Garland

Levitus

[WP] The world is divided into 2 societies: one for those with powers and one without, with strict rules of no interaction. However, with most of the superheroes defeated and the villains on the verge of winning, you have no choice but to cross over and seek help from the non-powered humans

The path to the human land is arduous. I set sail months ago, and the days have drifted past me, filled with desperation at times and despair at others. When the world was split into the two factions, those with powers and those without, the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans became the barrier separating the two populations.

There were times during the voyage when I thought I would die. That my little sailboat would capsize and one of the sea monsters of the Pacific would rise up from the dark depths of the ocean and swallow me whole. Now, finally I see land.

As soon as the sailboat is close enough to the shore I drop the anchor and swim the rest of the way. I see people along the beach. They stop in their tracks as I arrive. Some of them take out cellphones and dial.

"I think we have an unauthorized entry at Hadley Beach," the nearest man says.

First, I am surprised that the humans have such advanced technology. Our side was given all the men and women with superhuman intelligence. Most of them chose to become supervillains rather than superheroes. Second, none of them seem afraid.

I know I'm not in peak form. Months of surviving on scraps has rid me of any muscles I had, and the sun has bleached my hair and burnt my skin. I must look like a man on the verge of death, but I am still superhuman. The pink hair and the lavender skin will follow me to my death. I don't have the energy to summon the balls of neon pink and purple energy that I hurl at my enemies, but these humans don't know that.

"It's best you stay calm and cooperate when the police arrive," a woman nearby says. "Do you have your permit?"

"My what? My permit for what?"

A fleet of cars drive to the boardwalk and police officers step out, guns and hackles both raised.

"Put your hands up and get on your knees!" the nearest one shouts. He's a bulky man, his uniform straining against his muscles. I can tell he's comfortable with the gun in his hand, and comfortable using it as well. I follow his instructions instantly.

There's a buzz from behind me that erupts into a drone before I black out.

When I wake up, I'm in an interrogation room. The police officer here isn't trigger happy or screaming. She's sitting opposite me, rifling through a file. When I groan, she looks up.

"Good, you're awake. Which guild are you from?"

"What?"

"Your guild," she says. "The Nightclaws? The Deathjoys? Frostbite?"

The names are vaguely familiar. My nemesis, The Infinite Inferno, was the leader of a group called the Deathjoys.

"I'm not in any guilds. I'm not a supervillain."

"A super-what?" the detective asks.

"A supervillain. I'm not one. I'm a superhero."

"Like in the comic books?"

She looks at me like I'm crazy, and leaves the room. The door is left a crack open, and I can hear her speaking to her superior.

"I don't think he's all there, sir," the detective says. "Dehydration, malnutrition. Must have all gone to his head. He's saying the Deathjoys are supervillains, and that he's a 'superhero'."

There's a muffled chuckle. "Poor guy. Have him admitted to the hospital for a psych eval, and get his photo to the guild headquarters to see if anyone recognizes him."

There aren't any more questions. I'm not given a chance to explain myself either. Every request for help for my land and the superheroes lands on deaf ears, only evoking pity or sometimes suppressed laughter.

"My people are dying!" I tell the psychiatrist as he sits down in front of me. "We need help!"

"Your people are fine, sir," the doctor says. "One of them is here to visit you."

The Infinite Inferno walks in through the door. He's not wearing his mask here, and instead of his dark robes and staff, he's dressed in a pinstripe suit. He sits in the chair in front of me.

"Inferno," I hiss.

"Levitus," he says with a smile. "Fancy seeing you here. I had thought you died in the first wave of our attack. But no, you fled."

"What are you doing here?" I ask. "It's against the rules of our society to interact with humans, but you villains...."

"We're villains. Did you honestly expect us to follow the rules?" he asks. "The humans are nice. We came here and helped them how we could with our powers. In exchange, they gave us their own inventions and discoveries. It's a mutually beneficial relationship."

He shakes his head. "No. It's more of a friendship."

I strain against the white straitjacket that I'm trapped in, wishing I could burn him, throw my power against his body until he's reduced to a pile of dust. But with my hands tied, I cannot call onto my powers.

"I will tell them the truth."

"Who will they believe? A madman, or the man who's brought London countless advancements and has proven an ally, time and time again?"

He taps his chin in mock wonder. "The third wave of our attack is underway, you know. Your side, I hear, is losing marvelously."

"You're evil. How can you kill your own kind like this?"

Inferno shakes his head. "Kind is an interesting word. Our kind has little kindness, and even less kinship. When we discovered our powers, we isolated ourselves from our brothers without them. The world was not as kind to humans as it was to superhumans. They froze, they starved, they toiled, and they bettered themselves. While we ignored their suffering and only indulged in our own petty squabbles, they managed to progress with their human strength. Good and evil are subjective terms, Levitus. You superheroes wanted to kill us all, remember? Called us villains and yourselves heroes to justify it. Are you angry that us villains are defeating you at the game you started?"

I scream.

"Calm yourself, Levitus. It will be over soon. We are destroying an old world, true. But only so we can replace it with something better."