Chapter 29: Who listens?

Godfrey pierces through the air as sonic booms resound in the city sky. He follows the desperate tug in his soul and speeds up even further. His body tenses as he nears his target, and what he sees brings his blood to a boil.

In an alleyway, two masked men are pinning a scantily clad woman down on the ground. Their intents are clear with the way they are stripping her of clothes.

Godfrey lands on the ground harshly, so much so that the men lose their balance as the ground trembles. They whirl around and all they see are glowing eyes in the darkness. Primal fear shoots up their spine when they see the rageful look in the glowing orbs. One of them scream.

"AAAAHHH what the hell is that?!?!"

The other just grabs the screamers shoulder and shouts.

"What does it matter? Just run!"

As if practised, the duo go deeper into the alleyway without a second thought. They jump off the walls and climb to the top of the building as they hastily make an exit. They reach the rooftop but do not stop running as they leap from one building to another.

Godfrey kneels by the woman and asks in a gentle tone.

"Ma'am, are you injured? I shall take you to the hospital if you require it."

The woman looks up and is shocked at the size of Godfrey. She is about to scream in fear until she looks into his eyes. There she sees only concern for her wellbeing and she starts to tear up as she speaks.

"Please sir. You don't have to worry about me. Just make sure those men get what they deserve."

Godfrey nods and sits her down on the street where it's more populated. He takes to the air and accelerates past the clouds as he moves in a certain direction. His eyes zone in on 2 moving figures, and his soul burns in anticipation.

They stop at one of the building roofs to catch their breath and Godfrey descends like an avenging spirit. His fist makes contact with one of the men's jaw and brutally breaks it as he is sent to the land of dreams.

The other tries to scream but Godfrey moves quickly and uses his hand to clamp down on his neck.

"Ahhk damn you!!!"

Godfrey tightens his hold asks.

"Why?"

The man laughs and smiles as he grins at Godfrey.

"Haha I'm not gonna say anything. No evidence was on the scene and she has no description of her assailants. You can't do a thing to me hero. The law demands that I be sent to a police station, so send me there."

Godfrey smiles and laughs ominously.

"You think you can use the law against me?"

The feeling in his soul burns bright as Godfrey grips the man's jaw tighter. Thunder booms overhead as clouds gather. He turns to the masked man and asks in a steely tone.

"Did it make you feel powerful? Did you have a rush?"

Godfrey zooms upwards and into the clouds. He doesn't gather more lightning. He tries to do something new. The man is frozen in sheer terror as lightning crackles all round him, he moves slightly and lightning zaps him.

PAIN. Overwhelming pain courses through his body. Tiny arcs of lightning hit his skin, but the man feels as though his entire body is being cut open.

"AAAAHHHHH MAKE IT STOP PLEEEAASSE!"

Godfrey ignores him as he directs tiny amounts of electricity through the man's nerves, causing blinding pain. Godfrey rubs his chin in thought.

'After a spark of divinity appeared, my control has skyrocketed. Lightning feels so different now. It no longer feels... angry. It feels determined.'

After thinking for a few more moments, Godfrey descends to the rooftop with the unconscious masked man and looks at the man in his hand.

"Please. I'll tell the police what we did. Just please don't do that again. I'm sorry!!!"

Godfrey listens to his plea and thinks that it's enough. He carries both men back to the alleyway and sees police vehicles nearby. He lands gently on the ground and raises both men in the air.

"These are the offenders. Please take them to the station, the shivering one will tell you everything."

The police whirl around with disciplined movements and prepare for combat. They calm down, however, when they see that Godfrey is most likely a hero. One of them decides to be cautious and ask for his credentials.

"If you don't mind, can I have your name and hero rank. Just for safety."

Godfrey nods and praises the officer.

"Great job. You never know who you might be speaking with, it is good to be cautious. I am Godfrey Gallahad. Number 1 hero in the Aesir Alliance."

All eyes present widen at the mention of his rank and name. Hushed whispers break out.

"He's Godfrey? The one that saved that plane all those months ago?"

"Dear God, I thought he was only 13?"

"I know. Look at the size of the lad. Absolute Unit."

"He's number one now??"

