Executioners of Justice, Fire and Nightmares: Chapter 2 – Flames Born from Darkness

Chapter 2 – Flames Born from Darkness

Kane, Raziel, and I have been dispensing justice to all that Raziel’s invisible angel has led us to. During this time, my powers haven’t had a problem punishing those we come across, nor does Kane say that they aren’t marked for death. I keep asking him if they deserve mercy, and he keeps saying no, and I keep praying to lessen the punishment for those we go after and for mercy, only for them to die horrible deaths. Now, the police, hero, and vigilante associations are out in full force, hunting us down. Some villains and criminals are out there as well to distract them, but Kane and Raziel aren’t exactly strong enough to take them on.

I could, but at the same time, I need Raziel to guide me to our targets, so he’ll be visible to them going to and from their locations. I’ve tried taking him into the light and dark like I do with Kane, and yet, it doesn’t work, and Raziel told me that even if it did, his guardian angel wants him to fight and prove himself to me, which I can agree with to some degree. Right now, we’re waiting for the action to die down in a vacant house in the middle-class area of the city as heroes and villains fight one another among a burning city so that we can head out again. I transform into my normal self as I sit on the floor, pray, and consider our next actions.

“You’re…Timeo Severe?” Raziel asks.

“Huh? Of course. You didn’t know that?” I ask.

“I would’ve never guessed that the dark hero of Meridian was also one of its richest and influential men and head of one of the four most powerful families, but then again, I didn’t really care to know your real identity. You’re still L’Obscurité, the dark hero, for the most part.”

“That is true, but what’s truer is that every part of my life is mine, both the dark hero part and the rich influencer. Do you always dress this well?”

“I do. Gotta keep up appearances after all, and use my extensive collection of suits. I’m usually in this suit jacket, dress shirt, dress pants, and suede shoes.”

“He’s a show off, is what he is,” Kane comments.

“What of your L’Obscurité appearance? I remember it being different.”

“The change in cloak, scarf, change in face, and new hat all came with my increase in power. As for the bullet hole in my head, well, my brother gave me that as I tried to thwart his plans.”

“Speaking of appearances, do you always dress like a soldier from the medieval era?” Kane asks Raziel.

“I do. There’s no real reason for me to wear anything considered normal. Besides, people see vigilantes and heroes in Meridian all day, so I don’t stick out that much. What about you? Do you always dress like a gunslinger with your hood and guns?”

“Touché. I do. Now, what really surprises me more than your powers and appearance is the fact that you didn’t know Timeo was L’Obscurité. Discovering his identity is typically what people do when they become his ally or enemy. It’s what I did when I wanted to be his sidekick.”

“I think lighting the city on fire as I did was a better way to bring him to me.”

“Tch. Again, touché. Speaking of identity, I wonder if Raymond is going to expose yours to draw you out or ruin you now that you’ve turned on him.”

“I don’t think he will. His primary target is Raziel, so he’s probably focusing all his effort on finding him,” I say.

“I can see that,” Kane says while looking out the window. “Maybe we can use this chaos to slip by the cops and heroes to find Raziel’s remaining targets.”

“It’s a bit too hot out there, pun intended. Let’s wait a bit longer.”

“Yes, L’Obscurité is right. My angel tells me we’re right where we should be, so there’s no need to attract unwanted attention. I’ve always had a distaste for the city streets. Part of me is glad to see it burn in this manner.”

“What makes you say that?”

“I was born in the suburbs of this city and lived a peaceful life until an accident destroyed it all and killed my family. From there, I was taken to a Catholic orphanage where I grew up in the faith of my family. I hated going outside of the orphanage because of the crime and constant fighting between heroes and villains, criminals and law enforcement. It was nicer to stay inside, read books, play with friends, and pray, but sure enough, the scum of the city forced itself in. They took away my teachers and friends, and somehow, the cops showed up just in time before the criminals took me.”

“My wife, Darcy, told me much of this. You spent the rest of your teenage years wanting to get them back, but never could, not as a cop or vigilante.”

“Everything in my life gets constantly taken away from me. That’s why I was inspired to do such extreme acts as a vigilante like you. After being humbled by you, my guardian angel visited me in jail, enlightened my mind, and gave me these powers, which I unleashed after serving my penance in jail. Now, I am at peace with owning nothing, not even the course of my life.”

“Interesting story. Let me tell you mine,” Kane says.

The two talk about their pasts and relate to one another while I try calling Darcy. I can’t get through to her or get on the internet. Nothing seems to work.

Suddenly stopping his conversation with Kane, Raziel says, “The flames will not reach your family, nor will they harm those close to you, L’Obscurité. That is what my angel tells me.”

“They won’t reach Lancetto or Klinge?”

“No.”

“What about Raymond or the mayor?”

“I…don’t think so.”

I look outside the window to see that the fighting has died down a bit, or at least has moved to another location.

“We should get moving then to ensure that they don’t. Where does your angel tell us to go now?”

