Formation of the Dominion: Chapter 1 – The Simple and Bright

Chapter 1 – The Simple and Bright

“I still can’t believe we have our own official hero association!” I say to my best friend and brother in arms, Timeo Severe. “We have our own building and office, only after a month too!”

“Quite,” Timeo says with a smile on his face.

He looks at me like a father does when he sees their child excited about something, even though he’s the same age as me, a man in his thirties. Still, I probably look younger since I’m dressed in my red deacon shirt with an attached hoodie and gold cape, blue jeans, and black boots, while he’s dressed in another one of his expensive suits, this one being dark grey and black.

“You’re probably less excited about this than I am, given you have a bunch of offices and buildings in Meridian,” I say.

“No, I’m just as excited as you are, but for different things. I’m excited for the two, five-story office buildings we’ve built up, one here in Poca Bellezza and the other in my home of Meridian, and the many heroes and vigilantes we have out there helping people in both places, including surrounding cities and towns like Solis,” Timeo says.

“I wonder how Deborah is doing. She seemed concerned the last time I saw her, and that hasn’t changed when I called her. I asked her if something was wrong both times, but she said it was nothing and that she was just a little overwhelmed by everything that was happening and needed time to adjust to it.”

“Your wife will be fine. I left her with my wife, Darcy, in charge of Meridian, while we’re here for the time being, as we finish up construction and get things running.”

“I hope so. I’ll call her again tonight to check up on her.”

“I should probably do the same with Darcy. I’m admittedly so confident in her ability to take care of things that calling her doesn’t occur to me, even for a simple conversation that I’d know she’d appreciate.”

“What about us? What do you have on our agenda? I’ve been itching for some real hero work after helping with the construction of this building.”

“It’ll happen, John. Remember, we’re both founders of our hero association, and that means we have workers to do the job for us. We can’t just do it all ourselves.”

“Yeah, but I’m more like the general who charges with the troops rather than the one who strategizes behind the scenes.”

“I know, I know. If you want to do something, let’s see our workers and the people of Poca Bellezza.”

Since it’s better than doing nothing, I agree, all the while hoping that the people we talk to ask us to help with something. When we see our workers, both in the office and law enforcement, they thank us again for hiring them and tell us that everything is running smoothly. As for the people of Poca Bellezza, who are like family to me, they are also thankful for us bringing more business and attention to the town and the protection we provide, and we thank them in return, especially those who allowed us to build in the town. Poca Bellezza is a rural, patriotic, and quiet place, so there aren’t many hero associations here, and they only allow the ones who agree with its faith-based, traditional values to have a base of operations to build here.

“Your Dominion of Mercy and Justice has been a boon for us, and we’re proud to be one of the first places you have built your offices, John,” the mayor of Poca Bellezza says.

“Ah, thanks. You wouldn’t happen to know if anyone around town needs help, do you?” I ask.

“Not that I know of. We have a handle on it because of the help your hero association has provided, though if you want to do something, I heard rumors of crimes happening outside of this town, but nothing solid.”

“We’ll take a look into it. Thank you so much!” Turning to Timeo, I ask, “You’re fine with that, right?”

“I am. Go on ahead, and I’ll see if our mutual friend, L’Obscurité, can help you out later.”

“Thanks, Timeo! I’ll see what I can find.”

L’Obscurité is Timeo’s secret hero identity, known only to those he chooses to let know. As for me, I don’t mind having my real name also be my hero name. It helps create the image of a simple hero I want people to see and be inspired by. Speaking of being a simple hero, it’s about time I actually start working, so I leap into the air and run faster than a jet to a crime-reporting area. This place is pretty simple, more barren than a typical rural town. It’s located between Poca Bellezza and Solis, where regular folks can stop by to rest and buy keepsakes found in both places.

Since it’s so far outside the reach of most hero associations, it's been hit by many villains, and the people here are either uneased by the sight of superhumans like me or relieved. Thankfully, the ones that I talk to are nice and glad my hero association has given them support.

“We’re so glad that the Dominion is giving us funding and protection, even as you’re starting up, but I’m afraid it hasn’t been enough to stop this weird spike in robberies and kidnappings,” an officer says.

“I’m sorry for not giving you enough, which is why I’m here now. Give me a summary of what’s been going on and a general area to search, and I promise you that you’ll all be safer by the end of the day,” I confidently say with a smile.

The officer points me toward areas they have been investigating and keeping the public away from, all of which are abandoned parts of the town. No-name towns like these rarely receive government funding, especially when larger cities and towns with hero associations that are frequently attacked get most of it, leaving places like these to decay and struggle to survive. Around me are the ruins of a superhuman battle. A destroyed school surrounded by ruined homes, a wrecked playground, a burned park, and a damaged sports field creates a haunting scene. This place should be filled with life and happy families, but instead, it's an abandoned, ghostly battlefield.

Searching the area, I throw away heavy debris to look for any hidden entrances, packages, or rooms. In one of the many houses’ basements, I find a carved-out tunnel with sparse lighting in it. I explore the tunnels and find the hidden base of operations that I’ve been looking for. Here, I see people trading weapons and talking with one another before noticing me on the platform above them.

I leap from the platform, ready myself for a fight, and ask, “Would you all mind explaining yourself before I turn you all in, or do you want to do this the hard way?”

To my surprise, no one leaps out to attack me. Instead, one of the superhumans here approaches me and says, “We’re not here doing anything illegal, John Elio. We’re actually big fans of you and are following in your example.”

“How so?”

“We’ve been bringing villains and criminals who cross our town and other settlements between Poca Bellezza and Solis to justice.”

