Prologue
The Viltrumite in the Sun
(Part 1)
*WARNING - THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS SENSITIVE TOPICS SUCH AS RAPE AND POST-SEXUAL ASSAULT. IF THIS DISTURBS YOU, DO NOT READ BEYOND THIS POINT*
My name was Markus Murphy and I was once a superhero named 'Invincible' – an alias that I inherited from my father.
And I am currently…dying.
And I deserve this fate.
But how did I get here in the first place…? Well, it would be a very long story.
I was born and lived in the suburbs, on the outskirts of L.A. with my sister, Molly. Ever since we were kids, we both knew that we were not normal children.
And there were four reasons as to why:
The first reason was that both of us were not humans. We were Viltrumites, a proud and alien race who once practiced a brutal regime of 'right is might'. Our race were once conquerors, subjugators and destroyers of lower species. But everything changed when the former Emperor Nolan Grayson took charge of the race and ushered them to a new era of peace.
It was all thanks to his valiant effort that the Viltrumites found the meaning of love and experienced it for themselves. The brutal regime was reformed and turned the once conquering alien race into a kind and humble society.
They no longer looked down on other alien lives, nor enslave other races.
Things were well for the Viltrumites and it made me feel happy that I belong to a race that had found the beauty of change and love. And who didn't love redemption stories?
Sadly, I did not meet him, because he was killed when a Viltrumite named Thragg, the former Regent of the alien race, performed a kamikaze attack on Earth.
He defended the planet, together with his own people, until his dying breath.
I was so proud of him. He was my grandfather and I deeply thanked my second and biological father, Mark Grayson, the current Emperor of Viltrumites, for telling me his story. I would not know about his redemption without him telling me his story.
My second reason involves my mother, whose name was Anyssa. Me and Molly never met her because she had died during Thragg's kamikaze assault. We only know her through the stories of my first, and foster father, Scott Murphy.
According to him, she had stood and defended earth, my home, from the tyrant Regent.
When my second father, Mark, had told me about my mother I was very confused. He told me that the relationship between my mother and him was very complicated. But then my first father quickly said to me that, sometimes, when people meet and fall in love with each other, it did not mean that they would stay together.
The relationship between Annysa and Mark may have been a very rocky one and it eventually fell.
I was a bit disappointed with that fact. It would have been a lot cooler for me if I had two Viltrumite parents who loved each other wholeheartedly.
But again…reality was stranger than fiction, and one must subvert their expectations towards it in order to have a happy, but simple life.
I wanted to know more about my mother, Anissa. Molly and I did not even know what she looked like. Heck, we did not even know how to spell her name right.
There were photos of her, but for some reason, my first father had kept it locked in his small antique blue velvet box, which he always kept underneath the floorboards of his bedroom closet.
Someday ago, father Scott had told Molly and I that, when 'the time is right', he would give the box to us…and afterwards, we were free to do whatever we wanted with its contents.
With nothing but confusion at that time, Molly and I merely shrugged at him and continued whatever we were doing at that time.
Now that I have told you about my very strange family, I shall now proceed with the third reason.
My two fathers.
My first father, Scott Murphy, was a simple man in his sixties. He was a kind man and a father to Molly and I. He was a good cook and would always love to make me and my half-sister his most favorite dish – pancakes, strawberries and whip cream on top. He also loved to support me in my hobby. I had only one hobby and it was the same as his – sketching.
I only sketched two things: stuff that I found interesting and mountains. I loved sketching the mountains, especially its gorgeous slopes and crevasse. It always made me feel elated, happy, and hopeful.
Mountains, after all, symbolized life itself. The slopes were stiff and slippery, representing the hardships of life, but once you reached the top, and looked down to the world below, you would be amazed by the stunning view. And through that view, you would finally realize that all the hardships that you encountered in life were all worth it.
Now, as for my second father, my biological one, Mark Grayson, he fared equally to Scott. He loved me and he showed it through our training.