The officer who asked for Godfrey's information quickly comes out of his stupor and searches the Alliance database. Then a holographic image of Godfrey appears along with his pending rank.

With the verification done, Godfrey hands over the criminals and goes to the woman. He notes, however, that she seems to have been left alone. No medical personnel attending to her, and no blanket given to her for the cool night air. Her shivering from looks more pitiful by the second.

Godfrey shouts out and captures everyone's attention.

"Why do you not help this woman? She has just gone through a massive ordeal! Where is your honour?!"

No one answers him as they look away in shame. Godfrey frowns and asks a nearby officer why they left her alone. He answers in a shaky tone.

"She's a corner worker, sir. Her lot is probably used to this? This happens all the time."

Godfrey glares at the man after the words come out. The officer lowers his head in fear and slinks away. Godfrey then heads to an ambulance nearby and grabs a blanket himself. He comes to the woman's side and drapes it over her shoulder.

She looks up in surprise and wraps the blanket tighter around her body. Tears stream forth from her eyes as she shivers in fear. Godfrey frowns and wraps her in a hug.

"Unbelievable, I am sorry. No one would listen. They do not deserve to be called the law."

The woman breaks the hug and gently shakes her head.

"No it's not your fault. Who listens to us anyway? I heard stories from the other girls. I just didn't expect them to not care at all."

Godfrey stands and looks into her eyes.

"I will listen. I care."

She smiles and nods thankfully.

"Thank you."

Godfrey gives one last glare to the police officers and medical staff. He then takes to the sky and flies back to the Alliance headquarters. Alone with his thoughts, he thinks to himself.

'Discrimination because of one's lot in life? Hah. I have done the same. I cannot lash out at them. I must simply do my part.'

He approaches but feels a slight resistance the closer he gets.

'Hmmm. This must be a defensive measure.'

A light pulses over him and the pressure vanishes. Godfrey looks on in thought.

'A biometric scan in the form of a pulse? So the surroundings are being monitored at all times. Interesting.'

He enters the top floor and finds his parents and grandfather still waiting for him. His grandfather speaks first.

"That was a quick excursion. Tell me what forced you to rush out at impressively high speeds and break my window, only to return 3 minutes later."

Godfrey crosses his arm as he answers.

"I felt a pull. The longer I let it go on, the more desperate it felt. When I arrived where the pull was taking me, I saw a woman about to be assaulted. I took care of them and returned."

Calanthe stands next to him and asks.

"And the woman? How is she?"

Godfrey shakes his head in disappointment. He angrily clenches his fist as he replies.

"She was untouched by the attackers, but was treated as nothing more than air by the police and paramedics on the scene as she was a corner worker."

Calanthe frowns at the information. Ambrose gives a proud nod to Godfrey.

"You saved her my boy. Be proud of that. You cannot dwell on the things that take time to change."

Godfrey nods and thinks for a while. His eyes take on a determined look as he speaks to all those present.

"Henceforth, I shall drop out of the Academy. After a week long break, I shall completely focus on hero work."

Ambrose immediately shouts out.

"My boy! I think that this is a hasty decision. Your education and social development do matter. Maybe you can give it a week's time and think about it?"

Calanthe immediately chimes in.

"We didn't become heroes until we were 18. Give yourself some time to rest! You've said it yourself, your life has been nothing but training and combat!"

Robert stays silent and simply stares at Godfrey. The young man looks to his hands and clenches them tight. Power radiates from his very form and fills the room. Godfrey smiles to his parents as he replies.

"I ask you, Mother, Father. Who listens? To those who suffer, who are beaten and abused with no witnesses? Who can save them, when no one can hear them?"

Ambrose clenches his fist in shame and Calanthe holds his hand. They both look to Godfrey and wait for him to answer.

"I can feel them. I feel something within me that pushes me to save as many as I can. I know that I am unable to save them all, and it hurts me, but I will not allow myself to give up before I even try."

Godfrey brings both of his parents into a hug and whispers.

"Please. Grant your son this one wish."

Ambrose clutches his son's arm and Calanthe's does the same. Both of them speaks in unison.

"Go forth, son. Show the world what kind of hero you are."

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END