Something about that encounter, I just can’t forget. All I have are these memories that cripple me and make me weak. The weak die while the strong survive. This hateful world made to seem so perfect. They all hide behind their masks of lies, lying and deceiving everyone around them. I’ll crush them all, all the lies, because Justice must be given and the unjust must be punished. This is my crusade of justice handing out the strong arm of fair and equality to all. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth that is what they say at least. This is a story of how I came from nothing and came to be the brave iron Minotaur you all see me as today. Let us go back to a time where darkness crept through the rough patches of dirt seeping into the cold biting wind of the night.
A small town known as Minador where all the strongest of Minotaur’s grow stronger and only the best of them survive. There was a boy who was flabby and feeble were everyone was strong and buff. The boy was always made fun of due to his small size and weak body. He was constantly bullied and made the punching bag of all the bigger Minotaur’s. He was a disappointment even to his own family who made the poor boy run and lift but no matter what the boy couldn’t run as long or lift as much as the others no matter how hard he tried. He often sat in his room crying out to Celestia for help and growth. His prayers were always unnoticed and unheard. For years the boy prayed and pleaded with the unicorn of passion but he wasn’t important enough to be given the time of the day. Then the boy had had enough he would suffer the jokes no longer.
On a starry night in the midsummer heat the boy sat atop the house looking at the sky. He said these words “ Upon all the is just I demand that justice be given to those who deserve it and if I will sacrifice all I have to see that justice be given to all who must be punished no matter what the cost, I will pay it!” With that final shout a booming voice descended from what appeared to be the heavens themselves “ I have heard your plea child and I know that you are the one to carry out justice among the selfish and greedy so I grant myself and together we shall carry out equality so that justice be met.” The voice scared the boy but he knew that this was his destiny and that there was no turning back after that. He trembled in excitement and fear but he looked at the being in front of him. He was a huge Minotaur with a giant war hammer slung across his back wearing red shorts and a dark red battle harness. Scars aligned his face making him appear as if he were a veteran look about him. His face almost seemed charred from flames and his enormous bulky arms looked like they could take on an Ursula Major with ease. A certain air about just sent a feeling of impending doom. His eyes seemed to scream with red certainty of what it was he did and he wore shorts proudly displaying his great condition of his rippling lower body. His hooves even seemed to have shine with a redressing look. The boy stood as tall as he could and straightened his posture as best as his body would enable him too and looked a the image before him that was almost ethereal, he was there but not there at the same time. I shall be an instrument of Justice I will be proud to work with you. Then came a blinding light as the boy joined body and soul with the spirit of Justice. The boy’s body grew leaner, taller, stronger, and bulkier and grew as big and as strong as the spirit appeared to be. As he boy stood tall his body adjusting to the swift changes he looked into the wind the breeze blowing through him. With blood red eyes he stared forward looking into a vision none but him seemed to see. “Iron Justice is our name now appealing to the justness of our own way of life. None shall oppose a great power like ours!” As the boy said the words aloud he could feel the reassurance in the words and knew without a doubt that this was his path and none could ever take this from him. A smile crept upon his face as he thought of an appropriate punishment for the bullies who ruined his entire life. Partially out of revenge and partially out of justice he was ready to show Minador that he had changed and he would make sure that the treatment he received would never be given to any person no matter ways unless they deserved it and justice had said it so. This was the beginning of something new that he would never forget. This would make him into a whole new person. That was the day i thought that wishes could actually come true. I felt in my heart that for once i was heard that for once my prayers were answered and now i will have the chance to get them all back. Revenge would be mine and not only that but i will be the harbinger of Justice itself. For once in the boy's life he was smiling because he was truly happy and not because he strained it or pretended to be ok. This time happiness felt strangely familiar and good inside. The boy liked this strange new feeling and wanted to enjoy it more often somehow he would find a way to feel this way. For now though he would enjoy this feeling for as long as it would last for him.
In this heartfelt moment I realize that life is precious. I feel that in this wonderful that filth degrades this once beautiful place with their venomous and disgusting ways. I soon came to the realization that it was up to me to carry out the justice that this world needs. I am the water to the fire, the rescuer to those in distress. Sometimes that must also mean that I see that I must strike down the weak and afflicted. Justice favors neither goodness nor a badness. It is its own category something that can’t quite be named but simply exists to see us through this tragedy. I have seen the world through many eyes and have lived many generations of peace and of war. The battle of justice never ends so I must stand unwavering ready to strike down with a great vengeance the righteous up holdings of an equal society. So if that means that others see me as bad then let it be so, but this minotaur will be strong like iron and won’t fade like copper.
