"If you had the chance to destroy evil, would you do it, knowing it would destroy you too?"

        Years ago, my answer to this question was always a no. I would look at the person in the eye, directly, and wonder why this was important. There were bigger things to worry about: girls, alcohol, and money. After all, evil would always exist, and there was no way to destroy it entirely. And what would our world be without evil? Where would the heroes and saviors be without something to defeat? The world was nothing without evil, so why would I risk myself for a concept with no reality?

If you asked me this question when I was naïve and without any thought of how the world worked, I would have immediately pinned you as crazy and a nutcase. I would have rather been at the bar drinking and picking up girls rather than listening to a looney white-haired man ramble on about the impossible. 

"Oh, James!" The man would have said, cherry-eyed and on the brim of delight. "Sit down, young man. Let me order you so'thing!" His hand would pat on the leather seat beside him, and he would snap towards the bartender. The bartender would be this wavy blonde with green eyes and god, those hips, sashaying side to side. She would turn and slide a drink next to the man, winking with those perfect eyes- 

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"..and that's why I would have to kill you." The man would have finished, and I would stare wide-eyed, completely devoid of any context of the situation. The man would sigh, as if he knew this would happen. Then, the looney white-haired man would push a small piece of paper into my hand, and curl my fingers into a fist. 

The man would stare back, with his beady brown eyes, and whisper, "Keep this safe." Finally, the white-haired loon would walk out of the bar. 

I would scoff, shaking my head in bemusement. My head would turn quickly, side to side, glancing to see if anyone else was looking. The blonde bartender would be in the corner, speaking to a group of young collegiate athletes. I would uncurl the paper that was so tightly folded and peer closely, as if I was examining every word. And on that paper that the looney white-haired passed along, would I read the words haunting the next years to come. 

'Would you destroy evil if given the chance,' was written, 'knowing it would destroy you too?'. As I read those words quietly to the air, there was a click in a console, blaring an alarm in a facility, in a place far far away. My destiny would be sealed, and if you had asked me that question years later instead, this would never have happened.