//------------------------------// // Chapter 21 - Human: Judgement(Castus) // Story: World of Ponies: The Pony-Human War // by ShadowWalking18 //------------------------------// Castus Castus walked into the Sanctuary, near the base of the Tree of Harmony. Around him, people worked to either sew fresh clothes, or to sharpen spears. Others walked in our out of the adjacent corridors carrying baskets of dried meat and root tubers. People stopped to look at him, but only momentarily before returning to their work. Castus felt a bitter bile rising up in him. 'What will be the consequences of what I do?' He thought. He could....he could ignore it. He needed the support and the troops. He could ignore it once they had victory, he had done it before. "NO!" He shouted, and he realized that he had shouted that for all to hear. Everyone stopped, and looked at him. Castus looked around, feeling embarrassed. He cleared his throat and then walked off. Not his....best save. 'No....they....that was...not...me.' He thought, and tried to banish memories of times he had turned the other check. Ignored the actions of his troops. He had done all that to secure victory and power. 'No...that was Karsus. That is not me!' He thought, and slammed his fist against the stone wall. He gripped the Amulet of Harmony with the other and took a deep breath. 'That was not me...and I am going...to prove it.' He thought. He would finally prove that he was NOT Karsus, or he him.....even if it cost him everything. It took Castus sometime to find the Huntmasters, and he had to restrain himself from lunging at Krul when he saw him. With instructions to gather all the people in the center of the complex, Castus then returned to his rooms to check on his...guests. As he neared his room, Valen once more trying to keep guard, and failing as both Tiara and Scootaloo hung on him. Both girls were looking at the boy, though at times glaring at each other. Over in the corner, Zecora sat working on some potion, using a small pot she had brought from her hut. Castus felt bad having to take the zebra prisoner, but at the same time he was glad he had. Her potion skills had helped heal many hunters who were injured, and even cured a number of minor aches and pains and even prevented a sickness from spreading amongst his people before it began. He hadn't even known the person had been sick till Zecora brought it up. 'I suppose I could have asked...but tough times require tough decisions.' He thought. Other people had also saw the good of Zecroa's remedies. Two hunters, both who had severe injuries, now acted as her guards willingly after she had healed them from wounds that Castus thought would be crippling. Though while many humans looked at Zecora with thanks, there were still others who still could not be trusted. They saw only a pony...and probably only would see an enemy. 'Like Krul.' Castus thought. "Not disturbing anything am I?" Castus asked as he walked in. "Castus! Hey!" Scootaloo said, getting up to wave at him and letting Valen go. Of course Valen didn't have any freedom as Tiara took this as an opportunity to pull him closer, cushioning his head between her breasts. Castus thought he would bust a gut at how red Valen's face got. "Scootaloo. Sorry I haven't had a lot of time to talk or hang, but I think I've been neatly replaced." Castus said, giving the filly a smirk. "Aww dont' say that. You're still the coolest magic human I know and my best friend." Scootaloo said, giving him a quick hug. Castus smiled, but....he felt like crap at the hug. He brushed it off though when Scootaloo let him go and he looked to Zecora. "Zecora." He said. "Child." Zecora said. Castus frowned, and he wanted to snap at her for saying that, but he ignored it and looked to Valen. "Valen. The people are gathering near the tree. I have an announcement to make and all should be present." He said. Valen didn't waste time to stand up, and Tiara gave him an irritated look, but Castus found himself getting the death glare. "Of course. Will go." Valen said, responding in the pony tongue. "Aww....hey can we come?" Scootaloo asked, "I bet your gonna give some big rousing war speech right?" Castus frowned, "Not exactly...and this is....a human matter. Stay here." "Awww." Scootaloo huffed and crossed her arms over her chest and turned away. "Sorry Scootaloo." Castus said. "Yeah, yeah." Scooatloo said as she sat down. Castus sighed and left. He walked with Valen as they made their way to the Tree. "So...were they soft?" Castus asked in the Valhruan language. The color of Valen's face took on a distinct tomato color then and Castus couldn't help but laugh. Valen grunted, "I...what is it that will be addressed?" Valen apparently was trying to change the subject now. Castus stopped smiling and sighed, "Krul.....he has much to answer for." Valen looked at him, "What?" "You will learn when I speak....and I fear that....it will be our doom." He said. As the two stepped out into the central complex, he saw that all the people were gathered. Warriors and women, and children. All looked to him with curious glances. Valen looked to him, and nodded as he moved to join his clan. Castus looked at all the people as he made his way to the base of a stone he stood upon when addressing the people. In the crowd he saw Marcus, and the two exchanged a nod. 