Zerathos showed no interest in the army before him.
He simply walked forward.
Unbothered. Unhurried.
Our heroes moved as well.
Then—
he broke into a jog.
Daito: He's not stopping.
Nathan(Tungsten): Neither are we.
They matched his pace.
Step for step.
Heartbeat for heartbeat.
And then—
Zerathos vanished.
A blur—
reappearing mid-charge as he hurled himself forward, fist primed to annihilate.
Kael moved at the same instant.
No hesitation.
No fear.
Only certainty.
He surged forward—
and met him head-on.
Their fists collided.
The world broke.
The impact from their punch split the sky as a monstrous shockwave erupted outward, swallowing the streets. Buildings crumpled like paper, glass burst into dust, and the ground itself gave way beneath them, carving a vast crater into the city.
Kael:(Thought) Crap! I forgot to thought about those.
For a moment—
everything trembled.
Then it began to collapse.
Debris rained. Structures folded. The city screamed.
Nathan (Ember): All mobile units—evacuate civilians! Contain the collapse!
Photon. Glitch. Paper.
Blake. Shimmer. Daito. Angela.
They scattered in streaks of light and motion, diving into the chaos to pull people from the jaws of ruin.
And at the center of it all—
amid dust, ruin, and a shattered skyline—
those who remained stood their ground.
Facing Zerathos.
A woman and her baby stood frozen beneath a collapsing slab—
—and then the world stopped.
Shimmer caught the falling debris mid-air, suspending it in a crystalline stillness.
Blake was already moving.
He swept them out of danger in a blur, placing them beyond the collapse before the stone even had time to fall.
Nearby, a hotel groaned as it gave in to gravity—
—but Glitch Nathan intervened.
Three glitch-formed angels burst into existence, phasing through walls, sweeping floor by floor. The entire structure rose with them—dragged upward as they evacuated every last person within.
By the time the building finally gave way—
it was empty.
Angela thrust her hands forward—
vines erupted from the ground, thick and overgrown, wrapping around fractured structures and binding them together, holding the city in place by sheer force of nature.
Photon and Paper streaked through the chaos, weaving between buildings, pulling civilians from danger and guiding them to safety in coordinated motion.
And then—
there was Daito.
He charged forward, pushing a cart packed with children through the collapsing streets. Three spinning spikes carved a path ahead of him like a living drill, shredding debris before it could reach them, while the others hovered around as shields.
The children—
laughed.
As if it were all a game.
Back at the epicenter—
the clash hadn't ended.
Nathan(Tungsten) descended like a meteor.
His fist slammed into Zerathos' face—
the impact detonating into a violent shockwave that tore through the air—
…but Zerathos didn't budge.
He took it.
Like it was nothing.
Zerathos didn't even flinch.
He answered back with a one-inch punch—
—and Nathan(Tungsten) was sent flying, his body skidding across the ruined ground before he staggered to a halt.
Kael moved instantly.
He caught Nathan mid-fall and hurled him back toward the others—
right into formation.
Charlie. Michael. Aiden.
They surged forward together, unleashing a relentless barrage, each strike crashing into Zerathos in perfect succession—
while Ember Nathan lashed out, fiery chains snapping into existence, coiling around Zerathos to restrain him.
For a moment—
it worked.
Then—
crack.
The chains shattered.
Effortlessly.
Zerathos moved.
Faster.
Stronger.
Every counterstrike landed with brutal precision, each blow tearing through their defense, sending them scattering like broken pieces.
Silence didn't follow—
violence did.
Alan reacted next.
A black hole formed above Zerathos—
space itself collapsing inward.
Zerathos looked up.
…and reached out.
He grabbed the black hole,compressed it.
Shrank it—
until it fit in the palm of his hand like a tennis ball.
Then flicked it.
Carter, being unlucky, suffered the sudden impact and vanished from the battlefield, launched into the distance by the impossible force.
Kael came from behind—
but Zerathos had already turned.
He caught him.
Slammed him into the ground—
and drove his foot into his face with crushing force.
The earth cracked beneath them.
Diego fired—
two explosive arrows screamed through the air—
Zerathos caught them.
Point-blank.
The explosion consumed him.
Smoke.
Fire.
Dust—
And then—
he stepped out.
Unscathed.
He hurled one arrow back—
a projectile of pure destruction—
fast enough to rip limbs from bone.
Time froze and Diego moved away from the projectile.
But what Diego did not expect was for Zerathos to move even within stopped time, delivering a crushing blow straight to his face.
