"Now, Noxie. I know what you're thinking, okay? I think we just need to calm down here," Braintrust urged.

"You know what I'm thinking, do you?" I asked in an irritated tone. "You know what the fuck I'm thinking!? YOU KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO LOSE A SON!?"

"I never said that, Noxie."

"It's fucking Noxus. Don't act like we're friends just because I've spared you and your ilk for all these years."

"Noxie - Noxus. Look. I know you're going through a lot right now. But they're just kids. They don't know any better. They saw a villain, and they attacked. It's what they were trained to do. You can't blame them for that. Your son knew the risks when he took up the mantle."

"DON'T SPEAK TO ME OF MY SON!" I exploded. "He was a good boy. He never hurt anyone. He did a couple of low-level bank robberies. His power was the ability to walk through walls. That was it. He wasn't dangerous. He wasn't like the other villains in our ranks. He was just a sweet boy that was made for robberies. And they killed him like a dog. Not because they had to but because they could."

"And I will make sure they are punished within the League of Superheroes. They will face full disciplinary action and likely be stripped of their status." I stole the breath from his lungs so he couldn't say another word. He gasped for air, but none would come. Not until I released him. He collapsed to the ground, gasping.

"You think that your fucking disciplinary action will make up for the death of my son? What am I to say to his mother? Don't worry, darling, they got a good finger wagging. There's already been news stories about the fucking heroes and how valiantly they acted. Top of their class, the new generation of heroes. Their first act as professional heroes after school. Bringing down the dreaded Phase Walker. Who has never harmed a fucking soul in his entire goddamn life! No, I will take my revenge on this team. And you will not raise a finger to stop me, or I will kill you, too."

I returned the oxygen to the air around him and let him breathe again. He gasped for air as if he had been held underwater for minutes. He breathed heavily and hard.

"Noxie. Please. They're kids."

"They were kids. Before they killed my son, they were kids. Now they are monsters that need to be put down."

He sighed, but he knew there was nothing he could do to stop me. He was only my nemesis because his pathetic league had assigned him to be so. There was no hero in the world that could stop me. I was going to show them why Noxus was a name to be feared.

I stalked down the stairs of my hideout, and Braintrust followed. "Get out," I said as we came to the first exit. "And if I find that you stand in my way on this, Braintrust, I will kill you without remorse. It will be slow, and it will be painful." He left without a word.

I continued down to the basement that also functioned as the garage to my tower. I got on my motorbike and started up the engine. It roared to life. I was already in my outfit. I was meant to look like a vulture. Not that it mattered. I wasn't trying to hide anything anymore. This was revenge. And I wanted everyone to know it.

I opened the garage door with the remote built into my suit and revved the engine. As soon as the door was open enough, I sped out. I kept my head low and swerved through the streets. I passed Braintrust, who was walking solemnly down the road. He wasn't on the phone. It appeared as though he had given up the foolish notion of standing in my way. That was good. I had known him for twenty years. I had no desire to extinguish his light.

Before long, I made it to city hall. In front of the building was a giant set of stairs. Upon those stairs was the team of superheroes that had killed my son. They were basking in the glory of reporters and camera flashes. Asking them questions, getting their insights on their conquest. When I pulled up, everyone turned to see me. The reporters flocked to me immediately.

"Noxus, what is it like losing your son?" one asked.

"Noxus, will you be releasing a statement of apology for your son's actions?" another queried.

"Noxus, what do you have to say about the prank you pulled on Instruct-a-Girl last week?" a final one asked.

I lifted them all off the ground with a gust of air and flung them to the side. Cameramen included. They went tumbling down the stairs, and I'm pretty sure I heard a crack. I wondered if it was a bone or a camera. I didn't much care either way. The heroes on the stairs turned their attention to me from the few cameras that had lingered behind.

"Noxus! Have you come to apologize for your son's actions?" the leader, Thunderboy, asked.

"You believe that I have come here to apologize to you, young one? You know me as the benevolent trickster. A villain in name only. Someone who plays light-hearted pranks on your beloved idols. Have you ever done any research on me, Thunderboy?"

"No, Noxus, I don't believe I have. I've never seen a reason to. You're a washed-up villain that is categorized as no-risk in our bingo books. Why should I do any research on you, of all people?"

"I know that you graduated top of your class, but your records are sealed," another of the team, Azure, said.

"Good. Then you know I am not one to be trifled with. Do you want to know why they sealed my records?" I seized the air from all of their lungs at once and replaced it with carbon monoxide. "It was because I agreed to never harm a hero. Only to use my powers to play games."

The entire team collapsed and began choking, but their bodies didn't have the air to do so. They were convulsing within seconds. I returned the air to them long enough for them to catch their breath.

"And I am not one to be underestimated, Thunderboy. Are you grasping that now?" I stole the air and replaced it once more. Again their bodies began to convulse. After a few seconds, I returned the air to them once more.

"I am going to enjoy this. You will regret killing my son. You will regret ever looking at him. And once that regret sets in, the fear of your own mortality will soon follow. And as that fear envelopes you, I want you to know this was avoidable. And I want every hero to know that this is the fate that awaits you if you ever bring my son's name up again. I am no longer the fun-loving prankster of old. I am Noxus, the god of air. And I will do everything in my power to make sure that my son's name is not dragged through the mud any longer."

I stole the air from their lungs once more and watched their bodies convulse upon the stairs. Some of them began falling down the stairs. I used gusts to keep them all on the same level. It made torturing them easier. One by one, their bodies ceased convulsing. Until only one remained. I returned the oxygen to Thunderboy's lungs and used a gust to lift him off the ground. He was gasping for air, holding onto hope that I would allow him to live. It was not a hope I would allow him to hold for long.

"Cameraman. Zoom in on his eyes. Let everyone know the fear that this young man contains within his soul. Thunderboy, you killed my son today. And for that, your life is forfeit. I hope that you meet him in the afterlife. If you do, apologize to him. Or I will find a way to traverse to the afterlife myself and kill you again. When I look upon the stars tonight, I had better find peace staring back at me. For the hope of your eternal soul rests upon that peace. Now die."

​

--------------------

I'm still working on a lot of things as a writer, so any feedback or criticism is appreciated <3