't have come to see this." Ruin says, not looking away from his preferred spot on the ceiling. "I deserve this, I've been nothing but a constant fuckup, turning every situation into a shitshow with nothing but good intentions and my impulsive behavior. Not only is this probably for the best in the long run," Ruin turns to face his friends, "It's justice." 

"Hey just cause you may deserve it doesn't mean I won't see you off on the great journey. I know if I were in your position I'd want to say a few things." night looks to Ruin "If this is the end for you, well I just wanna say it was nice knowing you and I'll see you on the other side" Night winks to ruin 

"Cmon Ruin, don't talk like that." Basso said, looking the guard up and down, "Sure most of these people seem nice enough, but none of us knew what we were getting into, you were just trying to survive." 

```Marina smiles and nods to Ruby, having grown to like the unicorn a fair amount. 

Leaf responds with a shrug “somethin like that Ruby, though not sure myself.” he says, and walks away, letting them have a few moments with Ruin. 

“Five minutes or so folks, all I can give.” he calls over.```

Ruin seems irked by something, and gets up from his cot. He approaches the bars and gives Basso a resigned gaze. "That doesn't change a thing. I came here to save someone, and what did I end up doing? Nearly wiping out a town and killing a kid! I don't deserve to survive after that." Ruin looks at the cookie longingly,but avoids touching it. Possibly out of some stubborn sense of pride or low self esteem. "Look, I have no idea if you guys have something planned, but if you do your efforts would be better put to finding a way to bringing Burn back. I don't think I could forgive myself unless she forgives me first." 

Ruby walks over and shakes her head "thats not possible. At least not at the level we are now. It would take much more than anythibg we can do to rewrite history..." Ruby sighs and sits down to her plot "hell theres hardly anything we can do for you right now" 

"You didn't wipe out a town though. I'll be the first to admit you do some stupid crap Ruin, and you tend to put yourself in bad situations. However when you're put into bad situations, bad things happen." Walking up to the Bars Basso made sure to look him in the eye. "If you're going to die, don't die thinking you deserve it. Hell you were the one going on the job with a noble purpose, not just for money." 



"Ruby, I appreciate the thought, but I've already said I don't want anything done for me. You don't need to rewrite history, you just need a miracle... " Ruin seems to retreat into thought for a moment. "Does anyone have some paper and a pen?" 

"A miracle" that catches nights attention and he looks to the guard "Is it possible for me to check if i have a pen and paper. Or do you have any?" 

```Leafs over in a moment and hands Night a pad of paper and an inky crayon type thing. “sorry, no outside, ahn no pointy pens o pencils near tha prisoners.”```

Night chuckles as he hands them to ruin "Its better than nothing. Thank you" 

