I dropped down from the sky and my feet immediately hit the pavement. As I landed something snatched my collar and yanked me back. I spun around and grabbed the arm that snatched me and pulled them in, preparing to sweep their legs. However, I cooled down once I saw it was Zack.

  “O-oh it's you,” I mumbled and let go.

  He shoved me back. “Yeah, cool it Kratos!”

  I looked around and noticed we were hiding on the side of a small home. Then came the screaming.

  “How could you do this to me Leya!” A voice wailed out.

  “What was that?” I asked.

  “Don't know, I was waiting on my human meat shield to come before I Investigated,.” Zack said.

  “How thoughtful.” I huffed.

  I crept around the corner and I saw the door to the home was completely blown to smithereens. Dark burn marks littered the broken wood. Did someone break in?

  “It's not my fault you changed!” A woman yelled back. “I hope he actually is his father! So maybe then he won't turn into a loser like you!”

  Are we intruding on a family affair or something? The Goddesses said this was the Riot Blue Ranger right? The door has burn marks after all, definitely not normal.

  I walked over to the door and peeked in, and I saw two people standing in a hall next to some steps. One tall man holding a blue gun and a woman. She was glaring up at him and he raised his hand and slapped her. The woman flew and slammed into the steps with a loud thud.

  “Dad?!” A voice screeched from the top of the staircase.

  I looked up and saw a little boy watching. My blood boiled and I stomped forward. However, before I could do anything else a bright green flash exploded to life beside me.

  “Dibs!” Zack yelled.

  He blasted forward and slammed on the steps beside the woman. Then he snatched her up and blasted up to the boy. The man looked surprised and gave all his attention to Zack. Which gave me a free chance to strike. I rushed in and bashed my fist into the man's face. He flew back and crashed into the railing.

  “Zack, get them out of here,.” I demanded.

  “Don't gotta tell me twice!” He yelled.

  “You brats! This doesn't concern you.” The older man yelled and pushed himself up. “We're not done talking!”

  He turned around and I froggy leaped over his back and onto the steps.

  “Don't ignore me,” I said.

  He pointed his gun at me and I activated my eyes. The world slowed down and I saw him shoot. I easily dodged and kicked him in the face and he fell on his back. He tried to sit up, and I quickly leaped down and stomped on his chest and wrist, making him drop the gun.

  The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

  He croaked and glared up at me. “Get off me! That Sow needs to answer me!”

  “I don't know what's going on. But that kid up there called you dad.” I said. “How do you think your kid feels seeing you beat on a woman!?”

  His eyes flickered for a moment, and all that hate and rage slowly faded. The resistance I felt vanished and he looked away.

  “Shut up…” He mumbled.

  “Listen…I'm-”

  As I spoke, I noticed something red came from out of the corner of my eye. I could see it, but I wasn't fast enough to react to it. It shot into my shoulder and I fell back and dropped onto the steps.

  “That must be the knight and wizard.” A voice spoke up from the doorway.

  I pushed myself up and my stomach dropped. There at the doorway were two people. One man with tan skin and hundreds of tattoos all over him, while his dreads were pulled back by his red steel beam bandana. While the other walked in holding out his hand towards me. His fingers were bleeding and I could see he was missing a fingernail. But the Red Steel beam bandana around his neck was much more concerning.

  Two Red Steel gang members!? What!?

  “Mr. Joe, it's so awful!” The bleeding man said and buried his hands into his palms. His messy blonde hair covered his face and he cried. “There's so much sin!”

  This Joe fellow stepped forward and the older man sat up, looking between us all.

  “W-who are you, people!?” He demanded. “What's going on!?”

  “Daniel Jennings,” Joe said and stepped towards him. “I may not know everything going on, but I can say without a doubt, you've been dealt a bad hand. It's unfair what Leya did to you with your boss.”

  “....How do you know about that?” Dan shuttered.

  “It wasn't hard to figure out after I had my people work,.” Joe said. “But don't worry, I'm on your side. The Goddess has offered you a new chance, right? Well, they sent me here to help you out.”

  “Don't listen to him,” I said and sat up. “I don't know what's going on either. But I can promise you whatever the Red Steel gang is offering isn't worth it.”