He had no time to react as Zerathos moved faster then Diego could've comprehend what happened.
As time resumed, the others were caught off guard to see Zerathos already among them—too fast, too close—tearing through their attacks as if they were nothing. Kael rose, and for the first time, fear struck him… not for himself, but for his friends, as he watched them being overwhelmed.
Kael:(Thought) This has to end.
In a single motion, he shot behind Zerathos, locked his arms around his waist, and propelled them both into the sky—past the clouds, past the atmosphere, and into the vast silence of space—before descending onto Venus.
The planet greeted them with crushing pressure and suffocating heat, enough to melt metal within seconds, yet neither of them reacted.
Zerathos kicked Kael away, sending him sliding across the molten terrain, but Kael steadied himself instantly—unburned, unshaken.
Across from him, Zerathos stood just as calm, untouched and unfazed.
And in that hellish world, beneath a sky that burned—
they faced each other,
ready to continue.
Zerathos: Trying to save your friends, huh? I have already seen every possible future, and in each one, I emerge victorious. So take my advice—stand down, and I might show you mercy.
Kael: I know.
Zerathos: Hmm?
Kael: I know… I cannot beat you. Because beating you would mean killing you. And I am no killer—never have been, never will be. Reuben gave me the power to defeat you… I could even strip you of your abilities. But that would also mean your death.
Zerathos: The hell are you going on about?
Kael:(Exhaledslowly) You're right. Someone who has lived nineteen years cannot be compared to someone who has lived for five centuries. I know... I might not be the same person you used to know despite having the same face as him. But I can't let you harm others in your wanting to accomplish your goals.
He stepped forward, steady—unshaken.
Kael: So go on… show me. Show me this 'perfect reality' you've been so desperate to create. And I will show you the answer you've missed the whole time.
A silence stretched between them.
Zerathos narrowed his eyes.
Zerathos: …And how do I know you won't stab me in the back again?
Kael: I'm not Reuben. I'm Kael—son of Elise. My mother righteously raised me to be the person I am today. And I don't betray people.
Zerathos: And why should I trust you?
Kael: You don't have to. Take your chances. I'll be waiting… at Earth's exosphere.
Without another word, Kael turned—
and shot away from Venus, cutting through the void toward Earth.
For a moment, Zerathos looks around, his first clenching and undone time to time.
Minutes later, Zerathos followed.
As he approached, he found Kael already there, suspended at the edge of the planet, waiting.
Calm. Still.
Prepared.
Kael: I've already healed my friends… and undone the destruction you caused. So don't rewrite anything that crosses the line.
Zerathos: Sure… if that's what you want to believe.
Reality trembled.
The fabric of existence itself began to distort, bending under Zerathos' will—
yet amidst that unfolding chaos, he spoke again, almost casually—
Zerathos: So tell me… what do you call that power of yours?
Kael: Reuben said its name is… AbsoluteDefiance.
Zerathos gave a faint, almost amused smile.
Zerathos: I knew that bastard had done something. A fitting name, nonetheless, especially considering I was lying earlier.
Kael: About what?
Zerathos: About winning. Truth be told… I couldn't foresee anything you were about to do And there was a very real possibility… that I might die by your hands.
Kael: So… you were prepared to die?
Zerathos exhaled softly, almost reflective.
Zerathos: Sometimes, we die for what we believe in. Not every ambition is destined to be fulfilled. So tell me… how does it feel?
Kael: Feel?
Zerathos: That power of yours. What does it feel like… to wield it?
Kael looked at his own hand for a moment before answering.
Kael: I don't fully understand it yet… but it feels like nothing is restraining me. Like... the world has no authority over me anymore. I feel weightless… yet capable of anything. Fast enough to be anywhere, strong enough to do anything.And yet… I still feel human, human enough to experience sensation but never pain or discomfort ever since i got them.
Zerathos:(Shocked) So… you felt nothing from our fight?
Kael: Hmm… are you done?
Zerathos: Almost… There! It is done.
As reality settled into its new form, Kael looked around—and for the first time, he was genuinely taken aback by what Zerathos had done to the solar system… and the vastness beyond it.
Everything was… perfect.
The solar system now held a double, flawless habitable world. Space itself seemed calmer—balanced, almost intentional—as if chaos had been quietly erased from existence.
Zerathos: Isn't it beautiful?
His voice softened, almost reverent.
Zerathos: All of this… in perfect harmony, exactly how I've envisioned it long ago. Come.
