Villain Retirement

"Riley… do you plan on killing all of them?"

Empress watched as Riley slowly ascended; with him giving his top to cover Megawoman, it almost looked like he was some sort of ghost floating in the air.

His white hair… for the very first time, Empress saw it waving along with the wind; slightly covering his face.

"They… they might have cameras, Riley."

"It's fine. No one is going to die here,"

Riley only glanced at Empress, before gently turning his eyes towards Megawoman, "If videos were to be leaked, Whiteking would know what not to filter. We are taking a different narrative from your initial plan…

…we are the heroes in this scenario, Miss Empress."

"..."

"Leave."

And with those words whispering into her ears, the ground beneath Empress instantly crumbled as a skirt of wind wrapped around her body. And as she disappeared from her spot and flew to the skies, several people started to follow and rush towards her.

…Those people did not get far, however, as their bodies abruptly and violently stopped mid-air; almost like a bird hitting a glass window. Their bodies quickly fell, but instead of plopping to the ground– they gently landed. Their consciousness, however, still completely knocked out.

"None of you will die here tonight."

"!!!"

The supers, guards, soldiers, or whatever sort of people they were– it didn't matter. Everyone within Riley's sight heard his words almost as if he was talking right beside them.

"This is the second time…" Riley then said as he looked at each of the faces of the people surrounding him. He then turned towards the helicopters that were hovering in the air, clearly with cameras in tow.

And this time, he looked directly towards them.

"...the second time that I am asked to surrender. My only crime, rescuing your savior."

"Shoot him!"

The soldiers and guards triggered their weapons, the supers all rushed towards him and threw everything they could.

"Silence, betrayers."

But almost as if time stopped for everyone, none of their attacks reached Riley.

Even the noise that the helicopters were drumming in the air, was no more; their blades, completely frozen in the air.

Everything… was just silent. With the only noise that one could hear were Riley's words and breaths. The city of Toronto was once again what it was– a city abandoned by life.

"Let this be my first act as a hero."

The air itself then seemed to throb– with the dark clouds that pestered the skies of Toronto suddenly disappearing with a ripple; the light of the moon and stars, once again shining on its dead lands.

Darkday is darkness– a darkness that would drown the world in death. An entity with only one goal, the end of mankind.

Riley Ross is light– a light that would devour everything within its path. What entity he would be… was yet to be determined.

"None of you will die here today…

…and you will have all your lives to regret it."

***

"Whiteking, was it really alright for us to leave Riley alone there?"

[No, but you and I know that we can't stop him.]

"..." Empress could only let out a long and very deep sigh as she flew across the sky. And even though she wasn't sure that Megawoman could feel it, she still tried to make her as comfortable as possible as she carried her.

"This… is messed up," Empress once again sighed, "I feel like everything is about to fall apart– the world is falling apart. Darkday, Riley… just what sort of being are we being forced to live with?"

[...This world was broken from the start, Adaeze. We're just starting to discover it.]

"Megawoman… was this really the government? Are they the true villains here?"

[...]

"You worked and still work for them several times," Empress whispered, "You know their secrets, don't you? Did you know they had Megawoman in Toronto all this time?"

[No. I do not dig deep in the government's deeds.]

"...Afraid of what you would find?"

[Afraid of what I would do.]

"..."

[Knowledge will always be a curse for the powerless, Adaeze.]

"Hm…" Empress only closed her eyes, "Prepare a room for Megawoman, I'm taking her to the Hope Guild."

[Are you sure?]

"Yes," Empress whispered as she looked at her master's face, "She… has fought long enough, she deserves to rest in a place that represents everything she stands for."

[Very well. I will also need to inform the rest of the members, are you sure?]

"Your son seems to be planning to have all of this out there," Empress scoffed, "Fuck it, let's do a press con after this and reveal the government's sins. The World Government had its time

…but now is the age of Supers."

[...Aren't we already in that age?]

"We were in the age of Heroes," Empress breathed out, "Heroes, villains-- it has always been black and white."

[...I don't get it. Also, I'm not a super.]

"You know what I mea– !!!"

And before Empress could finish her words, she felt herself almost tumbling in the air as a weird force pushed her. It didn't take any effort for her to recover, however.

"What just…"

[Oh no…]

"What?"

Empress then turned to see what it was, only to see the skies of Toronto without any darkness left in them. Leaving not even a single cloud to obstruct the view, finally revealing to the world the scale of destruction the Battle of Toronto brought forth.

"...Shit," Empress then once again took flight, this time; any gentleness in her movements disappeared. Her hands, now just trying to make sure the wind was not violently hitting Megawoman's face.

Even the sea that was supposed to be hundreds of miles away from her, starting to howl and whisper into her ears.

Almost as if the land and the Earth themselves were crying, a deafening thunder started to tremble in the air; causing every pore in her body to open and answer its call.

How could Empress not hurry and take flight…

…when the entire city of Toronto was now being lifted from the ground?

"What is your son planning!?"

[You said it yourself…

…the Age of Supers– and he is the one opening the doors.]