𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐋𝐎𝐆𝐔𝐄. 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐋𝐃 𝐄𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑

〜✩〜

THE DAY THE WORLD ENDED WAS A RELATIVELY PEACEFUL ONE. The year was 2037 and at the time, the world had mostly been at peace. People had woken up and started their morning routines. They had made their daily commutes to their workplaces and started their tasks for the day. They had mingled together and laughed and cried and acted as one society as they had for every day of their lives.

But the hum of the day was a cover to hide the fact that people were nervous. They were starting to become more aware of the fact that something was brewing in their world that wasn't right. Something was beginning to happen that they couldn't see, and it was starting to worry them.

You see, as humanity progressed in its search for knowledge and advancement over the years, a discovery was made. For some unknown reason, some of the genes in certain humans started to change and develop into something different, something that gave them special abilities that seemed to come straight out of a comic book. As scientists started to study these abilities and officially label them as superpowers, more and more people began to gain their own powers, now being called "enhanced individuals" or just simply "Enhanced". The steady rise in these superhuman abilities led to instability in society as some began to use their powers for evil rather than good. Crime rates started to increase as more people got a taste of what their abilities could do for them. People began to feel afraid of venturing outside, always looking over their shoulders and making sure to not draw attention to themselves less they became the next target on a criminal's list.

Everything seemed so uncertain with evil running rampant throughout the streets of the world, and no one knew what to do about it.

And then he showed up.

It was like a bolt of lightning had been sent from the heavens when an unknown superhero suddenly burst onto the scene and into the public eye, stopping crimes and catching villains one by one. Even now, it was hard to remember the exact moment he appeared, but no one cared, not when he was helping to protect them from the superpowered criminals. With his dashing looks and dazzling smile, the unknown hero slowly but surely made the streets of the world feel safe again, saving people at such a fast rate that local law enforcement could barely keep up with him. He was like the sun itself, and as such the public gave him the hero name of Sunstar, which was even more fitting when it was discovered that his abilities of solar energy absorption relied upon him using the sun as a power source.

Seeing Sunstar in action made the governments of the world start to think. While there was no doubt that he was helping to defend humanity, there were certain boundaries that he needed to follow. After all, they couldn't have this hero, no matter how good he was, fly around and do whatever he wanted when he felt like it. There needed to be some way they could keep track of Sunstar, but not only that, they needed a way to prevent other Enhanced from acting out while still keeping people safe.

And so, with Sunstar as its head hero, the Heroic Superhuman Society was created. With multiple branches spread around the world and its main headquarters stationed in the state of New York, the H.S.S. made superheroes out of the Enhanced, giving them permission to use their powers for the public good and to benefit their societies. It was now their duty to help people and protect them from threats both domestic and international. The heroes acted as fighters and negotiators, able to bring peace between people and countries. Wars became a distant thought and threats of violence were put down almost immediately. The people of the world had champions now, someone to look up to for both normal and Enhanced alike. As the hard work of the heroes was recognized, Enhanced were embraced more easily into society, and for a time, they lived in peace among regular people, treated as ordinary citizens despite having extraordinary powers.

But like all things, even good times have to come to an end, and this was no different.

At some point during the year, whispers began to spread that some of the heroes of the H.S.S. were discontent with their roles as society's protectors, feeling like they were being held back by having to use their powers for good. The government was keeping them on a tight leash, using them as human tools to do whatever they needed them to do. At first, people thought it was nothing but a joke. Surely these whispers were just rumors, right? Rumors were merely gossip. It was all just stuff to distract them from their work and their lives.

As time went on, stories started to reach the ears of the people, stories of heroes turning against the H.S.S. and striking off on their own, stories of heroes creating chaos in the streets just as badly as the criminals they put in jail, but the one that got their attention was the story that there was a hero within the H.S.S. that was sowing the seeds of discord among the others, spreading ideas of rebellion because they themselves were disillusioned with playing the role of hero. They wanted a taste of true power and freedom, and the only way they could get it was by turning on the organization that had made them a hero in the first place.

The more rumors and stories they heard, the more people started to worry. Their confidence that everything was fine was slowly crumbling away as doubts began to creep into their minds. What if the stories were right? What if they were real and heroes really were turning against them? What would they do? How would they defend themselves? What if Sunstar was one of them? He was one of the most powerful Enhanced they knew of; if he was gone, then they were all in trouble.

Things started to become more intense when footage of heroes wreaking havoc on a city was released to the public. This level of destruction was something no one could have predicted, and suddenly the rumors became frighteningly true. It felt like time had reversed and the world had returned to the way it was before Sunstar appeared. People began to fear for their lives again, but this time things were different, because instead of just fearing for themselves, they started to fear the Enhanced around them. Who were once friends and allies soon became enemies. In the minds of the people, they were biding their time, waiting for their chance to strike just like the heroes were doing now.

As tensions began to rise among the societies of the world, Judith Alder, the president of the H.S.S., made a public announcement. The organization that had been founded on the idea of peace through the hands of superheroes now realized that they were being taken advantage of from the inside, made to look like fools for the whole world to see. Realizing that current events were a consequence of her society's lack of foresight, she vowed to put a stop to the violence by capturing the rebelling heroes and the one responsible for inciting them to act this way.

For a time, it seemed like it worked. With the H.S.S.'s permission, Sunstar led the charge on the revolting heroes, taking them down before they could strike and returning them to their respective agencies for punishment. The number of riots began to decrease significantly and people slowly started to unwind, beginning to think that it was over.

Unfortunately, as they were to learn on that fateful day in 2037, their breaths of relief were released too early and far too quickly.

〜✩〜

THE AREA AROUND THE LINCOLN MEMORIAL was packed with people, crowded together with all eyes on the empty podium near the stairs. A few heroes were also present, mingled with the crowd in their civilian identities, ready to jump into action at a moment's notice. They had gathered with one purpose in mind: the man speaking today.

The President of the United States, Jonathan Kenner, was about to address the issue of the Superhero Riots (as the press was starting to call them) and inform the people on what actions would be taken in response. Even though the man was older than what was expected of an American president, his voice was strong and he always spoke his mind with fairness and thoughtfulness. Over the past few months, he had seen the way the superpowered individuals of America had become enemies of the public, viewing the discrimination with a heavy heart. His own daughter Claire was an Enhanced, and to think that others like her were being treated unfairly because of the actions of the rogue heroes wasn't something he intended to overlook.

