“Young Master, you truly are amazing!”


    “I am?” P frowned as he stared down at his hand. He could see the flesh in his palm start to tear away, the metal beneath shining through. Soon he would shed his human form and become a warrior of the Emperor as his power evolved. “Am I really that good?” P considered and lowered his hands, turning his ability off and causing the various metal objects that had been floating to crash down.


    “Of course you’re amazing, young master.” In the corner, a woman stood. Sharp wings jutted from her back, and she sported a face twisted into a smile, with bits of grass that formed clothes that barely covered her body. Fairy Queen, one of the four elite members of the Organization, tasked with serving the Emperor himself. “You’ve been selected to serve in the Emperor’s army after all. You’re a member of the Organization, now. The group that will bring all of humankind to its knees.” Her voice was always sly and almost seemed to have a mocking tone to it.


    The two of them were in a fairly boring room, or at least that was what P thought—a training room built somewhere in the dark castle the Emperor had created. There were dozens of scattered training dummies about, many of which he had blown to bits, as well as weapons and weights he had been using his control on to throw around. The only thing he liked about the room was a large window that was near the back. Built out of glass strong enough to resist even a nuke, it allowed him to see past the walls of the castle and watch the small planet known as ‘Earth’ float out in space.


    P found himself often looking at the planet from where they were on the moon. They said that the planet was where the humans lived. The people who had betrayed the Emperor. The people they had been created to wipe out. P scratched at his head, feeling his hair begin to fall out as more of his skin started to rip away, showing the metal bones beneath. “Are humans really that bad?”


    “Of course they are!” The Fairy’s tone suddenly changed, her eyes snapping over to him. “Humans are disgusting, hideous freaks. They created us for their own gain and then went out of their way to get rid of all of us the moment they realized we were free. They lie, cheat, and steal, and that’s to their own kind. This entire universe is better off without them!”


    “Yeah, yeah, whatever. Forget that I asked.” P sighed. He scratched at more of his skin, wincing. It was itchy, so much so that he couldn’t help but pick and pull at it. His hair had mostly fallen out long ago, as had his nose and large bits of his face. It wasn’t just a physical change that was happening to him, though. There was a voice, one that stayed in the back but had been getting louder. It was always screaming and howling, ordering the death of humanity. He mostly ignored it, more focused on the fact that his powers had been getting unstable. Metal seemed to want to cling to him constantly now. “We all used to be humans, didn’t we? You and dad were normal people once; I was too.”


    “That was before his majesty saw fit to wipe out the impurities within us, creating us into perfect beings.”


    “Perfect being, my ass...” A glob of his skin and muscle tore away, causing black blood to gush down his arm and soak the floor.


    “Polaron.”


    “Huh?” He snapped his head back up to the woman as she floated gently into the air.


    “Your new name. It has been chosen by the Princess of Life. You will be known as Polaron from now on.”


    Human, no more. After being betrayed by mankind, the Emperor left the planet and claimed the moon as his domain. There he built his castle and used his power to transform his loyal subjects. They had lost their old names; many didn’t even remember who they used to be. Changed to such an extent that even those without powers had suddenly gained them. All of them waited for one thing. To be given a new goal from the Princess of Life. A new name.


    He had been less than three years old when he had been transformed. That had been nearly ten years ago. To get a name meant you were finally someone.


    Polaron...


    “That name’s weird.” His words caused Fairy Queen to let out a snort. “I guess I don’t mind.”


    He didn’t get a chance to say more as the door to the training room suddenly burst open. “P!” An excited voice called out. A young boy ran in. One with red skin and a growing pair of horns, as well as a tail that flicked back and forth. He was followed closely by a younger girl. She wore a full-body black suit, with the only part that wasn’t covered up being the very top of her head, which flowed with purple fire. “P! Were you given your name?” K asked happily. “D just got her name!”


    P turned and raised an eyebrow at the quiet girl, who began to fidget. “Demonica.” She finally said, bowing her head out of embarrassment. “The Princess has decided I am now Demonica.”


    “Isn’t it badass?!” K asked, hopping around.


    “Sounds kind of mean, considering how she looks. Besides, you’re the real demon.” P muttered.


    K shook his head and placed his hands on his hips. “My father was named Alien. Thus, the Princess has declared me the title of Mars! And since, naturally, one day I will be one of the four elite members in the Emperor’s army, they added King to my title! I am now Mars King!” Mars King grabbed P by the shoulder and began to shake the boy violently. “What about you, P! Now that your powers have started to awaken, do you have a name?”


    “Yeah...” P reached to the back of his neck and ripped away more of his flesh. “Polaron... That’s my new name.”


    “Alright,” K announced, fist bumping the air. “Mars King, Demonica, and Polaron! The three of us are going to be unstoppable! Let’s go try and come up with neat costume designs, P! I’m thinking you need something cool. The Emperor wears armor, so something that will make you look like a knight or something!”


    P shot a look at his teacher, and the woman smiled and folded her arms. “Okay. I guess we’ve trained enough for today, P. Go have fun. But I expect you to be back here tomorrow. The invasion will start soon, and we’ll need all the warriors we can get.”


    “Right.” P nodded his head and bowed. “Thank you, mother.”


    The three of them ran out of the hall, and for the first time in what felt like weeks, P couldn’t help the smile that was on his face. Fairy Queen watched her son leave and thought to herself, looking back at the blue planet down below. “Soon… Very soon.”


    The three kids ran at their full speed through the hallways of the Emperor’s castle. It was a large structure, one made out of solid black stone. It held many corridors and rooms, most of which were filled with monsters. Those deemed too insane had been sent ahead early and would be landing on planet Earth, where they would be free to grow as big as they needed to.


    “Slow down, P!” Demonica yelled out. “Don’t make me use my power!”


    P shot a look at his two friends, giving a sly grin. “Nah. You’ll have to catch me-” He felt himself collide with something, and K and D instantly came to a halt, their eyes going wide with shock. P fell down and grabbed at the back of his head. “Ow! Hey, watch where you’re going-”


    His voice caught in his throat. He felt his eyes go wide as he stared at who he crashed into.