Ruin nods a thanks at Nightlight as he accepts the pen and paper. Then he turns and begins to write frantically fast. After finishing, he rolls all of the papers he'd written on into a scroll like cylinder and returns the paper, pen and psuedoscroll to the purple pegasus. He then calls out to the guard, "Hey would it be too much to ask that you give Nightlight my stuff? Consider it the last will and testament of a dying man." He whispers to the group "Go back to the Warrior temple and dunk this letter, my leg, and my hammer into the offering bowl in front of the Fire Frost statue. If you get a letter back saying it's not within her power, throw in the leywater too." 

```The letter reads:
To the Lady Burning Steam, I understand that I must be the person you would be least likely to lend an ear toward at this moment, but I'm not sending this letter for any benefit to myself. I have accepted my fate, regardless of what my peers may have planned. I write this for the benefit (I hope) of those whom my reckless, impulsive, rash, and overall moronic actions have wronged. Firstly, I believe an apology is in order for my abhorrent defilement of your mother's statue. Sorry, it was disrespectful. At the time I believed it was the only way to get the attention I needed from any deity that could help (to be frank, I was not really in a state of mind where clear thinking or rationality would be possible), and to some extent I guess it achieved that. Thank you for repairing the damage I had done. This brings me to the purpose of my letter. I hope to ask you once again to try repairing this blunder. I'm asking for a miracle. Not for my sake; I have accepted that the fate planned for me by those I have so grievously wronged is truly something I deserve and the world would likely be better for it. I ask this for them. Brought with this missive will be two things: they are the two most prized possessions I have in this world. It may not make a difference, and it may not make you any more likely to lend your aid, but that leg gave me my life back. I hope it can do the same for Burn Bolt. As for the hammer, it is a tool of death and destruction. Let that be a sign that regardless of  anything that happens after this, I shall never kill again. Please, bring her back. With all due respect, Ruin```

Basso just stared at Ruin for a moment, unsure what the unicorn was planning. Then again, even if it was only the last wish of a dying man, it was better then waiting around for him to die. 

Ruby blinks slowly and listens to Ruin "you want us to do what? Uhhh that sounds uhhh..." Ruby isn't really sire what to think about this plan. She shrugs honestly "yall do that, I'll try and... I dunno smoothe things out here. Did you bring the stone?" 

"Ruby, if it doesn't work I intend to go through with the execution. I'm literally betting my life on this." 

"You're really willing to die here? For killing some random pony who would have not only been more then happy to do the same to you, but been celebrated for it?" Basso whispered, unable to believe his friend would be so willing to surrender to his fate. 

"Basso, I came here to save someone. Instead I crossed a line I never wanted to cross. I fucked up, and either I'm gonna own up to it or make things right." 

"Ruin we'll see what we can do. I'll try to right that wrong." Night looks at ruin forlornly before taking the scroll and putting it in his bag 

"What did you think was going to happen when you came here Ruin?! We were going to stroll right in and these so called gods would give us Timber?" Basso shook his head in frusteration, "Fine, I will help with this offering, and I hope for your sake it works. Because if it doesn't I'm not risking my hide to save a man who has already consigned himself to death." 

"Thanks guys, that's all I'm askin' for." Ruin manages a sad smile. 

Ruby frowns and looks towards the ground again, scruffing her hoof against it. She wouldn't pass up a chance to conversr with the gods at least


```suddenly, Leaf speaks up “times up. Sorry, but dems the rules. Say your goodbyes, hes got thirty minutes to come to terms with this I suppose...” He says, a small hint of his own hesitation at the coming events seeping through, though he seems more then able to overshadow them with his sense of duty, as he walks over, as kindly as possible motioning towards the door. 

“your all free to look around if you wish, so long as your escorts come with.” he says with a nod, as he ushers them out with their things, and heads off to his own business in town.```

"Aw come on, I want to at least see Night smile with that last present!" Ruin calls out to the guard 

Night looks to Leaf as he grabs his stuff "sure" night grabs the scroll and hands it to Leaf 

"Our friend here wants to beg forgiveness from your gods, wants to give an offering of his most prized possessions. Can our escort bring them with us for this?" Basso asked as Night handed the scroll over.

Ruby walks over and nods in agreement with the others, remaining silent for thw time being 

```Leaf shrugs before he leaves. “I dont see why not, though until you make the sacrifice, the escorts will hang onto the gear.” he says, nodding to said guards to make sure they understood, then he went off on his own to let the three do as they wished.```


Turning to the guards Basso gave a nod, "We need to head to your warrior temple." 

"And can you bring ruin's gear?" night adds taking the note back 

Ruby nods and walks back over to the by now familiar escort "yes. May we pay our respects at the warrior temple now? So that we may be back... in time..." 

```the guards nod, and with the warrior temple being so close, it is far from a long journey, at least due to the mirror.

With little time to spare, they make their way through the Temple and to the room with the statues, which are:

There are five statues, each on a raised column of Ruby and with an offering bowl infront of them, that seemed to house a bit of lava in the bowl.

The left most is of a proud Stallion Pegasus in regal armor pointing a hoof forward as he yells orders it seems, the plaque saying ' Lord Fan Fury , Defender of Burnsguardia.'

the next one was of some sorta Chinese dragon creature, curled up as if breathed literal flames from the statue, the gas cost to keep that running must be expensive. Its plaque read 'Gardon, Fury of the Fire Worlds, One of the Seven Lords of Burning.'

the center most one was of some sorta satyr like creature, but the top half more lizard like. He was yelling, holding an axe up high, and his plaque read 'Voarn the Slaughterer, Conquerer of the Ice Fortress.'

the next one, second from the right, was of a Pony earth mare in a regal looking dress, staring down with all the nobility and pride of a goddess, her hair upwards as if flowing fire. Hers read 'Queen Fire Frost, Guardian of the Eternal Flame.'