While President Kenner prepared to speak, his wife and daughter watching from behind him and his security detail prepared and ready nearby, in among the crowd was a small ten year old girl, her blond hair tied up with a blue ribbon as she held onto her mother's hand, her father standing next to her. Her eyes were darting from side to side as she looked around at the people surrounding her, blue irises taking in everything she could. Some looked normal while others had modifications relating to their powers: a man with flaming hair, a woman with bark-like skin and leaves in her fluffy brown hair, a child amusing themselves by blowing a stream of bubbles from their mouth. This last power made the girl blink in surprise. She couldn't help but think how useless that ability was. How could you save someone by blowing bubbles at them? It was utterly pointless.

The thought of stupid superpowers made her think about herself. While there wasn't a certain age someone had to be when their abilities manifested, the government had determined that the prime age was around two to eight years old, so that as the child's body grew, so did their power. Even though she was two years past the ideal age, the girl still hadn't gotten her abilities. Every day she woke up to wait and see if anything had changed, but each day ended in disappointment. She hoped that they would be something cool, like flying or controlling things with her mind or maybe something like her mother's fire powers. It was always so pretty to see the way the blue flames weaved and danced across her fingertips like wisps of smoke in the wind.

She smiled to herself at the thought. Yeah, fire powers would be cool.

"Maggie."

The girl's gaze shot up as her mother spoke, seeing the woman looking down at her with a smile. Emilia Autumn didn't appear much different from her daughter, although there were a few slight differences. While she shared the same blond hair as Maggie, she had brown eyes instead of the blue of her child and husband. A few freckles dotted her cheeks and the otherwise smooth skin of her hands were marred with faint remains of burn scars: a price and a reminder of the hard work and effort she had put into controlling her abilities. Despite all the long hours her job required of her, she was grateful for them, as long as it meant that people like her family and others were safe from harm.

Emilia turned away from the crowd around her to bend down to be at her daughter's eye level. "I have a present for you," she said, reaching into her purse. "I know your birthday was a few days ago, but I thought I would give this to you today."

She withdrew a small box from her bag, opening it to reveal a simple golden necklace with a starburst-shaped pendant hanging from the chain.

Maggie gasped softly, eyes wide as she looked at it. "It's so pretty," she said in an awed voice, reaching out slowly as if she was afraid to touch it.

"It is." Her mother carefully took the necklace from the box. "This was given to me by my mother when I was your age, and now I'm giving it to you." She reached out to place the chain around the girl's neck, adjusting it so that it was straight. "Now whenever you see it, you can think of me."

Maggie looked down at the pendant, feeling a sense of responsibility as she watched the way it glistened in the sunlight. She had been gifted with something that had crossed through time in the hands of her family; that legacy now belonged to her. "Thank you, Mama," she said, wrapping her arms around the woman's neck. "I'll always take it with me."

Small as she was, she didn't see the look of worry that was shared between her parents, or the way Emilia's eyes dimmed briefly as she returned the hug.

"I know you will, my little Magnolia flower," she whispered, holding her daughter close. "I know you will."

From somewhere else within the crowd, a small ten year old boy was trying to make his way around a group of adults. With bright brown eyes and fluffy brown hair, he was holding tightly onto the hand of a girl smaller than himself, only eight years old and trying her best to keep up with him.

"Are you sure Mama's this way, Alex?" she said, her small voice managing to reach him despite the noise around them. Her dark brown curls fell over her face as she walked. "I don't think we're going in the right direction."

Truth be told, the boy had no idea where he was going, but he wasn't about to make his sister nervous. "Mama said to find help whenever we're lost, Josie," he replied, trying to sound cheerful, "so that's what we're going to do. Just hold onto me, okay? I'll make sure we don't get separated."

Josie said nothing else, but Alex felt her hand tighten around his, squeezing harder to keep her grip on him. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest, but he tried to push down the rising panic with a deep breath. They would be fine. All they had to do was find a police officer and tell them who their mother was, and then she would come for them and everything would be okay.

Everything was going to be okay.

Despite the fact these two children—Maggie and Alex—were in the crowd that day in 2037 for different reasons, they were about to experience a life-changing event that would shake their world forever, and it started the moment the crowd fell silent as President Kenner walked up the podium and began to speak.

"My fellow Americans," he said, his voice echoing across the National Mall through multiple speakers, "I've called us together today to address an issue we all have been aware of for some time. In the past several months, the superheroes of the Heroic Superhuman Society have been rioting throughout the world, destroying property and creating chaos and havoc for many people. In turn, their actions have caused us to turn on the superpowered population, viewing them with suspicion and distrust where there once was peace and amicability.

I understand that these times have been hard for you. They've been hard for all of us. Every day we see more and more news of our former protectors taking advantage of their status and power and abusing it for the sake of their own personal gain, fueled by the thrill of breaking the law and pushing the boundaries of the government's tolerance. Every day we hear about how they've taken the lives of innocent people in their quest for something we can't seem to understand. Is it revenge they want? Freedom? Acknowledgement? Attention? Whatever it may be, we can't allow them to control us with fear. As much as it pains me to say this, they have become like the very criminals they once tried to protect us from. They have become the enemies of our country and our world, and from this moment on we must treat them as such.

That being said, we also cannot allow these corrupted heroes to turn us against one another. The Enhanced population is just that: enhanced. They are not to be blamed for the actions of their fellow peers, nor is every Enhanced person in our country plotting against you. In these troubling times, we must hold onto each other and support one another, and driving division between ourselves because some are born with an innate ability will destroy our society and turn us into the very same people who are fighting against us."

The man's expression turned serious as his voice grew in power. "As we know, the H.S.S. is doing everything they can to track down the renegade heroes and the one responsible for spurring them into action in the first place. Whoever they are and whatever end they think this will lead to, they will have sorely misjudged the strength of the American people and the people of the world. And once they are captured, they will be brought to justice for their crimes against us and against humanity and—"

Kenner stopped speaking as he suddenly noticed what his security detail and the crowd were slowly noticing. Something had changed. The sky was still blue, but the sunlight was not as bright as it had been before, dimming even though the sun could still be seen. The breeze picked up, blowing through the trees as shadows fell over the crowd, who began to whisper to themselves, confused and concerned.

