Arctic Tundra – The Aftermath of the Battle
Nolan coughed, the coppery taste of blood filling his mouth as he knelt in the icy crater. The fight had been over before it had even truly begun. He had thrown every ounce of his strength into attacking Mark, but his son had countered him with calculated precision, never once breaking a sweat.
Mark hovered above, arms crossed, his blue eyes glowing faintly against the white expanse of ice. The silence between them stretched, only the howling winds of the Arctic breaking it.
Mark finally exhaled, shaking his head. "I told you, Dad. You can't beat me."
Nolan's pride bristled, but he wasn't a fool. He had spent centuries fighting, conquering, and ruling—but never had he faced an opponent who had so thoroughly outmatched him. And that opponent was his son.
Still, he couldn't just accept this so easily.
"You're serious about this… coup?" Nolan rasped, wincing as he slowly stood. He pressed a hand against his ribs—definitely broken. His Viltrumite healing would fix it in time, but for now, the pain was a bitter reminder of his defeat.
Mark nodded, his voice firm. "Yeah. It's the only way forward."
Nolan let out a humorless chuckle, shaking his head. "You realize the empire follows the rule of the strongest, don't you? Even if we challenge Thragg, we don't know how strong he is. He's been the leader of the Viltrumites for thousands of years, and unlike me, he's never grown soft."
Mark smirked. "I think I'm strong enough already. I haven't even gone all out against you, and you're one of the strongest Viltrumites."
That made Nolan pause. Even now, in his beaten state, he could tell—Mark had been holding back. His attacks had been precise, but not ruthless. He had controlled the fight from beginning to end without exerting himself. It was terrifying to consider how much stronger Mark could still become.
"How do you plan to do it?" Nolan finally asked, crossing his arms despite the pain.
Mark landed in front of him, his expression calm. "I'm expecting a call from the Coalition of Planets soon. When they reach out, we'll use their support to issue a direct challenge to Thragg. He won't be able to refuse."
Nolan raised a brow. "You want to go through the Coalition? You really think they'll back two Viltrumites? They'd rather see us dead."
Mark shrugged. "Not if I present myself as their best chance at ending the Viltrumite threat for good."
A slow grin tugged at the corners of Nolan's lips. "Clever."
Mark gave him a knowing look. "You raised me to be smart."
Nolan exhaled heavily, rubbing his face. He still wasn't entirely sure how to feel about all of this. The idea of overthrowing Thragg had never even crossed his mind—he had been so focused on fulfilling his mission that he had never considered another way.
Mark extended his hand toward his father, a soft golden glow emanating from his palm. "Here. Let me fix you up."
Nolan tensed at first but then allowed Mark's magic to flow over him, rapidly knitting his wounds back together. The pain faded, and he could breathe easily again. He looked at his son, now truly realizing just how different he was.
They talked for over an hour after that, discussing how Mark would change the empire. He spoke of diplomacy, of uniting worlds under a banner of cooperation rather than fear. Nolan listened, quietly impressed by his son's vision, though part of him still held doubts.
After a while, Nolan frowned thoughtfully. "You know… what you're proposing isn't really a coup."
Mark blinked. "What?"
Nolan smirked. "It's more like a legitimate challenge for the throne. A real Viltrumite trial of leadership."
Mark scratched the back of his head, a little embarrassed. "Yeah, well… 'coup d'état' sounded cooler in the moment."
Nolan burst out laughing, the tension between them finally easing.
But then his laughter faded, and he looked down at his hands. A deep sadness settled over his features.
"I wish I knew this was an option before I did what I did," he muttered.
Mark felt a pang in his chest. "Dad…"
Nolan sighed and met Mark's gaze. "I killed the Guardians of the Globe, Mark. I wanted to weaken Earth's defenses before the empire came. And normally, I wouldn't regret it. I've had blood on my hands for thousands of years. But now… it feels wasteful."
Mark clenched his fists. He had already known, deep down, but hearing his father confirm it still stung. The Guardians didn't have to die.
"You still have to answer for that," Mark said quietly.
Nolan nodded. "I know."
"And Mom—"
"I'll tell her everything."
Mark studied his father's face. For the first time, Nolan truly looked… remorseful.
Without another word, they both took off into the sky, heading home.
XXX
When they walked through the front door, they found Debbie sitting at the dining table, clutching Omni-Man's bloodied suit in her hands.
Her eyes were red, a mix of anger and heartbreak swirling in them.
Nolan's stomach dropped.
She had found the suit.
"…Why?" she whispered.
Nolan swallowed hard. "Debbie—"
She stood abruptly, slamming the suit onto the table. "WHY, NOLAN?"
Mark stayed quiet, letting his father face this himself.
Nolan took a deep breath. "I need to tell you the truth."
And so he did.
He told her everything—about the Viltrum Empire, about his mission, about why he had killed the Guardians.
Debbie trembled as she listened, looking between her husband and her son. Her gaze settled on Mark. "Did you know?"
Mark's jaw tightened. "He told me the truth when we went out. And then I beat him down."
She glanced at Nolan's torn uniform and dried blood. Her rage dimmed slightly, replaced by confusion. "…What happened?"
Mark and Nolan explained everything—the fight, their discussion, their plan to challenge Thragg.
Nolan met Debbie's gaze, his voice softer than before. "I'm going to atone for what I did to the Guardians."
Before Debbie could respond, dozens of GDA agents suddenly uncloaked, weapons drawn.
Cecil teleported in, arms crossed, his expression unreadable.
Debbie turned in remembrance. "I called them when I found the suit."
Cecil stepped forward, eyes locked onto Nolan. "We knew it was you. We just didn't want to act unless you dropped your hero cover and went full-blown conqueror and whatnot"
Nolan met Cecil's gaze. "I'm not resisting. Do what you have to."
Cecil narrowed his eyes. "You're too strong to lock up. But if the Viltrumite Empire is coming, then your punishment is simple—you fight for us. You take orders. You protect Earth."
Debbie flinched. "You're not arresting him?"
"No," Cecil said. "But he'll be confined to his home when he's not on missions. And he'll be tracked at all times."
A GDA agent approached, placing a diamond-shaped tracking device onto Nolan's shoulder that stuck to his skin.
Nolan accepted the punishment without protest.
Cecil turned to Mark. "Make sure your father behaves. We'll be watching the skies."
Mark nodded. "Don't worry. This whole problem will be solved soon."
Cecil smirked slightly before teleporting away with his men.
As the awkward tension in the house settled, Mark took one look at his parents and muttered, "Welp. I'll let you guys talk amongst yourselves."
And then he zipped up to his room at super speed.
Debbie stared at Nolan, eyes still watery. "Was… was our life together a lie?"
Nolan stepped forward, gently taking her hands. "No. When we first met I was lying to myself, trying not to get attached. But you changed me, Debbie. You made me fall in love with you. And I'll spend the rest of my life proving it."
A fresh wave of tears spilled down Debbie's cheeks. Then, without hesitation, she pulled Nolan into a deep kiss.
Upstairs, Mark turned off his super hearing and gagged.
"Yuck. This is why super hearing sucks." He said with a green face.
.
.
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Author's Notes:
Be sure to check out my p*tr-eon where you get early access to my chapter and you'll be able to talk to me as I'm writing the story. You'll be giving me ideas I can incorporate into the story or feedback as I am a new writer so their make be plot points or mistakes that I haven't thought about. My p*tr-eon name is Bahgoat25.