“So, you’re all the reason behind the crimes I’ve been hearing about, or have you been solving them?”

“Both, depending on what you mean. There are reported and unreported crimes going on out here because of how little attention we get. We’ve been capturing villains, who pretend to be normal people, to bring them in for bounties, and they’ve been kidnapping people out here for whatever evil purposes they have.”

“And the robberies?”

“They are a result of people being desperate for food and things they want, or criminals taking easy scores. Out here, there aren’t many well-paying jobs or protection from hero associations and other law enforcement.”

“Well, you have help now. The Dominion will give you whatever you need.”

“Will you?” The people here start to look around and seem uneasy. “Even if we tell you the complete truth?”

“Of course.”

“Just tell him,” one of the superhumans says. “If he’s lying, or we run and try to fight him, we’ll be behind bars anyway.”

“You all seem to be decent people,” I say. “If you were villains or bad people deserving of jail, you’d have done something by now to me, but the fact that you’re all standing here and part of a group trying to protect the places people ignore is admirable. If you do deserve some punishment from the government, I promise to arrange for you the lightest possible.”

The people around me seem more comfortable, and they all remain standing still as if accepting their fate.

“I didn’t tell you the complete truth, John. We’ve all been guilty of the same crimes we punish others for. Back in the day, we used these tunnels were once used for smuggling goods and people, and a place for vices and settling scores in private, but after our change of heart, we’ve made it our new home and base of operations. Some of us even had an arrangement with the school above to exchange children for whatever their supervisors, both parents and teachers, asked for.”

I think for a second, then say, “I see why you would think I’d not support you after hearing this, but it looks like you’ve already punished yourselves by bringing others who aren’t repentant to justice.”

“Still, we don’t really deserve anything other than swift justice. Some of us, me not excluded, still indulge in old vices for the pleasure or profit of it.”

“No one, not even me, is free from fault. As long as you promise to continue protecting the area between Solis and Poca Bellezza, I promise to give you the most amount of support I can.”

“What insurance do we have that you’ll keep to your promise?” another of the superhumans asks.

“If you know John, then you know he’s an honest man to a fault,” a voice says from the shadows.

It’s Timeo in his dark hero form of L’Obscurité. In this form, he’s a living shadow with a dark cloak, black hat, and ambiguous face, except for a bullet hole in the center of his forehead and dark eyes and smile.

“It’s L’Obscurité!” yet another of the superhumans says.

Now, everyone is really on edge.

“Don’t be frightened,” Timeo says. “I see the virtue within each of your souls and how evil struggles to claim it. You will be welcomed into the ranks of the Dominion, given that you continue the struggle against your vices and keep up the fight against crime. I’ll ensure that the other co-founder, Timeo Severe, also agrees with our decision.”

With both me and Timeo here, the superhumans agree to take us at our word. When we go back to our office in Poca Bellezza, I ask Timeo, “When did you find me?”

“I found you as soon as you started talking to those ex-villains and criminals,” he says.

“I’m surprised you let me talk so long without intervening. You know I’m not that good of a negotiator, and better with my super strength and speed.”

“You only needed my help at the end because your kindness is your greatest talent. Did you forget that? People love and trust you because you’re honest, simple, and a man of your word.”

“I guess you’re right, but I only have that one simple negotiating style. If that fails, then I have to resort to fists.”

“Sometimes your simple way is the best way.”

“Eh. If you say so. I’m just glad that we found more friends rather than enemies.”

“True.”

Timeo and I negotiate with the government to allow the ex-convicts to live where they are and be part of the Dominion, as long as they keep their end of the bargain. When we go back to deliver the news, they’re pleased to hear it, and even happier with the food, supplies, and funding we provide to them and the area between Solis and Poca Bellezza. Another successful job means it’s time for a celebration dinner, which I share with my new friends and Timeo, all the while thanking God for this latest gift among the many I receive daily.

The first team-up book between my two main heroes is out today!

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Light and Darkness, mercy and justice are together under one banner of the hero association known as the Dominion. Headed by the heroes, John Elio and Timeo Severe, who is secretly the dark hero L’Obscurité,  are trying to gather funding, recruits, and support for the Dominion as it is still in the process of being legitimized by the government. Already, they face obstacles and opponents who want to end their organization before it begins, but they must face these two seemingly unstoppable and famous heroes to do so.

The Light of Mercy and Darkness of Justice: Chapter 4 – When Justice is Unleashed

Chapter 4 – When Justice is Unleashed

After what happened to John and me at the hero association job fair in Solis, I’ve been looking into ways to prevent being set up or falling into the traps of secretive enemies. I’ve thought about giving more resources and recruiting more agents for my wife, Darcy’s, little cabal, and I’m sure she’s already doing something, but those who aren’t influenced by her art won’t join her. As for the secretive agency, Seventy Three, that John is allied with, I’m sure they’re already looking out for him and have government backing, so there’s probably nothing more they can do. The possible number of foes we have and what they could do to prevent the institution of the Dominion didn’t sink into me until now. I thought that many hero associations would be too busy dealing with each other and villains, but some still see us as a threat.

I’m not just talking about the one who tried to set us up, but also the ones who denounced us on social media and publicly, when asked about us by the media. Other Catholic groups see us either as competition or the enemy since we’re on the modern moderate side between traditionalism and liberalism, because we primarily want to help people and not focus our efforts on changing the world, while also not compromising our faith for modern morals. There are also opposing faiths and secular groups, villain syndicates, and criminal organizations that go without saying, which are a problem. I know there are things we can’t deal with due to our lack of power and influence, but at the same time, I’m not so sure which problems we can fully deal with and which ones we can only keep at bay.

