Confutatis Maledictis

Issue 20 - The End?

There are no heroes.

"No, we could be their heroes, finally we have a chance at doing some good and this is the first time in a long time I haven't felt so...that I haven't felt like shit about everything that I have done, that we have done. This is the first time that I haven't questioned everything about myself."

"I second that. You really think that running away is the best way forward? For you? For any of us? Even if we do make it out of here, even if we do survive that journey and let's be serious, that is a pretty big 'if', will you be able to live peacefully knowing about all the things that you've done?" asked Tobias.

"I have to admit, the mirror has become slightly friendlier as of late," said Dimitri.

"You all have valid points, but the plan from the beginning has been to retrieve help and come back to liberate these people. We cannot do it alone and we cannot do it now, as it stands we have no hope of bringing about the reformation that we all so desperately desire," replied Custos.

"Yes. That's been the plan and you should all know that it is still a near impossible task to overthrow whatever this government truly is. Custos is right, we are going to need help," said Anastasia

"I also agree with the big...little boss man. He hasn't steered us wrong so far, why are we all questioning him now?" asked Frank.

"Because deep down, we all know the truth," said Keiko, "we all want out, to some degree. We all want that void filled with something other than loathing, pain, desperation. But we all know that you do not mean to return. You have said it time and time again, this is our chance to be free. But for some of us, freedom is not real if we have to live with the horrors of our past. We know, that you do not truly mean to come back, but the problem is that we have a chance to be better. We have the chance to be better we have ever been, than we ever could have been. We have a chance to set these people free and to lead them into a world that is not dictated by which expensive school you go to, who your family plays golf with, the colour of your skin, your sexuality or your gender. We have a chance to reboot this country."

"No. None of you understand. I have tried and I have tried. The people have tried and tried. They always lose. Always. For every one of me, there are ten of them. These fires that are burning in the street will burn out and what rises from the smoke from the ash will be the same machine that was there before. Because we haven't even scratched the surface of the true power in the world. You think that the power resides in the hands of the First Minister? You think that the power resides with the Guardian? They are just pawns in a game played by other people."

"We already know that," said Carla, "we know that these people have no hope, especially when they are fighting by themselves, but for once they have people who are willing to fight alongside them. They have the Iglesias de los Unidos, they have us, they even have the Spectres and the support of a bunch of terrorists."

"Doesn't that make us terrorists?" asked Frank.

"No, we are here to conquer, we are here to bring freedom to the people," replied Carla.

"Tomato, potato."

"Look we have a choice. We can continue with this plan, run away and leave these people to destroy each other, allow the government to massacre these people. Or, we can fight back and help them win. What do you guys want to do?"

***

Outside, the world was burning. Chaos had spread. Most Ministers were in hiding in the Sanctum, in central Lacrima. It was walled off from the poor and was almost impossible to infiltrate. Justice Minister Alia Shah was lucky to have locked herself away. She was safe but there was still one minister who was outside of central Lacrima's walls and he was speeding through the streets as more and more protests erupted in the night. His only solace was that Custos and five members of his team had been reported, dead.