"Ruler..." Beta said quietly.


    "Did you say something?" Ocean Empress asked.


    "Negative. I was just doing the thing you humans like to do when something is on your mind," the machine explained.


    "You mean thinking?"


    "Yes. I was thinking."


    "Okay, then..."


    Armin Moore was having a field day. As kids, it had always been Hope who was the massive hero geek, but he''d be lying if he said he wasn''t currently hyped about being in the same room as some of the greatest legends of their generation.


    Boy Genius'' ship had landed, and they were all instructed to board. That ship was heading back to Oleander City to drop off all of the teams. Inside the main deck of the ship, nearly every Enforcer member was present. Ocean Empress, mistress of water and ice; Mister Man, greatest marksman in the world; Wyvern, daughter of Fairy Queen and the strongest non-Lord elemental user; Beta, a powerful machine created by the strongest mind; Fable, master of stories; Lady Time, able to rival even the Lord of the Sky; and of course the Victorian, the strongest human on Earth, who trained herself to be able to handle any threat, even that of the Lords. It wasn''t just them, though. The Watch Dogs were here too: Backup, Bad Wolf, Duplicity, and Roulette; the Sub Enforcers: Money Tree, BB, Metal Ronin, Wasp Nest, and Oxide; and lastly, Pantheon stood among them with himself, Myth, and Whisper.


    Max Lightning was the only Enforcer who didn''t show up. Battery, Paragon, Poseidon, and Boy Genius also weren''t in the meeting room, being somewhere else on the ship.


    The meeting room itself looked similar to Boy Genius''s office room at Nightshade, but it was far more significant, and it had a circular metal table that also served as a hologram-like device. It showed images of the battle the Victorian had with the Emperor, though it wasn''t able to catch the entire thing since both fighters had moved far faster than a mere camera could keep up with.


    The Victorian stood in front of the table, watching the recording, studying every flaw she made and her failure to stop the monster. Her costume was still badly torn, and her wounds had been bandaged up or healed with her golden light. Lady Time stood behind her and had taken her cape off, draping it over the shoulders of the world''s strongest woman to cover her up more.


    "Is it really him?" Wyvern was the first to speak. Her fingers hadn''t stopped tapping away at the metal of the chair she rested in, and by now, she had badly dented and cracked it. "We''re certain it isn''t some sort of illusion?"


    Myth shook his head. "You were a baby when the war happened with the Emperor, Wyvern. You, along with a bunch of other young monsters, were sent away with Ocean Empress when the battle with that freak began. I don''t expect you to know what he''s like, but when I was a kid, I left for the battlefield to chase after my dad. It was short; in fact, I only managed to stay conscious for a single attack, but while on that battlefield, I went to blows with the Emperor. There is no doubt in my mind that this is the same person as the one from back then."


    The Victorian''s frown only grew. "He didn''t hit as hard as I recall, though." She looked down at her hand and forced it to stop shaking. "In that fight, part of me thought I could stand a chance. We were about evenly matched, going blow for blow. If Fable, Boy Genius, or Lady Time were to have arrived on time, even with just one of you, I think I could have beaten him. Yet somehow, I know that can''t be correct. Something is wrong."


    "His power is different." Mister Man hadn''t bothered to watch the recording. His feet were kicked up on a table, and his cowboy hat was placed over his face. "Anyone else notice that?"


    "Different, how?" Wyvern asked, raising an eyebrow.


    "Well, for one, he''s a freaking shadow monster." Lady Time snorted.


    "He said he lost the power." Whisper spoke up. "I was doing my best to stay out of sight and listen to everything he had to say in case it was important. He spoke to Cinder. She seemed to catch his eye for some reason. When she asked him how he didn''t die, he said that he did."


    "His title would have passed down when he died," Snowdawn said. "Even if he came back to life, he wouldn''t have the title, right? So maybe he isn''t the Lord of Life?"


    "I don''t think so." Wasp Nest rubbed the back of his neck and winced. "That Wish girl was a Lord of Life, and even if her entire body was destroyed, the title didn''t seem to pass down. When I first fought her, she used her power on me and caused my body to become unstable and wouldn''t let it transform. Normally, if I''m ever damaged or in a bad state, my powers go off on their own. When I change, all my damage vanishes and will stay gone when I come back together as a human. After Wish really died this time, my powers were forcefully activated and I was able to heal again. If the Emperor did die and came back, he''d still be the Lord. But instead, that Wish girl became it, and now that she''s dead, the power moved on."