Meanwhile Kenner's security had no idea what to do. There was something off, but they couldn't tell where the threat was coming from or what was even going on. Their hands crept to their holstered guns as one of the men turned to the president.

"Sir, what do you want us to do?"

Kenner opened his mouth to give an order, but before he could say a word, another voice spoke first, loud and clear from above him.

" 'They will be brought to justice for their crimes against us and against humanity.' Truly inspirational. You always were good with words, Mr. President."

Heads turned to look upwards as a person descended from the sky, the sunlight returning in full force as if to announce his arrival. Dressed in a golden skin-tight suit and dark brown boots, the superhuman landed on the steps of the Memorial with barely a sound, his gold trimmed white cape fluttering in the wind behind him. Pristine and clean with no signs of wear or stains, the only marking it had on it was the large symbol of a sun done in shimmering golden thread. The man's blond hair was combed to the side and unnaturally perfect, curling downward at the top of his forehead. In fact, everything about him looked unnaturally perfect, from his muscular body to his pearly white teeth, revealed as he parted his lips and smiled.

Exclamations of shock and surprise rose from the crowd. Everyone knew who this man was. They saw him every day, his face plastered on posters and in news stories and in articles that covered the pages of newspapers from top to bottom.

He was the one everyone thought of when they heard the term 'superhuman.'

He was the one who acted as the face of the organization that protected them from threats and guarded their lives through heroes like him.

And he was the one, as they were to learn, that would cause the end of the world.

"Sunstar."

Kenner's voice was level and calm as he spoke, masterfully hiding the surprise he felt inwardly. As far as he knew, there was no reason for the hero to be here, unless the H.S.S. had sent him in concern for his safety.

"What brings you here today?" he asked, keeping his voice in the same calm tone. "The H.S.S. is aware that I have more than enough security to protect me, unless there is something happening I should know about."

Sunstar continued to smile, a gesture that would normally put people at ease, but this time it felt unnerving, like it was more forced than genuine. "Oh, they didn't send me, Mr. President," he replied, hovering a little off the ground. "I just thought I'd come to deliver a little announcement of my own."

The president frowned, his eyebrows lowering in confusion. This was certainly unexpected, and he didn't like it. Being careful not to let his confusion show in his posture, the man straightened and looked the hero in the eye. "I do believe you'll have to wait then," he said, his voice crisp with authority. "My speech needs to be finished and even if you are a certified hero, you don't have the right to—"

"Oh, it won't take long." The look in Sunstar's eyes held a spark of something unsettling. "In fact, it'll be shorter than you think."

Without another word, he rose into the air above the podium. "People of America," he said, his voice carrying over the crowd without the use of the microphone, "you must all be confused and surprised by my sudden appearance, but what I am about to say pertains not just to me, but to all of us."

He chuckled, flashing another tooth-filled smile. "As the president was saying, the Superhero Riots have been a thing of worry for us all. Seeing our heroes use their powers for evil to destroy instead of protect must be shocking for you to witness, and I should know, since I've been actively working with the H.S.S. to stop them. Here we thought we would have people to look up to and admire, but instead they turned on us and betrayed the fundamental ideas of their organization and our world.

Through everything I've seen in working to capture these fallen heroes, I've come to realize how much of an impact the superpowered have made on our society. Even though the government tried to make superheroes out of the Enhanced, their heroes were still human, and events are proving that even they can fall from their pedestals of glory to go from something loved to something hated."

He paused, his face an expression of curiosity. "Let me ask you something: do you know why the heroes have turned against us? I think you know the answer. The heroes are rebelling because they feel trapped. They feel like they are being used for their powers, being used as tools, losing all sense of freedom and self-respect by being controlled by the strings of the government. And what would happen if those strings were to be cut by someone who was like them, someone who was also fed up with being treated like a prized pet restrained on a leash, forced to be dictated where it has to go and what it has to do."

Something in the hero's expression turned cold, but it faded as he continued. "But that's not important. My point is, what has the government and the H.S.S. done to protect you from these rebelling heroes? Nothing. I see them every time I enter their headquarters. They sit at their desks watching the riots and the destruction from their screens, and yet, even though the riots have been reduced, they have not been stopped. If the H.S.S. truly cared about us, then they would be doing all they could to stop this destruction, yes? But the only thing they care about is protecting themselves and controlling those beneath their thumb to do their dirty work without moving a finger to help. They expect us not to worry while they do the bare minimum to keep the heroes from burning down your homes and killing your loved ones."

The more Sunstar spoke, the more the crowd grew confused. Even Kenner had dropped his facade of authority and was frowning. Everyone's minds were spinning. What was Sunstar talking about? His speech didn't sound encouraging at all. In fact, it sounded almost villainous.

"What you're saying is treasonous, Sunstar," the president began. "You can't expect us to possibly believe—"

"I wasn't finished." The hero turned back to the crowd, spreading his arms out as he floated higher into the air. "But there is a solution to their inactivity. You want this war to end, yes? You want the madness and the bloodshed and the fighting to stop? Well, after today, you won't have to worry about it anymore."

The superhuman smiled again, seemingly oblivious to the concerned crowd. "I know, I know, you must be thinking how could this be possible. How can I stop the H.S.S. and show them who the real enemy is? Well, let me tell you. I've found a few like-minded friends who were willing to give me a hand. Under my leadership, we will expose the H.S.S. for what it is and begin a new era for Enhanced and normal citizens alike."

Almost immediately the sun seemed to dim again as heroes suddenly emerged from over the top of the Memorial, each one in their costume and gear, some new and others familiar faces that the people knew and trusted. These heroes were the ones who had turned against them. These heroes were the ones who were destroying their world.

The Enhanced heroes in the crowd and the security guards braced themselves, ready for a fight as panic and fear started to set in among the people.

With his wife and Claire huddled close to him, Kenner looked up at the sky with horror and shock. "Sunstar, what is this?" he said, his face creased with worry. "What are they doing here?"