They descended to Earth.
At first glance, nothing seemed different.
But then—
Kael noticed.
It wasn't the world that had changed.
It was the people.
Zerathos: As you can see… there is no more inequality. No one stands above another. No one falls beneath. No more bloodshed… no more violence… no more accidents. No more suffering. Only natural death remains. Of course, they still feel emotion—joy, love, even sorrow. But I have removed the very concept of evil.
He gestured outward.
Zerathos: Look… look at your friends. They are happy. Thriving. And most importantly… they no longer have to fear being alone in this universe. I gave them everything they need, and more beyond that.
For a while, Kael stayed silent, as his eyes roaming around all he could see. And then—
Kael: …You know what?
He lifted his gaze.
Kael: Look a few centuries ahead.
Zerathos: Why would I need to do that?
Kael: Like i promised you, to open your eyes.
Zerathos activated his foresight.
And for the first time—
He faltered.
His expression fractured as what he saw unfolded beyond control.
Zerathos: How… how is this possible?
His voice lowered, shaken.
Zerathos: This reality was flawless… absolute… and yet... All I see is collapse. Chaos. Ruin.
Kael stepped forward, calm as ever.
Kael: For a long time, I've come to know that evil doesn't come from nowhere, It comes from where we'd least expected; from within.
He held Zerathos' gaze.
Kael: Humans have free will. And within that freedom… there will always exist the choice to do wrong.
Zerathos stared at him, something unfamiliar flickering behind his eyes.
Zerathos: …But you can defy that, can't you? You and I were always destined to accomplish our goal, together.
Kael: …If I do it… what does that make us?
His voice was steady, but firm.
Kael: We have no right to take that choice away from them. Just like you and me… they deserve the freedom to choose for themselves—not have it chosen for them.
Hearing Kael'd not help him, Zerathos got furious and grab his collar with both hands.
Zerathos: Did you know how much I sacrificed?! How much I.... I done for THEM?!
Kael:(Softly) For them, or for yourself?
Realising what he've done, Zerathos release his hold and slowly lowered himself, sitting midair as if the weight of centuries had finally caught up to him. A hollow laugh escaped him—sharp, disbelieving—before it died just as quickly.
He looked down.
Zerathos:All this time…
A faint, broken chuckle.
Zerathos: All this damn time… I thought I was right. How could I be so wrong?
Kael stepped closer… then quietly sat beside him.
No hostility. No superiority. Just presence.
Kael: I'm not going to force you. I know you and I are the polar opposite, but with one thing in common; we both want the best for humanity. But our ways... our methods... are not in the same rope. Make your choice… and I'll make mine.
Silence stretched between them.
Zerathos: …Even now, I can faintly remember it… our friendship, centuries ago… And despite everything that's happened… I can tell…
He glanced at Kael.
Zerathos: You're still the same… considerate person I once knew. And... I want you to never, ever lose that.
A brief silence.
Zerathos: I will make my choice now.
They both rose.
And with a single motion, Zerathos began restoring reality—undoing everything, returning it to what it once was.
Zerathos: When that nuke strikes Z City… tell your friends you defeated me. And that… I am no longer here.
Kael: What do you mean?
Zerathos: ..... I have to pay for my sins, right? I'm making things right.
As reality corrected itself, distant fireworks warped—twisting, collapsing—until they became what they were always meant to be.
Nuclear warheads.
Zerathos descended.
He landed at the center of Z City.
For the first time in centuries… he did nothing.
He simply closed his eyes—
and accepted his fate.
In I City, the heroes had gathered, searching, questioning—yet none knew where Zerathos had gone.
Then—
A blinding flash.
A violent shockwave tore through the air, shaking the ground beneath them.
They looked to the sky.
And there it was.
A towering mushroom cloud… rising where Z City once stood.
Silence followed.
Where a city once lived—
there was now only a vast, hollow crater.
And in that moment, one truth settled over them all:
No one could have survived that.
A few minutes passed.
Then—
Diego narrowed his eyes at the sky.
Diego: Guys… look.
He pointed upward.
Something was descending.
Slowly.
Silently.
As they focused, the figure became clear.
Kael.
He drifted down, feet touching the ground with almost unnatural calm.
They rushed toward him—questions spilling, voices overlapping—
"What happened?"
"Where's Zerathos?"
But Kael said nothing.
Not a word.
He walked past them, straight to Diego, and tapped his watch. The WHA line connected, and he placed it on speaker.