    Blood-red armor that almost seemed to crackle with energy. It wore a helmet shaped like the head of a wolf. Two slits were in the helm, and crimson lightning poured out of them. Those dark eyes stared into P’s, and the boy could feel his blood begin to freeze in his veins. Everything got so cold, and he couldn’t stop shaking as he stared up at the monster before him.


    His mother was Fairy Queen, the second strongest member of the four elite warriors. Only one being besides the Emperor himself ranked above her. The most loyal soldier the Emperor had was his very own bodyguard and personal shield.


    Hell Hound slowly lifted a hand. P flinched as it came down on his head. Then in an instant, he felt a wave of relief as the itching all along his body stopped, his flesh being burned away by gentle black fire that almost seemed to hug him. He looked down at his metallic hands as he was finally fully free of his flesh suit. Hell Hound removed the hand softly and turned away from him. “As you were saying, my Princess.” The voice that came from the helmet was one he hadn’t expected. It was soft and soothing. Gentle in nature. It was also the voice of a woman. “Have you decided on a name?”


    "Yes, Hell Hound. I have thought of a name.”


    P''s head jerked at the sound of the voice. She stood behind Hell Hound. One of the most beautiful women he had ever seen. A human. The only human allowed to stand with them. One with long brown hair and gentle yellow eyes. She was dressed in a simple set of white robes and wore a small crown on her head. The Princess of Life was the teacher of the Emperor, his bride, and the one that carried his heir. The one that made sure every monster was given a name and an identity, that their bodies wouldn’t destroy themselves in their transformation, the one giving them all hope... Her stomach was round and almost looked to be plump. A baby on the way. The one that would carry out the future of the Emperor’s will.


    The woman’s hand brushed over her stomach. “Sky. The one who will bring about ‘his’ world.” She hooked her arm around the limb of Hell Hound, and the two set back down the hallway together. “Earth’s villains have agreed to swear themselves to our master as long as we promise them we can wipe out Full Monarch. That should be easy enough. What with the Emperor’s secret weapon?” The pregnant woman explained with a giggle.


    “That secret weapon has a name.” Hell Hound growled.


    P felt a hand on his shoulder as K dragged him and D out of earshot of the two legends. “Wow. She was even cooler in person.” K whispered.


    P watched the two Demi-Gods turn a corner at the end of the hallway, a small frown appearing on his metallic lips. “Yeah. Hard to believe Gods can be so kind.”


    “What did they mean by secret weapon, though?” D asked.


    K threw his arms behind his head. “I think I heard about that, actually.” His words caught them all off guard. “I heard that Golden God returned with someone. The machine had been personally sent out to pick them up.”


    P felt his frown grow. Golden God was someone important. Maybe as important as the Princess. For him to be sent out to get someone… “I’d like to see this person for myself.”


    “Tough luck.” K snorted. “This castle is huge. We’d spend days looking. Besides, they’re likely in some restricted section-”


    “Actually.” D cut in. “My father Daemon manages the training room schedules. I went into his notes to find out which training room you were in P and saw that there was only one more room that was reserved. The one who requested it had a name I never saw before. I guess maybe this mysterious person could be there, but I doubt it.”


    P nodded softly. “It won’t hurt to check it out. Lead the way.”


    “Why do you care so much?” K questioned.


    “I’m just curious, that''s all.” P shrugged. That was a lie, though. In reality, his mother''s words kept coming back to him. He was amazing. Truly. A child of one of the four elite guards, blessed with an amazing body. Why wasn’t he the secret weapon?


    D led them through the halls of the black castle. They backtracked a bit, heading back towards the training room section. It was a long hallway with dozens of rooms on all sides. He had been in room four when his friends came for him. They went past that room and made their way over to one listed as eight. Like all the others, it would have various weights and dummies inside. Or at least it was supposed to. That wasn’t the case when they entered, though.


    Everything was a mess. The walls had been burned a nasty black. The roof was torn to bits, with large slash marks over every inch. Every training dummy had been cut cleanly in two, and the air sparked with a powerful energy. Standing in the center of the room was the one responsible for it all. Their back was turned, and they wore a heavy brown-looking cloak that covered most of their form up. Their hands, however, stood out, gripping a long sword.


    P felt his eyes narrow slightly. Human flesh. Not to mention the person''s scent. Even without a nose, he could tell. This person wasn’t a monster. His mother''s words came back to him once more. They had all been turned into monsters, beings made more perfect. He didn’t really understand it, but something about seeing just a normal human made his blood boil. That voice in the back of his head began to go off again. “Why haven’t you changed into a monster yet?” He called out. He could tell the figure was older than him, maybe in their early twenties or late teens.


    The figure ignored him, ripping its sword out of the ground and stepping forward. It swung its blade at the wall, or at least it tried. P raised his hand and forced the sword to stop.


    “I asked you a question. Only the Princess of Life was granted the right to stay human. Why haven’t you been changed yet?”


    The figure finally turned, and P felt himself take a step back. He couldn’t see their face; it was cloaked in the dark. What he could see though was a pair of glowing blue eyes. They stabbed out and even managed to make P step back a bit. The figure said something, but it was almost as loud as a whisper. P frowned and felt his anger grow. The only thing he knew for sure now was that whoever this person was, they were male.


    “P-” K tried to grab his friend, but the prodigy child avoided the grasp and moved further into the room.


    This man couldn’t be that strong if he was only a human. Humans weren’t the perfect lifeforms, after all. “Speak up.” P ordered. The air around him suddenly became charged with magnetic force. “Or face atomic destruction.”


    “I said. I’m not fodder trash that requires the boost like you all do.”


    Metal slammed into the figure as everything that wasn’t bolted down in the room came crashing forward. Or at least P thought it did. One second the man had been standing there, and then in an instant, as soon as he had attacked and smashed his objects around the man, P felt a hand grip the back of his head. He was smashed down face-first into the floor, and he gasped out as his metal skull began to bend and twist from the man’s fingers digging into him.


    K smashed his fist into the back of the figure’s head, which now rested on Polaron, but that only caused K to howl in pain as his hand broke. Demonica threw her hand out and sent a blast of purple fire forward, but the man brought his other hand up, and the air shimmered as from out of nowhere a massive hand forged from blue energy appeared around Demonica and gripped down hard enough to crush the girl’s bones and make her scream out. The hand was attached to the man and as big as a car, belonging to that of a Giant. It came out of the man’s arm surrounding it like some sort of astral armor.