The hero floated down to hover over the marble stairs, turning to him with an arrogant smile. "I must confess I didn't think it would play out this way, but I had no choice with the H.S.S. breathing down my neck," he replied. "I had to cause things to accelerate in order to play the cards in my hand, so to speak."

The shock in the president's eyes was painfully clear. "It was you," he said, voice soft with disbelief. "You're the rogue hero." The shock turned to pain as his face twisted into a sad expression. "I don't understand. Why, Sunstar? What is the point of all this? Why did you protect us for so long if you always wanted to turn against us? Why did you pretend to be good when you were planning this?"

Sunstar's eyes were cold as he spoke. "It was like I said. I was done being used as a tool of the government. I was tired of being led around like a dog, being nothing more than a circus act. The superhuman population is always treated like dirt compared to the rest of humanity, so I thought it was time they had a chance to show people what they're truly capable of."

Kenner shook his head, still keeping his wife and daughter behind him. "You don't understand. What you've done, what you're doing, it'll only make things worse for those with powers. Your actions have only caused things to escalate to higher extremes. The equality you want won't come through violence and mindlessly seeking power." 

His voice took on a persuasive tone. "Please Sunstar, consider the consequences of your actions. There was a time when we were at peace with one another; there's still a chance for that peace to return."

For a moment, it seemed like his words might have reached the hero as he straightened, his face impassive aside from the faint upward tilt of his lips, but that hope ended when the look in his eyes went dark. "I thought you of all people would understand my situation," he replied, his voice stiff with thinly veiled anger. "Deep down, I suspected you wouldn't, but I thought I would try anyway, since your daughter is an Enhanced herself. I see that I was wrong."

"Sunstar—"

Kenner's protest faded as the superhuman floated closer to him. The security detail readied their weapons, training them on the former hero, but Sunstar paid them no mind, keeping his eyes on the older man.

"Tell me, Mr. President," he began in a soft ominous tone. "Are you a believing man?"

Kenner looked at him, his eyes never leaving his face. Standing in front of virtually the entire population of the American people, he felt no shame or anger at being threatened by one of the fiercest heroes in the world, just a deep sense of conviction to not allow himself to give in. As powerful as Sunstar was, history had proven that power could only last for so long before it was taken or destroyed by those in opposition of the system. He had no doubt that one day, someone would rise up to fight against him and restore the chaos he had caused between the Enhanced and the regular people.

And so that was why there was no trace of fear in his voice when he spoke. "I am."

Sunstar's lips pulled back into a faint smirk, a spark of admiration in his eyes. "Good, because you're about to meet your God very soon."

As soon as the words left his mouth, his hand shot out and grabbed onto Kenner's forearm. Heat exploded through the older man's body, making him feel like he was burning from the inside out. As the security guards and his wife and daughter stood frozen in shock, Sunstar leaned forward and pulled himself closer to him.

"It seems your term has run its course, old man," he murmured into his ear. "A new leader is about to take your place, and he won't be as weak as you were."

Despite the heat coursing through his body, Kenner still had enough strength to smile, feeling strangely at peace. "We shall see, Sunstar. We shall see."

His statement wasn't just his final words. It was a bold claim, a challenge from the grave as his body exploded into a bright flash of light. When the light faded, all that was left of America's leader was a pile of ash.

As the crowd made collective sounds of shock and pain in reaction to the death of the president, the security guards surrounded the First Lady and her daughter and opened fire on Sunstar. It was a brave but foolish attempt at protection. The bullets bounced harmlessly off of the former hero as he blasted beams of light at each man, incinerating them one by one until there was no one left, leaving Mrs. Kenner and her daughter surrounded by nothing but ash.

Once he was finished, Sunstar turned to them, both women trembling and holding onto each other in shock, staring at him with teary eyes as they tried to process everything they had seen.

"Don't worry," the superhuman said, his voice ominously pleasant for the murders he had committed mere seconds  ago, "I made sure he didn't feel any pain."

He snapped his fingers, and as the sun dimmed for a third time and the shadows lengthened, the fallen heroes descended onto the crowd like crows on carrion.

〜✩〜

WHERE THERE WAS ONCE ORDER was now replaced by chaos. As the heroes started their attack, Maggie had no idea what to do or what was going on. Among the screaming and running, her mother had disappeared into the crowd, and she was left with her father doing his best to escape before they were trapped. What felt like a thousand questions burned on her tongue as he pulled her along behind him. What was going on? Why were all these heroes here? Why did Sunstar kill the president? And most importantly, where had her mother gone?

As much as her parents tried to hide it, Maggie was aware that something about her mother's job wasn't normal. Even though she spent a lot of time with her, she could remember times when she would suddenly leave their home, not coming back until late at night or even the next morning. Some days their fun activities would be cut short or her mother would disappear when they were around friends, only to reappear later with some sort of story behind her absence. It was all very suspicious and Maggie wanted to know why. Despite asking many times, her parents never told her what was going on, and this was one of those times where she wished she knew.

The golden necklace seemed to weigh on her neck like a heavy chain, and she used her free hand to reach up and touch it. Maybe if she held onto it, it would bring her mother good luck wherever she was.

As her father forced his way free of the crowd, the street appeared before them, full of people running frantically in different directions and police officers trying to direct them to safety. Among the chaos, the former heroes could be seen high in the sky, some attacking and others strangely not making a move. It was like they were silent sentinels, watching them to see what they would do.

Maggie only had a chance to snatch a glance at the sky before her father was pulling her across the street and towards a building, bringing her in front of him as they stopped on the steps.

"Stay here, Maggie," he said, placing his hands on her shoulders. "Stay here and don't move. I'm going to go help your mother."

The girl was still so confused and she couldn't understand it. There was so much happening around her that should have made her afraid, but she didn't feel scared. "Papa, what's happening?" she asked, still no fear in her voice. "What's going on?"

For a moment, her father's eyes filled with something akin to sadness. "I don't know," he replied, "but I'm going to find out."

Maggie swallowed, feeling her heart pound in her chest. Here it was, the thing that finally made her feel afraid. It wasn't the heroes or the panicked people around them or that Sunstar was now their enemy; it was the feeling of being separated from her father, the feeling that he was about to leave her like her mother had.

"But Papa—" she started to protest, but the man shook his head at her, shutting down any room for argument.

