Ballad of L'Obscurite: Chapter 1 – Justice in the Dark

Chapter 1 – Justice in the Dark

A professional torturer is taking a break from his work on an officer who is tied to a chair. The officer is barely conscious thanks to the things injected into him that keep him awake and make the pain inflicted on him all the more painful. His fingers and toes are all broken, his face has been burned by branding, and his arms and legs have been cut in most areas. Next, the torturer is planning to work on the officer’s body. I may have been too late to stop this torture from starting, but I’m ending it.

The lights in the basement flicker and the officer disappears from the room much to the torturer’s surprise. He looks around the room with his pistol drawn. He’s confused by what has happened since he didn’t hear anything and there’s no sign of the officer anywhere. Even the door into the room is closed and still locked from the inside by the key he has on him.

The sight of this is enough to make me laugh as I say, “Confused. Oh, you poor boy. If only your father taught you a more valuable skill than killing and torturing for criminals.”

“Shut up about my father! Who are you?” the man asks as he frantically looks around the room while being unable to see me.

“Someone who knows a lot about you just from looking at you. Still, I need to know more. Why were you torturing that officer?”

“If you know so much about me, then why don’t you answer that for yourself?”

I make the man fly into the torture chair and tied him to it.

“I can pull it out of you, but I’m sure you’d prefer it the less painful way.”

“Do whatever you want. I won’t talk.”

“Yes, it’s unfortunate that your father taught you how to both torture and endure it, however, he never taught you the methods I know.”

I cut both arms off the man, but he’s arms don’t bleed. He doesn’t even feel any pain. Instead, the pain comes when small spiders made of darkness start crawling their way out of his skin.

“What the hell?! What is this?!”

“The punishment for your sins. Now, tell me why you were torturing that officer.”

“N-no! This is just a trick. It isn’t happening!”

“Really?” Spiders start coming out of his legs after they fall off. Then, they start coming out of his eyes and mouth. “I’m sure they taste and seem real to you now. Are you ready to answer me yet?”

What seems to be a “yes” comes out of the man’s muffled mouth so I make the swarm of spiders disappear into nothing and his limbs reattach themselves to their original spots.

“I…I was hired to make sure the police were still on my boss’s side. That even though many of the people we made deals with are dead, that the deals will be honored, and that they’ll take our bribes and stay out of our business.”

“Will they?”

“That officer was a tough nut to crack, but I don’t think they will. My boss should still have powerful friends in politics and business. You should talk to them if you want to know more.”

“I’ll visit them soon enough. As for you…” Looking into the man’s soul, I see that his black soul is unwilling to repent of his ways. “I think you need more time to think about what you’ve done.”

I laugh as I make the man’s limbs fall off and spiders come out of him again. They’ll stop if he repents or kill him if he doesn’t. Taking the key from the man, I use it to help the officer out of the basement and bring him outside in the alleyway. I heal his wounds and cleanse him of the poisons in him with a single touch and give him time to wake up.

Once he’s awake, he says, “Thank you, whoever you are. You’re a miracle worker. What did you do to that piece of crap back in there? All I heard was screaming and talking, but I didn’t see you. I still don’t see you.”

“That’s not important. All you need to do is get back home safely,” I say. “Be sure to never fall to corruption or I, L’Obscurité, will return for you.”

“L’Obscurité?!”

I laugh as I enter the shadows and travel through them faster than a plane to my next destination. As I exit the shadows and take off my shroud and scarf darkness of darkness, I step out into the lights of Meridian city, looking up at its many gothic, art deco, and modern-inspired towers and then my reflection in one of the cars to make sure my suit, tie, and hair are all in order. Hmm. My hair is getting a bit long. Maybe I should get it cut soon. Besides that, everything looks good and I’m thankful that transforming and using my powers doesn’t affect my normal appearance.

It's times like these that I wish I had a personal limousine since the crowd to get into the meeting and party I’m going to is surrounded by the media and protesters and I have to wade through them to get to the front door. Thankfully, my status allows me to take advantage of the guards there so they can make a path for me.

“You always have to stand out, don’t you, Timeo?” Lancetto says.

I call out to my best friend, hug him, and walk with him into the building. Lancetto is dressed like the image of wealth he usually is. He wears a white top hat that has a red strap around it, a white shawl, a red bowtie, a white dress coat, a black vest, white pants, black shoes, and a cane with a golden hawk on it. His blonde hair is tied in a ponytail and his round glasses are more for show than anything since they hardly hide his green eyes.

“I do, especially since most people don’t see me nowadays,” I say.

“You could’ve taken a ride with me, you know? I would’ve got my limousine to stop by your house before coming here.”

“It’s fine. Besides, with the way I come here, I don’t need to worry about traffic going back and forth.”

“I guess that is a good trade-off. How are your parents doing?”

“Better than ever as usual, but I do miss them being at home.”

“You can’t blame them for wanting to make up for lost time at work. The hospital and charity need their help more than ever.”

“I know, I know. I am glad that they’ve awoken from their coma and are up as they were just sleeping that entire time, thanks be to God.”

“Thanks be to God.”

“Speaking of which, how is your side of the industry doing?”

“Fine enough. We’re still recovering from what that vigilante did to the entire city with his macabre display of killing many people in high places of power and exposing their crimes.”

“You mean L’Obscurité, right?”

“Yes, I do.”

“He cleaned out a lot of the criminal scum from all aspects of the city, didn’t he? How’s that not a good thing?”

“Because it has massively decreased public trust in the government and powers that be. Surely, you’ve seen the protests and protesters that are outside this very building?”

“Yes, but still. I think he’s done a lot of good, more good for the city than the other heroes and vigilantes in this city.”

