Like Glass in the Skin: Chapter 1 – When the High Wears off

Chapter 1 – When the High Wears off

People joke about life not being fair, but when your life is at a dead end, the joke no longer becomes funny. I worked two jobs, one at an office and another at a supermarket, to help my family pay the bills and put food on the table. My husband was disabled because of a workplace accident, so he could only collect disability checks, but at least he could stay home and take care of our child, which we could only have one of, no matter how many times we tried to have more. Even with the hero association of the Dominion’s recent takeover of the world and their balancing wages for all normal humans and superhumans, we continued to struggle because of the many debts we owe. There didn’t seem to be any hope that our lives would get better, no matter how much we prayed, until a woman with dark skin approached me at the supermarket.

“Are you okay? What’s your name?” she asked.

“Briar. I’m fine, thank you for asking,” I said.

“You don’t look fine, girl. You seem like you’re going to die from exhaustion any second now, Briar.”

“It wouldn’t surprise me if I did,” I said.

“I know that feeling, sister. I was like you, too, until a friend approached me with the same offer I’m going to give you.” The woman gave me a card with roses on it. “Call that number and set up an interview with my employer. We’ll get you a better job than this. It’ll make you happier and free you from all your stress.”

The woman walked away without saying another word. It was obvious she was a stripper or sex worker, given her somewhat scantily clad choice of clothes. Still, for some reason, I didn’t think it’d hurt to call for an interview and see what the job was. When I called, I got an interview the next day at a strip club. The man who interviewed me checked me out, looked at my background, and said he’d give me the job within an hour. I was so taken aback by it all that I hesitated to accept at first.

“I’m sure you’re concerned about your family, but you don’t have to worry about them. We’ll give you about the same hours as your supermarket job, but you’ll be paid more, you can change into your normal clothes, and they don’t need to know a thing,” he said.

I’ve been a woman dedicated to my faith; however, it’s been degrading over the years because of the suffering I’ve been through. The thought of my family continuing to suffer forced me to shake hands with the man, and before I knew it, I danced with the woman I met for money in embarrassing clothes, or lack thereof. After my first day, I brought my concerns to the woman, who consoled me. She shared the same faith but rationalized taking this job as necessary to care for our families. She then offered me a pill and some alcohol to wash it down, and without thinking too much, I took it and felt better.

Days later, our family finally became financially stable. My job gave me time off to spend with my family. I got used to it after a week and actually started to enjoy it. One day, I was offered extra money to perform an especially erotic dance with the woman, and I accepted, despite not knowing what to do. The woman told me to follow her lead, so I did. She kissed me, and we danced in a way that looked like we were having sex. After that, I received more requests to do similar dances and was then asked to do even more explicit things for more money. Because of how good it all made me feel and the money involved, I agreed.

The extra work involved being in a sex club and giving my body to others for their pleasure. In my heart, I knew it was degrading, but I didn’t care. I was happy for the first time in years, had enough money to make this kind of work my primary job, and, at my new friends’ suggestion, I did. A couple of months passed, and my husband and child finally realized something in me had changed. My husband confronted me about it, and I blew him off. It was at this time that I cared more about sex work than my family because of how much better and freer it made me feel. We argued from day to day so much so that I’d leave my home so I could sleep over my new friends’ house and relate my grievances with them.

It got to the point where the woman who initially recruited asked me, “Your family is more of a burden now than the reason why you work, haven’t they?”

“They have. This place and these people feel more like my family now than they do,” I said.

“We have a way of taking care of that. We use the AI-driven care you bought, so your husband could get around, arrange an accident to get rid of them permanently, if you want.”

I thought about it, weighed my happiness and freedom in my new life against the pains and restrictions of my family, and decided to okay the plan. The next day, the AI-driven car my husband used got into an accident, and both he and my child died, along with a few other pedestrians. My conscience hardly felt a thing at the time. In fact, I felt freer than I ever had before. For the next month, I enjoyed a life of constant pleasure and happiness without the constraints and stresses of a family.

These new people were my family. They made me happier than my family ever has. Being a wife was a mistake, and being a mother, doubly so. They kept me from being truly free and happy. I can’t imagine my life getting any better than this, and yet, the woman who first recruited me had a new way to make more money and feel an even deeper level of pleasure and happiness. Because I’m a normal human, I wasn’t able to handle the rougher superhuman clients, but with the new modifications, I would be able to experience pleasure on a whole new level.

It was strange. I was excited for the day, got up early, and headed out to the factory on the outskirts of the city, where I would be changed, but when I got there, my excitement quickly went away. People were screaming in pain, not out of pleasure, but out of fear for their lives. Many were there against their will to be taken advantage of and turned into living sex objects. Of course, I’d seen it before; however, seeing a person being painfully turned is another thing entirely. The pangs of my dead conscience started to bother me again for the first time in months.

I wanted to leave and never look back, and yet, I kept moving. I told myself it wouldn’t be bad for me. That it would be quick and painless for me, that I’d leave as quickly as I’d arrive, and I’d experience a whole new way to live happily. All that positive thinking vanished as soon as I saw the huge boiling pot below me that I was supposed to dive into. It was grey, sludgy, sinking, and so hot that I started to sweat from just being near it. Before I could turn away to ask if I could leave, the woman I knew pushed me into the pot, and I burned.

It was my wake-up call, as I felt every inch of me burn in agonizing pain. My skin and bones felt as if they were melting off, and the sensations of the drugs in my system were erased. Suddenly, I began to feel used to the pain, and then crawled out of the pot and lay on the floor. The woman I knew told me that I looked beautiful in my new form, and I was brought a full-body mirror to look at myself. My pink hair looked completely gray, along with the rest of my body. My eyes were entirely silver, and my clothes combined with my body, and yet, I felt completely naked and as if I were made of a metallic glass.

I was congratulated by the people surrounding me since people they bring here sometimes don’t survive the transformation process and simply become one with the sludge in the pot. I felt as if my mind and conscience saw everything clearly for the first time in a while, and I began to remember everything with a heavy sense of regret, remorse, and anger, most importantly. My anger began boiling like the sludge, and as soon as I got up, I put my hand straight through the throat of the woman I knew. In those seconds, I realized I really never knew her name. Seeing that she wasn’t instantly dead, or rather, not caring that she wasn’t, I stuck my other hand through her chest and then through her head, killing her for certain.