  “How dare you speak to our savior like that!” The crying man screamed and glared at me, with tears still falling from his face.

  “Easy Algea, it's fine,” Joe said. Listen, Dan. The cops are gonna find you eventually. You didn't exactly do a great job at hiding your evidence. So I'm here to offer you a choice.”

  “Don't listen to him.” I insisted.

  “Let me help you out.” Joe continued. “I promise I can help you start over, after all. Don't you wanna see your son again? Not from behind bars?”

  “Listen, Dan,” I said and stood up. “You should know these guys are a part of a gang that kills and steals whatever they want. They're not good people and they are not-”

  “Shut your dirty philistine mouth!” Algea screamed at me.

  “Relax Algea.”, Joe said and stepped forward. “Knight, listen. I don't know what my people have done to you, but I promise. There's more than meets the eye with us.”

  “I seriously doubt that,” I grumbled.

  “You were here long enough to hear what his wife said, right?” Joe asked. “She's not completely in the right either. After all, she had an affair and potentially a child with another man. How is any of that poor Dan’s fault? He's just reacting how any normal person would, especially after she responds to the allegations with insults.”

  Dan had sat up completely now. He was still eying us, but I could tell his gears were turning. I glanced back up the steps and saw Zack was definitely gone. Stalling is probably my best bet, no matter what this psycho says, Dan here is unstable. And from what he just said he's done some other crazy thing warranting him potential jail time.

  “You're only proving my point,.” I said. “No matter what, there is no excuse to just lash out at someone.”

  “Oh?” Joe asked.“Our paragon of justice is here, are you telling me you've never done something like that?”

  As he spoke the voices came back in my head.

  ‘Oh my gosh, what did he do!?’

  ‘His arm! He broke my son's arm!’

  ‘What kind of monster is he!?’

  I opened my mouth, but the words didn't come out.

  “You seem lost child, come, Lord Joe can bring you back to salvation,” Algea said to me.

  “After all, everyone deserves a second chance,.” Joe added.

  A memory of my mother came to mind. The scene of her lifeless body pouring out blood on the dirty asphalt. Then Annual's face followed and my stomach dropped. I looked over them both and balled my fist.

  “Sometimes, we don't deserve second chances,” I said.

  “Heartless…” Algea sighed.

  “It's not my fault.” Dan shuttered. I looked down at him and saw his arm shaking. “I went to work every day!” He yelled and looked back at me. “I took abuse from my dickhead boss! I worked extra hours to get my wife what she wanted! I stopped collecting and hid my figures because I saw my wife hated it! And she cheats on me? She lied and got me a job with a man I hate. She looked me in the eyes every day and said she loved me.”

  “I-” I stammered, but I had no idea what to say.

  “And she had the nerve to tell me, my son! My joy!” He started to cry. “She wishes that he wasn't even mine? For that fat monster!”

  He wiped his eyes and Joe walked over and patted his shoulder. “Don't worry, the goddess promised you a new leash on life, right?”

  “Dan, I know things are hard. But think about your son, what example do you wanna set?” I asked.

  “Imagine what example your wife has already set,” Joe added and I growled.

  “Maybe you're right, Knight,.” Dan said and took a deep breath. “I've given Leya many chances, I've changed everything for her. Maybe it's time I drop being so forgiving.”

  “I'm glad to hear it,” Joe said and looked up at me. “Well, how about we get your son?”

  “Right,.” Dan said.

  “I'm not letting you pass.” I insisted.

  “You don't have the right to say that.” Dan snapped.

  As he spoke, I saw a vase suddenly flying towards me. I swung my arm and smashed it, making it shatter in my face. At that same moment, Algea tried to race past me up the steps. As he did, I reached out and grabbed his head, and slammed it into the wall.

  Dan raised his gun and shot and I dropped down and just narrowly dodged the blue blast that raced out. I pulled Algea down with me and threw him at Dan. Then I hopped up and went for Joe. As I did, I spotted Joe flicking his wrist, and Algea's shirt was suddenly yanked and he flew away from hitting Dan, which made me pause.

  Damn, does he have telekinesis!?

  “Alright, new plan. We take down the Knight.” Joe said with a smirk.