Chapter
4 – For God and Country
Going to the place where the
“formal” battle is, I find that it’s similar to the area where the competition
happened. It’s another artificially made city with walls around it, made to be
destroyed and have fights in. Our sponsors are in small protected buildings
that have bars and TVs in them where they relax, bet on, and watch our battle
from a safe distance and place. The groups present here represent all different
kinds of religions and ideologies, some of which value political leanings over
religion and vice versa. There are even other Catholic associations here from
different ends of the spectrum, such as hardline traditionalists, liberals, and
trendy conservatives. I had a feeling they’d be there, but at least the hero
association I used to work for isn’t here, probably because they’re too in the
middle of the road for this ideologically driven fight.
Fighting fellow Catholics doesn’t
sit right with me, even if I have major disagreements with their beliefs and
would be hesitant to call them true believers. Some put worldly fame and morals
above God, others put tradition above the Church, and a few are just Catholic
because the world is leaning in that direction. It’s safe to say that I’m
targeting them first because false friends are worse than true enemies. Still,
I feel that I’m wasting my time by being here, so I’m hoping to get this done
as quickly as possible. The rules of the competition are simple, and you’ll be
kicked out or arrested for the obvious things, such as trying to kill your
opponents and receiving help from those who were counted in participating in
the fight.
All associations are given a moment
to make battle plans and say their prayers before the fight begins, and during
this time, a plan, in contrast to my team’s, is formed in my head as if through
divine inspiration. It’s a scary plan, but one that I feel weirdly comfortable
in, so I place my trust in God to push me to fulfill it, if it be his will. For
now, I keep it a secret and focus on the fight. I lead our group into the fight
and make sure to protect them as if our lives were on the line. To no one’s surprise,
the enemy throws everything they have at us, including some not-so-legal
weapons that blow apart blocks in a single shot like a mini nuke and attack us
with such ferocity that they might as well be trying to kill us.
Thanks to my body’s natural
resistance and the enhancements given to me by the agency, Seventy-Three, I’m
able to overcome the damage done to me and beat down the foes that come after
me. Given the blessing of strength and durability and the experience that I
have fighting heroes and villains alike, it was obvious that my group would win
without much difficulty, and we do, even after a few of the groups try coming
back and trying to kill us. Even that was expected, but the most difficult part
for me comes up now as I’m given a mic to say a few words, given that I’m the
most famous hero in the group and did most of the work.
Looking around at everyone, friend
and foe, I take a breath in and out slowly, and then say, “The fight isn’t over
yet.”
Everyone looks confused at me.
The announcer and referee of the
event ask, “What do you mean the other associations besides yours are down.
Your association is the victor.”
“It’s not mine. Not anymore. Today,
I’m announcing that I’m part of my own hero association, one that my friend,
Timeo Severe, is helping to co-found. It’s called the Dominion of Mercy and
Justice, and today, we show that we will dominate and establish true order in
this great country of ours. Like I said, the fight isn’t over, and everyone who
wants to fight me can step up.”
Now, everyone around me looks
concerned, especially my own teammates. The announcer says that I can’t just
establish a new hero association on my own like this at the end of the match,
but we soon get a call from Giovanni Coronamento, one of this battle’s
sponsors.
Over the loudspeakers, he says,
“This association, the Dominion, that John Elio is spearheading, is effectively
activated now thanks to my company’s backing. The fight is still on, ladies and
gentlemen.”
I didn’t expect him to back me, but
Giovanni Coronamento is known for his outlandish, alegal stunts to get what he
wants, and he must be very interested in me if he’s my first backer. Timeo has
said that he has Giovanni’s support, so that must be what this is. Knowing what
defeat entails, but also knowing of my strength, my former allies are hesitant
to attack me until some of the members of the losing associations get up and
convince them to fight with them.
“If he can break the rules, so can
we. Like he said, the fight isn’t over until the last association is standing.
When he’s down, we can fight among ourselves, but for now, we have a better
chance of winning if we fight together. Deal?” one of the heroes says.
They agree, and every hero who can
fight all comes at me. They put up a better fight together than they did in the
first round, but their powers combined aren’t a match for me, especially since
they don’t work together well, and they are all defeated within minutes. When
presented with the prize by the announcer, I deny it.
I say, “Keep your prize. I don’t
care for the cash or even preventing others from following their beliefs. I
only wanted to humble every hero association here, announce the new one that
I’m co-founding, and glorify God. That’s it.”
