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“Tommy, settle down for bed.”
Tommy rushed under the blankets of the bottom bunk. His older brothers were already in the top bunk.
A blue sheep stuffed animal hit him on the head, thrown carelessly from the bunk above, accompanied by the young laughter of Wil.
“Mom, have you seen Karl anywhere?” Techno’s young voice came from the highest bed.
“I have him right here, Techno,” Kristin said softly as she came into the room holding a small stuffed horse.
“Dad, can you tell us a story from your hero days?” Wil begged.
Phil laughed as he closed the door and shut off the light. “Fine. But only if your mother agrees to help.”
The room was then filled with desperate sounds of Tommy and Wil begging for Kristin to join in the story.
She finally relented with a soft laugh. “Don’t you three ever get tired of hearing his stories?”
“Never!” Tommy exclaimed as he pulled the Minecraft-themed blanket up around him.
“What about the story of my fight against the villain, Goddess Of Death.”
“She sounds scary.” Wil interrupted with a slight hint of fear in his voice.
“Oh, she was terrifying and brave to fight for those who couldn’t fight for themselves,” Kristin remarked with pride evident in her voice.
“That she was, Kristin. But unfortunately, the agency didn’t agree. So they sent the young hero Crow out to fight her.” Phil said with a pain distant in his voice.
Purple and black shadows danced around the room. The shadows swung and missed. Each was not trying to just kill the other but survive the fight.
“The goddess was fast, and I was just a young hero.”
Kristin moved the shadows to reflect what Phil was saying.
“She quickly pinned me against the building. Then, while holding an ax to my throat, I became the first and only hero ever to hear her voice. Though I have no doubt it was through a voice changer.”
There was a snicker from the corner of the room where Kristin was still sitting to move the shadows.
“She said to me, ‘why?’ It could have meant why my name, why the costume, why anything. But I knew exactly what she meant. Why do I fight for these people? Why do I not join her?”
“Why didn’t you join her?” Techno asked tentatively.
“Because we had to change the system from the inside. The outside may make for a flashier show, but the progress is slow like a wither flower.”
“But balance is needed, my children. The change must be forced from the outside. For without that, there is no accountability for those on the inside.” Kristin remarked.
Phil sighed as if this was an age-old battle for the pair.
“Did you win the fight?” Tommy asked with sleep creeping into his voice.
“No. I did not. But the goddess of death was merciful that night and spared this hero his life. No other hero was to be that lucky.”
The shadows danced off in different directions.
“Did you ever see the goddess of death again?” Wil asked, the fear fully showing in his voice now.
“Yes. Once. Two supposed heroes I worked with went rogue and started attacking civilians. Then, she appeared in a swirling cloak of darkness from the shadows. The heroes were prevented from ever attacking civilians again that night. But, the goddess of death stayed true to her name.”
The room began to take on a purplish tint to it.
“Did they ever capture the goddess of Death?” Wil’s voice filled the room with his fear.
The room hung in silence while the adults tried to figure out what to say.
Finally, Kristin spoke. “No one ever captured her. But the Soot house need never fear her or her name.”
“Why? Is she dead?”
“Yes, Wil. She is dead to the world that no longer needs her.”
“Let your plans be dark and impenetrable as night, and when you move, fall like a thunderbolt.”
“Art of war. Fitting remark Techno. That was a war with great casualties on both sides.” Phil asked.
“It is pretty fitting though for her, Phil, you have to admit,” Kristin said while laughing.
“Alright, boys. Time for bed.” Phil remarked as the two quietly left the room.
Once the door was shut and they were in the hallway, he turned to Kristin. “So the great goddess of death is dead?”
Kristin waited till they were safely in their room down the hall to answer. “She is. There is no way around it.”
“You are correct. Though only dead in the way that a phoenix is till rebirth.”
“The mighty Crow has also fallen.” She pointed out.
“That is also true. A mighty pair of dark phoenixes. Simple bidding our time till we can free this society.”
One son followed the unknown path of his mother .
The feared goddess of death brought up the feared villain, the Blood god.
The Blood god brought terror into anyone’s path he crossed. He was fighting for the weak while also sparing no sacrifice for true anarchy.
One son walked the path of his father .
The strategic Crow was followed by the loved and feared hero Apollo.
The people and the government alike loved Apollo. True to his job and mission to protect. But even the brutality was enough to turn the loyalist student.
One son followed neither and both .
The feared and strategic Theseus. He was a vigilante who fought for those who could not fight for themselves while working with no alliance to either side to take down something more significant than he could ever believe.
So the unlikely group of five came together to form the feared group.
The Syndicate.
It was feared for the unknown associated with it because how could two heroes, two villains, and a vigilante all work together for a shared goal?
So their fate was to take down an organization more significant than their wildest dreams.
But for tonight, the children slept, the parents planned, and the world turned round.
All awaited the return of the help sent to free them.
Crow, the hero long since thought to be dead.
The goddesses of Death, the villain thought to have killed him.
Apollo, the secret spy on the inside and unknown danger.
The Blood god feared from stories and lore.
Theseus, the one to slay the mighty Minotaur.