Chapter 1. I'm an ailen?

In the bustling town of Delport, 15-year-old Hiro Ellsworth embarked on a new chapter in his life as he headed to Peak High with his close friends, Phoebe and Richard. "Look, I'm just saying that you spent your entire middle school years crammed in a locker," Richard exclaimed, running his fingers through his spiked blond hair. "What makes you think high school is going to be any different?" Hiro shrugged, his short, wavy black hair swaying gently in the breeze. "I just have a feeling. Plus, I doubt that Cash even goes to this school." "Oh, come on, Hiro," Phoebe teased, flicking her short red bangs out of her face.

"There are only 6 high schools in this entire town. Face it, you might have to leave Delport to find that perfect, drama-free life you're dreaming of." Just as the trio reached the school entrance, they caught sight of Wendy, Hiro's secret crush, walking gracefully up the stairs ahead of them. Hiro couldn't help but stare, his mouth slightly agape.

"You might want to close your jaw, big guy, before you start drooling," Richard chuckled. As Hiro blushed in embarrassment, he felt a rough nudge against his shoulder and turned to find himself face-to-face with Cash, his middle school nemesis.

Towering over Hiro at six feet tall, Cash smirked. "Well, well, well," he drawled. "Looks like the losers have joined me at my new stomping ground. This should be interesting." Cash's friends joined in the laughter, but a sudden nudge from one of them towards a nearby teacher caused Cash to back off. "You better watch your back, punk," he hissed before sauntering away. "Don't worry about him," Phoebe reassured Hiro as they made their way to their classroom. "He's nothing but a bully." Richard nodded in agreement.

In the vast expanse of Earth's atmosphere, an astronaut clad in a futuristic spacesuit diligently toiled on a damaged satellite. "I'm attempting repairs," he transmitted, his voice echoing through the void. "Assistance is required..." His words were abruptly cut short when a peculiar sight caught his eye - a radiant, ethereal woman descending towards Earth.

His heart pounded with a mix of awe and trepidation. "I must contact the President," he muttered. Meanwhile, on Earth, in the opulent residence of Ellsworth, a tall, distinguished man prepared for his day, kissing a woman tenderly. "I'll see you after work for our promised date," he vowed. ("Could they have located us? Damn, I'd hoped to avoid revisiting that existence," the woman mused silently.)

As the school bell rang, Hiro emerged from class alongside his friend Richard. "Hey, I'm off to basketball tryouts," Richard announced, fist-bumping Hiro. "I guess I'll give football a shot," Hiro replied, heading towards the field. Approaching the coach, he pleaded, "Coach, if you're considering me, please give me a chance to prove myself." The coach hesitated before finally allowing Hiro to join the team.

Hiro threw himself into practice with unwavering determination, but despite his efforts, he repeatedly failed to catch the ball, ending up tackled to the ground. Dejected, he left the field battered and bruised. As he walked home, his gaze fell upon an unusual girl with pale skin, piercing blue eyes, and an otherworldly aura.

She approached Hiro, sniffing him intently. "You're an Exordiumnite," she stated with a hint of disappointment. "But you don't seem particularly strong." Hiro's confusion grew. "Exordiumnite? What's that? Who are you?" he demanded. The girl's eyes met his, her expression turning seductive.

"Let me answer your questions," she purred, reaching for Hiro's wrist. Her touch sent a shock through his body, but instead of pain, he felt a burning sensation as she attempted to remove the black beaded wristband he wore. "It's made of Ophidian," she hissed, annoyed. "Take it off, and I'll tell you everything." Hiro hesitated, sensing her strange and unpredictable nature.

"I can't," he protested. "I don't even know you." The girl's grip tightened, lifting Hiro by his neck. "Too bad," she sneered. "I hoped to battle one of the universe's most powerful races, but it seems I was mistaken..." Just then, a powerful impact echoed through the air, interrupting their confrontation.

Hiro looked up in astonishment to see a familiar figure standing before him - his mother. "Hiro, leave this place now!" she commanded. "Keep your wristband on, no matter what." Hiro hesitated for a moment before turning and running, leaving the strange girl behind. "A pity you never revealed your true nature or his," the girl lamented as she broke away from the battle raging between her and Hiro's mother. "He could have become truly formidable."

