Define Hero?

[Dom]

Its funny when you live in a city of heroes, you wonder how did they get that way. In stories, real stories heroes don't go out with tights and a cape looking for danger, an aura of energy blazing, armed with catch phrases and the power to level a city block if they just stop holding back. Real heroes are people who are forced with a choice, real heroes see no other option but to do what they can in spite of what is before them. Real heroes aren't heroes at all, they are just people who do what they can when the world needs them to.

I am no hero.

An arm folded over his chest as the other held in it some old looking papers pulled from a folder. The man in the red shirt studied them for a moment before looking back. Kestrel they called him, I don't know if it was his name or some silly title he picked out. He didn't seem to be the silly type. "Thanks Dominic" there was something about hearing your name, hearing someone thank it that makes you wonder. Maybe thats why they put on the tights, why they strap a cape to their backs, to hear that, to see it when words escape them. I'd rather not think about it, standing there on a tall building, bright colors, a piece of cloth catching in the wind, looking down on the city, as if those people down there were somehow different, like they needed to be watched by some guy in a mask.

Damn.

What was he saying? Summoning? The Circle? I don't wear the tights, I just deliver the paper work, the books, the stories about terrible things, written in terrible languages no one would understand. Save it, your not the only one I do this for you know? I can tell from his voice something is happening, the man in the red shirt is concerned speaking of demons and Hell, I think I have heard enough talk about this, but where is the exit. They don't make signs with bold face letters that will let you leave a conversation. Subtley of body language is lost on people absorbed in their own world. Bind a demon? Herald of Destruction?

What did he say?

"I have to study tonight, I will see you tomorrow Si?" Her voice was sweet as always, an accent that rolled soft spoken words from her lips. Another voice "You're awfully quiet. Dom?" a friendly concerned voice. She worries too much. I do what I can to put her worries to rest, it never works. Maybe I haven't found the right thing to say yet? Things slow down and she is gone, I need to get moving again, need to stay on my feet. Saved by the tone coming from my pocket. Its the man in the red shirt, Kestrel. Can I go to the archives and pick up some books? Sure the bus ride will give me a chance to do school work and keep moving.

Heroes don't take the bus.

The ride is quiet as the day is winding down, the scattered people keep to themselves. This is the way the world works, those who greet you with a friendly smile you hold onto. You want to be close to them. The scenery begins to change as we leave the city limits, not much further now. I look to the two devices which fit over my arms, slide them aside and tuck my history book back in my bag. The kid sitting with his mother, he has curious eyes, he wants to know what they are for. I don't bother to answer, he never spoke up. What good would the answer to him, curious eyes would turn to fear or misunderstood amusement. I smile to him, and he gives me a goofy smile back. Maybe I shouldn't have smiled.

Its dangerous to hold onto me.

My watch tells me I still have time before the bus comes around, I have the book and the papers that are supposed to go with it. They get tucked between history and math. Okay so maybe I had other reasons for coming out here "Black Sands Nature Preserve" Paragon is nice, but sometimes you need to get away from the city. Things are clear out here. Over my shoulder I can see the distant skyline of Paragon, monuments of humanities accomplishments. I wonder what our generation will create. Mutants, steps forward in evolution to some, freaks to other.

I fear great terrible things.

There is chanting in the distance, probably some cult having its weekly meeting, maybe some kids trying to mess around with magic. Should probably just let it alone, but that feeling, it comes. I don't like it, knowing when something bad is about to happen. It first happened during one of the raids, Talos was getting bombed, trying to take out the ones that didn't detonate. I could feel it falling above me, my eyes never saw it, but I moved as if they did. Whatever it was, it felt like one of those bombs.

Some great terrible thing.

Three robed figures came running my my direction, they seemed to be in hurry to get away. The other two didn't hesitate for a moment when I took him down clotheslining him. The symbol on his robe, he was Circle. What were they doing out here? He was afraid, he just wanted to get out of here, he didn't want to talk until a roar errupted into the night. Eyes wide he filled in the blanks, I tried to think back, think hard to what the man in the red shirt, what Kestrel had said. The circle had to summon demons every day, there certainly were enough of them in Paragon. I let him go as another roar ripped through the the air just as the sun began to set.

So much for a quiet night.

I know if someone would would have seen me standing there, I would have the same wide eyed fearful look of the man I had pinned down. Far from the heroic defiant pose you see in the movies. No tights, no cape, it was okay to be afraid. He was bigger than the others, whisps of flame crawled over his body as it let out a harsh breath, steam rolling up into the sky. At his feet the earth was scorched and strange shadows crawled over the ground as if they had a mind of their own. A low growl escaped its muzzle, as burning yellow eyes looked to where I stood. Technology can be a wonderful thing.

