A cooling breeze blew through the hideaway, startling Johnny out of his slumber 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.
Johnny's body ached as he got up. He shuffled out to the cliff and sat next to Sonovan. The sky popped a bright, clear blue, unlike anything he had seen on Earth. Crisp, chilly air filled the atmosphere, and Sonovan smiled in greeting upon his arrival.
"I first learned the art of meditation from my sensei," Sonovan said. "He taught me many things, this being one of the most important ones. The key is to clear your head from distractions. At first, it was a struggle for me."
"Why?" Johnny asked.
"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 and, ultimately, the Shadowverse. In my rebellious state, I pushed through it for the sole purpose of curiosity. I abandoned my people. I wanted to discover something new—to be a pioneer . . . and eventually a legend. Not a day goes by when I do not wish I could go back and stop myself from ever committing such a selfish act. The time vortex. Everything that has happened—it is all because of me. All of the blood is on my hands. Because I had no place in my heart for selflessness. For restraint."
Johnny pondered his personal history dump. "Yes, but you have to let it go. Who knows? Maybe Titan would have found another way to us. Maybe some other idiot would have done it if you hadn't. Sometimes, even 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? I don't know. All I do know is that 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 intently. "Johnny Sparks, you continue to impress me."
Grinning, Johnny replied, "Thanks. I try to be the logical one."
"Your friends are not intelligent?" he asked, raising his eyebrows.
"Well, yeah, they are actually. Ryan is pretty smart; he even surprises me sometimes. Dustin and Sam are, well, normal, you might say."
"It is 'normal' to be unintelligent?" Sonovan laughed.
Johnny chuckled. "No? Yes? There is no definitive answer to that question, in all honesty."
"Things must be very different on Earth now."
"You could say that, but there are still very, very smart people there too. Humanity has advanced more in the last century than in the last ten thousand years. And in my opinion, any 'stupid' person can learn, with time. You only need effort and will."
"I would be glad to see it. What you say is wise, Mr. Sparks. That is the precise thing you will use against Titan. Your effort and your will. What about Jane and your other friend? Are they intelligent?" The breeze picked up. However, the chilly zephyr was a wholesome one, the soothing air bringing hints of paradise with its graceful touch.
"Yeah, sometimes I think Jane's smarter than any of us," Johnny said. "She doesn't talk much. Quiet ones are usually full of ideas."
Sonovan chuckled. "And your other friend?"
"Rose. Yeah, she is a good mix of all of us. A bit of a daredevil, smart, funny, and loyal. Problem is, she tends to leap without looking. Got a hell of a temper too."
"I am sorry this has happened to her."
"We'll get her back," Johnny said hopefully. "She's a fighter."
Out of nowhere, Johnny's legs felt weak and shaky. 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. He strains his body too much and depletes it with the constant supply of Ooris. To use an extensive amount of power would result in a deterioration of Ooris levels 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 wore no upper-body attire, Sonovan's chiseled back was exposed for Johnny to examine. Instead of naked skin, black tattoos covered his spine and shoulder region. The image portrayed two white, gleaming eyes above an unrecognizable symbol. Adjacent to it were four groups of 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, he closed it firmly. When Sonovan deemed it necessary, he would uncover this mystery.
Johnny stood up and went into the room where the others slept. The computer showed '30 minutes left' on its screen.
He left the room and returned to Sonovan. Following his lead, Johnny settled into his own meditative position. The two sat there—not a word spoken. Only the whisper of a breeze made its voice known.
Sonovan interrupted the peace with a question. One Johnny would have begged to never have to 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, unprepared to drop this bomb. Knowing Sonovan was once a samurai made this all the worse. Sensing 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 as he spoke. "They are no more. More than a century has gone by since their extinction."
Sonovan's lip quivered. "Tell me it's not true."
Johnny tried hard to maintain eye contact. Even in their short time together, his respect and admiration for Sonovan had already swelled. "I'm sorry."
"Thank you for speaking with me, Johnny," he intoned formally.
With that, he stood up like a soldier, turned, and strode through the hideout and into his room, disappearing from sight. Johnny was left there, alone.
In the privacy of his room, the ancient warrior laid his body prostrate on the hard ground. His eyes watered—the memories flooded back as if Johnny's words had 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 and body parts, Titan and Solis made their way to the base of the tower. A clean, transparent elevator took them through the floors. At the bottom, he ordered all newscasters to be brought to his presence at once.
"I want this to be broadcast to the entire planet," he commanded.
They did as he desired. Within minutes, the figure of Titan appeared on every screen in every corner of Hallux. The forests, the cities, the slums, the dirty alleys, the mountaintops. No place could hide from his voice.
"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 vowed 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 hinder 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 your betterment. From now on, you will be safe and protected from such 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. Finally, their long-overdue help had arrived. Titan's arms slowly rose synchronously with the jubilation of the crowd.
Purpose fulfilled and assignment successful, Titan boarded a vessel which took him to the ant-shaped ship he had taken, the Invader I. He opted to stand, as was his custom. Rarely did he 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. We both did."
Solis nodded. "Yes, Lord Titan. Every day that passes, your strength increases. Nothing can ever stop us."
"The all-important one is next," Titan revealed. "I desire for you to launch ten scout ships, or as they refer to them, 'UFO's.' I need more information about it."
"'It' being?" Solis replied, seeking clarification.
Titan looked away. "Earth."
In several hours, the Invader I rendezvoused with the Titan, his flagship. Once aboard, Titan meandered through the snow-white bays and took his elevator to the top. As the doors parted, he saw Justice there, awaiting his entry.
"I take it you did well?" he questioned. Before she could even answer, he answered for her. "Well, of course you did. I saw it all. Credit where credit is due! Pristine job, Justice. The past is now nothing but a memory."
She nodded once. "I take it you also had success?"
"That, my Justice, is an understatement."