Compassion

Hero Name: Compassion
Title: Mother of Change, Matron of Love
Alignment: Chaotic Good
Age: Approximately 8000 years old
Gender: Female
Race: Avatar
Hair: Black, in her rare dealings with humans
Eyes: Shifting
Height: Shifting
Weight: Irrelevant



Compassion’s true appearance is as mysterious as the nebulae deep within space. However, she elects to appear before mortals as a beautiful woman of raven hair, clad in the cloak of the stars themselves.






An ancient being who personifies compassion, humility, grace, and free will, Compassion considers herself to have dominion over the good-hearted, the merciful, the heroic, the humble, the repentant, and the noble revolutionaries. It is her belief that Order requires Chaos to make it worth pursuing; that change is an inevitable part of the flow of time and that humans ought to be the vectors for such change. Combined with this belief in the inevitability is her humility, and the understanding that not all will use their power to bring change for the better.

Compassion fully acknowledges the problem with allowing emotional, fallible mortals to show compassion - that those that don’t deserve it will eventually be spared and go on to cause harm. By her acknowledgement, she needs Justice to reign her sphere of influence in - but she strives to give him just the balance between compassion and cold rationality that is required for humanity as a whole to continue to exist. Born of humility itself, she lacks the sense of entitlement or even desire to truly control the world that he does.

She is simultaneously at odds with - and dependent on - Justice to be her balance. She speeds up chaos when it brings true, compassionate reform - and she depends on him to stop said chaos when the changes being brought are ill-conceived or immoral. And despite this antagonism between the two, she has no desire to eliminate him - knowing that, as cruel as some of his methods can be, he needs to exist for a proper balance between Chaos and Order to exist. In keeping with her name, she extends her compassion even to him.

In her own words: “He is my other half, a representation of a force that must exist, just as I am. I will not hurt him - he needs to stand on the opposite scale for us to be balanced.”



As Naomi sat on the cold edge of the rooftop, the wind gently tugged at her hair, as if the world was trying to pull her back from the precipice. The city lights below twinkled indifferently, casting long shadows that mirrored the darkness within her. She stared out into the night, her mind a sea of despair and hopelessness. Every thought seemed to spiral into another dead end. Work was gone, her parents had drifted away, and her beloved dog, the only consistent source of love in her life, was sick—sicker than she could afford to help.

The choice she faced was unbearable. She could either save her dog and lose her home, or keep her home and lose her dog. Both options felt like a slow, suffocating death. The weight of it all pressed on her heart like an anchor holding her under, making it hard to breathe, let alone think. The edge of the roof seemed like the only escape, a way to silence the relentless noise in her head.

As she teetered on the brink of her decision, a soft, warm voice cut through her turbulent thoughts.

"May I sit with you?"

Naomi turned, startled. She hadn’t heard anyone approach, yet there she was—a woman of ethereal beauty, her black hair shimmering like stardust under the moonlight, her eyes filled with a kindness that Naomi hadn’t seen in a long time. There was something about her presence that was calming, almost like a balm on Naomi’s frayed nerves.

Compassion, in her mortal guise, waited patiently for Naomi’s response. She didn’t push, didn’t pry—just waited, offering a gentle smile that somehow made the rooftop feel a little less lonely.

Naomi hesitated, then nodded. "Sure…I guess."

The woman settled beside her, their legs dangling over the edge together. For a while, they sat in silence, the city bustling far below, as if they were the only two people in the world. Finally, Compassion spoke again, her voice a soft murmur that seemed to blend with the wind.

"You seem like you’ve been carrying a heavy burden."

Naomi’s throat tightened at the words, and before she knew it, she was pouring out her heart to this stranger. She talked about losing her job, the growing distance with her parents, and the agony of knowing her dog might not survive the month. Every word felt like a release, like she was emptying out the poison that had been festering inside her for so long. Compassion listened with an attentiveness that made Naomi feel truly seen, like every word she said mattered.

When she finally finished, her voice breaking on the last sentence, Compassion leaned in and wrapped her arms around her, pulling her close. Naomi didn’t resist. She buried her face in the woman’s shoulder, the dam breaking as tears flowed freely. Compassion’s embrace was warm, a shelter from the storm raging in her mind.

They stayed like that for what felt like hours, the only sounds the distant hum of the city and Naomi’s quiet sobs. When the tears finally slowed, Compassion gently stroked Naomi’s hair, her voice a soothing melody in the night.

