CAST OF HEROES

Chapter One

Saladin eyed Millennia with glowing green eyes. "At last, I found you, Millennia. Now, where is the crystal?"

"I don't have it. Even if I did, I wouldn't give it to you."

Saladin's eyes glowed more green while clenching his black leather fist. "We can become like gods, Millennia.You and I could take what we want. Join me and together we can rule all worlds and create our own."

Millennia stood up glaring at Saladin with glowing blue eyes. "I'll never join you."

"I see. I was wrong to beseech you. A shame it had to come to this. Look what has become of your world. Your friends or should I say so called heroes are dead. The world you claim to protect is about to end. All the deaths of the people of this world and others are in your hands. How does it feel to know that you're responsible for billions of lives?"

"You're wrong, Saladin, I defended the city from powerful threats and saved this world many times with the help from heroes. All you want is to control all the multiverse, to bend it to your will."

"You are one to talk. How many times have you tampered with fate? These people don't see the real you as I see you. All they see is a hero. You are no hero."

"They don't know what you are?" Saladin asked as he smirked, eyebrows curved downward.

Millennia paused, holding his tongue.

Saladin eyebrows raised. "You never told them. Of course, you never told them the truth of who you really are. What secrets are you hiding, Millennia?"

A big explosion from the corner of a wall as Saladin and Millennia turned, watching a group of heroes smash off more than a dozen androids. Millennia recognized one of the heroes, wearing silver and red armor, wielding a hammer ax against the androids as he wiped the heads off the mechanical tyrants. He strode toward Millennia, while the others fended for themselves.

Saladin's eyes glowed green, his teeth clamped together, pointing at the heroes. "Destroy them!"

"Millennia, get out of here! We will keep him busy." Hammer adjusted the energy field of his electric hammer ax, twisting the end of the hilt."Wavelength, Green Thunder, Demon, cover me!"

Underneath that helmet, regret and deep emptiness were written in his eyes when he failed his people, including his wife, Kasa. His sons Lahl, Kel, and Daru. The trauma of past screams resonated in memory. Millennia's heart skipped a beat seeing Hammer and the remaining heroes of Earth 24 were still alive. Hard Drive rebooted and noticed his friends.

Hammer smashed two androids into pieces without taking a breath. He spinned his weapon and sliced the head off another android. "That is not a request!"

Millennia's eyes glowed blue as he took Hard Drive by the shoulder clenching his fist as blue energy flowed from his body, pushing off the ground, going through the opening of the window.

Saladin's green glowing eyes grew darker, gazing at the group of heroes like prey. "It's your funeral."

"I will get to avenge my family and people," Hammer said. "This is for all the people you have slaughtered. There will be justice!"

Hammer, in his battle cry, charged at Saladin with the full force of his powerful hammer ax. "This is the end of your reign and terror!"

Saladin's right fist punched a hole into his chest plate, the light faded from Hammer's eyes when his heart was torn out. He fell down dead, red crimson blood draining from his body. Saladin kicked his body across the control station. The broken control station boxes sparked with flashes of light, burning what was left of Hammer's corpse inside his armor. He turned to the other heroes that stood before him.