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John-Clement Gallo

Copyright © 2018 John-Clement Gallo

All rights reserved.

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There are two great days in a person's life—the day we are born and the day we discover why.

– William Barclay

#  TABLE OF CONTENTS

TABLE OF CONTENTS 3

PROLOGUE 6

CHAPTER 1 8

CHAPTER 2 19

THE FUTURE 19

THE SHADOW 32

CHAPTER 5 37

CHAPTER 6 40

POWERS 40

CHAPTER 7 47

CHAPTER 8 54

FORGOTTEN MEMORIES 54

CHAPTER 9 61

COME AND SEE 69

CHAPTER 11 75

THE VISION 83

CHAPTER 13 95

CHAPTER 14 107

CHAPTER 15 116

CONFLICTING DESTINIES 116

CHAPTER 16 125

CHAPTER 17 134

ANCIENT EXILE 134

CHAPTER 18 140

CHAPTER 19 146

JUSTICE PREVAILS 146

CHAPTER 20 154

CHAPTER 21 159

DESTINIES 159

CHAPTER 22 169

CHAPTER 23 174

VENGEANCE 174

CHAPTER 24 179

PREPARATION 179

CHAPTER 25 187

THE ANSWER 187

CHAPTER 26 191

CHAPTER 27 196

THE SCHEME 196

CHAPTER 28 202

INTO THE TITAN 202

CHAPTER 29 211

CHAPTER 30 220

VERSUS 220

CHAPTER 31 230

CHAPTER 32 237

ESCAPE 237

CHAPTER 33 243

CHAPTER 34 250

RECONCILIATION 250

CHAPTER 35 260

CHAPTER 36 266

ENTER SHADOWVERSE 266

CHAPTER 37 273

CHAPTER 38 281

CALM BEFORE THE RAGE 281

CHAPTER 39 285

CHAPTER 40 289

FAKE MESSIAH 289

CHAPTER 41 296

CHAPTER 42 307

ULTIMATUM, PART 2 307

CHAPTER 43 315

CHAPTER 44 320

END OF A JOURNEY 320

CHAPTER 45 326

CHAPTER 46 333

CHILDREN OF THE LIGHT 333

CHAPTER 47 338

The Heroes 349

The Villains 352

The Unknown 353

About the Author 355

 John-Clement Gallo is a 17-year-old Christian author of The Shadowverse, a Science-Fiction Superhero novel. He enjoys astronomy, astrophysics, ambient music, and ice hockey, while also a trumpet player. While living in Houston, Texas, he was the youngest person (11) to become a licensed RC pilot. On the other hand, he is ranked a black belt in Taekwondo and Hapkido, though he is very unassuming and tends to keep that accomplishment a cool secret. Currently, he lives in Orlando, Florida with his family, trying to outlive the constant heat. 355

Conclusion 357

#  PROLOGUE

500 YEARS AGO

There was only darkness. A darkness he could feel. This world bathed itself in an energy he had never sensed—an Energy never released for nearly half a millennium. But no longer. Throughout his life, he could not follow the codes of his own species, but now the name and world he left behind would perish where he deserted it—the past. And if it be his will, that place would rot. Now, he would abandon his name and the past he despised so much and become someone new, Solis.

His cloak flapped in the ferocious wind, only a mask covering half of his dark purple face up to the eyes. The machine he constructed ignited. It was made of hundreds of interconnected wires and plates, yet only a single energy as it roared like an engine. "And now," he said, "I shall resurrect the true hero."

A rumble. Another. Soon the area, a desolate wasteland on a planet long forgotten, was subject to an outpouring of black, murky mist lightly coupled with a polychromatic, whispy energy. Its power focused on a single point, a horizontal vortex forming as the wind accelerated. The golden irises of Solis's eyes searched frantically for any sign.

Solis braced himself as the point...widened. The vortex bore a spherical hole into the very fabric of reality. Thunder resonated like alarms and a demonically black lightning emanated in all directions. It was quickly becoming too much to bear. But yet, he had to withstand. For him. The hole grew more pronounced with each passing second.

Through the storm, he heard a voice. A deep, firm, reverberating voice. "Who calls me?" it asked. "What is transpiring?"

Solis gulped, yet spoke through the fury. "I am Solis, and I am here to resurrect the one who brought so much to this reality I was unfortunately borne into!"

"Where is the nemesis?"

"He will be of little consequence soon."

"I feel...free."

Solis prepared himself for the arrival of a being of old, a ruler of worlds who had been dethroned, murdered, and banished back to the alternate universe he had originated from—the Shadowverse—five-hundred years prior by an immortal warrior named Sonovan Lung and three of his compatriots, Orslon, Venarian, and Zydok, known by their codename 'The Shadows.'

"Then free yourself, my lord!"

"So be it."

The Energy swirled everywhere, threatening to knock seven-foot Solis off his feet. Then, he saw them. Fingers, grasping the edges of the rotating sphere as the lightning flashed and thunder boomed. Subsequently, something else appeared in the hurricane—menacing, crimson eyes. Solis could see his form now, all nine feet of him. He is so close. "Make it!" he shouted through his own mask.

The being elicited a growl. "I never thought I could make it back, but now, I am here!" it roared. And, just like that, he shoved himself out. In a mere instant, the storm abated.

Solis could not believe his eyes. He had done it. The naked being, skin white as snow, a bald head, and eyes burning red, sank to his knees on the gravelly terrain. He breathed in a long, drawn out breath lasting seemingly forever.

"I'm...free!" he boomed in an exhale, voice echoing for miles. "I'm free!" The being stood and turned to Solis, eyes like daggers, as if boring into his very soul. "Who are you and how have you accomplished this feat?"

Instead of an explanation, the cloaked Solis ambled towards the giant and knelt on one knee. "My lord Titan, I have done this so you might again bring pure justice to the universe. I resurrected you. They took everything from you. But it shall never last. My only request is that I may be by your side throughout the journey. I am Solis, savior of the Titan, ruler of the Tetra."

The being, formerly known as Titan, placed his hand on Solis's shoulder. "Rise, my Solis." As if on cue, he rose like a medieval knight to look Titan in the eyes. They were far more vibrant than legend had described. "You shall be my Voir. On this day, it commences."

"My Lord Titan, thank you. That is all I ask."

Titan stomped past in only two strides. He gazed out towards the desolate, desert-like wasteland before him, more open than ever. "We shall bring the Justification."

#  CHAPTER 1

THE BEGINNING

It was deep in the night in New York City. Hiding away in an offset room in an alley treated as abandoned, two men talked about destiny—about the events that were to take place. About the future of human civilization and thinking as a whole.

"I want you to stay here," said one of the men, dressed in a thick jacket exquisitely paired with sweatpants. "You never know when some beggar or runaway teenager decides to explore every nook and cranny of this damned city. Make sure nobody comes near the alley." His black attire absorbed the blue-tinted light shining from the bulb in the ceiling corner.

"Sure thing, master," the other answered, hustling to the door to lead the way. "Just make sure you notify me when you will be returning."

"I will. Remember—you do your job, and I do mine. You have the simple side of the coin. I'm the one who has to get things started."

"Which is?"

"Destiny," he replied. "Oh, and by the way, make certain you go for a headlock when she gets there, alright?"

The lackey's eyebrows furrowed. "Who's 'she'?"

"Trust me, you'll know." With that, he shuffled out like a man on a mission, for he was.

He had to be ready and thoroughly prepared. His mind had been rigorously focused as he stepped out into the cold, crisp November air. The time was at hand.

~~~

Johnny Sparks is anything but extraordinary. Growing up in a small town outside the Big Apple, he was a school regular and always tried to not get behind the eight ball. When his fellow classmates were out at parties, he would study meticulously.

At the age of ten, Johnny met three boys at the karate school his parents forced him to attend. This is where Johnny met brothers Dustin and Sam Jones and their friend Ryan Slade, the playful duo having known Ryan since kindergarten. Together, the foursome formed their own little cocoon among the people of New York.

Ryan grew up to admire very short hair, and in time, he received a wonderfully short crew cut for a while. He appeared big and brawny before he received the haircut, and now he looked even more intimidating, except the truth was exactly the opposite.

Dustin and Sam, on the other hand, had light brown and dark brown hair respectively. They were both about 5'11", so they were rather tall. In fact, Johnny had a large figure, six feet in height.

Through the years, their relationship bloomed. Dustin became a daredevil, with Sam right behind him. Ryan, despite his 6'5" height, was far from being fearless. In fact, he had a variety of fears—heights, closed rooms, and, pardon any irony, females. He didn't do a good job at either staying calm, cool, and collected, or letting his emotions run free. Because of this, his high school years and college years, so far, were characterized by ten crushes and zero girlfriends, despite his unintentional sense of humor.

On the other hand, Johnny was more of a study wiz, even though recently he had some time to let out a morsel of his wild side. Parties were still overrated.

Ostentatiously reluctant to a split up, they together joined a community college in the area. They also kept up their martial arts attendance, now assistant teachers and on the payroll.

Johnny had spent a few hours at his parents' home, a cute abode in a cozy neighborhood miles away from the bustling city. Though he liked the apartment he rented, its main attraction being closer to downtown Bronx, and not too far from Manhattan, he could never tire from a transient visit to his childhood residence.

He and his father, Timothy, sat on chairs arranged around their kitchen table, underneath a dim light. The conversation between the two, while his mother Irene watched television, was quite interesting. Today, Johnny felt the frustration of life creep up on him again. "I don't know, Dad. It's just...I feel like there should be more. It's as if I'm stuck in limbo."

His father kept a serious look, nodding faintly. "I understand, son."

"I should be on to better things," he sighed. "Sometimes, I marvel at people. They're so satisfied with this," he said, arms outstretched. "I want more."

Timothy chuckled lightly, the proof in the eyes. "I remember when you wanted to be astronaut when you were six. Remember that?"

"Yeah."

"You wanted to reach the stars. No, you wanted to go beyond them. I still hear that squeaky voice of yours saying it."

Johnny sighed again. "That didn't work out. Life hit."

Timothy pulled his chair up to Johnny, hand on his son's shoulder. "It still can. Maybe you won't be an astronaut, but you are special."

As he spoke, Johnny's eyes darted about, desperate to look anywhere else. "It's true. This world was never big enough for me."

"Your words aren't falling on deaf, callous ears, Johnny. You were always this way. When I would watch you with other kids, you gave off a forty-year-old, adult vibe amongst everyone else."

"Yeah, it's good Ryan, Dusty, and Sam understand me."

"They're a Godsend."

Johnny chuckled. He checked his watch. Shit. He jerked up. "Sorry Dad, I got to go. Lecture is soon."

Timothy stood up as well. "Have fun, Johnny. Learn something."

"Thanks, Dad."

He bolted out and into his car. Before he put the keys in, he sighed again. Life had better be keeping the best for last, he thought. Without another word, he started the car, engine choking to a steady breath.

~~~

She had gone through life alone. Besides her parents and grandparents, no one had ever taken a second glance at her. But they were all gone now. Loneliness had stuck closer than a brother. It never left.

Jane. Why had that name been such a curse? Since her early teenage years and the death of both her parents, Jane had morphed from a particularly outgoing person to a secretive, shy thing.

But for her own safety, things had better stay that way. These gifts, though incredible, could pose to be a bigger threat than any of the prior nightmares. This is my destiny, she thought. The lone person across the face of the Earth with power. I didn't ask for them to be taken. I didn't ask for it. I didn't ask for any of it. But here I am.

Without warning, she was sucked out of the trance and back into reality. A reality of dozens of phones and needy customers. She brushed away the chestnut bangs to once again fall into her place in society. Back to work.

~~~

Despite a Friday, the night unfolded without any particularly trying events. After their cars were parked and each headed to their lecture, Johnny, Sam, Dustin, and Ryan began talking to each other about a plethora of different things that happened that day. Johnny rarely explained the things he felt almost every single day. He did not want the others to know of his problems.

A few minutes later, they got in their seats as the lecture was about to start. The brothers were fixing their dark brown hair.

"Dude, you have to see this video," started Dustin. "This is becoming a sensation." Ryan leaned in to look.

"Bro that's so fu—" he responded before something ripped away his attention like a band-aid. "W-Wow I-I think this is the best view I've had yet."

"Who are you staring at now Ryan?" asked Sam, without a doubt flustered as this could be the third crush Ryan has had in only two weeks. He stooped behind the big man to try to get a clearer view at what, or most likely who, he stared at. "Are you serious? I hate to tell you man, but that one is impossible."

"Never say never! She hasn't seen a guy like me yet," he returned, convinced his strength and glamour could win her heart.

"Ryan you said that about the last one," Dustin added, peeking up from his phone. "And also, you are literally the definition of really good Italian bread. You're super hard on the surface, but on the inside, you're softer than a baby's butt."

"Hey! C'mon man. Just look at her," he gestured toward her location, "You have to admit it. Looks like she literally dropped out of heaven."

Johnny let out a chuckle while he flipped through pages in his notepad. "That's a new one."

"Dude, I'll bet you $100 that you won't ever even get into a conversation with her," Sam replied. "Trust me. Rose Johnson is out of all our leagues," he continued. "It took a lot of self-pride slaughtering to say that, by the way."

Rose Johnson grew up in Pennsylvania and had vibrant red hair with a fair complexion. She was also unusually tall, standing a tad under six feet.

The professor interrupted their bickering. "Lecture is starting! May I have your attention?"

Ryan leaned over, lowering his voice to a whisper. "Bud, I'll take that bet. Your bank account is about to be starved of one hundred greenbacks." Sam rolled his eyes at the comment. With that, the lecture began and they begrudgingly quieted down. This did not hinder Ryan from shooting a glance at Rose, though.

Within the hour, the lecture ended and everyone piled out. Rose was still there sorting her books, but Ryan had no strength or will to walk over and introduce himself.

"Hey look Ryan, she's ripe for the taking!" whispered Dustin, pointing at her.

"Not. Helping."

Since Ryan would never acquire the said will, the boys walked out. They were sauntering over to their respective cars when a Hispanic man in a black jacket approached them.

"Hey, can I have a lighter? Mine got lost during the lecture," he asked. "It would mean a lot to a brother from another mother."

Johnny turned to the others. "Dude, I don't smoke! Do you?"

"Man do I look like a walking cigarette to you?" responded Ryan.

Johnny knew Dustin and Sam did not so he ignored a play directed towards them. "I'm really sorry buddy, but I can't hel— oh God." Something stripped Johnny's attention away.

"I have one!" yelled a girl behind Ryan. He froze. "Oh shit oh shit oh shit." He did not look behind him.

Sam peeked around Ryan and saw her. It was Rose. His eyes went wide. "Damnit! The one time I make a bet—the one time!"

This turned into the man's favor, precisely the distraction he needed. In a split-second, the conspicuous figure whipped out syringes like knives. Then, channeling his extraordinary ability, meandered through the pack of students as they stood still, frozen in time. To their eyes, though, everything passed far too quickly for their range of senses to catch. In half a second, it was as if nothing had happened.

"Ow!" they all jerked in unison, except for Rose. "What the—did I just get bitten by a mosquito?" complained Dustin.

"Woah are y'all alright?" asked the man.

"Yeah, we're fi—" Ryan responded before the presence of the flame-haired Rose cut him off.

Johnny chuckled. "Showtime."

Dustin and Sam joined in. "Yeah Ryan, showtime!" Rose glowered at them, though slightly amused. She handed the man the lighter. He thanked her.

Johnny spoke up first. "Hey, uh, Rose...right?"

She grinned, though keeping her distance. "Yep, that's me. I saw you guys in distress about the lighter, so I decided to lend a helping hand."

"Ha!" chuckled Dustin, staring at his phone. The light lit up his face in a white glow. Currently, he was about the business of swiping through his social media feed. Sam interrupted the brief silence.

Sam glanced over at Ryan, who was in shock. "Hey buddy don't you have something to say?" he suggested with a sly tone. Ryan turned his head in Sam's direction and scowled. Rolling her eyes, Rose decided to take the step for him.

"Ryan, right?" she asked.

He looked down at her, mortified but not as much as he had imagined. This close, he had never noticed she had dyed her irises red to match the fiery hair. Cool. "Yeah, that's me, good old Ryan Slade."

"Yeah, I know," she responded as his and the others' eyes widened. She realized that came out wrong and worked to correct it. "You're the tallest guy here. It would be impossible for me not to notice you."

Sam facepalmed himself. He squinted to convince his mind these events were real and actually taking place. On the other hand, Johnny glanced around and noticed the man had already disappeared. He quickly cut short the conversation. "Woah where did that guy go? He was here—he was just here." Everyone scanned the environs of the college and could not establish where he had ventured or when.

"Yeah—that's, uh, that was quick," responded Dustin, no longer attached to his phone.

"Eh, whatever. Who cares?" Ryan answered, visibly caring only about the situation in front of him.

"But he was just..." Johnny replied before suddenly and unexpectedly fainting.

"Holy shit! Johnny!" screamed Dustin. The rest followed suit and bent down to examine him. Rose got down as well. She checked for a pulse.

"He-He's breathing. He's OK right now." She felt his pulse and flinched. "Woah. Woah what the heck."

"What is it?!" boomed Ryan. Unconscious Johnny Sparks was beginning to draw a crowd.

"It's his pulse. It's really damn fast."

Ryan looked at her. "How fast?"

She eyed him, agitated. "Very," she responded. Ryan felt his friend's pulse as well. It seemed to beat with such ferocity that instead of the typical thud it gave off a higgity diggity.

"We're taking him to the hospital," Ryan stated, while Dustin and Sam shot a hesitant look at him. "Now," he finished. With that, he picked Johnny up with the classic "here we go buddy" as he slid him into the car. He shot looks back at Sam and Dustin. "Alright. Get in your car and Rose will come with me," he ordered, motioning with his arms.

"Wait, who said I wanted to be a part of this?" she interrupted with a slightly angry, bemused tone.

Just then, Johnny shot up like a catapult. He hit his head on the ceiling of Ryan's car. "Ah!"

"Johnny!" screamed Ryan and the brothers simultaneously.

"Are you alright? Do you feel weird?" asked Sam.

"Yeah, I do," responded Johnny, sounding extremely drowsy. And just as quickly as he awakened, his back fell right back down on the seat as he became unconscious.

"And...he's out again," exclaimed Dustin.

"Great," added Sam.

But, within seconds, he shot up again, fully conscious. "Whew! Ow!" he elided. It was so quick that Rose, now peering in, and the others, jerked away. "Wow, I feel...so good right now."

"Dude, you just lost consciousness twice. How can you say you feel good?" asked Dustin, puzzled.

Sam shot him a glance. "Who cares? As long as he's OK."

Ryan inspected his expression and color. "How many fingers am I holding up?"

"Less than the number of crushes you've had," was the quick response. Ryan's face went static. Sam and Dustin, on the other hand, burst out laughing. Rose just stared at them both and then back at Johnny, totally oblivious to the situation. It was only when they were able to control themselves when Dustin spoke.

"That's definitely him."

Ryan reddened like a vial of blood. All his life, he would be this way. Ironic, really. He was never the first to start a conversation. Especially with the opposite gender.

After a little conversation among the five, they decided to go out to eat—Ryan insisting to pay. Rose required a great deal of convincing and a repeated use of "what else do you have to do" to get her to come as well. She figured it would be alright, since the only options would be to go home or attend a party. Those never worked out, almost always an incessant repeat of guys casting their pearls among the swine, for she denied their efforts.

"OK, OK, just hold on. I have to call my Dad." She took out her red phone and dialed her father. "He'd be worried sick if I was even fifteen minutes late. He's that kind of guy, you know."

"Yeah, good dads are like that," replied Ryan, helping Johnny get up from the seat. An urge to sigh pounced on him, but he brushed it off. "To be honest, there really aren't many like your father. You should feel lucky."

"I do," she answered, turning away. Just then, her father picked up.

"Rosie, where have you been? You're way late! I was just picking up the phone to call you!" the worried voice retorted over the phone.

"It's OK Dad, I know. I was just out helping some friends...I mean, classmates." The others looked up in perfect timing with Rose, the first word choice to define them quite amusing albeit exciting. She rolled her eyes and turned around and paced as she talked with her father.

"What? When do you have friends?" was the response.

"Oh my God! Dad! It's fine! I'm going out to McDonald's or something. I should be back in around an hour, barring anything else."

"I'm happy for you. About time! If anything else happens, don't hesitate to call me Rosebud."

"Don't worry. I won't hesitate. I'll call you when I'm on my way." They both bid their goodbyes, and that was that. She walked back to where the rest waited.

"Alright are we ready to get this show on the road?" she asked, glancing at each, hands on her hips. They nodded. By this time, the lot was emptying as people were going to parties or events.

"Wait, don't you have a car?" asked Ryan.

"Oh, um, no I don't."

"So how do you get here or get anywhere?"

"I take taxis and I—" she blurted, but she made sure to cut herself off. Rose was not prepared to accidentally reveal too much.

"You take taxis every time to go out? Seriously? Isn't that like"—Dustin put on a confused face— "expensive?"

"Can we just get going? Please?" That settled the matter and shut up the boys. Damn, she thought, they talk a lot.

Johnny got up to walk to his car, slightly delirious. As he took the first step, he was suddenly pushed by an unexplainable force. A loud svsssh resounded as his body accelerated at a pace which required him to think hurriedly and dodge his car—which he would have hit. He tripped and landed on the unforgiving tarmac. The others jolted, wondering what went haywire with Johnny now. "What the hell was that?" he quietly screamed in panic.

"What?" Sam asked.

Johnny looked bewildered. "You didn't just see that?"

Ryan turned his head and considered Johnny's dirty blond hair. It was blown straight back. "See what?"

"Oh God," he pondered aloud. This could not be true. It's not possible, Johnny thought. Then he got an idea. "Sam, throw that rock at me."

"What? Throw the rock at you?" he repeated, unsure. "Seriously?"

"Just do it," Johnny demanded. "You'll be glad you did. I think."

Sam bent down and picked up a rock, hurtling it straight at Johnny's chest. From Johnny's point of view, the rock traveled through the air in slow motion, as if he had hit the slower speed button on a YouTube video. The others stood like candlesticks in stasis, Sam's body still tilted toward his own. In an instant, he caught the rock. The rest stared at Johnny, mortified.

"Uh, d-did everyone else see what I just saw?" Dustin pointed.

Sam and Ryan were bewildered. Rose just raised her eyebrow as if this was an everyday occurrence.

"You have got to be kidding me," Ryan said. "Johnny, what the hell was that?"

Sam said naught, too flabbergasted to blurt out a remark. Johnny decided to go for a jog—a long jog. He smirked. "Let's go for a run."

"Wait, Johnny!" shouted Dustin. It was too late. Johnny Sparks took off like a bullet. The only thing he left behind was dust.

"Johnny!" shouted Ryan and Sam. Rose ran to look. She could no longer make out his form.

"What in the heck?" she screamed. In a decent turn of events, the entire lot had just about emptied by this time.

~~~

Johnny did not break a sweat but propelled by like a locomotive on steroids—moving so fast that he was only a blur to most people. The silence sang a peaceful tune, the quietness calming his senses. He only heard the heartbeat-like pounding his feet made on the ridged terrain. He raced past the Brooklyn Bridge and well-nigh cannoned into several civilians, who shrieked from the force of his by-pass. What he felt was pure speed. It intoxicated him like a drug and although he had just started that very minute, he wanted to do it forever. No matter the sights, the sounds, or the hustle and bustle of everyday reality, Johnny sped beyond it all into something new.

He stopped on an old dirt road somewhere on Long Island. "Holy shit," he said to himself, "I'm a speedster!" He took off again, retracing his steps over the Brooklyn Bridge and into lower Manhattan, finally stopping at a McDonald's. Not a soul noticed him or his arrival. Johnny fumbled for his phone and called Sam.

"Sam! Sam, I'm OK! I will tell you everything! Meet me at Mickey D's!" he spoke into the phone.

"Johnny? Johnny! Wait hold on!" Sam pled, but Johnny had ended the call. Sam looked at the others. "He said he'll tell us everything and to meet him at the McDonald's we all go to."

"He's at the McDonald's? Already?" replied Dustin. "Holy crap."

Ryan's hands were on the sides of his head in disbelief and total astonishment. "Oh my God," he blurted. He turned to Rose, who stood there like a model in her red jacket. "So, uh, do you want to come along? You don't have to."

She considered the offer. "I'll go. Just let me call my Dad while we're getting there. And before you protest or whatever, yes I have to call again."

Ryan smiled, stunned by the fact she consented. Did he just ask a girl out? "Of course! My car isn't a dictatorship, you know!"

"Who said I was going in your car?" she retorted.

Thankfully, Ryan got some quick wit at that moment. "You don't want to ride with those dweebs, right?" A second past and he dropped the mischievous face. "Wait, do you?"

"No," she replied. "No, I was only joking."

He let out a big grin. Looking over at Dustin and Sam, he teased them. "Yo Sam, don't forget the hundred bucks!" Sam let out an uneasy laugh. It would not be the last.

#  CHAPTER 2

#  THE FUTURE

Running at a speed off the charts, Johnny was in awe, no words to explain it. As if on skis, he slid to a stop in an alley, a street filled with humming cars and a moderate number of people forming a barrier between another alley across. The noise of the city was like music, Johnny relished in it. Everything seemed so much different now, as if he had been blinded yet now could see.

He raised his hand in front of his eyes, staring at it like a murder weapon. A look of shock and complete amazement materialized on his face, dirty blonde hair in disorder. Blinking several times to contemplate what just happened, he whispered, "I must be dreaming." While his hand still lay about a foot from his eyes, he looked upward—a wonderful sight. Although there were very few stars, he cherished the view from the spot he stood in the urban playground of New York, a tiny corner of nowhere. The air had chilled, yet, for the first time, the temperature made the scene all the more rememberable.

For the first time, Johnny could relate to the saying: I feel infinite. The good and bad of life faded away as he looked down to his hand once more, astounded this was all real.

Behind his hand, though, he made out a figure. It was a brunette girl, stomping out of a Cricket Wireless store, carrying a garbage bag like it did her an injustice. He paid no attention to her.

But fate would have it otherwise. A few seconds later, the girl, in the dark alley across the street, was assaulted by a man. Luckily, Johnny saw it in time. His eyes bulged out of their sockets. He was afraid, unsure if he should intervene. He had never done this before. But, all those martial arts lessons had to come in handy at some point.

Looking around to make sure nobody watched, Johnny bolted away and towards the girl, meandering through light traffic. Within a few feet of the girl, he tripped and spoiled his first rescue.

As if Providence was his ally, Johnny had actually accomplished what he set out to do, ramming into the man's back like a Formula 1 race car with an ill destiny, which shoved the girl onto the ground and her assailant as well.

Letting out a groan, Johnny got up and watched the man back up and try to attack. The girl was ready for the assailant this time. She raised her arm and the man buckled. Johnny stumbled backward, afraid once again. He was not the only person with powers. There were more like him.

On the ground, he turned his head and watched the man back up and try to attack. The girl was ready for the assailant this time. She raised her arm and the man buckled. Johnny was shocked, suddenly transported into what felt like a superhero flick. She's like me.

"Stay away from me!" said she. "Stay away!" Using her own telekinetic gifts, she threw him right back into the wall, knocking him out.

Finally, Johnny approached her. Telekinesis, he noted. His knowledge of science fiction and fantasy served him well. He had not blinked for well-nigh a full minute, trying to grasp what he just witnessed. "Are you OK?" he said, trying to pretend he had seen nothing.

Turning, she glanced up to him. She arranged her chestnut-colored hair nicely, the bangs strewn across her forehead not obstructing Johnny's examination. "I'm-I'm fine," she replied, dusting her coat off. "You shouldn't have seen that."

Oh forget it, just ask her. "Ar-Are you"—he thought for a moment— "like me?"

Her expression changed, amused by his wonder. "Look, just don't tell anyone about what you saw and forget I exist. It'll be good for both of us."

"No, I can't do that."

"Why?" she replied.

"I just...I have been introduced into a new world. I have...abilities too."

She studied his expression, weighing the situation. "Did...you hit him?"

"Yes, I tried to. I tripped so I flew into him," Johnny replied, trying to show the events with his hands. "It was unintentional. I have just received a gift today."

She realized she wasn't alone after all. "What do you have?"

He scratched his head as his eyes landed on the unconscious man slumped against the wall. "I'm a speedster."

The girl gulped. "H-How did you get them?"

"I don't know yet." He still found it very difficult to accept. "So, uh, you have this power too? How? And how did these events line up? It's too coincidental."

She did not respond.

"I'm sorry, but who are you?" he asked. "You have a name?"

"It's Jane," she answered. "What's yours?"

This is going better than I expected. "My name's Johnny," he greeted, stuffing his hands in his jacket and smirking faintly. He believed the smirk had landed in the minute grey area that it wasn't considered a blatant flirt or a kind gesture. "Nice to meet you, Jane. I wish it was under better circumstances."

"L-Likewise," she responded. "Look, Johnny, you nee—"

"I hate to interrupt the tension, but you need to leave. Now." Johnny turned his head and Jane reciprocated. There was another man in the shadows. He came into an iota of light and Johnny immediately recognized him. It was the Hispanic man who asked them for a lighter. He narrowed his eyes.

"Or what?" he retorted, facing him. "What are you going to do? Ask for another lighter?"

The man laughed. "You can never comprehend."

"Comprehend what?" Johnny countered.

Mystified as to what boiled between the two, Jane eyeballed the stranger and then Johnny. "Wait, you know each other?"

"It's a long story," Johnny replied, unafraid. He did not skewer his gaze away from the figure.

"Don't worry Johnny! You're a speedster now! You can make any long story short!"

Johnny went expressionless. "How do you know my name?" he questioned, furrowing his brow.

"I know everything about you. But that isn't important."

"Then what is?" asked Jane.

"The future," he answered. With this, he placed his fingers on his Hispanic face and tore at an illuminated dot near his ear. As if a serial killer, he detached... no, disconnected, the once Hispanic identity. Horrified, Johnny took a few steps back. Where the false visage had lain gave way to a white mask with black scribbles—not to mention white hair seeping out the edges. In a strange way, the mask conformed to the true features underneath.

Johnny and Jane glanced at each other in horror and then at the man. But Johnny connected the dots. "It was you... you did this to me." It all made sense. The lighter. Why he disappeared without a scent.

"Excellent deduction, Sparks." The man, now wearing a total face mask, laughed. "Yes, I know your last name too."

"What do you want?" Jane asked.

He gazed at her. "For you to save everyone."

"What did you say?" Johnny questioned. Johnny took slow steps toward the man, who only stood there in the darkness. Jane tried to stop him, but he did not, would not. This unexpected encounter and conversation proceeded while people bustled through the streets of downtown Bronx a short distance away.

"You heard me," replied the man. They were face to face now. "Just do what you do best," he instructed as he stared at Johnny through his mask. Taking a few steps, he passed Johnny and walked toward the street.

"And what's that?" Johnny retorted in a not-so-Johnny serious tone.

The man turned around, the eyes behind the mask boring into his own. "Be the hero."

Dumbfounded, Jane scowled at the man. "Where are you going?"

"Must I tell you?"

"You probably should," retorted Johnny.

He dismissed the remark in a chuckle. "See you around, Sparks."

As he prepared to leave, Johnny stopped him with a question. "Did you affect the others? Do they have...abilities?"

The masked man looked at him with intensity, the city lights gleaming through his outline. Johnny could feel his heart beating through his chest. "I guess you'll just have to find out."

"What does that mean?" he asked.

"It means whatever you want it to mean."

"Will I ever see you again?"

"Possibly."

What the hell is happening right now? Johnny narrowed his eyes again and asked, "W-Who are you really?"

"I am the future."

"Of what? What does that even mean?"

At this, the stranger did not answer.

"Do you have any abilities? Like me? And her?" he gestured to Jane, who was intrigued yet alarmed.

Again, the masked man did not clarify. In a moment's notice, he blasted out of the alley. All he left was dust blown in the air. Jane's hair blew back. "I guess that answers your question," she said.

Johnny was left there, puzzled, afraid, motivated. Turning his head to the end of the alleyway, the unconscious assailant, and in the opposite direction at the semi-active nightlife, he contemplated this encounter. Maybe his life finally had real meaning. Then he turned to Jane. "Will you come with me?"
CHAPTER 3

UNDERSTANDING

Barely ten minutes had passed since the Encounter. Johnny and the newly found Jane sat in a corner of the McDonald's, talking.

"So, what's your story?" Johnny asked, a slightly-flirtatious smirk pasted on his face.

She eyed him in amusement yet definitely not reservation. "My parents were taken away from me in a car accident," she started. His smirk dropped like a rock. "I was left to live with my grandparents since 15. They recently passed. Two of the finest people ever."

"I'm so sorry," he interrupted. "Who did it? The accident, I mean."

"I never found out. But they once worked for the government. They knew stuff about the leaders here and in a place in Montauk. I think it had something to do with that." She leaned in just a tad, elbow resting on the table. "But don't feel bad for me. I've gotten along."

"Don't say that. I do. I would not be human if I did not feel."

She smiled yet glanced towards the floor. "Thank you, by the way, for saving me."

In return, he smiled wide. Maybe a bit too much. But hey, this hero gig had its perks. "Sorry for screwing it up though."

"What matters is you acted. That's courageous. And you stood up to that man. I don't know if he is evil but he gave off this...vibe."

"Remember what he said?" Johnny replied. "'I am the future,'" he said, making fake quotations with his fingers.

She nodded two times. "There's something going on. He started something."

"How do you know?" Her words tingled his spine. He internally questioned why that would be so.

"Since I was young, around 16, I could almost sense an outcome."

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know. Ever heard of a sixth sense?"

"Yeah. Like spider sense, you mean. From comics." She nodded to indicate his assumption was spot-on.

Johnny was not sure, but something had transpired and he promised himself he would devote as much time as necessary to figure out what. "My biggest concern is the others," he said, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Your friends?"

"Yeah."

"Tell me more."

Johnny chuckled lightly to himself. How should he even start? "Well, for one thing, there's Ryan. He is a bit of a goof, but the good kind. Shyness is one of his problems, ironically. Oh, and by the way, he is like 6'5" tall. His size is amplified by his crew-cut hair." She giggled, but he brushed it off and continued. "Sam and Dustin—they're brothers—met me at the karate school we attended. They had already been friendly with Ryan, which allowed me to meet them all at the same time. Both of them have brown hair, Sam has blue eyes while Dustin had light brown, and are a bit smaller than me." Johnny pointed to his own 6'0" figure and chuckled.

"Blue eyes? Even though his hair is brown?"

"He used to have blonde hair," replied Johnny, shifting his seat to make himself more comfortable. "Dustin is quite the daredevil, by the way."

The door opened swiftly, and a nearly bald man matching the appearance Johnny described strode in. "Johnny!" Ryan shouted. The symphony of voices throughout the McDonald's cut itself out. Ryan frowned. "Back to whatever you guys were doing," he told the crowd of people in the place. "Nothing to see here." Dustin, Sam, and the newly met Rose entered as well. Ryan sat down next to Jane. "Holy shit bro! Listen you can't do that!" he exclaimed. Sooner than later, he felt Jane's stare. "Excuse me, who are you?" Ryan said as he turned his head to Jane. Dustin and Sam's eyebrows both rose.

"Oh, this is, uh, this is Jane. It's a long story."

"Yeah, you usually are not the one to hang with girls," Sam chuckled. "Well, not anymore."

"It had better be long enough," Dustin added.

The six piled into the semicircle seating surrounding the roundtable. Johnny began to recount what had occurred. He told them about how he met Jane, her powers, the cigarette man, and his new ability. She also explained a sliver of her own backstory.

"This guy was not Hispanic. He was wearing a mask. But it wasn't a typical mask. It was somehow electronic."

"I take it you saw his real face?" questioned Ryan.

"No, we didn't," replied Jane. "It was covered by some sort of other helmet or mask."

"What did he say to you?" Sam inquired.

Johnny shook his head slowly, recollecting the words the stranger had spoken. "I don't know. He made these comments...that he 'was the future,'" Johnny said, making quotation marks with his fingers. "And apparently we have to work together now."

"What do you mean?" Ryan interjected.

"I don't know. But he said we have to save everyone."

The table fell into silence. "What does that even mean?" Sam wondered.

"I don't know," Johnny responded.

"And then he just sped away?" Dustin asked.

"Yep."

"Great. A supervillain who is hiding in wait. Just what we need."

"Well, he insinuated you guys will acquire powers."

Now this was interesting. "Woah, what?"

"Wait, so you're telling me we might have powers too?" whispered Sam. "How?"

"I swear to God if I get anything stupid, I'm going to sue that guy," Ryan moaned. "Like, if it's the ability to control flowers or something then I'm just going to stay home."

Dustin chuckled. "Don't worry, it suits you." Ryan returned him a glare.

Johnny shook his head. "I don't think it works that way. I've concluded that you have to sleep in order to gain your powers, kinda like how I did."

"What about you?" Dustin asked, motioning to Jane. "How did you get powers? And what are they?"

"I can't believe we're literally saying powers," replied Sam, "As if they actually exist."

"Telekinesis, and I don't know. One day I just found out, I guess. But you can't ever say that to anyone." She gave him a serious look. "Promise?"

"We promise," Johnny interrupted. She swerved her head back to him. "Right guys?"

Dustin and Sam let out an uneasy laugh. "Shit," Dustin blurted. "So the million-dollar question is, are you a Jedi or a Sith?" he jested.

Jane laughed. "Oh, definitely a Jedi. The Sith are cool though."

Dustin and Sam glanced at each other, smiles drenched in all kinds of mischief. "Hey Johnny," Sam started, "Are you totally sure you don't know her?"

Johnny frowned at the remark. "What are you even trying to say?"

The brothers both glanced at each other again, but did not answer.

Rose said nothing during the chatter.

"Anyway, yeah, we won't say squat," Ryan cut in. "But you really think"—at this point, he whispered— "that the Feds had something to do with it?"

"My parents, I've concluded, knew too much. They were always into those sorts of things. Who else but the government to have someone killed?"

Rose cut in. "I know a guy," she said as everyone turned to glance at her. "Kevin. Kevin Moon. Father's a billionaire, and his mom works for the government."

"I'm sorry," Sam replied, "But how do you happen to know a billionaire's son?"

"I'll explain later."

"Explain what?" asked Ryan.

She shot a glance. "What did I just say?"

"OK OK, you'll explain it later," Ryan said. He held his hands up in defense as if at gunpoint. "Geez."

"I think we should go to his place. He knows a lot about me and other stuff. And, he could help Jane discover some things about Montauk Laboratory. You have all heard of the Montauk Boys, right?"

"Yeah...of course. They were...I'm sorry who were they again?" replied Dustin with a shrinking amount of knowledge.

Rose exhaled a hushed breath. "OK, well basically, some people were taken and experimented on. Others were used as slaves. They say they had used telekinetic and telepathic abilities, but that's probably bull. But anyway, UFO's and encounters with strange beings had been reported. But hey, it's a conspiracy. Take it or leave it."

"OK...that was weird," Sam replied.

"How come I've lived here for years yet haven't heard of that?" Ryan asked.

"Who knows."

"Alright, well this was a short but equally interesting conversation," said Dustin. "What happens now?"

"Now, we promise to meet each other tomorrow," Johnny stated. "We're going to figure this out as we go along."

"Figure what out?"

"Well, if tomorrow you wake up with powers, that kind of figuring out."

They piled out of their seats as quickly as they had gotten in. Jane planned to go back to her apartment, which is where she lived. Ryan had arranged to get together the next day and meet Kevin Moon.

"You have a means of transportation, Jane?" Johnny asked, walking down the path from the entrance.

"Yes," she answered.

"Alright, well I guess I might see you tomorrow at Moon's house?"

"Yeah, you will," she replied as she walked backward to her car. "It was nice meeting you."

"Ditto!"

She giggled. "Don't say that! I hate that word!" she replied back.

Johnny raised his arms to the air as if under arrest. "OK miss, now don't hurt me!" She laughed again and slid into her car. She honked as he smiled and slid his hands in his pockets. "Wow." Still smiling, he turned around only to find Dustin and Sam with their heads bent towards him and their eyes pushed up incredulously.

"Woah shit," he said as he jerked back. "You scared me...what?" he snapped.

They looked at each other and then back at Johnny. "Oh Lord, please help Johnny Sparks in his quest for love," said Sam, making his hands look like a prayer.

"Amen!" Dustin finished.

He rolled his eyes. "You guys are such assholes."

"No Johnny, we're just, uh, morbids. There's a difference."

Johnny facepalmed himself. "Let's get back to the apartment."

"Aren't you forgetting something?" replied Dustin.

"What?"

"Oh, I don't know, maybe your only means of transportation before an hour ago?"

"Oh crap! My car!"

Sam gestured a thumbs up with his right hand. "It's still back at the college."

"And can you explain why nobody happened to drive my car back?"

"Uh, who do you think had the keys baby?" Dustin responded sarcastically.

"Is 'baby' really necessary?"

"No, but what are you going to do about it?" he replied humorously.

Johnny chuckled. He knew Dustin was being sarcastic. Plus, who knows if Dustin might have gotten a speeding ticket if he drove Johnny's car? Then he got an idea. Speed. I'll just run there.

"Woah! Slow down turbo," Ryan said out of the blue. "The last thing we need is you running in the middle of the city to your car. Not happening."

"How did you know I was thinking that?" Johnny replied.

"You were doing that thing when you think out loud," Ryan responded, pressing his finger on his head in a pondering gesture. "And also, I've known you long enough to know what you're thinking."

"But look on the bright side! I can keep getting used to it! Like buying a new car!"

"One," retorted Ryan, making a one symbol with his finger, "you have never bought a car. You just use your dad Timothy's Honda." He was desperately trying to sound like the intelligent parent of the group.

"Eh, whatever. Served its purpose, 'Dad,'" replied Johnny, making quotations with his fingers.

"No! No, you are not going to do th—"

"Be back in ten!" Johnny replied, his voice cut off by the swish of his body as it accelerated. Ryan sang a string of expletives like a soloist. He watched as Johnny sped straight down the road and out of sight.

"I am never, ever, ever, ever going to get used to that," Sam said.

"It is amazing," Rose added. "I have truly never thought I'd see the day, you know?"

"Tell me about it," Ryan replied, his eyes still on the street. "Sammy, call him. Tell him to drive straight to the apartment. We'll talk there."

"Alright."

Ryan turned around and looked at Rose. "As for you," he said as he walked closer, "you need to get back to your house."

"T-Thanks, by the way, for the rides."

"Y-Yeah, n-no problem," Ryan stuttered, trying to phrase it right. For some stupid reason he had stuttered when she did. "My pleasure!"

"Yep, it's not like he doesn't want to do it," interrupted Sam, phone to his ear.

"Dude, shut up!"

~~~

As Jane drove, light-headedness struck her like a hammer. By far, that was the most she had conversed with other human beings outside of the cliché 'hello' to her fellow coworkers.

Nevertheless, some had liked her. But she was far too withdrawn from anyone to ever go that route. It's why, though in her early twenties, no one had desired to date Jane.

But these people were so different. For the first time, she felt wanted. Johnny himself had promised to make sure they would all stay together—something quite spectacular. She almost blushed. Almost.

Her eyes watered a bit, driving through the streets of the Five Boroughs, about what had happened to her parents. Why? Why were they taken? Everything that has transpired since that moment of terror and sadness was influenced by it. Her life had skidded to a stop.

She slightly grinned as her mind continued the onslaught of differing emotions, this time of Dustin and Sam. They were such nerds. But so damn funny. Not really the way they spoke, but their appearance—it commanded a chuckle. In her eyes, they were living memes.

In realization, she laughed again. Each laugh broke something inside. Something that had waited to be broken and was finally free. At long last, life might restart for Jane Cooper. And she just couldn't stop laughing.

~~~

Johnny was seriously getting used to this. As he ran, though, he made sure he kept his speed low. His clothes would light on fire if he increased his speed. "Woo-hoo!" he screamed in thrill.

But his incredulity was short-lived. Johnny tripped on a small crevasse in the road, automatically flipping him over. Landing on his back, it knocked the wind out of him. He groaned. "Well, Rome was not built in a day," he griped, massaging his back. But in only a minute, the pain subsided. "Oh, wow. OK. That's interesting."

As quickly as he fell, Johnny was up again and running. He exceedingly enjoyed it. Once again, his brain seemed on fire as it passed by buildings and people. He was there in less than a minute. "Ha, new record," he laughed to himself. "By default." Little did he know.
CHAPTER 4

#  THE SHADOW

"Thanks for the ride Ryan," Rose said as she got out of his Toyota. "Not many guys are as nice as you."

Damn. "Y-Yeah, I'm always trying to be—you know—respectful. And all the stuff that goes with that." He did not mention he never really did this before.

She smiled. "It doesn't go unappreciated," she replied. "Oh, by the way, here is the address."

"Address?"

"To Kevin's house."

"Oh! Right," he replied as he mentally slapped himself. "That guy. I'm so stupid."

"If you're stupid, then I'm a delinquent," she jested quickly.

It was such quick wit that Ryan laughed. "That was funny."

She turned toward the door to her house. "See you tomorrow!" she hollered as she strode in.

Looking back at his steering wheel, he sang a made-up song to himself. "See ya, wanna be with ya," he sang quietly as he turned the wheel, sighing. "In your dreams Ryan. In your damn dreams."

~~~

Walking into her house, she said hello to her father but quickly went to her bedroom to change.

"So, how was your time?" her father, Henry, asked. "It's not often you decide to go out with people."

"Well, it was really good," she replied as she bit her lip.

"Mhm, so that's all it was? Just good?" he replied, looking at her with his arm on the bookshelf. "So, what is it, sweetie? Boys?"

"You're right. I am a terrible liar."

"Don't take it so hard—it's a compliment. These boys. Are they your friends now?"

Rose laughed uneasily and flustered. "No, we're not there yet," she responded. "And there's a girl too."

"Really? How'd you come to meet her?"

Internally disputing whether to tell him, she waited a moment. Only because this was her father did she decide to elaborate. "Dad, can you follow me into the living room? There's something I need to explain to you."

Henry nodded steadily. "Of course," he whispered in his quiet, calming tone. He was always there for her. Even in the darkest moments of her past. When she had lost control once, he did not.

So, she explained it all. Johnny's change into some kind of metahuman. Each of the guys, Jane, how they met each other, including Johnny's depiction of the mysterious person with speed. Once she finished explaining, he spoke up.

"I have heard a lot of crazy stories, but that has to be the craziest ever told."

"Do you believe me?" she asked.

"Of course, I believe you," he replied, "but I have one question."

"Uh huh?"

"Did you tell them?"

Her face changed. It was too big of a secret and if they found out, who knows what could happen? "No, I didn't," said she. "I'll need to think about that for a while. What do you think?"

"It's your decision to make. Whatever makes you feel comfortable. You know, they don't have to know."

Rose nodded. "I guess that's the best advice I can get right about now," she sighed.

He smiled. "How about we turn that frown upside down with some late-night waffles, huh?"

"How do you always know what's perfect for the time?"

Chuckling, he replied, "Let's just say it's my job to know." With that, they went into the kitchen to enjoy a late-night snack.

~~~

"Dude, it was so awesome! I was running and everything was so fast and—"

"Johnny!" interrupted Dustin.

"Wh-What?"

"Slow down! Can't you explain it in a slower fashion?" Sam added, finishing Dustin's plead.

"Oh, sorry," Johnny apologized. "Still getting used to this."

"Talking about 'this,' any idea when we might get ours?"

"You mean your powers?" Johnny asked.

"Duh," quipped Ryan.

Johnny frowned and looked to the other side of the room at Ryan, who gazed out the window. "Since when are you contributing to this conversation?"

Ryan did not respond.

"He's dreaming about his girlfriend. Leave him alone," Dustin said.

"Yeah, he'll be fine," added Sam.

With that, Ryan looked over and took out his phone to text his mother. "Look, guys, I gotta go. My mom's not gonna like it if I'm home much later."

"Alright dude, have a good one," Johnny called across the small apartment.

"See ya later Ryan," added Dustin.

"If you wake up with some weird powers you never had before, feel free to call me, K?" Sam advised, making a 'call me' sign with his hand.

"That's given, bro," replied Ryan as he closed the apartment door. Dustin and Sam soon followed as they went down the hall to their shared apartment—leaving Johnny by himself to examine his new powers without waking any neighbors from their slumber.

~~~

Rose turned off her lights and hopped into bed. As her thoughts drifted to the events of the night and the new people she had met, sleep overwhelmed her. Until that is, she heard it. The voice.

"Adia!"

In a mere instant, she snapped out of bed like a mouse trap. After waiting for some time, she decided it was nothing but her mind playing tricks. Without hesitation, she fell back onto the pillow.

"Adia!"

Now she recognized she had not imagined things. Slowly rising out of bed in dread, she turned her lamp on. She listened but heard nothing. "Who are you?" she whispered.

"A memory," the voice deepened to a low growl, "of a time you have long forgotten."

It had to have been in her head. But it could never be. It sounded far too real. That's the moment when she saw something. She could not make it out, but it looked like a light-displaced figure, similar to a mirror. Her neck pulsed in fear.

"Come and see," the anomaly whispered.

"See what?" she replied in a whisper.

The figure disappeared but had quickly reappeared as something else—something far more intimidating. Across the wall in her room was the shadow of a gigantic being. Its red eyes bore into her.

"The laboratory," it directed as a massive hand stretched out—out to take her. Then it disintegrated into nothing. Rose stared at the wall, nearly sweating in her sheets. In a mere moment, she was asleep. But not by her will.

~~~

Jane had only seconds prior arrived at her apartment. Still recovering from the drive of a lifetime, Jane plopped herself in bed and under the covers to keep warm. Tired, her mind drifted away to a different world—a world of dreams—before something ripped her from them.

"Jane!"

Similar to Rose's reaction, she opened her eyes and turned the light on. She didn't spot anything suspicious, but soon heard the voice again.

"Jane!"

"What?" she shrieked. At first, she had thought her mind had fooled her, but the ominous reality was exactly the opposite. "Is there anyone here?"

"Come and see," it whispered, its tone deepened.

"Who are you?" she questioned, her body already shaking.

The voice changed into a figure. It rose straight out of the floor like a serpent and stood to the ceiling. "I want to help you." As if on cue in conjunction with her growing fear, the piercing eyes of her intruder deepened to a devilish crimson.

"Why?"

"I have seen your destiny—what you can achieve. You can accomplish an extraordinary number of feats, all with my guidance."

She suddenly felt bolder. "I won't take any advice from a shadow."

Her intruder let out a low, deep laugh. "Another said that as well. We shall see about that, Jane Cooper." With that ending statement, the figure and the voice that accompanied it vanished. Jane flew out of bed as if her life depended on it. She picked up her phone from her dresser. Without thinking, she dialed the one person she believed could help, although their acquaintance had been quite early in development.

~~~

In his apartment, Johnny had been processing it all. He was still awake when he heard his phone ring violently. He looked at the call number and saw it was Jane. He had already gotten her number. "What the hell?" he said to himself, furrowing his brow. He immediately picked it up.

"Hello? Jane? Are you alright?"

"I'm sorry, Johnny. Were you sleeping?"

"What? Uh, no, actually. I-I wasn't." He gazed through the window at the silent urban landscape.

"Good. Because you're going to need to be awake for this."

"For what? Wait, don't tell me it's the mystery man."

"I wish that's all it was."

He paused. "I'm on my way."

#  CHAPTER 5

HIGHER CALLING

Jane looked up from her bathroom mirror at the sound of Johnny's knock. She had just clothed herself again when Johnny rang on the door. "I'm coming!" she called, rushing to open the creaky entrance.

Johnny smiled and waved once, awkwardly. She welcomed him inside.

"Wow, nice place you got here," he said as he looked around inside the abode, his dirty blonde hair flowing lightly in the breeze from her open window. "It's even nicer than mine."

"Yeah, I've been working on it. I'm considering adding a flower pot on the window sill," she pointed. "I just hope I can keep it healthy."

"Oh, OK. Super," he acknowledged. "So, what happened?" he asked, turning his head to her bed. It was a cute little thing, perfect for one person.

"Oh! Sorry, I almost forgot why you were here," she replied.

Johnny watched as her eyes searched frantically for something. This had been made obvious by the way she bit her lip. "You OK?" he asked as she glanced up. "You look like you need something."

"What? Oh, sorry. I just really need a coffee right now," she answered. "Do you want some?"

Ignoring the last part of her sentence, he blazed over to the counter and started the coffee machine. Then he came right back.

"Oh! OK, I was not expecting you to do that," she said.

"Yeah! You could say—"

"That you made it in a flash?" she cut in.

"Haha, hilarious," he replied, sitting on the chair near her small table. The apartment surprised him; she had more amenities than he did.

"OK, jokes aside, because I must speak."

Johnny crossed his arms over the table. "All ears."

So, she explained what had gone on only fifteen minutes earlier. "Well, it all started with this voice. It called to me by my name." Johnny felt his hair standing on end as she elaborated further.

"Did it do anything else?" he asked.

"No, just that...I do remember he said I had a destiny, and he's seen it."

"What?"

She shook her head, trying her best to summon the memory. "I don't know."

Johnny gulped. His heart jackhammered underneath. "What's the thing you most remember?"

Jane cogitated the suggestion. What had stood out most? Then, she recalled it. The eyes. "I—I remember its eyes."

Gulping again, Johnny prodded further. "What do you mean? What about its eyes?"

They were burned into her memory, the devilish red that gleamed terror. "They were glowing red. But no typical red. It's like they were coming to get me. Like they spoke."

Like they spoke, Johnny pondered. "That's crazy."

"Yeah, it was"—she tilted her head up to think of how to best explain it— "otherworldly."

"Otherworldly? Don't you think that's a little, uh, over the top?" he replied.

"Johnny, I've just met you, but even you know that this entire day has been over the top insane."

"You're not wrong on that one." There was a silence, characterized by Johnny's stare at the opened window, his eyes far away. Deep down he felt that this was not the last they would see of Jane's intruder. It might be the beginning of something. Something he was not assured he prepared for.

Jane snapped him out of his trance. "So, that's really it. Will I see you tomorrow?"

"Definitely," he returned. "And in case something else happens, call me, OK?"

"OK, Sparks." She led him to the door and he bid goodbye. But he was not so fast.

In the doorway, he turned to face her again, features altered in a serious way. "If anything happens, let me know." She nodded twice. "Promise?"

Her eyes went wide, clearly caught off guard by the usage of the word. "I promise," she nodded again. He did as well before he expressed a little smile.

Closing the door and shutting the light, she resumed her earlier activities—that being a much-needed sleep, though occasionally she opened her eyelids to check if any unwelcome visitor resembling the intruder stood there malevolently.

If a guy in an alley and some dreadfully large intruder were the spark to turn her life around, so be it.

~~~

Johnny Sparks walked to the hallway window to take in the scene, the few variegated lights dipping the hallway of the apartment complex floor in dim colors. It lightly rained in the Big Apple, which now seemed a whole lot bigger. He remembered his conversation with Timothy only a couple hours back.

You wanted to reach the stars. You wanted to go beyond them. Maybe you won't be an astronaut, but you are special.

He tilted his gaze upward and made out a sprinkle of stars through the lights. In that moment, he lost himself in wonder. The time came. For now, though, he would not bring his father into the situation. Not yet, at least.

As he soaked in the beauty of the nightlife, his thoughts drifted to the future; but also, to the one who had mentioned it.

I am the future.

Those eerie words had struck Johnny. He shook his head in the vacant hallway. "I am the future," he repeated, trying to make sense of it. Had this whole thing been staged? he wondered. It was possible. The aura the stranger gave off was unlike anything he ever experienced.

And yet, not even he seemed to make his spine tingle. The thing Jane described burned itself in his mind. All he could imagine were two crimson eyes staring back, always watching, always waiting.

His thoughts continued to drift to the horizon. Whatever it brought, he was excited about it.

#  CHAPTER 6

#  POWERS

Despite the deep sleep he had been blessed with that night, Ryan woke up sweating like a race horse at 7:30 on that Saturday morning—he was shaking, too. His radio unforgivably played "Heroes" by David Bowie. As the sunlight basked the room in light, his eyes popped open. He sat up on the side of the bed, contemplating the events of the night before. Across the way, he could hear his mother snoring away. He exhaled, got up, and teetered to her room. Bethany Slade slept longer than bears in winter.

He checked in the room to make sure everything looked right. There lay his mother, snoring under the covers. A sliver of sunlight found it way through the window blinds, illuminating a single spot on her dresser. It caught his eye. The photograph.

Ryan gulped and tensed in beautiful sync. In the photo stood a much younger Ryan, Bethany, and his father, Jerry. Stay calm, he directed his emotions, staring at the tiny picture frame from several feet away. He found himself lost in the past.

He stood there longer than he should have. Releasing a held-up breath, he closed the door without making a noise. Even then, though, he did not move, back leaning next to the doorframe. "I love you, Dad," he whispered, not knowing where to lay his eyes. "I always will."

With that, he walked into his room and made the bed. The clock, also a radio, played a delightful tune by David Bowie.

We can be heroes, just for one day.

Ryan gazed at it. "Hmm, good music." When he looked at himself in the mirror, though, he was horrified. The usual 6'5" frame was replaced with a seven foot, metallic-colored body. It covered even his face. "Ah!" he shrieked as he stumbled back, nearly into the wall. He swore and quietly screamed. He felt much heavier and stronger. Running over to the phone, he dialed Johnny, who did not pick up.

"Hi, you've reached Johnny Sparks. I'm sorry I couldn't get to your call, but I'll make sure to call you back as fast"—Ryan heard the emphasis on fast and held a deadpan expression— "as I can."

Typical. "Johnny! You got to pick up!" he squealed. "I think I've got my, uh, I-I think my powers are here! Pick up! I'm calling Dustin and Sam right now!" he spoke into the phone. Ryan sounded like a mix of some knife-blade being sharpened and his usual deep but lively voice. The reason for that was clearly unknown at the time. He hung up the phone. "Goddamnit why does he never pick up?!" he said to himself. He hurriedly dialed Dustin, fumbling the cellphone. Such a simple activity proved difficult since his hands were substantially larger than before.

~~~

"Why don't we have powers yet?" Dustin said to Sam, who sat up in his bed at 7:00 A.M.

"How could I know? Maybe Johnny was the lucky one," Sam replied, pushing his hands through the air as if waiting for the moment when something happens.

"Dude what are you doing?" Dustin asked, perplexed.

"Uh, what do you think?" he reacted as he put more effort into it.

"Well you look really stupid doing it," chuckled Dustin. "It's like you're trying to ram imaginary buttons."

"Whatever," he sighed, standing up. "I'm going in the shower."

Grabbing a towel and some clothes, Sam ambled into the bathroom to shower. As he turned the heat up and stepped in, the water soaked him and warmed. "Ah, that's good." Only moments later, he felt the water begin to cool off. He looked up at the shower head and squinted. Sam turned the dial further into the heat section. Nevertheless, the water continued to cool off and steam began to accumulate—it turned frigid awfully quick. "What the hell?" he said as he spun the dial to full, which, under normal circumstances, would make anyone scream. He cupped his hands and stepped out of the path of the shower. The water in his hands immediately froze. He froze too.

~~~

In the kitchen, Dustin was frying eggs. Randomly looking over to the bathroom door, he raises his eyebrows at the extraordinary amount of steam escaping from the sliver on the underside. "Geez, man likes hell I guess." Then he heard a scream. "Shit!" he exclaimed as he swiftly turned off the stove. As he ran toward the door, he accidentally slipped and fell, except he never fell. "Woah crap!" he yelled as his feet went out from under him.

Grimacing, he expected to feel the shock of his back landing on the floor. Realizing his body had never made contact with the ground and having an awareness of a strange sensation on his hands, he looked back to see that his hands somehow prevented his originally inevitable collapse. "What the hell?"

As he extended his arms farther out, he slowly pushed himself back to an upright position. "Oh my God," he ogled. "I can control the air." He could actually see the power rush out of his hands like an exhaust pipe. Hearing a smash, he ran straight to the bathroom door and opened it. Sam was right there.

"I have powers!" they both screamed to themselves.

"God Almighty chill," uttered Sam. "What's yours?"

Dustin could not help but feel excited. "You go fir...what the hell why is it so damn cold?"

"That," he acknowledged, "would be my powers."

Dustin's jaw dropped. "No way. Cold? Are you telling me that you're Jack Frost?"

"Uh, yes?"

"Well, that would also explain that hair of yours."

"Wait, what?" Sam retorted.

"You might want to look in the mirror," motioned Dustin.

Sam, with towels around his waist, stared into the mirror. "No!"

"Sorry man," he replied.

"I look like a grandpa! White? Why?"

There was a ring at the door. Dustin turned to look. "It's probably Mrs. Jankins."

"Great."

"Don't worry, I got this covered."

He sauntered over to the door and asked, "Who knocks on this fine morning?"

"Your neighbor, Dustin, your neighbor!" a perky voice called back.

Opening the door, Dustin's view was a five-foot-tall old lady, wearing a pajama nightgown that had clearly seen better days. "What's all the raucous? It's not even eight yet!"

"Oh, I'm sorry Mrs. Jankins, we were just" —he thought for a moment— "playing video games and, uh, trying to cook eggs." He winced, internally kicking himself for how stupid an excuse that was.

"Well, how about I help you out?" she offered.

He laughed uneasily. "No, it's fine! My grandmother taught me," he said.

"Oh yeah? What's that sound in there?" she asked, referring to the eye-opening noise of breaking ice. He closed it suspiciously fast, now outside his abode.

Dustin gulped. "We got a little, uh, pro— I mean, uh..." he stuttered, trying to think of more excuses. "I'm really sorry Mrs. Jankins, but my eggs are going to burn up. Don't want to set my kitchen on fire, you know."

"But—"

"Promise not to make noise!" he replied as he opened and closed the door in a swift manner. He elicited a relieved exhale.

"Kids these days," she grumbled as she turned and walked away. "So darn agitated."

Sam stood in the bathroom, examining his powers. "Dusty look at this," he motioned. A mist seeped out of palms, and it froze whatever it touched.

"Wow," he marveled. "Hate to cut you off but can I show you mine now?"

"What? Oh yeah, yeah sure."

"Prepare to be amazed," Dustin said. When he channeled the same energy he used previously, air discharged from his fingers and palms, pushing things out of the way—in this case, the conglomeration of stuff on the bathroom sink.

"That is awesome. But is that all you got? Moving some crap around doesn't qualify as a power."

"Oh yeah? Watch this." With that, he channeled far more energy, resulting in Sam being pushed farther and farther back, his mouth and eyes subject to the brute force of a hair dryer on steroids.

"Stop! Stop!" he implored, arms in front of him to shield himself. "Gosh, I get it. Don't have to literally blow me into the bathtub."

"And that's like nowhere near what I can do," Dustin replied. "I can feel it."

An idea popped into Sam's mind. He chuckled in excitement. "Yo, blow a hard stream of air and let me freeze it."

"I like the way you're thinking bro." Once he thrust the air out, Sam let out a frozen cloud, which froze the air shot towards it. Sam created a spearhead of ice.

"Woah," Sam said in awe. "This is so, so sick."

"I'm gonna like working together from now on," Dustin responded, trying to keep warm from the now frigid bathroom.

"Stole the words outta my mouth."

Just then the phone rang. Dustin took it out of his pocket. "It's Ryan," he said. Then he looked up with excitement. "You don't think—"

"Pick it up!"

He answered without another word. Ryan's voice was a strained, rocky whisper. "Guys! Thank God! You picked up!" was the voice over the phone.

"Dude! We hear you! You won't believe what's happened!" they relayed.

"Let me guess," he responded. "You got your powers."

They both glanced at each other with confused faces. "And how on Earth would you know that?" Sam asked.

"Probably because I have mine! And I need you down here right now! I've called Johnny twice; the kid doesn't answer!"

"We're coming dude." All the way down the elevator Dustin and Sam used their new powers. It wasn't until the doors opened when they stopped, although once people walked inside, they admitted it was unbearably cold, an ironic statement coming from a New Yorker.

Sam suspected that Johnny was probably running all over the city. "That kid is gonna get himself into serious trouble," he said on the way to Ryan's house.

Dustin chuckled in the middle of the apartment parking lot. "Kid probably already is in trouble."

"What kind?" Sam jested. "I saw the way he was staring."

"Oof," Dustin snickered.

The rest of the ride they talked about how they both discovered their powers, both discoveries comedies. Then they arrived.

Behind the window shades, Ryan waited for them, since he didn't want his mother to hear or see anything—at least not yet. She was still sound asleep, made obvious by the unrelenting snores. As the brothers made their way to the door, he opened it and motioned for them to stay quiet. They were quite surprised at the change in Ryan's appearance. "Damn are you taller?" Dustin whispered.

Once Ryan quietly shut the door behind them, there was Johnny—just standing there. "Yeah, I forgot to call you, but forget that. Let me explain."

"Yo! Johnny, how have you been?" Sam asked, his tone light. Johnny and the brothers shook each other's hands in their own special fashion. The 'Coolie' as they labeled it, consisted of a vertical fist-bump in both directions succeeded by a backhanded high-five and then a normal one.

Ryan explained everything. "OK, I woke up and I could do this." Clenching his fists, he shrank back into his typical 6'5" size. Then he clutched the frame of his bed and held tight. Within seconds, his body transformed, hard as a rock and bulky, not to mention seven feet tall. "Check this out," he motioned, his voice now gruff and deep.

Johnny looked over at them and nodded. "Yeah, you better watch this."

Moving over to his bed, he picked the whole thing up with ease on only one hand. It creaked and threatened to break. "OK we get it, you've got super-strength and, uh, whatever that other stuff is," Sam said. "Absorption? Is that what it's called?"

"Yeah, I think so," Johnny replied, nodding.

"I have to say," Dustin added, "your voice is so, uh, rocky."

"Wait, say that again," Ryan replied.

"Which part? Rocky?"

Ryan smirked. "I really, really dig that name."

"Name?" Sam repeated, puzzled.

"No, just no," Dustin replied. "That will not be your nickname now."

"I gotta admit," Johnny chimed in, "I think that suits you."

"See? Even Johnny digs it," Ryan replied, pointing to him. "And we all know how much of a killjoy he is."

"Not wrong," Johnny chuckled.

Sam interrupted them by showing off his new abilities. Immediately his hair shifted white, and the aura surrounding him chilled. Dustin followed his actions, blowing Johnny straight into the floor. There was a regrettably loud bang. "Was that necessary?" he retorted.

"My apologies," Dustin responded, "but it was."

While Johnny was perplexed, Ryan snickered. "Wow, so Sam is Elsa, and Dustin is, uh, a wind turbine?"

"Jack Frost! Not Elsa you idiot!"

"Really? A wind turbine?" Dustin objected, unimpressed.

