Scourge of Angels: Chapter 2 – Two Kinds of Extreme

Chapter 2 – Two Kinds of Extreme

After hours of fighting and slaughters, my friends and I sit at the table of a high-rise restaurant as if nothing happened and we were still enjoying our day together. Our guardian angels haven’t told us to do anything new, nor have they told us we should leave the city yet. Stopping by the bar, I crack open a beer and watch the news as the report on what’s happening at Detlef, that we’re here, and that the Dominion is sending the Castigators after us. Ah, shit.

“This is it. You’ve outlived your purpose, and the Castigators be here,” the demons in my head say. “There is no escaping them now. Your sentence will be death, and your judgment will be Hell.”

“Maybe if we show the Castigators that there are still demons here, we can put our differences aside to fight a common enemy,” I suggest.

“I can try to take control of them with my green lightning so they can stay in place while we explain and show them why we’re right in what we’re doing,” Terah says.

“Are you both serious? This is the Castigators we’re talking about. As soon as they know who their enemy is, they shoot first and ask questions later,” Tanith says.

“What do you think we should do then? Just continue doing our business while trying to ignore or evade them?” I ask.

“I don’t know what we should do.”

“We can’t afford not to know what we should do at this point. We have to decide now,” Terah says.

“Let’s go with both my and Terah’s plan, and leave the rest to God. There’s nothing else we can do.”

Tanith and Terah agree. My guardian angel finally tells me where we should go, but when we fly to the location, we find ourselves face to face with the Castigators. Why?

“You’ll need their help in facing your common enemy. Wasn’t this part of your plan?” my guardian angel says.

I was planning to explain everything when we were fighting the demons and the cultists, not to confront them directly! The leader of the Castigators, Kane Mundr, steps off his bike with his wife and friend behind him. He’s dressed like a gunslinger with his crimson and black hoodie, snake on his white shirt in the shape of a chi rho, black cargo pants, and black boots. He smiles at us with his light blue and red eyes, which know the divine judgment of God and whether or not we deserve to live or die.

Walking to us, he says, “I’m glad you came to us, Council of Punishment. Have you grown a conscious and are you willing to surrender peacefully?”

I look to Kane’s left and see his friend Zandro, who is dressed in a simple hoodie and clothes that are colored half white and half black. On his right, I see Kane’s wife, Idelle Mundr, who is the sister of the legendary hero, John Elio. She’s wearing golden armor with a crimson bodysuit, has white and black eyes, black and blonde hair, and a white snake and black snake on her back. Both of them closely watch us, waiting for my response.

“Actually, I’d like to talk,” I say as I return to my normal form.

“Ha! About what? There’s nothing you could say that would save you from a jail cell or me gunning you down where you stand.”

“We have a common enemy, Kane. The demons and the cultists we’re after are in Detlef, and we’ve been killing and punishing them all day. This is what all this destruction is about.”

“Really? Because all I see is the death and destruction of everyone in this city, from a normal civilian to the homeless, to random businessmen and politicians, cops, and superhuman law enforcement. You people have a history of indiscriminately killing people everywhere you go.”

“If you looked deeper into it, you’d know most of those people were satanists and cultists.”

“I know many in Exquista Caro were and in Jewel, but Adamas, not so much, even though I appreciated you killing some really corrupt businessmen and politicians.”

“That’s all we do. We kill the corrupt and spare the few, who our guardian angels’ powers keep alive.”

“That’s the source of your power and true motive for this destruction? Guardian angels? You sure they aren’t devils? What am I saying? A man like you wouldn’t know the difference.”

“I do know the difference now that my guardian angel opened my eyes. All three of us do thanks to them!”

“I wouldn’t expect you to know the difference between a man and a woman, given your tastes.”

“I don’t need you bringing that up when my demons never stop talking about it. Please, Kane. We don’t need to fight.”

“Hmm. Let’s see what God thinks.” Kane manifests both his revolver and pistol. “Huh. I thought the result would be different. This is one of those rare times that both guns are out for my targets. Life or death. It’ll be your choice. Let’s see which you pick. I’m done talking.”

Kane raises his pistols, and his wife and friend bolt towards us as he starts shooting at us. I transform and fly between his bullets as I spray my fire at him with Tanith and Thaddeus, using their ranged attacks at the Castigators as they charge ahead with me. With my sword arms, I mean to disarm Kane, but his wife gets in the way, blocking my swords. Her snakes hit me with their heads and send me flying into the debris of a building. Oof. Now, I felt that.

Idelle sprints toward me at terrifying speeds and punches through the debris I’ve landed on as I dodge out of the way. She’s truly the sister of a legendary hero. I don’t stand a chance, so I knock the debris around to temporarily bury her in, emphasis on temporary, since it doesn’t slow her down from pursuing me for a second. Terah comes in with the save by surrounding Idelle with his green lightning, trying to strike her with it. Since I’m outmatched, I turn my attention to saving Tanith, who is being attacked by Kane and Zandro.

I shoot fire into the sky to break up the two-on-one fight and tackle Kane through the door of a locked-down sports stadium. Unphased by this, Kane shoots me with both guns, the bullets of which are blocked by fire that is coming out of my body. There are people in the stadium who are fleeing from our fight. Both of us try to take the fight elsewhere to avoid them, but our desire to put each other down keeps us in the area until we eventually find ourselves fighting in a sports bar and strip club within the stadium.

