“...have been asked to maintain a respectful distance,” the Nashville News Channel reporter said, turning and gesturing at the sign behind her displaying the name of the Nashville National Cemetery. “The VA passed a regulation following the Liberty War allowing heroes belonging to state and private guilds who fell in the line of duty to be buried in VA-managed cemeteries. Hero Pyrolysis, Valentino Kinton, will be laid to rest within the cemetery alongside other heroes from Kentucky who have fallen since the War.”

The reporter turned back to the camera. “This is the latest funeral as conflicts between heroes and villains continue to escalate worldwide. The number of surviving first-generation heroes continues to dwindle, while the larger second generation is forced to take its place in some of the hardest-hit areas,” the woman let out a heavy sigh. “Hero Pyrolysis chose to serve as a Patrol Hero rather than participate in the Liberty War and saved hundreds of lives from monster attacks while the number of active heroes in New York shrank to bolster the Pandora Forces in the south.”

She paused and raised a finger to her earpiece before turning. “We are just receiving word that an unexpected number of attendants are arriving via Hero Euclidia’s portals. Just a moment.”

In the distance, one archway rose, and a few figures stepped out. One was a woman in a black suit with white hair accompanied by another in a black gown. More came through the portal. A woman in black with a blue flower in her hair and a man in a black suit. “I can see Sonya Chernovna, Hero Handmaiden, Guildmaster Bluestar, and Hero Bandit. There’s Guildmaster Evergreen, and…” The reporter froze. “...Huh?”

A dozen archways rose, then more. Men and women of all ages in black suits and dresses strode through the portal, some brushing a little snow off of themselves. The number just kept growing as more and more people began flooding into the cemetery. The reporter glanced back at the camera in confusion before looking back. “I think… I think I see, yes, that’s Hero Kong, one of the recent lead participants of the Dharan Reclamation Event. I think that’s Hero Nietz standing next to him. I believe…” She furrowed her brows. “...These are all the participants of the Dharan event. There have to be hundreds of them!”

A sea of men and women filled the cemetery as one more portal opened. Instead of a black suit, a figure in a white hooded robe and plague-doctor mask stepped out ahead of the gathered people. Behind him came a casket and several young people. Crusader, Harbinger, Snow, John, Gravitic, and BLF carried the casket as pallbearers in their full uniforms. They kept walking, and a few more followed after them. “We can see the casket and six pallbearers in hero uniform. Behind them appear to be Hero Otis and the remaining ASTA heroes. The rest of his team are still in recovery after an attack by Ishtar.”

The reporter cleared her throat. “Hero Lifesaver is approaching the podium. We’re going to stop reporting now and listen in.”

The camera feed switched to drone footage zoomed in from a distance. Text at the bottom of the screen showed an explanation: The Pandora Committee has restricted access to drones for the funeral. Hero Lifesaver stood at the podium for a few moments before reaching up and pulling his mask off. He set it down and pulled his hood back, revealing short, curly black hair with spots of gray in it. “Hero Pyrolysis composed a will the day he got his license,” Lifesaver's voice carried. “He asked me, as the Guild’s Chaplain, to handle the service in the case of his death. He also requested I keep things light-hearted as best I can.”

Lifesaver let out a breath. “I am not, precisely, a religious man. Valentino was an observing Catholic, and I did ask his family if their local pastor would like to handle it instead. Monseigneur Albrego asked me to respect Val’s wishes.” He turned his head to the right and nodded to a small group of people standing near the front of the massive gathering. “Thank you for attending anyway, Monseigneur.”

He tilted his chin up. “Two years ago, when the flash came, I was terrified. I did not know right from left or whether or not I would see the next morning. I never imagined for a moment that people would go out and don capes and cowls and…” he chuckled, “Masks.”

There was a scattering of laughter among those gathered, and he placed a hand on his own mask. “But we did. We put on those costumes, we went out there, and we saved lives. We have saved lives every single day since. Before that day, I was dragged by a bright-eyed optimist before Congress and stood as proof of what we could accomplish with these powers we’ve been given, and every single day after.”