Burning Steam, daughter of Fire Frost, wishes Ruin dead.

The last one was of some sorta mouse like creature, still big but short still then the rest, smiling happily as he leaned on a sword, his armor looking well worn and used. 'Sir Diro, Guardian of the Warped Lands.'```

"Here we are again." Basso remarked, walking through the temple. "Ruin said to give his stuff to the Fire Frost statue." Examining the statues Basso was not surprised byt their titles "these idols certainly don't feel out of place here. Hey guards, do you people have other temples? Or just ones for warriors?" 

Ruby walks over to the statue of Fire Frost "some of them are valluant defenders. Would be nice if they all shared that sentiment" she offers a distastful shake of the head towards the 'slaughterer' statue as she looks towards the regal mare "this is the one he requested, right?" 

"Yeah this is the one" Night pulls out the scroll and reads it one last time 

"We need the leg and the hammer" 


```The guards seem hesitant, but hand the items over as requested. “there are other Temples, with much less....violent individuals depicted. But when one is part of a war that has spanned for so long....” the crab guard thing shrugged.```

Night takes the items and puts them into the offering bowl respectfully. He then bows and says a silent prayer. After completing his prayer he looks to the group and shrugs. "So what do we do now, because at some point i would like to visit Passion Fruit" 

Ruby ignores the playing off, declaring it part of some war that they volunteered to join so that they could commit slaughter for a cause. She doesn't like it but for now she ignores it "make the offering, maybe uhhh... lemme try..." she thinks out loud. She takes a seat and tries to meditate, maybe attempting to convene with the dieties during the offering 

"Don't really have an instruction manual." Basso said, inspecting the offering bowl, "Have you seen an offering made before? Does this seem right?" He said to the crab guard. 

```The Crab guard shrugs. “sometimes the god or guardians respond, sometimes the- oh, well.” he said, as the lava in the bowl started boiling a bit, before three items pop to the surface, floating on a plate made of gold.

A Note, rolled up and tied with a little ruby ribbon, an odd hexagonal shaped chunk of amber it looked like, but it was glowing in the center, and what looked like...the tip of a cow brand, the symbol one of a half sun half eye.```

https://gyazo.com/7bd79c3534038cfdafe0fd67d5af87bd

Well what have we here" night grabs the note first and reads it but not before looking at the other items interestingly 

Ruby hums a bit but guesses that its not working out with the meditation this time, heading over to check the note herself "whats this symbol mean? Half sun, half eye" she asks the escort 

"What is this?" Basso muttered to himself, holding the chunk of amber up to the light. "Night, what does the note say?" 


```the guards share a look, and then look to Ruby. “It...is the brand of the Watchful Light. I believe your tongue would call them inquisitors?” 

With that, Night opens the note, the thing reading as follows.```

```To this...Ruin, or as it looks, his friends.

I cannot Raise the dead. I know of none who truly can. The side effect from the one time I have seen it, were nothing better then the death itself. 

I cannot allow this man, monster, to go unpunished. It is one thing to kill, it is another to decapitate the corpse and defile it so as he did. No, he will die. However, I see this must weigh heavy on you, his friends shoulders. From what I hear, you are only misguided, not so vile yourself.

For this, I offer you a choice. A terrible one, but one nonetheless. This Symbol is that of the order within our ranks I belong to. The Order of the Watchful Light. The brand itself, is enchanted, a once use item. Anyone given it, may use it, but it must be the one who was presented it.

If you use it, you may Brand any criminal. Their sentence will be overwritten, and in its place, they will be shipped off it join the Repentance Legions on the front lines, until such a time it is thought they have served their time.

It is no better then a death sentence in my eyes, as they will almost certainly die on the field of war, but it may extend his life if that is so what you seek.

It is the only other option I can offer, no matter how ghastly you may think it may be.

The Amber Amulet contains a Tear from our goddess Hallmorrow, the goddess of our order.  It is of little help too im afraid, but if any try to deny you your right to use the brand, you may call one of our order forth with it, to ensure it is allowed. 

I hope you three the best, and may the light shine upon you.