"I’d like to tell you a story," she said softly. Naomi nodded against her shoulder, feeling too drained to speak. "It’s a story about a life not so different from yours—a life filled with the weight of others’ pain, the burden of seeing the cruelties and heartaches of the world."

Naomi listened as Compassion began to weave her tale.

She began by describing her earliest days, long before the world was what it is now, when she existed in a vast, lonely expanse. In those ancient times, Compassion was a solitary being, tasked with a duty she wasn’t entirely sure how to fulfill. She could feel the suffering of the nascent world, the pain and sorrow of creatures trying to find their way, and she did what she could to soothe those first, raw emotions. But it was overwhelming, a burden far too heavy for one heart, even one as vast as hers.

“There were times,” she admitted softly, her eyes gazing out into the distance as if seeing those early days again, “when I wondered if I could truly bear it. The weight of all that pain, all that sorrow…it was almost too much to carry alone. But I kept going, because I believed in the goodness of life, even in its most fragile forms.”

It was in those days, when her own light was beginning to dim under the weight of her duties, that something miraculous happened. She was no longer alone. A younger presence came into being, one who shared her task, though in a very different way. He was born of the same ancient forces as she, but where Compassion sought to heal and soothe, her brother—Justice—was drawn to the concepts of balance, of right and wrong, of order.

Her expression softened as she spoke of her brother, and there was a light in her eyes that hadn’t been there before. “When he came into my life, it was like…like the world had been painted in new colors. We were different, so very different, but that was what made our bond so special. We complemented each other. He would stand against those who caused pain, and I would comfort those who suffered. Together, we believed we could guide the world to a better place.”

Their early years together were marked by trial and error, as they learned how to balance their differing approaches. Justice was stern, unyielding in his pursuit of order, while Compassion urged mercy, understanding, and second chances. It wasn’t always easy—there were times when they clashed, their methods at odds with each other. But those differences also made them stronger, as they learned to respect and value what the other brought to the table.

She recalled the times they would work side by side, her brother bringing justice to those who wronged others, while she offered solace to the victims and even to the wrongdoers who showed remorse. “He was so determined,” she said, a small, wistful smile playing on her lips. “So sure of his path. And I…I admired that about him. His resolve was something I could never quite match. But that was okay, because he had enough for the both of us.”

For a moment, her voice faltered, and she paused, as if caught by a memory that tugged at her heart. She seemed to retreat inward, her eyes dimming slightly as a deep sadness flickered across her face. “But…” she began, her voice barely above a whisper, “things…changed.”

She stopped herself then, visibly collecting her thoughts, and the smile she offered Naomi was tinged with sorrow. “We faced many challenges together,” she continued, her tone carefully neutral now, “and not all of them were easy to overcome. But we did our best, always. We believed in what we were doing, in the roles we played.”

Naomi noticed the shift, the way Compassion’s gaze grew more distant, the way she carefully avoided mentioning her brother again. There was a lingering pain there, an unspoken wound that Compassion clearly didn’t want to delve into. It was as if speaking about it might break something fragile within her.

Compassion took a deep breath, her eyes reflecting the city lights below as she continued. "There were moments, though, moments when I thought I could not go on. The world has always been filled with such beauty, but also with such cruelty. I’ve witnessed acts of kindness so profound that they took my breath away, but I’ve also seen horrors that threatened to break my spirit."

Naomi felt Compassion’s arm tighten around her, as if drawing strength from the simple human contact. “There was a time,” Compassion said softly, “when I almost lost hope. I saw entire civilizations crumble under the weight of their own greed and hatred. I watched as people turned on each other, as the bonds that should have held them together were torn apart by fear and mistrust. It was as if every act of kindness, every gesture of love, was just a small flicker of light struggling to survive in a world of darkness.”

She paused, her voice growing heavier with the weight of those memories. “There was a village, long ago, where I spent many years. It was a place where people had suffered greatly—war, famine, disease. The villagers were broken, and I could feel their despair as if it were my own. I did what I could to help, to offer comfort, but it felt like trying to hold back the tide with my bare hands. One by one, the villagers gave in to their hopelessness. They stopped helping each other, stopped believing in anything but their own survival. And one by one, they succumbed to the darkness.”

Naomi listened, her heart aching as she imagined the sorrow Compassion must have felt. “But even then,” Compassion continued, her voice trembling slightly, “even in the darkest moments, there were glimmers of hope. There was a young girl in that village, no older than you are now. She had lost everything—her family, her home—but she refused to give in. Every day, she would visit the other villagers, offering what little she had left, whether it was a smile, a comforting word, or a piece of bread. She was the light in that village, the one thing that kept it from falling into complete despair.”

