The broken atrium stood silent, a sanctuary carved from ruin. Dust hung in the still air, catching pale morning light that seeped through shattered skylights. Jagged glass clung to rusted frames, casting uneven shadows across the cracked marble floor.
Once a monument to excess, it was now a weathered haven for nearly forty figures in uneven rows, their faces etched with the toll of abandonment—broken people, cast aside by a world ruled by despotism, now united to fight its tyranny under one leader.
Kael stood motionless at the center, his presence steady and commanding. His arms rested at his sides, but his sharp gaze swept across the group with quiet intensity. Behind him stood Mira and Reina, their postures echoing his resolve. Mira's wiry frame was tense, her fingers twitching with restless energy, while Reina's tall form radiated calm authority.
The silence carried purpose. Kael let it settle, his eyes meeting individual faces—some hardened by survival, others softened by hope or defiance. A broad-shouldered man with a scarred cheek met his gaze with respect.
A young woman, barely past her teens, watched with curiosity. A lanky figure in a hood observed with wary interest, alert but not hostile. They didn't fear Kael—he wasn't a tyrant. His strength and reputation earned their respect, and they trusted his leadership, drawn to a place where their worth was seen.
"This place isn't a shelter," Kael said, his voice clear and firm, cutting through the quiet. "It's not a haven to escape your past or a second chance."
He stepped forward, his boots scuffing softly against the dusty floor, the sound faint in the vast space.
"This is a refuge for those ready to fight the world's despotism. To change what's out there, you need to know how we work."
His eyes locked with several faces. The scarred man's nod was steady, signaling agreement. The young woman's gaze sharpened with intrigue. The hooded figure stood straighter, curiosity outweighing caution. Kael saw the mix—those who believed, those who doubted, those finding their place.
He needed their commitment to his cause: a fight against the tyrannical power that All for One wielded, the man whose greed had taken Voidflare and left Yumi grieving.
"We follow rules," Kael said, his voice unwavering. "These rules are absolute."
He raised one hand, fingers folding into a count, each gesture deliberate.
---
"Rule One: Never harm an innocent."
His voice was cold, precise. "No matter what they've said or who they know, if you harm an innocent with your ability or hands, I'll take it from you. No second chances."
A few shifted, their expressions tightening—not in fear, but in acknowledgment of the rule's weight. Taking an ability was a heavy consequence, and Kael's power to enforce it was unquestioned. The scarred man's eyes narrowed, a flicker of respect crossing his face, seeing the rule as protection for the powerless.
---
"Rule Two: No fighting among yourselves."
Kael's tone sharpened. "Got a problem? Bring it to me. Use your ability on someone here outside training, and I'll stop you before you blink. We're here to end the world's tyranny, not add to it."
The young woman's eyes widened, stirred by the words. *End the world's tyranny.* The promise gave purpose to their pain, resonating in the quiet. The hooded figure tilted their head, wariness softening into curiosity. Kael needed their unity to dismantle the systems that empowered All for One.
---
"Rule Three: Keep this refuge secret."
His voice lowered, firm and unyielding. "No one—family, friends, anyone—learns about this place without my approval. If you talk, you're gone. No trace left."
The group stood still, their resolve clear. The secrecy of this refuge, hidden in the industrial wastelands, was their shield against a world that would destroy them—villains, corrupt heroes, and those who preyed on the abandoned. The hooded figure's shoulders straightened, acknowledging the stakes.
---
"Rule Four: No stealing from each other."
Kael gestured to the crates along the wall—food, supplies, tools stacked in the dim light. "We share everything. Steal, and you're not just out—you'll be an example for the rest."
The group's silence showed agreement. They had known a world where taking was survival, but Kael's rules built a space where they could feel valued, united against the greed All for One thrived on. A wiry man with a shaved head, whose fingers had twitched earlier, now stood still, his gaze on Kael with wary respect.
---
"Rule Five: Report any threat immediately."
His voice was steel. "If you're being tracked and or being hunted down, tell me right away. Hide the fact that you are, and you risk us all. So trust me when I say I'll end that threat before it spreads."
The air grew heavy, dust trembling in the faint light. Kael's words were a contract. Break it, and you were no longer part of this. The group understood, their expressions showing determination or quiet resolve. They respected Kael's judgment, rooted in his vow to protect them while fighting for a world without tyranny.
---
Kael lowered his hand, letting the silence settle. His gaze swept over the group, steady but not harsh. He needed them to feel the weight of their purpose—a stand against a world where power crushed the powerless, where All for One's greed had spawned horrors like Blotshade and claimed lives like Voidflare's. This refuge offered safety and appreciation through its rules, but Kael framed it as a base for action, channeling their desires into his mission to reset the world.
"I've taken abilities from people far stronger than you," he said, his voice calm but heavy. "I've broken syndicates alone. Believe me—I can do it again if I must."
The scarred man nodded slightly, respect in his eyes. The young woman's gaze burned with determination, her curiosity now firm. The hooded figure watched Kael closely, their wariness turning to trust.
They saw a leader driven by loss and resolve, a man who would end the tyranny that had broken them to honor Voidflare's sacrifice and protect Yumi.
"Some of you believe in this fight," Kael said. "Some are here because you had nowhere else. That doesn't matter. From now on, we follow these rules."
Silence followed, steady and unbroken. No one challenged him. They respected Kael, trusted his strength, and saw a path forward—a chance to find safety in purpose and appreciation in their shared fight against a greedy world.
Kael nodded. "Good."