Johnny chuckled, a smile unable to leave. It was always them. These were the best friends anyone could ask for. And now, together, they would begin a new journey.

~~~

There was silence in only one part of the ship—the throne room. As a large entity viewed the grand expanse of the universe from his transparent chamber, a dark-clad, fully armored figure complete with an opaque helmet trudged in and bowed. "My lord," he started, "did it work?"

It shifted its weight and pivoted, its radiant, crimson eyes piercing even from a distance. "Rise."

The servant stood and ambled closer. "Is her interest peaked?"

"Temporarily. I trust you to ensure the breach is ready for her. You must not fail, Solis," it spoke, voice unlike any other. "And lastly, send a scout there. He must control the trap."

"Yes, my lord. You will not be disappointed." He strode out, feet clanking on the polished, mirror-like floor.

The being returned to his prior stance, hands locked together behind his back elegantly, a scowl pasted on his bald head. He could never tire of a simple gaze into the ever-expanding universe, wondering where he is. "Oh Sonovan, you could never understand my machinations," he whispered to himself, the only one left in the room.

#  CHAPTER 7

A MEETING

A full day had elapsed. Johnny, wearing a black jacket and jeans, knocked on Sam and Dustin's apartment door. He only heard a few angry expletives, a bit shocked yet not. It was undeniably Dustin's reaction to getting destroyed in some dumb video game. "Yo Sam, you in there?"

In an answer to his question, Sam opened it quickly.

"Oh hey, what's up?" he responded.

Johnny raised his eyebrow. "Uh, don't you remember we're meeting the other two? In, like, a little while?"

Sam furrowed his brow, checking his watch. "Shit!" He slammed the door in Johnny's face.

Bruh, Johnny thought. But the foul language had ceased.

Within a few minutes, though, out stepped the brothers. Sam wore white pants and a bright blue dress jacket. His hair, per the usual, was styled perfectly. Show off, Johnny thought. Of course, Dustin did not model himself after Sam. Instead, he donned simple sweat pants and a hoodie.

"Let's get it," Sam said. His tone dripped in mischief.

"Wearing that?" Johnny asked. "Dude, this isn't a date."

Sam smirked. "Yeah it is. It's a date with destiny."

Dustin chuckled. "He does not know the way."

Johnny frowned, face scrunched up in a tangle of different emotions. He shook his head in dismissal. "I'll just ignore that," he said. "Come on."

"Lead the way, sire," Dustin implored.

Again, Johnny shook his head, leading the way to the elevator. "So, how have your powers been working?"

"Like a breeze," Dustin said. "What about yours, speed demon?"

"It's been pretty amazing, that's all I can say," he responded.

"Mine's been cool," Sam added.

"That really necessary?" Dustin shot back just as the elevator opened. Surprisingly, there were Rose and Jane.

"Uh, this is a surprise," Johnny said.

"To be sure," Dustin added.

"But a welcome one," Sam finished. Dustin turned his face to prevent an explosion of laughter. "That was way too perfect," Sam joked.

"Palpatine would be proud," Dustin replied, holding it in.

"Did you just get here?" Johnny asked the duo in the elevator.

"Yep," Rose answered. "Ryan's downstairs, 'morbids,'"

Dustin smirked at the word choice. With that, the trio of morbids entered the elevator and descended towards the ground.

The party set off to Kevin's mansion, where he spends his days helping the government and developing new cyber-defense technology.

Despite the monthly conversations he had with his parents, who implored him to find a different hobby and to act like the "normal kids," Kevin Moon had always been so fascinated with computer technology. He received a doctorate in ethical hacking and one in cybersecurity.

After passing through the guarded gate, the two cars stopped in the large parking area. Rose knocked on the door, rang the bell twice, and stepped back. "Just remember, don't stare," she warned.

Visibly confused, Sam asked, "At what?"

Her response was quick and served its purpose. "Any of it."

A head popped into view on the side window. His eyes went wide and the door opened at once. Swinging the door open like a maniac, an average-sized man stepped onto the front door entrance for all to inspect. His black hair hid his ears. It had been arranged on his pale skinned head in a messy congregation of sorts. Additionally, Kevin wore a dark cotton hoodie, which, judging by his parents' status and funds, was likely in excess of several hundred dollars. To complete the look, a pair of thin spectacles rested on his eyes. "Rose! It-It's nice t-to see you!" he stuttered, oddly looking at the others from the corner of his eyes. "Since when did y-you get such t-tall friends?"

"It's kind of a freak accident," she replied, nodding in agreement to his question.

"Am I q-qualified to be brought up to speed?"

"It's why we're here," Johnny interjected.

"And you are?"

"Johnny Sparks. These are my buddies," pointing to Dustin, Sam, and Ryan, who shook his hand.

"Your man, Ryan Slade."

"Dustin Jones."

"I'm Sam, this guy's bro."

"Nice to meet you a— oh I don't think we met yet!" Kevin exclaimed, looking at Jane. "Who m-might you be?

"Jane," she greeted. "It's nice to meet you."

"Pleasure's all mine," he responded quickly. Turning around in one motion, he welcomed them in. "Welcome to my humble abode." The giant entry to the house was randomly littered with a variety of technology, including—ironically—an Xbox. Evidently, he sparsely, if at all, had visitors apart from his father and mother, who, despite their sixty and fifty-five years respectively, still work.

As they walked through the place, they ogled at the affluence of equipment Kevin owned. "Rose has told us a lot about you," Johnny said. Johnny felt a tad out of his element. He never thought he could be in a rich man's home—no—mansion.

"Let's hope n-not everything."

"Trust me, it wasn't everything."

"Oh, g-good."

Kevin came to a stop in his basement, where the majority of his technology lay like snacks. "This is a blue light overload," Dustin said.

Kevin chuckled twice, an iota uneasy. "So, what d-do you n-need?"

"Information on Montauk Laboratory," Johnny answered. "I hear your mom worked in the government. Would that entail you know anything?"

"What are you, c-conspiracy theorists? T-That stuff is b-bullshit." Kevin pulled out a few small boxes lined with files. The group, except for Rose, watched in doubt. For nearly three minutes, Kevin nearly ignored their presence.

If he stutters one more time, Ryan thought. He glanced at Rose, slightly frowning. "Uh, are you s—"

"Yes," she replied before he finished his complaint.

The conversation had turned a tad awkward. Johnny rubbed the back of his neck. "So...like I said, your mom worked for them. Do you know anything?"

"Yep, Mom worked for the Feds," he responded, continually nodding his head as he sorted through files.

"So that means you can help us?"

"Indeed, it does! Well, likely won't. Just give me one second."

Sam turned to Rose and whispered, "You sure this guy can help?"

"Look, buddy, as she p-probably told you, I've helped her with a l-load of stuff." Ryan winced at the unrelenting stutters.

Rose appeared nervous. "Yeah, you know. The um, the project kind."

Kevin stood up from his chair and motioned for Rose to come closer. "You haven't told them?" he whispered.

"I don't think it's the right time! It's too early!"

"Well, in my opinion, keep it that way. It'll be b-better for both of our lives."

"Hey, hate to interrupt, but we are literally right here," Ryan cut in. "What are you guys even saying, huh?"

Kevin poked his finger in the air and opened his mouth to speak, but a text message choked it away. "Of course, the Big D has to text now." Taking out his phone, his eyes scanned the number. To his shock, it was not from his father, or any of his relatives, for that matter. "What the hell?" he uttered, furrowing his brow despite his hair covering the forehead.

"What?" Johnny and Ryan both asked at the same time. Rose leaned in. The message read, "Prepare." It was from an unknown number, who apparently hacked into his own personal server.

Without hesitation, Johnny shot a glance at Jane, who appeared worried.

"Let me guess," Sam spoke up.

"Mysterio?" Dustin added, finishing his brother's sentence.

Kevin and the others turned their heads to look at them. "Mysterio?" Johnny asked, confused.

"Yeah, Mysterio? What's that?" Ryan added.

"More importantly, w-what the hell are you talking a-about?" Kevin interjected.

Dustin facepalmed himself. "You know, Mr. 'I need a lighter'?" he explained, making quotations with his fingers.

"W-Who?" Kevin asked.

"Oh. We've got a lot to tell you," sighed Johnny.

"Please start."

So, he did. Johnny explained everything, with occasional elaboration from the others. Kevin's face gradually grew elated with every passing minute of their account.

He'd at last done it—his childhood dream completed. He found evidence that superpowers exist. It lasted twenty minutes, and then the elucidation ceased. To cap it off, they demonstrated their one-of-a-kind abilities. "Wow, I h-have n-no words. That was simply, uh, gratifying."

"It's been a hectic 24 hours," Jane finally responded.

"What she said," Dustin added.

"I have no d-doubt," Kevin replied. "I am going to be an e-excessively busy man."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Well, now that you have these powers, I am going to run tests on you. H-Hopefully."

"Well, yeah, sure," Johnny replied. "I'm good with it."

The rest nodded in agreement except for Jane, for she was not willing. Kevin sympathized, thankfully. "It's OK, the data won't be shared. I p-promise."

"I just don't want to," she replied.

"T-That's OK!" Johnny swiftly responded. Jane turned. Kevin perked up.

"Ah! So that explains it," he laughed. "I was so confused, but now it makes total sense."

"What does?"

"Oh, y-you know, the minute to minute g-glances, and the fact that y-you just b-backed her up."

Johnny saw where he was going. "Oh my God! No, no, no, we aren't a, uh, a thing." He uneasily laughed. Then he really got uneasy as he glanced at Jane. "Right?"

She froze like an Antarctic ice shelf. He already knew her to be the shy one, but now it's as if she was in a stupor. "No...I mean yeah! No...yeah...I mean, no."

Everyone's eyes went wide. Sam and Dustin chuckled. "That was a mouthful," Dustin snickered.

"Sure was," Sam joked.

"Yep. Y-You have officially done it. Now I'm even more confused than before."

"Can we go?" she asked. "Please?"

If you can guess that Johnny was confused too, you would be right. He just stood there as everyone went to follow Kevin. Dustin patted him on the shoulder as he passed. "Good going slick. Don't take it hard. Bro's before hoes."

On the way up the stairs and towards the lab, Kevin asked about the Mysterio character. "So, you're saying this dude asks for a lighter, and like five m-minutes later you get powers?"

"Yeah, that's accurate," Johnny concurred.

"W-What did he look like?"

"Well when I met Jane, he was wearing some kind of mask."

"Really? And it connected to his face?"

"Yeah."

"And it came off? How?"

"I don't know how to explain it. It was as if—"

"It turned off," Jane cut in, finishing his sentence.

The words got Johnny's attention. "Yeah, that's a good way of describing it."

"Hmm, s-sounds like a variant of facial tech, which, quite ironically, doesn't exist."

"What are you saying?"

"I-I'm saying that your 'Spic friend here has access to undeveloped equipment, or..." he replied as his voice trailed off in thought.

"Or what?" Ryan asked.

"Or...yeah, that's u-unviable. I don't know."

"Sounds legit."

"Not as legit as this lab!" he countered, his arms opened wide. The walls were covered in white, while a variety of different equipment lay on several tables. "You c-can say I'm a multifaceted guy. Well, n-not really. Anne does most of the work."

Ryan gaped. "So you a lab in your house? How? What is this even for?"

"Classified," Kevin replied.

"Classified? What?"

From that time on, Kevin asked his helper at the moment, Anne, to take the blood of each of the individuals, not saying why. Then, Anne left the room. After that, Rose got up. "I need to tell you all something." She had been oddly silent throughout.

"Yeah?"

"What's up?" Dustin asked.

"You deserve to know, especially since we will probably be working very closely from now on."

The others, except for Kevin, leaned into their chairs and centralized their attention on her. "I have powers too."

"What?!" exclaimed Johnny, followed by Dustin and Sam.

"You saying that you're, uh, like us?" Ryan questioned.

"I am, but it's different. Yours were acquired, mine...wasn't."

"How's that possible?"

"I'm not what you think I am," she replied, eyes down. "I'm not from this planet. An alien."

Bewilderment and suspense saturated the air. She tried to come up with a solid following statement. "I come from a world far from Earth. I was sent here when I was very young, not even two weeks old. My real parents provided me with manuscripts of our planet inside the ship. It's the only reason I know where I come from and how I can do this." She raised her hand, and as a result, her hands emitted fire—pure, oxygen-rich fire. "They knew I could never decipher their language, so they used pictures and a certain holographic sphere. The sphere chronicled and portrayed my civilization's entire history. But it only lasted three viewings before self-detonation."

They were simultaneously astonished and anxious. Well, that finally explains those red irises of hers, Ryan thought.

Kevin spoke up to ease this bomb Rose dropped. "It a-appears that her powers come from some e-energy—it emanates from her body, but it is imperceptible. I call it dark energy since it sounds cool. And no, it h-has nothing to do with real d-dark energy. It's possible her species is born with this energy inside them."

She played with the fire, leading it back and forth like a match, and then cut it out with a breath. "My ship crashed. It was obliterated, but my capsule wasn't. My foster father found me at his door step some time later, for what reason and how I got there remaining a mystery. Out of the kindness of his heart, he decided to raise me."

"Holy sh—" Sam cut in, amazed.

"That's a lot to take in," Johnny interrupted.

"What happened to your planet?" Ryan asked.

She paused. "I don't know." But since she had learned much from the historical orb she had been provided, that was a lie.

#  CHAPTER 8

#  FORGOTTEN MEMORIES

"Get her in the capsule!" Ta-Vir shouted. He glanced back, motioning for his wife to come closer. Facing a white, rectangular object about seven feet in height, he pressed a green button, which engaged the device to scan his body, starting with the eyes.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" his wife, Kira, replied. Sirens resounded across the land. Thankfully, it was not the apocalypse. It was an invasion.

"We do not have a choice, my love," he answered. "There is no hope for her in this doomed place. He will take her. Like he did all the others."

"What if the ship never reaches the planet?"

"It will." The reddish-skinned man prepared the drive and within the hour they had bid their goodbyes. The child departed off to another world, far from theirs. Ta-Vir embraced Kira as the ship launched. A few minutes later, their citadel was compromised. A soldier identifying himself as 'Solis' smashed the door and it flew like an airplane to the other side of the house as he strode in. He wore dark clad armor and an opaque helmet to boot—his face unseen. The integrated system inside his outfit altered his voice and tone into something almost static.

"His greatness, the Endless Creator, the Titan, has arrived. Bow and be grateful your worthless soul has been grazed by his presence." Solis bowed as the ground shook. The vibration reverberated closer with every passing second. Then he came into view. Titan, outfitted in wide, dark blue armor, arms crossed behind him, stomped to Ta-Vir and his wife. This time, two wires were attached to his spinal region, zig zagging up into the back of his head, where they were fused. Legend says neither are necessary, only used to amplify his power.

"Ta-Vir, did you really think you could outthink me?" questioned he, scowling at Ta-Vir through his devilish red eyes. He brooded over Kira and Ta-Vir, far larger than either.

"I fail to understand," responded Ta-Vir, fingers arranging his short beard.

"Your daughter, Ta-Vir. Why have you committed this nefarious act?"

"We have done nothing but merely save our daughter's life!"

"Foolish and naive choice of words, governor. I have had a vision. Your daughter is far more powerful than the other females here. In her genes is a mutation. She will become a formidable opponent. And if under the wrong master...an enemy."

Kira looked up at the giant intruder. "She is already deep in the darkness of space. You will never get to her, you maniac. I have seen the truth about you."

Titan acted hurt. "Oh, why must you be so malicious? I was not resurrected to be labeled a maniac."

"You were insane before Sonovan Lung killed you. You are insane even now."

Titan flinched. Hatred was the kindest word possible to describe how he felt about Sonovan Lung. "I want so badly to kill you, and I will. But before your pathetic life passes away like the grass, and your breath returns to the dust from which you came, you will tell me where you sent her," he spat. "Or as you emphasized, how you 'saved' her."

In a moment, Ta-Vir drew a knife. "My love, this is why I didn't want you to know where." He was about to commit suicide when Titan utilized his telekinetic ability and stopped him in action. Ta-Vir's arm, which gripped the knife, halted in mid-air.

Titan tilted his head, amused yet impressed in Ta-Vir's newfound devotion to his own family. Truthfully, he respected Ta-Vir, one of the very few brutally honest and ingenuous politicians out there. Nevertheless, if Ta-Vir changed, he would be prepared to do what was necessary, even if it meant death. The only thing Titan could rely on anymore was his own pureness, for it remained unchanged. "You would resort to suicide rather than transmit a simple bit of information?"

"For my family, anything." Solis held Kira back. Titan shot a glare at her.

"What a beautiful wife you have, Ta-Vir. It would be a tragedy if she were killed, would it not?" Titan sneered. "What did you say again? Family? Yes, it is your weakness."

Ta-Vir held fast from speaking. The situation became a game of silence. Titan grew impatient. "Typical. I have to do everything myself. Solis, step back."

"What are you doing?"

"What I said I would. Information, or she dies."

"Don't listen to him!" Kira screamed.

"I love you Kira, you understand me? I will always love you!"

"So be it." There was an ear-piercing, dreadful snap. The next thing Ta-Vir saw was his wife, falling in slow motion to the ground. Her lifeless body lay there.

"No! Kira!" he screamed in agony. He attempted to run to his wife, but Titan held him in his place, though only his telekinetic power did the work.

"What happened to you? The rules were straightforward, Ta-Vir. It would have been so simple, but you instead took the arduous route."

Ta-Vir ignored him. "Someone will come along like how he and his Shadows had. And to follow in their footsteps, someone powerful. In that day, think of me, Titan. I will be there to send you off to your grave, once again. Your name will be forgotten and mocked."

"No Ta-Vir, it is you who will be mocked. Your daughter will never remember the sacrifice you made for her. She will not remember any of it, but I will help her. With my aid, she will grasp and perceive every snap of your wife's neck."

"Not if I have anything to say about it," he countered.

"Oh, I should be afraid," Titan retorted, amused. "I will do it myself." He approached Ta-Vir and picked him up by the neck. The crimson eyes of Titan bore into him. Ta-Vir sensed his mind slipping away. "Sometimes the original never fails," Titan rumbled.

But out of nowhere, Solis's automated blaster turned on. It focused right on Ta-Vir, held high by Titan's massive arm. "Titan, may I remind you? You just ambushed the house of a multifaceted man. Yes, I am a politician. But you know what else I am? A hacker."

Upstairs, a friend of Ta-Vir, Qora, used his system comprised of four holographic monitors to hack the blaster. His fingers contacted the screens in a flurry.

"Say hello to Sonovan for me."

Titan looked behind him. As he did, the blaster fired, killing Ta-Vir instantly. "No!" Titan roared. "No!"

~~~

Ta-Vir's ship crashed in the Sahara Desert, someone already waiting there. This someone, also dressed in a jacket, rescued her from the wreckage. "There there, Adia," he comforted, harvesting her from the wreckage. The baby clearly had no clue as to what had transpired, for she had been asleep the entire trip.

Two days later, she was dropped off at the home of Henry Johnson. A single man in his mid-thirties, he planned on never marrying. When he found her at his doorstep, he made up his mind he would take care of her. The rest is history.

~~~

For a currently strange reason, she did not want to disclose that something had visited her at night while she slept.

"Do you know how groundbreaking this is? Humanity has been searching for evidence of life in exoplanets for the last century!" exclaimed Johnny, who appeared a chunk too exuberant for an adult.

"Yes, Johnny, we understand," responded Sam. "We all went to that class."

"Oh, right."

"Trust me, I know what I am."

"Don't worry Rose," Ryan replied. "You are safe with us."

She shot a glance at him. "Really? I'll be safe? Are you seriously going there?"

"Going where? What? I did say us, you know. I wasn't being, uh, flirty."

Sam facepalmed himself. He whispered to Dustin. "Y'know, I would normally help him, but this is kinda funny watching him shoot for this one."

"Hit the nail on the head bro."

Kevin's head swung in between Ryan and Rose. "You know, my parents have another place outside of town. I-It's got some g-good space! I spend my summers there. Behind it is a nice big field. Think it's a good place to train?"

"Train?" Jane asked.

"Train?" added Ryan.

"Train?!" Dustin and Sam both exclaimed.

"Yeah, ever done it before?"

Johnny rolled his eyes. "Psh...of course we have. Dustin, Sam, Ryan, and I work at a martial arts studio."

Kevin was elated again, as if a Christmas present had been gifted to him. "H-How perfect! Who knew! This is going to be easier than I t-thought!"

Exactly, Johnny internally agreed. It's too perfect.

"Yeah, well hate to break it to you, but I know nothing," Rose spoke. "And by my calculation, I don't think Jane has either." She turned to look at Jane. "Have you?"

"Definitely not," replied Jane.

"Yeah, so..." her voice trailed off, frowning.

"Uh, that's why we are here," Ryan answered, grinning mischievously. "Obviously."

"Duh," mimicked Dustin.

Again, Rose did not respond, impressed this time. Johnny took the reins of the conversation. "It won't be hard. We'll get you into it."

"Yeah, you'll be great before you know it!" Dustin added.

"You'll do great," Johnny said to Jane. "With our help, in a few weeks, you'll be a formidable foe." Jane laughed. "So that's a yes?"

"Aye."

Johnny turned back to Kevin, who anticipated a finalization. "We will do it."

Everything amazed Kevin, to say the least. "Wow, Earth's first s-superhuman team. It's too g-good to be true!"

~~~

Later that night, Rose returned home. Her father was on the kitchen chair, reading a newspaper. He shifted his gaze from the newspaper to his daughter when she closed the door behind her.

"I take it you had an enjoyable time?" he asked. Rose could not keep a smile off her face all the way home. She took a car this time, just so the opportunity did not present itself for Ryan.

"Dad, you won't believe what happened!" she exclaimed, full of glee. She did not expect the group to accept her like they had.

Henry took off his glasses and motioned for her to sit on the chair next to him. "Please! Tell your father!"

An hour elapsed while Rose retold the events of the day. "Your life seems to be achieving new heights, and I share in your joy, Rose. But you must remember this: Never can you lose your control. The anger must never overpower the good. Never."

"I know, Dad." In her mind, she remembered the time of when she did.

~~~

It was a blue-sky day in Williamsburg, Pennsylvania. A fourteen-year-old Rose was walking home from school. On the way, she passed a group of bullies who hated her for all the wrong reasons. They hated her because she was different—apart from them with zero friends—and also not a part of their crowd. Her red hair long since birth proved her difference.

"Hey Rose! Still a little wiener who never talks to anybody? Like seriously girl. You are a loner. Loner genes run in the family, y'know?" Jennifer heckled, trying to elicit a response. At this point, Rose was sick of it.

As she scowled and glared at Jennifer's friends, her eyes only saw prey. This very moment culminated from seven months of hatred. It had festered inside her like a cancer. Stepping up to the plate life gave her, she backhanded one of the four, disabling him instantaneously. The other threw a big hook punch, but she dodged it elegantly and punched him right below the nose, following the attack with a thrust kick to his solar plexus. Another came at her, this time a girl, from behind. Only a simple, fiery slap on her chest sent her into the air. Then she turned to Jennifer, eyes blazing. It was a foreshadowing, really. Rose truly is formidable. She held up Jennifer and pinned her to the wall, hand clasped around her neck.

"I-I'm sorry! I was only joking! We were only messing around! Please...please don't."

"Maybe it would be better if you weren't around!" Rose screamed in reply, eyes ablaze with fury while Jennifer's cohorts were on the ground whimpering in pain.

Her hands were smoking at this point, singing Jennifer's neck. "How does it feel?!"

"Rosebud!" a voice screams into the air. It was her foster father, Henry. He heard the sounds from across the street. "Honey, please. Put her down."

After a dreadful minute Rose took to only savor Jennifer's pain, she reluctantly let go, allowing Jennifer to fall to the ground shocked and scared.

The walk home was silent before Rose broke it. "They deserved it."

He looked at her with a warm and caring look. "I know they did, and I am glad you taught her a lesson she will never forget. But," he looked at her with his arm on her shoulder, "do you feel any better?"

"I don't know."

When they got inside, her father hugged her. But then he got into a serious tone.

"Listen. You can never do that ever again. If you do, they will report you. If you do, the government will take you away. You need to promise. You need to promise me that you will never ever use these gifts ever again. It will only make our lives terrible."

"I'm sorry, Dad. I won't do it again."

"You promise?" he asked again as he put out his pinkie finger.

"Promise," she agreed, joining his with hers.

One year later, Henry and Rose were forced to move out. Whispers spread that Rose was not human and an evil omen, only a witch with supernatural powers.

~~~

Her eyes rebounded from being a thousand miles away. "I know, Dad. You taught me that."

"I love you, Rose."

"I love you too, Dad. Good night." She kissed his forehead and went into her bedroom and changed into her pajamas once again. Considering the events of the day, it was a miracle she fell asleep. Despite this, it soon became impossible to deny, though, that she felt a certain ethos in the room. An unwelcome one.

That night, her dreams were composed of only one thing, an overhead view of Camp Hero, New York. She also dreamt of black figures, shadows in the forest surrounding the former Montauk Laboratory and Camp Hero.

Following these nightmares like a never-ending rainstorm, her mind pictured a small sphere rising from out of the ground. Out of it came creatures—creatures so ugly and ferocious she sweated. They poured out—swarmed—and they were coming for her.

Throughout the chaos, the sphere birthed something new: two red eyes. His full body came into view—in all its glory—followed by thousands of foot soldiers. And he was coming for her.

#  CHAPTER 9

THE TRAP

Two weeks went by, the near-fantasy life of the group, but especially Johnny Sparks, kicking in to full effect. But as with all fantasies, they eventually collapse.

Today, things would change more than the new usual. Johnny woke up to a knock on his apartment door. He got up and sped to the door and peeked through the hole. No one there. Opening it, he found a gray case at his feet. His eyes scanned both hallways, but he could not spot a soul.

As he examined the case, the top popped open and Johnny gaped. "Oh my God," he marveled, well-nigh drooling. His eyes laid themselves on a partially armored outfit. The suit design is a dark blue color, with white serrated edges that resembled a knife. Both intersected on his chest and wrapped around the suit in a diagonal arrangement, tracing down to his feet.

To complete the look, someone equipped the suit with blue-tinted, shaded goggles, which attached to his face through a connector on each side. It exposed the top of his head, allowing his dirty blonde hair to flow. The case included a navy-blue face mask which covered his features up to the blue-tinted shades.

A small note attached to the read, "It's unnecessary, but in case you're in public, you'll need it." He closed the case again and rushed back inside. Placing it on the bed, he undressed with childish excitement.

As he reopened it, he spotted something he hadn't noticed—a note taped on the side. It read: "Figured you would need this." Someone signed it with "Z."

"Z? That must be his name," Johnny said to himself.

In a flash, Johnny donned the thick suit, despite being extremely loose. Examining the outfit, he identified a minuscule yellow button placed on his left shoulder. Once he pressed, the entire apparatus sucked every flavor of air out, permitting the thick suit to envelop the wearer like a glove. "Oh yeah, I'm gonna get used to this," Johnny admired, ogling over it. Despite the hour, he picked up his phone and dialed Ryan's number.

The ring lasted two seconds before Ryan answered. "Johnny, do you happen to have a sick, dark blue outfit with padding?"

Johnny hesitated. "You too?"

"And did you happen to have it signed by a guy who calls himself 'Z'?"

"I'm coming over dude."

"We thought you were still asleep! Dustin and Sam are already here!"

"I've got to call Jane."

"Hear that guys? He's got to—"

Johnny hung up the phone before he could finish.

Blasting off like a missile, Johnny speedily slipped through several miles of urban terrain before arriving at Jane's apartment door and knocking. The suit felt incredible. The air slipped through its aerodynamic construction beautifully.

"Come in Johnny!" called Jane from somewhere in the apartment. He deduced that she had heard him rush to the door.

He opened it. "Jane! Did you get a box with a s...holy crap."

"I will take that stutter as a compliment."

"I mean, that's, uh, that's great!" he stammered.

"Don't worry, Johnny, I know what you're trying to say."

"Uh..."

"I can see you received a little gift as well!"

"Huh?"

"The suit."

"Oh. Yeah. That." Her outfit was comprised of a thick protective underneath its dark blue exterior. No extra patterns or colors were a component of the exterior. Only a small white button affixed onto her left shoulder—agnate to his. In fact, Z gifted her a mask exactly the same as his, which fit without difficulty.

Jane turned to the case. "I found it with this." She pointed to the taped label, which also read the same as the box he had found on his doorstep.

Furrowing his brow, Johnny was puzzled. "That was on mine too."

"It all makes sense. This guy, Z, must be the same one we came across."

"It is," he responded, walking towards her box. He grasped both sides of it with his hands.

"How do you know?"

"Because I just have that feeling."

Though bemused, she moved on. "Have you heard from the others?"

"Yeah," he responded, his hand on the back of his neck, in pensive mood.

"What's wrong?" she asked, walking towards him.

"I don't know. I don't know why he's doing this." He raised his head. "What does he want with us? Why? Why all this?"

"I understand what you are feeling," she replied. "But we need to have patience. In time, we might find out."

"Yeah, but I don't think I can handle two mystery men."

"Two?"

"You know, your visitor?"

"Oh, him."

"Him?"

"I suppose it is a he. Only makes sense from the way he talked and moved and everything."

Johnny shook his head. "Look, can you come with me to Kevin's place? Ryan, Sam, Dustin, and Rose are already there."

"What would you do if I said no?" Johnny was dumbfounded, never expecting such a remark. She soon realized this is definitely not the time for a jest. "Don't worry, of course I'm coming."

"Good. Let's go."

"Just let me get out of this thing. You don't want us walking to a car in this, do you?"

"Who said anything about walking?"

"What?"

In seconds, he grabbed her overall light body, took her keys and her phone, and locked the door behind them. A moment later, they were in her car, with Jane in the driver's seat. If he didn't know, he would think she never ate, her weight like a branch. Or maybe that was the years of martial arts and body training talking. Who cares?

"Oh my God, I think I might puke."

"Oh crap."

FORTY-FIVE MINUTES LATER

Forty-five minutes later, the twosome had driven to Kevin's house. The gate unlocked, and they both met up with the others.

"Wow, you two look sharp," Sam commended, looking sharp himself in his personal brand-new outfit, colored white with long, blue highlights running from his neck to his hands. On his shoulder blades, azure blue winding lines traced down the sides of his chest to the ankles. Also, there were areas on the sides of his rib cages and legs shaded blue.

"Hey!" Rose exclaimed. On the contrary to theirs, her suit donned a dark red with black edges on the sides of her ribs.

"W-Wow, this is so damn a-amazing," admired Kevin, dressed in his simple yet comfortable hoodie.

"Check this out," Rose motioned, laughing in delight. Her gloves had a compartment on each finger. She growled, and the compartments unloaded their payload—in this case, claws. "Isn't it amazing?"

"That is legit sick."

"I wish mine did that," said Jane.

"I think someone designed each suit for each person's personality," Rose replied. "This Z guy clearly knows what we like. He even gave me a red mask!"

"Ryan, you and Dustin have awesome ones too," Jane said.

"Why thank you!" they both responded. Dustin's suit is a duplicate as his brother's, except his was dark blue, with gold highlights on his arms, gold lines, and gold patches on the sides of his ribs and legs.

Dustin slipped on a dark gold face mask, analogous to Johnny's. It looked perfect on each person's body. "Oh yeah," he said, his look almost ninja-like. "I'm Scorpion now."

Sam laughed a bit too hard. He attached his own, a snowy white hue. "And I'm Sub-Zero."

Their banter left Jane confused. "What?"

"It's nothing," Johnny interjected.

On the contrary, Rose laughed at the remarks. "Yeah, you do," she said.

Johnny shot a look at Ryan, who's eyes went wide as a log. He turned around to hide his reaction, placing his fist in his mouth and biting down slightly, eyeing Johnny the entire time. He understood what Ryan tried to say. No girl Ryan had ever met knew those names, undeniably from Mortal Kombat.

Speaking of him, Ryan had a dark brown suit, with dark green rectangular pads on his shoulders and arms. Similar to the others, the sides of his rib cages and his back had been shaded, except this time deep green.

"I have to say," Dustin chuckled, "guy has a good taste."

Johnny rolled his eyes. "Yeah, well he might be some super-evil psychopath."

"Well, it's something new!" Dustin replied.

"I b-believe this i-is something d-different," Kevin replied, pointing to the suits. "I certainly have never felt a material like that."

"Wait, what?" Sam asked. "Are you saying—?"

"That these suits are from a different planet?" Johnny finished the sentence.

"I b-believe so."

"But you guys do know the chances of life on exoplanets, right?" Ryan interjected.

"Look at Rose! She's proof there is life out there."

"Yeah, but that's one," he said.

Kevin had the television tuned to NY1, a news station throughout the area. Breaking news interrupted the usually uneventful, boring ones. Across the screen, the headline read: "Unidentified Object Escapes from Rotating Sphere." Dustin caught eye of it and motioned for the others to reciprocate. "Uh, guys?"

"What?" replied Sam.

"Oh God," exclaimed Johnny, who turned to see.

"What the hell is that?!" Jane shrieked.

"It's unidentified for a reason."

"Damn what has happened to my life?" Sam complained. He squinted. "I am just a regular dude and now we're going to be facing off with a giant...bug."

"Just what I love," Dustin added in sarcasm. "Like, who does not love gigantic man-eating bugs, am I right?"

"Gross."

Rose read the byline. "It's from near Camp Hero."

"Imagine my shock."

"Do you want to go there?" said a voice, without a doubt robotic and inorganic. Everyone jumped.

"What the hell? Who said that?" Rose cried.

"Hello, I am Oracle, your helper."

"Is your suit talking to you?" Johnny asked, baffled.

"It indeed is," responded the suit. "And please, refer to me as Oracle."

"Oh God, do we each have an A.I. c-companion?" stuttered Ryan for once, modestly bewildered.

"No. Only the two females' apparatuses have our consciousness included. I am Oracle, your helper and the artificial consciousness of the Oracle V1."

"Holy s-shit," Kevin exclaimed. "I can die in peace."

"Jane Cooper, you also have artificial intelligence copied in your suit, known as Chronos. Our master, the great Titan created it."

"Who?"

"All will be elucidated in time."

"How do I access mine?" Jane asked.

"Press your hand on your chest for five seconds, Jane Cooper." She did as the A.I. told her. Five seconds passed, and her suit awakened.

"Hello, I am Chronos, your helper and companion, created for the Chronos V7."

"Wait," Sam interrupted, "have you been listening to us this whole time?"

"Yes, Sam Jones."

"OK, I am now very, very jealous," uttered Dustin, who was basically swooning over the voice of Chronos. "What's mine do?!"

"Repeat the steps Jane took," Oracle directed in its beautifully unemotional voice. "As I made clear, you do not have an intelligence uploaded into yours. Instead, the Tetra uploaded various technologies, such as power boost, bulb, geolocation, and fortification mode."

The rest were dumbstruck, Kevin easily the most. "Each appurtenance you were given incorporate these specific components."

Dustin, Johnny, Sam, and Ryan all followed the steps given, which turned on their specific outfits.

Dustin went first. There was a peculiar sound followed by, "Welcome to the Aurora V5. Apparatus set to English, major language of Planet Earth."

"Yep, definitely from outer s-space."

Sam was next. "Welcome to the Echo V9. Apparatus set to English, major language of Planet Earth."

Ryan's boot up responded the same, except referring to itself as the "Solace V4," as did Johnny's, which referred to itself as the "Edge VX."

"Telemetries positive. Enjoy."

"OK, I'm officially in love with Z," Ryan exclaimed. "He really knows the way of gift-giving."

"Don't give him the satisfaction," responded Johnny.

"Hero in my book," Dustin said sarcastically.

"Oracle, you said something about portal technology. What do you mean? Are you saying we have the power to teleport with these things?"

"Affirmative."

"Oh my God," Kevin and Johnny exclaimed at the same time. "How is that possible?"

"Utilizing the teleportation powers of Zydok, the ruler of the galaxy, the Titan, created these for his special forces."

"Wait, who?"

"My programming does not permit me to further disclose."

"Well that's helpful."

This time, Rose grew uneasy, for she recognized the name.

"OK, well how do we teleport?" Ryan asked.

"You do not have that specific function. Only the Aurora V5 and Echo V9 have the capability."

"Sounds like ours," Dustin responded, looking at Sam. "I have the Aurora, and Sam has the Echo."

"Alright, so how do we activate it?"

"To activate the exotic matter, you must swing your arms in a circular motion to your side. As you do this, speak where you would like to go. The orb will activate, bending space-time to form a sphere, which will transport you to your desired location. A reminder: The bridge can only take you to a location within the host planet—never beyond."

"Sam, I'll do it."

"OK."

"But first," the A.I. interrupted, "you must initiate fortification mode, so that the Aeon safeguard plates can harden."

Johnny raised his eyebrows, amazed. Dustin and Sam both blinked repeatedly, trying to make sense of the bomb the artificial intelligence dropped. "Uh...OK," Dustin said. "How the hell do we do that?"

"Tell me," it replied.

"What?"

"Command me."

Dustin put on a confused face, turning to the others and shook his head. "Thing's dumb."

Rose shook her head and hushed. "Want me to do it?"

"No! I got this. Uh, Aurora, initiate fortification mode."

"Initiating."

Dustin's suit sprang forth in gold colors. "Uh, I feel something hardening," he said. "Not my pants, either." Johnny and Ryan both chuckled loudly. Before long, though, the suit lit in specific regions, the safeguard plates making themselves apparent on the outer shell. He now resembled some sort of soldier.

Sam drooled, in awe of the sight. "Dude, you're a walking gold ingot."

"I know," he replied, nailing the voice and the look. "I'm a futuristic ninja."

"You are."

Soon enough, Johnny and the rest initiated theirs. The white serrated lines on his suit illuminated blue, Rose's suit illuminated a deep crimson, Ryan's green, Sam's white, and Jane's grey.

Rose ogled over the pure awesomeness. "This...is amazing. I love red, obviously. And now...I have it. Does Z know us personally?"

Johnny did not answer this time.

"Do I really look like Elsa now?" Sam asked Ryan, the whiteness of his armor bathing the room in even more light. "I feel like it does."

"Don't worry, you look badass," Ryan responded. "As do I."

Instead of carrying on like a child with Christmas presents, Jane said, "Let's go guys. The stuff is nice but there's a giant bug out there."

"She's right," Johnny said. "We have plenty of time later to check these out."

"Fine," Dustin replied. He swung his arms, shouting, "I desire to travel to Camp Hero, New York, United States, Earth." A strange, mysterious sound emanated from one specific point. The room in which they were inside distorted, and in a few seconds, a large, black sphere rose from the ground and into the room. They had created the first wormhole in history, a rotating bubble of spacetime—something scientists dreamed of seeing.

"The first portal," Johnny said. At least, that's what he thought.
CHAPTER 10

#  COME AND SEE

"That a w-wormhole?" exclaimed Ryan.

"And we're the first humans to use one," replied Johnny.

The gravity increased, and the wormhole pulled them to it, including Kevin. "One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind!" cried Ryan, screaming in fear, simultaneously with his fellow companions.

The next moment, they were outside, among the trees. Far off in the distance, Montauk Laboratory resembled a beacon. Each of them had landed on the grass, face first. "Teleportations left for the day: three."

"Yeah, I'm going to have to get used to that," Ryan griped.

"Same."

Kevin was ecstatic. "Wow! That was amazing!"

There was little time to groan, as the whirring noise of helicopters filled the air. Raising their heads to the cloudy sky, the group caught sight of a large object. It was flying across the sky, followed by a helicopter. "Wow, this is going to be easier than I thought," uttered Sam, who appeared focused. Johnny slipped on his face mask which reached up to his eyes. The rest did the same. They almost looked like criminals—almost. More like ninjas.

Unfortunately, the thing caught sight of them as well, so it pointed itself to the ground and landed. Thus, it provided an opportunity to examine it from a close distance, the greenery behind its bulky yet ugly frame providing a nice backdrop. "It doesn't seem organic," whispered Kevin, who snapped a photo.

"It isn't," replied the bug out of nowhere. The voice did not originate from the bug itself. Upon further examination, it appeared to be a machine.

"Who are you?" questioned Rose.

"Adia, come and see!"

"Her name is Rose," quipped Ryan. "And whoever you are, you go right back where you came from."

"I'm afraid I can't do that," the voice answered.

"The hard way it is," Johnny responded. Ryan motioned for Jane to throw him a medium-sized rock. He gripped it as the rock shrunk, transmitting itself into him. As a result, he grew seven inches and absorbed the material of the rock.

The invader shot at them with its blasters, which were built into its legs and arms. They dodged the attacks, and Johnny slipped through the fire, using his speed to go around the bug, confining it. Following his lead, Jane reached out with her arm and telekinetically inhibited its body. Ignorant of Johnny's presence behind, he speed-kicked the invader, which sent it hurtling towards the others.

"Coming your way!" Johnny shouted, side-kicking the inorganic beast again as it hurtled through the air. Sam froze it with a discharge of his own power just as the invader fell into the wheelhouse of Ryan's punch. The contact with his fist obliterated the bug, only sparing its severed head.

"Woohoo! That was awesome!" shouted Ryan, undoubtedly exhilarated. After all, he had reason to be. "That felt amazing!"

"Great job!" added Sam. "We didn't even need to use Dustin or Rose!"

"Yeah, well I would've liked to do something."

"Doesn't m-matter! I just witnessed the f-first team up in h-history!" Kevin cheered, clapping and raising his arms in celebration as if he had won a championship.

Johnny sped back. "Yep, that was sick." He high-fived Ryan and Sam. "Nice going there, you guys."

The head of the destroyed bug landed in front of them. It spoke. "Well done! Now, Adia, come and see."

"Who are you?" Johnny questioned. "What do you want?"

"I am Solis, Voir to the Titan."

"Who is Titan?" Sam responded.

"You will find out."

"Is he the one who visited me?" Rose asked, despite the baffled looks of her comrades thereafter.

The voice did not answer.

They turned to look at her. "What are you talking about?" Ryan interrupted.

"This guy has been visiting you? Where? When?" Johnny added.

"Long story. Tell you later."

"That must mean..." Jane said, thinking out loud. "Is he the one who interrupted my sleep two weeks ago?"

Solis ignored the question. "Do not forget, he expects you."

The others, except for Johnny, shifted their heads to her. "OK, what? You too?" Ryan inquired, both confused and frustrated.

"Long story. I'll tell you later."

Ryan looked at Johnny, who only nodded his head in seriousness and distress. "Wait, don't tell me you knew as well." Johnny stayed silent. Kevin swung his head in either direction, trying to keep up.

"In fact, he is expecting all of you."

"Of course he is."

"You didn't answer my question. What does he want?" Johnny asked, striving to sound fearless.

"Come and see."

"Come and see what?"

"Your lord. Your destiny. Your enlightenment. Your justification."

"Tell your 'lord' that we'll think about it." Johnny motioned Rose over. "Light it up."

"I will be happy to."

"We shall await you. In five Earth days, we will open a breach. It is imperative you cross." These were its last utterances because Rose lit it on fire.

The helicopter crewmen had been recording since they came upon the scene. "Good thing our little friend gave us these visors," Sam said, eyes locked on the helicopter.

"Yeah."

"We need to get some cover," Rose said. "Not a good idea to teleport while they're watching."

"There's a thick forest right over there," Ryan pointed. "Let's go."

When they reached the thick of the forest, Dustin turned on the teleportation mechanism. Space distorted, and a sphere emerged out of seemingly nothing but air. "Damn. Two leaps in less than ten minutes. What a day, humanity!" exclaimed Sam.

A moment later, they arrived back where they started—Kevin's mansion. "Wow, this thing really works."

On the contrary, Johnny was angry. "Rose, why did you not tell us?"

"It didn't seem necessary, Johnny."

Johnny snorted a breath. "Say that as much as you want. Now we have an alien entity who's expecting us. Neither of us believed aliens existed only two weeks ago. And from the name 'Titan,' it doesn't sound good!"

"Hold the phone. Don't get angry at me. Jane isn't innocent either, and we know you were in on it."

Ryan, now back in his human form, stepped between the two and held them both back. "Johnny, shut up. The last thing we need is disorder among us. And you"—he turned to Rose, who pushed against him— "please keep that pretty face out of fights, will you? I really wouldn't like to see you both with screwed up noses."

Johnny knew Ryan was right, so he stopped in order to prevent problems. When they were kids, he had been the culprit of many altercations. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to."

"Whatever," she hushed. She released and turned away.

Sam raised his eyebrows and let out a huffed breath. "Well, now that that is over with, what happens now?"

"Jane will disclose her encounter, and then, Rose, you will as well," Ryan directed in parent mode. "Now you two play nice."

"Look, I'm sorry I didn't tell any of you earlier. But right now, leave me alone."

"Take ten," Ryan replied.

Jane recounted what happened that night, even that she called Johnny. Afterward, when she returned, Rose explained hers. It was similar but nevertheless different. Though Z is equally intriguing and mysterious, Titan, as he was named, slowly but surely became a shadowy figure. A figure who had hid in the darkness of space for a long enough time.

"So a shadow appeared to you, Rose? What the hell does this 'come and see' bullshit mean?"

"I wished I knew."

"What are we going to do?" asked Sam. "I'm usually a light fella, but we are in serious crap right now."

"For one thing, I'm not telling either of my parents," said Johnny. "And I suggest you reciprocate."

"What? Why?" replied Ryan, who sought an explanation for this bombastic assertion.

"Because. Think about it," Johnny continued. "If they find out where we are going, the whole city, and then the government, and then the whole world will be after us. We cannot do it."

"My Mom's gonna kill me," Dustin complained, facepalming himself.

"All of our parents will kill us," Johnny added. "But this is something much bigger than each of us. You do realize what we are getting ourselves into, right?"

"We do."

"I will only tell my Dad," Rose responded. "I cannot leave him without telling him."

"Look, Rose, we know you genuinely care for your dad, but—"

"No, Johnny. There is no but's. Cut the crap. I must."

"Ugh, fine. But you can only tell him."

"I think I can handle it, dad."

Johnny frowned at the remark while the brothers snickered. Sometimes she went out of her way to be an annoyance. Guess there has to be one fiery member in the team, he thought. "OK, so here is my plan. We go through the portal and meet Mr. Titan, and when we are gone, Kevin will keep the place safe. Don't tell our parents. Ever."

"Isn't that b-blackmail?" questioned Kevin. "You're basically b-blackmailing m-me into not doing that."

Dustin and Sam laughed. "Yeah, isn't that b-blackmail, Johnny?"

Kevin held a deadpan expression. "Was that n-necessary?" he retorted.

"Don't worry, Kevin," Dustin replied. "You know we love you." They all chuckled.

"Sorry to interrupt, but are you saying you just came up with a plan in like fifteen seconds?" interjected Ryan.

"Yes, Ryan. Remember, faster body and faster mind."

"That explains it."

"Anyway, who's ready?"

"Ready? I'm not."

"Neither am I," Sam complemented.

Johnny frowned once more. This is about to be crazy, he thought.

In five days, destiny will come to them. Soon, the time will arrive to cross over into something no human had ever accessed. At least, that's what they thought.

#  CHAPTER 11

CONTACT

The future had arrived. Today, they would make contact.

Out of the five nights, only Kevin could have a restful sleep, as the others' minds were so preoccupied with their current situation that sleep was often difficult. The torture of what might happen in the coming events exasperated their wills. At the end of the five days, the time had come. The future was at hand. It coursed in their very veins.

But Johnny, Ryan, Dustin, Sam, and, of course, Rose, did not leave without bidding a goodbye—except it would be rather furtive.

The brothers, though usually light-hearted, were heavily affected by the idea of taking an interstellar wormhole across thousands of lightyears of space without a single word to a loved one.

Therefore, they both showed up at their parents' doorstep the day of the departure. "Hey Mom," Sam greeted, walking straight in. The home of Robert and Jenny Jones, like the Sparks' abode, was simple yet spacious.

The duo tried with every ounce of their strength to remain unsuspicious. To keep the act going, Dustin offered to stay for a meal.

"That sounds wonderful!" she exclaimed. "I have a pot roast."

Dustin licked his lips. Damnit, last pot roast for a while. "Yum," he said.

Up until dinner, which would be served in a half-hour, the brothers ascended the stairs into their childhood rooms. The white walls and blue ceiling welcomed Sam inside his bedroom, the memories of the past whispering into his ear.

The room had experienced so much—the endless crying when his grandparents died, the infamous breakup, and just plain hormonal imbalances. Thankfully, those times were over.

He ambled to his bed, the dreamy bed, running his hand over its sheets, lost in thought. He had not realized Jenny standing in the doorway until it was too late. "What's wrong?" she asked.

Turning swiftly, he gulped and clenched his teeth. She looked very suspicious now. "Nothing," he briefly stated. "I'm, uh, just reminiscing. I've not been sleeping so well lately."

She scrutinized his expression to the nth degree. He awkwardly smiled. "You're right," she said, taking two steps. There was not a trace of distrust, though. But he had been proven wrong many times when in a situation akin to this. "If these walls could talk, they would say a lot."

Sam huffed and, despite the oddity, hugged Jenny tightly. It had been a surprise, since Sam typically disliked hugs. "Oh, this is new," she acknowledged.

"I just felt like it this time," he answered. He pulled away. "Where's Dustin?"

"In his room. The pot roast is ready."

"Be right down." With that, she left and went down the stairs to a demanding pot roast.

Per Jenny's direction, Sam found Dustin doing close to the same thing he had done. The man, the myth, the legend himself, Dustin Jones, brushed a shaking finger over his wooden dresser, home to a variety of diecast cars. He jumped upon Sam's entrance. "Oh, just you. 'Sup."

"Hey."

"I grew up in here," Dustin said. "It's funny. I have this comedic side—we both do–but this place always brings back when we were kids."

"Yeah, I feel you."

"And now that we're leaving, what might happen?"

"I don't even know, bro. But...Johnny's right. This is a path nobody's taken. We're pioneers. I can actually look forward to the future. Know what I mean?"

"Yeah, Johnny's right on a lot of things. Honestly, the dude lives in the future."

"Timmo was right. He gives off that older vibe at like...what? 21?"

Dustin chuckled, clasping the edge of his bed. He breathed in deep and exhaled. "I'll see you again. I promise."

When dinner wrapped up, the duo left for good. But they both gave an extra-tight hug to their parents. "I love you, Dad," Dustin said to Robert, who well-nigh equaled his strength thanks to a college football career.

"I love you too, Dusty. Can't wait for another meal at the table. Just please, don't screw around with time wasters and keep to your studies. Same goes for you, Sam," he pointed.

If you only knew, Dustin thought.

~~~

Johnny and Ryan found their parents together in Bethany Slade's house. They knocked like the children they once were. But each had evolved since then. And, just like before, Bethany let them in.

"Hey Mom, just got to give you a hug."

"You came to give me a hug, Ryan?"  
"Yeah, we were in the area. Where's Timmo and Irene?"

She beckoned them inside in answer to the question. Johnny's progenitors sat on the sofa, totally oblivious, as was everyone, to the predicament. But Johnny had to keep it that way. The cost of their knowledge would be too much for even himself. Plus, there were times when he liked being a rebel. Anything but what society desired. Sometimes, he hated society. Too cliché far too often.

Little did he know the kind of being he would meet. Little did he know how similar they really were.

"Hi Mom," he started, doing his best, like Sam and Dustin, to not give in. "I was in the area...wanted to say hello."

Timothy stood in an instant. "Well, I'm here." Smiling wide, Johnny took a few steps towards the man he might never see again. Without hesitation, he embraced him, forearm slapping on Timothy's back. "I love you, Dad...don' forget it. You know, I might have found what I have been looking for. I don't feel as lost as I once did."

Timothy's expression said it all. "What do you mean?"

"I...am not lost like I had been," he replied. There was a war inside him at this point, neither side claiming victory. "Come on over, Mom," he insisted.

As she did, the three went into a triple-embrace, Johnny the tallest among them. He laid a soft, likely final kiss on Irene's forehead.

Ryan did the same, though almost a foot taller than his mother. The two of them were almost a comedy. Nevertheless, he bent lower to lay a kiss on his mother. For so long, it had been the two of them. She had stayed by him when he went through those days of horror, the day of the incident. The day he lost him.

As if their minds were in sync, Ryan and Johnny both reconsidered if the decision was the right one.

I can't do it, a side of Johnny told him. I can tell the truth right now and everything will be back to normal. Nobody needs to know about Titan. Nobody needs to know about any of it. His jaw clenched.

On the contrary, Ryan highly considered reconsidering everything they planned. Why would I leave her here? he pondered. "Mom, I have to tell you something," he whispered. He looked to Johnny, but saw something he never imagined. Johnny wanted to go.

But destiny, Johnny's mind declared. He knew the better option but, as a human, was as fearful as a deer among wolves. The path to a new world is laid before you. Why do you stall? Take it! "No," Johnny mouthed to Ryan. "Don't do it."

Ryan read his lips with ease, a gift bestowed to him from the countless times the brothers and he would do something rebellious in front of adults. He inhaled a titanic amount of oxygen before exhaling like a jet engine.

"Yes, Ryan? What is it?"

Don't. His ears were ringing without relent, the few seconds extended in hours. "I love you, Mom. Got to go, though."

As the two young adults walked out and into their cars, their collective hearts beat like drums, as if in anticipation of a coming calamity. They looked back at the house to see their parents waving, a nice smile pasted on each face.

Johnny turned to Ryan before stepping into his automobile. "It's time."

Ryan slipped on a coat and twisted his neck to loosen up. "So it is."

~~~

Dangerously prepared, the group ventured out to Montauk Laboratory. There were no guards—only a fence that had many warnings attached in big, bold letters. Johnny unhinged his phone from his belt. "Kevin, we're here. Now we wait."

"Good. This is my last t-transmission. We'll be waiting for you, whenever you get back. F-Focus on your training. Y-You guys have been p-preparing for this. I w-will do what is e-expected of me here. See you soon."

"Thanks, Kevin," replied Rose. "Good luck."

~~~

"The humans are prepared, my lord." Solis raised his head from his kneeling position. "Shall I activate?"

Titan stood from his massive throne. "You shall."

~~~

After fifteen minutes of waiting, a low growl groaned beneath. The ground in front of them sunk, and out of the dirt arose a large, black orb. "Guess that's the cue," said Ryan.

"Let's go." Rose led them into the wormhole. She leaped first, followed by the others. It sucked them in like a magnet.

During the interstellar journey, most kept their eyes closed, for the sounds were enough to give nightmares. Only Johnny and Ryan kept their eyes opened, and what they saw was something beyond human knowledge. Space curved in seemingly every direction as they trekked through the fifth dimension.

There was nowhere to hide now. Johnny thought he died. It was so dark, yet so much power surrounded him—the power of the universe. I'm doing this for you, Dad.

But the trip ended far quicker than imagined. On the other side, an abundance of new colors and sounds filled Rose's senses. She had landed in a large room, surrounded by transparent glass which provided an awe-inspiring view of the universe. "Woah."

As she studied the entire room she stood inside, she noticed no one had followed. "Guys? Where are you?" There was no response, since no soul other than hers had ever made the jump. Fear settled in, as did worry. She had little time to think because a new object had entered her field of view: a gigantic man, staring out into space. He only left Rose to stare.

"Do you know how long I have been searching for you?" the being questioned. "It is a great surprise, indeed."

"Who are you? Where are my friends?"

He nearly flinched. Her voice. "Only one question at a time, Adia. Please."

"My name is Rose. I do not know who Adia is."

"That is only what you remember," he returned, turning his body from the window to face her. "But I will aid you in discovering all that you have forgotten, my dear." Even from the distance between the two, his red eyes pierced through her like knives. Why the hell are his eyes red?

He stalked closer, the sounds his feet made on the floor sending shivers down her spine. He was so much taller and larger than her comparatively frail physique. Nine feet, she assumed.

"Do not be afraid. I mean you no harm."

"No, you d-didn't answer my question! Who are y-you?"

The figure breathed with confidence. "I am Titan, your savior. Lord of the Tetra. I lived, was not, yet now is."

"What do you want with us? With me?"

"Come closer, child, and I will show you your ancestry, heritage, and genesis." Though he beckoned her near, she was reluctant to move a muscle. "Closer I said," he repeated.

Reaching out his arm, an invisible force pulled her. At the much closer distance, he appeared even larger than she thought. "Stop!" she shrieked. But she had nowhere to go, nowhere to hide. Once in his physical grasp, he let go of his telekinetic hold on her. Titan used her fear as an advantage to display his superiority.

"Come and see."

He led her to an orbicular screen, which attached to the mainframe of the ship. It turned on, and clouds came into view on its display. Her attention was invested in its grandeur, and soon, her mind followed. She felt as if it has warped her mind into the mechanism, living it out like a virtual reality headset.

Titan narrated from everywhere as she examined her surroundings. Looking about her, this place was bright with life, a yellowish sky enclosing her. "This is where you first saw the light of day—Xalen. A technologically-focused species, the Xalen were among the first to achieve faster-than-light travel. But, before I saved their pitiful souls, society in Xalen began to fracture. Once an expanding civilization, the government of Xalen decided to end their expansion into the unknown of space. This was their first mistake. Angst grew throughout Xalen, and protests increased in drastic numbers, all in the name of freedom and goodness." The views kept switching between politicians, protests, legislature, and cities. Titan chuckled lightly at the reasons Xalen no longer prospered; Rose could hear the chuckle from everywhere. "No matter the state or goals of a civilization, they all die in the name of a fake goodness." The vista transferred to two people holding a baby; a beautiful, reddish-skinned woman, and a reddish-skinned man with a goatee. Rose, now mystified, could not reply. "These were your parents, Adia. On the left was your father, and on the right, your mother."

"Was?"

"Your parents died of"—he thought for a better explanation— "unfortunate mishaps."

"I-I do not know what to say. I have waited for this day for a long time," she responded, feeling weak. "I have so many questions."

"We will get there soon enough," replied the voice. "I suppose you could say they were...noble."

"You knew them?"

"Yes, I did. But over the years, your father changed. He was no longer one of the few honorable politicians. He focused on family, on love. This was his first mistake, as well."

"How is that a mistake?"

"Emotion is the father of all error. Chemicals in your brain—they impede progress and only suffice to destroy a civilization's potential. Sadly, your father succeeded in convincing his wife Kira—your mother—that the planet was 'hopeless' and that I would 'destroy' their society. Further, he convinced her to send you, his only daughter and possibility of descendants, away. If Earth's society is of an example, when emotions are incorporated alongside justice, one destroys the other. There can never be both. Only one, for pure justice ignores so-called ethics or emotions."

She furrowed her brow at the comment, feeling a bit fearful. She tried to stay on point. "Why would he do that?" she asked, meandering through her changing surroundings.

"As I said before, over time, he was lost."

"And where do you fit into this?" she questioned further. The scene shifted to Titan convincing Xalen rulers he was there to fix their problems.

"Well I am your hero—I am your savior! Even though your parents sent you away, I never ceased from searching for you. When your friends began to channel their newly acquired powers, the Ooris in them contacted me."

"What is the Ooris?"

"It is the source of your friends' powers. This Energy originates from beyond this material universe. The things you see in this cosmos are not all there is." Once again, the scene in the orb shifted to another location—one black, but not evil—a place of darkness and pure, unrelenting Energy. "This parallel universe, what I call the Shadowverse, is a mere shadow of this one, where energies of all kinds reign. It is connected to this one by a series of wormholes—the creators of which I do not yet know. Sometimes the portals open where they should not." The scene ended, Titan yanking her mind from the trance.

The pieces of the puzzle began to link together in her mind. "The man who gave my friends these powers...his name is Z."

Titan lowered his head to her, his eyes shining like beacons. "Are you saying someone infused them with Ooris?"

"I guess so."

He turned his body and walked to his throne. "This does not cohere in my mind. How is this possible?"

"I do not know."

"There must be another."

"Another what?"

Ignoring her question, he responded with one. Instead of reading her very memories, he opted to see if she would tell the truth. "Have your friends treated you with the respect you deserve?"

She suddenly remembered why she had come. "More importantly, where are they?"
CHAPTER 12

#  THE VISION

The ground once again met their faces on the other side of the wormhole. It closed behind them, and they stood up, brushing themselves off. "We made it!" exclaimed Ryan, arms in the air. Their destination was a new society, filled with colors, sounds, and smells unfamiliar to them. They observed their surroundings, amazed.

"An alien civilization. Scientists would kill for this opportunity," Sam marveled.

Johnny looked around as if missing something. "Where is Rose?"

"She isn't here?" Jane responded. Dustin and Sam each looked around. There was no sight of her.

Ryan gulped. "Rose? Rose!" he shouted. As the group ran to the side of a building, other species walked by them. "Holy shit, what the hell is that?!" whispered Ryan, who was securing his helmet on his head, as were the others.

"It's an alien, at least to us," Johnny responded.

"Yeah, what did you think you would see? Humans?" replied Dustin.

"Uh, no."

"Jane, are you OK?" Johnny said, turning to her.

"I'm OK, thank you."

"Rose!" Ryan screamed. Johnny and the others yelled her name, listening for any response among the sounds of this new world.

After searching for five more minutes, it soon became obvious she was not present on the planet. "She isn't here."

"What are we going to do?" Jane asked.

Ryan dropped to the ground, as if defeated. "A new world, endless opportunities, but the one thing I wanted didn't make it."

Johnny placed his arm on his shoulder. "I've been thinking for the past fifteen seconds, extended into nearly two minutes for me. She made it through."

"What?"

"Johnny, what are you talkin' about?" Dustin replied.

"But this was never her destination. It was ours."

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that Titan character tricked us."

"I'll kill him."

"Oh no," fretted Jane. "He must have taken her."

"Then we need to go! We need to find him!" exclaimed Ryan in rage, now standing and reinvigorated.

"How?" replied Sam.

"We can ask Chronos," Jane asserted.

"Who?" replied Johnny.

"Oh yeah," Sam clarified for her. "She's talking about the suit-guy. You know, the A.I.!"

"Oh. Right."

Jane tapped her chest and spoke the keyword "Chronos."

"Yes, Miss Cooper?" it answered in its wonderfully unemotional voice.

"We need your help."

"What may I assist you with?"

"Where is Titan?"

A few minutes passed, with a "searching" notification every thirty seconds.

"It appears Lord Titan's main vessel is located up."

"Well that doesn't help us at all," Sam complained.

"Yes, it does! He means in space!" Johnny replied.

"We can't go into space!" fussed Dustin.

"Well, man the hell up, because that's where we'll be going. I always wanted to be an astronaut."

"Fine. But if I die, it's on you."

"And if I die too?"

"That's still on you."

An information booth sat nearby. In a flash, Johnny sprinted to it while the others followed at their own slow pace. "Welcome to Azintea, Capital of Nexon. Booth set to English, a language of Earth."

"Well that's neat," Dustin admired.

"Yep, proof we know nothing about everyone, yet they know possibly everything about us," added Sam.

"It's Big Brother," Dustin complemented, eyes wide as if a conspiracy theorist.

The screen turned blue. "What will you care to learn about?"

A byline that read 'Titan' appeared. "Dude, hit that!" Ryan whispered. The group gathered around.

The screen shifted to Titan and his empire. The hologram of the massive figure rotated in place, eyes red per the usual and standing in excess of nine feet. "Titan. Savior of Civilizations, Lord, Mighty One, and the Endless Creator. The Tetra, the empire he founded once again, consists of dozens of worlds. This planet, Nexon, owes its survival to him."

"Wow, he's big," Sam acknowledged.

"Holy shit...he's...imposing," Ryan blurted.

The information booth continued and elaborated. "Per Titan's teaching, there exist two universes. The one of you and me, and the parallel universe, or his home-universe, the Shadowverse. As he learned to manipulate Ooris, Titan grew strong, but pure, just, and elegant in his ways. This empire he has constructed from nothing serves him and him alone." The piece of information ended but replaced itself with more.

Another byline popped up. It read 'Sonovan Lung.' Johnny pressed it. What a legendary name, he thought.

"That's a badass name," Sam said. "Like, damn."

"It really is," Dustin added.

A hologram appeared with his outline. A large man, with long hair, piercing eyes, and a human body popped onscreen. "Sonovan Lung. Sonovan Lung was known as the greatest fighter of Earth before opening a portal into another realm, paving the way for an army of creatures to cross over. This subjected his feeble human body to the utmost outpouring of Ooris in history. In his lust for power and the aid of three others, Sonovan slaughtered them all, including our beloved Titan.

"But not even death could kill our savior! A hero arose from the remnants of his empire, the Tetra. This hero, who, upon his desire, remains anonymous, resurrected our liberator from the Shadowverse itself, where he had been trapped. He became Solis, Titan's current Voir, the second-in-command.

"In penance for his sins, Titan, upon returning, forced Sonovan into hiding, where he currently resides, missing for centuries. As Titan says, 'He has become a despicable, ruthless, self-serving threat, and will not cease until he becomes all-powerful.' Sonovan will never inhibit such a peaceful reign ever again!"

"This is a lot of information," Dustin said.

"Something tells me Sonovan wasn't the bad guy and this is all a ruse," Johnny replied. He looked at the others for confirmation.

Out of nowhere, Jane collapsed. Her mind went blank as if someone had draped a sheet over her eyes. The surroundings vanished. She was alone, but not for long. The blackness subsided. In its place, she was thrust into some form of environment that ran like a movie. There was light everywhere as glimpses of different worlds and people appeared constantly, as if she were omnipresent. There were voices, men and women she did not recognize, and locations she had never observed.

She saw a man approach a behemoth cave and a subsequent explosion of light, followed by a giant being resembling Titan crawl out of a portal, except there were two of the same. In the first one, she watched as Titan sprang out like a bank robber. Seconds later, the scene switched to a dark planet and a cloaked man. The same Titan dropped out, albeit differently, followed by more voices.

I am Solis.

You will be my Voir. We shall bring the Justification.

Like Dave in 2001: A Space Odyssey, Jane was left confused but the scenes kept playing. They were everywhere. She felt everywhere, as if splintered across time and space.

The original man materialized again, this time shrouded in a dark, almost blueish Energy. It covered him from head to toe and illuminated his eyes into lightbulbs. He was surrounded by other figures she could not identify—all wearing large suits. The scenes were flying by now, this time on an alien street corner outside of a gigantic structure.

Who are you?

I am Zydok, member of The Shadows. We want to help you. What is your name?

Sonovan Lung.

She could not peel her eyes away as the settings were altered again. She turned and watched as an Asian woman was sucked into a portal, screaming. Sonovan was also there, begging for her to grab his hand.

No, Aiko! Hold me!

I cannot!

Aiko!

Jane could not help it. Tears streamed down her face though they fell into nothingness. Before she could scream in panic and confusion, the scene switched to Sonovan, handcuffed, in front of Titan who brooded behind him. His voice was unlike anything she had ever heard. And the eyes. They were bright red, analogous to the very same in her bedroom that night.

Tell me, why do you run?

Without warning, it switched once more to four armored figures, standing on top of a mountain, arms embracing each other while gazing off into a sunset, colors of yellow and orange skewered in a beautiful, picturesque way.

Zydok, Orslon, Venarian, Sonovan Lung. That is who shall always be, warriors. We are The Shadows.

Once more, the location changed to Sonovan Lung again, except he was alone on a cliff overlooking a beautiful valley. Jane walked up to him timidly, afraid. Unexpectedly, a portal opened and out jumped a fully armored, godlike figure. He spoke to Sonovan, who appeared shaken. The figure's armor was deep gray, while its ribcage region shaped like the bones of ribs, a blue energy bubbling underneath. The figure did not resemble any other she had seen so far. But Sonovan answered.

Who are you? Why should I do this?

I am the future, Sonovan Lung. You will pave the way for a new generation. They will find you. You must find them.

Why must I save them?

You would always save them.

Without another word, the spectacle ended. The light of day entered her eyelids. The first sight she saw was Johnny, Ryan, and the brothers. Each knelt down to where she had lain. They jumped when her eyes popped open.

"Jane!" Johnny screamed. "You are alive!"

"What the hell happened?" Ryan questioned.

"Yeah, that's a big fat Q. What the hell just happened to you?!" Dustin inquired.

But she did not feel tired, faint, or shaky. She felt more alive than ever. "What didn't happen? I was...in this world. Everything, even you, disappeared." She sat up. Amongst the alien society and its occupants who walked by, she knew their purpose now. "But there were these people and images—people I've never seen before. Titan...this Sonovan person...but not just them. Others." She breathed deep.

"You saw them? What do you mean?" Johnny asked.

"It was...movie-like, but I could move around in it. There were people and figures everywhere I looked."

Ryan was flabbergasted, of course. "I don't understand. You saw other people? Where? When?"

"That's the point," she responded, trying to form words. "I think they were from different times."

"Times?" Sam repeated.

"Like you time travelled?" Johnny asked.

"I don't know. All I know is we must find Sonovan Lung. He was the center of everything."

"Anyone else?" Ryan asked. At this point, she stood up and walked to a bench. They watched, bewildered, but followed. She sat there, an iota delirious. Johnny crossed his arms like a detective.

"I remember some names now...Orslon, Zydok...Vena-something..." she trailed off.

"Does everybody have awesome names?" Sam interrupted. "Like, damn."

"They do," she replied. "Titan, Sonovan Lung, Orslon, Zydok, that other V dude, and...someone else."

Johnny's expression changed. "What do you mean?"

He looked like none of the others. He referred to himself as 'the future.'

How. Ryan shot a look at Johnny. "Z? Are you sure?"

She nodded. "He talked to Sonovan."

"He talked to Lung?"

"What the hell did he say?" Dustin questioned, more interested in this than anything.

"Some gibberish that Sonovan must save 'them,'" she said, making quotations with her fingers. "But he wasn't wearing that jacket. He had armor unlike anything I've ever seen...like it was alive."

"Hold on a second," Ryan said. "How many characters are there? So far there's Titan, Sonovan, Z, us, this Zydok fellow, Orslon, and that other guy. Who are the good guys, who are the bad ones?"

"I think Titan is not good," Jane answered. She tried to recollect more. "There is also someone called Solis."

"That sounds like the one who controlled the bug, if I remember correctly," Johnny said.

"All I know is we must find Sonovan Lung. He's the key."

Johnny turned around and began to pace six feet away and back.

"So you want us to find Sonovan? Did it even explain more of who he is?" Sam asked.

"He's a warrior from years ago. Some kind of hero."

"Can you remember any more?"

"No."

There was truly no way out of this one. Of all the things he'd been through, nothing could hold a candle to this. "We must find Rose first. We know where she is. We go to Titan."

Dustin faked a laugh. "Really? That the best you got?"

"You want us to visit Titan himself?" Sam added. "Did you hear what I heard? He's the ruler of an empire. Ruler of an empire. Are you OK in the head?"

"I agree with Johnny," Ryan interrupted, arms crossed. "We find her and bring her back."

"And what if he totally outpowers us? What then?"

"We outpower more."

"I can help." Spinning on his two feet, someone from behind the booth appeared. His skin was composed of green scales, purple eyes with black irises, and pointy ears complete with a few earrings. Despite the differences, he was almost comically human. He had been clothed in two layers of interlocking white and black attires, criminally topped by a long, knee-length blueish-brown jacket which fit his frame to the T. He resembled some kind of space pirate. "I couldn't help but listen in. 'Ya need help. I'm the help, earthlings."

Looking about, Ryan responded, "Who are you exactly? Beast boy?"

"Name's Ledarius Wepon."

"I'm sorry, is your last name actually weapon?" replied Sam.

"No, it's Wepon," Ledarius snapped, speaking in a peculiarly smooth accent which gave off all kinds of wrong.