John must have noticed the look of concern on my face since he hugs me, and says, “Don’t worry about what’s ever on your mind. God will give us what we need to deal with it.”

I hug him back, smile, and say, “Thank you for the reminder.”

Today, John and I are focusing on the basics. We both became heroes to protect and save people, so that’s what we’re doing today in a city being attacked and run by villains. To be honest, it reminds me a lot of what my city of Meridian once was, and I wonder if a secretive group of satanists is also the reason why it’s so bad. For now, we’ll deal with the present problem and hopefully get to the root of it later. I transform into L’Obscurité and travel through the shadows and light, while keeping pace with John so that we fight together. I could outpace him, but the public and our enemies need to see us fighting together. We need them to know how effective we are at fighting with one another and the threat we pose to our enemies.

As John beats down the criminals with brutal punches and speed, I allow God’s justice to manifest through me and pray for my foes to lessen their punishment somewhat, giving them the chance to repent through the pain inflicted. Dark divine justice publicly humiliates them by having their demons tear at them, turning their skin to mush, causing them to fall apart into pieces that fight each other, and burning them from the inside out, while keeping them alive. One of my newer powers lets me read a person’s memories bit by bit. Usually, I find people excusing their sins; however, I notice something interesting in this seemingly unrelated group of criminals and villains that I didn’t expect.

Before we go to the next crime scene, I tell John, “I may have found something interesting in the memories of the people we’ve been fighting.”

“Oh, some hidden plot between them?” John asks.

“Correct, but you’ll have to play along with me to fully expose it. It could jeopardize our progress in cementing the Dominion’s foundation.”

“As long as God’s will is done, that’s all that matters, right? I trust that you know what you’re doing, so you only need to tell me what to do, and I’ll do it without question.”

“You’re right. Let’s see Divine Will be manifest.”

When we’re done punishing crime today, John and I head to the city’s prison, where the people we incapacitated are taken. Here, we see the chief of police taking note of the people being taken in and silently speaking to his advisors.

He approaches us and says, “Good work, gentlemen. I can say with confidence that your presence is much appreciated in our city.”

“You're about to appreciate it a bit more, that is, if you allow us to enter the deepest confines of the prison,” I say.

“Can I ask for what reason?”

“To further make your city a safer place.”

“You aren’t going to kill the criminals or further hurt them, are you?”

“Depends on whether they deserve it.”

The chief and his advisors look at me, judging whether or not to allow us in, and struggle with the decision.

“Go ahead, but don’t cause too much of a scene. What am I saying? I’m going to lose my job either way.”

“Thank you, chief.”

John and I go into the prison where the prisoners either retreat further into their cells and cry out for help for fear of us or yell threats and want us to fight them. The ones who are the most adamant and use the most fighting words know more as I look into their eyes and memories to find my true targets. I tell John to break a seemingly mundane wall in the men’s bathroom. When he does, it reveals a steel door that he also breaks down. Through the door, we find a staircase that leads to a series of tunnels with all kinds of superhuman villains and criminals in them, who immediately ambush us in the tunnels and try to collapse them in on us.

“Follow me, so you won’t aimlessly wander through the tunnels, John,” I say.

“Lead on!” John says.

As John and I race through the collapsing tunnels, we punch through retreating criminals, some of whom are crushed by the falling debris and blown to pieces by the explosives that are collapsing the tunnels, while others are buried alive, never to see the sky again. Thankfully, we’re able to make it out in time to a staircase that leads us to a luxurious house that lies outside of the city, but not too far from the prison. Looking back at John, I can see he’s confused, and yet, he doesn’t say anything since I haven’t stopped rushing forward. We break through the front doors, and I tell John to help me crash the escaping cars and capture the people within, which he does. One of the people who crawls out of the wreckage of the car gets my particular attention.

My powers lift him into the air and hold him there as I tell him, “You had quite the elaborate system here to gather allies from the prison, use the tunnels to allow them to enter different areas of the city, make it your own private smuggling and trading area, and put in alarms and a self-destruct system to cover your tracks. It’s a shame that it was all made for nefarious purposes.”

“You don’t have to do this. I know who you are, L’Obscurité, and your hero association with John Elio. If you ally with me, you can only profit, but if you don’t, you can only lose,” the man says.

“You and your associates held respectable positions of power, nothing like the mayor, chief of police, or CEOs of importance that you served, but you used your lower positions to your advantage, used the blind spots your leaders trusted you with for your own ends.”

“Why shouldn’t we? We got what we wanted, the government kept paying us, and everyone got a share; the government offices received some, the businesses were compensated for the damages, and got customers from the constant stream of visitors who wanted to watch heroes fight villains daily. The hero associations had a constant stream of work, the police looked like heroes, and the criminals and villains had their fun, were taken in, and then let loose as if they were fish caught for sport. Everyone was rewarded and got what they wanted from what we had going.”

“People got hurt and killed in that process.”

“It’s an acceptable loss in the business for everyone’s benefit.”

“This is no business that operates solely for profit, but since you like cycles so much, you can enjoy a painful one.”

The man and his associates all have their feet bent towards their mouths as most of their legs are shoved down their throats, much like an ouroboros. They are kept alive, in a state of unbelievably suffering, but alive and in a state fitting their punishment. I look at John, who seems unfazed by what he is seeing.

“This doesn’t shock you,” I ask him.

“No. After you see your loved one blown to pieces and punch villains and criminals to bits, like I have, things like this lose their effect on you,” he says.

“What of what we’ve done? It’s illegal for us to do things like this without permission from someone high in the government.”