He motioned to Mira and Reina, who stepped forward with a stack of papers. Mira's movements were brisk, her sharp eyes scanning the group as she prepared to distribute the forms. Reina moved with quiet grace, her presence steady and watchful.
"By the end of the day, I want these forms back," Kael said, his voice clear. "Write down your ability's name, what it does, your strengths, your skills, and your weaknesses."
Murmurs rose, a low hum of reluctance. Weaknesses were a guarded secret in a world that preyed on vulnerability. Kael spoke over it.
"This isn't about pride," he said, silencing the murmurs. "It's about survival. If I don't know your limits, I can't protect you or use you right. Lie on this form, and someone gets hurt. I won't allow that."
He stepped closer, his eyes burning with cold intensity. The scarred man met his gaze, unflinching, a silent agreement in his expression. The young woman nodded, her resolve clear.
"Don't test me," Kael said. "You either fight with me, or get the hell out of here right now. I don't need someone with half-ass resolve. I need a soldier ready to use their pain and suffering to fuel their desire to fight and hope to make the world a better place for people who were once in their shoes and for the people who will come soon after."
He paused, letting the words sink in. The world had cast them out, but this refuge was different—built on purpose, a foundation for his plan to end All for One's legacy and create a world where no one suffered like Yumi. It offered safety through secrecy and appreciation through unity, but only for those committed to the fight.
"I want everyone to be free from pain, suffering, hate, betrayal, all that malice that causes you to do things you know deep down in your heart isn't right. Even if I have to bear everyone's pain and hatred myself, I'll do it in a heartbeat if it means my little sister, my aunt, my brother, my love, can all be at peace. I'd sacrifice everything for them, body and soul, and I hope that all of you have that same sort of drive and motivation that keeps you going."
He looked over at Mari, whose lip was twitching as a tear slipped down her face.
She did everything for her sister. She got stronger, and she decided to go against the system that turned its back on her.
"Sorry~…" She quietly whispered. Everyone around, however, could understand her pain even if they didn't know her story.
"Don't apologize, Mari. Embrace it. Cry for however long you need to. We're all standing here together in this room for one reason and one reason only. The same reason that you continue to live."
He turned to her and wiped away her tears.
"We all just want… for the pain to end."
Everyone's head went down in silence as they all started remembering. Being ostracized for having a Quirk that causes people to itch, to being a Hero who was used as an escape goat against All for One, barely surviving with only one arm and leg left.
They suffered so much, and in the back of their minds, they knew. If Quirks hadn't existed, if good and evil didn't exist, then nothing bad would come about to their lives, their families' lives, or the world itself.
"Dismissed," he said, his voice final.
The group dispersed slowly, their footsteps echoing in the atrium. Some moved with purpose, others with quiet reflection, their thoughts heavy with the rules. Mira handed out forms to a small group in the rear, her sharp voice cutting through their murmurs. Reina stayed close to Kael, her eyes scanning each face as they retreated.
Mira stepped up beside Kael as the last of her tears dried up, her arms crossed. "I don't want anyone to go through the pain I went through," she said, her tone dry as usual.
Kael's voice was quiet, reflective, his thoughts on Voidflare's final words and Yumi's grief. "Stay by my side, Mari, and I promise to never let anyone you love or care about to suffer. That's a promise." Kael placed his hand on her head, transferring her healing Quirk back.
"I'm glad I met you, Mari. Please keep supporting me and my selfish dream." For a brief second, her face lit up red before she dropped her head and nodded.
"You… don't even have to ask, Kael. Till the day you achieve your dreams, I promise to be your sword, standing by your side to help you accomplish your goal."
Kael smiled, turning towards Reina who was quiet the entire time.
"What do you think? Still willing to give me your all?"
Reina looked down at her arms, cuts and wounds were all the eyes could see.
"I'll cut up my whole body for you. For the cause. You're our beacon of hope in this miserable society. I wouldn't want to follow anyone else."
She moved Kaels hand onto her head.
"Please guide us to a better world."
Kael noticed everyone staring at them, not out of confusion and curiosity, but out of understanding.
"Okay.."
Kael said quietly.
"I will not let anyone single one of you down. That… is a promise."
…
In a room deep within a base that overlooked the majority of everything, Kael stared out the large window, seeing his followers interact, train, and eat.
"What did you think?" Kael spoke softly
Reina, sitting across from Mari on a couch, sighed, her voice low. "Some looked unsure."
"Good," Kael said, his eyes on the retreating figures. "Uncertainty keeps them sharp. They'll come around."
His gaze settled on the crates of supplies, the makeshift tables, the flickering lights along the walls. This refuge was a ruin, but it was theirs—a sanctuary offering safety and value for those who fought against the world that took his mentor. The fight was coming—a stand against All for One's tyranny, the root of the suffering that left Yumi grieving. Kael's vision was to end that greed, to strip power from the world and build a new one, equal and free of pain.
Mira stood up and glanced at the crates, her expression softening. "Think they're ready? Most look like they're still picking up the pieces."
"They'll be ready," Kael said, his voice steady, his resolve hardened by his vow to Yumi. "Or they'll fall. We'll know who belongs."
Reina's eyes flicked to him, a glint of curiosity in her calm gaze. "And if they don't hold up?"
Kael's lips twitched, not quite a smile. "We start over. But I don't think they'll let it come to that."
He turned away, his boots echoing softly as he walked toward the door to leave the room. Mira and Reina exchanged a glance, then followed, their steps silent but purposeful. The fight was coming, and Kael's rules were their foundation—a blueprint for a world where the abandoned could rise against tyranny, a world he would reset through his unrelenting resolve to end All for One's legacy.
…