Lancetto and I sit down at our assigned table. On the table is the program for today, with utensils, a small glass of water, a wine glass, a small plate, and a dinner menu.

“Be careful about who hears you. People here might think you might do the same as him, be allies with him, or are him.”

“I’ll try. I’m not used to the ways of politics and business like you are.”

“It’s fine. Just remember that a lot is done behind closed doors so that the public doesn’t riot like it does now.”

“Yeah, I get it. Did your brother become a bishop yet?”

“He did, just last week.”

“Congratulations!”

“Eh. People on the clergy side of the Affare family obtaining places of influence in the Church is so commonplace that this occasion might as well have been his Baptism.”

“Any other news I should know about? I’ve also heard about a parishioner exposing the sexual crimes of the clergy. I hope your family isn’t mixed up in it.”

“No, we aren’t, and like I said, closed doors. You sure are asking a lot about current events and touchy subjects.”

“What can I say? It’s the result of not getting out much.”

“Shouldn’t you be studying medicine or being involved in education and charity like the rest of your family and its associated business partners?”

“I do office work here and there, but I don’t have a particular field I want to be dedicated to yet.”

“I get it, and you really have no reason to since your family is just as rich as mine, but we both need to work to carry on our family’s legacy.”

“I know.”

Lancetto grabs the program, looks at it, and says, “For example, Klinge Geben, of the Geben family. His family is known for scientific advancements, their farms, food production, and manufacturing tools and vehicles. Klinge spends all his time helping on the farms or in the factories and doesn’t come out to events like this because of the mutation that he suffered while working. Instead, he lets people from his company who work well for his company’s image come out here to make deals and be here in his place.”

“I’m sure he’ll teach me a lot when I meet him.”

“You plan to visit him? He doesn’t get many visitors from people outside of his company so it’s going to be very difficult to do so.”

“I have my ways. Both our families influence the field of science after all.”

He’s also a man whose industry affects all levels of society. It’s a shame that my powers can only give me the surface-level memories of a person without coercion and it’s only when I use my powers that I can know their memories. There are so many people from the highest levels of society who support the four core families of Meridian, all of whom should know something valuable to me to keep the city free of crime. A woman walking to us out of the crowd catches my attention. She has pale skin like me, light blue eyes, long black hair, a black dress, pink heels, a black hat with a pink rose in it, a white snake scarf around her neck, and pink lace arm sleeves.

“Who’s that?” I ask.

“Darcy Travail of the Travail family. You’d know her if you came to these events more often. Her family organizes the artist guilds, libraries, and museums,” Lancetto explains. Noticing the look on my face, he shifts as he says, “You ought to talk to her in private if you want to get to know her better, and if you plan on romance, as I said before closed doors.”

“Haha, shut up. It’s not like that.”

“Please, I know that look on your face when you’re interested in something or someone. She doesn’t like meetings like this so it’ll be easy for you to convince her to walk out for some fresh air or at least whatever kind of stinky city air that Meridian has.”

“It’s a charming, acquired taste that few love and feels nostalgic for despite how repulsing it may be to others.”

“You have a taste for the poetic, don’t you?” Darcy says as she takes a seat with us. “I don’t think we met before.”

“The name’s Timeo Severe. It’s an honor to meet you.”

“It’s my pleasure.”

Before I can say anything else, the party and meeting start. The organizers talk about how the four founding families; Severe, Affare, Geben, and Travail, and their allies built up Meridian during its founding so it could be what it is today. They then talk about current affairs such as the problems caused by superhumans like me, or rather, L’Obscurité who killed criminals and exposed the corruption within all aspects of the city.

They say, “We need to purge the criminals and filth from our midst so that these vigilantes don’t make us look incompetent, or worse, collaborators with the corruption that is killing our home, the great city, Meridian.”

This is the only thing that I clap for since it’s my greatest concern and why I’m here.  After the introductions of the families and topics of today are done, dinner is brought out for the buffet and the meeting and party will resume after everyone has had their fill.

“At least we’re going to be talking about something productive this time,” I say to Darcy.

“Yes, but all this talk never really does anything. These events are an excuse to meet and make deals with one another and show the public that we’re doing something,” she says.

“You’re right. Action speaks louder than words and I’d rather be doing something than talking about doing something.”

“Wisely said, Timeo.”

Looking over to Lancetto, he nods and rotates his hand, signaling me to continue talking.

“Darcy, speaking of actions, would you like to collaborate with me on a project? I’m sure the inspiration to create can be grown in the presence of struggle as shown in the many charities and hospitals my family owns and manages. There’s also the schools we can visit as well to give talks and collaborate with its students and staff.”

“That does sound like a good opportunity. Tell me more.”

Darcy is now smiling and looking at me with interest. In the background, Lancetto is giving me a thumbs up and looking back and forth at the balcony where people are smoking and drinking.

“Let’s discuss more outside. It’s a bit stuffy in here.”

“Gladly.”

Darcy and I walk outside and pick a spot where no one can hear us.

She looks out at the city and says, “The sight of the many buildings in the city made in different styles and modern enhancements inspires me to create a legacy that will last for centuries after I’m gone.”

“I’m inspired to do the same. I want to especially get rid of the crime and corruption in the city to such a degree that it stays safer for future generations,” I say.

“You think real change will come with our collaboration?” Darcy says as she looks at me as if reading my face for any truths or lies.

“I do. People need to see others acting virtuous so that they can do the same.”

“It’s a bit different for artists.”

“How so?”

“Artists make up stories and drawings inspired by reality, the thoughts in their head, and dreams to influence people to act. We can tap into truths through telling part of it while leaving the rest of it to fiction or interpretation.”

