Chapter 130: A Boy Named Max
"Are you ready to give up your evil ways and be a superhero yet!" Mermaid demanded.
"Never!" Ruby Admiral announced. "Also! Get off me! You're heavy!"
"Are you calling me fat!"
"Yes! You're really fat!"
"R- Really?" Mermaid asked, sounding a bit hurt.
Ruby quickly shook her head. "No! I lied! You look good as always!" The raven-haired girl said quickly. "You got the super sexy hero body going on for sure!" She said, rubbing Mermaid's stomach and letting her bisexual fantasies run wild.
Mermaid simply smacked her over the head. "See. You took back your insult. A bad guy wouldn't do that. Face it, sister, you were born to be a hero."
"No fair! You cheated!"
Ruby Admiral squirmed a bit on the ground. She was flat on her stomach, tied up with thick ropes of water. Mermaid sat on the villain's back and reached down, pinching one of Ruby's ears and tugging on it. "You're an adult now, Jill. You shouldn't be playing silly games like that. Come on and just say you'll be a hero, already! We can get matching costumes, and I'll let you even be my sidekick."
Ruby's hair ignited with a red glow, along with her eyes, which clashed with Mermaid's glowing blue hair and eyes. "I would rather die." The red-haired girl said flatly. "Ow!" She let out a yelp when Mermaid reached down and grabbed her other ear and began to tug on it.
They got several odd looks from the other people in the building. After the incident with Water, what's his face, her father had called the Hero Branch, who had come to check the boat out. The workers had been busy trying to find out where they should place many of the kids. Most of the children had been taken from the streets of various cities and didn't have a home, and many had to be sent to a specialized hospital to help them recover. Some had even turned out to be Supers, which made it all the more of a headache trying to help them. The boy who had given her the coin she had used as a makeshift projectile in her duel with the Prince guy turned out to be one of those humans that gain powers during a stressful event. The boy could phase through stuff now and would likely be shipped off to some Hero Branch lab and either be turned into a hero or be used in some other way.
She didn't get to make sure any of them were okay either because her father had flown off, carrying her over to Rose City to meet with the head of the Hero Branch to discuss something. That was where she was now, face down, as her friend River tried to 'convince' her to become a hero. They were down in the lobby of the Hero Branch building, which was bustling around with dozens of agents going in and out of the many elevators.
"She's as lively as ever." Off to the side, Full Monarch had been watching his daughter and her friend wrestle, but he turned when he heard the voice addressed to him. "How have you been, Jackson?" Legend, a member of the Enforcers, held his hand out toward the Lord of the Sun and Cosmos. He was a short, dark-skinned man who wore what looked almost like ancient robes over his frail form. Despite his appearance, he was considered to be one of the strongest non-Lord Supers on the newly built hero team known as the Enforcers.
Full Monarch let out a strong, hardy laugh as he grabbed the hand of his teammate. "Ah Legend! It's good to see you! Oh, but could you just call me Full Monarch? I'm in costume after all!"
"Yeah, but everyone knows who you are." Legend snorted. "You're the soldier that defeated Lucifer. Hard to believe that was nearly fifty years ago now. My grandfather also fought in that war, and I was born a few years after it ended, you know." His smile faded as he looked toward Ruby and Mermaid. "So, how is she?"
"What do you mean?" Full Monarch raised an eyebrow, though he was bad at lying and obviously knew what Legend was asking him.
"Don't give me that. You know what I mean. How has it been raising her?" Legend questioned.
"Oh." For a moment, the hero's ever-present smile vanished. He had to reach up and use his fingers to put it back on his face, and he grinned once more. It was part of his brand deal. He was required by sponsors to always have a smile present on his face whenever he was in a city. "It has been interesting being a father! It is something new I didn't think I would get to experience!" He announced with fake joy.
"Have you actually been raising her? I hear you've been all over the world." Most heroes were placed in a single city that they guarded, determined by the Hero Branch. Not Full Monarch though. The entire planet was under his protection. That meant when something went wrong anywhere, it was ultimately his fault for not stopping it. At least that's what the Hero Branch would tell him when he didn't arrive on scene quick enough.
"We don't have enough heroes that can protect the smaller places like towns or villages." Full Monarch explained, giving a shrug. "Someone needs to be there for them. Still, I try to take time off every now and then for Jill. She likes reading, so I try to find new books to bring back when I can. I don't think she likes any of the ones I get her though."
Legend nodded his head, but the small frown that was on his lips didn't leave. "How long has it been now? Seven years? That's it, right? It was seven years ago that we got the call about her. I remember it because it was around the time you decided to fully go through with your little plan. You and Sini created the Hero Branch around that point. All Supers felt it. A strange nervous sensation in the back of their head. A new Super had been found. That girl over there. It was like a new species of predator had been discovered. They tried keeping her in all sorts of places, yet she kept breaking out. Then a year later, we all found out why. Turns out she was your kid."
"I was shocked as well when I learned that fact." Full Monarch said quietly. Currently his daughter had managed to flip Mermaid over and was now stomping the water-themed hero into the ground, stepping on her. "I had been in the middle of trying to stop an island from sinking when Sini called me and informed me of the fact that there was a child that matched my genetic code in one of their labs."
"None of us ever expected you to be the kind of person that would have a kid." Legend smirked. "You were always so focused on other stuff ever since you took down Lucifer. I was a young boy during that time. Now here I am with my second kid on the way. He won't ever be as strong as your kid, though, will he? Not even my first son will amount to anything when compared to your kind." His smirking slowly faded, and the man turned away, lightly punching Full Monarch in the shoulder. "Even amongst Supers, you Lords are freaks..."
Full Monarch stood there quietly as Legend walked toward the exit and left the building, likely going back to his own city. A low buzz came from his belt, and the Lord looked down to find that his pager had gone off. "Jill." He called out.
"It's Ruby Admiral!"
"I'm going up stairs, please don't do anything too crazy."
"No promises." Ruby shrugged and finally stepped off of Mermaid. Her father shot her a look, so she gave him her best innocent smile. "I'll behave, daddy!"
