"Mind if I sit here?"

Max frowned and stared up at Ruby, who had her arms thrown behind her head. "It's a public space, do whatever you want." He sighed and scooted over on the bench, allowing her to take a seat next to him.

"Thanks." She crashed down next to him and looked up toward the sky, watching the clouds. Max shot a look at her, studying her up and down. Her hair was black, and her enhanced strength had faded away. The sense of godly might was nowhere to be found, yet he knew better than anyone that it was still there. That was twice now; she had defeated one of his targets that Nier had sent him after. "So, what are you doing out here, exactly?" Her voice nearly startled him as she began to speak once again.

He just awkwardly shrugged. "I just needed to clear my head a bit."

He had no idea which city they were in. After the battle with Fire Prince, he had blacked out from the strike Hell Hound had hit him with. Full Monarch hadn't talked to him much after the incident in the lab. Most people had been seemingly avoiding him. All but Ruby, that was.

They were still at the Hero Branch base. It was a large, massive metal tower that went up higher than even the clouds. He didn't get to leave the building; his body still hadn't recovered, but he got tired of staying in his room and busted out. They had insisted he stay and would bring him food, but he just wasn't able to take it anymore. While he wandered the building trying to find a way out, he discovered a floor that looked almost like a garden. The roof had been painted to look like the sky, and a series of fake clouds floated across it. There was freshly cut grass and various mazes of plants and bushes. He didn't know how big the room really was; he had gotten lost in the middle of the maze while exploring it, where he had found a simple wooden bench waiting for him.

The bench had been placed somewhere in the center and was surrounded by all sorts of plants and trees that grew in the tower. Fake sunlight poured from above, keeping him warm. He had switched out of his gown and wore simple gray sweatpants and a black T-shirt now. Despite being totally lost, Ruby had been able to find him. She was also dressed in normal clothes, wearing some long-sleeved shirt that had a popular idol on it, and a skirt.

"So, you know Nier?" The silence between them was broken when she spoke up.

"Yeah, I guess." He nodded. "My dad always talked about him, Sini, and Full Monarch. When Nier showed up, it was like I was meeting an uncle or something. He was there for me when the Emperor attacked and was the one who rescued me. I'd likely be dead without him."

"That's cool." Ruby didn't sound like she was actually listening to him. He got the feeling she was one of those people who were in their own little world. She reached out, grabbing a rose that bloomed off of one of the bushes. "He created the room we’re in."

"Nier did?"

"Yep." She plucked the rose and tucked it behind her ear. "I guess a long time ago. Before I was born and before the Hero Branch had even been fully created. He was one of the guys that found this tower and named the city Rose. That's what Mermaid tells me, at least. You'd need to ask her more about it; she cares more about all this goofy history stuff than I do."

"Goofy? It's the history of the Lords? You'd say that's goofy?"

"Sure. What does being a Lord mean in the first place?" The girl said, rolling her eyes. "The same thing applies to those who call themselves heroes. Does it actually matter?"

"They're saving people-" He stopped and shook his head, sighing. "I don't know why I'm even talking to you. I still remember what you did when we were on that boat. You even declared yourself a bad guy in front of the Emperor. I bet the only reason you're not locked up is because your dad is Full Monarch."

That caused Ruby's smirk to fade, and her eye twitched. "I'll have you know, they tried to lock me up! I kept breaking out! I'm so good at it. Sini is even trying to make some new prison called Nightshade. Though he hasn't had much luck with it. Besides, why do you care if I'm a villain or not? You're not a hero, right?"

"Me being a hero has nothing to do with it. I just don't like evil people. Hot take, I know."

The girl just snorted and turned away from him. "Evil? Who said anything about me being evil? Just because I called myself a villain, you'd instantly assume I was evil?"

"Isn't that what a villain is?"

"It's just a title." She took the rose out of her hair and flicked it at him. He narrowly caught it by the stem, inches away from his eye. "Hero, villain, superhero, supervillain, human, and Super. All of them are just names, just silly titles that some people decided to assign. Some Supers don't give a damn what it means to be a hero. They only signed up because of the black-and-white views the Hero Branch holds. They don't bother saving people and are just there to be used as soldiers. Would you call them good? I wouldn't. Likewise, there are plenty of Supers who have received the title of villain because they refused to join up with the Hero Branch and be used as a soldier. You are one of them, in fact. Are these people evil? Sure, some guys out there are pure evil or good and call themselves villains or heroes. The man that took your father, I'd say he was pretty evil. But I don't think being in one group automatically means you're a good guy. The Hero Branch is just a group. They shouldn't get to decide so much."