    "What if the cause of death matters?" Oxide asked.


    Metal Ronin shook his head. "I don''t think it''s as simple as that. Wish died in a ton of different ways, and the Emperor only died at the hands of Full Monarch. I think it''s a lot simpler. I think we need to ask ourselves what death truly is. Wish negated death because even if her body was truly gone, her soul remained. What if that''s not the case with the Emperor?"


    "Are you saying that when he died, his soul also died?" Ocean Empress asked, confused.


    "Maybe? Like, maybe he did die and couldn''t come back. He passed on and everything, so the title had no choice but to move on."


    "So, then, how''s he back to life?" Wyvern questioned.


    Mister Man snorted and sat up slowly. "None of that matters. It isn''t the question we should be asking."


    "It''s not?"


    "Nope. The real question we all need to figure out is who''s in charge of that body." Mister Man twirled his gun a bit and pointed it suddenly at the head of Oxide, who froze. "Say I blow her brains out. Her soul passes on. Maybe it goes to the afterlife, if there is one, or maybe it blinks out of existence. Now, let''s say a year from now, somehow, she suddenly comes back to life by pure chance. Is it still her? Did something drag her soul back into her body, or did it recreate the soul? Or maybe..." He pocketed his gun and leaned forward, giving a dark grin. "Is another soul the one in the driver''s seat?"


    Everyone sat there in silence, pondering the question. It was Beta who spoke up first. "As a machine and something that does not exist on the same level as you humans, I''d like to offer my own theory. The Lord of the Land and Life can create living things. The proof is in the hero known as Paragon. After losing his wife, the Emperor decided to create a new Princess of Life after she died. Was this actually the Princess of Life, or was it merely a reflection of her? Then, what of the child they fostered?"


    "My daughter is real." Ocean Empress growled.


    "Of course. However, what if the Emperor were to have created another life? If he was able to create a being that looked like the deceased Princess of Life, who is to say he couldn''t have also created a brand new body for himself?" Beta questioned, cocking his head to the side.


    Lady Time pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed. "All this talk is hurting my head. In the end, it really doesn''t matter, though. Any of these ideas could be true, or even none. The only thing that truly matters is what we do going forward."


    "Lady Time is right." Myth nodded. "If word gets out that the Emperor is alive..."


    "Are you saying you''d like to keep that fact hidden?" Fable spoke up, narrowing his eyes. "The people have a right to know."


    "I didn''t say that we keep it a secret. But... I do think there is a right and a wrong way to tell them." Myth shrugged.


    "I agree with Myth." Money Tree chuckled, flipping a coin in the air. “The public already has a meltdown over the fact we haven''t been able to stop Lucifer or the Beast for good. If word gets out that the world''s greatest hero, Full Monarch, failed to truly slay the Emperor, then what chance do the rest of us have?"


    Light shimmered in the room and swirled into the form of a large sword, which the Victorian held. She stabbed the blade deep into the metal floor of the metal ship, getting all eyes back on her. "We''re not giving up. Somehow, we will win. Even if I have to fight him by myself, even if I die trying, even if it seems hopeless, I won''t let all of it go to waste."


    "So, then, what is the plan?" Beta asked, focusing his glowing red camera eye on the woman.


    "No clue." That caused everyone to nearly fall out of their seats. The golden woman gave a sheepish chuckle and rubbed the back of her neck. "I''ll figure it out, though. I''m not ready to give up. I won''t let my father''s legacy go to waste."


    The conversation mostly died from there.


    The recording of the fight kept going. A few of the Enforcers kept watching it, trying to spot a weakness in the Emperor''s style; others were already heading out.


    The Sub Enforcers were the first to leave, heading below deck to get some rest, followed quickly by the members of the Watch Dogs and a few of the Enforcers.


    "What now?" Snowdawn asked, shooting a look at Myth. "Should we go check on Cinder and Battery?"


    Myth shook his head. "I believe it''s best to leave them be for now. Boy Genius is with them and seeing what he can do."


    Whisper threw her arms behind her head and gave a lazy shrug. "We should rest up then. It''ll be a little less than an hour before we reach Oleander since this ship is apparently so slow!"


    "Are you feeling okay?" Snowdawn asked.


    "Why wouldn''t I?"


    "Well, you did get attacked and manhandled by Kevin..."


    "Yeah? So did you and Cinder."


    "We''re used to it, though. You aren''t."