Finally, after some time of studying her, Full Monarch stepped into the elevator and made sure his cape wasn't caught in it as it began to go up. No one had stepped in after him, so he had it all to himself. Cheesy elevator music rang through his ears, and he stared at his reflection in the metal of the doors. He brought his fingers up to his mouth and did his best to tilt them up, trying to smile. It was important to try and practice smiling. Humans were just now starting to get used to the way things had been before the war with Lucifer. Thanks to Mr. Sini and Avalon, Sini Corp was able to recreate large cities that held the world's population in them. It had taken a little over fifty years, but humans were back to being on top. Many still feared the Supers, though.
He still had so much work to do.
"You can't be serious?" A voice yelled out as the doors opened. "I get that you two care for their kind, but this is starting to get to be too much! You're bending over backwards for them!"
Full Monarch stepped out of the elevator and looked around. Mr. Sini had lots of buildings that had been made just for him. Rose, though, took the cake. It was a stone tower, one that had been standing since before even the war with Lucifer. The first floor was layered with dozens of statues of previous Lords that had fallen in combat, but most people didn't know about it as Sini had covered that floor up and lowered the Tower further into the ground, creating a new floor that had served as the lobby where he and his daughter had been moments ago. Sini had forced the tower to operate with his technology. Besides being a Lord of the Sea, Sini's powers had further evolved, and he had become a Mental-based Super that was focused on travel basics such as elevators and the like.
This ability is what allowed them to create so many cities so quickly for humanity. It helped that Avalon was also by their side and managed to gather up dozens of other Metal-based users.
The top of the tower was where Sini's office resided. The man was the head of the Hero Branch, and his office showed it. Dozens of desks were scattered all about, filled to the brim with paperwork. Maps of various cities lined the walls, and dozens of TVs all playing different news channels hung up. It was a mess. In the very back, still trying to get through some of his work, Sini rested. In front of his desk, Harrison Avalon stood, glaring down at the Lord, whom he had once called his mentor.
Sini had aged a lot. His hair was filled with grays, and his beard was always messy. The man had been old enough to have a son during the time of the great war with Lucifer. Sini had always been the oldest of the current Lords, and an extra fifty years meant that the man was now in his early one hundreds. Supers tend to stay youthful for longer than normal humans, staying in their prime until they turn seventy or eighty. Lords went above that, not only living for longer but staying youthful. Because of this, even though Sini was so old now, he still held some of his power and muscles. He certainly didn't look like an old man who would croak over dead at any second.
Avalon's eyes turned to glare at Full Monarch, who stepped out of the elevator, when the scientist heard it open up. "Jackson-"
"It's Full Monarch."
"Whatever!" Harrison hissed. He pointed at the number one hero, then at Sini. "Can you try to talk some sense into him? His plan is utterly stupid! He wants to step down as the head of the Hero Branch and put all the humans in charge of it with no Supers on it at all!" Avalon was also well into his seventies yet didn't look a day over thirty, with slick-backed brown hair neatly combed. Avalon was just a normal Super, yet had seemingly been blessed with slower aging. "This entire plan is doomed to fail!"
Full Monarch nodded. "I'm the one who suggested it."
"Why!"
"Humanity suffered enough." Sini sighed, rubbing his tired eyes. "Lucifer managed to wipe out nearly forty percent of the human population with his army of Supers. The world still hasn't fully recovered from that point. Right when things were looking up, a new threat showed up and ruined it all."
"There was no way any of us could have foreseen something like the Beast showing up." Avalon said through gritted teeth.
"Expect it or not, the thing showed up. Even after beating him, he still managed to take an entire city out with him. Then a few years later he showed up once again." Sini shook his head and nearly snapped his pen. "Supers have caused enough issues for mankind. Over and over, it seems like Supers and humans always end up at each other's throats, and over and over again, Supers nearly wipe the human race out. We need to show them that it'll be different this time. I trust humanity. I trust that if they are in charge of the Hero Branch, it will finally allow them to stand on equal footing with the Supers. It's their turn."
"That's bullshit." Avalon turned to stare down Full Monarch. "So long as someone like him is alive, there is no way humanity would ever come close to standing on equal footing. Every human and every Super in the world could team up, and I doubt we'd win. He could destroy the planet a hundred times over, and no one could stop him. You don't want the humans to be equal to us. You just want them to think that they are, so they won't realize just how dangerous this guy really is."
"Avalon-"
The scientist walked toward the elevator, ignoring his mentor. He shoulder bumped Full Monarch, who didn't budge. "I saw Nier recently." The scientist said quietly.
Full Monarch's eyes flashed with surprise. "You did?"
"Yeah... He had some pretty neat things to say regarding Supers." Avalon stared down at Full Monarch's hand, which wrapped itself around the scientist's arm in a death grip. "You're starting to hurt me." The man winced.
"What did he say?" Full Monarch demanded. "I… I haven't seen Nier in years. Not since he…" Both Sini and Full Monarch looked down for a moment as horrible memories resurfaced.
"I don't have to tell you shit. It was just a personal talk he and I had." The Super forced himself free from the Lord's hold and began to head for the elevator once more. Avalon turned back to look at Sini once he reached the elevator. "You're so scared that if things don't change, Supers could wipe out humans, but I think there is something you're not considering. No matter how many times it happens, no matter what Super it is, somehow the humans keep on living. Calamity after Calamity, no matter how many of their numbers are wiped out. Ask yourself this. Who are really the freaks?"
Sini never had a chance to answer, as a second later the elevator door closed shut. The Lord of the Sea just let out another sigh. "Sorry about that. He doesn't agree with some of the plans we've set up. A few Supers don't like the idea of us handing the keys to our kingdom over to beings they view as lesser than us."
"I noticed." Full Monarch took a seat in front of the desk and folded his arms. "Avalon is right, though. In a way, some of this has hindered Supers. I don't fully agree with everything you've done. Whenever a Super is found, their only option is to either join the Hero Branch and be used either as a superhero or a worker or be labeled a villain. There's got to be a better way."