“That is what we heroes do. It is the core of our mission. To make this world safer for everyone,” he said. “I believe in that mission, and so did Valentino. He was one of the first to sign up to participate in the Hero Camps, his name near the top of the list. He convinced his friend John to join him, and through him two more heroes joined their number, BLF and Snow. At that camp they met Harbinger and Crusader. Among them were the first responders during the tragedy in Tokyo months later,” he cleared his throat. “In a way, even if he wasn’t there, Hero Pyrolysis is responsible for saving all those lives as well. Because he inspired others to take up the mission with him.”

“Because, again, that is what we heroes do,” he said and gestured to the audience. “There are a lot more of you here than I was expecting!” he chuckled and then nodded. “But that was what was so special about this young man. He brought people together even if they didn’t even realize it. Even if he did not realize it. The chain of events that followed his choice played a role in individuals from almost every nation on the planet coming to this place, at this time. Because we share something with Hero Pyrolysis. With Valentino Kinton. We share the mission. We are heroes.”

He looked down at the podium for a moment. “I heard something in passing from Sonya during a party not long ago over drinks. She’s said it a few times since then, and it has resonated with me: See the path…”

Without prompting, as the whole world watched, the heroes gathered joined him. “Take it to the end.” Came the rumbling refrain.

He stared at the crowd for a heartbeat before nodding and continuing. “Stand at the peak.”

“And look back with pride,” he and all the gathered heroes said as one voice. 

Lifesaver cleared his throat again and took a breath to steady himself. “Val Kinton can look back with Pride, because the world is a better place thanks to him. Thank you for coming.” He turned and nodded to the priest. “Monseigneur, if you would?”

The screen flicked back to the reporter, who was dabbing her eyes. She cleared her throat and looked offscreen. “My sister was in New York during the war. She nearly got caught up in a lurker attack, Pyrolysis-” she blinked. “Oh, we’re on? I’m sorry,” she cleared her throat again and looked at the camera with red-rimmed eyes before shaking her head. “I need a minute.”

The screen shut off, and Lillian got to her feet as the others talked and laughed. She’d watched the recording over and over since they’d returned to Sonya’s penthouse atop the ASTA Headquarters. The outer wall of the living room flickered once as a part of it opened for her to step out into the garden. She walked through it and ran her fingers over the flowers before stopping at the rail and looking out over the city. She exhaled a steady cloud against the cold air and whistled once. Al fluttered down and landed on her shoulder. “Hey, buddy.”

She stroked the hawk beneath his chin. “How you feelin’?”

A faint hiss of static followed her, and she glanced back as Snow’s voice filled her ears. “He’s good, caught himself a meal a little while ago. You’re the one I’m worried about.”

Lillian leaned against the rail and looked down at Snow as she approached and put a hand on her side. “I’m fine,” Lillian said. “Better now, even if I’m still angry.”

“Are you still going to follow that…” she clicked her tongue, “...person around?”

“I already volunteered. No take-backs.”

Snow frowned and crossed her arms, tapping her foot. Angry emojis popped into the air around her, but Lillian just waved them aside and smiled. “I know that he’s a monster beneath all that,” she said. “I won’t be tricked or caught off guard.” Snow gave her a skeptical look, and Lillian sighed. “Can we… not talk about him today?”

Snow hesitated but then smiled and moved in for a hug. “You’re right. This is about Val today.”

Lillian looked back towards the city. “So he got you to join up, huh?”

Snow snorted. “Well, Alex did. I knew him from occasional meetings, and he came and found me when the idea of the Camp came up. Sounds like Val was the impetus of it all.”

“We wouldn’t have met if it weren’t for him, then,” Lillian said.

“Yeah.”

They stood in a comfortable silence for a while before Lillian spoke up. “How’s John?”

“Better. He’s always been kinda humdrum, but… honestly, I’ve never seen him this animated. Though that also might be Sonya’s liquor cabinet talking through him,” Snow said offhandedly. 

Lillian scowled. “He’s twenty!”

“So? It’s a special occasion; let him have this, Miss ‘By the Book,’” Snow shot back.

