Chapter 31: Boundless Skies

Stephen soared through the crisp, clear air, breaking through cloud banks like they were nothing more than misty curtains in his way. Every ascent felt exhilarating, every rush of air past his face was like music playing to the rhythm of his heart. Flying wasn't just about power; it was about freedom, it was about feeling like he belonged to something bigger, something limitless.

It had become routine, almost ritualistic: every few days he'd escape to the upper layers of Earth's atmosphere, basking briefly in the direct, unfiltered sunlight. Each time, it energized him, filled him with a warmth that seeped deep into his bones and stayed with him long after he descended back to the surface.

Today felt no different. Stephen had wandered out to the mall, telling himself it was to pick up a new sketchbook. But truthfully, his destination never really mattered. He was there because no one was home to stop him, and the skies above the mall parking lot were beckoning. With a swift, subtle glance around to make sure no one was paying attention, he ascended quietly, barely causing a stir in the breeze around him.

Once safely above the clouds, he cut loose. Accelerating at blinding speed, the world fell away, distant and muted. Higher and higher he rose, the air thinning, pressure dropping, but Stephen was unaffected. If anything, he felt invigorated, the stark sunlight stronger up here, feeding him energy, surging through his cells, sharpening his senses. The silence was profound—just him, the sunlight, and the endless blue.

Floating gently, arms spread wide, he turned slowly, soaking in the unobstructed sun rays. For a moment, he was completely at peace. The warmth surged inside him, electric, vibrant, tangible. He smiled quietly, whispering to himself, "This never gets old."

Just as Stephen was about to descend again, a tiny flash of movement at the edge of his vision made him pause. He squinted, confused. It wasn't a bird or a plane. He knew what those looked like from up here. No—this was different. This moved deliberately, sharply, like someone else was…flying?

A chill suddenly shot down his spine. A feeling of unease replaced his earlier serenity. He stared more intently. The distant figure paused, floating still as if aware it had been noticed. Stephen felt his heart pound sharply. For a brief moment, both figures hovered silently, suspended high above the Earth, each acutely aware of the other's presence.

Slowly, cautiously, Stephen began to close the distance. Whoever—or whatever—this was, they weren't supposed to be here. He knew enough about Earth's heroes by now, and he recognized none that matched this figure's distant silhouette. The stranger seemed to mirror his cautious approach, drifting closer.

As the distance shrank, Stephen could make out details clearly. A figure in white and gray, a muscular build unmistakably similar to his father's—a Viltrumite. His heart nearly stopped. He had only seen others like his father in pictures and occasional conversations that Nolan quickly ended whenever questions went too deep. But there was no mistaking this man for anything else.

Stephen halted abruptly, fists clenched instinctively. The Viltrumite stopped as well, staring at him silently. Moments passed tensely before the stranger spoke, his voice sharp and curious, carrying clearly in the thin atmosphere.

"What an interesting creature," he said, eyes narrowing slightly with a hint of amusement. "Perhaps I should help Omni-Man eliminate some future problems."

Stephen's chest tightened sharply, adrenaline flooding his system. Without thinking, he spun rapidly, turning to escape. His heart pounded wildly—panic overriding his usual careful control. The hesitation was costly.

Instantly, the Viltrumite surged forward like lightning, appearing directly in Stephen's path. Stephen barely had time to brace himself before a heavy fist smashed into his stomach with enough force to shatter concrete, launching him backward through the air. Pain radiated through his core, fierce but manageable thanks to his remarkable durability.

Stephen spun, quickly regaining control. He narrowed his eyes, inhaled sharply, and pushed himself back toward the attacker. Gathering his courage, he threw a punch of his own, straight and powerful, aimed directly at the man's chest.

The Viltrumite caught Stephen's fist effortlessly, his palm absorbing the punch easily, though Stephen felt satisfaction at seeing the Viltrumite's eyes widen slightly with surprise.

"You're stronger than you look," the man admitted, intrigued but unafraid. His grip tightened around Stephen's hand, twisting abruptly. Stephen hissed in pain, kicking out instinctively to gain distance.

The kick connected, striking the Viltrumite squarely in the chest. The impact reverberated powerfully—strong enough to send him tumbling back a few meters. Stephen seized this opportunity, rushing forward again, aiming rapid-fire punches toward his enemy's face and torso. Each punch carried enough force to obliterate steel, each strike shaking the air with thunderous intensity.

