A Fresh Start

As the party of three wandered across the land, they looked for anywhere to rest their heads. Inns were full, and the kingdom wouldn't permit them in town, so they kept looking. As they neared Cronwell Village, they began to give up hope, seemed like word of their exile spread quickly.

As day became night, they crossed the Kingdom boarder into No-Man's-Claim. No kingdom dared claim anything in this land has it contained non-human species, beasts and monsters of all varieties. They decided to push forward through the night hoping to find someplace to crash.

Euphrates rubbed his eyes believing they were playing tricks on him, only to reveal a small run down outpost, a ruin for the past, that wasn't in too terrible shape, and with how tired they were, they decided to stop at the "Old Mission Outpost" for the night.

As they slept, things were brewing that would change the course of their path.

"Move it! All slaves! I DIDN'T SAY STOP!"

A slave master was making his way to the boarders of the kingdoms selling fairy slaves to people for outrageous prices.

The fairies were tired, some had even died on their death march. Out from behind a rock emerged Nightshade, he couldn't sleep so he'd gone for a night. He was filled rage he saw the slave master pull out a whip. One of the fairies had fallen over and was too weak to move.

"GET AWAY FROM HER!" yelled Nightshade alerting his party.

The slaver master torn off Nightshade's jacket and tried whipping him. The topless antihero took each blow of the whip like they were nothing. The slave master began to back up as the antihero got closer.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU IDIOTS DOING? PROTECT ME!"

The fairies didn't budge, they all watched as the antihero cracked his knuckles. Euphrates and Gell were up to see him marching up to the slave master.

"YOU DARE PREY UPON THEM! *One fist cracks him in the jaw*

"Please sir, I....I'll sell them to you! stupidly low prices!"

*Another punch breaks his jaw." "SELL THEM!"

"They're FREE! JUST LET ME LIVE!! PLEASE I'M BEGGING HERE!

Nightshade was about to punch him when one of the collapsed fairies grabbed his ankle.

His eyes glow, tears well up in them as he bends over picks up the fairy who'd collapsed, she was barely breathing. Nightshade began shaking as the Slave Master clambered to his feet.

"R-right then, I'll be off!" stuttered the slave master

Nightshade walks her over to Gell. "Heal her...and forgive me for what I'm about to do."

His eyes lock purple, as he hands her off, and faces the slave master who is cowering in fear, Nightshade cocks back his fist, punching a hole into the slaver's chest.

The Slave Master looks at the chuck of organs hanging outside his body. Nightshade picks up the man, raising him above his head and begins crushing his skull, the man screams as a blood rain covers Nightshade. He drops the body, watching it crumple to the ground.

"What good is it to be a hero, when people like him exist due to the laws of man." Nightshade put more holes into the man's chest.

"WHAT good is it for you to justify the reasons he exists HERO!"

Euphrates begins to walk towards Nightshade.

With a last punch, the body erupts into a blood mist. "There is no answer, because I failed as a hero, NEVER again.

Gell and Euphrates watch as he walks over to a log, covering in blood and sits down.

"All my life I believed that no matter what, as long as good existed, evil would be in check, never allowed to expand. Clearly I was wrong."

"No, look, the good guys still win! You can still win!" tried Gell

"Yes, I can win, but not as a hero, nor as a villain." said Nightshade as he cleaved a boulder in half out of rage.

"I've been such a fool..." he went on looking at the fairy.

"From this day, I will kill heroes, and villains who stand for this crap." He looked at the fairy again. "That I swear on my life."