"No buts, Magnolia. You need to stay here." His voice was stern as he spoke, but despite his tone, the look in his eyes was sad as he reached out to take her little hands in his. Maggie stared at him, trying to memorize his face in all its details: the blue of his eyes, the shine of the circular glasses resting his nose, the once smoothly combed brown of his hair now falling out of place and over his forehead. She wanted to remember everything she could about him before he left, in case he didn't come back.

She forced the thought away before she could let it go too far. Of course he would come back for her, and her mother would come back too. There was no reason why they wouldn't. They were her parents; they wouldn't abandon her so easily.

"Please don't go, Papa." The words slipped out before she could stop them. "Please let me go with you. Please don't leave me."

Her father's eyes were full of pain as he shook his head again. "I know, sweetheart, but I have to. Your mother needs me." He took her face in his hands, his thumb stroking her cheek. "Promise me, Maggie. Promise me that you'll stay here."

The girl swallowed past her tightening throat, feeling warm tears start to fill her eyes. "Papa..."

"Please, Maggie. I don't want you to get hurt."

The pleading in his eyes was enough to convince her. Maggie nodded, blinking away her tears. "Okay."

"Good girl." Her father smiled, gently resting his forehead against hers for a moment before he let go of her face.

"I'll be back in a few minutes," he said. "Don't go out of sight of the police."

The girl nodded again, feeling him kiss the top of her head as he stood and hurried down the steps to the street, heading back not towards the crowd, but towards the Memorial. An anxious feeling made its home inside of Maggie's chest as she watched him get farther away. She had to stay put. Her father would come back for her. She had to stay.

But the farther he went, the more the horrible feeling grew. Something was about to happen and she couldn't bear to stay still. She had to do something. She couldn't let him go alone.

The girl looked around, seeing people running away around her. They were too busy to notice anything, much less a small child trying to sneak away.

And so Maggie made up her mind. She was about to break her promise.

Touching the pendant hanging from her necklace for good luck, she hurried down the steps and ran off in the direction of her father.

〜✩〜

WITH NO SECURITY LEFT TO PROTECT THEM, Mrs. Kenner and her daughter were easy targets. Of course, killing them wasn't originally part of the plan, but plans changed and they had seen too much already.

Sunstar had them cornered by the statue of Lincoln further inside the Memorial. A faint tickle spread through his body every time Claire fired blast after weak blast of energy at him, trying to do her best to protect herself and her mother. He had to admire her bravery. Much like her father, she wasn't about to give up so easily.

It was a shame they both had to die. He could have used someone like her on his side.

He started towards them, solar energy gathering in his hand, but a superhero suddenly landed in front of him, blocking his path. With the same muscular body as him, he was dressed in a costume similar to Sunstar's, only his suit was a maroon color instead of gold, a shimmering bronze V on the chest area. Tan boots and a tan cape finished the look. Under normal circumstances, the hero's handsome face would have been bright with a smile, his hazel eyes filled with kindness and warmth, but now his face was twisted in a threatening glare, his eyes dark with anger.

Sunstar stopped, straightening as he scoffed softly. "Vigilance," he said, his upper lip curling in disgust. "I should have known you would be here. If I must be honest, I thought you wouldn't have the guts to try to stand in my way, and yet here you are."

The mocking tone in his voice dropped as his eyes simmered with anger. "Now move, before I have to kill you too."

Instead of obeying, Vigilance only stepped closer to Mrs. Kenner and Claire, his eyes never leaving Sunstar as his face held its glare. "You know I can't do that, Sunstar," he replied, keeping the two women behind him. "After all..." His lips formed into a faint bitter smile. "I have to pick up the slack now that you've abandoned your job."

The other man clenched the hand full of energy into a fist, fury pouring off of him in waves. "Being a man of the people like always, I see. Would it kill you to think outside of playing hero for once and see the bigger picture?"

Without giving Vigilance a chance to answer, he continued, "Of course you won't. People like you never do unless you're clinging to the final thread, desperate to keep it from coming undone. You always were weak, always so obedient. You never really let yourself see anything outside of your duty of being a pawn for the H.S.S., nothing but a mockery to Enhanced people."

As Sunstar continued to rant, Vigilance's mind was clicking and turning with ideas. If he could keep his rival focused on him long enough, it would give the president's wife and daughter a chance to escape. All he had to do was buy more time.

"If by seeing the bigger picture," he said, trying to keep his voice uninterested to hide his intentions, "you mean becoming insane like you and thinking you have enough power to take on the world? I think I'll pass."

That seemed to do the trick. He watched as the former hero scowled fiercely, his eyes narrowing in annoyance. "You still refuse to understand," Sunstar replied in a slightly offended voice, "even after everything I've said and done today to reveal the hypocrisy of the H.S.S. to the public?"

Vigilance shrugged nonchalantly, keeping up his act of obliviousness. "What can I say? I've always been a little slower than you, but as much as it hurts to say, I guess I can be grateful for it. At least my head isn't full of delusions like yours."

Sunstar's reaction was proof that his words had struck a blow. His face twisted with rage, his eyes burning as the fistful of energy glowed brightly. "You idiotic fool," he snarled. "I've had enough of your pointless chattering. You'll pay for your ignorance once I'm done finishing off the rest of the president's family."

Allowing himself a quick glance over his shoulder, Vigilance looked at the two women behind him. "Get ready to run," he told them softly. Mrs. Kenner nodded, tightening her grip on Claire.

Turning his attention back to Sunstar, the man braced himself for the oncoming attack as his rival charged forward and threw his fist out to release the gathered energy, only for a shout to shatter the tension between them.

"Sunstar!"

A blast of blue fire suddenly came out of nowhere, slamming into the former hero's side. He stumbled, his energy beam hitting a pillar as he turned away from his targets with a snarl. Using his distracted state to his advantage, Vigilance spun and pointed outside the Memorial.

"Go now!" he shouted, and the two women hurried away, fleeing into the crowd. Now that they were safe, the man was free to attend to the matter at hand.

A new hero had entered the fight.

Dressed in a dark blue jacket with silver trim, a gray shirt, black pants and black boots, a woman with long blond hair hovered in the air, blue fire flickering around her hands and feet, a pair of fiery blue wings sprouting from her back. As she landed on the marble floor of the Memorial, the wings disappeared and the fire dissipated, revealing the black fingerless gloves on her hands.