    Whisper giggled before her eyes caught something. "I''m fine, really. It''s just something that has my blood boiling a bit." Her eyes were trained on her mother, the world''s strongest woman. The Victorian hadn''t even walked over to speak with her or ask how she was. Instead, the golden woman finished speaking with Lady Time and was leaving the room. Their eyes never even got to meet.


    Myth placed his hand on her shoulder, turning her away. "Let''s go get something to eat. I, for one, am starving-"


    "Octavius." A voice caused Myth to freeze.


    Slowly, the three Pantheon members turned and found Fable standing in front of them. The man was undoubtedly a strange one. He was dark-skinned and stood nearly ten feet tall, with slim arms and legs. He was cloaked in the pelt of a lion and had a sizable great bow on his back. Heavy bags rested under his eyes, which were trained on Myth, studying the man. What made him so strange, though, was his name. Fable was a hero who went by many names and titles. Sometimes, he would be called Hercules. Other times, he would go by the name Hector, and sometimes still, it was Achilles. There was no telling what sort of name he would settle on, but he would always eventually return to using the name Fable.


    He was a feared hero, so strong it was said he once managed to battle the mighty Victorian to a standstill. If the Victorian was the strongest hero and Boy Genius was the second, then Fable was a close third. Rivaled only by the power of Legend, the spot he took when the former Enforcer member died two years ago.


    Fable walked forward and got so close that he loomed over Myth. Myth didn''t back down, staring up at the man with a serious look in his eyes. Whisper and Snowdawn both shrank back as an aura of power seemed to radiate between them.


    It was then instantly shattered when Fable''s arms wrapped around Myth, and he picked the man up off his feet. "How are you doing, big brother?" Fable asked.


    "It''s the same as always, little brother." Myth chuckled, clapping the tall man on the back. “You should really visit the library next time you''re back in Oleander. I''ve taken care of the place."


    "I''m sorry, what?" Snowdawn asked with wide eyes.


    "He''s the little brother?" Whisper giggled. "Also, Octavius? Is your real name Octavius Thaddeus?"


    Myth broke away from Fable and turned to his two team members. "Whisper, Snowdawn, this is my baby brother, Osvaldo. He goes by the hero name Fable unless he wants to change it to some other name when he gets all weird."


    "I don''t get weird." Fable huffed, folding his arms.


    "Seriously, he''s the baby brother?" Snowdawn said, shocked. "He''s like double your size!"


    "I ate a lot of my vegetables growing up."


    "Those do make you get bigger, according to our parents, so I guess it checks out."


    Myth patted his brother on the back and grinned. "We were just about to head out and get something to eat. Would you like to join us?"


    Fable''s smile faded, and the man looked down at his older brother. "Actually, brother, I have something I''d like to talk to you about."


    "Oh?"


    "It''s about the Beast."


    Myth''s eyes instantly narrowed. Thoughts of that hellish day came back like a freight train. "Alright. Go on."


    ***


    "I''ve seen something like this happen before." Boy Genius stated, looking down at his chart.


    "You have?" Hope said, surprised.


    "Once before. In Full Monarch."


    "Of course, it comes back to him." She muttered.


    "Just be glad people talk about your previous title''s owner. When''s the last time anyone''s even bothered to mention my Grampa?" Lily sighed. "It''s always Full Monarch this or Emperor that. Sini was important too, you know!"


    They were in a medical room somewhere near the middle of the ship. It had a large hospital bed on which Hope rested, as well as several desks filled with various normal or Super equipment. Lily rested on a bench with her arms folded, while Sky stood in front of a full-body mirror, looking herself up and down. They were still mostly in costume but had taken their helmets and masks off while Boy Genius ran a few tests.


    She still wanted to learn why her hair wouldn''t go back to normal, and she couldn''t depower while Sky was trying to figure out what had changed with her body. Lily was just sort of vibing.


    "So, do you have a way I can turn the Lord''s power off?" She asked, twirling a strand of her blonde hair.


    Boy Genius pulled out a strange metal device that radiated a blue light going up and down her body. "Do you know what that form really is?"


    "Not really. I get all glowy and strong, though."


    Lily stepped forward and took a deep breath. Her hair began to shift color to a light blue, and her eyes became a deep red. "This is something all Lords can do." The power switched off, and she reverted back to normal, slumping a bit. "The first four Lords were said to be gods, far stronger than any Super. The only person to ever reach a level nearing them was Full Monarch. We call that transformation our Battle Mode. In our normal state, we just have a power that, while strong, isn''t anything special. In our Battle Mode, though, we begin to tap into the energy of a Lord. It can be pretty draining, though, and I''m not very good with mine. If I try to use mine for too long, something goes wrong."