-Burning Steam```

Ruby leans over the back of NightLight and snoops at the note with unblinking eyes. She carries the amulet over to herself with TK and she turns to the others "well... its a bump up from firing squad..." she says with a morbid smile "lets be off, back to town then" 

"Yeah gotta get back to ruin. Glad that the gods were able to give us another option." night takes the brand and looks to the others "ready to go?" 

Basso sighed looking at the offering bowl, "Shoulda just sold the leg and hammer, wouldn't have made a difference." He said bitterly. "Yeah, ready to go, his choice is to be either a conscript in a war he knows nothing about, or be put to death." 

```With that, they are lead back to the town. With little time to spare, they see the crowd already going towards the killing fields, where near the edge of the island a pole has been hammered into place, to where Ruin will most likely be tied to.

Already, some guards are trying to clear a path.```

```inside the jail, Ruin cage is swung open, four guards and Marina standing before him, as she holds out some sorta Horn ring. “Put it on.” she says simply.```

Ruin sighs and puts on the ring. "Let's get this over with."

Ruby hurries along quickly, wanting there to be as little a scene as possible as they rush back to where Ruin is 

"Oh good, they'll make a show of it." Basso remarked, watching the crowds gather. As Ruby ran off, he picked up his pace to stay with her. All he could think about was the note though, did Ruin really decapitate the pony? Defiled the corpse? 

Night rushes to the field with the brand held in a wing. He didnt want to know what ruin did to the body. He was just glad there was an alternative and hoped ruin would be okay with it 


```As Ruby and the others try to push through the Crowd, they catch sight of it.

The Final March. Ruin, being escorted out of the jail, and towards the field, surrounded by four Guards and Marina leading them, as the Town guards tired to make sure no one rushed him or anything. 

Up ahead in the field, was a line of eight varying creatures holding what looked to be some sorta rifle, waiting, with Passion and Carn as Ruby might remember the energy Wolf, standing off to the side, probably to supervise the event.```

Ruin hobbles along with the guards, taking note of the crowd "Wow, must not be much to do around here on a Wednesday." 

Night looks to the rifle and spots Passion Fruit. He makes his way toward the firing squad with the brand held high. "I have to talk to Ruin!"

Ruby heads over quickly to Passion and Carn rather than towards Ruin. She has the amber and the note from their ordeal in the palace of warriors as she heads over quickly "miss Passion please you need to see this quickly" 

Basso runs toward Ruin, anger burning in his eyes. "Ruin you idiot!." He yelled, running up to them. "You cut her head off?! Really?! The hell is wrong with you?" 

```The Guards stop Basso from getting too close, but Ruin would easily hear him, though he was not given time to stop and properly respond, he could still yell back to Basso as he marched.```

"Don't touch me" Basso said, pushing the guard back, "Yeah she told me, she told me you decapitate the girl and defiled the corpse, the hell were you trying to do? Oh, and no, she's still just as dead as ever! Congratulations though, you get to be a slave in their army if you like." 

