June 6th, 2011
Here Lies William Menard
A True Hero
Rebecca Costa-Brown, also known as Alexandria, stood at the grave, a bouquet of flowers in her hand.
"Hey, Hero."
Behind her, David and Walter, Eidolon and Legend, respectively, bowed their heads.
"Wish you were here. You'd be proud of how far we've come."
She closed her eyes, fiddling with the flowers.
"Leviathan hit Brockton Bay last month. Lowest amount of deaths in any Endbringer attack, excluding The Simurgh. We've made progress."
She smiled, then sighed.
"It's been... Hard, since you died. Still a lot of villains, David's losing his power, and the end of the world is in two years. But when things like this happen... It give me hope, that we're making a difference. Doing something."
She moved forward, putting the bouquet at the grave.
"Hero... I'm sorry. For... I'm sorry."
Tears rolled down her face as she moved back, and David stepped forward.
"Hero. Nice to-"
A black streak ran through the air.
Flesh.
"What the-"
William Menard of Earth.
A small, black ring hung over Hero's grave.
RISE.
"H-Hero?" Stuttered Alexandria.
Eidolon looked at the corpse.
It certainly resembled Hero, if a bit decomposed, but something felt... Off, about it.
Quickly, Eidolon swapped out his powers.
Three new powers. Sensing motives, a power that let him detect movement within a certain distance, and a power that increased his reflexes.
He gave 'Hero' a quick scan with the motive sensing power.
The corpse grinned.
"Alexandria..." Began Eidolon. "I don't thin-"
The corpse lunged at him.
He ducked to the side.
The corpse stopped, and turned back to face them.
"Hero?" Asked Legend. "Wha-"
"That's not Hero." Interrupted Eidolon.
The corpse chuckled.
"Such a shame." It rasped. "You caught on too quickly."
"What are you?" Demanded Alexandria.
"Me? Oh, I'm Hero."
"Liar."
"Oh, who's the liar here, Rebecca? As I recall, you've lied to a lot of people."
"I did what I had to do." Countered the heroine.
"Oh, I'm sure you did. Just like you had t-"
"No more talking." Said Eidolon. "I know what you want to do."
"Oh?"
"You want us all dead." Legend and Alexandria looked at him. "You want to kill everyone, and... You're not the only one, are you?"
"What do you mean?" Asked Legend.
"How many Capes have died, since Scion arrived?" Asked Eidolon. "Becau-"
Movement, behind him. Eidolon leapt down, grabbed the arm, and threw the second corpse over him.
Eidolon didn't have time to identify the second corpse before 'Hero' lunged at him.
Alexandria dashed forward, and pushed him out of the way.
The second corpse rose again, and pulled her off of the first.
This was bad.
"Door!" Called Eidolon.
A portal opened behind him, and he jumped back. Aleandria shook off the corpses and ran for him.
Legend began to run, but a black, semi-transparent wall flickered into existance, just in front of him. He hit it, and stumbled.
Eidolon swore, and rushed back out of the portal to help him.
The second corpse stood over him
Heart is ready for Harvest.
The thing punched forward.
"No!"
The corpse stood, holding Legend's heart in it's hand.
Eidolon felt tears in his eyes.
How could this have happened? Legend was one of the most powerful Parahumans on the planet, and now...
Walter Clarke of Earth.
...This.
RISE.