"Don't get cold feet on me this deep into these plans." Sini said sternly. "Since we've taken over, the only Calamity level threat that has appeared has been the Beast, and now we've figured out how to fight and beat it. There hasn't been another Lucifer in years."
"Yes, but Nier-"
"Nier wasn't cut out for this. He's already lost too much and couldn't stand to lose more." Sini cut his friend off. "I gave him and Wano the same out. Neither of them wanted to be superheroes or use their power for the betterment of mankind. I allowed them to go into hiding and lay low so long as they didn't use their powers. Even after what Nier did… I couldn't bring myself to take him in."
"About that..." Full Monarch looked down at the ground and shook his head. "I think... I think Wano might be dead."
"What!" Sini stared at his friend in shock. "What do you mean he's dead?"
"Well, I'm pretty sure my daughter saw the next Lord of the Sky and Weather."
Sini felt a chill go through his spine. He looked down at a picture that rested on his desk. One of the Full force. Jackson, Nier, himself, and Wano all stared at the camera with a happy smile on their faces. They all looked so young and innocent. Jackson was barely twelve when the picture had been taken.
"My God." Sini felt his shoulders slump. "It's moving too fast."
Meanwhile, back downstairs, Mermaid had managed to flip herself back over and had Ruby in a chokehold, forcing her arm into the Super's throat. "Say uncle!"
"I- I choose death!" Ruby gasped with an increasingly blue face.
"So be it."
Before Mermaid could land the finishing blow, the elevator door opened. The man that stepped out instantly caught her eye, and she dropped Ruby to the floor. "Is that Harrison Avalon?"
"Who?" Ruby asked, looking up. A man with messy brown hair wearing a dirty lab coat with a pissed-off scowl on his face was the only person she saw stepping out. "That lame ass? Is he important or something?"
Mermaid kicked her friend in the side, shooting the girl a dirty look. "He's one of the Supers that fought in the war alongside my grandfather and your dad. He isn't a Lord, but he's still a war hero. Instead of becoming a superhero like my dad, he followed in my grampa's footsteps and works for Sini Corp helping bring humanity forward. In only a few short years, they were able to reach beyond our planet and would have turned Earth into a spacefaring colony if not for the Beast."
"Cool." Ruby said flatly.
"I hate you."
"No, you don't." Ruby jumped back up to her feet right as Avalon walked past them, heading for the exit. "Yo, Avalon dude! Sup." She said, waving her hand. Avalon stopped in his tracks and shot a look toward her and Mermaid. Mermaid was dressed up in her hero costume, which was made to look similar to a bathing suit. Like Ruby, her hair and eyes changed color when she was using her powers, so she never needed a mask. Avalon studied the young woman before looking Ruby over, noticing the lack of a costume.
"You're Full Monarch's sidekick, aren't you?" The man mumbled.
"I'm not his sidekick!" Ruby huffed.
"Yeah! She's my sidekick!" Mermaid announced.
Avalon shook his head, clearing his thoughts. "I saw your father earlier, but I wasn't really thinking straight. I didn't bother asking why he came here, but if you're here, I'm sure it must be something important, right?"
"I guess?" Ruby lazily shrugged her shoulders and threw her arms back behind her head. "I took down a big shot bad guy all by myself. Bastard stepped up on my turf and had to be taught a lesson."
"Weren't you on his boat..." Mermaid asked flatly.
"There was this other boy also." Ruby hummed. "He was kind of a jerk but sort of cute. Had lightning powers or something-"
"Lightning powers?" Avalon cut her off and suddenly grabbed her by the shoulders. "Did he tell you his name?"
Ruby blinked a couple of times, taken aback by the man's suddenly urgent look. His eyes were wide, and he stared down at her. "Yeah, I think so. He said his name was Max or something. Why?"
"Damn it." Avalon cursed and turned away, marching toward the exit. "Of course he'd turn up now."
Mermaid shot a look toward Ruby. "What was that about?"
"No clue... Wanna follow him?"
"I'm down."
***
Max groaned and spat up some water as he woke up slowly.
"Take it easy, kid. Your lungs are recovering thanks to my power, but your body is still a little messed up. I guess a villain on the level of a Prince is still too much for you."
"It- It wasn't the villain-" He barfed up more salt water and sand, feeling sick. "I got sneak attacked and thrown into the water. I used my power to take out his bird in one shot, but I'm still not fully immune to lightning yet and nearly fried myself."
"Your body hasn't adjusted to the power of a Lord yet, I guess." The voice hummed. "I'm not too shocked. When I became a Lord, it took a bit of time for my own body to get ahold of all that power, and I ended up messing myself up a bunch as well. Things like this happen."
Max sat up fully, looking around. He expected to be in some back alleyway near Oleander or on the beach, but instead he found himself in an even stranger location. It was an endless field of white. Not snow, just pure color. The sky and the floor were just pure white with no color. He didn't see any walls, the strange field stretching on as far as the eye could see. The ground was soft and a little bouncy. Almost like when he would use his powers to make solid clouds that he could fly on. He still hadn't fully figured out how to fly freely like his father, Wano, could.
Next to him crouched down was an older man. One with messy blonde hair and a bit of a beard that was growing in. The man had tired-looking red eyes and wore a dirty suit that was filled with tears and cuts. On the tip of the man's finger was what looked almost like a fly, but as Max looked at it closer, he realized that it was actually some small drone-like robot in the shape of a bug.
Max rubbed his head, easing the unconscious feeling away. "Mr. Nier, where are we?" He finally asked.
"I was hoping you could answer that." Nier, Lord of the Land and Life, said letting out a soft chuckle. "I felt your life force fading and rushed over to try and save you. There was so much energy spilling out of you, and then the next thing I knew we ended up here."
Max looked around some more at the endless field of white, trying to find any sign of something, but all he saw was nothing. "How long have I been out for?" He demanded, standing up.
Nier shrugged his shoulders. "A few hours. Assuming time works the same as in here as it does out in the real world."
