Author's Note

The past four chapters were all written at the same time. The original chapter had an intro where the bow was given up, however due to popular demand, my editor/confidant and I decided the intro should be changed, so I did. If people want to see what the original chapter looked like, feel free to send a PM and I'll send the copy to you or something.

Also if any authors of Displaced fics would like to do a crossover for my next chapter that would be great

Chapter 15

I held out the bow towards Twilight, before pulling it back and slinging it over my shoulder, “No. You can go fuck yourself.” I dropped my arm to my side and glared at Twilight. “You’ve relinquished it back into my possession, so you have no right to take it away.”

Twilight seemed shocked at my language, before she gave me a good hard stare. “Give me the bow! Or you go back into your prison!” She shouted, trying her damn best at sounding intimidating.

“Oh no, not this time. You ponies hold no authority over me, so you can go shove a fat one!” I gave them the finger for good measure as I tried to walk past them. But, Twilight had other plans, and stepped in front of me.

“Your powers are dangerous! They need to be kept under supervision Julian.” Twilight tried to convince me to hand over my only means of escape.

“No, there’s still the possibility of more demons! Prime reason, look at what is happening behind me!” I pointed to the corpse of the demon. It was now – for the lack of a better word – disintegrating into the ground. The ponies looked disgusted but I had to explain what was happening.

“When a demon dies, this happens: the blood of a demon corrupts and contaminates the land surrounding it. Soon enough, not only will this draw out other demons in the area to attack this village, but plants won’t be able to grow, and the ones that do will mutate. Animals will get corrupted and become incredibly more violent and resilient, they become monsters. I need my powers to cleanse this place of a demonic presence.”

“How do I know you’re not lying?” Twilight asked hesitantly, at which I rolled my eyes.

Oh you’ve got to be kidding me. I am seriously beginning to lose patience with her. “Then wait and see what happens in a week or so. Wait and see who won’t be here to protect you because you were to ignorant to see the real dangers of this world. I am not your enemy, but you’re treading dangerously close to that line Twilight. You either trust me, or make the biggest mistake of your life. Depending on your choice, not only will you doom this town, but the nation as well.”

“What do you mean?” She asked confused.

“This taint will draw out more and more demons. Equestria will not be able to defeat them all, and will ultimately perish. Then the demons will spread and attack neighbouring countries, until they’ve killed everyone on this planet.” I explained before moving towards the ‘dissolved’ demon.

I reached down and used my powers to remove the corruption; a simple command to ‘kill’ any demonic essence remaining. “So why did you specify Equestria and not the world?” I heard Twilight ask.

“Because if you force me to give up my bow, I will leave Equestria to be pillaged and destroyed without a single care. I will make sure to rally the world’s armies, but only after Equestria is nothing but ash. So choose carefully Twilight, it's either the life or the death of your entire country.”

My words seemed to shock them all into a coma or something. “Why would you do that?” Rarity asked.

“Because by taking my weapon away from me, you’ll prove to me that you ponies are all the same.” Everyone looked on in shame, but more than that Twilight seemed convinced by my words, so she gave up trying to take my bow from me. I grinned, then turned to leave. “That's what I thought.”

“Where are you going?” I had hoped that they would just leave me be, but no. Twilight had to start talking again.

I turned my head to look over my shoulder at Twilight, “To go rest. In case you forgot, I just fought and killed both a manticore and a demon, and lost an arm. Despite how I may look, I am still in quite a fair bit of pain. Healing wounds is one thing, but the emotional and physical trauma on my body is another.” At the mention of killing the manticore, Fluttershy recoiled with disgust and started to well up.

I turned my head forwards and continued my trek towards the castle. Once again, on the way through town, the ponies gave me those looks. The looks of disgust and fear. I was in a foul mood and just about ready to kill someone, so in my anger, I looked across the crowds and shouted at the top of my lungs, “Would you just fuck off already?!”

This seemed to have the desired effect of putting the ponies off my back. Almost immediately, the ponies staring either looked away quickly, with some evening running away as quickly as they could.

With that sorted, I continued on my way. As I walked through the front doors, I ran into Spike. Well, more like he ran into me. This guy was pretty cool, so my angry mood dissipated as I looked to someone who didn't hate me. “What happened?” He asked me as I shuffled past him.

Not willing to give the little drake the full details, I simply replied with “A lot”, and continued towards the room I was given. I removed my torn black shirt and threw it on the floor, before collapsing onto the bed and quickly falling into a deep slumber. Unfortunately for me, not even in my dreams could not catch a moment of peace. Despite wanting a dreamless sleep, I was greeted with nightmares. I can’t remember most of the nightmare, but I will jot-down what I remember.

I stood among a crowd of face-less people in a place I do not recognise. I walked against the flow of people, towards I destination I did not know. If I recall correctly, I wore nothing but a black coat with the hood up.