Compassion smiled gently, a warmth returning to her voice. “And it was because of her that I realized something important. No matter how dark the world becomes, there will always be those who carry the light within them. It’s not always easy to see, and sometimes it feels like the darkness will win, but it never truly does. As long as there is even one person willing to hold on to hope, to offer kindness, the light will never be extinguished.”

Her eyes met Naomi’s, filled with a quiet strength. “That’s what kept me going, even when everything else seemed lost. The knowledge that no matter how much pain there is in the world, there is also love. No matter how much cruelty, there is also compassion. And as long as there is compassion, there is always a reason to keep going. The darkness in the souls of untold billions only makes the light given by the millions of others shine brighter.”

Compassion’s hand gently brushed a strand of hair from Naomi’s face, her touch warm and reassuring. “I’ve seen the worst that humanity has to offer, but I’ve also seen the best. And it’s the best that makes everything worth it. People can be cruel, yes, but they can also be kind, brave, and selfless. They can rise above their fears and doubts, and they can do incredible things when they come together.”

She fell silent for a moment, her gaze distant as if lost in thought. When she spoke again, her voice was soft but resolute. “I won’t lie to you, Naomi. Life can be hard, and it can be unbearably painful at times. But you have to believe that it’s worth fighting for, that there’s something beautiful waiting for you on the other side of the darkness. And you’re not alone in that fight. You never have been.”

Naomi looked at Compassion, feeling something she hadn’t felt in a long time—a flicker of hope. It was faint, almost fragile, but it was there, a small light in the darkness. And for the first time in what felt like forever, she didn’t feel quite so alone. Compassion’s words, her presence, had wrapped around her like a comforting blanket, reminding her that there was still good in the world, still love and kindness to be found, even in the midst of her pain.

Compassion offered her a gentle smile, her eyes soft with understanding. “You’ve been through so much, Naomi. And I know it feels like the world is against you right now. But I promise you, there’s still so much more waiting for you, if you can just hold on a little longer. You have a strength in you that you don’t even realize yet, a light that the world needs. Don’t let the darkness take that away from you.”

Naomi swallowed, her throat tight with emotion. “But…what if I can’t? What if it’s too much?”

Compassion shook her head gently. “It’s okay to feel that way. It’s okay to be afraid, to doubt yourself. But you don’t have to face it alone. There are people who care about you, who want to help you. And even when it feels like no one is there, you have to remember that you’re stronger than you think. You’ve made it this far, and that’s something to be proud of.”

She took Naomi’s hand in hers, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “Life isn’t about being perfect or never feeling pain. It’s about finding the strength to keep going, even when things are hard. It’s about holding on to the things that matter, the people and the moments that make it all worthwhile. And it’s about believing that no matter how dark it gets, there’s always a light at the end of the tunnel.”

Naomi looked down at their joined hands, feeling a warmth spread through her, easing some of the coldness that had settled in her heart. Compassion’s words had reached her in a way nothing else had, giving her a small but precious glimmer of hope. Maybe, just maybe, she could find a way to keep going, to see what lay beyond the darkness.

As if sensing her thoughts, Compassion smiled once more. “You don’t have to make any decisions tonight, Naomi. Just know that you’re not alone, and that there are people who care about you, who want to help you. And if you ever need someone to talk to, someone to listen, I’ll be here for you.”

With those final words, Compassion stood, her presence still radiating warmth and kindness. She gave Naomi one last, gentle smile before turning to leave, her figure gradually fading into the night as if she were never there. But the light she left behind, the small spark of hope in Naomi’s heart, remained—a reminder that even in the darkest of times, there was always a reason to keep going.

As Naomi slowly made her way back down to her apartment, the weight on her shoulders felt just a little lighter. The conversation with Compassion lingered in her mind, the warmth of her presence still echoing in her heart. Each step felt like a small victory, a reminder that she could keep moving forward, one day at a time.

When she reached her door and stepped inside, the familiar surroundings greeted her, but there was something different. The apartment, which had felt so oppressive and cold before, seemed to carry a new energy, as if a gentle warmth had seeped into the walls.

Her eyes immediately sought out her beloved dog, who had been lying listlessly on the bed when she had left. But now, to her amazement, he was standing at the door, tail wagging energetically, as if he had been waiting for her all along. Naomi froze in disbelief, her heart racing as she knelt down to embrace him.

