Steel stood in front of the Marigold theatre. He had invited his friend Lucas to join him. It was a stormy night and weirdly enough ever since he was in Magnolia Steel had still not worn his super suit. Instead on this day he was wearing for once a suit, A black tuxedo with a white shirt and a red bowtie, with matching fine leather shoes. The play of the evening was a play written by the fine Madame. It was about the not so recent events of grimoire heart and Fiore’s hidden prince. Starring Alice nightingale as the lead role of a young prince betrayed by his uncle the king's brother. As Steel had won a battle in the Domus Flau against another mage he had gained some renown and because of that both him and Lucas had been given VIP seats in a balcony esque half room situated above the main viewing area and the stage level. They were considered some of the most prestigious seats in the house and among the people sitting there were the higher class of Marigold and close by towns.

Steel Walked through the halls and up the stairs to the waiting area outside of his box. There were drinks and snacks on a table. A mingling area so to speak where the higher class were well mingling. Talking about their businesses or properties that they owned. A game of bragging about your accolades not so uncommon among the upper echelon of society. The cream of the crop so to speak. Steel however wasn’t really interested in speaking with them. He had only gained this seat because of a nervous win in a tournament. And so he wasn’t really one to speak with the higher ups. He wasn’t even recognized by them.

Instead Steel walked over to the door where their booth was and entered the casually unlocked door. There were drapes for the balcony that would be raised when the show started. And so Steel sat there patiently waiting for his friend Lucas.

Steel had not been seated for long when he heard the door open behind him. It was Lucas. He had a bottled drink in one hand. Water. Steel quickly understood his mistake. He had not brought anything for himself to drink. Well maybe he could do so in the break. For now he would stop slouching in his chair and instead straighten himself. He then brought his hand forward to meet Odin’s hand.

“I am honoured that you would join me!... Ever since I won the fight in the tournament it feels like people have been treating me differently. I don’t know why… well I guess I did something good and that's why but you know us heroes are human too right? Don't we deserve to be treated like all others? I’m not saying I have been treated badly but you know it feels like i'm being treated better than everyone else and to me that is strange.” He pondered for a slight bit before continuing. “Take these seats for example. I won’t say no to their hospitality but it feels like everyone should sit down there with the others.”

All while Steel was talking it was slowly becoming quieter and quieter down in the common seating area. The lighting was getting dimmer and slowly the curtains moved out of the way revealing the glorious stage that had been set for the play. Steel would then instantly silence himself.

It was a large throne room. The first act’s play area seemed to resemble a flying ship with a throne room. Slowly the room got quieter and quieter until you could hear even the slightest tap of a foot or whisper. A violin slowly started playing as from behind a throne a masked man in an evil looking cape stepped forward. It was the evident villain of the story… Crowley.

Very Faustian-esque opera music started playing. Crowley who was both tall and mysterious as he hid behind an ebony mask cried for power. Something yet unknown to the audience was the reason for his cries. The Opera song was in a way very depressing as it was mostly minor tones accompanied by depressing violins, oboes, cellos and basses. Slowly as Crowley’s Opera was coming to an end Icarus and Zade descended from the ceiling.

They kneeled and swore their loyalty to this devil. The lighting on their costumes made it appear as if three shadows of demons were upon the walls. All in all it was really cool but was it historically correct?

Crowley then raised himself to a higher statue walking up a small flight of stairs and claiming the throne in this solitary throne room. He then commanded the others. They were to go forth and spread chaos. Destroy the country and assassinate key figures. Crowley was set on becoming king through a coup d'etat.

There were windows in the throne room and the stage workers had been clever. They worked the background back and forth shifting the paper so that it looked like the castle and throne room flew towards its destination. It flew towards Era.

Steel was looking with wide eyes. He looked over at his companion and whispered playfully. “Exciting isn’t it? This wasn’t that long ago. You must remember it clearly judging from your age.” He smiled and gave Lucas a small nudge with his elbow.

Steel still sitting there with wide excited eyes watched as the play continued. Lucas had told him how Arthurias was no devil and from what history could tell he was right. The victors of war wrote history.

Steel had been younger when this all happened, off on training with his old master far from civilization. Oh how time had passed peacefully for him yet for others the recent years had been times of unrest.

First a war for the throne and then demonic incursions from the abyss itself. Untold damage had been done to Fiore. One could say that after all of that the land was both weaker and stronger than before. Steel's  own master had even left him to defend the land against the demons. Ever since that he had never seen his master again. He feared the worst might have happened because otherwise he at least would like to think that his master would have contacted him if he was alright.