“Just a couple of blocks up the street.”

“Let’s hurry then.”

I transform back into L’Obscurité and follow Raziel. We go where he leads us, however, he brings us into contact with a squad of police officers who are aided by heroes, vigilantes, and led by Raymond and his Chief Assistant, Ralph.

“Raziel!” I say.

“Do not worry. We’re exactly where we need to be, and it is those people who need to face judgment,” Raziel says while pointing his scythe at the police, heroes, and vigilantes who are pointing their guns and weapons at us as they ready themselves for a fight. “You will all pay for your sins!”

“I told you not to trust this maniac, L’Obscurité!” Raymond says. “It’s either him or the city that you swore to protect!”

At this crossroads, I allow my powers to decide for me as I manifest and hold out a hand with a hole through the center of it. The flames around us are extinguished as they fly into the air and create a dark being cloaked in flames that has my dark hero’s face. It looks at everyone before pointing at them. It’s then that Raymond is crushed to bits by some unknown force. The rest of the police, including Ralph and some of the heroes and vigilantes, are killed in much the same instantaneous and terrifying way that confuses everyone and causes them to go on the attack, only for them to be met with sudden death either by being crushed or blown up from the inside.

“Why, God? Why did you let my powers kill more people who were close to me?” I say out loud and on my knees.

Raziel flies down to me and says in a voice that sounds like the Divine, “Again, they refuse to listen to you and me when they should’ve. I made sure they didn’t suffer a painful death. You’ve done nothing wrong, and they were blinded by their emotions. They’ll all be in Heaven, soon.”

Kane puts a hand on my shoulder and says, “I’m sorry.”

Again, I find myself lost at a time like this. First, it was when my parents were killed by my powers, and again, I find myself unable to decide what to do next, despite all my years of experience. I didn’t see many sins in those good men, and yet, God wanted them dead. Why? I don’t have much time to collect myself as the ground begins to open up.

“Are you doing this?” Kane asks.

I shake my head, and Raziel denies it too. It’s then that we see people crawling out of the crater, most of whom look evil and light the flames of wrath within me as I see their wretched souls and the evil things they’ve done with their lives. A group of the underdressed, demonic-looking men and women approach us, led by a man with horns all over his body.

“Thank you for all the chaos you’ve caused today. With all those heroes and cops gone, we can take the city for ourselves,” the horned man says in a deep, squeaking, and grating voice. “Since you did most of the heavy lifting, you can have a large chunk of it. How about we go claim it now? What do you say, partner?”

The horned man smiles with horned teeth as he holds out his hand to me. Behind me, the being of dark and flames reaches down, takes the man, and crushes him until nothing is left but bits of flesh and blood. It then attacks the rest of the villains that came out of the hole, aided by Kane and Raziel, who shoot and burn all they can, respectively. I watch my two apprentices fight together and see that they work well together as Kane fires his guns from a distance, while Raziel attracts most of the attention and attacks those who go after Kane. I collect myself as I look into the memories of those around me and see the bigger picture.

By the end of the fight, the vile sinners retreat into the hole where they came from, and the being of dark and flames dissipate into nothing. Kane and Raziel ask me if we should pursue them, telling me the same thing that I just realized.

“God is sometimes merciful in giving us the answers we want sooner rather than later. All this chaos and deaths of good people was to draw out the scum from beneath the city,” I explain.

“Truly, He is good. My angel wants us to pursue them. In their future, I see that their time ends now,” Raziel says.

“I don’t know why, but my eyes tell me that these people deserve death more than most,” Kane says.

“Yes. With their blood, the rest of the flames of Meridian will be satiated. L’Obscurité, my angel, will now let you take me into the light and dark and travel as you do. He trusts that you know what to do from here.”

“Yes, and you have my complete trust from now on, my new apprentice.”

“Thank you,” Raziel says with a head bow.

“He’s made your apprentice in hours, but it took me days. What is this?” Kane complains. “Nevertheless, I like your style, even if it is a bit bland and extensive at the same time. It’s good to know another man who has a good taste of color, of crimson red, and not worrying about whether your actions are legal or not.”

“It’s good to be part of a group of friends again.”

“We can enjoy pleasantries later. Come. Let us end this night of judgment and destruction,” I say as I take Razeil and Kane into the light and dark and travel at the speed of light towards our prey.

Executioners of Justice, Fire and Nightmares: Chapter 1 – A Night of Fire

Chapter 1 – A Night of Fire

My wife, Darcy, informed me about a person of interest that my sidekick, Kane Mundr, and I should pursue. She has her contacts keeping an eye on him, and before we can go out, a massive fire erupts in Meridian. The entire city is engulfed in flames, a result of our target’s power. Quickly taking Kane with me, we merge with the light and dark and race toward the address Darcy provided. Strangely enough, the flames don’t burn everything or everyone. When we arrive at the location, Kane and I see people confused by the fire surrounding them that isn’t harming them, while the same fire demolishes buildings, leaves many Catholic churches intact, and turns others to ash. Children and infants run around as if this is some fancy show, their parents grabbing them and racing to safety while trying to extinguish the harmless flames.

