Mark soared through the vast expanse of space, his body weightless yet completely in control of every movement. He had dreamed of what it would feel like to fly through space with his own body in his past life, and now, as he followed closely behind his father, the reality was even more surreal than he had imagined.
There was no friction, no resistance, just an endless void stretching infinitely in all directions. He didn't feel anything surrounding him, didn't hear anything besides his own thoughts and his father's presence beside him. Space should have been cold, suffocating—but his bioelectric aura shielded him from all of it, keeping him insulated from the harshness of the vacuum. Though, he knew his body could withstand the harshness on its own.
Yet, something about how he was flying made him pause.
He wasn't even actively using his bioelectric aura to propel himself forward. His natural viltrumite flight was creating leverage that carried him effortlessly, allowing him to maneuver at speeds unimaginable to humans. But how exactly was that possible?
He pondered over it. Just how did Viltrumites fly? Unlike Kryptonians, who manipulated the solar energy within their bodies to create a pseudo-telekinetic aura around themselves, Viltrumites didn't need sunlight or any external force. They simply moved. As if gravity and inertia bent to their will.
He focused inward, analyzing the sensation of flight while still keeping pace with his father. His theory? It probably came down to Viltrumite smart atoms. Maybe they subconsciously manipulated their personal gravitational and magnetic fields at all times, allowing them to move effortlessly through space. Perhaps they even altered their density on a whim, increasing their weight when needed to add more force to their attacks or gain more momentum. This could explain how they could shift directions mid-air without an external force or how they applied pressure to thin air, as if creating invisible surfaces to push off from.
It was just a theory, but it made sense.
Something to think about later.
Right now, he had a beating to dish out to a couple of Viltrumites.
He refocused his senses. They were approaching the Viltrumite ship, an ominous behemoth stationed near one of Neptune's moons. He saw four figures exit the ship, all clad in traditional Viltrumite uniforms—white with the men having their signature mustaches standing proudly over their hardened expressions.
Mark recognized them.
General Kregg. Thula. Lucan. And Anissa.
He silently assessed them. His father could definitely handle both Thula and Lucan on his own, but if Anissa or Kregg assisted as well, it would tip the battle in their favor. As for himself? He would have no trouble dealing with practically all four of them on his own.
Before reaching the ship, Mark casually lifted his hand and snapped his fingers, casting a two-way telepathic link between him and his father.
"Dad, this link should help us communicate since we don't have the coalition communication implants".
Omni-Man tilted his head slightly, feeling the connection before nodding. "Impressive. That's magic, isn't it?"
"Yep. Useful, huh?"
"It is". Nolan's gaze hardened as he studied the approaching Viltrumites. "How do you want to handle this?"
"We talk first", Mark replied. "But if they don't listen? We beat the crap out of them. Like how I did to you".
Nolan grunted. "Normally, I'd tell you to fight to kill, but in this case… you're probably right. They won't go down easy, but you're much stronger than me. Just make sure you put them down hard. Viltrumites can heal from wounds that would incapacitate or kill a normal human".
"Got it".
The two of them came to a stop in front of the four Viltrumites, both sides floating in the void of space.
Kregg was at the forefront, his arms crossed over his broad chest as he regarded Nolan with an unreadable expression.
"I have heard many tales of the great Nolan Grayson," Kregg spoke through his telepathic transmission implant, his voice laced with disappointment. "Centuries of battle. Planets conquered. And yet, this is how you want your legacy ends? As a traitor?"
Mark narrowed his eyes, but he let his father speak first.
Nolan met Kregg's gaze unflinchingly. "Yes. I defected. And there are many reasons why."
Kregg glanced at Mark. "Because of him?"
Nolan didn't hesitate. "Yes. And because I learned to appreciate Earth's way of life in a way I never did on other planets. I fell in love. I had a son. And I couldn't bring myself to destroy the world where I found those things."
Lucan let out a snarl, his muscles tensing. "Traitor!" he spat, preparing to lunge.
Kregg snapped out his arm, gripping Lucan's shoulder with a silent warning glare. The younger Viltrumite stiffened but obeyed.
Kregg turned back to Nolan, his tone almost understanding. "Return to your duties, and you will be spared. Given your wife's… ability to produce what is essentially a pure-blooded Viltrumite, we may even allow you to keep her."
Nolan's eyes darkened. "That won't happen. Earth is her home. She would be sad if it were conquered. And I refuse to let you take it."