It was then that security was called and descended on me. I used my new body to beat them down, cut their eyes and throats with my sharp fingers, and plunged my hands into their throats, heads, and chests. No matter what gun or superpower they used against me, I hardly felt a thing, but I also didn’t care if I did. I wanted to kill every single person in this factory for what they did to me and the others in it. I also wanted them to kill me for my mistakes and end this rotten life I’ve lived, and yet, I managed to live until the last bit of security was killed by my hand. Since I was alive, I freed everyone I could, then started destroying the electrical systems and knocking over the boiling pots to destroy the factory. Despite being in it when it exploded and being thrown several miles away by the blast, I survived.

Why did I survive? Why am I still living? I’ve been going over the events of my life as I’m lying on the rooftop, looking at the night sky, and thinking about what I should do with my life now. All I can think about is revenge and killing the perverts who made me into one of them, so that’s what I’ll do. I know where their few hideouts are, so I’ll kill every one of them. They won’t hurt or corrupt anyone else by the end of this night.

A collection of my latest books are out today on Amazon!

Paperback ($9.99) - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GTFN5WVX

Kindle ($4.99) - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GTCS6HZV

The world can only belong to one truth, one ruler of the world. 

The Dominion and its heroes have been keeping the world safe from evil of all kinds, from the criminal underworld to the powers that be. Now, after years of fighting, the Dominion sees that it should not only protect the world, but rule it, and once it has it, it will establish the Catholic faith in its rightful place as the one true faith of the world and give the world back to its Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. 

The time has come for a new dawn, one where righteousness reigns supreme above sin. 

This collection includes: Scourge of Angels, Peace Through Force, A Gentle Hand's Influence, and How the Just Dominated the World, along with some Behind the Story trivia for each story.

My 345th book and ending of Timeo Severe and John Elio's journey is out today!

Download for free at select online retailers - https://books2read.com/b/3L7oV0

After over thirty years of being superheroes, leading their own hero association, and protecting the world, John Elio and Timeo Severe realize that the world would be better in their hands. Their enemies don't stand a chance, and the world is theirs to take, so that the Catholic faith will reign supreme as the only one true faith of the world, and so that the God of truth and love, our Lord Jesus Christ, can rightfully reclaim what is His.

How the Just Dominated the World: Chapter 3 – To Virtuously Conquer

Chapter 3 – To Virtuously Conquer

Timeo and John Elio sit with other world leaders in the courthouse where the Declaration of Independence for the Columbian Union was written. Hundreds, if not thousands, of people surround the building, with hundreds of thousands, if not millions, watching everything online and on their TVs or listening to it on their computers and phones. The crowds have finally quieted down, and Timeo and John quietly pray for the wisdom and strength to do what needs to be done, which I grant them.

Standing up, Timeo says, “I assume the floor is ours to begin what we demand from the world.”

“You took the world. I don’t see why the floor here wouldn’t be yours,” the president of the Columbian Union jokes.

“Thank you, Mr. President,” Timeo says and bows his head before facing the world leaders and crowd. “Ladies and gentlemen of the world. We, of the Dominion, are your new leaders, but we aren’t tyrants. As proven by our years of service, we put our lives on the line for everyone of every belief and country. We have even spared our enemies if they are honestly repentant and have proven they want to make amends. Therefore, we only have a short list of banned beliefs, all of which are focused on using violence, deception, intimidation, and false compassion to obtain power and followers. We will only use violence against those who are violent to us or who pose a serious threat against the innocent and peace in any given country in the world.”

Timeo motions to John, who stands up and says, “It has been said we will force you to follow the Catholic faith, but a dishonest conversion is no conversion at all and will not save your soul. Our schools and Dominion centers are open to all who wish to learn the truth of our faith. Still, we will outlaw abortions, gay marriages, pedophilia, gathering of demonic cults, prostitution, pornography, and the like, all of which will be listed on our website. We care about personal freedom, but we will not allow you to kill your souls with blatantly sinful and suicidal behavior. Additionally, even though I am a deacon of the Church, they will not get any special treatment or funds from us, nor will they influence us if their wants conflict with the teachings that they themselves are supposed to embody.”

John bows to Timeo, who continues, “That is all we ask and demand. Such is the simple truth of Catholicism, the one true faith, founded by Jesus Christ, Lord, Savior, and God of us all. We pray that those who do not believe will repent and believe, and pray even harder for our enemies, who still plot against us in the dark. I promise you a bright future ahead of us. Every member of the Dominion will put their lives on the line for you to ensure your safety and to show the fruits of our faith.”

Together, John and Timeo look at each other, nod, and then say, “May God be glorified forever!”

Enthused by their faith, many people inside the courthouse and outside watching it all over the world also say, “May God be glorified forever!”

Excitement for the future thrills the crowds as many celebrate the signing of the document created by the world’s leaders, transferring authority to Timeo and John. Afterward, the document is brought to a Catholic Church, where the founders of the Columbian Union pray and place it in a secure, guarded container at the altar for all to see, and it is given to me as a symbol of Timeo and John transferring the world to me. All of Heaven rejoices at the reclaiming of the world to its rightful owners and is even more overjoyed at those who begin to genuinely repent thanks to the Dominion. Everything I have set in motion has come to fruition, and a new golden age of real truth and true love begins.

The End

How the Just Dominated the World: Chapter 2 – Gentle Storm

Chapter 2 – Gentle Storm

Before accepting the challenge from world leaders, Timeo and I command our forces to extinguish smaller fires so they don’t spread. With help from our forces worldwide, Kane’s Castigators suppress violent riots against us with force in the East, while Polina’s Compassionate negotiates with our more rational enemies in the West. It almost looks like a world war if it weren’t for the talks happening on one side of the globe, considering how many fronts our forces are guarding to stop uprisings and ease tensions. We have already made clear that our actions are for the betterment of the world and everyone in it. All that remains is to take control and dedicate it to God.

