Published at 13th of November 2026 12:20 pm

Chapter 65 Retribution (M)

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MILES POV:

My name is Eryk Blakely, and I am a seventeen-year-old university student.

The words bounce around inside my head like a F1 driver tumbling in a rumble cage. He's so young. Seventeen years old and he's accomplished so much. Comparison is the thief of joy, but I can't help it. When I think about where I was in life, what I was doing, and how I acted when I was his age, I feel ashamed. I was nothing, no one; heck, I'd still be if not for him. I'm over twice his age and haven't accomplished half of what he has.

The man, the kid, standing in front of me is Nobody. The man who declared he would help me burn the Union to the ground, the masked man manipulating the downfall of established Cowls and Capes like it's nothing, isn't old enough to vote. This is the Cowl who has his sights set on Quinstin and will do whatever it takes to make it his. How would the criminal underworld react if they learned the one giving them so much trouble, and destroying them from the shadows, was just a boy? Hah.

I've always respected him; he earned it rightfully by changing the trajectory of my life so drastically, but that was before knowing his age. Curiosity is an inherent trait of people, so obviously I've speculated about his true identity. Many nights have Tuesday, and I theorized who our mysterious leader could be. Politician, criminal progeny, illegitimate heir to a business mogul, and everything in between. But not once did we guess he could be an underage college freshman. Yet, it's true, because why would he lie? Nobody has no reason to deceive me; it would be a waste of effort and time for him. This is undoubtedly him. So his real name is Eryk Blakely. I am thankful he trusts me enough to share this with me. How many of the others already know? Tuesday doesn't, but Vivienne and Isaiah definitely do. Does Rorschach know? Or Kai? There's no way Ezekiel knows, right? I'm not saying I deserve to hold the same place of honor as those who joined before me, but I can't help but envy those who met him earlier.

Miles, Nobody said, snapping me out of my daze.

Sorry, I'm listening. You need me to mentor this young woman who is a friend of your civilian self; I can manage that easily. Is there anything I should keep from her besides the Cowl side of my mission? I asked.

Share your story freely; it'll be good for her to know she isn't alone and that someone else has suffered under the current administration of the Heroes' Union. She is angry, Miles, at me, at the world, at the Union; she's a bundle of rage that is eventually going to do something she can't afford to. Your job is to guide her and make sure she doesn't give in to her more self-destructive tendencies. I know you can do it, Nobody said matter-of-factly.

I won't let you down, I promised.

Good. I'll text you her phone number, and you can schedule a meeting with her. I haven't decided on what powers to give her yet, but I'll make sure I tell you first, Nobody said, before turning around to head back inside. He stops, holding a hand up before turning back around to me. If this works, Miles; if you can truly teach and develop her, then maybe we can look into creating a team based around you.

It's been a week since my rooftop meeting with Nobody; a week since he gave me my next mission and a chance at something I never thought I wanted: leading a team of superheroes. God, I'm so excited I could shout. Flying past the clouds above the city, I decide to let out a shout.

WAHAHOOOOOOOOOO!

I do a barrel roll through a cloud, letting my fluorescent wings of light flare out before diving down into the city. The sun is shining over downtown Quinstin, people are out, and the city is starting to heal from Ares' attack. The massive crater looks even worse from up high. Wherever that snake is hiding, Nobody and I will find him and bring him to justice. I spot an alleyway close to my real destination, drop down into it, and dismiss the wings I created. I emerge onto the street, snow crunching beneath my boots as I make my way over to Les Bean, the coffee shop that Nobody's friend chose to meet at. My peacoats collar whips in the wind, my hair flowing along with it. I turn a corner and use the crosswalk to get there.

Stepping inside, I'm struck by two immediate things. One, I am the only man here; there are some masc-presenting individuals, but I'm the only guy. Two, this place is the coziest cafe I've ever been in. It's all roasted beans, baked pastries, and evergreen trees. There's a rainbow of colored hair, and plenty of beautiful people. This place is such a vibe. Tuesday would love it here. I scan the various patrons until I see the Southeastern college-aged girl with long black hair and wearing sunglasses indoors. She's sitting in a booth by herself, nursing a steaming cup of coffee with a strawberry cream cheese Danish that only has two bites taken out of it, sitting on a plate. She's scrolling on her phone, occasionally typing out a response to a message.

I stroll over to her table, making sure to stay within her line of sight. Don't want to surprise the poor girl after what she's been through. I did my research into her background after Nobody assigned her to me. Single-parent household. One of the survivors of the New Farford Massacre, a previous Heroes' Union Probationary Member, and recently Virtue killed her friend. I tap the table to get her attention.

Mind if I join you? I asked nicely.

Depends, she replied.

On?

On whether you're the man I'm here to meet, she answered.

You are Aubrey, correct?

Yes, but how do I know you are who you say you are? She questioned.

I conjure a small orb of fire, solidify it, and then roll the ball across my knuckles before tossing it into the air. I grab it midair and crush it, showing nothing in my hand.

Does that sufficiently prove I'm who you're here to meet? I asked. I'm Miles, but you know me by my other name, Atonement.

Alright, take a seat, she said, flicking her head at the opposite booth. Cute trick; I'm sure it keeps you warm in this wonderful weather.

