Sky High After Dark: Legacy

"What I'm about to show you isn't going to be easy to watch but you all need to know who you'll be up against," Aron said, looking around the room at the best heroes the city knew.

"Won't you be there?" Isabel asked, quizzically.

"Yeah, but I'm not the hero here, that would be you all," Aron smirked at their grumbles.

"We've had this discussion before Aron, you are a hero," Vera nodded as she crossed her arms.

"No, I am not, I have too much blood on my hands to be called that," Aron stated shocking his family. "No one innocent, I assure you," he said, holding up his hand when they started to yell. "This is why I need you all, you all are the heroes here, not me. That heroes, and not an antihero, should be the ones who bring down this villainous group, masquerading as heroes, is a necessity." Seeing the fire in their eyes at the thought of anyone soiling the name hero.

"Okay, we'll discuss this dark side of yours later, fill us in on these people," Noah said, taking charge.

"Veil, tie into the TV and display all the files and videos we have taken in our investigation." Aron spoke into his phone.

"Yes, Void. Tying in now."

"Seven months ago I was asked to save two FBI agents that had uncovered evidence that one of the world's leading super teams weren't all that... heroic," Aron spoke seeing their eyes examining every piece of evidence that was displayed on the screen. "As you see here," playing the videos he had taken while he shadowed them while they committed their crimes, "their crimes range from extorsion, gun running, drugs, murder, and everything in-between. We were going to wait to move against them in two months when we learned of this," playing the video he had taken that night when he destroyed that religious cult, "what they were referring too, we don't know. All we know is if they're interested in it, it has to be something very dangerous," Aron outlined seeing the looks of hate in his family's eyes when they heard Atlanta stating they were going to kill him after the job was done.

"What's your plan?" Troy asked, in all seriousness.

"My plan, good question, do try to keep up," Aron teased to bring some levity to the situation. "Tomorrow at nine, the Mayor of Fides will be giving out an award to these core members. So far the rest of The Sovereign Crusaders have been cleared of any criminal wrongdoing. So should they join the fight, try not to hurt them too much. You all will be waiting close by until it's time to make your appearance. Carl, I'm relying on you to get everyone off the stage and to safety before the fight begins," he said, seeing his uncle nod. "Uncle Neil, you're powers make you resistant mostly to electrical powers, I have something that will help, but you'll be facing off with Dark Sin," Aron said, sending the data he had on her to his uncle's phone. "Dad, Isabel since you two can fly, you'll be taking on Atlanta," pointing at the woman on screen, "she doesn't have superstrength just flight powers," he stated, seeing them both nod. Filling in everyone except Tazia who opted to stay behind and care for Aminah and the children while they were away. "Okay, everyone grab what you need, and meet down in the base. We leave for Fides first thing," Aron spoke in a commanding tone.

"You'll be safe won't you?" Aminah asked once Aron carried her back to their room.

"Always, I have a son and daughter who're going to need someone to knock around in the next few years," Aron said sweetly, as he laid her on their bed.

"Can you win against him?" Tazia asked, sinking down onto the edge of the bed.

"Can't say, haven't seen him go all out yet. It might come to a point where I have to kill him to stop him or he kills me," Aron said, referring to Maximins.

"You say it like it doesn't bother you anymore," Aminah said, with a worried tone.

"They're villains, they need to be stopped one way or another. I do what's needed to be done. If sometimes that means I have to kill them to stop them, then so be it. One less villain in the world makes the world safer," Aron said sternly, peering down at the two of them.

"Promise us that you won't go too far down that path where we can't be together anymore," Tazia spoke, tears reaming her eyes at the thought of having to fight against the father of her children.

"Never going to happen, I have you all," Aron said, with a warm smile.

"You best remember that," Aminah stated to which Tazia firmly nodded along. "Come give us a kiss before you have to go," she said, holding out her arms to him.

Aron stood in the doorway of his room, his eyes running over all four of them. Knowing the upcoming battle would test him to his very limits of what his body could endure. His knuckles popped as he clenched his left fist. He was going to return home. He wasn't about to fall, he had too much to lose.

Seeing his family standing around with their bags packed waiting for him as the elevator doors rolled open. Knowing he had made the right choice in bringing them into this. He knew if he went alone in this fight he would be hard pressed to win it or even survive it for that matter. Their foes were just too skilled to rely on simply his strength to see him through.

