A man with handsome features circulated a warm bioenergy into the wounds of a young boy. The wounds on the boy accelerated until it was closed.

The man was called Rubedo. He bid those people goodbye and entered a secured room where he gathered the ichor from his body and dispersed them. He was a Breaker, but one of the special ones who have gathered the unusual ability to heal wounds through close contact.

A sister of a catholic order followed. She wore the outfit of what a woman of her profession would. The man did not wear the attire of a priest, and yet there was a holy aura around the man.

No, it was simply the effect of bioenergy. Faith has become power in this strange world after the end. Every Breaker has their own personal reality, and that personal reality and ego is what triggers this strange phenomenon where they are able to manifest an ability that should be beyond the natural laws of the world.

Some called it magic.

Some called it holy.

Some called it advanced laws that science has not comprehended yet.

But it was once the ability that was robbed from the world.

The abilities that made heroes.

When heroes stopped existing, the fear for Gods stopped existing as well.

Who knew that at the end of the world they would appear again? These abilities that allows even the unassuming one to help out.

Rubedo entered a walkway leading down. It was a room made of reinforced steel that was built under a church. It was the room where most of the staff and all those who are under their protection when there are monsters.

Deep inside this complex was a room where Rubedo gets his news. Entering this room he was greeted by a fellow servant of God, Patrick St. John.

“Rubedo, I have news.”

“Is it our colleagues in the UEDF?”

“Yes, unfortunately, our people are being targeted.”

Rubedo sat down. He took the files that Patrick printed. It was a dossier of an operative. There was no picture. There was no information other than the code name of the operative.

“Diable, that is catalan for the devil?”

“It seems like it.”

Rubedo scans the dossier.

Listed on the dossier were the accidents that the Operative have caused. There was little information to have in the dossier other than what he was capable of doing. Even the name of the Operative was redacted. Most of the data was expunged. But from what Rubedo can gather, the Operative targeting him has participated in wet work that made common men shiver in fear.

“It seems a devil intends to target us.”

Rubedo said with a calm look. There was no fear in the man’s face. There was only sadness. Sadness that their work would be incomplete.

That these men would rather choose profit over goodness. It was a sad reality that Rubedo lives and have to remind himself again and again. Even after the end of the world, men are still as selfish as ever.

Idealism was always at the bottom of the barrel.

“How many casualties do we have?”

“Fortunately, it seems that this Devil has not been ordered to kill us. However, you must see this.”

Rubedo focused his eyes on the video clip being played. He saw his friend Richardson cuffed by a device that he could not remove, in front of people, shamed, treated like a pariah, marked as a false holy man. A clip played near Richardson, a video clip that showed his sins, the crime that he made to better the lives of the people.

“There is a good chance that this Operative is trying to discredit all our work. Get rid of our influence. Though, from what I can gather, it seems that this is the main cause of this operation.”

Patrick pointed at the cuffs that had been attached to Richardson.

“This device seems to seal the powers of a breaker. It is limited only through the abilities, and it does not completely seal the physical strength of a breaker.”

“And what does he intend to do? Shame us? Make a show that we are not holy men as people think we are?”

“Yes, that seems to be the goal of this individual.”

“I see.”

Rubedo nodded with an agonized look on his face. He covered his eyes before breathing hard.

“If this man intended to do this. He could have come to me and ended this.”

“Unfortunately, it isn’t so simple. Currently, Richardson’s shaming has made news all over the city. The branding of shame that has spread has stopped for now, but I am sure that there are layers of schemes behind this and that this wouldn't end until this Operative gets what he wants.”

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

“Is it the main church?”

“Although the main church do not agree with us. They are also not against us. They work with us to teach the goodness of church and to help those who are in need. We bring mercy, but we also bring the sword to evil. Something that they don't intend to show to the people, Just like how our Lord pushed the greedy out of the Temple, our church preaches forgiveness, kindness, and love, but it does not tolerate true evil. They help us, despite how low they fall sometimes.”

“Of course, still, it pains me that my people, my flock, are going to lose their faith over this. Is there any chance that we can contact this devil?”

“I’m afraid not. This is simply a smear campaign. I believe that this man will take his time to do the most damage. Thoroughly removing us, shaming us, and making sure that we cannot show our faces to the world.”

“He will expose the sacrifices we made, I see.”

Rubedo thought hard. He faced Patrick with a sincere resolve.

“I will allow you to pave a path for you, my friend.”

“It’s already impossible. This Devil will come after us. But I assure you, my friend. That all of us will be with you. All of us understand the sacrifice that has been made. We will be with you until this is over. We will not fold easily.”