I don't mind winter; even without the powers, the cold never bothered me anyway, I responded.

Yeah, anyway, you took your sweet time getting here. Eryk told me you were going to help me get rid of the Union, she said quickly.

He wasn't kidding about her personality; she's abrasive and blunt. This is going to be like working with a mini Rorschach, isn't it?

Whoa, slow down there. I know that isn't what he told you. The only reason I agreed to this was out of respect for him and what he's done for me. Today, I'm going to get a feel for you, and maybe we will do some training, but if I don't think you're a good fit for what I've been doing, then I'll call it off, I countered.

She looks like she's about to complain, but she intelligently decides to clamp down on that impulse. Forget Rorschach, it's almost like Tuesday. I'm not going to compromise on my standards. If she wants to be a hero, a true hero, then she will need to meet my criteria and pass my tests. That is the only way I can be sure that I haven't made a mistake with teaching her. I won't be like the Union; I will not settle for less than perfection.

Now, I have some questions for you, I said, waiting to see her reaction before I continue. She isn't pouting, just watching me intensely. Why do you want to be a hero?

Because I grew up reading the exploits that the Supreme Six got into, and I've always loved the idea of a hero. Saving people, stopping ciminals, and helping my community are admirable actions. To willingly put yourself in danger to protect those who can't protect themselves is the mark of the courageous. I planned on joining the BNA after college because I thought it was my best chance to be able to help people. And after what happened to my graduating class, my aspirations solidified even further. When I woke up and thought I triggered, I was ecstatic that I wasn't going to have to be content with becoming a BNA Agent. Phoenix recruited me into the Heroes' Union, and I thought my dreams had come true. I was so happy that something good had come out of that awful tragedy, but that's before I knew better. Before I knew that the Union wasn't what I thought it was, she said sadly.

I'm sorry you had to learn firsthand how fallible the Union is. I triggered when I was a bit older than you are, and I too thought it was my chance to become a hero. But my power had changed me physically, and I wasn't one of the fortunate ones who still looked human. I had been transformed into a humanoid jellyfish man covered in fleshy ribbons. That didn't matter to me; I still applied to join the Union because Titania had proven that you didn't have to look human to be a hero. When she was revealed to be my interviewer, I was so happy to finally meet a kindred soul, I pause as the emotions threaten to overwhelm me. Then the wool was pulled from my eyes as she told me I was unmarketable and that the Heroes' Union couldn't risk the backlash from having a member look so monstrous. She said that if I had been a Shifter it wouldn't have been a problem, because then Id still be brand friendly. She failed me, turned me away because I was too ugly for them.

Without meaning to, my voice has risen several levels as I told this girl my story. She looks shocked, appalled even at hearing what I went through.

Titania did that? She asked softly.

Yep, and it crushed me. Whether she wants to be or not, she is one of the faces for Neuvohumans with mutations. But if your mutation affects how attractive you are, then you can't be a hero. It is despicable that they sully the sanctity of the institution with their reprehensible actions. Thats why I'm so dedicated to the mission; it's personal for me. I need to be better than they ever were; I need to show Quinstin what a true hero looks like. You have to remember, Aubrey, that no matter what happens, that the Union is rotten to the core. The necrotic branches can't be pruned; it can only be burned down to let new life grow from the ashes. You have to decide whether you want to be the match or the kindling, I said passionately.

Its stupid to say, but I didn't think anyone else knew what I've been going through with the Union. The favoritism, vanity, and political maneuvering have likely left many more victims we don't know about, she said.

I'm not sure if it's wise to tell you this or not, but you know Ares' attack? The nuke he used? I asked.

Yeah; it's the worst tragedy to ever happen on American soil, Aubrey responded immediately. And if it weren't for you, then the casualties would be even higher. Ive heard some of the Union Capes talk about it.

I almost stopped it. Ferrol and Ares were destroying the city with their fight when I arrived. I stopped them and was in the process of stopping the fight nonviolently when KnickKnack and the others showed up. Technovore blasted me out of the sky, and then Chase tackled me. This allowed Ares to set off the nuclear device, resulting in so many innocent people dying, I snarled angrily. I completely outclassed Ares. I would've stopped him; I could've stopped all of this.

They didn't tell us that, Aubrey gasped quietly.

Of course not; why would they admit to their failure? I was barely quick enough to cover Chase and able to absorb all the kinetic energy and radiation; there's no telling what would have happened if I hadn't proved capable of that, I admitted.

Wait, you didn't know that you could do that? You tried to soak up a nuke and protect the people who caused it to go off without knowing if you would even survive it? She asked me incredulously.

Of course I did. A true hero doesn't flinch when faced with death or balk at the first sight of danger. A true hero locks in and gets the job done. There's no cost I wouldn't pay in the pursuit of restoring the faith the people in this city have in heroes. Crooked Capes and Cowls alike have been allowed to ravage the city, profiting off the parts they carve out of her like organ traffickers. Politicians and police uphold the status quo even though the infection is clearly taking over. I will be the scalpel that cuts out the cancer, the mallet that crushes rats, and the light guiding these people toward a better tomorrow. I will bridge that gap that now divides us all and wipe the slate clean. The Heroes' Union crafted the circumstances that led to me, so I have become their Atonement, and if that doesn't work, I shall be their retribution.

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