“Nevertheless, the ability to create such works of art is a divine gift and can be used to great effect. I think we can do great things together, Darcy. We can break the hold corruption has over Meridian and create a better future.”

“You seem optimistic for someone who has been held up taking care of his parents. I’m curious, why the sudden change?”

“You have to take care of your own before helping other people. Besides, the city would be worse off without the aid of my parents?”

“What about your siblings who are in the hospital?”

“They were lazy good for nothing who got what they deserved.”

“Hmm. You seem to approve of violence being done to people despite working in charity and health.”

“And you seem to know more about a person you’ve never met before. Tell me, am I the one who initiated the collaboration or did I fall into your trap?”

Darcy smirks and says, “Perceptive, I see. I have been wanting to collaborate with another of the four founding families and yours is the most tasteful to work with.”

“Why’s that?”

“The Affare family works in the industry of politics, business, and faith while the Geben family works in manufacturing and science. The fields they work in are susceptible to corruption while ours is purely virtuous.”

“Are you sure? The arts can teach lies and instill evil just as easily as they can teach the truth and promote virtue.”

Darcy’s smile widens. “Then you better keep a close eye on me and my work, Mr. Severe. I look forward to our collaboration.”

Darcy walks back in just as the meeting and party resume. As we sit back at our table, Lancetto moves his thumb around, silently asking if the talk went well or not. I think about it for a second before giving him a thumbs up, which makes him smile. Despite all the promises of families here to expunge corruption from their ranks at all levels, I’ll have to look into them as L’Obscurité to know if they really will and keep a close eye on Darcy as she said. This life as a hero is only beginning to get interesting.

My 299th is done and out today!

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Mercy has run out in the Divine as the sin of the crime-ridden city of Merdian is too great to allow any longer. Justice must be dealt to every sinner from the most prestigious superhuman hero and politician to lowly criminal and the scum of the city must be redeemed so that the Divine can act through hearts that were always His.

Who We All Fear: Chapter 4 – The Saint in Black

Chapter 4 – The Saint in Black

From among the many sinful in Meridian, few are repentant and virtuous. My attention is brought to the Severe family, which is one of the oldest families in Meridian who helped build and maintain it for centuries. The family is in dire straits since the parents have been in a coma ever since they were almost killed and five of the six children have given themselves to their sinful ways. Timeo Severe, the youngest son, is the only one who cares for his parents besides the hired help and co-workers of the parents. Today is the birthday of his mother, Amelie, and he is the only one in their large, empty house that sits just outside of Meridian.

Timeo makes a small cake, lights some candles, and sings Happy Birthday to his mother who is unconscious in bed with his father. Despite this, Timeo still talks to them as if they heard him and then the power goes out because of the heavy thunderstorm outside, the loss of power souring the already gloomy mood. Unable to keep up the act any longer, Timeo puts his hands on his face as he holds back tears.

“I’m sorry I can’t get my siblings to ever come over to see you. My brothers and sisters are greedy bastards who took their inheritance from you before you’re even dead and are spending it on whores and parties. If I wasn’t so weak, I could’ve fought off those scum that jumped us and made you like this,” Timeo says as his sadness starts to give way to anger. “I’m tired of crying. Tired of all the days that I’m the only one here who cares for you. Despite all your years of caring for others, no one cares in return. Despite what you taught me and my siblings, I’m the only one who took your wisdom to heart. I’m tired of it. Tired of it all and I’ll…I’ll make them pay.”

The storm gets worse as Timeo puts on a long black jacket, a black hoodie, and a gray scarf to hide his appearance. He’s in such a rush to punish his siblings that he doesn’t care that he’s still wearing his black suit, tie, dress pants, and nice shoes as he heads out. All his siblings happen to be in one place tonight since they’re holding an expensive party filled with drugs, alcohol, and prostitutes. They posted it on social media for their rich friends to see and unintentionally gave Timeo their exact location. Being the only good son, his siblings have distanced themselves from him by not involving themselves with him nor keeping in contact.

“They’ll be spending what they have left on expensive medical bills rather than blowing it on the pleasures of the world,” Timeo thinks to himself.

Because of the weather and craze of the party, Timeo can sneak into the party and use the crowd as cover to enter the party room. It’s only when he makes it inside does he sticks out and attracts attention to himself. Everyone looks at him as if he’s supposed to be part of the entertainment while two guards stand in front of him, making sure he doesn’t do anything. Timeo stares at his siblings with a look that can kill as the violence within him builds until it boils over. Just as one of the guards touches him, he yells out, breaks the man’s arms, and then knocks him out with his hands.

The next guard tries to fight Timeo, but he grabs him by the neck and repeatedly punches him in the face until this next guard is knocked out as well. With their minds clouded by their vices, Timeo’s siblings clap at this display, however, some of them take this display as a challenge as they step up to fight him.

“Do you really think you can challenge the Severe family-” one of Timeo’s brothers says before Timeo immediately starts going after him.

Timeo punches his brother in the stomach, the throat, and then one final punch to the face, putting him down for the night. His sister throws a kick at him and he counters by grabbing her leg, breaking it, breaking her arm after she throws a punch, and then putting her through a glass table. Another sister attacks him from behind by smashing a wine bottle against his head, and he in turn, grabs her by the neck, drags her across a wooden table, knocking over every bottle of expensive liquor, and throws her against the wall, her head hitting it and knocking her out cold. His oldest brother runs up and starts drunkenly punching Timeo, hardly giving him a chance to do anything other than hold his arms up to defend himself.

“Do you think you’re tough? Think you can just beat up my brothers and sisters and get away with it?!” the oldest brother says.