“We’re here. Go through the backstage area and find the basement,” my guardian angel says.

“Like I said before, Kane, we have a common enemy. Let me show you them,” I say.

Kane shoots and follows me as I do, as my guardian angel said. The basement stairs aren’t too hard to find, with Kane and me tearing apart the area with our fight. Going down the stairs with Kane hot on my trail, I find that I’m flying down into an all too familiar dark void that makes me stop. Turning around, I see that Kane is still behind me, but he’s stopped shooting and notices the same thing I have.

“My guardian angel has led us here to deal with the demons. Let’s put our differences aside to fight our true enemy,” I say as I transform back to my normal self.

“I’ll protect my children,” Kane says as he starts pointing his guns at something in the dark.

“Huh?”

“They won’t end up as Polina did, and she’ll never go through what happened to her again. Yes, I’m right to use violence the way I have. It doesn’t matter the kinds of extremists that have risen because of it. and all the lives I’ve taken and chaos I’ve caused. I know I’m right in what I did!”

He must be getting tempted, so I start praying for him and myself. Guardian angel, please protect both of us.

“I’m right behind you,” my guardian angel says.

“Fight them, Kane! This is our common enemy. Do you believe me now?” I say as I approach him.

Kane starts firing wildly into the air. I keep trying to get through to him, but it doesn’t seem like he can hear me. Nevertheless, I have a job to do, so I transform and start burning the area around me. A harsh pressure starts to overcome me as if a hundred people just landed on top of me.

“That man was your last chance at normality, at getting the life you wanted,” the demons say.

What I want is what God wants!

“You don’t believe that with your whole heart yet.”

“You’re still a novice.”

“Did you think you could fight your temptations after only starting to fight us for a few weeks? We have made stronger men sin, who have fought us their entire lives.”

Guardian angel, I need you here!

“Where is he?”

“Did he leave you again?”

“If he were truly helping you, you wouldn’t be tempted like this.”

“You’d have the strength to fight back against us by yourself, and yet, here you are cracking under the pressure.”

Please, my friend, I need you now! My flames are dying down, and my body is returning to its normal form.

“You were brought down here to die.”

“You brought the hero Kane here to die with you, and the world will suffer for it.”

“Your plan failed. You’ll always be an idiot who only thinks about himself.”

Please…please…the pressure is too much. It feels like they’re digging their sharp fingers into my head and every part of my body. Now…now…I don’t see the point in fighting anymore. Turning to Kane, who looks like he’s snapped out of what was bothering him, he points his guns at me, which have turned to revolvers. He’s confused at this sudden change, a distraction that I take advantage of as I charge him and grab his wrists.

“You were right! I don’t know the difference between angels and demons. All I want is to forever taste pleasures and thrills!” I say, unable to control my thoughts and words.

“You’re possessed now, you idiot. I heard you telling me to fight it, so why don’t you take your own advice?” Kane says.

“I don’t want to fight it anymore. It’s not who I am. When I’m done with you, I’ll go after your wife. Back on the exclusive island I was on, they’d cut off the limbs of the sex slaves of all ages so they couldn’t escape. I think I’ll do the same to her. Maybe I’ll even eat her limbs like chicken wings as they did back there.”

“Shut up! Get control of yourself, Thaddeus!”

“That man you were with was kind of cute as well. I know how to dress him up and make him look pretty enough to have fun with all night long!”

Kane headbutts me, knocking me away. He lights me with his revolvers until I fall unconscious.

“Thaddeus. Thaddeus!” I hear my guardian angel calling out.

Huh? Oh, no. I fell again, didn’t I? My guardian angel is the only person I see in the void around me. I turn away from him, ashamed of what I’ve done.

“You’re not dead yet. You have to get up!”

So I could just fall again? Why should I?

“You still have the opportunity to redeem yourself and make this right. You can do it! You’ve done it before.”

I turn back around to see my guardian angel extending one of his sword arms at me. I…I don’t know if I can even ask for forgiveness.

“Grab my arm. I’ll help you, but you need to meet me halfway.”

The darkness around me feels like a hundred arms holding me back. Still, I find the strength within and reach out to grab my guardian angel’s sword arm. Once I do, an explosion emanates from both of us, lighting up the darkness around us. With everything lit up, I see that not only Kane is here, but Tanith, Terah, Idelle, and Zandro are here as well. How?

“It’s all divine providence,” my guardian angel says.

In addition to my friends and the Castigators, I also have hundreds of people hiding here with the desecrated bodies of children and adults, along with satanic symbols on the walls and floors. My flames are keeping them trapped down here with us, as they panic to find a way out.

“There. Do you see that I’m right now?” I ask.

“Yeah,” Kane says, “I’m surprised that you’re back to your senses so quickly.”

“It’s all thanks to my guardian angel. Now, are you ready to fight our common enemy?”

Kane looks at the people in this basement, and his two revolvers transform into two pistols.

“I’m ready. Time to redeem yourself, degenerate.”