Max winced and looked away. "Maybe you're right... But most villains are called that for a reason. Water Prince, Fire Prince, the Emperor. They're all evil. Plain and simple. Just like how Full Monarch is good. I didn't join the heroes, not because I didn't want to work under them, but because I knew that working alone with Nier was my only good shot at reaching the Emperor. Now, though... Now, Nier won't answer any of my calls or come to me. Your dad is still looking for him, right? He still thinks the Emperor is Nier."

Ruby lazily shrugged and didn't bother to look at him. "I don't know. I haven't spoken to my father since he asked you about the situation. I honestly don't really care either."

"You're real helpful."

"Thank you."

"That was sarcasm, dumb- You know what, forget it. I don't have time to argue with you. I need to find Nier."

He shoved his way past her and used his wind to slice into the bushes around him, cutting through them and forcing them open. The exit to the room was on the other side, and he went to step toward it but stopped when he heard Ruby's voice. "I wouldn't do that if I were you."

He turned back and glared at her. She still wasn't bothering to look at him and was instead forcing some of the bushes back into place as if she could fix them. "Why's that?" He asked snarkily.

"I saw a few guys in suits, as well as Mermaid, looking for you. They were hiding outside of this room when I came in. Good chance they're going to jump you." She gave him an innocent smile and winked. "I know from personal experience that when the Branch asks you to stay put, they don't like it when you walk off. Besides, you're a Lord. You're way too important for them to just let go."

Max let out a heavy sigh and looked down. "Let me guess. They're going to demand that I join them and become a superhero when I get healed up and put me on some team, right?"

"Pretty much." She slowly held her hand out to him. "But I'm here to offer you a different choice."

"And what's that?"

"Screw the Hero Branch!"

"C- Come again?"

She stomped her foot down, shaking the room. "Take my hand, and I'll make you my minion! This place freaking sucks! They get all mad when you screw anything up and always make my dad work so much! Plus, it feels like there is always something wrong going on! We can ditch them! I know this place like the back of my hand! My dad won't do anything; he loves me too much to stop me, so we can totally ditch this place and run off! We can be villains together and eventually take down that Emperor bastard!" Her hand was outstretched in his direction, and she gave a genuine smile. "What do you say, minion?"

He felt his hand twitch, and for a moment, he almost reached out and took it. He didn't, though. He could feel it—a pain behind his eyes. Flickers of images coursed through his mind. Millions of Paths lined up. Unknowingly, he used his power as a Lord to take a glimpse into the future and made the mistake of thinking it was his own idea.

He saw her—Ruby. Older than she was now, with hair the color of the sun and golden eyes, she gripped a giant sword, which she had placed at the throat of a kneeling and defeated figure in black armor. The Victorian, years later, the one who would defeat the Emperor.

Ultimately, this single thought stopped him.

He turned his back on the girl. He couldn't see it, but he knew her smile had faded. He began to walk toward the door, heading to where she told him the Hero Branch members would be. "But why?" Ruby sounded hurt as she watched him walk away.

"Because... Because I know that if I stay with you, it won't be me. It'll be you. You're stronger than me. Stronger than I'll even be." He looked back at her for a moment but turned back around when he saw the hurt look on her face. "You'll get in the way of my destiny. It'll be me. My power. I'll be the one to defeat the Emperor once and for all. That’s the path that I want to follow."

The burning behind his eyes was back as he marched forward. He saw one more glimpse of something that was to come. That is the reason he'd rather join the Hero Branch instead of Ruby. He knew he wouldn't have to worry about Full Monarch being the one to defeat the Emperor because of the thing he saw...

The golden man lay dying in the Emperor's arms. The Emperor's cold blue eyes stared into those of the number one hero’s as Full Monarch gave his last breath and died.

He reached the door and opened it as his visions came to an end. His eyes burned and stung, and it was hard to see in the present as dozens of lines formed everywhere he looked. Once more, just as Nier had said, his power was still evolving. Past the door, standing in the hallway, he saw dozens of Hero Branch soldiers, all with weapons trained on him, as well as the superhero Mermaid, who had a small circle of water going around her form, ready to strike out at him. In front of her, another member of the Hero Branch stood.

Ace Ward folded his arms behind his back and stared down at Max, who looked back up at him. "I believe you were told to remain in your room," the man asked slowly. "Are you unable to follow simple orders already?"

"Whatever... Let's just go." Max sighed.

Ward's lips formed into a thin line as the man turned. "Very well. Mermaid, please escort this Super to my office. I've decided what I'll do with him."

Ruby remained in the garden and watched as the soldiers and Max began to leave. She quietly looked down at her hand and hummed. "If that's the way he wants to be, then fine. I'll just make it to the Emperor first and beat him with my own power. I'm the best, after all. The world's greatest villain."

