Chapter 5: I'm not a god

"Hello my boy."

Ambrose suddenly loses strength as he says those words. Godfrey catches his father and lays him down gently. His father grabs his shoulder and speaks seriously.

"Ughhh...spiked tentacle...poison. Stay...vigilant."

Godfrey nods at his father's words and looks at Raphael's body. The squirming body of his foe reminds him of the elves and their plant like regeneration.

Thunder booms overhead as lightning streaks across the sky. Godfrey laughs as he thinks to himself.

'The elves always did fear me.'

Godfrey raises a hand, and the sky darkens considerably. His eyes glow with an electric radiance. He then points at the now conscious Raphael.

"For the sin of harming my family, I sentence you to DEATH!"

Godfrey lowers his hand and lightning continually strikes Raphael's body.

*BZZzZzzzZZZttTtt*

"AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH"

Raphael squirms as his body quickly chars and his internal organs liquify. He dies within seconds.

Godfrey stops his attack and feels a wave of dizziness. He drops to a knee and does his best not to fall.

"My baby!"

Godfrey slightly turns his head and is hugged by his mother. He can hold no longer and collapses on her.

'I have used too much energy. My body is not what it used to be.'

Godfrey decides to meditate and recover. He is left with his thoughts and they are concerning.

'Where are the other heroes??'

Suddenly, a spiked tentacle pierces towards them from the forest. Calanthe shoots an explosive blast that knocks it away, yet the tentacle remains unharmed.

Ezekiel walks out with a mangled face, yet his eyes still radiate an intense rage.

"Why do you all resist? Your strongest combat strength is defeated and broken. Let me finish the job and both of you will live."

Calanthe doesn't say much and unleashes a barrage of laser beams that are deflected by Ezekiel. They trade back and forth while Godfrey does his best to recover.

'No, I have to help her. I can feel it. Poison.'

Godfrey shouts as loud as he can.

"MOTHER! THERE'S POISON IN THE AIR!"

Calanthe immediately pushes herself further in order to incapacitate Ezekiel as quickly as possible. She utilises less power to keep her family from being caught in the blasts.

Ezekiel, however, chooses to evade and drain Calanthe's energy. Minutes go by and she slowly loses strength.

Godfrey is helpless as his mother gains an increasing amount of wounds.

'NO, NO, NO. Come on push yourself. Give me every last drop.'

The sky darkens once more as Godfrey summons forth every ounce of energy. His body, however, protests the action.

"GAAAHHH"

Pain courses through Godfrey's very soul as his cells are underprepared for the punishment he has subjected them to. Still he pushes forward.

Calanthe, on the other hand, is distracted by his scream of pain. Her motherly instincts compel her to look at her child and Ezekiel takes advantage.

Ezekiel closes the distance and successfully dodges Calanthe's hasty defense. He pierces deep into her leg and crushes her bone as Calanthe screams in agony.

"AAAAAAAHHHHKKK"

Ezekiel lifts her up by the leg and tosses her away as if she was a mere pebble on the road. Godfrey seethes in rage as he witnesses this.

'How dare you!'

He pushes his abilities even further beyond the breaking point, while outwardly remaining calm. Ezekiel gloats as he ignores the boy and walks towards Ambrose.

"Haha I bet you didn't expect this. The Great Ambrose laying at my feet."

Ambrose does his best to open his eyes and ask.

"...who...you."

A vein pops on Ezekiel's head as he spits on the ground.

"Why did I think you'd remember the ones you failed to save."

Ezekiel gets ready to kill Ambrose. He raises his tentacles and speaks one more time.

"Orion sends his regards."

Without warning, two hands clamp down on his head and lift him into the air. Ezekiel is bewildered at such a development and flails in the air.

"Wha- put me down you brat. I'll kill you next!!!"

Godfrey calmly squeezes harder and slams Ezekiel into the ground. The earth shatters as he feels his foe's broken skull. The boy doesn't loosen his grip and stares into the eyes of Ezekiel, who is at this point completely dazed.

Godfrey raises Ezekiel into the air once more.

"You talk too much. RAAAAARGGHHH!"

A large bolt of lightning strikes down on Godfrey and completely decimates Ezekiel's defences.

"AHHH NOOOOO!"

Ezekiel feels his skin becoming charcoal, his bones becoming dust, his blood boiling into steam, and his brain becoming mush.

Godfrey throws the charred body down and looks upon his handiwork. He realises that Ezekiel still lives and tries to sate his curiousity.

"How did you prevent the other heroes from arriving?"

Ezekiel looks to the boy with his one remaining eye and chuckles.

"Hehehe clever, there are others who want to see your parents fall. Some of them are those you call ally."

Ezekiel coughs and his heart slows in its beating.

He looks to Godfrey and smiles.

"Well done boy. Such power at your age. Maybe you'll do what your father could not."

Ezekiel's breathing slowly weakens and life leaves his eyes for good. Godfrey releases a breath and collapses.

As his eyes close he hears the faint sound of an ambulance and helicopters. The last thing he sees is his mother crawling towards him.

Then it all fades into black.

As Godfrey lay there defenseless, Calanthe does her best to drag her battered body towards him. She looks to Ambrose and sees his breathing become steady.

Calanthe lays next to Godfrey and waits for the ambulance to arrive. She ponders on the events of today and they make her angry.

'I just wanted to have lunch with my family. The so called 'heroes' didn't even show up. Someone will answer for this.'

The last of her energy seeps away as she sees paramedics running towards them.

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The next morning

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Godfrey awakens and leaps from his laying position. The bed collapses from the force of his exertion. He lands on the ground and assumes a stance.