Looking for a way to counterattack, Timeo looks around the room until he sees a nearby fancy chair made of steel. He takes hits from his brother to reach it before he takes it and meets his attack with his own and begins ruthlessly beating his brother with it. Another sister tries to intervene, but Timeo also sees her and counters her attack with a kick. He alternates his attention between both siblings until the chair breaks over his brother and he knocks out his sister with a kick after breaking both her legs. One last brother remains who is drunk out of his mind and has been cheering, laughing, and clapping while this fight has been going on until he realizes he is next.

With his hands up, the last brother says, “Woah, woah! I was cheering for you this entire time! How much money would you like for your prize? Any amount is good!”

Before his brother can flaunt his wealth any longer, Timeo grabs him by the neck and relentlessly beats his face in until he breaks all his brother’s teeth. Timeo had something to say to each of his siblings. He’s prepared to scold them for years and thought of various ways of explaining it to them, but at this point, he just screams in such an unnatural and frightening way that it doesn’t even seem like his scream is his own as he screams so loud that it makes everyone in the room’s ears ring. After collecting himself, Timeo walks out of the room with his bloodied and bruised hands in his pockets. The beating he gave his siblings satiated a need for violence in him, and yet, he feels emptier than ever.

As Timeo walks back home with a hollow mind and soul, he comes across a dead homeless man in the rainy streets of the city. No one pays attention to him and most walk around him and some walk over. Seeing this fills Timeo with pity as he calls a family friend from the hospital to bring an ambulance to take care of the man’s body.

Timeo pushes aside people who walk over the homeless man’s body and says, “Show some respect for the dead!”

He stays with the body until the ambulance arrives, takes him, and attempts to revitalize him while taking him to the hospital and are surprised to find that he comes back to life with little effort, something that they’ll tell Timeo later after the man is taken to the hospital and given a room paid for by Timeo. Meanwhile, Timeo stops by the alley where his parents were put into a coma by criminals since he is passing by it. He stands around in silence, remembering the event, how his parents fought back, and how he’s the only one in his family who has been caring for them. Part of him wishes the same criminals who put his family into a coma would reappear as if beating them would change things while another part feels as if he’s become a thug by beating up his siblings.

“Timeo,” I say.

“Hmm? Who's there?” he asks.

“Don’t you know? You helped me while I was dead on the street.”

“I did?”

“When you help the least of my brothers, you help me.”

Immediately recognizing who I am, Timeo prostrates himself.

“My Lord, I am a sinful man who doesn’t deserve to hear your voice.”

“You may be sinful, but you are a good and faithful son. Your treatment of your siblings was just to an extent and your caring for the homeless was a rare act of virtue in Meridian.”

“I’m sorry for what I did. I let my emotions and demons get to me.”

“What I am giving you is a gift, not a punishment or penance, even though you will use it to both punish and bring people to repent and do penance.”

The darkness of the surrounding area enters Timeo, turning his skin a dark gray, and one of his eyes turns pure black and the other black and gray. Shadows dress him in a cloak and scarf, giving him the appearance of a ghost, or rather, a reaper.

Looking at himself in a nearby puddle, Timeo says, “What am I? What is this?”

“The blessing of justice. You will be a dark avenger who brings my justice to the sinful and repentant souls to my mercy,” I say.

“Why me?”

“This has been my purpose for you ever since the start, and now, you will fulfill it at its appropriate time.”

“So…I’m a superhuman now. How do I use my powers?”

“I shall show you.” Timeo’s body becomes one with the darkness around him. He travels as fast as the wind through the city while no one sees him. “Remember this sensation so you may do the same in the future. You can travel in the dark and light like this since both are like mercy and justice, two sides of the same coin.”

“This is amazing! Where are we going?”

“To enact justice on the guilty and to rescue someone dear to me.”

I bring Timeo to one of the most high-end skyscrapers in the city and take him to the deepest depths where some of the most depraved acts in the city are committed. In one cell is a woman who has been here for some time for wanting to expose corruption in my Church. She lies barely conscious and half starved to death in rags of filth after being abused for so long.

“Is she who we’re here to rescue? Can she enter the darkness with me?” Timeo asks.

“She can’t. You’ll have to fight your way out to do that, which is easily said and done if you rely on me,” I say. “Observe.”

Two men enter the cell and look at the woman in disgust.

“This one is all shriveled up and useless,” one says.

“Yeah. Not even the ones who like the dead inside ones want her.”

“Do we serve her up to the cannibals or give her to the freaks in the ghettos?”

“I’ve heard enough of this,” Timeo says.

“So have I,” I say.

I demonstrate to Timeo the power he now wields by manipulating the shadows to form tools of punishment and justice based on the sinner they are used on. For example, these two are cut from the crotch to the top of their head with shadows forming chainsaws.

“Woah!” Timeo says.

“They deserved it. Such degenerates like them are beyond repentance,” I say.

Timeo takes the woman in his arms and says, “Okay. Now what?”

“Now, we bring judgment to the rest of them on our way to the surface.”

The damnation of many souls and the freeing of the innocent from their cells happen as Timeo makes his way through the underground tower of sin. From the shadows, the punishment of the guilty manifests in various ways such as people being eaten by demons in the shadows, torn to shreds by hundreds of arms, sliced to bits by scythes, shot to bits, being drowned by water that is suspended in air, drowned in alcohol, burning alive, crushed, suffocated, drugged until their blood pours out of their skin, mouth, and eyes, and more. To finish this, when Timeo reaches the ground floor with the innocent people behind him, those who knew about the evil deeds happening below have nooses wrapped around their necks from the dark before they are thrown outside and hung from the building as if it were a macabre Christmas tree.

Looking back on what he’s done with my help, Timeo says, “This…this power is beyond incredible.”