Several soldiers, all carrying their rifles, stood guard on the upper floors of the Hero Branch tower. Max found it a little amusing. He had a pair of handcuffs placed around his wrist, and behind him, Mermaid stood ready to stop him if he tried anything. She was the only one that would actually be able to do anything, though.

Ever since he became a Lord, his power to see the Paths had improved, getting better every day, and he had become bulletproof. It was a slow process, but soon he would be just as strong as his father had been.

“You’re the granddaughter of a Lord, aren’t you?” He asked, looking back at Mermaid.

The girl just frowned and shrugged her shoulders a bit. Water flowed over her, forming rings across her bathing suit. “I’m part of the Sini bloodline. You have an issue with that?”

“No.” He shook his head and looked forward once more. “I was just wondering. That Ruby girl is my age, and if Nier’s child survived, she’d also be our age. It’s strange how Sini was the first to have a family before anyone else, is all.”

“It’s not strange.” Mermaid snorted. “He awakened a power after the war with Lucifer. One that allowed him to become a Mental-based Super. He stepped off of the front lines and worked behind the scenes to improve the world with his mind. It’s thanks to him that modern cities like these are around now. If not for him, we’d all be living in villages like the place you grew up at.”

He resisted the urge to say a rude remark back to her and instead marched forward. They soon arrived at Ward’s office. The man had disappeared and had seemingly taken a shortcut to get there early. It was actually a plain-looking office with a few shelves here and there, but nothing really stood out.

Ward was seated behind the desk, and on one side, Avalon stood, while on the other end, both Sini and Full Monarch stood.

Ward didn’t seem bothered about the fact he was in a room with two living legends. “Thanks for bringing him, Mermaid. You may take your leave.”

Mermaid frowned but nodded and stepped out of the room. The door slid shut behind her, and the walls were soundproof, blocking off all noise outside. Max folded his arms and looked at Sini, the number one hero. “Do they normally sit in when you decide what to do with a Super?” He questioned.

“No,” Sini spoke up. “Normally, things would be handled differently, but the fact that you’re a Lord means we have to take specific steps to get the best outcome. Normally, I’m in charge, but I’ll be stepping down from the head of the Hero Branch, and in my place, Ward here will be the one that runs all other districts.”

“You’re letting a normal human run the Branch? Wouldn’t it be smarter to let a Super with a Mental power run it?” Max questioned, causing Avalon to let out a snort.

Ward’s expression didn’t change as he stared Max down. “Supers came after humanity. This was our planet before it was yours. Don’t forget that. For years, we’ve faced threats such as the war with Lucifer or the Beast from space. Yet mankind has made it through all of that.”

“Thanks to Full Monarch.”

“Yes. Thanks to the weapon that mankind controls,” Ward shot back. “We’ve built massive cities across our planet that hold most of our population. With the help of Supers who behave, we’ve created the superheroes who keep this world safe. The Supers who don’t behave, however, are either enemies or kicked out of our city to live out their lives in the rest of the world, where they can’t bother our people. A Super can either join the Hero Branch and work as an agent using its power to bring humanity one step forward, or they can sign up and become a superhero, join a team, and if they’re lucky, one day be on the Enforcers.”

“So if I wanted, I could say I don’t want to join you guys and leave the city?” Max questioned.

“Supers that don’t join the Branch aren’t evil.” Full Monarch spoke up before Ward could. “People can be scared of our kind, but I know one day it will be possible for us all to live together. Even if that day isn’t yet here. Supers who refuse to join the Branch and don’t wish to cause harm to the cities will be escorted out. You’ll be forbidden from entering a city ever again but won’t have to worry about being attacked by heroes in the outside world.”

“That isn’t as good of a deal as you’re trying to make it sound.” Max sighed. “You’re still kicking out people that don’t agree with you.”

“It wasn’t my ideal choice either.” Full Monarch winced.

Max folded his arms and tried to think of what he should say next. He never wanted to be a superhero. That said, he couldn’t leave the cities. The Emperor was planning something in the cities. He just knew it. He also couldn’t just run off and try to be a bad guy either. No way he’d ever escape from Full Monarch. Chances were they also wouldn’t just allow him to leave the city so easily. They’d keep an eye on him since he’s a Lord and stop him from breaking back into the city.

“You’ll be taken on a field mission in the next few days,” Ward spoke up. “This isn’t optional. You’re a Lord, and your power will be used as I see fit. Your father and Nier were allowed to not join the Hero Branch since they helped out a great deal in the war with Lucifer. This is something you have not done, however. I’ll be placing you under the watchful gaze of Legend and Mermaid.”

Max made a slight face but didn’t say anything. He turned away, rolling his eyes. “Whatever. If that’s all, then-“

“Wait.” Avalon held his hand up, giving a sly grin. “There’s a reason we’re all here, you know. There are a few more questions we’d like to ask you regarding the incident with your father.”