As I was walking, I bumped into one of the face-less people. I turned to apologise, before the hood was removed. The person I bumped into exclaimed at the top of their lungs, as they pointed an accusing finger at me, “monster!”

At this, everyone turned to face me before declaring multiple verbal harassments like “murderer”, “monster”, “freak” and “abomination.” I covered my ears, held my head low, and ran through the endless crowd. The scenery seemingly moving with me, as more and more people simply appeared along the endless streets. The voices, much like the streets, were as never ending as they were relentless.

This continued for a while, before a certain blue princess came to the rescue.

I know I know, pathetic right? I mean, who would have nightmares like that? Well I would. After years and years of abuse, these things can leave a kind of scar that isn’t easily healed. So yes, I have nightmares about people hating me, wanting me to die, and to top it off, Luna has to come and save me every time it happens.

Anyway, after Luna dispelled the nightmare – which I didn’t know she could do until now – I respectfully asked that she not interfere with my dreams. She was extremely confused at this and questioned why even though she knew I was in great pain. I told her that I felt incredibly uncomfortable with having others invade my mind, even if it was simply to stop a bad dream, because it would show my biggest fears to people I do not want knowing about.

Luna tried to reassure me that she had no desire to invade my personal space, or pry into my biggest fears. However, despite her reassurances, I affirmed my desire to not have her looking at my dreams. Stating that dreams are only dreams, and cannot hurt me.

Yet Luna was relentless, she said that not only do nightmares leave psychological effects, but they can in fact enter the physical world in extreme cases, and potentially cause harm. Once again, I shot her down. Only this time, I said it in the form of, “Can you just fuck off already Luna? A lot happened to day and I’m really not in the mood for a back-and-forth debate on the subject that won't fucking go anywhere. I do not want you in my head, so just stay out of it.”

I probably said a bit much to the only person who was willing to accept me for who I am, since Luna looked really hurt. I was about to apologise before she left, causing me to awake.

All-in-all I slept for about an hour and a half. When I sat up, feeling like shit, I noticed Spike was standing in the door-way. He looked at me with a sad expression, before saying, “Twilight wants to see you in the throne room.”

I laid back down on the bed, facing away from him before replying, “Tell her I’m sleeping.”

Apparently, Spike wouldn’t take no for an answer, as he walked into the room, poked my back and continued, “She knew you'd say that, so she's said it’s urgent, very urgent.”

Slightly annoyed that I couldn’t get more sleep, although at this point it was just an excuse to not move, I got up and made my way through the extremely confusing castle, towards the throne room. After a few minutes of navigating the crystal castle, I found my way to the room. Not even bothering to knock, I pushed the doors open before strolling in. Twilight and her friends, with the exclusion of Rainbow Dash, halted their conversation and looked my way.

I was rather angry with them for having such little faith in me, despite saying they ‘trusted me’. Goes to show what trust means to them right? The only one I could excuse was Rarity, since she was the only one who hadn’t actually had the chance to meet me properly.

I stopped walking just past the entrance to the room and stood still, waiting what they wanted. Twilight broke the silence after a few moments, “I informed Celestia of the events that occurred, and she says that while what happened worries her, you did in fact save Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo. So she is willing for make you a deal.”

I raised my eyebrow, feeling that Twilight didn’t deserve a verbal response right now, so I motioned with my hand for her to continue. “Celestia says that as a reward for saving not only us, but those fillies, she’s willing to let you keep your bow. On the condition that the first thing you do is heal Rainbow Dash of her injuries. The doctors say that she’s in critical condition, so she requires desperate aid.” She said, explaining the inevitable catch of this deal.

I laughed, much to the shock and anger of those gathered. Before any of them could say anything, I spoke first. “I have much to say so keep quiet and listen.” I said with a touch of anger in my voice. “First off, the dumb bitch deserves it for not thinking, and rushing headlong into a fight she had no chance of winning from the word ‘go’.” Applejack was about to voice her strong opinion on my choice of words, before I interrupted her. “I said be quiet!” I shouted, causing her to back down and Fluttershy to cower, “Secondly, why should I even consider helping her? She’s done nothing good for me, where in fact all she’s done is hate me like the rest of you.” I waved my hand over them before continuing, “I thought you different, I thought you unlike the rest of them, but what do I get when I save, not only your lives, but the lives of your family and this entire fucking town? Fear! Disgust! The same looks that everyone else here gives me! You look at me, even now, as nothing but a monster! A freak! I bet that you even think I should never have come to this damned town! I’ll admit, I was blinded by rage and went a bit over-board, but he chopped off my fucking arm! How could I not be pissed off with that?!”

“That doesn’t excuse you taking a life! What gives you the right?!” Fluttershy suddenly found her courage and shouted. Well, at least what she'd consider a shout.

