Unheroic Life of a Certain Cape-Chapter 72 Nicholas Caldwell – Interlude

Chapter
72 Nicholas Caldwell - Interlude
THREAD LOCKED: “Monster of Markend = Nicholas Caldwell???”
Originally posted to the Suprahuman Webforum → Cape Sightings & Speculation
Date: March 23, 2025 (Friday)
Thread Author:
Glasshouse_89
Thread Title: “Monster of Markend = Nicholas Caldwell???”
Glasshouse_89 – OP
So, it finally leaked. “Eclipse” — or what the press is calling the
Monster of Markend
now — has a name. Nicholas Caldwell. Nineteen. High school drop.
Father: rumored unregistered cape. Never confirmed.Ghosted his family, and never seen again. Did you see what I did there? LMAO.
Mother: SRC agent, died in a so-called “accident.”
Caldwell: bullied out of school. Classmates called him a half-breed, an “SRC dog spawn.” There are s of fights, hospitalizations, you name it.
And now? He’s the most violent cape this city’s ever seen. How do we go from dropout to walking nightmare in under a year? That gotta be a record.
Ironbite77
Called it. You don’t mix dog-blood SRC with ghost-dad cape genes and expect “healthy kid next door.” That’s a cocktail for disaster.
SoftNoise
Wow. Real nice victim-blaming. Kid gets ostracized, beaten, spat on for years and somehow he’s the monster? Maybe society made him what he is.
WarCleric
Nah, SoftNoise, miss me with that. Everyone gets bullied. Not everyone phases your legs into the pavement. Eclipse chose blood. He could’ve gone hero route. Plenty of capes with bad starts do. He wanted the knife.
CinderThorn
Funny how SRC ties get buried until it’s convenient. First his mom’s an “agent,” now she’s “tragically dead.” Accident my ass. More like cleaning up a loose end before Caldwell snapped.
PylonShift
The “villain bias” thing is real. Markend schools practically teach that unregistered = criminal, SRC = government hound. Caldwell got hit with both labels. Kids can be cruel, and teachers look the other way. You can’t tell me that didn’t warp him.
ChalkOutline
Warped or not, we’re dealing with the result. Body count doesn’t lie. Eclipse isn’t a tragic figure anymore. Instead, he’s a case study in what happens when you let resentment metastasize with powers.
GutterSaint
Monster of Markend. Can’t even pretend the name doesn’t fit. He’s not robbing corner stores anymore. He’s razing territories, hunting capes like sport. There’s blood on the sidewalks.
WraithCycle
Caldwell’s story is the blueprint for why registry exists. Catch the unregistered bloodlines early, test them, train them, or… this. If his dad was really cape-side, then SRC dropped the ball big time.
OblivionBites
Nah. Registry breeds more monsters than it saves. Caldwell is proof. You corner a kid, tell him every option is “wrong,” and eventually he decides there’s no rules left.
Glasshouse_89 – OP
Mods are already pinging me, so I’ll wrap:
Nicholas Caldwell was never just Eclipse. He was the experiment we all ignored until it clawed out of its cage.
Monster or victim, doesn’t matter anymore. He’s Markend’s reckoning.
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THREAD LOCKED BY MODERATOR “StormCellMod”
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Reason: Rule 3 violation: Personal ID confirmed. Rule 5: No IRL harassment/doxxing. Rule 7: Thread veered into Registry/anti-SRC politics.
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THREAD LOCKED: “Survivor Thread: Monster of Markend is Hunting Us”
Originally posted to the Suprahuman Webforum → Cape Sightings & Speculation
Date: April 2, 2025 (Wednesday)
Thread Author:
AshesInMyTeeth
Thread Title: “Survivor Thread: Monster of Markend is Hunting Us”
AshesInMyTeeth – OP
I’m starting this for people who saw him and lived. Mods can nuke if they want, but I need this on record.
He attacked SRC’s South Pier facility two weeks back. Walked through reinforced walls like they weren’t there, cut down Sword Meister like he was nothing. Hero died tragically.
Robbed an SRC blacksite after. Took a pocket nuke.You read that right. He carried it out under his arm like a lunchbox.
Then he went for Seamark. Their base. Their They had numbers, tech, terrain. Didn’t matter. He tore through them, left capes gutted in their bunks.
He killed the Captain,Seamark’s boss, the Old Man, using that same stolen pocket nuke. Vaporized him in front of his crew. Remember the gore shower? The giant serpent debris? Yeah, that’s him.
Captured by SRC after? Maybe. If he was, it didn’t last. He escaped, and on the way out, the Crow ends up dead. Official line says it was “during escape,” but it reeks of cover-up.
And now? For the past week, he’s been hunting Murder of Crows capes like it’s open season. If you’re on their payroll, he’s at your door.
Rumors are he killed Royal too. Makes sense. Pride’s gone quiet for two months. Which means:
Markend’s three kings, Royal, the Captain, the Crow… all dead, and the Monster put them in the ground.
I don’t know what the hell’s happening, but the city’s different now.