    P roared out and felt all the metal respond to him. He sent it- The man flicked his human-sized hand down, and the metal all froze. P felt his eyes go wide when he could no longer feel his power inside of himself. “What did you-”


    The man brought his hand up and smashed it down hard enough to blow P’s skull to bits. His fist broke through the floor and shook the room. P, however, had never been hit by it. Moments before the attack landed, he felt space twist and bend. The next thing he knew, he was in the arms of his mother.


    Fairy Queen stood at the entrance of the room; her face twisted in anger as she glared at the hooded figure. “Hell Hound!” She screamed. “Do your fucking job and get this thing out of my sight before I have to explain to the Emperor why I broke his pet!”


    The floor of the room began to twitch and rise up, the shadows lifting. Hell Hound pulled herself out of it, walking out of the darkness. She took a knee and bowed before the man in the cloak. “Young Master, I’ve been asked to escort you back to your room. Please give me the honor of walking you back.” The energy arm the figure had created flickered out, causing Demonica to crash to the floor.


    P stared back at the cloaked figure, his body shaking as he clung to his mother. Those blue eyes stared back at him. It was like looking into the heart of an endless void. Slowly though, the figure turned and allowed himself to be grabbed by Hell Hound. The bodyguard of the Emperor placed her hand on the figure’s shoulder, and the two of them began to sink through the floor, soon vanishing from sight. The air gradually settled down, and Fairy Queen let out a breath she had been holding.


    The woman sighed and allowed her arms to let go of her son. “That was a close one. For a moment, I thought he was just going to kill me.”


    “H- He couldn’t though, right?”


    “Oh, he could...”


    “B- But you’re Fairy Queen!” P argued. “You’re one of the four elite warriors; you’re a monster; he was just a human- How did I lose! I’m your son! I’m a prodigy, I’m amazing, you said so yourself, humans are trash- How did that- Who was that? I thought I was strong!”


    “You are strong. You’re my son, after all.” Fairy Queen ran her fingers through her son''s metallic skull, feeling the dents that were left in it. “That ‘thing’, though… Well, just as you being my son makes you strong, it is his father that makes him special. You just met the Emperor’s son. His weapon. Alpha. The Giant.”


    ***


    Present Day…


    Hope crashed down in an alleyway near Spider Street and turned, throwing her mother. The woman screamed and flailed as she was thrown through the air and then landed in the arms of Jack, who caught her.


    “Hey! Watch where your hands are!” The woman yelped.


    “Mr. Larison! Polaron is catching up to us fast.” She turned and faced the direction the monster was coming from. Metal was ripping its way off of anything the villain could seemingly get his hands on. “Get my mom out of here and make it to the Pantheon base. I’ll hold him off.”


    “I’m not leaving you to fight Polaron.” Jack said, shaking his head.


    “You have to. He’ll use his power to attack you on the inside. I’m not sure why, but it doesn’t work on me. That means only I can do this.” She reasoned. “Besides. In a way, doesn’t this remind you of how we first teamed up? It’s like with Intake, you know. You have to save me by getting a strong hero.”


    Her mother shook her head and tried to worm her way out of Jack’s arms. “You’re not actually going to leave my daughter, are you!” She hissed. “Let me go!”


    Jack stood there for a moment, staring back at her. His grip on her mother ensured the woman wouldn’t be able to escape. “In the past, I could have beaten Polaron even with his ability.” The man mused. “It seems though that time has long since gone. The injuries my body received made sure I''d never reach a level like that again. You’re a strong kid. You can be stronger than I ever was.” Jack turned and threw her woman he was holding over his shoulder, carrying Jane Lauren like a bag of potatoes. “I’ll be back in a flash, kid. Don’t die.”


    “Of course I won’t die. Because I’m going to be the number one hero!” She announced. A golden barrier formed around Jack’s body, and he took off at top speed, breaking the ground from how fast he moved and using the barrier to keep her mom safe. “Besides.” She said to herself once the man left. “I’m not alone.” Destiny landed softly on her head.


    “So you’ve come to face me yourself.” The voice of Polaron taunted her from above. His armor twisted and changed as if it were a liquid metal. It sort of reminded her of Oxide in a way. Black dust also trailed behind him as he broke down all forms of metal that he could, changing it into a solid powder he could then change in whatever way he wanted.


    “I’m not the one who killed Mars King, just so you know.” She yelled up at him.


    “That no longer matters!”


    “I think it kind of does, though.” She trailed off. Polaron was an arrogant, foolish man. The longer she could keep him talking, the better.


    The monster landed on the ground, staring her down. The streets were empty. Anyone that had been left already escaped when they saw the mass of black that trailed above. No one was around. Their base was still a few miles back, and it would only take Mr. Larison a couple of moments to drop her mother off and find a way to call for help. Even if she did die here, Polaron already lost, and he didn’t even know it.


    “I saw that man in the man you were with. He was at the warehouse.” Polaron stated. “Did you stay behind so he could escape? Do you even know who he is? Who he really is. Demonica told me who he was when she fought him, but after seeing him for myself, I’m certain. He’s like the dead brought back to life.”


    “Are you saying Mr. Larison is a zombie?”


    “Not quite. I just assumed he died when his master did. The Emperor died fifteen years ago, as did most people in his army. That man. You truly don’t know, do you?” Polaron’s voice almost mocked her. “He’s a villain. One of the worst villains I’ve ever known. He served the Emperor. Well, he did more than that. He’s almost as bad as the Emperor after all.”


    “You’re lying!” She yelled.


    “Am I? I could be, I guess.” Polaron pointed at her. “It hardly matters now, though. Die.” The dust formed together into a jagged metal tendril. It almost reminded her of how Poseidon used her water. She was glad she had seen the woman in action because her body moved on sheer instinct, already knowing how this attack worked. She blasted herself into the air as the tendril sliced out at where she had been. It ripped apart the buildings around her, narrowly missing her.


    Fire blasted out of her feet, and she blasted higher and higher, much like a rocket. She created a ball of fire in her hands and threw it down at Polaron as hard as she could. It scorched the air, and Polaron’s iron dust twisted and took shape, forming an ocean of metal that tried to swallow up the fire.