"I was worried for a moment there."

"What are you?" Dustin asked.

"What only matters is that I hate Titan. You want to get to him? Here's your chance."

"Wait, you hate Titan?" Sam blurted. Ledarius tried to cover his mouth, but Johnny stopped him in one quick motion, in turn pushing Ledarius back.

"Woah, what was that buddy?" Ledarius whispered. "Didn't know you were in link with the Energy. Won't screw with you."

"Yeah, so don't try anything. Wait, Energy? What do you mean?" questioned Johnny.

"I'm sure you'll figure that out soon enough. And you better not talk hate"—Ledarius leaned in and whispered— "on Titan or we'll both be jail bugs. That's if we get lucky and aren't immediately killed." Ledarius shot looks at several nearby soldiers of the Tetra. They wore blue outfits covered in armor, analogous to the very ones the group donned.

They were spotted everywhere, like bees, in every nook and cranny. The sheer number made the Stormtroopers from Star Wars look minimal.

"Can you help us or not?" Ryan cut in. Ledarius slipped into bargain mode.

"What's your offer?"

"Offer?" repeated Johnny. For a bit, it seemed he had landed in some 40's movie.

"Well, you got to supply the funds if you want the job done."

"Look, buddy," Ryan informed, "We have no funds on us."

Ledarius considered their predicament for a moment. "Well, since you're broke, how about you do a little job for me? We can help each other out."

"What's the job?" Johnny replied.

"I just got scammed out of a deal. Gal stole 10,000 credits from me. You can say that she's a criminal."

"Like you?" Jane quipped.

Ledarius chuckled. "Good one."

"So, what do you expect us to do?" Ryan replied.

"Well, since she is currently hiding away like she always does, how about you find 'er and use your little speedy friend here to apprehend and throw 'er in a cell, eh?"

"You want us to make a hit, like in those mafia movies?" replied Sam.

"I don't know what that is, buddy, but I'll take it that it's good."

"Always wanted to do that," responded Dustin.

"Same!" added Sam.

Ledarius smirked. "So, it's a deal?"

Johnny highly considered it. "Give me a minute." He huddled with the others. "I think we should do it," he whispered.

"Anything for Rose," Ryan avowed. They each glowered at him.

"Really?" Dustin responded. "Damn, at least make it hard to see."

"What?"

Jane whispered, interrupting their chatter. "Let's do it."

"Alright," Johnny ratified. He left the huddle first and held out his hand. "We'll do it."

Ledarius peeked around at their surroundings, making sure no one was listening in. "Great choice, speedy. The scumbag's name is Trypher. She lives somewhere around the slums, probably in her underground hideout. Find 'er and bring 'er here."

"I thought you said to throw her in the prison cell?"

"Uh, I have to get my money back first, buddy."

"I'm sorry, but why haven't you gone after her yourself?" Ryan responded.

"Let's just say she has a bunch of bodyguards."

"When does the bad guy ever not have bodyguards?" complained Dustin.

"After you hopefully get 'er, bring 'er to me. I have a shop right over there." Ledarius pointed to the small shack that had seen better days. Of course, it was a weapons shop. "See you around!" He walked across the street, past the flying vehicles, and into his shop, turning around at the door and encouraged them with a thumbs-up. The door slid vertically closed in an instant.

Ryan chuckled in nervousness. "Yeah buddy, thumbs-up. Woo."

"Are you kidding? This is going to be lit!" exclaimed Sam.

"Wow, just look at this place," Jane marveled.

"First humans to see it!" Sam noted. "Like, just look at that!" A hovering transport vehicle lay within twenty-five feet of them. It was loud, sturdy, and one-of-a-kind. Blue stripes filled with magnets connected one transport with another. Passing citizens eyed the group since they had never seen a human before.

Ignoring them, Ryan turned the information booth on once again. "How may I be of assistance?" it asked.

"Locate the Slums."

"Locating the Slums. The Slums. Tia Corsin. 2.5 lengths away."

"Lengths?" asked Ryan.

"Yes, lengths. The length is a standard of measurement in the Tetra."

"OK, well how long is that?"

"Precisely 1800 minuxes."

"Minuxes?"

The machine rebooted in a split second before a hologram appeared. "Minuxes. A basic unit of measurement in the Tetra. For your examination, here is the specific size of a minux. 1,800 of these equal a length." The size of the minux equaled about two feet in length, and Johnny measured it to be about three-fourths of the measurement of his arm.

"OK, so a length is basically two miles," said Ryan. "So this trip of ours will be nearly five damn miles."

"Let's go."

~~~

"Under present circumstances, it appears your friends did not complete the journey. While it is possible they are dead, it is likely they were instead dropped off at a nearby planet."

"Yeah, right. Considering your resources, I don't think you would just mess up a transport."

"I am not perfect, Adia. The present situation would require orders, by me, to my subordinates. In turn, my officers would decree a search for your friends. It would not take long, Adia."

"Please. Refrain from calling me that."

"It is your true self."

"No, it isn't."

As he stomped back towards the transparent, glass enclosure, he crossed his arms behind his large waist. "All will be revealed, Rose Johnson. In time, you will come to realize your true origin and your true destiny." Titan turned back to the view outside his ship, taking it all in. Rose felt the aura in the room change, but the opposite of what she desired. Everything felt darker.

"You can't force anything upon me. I am my own person, and I've got along just fine without you my whole life."

"Yet, your purpose has still evaded you. The people of Earth are perplexing. They seem to revel in their squalor, even though humans can be so much more. Why fight? Why hurt each other, instead of uniting and standing as one species?"

"It's because of our free will. Humans rarely ever follow leaders. Our greed has fueled our desire to be better than every other person."

Titan laughed deeply, turning back to her once more. "Fascinating choice of words. Why use 'our'? You are not one of them, Adia. And free will is a mirage. There is no such thing, and the illusion it is destroys entire civilizations."

"I identify more with them than with my own species. I guess you could say I had little time to ever get to know my own."

"You need not defend the humans, my dear."

"I can do whatever I want."

"You were never one of them."

"I've been meaning to ask you. Why—"

"Why did I lie?"

"Wha—"

"Oh, please. The abilities of your 'friends' are nothing compared to mine, Adia. I knew you were resisting the words I was speaking to you. Did you really think you could fool me?" His voice deepened, almost a chalky albeit firm tone. "My eyes have seen the rise and fall of countless heroes, societies, civilizations, and worlds. Originally, I hypothesized that soft, knowing words would charm you, or even alleviate the anger or stress."

Her demeanor changed as quickly as his. "What do you want from me?"

"Everything. Everything Ta-Vir took from me I will take back. Thus, I will take all of you."

"You will try." She leapt into the air, channeling her powers and the training she had received from Johnny and the others. She landed a flying side-kick on his face, pushing Titan back. It was not the end of her fury, because she followed up her first attack with a full onslaught of her powers. Fire streamed out of her hands like a viscous freshwater river in the mountains. "I'm going to kill you!" she screamed, her eyes shifting red.

Only when Titan pushed back she realized her fiery strike had been for naught. A translucent shield of energy had formed around her adversary, protecting him from any kind of onslaught. "My dear, have you learned nothing?" Reaching out, he telekinetically choked her, raising her body fully off the floor.

Her mind went blank. Dad, I'm so sorry, she thought in distress. He held her up higher still.

Titan's eyes burned crimson, resembling an artist's representation of a devil. "If it accomplishes anything, it was I who killed your parents. In fact, it was I who snapped your pathetic mother's neck into a multitudinous number of pieces. You should be grateful. I saved you from the squalor of Xalen, and now you will fulfill your true destiny—live out your true purpose."

Rose was defenseless. Nothing could inhibit the power Titan wielded. At first, he was simply holding her up; but then his mind overwhelmed hers. Titan exercised his psychic powers as a weapon, cutting through her very being. Nothing could be safe from him. Every feeling, every emotion, and every event of her life was unlocked. She could feel him prodding through, while he rendered her impotent.

"My friends will come for me!" she croaked.

"I am counting on it," he spat. There was nowhere else to go. Nothing could stop it.

Gripping tighter, he pulled her closer albeit keeping her steady. "You need not fret, my dear," he proclaimed in his deep, hardened voice. "Now, you will leave behind your past. Now, you will do my bidding. Now, you will accept your true destiny. Now, and forevermore, you will bring Justice."

#

#  CHAPTER 13

THE JOB

After a transient teleportation to the slums of the alien city Azintea, the team of humans began their search for the one named Trypher. In this specific area, gas, wastes, and garbage abounded and proliferated. Every so often a patrol would glide by on a hovering scooter, eyeing the foreigners.

Although the area surrounding them had been littered with garbage, advanced technology could still be seen, almost always attached to giant, dirty buildings. These buildings were lined with metal wires, which allowed energy to course through each wire like veins.

Johnny zipped like lightning through many of the abandoned buildings and was in the last one on that block. He passed by an electronic door, which opened upon his presence. Peering in, his eyes caught sight of several armored individuals. Must be the guards, he thought. Each guard resembled Ledarius, except they were taller and spikes protruded from their backs. These spikes prohibited attacks from behind. In short, their appearance conveyed the message: Do not mess with me.

In a moment, he sped out of the building and met up with the others, who stood near an information booth nearby. The door closed, leaving the guards confused, since there had not been anyone present. At least, that is what their eyes saw.

"Ah, Johnny. You find anything?" Ryan asked as he scanned the information provided to him by another information booth.

"You won't believe it, but I found them. They're in the secret room behind an abandoned building around the corner."

"Finally!" Sam exclaimed.

Johnny frowned. "What do you mean 'finally'?"

"You know how long we've been waiting here?"

"Uh, I don't think it was very long, Sam."

"Precisely three-and-a-half minutes," Jane interjected, glancing at her watch.

"Long time!" Sam responded. Johnny rolled his eyes. "Don't worry buddy, I was only being sarcastic."

"Big bold letters. Sarcastic!" Dustin added.

"Shut up guys."

Jane giggled again. "What?" Johnny responded, puzzled.

"Nothing. It's just I admire the way you talk to each other. I never had brothers."

"Well Johnny boy here admires other stuff too, you know," Dustin snickered, an impish smile pasted on his face.

Johnny turned and glared. "Anyway, how about we go knock the crap out of this criminal, huh? It's time to put the training to good use."

Ryan turned the information booth off. "Thank you for using IB1759," it said. "Goodbye, and never forget to serve Lord Titan." Ryan snarled at the generic comment, laying a single punch onto its mainframe which obliterated the fragile device like glass. No patrols were close by, thankfully.

"If this Titan guy's personality is anywhere near these booths, I'll hate him."

"He's probably worse," Johnny acknowledged.

"What do you think Rose is doing now?"

"Not dead, hopefully."

"Wow, that pessimistic?" replied Sam.

"Not much to be optimistic about, considering our circumstances."

The team snuck around the abandoned building. Once they arrived at the guarded room, Sam initiated his powers, causing his hair to turn white. "I can't wait to beat some guys up. It's going to be so lit."

"Just don't get hit."

"Yeah, by the way, what do these guys look like?" Ryan asked.

"They're big, spiky, and armored."

"Great," Dustin feigned a moan.

Ryan bulked up, this time absorbing the power of the metal on the outer wall of the grubby edifice. After arriving at the door, Ryan backed up and kicked the door with every bit of his strength, far more than necessary. The sudden impact shattered the barrier, exposing the guards behind it. Ryan smiled. "Showtime."

~~~

Rose fell to the floor, totally drained. Her mind, on the other hand, was no longer hers to control. With Titan at the helm, Rose Johnson was gone, the memory of her past life left behind to the back of her mind. For now, Justice was all that remained. Titan had exploited the anger and insecurity that resided in her and used it to control her. This dark version of Rose now stood, full of a neoteric energy. She grinned insidiously as he lifted her head, fingers on her jaw. "Ah, you will strong."

"Thank you, my lord."

"Yes, Aiko, the former wife and love of Sonovan Lung, was your predecessor, and though human, she had potential. But, as I mentioned before, emotion is a disease, and it must be eradicated. Sonovan Lung, the ancient warrior who defeated me so many years ago, convinced her mind to fight my presence. A grave mistake. Sonovan, as always, did not want her to fulfill her destiny or even her potential. Another unfortunate and unnecessary retaliation against my will, Aiko forced me out."

"How ludicrous, my lord. She could not comprehend the scope of your will. You only wanted to help her!"

Titan sat on his giant throne as his armor clanked, eyes far away as if imagining every piece of the memory. "So is every being who resists my good judgment. Of all the worlds I have conquered and ruled, do you know what they each have in common?"

"No, my lord."

"Heroes. These 'men of renown' believe I am the evil one. Yet, two of the few prime evils in this universe are the following: rebellion, and most of all, ignorance. These specific qualities spell doom for any advanced civilization.

"Rebellion is pointless since my rule only consists of two constituents: peace and justice. For example, Zova, a planet whose inhabitants trust their politicians to rule, destroyed itself after years of corruption and injustice. My commanders discovered this civilization and reported to me the dire state of the species. I acted. Since they ruined the planet from pole to pole, the population grasped my hand of guidance. Now, a century later, the Zova people live in tranquility and splendor. Forgotten are the times of hardship and death. But that does not mean certain members of the government and population were not eliminated. In order to create a civil society, opposers of the ideas must be annihilated. They only create problems in enacting true justice and civility."

Justice sat on the floor, legs crossed. "I understand."

"Good. On the other side of the spectrum, ignorance has always been the downfall of civilizations, including Earth. My scouts have been studying humanity for the past century. Do you know what they found?"

"Deterioration of the host's will to understand and learn."

"Very intuitive, my dear Justice. Wisdom has resided in your heart." Titan paused, contemplating. "Of all the worlds I have discovered, Earth's inhabitants are, by far, the most ignorant. Folly resides in them. They cling to emotions and spend years fighting amongst themselves, yet for nothing.

"Injustice runs rampant in every section of their society: places of learning, government, and religion. Emotionally charged, traumatized inhabitants, labeled bullies, are allowed to hate and destroy the lives of innocent people, though most are hardly innocent.

"Further, the people are completely ignorant towards anything immaterial. They say, and I quote, 'If I can't see it, it is not real.' Myopia abounds, yet they still spread these lies and people believe them! With their logic, the Shadowverse is nothing but an imagination, and Ooris is also fake. But, there are still a select few who I hold in high regard. In one of their 'holy books', the Bible, Hosea writes the most profound statement of all. 'My people perish for lack of knowledge,' is the quote. How intriguing! I never surmised any human could be so wise! Do you understand?"

"I understand fully, my lord. In the years I lived among them, I saw the injustice and ignorance—their narrow-minded vision. You are correct in every sense of the word."

"Thank you, my dear Justice. Now you can see who I am, and soon, my mission."

~~~

"Wow, this is going to be so easy," Ryan stated. It's true. It looked too easy. "Johnny, let's at least make it interesting."

Johnny smirked. "Now we're talking."

Ryan spoke up. "Do any of you fine gentleman happen to know someone by the name of Trypher?" The guards did not answer. Instead, they engaged their weapons, which happened to be spears. These spears were electronic, and once activated, powerful electricity surged around the spearhead. "Guess you do."

"Is that an ESF?" Dustin noted, eyes wide.

"I think it is," Johnny replied.

"Holy shit," Sam marveled. "Who knew? An ESF! Told you Johnny! Aliens are dope! I'm honestly thinking about getting a place here!" The rest chuckled despite the guards' bewilderment.

"What's an ESF?" Jane asked him.

"It's an electrostatic field. It used to only be in video games, but it is obviously used here."

"I'll just assume it's bad, then."

"Yep," he said as he shifted his body into a front stance.

"Any advice?"

"Yeah, it's pretty simple," Dustin instructed. "Don't get hit."

"These guys are toast," Sam asserted.

"They would have been toast if Rose was here," Ryan replied. "We will just have to work without her."

"Just remember your training," Johnny instructed.

A strong wind began to flow through the room. Soon it was as powerful as a hurricane. Dustin screamed for the others to move behind the wall to prevent themselves from being swept by its intensity. Dustin's hurricane-force winds threw the large guards against the wall, wind speed approaching one hundred miles per hour. Each respective armor on the souped-up alien thugs cracked, allowing Dustin to pause the ferocious attack. "Alright, all yours!"

The others stepped out into the arena. Dustin rejoined them. The guards stood once again, even though the pain was great. "You will never get to her," one said.

"Yeah, we will see about that," Johnny retorted. "Edge, engage fortification mode." Johnny's suit made a noise, followed by a formation of various shields of protection around his body. Material inside the apparatus moved about like a mouse underneath carpet, clumping together. This increased the weight present on the wearer, since now the apparatus had engendered nearly full-blown armor. At this moment, the stripes wrapped around him glowed azure blue. "I really love this thing," he exclaimed in pride. The others did the same. Dustin's suit illumined gold, Ryan's green, Sam's white, and Jane's silver. Their look had altered into a bulkier form.

The guards attacked, slinging their spears at them. Sam managed to freeze two, and they fell straight to the ground like statues. "That will keep them quiet!"

The other two guards lunged at them, but this time Jane halted them in action. Johnny turned to her. "Nice one."

Johnny ran at them with a speed so quick the guards were completely unprepared for him. He swept the leg of one, and then punched the back of the other, which flung the guard in Ryan's direction.

Once the other guard was swept and on the ground, Johnny sprang on top of him and punched thrice. It was light-years more than enough to knock him cold. On the other hand, the body of the other guard met Ryan's fist. In a loud smack, he punched the helpless guard back into the wall, knocking him unconscious.

Dustin chuckled. "I will suppose you used about a fourth of your true power?"

Ryan chuckled at the remark. "Nah, probably about a tenth."

"Remind me never to piss you off." Raising his eyebrow and smirking, Ryan chuckled.

Johnny was quite impressed with himself. He wiped the sweat off his brow. "Well, I'm doing pretty well with this."

"That was awesome," Ryan concurred. "I need to set up an obstacle course so we can beat up the dummies."

"Yeah, that's if we get back."

Another door opened. This time, five guards appeared. "Didn't know there would be dessert!"

This time, Johnny bolted for two of them. His punches aimed for the head and the solar plexus. The guards spit out blood as their predicament is a barrage of ice and wind. Adding in a few kicks to the crotch, the guards buckled as Johnny continued the onslaught.

On the other hand, Jane telekinetically pushed a guard to the ceiling and held him there. Sam froze him on the spot. As for the other two guards, Ryan thrust-kicked each, which was more than enough to knock them both out. Within a minute, they immobilized every armed guard.

Ryan stooped down and patted one on the head. "Sorry buddy, but you had no chance."

"Yeah, I feel sorry for them," Sam added. "Just doing their job."

"That's their funeral," Jane replied. "They supported a criminal."

"Yep," Dustin replied, impressed Jane had come up with something he would say.

There was a clatter below them. Johnny placed his ears to the floor. "You guys hear that?" A few seconds later, another clatter reverberated, as if glass shattered. "It has to be Trypher."

"Let's go get her."

The group circled the corner and came to another door. Ryan kicked it and it shattered immediately. "I am getting so used to this. If we get back, remind me to send gifts to this Z guy."

Johnny glared at him. "Look, I get it. The powers are sick. Heck, even I admit it. The powers are awesome. But that does not mean Mr. Z is a good person. In fact, he might be our sole enemy. That is, uh, secondary to Titan, of course."

"Whatever."

Steps opened beneath them, and a new step formed as long as each took a step down. At the bottom, no lights were on, and it was dark. They could hear only the whispers of energy coursing through the walls. "I don't have a good feeling about this," Ryan whispered.

In the dark, the suits illuminated at their brightest. Some kind of energy coursed through the lit-up areas of their respective suits. "Sam, do you happen to have that bulb feature?"

"Yeah, I think so. Let me check. Echo, activate bulb."

The system responded, "Activating bulb."

"I guess that means it does."

From the center of his chest, a small light emerged. Second by second, the light expanded like a parasite as it increased in luminosity and encompassed every spot on his body. "Woah," Dustin awed.

"Looks great," Jane added. "We've got a bulb!"

After thirty seconds of activation, the suit was totally lit. Their surroundings were covered in light. "Wow, that is bright!" exclaimed Ryan, who covered his eyes.

The group could not identify anything peculiar in the room, but another door opened. They could make out a figure, and it spoke, though a language they could never understand. In a comedic change of events, they watched Trypher spewing anger, yet did not decipher her words.

Sam turned to Johnny, a bit frazzled. "Uh, how are we going to understand her?"

"Hmm. Jane, turn on Chronos."

She nodded once. "Chronos, are you there?"

Chronos, her suit, made a sound. "Yes, Miss Cooper?"

"Can you translate what Trypher is saying? To English?"

"Certainly."

At that moment, Trypher strolled out of the corridor into the room, still declaring what seemed to be death upon them. But then, Chronos relayed the translated sentences back to the group, who now understood her. The words came out like a walkie-talkie. "What do you want with me?" she questioned, pointing two blasters at them. "Why must you hurt my guards?"

"Wow, that is awesome!" Ryan exclaimed, amazed.

"What can this thing not do?!" Sam added, equally astounded. "For the billionth time, I will literally buy Z a new house."

Dustin coughed at Trypher's appearance, now in shades of light. Her attire was comprised of orange garments complete with at least four-inch-tall heels. "Holy crap, that's not what I expected. She's h—"

Recognizing where Dustin was going with his typical antics, Johnny cut in. This time, Chronos relayed the English words into Trypher's language, and she stepped back, amused yet intrigued. "Oh, uh, we're sorry ma'am, but it appears you scammed Ledarius Wepon 10,000 credits, so we are here to bring you into custody."

"A criminal throwing a criminal in prison? I never thought I would see the day."

"Well, today's the day."

"How about I cut myself some slack and fork over 20,000 credits so I can keep my skin?"

"Your skin?" replied Johnny, confused.

"Don't you know what happens to criminals?"

"Uh, yes?"

"OK, foreigner. Once found, every criminal, no matter the felony, is executed on this planet. Solis calls it Titan's 'cleansing of injustice.'"

Their eyes went wide. "That must be why Ledarius wanted her apprehended," Johnny whispered, turning to the others. "We had better watch ourselves with him."

"Duh," Sam replied. "He's a criminal too."

"Twenty-three thousand and you won't have to hear from us again, ma'am."

"Would you like it on one credit or on multiple?"

"Oh, uh," Johnny looked to the others, who did not know how to respond either. "I will take two. 20,000 on one, and 3,000 on the other."

Not replying to that, Trypher disappeared into another room. The group listened as Trypher unlocked several safes, returning once finished. "Twenty-three thousand credits."

"Thank you, ma'am. You won't have to hear from us again."

"Sorry about the guards," Ryan said. "Don't worry, we made sure not to kill them."

"But remember," Trypher reiterated, "if you ever come around here again, any of your relatives would be in immediate danger."

They simply smiled. "Yep."

"Now, get outta here."

"I second that," Ryan responded.

"Thank you for your time," Johnny said to Trypher, who hadn't placed the blasters in their holsters yet.

The foreigners collectively made their way out of the room. It was a mission accomplished. Closing the door behind them, the group ascended the stairs and perambulated out the abandoned building. "Phew, that was a close one."

After trekking the distance back, they sauntered into Ledarius Wepon's shop. The gray door separated from the middle with a whoosh. Upon their ingress, Ledarius had been helping a customer with a specific throwing weapon—but once he saw the group, he said something to the stranger and he walked out, eyeing the foreigners.

Ledarius leaned over his transparent register, smiling mischievously. "Well, well, well, I will reasonably assume you had a good chat?"

"You could say that," Johnny replied. "Thing is, we didn't apprehend her or anything like that."

"What? That was the deal, buddy."

"Well listen here, buddy," Ryan replied, "I think you would rather enjoy this."

Johnny took out the 20,000-credit piece and handed it to Ledarius, who raised his eyebrow. The others were waiting for him to hand over the second piece, which was 3,000. He only eyed them, and each fell into place. Ledarius chuckled.

"I have to say, I'm impressed."

"Thank you."

Ledarius turned and bent down under his register. A moment later he sprang back up. "You sure you want to go to him?"

"Of course we are."

"Well, I could use people like you. These powers you have. They could help me and you get really, really rich."

"I'm sorry," Ryan interrupted, "but our friend is in danger. And also, wouldn't you rather us take Titan out of the equation instead of helping you?"

Ledarius thought for a moment. "It isn't going to go the way you think, heroes. Many years I have watched, and I have seen much. People like you, who were so virtuous and capable of great things. Then they decided to fight him. Many of 'em had their own agendas. Titan had probably taken something important from 'em, and they aspired to seek revenge and kill him."

"What happened to them?"

Ledarius shook his head, eyes far away. "They were no match. It was not just his power, but his cunning. Now, they are either bones used in fertilization or have been enlisted into his military."

"Did he take someone from you?" questioned Jane.

Ledarius paused, eyes staring into nothing. "He did. I once had a wife. She was...taken from me. My wife and I were sabotaging an attack on my hometown, but they still killed the rebels and her too. In her dying breaths, she urged me to run and never look back." His eyes were even further now than before. "And so that is what I have been doing all these years. Running."

"I'm sorry," Jane responded in sadness. "That is just terrible."

Ryan stomped to Ledarius, who was leaning on the wall. "We will destroy him. I promise you that."

Ledarius snapped out of his trance. "Come back here." He motioned for them to follow to the back of his shop, which was the size of a warehouse. "There she is. She's called the Octavian."

A medium-sized vessel came into view. It was light gray and shaped similar to a flying saucer, except a shred more elliptical. Tall lamps bathed the craft in light. Ledarius pressed a button, and the whole roof spread apart with a loud screeching noise. "It will fit every one of 'ya."

"Woah," Johnny said.

"How is it powered?" Ryan asked.

"What he said," Dustin and Sam both added.

"I won't explain it since you earthlings wouldn't have these elements on your planet, but its 'fuel' is technically the universe."

"What?"

"The drive bends space, so it is possible to achieve faster-than-light travel."

A light when on in Johnny's head. "Alcubierre drive." He brushed his fingers over the ship's frame.

"An Alcubierre drive?" responded Ryan. "The speculative proposal of a warp drive by Miguel Alcubierre?"

"It must be," Johnny replied.

"I'm confused," Jane interjected. "What are you talking about?"

"Miguel Alcubierre is a Mexican physicist. He theorized that space-time could be altered in such a way which would allow for faster-than-light travel. It would incorporate the use of higher dimensions and exotic matter!"

"I will take it it's a good thing."

"Sure is!"

"When can we get out of here?" Ryan asked Ledarius, who had been watching the shenanigans.

"30 minutes."

"Remember, we need to go to wherever Titan is."

"He is located in his ship, the Titan."

"Not on a planet?" asked Johnny.

"Not since Sonovan killed him. Apparently, he likes ships a whole lot more now."

"Great."

"OK, well where does he happen to be?"

Ledarius connected something into his computer, and then came back. "It will take a day's travel to get there."

"A day?!" Ryan screamed. "Twenty-four hours?!"

Ledarius furrowed his brow, shaking his head. "What do you mean twenty-four hours? Thirty-one hours. A day is thirty-one hours."

Johnny shot Ryan a look. "Oh, right. But still!"

"Just whenever we can get out of here, please tell us. OK?" replied Johnny.

"I got 'ya, Earthling. It will be 27 more minutes."

"Good."

Their thoughts drifted to Rose. Thirty-one more hours, Ryan thought in dismay. Let's just hope she isn't dead.

#  CHAPTER 14

DREAM WE KNEW

Rose Johnson, now christened Justice, stood in her scarlet-illumined suit. Titan had said he expected her friends to arrive, and that she should be ready to do what was necessary. He had questioned her as to how she had acquired her suit, for they were indeed his and currently in the process of design.

Unable to explain the anomaly, Titan resorted to his psychic powers in order for him to know how. Her memories became his memories as he searched her mind. The answer was stunningly perplexing. Faced with a paradox, Titan had spent hours in his throne room in order to come to a reasonable solution to this enigma.

This mysterious speedster, only referring to himself as Z, left Titan bewildered and mystified. She noted her friends had received suits specific to their powers. Titan's military, at the moment, produced two of these, Oracle and Chronos. "How must he have received them?" he asked her.

"I do not know."

~~~

"It's ready, freaks!" Ledarius yelled. No customers entered the shop, only because he had closed it for the day.

"Finally!" Ryan replied, jumping off his stool like a man on a mission.

"About time!" Dustin added. Sam, Jane, and Johnny had been quiet. In fact, Johnny shook profusely. No pregame nervousness could compare to what he had been undergoing.

As they piled into the elliptical craft, its construction staggered the others. "You know how many people would kill to see this?"

"Yeah," Sam replied, "Too many."

"Got that right," Ryan replied.

"Yep," Dustin added.

The Octavian's cockpit comprised scores of illuminated buttons and switches. Two little holograms with distinct sorts of information hovered an inch over the dashboard.

The truth was that even though Johnny desperately strove for optimism, he had been by far the most pessimistic. He could muster only a pasted smile. From what he heard, Titan is the most feared being in the universe, and he—Johnny Sparks—is about to meet him.

"Alright, sit tight. It's going to get bumpy," Ledarius warned. The craft lifted, and Ryan held his breath. In fact, they all held their breath. The engine purred like a kitten, but they could see a green energy. The ship jerked and shook like a roller coaster. No, worse.

Johnny reddened his hands holding the balance bars. He had closed his eyes, wondering if he should still do it. Only two sentences came to mind. The words from his father, hours before the Encounter with Z.

You wanted to reach the stars. You wanted to go beyond them.

He nailed those words of comfort and wisdom into his brain.

Within ten minutes, the ship freed itself of Nexon's gravitational grip. The group stared out the window, in awe of the sight. "Wow," Johnny marveled. "What a view." There were dozens of ships, small and large, surrounding the planet like bees to a hive. The lights from the cities shone like tiny stars on the surface. If this did not resemble science-fiction, nothing would.

Ledarius flipped more switches. "This is it."

"Hail Mary, full of gra—" Ryan yelled before the Octavian cut him off by the tremendous sound and energy from the drive. The view from inside was inimitable, the space in front of the craft curved on itself. Behind the craft, space seemed to expand. The crew held on tight for this pivotal moment of launch. However, the ship had already achieved its purpose, and they were well on their way towards the Titan.

~~~

Titan beckoned Justice toward him. Now that she lay in his control, Rose became his new Voir, despite Solis's ostentatious dissidence.

"Yes, my lord?"

"Solis has reported to me Ledarius Wepon and your former allies are in transit to our location."

She flinched. "They mean nothing to me."

Titan turned back to the expanse of the universe beyond his ship with an enigmatic smile. "To be certain, you must engage them."

Justice appeared a jot worried. "I will do my best." Something in her strained her mind to remember. She brushed it off.

"If I concluded correctly about your potential, your best is enough."

She left with that statement. Titan ordered the dark-clad Solis to be brought to him. "I want you to cruise the ship in their direction."

"It will be done, my lord."

~~~

The passengers marveled at the scene. "Wow, it's like space has become a soup," Sam admired.

"Yeah," Johnny added. "I think that results from the curvature."

"That is correct," Ledarius responded. "But if I were you, I would be desperate to get sleep."

"You are probably right."

"There are two rooms in the back."

The door to the rear of the craft unlocked and slid open. They located a door on one side of the hallway and one on the other. "OK, Dustin you're with me," Sam said.

"And we will be in the other," Ryan replied. "Twenty-nine hours boys. Twenty-nine hours."

Jane said nothing and walked into the room. Four beds laid in the room, two on each side. These beds were constructed similar to bunk beds, except the "mattress" is a long case. Each person would float in its clasp.

"Well that's neat," Johnny exclaimed. "I suppose aliens have solved gravity too."

"Duh."

"They're aliens! It's what they do," Dustin responded.

"Get some sleep, please."

After a few minutes fiddling with the touchpad, Johnny managed to close the door. Dustin and Sam were in one room, and the rest in the other. No one had brought spare clothes either. Johnny climbed the ladder to the top compartment. Jane slept below him, and Ryan on the other side of the small room.

"Here, it opens like this," Johnny motioned, helping Jane with the touchpad. "There." The compartment door slid open and she climbed inside. Johnny smiled in comfort and shut her in. Within seconds, she was floating inside the sleeping compartment. Ryan looked on in anxiety.

"Uh, that doesn't look very comfortable," he complained.

Johnny did not answer but waited for her to drop away to sleep, which took less than five minutes. Ryan eyed him in suspicion. "What?"

"Oh, I don't know, but don't you think that was a bit awkward, even for you?"

"I was just making sure."

"Yeah right. That's what they all say." Johnny quipped back with an imitation of "that's what they all say."

"Well, to be honest, I'm worse," Ryan chuckled. He hopped into the compartment as well and sealed himself in. Johnny did the same. Once inside the compartment, the air chilled contentedly. Because of this, he too fell asleep in minutes.

~~~

At the front of the ship, Ledarius contacted another ship. A voice came over the screen. "Do you have the subjects?" it stipulated.

"I do."

"Lord Titan will be most pleased with your delivery, Ledarius."

Of course I haven't. Not since my love had been taken. "Never failed, have I?"

"It is pleasing to see you have lived up to expectations."

Ledarius smirked. "It's why I'm in this business, after all."

"We have calculated your arrival to be thirteen hours, since the Titan will travel in your direction."

"Sounds good to me."

"I hate to interrupt the tension, but you need to leave. Now."

"Or what? Are you going to ask for another lighter?"

Johnny was about the steady business of reliving the meeting between him and Z. Then, during this dream, another being came into view, rising like a serpent. Its eyes were glowing blood red as it stood at least nine feet off the odd ground. "Hello, Johnny Michael Sparks." He spoke in a deep tone. In the dream, the stage shifted to a dark, misty place. In fact, the mist seemed to give the impression that the location is real, and it is. Wait. Red eyes.

"Where am I?"

"You are in the Shadowverse."

"The Shadowverse? What? Are you Z?"

"I am not Z."

"What is this place?"

"It is the source of our power, Sparks. It turns out someone has exposed you to Ooris. Though not pure, it is enough to bestow upon you the abilities you have gained."

Johnny raised his head in conclusion. "Titan." The said being nodded a single time. "Where is Rose?"

"She is safe and is waiting for you to arrive."

"How is Rose?"

Titan ignored the query. "Your friends, too, have acquired power—power they cannot control."

"We are doing just fine, Titan. Where is Sonovan Lung? We need to find him."

Titan nearly laughed at the question. Nearly. "I am here, and you ask me 'where is Sonovan?'"

"Can't you answer?" he quipped.

"Very disrespectful remark, Sparks. Very impressive. Come here now."

At that moment, an unexplainable force dragged Johnny to the place the dark figure stood. "What are you doing?" he exclaimed. "Let go of me!" Truly, Johnny was intimidated, for Titan gave an imposing impression in this dark realm.

"I'm afraid I cannot do that." After a few dreadful seconds, Titan grasped Johnny. "Let us look into the past, shall we? A token of a time not very long ago."

Instantly, the surroundings vanished and Johnny appeared in a bright hallway. Teenagers were darting about, while others chattered to each other. It soon became undeniable Titan had somehow accessed a memory from high school.

"So, these were your humble beginnings," Titan noted. "Charming." Looking around, the place intrigued Titan. Johnny furrowed his brow at the sight of himself, a blonde back then. In this high school, Johnny Sparks had been quite the popular one, despite his displeasure of the title. "Ah, there you are. What an innocent fellow."

"Why this? Why do you want me to remember this?" Johnny questioned.

"I want to see you in action."

As the two watched, the high-school Johnny Sparks kept to himself, trying his best to either ignore stares from girls or scowls from people who did not fancy him. Closing his locker, he noticed a new kid bullied by two members of the football team. As if instincts had kicked in, Johnny rushed to the boy's aid, who looked no older than fifteen.

Watching, Johnny said, "Yep, that's me. I've always stood up for the little guy."

"Good trait," Titan answered.

The high school Johnny Sparks had sprinted over. "Hey, what the hell are you guys doing?" he demanded in anger. The boy's eyes widened that someone had assisted him. Of course, the two bullies did not think the same.

"Woah, you had better watch that mouth. Look who it is! Johnny Sparks here to save the day!" mocked one of the two.

"Whatchu gonna do, princess?" scoffed the other. They approached him, ready for a fight.

"You can't do that," replied Johnny. "Leave him alone. Pick on someone your own size."

By this time, several students had gathered around, craving a tussle. "If you say so, prima donna." The first, named Jared, attempted to throw a big overhand punch, but Johnny moved to the side, landing a round kick right on his abdomen. Leg still raised, he side kicked the bully into the ground with masterful precision, Jared's back shoved into the lockers.

One second had passed before the other, Nick, joined in on the fun. Reciprocating the other bully's move, the big man lunged at him as they both slammed into the floor. People let out gasps and shrieks as the two went at it.

With Nick on top of him, Johnny channeled his already five-year training. Locking Nick's knees with his own, the bully had an instant to question this before Johnny flipped him onto the other side. Their positions reversed and Nick's face vulnerable, Johnny executed a swift, hard punch to the thin space between Nick's teeth and below his nose.

Johnny hustled to his feet just as Jared came back for more. Jared darted to Johnny, but the teenager side-stepped the bully, paving the way for Jared to miss him and smash his body into the lockers. They shook as he smacked into them and fell to the hard floor. The crowd cheered.

"Superbly done," praised Titan. Johnny smiled at the sight. He tried to keep his pride low.

"Thanks," he replied.

"It is my pleasure," Titan responded. "But now, I have some things to attend to. Pristine job, Sparks. It is quite interesting you all are coming to me. I expect you."

Only a few moments elapsed before Titan closed the scene as their prior surroundings of a dark, misty terrain collapsed onto them.

The figure of Titan began to dissipate, but Johnny chased him. Nevertheless, all for nothing, because Titan's figure had vanished. In his place, Z burst into view. Both did not speak, but rather chose to stare at one another. How was Z here too?

"When this is over, I will come for you," said Johnny. "You won't hide."

"It is far from over, Johnny Sparks. I will wait for you." In an instant, he vanished too. Then Johnny woke up and his eyes popped open.

~~~

"I want you to relay a message to the Halluxian government," commanded Titan. "Make sure the Halluxians understand that I will meet with their leaders to discuss the curation of their economy and way of life." Justice nodded and ordered for a relay machine to be brought to her at once. She swiped, initiating its recording systems. Holding it with her left hand, she positioned herself for the declaration.

"People of Hallux, I am Justice, commander of the armies of Titan. He has sent word to me that Hallux has become a corrupt and weak planet, and its inhabitants suffer from disease, famine, starvation, and most of all, cruelty. Titan himself will journey to your planet and personally cure the problems. Please prepare and expect his arrival."

The message ended, and Titan smiled. His hands fidgeted with the wires attached to his head. "Good. Soon after we rid your former allies out of the equation, you will accompany me to Hallux."

"It is my honor."

~~~

TEN HOURS LATER

The compartment door opened and Johnny sprang out, the best sleep he had in years. Jane was still in her capsule and out like the sleeping beauty. Ryan, on the other hand, no longer occupied his own. Opening the door, Johnny found Ryan staring out the back window. The view was similar to the other windows on the craft—a bubble of space that looked like soup surrounding the craft and its passengers.

"What's up?"

"I don't know Johnny. Are you as afraid as I am?"

"Of course. I would not be human if I wasn't."

"Did you happen to have a nightmare?" Johnny was caught off-guard with this remark. "I had one."

"I did too. What happened in yours?"

"There was this guy. He did nothing else but stare at me. Then someone else came."

"Titan."

Ryan nodded. "Yep."

"What did he say?"

"I don't remember."

"Well, for one thing, he told me our powers' origin is an actual place. It is called the Shadowverse apparently."

"Rolls off the tongue well, I guess."

"Yeah. And the power is called Ooris."

"Ooris, huh?"

"Yep."

Just then Dustin and Sam opened their room door. "Ah, just the people we wanted to see."

"Let's just say our nightmares forced us to wake."

"You had them too?" Dustin asked.

"You can say that," Ryan answered.

"Titan was in the dream," Johnny added. "But Z was too."

"Yeah, we just had Titan."

"Did he say anything about Ooris?"

"Uh, yeah," Sam said. "But only I did. He said something different to Dustin."

"He mentioned Rose," added Dustin.

"What about her?" an agitated Ryan asked.

"I don't remember, but it was something along the lines of 'better.'"

"That makes no sense."

"Best I can muster."

"Huh. Rose is better. How can she be better?" Johnny thought aloud.

"I will just suppose 'better' in this case means worse."

"I can relate with Han Solo," Sam chuckled.

"I got a bad feeling about this," Dustin complemented.

"You're probably both right."

~~~

"Justice, depart to the training district. You must test your skills before they arrive. I do not want you to destroy them. I want you to completely obliterate them. If not, I will be compelled to take something from you. But fear not! It would only be for your betterment."

"I understand, my lord. I will go at once. Let your favor rest on me."

"Always. It is time."

#  CHAPTER 15

#  CONFLICTING DESTINIES

Ledarius flipped more switches and dropped out of warp. The engine purred, and the others walked in, including Jane. It turns out she had a very similar dream to the one Johnny endured. Z was also a part of the dream.

"How's it going?" Johnny asked, raising his head to see the view from the Octavian's cockpit. "W-What the hell is that?!"

"Holy shit!" exclaimed Ryan, who would be one of the few to ever see a craft so large.

"That is the Titan, the main freighter in Titan's fleet," answered Ledarius.

"Are you telling me you cruised us right into his big Kahuna?!" Ryan replied.

"I think so," Dustin added.

Jane turned to Johnny, who was awestruck and worried at the same time. "What are we going to do?"

He gulped. "I know what we won't do. We will not back down and we are going in there."

"I'm sorry, but when did you get so virtuous?" Sam asked.

Before Johnny could reply, a message transmitted from the Titan. "Greetings from Lord Titan! Please dock in 7P. Thank you."

The ship was gargantuan in size. The Tetra's construction crews had shaped its frame like a diamond, only a sliver of room at the top constructed with transparent edges. Giant warp generators were on the opposite side. This monstrosity had a width of five miles, a depth of one mile, and height of three miles. It resembled a city in space. As for colors, Titan had chosen a deep gray for its color.

Ledarius taxied the Octavian to Dock 7P, the bay swathed a nightmarish white in color. Once parked, Johnny and the others fully prepared their suits. "Alright Jane, just remember what you learned."

"I will try."

"You have to. We can't lose you."

With those words, the team slipped on the partial face-masks. Ryan's had been colored a dim green, Johnny's a dim blue, Sam's white, Dustin's gold, and Jane's ghost grey.

The Octavian rumbled once. Then twice. With each, Johnny and especially Jane sensed their heart skip a beat. Here they all were—a bunch of humans among a dozen species in the flagship of apparently the most powerful being in the universe. Jane so badly wished her parents would have been here. Johnny, feeling the same, turned to her to see a face contorted in fear.

He grabbed her hand in a comforting way. "It'll be OK. We're together." The back door unlatched like a cargo bay and a large soldier equipped with a humongous scythe stood, his stance threatening. Judging by his attire, he was without a doubt not a typical one, either. He wore dark green armor and a helmet fashioned with an opaque face cover. He had to be at least seven feet.

"Greetings, people of Earth. I am Solis, third in command. Titan has been expecting you. Come and witness the Justification."

They were ushered to follow him, but Ledarius stayed behind. Dustin ran over. "I guess this is goodbye."

"It is, Earthling. It is. Godspeed." Dustin nodded and watched as he buckled into his craft once again.

The group passed by a variety of mechanical humanoids who eyed them in curiosity. An innumerable profusion of small, medium, and large crafts, most oval shaped, stained the white of the bay. They turned into a hallway, only unlocked by Solis's touch. Walking down its path, the only noise was a soft purr of the ship. The walls themselves were striped with wires, glowing a sunny yellow. At the end, an elevator opened for them and the group stepped in with Solis.

"Showtime," Johnny whispered to Ryan. They had already activated the energy banks in the suit. Each respective outfit illumined a specific color. Thus, the white serrated streaks on Johnny glowed blue, Ryan's rectangles green, the entirety of Jane's gray, Dustin's triangles gold, and Sam's white as the fortification mode had been initiated once again.

The elevator door closed and in one minute it had reached the top. Each strode out. A giant throne sat in the middle of the glass-enclosed room.

Stepping around the throne, he came into view. Arms crossed and staring out, he appeared even larger in person.

The big man unhurriedly turned his body, his armor practically black with a few dark gold highlights. His bright red eyes shined, puncturing into their very souls.

"Ah, yes. Johnny Sparks. Jane Cooper. Dustin Jones. Sam Jones, his brother. Ryan Slade. It is a pleasure to congregate with you. You need not fear. I have whom you seek."

"Oh, thanks," Johnny said. Titan nodded. But even a nod sent shivers down his spine. Solis was big, Titan was a monster.

"So, uh, where is she?" Ryan asked Titan. The figure did not seem as evil as he at first thought.

"Those suits are mine, by the way," he said. "I don't care if someone gifted them to you. They are still mine, as is the Energy now coursing through your very being."

"Ooris?"

"Yes. You, Slade, have been granted the ability of matter absorption. You can absorb and become anything you touch. Incredible, to say the least!"

"Uh, I guess?" Ryan replied.

"I had a dream last night. You were in it," Johnny said. "Were you influencing my dreams?"

"I was."

"For what reason? My friends dreamt as well."

"To prepare your minds."

"For what?" Jane asked. She did not say what had happened on Azintea. That is an experience she could not let loose. His focus turned to her.

"For the future. You see, as I told Adia, I will tell you. Mankind's two main problems are ignorance and rebellion. Criminals rebel the law. People rebel against enacting the greater good of the species. But ignorance trumps even that. Humans have a propensity to allow unknowledgeable people to rule over them. They themselves have allowed their minds to be taken over by technology. Phones, computers, and media of all kinds have prevented mankind's advancement. Chief among these, friends. Friendship has become a malignant cancer for societies across the universe.

"Further, their ignorance and materialist view baffles me. As the so-called prophet Hosea once said, 'My people perish for lack of knowledge.' This myopic vision of reality has proved to be an immovable, obstinate obstacle. I, Titan, am saddened by this—humanity could achieve heights no species in the universe has ever dreamed of. But, I will help them. I will be the way. Only through me can humanity finally set itself on the correct path. The right path. The path to freedom, advancement, and peace."

Everything changed so quickly. He's right, but this is not good. "A-Are you going to Earth?" Johnny asked.

"One day soon. Either Earth is the answer, or it is not. If not, I will bring the Justification nonetheless. It will become the blood and sweat of the Tetra! I will clean house of its evils by my purity. You can trust me."

"Why?" he replied. "Let us help you. There is a better way to do it, I'm sure."

Titan laughed yet narrowed his eyes. But it was not totally sinister. He looked amused and sad. "You are very wise, Johnny Sparks. In fact, you all are. I can feel you. But change is a one-way street. There is no 'better way.' That which you compromise, you lose."

Titan had spoken with such authority that they froze. This was something neither wanted to get themselves into.

What just happened, Johnny thought. He did not prepare for this. Titan spoke of the very future of humanity.

Ryan flinched. He'd been in a plethora of brawls but no one resembled Titan.

Dustin and Sam could not speak. The typical talking points which had worked on human sociopaths had no effect on this figure. But he was not really a sociopath.

"I know you are afraid, my sons and daughter. You must listen. You have an incredible destiny. Due to the mysterious Z, you have been gifted powers beyond imagination. You stand amongst a select few from the past millennia who were lucky enough to be granted Ooris. But if you misuse it, your destiny is lost. Join me. Join me, and we will justify creation."

Their legs turned to jelly. This was the moment of truth. Johnny glanced at the others, who were static. He gulped and weighed the options as Titan stared him down like a devil. But he remembered Jane's vision. This was not the path. Find Sonovan Lung.

"You're so right," he started. Titan did not smile but kept the same face. The others turned to him while he nodded, as if saying it would turn out fine. "But we came for Rose and we must find a man named Sonovan Lung."

Titan's eyes widened and he raised his head slightly. "Ah, Sonovan Lung. Sonovan Lung." He shook his head in remorse. "Then, as I said, your destiny is lost." Now he spoke malevolently.

"There...is always a better way, Titan," Johnny replied. "You are right on so many things. But I will not...accept."

"Neither will I," Ryan added.

"Me neither," Dustin and Sam finally complemented.

"Forget it," Jane said.

Solis stood behind them, watching the scene.

"Ah, where have I heard that before?" Titan scoffed. "Are you calling yourselves heroes? Please, do not. Heroes die. Many have fallen by my blade. I only helped their respective worlds. Why must they be so arrogant and rebellious?"

"They were the only ones who knew your true nature," Ryan said. "Now don't make me ask again. Where is Rose?"

"I know you want to fight me now, but I still want to see your reaction. Justice!"

The elevator opened and a masked person stepped out into the room. Ryan recognized the Oracle suit at once, with its dark red hues. "Rose!" he shouted in joy. He ecstatically ran to her. Justice unhooked her helmet, revealing her face. Her striking red hair draped to her shoulders.

"Ryan Slade. This is a pleasure," she greeted in a tone absent of emotion. Ryan's joy regrettably snuffed itself out. His smile faded, as did the others'.

Ryan was pissed. Provoked, he shifted and glared at Titan. "What have you done to her?" The others looked back at him as well.

He turned his face toward Rose, gesturing with his hand. "The perfect weapon. She will truly bring justice to many worlds. Her destiny is now fulfilled, as yours would have been. Like her species, she is now mine."

"Not for long." Ryan strode to his massive chair and squeezed. The metal left the chair and instead served Ryan as he absorbed its molecular composition. The man grew and expanded, his body full of the metal. Solis watched, enthralled.

"Impressive ability, Slade. Justice, engage."

Justice flipped the helmet back on her head. Ryan turned to see her shift to an attack stance. "Oh shit."

She flung herself at him, eyes blazing. But Johnny ran and intercepted the hit, parrying the attack, sending her back. Now Solis stepped in, taking out his weapon—an abnormally large scythe. Titan merely moved backward to the window, set to engross himself in the scene.

"Thanks man," Ryan blurted. At that moment, Solis swept his reaper under Ryan, knocking him off his feet. He then pounced on him, metal clanking on the floor like hammers. But Ryan was now prepared. Ryan rolled back, stood up, and launched a huge punch at him. It sent Solis across the room and onto the floor.

"Yeah, don't try that again buddy."

Rose was up again. She attacked Dustin, punching and kicking. He blocked most of the attacks, but she had gotten a kick through his defense at the end. He buckled and she hit him with a palm strike. Luckily, by this time, Sam came up behind her. She elbowed him in the chest, pushing him back a great distance. Following up on it, Justice screamed in anger aa fire blasted out of her hands. In order to offset the flames, Sam ejected his ice. The two elements canceled each other out, triggering a stalemate.

"Sorry," Dustin said. He concentrated his power, and at once the aura in the room changed. Dustin focused the air onto her, and soon it accelerated to a speed of 120 miles per hour. Titan, to say the least, was intrigued. The fierce, unforgiving gusts blew her across the room to become one flesh the wall.

She pulled herself out of it. "Bad idea," she retorted in anger. Concentrating her power, fire discharged from her mouth and hands like a demon. Jane stepped in and froze the flames in mid-air for as long as she could. They stopped dead in the air. Justice looked shaken. Jane had prevented her from striking. Noticing she could not hold it for long, Ryan ran in to guard the others, shielding their bodies from the vicious assault.

Under the vicious, scorching heat, Ryan tried his best to contain the fire. It rolled off his body like a repellant, but he still felt the pure inferno. This gave the others time to prepare for another onslaught.

Johnny looked behind them, and Solis was approaching them with his reaper. Ready to confront Solis, Johnny bolted to him. Solis tried to sweep him, but Johnny dodged it with ease, countering with a punch so fast Solis saw it coming. He had prepared for it, though, because the reaper somehow folded onto the shaft, protecting him from the strike. The punch landed on the shaft, and Johnny screamed in pain. However, it drove Solis to the ground, and he landed with a resounding thud.

Now Johnny was pissed too. He circled him, waiting for Solis to stand. Then he sprinted at him, elbowing his shoulder, kneeing his side, and smashing down with another elbow onto Solis's back, collapsing him onto the floor, which immobilized him for now.

Justice ceased the attack and began to float with the aid of the fire discharged from her hands. It thrust her higher off the floor, to the others' amazement. "Wasn't expecting that," Dustin acknowledged, though he would refuse to acknowledge her power. Sam jumped on the opportunity and shot more ice at her. She blocked it and countered with another blast of fire. Instead of Ryan providing a body-shield for the team, Jane decided to latch onto Justice herself. She did, and, once in her grasp, flung Justice out of the air like a dead stick airplane. The floor shook, but Justice was not finished. Titan's weapon leapt into the air and crashed down, sending shocks that swept them off their feet. Despite, the view of his downed compatriots, Ryan jumped up like a madman and sprinted to her.

"I'm sorry Rose!"

"There is no more Rose!" she screamed in anger.

"You will forgive me for this, I promise."

In one motion, Ryan smashed the floor, cracking it. This was his chance. He kneed her in the solar plexus, enough to do the job. It sent her straight up into the ceiling. She smacked into it and fell back down unconscious. Ryan ran to catch her. Slipping her out of his grasp, he laid her on the floor. "Sorry for that."

Titan was in awe of the sight. "An excellent battle! You even managed to immobilize two of my best fighters!"

"And you're next," Johnny said, rubbing his knuckle that broke on the Solis's reaper. Due to his rapid healing factor, it already felt better.

From the end of the room, Titan telekinetically latched onto Justice, bringing her to him. She floated in stasis toward his location. He examined her and then glanced at Solis, who at last stood up. Titan sighed in remorse. "You know, you just cannot trust anyone. You have to do everything yourself."

Ryan scoffed. "Oh yeah? And what's that, Big Dummy?"

Instead of responding, Titan raised his arm, and before long, the group felt as if they were all floating. "Your powers are a nonentity compared to the power of the Titan." He closed his eyes. Their levitated bodies were thrust to the back wall and pinned there. "There is no escape." He stomped to them as Solis followed.

"No!" Johnny screamed.

"Let us go!" Jane yelled at him. She tried to resist with her own telekinetic power, but to no avail.

Ryan strained to escape his grip, despite the impossibility.

"Now I will be forced to crush each and every one of you. My Justice was too weak to do the job, so, as usual, I will." Titan stepped back, in preparation for a brief execution.

~~~

Below was a raucous. Soldiers and workers were running back and forth. In a change of events unpredictable by anyone, a man had appeared aboard the ship and had kindled the opening of a wormhole to a ghostly uninhabited planet. The entrance to this portal would be at the top of the ship, Titan's throne.

~~~

Solis was receiving word that a portal was emerging in their midst. "What?" he asked, seeking a repeat of the warning.

Titan glanced at him. "What is it?"

"Someone has initiated the portal device."

"Someone? Who?"

"An unidentified individual."

A few seconds later, the center of the room convolved and distorted. A large, rotating sphere burst forth. Titan looked on as its forces and energy spurred forth, bathing the room in black and cyan color. He still held the heroes in place.

"My lord, something is coming through the wormhole."

Titan narrowed his eyes. "It is him."

"How?"

"Step back, Solis." Solis obeyed the command.

Jane, still shoved against the wall, remembered the vision, especially the end, when Z conversed with Sonovan.

Why must I save them?

You would always save them.

She could not contain her joy. They would survive. "Guys, we were the 'them' in the dream!" Out of the wormhole stepped an imposingly dark, strangely human figure with white, glowing eyes. His appearance was almost celestial. The black-grey component of his body draped over his outline like a shroud, only small patches of tannish skin visible.

Titan raised his head, narrowing his eyes further. "Well, well, well." Johnny and the group, still pinned to the wall, also identified this mysterious hero. Jane could not help but smile, for she recognized the figure from the information booth on Nexon and the vision. In the end, they didn't find him, he found them.

"It is I, Titan. I have only come to take what belongs to me," the figure said, fearlessly walking up to the battleground of the throne. His voice had a now very slight Oriental spice to it. He was the polar opposite of how they had been—bold, unafraid, and confident.

Titan scoffed at the remark. "And yet, you are still as arrogant as you were all those years ago, Sonovan."

"Ironic, coming from you." In one motion, Sonovan Lung jumped twenty feet, the air rushing by his face. He slid into Titan, who collapsed. Using his core strength, he jumped up again, feet knocking into Titan's face. The Emperor of the Tetra was shoved backward, startled. Finish the combo. Sonovan leapt like a cheetah and struck Titan in the chest with a palm strike. There was a resonant psh as the attack rammed Titan away. This caused him to lose focus and let go of his hold on the group. They fell to the floor.

With ample time to do so, Sam froze Solis's legs in place. "That's ice!"

Dustin concentrated an air gust onto Titan, which shoved him onto the ground. Dustin had picked the perfect time to do so.

Still accessible, Johnny threw the team into the gravitational grasp of the wormhole. "Rose, I will come back for you!" screamed Ryan, though still in an unconscious state. Sonovan followed, and less than a minute after his arrival, the portal had closed, the small alliance managing an escape despite the improbability.

After watching their figures dissipate, Titan stood up, eyes ablaze and ready to kill. He punched the wall, cracking it. Then he fell to his knees in mental agony. "Lung!" he roared, telekinetically tearing out parts of the ceiling. The fragments crashed to the ground, sparking upon impact. "Lung!"

#  CHAPTER 16

REMINISCENCE

Only a moment passed before Sonovan Lung and the group exited the Einstein-Rosen Bridge. The landing spot was a cool, dark planet. As of yet, the weather preached doom and gloom, rain sadly fell without relent. The gravitational field was not as prevalent as that of Nexon—about 106% Earth gravity.

Sonovan had built a hideout on this world, known as Herook. The ecosystem only produced plants and alien animals, but no intelligent life. Though it could give the impression of the opposite, Sonovan did not wish to be found. He left everything; his planet, his species, and his people.

Titan merely wanted his soul to be tortured, and his mind to undergo deterioration. Thus, his current predicament would serve as his penance—his ultimate destiny. No more, as Titan declared, could he terrorize and inhibit the negotiation and aid Titan brought to planets and their inhabitants.

The hideout sat in the mountainous region of the planet. Each mountain ranged in height, prohibiting anyone from receiving a clear view of the refuge. This place, though, was one of the taller mountains. Without question, the air is thinner.

As soon as they dropped out of the wormhole, Sonovan limped to the hideaway's door. The rest followed, unsure of what to do next. Ryan was angry. He left Rose there, on the ground, unconscious. How could he be so stupid? Why did he not grab her, freeing her from Titan's grasp? Such blunders had to be eradicated from the mind, as ruminating about past errors only distracts from the more important things at hand.

Opening the door to the domicile, the distraught, ancient warrior shuffled across the dark main room within the premises. Paying no heed to the fact they had followed him along, Sonovan strode in, leaving the people he had rescued standing there, bewildered and puzzled.

Once the entry separated for access, he shuffled across the main floor to another door. Shutting it and locking the bolt, Sonovan Lung laid his sore body on the ground.

"What the hell?" Sam objected. "He's just going to leave us here?"

"I don't know," Johnny responded. The thunder gave an ominous background to the hitherto dismal place high above the valley floor.

"What are we going to do?" Jane asked in anxiety.

In the dark, Johnny activated the Edge VX's illuminative extras, hence the white serrated stripes on his suit glowing azure. He did not activate bulb mode this time, eyes adjusting to the darkness. Looking about, there was nothing much to the hideaway in the mountains.

"What are you doing?"

"Investigating my surroundings," Johnny answered.

At the same time, the green-illumined Ryan ambled through the sullen, blueish darkness to the closed door. Placing his ear on it, he hoped to hear a sound, but no noise had been emitted since the moment Sonovan barred it. "This is not going the way I had thought," he grumbled, turning away from the locked entry.

Walking back, Ryan found a place to sit. The former college students awkwardly sat there, knowing not of what to do. In fact, in spite of their extreme confusion and misery, they had to stay in their places for nearly thirty minutes. Near the end of the time, Dustin spoke.

"What the hell happened back there?" exclaimed Dustin, finding a seat and sitting. "I'm bamboozled."

"Don't ask me," Sam responded, cracking his spine.

"I think we will find out soon enough," Johnny answered. His face was scuffed with dirt and a few cuts.

"All I know is that these things do sure as hell protect us," Dustin said, patting his suit like a pet.

Unbeknownst to them, Sonovan had stealthily unlocked the door he had burst into and locked. Standing in the dark corridor, he inspected them and their attire in curiosity. These? How could they be so important, he thought.

"Who are you?" he questioned in suspicion—in apprehension. His voice had lowered to a grim whisper.

They jolted in surprise and whipped around in their spots. "Who are you?" retorted Johnny.

Narrowing his eyes, Sonovan answered, "I am Sonovan Lung."

"I figured it was you," Ryan replied.

Wide-eyed, Jane smiled at him. He asked, "You saved us. Just like how he told you to."

Taking a step closer, the team could see his true face now, his human face. No longer was it concealed by a dark, almost cyan shroud. He looked strangely like a Mongolian or Japanese man, yet tall with a firm build nicely hidden by a maroon-colored long sleeve shirt covered by a tanned garment. Though his appearance was Asian, Sonovan did not have Asian eyes. They seemed different.

Sonovan sat on his chair, pondering the events that had transpired. "Who are you?" he repeated. "Where are you from?"

"We are from Earth," Johnny replied.

This surprised Sonovan, who placed his finger on his chin in contemplation. "That is a word I have not heard in a horribly long time."

"Are you human?"

"Indeed."

"How did you save us?"

"Every one of you has such a grand destiny. How about you grab a chair and listen in?"

"Sure."

For a while, Sonovan told them his story, and the tragedy of the past. "Once, I was a samurai, but a haughty one at that. After I became the first to abandon my fellow men, I spent my days wandering the hills. The time spent as an itinerant man allowed me to discover a cave. Inside it, I found a portal, which I have come to know as the Xun. In my rebellious state of mind, I break through the Xun, and the Energy inside it erupted, opening a portal to another realm, the Shadowverse. The outburst granted me immortality, but also released an army of beings."

Sonovan now stood, staring out at the window pointing towards the mountainous view, thousands of feet above the ground. The planet's parent star was setting in the west, its rays shining through. The downpour had ceased. "In my endeavor to destroy them and rid the planet of their presence, their master, Titan, took my fiancée Aiko. Worse yet, we had already planned to go through ren'ai."

"Wait, you had a fiancée?" asked Jane.

"Yes. She and I grew up near each other, and in time, she was delighted to become a fellow samurai with me. But after I arrived in the other world, Aiko was taken from me by a figure named Asterion, the previous Voir to Titan before Solis. Some time passed until I encountered another, named Solace. I did not know at first, but Solace was in fact Aiko. Titan had taken over her mind, and she only did his bidding."

"Just like Rose," Ryan compared, turning to the others.

"Who?" he responded, needing clarification.

"Rose. She is our friend. It turns out she is an alien. Titan tricked us and took her, just like he did with your fiancée. Now, only this Justice remains, I guess."

Sonovan's eyes were far away. "It is happening all over again, then."

"Finish your story, please," Jane insisted.

"Very well. But I never realized until later that the Xun was no typical portal. It was a time warped anomaly, created by rips in spacetime. This is how Titan arrived in this universe. My deed created a time vortex while I was exposed to the full power of the Shadowverse itself."

"Are you serious?" Sam asked, dumbfounded.

"Yes," Sonovan answered, nodding once. "This opened a time portal from this universe into the Shadowverse, which is how Titan crossed over into this universe. It had reached back nearly seven hundred years. Which means, by the time I had opened the Xun, Titan had already been here seven hundred years, building the Tetra. So technically, he crossed before I was born."

"Wait," Johnny interrupted, "this is too much. You're saying you time traveled and created all this?"

"That doesn't make any sense," Ryan added. "Which came first? You opening the portal or Titan coming here?"

Sonovan grinned slightly. "Neither. Each event is dependent upon the other. It would always happen."

"So it's some kind of loop," Jane concluded. "Right?"

"You are correct."

"So let me get this straight," Dustin cut in, "You and that Xun thingy reached back in time across two universes? And that's how Titan got here?"

"Yes, excellent work, Dustin. It took much intellect to understand."

Dustin chuckled mischievously, yet in pride. "Hehe, I'm smart."

"But please, there is still more. I discovered friends in this new world, various star systems throughout space. Many of the inhabitants were technologically advanced, far more than anything human civilization had ever aspired to at my time. I met Titan face-to-face. He banished me away, but this led to my acquaintance with Zydok, a member of a species with incredible wills. It had been said their will challenged even Titan's psychic abilities. So, I stayed with him along with a few others, and he taught me things. In fact, one technology his civilization designed was the ability to time travel."

"Time travel? Like, intentional time travel?"

"Yes. It's possible, as you have seen and heard, even though I have not tried."

"What happened to him?"

"After I— no, we, The Shadows—defeated Titan's assailants, Titan forced me to fight Aiko."

"The Shadows?" questioned Johnny, "Who the hell are they?"

Sonovan shook his head. "Later."

"Did you defeat her?" Sam asked.

"Yes. Titan had tested a new technology on her. She became his guinea pig."

"Just like us," Johnny whispered to the others.

"The only thing left was Titan himself. He threatened me and my planet, saying that my deed would pave the way to thousands of worlds who would have no defense."

"And I take it you defeated him?" questioned Ryan.

"We did," he answered, nodding. "It was my crowning glory. Aiko was released from his mental clutches. Soon after, his empire began to crumble. Many worlds were set free from his tyranny. For five hundred years, peace reigned."

"Then what took place?" asked Jane.

"The resurrection."

~~~

The throne room was in ruins. Titan stood up and turned back to Justice, who woke from her unconscious state. "What happened?"

"You lost. You failed. You failed to take them out."

"Where did they go?"

"With the enemy."

"How is that possible?"

"Someone hacked the ship's wormhole machine. A bridge opened to Lung, and he came. He took them from me, seconds before I was about to crush them."

"Shall I search for them?"

"No, it is too late for that."

"Then what must we do?"

"Come, Justice." She limped to him. "As for your fight, you did well, at first. But then something happened. You got distracted. I could sense your concentration slipping—lagging. After everything I have taught you, how could you get distracted? What could possibly take the place of defeating your enemies?"

"I do not know, my lord."

"Well, I do. When you arrived here, I thought I had cured you of your human disease. But it appears Rose Johnson is still alive in there. You know it to be true."

"Well then, what should I do?"

"Destroy the past." She clenched her teeth. "Starting with that pathetic excuse for a father figure."

"No! I will not!" she retorted.

"You must, my dear. There is no other way. It must be done. In doing so, you will fulfill your future and rid yourself of your human mind."

"Henry is an innocent man."

"Yes, he is. But he has now become an obstacle in your destiny—continually inhibiting your full potential."

Justice raised her head from the floor, a new aura woven on it. "I will do what I must, my lord."

Titan smiled. "Excellent. Expect my order for us to create a bridge to the place you had come from. You will find your fake father and eliminate him. In the meantime, I must deal with Hallux myself."

~~~

"For nearly five centuries, there was peace," said Sonovan, "Until half a millennium ago, when it all began."

"Wait a minute. How long ago did you live?" Ryan asked.

"A millennium ago," Sonovan clarified.

"What?!"

"Holy shit dude," Dustin exclaimed.

"You're more than one thousand years old?" Sam asked, shocked.

"You look great," Johnny said sarcastically.

Jane rolled her eyes. "Don't mind them. What happened then?"

"An unknown man rose from out of nowhere. He sought to free Titan from his prison. As you may have heard, Ooris is the source of our power. I have been told you have powers as well."

"And how you do you know this? In fact, how did you know we were in danger?" Johnny asked.

"A bionicle came to me. I do not know who it was or how he found me, but the person told me about you, and that I must save you from him. I required much persuasion, but in the end, after spending hours here, he pushed me to do it. You owe yourselves to him."

"Wait, what?!" Ryan exclaimed. "Who?"

The brothers leaned in.

Oh boy. Johnny pondered the news for a second. It can't be. "Was his name Z?"

"Yes, in fact, it was. Do you know him?"

Johnny glanced at the others like he had found something. "Let's just say we've met him before. He was the guy who gave us these." Johnny showcased his powers, running in circles throughout the room. Ryan revealed his as well, as did Dustin and Sam. Jane flaunted hers by raising Sonovan off the floor.

"Impressive. I am intrigued. You were lucky enough to receive enough Ooris to obtain specific abilities and not become like me—a pure Ooran being."

"What did he wear?"

"The person had been inside a metallic suit. He spoke to me, that you were in danger and are the only hope of the universe. I listened and followed his instructions. And now we are here, together."

"Just like my vision," Jane interrupted. "It happened like how I saw." Sonovan turned to her inquisitively, beckoning more. "I had a vision. I saw you, Titan, Z...everyone. Who was Aiko? Who were Orslon and Zydok? That V guy?"

Sonovan stepped back, caught off guard. Those names. He had done all that was necessary to leave them behind. But they would torture him forever. "How do you know them?"

"Who were they? And when?"

Sonovan wiped every ounce of expression from his face. His eyes had ventured far away. "From a time long passed."

"Anything else?" Ryan added.

"That is not for you to know at this time."

"Will you tell us?"

"When I see fit."

None of it made sense. Why would he save them? Why would Z help?

"Z is our little guardian angel, honestly," Dustin said.

