It’s What I Believe In

"Do you seriously think these people will praise you for your actions?" shouts Ariel as she pushes towards Magnus, "They're never grateful for anything unless they're made to. Their perspective on how they view the world is downright pathetic! They don't worship heroes! They don't worship acts of heroism! They only want to bring out the worst in everything! They want to bully and humiliate people, they want to criticize everything they see, they want to watch the world burn! They think of themselves as higher than everyone else, and yet they choose the coward's path by declaring how special they are from the comfort of the shadows!"

Magnus continues with his might to push Ariel back, but Ariel is putting up one heck of a fight.

"That's what my dream, my vision will change!" Ariel continues, "No more will they put people down! No more will people have to suffer. They will be made to accept change! All the people that have died in the last five years from this massive crime wave are people who have done these pathetic actions!

Magnus realizes now. Every victim of crime he's encountered in the last two years were known to be horrible people, much like the murdered couple in the Valley, and the guests at the charity ball.

"I'm saving this city! And I will save the world! You choosing to go against all that makes you the villain!"

Magnus thinks to himself after what Ariel said.

The human race isn't perfect. He's fully aware of that.

People are capable of good and evil. A choice that no one can stop or force.

The world itself is ugly and hideous at times.

But he remembers one time when he was twelve, when his Aunt Stefani sat him down for a talk.

"There are bad people out there, and the world can be a nasty place. But if you do good and people notice, you can inspire them, you can turn their hearts around. Words most of the time are thrown around so casually, but it's through our actions that have the most impact. Be good Steven, people will see it, and maybe they can aspire to be like you."

Magnus comes to his senses. His will reinforced, he looks Ariel dead in the eyes.

"You are so wrong, you have no idea of the shit that's coming out of your mouth!"

Magnus finds the strength to push Ariel back, and she is sent flying backwards, dropping her katana in the process. Magnus slowly walks towards her, having put away his battle baton.

"You're nothing but a tyrant! No one likes a tyrant!" Magnus shouts, "You seriously think anyone would listen to your garbage?! I don't look for praise, fame or admiration. What I want is to inspire people by doing good! That is what I believe in!"

Ariel screams as she gets up, and begins to aim her gauntlets at Magnus.

Magnus quickly rushes Ariel.

He flicks both of Ariel's arms away.

He unleashes a fury of 30 lightning fast punches, going for the stomach, sternum, shoulders, neck and head. The speed of Magnus is incredible.

He then unleashes a fury of 20 kicks to the legs, arm, stomach, chest area and head of Ariel. She is trying incredibly hard to continue to stand, her legs wobbling, hunched forward and blood coming from her mouth.

"No matter how much of a monster you may be Ariel..."

Magnus says as Ariel looks at him with a defeated look on her face.

"You're my friend, and I will always love you..."

A super sidekick sends Ariel flying through the front wall of the Reservoir, landing on the floor in the lobby, with brick and mortar surrounding her.

As Ariel tries to get up, she notices her gauntlets are emitting sparks.

They've taken a massive impact of blunt force when Ariel went through the front wall.

Shots are fired from her gauntlets unintentionally. Her gauntlets have suffered a massive fault and have gone haywire.

The next minute, Ariel is buried in more brick, mortar and rubble as the roof collapses from the resulting firing from her malfunctioning gauntlets.

Magnus stands in shock from what had happened.

BANG!

The pile of brick, mortar and rubble had exploded.

Magnus goes into shock from the explosion.

"ARIEL!!!" Magnus shouts as he runs to the emitting fire.

He drops to his knees.

Tears stream from his eyes.

He lets out a screaming cry.

Even though Ariel was revealed to be a monster, he still loved her.

Coming behind Magnus is his father, kneeling beside him and placing his left arm around him.

Dallas doesn't say a word. A comforting arm was all that was needed in that situation.

"Ariel..." Magnus says as he continues to cry…