The sickness that had plagued him for weeks was gone—there was no sign of the lethargy, the pain. He was healthy again, his fur warm and vibrant under her touch. Naomi felt the tears welling up again, but this time, they were tears of joy, of overwhelming relief.

She held him close, her face buried in his fur, and silently, a prayer of thanks slipped from her lips. She thought of the mysterious woman who had sat with her on the rooftop, who had listened to her darkest fears and given her the strength to keep going. Naomi didn’t know who she was or where she had come from, but she knew—deep in her heart—that Compassion had something to do with this miracle.

As she cried with joy, she whispered a heartfelt thanks to the kind stranger who had saved her and her beloved companion. There were no words to fully capture the gratitude she felt, but she sent them out into the universe anyway, hoping that somehow, they would reach the one who deserved them.

In the quiet of her apartment, with her dog healthy and happy in her arms, Naomi realized that the world wasn’t as dark as it had seemed. There were still moments of light, still reasons to hold on. And for the first time in a long while, she allowed herself to believe that things would be okay.

• Realm of Moonshadow: As with her younger, more rigid “sibling”, Compassion has her own realm that she can warp to from the real world at will. This realm is one of an endless night sky, with endless shifting landscape, untouched by the amenities that man offers. A representation of nature’s self-enforced stability and potential for positive change, this place offers a refuge and place of recovery for Compassion and the virtuous who operate with her blessing.
  
  • Teleportation to and from this realm: Identical to Justice’s own power, Compassion can instantaneously warp between this realm and realspace. More often than not, this is to escape danger and recover. Can be used for defensive purposes.
    
    • Weaknesses: The teleportation requires a short but crucial moment of concentration. Compassion can be interrupted by something as simple as speaking. Her realm is equivalent in size to an untouched Earth. Thus, Compassion must travel the equivalent distance within her realm to reappear in the desired location in the real world, which can be a time-consuming process if the distance is vast.
      
    
    
    
  
  
  • Queen of Moonshadow: As ruler of her realm, she has constant knowledge of what goes on in her realm, and what others do that either aid it or corrupt it. The weather itself alters under her command.
    
    • Weakness: Compassion’s resting place is a large clearing overlooking a vast clearing near a creek over which joins a river. The further one gets from this clearing, hampering an intruder becomes more difficult to do. This would necessitate her direct intervention.
      
    
    
    
  • Intangibility: In contrast to her ‘sibling’, if manifested in the real world, Compassion can gain true intangibility by dissolving into a cloud of stardust if hit while channeling her spell.
    
    • Weaknesses: While channeling this power, she can neither act on realspace nor be acted on, and attacks that pass through have risk of hitting anyone on the other side. Thus, she typically avoids conflict in crowded areas.
      
    
    
    
  
  
  

• Hope Bringer: The mere presence of Compassion has been known to immediately uplift the spirits of those within their vicinity. When despair threatens to consume the downtrodden, Compassion gives the wisdom and comfort to snatch them from those jaws.
  
  • Weaknesses: This is a mental suggestion that is offered, rather than forced, and requires active will on those that hear it to accept. The range is also fairly limited, becoming weaker as Compassion and sentient beings part.
    
  
  
  

• Superhuman Capabilities: Compassion exhibits superhuman strength, speed, and durability. She can overpower most adversaries, move with blinding speed, and withstand attacks that would incapacitate ordinary beings. Her physical speed at full strength passes the sound barrier, and she is capable of cutting even through industrial-grade girders when combining her strength with her weapon.
  
  • Weaknesses: Sustained exertion rapidly depletes her energy reserves. Without periodic rest, her enhanced abilities wane. She is also more susceptible to extreme environmental conditions or specialized weapons designed to counter enhanced beings.

• Detect Evil: Compassion has the ability to detect evil souls within her vicinity.
  
  • Weaknesses: In areas rife with evil or densely populated regions, the sheer volume of disturbances can overwhelm her senses, leading to confusion or misdirection.

• Regeneration: A physical manifestation of an abstract concept, Compassion can recover from even the most fatal of wounds.

• Unshackling the Mind: Certain people can be freed from powerful control spells. Compassion has used this to free people who have committed evil under duress and against their will. In some cases, this can restore lost memories.
  
  • Weakness: For this to work, there must be an active conflict of wills within the one she means to unshackle - put bluntly, the victim must also desire to be healed.