Mark always loved to train me. Through him, I learned how to fly and a little bit of martial arts. He would always guide me, thoroughly and carefully, with gentle hands and serene smile. His smile was accompanied by his down-to-earth attitude. Those were the two things that I liked and loved about him.
And it was also the reason why I wanted to become a superhero like him. Mark was the original 'Invincible' hero. He had saved countless people and had inspired many children to become just like him – a hero of the helpless, and a symbol of an ideal man of mankind. But now, he laid down his mask to do more greater good. His attention focused up to the sky, beyond earth, and towards the vastness of space.
When the Viltrumites were reformed, and he inherited the throne, my second father had made a decree. He would turn the small nation into a nation of heroes who would help other alien civilization or societies.
It was a very simple dream, but for me, it was very grand and it made my heart beat faster in joy.
Right after he told me his intentions, my heart had set a course for my future.
My dream was to become a superhero that was worthy of being looked upon by mankind and one that would make my second father look at me with pride and happiness.
Overall, I loved both of my fathers. They possessed a lot of quantities, both good and bad, pros and cons, that made me love them.
And now, finally, the fourth reason.
I had two half-sisters.
The first one was Molly. She was the biological daughter between Ani-ssha and Scott. The second one was Terra. She was the biological daughter of my second father, to his wife, Eve.
I had to admit, when I was a child, I was confused and perplexed with my peculiar family tree, which was why I tended not to tell my other human friends and playmates about them.
If one would ever discover it, however, I could imagine my reaction. I would be awkward and irate. I was always bad at explaining things. My sisters would probably be able to describe it better.
Molly, my first half-sister, was a gentle soul. She must have inherited a lot from Scott since she loved cute things, such as pink-colored stuffed toys or ice cream with cutesy animal designs.
She was also sensitive to some things, such as lightning, howling winds, and horror stuff most of all. Molly would always cry and hide behind me whenever Scott and I watched horror movies. I would always comfort her by hugging her tight.
As for my second half-sister, Terra Grayson…
Now…where should I start with her? First, she was the princess of the Viltrumites, but she didn't want to be called one since she found the title completely boring and unnecessary. Second, she was tomboyish and would always pick a fight. She would raise both of her fists if necessary.
And, unlike Molly who loved cute things, she loved sharp colors and would always binge watch horror films. Not to mention, she was gifted in martial arts.
My second father loved to train me in martial arts, but he only chose the simple ones for me. Terra, however, would always introduce me to many types of fighting styles – be they human's or alien's. Luckily, I had a strong photogenic memory. I would always memorize the fighting style and apply it in real life immediately.
Despite their complete opposite attitudes and preferences, my two half-sisters were good friends. Terra looked at Molly as her best friend because she always felt at peace with her. Molly found Terra completely cool and would always love to hang around her.
The relationship of the two had taken me by surprise. I expected them to dislike each other, but I was completely wrong. I was happy for it because I just did not just have two fathers, but I also had two sisters who loved and supported me.
My family was indeed strange and peculiar. And it was the reason why I loved them. I was surrounded by many people who accepted me unconditionally.
I would love to end my tale here, telling you the best of my life's story…but this was reality.
And in reality, happiness was only part of the picture.
I did not know where or when exactly my life started derailing, but I think it was when Scott received the result of his annual medical examinations. My poor first father was diagnosed with stomach cancer and had a year left in his life.
The news dropped like a bomb. My first father was dying and there was nothing I could do about it. That thought made my chest heavy as dread made home inside. But the one who was truly affected by the news was Molly. My poor first half sister would not stop crying.
However, things would calm again when Scott hugged both of us and began to tell us that everything would be alright. He showered us with calm and self-comforting words. It was very effective. Molly had stopped crying and only rested her head on his shoulder. I continued to hugged him, feeling his familiar warmth, which I would certainly miss if he died next year.