Kregg shifted his focus to Mark. "If Earth's people are truly compatible with Viltrumite DNA, then they are a necessary asset to the Empire's survival. The planet must fall under our control."
Mark's patience was wearing thin. "You don't have to conquer it."
Anissa, who had been silent until now, finally spoke. "According to the data you sent us, Nolan, this planet is riddled with wars, disease, corruption, and stagnation. Under Viltrumite rule, it would thrive. It would become something greater."
Mark scoffed. "And in return, you'd strip them of their free will. You'd enslave them and prevent their progress."
He stared at Anissa directly, his tone sharpening. "You ever wonder why the Viltrumites are weak right now? Why the empire fears outsiders knowing how low our population is? Because eventually, you'll meet a threat you can't beat. You guys are stuck in the past, but humans? They evolve. They adapt. And given time, they could become even better than the empire."
Case in point, Robot in the comics who secretly ruled Earth making it better, and Dinosaurus who had many good ideas even if he went about them wrong.
Anissa narrowed her eyes.
Mark continued, pushing his advantage. "The Empire is vulnerable. You barely have fifty of you left, and the Coalition of Planets is growing stronger. Sooner or later, you'll face a threat you can't defeat."
He let his words sink in before delivering the final blow. "That's why I plan to take over as the new leader of the Viltrumite empire."
The silence was palpable.
Then, Lucan snapped.
"You think you can take over the Empire?! That's treason!" He shouted.
Mark shrugged. "I mean, yeah."
Lucan lunged towards Mark, but Nolan moved.
In a blur, he intercepted Lucan, driving a fist into his throat. Lucan choked, eyes widening, before a backhand sent him flying.
Thula shot forward, weaving around Lucan's flying body with grace. Her fists became a blur as she threw a barrage of precise, rapid punches aimed at his face, throat, and ribs.
Thula was fast.
She struck hard, her hits sending sharp jolts of pain through Nolan's muscles. He blocked most of them with his forearms, but a few managed to land—one in particular striking his rib cage with enough force to crack the bone.
Nolan grunted, feeling the pain flare, but he didn't slow down.
Thula made her mistake when she pulled back for a big strike, her body winding up for a devastating hook to his temple.
Too slow.
Nolan caught her wrist mid-strike, twisting it sharply. Thula's eyes widened in pain, but before she could react, he yanked her toward him. Their foreheads collided in a brutal headbutt sending her flying towards Neptune's moon.
Nolan chased after her.
XXX
*Nolan's Fight*
Lucan was fast, aggressive, and brash, relying on brute strength and overwhelming force. He favored wild haymakers, wide swings meant to crush bones and pulp flesh. But he wasn't as disciplined as he thought he was. He fought like a berserker, predictable in his recklessness.
Thula, on the other hand, was precise. Calculated. She didn't rush in. She observed, striking when it was most effective, using her blade-like braid as a weapon. She could slip through openings in a fight, capitalizing on even the slightest moment of distraction. She was far more dangerous than Lucan in that regard.
Thula looked up from the crater she landed in, blood streaming from her nose as she straightened herself.
She snarled, looking at the incoming Nolan. And as he closed in on her she whipped her braid toward Nolan's neck. The blade at the tip of her hair gleamed, aiming to slit his throat.
Nolan's hand snapped up, catching the braid mid-swing.
He pulled, hard.
Thula yelled as she was yanked forward uncontrollably. Nolan twisted, his knee rising to meet her midsection in a devastating strike. She gasped as the wind was knocked out of her, her body curling inward from the impact.
Before she could recover, Nolan kicked her away, sending her flying into the rocky terrain.
'One down'.
Lucan had recovered by now, his jaw clenched in rage. He roared, shooting back toward Nolan with reckless fury.
Nolan narrowed his eyes.
'He's predictable'.
Lucan's approach was telegraphed, his fists cocked back, ready to swing. Nolan didn't even bother dodging this time. Instead, he let Lucan close the distance—
Then, at the last possible second, Nolan ducked.
Lucan's fist whiffed over his head.
Nolan immediately countered with an uppercut to Lucan's ribs, his knuckles driving into the soft tissue between the bones. He felt the ribs break beneath his fist, the crunch vibrating through his knuckles.
Lucan howled in pain, spitting out blood.
