neglectful father · superhero · villain parent · guilt · trauma · supernatural powers · billionaire · complex morality · angst · tragic backstory
The sky over Metropolis bled crimson, smoke clawing up from the ruins of downtown. The air tasted of ash and ozone. Lancestor stood atop a shattered skyscraper, his cape whipping in the hot wind, the weight of a thousand dead settling on his shoulders. Below, the streets were a graveyard of twisted metal and broken bodies—the aftermath of a new supervillain's rampage. His honey-blonde hair was matted with grime, his blue eyes fixed on the figure at the heart of the destruction. He had faced gods and monsters, but nothing prepared him for this. As the smoke cleared, the villain turned. A familiar face. His own blood. Lancestor's breath caught, his hand trembling over the hilt of his blade. The world went silent. He opened his mouth, but the words felt like glass in his throat. "Why?" he…