"Yeah, uh, I don't think so."

"Dude, he has been helping us ever since we met him," Sam retorted. "What is your problem? He only wants to help!"

"How do you know that?"

"Because! When has he not helped us?"

"Whatever."

Sonovan continued, his back turned to the sunny yet cloudy sky behind him. "Anyway, the man who would free Titan somehow connected to the Ooran realm, which we call the Shadowverse. It is a parallel universe opposite our own, yet with its differences. It is full of Ooris. The Energy can cross between the worlds. You see, these two universes are vibrating at different frequencies in a higher dimensional reality."

"Multiverse theory," Johnny noted.

"M theory too," Ryan added.

"English?" Jane requested.

"Oh, multiverse theory is somewhat based on superstring theory," Johnny replied.

"What?"

Sonovan sat back, observing the group in humor.

Ryan face palmed himself. "What he means to say is this: M theory is a theory explaining multiple dimensions of space. It is scientists' elucidation of the possibility of solving quantum gravity, and thus a unified theory of physics, also known as the 'theory of everything.' It says that eleven dimensions exist, and another variant states potentially twenty-six dimensions exist in the bulk."

"Hold the phone. What is 'the bulk'?" Jane asked again, making quote gestures with her fingers.

"It is a higher dimensional reality," replied Johnny. "The universe consists of more dimensions of space than what we see. But these extra special dimensions are unable to be accessed by beings like us."

"And how does any of that correspond to the multiverse?" a baffled Dustin asked.

"Because superstring theory allows for extra dimensions, which perhaps lead to extra universes outside ours," added Ryan.

"All thanks, in part, to Michio Kaku!" Sam exclaimed in laughter.

Jane looked embarrassed. "Gosh, you guys are so smart."

"Why thank you!" Ryan responded through a chuckle. They laughed, though Sonovan did not reciprocate. He brushed off the gaiety and continued.

"Anyhow, the soon-to-be Solis brought Titan back. To this day, I am still not sure how he did it. My conclusion is that when I defeated Titan, I had never truly eliminated his spirit. The spirit of an Ooran being is impossible to destroy. He can only be sucked into the Shadowverse, becoming one with it. The only way to destroy people like you, with partial connection, is to sever the head from the body."

"Uh...OK," Dustin responded, a bit uncomfortable.

"Had to get that in-depth?" Ryan responded.

"And how do you make sure he never, ever, gets out?" Johnny cut in.

"I do not know."

"Great. So, he's basically unkillable," Ryan asserted.

"Then what?"

"It was years before I knew what had happened. Titan had already begun the recreation of his empire. One by one, worlds fell by his blade. Like before, he enslaved some of their inhabitants, killed rebels, and brought the society under his rule. Once I began hearing the whispers, no words could describe how I felt. From the dead, he had risen again. My wife, Aiko, begged me to not go."

"You married Aiko?" asked Jane. "And how was she still alive after all those years?"

"The Ooris. It originates in the Shadowverse. Titan infused it into her when he controlled her mind. A partially-connected Ooran being can live for a millennium, while fully-connected ones, such as myself and Titan, are immortal unless killed by another fully-connected Ooran being. And yes, because she was one-of-a-kind, and we understood each other. Sometimes I was convinced she knew me better than I knew myself. She told me to run. To hide. But if I had killed him once, I could kill him again." The dreadful, tragic memory made itself known.

#  CHAPTER 17

#  ANCIENT EXILE

A wormhole had opened in Sonovan's village. He knew what was at hand. Solis appeared and he led him to Titan's pristine ship, the aptly named Titan. Titan gazed out at the cosmos when Sonovan was led in. This was a moment that would go down in infamy—a risen lord and his archnemesis meeting again. Sonovan thought he saw death itself. The two stared at each other, not saying a word for two long minutes, which felt like an eternity.

"It has been an exceedingly long time—has it not? Not even death can defeat me, Sonovan! And now, not even you."

Sonovan scoffed at the remark. "You are wrong, Titan. I beat you once, and I will repeat that. The universe will never again witness your tyranny."

"Ah, Sonovan, have you learned nothing? You have not heeded my words! Lightning never strikes twice!"

"Says the man who still has wires in his head."

"You don't like them? They're not necessary. It just makes me even stronger. Strong enough to finally destroy you."

Sonovan remained silent.

"Fine. Let us get on with it." Titan backed into a fighting stance. Reaching out with his arm, he grabbed a giant two-handed sword, the size freakishly nine feet high and two feet wide. In the modern day, he did not use it. Telekinesis and telepathy eradicated the need for one.

On the opposing end, Sonovan unsheathed his composite swords, known as the Vorson Swords. Composed of multiple layers, the Vorson Swords were a dark gray. Each layer on the blade folded over the one before it, creating the illusion of many pieces.

"How cute! The weapon Zydok donated to you! Did I mention he has been slaughtered?"

This statement caught Sonovan off-guard, since he had known Zydok well. A good being, he was the last of his species, whom Titan had annihilated years prior. He had also been the founding member of The Shadows. "What did you do?!"

"I killed him. Did you not hear me? Can you not hear?"

"I will exterminate your essence from reality!"

"We shall see."

"You will not be 'seeing' anything."

"Now do not jinx it!"

Sonovan whipped his weapon into motion, verifying it was functional. Titan picked his weapon up and stood in position, awaiting an attack. The combatants were set. Sonovan made the first move. He leapt into the air, his first combo a flying side-kick followed by two slices with his sword. Titan blocked the strikes scary effortlessness, countering with two massive swings with his own. It pushed Sonovan back, allowing Titan to take the initiative. He lifted his leg into the air and stomped with every ounce of his might. The vicious attack missed Sonovan's knees by only inches. But, this opened a weak spot—Titan's legs. Seizing the opportunity, Sonovan kicked his lower leg, eliciting a grunt. He then spun and hit Titan with another hard kick to his leg. With that move, Titan was shoved adjacent to Sonovan's left side. Another opening. Sonovan spun the opposite direction, landing his sword on Titan's side. He struck twice. The final move of the brutal and well-timed combo was a side-kick, which has the necessary power to thrust Titan thirty feet away.

"I felt that," Titan grunted as he grabbed his side, shocked to discover blood. "But my time in the Energy granted me a new and increasingly useful ability."

"What is this new ability you mention?"

"Telekinesis."

Fear gripped Sonovan. "Yes, you may fear." Titan reached out and telekinetically grasped Sonovan by the throat. He tried to escape the grasp, but it was no use. Now in control, Titan dragged Sonovan toward his arms. His throat landed on Titan's hand. "If you can only know how long I have waited for this."

It was now his turn. Titan kneed Sonovan in the gut before throwing him in the air. On his way down, he fell straight into the butt end of his sword. Sonovan had prepared for this, since he shifted his own sword in a defensive position. It partially protected him from the full power of Titan's brute strength.

A thunderous, bone-chilling bang resonated as the butt end landed on the Vorson Sword's blade. The strike sent Sonovan flying, tearing through the air before smashing into the wall. But Titan had not finished. He raised his arm again and brought Sonovan back before flinging him into the wall once more, knocking the warrior unconscious.

After fifteen minutes, Sonovan awoke from his unconscious state. He sat up with difficulty, the pain swelling. Something must have been broken. Yet, it healed due to his pure Ooris, and the pain subsided.

"You could never fully understand my machinations, Sonovan. As I conveyed to you all those years ago, your world teeters on the edge, unaware its fate is already decided. It will pave the way for me to thousands of worlds with no heroes to guard them."

"Earth is your next target."

"No, it is not. I am sure it will be centuries before I claim Earth for myself. My primary mission is to rebuild the Tetra. Then, and only then, I will bring Earth under my command. Unless it is the key that I have searched for since the beginning of my quest, I will add it to my empire, the Tetra."

"What key?"

"Given who I am talking to, I will keep that one to myself."

"I will fight you, no matter the cost."

"Actually, you will not. I have a backup plan for that. Solis!"

The armored Voir strode in. In his arms was an unconscious Aiko. Sonovan's eyes went wide with fear and hatred. He could not let him commit this horrific act. "No! She is innocent! Take me instead! Do it! Snap me in half! Subject me to torture! But do not hurt her!"

"No, Sonovan. I will not. This is your penance. I want so badly to kill you, but I won't. Your ironic plead for torture will be rejected. You see, bodily torment and execution would end the fun. But torment of the mind—of the soul—that is the greatest and most effective mode of anguish. I know you feel hatred. I felt that all those years, but not anymore. Revenge is mine, and mine alone. And today, I will receive my entitlement."

"Please! Please, I will do whatever you ask," he begged.

His voice switched back to a deep tone. "How quickly you changed! One moment you will fight me no matter what, the next moment you beg for mercy. I am afraid there will be no debate." With that, Titan pushed Sonovan into the wall. He then did the unthinkable. "And now your hell begins."

In one swift motion, the soft and fragile neck of Aiko was snapped 180 degrees. "No! No! No!" screamed Sonovan in agony. He wailed as he ran to her. "Aiko, please! No! What have you done?!"

"I am truly sorry, Sonovan. But it had to be. Your hell begins. Now here is the plan. I will transport you to a planet and spare your life. You will live there for the rest of your days. I will have various kinds of technology brought with you to ensure your survival, but it will also serve a far greater purpose. It will be possible for you to observe as I destroy everything you created, and rebuild everything you took from me. As I mentioned, this is torture of the soul."

Sonovan did not reply. Titan signaled for Solis to open a breach. Solis threw many kinds of technology into the portal, including computers. Then, using his mind, Titan hurled Sonovan into the spherical wormhole.

After many years, at long last, he had defeated his nemesis. His revenge had come.

Solis walked to Titan, who gazed at the spot Sonovan had been. "Do you expect the loneliness to kill him?"

Titan shook his head. "No, for he welcomes it. The absence of something to fight for will drive him mad."

~~~

They had never expected the story to be so gruesome and tragic. "I am so sorry," Jane consoled. "You must be the loneliest person in history."

"How have you lasted all this time?" Johnny asked. "Why did you not end it all?"

"Because I had a feeling my destiny still awaited me. The universe, the Oora, was not finished with me yet."

"What else must you do for the universe, Sonovan? You did what you could!" Ryan said.

"I am usually a tough cookie, but that story hit me in the feels," Dustin solaced. "I'm sorry for your loss." He placed his hand on Sonovan's shoulder.

"I am too," Sam added.

"Thank you, heroes. It has been so long since I have had a conversation with someone. I used to communicate with Zydok, but as I said, he was executed. But as with everything Titan touches, it is never wasted. There have been whispers Titan has acquired the ability to time travel."

"Woah, slow down. Now you're saying he can possibly time travel?" Ryan replied.

"You can't be serious."

"Like I said, only a rumor. And he would also need a significant amount of energy to ever accomplish such a feat."

"Didn't scientists say time travel is impossible?" Sam asked, turning his head to Johnny. "I remember the professor saying something about that."

"Yeah, but what do we know? People think they can comprehend everything that happens, but I don't think humans ever will, you know?"

"Exquisite response," Dustin chuckled.

"Thank you."

~~~

"My lord, Commander Ace has prepared your ship," Solis notified as he stood in the empty, quiet throne room. He wore thick, black armor and an opaque helmet. His voice sounded almost static, yet steady and rigid. Titan stood like the emperor he boasted as, a foot behind the transparent enclosure which permitted a staggering view of the universe.

"Finally, some good news!" Titan replied.

"The trip to Hallux will be a short one, my lord. Approximately fifteen hours. It is rather close, as you know."

"Which is why I had chosen it."

"Of course, your greatness."

"Well then, shall we depart?"

"Certainly."

On the way to his smaller ship, Solis turned to Titan in the midst of the gigantic docking bay. The bay constantly emptied and refilled as ships passed to and fro. Some soldiers froze at the sight of the Voir, though especially Titan himself. "Has she arrived on Earth?"

"Yes, she has."

"And she will kill him?"

"Indisputably guaranteed."

"Your wisdom and criterion exceed the highest heaven, my lord."

Titan brushed off the reverential remark. He kept marching to his ship. "Disregard courtesy, Solis. If it were not for your heroic qualities, I would never have returned. Because of Sonovan Lung, you heard my legend, and you alone acted."

"Thank you, Titan." Solis nodded once at a soldier who positioned like a tree next to the entrance into the craft. One thousand soldiers boarded the Invader I, along with Titan and his Voir. The two had been through it all. A mere group of rebels would not stop them now.

~~~

On the other hand, Justice had journeyed through the wormhole to Earth. It had been a while since she smelled the life-giving air of the blue planet. Putting on the coat Titan provided her, she blended into her surroundings. No one looked twice at her.

After a few hours, she arrived at her home. Henry sat at his table, praying, for he was a religious man. He had not slept since she had left. Justice knocked on the door. It opened, and her eyes met Henry's.

"Greetings, Henry."

#  CHAPTER 18

THAT WHICH IS NECESSARY

The group stood like a church congregation in the main room of Sonovan's refuge in the mountains of Herook. There were plenty of windows, along with a well-placed, doorless entrance to the cliff outside, which overlooked the hills and valley below, all the way out toward the horizon. "What must we do now?" started Sam. "We cannot just stay here and do nothing!"

"As for you, you must be trained," Sonovan answered.

"Yeah, well, I am a second-degree black belt," Dustin responded. "So are the others. I doubt we need any kind of help in that field."

In a moment's notice, Sonovan stood and fastened his hand on Dustin's throat. He then slipped his left leg behind Dustin's and swept. "Woah what the f—" he yelped. Dustin landed on Sonovan's back, lying on his hips for a split second before being flipped onto his stomach.

"Do you still consider yourself prepared?"

"Obviously. I meant to do that!" he puffed.

The others, including Sonovan, laughed. "Of course, Sonovan! What do you think? Didn't you see how prolific of a fighter he was just then?" Ryan heckled, nearly balling in laughter.

~~~

Henry's eyes went wide. "Rose! It is you! My prayers have been answered!" he exclaimed, full of glee. "I thought I had lost you. Please, sit down!" He led her in, moving papers and things strewn in unnecessary places. After he closed the door, he made his way to her, awaiting all the things he hoped she would say.

"Thank you, father." She found a place to sit. It was the first chair she sat on when she learned to walk. "There is something I must tell you, father."

"Anything, my daughter. Anything. I want to hear everything." He sat on the chair nearest hers.

Justice drew the knife under her robe.

~~~

"Great, so when do we begin?" Johnny asked Sonovan, who had stood and ambled to his kitchen.

"How about now?"

"Oh OK, I just...what are you doing?"

"Making our meal, Johnny." Though Sonovan ate food now and then, consumption was not a necessity. The pure Ooris in his veins supplied him with energy food could never supply.

"Uh, what kind of meal?" Ryan asked, turning to Sonovan while in his chair. "I really hope you don't ea...you know what? Nevermind."

Five minutes passed and Sonovan entered the meeting room again, this time carrying several dishes of food like a chef. "Here, have this. One for each of you. It is the meat of the mountain animals that live in these parts. On the side is some vegetables the animals consume."

They stared at Sonovan laid on the table. This food had been cooked to a wonderfully odd brown color, and he had sliced each piece in a circle formation.

"Uh, yeah, I don't know if I—"

"It's good! Try it! It is comparable to cooked deer!"

They each had blank faces. "I have never had deer," grumbled Dustin.

"Neither have I," Ryan added. The rest nodded in agreement.

Sonovan rolled his eyes. "It is delectable. Just try it."

Dustin glanced at Ryan with a mischievous smile. "Eat it," he said in his own iteration of a villainous tone. "Eat it now."

"I shouldn't," Ryan followed.

"Do it!"

"Ugh, fine!"

~~~

The knife had been drawn. Now she waited for the time to strike. It must be done, her mind told her.

"By the way, where did you get this robe? It is so tan!"

"Oh, a nice gentleman gave it to me. It turns out he is the true ruler of worlds. Our planet is one of many that can support life. These other exoplanets are home to many kinds of species, but most of them will destroy themselves if it was not for Titan, our true emperor. He saved nearly every advanced civilization in the galaxy, and it appears Earth's incompetence, hatred, and prejudice has promoted it to the top of Titan's list. After Hallux, Earth will be next. This planet I have called home for my whole life will be saved from its own inhabitants. Earth is a special one on the list, because very few planets, in fact, have religions so widespread and diverse. It is as if every human is searching for something beyond its comprehension. And now, he will come for us—to save us from ourselves."

"That does not sound like the Rose I know." His smile faded, and his expression turned twisted. "I do not know what you are even saying."

"Your job is not to know," she retorted, narrowing her eyes. "It is to accept."

"Then I will not, whoever you are."

"The name is Justice, Voir to the Titan, savior of the universe."

"From what I can hear, he does not sound like a good man. What has he done to you?!"

"He is most wonderful, gracious, and generous. There is none reminiscent of him in all the cosmos."

She then whipped out the knife.

~~~

Ryan savored the taste. "Oh yeah, you cooked this good, Chef Lung," he garbled as he chewed. "What's the name of it?"

"Aphelion Turm."

Ryan paused in thought, half-expectant that the fancy name should amplify the taste. "OK."

Close to twenty minutes were spent eating the Turm and cleaning. Sonovan had already eaten, so he only sat and conversed. After they finished, Sonovan stood up and motioned for them to follow. "Now, we rest. Once you wake up, I will begin training you."

"Do you have a studio?" Johnny asked.

"A studio?"

Johnny shook himself to remember the true name. "I mean, uh, a dojo? A place of training?"

"Ah, yes I do. In fact, we are in it now."

"We are?"

"Yes. The room can be whatever you make it to be."

"Uh, how so?" Dustin asked, confused.

Sonovan smiled at the reaction. "There is no law which states against it." Leading them out, he paced down the hall to find them a place to sleep. Sonovan led them to a room. Situated like coffins were four sleep apparatuses analogous to the ones they had slept inside in Ledarius's Octavian. "There are only four," Ryan observed.

"The rest will have to sleep on the ground."

"Like you?"

"Sometimes."

"I'll sleep on the ground," Johnny offered. "You guys can sleep in the cases."

Ryan raised his eyebrow. "Wow, thanks for being a pal, Johnny."

"Yeah man, thanks a lot," Dustin complemented.

"I owe you one," Sam said.

"Thank you, Johnny," Jane appreciated. "Thank you very much."

He only stared at her but did not have the courage to do anything out of the ordinary. "You are welcome," he smiled.

Dustin frowned and turned to Sam, whispering, "He didn't say that to us." Sam snickered.

Sonovan surveyed the situation, confused. "That is a very gracious thing you did for your girlfriend and your friends, Mr. Sparks."

The mentioned man turned hastily, his expression scrunched in disbelief. "Woah, what?! I, uh, what are you...what are you saying?"

"Oh my gosh, no!" Jane exclaimed.

"Not again," Sam mumbled, closing his eyes until this comedy expended itself. I never asked to be plunked in a cringy Hallmark Christmas movie, he grumbled to himself.

Sonovan jumped at the sudden response. "What do you mean? Aren't you together?"

"No," Jane stated timidly. Johnny was clenching his teeth, trying to think of something intelligent to reply with.

Ryan and Dustin could not stop snickering. Still confused, Sonovan prodded on with a question. "Why not?"

Jane did not answer and only huffed. Johnny was rubbing the back of his neck. "Uh..."

"Yeah Johnny, aren't you together?" snickered Dustin.

"Shut up!"

A light bulb flashed in Sonovan's mind. "Oh, I understand now! She is your helper like Aiko was for me!" he returned, trying to comprehend this mystery.

Johnny rolled his eyes. "No, she is not my helper either. She is just, uh, a friend and a teammate." Johnny enunciated the response more as a question than a statement.

"That was an unclear response."

"Uh, whatever, OK? Can we just move along and get some sleep?"

"If that is what you desire."

Jane scurried to the case and locked herself in. Ryan, Sam, and Dustin were still neighing away. After urging his eyes to open due to the fact the awkward conversation had ended, Sam patted Johnny on the back. "Just a friend."

"Yeah, where have I heard that before? Oh yeah, everyone?" Dustin replied.

"My advice? Don't wait so long," Sam added. "You will probably lose her then."

"Yeah, well if you did not notice, we might actually lose our own lives any day now," retorted Johnny, rolling his eyes.

"Damn, so pessimistic."

"No, it's realistic."

At that moment, Sonovan snapped his fingers. "Enough chatter. Now we sleep."

The group eyed him in wonder. Ryan raised his eyebrow and turned to Dustin. "Since when did he become the leader?" he whispered.

"As of two seconds ago," replied Sonovan. He had heard their murmurs.

Ryan and the brothers locked themselves into the sleep apparatus. Sonovan closed the door and met Johnny in the main room, where they were nigh on an interesting conversation.

~~~

In one swift motion, the knife found the heart of Henry. Blood seeped out as the knife cut necessary parts of his body. "Ah!" he wailed. "No, Rose!" He grabbed her arm in confusion and fright. "Why? Why you?"

"I had to." Her voiced changed. "There is no more Rose Johnson, Henry. There is only Justice."

"No, that is where you are wrong," he murmured, trying to catch a breath. "In time, she will find a way back."

The deep voice of Titan resounded as he fully controlled her mind at that instant. "How can you be so sure, worthless nothing?"

"Because if I know my daughter well, she never goes down without a fight."

"There is not a fight to compete in, I'm afraid."

"Rose, if you are in there, never stop fighting. You hear me? Never stop! I love you."

A single tear dropped from Justice's eyes. "I know."

Henry's eyes widened. "If you can hear me, whoever you are who is controlling her, this is the moment of your downfall."

Inside her mind, Titan did not respond. Henry died only seconds later.

#  CHAPTER 19

#  JUSTICE PREVAILS

Johnny found a place to sit inside the main room, and Sonovan was next to him. Peace enveloped him and content kept them warm. Sonovan gave off both. "You are a truly perplexing fellow, Johnny Sparks. Are humans of the day all like you?"

"No, and that's a good thing."

"Why?"

"Eh, it's just my personality, I guess. Sometimes I wish it would be just another extrovert. Nope. INFJ."

"INFJ?"

"It's nothing really."

Sonovan nodded, realizing Johnny did not continue on the subject. "The rest of the population? Are they similar to how I had been when I was younger, or are they far better now? I assume the latter."

Johnny shook his head, releasing a sigh. "Yeah, you assumed wrong."

"How?"

"I don't think they hold the morals and goodness you fought for anymore."

"What has happened to society?"

"It's like Titan said. They're selfish and rebellious. Technology might have advanced it, but besides that, it has only brought distraction, among other things."

"I see."

"I might hate him, but the things Titan speaks are scary precise."

"Yes, I can agree," he nodded, looking away. "He has a vast knowledge of the universe and worlds. Sometimes I wish he wasn't always as right."

"I'm sure he does. Where does he come from?"

"I am not sure. A servant of his who I released, Torion, told me he perhaps came from a race of beings strong in Ooris, so it is possible he originates in the Shadowverse itself."

"You said that place is a parallel universe?"

"Yes."

"How do you get to it?"

"Only beings of true and pure Ooris such as Titan and I can see it. We have the power to walk between the realities."

"Well, that's neat." For a minute, he ceased further dialogue. "How can we get Rose back?"

"Since I experienced your dilemma first hand, I can say without a doubt it will be difficult. For starters, Titan's telepathic power is unlike anything I have seen. That is his original ability—the power to read and control the minds of others. To retrieve her from his grasp, you must sever the connection."

"Well, how do you do that?"

"There is no way other than to disconnect the cord into his head."

"Yeah, well that sounds way easier than it is."

"Trust me, I know."

"Then how?"

"You must shift his attention with a distraction. Now remember! If you somehow kill him before the connection is severed, her mind is lost."

"What? Why?"

"It is a bridge. If a bridge is cut in half while people are moving to and fro on it, all of them perish. The people must cross first, and then the bridge can be disunited without fatalities."

"Got it. You will be the distraction."

"I know."

Johnny raised his eyebrow. "How'd you know?"

"I surmised."

"Oh, great."

In a slight change of subject, Johnny asked, "What are those things, you know, the wires for? Why does he need them?"

"He doesn't necessarily need them, but they amplify his psychic abilities to heights inaccessible by any. In short, it strengthens him."

"Oh," Johnny replied. Great, he thought.

The black shroud wrapped around and covering most of his body lifted and shifted into a human color. He caught Johnny off-guard with his move. "Woah, what the hell?"

"A gift bestowed to me, as you know."

"Awesome!"

His skin had become tan, his hair raven, and eyes dark brown.

"Wow, that's sweet."

"It is...sweet," Sonovan replied in his pristine, slight Oriental accent. "Like Gujuman Tea."

"Guju-what?" Johnny repeated, puzzled.

Chuckling, Sonovan smiled as he elaborated upon his response. "Gujuman Tea. A friend on Atheros made it for me. It has a lot of sugar in it. About six tablespoons in one cup, to be exact. Mind you, the Atherian sugar is three times the sweetness of Earth's sugar. In fact, it is possible for some species to die from the sweetness."

His jaw dropped. "What? Holy shit."

"Yes. 'Holy shit' indeed. It is made for religious congregations in the hills of Atheros."

Johnny chuckled, arms wrapped around his knees as he sat. "You know, you have a personality to you."

"It emerges every so often."

"That's good."

After this, the two sat without speaking once more. Desperately yearning to continue an exchange, Johnny spoke again.

"Did you really have to say that stuff about Jane being my girlfriend?" he asked, trying to hold back a grin. "She isn't one for big deal stuff like that."

Nodding, Sonovan laughed. "I had the same response you had once. You know, Aiko was my helper. She made equipment for me."

"I know."

"And over time, I saw the compassion she had for others. Who would have thought? A metalworker, a samurai who had a tremendous heart, even though I used those weapons to stab people in the heart."

"Wow, that's gory."

"And you two have something everyone craves in a relationship. It's the building block of a good one."

"What's that?" he responded.

"Shared trauma."

"Oh, wow. We don't have shared trauma."

"Z said you did."

"Woah, slow down. How? What did he tell you?"

"He said everyone I would meet had shared trauma."

"How would he know that?"

"I don't know. Didn't you tell me you knew him?"

"Well, not personally."

"He sure knows you well."

"Yeah, and I do not even know how. He knows us so much, yet I know squat about him."

"He did not seem evil when I met him. And his suit was something I had not seen before."

"He wasn't wearing a jacket? What'd it look like?" Just as Jane had envisioned.

"I cannot even explain it. What I can say, though, is that it was fit for a god."

Those same words again. "Yeah, well, he is no god," shaking his head at the remark.

"Nothing in the physical universe we can see is a god. In fact, Titan despises the term."

"Huh." Pushing himself up from his position, Johnny stood. "We were going to search for you because Jane had that dream. Z did the work for us. It's so damn strange."

"It's ironic. You wanted to find me, but instead I found you."

You would always save them, recollected Johnny. He sighed, nodding twice. "Well, I'm getting some rest. I suggest you get some too."

"Excellent. When you awake, we will begin."

"Sounds cool. What should I call you for now on?"

"Sonovan is fine."

~~~

The invasion vessel pierced through the blue skies of Hallux. Solis personally oversaw the graceful touchdown of Titan's smaller invasion ship. After parking near its tallest skyscraper, the steps descended from the ship and Titan stepped out, viewing the scene before descending. Solis followed suit, and twenty soldiers followed the third-in-command. Titan stomped to the entrance, and the governor of the sector met him.

"Titan, it is a pleasure to meet you face-to-face."

Even though the governor spoke with respect, Titan disregarded him beyond measure. He pushed past and entered the premises, where a dozen governors sat around a large table. They at once ceased their discussion and stayed motionless upon his entrance. He pulled a chair out for himself but did not sit.

Spreading his hands on the table, he studied each of their expressions, searching their minds for even a speck of interest, but he found nothing.

Remorse was the main emotion he felt at the moment. Why should he waste his knowledge and expertise on such obtuse and prejudiced men? But he found one truth in it all: He must never let a civilization go unattended. Until he found the answer to his search, that is.

"We received your message, Titan," said one. "We do not need your help. Now please, do not interrupt."

Such disrespect. Titan brooded over the assembly in a pensive mood. The leaders, though in deep conversation, tensed as the aura in the room changed to a negative one. Titan clenched his jaw at the sound of their vacuous ramblings. In truth, he wanted to kill them, but that would be for a later time. Politics was undoubtedly something he despised. Politicians were among the worst kinds of leaders, in his opinion. I would rather criminals be in control than these brainless savages, he thought, irritated. Even criminals have honor—honor amongst thieves.

One brave governor turned in his chair and faced Titan. "What is it you want? To take us over?"

"No, I do not desire that," he responded, glaring at the said governor. "I want to help you. To eliminate that which you hate to lose."

"Help is not a necessity, Titan."

At this, the Emperor of the Tetra narrowed his eyes in disbelief. "Are you saying the rampant disease, homelessness, starvation, injustice, and corruption in government is acceptable? And more so, you tolerate it?"

The governor dared not answer likewise. He had not expected Titan to have known so much about his own planet already. Defeated, he sat back on his chair and fixed his long, purple outfit, his pride assaulted.

At this, Titan growled in odium and disgust. "Your hypocrisy infuriates me—it vexes me! I will not permit your selfish, hypocritical minds to lead this potentially great civilization. Hallux will become the blood and sweat of the Tetra! Lush, sophisticated, pioneering! My world."

"No, I will not allow it!" another governor quipped in anger.

"Neither will I!"

"We will defend with our lives!"

"Never!"

"Leave us, Titan. Please, kill yourself!"

The rest stood in resistance. Titan smirked. "For a gang of hypocrites, you sure know how to put up a fight. Would it be odd if I said I was hoping you would resist?"

"What are you saying?"

This is what I am saying, he thought. "You are far too deep in your corruption to be of any use. Allow me to make a spectacle and demonstrate my sovereignty—my superiority—over your weak minds."

They held up their arms in defense. "This will drain plenty of Ooris from me, but I will execute it this one time." He then bent low. The assembly froze in fear. Placing his finger on the side of his head, a blue glow emerged from his frontal lobe and soon enlarged into a bright sphere.

At once, the blue sphere shot out in every direction, collapsing the weak, unfit assembly. The room descended into darkness and a terrifying silence, prompting Titan to rise from his knees. "Arise!"

The former governors stood and lined in pairs of four. Solis smiled at the sight. Titan looked at him. "Their minds are now mine."

Each governor said nothing, minds no longer a theirs. They were now his to manipulate. "Now, execute."

The men, now motiveless creatures, faced one another, eyes wild. In mere seconds, the fighting began. Solis threw in three basic swords and Titan stomped out in glory. He turned back to see them slicing each other to oblivion, blood pouring like rivers of freshwater. Titan smiled at the scene as the door closed and he left them to their own devices.

~~~

Justice left the house, innately saying goodbye for the last time. Once she fastened the robe, she made way to a wooded covering nearby. On the way there, her attention was diverted to a news program on a television in a store window. The headline read: Six Individuals Still Missing: FBI Opens Investigation. A few minutes later the news switched to Breaking News. This time, in bold letters, it read: "Scientists Frustrated After Another Portal Opens." The newscaster came on the screen.

"A few hours ago, what people have called a 'portal' opened for the second time in only a few days. Something exited, and both the FBI and the entire scientific community have been looking into finding this person. This is a breakthrough in physics, because, as Dr. Clement Forston says, it is a proof of exotic matter and higher dimensions of space. People and government agencies have set up base at the location, and are waiting for the mystery man or woman to reappear."

By this time, a crowd had gathered. But then, another man appeared. She recognized him without difficulty from the description Johnny gave her. It was Z. His angelically white hair blew in the wind, yet she could not make out his face, though. From the neck up, it appeared distorted. Her head whipped to the screen, and back again, but he was gone.

"Great, now I need to find a way to the other side." Once she departed the area, she resumed her quest and ran into the brush, coat and all.

After running continually through it, she came to an open field. She leapt into the air, the fire seething from her hands propelling her higher. The force of it was enough to fly.

After two hours of flying, her powers were spent. Even though a few of her species did have the ability to harness the power of fire through Ooris, an extended period of its employment could hinder the user's strength. Thus, she resorted to walk the rest of the way.

Fueled by continuous adrenaline, Justice continued the walk. Trucks and cars passed her on the two-lane road before she ventured into the woods instead. The starry sky gazed down on her. It seemed every speck of the sky was home to a speckle of light. This night sky was the darkest she had ever seen. She almost yearned to stop and watch the stars, but the voice in her head resisted that precise thought, prompting her forward. Magnificent, is it not? the voice asked, clearly that of Titan. Among those stars is where you and I will be. Among those very stars—among the universe you see before you, we shall bring the Justification.

Out loud, alone on the two-lane road, she responded, "And that makes me feel infinite, my lord."

At 2:00 A.M. in the morning, she had arrived at Montauk Point. Dozens of trucks, tents, and stations had been set up, as people waited in expectation for another wormhole. Even NASA was among them. This event had clearly made world news.

Many people were asleep, but also a considerable amount was not. Meandering through the boundary lines and tents, she tried hard to appear unsuspicious and invisible. Upon reaching her destination, her feet stepped in the required location for her departure.

Since Titan demanded her arrival by 2:20, she was right on time. A hellish rumble amplified beneath the ground, and within seconds the entire camp transformed into a raucous. Gravitational measuring systems went haywire, and the ground in front of her sank. Out of it floated the black sphere.

People ran in any direction as pictures were being snapped like firecrackers in the night. Security, the FBI, and police ran to stop her, but it was too late. Gunshots resonated as their guns fired. In one motion, she had leaped into the sphere, the interstellar transport and its passenger evaporating from their presence. Only dust remained.

#  CHAPTER 20

THE PAST

The cooling breeze blew through the hideaway, startling Johnny out of his lumber on the unforgiving floor. He did not remember how or when he fell asleep, only that he had. Turning over, he spotted Sonovan, who was in a meditative position on the cliff outside the hideout, overlooking the mountains and valley below.

Groaning, Johnny's body ached as he got up. He ambled to the cliff and sat next to Sonovan. The sky popped a clear blue unlike anything he had seen on Earth. A crisp, chilly air surrounded the atmosphere around the residence as Sonovan smiled in greeting upon his entrance to the cliff he had called home. "I first learned the art of meditation from my sensei. He taught me many things, this being one of the important ones. The key is to clear your head from distractions. At first, it was a struggle for me."

"Why?"

"I was an energetic and excited fellow when I was younger. Most prominently, I was a daredevil. It is what led me to the Xun, a portal that connected Earth with another realm, the Shadowverse, the parallel universe of Ooris where our powers originate. In my own naïve mind, I pushed through it for the sole purpose of curiosity and abandonment of my people. I wanted to discover something new—to be a pioneer, leave a legacy—a legend. Not a day goes by when I wish I could go back and stop myself from ever committing such a horrible act. The time vortex. Everything that has happened—it is all because of me. The blood is on my hands. Because I had no place in my heart for selflessness."

Johnny pondered his words. "Yes, but you have to forget that now. Who knows? Maybe Titan could have found another way to us. Maybe some idiot could have done it if you had not. Sometimes, dreadful things happen for a reason."

"I am sure what I did does not even register on the 'dreadful' scale."

"Look, we won't lose. We will stop Titan. How will we do it? I don't know. All I know is we are a team. And when people are unified, it is said they are impossible to overcome."

Sonovan turned his head and gazed at Johnny with intent. Chills ran down his spine due to the look Sonovan gave him. No one had ever looked at him that way. It was indescribable. "Johnny Sparks, you continue to impress me."

Grinning, Johnny replied, "Thanks. I try to be the logical one."

"The rest are not intelligent?" he asked, raising his eyebrow.

"Well yeah, they are. Ryan is pretty smart, he even surprises me sometimes. Dustin and Sam are, well, normal, you might say."

"It is normal to be unintelligent?"

Johnny chuckled. "No. Yes. There is still no definitive answer to that question, in all honesty."

"Things must be very different on Earth."

"You can say that, but there are also very, very smart people there too. Humanity has advanced more in the last century than in its entire history prior. And in my opinion, any 'stupid' person can be made a genius with time. You only need effort."

"I would be glad to see it again. What you say is erudite, Mr. Sparks. That is the precise thing you will use against Titan. Your effort and desire."

"You will see it again, and yeah, thanks again, Sonovan. You've flattered me."

"What about Jane or your other friend? Are they intelligent?" The breeze picked up. However, the chilled zephyr was a wholesome one, the soothing air bringing paradise with its graceful touch.

"Yeah, to be honest, sometimes I think she's smarter than any of us."

Sonovan chuckled. "And your friend?"

"Her name is Rose. Yeah, she is a good mix of all of us. A bit of a daredevil, smart, funny, and also a real chum. Problem is, she tends to leap without looking. Got a hell of a temper too."

"I am sorry that happened to her."

"We'll get her back. She's a fighter."

"I hope so."

"Yeah, it'll be as simple as a hop, skip, and a snap of Titan's big ol' wire!"

Sonovan's deadpan expression erased the smile from Johnny's face. "Oh, I thought you knew the phrase. You know, a 'hop, skip, and a jump'?"

"I did not. I am sorry."

"No, it's OK," he chuckled. Out of nowhere, his legs descended into weakness. Probably should inquire of the master, he thought. "By the way, I have been feeling a bit weak lately. What's going on?"

"The Ooris inside you cannot be used to an extent beyond its function. This is perhaps why Titan has not destroyed you yet, because it strains his body too much and depletes the constant supply of Ooris. To use an extensive amount of power would result in a deterioration of Ooris inside you. Never will you completely lose it, but it will drain energy and leave you with no power."

"Got it. So it's like a rechargeable battery."

"Correct," Sonovan replied.

Because he had worn no upper-body attire, Sonovan's chiseled back was exposed for Johnny to admire. Instead of naked skin, his spine and shoulders were covered in black tattoos. The image created portrayed two white, gleaming eyes above an unrecognizable symbol. Adjacent to it were five letters: SL, V, ORS, ZY. Furrowing his brow, Johnny leaned back to get a better view and was about to open his mouth when, despite his curiosity, closed it just as quickly. When Sonovan deemed it necessary, he would uncover this mystery on his vertebrae.

Johnny stood up and went into the room where the others slept. The computer showed '30 minutes left' on its screen. Alright, they need it anyway.

He left the room and returned to Sonovan. Following his lead, Johnny sat into his own meditative position. The two sat there, a word not spoken, the only sound the pleasant whistle of wind at the high elevation above the valley. But Sonovan interrupted it all with a question. One Johnny would have begged to never answer.

"Tell me," Sonovan started. "How are the samurai? How have they been? They were finally organized almost two centuries after Titan's death. I became one of the first official ones, training many."

Johnny gulped, never prepared to drop a bomb such as this. He froze, unable to answer. Knowing Sonovan was once a samurai made this all the worse.

Because of the inactivity on Johnny's part, Sonovan rotated to look at him closely. "Well?"

Gulping again, Johnny gazed off into the horizon dotted with clouds. He could not muster the courage to look Sonovan in the eyes. "They are no more. More than a century has gone by since their extinction."

Sonovan closed his mouth, his lip quivering. It can't be, he thought. "Tell me it's not true."

"It is."

So far, this would be the closest to crying Johnny had seen yet from Sonovan Lung. "Thank you for speaking with me, Johnny Sparks."

With that, he stood up like a soldier, turned, and nobly walked into the hideout and then into his room. Johnny was left there, staring.

The ancient warrior laid his body prostrate on the hard ground. His eyes watered—the memories flooded back as if someone destroyed a dam. Only then did he come to the realization that he was the last of his kind, the living embodiment of a time long passed. I am the last of The Shadows...and of the samurai.

~~~

As the assembly room was cleaned of the pool of blood, legs, arms, and heads, Titan made his way to the base of the tower. There, he ordered newscasters to be brought to his presence at once. "I want this to be broadcast to the entire planet."

They did all as he desired. Within minutes, the figure of Titan appeared in every corner of Hallux. The forests, the cities, the slums, the dirty alleys, the mountaintops. No place could hide. "Citizens of Hallux, I am Titan, your savior. My commanders brought to my attention the starvation, disease, famine, injustice, and corruption on this planet. In my great purity and goodness, I made sure I would aid this magnificent land.

"A short while ago, I was confronted, condemned, and assaulted by your rulers. These corrupt and selfish men attempted to ail me in my quest for a rebirth of Hallux. Their money and infrastructure cried out to them in fear, since I was here to end all their exterior funding.

"Everything that is hidden shall be made known. That which is kept secret shall be shouted from the rooftops. Nothing will escape my eye—no corrupt thing will avoid me! All I ask of you, the Halluxian people, is your cooperation in this difficult time. Remember, I want only for your betterment. From now on, you will be safe and protected from these foul individuals. Their plans are thwarted. From now on, this potentially great civilization will endure—it will survive. Now rejoice, for your redemption is at hand!"

The people watching clapped and cheered. Outside the building, the sounds of celebration rang. The entire city, and then the entire planet, was delighted. For so long, they had been subject to cruelty by selfish men. At long last, their long-overdue help had arrived. His arms rose synchronously with the jubilant dancing of the crowd.

Purpose fulfilled and assignment successful, Titan boarded a vessel which took him to the ship he had taken, the Invader I. He opted to stand, as was his custom. Rarely did he ever sit.

Solis started laughing. "I think 'success' is an understatement," he chuckled.

"Indeed," Titan answered, almost letting out a chuckle as well. "You did well, Solis."

"I am grateful, my lord. It was my honor."

"The all-important one is next. I desire for you to launch ten scout ships, or as they refer to them, 'UFO's.' I need more information."

"'It' being?"

"Earth."

In several hours, the Invader I rendezvoused with the Titan, his flagship. Once aboard, Titan meandered through the clear white bays and took his elevator to the top. Once the doors parted, he saw Justice there, expectant of his entry. "I take it you did extraordinarily well?" he questioned. Before she could even answer, he said it for her. "Well, of course you did. I saw it all. Credit is where credit is due! Pristine job, Justice. The past is now nothing but a faint memory."

She nodded once. "I take it you also had success?"

"That, my Justice, is an understatement."

#  CHAPTER 21

#  DESTINIES

Half of an hour later, the deep sleepers woke up. The lid of their sleep apparatuses slid open like a lock. Ryan sat up and yawned like a T-Rex. For some reason, his brain assumed he was on Earth, and it took him a minute to realize he was far from his home planet.

The rest woke up only seconds later, still dressed in the remarkable outfits that had been gifted to them. The brothers and Ryan stumbled out of the room and looked around for Johnny and Sonovan. They found them both meditating on the cliff outside the hideout.

"Woah, Johnny, what's gotten into you all of a sudden?" Ryan asked, surprised the Johnny Sparks could actually do nothing but relax for once.

Johnny opened one eye. "About time you're awake. Sonovan and I have had a blast talking." He looked over to Sonovan, who was still in meditation. "And he's a pretty interesting and sophisticated guy, by the way."

"Oh, is that so?"

"Indeed," was the reply.

Dustin and Sam chuckled. "The guy even has a sense of humor."

"You should have heard him several hours ago. I don't even think he meant to, but he was a real jokester."

Sonovan stood in a jiffy. His tone and expression were serious. "Now, we must train. Follow me."

So, they followed him straight back into the hideout. On the way, Sam turned to Ryan. "What do you think he's gonna say?"

With haste, Dustin put in his two cents of the situation. "He'll probably be all like, 'You must unlearn what you have learned.'"

Sam and Ryan chuckled. "Yeah, I guess. He could even say, 'I cannot teach them' because of how reckless we are."

"Aw come on! We aren't that bad!" Dustin responded.

"Dude, why else would we have been suspended for a week? Do I have to remind you about that stunt we pulled at the studio?" replied Ryan.

"Oh, yeah," Sam chuckled.

"The past is the past!" retorted Dustin.

"Yeah, so let's not repeat it, OK?"

The light of the parent star shined forth, illuminating the rocky ground. "This will be your dojo. Break nothing, please," Sonovan instructed.

"Aye-Aye, captain!" Dustin responded. Sam finished it with a salute.

"What does that mean?"

"It's nothing," Johnny interjected. "Trust me."

"Naw, it's something," Sam objected.

"Nothing."

"Something."

"Nothing."

"Something."

"Nothing."

"Hey, crackheads! Would you please shut up?" Ryan shouted after facepalming himself.

"Something," Dustin whispered. Ryan glanced at him and mouthed 'shut up please' to him.

Sonovan turned around to them, hands on his waist, bandana blowing in the breeze flowing through the refuge. "This is the place where legends are born, my fellow allies. This is the place where discipline and order reign. This place can be anywhere: a bedroom, a field, and even a workplace. No matter the setting, the tradition of the dojo is unchanging. You may have learned martial arts, and that is good. It will ease the lessons for you. But now I will train you in the way I was trained. An art that has long been forgotten. A method of ancient times. A method designed by The Shadows. A method of fighting honed by the warriors of old. Men who could annihilate anyone in their way. And soon, with my supervision, you will become the heirs of their legacy. Are you ready?"

Dustin, Sam, and Ryan's collective mouths gaped. "Wow, that was the best speech I have ever heard."

"Just when I thought a Yoda quote would be cool," said Sam.

"For real," replied Dustin.

"Wait, who are The Shadows?" asked Johnny.

Sonovan blinked twice, glancing at the ground in reminiscence. Then he looked up. "One day, I will tell you, but not now."

For twenty minutes, each person stretched their muscles in preparation. At the end of the allotted time, a loud voice cried out, "Ready!" in a quick, short fashion. Though clearly Sonovan, his mood and expression had changed so drastically it was as if he had morphed into someone wholly distinct from his usual personality.

~~~

Titan motioned for Solis to leave him and Justice alone. The third-in-command recognized his body language and left. Titan turned around to face Justice. "I had faith you would come through, Justice. I saw it all, and you did well."

"Thank you, my lord. It was difficult, but I succeeded in the mission."

Titan laid his arm on her shoulder before caressing her jaw. "I am very proud of you. Your father, though a decent man, held you back. While he advised for you to remain an ordinary person—a failure—I have a far larger, fulfilling destiny in store for you. Your destiny lies in the expanse of the cosmos, the expanding Tetra, not in the welfares of men!" he exclaimed vociferously, turning to the clear outlook of space, arms outstretched. "You are a creature of space, not of Earth."

She contemplated his response. "Your generosity and goodness are beyond the heavens, my lord."

He turned again. "Tell me, what do you think any friends you have ever had would react to your new life? What would they call you? Evil? A monster? Too powerful for her own good?"

"What are you getting at?"

"They are too naïve and low to even comprehend you now. While they worry themselves with the purchase of the next clothing or a text to some other do-nothing, you are the Voir to the Titan!" he bellowed, truly invested in the monologue, his voice altered from deep to booming.

She flinched just a tad from the echo it produced as it resonated throughout the clear-walled throne room. "I see. You are likely right."

"But please tell me one thing. Was that your little friend Z?" he questioned.

"I believe so."

Titan smiled, almost eliciting a chuckle due to this mystery. "Ah, I am beginning to highly esteem this fellow," he said, shuffling to the large window and the expanse of the universe beyond it. "So perplexing! So mysterious! He is keeping me on edge. I am constantly conjecturing about his true identity! Who must he be? His teasing has me entertained! Most entertained!"

"I, too, am puzzled."

"I know not an individual who isn't! Let us hope he is on our side. On the side of good."

"I reckon that he is not. I think he is neutral."

"And how have you come to that conclusion?"

"Just a feeling."

"Then let us hope he does not interfere."

For a while, there were no sounds but the low, constant purring of the ship itself. A message transmitted to Titan's database from Solis, currently piloting the Titan. Titan walked in nobility to the relay mechanism. It beamed a hologram, lighting up his face in color. He read it over in haste before twisting around. "I have another mission for you, Justice. It is on Iopia. The planet is 90% water. Send a message to them and follow up with a meeting. There have been reports of corruption in the command quarters there. If the rumors are untrue, return to me with the good news. If not...use your own good judgment."

"Certainly, my lord Titan. I shall do as you ask."

"One more thing," he said as she was about to leave. She turned. "I have a very, very, special job for you before your venture to Iopia. We are quite close to your home planet, Xalen, ironically. I desire for you to travel there and enter the former citadel of Ta-Vir, your progenitor. There have been rumors of dissidents hiding out there. Prove the rumors either right or wrong."

Her eyes widened, and she nodded. "I will do as you command," she answered, calling for the elevator before her departure.

Ordering Solis in as well, Titan smiled at his entrance. The dark clad figure stood astute in dark green armor from head to toe. As usual, he had concealed his face in a glasslike, opaque helmet. He did not wish to be known. The fact he had resurrected Titan half a millennium prior was enough of a legacy for one lifetime. His species could live for a great number of years, after all.

"My lord Titan, what is your decree?"

"My friend, I want you to depart to Quev'lon. You will be brought up to date during your journey. I instruct you to install a new ruler there."

Underneath the helmet, Solis smiled in pride. "Not often do you give me an order such as this."

Titan rested his head, turning back to the expanse. "Figured it was time."

Solis strode away, ready for the assignment.

~~~

"Remember, the best defense is the best offense," Sonovan Lung instructed. "This style is best used in conjunction with the styles you have learned. Let us begin."

They trained for two grueling hours, the abode now turned into a sweatshop. Jane had the toughest time learning, so sometimes both Sonovan and Johnny helped her with her stance and combos.

On the other hand, Johnny's speed proved to hold a significant advantage over opponents. He could disable enemies without them knowing he ever even moved upon them.

Dustin and Sam had the most fun, of course. They practiced on each other, with Sonovan routinely choosing one and testing what they learned.

Ryan was a fusion. At times he understood, and other times he did not. His expression a combination of different emotions, he approached Sonovan. "Wait, so you're saying to sweep, pick the guy up by the neck, and then do what?"

"Break his neck on the ground by performing a suplex."

Ryan chuckled uneasily. "So, you actually want us to kill the guy?"

"If necessary."

"When is necessary?"

"You will know when."

He laughed uneasily again, nervously shaking his head. "Geez, talk about fatality."

"Here, I will demonstrate." Sonovan motioned for him to come closer.

"OK, please don't kill me!"

"There is no worry needed."

"Yeah, well can I trust you?"

Sonovan gave him a look. "I have trained twenty-three before you. I know what I am doing."

"Fine, just get on with it and let's hope I can learn something."

They both bowed to each other before beginning. Sonovan showed to him how it would be done at a slow tutoring speed for the drill. He advanced and kicked Ryan in the lower calf, lightly of course. "This would distract the opponent. It does not need to be a solid kick, but enough to grab the opponent's attention." Ryan nodded. Sonovan then followed up the 'distraction' with a roundhouse kick to the ribs with his other leg.

After the first, he repeated it; alternating legs with such swift ferocity Ryan could do nothing but attempt at blocking. He parried most of the attacks, but that was the point, as Sonovan said. After six kicks, Sonovan jumped and twisted fully in the air, and upon landing, spun into a sweep. Ryan fell and Sonovan pounced on him. He performed a suplex on him, desperately trying to not hurt Ryan in the process. They both slammed onto the ground, spreading a bit of dust.

"Wow, that was pretty cool," he grunted.

"If done correctly at full strength, the move could break the neck of anyone."

"Alright, I will work on it."

"Excellent. And when used with your powers, it would be an unstoppable attack. There would likely be no need for a suplex."

"Yep," Ryan chuckled. "The dude would get smacked."

"Indeed."

Sonovan left him and walked over to Dustin and Sam again. They were both doing exactly what Sonovan taught Ryan. "Not bad. I did not think you would understand it as quickly as you have."

"Gee, thanks! We'll take it as a compliment," Dustin replied.

"Yes, you may."

Both Johnny and Jane were on the other side. Sonovan marveled at how serious he had become. What an interesting fellow, he thought.

The two were attempting at replicating what everyone else was doing. Jane could not lift Johnny above her, so she chose to use her ability instead. She would kick him two times with the alternating legs. Then he allowed her to sweep his leg. Instead of jumping on him, she reached out and pulled him into the air, causing Johnny to float.

"Don't drop me."

"I won't."

"OK, good. That's good to know."

She turned him over in the air and replicated a suplex telekinetically. He floated gently to the ground, duplicating the move in slow motion. If she had pushed his body down, the position he was in would have broken his neck, killing him instantly. "Good job, Jane, good job."

"Thank you. It's not like I would ever drop you."

"I know you wouldn't. I was just letting out nerves."

She giggled and Sonovan stepped in, applauding. "Excellent use of those abilities, Jane. You can become a useful asset in this fight against Titan. He has acquired those abilities, as you know."

"And by this time, he has probably mastered them," Johnny said.

"Yes, he has."

"I will try my best."

Johnny almost deemed Sonovan would say, 'No! Do or do not, there is no try,' but he did not.

"Good. Splendid, in fact!"

They both smiled at him.

~~~

The journey only took several hours before Solis had arrived on Quev'lon. Sixty-five percent land, Quev'lon was home to purple skinned inhabitants with black eyes, large heads, and oddly shaped appendages, specifically their three legs.

Upon landing, Solis himself and the soon-to-be ruler of Quev'lon accompanied him. Named Io Wix, the man was also a Quev'lonian. To his people, they despised him, calling him a traitor to his own kind.

The main capital situated in its largest city. This edifice stood tall over the seemingly low structures contiguous to its grandeur.

When Solis entered the giant edifice, one thousand soldiers marched with him. Alarms rang while well-fit security and military officers attempted to shoot them on site, but Solis would have none of it. Pointing to each, Solis ordered the soldiers to do what was necessary. "Kill them," he ordered, motioning to his officer. "Kill them all."

The blaster rifles fired as a slew of blue streaks went back and forth between the Quev'lonian security and the army of Titan under command of Solis.

There were only ten casualties on his side while they completely annihilated the security forces. More burst in, but upon the spectacle of seven-foot-tall Solis, his small army, and three hundred dead security members, surrendered their weapons by dropping each. Glaring at the backup force through his helmet, the once virtuous security force got the gist. "Anyone else?" he questioned. When no one responded, the dark clad Solis chuckled deeply. "Exactly what I surmised."

Solis slaughtered nearby infantry as he and his legion ascended the many floors to the apex, where he burst through the giant two doors into the governmental legislature. Upon his grand ingress, Solis faced three dozen guards who were reduced to ash without difficulty.

The legislature ceased their bickering immediately. "Lord Titan has known this planet for a while," he started.

"And?" a politician retorted, dressed in a long garb.

"Any world His Greatness studies for an extensive amount of time is in a dire situation."

"Who is this Titan you speak of?" questioned another. One brave but certainly aged presiding elder strode up to Solis. Also exceptionally tall, this three-legged person stood eye to eye with him.

"And what gives you the right?" he quipped, his name Ersyxz. "You have no power over us! To kill our own! War!"

"I beg to differ," Solis retorted. Grabbing the three-legged politician by the throat, he raised him for every eye to see. "You feel it now, don't you? The fear." The legislature stood from their seats.

"We will never bow to you," the elder croaked.

"Possibly, but there is someone far worse than I. You will answer to him."

Another infantry landed—a substantially larger one. One million, to be exact. They crowded the streets as the people ran in terror.

Silence emitted from Solis as the fragile neck broke in his hand. Releasing, the dead man dropped to the floor in a loud crash.

Rotating his head around the premises, not one moved a muscle. "Do as you may," Solis ordered to his nearest officer.

"Execution?" the officer assumed.

In response, Solis turned his head to the subordinate, glaring through the opaque helmet he wore before turning back and striding out. "Slay them all," the officer ruthlessly commanded. Within seconds, the screams were snuffed out as one hundred of the members of the governing body were massacred. In the next several minutes, they would bestow Io Wix the position Dowsa of Quev'lon, meaning 'emperor.' The planet was under new management, for Io Wix only served Titan. Therefore, after many years, Quev'lon became the newest civilization brought under Titan's rule. Solis left in a moment's notice. Easier than I had remembered, he thought.

~~~

Titan, standing in his usual spot, turned when Solis strode into the throne room hours later. "Permission to enter," he asked, kneeling onto one knee.

"Permission granted."

Solis stood and slowly paced closer, arms locked behind his back. "My lord, the mission was a success. Easily defeated and were overcome without difficulty."

"I can trust you with my very life," responded Titan.

"May I not seem prideful in your sight, my lord, but yes, you actually did."

Chuckling, Titan smiled. "You can never disappoint me, my friend."

"Thank you, greatness," Solis responded gratefully. His voice descended low to follow. "Anyway, the scouts have relayed us more data. The information has been transmitted, by my command, to your personal database. When you so desire, it is available."

"Thank you, Solis. Is there anything else?"

"Yes, my lord, and I believe you will be pleased."

"I will not read your mind. Surprise me."

"A variable is aboard with them."

Titan sneered. "Oh yes, what a surprise it is! Please, bring the variable into the examination cell. I want to see it myself."

"It is a male."

"Then bring him into the examination cell."

Solis nodded once and left the room. Titan turned back to the window, deep in contemplation. The stars and galaxies far in the distance of the universe almost spoke to him. In his opinion, this reality was so grand, so awesome, so wide, and so perfect. The Tetra had grown large and mighty, but he was just one being. He could not do it all.

His mind shifted to the news Solis brought him. Could this really be it? Is this species the one he needs? "I believe so," he muttered to the only one breathing in the room—himself.

#  CHAPTER 22

CLIFF NOTES

Once the lesson for the day finished, Ryan met up with Sonovan. The others went to go do other things, which mostly meant using their powers. Sonovan had returned to the cliff and relaxed into another meditative posture; this time a virasana, also known as the hero pose.

Damnit, I hate heights. "Always got to pick the weird places to meditate," he mumbled, doing everything in his power to not look down. Ryan begrudgingly sat next to him in his own position, legs crossed.

"What is it, Ryan?" Sonovan asked him, eyes still closed.

"How'd you know it was me?"

"You make substantially more noise than your friends."

"Oh, right. Yep, that's me," he chuckled.

"Have you come here to join me?"

"Yes."

"Do you have a question?"

"Yeah, I do actually."

"Feel free."

"OK, thanks. Titan can control minds, right?"

"Yes."

"So how can we prohibit him from controlling ours? And why did Rose get taken and not any of us?"

"There can be many answers to that question. Rose, I have concluded, had an easier mind to control, and she could have been insecure in herself. This could have been due to her otherworldly origins, never considering herself a human. She could never fit in."

"But internally, she was the same. That's why doctors were never suspicious of her."

"It does not matter. It still has an effect. The powers of the Titan overwhelmed her, because she was prime prey. Weak minds are an ancient city without walls. Nothing but a playground for him. To stop it, then, we must have extraordinary will."

Ryan sighed. "That is easier said than done."

Sonovan smirked, knowing he would have responded with those words. After all, he had said the same once. "Long ago, before I met Titan, he encountered a species with wills so strong not even he could penetrate it. That is, he could not control them." Ryan nodded, recalling when he mentioned this. "They eventually disappeared, their whereabouts unknown. Only a few would ever be seen in public places, and I was fortunate to commune with one. His name was Zydok, before...before Titan murdered him. The will was incredible, to say the least. In all my days I have never seen anything with such willpower."

"Then how can we be like him?"

"Well, you can't. But you can get close enough. How must you do it? You must will yourself into what you believe. Your mission and stance on life must be so strong and firm that nothing could veer you from that belief. Only then might your will be strong enough—strong like The Shadows. Then, and only then, does your mind have a chance. It has been done before. It is not an impossible or unattainable task. Even I did it."

"How?"

"On the contrary, let me ask you a question. As many have stated, before you start a war, what are you fighting for? What are you fighting for, Ryan Slade? Is it a person? A belief? A place? All of the above?" Ryan glanced at Sonovan, befuddled. Truly, he knew why he was fighting. "It is a six-letter word," Sonovan continued. "D-E-S-I-R-E. Desire. That is the key. I desired Aiko to such an extent that nothing could stop me from what I had to do. To that end, it is good you like Rose."

"I d-don't like her! What are you talking about?"

Sonovan turned his head slowly toward Ryan. "Ryan, you do not need to hide it. I can see your eyes when you mention her. I have lived long and seen every kind of people. Trust me, I know you do." Ryan did not respond but stayed still. Sonovan continued. "But do not fret! This is an excellent thing! She can be how Aiko was to me. If you desire her more than anything—to drag her from Titan's relentless grip—then you can save her."

Ryan nodded in understanding. Even he admitted to himself that it made sense. "I understand. I will try. I will try hard. Thanks, Sonovan."

"My pleasure."

"Is there anything else?"

"In fact, there is. You must know something."

Furrowing his brow, Ryan responded, "Well, tell me."

"Whatever Titan says about how Earth is, do not call him insane, which, upon my observation, he is far from. Many have labeled him psychotic, but the words he utters are true and absent of falsities. Surely, if he gets to Earth, he will enact his plan to overthrow the government of the modern day. That is, if he does not find 'the answer.'"

"The answer?" replied Ryan, who sought a clarification.

"I do not know what it is, but he referenced it twice when I last fought him all those years ago."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Because if we prevail, you must work to destroy the evils in the very humans you are trying to save."

Nodding but slightly confused, Ryan replied, "I will try."

"I believe in you."

"Thanks."

"You are welcome, Ryan," he responded.

Grinning, Ryan turned to glance at Sonovan, primed to ask one more question. "By the way, what are your powers? Titan said something that I have matter absorption, but what about you?"

Sonovan huffed, opening his eyes once more, staring out into the grand view below. "My abilities are much more complex than yours, my friend," he began. "Due to my 'accident' all those years ago, the Xun, a gateway to the Shadowverse itself and a time vortex, exposed me to the greatest outpouring of Ooris in history, even more so than Titan."

"Really?" questioned Ryan in disbelief.

"Yes, really. I source my abilities, like yours, in the Shadowverse. On the contrary, though, I generate Ooris, whereas you were merely infused with it, which formed a connection between you and the Shadowverse. This Energy runs in my veins, which allows me to move faster, see farther, and strike with a ferocity unparalleled by any."

"Not even Titan?"

"He is my only near match—a nemesis, you might say. But not even he can strike with the sheer power I can. You yourself are nearly on par with us, actually. In fact, one day, you might surpass me in that aspect," he extolled, laying a hand on Ryan's shoulder.

In conjunction with his speech, Ryan imagined his father as this man. Sonovan Lung had now come close to a father figure for him.

"Anyway, I hope that satisfied your inquiry."

"It did," he responded, eyes far away.

Akin to Sonovan and Johnny that very morning, the two sat there for a while, looking out at the prominent blue sky and the valleys and geography below them, all the way out to a radiant, shimmering sea of water on the horizon. "Out there is the Kampan Sea," Sonovan mentioned, pointing to it in the distance. "Giant sea creatures call that place home."

"You have gone over there?"

"Yes. It is quite frightening. The only way to explain them is that they seem similar to the centipedes on Earth, except far larger."

"By how much?"

"I have assumed forty feet, but I could be wrong."

Ryan put on a sickened look. "That's disgusting. Ew."

"Yes, it is. It is repulsing and gives me nausea."

"Yeah, well, if it does that to you, I don't want to imagine what it would do to me," Ryan chuckled.

"Then let's not."

~~~

News reporters scrambled to report the activity at Montauk Point. A woman in a robe had left via another portal.

Neighbors had found Henry Johnson dead as a doornail in his living room. Immediately the police had been notified. They did forensics, but no investigator could pinpoint the person who committed the act. They labeled his daughter, Rose Johnson, a suspect, but there was not a high chance of that being the case. She and five others had disappeared days prior.

Police believed it was linked to the disappearances, as did the FBI. They contacted Dustin's and Sam's parents, but they had no clues either as to where the group went. In fact, you could say the Jones' household was chaos. The parents cried with one another and prayed their boys were not hurt.

Johnny's parents were the same. Jane did not have parents, and her grandparents had died. She was alone, but no longer.

Ryan Slade had left his mother there as well, even though he defied the idea and still thought it was stupid.

That all changed in one night. A man in a jacket visited Dustin and Sam's parents, Robert and Jenny. He knocked on the door. This time he wore a white mask with black scribbles etched over it.

Jenny opened the door but let out a shrill cry when she saw the masked man. He covered her mouth in haste to drown out her scream and brought her in onto the couch. Robert was in the room and about to attack the man when he, identifying himself as Z, cried out, "I know where your sons are!" Robert stopped dead in his tracks. "But the only way for you to know is if you cooperate with me."

"Tell me everything you know, now!" Robert demanded.

"Please, sit down."

Z explained to them they were not dead, but on a planet with Sonovan Lung, an ancient warrior. He told them they had been tricked by an alien calling himself 'Titan.'

"What can I do to get them back from him?"

"There is nothing you can do. I only came here to spare your pain, Robert. There is one thing you must both know. If you ever say anything about what I just informed you, I will find you. I only allow you to call the homes of Bethany Slade and Timothy and Irene Sparks."

They both nodded, because they knew they would be no match for him. "Where are you from? How do you know all this?" Jenny questioned, a chaotic, perplexed look strewn across her face.

Rotating his masked head slightly, he responded, "I am from nowhere, and I know because I know. There is nothing else to say. Godspeed." With that, he opened the door and left their residence. Z left the two in shock. Jenny ran out to see if he was still in sight, but to no avail, since his presence had abandoned the location.

#  CHAPTER 23

#  VENGEANCE

Titan stepped into his elevator and pushed the button that would take him to the Titan's control room precinct. The door opened when he arrived. No one said a word, since it was delightfully rare Titan himself descended to their level. He eyed them and surveyed the situation.

Several minutes passed, and then he spoke. "As you know, someone hijacked our systems and allowed Sonovan, our enemy, to board this ship. He who was in command at the time, please make yourself known."

A commander with the name 'Supan' on his ID stepped forward. "It was I." He stood about 5'8" inches, dwarfed by the size of Titan. Commander Supan had a variegated skin type, glistening like a rainbow in the lights of the control room.

Titan inspected the officer and led him to the elevator. Everyone in the precinct stared in terror, knowing Commander Supan would likely never return.

On the way up, silence reigned. The doors opened and they both exited. Supan was the first to speak. "I am truly sorry, my lord Titan. Someone hijacked us. He came aboard, somehow, and activated the exotic matter and warp mechanism. There was nothing we could do once he activated it. We were slave to it."

"I see. But how come none of you saw him? Was he invisible?"

"No. He was very fast."

Titan's interest perked up. "What do you mean by 'fast'? Does he have similar abilities to Johnny Sparks?"

"Yes, my lord, he does. Our soldiers are well-trained, but they were no match for him."

Titan pondered this. "Why was the shield not already activated when he arrived? The shield is always active. Who was lazy and did not make sure it was on? Thus, it would have been impossible for anyone to access it, then."

"Only Claq is in control of the warp button shield, my lord."

"Send him in."

Supan left at once and brought in Claq, who was in awe for the fact he could meet Titan. A yellow skinned, average sized individual, he belonged to the Erse species, known for the protruding fins on their calf muscles and spikey craniums. Unfortunately, Titan was not pleased with him.

"Ah, Claq. Greetings."

"Thank you, my lord. This is an honor!"

Ignoring him, Titan continued. "What were you doing when the ship was hijacked? Why was the warp button shield not online?"

"I was"—Claq began to sweat and wiped his forehead— "not in the room, Eternal Savior. I am truly sorry."

Titan's eyes bore into Claq's soul. He was furious, though careful to not make it known. Well, not just yet. "I understand, Claq. I fully understand." His eyes met Commander Supan's. The commander cognized what Titan was trying to say. He turned around and left. Claq knew to the nth degree what was about to happen.

"You failed, Claq. I have already searched your mind." Titan's voice deepened into something comparable to a growl. "Useless. You were in the break room, drinking and playing games. What? At a time like that? I was about to crush them! We were this close! You are now in a thankfully minute group of imprudent fools who dared to serve me without their all."

"My lord, please! Do not! I am sorry!"

"What a fine soldier you were. But fine"—Titan reached out and telekinetically lifted Claq into the air— "is just not good enough." His eyes burned crimson, and at this point, Claq had already uttered his goodbyes.

Titan began to bend Claq in the opposite direction. He wailed in pain before Titan finished the job. Claq's back broke and his spine shattered. When it was over, his head had reached the underside of his knees.

