Zero Falls (Season 2)-CONTINUED

The Tale of a Demon-Part Two

"It was a nightmare."

The memory showed a violent battle. Guardians in glistening armour charged towards the sky, which was swarming with grotesque creatures in many shapes and forms.

"The war between Demons and Guardians lasted centuries," Tad narrated. "Many lives were lost on both sides..."

The scene transitioned to a bunch of wrecked buildings, where Stan and Ford knelt down on a charred street. They were a little older than before, and were looking down at a limp shape. The shape was mostly charred, but was still recognised as Shermie, who had been burnt to death.

Stan and Ford stared at the memory. Stan turned away immediately, growing pale, while Ford had a look of anger.

"The Ciphers made us suffer," the Night Guardian spat, shooting a glare at Bill.

Bill didn't say anything, avoiding the other's gaze.

Tad gave Ford a hard look. "We suffered too," he said. He waved his hand, and the memory became swirls of colours. "You think I just stood back while my parents killed innocents? I tried to stop them, Stanford, and I payed the consequences."

The swirling colours morphed into another scene, of a dark menacing throne room. There two thrones, standing before a wall of pale fire. On the thrones, sat giant figures cladded in silver clothing and grey skin; a man and a woman. They had no pupils or irises, only glowing white orbs that regarded the world with a dead blankness.

"Those were our parents?" Will said, in shock.

"Unfortunately, yes," Tad sighed.

"And I thought our human parents were awful," Bill murmured to himself. He wondered if those Grey Demons had the ability to reincarnate too.

The memory continued, and someone walked into the throne room. It was Tad, but instead of wearing the white patch, he still had two eyes. He had a face mixed with fury and determination, as he marched towards the two looming Demons.

"What have you done!?" The memory of Tad yelled, coming to a halt in front of the two. "The Guardians had no qualms with us, and yet you attacked them unprovoked."

The Demon overlords spoke, but not separately, instead they spoke in perfect unison. "Foolish child. The Guardians have always been our enemies. They've always looked down at us, and we had to prove them wrong." They voices held no emotion, and their mouths didn't even mouth an inch when speaking.

"We don't have to do this," Tad pleaded. "Please, they did nothing to you."

"You think you can stop us?" The Demons hissed. "You may be the most powerful among your siblings, but you are still a weakling compared to us."

Tad narrowed his eyes. "If it will put an end to this chaos, then I have no choice." He held out his gloved hand, and his umbrella magically appeared in his grip.

"Don't do it, Tad. You'll regret it."

Tad didn't listen, he aimed the end of the umbrella at them. The tip glowed a deep purple, before blasting a beam of light at the Grey Demons. The whole room shook violently, as the light engulfed them and pierced through the fire. However, when the light ceased, the Demons remained untouched. Tad had a look of dismay.

"You were warned."

Suddenly, Tad cried out, and clutched his eye. The Purple Demon fell to his knees, shaking as though in pain. Blood trickled from the eye his hand covered, and dropped to the marbled floor. The group regarded the memory in horror.

"Be grateful, we only took your eye," the overlords said. "Now leave, before we take your life. You are banished from this realm, and take your siblings with you."

"Why must my siblings be banished?" Tad asked, trembling. "They weren't the ones to defy you."

"We have no use for heirs. Especially weak ones."

"You're monsters," he snapped. "You'd dare leave your children to die in space?"

"BEGONE!" They roared, shaking the room. "Leave now, or else you'll regret it."

"No," Tad said, in a low voice. He withdrew his hand, revealing a bloody socket where his eye had once been. "You'll be the ones to regret everything. I'll be the one to end you, that is a promise..." The memory went blank after that.

Mabel turned to Tad, frowning. "So, that's why you always wore that eyepatch."

"Why did you think I wore it?"

"I dunno, I always thought it was for the aesthetic." Mabel shrugged, and Dipper facepalmed.

"Okay," Tad sighed. "Moving on. After our banishment, our parents were defeated by the Guardians, and the barrier was built to protect the Guardians from the Nightmare Realm. I managed to sneak my siblings and I through the barrier before it was finished. I begged Ford and Stan to let us stay, and eventually, they agreed—"

"Stan agreed," Ford interrupted. "I thought it was a terrible plan that would surely lead to disaster, and I was right."

"It wasn't all bad, I got to meet you," Tad smiled, and Ford looked away quickly.

"Like I said," Ford murmured. "It only led to disaster."

Tad shook his head at him, before waving his hand again. The blank space disappeared, showing another memory. It was in a garden, where a bunch of kids were hanging out. It was the younger versions of Dipper, Mabel, Jill, Kill, Will, and Bill.

Will stared at the past versions of Jill, who was chatting merrily with Mabel. "Wait, Jill used to be nice?"

"I forgot this moment," Mabel said, regarding the memory closely. "Jill used to be our friend too, but something in her just changed."

"Same with Kill," Dipper said, softly. His gaze focused on the younger version of Kill play-fighting with the younger version of Bill.

"Some Demons are not born evil," Tad stated. "Kill and Jill were innocent once, and so was Bill..." He looked to the blond boy, who was currently watching his younger self.

Bill watched as his past self pinned Kill to the ground roughly, laughing in triumph. He narrowed his eyes. "You're wrong, nothing about him is innocent,"

Tad frowned in his direction, and it almost looked like he was about to say something to his brother. But, instead, he turned back to look at the rest of the group. "Things were going smoothly. It seemed like the Guardians accepted us, that was until..." He trailed off.

"Say it," Ford demanded. "Until Bill betrayed us. And his reincarnation will surely do the same."

"Listen, Sixer!" Bill snapped. "I didn't choose for that asshole to be my past life. If you have a problem with me, how about you do something about it?"

"Is that a challenge?" Ford snapped back, approaching him.

"Don't you dare touch him," Dipper told his uncle, stopping him in his tracks. "I may be furious with him, but I won't let you hurt him."

"You are the Guardian of the Mind!" Ford yelled. "Can't you see that this is all his fault?"

"No, Ford," Stan said, suddenly. "This is my fault."

Ford turned to him, surprised. "What?"

"Grunkle Stan, what are you saying?" Mabel asked, confused.

Stan was looking at the floor, his brow creased deeply. "All this pain was because of me," he admitted, his voice cracking. "I am the reason our home was destroyed."

Dipper looked at him in confusion. "What are you..." Then, realisation appeared on his face. "No. No, Grunkle Stan, tell me you didn't!"

"Didn't what?" Ford demanded. "Stan, what did you do?"

Stan looked up at him, eyes pricked with tears behind his spectacles. "I thought it'd be good for the truth to come from me, instead of a memory." He breathed deeply, before speaking in a clear voice. "I am the traitor. I am the one who opened the barrier for Bill."