Hiro's mother, Lunar, and the mysterious girl engaged in a fierce battle high above the town of Delport, their powerful blows creating shockwaves that rippled through the atmosphere. "Is that all you've got, Exordiumnite?" the girl taunted. "I thought your race was supposed to be legendary. But it seems the rumors were just that, rumors." Lunar blocked the girl's relentless attacks with ease, her movements faster than the speed of sound.

The two combatants clashed fiercely, neither able to gain the upper hand. "What's a Selameleon doing so far from home?" Lunar asked, her voice laced with curiosity. "Aren't you supposed to be conquering the Null Sector?" The girl smirked but remained silent, her eyes locked on Lunar's. She vanished into thin air, leaving Lunar disoriented.

"I forgot you guys can turn invisible," Lunar muttered, closing her eyes and ignoring the girl's laughter. "Don't forget, Exodiumnites have excellent hearing," Lunar muttered, closing her eyes. She sensed the girl's presence behind her and grabbed her arm, throwing her into a nearby mountain and destroying it. The girl laughed. "I guess living in peace has made you rusty," she said as she lifted the mountaintop with effortless ease and hurled it at Lunar.

The impact of the mountain destroyed half the town. The girl seized her in a chokehold, her grip unyielding. "I'm a bit disappointed," the girl whispered. "Living in peace has made you soft. Giving up your powers and relying on Ophidian to nullify your abilities is nothing short of pathetic." Lunar's consciousness faded as the girl's chokehold tightened.

The girl carried Lunar's unconscious body towards a cloaked spaceship that appeared out of nowhere. "Now it's time for your son," the Selameleon girl said with a bored expression. "I doubt he'll be much of a challenge."

Hiro stumbled home, gasping for breath from running. He prayed that his mother was okay. "What the hell is going on? What's an Exordiumnite? Can my mom fly? Why are there aliens?" Hiro muttered to himself, examining the wristbands he wore. "Maybe if I take them off..." he thought, then discarded the idea, remembering his mother's warning.

He suddenly heard a loud crash outside. "Come on out, Exordiumnite! I already defeated your mother. Now show yourself so I can leave this planet," the Selameleon girl yelled, searching for Hiro. She then spotted a car approaching the farm, from which a man emerged. The Selameleon girl materialized in front of the man, startling him. She seized his shirt and lifted him into the air. "You humans are pathetically weak, and your technology is unimpressive," she sneered, choking him.

"Dad!" Hiro exclaimed, then ripped off his wristband and flung it. A piercing pain shot through his body, and black, vine-like markings spread over his skin. The agony caused him to pass out. The Selameleon girl tossed the man aside and sensed a new presence emanating from the house. "So, you've finally accepted your heritage," she said with a grin, gazing at Hiro floating in the air, his eyes glowing red. A crimson beam erupted from him, striking the girl and sending her crashing into the ground. "Huff... Huff... That's what you get for invading my planet," Hiro proclaimed weakly before collapsing.

"Hiro! Hiro! Wake up, kid," the man urged, lifting Hiro's unconscious body. Then, the Selameleon girl emerged from the ground, battered and bloody. "Hehehe! He surprised me, but I'm glad he's finally challenging me," she said, struggling to stand. She turned her head and saw Lunar standing nearby. "I see you've awoken. Did you witness your child use his powers?" Suddenly, Lunar punched the girl in the stomach, knocking her out. "Thank you for giving me time to recover. My exposure to Ophidian has weakened me," Lunar explained, approaching her human husband and Hiro. "I believe it's time to tell him the truth, Lunar," the man said. Lunar nodded.

Few minutes pass, Lunar was sitting across the table with Hiro by her side. "So I'm an alien and when you came to earth you were pregnant with me and we may be the last of our species. That's a lot to take in... wait, so you're not my real father, dad?" Hiro asked, his eyes filled with curiosity and confusion. "You are my kid no matter what," the man assured him, as Hiro's expression softened into a smile. But their moment was interrupted by a whiny voice. "Hey! I hate to disturb the moment but I'm getting uncomfortable with the Ophidian around my hands," the Selameleon girl complained. "Shut up. I'll let you go after you tell me why you're after us," Lunar demanded, her voice laced with authority. However, the Selameleon girl remained silent, wearing a mysterious smile that unnerved them all.

Hiro rose to his feet, striding towards the girl with a determined look in his eyes. "I don't have full control over my powers yet, so if I unleash my heat vision on you again, it won't be my fault unless you reveal your identity and your purpose here," he declared, his eyes flickering between red and normal as the Selameleon girl attempted to conceal her nervousness.

