Villain Retirement

Not fast enough.

Tempo had felt that way many times before— times when he was just too late to save people. He is considered to be the fastest super, alive or dead. There have been many sprinters that came before him, but no one could even touch the toe of his feats.

But there have always been times that he wasn't fast enough— many times.

This was the first time, however, that it was actually being shown to his face.

He just watched and looked as the evaniel Guardian ran, getting farther and farther away from him. At first, Viole didn't seem that fast as he flew through the skies during their battle earlier. But as soon as he landed on the surface of the ocean and started to run… that was when everything changed.

It was not even a second.

Tempo and John worked together, since the cat-goat-human hybrid seemed physically stronger than all of them, Tempo decided to switch it up and make the alien focus on him instead of John. And of course, John would then be facing the evaniel Guardian instead.

Everything was going fine— almost a stalemate, even. Tempo was too fast for Elder Zora, and John's telekinetic prowess was something Viole could not penetrate easily. It was going too well, with John and Tempo even having the upper hand most of the time.

But then… Viole descended from the sky and used his legs to run.

And it was over in an instant. Tempo saw it all— how Viole was able to penetrate John's telekinetic armor. In just a single second, he threw an almost unquantifiable number of punches straight to his chest.

Viole then took another second to let out a barrage of strikes on the defenseless John. He might seem fairly unwounded from the outside… but Tempo was sure his insides were already a mess.

Tempo doesn't know how Riley's cloning ability works, but if John's insides were anything like a normal human… then he was probably already dying.

40 times now. Tempo and Viole have rotated the planet 40 times, and each time… the distance between him and the evaniel grew wider. At first, the two of them were only meters apart— but now, a kilometer stands between the two and it was growing wider by the second.

Tempo could go faster, but there was a risk that his physical body would not be able to take it. And even if he does… will he even be able to catch up?

Even from the distance, Tempo could see Viole glancing back at him with a slightly amused expression on his face— he was toying with him.

"..." Is it even worth his life to save Riley's clone? What was he even doing here?

"..."

And while the distance between Tempo and Viole grew, John… was just watching Tempo as he became smaller and smaller by the second.

That was the only thing he could do now— watch. He couldn't even stop the bleeding that was happening from inside him. His body was… incredibly weak.

He tried.

John tried his best, and it was enough. Riley and Alice were done being children and were now finally talking to each other like normal people— he could feel it. His emotions were being transmitted to him, and Riley may not understand what he was feeling right now, but John could.

It was relief… and sadness.

"..." John then let out a very light breath, as any stronger would probably cause his lungs to collapse. He would have wanted to see what happens next… but it would seem the gods have other plans for him.

…A shame.

He really thought he would live. Maybe he should really have opted for an upgrade… these aliens would have probably been nothing to him. But then… he wouldn't be himself anymore.

"Ha…" John once again let out another breath as he focused his attention on Tempo.

Why… was this guy even following them?

No. John already knew the answer to that.

He was following him because he is a hero.

A hero… Hero.

Come to think of it, once upon a time, Riley tried to be one. Not Paragon, no— way before that. Riley might not remember it, but John has his memories.

Before Darkday, Riley wanted to be a hero like Bernard— it was… short-lived. Hannah was always sad that Bernard wasn't around all of the time, so Riley thought that if he became a hero and helped his father around, it would lessen the time that he was outside.

It didn't happen, however.

Riley… is evil. John knows that because he is him. He is not even innocently evil as some would think— all of his thoughts were just… of death. The whispers, the need to hurt people, the urge to kill…

…There may have been things that made him that way, but everything he did is on him. The worst part of it all is that he knows he is wrong, but it doesn't matter.

"..." He and Ellie never should have accepted his deal, they could still be on the farm right now. Riley would have allowed it— he could hear his thoughts, after all.

If he refused, Riley would have just left them alone— but he had to accept because he too…

…is evil. He wanted to see what Riley would do, he wanted to see how many more would die.

But now it ends, he could feel it. He… was truly fading away now.

The price he and Riley had to pay for all the things they have done— that was the only thing catching up to him now.

…Or perhaps not?

John's eyes started to widen as he heard the sound of a pulse growing louder and louder. He looked at Tempo again, only to see some sort of… light surrounding him. And with each second, his silhouette grew nearer and nearer.

"..."

"..."

"...What are you doing?" John whispered; it was when Tempo cut the distance in half that John noticed what was happening.

Tempo… was bleeding from his nose— the veins in his eyes almost flesh in red.

'Why?' John asked again. Why risk his life for someone like him?

It was obvious that Tempo's body could not handle the stress that his own abilities were giving him. The pulse that was once calm and rhythmic, now like a drum that did not know what note to play.

Tempo's steps that were previously not even affecting the surface of the ocean, now violently pushing them away— causing it to erupt and dance around behind him.

And very soon…

…he was only a meter away; his hand, stretching towards him.

"!!!"

And without even thinking about it, John used the last of his strength to stretch to reach for Tempo's hand. And finally… the tips of their fingers touched each other.

Only to be separated as Elder Zora's horns suddenly emerged from the ocean beneath John…

…completely splitting him in half.

"...Elder Zora!?"

And then, everyone just stopped.

Tempo halted his steps, finding himself falling into the water before floating on its surface as he just stared at John, whose guts were now hanging from his waist.

"..."

Even Viole, who was just waiting for a ship all this time to actually come and fetch him so he could secure John away, could not help but stop as he stared at Elder Zora with his eyes incredibly wide.

"I… miscalculated," Elder Zora then said as he floated near John, "I was only going to block the other human."

Everyone just looked at each other frozen— and very soon, they truly were. And not just them…

…even the whispers of the ocean that was endlessly flowing with the wind stopped.

"...He's here," Tempo then whispered, causing the two to look at him; with Elder Zora wondering what he meant, and Viole fully knowing who it was.

And it was quiet— so very quiet as Riley Ross slowly descended from the unmoving sky… just landing softly close to John.

He didn't even say anything as the lower half of John's body flew and made him whole again. And with just a sigh, he lifted John with his arm and flew away— leaving Viole no choice but to just let go.

"That… was the real Riley Ross?" Elder Zora squinted his eyes, "What are you doing, High Guardian Viole!? We should go after him!"

And instead of Viole, it was Tempo who answered him. It was obvious he was already struggling to stay afloat the water— but the expression on his face was very much alive,

"What you guys need to do…

…is leave the planet."