While racing through the small apartment, we find our man, Raziel Emundatio, kneeling by his bedside, praying a rosary. The studio apartment is tidy and filled with dozens of crosses and images of the Blessed Mother, a simple bed, a table with chairs, a computer on a desk, a bookshelf, and a fridge. Raziel has blond hair and wears an orange and yellow fiery cape, crimson light leather armor that has a crimson and yellow hood attached to it. As he looks up at us, he reveals his gold, orange, and crimson eyes, with a blank expression as if our appearance here doesn’t concern him.

Raziel crosses himself to finish his prayers and then says, “L’Obscurité. I’m glad you came here to visit me. You may not remember, but I was inspired by your acts of virtuous vigilantism to be as you are, however, I took things too far, and you rightfully punished me.”

“You still are taking things too far, buddy,” Kane says with his ebony pistol and white revolver trained on Raziel.

“These new powers that I got after being touched by L’Obscurité’s dark powers of justice are not completely under my control. They’re mostly a result of me allowing myself to be a conduit of God’s will, something that I’m sure you’re familiar with.”

“So, you allowed your powers to run wild to get my attention and help?”

“Yes, and I want to be your apprentice just as Kane is. After I heard you got a sidekick, I felt the calling to be another of your successors.”

“Hmm. What do you think, Kane?”

Kane, who stares intently with his grey, light blue and black, and red eyes, lowers his pistol, but keeps his revolver up.

“For some reason, I see that this man deserves mercy.”

“I see in his memories and soul that he’s a good man, despite what is happening outside.”

“I’m sorry for what is happening, but with your help, I’m sure we can stop it. Did your guardian angel give you your dark powers?”

“No, I got them directly from God,” I say.

“How do you control yours then?”

“I act as a conduit like you do, but I can lessen the effect it has on people by praying for them.”

“Mine functions much the same, but as you can see, my prayers haven’t been having much of an effect. In fact, I think my prayers have further irritated the flames.”

“How do they work? They seem to spare the innocent and burn the guilty.”

“That’s exactly how they work, and they also burn whatever objects God wants destroyed. Additionally, they show me glimpses of the future.”

“Really? How’s our fortune looking?” Kane asks.

“I see more fires like this raging in it because of the conflicts you’ll find yourselves in. Your lives as heroes have only just begun.”

“Let’s take things one step at a time. First, let’s put out these flames, and then we’ll worry about the future.”

“Does that mean you’ll accept me as your apprentice?”

“I want to see you out in the field first before I decide anything.”

“As you wish.”

Raziel dons a mask that’s half yellow, orange, and red, featuring three eyes in the same colors. He also unsheathes a small, handheld crimson and black scythe from beneath his cape, which ignites with fire. We exit Raziel’s apartment and step back into the burning city streets.

“Raziel,” I say, “Can you speak to your angel?”

“I can.”

“Can you ask him how to extinguish these flames?”

Raziel whispers, while looking up at something over his right shoulder that we can’t see, and yet, I feel a presence there that my powers aren’t allowing me to look into.

“He wants us to punish the guilty, let the flames burn all night long, and then, and only then, will the flames die down by morning.”

“The mayor, police, and hero associations aren’t going to like this.”

“So? This is the will of God that this is happening. True justice has no care for man’s laws,” Raziel says.

“I’m on this guy’s side. It’s not like we aren’t doing anything to stop the flames,” Kane says.

“Looks like I’ll have a massive headache to deal with in the morning. Okay, Raziel. Does your angel know of any particular targets we should be going after?”

“Yes. Follow me.”

Raziel sprouts wings of flame from his back, and he flies in a direction that Kane and I follow. He brings us to a place where I see men who deserve punishment, and Kane sees that they’re marked for death. These people are taking advantage of the chaos by looting stores and taking everything valuable to them. I let Raziel fight them to see his fighting ability. With his scythe, he cuts down sinners and burns them with the fire that sprays from it and his free hand. Curiously, some of the people are burned and the flames extinguish before they die or serious damage is done to them, and the scythe sometimes doesn’t cut through a person at all, while it cuts through others like a knife through butter.

Questioning him on this, Raziel says, “My scythe is much like my flames, only killing when God allows it. The flames are penitential and burn sin more than flesh.”

“They’re much like my powers, but yours have only one form of dealing punishment, whereas mine varies depending on its victim,” I say.

Feeling my phone ring, I answer it and hear the Chief of Police, Raymond Ellory, yelling at me as soon as I answer it. He says, “I’ve been calling you for over an hour now! I’ve asked Darcy where you’ve been, and she said that you were going after the guy who caused this firestorm in the city. You haven’t been answering her calls either, so I trust that you’re still chasing after him?”

