The Protectors

" A Gathering of Heroes" by Martin Maenza

A large-framed, muscular figure with orange rough skin stood in the center of the chamber. This creature wore thin metal armor, gray in color. It waited silently as the figure of a man with long black hair, dressed in red robes with a purple cape finished his meditation.

Finally, the man raised his head. His long face was accented by a thin black mustache and beard. He noted the creature standing before him. "Have all been readied?"

The orc creature opened its mouth to reply, and a sliver a yellowish saliva dripped from its sharp tooth filled jaw. "Yes, my lord," the warrior replied in a deep, guttural voice. "The troops are amassed before the castle, as you commanded."

The man rose to his feet and crossed the room to the window, his purple cape flowing behind him. He glanced down and saw a legion of similar creatures, all adorned in armor and with weapons readied.

The man smiled a wicked, satisfying smile. "Excellent," he said in almost a hiss. "Then it is time for you to move them out. The time of crossing will be upon us soon enough, and you will need to have them at the predestined location."

The orc warrior nodded silently, turned and departed the chamber.

Zandorok, the evil sorcerer, was pleased. Soon, so soon, he thought, I will pierce the barrier between dimensions and destroy the world from which my most hated enemy was birthed.

***

It was early evening on that summer night in July, around nine o'clock. The sun had gone down not long ago, but the heat still smoldered off of the pavement in New York City's Greenwich Village. Among the older buildings and brownstones in this center of literature and the arts stood one particular structure, an English style manor.

On the third floor of this dwelling, in a study whose walls were lined with many books and whose air was filled with the smell of scented candles and incense, a young man with wavy brown hair sat on the floor, legs crossed. Alan Haygner was engulfed in a halcyon trance.

Two centuries prior to this night in 1986, Alan's great-grandfather, Matthew Haygner, was condemned and put to death in the infamous Salem witch trials. Some of the books that lined the walls were his, ancient tomes of sorcery that had been passed down from generation to generation. Alan inherited the books from his father, Stephen, a sorcerer in his own right, who had disappeared less than a decade ago. Despite his efforts, the young man still had not been able to find him.

Before Alan on the antique coffee table was a crystal sphere about the size of a baseball, held gently in a decorative metal sculpture that looked like three cradled hands. This was a mystic oracle of sorts, a sphere of sorcery that enabled one to see into the past and future as well as localities in this dimension and beyond. That is, it did so if one knew the right combination of incantations to activate it. Alan was quite versed in this.

Mists swirled about the crystal as Alan meditated with his eyes closed. A faint humming of musical words murmured on his lips.

Alan's eyes suddenly sprang open wide!

Looking to the sphere, he could make out images in the mist. "By the Great Kahsan! I pray that this is but a mere simulation!" the nineteen year old exclaimed. He studied the sphere further, gazing deeply into it. His expression fell. "It is true! An awesome force is approaching with extreme power that could lead to the enslavement of all on the Earth. It must be stopped, but how?"

As if responding to his words, the oracle's mists shifted and revealed more to its owner.

"Of course!" Alan cried, rising to his feet. He crossed the room in a few quick steps and grasped a scarlet cape that hung upon a hook. He quickly attached it to the dark blue ceremonial robes which he wore and then grabbed a matching blue mask. "Only with their assistance can I hope to halt this evil threat!"

Pulling the mask over his face, Alan was now fully garbed in the outfit he wore to protect his daily identity. Dressed like this, he was known to the world as the Mystifier. With a wave of his hand, smoke rose up around him from his feet and soon engulfed his whole form. When the smoke cleared, the young man was gone as well.

***

In the suburb of Brooklyn, a brown haired seventeen year old boy locked his bedroom door. "Though Mom and Dad went next door to play bridge, I don't want them to catch me off guard," Tommy Johnson said aloud to himself. He finished loading film into his instant camera that was attached to a small tripod on his desk.

Tommy then turned the camera to face the center of the room, grabbed the control to click the shutter and positioned himself before the lens. "Mr. Edwards, my editor at the Hillbrook Herald, was thrilled when I gave him my interview with Ricochet," he said. "But he also was hoping for a picture for the front page."

The young man depressed the button on the control.

The camera clicked and the bulb flashed.