I look up to the sky in my new body seeing the world in two different eyes. Part of me sees the old world that this body once thought it was but then the other part sees the chaos and destruction on the brink of exploding in our faces. I reach for my war hammer and softy grip it reassuringly pressing it to my head to give myself the assurance that no matter what that this hammer will always be here slugging the unjust. I jump down from the roof to make a ten five foot drop. As I hit the ground a cloud of dust erupts from the ground almost as if it was escaping the wrath of me. Soon however the bullies that this body once knew will remember that I am a force to be reckoned with now. I roll my shoulders back and with a loud pop I break the pressure in my shoulders. I then crack my entire body to loosen up the tension in them and with a loud shout I cry out a furious howl that a wolf might howl. And then I proceeded to stomp on the poppy bushel with vigor. The anger inside me was being let out upon the remains of the poppies that looked like a pile of mush. My muscles bulge with the adrenaline pumping through my veins. I look upwards to see a pack of winter wolves standing nearby with their mouths agape. I look down at the dirty mush in between my feet and look back up and manage an awkward smile. “ Ok, you can do this just act civil” I mumble to myself.
“What the hell!!” growls one of the wolves with a black streak down the middle of his face.
“I am so sorry I didn’t know these delightful.” My head twitches a little bit “poppies…” my teeth grind against each other and more adrenaline pumps through my vein my eyes give off a crazed look as the mere mention of poppies and delightful make me almost snap in a total craze of fury. “Were yours please forgive me” it takes every part of me not to pounce on the wolves in simple brute minded tendencies and just destroy everything in my path. I take a deep breath to ease my mind but it only throws me closer to the edge of a blind rage. My veins are bulging all across my body as heat surrounds the air around me and my body emits a thick layer of steam. I can feel the build up inside of me and just as I think that I’m going to snap I hear one of the wolves chuckle. Everyone stares at him with an odd face. My anger is quickly replaced with surprise and confusion. I’m no longer steaming and I don't look angry anymore.
“Well met minotaur, what brings you to the woods of Murkwood??” A wolf asks me. He has a coat of white with back stripes going down his sides in a hypnotic pattern that seems to entrance the eyes.
“The poppies brought me here actually. I hate these things and I couldn’t stand that they live for a moment longer while I recognized their scent.” I say calmly. Something about this wolf makes me feel at ease even the thought of poppies can’t enrage me while he is near.
“ Hahaha well said good friend, well said indeed they are a despicable plant indeed. Come pact we can find food elsewhere while the sun still guides us through the day. Will you be joining us good sir?? It shall be wonderful to have your company along this search for food.”
I look at them with distrust and then I wonder what they eat and I realize that they are wolves and I grab for my war hammer.
“Oh good sir, we do not eat flesh only vegetables and fruit. We do not kill prey, it is far beneath us and we hope to relinquish the fear of wolves so that we may join civilizations and advance further in peaceful manners with all folk. I am afraid however that we have a long time before we are trusted many fear our bloodlust with good intent. We cannot blame them for their mistrust. If you will not join us we will understand completely.” His very words move me to compassion.
“We are not so different you and I. We Minotaur’s are often feared to and mistrusted as well. We are a dangerous kind that tends to only want warfare and bring destruction with us. I sympathize with you and I will join you on your search for food in hope to better understand your pack.” I smile at him passively and he grins back.
“I am Mercy and you?”
“Iron Justice pleasure to make your acquaintance.” Something in the air hummed with a peaceful aura that just seemed to vibrate within my soul. “This feeling...” I thought to myself. “I could get used to this pleasant feeling.