Vigilance found himself smirking a little, feeling relief spread through his chest. Took you long enough, he wanted to say, but this wasn't the time or the place for quips and witty banter.

However, the woman surprised him by sending him a quick smile. "No snappy one-liner for me, Vigilance?" she said, raising an eyebrow. "You must really need my help then."

He  smiled back at her. "I thought it wasn't the right moment," he explained, "but if you want, I can think of something."

"And so the dynamic duo appears to stop me."

All companionable talk between the two heroes vanished as Sunstar spoke, the former hero hovering a little in the air to put distance between himself and them. "I'm glad you could join us, Blue Phoenix," he said, his voice echoing throughout the area. "I was wondering when you would show up."

Blue Phoenix frowned, all traces of friendliness gone from the woman's face as she glared at him. "I was off helping people, something you've seen to have forgotten when you swore a vow to protect them."

Sunstar sighed as he landed back on the floor. "Unlike you two, I've come to realize that oaths and vows are nothing more than chains meant to weigh you down. They appear to be binding, but with enough strength and persistence, any chain can be weakened enough to break."

"Just because it can be broken doesn't mean that it should." Vigilance exchanged a silent glance with Blue Phoenix, seeing the woman nod slightly in acknowledgement. He began to step to the side while she moved in the other direction, slowly circling around Sunstar. "You talked about wanting to make things equal in society for Enhanced people, but then you go and attack the same people you want to uphold. What does that say about your motivation?"

"My motivation doesn't matter. In time they'll understand," Sunstar replied. "Once they see what I can do for them, they will understand."

"Is that why you're doing all this?" Blue Phoenix questioned from her new position. "You wanted the power to change things, so you decided to take it by force rather than work with those around you to gain it?"

"The H.S.S. would have never understood my vision." The former hero's voice was sharp with anger. "They would have shut me down and locked me up if they had known." His face went cold as he continued. "I don't expect you to understand, but I did what I had to do to bring my plans into fruition, and now I must ensure that they stay that way."

He looked at the two heroes, raising his hand as another blast of solar energy started to build up in his palm. "Even if it means cutting ties with the past."

It was clear that the man could no longer be reasoned with. Despite not wanting to resort to violence, both Vigilance and Blue Phoenix knew that that wouldn't be possible. He was a high level threat, and he had to be dealt with now.

The two heroes lunged forward at the same time, attacking Sunstar head-on with all their power. The area around the statue of President Lincoln became a battleground. The white marble grew blackened and scorched from various blasts of fire and solar energy. Cracks snaked through the floor and the pillars of the Memorial became damaged from the heavy impacts of bodies slamming against them.

The fight itself was remarkable. With Vigilance using his many abilities and Blue Phoenix's fire attacks, as well as the many months of experience fighting alongside each other, they managed to battle Sunstar on equal terms. The fallen hero fought back through a series of blasts and physical strength, using some of his more heat-based abilities when up close. The people remaining around the Memorial watched in awe as the three clashed, never thinking they would ever see three of the most well known heroes battling each other.

If this day had ended any differently, good would have triumphed over evil and the world would still have been normal. But today was not that day. Today was the day that evil seemingly won and the world as humanity knew it would change forever.

Despite all of his power, Sunstar was getting badly beaten. Backed up against a corner, he glared at the two heroes, wiping a trickle of blood from the corner of his mouth.

"Is that it?" he gasped out in heavy breaths. "Is that all you've got?"

"That was us going easy on you," Vigilance said, a glare of his own on his face. "It was a warning. Stop this delusional chase for power. Call off the other heroes and turn yourself in to the H.S.S. for judgment."

"You've underestimated our will to fight back," Blue Phoenix added, her fire still flickering around her hands. "Surrender, Sunstar. Your plans to conquer the world are over."

For a moment, Sunstar looked at them in silence, and then, despite his now bruised and bloody appearance, he smirked.

"Oh, that's where you're wrong, old friends," he replied, his voice sounding too confident for his current state. "It's you who has underestimated me."

The two heroes wore mirror expressions of confusion until they realized what was happening, and by then it was too late. A heavy body slammed into Vigilance, sending him tumbling painfully to the floor. He tried to stand up, but he was quickly pinned down by his attacker: a big muscular hero who made him look like a twig in comparison.

Blue Phoenix wasn't faring much better. When she saw her friend in trouble, she started towards him, but she was stopped when Sunstar lunged forward and caught her off guard, grabbing the front of her jacket as he lifted her off the ground. The woman tried to struggle free, kicking out her legs in an attempt to break his hold on her. But the man's grip was too tight, not budging even when she tried to use her fire to burn his hand.

"There, this is better, don't you think? Now we can talk face to face." Sunstar looked at her with a smug smile, his eyes shining with an arrogant light. "You know, I was about to think that you two had me for a second. It was a very interesting fight, but a pointless fight despite your best efforts."

Blue Phoenix was still trying to escape, but there was nothing more she could do. Vigilance was incapacitated at the moment, and any of their fellow heroes were either too busy to help them or too afraid to fight against the might of Sunstar.

They were on their own.

"Are you going to kill us?" the woman spoke in a taunting tone, trying to buy herself some time as she thought of a way to free herself and her friend.

Sunstar shook his head in an almost mocking way. "Oh no, no, no. I'm not going to kill you, not yet anyway. I want to enjoy this little moment, because it's the last moment we'll ever share together as heroes." His smile turned almost psychopathic. "And then I'll kill you."

"Don't you dare—" Vigilance somehow found the strength to rise, but his threat was cut off by a cry of pain as the muscular hero pushed him harder against the floor.

Despair started to creep into Blue Phoenix's heart. There truly seemed to be no way out of this. There was nothing they could do. Sunstar had them caught in his trap, and it would only be a matter of time before he got rid of them like he promised. After everything she and Vigilance had accomplished together, this was how they finally died.

"Sunstar!"

The sudden sound of a familiar voice echoed through the Memorial. Sunstar turned, the woman still in his grasp, to see Maggie's father enter the area. His shoes clicked against the damaged marble floor as the man took in the scene of destruction, but once he spotted Vigilance being restrained and his wife in the clutches of the fallen hero, he froze, his face filled with shock and worry.