Tommy grabbed the picture that ejected from the camera, holding it as the darkened image slowly began to develop. When the picture came into focus, there appeared to be two figures in the shot. On the left was Tommy. On the right was a blue and red costumed figure, the same height and with similar colored hair as the boy.

Tommy couldn't help but grin a sheepish grin.

"I'm sure Mr. Edwards would totally freak out if he knew that by moving fast enough I could make both my identities appear together," he laughed. "Of course, that would be an even bigger scoop for the Herald, if they managed to break a story revealing that one of the school's own students was Ricochet."

"Indeed it would," a voice said from behind him.

Tommy whirled around in a nanosecond. His initial panic washed away to relief as he recognized the costumed figure standing there. "Mystifier! You know, you're one of the only people who can manage to sneak up on me."

"I'm sorry, Tommy, but I have need of Ricochet," the sorcerer said solemnly.

"No problem," the boy replied. In a blur, he discarded his everyday clothes to reveal the costume he was wearing underneath. "I'm always up for a little action!"

"I hope it'll be enough that you can handle," Mystifier replied as his comrade approached. Then the two vanished in another cloud of smoke.

***

Meanwhile, in Central Park, Jerry and Karen Page were experiencing one of their usual sibling disputes. "Listen, Jerry," the young African-American woman said, "just because we are young black people does not mean we have to have such a tough 'street' image. There are better ways to handle situations than with fists first."

"No way, sis," Jerry said with a dismissive wave. "You fight your way and I'll fight mine. New York's every bit as a rough town as Chicago was. Besides, you think thugs like those that killed our parents are going to take it easy on us just because you want them to? I don't think so."

Just then, they hear the scream of an elderly woman not too far from them.

Both suddenly snapped to attention, forgetting about their dispute in the face of the need for their attention.

A number of years prior, their father and his associate were conducting tests on the reading of brain waves. The two teenagers had offered to be specimens for their sampling. On that fateful night, at the height of the testing, a local chapter of the Ku Klux Klan raided the lab, destroying everything. The experiment, as a result, went wildly out of control once the equipment was damaged, sending high voltage through the teens. The two recovered in the hospital a few weeks later, but not before their bodies had been altered and granting them strange powers.

The two sprinted across the shadows of the park only to see the source of the cries being attacked by two men.

"Its time these guys are taught some manners," Jerry said as he brushed his hand against a stone fountain as he ran forward. Suddenly, the texture of his skin changed, becoming hard as stone. "Yo, fellas! Why don't you pick on someone own size?"

One of the men spun around. "Back off if you know what's good for you!" the mugger yelled as he swung his fist.

Jerry smiled and met it face on, not even trying to protect himself.

When the fist connected, the mugger realized his mistake. "Owwww! What are you made of?"

"That's my secret, punk!" The young man laughed. He grabbed the mugger by the front of his shirt and slammed him down into a nearby litter basket. "Why don't you just chill out until the cops come."

The second man, seeing his partner go down so quickly, decided it was best to run. From the shadows, Karen Page pursued him. "Maybe Jerry is right," she thought. "He tries to make being a super-hero fun. I should remember that."

When she got within a few yards of the man, she let loose a mental blast.

The man suddenly began to break out in a cold sweat and his eyes grew wide. He jerked his head quickly to the left, then the right. "What's that?" he cried. "Who's there?" His heart began to race faster as his nerves danced. "No! No!"

Fear overtook the man, and he collapsed to the ground.

Karen appeared from the shadows and bent down, taking his wrist in her hands. She confirmed that his heart rate was starting to slow back down to normal. "Emotions can be a strong thing," she thought to herself. "And perhaps because I can so easily manipulate the emotions of others that I have to keep my own in check." Grabbing the man under his shoulders, she started to drag him back to where her brother and the other attacker was.

"Let me get that," her brother called upon seeing her. He easily lifted the man up and placed him down near the other subdued mugger. "There, that should hold these two."

"Did you recover the woman's purse?" Karen asked.

"Yeah," Jerry said. "She's hurrying home, now that she's had a lesson about being alone in the park at night."

"We better go too," Karen said. "After all, its not like we have our masks to hide behind tonight." The two moved off again.

They got a bit further down the darkened path when someone else stepped from the shadows. "User, Emotion," the man in blue robes and a red cape addressed them by their heroic identities. "I have need for your assistance."

