Soon they ascended the stairs. Dynamo inspected the hole he made in the wall, then used it as a passage into the gym floor. As he followed behind, he found the superhero frozen, gawking at the gory mess of unrecognizable body parts that spanned a sizable portion of the room.

“What the hell happened here?” She looked back at him, then at the carnage again. “It’s like someone fed a hundred people through an industrial woodcutter.”

“That’s what happens when you face mindless foes,” he said. “They only had one order when I arrived. To eliminate. There was no room for negotiation. I thought you’d come across them.”

Dynamo leaned down to make sense of what she was seeing. “Yes, but I was mostly on evacuation duty while The Knights of Arixxer handled their… extermination.” She shook her head, clearly in defeat. “This situation is a complete disaster. There’s no chance of keeping this under wraps, not with the sheer number of people being drawn into it every day.”

“Then why try?”

“Because I am a soldier. I follow orders, even when those orders are foolish.” She stood upright and returned to him by the hole in the wall, adding. “Because they pay me handsomely.”

He grunted, sheathing his hands in his pockets.

“Why did you save them, Mr. Nkanga?” she asked. “I’ve read your report. You don’t strike me as someone who would risk his life to help those in need.”

“Perhaps I’m a changed man.”

She gave a disbelieving chuckle. “Just over a week ago, Metal Shadow and Lightflare suffered life-threatening injuries at your behest. I doubt you have repented on such short notice.”

Amused by her persistence, he saw no harm in being truthful. “I have a personal vendetta against the demon responsible for the spawn.”

She perked up. “You know the identity of the demon?”

He nodded.

“Then you must report this information to HAVEN. Think of the countless lives it could save.”

His tone lowered. “You read my report. You detailed what transpired between myself and Metal Shadow. What gave you the idea I would even entertain that?”

Her arms swung in a gesture of frustration. “So you will damn everyone else?”

“Yeah. This is between me and the demon. No one else will step in our way.”

Done, he passed through the hole into the hallway.

“I never said we were finished, Mr. Nkanga,” Dynamo called out as he began to descend the stairs, his mind already focused on the next target. She hurried after him, her voice firm. “Then let me accompany you on your next mission. I’m certain you have more locations from your reliable source.”

“No.”

“Why not? My assistance would surely elevate your chances of success in exterminating the spawn and evacuating survivors. I am a seven-year veteran, proficient in various martial arts, with an extensive mastery of my powers.”

“Did I stutter? I said no.”

In the hallway leading to the reception, she ran past him, turned, then braced her hand against his chest. He couldn’t find words for how annoying she suddenly became.

“I promise not to overstep your boundaries if you are to accept me,” Dynamo said. “I understand that taking on a registered superhero could complicate things for you. But I assure you, I will allow you to operate as you have always done.”

“You will allow me? Is that right?”

“No… you understand perfectly what I mean, Mr. Nkanga. I will follow your lead. I will not question your authority.”

“Why are you so insistent?”

“Because I would like to see it with my own eyes. The spawn. And verify the information against what I was told.”

“I thought you were a soldier, and you just followed orders.”

“That, I am. But one who would like to know what in the world is actually going on,” In a more meek tone, she said. “And I, too, have people I care about who live in this city.”

In an instant, images of Aunt Darcy and her children, Jessica and Frank, flashed in his mind. Caleb also came up as well. He exhaled a deep breath, mentally cautioning himself for forgetting the vital importance of ensuring his loved one’s safety. They were just as vulnerable as the people unlucky enough to step inside this fitness center recently.

“Fine,” he said. “You can come with me. But if you hinder me in any way, the arrangement is off.”

She lowered her head and pressed her closed right hand against the open palm of her left. “I will not squander this opportunity, Mr. Nkanga. Be rest assured.”

“Just Jalen will do.”

He walked forward into a swarm of nervous police officers who cleared a path for him and Dynamo to push through. She paused to speak to the officers, instructing them to seal the building until a knight from the Knights of Arixxer arrived to investigate. All around him, their faces broke with relief at the revelation of not having to face the terrifying spawn.

Dynamo met him down the road past the flashing lights of the parked cars.

“So where next?” she asked.

“To our family’s homes,” he said. Upon her perplexed body language, he clarified. “Do the people you care for know the dangers that lurk?”

“No. However, I instructed them not to come out at night anymore.”

“Trust me, that isn’t nearly as effective as letting them know that a powerful demon haunts the city, turning people into mindless husks.” He dusted tufts of snow from his shoulders. “There has been a change in plans. We’ll split. I’ll head over to my cousins to warn them about the demon. What you choose to do during that time is up to you; be it letting your people know the truth or continuing to lie to them. Then we’ll meet in three hours at Stormhaven Park.”

