Martyn woke me up the next morning. "Ren says it's time for the tests of loyalty."

I was well rested. I hadn't had any nightmares since I had died. Sure, it was nice, but it felt like the calm before the storm.

Ren was talking to Skiz (normally, not with a fake accent) when we came up out of the basement. They seemed to be discussing a secret tunnel between Dogwarts and Skizzle Point. If Ren trusted Skiz enough to dig a tunnel in between their bases, then so did I.

Martyn and I joined the conversation, but Martyn seemed quieter than usual. I didn't know what he was so afraid of, because he was about the most loyal a person could get. If this test would show how loyal he was, he would certainly pass.

We finished planning and Skiz left. I offered to leave too, but Ren said I could stay if I wanted so I did. Martyn looked at me, his eyes saying a silent thank you.

Ren had built a pedestal right in the middle of the carrot patch, and he stood there as he gave a speech that could have motivated a crowd of hundreds to two people.

"Martyn, ye have been at my side from the very beginning, when Dogwarts was a wee enchanting business!"

It would have been funny if I wasn't so terrified.

"Ye have helped me build up this empire, yet I lied to you many times about the deals I had made."

Martyn nodded in agreement.

"We have had our arguments in the past, but now, we will both take the test of ultimate loyalty! This war with the sand hippies" - I nearly choked - "has gone on too long without us being able to fight back! Take this axe, me laddie, and become the Hand of the King!"

Martyn's eyes widened as Ren handed him a diamond axe. It shimmered with magic. He looked up with determination in his eyes. "I accept."

"We have had many casualties already - but there will only be more. We need to be able to attack, for the Red Winter is coming."

I was starting to pick up what Ren was putting down. And it wasn't good.

"We must keep up with the times. We must be red. So, as your test of loyalty, Hand, you must slay your king."

I had seen it coming. But I still yelled, "WHAT?!" along with Martyn.

"That's... that's the one thing I can't do..." Martyn said weakly.

"You must, and you will if you are truly loyal."

I gave it a try. "You don't know what you're saying, Ren. Being red...it's not good. You're ruled by feelings of vengeance and hate, and when you follow those feelings, you're overwhelmed by guilt. Don't make him do this!"

"He must. The future of Dogwarts depends on it."

Martyn was deathly pale. "I-I'll do it."

Ren nodded with approval and kneeled down in front of Martyn. Martyn hesitated.

"Do it," Ren pleaded, and I realized that whether or not he was red, he would still be out to murder Scar. He just wanted to do it legally.

I looked away as Martyn swung the axe.

Ren Dog was slain by Martyn Littlewood

Red Winter is coming.

Ren emerged from the basement a moment later, battle axe in hand. He wore a tattered fur cloak that he must have been saving for this. His crown had a crack through it where Martyn had struck it. And of course, his life heart and eyes were bright scarlet.

He raised his axe and yelled, "RED WINTER IS COMING, ME LADDIES! THE RED KING HAS RISEN!!"

I cautiously approached him. "Ren, calm down-"

He pointed his axe at me. "I'm fine! And that's 'Your Majesty' to you!"

Martyn stumbled backward a few steps. "What have I done..."

I stared. Not once had Ren spoken to me like that, not even after he made himself king. He was always respectful to his allies, or he used to be. Now that he was red, something else had taken over. His impulses were even stronger than mine. He was no longer Ren.

I could be allies with Ren, but not the Red King. I ran.

I ran to the Crastle and banged on the door. Cleo answered and let me in without saying anything. She hadn't seen me since before I was red, and probably knew that I knew what had happened.

Bdubs ran downstairs. Impulse was probably at the Village Hall. I collapsed against the wall and sat there, shivering. All I could think about was the Watcher's warning about the Red King. Obviously he had stopped badgering me and gone for Ren - and Ren didn't resist.

I barely remember what happened after that. I think they helped me get to my bed, because later I woke up there. When I did, they didn't ask me anything, just gave me some food and told me to go back to sleep. I'm pretty sure that the water they gave me had a little bit of sleeping potion in it, because I did without argument.