Together, the Castigators and the Council of Punishment burn and slaughter the cultists in this hidden basement. The cultists try to call their demonic masters for help, but with our forces and prayers combined, the demons don’t bother us at all and leave their worshippers to be killed. Once everyone is dead, my friends and I burn and destroy the rest of the stadium, while the Castigators clean up the remaining and fleeing cultists in the other parts of it. With that out of the way, Terah, Tanith, and I go back to the Castigators, who are standing outside the ruins of the stadium. We all turn back to our normal forms and start talking to one another: Terah with Idelle, Tanith with Zandro, and Kane and me.

“Does this make us friends?” I ask.

“Not in the slightest. I just consider you colleagues and believe you now. Actually, if I’m honest, we’re not too different in the ways we serve God, except you’re somehow way more destructive than us. The rest of the Dominion won’t take too kindly to that, so you’d better get out of here, while you still can,” Kane says.

I turn to my guardian angel, who says we still have work to do here, which I relay to Kane.

“Then, I’ll leave you to it and try to convince the Dominion to leave you alone,” Kane says.

“You’ll do that for us?!” I ask.

“No promises, and consider it your only favor I’ll do for you, given your history and what happened in the basement between us.”

“I understand. Thank you, Kane.”

Kane and I shake hands. We all say goodbye to the Castigators as they leave us to our task. Even though I feel exhausted, I also feel a weird sense of renewal, as if my repentance over my sins filled me with a new sense of boldness. Whatever it is, I thank God for His mercy and pray that I never fall again, but also that I always take the second chance when the opportunity arises.

Scourge of Angels: Chapter 1 – One Last Day

Chapter 1 – One Last Day

There’s a strange peace before the storm we’re about to create. My new friends and I sit in a restaurant eating what could be our last meal, talking, joking, and acting as if we’re not about to openly purge this city that my guardian angel led us to. I turn my eyes to my reflection in the nearby window and look into my red, orange, and yellow eyes as I see a man I used to be infatuated by, then completely disgusted with, and now tepidly accepting of. My brown hair has been kept together as well as it can be, and my red shirt, black jacket, black pants, and shoes are as clean as they can be for a man on the run. Tanith looks a bit better.

Her grey skin, grey eyes, and black, long-sleeved shirt, skirt, and thighighs boots are kept well, and there’s not a speck of dirt or blood in her white hair. As for Terah, he always looks like a homeless man with his big dark green jacket, scarf, shirt, baggy pants, and heavy-looking boots, while his green eyes and lack of arms are the only things that make him stand out. We don’t change our appearance much since we’ve been on the run when we started destroying cities and towns where the demons and their cultists reside. In total, we’ve destroyed three cities and a handful of settlements on the way here to Detlef, where my guardian angel says our journey may end.

“Enjoy the peace now while you can, and keep your mind off your task, for now, my friend. It’s all going to end soon,” my guardian angel says.

Each of us sees our guardian angel, while they are invisible to each other and the people around us. My guardian angel is a flaming armored soldier, with a horned hood, three red eyes, two crimson swords for arms, and a cloak made of fire. We all take on the appearance of our guardian angels when we use our powers, which will be soon, but I shouldn’t think about that now. Turning my eyes back to my friends, I see Tanith helping Terah eat his food and drink his coffee.

Terah tilts her head a bit as she asks me, “Is there something wrong, Thaddeus?”

“Nah. I just think this is all weird,” I say.

“You’re just starting to realize that after everything we’ve been through?” Terah asks with a laugh.

“It’s crazy, isn’t it? Weeks ago, all I could think about was the next thrill, the next girl or guy dressed as a girl I’d be with, and what get-rich-quick scam I could get away with. Tanith was obsessed with pleasure, and you were obsessed with power.”

“Those obsessions still bother us. We aren’t over them yet, but I understand what you mean,” Tanith admits. “When I wake up, I still find it hard to believe this isn’t a dream, and that I’m not stuck as a sex toy in Exquista Caro.”

“You would mistake this for a dream?” Terah asks.

“Yes. Living like this is a million times better than always itching for a fix of sex and drugs like I was before.”

Terah sighs and says, “I guess you’re right, and I can relate to you both, now that I think about it. It’s freeing not to always be looking behind my back and worrying about sucking up to powerful people, so I could keep what I had and get more.”

“We’re not going to be free for long. We’ll either die or be locked away in prison forever for what we’ve done and are about to do,” I remind them.

“What did you say before, Thaddeus? As long as we’re doing the right thing, that’s all that matters?” Tanith asks.

“She’s right. Remember and find peace in the fact that we are doing God’s will because at the end of our lives, that will be the only thing we will be judged for,” Terah says.

“Thanks for the reminder. I appreciate it.”

“Say, why don’t we go to church? Spend some time there to obtain some true peace, especially since we’ll be facing a demonic threat soon?”

“That’s a good idea, Terah. Let’s do it, before we get started.”

Going to the nearest Catholic church, we go to it to find it mostly empty. Noticing people lined up at the confessional, Terah and Tanith go up to it, while I stay and pray. Given that I grew up in a for-profit denomination of Christianity, I’m unable to partake in the sacrament. I’m also pretty sure that my baptism was invalid, now that I know what a real baptism should be like from Terah and Tanith, who received all the sacraments. At this rate, I don’t think I’ll be able to receive any of them and will only be baptized through desire.

