James and Saladin flew at each other with a full energy aura. The green and blue aura created a shockwave of pure energy as if two comets collided. James punched Saladin clear in the face with a left and right hook. He recovered and countered. Saladin took James' punch, blocked his kick, and kneed him hard in the stomach. James yelped in agony. Saladin used superspeed and gripped his head with his hands and held James by the neck with his other hand like a rag doll. He backhanded James hard until he penetrated deep within the ground.
James' blue aura grew more intense as he screamed from the top of his lungs. His muscles expanded and tightened as he took a breath, pushing the dirt off him. James' blue aura bubble expanded. His eyes turned green with a less tint of blue.
"I was expecting more from you, boy." Saladin turned to face him with glowing green eyes.
The ground shook and blue energy grew in waves. Rocks began to float in the air. James with full blue aura charged back at Saladin in air, landing punches he couldn't counter. James head-butted Saladin, shattered his rib cage with his supercharged fist, and fired blue balls of energy projection at his face and chest.
Not giving Saladin time to recover, James punched and kicked Saladin in the air. Saladin regained his balance, staring at James with his hands tightened. His face healed. Green aura energy grew to new heights within Saladin that mirrored his rage as he yelled.
"You dare!" Saladin shot green energy from his hands at James at full force.
"I'm not done with you yet, Saladin." James struggled against his energy.
"We need to help, James. Hard Drive, cover me." Finder walked forward.
"Anora, what are you doing? You need to stay here where it is safe." King Avernus reached out with his hand.
Finder turned around. "James needs my help. I have no time to argue with you father. Stay with mother and Haru San, you think you and Hard Drive can give me cover?"
Haru San fired his gun and reloaded. "Yes we can."
"Finder, you don't have to do this alone let me help." Hard Drive blinked with concern.
"You are helping, I just need you to provide cover. I will be okay. I promise." Finder hugged and kissed him on the lips.
His organic cheeks blushed as his eyes blinked. Androids were moving in. Hard Drive turned and blasted them. "Go, we will give you the cover that you need."
Hard Drive blasted twenty androids in front of Finder as she ran past them. She rolled one of her selves up and activated her golden bracelet that sent out a beacon to call upon her bat vultures.
They all came as commanded, flapping their wings. Talak dived down, clearing a path for Finder to get on her back. Cover your ears." Finder yelled out to her father and Haru San and Hard Drive. The high pitched shriek sound destroyed all the androids. Malefen and Dasa fired intense sound waves from the air, destroying as many androids on site.
Saladin looked up at the Bat vultures coming his way. "I can feel your aura draining, boy."
Saladin fired his green energy blast from his free hand at Finder and the Bat vultures. Talak dodges Saladin's attack, moving side to side. Finder eyed Saladin intently.
"Oh, Finder, what a pleasant surprise. I knew our path would cross." Saladin fired multiple energy blasts from his hand.
Talak's wing was damaged from the blast and spiraled down. Finder held on to him. Talak made a hard land. Finder got off Talak to check on him. He moaned with a slight shriek. Androids were walking in their direction.
"Talak, I know you are hurt. Can you stand it? Talak stood up slowly. Androids came in and opened fire. Talak used his soundwave attack destroying the androids. One of them shot Talak in the chest and went down.
"Talak no!" Finder balled with tears.
Finder turned and took out her custom made revolver and shot through the remaining androids, hitting all of her targets. She went back for Talak, leaning toward him.
"Everything is going to be okay boy. I am here." Finder comforted him with a rub. Talak looked at Finder. Then silence.
Finder cried and yelled. She took one of the weapons of a destroyed android and ran to Saladin's direction.
"You are alone, boy, and you are all mine." Saladin eyes glowed more green.
Finder fired shots at Saladin's back, destroying his black suit. Saladin turned and with his other hand crushed Finder's weapon and pinned her against the rocks with green energy.
"Finder, you are starting to get on my nerves." Saladin stared at her squinting his glowing green eyes. He turned his back."Now, it is time to go boy."
Saladin and James vanished in a green flash. Finder was free from her confines and fell to her knees in utter shock. The remaining androids disappeared. Hard Drive ran out to find out to Finder. When he got there, he saw Finder on the ground.
"Finder, Finder, are you okay?" Hard Drive asked. "Where is James?"
"He is gone Saladin took him." Finder staggered getting up.
Hard Drive caught her." I got you."
Finder looked at him."We need to contact Millennia and tell him."
* * *
On Earth 5, above the Earth's atmosphere on a ship, Saladin looked from the window at the empty void that used to be his homeworld. He reached out his hand in anguish, remembering all the lives that were lost that nestled at his heart when he lost his entire Superior aliens species to humans. The same humans he once trusted and later betrayed him with genocide. James was held captive in a cell sedated on board on his ship on the lower deck. Androids were on standby, watching for any sudden movements. Nabal was in front of James' cell staring at him. "The shoe is on the other foot huh, creature?"
Saladin walked in the room and Nabal bowed. "Sire, I'm glad you are here."
"What is it, Nabal it better be good." Saladin held his hands behind his back.
"I have the map that you were looking for. I picked it off Earth from a museum that creature was from." He took the map and gave it to Saladin. He took the time to unveil the contents of the map to make sure it was authentic as his eyes skim through it.
"Is there something else you want to say Nabal?" Saladin asked.
Nabal swallowed. "It is about the Convergence Device."
"What about it?" Saladin's eyebrow raised.
"The Convergence is missing. A starter as you would say to activate the device," Nabal explained. Green energy flashed from Saladin's eyes to cause Nabal's body to convulse in pain. The muscles in his arms began to stretch, revealing green goo, his mouth vomiting green blood, and eyes began oozing green blood.
