Spider-Slayer/Team MSTC (Mystic) Volume 1: A Light in The Shadows of Blood

Chapter 9: The Ugly Truth

????: Evil. We have been taught that there is a fixed, impermeable line between good and evil, with the comforting belief that We and our Kin are on the good side and They, Those Others, are on the bad side. This good-bad, dark-light dichotomy creates concepts of the other, the enemy, and supports not only prejudicial thinking, the in-group sense of superiority over the out-group, but worse of all it encourages dehumanizing others, thinking of them as undeserving creatures who are less than human. It is not hardwired into us; it is learned from adults, from the media, from politicians, from slogans and propaganda all around us. The evil that is in the world almost always comes of ignorance and good intentions may do as much harm as malevolence if they lack understanding. Evil is unspectacular and always human. And shares our bed and eats at our own table. But ultimately, people are not born heroes or villains; they're created by the people around them. My empress is such an example........

Third POV:
Hunter: You know sometimes it feels like you are the only sane person on this team.

Hunter took another belt from his canteen as he looked around the church, covering his mouth with his sleeve to avoid breathing in the fumes coming off of the cult members as each one began to dissolve into black mist.

Lue: (Quirks an eyebrow) I mean, they all worship chaos and dostruction, while I'm one of the good guys, so yeah.

Hunter: Well, you actually listen to my plans, I'm still stuck in my rebellious phase, where after I come up with a plan, I break script and just do my own thing.

As the black mist disappeared, he took a seat at one of the pews and looked forward toward the front.

Hunter: Chaos cults like this are getting even bigger these days. I can't tell if Spider-Slayer is involved in all of them or if people are just that stupid.

As if in reply, Lue took a seat next to him.

Lue: Maybe you're just being too negative about it.

Hunter: Yeah, maybe I am just being negative about it, but I can tell he's getting stronger. Even a year ago, he had trouble taking over more then one combat form, now hems able to divide a mind between an entire group and enhance them.

He offered his flask to the girl, who took a swig of her own from it before handing it back.

Hunter: If Alaric can get the last artifact, we might really be looking at a seriously bad time. So what were you doing here?

Lue: Me and my team, S.T.R.I.K.E., were sent here-

Hunter: S.T.R.I.K.E.? You're with them?

Lue: Yeah, and an agent of S.O.N.G. as well, we recieved information that The Spider-Slayer was here-

After a moment, Hinter began to cough violently, bits of black smoke coming from his mouth and swirling toward her eyes, polluting them with its darkness. It took a moment for him to catch his breath again, taking a long drink from his canteen until it was empty before tossing it to the side and standing up.

Hunter: This was the last lead that we had, it looks like we are out of options. You know that if you don't want to come, you don't have to right? Given your condition.

Lue: Sure, I may be unable to fight very much, but I need to help.

Hunter: (Sighs and runs hand down his hair) Off to Wonderland then.

He followed after Lue with a troubled expression, not seeing for a moment the miniature spider watching from outside the window, crimson eyes burning against the darkness before taking off into the sky.
———————————————————————————
Xian cracked her knuckles and looked toward a woman, who wore cyan armor with silver trimming, on the other side of the training mat. She seemed to be one of The Hunter-Slayers.