“Do not worry for your salvation. Continue doing as God wills, and you will have it,” my guardian angel reassures me.

Thank you, my friend. I continue praying, and watch, and am surprised by how long my friends have to wait in line for confession. From what I know, it’s supposed to take only a few minutes for people to confess, but it feels like an hour passes before a person finishes their confession, as if they’re conducting therapy sessions. The smell of strong perfume turns my attention to a woman who walks into the church and kneels by me. She’s dressed with a veil over her face, makeup, long skirt, long-sleeved frilly shirt, and heels, all of which are colored pink and red. I watch her pray with her eyes closed until she opens them and turns her attention to me.

With a smile, she says, “Aren’t you Thaddeus?”

“Huh? Yeah. I am,” I admit in a whisper.

“I’m a big fan of yours. I was surprised to see that you’re a wanted criminal. What are you doing in a place like this?”

“Giving honor to God, before I have to get back to work for Him.”

“Aren’t you afraid someone will report you to the police or Dominion before you do your work?”

“No. This is the life God gave to me, so it’s what I have to accept.”

“That’s what I always liked about you. You’re a fearless man who’s always willing to do what you think is right, no matter the risks.”

“Thank you for the compliment, but…uh…”

The woman moves her face close to mine.

“Can I get one kiss from you before you leave?”

“I…uh…I guess I don’t see the harm in it.”

I move my face close to hers, intending to kiss her on the cheek, only to be surprised when she grabs my face and kisses me on the mouth for a good long while.

“On second thought, you shouldn’t leave here, or at least, shouldn’t leave without me, Thaddeus. I love you, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”

“I…”

“Thaddeus, that woman is a man,” my guardian angel says.

The words wake up my head from its infatuation so that I can clearly see the truth about the man. I didn’t notice it before, but now that I see it, based on a better view of the man’s shoulders, hands, and face. I’m also now realizing that the man’s voice was only slightly pitched up, and I wish that I recognized this sooner.

Immediately, I push away from the man and say, “Who are you really?”

“As I said, I’m a fan of yours and would like nothing more than to spend the rest of my life with you. I know the kind of person you’re into and dressed this way because I know you’d be attracted to me.”

Knowing that there’s only one way this man could have known to find me here, there’s no doubt in my mind that this is the work of demons. Without a second thought, I pray to activate my powers, transform, and stick one of my crimson swords through the man’s neck.

“Never meet your heroes,” I say before taking the sword out.

Looking over to Tanith and Terah, who just got out of the confessional, I tell them what happened, and they transform as everyone in the church either hides or starts to flee from it.

“I’m both surprised and not surprised at all that this is how the demons start to go after us,” Tanith says.

“I know, and I’m sorry for my failure to resist my temptations,” I say as I cross myself. “May God forgive me.”

“Don’t dwell on your sin now while the enemy is already attacking us. I’m sure God has forgiven you because of the circumstances, so let’s strike back before they can attack us again,” Terah says.

“You’re right. Council of Punishment, let’s get to burning.”

Exiting the church, I follow my guardian angel’s lead, and we fly to our targets’ destination. We fly into high-rise buildings and underground basements to burn and punish everyone in the area, especially where cultist activity is occurring. With my powers, I cut people apart with my crimson arm sword and burn them with supernatural fire that reduces most to ash while sparing the somewhat innocent. Tanith freezes and burns people with her blue flames, and Terah uses the green lightning emanating from his body to shock and burn people and to take control of some of them, turning them to our side or making them simply kill themselves. No one we face is a match for us. In fact, most try to run in fear, while a few beg for mercy, which they don’t get.

“Beg to God for mercy, not us,” Terah says.

After burning and killing at several locations, I take a look out at Detlef to see the many fires we’ve started and the damage we’ve done to the buildings. It’s like a series of missiles has struck the city, like it’s a warzone. Sure enough, the police and the local hero associations come after us.

“Execute these people as well. Most of them are on Hell’s payroll,” my guardian angel says.

Will do. The Council of Punishment engages law enforcement in a one-sided battle. Their attacks with guns, robots, and superhuman powers of all kinds do little against us when they’re able to hit us. Not long into the fight, I begin seeing doubles of every foe I’m facing, and then start seeing myself as the double.

“This is it, Thaddeus,” the doppelgangers say in my voice. “After this, your usefulness to God will be up.”

I start praying while trying my best to focus on the fight at hand.

“He’s already let you sin in His own house. What makes you think He won’t let it happen again? What makes you think you won’t be thrown away and damned with the rest of us after this? You already know this day will be your last.”

“Tanith, Terah!” I say.

Turning around, I see Tanith burning herself with the blue flames coming out of her left arm. She says, “I know! I’m trying to deal with it!”

“Pray and let your fighting be a prayer to God,” Terah suggests.

Together, we pray and battle until the battle around us is over and temptations fade away. Detlef is in more ruins than before, with even more fires burning the city, destroyed buildings, and dead and unconscious bodies in the streets. This is our God-given work. This is what true justice and doing the right thing look like, and we’re just getting started.