“So what? Justice is done, and so is God’s will. What more could be better?”

“Hahaha. You’re right.”

John and I capture the people who have worked with the criminals we’ve captured, and after they return to normal, they all confess to their crimes, an entire city-wide criminal operation brought to ruin in a single afternoon. The city’s citizens, its mayor, hero associations, police officers, chief of police, and many others within it are grateful for what we’ve done, but the Columbian government isn’t as grateful. What we’ve done has both negative and positive things for our reputation, with things leaning more towards positive since we’ve shown that we won’t allow proper procedures to stop us from bringing criminals to justice. John and I celebrate our latest victory at his house, where his parents and our wives make us a celebration dinner. We then sit on his porch and watch the sun set with his family and my own, or I should say that we’re all sitting together as one big family, as John and his family say.

“Starting a hero association is such a slow process. It hardly feels like we’ve done anything at all,” John says.

“It’s how the hero business goes, but we’ve done a lot. We’ve saved people, gathered lots of support, gotten tons of recruits and workers.”

“Got more infamy, made more enemies, and got the government mad at us.”

“Haha, you’re right. In all of it, we’ve served and glorified God, so I wouldn’t worry about how much longer it’ll take for the Dominion to be official.”

As I finish speaking, the mailman brings us our mail, and sure enough, we get a big package with a certificate saying that the Dominion is now recognized as an official hero association.

I laugh again and say, “See? Everything comes in due time.”

“You’re right. Well, here’s to the Dominion. Let’s save and change the world for the better together.”

We all cheer, “To the Dominion!”

John and I add, “For the glory of God!”

John’s parents say amen and tell us we should go to the town for a celebration dessert and to tell everyone there the good news. We agree, and the townspeople offer us free dessert and drinks. While we enjoy ourselves, I get another taste of the peace that I’ve been longing for as I watch my family and friends laughing and enjoying life.

John looks at me and says, “We’ll make sure that not only they, but everyone else can have and enjoy moments like this.”

“That’s for sure. No one should be deprived of such an invaluable treasure. Are you ready to get in more trouble to make sure it happens?” I say.

“Haha, of course!”

I laugh too, and we clink our glasses together, enjoy this moment of happiness and peace, and pray that we can bring it to others and safeguard their family and friends in the future.

 

The End

The Light of Mercy and Darkness of Justice: Chapter 3 – When Mercy is Harsh

Chapter 3 – When Mercy is Harsh

Timeo is truly a saintly man, whose inspiring example and cunning will be looked back upon for ages to come. It makes sense given the loving and faithful family he grew up in, and even though he grew up in a city that corrupted his many siblings, he didn’t give up, not even when his own God-given powers turned on his parents and closest allies, like the former chief of police, Raymond Ellory. As the co-founder of the Dominion, I should plan like he does, and not always be so focused on the here and now. I have a legacy to leave for the family and country I love, and I should leave an example and something for them to follow in the event of my passing. Timeo has given me the reins again in planning for another event to gather more support for us, and I’ve chosen the hero recruiting event in Solis, the Sunny City of Tomorrow.

This near-future city is the place where I usually operate as a hero, and a shining example of what a Columbian city should be, besides Poca Bellezza, of course. Here, at the hero recruiting event, the hero associations, police force, and legitimate vigilante groups have areas set up on the outskirts of the city to recruit new members. It’s on the outskirts because each group needs a large enough area to safely show off the powers and skills of the recruits and existing members. Just like in Poca Bellezza, we receive a lot of attention, which includes people I’ve already worked with, some of whom are here to offer an alliance to their group. People also come here to see me show off my powers, and Timeo’s, even though they don’t know it’s him when he transforms into L’Obscurité. They like me watching more than him, but that’s just because Timeo’s dark powers don’t do much when they don’t have a person to use them on, since they uniquely punish a person based on their sins, and we’re not willing to subject criminals to it in front of families for the sake of attention.

Everything seems to be going well until we hear the sounds of explosions, gunfire, and screaming. At first, Timeo and I think it’s one of the other groups getting too loud in their power show casing, but when the cops start heading in the direction of the noise, we decide to check it out. A crowd has gathered around the scene and is watching as two heroes engage in a confrontation. Deciding to get involved, Timeo moves away to transform into L’Obscurité, in secret, while I leap into the fight and take attacks from both sides meant to hit one another. They both look surprised at me with their fists in my face.

“What’s going on here?” I ask.

Both people from the two groups share their reasons simultaneously, accusing the other of initiating the attack, and talk over one another to the point of sounding incoherent.

“One at a time,” I continue.

“There’s no time to talk,” one of them from the group says as they start fighting one another again.

I get more physical with both groups since they don’t want to talk, and beat them into stopping their fight. Before I can question them further, the cops take them away for questioning of their own. It’s then that I recognize Timeo is nowhere to be seen, which is strange because it shouldn’t take him too long to transform, especially since he can cloud men’s minds without obviously using his powers. Suddenly, more fights and explosions happen in the area, forcing me to search for Timeo later, get the civilians to safety, and put a stop to whatever or whoever is causing this.

“They started attacking us!” one of the heroes says when I ask them when they’re fighting members from another association.

“They’ve always had it out for us. Always jealous of our accomplishments and our virtue,” another says.

More of the heroes and vigilantes sling insults and fighting words at one another.

“Our cause is just and true, while yours is hollow and false!”

“I’ve been waiting for the excuse to put you in your place!”

“Your pathetic excuse for an association will be disavowed for what you’ve done!”

“I’m going to expose the dirty secrets we’ve been holding against you!”