'Whatever happens....I know Marcus will stand with me.' He thought, and though small it was still a comfort. "My people....I wish this addressment was of happier news....but in times of war, often it is not the case." Castus said as he begun. The people mummered amongst themselves, but Castus held up a hand and everyone went silent. "This gathering....is to address a most terrible of crimes. And it pains me that I must call one of our own to answer for this crime. But if we are to be a civil people....we must hold to our laws." Castus looked out amongst them all, and he looked at Krul. The Huntmaster had a hard look in his eyes, and Castus suspected that he knew what was coming next. Clenching his fist, Castus spoke. "Krul. Step forward." Krul looked at him with a furrowed brow, and standing straight he marched to stand before him. Castus looked at the Huntmaster hard, and knew now there was no going back. Castus looked at the Huntmaster, then to all the gathered people. Though he wished that it would not be so....he feared, in his heart, that these next few moments would tear apart all the work he had done. Three years of unity....to be shattered by justice. It was....an irony. "Krul....I hold you to stand accountable for the crimes of murder and slaughter. How do you plead?" Krul looked at him, and he saw both fear and anger in the man's eyes. "Fire Man....I do not understand. For what reason am I being so charged? Who have I murdered?" Krul asked. "You know damn well. I charge you with the massacre of an entire Equestrian village!" Castus called, loud for all to hear. The people began to speak amongst themselves, but Castus held up a hand and called, "Silence!" The people went quiet, and Krul looked at him shocked, "I..Fire Man..I was merely carrying out your commands." "My commands!?" Castus shouted, and against his better judgement he drew upon the Wind and hurled a weave of air at Krul, lifting him off his feet and dangling up in the air. He tightened the weave to make breathing difficult for the man. "Did I command you to slaughter innocents Krul?" Castus yelled. "Fire Man...I...agh!" Krul choked, trying to speak. "My command was to destroy the Equestrian Railroad system. Your orders were NOT to touch their villages! I gave you a command that they were NOT to be touched unless it was in self defense!" Castus shouted, now unable to hold back his rage over the atrocity he saw. "F-Fire Man. We needed shelter from the snow...you...had not arrived. The...the ponies resisted us when we entered their village. They fought us. We had to fight to survive." Krul said. "Do not lie to me Krul!" Castus shouted and slammed the man to the ground, releasing the weave and the Wind. He took a moment to steady himself, and he breathed hard. Krul coughed, and slowly got up. He looked at him with fear, but Castus could see...that anger also boiled under that fear. "My powers allow me to see what the dead have witnessed. I saw your warriors enter with fire and death. I did not see any Equestrian warriors stand to fight....I saw only women and children be slaughtered. You slaughtered a town of innocent civilians! You cannot deny this to me." Castus said, and he waited for Krul to speak. Though frankly...Castus wanted to obliterate the man. Krul coughed, and looked at the ground. He did not move or speak for a long time, and Castus and all around looked at him. Castus felt his heart beat with adrenaline and the unease of anticipation. "Yes....I did....I and my warriors slaughtered those ponies." Krul said, and he looked up and stared at Castus with a hard glare. "And I would do it again!" He shouted as he stood. Castus growled, clenching his fists. "We have lost brothers and sisters, wives and children to the ponies, and yet you demand that we not spill theirs in kind!" Krul accused, pointing a finger at him. The air seemed to howl and moan, and a few specks of snow seemed to pass through into the cave. "The ponies seek to destroy