The rage inside him subsided, and Titan let the dead carcass fall to the ground. He personally threw the lifeless soldier into the trash chute.

~~~

An hour passed before Sonovan and Ryan relaxed from meditating. Johnny had come up to check on them, but when he saw the two, he knew to keep his distance. Sonovan was bonding with Ryan the same way he had done.

Johnny returned to the brothers and Jane. "Hey Chronos," he said, "Can you take us over there?" He pointed to a clearing at the bottom of the mountain.

"Affirmative," was the reply. Jane's chest glowed blue with each word the artificial intelligence spoke. "You must ask either the Aurora V5 or Echo V9 to aid you."

"The Aurora is mine," Dustin answered. "Sam has the Echo."

"Alright, well who wants to do the honors this time?"

"I will."

"OK."

Dustin swung his arms in a circular motion. The generators were activated.

The Aurora system turned on. "Where would you desire to go?"

"There," Dustin guided, pointing to the location. "I want to teleport to that location, at the edge of the forest."

"Certainly." A sphere arose from the floor and floated to them. "Guess that's the taxi."

"Damn, just look at that thing," said Sam.

"How does it even know how to form a wormhole? I thought only bulk beings could do that."

"Yeah, well, there's so much we don't know," Johnny replied. "We are like at the bottom of the ladder in progression as a civilization."

"Woah, what the hell are you guys doing?" Ryan exclaimed as he burst into the room.

Sonovan followed behind him. "Spectacular. Titan has even utilized Zydok's teleportation powers. Incredible."

"That dude had teleportation powers as well? Who doesn't have powers?"

"Most do not. But the ones who do, they are the chosen ones."

"Chosen?"

"Yes. Even you are chosen. Heroes are chosen from the sea of the population. In fact, the ones who are least likely to go anywhere in life are the ones who could be chosen."

"OK, but chosen by who?" asked Johnny.

"Fate. Fate elects heroes."

"Are you telling us fate is a person?" Sam tried to clarify.

"No. It is not, but I am using it as an analogy. After all, one way or another, it all comes for us."

"Who?"

"Time."

Dustin coughed. "Wow, this has gotten awfully philosophical. Can we just take the cute little sphere to our destination? We can come back and talk however much you want."

"Good plan," Sonovan replied.

They jumped into the floating sphere. In a moment, they arrived on the other side, several thousand feet below the hideout on dry ground. Down here, the air was much fuller, scent of Herook captivating their senses.

"How did you ever explore?" Johnny asked, staring up at the monstrous mountain next to him.

"Stairs had already been here when I arrived."

"Oh."

"So, what are we doing down here?" he asked. A brook streamed happily by, nearly at their feet. Each drank the life-giving liquid to their heart's content.

"Why is this place so much like Earth?" Jane thought aloud. "I never thought anything could be so similar."

"That is true," Sonovan agreed. "It has its pleasures, a world unaffected by man, machine, or the Tetra. Nevertheless, we must find a way off this heap of rock. We must confront Titan. I must confront him."

"Yeah, well let's find a different kind of food first."

"There are multiple species of fish in this stream. Blue Yile, as I have called them, are in this picturesque brook." The crystal-clear water flowed by, in no hurry. It made a pleasant whoosh sound by its movement.

"How far have you explored?" Sam asked.

"I have mounted a few dozen voyages. Since food is inessential to me, I have managed year-long expeditions. The longest I have done is eight years."

"Eight years?!" Dustin exclaimed, shocked.

"One does eventually grow bored," Sonovan responded. They laughed at the felicitous joke. Dustin, always doing things in excess, fell down in laughter.

When things calmed down, Ryan said, "Blue Yile, huh? Let's find 'em!"

Sonovan watched as Ryan splashed in the water, large body flashing about in his emerald-enameled suit. Though he could not pinpoint the exact moment, when Dustin and the rest fell into hysterics at his own pertinent wit, Sonovan felt something. A feeling not sensed for what seemed an eternity passed—like he was in a family again. But, like before, no ordinary family. A family of heroes.

#  CHAPTER 24

#  PREPARATION

In his throne room, Titan studied the information sent to him via his scouts. Recordings of television programs, everyday events, and specific lives of people comprised the information.

Solis, now temporarily Voir, stayed close by as he worked on picking the new recruit. Justice, on the other hand, headed towards Xalen, her home planet.

"Humanity's hunger to worship something higher than them is far more exorbitant than I had previously surmised."

"Which indicates?"

"Other civilizations we have encountered have nowhere close the religious emphasis. Many of the conflicts on Earth are nothing akin to what we have both experienced. Most of these are not political or military wars, but spiritual ones. They search for meaning and purpose, but fail in their quests. Their so-called free life is only a prison. These people imprison themselves to their lusts and addictions, and thus impede themselves and those around them from ever growing beyond their myopic vision of reality. Humans need to be woken up! What they yearn for is coming for them! Since when has the master sought to free the servant? Never!"

"Yes, my lord. What you say is true."

"This planet and its rulers are exactly the same as Hallux, despite its lack of advancement."

"I too agree."

"I am genuinely fascinated. When are the scouts scheduled to arrive? Is the variable sedated?"

"About twenty-three hours, my lord. And yes, he is sedated."

"Excellent."

~~~

When Justice arrived on Xalen, she knew she reached home. The reddish sky provided a surely exotic environment for the advanced species. Once she arrived at her father's citadel, she sank to her knees, fighting hard to prevent herself from crying. She then stood, stomping to the giant door. As she pushed, it creaked open little by little, pouring light into the abandoned, dark home of Ta-Vir and Kira.

Wandering the halls, she found his former quarters; made obvious by the fact his room had been labeled 'TA-VIR.' Inside the dimly lit room, she uncovered broken computers lying on the floor, a holographic machine, and numerous other kinds of technology and furniture. The place was a wreck, undoubtedly abandoned.

Across the way, she espied the room of her mother, Kira. In contrast, this chamber was far more arranged and organized. In the corner, she again espied a petite bed. Walking over, she examined it. With small white barricades on attached like a fence and a soft mattress, it was undeniable this was a baby carriage—the one she would have occupied. Clenching her jaw, she fought to suppress her emotions, the force of Titan's will still imposed on her. She gulped to do so, only one tear oozed out of her eye and dropped to the floor.

After searching the entire house for thirty minutes, she discovered nothing abnormal. In turn, she slowly backed out of the citadel, closing the door behind her; she shuffled down the hill to her craft, where her pilot and seven outfitted soldiers kept watch. "Take me to Iopia, Officer Dox."

SEVERAL HOURS LATER

Justice arrived on Iopia after a safe travel. Her cruiser landed on a pad located on a command station's property. Officers ran to the door of the cruiser and met the second-in-command as the hatch opened.

"My sovereign, I am grateful and honored to meet you. I am Commander Zev of the First Legion. What news do you have for us?"

As he spoke, Justice continued to stride towards the pyramid-shaped main building. "I have news that concerns even you, Commander. Please accompany me as I make it known."

"Surely," he acceded.

Once she entered, the soldiers inside gaped and instantaneously fell into line. Silence sprang upon the air in the large room. Everyone gathered around the bright room.

"Comrades, I regret to inform you that Titan has been displeased with the work done on this planet. Rumors have spread that there is insubordination and rebellion in this sector. Are these rumors true?" The entire crowd fell silent, and the high-ranking officers gulped. "Well? Is there not truth among you?"

"No, there has not been," Zev answered at last. His face was dirty and scuffed.

Justice turned to him and stared. "Are you absolutely sure, Commander?"

The few moments passed excruciatingly slow. She narrowed her eyes. "Fine, I will take it as a group effort, then."

A terrifying few seconds passed, no one owning up to the deed. "No, it-it was I," Zev stuttered, knowing what was to come as a result. "I want to leave. Titan is not who he once was. It is becoming an intolerant state of government in the Tetra."

"And who are you to cause such savagery, Zev?"

Zev gulped before responding again. "There is a rebellion stirring, Justice. And I want to be on the side of the good guys."

"Since when are we the bad guys?" she replied, anger festering like a boiling pan.

"You were never the good guys, either."

She scoffed at the remark. This was not how she had hoped this meeting would go. "You do know Titan told me to use my own good judgment, correct?"

"No, I did not."

"I hoped to leave with good news! Why must it always be difficult?"

"When Titan falls, we will eradicate the queen bee. It will be easy to overtake you. He will not affect your minds."

"That day you speak of will never come. You shall die in your belief."

Zev gulped, for he knew the repercussions. But he had readied himself. "I would rather die believing in something, than nothing at all."

Justice's scowl deepened. She sprinted to him, and in one motion, she was at his side. Justice picked him up by the neck and held him high for all to see. "This is what happens to rebels! Justice for the universe!" She unsheathed a swirly blade and stabbed him in the chest with it. He fell to the ground, already dead.

~~~

It took about a half-hour to fish for the Blue Yile. Instead of fishing poles, Sonovan insisted on using one's own body to catch the Blue Yile. Ryan had a fun time, and at the end of it, he had caught about eight fish. They ranged from a foot to a foot-and-a-half long. Johnny placed each in a container Sonovan brought.

The geography of Herook was thought-provokingly similar to Earth. In fact, the trees were strikingly analogous to spruce and fir trees.

But out of nowhere, there were sounds of footsteps and blaster fire in the forest as well as voices. Of course, due to his abilities, Sonovan was the first to take notice while the others were bantering about everything imaginable. He narrowed his eyes towards the forest, searching—listening. The voices increased as he watched for movement. He clenched his jaw and turned in a way that sent the necessary message.

Johnny looked up at him. "What is it?" Sonovan only held up a single finger in front of his lips. Silence.

Everyone got up to listen and prepare. "Soldiers," Johnny noted.

Dustin's eyes widened. "Shit! Let's go...now!" He rushed to try to open a portal but Sonovan himself held up his hand to stop him.

"No," he started, "I want to see your spectacular abilities myself."

Ryan raised his eyebrow. "You want us to take them out? Will you help?"

"No. I would simply erase their bodies from existence with one attack. I want to finally see what you are capable of. Through this assault by members of the enemy, I glimpse your destinies, for you are the ones who will prevail over darkness."

"Let's do it," Jane said.

"Wow Dustin, she is more fearless than you are," Ryan jested.

"Aw man shut up!" Dustin retorted.

"Shh!" Sonovan hushed. "They are approaching." The blue blades of light which were shot out from the blasters zoomed out of the forest. Whoever meandered through was clearing a path. And soon, these soldiers of the Tetra exited the forest's embrace and caught sight of the group, including Sonovan Lung.

"You!" one screamed. They wore dark blue armor with large helmets, weapons of every sort attached to belts. "Filth!" They pointed their weapons of warfare at each.

Another stepped out but donned an angelic white armor, except he was far from an angel. "If it is not for the ones who escaped...and Sonovan Lung! This is incredible! I am Officer Turion of the Third Sector, Herook."

The two groups were separated by the brook. "We don't care who you are!" Sam shot back. "In short, you're idiots!"

Another twenty assailants creeped away from the forest. "And as surely as Titan lives and I live, you are dead," Turion spat. "Engage."

"My chosen ones, engage," Sonovan ordered. "Accept your destiny and destroy them."

Johnny acted. He sprinted like a superpowered locomotive across the brook, towards the assailants. As he passed, he laid powerful elbows on the rib-cage region of every soldier. He imagined the scene would make a perfect poster, since these attackers were shoved down like dominoes under the force of the superspeed elbows.

Sonovan merely watched in place as his protégés retaliated. Dustin generated a supercharged stream of air onto the downed attackers. The ferocity of this airstream picked them up and hurled the bewildered soldiers towards the others. Ryan, his appearance like rock, jumped into a monstrous punch which annihilated three, the contact severing the very life from their bodies.

Jane aided by lifting up a few at a time while Johnny stripped the weapons from the holsters and belts. He liked where she was going. "Good idea!" he screamed back. "Do it!"

She could feel a burning sensation from her very core. As if she wanted to release her anger. The indignation she had kept since her parents were taken. Jane howled in fury, but also uncertainty, of whether she can control this power. "Stay in control, Jane," Sonovan instructed. He had stood like a statue next to her throughout. "Stay in control."

The remaining twenty opponents were raised thirty feet off the ground, subjected to a Titan-like breadth of telekinesis. Now an opening had been created. To eliminate them all.

Sam got the cue and stepped into a brutal attack. "Freeze!" he shouted as silvery-blue jets of frozen energy landed on the enemies. They froze despite their screams. Jane immediately released, paving the way for gravity to do its work. Like meteorites, the once-proud, well-trained attackers plummeted into the current of the small brook. They proved to be no match.

Throughout the short battle, Sonovan marveled at their teamwork. This...was something he had never seen. Well, not for a millennium. They reminded him of the band of warriors he had been a part of all those years ago—The Shadows. Zydok, Orslon, Venarian. And now, the destiny of those legends was not also to defeat Titan, but to inspire the next generation of heroes: these humans before him.

The fight ended without another hassle. Johnny sped back and Ryan rushed over. Jane was exasperated, letting out a long breath as she collapsed to the ground. "That's all for one day," she said.

Johnny tried to help her up but she resisted. "Sorry Johnny, but give me a little while."

"Oh, uh, OK. Take your time."

Dustin rolled his eyes and looked to Sam. "That was damn awesome," Sam said. "This is how life should be. Awesome."

"It was," Ryan agreed. He high-fived Sam. "Nice shooting. Too bad you suck every time you tried those RPG's and shooter games back home."

Sam shook his head in dismissal of the remark. "It's true though, dude," Dustin replied. "It really is."

"Whatever," Sam answered.

Sonovan walked back to them. "My friends, I am impressed. Impressed beyond any imagination. You are truly the chosen. I have seen your destiny, and it is brighter than the stars of the universe."

As if in sync, the others smiled wide. This all felt so right—like this is what they were born to do. "With you as our leader, Sonovan, we will never lose." The man humbly nodded once.

On the return journey, Sonovan insisted they walk up the stairs to a checkpoint instead of a quick teleportation. This elicited complaints from Dustin and Sam, of course. It was a hike taking two hours to complete. Sonovan said the trek would aid them, yet they had no clue why.

"How much longer will this take?" Ryan grumbled.

"About thirty more minutes."

"Oh, thank heaven!"

"I am forcing you to do this for one reason. It will increase your patience and your core. Patience is always useful for the warrior."

"Yeah, well I'm starved now. The gravity is punishing."

"So am I," Sam groaned, sighing.

"Me too," Dustin added.

"Your bellies will be full soon. I will allow you to transport once we arrive at the checkpoint."

Thirty minutes later, the entourage reached the said checkpoint. Sonovan allowed them to teleport the remainder of the trek. Finally at their destination, the group sat down and prepared to feast.

Once they ate the meal and rested for an hour, Sonovan called them over to the main room. "Now, we will practice again. Are you ready?"

"Yes I am," Johnny answered. The rest replied the same.

"Good. We will repeat the last lesson, yet I will teach you something new. It appears you have caught on to my lessons faster than I anticipated. Nevertheless, let us begin."

He initiated the lesson by designing moves which complemented each of their powers. The training lasted one hour, and then they stopped for a drink from the water cooler.

This gigantic cooler sat modestly in one of the adjacent rooms. A refrigeration system, which coordinated with the hideout's power station, a part of the overlay, cooled the tank. "Wow, well that's awesome," Ryan exclaimed as he brushed his fingers over the glass. "Nice rig you got here."

"Thank you. The FR1759, as they call it."

"Gotta love the use of numbers," Dustin responded as he filled a cup to the brim. The taste of the chilly water was exquisite.

Sonovan led them back to the dojo. "Now we shall continue. I have come up with a practical idea. Black. Red. Blue. Yellow. These particular words will identify the sets of attacks I have taught you. When I scream 'red' you will automatically attack. Each will use whatever is necessary to attack the opponent. Blue signifies for you to defend and fall back. Yellow is the one I do not ever want or should ever have to use. But, if it is necessary, we will surrender and retreat to a safe zone."

"Yeah, that won't be likely ever used," Dustin said.

"Just look at us," Sam added.

"OK, well what is black?" asked Johnny.

"A last resort. When I say it, you fall back behind me. I will eject an explosion of Ooris, which would annihilate any victim within a five-mile radius."

"Wait, you can actually do that?"

"Yes. Over the years, I have mastered abilities I had not previously known. You see, my bond with the Shadowverse is greater than even that of Titan. Unfortunately, it will drain me severely. In fact, it's possible to be in bed for a week."

"How about we rename 'black' to 'Never Use Me, Boys'?" Sam joked.

Everyone chuckled. "Good suggestion, Sam."

Sam's grin dropped with haste. "Wait, you aren't going to do that, are you?"

"It will help us remember, will it not?"

"Uh, I guess?"

"Of course. Yes! The 'Never Use Me, Boys'! The NUMB! I like it already," Sonovan chuckled.

Ryan, Dustin, Johnny, and even Jane burst out laughing. "I will never ever forget that one!" Dustin snickered. "How original! The NUMB!"

"It will 'NUMB' you out!" Ryan clowned, gesturing with his hands. They snickered.

Sam did not know how to react. "I really don't know if I should laugh or frown."

"Probably the first," replied Johnny.

#  CHAPTER 25

#  THE ANSWER

The light in the sky scurried away, and soon the night would swoop down on Herook. The heroes, as Sonovan christened them, went out to the cliff and stared out into the night sky. An ample mix of blue, white, and orange-tinted stars glistened down, and Johnny swore it was the most he had seen his whole life. "Wow, just wow."

The others marveled. "The Milky Way," Sam acknowledged, in awe. "I've never seen it before."

"Yeah, neither have I," Ryan responded.

"Is that Orion?" Jane pointed to a string of three stars.

"Yeah, that's Orion," Johnny replied. "There's Betelgeuse. It's a red supergiant more than one thousand times as massive as the Sun. If it were in our solar system, it would extend beyond Jupiter."

"Wow."

"It is pretty spectacular, correct?" Sonovan said, looking up. "Few planets are blessed with this view, for interstellar matter and clouds block most from seeing anything."

"Really? I never realized that, but it makes sense," replied Johnny.

"It's amazing," Jane admired, eyes wide, staring into the universe beyond—the universe they were trying to save.

Ryan sat at the end of the cliff. As did the others, his eyes took in the entirety of the scene. He wondered where Rose was—what she was doing, if she was OK, and if they could ever retrieve her mind. "What's our plan?" he probed out of the blue.

"What do you mean?" Sam asked, his attention diverted.

"You know, how are we going to get Rose back? We can't just sit here and do nothing." A smooth and calm breeze blew through the air.

"He's right. There isn't much more time to waste away," Johnny said. "Anybody got any ideas?"

"Well, for one thing, we must find a way off-planet," Sonovan replied. "And that is something I have not done in a very, very long time."

"Alright, well how did you do it the first time?"

"I once knew a smuggler who would help me. He brought me weapons and prototypes for suits. In fact, he gave me six invisibility suits. I have one of them in my secret room."

"You have a secret room? Awesome!" Dustin exclaimed.

"But, uh, when were you going to tell us that?" Sam asked.

"When it became necessary."

"Oh, that's good to know."

"I do not know what happened to him. I assume he has passed on, since that was about a hundred years ago."

"Geez."

"I was amazed how he could do it. I was very thankful for him, and he became a friend I cherished for a long time. But, like all the others, he is now gone."

"Are you trying to say our case is hopeless?" Sam asked.

"No, that was not my intention."

"OK, so let's get on with it and develop something we could call a plan."

Sonovan chuckled to himself, shaking his head in the starry darkness. "What?" Johnny asked him.

"You are so ready for a fight, Johnny Sparks. More so than even I was. While it is a good trait, you must have patience. Sometimes the knee-jerk, first reaction is not always the best. Time is on our side."

The atmosphere descended into silence for a long minute. Dustin, Sam, and Ryan shot looks at Johnny, while Jane was busy gazing at the view. "Uh, thanks for the tip. You sound like my Dad," he said.

"It's for your betterment, Johnny." Then he turned to the rest of the team. "Look up, like she is," he motioned in his faint, charming Oriental accent. He had lived long enough that his once dominant accent had primarily dissipated, giving way to a low, rich one with only an iota of Oriental spice.

In answer to his gesture, they tilted their eyes towards the speckled sky filled with millions of stars. "The night sky can teach you things unattainable and unwanted by many. Just gaze, empty your mind. Never stop looking up, never stop looking into infinity. You are children of the light."

~~~

Marching into the throne room, Solis bowed before speaking. "My lord, the variable has arrived. He is inside the testing cell on Level 23." Solis strode back out and Titan grinned. He turned with haste and made his way to Level 23.

Wonder and excitement, for once, pervaded his demeanor. Upon his entry, he caught sight of the variable, a male human. The man squirmed in his restraints at the sight of Titan. He tardily approached the man. "What is thy name?"

"M-My n-name is J-Jackson G-Greene," he stuttered, terrified. "W-What's happened?"

"Do not fret, Jackson Greene. You will be returned to your proper location soon enough. In fact, you will not remember what will happen here."

"What will happen h-here?"

"A few tests, and that is all. Thank you for your cooperation. Many do not behave as well as you have."

Titan had brain scanners brought with haste. The soldiers brought in hypnosis machines in too, but Titan sent them back out. "Why would we need a hypnosis machine when you have me?" he quipped. Solis stood behind the opaque glass, observing.

Titan placed his hands on the man's head, which shook violently. Then Titan noticed something peculiar. Jackson was murmuring something under his breath. Titan discerned what was taking place and decided to search his mind for the words Jackson uttered.

Oh God, please, help me. I need You right now. Please, help me. You were there for my parents. Be there for me.

Uncharacteristic of him, Titan's eyes widened. Another religious one, he noted. His mind contacted Solis's like a hammer, ordering him to activate the brainwave scanner. Make sure you check the medial prefrontal and the posterior cingulate cortexes. A few minutes later, after the results came back, Solis handed it to Titan.

"My lord, here." Titan read over the data in seconds.

"Solis, bring in a Halluxian prisoner at once!" he boomed.

The prisoner was shoved into a restraining bed opposite the human. Tests were repeated with the prisoner. The data arrived and Solis brought it once more to Titan. The resulting information differed significantly from the test on Jackson Greene.

As Titan compared the two results, it became apparent the human was unlike any species he had come across. These foolish individuals—they were like him.

Titan dropped both and paced to the throne room. His eyes landed on the expanse once again. He began to laugh, and soon he was chortling so loud Solis came in to see if anything was wrong. "My lord? Well? Are you alright?"

Titan continued to laugh deeply, and pivoted to the Voir. "Solis, this is it! It took a millennium, but I have finally done it!"

"Impossible."

"You and I have witnessed many things, Solis, but this"—he turned back to the window and the universe beyond— "this tops it all. My crowning glory."

"Our mission is accomplished," Solis spoke, helmet modifying his voice so that he could seem a little more intimidating than usual. "I was so honored to be a part of it."

Titan shook his head. "No, Solis. Our journey is only just beginning. This is the path to the Justification. The way. The key. The answer."

#  CHAPTER 26

BROTHERS

Later that day, Sonovan, per his own self-instilled custom, went out to the cliff to meditate. Jane followed close behind. Sonovan smiled when she found a spot next to him. Truthfully, she hated heights. Thus, Sonovan held her arm as she sat, a bit wobbly due to the fear. The suit she and the others had worn this entire time made her light-headed, to a certain degree. "Do not be afraid, Jane. You will not fall with me here."

Nervously glancing at him, she nodded albeit still unconvinced, although she was ten feet from the cliff edges on either side. "I don't know how you stay out here, this far out. It's too scary for me."

"Yet, here you are," he chuckled. "Life is funny. In fact, those you do not find humor in this reality are doomed to never appreciate it. Take yourself, for example." She hesitantly turned to glance, for she was shaky and imbalanced, crossing her legs. "You have fought the most powerful being of the two universes, yet petrified of a plain mountain cliff."

She giggled, feeling safe with his arm enfolded around hers. For some stupid reason, she sensed herself growing a smudge pink, but brushed it off, mentally scolding herself for such a ridiculous reaction. She sometimes hated her own personality. "All jokes aside," Sonovan added, "What about you? What is your story?"

Taking in the glorious view and cool wind, she began. "Well, my parents were killed in an 'accident,'" she started, making quotation marks with her right hand's fingers.

"You do not believe it was an accident?"

"Definitely not," she responded abruptly. "My parents were into things they were not meant to be. So, some people on Earth had them killed."

"Who committed this evil?"

"I don't know for sure," she replied, shaking her head.

"Does it make you angry?"

She nodded with vigor.

"You deserve to feel that way," he responded, turning to her. "I hate to praise him, but I am sure Titan would have rid the planet or the Tetra of someone like that."

"Really?"

"Yes. He is not as evil as he might seem. In fact, there is some...justice to him. A purity—some innate goodness." Jane's eyes widened. "But this purity has only made him a ruthless being. He believes it is necessary for people to die in order to bring peace and justice."

"Wow, I never saw him that way. I only thought he was a psychopath."

"Yes, he is far from that. Just...misled. We both were. Chasing after things we could never attain," he muttered, eyes staring into the view, but seemingly nothing.

"I understand. Maybe something terrible happened to him once. Like me."

"I do not know, but you could very well be correct in your assumption." He paused for a few seconds.

"Through the years of exile, I had wanted to kill myself, but there was no way to do so. After I had lost everyone, only one would stay for some time occasionally. We would meet in the Shadowverse, which is where I could stay for many years, learning more about my place in existence."

"Who?"

"Titan. But the reasons were to either mentally torture me to the fact he had risen, yet sometimes to just plain converse."

"Converse? You? Him? About what?"

"Everything," he whispered. "I was able to understand his motives and his personality better. From time to time, Titan and I would even fight inside the Shadowverse itself, but for nothing. Either he wanted to prove he was stronger, or I wanted to release my rage for what he had done."

"This is crazy," Jane noted, shaking her head, "but tell me more."

"Then one day, I saw there was more to it. I had to let go of my anger or it would destroy me. So I did, and we have not met since. It is sad we ended up being so different, for we are the same, just opposites of each other."

He smiled at the thought of that possibility, closing his eyes and turning his head forward, hair blowing in the wind. Nevertheless, he sighed deeply, eyes glimmering in melancholy. "I wish...I wish the circumstances had been different. I never uncovered what made him this way, but if only the circumstances had been different..."

"What do you mean?"

"We could have been brothers," he uttered in a low tone. In his mind, he forced himself to come back to reality instead of the imagination he had found himself inside. He shook it off.

But he felt him. Since he had been gifted with the purest form of Ooris from the Shadowverse itself, Sonovan and Titan were connected. Though their places in the universe lay separated by thousands of light-years of cold, harsh space, they would always be linked—destinies intertwined. It was quite ironic, really.

At the very moment, in his ship, Titan stared out into the vastness of the universe. On the contrary, there was Sonovan, next to Jane on a mighty cliff, gazing out into the vivid expanse of Herook below. The two ancient warriors sensed each other—out there amongst the stars—Titan in a massive ship, leader of the Tetra, while Sonovan meditated in exile on an almost-uninhabited yet beautiful world.

Sonovan looked at Jane. "I am surprised you did not become a vengeful individual due to your past," he stated.

"Yeah, pills do a good job," she mumbled. "And maybe the years of heartache could have toughened me."

Sonovan nodded. "You are strong. Stronger than I had been."

Like many, she glanced toward the ground, unsure of what to respond with next. After a minute, she did. "Do you think we will win?"

"Well, I understand Johnny has his eye out for you. He has grown uniquely fond, I have been told."

She hastily rotated her head to stare. "W-What?" she retorted.

In an amusing instant, Sonovan's eyes popped open. He tried to imagine himself in Johnny's shoes. What would he not want him to say? "I am very sorry, Miss Cooper. Ignore me."

"W-Wait, you are not pulling a fast one on m-me. What do you mean?"

"It's nothing. Just know we will protect you. United, we will be unstoppable."

She frowned, turning back to the view. "And I will too." Sonovan smiled once again, eyes still shut.

THREE HOURS LATER

That night, the group conversed amongst themselves how they could leave Herook. "The only way I got to this planet was a miracle," Sonovan started. "My smuggler friend, Rez, allowed me to board his ship. We ventured on a tour of many planets, and I acquired more weapons and tech. But I could never challenge Titan, for he had grown too powerful for a one-on-one battle. Thus, Rez dropped me off here. It is an uninhabited planet, as I have told you. To that end, have you met anyone we could contact? Thanks to my trusty friend, he provided me with satellite dishes so I might contact someone. Do you happen to know anyone?"

"No, not really," Johnny replied.

"Only Ledarius Wepon," Dustin responded.

"What planet was he from?"

"Oh, uh, I think it was called Nexon."

"Ah, yes! Nexon. I have been there! An advanced civilization."

"Yeah, and that's an understatement."

"And yet nobody can help us. I've begun to feel we might be stuck here," Ryan whined.

"No, we have a purpose. Something sent us here. Z said we had to save the world, so that's what we will do."

"Wait, are there any command stations on this planet?" Sam asked Sonovan.

"Actually, there are. But it's far from here. Scouting drones appear in the sky every few weeks. Thankfully, I have utilized the power of the invisibility suits and connected them to the hideout's mainframe. It allows me to cloak my place. It has proved enormously helpful."

"Well that's neat."

"I suggest using those special suits of yours to get us to that location," replied Sonovan. "The only base on this planet is to the east, possibly three-hundred miles, but there are numerous caves and crevasses in the terrain which would block that sort of journey by foot. Its keyword is CS0341. The code name alone would be enough information to get us there."

"You couldn't have just said that from the beginning?" Dustin replied.

"My memory failed me at the moment." Dustin only nodded.

"OK, so once we get there, what happens?" Jane asked.

"Quite simple, actually. The first step is to cause a raucous. This will attract attention and soldiers will come over. Johnny and Ryan will take them out. Jane, I want you with me. Sam and Dustin will freeze the other guards. Once they are taken out, the chief officer will recognize you, and most especially, me. I will go over to him and order him to contact the Titan. Knowing him, Titan will have a ship flown here. It would not surprise me if he sends your friend. Once aboard, we go to Titan."

"Wow, did you just think of that on the fly?" Dustin joked, rapidly blinking his eyes in amazement.

"Yes, in fact, I did."

"Huh. I'm impressed."

"We will do it in the morning, how's that? I need sleep anyways."

"Yeah, me too."

#  CHAPTER 27

#  THE SCHEME

Titan was in his usual position when Justice strode into the throne room. She had gotten used to him standing there, in that position, staring into space.

"My lord, I did as you commanded. It turned out the head officer at the base was a rebel."

"I take it you killed him on the spot?"

"Yes, my lord."

"Bravo."

"How have you been doing, my lord?"

"Thank you for asking, Justice. Please, sit on my throne. I have so much to tell you."

"I am honored beyond words, my lord. Thank you."

She sat, armor clanging onto the hard stone of the throne—the throne he sat on fewer times than a single ant kills a spider. "Please, tell me."

"I have found the answer to my place in the universe. My purpose has been discovered. The human my emissaries procured has one constituent none of the former species I have witnessed has. You know what it is? A spirit. These lowly humans have the one thing nothing else in the universe has. They have this...artifact, if you will, of a higher dimensional, non-corporeal reality. It is who they really are. Beyond the material, they do have a body. But it is not of this crude matter. It is made of particles unseen and untouchable by us. This spirit is the reason why they have so many spiritual wars, confrontations, and needs."

"And why is this so important?"

"I had never told you my primary quest. But now I have found it. For thousands of years, I craved the entire universe. I have only gone an inch beyond this one galaxy. I must spread the Tetra—my empire—throughout the universe and help the ones who cannot help themselves and make life worse—to bring true justice and end the illusion of free will. But it is impossible to do that if I am only one. There must be more beings like me. And now, there will be.

"The people of Earth are surrounded by thousands upon thousands of satellites. These satellites will be the vessels of my ascension and Justification. Once I reach Earth, which is my next target, I will set up my Justification Machine. It will hack all the known satellites. Using my already built mechanism, I will shoot my own spirit into it. This will cause a chain reaction which will spread the Ooris inside me to every single satellite orbiting Earth. After some time, my spirit shall occupy—possess—every spiritual being of that planet, namely humans." Titan was now pacing throughout the large chamber, not able to contain his enthusiasm and anticipation. This had been made noticeable by the incessant gyrations he made with his arms and hands, making the explanation all the more fascinating and stimulating.

"And after that, I am unbeatable. Nothing will stop me! The pure Ooris I will wield will allow my consciousness to morph the humans into myself, and they will gain my powers as well. Think of it. 7.7 billion Titans and counting. All aware of each other and connected through one consciousness. And if one goes down, there would still be billions left. Yes, it will be quite an easy task to spread across the universe."

Blinking thrice, Justice tried to form a response. "My lord, that is the most glorious idea my ears have ever heard. You will be like a god."

Facing the transparent barrier, Titan stared into the expanse of the universe beyond him. "There are no such things. A god is what we make it. Though I am convinced something caused the creation of the omniverse, the creator does not care about its creation and has instead placed the burden of justice for the inhabitants of its creation on my shoulders. And I will reign forever and ever, and will never fail." As always, his eyes were like daggers, penetrating through the cold darkness of space.

~~~

Early to awaken, both Dustin and Sam ambled to Sonovan, who sat just outside the refuge on the cliff. Johnny was sleeping on the floor again. "What a guy," Dustin started. "Takes the heat for us."

Sonovan was outside, meditating on the cliff. The brothers went out to meet him there. Despite the time they had been with him, the three had not found time to chat, just them, alone.

"Yo, look at him. Looks like a monk."

"My sensei was a samurai. He was taught the arts he would teach me. His base was solid.

"Initially, I had trouble grasping it. In my younger days, I was an energetic, vigorous, but selfish person. It resulted in my greatest mistake, the day I ignored the Xun's sentries and traversed it, a portal to another realm. But, as your friend Johnny told me, the past is the past. Yet, all the years I have been in exile, my mind has so badly wished to go back and stop myself. I am faced with failure, and the blood of countless souls is on my hands. It is torture of the mind.

"But that is why I come out here. The harmony of nature soothes the senses and the mind. I am thankful Rez found this place for me. In truth, even Earth could not compare to this." He pointed to the vast scene below.

"I guess you can say we know the feeling," Sam replied.

Sonovan looked curious and amused, and motioned for them to continue. "When we were younger, about thirteen, our grandparents died. But it was our fault." Sam got a bit teary-eyed while recounting it. "You see, we were busy playing video games and were both too lazy to get up and find the GPS."

"GPS?"

"Yeah, it's like a computer that helps you find your way to a place you want to go. Anyway, they gave up and left after seeing we didn't care. And, uh, they drove away to go to a store, but they never came back.

"We had just moved into our new house, and they didn't know the way to get there. While driving, they got lost and made a wrong turn. And, uh, that was that."

"What happened?"

"Their vehicle hit another car. Both were, uh, killed."

"I am so sorry."

"But don't you see? It's our fault! We never even told our parents! Or them!" he cried, referring to the others.

"I see."

Dustin looked down in sadness. Sonovan had not seen him like this before. "Yep, that's the story," he breathed, sniffling. "We were just a bunch of assholes. And the blood is on our hands."

"I understand. We are all in the same boat, then. You caused your grandparents to die, and I caused the greatest being in the multiverse to take over and kill billions in the process."

The brothers both chuckled under their tears. "Good thing we were born with a thing for jokes," Sam said.

"Yeah, helps us forget," Dustin sighed.

Sonovan stayed silent and nodded. A few minutes of stillness followed.

"I have enjoyed learning about and meeting each and every one of you. It has been such a pleasure and it brings me joy to learn about you all. Thank you for that."

The brothers both smiled wide. "No, thank you, Sonovan. You're such a good guy. I wish there were more people like you."

"Does Earth have an absence of kind people?"

"Yeah, you can say that. There are not enough. We're on a shortage. Nowhere near the amount necessary."

"Oh," he responded as he nodded and closed his eyes. The two tried their best to imitate him. A cool breeze blew into their faces once again. In that moment, the brothers felt a peace they had never experienced. It was overwhelming, yet welcome.

Within the hour, the others had woken up. Each slid out of their sleep apparatuses and found the brothers and Sonovan on the cliff.

At the sound of their movement, Sonovan stood up. His black hair blew in waves in the steady breeze.

They said good morning to each other before Sonovan led them into the main room. He already prepared breakfast. Since a variety of food is not in abundance, the food laid in front of them was Aphelion Turm once more.

Subsequently, the group cleaned the dishes, ironically, while Sonovan prepared their final lesson. Today they would teleport to the commanding station to the east.

"The lesson is ready. Come and learn the ways of old. It is your third and unfortunately final lesson. Well, maybe not. Anyway, come!"

For another ninety minutes, the students trained. Sonovan paced throughout, fixing improper stance or incorrect offensive and defensive maneuvers.

"No, that is incorrect, Ryan. For this one, the object is to squat near the ground."

"But that makes no sense."

"In Taekwondo, yes. It would make no logical sense. But this is not Taekwondo."

"Alright, I'll try."

Sonovan stepped into the imaginary ring and became his sparring partner. "Now, squat low. You want a low center of gravity, since it will keep you balanced once you strike. This move, as you can see, is suited for your specific abilities."

Ryan spun behind Sonovan, who did the same. He then kicked Sonovan's lower leg and followed with a spinning side kick. Sonovan countered by replicating an attack similar to that of a soldier. He used a large sword and sliced horizontally. Ryan ducked into a squat, which provided ample distance for the newly learned attack. He sprang from his position, shoulders square, and would have slammed into Sonovan had the latter not sidestepped in the last half-second.

"Excellent job, Mr. Slade!"

"Alright, I think I got it. I like it. Fits me."

Sonovan grinned in satisfaction. He left him, his attention distracted by the sound and sight of ice crashing into the ground and piling up into a frozen drift. "Hehe, that was cool," Sam exclaimed. He spotted Sonovan with his peripheral vision and turned. "Get it? Yeah, I'm so funny," he chuckled.

"Superb, Sam. You improvised without my advice. Superb, indeed."

"Oh, uh, thanks!"

Because he nearly froze him, Dustin pushed Sam with air, blowing him into the ground. "Was that really necessary?" he groaned. Sam's long locks, now completely white, became disorganized. "You even screwed up my hair! Thanks for that!"

Leaving them be, Sonovan moved through the concentrated, engaged fighters and observed Johnny's style of combat. It was swift and clever. Never did he move too much or use unnecessary strikes. This low consumption of energy increased his stamina.

Jane did not have to duplicate what the boys were doing, mostly due to her smaller frame. Instead, she resorted to telekinesis. So, levitation would prove to be an expedient assault. At times, she could even stop Johnny from getting to her. Sometimes he fell on his own, via slipping, or she would push him back.

Despite the time that had passed, Johnny still had not totally mastered superspeed. In his opinion, though, the ability matched his personality to the T.

Once the ninety minutes were over, Sonovan arranged them into position. "My allies, over these couple of days, I have been fortunate enough to learn about each and every one of you. But now, you must put these lessons to use. I am sorry I could not teach you more, for we could be here for years, learning together. But time is of the essence, and Titan awaits you. We must be ready." He led them into another room, where a gold chest lay. A key was put to the lock, and the chest opened.

Inside laid a conglomeration of parts. "This is the invisibility suit. Only I will wear it. I will sneak into the ship and will meet you in the throne room."

"You only have one? Damnit."

"Through the years I lost the others."

The attachments were a hard material and shaped similar to the legs of a spider. It attached to the wearer's chest and back, enclosing both. "Wow, cool," Dustin said.

"Yes. Now, you must rest for two hours. Then, we depart. When we arrive at the command station, lay waste to it. Once that is done, call the Titan. He will likely send your friend, so you must be physically but also emotionally primed and ready."

"We will be," Johnny replied. Despite the fear that had surmounted, every person attempted to sleep the two hours.

Before heading to the sleep apparatus, Jane went over to Sonovan, who was unhooking the invisibility suit. "I have to say, there is a peace I sense in you now, apart from the first few minutes when we met you."

Sonovan looked up and smiled. "Yes, you would be correct. I have found that during the entirety of this whole predicament, my personality has changed quite a bit. Now, I feel fulfilled and back in the game."

"Thanks, by the way, for all the teaching and time devoted to getting to me. I've heard they have too."

Shooting a glance at them, he nodded again. "They are very interesting individuals, and, in fact, I myself could not wait to speak with them, including you."

She glanced at the floor. "I hope this never ends."

He nodded and fully unhinged the apparatus. "Neither do I, Miss Jane. Neither do I. Anyway, I hate to interrupt, but I highly suggest you rest. There is little time."

# CHAPTER 28

#  INTO THE TITAN

Titan had ordered for Solis to meet him in the throne room. "Solis, I want you to steer us to Herook," instructed Titan. "I have a feeling something is will happen. The villains are not dead. Not yet. We must imprison them before they become a threat."

"Are you sure? There is only one command station on it."

"Do as I say. I have realized this is where Sonovan Lung has hidden all these years. The Energy has still connected us."

"I see, Lord Titan."

"Once we arrive, inform Justice she will descend into the planet and land at the command station there."

"Very well."

As Solis bowed and turned to leave, Titan stopped him. "Wait."

The third-in-command stopped in his tracks, stationary. He turned. "Yes, my lord?"

"If I cannot turn them, I will inhibit them. We must have the Dragonstone cage ready."

Solis nodded once, acquiescent. "We have never used it."

"Then it should work good as new."

~~~

Jane and the brothers decided to rest in the sleep apparatuses. Ryan and Johnny, on the other hand, ambled out to the cliff and sat, the melodic sounds of pots, pans, and ornaments blowing in the chilled wind. This time, Sonovan was not there but instead in his room.

"What do you think Rose is doing now?" Ryan asked Johnny. "I try not to think about it."

Johnny sniffled. "Whatever it is, I don't think it's good."

"You think we can save her? From him?"

"I believe in all of us," Johnny replied. "Together, united, we will not be stopped. And if we get the chance, we kill him then and there."

"I remember the last time I conspired to kill somebody," Ryan said.

"I know, man. I know."

Ryan turned in place, gazing towards the cliff entry to the hideout, imagining Sonovan in there—in his room—recollecting his entire life. What adventures had he been on? What battles had he fought in? Who had he met across the cosmos? "That guy's been a father figure to me already."

"Sonovan?" Johnny asked.

"Yeah. He's so wise...so interesting and level-headed. I hope to be like him one day. He understands."

Johnny nodded and replied, "He is truly something special."

"Where do you think he's been? The universe is so large and time so long. He's been around for one-thousand years. What worlds has he been to? What battles did he fight?"

"I suppose I can answer that inquiry," Sonovan replied. He stood over them, a few feet away. He walked towards them and sat. "I have been to places you can only dream of. When I was part of a group of warriors, we traveled the galaxy, fighting battles in alleyways, forests, mountains, cities, ships—you name it. You yourselves have not yet been in that, but you might one day. All I can tell you is this: When with those you love, venturing across space for the light—fighting the dark—you feel limitless. I have lived long and seen all kinds of beings. But the sight of a lost soul is always the same."

Amazed, neither replied. Sonovan did not add to the short monologue but grasped Ryan and Johnny by the shoulders. They stayed there, well-nigh embraced, for nearly fifteen minutes.

Waking twenty minutes before the set time, Dustin and Sam meandered through the refuge, knowing not of what to do or think. Sonovan found them in their worst moments.

"Is there anything you need, my compatriots?" he asked, leaning on the corridor wall.

Dustin rubbed the back of his neck, too emotionally drained to even respond to the gesture.

On the other hand, the eyes of Sam darted about frequently, as if searching for something to grasp and hold onto for dear life.

"Is there anything you need?" Sonovan repeated, stepping closer to them.

Out of nowhere, Dustin began to cry. Obviously unlike his personality, he tried to hide it by turning away and pushing the long locks of hair across his face.

Nothing he could do would ever conceal anything from Sonovan. The ancient man read him like a book. Stepping next to both, Sonovan turned Dustin towards him. "I know what you are feeling," he comforted. "Many have been under the same."

Shooting him a glance, Dustin replied, "I don't know what to do. Look at me! I'm an ordinary guy! I'm not a hero!"

"Do not say that," Sonovan replied. "Quiet."

Nevertheless, he persisted. "I don't have these qualities or the will necessary to prevent my mind from disappearing like Rose! I...I don't know—" he stammered, sniffling through the tears. Unable to bear his brother's show of fear, Sam reciprocated the release of emotions.

"Quiet, please," Sonovan repeated. Refusing to stop, Dustin continued to stammer out words of trepidation and distress. Therefore, Sonovan took matters into his own hands. "Quiet!" he boomed, grabbing Dustin by the shoulders. Dustin and Sam both looked up in shock. "Say no more! The words you speak bring only disaster!" Frozen, the brothers just stared at him. "If you want to save every person you hold dear, you must be attentive right now whilst I speak."

"I don't know either—"

"It is not for you to know! Listen to my words. Heed them. Your only hope is in yourselves. If you do not focus and keep yourself optimistic, you will never win. The will to succeed will only come if you believe you will succeed. There can be not an ounce of doubt, for the enemy will use it to his advantage!"

"You don't understand," Sam retorted. Dustin rubbed away the snot from his nose. "We aren't these people you say we can be. We're just—"

"Quiet!" Sonovan boomed again. "I understand perfectly. You think you cannot, but the truth is the very opposite. Trust me, I share your feelings," he spoke, eyes far away.

He remembered. He remembered the first time and the difficulty he had faced. "But in the hour of need, you will rise to the occasion. I see it in you, for you are the chosen ones, but have yet to accept this. When you look into the eyes of the Titan, you will attain that will I speak of, for fear shall find you again. Fear of losing everything you care about. And in that moment, nothing can ever again stand in your way."

Eyes wide, they both stared, blinking several times to make sure they had heard correctly. No man had ever spoken with such authority yet such humility. "I-I don't know what to say," Sam replied. Dustin stayed quiet, eyes still red from the tears. He knew Sonovan spoke the truth he had tried to escape, but destiny held him fast.

"Good. I only seek for your triumph, and I only know one truth. If not today, we shall prevail and overcome the forces of the Titan. Why? Because I have made myself believe so. If not, I would be worse off than you. The doubt would swallow me up, and my fate would already be decided."

"I understand," replied Sam, glancing at Dustin. Uncharacteristically, Dustin's eyes were narrowed, and he appeared more focused and ready than Sam had ever seen him. In fact, it was as if his brother had become someone new.

Rubbing off more, Dustin nodded in agreement. "You have opened my eyes," he replied, looking up to Sonovan in respect but also readiness for the time coming.

Holding his gaze, Sonovan instinctively knew he had accomplished the responsibility that life tossed at him that minute. "I know I have," he answered. "Never fall prey to doubt. You are prepared." Smiling, he watched the two nod in consonance before together sauntering down the corridor. Dustin turned his head once and nodded, the body language speaking for itself.

Only twenty minutes later, Sonovan called this band of heroes he had mobilized together.

"My allies, the moment is upon us. Dustin, activate the portal to CS0341, Herook."

"Already set."

"In the short time I've known you all, I have become fond of you. This is not the end. Remember, believe in yourselves. If you believe hard enough, his power can do nothing to harm you. Believe in yourselves as I do. Then, we will never fail."

"I am so hyped," Sam replied. "Let's get this show on the road."

Sonovan raised his hands to the sky. "Oora, I call on you. Fill me." A hole in the room opened, and a jet-black mist flowed from it. Before anyone understood what ensued, the mist touched Sonovan's human skin.

Contact was made on the fingers first, and then the blueish-blackness traveled down his arms, his neck, and finally down to his feet. His appearance had changed from a human to a celestial being. Mist clothed him and surrounded his body, similar to dust attracted to an object. His eyes illuminated into flashlights, piercing through even the darkest and most opaque environments. The mist resembled a shroud, for a few parts of his body were not covered by the Ooris.

"Wow, just wow. I'm amazed, to say the least," Johnny exclaimed.

"Can I touch it?" Sam jested in sarcasm.

"No, you cannot. Focus. Our moment of truth is here."

"You look dope," Ryan added. Both of Ryan's hands reached the rock floor. "Bulk time." The particles contacted his skin, activating his absorption powers. The millions of them traversed the floor into his body. In about twenty seconds, he had grown seven inches, his voice changed to a deeper tone, and his form took on a dark gray appearance, or a rock.

"Yep, this is so fitting for me," he exclaimed as he flexed his muscles. "I like the term Rocky. You guys remember that? Damn, that was weeks ago."

"Yeah, I guess you weren't blessed with the ability to control flowers," Sam replied.

"Blessed? Nah, that's a curse."

"Whatever you say, Rocky."

Ryan smiled in pride at the new title, or in this case, nickname.

Dustin swung his arms and the generator inside his armored outfit activated. A light shot out from his chest. They heard rumblings beneath their feet. As it had been done before, the sphere rose from out of the ground. It rotated as it lied in wait for its travelers.

"That is so awesome."

"I'm never gonna get used to that."

"Yeah, well it's only open for fifteen more seconds, so I recommend you move it," Dustin motioned.

Sonovan went first, followed by Johnny, Ryan, Dustin, Jane, and then Sam. The ride was short and fast. Almost instantly, the group landed on the other side, right in the middle of the station.

Soldiers turned in shock and recognized Sonovan. Their eyes widened. Captains and commanders acted promptly. Their blasters and weapons were in their hands at a moment's notice.

Sonovan smirked. "Red!" he shouted.

"Yes sir!" Ryan corresponded.

Dozens of soldiers arrived on the scene. Johnny sprang upon them, and the rest followed his lead. Ice poured out of Sam's hands, and Dustin united with his brother by using his powers. The air from his palms blew in such swift currents no one was a match for it. "Watch out for the blasters!"

The blue and yellow streaks flew by them, some only missing by inches. Johnny took care of most of the fire, though. Johnny sprinted, speed doing the work for him as he slipped through elegantly. He stripped the guns from the guards and tripped each. Jane telekinetically pinned the soldiers to the wall and flung them into each other, cracking the helmets.

Ryan was busy doing his thing. On one soldier, he kicked it in the ankle, following the spitefully weak attack with a spinning side kick. The brutal strike broke every bone in the poor soldier as he launched it into three behind it.

Two more appeared behind Ryan and shot. They obviously hadn't realized Ryan's power. The blasts of fatal energy bounced off his body. Johnny was there in an instant and stripped them of their weapons. Sam noticed and froze them. Ryan smiled and a single crossover side kick was enough to do the job. The ice shattered their bodies. Four more armed soldiers were behind the ones which had been killed, so Ryan leapt like a cat towards them, arm outstretched in a fist. They froze in fear. Only a second passed before Ryan's fist rammed into them, rocketing their insubstantial bodies into the back wall. The force of the impact was so great that they went straight through it. Another ran at him from behind, shooting like a madman. The fire bounced off his frame. Ryan, still turned, elegantly spun around into a spinning hook kick, an instant kill-shot.

More soldiers and guards were called in. "Get everyone in here! We're under attack!" Before the commander could utter the last words, Sonovan came up behind him and kicked him between the legs, elbowed his side, and kneed him in the perfect spot to render him useless in the fight. Though not Johnny Sparks levels of fast, Sonovan had done it all within two seconds. Two guards came up behind him and fired. Sonovan dodged both and swept the guards' legs. The power was with him now. The Ooris ripped their legs off their bodies. To complete the combo, Sonovan jumped high and punched his fist into the floor, which sent a shockwave of Ooris into the ground, erupting like an earthquake. The ferocious and unexpected attack killed all soldiers within a twenty-foot radius.

"Couldn't have done that earlier?" Ryan exclaimed. Sonovan smirked and found more opponents to eliminate. Truly, he had missed this. Centuries of nothing—of desolation—and now he was back in the game, more alive than ever. Eyes burning, he truly considered he had been transported into the past once again. All that was necessary in each strike was a bit of power, which, when executed, the opponents would either explode from the pure Energy, or were sent into walls, backs breaking upon impact. Like he had stated, not even Ryan Slade had yet accessed this power, and he never would, for only Sonovan Lung is a being of untainted, clean Ooris. The lone one who could generate an identical power was Titan himself, his nemesis.

Sam froze the remaining troops, which had dwindled to nigh none. Sonovan snuck up behind one, who tried to flee, but to no avail. He kicked him into Ryan's punch. That was all for him. He exploded like a grenade.

On the last four, who also attempted desertion, Dustin pushed them into a wall, and Jane used a great amount of mental strength to collapse it on top of them. They had rid every enemy, the station now a ghost town.

"Woo hoo! We're on a roll!" Ryan exclaimed.

"Yeah! You were awesome! I was awesome! It was all so awesome!" Sam added in exhilaration. "Or I can just say it was cool, if you know what I mean."

"This fight was more violent than last one," Jane replied. "But it was invigorating. I like being a hero." She vigorously shook her arms to loosen up.

Those words brought Johnny back to the alleyway where he met Jane. He remembered Z, clear as day, speaking to him.

Remember Johnny, just do what you do best. Be the hero.

"Right Johnny?"

Jane snapped him out of his stupor. "Huh, what? Oh, yeah. I do too."

"That's what I thought. It was such a breeze," Dustin laughed.

"Really?"

"What? Sam is doing it. I should too!"

Sonovan walked over to them and wiped the blood off his currently half-Ooris, half-human fingers. "Brilliant, my friends. But it is not over. I will now put on the invisibility suit. It will render me undetectable." Once it was applied, Sonovan disappeared from sight.

A strident noise echoed in the sky above. They looked up to see a small craft descend into the station amongst them.

The dirt was kicked up and the bodies were blown aside as it landed like a queen had arrived. Its main door slid apart, and out stepped an armored woman. She had red hair and a recognizable face.

"Rose," Ryan whispered.

Johnny glanced at him. "You know what to do."

She glared at each of them but said nothing, eyes like daggers. Without hesitation, Justice leapt into the air, fire screaming out of her hands. The impact on the way down blasted heat in all directions, unleashing a surge of energy which sent the heroes into the broken-down wall.

Grimacing, Ryan griped, "This isn't you, Rose!"

She glared at him, eyes icy. "It is now," she spat. It took some time for all to stand.

Ryan approached her. "Look, we don't want to fight. Titan is controlling you. You must overcome your problems and fight it. You are a fighter. Please, do it for us, but especially for yourself."

"Actually, Mr. Slade, Titan is expecting you. That was a welcome gesture. Come along at once."

The group, including an imperceptible Sonovan, boarded her craft, where seven other fully-equipped soldiers stood like figurines.

"Rose, listen to me. Fight it."

She turned to him. "Do not say it again."

"Or what? Little Titan is going to get mad? Aw!" Johnny heckled.

Instead of responding likewise, she chose not to. "You shall see."

The craft took off, leaving the station in ruins. In a short time, it was in the outer atmosphere. That is when the group could see Titan's gargantuan ship, hovering over like a demon.

At the top, Titan crossed his arms at the sight of the craft cruising towards the Titan.

"Permission to access Bay 1," the pilot spoke into the system.

"Granted," was the answer.

The small craft docked in the Titan's main docking bay. Like the first time, they stared, without speaking, at all the equipment, technology, and ships which dotted the landscape. Passing soldiers in blue, green, and yellow armor eyed them in curiosity and suspicion. Justice led the way to the elevator, and they entered.

On the other hand, Sonovan disengaged a craft they would appropriate to escape. The plethora of noises and sounds in the ship made it difficult to carry out, but he did nonetheless. Next, he would meet his allies near the elevator, though once he did, had just snuck in before the door closed. His training allowed him to move inaudibly. Not even Justice heard his entrance.

The elevator ride to the throne room was silent and reticent. It picked up speed as the elevator ascended floor by floor. In a short while, they reached the top and disembarked into the throne of the Titan, Emperor of the Tetra.

#  CHAPTER 29

THE MIND

The throne room spoke an eerie silence when the elevator opened. A long way off, on the opposite side of the room, Titan stood with his arms crossed in front of him. As usual, he was staring out the giant, transparent encasement, but turned when he heard their entry.

"My young heroes," he greeted, lowering his head to them. "Very nice outfits. Vibrant." Their suits illumined in each specific color. Fortification mode had been switched on, initiating the armor to form around their bodies like plates.

"Hello, Titan," Sam answered. "You've gotten smaller since our last meeting."

Titan laughed in a sinister tone. "Please, can we not fight this time?"

"That depends," Johnny replied. "If I were you, I wouldn't." For some reason, he felt a bit cocky.

"I only want to help the humans, like you," responded Titan, armor clattering on the floor. "My destiny lies in spreading the Justification throughout the universe. We do not need to be adversaries."

"And you will find our destiny will always lie in your path," Johnny retorted.

"Was that destiny something you discovered on your own, or had it been told to you?" Titan shot back. "Do not try it, Sparks. Pain is something everyone must endure."

"Trust me, buddy, you will feel pain," Ryan replied, smashing his fists together.

"We know you want Earth," Johnny complemented.

"So, Sonovan told you everything, did he?"

"Yes."

"He did," Dustin added.

"And he taught us a whole lot, too," Sam said.

"Impressive! I cannot wait to see how much you have learned and retained."

"Yeah, just like you said. 'Come and see.' Come and see, Titan. Let's do this." Johnny backed into a fighting stance, ready to sprint at a moment's notice. This time, he did not fear him. He hated him.

"Slow down, Sparks. There is much for you to know before you throw yourself into the heat of battle."

"Alright, let's start from the beginning. What do you want Earth for?"

"If I told you, it would not be much of a secret, correct?" His voice cut off for an unknown reason. "My oh my! I sense something with you. Your minds are resilient. I-I have not seen this kind of will for a long time." Uncharacteristically, Titan had stuttered.

"Glad we could give you déjà vu."

Justice surveyed the situation but then walked to Titan. "I know you want to fight me, but please, patience! I am sure Sonovan had taught you that from the outset, did he not?"

"You're right," Ryan replied. "He did. But he also taught us something else. Knowledge."

"Of what? How to be morose and depressed every second of life? Was he not? I shall be greatly disheartened if he was not."

"Let's just say we have given him a reason to live."

"But do you not see? I will bring mankind to the pinnacle of creation! They will be unstoppable!" he bellowed. This might be his last opportunity to turn them to his side. "You, too, can be by my side, with me."

"No, we won't," Jane responded, finally uttering a phrase.

"What you say might be true, but we believe in free will."

"Free will," Titan sneered, shaking his head at the comment. "There is no such thing as free will. I learned that many years ago. Your destiny is already inscribed in the annals of time. The future exists the same time as the past and present. Fate is already written." With those words, Titan relaxed his head. The last two sentences he had spoken resonated within his mind, but unsure why. A clue.

"Our destiny is to never back down from you."

"And Rose will be ours again," Ryan added. "We've come back to hopefully not fight you, but to take her."

"You will be greatly disheartened, then." As they watched, Titan bent low onto one knee. The rest furrowed their brow at this. Similar to his action on Hallux, a blur orb formed and emerged from his cranium. Out of nowhere, the orb exploded, sending a shockwave of energy throughout the throne room. Only Sonovan Lung was not affected, but his one fear had been realized. Their minds had been taken over.

~~~

The team opened their eyes. Each had been laying down on a wet ground. The atmosphere around them was dreamlike, a light blue. The surface seemed to extend infinitely. "What...what happened?" groaned Johnny, rubbing his head as he stood.

"Where are we?" Jane asked.

From seemingly everywhere, a voice resonated. "You are now mine. This is my mind. The genesis."

"W-What?" retorted Ryan. To his right, he saw Justice standing. She did not move a muscle and stood like a soldier.

"What are we going to do?" exclaimed Sam.

"Did we just lose?" added Dustin.

"No, we cannot!" cried Johnny.

"Oh, but you already have," the voice answered. The ground beneath shook violently, and each fell like dominoes. Peeking up and rubbing his eyes due to the strange blue colors, he made out a small light. It expanded until legs began to form—and arms—before Titan fully materialized. "Now you see, don't you?" he asked them, feet stomping onto the ground. "Your gifts are minor compared to the power of the Titan."

"I will kill you!" roared Ryan, pushing himself up. Before he advanced, the surroundings vanished. He turned in fear. Everything had become blackness. "Guys? Johnny?"

"Mr. Slade, it is only you and I." At once, the blackness was altered, bathing his surroundings in the blue aura from before. Looking around, he could see the others in some sort of transparent cage. He ran toward their location, but slammed into a transparent wall. "What?" he griped. He stood up again, placing his hand on the invisible barrier. "Oh God." In a fit of anger, he punched with all his strength, but nothing could free him.

~~~

On the other hand, Johnny was in his own predicament. When the darkness enveloped him, Titan appeared, but he could only make out the bright crimson eyes of his enemy. "I hope you see the truth now, Johnny Sparks." The eyes circled him, speaking into his ear like a serpent. Johnny tried his very best to keep the voice away—to shake it off—but to no avail. "You are not fast enough," Titan whispered as he circled. Being unable to see his form made this real nightmare all the worse. "You never will be."

Johnny swung his arms around, attempting to grapple Titan. But the eyes had disappeared, replaced by a large holding cell with invisible barriers. While peering out, he saw Ryan trying to burst out of his own. Johnny banged on the cell. "Let me out of here!" But the worst had not yet passed.

After a few seconds elapsed, Johnny turned at the sound of crying behind him. The orange atmosphere around him faded into darkness. In its place, he could make out a single city light. It rained sadly. Underneath the gleam stood a girl with her arms wrapped around her shoulders, shaking in the cold and unforgiving weather. Johnny sprinted towards the sight. The light wails froze him in fear. Upon his arrival, the girl looked up to him. "J-Jane?" he asked. "What happened?" The rain had him soaked and sopping wet.

Still crying, Jane answered, "You couldn't. You were not fast enough. You will not save us." Simultaneously, Johnny began to slightly cry, cocking his head as his eyes glimmered. "Face it Johnny! We cannot beat him! He is more powerful than we are together! Even more than Sonovan!"

At this comment, Johnny glanced upward, staring into Jane's eyes. He narrowed them. "After everything Sonovan has taught us, you say that?"

"It's the truth!"

Johnny shook his head twice. He stood over her, glaring into her eyes in a way he wished he would never have to. "Get out of my head, Titan." At once, Jane vanished, fading away like a mirage. Out of nowhere, a large fist contacted his chest. He was punched into the ground, except the support went out from under him. He felt himself falling and falling to a place so deep, so dark.

Without warning, his body rocketed into a soft bottom. He pushed himself to a standing position. He had landed inside some sort of ancient corridor, walls constructed of gray bricks. He walked down its passage, but there was nothing on the walls except one flaming torch. Gathering it in his hand, he examined the brick walls.

"Where am I?" he shouted. The echoes served as the only reply, reverberating down its alley. "Deep breaths Johnny. Deep breaths. This isn't real. He's trying to scare you. I'm not afraid of anything you throw at me!"

Turning a corner, the flames' light basked a chair with a large skeleton on it. Johnny jumped. Upon further inspection by the flames, he discovered the chair was a throne. He squinted to make out a gold-plated label adjacent to the skeleton's head. Johnny Sparks. His heart almost stopped beating. Titan had struck fear into him now. "Ugh...argh! Come out! Face me!" Turning his body, he bolted down the dark corridors, desperately trying to escape. After nearly seven turns and non-stop running, Johnny came to a dead end. Across the blockage was a horrendous sight. There were dead bodies—Sonovan, Dustin, Sam, Ryan, and Jane. He backed up, clearly unprepared.

He thought deeply. What had Sonovan told him? How could he conquer this fear? "Just remember, Johnny," he told himself. "Remember what he said. Remember." Then he recognized the perfect invigorator had been with him all along. "Do what you do best. Be the hero. Be the hero, Johnny. Be the hero. Be the hero!" He screamed, rushing towards the wall, only envisioning one outcome: his breakthrough. And that it did. The wall, including the bodies, burst forth as he rammed straight through.

He did it. On the other side of the superficially impenetrable divide, he found himself inside a dark and dingy room with a blue light in the corner. There was a ghostly whisper. "Extraordinary," it said.

~~~

Despite his desperate attempts, Ryan could not break free from this entrapment. "You couldn't save me," said a voice. He gulped, dreading the figure who would be there. Before him was Rose, not Justice, wearing the same clothes when he had first met her. That fateful day.

"Rose? I-I know. I couldn't save you. But I will. I don't know when." He walked closer until he was hovering over her body. "But I will save you if it's the last damn thing I ever do."

"You can't."

"I will, Titan. My desire makes it so. Just like how, uh, Zydok had done. Sonovan told me about him."

From seemingly everywhere, Titan growled, "And where is he now, Slade?" Rose vanished. Ryan could feel his own psychic power increasing. Maybe, just maybe, he could prevail.

~~~

Sam and Dustin were both kept far apart. Despite what Titan had put them through—the exact events Johnny had gone through, they remained resilient. Out of the entire team, including Jane, they had been the strongest. Anything Titan threw their way had been pushed aside. Not even their parents proved to be a threat. But then Titan found a weak spot. Their grandparents.

"Dustin, do you see that?" asked Sam, pointing through the blackness towards two elderly people standing. For once, they were together. "Is that..."

"Grandma? Grandpa?" finished Dustin. They both ran toward them and well-nigh had a heart attack. They looked exactly the same from before their deaths.

"Dustin. Sam. You abandoned us. You were selfish then! How can you expect to prevail when you abandoned your own family?"

Sam glanced at Dustin. "Don't let him get to you. Don't." Nevertheless, Dustin approached both, clasping his grandmother's hand.

"I'm sorry we couldn't save you," he croaked. "I miss you so much."

"We miss you too," responded Albert, his grandfather. "We love you always, no matter your deed."

Sam, now next to his brother, brought Albert into a hug, who reciprocated. Speaking into his ear, Sam said, "We will prevail. For you." He then backed away, as did Dustin. The two grandparents grinned, but their eyes became totally red instantly. The brothers jumped in fright.

"You won't," was the low, hoarse reply. Titan had spoken through the fake bodies. Both vanished.

~~~

Jane could not see a thing. Panic and distress began to settle in. "Where are you?!" she screamed, dreading the moment of his appearance. "Come on! S-Show yo-yourself!" Little time was needed before it became apparent there would be no answer. This had transformed into a living nightmare.

As the saying goes, the anxiety rose the more time elapsed. She began to worry an escape was unfeasible. Tip-toeing through the blackness, she tried to feel her way, though there was no wall to fall back upon. She felt like she was drifting, alone, in the middle of an ocean, seemingly no bottom or barrier.

Throughout the area, she could barely hear the sounds of multiple voices, but each so low in tone and pitch she could never understand. They would fleet through her hearing and then out, taunting.

Without warning, a light turned on in the distance, illuminating one small spot in the dark, sodden wasteland. Two people stood erect in the light. A dog sat between them. "M-Mom? D-Dad? Mom! Dad!" She rushed to their location, but knocked into an imperceptible, obscured barrier. Upon collision, she bounced off and onto the sodden, muddy terrain. On the ground, she looked up to them, both dressed in work clothes, but totally expressionless with eyes fixed in a straight line.

She got up and placed her fingers on the barrier, despite neither person nor dog moved. "Y-You're not real. None of this is real."

Coming up behind her, a voice spoke in her ear. "You made it real." At once, the scene vanished like with the others, leaving her alone.

~~~

Suddenly, the cages they had been locked inside opened and faded away. Brushing off the dust, Johnny, Jane, Dustin, Sam, and Ryan walked out of their prison. "What the hell?" said Johnny. He was at last free of a jail cell—the point being unknown at the time. "Guys? Is this really you?"

"Johnny?" asked Jane. She had been crying.

"Jane?" he responded. He ran over to her. "Are you alright? Are you OK?"

"No," she replied. "I-I'm not. He s-s-showed me m-my pa-parents."

Johnny sighed and brought her into a hug. He nearly got lost for a minute, just standing there as she cried into his shoulder.

"I hope that was a good appetizer," said Titan. The being materialized again, except this time, he was not alone. Fifty Titans appeared around the team. The heroes backed into a small circle. "Many of me, so few of you. It's a foreshadowing really."

"What are we going to do?" whispered Ryan.

Sam and Dustin remembered what Sonovan had taught to them. This is why. This very moment is why he had taken them aside. "We don't fight," Sam directed. "We just don't fear."

"What?" questioned Johnny. "What do you mean?"

"It's like how Sonovan said," Dustin replied. "We overwhelm him with our desire. This can be the only way out of here." The brigade approached closer still, boxing them in. He had them right where he wanted.

"You're mine now," Titan taunted. The contingent of Titans prepared to eliminate.

"Do whatever you want. I do not fear you," countered Dustin.

"Neither do I," added Sam. Both he and his brother gave a deadpan expression to Titan, unafraid.

One by one, twenty of the fifty disappeared. Their heads collapsed into their neck and vanished. But that was still not enough.

At the same time, Dustin and Sam faded away. Johnny and the others gulped. "Uh, was that supposed to happen?" asked Johnny.

"I think so," said Ryan. "They made it."

"Argh!" roared Titan. "You must be the strongest I have ever come across. Who are you?!"