    Boy Genius nodded as Poseidon finished explaining. "Currently, Ms. Lauren, your body has absorbed a ton of solar energy. In your fight with Wyvern, you showed the ability to control and channel flames that weren''t your own. My guess is that you tried to do something similar but on a much bigger scale. Your body pulled in as much energy as it could. Unfortunately, it proved to be too much. As such, your body is staying transformed to keep you safe."


    She shot Sky a dirty look, but the girl still wasn''t paying attention. "It must have been when I absorbed the sun in Sky''s realm after she threw me into orbit. Thanks for that, by the way... What do you mean my body is keeping me safe, though?"The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Boy Genius hummed and reached over to a table, grabbing a cup. "Let''s say your body is this cup." He then grabbed a water bottle and began to pour it into the cup. "This water is the energy you absorb. There''s a limit to how much you can handle, just as there is a limit to how much water this cup can hold." The cup began to overflow and started to spill. "You hit this limit, and normally, you''d likely blow up or something."


    "Seriously!"


    "Very likely, yes. However, because your body has the ability to transform, it did so on its own, and thus, it''d be like getting a bigger cup that can hold more water. While in this state, that power can be held. I mentioned that Full Monarch went through something similar. It happened after the battle with the Beast. He was transformed for nearly a full month. Afterward, though, his body burned off all the extra energy, and he was able to change back once the levels got low enough. Just wait it out, and it should fade from you in a month or two."


    "I can''t be like this for a full month!" She panicked. She tugged on her hair a bit and pointed at her eyes. "I have school! What are they going to say when they see my eyes gush out fire and my hair is glowing!"


    "Just skip school and get your GED or something?" Boy Genius shrugged.


    "My mom would kill me!"


    "You still go to school?" Lily asked, raising her eyebrow. "I knew Oxide went still, but most heroes don''t bother."


    "What about getting a job?"


    "The Hero Branch gives you a fake job, and you get paid for hero work and brand deals."


    Hope''s shoulder sagged a bit. "Well, I can''t do that. I promised my mom I''d finish high school."


    Boy Genius typed something out on a keyboard and nodded. "I could make something that could cover them up for you. I''ll ship it to your house before you next go to class."


    "Thanks! You''re a lifesaver!" Hope''s smile faded, and she looked down at her palm. "Still. Isn''t it kind of amazing?"


    "What is?" Lily asked.


    "I was unconscious, yet my powers turned on by themselves." She still didn''t remember how the fight with Wish ended. It was all just one big blank. "It''s almost like my powers were alive for a moment."


    "You''re not the only one who says stuff like that." Lily hummed. "Ken- Er, I mean, Wasp Nest is always saying his powers go off even if he doesn''t activate them himself."


    "Really?" She frowned and watched tiny wisps of fire dance across her fingertips. "So, it isn''t a Lord thing. I wonder where powers really come from."


    "They come from the four Lords, obviously."


    "But how? And who gave them their powers? What exactly are powers?"


    Boy Genius rubbed his chin. "Now that''s something no one knows," the dark-skinned kid chuckled before he turned to look at Sky. "What do you think, Ms. Sini?"


    Sky stared down at her hand, watching as the cells within her palm danced and twisted around. She looked back at the mirror and brushed some of her hair back. It was different—not by much, but there was something. A single strand of snow-white hair. The same as Wish. Destiny''s eyes met hers in the mirror. Her sight, long taken by her sister during a horrible accident, had fully returned.


    "Why did he do it?" The image of the shadowy devil came back to her. "Why did the Emperor do this to me?"


    "Did you say something?" Boy Genius asked.


    Sky slowly shook her head. "No." She turned away and folded her arms. "If we''re done here, I''d like to go lay down. I feel a bit sick to my stomach."


    "Of course." Boy Genius nodded.


    Sky turned and began to head out of the room. Her fist quietly clenched as her eyes roamed over Hope for a moment. One thing was certain: When she got back to Oleander, she had a mission—something she wanted to try. This time, she wouldn''t fail.


    This time, she would save Hope''s father from the Dead Virus.


    After all...


    She was pretty sure she might have just become the next Lord of Life.


    "Should we go after her?" Hope asked as Sky left.


