The supers are their tools.

Vincent knew he was staring at Legacy with fury in his eyes, and could only hope that he wouldn’t stand out amongst the hundreds of starstruck students. The man did project an aura of power and fame that was hard to ignore. This was someone who’d been a resistance fighter during the invasion, then trained under the Great Hero himself.

He was over a century old, and looked barely into his thirties. He was powerful, and pristine, more of a symbol than a man, and he was the embodiment of the ideals that the New Global Government claimed to hold. He was also a murderer, and the man Vincent hated more than anyone alive.

“Greetings, future heroes!” Legacy called out in a strong, confident voice. “I’m honored to be your guest today, and for this chance to have a small part in your education! You’re the future of this united world of ours, and if it were up to me, every last one of you would be drafted into the hero squad!”

The entire group erupted at this, no matter how absurd the statement was. The man knew how to control crowds far more challenging than a bunch of students who worshiped him. Vincent had seen videos of Legacy all over the world, talking to warlords who’d carved out their own private kingdoms, villains with entire cities held hostage, and more. He always knew just what to say. Just what lies to tell.

“I’m afraid I don’t have much time today, so I’ll be focusing on a few key issues. The first is what it means to be super,” he smiled, shaking his head. “You know I hate that word? GH hated it too–oh sorry, you probably know him as the ‘Great hero’, but he didn’t like that title either.” Legacy winked at the crowd of students, and they practically melted at his words.

“But that’s what we are, isn’t it? They call us ‘super’, and we spend our lives trying to live up to that label. Some think super means super-famous,” there was a scattering of cheers at that. “Others think it means super-entitled. We call those people ‘villains’,” boos followed the comment as if on queue.

“The truth is, super actually means ‘responsible’. Because that’s what we are. That’s what every one of you is: responsible for what you do with your powers. Responsible for the lives you save, and the people you hurt,” the crowd was deadly quiet at that, and Legacy’s face had turned very serious.

“Whatever else you learn today, I want you to remember that. There’s a lot I could teach you, and even more you can learn at this remarkable school, but there’s nothing more important than understanding the burden of your own gifts,” he slowly paced in front of the crowd as he spoke.

“I hope every last one of you will think about what you can use those gifts for. Maybe you’ll end up in a relatively normal life; it happens. Maybe you’ll join the army, or even special forces; we always need more fantastic recruits,” he paused, facing the group.

“Maybe you’ll join me in the Hero Tower some day, on Team Infinity itself,” Vincent saw Danny stand up straighter, but tried to ignore it. “But wherever your path leads, remember that you’re responsible for the good, and the bad you do along the way. Always take your gifts seriously…GH taught me that, before I was ready to understand it.” Vincent’s rage had quieted slightly. This had been more earnest than he’d expected, or was Legacy just that good?

Legacy was looking off into the distance now, and he did so until it began to get awkward. When he spoke again, his manner had completely changed, and he was the peppy superhero once more. “Alright then!” he called out, clapping his hands. “Who’s ready for a little fun–I mean, a very important educational demonstration?” he winked again, and the crowd went crazy.

Legacy grinned broadly, and gestured for Ironfist to join him in the center of the open area. The larger man did so, but Vincent noted that he seemed more than a little reluctant, and was hastily tightening and checking his armor. “Now,” Legacy began, “there are three lessons that I’d like to impart today. Please listen and observe carefully, it won’t be fair to make my buddy Ironfist do this more than once.”

“Whatever you need, Legacy!” Ironfist called out, but it sounded rehearsed. Legacy smiled and laughed affably.

“What I’ll be demonstrating is how to handle a supervillain,” Legacy said, and once more it got very quiet. “Now, I hope that none of you ever has to go head to head with a true villain, but you’ll need to be prepared either way. Let’s start with the first lesson.”