“My guardian angel has been blocking people’s calls to you,” Raziel comments.

“He’s right here with me, and yes, I’m trying to solve the problem. His fires won’t stop punishing the city until tomorrow morning. I’m-”

“Tomorrow morning?! Kid. I can be convinced to look the other way for you because your powers selectively and discreetly punish people, but the city is burning!”

“I’m trying to help Raziel by going after the targets his guardian angel wants us to go after. With them gone, the flames should subside sooner.”

“He has a devil talking to him, not an angel. Raziel Emundatio is an extremist zealot who burned people alive because he thought they deserved it. Can’t you see that with your powers?”

“I can see his past, but I can also see that he’s put his past behind him. He’s a good man.”

“A good man burns an entire city?!”

“The flames are selective, and like my powers. They automatically punish whoever deserves it once activated.”

“Can’t you get them to stop?!”

Memories of my parents dying because of my powers fill my mind as I remember how I’m more of a conduit for God’s will than anything. I unintentionally touch the bullet hole in the center of my head, which is a scar from that day.

“No, but-”

“Look, if you don’t kill him or force him to stop, then I’ll have to get the police or hero and vigilante associations to do it for you. You may not be able to die, but he can.”

With nothing to say to that, I hang up the phone. I try to call Darcy, but the call doesn’t go through.

“You can’t call your wife right now. My angel wants you to focus on me, at the moment,” Raziel says.

I explain what Raymond was talking about and say, “Isn’t there a faster way to extinguish these flames?”

“Besides, with the blood of the guilty? There isn’t, at least that’s what my angel says. It doesn’t even seem that prayers for mercy will help either this time,” Raziel says.

“Then let me try to do things my way. Lead me to where your angel wants us to go next.”

After following Raziel to the next guilty party, we find many people who are just trying to survive. Sure, I can find fault in their souls as well as their less-than-legal deeds, but whose soul is immaculate? I let my powers take their judgment upon them and watch the horrifying result. The concrete below them breaks and forms into tendrils that crush and twist until breaking, holding them over the fire so they burn alive.

“Impressive. Your dark powers are truly astonishing,” Raziel comments.

“Did that satiate the fires at all?” I ask.

“According to my angel, it did a bit, but there is much more to be done to make a noticeable impact.”

Getting another call, I answer it only to hear Raymond yelling at me again. “Kid! I’ve been looking into the people who have been dying, and even though many of them are shady people or have criminal records, many are innocent with a smudge on them.  I’ve even heard reports of teenagers dying! You have to stop this now!”

“No one is completely innocent,” Raziel says.

I look again into Raziel’s memories and soul and see nothing wrong. Am I missing something? Raziel is right, but this chaos could set a dangerous example. Even if the flames die down by morning, we’ve shown that we’ll kill anyone we want, whether or not they’ve broken a law—execution without jury or proof of guilt, and yet, I can’t-

“Kid!”

“I can’t bring myself to kill him! It won’t do anything, and my powers aren’t doing anything to him!”

“You have a pistol that you always carry around. Use that instead!”

“I only use it when I’m holding back, and my powers aren’t doing a thing to him.”

“Look. He’s a conduit like you are. Kill him, and it should stop the fires, right?”

“It won’t,” Raziel says.

“He says it won’t, and I don’t want to spill innocent blood.”

“Innocent people are already dying, and the more that do, the more blood you have on your hands. Who are you going to trust? We’ve been working together for years, and you’re a good kid, a great man, and a dedicated father. I don’t want to have to fight you or your new friends.”

I struggle to make my powers do something, even decide for me if it could ever do that, and yet, I only feel empowered enough to speak and make one decision.

“He’s innocent, Raymond. Raziel is not doing anything wrong, you have to trust me on this, despite what it looks like!”

“I trusted you on a lot, but this is where I draw the line for good this time, and there’s no moving me, no matter what you or the mayor says. Don’t get in my way, because I’ll be hunting that bastard you’re with.”

Raymond hangs up the phone, and I tell Kane and Raziel what was said.

“It’s always been us against the law. I may not see the good in what is happening, but my eyes tell me not to kill this guy, and the people dying are marked for death,” Kane says. “If you want my opinion, we take our chances and trust him.”

“Thank you,” Raziel says before looking at me, waiting for my judgment.

“There’s no going back now. It’s us against the world,” I say.

“That’s just the normal life of a virtuous man. The world is always against us because it doesn’t understand us and hates us for our dedication to God. Thank you for trusting me, L’Obscurité. I promise you that we’ll have these fires out by morning. Now, come. Let me guide you to where my angel wants us to go.”

Following Raziel, we aid him in punishing the guilty. Meanwhile, I pray that I made the right decision and that I don’t see Raymond or any of the other good defenders of this city, so I won’t have to fight against him, and if we do, I hope no one dies and we can come to understand and live with one another. For now, the flames continue to rage on and must be satiated with justice and the blood of the guilty.