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Thaddeus was a degenerate, a scammer, and an influencer. Tanith was a drug and pleasure addicted whore. Tanith was a power-hungry bishop and governor. All three are the worst kinds of sinners, yet they are given a second chance at life and redeem themselves by sending demons back to Hell and bringing justice to cultists and sinners of all kinds. With their guardian angels by their side, the three fight against worldly and supernatural threats, including the sins that still hold sway over their souls.
This collection includes: Guardian Dear, Puritanical Addict, and Disgraced Piety, along with Behind the Story trivia for each story.

My 340th book is done and out today!

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Once a bishop and governor, Terah craved power so he could control every aspect of his life. After realizing the vanity of trying to do so, he resigned himself to being killed by an assassin. This, however, isn't the end of his life, as his guardian angel revives him and gives him new powers. God also gives Terah a new purpose: to cleanse the Earth of the demonic and the sinful people in power, with whom Terah was once allied.

Disgraced Piety: Chapter 4 – Domination Through Surrender

Chapter 4 – Domination Through Surrender

Flying to the source of the action, I see Thaddeus and Tanith holding their own against superhumans, robots with satanic markings on them, and men with guns and cybernetic enhancements, despite being outnumbered twenty-to-one. The city is covered in flames and ice, and most of its buildings are damaged or destroyed, with not a civilian in sight.

“The demons are getting desperate. Let me have at them and finish them off,” my guardian angel says, which I allow.

I land on one of the damaged buildings and begin to unleash my green lightning to even the odds, turning our enemies to ash and taking possession of some of them. Thaddeus and Tanith notice what is happening and me standing above them. They yell that they knew I would overcome my demons and resume their fighting. The tide turns overwhelmingly in our favor now because of me, and Thaddeus and Tanith can push back against the enemy, so they aren’t trapped in this part of the city.

“What would they be without you?” I hear a weak voice say in the back of my head.

Haven’t I had enough with you?

“You never will, and that’s the problem. Even if you rely on God, you won’t stop being imperfect. How contradictory is that? You are expected to do everything perfectly, but you won’t be made perfect. Instead, you are expected to fail, but not, and then repent, promising to never sin again, only to fall again.”

I must admit that I can’t say that I’m okay with this. I feel the impending possibility of failure to be daunting and something that I pray to be avoided.

“It’s already happened to you, and you’re already beginning to lose what little control you have now. With the reins of your life in reach, why not take back control?”

The demon possessed machinery and people, and their cultists below turn their attention to me and start attacking me. Since Thaddeus and Tanith are distracted by enemies surrounding them, I’m on my own. Everything around me goes black.

“You’ve always been on your own, and always will be. What major accomplishments in your life have been made thanks to the help of others? None, because you’ve gotten everything in your life with your own two hands.”

Praying for help, my guardian angel arrives, and simply starts playing memories in my mind of times when I didn’t know he was there to help me. I see memories of me when I was a child, and watch my guardian angel making sure I don’t fall or get a little push in races. I even see memories of my adult life where my guardian angel taps my shoulder to let me know of threats, which I chalked up to my senses warning me of danger at the time. Seeing these memories reminds me that every part of my life has been planned and set on something similar to that of a conveyor belt, with me only being able to deviate from it at certain points with limited opportunities. We aren’t in control of the circumstances of our birth and early life, and even less in control of our desires and the course of our life, since they are heavily influenced by everything and everyone around us.

What control do we truly have of our lives besides the path we take when given an option, and even then, we can’t choose outside those options? A man in power will not choose to deviate from what gave them their power, and a poor man will not be able to accomplish much, unless given the opportunity by providence and the help of others. I see it clearly now. The vanity of control. What use is it to me when I ruin it when given it? Because of this fact, I relinquish all control of myself to my Lord and God.

“Fool. You need to be in control of yourself to fight back! Otherwise, your life is forfeit to us.”

What is the threat of death to a man who has already died and given his life to God? The demons screech at me and tear my body to shreds. A series of green lightning strikes hits everyone around me, and puts my body together. I’m then flung in the direction of Thaddeus and Tanith, who are getting attacked and overwhelmed like I was, so I use my body to take a beating for them, am torn apart again, and then brought back together through my green lightning. What follows is such a light show that you’d think everyone in Heaven was sending a lightning bolt down to help us, and by the end, the city of Adamas is even more ruined than it was before.

“Woah! That was incredible, Terah, but are you okay?” Tanith asks.

“Of course. I died and have let God control every aspect of my life. Nothing much concerns or phases me anymore,” I say.

“Wow. With that demeanor, you should be our team leader, not me,” Thaddeus says.

“No, it has already been decided by our guardian angels that you should be our leader, and if they say you’re our leader, then God trusts you with the position.”

“Thanks, man. I appreciate it. Oh, what should we name our group now that we have all our members together? The Fiery Avengers?”

“How about The Angels of Punishment?” Tanith suggests.

Thinking this is stupid, but giving my suggestion anyway, I say, “What about The Trio of Divine Terror?”

“What if you call yourselves The Midnight Sons of the New Dawn?” my guardian angel asks.

No. I don’t think they’ll accept that.

“What about the Council of Punishment?”

“Oh, that’s a good one,” my guardian angel and Tanith admit.

Because we can’t come up with anything better, we go with Thaddeus’s idea of calling ourselves the Council of Punishment.