Additionally, we’ve let the Council of Punishment loose to do their duty and cause manageable chaos, as guided by their guardian angels, and to take time off their jail sentence. The public’s opinion of us is divided unevenly. Some say it’s a good thing for the Dominion to take over the world, others are indifferent and don’t see us as any different than the world’s current leaders, and few are indifferent.

We’ve heard people on the news and across social media say things like, “The extremist Catholics are taking over, and people will be forced to give money to their Church and convert.”

“They’ll kill or jail you if you don’t believe what they tell you.”

“This is a new Crusade, and when they take over, they’ll purge the world in a new Inquisition.”

“Their faith is a front. All they want is power and riches.”

There was a time I might’ve agreed with some of their views; however, after years of prayer, seeing the world, protecting people across it, Timeo and I have come to the decision that the Dominion should take it over, both guiding and protecting it, and after this next battle, our hold over it will be secure. We’ve called our loved ones to say we’ll see them soon once the battle is done, and told our allies we don’t need their help, even though they keep complaining they want to help us. When we head out to the area of the final battle, we see hundreds, if not thousands, of soldiers, armored vehicles, robots of all sizes, and superhumans of all kinds. The enemy sees us and starts making a fuss. Their leaders shout threats and insults at us, but we don’t pay attention.

“What do you think, John?” Timeo asks in his L’Obscurité form.

“It’ll be an easy fight,” I say.

“Obviously, but how should we approach it? You take one half, and I’ll take the other? I take them from one end, while you hit them from the other.”

“Sure, whatever will get this over sooner. I don’t want to keep our loved ones worried that this could end badly.”

“You’re right. Let’s do this.”

I make the sign of the cross, blessing our enemies, and say a quick prayer for them with Timeo before we go to separate ends of the army. Again, the enemy yells and mocks us for taking the entire army on by ourselves. They think we’re in over our heads and underestimate their strength. They’re so focused on me that most of them don’t notice the other half of their army disappearing because of Timeo’s power. To get the fear of God into them, I begin to activate a special power of my own by allowing God to act through me. My body and clothes turn completely white and gray in an instant, and the army in front of me starts to get serious and finally shuts up.

Before they can do anything, I generate a ball of white light and throw it into the sky. The sun is immediately blotted out, replaced by the white light that blinds many of my enemies, turning the sky white, and sucking the color out of everything, turning everything white and gray. From the white light, flames descend upon the army, burning them and their mechanical weapons of war to ash. From the thousands, there are hardly a hundred enemies left standing, so I get to work running faster than they can react to finish them off by punching their heads off, punching their bodies so hard that their entire body crumbles into pieces, and crushing heads with the heel of my foot. Among the few, there are some that are able to move. My senses tell me it is because of the devils they worship, trying to escape judgment and being sent back to Hell, but they don’t escape or get a single hit on me.

With the army destroyed and in pieces and ashes, the white light in the sky gives way to the natural colors of the world, and my body’s natural color returns to normal. At the other end of the area, I see Timeo and the few survivors of his power, who have repented in fear and sincerity. Even fewer people have repented on my side, and those who did are cowering on the ground. Timeo and I have already accounted for this and have help on standby who will come in and bring these survivors to one of our nearby rehabilitation facilities to help them recover. I call them over and look upward at the sky.

“Do you think Polina will get the same power you have? She already has something resembling it,” Timeo asks me.

“Maybe, if God wills it. So, this is it for now.”

“The major fighting is done. Now, we finalize our rightful control over the world with our meeting with the world leaders and set the general laws for the world’s countries.”

“I think I’d just rather fight another battle.”

“Haha, me too, but this is something we have to do. I’ll do most of the talking, as always.”

How the Just Dominated the World: Chapter 1 – Virtuous Domination

Chapter 1 – Virtuous Domination

“We have no other choice, we have to use the endgame option,” one of the conspiracy leaders says.

The barely lit room is quiet, as the many people in it realize the consequences of their plan fill their minds. This place is in one of the city’s most public buildings, and yet, the basement is the most secretive and secure in the world. Everyone in this room is of a different ideology, country, and profession, and yet, they are all influential and unified by their hatred of the Dominion. The conspirators continue to talk about what they should do and the current situation.

“The meeting has just begun, and we’re already going with that option?”

“What do you suggest then? Years ago, Nexum tried and succeeded in delegitimizing them, only for L’Obscurité and John Elio to attack them, and with the help of their allies, they exposed them for their crimes and became the first worldwide hero association.”

“Whenever they get knocked down, they keep getting back up, stronger than ever.”

“They should’ve been dealt with when they were just starting, as I’ve said before.”

“Talking about what we should’ve done before will get us nowhere. We need to talk about what we’re going to do now. Their subsidiaries, the Castigators and Compassionate, have already taken over countries, and their offices are in many countries worldwide.”

“That’s not to mention the roots they have in every country through the work they’ve done in them, and their deep roots in their country of origin, the Columbian Union.”

“We can’t root them out one by one in the shadows. I’ve tried that and got nowhere.”

“They’re everywhere, including the shadows. Who's to say that one of them isn’t with us now? What if L’Obscurité is here?”

“Don’t believe that rumor.”

“But what do we know about that shadowy man, other than he’s invincible, and a protector and friend of Timeo Severe and John Elio?”

“Let’s focus back on our plan of attack. We know as much as we’ll ever know. There’s no reason to speculate about anything. There’s only committing ourselves to the plan.”

“What is there to do besides keep our heads down while the world burns in chaos? The endgame option involves detonating our hidden nukes across the world and pushing our gods to scorch the earth with our wrath?”

“Our gods agree, along with the devils of the cultists. They will act when we finish the sacrifices.”

“We have no choice but to use them. Do you know how much harder it’s been to sacrifice children, priests, nuns, and other people of the sort ever since the Dominion’s reach extended worldwide?”

“Our chambers are filled with hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of desecrated bodies. The devils are ready to drag down souls to Hell with them.”

“Then…then we really have no choice.”