Rubedo closed his eyes and smiled.

“I am blessed to have loyal friends. Then I shall abandon my fear as well. We will continue with our mission. We must make sure that we can do good before this Devil comes for all of us. Tell everyone that we must gather. Do not work alone. Be in front of the people, and make use of our assets to stall for him.”

“It will be done.”

***

Rubedo returned to his quarters.

He sat on his bed in complete silence. He stared at the crucifix pinned on the wall of his room. He bended his knee and clasped both of his hands into a prayer.

He wept for the people that are following him. They have followed this path in the name of the goodness of their hearts. Nonetheless, goodness of heart wasn’t enough, and they were forced to do things that dirtied their hands.

He wept for his people.

He wept for his friends.

All of it was going to be ruined for the sake of someone’s pockets. They say that the Lord was tested in the desert by the Devil and this devil seems to be their test.

The pain and sadness could almost burn his heart. He thought back to the start of this journey. He saw the state of the world and truly, at first, he wanted nothing more than to help people out.

But kindness and good intentions do not easily earn money. Without power and funding, kindness could only be an ideal that they could only look from afar.

He had sold arms. He had sold weapons. He had sold contrabands to the right buyers in hopes that he could use funds for his operation. He had preached goodness, asked for donations, and improved the business of his own organization in hopes to further his intentions of doing good.

Skeletons in the closets to fund their work. It was an excuse and Rubedo wouldn’t deny that he was partaking in the activities of his church and that there are others who have grown rich and greedy because of it.

Fear wasn’t motivating, and only through benefit that people are motivated to help out.

The world wasn’t kind. It would never be truly kind because men are not born as saints, they are inherently good, but they are also powered by their own goals and motivations. Rubedo understands this. He understands this very well.

He wouldn’t deny that he had used the despair of his people to fund their work and that only through this that they were able to create a shelter for the people and provide for what they lack.

There are days where Rubedo would question himself. Days where he would look at the people around him and ask if it was worth it.

And as always he’d conclude that it was worth it.

To traverse hell so that the people he served could live in heaven. He would not allow them. He had seen enough of evil during the end of the world. He had seen what men can do in the face of death. Rubedo thought to himself that perhaps this was all justification for himself. So that he could stand on the higher ground morally when he was question. Thinking that he was better. That he was righteous and the devil was going to ruin their work.

Unfortunately, he could not bring himself to do that. He could not live by himself if he decided to cross that line.

Behind walls he would allow himself to be a weak man. Not the leader of a church that preached goodness and that showed him as a holy man who would guide his flock.

It was not his idea to be marketed as a holy man. He thought of it as deceptive and misleading, but it was the only way to gather donations from men and women who are willing to lend their hearts to a false saint. Although the world has ended, the rest of the world has not fully forgotten the silent voices, the votes of the people, and how powerful influence was.

When the world fell. When the lights went out. When every man and woman, young or old, saw the dark and the monsters at the end of the world. They turned to God. They shouted salvation. And when no one answered, those who were given the ability to break monsters appeared and chased the monsters away from their homes.

They gathered those who could wield strength. Fought in the name of their God, and paved the path. Perhaps, because many of those who stood up against the monsters were men who had followed their God and saved in the name of an old church.

Rubedo could still clearly remember. Those men who bear the cross rescuing those who could not fight. They could have run. They could have saved themselves.

And despite all of that they placed their lives on the line to save those who could not save themselves.

Maybe that’s why Rubedo wanted to help. He didn’t want to believe that it couldn’t be helped. Reality makes it hard for him to truly live up to the idealism that his church believes in.

Ideas clash and beliefs are sometimes not compromised. It breaks his heart that after all the world that they had put in. All of these would be reduced to nothing.

All because a man wanted to shame them for their way of making people believe they are holy. Perhaps, this was the punishment as well, for lying to the good people about who they are. Good intentions don't mean anything when trust breaks.

Their chances of winning were little. If the information that they have gotten was correct, then even if they do succeed. Someone else will keep on targeting them.

His people wouldn’t give up the fight. He knew Patrick enough. He knew that he wouldn’t easily give this all up because of this problem.

“I cannot just weep and hope for the best. I must fight. Let it fate decide on how we could win.””

Then the phone rang. Rubedo picked up the call and heard a voice that was familiar to him. It was also the voice that had tried persuading him.

“I heard of the problem. Do you want me to help you, my friend?”

Another devil was tempting him. He thought hard. He held to his beliefs tightly and yet he found his grip weakening at the thought of the people who were pinning their hopes on them.

“I will hear you out now.”

And so Rubedo said to the devil who called himself their friend.