A few days later.
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The house felt too quiet. The kind of quiet that made every small sound snap in Alan's ears. The faint hum of electricity. The tick of the clock. His own footsteps moving from one end of the living room to the other.
He paced slowly, fingers tapping against his thigh in a restless rhythm. The tension from days earlier still clung to him. It wasn't from anger this time. It was something heavier. Something that needed release.
He stopped near the doorway and listened.
The TV murmured softly from the other room.
When he stepped inside, his parents were already there. Diana sat curled beside Ben on the sofa, legs tucked under her, a book resting on her lap. The television cast warm, shifting light across the room, washing over their faces in dull gold.
Alan stood there for a second too long.
He exhaled once.
"Time to do this."
He cleared his throat.
Diana looked up first. Her expression softened immediately when she saw him. Ben turned a moment later, posture relaxed but eyes sharp.
Alan swallowed. "Mom. Dad. Uhm." His voice caught slightly. He steadied it. "So, summer vacation's coming up soon, and I was thinking about traveling to China for a few months. If that's okay."
Ben's brow lowered just a touch. Diana straightened, closing her book with a soft thump against her palm.
"China?" Diana said, one eyebrow lifting, half-smile forming. "That's a jump. What sparked that?"
Ben leaned forward, elbows resting on his knees, fingers interlaced. His eyes stayed locked on Alan. "Yeah, boy. What spiked your sudden interest?"
The words sounded casual. The tone was not.
Alan shifted his weight. His shoulders tensed, then squared. "Well you see… I want to study martial arts there. Real martial arts, not some gym hobbies. Or some random watered-down stuff in clubs here." He inhaled slowly. "It's not just about fighting either."
Ben lifted two fingers and tapped them against his upper lip. The habit showed up whenever he smelled bullshit. His eyes didn't leave Alan.
"Why China?" he asked. "There's a dozen gyms here. Hell, I could hire ten instructors to train you in the backyard."
Diana tilted her head, watching Alan carefully. "Yeah. It's so far, sweetheart. Why not study here?"
Alan crossed the room and sat across from them. His knee bounced until he forced it still, pressing his foot flat to the floor.
"I'm trying to understand myself better," he said. "You told me to find my own path. Right?" He looked from one parent to the other. "Well, I'm trying. China feels right."
He leaned forward, forearms resting on his thighs.
"And I need distance," he continued. "I need the culture. Their unique teachings. The whole experience it's all there." He shook his head once. "It's not here, not in Ember."
His voice wavered, but he held eye contact.
"It will help me be more disciplined, focused. I think it's something I need right now. To get my head straight."
Silence settled over the room.
Ben's jaw tightened. A vein pulsed faintly near his temple.
"Are you sure you're not just running away from that day?" he asked. "Because it sounds a hell of a lot like you're planning something."
Alan shook his head immediately. "I don't run." His voice sharpened. "I just want to grow. And I can't do that if I stay stuck here waiting for something to magically change. It has nothing to do with that."
Ben rubbed his temples and exhaled through clenched teeth. "I've seen people try to change themselves," he said. "I've seen how that ended. Most don't walk away smiling."
He looked back at Alan, eyes heavy.
"But fine," he said. "I'll play your game. If this is what you want, I'll play along. For now."
Alan let out a breath he did not realize he was holding. "Thanks. Seriously."
Diana reached over and placed a hand on Ben's arm. "Well he's not a kid anymore, I give him that. Maybe we should let him learn." She glanced at Alan, then back to Ben. "And you still have that unfinished project at Winchester Enterprises waiting. Maybe this trip helps all three of us breathe a little."
Ben gave her a sideways look. "If you're okay with this, then fine. I'm in."
Diana smiled.
Alan's shoulders finally relaxed.
"Alright," Ben said, leaning back against the couch. "We'll figure it out. But you're not doing anything reckless, you hear? Trust is a fragile thing once you break it. It's hard to fix. Understand?"
Alan nodded. "Yes, father."
Diana chuckled softly. "Good. Then it's settled. We'll start prepping everything." She tugged Ben's arm lightly. "And after we drop him off, we could use the excuse to visit Jade for a bit. You promised you'd check on her new project."
Alan let out a weak laugh. "She's probably building robots that'll take over the world by now."
"Oh, absolutely," Diana said with a smirk.
Ben leaned back, crossed one leg over the other, and reached for the remote.
The TV clicked back from commercials to Ember City News.
The sudden burst of sound cut through the room.
Chaotic footage filled the screen, shaky camera angles, blurred motion, civilians screaming as debris rained down across neon-lit streets. Sirens wailed somewhere in the background of the footage, overlapping voices shouting warnings that bled into static.
The screen flashed white.
The Ember City News logo faded in.
Anchor Camille Rivers stood centered before a massive holographic map of Avalora, dozens of red markers blinking across it like open wounds.
"Good evening, Ember City," Camille said, her voice steady but tight. "Crime has risen sharply across Avalora and its connected cities. Multiple regions are reporting large-scale villain incidents, placing enormous strain on local hero teams."
