~~~
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 al eys, 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 Hal ux.
Their money and infrastructure cried out to them in fear, since I was here to end al their exterior funding.
“Everything that is hidden shal be made known. That which is kept secret shal be shouted from the rooftops. Nothing wil escape my eye—no corrupt thing will avoid me!
All I ask of you, the Hal uxian 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 fulfil ed 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 wel , 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 wel ?” 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.
“Whoa, 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’l probably be al 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 pul ed 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 wil 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 wil 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 whol y 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.”
Still facing the expanse of stars and galaxies, Titan continued his monologue:
“Sonovan Lung and his Shadows defeated and killed me because I was too confident—
in fact, even I was mired down in planetary issues rather than universal. You wonder why I use ships now? A millennium ago, I never did.
“But when Solis resurrected me, I realized the Tetra is not based on any planet.
Instead, it is a living thing and constantly expands. And so, for the last five centuries, I have done exactly that. Like you now are, I am a creature of space.”
“I agree, my lord. You are too kind.”
He turned again. “Tell me, what do you think any friends you have ever had would react to your new life? What would they cal 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 bel owed, 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-wal ed 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, ironical y. 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, cal ing 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 mil ennium 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 instal 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 actual y want us to kill the guy?”
“If necessary.”
“When is necessary?”
“You wil 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 kil me!”
“There is no worry needed.”
“Yeah, wel 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 ful y 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.”
“All right, 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. Inste
ad 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. “Excel ent 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, cal ing him a traitor to his own kind.
The main capital situated in its largest city. This edifice stood tal over the seemingly low structures contiguous to its grandeur.
When Solis entered the giant edifice, one thousand soldiers marched with him.
Alarms rang while wel -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. “Kil 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.
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