"Damnit Basso can you calm down!" Night shouts obviously annoyed. He then turns to ruin "you have one way to make it out alive if the guards and Passion will let you." 

```As Basso pushes on the guard though, the big brute of a stallion slams an elbow hard into him, knocking him back. “stand down outsider, or next hits sending you home in bandages.” he said, two guards quickly pointing spears at him.```

The decapitation and desecration had an intent, even if was overkill. There was nothing else I could do to get the gods' attention. I tried pouring in money and begging, but they wouldn't lift a finger. But calling them out and putting a severed head in the offering bowl? That got their attention. Hell, it even got Burn an open casket funeral! Better than she would have gotten otherwise." "Nightlight, don't you get it? I deserve to die. If I wanted to make it out alive, I wouldn't have gone peacefully to prison or tried saving her with all I could. I heard Basso, a slave in their army. That does nothing to right my wrong, it just adds more fuel to a war that put us in this mess. Another corpse for the pile. What good is that to anyone?" 





Grunting as he's knocked back, Basso eyed the stallion up, then the two other guard with spears. "Yeah, that's some pretty tough talk with your friends here." He realized it wasn't a good idea to pick a fight with the entire town's guard though. Trying to keep pace with Ruin, Basso pushed through the crowd. "Who cares about the gods, screw'em, they can pound sand! You fought for your life, that was it." He knew he wasn't going to get through to the unicorn though, he was too damned stubborn. Instead he decided to try and push his way to Passion Fruit.

"Basso cool the hell off or we are going to have an issue" night stares menacingly at Basso beforr turning back to Ruin "i know you think you were at fault for her death. But i also know you wouldnt have done it without a reason. This brand will allow you to live and yes be a frontline soldier. But you can live and maybe return to Hayven with us" Night pleads with Ruin hoping logic will get to him "it was a kill or be killed situation despite your efforts otherwise" 

Ruby tries again to show Passion the scroll and amber. Even if Ruin wasn't accepting the option, she would offer it for sure 

"I agree with you on that Basso, them gods can get facefucked with a sledgehammer for all the help they've given their people in this mess, but that aint what this is about to me. It ain't what I did to the gods that put me here, or why I stayed. Sure it was life or death, and yeah I tried to talk her out of combat the entire time, but that doesn't change the fact that I killed a kid. A kid that seemed as stubborn, dumb, and violent as I am. There were other options. I could have just teleported away, tried stunning her, or hell, maybe I could have talked more. Instead, I panicked." "I swore I'd never kill again, and now you guys want to make me a soldier. In the army of a bunch of people who would rather I just die here and now. A people who, let's not forget, tried to blow up our town not too long ago and just a few days ago killed a bunch of Hayvenites and started a bunch of fires. Why? So I can fight against the people on the side of the person I came here to rescue? The person who threw herself in harms way when she thought I was in danger? Not how I roll." "I obviously don't care about my own life Night, so tell me what good taking this option would do otherwise. At least if I die that magic sword back home might end up in the posession of someone who will be around to defend the town when the time comes." 

Basso returnes the glare from Night, not thrilled with the threat. He agreed with Ruin's reasoning for not wanting to be a slave for these people. "You're right Ruin, she was a kid." He called out, "But don't think she was just some innocent one. She was a fighter, a warrior, the same kind of pony who attacked our town. If her gods told her to go to our town and kill, do you really think she would say no?" 

Ruin stops mid-step for a second, and then seems to resume his walk at a slower pace. He turns to face Basso. The resigned look in his eyes is gone. In its place is a familiar shine. The shine that typically means that there are either explosives nearby or that he intends to do something insane. "I hope you don't take this the wrong way bud, but shove off already." He says with a wink, when suddenly, Ruin trips. Maybe it's because he wasn't looking where he was going, or maybe it was intentional. 


```Ruby only wasn't able to earlier due to the thick crowd getting in her way, or so someones using as an excuse, shame on them! With Nightlight fast behind her, she is stopped by the guards for a moment as she approaches, but with a wave Passion allows them through the blockade and to approach.

Her expression is hard, stern, but she gives a polite nod. “Ruby, Nightlight, what is it you need from  me that is so urgent?” he smirks, only slightly, and only for a second. “If this is one last attempt to save your friends life, I suppose you deserve at least the respect of hearing you, even if it will be futile in the end.”```

```As Ruin and Basso had gone along, they had made quite a headway out into the field, the pole at the end now very close, only thirty to forty feet away, when Ruin trips.

With a grumble, all fours guards don't waste a second slamming the butt of their weapons into Ruin several times, knocking his three legged frame flat on the ground, before Marina waves a roof for them to stop, and looks down at him. 

“Up.” she says simply.```

Ruby turns and sees NightLight behind her before turning back to face Passion "we have an alternative provided" she says, offering the note over to her 

Night runs toward Passion as well bumping a guard accidentally "Your gods gave Ruin an option" 

"Hey!" Basso called out to the guards slamming their rifles into Ruin. "Get off him" spreading his wings Basso took off toward the guards, looking to try and push them off the unicorn. A three legged pony being taken to die trips and they respond by beating him? Scumbags. 

"Or what? You'll kill me?" Ruin quietly laughs as Basso begins to distract the guards. He takes advantage of the chaos by dipping his head lower to the ground, getting his horn closer to his hooves. 

[Basso, d20-4+Dexterity, 10+pass, 16+ success, 7- crit fail]
[Ruin, d20-6+dexterity, 11+pass, 17+ success, 8- crit fail]
Basso, 5, crit fail
Ruin, 9, fail

```As Ruin tried to reach towards his Horn, Marina had seen such tricks before, and with a flick of her paw smacked Ruins head upward and a guard Quickly Grabbed him and pulled him up in a choke hold.