Ironfist squared up in a combat stance, and Legacy gestured to him while he spoke, “This lesson is about how to handle an enemy’s strength. Supers–good and bad–have a very wide range of physical abilities, and you won’t always know your opponent’s ahead of time. Trust me that you don’t want to find out their limits by taking a hit–it may end up being your last.”

He nodded at Ironfist, and the man charged at him, throwing a wide right hook that clearly had considerable strength behind it. Legacy effortlessly ducked under the wild strike, while simultaneously finding the back of Ironfist’s helmet with his own hand as the huge man flew by. With sudden force, Legacy slammed his opponent’s head down, using the momentum of the man’s own punch to send him crashing face-first into the ground.

A number of students laughed out loud at the sight, none louder than Gary Sawatzki, ever the sadist. Legacy ignored the downed hero and continued speaking, “Super powered fights are about understanding how to avoid direct confrontations, and how to use a villain’s strength against them.” Vincent bristled. Not only had the man done almost exactly what he had to Gary the night before, but even his reasoning was the same.

Vincent’s rational mind recognized that a veteran hero sharing his strategies was actually a sign of their value, but this was one of the rare times his emotions were in control, and he felt his face heating. He didn’t want to have anything in common with this man.

By now, Ironfist was picking himself off the ground, mud caked to the front of his knight’s helm. Legacy gave him a friendly smile before continuing. “The next lesson builds on the first. This time we’ll explore similar situations, but with powers,” the students cheered loudly at this, as it was what they’d really come to see.

Ironfist stepped back and raised his hands in front of him. The metal of his gauntlets began to shift, until it looked like his arms ended in two enormous spiked balls, each nearly as large as his torso. With a gesture they detached from his wrists, falling heavily to the ground, but still connected by thick chains.

“As you can see, Ironfist has some particularly nasty abilities. He’s a Metalmorph, and can transform parts of his body into metallic objects. Now, most of you are likely aware of my own abilities,” this was greeted by nods. Not only was the study of Legacy mandatory and frequent in the farm, but his abilities were famously the closest to ever Manifesting like the Great Hero’s.

He raised his own hands, and two green shields of light appeared, hovering in the air. “Now, this is where most heroes make their mistakes. If you only think about your own powers, you can end up pitting your strengths directly against your opponent’s.” He stepped back, leaving his shields in place, hovering in front of him, then nodded at Ironfist.

The large knight began swinging his arms around like giant flails, and after a moment he brought them both down in a flash, crashing into the green shields, and shattering them like glass. The spiked balls withdrew immediately to rest on the ground in front of Ironfist once more. Legacy applauded politely, and a number of students joined in.

“You see the problem? Not only are you rarely going to meet an opponent whose powers are equally developed to your own, but powers can also be extremely diverse. Even if you’re stronger, as I am–no offense Ironfist, I have a few years on you yet! That doesn’t mean your particular abilities are going to be effective in a direct confrontation. Let’s do that again, but try to apply our first lesson.”

Legacy stepped forward, standing exactly where his shields had just been destroyed, and nodded at Ironfist once more, who somehow managed to appear reluctant, even with his face covered. Legacy just tilted his head questioningly, and Ironfist shook his own for a moment before gathering momentum for his flails once again.

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

He took a little longer this time, whether hesitating or actually gathering more force than last time, Vincent couldn’t tell. He did find himself leaning forward, however, his mind briefly entertaining a fantasy of watching a training exercise go wrong, and seeing the mighty Legacy simultaneously impaled and crushed. Sadly, it wasn’t to be.

As soon as Ironfist shifted the momentum so that the spiked balls went flying directly overhead, Legacy raised a hand in a simple gesture. As hundreds of pounds of sharp steel arced through the air, a green bar of stationary energy appeared halfway between the two men, lateral to the ground. As soon as the chains hit the bar, the trajectory of the two spiked balls changed.

Vincent had seen a video of a yoyo once, and someone had done a similar trick by catching the string in the middle, causing the yoyo to rapidly pivot on a new axis. This was more impressive, and infinitely more brutal. In a single moment, the spiked balls were no longer traveling toward Legacy, and instead were now soaring toward their origin point: Ironfist himself.