“There is only one way forward after all we’ve done. We have to make it worth it; otherwise, all these years of gathering strength and killing will be erased, and those damned Catholics will have our world, our power, and our possessions.”

“Hey.”

“Catholics like the ones in and supporting the Dominion, not like you.”

“It’s…it’s decided then. All in favor?”

The room says, “I.”

“Nay.”

Looking around the room, confused, the conspirators ask who disagrees and to state the reason for doing so.

To humor them, I chuckle and say, “Because I like the direction the world is taking. I also wouldn’t sanction an attack against myself and my own.”

People are a little confused at first, but are then quick to realize who is talking.

“L’Obscurité is in the room!” a woman says as she jumps up from her seat.

The woman runs from one corner of the dark room to the door, but I transport her to the opposite end. Confused, she keeps running and being teleported everywhere, until I get bored and give her what she deserves in the darkness. Peering into her soul, I see she’s guilty of human trafficking of many innocent people, especially children. I tear her into pieces and throw her still living body onto the table, where the conspirators are gathered around. She twitches as she lets out gasps of screams as her soul slowly descends into Hell. Everyone is visibly shaking now, if not outright sweating, and beginning to lose their trust in their false gods.

I heartily laugh and then say, “So much for being a terrifying group that pulls the strings of the world from the shadows. Do you truly think you’re better than the others who do the same as you?”

One of them says, “If you came after us, it means we’re a true threat to you. Heh, it’s a compliment.”

“You’re an annoyance.”

“Whatever you think, you’ve just activated our failsafe. We have spiritualists who are always aware of our state, and knowing that we are in distress and one is dead, they will activate our endgame. The world you know will be different by the time you leave here.”

“Yes, yes, yes, and I know the other details of your plan, such as false nuclear attack readings in every country, forcing them into World War III, and the cultists that you have on standby with plenty of supplies for those willing to give themselves to Hell for temporary survival. John and I did our homework. Speaking of the good deacon, he’s currently destroying all your nuclear facilities, cleansing your cult bunkers, and destroying your blasphemous hideouts of rape and sacrifice.”

“You…you’re lying!”

“Hehe, I’m an agent of the truth. I can’t lie.”

“John Elio won’t be able to destroy everything in time! People will still die. You’ve still lost.”

“John Elio wouldn’t be the best hero in the world if he weren’t good at his job. I trust that he can do everything so well that he could do it two times over.”

“You…you don’t think you’re the only one familiar with the shadows, are you? Our demons and gods have inhabited them since the dawn of creation!”

From the darkness, I see hundreds of black hands reach out and grab me.

“This isn’t the first fight I’ve had with demons. They torment me daily,” I say.

“Oh, so you’re a man then. I guess that dispels the myths of you being a god, angel, or devil.”

The darkness blinds my sight. In the void, I see my dark hero appearance, the long hat I wear, the cloak of darkness, and the barely discernible face with a toothy grin and a bullet hole in the center of my forehead. That appearance of mine is stripped away by the black hands to reveal my normal appearance, my dark hair, pale skin, dark brown eyes, and the expensive suit I usually wear. The doppelganger tries to remind me of my past sins, but they don’t bother me. I haven’t sinned in a while and was at confession and mass recently.

“Ah, so that’s your true identity.”

“And? Your demons knew it this whole time, but kept it from you.”

“Regardless of that, they will end you.”

“I don’t think they will. Not with my new powers.”

A bright darkness emerges from me, dispelling the demons and consuming the conspirators in front of me. They’re really afraid now since their last hope has been erased.

I say, “You may think your gods and demons are terrifying, but you don’t know how scary angels can be.”

Angels with eyes all over their bodies, distorted faces, and weapons and shields for arms step out of the darkness as if it were a veil. They tear at the conspirators, while keeping them alive, no matter how many pieces they’re torn into. They’re forced to tell everyone their sins, and from what they’re saying, they see themselves haunted by their temptations, who are pulling their souls to Hell. More souls are pulled into my bright darkness from around the hidden facility and the above city, and given the same treatment, a few of whom repent and are saved by the angel from their demons. Once the area is clear, the bright darkness recedes into me, and the bodies of those who died as a result of my powers have disappeared. Those who repented are found in the facility on their knees, repenting with bloody tears streaming from their eyes.

As I exit the facility, I turn back into my normal form and breathe a sigh of relief. John Elio speeds his way to me with his usual bright smile on his face. That smile and shining blue eyes of his are an extra relieving reminder that he fulfilled his role and saved the world, as if there was any hint of doubt. There’s not a single spec of dust, blood, or ash on his blonde hair, red deacon shirt, gold cape, blue jeans, and brown boots, another sign that the task was easy for him to achieve.

“How’d it go?” he asks.

“It went according to plan as always,” I say.

“We do it, Timeo!” he says as he hugs me.

John and I walk the streets of the city, with the civilians beginning to notice us. They admire or fear us from a distance, though a few approach us, ask for autographs, and tell us how much they appreciate us for what we’ve done for their country and the world. Knowing a nice place to eat and talk in peace, John and I go to it, and are given a nice seat, overlooking the city’s beauty.

“This is only the beginning, isn’t it?” John asks, somewhat seriously.

“It is, but we’re also in the middle,” I say. “World leaders and members of other mercenary and hero associations will be after us now that we’ve openly attacked the secretive group that they’ve kept under wraps. Kane and his Castigators have also done the same to expose their evil deeds in their typical shoot first, ask questions later way.”

“This is such an upside-down world for us to be punished for exposing criminals.”

“What’s a crime for the people of one belief is a virtue for another. You know it’s always been God and the Church versus the other false beliefs of the world.”

“I do. It still bothers me. All the good work we’ve done across the world over these thirty-something years has only inflamed tensions between our Dominion and other countries and groups, not allied with us.”

“Things will be different when it’s over. There’s only one solution to it, so we’re not constantly running around the world, punishing criminals in legitimate and illegal institutions and countries. We control and enforce mercy and justice all over it by ourselves.”

“You’ve been saying that for years, and it feels like a dream that we’re on the cusp of achieving it. It feels like yesterday that I was in Solis, enjoying my favorite egg breakfast and helping my neighbors in Poca Bellezza.”