The hologram behind her shifted.
Footage cut in fast succession.
A street in Bluestone City collapsed inward as a blinding white flash swallowed the frame.
Cars flipped. Windows shattered.
Another angle, Solar Flare dragging civilians from the wreckage, his armor scorched, smoke pouring from his shoulders.
Then a violent purple shockwave ripped through a shopping district, tossing vehicles like toys.
"Bluestone City faced a catastrophic energy detonation earlier today," Camille continued, "following a clash between Solar Flare and the villain known as Dark Matter. Emergency crews are still searching through the rubble."
The footage jumped again.
Solar Flare turned sharply, palms glowing, and fired.
Dark Matter's body smashed through the side of a skyscraper.
The explosion swallowed a city block in a blinding shockwave.
Fire alarms screamed. Civilians ran in every direction. Sirens stacked on top of sirens until the sound blurred into noise.
Camille's tone dropped.
"Officials estimate hundreds injured. Several zones remain inaccessible."
Cut to Solstice City.
A collapsing dam cracked open on screen, concrete splitting as water burst through like a living thing.
Aquanaut struggled against the surge, braced knee-deep in rushing water, veins showing as he fought to hold the structure together.
The feed jumped again. The streets submerged, boats drifting between streetlights, water slamming into buildings.
"Aquanaut continues efforts to contain flooding in Solstice City," Camille said. "After the villain known as Torrential breached multiple flood barriers earlier today."
The screen split once more.
Elysium.
The city burned red.
Entire blocks crumbled under waves of fire, smoke choking the skyline.
"Meanwhile, Elysium endured mass evacuations earlier," Camille said, "after the supervillain Pyroclasm ignited an entire district."
Shaky phone footage replaced the broadcast feed.
Shadowy figures tore through the streets. Civilians ran past burning cars. Someone fell luckily there's another that dragged them up. The camera shook violently as flames washed over the frame.
Camille lifted a tablet, her expression grim.
"Authorities urge caution as attacks intensify," she said. "Most of the cities shown are facing severe villain activity, with casualties and property damage continuing to rise by the hour."
The screen shifted again.
"However," Camille continued, "in response, major hero organizations including the Guardian Guild, Shielded Sentinels, United Heroes Alliance, Celestial Champions, Galactic Peacekeepers, and Herocorp, have launched a continent-wide collaboration."
Calmer visuals filled the screen.
Large white relief tents. Rescue drones lowering supply crates. Heroes kneeling beside civilians. Smiles. Handshakes.
"They are not only fighting back," Camille said, "but organizing public charity events, rebuilding hospitals, repairing schools, and assisting families affected by recent battles."
Clips rolled.
Heroes signing autographs.
Medical tents overflowing with volunteers.
Crowds cheering at fan events.
Merchandise stalls packed with masks, capes, action figures.
"While often marketed as charity," Camille added, her smile strained, "these initiatives remain essential for supporting civilians and rebuilding cities impacted by the surge in crime."
She swiped the hologram again.
"On a brighter note, collaborative efforts have resulted in new hospitals, schools, and community centers," she said. "Including specialized academies for teenagers experiencing awakened abilities."
The feed cut to a Hero Fan Convention.
Banners waved. Kids in homemade capes jumped and cheered. Heroes posed beneath blinding spotlights as cameras flashed.
Camille's voice softened.
"Behind every disaster, there are those trying to rebuild hope."
The TV went silent.
Ben muted it with a small groan.
He lowered the remote, resting it against his thigh, and leaned back slightly before speaking.
"Listen, kid," he said. His voice dropped. "You saw all that."
Alan turned his head toward him, waiting.
"That's the pretty version," Ben continued. "The one they pay millions to polish."
He shifted in his seat, rubbing a hand down his face.
"Look what you are seeing on the news." he said quietly. "That's called marketing. A performance made with a clean script."
He exhaled.
"Most of these Heroes and villains. They're mere pieces on a board. It's true some are good. And some are rotten to the core."
Alan swallowed.
"So… the system's broken?"
Ben scratched at the stubble along his jaw, eyes unfocused for a moment.
"More like flawed," he said. "Corrupt and easily manipulated." He shook his head. "And full of people who think they're the main characters."
He paused.
"I'm not saying all heroes are bad," Ben added. "Some really want to help. Hell, I used to be one of them." His voice tightened. "But you can't save everyone. And sometimes trying costs more lives than doing nothing."
Alan looked down at his hands, fingers curling slowly as the words sank in.
Ben sighed, rubbing his eyes.
"Just be smarter than I am," he said. "The world isn't what it pretends to be. Don't fall for every shiny thing they flash at you." He glanced at Alan. "Not everything our eyes see can be the truth. So stay human."
Alan nodded, slow and quiet.
The room settled into silence.
Only the low hum of the television remained, its dim light flickering across all three of them as the weight of reality pressed down.
The living room stayed still.
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