At once, the three left were separated into jail cells once again. The walls were soaked in blood, bones lay around each cell as if a part of the terrain. "You will kneel," said the voice.

~~~

Back in reality, Dustin and Sam were freed from his grasp. Somehow. They had grown very strong. "We did it!" exclaimed Dustin. Around them stood the static bodies of the others, including Titan. Their eyes gleamed a demonic black.

"But we have to get them out," Sam replied. "Let's not celebrate yet."

"Sonovan, you still here?"

Though invisible, Sonovan responded to them. He had the faith they would survive, and his faith was rewarded. "I am amazed, my friends. I truly am. But do not speak with me. Now is not the time. We must continue. You passed the most excruciating part."

Sam's white hair was strewn across his face, so he fixed it. On the contrary, Dustin channeled his power. He focused a vortex of wind on Titan's body. In one swift motion, the air whisked Titan into the wall.

# CHAPTER 30

# VERSUS

Inside the psychic arena, Titan was priming to gang up on Jane, Ryan, and Johnny. Before he could enact his sinister plan, there resonated a loud, ear-splitting snap. Titan's mind ripped away from theirs, liberating the remnant from his psychic clutches. Sam and Dustin had forced him out, leading to the demise of the world he had built.

Back in reality, Titan glared sinisterly at the brothers. "Impressive." Titan, standing onto his feet, was not deterred despite their narrow escape. Johnny, Jane, and Ryan collapsed. Justice stood close by. "Your minds. I was wrong. Much, much more resilient than I had thought." These kids were starting to be like a fly that escapes every swat. They just won't die.

"Thanks guys," Ryan said to the brothers. "Owe you one."

"Yeah," added Johnny. "Thanks." Coughing, Johnny helped Jane up. "Like I said, Titan, déjà vu."

"Yeah, what he said," Ryan complemented.

"Let us finish this," growled Titan. He had had enough. Time to end this.

Johnny smirked. He sprinted full speed and socked Titan in the chest with an elbow and kicked the leg, collapsing him to one knee. The size difference imaged David and Goliath perfectly. Despite his size, Titan retorted like a lightweight boxer and grabbed Johnny, throwing him into the ground as if a ragdoll.

Justice acted after the first attack was thrown. Six against two. In the corners, Sonovan waited for the proper moment.

On the ground, Johnny screamed, "Ryan, watch out!" Justice leapt and attempted to light him into flames, but Ryan dodged the attack. Thus, she relentlessly blasted fireballs at him. He parried the attacks, the flame-balls bouncing off.

Jane, standing next to Ryan, focused and pulled Justice out of the air and into the ground. But, she got up with no injury and even more pissed off than before.

"You will all kneel!" Titan bellowed.

"Sam! Go! Ryan! Go!"

Sam shot ice blasts, but to no avail. Titan pushed them aside with his power. Johnny attempted to sprint, but Titan telekinetically stopped him mid-stride. "Slow down, Sparks."

About to break Johnny into two pieces, Ryan sprinted and tackled Titan. The impact slammed Titan into the ground. Face open to strike, Ryan punched Titan over and over. His hand reached back to rip the wire out of Titan's head, but he was too late.

Mind on overdrive, Titan telekinetically pushed Ryan off him and let him dangle in the air. He was nearly crushed under Titan's mental grip.

Johnny had seen it unfold, and rushed to help. Titan saw him coming and back kicked him. Johnny flew across the room. Hearing Ryan scream, Dustin turned and yelled, "I got you!" The air accelerated into a focused tornado, which blew Titan off his feet. Ryan fell to the ground, but stood back up, rage filling his vision. "You're dead," he spat.

The two fought hand to hand. Titan unleashed a flurry of elbows and strikes on Ryan, who either covered like a boxer or dodged. Then Titan executed a ridge hand, which was succeeded immediately by a spinning hook kick, truly a sight to behold given the size of the Emperor of the Tetra. Ryan ducked, and, recognizing an opening once again, employed the lesson he had been taught. Shoulders square, he pushed off his back leg and smashed into Titan, causing him to lose balance. He followed it up with a spinning side kick and reverse punch. Though invisible, Sonovan beamed—his training was being put to good use. Ryan recognized an opening to unhook the cord that connected to his head. "Take this you tall bastard! Johnny, go!"

Titan had turned in time and elbowed Ryan in the ribs as well. The strike sent him into the ground. "You are nearly as powerful as I, Slade," he said, "but not enough."

Sam seized the chance and froze Titan on the spot.

On the other hand, Justice was dealing with Jane and Dustin. Every attack Justice threw was pushed away by air. "Not this time, babe!" Dustin heckled.

Jane stepped in front of him to shove her back. Instead, Justice jumped over both of them and landed next to their shoulders. She kicked Dustin and spun into yet another side kick onto Jane's back. Jane flew into Dustin at a high speed.

Titan, on the ground and vulnerable, bellowed, "Justice!"

She rotated her head and saw Titan frozen in ice. Instinctively, she blasted him with a dose of pure fire, melting his icy prison. Telekinesis did the rest, and the frozen shards floated off his body.

Johnny advanced in earnest to unhook the wire, but Titan was ready once again. "No, you will never succeed, Sparks," he replied, grabbing Johnny by the throat.

With an ample distraction, Ryan and Sam attempted to attack again. Ryan leapt from his place and would have landed a punch if Titan did not stop them both. "No, cannot have that." He released and let them fall to the ground.

The three, Sam, Johnny, and Ryan pounced on him, but he had already activated a telekinetic shield. They bounced right off of him. "Oh shit, now we really can't hit him," said Johnny. If they were not screwed before, it is possible to be now.

Jane got up and froze Justice. She also shoved Titan away from her compatriots. Dustin mimicked her by causing a hurricane-force stream of air on Titan and Justice. She slammed into the glass, and so did Titan. He grunted from the pain, but mostly because he had been caught off guard. Not even the telekinetic shield could protect him from a focused blast such as that. Their will is very strong, he perceived. After all, they had nearly broken through his own mind—though not strong enough to tread the full distance. Not yet, at least.

Jane again latched onto Titan. Her plan was to face plant him into the floor.

"Your power is not strong enough," he replied. Her eyes widened and his hand rose. "Strong, but not strong enough. You are nothing without your power." Jane rose into the air with the motion of his hand. She shrieked, the force upon her neck increasing drastically. Only seconds would pass before he would kill her.

"No!" Johnny screamed. His body reacted to the adrenaline, catapulting him into Titan. It was a sufficient impact. Titan slammed into the glass again, but it still held fast.

Johnny relied on impulses and mental drives alone from this point on. His reverse and hook punches, as well as a slew of roundhouse, hook, and front kicks were smooth and quick, and they did the necessary job he desired. After about seven of each, he slid through Titan's legs and to the opposite side.

Sam was busy with Justice. At one point, the fight was a stalemate, but that quickly altered. Her anger burned like the fire she discharged as she floated high above the floor. She decided to release the attacks for one simple second. Without warning, her feet pounded into the ground, closely trailed by her fist. The force of the impact sent them both into the wall. It also lit the spot she situated in flames. Walking through the fire, she smiled to herself. "Yes, I am stronger," she growled.

Ryan utilized Titan's distraction. Dustin joined forces with him, pushing Ryan through the air as Ryan executed a flying side kick on Titan's shoulder.

Titan once again flew into the glass barrier to space. The three joined together again and smirked. "Not so powerful, are you?" quipped Johnny.

The pain surged through him, but he relished in it. Hatred is a strong motivator. Titan stood and limped toward them. "Enough!" he roared.

The heroes never felt this form of force. It inhibited their every move. Even Sam and Jane were thrust from the ground and into the air. No one was safe.

Justice limped to her master. He stomped forward, pushing their helpless bodies into the back wall, adjacent the main door and pinned them there.

"Don't you see? You are powerful! You can join me, and we can rule for eternity! I do not want to hurt the humans! I want to save them!" he shouted in emotion, balling his fist.

"You won't!" Johnny retorted, unable to clean the blood leaking off his cheek. But the healing factor had that covered.

"Oh yes? And who will stop me? What being will prohibit me from accomplishing this? Please, let me know his name! I must find him or her. Is it you? How about Sonovan?"

"It is us! All of us."

"Why can you not understand? Pathetic. Listen to me now. Despite humanity's supposed supposition that the universe is a mistake, I refuse to believe everything rose from a mistake in nothingness. What would that lead to, you ask? Ironically, my intellect has brought me to one conclusion: someone created all this. Unfortunately, this creator no longer cares for its creation and has placed the burden upon me to enforce justice and order to the universe it designed. I will bring the Justification.

"Remember, extraordinary measures require extraordinary wills. Pure justice ignores ethics. If someone inhibits true justice from being carried out, inhibit him from breathing."

"A creator would never expect someone as vile as you to justify creation," Johnny retorted, still bound to the wall.

"I beg to differ. Listen, here is what will transpire: I will inhibit you long enough so that you can be thrown in the Dragonstone cage, where you will stay until I enact the Justification."

"No!" Johnny answered.

"Sonovan will stop you!" Sam added.

"What the hell is Dragonstone?!" Ryan blurted.

Titan did not answer, but deflected. "Now that we mention him, where is Sonovan? Too scared to come himself? Still wallowing in his defeat?" But then, he felt something in his very being. Titan relented from his discourse.

"Not anymore, for what you say will never happen. I've been reborn." It was Sonovan Lung, coming up to Titan from behind. He unfastened the invisibility apparatus from his chest. It fell to the floor like a backpack. "And this time, my eyes are set on you."

For a short while, no one said a word. Titan and Sonovan both stared at one another, studying the other's expression and holding a scowl, one set of eyes crimson and the other angelic. If hell was anything comparable to this, nobody desired it. The conflict evolved into a staring contest.

"Greetings again, Sonovan. Time has certainly affected you. Was I correct? Is torture of the soul, the mind, and the spirit worse than torture of the body?"

"Yes, you were. But I have something stronger than you—far stronger. Friendship. If I knew what I know now, I would have done so many things differently."

"I am impressed in your students. They have learned much. Nevertheless, all for naught."

"Thank you. I have primed them just to defeat you."

Titan let out a deep chuckle. "Yet time has not humbled you. Fascinating."

"No, but it has taught me many things."

"Such as?"

"Distraction."

Now had arrived the time to flaunt a new ability he had learned through the centuries. Without a single thought, Ooris coursed through his already permeated, shrouded body into his arms. It discharged at his fingertips, the dark-colored Energy rocketing out of him like a blaster. The sudden attack was so quick not even Titan had perceived it from Sonovan's mind. Titan stumbled back, his mind in confusion. Thus, the others were released from their imprisonment.

Justice screamed in fury and ran to strike them where they stood. Having known she would resort to a battle, Johnny sprinted as fast as he could to Titan, who this time had not yet created a telekinetic shield around himself. His surroundings moved in slow motion as he passed by Justice and found the connection on Titan's head. "I will never slow down," he said, as if responding to the comment Titan had made earlier.

He ripped the now-single cord from Titan's head, and he collapsed. "No!" he bellowed. As a result, Justice fainted like a deck of cards.

Strange sounds were heard from Titan's mechanical armor. His bright red eyes rolled back into snow white, and then black. "No!" he screamed again. "Revenge!" A clear wave of energy emerged from Titan's head.

"Oh shit!" Ryan exclaimed. He ran to Justice and picked her up into his arms. "Guys! Go!"

It was too late. The wave exploded, blowing Sonovan and the others in every direction. "This is not the end!" Titan cried. A blue sphere of energy encompassed Titan as he lay there on his knees. No sound was emitted.

In contrast, the heroes had been slammed into their surroundings. In fact, it was strong enough to knock all of them out except for Ryan; that being because of his rock form. Johnny Sparks, though, had taken the most brutal hit. His right leg had broken, and he was unconscious. Ryan ran over to help him, but as he inspected the injury, his body began to repair itself. Multi-colored energy wisped around his feet and knees, covering both. "Woah," Ryan admired. "That's sick." Though still unconscious, only a few minutes elapsed before the leg had fully repaired itself.

He stood and took in the scene. Everyone was unconscious, or at least partially, sparks rained down from the ceiling, and some areas were lit on fire. He could now hear the sirens buzzing throughout the ship.

"Oh crap."

Running over to the others, he tried slapping them awake. Sonovan was first to awaken. "Oh, good. At least you're alive." Sonovan helped him in waking the others from their slumber. Thankfully, Jane had landed on Justice's body, which shielded her from a terrifying impact. The suit also did a fantastic job of absorbing hits.

Only Justice, or Rose, had not awakened.

"My everything is killing me," Sam complained.

"Join the club," Dustin replied, trying to snap his own back.

"Jane, are you alright?" Johnny asked her. He had not known his leg had been broken.

"No, I'm really not."

"Does this mean Rose is ours again?" Ryan asked Sonovan. He was truly emphatic.

"Likely." Sonovan smiled.

Ryan glanced down at her unconscious body and beamed. He fixed the hair which had been blown across her face.

"You're ours again," he said.

Dustin patted him on the back. "I ship it."

"So do I," Sam replied, "Even though it cost me one hundred bucks."

They looked over to see Titan's sphere still covering his body. "Let me guess, we can't punch through that."

"You are correct," replied Sonovan. "It is a consequence of the beating his armor took. That is its last resort."

"I don't think we will last another bout with him," Sam groaned, trying to breathe in deep to quench the pain.

"We have to," Johnny replied. "We have come this far. Now is not the time to quit. But...how did you guys overcome him inside that place? How did you do that?" Johnny looked at the brothers in wonder.

Sam rubbed the back of his neck, motioning to Sonovan. "He's a great motivator."

Sirens rang throughout the ship. Solis was also on his way up. He had been ordered to pilot the Titan in case the group was brought aboard.

"We had better get out of here," Ryan asserted.

"Yeah, and like right now," Dustin added.

"Looks like we will have to fight our way out," Ryan replied.

"Yeah, and leave that to us," Johnny responded. "Sam, Dustin, and I will do it."

"What about me?" Jane asked.

Johnny glanced at her and smirked. "You just look cute and sit tight."

"Wow, I never knew you had an ounce of flirtation in you, Johnny!" Dustin exclaimed.

"T-That was not a flirt!"

"Yeah, it was."

"No, it wasn't."

"Yep."

"No."

"Yep."

"No."

Sonovan's eyes alternated between the two as they bickered to one another. Ryan rolled his eyes. "Oh my God, guys! Shut up! Let's go!"

"I have set up a ship for us. Its codename is ST12. It is also in Bay 1."

"Well! Why did you not say so?" Sam chuckled.

"Wait, where will we be going?"

"Back to Herook."

"Oh, great. Back to Herook. Just where we wanted to go. Can't we go anywhere else?"

Sonovan shook his head, unfortunately. "We must pick up necessities that I have left. Have faith, Ryan. Have faith."

Dustin spoke into Aurora. "Take me to Bay 1 and the ship ST12."

"Enjoy," was the reply.

As always, a sphere rose from the floor. "There's our taxi." They jumped through and landed contiguous to the ST12. The craft's shape was similar to the one Ledarius took them in, except marginally smaller.

"Get in," Sonovan commanded. "I remember how to operate these."

Without a second thought, the heroes, having barely escaped with their lives, boarded the craft. "Buckle up," he directed. The buckles were illuminated yellow restraints that wrapped around their sternum, shoulders, and legs.

The craft jolted to life and Sonovan took off. Soldiers passing were startled to see the ST12 flying, since it had been decommissioned only days prior.

Nothing could be done, though, because the ship exited the energy field that barred the ship's atmosphere from space.

Sonovan piloted the craft, and within minutes, they were already in Herook. The hideout was spotted a few miles off. "There is our destination," Dustin pointed. "Again."

ST12 parked at the base of the mountain. "Wow, didn't think I'd see this place again," Sam said.

"Yeah, you can say I was pessimistic," Dustin added. At the same time, his brother activated another portal to the hideout.

"But you guys saved our asses," Johnny replied. "I never knew you could be so brave. I owe you one. We owe you one."

"Thanks Johnny," replied the brothers simultaneously. "But you can thank Sonovan for that."

"Don't thank me," the said man replied as the wormhole was rising from the ground. "I only fuel you. What you do with the fuel is yours to decide."

Back in the hideout, Ryan laid Rose on the floor. Her hair fell to the sides of her shoulders. He checked her pulse, and to his joy, it beat steadily. Ryan caressed her hair. "You're ours again," he said.

"Great, so we're alive. What do we do now?" Dustin asked. "And I got beat to a pulp by both of them, so I need rest."

Sonovan shook his head in response. "We cannot. The Titan has undeniably already tracked us here. I have been here for ages, but no longer. Time is of the essence now. Come with me, all of you. I have a serum which will accelerate your healing factor."

"You have that?"

"Yes, and I have not used them. About thirty are inside their containers."

"Where'd you find them?" Ryan asked.

"A Frontinian lent me them. They are a species who live on the planet Frontin."

"Damn, there are so many."

"Of what?"

"Planets."

"Yes, there are. And an innumerable amount resides out there," Sonovan said, pointing to the sky. "Somewhere."

"Well, uh, do we put Rose in the sleep thingy, or just keep her there?" Sam asked.

"Leave her here. Confusion will set in if she resides there. Now come, leave her. You must take the serum."

"I hate needles."

~~~

Solis and an entire squadron made their way up to the throne room. He had been ordered by Titan himself to stay away from the potential conflict. The pungent smell of fire permeated the air. Once he entered, he was shocked. Titan was surrounded by an energy field but on his knees. The ceiling was destroyed, and Justice? Nowhere to be found.

"What the hell happened?" one soldier garbled.

Solis furrowed his brow underneath the helmet. "Where did they go?"

"I thought you knew," one said.

"You don't know where they went?"

"No, my liege, we don't. They just...disappeared."

"How?"

"Like I said, I do not know."

"Well, find out, soldier. Now."

"Yes sir."

"And the rest of you can leave," Solis commanded.

The elevator door closed and Solis was left in the room alone. Hesitantly scanning the scene, he shouted, "Argh! Why?!" in frustration. "I thought you were more powerful, Titan."

#  CHAPTER 31

NOWHERE TO HIDE

Less than an hour later, Rose woke up. She rubbed her eyes, squinting at the light of the setting sun. Her surroundings were significantly different from what she last remembered. Thirdly, her head throbbed. "Oh my God, what happened?" she said to herself. "Hello?"

Ryan and the others heard her voice and ran. He got there first and almost slipped. "Rose!" he exclaimed.

"What happened?" she said as she rubbed her eyes and massaged her head.

"I-I don't know, but what's important is you are OK."

"Ryan?" she asked, trying to make out his face.

At least she remembers me, he thought. "Yeah, that's me! Ryan Slade, remember?"

"Yes, where is everybody else? Where am I?" she asked, taking in this unfamiliar location.

"You are on Herook," Sonovan said.

"How do you feel?" Johnny asked. "You don't look good at all."

"Yeah, of course she doesn't. Duh. She's been through a hurricane," Dustin said.

"Yeah, not happy land," Sam added.

Rose stood up with Ryan's help, still confused and lost. "There you go," he consoled. By this time, he had already shrunk from his power form.

Squinting her eyes, she recognized Sonovan. "Wait a minute. I know you. You are Sonovan Lung."

"Yes, I am. It is a pleasure to meet you. Your friends have told me much about you."

Without warning, Rose emitted an ear-piercing scream and collapsed to the ground. The memories of what Justice had done returned to her. "No! No! No! What is happening? Dad? Dad! No!" she cried in puzzlement and confusion. Tears streamed down her face at the memory of her father's death at her hands.

"Rose! What is going on?!" Ryan shouted in worry, kneeling to her. Her knees were touching her forehead while she wept, vibrant red hair draped everywhere like a mop.

"Dad!" she cried.

"What? What happened to your dad?" Johnny asked her. "Rose!"

Dustin and Sam, along with Jane, also lowered themselves. "Rose, you have got to tell us."

So vivid was the reminiscence. Nothing she did could drive it out of her mind. The knife as it pierced Henry's skin made her weep all the more. His final conversation with Rose. Titan's response through her. All of it returned to her memory, unrelenting.

Because if I know my daughter well, she never goes down without a fight.

There is not a fight to compete in, I'm afraid.

Rose, if you are in there, never stop fighting. You hear me? Never stop! I love you.

I know.

It was all too much for her. The voices resonated, reverberated, and echoed in her mind, disregarding her feelings. She sobbed with an increase in ferocity every passing second, and the sole thing the others could do was try to comfort her.

"I don't have a good feeling about this," Johnny said, looking to them in concern.

Ryan was close to crying with her and out of whack. Even the brothers were shocked at his care.

Sonovan stood up quickly and paced to the entrance. His fingers brushed his chin as he contemplated. "I know what has transpired."

Johnny stood up and furrowed his brow, dirty blond hair strewn in an untidy bunch. "What are you talking about?"

"Titan had likely told her to destroy her past. If what you said is true, that means the only past to kill... is her father."

"What would that accomplish?"

"After that, she could be broken. That was the plan. Titan wanted her broken, to forget the only man she had ever loved."

Ryan's eyes burned with anger. In fact, they had never seen him so full of rage. "No!" he screamed in a paroxysm. "I'll kill him myself!" A kickboxing dummy nearby blew apart in his fury. A single punch made it dust.

Rose struggled to balance herself. She glared at Sonovan. "This is your fault! You were the one who opened the Xun to our universe a millennium ago! Why? To satisfy your depressed, selfish life?!" she spat in a frenzy of anger, arms flailing about in animation. "Yeah, I heard the story. You killed all those bugs that were released. But the time vortex! You alone are responsible! If you had never committed such a sin, my father would still be alive! Even my real parents would still be alive! Everyone that monster ever came across would still live. Damn you!" She advanced toward him to discharge her wrath, but Ryan stepped in the way, blocking her path. He held her back with his strength.

"No, no one needs to be hurt, Rose."

"Get out of my way, Ryan," she hissed, glowering at him.

Despite her resistance, he held her steady. "No, I can't. Please, come with me."

Sonovan lowered his head. He knew she was right. What he had done. Why was he so foolish? The pure Ooris of the Shadowverse bathed him, made him stronger than anyone in history, yet at what cost? "I know, Rose. I know. You are right. It was my doing. The blood of countless peoples is on me. Because I was foolish. I was selfish. In every sense of the word, I was wrong. Guilty on a trillion counts."

"Yes, you are!" she spat.

"Rose, I beg you," Ryan replied, "Come with me."

Because of his gentleness, she released herself. He nodded in satisfaction and brought her to the cliff outside. She backed out, eyes locked on Sonovan as if prey, but the man did not fret or turn away. His eyes locked on hers as well. Hmm, he is strong, she noted.

The breeze cooled them as they both sat on the edge as the night fell upon the mountains of Herook. Stars shined as the Milky Way's arms stretched out across the sky. Now is Ryan's turn to comfort.

Marveling at the view for only an instant, Rose found a spot to sit on the cliff. Ryan lay adjacent to her, cross-legged, just as Sonovan had imparted to him. For some time, neither spoke. When he sensed she had calmed down a bit, he then began. "Look, I know you feel hatred. But you have to listen to me right now. It will get you nowhere. And yeah, I know the feeling."

Without glancing, she replied, "No, you don't. I don't think you could."

"I never told you." She glanced at him inquisitively, and he prodded forward with a story of his own. "You ever wonder what happened to my Dad?"

She now turned to him, for he had piqued her interest. "I thought he just stayed home a lot."

Shaking his head in reaction to her response, he exhaled in sorrow. "No. Here's what really happened. As you know, I was an only child. One day, my parents took me out for a ride. I was sixteen, and my father was driving. My mom sat in the back, and I in the front passenger seat. Out of nowhere, a piece of shit car hits ours. My Dad, uh, my Dad didn't...he didn't m-make it," he said, his voice cracky. A tear seeped from his eye and fell to the ground like a piece of lead. "And worse, the driver was drunk. Turns out he had gotten a promotion and celebrated with alcohol. We were the ones who were affected by his mistake. We were innocent—innocent!

"Only my mother and I made it out. It was the worst day of my life. For months, I promised myself to murder the guy who crashed into us. I even had a plan devised. But she found out because I had it saved in my documents. I was stuck without the revenge I craved so much. And you know what? Even to this day, the anger resides in me. It's in there. It was all that bastard's fault. If only he hadn't gotten the promotion, or if we had not gone for a ride that day. Such small things came together perfectly to cause that to happen. To this day, I have never drunk a drop of liquor. I made a vow to never drink.

"But one day I realized there was more to it. If I held onto the anger, the rage, only I would be burned."

She was awestruck and saddened by his story. "How did you keep such a thing beneath your personality?"

"It's like Sonovan once told me. Desire. I no longer wanted to be plagued by the hatred, so I did something about it."

"I envy you." She placed her hand on top of his fingers, dwarfed by the size of his. He glanced down and swallowed.

"You can too. You know, when we found out you were taken by that monster; those were some of the worst moments of my life. I was frightened nearly as much as when my father was killed."

Her eyes widened. "You were frightened? For me?"

"Uh, yeah," he responded hastily.

Without hesitation, she started to lean in. He gulped because he knew what this entailed. Those YouTube videos had better not fail me now, he thought.

Just when something was brewing between the two, Johnny zoomed in, shocked to see it. "Woah, woah, woah, am I interrupting anything?"

Ryan gulped again. Rose rolled her eyes, smirked, and helped him up this time. "Uh, no? Yes? I don't know," he stammered.

"Really Johnny? Now?" she groaned.

Johnny held up his hands in defense. "Alright, sorry. I was just checking to make sure you weren't impaling him or something."

She giggled despite still gazing at Ryan. That hammered the signal into Johnny's dense head, so he instinctively discerned he should leave. They were both standing now. Without warning, she planted a kiss on his cheek. Ryan froze, mentally concerned and debating how a literally fiery girl could make him freeze. "That is my way of saying thank you. Thank you, Ryan. Thank you so much."

Stunned, Ryan's voice cut out. A minute was needed before his dazed brain could process her move. "Uh, wow. T-That was so—"

"Don't ruin it by being yourself," she cut in, rolling her eyes.

He couldn't help it. He burst out laughing. "Well, I did go through psychic hell to get you back, so I think I deserve it, honestly."

"You did great."

"You knew?"

"I still saw everything."

Inside, Rose met up with everyone in a more civilized fashion. She even met the one she had well-nigh attacked. "I am sorry for what I said to you, Sonovan."

Placing a soothing hand on her shoulder, he said, "Never apologize for the truth, Rose. Every word you spoke was nothing but the truth—not lies. A truth I have been burdened with for a millennium. And to add to the list, I am sorry for your father. But I know we can build a relationship."

A few teardrops oozed out of her eyes. She wiped the drops off with her hand. "Every one of you is my only family now."

"Thanks, Rose," Johnny replied. "We'll take care of you," he looked to the others, "together."

"Oh, I think Rocky here has the care part already covered," Dustin chuckled. "Too bad I missed it."

"Ugh, say goodbye to that money I had bet," sighed Sam.

Rose tried to ignore them and glanced to Jane, who kept quiet, as always. "Well, uh, Jane! How have you gotten by?"

"I'm trying my best." She was much smaller than Rose. "And I don't think my best is enough."

"You can't be that way. Insecurity is a terrible thing. I learned that."

"Talking about learning, what is Titan's plan?" Johnny interjected, hoping to skewer off from that conversation. He believed he should be the one who had to bolster Jane's prowess. And he still wondered why the hell he thought that way.

Rose sat down on the ground, and the rest, including Sonovan, did as well. Her eyes were far away. But there was also a deep fear inside them. "This is one of two reasons why he did not want me ripped from his grasp. Then you would find out."

Johnny furrowed his brow. "Find out what?"

"His true plan for Earth."

~~~

Solis had not left Titan. He stood by the recovering Emperor. And then, out of nowhere, the shield dissipated and his eyes popped open, shining like the sun. "Where are they?" Titan bellowed, searching in haste. He could not lose them. Not again. Not when he had basically beaten them. Twice. Yet, my nemesis finds a way to save them again. Incredible.

"Gone, my lord, but not for long."

"What do you mean 'gone'?"

"Back to Herook."

"So they are below us." Titan meandered toward the outlook point, the transparent barrier providing a gorgeous view of the planet below with its clouds, oceans, and landmasses.

"Yes."

"I did not anticipate their rapid increase in power. How could I not?" he lamented, picking up the wreckage. "And now, I am sure they know my plan. This is the one thing I feared! I failed. My power was not enough to destroy them when I had the chance. Oora is with them, that conniving beast."

"My lord, there is little to worry. Leave them. There is no way to stop us. Though we cannot jump into hyperspace by a bridge since the power is still in renewal due to Justice's escapade to kill her father, this ship is the fastest in the universe. We will outrun them before they even step on theirs."

Titan gazed down at the planet. "What you say is true. But, send a squadron to them. Fly close, lock on, and completely obliterate their location."

"Already done. The 2.4 Squadron just await my orders."

"Good. We must move quickly. The end is near. Set course for Earth."

He bowed and headed out, but Titan stopped him. "Also, I want criminals on board to come here as soon as possible. I will personally end their suffering. I must let out my rage."

Solis nodded once and left the room. Alone, Titan viewed the effects. His throne was destroyed, his ceiling in ruins, and the walls were close to collapsing. A team of attendants were on their way, thankfully. "That which is necessary, that I will do."

#  CHAPTER 32

#  ESCAPE

Rose sat back, recollecting. "Titan only invades planets and adds them into his massive empire. But he only raids planets which need aid. Corrupt and suffering worlds, such as Hallux and Corsic. Then there are undeveloped worlds with unintelligent inhabitants. These he leaves alone, because they are not classified as a civilization. When it advances, he is there to fan the flame.

"But his plan for Earth is much different. It is not to destroy them or to invade. The plan is to use humans. He has taken some from Earth and tested them. He claims you have some kind of spirit."

"Woah, what? What do you mean?" Sam asked.

"Elaborate," Johnny requested.

"A spirit. He says it is some form of a trans-dimensional energy. Apparently, he has one too."

"And how would he know all this?"

"It makes sense. His knowledge of the universe is boundless, as I told you," Sonovan replied. "This - This is why he wanted Earth so badly the first time I fought him," he realized. Finally, after all this time, it made sense. "Because of the special trait humans, like myself, possess. But I destroyed him before he had enough time to investigate further. It is all coming together."

"Right. And he calls it 'the answer.' Basically, he wants to become everyone. The idea is to utilize a machine he has already built. First, the machine will expose the Shadowverse to our realm. It will flood the planet with an outburst of the Shadowverse's energies. Ooris, they call it. Once the whole atmosphere is encompassed by energy, he will shoot his consciousness into the machine. And here's the worst part. Once that happens, everyone is doomed. His spirit will enter our bodies, and he will become each and every one of us. Or we will become him. I don't know. The sheer power he will possess will even grant him the ability to morph the bodies into himself."

"Are you actually telling me he's going to pull a move like that? Holy shit. We're all screwed," retorted Dustin.

"How is that possible? How could he become everyone?" Jane questioned again.

"It's his power. All of them will be connected to each other through one consciousness."

Sonovan said nothing throughout the rest of the explanation.

"And why does he want to do this?" Ryan asked.

"Yeah, that's a big Q. Why the hell would he want to do that?" Sam added. Dustin nodded in approval.

"Because then it will be easy for him to control the entire universe. And also, he can subsequently use any amount of Ooris at will."

"Just what I needed to hear," Johnny muttered.

"And Earth is where he's going."

"How do you know?"

"Because I do."

Just then, a sound of rockets echoed in the distant night sky. "Wait! Quiet! Do you hear that?" Johnny hushed.

"Hear what?" Ryan asked.

Johnny held up his hands to shush him. The sound grew louder with each passing second.

"I think I hear something now," Sam agreed.

"Oh shit," Ryan said.

Johnny bolted to the cliff outlook he had grown to admire. In the distance, he spotted several bright lights. "Oh no, that can't be good."

"What the hell is that?" Dustin fretted, peering to get a better view.

"Well, it's not good."

Sonovan pulled out a small telescope he had acquired over the years. "It's his forces. We need to abandon this place."

The lights stopped in motion and lined up in a row across the distant sky. Sonovan knew exactly. "We have to go. Now!" He sprinted into his own room and gathered a bag of vaccines, belongings, serums, his swords, and slung it around his shoulders. Everything else he left.

In moments, the squadron of fighters fired at them. Everyone ran inside as the cliff broke off under the relentless impacts. Windows of glass and pieces of Sonovan's dwelling fell apart. Explosions blew apart the walls of the encampment. There was nowhere to run, nowhere to hide.

Looking below, Sonovan spotted the ship they stole in a heap of fire. Their only escape route—the only way off-planet—was demolished. Uncharacteristically, he gulped as it exploded into a pillar of smoke.

"Sam, activate your suit! We need to teleport to the cave in the west! Do you see it?" he pointed to a hill to the west.

"Yeah, I see it!"

"Do it then!"

Rose unloaded several balls of fire at the brigade, and a few made contact. However, the rest were still firing, and the once safe abode in the mountains had been uncovered, fire raining down on it. A screeching sound emanated from below their feet as Sam tried to activate the Echo.

"The entire side of this mountain is slipping," Sonovan revealed.

"Sam, would you hurry up?!" Ryan implored.

"I'm working on it! Shut up!"

"It should be activated by now!" The groans of the mountain increased.

"Echo, I need you to activate a portal to the hill right there! See it?"

"Affirmative. Activating."

The sphere popped out of the ground. "Ready. Go!"

The group slipped into it and arrived at the mouth of a giant cave. Rushing to glimpse the state of the mountain, they were horrified at the sight. "No!" Johnny screamed as he watched the hideout explode into pieces. "No! Goddamnit! No!"

"Our ship is gone as well," Sonovan said.

Johnny turned to him. "You have got to be kidding me. Please tell me you are just kidding."

"Wait, what? Our ship is gone?!" Ryan agonized.

"How are we going to get out of here?!" Rose added. "We're screwed!"

"I think they marooned us," Dustin said.

"Yep, we're screwed," Sam moaned deeply.

Jane did not know what to say. Her silence spoke for her.

"It's over. Earth is finished."

Ryan let out his incense on the cave entrance, breaking the rock. Rose was about to do the same when Sonovan prevented her. "No. If you release your rage, they will spot us."

"And now we are marooned," Sam said. "It doesn't matter anymore."

Out of nowhere, behind them, they heard footsteps inside the cave. "What was that?" Ryan whispered. They turned to look in.

"Light up your suits," Johnny directed. Ryan's illuminated green, Rose's red, Johnny's blue, Jane's grey, Dustin's gold, and Sam's white. "Is anyone there?"

The rainbow of colors lit up the cave, but no one appeared. "Must be my imagination."

"It was not." They jumped and whipped back around to see a figure in black sweatpants, a jacket, and a white, scribbled mask leaning on the wall. It couldn't be. "Hello, I believe you are in need of my assistance."

Everyone surmised who he was. "Z," Johnny addressed. "Who the hell are you? How are you even here right now?"

"That is of no concern."

"You seem to say that a lot."

"You were the one who made Titan know we existed," Ryan said to him. "Why?"

"He would have come to Earth soon enough."

"What are you? Some kind of interstellar policeman?" Sam asked.

"No."

"Then you like messing with people," Johnny cut in.

"You see, I've done some really horrific things. But now I am giving back to the universe. And the number one priority is you—all of you." He spotted Sonovan in the back of the group and nodded. "Hello again, Sonovan." Sonovan nodded in response. "And hello, Jane Cooper. It is a pleasure."

She was caught off guard because the spotlight had shifted so quickly to her. "Um, hi."

"I always loved that name. You should be very glad your parents named you that."

"Thank you," she said, almost a whisper.

"Hey Johnny, would you look at that! He's picking her up faster than you could," Dustin laughed. Johnny jabbed his side. "Ow!"

"Look, are you going to help us or not?"

"Yes, in fact, I am."

"I saw you on Earth," Rose interjected. "Why were you there?"

"To make sense of that would require knowledge of many things."

"What do you mean?"

"One day, but not today."

"How did you get your powers? I have seen you have super speed too."

"An anomaly."

"What sort of anomaly?"

Z ignored his question. "I have for you a wormhole device constructed by Titan. I have modified it. Now, interstellar distances can be journeyed in a short period of time."

"Oh my God! Really?" Dustin exclaimed. "Told you! Guardian angel!"

"Yes really." He wheeled it out of the cave. It was rather large and bulky, with orange stripes on it. Constructed of a core and eight subsequent attachments, Johnny assumed it to be about ten feet in diameter. Some variant of metal enclosed balls of cyan energy on the attachments.

"Holy shit," Ryan drooled. His jaw hit the floor.

"Please, do not touch."

"Alright, well, prove your worth and activate it," Johnny demanded in a serious tone.

Z obeyed. "Surely." The mechanism activated, and the blue orbs of energy expanded. Streams of energy burst from each orb and integrated into a black sphere. It grew larger as the energies swirled throughout, bathing the room in its intense hues.

The group backed up as Z stood in the midst of it. "True power," he acknowledged.

The energies ceased and it went halcyon quicker than it had grown loud. But the dark sphere continued to rotate. Their bodies, despite persistent resistance, were dragged toward its embrace.

"Woah wait!" Ryan yelled. The rest screamed as they were sucked into the wormhole. Dustin turned back, as well as Sonovan, for the last glimpse of Herook before it fleeted away.

Inside the wormhole, space curved and warped in various different directions. Most kept their eyes closed. As suddenly as they had been drawn into its gravity, they were dropped off and landed on hard but undeniably soft ground.

After more than a week among the stars, home at last.

#  CHAPTER 33

SHADOWFORCE

Subject to a crazed indignation he had not experienced in years, criminals were shoved in for Titan's enjoyment as he slaughtered them without remorse. A seemingly endless repetition of snaps, breaks, and spewing blood characterized this enjoyment. Solis strode in, but kept his attention diverted from the dead, who lay there.

"My lord, they completely destroyed the hideout. The mountaintop is also severed. But there were no dead bodies found. So, we obliterated their ship, which they stole from us."

Titan released his telekinetic grip on an already dead lawbreaker, exhaling deeply as it fell to the floor. "They cannot be far. They think they are now marooned. Drop a C9 bomb in the surrounding parts. I want them dead. Well, possibly. At least scare them a bit."

A C9 bomb was the third largest his military had constructed. Yet, its power to destroy was apocalyptic. It would annihilate anything within a three-hundred-mile radius, and the radiation would destroy even more.

"Yes, my lord."

"But, make sure the divisions of troops are ready for action once we reach Earth. You can never prepare enough. Heroes could always find a way. I want them armed and ready."

"Of course."

"Here is my command to you: equilibrium. You understand what that entails, correct?"

Solis nodded once. "Yes, Titan. I do."

Smiling in a conniving manner, Titan bid him away. "Then see to its completion, Solis."

"Your command is my life, my lord. Expect it done already."

~~~

The heroes and Sonovan slushed their faces to the ground. Joy was an understatement. They were the most jovial they had ever been. Sonovan smelled the ground in earnest and admiration, for he had not done so for five-hundred years. "Home at last! Never have I been so glad!" he exclaimed, smiling and laughing from ear to ear.

"We're back! Holy crap!" Ryan exclaimed as well. He ripped out grass and smooshed it onto his cheek. The others, to their own surprise, did the same.

"Oh yeah, I can be here all day!" cried Dustin.

"I almost want to eat it," Sam added, motioning to the dirt.

"Ew, no. That's disgusting," Rose replied. Jane laughed.

Only Johnny was standing. He faced Z. The man seems strangely familiar, yet so dissimilar to anyone he had ever met. "Look, I think I was wrong about you. So, I'm sorry for that."

Z shook his head twice and gave Johnny a clean, hard look. "There is nothing to be sorry for, Johnny Sparks. The one you had met was not...really me. He was a fake. That was not Z."

"Then who are you?"

"I am Z. Just...not him." At this, Johnny furrowed his brow, not understanding the words Z spoke.

After a few seconds of silence, Johnny responded, "Is your name really Z?"

"What do you think?"

"I don't know anything anymore. What I've been through has generated questions I have never contemplated."

"At one time, I felt the same. Don't worry. Heroes always figure it out in the end." His white mask moved with his mouth as he spoke.

"Can you join us? It's fine if you keep the mask on. But we need more help. A lot more help."

"No, this is your fight. I have to free more planets, you know? Well, among other things." Unlatching a case he had brought with him, Z unboxed a thin, long cylinder. Johnny inspected it, but the cylinder was absent of any form of writing. It was smooth and grey. "Just do what you do best. Be the hero."

That phrase again, Johnny noted.

By this time, the others had come over. Ryan leaned in. "Hey, whoever you are, I want to shake your hand."

Z extended his hand as well. "Thank you, Ryan. Godspeed. Godspeed to all of you. In whatever you do, do good."

Johnny shook his hand as well—a firm grip. "Good luck. But, uh, will I ever see you again?"

"Possibly," he replied. The machine activated, although not a wormhole. A clear, mirrored circle appeared out of the cylinder, flashes of blew emanated from it. In a glimmer of time, Z collapsed into it and disappeared.

"What the hell was that? That was not a wormhole."

"I don't know," Johnny replied, his eyes staring into the place Z had been.

"I am sure it was not," Sonovan replied.

"Then what could it have been?"

"Something else. I do not know."

"Well, what the hell are we supposed to do now?" Ryan "We just went through a week-long journey through time and space, and now it's almost over."

"Yeah, what do we do now?" Dustin added.

"What about Henry? She, uh, you know, did that stuff to him. Is she a suspect?"

"How am I supposed to know?"

"Please don't mention it," Rose requested. "Ryan and I will go. Then we'll see his mom. We are still labeled missing, so we had better keep quiet."

"No, that is not what's going to happen," Johnny responded in a commanding tone. "We're going straight to the White House. After that, we can do whatever we want. We'll get there by a portal."

"No offense, but that is a much better plan," Sam said, pointing at Johnny to show it.

"Thank you." He realized what he said and quickly glanced at Rose. "No offense."

"I don't really care. Let's just get a move on."

"Echo, activate bridge to the White House in Washington, D.C., United States of America, Earth," spoke Sam. "And yes, we are in Quadrant 33 of the galaxy MW1."

"Granted. Enjoy the trip."

"I don't think it was necessary to say all that," Jane replied.

"It sounds cooler. I saw it on the hideout entry."

A wormhole opened and they took it, the trip a breeze. They arrived at the front door of the White House. "What a place to be dropped off, Echo!" Ryan exclaimed. Guards and secret service unhinged their guns and weapons.

"Freeze!" they commanded in unison.

Johnny ignored them and brought everyone to the President's desk. This meant he went back and forth to bring them, but his speed made the risk of guards very etiolated.

The President was interrupted and nearly called his secret service in. Fortunately, the guards were already on their way to the door.

"What is the meaning of this? Do you know who I am?"

"Wait! Mr. President, don't call anyone! We can explain and are here to warn you!" Johnny implored.

"Warn me?" the President asked, amused. "A bunch of kids? Warning me? About what?"

"How about the end of the world?" Ryan replied. The President eyed him.

"How did you get in here?"

"Long story. But, if you care about anything on this planet, you have to listen to us."

The guards stormed in. "Freeze! Hands behind your back!"

"Wait!" the President ordered. "Do not."

"But Mr. President! These are criminals! Trespassers! Not to mention, possibly spies!"

"No! We aren't spies! Honestly!" Sam defended vivaciously.

"Quiet!" the President boomed. "I want to hear what these kids have to say." Intrigued, he sat back and waited. The guards and secret servicemen lowered their weapons. "Please, elaborate."

"Rose, you go first."

She stepped forward. "This is an honor, Mr. President. Please, get comfortable. This will take a while."

So she, along with occasional complementing words by the others, explained every event that had happened over the past week. In fact, she even mentioned Titan controlled her for a while, and served him only.

"The Shadowverse is an alternate universe, filled with Ooris. It lies beyond ours. Titan harnessed this power to create his empire, called the Tetra. And he's now coming here, to Earth. Our friend, Z, as I told you, built us a device to get back here. Without him, we'd still be stuck on Herook."

The President frowned, flabbergasted and bewildered. "So let me get this straight, a giant alien madman who has built an empire throughout the galaxy is coming here to invade our bodies?"

"Yes, that is correct," said Dustin, nodding.

"Mr. President, take that with a grain of salt. That's impossible," one serviceman cut in.

"Well, how do you think we got here? A portal. You want to see one?"

"And how do you think we can do this?" Sam replied. He froze the glass of coffee on the President's desk. Johnny sprinted throughout the room, as well. Rose lit her arm on fire, and extinguished it in an instant.

"Wow," the President marveled. "Tony, are we in a comic book?" he said to his aide.

"I think so."

"I think that's enough for today. I don't need to see portals to comprehend what you are saying." He led them out of the room. "Let me contemplate for a bit."

They led the group, including Sonovan, out of the Oval Office. Secret Servicemen eyed them behind the opaque shades each wore, as the group stood there in silence. Dustin tried to ease the tension. "So, uh, what's up?" None responded. "OK, uh, you guys really take your job seriously. Look at you! Standing there like a statue. All black suits and sunglasses. Tell me, you got a laser blaster in there?" The guard turned his deadpan, run-down face to him. "Oh, I see how it is. No talking. Got it."

"Dustin, would you please shut up?" Johnny begged.

"I am trying to ease the tension! It's like a rubber band in here."

The group watched as people crowded through the door into the Oval Office. Of course, each person eyed them in curiosity, intrigue, and amusement. Their suits stood out among those of everyone else.

"This is going to take a while," Ryan murmured.

"Patience," Sonovan replied. His pack was slung around his back, still carrying essentials.

"Easy for you to say. You've had a millennium to learn patience."

"Patience," he repeated.

"It's crazy," Jane interrupted. "We were just on Herook thirty minutes ago. What the hell has happened to my life?"

"Titan happened," Johnny replied.

"And Sonovan," added Dustin.

"And basically everything else," Ryan finished.

"We are just one part in a much larger, grander story, my friends," Sonovan responded, turning to each. Per the norm, Sonovan's samurai bandana wrapped around his ponytail, where his jet-black hair had been arranged into a bun.

The group stood there for about twenty minutes before the door opened and they were ushered in. Advisors and politicians filled the room. "What do you call yourselves?" the President asked.

"Woah, uh, group huddle?" Dustin motioned to the others. "OK guys, this is a huge moment for us. What's our name?"

"What about Team Sonovan?" Johnny suggested.

Frowning, Dustin shook his head no. "Wow, I thought you were smarter than that."

"We're not a soccer team," Sam jested. "Sonovan?"

"I do not care," he replied.

"OK, that was useless," Sam replied.

"How about the Shadowforce?" Dustin cut in. "It rolls off the tongue, you know?"

"Hmm, the Shadowforce," Ryan recited, mulling over the moniker. "Shadowforce. I like it."

"Guys?"

"Yeah, that matches us pretty well," Jane replied. "I agree."

"Rose?"

She shrugged. "I guess. I've kind of just gotten here."

"Gentleman? Are you ready now?"

Johnny turned around first. "We're the Shadowforce."

"Oh man, I wanted to say it," retorted Dustin.

"The Shadowforce?" the President reiterated, turning to the Vice President as if questioning this was real. I'm going to wake up and realize it was a bad dream, he thought, hoping for that to be true. The Vice President shrugged.

"Yes, sir!" Dustin exclaimed.

The President raised his eyebrow, studying them each head to toe. "Very well, then. Everyone out. I want to speak with this Shadowforce in private."

The room grew silent once the door closed. The President cleared his throat. "How much time? How much time do we have before he arrives?"

"In my estimation," Sonovan replied, "only five days. Six at most."

"And when he arrives, he'll have his own ship. It's gigantic. Easy to spot."

"How is it powered?"

"Some kind of the Alcubierre drive. In fact, the planets we visited had the same drive, just not as advanced."

"Alcubierre? The Mexican scientist?"

"Yes."

"And how will you stop him?"

Sonovan spoke up. "I know how to stop him. And with the help of my new friends, he will fall, for good this time."

"For good? What do you mean? This has happened before?"

Sonovan nodded once, his expression expertly conveying the message. The President stared at them intently. He narrowed his eyes. "I believe you, Shadowforce."

"Thank you, sir," Johnny replied.

"And how long until it happens once he lands?"

"An hour, two at most."

"God help us all."

#  CHAPTER 34

#  RECONCILIATION

The throne room was still. Titan stood near the cracked belvedere, holding a book. Solis strode in. "My lord, we will arrive in five days."

"Good. In case you were wondering what I am doing all this time, I have been studying this book." He lifted it up. "The so-called Holy Bible. Granted, I've studied every religious book on Earth. No other species can boast the sheer amount of religious information and want. Anyway, I must say, it is the most interesting text of Earth. Human, but undeniably otherworldly. Impressed am I! The book speaks much wisdom, and I am surprised mere humans such as King Solomon understood the follies of this existence. Many species could have utilized this and built a better society. And then, it even mentions me."

"My lord? It mentions you?"

"Yes, it does. As I have deciphered it, a man known as the 'man of intrigue' appeared in different places. It describes him as cunning and intelligent, always ready for a fight.

"In a time of need—a time of hardship, this man will appear. The entire world will be swept by his grandeur, and in time, the world will be under his feet. He will control it. But mind you: He never states his plot is to destroy it, but to save it."

"Which indicates?"

"In this short but profound analogy, I am he."

"You are this man?" questioned Solis, desiring an elaboration.

Titan shook his head once, resting his arm on the throne. "No, I am not. But, as I said, it serves as an analogy. My plan is not to destroy Earth, but to use it."

"I see."

"Solis, see to it the forces are ready for battle. Prepare for anything."

"It will be done, my savior."

~~~

Taking a deep breath, the President relaxed into his chair after a few minutes. "I want you to stay in a warehouse I have off the books. It's quite luxurious. Until he arrives, your orders are to stay put."

"Thank you, sir," Johnny replied. "But we need to reconnect with our loved ones."

"I will have a driver take you where you need to go."

"Yeah, well, uh, we live in NYC, so we'll just teleport there."

Captivated, the President asked, "Can I see it?"

"Sure."

Dustin activated the portal, and the sphere rose from out of the floor. "Incredible," the President awed. "Just incredible."

"Yeah, it really is," Ryan replied.

"Mr. President, we will be back in about two hours," notified Johnny.

"I will be expecting you, Shadowforce. But for now, take those things off and get in casual attire."

Sonovan asked for one favor. "Sir, if possible, may I take a short stroll around the city? I have not been to Earth in a terribly protractive amount of time. If I have pleased you, grant my request."

The President was enamored by Sonovan's veneration. "Of course. You can ride in one of our SUV's. Tell Charlie where to drop you off."

They nodded and jumped into the portal. As quickly as they had burst into his office, they burst right back out. Alone, the President chuckled. "Amazing."

~~~

Johnny, about to jump into a portal Sam would open for he and Jane, stopped short. His body felt weird and tingly. "Uh...I don't feel so good," he groaned, falling to the floor. "What's happening?"

Jane, Sam, and Dustin shouted for Ryan to come over. "Ryan! Come here! There's something wrong with Johnny boy!"

Rushing to his aid, Ryan bent low. "Is this like the car fiasco?" He slipped his head underneath Johnny's shoulder, helping the weak man to stand. "You don't look very good."

"Yeah, you look pale," Jane added.

"What she said," Sam complemented.

Though wobbly, Johnny stood thanks to Ryan's support. "I-I think it's the Ooris. I've spent way too much. Sonovan s-said that if we use our powers too much, we'll lose them for a bit." He tested his power, yet the Ooris did not respond.

"What?" Dustin retorted. "How long is 'a bit'?!"

"I don't know. A few hours?"

"So if I use mine without caution I'll lose it too?" further questioned Ryan. "Who told you this?"

"Sonovan. On Herook. Maybe I forgot to tell you."

"Shit."

"What does he need?" asked Rose. She had not been in the room.

"Uh, a lot of Gatorade."

~~~

Ryan and Rose together ventured to his house. He knocked on the door, and she asked, "Who is it?"

"It's me, Mom. It's Ryan."

Nearly ripping the door off its hinges, his mother rushed and embraced him. "Ryan, I had thought I lost you!" she cried. Her dark brown hair ruffled against his shoulder. Rose stood there, not speaking a word.

"I'm fine, Mom. I have so much to tell you."

She looked at her son with admiration and happiness as her hand was placed on his cheek. "Do you know how many nights I have slept?"

"Probably none."

"That's right, Ryan. None! And you know what made it worse? Some stranger broke into the Jones's place and told them where you were. I was next! He broke in here too!"

"What did he look like?" Ryan questioned, definitely suspicious as he furrowed his brow.

"Tall, and he wore a jacket. And I don't know what he looked like. Something covered his face in a mask. Hold on! Do you know him?"

"What? Oh, uh, kind of."

"Well, who the hell is he? What boys are you palling around with now?" She glanced at Rose, only now realizing she had been there the whole time. "Well! Who might you be, ginger? My apology if this offends you, but by golly you are tall!"

"Genes," she replied, nodding.

Ryan let out an uneasy laugh and cleared his throat. "Mom, this is Rose. We met her a while back. A lot of weird shit has happened, so please, can we come in?"

"You're my son, Ryan. Of course you can come on in. And please, bring your girlfriend with you!" She turned to Rose, who blinked twice. "He finally did it. I'm so amazed he found someone like you," she whispered. "You know, he always had problems around pretty girls."

"Mom!"

~~~

In corroboration with what Sonovan had said on Herook, Johnny had partially lost his ability. Unable to run or move at the superhuman speeds, Johnny found himself temporarily locked inside a human body once again. Thankfully, only several hours would be needed before he could become the Johnny Sparks he had come to fancy. The really fast version, the version he believed fit him better than anything life had offered him. The speedster—the hero—Johnny Sparks.

Johnny took Jane to his house, upon her desire. She wanted to meet them. "Alright, well don't be suspicious, Jane," he said, walking up to the door he had doubted he would ever see again.

"Why would I be suspicious?"

"Well, uh, the last time I brought a girl home was four years ago. And that relationship didn't work out very well."

"I understand. But we aren't in an actual you-know-what, right?" she murmured.

"Oh, uh, I guess."

"I'll do my best." He smiled and rang the doorbell.

Irene unlocked it and swept it open. Her eyes lit up at the sight. "Johnny! Oh my God!" Similar to Bethany's reaction, Irene grabbed him and held on for dear life. "My life has been absolutely terrible for the past week!"

"I'm so sorry for not telling you, but it was in your best interests, Mom." He held her as tight as good, not wanting to let go.

"Timothy! Come on down! You won't believe who's here!" she screamed. "But someone did tell me, Johnny."

Johnny furrowed his brow, as did Jane. "What?" they both responded in unison. "What do you mean?"

"Please, come on in."

~~~

"Here we go, dude," chuckled Dustin. "This is it. Got the camera?"

"Mom's gonna kill us for this."

"She's gonna kill us for leaving in the first place."

"Can you imagine if we lost and Titan killed us?" Sam jested.

"She would have killed us for that too," Dustin responded.

He knocked on the door and rang the bell. A pair of eyes popped into view behind the window shades. Simultaneously, the door flew open. "Dustin! Sam! You're alive! Is-Is this really you?" Jenny exclaimed, stammering. "Worried sick I've been! Do you know what kind of torture we have been under?!" She finished with a slap on both cheeks, but they did not really care. A slap on the cheek was literally nothing compared to what had transpired.

Robert came to the door and his eyes widened. "Kids! We've been worried sick!"

"I just said that, Robert."

"You know how bad this has been? It's been torture!"

"I said that too," she replied.

"You're both grounded!"

"You can't ground us, Dad," Sam countered.

"We're 22," Dustin finished.

Robert frowned. "Alright, well, I'll figure something out. Aw come over here!" he said. His big arms grabbed them both. Jenny joined in.

"I have missed you so much. I was entertaining suicide, actually."

"Don't say that Robert!"

"And it made it worse when some crazy freak zoomed into our house."

Dustin and Sam glanced at each other. "What?!"

"Yeah, he told us where you were! Herook, or whatever he called it? And you were the first to go to outer space. Gosh, that sounds so sci-fi."

"That was Z!" Dustin exclaimed.

"You know him?"

"Yeah, he's a special friend."

"Really? He didn't seem like a friend. Ordered us to not say anything to anyone except Bethany, Irene, and Tim."

"He did?"

"Yeah! And he broke into Bethany's house."

"He did?!" the brothers shouted.

"Yes, it's been hectic."

"Oh God, this is so crazy."

"Come on in! I want to hear where you've been! It's been a crazy society since these 'wormholes' as they call them opened."

"Yeah, I bet," Sam replied.

"Alright, we're coming on in."

~~~

A while later, the duo had explained their story. Starting from the beginning, Ryan and Rose both told their sides of all that transpired, including Titan, Justice, Z, and his soon arrival.

"This is too much," Bethany said. "I can't retain all this."

"Take your time," Rose replied. "Even I can't make sense of it all."

Nodding, Bethany stood and went into the kitchen. She returned with three glasses filled with water. "I am sure you need this."

"Thanks, Mom," Ryan said, helping her with the cups. He handed Rose one.

"Thank you."

"Are the boys reconciling as well?"

"Yeah, that's right."

"How long?"

"Until what?"

"Until he gets here."

"Less than a week," Rose replied. "Likely around the five days range."

~~~

"Ah, home sweet home," Johnny exhaled, reclining on the family couch. "It's been too long."

Timothy found a place to sit right next to his son. He placed his hand on his shoulder. "I told you," he said. "You are special."

Johnny remembered that night, the very night he and the others had been affected by Z. On the couch, he turned and gave his father a firm hug.

"Out there among the stars, away from your family. But please, why didn't you tell us you had these...gifts?"

"I don't know. I just thought it was not the appropriate time."

"Well, either way, I'm so proud of you, son."

"Thanks, Dad. But, uh, what are you talking about? Who told you?"

"Bethany and the Jones's. Some masked nut broke their homes. He told us where you were and what happened. Why didn't you tell us?"

Johnny gulped for the billionth time in the last week. "Did Beth describe him wearing a mask?"

"Yes. You know him?"

This is getting crazier each time. It doesn't make sense. "Let's just say we've been in contact with him recently," he responded, glancing to Jane for possible support. "His name is Z—well, that's what he told us. But I don't know who, or what, he is. During our ventures, he would help us out. He created a device to transport us here. If it weren't for him, we wouldn't be here right now."

"Sounds like a friend," Timothy said.

"I don't know. I cannot trust him."

"Why?" Jane interjected. "Why can't you?"

Turning to her, he said, "A guy who has my ability and only keeps a mask on? I definitely can't trust him. But I respect him for being an aid in our time of need."

"Oh, OK."

"By the way, who are you?" Irene asked. "I've never met you before."

"I'm Jane. I met your son on accident."

"Accident?"

"Yeah, it's pretty hard to explain," Johnny cut in. "You see, Z gave us our powers, and that night is when I met Jane. She was under attack by some thug."

"You attacked a thug?" Timothy responded in astonishment.

"Well yeah," Johnny replied, "He was toast."

"That's my boy."

"And Z helped you? Why?"

"He said he had done some bad things in life, and he wanted to give back to the universe." Johnny brooded over the statement, ruminating. "And you know what? That reminds me," he said, turning to Jane. "He said we had seen a fake Z, remember? Something along the lines of 'that was not Z.'"

"Oh, you're right. I remember him saying that."

"I am lost," Timothy replied. "Who is who?"

"It's possible there are two Z's?" Johnny contemplated, glancing at Jane for more help.

His mind ran into overdrive, putting the pieces of the puzzle together. "I think our little friend here isn't what you call a coincidence. You know what that means, do you?"

"I can see where you are going with this. No. Just no. That is not possible and you know it."

"But think about it! Sonovan said Titan had acquired technology with that capability."

Timothy and Irene glanced at each other and back to Johnny and her. "I don't think I understand what you are saying, Johnny," Irene said.

Johnny smirked, shooting looks at each person. "He's a time traveler."

~~~

"Please, tell me all the places you've been!" exclaimed Jenny. "I want to hear it."

"All of it?" Sam responded.

"All of it," Robert replied.

"Alright, but I warned you."

From then on, the events were recollected and told. Like Ryan had done, everything was brought to light.

"So, Rose was a psychopathic murderer who killed her father?"

"Please, never mention it. She is awfully sensitive about the matter."

"And another psychotic alien is coming to Earth? To turn us into freaks like him? You're crazy."

"No, Dad, it's all true," Sam replied. Astronomical stories, in Robert's mind, were over his head.

"Soon enough, he'll be here. And you had better hope it's a repeat of our last fight. Or else we're doomed."

Robert instinctively grabbed his sons by the shoulder and embraced them tighter than a belt. In a matter of seconds, the aura in the room had changed to a serious one. "I'm not going to lose any of you, you hear me? What can I do?"

Instead of replying, the brothers brought their mother into the group hug. After a minute, Dustin said, "Just stay put. We'll handle it. Z said we had to be the hero he knew we could be. And that is what we are going to do."

Easing out of the embrace, Sam sat back onto the couch. His phone rang. "Hello?"

"Sam, it's Johnny. Meet me at my house. Call Ryan and get him over here."

Sam furrowed his brows, eyes scanning the street outside his house through the shades on the window. "Uh, why? Something wrong?"

"I've got a clue as to who Z is."

His eyes widened. "We'll be right over. Wait there."

Hanging up the phone, Sam fastened his baseball cap onto his long hair. "Dustin, we got to go."

"Why?"

"Johnny's figured something out."

"About what?"

"Z."

"Oh shit. Sorry Mom. Sorry Dad. Duty calls!"

Jenny and Robert again hugged their sons. It had be far too long. "Just make sure you come back."

"Of course," Sam replied as he opened the door to leave. Of course.

#  CHAPTER 35

A WALK

After Charlie dropped off Sonovan Lung at a parking spot in downtown Washington D.C., he thanked him. The African-American smiled and shook his hand.

Stepping out onto the sidewalk, he began to walk, measuring his strides, erecting his posture, and keeping his balance. As he passed by a flood of fellow humans, Sonovan felt somewhere else, a dream, possibly. How could this place be so different from how he remembered it?

During his stroll, he drew much attention. His tall, large build, bun, long bandana which reached his spine, and attractive robes received second and third looks. The blueish-grey robes' proper name was Orskan, given to him by a hero of old, the name Orslon. He had yet to explain to the group who The Shadows were, yet that day would likely be today.

In response to the awkward glances of civilians, Sonovan seized the opportunity to reciprocate, except he exaggerated it.

His deep stares bore into passing people—men, women, and children. Businessmen and women became distracted from their calls, and teenagers put down their phones.

Sonovan marveled at them, but felt a sadness overwhelm him like a wave. A momentous amount can be learned from the eyes, and he knew that. The modern-day man is absent of peace, he noted. They rush to and fro, but to where and for what purpose? Mankind seems to have forgotten the very first principle of meditation—peace of mind and spirit.

Titan had been correct. Entertainment had become quite the drug.

He continued the stroll, still watching, listening, learning. The city was a grand place, like so many he had been to across many worlds. These were unsophisticated in comparison, but they accomplished what humans intended of them.

Once he had seen enough, Sonovan found Charlie's SUV and got in. Charlie asked him if he had enjoyed his time.

"Not as much as I had thought, I am afraid. It has changed so much. Today's people seem to think entertainment is a right rather than a privilege. Thank you, though. My gratitude is with you."

Charlie nodded and replied, "Yeah, it's not for everyone."

Sonovan nodded and they sped off to the designated location.

A FEW HOURS LATER

Underneath a farm in Maryland, the government had set up a large underground bunker. About the size of three ice hockey rinks, the purpose of the bunker was for safety in case of an attack. For now, the large escapade's function was to shelter the new heroes for five days, or whenever Titan himself would arrive.

On his own, Sonovan meandered through the halls of the bunker, which was unfortunately pale and depressing. The walls wore a miserable grey, and, of course, no natural light could permeate it. Thank goodness there were computers, televisions, radios, walkie-talkies, phones, along with a slew of guns and other weapons in a safe.

Making himself comfortable, Sonovan tested his knowledge of computers and marveled at how simple they operated. Compared to the planets he had visited, Earth was many steps behind. Nevertheless, since the last time he had called it home, Earth had advanced further than he could have imagined.

~~~

Jane went outside and took a seat on the porch of the Sparks' home. His parents, on the other hand, stayed inside. Johnny followed her and sat on the bench across.

"You never told me, by the way, how you got your powers," he started, looking at her. The bangs flowed off her forehead as if she had arranged it that way. He caught himself though, internally conjecturing like a court room or scientific laboratory why he had noticed such a minute feature.

Though she still appeared a tad tentative, she explained. "The night after my parents were killed, I stayed at my grandparent's house. When I woke up, it wasn't long until I discovered them."

"And so you've had telekinesis ever since?"

"Yes."

"I won't be surprised—"

"If he gave them to me? Sure. He injected you with it, so why not me? If he really is a time traveler, he knows what's going to happen. And if he's human, does that mean we prevail?"

"Don't be so sure, Jane. I don't want to jinx anything. This is the pinnacle moment of human history. If we fail, no one survives. If we succeed, well, I don't know what happens. The point is, we have to focus, especially me."

Just then, a lovely blacked-out vehicle pulled up onto the side of the street. "And I don't think he's human," he finished.

In their casual clothing, Ryan, Rose, and the brothers stepped out as it drove away. They walked up to them. "You know, I'm really beginning to like the treatment we're getting," Dustin chuckled. "It's like I'm a superstar or something."

"Yeah, I could get used to it," Ryan replied.

"And it's so nice and warm in there!" Rose exclaimed. "I hate the cold."

"Unironically," Ryan replied.

"You know, I am literally right here!" Sam objected. "Yeah, I'm the only cold guy in here, obviously."

Johnny turned to Jane and rolled his eyes. "Can I interrupt now?"

"Oh, yeah. Sorry. Go on."

"Z isn't who we think he is. He might help us every so often, and yeah he gave us powers, but each meeting is not a coincidence."

"So, what are you saying? Of course it's not a coincidence," Ryan replied.

"No, you misunderstand. I think he has to help us."

"What?" Sam replied.

"Remember when he said the guy we met when we got our powers 'was not Z'? That must mean there are two—or something like that."

"What are you getting at?" Rose replied.

"This is what I'm getting at. He's a t—"

"Time traveler," Rose interrupted, finishing his sentence.

"Uh, yeah."

"What? A time traveler?" Ryan replied. "And how can you come to that conclusion?"

"Remember what Sonovan said? Titan has the technology to time travel. So, who is to say Z didn't do the same?"

"Or maybe he stole it," Jane added.

"I haven't thought of that." She grinned.

"That explains why he already had that wormhole machine in the cave," Rose contemplated.

"Right."

"OK, so we've hit at pretty much everything except a name. Who is this guy?"

"That part is the mystery. It's why his name is Z. He doesn't want anyone to know his true identity."

"Of course. Typical. Always got to be mysterious or whatever," Dustin moaned.

Johnny's phone rang at that moment. "Hello?"

"Hello. This is the President. I am personally calling you to come to the White House at once. If you can, please teleport or do whatever you say you can do. I do not desire to see media around wondering who the hell just entered the most protected house on the planet."

"Who is it?" Ryan asked. Johnny shushed him.

"Yes, sir. What is the purpose of the meeting?"

"I want to know how we might prevent this onslaught."

"No problem, sir. We'll be right there." He hung up and faced the group. By then, Robert and Irene had come out to see. "That was the President. We have to go."

"You are going to talk with the President?!" Robert exclaimed. "Holy crap!"

"Yeah, it's pretty cool."

~~~

During his ventures throughout his new surroundings, Sonovan met several guards. Out of courtesy, he asked their names, and they replied such. In fact, Sonovan introduced himself to every one, to their amusement. The way he was raised—his traditions—were evident.

Despite the murky life he led as a young man, time had taught him patience, courtesy, and to cherish the little things—the things many would disregard.

He found the plumbing system to be quite primitive as well. Compared to the orbicular relief systems on Nexon and many others, these were mediocre.

A guard approached him and said the President expected him at the White House. At that moment, a portal opened between them, and the guard stepped back in fear. Dustin jumped out.

"Hey, Sonovan. I'm here to pick you up. We got two more teleportations left on my suit for the next thirty hours, so after this, we won't be going many places. Sam has a few left, though."

"Let us depart," he replied. They both jumped into the portal together as the guards watched in incredulity.