“We’ll air your dirty laundry as well and make the public know you’re nothing but frauds!”

There’s no time to talk this out, and none of the conflicting associations wants to, so I have no choice but to bring them all down by myself. I leap and run to each fight, beating down both sides of the fight, and then quickly run to the next. In the beginning, it’s a bit easy since one side would think I’m on their side when I start beating their opposing side before turning on them, but eventually, someone tells the others that I’m the reason that the fight started, and everyone starts coming after me.

They even say, “You’ll pay for threatening my family and friends!”

“What are you talking about? I don’t even know who you are!” I say.

“You can’t lie to me! You said you’d kill them if I didn’t leave here because you want all the recruits to yourself!”

Others say the same thing and accuse me of fighting them before running away. It’s obvious to me now that this entire fight was more than just tensions between hero associations boiling over. This was a setup to make us look bad, particularly the Dominion. Timeo has probably figured that out, and is doing something about it, or at least, I hope so. As I’m fighting, I watch as a punch being thrown at me is twisted back on my opponent. Looking around me, I see the limbs of people hitting themselves, meaning only one thing.

“L’Obscurité!” I say, knowing this is the result of Timeo’s dark powers of justice.

Sure enough, I see Timeo emerge from the piles of injured heroes and vigilantes. In his dark hero form, he is the living embodiment of a shadowy force of justice, wearing a black cloak, scarf, and hat, and sporting a nondescript face with only black eyes, a dark smile, and a bullet hole visible in the center of his forehead. From the piles of writhing, agonized bodies, one of them rises into the air, suspended by nothing, then is sliced apart while still alive.

“I’m sorry it took me so long to help you, John. I was rooting out the scum that started this fight, and sure enough, I have found the rotted foundation,” Timeo says in a deep and dark voice.

It’s just like Timeo to get to the heart of the issue in the most effective way, while I stupidly headfirst into the trap without thinking. As the authorities watch the morbid sight and gather around me, the sliced-up man admits to setting us up by using science to temporarily make themselves look like others, capitalizing on the drama between associations, and making themselves look better by making others look bad, especially the Dominion, because they knew that I would leap into the fight to end it. The man then talks about the announcement of supremacy that my and Timeo’s doppelgängers are about to make in the center of Solis. Timeo and I speedily go out and leave the sliced man to slowly be reformed into one, as we head into the city, where we find our doppelgängers threatening the citizens with taking over the city.

My doppelgängers says, “This city will belong to God and the Church, and you’ll all become Catholic whether you like it or not, for the sake of your salvation.”

Without skipping a beat, I punch him in the face and slam Timeo’s doppelgängers into the ground several times until he stops moving. Meanwhile, my doppelgängers is being taken care of by Timeo, who practically skins him alive by separating his false appearance from his real one, exposing to the public that both he and the false Timeo aren’t who they say they are.

To be sure they understand, I say, “We don’t want to forcefully convert you! We’re a hero association whose only goal is to help and protect people and serve our God. Nothing more!”

There are people I’ve encountered before in the crowd who already know this and voice their support, while others look at me as if reserving judgment or already having an immovable negative opinion of us. Later in the day, Timeo and I watch the news at my house, seeing the media accurately reporting the news about us being set up and saving the day. Still, I feel uneasy about what happened, and Timeo seems to sense it.

“It’s going to be alright. We aren’t going to get any negative PR about this,” Timeo says.

“Thank you, but that’s not really the thing that bothers me. It’s the fact that a hero association started this to get at others, with us being their main target. So-called heroes who turn on their own are worse than villains,” I say.

Timeo agrees with me, and Deborah puts her arms around me from behind and gives me words of comfort that I thank her for.

“This is all part of starting and being part of a hero association, and having the reputation that we have.”

“I know…still…it shouldn’t be this way.”

“We’ll find a way to make it so that something like this never happens again.”

Timeo’s words reinvigorate my smile.

“You’re right! We’ll make a difference sooner or later. This was just something to discourage us from our goal and nothing more.”

Timeo agrees, and we renew our promise to make the country and world a better place where infighting between heroes and vigilantes doesn’t happen.

The Light of Mercy and Darkness of Justice: Chapter 2 – Complexity of Darkness

Chapter 2 – Complexity of Darkness

“Your city is such a beautiful and amazing place, Timeo,” John says to me. “I love the designs of the old Art Deco buildings, the Gothic-inspired ones, and the ones that your best friend has his offices in.”

John then continues to babble on about what he likes about my home city of Meridian from our high-rise room as I drink my favorite red wine, and our wives talk to one another, and our children play. He’s truly a saintly man, whose bright smile and optimism never fade. It makes sense given his past of being born and raised in an adoration chapel, but the fact that he’s been able to hold on to his faith despite going against so much proves the strength of his character. Even though he lost a lot of people like his blood-related parents and friends, with whom he went to a superhero academy, in a short span of time, he’s never lost himself or let his emotions get the better of him. Sure, he’s fought against the law, but he hasn’t sinned or hurt or killed anyone who didn’t deserve it.

During my time in Poca Bellezza, I felt the infectious comfort of life in a rural area, one that made me want to live there, stop working, and live there forever. In contrast to how I felt, the locals, like John, were all work and faith-focused and wanted to do everything they could to help their neighbor. They are the model image of what a Columbian town and people should be because of how patriotic they are and want to improve their country. I hope that Meridian will be similar to them in the future and that I can be just as hopeful, pleasant, and welcoming to be around, just like John is.

“So, what’s the plan to get more support for the Dominion for today?” John asks.

“Today’s plan is not much. We’re just going to a meeting and visiting some of the hospitals my family owns,” I say.