To the man’s credit, he managed to do something before being struck, and the spikes on the balls shrunk inward before they collided with him, making a somewhat comical clang as they did so. Ironfist was launched into the air from the force of the impact, his chains still caught on the green bar high above him, and he swung backward before the bar abruptly disappeared and he fell to the ground in a heap.

The entire crowd was shocked to silence for a moment–had they really witnessed a hero almost killed by his own powers? Finally the silence was broken by another fit of laughter, as Gary broke the tension. More laughter followed when Ironfist began to rise, withdrawing his flails back into his arms. Legacy smiled as well, and began clapping.

“How about another big round of applause for Ironfist!” he called out, and the students clapped and laughed at the same time. After a few moments, Legacy made a show of checking his watch, then shook his head sadly. “Unfortunately I’ll need to cut this a little short. Sorry Ironfist, looks like our fun will have to stop here,” the man was clutching a severely dented breastplate, and appeared to be panting, but he gave a friendly wave to Legacy regardless.

The cheering had turned to groans of disappointment at hearing that Legacy was preparing to leave, but the man just smiled and gestured for quiet. “I know, and I’m sorry. I wish I had more time. But don’t worry, the last lesson is a bit easier. It’s going to sound corny, but it really is the most important: teamwork.”

The reactions were mixed, but Legacy clearly expected this. “I’m serious! There’s a reason that I have Team Infinity, and that there’s hero teams all over the world. The simple truth is that there’s safety–and strategy–in numbers. Any hero can fall without help, and I’ve seen it happen to some great ones. So don’t do this alone.

“Find a team, find people you trust, and supplement your weaknesses with their strengths. That’s the real way to stack the odds in your favor. Even the Great Hero himself knew that,” Legacy took a moment to let his final lesson land, and Vincent found that it truly had. He resolved that when he hunted Legacy down some day, it would be with a group of powerful allies.

“Well, as I said, it’s time for me to go,” the groans returned, and Legacy smiled and shrugged. “I’m sorry, a hero’s work is never done! I leave you all in the very capable hands of Ironfist. He’s a real pro, and I expect you to show him the same respect as you did me.” There was some scattered laughter at that, which Legacy ignored.

“So long, future heroes. I hope the next time we meet, it’s in Hero Tower!” With that he soared into the air, a green shimmer surrounding him. The students continued to applaud as they watched him go, until Ironfist stepped forward. Suddenly they were left with a powerful super that they’d treated like a joke, and silence settled over the crowd.

“Well, I hope you found that informative,” he said, his voice muffled by the helm. “But I think we really need a proper demonstration, to make sure the lessons stick.” The assembled students looked at one another in confusion, but Ironfist didn’t waste any time. “You!” he called out, pointing at a male student that Vincent didn’t know. “Join me in the center,” Ironfist said in a cold voice.

The student looked stunned at being singled out, but after a moment’s hesitation Captain Malary walked up and grabbed him, dragging him forward to stand across from Ironfist. He looked terrified, but Ironfist laughed, “Don’t worry, kid, you don’t even have your power yet; obviously I’m not going to fight you. Not alone anyway,” he turned and pointed seemingly at random.

This student Vincent did know. Her name was Anissa Vasquez, and he only remembered her because she so clearly didn’t seem to belong here. She was kind, and shy, and never wanted to participate in anything resembling training. Vincent shook his head in disgust.

Ironfist waited as the small girl slowly stepped up to stand slightly behind the first student, not looking directly at the supposed hero. The last student clearly wasn’t a random choice, as Ironfist actually went to the assembled line personally, and his choice was immediately obvious.

“You look like you have a promising hero career ahead of you,” he said to Gary, who no longer seemed capable of laughter. “I’m sure you’ll benefit from these lessons more than most. Come, it’ll be educational,” he said, not bothering to hide the venom in his tone.