“Understood.” She balled her fists with her head hung low.

With that settled, he strolled down the wet sidewalk, piles of mud-stained snow trailing the edge of the road. His decision not to transform and take flight stemmed not from any need to hide his abilities anymore, but from a need to take it slow and perceive his surroundings. The chilly air that expelled white as he breathed, the slightly slippery stone surface beneath his boots, and the couple who played with their children in the snow on their front lawn not too far away from the haze of death that had claimed over a hundred people and repurposed them as killing machines. He had been so caught up in his thirst for revenge that he failed to ensure the safety of the people he cared about.

If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

As he drew near the subway station, the watch wrapped around his wrist dislodged itself and grew into the grim-faced Prillon. He had also forgotten Prillon was with him.

“That was fucking exhausting,” the demon groaned, dropping to the ground beside him. “I don’t know how ya do it; dealing with these mortals. I was about to lose it and set that bitch on fire. The only thing she didn’t do was hop on ya dick. And if you’d given her a few more minutes, she’d ‘ave fished that pole out and shoved it down her throat.”

He couldn’t even fathom a response to Prillon, so he elected to remain silent. In a scantily filled cabin, he sat as the train jetted forward on its tracks. Soon his mind calmed, the rhythmic hums of the metal machine pulling him away, reminding him of a time when things were simple. Back before he became a primordial celestial being tasked with the creation and destruction of the cosmos. Back when his worries consisted of relationship problems and finding just enough money to buy the newest video games. Long before he could render countless people dead in a seedy bar and be unfazed about it.

“You mentioned you had cousins?” Prillon inquired, seated comfortably beside him like the teddy bear of a caring child. “That explains things now. At the graveyard, I thought you were nuts calling one of the mortals your mother. But you weren’t lying, ain’t ya? It was the bloody truth.” The demon’s eyes widened. “So you really are a new god. Decades-old at best.”

He peered at Prillon with a neutral expression. “My age depends on where I am.”

“What the bloody fuck does that even mean?”

He shrugged, having already said enough.

Much later, he stood several stories high at Aunt Darcy’s front door in an apartment complex. After two quick presses of the doorbell, the door swung open and his aunt pulled him into a warm hug.

“Aww!” she beamed. “You remembered us.”

“Of course, aunty,” he said.

Prillon remained outside, invisible to the elated woman. Both his cousins—seated at a dining table filled with wonderful home-cooked food radiating aromas that reminded him of past times—glanced up, their faces brightening when they saw him. Jessica hugged him as well. Afterward, he fist-bumped Frank. At Aunt Darcy’s insistence, he joined them at the table and received a mighty plate of rice, sweet corn, and chicken. He couldn’t wait to dig in.

“So, why did you come out of the blue?” Jessica asked.

Before he could say anything, Aunt Darcy pointed a stern finger at her. “Shut it, young woman. Let him enjoy his meal in peace. You can bombard him with as many questions as you want afterward.”

She rolled her eyes but otherwise obeyed her mother’s instructions. After the meal, Aunt Darcy asked if he wanted another plate. He had to fight an extreme temptation to refuse as he came for a reason and was short on time.

“So how is Ella faring?” Aunt Darcy asked, stuffing the dirty dishes into the dishwasher. “My apologies for not checking up on both of you often. I’ve been buried in work lately.”

“It’s all good,” he said. “We are both busy ourselves. And she’s managing fine.”

“Oh yeah! Is it true she has superpowers, too?” Frank asked. “My sis told me, but it’s hard to believe.”

He smiled at the excited kid. “Yeah, she does. Matter of fact, she is undergoing tests at HAVEN now to become a superhero.”

“Wow!” Frank’s eyes glowed with excitement. “That’s so cool! What superpowers does she have?”

He raised his hand, each finger rising to count the powers he listed. “Super strength, enhanced durability, enhanced speed, enhanced endurance, and the best of all—she can turn into any animal.”

“Wow!”

“That’s crazy,” Jessica said. “I’m so happy for her.”

“It’s what I always say.” Aunt Darcy returned to the table with a tray of glasses and a jug of apple juice. “Give your heart to God even in your lowest times and He will answer your prayers. He always does. The Lord has finally blessed her for all her troubles.”

He savored the apple juice, observing his cousins as they nodded to their mother’s religious but untruthful words.