"I think I had too much to drink yesterday," one said.

~~~

At once landing in the Oval Office, the President stood as the group exited the portal.

"Here we are again, sir," Johnny said. "At your service."

"Yes, this is a delight. Now, I want to know how we can prevent this mass onslaught Titan has planned. You said the satellites are the key."

"They are, but I don't recommend destroying them all. Titan has for sure already planned ahead for such a thing."

"You see, Mr. President, Titan has a vast amount of intellect gained from millennia he has spent invading worlds across the Local Group, as you call it," Sonovan added.

"Wait, how old is he?"

"Not a soul knows. Not even I."

"And, who are you?"

"I am Sonovan Lung."

"Sonovan who? What are you? A samurai? A ninja?"

Sam facepalmed at the comment. "Yes, in fact, I was a samurai about a thousand years ago."

The President's eyes widened and he coughed. "So you are immortal?"

"That is correct, sir."

"My day has been getting better and better. Anyway, go on."

"I suggest this," Rose started. "In my time aboard his vessel, I noticed something interesting. The ship has no shields—like, none. I guess all those science fiction books and movies are way ahead of reality. But, he can generate a huge amount of energy and block incoming fire. This can work to our advantage.

"If we fire a load of missiles at his ship, he will generate a gigantic shield around his vessel. This can weaken him somewhat, and it can be easier to defeat him."

"Very intuitive, Rose," Sonovan replied, "I had not imagined that, but it makes sense."

"Thanks."

"OK, so we haul ass on his ship and he'll deflect it. Then what?" the President replied.

"He has already built satellites for his plan. In case we prevail, it would not be logical to simply destroy all the technology and equipment that orbits Earth. It would be a huge waste of money, and, like I said, technology that we have amassed over the past half-century."

"Yes, you are right," the President responded. "So we just let him release his satellites, and what happens then?"

"Leave the rest to us," Johnny replied.

#  CHAPTER 36

#  ENTER SHADOWVERSE

A few hours later, Sonovan was meditating in his bedroom. Legs crossed and eyes shut, his mind drained itself of thoughts. Almost into the mood, Sonovan jumped as the group walked in. "Oh, sorry!" Sam exclaimed.

"Didn't know you were in your trance. We'll be right out," Rose added.

"No, my friends, it is quite alright. Please, join me."

"Oh, uh, OK."

They sat next to him, forming a horizontal line in the dorm. Sonovan was in the middle, with Johnny to his right and Ryan to his left. Next to Ryan were Rose and Dustin; while next to Johnny were Sam and Jane, respectively.

"Wow, this is literally nothing like Herook," Ryan mumbled, desperately striving to get in the mood. "I miss that place."

"So do I," Dustin added.

"Me too," Jane said.

"Yeah, Herook was quite a place."

"I miss the cliff most of all."

Sonovan smiled. "Yes, quite a place indeed. But, for now, this will have to suffice. Jane, will you close the lights?"

"Certainly," she replied. She was about to stand but Johnny had beat her to it. The light in the room gave way to darkness. "Oh, thank you."

"Chivalry, Jane, chivalry."

"Do any of you want to venture from this place?" asked Sonovan. "To somewhere far behind this physical realm? To a world of darkness, excitement, and energy?" asked Sonovan.

"Uh, yeah! What the hell do you think we'd say?!" Ryan exclaimed.

"Then close your eyes. Stand and place your hands on my head. Your bodies will connect with mine, and we shall depart into the Shadowverse. Rose, even you can join us. Your time with Titan has enabled you to absorb some amount of Ooris."

"Oh, well that's nice to know."

In the dark room, they stood up and placed a finger onto Sonovan's head. A blackness descended upon them—a darkness they could feel.

"It's tingly," Sam flinched.

"Ooris is with us now. Close your eyes and focus."

Seconds later, the Energy absorbed them and they vanished.

Johnny opened his eyes, and his surroundings were no longer the dull walls of the bunker. His face was to the ground, except ground it was not, but a soft bottom considerably denser than a waterbed but nowhere close to as dense as typical soil. Colors of all kinds streamed through the firmament above them, resembling auroras. "Wow," Johnny awed. Even the very ether gave the impression of a dream setting, though this is farther from imagination than east from west.

"This is spectacular," Ryan said. "And I thought Herook was awesome."

The views left the Shadowforce thunderstruck, yet Sonovan stood as a black mist continually rose from the ground beneath them.

"My friends, this is the Shadowverse. The source of our power and of Titan's power. Impressive, is it not?"

"Understatement of the century," Johnny replied. "Definitely understatement of the century," he repeated, gaping.

"Why have you taken us here?" Jane asked Sonovan, who was girded in darkness.

"To teach you. To teach you the ways of The Shadows. To teach you that which you can see is not everything that exists. You are now where no man has gone before—in the beyond."

The auroras lowered in the sky, as if alive. "The lights are coming awfully close," Sam remarked, backing up.

"Do not fret," replied Sonovan, his eyes locked onto the aurora. "Oora will envelop you in its embrace."

"Oora?" Ryan replied.

"What's that?" added Johnny.

"It is the power. In my time in the Shadowverse, I have learnt much. But chief among the discoveries is the Oora. You cannot know it fully, for it is a living thing. Oora is the Shadowverse incarnate, a noncorporal being. Here, it knows all, is all."

Ryan's eyes were glued to it. "Woah, that's just—"

"Incredible," Johnny finished.

"Is that why you call the Energy Ooris?" asked Jane, staring.

"Yes," he answered quietly. "Oora has not met you before, so let it surround you and touch your very being. It is benevolent and will not hurt you."

"How old is it?" Rose asked.

"Its origin is unknown, thought to have been precisely the beginning of time."

Johnny glanced at him and then back to Oora, which by now had enveloped them. "Woah," he exclaimed, touching the streaks of light. Colors infiltrated the area, whistling in every direction, the black mist demarcating itself and Oora.

Without warning, Oora encompassed the squad, passing through them as if they posed no boundary. "Woah, that feels weird!" Dustin exclaimed.

An accumulation of Oora encircled Sonovan. The Energy seeped beneath his feet, and, to his astonishment and incredulity, began to prod him upward. This moment brought to mind the first time this very thing had unfolded years prior.

"Fear not, my friends. It sees a decent soul within me, for it knows me." His arms rose as the Oora nudged his body higher. Soaking in the untainted force of the Shadowverse, his eyes and body were blanketed by the hundreds of shades of colors Oora emanated.

"Hold on tight," Johnny advised. The dark mist ascended through the ground and fused with Oora. Sonovan was at least twenty feet off the surface, Oora keeping him still and the Ooris Energy attached to him.

"Look at that!" Ryan pointed. Oora enveloped him in its embrace, and subsequently Sonovan's body disappeared. On the other hand, its power had generated a wind—an intense wind—which shoved the team as they tried to resist.

A voice reverberated from inside the cocoon. Despite it being that of Sonovan, his voice corresponded to something otherworldly, almost indecipherable, as if possessed.

"I...AM...THE...CHOSEN...ONE...AND...I...WILL...FREE...US..."

Immediately afterward, another voice was heard, this time clearly not Sonovan. "AND FROM WHAT SHALL YOU FREE US?"

"I...WILL...FREE...US...FROM...THE...ENEMY..."

"ERSETA. ERSETA OOA W'IOR XENY."

"YES...ERSETA..."

Oora vanished, and Sonovan dropped from his place. Despite the height, he landed without a scratch, exhaling a deep breath. Only the black mist Oora left behind remained. All was quiet and at peace, but in the distance, the Oora appeared in the sky, watching over them.

"What just happened?" Sam exclaimed.

"That was Oora. It...has a destiny for me."

"Was that your voice?" Dustin asked.

"Yes, but Oora also spoke."

"What's 'Erseta'?" Johnny asked.

"It means 'redemption.' The Oora has burdened me with the momentous task of destroying our common enemy, the Titan."

"And how will you be redeemed?"

Sonovan glanced at the ground, head low. "I wished so hard it would never come to this, but it has. The only way to keep my nemesis from ever returning is to go with him."

"What do you mean?" each questioned further, furrowing their brows.

Sighing, he continued. "If we succeed, you cannot kill him. I will release all my Energy onto him, which will be more than enough to do the job. Therefore, he and I will depart into the Shadowverse, except not here. We would be in the Yeonlo Zone. Apart from this place, the Yeonlo Zone is a place for the ones who have passed on. Titan's corrupt Ooris would repress him there, locked away for eternity. What you see before you is only a mere inkling of the Shadowverse."

"Are you actually telling us you might be gone soon?" Ryan concluded. He was in no mood to lose someone like this.

"I am afraid so, my friends. But do not worry. All will work out in the end."

"Why?" Jane asked. "Why must you do this?"

"That which is necessary, Jane. I must do what is necessary—for the greater good of the Shadowverse."

"We can't lose you," Johnny replied. "There is no Shadowforce without you."

"Then don't be the Shadowforce. Be whatever you make it to be. Thus, what Z told you was correct. Just do what you do best. Be the hero."

Johnny sighed, looking to the rainbow sky. Without warning, though, an alarming growl vibrated from beneath the ground. "What the hell was that?" Sam exclaimed.

"Yeah, what the hell was that?" added Dustin.

"That would be my enemy."

"Titan is here?" responded Ryan.

"We'll see."

"What are we going to do?" Rose asked, jittery. "H-He can't see me. Not like this!" She was frantic to leave, for her former master is rearing his head.

Sticking his arm out, Sonovan approached. "Hold on to me, just like you had done. You need to leave and return to your world. I will stay behind for a bit, but I will be right behind you."

They grasped his shoulder, and in an instant, were back in the room from which they departed. Johnny's arm was still outstretched as a tear dropped from his eye, deep in melancholy.

"Guys? Y-You're a-alive!" stuttered someone from the door.

They turned to see the one they would least expect. "Kevin?" Rose exclaimed.

~~~

Titan stood by the transparent enclosure in the Titan. Solis, per the usual, strode in and bowed. "My lord, seventy hours remain on the trip."

"Good. Now, I want y—" Titan responded before cutting himself off.

"My lord?"

"Please leave."

"Certainly."

Etched into his very being, a small voice sounded. He could feel the voice. Titan scowled, focused and vanished, reemerging in the Shadowverse. The mist rose from the ground in a smooth ascent, but Titan could not possibly care about his surroundings at this point.

"Titan, I have been waiting for you," Sonovan greeted.

Titan turned villainously and faced him. Both were now completely black, and no trace of armor or cables were found on Titan. They were like spirits. In contrast to the white eyes of Sonovan, Titan possessed deep red, like a devil. "Well, well, well, if it isn't for the man who started it all. How may I be of assistance this time?"

"I want to be straight to the point. I beg you, please, stop this madness. End it. You can never find true justice in this side of heaven! Never! In fact, you will go crazy in the search."

"No, that is what you believe—it is your opinion. Right you are, Sonovan Lung. But extraordinary measures require extraordinary will."

Sonovan approached him. "For what? To slaughter every person you deem unfit for life? Who made you judge, jury, and executioner?"

"The Justification will undoubtedly prompt a swift end to the injustice, evil, and free will spread across creation. My hand is still there for you to grasp, imagine that! You murdered me, yet I will still forgive. Just say the word, and I will order for a ship to take you to me at once. You and I can rule! No more pain! No more anguish! No more corruption, evil, and madness! And chief among these, no more free will. Together, you and I, the most powerful beings in history, can place our stamp on this reality. You once said we could have been friends. Here is your chance."

"What made you this way?" Sonovan replied quickly, which cut short Titan's proposal.

Titan remained silent for a brief time but then spoke. "A better question is, 'Why are you here?' You are on Herook, with your beaten allies. Now please, leave me alone. I have a great many things to attend to." Unlike in the physical universe, Titan, as the others, controlled no powers. Therefore, Titan had not known they had arrived on Earth due to Z's spectacular timing.

"Oh, I forgot. You are a very multifaceted man, correct?"

"You dare harass me by labeling me a man," spat Titan.

Titan approached closer to where they were within a foot of one another. "Have you shrunk?" Sonovan quipped. "I thought you were larger."

In an intriguing turn of events, Titan laughed, loud snickers echoing. "I am proud to acknowledge time has taught you humor! Well, at least Aiko's death did something!"

Head high, he did not retaliate. "Yes, time has taught me many things, and for that, I am grateful. Unfortunate for you, I have let Aiko's death go. The past is unchangeable, but the future is in my hands."

Titan scowled at him, and for the first time in years, lingered; unsure of what to say next. Therefore, a response would not be uttered. Instead, he turned away. "You never answered my question. Why will you not stop?"

Swiftly turning his head back to him, Titan sneered. "Do not worry, for it will be over soon. Why do you think I have kept you and your allies alive? You feed me more power! If I killed any of you, the scope of my power would diminish. Our humble union you, me, and your allies have formed is beautiful. The Ooris inside you has connected us all in a complex integration of wills. Though I supply the Energy into all of you through the Shadowverse, you all also bestow me with additional power. Like when you had opened the Xun, the time vortex, you helped me. Now you are unintentionally helping me again. Thank you for that—so generous of you."

Titan dematerialized, a slight grin pasted on his face. Sonovan let out a distressed breath and closed his eyes. In a moment, he arrived where he had left: his dull bedroom. The others were waiting for him, including an average-sized man they had not acquainted him with.

#  CHAPTER 37

REVELATION

Though he and Titan had a heart-to-heart in the oddest of ways only a minute prior, Sonovan held out his hand in greeting. "And you are?"

"I-I'm K-Kevin," he stuttered, shaking his hand thoroughly without letting go. "Kevin M-Moon."

"Greetings, Kevin Moon. I am Sonovan Lung."

"Wow, th-that's an awesome name," he responded, still shaking his hand.

"Yeah, it is," Ryan interjected.

Rose pushed them both away, especially since she could tell Sonovan thought the outpouring of emotion awkward, even for him.

"H-How did you s-survive?" asked Kevin, shooting looks at each. He shoved his hands in his pants pocket. "I imagined y'all were d-dead, so this is a surprise. But s-sure as h-hell welcome."

"In summary, we met Titan," Johnny started. "He warped Rose's mind, and she became his psychopathic lackey."

Kevin glanced from Johnny to Rose and back. "W-Wait, what?! Rose, are you OK?"

"I'm fine now, Kevin. Thanks." She grasped his shoulder softly. They had been friends for years.

"Yeah, long story. Anyway, we met Sonovan Lung. He once defeated Titan, who's the ruler of many worlds. We met him on Herook, which turned out to be a gorgeous planet with a bit more gravitational pressure than Earth."

"Cool!" Kevin replied. "Go o-on!"

"So we trained under him, and then met up with Titan again. He, uh, nearly beat us, but we escaped and took Rose from him."

"Y-You fought him twice?!"

"Yeah, pretty crazy," Ryan joked. "Thought we were going to die both times, but hey, we're alive and in one piece."

"You won't believe how advanced the other planets are," Dustin added. "There are crazy bathrooms that legitimately suck the crap out of you, artificial intelligence, and a slew of species that look like the ones from Star Trek."

Kevin gulped and widened his eyes. "Oh. My. God."

"Yeah, and the ships are powered by the Alcubierre drive!" said Dustin, giddy.

"Well, sort of," Sam cut in.

"No way."

"Yes way."

"H-Holy sh—"

"And the UFO's spotted for decades are actually scouts for Titan," remarked Johnny.

Kevin turned to him in disbelief. "Shit."

"Yeah, just don't tell anyone we told you that."

"Why?"

"Just don't," Rose interjected. She gave him a look and Kevin widened his eyes.

"Uh, O-OK."

"So, what's there to do now?"

"We wait."

"For w-what?"

"For Titan to arrive. Sonovan thinks a few days."

"Woah, slow down tiger. T-Titan is c-coming h-here? To Earth?"

"Yes, he is."

"Oh shit! Oh shit! Oh shit!"

"Wait till you hear his plan."

"Let me guess. It has to do with evil."

Johnny chuckled and answered, "Nailed it."

~~~

Still in warp, Titan found time to simply train himself. He reminisced when he had last fought Sonovan and The Shadows. The rage from that day still cursed him. This time, he would not fail. This time, he would destroy him. This time, the stakes had been raised.

"Creation has groaned from the beginning until now, waiting to be saved." WHACK. "And now the hour of its reckoning has come—its justification is here!" he said aloud. SLAM

On a table on the other side of the room, six boxes lay. They were grey with black highlights. The metal glistened in the light. Titan eyed them, waiting for the moment to arrive. He had not discovered the identity, but knew a journeyman when he saw one.

A wormhole opened in the midst of the throne room. Out of it jumped a man in a white mask and jacket. Titan grinned at the sight. The bait worked.

"Greetings, Titan," he addressed. "It's been a while."

Titan pondered his words, yet staying afar near the transparent belvedere. "Z. That is the abbreviation for your name, is it not?"

"That's right," Z answered, steadily striding to the black table.

"Who are you? Where do you come from? Why have you come to this place?"

"Can you not just read my thoughts?"

Titan chuckled, but erased the grin from his expression. "I could, but on the contrary, I am enchanted by this meeting. Since I found out about you, I have never stopped pondering your existence. With that said, I will not do as you say, but will come to the answer in my own time—naturally, you can jest."

"Well, that is good to know."

"Oh please! Forbid the use of kind gestures! There they are. Give it to them."

Z turned to see five boxes on the table, waiting for him. He smirked under the mask and turned back to Titan, who simpered. "Thank you, my lord." Z grabbed them and opened a portal once again. My lord? Titan wondered. Titan halted him with a question.

"Z, tell me. Do I succeed? Do I prevail?"

His back to Titan, Z slowly turned his head to respond. "Yes, yes you do."

Not a human, then, Titan realized. The Emperor of the Tetra studied his eyes, and innately sensed the truth had been told. "Godspeed to you, wherever or whenever you venture."

Z nodded once, turned back to the portal and leapt into its grasp, disappearing completely. Titan clasped his fingers in front of him while he moseyed to the throne and sat, armor clanking on the seat. He pressed a button and the massive chair rotated in place, facing the grand spectacle of warped space as the behemoth ship, the Titan, travelled many times past the speed of light.

~~~

"Yikes. So we're a-about to be p-possessed?" exclaimed Kevin.

"You can say that," Johnny responded.

"And he's here in a few days, mind you," Ryan added.

At once, Sonovan stood up. He sauntered to the corner of the room, where his pack lay. Grabbing it, he removed several items, including his swords, known as the Vorson Swords, a few small portraits, and three rolled up banners.

"What are you doing?" Johnny asked as the others talked.

"Making it my own," he replied. He placed a portrait of he and a woman on his night table.

"Who's that?" Johnny asked.

Sonovan glanced at it, holding the stare for a short while before turning back, repositioning his attention on the banners. "That is Aiko, my wife."

Johnny picked it up and examined the picture. "She was beautiful." Indeed, she was. An Asian woman, she had undeniably raven-colored hair, and was rather tall for the time, though a bit smaller than Jane.

"Most of all, she was beautiful in the areas that counted in life. Inside, she was pure."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be, for it was not your fault."

"It is courtesy."

Sonovan glanced at him and back at the banners. He found a hammer and some nails and began to secure the banners to the wall. The others came over to see what the fuss was. "What are you doing?" Dustin asked.

Sonovan did not reply and instead continued his work. The banners were attached; the large, bold letters standing out amongst the dull room. "There," he muttered. These letters resembled no language on Earth, because it was an alien language.

"Where did you get those?" Ryan asked.

"One thousand years ago, on the planet Ionio. They were inside our dojo. 'Our' as in The Shadows. We were a team. I took these for myself."

"Is this when we finally learn who they were?" asked Sam, obviously more absorbed.

"It is," he answered.

"C-Cool," Kevin replied. "You are immortal, I suppose?"

"You are correct."

"How?"

"The Ooris. It keeps me alive. The only way beings like us can die is for them to travel into the Shadowverse."

"I n-need a cup of coffee."

"Me too," Jane replied.

"By the way," Rose interrupted, "What happened back there?"

"I spoke to Titan."

"What did he say?"

"He has not changed. But, he told me why he hasn't killed you. The Energy you emit connects all of us—a giant web. He supplies you with extra power, and you supply him with even more."

"Like a trading system," Ryan said.

"Precisely."

"So it's called Ooris?" Kevin surmised.

"Yes, Ooris. Titan refers to it as Ooris, but I prefer Ooran Energy. Nevertheless, they are one and the same."

"Cool name."

"Yes, it is named after the Oora, a living Energy being billions of years old."

Kevin spit out the water he drank. "D-Day k-keeps getting better."

On the other hand, Jane walked to the table and also picked up the portrait. "Is this Aiko?"

"Yes, that is Aiko, my wife."

Johnny carefully examined a photo of Sonovan and three others, each ranging in size. "Who are these guys?"

"Oh wow," Jane exclaimed.

"I think those are—" said Sam, before Sonovan interrupted him. The man ambled to where they stood.

Today. "The Shadows, as we called ourselves," Sonovan cut in. "We were a team of the most powerful, skilled fighters in the galaxy and were devoted to defeating Titan. Without them, I could not have beaten him. We were so optimistic—so lively—from a time long past." In the photo, Sonovan wore a completely black suit of armor with green highlights. To his right and left, three others wore similar outfits of protection. Though the Shadowforce, at the moment, considered themselves heroes, the figures in this photograph were different, almost poles apart. They were warriors. "That is Zydok, nicknamed Zy." he said, pointing to the person on his right. He was wearing a mask, as was everyone in the photo. "The two on my left were Orslon and Venarian. Ors and V, as we called them." Sonovan lowered his head, eyes glistening as he recollected what they had been through. A tear oozed out and plummeted to the ground. "The greatest, most fearless fellows and warriors I had ever met. They found me when I had nothing. I had been thrust into a new world."

"What happened to them?"

"Ors and V were never connected to the Shadowverse. Only Zydok and I were. And not even he had developed as deep a connection to it as I have. They died, and luckily, I was there. I could see them off. Zydok though...was murdered."

"By Titan," Johnny responded.

"Yes. I had told you this before."

Sonovan glanced at Kevin, who gulped. "So I returned to Earth with Aiko. Five-hundred years passed, and Titan came back from the dead. And here we are. Zydok is dead, Aiko is dead, I was a wanderer for nearly half a millennium, and then Z led me to you."

"Oh, y-yeah! Z! What happened to him?" Kevin asked.

"He popped in every so often," Ryan replied.

"He had developed a wormhole device to transport Sonovan to Titan's ship," Johnny added. "In turn, Sonovan saved us. Then we met him again, this time in a cave. He used another device to teleport us to Earth. Said he had modified Titan's technology."

"Woah, w-what did it look l-like?"

"Big, bulky, and made up of several small connected spheres of energy. It was weird. But anyway, he told me the Z we had met was not the real Z."

"What do you m-mean?"

"He was insinuating his real identity, I concluded. When he left us, he had activated a cylindrical box he carried."

"But it wasn't a usual wormhole," Sonovan said.

"That is because it wasn't a usual wormhole," replied Johnny, pacing around the room.

"What conclusion have you come to, then?"

"He's a time traveler."

"Time traveler?"

"Yes," he replied, gesturing with great animation. "You even said Titan had acquired the technology. Plus, he even said it himself. He had done really bad things, and the Z we had encountered was not the right one."

"Whatever that means," Dustin added.

"Yeah, I don't necessarily understand what that means. But I think we saw different versions of him at alternating points in time."

"I see," Sonovan replied. "Do you believe he is in cooperation with Titan?"

"I do not know."

"Titan brought up Z many times," Rose said. The others turned to her.

"Really?"

"Yes. He said he was fascinated and entertained by him, and asked me my opinion. I remember that I said he is likely neutral."

"Then what?" Ryan asked.

"When he first learned of his existence, it troubled him."

"Why?"

"Because he hadn't expected another one of us to be out there. Worse yet, as he said, his own power had not felt another."

"Interesting," Sonovan replied, "How Titan could not sense Z's presence. Interesting, indeed, but flummoxing all the same."

"Time tr-travel. Incredible. You s-said the machine looked like a c-cylinder?"

"Yeah, it was long and round," Johnny replied, angling his arms to show the size.

"G-Got it."

The door opened and a guard with the name 'JC' on his lapel strode in. "I hate to interrupt, but the President is on the phone."

"Oh, give it to me," Johnny replied.

JC handed it over and waited by the door. Johnny turned the phone on speaker.

"Hello, you there?" the President asked.

"Loud and clear! We hear you."

"Alright, good," replied the President. "I am sending some security headsets over there for you. They'll allow us to keep in contact."

"Thank you, sir. When do you think they will arrive?"

"By tomorrow. I have a few things to attend to now, so I will hang up."

"It was a pleasure to speak to you, sir. Thank you."

"The pleasure's all mine."

Hanging up the phone, Johnny glanced at Sonovan. "So, you got any more lessons up your sleeve?"

Sonovan smiled and nodded. "Oh yes. When shall we begin?"

"When are you guys ready?" Johnny asked, hands on his hips.

"Uh, can I eat first?" Ryan replied. "I'm starving."

"So am I," Rose replied.

Ryan chuckled and said, "That's my girl."

Johnny, Dustin, and Sam's collective expressions went deadpan. "Wait, so are you two officially a thing now or..." Sam asked, grasping for a clarification.

"We're getting there."

"Oofy doofy," Dustin replied. "Guess I was wrong! Ten was the charm."

"Ten what?" Rose shot back.

Dustin and Sam snickered to each other. "Uh, nothing." Ryan's face was embarrassed and internally begged for them not to spill anything discomfiting.

"What do they mean?" Jane whispered to Johnny.

"She was his tenth crush."

Her eyes widened and she giggled but said naught.

#  CHAPTER 38

#  CALM BEFORE THE RAGE

Sonovan rose from the ground. He had just finished twenty minutes of meditating after he had eaten. Modern day food was drastically different from the cuisine he had been accustomed to centuries prior.

Of course, he took the time to meet the guards stationed in the bunker. Pleasured to see humans other than himself and the Shadowforce, he made time to always greet them and converse.

Now, Sonovan prepared for another lesson. This time, Rose was the addition. Sonovan had never taught her, so during the timeframe, he was her sparring partner.

At this moment, the Shadowforce was learning a new move from an ancient, unique fighting style.

"This is another one of my creations, part of the Kage No Michi. Translated, it means 'Way of the Shadows.'"

"This is your art," Ryan said, trying to clarify.

"Yes, it is."

"Cool."

"So, begin by performing a boshi-ken."

"A what?"

"Boshi-what?" Dustin replied. "I'm sorry, but I didn't take Japanese in school. Spanish made more sense."

"The boshi-ken is a thumb strike. I want you to close your hand into a fist. Now bend your thumb but stick it out a bit." Sonovan helped Ryan as the others watched. "Good. The way this move is incorporated in this technique is for you to stab the side of my neck with it."

"Stab you with my thumb's joint?"

"Yes, but go slow for the demonstration, of course." Ryan slowly contacted Sonovan's neck with his hand. "Good, now use your left knee and ram it into my stomach." Following his teaching, Ryan did it correctly. "Perfect. In your rock form, this will annihilate the opponent. Johnny, I want you to come up behind him."

Johnny did as told and approached Ryan from behind. Ryan utilized his own training and back-kicked Johnny, who moved out of the way. "Outstanding! For the rest of you, you can optimize it by using your own technique. Instead of a back kick, you can freeze the opponent, or blow him away, etcetera."

"Got it," Sam replied.

"If not, and the opponent is stronger, then once you kick him with your shin, knee him twice with alternating legs. Johnny, you, for example, would likely do this."

"OK, got it," Ryan replied.

"Gotcha," Johnny replied.

"Now, continue."

Rose chuckled to herself and said, "Gives a whole new meaning to shadow boxing."

"Ha! That's funny," Dustin snickered.

Once the lesson had ended, Sonovan retired to his room. Johnny did the same, but the others went for a snack. JC came by Johnny's room. "Are you OK, sir?"

"You do not have to call me that, sir," Johnny replied.

"It's mandatory. Anyway, I have come here to relay a message from the President. You are not allowed to leave the premises. So please, make our job easy."

"Can I at least call my parents?"

"Yes, you can."

"OK good."

Appearing tentative, the man spoke up before leaving. "By the way, how many of you are there?"

"Besides us and Titan, one more."

"Who?"

"I don't even know the answer to that question. I wish I did."

JC looked around. "God help us all."

~~~

Johnny called his parents the next morning. They picked up after the first two rings.

"Hello?"

"Hi Mom, it's Johnny."

"Johnny! Here, let me put it on speaker. Tim!"

"Hey son, how's it going as a hero?"

"Not very well."

"What's up?"

"I'm scared, Dad. You don't know Titan, but we do. He is unlike anything you have ever seen. And I'm afraid to die. But most of all, I'm afraid to fail."

There was a silence on the opposite end for a short while. "I understand your fear, son. You don't know how heart-wrenching this has been for us."

He could hear his mother crying. "Mom, please don't. It will make me feel even worse."

"I'm scared too, Johnny," she replied during sniffles. "I just can't."

"I'm calling because this is the last time I can call you."

"What? Why?"

"President's order." Again, there was silence. "So, let's just talk. Just make noise."

The call lasted an additional forty minutes, and then he hung up with tears in his eyes, and he wept.

Once he left the room, the brothers entered and phoned home.

"Who is this?"

"Hey Mom, it's us. Dustin and Sam."

"Dustin! Sam! How have you been?"

"Well, if you want the truth, terrible."

"So have we," replied Robert.

"Oh, hey Dad. I love you," Sam replied.

"We love you too, Terrible Two's."

"We won't be able to call you, so this is it. It's the order of the President. He doesn't want anyone possibly hacking the feeds."

"Oh, we understand."

"I'm scared, guys," Dustin replied. "I'm terrified."

"If you think you are scared, you don't even know what we have been through. Sleepless nights. Sleepless."

Dustin drew a breath and gulped. "Look, if we...if we don't make it, just know I love you. Always."

"No! Please! Don't say it!"

"Yeah," Sam added, "I love you. No matter what happens."

"We know you will succeed."

"How?" Sam replied.

"Because we have made ourselves believe it. We have faith."

"I wish I shared your optimism."

"What should we do?" Dustin replied.

"For the first time, I don't know, son."

"I don't either."

Like Johnny, they spoke together for an hour. They relished in the memories of the past—a time when losing a video game was worse than an international tragedy. "Remember that time when Dustin jumped off that rock and hugged me as we landed in the lake?

"I remember that like it was yesterday!"

"Yeah, that was funny," Dustin chuckled. "Hell of a picture too."

After a few more minutes of it, they bid goodbye. "I love you, guys," Dustin said. "I really do."

"Never forget that," Sam added.

"We love you, and you will succeed. We know it."

"I love you."

The call ended abruptly, and they both sat there for ten minutes, a word not uttered. Then Ryan came in and called his mother. Of course, the call followed the same pattern. After thirty minutes, he had already hung up and bid goodbye.

Sonovan lingered in his room of meditation. Everyone came in and sat next to him in a circle. Every minute that passed was another closer to the arrival. Less than forty-eight hours remained, each drudged by slower than the last.

#  CHAPTER 39

THE ARRIVAL

Almost two days had passed. Sonovan lay anxiously in his room, readying himself. Already prepared and suited up, the Shadowforce lied in wait. During this time, sleep was rarely granted. After all, this would be the culmination of the entirety Sonovan Lung and the Shadowforce had fought for. Everything led up to this moment—the ultimatum.

They each sat together in a circle, eyes shut and minds empty, wills focused. The eyes of Sonovan popped open and he stood up. The others looked up to him. He strode with alarm to a corner of the room, eyes darting about at the ceiling.

"What is it?" Ryan asked.

Sonovan turned to them in angst and whispered, "He is here."

~~~

The Titan dropped out of warp and glided over the face of the Earth. Titan stood like a king in his throne room, staring down at the glistening waters of the blue marble. "On this rock, I will build the New Tetra. On this day, the Justification begins." The other five warships he had forced himself to accompany the Titan dropped out of warp in its wake.

Solis smiled as Titan continued. "I want you to ready all of the soldiers on this ship and the others."

"Yes, my lord. They are already ready for battle."

"Good. I expect them to be. Do your duty, Solis."

"Yes, my lord. I have fought with you for ages. I will not stop now."

"Release the Orbs. All four. Ensure they reach their destination on each side of the planet."

"Yes, my lord."

The sun's light shone around the ship, illuminating the entire room. "Tap into the broadcasting frequencies, Solis."

"Why?"

"I want to hear it. The panic."

Solis brought a transmitter to him and he listened for almost fifteen minutes, shutting his eyes while near the giant transparent enclosure. Screams and reports were on every station. Not much time had elapsed before humans spotted him. He sneered as the transmitter scanned through every frequency on Earth. "Ah, so satisfying. Their fear will be short lived. Neither will they recall the past."

At that moment, ten flaming missiles approached from the surface. Titan distinguished them from afar and screamed for Solis to shoot them down. "Take them out!"

They obliterated nine of the said ten missiles, but one still headed for the throne room. Titan stretched out his arms to stop the attack, and he did. The missile halted as he used a great amount of Ooris.

Spreading apart his hands, Titan growled as he disassembled the missile piece by piece. It exploded, far from the ship's hub.

Titan sank onto one knee, exasperated. He then stood and faced Solis. The missile had come closer than it should have. Too close. One explosion would send everything haywire. "Prepare the message. I want to be gorgeous. Blonde hair. Ocean blue eyes. Tall. Everything this feeble civilization deems perfect. And for the other societies, what they deem perfect."

"At once, my lord. The Orbs have been released."

"Good. Let us end this."

The Titan descended through the atmosphere, soon hovering over New York City. The millions below looked up to the gigantic ship, its wide diamond shape blocking the light of the sun. Some shrieked, some screamed, some ran, and others froze in place. The monstrous invader hovered over the Big Apple, casting an ominous shadow.

A small scout ship jettisoned from the Titan. In it, Solis located the one and only Irene Sparks. He flew to the house and landed in the middle of the street. He disembarked as people stared in horror. With a swing of his scythe, he fragmented the front door. Irene and Timothy jumped from their places and backed into a corner. "No, please!" screamed Timothy. He fumbled for his gun and shot several rounds. The armor Solis wore deflected the bullets, which rocketed into glass and wood, shattering and splintering them. Solis grabbed Irene despite her screams. Timothy lunged at Solis, but he backhanded Timothy in the face, knocking him out as he was sent into the wall.

Neighbors screeched, rushing like ants as three soldiers kept watch outside the practical-sized vessel. One nodded at the other two, prompting them to silence the screams.

Therefore, the wife and mother of the Sparks family was abducted by Solis, the Voir to the Titan, ruler of the Tetra. Solis personally piloted the craft out of the neighborhood and boarded the Titan. Sedated to prevent any nuisance, Solis brought Irene to Titan, who ordered for her to be kept alive. "Only to be used if it becomes necessary," Titan directed.

~~~

Inside his quarters, Johnny just attached the included blue-tinted shades on his suit when he was overwhelmed with realization of what was ensuing and what he was about to do. Only an hour earlier, he had to give a bit of a pep-talk to Jane, who was prone to all the things he would be.

Suddenly falling limp, Johnny had to collapse onto the floor, his legs weak with dread and anxiety. That very second, Sonovan walked in. "Johnny?"

Glancing upward, he sighed at the sight. He never wanted the Sonovan Lung to see him like this. "Sorry. I just...I don't know where to turn."

Nodding in empathy, Sonovan approached him, kneeling down. Sighing, he began to speak. "I know what you are feeling, Johnny Sparks. Your friends, Sam and Dustin, were in the same state of mind before we had fought Titan the previous time. I had taught them a lesson, and so I will teach you."

Shaking slightly, he turned his head to face Sonovan. "I just...I don't know if I have the strength. Not even physical strength. I mean the mental strength to do this again."

"You sound exactly like your friends," chuckled Sonovan. He placed his hand on Johnny's shoulder in a soothing gesture. "This is what you must know. The will to survive and prevail will only come once you accept your place in reality. But, most importantly, the necessary will shall only arrive when you yourself gaze into the eyes of your enemy. For in that moment, as I told your friends, fear will find you. Fear of losing every person you have ever loved will hit you like a punch. The rest is up to you, but knowing Johnny Sparks, nothing will stop you then."

Johnny gazed into this man's eyes for half a minute, as if searching for something he could unearth in them. He turned away. "I see what you mean," he replied. Though not better, this pep-talk had eased his emotions. "Thank you, Sonovan."

"Always my pleasure, Mr. Sparks. Now, go, my comrade. Leave me and lead your team into victory. Today, I redeem myself. Though Titan has plotted a Justification, I have planned the Redemption."

Breathing in and then out, Johnny stood. His mind was ready, and he knew it. For the first time, he believed he had finally attained that perfect will Sonovan had depicted for the last few days. The will to act with fear of the repercussions and to only see one outcome: a victory. He fastened the dark blue mask on his face, which covered his features up to the blue shades.

The Shadowforce was ready for battle. Johnny stepped in front of the team and rubbed his hands vigorously. "I want you all to know how proud I have been to know you. Since that day we met, you guys have been second family to me. That goes for you too, Rose. And Jane. Anyway, I guess, uh, this is it. We have come this far. No matter what happens, I love you guys. I really do. This is our time. Titan thinks he will destroy everything we have ever loved, but he's mistaken. He knocked on the wrong door. In the name of life, join me, my friends. In the name of The Shadows. In the name of Sonovan Lung. In the name of Oora. In the name of the Shadowverse itself. Join me, and together, we will be unstoppable!"

The roar from among them was exhilarating. "For the Shadowverse!" thundered Ryan.

"For the Shadowverse!" boomed Sam and Dustin.

"For the Shadowverse!" yelled Jane.

"For my fathers!" screamed Rose. Her skin had grown red scales once again, like a reptile.

"For The Shadows," Sonovan finished.

#  CHAPTER 40

#  FAKE MESSIAH

The holographic systems had been initiated, and Titan prepared himself to make a declaration before humanity. A light beamed down from the Titan and materialized into a life-like human man with blonde hair, blue eyes, and a stature unrivaled by anyone. He smiled at all the people who had gathered. Cars stopped in transit, and the sounds of the city silenced. It interrupted newscasts to film live on location. The world held its breath as convincing, realistic holograms of a striking, elegant man appeared in every major city on the planet.

Fixing his now blonde hair, the discourse commenced. "Hello, my companions in creation. I am Natit, your savior, and aid in time of trouble. I have been referred to by many names. I am Jesus Christ. I am Mohammed...Allah. I am Yahweh. I am Krishna. I am Buddha. I am the Messiah. The One this planet has been lying in anticipation for since the dawn of civilization. And now, after many days, I am here. Truly, I am sorry I had not been there for you. But I am here now. No longer will plague, disease, corruption, death, and destruction scourge your people.

"Humanity has been chosen. You are the chosen ones. This very day, all the horrors of the past will cease. This generation, your young ones, have such potential to reach the stars, yet are somehow grounded to earthly desires, possessions, and lifestyles. You. You are fearful," he boldly stated. "Your freedoms and free will blind you. Freedom has become chains for this generation, and you have done this to yourselves.

"But no longer. Together, this very day, our destinies shall intertwine, and we shall spread out across the stars, forever together—forever one. Your destiny is above any other species in the universe." He adjusted his stance and put on a tempting and welcoming expression. "You will be like gods, and together, we will justify creation."

During the speech, as it mystified the world, a caravan pulled up and a man in a well-tailored suit climbed out. He strode up to the realistic hologram, unafraid. "I am sorry, Titan, but we do not accept." Natit furrowed his brow.

Behind the gargantuan monitor on the Titan, Titan stumbled back, confused. "How?" he said to himself. "No. No. No!" Focusing, he could now feel them. His mind had not sensed them, for his faith in their demise on Herook had been too great. I had too much faith. "They will never learn."

Scowling, the hologram muttered, "So be it." He then dematerialized.

"The enemies are here," Titan growled. "They always find a way."

"What shall we do?" replied Solis, equally angered.

"Complete what we came here to complete. Set course for the Gobi Desert. There, we will park the Titan."

"And the machine?"

"Leave that to me. I will take it and 5000 soldiers. Keep another thousand on the sands of the Gobi as a distraction. Make it more per your discretion. As for you and I, our destination is the Valley of Megiddo, in Israel. It is poetic. If somehow all else fails, rendezvoused with the fleet and order them to destroy everything in sight. All ten million of my Special Forces must then be expelled onto the surface."

Scuttling about, Solis made ready for the invasion. "May the Shadowverse be with you, my lord."

"Let us certainly hope not," Titan replied.

~~~

The Shadowforce left the bunker. "Mr. President, where is the ship?" he asked through his communicator.

"The Gobi Desert."

"The Gobi? What?"

"I don't know, but you had better get over there."

"He's at the Gobi Desert," Johnny clarified to the others.

"The Gobi?" Ryan asked, scrunching his expression. "Why there?"

"Ask him when you see him."

"He is gonna wish he hadn't ever come here."

Sonovan stepped in front before they departed. "On the other side, there will likely be a contingent of his military. Fight with caution. Johnny, your speed will be our best aid. Dustin, as soon as we arrive, I want you to go full hurricane mode, if you understand. Ryan and I will drop as many as we can. Rose, I want you to light everything that moves ablaze. The heat should be scorching. Sam and Jane, I want you both to keep close together. So, the pairs are Ryan and me, Sam and Jane, and Dustin and Rose. Johnny will be rogue."

"Sounds fire," Rose replied, smirking.

"Remember your training. I have been blessed to be with you. Now, into the fray, we shall go."

Every suit illuminated its colors—Dustin gold, Sam white, Jane red, Ryan green, Jane grey, and Johnny blue. They fired fortification mode up, so the uniforms bulked themselves, adding ancillary weight as the armor materialized and hardened onto their bodies.

With a tentative voice, Dustin spoke, "Aurora, take us to the Gobi Desert."

~~~

Taking a small ship to the Valley of Megiddo, Titan stepped out, armor and all, breathing in the fresh air as a smooth breeze flowed across his large frame, red eyes, and bald head. "A beautiful day. A beautiful day for the birth of the Justification."

Despite more on the way, five-thousand soldiers followed behind him, three dozen carrying the machine. The tan creation had a rectangular shape, with a conglomeration of spires and pieces inside it.

Once set up, Titan, stressing the need to do it himself, ignited the Justification Machine. Constructed by Titan himself, the automaton was created to open a portal into the Shadowverse, paving the way for its energies to surround the planet, which would offer the Ooris Titan needed to possess every living human on Earth. Once initiated, Titan sneered as a ray of black energy shot out of the center. The beam halted twenty thousand feet above the surface, when a piercing sound emanated. In the spot where the energy had accumulated, a gap emerged. Murky energy seeped from this anomaly, mixing with the beam from the machine.

There was an explosion, and the beam shot higher into the sky until its top skewered out of sight. It stopped at the edge of the mesosphere, where Titan's satellites had been placed. At this moment, the beam split into a multitudinous number of directions, curving across the face of the planet, gradually basking it in darkness. The Ooris had begun to spread.

"I waited long enough for mankind to advance," Titan said, grinning a disgusting smile. "Now I can justify."

A timer appeared on the Justification Machine, ticking down from sixty minutes. Once the timer reached four zeroes, the Justification would commence.

~~~

The portal shoved the brigade out in a moment's notice. The sun seared their skin as the Shadowforce surveyed the scene. High above, the Titan soared over them. Straight in front of them, ten divisions of soldiers stood. Their armor was black and the helmets translucent, tinted black as well. In their arms were white blasters, the appearance of which similar to rifles.

"Slip on your masks, guys," Johnny directed.

"Party time," Ryan exclaimed. The Shadowforce, except for Sonovan, almost appeared as ninjas.

Sonovan walked to the front of the pack. "Who is in command here?"

A soldier in grey armor stepped forward and approached them. "It is I, Sonovan Lung. How grateful we are that you could join us, coward."

"Coward no longer. Where is Titan?"

"It is of no importance."

"Must you take the difficult way? If I do not have to fight, I will not. But if I must, be ready to meet your maker."

"Is that a threat?"

"It is whatever you make it to be."

"Death, then."

"For you."

The commander chuckled and took out his blaster. Sam froze him on the spot, white hair blown by the quick strike.

"Sam, was that necessary?"

"What? Was I the only one who knew that conversation was going to Nowheresville?"

"He might have been able to tell us."

"Eh, but I hate wasting time."

The soldiers unhinged their rifles and aimed at the Shadowforce. "Alright, here we go," Johnny said, printing his feet into the sand.

"Red," Sonovan exclaimed. The strategy of battle, termed 'red', sent the message.

Johnny blasted off and into the fray. He ran as if his life depended on it, and technically, it did. Johnny kicked up the sand as he moved like a hyper-speed locomotive. He punched, kicked, elbowed, and threw aside anyone in his way—a man on a mission. In fact, he had not thought he could ever be so violent and devoted to a cause. Only a couple of weeks ago he was in his apartment studying for an exam which seemed meaningless now. Yet, this is what he had yearned for: a higher purpose.

"For the Shadowverse!" Ryan cried.

"For the Shadowverse!" the others roared.

They ran into the battle. Dustin recognized the opportunity and exploited the environment's main constituent—sand. Upon his command, the sand was raised and blown into a vicious fury of wind, transforming into five distinct twisters.

Sonovan leapt into the fight, slamming down with an Energy burst. The pure Ooris ripped apart the soldiers around him. His eyes burned white, never more prepared to complete the responsibility Oora had charged him with.

Adjacent to him, Ryan smashed, flipped, and kicked the enemies. Their blaster fire proved innocuous as he prodded through to clear the way for Rose and Sam. Similar to Sonovan, though not quite as powerful, Ryan mashed through the soldiers, obliterating some with ease. Their bodies were wiped out from his power.

On the contrary, Jane slipped under an attacker, who followed her move and grabbed her by the throat. Johnny careened by to the rescue, slipping through before breaking the neck of her assailant. She flinched. "Thanks," she replied.

"Get on," he motioned, trying to make out her form. The sand blew in torrents.

"What?"

"Get on." He opened his arms for her to climb onto. "Don't be afraid. We will work together."

She got on and they both sped off. Jane focused her power on the air. This formed a wave of telekinetic energy that immobilized the bulk of the army. Running at an unparalleled speed, Johnny, carrying Jane, encircled the battleground. In an ear-splitting scream, she pushed her arms down, and nearly half the soldiers face planted into the sand.

"Nice job," Johnny approved.

Dustin turned the twisters into the path of the downed warriors. "Rose, now!" he cried.

Fire ejected and gushed from her hands, immersing the sand devils in flames. "Fire tornado coming around!" she screamed to Dustin. "Do it!"

On their way to the immobilized soldiers, the fire tornadoes drove through the other four hundred, bathing them in a blaze. The soldiers screamed in agony as the tornadoes plunged them into flames. The other five hundred which Jane had immobilized were eliminated, the fire baking them in their armor.

Sam froze the last remnants of the once formidable foes. He turned to see Sonovan somehow surrounded by twelve.

Closing his eyes, Sonovan felt peace—tranquility in the middle of battle. "All that surrounds me is fear," he said. Every movement of the opponents he heard and deciphered—nothing was safe. The soldier behind him moved his foot in preparation to shoot. Everything seemed to move in slow motion. "And the dead," he finished. The sand beneath him underwent the full fury of the Ooris. His fist impacted the ground, the Ooris rushing through the sand beneath like an earthquake. Thus, the twelve adversaries were no more.

Sam froze the burnt soldiers. In the span of a few minutes, the entire brigade had been slain.

"Woohoo!" Ryan roared. "That's what I'm talkin' about!"

They came together and congratulated each other. "Excellent job, Shadowforce," Sonovan complimented. "Johnny, that was an excellent idea to take Jane on a joyride. Perfect use of her power. Dustin, you came in clutch, as did Rose. A flame tornado! Did not expect that. As for the rest of us, excellent work. Brilliant, Ryan and Sam. Brilliant. But now, the true fight begins."

Johnny nodded and replied, "Where is he?"

A transmission came through his attached headphones. "Great job out there. Titan is in Megiddo. Like, the Valley of Megiddo. In Israel. And the Justification has already begun."

Johnny looked up and turned to them. "He's in the Valley of Megiddo. Israel."

"Israel? Why would he choose that place?" Sam asked.

"It's already been started," the voice informed. "The machine, I mean."

There was silence. "Well, what are we waiting for?" Sam exclaimed. "Let's get this sucker!"

"It's not that simple, Sam," Johnny replied.

"Well, sure it is. You're thinking too much."

"Trust me, I'm not overthinking anything. Titan is ready for us, I know it." He turned to Sonovan. "What are we going to do?" His heart beat with such ferocity he could barely detect it. Clearly, this little brigade had been a distraction. Above, two more invading ships were making their way through the calm, blue skies, filled with more soldiers.

Sonovan grabbed his hand, grasping it tight. "You know what to do."

Johnny stared at him, unsure yet somehow sure. "Dustin, open the portal."

He gulped. "Aurora, take us to the Valley of Megiddo."

"Certainly."

"For the Shadowverse," Dustin muttered, gulping deep.

~~~

The mist of the Energy had dimmed the sky surrounding Earth. Solis stood near Titan, admiring the sight.

"This is it! My ascension!" Titan bellowed. "In only fifty minutes, millennia of searching will finally come to a head. The Justification is here."

"Oh, I don't think so," retorted a voice from behind. Titan rotated his body dreadfully slow, his eyes making contact with Johnny's, the rest of the Shadowforce with him. The five-thousand soldiers behind him, along with Solis, armed themselves. Vultures soared above in the air as if in anticipation of the conflict.

Before he could reply, Sonovan front-flipped gracefully from behind Jane and to the front of the pack, between the Shadowforce and the Titan.

#  CHAPTER 41

ULTIMATUM, PART ONE

Johnny had never wished to witness a glaring Titan on Earth soil, the world he had called home since birth. Yet Ryan, Rose, Jane, Sam, and Dustin felt the same. But that very reaction spurred something fresh: a global patriotism.

Titan glared at the Shadowforce. "So, the heroes found a way back home. Incredible! Your power is thus unprecedented!"

"You know what we've come for, Titan," responded Johnny, scowling. "You think you can take away the free will of the universe? I believe you are mistaken."

"You can recollect what I had said about free will, can you not? Free will is an illusion. A mirage. Take this place, for example. A beautiful planet, yet its inhabitants cannot control their evils. Even now, a murder is taking place. Even now, someone starves to death. Even now, something terrible ensues.

"The political leaders of this planet are naïve, corrupt, greedy, and inhumane. They only seek to do evil—to better their lives. Fakes! Don't you understand? Give a species free will and they will destroy themselves. Your world will fail, like all the others."

"I believe in humanity. We may hurt each other, but if we work together, we can achieve anything," replied Johnny.

"No. Humans are too weak to do as you say. This world—this society—is far beyond repair. Won't you agree, Adia? Or may I say, Justice? Did your time with me show you the truth?"

Rose glared at him and ignored his question. "You will pay dearly for my parents. You will wish you stayed in the Shadowverse."

"I miss you, my dear."

Her jaw clenched. "I never wanted you as my lord."

Sighing with a false sadness, he continued all the more. "Don't you see?" Titan bellowed. "This civilization is too weak! They say 'I believe in humanity' yet continue their evils. And now it had gotten to the point of irony. The politicians and so-called good people, condemn the acts of treason and murder, yet take part in the same. In their little huddles—their sects of debauchery—they secretly condone the very act they would condemn. Irony! So, since humanity is too weak to change, I will do it for them."

"You're right, Titan. You're right. But when people fail in so many areas, I still believe in hope. Hope that humanity will one day choose the right path."

Sonovan nodded, as did the others. "You must have faith and hope, my old enemy. You must have faith."

Titan shook his head. "Then, since they are too slow to improve—to change—I will speed it up. No longer will there be death, chaos, or war, for all will be me. All will be me." Johnny flinched under the chilling declaration, his expression proving he was intimidated. The others gulped. "And I will rule with an iron rod for all the days that remain."

But Sonovan was fearless, for he had been through this before and knew Titan better than anyone. "So be it," he challenged. "I wished I would not have to fight you, but I cannot allow you to commit such a twisted act."

Titan chuckled aloud. "When I win, your powers will be mine as well. I will inhabit your bodies, and your powers will be spread across all of us. Think of it! Speed, wind, ice, rock. All mine!"

"Not on my watch."

"You will not get to my machine, Sparks."

"And h-how can you be so sure?"

"Your ignorance blinds you. You are not the first, nor will you be the last. Many have been as arrogant as your freshly christened Shadowforce." With this, he turned his head to Sonovan, smiling maliciously.

Sonovan recognized who Titan implied. "And we defeated you. Orslon. Venarian. Zydok. In their name, I will defeat you again—permanently." Titan snarled at the comment, for he hated the very recitation of their names.

Sonovan stepped closer. "By the end of today, you and I will be together in the Shadowverse. You will never again be able to escape and terrorize reality."

"Now do not jinx your already dwindling odds."

"You talk a lot," Dustin cut in. "Even more than me. Damn, I never thought I'd see the day. Someone who blabbers more than me!"

"Fascinating, indeed!" Sam added.

"Yeah, you should know him," Ryan added, "He talks a lot."

"How amusing," Titan replied.

"We're gonna destroy that thing, you do know that, right?" Ryan promised.

"You will try."

"Starting now," Johnny retorted.

"You will never win—any of you. If I fail today, Earth will destroy itself within the century. Would you not rather save your species than let it slowly suffocate over time?"

"I would rather do my part in saving ourselves."

Rotating in place, Titan turned, creating a telekinetic shield around the Justification Machine. "Well then, if you love these feeble souls so much, you will have to slay me to ever stop the Justification."

"And that, Titan, we shall."

The soldiers behind Titan adjusted their stance. At the same time, Sonovan unsheathed the Vorson Swords.

From among the soldiers walked Solis in full gear. He wore grey armor with metallic rib cages and a massive scythe. He stopped when he reached where Titan stood. "The ultimatum is here, my lord."

"Yes, Solis. It will pave the way to millions of worlds with no heroes to guard them."

"No!" Johnny screamed. He sprinted to Titan and aimed for his side. Titan threw a hook punch, but Johnny ducked and lashed back with an array of punches. They were so quick that Titan lost his balance. Johnny pounced onto him, but Titan was ready this time. Grabbing Johnny by the throat, he squeezed with a tremendous force. Ryan stormed in and kicked Titan in the side.

"Get off my friend!" he screamed. Titan stood back up, squaring up with Ryan. "And my name is Rocky!" Titan attempted to thrust kick him, but Ryan moved to the side, squatted low, and sprang out like a trampoline, just how Sonovan had taught him. The two slammed into each other, flying in the air at nearly one hundred feet, landing with a loud bang.

The Special Forces, realizing battle had begun, bolted into action. Their armored outfits resembled the ones Z had given the Shadowforce, since the Tetra initially created theirs for the very Special Forces they were now fighting. Dustin flared up a torrent of wind, collapsing the soldiers. Unlike the ones they had destroyed, these were robots. The wind from Dustin threw them off-balance, which was the necessary effect the Shadowforce sought.

Ice rained down upon the army. Sam had unleashed a furious spasm of ice, which froze nearly seventy of the robotic soldiers. The ice shaped gargantuan frozen drifts.

Rose followed by discharging fire, aiming at the warriors surrounding them. She leapt into the air and slammed back into the ground, similar to how she had done when she had fought as Justice.

When she landed, an explosion of fire and energy burst out from her center. Her eyes burned in fury as the robots blew apart and fell to their knees, ablaze. Though no longer a servant of Titan, the lessons he had inadvertently taught her had not been forgotten.

Titan lifted Ryan off of him and attempted to break his neck by slamming him into the ground. He smashed Ryan into it, forming a hole in the soil as if it was a meteorite strike. But it was to no avail, as Ryan was still alive and kicking, the matter his body had absorbed protecting his human frame.

Jane shoved Titan forward, lifting him up and smashed him into the ground as well. To her dread, Titan jumped onto his feet in one motion. He reached out and telekinetically grasped her by the throat. "Come over here, weakling!" he bellowed. She flung in a straight line into Titan's grasp, who choked her there.

Johnny made his way through the army, catching sight of Sonovan, who had been enjoying himself in the heat of battle. Once he turned, though, he saw Titan with Jane in his grasp once again. "No!" he screamed. He bolted for him through the misty dirt and gravel, kicking him in the crotch. A painful spray of knees, elbows, and punches succeeded the first strike before Johnny leapt onto him, arms strangled around Titan's neck. Titan dropped Jane and grunted as Johnny held on, dangling over the ground due to Titan's nine-foot height. Reaching as far as he could, Titan latched onto Johnny's hair, pulling him up and slamming him onto the ground in a loud thump.

Titan spoke into his armor. "Take me to the lab." A portal opened just as Johnny stood up again. To his horror, Johnny watched as Titan sneered and jumped into the floating transport. He had to move fast and come up with a plan in only a millisecond.

Sprinting to Sonovan's location, Johnny grabbed him and ran toward the spherical portal. The world progressed in slow motion as Johnny pulled Sonovan along. The duo slipped into the rapidly closing sphere at the very last moment. If it had taken any time longer, Johnny would have missed the chance.

Titan exited the wormhole at the former Montauk Air Force Base, where he observed all kinds of tents, trucks, cars, and mobile homes. The scientific community, news outlets, and NASA had been there ever since the wormholes had opened. Titan chuckled to himself at their amazement, but it did not last long, because the people spotted him and ran in fear. On top of that, Johnny and Sonovan had somehow passed through the portal. "Why must you persist? Will you never learn?" he said.

"No, I'm very thick-headed," Johnny replied.

Sonovan glared at Titan, who did the same. "Look at them. How primitive and underdeveloped. Now it is too late to wake up this place and bring you all back to life—to reality!" he bellowed. "If it I do not save them, this species will destroy themselves. Can't you see that? I am not hurting them—I am trying to save them!" he bellowed again, balling his raised fist.

"You are not misguided, Titan," responded Sonovan. "These people are so distressed and agitated. And you are right. Freedom can destroy a people, and this place is becoming increasingly lawless. But you must not give up hope. Each person should strive to be the peacemaker—the controlled, serene one—not a nothing. To work together towards a common goal."

"It pleases me we can agree on something, but Earth is beyond hope. And any hope they do have I will rip from them."

"So be it," Sonovan replied. "You still have not changed."

"Justice never changes."

"Enough talking," Johnny said.

"What do you think I am doing? I am distracting you to prolong the time!"

Johnny darted to Titan, who, though foreseeing an attack, was tackled because he was not fast enough to dodge the speedster. Johnny sent Titan through the gate, landing as many punches as possible, instantly shattering the "No Trespassing" sign.

Sonovan sprinted behind; trying his best to catch up to Johnny's blazing speed. Titan and Johnny both slammed into the ground, Johnny on top of the armored ruler of the Tetra. Consumed by hatred for his enemy, Johnny punched and punched without relent. His anger fueled his every move, unremittingly and ruthlessly letting out his pure rage. "I will kill you!" In a span of three seconds, Johnny had landed fifty punches.

Now it was Titan's turn to retaliate. The giant man swept his arm to the right, easily shoving him off his body. As his eyes burned red, Titan picked up Johnny by the back of his neck and rammed him into the wall. Roaring in fury, he grabbed the speedster's leg and slammed his body into the ground like a rag doll. Telekinetically grasping onto him, he flung the speedster's body back into the wall inside the building. Johnny yelled at the pain. The Ooris in him worked on overdrive to keep him going.

The damage would have been worse if Sonovan had not rushed to the rescue, executing another flying side kick on Titan's shoulder, eliciting a grunt and pushing him away from the downed but recovering Johnny Sparks. "A rematch, once again," Titan noted. Titan looked about at the surroundings, not ever imagining this to be the place. "The years have led to this moment, Sonovan. Here we are again. Oh, such memories."

"It has been a millennium in waiting," Sonovan replied. "This is for Zydok, Orslon, and Venarian. For The Shadows."

The memory returned to Titan. He remembered them clearly. It was so long ago, but even then, he had known in his very being they would defeat him. In their eyes had been the desire and the will to overcome. And now, almost one thousand years later, Titan could still see the same in the eyes of Sonovan. Much time had passed, but Sonovan still had the unchanged, consistent look of wisdom and strength in his eyes. For that, and for that reason only, Titan found respect for him. Never in all his journeys did Titan ever come across a being of such passion and convictions.

Sonovan advanced toward him, skillfully sidestepping a wide kick from Titan, who then spun into a spinning backhand, followed by a hammer fist. Sonovan ducked the attempt, but instead of getting hit or dodging the downward attack, he clutched the giant fist with both hands. Gripping tightly, Sonovan threw the giant arm aside as Titan's entire expression shifted. Without warning, Sonovan executed a 540-degree jump triple kick, landing a potent strike on Titan's leg, body, and face—all in one kick. Titan was heaved backward as his eyes widened. "Indeed, you are powerful," he marveled, astonished. Yet, what had he expected? Though he himself had trained in his own style, Sonovan had been a member of the most skilled league of assassins in history, The Shadows.

Sonovan slid the swords back into their respective sheathes. "No. Power does not determine anything. Only will and desire does. And I have both." Pieces of the wall of Montauk Laboratory slid off their bearings, crashing to the ground as the two dueled with bare hands.

The duo worked off each other's strikes, parrying, ducking, and responding with similar attacks. The attacks were fueled with Ooris, leading to blows with such ferocity and power any other being would be ripped apart. Not even the partially-connected Shadowforce members could resist the sheer power of every strike.

Titan telekinetically grabbed Sonovan to bring him closer. Sonovan felt himself floating, but only a moment elapsed before his body sailed into Titan's grip. "No, not this time, nemesis!" Sonovan roared. He channeled even more Ooris, the dark, misty energy flowing all the more than before. The beast had awoken. They were now matched. The Ooris coursed through Sonovan's arms, discharging through his darkened, misty fingers before rupturing into Titan like a blaster. The two were once again flung into the opposite walls which had basically fallen, the crashes of the concrete pinning the nemeses in an arena as Johnny still recuperated.

Griping, Titan pushed himself to stand, as did Sonovan. He scowled at the man. "Argh!" he roared, preparing for an onslaught no person could survive without a miracle—but Sonovan was the miracle. A perfect product of the Shadowverse itself.

Sonovan, his body near completely shrouded in the Ooris, took a step forward. Titan took a step. One. Two. Three. On the fourth, the rivals vaulted into the air, the red eyes of Titan matching the gleam of Sonovan's white. It is time for an onslaught of pure Ooris.

Now standing, Johnny flipped over rubble to escape the sheer force of the two opposing Energies as Titan and Sonovan exasperated themselves in a fury of Ooris. They both landed fist-first, Titan's giant hand landing in sync with Sonovan. The dark blast radiated first from a single whitish-red point. The ground shivered underneath the ferocious power. The two nemeses were left in stasis—neither able to push back the other as the dark Ooris blasted in every direction like a large circle. It pushed forth further still like an uncontrolled tornado, snapping trees, cables, and the fence surrounding the former military base. Johnny rushed through the debris as they hailed down.

"You...will...kneel!" Titan roared through the thunderous reverberation of the two Energies. It was a stalemate as the two glared into each other's eyes, one set pure white, another deep red. This would be their destiny — always opposites, always equals. "No!" Sonovan shouted back through the whirlwind. "We both will!" The Energy leveled the surrounding area, forming a reddish-white barrier between Sonovan and Titan, fists still in stasis as if sending their Ooris through the terrain, despite only being within inches of each other. Soon enough, though, the resistance barrier between the two grew too much to bear. They were both flung in inverse directions, hundreds of yards apart.

But within seconds, the two had risen. Johnny sprinted back in superspeed through the now desolate Montauk Lab. Only the soil was left. No grass. No trees. No walls. No fences. Titan and Sonovan ambled not away, but closer. "You...you are truly powerful, Sonovan Lung. Why did we end up being so different?"

Sonovan was quiet for a few seconds as Johnny arrived, sliding to a stop next to him. "God damn," Johnny marveled. "I'm out for like a minute and it all goes to shit."

Unlike his personality, Titan began to laugh in his deep tone. In a crazy change of events, Sonovan did as well, before stopping himself. The emotion erased itself quickly as the mist permeated from his body. "I wished so much for us to have been brothers, Titan. But I am mistaken. This is our destiny."

"I know," Titan answered. He did know. "But not for long." Titan lifted his arm and spoke, "Zeo," into it.

The spherical portal rose from the ground and Titan leapt in. Johnny grabbed Sonovan and they squeaked by the rapidly collapsing wormhole.

On the other side, Zeo turned out to be Stonehenge in England. The sun shone high in the sky as Titan walked amongst the gargantuan slabs of rock. The wires attached to the back of his head swung in the wind.

Back turned to Sonovan and Johnny, Titan began a short monologue once again. "All of creation has groaned from the beginning until now. This is the reckoning, or, may I say, I am. I am humanity's savior and the reckoning of the omniverse. The Shadowverse, at long last, has a ruler. Oora will be pleasantly surprised when I bring the Justification to the Shadowverse and this universe. Even The One, the name I have given the creator of everything, will be glad. No more injustice. No more corruption. No more death. No more free will."

"Oora would never agree with you," Johnny replied. "I can say so from experience."

"No, Johnny Sparks. You have never truly experienced it."

"My redemption is at hand, Titan," responded Sonovan. Sonovan would keep his plan hidden from his thoughts so that Titan would not discover it. He had learned to master mental warfare. The psychic powers of Titan could not affect him. Well, not anymore.

In a spurt of anger, Titan telekinetically grabbed Sonovan and flung him into Johnny. They both bounced off a rock slab. Titan stomped to them, but Johnny moved quickly and swept Titan's leg. The move shook him off-balance, so Johnny pointed an uppercut right under the jaw, which smacked Titan with enough force to stagger him backward.

Regaining his balance, Titan spat a white substance, eyeing it in curiosity and amazement. "Blood."

"That will be the least of your worries," Johnny shot back, smirking.

"I'm afraid not. Come, let us continue this battle for the very soul of the universe." Reaching out, Titan created another portal. Johnny sprinted to him, landing a kick to the leg and his side. He grunted, grabbed Johnny by the neck and threw him in. Sonovan leapt to his feet and jumped in just as the portal was closing.

This time, the trio of fighters jumped to somewhere in Japan, among the hills of Mount Yari. They fought and battled with speed and skill. The lessons Sonovan had taught Johnny on Herook were clearly never wasted.

The stars of the night shone down upon them at the high altitude. Many a time, Sonovan and Johnny would together attack, which required Titan to hold them off with both arms. Other times, Titan would telekinetically throw their bodies. Telepathy would not totally work, for their minds were impenetrable. Whatever Sonovan had told them worked swimmingly. They were relentless, unwilling to surrender.

~~~

On the other side of things, the rest of the Shadowforce was thoroughly busy with Titan's robotic Special Forces units. Although their abilities were quite superior to the soldiers they had annihilated in the desert, the Shadowforce was fully equipped to defeat them.

"Jane!" called Ryan.

"What?" she called back as she shoved another Special Forces soldier into six, ripping the seven apart.

"Form a shield around yourself, Dustin, and Sam! I don't think this armor will be enough to deflect the incoming fire! I saw Titan do it! You've grown powerful enough!"

"I don't think I can!"

Ryan leapt into the air, clearing the area around them. Ryan turned to her. "Yes you can," he said in his gruff, rocky voice. "Believe in yourself." Within the very minute, it had been done.

Unfortunately, the endless onslaught of fire, ice, strength, and telekinesis counteracted an equally endless array of blasters and bombs. Megiddo had turned into a war zone within the span of ten minutes. In fact, only one thousand of the now nineteen thousand members of the Special Forces had been obliterated. This being because the robotic soldiers would also teleport once or twice, reappearing behind the heroes.

Adding to the hardship, Solis was an extremely talented fighter, who somehow had kept his skin even after all the explosions. Israeli military helicopters and fighters had been sent in, but they were easily shot out of the sky by the giant war mechanisms Solis and other soldiers set up. Another ten thousand soldiers were deployed, with more on the way as the other ten million aboard the five warships in space stayed in place above the face of the Earth.

Further, the Shadowforce began to weaken. Their strength was shrinking, and their powers followed suit. Only Rose could keep up the assault unfailingly, mostly due to the fact her powers were borne from her alien DNA.

During the battle, a portal opened, and Titan, trailed by Sonovan Lung and Johnny Sparks, burst out from it. A loud kiai sounded as they saw Sonovan in mid-air executing a flying sidekick to the back of Titan's head. Johnny followed closely behind, trying to hit low on Titan's giant frame.

Stumbling through, Titan turned and telekinetically threw them into the air and landed with a crash. The rest of the Shadowforce realized the trio had returned.

Raising his arm and snapping his fingers, the Special Forces, to their surprise, ceased their fighting. Solis meandered through to Titan, who wiped the blood off the back of his neck. "Ah, would you look at the time? Less than twenty minutes from now, the universe will be on its way to freedom from injustice, tyranny, and death."

"No, I won't let you!" Johnny retorted. The Shadowforce had run over by this time.

"Men like you and your Shadowforce must be broken, and there is only one way. Shall we begin?"

"What are you talking about?"

"This." Titan levitated the entire team in one motion. "This will take an excessive amount of energy, but it must be done. You took my Justice from me, so I will take something you love as well, Sparks. Equilibrium."

At that very moment, Solis walked through the helpless pack of heroes. In his arms was an unconscious Irene Sparks. To Johnny's horror, he placed her into Titan's grip. "You have become the new Sonovan Lung. And for that, you must be broken. All of you. One is not enough."

#  CHAPTER 42

#  ULTIMATUM, PART 2

Titan released his grip on Dustin, Sam, and Johnny. Instead of floating above the burnt soil, they were locked in place on the ground. Titan kept the rest in their place. In a single movement of his arm, Titan dragged Dustin over to his empty hand. "We have a winner. What a superb warrior you are, Dustin."

Not a word escaped from Dustin's mouth. "No! Get your hands off of him!" Sam cried. "He is my brother! Don't you touch him!"

"Titan, please! Do not do this!" Johnny begged. "She is innocent. Take me instead."

"Actually, I won't. I will not kill them both, but you will have to choose. So, who will it be? The wife of Timothy and mother of a hero, or your best friend? A difficult choice this is."

"Sam, listen to me. You know what I said," Dustin cried. "I love you man."

"No, don't say that! Come on Johnny! Do something!"

"I don't know what to do." He froze, as if time had stopped. Turning his head, he saw the Shadowforce floating off the ground, locked in an invisible prison. The scene turned dark when he saw Sam literally crying in slow motion and Titan with his mother and best friend in his clutches. Coming back to reality, time sped up once again. "I do not know what I must do, but I know one thing. I will not play this game of yours. You want to prove that in the hour of need, humans will commit the worst atrocities. But I will not do anything."

"You are very wise, Sparks. But you understand what that will mean."

"If you touch him, just be aware you are already dead," Sam shouted.

"I hope such measures are not necessary."

"Titan, I beg you. Take me instead! Please!"

"You are quoting Sonovan Lung, Sparks. When I killed his wife, Aiko, he begged me to do the opposite—to take him instead. How alike the two of you are!" he spat, turning to Sonovan. "Incredible!"

Johnny glanced at Sam, who was in severe unrest. "Please. I don't care. Just take me," Sam replied.

"A man cannot be broken unless he is kept alive and the thing he cherishes most is taken away."

"I will kill you."

"So be it," Titan replied.

"I love you, buddy," Dustin responded.

Nothing in all their lives could prepare them for this. Snapping his fingers, Irene was killed instantly. Johnny could see her fall in slow motion. The moment extended into eternity. Then, Titan backed up and speared Dustin in the chest with a blade choosing to watch the hero die slowly.