A voice came through.
Marshall: Who am I speaking to?
Kael: This is Kael… codename Oblivion.
A brief pause.
Kael: …Zerathos is terminated.
Silence.
Marshall: …Understood.
The line went dead.
For a moment, no one spoke.
Then—
Relief broke through.
Cheers erupted. Laughter followed. They grabbed each other—hugging, shouting, celebrating like people who had just escaped the end of everything.
Life returned.
But Kael…
He only watched.
Quiet.
Still.
And in that moment, he understood something he hadn't before.
Zerathos wasn't just wrong.
He was alone.
For centuries, he had stood above everything—watching, waiting, enduring—without anyone beside him.
No laughter.
No voices.
No one to share the weight.
Kael knew that feeling, as he was also like that. But he also knows, clearly, what protect him from that same path he could've taken.
Kael looked at his friends—alive, loud, imperfect—
And realized…
Zerathos had already lost long before this battle began.
After the cheers faded, they began to look around.
Diego: Where's Kael?
For a moment, no one answered.
Then they saw him.
Standing at the very place where—just days ago—he had erased countless lives.
Silent.
Still.
They approached.
Diego walk up on him and holds his shoulder —
Diego: Kael… are you okay?
No response.
He simply closed his eyes.
Kael:(Thought) I defy the moment… where I erased them…I defy it completely.
And in an instant—
Reality answered.
The people returned.
Alive. Whole. Breathing.
Startled, disoriented… but alive.
But upon seeing themselves and others naked, they panic—
Kael turns to his friends —
Kael: Give them something to wear… please.
No triumph. No pride.
Just quiet relief.
As the others rushed to help, the first light of dawn crept over the mountains.
The sun rose gently—casting warmth over a world that had almost ended.
People breathed.
Really breathed.
And for a moment… everything felt human again.
Kael stood there, watching—
until something crossed his mind.
Without a word—
he took to the sky.
Seconds later, he landed outside the WHA Hospital.
Didn't slow down.
Didn't stop.
Guards shouted, tried to block him—but Kael moved past them like they weren't even there.
Straight to her ward.
He pushed the door open—
—and there she was.
Elise.
Still lying there.
Unchanged.
She lay on the bed.
No trace of the black corruption remained—her body was clean, untouched.
And yet…
her eyes stayed closed.
Kael sat beside her, lowering himself slowly, as if afraid even the air might disturb her. He rested his forehead against her hand, his gaze falling to the floor.
Kael: Mom… I… I've come back. Please… open your eyes for me. Just once…
Silence.
Then—
a touch.
Soft.
Familiar.
Kael's eyes widened as he lifted his head.
Elise was awake.
Sitting upright.
Her hand resting gently against his cheek.
Elise: I knew you would come for me… my boy.
Something in him broke.
Tears welled up, spilling freely as he pulled her into his arms.
And she held him just as tightly.
No words.
Just warmth.
Moments later, the door opened.
Marshall stepped in, flanked by two guards. His gaze swept the room, taking in the scene—then settled on Kael.
Marshall: Oblivion— I mean, Kael. I've heard from your team… and from witnesses. They say you reversed everything. That you undid your mistakes.
His eyes narrowed slightly.
Marshall: …Is that true?
Kael didn't hesitate.
Kael: Yes.
No pride. No defence.
Just truth.
Marshall exhaled slowly.
Marshall: Then with Zerathos gone… …we'll be proceeding with your trial tomorrow in the court.
Kael: Yes, sir.
Outside the ward, his friends waited. Michael stepped away from the group.
Leona: Where are you going, Michael?
Michael: I'm going to check on my sisters. I'll be back.
As he left, a voice echoed down the hallway.
A voice Charlie knew.
A voice she could never forget.
For a moment, doubt gripped her—perhaps it was nothing more than a trick of exhaustion, a lingering illusion from the battle.
But when she turned—
she froze.
It was Susan.
Alive.
Standing.
Breathing.
Charlie didn't think.
She ran.
She threw herself into her mother's arms, holding her as if letting go would undo everything.
Charlie: Even if this is a dream… please don't go away.
Susan held her tighter, her voice soft, unwavering.
Susan: This is no dream, my little star. I'm here… and I'm not going anywhere.
They stayed like that for a moment—time slowing, the world quieting around them.
Then Susan gently pulled back, her gaze shifting to the others.
Susan: You must be Diego… I'm Charlie's mother.