Max felt himself flinch a bit, and he turned back, glaring at Avalon. “What do you mean? I told you guys everything.”

Avalon held the tip of his finger out, and slowly, a small fly landed on it. It was mechanical and had a small camera placed into it. Another of his fly drones. “See, Sini here, despite letting the two Lords leave in peace, asked me to keep a close eye on them,” Avalon explained, causing Sini to shift slightly and look away. “Tracking Nier was always impossible. He moves around too quickly. Instead, he tends to pop up when he wants to and will talk to me sometimes. Or at least he used to, but now that we’re looking for him, he’s gone missing.”

“Now that you’re looking for him? You still think he’s the one who killed my father? I’m telling you it isn’t him.”

“Are you sure?” Avalon questioned. “My drones were around your father spying on him.” He snapped his fingers, and a nearby wall that held a monitor came to life. Max felt his breath leave him when he saw his father on the TV. It was that night. He saw himself standing next to his father, looking at Nier, who was walking to the front door. “Nier was there the night of the attack.” Avalon explained. The image changed, and suddenly it showed the outside of his house. Right as Nier opened the door to step outside, the air above the house shimmered and glowed as a blue portal opened. The same portal that the Emperor had used to escape with earlier. A massive object seemed to fly out of the portal, hitting the roof of the house and causing it to explode. Then the screen went black. “My drones all died in that blast,” Avalon explained. “So, we didn’t get to see what happened next. We also couldn’t find your father’s body. Because of this, the only one who knows what really happened after the blast is you.”

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“I- I blacked out for a bit.” Max winced. “I hit my head or something. I remember I was arguing with my dad because I left the village without his permission, and when I came home, Nier was there. He went to leave, and then it all happened… I remember looking up after being thrown around and seeing that my house was destroyed. I saw the Emperor then.”

Full Monarch floated forward and placed a hand on Max’s shoulder, giving it a squeeze. “I don’t want to believe that it’s Nier either. He’s like a brother to me. But besides myself, I don’t know of anyone else who could defeat your father, even if they caught him off guard. If you blacked out and lost sight of Nier, then… Can you try to walk us through what happened exactly?”

Max took a deep breath and nodded. “Alright.” He felt his power start to spark up, and slowly, it began to twirl out of him like a gust of wind, causing Ward to jump back. “I think it’s better if I show you, though.”

He had figured out he could do something like this after his battle with Water Prince. Before he became a Lord, he had been able to see the Paths. Now, that control extended well beyond his reach. The wind caused it to snap out the Paths wrapping around himself and Full Monarch. His hair changed, becoming a grayish black, and his eyes ignited with a fiery red glow as he tapped into the power of the Lords.

‘Aw… Look who came crawling back to me.’ A voice whispered in his ear, but Max squashed it down and forced his power of the Paths to invert and change. Then, instantly, they vanished from the office, leaving a stunned Ward, Sini, and Avalon behind. ‘Very well. Let’s show him what we saw, partner.’

Full Monarch looked around as they suddenly appeared outside of the cabin. Max breathed heavily and wiped some blood from his nose as the Paths lined up and formed into one of his realms, allowing him to see just what had happened that fateful day. In a way, it was like he traveled through time, though they weren’t actually here. Something Full Monarch discovered when he tried to touch the house only for his hand to go through it.

The portal above the house opened up, and once more, a bluish flash slammed into the roof of his home. The entire building exploded and came undone, and he couldn’t help but wince as he saw his past self be flung out of the house and crash into the grass below.

Full Monarch didn’t say a word as he stared at the scene before him. In the wreckage of the house, Wano was on his knees, gasping and coughing up blood. At the last moment, he had thrown most of his body in front of Max, shielding his son from the explosion. He knelt on the ground, badly injured.

Footsteps echoed through the wreckage as a man in black armor approached. Max gritted his teeth, glaring at the villain. “Is that him?” Full Monarch questioned, taking in the sight of the Emperor for the first time.

“Yeah.”

“He has blue eyes?”

“Yeah.” Max nodded. Blue fire almost seemed to seep out of the Emperor’s helm.

“I don’t see Nier anywhere.” Full Monarch scanned the village, but Nier was nowhere to be seen. The other houses were starting to turn their lights on, and people were jumping out of bed when they heard the explosion.

The Emperor stood in front of Wano, looking down at the man. “You were asked to join our side, and you refused.” The Emperor spoke in a booming voice. Slowly, the man in the armor raised his sword up. “That’s okay though. Soon, your power will be put to good use, Wano.”

“Who are you?” Wano spat out, glaring at the villain.