“There’s no such thing as a day that’s ‘not much’. Every day is important and valuable, no matter what small things you accomplish during them.”

“Ah, one of your valuable lessons that I forgot about. You’re right in that every day is important, as every move we make has to be as perfect as possible, so we can avoid total failure. Let’s make the most of today, John.”

This reminder of treating every day as a gift from God makes every day feel special and helps me concentrate on making the most of it. Even the mundane things, such as the meetings we go to and the work we have to do at my family’s hospitals, feel more special and impactful with his mindset. My plans change and become less business-like as I invite allies to my home and places like restaurants and bars to talk. My best friend, who I consider a brother, Lancetto, John, and I meet at a barcade. We have a private room to ourselves, but after the meeting, we enjoy the arcade, milkshakes, and food like a bunch of children. Klinge Geben, a mutated superhuman and another friend of mine, meets us the day after at a simple family-owned restaurant, where John and I treat him, his family members, and the heads of his companies to dinner. After, Klinge takes me aside.

I ask him, “What’s wrong? I thought we were all having a good time.”

“We were. Dinner and everything were wonderful. I was just wondering what happened to you?” he says.

“Nothing’s happened. Why?”

“You seem to have lightened up and are taking it easier more than you usually are. It looks like your new friend, John, is rubbing off on you.”

“I guess he is. He has reminded me of how valuable the simple things are.”

“Well, keep it up. People need to be reminded that we’re more than punishers of criminals.”

“With the upcoming parade, I’m sure they’ll remember it.”

The next day comes, and it’s something different than the last. John and I spend the day with my apprentices, Kane Mundr, Raziel Emundatio, and Polina Yelizaveta, along with my wife, Darcy, and three children. In the morning, in my house outside of Meridian, we eat breakfast together, and I lay out the plans for today.

“Huh? We aren’t investigating any criminal groups or illegal dealings behind the scenes?” Kane asks.

“Nope. It’s just going to be a day we spend with one another,” I say.

Kane waits for me, expecting me to say something else, but when I don’t, he says, “I don’t mind the day off now and then, but shouldn’t we do more to establish the Dominion than relax, especially when all eyes are on John and you? Polina and I have been investigating several criminal groups and cleaning out the lesser and up-and-coming ones with Raziel, who are in over their head.”

“No. As I mentioned when I left, I trust that the three of you will take care of Meridian while I’m away. Where I made a mistake in was not coming back here more to spend time with you all. You are all my family, after all. Even you, John.”

“Aw. Thanks! You are becoming like a brother to me,” John says.

Kane throws up his hands and accepts things as they are.

“I’m fine with it. It’s better than scraping the bottom of the barrel for criminals and villains to fight,” Polina says.

“You don’t need to worry about me, father. I trust your every word,” Raziel says.

“Father? I thought you only had three kids,” John says.

“It’s a long story,” Kane says. “I’m technically his ‘son’ too, informally adopted into his family by Darcy.”

“Does that include you, too, Polina?”

“No,” Darcy interjects. “It’s not right for single men to be living with single women, especially my boys.”

“Do I need to remind you of all the times you forced me to cuddle with you in my bed?” I ask.

Darcy ignores the question as if I didn’t ask it, and smiles like a villain who got away with a crime. Next, we visit a museum that features a new section with relics from centuries past that were recently discovered in the undercity, one of Darcy’s family’s art houses. We then finish the day off with dinner at one of the best high-rise restaurants with a nice view of the sunset. The day flew by, and by the end, I recognized that I was trying to recapture the feeling I had in Poca Bellezza. As if wanting to prove the selflessness of my taking everyone out for a relaxing time, I ask everyone if they had a good time, and they say they did. In private, I ask John the same question again, adding on my realization, and if I wasted the day.

“Spending the day with your family is never a waste of time,” he says. “You did say that it’s been a while since you last spent time with them and that you just told me that you wanted your apprentices to feel the same joy you felt while you were in my hometown, so there was nothing selfish about what you did.”

“Yeah. Yes, you’re right. Thank you, John,” I say.

Picking up with my original plans, I visit the allies I’ve made in the undercity and invite them to the parade, saying that I’ve also rented a room where they can watch it, if they don’t want to be publicly seen because of the horns on their bodies. Some of them agree to go, while others want to continue in their perpetual penance, but even some of those people are convinced by John’s warmth to go. The last days of the week are filled with other meetings with the mayor, police, my Knights council, parish members, and visiting my family-owned schools. With everything set, this parade should be fruitful for the Dominion, just like the festival at Poca Bellezza. On the day of the parade, all of my friends and family head out early to get everything else set up and ready.

John and I stand on one of the parade floats with apprentices and family, while my closest allies have their own respective floats ahead of us. This parade celebrates the protectors of the city, not just the Dominion, but also the police, other hero associations, our elected officials, smaller charities, community groups, and people from the many museums. Today’s parade is the first one that I’ve covered most of the cost of since the Dominion is the majority group of the parade. The streets are full of happy people and supporters of its protectors, who cheer us on and take pictures of us.

“I’ve never felt this popular before. This is the first parade that I’ve been a part of,” John says.

“I’ve gone on these before, starting with my parents. Since my family is one of the most powerful and founding members of the city, we’ve always had our own part in the parade, but never to this extent,” I say.

When the parade comes to a stop at City Hall, every group and their leaders speak about how much they love their city dedication to protect it, and give their personal stories, but that’s not the most important part of this. The most important part is the one where reformed criminals, many of whom my apprentices recently apprehended and my allies improved the lives of, speak about how they’ve changed their lives after doing their time and the reintegration support that they’ve received.