Then Scott whispered to us in a gentle, assuring manner. He would like to spend most of his remaining year with us and we agreed.
As much as possible, I would like to be with him until his death. I hoped that, by some miracle, his illness would go away and that this day would just become a forgotten bad dream.
But alas, it didn't go away. And true to the diagnosis, after one year of peaceful and solace life, my dear foster father departed from this world.
On the day of the funeral, everyone was there. The sky above was heavenly blue. Molly and I were both standing beside an open grave. We both watched as the closed casket, where my foster father was sleeping for eternity, slowly sunk beneath the earth. I wished it was raining that time because the tiny droplets would help us hide our tears of grief.
Molly made several sniffles at that time as she rested her head on my shoulder. As for me, I closed my eyes and began to cry as I held onto Terra's hand. My second father was also there. He had offered his condolences afterwards as we prepared to go home.
After that dreadful funeral, peace settled into our home. I thought the worst part of my life was over. I thought I was already prepared to turn a new leaf, but trouble seemed to have a way to find me.
And it did come, unexpectedly…from the mouth of my second father.
I could never forget the day that I received the horrifying truth regarding my birth. It was a month after the funeral and the day before my birthday. Molly and I had decided to do general cleaning so that we could prepare for the celebration of my birthday tomorrow.
The air around the house had improved a bit, despite missing one of its previous tenants.
Molly was humming a merry tune while I stood in front of the kitchen bar, preparing things that I needed to bake my own birthday cake.
I was about to pour the flour when the doorbell rang. Someone was at the door and I opened it to welcome whoever the person was on the other side.
It was my second father and he greeted me with a small smile. I felt happy for that he was here. However, I also questioned the purpose of his visit. My curiosity only grew when he asked me to come to his house.
I blinked in surprise. I had visited his house many times before, but what startled me was that his expression gradually shifted into a mixture of reluctance and pain. It was as if he was inviting me to go to his house just to tell bad news, and this made feel a little bit scared.
But despite all that, I decided to accept his request. I called Molly and bid her farewell with a happy smile. She returned it with a jolly response, which I accepted wholeheartedly before I closed the door.
And that was the last time that I saw her with a happy smile on her face.
The family residence of my second father was also on the outskirts, but it was on the other side of the city. The sky above was slowly turning orange as the day entered afternoon. I silently trailed behind him without thinking very much about his strange expression earlier.
I was completely puzzled by his attitude. Usually, Father Mark would always glance behind me whenever I fly with him, checking to see if I could still follow him. He would also be very welcoming and a bit talkative. He would tell me about all the activities that he had done for the day and I always loved to hear his stories just to past time.
But today, he was very silent.
What's wrong? I thought that time as a worried feeling churned inside my stomach.
Eventually, we arrived at his home, a two-story house with a verandah that offered an overlooking view of the western side of the city. I usually stood on the edge of the verandah. I loved the view. However, I couldn't today.
I was still disturbed by the strange attitude of my second father that I could only follow him in silent confusion as we both landed in front of the front door.
After I entered the door and walked a short hallway, I arrived at the living room of my second father's house. It was wide and spacious, with high windows that let out the natural light. It was cozy at most.
Whenever Molly and I visited Terra, we would always hang out around the sofa.
However, today, something felt off. On the right side of the living room, sitting together on the sofa, was Terra and her mother, Eve. I bowed and greeted the two and they returned my greeting with a welcoming smile, but I immediately noticed something odd again.
Even though the two were smiling, there seemed to be a heavy tension around them. The said tension was also around my second father as he sat down on the chair and invited me to sit on the other sofa beside him.
The living room that was once cozy was now enveloped by a cold thick air. Something was truly off as I sat down and scanned them with worried gaze.
"Happy Birthday, Markus." My second father suddenly said, his lips arched slightly into a small smile.
I reply with a gladdened smirk. "Thank you, Dad. Is this the reason why you called me here?"