“That reminds me,” Aunt Darcy said. “We are reviving old traditions now that you’re back. On Christmas Eve, bring your sister with you. Don’t forget to bring gifts as well, however small.”

“Of course, aunty.” He refilled his empty cup with more apple juice. “Christmas Eve. You got it and we’ll be here.” Then, after enjoying the second cup, he said. “Now, for the reason, I came. You remember what happened in Midtown, seven years ago now, with the demons?”

“Yeah,” Jessica muttered. “It was truly horrible. People from my school died that day.”

Aunt Darcy performed the sign of the cross. “A dark day indeed. I truly thought it the end of the world. The apocalypse, and the day of judgment. Until the next day broke and my boss called, asking why I wasn’t at work.”

“Well.” He stared at the patterns in the wood of the dining table, thinking how best to fashion his next words. “The demons never left. I have no proof for you, but I have come across them.”

“Blood of Jesus!” Aunt Darcy shouted. “You are lying. That can’t be true.”

“But it is. They are here, and they aren’t leaving. A particularly dangerous one hunts people, kills them, and raises their corpses as mindless pawns.”

In a state of horror, his aunt’s widened eyes were accompanied by an open, speechless mouth.

“How do you know this?” Jessica asked while Frank moved to hug his mother.

“I cannot tell you that,” he said. “But soon you shall see what I say is true. Limit the places you go to the absolute essentials. Do not stay in large gatherings. And absolutely no going out at night.” He swept his gaze among the three of them, eliciting nervous words of acknowledgment. Then he smiled, offering his hands up. “Let us hold hands and pray.” When everyone settled down, locking hands with their eyes shut, he added. “Aunty, please do the honors.”

Aunt Darcy, eyes squeezed shut, began. “In light of what Jalen revealed, we shall recite the prayer to St. Michael the Archangel. St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the Devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray; and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host…”

As they delved deep into their prayer, he pondered the best way to protect them. The city was dangerous, an ecosystem teeming with maggots and leeches that clawed at the weak. Not to talk about the demons that roamed the lands now. The best-case scenario was to whisk them away to his universe where he could bring to life beings who would protect them. However, they wouldn’t take kindly to losing their friends and all connection with Earth. Plus, how would his aunt react if she found out who he truly was?

With that weighing on his mind, he had to settle for something less jarring. Something simpler. And hope that they wouldn’t find themselves in a situation more perilous than his solution. He would bestow them with a blessing. Not just any. It would be a mark, a divine sigil that would call upon the vast pools of his life force when the situation required it. He chose Jessica as the benefactor, attributing the decision to her maturity while still harboring a moldable heart. After all, his aunt would reject the gift when the time came, thinking it to be the devil’s temptation.

In the words of his Aunt Darcy when someone awoke powers, God would bless his cousin today. His inner gates opened slightly ajar, a small stream of life force flowing into his right arm which passed into her through their joined hands. She jolted and gasped, but remained focused on her prayer. By his will, the life force seeped into her blood vessels, then traveled up her arm into her heart where it inscribed his divine sigil. She started again, this time grabbing onto her chest and heaving in pain.

“What’s the matter, Jess?” Aunt Darcy asked, pausing her prayer.

“I don’t know,” Jessica mumbled. “It’s like my chest is suddenly on fire.”

“Drink some water.”

“Okay,” she muttered, excusing herself from the table.

Upon her return, she appeared much better, so they resumed the prayer. Afterward, Jalen said his goodbyes and went to the door to retrieve his coat from the rack, not too bothered about their safety like before. Yes, Jessica was still like other humans, weak and fragile. However, faced with grave danger, something fierce would awaken.

Aunt Darcy came into the narrow hallway after him. “Don’t tell me you plan on leaving after everything you said. It’s dark out.”

He gripped the placket of his coat and pulled it into a snug fit. “Don’t worry about me, aunt. I’ll be perfectly fine.”

Her face was shrouded in worry and cast in harsh light by the sole light bulb above them. “What will happen if, God forbid, you come across the demon?”

His jaw tightened. “Then the demon will cower in fear.”

A few long seconds passed.

“There is no way I can make you stay, huh?” Aunt Darcy’s lips curled into a smile rich in concern and resignation. When no words came from his mouth, she said. “My, you’ve grown into a good man. No longer that scrawny kid who had the squeaky voice. Your mother would be proud of you.” She wiped the tears plaguing her eyes. “Please, stay safe, Jalen.”

It took some seconds to compose himself and think of a response. In the end, he pulled her into a tight hug. “I will. Now you stay safe as well. See you on Christmas.”