While I fly Timeo to the top of the building with the woman in his arms, I say, “Yes. Be careful with it and you will change the city for decades to come. Now, to make your presence known. Pick a hero name while I do so.”

I draw everyone who is around the building to look at the hanging bodies and prisoners escaping from it and make more traffic head this way. They look at the sight in horror and confusion. Even the police, heroes, and vigilantes are too afraid to do anything. Their eyes are then drawn to the top of the building where they see Timeo wrapped in darkness and terrifying like one of the many gothic statues that hang on its buildings.

“Hear me, people of Meridian,” I say with Timeo. “Your sinful ways have brought the wrath of the divine and every villain will be punished as these have. Enter the building, if you dare, to see the depravity that your leaders have been up to with the other criminal scum of its lower ranks and what they’ve done to people who oppose them. If you wish to avoid the same fate, fear God, be virtuous, or I will be coming for you. I am justice made manifest, the saint in black, the wrath of the divine.”

Taking over, Timeo says, “I, am L’Obscurité and you will know the true value of fear.”

He then laughs as the crowd scatters out of fear while I make him fly out of the area and to a safe location. We’re now in the garden at a monastery where close friends of mine reside. Inside, we can hear arguing.

“Why can’t we go after my aunt now? We managed to do so much yesterday in so little time,” Ishbel says.

“Yes, but that was with God’s constant intercession and He’s been silent today,” Jordyn says.

“We’ll find a way to get her. The few connections remaining out there should know something,” Allona adds.

“God will find a way to get us to her. I’m sure of it,” Jerod says.

Timeo knocks on the garden door startling the people inside. They grab their guns, carefully open the door, and are shocked to see Timeo, especially Ishbel who gets in front of them.

“That’s my aunt!” she says. “Who are you and why do you have her? Where did you find her?”

“Saving her is my gift to you from a mutual friend,” I say through Timeo. “Here, take her and nurse her back to health. She’ll be fine after a month of rest and proper help.”

Ishbel takes her aunt into her arms before Timeo flies away.

“Did you sense the virtue of those people and the sins of their past?” I ask.

“Yes, I did. I also saw the impact you had on them,” Timeo says.

“Remember them and the people we brought judgment upon. Those people may have been scum yesterday, but I have redeemed them and made them better than most in this city.”

“I see. So, I won’t just be rescuing and killing people.”

“No, because it is better that people be redeemed and live than executed and damned. It is a shame that most deserve death here, but your efforts can change that.”

“I won’t disappoint you, Lord.”

“I know you won’t.”

I bring Timeo back to his home where he rejoins his parents and tells them everything that’s happened. After kissing them goodnight, they suddenly wake up for the first time in a while. Overjoyed by this, he thanks me on his knees and calls the friends of the family to let them know. Their friends come over and celebrate the occasion with a proper birthday for Timeo’s mother. Now that the proper pieces are in place, I withdraw my wrath from Meridian while not keeping out of it entirely as my faithful servants will do my will.

There is no event or thought that escapes my notice. The guilty will be punished and the repentant and innocent will obtain their redemption and be avenged. Under my ever-watchful gaze, this will always be so. With fear always in their hearts, the sinful will stay away from evil and receive my mercy while the wretched who persist in it will find themselves damned sooner than they think, a fate as sure as the day and night.

 

The End

Who We All Fear: Chapter 3 – Swords of the Holy

Chapter 3 – Swords of the Holy

Jordyn runs from me and to the safety of a dark building full of his friends, however, they are all already dead. He is shocked at this at first until he shakes off his fear, calls their names to make sure they’re actually dead, and then starts taking their weapons from their bodies.

“Jordyn,” I say, making him scramble to his feet and drop his weapons. He points two pistols around the room, looking for the slightest movement. “It’s too late for your friends, but not for you.”

“Shut up!” Jordyn says while shooting in every direction before continuing down the hallway.

While fleeing, Jordyn trips over bodies in the dark, all of which are ripped to pieces.

“Stop running from me.”

“Leave me alone!” he says while firing behind him and shooting with guns that he finds on the floor.

Cornering himself in a room at the end of a hallway, Jordyn keeps his eyes on the only way into the room with his pistols pointed at it. The thin, pale man uncontrollably shakes in fear and is impatient about something happening while not wanting anything to happen at the same time.

“Jordyn,” I say directly in his left ear.

He jumps and starts shooting at the darkness next to him but stops soon after when he sees who he has shot. It’s his father, Cohan, who is a faithful servant of mine.

“Jordyn,” Cohan says. “I still…love you…my son. No matter what you do. I always will.”

Cohan who was shot in the throat and the chest many times by Jordyn still manages to speak because of my power. He falls to the floor, making his son drop his empty pistols, and hold his dying body.

“Dad…dad, I’m sorry…” Jordyn says with tears in his eyes. “Why did you have to follow me? I said to keep out of my business, but you had to follow me, didn’t you? Make sure that I wasn’t getting into any trouble. If you didn’t follow me, my friends wouldn’t have forced me to shoot you. If you didn’t care about me, you wouldn’t have had to die…What am I saying blaming you for anything? This is all my fault. I’m the good-for-nothing son who doesn’t deserve to live anymore.”

“No, son,” I say through Cohan. “You can still redeem yourself. It’s like I always say. It’s not over until you’re dead.”

Jordyn struggles with himself until he throws aside his despair and says, “Okay…okay, dad. I’ll pick myself up and redeem myself. What do I have to do?”

“Follow me,” I say.

“You…you’re the invisible man who killed my friends and everyone here after I shot my dad. Who are you?”

“You may call me Sanctus.”

“You’re…I always said my dad had God by his side. It’s why he never could be in a bad mood even when we were poor and my mom died. What business do you have with scum like me?”