“What do we do now, Thaddeus?” I ask.

“We purge more demons and sinners from the Columbian Union. The Dominion of Mercy and Justice may be doing a good job of it, but examples like the cities we were in prove they’re not doing as good a job as they should, especially in places like the capital,” Thaddeus says.

“Okay. Lead the way to our next purge.”

“Ah, but first, you need a ride since we need to get from place to place discriminately.”

A red flaming chopper motorcycle rides in from a distance and stops in front of Thaddeus, while a blue flaming sports motorcycle rides in and stops in front of Tanith. Behind them, a muscle car, sparking with green electricity, drives itself to me. It’s dark green and has a gold trim, giving it a luxurious look to it.

Thaddeus whistles and says, “I can’t say that it doesn’t suit you. How are you going to drive it without arms?”

My guardian angel explains to me how I can drive it with my powers, so that’s what I tell Thaddeus.

“Okay then. Let’s get out of here before trouble arrives,” Tanith says.

“Let’s go then. Onward, Council of Punishment. We have souls to bring justice to and demons to send to Hell,” Thaddeus says as he sits on his motorcycle.

As I ride off away from Adams with the sun rising behind us, I feel like I’m no longer the man I was before, and that’s okay. In fact, it’s more than okay that I’m no longer who I define myself as and that my life is no longer in my hands. This new life and path set before me by God is the one I should’ve always been on, and with Him guiding and empowering my every move, I’m sure that I’ll make it to Heaven one day, the only goal that matters in life.

The End

Disgraced Piety: Chapter 3 – Self-Control

Chapter 3 – Self-Control

How could I prevent this? What did I do wrong? This shouldn’t be happening to me. These are the thoughts that cycle through the darkness around me, along with the whispers of demons, encouraging me to break out with my own strength and not rely on God or my guardian angel, so I do the opposite as they say.

They continue to say things like, “You obtained your own power without their help.”

“You’re amazing without them.”

“When have they truly answered any of your prayers? You’ve never prayed honestly to them, until now, so why would they help you?”

“You’re on your own. You always have been, so you only have yourself to rely on.”

A tear in the darkness opens that my guardian angel goes through and closes behind him. Why wasn’t it left open for me to escape through?

“You aren’t in literal darkness. Think of it as figurative mind fog. In reality, you flew into more populated parts of the city, and the demons are using the population as your puppets against Thaddeus and Tanith,” my guardian angel explains.

“Terah! You can break through it! If I can do it, I’m sure you can!” Thaddeus says.

“Fight it, Terah! I know you’re not in control of yourself,” Tanith says.

“What do they know?” I hear the demons say in my voice.

“They aren’t as wise or learned as you are. They aren’t as versed in prayers and fighting the demonic as you are.”

“They are still addicted to their passions. Thaddeus still wants thrills, and Tanith still craves the pleasures of the flesh.”

“What can these sinners do for you that you cannot?”

Why are these demons torturing me so, and why do they have so much control over me? Am I not doing everything right?

“You’ve taken out the central area where the cultists operate, put the fear of God into them, and killed the rest, but you’ve yet to purge the demons within,” my guardian angel says. “As I said before, you take life too seriously.”

“If you listen to them, you’ll lose control of your life. Isn’t control over what’s rightfully yours all you’ve ever wanted?” the demons say as one. “When you give them control, you lose control of what you believe in and what you’ll do, the very core of controlling yourself. Are you truly willing to give that up?”

If it means taking back control, then yes. Buildings and skyscrapers from Adamas start to emerge from the void around me. At the top of them, I see people crowned like kings and clergy clothed in the best finery.

“Shouldn’t the truth make sense and be logical? It should fit how I view the truth and fit into the parameters I know to be correct,” one of the people on the towers says.

A green bolt of lightning strikes it, burning the tower and sending it crumbling to the ground.

Another person at the top of a tower says, “A good God should act in a way that I think is good. Otherwise, God is not good at all or non-existent.”

Another green bolt of lightning brings down the tower that the person was speaking from. It’s then that I realize that I feel weightless to the point of floating off the ground. I start flying around the towers that also start floating up into the air, and flying around as if we were caught up in a tornado.

“Everything in life can be managed!” another person says as they struggle to stay at the top of their tower. “Everything can go as I plan if I have the right allies and resources! Even the exact time of my death can be planned! I have the power to decide it all!”

No, you fool. Nothing is in your control. A green bolt of lightning strikes and destroys the last buildings and towers. It’s not over yet, though, as the towers are sucked into a vortex that becomes a towering black and green being who resembles me.

“They couldn’t at least make you look a bit more accurate? You look way better than that,” my guardian angel says.

The shadowy doppelganger swipes at me and tries to grab me, while I struggle to dodge it in the turbulence I’m still caught up in.

“See how helpless you are without control of yourself?” the doppelganger says. “Do it! Regain control, and you will save yourself!”

The doppelganger hits me, sending me flying away, and somehow stretches its arms to grab me so it can repeatedly slam me into the ground. I feel like I can just barely squeeze through its grasp, but something is preventing me.

“Yes, it is. It is you who gave up control to God. Regain control, and you can save yourself. You’ve always saved yourself, and you can do it again if you take control.”