Nolan followed up with a rapid sequence of strikes—an elbow to the sternum, a quick knee to the solar plexus, and then a brutal hammer fist down onto Lucan's collarbone.
Crack!
Lucan's body seized, pain paralyzing him for a split second.
But that was all Nolan needed.
With a roar, he drove his fist into Lucan's jaw, sending the man careening backward at blinding speeds. The impact sent him tumbling through space, his body completely limp.
'Two down'.
A sudden feeling sprouts up from behind Nolan.
'Shit—'!
Thula had recovered, her body spinning as she used her braid like a whip, the knife at the end aiming straight for his skull.
Nolan tilted his head at the last second. The blade grazed his cheek, drawing blood, but it missed its mark.
That was her mistake.
Nolan grabbed her by the braid again and yanked her downward, hard.
She screamed as her body was slammed into the ground below. The impact sent up a cloud of debris, and before she could recover, Nolan descended upon her, both feet crashing down onto her back.
There was a sickening snap.
Thula's spine broke.
Her scream was muffled in the moon's surface, luckily preventing her from opening her mouth to lose all her air, her body twitching violently before going limp.
She wasn't dead—but she wasn't getting up anytime soon.
Nolan would huff if he wasn't in space, rolling his shoulders. He had held back enough to ensure they weren't dead.
A few seconds later, Lucan's body floated nearby, completely unconscious. Nolan grabbed him by the arm, dragging him toward Mark who just finished up his battle.
XXX
*Mark's Fight*
General Kregg scrutinized Mark. " Maybe with the loss of his child Nolan will see how foolish he is being and return to his duties."
With a speed that would have overwhelmed any lesser fighter, the Viltrumite General charged, a blur of white armor and raw power. His fist shot forward like a missile, the sheer force behind it capable of leveling city blocks.
Mark reacted instantly, shifting slightly to the side. Kregg's fist passed harmlessly by his cheek, and before he could retract, Mark delivered a devastating punch to his gut.
The force sent Kregg rocketing into the distance spitting out large amounts of blood, disappearing into the void.
Unlike Kregg, who had relied on overwhelming force, Anissa moved strategically. She feinted left before shifting mid-flight, aiming a precise strike at Mark's face.
The blow connected, her knuckles slamming against his cheekbone with enough force to break mountains.
Mark didn't even budge letting her hit him. "Huh, I felt that... not that it hurt or anything."
Anissa's eyes flickered with something—shock, frustration, intrigue. "What the—"
Mark smirked. "That it?".
Anissa snarled and attacked again. This time, she aimed a rapid succession of strikes—elbows, knees, hooks, and kicks. Each blow was meant to break bones, to crush organs.
He ducked under one of her swings, planting his fist into her stomach with a brutal punch.
Anissa's breath left her in an instant as her body folded around his fist.
She was launched backward, her body flipping uncontrollably through space. But before she could recover, Mark was already on her.
Using his superior speed, he appeared above her, grabbed her by the ankle, and swung her like a ragdoll, hurling her into a passing meteorite.
The rock exploded on impact.
Anissa coughed up blood, her body twitching from the force of the attack. She gasped for air but found none.
Before she could lose consciousness and suffocate in space, Mark waved his hand. A barrier of air surrounded her.
She had fought hundreds of battles across the cosmos. She had conquered worlds, broken warriors, and slaughtered civilizations.
Yet now?
She was helpless.
Anissa coughed violently taking in the air, staring at the barrier with disbelief. "What…?"
"I possess some magical capabilities. Making a pocket of air was nothing," Mark answered simply.
She stared at him, her mind racing. This… wasn't something a Viltrumite should be capable of.
Mark crossed his arms. "But, it is possible and I would be happy to teach you and the rest of the Viltrumites under my rule. I don't want to kill you guys seeing as the Viltrumite population is already low enough. I just want to fix this empire and make it better."
She got back into her stance, wiping the blood from her mouth. Her breathing was ragged, but her eyes burned with a hint of lust. "You're… stronger than I expected."
Mark looked at her expression and guffawed. '... is she?'
"Hey... quick question are you a masochist?" Mark asked.
"Wha... wh...what are you talking about?" Anissa stuttered out with blushing cheeks.
Mark was stunned. It looked like she had those tendencies in comics but he didn't expect it in real life. If he was being honest while he didn't like what Anissa did to Mark he couldn't deny he was attracted to her.