us, yet you demand that we not fight back save to protect our lives! Do you care more for their lives then ours?!" Krul shouted. A row of talk rose amongst the people. "Silence!" Castus shouted, and he swiped his arm about sending a trail of fire over the heads of all the people. Many fell down in shock from the display, and even Krul seemed to cow down from the show of power. It took all his will for Castus to not stagger. "I have always had our peoples best interest at heart, but we cannot let ourselves be made into the barbarians that the Equestrians see us as." Castus said, and he approached Krul. Though the man stood taller then him by a good two feet, Krul backed away slightly. "But you Krul...you disgrace us as a people in such acts as you have committed. You bring shame to us all!" Castus said, glaring as he used the Wind to force Krul to his knees. Krul growled and stared at him, trying to fight against the force that kept him kneeling. Castus kept up the pressure, though it made his head swim. "I should have you executed for such barbarity and insubordination..." Castus said, and earned gasps from the people. Many looked at him with shock and horror. Nothing like this had occurred before in their history after all. "But..." Castus said, "I am not without mercy. Swear that you will follow my commands from here on out to the letter. And swear that when all this is over, you and all your hunters who took part in the slaughter, will work to repay for the innocent lives you took in serving penance, and I will spare your miserable hide." Castus held his breath as the moment of truth came to its conclusion. What occurred next, would determine the rest of his peoples fate. Krul glared at him, and spat at his feet, "N-No." Castus sucked in his breath, "Then I pass the judgement of death upon you." With a wave of his hand, Castus drew upon the Wind to open a Waygate. He then pointed at it, and the snow storm covered lands it led to. "I banish you Krul from the Sanctuary. May the snow bury the fire of hate in your heart...and let the elements decide your fate." Castus said. Krul stared at him, then at the Waygate, then back at him. Castus and Krul stared hard and long at each other. Finally, Krul stood straight, and spat at him. Castus ignored the insult, as he watched Krul walk willingly through the Waygate. Castus sighed, and he prepared to close the Waygate, when from the gathered people, Krul's hunters soon stepped forward. They all glared at Castus, and all spat at him before marching through the Waygate. Castus watched shocked, and even more so as the rest of Krul's clan followed suit, spitting and leaving through the Waygate. Castus felt cold, but...he had suspected it would happen. But what he had not expect, was for other people soon to follow. Four Huntmasters stepped forward, all who had suffered greatly at the Moot attack, and whom Krul had a close relationship with. The Huntmasters all spat at him and followed through the Waygate; as did their clans. Castus could only watch in horror at it all, until the last people had passed through the Waygate. He turned to the remaining clans, and looked at them all. They all looked down at the ground, or at each other. Some of the Huntmasters merely bowed their heads and avoided looking at him. But Marcus looked directly at him, and nodded once at him. "We stay and obey Fire Man." Marcus said, and some of his clan nodded in kind. Castus nodded, and looked once more for any other....defectors. One or two people stepped forward, many of them younger hunters, and they went through the Waygate with Krul and his faction. But finally no more left, and with a heavy heart and troubled mind, Castus snapped shut the Waygate and he fell to his knees. Everything was silent, but Castus knew all stared at him. "This gathering...is dismissed." He said simply, and he didn't bother to look as he heard the murmurs and whispers of people as they talked, and their footfalls as they walked off. He heard the sound of someone walking to him, and Castus looked up to see Marcus stand before him. Castus stood and looked at the Huntmaster. "Yes Marcus?" He asked. Marcus was silent for a time, before saying, "I...cannot understand why this had to be.....but....I think I understand....why it needed to be done." Castus was silent, and he looked away, "Did I....do the right thing?" Marcus placed a hand on his shoulder, "Only you can say that....but I believe...that in the long run, you will lead us to the right path as you always have striven to do." Castus was silent, but he nodded. Though inside....he wondered if he was right....or if he had made a grave mistake.