BrokenHalberd
I was there at Seamark. I shouldn’t be alive. He didn’t just kill. He toyed. Phased through bullets, flickered in and out like smoke. Sometimes solid, sometimes not. He grabbed a man next to me, half-phased his leg into the floor, and left him there screaming until he bled out.
I ran. Only reason I lived.
DustCircle
Pocket nukes aren’t real. That’s cape creepypasta. You people are so dramatic.
GlassCutter
No. They’re real. I saw the after. Captain’s “serpentpasta” now. Melted scales and bone dust. No conventional weapon does that.
SourWire
Crow’s death doesn’t add up. Too convenient. He ruled with paranoia. No way Eclipse got close without help. I say SRC cut a deal and then burned him.
NightCradle
Everyone’s missing the point. Eclipse — Caldwell — whatever you call him, isn’t just killing gangs. He’s collapsing the entire cape order. Three bosses dead. Hero corps humiliated. SRC gutted. That’s not chaos. That’s A-FREAKING demolition!
SlagRaven
You want “eyewitness?” I saw him in Old Yard last night. He walked out of a burning rowhouse with a cape’s mask in his hand. Dropped it in the gutter like trash. Looked straight through me, like I wasn’t worth solidifying for. I pissed myself. Haven’t stopped shaking.
Ironbite77
I’ll say it: He’s not human. No 19-year-old dropout wrecks institutions, gangs, and capes like this. Call him what he is… a ghost with a grudge.
AshesInMyTeeth – OP
Mods pinged me. Thread’s getting shut down for “eyewitness unverifiable.”
But listen: He’s not a cape. He’s not a villain. He’s not a hero.
He’s the end of Markend. Poetic, right?
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THREAD LOCKED BY MODERATOR “StormCellMod”
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Reason: Rule 2 violation: Excessive gore descriptions. Rule 3: Survivor testimony unverifiable. Rule 7: Panic-baiting not allowed outside “Aftermath Accounts.”
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THREAD LOCKED: “Remember when Eclipse was ‘dashing’? Now he’s a walking grenade rack.”
Originally posted to the Suprahuman Webforum → Cape Sightings & Speculation
Date: April 12, 2025 (Saturday)
Thread Author:
CafeGhost
Thread Title: “Remember when Eclipse was ‘dashing’? Now he’s a walking grenade rack.”
CafeGhost – OP
Okay rant time because I can’t be the only one noticing this cinematic 180.
Remember when every tabloid and edgy tumblr crib was gushing over “Eclipse” — porcelain mask, fedora, crisp suit, that stylistic cards he used to make his entrance? People called him a dark romantic, some kind of deadly gentleman. Guys were literally making aesthetic moodboards. He looked like a villain in a noir poster and the internet ate it up.
Now? Dude gets seen in full military kit. Kevlar, molle pouches, ammo boxes, hauling grenades like he’s starting a war instead of a wardrobe shoot. No more fedora. No more theatrical poses. Just straight-up combat loadout. The vibes changed from “edgy art film” to “insurgent with a grudge.” Horrifying escalation.
Also: can we stop pretending the Watch “nicked” him? No offense, Watch stan brigade, but I’m not buying it. They’re kids with badges. Brave? Sure. Effective against a ghost-knife kid who phases through walls? Doubtful. The footage they released looked staged… shaky cams, too convenient angles, and then poof he’s “detained” and we haven’t got solid proof since. Call me a conspiracy freak, but the GOAT doesn’t get caught by a rook squad. Not possible.
And Vanguard, what the actual hell. Their roster got sliced to ribbons. Greyhound, Nightgard, Sword Meister…dead! Their PR can crow all they want, but that’s half their team gone. Left standing: Iron Bulwark, Promise, Garuda, Thunderbolt. That’s it. How do you operate with half your top-tier gone? Who’s holding the line?
Lastly… Where the hell is he? Nick? Eclipse? Monster? Whatever name you prefer. It’s been radio silence. No credible sightings. No updates. The SRC and cops do squat, or maybe they’re crawling over bodies in the background, I don’t know. All I know is my block’s been blacked out for three days (no power, no surveillance, no streetlights) and I only got on here because I snuck into an internet cafe two boroughs over. If the SRC can’t secure basic infrastructure, someone in charge needs to be held to account for this blackout and the silence.
Rant over. Hot takes welcome. I’m typing this on borrowed time and a 2 marks’ worth of iced coffee.
FedoraFetish (old thread nostalgia)
Not gonna lie, I miss the suit look. It was classier than this whole apocalyptic cosplay. But if he’s shifted to military gear, that says intent. Simply put, kid’s gone crazy.
WatchFanatic
Hey, Watch fans are actual trained responders. They did get footage of him cuffed. Detainment isn’t just a meme. And no this isn’t fake news! Give credit where it’s due. And yes, some of them are young, but so are many top-tier capes. Age ≠ ability.
IronBulwarkSupport
As someone who’s been on call with Vanguard support channels (yeah, I have friends), we lost a lot. Greyhound and Nightgard were tactical anchors. This isn’t PR bluster… we’re stretched thin. Doesn’t mean we won’t come back, but resources are tight.