“I am the Emperor, Leader of Planet Earth, the Savior of mankind, Satan, the Devil, God. Call me whatever you want.” The Emperor's blade was pure white, and strange runic symbols danced across it, reflecting the moonlight in all directions. Across it, the words ‘Story Maker’ were carved in. “Do not worry. You won’t die. I won’t kill you, dear Lord. I will be taking your power and getting you out of my way for the time being. You will sleep in an endless dream. Maybe a few hundred years from now, when my job is done, I’ll let you go and allow you to return to the perfect world I seek to create.”

Wano’s eyes flickered for a moment as the Paths came to him. He saw something. It was only for a second, but it caused him to smile. He looked back at his son, who was flat on the ground, frantically trying to stand. “Max.” For a moment, Max felt his eyes meet his father's. His dad wasn’t looking at the Max of the past this time, he was looking at him, the Max of the present time. The one who took Full Monarch to the past. He met his father's eyes as the Lord smiled, still kneeling before the armored villain. “Sorry.”

The Emperor brought his sword down, and his power flared, coming out as a surge of energy. The ground beneath Wano opened up as white and blue lights swirled together, coming out of the sword. The blade stabbed into Wano, but it didn’t cut the man. Instead, it seemed to phase into them. Reality was beginning to break and shatter as the sword tried to move a Lord across the universe.

That sword, whatever it was, it was allowing the Emperor to take Wano and shift him around. “Bring it here, Story Maker.” Behind Wano, it appeared out of thin air. A metal Pod that was beeping and whirling around wildly, letting out dozens of flashing colors.

‘Error, error, error, unknown entity attempting to tamper with vessel! Error, error, error, unknown entity attempting to tamper with vessel-’ The Pod was screaming and crying out, metal tendrils attempting to slice into the Emperor, but the man’s barrier easily stopped them, glowing blue arms appearing out of thin air that blocked the strikes.

The Emperor pushed his blade deeper into Wano’s stomach, the weapon phasing into the man. “Put him back into it. Put his DNA back into the Pod!”

He was going to do it. The Emperor was going to reset the Lord’s Pod and unmake them through the power of perfect teleportation.

At least he would have, but Wano stopped him. Wano used the last of his strength, even as more of his body was being pulled and shifted by the sword. Quickly, the man placed his hand on his chest. All it took was one zap, and in an instant, Wano blew his heart up, killing himself instantly. Right before he could be teleported, right before his power could be claimed, the Lord's power was freed from his body, and luckily, it had a brand new host right nearby…

The Max of the past gasped and howled as suddenly lightning rained from the sky and began to wrap around him, forcing its way into his body. The corpse of Wano crashed to the ground and began to burn to ash, and the Pod seemed to calm down for a moment as its lights flickered.

‘New Lord registered. Authorization accepted. Permission to use full power from the start is granted. Please stop what threatens the balance.’

“He transferred his title to his son to stop me from getting it?” The Emperor’s grip grew tighter on his sword, and he kicked the Pod in anger, sending it flying back and ramming into a building. “No matter!” He marched to Max, raising his sword up. “I’ll simply do it again! It’ll be you I absorb instead!”

The Emperor brought his sword down once more in an attempt to stab Max, but it never reached the boy. Something blocked the villain’s way at the last second. “That’s enough!” Nier stood in front of the downed boy, wielding a wooden sword created by his power, which he used to block the white blade of the Emperor. “I will not allow you to harm the boy!”

“Nier?” Off to the side, Full Monarch stared at the scene in shock. Nier stood before the Emperor, glaring at the villain.

“I told you he was here,” Max said, resisting the urge to smile.

“There’s two of them? No… Now that I look at the Emperor’s power closely, its…” Full Monarch frowned. “Something isn’t right.”

Nier used all his strength and forced the Emperor back with a swing of his sword. The Lord pointed his wooden blade at the Emperor, glaring at him. “Now leave.” Nier’s hair had changed to a snow white, and his eyes ignited with a fiery red glow. “Or else.” The man was channeling the full power of his Lord battle mode and looked like he was ready for anything the Emperor could throw at him.

The Emperor’s knuckles quickly tensed as he gripped the white sword he held, but slowly, he turned, and once more, a blue portal ripped itself apart in the fabric of space, allowing him to step away. It sealed shut, his blue eyes never once leaving the body of the downed Max…

As soon as the Emperor was gone, Nier dropped his sword and grabbed Max, picking the boy up. The ground beneath him shattered and broke away as a massive wooden dragon began to form and grow. “Lucky!” Nier yelled out. “Get us out of here now!”

The dragon howled and began to fly into the air, carrying the two Lords…

Down below the present day, Max and Full Monarch stared up, watching the dragon become a small dot on the horizon. The space around them cracked and started to break apart as the Paths came undone, and they stood in an empty white void.