But experience won out. The Viltrumite deftly blocked most blows, countering expertly with precise, calculated strikes. A brutal uppercut snapped Stephen's head backward violently, making his vision blur momentarily. Another strike caught him hard in the ribs, forcing a sharp cry from his lungs. Yet Stephen persisted, adapting swiftly, slipping beneath a powerful swing aimed at his head and returning with a fierce jab that smashed squarely into his attacker's jaw, causing the Viltrumite's head to snap to the side.

Stephen felt a burst of exhilaration—he was improving rapidly mid-fight. But it wasn't enough. The Viltrumite recovered instantly, delivering a punch that felt like a meteor impacting Stephen's chest. The force catapulted Stephen backward, his body spinning violently through the sky.

He gasped, disoriented, barely righting himself in time to avoid another lightning-fast strike. The Viltrumite's expression hardened, recognizing Stephen's rising potential threat.

"I underestimated you slightly, child," he admitted coldly, adjusting his stance. "But you're still too inexperienced to matter."

Stephen's muscles burned fiercely, but determination surged hotter. He attacked again, this time feinting left before swinging a vicious right hook toward the Viltrumite's temple. The blow connected solidly, the crack of impact sharp and satisfying. The attacker staggered briefly—surprise evident—but swiftly regained footing, eyes flashing dangerously.

In an instant, Stephen found himself under relentless assault. The Viltrumite's fists moved like a storm, delivering rapid, punishing strikes with unmatched precision. Stephen blocked what he could, each impact echoing painfully through his bones, pushing his durability to its limits.

Suddenly, a brutal punch caught Stephen squarely in the chest, staggering him severely, sending him tumbling uncontrollably downward through the atmosphere. The world spun dizzily, air roaring past, his mind frantically searching for control.

As he finally steadied himself, hovering shakily, Stephen realized painfully: raw power alone wasn't enough. Experience, skill, precision—he was lacking them all. Yet despite the aching bruises forming beneath his skin, he refused to retreat. Stephen clenched his fists tighter, readying himself once more. His eyes locked defiantly onto the approaching Viltrumite.

He wasn't done yet.

 _ _ ♛ _ _ 

Stephen braced himself, ready for another charge, but before he could even blink, the Viltrumite blurred forward at impossible speed. Stephen had no chance to react—he barely registered the supersonic kick that slammed brutally into his side, breaking the sound barrier with an ear-splitting crack.

He felt a horrific shockwave of pain explode through his torso. His body rocketed uncontrollably across the sky, his vision blurring from the sheer force. Stephen desperately tried to steady himself, but the Viltrumite wasn't finished.

Appearing behind Stephen instantly, the attacker unleashed a relentless combo of punches, each blow striking with bone-crushing intensity. The fists were like battering rams, mercilessly pounding into Stephen's back, ribs, and spine. Each strike felt capable of leveling a skyscraper. Stephen's eyes widened, a pained scream escaping involuntarily as blood filled his mouth. He tasted the metallic tang, his breath forced from his lungs as agony consumed him.

Before he could even think, another powerful hit launched him violently forward, a helpless ragdoll spiraling through the air. Then, from above, the Viltrumite descended, delivering an axe-kick so devastatingly powerful that Stephen was propelled downward toward the earth like a meteorite.

Stephen struggled desperately, fighting to regain some control, slowing himself even slightly. But his attacker was relentless. Diving swiftly, the Viltrumite struck him again with a flying punch, then another, and another, each blow magnifying Stephen's downward momentum, pushing him past any limit he'd ever known.

Finally, the city below rushed up terrifyingly fast. Stephen managed one last desperate attempt, slowing his descent just enough to avoid catastrophic annihilation—but even still, he crashed with devastating force.

His impact echoed like ten missiles detonating simultaneously, sending shockwaves rippling through the city streets. Concrete shattered instantly, buildings shook violently, glass exploded, and dust engulfed everything within several blocks. When the dust settled, Stephen lay motionless, half-buried amidst shattered concrete and twisted metal.

 _ _ ♛ _ _ 

Everything hurt. His senses spiraled chaotically, overwhelmed by pain and panic. Through blurred vision, he saw figures scrambling away, heard muffled screams and cries echoing from nearby buildings. Fathers and mothers searching for children, the injured wailing in agony—every voice blending into a chorus of suffering and fear.

Hovering arrogantly above, the Viltrumite observed the carnage with cold disdain. "Pathetic," he sneered mockingly, voice clear despite the chaos. "Perhaps Earth requires our immediate attention if it harbors more anomalies like you. We might have to purge it sooner than planned."