"Why wouldn't it?"
"Your father didn't just have control over the weather, you know." Nier flicked the bug off of his finger. "Just as the Lord of the Sea contains a deep creature within, the weather is often a tricky and mysterious thing. Humans conquered it and can predict it, and so that somehow led to the creation of a future sight-based power, which your father discovered. As far as I know, he was the first Lord of the Sky to have such an ability. He never really figured out how to use it, though. It's possible that yet again the power could have evolved and changed within you."
"Seriously? That's something that can happen."
Nier nodded his head. "I think it's best to view it this way. Being a Lord doesn't mean you're a Super. A Super is someone who is no longer human and has gained supernatural powers. A Lord is someone who is no longer Super and has gone even further beyond the limits of humanity and started to step into the realm of Gods. I've noticed each Lord has shown powers that the previous couldn't. No other Lord of the Sun has come anywhere close to my little brother Jackson's level of power. I believe that the Lords are something else but can also be a Super. Sini is the best example of this. He gained a Mental based power. In other words, I think the reason Lord powers evolve and change is because current Lords all awaken other powers previous Lords didn't by also becoming a Super. Just as humans can become Supers, Lords can as well."
"So, wherever the hell we're at, it's because I've gained some new ability by nearly dying, right?" Max placed his hand down on the ground, pushing it in deeper. "If my dad had a power based on time, maybe I gained something that goes along with that and can make a new space or something? I know some powers can create pocket realms. If that's the case, I should be able to cancel this."
"Give it a try." Nier encouraged.
Max closed his eyes and felt the spark of energy that was his core of power. It came surging out, and he felt his skin grow warm as lightning danced across his flesh. His hair stood up, and he could feel clouds begin to swirl around him. A blank, endless landscape was all around them. One in which he had somehow created. He was the master of his own power, though. Most of the Lords constantly used their battle mode, but not him. He didn't like it. He was the one in control.
Just him. It was the only way for him to ignore the voice. The one in his head that was constantly barking orders at him.
With a pull, he forced it all back in, drawing in the energy that had escaped him. The white field around them shook and crumbled. Cracks appeared along the floor and in the sky, and then the next thing he knew, he was dropping. He crashed down face first into the sandy floor of the beach as water splashed against him. Nier landed on his feet and let out a low whistle.
"Good job, kid."
"Thanks, teacher." Max winced and pushed himself up. "It's not enough, though. I need to keep training and get stronger. Or else I won't be able to catch up to 'his' level." He growled.
Nier held his hand out to the younger man and smiled. "Let's go grab a bite to eat. You've earned it."
Max slowly reached up and took the hand, letting himself be pulled up. He followed after his teacher as they headed for Oleander's docks. The moon was up in the sky, but there was bound to be a restaurant or two that was still open. He was lucky to have someone like Nier. The man had been there for him when he lost his father. The Hero Branch had been so busy they didn't even notice what had happened to his father. They wouldn't have been able to do anything about it, though, even if they knew. There was only one person who would stop that monster...
It was going to be him.
"So, how did the mission go?" Nier asked slyly.
"It was just as you said, teacher." Max nodded. "Water Prince was shipping something to this city. I wasn't the one who beat him, though. Some other girl did it." He sighed.
"There was another Super on the same level as you?"
"If you can even say we're on the same level." Max said bitterly. He glanced down at his hand, watching as the sparks of lightning danced across it. "I think she was stronger than me. A lot stronger than me. She had hair that lit up like a Lord, too."
Nier nodded his head and let out a hum. "The Lords' hair changes when they enter their battle mode. They aren't the only Supers who can change their form, though. The Thaddeus clan are all born with an ability that allows them to transform. Most children of Lords also seem to have the ability to change and evolve their power. The important thing is that you made it out alive and got stronger. People like us are able to endlessly grow and evolve. Now that you possess the power of Wano, it is only a matter of time before you reach his level as well."
"Then I can kill that damn bastard that stole my father from me." Max hissed out, his lightning crackling around him wildly.
Nier looked up at the moon above as they walked. "The Emperor."
"Huh?"
"That's the name of the villain that stole the life of your father away." The man explained. He reached into his pocket and tossed something over to Max, who caught it. The boy looked down at it, finding it was a flip phone that had the picture of a familiar-looking villain on it. One with glowing, fiery blue eyes cloaked in black armor. The villain was looking up at three other villains. The other Princes. "I was able to get this picture thanks to one of Avalon's drones." Nier stated, holding his finger up once again and allowing the little robotic bug to land on it. "That villain is calling himself the Emperor. He's a powerful threat, but so far, the Hero Branch hasn't realized he exists. He'd have to be strong to take on a Lord."
"I already know that." Max gritted his teeth and glared down at the tiny picture of the man in black armor. "I was there the night this bastard killed my dad. To take down my father, this guy must be on the same level as the Beast or something."
Nier took the phone back, flipping it closed, and placed it back in his pocket. "I no longer work with the Branch. Like your father, they threw me out when I didn't want to play ball with them. For the past year and a half, I've been training you and sending you out to fight these villains in order for the Lord's power within you to evolve. As it stands right now, you're still not as strong as Wano was, and until you are, I'm afraid fighting this villain would only result in your death. Luckily for you, I already have your next target in mind."
"Who is it?" Max asked, punching his fist into his open palm. "I'll do whatever it takes to get stronger. No matter what, I have to reach that villain and beat him with my own two hands!"
"The Emperor has seemingly killed off most of Oleander's villains but left one alive. Fire Prince." Nier turned to look back at Max and gave a sly smile. "You lost to Water Prince, and Fire Prince is even stronger. Do you think you can handle it?"
"I will!"
"Then hunt him down. Beat him. Evolve. Grow. Become the Lord of the Sky." Nier announced. "Reach the same level as your father. Only then will I allow you to face the Emperor."
Only then would Max truly be useful… After all, now that Wano was dead, Nier found himself forced to wait.