When I woke up for the second time, I was feeling a lot better. There was nobody in the Crastle, they were probably off stealing llamas or defending against Etho. I went downstairs to find something to eat.

Instead, I found Grian.

"What are you doing?"

"Uhh... please don't kill me?"

It was the second time I had caught him setting a trap. But this time, it was with a bubblevator that had obsidian at the top and would probably have lava when Grian was done with it.

I looked for my sword but couldn't find it anywhere. My allies must have taken it off when I came home.

"I can't kill you right now, I don't have my sword. What do you have against the Crastle? What did we ever do to you?"

I glanced out the small window and saw Cleo, Bdubs, and Scar outside. Scar was showcasing something on the ground. He was probably a distraction while Grian set the trap.

"You stole Pizza," Grian accused, turning my attention back to my former ally.

"And you bought him back. I tried to make them give him back, but they wouldn't listen."

"Which is why I'm telling you not to use the bubblevator."

I finally spotted my sword in the corner, leaning against the wall.

"Go away, Grian. I don't know what came over me in the woods, but it won't be much longer before it takes over again. Leave before I kill you." I had tears in my eyes.

"I may have had the idea to trap Renchanting, but this was Scar's idea. I can't not do it. I have to do what he says."

"Then you leave me no choice." I lunged for the weapon.

After that, chaos unleashed.

Grian wasn't prepared for an attack while he was making a trap, so he had to put on his shield and pull out his sword, which glinted Netherite black. But by then, I was already on him.

Bdubs came in randomly and then yelled, "GRIAN'S HERE, I THINK HE'S SETTING A TRAP!" and then joined the fight. It was two versus one, and Grian was caught by surprise.

Grian Buildoff was slain by Bluemoon Tay

I heard Scar cry out from outside.

I had gotten my revenge.

Grian was free.

But I didn't know what the cost was.

-----

We decided to keep the bubblevator.

Sure, it was intended to be a trap, but why not make life easier? It was already there.

Grian came back for his stuff later that day. We gave it to him without hesitation.

Or, the rest of the Crastle Alliance did.

I sat in my room, sulking. I didn't know if Grian was helping Scar out of choice now or if he was on his own, but either way, I was worried.

He no longer had a use to Scar now that he was free. Scar could kill him at any moment.

But on the other hand, without the protection of an alliance, Grian would be hunted down by Ren.

Not Ren, I told myself. He's the Red King now, and until Martyn can get through to him, he's my enemy.

According to Cleo and Bdubs, I had been asleep for around two days. Enough time for Grian and Scar to get Netherite swords, which were stronger than diamond. And enough time for Ren to form an army.

Etho Slab, Skizzle Man, and Martyn were all in the Red Army. The Red King had apparently also tried to recruit Scott Major and Jimmy Solidarity, but they refused and burned the banner he had offered them. So they, Grian, and Scar were the main enemies of the Red King.

Both the Crastle and the Red Army were against Scar, but I didn't have anything against the hobbits. If we ever worked together, then the Sand People would be our target. And no matter what Cleo and Bdubs decided, I wasn't going against the Hobbits.

Grian's allegiance was still unknown.

On top of all those shenanigans, Martyn stopped by to see me later that day.

"Hello, Blue."

"Hi, Martyn."

"How are things here?"

"I think it's more important to know how things are at Dogwarts."

"They're fine. After Ren turned red, he had a kind of vengeful rage where he ran around the server and demanded tribute from people. Now he's fine, although pretty mad at everyone who refuses to join his army. When are you going to come back to Dogwarts?"

"I'm not."

"What?"

"I'm not. I'll be allies with Ren. But the Red King is not Ren. He's something else, and that something scares me."

Martyn didn't seem sure how to respond. "I saw you killed Grian."

I looked away guiltily. "I had to. He was setting a trap in the Crastle and I couldn't have him and Scar killing more of my allies. But I've gotten my revenge. I'm not mad at him anymore. The only problem is that he might be mad at me."

"He's on his own now. Moved back to his little hobbit hole that he lived in at the very beginning, before the creeper prank."