"Okay, okay, I'll tell you everything," the girl relented as Hiro settled back down. "I'm here because the elder guardians fear the onset of the second purge war." Lunar, Hiro's mother, sprang to her feet in disbelief, beads of sweat dotting her forehead. "No... Not again. If this war erupts, the entire universe will be decimated," she muttered in distress. "Mom, calm down. What is this purge war, and why do these guardians have an interest in us?" Hiro inquired, prompting a hush to fall over the room.

"50 million years ago, the universe thrived in peace, until the death king and former elder guardian, Azrael, disrupted the harmony, leading to the extinction or decimation of countless species," Lunar explained, her fury escalating until her husband interceded, placating her with a gentle touch.

"That's correct. I'm here to recruit you two, the last of the Exordiumnites. I wanted to witness your potential before the impending battle," the girl, Sephira, disclosed as Hiro approached her, removing the Ophidian from her wrists. "Will you share your name now?" Hiro queried, observing as Sephira's burnt wrists miraculously healed. "I am Sephira, and I apologize for the earlier altercation. I was merely testing your reactions," she confessed, extending a hand to Hiro, who accepted it with a grin.

"I owe you my gratitude. If not for your arrival, I would have remained oblivious to my powers and alien lineage," Hiro acknowledged, his gaze shifting to his hands before playfully fist-bumping himself. "I've made my decision. I will join the battle and defeat that individual," he proclaimed, only to be reprimanded by his mother for his impetuousness.

Hiro winced as his mother's hand connected with his head. "Oh no you don't Hiro, you still have school and you're only 15. You're not ready to kick anyone's ass," his mother scolded, furrowing her brows. Lunar, seeing the saddened look on Hiro's face. "But I will train you to control your powers. And now that you've taken off your wristband, you'll unlock more abilities one by one," Lunar said, a hint of excitement in her voice as she thought about the training ahead.

Hiro's eyes lit up with excitement. "You should join Sephira. I mean, if you want to see how strong I'll become," he said, a small blush on his face. "Yeah, I guess they sound fun. And I do want to fight an Exordiumnite at full strength. Oh, what hell! Plus, the old geezers did say they wanted warriors," she said, her eyes gleaming with anticipation.

In the desolate rocky expanse, Hiro and Sephira soared through the heavens, their movements swifter than a blink. Hiro found himself outmatched by Sephira's relentless onslaught, hurled into the rocky crags. Undeterred, he rose and charged at Sephira, launching a furious punch. But Sephira vanished into thin air, leaving Hiro frustrated.

"Oh, come on, Sephira," Hiro exclaimed. "My super hearing hasn't developed yet! This is unfair!" "That's your problem, not mine!" Sephira retorted, delivering a swift kick to Hiro's gut and sending him crashing into the earth. "You need to master your flight abilities you're all over the place." Sephira returned to the ground.

"You're more ruthless than my mother," Hiro lamented, retrieving his phone and checking the time. "Oh man, I'm going to be late for school!" With a burst of speed, Hiro flew away, returning to his hometown of Delport and searching for a landing spot. Dashing through the school halls, he burst into his classroom as the bell rang. "Just in the nick of time," Hiro panted, high-fiving Richard before taking his seat.

Meanwhile, in the depths of space, on a planet mirroring Earth, a crimson-skinned humanoid with bulging muscles, a bald head, and piercing white eyes flew towards a grand palace. Within its halls, he met with nine massive, bear-like humanoids. "Baskara, I trust you bear good tidings?" inquired one of the bear-men.

"My news is dire," Baskara replied solemnly. "The Guardians predict that Azrael will rise again." Panic erupted among the men. "Impossible!" one exclaimed. "None escape the Hellzone, not even the Champions!" "I intend to assemble a team and venture into Dark Sector 46," Baskara declared. "Who do you propose we enlist?" another bear-man asked. "Sephira is currently seeking the last remaining Exordiumnite's, and I plan to visit Zomuicliteb," Baskara explained. "For this mission, I require the Naulkals." The bear-men nodded in agreement.

Hiro bid his friends farewell after school and sought a secluded spot to test his newfound ability to fly. "Hmmm?" Hiro muttered in confusion as he struck awkward poses in an attempt to soar through the air. "Come on, stupid powers!" he exclaimed, slamming his fist into a wall in frustration. "Ouch! Well, I guess my super strength is on the fritz. This is so annoying..." Hiro said, clutching his head as a barrage of noises assaulted his ears. "I guess I finally got my super hearing," he realized, making his way home while clutching his head in discomfort.