He'd have to make sure this Lord grew properly. He'd sharpen his weapon until it was ready.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
RainLiquid
RainLiquid Due to the release of the Elden Ring DLC there will not be a chapter next Monday as I will be busy playing it...
Next chapter Wednesday.
Chapter 131: The Man Who Wore The Cape
"You can be a hero!" Full Monarch announced, putting his hands on his hips as he posed for the camera.
The costume he wore was one of the first-ever hero suits to be created. It was almost pure white, with a few golden butterflies scattered about it and a long, flowing white cape that trailed behind him as he walked through the ruins of a city that had been reduced to rubble. With a wave of his hand, buildings began to put themselves back together, and the street was mended slowly. He wasn't alone either. Following him were men and women in suits, or brown jumpsuits, who made a show of fixing the destroyed street alongside the first superhero.
The city had been reduced to rubble after a threat that humanity had dubbed the Beast came down from the skies. It was during this commercial that the first ever mention of the Hero Branch would happen...
Full Monarch turned back to the camera as the Hero Branch workers around him kept shuffling through the rubble. "Human or Super, we're all Earthlings, and right now, we're facing our greatest crisis yet. We need all the help we can get. Those with powers, and those without." He placed one hand on his hip and raised his other arm, pointing it out at the camera slightly. "I want you for the Hero Branch."
Text appeared under him, flickering onto the TV screen. 'Please find the nearest Hero Branch recruiting station to find a job listing for you. Now urgently hiring. Paid positions available (Now starting at Minimum wage pay).'
That commercial was nearly ten years old by now. Ten years since humanity first faced off against the monster known as the Beast. Ten years since the Hero Branch had been created and superheroes began to appear. Along with heroes, though, there were, of course, villains. Ten years since the public was forced to accept the fact that their cities had become the places of war.
The TV flickered for a second before it slowly faded to black, shutting off. Jackson stared up at it from the desk he rested at. "Do you like heroes, sir?" He turned slightly when he heard the question. In front of his desk, an older man sat quietly, staring down at the ground sadly. "I guess it's only natural that the youth would find them so interesting."
"Oh, I'm really not that young, sir," Jackson said sheepishly, shaking his head. The truth was, he was likely way older than the man before him. He had noticed it after his final battle with the Super known as Lucifer. He had seemingly stopped aging. That had been nearly fifty years ago, and his fellow Lords like Sini, Wano, and Nier were all reaching the point in their lives where their own kids should have started to have children, and in Sini's case, his grandchild would soon have a child of her own. Not him, though. He still looked like he was in his early twenties. Yet he also had a child of his own, one who seemed to do her best to be a pain in his ass. She was actually starting to look older than him now that he thought about it…
The man stared at the TV above, looking at his reflection. "When I was younger, I used to think I could be anything. Part of me even wanted to be a superhero."
"Is that why you're here?" Jackson asked, giving a faint smile.
"No." The man shook his head and his shoulders slumped down. "My home, my job, even the city block—all of it was destroyed by Supers."
"Surely I- Full Monarch fixed it, though, right?" Jackson asked with wide eyes.
"He did, but the amount we were charged caused my job to lay off most of its workers, and I was one of the ones who got sacked. After paying for the repair tax for my house as well, I had no choice but to come sign up for the Hero Branch. You guys are always hiring, right?" The man asked sadly.
Every major city had a hero. This was because the Hero Branch would place them there. The Branch got to decide which heroes belonged to which cities and which teams could be formed. They did this by creating a hero tax. All cities that had a hero had to pay a tax to keep that hero, which was how the Supers would earn their money. Cities could decide not to pay, and if that happened, the Hero Branch would simply not place a hero within them. Due to the number of villains that ran around, this basically meant every city was forced to have a hero of their own in order for them not to be taken over by crime.
Battles between Supers could be large-scale as well, and so cities were also forced to pay a repair tax. In most cases, Full Monarch would use his power to try and fix the city after he battled in it, but the Branch would still tax the city for this since it took up his precious time. After all, the five seconds it took for Full Monarch to put a street back together could have been used for him to save a few more million people. This was something the number one hero didn't agree with but was overruled on.
After all, how else would the Hero Branch pay for all the costumes and bases for their Supers? The humans that all ran the Branch agreed that it was the best way to maintain a profit while helping out their fellow man. At least, that's what they claimed.
"We'll find a place for you, sir." Jackson reached over the table, placing a hand on the man's shoulder. He did his best to give a kind smile, but he was finding it harder and harder every day to keep it up. "The Hero Branch is here to help."
The man gave a small smile and nodded his head. "Thank you, sir. I'm glad good people like you still exist in the world. We fellow humans have to stick together."
Jackson felt his smile falter for a moment. "Yeah... Human."
He wasn't Full Monarch. Not at the current moment, at least. The Hero Branch would force him to take time off so that the other heroes could get a moment to shine and also so that the cities that didn't pay their hero tax wouldn't have him there to save them as a way to 'encourage' them. During this time, he still wanted to help people, so he worked at a desk job for the Hero Branch. The Hero Branch worked in many fields and was always looking to put people to work, having basically formed a monopoly on every job they could. His job for the Branch was finding people who didn't have work, figuring out what they were good at, and putting them to good use.
Almost the entire world knew the story of Full Monarch, the strongest Lord of the Sun to date, the one who slayed Lucifer, and the only hero able to battle the Beast. Most didn't know the man who wore the cape, though.
As Jackson, he wasn't in his battle form. As such, his hair wasn't golden, nor did his eyes glow. His hair was also shorter. As Full Monarch, it was long and reached past his back, but as Jackson, it was short and held a reddish-brown color to it. He wore a simple suit and a pair of glasses and kept his shoulders slumped down. Full Monarch didn't wear a mask and was almost always busy, so no one ever thought that the worker in front of him was that godlike figure. Even though pictures of the hero Jackson were constantly surfacing, many people refused to accept that anyone with red hair was the legendary Full Monarch. It made it easy to hide, despite his fame, for that reason alone.