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Every hero needs a sidekick, and just when Timeo Severe finds himself in a precarious situation, Kane Mundr saves him. Kane was once a criminal, whom Timeo brought to justice as L'Obscurité. Now, Kane wants to be a hero like him by bringing to justice a nefarious cabal of white-collar criminals. These heinous masterminds are notorious for silencing witnesses and obliterating evidence, all while manipulating the law to serve their greedy interests. Conventional methods won't suffice, and they are ready to push boundaries, ensuring that in this dark game, the guilty pay the ultimate price.

First Son of Divine Darkness: Chapter 4 – Coiling Around the Wolves

Chapter 4 – Coiling Around the Wolves

As the ball of living, screaming flesh rolls into the center of the city, Kane and I make our way to the prison. Restoration Penitentiary is the largest prison near the city, housing many criminals and villains. It is situated on the desolate outskirts, where there isn’t a house, store, or single gas station for miles. The ground and upper floors contain the typical criminals, while the underground levels hold the superhuman villains. The furthest, darkest, unknown recesses of the prison serve as The White Collars' center of operations. Descending into it, I find the place seems better than the upper floors. It’s almost as if it’s not a prison at all but rather a hotel, considering the steel doors to the cells are ordinary doors with handles, the floors are carpeted, and people move about freely, gambling, dining, and conducting business, as if this isn’t a prison but just an exclusive club. Everyone is either well-dressed in suits and dresses or casually clad in sweats or bathing attire.

Reading through people’s memories, it’s no wonder that they feel so safe down here. If they were ever to be convicted or found out again for their crimes, they have a plan to stage a look-alike to be transferred to another location or executed. They’re all basically ghosts down here who impact the daily lives of the people of Meridian, even though they’re so far away from it. From these people’s memories, I gain the location of most of their safehouses and areas of operation. The rest of the information I’m looking for is supposed to be known by others outside of this prison, but I think I know enough to ruin them for good.

Checking the control room, we find simple switches that control the doors and emergency exits, all of which I break to keep the doors shut and the “prison cells” wide open, all except one that’s already closed and contains a woman who I want to personally question to get more information out of her memories. Her room is almost as luxurious as mine and includes a computer and TV where she is given updates on what is happening in the city, but she is aloof as to what is happening right now until I manifest Kane and myself in the room. She tries to act composed with a smile and a confident look on her face despite jumping out of her chair.

“I heard it was a rumor that L’Obscurité could read people’s memories, phase through anything, and appear out of the light and dark. It’s good to see it confirmed in front of me,” she says before looking at Kane. “And you must be his first sidekick that I’ve been hearing about, Kane Mundr, more famously known as The Guillotine.”

Kane is about to shoot the woman with his pistol until I stop him by raising my hand.

“Let me talk to her first,” I say.

“What’s there to ask me if you can read my memories?”

“I can’t read them all at once, so I’d like to pick your brain to learn more.”

“As if I’d-”

Before the woman can take out her gun to shoot herself, I use my powers to blow away her arms and legs and pin her to the wall. Additionally, my powers suck the air from her lungs so she painfully screams silently so no one outside the room can hear us. They then prick her nerves so she talks to me despite her not wanting to.

“You’re awfully sadistic for a hero,” she says in a dry, horse voice.

“This is merely what you deserve. I don’t do this for my own amusement, despite how I may laugh. Among the prisoners here, you have the highest chance to repent, even though the odds are below one percent in my mind. It’s best to use it wisely to save your soul,” I say.

“Haha! What do I have to repent of? I lived my life the way I wanted to and helped everyone I loved live comfortably and happily. I have no regrets.”

“That’s the shame of it.”

“What is?”

“That you lack a conscience, a burden on your mind that makes you feel guilty for evil deeds such as hurting others to get your way.”

“Look who's talking. Where’s your conscience when you torture and kill people like I do?”

“It’s constantly praying and hoping that people like you change. It regrets when I make a mistake and second-guesses itself when things are uncertain.”

“It sounds like a weak mind. You should’ve been more confident and aware, especially concerning your identity, Timeo Severe. It’s not too hard to find out, particularly for an established group like The White Collars. If you thought it was difficult to find me, what makes you believe it’ll be tough for us to locate the people you care about? Heh, even now they’re being hunted and will soon face our own form of justice.”

“I’m sure they’re safe. We planned for you to go after us.”

“Are you absolutely certain? Others have thought they were safe from us, but when you own the city from top to bottom like we do, there’s nowhere for anyone to hide.”

Looking over to Kane, he says, “You can go check on your family and friends. I’ll stay here to clean up this mess.”

“There’s no need for you to endanger yourself. They’re locked in here-”

The alarms start blaring as the woman says, “Ha! We have backup plans upon backup plans. We’ll win like we always-”

Kane blows the woman’s head to bits and then says, “Go! I’ll handle this. I’m sure you’ll be back here before you know it if it’s all a bluff.”