"We're all ready, Aron," Vera said, as they all donned on their costumes.

"Follow me, I have something that will help. Troy you remember our conversation on the roof of the hospital?" Aron asked, leading them all to the armory that he had kept sealed from them.

"Yeah."

"Well, I thought if you all were going to help out, I best make sure you all come back in one piece," Aron said, over his shoulder. "Veil, unlock hanger ten," he ordered.

"Yes, Void. Disengaging protocols and unlocking the armory."

"Armory?!" They all gasped from behind him.

"Yeah, had to have some place to store my more lethal inventions so you or the kids don't accidently set them off," turning to face them as the double doors began to roll open behind him, "ladies and gentlemen I give you, your upgrades," Aron said, holding his arms out to his sides as ten mannequins appeared. Each holding an item he had built himself that would either boost their powers or enhance their fighting abilities with their hero names on the base of each and every one of them. Seeing the stunned expressions on their faces as he smiled at them. "Go on, try them on," he said, stepping out of the way.

"Aron when... how did you make these?" Vera asked, slipping her hands into the gloves that were the only items on hers.

"A lot of late nights, I did tell you I'd bring you in," Aron said, looking at Troy who was staring oddly at the two bracelets in his hands like Isabel was doing. "Yours, Mom, let's you use your full strength without worrying about damaging those pretty little hands of yours," he stated seeing his mother rapidly blush at his compliment.

"Did you test them out yourself?" Vera asked, feeling some sort of metal protecting the back of her fingers and hands.

"Veil, bring up file footage of test number two," Aron spoke peering up at her camera. Seeing them turn towards the screen to their right as Veil powered it on.

"Test number two, at hundred percent strength, we'll see if the Neuium lining in the gloves can handle the force of the impact. If not we'll start over again."

"Yes, Void. The system is ready. You may begin when you're ready."

Their jaws dropped as Aron struck the solid steel weighted block that stood over eight feet tall in part of the base they've never seen. Watching it just flying backwards like the thing weighed nothing. Hearing it crashing against the giant springs that were ment to cushion the impact.

"Veil, what was the newtons at the point of impact?" They noted how Aron was studying his right hand as he asked that.

"533,786.59 newtons."

"So roughly sixty tons."

"Yes."

"Do you detect any damage in the glove?"

"No. The Neuium has held up like you suspected."

Aron wore a cocky smirk when they all just peered back at him in stunned shock. "What? I'm super strong, it shouldn't be that much of a surprise. So you shouldn't have a problem with them failing you during battle," he stated, seeing his mother wishing to test them out. Holding up his hands, feeling the base shaking at the impacts her fist delivered to his hands.

"When we get back you better fuck me with all your strength," Vera whispered heatedly into his ear before kissing him as her sign of her gratitude for the gloves.

"Aron, bro, what are these things?" Troy asked, holding up the bracelets.

"They amplify your powers, like the ones Isabel has," Aron stated truthfully.

"Really?!"

"Really," Aron nodded, "although, I don't know how you're going to take how you need to do a certain pose like this," striking the weirdest pose he could, "and say Iceman, glacialize. And Isabel you have to do this pose," mimicking her fondling her boobs and running his tongue along his upper lip, "and say Firelight, incinerate! To get them to activate," Aron spoke seeing how his other family members were fighting back their laughter at his antics and Troy's and Isabel's horrified looks.

"You're fucking with us, aren't you?" Isabel asked to which Aron burst out in laughter.

"Yeah, but you should have seen your faces, priceless!" Aron retorted dodging the fireball she threw at him. "Temper, temper," he teased only to feel an ice ball smack him in the face.

"Asshole," Troy grumbled to which Isabel agreed. "So really how do we use them?"

"Slide them onto your wrist, you can choose your own activation word, I just used activate as a default. But your powers need to be activated for the bracelets to function properly." Watching his siblings doing just that, watching the nano-amplifiers circling around their wrist when they spoke the word.

"What does it do, Aron?" Isabel asked, noticing how her flames weren't harming the device.

"Amplifies and widens the field of range your powers on their own couldn't reach. Depending on the circumstances lengthens your range as well," Aron spoke in a matter-of-fact tone.