There was a time in my youth that I remember vividly. Like a brand new memory it lies very close almost as if I were just moments away from it. Then it was a different Era it was the Era of the Greydread clan the second Era of the Minotaur’s. They had become the rulers over all the Minotaur nations also known as Gefden named after the Gefden clan which ruled after the first Era of the Minotaur’s. It was a bloody and dark time. The Greydread clan was dealing with the uprising of the Mok'Tar clan. Their Era was seeing an end however they did not want to give up the seat of power quite yet so the two clans fought many fearsome battles. These two clans made up almost all of Gefden. The Greydread clan had more resources to utilize but the Mok'Tar clan had more veterans and better soldiers. However the Greydread's were desperate so they sought the aid of all who would help them. They appealed to many and brought many new opponents the Minotaur were unaware of. The ponies. Though small in stature the unicorns tore through the forces with magic while the Pegasus bombarded them with stunning contraptions not known to the Minotaur that had many adverse affects that neither side could have predicted. Many Minotaur went mad from the chemicals of the contraption. My grandfather was one of the many. He told me the story of the battle of Geften, the capital of Geffden named after his wife, and how the Earth ponies shredded the legs of the Minotaur as the mages flung spells at them and the Pegasi bombarded them. Ponies were slaughtered Minotaur hacked askew and the Mok'Tar clan usurped the Greydread clan ending the Second Era. Both sides were heavily crippled. My Grandfather was one of the very few to make it out alive from the battle. Many did not go home that day to their wives, to their kids, and to their family. My uncle ended the story with these words that have never left me. " Justice, one day those hands of yours will break down the tyranny and the injustices of all. Make your family proud die with your hammer in hand! Else dishonor will stain our family forever." Never have I forgotten those words. Neither have I forgotten the purple look on my grandfathers face moments after as he choked and died from swallowing an egg whole. That is why I always cook my eggs first!
"Ugg if you just gave us the bloody eggs we could have eaten ages ago!" a starving wolf whined at me.
" Have you listened to naught of my ancient tale of the death of my grandfather you foolish wolf! You eat a whole egg and you will go purple then none of the she wolves will ever want to mate with you!" I say quite loud and all the wolves hear and burst out laughing with great intensity. Mercy walks up to me and asks
"Just where on Tartarus did you get a skillet to hold as many as 24 dozen eggs?"
" Ohh from my pack of adventures. It carries items of unique and special uses inside but I never know what I might pick out, you were lucky it was a skillet many of days I have craved a satchel full of sweets only to receive a bunny that lays butter knives or a toaster that pops out loin cloths. They served as a good toilet paper but sadly I lost in a game of ax, stone and bludgeon. A Minotaur tradition game almost like yahtzee...or was it like hunting for deer with only the use of your nose? I'm not quite certain but it is quite exciting, would you care for a game?"
"No I’ll pass more importantly why are you cooking the eggs over a sock??"
" Ohh you see this is a sock of invisible fire. Its quite tricky to see it unless you put the rags of seeing."
" The rags of seeing finally something not so complicated. Where is it?"
"Ohh I sold it mistaking it for my rags of uselessness. It was a sad day then...Since then I have improvised by using the stick of replenishment. It grows back after a month quite useful for poking things."
" Why do I even bother asking anymore? I know it will always something I wished I had never heard." Mercy shakes his head and buries his paw into his eyes.
" Well food's done so come and get it while it's hot!" I passed out the food and managed to salvage some food for Mercy and me. As I went over I split the remaining’s with Mercy. " Here eat up we have got a long day ahead of us. And there is much left to travel in this world Justice must be spread all around."
" Why though? Who cares for Justice it is a lawless place out there. The strong thrive while the weak suffer and die what makes you think you will change that?"
" Have you ever thought of leaving your tribe behind and live your own life? It would be easier without them weighing you down."
"I would never leave them they need me, without me they would be lost."
" The same with me. I cannot give up on Justice. Those to weak to seek out Justice need me to ensure the stability. It borders a fine line of revenge and Justice at times that can be hard to distinguish from at times. Even I myself cannot see the difference between them. Yet, I will never give up as long as Justice has a need of me to be its Executioner."
"I see you are more wise than I perhaps have originally thought. There is much wisdom and knowledge in your words. I am glad that we have shared this talk you and I. We are more alike than I thought. Perhaps one day I shall join you on your journey and lend you my aid and wisdom."
" I would be honored if you would but I would never ask it of you. You would be deserting your brethren and that would be to dishonor your nature and your clan. Both of which are of grave importance." I got up from eating and packed my things. " Until we meet again Mercy I shall hope that it will be soon to go together on our quest." Mercy smiled and waved me off as him and his pact went back further into their territories of the deeper forest, as I looked onward it looked as if Justice was fresh in the air waiting for me to enforce it. I juggled my pack on my back and set forth towards the horizon into the noonday sun.