I legitimately was so pissed now that it hurt. “YOU DO NOT KNOW WHAT THEY ARE CAPABLE OF! DEMONS DESERVE NOTHING BUT DEATH!” I shouted, much louder than before, using my magic to amplify the volume. “There was a legitimate, real monster back there, and I took care of it. But now you all look at me as if I'm the monster, when at least I don’t go around butchering everyone!” I continued my rant, “Demons do not discriminate. They’ll kill anyone and everyone they come across, young or old, male or female. It does not matter to them.” I stopped to calm down.

“We could have at least tried talking to it!” Fluttershy was not letting up.

Now I was pissed, but more than that, I laughed heartily at their naïveté. “TALK TO IT?! That has to be the best joke I've heard since I was freed. Listen, you cannot reason with a Demon, I doubt most of them even have the ability to talk. They’ve no reason to in the first place, all they have reason for is to kill!” Before they could have a chance at speaking I continued, “You remember my talk a while back? I fought against them in the war. They do nothing but kill, and sometimes even their own kind! I’ve witnessed friends and comrades fall at the hands of the Demons. You know nothing of what they’re capable of. Not only did I save all the lives of everyone in this town, but also the lives of everyone in the nearest town, and possibly the town after that as well. That Demon would have gone through and killed everyone, with extreme prejudice and no remorse.” I paused for a moment before continuing with a softer tone, “I’ve seen it happen. Right in front of me, when I was just a child. The Demons had attacked my village, killed everyone in it, and butchered my parents right in front of me while I was hiding with my sister.”

The ponies all gasped in shock. Of course, this didn’t actually happen to me specifically, only to my ‘character’. I thought to myself, trying to take on my role of my Diablo 3 character, since that was who I really was now.

“My sister, Valla, later committed suicide after she went mad with grief and despair. It was a few months, nearly a year after then, that I was taken in by other survivors of other towns, and trained in the arts of becoming a Demon Hunter.” I finished my tale and looked towards the ponies, who now were looking at me with pity. “Don't give me those pathetic looks. Were it not for that, I would not have been able to help my fellow Nephalem save our world from the Demon invasion, nor would I have been here to stop the tragedy that occurred to me to repeat here.”

I looked back to the ponies seated, “Regardless, that is not the issue we face, we’re here to talk about that deal are we not?” I asked Twilight.

She looked at me with confusion before shaking her head, rather comically might I add. “Yes we are. The question is, Julian, do you accept?” She asked.

I already decided to help them, despite having no real reason to, since helping would not benefit me, and not helping would not cause me grief. Aside from earning the amnesty of these ponies. I appeared hesitant to answer however, just to make them worry.

“Well after that stunt you pulled earlier today I’m reluctant to do anything for you or your friends.” Twilight seemed downcast, “but you did see reason, and for that I guess I’ll help… Fuck it, why not?” I answered simply. The ponies exclaimed with joy, as Twilight lead the way to the hospital.

Pinkie’s mane suddenly inflated before she bounced up to me and shouted, “We should throw a party! It’ll be the: ‘Thanks for saving everypony’s life and healing Rainbow Dash party’!”

I simply looked at her with a raised eyebrow before chuckling. With my free hand I reached forward to ruffle her mane, however as I drew close I saw her flinch, if only slightly. This caused my smile to falter, and I retracted my hand. “Sure, but make sure not to have too many ponies, since they all hate me.” Along with all you most likely. I thought bitterly.

“Come on! We have to hurry to Rainbow!” Twilight shouted as we rushed to the hospital. I purposely kept my armour on and my companions with me simply to look intimidating to the villagers.

As we arrived, the nurses showed us to Rainbow, where she was currently hooked up to some kind of magical life-support. I didn’t know the ponies had this kind of tech now. Apparently there’s a lot of things I didn’t know at the time as well, but that’s for later.

After using my magic to heal Rainbow Dash, she woke up and looked at her body in shock. When she looked up at me, she knew immediately that for the second time, I had saved her life. “You saved me? Thank y-” I interrupted her praise by punching her straight in her muzzle.

“That was for being an idiot and rushing headfirst into a fight you had no chance of winning. Heal that on your own.” I said as I saw blood run down from her nose.

Twilight sent a letter to Celestia via Spike, which probably said something along the lines of ‘he accepted the deal’, I don’t fucking know jeez. Shortly after I had healed Rainbow to her normal state, she awoke. Twilight detailed the events to her – as well as to Spike, since I didn’t – and as expected, Rainbow thought me a monster. Twilight was quick to scold her though.

A few moments later, Spike burped up a letter, which Twilight quickly took and read. She then exclaimed in surprise that Luna was coming. Literally a second later, Luna appeared in the room via teleportation.

She looked straight at me. I was about to apologise for what I said in my dream, but she was quick to interrupt me. “We have found you a way home!” She shouted, much to everyone’s shock.

“What…?”