Both were surprised by his words. Jerry quickly stepped between the man and his sister. "Do we know you, buddy?"

"My name is the Mystifier," the costumed young man said. "I am a hero like yourselves, and I need your help. The world needs your help."

Jerry turned to Karen. "Sis, what do you think?"

Karen looked at the masked man as if reading him. Then she nodded. "I trust him."

***

About an hour or so later, the Page siblings had changed into their costumes and were joined by Ricochet and four others whom Mystifier had gathered - three young women and one young man. The seven sat around in a decorative sitting room waiting for their mysterious host to return.

"This had better be important!" the curly blonde haired male in an orange costume with green trim spouted off. "I had to give up third row seats to the Springsteen concert for this!"

"Give it a rest, Larynx," a blonde haired woman in an orange body suit with red gloves, boots and a belt replied. "If Mysty gathered us all together, it must be important!"

"I'm with Amazon," Ricochet said. "I've worked with Mystifier before. He's not one to invite people to his place just to hang out and party."

"Have you met him before, Hydro Girl?" a brown haired woman in a white costume asked the red haired woman in a purple and red costume next to her.

"No, Rainbow," she replied. "In fact, I hardly know any of you all except from what I've read in the newspapers or seen on TV about you."

"We're still new to the area," User said as he adjusted the belt around his green costumed waist. "We haven't had much time to meet any of the other heroes about the Big Apple."

Emotion, dressed in violet with blue trim nodded. "Yes, and in Chicago there were not many heroes our own age."

"Well I've worked with Mysty a couple times before," Amazon said. "I for one trust him completely."

"I hope you all can trust me," Mystifier said solemnly as he appeared in the doorway. "For I have learned that an evil force has designs on invading the Earth from another dimension.. Only by working together can we possibly defeat it."

"You can count on my brother and I to do whatever we can," User said.

"Same here," Ricochet said. Rainbow and Hydro Girl nodded in agreement.

"Just one question," Larynx said. "How come you picked us instead of someone like the Justice Gang or something?" Isn't invasion stopping up their alley?"

"Earth's famed super-team is not available to assist us," Mystifier said. "Therefore I turn to all of you. The others have agreed to this mission. Will you make it unanimous, Larynx?"

The blonde hero glanced around at the others. They all seemed intent, focusing on him. He caught a glance from Hydro Girl, almost a bit of a smile.

He considered. "Okay, I'm in too, I guess."

"Excellent," Mystifier said. "Now, come, as I must brief you."

"What are we going to call ourselves?" Ricochet asked. "All groups have a name."

"Since we're going to be protecting the Earth from this threat, whatever it is, why don't we call ourselves 'the Protectors'?" Hydro Girl suggested.

"Works okay for me," Larynx said.

"Please," Mystifier interrupted. "We have much to do and so little time. Come." He turned and left the room, and the others filed out behind him.

***

Four of the young costumed people soon emerged from an invisible curtain only to find themselves in a realm found only in nightmares. They stood upon a thirty meter wide roadway that seemed to twist and wind endlessly before and behind them. Not far off this strange path were a number of rocky islands, floating in the void, with strange species of trees growing up from them.

After a few moments of staring at the strangeness around them, it was Larynx that broke the silence. "Holy crud! What a trip this is! Its like something from out of 'the Wall'."

"We're not here to sight-see," Amazon reminded them. "Mysty told us that we've got an attack to repel, so we better be ready!" With that, she started to grow to twice her original height, increasing too her mass and her strength.

"You want me to run on ahead and see if I can find the enemy?" Ricochet asked, anxious to get moving.

Suddenly, not too far in the distance, a war trumpet blared.

"There's your answer, kid," User said. "Looks like the party's coming to us, just as Mystifier said."

"Then lets show these creeps how we party on Earth," Larynx added. His throat vibrated, letting forth a musical tone. With that, he rose into the air. As he floated above the roadway, he could make out a mass of figures marching towards the group. The orc warriors all here powerfully built and muscular. They all wore gray armor over their orange skins and carried in their powerful hands huge maces and swords. Holy crud, the sonic hero thought to himself.

Larynx dropped down the others. "Guys, Mystifier wasn't kidding! That army is huge and armed to the teeth!"