Jackson shook the man's hand one last time. "Someone will give you a call back eventually, sir. I'll make sure of it."
"Thank you." The man gave another smile. "You've saved my family."
He felt an actual smile come back onto his face. "No, thank you, sir. Our world needs people like you. You, and so many others, are the ones that keep our planet spinning."
As the man left the room, Jackson felt his smile crack and fade. He pushed up on his cheeks with two of his fingers, forcing it back into place. The Hero Branch main office was filled with bustling people in suits who went to different desks, grabbing paperwork or slaving away on a computer. Today, he was in Lillian. He looked around at his fellow agents quietly. None of them actually knew who he really was and just thought that he was an agent that was shipped to different locations depending on where he was needed.
"Laision!" Someone barked out, causing Jackson to turn toward the voice. It was one of the higher-ups in the Hero Branch. The man folded his arms and studied the young-looking worker before him up and down. "Your eight hours are up. Hurry and clock out. We don't want you getting any unearned overtime."
Jackson sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck. "Right away, sir. I just need to drop off these files, and I'll head out. I should be back here in a few months when you guys need my help again!"
He dropped off his paperwork at the desk of one of the workers, making sure they got the file on his latest client and ensuring they'd call the man back once they found a job for him. Everyone was too busy to pay him any mind, and nobody bothered to walk him out as he left the office. He stepped out of the building and looked around Lillian's streets. It was a pretty city, one that had been taken care of by Mermaid, Sini's granddaughter.
It was strange in a way. Even with battles between Supers going on, everyday life somehow kept going. The rich got richer, and the poor became poorer.
Stealthily, he made his way to an alleyway, ducking out of sight. With his enhanced senses, he was sure there was no one around. The only thing in the area was Avalon's fly drones, which were practically everywhere. Slowly, he felt his power bubble out. His hair rapidly grew, getting longer and longer until it dropped below his back and went from red to gold. His eyes almost seemed to set on fire, and his skin glowed with a faint light. His suit burned away and changed, replaced by his golden hero costume, and in an instant, he was gone, moving so fast that no one even noticed him blasting out of the city.
In no time at all, he found himself miles away. Most of humanity had taken to living in massive cities created by Sini Corp, though there were still people who were too stubborn with their traditions and remained out in the world building small settlements and villages. Sunflower Village was one such place. It barely had a population of over one hundred and was the sort of place where everyone who lived there knew each other.
It was almost the total opposite of a modern city with no technology to be found. The people wore old-fashioned clothes and built their village around a forest from which they harvested resources. All the buildings were log cabins, and the people walked around with axes made for cutting down trees or bows that they used to hunt deer. Places like these didn't have a hero since they refused to join any of the cities, and the folks here tended to not like Supers. He tried to fly over villages and towns from time to time to ensure that they weren't under attack from villains. Luckily, no villain knew about this place or simply didn't bother with it due to how small and lacking of resources it truly was.
A crowd had formed near the back of the village where a large cabin had once stood. Rubble was all that was left of the destroyed house, and the people glared at the group that was going through the rubble. A helicopter made a forced landing in the crowd, and several Hero Branch agents went through the destroyed cabin, looking for something. The villagers booed them and demanded that they leave, but the agents paid them no mind. Sini stood off to the side, out of the office for the first time in years. He was dressed in an expensive-looking suit and had his arms crossed behind his back as he watched the men work.
"Did you guys find anything yet?" Full Monarch asked, slowly floating out of the sky and landing next to his fellow Lord. Sini quietly reached into his pocket and handed something over to the hero. Full Monarch took it and looked it over. It was a picture, one that had been taken with a modern camera. It was framed and likely had been on a nightstand. It showed an old friend. Wano smiled into the camera, his hand on the shoulder of a young, eight-year-old blonde boy. "That's the boy I saw the other night. Well, he was older when I saw him. I tried to find him in the water, but it was like he vanished into thin air."
"This is Wano's home." Sini nodded toward the destroyed building. He held a somber look. "No body has been found."
Full Monarch quietly pocketed the photo in one of his belt holsters. "Did the locals say anything?"
"We haven't been able to get them to talk," Sini said, shaking his head. "They aren't fans of us. I don't think they knew Wano was a Super, either."
Full Monarch looked around at the people in the crowd that glared back at them. "What was Wano doing in a place like this?"
"He wanted to live a simple life." Sini sighed. "After the war, he figured it would finally be over, and he wouldn't need to worry about anything. Then the Beast came... Nier wasn't the only one affected. Wano called it quits. Like Nier, he went off the grid and vanished. I guess he moved out here with his kid."
"How long has this place been destroyed?" Full Monarch frowned and folded his arms. "If that boy truly was the Lord, then that means..."
"Wano's dead." Sini winced and nodded. "We can't say for sure. Not until we find that mysterious boy you saw. What we do know is that someone seemingly attacked Wano, and he's now missing along with his pod. Every now and then, I'd use the Hero Branch to keep tabs on him and Nier and make sure they're doing okay. Nier is always moving, and I can never figure out where he is, but Wano has been here for years."
"If we've been keeping tabs on him, then why are we just finding out about this now?" Full Monarch demanded.
"Because I ordered for it to be kept a secret." Someone stepped out of the helicopter. He was flanked by two men in heavy riot gear. It was a dark-skinned man with tied-back hair. He wore a white buttoned-up shirt and stood up as straight as he could, walking forward with his arms behind his back. He had a smile on his face, though it was the kind that was obviously fake, and his eyes barely held back the look of disgust that was held within them as he eyed the village's people up and down. His nose even wrinkled a bit. Finally, though, he reached the two Lords and held his hand out toward the number one hero. "I don't believe we've actually officially met, Full Monarch." His fake smile only grew. "My name is Ace Ward, and starting soon, I'll be taking over as the head of the Hero Branch once Mr. Sini steps down. I guess that means I'll be your new boss."
Full Monarch hesitantly took the hand and shook it. "You kept the disappearance of a Lord secret from me?"