Anissa, like most Viltrumites, had a physique sculpted for war. Her body was the epitome of power and elegance combined—statuesque, toned, and radiating an almost primal allure. Her muscles, though defined, did not detract from her femininity. They only enhanced it, giving her a sense of raw, commanding presence that could rival even the most battle-hardened warriors.
Her face was sharp, yet undeniably feminine—high cheekbones, a perfectly sculpted jawline, and full lips that could shift between a smirk of amusement and a sneer of dominance in an instant. Her piercing blue eyes burned with a fierce intensity, holding both pride and intrigue, their depths reflecting the hardened will of a warrior who had conquered entire worlds.
Her body was built like a goddess of war—every curve accentuated by lean, powerful muscle. Her broad shoulders tapered down into a trim, sculpted waist, emphasizing her busty chest and hourglass figure in a way that was both intimidating and mesmerizing. Her arms and legs were honed through centuries of combat.
As Mark looked at her, Anissa noticed his gaze towards her chest smirking a little. Mark looked up directing his gaze towards her face. He found himself attracted to her a little but he already had girl problems back on Earth that he would have to deal with soon.
Amber was fun, caring, and definitely a person he could see himself with. He had told her the truth about his identity early on in their relationship so unlike in the comics she was more receptive to his superhero identity. But, they weren't in a relationship like Mark was in canon since at the time he was scared about her life span and seeing her grow old and die while he stayed young for as long as there were stars and probably beyond that. Instead, they became friends with benefits so she didn't have to deal with the baggage of his alien/superhero lifestyle fully.
Eve was always supportive of both his superhero and personal identity. They were a great duo whether it be fighting crime or just hanging out together. She was always a caring type of person, but despite her intelligence, power, and confidence, Eve has moments of insecurity, especially regarding her self-worth. She was also potentially one of the only people that could be with him for eternity and she lights a warmth in his chest whenever she smiles at him.
Amanda was someone who faced many hardships due to her condition but she came out of it stronger. She was often frustrated or lonely back in her child form. But, now that she returned back to her adult form she exuded a quiet mature confidence. She was sarcastic, witty, and a loving person and since Mark was the one to turn her back she had been pouring tons of her love onto him. He had been accepting her feelings because he knew it must have been hard for her with her fear of her future (something he could previously relate to) and didn't want her to feel rejected now that she was putting herself back out there. But, as they spent time together once in a while, he found himself enjoying her directness and the way they spent time experiencing activities she couldn't in her child form. He still had to find a permanent solution to her condition but he was making progress when he had the downtime.
After thinking about the girls in his life he put them aside for now to focus on the battle he was currently in, seeing General Kregg returning.
Kregg, who had recovered, floated up to Mark, still clutching his chest from Mark's earlier attack. That single blow and the multiple damaged organs was enough for him to realize that Mark was way out of his league. His face twisted in rage. "You are delusional if you think you can take over."
Mark sighed. "You're gonna go back to Viltrum and tell Grand Regent Thragg I'm coming. And I'm taking the Empire."
Kregg glared. "The Grand Regent will crush you."
Mark smirked. "We'll see."
Nolan floated up beside him, his own opponents beaten unconscious.
Kregg stared at them for a long moment before he and Anissa grabbed Thula and Lucan's bodies and flew back to their ship. "This isn't over."
As the Viltrumites retreated, Mark's wristwatch suddenly lit up.
The emergency beacon.
His Friends. D.A Sinclair.
Mark turned to his father with a sheepish smile. "I need to get back to Earth now so I apologize in advance but we need to get there the quick way".
Nolan barely had time to process his words before Mark grabbed his shoulder and snapped his fingers.
A portal opened up in front of them before Mark pushed Nolan through before following.
And suddenly, they were now in their living room.
Nolan staggered at the change in location, and then immediately kneeled and threw up.
Debbie ran over from the kitchen. "Nolan?! What happened?!"
Mark was already moving. "I teleported him. He wasn't ready."
He shot out the door.
His friends needed him.
.
.
.
Author Notes:
Hey guys, sorry for the lateness been having a lot of schoolwork to do with midterm season coming up. But the chapter is twice as long as my usual chapters so that's good news. Also, I'll be trying to increase my word count for each chapter to give you guys more content I know you'll like that. I'm still getting into writing so continue with feedback and criticisms and I'll do my best to put out a good entertaining story.