Hi everyone, author here! First of all, I want to apologize for the sudden hiatus. I had an emergency and ended up spending about a week in the hospital, but I'm feeling much better now. The upload schedule will return in 1–2 days, and I think I'll be able to post a chapter or two daily to get us back on track. Thank you all so much for your patience and love.
Second, I came to the realization that 99% of you think Erasmus is invincible or without any biological weakness, but I think that's on me. I'm not talking about a Compound V superpower weakness, I'm talking about his species' kryptonite. I'm going to give you a couple of chapters to figure it out, and then I will drop them on chapter 90.
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Cate sat in her penthouse as her thoughts clashed together. On one hand, she had everything she ever wanted handed to her on a silver platter. She was finally far away from that horrible place, Vought was offering her the world, and there was a high chance she could join the Seven.
But she couldn't even enjoy her penthouse in peace. Edgar was constantly pressuring her to buzz around Vanguard, trying to get her to look into his head, keep tabs on him, or get him to fall for her. She didn't want to do that. She wanted to stay as far away as possible from that thing.
KNOCK.
KNOCK.
KNOCK.
The door opened before she could even give permission, and her worst nightmare walked in.
"Oh, come on," Erasmus sighed. "I can't be that bad. Your worst nightmare, really? I'm just here to talk." Erasmus closed the door and started walking around the room, casually looking at her things.
Cate had already risen from her sofa, looking at him cautiously. "What do you want?"
"I brought you a gift. A peace offering of sorts," Erasmus said. He smiled, taking out a box and offering it to her.
Cate instantly took three steps back, afraid.
Erasmus tilted his head, his hand still suspended in the air. "You're so judgmental, Cate," he murmured softly. "I've never held what you did against you. Yet you've condemned me for mine. Judging me for what I can do, rather than what I've actually done."
Erasmus took his hand back and looked down at the box. "It's fine if you don't want it. I'll just gift it to Stormfront. My beloved." A faint smile graced his lips. "She accepted me for who I am. For what I am. Even if it's strictly for her own political goals... it's a start."
Cate felt physically sick at the word beloved, and his casual tone made her feel even sicker. "What do you want?" Cate snapped. "Whatever your name is today, Aldrich, Erasmus, Cerberus, just tell me what you want and leave me alone. That was our deal. You stay away from me, and I keep my mouth shut about what you are."
"Or I could kill you and consume you. Not only will I get your powers, but it will achieve the exact same goal: getting you to stop whining and shut up."
He said it effortlessly, but a second later, he regretted it, and for the first time, it actually showed. "I'm sorry," he muttered quietly, looking down at the floor as if the words had slipped out against his will. "I shouldn't have said that."
Cate wasn't moved in the slightest. She only felt disdain for him, insulted that he thought she was some brainless idiot. That little performance might have worked on anyone else, but not on her. She saw the real him. And honestly, it amazed her just as much as it terrified her. To watch a creature like him lie so effortlessly, to see it play at being human so flawlessly that it almost seemed to forget it was acting at all.
"If you're done acting now, leave. And please close the door on your way out," Cate said. She forced her voice to remain perfectly level, regaining her bearings as she convinced herself that it had finally finished its little performance.
"Almost done, actually. Just one last thing," Erasmus said. He slowly extended a hand toward her.
Cate instantly flinched, stumbling backward as her heart hammered against her ribs. "I suggest you think very carefully about what you're doing," she snapped, her calm voice cracking. "You can't just kill me in broad daylight in my own penthouse! There are cameras in the lobby!"
"I'm not doing anything. I just want something from you, and I can't word it delicately. So... see it for yourself," Erasmus said quietly, keeping his hand suspended in the air between them.
"You can even seize the chance to do exactly what Edgar asked of you," Erasmus whispered. "You might succeed. You might not. But always remember Newton's third law, Cate... for every action, there is a reaction."
"I'm not interested in whatever you're offering or asking for," Cate said, forcing her voice to remain firm. "Again. Please leave, Erasmus."
"I insist you take a look, Cate," Erasmus replied, his hand still suspended in the air.
Seeing he wouldn't budge, Cate swallowed her fear. She slowly walked over and cautiously placed her hand on his wrist.
Erasmus looked down at her fingers, then back up at her. "Can you place your hand on mine?" he asked with a smile. "That would feel much better for me."
Placing her hand on his, Erasmus immediately interlocked his fingers around hers with a smile.
Cate frowned, her heart hammering against her ribs as she pushed her power forward, slipping into the dark, alien expanse of his mind. For a split second, a wild, thought flared in her head: I have him. I can control his mind right now. I can end this and save the human race.
But she hesitated. If she failed, were his clones close by? Did he have a plan? Otherwise, he wouldn't be this confident offering his mind to her. First, let's see what he wants.
She pushed into his thoughts. A second later, Cate opened her eyes in absolute shock. She looked at Erasmus, who was just standing there, smiling at her.
SLAP.
Erasmus slowly touched his cheek where she had slapped him, his smile remaining exactly as it was. "Well, you skipped a lot of stages, but that's fine," he said, his voice completely calm. "Before you say no, at least listen to what I'm offering... beloved."
"You irredeemable monster,"
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Hey everyone! The author here.
I wanted to let you know that I've officially set up a Patreon. If anyone feels like supporting me and the story, you can check it out! Just a heads-up: there won't be any advanced chapters or special perks locked behind a paywall. It is strictly a tip jar for pure donations if you want to support my writing journey.
How to find my Patreon:
Go to patreon . com and search for my username: Abysswalker22
Or
https://patreon.com/Abysswalker22?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink
As for those interested in an online crash course on writing in my style. If you aren't familiar with my style, it just means you haven't read my fanfic, The Boys: What the Cuckoo Keeps, so go read that first.
If you liked how write and want to write your own fanfiction, or if you're feeling ambitious and want to build your own original work, this course is for you.
Because this requires actual, hands-on work from me, this tier is strictly capped at 4 slots for now.
With only 4 people, one dedicated day of the week belongs entirely to you. On your day, your writing, your plots, and your drafts take priority. I will literally sit down and help you write.
The Benefits
Direct Draft Reviews: Send me your work and I'll review it. I'll point out what's working, suggest specific ideas, and give you feedback on exactly how to make it better.
Plotting & Outlining Help: Stuck on where your story is going? We'll break down the narrative together, identify the weak points, and build a roadmap forward.
Character Development: We'll analyze your characters to make sure they are memorable, distinct, and actively driving the story instead of just filling space.
Scene Construction: Learn how to build scenes that create raw tension, emotion, and momentum without any unnecessary filler.
Direct Access: Ask questions, discuss ideas, troubleshoot problems, and get personalized guidance on your projects whenever you need it.
Important Note:
If you're writing fanfiction for a fandom I'm unfamiliar with, my ability to help with plot-specific questions may be limited. I can still assist with character writing, scene construction, pacing, dialogue, prose, and general storytelling, but I may not be able to offer detailed advice on canon events, lore, or franchise-specific plotlines.
Before joining, please reach out and ask whether I'm familiar with your fandom so we can determine if I'm the right person to help with your project.
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