“It feels like yesterday that I was helping to clean up Meridian’s reputation, so I understand. With Dominion hero association offices in most major countries and areas, we’re going to become the world’s leaders and protectors.”

“It feels like a responsibility I don’t deserve or want. Part of me just wants to go back home to my normal life as an average hero, living with my family.”

“Me too, but this is what God has given us. After we’re done, we’ll take an extra-long break to spend time with family. Speaking of them, has your sister, Idelle, had another child with Kane yet?”

“They have. Idelle just told me, while we were working.”

John takes out his phone and shows me a picture of Idelle and Kane holding their new child, with their first, which brings a smile to my face.

He then asks me about Polina and Raziel’s new child, and I tell him, “Polina is still pregnant, but the child should be born soon.”

“I’m glad to hear.”

On a nearby TV in the restaurant, we hear about a force of our enemies worldwide gathering and challenging us to a fight, some of whom are from the country we’re in. Because of the good we’ve done across the world, people in the cities we’ve helped won’t give us up to their country’s leaders or even fight against them with help from our Dominion.

Looking at the breadth of hundreds of armed forces and superhumans gathered against us, I ask John, “Think we can take them on with just the two of us?”

“Heh, that’d be an unfair fight,” he says.

“But it’s a fight we need to end. After, we’ll gather the world’s leaders together and make our claim.”

“Let’s get it over with then. I can’t wait for the world to finally be at peace.”

“Me too, brother.”

John and I clink our glasses, finish our meal, and head out to our final fight to take the world for not only the Dominion, but for the Church and, most importantly, our Lord and our God.

My next book is complete and out today for free!

Download from various online retailers on Books2Read - https://books2read.com/b/bPPAlA

The Western country of Ferdinand is about to break apart in a civil war between its regions of Fribus and Nanpa, each holding historical grievances over the other. The Compassionate are sent to ensure that the talks between the regions' leaders stay peaceful; however, good and bad people on both sides do what they can to make tensions boil over, forcing the Compassionate to find the balance between mercy and justice as they protect the country from destroying itself.

A Gentle Hand's Influence: Chapter 4 – A Kind Heart's Guidance

Chapter 4 – A Kind Heart's Guidance

Polina and I spend so much time in courthouses, restaurants, and dining halls that we might as well live in them, for how often we have talks and negotiations in them. Raziel, Zahara, and the rest of the Compassionate have the situation with the extremists and civilian unrest under control, from what I hear, but it’s still a single excuse from igniting into fighting again, no matter how good the excuse is. If Polina and I don’t finalize the peace deal between Fribus and Nanpa here and now, everything that we’ve done here will have been for nothing. Civil war will erupt. Good and innocent people will kill one another, and the only way to bring a stop to it may be to injure and kill some of them ourselves.

I’m no stranger to killing when I have, but most of the people mixed up in this are good, and that’s different than killing criminals and villains who refuse to change. The Castigators and Council of Punishment could do it, but…I don’t know if-

“Penelope. Calm down. It’s not going to happen if we finalize the peace treaty here and now,” Polina says as she grabs my hand.

“Yes, of course. Thank you, Polina,” I say as I refocus on the negotiation.

I still can’t believe I find myself on the front lines here with Polina. I’m used to her doing most of the work and giving her suggestions on the side. I’m still in disbelief that the influencers and leaders from both sides want to talk to me, along with her, and want my opinion. God only knows why He pushed me to be so talkative and proactive now of all times. Crossing myself, I pray for the strength and wisdom to do and say what needs to be done.

“Now that the misunderstandings are out of the way, we can continue the negotiations to their logical end,” a leader from Fribus says.

“What end would that be? More taxes? Less money going to the schools in Nanpa, so the children are forced to go out of their way to schools in Fribus, which disproportionally teaches them the crimes of one side of the country more than the other,” a leader from Nanpa says.

Here we go again with the two sides going back and forth.

“No. As stated in our agreement, schools in both regions of Ferdinand will be taught one history with no favoritism shown. The tax is also put on both sides to pay for all the damages done and is temporary until everything is fixed.”

“Shouldn’t the richer people of Fribus pay for it since Nanpa has historically suffered higher taxes?”

“No, it’s even so that no one side is shown favoritism. Like it’s said in the agreement, we are one country and shall deal with the consequences of our actions equally.”

“You can’t expect the poor to pay as much as the rich.”

“Penelope, what do you think should happen?”

Being put on the spot, I stop myself from immediately answering. I think for a second and say, “The agreement should be proportional to what each region can give. Therefore, Fribus should pay more, while Nanpa should pay less.”

The two sides look at one another for a second and agree, and stamp the document together.

“Next. Let’s discuss the price that must be paid for the crimes committed by both sides, and seeing as how you don’t want things to be equal, then let them be proportional. The criminals of Nanpa must repair a majority of the damage done in the areas affected by them, while the criminals of Fribus will not do as much.”

“Then what will the scum of Fribus do, huh? Sit in their cozy cells for the rest of their sentence?”

“They’ll face justice all the same.”

“I’ve heard the prisons in Fribus aren’t as tough as the ones in Nanpa. In fact, I’ve seen it for myself on the internet. You take it too easy on the people who deserve to face the consequences of your actions.”

“Our prisons are the way they are because we’re inspired by the ones created by the Dominion. There, the inmates live in mild comfort away from the public and may come and go to do community service.”

“How is that fair? Your criminals do wrong, and they get comfy cells and have to do less clean up, while ours have to do all the heavy lifting?”

“Are you saying that yours deserve more comfort?”

“No, but this is the same treatment that Nanpa got after the world war. This is why many of my people rebel against and hate yours. I say that yours should suffer proportionally to the crimes they’ve committed.”

“Penelope?”

To break this hang-up, I pray, think, and decide, “The punishment should be based on what each criminal has done. The criminals of Nanpa have done the most damage and will do the most to repair the damage they have done, and so will the criminals of Fribus, but they will not live in comfort if they don’t deserve it. The Dominion’s prisons have solitary confinement and cells of discomfort or comfort based on the criminal's actions and the validity of their repentance and want to correct their mistakes. I also think they should be forced to work together to remind them that they both live in the same country and are part of the same people.”