“The intercession of your parents and the grand fulfillment of your purpose in life. Wrap your father’s body, put him in your car, and come back to burn this building to the ground.”

“Okay. Okay, I’ll do it. Do it for my dad.”

Jordyn does what I say and watches the burning of the building from a distance. Inside it, all the bodies of criminals and the drugs and porn in the basement that they sold and traded in burn to ashes. I then tell Jordyn to bury his father in the spot next to his mother and he does.

“All right. Now what?” Jordyn asks.

“Go to Ishbel and give her this,” I say as I teleport an expensive necklace to Jordyn’s hands.

“A necklace? What does it mean to her?”

“Everything.”

Doing as I say again, Jordyn goes to a prostitution house in the red-light district of Meridian. He asks for Ishbel at the front desk and is told to wait at the bar for her.

Ishbel comes down, scantily dressed in shorts, a crop top, a crop top hoodie, and thigh-high boots, and asks, “What is it this time, Jordyn? I told you that I’m not taking any clients for a while and I’m not interested in the dope your friends are selling.”

“This isn’t about business,” Jordyn says as he takes the necklace I gave him out of his pocket. “Does this mean anything to you?”

Snatching it from his hands, Ishbel inspects the necklace, especially the markings on it with her aunt’s initials on it.

“Where did you get this and how?”

“It’s a complicated explanation, but would you believe me if I said God gave it to me?”

“Actually, I would. I’ve been praying to get some way out of this life but didn’t expect it to be this. My…boss had this. It was what I gave him to enter it and the price to get it was my way out.”

“And you should get out, now,” I say.

“Who said-”

Jordyn takes Ishbel out of the house just as it explodes. They watch as people come running out of it, burning alive before dying. Not even the superhuman guards and prostitutes survive.

“Talk about being struck by the hand of God,” Jordyn says.

“If that’s true, why would He choose to save me of all people? I’m just common street scum,” Ishbel says.

“I am too and I just killed my dad who was a living saint. Let’s get out of here.”

As Jordyn and Ishbel are driving away, I say, “Pull up to this empty lot.” Both are scared by my sudden words and do as I say. I then instruct them to, “Find Jerod.”

“You serious?” Ishbel asks.

“If we’re told to find him, then it’s what we have to do. Who is he?” Jordyn says.

“A superhuman hitman who poses as a priest.”

“Huh. That does make this sound ridiculous, but since this entire situation is, I don’t see why we shouldn’t. What do we need to do when we find him?”

“Make the sign of the cross over him, tell him he’s already been forgiven and to come with you,” I say.

“Okay, we’ll do it.”

“Are you crazy? What makes you think two street urchins can tell what a cold-hearted hitman what to do?”

“Well, what makes you think God would have mercy on us out of everyone else He’s brought judgment on? Why should we question Him now?”

“Tch, I guess you’re right. Let me do the talking to get us in.”

“What does a prostitute know about talking to priests?”

“More than you know,” Ishbel says while rubbing her neck.

Ishbel tells Jordyn where to go. She takes him to a monastery where Jerod stays when he’s in Meridian and asks one of the priests inside for him.

“I’m sorry, miss, but he isn’t here today,” the priest says.

“But I’m sure you know where he is,” Ishbel.

“I’m afraid that I don’t. He doesn’t always tell us where he goes.”

“Bullshit. You know exactly where he goes and what he does. Tell me where he is!”

“Ishbel,” Jordyn says as he puts his hand on her shoulder.

She pushes his hand off and then says, “I know exactly who these sick freaks are and I have proof of it.” Ishbel rubs her neck again, takes out her aunt’s necklace, and pushes a button to reveal a small USB stick in the cross pendant. “This has video proof of the priests and nuns that visited the prostitution houses around here. My aunt threatened to expose this if they didn’t change, but I took it from her and sold her out so I could live as a rich prostitute. She may be dead or worse, and now that I’ve had a change of heart, I’ll finish what she started if you don’t tell me what I need to know.”

“Okay, okay. Jerod is downstairs, praying, and studying in his room,” the priest says. As we walk passed him, he asks, “Will you still expose us? Your aunt was such a nice, faithful, and peaceful woman who-”

“Shut up. I’ll consider what I do with the information later.”

While walking downstairs, Jordyn says, “I’m sorry about your aunt. Now I know why that necklace is so important to you.”

“It’s more than important. It’s everything to me. If your dad was your living saint, then my aunt was mine. She was a faithful woman who loved helping her parish and saved my life before I was born because my mother wanted to abort me. This necklace she gave me was a gift she gave me as a sign that she believed I would become a better person and I used it against her.”

“But you did change.”

“Yeah, I guess.”

“I’m surprised those priests didn’t try anything to get that USB from us.”

“It’s because Jerod can easily kill us and we’re heading right for him.”

“Well, I’m hoping for the best.”

“Keep doing that because I’m pretty sure we’re going to die,” Ishbel says while rubbing her neck. “The only good sign is that he hasn’t met us out here. The man has superhuman hearing, can jump really high, and literally pulls guns out of his body.”

“He sounds like a swell guy.” At Jerod’s door, the two pause outside of it before Jordyn breathes in and out, grabs the knob, and says, “Here goes nothing.”

As Jordyn walks into the room, he walks into Jerod whose been facing the entrance of his room, waiting for them. The tall, muscular, bald priest walks out of his room and makes Jordyn and Ishbel quickly take a few steps back.

“You’re the two who have been asking about me. Why?” Jerod asks in a plain and yet intimidating way because of his deep voice and firm face.

Jordyn swallows, makes the sign of the cross at Jerod, and then says, “You are already forgiven. Come with me.”