    "Nah. Let her cool down a bit." Lily snorted. "She hasn''t been able to see on her own for a while. I''m sure she wants some alone time to figure out everything."


    "Right. I guess that makes sense."


    "I''m heading out as well." Lily took a step forward but stopped. The girl turned back and stared at Hope. Finally, Lily sighed and stomped her foot down a bit. "Hey."


    "Yeah-" Hope froze when she saw Lily''s fist. It was outstretched in front of her.


    "You did pretty good," Lily said after some time. "I just... I just wanted to say I''m sorry for how I acted before. I''m not asking to be friends or anything like that. But you''re pretty cool, you know."


    Hope stared at the fist before slowly bumping it back. "Thanks?" Did she finally repair the damaged bridge she had created with Poseidon?


    Lily turned away, giving a peace sign. "Also, if you try to make any moves on my little sister, I''ll kill you."


    "Huh!"


    The door slammed shut as Lily left. Boy Genius hummed, looking down at more of his notes. "Adults are weird."


    "We aren''t even adults!" She stood up after some time and grabbed her helmet. She wasn''t really sure how it was back. It had been blown off her during the fight with Fairy Queen, and Red Ape had run off with it. Despite that, though, it somehow came back to her. Even the marks on her shield caused by Wish were gone. "Any idea where Mr. Larison is? I need to give his mace back to him." She said, grabbing the jagged weapon that had nearly caved her skull in.


    "He should be in the next room over. That mace is pretty powerful, so don''t lose it. It used to belong to Hell Hound and can negate most powers, working as a powerful shield. I''m not sure where Battery got his hands on such a strong item, but most heroes and villains would kill to have their hands on it."


    She clipped it onto her belt and turned away, putting her helmet back on. She knew the truth. Mr. Larison had told her that day they played ball on the roof—or at least part of it. He was the adopted son of the Emperor, in a way that made him the brother of Sky. She''d be more shocked if he didn''t have other secret items up his sleeve, which he likely took from former members of his dark family.


    She stepped out of the office and was going to head to the one across from her, where Mr. Larison would be, but she was frozen when her enhanced senses went off on their own again. It seemed they always did that when something she needed to hear was happening. Just like with her other powers, they seemed to have a mind of their own. It was thanks to them that she heard the voice of the Victorian coming from the room.


    "How are you holding up?"


    "I could be better." The voice of Mr. Larison responded.


    Were Mr. Larison and the Victorian talking? Why? She couldn''t help but stand out of the room and listen in.


    Inside, Jack rested on his own hospital bed. His shoulders were slumped, and he had his mask off, rubbing at his aching heart. "You didn''t come all this way just to ask me that, though, did you?" He looked the world''s strongest woman dead in the eyes. Part of him wondered who would be stronger—her or him at full power. "Why did you really come?"


    The Victorian snorted and rolled her eyes. "Most people wouldn''t be as bold as you."


    "I''m not most people."


    "You really aren''t. You were the first to discover the next Lord of the Sun; you have the same light as me; you''ve gained the eye of Ocean Empress; you were there the night Old Dog died; you defeated that Lord of Life once; you had a sword that shouldn''t have listened to you; you defeated Green Wolf and Fairy Queen; then you didn''t hesitate to throw yourself at the Emperor and fight him; you even left a blow on his body. Let''s cut to the chase. Who are you?"


    "I''m Battery."


    "Okay. And before that?"


    “Jack Larison.”


    “Before that?”


    "A member of the Cleanup Squad."


    "And before that."


    "A soldier."


    "And before that."


    "A street urchin."


    "And before that."


    "Nothing. I was nothing and didn''t exist."


    The woman sighed. "What side are you on?"


    "Whatever side opposes the Emperor."


    "So, if the Emperor joined forces with the good guys, would you be a villain?"


    "Would you?"


    The woman smirked. "Yeah. If it meant killing him."


    "Same answer as you then."


    "Great minds think alike?" The golden woman held a finger up and pointed it at Jack''s forehead. "Do you have a good reason why I shouldn''t rip your head off?" She asked, cocking her head to the side. "You''re pretty shady, and part of me thinks it could be better to just kill you. Better to be safe than sorry, right?"


    "I don''t need to give a reason. You wouldn''t."


    "You don''t think I''d try?"


    "No. I don''t think you’d succeed." That caused her smirk to fade, and he stared her down. "I''d stop you if I really had to. Hell. I might even turn the tables and kill you myself."