The leaders from Nanpa look more uncomfortable than those from Fribus, and yet, they agree with them and stamp the document.

“With the matter of reparations out of the way, there’s only one more issue to settle, that being of whether the governments of Fribus and Nanpa should continue to be separate or combined into one governing body.”

“Yeah. That’s an obvious one. We should continue to govern ourselves independently from one another with few binding laws and agreements.”

“What is the purpose of that?” I ask.

“We each know what’s best for our people. That’s why each region has its own government.”

“But that only further separates you from one another. You’re supposed to be one country, not two countries in one.”

“I have to agree with the representative from Nanpa. One singular government hasn’t worked since one region has historically been favored over the other, given that the king or president was from one of the regions.”

Great. They’re both against me. What if…

I suggest, “What if there was a third party that acted as your central government and brought them together?”

“Such as?”

“…the Dominion…”

The people in the crowds of both sides start talking among themselves. Now I’ve really done it. Looking over to Polina, I silently beg her for help, but she simply nods at me, as if approving.

Continuing, I say, “The Dominion has stopped Ferdinand from fracturing and destroying itself in a civil war. We can make sure that each region is given equal but fair treatment and balances the deals of politics and business between them.”

“No, the Dominion hasn’t done anything. The Compassionate have done all the work, and specifically, you and your friends,” says a leader from Fribus.

“Without the Compassionate, we would’ve been at each other’s throats. They know and are loved by both sides of the country. They should be in charge,” says a leader from Nanpa.

“I agree. What do you think, Penelope?”

“If…if that’s what it takes to ensure peace for Ferdinand, then…” I’m getting in over my head by acting as the leader when it should be Polina making all the decisions, but when I look over to Polina, she simply nods. “We gratefully accept.”

The crowds stand up and clap for us as the final agreement is stamped, and the Compassionate are written in as its new ruling party. I’m completely stunned by this turn of events, so much so that I sit stunned with my hands on my face in embarrassment.

Polina hugs me and says, “You did great, Penelope.”

“Are we really doing the right thing?” I ask.

“We are. This is the only way I saw us achieving lasting peace for this country.”

“How are you going to lead it, along with being mayor of Meridian?”

“I’m not going to. How does being a leader of a country sound to you?”

“Huh? What are you talking about?”

“They love you, probably more than me. They ask for your opinion, and it was you who calmed down the crowds without my help. You should be the representative here of the Compassionate. Not me.”

“I…I don’t know what to say. I don’t know if I can do it.”

“I didn’t know if I could be a good mayor. I’ll help you in every way I can, along with the rest of the Compassionate.”

I hold Polina tightly and thank her. The people of Ferdinand gratefully accept me as the representative of the Compassionate, even offering me a home here, a place between both regions, symbolizing how I keep the two together. When Raziel and Zahara hear the news and return to us, they congratulate me and embrace me. Zahara offers to be my bodyguard here, and I accept; she is also provided with a house for herself that is near mine. God truly works in mysterious ways. We may find ourselves in situations and bearing responsibilities we’d rather not have, but in the end, we’ll find that we were exactly where we needed to be, making a greater impact on the people around us than we often realize.

The End

A Gentle Hand's Influence: Chapter 3 – The Scope of the Issue

Chapter 3 – The Scope of the Issue

With backup coming in from Meridian, the Compassionate have a grip on the situation in Ferdinand. Of course, many people in Fribus are protesting for the government to go back on their deal with Nanpa after those extremists blew up the restaurant, and people of Nanpa are trying their best to disassociate themselves from them. The protesters aren’t a problem. The problem is the many extremists and isolationists from both sides who have a bone to pick with the other and are now motivated to act against those they perceive to be their enemy. Extremists from Nanpa say they did nothing wrong in the world war, while the extremists from Fribus want old sanctions placed on Nanpa and for every possible suspect of extremism to be taken in and questioned.

As for me, I’d like nothing more than to blow each of their heads off their shoulders and be done with them, but that’s not what the Compassionate are about. We’re not like the Castigators, and honestly, I shouldn’t feel that way after the mercy Polina showed me for the extreme things I’ve done against innocent people. Right now, I’m sitting on a hill overlooking a town where the extremists from both sides are butting heads, daring and pushing the other to start a war between their regions. Raziel and the other Compassionate are down there, trying to reason with people to get them to calm down. It’s at times like this that I wish Polina and Penelope were here, but since they’re putting out bigger fires between opposing groups in a courthouse, we’ll have to do our best to keep things from getting worse than they already are.

Watching the situation in the town through the scope of my rifle that’s on my left arm, I see the chaos that my fellow Compassionate are trying to quell by holding people back, talking to them, and being in between the opposing groups. Some among the groups are armed with guns and are flexing their superhuman abilities, which I keep my eye on the most out of everyone. One of the armed groups from Nanpa starts to raise their rifles and grenades at the opposing crowd. I may not be able to read souls like Raziel or minds like Polina and Penelope, but my experience as a cop and soldier has taught me the signs when someone intends to kill, so I take the shots to kill the extremists. Their guns fire up into the air, and grenades blow up at their feet, causing the rest of the crowds to start openly fighting.

Over our radio, Raziel says, “Zahara, what happened?”

“A group of Nanpa extremists tried firing the first shot against Fribus, so I shot them before they could kill anyone,” I say.

“Good work, but switch to non-lethal for the rest of them, and cover those who can’t. I’ll handle the rest.”

“Roger.”

I switch my sniper to use the non-lethal rounds in its secondary clip and begin picking off extremists. The rounds are strong enough to put superhumans to sleep in two or three shots, and normal people are put to sleep in one. Some of the extremists start to flee, unwilling to fight or start more trouble, and yet, the opposing side keeps going after them. I cover the retreat of those people and the fleeing civilians who are trying to hide in their homes. Some of the civilians hide the extremists and are attacked because of it, forcing me to turn my attention to them to put the attacking extremists down, and then return my attention to the others.