I nod and go out to the safehouses where my family and friends hide, and sure enough, they’re all being attacked by The White Collars' allies. Raymond, Ralph, Jeph, and Tim are being attacked by their own officers, Lancetto is attacked by his guards, politicians, and businessmen, Klinge is attacked by his workers, and Darcy is attacked by her many contacts. Everyone thought these people who were close to them wouldn’t betray them, and yet, they are either spies for The White Collars or betray us for selling out or being intimidated. Thanks be to God, I rescue all of them without anyone close to me being seriously hurt or killed. With everyone safe, I rush back to Kane, who is steeped in the blood of The White Collars as he rains metal justice from his two pistols on everyone around him.

The superhuman villains and criminals are released from the upper floors to help The White Collars, but I carve through them, dispensing death, even to the corrupt prison guards, wardens, and even janitors who are on the side of the enemy. I trust that he can handle himself, while I ensure no one escapes or catches Kane by surprise, and by the end of it, most everyone in the prison lies dead and in pieces.

As we stand among the carnage we created, Kane smiles and says to me, “Now, this is justice.”

“It is. I think you’re ready to be my permanent ally. I’m sorry that I never asked, but where do you live?” I ask.

“Nowhere. On the streets. I move from place to place, so I can sleep and not get caught off guard by my enemies.”

“How about you stay at my house? I have plenty of room and it’s a safe place to be, or at least it is now.”

“I’d like that. Thank you.”

Later in the day, when things calm down, Raymond and Jeph appear on TV to publicly denounce The White Collars and inform the people of Meridian that they were behind yesterday’s attempt on their lives. While this is happening, the police, superhero, and vigilante associations are raiding The White Collar hideouts, and Kane and I are dealing with the stragglers and traitors who still lie among us. As for the ball of flesh and prison attack, Raymond says they were the work of a dark vigilante, who will be dealt with in due time, meaning he’s going to give me an earful tomorrow and didn’t want to say it was L’Obscurité since I’m a legitimate hero backed by the city and didn’t want to say they backed my extreme actions, though I’m sure there are those in the city who already know I was responsible for what happened, given my reputation. Regardless, I invite him and everyone else over for dinner to celebrate our victory, but Raymond and Ralph decline because they have to clean up the mess I’ve made, like they usually do. There’s going to be a lot of changes in the future to ensure that a group like The White Collars can’t infiltrate and influence Meridian. I’m sure of it.

While my friends and family celebrate our victory, I let Darcy know that “Kane will be staying with us so he doesn’t live on the streets.”

“That’s fine with me. It sounds like you’re adopting him, even though you’re only ten years older than him,” she says.

“It’s weird if you put it like that.”

“Not for me. I need more children. Oh, and Kane, don’t mind the noises you hear in the night. Timeo and I are trying to have around seven children.”

“It’s none of my business,” Kane says while eating.

“But there are situations when I need to be out there fighting crime with him,” I say.

“Kane is supposed to carry on your legacy and give you free time with your family, right?”

Darcy looks at Kane with a threatening smile as if she’ll strangle him if he says no, and he seems to be intimidated by her.

“Yeah. I don’t mind letting you take a break. I’ve been by myself all these years, after all.”

“Come on, you have to have my back here.”

“She’s your wife, and you can’t always say no to her.”

“He can never say no to me, you mean, right?”

“Yeah…sure. Like I said, it’s none of my business.”

“See? I like him already.”

God, please have mercy on me because my wife will not, but thank you again for giving me someone new who will carry on my legacy.

 

The End

First Son of Divine Darkness: Chapter 3 – The Tilting Pitiless Scales of Justice

Chapter 3 – The Tilting Pitiless Scales of Justice

My allies and I gather the information we have after our investigations to see what we can do about The White Collars.

Giving the table to Raymond, he says, “Bastards were able to kill themselves before we arrived, and those that didn’t somehow managed to do it when we locked them up. As for the evidence, someone managed to gain access to the precinct and destroy it. I’m sure it was to send a mocking message to us. I’m going to be lining up every single person in the building at the time for questioning because of how much of a mess this is.”

“Heads are going to roll,” Ralph adds.

“The mayor, Darcy, and I have come up less than short as well. We haven’t heard from some of our contacts and received their body parts in the mail with warnings,” Lancetto explains.

“They did the same thing to my mom,” Kane interjects. “All this effort is useless.”

“I have to agree with the kid,” Klinge admits. “My people can’t get anywhere near the group without risking their lives and the lives of their loved ones. Their homes and property have been vandalized, and they’ve received threatening letters where they work.”

“Tell me you have something, Timeo,” Mayor Jeph says.

“I do. I have names and faces since not all of them used masks during their private meetings, and they trusted in the security and secrecy of their group. Still, it’s nothing we can use to legally put them away because they have contacts within the prison, just in case they want to escape or use it as a pseudo-base of operations.”