    It exploded and sent molten liquid blasting out in all directions. She dropped through the air and broke her fall with a roll, but a second later she was forced to jump toward the side as a sword of iron tried to slice into her. Its blade hummed and vibrated like a chainsaw, and she felt part of it dig into her shoulder, cutting it open and causing her to yell out in pain.


    Polaron had found a way to harm her. She shook off the pain, and fire twirled around her fist, and she smashed it into the blade, shattering it. Then, without skipping a beat, she fired dozens of her lasers towards Polaron from out of her fingertips the same way Mr. Larison would. The villain tried to make several shields to block them, but her beams twisted and went around the metal stabbing through his armor. This time it was his turn to yell out in pain as dozens of holes were blasted through him.


    Black liquid gushed out of him, and he grunted. The metal twisted around, and the dust formed together. He blasted toward her faster than before, and his iron changed into a giant metal fist, which he swung out at her. Electricity danced off the metal, and she felt her hair stand up as she was dragged directly into the fist, which smashed into her stomach. She gasped out, and a second later a blast of pure energy went through her body as the metal unleashed its electromagnetic power. It was nothing compared to Jack''s, though.


    She gritted her teeth and wrapped her arms around the metal fist and shattered it easily. On the other side of the metal, Polaron was already swinging out with a sword. She opened her mouth, and he rapidly created several shields to block the fire blast, but she didn’t unleash it. Instead, she let out another yell using the strength of her Super lungs. People like the Victorian had lungs so strong that they could freeze lava by breathing hard enough. Hers wasn’t anywhere on that level, but it didn’t need to be. It didn’t matter that Polaron created a shield in front of him; her sonic attack vibrated through his metal form and caused him to scream out in pain. She had made sure to cover her own ears, but the force of her scream still caused them to ring a bit.This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    “I learned that one from Myth!” She announced. “And I learned this one from your teammate Demonica! Eat rocket punch!” Fire blasted out of her elbow as she launched her hand forward as hard as she could directly through the metal shield. Polaron tried to escape, but she brought her fist up and rammed it into his stomach as hard as she could. The sound he made was a horrible screeching noise, and his normal-sized fist grew large spikes, which he rammed into her stomach, cutting it open.


    She stumbled back but didn’t falter. Already her wound healed as Destiny fixed her up. She wiped at her face, feeling refreshed. Polaron’s armor fixed itself as the metal healed, and he growled as he glared at the bird. More blades of metal fired off of him, all aimed at Destiny, and the bird was forced to take flight to avoid it. As soon as the bird got away from her, he kept firing at it, stopping it from coming down. All the while he kept up his own fight with her.


    In one swift motion, Polaron had stopped her from healing. His iron dust twisted and changed, taking shape. It grew larger and didn’t turn into a weapon. Instead, it seemed to form arms and legs as he created a giant metal-looking statue. A golem. The golem pulled its fist back and threw out a mighty punch towards her. It stood at ten feet tall and reminded her of Intake in a way. She had already beaten Intake, though!


    She rammed her fist forward, launching it like a jet again as fire blasted out of her elbow. The golem roared down at her and brought its own fist towards her. The two attacks clashed, and her fire gushed out of her knuckles as she shattered the creature''s limb. The flames didn’t stop there though; they easily sank into the monster''s metal flesh and expanded, blowing it to pieces. Despite having beaten it, her arm ached, and the bones within cried out.


    She had no time to react as Polaron reached her and slammed his palm into her stomach. He blasted out with his metal, grinding it together and causing a spark of fire to erupt from it. It fired into her gut, and while she was heat-resistant, she definitely was not exploding metalproof, as the jagged shards dug into her gut. Destiny screamed down and tried to fly towards her, but metal tendrils stayed in the air, whipping at him and keeping him away.


    She stumbled back clutching her gut wound and raised her shaking arm up just in time to block a strong smack from Polaron. “Liquid metal, shooting sparks out, living metal, and now fire. You trying anything you can think of?”


    “Shut up!” She dodged another strike, his flash of emotion making him go long. She slammed her leg into his side, denting the metal and causing it to partially cave in as he groaned. He fought through the pain though and created another vibrating sword, bringing it down toward her. “I win!”


    Everything seemed to move in slow motion as she raised her hands above her head. It was futile, though. She knew the sword could cut her. It was sharp enough to slice her in two, and she had no time to dodge. She was about to die.


    A flare of blue dropped from the sky. Crackling and wild, a bolt of pure lightning smashed into Polaron. The man screamed and his armor began to steam and melt as more bolts rained down. It hit him over and over and over, and his screams grew.


    This was her chance. She threw her hands out and screamed out as loud as she could as the fire and her wild sound mixed together into a chaotic beam that smashed into Polaron. It wasn’t just that though, as a second later gold mixed with her attack. She looked up, finding Mr. Larison, his arm held out as he fired his own energy into hers. It all swirled together and then erupted.


    A barrier formed around her and Jack, keeping them safe. The street was in ruins, buildings falling apart, and soon someone would take notice if they hadn’t already. Polaron’s back hit the road. His armor was in utter ruins, burned, and blackened, part of it dripping down his body and steam pouring off of him.


    “I got a strong hero.” Jack said, pointing towards the sky, where the lightning had come from. “A buddy of mine owed me a few favors still. He’s keeping your mom safe, and with him on our side, we won’t be losing to this guy.”


    ***


    “You sad?” Rowan asked.


    Ken scratched at the back of his head and let out a sigh. “I mean, yeah—a little. Ocean Empress said she likely wouldn’t be able to pop into Oleander City for a while. She’s going to be too focused on holding her own city down since the gangs there saw how well teaming up here in Oleander went. That also means Poseidon won’t be showing up either.”


    “Not to mention Oxide. I mean, I don’t really like Ashley, but still. It sucks what happened to her. She’s going to be stuck in bed for at least a month since our healer is down now.” Rowan threw his arms behind his head in a casual manner. “Besides, with Golden God’s return, every villain is going to be ramping themselves up in case the Organization is making a full comeback. Plus, it’s getting close to Lucifer striking once more. I imagine Oleander is going to be on its own, as every hero will be busy with the massive amount of crime that is going to start soon. You know what that means for us, right?”