    A golden glow began to seep out of the Victorian''s fingers. The entire room began to shake, and her eyes stared deep into Jack''s. Hope stood outside the door and felt her heart shake. Even from behind the door, the golden light was leaking out, and the shaking was growing worse.


    Inside the room, the Victorian''s eyes narrowed. She cocked her hand like a gun, the orb of light growing in size. Jack''s finger twitched, and he leaned forward slightly. A spark of blue almost shimmered in his eyes, and a flash of electricity seemed to crawl down his skin. Her light began to swirl around, bending and twisting the wind and causing cracks to appear in the air. Golden fire began to spill out, and her glow began to reach its peak. Then it faded. All at once, it stopped. A twitch appeared on her lips, and then she began to giggle. The giggle then broke out into laughter. It was a hard laugh, and she clutched at her side. Jack let out a snort and also began to chuckle. Slowly, the world''s strongest woman managed to pull herself together and stand up straight, wiping her eyes. Outside of the room, Hope let out a relieved sigh.


    They weren''t about to kill each other.


    Not yet, anyway.


    "I haven''t heard an answer like that in a long time. The only one to pull a stunt like that was Wyvern. You''re pretty cool." The woman grinned and flicked Jack on the head. "I came for another reason. I''m sure you guessed that, though."


    "What is it?"


    "I want you to join the Enforcers."


    Hope''s heart nearly stopped as the Victorian spoke. She felt her face pale, and her eyes went wide.


    Jack stared back at the room and cocked his head to the side. "You want me on the Enforcers?"


    "You''re strong. Most Enforcers couldn''t beat Fairy Queen. Ocean Empress sure couldn''t. Old Dog retired, and we were looking for a spot to replace. You''re in Oleander, so it''d be easy for you to take over. If you wanted a different city, though, that''d be fine as well. Name a city, and it''d be yours."


    Jack''s eyes narrowed slightly. "What of Poseidon?"


    "What about her?" The Victorian folded her arms and gave a lopsided grin. "Her mom wants her on the team. A few others do as well since she''s a Lord, but let''s face it. She''s useless. She can barely control herself, and besides, if I''m being honest, the Lords have been underwhelming this generation."


    "Your husband is a Lord. So was your father."


    "Ex-husband." She corrected. "He could never keep up with me, not like how Lady Time can. As for my father, he''s long dead. He isn''t coming back. Besides, the current Lord of the Sun made it pretty clear she won''t be living up to his potential. I believe in the Lords. Just not these ones. Since I''ve taken the title of number one hero, I always knew someone would come along and take that mantle from me. That person will be the one that creates the world my father truly wanted. That person isn''t any of the Lords of this generation. I''m sure of that fact. Until they earn my respect, I won''t treat them as anything better than what they truly are. Children."


    "Do you think I''m that person?" Jack asked, raising an eyebrow.


    The Victorian scoffed. "Nah. Someone as weak as you would never be able to challenge me. You might have beaten Fairy Queen, but you''re still barely strong compared to the true greats. That said, I think you would be helpful. Especially now."


    "Now that the Emperor is back?" He hummed.


    "Yeah." The woman nodded.


    "I''m dying."


    "Hmm?"


    Jack rubbed at his chest. "I don''t know how much time I have left. A month. Maybe even less. It could happen any day now. Making me an Enforcer makes no sense. I''m a walking corpse. You''re better off sticking with Poseidon. If you really don''t want to go with a Lord, then make Myth a member. That''d make him happy." Jack got off of the bed and turned to the door, about to leave.


    The Victorian sighed. "I can save you."


    Jack froze. Hope did as well from outside of the door. "What?" Jack raised his eyebrow.


    The golden woman bit her lip as if thinking. Her eyes slowly traced over to his chest, where his heart was. "I''m not stupid. I know it''s in there." Jack flinched back and grabbed at his chest. "After the battle with the Emperor, I snapped. I used to be a lot different, you know. My hair wasn''t even blonde. I went by the title of Ruby Admiral, wielding the red light of justice. I lost my sense of justice after those bastards stole my father away from me." She shook her head, and her hands clenched into a fist. "I wanted to make them suffer. To hurt them. So I created the shards—a way to put them through hell and back and kill them over time. I went around and shoved that in the hearts of every monster I came across and forced it to fry them from the inside out. All so they could suffer the fate they deserved. I wanted them to beg for death. I wanted it to be a mercy when their hearts finally gave out, and they shattered to dust. That was my revenge."


    "If you knew I had this thing in my chest, then why haven''t you tried to kill me?"