She just stares at him and shakes her head. “Well, we were going to go through the motions, but if you simply wish to die without even some dignity.....”```

```meanwhile, Bassos attempts to fly instantly caught the attention of several guards, and within moments of trying to circumvent the guard line he was tackled by two pegasi and one eagle like creature, his head being slammed into the ground hard and held there.

“make another movement and I wont hesitate to add your corpse to today's pile.” the eagle thing squawks right into his ear.```

```Passion and Carn share a look, before turning to Ruby and Nightlight. “what...do you mean?” Carn asks, taking a few steps closer.

But then, suddenly, a bunch of commotion draws their attention to the left, where they see Ruin being choke holded over something and Basso getting to learn that the dirt here was actually not the worst tasting dirt around, though it was still dirt.

Frowning deeply, Passion turns to look at Ruby and Night. “Well, your attempt to distract us for your friends has failed, shame, I thought you two trustworthy, even if you did not agree with this...” she says, a bit of pain in her eyes.```

Using his remaining rear leg, Ruin bucks hard into the groin of the guard chokeholding him, for the dual purpose of putting all of his weight against the hold, and some much needed catharsis. 

Night frowns "God fucking damnit, they cant keep their cool for one second. I swear I'd kill them myself" Night is very pissed off now and turns to passion "I wasn't trying to distract you. Read this." Night hands her the note 

Ruby blinks in surprise "our... our what?" she looks genuinely surprised "trick? Fuck that guy Basso. We wanted you to see this note. An offer from your uhh... inquisitors for Ruin to pay off his debt in the front lines" 

Basso grunts as he's swarmed by guards and slammed down. "Ok ok, I'm sorry" He mumbled to the Eagle, trying to see Ruin from the ground. 

[Ruin, d20-6+Dex, 11+ pass, 17+ success, 10- crit fail]
Ruin, 12, pass


```Whiles Ruins kick lands firmly, its not enough to break the hold,only loosen it enough to talk and squirm harder.

This might of mattered, that is, until suddenly he blinks, and feels a sharp pain in his stomach. Looking down, he sees one of the guards has just stabbed him deep with their spear, a surprised look on Marina and the others faces at they just stare, before the crabtaur twists the blade and pulls its out. 

“there, now he wont be trying anything else.” he says with a nod, spitting onto Ruins face.```

```Passion looks between Ruby, Night, and the Note, then sighs. “your right your right, I am sorry, you are not responsible for their actions....” she says, and looks the note over, her eyes going wide. “but...” she blinks, and looks at them “w-well...i cannot deny this is you wish to do this bu-”

suddenly, everyone's attention is drawn to the left again as many gasp and and yell and point, and looking over, Ruby and Nighlight would catch just in time to see the crabtaur pull the spear back.

Passion even gasps herself, but it was Carn who, without a moments hesitation, rushes off towards to scene.```

```Basso was stuffed further into the ground, but suddenly notices things go chaotic all around him, the bird thing looking off, almost letting him go, until another guard tell him to keep Basso pinned, so he pushes down harder. 

“oh..oh fuck...dont move outsider! Oh fuck...thats not how an executions supposed to be done...: he mumbles, his attention split between Basso and something else.```

```Ruins bleeds, the wound deep, terrible, and not at all minor. Be person holding him kinda just lets him flop to the ground, as Marina finally snaps out of it, and orders the impromptu executioner to relinquish his weapon, which he gladly does, holding his head up high.

As Carn shows up, he makes sure the perp is quickly taken away, before he shares a look with Marina, then looks to Ruin slumped on the ground.

“Well, least we can do is end things quickly.” he says, and starts glowing a bit brighter...```

night turns and sees the spear pulled out of ruin "what. The. Hell." night is livid at the events that happened "are you fucking kidding me?" he doesn't know what to say or how to say it. Instead he looks to ruin and dashes to him grabbing bandages from his saddlebags 

Ruby gasps in surprise as the sun bastard stabs Ruin without much rhyme or reason. Her muzzle scrunchies as they once again create drama for the cute mare, who has just about had enough. She hurries over to where the others went, still holding the amber locket "are you kidding? Does this team absolutely lack honor?" she scoffs, motioning her head towards the perpetrator who took justice into his own hands, before hanging her head low "don't... don't jump to conclusions mister Carn, maybe something can be done still..." 