“Who are you to say that to me? No one commands me to do anything,” Jerod says.

Taking control of Jordyn, I make Jerod’s feet fall and get stuck in the floor with the invisible use of my power, and then say, “Kneel and cease this childish behavior! You are not your master. You’ve prostituted your services of blood and metal for men who paid your price no matter who they told you to kill and now is the time of repentance that you think it is. Follow me and those that I’ve chosen to be your friends or be damned.”

Jerod falls prostrate on the floor, putting dents on the floor with the force of his knees and head, and says, “My Lord! I will do as you say. I repent, I repent, I repent of not listening to you before. The old me is dead and the new one will live!”

Ishbel, Jordyn, and the priests in the monastery who were listening are shocked by what Jerod has said.

“Wow. I didn’t know you had that in you,” Ishbel says.

“I didn’t either and I don’t think that was me,” Jordyn frankly admits.

“Followers of my God, lead me to where He desires,” Jerod says.

“Okay, uh. Let’s get out of here.”

Jerod walks upstairs with Jordyn and Ishbel to the amazement of the other priests. Seeing as how their greatest asset has left them and wanting to protect themselves from jail time, they start firing on the three. Jerod shields his new friends with his massive body, takes two shotguns out of his bare arms that contain an arsenal of weapons, and kills every priest who comes at them.

When it’s clear that no other corrupt priest remains, Jerod makes a short bow, and then says, “My apologies, Lord. I’ll clean up your place of worship after the mission you have sent me on has been accomplished.”

Outside of the monastery, Jordyn asks Jerod, “What’s this time of repentance that you know about?”

“Isn’t it obvious? The Lord has been bringing judgment to Meridian because of its many sins. The deaths of the Dessous and Soleil crime families and the exposing of the crimes of the Limpiar Hero Association are proof of this,” he says.

“And this made you change from being a scumbag to an actual priest?” Ishbel asks.

“I was always a priest, a shameful one yes, but after coming to me in a dream and burning me with the riches I’ve obtained, I’ve repented and am born anew. Ishbel, I am sorry for the tortuous things I’ve done to you. Please, forgive me.”

Ishbel rubs her neck and says, “Whatever. You killing those scummy priests is penance enough for me, but we should also find my aunt, assuming that’s what God wants us to do.”

“You will in the mission I have for you. For now, I need you three to help cleanse this city of filth. Find Allona and allow me to talk to her through you,” I say.

All three have a problem with this since they’ve each wronged her in some way due to their previous line of work being a rival to theirs.

“I will help you. The building will be set on fire and her workers will turn on her,” I say to alleviate their concerns a bit.

“Why should we complain when we’re given this opportunity to redeem ourselves?” Jerod points out. “If we die, we deserve it. If we fail, it won’t be held against us for trying.”

“I hate to admit it, but the big guy is right. I just can’t believe I still have reservations about doing what I’m told despite what has happened in these past few short hours,” Jordyn says.

“Tch, you guys are right. Are you both ready?” Ishbel asks.

“As ready as I can be.”

“God has already given us each other and His aid. There’s nothing more we could need,” Jerod says.

Jerod leads them to where Allona is and all three are given dirty looks by the people in the apartment building turned criminal hideout and told to leave. The rats and cockroaches spark a fire in the building, distracting the criminals while Jerod draws his shotguns from his arms, and gives pistols to Jordyn and a submachine gun to Ishbel. Jerod acts like a moving cover for his two new friends, tearing through the criminals as they make their way up the floors of the apartment, searching room after room for Allona. They go up to the second floor where Ishbel’s head is blown to pieces by a stray shot. I instantly bring her back to life and give her powers to sprout vines with blade-like thorns covering them. Ishbel’s head is reformed as her vines spread throughout the second floor to kill their enemies.

“That was amazing,” Jordyn comments.

“Yeah, but I don’t want it to happen again. It wasn’t a pleasant experience,” Ishbel says who is just as shocked as Jordyn and Jerod are.

The three then move through the rooms, cleaning them of any remaining criminals and freeing the captives there who flee the building. On the third floor, there are many reluctant allies of Allona who are fighting each other. They were meeting here earlier and past events had raised tensions to the point where Allona felt the need to exchange ideas and goods in person so that everything could be smoothed over, however, I have allowed the worries of these people to overtake them so that they could start fighting and killing one another. Despite not being the primary target on this floor, the three still struggle to move because of all the bullets flying around. Being separated from his friends in the now-collapsing apartment and seeing them in trouble, Jordyn says a quick prayer for help and receives it.

I enhance his senses, the speed at which he moves, and grant him the ability to conjure ammo for his pistols from nothing. He shoots with extreme precision and carves his way through the criminals as if he were an angel of death floating through the wind. No one can manage to hit him nor can they stand his assault even if they’re wearing body armor or are superhuman. It only takes Jordyn a few minutes to clear the entire floor by himself, which impresses the other two and himself.

“It looks like we’re all developing powers, thanks be to God,” Jordyn says as he crosses himself.

“Let’s keep going. This building is starting to come apart,” Ishbel says as she rushes up the stairs.

On the fourth floor, the three find the remainder of the people who turned on Allona who have cornered her and her true allies in her office. The few who remain loyal to her protect her office with her in it while the majority against her are closing in.

“I’ll make this quick,” Jerod says.

He takes out two light machine guns from his back and uses them to cut through the room, killing all in seconds. Even the superhumans with skin thicker than steel are unable to endure the shots from his guns and are cut to pieces.

Jordyn whistles and says, “Nice job.”