“You were right.” Full Monarch said quietly. “Nier isn’t the Emperor.”

“I told you.” Max folded his arms. “Nier saved me. Whoever the Emperor is, he’s strong. That sword he has is also dangerous. It was able to move the Pod freely through space. My father told me a bit about the Pods. That one is mine now, yet I haven’t been able to find it. I think the Emperor stole it, along with what was left of my father's corpse.”

Full Monarch rubbed his chin and looked around the white void he was in. “It’s quite the handy power you have here. So you can use this place to see visions of the past?”

“That’s right- Wait, what are you doing!” Max stared in shock as Full Monarch raised his hand and casually used his power to bend and twist reality and fate, forcing the paths of the blank realm they were in to bend and twist. “You’re controlling my realm?”

“The Lord of Cosmos can control the world and the fabric of reality. I normally try not to use this power since it can be so dangerous.” The number one hero twisted his hand, and the world around them began to change. “That said, in here, this is a blank space that has nothing in it, other than the Paths that make up reality. Normally I wouldn’t be able to do this, but in here I can use this power to shape them just as you do. I’d like to show you something.”

“Show me what?” Nier asked, gulping.

“Show you the truth of who Nier is, as well as who I think the Emperor could be.”

“Y- You know who the Emperor might be!”

The world shifted and changed as everything fell into place. The next thing Max knew, he found himself standing in hell. At least that was the only way he could describe it. It was a city, one that was less than ash by now. Hundreds of Supers were dying in the streets, and both his father and Sini stood staring up at the sky in shock.

He found himself following where they were staring, and he saw the war hero Jackson, engaging in a fight with the Beast! Jackson was coated in waves of blue fire and fought the monster, who looked to be forged from solid ice this time instead of the pure white energy it would later have in the future. The two flew through the air above the city, striking at each other with everything they had, causing the planet to shake and rumble.

Full Monarch didn’t watch the fight though. Instead, his eyes stared ahead, where Nier was. Nier clutched two bodies in his arms, both badly burned and beyond dead. The first one was of the war hero, the Princess of Life. The second one though was the man’s daughter. Sky had only been twelve when she died.

“This was ten years ago.” Full Monarch said softly. “The Beast came out of nowhere and attacked the city. It took everything I had to fight the monster off, but by then it was too late. Nier had already…”

Max stared down at the dead girl that rested in Nier’s arms. She was the same age he was. He had been twelve when this happened and hadn’t yet moved out to the village. It was this event that had caused his father to snap and leave the ten great cities Sini had been building.

“Why didn’t you kill the Beast?” Max demanded. “It took so much from Nier and the others. Why didn’t you stop that monster for good?”

“I did.”

“Huh?”

Up in the sky, Jackson let out one last roar and exploded forward, the image of a giant blue dragon forming around him as he rammed his way through the Beast and blew its upper half up. Then it happened… A small orb dropped to the ground. It was the size of a golf ball, and it rapidly glowed and then exploded with a massive force!

It took everything Sini and Wano had to shield themselves and Nier from the blast, but when the radius cleared, all that remained was a barren wasteland. Even the nearby cities around them were gone. A huge portion of the planet had just gone up in smoke…

“I beat the Beast and killed it, yet unknown to any of us at the time, the thing was set to blow once it was defeated.” Full Monarch explained sadly. “During this battle, Nier’s wife and daughter lost their lives. I created the Hero Branch alongside Sini and your dad to try and restore the world. Nier, however, despite also helping us create this new group, grew distant. Two years later, I learned why.”

“What do you mean?”

The world around them crumbled and shifted as reality spun around. This time Max found himself looking around a large stone-looking lab. Instantly, he felt sick to his stomach as the smell of blood and rotting flesh hit his senses. Cages lined the walls filled with starved people and twisted creations. They couldn’t be humans. Not anymore. Their limbs were longer or their flesh had changed. They all had powers, and instantly he could tell this was the same thing the Emperor had been doing.

“People had been going missing around this time.” Full Monarch explained. “Mostly bad guys. Villains that didn’t work alongside the Hero Branch, or random Supers. Nier had been on the case helping us. It wasn’t healthy for him to work as much as he did, but I figured he needed the distraction to escape the horrors of the Beast. Little did I know, we were actually feeding him. He was using the data he got off of this case to find more victims.”

“V- Victims?” Max felt sick at his stomach as he stared at all the transformed people. “What do you mean?”