“I’m sure you know of a way of getting to them,” Darcy says.

“It’s not one of the more legal-minded among us are going to like. I’m sure they don’t want me to tear the prison apart to find them, along with political and law enforcement offices. They also have contacts in the poor, middle class, and rich areas alike, so the best course of action is to cut off the head of their operations, then kill the pieces of the still squirming body.”

“I don’t like it, but I say you should do what you have to and tell me where you’re going so I can tell my people to look the other way,” Mayor Jeph says.

“I’m glad to see someone in politics is willing to do the right thing,” Kane points out.

“I’ll let you know when that happens. For now, Kane and I will find the center of their operations, and then, we’ll go from there.”

“What do you want the rest of us to do?” Darcy asks.

“Make them think you’re scared and have given up on your pursuit of them. Keep yourselves and your loved ones safe. Let us handle the rest of this,” I say to my friends.

“Are you sure?”

“It’s the right move, Darcy,” Lancetto says. “There’s nothing much else we can do that L’Obscurité can’t do better on his own. We’d just be burdening his mind with worry if we got ourselves in more useless danger.”

Darcy looks at me helplessly and nods her head in acceptance. While my friends arrange plans to keep one another safe, Kane and I leave the meeting to get to work. Outside, a mailman hands me a letter. Strange, it’s morning, and the mail doesn’t come in until the afternoon. Opening the letter, I see the Coronamento Corporation seal at the bottom, a golden crown, along with an address.

“They could be working with The White Collars. We may have been found out,” I say.

“So what? Even if we go to that address, they can’t harm you. You’re invincible,” Kane says.

“Yes, but you aren’t, nor are my friends.”

“Don’t worry about me. I’m willing to die if it means bringing these criminals to justice. Let’s go there together and see what they want.”

“Alright, but be prepared for the worst.”

“I always am.”

Kane and I go to a construction site that Coronamento owns and is working on. Today, it’s eerily quiet with not a person in sight. We go into the only building that’s completely built and see if anyone is there. Inside the building, we find two managers standing near a large TV screen. Looking into their memories, I see that they’re the people waiting for us, and the screen is meant to be a way for Giovanni Coronamento to talk to us. They’re a bit nervous since they know about my powers, but they also don’t seem to have bad intentions for us, and just want to help us for mutual reasons. For these reasons, I manifest Kane and myself in the room, which they expected to happen, and try not to be too startled by it.

“Mr. Severe, we’re glad that you accepted our request to see you. Our boss would like to talk to you, but I’m sure you already know that,” one of them says before turning on the TV.

Soon after, Giovanni Coronamento appears on TV. He’s a well-dressed man with slicked back hair, green eyes, and an always confident face as if he has the world in his hands.

“Mr. Severe, or should I call you L’Obscurité? You can transform back into your normal self here. We know who you are, and I have this place watched by my men,” Giovanni says.

Kane and I look at each other, and he nods to me to let me decide for myself since he doesn’t know if I should trust him or not. I transform into my normal self as a courtesy.

“Thank you. Ah, I see that you like to dress up in a suit and tie like me, no matter the occasion.”

I smile and say, “I do run my family’s business and have to keep up a good public image, after all.”

“That’s true. Given your powers, I had to meet and talk to you like this, but don’t think that I have bad intentions for your friends and you. I want to work together to get rid of The White Collars or at least cripple their operations here. My motive for doing so? I’m trying to build a busy in your city, and it’s in our shared interest. Boys, you can hand him the USBs.”

The two men give me two USB drives.

“What are on these? Information about The White Collars?”

“That and some of my own secrets that I’m willing to give as a show of trust. I want us to work together in the future. You’re on my list of superhumans that can seriously damage my company, so I don’t want to get on your bad side at all.”

“Giving me a list of secrets you’re comfortable with me knowing isn’t much of an olive branch.”

“You’ve seen me on TV or the internet and must know about me. We share the same faith, so there’s no reason for us to fight and all the reasons to work together for the same goals, making the world a better place.”

“I’m more of a smaller-scale kind of man. My city is the only thing that I need to change and protect right now.”

“Understandable, but you’ll come to find that the larger world will influence Meridian and you’ll have to move out of your comfort zone sooner or later.”

“I’ll consider it when the time comes.”

“Of course. Again, thank you for the chat, and happy hunting. I hope we can work together again soon and see each other in person in the future.”

The TV turns off by itself, and Giovanni’s men thank me as well before leaving. Kane and I bring and go through the information we have. At first, they’re surprised to see us back so soon and the reason for doing so, and even more surprised by what’s on the USBs.

“So, there’s really no by-the-book way to get this done,” Raymond says while rubbing the sides of his head.

Jeph says, “Timeo, look, if you’re going to do anything, we’ll-”

“Are we really going to do this? Giovanni wants us to be as alegal as he is, either by allying with him, acting completely above the law, or both. He benefits in all scenarios,” Raymond points out.

