Five-hundred years ago, a wormhole had opened in Sonovan's village. He knew what was coming. Solis appeared with a dozen ships: some small, others gigantic. Like a sheep led to the slaughter, Sonovan took the bait and ventured into the cosmos, towards Titan's pristine ship, the aptly named Titan.
Titan gazed out at the cosmos as Solis led Sonovan into the throne room. This was a moment that would go down in infamy—a risen lord and his arch-nemesis meeting again. Sonovan thought he saw death itself before him. When Titan finally turned around, the two stared at each other, not saying a word for long minutes, which felt like an eternity.
"It has been an exceedingly long time—has it not?" Titan remarked, smiling devilishly. "Not even death can defeat me, Sonovan! And now, not even you."
Sonovan scoffed at the remark. "You are wrong, Titan. If I beat you once, I can do it again. You will never make your mark on existence ever again."
"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."
Titan scoffed, amazed by Sonovan's hubris even now. "You don't like them? They're not necessary. They just make 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, nine feet high and two feet wide. Later, telekinesis and telepathy would eradicate the need for him to carry such a weapon.
Sonovan unsheathed his composite swords, known as the Vorson Swords. Composed of multiple layers, the Vorson Swords were colored dark gray, and each layer of the blades 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 a species which Titan had annihilated years prior. He had also been the founding member of The Shadows.
"What did you do?!" Sonovan demanded.
"I found him. Apparently, he is almost worshipped. Now, he can join the rest of his annoying race."
"I will exterminate your essence from reality!"
"We shall see."
Sonovan whipped his weapon into motion, verifying it was still functional. He then focused Ooris into the weapon, charging it with the full power of the Shadowverse incarnate until it dripped with the Energy. Titan did the same and picked his weapon up, then stood in position, awaiting an attack. The combatants were ready.
While millions of stars and galaxies hung in the background, 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 with frightening effortlessness, countering with two massive swings of his own, which pushed Sonovan back and allowed 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. Titan was shoved towards Sonovan's left. Another opening. Sonovan spun in the opposite direction, landing his sword on Titan's side. He struck twice. The penultimate move of the brutal and well-timed combo was a thrust kick, which had the necessary power to thrust Titan thirty feet away. He finished it by leaping the full distance with a superpowered punch to Titan's face, which flung the Emperor of the Tetra into the wall.
"I felt that," Titan groaned. Touching his cheek, he was shocked to discover blood. "But my time in the Shadowverse granted me a new and increasingly useful ability."
"And what might that be?!"
"Fear will now envelop your very being." 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 in Titan's hand. "If you can only know how long I have waited."
It was now his turn. Titan kneed Sonovan in the gut before throwing him in the air. On his way down, he fell straight onto the hilt of Titan's sword. Sonovan had prepared for this, shifting his own sword into a defensive position, that partially protected him from the full power of Titan's brute strength.
A thunderous, bone-chilling bang resonated as the hilt of Titan's sword hit the Vorson Sword's blade. The strike sent Sonovan 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 he quickly healed due to his pure Ooris, and the pain slowly subsided.
Yet, Titan had waited for him to awaken, standing only a short distance away. "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 Justification draws near. And through your failure, I will discover an infinite number of worlds—worlds that will be forever changed and forever justified in the sight of the creator."
"Earth is your next target," Sonovan realized.
"No, it is not," Titan answered. "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, will I bring Earth under my command. Unless it is the key that I have searched for since the beginning of my quest."
Frowning in wonder, Sonovan replied, "What key?"
Titan laughed sinisterly. "Given who I am talking to, I will keep that information 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 filled with fear and hatred. He could not let them commit this horrific act. "No! Please . . . 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 because of who I am, I won't. Your plea for torture is rejected. You see, bodily torment and execution would end your suffering. But torment of the mind—of the soul—that is the greatest and most effective mode of lasting anguish. I know you feel hatred. I felt it during all of those years imprisoned—but not anymore. Revenge is mine, and mine alone. And today, I will receive my due."
"Please! Please, I will do whatever you ask," the broken hero begged. His heart began to race. He feared the worst. Was this the end?
Titan's voice took on a deeper tone. "How quickly you change! One moment you will fight me no matter what, the next you beg for mercy. I am afraid there will be no debate." With that, Titan pushed Sonovan into the wall. "And now, your hell begins." Titan laughed. "And you thought you were a legend. How naïve."
In one swift motion, Aiko's soft and fragile neck was snapped. She was murdered in her sleep. "No! No! No!" screamed Sonovan. 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 now begins. Here is my justice. 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 all serve my greater purpose. You will be able to observe as I destroy everything you created, and rebuild everything you took from me."
Sonovan simply sobbed, holding the lifeless body of Aiko in his arms. 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 strode to Titan, who gazed at the spot where Sonovan had been. "Do you expect the loneliness to kill him?"
Titan shook his head and turned to the expanse of the universe, triumphant. "No, for he welcomes it. It is the absence of something to fight for that will drive him into misery."
* * *
Jane froze in sadness. She placed her hand on Sonovan's. "I am so sorry," Jane consoled. "You did not deserve any of this."
"On the contrary, Miss Jane, I did," Sonovan answered.
"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 do you owe to the universe, Sonovan? You already did all you could!" Ryan said.
"You lost everything," Dustin sympathized. "I'm sorry." He placed his hand on Sonovan's shoulder.
"I am too," Sam complemented, adding his hand.
"Thank you, heroes. It has been so long since I have had a conversation. I used to communicate with Zydok, Orlson, and Venarian—before they died, of course. But as I said, Zydok was executed. Still, as with everything Titan touches, his death was not in waste. There have been whispers Titan has acquired the ability to manipulate time itself."
"Whoa, slow down. Now you're saying he can possibly time travel?" Ryan replied.
"Like I said, only a rumor. And he would 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."
"I don't think the impossible is very impossible anymore," he replied, looking to Sonovan.
* * *
"My lord, Commander Ace has prepared your ship," Solis notified Titan, as he stood in the empty, quiet throne room. Solis wore thick, black armor and an opaque helmet. His voice sounded static yet confident, Titan stood like the emperor he boasted as, a foot behind the transparent enclosure which permitted him 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."
"Well then, shall we depart?" Titan said, leading the way.
"Certainly."
On the way to his smaller ship, Solis turned to Titan. The gigantic docking bay constantly emptied and refilled as ships passed to and fro around them. Some soldiers froze at the sight of the Voir, and more at the sight of Titan himself. "Has she arrived on Earth?" Solis inquired.
"Yes, she has," Titan answered.
"And she will kill him?" Solis asked.
"Indisputably," Titan answered.
Solis nodded. "Your wisdom exceeds the highest heavens, my lord."
Titan brushed off the reverential remark complacently. 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. Soon, all of existence will be ours." Solis nodded once at a soldier who was positioned like a tree next to the craft's metal steps. One thousand soldiers boarded the Invader I, along with Titan and Solis. The two had been through it all. A mere group of super-powered rebels would not stop them now.
* * *
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 had provided for her, she blended into her surroundings. No one even looked twice at her.
After a few hours walking, she arrived at her home. Henry sat at his table, praying, for he was a religious man. He had not slept since his daughter had left for her mission. Justice knocked on the door. It opened, and her eyes met Henry's.
"Greetings, Henry," Rose stated.