    “Yeah.” Ken sighed. “Next time the villains team up like that, we won’t have Poseidon, Ocean Empress, or Paragon, and I doubt the Victorian will be there to save us a second time. Starting today, it’ll be up to us to keep this city safe.”


    The two boys, Metal Ronin and Wasp Nest, were no longer in costume. They stood under the moon, watching as men went through some of the rubble of the mall. Within the mall, only a few people got hurt, and it had all been minor. The heroes there had been a little banged up, but they would recover. Of their own group, Oxide had gotten badly injured, obviously, and a few of the civilians didn’t make it, caught in some of the blasts. Lastly was the hospital, which had thankfully been cleared out during the fighting.


    All in all, their city, specifically the ‘rich’ part, had taken a big hit but would still stand tall.


    Oleander had just gained a few more scars.


    “So, what happens now?” Rowan asked.


    “I’ll speak to Money Tree when we head back and see what he says.” Ken folded his arms, and his eyes followed the many people who dug through the rubble of destroyed buildings. The Cleanup Squad, people who showed up after hero battles. It would be their job to fix the city.


    “Hey, so can one of you two walk me home?” A sheepish voice caught their attention, and the two heroes turned, finding Kyle. The caramel-skinned boy rested on the curb, his arms folded. “My dad went and ditched me to go hang out with the mayor and discuss everything that happened today and wants a hero to get me back home.”


    Rowan rolled his eyes and shrugged. “Yeah, sure. I want to head back to my lab, anyway, and it’s on the way. Are you read-” Rowan stopped when he noticed someone standing on the other side of the road, watching the cleanup crew work on the mall. “Whoa. Why’s he here?”


    “Huh?” Kyle and Ken both turned, and their eyes went wide when they saw who it was.


    Harrison Avalon, the richest man in the world, said to be one of the smartest, rivaled only by the former Mr. Sini and Boy Genius. The man looked good despite his old age, only sporting a few grays. Though that was mostly due to Supers staying youthful for longer than normal humans. The man’s arms were tucked away in his pockets, and his eyes had heavy bags under them. A cigarette poked out between his lips, and his shoulders were slumped.


    He didn’t look happy.


    “Mr. Avalon, what are you doing here?” Rowan hurried toward the man. Avalon was one of the best mental-based Supers in the world and was one of the first to get the idea of creating a suit of power armor and fighting within it. The man was an inspiration to every tech-based hero out there, even if he himself didn’t go around as a Super. His tech also pushed several heroes to the front of the spotlight. In other words, heroes really relied heavily on him.


    Harrison turned when he heard his name being called out. He gave a sly smile and a half-wave. “Oh, hello, I don’t think we’ve met. You’re one of the Sub Enforcers in Oleander, right?”


    “That’s right!” Rowan said, giving a large grin. “I saw you standing over here. I thought you left Oleander City a while ago, sir.”


    “Well, I had some things I needed to clear up first. I’ll likely be staying here for the next few months.” The man smirked. “As for why I’m here? Well, I do own the Cleanup Squad. I’m the one who funds them. Mr. Moore runs this particular one.”


    Kyle felt his eyes go wide when he heard that name. He looked around, trying to spot anyone that might look like Armin’s dad.


    “This building was rather special to me.” Avalon let out a small sigh. “It had been set up by Mr. Sini. The man was a mentor to me when I was a kid. He was the previous Lord of the Sea, yet never got into fights, instead focusing on bettering the world, and with his vast wealth, he created Sinicorp and tried to make the lives of humans easier. After his death, I was the one who bought out most of his company and turned it into Avalon Industry. In a way, this landmark was special to me, and I feel a little sad that it got so badly harmed.”


    “It’s not just this mall. A lot of buildings were torn down.” Ken explained. “The villains really did a number today.”


    “That they did.” Avalon nodded. “That’s why I’ve already set some funds aside and promised I will rebuild and reimburse anyone who was harmed today. It’s the least I could do.”


    “It isn’t your fault this happened, Mr. Avalon.” Rowan said, shaking his head. “It’s the fault of those damn villains. They’re the ones who should be paying for the damages out of their own pocket. I’m glad we caught as many as we did, but I still wish we got more.”


    Avalon smiled gently and patted the boy’s shoulder. “You’ll make a fine hero one day. I’ve been keeping tabs on your Sub Enforcers. If you ever need a job, hit me up sometime. Avalon Industry can always do with having more tech-based heroes. But for now, I believe it is getting late. You kids should run home. I doubt school will be held for a few days, but still, with everything that happened. Better safe than sorry.”


    “Yeah, I need to get home anyways,” Kyle said, throwing his arms behind his head. “I didn’t even fight a bad guy, and I’m tuckered out.”


    “Yeah.” Rowan nodded and turned away from his idol. “Let’s get you back home.” He began to walk but stopped when he noticed his friend hadn’t moved. “Kenny, you coming?” Ken’s eyes were locked onto Harrison, looking the world’s most thoughtful man up and down.


    Finally, Ken turned away. “Yeah. Sorry, I was just thinking of some stuff.”


    Harrison Avalon didn’t say anything as he watched the three boys finally leave. He stood there for a few more seconds, watching the cleanup squad do their best to rebuild the mall, all with the gear he provided them. After a bit, he gave a small smile and turned away.


    ***


    Polaron groaned and tried to push himself up. More of his metal dripped down his body, and his limbs shook. “K- Kill. I’ll kill you. All of you!” That voice in his head was back. One that all monsters had. It howled and demanded their deaths.


    A golden sword appeared in Jack’s hands, and the man stared down at Polaron. “Easy now. You really think you can beat me and the kid?”


    She stared at Mr. Larison quietly for a moment. Polaron’s words echoed around in her head. He had claimed this man was a villain. One as bad as the Emperor. She shook her head. No way. Jack Larison was a hero. She took a deep breath and nodded. “Give it up, Polaron. You lose.” The man was on his knees, barely clinging to consciousness. The lightning and her final attack had done their jobs.