• To Mend the Body: Compassion has potent healing abilities that can heal the mortal of all save the most severe of injuries and disease.
  
  • Weakness: This takes a toll on her stamina, and may require her to return to Moonshadow to recover.

• True Resurrection: Twice a century, Compassion can revive one from death. In practical RP terms, this means only two people can be resurrected at all without a time skip to the next century.

• Virtue Unshackled: A rare sight, this is Compassion clad in her battle raiment. One of the more apparent changes between her usual appearance and this, is the addition of wings (allowing flight) and form-fitting armor. Just like her normal form, the armor has the appearance of stardust in the shifting night sky.
  
  • The Weight of Transgression: Anyone within a certain radius of Compassion with any Evil alignment will find their stamina and strength gradually sapped until unconscious.
    
    • Weaknesses: The effect takes place over time within a short radius around Compassion, and the effects are not instantaneous and can be fled. Reduced effectiveness on Neutral entities, and Good entities are unaffected.
  
  
  • Blessed are Those Who Hunger for Righteousness: Good-aligned allies in an area around Compassion gain a boost in stamina, reflexes, and strength.
    
    • Weaknesses: Affects a limited area around Compassion, and only affects Good-aligned characters.
  
  
  • Come to Me, All Who Are Weary: An area-of-effect healing circle around Compassion mends the wounds of allies. Requires substantial stamina from Compassion.

• Themis’s Judgment:An ornate rapier, wielded with grace by Compassion. When this blade has been drawn, diplomacy has failed, and the only recourse remaining is violence. The blade’s design emphasizes its place as a last resort to conflict.
  
  • Rebuking Thrusts: Wherever Compassion thrusts with her rapier, the guilty are hamstrung and their power sapped. Any Evil entity hit with her blade suffers periodic stamina loss.
  
  
  • A Light Shining in the Darkness: The blade provides illumination in dark areas for allies. Of course, this makes her a beacon for anyone looking for her.

The Disciples of Virtue run the gamut from people tending to the sick and hungry, to protectors of the public like police and heroes, to truly specialized Knights, Paladins, and Crusaders that actively hunt down the forces of evil - with or without the aid of the law. For Compassion, morality takes precedence over legality.

Virtually anyone of pure heart and soul, regardless of whether they are a normal human or a Meta, can become a Disciple. But only those most devoted to the protection of the innocent against evil in all its forms are reached out to to become her Knights and Paladins, with the truly loyal being her Crusaders, taking on new forms in the process. These adherents fight for her by their own choice, and are imbued with a kernel of Compassion’s power.

Those that would abuse their powers and ignore the tenets that Compassion set forth are stripped of their power, left to either seek penance or be judged.

This loose collection of minions can be thought of as a loosely organized faction, with Disciples being ordinary men and women that perpetuate the values of Compassion and self-sacrifice for the betterment of mankind. The Knighthood consists of more militant humans as well as Meta and other being that have taken Oaths to uphold the values of Compassion. The Ascended are those who have willingly abandoned their humanity to embrace divinity within Compassion's Seraphic Court, with the Three Ascendants answering to Compassion directly.

The Disciples of Virtue are a largely decentralized faction with a loosely-defined, but still hierarchical ranking structure, with loyalty secured by built rapport and mutual respect rather than through top-down forced control.


Compassion, like many beings, operates under a solid framework that she actively encourages her followers to cultivate in both themselves and others. Many evil thoughts in the world are those she cannot abide by.

Sins:

• Cruelty: Regardless of the reason for said cruelty, it is to be condemned in all its forms - justifications of “greater good” ring hollow to Compassion. Cruelty performed for mere pleasure is especially heinous.
  

• Coercion: Sentients are moral agents, regardless of external circumstance. To subvert such agency is the ultimate manifestation of cruelty, and must be punished.
  

• Greed: The love of material possessions is the root of evil, and ought to be condemned.
  

• Pride: A haughty spirit promotes a disregard of the value of others. Thus pride must be broken, tempered, and the haughty must be acquainted with their limits.
  

• Ambition: Ambition must be tempered, lest it lead to a desire to trample all underfoot with no regards to consequence.
  

• Vengeance: No doubt, many humans have sinned severely and repeatedly that justice is deserved, but one must not make the mistake of believing the pursuit of justice and pursuit of vengeance are the same. If one allows a passion for justice to turn to rage, they become little better than chaotic killers.
  