This is a trick. Giving myself control will only do so much. If I escape, I won’t be able to escape this void or the demons I find myself burdened with. Perhaps, if I let it kill me, then Thaddeus and Tanith will be free from the me that is fighting them. If that is what must happen, then let it happen according to your will, Lord.

“Hehehe, you always take things too seriously,” my guardian angel says as it appears in front of me.

My guardian angel passes through my body, electrifying it, making green lightning strike all around me, and freeing me from the doppelganger. Turning to it, I watch as it screams and starts throwing punches at me, which hardly do anything to me.

“Look at how pathetic and helpless your angel is making you. With it, you’ll be helpless for the rest of your life, and you’ll never do what you want to again. You’ll have to do as God says to the letter, without you deviating from it in the slightest, no matter how little sense your orders will be,” the doppelganger says.

So be it, according to His will, not mine. One single strike of green lightning comes down to destroy the doppelganger and disperse the void around me. Looking down at myself, I see that I’m wearing the dark green cloak that my guardian angel does. I feel more empowered than I did before, and yet, I have to keep a lid on it and in control.

“Ah, you can let loose when the time comes,” my guardian angel says. “Speaking of that, we’d better go help your new friends. The cultists brought in reinforcements from the neighboring towns and cities around Adamas.”

It’s no wonder that the demons have so much control over the capital, and the temptations are so harsh.

“They’re only harsh because you let them be, and God allows it. You’re still new to not indulging your desire for power and control, so those wounds in your soul need time to heal.”

You’re right. Guide me in the right paths, my guardian angel, and help me not to misstep on my path to Heaven. Teach me the ways of God.

“I will, but first, let’s send the demons back to Hell where they belong.”

I fly up into the air and head towards the explosions in Adamas, all the while praying and hoping that I’ll arrive in time to help Thaddeus and Tanith.

“Oh, you will be. I’ll make sure of it.”

Nothing is suspenseful or uncertain with you, is it?

“Nothing is when you put your full trust in God.”

Disgraced Piety: Chapter 2 – Going for the Throat

Chapter 2 – Going for the Throat

Two figures walk out of the red and blue flames in front of me, and for some reason, I recognize them despite not seeing them in years or really having to remember them for their importance.

“Thaddeus? Tanith?” I say.

“Terah! It’s been a while, hasn’t it?” Thaddeus says with his arms open.

“What are you two doing here, and why do you look so different?”

Thaddeus doesn’t look much different than he usually does with his black jacket, red shirt, and black pants and boots, but his red, orange, and yellow eyes are supernatural, and Tanith is different in that her skin is grey, her hair is white, her eyes are white, and she isn’t dressed like a hooker. Instead, she’s dressed mostly conservatively with a grey shirt, grey skirt, and dark grey thigh-high boots.

“Don’t look so defensive. We’re not here to fight you. I must admit that when our guardian angels told us to find you, we were doubtful of it since we heard you died, but I guess you should never doubt a messenger from God, right?”

“I haven’t seen you since I arranged a group of promiscuous nuns for you to have an orgy, Thaddeus. What happened to you both?”

“We’ve changed because of our guardian angels,” Tanith explains. “I know that may seem hard to believe, especially since I was arranging your clergy and nuns to fulfill their fetishes in Exquista Caro, but believe us when we say we’re different now. We even destroyed that hive of demonic degeneracy together.”

“I heard that through my sources, but thought you would be dead, and Thaddeus would’ve been brought in by the Dominion by now, and yet, here you both are.”

“They’re telling the truth, Terah. They aren’t agents of our enemy and will be our most trusted allies from now on,” my guardian angel says.

“My guardian angel tells me to believe you, so I will. Mind explaining what that explosion you both caused was about?”

“Our guardian angels made our presence known and brought us to you,” Tanith explains.

“It probably caused quite a stir in the city.”

“We did? What about what you did?” Thaddeus asks.

“The authorities in the city are slower to respond to incidents like this because they allow them to get away with crime, and if something does happen at one of their events like this, then their onsite security can usually deal with it. Since I’ve dealt with them, the authorities are trying to figure out if this was intentional before sending in law enforcement, which is why they haven’t shown up yet.”

“We shouldn’t wait around for them, unless they’re a target,” Tanith says.

“Agreed. If you go where I tell you, we can expunge the corrupt rulers and demonic cultists from the capital in minutes.”

“I’ll allow it, as the leader of our trio,” Thaddeus says.

“You’re the leader?”

“Yes, he is,” my guardian angel confirms as Thaddeus says much the same thing with pride. “I know it may seem hard to believe, but you know God allows even the most idiotic people a seat of power.”

Yes, but Thaddeus of all people?

“He’s a changed man. You’ll see how useful he is in the coming fight.”

Accepting Thaddeus’s role as leader of our trio, I tell him where to go, and we fly to the neighboring rooftop of the location. This place has various expensive stores, concert venues, luxurious halls, and hotel rooms designed for kings.

“This is the part of the city they call the royal quarter,” Tanith says.

“Yes. The capital city of Adamas doesn’t have the most crime and corruption under the streets like most cities. Instead, it happens in its official buildings, in plain sight, but behind closed secret doors,” I explain.

“Makes sense. I can already hear the whispers of demons. Can you, Tanith?” Thaddeus asks, which Tanith confirms.