    Destiny landed on her shoulder, and she felt her body heal back up as her wounds mended and her energy returned. “I will not lose.” Polaron struggled to push himself up. “I won’t quit. I won’t give up. I have to win. I was raised to win.” The flash of a memory came back to him. “I was created to win. Monsters aren’t Supers. We aren’t humans. Monsters are- Are- We-” Black blood poured from his wounds, and he shook.


    “Please.” He looked up and saw the hand she stretched out to him. “I never got why people are bad. Green Wolf and Red Ape said they do it for fun. I don’t think you’re that way, though. You’re clearly evil, but why? Why do people like you decide to be evil? I don’t get it. You have powers. I have powers. You could have been a cool superhero. I mean, with those powers, you could have saved hundreds of millions of people.”


    “I was made to be a monster.”


    “You killed people. That’s what made you a monster. It has nothing to do with who made you. I think you just hid behind that shell.” She stated sternly.


    “You’re na?ve.” He growled. “The voice it- I never had a choice!”


    “Maybe.” She still held her hand out to him. “You lost, though. Let’s call it here. I’ve never been good at debating. I beat you, though. I may never understand why you’re evil or do what you do, but I’ll say this. I’ll stop you. It doesn’t matter how many times I have to do it. I will beat you every time. Not just for the sake of the people but for your sake as well. I won’t let you hurt yourself by hurting others. So please, let’s stop fighting.”


    Polaron’s arm swiftly came up towards her. He stared at the outstretched hand. “You wanted to know why I’m evil. Honestly. I’d like an answer for that as well.” He raised his hand up, and he activated his strongest move.


    Jack gasped and dropped to his knees as he felt his blood begin to attack him from within his body. Not just him. She could hear cars begin to crash all along the road miles back suddenly, and the sounds of hundreds of screaming people began to echo out. Polaron was about to kill hundreds in this single moment.


    Jack raised his arm, struggling the entire time, and managed to fire a golden bolt. Polaron blocked the strike with his arm, more of his armor blasting off. Despite that, Jack managed a smirk even as his body was being torn apart. “You got this kid.”


    Polaron’s eyes went wide again, and he turned just in time to see her throwing a punch at him. He had forgotten she was immune to his power. The villain went to move his body but found his nerves locking in place as Jack''s earlier attack stunned him and lit his nervous system up. The first blasted forward like a rocket and slammed directly into his helmet.


    “What did you do?” Cracks began to spread across his body, starting from the top. He barely remained standing as his suit began to rapidly fall apart. He screamed as his armor shattered, revealing his proper skeletal form beneath. With no Princess to manage his powers, they began to go out of control. All the dust began to surge forward and mold over him, and his screaming got louder as metal started to stab into him.


    Polaron glared at her, and she was about to throw another attack out, but suddenly Jack screamed, as did everyone else affected, as the villain turned his powers up as much as he could.


    “What are you doing!” She yelled in horror. He wasn’t stopping his attack on their insides. “You’ve already lost!”


    “If I’m dying, they’re coming with me!”


    “Stop it!” She shouted. He screamed back at her and started to close his hand into a fist.


    “I’ll pop their hearts, their brains, and their lungs! Hell, I’ll pop their whole body! The world’s messiest balloons!”


    “I said stop it!” She let out a mighty cry and got ready to finally end this. She pulled her fist back and threw a punch at the villain. All the metal was still fusing into his form and stabbing him, but despite that, he narrowly dodged the attack and was about to counterattack her, but as her fist soared past him, she opened her palm and closed it around the handle of something that formed.


    Her hair lit up, becoming the color of the sun, and her eyes glowed red, and with a slice, a sword forged from fire struck out—the very same she had seen Mr. Larison and the Victorian create. Polaron managed to take a step back and stare at her in shock. All the metal on him slowly broke away, and a clear, fiery line formed on his stomach. The sword was stabbed directly into his abdomen, having nearly split him in half. All it would take was a little more effort on her part, and he would be divided in two.


    Despite that, Polaron still screamed in rage and grabbed her by the throat. She felt his fingers begin to dig into her skin, and she gritted her teeth. All she needed to do was move her arm a little more. Just a slight bit of movement, and it would be over. He would be...


    All she had to do was kill him.


    Her hand gripped the handle of the sword of fire, much like how his grip grew tighter around her throat. She was a hero. People were in danger. It was simple. If she just took his life—her hands shook more, and the sword barely moved an inch. The screaming got louder, her senses feeling like they were about to explode, and her own shouting joined them as she tried to muster up the power needed to be a hero.


    Then, in a single instant, it was all over.


    She saw it for only a second. A glimmer of gold. Mr. Larison had managed to take a knee and held his hand up even as he was being torn apart. Thin golden threads seeped out of his finger. Polaron saw it a second too late. She felt them wrap around her arm, and Jack jerked his hand to the side.


    Her sword followed.


    All at once, the metal under Polaron’s control crashed to the ground, and the screams cut out. Polaron stood there, the skull that was his head looking down.


    “Did I seriously just lose to a fucking kid-” Black blood suddenly gushed from between his stomach, and his legs fell one way, while his upper body fell another, and the man was cleaved in two. Hope winced as the sword faded, and Polaron grunted and shook, the black liquid seeping out. “This can’t be happening. I would never... I can’t be about to… My healing! Why isn’t it working! Why can’t I heal! What did you do to me!”


    “Take it from someone like me, Polaron.” Jack spat out a glob of his own blood, the red liquid mixing with Polaron’s black. “It doesn’t matter how good your healing is. Some attacks will just hurt you in ways you can’t heal from. Some wounds will end your career in an instant and turn you into a shadow of your former self.” As the man spoke, he rubbed his heart.


    “You-” Black blood gushed down Polaron’s chin as the skeleton spat it up. “Damn you, you traitor!” Polaron’s vision was unable to focus on the red-haired man as Hope stepped in front of him and looked down at him. It was a look he had only ever seen once before. The same look that had been in the eyes of Full Monarch. A look of pity.


    She clenched her fist and was about to look away. “Sorry. I didn’t want to, but I won’t let you hurt my family.” She felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up, seeing Mr. Larison. The man nodded down at her. She took a deep breath and looked down at Polaron. “I’m really sorry. You were amazing, Polaron.”


    “Amazing?” Those words rang in the villain’s mind for a second. The very same, his mother had said.