"Where is that?"

"In the flower forest, near the other Hobbit Holes. Don't stay there too long though, if Ren catches you there he'll consider you an enemy."

"Thanks."

Martyn went back to Dogwarts, and I headed to the flower forest.

Grian's hobbit hole was tiny and not very pretty. But I had seen his building skills before, so I blamed the unsatisfactory build on lack of resources in the early days. I crossed the bridge over a pond and knocked on the door.

Grian's muffled voice came from inside. "Go away."

"I'm not going to go away when I just killed you and I regret it. Let me in or I'll let myself in!"

He didn't answer. I pushed the circular door open and found Grian sitting on his bed with his back to me.

"I know you're thinking about turning red on purpose like Ren did to get revenge. Whatever you do, don't die, because when you turn red you lose most of your consciousness. You go into a murderous rage and threaten to kill anyone who tries to bring you out of it. It's a curse that has no cure but to die again."

He finally turned around to look at me. "If you care so much, why did you kill me?"

"There were multiple reasons. First of all, you killed me. Second of all, you were sworn to that tree-burning, war-starting menace named Scar and would be until you died. But I wanted to say that even though I had my reasons, now that I've done it the bad outweighs the good and I'm sorry."

"Sorry? Sorry? You killed me and all you say is sorry? Get out of my house."

I obediently turned to leave. "Don't turn red. You'll regret it." I closed the door behind me.

Well, that was a failure.

I didn't blame him. I deserved it. And I knew it would probably be his reaction, but I still wanted to let him know that he had a place in the Crastle if he wanted it. Even so, Grian's hostile words still stung.

I risked a venture to Dogwarts after that. I was greeted with friendship from Skiz and Martyn and suspicion from Ren and Etho. I also noticed with a hint of amusement that Bigb's cookie now had only one chocolate chip.

Ren offered me one of their shields, but I knew that accepting it meant committing myself to their cause. So I politely refused and left.

It was a good thing I didn't join the Army, because Etho was planning another attack on the Crastle. And he had Scar to help him.

Scar didn't know about the Red Army yet. He only knew that Etho could make TNT cannons as a distraction while he finished Grian's trap.

"I want to show you this design I made for a wall..." Etho said.

He started building and placing water and redstone.

"What's the water for?" Bdubs asked suspiciously.

"It makes it harder to get past the wall. Slow them down, you know?"

"Yeah... hey, Scar's in there!"

Before I could warn him, he ran inside and used the bubblevator.

Bdubs Onehundred tried to swim in lava

I gasped. The trap had succeeded. Bdubs was red.

I immediately turned to Etho, pulling out my sword. I had every right to kill him. I was red, and he had helped to kill one of my allies.

Etho, sensing my attack, jumped out of the way. Cleo, who was still yellow, backed out of range of the fight. I thought she was leaving, and I wouldn't have held that against her, but I stead she started to load her crossbow with an arrow tipped with red harming potion.

The white-haired ninja rolled out of the way, despite Cleo and me doing everything in our power to stop him. He missed. He fired again, but this time he hit the top of the middle tower. I would have killed him if I wasn't so focused on Bdubs.

Scar ran out of the Crastle and together he and Etho ran up Dead Bush Hill, where Joel lived.

I could barely see the ambush. But I saw some kind of exchange between Scar and Etho, then the rest of the Red Army jumped down from Joel's collapsed roof. I was pretty sure Cleo had burned that. Scar retreated, pausing to shoot a few arrows. Then he ran down the other side of the hill and out of sight. I could hear his yelps of fear and alarm long after he was out of my view.

An hour later, my watch vibrated.

Scar Goodtimes was slain by Skizzle Man

Whoever created this world, be it the Watcher or someone else, was having a good laugh right now.

Because Scar was out.

~~~

Yes, I killed Scar.

I actually believe that if Grian wasn't with him, he would have died. He's Scar, after all. And since Blue killed Grian, the Sand People's alliance wasn't super strong yet. So Grian left, and Scar died.

-Indigo