Diego: Oh—pleasure… meeting you, Miss—
Susan: Susan. And it seems Charlie has chosen well.
A faint smile.
Susan: Quite the son-in-law.
Charlie flushed immediately.
Charlie: Mom… not here.
Susan turned towards Leona, amused.
Susan: And you must be…?
Leona: Leona. I'm a friend of Charlie's. It's nice to meet you, ma'am.
Charlie glanced at the others, then back at her mother.
Charlie: Can you guys give us a moment?
Both of them nodded.
Diego: Yeah. We'll go check on Michael.
He and Leona stepped away, their voices fading as they turned the corner.
Silence settled.
Just the two of them.
Charlie's expression changed.
The warmth… cracked.
Charlie: How are you alive, Mom?
Her voice dropped.
Charlie: I saw you die.
Susan's smile faded, replaced by quiet confusion.
Susan: I don't understand it either.
She looked down at her hands, as if searching for answers within them.
Susan: After I closed my eyes… in your arms… I woke up again. In a morgue. Ifound some clothes… and then… I just walked out. And then, I saw you and your friends.
Charlie stared at her.
The question rose—
but the answer arrived first.
Clear.
Unmistakable.
She exhaled softly, almost a laugh, almost tears.
Charlie: Kael....(Chuckle) Thank you.
A few weeks passed, and the world began to steady itself.
Powers were no longer anomalies—they had become part of reality. Those who possessed them came to be known as Meta-humans.
And yet, as balance demands, light was never without shadow.
Where there were heroes, there were still those who chose otherwise.
Another week passed. Kael walked beside Elise on a grassy land, a blindfold gently tied over her eyes.
Elise: Are you going to tell me where we're going?
Kael: Not yet.
After a few more steps, he stopped.
Carefully, he untied the cloth.
Elise blinked—
and froze.
Before her stood her house but new and improved.
Not grand, not extravagant—but home.
Surrounded by open fields, stretches of green, and rows of farmland waiting to be tended. Animals roamed freely in the distance, as if they had always belonged there.
For a moment, she said nothing.
Then she turned—
and pulled Kael into a tight embrace.
Elise: You remembered… oh.... Your father must've been proud of you.
Kael: Yeah, yeah I bet he would. Now, go, enjoy.
Elise ran ahead, laughter spilling into the air as she rushed toward the house.
Kael watched her go.
Quiet.
Content.
A voice broke the stillness.
Diego approached from behind, hands in his pockets.
Diego: I thought vegetation cannot grow around your house.
Kael: It can't. But I defy it so it could.
Diego: I also noticed something. You haven't used your erasure ability anymore. What happened?
Kael didn't look at him.
His gaze stayed on Elise.
Kael: I hated it. So I throw it away. You know how.
Diego let out a small breath—half amused, half impressed.
Diego: …Yeah. That sounds like you.
Captain Diana welcomed the passengers aboard her cruise, her expression composed—professional. But as soon as they boarded, her smile disappeared.
Diana:(Thought) Life can't be the same without him. Where have you been, master?
But suddenly, she heard a familiar voice, the voice she could tell who it was. And when she looks back, her heart flutter.
Michael stepped forward, his sisters beside him.
Michael: I hope there's still room for three more.
For a second, she didn't move.
Then she ran.
Throwing herself into his arms, holding him as if he might disappear again.
Diana: I'm never letting you go again… master♥
Maggie and Maria starred in disbelief
Maggie: …Michael, what the fuck is this?!
Michael:(panicking) This is a misunderstanding—!!
Charlie settled back into a quieter life.
After returning her mother's ability card, Susan made her choice.
She didn't want that power anymore.
Not that life.
So she let it go.
Tearing the card without hesitation.
And in its place—
she chose something simpler.
Something real.
A home.
Charlie stayed with her.
And over time, something else quietly grew—
Between her and Diego.
Not rushed.
Not forced.
Just… natural.
Until one day, it wasn't a question anymore.
They were engaged.
Leona get back to her family, where they welcome her with open arms. Juliette was the happiest among them to see her little sister back. And a few days later, her family agreed on changing her legal name from Evelyn to Leona permanently.
A few days later—
Marshall stood across from Kael in the HQ.
Marshall: So… you want to change your codename? Sure, we can do it. What do you want it to be?
Kael looked ahead, scanning the horizon.
Kael: I thought about it for a long time. And after everywhen I go, i thought people'd need someone they could look up to. I was thinking… maybe... How about...
The Paragon
End of season 1