    “Yeah. You were strong. Too strong. I wish you could have been a good guy. I wish you could have had a better ending than this. I’m not happy about what I just did, but I’m not sad either. I don’t know what to say.” She wiped at her eyes and tried to clear her head. “I guess that’s all I had to say. Sorry, things ended this way. I’d have rather captured you if I could.”


    Polaron didn’t bother turning on his back. He stayed face down in the dirt and softly closed his eyes. “Guess I wasn’t as amazing as everyone thought after all.” Then he noticed something. He was hearing a voice. It wasn’t the usual one, though. That voice had gone silent. This one was familiar to him, though.


    “P!” For a moment, he saw him. K stood waving at him. Not just K but all the others. Every monster that died in the war. “Looks like you caught up!”


    P rubbed the back of his head. “Guess I did.”


    “Thank you, P.”


    “For what?” P frowned.


    “For being amazing. Right up to the very end. You were such an amazing leader.”


    P’s frown only grew. “Amazing? Me? Nah. Right up to the very end, I never reached his level. I never came close to making the life he saved all those years ago worth anything. Oh well. Guess I’m dead. I’ll be going on ahead of you, Alpha. But just wait. One day I’ll see you in hell. I’ll be saving a seat for you, you traitorous bastard.”


    And just like that, as everything truly faded to black, one of Oleander’s greatest villains had their story come to an end. Polaron, son of Fairy Queen, leader of the Bad Timers, died.


    Hope bit her lip and finally turned away. She felt Destiny land on her shoulder. “I didn’t want to kill him, but I panicked-”


    “It’s okay. It’s okay. It’s fine.” Jack squeezed down harder on her shoulder. “You aimed the gun. I pulled the trigger. What’s done is done.”


    “But I still-”


    “Your mom is okay. You should go check on her.”


    “Where is she?” Jack pointed toward the sky, and she looked up. Her eyes went wide when she saw someone begin to smoothly descend from above. Max Lightning floated down, his arms wrapped around her mother. He landed softly on the ground and set the woman down. “Mom-” She didn’t have time to say anything else as she was tackled in a bone-breaking hug from her mother.


    Her arms wrapped around her mother, and she felt the woman’s hands go through her hair. “You really are a superhero, aren’t you?” Her mother didn’t sound too pleased.


    “Yeah.” She winced and tried to give a nervous chuckle. “I’m not bad at it, either. Well, you know. I won a few fights and came out okay.” She flinched, trying to figure out what to say. “I’m sorry I put you in danger.” Her voice cracked a little as she squeezed the woman back.


    “I’m just glad you’re okay.” Her mom said quietly. “You are okay, right?”


    "Yeah, I am."


    "So, are you going to stop glowing?"


    "Glowing?" Her eyes went wide when she saw a few locks of her hair. "Whoa, holy cow, I''m blonde!"


    "Your eyes are red also." Her mother said unhelpfully.


    "They are!"


    "Did you not know you could do this?"


    "No! How long has this been happening for!" She panicked. "How do I turn it off? Mr. Larison help-" She stopped when she saw him. The man quietly stared down at the body of Polaron. He ran his hand through his messy reddish-brown hair and finally let out a heavy sigh. She winced a little and squeezed down on her mother''s hand. "I knew I would have to, eventually. Some villains can’t be saved or caught, and he was about to kill so many people, but I guess I wish it went better.” She shook her head. “I didn’t want to be a hero that had to do this.”


    Jack glanced up at her. He took the sight in. Her red eyes and blonde hair. She really did remind him of the powerful man. "Try and calm yourself down. Stop focusing on your powers, and it might fade."


    "Might?" Either way, she listened. She closed her eyes, and instantly she felt the warmth leave her. When her eyes did open, she was relieved to see her hair was back to being black. "What was that? Can I transform like Myth?"


    "It isn''t the first time it happened." Mr. Larison said, shocking her. "Usually, it lasts for only a few seconds and goes back to normal. This time was different though. It means that ''his'' power is finally settling inside of you."


    "His power? What do you mean?"


    “Making the kid do your dirty work isn’t cool.” Jack called out, looking up towards Max Lightning.


    “That’s rich coming from you.” The hero spat out. The wind twisted around him, and she finally got a good look at the man that had allowed them to beat Polaron.


    He was dressed in a damaged hero costume and covered in battle wounds, but she knew who he was instantly. His costume was that of Max Lightning, but his face. “Homeless man!” She asked with wide eyes. “Whoa, okay, seriously, what the hell is going on now?”


    Max Lightning ran his hand through his dirty beard and sighed. “Should I tell her?”


    “I don’t know. What do our paths say?”


    “Well, I can’t see your path, and her path gets foggier the stronger she gets, so I have no clue.”


    “You’re freaking useless.”


    “I’m sorry.” The homeless man turned away and looked towards her. “It’s good to meet you, Ms. Lauren. Yes, I am the homeless man you’ve been spotting. I’ve been keeping an eye on you.”


    Her mother stood in front of her frowning. “That sounds really creepy. Want to try again, buddy?”


    She looked past her mom and towards the man. Her thoughts raced. Everywhere she had been, he followed. He was at her school; he was there when she first went on patrol; he was even at the mall and the beach. “Why. Y- You’re Max Lightning. A member of the Enforcers. This isn’t your city. Why would you be here?” She had seen Max Lightning a few times on TV. Back then, he had been cleanly shaved and had short hair. It was hard to believe this hairy, dirty man was one of the ten strongest heroes in the world. “Why would you watch me of all people?”


    Max Lightning closed his eyes, watching the Paths change. “That’s easy.” He stared back at her, and his eyes followed the many Paths. “My eyes can see that which others cannot. Only my daughter shares this gift. This lets me know things I shouldn’t. Tell me, do you remember what I told you when I called out to you?”


    Her eyes went wide, and she nodded. “You told me you knew how I could cure the Dead Virus, right!”


    “What!” Her mother jerked and stared at the man in shock. “You mean my husband can still be saved.”


    Max Lightning stared at her, and she shrunk back a bit. “Do you know who created the Dead Virus?”


    Of course she knew. He was always in her thoughts anytime she would close her eyes, lurking just out of reach. A pale man, with golden eyes, clutching a book. “The villain Lucifer, right?” She said slowly.