Listening closer, I can hear indiscernible whispers behind me.

“Try not to listen to those creeps too much. All they do is complain about other people’s sins and whine about how horrible their lives are. Let me give them a real reason to cry,” my guardian angel says.

Go ahead and handle the demonic threat. I’ll handle the people here.

“Sir, yes, sir!”

I point Thaddeus and Tanith to the buildings they should focus on and set them loose. In an instant, they change their appearance. Thaddeus looks like a flaming devil with horns on his head and two crimson swords for arms, and Tanith, who looks a lot like my guardian angel, is dressed in black and gray with a spear-like right arm and blue flames coming from her left arm. The two leap into action, entering buildings and burning them from the inside out. Meanwhile, I bring down green lightning on the buildings, creating holes in them, allowing them to burn and vaporize, and giving me control over the people I’m allowed to. Law enforcement, both those on the payroll of the corrupt leaders, politicians, and businessmen, and those not technically on it, finally arrive and provide more active targets, more people to control. Huh? Why would I want that?

“Because it’s your role, Terah. It’s your purpose in life to control people and their lives, especially your own,” I hear a voice in my head that sounds like mine.

Demons. I focus on the task at hand and pray Hail Marys to keep my mind off their temptations.

“God knows your place is in a position where you have reign over people’s lives. You gave up the power you had, and He gave you even more. What more proof do you need that you’re a truly pious man?”

I am powerless without God. He is the only good I need, and the greatest power He could give me is control over myself to never sin again. A loud screeching sound comes from behind me before going suddenly quiet. I’m expecting to hear more, but I don’t hear a word. That can’t be it. From what I know, demons don’t give up that easily. Perhaps, they’re affecting me in what I’m feeling with these powers. The lightning coming from me and the power I feel over others is an ecstasy unlike anything I’ve felt before. I have to remember my guardian angel’s advice and not indulge in this power, lest I let it rule over me and I fall to sin again.

“Good job, my friend! I know you knew the right words and method to get rid of those demons,” my guardian angel says.

I was a bishop, and even though I didn’t care for those prayers before, I remembered how to turn away the temptations of demons just in case. Around me, I see the ruins of the buildings, hundreds of dead and burned bodies, and red flames intermixed with icy, blue flames and electrical green flames.

“The fight is already over?” I ask as if disappointed.

“Yeah. I’m just as surprised as you are. Even though we were right on the money because of the many satanic worship sites behind closed doors and encountered temptations from demons, we were able to overcome them and destroy everything and everyone in our path,” Thaddeus explains.

“I’m sure we couldn’t have done it without you,” Tanith adds.

You’re right about that. Before I say anything, Thaddeus looks above him and then says, “My guardian angel says our job here in Adamas isn’t done yet.”

“Really? This was the most secure and central for all demon worship and cultist activity,” I say.

“There are other places that must be purged so that the capital can be cleaned. I’m sure with your help, we’ll get this done in no time.”

I look up to my guardian angel, who nods in approval, so I tepidly do as Thaddeus says. Along with Tanith, the three of us go from place to place in Adamas, causing death and destruction, and getting into fights with its defenders and an escalating, but rapidly depleting, law enforcement. It’s during one of these battles that I get attacked and discover that I’m unharmed by most attacks, like my body is some kind of stone wall, and adding to my feeling of invincibility. None of my attackers can land more than one or two hits before my green lightning kills or lets me take control of them. Not even the demons who continue to tempt me can bother me or break my concentration away from the fight at hand.

These powers were exhilarating at first to have, but now, I’m starting to get bored. All I’m doing is sitting on the sidelines, letting my powers do their thing, and sometimes giving commands to people who die or rarely get knocked out soon after. Thaddeus and Tanith have immense power as well, but they at least seem to be challenged in their fights, despite probably doing the same thing as me.

“You’re too good for them,” a voice in my head says.

“You’re too powerful.”

“You always were.”

“That’s why you’re being kept back. You need to take back control.”

Ah, pride, the first of all falls to happen when a sin is committed. Should’ve known to keep a better lid on my thoughts. No matter I can-

“You can do anything you put your mind to.”

“You’re amazing like that, Terah.”

“You can be ruler of the capital if you want to.”

“You were already its governor, and its people will have to listen to you since a majority of its law enforcement is dead or knocked out because of you.”

Flashes of green lightning unintentionally come out of me, hitting the bodies on the floor. The bodies get up and start attacking Thaddeus and Tanith. What is going on? I can’t control them!

“You were never in control, so go on and take control for yourself!” the demons say.

“You’ve gotten control over hundreds of thousands of people. Why can’t you do it to a few?”

“Why can’t you control yourself?”

I try to take control of the walking corpses, but then find myself uncontrollably flying and spinning in the air, and away from the area. I’m better at controlling myself than this! My prayers should be helping me, but nothing is happening the way it should! Agh! Is this God humbling me, or have I already outlived my purpose? Have I done something wrong? I need answers. Guardian angel! Where are you?

As I uncontrollably spin in the air, I see a large shadowy figure form where I am heading as if I’m being sucked into it. The figure smiles and says, “Take control, Terah. You can do it.” It then opens its mouth, and I fly into its body.