“What’s the point if the law is upheld if The White Collars keep getting away with the vile things they do daily in our city, in our home? Exceptions should be made in scenarios like this.”

“I feel like I’m always hearing that. I want to know where the line is drawn, so the city doesn’t erupt in chaos if they have a problem with the law in way or another.”

“The line is drawn here,” I interrupt. “When they cut off every chance to legally put them away. When they torch evidence, and threaten, bribe, and kill people to hide what they’ve done, and then use every underhanded ‘legal’ method to get away with crime when convicted, including using prison as a pseudo-shelter. Giovanni may be suspect, but he’s honest, and he's shown us much of his inner workings and plans for Meridian and the world with the files he’s given us. I don’t see a good reason why we can’t keep him at arm's length so we can benefit from a partnership with him, while also keeping a close eye on his activities.”

“Alright, alright, fine. Just keep me in the loop about what is happening, and try not to get too messy with what you’re doing,” Raymond says.

“Thank you, chief.”

Kane and I leave once more, while everyone discusses the information found and what they can do to help. We head out to a place that Giovanni gave us, which is said to have the people who know where the center of The White Collar’s operations is. His people have only gotten this far in getting the information about since they’re still new to this area and don’t have enough resources or people to pursue them further, and The White Collars kept delaying his efforts to do so through their usual methods. This area of Meridian houses the rich and upper-middle class of the city. If you were new to the area and didn’t know anything about it, you’d think it wasn’t connected to the city at all because of the low crime compared to the city and being a self-sustaining area that keeps to itself. Some people in the suburbs even denounce being part of the city and view people there as living dangerously, while those in the city view the people in the suburbs as soft, overly-rich losers.

The houses are in an old Americana style that gives off the feeling of old American values and living the American dream. Taking Kane around the area, we investigate the addresses and businesses we were given and find our targets. They may seem like normal people farming, doing arts, and spending time in the community, but I see their sins as clear as day. Some pretend to be working for the poor while living in luxury and doing the bare minimum to prove it. They told their people in the city that they are traveling to gain more money and support as they relax and live the good life out here.

Before we begin our assault, I tell Kane, “No, killing, just like last time.”

“Again? Even here, where we see the worst of the worst out here of all places?” Kane asks.

“I’ll need them alive for what I’m planning.”

Seeing the grin on my transformed face stops Kane from saying anything else. He smiles as if knowing exactly what I’m going to do. First, I transform into a familiar face for each of them so that they listen to me and gather in one specific place for an “emergency meeting”. Second, once everyone is in one place by the town square, I enact my devious plan. All the operatives of The White Collars see that their flesh stretching towards one another, and soon enough, they become a large ball of still living, mangled bodies. The sight and screams of pain get the attention of the people of the town, who either flee in terror or look at it in stunned morbid amazement.

I laugh loud enough for everyone to hear and manifest myself in my full transformed state in front of them. “Behold, these are some of the most powerful men and women in Meridian who pull its strings to suit their favor. They do not care who they hurt or kill as long as they get what they want. You may think you know them or that their motives are just, but they hide behind a shroud of compassion and friendship and deserve their fate!”

The ball of flesh starts rolling towards the city. As it rolls, tendril-like arms stretch out from it to ensnare others along the way who deserve the same fate, such as associates of The White Gloves, non-associated criminals, and those who knowingly profited from The White Gloves, but never shunned what they received or denounced them for their methods. When we’re far away from sight, I bring Kane to the top of the ball and then call Raymond to let him know what’s happening. Funnily enough, he acknowledges it and then hangs up. Soon after, Darcy calls me.

“Everything is set up and we’re all safe, my love. I see what is happening through what my people are showing me, and it is beautifully morbid. A true work of art,” Darcy says.

“This piece isn’t finished yet, but will be once it’s in the city. With all eyes on it, I’ll cripple The White Gloves since I know where their leaders are hiding,” I say.

“I look forward to it.”

After hanging up, Kane says to me, “I didn’t expect this, but I’m pleasantly surprised by it.”

“I’m glad you are. As you can see, there are worse fates than death that can serve our purposes more than if we just killed them. This ball of filth will act as a distraction while we go to the prison.”

“That’s where their leaders are? It’s a sly idea.”

“It is. I was surprised to see it in the memories of these people, but at the same time, it does make a lot of sense for an influential and powerful group of people to hide in. It’s not enough to have people and influence in government, police, business, and all classes of society. If you own and run the prisons, you can use them as recruiting grounds, private meeting areas, and safe havens where law-abiding officers, heroes, and vigilantes can’t prove you’re breaking the law if you’re in a place where the law can’t really punish you further.”

“What about us? What are we going to do?”

“I said the law can’t punish them further, but we can. Now will be the time to take justice into our own hands for the sake of Meridian and her people. Oh, and given the people we’ll be facing, you don’t have to show mercy. Spare no one.”

Kane laughs along with me and says, “It’s judgment day, baby.”