A Man Who Loves His God and Family: Chapter 4 – Just a Simple, Faithful Man

Chapter 4 – Just a Simple, Faithful Man

“Are you sure you don’t want any armor or weapons? This could be a dangerous situation you’re walking into,” Luke says.

“I’m sure. Carrying weapons and armor could make it appear that I don’t trust him, especially since news of what happened yesterday is all over the internet and TV. Besides, I have the ballistic weave that you put into my clothes and cape,” I say.

“Yeah, I wish you didn’t always dress like a farm boy with a simple cape. I know that’s the appearance you want to give off to inspire people that everyone can be a hero and that you don’t really need armor or weapons, but still. It’d be more practical and safer if you had other options and protection in battle.”

“I’ll be fine. It’s just Mark after all.”

“It’s presumably just going to be him. Are you sure you don’t want me with you?”

“I’m sure about that, too. If you come along, it’d be a sign of distrust. If anything, I probably should’ve asked him if you could come along with Titus for old time’s sake, but I can’t do that now. You’ll have to trust that I can do this on my own, okay?”

“…alright.”

The look on Luke’s face says that he doesn’t actually trust my plan and seems to be thinking of his own. I nod with a smile to him and then head off to Walten Park at the agreed time. When I find Mark at the park, I see him reading plaques and looking at statues. He’s dressed in a standard one-piece hero suit, colored black and red, and has his custom dragon logo on his back and chest, which is colored after the red, blue, and gold colors of the Columbian Union flag.

Approaching him, I say, “Hello! I’m glad to see you again.”

“I’m glad to see you as well. You’ve made waves showing up on the news yesterday, haven’t you?” Mark asks.

The high hopes I have for the situation immediately come down.

“…I have.”

“We should celebrate your accomplishments with the boys later. We haven’t had a proper boys' night out in, what, months? I’m sure Luke and you know some good spots around the city.”

“There are a few we know of.”

“Solis is a great city, isn’t it? It’s the model city of Columbian excellence and what other cities in the world should aspire to. This park, named after the city’s founder, was an artist and true patriot who wanted to change the country and world through his works. He made a city for the future and would lead the country forward. Walten is one of my favorite Columbian historical figures, whom I want to be like.”

“What have you been doing recently to achieve that dream?”

“Beating up villains and criminals and bringing them to justice, just like you. Besides, I’ve-”

Mark is interrupted by a group of ten superhumans coming out of nowhere, whom he seems to know since he says all their names and is confused as to why they’re there.

“Isn’t it obvious, Mark?” one of them asks. “We’re here to kick this guy’s ass for embarrassing us yesterday.”

“Is this why you wanted to know where I was going? Because you wanted me to draw out my friend, so you can beat him up?” Mark asks.

“Why shouldn’t we? He stopped our friends from exposing corruption in our governments and businesses.” Turning to me, the man says. “That’s right. You didn’t do anything virtuous yesterday, ‘hero’. You were protecting predators, liars, manipulators, and others who use their positions of power to enrich themselves and their allies at the cost of everyone else.”

“Your friends told me I was protecting the wrong people yesterday, too, and I’ll tell them the same thing I told them. They were exposing people in the wrong way by making it at the cost of innocent lives. They caused needless destruction and pain when there’s always a better way.”

“See? Your friend isn’t really a friend and deserves to be taught a lesson.”

“Let me try convincing him to join us then, or at least see things our way.”

“Hmm. You know what? I’ll let you get disappointed, so go ahead and try. I’ll be impressed if you prove me wrong. It may even be good for us if you do convert him.”

Mark looks at the ground and clenches his fists before looking up at me and says, “The people in our government and business who act like wolves among sheep take advantage of the systems in place for their own gain, while we pay the price. If we don’t act now, they’ll either burn the evidence against them, escape the country, or use the system against us, like they usually do. Think about your sister, whom you always talk about, and the mysterious general who keeps telling her what to do. Think about your origin and how your parents found you in a capsule. Both you and your sister have been taken advantage of by people behind the scenes and in positions of power, and it seems like nothing can be done to save your sister from her situation.”

“…Mark.”

“What about our time in the academy and how hero associations work? The academy gave us two years of training and threw us into danger, while the highest bidders were looking at us like we were horses that were being trained for a race. As for the associations, they have to follow the laws and rules that the government tells them to, or else they’ll be viewed as rogue or villains. They’re not allowed to look into the corrupt dealings of the people they protect and serve, and have to pursue their goals in secret.

“Mark!”

“You can’t tell me that we don’t have a point. I know a Jesus freak like you has a heart of gold, burning to do the right thing and serve your God, so why don’t you do it by helping us change the country?”

“The job I already have is the one that God wants me to have. I’m exactly where I need to be, my dream is already fulfilled, and my goal is reached.”

“You’re so short-sighted. You’re not going to accomplish anything in your life at this rate if you don’t set your goals higher than the ground.”

“I already told you. God just wants us to be faithful, not successful.”

“You’re not getting anywhere with this,” the man next to Mark says.

Mark bites his lip, considers what to say next, and decides to say, “So, is that it then? Are you going to fight all of us? You know you’re nothing special. Super strength, speed, and agility are the equivalent of vanilla ice cream. You can’t last against all of us.”