Steel looked on as the prisoner was dragged through the streets of Era. A large shadow was cast on the ground. It was the grand ship of Grimoire heart The Ark. Dark mages descended on the city and combatted the Light mages. To make all of the special effects possible in the theater a lot of paper and confetti was used in combination with some magic available to those playing characters on the stage.

Not long after Theseus had been freed from the grasp of the council mages. And the Ark flew off again away from the battle. The next destination was Hargeon and the Blue pegasus guild hall.

Steel spoke quietly to Lucas again. “This all reminded me of my old master. He disappeared on me saying he had to save the world back during the Demonic Incursions. I haven’t heard from him ever since. He was like a father to me.”

It was then that the half time break was called. In the theater world this was known as an ”Intermission” which purpose was to allow actors and stage workers to get new costumes and to change out elements of the stage and in some cases build an entirely new stage. The play had gone on for two hours already and now the curtains closed on the stage beckoning people to leave their seats and go to the cafeteria area until the bell rang again.

Steel looked towards Lucas. And slowly answered. “My real parents were killed by bandits when I was young. My master saved me and raised me for the rest of my younger years.”

He then stood up and beckoned that they should leave their seats whilst the stage workers and actors changed the stage. He then exited their special booth where they had been sitting alone and went to the cafeteria where all the upper class people were allowed.

He got himself a cup of coffee and a cinnamon bun, sipped some of the coffee and nibbled/ate some of the cinnamon bun. If Lucas wanted to keep talking about the subject he would have to follow Steel into the cafeteria.

Just as Steel had his first bite of the cinnamon bun Lucas asked him if the bandits that had killed his parents had been served justice. Justice he thought. There wasn’t something that was even close to justice which would be served to such evil people. And had they even been served justice? No. They had gotten away as Steel had been hiding. His master had found him hiding. Never again would Steel hide like a coward. Never again would he be so helpless that he could do nothing in the face of danger.

Steel's face grew cold with disgust and anger. He didn't grit his teeth nor did he furrow his brow. Not even his eyebrows seemed to show feeling, but the air in the room grew cold, murderous hunger seemed to flow from him but just as quickly as it appeared it was no more. Steel spoke in a normal tone. “No they have not.” He didn’t speak much but what he said and how he felt when saying it explained everything. He wanted to be the one to do it.

Just as he had said that the bell once again rang. It was time to get back to their seats. Steel grabbed another cinnamon bun just in case he would grow hungry during the next part of the show and started going back to his seat. When he got there he would sit down again to watch the show.

Steel as he sat down listened to the now great music that started playing as the curtain rose there was war in what was obviously the capital of Crocus The scene however quickly changed from chaos to a more calm scene in what was the king's residence “Mercurius” own throne room.The scene was a longer one, Crowley entered the throne room and gave a speech where he revealed himself as Arthurias the heir of the true bloodline. A speech followed where Arthurias explained why he had done what he had done and the fact that his uncle, the current king/emperor was a fraud and had killed Arthurias father.

During all this Steel had thought and formulated an answer for Lucas. He didn’t whisper and he didn’t shout but he got his point across. “Me, I am Justice.” He watched as Arthurias killed his uncle. “Much like Arthurias I am my own Justice.”

The show then slowly dawned towards its end with an epilogue from the actor of Arthurias speaking in third person about what had happened after Arthurias had killed his uncle. The executions of corrupt officials. The changes to the law and blatantly the changes to the entire country as a whole.

Steel sat for a while as Lucas stood up and left. He was stuck in his head and as Lucas left he did not even say goodbye. He sat there and waited as the lights were blown out. The room went dark and everyone in the salon left one by one. Steel simply sat there. He wasn’t unable to move. He was simply stuck in thought. He was angry, yet calm. He wanted the people that had wronged him and his family but he knew that if he were to do upon them what they had done to his own kin. Then he would be as bad as they.

He slowly rose from his seat as the people working the stage got to him. They were closing the building and were checking so that no stragglers were left. They told him to vacate the premises and so he did. Walking out into the now heavily rainy night Steel who hadn’t been prepared for rain was instantly drenched. His mood did not really get better from it.

He had a hunger for vengeance that did not fit a hero. But without his own knowledge it seemed unseen forces were working to corrupt his innocence.

-Exit-