“Stop firing,” I hear someone say as I feel the tip of a gun against the back of my head.

Damn. Didn’t think any of the extremists would come up here. I do as he says and hold my arms up.

“Turn around.”

Turning around, I see a bunch of normal civilians with guns and the flag of Nanpa covering their faces.

“I’m impressed that you managed to disarm my traps without me noticing,” I say.

“We grew up in this region. Of course, we’d notice. You weren’t here when Fribus had leftover traps from the era after the last world war that harmed and killed innocent children and civilians who wandered around.”

“What do you want?”

“We want you to let our side win, and stop firing on us, especially the ones with a cross on our shoulders. We don’t want to kill you, so don’t make a move, and when the fighting stops, we’ll let you go.”

Now, I’m really jealous of Raziel’s, Penelope’s, and Polina’s ability to act without weapons. These don’t seem to be too bad, but at the same time, they’re preventing me from protecting others. My enhanced body and armor will protect me from a few shots, and yet, they could still easily gun me down, since the few bushes around here won’t give me any cover.

“Huh. I’m just noticing the cross. Does it differentiate you from the other extremists? I didn’t even know there was a difference.”

“That’s because you’re a foreigner. This cross is a symbol showing we’re from the Catholic division that seeks to make Nanpa a Catholic country, opposed to those who want to make it heretical.”

“I’m Catholic, so we have common beliefs and sense that we agree on. I can relate to you, but you’re letting your love for your country overwhelm your love for God and neighbor.”

“How so? We’re only going after those who have harmed us and will harm us. Everyone in us in Fribus will be spared when the policies of a Catholic Nanpa rule over Ferdinand.”

“You may say that, but look below through the scope of my rifle. Both sides are killing one another, and innocent civilians are caught in between.”

“The other Nanpa groups don’t know what they’re doing and are getting innocent people killed. Not us.”

“Really? Not from what I can see. There’s a good reason why I didn’t know there were different groups. You people act all the same from what I see down there. Take a look for yourself.”

“…okay, but don’t try anything.”

“I won’t.”

I point my rifle toward the town and allow the man to look into the town and move my arm around to see the rest of what is happening.

“God have mercy on us all…”

“Do you see what you’re stopping me from protecting? Get out of here. Go back to your families. I won’t go after you, and my non-lethal rounds won’t kill your friends.”

“Okay…okay…”

“Are you sure?” one of the other extremists asks.

“Yes.”

“But-”

“Let’s go! Innocent people are dying down there!”

I watch as the extremists leave and don’t let my stop tracking their movements with my eyes, until I see them go over the hill, and hear them get on their motorcycles and drive away.

“Zahara. Zahara, are you okay?” I hear Raziel say over the radio.

“I’m fine,” I say as I resume my sniping.

“What happened? I just noticed you weren’t shooting anymore.”

“I’m surprised you did in all that chaos. I’ll talk to you later about it.”

As I continue knocking out the extremists with my non-lethal rounds, I see the people from before, taking off their face coverings and going out of their way to protect civilians, even turning their guns on their own. Seeing this, I turn my attention to protecting them to ensure they and those they protect. By the end of it, they’re crossing themselves and seem to be thanking God.

“Good job, Zahara. The town is secure, and all the extremists are pacified,” Raziel says over the radio.

“It was no sweat,” I say.

Sitting down, I take a breather and remember the persistent lesson that we’re always fighting against people who believe they’re doing the right thing, no matter how idiotic or evil they seem to be. Some deserve mercy and a second chance. Others deserve death and pity, and I’m grateful to have seen those who deserve mercy trying to make amends for what they’ve done by helping those they’ve hurt.

A Gentle Hand's Influence: Chapter 2 – Fire, Faith, and Fury

Chapter 2 – Fire, Faith, and Fury

Polina, along with Penelope, has become the primary focus of the people of Ferdinand ever since we saved the debate between Fribus and Nanpa from becoming the start of a civil war. As they take questions and talk to people from both sides of the country in a market square where both sides do business, Zahara and I keep an eye on them, the crowds, and the surrounding area. Given the demonic threat we experienced two days ago, I feel that I should be more on my guard than usual, especially since they prevented me from getting to Polina. I know she’s strong and can handle most things on her own, but after what happened to her…I can’t let anything happen to her. We have a child back home in Meridian to raise, and we’re considering a second child after the situation in Ferdinand stabilizes.

“Do not allow them to worry you, my friend. It is the way they make you sin and blind you from what is in front of you,” my fiery angel says.

I’m trying not to. Intercede for me so that I may never sin or allow them a way to infect my soul with evil.

Zahara bumps me with her shoulder and asks, “Raziel, do you think we’ll ever get a break from guard duty? Besides, the couple of Sundays that have passed, we’ve been doing nothing but standing around, except for that one exception two days ago.”

“No. It’s the whole reason why we’re here, after all. Why? Would you rather be in Polina's or Penelope’s position, talking to people?”

“Hell no. That’s more mentally exhausting and annoying than anything. I don’t know how they do it. Seeing what they have to go through almost makes all this standing around feel nostalgic for the guard duty I did as an officer.”

“It reminds me of my time as an officer, too. Don’t you have a rosary or prayers to say to pass the time? I have an extra one with me.”

“No, I’m fine. I’ve said plenty of prayers and am just trying not to be bored.”

“Would you rather there be fighting than talking? Fribus and Nanpa may have reached an agreement, but the wider government of Ferdinand still has to codify it into law, and some in both Fribus and Nanpa hate the other side.”

“No, not at all. Don’t mind what I’m saying. I’m just bored.”

“Heh, to be honest, I am as well. Praying and talking to my guardian angel are what keep me awake.”

Once the talks are done, the influencers from both Fribus and Nanpa argue about who takes the Compassionate to dinner to show us their appreciation, and both Polina and Penelope convince them to both take us out, with the three groups splitting the bill. They agree to it, and they take us to an expensive and gorgeous restaurant that specializes in food from both regions, and is decorated as such. Our dinner becomes a taste test of all foods, and we judge whether or not one was better than the other. Things get heated for a bit, but then Penelope and Polina calm things down by telling them the food from Fribus and Nanpa is equally delicious.