"And this Aron, what are these for?" Noah asked, studying the items that were still attached to the mannequin before him.

"Given that you only have flight powers, it's to reinforce your limbs that you use to strike with, so you don't injure yourself needlessly. Also enhances your strength while you wear them. It won't give you super strength, but it will put you over the top with those that do not have it." Noah nodded in understanding.

"What's this, Aron?" Neil asked, staring oddly at the egg-shape device that was held onto the chest of his mannequin with six wires.

"Told you I had something for you to combat Dark Sin, this is it." Producing a two toned whistle activating the device watching it come to life and bringing its tiny feet around and leaping onto Neil's chest. "Relax it won't harm you," Aron said, keeping his chuckle to himself as Neil tried to bat the thing off.

"Then what the Hell is it for?!"

"It will store all the electrical attacks that land on you and sends an opposite electric charge back to your opponent, hopefully shorting out their powers for a limited time," Aron said, seeing Neil's smile widening at that.

"But how do I get this thing off?" Neil inquired peering down at it.

"Just tap the top and tap it again to reattach it." Aron watched as the rest of them tried out the gadgets he hand made for them. "We all set? Good," seeing them nod once they left the armory, "Veil, seal and lock the armory down."

"Understood, closing and reactivating the protocols."

"Let me change and I'll meet you in the air," Aron said, seeing his family nod before walking off to the changing room where he stored his primary suit.

Chapter Nine

"Today marks the tenth anniversary of the founding of The Sovereign Crusaders. I'm, Marili McGee, and with me today is a special guest from the morning show in Metaville where they have their own hometown heroes. Beth Turner. So, Beth, how is your stay in our fair city?" Tazia was on edge as she sat cross legged beside her sister as she fed Nettie. Chewing on her nail, knowing soon Aron and the others would be in for a fight. Looking down when Aminah's hand filled hers, feeling how she too was on edge as they watched.

"Fides is a nice city, but nothing compares to Metaville."

"I hear our two cities share something in common. Tell our viewers of your thoughts on this Void character. We don't have much in our records about him."

"Void's first appearance in Metaville was nearly a year ago. Where he came to the aid of The Phantom Marvels, that's the hero team based in Metaville, when they were battling a giant robot that just showed up from nowhere! As fast as they dismantled that thing Void vanished into the ether. He wasn't seen again, until one night a fire broke out in a skyrise trapping nearly two dozen people on the top floors. With the help of Void, The Phantom Marvels managed to save everyone inside. His exploits kept growing over time. We in Metaville can say Void is definitely one of ours!"

"I hear he finally gave your show an interview as brief as it was."

"Yes, he did," Tazia noted how Beth nodded to that, "Void is a man of few words, yet that just enhances his mysterious vibe that I know drives some of the ladies in Metaville crazy." Tazia fumed in jealousy when both women chuckled at that.

"What's that? The Mayor has arrived?! Excellent! Everyone please be patient as we go to the live feed in the city square." Tazia's heart raced, knowing the time has come.

"Good people of Fides, It's my great honor to present these eight heroes..."

******

Fides, real time...

"Pardon the interruption. I'll be taking over the airways for a moment," Aron said, standing on the runner of his jet bike high above the city square. Noting the hordes of civilians, along with agents both NSA and FBI mixed in in plain street clothing. "But are they really heroes?" he asked, hacking into the giant TVs that were all around the place. "Is this what heroes do?" Transmitting the videos of every vile act they had committed through the NSA satellite in orbit to show the world they all had been lied to. "Do heroes, kill, smuggle drugs, people, steal, run their own crime syndicate? No, they are no heroes," Aron said, stepping off the runner. His coat flapping behind him, the asphalt cracked and buckled as he landed ten feet from the stage. "Carl, you're up, once you're done, help get the people out of harm's way," he directed once he activated the voice dampeners as he rose to his feet. Before anyone could blink an eye the Mayor and those with him were zipped away thanks to the vest he had created to muffle the sonic boom Carl produced when he broke the sound barrier. "They are only villains."

******

"Is this true, can we verify any of this?!" Tazia squeezed Aminah's hand as the woman's frantic voice was played over the videos that Aron had showed them the other day.

"This is Void we're talking about! Of course, it's verified!"