Without another word, I head out.
By the exit, Giovanni Coronamento stops me, and his superhuman guards stop
other people from approaching us. He’s dressed much like Timeo, being in a
fancy, expensive suit that’s colored dark purple with a crimson dress shirt and
pants, and a dark green tie.
“That was quite a display, John. I
like how you changed up the event on the fly with no warning, and we’re
merciful to your enemies. It was a real show of the love of our faith,”
Giovanni says.
“Thanks, and I’m thankful for your
support, but don’t think that I’ll do what you ask unless I approve of it when
Timeo and I’s association is created,” I say.
“I know. I think you’ll find that
we’ll agree more than disagree. I like the way you do things, even though you
aren’t subtle in the slightest, like I am. Your powers and skillset are simple,
and the way you live the faith is even simpler. In today’s world of underhanded
dealings and secrets, we need more men like you who wear their beliefs on their
sleeves, do what they set out to do without compromise, and are honest through
and through.”
“There’s no better way to live than
honestly. I may be simple, but I’m not stupid, so if you try to tell me to act
like you in an alegal way, I’ll see through it, and we’ll have a problem.”
“I wouldn’t want to work with you
if you were stupid or could see my flaws and make up for it. I’m just as honest
with you in my dealings as you think. Anyway, I’ll talk to Timeo and you later
to further build up the Dominion. Oh, and I love the name that you came up
with. It really says on the face of it, our shared goals.”
I nod my head and go home, where my
family congratulates me on my victory as I crash on the couch, more mentally
exhausted than physically. Deborah cuddles me on the couch, while Idelle sits
by us, our parents make dinner, and my son rests in my arms.
Deborah kisses me and says, “I’m
proud of you, John. I didn’t know you had it in you to kick off an association
by yourself.”
“I didn’t know either. It was all
God’s doing, as usual,” I admit.
“Well, at least you won’t be so
concerned about what you’re doing as a hero and won’t have anyone telling you
what to do anymore.”
“Yeah, I’m sorry that I’ve been
letting this whole business get to me. I feel that I’ve been so caught up in
that I’ve been ignoring my family.”
“No, you were just caught up in the
drama of it all. I would’ve done worse if they had their sights set on me.”
Over the course of the next three
weeks, I take a break and attend to my duties as a deacon in Poca Bellezza
because I feel a calling to and haven’t been acting like much of a true deacon.
The Church didn’t mind me not presiding over many masses since they preferred
me being out there as a hero for them, and are only slightly upset that I quit
one of their associations since I reassured them that the Dominion will be
allied with the Church. As for the association I previously worked with, they
send me calls and emails about collaborating, which I agree to only when our
interests align. I then tell them to stop bothering me while I’m on my break,
and I haven’t heard from them since. As a deacon, I’ve been helping out at
masses, baptizing, and overseeing marriages. It seems like more people are
showing up at my parish since word has probably gotten around that I’m serving
here and want me to be a part of their marriage, child’s baptism, and want to
see me after mass.
Timeo visits me at my parish by
himself during the week, and we talk about what happened and the Dominion. To
my surprise, he doesn’t mind that I publicly announced it and named myself
without his approval. It also doesn’t surprise him that Giovanni Coronamento
got involved and said what he said.
“He can be a trickster, but he’s an
honest one,” Timeo says. “I do also like the name, and that you gave me credit
as the co-founder.”
“Even though the idea came to me in
prayer, it all happened in the spur of the moment and through my simple mind,
so it wasn’t executed that well,” I say.
“Eh. You got the essentials out of
the way, so I think you did well. We still have a long way to go to establish
the Dominion. Don’t fret over the small details. We’ll have much more work and
bigger problems to deal with in the future, like rival hero associations and
villains who will plot our destruction.”
“You talk about it like it’ll be a
problem for us.”
“Haha, you’re right. Together, no
one stands a chance against us, but for our purposes for changing the world and
country, we’ll need more than our powers to accomplish it.”
“If God wills it, I’m sure we’ll
attain our goals and accomplish His tasks for us.”
“That’s true, and there’s no one
else I’d rather have at my side than you, John. Are you ready to do this?”
Timeo holds out his hand, and I take
it.
“You know I am.”
“Then let our enemies tremble in
fear at our arrival as the darkness of God descends on them.”
“And the light of His new day dawns
on the world.”
The End
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