Kestrel, I have a problem.

Face to face with it now, the real struggle had begun, the smell of sulfer was oppressive. I should have been dead with its first swipe, but evolution saw fit to keep me on my feet. I thought it took everything I had, energy ripped through my arm numbing it as the thing screamed out in pain, collapsing. Something I thought I hadn't heard from the man in the red shirt, Kestrel, echoed in my mind. It can't be destroyed just by... not finished yet. The beast pushed itself up, another chuff of hot air coming from its nose. I would have given anything to see fear in its eyes, I just beat it didn't I? I had to chuckle to myself the sentiment from a class mate I had patrolled with.

Dom Smash

I looked down to my arms, the pieces of metal and technology were barely there, cleaved off by swipes from claws, the gloves shattered from fists against iron like skin. The grass was soft, and the and the last rays of light were starting to fade beneath the horizon. It was dark now, darker than it should have been around it. The only light came from the flames still floating up off the Demons body. "Kestrel, I need help! What should I do?" Allocating heroic resources, what the hell does that mean. He told me to just get out of the way and let it come, there would be heroes in the city ready for it. I looked back to the horizon, seeing the dimly lit skyline of the city. I wanted to run, I wanted it leave it up to someone wrapped in spandex, cape flowing in the wind. The only thing I could think about was Kat, sitting there on the pantheon trying to fight back tears. What if I let it go, what if someone got hurt.

She was stronger than she knew.

Kat screamed into my ear as I sat on my knees. I couldn't keep my head up, my eyes didn't need to see it get back up. The roar it released into the night let me know it was time again. "Ive got to go its back" she screamed my name, when you hear it like that, it makes you wonder maybe thats why they do it. Why they some how get into that full body suit and stand in high places posing through beams of sunlight washing over the city. To hear their name called out by people who care for them. It was enough.

On your feet.

I lost track of how many times it had been now. How many times its claws had raked across my skin and cut so deeply into it. At some point I had stopped healing, like whatever kept me going, whatever was written into my genetic code, had run its course. Everything was numb, my limbs were resplaced with lead wieghts. In truth I don't know how I stood, maybe if I could hold out a little longer Kat would be there, hero resources would be allocated, the man in the red shirt would scream into my ear what I needed to hear. I could feel warm running down the side of my face, down my arms and back, in spite of it I smiled. This wouldn't be my last stand, to stubborn to let it end like this, I made her a promise I would take her to the dance afterall.

One more time, again.

Someone landed softly beside me. Allocated resources? No, a friend. She didn't need to ask if I was okay, but she did anyway. The demon was struggling to get back to its feet, I think it was starting to get weaker. How many times had it been now? She was speaking, we needed to retreat, the man in the red shirt spoke as if he was beside me. Its name. What was it! Just tell me already! Hours of translation, words hidden within words. The title meant nothing to me, but when I screamed out "Angara!!" with a hoarse voice, to the beast it meant everything. Where I got the strength to meet its charge I don't know, honestly I didn't care.

Damn heroic moments.

Kat was there, she was too close, one of the deflected blows tore into her shoulder, armor there to stop it from cleaving her. Her small body tossed across the grass, limp for a moment and suddenly the burden of her life was on my shoulders. I can't fail now and I don't see her struggle to her feet. One more strike is all I have left, but there is no opening in its defenses. Ive got to strike before my legs give out, before my body gives out, before I fail her.

No one wants to be a real hero.

I never saw where the boulder came from, my senses at that point were too dull. The creature never saw it coming either. It was enough, it smashed into the side of his face bringing his attention to the small figure holding her shoulder now, there was the opening. Strike! I drove my hand towards it crackling with the destructive energy. My own evolution. I don't know if it roared or it screamed, maybe both, but my had passed through it as if I had punched through a sheet of thin paper. Burning yellow eyes rolled back into its skull as it went limp, both of us falling back. I blinked once to see her standing over me holding her shoulder. She spoke to me and I think I spoke back, everything was a dull mumor though. I blinked again and we were in the medical bay she was standing there, worrying. She does that too much, I don't make it any easier on her. I meet her for the first time properly tonight, managing to shake her hand. She stays there until neither of us can talk anymore. I probably should have called Mieri, but she would only worry.

No hero, just stubborn.