    The Victorian smirked. "I told you. I placed it in the hearts of every monster I found. I hate them. All of them. Every single one of them is a freak."


    "What about Wyvern?"


    "I was outvoted. I didn''t want her on the team. Still don''t. Ocean Empress begged the others to let her in, though. She raised nearly every kid herself. Unlike me, she''s nice. I didn''t become the strongest by helping out the enemy." She looked into his eyes once more, and her smirk faded. "I don''t know who you are. I''m guessing you can use my power because of that shard in you, right? Some sort of energy absorption-based power? It doesn''t really matter though. Either way, I can tell you''re a human. The Emperor turned most of his people into monsters. He used his power to change normal humans and Supers alike, but he wasn''t able to do it to them all. Most of his forces were made up of criminal groups he conquered. He even forced Lucifer under his boot at one point. I''m guessing that''s the case for you. You were a villain at one time, right? If that were the case, there''s no way I would have placed that shard in you. I let the humans in his army go, or I killed them instantly. Only the monsters got this fate. That means someone else put that thing in you."


    "And knowing that you would still offer to save my life?" Jack questioned.


    "I don''t care who you used to be back in the day." The woman gave a casual shrug.


    "I wouldn''t be so sure." Jack rubbed at his chest. "Trust me, everyone knows who I was. I wasn''t one of the four generals, but I''m just as known as them. The things I did are things I should be killed for. You know who I used to be."


    "I do? Care to explain?"


    "No. If I did tell you, you''d likely take my head off here and now." Jack snorted. "I''ll keep my past a secret just a bit longer."


    The woman placed her hands on her hips. "There''s no way you''re as vile as the Emperor and his kind. I can save your life. I can turn the power of that thing off and remove it, and then Paragon, Lady Time, or even myself can help heal and reverse the damage. You''d live. If you play nice and join me, I''ll do it. And if you turn out to be some big villain from the past, I''ll simply cut your head off and be done with you. It''s a pretty good deal, wouldn''t you say so?"


    Jack rubbed his chin. "So, if I agree to become your weapon and join up with the Enforcers, you''ll save my life."


    "That''s correct. I need a sword—one that could help me defeat the Emperor. Those shards hold back a person''s power by nearly eighty percent. If you were able to beat Fairy Queen with something like that inside of you, then you''d have to be as strong as Fable or Boy Genius. If you agree to become my tool, my blade, I''ll save your life, Battery. Help me create the world my father wanted." She held her hand out to him and smiled.


    Jack stared down at the hand in silence. His chest ached and burned. It hurt. It hurt so bad that he wanted to die. Finally, though, he turned away and began to head for the door. "I''ll think about it."


    He took a step forward, about to open the door. Hope bolted for it. Her teeth were clenched, and blood ran down her palm. She didn''t know how she should feel: jealous, angry, happy that he could be saved, mad at the Victorian, or relieved. She just ran as fast as she could and escaped, no longer able to hear them talking or the weak sounds of Mr. Larison''s heartbeat.


    Because of that, she didn''t hear the end of the conversation...


    Jack opened the door and took a step outside, but stopped. "Oh. And just so you know, you''re wrong."


    "About what?"


    "About this generation of Lords." He turned back and smirked. "I have a roommate. One who is always gambling. Let''s make a bet, Jill."


    "How do you know my real name?"


    "I bet that this generation of Lords will turn out to be the strongest."


    "Even after the Emperor is back to life?"


    "About that." Jack rubbed his chin. "I never expected someone like him to actually come back to life."


    "Oh? Now that I think about it, do you know how he did come back?" The golden woman asked. "You were on his team at one point?"


    "It''s the same way Lucifer came back." Jack sighed. "It really doesn''t matter though."


    "And why''s that?"


    "Because soon the Lords will be so strong they can kill him for good." Battery turned away from her. "That''s my bet, Jill. These Lords are going to be stronger than any other Super."


    He could feel it. His time was running out. That was okay though. It would be the final push. The thing that set his plan into motion. His death would do it. His death would cause the Lord of the Sun to truly awaken. Just as Nier''s death caused Jackson to become the legendary hero Full Monarch, he was going to use what was left of his missrable existence to ensure that this planet had a star that would shine as brightly as the one he destroyed.


    That was how he would rewrite his sins.


    "Cinder will be a great hero."


    ***


    A swirl of black twisted around. It opened up, almost forming a reverse black hole, and a second later, a flash of gold filled the sky as Golden God appeared. The machine cocked his head and looked around at the scene before him.