Ward pulled his hand away and wiped it on his shirt. "I was the first to notice Wano's place of residence has been destroyed. It was my idea to keep tabs on Wano and Nier. After all, strong Supers like your kind running around can cause quite a scare if they end up in the wrong place at the wrong time. So, I've had Avalon make a few of his handy little drones and scatter them around in places your kind goes. It helps ease the minds of humans if we know where you are. Roughly three months ago, however, while I was checking up on the drones, I discovered that Wano's home had been destroyed. Wano's lived here for nearly twenty years now. Sadly, the drone that was in this area was also destroyed, so I don't know the exact time or date that it happened or what went down."
"You've known for over three months that one of my friends could be dead, and I'm only just now finding out?" Full Monarch gritted his teeth and looked toward Sini, who had the decency to look a little guilty and flinch. Ward's grin only grew.
"I figured you were busy, and the information wasn't a concern to you."
"Want to try again?"
Ward just gave a sheepish shrug. "You want another reason? The people here didn't know he was a Super. As such, they didn't know he was a Lord. Unlike you and Sini here, Nier and Wano weren't as well known and could go into hiding. With the loss of a Lord, the villains are bound to look for the next reincarnation as soon as they can. By keeping it under wraps, we don't risk them knowing that there is an inexperienced Lord out there somewhere, and it gives us more time to figure out what happened to him and find the Lord for ourselves. Maybe that's actually my excuse. Or maybe I just don't like your kind and thought it was funny that someone as strong as him died, and yet the world didn't even notice."
Full Monarch growled, but Ward ignored him, spinning around and walking back toward the helicopter. "So, what was your end game then? Now, we don't know if Wano is alive or not or where his son could be. We also have no clue who did this!"
Ward stopped and let out a hum, rubbing his chin. "I've read all of your files. Don't you find it odd? After all, the Lord of the Sky discovered he could glimpse into the future after the battle with Lucifer. I wonder how someone snuck up on him to claim his life." The man got back onto his helicopter, closing the door behind him.
"So that's the new leader of the Hero Branch..." Full Monarch said bitterly.
"You'll get used to him." Sini winced.
"I doubt it."
Sini placed a hand on his friend's shoulder and shook his head. "For now, we need to find out if Wano is actually dead. He's strong. Second only to you, he was one of the strongest Supers on this planet. If a battle took place that could actually kill him, then surely this entire village would be gone. The young man you saw might have just inherited powers similar to him, like my granddaughter, who has powers close to mine despite not being a Lord."
"There's one way we can know for sure." Full Monarch looked out across the village all the way across the world, where Rose City would be. "That room that you buried under the ground in the tower."
Sini's eyes lit up, and he nodded his head. "The one with the statues of previous Lords? I didn't even think of that. If he is alive, then there won't be a statue of him up. We can check that way."
Full Monarch turned back to the crowd of villagers and approached them slowly. Their yelling and boos grew. "Could anyone please-"
"Get out of here!" A rock flew forward and bounced off his face, not hurting him. It was followed by hundreds of others and more insults.
"We don't want your kind here! No Supers allowed!"
"The Hero Branch isn't needed! We'll settle this on our own!"
"Your people aren't letting us through! They refuse to let us clean up that destroyed building or do our own investigation!"
Full Monarch watched as more rocks slammed against him and bounced off. "Please, I'm not here to start any conflict. I just want to ask some questions, and then we'll leave-"
"Conflicts? Your kind only knows how to start conflicts!"
"If you were a real hero, you would have never let something like this happen!"
"Take your people and leave!"
"Yeah!"
"Your kind aren't wanted-"
Golden fire blared out, causing everyone to jump back. It quickly died down, revealing Full Monarch. He wasn't glowing anymore. His hair had shrunk back down, and his eyes no longer held a fire in them. His battle mode was off. Respectfully, he dropped down to a knee and bowed his head. "He was a friend. I fought alongside him. I loved him like a brother. He called this place home. Wano tried to live amongst you all. I just want to know what happened to him. Please. That's all I'm asking. I just want to know what happened to a dear friend. If any of you know something, if for even a second he was ever considered a part of this village, then please tell me."
Mutters went through the crowd, and slowly, someone stepped forward. It was a little old man who leaned on his walking cane. "Mayor?" Some questioned.
The mayor of Sunflower stared down at the kneeling hero in front of him. "Wano lived amongst us for over ten years now." The man reached up and ran his fingers through his beard. "Our kind never wanted to be part of your group. We were just fine living out here by ourselves, making do without any help. He and his son Max were a quiet duo. They helped out from time to time. Wano mainly served as our village doctor. We never got attacked by Supers and lived out a peaceful life. Then, in the dead of night, it happened... I was doing a patrol of my village when I spotted someone I didn't know. Someone I hadn't seen before. He had the same glow in his eyes that yours do and had golden hair. I've never seen him before, but Wano had. They went back to his place. Then, later that same night, a horrible noise pierced the air. It woke us all up. When we came to check, we discovered Wano's home had been torn down. We never saw Wano or his son again, nor that strange man. After that, your people started poking their noses in this mess. That's everything I know. Now, make your people leave. Please. We don't want you here. We'd like to be left alone."
Full Monarch bowed his head further down before he stood back up. He looked toward Sini, whose face had gone pale. The words of Ward were ringing in his head once again. Wano had the ability to see the future. He could see when something bad was coming. There was one exception to this rule. Powerful Supers were able to bypass this future sight. Someone would have to be as strong as a Lord to get to Wano and attack him while his guard was down.
Or...
They'd have to be a Lord themselves.
A man with golden hair had come by. There was only one person they knew of. One who Wano would let his guard down around. The one they had all refused to take in on 'that cursed' night. Their dear friend.
"Tell the Hero Branch to leave." Full Monarch ordered. His hair glowed once more, and he began to lift off of the ground.
"Where are you going?" Sini asked.
"To find Nier."
***
"-and so, like, I bought the car! Isn't that great!"
"That is so great!"
"I managed to get the house I wanted!"
"OMG, I am so jealous, girl!"