“It was research into creating a soul.” Full Monarch explained. “We Lords share our bodies with the Egos of the first four Lords. All Supers, in a way, have two souls. The human soul and the Super soul. Lords also have their soul and the Lord soul and can even be blessed with three souls, as some Lords can also awaken a power as a Super, which would be its own soul. Because of this fact, it’s clear that the body can handle having more than one soul in it and, in some cases, have three. Powers that can heal could in a way bring the dead back to life. You could fully restore a corpse and give it full function back, yet the body wouldn’t move or react. This is because the soul has long since passed on. That was why he did what he did. He wanted to learn how he could create a soul to put into a restored body.”

The roof above the stone lab exploded and came undone as a golden figure dropped down. It was the past version of Full Monarch. A Full Monarch who had only been a hero for two years now, in the newly created Hero Branch. “Halt, evil one!” Full Monarch announced. “You’re under arrest- Nier?”

Max felt himself gasp as, from the darkness, a blonde figure steadily walked forward. Nier was dressed in a white suit, one stained with blood, and he had a blank and cold look in his eyes. His hair had already shifted and changed into his Lord state, and his power seeped out constantly, transforming those around him into further monsters.

“I couldn’t figure it out.” Nier said quietly.

“W- What is this?” The number one hero seemed to slowly realize what he was looking at. The man stared at all the twisting bodies in horror as the monsters screamed and howled, their powers taking them over. “N- Nier?”

“I discovered I could create a soul.” Nier spat the words out, glaring down at his hands. “I can use my title to make brand new life and, through that, force a soul into a new being. Yet each time it corrupts the body! I don’t understand! Bodies can have more than one soul! We’ve seen it done! Yet anytime my newly created souls go into the bodies, they break down and change!”

Full Monarch stepped forward and grabbed his friend by the shoulder. “What have you done to these people!”

“They were criminals.” Nier spat out. “Who cares! I was trying to do research. I needed to learn why the souls I create change them! They aren’t Supers! They’re something else! Their very biology changed and shifted! I changed them into these things!”

“Change them back!” Full Monarch demanded.

“I can’t!” Nier hissed. “If I could, I would have fixed her!”

“Her?”

Suddenly, Full Monarch found his enhanced hearing going off. “D- Daddy, it hurts.” The man stared at the back of the room, where someone was chained to a wall. A young, twelve-year-old girl who had messy and tangled brown hair. Jagged claws came from the girl's nails, and her ears were long and covered in fur. Black blood was gushing down her nose and eyes, and her face was stained in red after she tore a chunk out of her father’s leg—something Full Monarch just took note of when he saw the state Nier’s left leg was in. He knew who this girl was. He had seen her before, watched her slowly grow up, and he had been there the day she died.

“S- Sky…”

“It’s not my daughter.” Nier spat the words out. “She’s just a freak. A hellish beast. I- I could fix the corpse, you know. I used my power. That was easy. Regrowing the skin and flesh. It was the soul though—it had already left me long ago. I tried making my own, I knew I could do it, but- It’s the same result as her mother.”

“Y- You did this to your wife as well.” Full Monarch stepped away in horror, staring at his longtime friend, who had a mad look on his eyes.

“I didn’t mean to! I- I thought I could get it to work. Thought I could actually bring them back, but whatever soul is in there isn’t my wife, nor is that thing my daughter.” He glared at the monster that looked like Sky. “They keep attacking me, trying to rip my throat out. Something in them just wants us all to die. That’s why I had to practice!” Nier waved his hand at the other people in the cages. “These are all just bad guys, you see! No one cares what happens to them! I’ve been ripping them apart over and over again, trying to twist and alter them in order to perfect it! I- I know it’s possible and that I can truly make them perfect! I’ll get it down soon! Just a bit more! Maybe a few thousand or even a million more lives, but I’ll crack the code and be able to create a perfect soul to bring all of our families back! I’m going to try and do it to a younger body that doesn’t have a soul yet! Maybe like a newborn baby-”

Nier was knocked out cold in one strike when Full Monarch rammed his fist forward and knocked his old friend out instantly.

The present day version of Full Monarch stared at the scene in disgust alongside Max, who was shocked. “N- Nier did all of this? Seriously?”

“I wasn’t there for him.” Full Monarch said sadly. “I didn’t have any family at the time. I had no way of knowing what a horrible loss like this could do to a person. I thought he’d be fine. That he’d get over it on his own, but I was wrong. Nier tried to bring his wife and child back, but as you saw, he failed. The bodies might be alive once more, but whatever was in the driver's seat wasn’t the same Sky I once knew. Nier was arrested and put on trial.”

Max felt a sick swelling in his gut as he recalled the way his father had glared at Nier. “The Emperor… Whoever he is... He must be recreating these experiments, right? These guys are just like what Fire Prince was turned into.”