Lillian grinned and barked out a laugh. “Okay, you got me there.” She let out a breath and leaned down to look over the side at the ground far below. She did wonder if she was being too hasty with the move she was making. Before Tokyo, she had seen herself as someone who could jump or move around any obstacle. After Tokyo, she had shifted to being the wall between the bad things in the world and those behind her. The Liberty War had given her perspective on just how difficult either could be and how complicated life was. 

I shouldn’t sit still, but I shouldn’t run into things either. Val would tell me to do what I can and take care of myself while looking after others. She exhaled and ran a hand over the back of Snow’s head absently, her girlfriend leaning in close. You always liked rocketing into things despite your own advice, you crazy guy. She smiled. For me, I think what I need isn’t a parkour route or to be a wall. I need to be like a steady march-

She felt warm inside as a shout rose up behind her.

“Hey, lovebirds!”

She and Snow turned to see Alex leaning against the doorway and holding up a bottle of beer. “We’re toasting! Get in here!”

“Alex!” Cass called behind him and hurried over to grab his arm. “Babe, you’re drunk!”

“I’m fiiiine!” Alex laughed as Cass gave the two of them an apologetic look.

“I am so sorry. I stop watching him for one minute and-”

Lillian laughed and glanced down towards Snow. “I’m up for a drink. Picked up a taste for it while I was in Nepal. What about you?”

Snow whipped her head towards Lillian. “And you were gonna yell at John?” she demanded.

Lillian snorted and started walking. “It’s legal over there!”

“Lily!” Snow shouted behind her as Lillian picked up the pace.

“Alex, save me!” she shouted as she hurried back inside.

–

Sonya watched the young heroes enjoy the wake with a smile on her face. She ran her thumb over the lip of the soda can in her hand and nodded along to the music. This was one of the best feelings in the world - despite everything - seeing just how far they’d come since she’d first laid eyes on them. There was hurt there, but like the rest of it, she could manage it now. She sipped her drink and chuckled as Lillian hid behind Alex, Snow racing in and trying to tackle her to the ground.

“You gonna tell Lillian today?” a playful voice said next to her.

She glanced over at Colin. “Nah, it can wait until tomorrow. They deserve a day before they get busier with International work.”

Colin nodded. “What about their abilities? When are we ‘tokening’ them up?”

“After my merger,” Sonya said. “I want a good idea of all the abilities I’ve stored up before I start tossing them around.”

“Sounds good,” Colin said and tapped the rail awkwardly. “I, uh… I do have something else to talk to you about. It can wait, though.”

“Did you go through Polina’s files?” Sonya asked.

He nodded, and she sighed. “Yeah. It can wait. I want to sleep on it before I have to deal with those feelings.”

“Fair enough,” Colin agreed before clearing his throat and starting to turn. He paused and looked back at her. “I know we’re the bad guys, and that we gotta keep being the bad guys so all this works,” he said hesitantly, “but it does feel damn good to see how much better the world is because of what we’ve been doing. If I didn’t know better, I’d say you’d already won.”

She grinned at him. “It does feel good, doesn’t it?” she said. “What happens next, though? That will make it stick. We’re almost there, Colin. Just a little more, and we can shift our focus.”

“Blight’s ready,” Colin said with a grin and started sauntering away. “Just say the word.”

What we’re about to do will either make this unity you’ve created permanent or ruin it entirely. Everything has to go perfectly for this to work, Sonya. First Wind was Otis’ Peerless Herald. He won’t go down easily, and he won’t like being used as an example. Ishtar said. Either we crush Otis’ dreams of a hero-on-hero war and force him to change direction again, or we don’t. Are you ready for that?

She smiled down on the young heroes down below. More ready than I have ever been. 

She took one more sip of her drink before pushing off the railing and making her way down the stairs. The others looked up at her, and she cracked an easy smile. She knew that there were dark feelings lingering behind their eyes, but she didn’t hold it against them. Otis was a cloud over their heads. And Ollie? He was too far gone as far as Sonya was concerned, but that was something she would deal with herself. Of all the things these people would face and struggle with, she would never force them to face that terrible choice.

Perhaps it was cruel; perhaps it was kind, but that was who she was, and she wouldn’t apologize for it. She nodded to the TV and winked. “Who’s up for a game?”