Ruin gasps in pain, then looks dead in the eyes of Stabby McStabface. "Wow, even your priests love killing! Such an interesting and noble culture." He loudly horks a bloody loogie in the guard's face. 

"Cmon man, your guard stabbed my friend" Basso desperately pleaded, "So please, get off me so I can help!" he yelled, giving the eagle a firm push. 

[Basso, d20-3+strength, 9+ pass, 14+ success]
Basso, 4, fail

```Basso isnt able to get out of the birds grasp, whos attention is now fully on him. “quite! You'll be lucky not to see jail time yerself after all this!” he screeches down.```

```The Guard is stopped from reacting ot ruin, pulled away and off to the side, though now quite a few are gathering in the area.

Carn doesn't look up simply staring down at Ruin,as Marina steps up to Ruby. “please. He was to be executed anyways. Perhaps this is not how it was to be done, but it is best to let be finished what has been started.”

Passion had followed along, and puts a hoof on Rubies shoulder, nodding. “best save that brand, it would only prolong his suffering now.” 

The Guards seem to not want to let Ruby and Basso near Ruin, two blocking the way, though its obvious to ruby as least, who has seen what Carn can do, that the wolf is waiting to see what the actual conclusion is, as he couldve ended Ruin in a moment by now.```

"No! You people attacked our home, killed our people, kidnapped one of them! Then you dare to play the victim when we come looking for them!" Basso said grabbing the birb, "And now one of your guards decides to take matters into his own hands and get rid of Ruin like its nothing, like he's just a piece of trash. I won't just sit here obediently." Instead of trying to simply shove the birb off, Basso tried to use his own weight to twist out of his grip and dash away. 





Night looks to ruin and sees the severity of the injury and hangs his head. He then looks to passion with tears in his eyes "I know he was a criminal in your eyes, but he was a great friend to me. He doesn't deserve to die like that, just stabbed and bleeding out. There's no honor in it. At least with the execution it would have been more professional. This feels more like a killing just for killing sake. I don't see any justice." Night wipes away a tear and looks down "I didn't want it to end like this..." 

Ruby... is pretty sure that she has had enough of the whole situation "you have every right to detain Ruin for what he is done, even march him out to die... but this, bringing such a level of disgrace to someone who has resignes themselves to the afterlife... and... and..." she turns to Basso, raising her voice "quit making things goddamn worse Basso!" she practically shouts at the pegasus, her horn lit up with an orange energy, a reflection of her mood gone completely sour. She turns to the would be killer, the one who assaulted Ruin "you, you disgusting oiece of trash, taking the god's discretion into your own grip, I guess you just know whats best you... you fucking disgraceful heretic. How dare you assault someone who is trying to atone!" The little mare is practically vibrating at this point, one angery pony "I can't believe you would shun your own god's offer so easily! A chance at repentance so casually discarded!"
Ruby takes a deep breath, trying to regain a bit of her composure

Ruin laughs weakly. "You all want blood, you've sure as shit made that clear. No wonder you keep throwing people into your corpse grinder of a pointless war, training child soldiers and killing everything you don't like. You know what? You're all soldiers here, and I'm an enemy combatant! Have your fucking blood!" Ruin focuses on his horn as much as he can, preparing in his mind a stonebending spell to turn this cliff into a more 95 degree angle. He then smashes his hoof into his horn, with intent to shatter it.