******

"I had such high hopes for you," Maximins sighed.

"I don't work for villains, I kill them," Aron said, darkly.

"So, little hero, you think you can stop us?!" Maximins gloated tossing the podium out of the way.

"I'm no hero, that's why I called the real heroes," Aron stated, as his family made their grand entrance. "Take them down!" he ordered before launching himself at Maximins.

******

"If you're just tuning in. An epic battle between The Phantom Marvels and the core members of The Sovereign Crusaders has begun! We don't know all the details, or why this Void would turn..."

"Void didn't turn on anyone!" Beth cut in. "Void is the hero! We all saw it. The Sovereign Crusaders are the villains."

"Now Beth, we don't know that," Marili cut in, "for all we know this Void character fabricated those videos!" As those last words left her lips the signal from the station simply cut out.

"No, no, no!" Tazia leapt from their bed when only the silent videos were playing on screen.

"Help me up, we need to get down there..."

"No, you're staying put, I'll get Veil to tie into my phone," Tazia stated before dashing out of the room.

******

Aron grunted in pain as Maximins sent him flying. "Damn, it's like getting hit by a dump truck!" he groaned in his mind. Hearing the people in that office scrambling to get to safety as the masonry dropped on to his head when he was slumped on the floor.

"Void, this isn't a time to hold back. Otherwise you will die."

"I know," Aron hissed pushing himself off the floor.

"You have no hope of winning this fight. I'm stronger, faster, and I have something you don't I can fly," Maximins taunted as he floated before the gaping hole Aron had made when he crashed through the side of the building.

"Veil, start the sequence," Aron said, knowing she would know what he meant.

"It hasn't been fully tested yet. Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Understood." Aron's footfalls thundered as he ran towards Maximins.

Maximins' eyes held shock when Aron took him by the throat having anticipated that he would dodge Aron's lunge only to be held in Aron's steel-like grip. The force of the concussion wave shattered windows, sent cracks racing across the pavement and sidewalks as the force of the slam formed a crater around him. However, the blow weakened the substructure of the ground below them sending them both falling into the subway tunnels below.

******

"Keep them alive if you can help it, we aren't the villains here," Vera ordered dragging her now unconscious foe towards the line of police, FBI agents and Agent Honeybell.

"Right." Was their only response in her ear.
"Thank you, for the assistance Vemvendon you're presence here is most helpful," Sara said, as her men dragged the now powerless Rotoicker towards the prisoner transport. "How are your other team members fairing?"

"Just fine," Troy and Neil spoke in unison as they dumped their villains, alive, at Sara's feet. Turning around as the sound of shattering glass and crushing metal resounded behind him.

Noah wiped away the blood from his lip as he stared down at the woman that threaten to kill his son. Noting how she tried to get up before passing out in pain. Now he could understand Aron's thinking on ending villain's lives. Yet he wasn't like his son, he just couldn't cross that line no matter how tempting it was.

"We have more villains to stop, let's wrap this up and lend Void a hand," Noah said, seeing them nod before returning to the fight.

******

"You think you can stop me!" Maximins shouted as he pushed Aron through the feet of soil, gas mains, electrical conduits, the sub-base of the road, and finally through the pavement itself. His fist striking Aron square in the chest sending Aron flying backwards into a parked car which skidded sideways into the building stopping Aron's heart cold.

"Void! Void! Father!"

******

"No!" Tazia and Aminah shouted when they heard the flat tone of the heart monitor.

"Don't you die on us!" Tazia screamed at her phone.

"You promised, you promised you'd come back! Don't you end it here!" Aminah pleaded with Aron to wake up.

******

"What the..." Aron stammered after Veil brought him back to life with the built-in defibrillator.

"You were dead for thirty seconds. I was forced to defibrillate you."

"Dead?! Let's not do that again," Aron muttered as he got to his feet. Noting that Veil had activated the voice dampeners

"Agreed."

"While you were napping hero, look what I found," Maximins sneered cruelly as he held a child no older than eight behind her neck. "Nah-uh, hero, one wrong move and I'll snap her pretty little neck. You might have ended my group, might have put a dent in our activities. Yet I can build that back up, no one on this Earth has the power to stop me! I am, Maximins, the pinnacle of what a super powered being is! I will not have some upstart thinking he can take me down!" he roared.