“Fribus has the best desserts and has the most savory meals,” Penelope says.

“Nanpa has amazing spicy food, that’s filling, and has dishes that are easy on the stomach,” Polina says.

They go back and forth trying to balance the scales so that both sides appear equal, another thing that Zahara and I whisper to one another that we’re grateful we don’t have to do. Per Polina and Penelope’s agreement to come here, others from Fribus and Nanpa who were in the marketplace were invited to this dinner with their meals paid for by us. Everyone gets to know each other more personally, while still expressing the uniqueness of each other’s cultures. It was a genius idea by them to further strengthen the bond between the two sides of the country and to create a group of people who see value in each other’s side. Everything seems to be going well. That is, until I see my angel pull me away from the table just as an explosion rocks the building and collapses the floor beneath me, sending me down from the fourth floor to the third.

People are screaming all around me, fire is spreading, and I can hear muffled gunshots all around me. I look around and don’t see Polina, Zahara, or Penelope.

In a panic, I say out loud, “Polina! Zahara! Penelope!”

My angel points up to the hole above me, where I see the three people I was looking for looking down at me.

“Raziel! Are you okay?” Polina asks.

Thanks be to God they’re all alive, I think as I cross myself.

“I’m fine. I hear gunshots around here. Get yourselves and the civilians to safety. I’ll handle the perpetrators of this horrendous attack!”

Before they can respond, I speed off toward the gunfire, all the while transforming into a form reminiscent of my angel with fiery wings, two large arms with scythes on them, and three flaming eyes on my face that guide me to my targets. Flying into the action, I use my scythes to decapitate and cut the attackers in two, saving the civilians, and then rushing them to get to safety. The attackers are mostly masked superhumans with a few masked gunmen here and there, with some superhumans using guns, before switching to using their superstrength or projectile powers on me, none of which have any effect on my flaming armor. Parts of the building start collapsing, so I use my enhanced strength by allowing debris to fall on me so that the civilians can be saved and are protected as they escape. One family is surrounded by flames and feels forced to jump out of the third-story window, but I catch them and gently put them on the ground before going back in to save more people.

Following the sounds of action, I come across a room full of attackers fighting the superhuman law enforcement that has just arrived. I aid them by spewing flames from my scythes, which burn only the attackers and are harmless to law enforcement and the building itself. Among those who are burned, few are kept alive, so I take them and bring them outside to the ambulances. Looking back at the building, I see the fourth floor collapse onto the third floor, which then falls onto the second floor, before the entire thing collapses. In the chaos, I search the area for Polina and my friends, and thankfully find them as they’re just exiting the building with more injured people with them.

I transform into my normal appearance and say, “Are you okay? Thanks be to God you’re all alive.”

“We’re fine. I wish we had saved more people, but many were already dead because of the attackers, burned alive, or crushed because of the debris,” Polina says.

“The bastards who did this are going to pay,” Zahara says.

“My flames spared a few from death. They’re being driven to the nearest hospital right now.”

“We should interrogate them right now so we can see if there are any more of them and why they did this,” Penelope says.

“Agreed,” Polina says.

Going to the hospital where the attackers are taken, we go to the section where criminals are kept and locked in rooms where guards stand watch. We talk to the guards, who say that the attackers are surprisingly talkative compared to past criminals that they’ve had here.

“It’s a result of my supernatural flames that burn souls as well as the body,” I say to them, which frightens them a bit.

When we question the attackers, one of them says, “We’re from Fribus. We attacked the meeting because we don’t want to deepen our ties with people from Nanpa. They did horrible things to us before and during the world war! How could we associate ourselves with such people?”

Another says they’re a veteran from the world war, and says, “My other fellow veterans participated in the attack. We know the horrors that the people of Nanpa are capable of. The wall separating us and the laws that kept them down should’ve never been removed.”

One of the attackers is an old man, who says, “What rights do the people of Nanpa deserve? None. They’re less than animals for what they did eighty years ago. People say that it was their leaders’ fault for the atrocities committed by them before and during the world war, but we all know that none of those people would’ve gotten the power they had without the support of the common folk.”

“As you said, the war was eighty years ago. Much has changed since then. The people believe different things. The leaders and people guilty of the atrocities committed against you and others across the world have been punished, and many of them have repented and are still in jail,” Polina says.

“So what? The people of Nanpa are always backwards-thinking. Nothing that Fribus has done in its entire history is as bad as what Nanpa did in a single century across two world wars.”

The old man in front of us suddenly combusts into flames. He screams as guards rush in to put him out with water, but the flames consume him until he is nothing but ash. They ask us if we did anything to me, to which we say, we’ve done nothing. Given what the man said, I assume that my flames consumed him since he went back on his repentance and to his sins, and because of what he said, the guards let what happened go.

Another attacker is more repentant and says, “I don’t know why I didn’t care for the civilians who were caught in the attack. I thought we were just killing those who would strengthen the ties between the two regions. I’m such an idiot for everything that I’ve done!”

I want to hate this woman for her evil actions and idiocy, but a touch from my angel calms me down, and I reassure her that she has the chance to make up for what she’s done, and that, “You can help us by telling us if there are others like you out there.”

“No. It was just us, but others think like us in Fribus and people who think oppositely in Nanpa.”

With nothing else gained from our questioning the other attackers, Polina says that, “This is going to shatter the agreement we’ve created between the regions. Penelope and I will smooth things over as much as we can. Raziel and Zahara, find out as much as you can about these other groups and prevent them from causing any more damage by any means necessary, and call backup for you two.”

Zahara and I go our separate ways from Penelope and Polina, and do as we’re told. These people who attacked us weren’t possessed by demons like many people we’ve faced. Instead, they were on the opposite side of evil, one that’s unprompted by demons to do unspeakable things. Their souls are so impoverished of virtue that they don’t need the forces of Hell to tempt them to do anything, since committing sins is second nature to them, making threats like them sometimes more dangerous and evil than the ones who are possessed, an evil that must be cleansed from Ferdinand if we are to unify Fribus and Nanpa and keep the peace.