With no other obstacle in their way, the three enter Allona’s office to find her fighting assassins who have entered through the broken windows. She uses her pistol and enhanced strength to quickly kill them. The final assassin she kills by breaking his neck with her hand before throwing him against the wall. Her white dress suit, pants, and black boots are all dirtied with blood, something that she doesn’t seem to mind as she wipes her bloodied hands on her pants.

“Which of you no-name scum want to face me next?” Allona says as she loads her pistol and readies herself to fight. “Do you think you can kill me? I’m the queen of the Meridian underworld.”

“Allow me to speak to and fight her. It’s the only way you’ll win this,” I say.

The three look at each other and agree. I control all three at the same time who are fighting better than they usually do. Jordyn and Jerod keep Allona on her toes by shooting around her while Ishbel’s vines try to entangle her. Eventually, I catch Allona in Ishbel’s vines.

I walk up to her with Ishbel and say through her, “Everything you’ve built up is in ruins. Your allies, the Dessous and Soleil families are dead and your most valuable superhuman allies in Limpiar are put to shame.”

“No! I’ve endured worse than this! I can rebuild it!” Allona argues.

“You’ve endured nothing like this, and no, your family’s wealth and childhood loved ones being killed in a hero versus villain fight doesn’t count.”

“How do you know so much about me? Who are you?”

“Someone who’s been with you since the start. I know there’s good in you and you can repent from all the evil you’ve done.”

“No! The evil I’ve done is to get back what I deserve and to get back at the people who destroyed my life!”

Allona uses her strength to break free of the vines despite how much they cut into her skin. She throws Ishbel out of the room and into the fire outside of it. Jordyn goes to rescue her while Jerod keeps fighting Allona, whose strength I use to injure and then keep down.

“Cease this struggle! The building will come down in minutes and you will be destroyed along with it,” I say through Jerod.

“You. You’re possessing these people, aren’t you?” Allona asks.

“I speak through them and turn them into the true versions of themselves.”

“You won’t do that to me! I’m fine with the way I am!”

“One was a drug dealer, another was a prostitute, and this one was a hitman. I can change anyone, no matter how far gone they are. Remember what your family said. Remember how they fought against crime and risked their lives to rid it from the city.”

“They couldn’t do anything. In fact, the city is worse now than it was before.”

“Who’s fault do you think that is?”

“Shut up!”

Allona manages to shoot Jerod several times to make him back off. She then punches him several times until he flies into the wall, breaking it. Jordyn helps Ishbel into the room and seeing as how he’s the only one who can still fight, he sets Ishbel aside who helps Jerod patch his wounds. In a fierce exchange of bullets, Jordyn and Allona fight each other with a few shots skimming Jordyn’s skin and many hitting Allona in non-lethal areas, but because she’s given herself enhancers, she doesn’t go down. Most of their shots collide in midair while I try my final attempt to change her.

“Lasting happiness can’t be found in this life nor is it the goal of it. You can’t permanently change the city, make people happy, and protect your loved ones through evil actions, but you can at least do your best so it doesn’t become worse because of you,” I say through Jordyn.

“Stop telling me what my parents said!” Allona says before managing to shoot Jordyn in the chest and throat.

The two are then separated by the burning building as the roof collapses leaving, Allona stuck in a corner and Jordyn in the center of the room on his knees and hands around his neck. All the fight has left his body and he thinks he is about to die.

Along with his father Cohan, we say, “It’s not over until you’re dead, Jordyn. Get up and save Allona from the fire. You won’t be hurt by the flames.”

I start to heal Jordyn’s wounds as my and his father’s words give him the strength to get up.

“If my dad can do it, then so can I!” he says with a healed throat. “My dad believed I could change until his dying breath and I won’t let him down!”

Jordyn runs through the fire and picks up Allona. Along with Ishbel and Jerod, they escape the building just as it collapses behind them. Allona looks at the three people who saved her and walks through the fire without even being burned by it with disbelief in her eyes.

“Who are you people? Why save me?” Allona asks.

“We’re just scum. Would you believe us if we said that God told us to save you?” Jordyn says.

“That was the voice I was hearing talking to me, wasn’t it? I…guess I believe it. I just don’t know why.”

“It’s because you’re worth dying for,” I say through Jerod along with a relative of Allona.

She starts to cry after recognizing the voice.

“My…uncle said the same thing after saving me from a fire, the day my loved ones died. I think I…heard his voice in yours, priest.”

“It’s possible that he spoke through me meaning that he’s been praying and watching over you since he passed away.”

“It is his intercession along with those who loved you that saved your soul. Otherwise, you would’ve died earlier without a chance to change,” I say through Ishbel who then says, “My aunt is probably doing the same for me. It’s why I changed. What’s your choice, Allona?”

“Since you people are scum and I’m no different, I might as well join you to fulfill my family’s dying wishes. It’s not like I have anything or anyone else left.”

Now that these three are together, I command them to take up residency in the monastery that Jerod is from.

While they are getting settled in, Jerod asks, “What should I do with the bodies of these priests?”

“Bury them or burn them to ash. Their souls are damned and the sight of them repulses me,” I say.

“I shall bury them. They were priests and deserve a proper burial.”

Jerod’s choice is wise and merciful. Meanwhile, Jordyn, Ishbel, and Allona are sitting in the adoration chapel, relaxing after such a long night. They all thank me and stay with me for a little over an hour without knowing it, thanks to the peace of my presence. The repentance and penance done today by these sinners are pleasing to me and cover a multitude of their sins and those in the city. Together, they will bring others like them to their group while punishing others.

Their group will embody my mercy and justice and bring real change to Meridian. After this long week, the anger of my justice is beginning to subside, and now, there are a few things I need to do before I cease my scourging of the city. I need to find one person, in particular, to whom I will give special power, so they can embody the justice this city needs and lasting peace through it.