"Wait, sire, I can fix it." Nabal coughed, reaching out his hand.
Saladin's eyes stopped flashing green. Nabal arms began to heal. "You have five hours to make it work, Nabal, or suffer a fate worse than death."
"Don't worry it will be done." Nabal bowed his head.
Saladin waved his hand."Now, get to work."
Saladin left Nabal and headed to a tall metallic machine that had a chamber. He placed his hand on the machine. "Soon I will have everything I want and the human race will be no more but a distant memory. My race will be reborn. All is in place and the boy is here. All that is left are the last two Crystals of Kondo. Then, the humans of all multiverses will die." Saladin activated his Al program by voice.
"Sadia," Saladin said.
"Yes," the Al responded.
"Tell me where to find the next Crystal of Kondo?" Saladin asked.
"Scanning." Sadia pulled up all the data."The next crystal would be located on Earth 49. Do you want to set a course for that planet?"
"Yes, we leave tomorrow." Saladin changed his poster.
"Understood." Sadia flashed data and blue light.
"The subject is awake in his cell," Sadia announced.
Saladin walked out of the room with a half-smile."Good that will be all, Sadia."
James woke up in his cell, his eyes opened slowly since the drugs left his system. He felt a little dizzy standing up. He looked around and saw androids with skulls watching him. Their glowing green eyes stared at him, revealing a metallic emotionless face. James tried to summon his blue aura powers but couldn't. He banged his fists to the glass. James fell back down sighing to himself. His eyebrows lifted, breathing heavy.
Saladin walked in the room and the androids stood back in line formation. He watched James in a glass containment as he smiled. "Your powers are suspended, for now, boy."
"My friends will come for me." James struggled standing up, facing Saladin.
Saladin laughed. "I'm counting it, boy, or should I say, Son? I know who you were when we fought again. You had the same aura as me perhaps a little stronger. To confirm my suspicion, I took samples of your DNA and ran it through the database. As it turned out, your DNA is a complete match to my own. It also revealed that your DNA has a fourth helix, which confirms my other theory that Millennia is your father too. It took me a while to piece together everything and how Millennia hid you from me. Since my experiment to produce an offspring through genetic tampering with one's reproduction system works."
''So, what? Did you win a prize? One thing is for sure. I'm destined to destroy you, Saladin." James banged his hand against a force field."I will stop you whatever it takes-- I will avenge Uriee and my father and all the other people you have killed!"
"Uriee was a foul to challenge me. Look where it got him." Saladin clamped his hand.
"Uriee fought for what he believed in. Something you wouldn't know about." James gritted his teeth with a frown. "When I get out of here, I will fulfill the prophecy and destroy you!"
Saladin chuckled. "Oh, so you believe in the prophecy? But you don't know the whole story. Only what Millennia filled your head with."
"What are you talking about?" James eyebrows raised.
"You are not here to kill me, boy. You are the key to rebuilding the Superior race!"
"What?" James' eyes bulged. "I don't believe you. You are lying."
"I wouldn't lie to you, Son." Saladin grinned. Millennia have misguided you. "You and I can do great things together. You will see."
* * *
Moments later, Millennia, Finder, Hard Drive, and Green Thunder were talking among themselves aboard their ship. Formulating a plan of action to make a move that would be in their favor to save James from Saladin's clutches. Millennia wouldn't give up on his son and his crew supported him in every way.
"Millennia, we need a plan to rescue James." Finder crossed her arms.
"It would take time to track James throughout the multiverse." Hard Drive pressed buttons on a holographic pad trying to locate the right frequency of where James would be found.
"Yes, I'm well aware of the situation. Green Thunder, have you fully recovered?" Millennia asked.
"Yes, the host and I are fully recovered." Green Thunder stretched his arm and neck.
"Good, we will need all hands on deck." Millennia looked at both of them.
"Maybe I can help." Covac shrugged his shoulders in his cell. The group walked to his cell."I know where to find Saladin. If I help you, I need something in return."
"I wouldn't trust him. As far as we know, he could be walking us into a trap. "Green Thunder waved his hand.
Millennia looked at Green Thunder and glanced at Covac. "What do you want?"
Covac grinned at the group. "I want my freedom and to kill Nabal. "Do we have a deal?"
Millennia held his hand at his chin."Deal."
Green Thunder shook his head."You can't be serious, this guy is Saladin's right hand."
"Was Saladin right hand." Covac coughed, correcting Green Thunder. "When do we leave?"
"We live in five hours. Covac, if you try anything to jeopardize my crew. I will destroy you myself. Understand?" Millennia asked.
"Crystal clear, Millennia." Covac smiled.
"Finder and Green Thunder we will meet at the briefing room in one hour. We have much to discuss." They both nodded in unison and Millennia walked out of the room.
Finder gave Covac an evil glare. "I'm looking forward to working with you, Finder." Covac smiled, showing his teeth. Green Thunder grimaced at the sight of the prisoner. He was tempted to draw out his blade and end him.
"Come on, Finder, let's leave him in his cell." Green Thunder walked out of the room.
Covac stopped smiling. "Hey, we are on the same side. You can't leave me here. Millennia we had a deal."
Green Thunder and Finder left Covac in his cell. Finder smiled, adjusting her black hair. "I just hope Millennia knows what he is doing."
Green Thunder turned his head to Finder. "As long as I know Millennia, he always has a contingency plan. I'm sure he knows what he is doing. I may not agree with his methods, but I do trust him."
Finder sighed adjusting her hair."Let's just hope he knows what he is doing."
"You never told me you were a princess from another world." Green Thunder, gazed at her.
"You never asked."Finder got on the elevator as the door opened. "See you in an hour." The door closed behind her.