Stephen's heart hammered painfully, his mind reeling. This wasn't supposed to happen. This destruction, this pain—he caused it. He watched helplessly as emergency sirens wailed, echoing desperately through the devastated streets. The Viltrumite's words echoed louder, heavier, each syllable dripping with arrogant contempt.

"Strange," the attacker mused, floating closer. "Our reports never mentioned the planet producing something like you. Clearly, our intelligence has failed. The Empire will not be pleased."

Stephen's chest tightened painfully. The Empire. Viltrum. His father's legacy, his father's betrayal—this was all spiraling out of control. He couldn't let this happen. He couldn't allow Earth to suffer for his existence. His head pounded furiously as emotions surged—fear, anger, guilt—all overwhelming his senses.

Suddenly, Stephen's hearing intensified sharply, violently. Thousands of voices flooded his ears simultaneously—screams, shouts, cries, whispers—every heartbeat, every panicked breath within miles assaulted him at once. The cacophony was unbearable, making him clutch his head in agony, his vision splitting apart at the seams.

His eyesight blurred and sharpened uncontrollably, abruptly revealing x-ray images of broken bodies, crushed bones, and the faint pulses of fading life. He saw through buildings, witnessed every moment of the unfolding tragedy in excruciating detail. It was too much—far, far too much.

Stephen remembered vividly how Superman had mastered his powers: focus, concentration, calm. Stephen desperately tried to mimic that now, squeezing his eyes shut, desperately reaching for calm within chaos.

But before he could grasp it, a merciless kick slammed directly into his gut, driving him backward through multiple buildings. Steel beams twisted, glass shattered, walls exploded in clouds of debris as Stephen's body was propelled brutally through them all.

 _ _ ♛ _ _ 

Pain consumed him entirely, fury erupting from deep within. Something primal and powerful surged through his body, focusing intensely behind his eyes. His vision grew impossibly hot, burning like molten lava, pressure building rapidly, uncontrollably.

And before anyone could react—before Stephen himself could fully comprehend it—scarlet lasers erupted violently from his eyes, cutting effortlessly through buildings and slicing deeply into the ground below, leaving a glowing molten trail in their wake. The beams surged forward with explosive intensity, striking the stunned Viltrumite squarely in the abdomen, leaving behind a gaping, smoking wound.

The attacker screamed sharply, clutching the injury briefly, before his shocked expression shifted into something entirely unexpected—excitement. A wicked smile spread across his face, eyes glinting with dark fascination. "Remarkable," he murmured, voice tinged with anticipation. "This planet grows more interesting by the second."

Stephen's vision cleared slightly, exhaustion crashing over him, his new senses still violently overwhelming. Yet, he forced himself upright, floating unsteadily amidst the ruin, eyes glowing fiercely, defiance burning clearly in his expression.

Without hesitation, Stephen unleashed another intense blast of heat vision, this time less controlled and less accurate. The Viltrumite barely dodged, twisting desperately in midair. Despite his swift movement, the laser sliced cleanly through his wrist, severing his hand entirely. He snarled, glaring intensely at Stephen, both anger and grudging respect evident.

"I'll remember you," the Viltrumite growled, clutching his severed wrist. "Next time, you won't be so fortunate."

Without another word, he ascended swiftly, vanishing into the distant sky.

Stephen hovered painfully in place, breathing raggedly, barely able to process the chaos surrounding him. News helicopters swarmed overhead, capturing every moment of the destructive encounter. The adrenaline finally drained from Stephen's battered body, and darkness closed swiftly around his vision. He felt himself slipping into unconsciousness, barely aware that the sunlight above him was already healing his wounds rapidly.

 _ _ ♛ _ _ 

Far away, in a secure facility, the GDA had watched every second, their screens flickering urgently with live footage and alarms blaring at the unprecedented display of power. Nolan, unaware of his son's ordeal, was busy battling threats elsewhere, far removed from this disaster.

 _ _ ♛ _ _ 

Meanwhile, at school, Mark stood frozen in shock, staring at his friend William's phone, which displayed shaky footage from a breaking news feed. William, oblivious, joked nervously, but Mark's heart hammered painfully—he instantly recognized his brother. No other twelve-year-old possessed strength like that. Mark's breath hitched sharply, fear and urgency gripping him.

Without another word, Mark shoved the phone back into William's hands, muttered a hurried goodbye, and sprinted toward the nearest secluded location. Moments later, fully suited, Mark rocketed into the sky, desperate to reach Stephen before anyone else could.

He had to get to him.

Fast.

End of Chapter 31