He took Gary’s arm and effortlessly dragged him toward the other two students. “Now, obviously I won’t be using my powers, as that wouldn’t be fair. This will strictly be hand to hand combat, three against one. Try to go easy on me!” he called out, but the group stayed perfectly still, none seeing the humor.

“Oh come now, didn’t you listen to Legacy’s lessons? It certainly sounded like you enjoyed them. You just need to use teamwork, and turn my own strength against me. It’s easy!” Still, none of the three moved, if anything they looked even more terrified.

Ironfist was tapping a foot theatrically, and he gestured to the assembled students. “You’re wasting everyone’s time, children. This is an important lesson, don’t you want to help your fellow students to learn?” When the three just looked back and forth between one another helplessly, Ironfist shrugged.

“Very well, I’ll happily make the first move,” he laughed in a way that might have sounded friendly under different circumstances. “I suppose I can’t expect you to turn my attacks back on me if I don’t attack! Well done students, let’s begin.”

Vincent didn’t see the man move, he was suddenly just standing among the group of three, and the kid Vincent didn’t know was doubled over the hero’s fist, struggling to breath. Red blood was visible against the boy’s dark skin, trickling down his face as he desperately wheezed.

Ironfist lifted him in one hand as Gary and Anissa backed away, horror and shock on their faces. “Come on, where’s the teamwork?” he called out, while inspecting the boy who still couldn’t breathe. “This is disappointing,” he said sadly, then with a dismissive gesture Ironfist threw the boy into the ground with bone-cracking intensity.

Ironfirst simply ignored the unmoving boy, and began walking toward the other two students. “Well?” he called out, disappointment in his tone. “You’re running out of time–and teammates–hurry up and use the valuable lessons you’ve learned!” he chided.

Annissa just collapsed to the ground, but Gary actually seemed to have found some of his own rage, and looked to be gathering his courage for an attack. Ironfist cocked his helmeted head at the bully, then reached down and picked up Annissa. Without looking away from Gary, he began to slap her with his gauntleted hand.

Even with a superhuman constitution, she looked to have lost consciousness after the first hit, but Ironfist didn’t stop. Slap, slap, slap, her dark brown hair was now turning red from her own blood, but Ironfist didn’t seem to notice or care. “I’m waiting” he said, sounding bored, and finally Gary moved.

He charged into Ironfist, trying to tackle him around his middle, but the knight didn’t budge an inch from the impact. He tossed Annissa away like a broken doll, then reached down and gripped Gary by the collar. He pulled the boy’s face close to his own, then muttered something Vincent was too far away to hear.

Gary’s face lost all color, and he stumbled backward when Ironfist unexpectedly released him. He didn’t even move when the huge man advanced on him, appearing completely paralyzed by fear. Vincent noticed Danny and many other students had turned from the sight, and more than one had vomited. Vincent watched, however. He knew this was what the heroes really were, and he wouldn’t let himself look away.

Ironfist did worse to Gary than he had to either of the others, and the sounds of gauntleted fist meeting flesh continued for a sickeningly long time. It didn’t help that Gary was a bully, or that he’d hurt others. In this moment he was just a child being savagely beaten by a brutal man.

Vincent took careful note of every guard and soldier present, and didn’t see a single one who looked bothered by the sight. Finally Dean Allister stepped forward, and at a gesture a team of medics rushed in to gather the three students. Doses of Gamma were administered immediately, which would likely keep them alive, but not much more.

The Dean’s voice was as dry as usual, and he didn’t hesitate to shake Ironfist’s bloody hand before addressing the students once more. “What a remarkable lesson Ironfist has imparted here today. I trust everyone will remember it for years to come. Let’s get a round of applause for our visiting hero!”

Students slowly began to clap, many still crying or refusing to even turn around, but the faculty seemed content. Vincent clapped along the rest. He would absolutely remember this lesson.