"All thanks to Howard!"
Howard lit up a cigar and blew out a powerful puff of smoke as he listened to the women next to him ramble amongst each other. "You girls know I'd do anything for you." He used his teeth to bite off the head of his flaming cigar and began to chew it up. "That's the only reason any of you hang around me, ain't it? Cause I buy you all pretty shit." He spat out the extinguished nub and laughed. "It sure as hell ain't because of my good looks, right!"
The girls around him all cringed a bit and scooted away. He threw his arm over one's shoulder, pulling her closer. He put another cigar between his lips.
"Be a doll and light me up." He ordered. The girl obeyed, lighting the cigar up, and he once again puffed on it a bit before chewing the head off. The music of the nightclub blared out, and his eyes roamed over the bright lights, staring at all the dancers that were around them. They were seated in a VIP section he owned, and on his couch around him were five different ladies. Each one decked out in the most expensive things he could get his hands on. He was friends with the owner of the club. It was a place most would kill to get into, with many of Oleander's underground getting wasted on booze and partying like there was no tomorrow. "It pays to be one of Howard's girls, ain't that right!" He grunted.
"That's right, Howard!" One of the girls spoke up.
"Yep! You treat us well."
"Keep buying me stuff, and I'll do whatever you want!"
"Yeah! We're all yours, Howard!"
Howard spat out the head of the cigar onto the table next to a large pile of other cigars that had been forming throughout the night. "I own Oleander. Especially now that the other Princes are dead. Still pisses me off that prick actually tried to order me around." He grumbled. "I'd have liked to kill Earth and Wind myself. I'll get the rest of my crew together and jump that armored fucker later. He even had the balls to call himself the Emperor as if he were putting himself above me. It ain't right, is it?"
"No, sir!" One of his girls cheered out.
"You'll take that bad guy down for sure!" Another agreed.
"You're the best Prince there is! If anyone can beat him, it's you!"
"I have to." Howard gritted his teeth. "Evil isn't something this world needs. I ain't a good guy; I know where I'll be ending up when my time comes, but I believe we still all have a code we should follow. I'm bad, but I ain't evil. Not like that bastard. He was pure in every sense. Utter malice rolled up into the shape of a person. Even suggesting going after kids as some sort of fucked-up test? Seriously pisses me off. I made up my mind. I'll call him later tonight and burn him down to ash. I'll make that stupid-looking armor he wears so hot it melts onto his flesh."
"Well, don't you have a vivid imagination?" A voice called out. Howard looked up and frowned when he saw who stood at the entrance to his VIP section. "Room for one more?" It was a young man with blonde hair tied back into a ponytail and electric blue eyes.
"This place ain't for kids. Go home." Howard huffed.
The boy frowned and folded his arm. "I'm not a kid. I'm twenty-one."
"You got a boyish face." Howard placed another cigar between his lips, and one of his girls lit it up for him. "And you're small. Dangerous place, this. Some sick bastards go here, ya know. You'd be what they call a beta-male-femboy. Some guys here are into that. If you don't scram, you might find yourself wearing a maid costume before the end of the night."
"That's…" The blonde boy trailed off, shaking his head. "Well, I'll be having nightmares of that, but speaking of terrible people that go here, I heard Fire Prince hangs out around this place." The boy said casually. "Know where I can find him." Howard's eyes narrowed. The boy just gave a smile and shrugged. "My name's Max."
Max studied the man in front of him up and down. Howard was a tall, muscular man with tanned skin decked out in tattoos. Things like flaming skulls, dragons, volcanoes, or bonfires. He wore an expensive white suit and had a large beard that was burned and reeked of smoke. His hair was cut short, giving him a mohawk, and each of his fingers was covered in golden-looking rings. They had letters across them, the one on the left hand reading out 'flame' while the one on the right reading out 'princ' and wasn't able to fit the 'e' on it.
"I have no idea where he could be. Nice rings, by the way."
Howard sucked the entire cigar into his mouth and began to chew on it, then swallowed it. "I'm not in the best mood right now. I'll give you one chance to turn around and walk out of here. If you're smart, you'll leave while you still have a body that can be buried."
"Did you know Water Prince was killed?" Max questioned. The girls all grew nervous as the young man reached out toward the table. It was littered with bottles of beer and plates with half-finished food on them. He took one of the forks and studied it casually. Howard snapped his fingers, and the girls around him all stood up and moved toward the exit. The music in the entire club suddenly cut out, and all eyes were fixed on Howard and Max. "I'm the one that killed him." Max lied. "That make you mad, big guy? He was one of your teammates, wasn't he?"
"Nah. It doesn't make me mad. I'd have killed the bastard myself if given the chance. You want an award for a job well done?" Howard grunted. The man's hands gripped down on the table so hard it began to crack and shake.
"What I want is for your head to join his on my wall-"
Howard's couch exploded as the man threw a powerful punch toward Max. The attack never reached though as Max jumped back, dodging the strike. The force of the attack flipped over the table and caused his hair to fly up wildly. Screams broke out inside of the club, and people began to run for the exit as two Supers got ready to duke it out indoors. Howard winced and stared down at his arm, finding a metal fork was stabbed into it. The same one Max had picked up earlier.
"Ya little bastard." The man's teeth ground together, and flakes of coal began to gush out of his mouth. "I bet you're working for that metal-armored bastard, ain't ya? He must have sent you to finish me off, huh? Guess I've gone and scared him!" Howard's skin began to change, growing rougher and rock-like as his suit started to rip and catch fire. His head grew longer and split open, and hot magma began to gush out, dropping to the floor below and catching it on fire. It was as if a volcano had come to life. His rings began to melt and drip down his fingers, forming back together into red hot knuckle dusters. "I'll pound your skull in. Don't fuck with a villain."
Max just gave a smirk and raised his arms. Lightning hummed around him, dancing across his skin. "I hope you're watching, teacher. I'll show you just how much I've grown, Nier!"
Weekly Power Status
200+ Power
Ranking 
8 Power
stone You may also Like
Paragraph comment