    "Master, where are we?"


    It was a field of dead grass. In front of them was a shimmering blue barrier that went around something, and behind them was also a glowing red barrier. Both barriers weren''t touching but also didn''t offer much room between them, and Golden God found himself having to awkwardly turn his body to be between both shields.


    The Emperor slowly took a seat on the frozen bodies of one of the three manmade Supers Grove had created. Cracks appeared all along his armor, and it slowly began to break away. And what did the devil the world fears so much look like?


    He looked like a man.


    His hair was messy and untamed. A few spots of gray were scattered amongst the blonde. His eyes lost their spark, and heavy bags were beneath them. He had a small bit of stubble, and his face was covered in stress lines. He wore regular clothes: dress pants, a white buttoned-up shirt, and a suit jacket. He looked both exhausted and ancient. His shoulders slumped. At this point he was well over a hundred years old, kept only alive due to the fact he was a Super.


    "Chrysanthemum. We''re between the barriers that block off Chrysanthemum."


    Chrysanthemum, in total, had eight layers of shielding that went over it. These shields formed domes that covered the sky and went into the ground, forming a perfect sphere. Each one was large and circled around one another, making it nearly impossible for anything in the cursed city to escape.


    "Is it safe for us to be here?" Golden God asked. "After all, this place was taken over by the Dead Virus."


    "That''s not true." The Emperor—or perhaps it was Nier now—shook his head. "They called it the Dead Virus since that''s what Lucifer called it, but the truth is, it''s different. Lucifer never even stepped foot in this place. The source of Chrysanthemum is the same source of power as the Dead Virus, though. They both come from w?????????????????????????????????????????????o???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????b????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? ??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????T???????????????????????????????????????????????????????."


    "The what?"


    "Oh. That''s right. I guess you wouldn''t be able to understand its real name." Nier sighed.


    Harrison Avalon placed his hands in his pockets and smirked. "There''s no real reason to be concerned, Goldie. We''re safe in between these layers. Besides, even if Legend was able to break through, we have this guy here," Avalon announced, patting Nier on the head. “He can go and kill Myth''s biggest mistake easily!"


    "Get your damn hands off of the master-" Nier held his hand, causing Golden God to fall silent. Avalon poked his tongue out at the machine. "Master, why are we even keeping this damn traitor around! Why on Earth would you come with us, Avalon?"


    "Why am I here?" Avalon folded his arms, and it seemed like he was trying to come up with an answer. "Oh. That''s easy. So that when the Emperor lets his guard down, I can betray and kill him."


    "Master! Let me turn this scum into space dust!"


    "I still need him." Nier placed his hand over Fairy Queen and shoved it into the girl''s chest. It phased into her body, and slowly he pulled his hand out, holding a golden shard. Shadows twisted and howled around his hand, and he crushed the shard, breaking it.


    Golden God still glared at Avalon but bowed his head. "Very well. If I may be so bold, my Master, how is it that you made it out of your fight with Full Monarch, and how did you keep your title of Lord of the Land and Life?"


    "I didn''t survive." Nier watched the dust from the Victorian''s shard leave his hand and fly away. “I''m not the Lord of Life anymore, either. I tried to take the power back, but it rejected me—perhaps because I now hold the opposite of it."


    "The opposite?"


    Nier placed his hand on his chest and felt his heart begin to beat. "It was dark... So dark. And cold. I died. Nothing was around me. An endless void. My hell. The price of my sins. Then I heard a voice. The next thing I knew, I was awake again and had become something else. If I even am myself, that is... I''m not a Lord anymore." He stood up, and the shadows began to rise with him. They crawled up his body, forming back into his armor. His helmet covered his face, and his fist balled. "Lords are weak—false kings. I''ve become something that stands at the top of the world. I am a Ruler—the Ruler of the Dark and Void. Soon, the Beast will come. I''ll give the heroes one chance. I''ll let them see what horrors it holds once more. Let them watch as their feeble Lords struggle and lose. Only then will I save this world that has turned its back on me. I will be the one to slay the Beast. The old me was a fool for thinking he could create a world it wouldn''t attack. It. Must. Die."


    "Where do we start?" Avalon asked, slyly smirking.


    The Emperor held his hand out, and a swirling mass of darkness escaped, ripping space itself apart. "Lucifer. We start with Lucifer. This world will know my salvation. Whether it wants it or not."