One of the ex-criminals recounts, “I stole and killed out of desperation, thinking myself justified in doing so, so I could pay the bills and buy food and gifts for my family and friends. I didn’t even blink if a kid who was the same age as my own got hurt.” The criminal holds back her tears. “So, thank you. Thank you for slapping me and forcing me to see the error of my ways. Now, I can go back to my family with an honest job, and say, with confidence, that I’m a good person, a worthy mother, and an honest wife.”

An ex-villain steps up to the mic. In his story, he mentions that, “I spent much of my life going in and out of jail, not only because of the connections that I had with dishonest politicians, but also because I thought there was nothing more fun to do in life than to hurt others. It was nothing more than to distract myself from the fact that I didn’t want to ask myself what the right way to live was, or that if living for fun was living at all. When L’Obscurité’s sidekicks and I fought, it was like I was killed and born again. They knocked sense into me, and the wonderful people at the rehabilitation centers allowed me to make up for my many deeds, and even though I won’t be able to repay everyone I hurt, I, at least, have a way to bring to justice others who think like I did, and hopefully reform them into protectors of the city.”

Every ex-criminal and ex-villain is cheered and applauded by the crowds.

“Wow. This is an amazing event, Timeo. I love the stories of the people you’ve helped reform,” John says.

“This is the culmination of what we’ve been doing. The purpose of justice isn’t just to punish sinners, but to make them see the error of their ways. In my many years as a hero, I’ve learned that it’s better for my foes to repent and become better people than for them to die or get locked up, and now, the fruits of mercy in justice show, and the Dominion will receive more employees and honor because of our reformation programs,” I say.

“You’re such a smart guy. I can’t believe you thought that far ahead from such a simple plan.”

“Eh. It was an obvious one.”

“Not for me, it wasn’t. My only two methods of solving problems are talking and mostly fighting, but you do more than that by just telling people what to do.”

 “I guess I have to admit you’re right. Still, you know, who’s really responsible for what’s happened and the reason behind my talents.”

John crosses himself and says, “I do.”

The final and last reformed criminal is reintroduced to his family, who he didn’t know were here today, but I’ve managed to find them, and how he’s reformed himself. They thank me for what I’ve done for him, and the man thanks me from the podium, and I thank him from my mic in return, thank the people who helped make this possible, and thank God, most of all.

The Light of Mercy and Darkness of Justice: Chapter 1 – Light’s Simplicity

Chapter 1 – Light’s Simplicity

Starting a hero association is slow and tedious, but at the same time, I don’t mind that it is. My friend, Timeo Severe, otherwise secretly known as the hero L’Obscurité, and I’ve been doing what we can to hasten that process. All the paperwork has been submitted, and the rest is being handled by our allies, who are familiar with the law and any other necessary requirements for establishing our headquarters and employing the individuals who’ve already submitted their applications to join our association. Timeo and I have been trying to make sure our reputation is clean and the public views us favorably. The more the public wants to see us in action as an association, the more likely it is that the government will approve our application in weeks rather than years.

Many people want to create hero associations for the government funding, prestige, and powers, but I’ve been told that, out of the number of applications submitted, eighty percent are denied. There are many reasons for this, such as the number of already existing hero associations being adequate to protect the country, the ideology and beliefs that the association has, the notoriety of the founders and members, and so on. Timeo and I do have our own following for different reasons. Timeo is famous for making the crime-ridden city of Meridian a safe place to live, and I’m famous for my general heroism, kindness, and doing what’s right, even if it means breaking the law and bringing justice to people without proper due process. I might be the reason why our application is taking so slow, but my allies in the secret government agency, Seventy-Three, have already cleaned up my reputation through the media and their allies, so that shouldn’t be much of a problem.

Ugh. Thinking about the many aspects of getting a hero association started and what could be holding it up gets me sick. It’s why I leave it up to those who know how to deal with it. For the past week, Timeo and I have been doing charity and community work in my rural hometown of Poca Bellezza. He and his family have been staying at my house with my wife, son, sister, and parents, who have also done their fair share in helping us. I’ve also been trying to get Timeo to admit that my favorite breakfast of eggs, bacon, and toast with orange juice is the best breakfast ever, but he disagrees.

He says, “Steak and eggs with coffee is probably the best breakfast.”

“What? You don’t even sound sure about that,” I say.

“You’re right. My favorite breakfast is whatever my wife makes.”

“Now, that’s the right answer,” Timeo’s wife, Darcy, says.

We all laugh together and make small talk about breakfast and our tasks for today. After kissing our families and saying goodbyes, Timeo and I head out to church for morning mass that I help out at, since I’m a deacon. We then go to the center of Poca Bellezza, where people buy and sell goods, do business, send their children to school, and meet and hang out with friends and family. A banner in the center of the marketplace reads “Home of the hero John Elio”, showing their love and how proud they are of me. Timeo is dressed to impress as always in one of his striking, expensive suits, while I’m dressed in my usual red deacon shirt with a hood and gold cape attached to it, blue jeans, and brown boots. People have said we look like complete opposites, Timeo with his dark black hair, dark brown eyes, pale skin, and serious but gentle face, and me with blonde hair, light blue eyes, light skin, and bright face, but we’re really just two sides of the same coin, and today we show that.

With the local Knights council I’m part of, members of my parish, and local law enforcement, we make meals and prepare the town for an upcoming festival that celebrates its founding. Thanks to my super strength and speed, along with the help of many others, including fellow superhumans like me, we finish everything by five in the afternoon and still have time for lunch. We all eat at a local restaurant where the meal is provided free of charge because of our efforts organizing for the festival, but Timeo and I leave a generous tip, enough to send someone to college for two years. To end the day, just like every day, we take our family out for ice cream and watch the stars. As always, it’s a wonderfully calming way to close the day.