"Emilia."

His voice conveyed his emotions in a single word. He knew from experience that his wife was strong, but seeing her so defenseless and vulnerable filled his heart with fear. He knew what they were both risking every time they went to work, but now that idea, once distant, was slowly becoming a reality before his eyes.

"Everett Autumn."

Sunstar spoke his name with an undertone of disdain, still casually holding onto the woman. "Have you come to see me destroy what remains of your precious heroes? Come to watch as I change the world for the better?"

As much as he wanted to, Everett refused to take the bait to respond with anger. "Let them go, Sunstar," he said firmly. "Your war on the H.S.S. has nothing to do with them. If anything, it has everything to do with me."

The former hero snarled, shaking his head. "I don't think you understand," he snapped, shaking Emilia harshly with each word. "My 'war' is merely a means towards an end for Enhanced people. It concerns everyone in the H.S.S., including the heroes, including your wife and my archrival, including you." His lips twisted into a mocking sneer. "You were one of the H.S.S.'s top researchers of superhuman genetics, and even you didn't see what I was doing right under your nose. And now knowing that you could have prevented all of this if you had only bothered to look up once, you want to stop me?"

The man laughed, a sound that was both frightening and unsettling. "By all means, go ahead and try, Autumn. But we both know you're useless, and if you try to call for backup...Well, I think we know what the price will be."

Everett did indeed know what that price was. But even so, he knew he had to act, for the good of the people and the good of the world.

"I'll admit that you're right, Sunstar," he began, stepping forward slightly. "I was blind to your actions. You fooled us all so well that none of us saw it coming. But now that you've revealed yourself, now that your secret is exposed, people will try to stop you. Not everyone is willing to sit back and watch the world burn by your hand, including me."

The man kept his hands behind his back as he spoke, not wanting the fallen hero to see how badly they were trembling. Perhaps it was cowardice, but at this point he was desperate. The longer his wife remained in his grasp, the more time Sunstar had to decide what he was going to do with her.

He could only hope and pray that there would be a chance to prevent the worst from happening.

"And how will you do that, I wonder?" Sunstar tilted his head to the side like he was genuinely curious. "Most of your heroes are on my side or cowering in fear. Your forces are scattered and thinned, and what you do have isn't nearly enough to stop me." He used his free arm to gesture to Vigilance behind him and then to Emilia. "As I was telling them, the only way for me to completely begin my leadership is to destroy my ties with the past so that I can have a clear vision for the future. And that includes everything. Heroes, people, even you."

His voice took on a unexpectedly light tone. "And just so you understand, this is to keep you from thinking about rising up against me, now and in the future."

Sunstar's free hand started to glow, and before anyone could make a move to stop him, he fired a beam of energy through Emilia's stomach. A soft gasp of pain came from the woman, almost too quiet to be heard over the cries of horror from her husband and Vigilance. But even as she felt herself dying, she had enough strength left to throw her hand up and blast the fallen hero with a stream of blue fire, putting as much power and heat as she could into the flames.

And for what felt like the first time ever, Sunstar, the seemingly invincible champion of the people, was seen injured.

The man let out a scream, dropping the woman as he clutched the left side of his face, his hands covering the burning flesh. His moment of weakness and the hesitancy of his henchman was enough for Vigilance to break free from his captor with a roar of rage, tackling Sunstar as he threw him through the roof of the Memorial and into the sky. Everett ran forward to where Emilia lay, ignoring the possibility of being attacked as he knelt beside her, taking her in his arms as he begged her to live. His hands became stained with blood as he placed them over the smoking wound in her stomach, trying and failing to keep her alive.

He wasn't aware of the audience he had, for hiding behind a pillar, little Maggie Autumn had seen everything.

It felt like time had frozen for the girl. She was stuck behind the stone, blue eyes wide with shock. When she had seen her mother fall, a scream had formed inside of her, but now there was a tight choking feeling in her throat, a fist keeping her scream locked in and unable to come out.

"Mama."

Her lips formed the single word as it was spoken in a small gasp, mere moments before the shock overwhelmed her and she fell into a dead faint behind the pillar.

That small gasp was the only reaction she would have to her mother's death.

Perhaps it was mercy that Maggie didn't see what followed, for her little heart might have broken even more if she had. She didn't see the way her father slumped in defeat as he held her mother, crying softly as her fingers brushed against his face before her final breath left her lips, or how a group of men came to take him away from her body, head hung low and without any fight left in him. She wasn't aware of the way Vigilance battled against Sunstar with all the strength his rage could give him, hot tears pricking his eyes as he threw punch after punch, feeling like his heart would shatter under the weight of his grief. She didn't hear the cries and screams of the people as the rest of the villainous heroes fell upon them like locust, beginning their reign of chaos and destruction upon the world.

And she certainly didn't see the small blue flame that flickered to life at the edge of her fingertip, lasting only for a moment before it faded out.

〜✩〜

AS MAGGIE WAS WITNESSING THE DEATH OF HER MOTHER, something else was going on at the exact same time, for the moment that Sunstar killed Emilia Autumn was the moment Josie's hand slipped free of her brother's.

Alex spun around as fast as he could, horror racing through him when he realized his sister was no longer behind him. The people around him were running and trying to escape, but he had no thoughts of going with them, only of finding Josie. He started to push his way through the crowd, fighting to find an opening where he could see beyond the wave of bodies.

"Alex!"

The sound of Josie screaming his name made him move faster. With one last push, the boy emerged from the crowd, tripping over someone's shoe in his haste. Falling to the ground, he saw two men dressed in black holding onto his sister, pulling her towards a black van. Josie was struggling to get free, but she was smaller and weaker than them and there was no hope of her escaping.

Alex quickly scrambled to his feet, running as fast as his small legs could carry him towards the van. "Josie!" he screamed, catching both her attention and the attention of the men. He saw the girl try to run towards him, but she was held back as one of the men stepped forward with a gun in hand. The boy stumbled in fear, terrified by the sight of the weapon, and seeing his hesitation, the second man grabbed Josie by the arm and tossed her inside the vehicle.

"No!" Alex cried out, forcing himself to run again despite the man with the gun. Squeezing his eyes shut, he dodged to the left and ran around him, his legs still moving even as the man grabbed him and threw him to the side.