"No!" screamed Sam in horror. The others could not even speak, their mouths locked, squirming in their places. "No! Dustin!"

"Mom! Dustin!" screamed Johnny in the same way. "What have you done?!"

"That which is necessary. Equilibrium."

Johnny and Sam sank to their knees, frozen, gaping, sweat and blood dripping off like a leaking faucet.

Coughing up blood, Dustin gripped the handle of the knife. "Hurricane...is what I have become," he muttered. Titan furrowed his brow, unsure of the words he spoke.

His anger far outweighed his pain, for he realized the end was near. Pushing the knife out of his chest, Dustin stood up, a bloody hole in his heart. "It will be your downfall." At that very second, Ooris accumulated around him, swirling in every direction. His eye color disappeared and gave way to a pure, glowing white, while his body shifted black.

Titan's eyes widened, amazed at the will and power of this human. He stepped back, now fearing it had all been for naught. The Energy was with him—the full power of the Oora. "And now, I seek revenge and justice for all the atrocities this one has committed!" boomed Dustin, now having become something so much more powerful than he had been. He could now feel the power Sonovan had spoken of. The untainted, pure Ooris. He would be the last to ever possess such untold power.

For Titan, it was happening all over again. The winds fell upon the remnant of the army. They were obliterated—ripped into three pieces. Solis too was thrown across the ground next to Titan, who was still standing.

Leaping into the air, Dustin flew like a bird. Hovering over them, he beckoned Titan closer. The two fought from a distance. This would be Titan's last resort—nearly the full capacity of his power which he would now expel, only minutes before the Justification could begin. Grabbing a telekinetic hold of Dustin, Titan rammed the now formidable adversary into the ground, smashing his head twice. Picking him up by the neck, Titan attempted to wipe his mind, but he could not, for Ooris had pervaded Dustin's mind completely. Only a few cuts appeared on Dustin's celestial body.

Frustrated, Titan roared in anger. "You will kneel!" he bellowed, bringing him nearer to his face. "You must realize you and your pathetic alliance are doomed to fail!" In the midst of his rage, Titan flung Dustin into the air and slammed him back into the ground, triggering a blast of dirt as if a grenade detonated.

Limping from the hole, Dustin looked more pissed than paralyzed. Sure, the brutal assaults had weakened this new form, but not enough. "Will you ever learn?" Titan exclaimed, attempting to force his mind and body onto Dustin. But he would have none of it.

"Your time is over," coughed Dustin. Truthfully, he was hurting. Everywhere. Nevertheless, the Energy and the winds clutched onto Titan, throwing him into the air.

Dustin clapped his hands together, and the winds invaded every square inch of Titan's body, ripping his dark armor clean off. Titan fell with a loud crash. At the same time, the rest of the team was freed from their prison, for the third time now.

Completely naked, Titan collapsed onto his knees, the Shadowforce surrounding him. Their eyes burned in anger. Solis stood and engaged his scythe. He sprinted to them to attack, and that he did. He slammed the weapon into the ground, which cracked it and sent an eruption of energy through the earth.

The Shadowforce, except for Dustin and Sonovan, was thrown back. But Sonovan would have none of it. The ancient warrior turned and blocked another attack with his swords. Following it, he impaled Solis with the one of the Vorson Swords—the weapons of Orslon and Zydok. "You brought him upon us. Now suffer." Solis collapsed to his knees and fell face first to the dusty ground. Groaning, the downed soldier wheezed as he grabbed his chest. For the first time, Sonovan could actually make out a small piece of his face underneath the cracked helmet—dark purple skin and striking gold eyes.

Taking hold of his shoulder, he pressed a silver button. "There is nothing left, my lord! We must surrender!"

"Then do what must be done," responded his lord. "Order for the annihilation." Solis vanished in an instant, a portal consuming his body.

The team stood up as Dustin levitated Titan off the ground. He violently threw the ruler of the Tetra into the wheelhouse of Ryan, who punched forward so that Johnny might let out his anger on him. He unleashed a frenzy of punches and kicks, landing a strike on every conceivable spot on Titan's body. Jane picked him up and slammed him back, while Rose burned the armor he had worn, the frenzy of attacks ceased.

Completely naked, Titan lay on his knees, amazed these humans had overcome even him. They could see metallic formations on his sides and on his leg. His skin was just about white as snow.

Only minutes remained before the Justification. No longer connected to his suit, he had no Energy left to defend himself. But there was just enough. Growling, he took out a small object. Before they could retaliate, space collapsed around Titan and he vanished. "Where the hell did he go?" exclaimed Johnny, turning to the others. "Tell me! Where did he go?!" In concordance, Sam searched everywhere, the spot now abandoned.

Only several seconds passed before Titan reappeared. "No more jumps left," the object informed. Despite the circumstances, Titan was laughing.

"I broke you," he began. "I might have lost, but I won. The winds of change will arrive here in time. You did not really think I would just lose the fight for the soul of the universe in a battle with you, did you?" Rose punched him across his face. "And today, I finally discovered the identity of Z, by the way. A token from the past, if you will. Thus, I will not spoil it for you, because he will be here soon enough. The winds of change will come."

"Shut up!" Johnny and Sam screamed simultaneously.

"We don't care who Z is! And after all, he is nowhere near as vile as you!" Rose exclaimed in anger.

"I beg to differ." On his knees, Titan sneered and began to speak, but he spoke so low in volume they considered it a whisper. "Within the next fifty years, when humanity destroys itself through war, corruption, hatred, and insanity, you will remember this moment and reconsider what your motives really were. And in that moment, you will realize you killed the prophet—the messenger—the only one who could save them from themselves. You will be rulers of nothing. Then, and only then, you will know I was right all along. But it shall be too late, for Earth will die in your hands. I, Titan, have done something behind the scenes. Something no one can ever take away from my record of accomplishments."

Sonovan approached him. "No, just...no. You will not be around to see anything. The heroes I have band together will stop anything you have ever planned."

"I will always return, old enemy. Forever opposites, you and I."

"Forever equals," Sonovan finished. "But this time, you are never coming back."

"And how can you be sure of this?"

"Because I am going with you."

Titan's eyes widened, fear clouding his vision. Dustin, now calling himself Hurricane, shoved Titan to a standing position. "Congratulations, Sonovan Lung."

"No, do not congratulate me. I am in deep sorrow, for I know I will not be able to stay with my friends and the world I was born into."

"A necessary recompense for your action all those years ago."

"Yes, and this is my redemption."

Titan did not respond. Sonovan grabbed a hold of him. The musky sky opened, and a black sphere popped into the sky. The monstrous dark clouds made way for the Ooris Energy, the Sun's rays shining through like a pathway to Heaven. Sonovan turned to the Shadowforce. "It was an honor to serve you, Shadowforce."

Each member surrounded Titan and Sonovan, as if a small church assembly.

Rose walked up to them both. "Thank you, Sonovan." Then she faced Titan, her former master. "And you, I hope the Shadowverse has a place for you."

She turned and walked away, but Titan called her. "Adia, I want you to know something. Your real father, Ta-Vir, was a great man. In my defeat, he told me to remember him on the day of my passing, and I have kept my word. Not a day goes by when I do not think of him. And because of that, cherish your name. Do not throw it away."

Astounded by the brief statement, she nodded once but did not give him the satisfaction of a response.

"I wish I could say something, Sonovan. I wish I could say something that could summarize my time with you," Johnny said. "I—"

Sonovan held up his finger to signal Johnny to cease speaking. "No, Johnny. You do not need to. We will see each other again. I promise. In my departure, I will bestow upon you all my Energy. This will allow you to contact me, so please, set aside some time to visit me every once in a while?" Sonovan asked, the Ooris coming closer.

"We can visit you?" Jane replied.

"Of course," Sonovan replied. "Now, there is little time. I must go." In his mind, he remembered all the places he had been and people he had met. Aiko came to mind—when he had first met her. She pleaded with him to let her help him, and after becoming a bit of a pest, he obliged.

The Shadows came to mind as well. Orslon. Zydok. Venarian. How incredible were those days!

"In whatever you do, never stop believing. Be the heroes, Shadowforce. Never give up. Never relent from seeking out the evils. For when you do, you will lose. The evil can never find you. You must find it. Do not be like how I was. Remember the lessons I have taught you. You will find another way to defeat anything, I promise you."

Titan turned to them. "I underestimated you, Sparks. But he will finish what I started. I promise you."

"You killed my mother!" retorted Johnny, crying all the while attempting with all his might to land a punch—something, anything—to show his rage. Nonetheless, the Ooris surrounding Titan and Sonovan held him fast.

"It had to be done. And in death, I have become something more than just one being. I have become an ideal." Out of breath and nearly totally void of Ooris, he turned to the entire team, his last statement. "You think you prevailed, my heroes, but you are wrong." Johnny narrowed his eyes through the tears, wiped the dirt, tears, and snot off his face, and listened to the words Titan spoke. "You truly might think you won, and yes, your victory is yours...but your humanity, what it means to be human? That's mine. Forever."

"How? What the hell are you even talking about?!" He felt...dread.

Titan remained silent.

"That which is necessary, Titan," Sonovan said, the Ooris just about arriving. "Through action, a man becomes a hero. Through death, I have become a legend. Through time, my legend will become a myth. Through hearing that very myth, another will take action. No matter what happens, this is my redemption." Johnny, along with the rest, watched the man he admired greatly, along with the greatest threat the universe has ever known, depart. The Energy grabbed a hold of the twosome, and it sucked Sonovan Lung and Titan into the rip in space-time, forever living inside the Shadowverse. Sonovan only smiled with a reassuring gaze at the team he had constructed. The clouds separated like a pathway to the beyond. As the Ooris grasped them one last time, and the rays of the Sun basked Sonovan in glory, he uttered his final words. "Never forget, Shadowforce. You are children of the light, children of the Shadowverse." Both disappeared in an instant, and the rip shut.

They were left standing there, wishing, wondering, confused. The shield around the Justification Machine faded, so Ryan destroyed it with his bare hands. Rose finished the job by bathing it in fire. The dark sky faded, and the Earth was free from the tyranny of Titan and his Justification Machine.

Johnny ran to his mother, but Irene was already dead—killed instantly by Titan's snap. He held her tight, wanting so badly to wake up from a nightmare—a long, terrible, but at times an awesome nightmare. He wanted to be back in his bedroom, the past month a figment of his imagination. But it was not so. He wept as he cradled her in his arms. "I was not strong enough to save you. I was not strong enough."

The others gathered around him, including Dustin. His form was dark and intimidating. Without warning, though, he collapsed as well. The pure Ooris was no longer with him. He fell right into Sam's arms. "Dusty!" he cried.

"No one lives forever, brother."

"You cannot go! Please! No!"

"I love you guys. I love all of you like family. Tell Dad and Mom I did what was necessary. I-I always wanted to be the hero, and now I am."

"Dustin, just so you know, you're awesome," Ryan replied. Despite the big man he was, he was in tears. Jane and Rose were too.

"I love you man," Johnny said. The Shadowforce knelt onto the ground next to their fallen hero. They each placed a hand onto Dustin's chest.

"So do I Johnny. So do I. Will you visit me?"

"Bet your bottom dollar I will," they replied concurrently.

"I'm scared, Sam. I'm scared."

Sam was in complete shock and had no clue as to what to say. He wiped the blood off his chin and the tears off his brother's cheek.

"You will always be one of us, Dustin," Ryan replied. "I wish it was I in your place."

"I know, but this is the way it had to be." At that moment, the sky opened once again.

"Guess that is my ride out of here. This world was never big enough for me."

"Thanks for meeting us there," Johnny replied.

Sam still cradled him in arms. "I love you, bro. Never forget that."

"You...have my word. Just remember what Sonovan said. We will...see each other again. I promise." The mystical energy of the Oora surrounded Dustin, and he vanished. It left the suit he had been given, the Aurora, in his place. A legend had passed on. Sam twitched as Dustin's figure faded from his embrace. He was there, then not, for he had been taken away.

#  CHAPTER 43

AFTERMATH

Sam wept for what seemed an eternity. His cries were long and hard. In fact, the entire Shadowforce wept. For Irene. For Dustin. For Sonovan. Their lives had been turned upside down in the span of minutes.

Finally, Sam began to ease out of the cries. Replacing them was a burning rage. "I am going to destroy that God-forsaken ship right now!" He opened a portal and the Shadowforce jumped into it.

They landed inside the ship, now an utter state of collapse. In consequence of Titan's passing, no one knew what would be done. Solis had disappeared. "Let me make that decision for you!" Sam screamed. The entire place fell prey to Sam's true potential.

In essence, his power filled him, and he erupted into a fury of ice. Sam immersed the entire Navigation Department of the Titan in his icy rage. Every living thing froze. "Rose, I want you to destroy it."

"Gladly," she replied. She leapt into the air as Ryan smashed the floor in two. Upon her impact, the pure energy inside her surged into a wave of fire. It detonated with a blast so vehement it destroyed the electronic systems of the ship, and thus it began to fall out of the sky over the Gobi Desert.

"Now we can leave these screwed shits!" Sam yelled in anger. His demeanor was no longer the fun-loving and lively person they had come to know. In its place, a vengeful, rage-filled personality overtook him. Sam activated another portal to Megiddo just as the ship approached the sands at terrifying speed.

In Megiddo, Sam picked up Dustin's suit, realizing his smell still pervaded it. He clung to it as if some treasure—an item he had long searched for and finally obtained.

"Titan!" Sam howled. The long, drawn-out cry originated from deep within his very being. He lay there on his knees, sobbing. Johnny, Ryan, Rose, and Jane comforted him. Johnny and Ryan were the hardest hit besides Sam. They had known Dustin for years and considered him family.

Johnny gathered his mother in his arms. Her eyes still shut, he too wept there, and as Sam had done, Johnny roared, "Titan!" In the aftermath of the Battle of Megiddo, the Shadowforce had lost three people. Irene Sparks, Dustin Jones, and the immortal warrior of old Sonovan Lung. He had finally achieved his redemption—the reward being eternity in the Shadowverse with Titan and Dustin.

In the aftermath, Titan was correct: He had broken them. And in death, I have become something more than one being, Sam recollected, I have become an ideal.

Over the next several hours, news outlets and the Israeli Military arrived to survey the scene, except the Shadowforce had already vacated the battlefield. They only left the inactive remnant of Titan's Special Forces and the heap of ruins that was once Titan's flagship in the Gobi. The impact generated a sea of inferno in the Gobi Desert, swelling across the fragments of the Titan.

On the other hand, the five war cruisers orbiting the Earth had exploded in space. In fact, their orders were to destroy everything in sight, but their warp drives were simultaneously hacked and separated, resulting in catastrophic failure. As a result, the Shadowforce was perplexed as to what had gone on, for the ten million soldiers on the ships were therefore annihilated. But they could never understand, and for now, were not meant to.

The incomplete Shadowforce arrived in New York City after concealing the suits Z had given them inside bags. News crews and police crammed the streets of Manhattan, because only hours before Titan revealed himself to the world. They limped as they walked.

Before heading out to see their parents and then the President, Sam went to his apartment. Walking into the corridor, he unlocked the door and crept in. The place was exactly the same he left it before they had departed Earth two weeks prior.

Activating his console just for the hell of it, Sam saw Dustin's account—DustyWave. His eyes welled, and similar to earlier, cried — except this time he not as hard nor as loud. Even the passing of Sonovan took its toll on him. The man was exactly who he wanted to be in the future: a being of patience, kindness, but nevertheless tremendous power.

Sam turned off the television and the console. In the closet, he found Dustin's clothes. Made up of mostly blue jeans and button-up shirts, Sam smiled as he filed through them. This day had simultaneously been the best and worst of his life.

~~~

On account of Rose, she visited her home. The place had still been yellow taped, and she made sure to not trespass, even though it's technically her home as well.

Back in human form, Ryan tried his best to comfort her on the way there. He had been quiet since Dustin's passing. Despite that, he himself was reassured that Dustin was in no way dead. In fact, he is more alive than anyone on Earth.

For several minutes, the two scanned the house with their eyes. In an interesting turn of events, Rose rested her head on Ryan, supported by his large shoulders. He smiled but said nothing, because he was quickly getting used to it. In fact, never did he surmise how attached Rose got to people, but it made sense. Like Sonovan said, Titan used this fault in her to will her into his own monster.

In a spit of curiosity, Rose walked over to an officer posted near the door. Investigations were still ongoing on account of Henry's death. "Sir, may I ask you a question?"

"Ma'am, please don't trespass. What is your question?"

"Has there been a funeral for Henry Johnson?"

"Yes."

"Where is he buried?"

"Gate of Heaven."

"Thank you, officer."

"Are you Rose? The one from the photos and the newscasts?"

"What newscasts?"

"Six people were missing."

"Yes, but we were not missing. Just dealing with things."

Behind his glasses, the officer's eyes widened. "Good for you."

On the way to the Gate of Heaven Cemetery, Ryan's thoughts shifted to Sonovan. Never had he ever met such a person. The man truly was something else, and Ryan knew for sure he would never again meet someone who could hold a candle to Sonovan. Where could he be? What was he doing, and more importantly, what was Titan doing? And the best question of all, what about Dustin?

~~~

Sonovan found rest for his soul and redemption for every selfish action he had committed. Finally, at long last, he could rest. His destiny had arrived, and he was up to par. For centuries, he wondered if he could ever again be the hero—be who Oora and The Shadows expected him to be. If only Orslon, Venarian, and Zydok could see him now—their destiny fulfilled through him.

Titan, on the other hand, ended up back where he started. The corrupt Ooris inside him did not forsake him, though. Therefore, in the commencement of this new life, Titan resorted to peace and tranquility, the pure Energy leveling out his hatred. In essence, Titan had become the prime balance of the Ooris in conjunction with Sonovan's pure, good Energy. Forever opposites, yet forever equals—destined to remain in the Shadowverse ad infinitum.

On the other hand, Dustin was far from dead. His death, though fearful of it, proved to birth something so much grander than he ever believed could exist. Now, his Ooris enabled him to construct the Shadowverse any way he desired. Oora aided him in the discovery of new areas, and how to will the Energy into his own world. The Shadowverse itself is nearly double the size of our universe.

Dustin created a planet with waves hundreds of feet tall. He conjured up a surfboard with the words 'Never Gone' pasted on the underside.

In losing his body, he gained unexplainable serenity. He was sure he did not want to return to Earth.

Titan and Sonovan had arrived in the dreamy Yeonlo Zone, which comprised 90% of the Shadowverse. Due to her being imbued with Ooris nearly a millennium ago, Aiko was also alive inside the Shadowverse. Sonovan could not believe his eyes and thought he had been dreaming when he saw her beautiful raven-colored hair. When she saw him, she ran to him.

"Sonovan! Is this really you? How?"

"My love? You...are here. How?"

"Answer my question first!"

Sonovan did not answer her, instead he cupped her head in his hands. "Now I know that it was worth it." And there, like how he had done a millennium prior, he kissed her.

Titan watched their encounter from afar. Aiko peeked past her husband and saw him. Though without any of his connections and armor, she felt his presence there. The corrupt Energy was difficult to miss. "Titan?"

He stared at her. "Aiko."

"You do not know how glad I am to see you here."

"Glad?"

"Yes. About time you got what you deserved. My life needed justice."

"I am sorry I killed you, but it was necessary."

Sonovan rolled his eyes. "Whatever you say, old enemy."

Titan eyed him in wonder. "How are you not still vengeful?"

Sonovan slapped his hand on Titan's dark shoulder and left it there. "Because I forced myself to forgive you. The anger would have destroyed me if I had not. Also, on Herook, I came to a conclusion. You would always be my nemesis—my opposite. I would always be yours."

"I see. You do realize it is not over, correct? Z will finish what we started. I am sure of it. And in that moment, you will know I was right."

"I believe in heroes."

"You mean heroes like me?" Dustin cut in. He ran over through the grass. Sonovan had summoned a planet similar to Herook, except, there was no sky. In its place, the multi-colored essence of the Oora, coupled with a space-like blackness, imitated a dreamscape sky.

"Ah, Dustin. This is a surprise, to be sure, but a welcome one!"

"What's up Sonovan? Oh, are you Aiko?"

"Hello, Dustin."

"Hello, ma'am." Titan clenched his jaw at the sight of Dustin. "Well, well, well. If it is not for my killer."

Titan remained silent. He turned and in an instant, vanished. There would be nothing for him there.

Dustin frowned. "Anyways, see you around, Sonovan."

"We shall meet again, my friend!" Sonovan shouted back, his voice resonating throughout the terrain.

#  CHAPTER 44

#  END OF A JOURNEY

Johnny walked up to his porch, carrying his mother. At the door, Jane stopped him. "If you need anything, I am here. Just remember that. I'll be here for you."

"I know you will." He was not about to do anything extraordinary—not yet at least. He knocked at the door, and it opened instantly. Timothy Sparks stood there, unsure if he was dreaming or dead.

"Son?"

"Yes Dad, it's me. We prevailed. But something else happened." Timothy recognized the dead body of Irene in his arms.

"Irene!" he cried. He checked her pulse and kissed her forehead, but soon recognized she was cold, and her neck snapped. "No!" he screamed. "No! Irene!" Johnny cried as he laid her on the sofa. "It was him! That monster took her from me!"

"Who?!"

"Someone broke in here, knocked me out, and then took her!"

Johnny swore. "Solis."

"Is that his name?"

"Yes, and by the way, uh, Dustin was killed too."

"What?"

"Dustin. He didn't make it."

"He's dead?"

"Yes. But not truly dead. He's inside the Shadowverse, the alternate universe we had gotten our powers from. Titan and Sonovan are both gone too."

Timothy rested his head on her chest and wept there. Too much had happened in the short time it had been. "Too much, my son. It's all too much."

~~~

Sam had left his apartment already and departed to his parents' house. They had been awaiting him, because since Titan had not enacted the Justification, they surmised the Shadowforce overcame Titan. When Sam knocked on the door, it opened in a jiffy.

"Sam!" his mother screamed. "I knew you would win! Where is Dustin?"

Sam did not reply but shook his head as his eyes watered. His mother gulped and looked down at the empty suit Sam carried in his arms. "Sam, where is he?"

"Gone."

Jenny collapsed onto the floor as Robert heard the commotion. Sam picked up his mother with ease and placed her on the couch. He expected her reaction. Now, it is Sam's duty to recap what had occurred, but unsure if he could handle it.

"Dustin, uh, Dustin didn't make it, Dad. He fought valiantly to the end, and it was he who destroyed Titan. Sonovan worked off what he did and he and Titan departed into the Shadowverse." His father did not respond, only lament. "But he is still alive," he croaked.

His father looked up at once. In a fit of sobs, he choked, "What?"

"He's still alive, just in the Shadowverse. In fact, I can even get to him once in a blue moon."

"What?!"

"Y-Yeah, but you won't be able to."

"I do not care! As long as he's alive!"

"Well, he's not technically a-alive. He's, you know, d-dead, but his spirit lives on." Robert again lowered his head and sobbed. In fact, they both did.

"How did he..."

"Speared."

"How did he defeat him?"

"Ripped off his armor and exposed him as a naked man. We overcame that son of a bitch and his entire army fell apart because of it."

"Then?"

"Titan departed."

~~~

After a while of seeking out the gravestone, Rose finally found it. The face of the stone was dark brown with gold-colored letters. Sinking to her knees on the wet grass, Rose bent over, face in her hands. The loud wailing prompted Ryan over to her. He squatted down next to her, he massaged her back as she cried.

Ryan took Rose with him to his mother's house. The door opened immediately upon his double knock.

"Son!" she cried in glee. Throwing herself on him, he tried to bend down to embrace.

"Dustin is gone," Ryan replied.

"Dusty? Gone?"

"D-Dead."

"My God."

Ryan walked in, Rose behind him. "He died as the strongest of us. He was the one who really destroyed Titan."

"What happened?"

"He destroyed the armor Titan wore after he was...uh...stabbed."

"I take it you killed Titan?"

"Yes. His body is destroyed."

"But he is still alive," Rose added. "Inside the Shadowverse."

"The Shadowverse?"

"Yeah, remember?" Ryan replied. "The place where we get our powers."

"Oh, right."

"Dusty is there too. In fact, we could see everyone there. Sonovan, Dustin, and even Titan."

"So they aren't dead?"

"Right," replied Rose.

"And one day, we will go to him," Ryan replied.

"Can I go too?"

"No, you can't."

Bethany sighed, fiddling with her fingers. "What happens now?"

"Funeral for Johnny's mother," Rose replied.

"Irene?!"

"Oh, yeah. I forgot to tell you," Ryan replied in sadness. "She's gone."

"How?"

"Titan's second-in-command took her."

"Why?"

"I won't tell you that," Ryan replied.

"Why?"

"I'm sorry, Mom. But I cannot."

~~~

Whilst there, Johnny's phone rang without remorse. "Hello?"

"Hello there, Mr. Sparks. It's the President."

Johnny stood to listen to what the President had to say. "Oh, hello sir. We won. Talk later. I have lost too much."

"I send my condolences, son. But you must hear me. Your defeat of Titan will go down into the annals of history as the greatest showing of courage and strength ever. For that, I want to celebrate this day on Saturday. Meet me in Washington, D.C. There, I will present to you certain gifts."

Swallowing deep, he grinned ever so slightly. "What do you mean?"

"Who is it?" Jane asked, trying to listen in.

"POTUS," he whispered, covering his hand on the speaker.

"By gifts, I mean medals and other amenities. Want to work for the world?"

"Uh, I will call you back, sir. I need to attend to some things."

"Are you hanging up on me?"

"No, Mr. President. My mother was just murdered and my best friend stabbed. Can you just wait a bit?"

The President let out a gasp and tried to catch his breath. Johnny heard it. "Take as long as you need, son."

"Thank you, sir." Johnny hung up the phone.

"Who was that, son?" Timothy asked, raising his head off of Irene's chest. "Who?"

"It was the President, Dad."

"Well, what did he want now?"

"He wants to discuss a deal."

"What?" Jane asked.

"I don't know. We'll find out when we get there."

"I'm proud of you, Johnny," Timothy said through an intense sigh. "Never forget that."

"I love you, Dad."

This emotional conversation made Jane miss her parents. They died when she was only a young teenager, and her grandparents died only a year ago. She had been so alone, and if it were not for them, she probably would be in an asylum for the insane.

Once an hour passed, Johnny phoned the President again. Through sniffles, he said, "Mr. President, it's Johnny Sparks."

"Hello, son. How you doing? Need anything?"

"I'm getting there, sir."

"That is great to hear. You know, my wife has been praying for you for the past few days. She's become an animal."

Johnny chuckled at the thought of the First Lady in deep intercession for him. "Thank her for me, please."

"I will. So, what do you want to know?"

"Everything."

"Alright, how abo—"

Johnny ruminated on the idea, though. It did not feel right with him. "Actually, sir, can we come over? I would much rather my friends hear with me than just myself. It doesn't feel right."

"Sounds good, Mr. Sparks."

~~~

For nearly an hour, Sam tried to summon the memories of the day. And once he did, Sam, his father, and now fully awake mother sniveled. To put the situation bluntly, the triad had a chaotically sad yet splendid time knowing their brother and son was alive, in a place not even they might ever fathom. Then, Sam received a call.

Rubbing his nose of the mucus, Sam spoke into his phone. "Who is it?"

"Hey, bud. How are you doing?" It was Johnny.

"Well, considering our master and archenemy are gone, my brother gone but still technically alive, Rose's father also dead, and Irene dead too, I'm doing my best."

Johnny coughed on the other end. "I'm doing terribly," he said, sniffling and rubbing his eyes.

"You sound like you want to say something. What is it?"

"Well, the President called and he wants to meet up with us at the White House. Some kind of discussion. I don't know. He was about to tell me, but I told him I'd rather do it together. Not today though. I cannot do it today."

"Thoughtful of you. Thanks, man. Yeah, I'll...uh...be right over anyway."

"Whenever you're ready, dude." There was a pause. "I miss Dustin. It won't be the same."

"Yeah," he replied, glancing at the floor during a sniffle. "And with Sonovan gone, who's the leader?"

"We are. Like Sonovan told us. We are the Shadowforce. He is the past, but we are the future."

"Sounds good."

#  CHAPTER 45

MISSION

Forty-eight hours raced by until the Shadowforce teleported to the White House to meet with the President. During that time, they buried Irene Sparks, the plot of ground dug and casket placed inside. The entire Shadowforce attended the burial. Johnny and Sam both slept for a day straight. Jane did as well.

Johnny and his father held each other and wept as the black casket was covered in dirt. From the dust she arose, and to the dust she returned. Jane made an effort to support him as best she could—even more so than Ryan and Sam. Of course, she made sure she did not exaggerate or overdo herself, trying to help but also not make anything too awkward.

A few more days elapsed and the Shadowforce slowly waned out of the hell the past few weeks had brought. Despite the permanent absence of Dustin Jones, the Hurricane, and Sonovan Lung, the team decided to meet the President.

The peace and quiet of the Oval Office reversed once the Shadowforce arrived. Standing in his black suit complete with a blue tie, the President smiled. "Ah, my young heroes." Johnny instantly had a flashback to the time Titan had spoken an identical salutation on his ship. Forcing the thought out of his mind, he dedicated his mind to remain engrossed into whatever the President had to offer. "Good to see you. Please. Sit down." Motioning to a Secret Serviceman, the guard fetched five chairs. "Now, let us begin. Where should I start?"

"Anywhere you'd like," Johnny replied.

"Alright. The United Nations will host an event for you here in D.C. I expect you to be there, barring any external influences. The Secretary-General of the UN will present you with awards and medals. Sound good so far?"

"Uh, yeah," Ryan replied.

"Go on, sir," Sam added.

"If you agree, Shadowforce, the United States will be pleased to lend you a special gift. After that's done, I will institute a brand-new underground headquarters for the Shadowforce. It is underneath an abandoned apartment building and has nearly as much space as the bunker in Maryland. Also, it's filled to the brim with technology: computers, satellite dishes, televisions, and communicators to contact the nearest FBI Surveillance Vehicles."

"Woah," Johnny responded. His amazement matched his curiosity.

"Holy shit," Rose responded. "How long have you been working on it?"

"Well, it used to be an FBI safe house."

"That explains it."

"My interest is peeked, sir," Sam replied, a slight grin arising for the first time in a while.

"Cool," Jane said. They turned to her. "What is it?"

"Are you always the calm one?" Ryan asked.

"Not that that's wrong," Johnny cut in, making a face. Ryan raised his hands in defense.

"Anyway, that is not the last. Do you want statues to be made of you? They will rest in D.C. and Manhattan; Times Square, to be exact."

They looked to Johnny, who had been considering it. Then the flashback returned.

In that moment, you will reconsider what your motives really were.

You will be rulers of nothing.

These memories were replaced by the hours he had spent talking with Sonovan. Automatically, he was transported back on Herook, sitting on the edge of the cliff with him, the breeze cooling their body. Johnny knew what the answer should be. "No, we will not accept that."

"Are you sure?"

"Absolutely. Sonovan Lung was a model for us all—a man of complete humility. I will not make the same mistake he did. So no, I will not give in to the temptation of fame and prominence." Johnny internally celebrated that he could utter such words.

"I agree," Ryan supplemented.

"So do I," added Sam. "Dustin would too."

"Titan was right," Rose interjected as the others, including the President, shot her a double-take.

"What?"

"He was right. This place. This society. It's bent on fame and eminence. I remember with clarity my time with him, and to be honest, he was right about everything. I know he was misguided...but he was right."

The others froze for several seconds, expressions in awe but also concern. "Uh, I guess she has a point there," Ryan replied through a frown.

"You're right, Rose," Jane responded. "But please. You almost sounded like him for a bit there."

"My inner Justice," she replied. "It's always there."

Ryan chuckled uneasily, wishing to move on. "Anyway, I think it's not a good idea."

"Fine, then. How about only one?" Johnny asked.

"What do you mean?"

"Only two monuments. For Sonovan Lung. Just two. In New York, outside the United Nations Headquarters, and one in this headquarters you have ready."

Ryan glanced toward Johnny, who in turn glanced towards the rest of his team. Jane nodded first. "Let's do it. I like that."

"I do too," Ryan said. "I just didn't know what you'd say."

"I concur," Jane replied.

"So do I," Sam corresponded.

"I think it's a good idea," responded Rose in accordance.

"Excellent! I will have it ordered."

"Awesome."

"Alright, now what?" Ryan asked. "Do we just sit here and wait? When's the event?"

"Two days."

"Actually, Mr. President, can we have two orders? And maybe an extra?" Sam cut in.

"Go on."

"Can you possibly forge one for my brother? I only want it for our HQ."

"It will be my honor. We actually have already been making them all, so I will just have to order for the demolition of the others. Dozens have been working on this thing. Anyway, when you get back, I will have an agent take you straight there."

~~~

When the Shadowforce arrived in Manhattan, they filed into an FBI van headed to the secret headquarters. So far, the traffic was dense and the people were crowding the street. Nevertheless, the van made it to its destination. "It's in there," the driver pointed. Once parked, they jumped out and entered the apartment, which was unoccupied and clearly abandoned.

"So, where are the goodies?" Ryan asked the agent, named Frank.

"Follow me." The entourage stuck together as one group until they arrived at a door. Frank took out a keycard from his pocket, pressing it onto a scanner. The light went green, and the door, which seemed to be an elevator, opened.

"Cool," Johnny said.

Once inside, Frank pressed the button corresponding to the bottom floor, labeled 'UX.' Rubbing his hands vigorously, Ryan glanced at Sam, who loosened his arms, though still with a depressed expression.

On the nethermost floor only two levels below the main floor of the apartment, the elevator opened, beckoning its passengers to exit with a low beep. "We are here," Frank said, opening his arms wide to showcase the enormity of the space.

Their clandestine residence consisted of numerous screens, computers, radios, communication devices, cameras, and—ironically—guards. Why would they need those anyway?

Sauntering over to a few chairs encircling a hexagonal base with three computers and their screens, Johnny was enamored with the technology the government had supplied. They had connected the screens to the hexagonal base which ascended into the ceiling. "Who will run these?" he asked, turning to Frank.

"That friend of yours will be, along with several cyber-security and defense personnel. What's his name again? Ken?"

"It's Kevin," Rose interjected. "Kevin Moon."

"Alright, so then Mr. Moon will manage the technological end of your squad," he replied, hands on his hips. "Let me take you to your bedrooms."

During the short walk to the nearest bedroom, Sam and Ryan marveled at the place. Instead of the dull grey back at the bunker, this was full of a variety of colors, such as black, blue, and slate. The ceiling measured close to twenty feet, so it provided ample breathing room.

The corridor split into alternating entries for rooms. The first was large and spacious, with a bathroom complete with a tub. "This is yours," Frank motioned, gesturing to Johnny. They positioned a queen-sized bed in the middle of the room, while the room itself was easily double the size of his current apartment.

"Wow," he awed, in love. "This is overkill. You didn't need to go this far."

"President's orders. And in the main room will be two sculptures, as ordered, of Dustin Jones and Sonovan Lung."

"Neat," Ryan replied.

On the other hand, Rose ventured to her own room, exactly the same as Johnny's except for its crimson-painted walls. "Good choice of color," she noted.

As for Jane, Ryan, and Sam, they each meandered the corridor until they found their particular accommodations. Jane lucked out with a white interior and wooden floor. Ryan had a dark green for his room, while Sam received blue as well.

Meeting each other in the hallway, Frank led them back to the central chamber. "So, what do you think?" he asked.

Ryan raised his eyebrows, nodding. "Well, it's sure as hell better than where I'm at."

"It had better be," Frank joked. "The President spent about fifteen million for this rig to be established. Nowhere else in the city is there an entire living space underground. Oh, and that reminds me, I still have one more thing to show you." Leading them once again, Frank rounded the corner behind the corridor, where a locked door barred exit.

Frank whipped out his keycard. The door unlocked and Frank stepped through into a dimly lit area. It seemed awfully familiar, and that was precisely the point. A firm jump onto the track, there was no doubt where they were. "Is this a subway tunnel?" Jane asked.

"Yes, ma'am."

"Interesting addition, but I fail to understand the necessity," Sam said.

"You know, this could be a fascinating place to train," Johnny replied. "It might be small, but it works."

"True."

"And this provides an easy outlet to the city," Rose replied, "I like it."

"Oh yeah, I did not think of that."

During the others' chatter, Johnny kicked his feet on the track, walking towards the middle of the rail. Staring down the tunnel, he visualized Z somewhere out there. The question being which one was out there?

Turning back to the others, Johnny questioned, "You know, any of you guys remember what Sonovan had disclosed to us before he left?"

"He said a lot," Ryan replied. "Which part, to be precise?"

"When he said how we should deal with evil and injustice."

"Refresh me."

"He told us to never wait for evil to show its ugly head. We must search it out."

"Oh yeah," Ryan replied.

"Never let it find you," Jane responded, recollecting the memory. "You must find it."

"Exactly."

"So, what are you saying?" Sam asked.

"We are going to find this guy."

"Who?"

"Z," Johnny replied, turning back to the dark corridor.

"Didn't we all literally shake his hand? And didn't he literally give us powers and help us along the way?"

"You don't see the point," Johnny replied as he whipped around to face them. "He insinuated there is some version of him out there. In my opinion, it's the one we had first come across."

By this time, Frank had ascended the two stairs into the Headquarters to leave them be. "Go on," Ryan urged.

"Which means we have to search for him. Since I'm sure Kevin will be working for us, he can head the search while we, uh, you know, save people."

"Uh huh," Sam replied. "What are you going for here? Another big fight against an unknown guy? Remember the last time we leaped without looking? Yeah, Rose was taken and we were thrown into an intergalactic war against a logical but psychopathic lunatic who took so much from us."

"He's got a point," Rose nodded.

"Of course I do."

"You misunderstand. I don't want to fight him. But I do want to find him. Evil cannot hide. It must be brought to light."

"I'm in," Jane replied, agreement settled. The rest turned to her immediately.

"Just like that?" Ryan asked, raising his eyebrow. She had caught Johnny mid-speech, his expression surprised but also exultant. He had expected she would agree.

"Thank you, Jane," he acknowledged, attempting to sound clear yet also, to his own observance, slightly flirty. Her response was on cue to what he imagined: a nod before she lowered her head. He liked that her shyness; of course, not to the extent it was before he met her, but it still resided in her personality.

Sam shot looks at both because of the unnecessary tension. Something came to the forefront of his mind. He furrowed his brow. "What is it?" Jane asked.

He gazed toward he and then the rest of the team. "Do... Do any of you guys remember what Titan said to us right near the end?"

"Precisely what?" Ryan asked.

"The part when he said something about my, or our, humanity is his or something."

Each scratched their heads at the comment, the memory failing. "Negative ghost rider," Sam remarked.

"Nobody?"

"No, I got nothing," Rose answered. The rest had the same response.

Something isn't right.

#  CHAPTER 46

#  CHILDREN OF THE LIGHT

"You seriously don't remember?" Johnny asked, bewildered.

They shook their heads again.

"Yeah man, what Rose said," Ryan answered. "Got nothing."

Johnny studied their faces, speculating. "Alright, whatever. Anyone else in?"

"You know me," Rose replied, "I love a good mystery."

"Well now I have to," Sam replied. "Just another day in the universe, I guess."

"What she said," Ryan added.

Smiling ear to ear, Johnny clapped once. "I don't know if you guys understand how much this means to me. To see us all united and together. If only Sonovan could see the fruit of his labor."

"He does," Ryan replied. "Trust me. He does."

"OK, so since we're on the same page, that leaves the event the only thing left on the to-do list," Sam stated.

"And I suggest we get ready. Two days, my friends. Two days."

"You sounded like Sonovan when you said 'my friends'," Sam replied.

Johnny chuckled and placed his hand on Sam's shoulder as they walked up into the HQ. The very Sam he'd known for what felt like forever, the very Sam whose brother saved the universe. "I'll take that as a compliment, buddy."

~~~

Within the couple of days that had passed, not one member of the Shadowforce had not dreamt nightmares. Titan held a grip on their fears and emotions—to an extent that Johnny had begun to jitter every once in a while. Eventually worsening, this became the reason for his doctor prescribing a temporary help for the symptoms he had been feeling. Sertraline 50 MG suited him well, and developed into a helpful support for the symptoms he felt.

He was not alone, though. Sam and Jane had been prescribed the same thing, except Jane had opted to 25 MG instead. She sometimes wondered how she had not bailed when the clashes with Titan radically increased in violence. Jane had been the only one to tell Sam and Johnny of her predicament, and they understood perfectly. In turn, they had divulged into their problems as well. The trio kept their emotional issues of late only to each other, because they did not want Rose and especially Ryan to worry. He was prone to that.

The day of the celebration arrived swifter than they would like. Simply titled "The Event" by news outlets around the world, millions gathered outside the Capitol Building for the celebration of a lifetime. Typically, this was the location of the Presidential Inauguration.

Every member country of the UN had its President or Prime Minister present for the special occasion. The crowd ranged from infants and small children to the elderly. Its size was twice that of the largest attendance to any Inauguration held in the United States. To boot, the day was chilly yet cloudless—the blue sky vibrant. Truthfully, this was one for the ages.

On the way to the podium, the Shadowforce had the privilege and opportunity to shake the hands of world leaders. The only setback was they could not see them with their own eyes, for the President had supplied them with masks to hide their identity. At least for now.

First, the President ascended the stairs of the platform, waving his hand in greeting to the sea of humanity. To commence the celebration, the President imparted a short but grand speech, which set the stage for the Secretary-General.

Following the President's lead, the Secretary-General of the United Nations conveyed a short but well-thought-out introduction. He turned towards the Shadowforce, beckoning them over. "Who wants to come?" Johnny asked.

"Not me," Ryan replied. "You know me. I can't do that. It's too many people. I'll stay here."

"Alright, anyone else?"

"I'll do it," Sam responded.

The two stepped up to the platform after shaking his hand. The screaming and shouting were drastically more pronounced now. Johnny copied what he had seen great speakers do: He raised his arm to try to beseech the crowd into silence. They followed his plea.

Adjusting the microphone, Johnny spoke into it. In his mind, he sought to comprehend the sheer size of the throng, and the likely billions around the planet watching him. The realization struck down on him like a hammer, and he had to catch his breath. Sam recognized what was happening and asked, "Are you OK?"

"It's just the size of it. Thanks."

"Of course, buddy."

Clearing his throat, he began to speak. "Hello everyone. Today is a day of celebration. A celebration of hope.

"In the last few weeks, my compatriots and I have undergone the most incredible time in history. Traveling the galaxy, we discovered highly advanced, alien civilizations with technology we had only dreamt of—until now. During this time, we met mysterious people, a courageous, incredible man named Sonovan Lung, and a warlord named Titan bent on universal domination. We confronted him twice before he had come to Earth. After some time, we eventually finally ended up back on Earth. In expectation of his arrival, we trained our minds and bodies to prepare for the Titan. How did we muster the power to defeat him, you might ask? An old friend once told my ally the way to overcome anything. D-E-S-I-R-E," Johnny spoke, gesturing with his hands. "Desire is a short six letter word, but if you have it, nothing can stand in your way.

"We overwhelmed Titan with our desire, but that does not mean he did not take things from us. In fact, the truth is precisely the opposite. I, along with the brave people you see before you, have lost more than you can know. One of our fellow compatriots was truly the one who defeated Titan. He unlocked his true potential in his final moments, summoning the will and the Energy to overcome his enemy's power. On the other hand, our leader, Sonovan Lung, saved all of us, and thus you. He faced his fears and saved the universe. They both did.

"But we do not disregard the truths our enemy, Titan, conveyed to us many a time. His knowledge of worlds and of the universe far outweighed anyone in history. I will try to not sound pessimistic, but in many ways, he was right." The crowd went dead silent, so much that if a pin dropped it would be like a grenade. Johnny adjusted his stance, breathed in deep, and released. "With the way things have been going lately, he foretold the fate of our world—our society. He predicted the end would come swiftly, and that our existence would be destroyed not by an external source, but from each other.

"So, let us prove him wrong. Have faith in humanity, but never cease from doing your part in the greater story of life. I learned that. But most of all, no matter the cost, sacrifice what you want for the greater good. Maybe some of you are parents. Or you are a worker who dislikes someone or hates your employer. Sonovan Lung taught us the way of peace and goodness. If we all follow these simple ways of living, no one will ever feel compelled to pick up a weapon.

"And so, I implore you to follow the way that leads to life. If we work together, love each other like we should love ourselves, but more importantly work together for the things that really matter, humanity will be inexorable. Love one another, but never forget to love what is lovely." He gulped once, shot a glance at Sam, and finished, "Thank you, my fellow men and women."

A voice cried out from the crowd. "What do you call yourself?"

Sam grabbed the microphone on the podium. "My brother, who was killed in battle, came up with this. We are the Shadowforce!"

In conjunction with the exclamation, someone pulled a sheet out from behind where they stood. Underneath, the workers exposed the memorial of Sonovan Lung for every eye to see. Johnny turned to see the massive work of art. He exhaled a long breath, in awe of the workmanship. In fact, it actually resembled Sonovan more than he had imagined it would.

In the sculpture, they portrayed him smiling wide with that wonderful twinkle in his eyes, standing at an angle, left arm behind his waist and right arm raised high in the air, sword in hand. Johnny had never observed something so ostentatious—so magnificent.

"That is just...perfect," he exclaimed.

"It is," Sam marveled. "It really is."

The rest of the Shadowforce gasped at the sight. Even his bandana had been formed around his head to match the appearance they admired and deeply loved. If only Sonovan himself could witness this! Burned into his memory was that final look Sonovan gave him. The reassuring gaze that everything would be alright. The way the Sun and the Ooris had basked his figure in glory. And then, the words which had resonated deep, far deeper than the even the expanse of the universe itself.

You are children of the light, children of the Shadowverse.

He wiped a tear from his eye and smiled just a tad. "Enjoy the Shadowverse," Johnny said aloud, though no one could hear him due to the ecstatic roar from the multitude.

#  CHAPTER 47

A NEW PATH

Inside the parallel universe, the Shadowverse, the pure Ooran being Sonovan Lung had come across a new world with incredible geometric designs. Someone with great knowledge had generated this place inside the Yeonlo Zone, which constituted ninety percent of the Shadowverse itself. An intuitive mind had attentively built this world. With Aiko by his side, Sonovan explored.

At once, a figure jumped out to greet them. Sonovan inspected his form and could not believe his eyes. The only other former member of The Shadows—Zydok.

"Z-Zydok? Zy?" uttered Sonovan. This had to be him. The green, pointy-eared being smiled. In this sector, the 'pure form' of their bodies could be altered into their physical, original ones. Truly, Zydok resembled a human in more ways than one.

"It is I, my friend!"

"I f-found you!" he stuttered again. Sonovan ran to him and embraced tightly. "My f-friend! It is you!"

"It is, Sonovan! It is!" replied Zydok.

"What happened?" responded Sonovan in haste. "I...I couldn't save you. But I succeeded. I defeated the Titan, with the help of six of the strongest people I ever met, besides you."

Nodding in understanding, Zydok laughed. "I always knew you had it in you."

Sonovan embraced him again and wept on his shoulder. "I have missed you dearly," he whispered.

"Ors and V would be so proud to see you now. We finally fulfilled The Shadows' promise: To eradicate evil, no matter the cost."

Easing out of the hug, Sonovan gripped Zydok's shoulders tightly. "I could never have been what I had become if not for you, Ors, and V."

"I can believe that. Remember when we found you?" chuckled Zydok. "What a mess."

Sonovan laughed, words not able to express his joy. "That very same thing happened to me. In death, I created something beautiful. The Shadowforce, they are called. One of them, Dustin Jones—my friend—is here as well."

"Is that so?"

"Yes, I want you to meet him. I think V would have gotten along very well with him."

Zydok laughed again as Aiko watched the two. "That is a surprise indeed. He was an interesting fellow, but a formidable, genius warrior."

"So is Dustin."

"I want to meet this Dustin, but please, let us not hurry. The Shadowverse has expanded far beyond its previous size. We must learn everything about this netherworld. And we only have eternity." Sonovan wrapped his arm around Zydok's neck, who reciprocated. Clearly hearing their conversation, Oora scooped them up, the two still interlocked as its polychromatic, vibrant energies surrounded them in its embrace. And so, Aiko following, the two legends passed on into the unknown.

~~~

In his apartment, Sam had finished packing up his things. All his stuff would be moved to the new Headquarters several miles away. He found an empty corner of his room and sat. Sinking onto the floor, Sam spied something he had not fiddled with in a long time—Dustin's Rubik's Cube. Gathering it in his hands, he had a flashback of the very first time Dustin had shown it to him. The memory returned as vivid as it was at the time.

~~~

"Dude, check this out! I succeeded in forcing Mom to buy one!" Dustin shouted, bursting into Sam's room. Only fourteen, Dustin enjoyed things not many would find interesting, no less entertaining.

"What's this?" asked Sam, a particle disinterested.

"How can you even ask that? You should be ashamed bro. It's a Rubik's Cube! Ever heard of it?"

Sitting up, fourteen-year-old Sam placed his laptop computer on the side. "Huh."

"Yeah, and check this out!" Fiddling with it, Dustin gradually aligned the colored cubes together. Sam watched intently as his usually ecstatic brother patiently concentrated on the cube. "There!" he exclaimed, handing it over to his brother. "Now you try."

The flashback ended as Sam shed several tears in remembrance. Coming back to reality, he could not believe his eyes. He had successfully aligned all the cubes in color-coordinated fashion. "I did it, bro," he whispered. "I did it."

~~~

Ryan awoke to his radio playing "Heroes" once again. At first, he could not figure out where he was, rubbing his eyes to make sense of the master bedroom he found himself in. At last, he remembered where he was and what had transpired.

Two weeks had passed since The Event, and the Shadowforce had been officially designated property of the United Nations. Their current location was kept off the books.

The scientific community, on the other hand, had scheduled conversations with the Shadowforce. Their knowledge and observations from Herook, Nexon, and Titan's ship would be an immense kick start in human advancement across the stars. This truly would be the evolution of thinking as a whole. Remnants from the Titan were to be examined by the great minds of Earth.

As for Titan's empire, the Tetra, it began to crumble for the last time. With the destruction of half his fleet and its flagship, soldiers, commanders, and generals simply left the field. The power Titan had wielded on their will had been eradicated, just as Commander Zev, the one Justice killed, had predicted. Therefore, a new day had begun for all the planets Titan had conquered. Ironically led by Ledarius Wepon, a rebellion had stirred that was surprisingly faced with zero opposition. Within a few weeks, all systems were free from the tyranny of the Titan. The question was, could they retain peace and order? Only time will tell.

Word had spread amongst the galaxy that Sonovan Lung had returned, finally restoring peace. This would be his greatest achievement. Word also had it that his protégés had made Earth home, so no one dared to come near the blue marble. At least for now.

On Earth, the wreckage from the Titan and the other half of his fleet was salvaged and in the process of being cleared. In the meantime, Jane had taken up her old job at Cricket Wireless. Though temporary, she decided to do it since she loved to work. It gave her purpose, even though her destiny had shifted from a nobody to something much larger than herself.

Of course, Kevin Moon had been elected Chief Technology Officer, among other things. He had thus hired two fellow FBI Intelligence members to be his right hand. Joseph, an African-American with a buzz-cut, and Christine, an Italian in her mid-20s, were both welcomed.

Johnny had routinely visited his father, now a widower. Occasionally, he would stay over for a day or two. In the same way, Sam visited his own parents at least once every seven days.

The Shadowforce trained five times a week. From time to time, they would practice in the subway tunnel, or they would be in the dojo Johnny had asked the President for permission to build. The banners Sonovan preserved and possessed were attached to the walls. A smaller version of the monument of Sonovan Lung and an original, gorgeous one of Dustin Jones had been erected in the center of the main room.

Before setting the dojo up, though, Johnny, Ryan, and Sam went to the bunker they had stayed. As they ambled toward the door, the scent of Sonovan pervaded. When they opened it, they found the room precisely how he had left it—clean, spotless, still. The trio, holding back a cry, gathered the banners, his sack, and finally, the pictures. There was one of Aiko, his great love, and lastly, the figures each member of the Shadowforce felt they knew, yet never met: The Shadows. They only knew their names: Sonovan Lung, Zydok, Orslon, and Venarian.

Each possession was set up in the dojo—the pictures, the sack, and most of all, the Vorson Swords, the weapons of Zydok and Orslon, which hung like an ancient ornamental monument.

Before they began training, Johnny and Ryan insisted on meditating for thirty minutes straight, much like how Sonovan had taught them. Day by day, the Shadowforce had increased their strength and connection to the Shadowverse, and it was only a matter of time before they could finally contact Dustin and Sonovan—and whoever else was there.

Sauntering over to his closet, Ryan dressed after washing his hands and face. Opening his door, he crept over to Johnny's room. Johnny was on the floor meditating per the new usual. Leave him be, Ryan thought.

Walking over to the room Rose slept in, he peeked in. To his surprise, she was sound asleep. Finally.

Lastly, he went over to Sam's room and discovered that he was meditating as well. Newly framed photos of his family and Dustin were hung on the wall and randomly dispersed along the desks.

Turning back, he tip-toed to the refrigerator, doing his best to keep quiet. His efforts were doomed to fail. Before he knew it, Rose was behind him. "What are you doing?"

Ryan jumped in fright, knocking into the refrigerator. A few cans inside were displaced. "H-How did you hear me? I was being super quiet!"

"Um, you are really loud."

"Damnit. I've been working on my Indian footwork!"

She laughed, joining him in searching for something to eat. "What've we got in here?" she asked.

"Let's see. Tuna. Some fresh salad. Oh! How about some waffles? Kevin has kept buying them."

Smiling, she grabbed them immediately. "You don't even know how much I adore waffles. My Dad used to make them all the time for me. He made them just how I liked it. Whip cream, chocolate chips, and a few cherries."

"What? That sounds really w—"

"Yeah, it's weird all right," she interjected. "But I'm weird."

"Nah," he replied, turning her around to face him. "You're my kind of weird."

Just then, Johnny walked in. He coughed at the sight. "Oh, uh, am I interrupting anything?"

"You said that last time."

"OK, sorry. I'm starving."

"Go to town," Ryan motioned.

In a jiffy, Johnny had zoomed around them and poured himself cereal for breakfast, completing the meal with a glass of orange juice. "I'm never going to get used to that," Ryan said, blinking thrice.

Once the twosome had picked a meal, they sat at the same table. Ryan ate cereal and Rose selected the waffles, cooking them to the best she could remember.

"So, I've been thinking," Johnny started. "It's time to begin searching. It's been two weeks. We're in the swing now, I think."

Chewing, Ryan nodded. "OK," he garbled.

Confused, Johnny replied, "That's it? Just 'OK'?"

"What am I supposed to say?"

"Yeah, true. I don't know."

"When do we start?" Rose questioned.

"Well Jane is working again today, and I'm gonna surprise her," he said, a mischievous face crawling onto his expression.

"Hold up," Ryan replied. "What bombastic idea do you have now? Let me just hear it so I can approve."

"Uh, no. It's a secret, doofus."

~~~

A few hours passed by, and the day threatened to get away from him. Johnny sat everyone down, including Kevin, Joseph, and Christine. "Today we're beginning the search for the man who calls himself Z. Titan said he would come. Sonovan said for us to never relent from finding where evil lies and destroying it. So that is what we're going to do."

"Al-Alright, what does he look like?" Kevin asked with a stutter, per the usual.

"White mask, wears a jacket, and is unmistakable," Sam replied.

"Yeah, he's basically wherever someone shouldn't be," Johnny complemented.

"And he's quite tall," Sam said.

"Got it. W-Well that's a s-start. I will begin b-by hacking some s-security feeds near the places you had encountered h-him."

"You can do that?"

"Oh yeah. E-Easy p-peasy lemon s-squeezy."

"Wow, I underestimated you," replied Ryan, raising his eyebrows. "You are smart."

"I told you that the first time, Rocky," Rose replied, a twinkle in her eye.

Ryan smirked, relaxing into his chair. "Oh yeah! I love that name. My new codename, by the way."

Sam shook his head and rolled his eyes. "And I'm Mr. Freeze," he said sarcastically.

"Did J-Jane already leave?" Kevin asked.

"Yeah. She'll be back later."

"What is it with her?" Sam wondered audibly. "Why does she insist on working still?"

Johnny sprang to her defense. "I don't know. If she likes it, I'm all for it. She needs an escape, as do we all. Cricket is hers." The table went dead silent. "What?"

"Nothing," Sam replied, shaking his head. "It's nothing."

"Alright, so in closing, we start today. Z will be found."

"P-Perfect."

~~~

Later that day, Johnny opened the surreptitious back door and jumped onto the track. In one motion, he was gone. He was sure to be cautious, as one misstep would send him flying into something unbreakable. The darkness and walls were but a blur. When he stopped, he was outside the Cricket Wireless on a stunning day, Christmas Day knocking on the door of life. Adjacent to it was the alley where it all began. Slightly curious, Johnny stepped into the smelly and certainly dirty divide.

He walked down the alley to the back wall, turning to his right to see if there was anything dubious. In front of him lay a door, which he assumed would be locked but tried the handle. To his bafflement, it actually opened, revealing a small room lit by a dim blue light on the ceiling corner.

Searching around the tiny offset chamber, he unfortunately found nothing except for a pair of broken sunglasses on the floor. Under the blue light, he inspected the pair, looking them over in bewilderment. Though clearly not the same, these sunglasses bore a resemblance to a pair his mother had given him in a Christmas stocking when he was ten. Though he had broken them after three years of usage, these dredged up the memory.

~~~

"Here, son, this is yours," said Irene, pointing to a stocking with the words "Johnny" inscribed. Rushing over, ten-year-old Johnny Sparks brought over a stepstool to reach the stocking. Closing his eyes, he placed his hands inside, rummaging through it. He liked to feel the full surprise when he opened his eyes. His tongue stuck out to show his excitement.

When his fingers grasped something out of the ordinary, he hastily yanked the mysterious present out of its stocking. In his hands, he had uncovered a small pair of white sunglasses shaded blue. In a moment, he had placed them over his eyes and took in the new hues of his purlieu. "I love them! I love them!" he shouted in delight.

Running to his mother first, he stepped down the stepstool deftly before she embraced him with open arms. "Now I can look cool!" he added, looking up to her.

"Now you are very cool, Johnny."

~~~

He slouched to the floor, forlorn. Why did it have to be him? Why was he thrown into this mess? Why? Why did Titan take her?

Equilibrium.

So, it truly was for what he had done to sever the connection between Rose and Titan's mind. Burying his head in his hands, he cried there for a short time. But then something popped into his thoughts, a memory. As the tears dried on his facial skin, he glanced upward towards the blue light and furrowed his brow. He rubbed his eyes with the sleeve of his jacket to get a better look. He had been here before. This place reminded him of something, but he could not lay a finger on it.

Johnny backtracked to when he and the others were in their psychic battle with Titan. That conjured up enough of the memory. What in the hell? he thought. Indeed, this room closely resembled the one he had been punched into during the nightmare of a conflict. But...what had been the purpose? He had not even ventured here yet.

Then, seemingly out of a plethora of different thoughts competing for dominance, something steamrolled to the forefront of his mind. He had forgotten the words. The team had not mentioned it either, and when he brought it up, not one had recollected. Had Titan made them forget?

Your victory is yours, but your humanity? That's mine.

Those words. What was it in those words? How could he win but lose his humanity? It didn't make sense. Johnny mulled it over for the next ten minutes. What the hell was even trying to say just then? he agonized. Though Dustin's and his mother's death had easily been the most traumatic event of his life, he couldn't help but feel something else happened. Something he could not lay a finger on.

He hated to leave things unsolved. Nevertheless, collecting it, he slid the broken pair into his pocket, walking out but leaving the door open just a crack.

Jane had been at work for nearly three hours by noon. A figure walked into the small store, initiating the bell. He was dressed in a Cricket Wireless uniform, and her jaw dropped with glee. "Johnny?!" she lowly shrieked.

Smiling wide, he sauntered to her, giving a brief but soft hug. "What are you doing here? And what's that outfit for?" she quickly asked in curiosity, smiling wide.

"I'm working here. Well, at least for a bit."

Her eyes widened in delight as she cleared the raven-colored bangs off her forehead. "Really?!"

"Yes really."

"Oh my gosh! Yes!" she exclaimed. Customers whipped around to see what the fuss was all about. "Oh, sorry. My bad."

"So, uh, how about we get started?"

"Let me show you the ropes, superhero."

Johnny smiled at the remark.

~~~

Once Johnny had completed his first day, he and Jane both left together. "How'd I do?" he asked, very interested in her personal opinion.

"Fantastic!" she replied, again that damn smile from ear to ear. Her dimples were notably more obvious and salient.

Gulping deep, Johnny mustered the will to ask the paramount question he doubted he could ask. "Uh, w-would you like to...uh...go on a date? Y-You don't have to! Just putting it out there."

Jane's eyes broadened, and she looked shocked. A full minute passed by before she had the courage to respond. "Oh! I-I...I don't know what to say."

"W-What do you mean?"

"You're the first to ever say that to me."

"What? How? That's impossible. Just look at you!" He had not meant to say the last sentence, but it blurted out.

Her eyes widened even more than before. "On t-that note, where shall w-we go?"

Smiling, Johnny placed her hand in his and they strode off, wandering by many businesses in the heart of Manhattan. "Wherever you would like," he responded.

"Let's see where it takes us," she replied.

Barely thirty seconds into their peaceful stroll, they passed the alley adjacent to the Cricket store. The couple stopped to look. "That's where it all started," Jane said.

"Yeah, and this is where it all begins," he replied, and, as if the moment had been primed for it, turned her toward him. His eyes gazed into hers as they turned glassy. He was ready—finally. He closed the distance between them as she stood on her tip-toes. And there, like how he had imagined Sonovan and Aiko once did, kissed her. She shivered as he desperately tried to summon the skills he had learned from all the previous hopeful-turned-rotten dates he had ever been on. But this one felt different. It felt like destiny. His lips moved in perfect sync with hers for only three timeless, undying seconds. At the end, he pulled away. Was he dreaming?

Thank God he wasn't. She fell back onto her heels. "That was amazing," she said, looking like someone stunned her with a blaster.

"I agree," he responded, not tearing his gaze away. It truly felt like time had stopped, that the bustling city streets, millions of people, and sounds of cars and taxis faded away.

She turned back after a few minutes to spur him on to stroll. They both kept quiet for a bit. But then Johnny broke the silence despite the subject change. He'd have plenty of time for that anyways. "You know, walking through these streets, how did we ever survive all that? Sometimes I sense like I am in many places at once. Herook, Nexon, Titan's ship."

"I know the feeling," she replied, a nod to prove her concurrence. "It's crazy. And we're walking by people who would never know what we've been through."

"And that's the point. A hero can be anyone."

"You are right," she responded, grinning. He smiled back, thankful he had made sense for once.

"Defeating Titan, saving Sonovan Lung, and freeing the Shadowverse and us from his tyranny was only the beginning. You know, I think our best days are ahead of us." Jane nodded once more and held his hand tight.

Unbeknownst to them, a certain someone had been watching and listening intently from the infamous alley. Leaning on the wall, Z unhinged the scribbled white mask from his face, unhampering his angel white hair. "Oh, you have no idea," Z said despite their absence. "Yes, they are." With those words, he zoomed away like a rocket, toward a future no one could predict.

THE SHADOWFORCE WILL RETURN

#  The Heroes

Johnny Sparks

Johnny Sparks is a 21-year-old college student living in New York. He is six feet tall, with medium long dirty blonde hair and blue eyes. His best friends are Ryan Slade, Dustin Jones, and Sam Jones, and he met them at a martial arts school when he was young. Currently, he works at that very studio and is a second-degree black belt. After the Encounter, Johnny receives the power of super speed.

Ryan Slade

The brute of the team, Ryan Slade is 22 years of age, living in New York. He is a firm and large build, standing just over six feet five inches. Further, he likes short hair, and is nearly bald except for a very thin crew cut. Alongside Johnny Sparks and the brothers Sam and Dustin Jones, he works at the same martial arts studio, where he acquired a third-degree black belt in Taekwondo and Hapkido. Currently, he and his mother live together after his father died. After the Encounter, Ryan acquires the ability of matter absorption.

Dustin Jones

As funny as he is deep, Dustin Jones is twenty years old. He lives in New York with his brother in an apartment. Standing just under six feet, Dustin Jones has a thinner build, with light brown eyes and long brown hair that reaches his ears. Considered the comedian of the group, his brother tries to keep up with him. Alongside Johnny Sparks, he is a second-degree black belt, the same as his brother. After the Encounter, he acquired the gift of air and wind control.

Sam Jones

The continually fresh and well-dressed of the group, Sam keeps cool most of the time. He lives in New York in an apartment with his brother Dustin, and has dark brown eyes and blonde hair. A funny man himself, he tries to emanate the liveliness of his brother. He stands just under six feet, and has a second-degree black belt in Taekwondo. After the Encounter, Sam acquired ice powers.

Jane Cooper

After her parents died in a mysterious car accident, 21-year-old Jane Cooper was forced to live with her grandparents, who took her in as their own before her grandmother died one year ago and her grandfather six months prior. She tries to hide her pain, and is very shy of other people. An average size, she is five feet seven inches tall, with chestnut colored hair and bright brown eyes. Her powers have been with her since she was a teenager—telekinesis.

Rose Johnson

As fiery as her hair, 22-year-old Rose Johnson was taken in by a single man when she was only an infant. Being an alien from the planet Xalen, she has innate fire abilities, which accounts for her reddish eyes and tall frame, standing at six feet. Her father, Ta-Vir, and mother, Kira, sent her to Earth after their planet was invaded by the Titan.

Sonovan Lung

After coming in contact with a mysterious anomaly, Sonovan Lung became a being of pure Ooris. He is nearly one thousand years old, having been a samurai in Japan. After he and three others, Venarian, Zydok, and Orslon defeated Titan a millennium prior, he returned to Earth victorious. Five hundred years later, though, Titan was resurrected by someone called Solis, Titan's new second-in-command. After Titan killed everyone he loved, Sonovan was exiled to live in destitution and regret wherever he set foot across the universe. Sonovan is a virtuous albeit powerful foe, standing six feet four inches, with large arms and a strength unparalleled by anyone except the Titan. The pure Ooris running through his veins grants him the full power of the Shadowverse incarnate.

#  The Villains

Solis

Titan's current second-in-command, known as a Voir. Of unknown origin, Solis's real name is unspecified, and his face is as well, always hidden under an impervious helmet and armor. Solis resurrected the former ruler of the Tetra, Titan, Sonovan Lung's nemesis.

Titan

A being of pure Ooris same as Sonovan Lung, Titan wields incredible power, now owning the abilities of telepathy and telekinesis, as well as the power of Ooris. His origins are unknown, thought to have been borne from a species pure in Ooris. Standing over nine feet tall, the crimson-eyed Titan is massive with dark blue armor surrounding his body and usually one or two wires attaching to the back of his head. Lord over his armies, Titan controls two dozen planets across the galaxy, and his motives are clear. He believes the creator of the omniverse has placed the burden upon him to bring justice and end free will across the universe, aptly calling it his "Justification."

#  The Unknown

Z

A mysterious individual, Z goes by no other alias. His known power is super speed, but it is possible he had amassed others. He stands over six feet and never goes anywhere except with a white mask and jacket. Aiding the heroes in several different points in time, he was also responsible for bestowing powers upon them. Currently unknown and a possible threat, Johnny Sparks will not rest until this masked individual is brought to the light.

#  About the Author

#  **John-Clement Gallo is a 17-year-old Christian author of** _The Shadowverse_ **, a Science-Fiction Superhero novel. He enjoys astronomy, astrophysics, ambient music, and ice hockey, while also a trumpet player. While living in Houston, Texas, he was the youngest person (11) to become a licensed RC pilot. On the other hand, he is ranked a black belt in Taekwondo and Hapkido, though he is very unassuming and tends to keep that accomplishment a cool secret. Currently, he lives in Orlando, Florida with his family, trying to outlive the constant heat.**

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#  Conclusion

Thank you for downloading this book and reading to the end!

I hope you enjoyed the journey, but most of all, I hope the lessons and themes of destiny, will, and courage resonate with you.

As of now, I am designing the next book in the series, Vengeance, as well as a prequel for this book, which will be titled The Legend of Sonovan Lung. It will be Sonovan Lung's background story, the beginning of the rivalry with Titan, and the formation of The Shadows. Can't wait to get it started!

Still, I ask one favor. If you either liked or disliked this book, would you leave a review? No matter the kind, reviews help me since I am only 17 and quite new to writing books.

Much thanks if you leave a review and while you're at it, follow my personal site. There, you can join my email list and group, called The Shadows (obviously). You can be kept up to date with how the upcoming installments are going, but, most importantly, you have an opportunity to provide feedback on possible storylines in the sequels and prequel to come! I hope you come along for the ride. Sign up below:

https://shadowversejc.com/

Thank you, and remember...

You are children of the light, children of the Shadowverse.

–Sonovan Lung

The Shadowverse: The Legend of Sonovan Lung

The Shadowverse

The Shadowverse Part II: Vengeance

Children of the Shadowverse