"So, what's the plan?" Ricochet inquired.

"We fight!" Amazon said. "And fight hard!"

Suddenly, a near transparent wraith appeared before them. They instantly could make out the human form from his appearance and dress. "Mystifier!" User said, recognizing the astral form that the group had been told about less than an hour prior when they were debriefed back at the manor.

The image did not waste time on pleasantries. "You are now in the dimension of Zandorok, the most vile sorcerer ever known," the astral form explained. "You must detain the approaching armies as long as possible. Their window to pass into our dimension will only be open for a brief period of time, only while the stars are aligned. Zandorok will have planned to have as many pass through it as needed. Your mission is to insure that none do. The future freedom of the Earth depends upon you."

"Man, nothing like a little pressure," Larynx grumbled.

The astral image did not respond to his complaints. Instead, it faded from view.

"I guess that's all the guidance we get," Ricochet said. "So, we best get to it!" The youth shot off down the trail towards the advancing troops in a blue blur even before Amazon could get her "Ricochet, wait!" out.

The teen speedster charged forward into the first battalion of warriors. The speed at which he moved and the protective force field generated about him when he ran was enough to act like a battering ram, scattering a dozen of the unsuspecting orcs across the roadway. "I always bowl a strike," he said softly to himself as he cut away from them and prepared for another assault.

Amazon led the other two in a charge forward to join the battle. "Shall we show these guys how we fight in the streets of New York?" the blonde giant proposed.

"Just grab me one of their maces, lady," User requested.

"You got it!" Amazon replied. The towering heroine reached out with her arm and wrested a weapon from one of the nearby attackers. "Will this do?" She tossed the weapon to her dark skinned comrade.

"Yep," User replied as he caught the weapon's hilt. He then put his other hand over the metal ball at the end and concentrated. Instantly, his skin acquired a metallic sheen to it. "That'll do just fine!"

Confidently, User plunged into the fracas. He faced down one of the approaching orcs. "Okay, ugly, we're equally matched now!" The creature swung his weapon; User blocked it with a clang with his forearm. "Now its my turn!" The young hero swung his mighty fist into the face of the creature, causing it to fall backward in pain.

One on one is okay, Larynx thought, but we need to take a lot of them out fast! Opening his throat, he released a sonic wave at the army. His high pitched wail unnerved the creatures, causing them to drop their weapons while they scrambled to cover their ears to block the pain. That allowed the others to quickly make short work of them.

***

Back on Earth, Mystifier and the three heroines crowded around a single table and watched the battle rage on via a small crystal sphere on the table. In the small sphere, they could see the others in action.

Amazon swatted away the warriors as if they were annoying gnats. Ricochet picked up one of the fallen orcs by an arm and leg, spun it around in a circle a few times, and then let it fly into others.

"Oh, Jerry, be careful," Emotion said silently to herself as she saw her brother fighting off enemy after enemy.

"They're doing good," Rainbow said.

"Uh huh," Hydro Girl agreed. She couldn't help but keep her eyes glued to Larynx though. Something about the young man intrigued her as he blasted each attacker with his sonic cries.

The heroes appeared to have the orc army on the run, despite insurmountable odds for victory. Just then, though, the tide of the battle seemed to turn.

From the horizon, a globe of surging energy rocketed towards the quartet and engulfed them in its wake! When the globe moved on and back towards whence it came, the heroes were swept away with it!

The orc armies, seeing their opposition disposed of, regrouped and prepared to march once more!

"Mystifier!" Emotion cried. "We must help my brother and the others!"

The young sorcerer was quiet, considering. "We must stand guard," he said. "The time for us to attack will come soon enough."

"What?" Rainbow balked. "Are you serious?"

"No, we go now!" Hydro Girl insisted. "The others wouldn't have hesitated, and neither will we!"

"Yes," Emotion said.

The ladies turned to Mystifier. "So, are you going to help us get to them or not?"

The sorcerer nodded. "Very well, my friends, we shall embark upon a rescue immediately. But, it will be a most dangerous endeavor."

"We'll do it, or die trying!" Rainbow insisted.

Mystifier was silently proud of the women's words. He had feared that the overwhelming odds would leave them with doubt. This fire they exhibited showed that they were ready for the task at hand.

(to be continued)