“That’s right.” Full Monarch nodded. “All of these monsters were taken in. Many of them had to be put down or died due to how unstable their bodies were. As for the bodies of Sky and Nier’s wife, both of them somehow managed to escape and haven’t been seen since. I believe they could be behind this new Emperor. As for Nier, what he did was wrong, but no innocent people had been harmed. I wanted to get him help or at least put him someplace where he couldn’t do this again, but shortly after this incident, ‘it’ came back.”

“It?”

“The Beast. For the second time, it appeared on planet Earth.” The image once again changed, and this time Max saw the aftermath of the second Beast fight. Full Monarch had been ready this time and took the Beast up into space before it could self-destruct, but the city was still in ruins. Now the number one hero stared down at his past self, who in turn stood in front of a red-haired teen. “Once I beat the Beast for the second time, we learned that it would keep appearing. This was three years after the thing had arrived, and during the chaos, Nier managed to slip away from us and go on the run. I was too distracted in my battle with the Beast, so I wasn’t able to look for him. Now that I know it blows up, I tend to stop it before it gets to Earth and will battle it up in space. That’s why we haven’t had another Beast attack in over seven years.”

Max nodded his head and stared down at the two people in the past. The past Full Monarch was staring at the red-haired teen, trying to get the young boy to smile. “Who’s that boy?” He asked quietly. Something about the kid seemed strangely familiar to him. The boy had messy reddish brown hair and bright blue eyes that seemed to almost glow in a creepy manner. The teen was fifteen years old and was going through all the rubble seemingly looking for something.

“I never actually got his name.” Full Monarch admitted. “He was a survivor of this city. Most people managed to live through this Beast attack thanks to my quick thinking, but this city was torn down. That boy lived, and I was helping him look for something.”

“Why is this important?” Max questioned.

“Just watch.” Full Monarch urged. “You’ll see.”

“Do you need my help?” The past Full Monarch asked.

“Pass.” The boy spoke in an emotionless tone and kept digging through all the rubble.

“What are you looking for exactly?”

“Pass.”

“Pass? So you don’t want to answer any of my questions?” The past version of Full Monarch folded his arms and waved his hand, causing all the debris to begin lifting up and putting itself back into place. “I know things seem bleak now, but the people of your city are all still alive, and with my powers this entire place will be put back together. You have no reason to frown! In fact, you should be smiling! There is nothing to fear, young man! Not while I’m around.”

“And what happens when you aren’t around?” The young boy asked flatly.

“What?”

“What happens when I’m in trouble again?” The boy stated in a blunt tone. The rubble finished clearing, and a loud bark echoed out as a dog freed itself from its hiding spot. It was a small little brown puppy that would likely one day grow up to be a big golden retriever. The boy scooped the dog up, holding it close to his chest. “You can’t be everywhere at once. While you’re here, people are suffering all across the world, you know. What are you going to do when the day comes that something happens and you can’t save that person? Would you still tell me to smile then?”

The hero's smile slowly vanished as the boy stepped away and began to walk off with his dog. “Young man.” The fifteen-year-old stopped and looked back at Full Monarch with his dull blue eyes. “If the day ever comes that you are in danger, I will save you. Call out my name. Scream it to the heavens. I’ll be there. I swear.”

The boy turned away, still not convinced. “And what if there comes a day where we stand on opposite sides?”

“Are you saying you’re going to be a villain?” Full Monarch asked, frowning. “Because you are, then fear not. I’ll pull you out of whatever darkness you find yourself in. Simply ask for it, and I’ll save you. Not just you but everyone. I’ll do my best to the very end and save this world! One person at a time. And currently you’re that person.”

The boy snorted. “Whatever.”

“What did you say your name was again?”

“I never gave it.” The boy swiped his hand through the air, and a crackling blue portal appeared. “I don’t have a name.” And with that, the child vanished faster than Full Monarch could move; the boy stepped into the portal still holding his dog as it sealed shut behind him.

The present day Full Monarch and Max watched the scene play out as the world around them began to crumble. “That portal power.” Max bit his lip, drawing some blood. “That was the same one that attacked my house.”

“That’s right.” Full Monarch nodded softly. “I believe that boy was picked up by the same group that is copying Nier’s old experiments. Whoever this Emperor is, he's very dangerous.” Full Monarch placed his hand down on Max’s shoulder and looked down at the boy. “Please. Help me. I want to put an end to it just as you do. More than that, though, I want to help them. All of them. That boy, Sky, and everyone affected by Nier and the Emperor. Help me, please.”

Reality crumbled, and in a flash they appeared back in the office of Ward. Sini, Ward, and Avalon all jumped when the two of them appeared. Max’s lips were formed into a line, but slowly the boy nodded.

“Okay. I’ll help you save the others. But… I’m still going to kill the Emperor. He won’t get any salvation. Not from me, and not from you.”