I asked him in a jocular manner, thinking that maybe he was just joking. I glanced at Terra and waited for her to burst out laughing. I was sure that she was involved in this type of prank.
But nothing had occurred after I threw the question. Instead, I watched as Terra's eyes closed and her lips curled down. The same frown had also etched onto my second father's face.
The uneasiness returned and it made me move my back slightly. The air around the living room grew thicker and thicker, making me gulp down.
"Markus, I think it's time for you to learn the truth…regarding your mother, Anissa…and me. You deserve to know the truth. You are my son after all." My second father begun. His words made me turn my head to him. It had been a while since someone mentioned the name of my mother.
"What about my mother?" I asked. My heart was now beating fast from turmoil.
"Wait!" The tension was cut when Terra cut in. She casted her anxious eyes at me and said. "Marcus, no matter what the truth is…you'll always be my brother."
I was startled and puzzled by what she had declared. I would like to ask her why she declared something as obvious as that, but I didn't, I simply returned my disquietude gaze to my second father.
Mark Grayson looked at me with strong hesitation, but eventually he gave in and spoke. "Your mother and I never had a relationship." He began and I only sat still as I waited for more. "Many years ago, back when the Viltrumites were still cruel and subjugators, when I was still called 'Invincible', I met her." He paused and his frown shifted into a pained one as if he was recalling a very painful memory from the past. "And when I met her, she asked me to procreate with her."
As soon as he said that to me, I blinked and analyzed his words. My mother asked him to 'procreate' with him? I understood that the Viltrumites were trying to repopulate since their population had been dwindling since many years ago, but…I never expected that my mother would blatantly ask my second father in such a brazen manner.
"And then, what happened?" I finally found my voice to ask and I watched as my second father lowered his head. His anguished frown contorted more.
"I—I tried saying no. I said no many times-" his voice broke as his lips trembled. Eve noticed his reaction and she immediately put her hand on his shoulder, calming him. "But she…she snapped in anger. She forced herself in me."
As soon as those words left his lips, I froze. I didn't know if I had stopped breathing because my mind was slowly absorbing his words. What did he mean she 'forced' herself on him? I tried to reword what he said, but deep down inside, I knew what he had meant.
"W—what do you mean?" I finally gave in. My voice cracked in terror.
Mark let out a heavy sigh and then, with a heavy tone, he said to me. "Markus…your mother raped me…and you were conceived through it."
Silence had enveloped the room right after my second father said those words to me. I did not react at first. I knew the meaning of those words, and I knew that they were bad, but I needed to slowly absorb it. My mind could not take it at first. Seconds felt like hours and I wished that my brain would never understand what Mark had said to me about the nature of my birth and creation, but sadly, nothing lasted forever.
My mind registered the words. I finally understood what my second father had said to me. My guts were suddenly filled with an ugly feeling that punched through my organ's walls, trying to come out.
And I gave in.
I let it out.
The ugly feeling…was rage and for the first time in my life.
I made a monstrous roar.
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of Invincible and the anime Kara no Kyoukai. Names, places, and events are purely fictional, if one exist in real life then its purely coincidental.
Special thanks to Pure Red Crane for beta-reading :)
So! Welcome to my new story! This story is a crossover between the cartoon Invincible and the anime Kara no Kyoukai (a very good anime and I encourage everyone to give it a try!) Now then who are the characters? Well first of all, our protagonist is Markus Murphy, if everyone had read the Invincible Comics you'll know him as Mark's (Invincible) illegitemate child.
And he was conceived in a unsavory way.
The second character would certainly be, Touko Aozaki...BECUASE WHY NOT? She's one of Kara no Kyoukai's coolest character and she's probably, one of the best of Nasu verse's characters! She's a mage and a puppeter and has a fair experiences dealing with people with mystic eyes.
And speaking of mystic eyes, what kind of Mystic Eyes will Markus Murphy will get? Stay Tuned for more guys! :)