ConspiracyWalnut
“Staged footage” is the least wild theory. What if Watch faked a capture to bait him? Or faked a capture to buy time while SRC cooked up something worse? Or… what if Nick turned himself over to feed a narrative? Too many moving parts.
SeventhSocket
If he’s hauling explosives now, that’s a game-changer. Grenades mean no more close-range knife glam; that’s blast zones, collateral, and terror tactics. I don’t want to think about what happens to high-density neighborhoods.
BlackoutAnon
Same blackout. My building lost power three days ago. SRC vans rolled through once, then left by dawn. No one told us anything. No curfew notices. No help centers. It’s like they can’t triage a simple infrastructure failure while capes are running amok. Feels personal.
CafeGhost – OP (edit)
Edit: also, can we stop calling him “GOAT” like this is a sportsman? I know, I know… I started it… But he’s murdered people. Stylish or not, stop glamorizing him. If you stan, cool, but the city’s burned. Also, stop the fake news… Watch and Eclipse had a confrontation, but it had been inconclusive.
StormCaller
I got a message from a friend in Watch medical. They patched up three reserves after an engagement. “Detained” doesn’t necessarily mean “submitted.” People can be in custody and still slip out. Keep that in mind.
FedoraFetish
No glam. Just documenting the aesthetics we had. Tone it down, OP.
CafeGhost – OP
Mods pinged me. They’re locking threads faster than before. But seriously: accountability. Power’s out. Watch/Vanguard/SRC silence. The public deserves answers.
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THREAD LOCKED BY MODERATOR “StormCellMod”
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Reason: Rule 4 violation: Incitement/panic rhetoric. Rule 6: Operational details speculation that could endanger public safety. Thread archived for community safety.
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THREAD LOCKED: “Markend After the Monster – Who Fills the Vacuum?”
Originally posted to the Suprahuman Webforum → Cape Sightings & Speculation
Date: April 20, 2025 (Sunday)
Thread Author:
VacuumTalker
Thread Title: “Markend After the Monster – Who Fills the Vacuum?”
VacuumTalker – OP
So here we are. Royal, the Captain, and the Crow — gone. The three pillars that ran Markend’s underworld like a dark council — dead. Call it poetic justice, call it collapse, but the Monster of Markend took them all.
Future? Messy.
You’ve got remnants from Pride, Seamark, and Murder of Crows. Some will try to form splinter gangs. Others will bail, maybe turn rogue solo-ops.
Outsiders smell blood. Neighboring syndicates will send their capes to stake turf. It’s an open city now.
New blood rises in chaos. Every time you have tragedy on this scale, civilians “pull” powers. It’s almost predictable. The cycle keeps feeding itself.
And superheroes? Vanguard’s gutted. Watch is green. SRC’s bleeding trust. Both sides of the coin took hits, and we, the unpowered, are the ones left to pick up shards. The streets are already different. Businesses shuttered, patrols light, bodies still missing.
I don’t know if we’re at the start of something new or the middle of the same cycle, but bottom line? Markend’s future isn’t brighter. It’s just… inevitable.
StainedSignal
Splinters are already showing. Heard a Pride lieutenant is calling himself “Cobalt Lion” now, taking half a block downtown. Seamark deserters camping in the docks, running protection rackets. It’s happening faster than people think.
Crowless
Don’t underestimate the outside gangs. A vacuum like this doesn’t last. Black Rain syndicate from Eastside already sending whispers. Markend is vulnerable, and everyone knows it.
CapeCompendium
We keep talking gangs, but don’t forget the “pullers.” Every mass tragedy equals spikes in power manifestation. Regular citizens, traumatized and desperate, wake up with powers. They’re unpredictable. Some join heroes, some villains, some burn out. But it always reshuffles the deck.
LowVoltageLife
Commoners are screwed. Gangs in-fighting, capes bleeding each other dry, SRC pulling surveillance. Who patches up the neighborhoods? Nobody. My aunt’s shop got looted in the blackout, cops didn’t show, capes didn’t care.
WatcherOnTheWall
Cycle’s the word. Gang rises, capes rise, heroes fight, civvies crushed. Then another tragedy, more pulls, new players. Markend just reset the board. Same game, different pieces.
Ironbite77
You people act like the Monster “changed” anything. He didn’t. He just accelerated what was already happening. He killed three bosses, but now we’ll have ten wannabes. Hydra rules apply. Cut heads, more grow back.
VacuumTalker – OP
Exactly my point. Everyone’s treating this like an end, but it’s just a shuffle. New gangs, new heroes, new casualties. Markend doesn’t heal. It fucking mutates.
NightCradle
Maybe that’s the tragedy: for every boss dead, for every hero fallen, it’s not peace that follows. Just another cycle waiting to eat us.
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THREAD LOCKED BY MODERATOR “StormCellMod”
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Reason: Rule 7 violation: Speculation overflow. Rule 3: Excessive fatalism/doomposting flagged. Thread archived.