[whew, Ruin, d20-6+Dex, 11+ pass, 16+ success, 10-crit fail]
[If at least pass, d20-6+Strength, 12+pass, 17+ success, 11-crit fail]
[if at least pass that, D20+Disc of Nature, 12+ pass, 18+ success, 11- crit fail]
Ruin1, 2, crit fail
Ruin2, uneeded
Ruin3, uneeded


```Passion goes to say something.

Basso ends up in the struggle, maybe even winning.

But as Ruin finishes his speech and and tries to move, in a instant Carn fires, and a holes of energy burns through his head and out the other end, and just like that, he flops over, limp. Dead.

The world goes silent, as Carn turns to stare at Passion, Ruby, and Night. Basso now has been let go, the guard too distracted to care.

“He threatened to kill us all, I had to do something.” Carn says, sighing and looking back down. “Alas, such is how things go.”

Somewhere, sometime, a stallion drops a pocket watch.

Tick

Tock

smash.```

Night watches the commotion with tears running down his face "Why did you have to do it that way Ruin" night turns to passion "This isn't how it was supposed to happen. Ruin deserved a better death. Let me at least honor him with a good burial." Night says trying to regain his composure 

Night watches the commotion with tears running down his face "Why did you have to do it that way Ruin" night turns to passion "This isn't how it was supposed to happen. Ruin deserved a better death. Let me at least honor him with a good burial." Night says trying to regain his composure 

"Well... you got your execution" Basso said to the guard, pulling himself up. "Are you happy now? That's another one of our villagers gone." he muttered silently. 

Ruby scrunchies her snout when she hears the loud flash burning into the ground. She gasps in surprise, her eyes widening and the orange glow arpund her horn fizzling out 

```the crowd is silent. Many even, already walking away, the guard slowly getting out of their stupor to clear the area, as Carn sits down and stares at Ruins limp body idly.

Passion just stares, blinking, before she slowly looks to Night. “I.....” she blinks, slowly looking at the corpse.

“...do with it as you please then.” she says in just above a whisper.```

```The eagle guard blinks, and looks to Basso, his face stern. “it was never about blood....” he says simply, shaking his head and looking back over. “none of us were going to be happy, only glad he wouldn't be able to do it again.”```

Basso let out a long sigh, "You didn't kill him" He said walking away from the eagle toward Ruin's body. He glared at Nightlight and Ruby, the two ponies who seemed to have had given up on Ruin from the beginning, but didn't say anything, instead turning his attention toward Passion. "The guard that killed him, what will be done with him?"

Ruby stays seated in her current spot, blinking slowly and looking away from Ruin. Her stomach buzzed and sge did her best to keep her lunch. She put a hoof to her lips and closed her eyes, shaking her head "thats not right. Yall aren't right..." she mutters quietly to herself 

Night walks over to the body and puts a hoof on it "May your next life be peaceful and happy, friend" Night then picks the body up and carries it off toward the portal to OH. He turns to Passion one last time pain and another look similar to betrayal on his face. He shakes his head and walks away alone 




```”He will be stripped of his status and barred from service, aswell as spend a bit of time in isolation to rethink his choices.” Passion says casually to Basso, as she watches Night take away the body.

“i.....think it might be time for you to leave...” she sighs, and with a soft glow of her horn, produces a small, red-bronze rob, and offers it to Ruby.

“if....you wish to contact us again, just zap this with some magic. Im....sorry, things too a dreadful turn at the end, but at least it is all over with.” she says, shrugging a bit, as Carn gets up and heads off to who knows what.```

Ruby looks down at the orb, then back up to Passion. She holds the orb in her hoof, ever so tempted to put it on the ground and crush it beneath her hoof. She closes her eyes and swallows painfully "you're a lot like humans, you know. So easily capable of horrible atrocities just as capable of warm smiles and friendly embraces... its... you scare me greatly... i'd very much like to go home..." she almost chokes out. She sets the orb along with the earlier stuff attained from the gods in her saddlebaggies and looks away from them, an empty, disgusted mood in her belly 

Basso stared at Passion for a moment. Nothing more could be done. This guard would get a slap on the writst, Ruin would be buried, the missing townsfolk were probably dead. At this moment, he couldn't do a thing. "Goodbye Passion Fruit." He said, his face betraying no emotion. Turning away he began his long walk home, "Yeah, let's go Ruby." 

```With sullen moods and heavy hearts, the three Hayven residents are allowed to leaving silence, popping back out at the southern gate, attracting yet again more attention, the body on Nights back doing them no favors.

But there was little actual trouble, and little to be done, as they were left to do what they must with what they had...```

```somewhere, deep in the forest, a creature stirred, licking its wounds from its successful fight against Kettu, though it had not been able to rescue the Void worshiper. Nevertheless, it had a mission to complete, and it knew, the Light would not stop til they had prevented it....


...but that, was a story for another time....```