    “Correct. Leader of a team known as the Immortals.” Max Lightning nodded. “There’s a reason why we heroes fear the Dead Virus so much. It corrupts the body and breaks it down, crumbling it bit by bit. It isn’t a quick death typically.”


    She gulped and shook but managed to keep her rage in check. Just thinking of that monster and what he did to her dad seriously pissed her off. “I know all of that. Why is it important?”


    “It’s important because the virus has been fixed once before.” Mr. Larison was the one who spoke up now. “A single person has the power to cure it.” He turned and looked her mother dead in the eyes. “I think it’s time you show it to her. The thing you’ve kept hidden. It’s time she sees where she really came from. It’s time she sees the pod.”


    ***


    Mr. Brenner checked his watch as he rested at the table. Oleander City was so busy—nothing like his home city of Lillian. After the death of his wife and him being promoted to police chief, he had been forced to move here in order to keep his son Kyle safe.


    “Something wrong?” Mayor Grove questioned.


    “No.” Mr. Brenner shook his head. “I was just a little distracted with the time. It’ll be starting sometime in the next few months, after all.” The officer said, letting out a tired sigh.


    After the attack at the mall, he had gotten the mayor home ASAP. They were now in the man’s manor. Specifically, his dining room, discussing plans for the future. “Ah, yes. Soon, it will be Lucifer’s hunting time once more.” The mayor explained as he began to cut into his steak. “With any luck, he won’t come here.”


    “Lucifer is a monster. Maybe even worse than the Emperor. Every few years, he appears with his group known as the Immortals, and he causes utter chaos in whatever city is unlucky enough to be a target. He calls it the Murder Games. A sadistic game made to kill as many people as possible. He marks some people, and those people are the ones he goes after. A few years ago, my wife gained his mark. After her death, it passed down to my son.” The officer grunted out, bowing his head. “I won’t lose Kyle. No matter what.”


    “I’m aware of how Lucifer works.” The mayor hummed and took a sip from his cup of tea. “He marks several people in each city he visits and then selects one every few years when he returns, tormenting them and then marking others. He usually has about tenish marks, so it’ll be a one in ten chance of your son being picked.”


    “And what about the year after that or the one after that? I don’t care if the odds are less than one percent; if there is even a chance my son could be harmed, I will do whatever I must to keep him safe. Even if it means working with scum like you.” Mr. Brenner rammed his hand down onto the table. “You promised me. You said you had a plan, right?”


    The mayor didn’t say anything to that remark. Instead, he calmly brought his cup of tea to his lips and sipped it quietly. The dining room was large and fancy, and the food was to die for. Dozens of pictures lined the wall, but Mr. Brenner couldn’t bring himself to enjoy it. His eyes never left the three people who stood directly behind the mayor of Oleander City.


    All three of them were tall and dressed in long blood-red robes, wearing pale bone-white skull masks over their faces. Two golden coins covered the eyeholes of their mask, and they were all silent and unmoving.


    The mayor took a moment before speaking. “Perhaps a demonstration is required to show you the power my team has. It took me a while to make all three, but watch. This is the perfect time.”


    “What do you mean by that?” The officer asked, frowning.


    The mayor snapped his fingers, and the doors opened. Smoothly, a butler walked in carrying a large metal table on wheels. Someone was tied to the table, thrashing around and hissing wildly. “You won’t all get away with this! When the Enforcers find out, or the Sub Enforcers, or anything! They’ll come save us!” It was a young man dressed in rainbow-colored knight-like armor that buzzed with an electronic sound.


    Mr. Brenner felt his eyes go wide when he saw the hero. “That’s one of the Pallet Boys, isn’t it? They’re a duo of low-tier tech-based heroes that became famous for their bright colors and silly fighting styles.”


    The table clicked, and suddenly, the restraints on the hero broke away. He instantly jumped to his feet, his armor powering up. “I am Pallet Boy Red! Defender of justice and peace! You might have caught me, but I’ll defeat you all here and now!” His arm unfolded into a large cannon that fired a red plasma beam.


    “Mr. Buckle, if you would.” The mayor said softly.


    One of the figures in red raised his arm up, and in an instant, his flesh grew as his hand became massive, and he held it in front of the mayor, keeping him safe from the blast. His entire palm had nearly become the size of a small car. His robes ignited, and he threw them off along with his mask with his other hand. Kevin Buckle crouched down with a fire in his eyes as the muscles in his legs grew larger, and he fired himself forward like a rocket, moving so fast he shattered the floor.


    “So fast-” Pallet Boy Red raised his other arm, which morphed into a red blade, but it was too late.


    Kevin grabbed the hero by the head. “Sorry.” And then he squeezed down as hard as he could.


    Mr. Brenner raised his arm, blocking the splatter of red that gushed out. “Seriously? I was eating, man.”


    “Well.” The mayor cocked his head to the side. “What do you think? He had been a simple teenage boy with no powers, and now he has the body of a full-blown Super. It’s quite amazing, isn’t it?”


    Kevin slowly wiped the blood on his shirt, and he grabbed his robes, gently putting them over the body of the hero. “Where are you going?” One of the other two robed figures asked.


    “I’m going to go give him a proper burial next to his brother.” Kevin picked the hero’s body up gently and began to head for the door. He stared down at the covered-up corpse quietly. “For what it’s worth, I really am sorry. But I’m strong now. Stronger than you were.”


    The officer watched the young man carry the corpse out of the room, his lips pressed into a thin line. He didn’t like being on this side. He hated it. But it was the winning side. “I’ll admit, I’m impressed. Still, the Pallet boys are one thing. I’d like to see what they do like a real threat before I trust your manufactured Supers to keep my son safe. Not even the superheroes were able to save my wife, so you’ll beg my pardon if I don’t exactly trust you.”


    The mayor chuckled and nodded. “I understand. Still, for the time being, you have my full group backing you. The Wandering Coin will aid you.” The mayor stood up and smoothly made his way over to his wall, which began to open. Inside something rested. He placed his hand atop it. “After all, I alone possess the Lord of the Land and Life. And with her power, not even Lucifer and his Dead Virus can bring harm to us.” The metal orb glowed with a faint blue light.


    The very same thing Hope Lauren was born from resided within his home.