The day of the festival comes, and the town gets packed with both locals and people who are from out of town, most of whom are here to see Timeo and me. We have a table set up to accept applications to work at our hero association, where people can fill out papers and digital agreements to sign and complete. In addition to applications, we also receive requests to collaborate with other associations, particularly those aligned with the Church, as our association is closely tied to the Catholic faith. I see faces from the people that I used to work with in Solis, and there are even people in Poca Bellezza who want to work with me. Among the many people who approach us, a certain group of superhumans pushes past everyone to get in front of the line.

One of them asks, “The Dominion of Mercy and Justice. So, that’s what you call you’re little group of extremists?”

“Excuse me? We’re a hero association, and our goal is to help and protect people,” I say.

“But you’re allied with the Catholic Church and trying to make others believe in the same things as you.”

“Your point?”

“There’s no difference between you and the other religions, denominations, and other ideologies, who just want to impose their beliefs onto others and change the country into what they want.”

“What are you doing here then? Trying to stop us and make us change our ways? If you are, then aren’t you imposing your beliefs on us?”

“Yeah, but-”

“What makes your beliefs so special and free from criticism? What god do you represent, or do you get to decide what’s right and wrong?”

“Listen, we-”

I hold up my hand and say, “I get wanting to defend your beliefs against extremists, but upstaging others at their own events isn’t the way to do it. Instead, it’s done through dialogue and action, and since this is my home’s event, why don’t we treat you to some southern hospitality while we talk?”

Completely stunned, the group of troublemakers whispers to one another as the crowd around them waits in anticipation for their answer. The pressure of the people around them and their kind push to accept my offer gets them to accept it.

“Don’t think that your gifts will change my mind,” one of the superhumans says.

“I don’t expect it to. Now, let’s have some fun.”

I bring the group of superhumans to different areas of the festival, leaving Timeo by himself to handle our table, which he doesn’t mind too much, and trusts me to handle the troublemakers. They get a taste of the best foods that Poca Bellezza has to offer, learns of our history dating back to the founding of our country, the Columbian Union, and our many custom-made clothes, gifts, and trinkets.

While we eat together, one of the superhumans says, “Why do you have to tell people what’s right and wrong, and can’t just let them live the way they want to?”

“What someone considers right isn’t always right. For example, you think it’s wrong for me to evangelize through helping people as a hero. Another example was when I was saving a suicidal girl from a rooftop. She thought there was nothing good to live for and thought the right idea was to kill herself. I had to convince her of God’s existence and that He loves her so that she could go on living. Do you think I should’ve stopped her?”

“…no…”

Next up, I show the natural beauty of the land to the superhumans. Together, we have a little race that they seem to enjoy as we compete against one another to see who can reach our destination first.

As we take in the sights, another superhuman asks me, “What makes you think your beliefs are right over other people’s?”

“Unlike other people, I believe the truth that I know to be right and doesn’t fit what I feel comfortable with. The truth is that most people accept beliefs that fit their idea of what it should be rather than accept the truth as it is, even if they don’t find it convincing or comfortable,” I say.

“There’s also the fact that you got powers because of your God, or rather, an experiment that involved a theory that involved His supposed existence and link to people getting powers. Is that another reason why you believe the things you do?”

“Not really, no. We can go to the adoration chapel I frequently visit if you want to meet Him yourself.”

The superhumans agree with me, and we spend some silent time in adoration. After, we head back to the festival for desserts, music, and dancing. There, I see my wife, Deborah, who is with my son and has been wondering where I was.

“Are these the people Timeo said you were with?” she asks.

“Yes. They’re friends of mine,” I say.

“Friends?” one of them asks.

“The good Lord makes friends of his enemies, so why shouldn’t I? Come on! Let’s dance with everyone else! They’re playing one of my favorite songs.”

I grab the hands of my wife and the superhumans I’m with and drag them into the dancing circle. To be honest, I don’t dance very well, despite always wanting to. My friends and family always say that I dance like a drunken idiot, who never drinks, but I don’t care if I get laughed at or how bad I dance as long as everyone has a good time. By the end of it, the superhumans I’ve been showing around town have permanent smiles on their faces that don’t go away until I point them out.

“I was wrong to test you, John,” one of them admits. “Your example of constantly putting yourself in danger, your simple honesty, and helping people without care for who they are or their beliefs was all I really needed to know that you’re actually a good guy. Forgive me for being rude and stupid, and please, allow us to be allies.”

“I accept,” I say as I shake hands with my new friends.

They leave to properly sign up as my allies back at my table. A tap on my shoulder turns my attention to Timeo, who is standing behind me and smiling.

“Good work,” he says.

“Ah, it was nothing,” I say.

“It was something. Converting a critic into an ally is always a big win because they can convert others into thinking like them. Your suggestion of participating in this festival has paid off for us more than I expected in more ways than one. We’ve gotten a lot of allies and new employees who want to work with us because of our charity.”

“Well, I admittedly didn’t expect us to do that good. It was just a spur-of-the-moment idea I got in prayer, so thank God for it, not me. Oh! They’re playing another one of my favorite songs! Let’s dance, Timeo!”

I grab Timeo’s and Deborah’s hands and go back into the party to dance with them, and celebrate this especially blessed day. Seeing everyone happy and having fun is what I live to defend, and my most valued treasure, a gift that I cannot thank God enough for.