The boy tumbled to the ground, hearing his sister scream for him again, and looking up with a cough, he saw her staring at him with eyes filled with terror as the first man got into the van and started to close the door. The shrill cry of "Alex!" was the last thing he heard her say as the door slid shut and the van took off. Heart racing in his chest, Alex stood and ran after it, screaming for Josie with all his might. He made it as far as the end of the street before the van rounded a corner and disappeared from his sight.

Even though the girl was gone, he continued to scream for her until his throat was hoarse and his voice was nearly a whisper. Finally exhaustion led Alex to collapse beneath a tree, tears streaming down his face as he curled up and cried. He had failed to protect his sister before they could find their mother. She had been taken right in front of him and he couldn't do anything to stop it.

As the chaos continued around him, the boy fled from his resting place to find somewhere to hid. His face grimy with tears and dirt, he frantically searched for someone to help him, but with all the havoc the heroes were causing, the police were too busy making sure citizens were safe to help a small child. Eventually Alex followed a group of people into a small café, hiding himself behind the counter as he huddled inside a cabinet. Covering his ears in an attempt to block out the sounds of the destruction outside, he shut his eyes, a fresh wave of tears streaming down his face as exhaustion dragged him down into sleep.

〜✩〜

THAT DAY IN 2037 went down in history as the day Sunstar rose to power and destroyed society as humanity knew it. Lives were lost, families were torn apart, and after the destruction that went down in D.C., the villain's hand stretched across the globe as he and his followers, now known as the Rogues, continued to spread chaos and fear, with the H.S.S. showing their true colors by backing them. Some heroes who remained on the side of the people did their best to rise up against Sunstar, but their courage was ultimately for naught when he began to hunt down the leaders of the rebellion and anyone else associated with it, until those that remained surrendered to the H.S.S. out of fear for their lives.

That was the final straw. Knowing they no longer had a chance of fighting back, the heroes retreated and hid from the public eye, taking on civilian identities to prevent themselves from being found. The Rogues were vicious, defeating and killing any heroes they could get their hands on, and to use their powers now was a death sentence.

The time of superheroes had come to an end.

Slowly but surely, Sunstar's presence began to be felt in all corners of the world. As his reign of terror continued, the world governments started to worry. With the death of President Kenner, they knew that it would only be a matter of time before he came for them too, and without the heroes to protect them, their forces would be depleted all too fast all too soon. The vocal nonpowered people of their nations were starting to call for restrictions against the Enhanced, wanting some way to keep them in line even though there were many Enhanced who were just as scared as them.

Finally the protests of the people reached a climax. Fearing future rebellions just as much as they feared Sunstar, the world governments came to a conclusion. Every Enhanced person—man, woman, and child when they came of age—would be issued a special wristband that would tell them apart from a non-Enhanced person. The wristband would act as an identification for that person and their powers so that they could be easily found if needed.

With this idea, the governments took back some control over the situation as the wristbands were produced and sent out, and soon they had track of nearly every Enhanced individual. But this did more harm than good. Nerves already on edge because of Sunstar's betrayal, people began to hate the Enhanced even more because of their powers. Soon a divide was created between the Enhanced and the normal people, one built around the same notions and ideas that they would soon turn and attack like he had.

Two years after the wristbands were created, Sunstar and the Rogues mysteriously withdrew from the public and retreated back into the depths of the H.S.S., leaving destruction and ruin in their wake. Left to pick up the pieces, the world was forced to rebuild, and with the American government under the leadership of Kenner's vice president, he rebuilt the country from top to bottom. But now everything was different. Things became more restricted and regulated, police and low level heroes patrolling the streets at all times. The government had put itself back together as well, but it was composed of a bunch of paranoid men acting out the roles of politicians rather than actually working to repair the country.

The world picked itself up and rebuilt, but to many, it seemed as though it had been rebuilt wrong. Even though the government had been restored, Sunstar was still the leading force of power, and even though he wasn't seen as much as he had been back in the day, his presence was felt everywhere, like a menacing fog hanging over the people's heads.

In the year 2044, the world has changed much, and not for the better. Sunstar is still in power, the government gets more paranoid because of him every day and creates more restrictions and rules, and everyone is tired and waiting for something to finally happen.

And where are Maggie and Alex, you ask?

On that fateful day in 2037, little Maggie Autumn had been found lying behind that pillar at the Lincoln Memorial. She woke up a few days later in a hospital with no memory of her mother's death at the hands of Sunstar. The shock of seeing it happen had given her dissociative amnesia, and as such she had no idea that her mother was dead. All she knew was that her parents had gone somewhere without her, and she wouldn't find out about her fire powers until she accidentally used them to light the candles on a foster kid's birthday cake.

As for Alex, he had been found in the café by a woman, who was kind enough to bring him to the police. He explained what had happened and tried to get in contact with his mother, only to learn that his parents had been killed, leaving him and Josie orphans. In one last desperate attempt, he tried to convince them to find his sister, but with everything going on, the police had no idea where or how to find the men with the black van.

Maggie was eventually taken in by the Nestors, a married couple with both money and power to their name who lived in New York City. Despite knowing that she had powers and would be forced to wear a wristband, they thought that she would be a good addition to their family, if only to make them look more respectable in society. Meanwhile Alex ran away from his foster home to look for Josie, also ending up in New York City, where he was found by a group of scrappers who took him in to work for them.

The two kids now lead completely different lives, walking on different paths, but the time is coming when their paths will connect and their lives entwine. The time is coming for them to break free of the prisons that have kept them locked up and embrace their true destinies.

Because unknown to many, Sunstar's reign is reaching an end, and soon he will know just how many people are willing to rise up against him to take back their freedom.

And it all starts with Magnolia Autumn and Alexander August.

〜✩〜

a/n:

and so begins autumn and august! while they haven't officially met yet, maggie and alex have been properly traumatized and sent on their way to the beginning of their characters arcs. the world is messed up, the villain has won, and nothing will ever be the same again (at least for now). for those who are wondering, vigilance is portrayed by zachary levi. he'll be returning later on in this story, but for now he's gone from the narrative. theories on what might have happened to maggie's father? 

what do you guys think so far? let me know your thoughts and thanks for reading!