“We’ll see about that,” I say as I raise my hands.

“Are you okay with dying here?”

“If that’s what God wants.”

The members of the Seventeen-Seventy-Six group slowly approach me, ready to fight, except for Mark, who is frozen in place and seems unsure of what to do. Regardless, the rest of them charge and pile on me, throwing punches, shooting at me, and using their powers on me. Now, this is the most intense fight I’ve been in. I know what real pain feels like now, but I don’t fear death. Instead, I fear for the fates of these people after this fight, so I offer up my pain and embrace it as I fight back against the elemental powers, bullets, and strength of my enemies. I endure the pain of their attacks as I knock them back one by one and use their bodies as weapons against one another to give me their space.

Not giving them a chance to go back on the attack, I relentlessly pursue each of them and deliver a flurry of punches to each one of them to knock them out or at least incapacitate them. In a matter of five minutes, every member of the Seventeen-Seventy-Six group lies flat on the ground, except for Mark, who is more unsure of what to do next than before. Even though he’s my friend, I raise my bloodied, cut, burned, and bruised hands up as I walk toward him.

“We don’t have to fight, Mark. You had enough sense not to do anything, so let’s just get these people to the police, and then-”

My words are cut off by two superhumans, who run out from seemingly nowhere and punch me in the face. They then start letting off an onslaught of punches at me at the rate of a machine gun. I try to retaliate with punches of my own, but my injuries and tiredness are starting to catch up to me, so I can’t really get any good punches in. As I try to defend myself, I see someone yelling at Mark, who is about to attack him. Immediately rushing to his aid, I take the hit for Mark and get sent flying across the park and hit the ground with enough force to create a small crater.

“John!” Mark says before his eyes light up with an intense fire that he shoots at the person who hit me.

He then fights members of his own group, as I struggle to get up. Once I catch my breath, I leap back into the action to take some of the heat off Mark and incapacitate two of the people who were on me. Five more people show up at the scene to aid our enemies; however, a cloaked figure shows up and savagely beats them down by relentlessly beating them into the ground with snakes that come from their back. After helping Mark, I go to the cloaked figure, whom I already know is Idelle. The people that she beat are barely alive, and the snakes on her back are covered in blood and have the flesh of their victims in their mouths, which is then spit out.

The golden armor she wears is more revealed now as I see the spiky shoulder and leg pieces, and the crimson body suit she is wearing. One of the snakes on her back is white with gold eyes, while the other is black with red eyes. She seems to be incredibly mad as she shakes with anger, so I grab her and hold her tight.

“It’s okay, Idelle. I’m fine. Thank you for helping me,” I say.

She looks up to me and is about to cry.

“No, it’s not okay! You’re hurt and could’ve died in the fight,” she says.

“But I’m still alive. I told you before that I hate seeing you upset.”

Idelle gives me her best smile while fighting back her tears.

Mark walks up to us and says, “So, this is the sister you always talk about?”

Idelle stands in front of me and says, “My brother wouldn’t have gotten this hurt if you had defended him! I thought he was supposed to be your friend?!”

“He is! I know I’m a cowardly idiot for not acting until he took a hit for me, but what are you going to do when you’re a fake hero like me? John might as well be the second coming of Jesus for how good of a person he is, while I’m Judas. I don’t deserve to be called his friend anymore or to live. The group I invested so much into won’t take me back after this, and this fight in the park will solidify their status as villains.”

I hug Mark and say, “It’s okay. I’ll make sure that you find a new hero group to be a part of, and I’m sure that Titus and Luke will be more than willing to help you. It’s not over yet for you, Mark. You’re a real hero. You just need the right help to become it.”

Mark gives me a tight hug and starts to cry, “I want to say you’re wrong. I want to just give up on life, but I know in the bottom of my heart that you’re right. Okay, John. I’ll do whatever I need to do to change and become the real hero that you think I am! I’ll even go to church like you do if that’s what it takes.”

With that settled, we call the police and have the members of the Seventeen-Seventy-Six group arrested. We answer all the questions the officers have for us, and Mark goes with them to further explain the group’s plans so they can be stopped and no one else will get hurt in the future. Afterwards, Titus, Luke, and I help Mark settle into a new hero association and go out like we used to during our time at the academy. Since I helped bring the Seventeen-Seventy-Six group to justice, I rise through the hero ranks, which earns me a pay raise, awards from the government, popularity, and a few days off to recover from the fight I was in. I can think of no better way to spend these days off than with friends and family. Idelle and I return to my parents’ house, where I’m surprised to hear that Idelle actually accepted my offer and spent time with them, so there’s no need for introductions.

Titus, Luke, and Mark come over for lunch and to enjoy the town for a day, and they seem to like it. I also spend at least an hour in adoration during my break to thank God for everything He’s given me and will give me in the future. On the last day of the break, Idelle, my parents, and I have a picnic while watching the sunset. When we’re done eating, I hug them all in one big hug and give each of them a kiss. Inside, I feel that this is only the beginning of a great life. I just know I will accomplish great things and become even closer to the man and hero that God wants me to be.

 

The End