Heroes 2

'heroes, there can be more than one hero in the same world? Why did the goddess not tell me this.' Luther was getting annoyed and the explanation hasn't even started yet. 'It's obvious how they found me, their goddesses probably told them about me and how to locate me, dammit, this might be bad, I have no powers.' His decision to reject the blessing was starting to back fire fast.

Madame Vess slumped into a chair, she is usually calm but right now she was shaken. "I should have realized it sooner. The signs were there, but I was too focused on other possibilities."

Luna quickly locked the door and drew the curtains. "What do you mean they're heroes? Like Luther?"

"Not exactly like him," she said, giving him a meaningful look. "They accepted their goddesses' gifts and they're not new to this world like you are."

'I knew there are many heroes since the goddess said this is an exam for them but I didn't think there could be heroes in the same world at the same time.'

He kept his thoughts to himself, focusing instead on the immediate threat. "So these heroes, they all have powers from their goddesses?"

"Yes," Vess confirmed, her hands clasped tightly in her lap. "Each deity grants different abilities to their chosen ones. Some focus on destructive power, others on healing or protection. The mages you faced last night..." She paused, considering. "Their tactics suggest they might serve Nelara, the goddess of order and justice."

Luna snorted. "Justice. Right. Because breaking into taverns and attacking people is so just."

"Their version of justice," she corrected. "Nelara's followers believe in maintaining strict hierarchies. A hero refusing divine power would be..." She glanced at Luther. "Problematic for their worldview. It's like you are saying you are too good for them, which to them is seen as unacceptable."

"Sigh and now they know where to find me," he said, his mind already racing through scenarios. "How many other heroes are there in the city?"

Vess and Luna exchanged looks. "It's hard to say," Vess answered carefully. "Heroes tend to keep their identities hidden, for obvious reasons. But we've identified at least five active ones in recent months."

"Five?" He leaned back in his chair, processing this. "And they all have different powers based on their goddess?"

"Indeed," she said. "Though some work alone, while others..." She gestured vaguely at the tavern's scorched walls. "Form alliances."

He absorbed this information, his expression unreadable. The situation was worse than he'd imagined, but also... interesting. Multiple heroes with different powers, all part of some divine examination. And here he was, the wild card who refused to play by their rules.

"We need to move you," Luna declared suddenly. "The tavern isn't safe anymore. We have other—"

"No," he interrupted. "Running and hiding isn't the answer." His eyes gleamed with a dangerous light. "In fact, I think it's time we turned the tables."

"What are you thinking?" Vess asked, noting his change in demeanor.

"You said these heroes keep their identities hidden? That they work in secret?" A familiar strategy was forming in his mind, one that had served him well in his previous life. "Then maybe it's time we started our own investigation. After all," his lips curved into a predatory smile, "they're not the only ones who can gather information."

"What exactly are you planning?" Luna knew he was unpredictable so she needed to know his plan beforehand. 

"Simple," he continued, his voice taking on a harder edge. "We find out who they are, track their movements, and when the time is right..." He made a swift cutting motion with his hand. "We eliminate the threat permanently."

Luna's mug hit the table with a sharp crack. "Absolutely not."

"Think about it," he pressed. "They're trying to kill me anyway. It's just—"

"No," Vess cut in, her usually calm voice like steel. "That's not how we handle things here. We protect people. We don't murder them."

"These aren't street thugs you can just eliminate," Luna added, her eyes flashing with anger. "They're blessed heroes with divine powers. More importantly, they're still people. Taking a life isn't something to discuss so casually."

He leaned back, studying their reactions. "Where I come from, sometimes you have to—"

"This isn't where you come from," she interrupted. "And if you're thinking about going down that path, you can find somewhere else to stay." She stood up, her presence suddenly filling the room. "I meant what I said about protection, but I won't help you become a killer."

Vess placed a gentle hand on his arm. "There are always other ways. Better ways. If you start down this road, you're no better than those who attacked us."

He looked between them, seeing the unwavering resolve in their expressions. "Fine," he sighed. "No killing. But we still need a plan to deal with them."

"Now that," Luna said, her posture relaxing slightly, "we can help with. There are ways to fight back without crossing lines we can't uncross."

Vess nodded approvingly. "Sometimes the best victory isn't in destroying your enemy, but in making them realize you're not the enemy at all."

'Oh my god, they are so naive.' He looked specifically at Luna, 'she is going to get me killed.'

He forced a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "Of course. You're right." But his thoughts raced in a different direction. 'They don't understand. These "heroes" won't stop just because we ask nicely. And if Luna's moral code gets me killed...'

"I can see you're not convinced," she said sharply, reading his expression. Her eyes narrowed. "Whatever you're planning in that head of yours, drop it. I mean it, Luther."

He spread his hands in mock surrender. "Already dropped. So what's your brilliant non-lethal solution? Asking them over for tea and explaining how we're all just misunderstood?"

Vess shot him a warning look. "Sarcasm doesn't suit you."

"Neither does naivety," he muttered, but fell silent at Luna's glare.

"Listen carefully," Luna leaned forward, her voice low and intense. "I've been protecting people in this city longer than you've been in this world. I've faced worse than some self-righteous heroes with divine complexes. If you think my way is soft, you're wrong. It's precise, calculated and most importantly, it works."

'Sure it does,' he thought, but kept his expression neutral. He would play along, for now. But if it came down to his survival or their moral high ground... well, they couldn't watch him every second of every day.

"So enlighten me," he said aloud. "What's the plan?"

She exchanged a glance with Vess before answering. "First, we gather intelligence – the right way. No stalking, no threatening, no violence. Then we use that information to protect ourselves and others. Sometimes the best defense is making sure they can't justify an attack in the first place."

"And when that fails?" He challenged. "When they come at us anyway?"

"Then we defend ourselves," she stated firmly. "But there's a world of difference between defense and murder."

A cynical smile played on Luther's lips. 'We'll see about that,' he thought. 'We'll see how long those principles last when their backs are against the wall.' But outwardly, he just nodded. "Alright then. Let's do it your way."

Neither woman looked entirely convinced by his acquiescence, but they couldn't read the calculations already forming in his mind.

'time for me to awaken mana.'