• Indulgence: Whilst life can be enjoyed, to do so at the expense of the pursuit of virtue and the betterment of others is a sin. Such indulgences must be discarded and given in self-sacrifice.
  

• Despair: A lesser sin, but one that must be risen above and remedied. For even if action does not guarantee that evil is thwarted, inaction guarantees that evil succeeds.
  

The Virtues that ought to be cultivated:

• Compassion: Through the values of empathy and compassion, the pains and burdens of others, and the conditions that can give rise to the wrong ambitions, can be alleviated.
  

• Mercy: The difficult part is to stay one’s hand, even if one is deserving of death. Mercy is a virtue to be cultivated, especially against lesser sins.
  

• Justice: Justice for the most monstrous of sins. But do not be so passionate about justice that you seek revenge.
  

• Humility: Be thankful for what you have and what you are capable of. Seek not to elevate yourself above others for it; elevate them, and aid them to grow.
  

• Generosity: When one sits on the street, stomach aching for food, give of your own volition to him. Teach him to provide for himself - for what you feed him gives for the day. Teaching him will provide for him for the rest of his life.
  

• Temperance: Control your anger and lusts, for that controls the need for revenge and indulgence.
  

• Will: Remember that, should you act, it must be of your heart, not of obligation. Cultivate this value in others, and recognize their positions as moral agents.
  

• Redemption: If you fall, seek not absolution - seek to address why you fell, and return to virtue to guide you to the door to good.
  

The rain poured down unrelentingly as a man tried to pull himself out of a drainage wash. Go cycling, he thought. The forecasts said nothing about heavy rain coming down, so there was no way for him to predict the flash flood that came through.

By the time he had seen the massive wave coming his way, there had been no way he could get out in time. He had been washed away for a distance before he felt something solid stick into his gut. As he tried to pull himself up to dry ground, he saw what it was: a part of a tree branch stuck itself into his torso.

As he saw it, panic set in. His phone had washed away, along with his bike. And, as a medical student, he knew better than to remove such a large shaft from his wound. It was all that was keeping him from bleeding out - there was no way to tourniquet a ruptured abdominal aorta.

As he looked up at the raining sky, he thought of his wife, and the little daughter he would never see being born.

Something sounded like a whisper in his mind. Something seemed to descend from the sky towards him. He had to be unconscious and dreaming one last thing before he died. A beautiful woman, carried on a nebula, descended towards him.

“You have lived a flawed life, mortal,” she said. “Despite it all, I sense the potential for you to do good things. Listen to my voice…come back to the waking world.”

He felt no pain, and he thought his body had given out to shock. Alarm registered when he saw the branch removed, but the woman’s hand was on the wound, her hand shimmering in the same stardust she had descended to him on.

“Your wound is great…upon myself, I gladly shoulder your pain,” she said.

“Who…?”

“I am…a stranger? Perhaps the collective sum of humanity’s potential? Or perhaps I’m a priestess of God Himself,” she said.

He talked more, fighting to stay conscious.

“Name…” he uttered.

“I have many names,” the woman said. “Matron of Love, Mother of Change, Virtue, Compassion, Mercy…I embody all of these. I sense there is much in your past you wish to confess before me. But you’re fading fast - fear not, for I am watchful.”

Try as the man did, he failed to stay awake. His world went black, and he dreamed once more. He dreamed of a winged man in ivory armor carrying him through the sky, taking him to destinations unknown. And as this happened, he felt a sense of comfort and peace.

He didn’t want it to end. He felt heartache when it did. He woke up hooked up to all manner of medical devices. The spot where the branch had pierced him was little more than a bruise now. Doctors and nurses, ones he was unfamiliar with, tended to him.

He saw his wife, pregnant, smiling, looking at him with tears in her eyes. The woman’s voice spoke once more, and he wondered if it was indeed divine providence that he was alive.

“Many times, the heroes that save the day are the only ones you hear of. It’s the ones who plant the smallest acts of kindness that go unsung that light the spark for the fires of righteousness…never forget that even the smallest spark can banish the darkness.”

He and his wife prayed that day. And he made one of many confessions he would give in the upcoming months - that another woman had propositioned him to an affair. Tempted as he was, he refused - his wife was paramount to his life.

Visiting hours had stopped, and he was alone. Except, as the cloud of stardust gathering next to him could attest, he wasn’t. The woman from his dream was there, with a smile of approval.

“Blessed is the honest man who confesses his wrongdoings. And blessed is the man that strives for redemption,” she said. “Allow me to be here to listen, for my compassion is unending.”