The boy looks around and finds himself in a hospital room, a little confused as to how he arrived here. He notices that his body feels stronger and meditates to find an answer.

Using his divine sense, he delves into his body. What he sees astounds him as he has never experienced this, even in his previous life.

Godfrey notes that some of his cells have become pure lightning energy. His thoughts turn chaotic at this development.

'I have always controlled lightning. What if I can become it?'

He is brought out of his thoughts when his mother bursts into the room.

"MY BOY!! Thank goodness you're alright."

She gives Godfrey a hug that could crush a normal human. He laughs and pats her back while apologising to her.

"Sorry for worrying you. I know that it was a reckless decision to fight alongside you, but I could not leave you both to fight alone."

Calanthe simply caresses his face.

"What you did was brave. I'm almost ashamed to admit that we would have lost without you. Your father is still alive because of your involvement."

She hugs him one more time and whispers.

"Thank you."

Godfrey reciprocates but quickly breaks the hug as he remembers his father's condition.

"How is Father?! Where is he now??"

Calanthe, seeing Godfrey's panic, calmly leads him to the next room.

There, Ambrose lays asleep. A healing machine is currently mending the hole in his chest. Calanthe turns to Godfrey and reassures him.

"Do not worry my child, this is the last phase of treatment. Your father will recover in no time."

The mother and son turn to the door as someone knocks. Godfrey opens the door to reveal Dave.

"Ah David. I see that you are well."

Dave gives Godfrey a light smile.

"I told you that it's Dave hahaha. I come bearing gifts and news."

He puts a basket of fruits onto the beside table. Then he turns to Calanthe and Godfrey seriously. Calanthe is concerned and asks him directly.

"What news do you bring Dave?"

Dave sits on a chair and looks to Godfrey.

"You, Godfrey. You're on national news. Someone managed to record you saving a family and fighting off the attackers."

Dave stands and rubs his forehead in exasperation as he continues.

"All the news outlets and independent journalists are outside the hospital just waiting to sink their teeth into you. I know that your father hasn't accepted my proposal yet but I think you need a PR representative for what's about to come."

Godfrey sits in silence for a while and Calanthe assures him.

"You don't have to go out there if you don't want to Godfrey."

Godfrey stands and a look of determination is on his face.

"There is no use running mother. Might as well get it over with."

Dave nods and Godfrey follows him as they both head to the main entrance. Numerous voices can be heard as speculations run rampant.

"Do you think they died? The aftermath of their battle was pretty bad."

"They're the number one hero team, and they almost got taken out yesterday. Are we really safe?"

"Maybe their hero days are over?"

The scene becomes silent when the main entrance doors slide open and reveal Godfrey.

Then the flood gates burst.

"Godfrey tell u-" "What are your thoughts on-" "Is it true th-" "Why did-"

The scene is chaos as reporters fight to talk over one another.

Having had enough, Godfrey claps his hands together and a sound akin to a lightning strike bursts out. Thunder rumbles in the clouds as they darken.

The reporter's become silent and Dave takes this opportunity to set up a calmer questioning session.

"Everyone, my name is Dave Hoover. I am the PR representative of the Gallahad family. Please note that this is still a hospital and patients need their rest."

All the reporters have faces of embarrassment and lower their voices.

"Dave Hoover? The greatest journalist in the 24th century?"

"He's their representative? The Gallahad's now have another powerhouse."

Dave cough and gathers everyone's attention.

"Ehem. I'm sure everyone has their questions. We will answer three today. So think carefully and ask appropriate questions."

All the reporters raise their hands and Dave picks one at random.

"Hi Edmond from CS News here. First and foremost, I'd like to say thank you for keeping our city safe. What were the identities of the attackers yesterday?"

Godfrey thinks and decides not to disclose the involvement of 'Orion' whatever that may be.

"I do not know their identities. We were simply out for a family lunch and were attacked."

Dave picks another hand.

"Hey Carissa from JKN here. Would you say your parents have lost their effectiveness as a team?"

The scene becomes heavy as an unseen pressure emanates from Godfrey and presses down on everyone.

Godfrey looks at the reporter and makes an offer.

"You have one chance to rephrase your question. Begin."

Carissa thinks hard and comes up with another way of asking the same question.

"The foes yesterday were a major threat, how does your family plan to combat threats that will no doubt become more daunting."

Godfrey easily answers.

"They were hampered in their efforts to combat their foes. In order to protect the city, and me, they exercised massive restraint. On another note. Those villains spread poison in the air that gradually sapped them of strength. They will not be caught off guard again. Next question."

Dave picks the last person.

"Hi I'm Jefferson from IC media. I have to ask. Why did you jump into the fray? No one would fault you if you didn't."

Godfrey smiles sadly.

"If I didn't, then who would have? No other hero was on the scene, my parents fought a tough battle where they had to hold back. They were almost defeated through trickery and deceit."

Godfrey thumps his chest and shouts.

"I want to be a hero! That word, I think, has been diluted and spat on for far too long. Heroes bring hope and inspire others."

He floats in the air as lightning crackles overhead.

'I'm not a god. I'm not above anyone. I see that now. That beggar's mother and the mother yesterday. They are deserving of godhood. They are heroes.'

"My life is not worth more than any other. Yet I have gifts that allow me to protect those that cannot protect themselves! So I must answer the call of duty."

Godfrey raises a hand and lightning strikes it as he holds it aloft like a spear.

"Let it be known that no task will be too trivial or challenging for the Gallahad family! We will show the world what it means to be true heroes!"

He then crushes the bolt of lightning in his hands.

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END