"Hiro, what's wrong with you?" Sephira inquired, puzzled. "Ouch, please whisper; my super hearing is in overdrive, and I can't control it," Hiro explained. "Just... uh... focus on only my voice and listen to what you want to hear," Sephira advised. Hiro took deep, controlled breaths to manage his newfound ability.

"Thanks. Being an alien is tough, huh," Hiro joked. "Now that you have super hearing, we can change up your training," Sephira said before noticing Hiro's self-conscious expression. "It's the only power I have that works," Hiro admitted. "Ophidian's lingering effects must still be present; maybe your body is adjusting to your powers?" Sephira speculated.

"Great... That's just fantastic. I hope one doesn't kick in while I'm in class," Hiro said before looking around. "My mom still not back?" Hiro asked. "Nope, she's probably halfway across the solar system by now; who knows," Sephira replied.

Across the solar system, Lunar flew in space, holding her breath until she landed on a lava planet. Volcanoes covered the ground, and lakes of lava spread out before her. She hovered over the lava, heading towards a kingdom made of lava and rocks. As she entered, she was stopped by guards made of lava.

"State your business here," one of the guards demanded. Before Lunar could respond, a humanoid girl with flowing hair made of lava and a lava-made gown appeared. "She's here to see my father," the girl said, and Lunar followed her into a large mansion. A humanoid lava man sat on a throne. "Father, this woman is here to see you," the girl said before stepping out of the room. "Lunar? I thought you were dead all this time?" the king said. "If you're alive, then you and your son must be the last of the Exordiumnite's. I'll be honored to have your race's blood in my own."

"I'm not here for that," Lunar said. "I'm sure you know the rumors about the start of the second purge war." "Of course I do," the king said. "I can't forget the first one. Before the purge, the Lavalians numbered 600 million. Now we're at 56 million. I don't ever want something like that to happen again." "That's why I want your help to stop it," Lunar said. "If the Dark Lord gets out of the Hellzone, the entire universe will be erased. I want your help to get me in there." "Are you insane?!" the king exclaimed.

"No one can survive in there, especially since the Dark Lord is in there." "You do know that after the war, everyone turned on the Exordiumnites," Lunar said. "It was because of him and our nature that led to our destruction. I'm merely paying back a favor and atoning for our mistakes."

In the tranquil ambiance of a late-night cafe, Hiro's ears perked up at the news report crackling through the airwaves—a daring bank robbery had turned violent. A surge of determination ignited within him. "Perhaps this is my chance to test my abilities," he thought, his gaze hardening. Without hesitation, Hiro bolted out of the cafe and sought refuge in the inky shadows. Swiftly donning a ski mask that concealed his face, leaving only his piercing eyes exposed, he propelled himself into the chaos unfolding in the streets.

Amidst the deafening gunfire and desperate cries, a rogue assailant took aim at a fallen police officer. In a flash, Hiro moved in super speed, soaring towards the attacker and snatching the officer out of harm's way. With the officer safely delivered to paramedics, Hiro turned his attention to subduing the remaining criminals. With lightning-fast reflexes, he disarmed the gunmen and deftly secured their hands in handcuffs. "Don't be bad anymore guy's," he commanded, his voice echoing with authority.

As Hiro's gaze swept the scene, he noticed a group of police officers cautiously approaching him, their weapons drawn. "Hold your fire!" he exclaimed. "I'm here to assist, not harm." Suddenly, a radio transmission crackled through the air, reporting the imminent collapse of a nearby bridge. Without a moment's hesitation, Hiro ascended towards the crumbling structure.

As cars tumbled from the disintegrating span, Hiro's keen eyesight detected the trapped family within one of the vehicles. Hiro lifted the massive bridge, holding it aloft with every ounce of his being. Using his X-ray vision, he scanned the bridge, confirming that the occupants of the trapped car had already escaped to safety. Hiro's resolve wavered as the weight of the bridge bore down upon him.

Determined to complete his mission, Hiro surged forward, grabbing the car and placing it on stable ground. "Are you all okay?" he inquired, his voice trembling slightly. The grateful passengers nodded, expressing their heartfelt thanks. "Who are you?" asked a curious little girl, gazing up at Hiro as he hovered above them. With a enigmatic smile, Hiro replied, "I am simply someone who wishes to lend a helping hand." And with that, he vanished into the night.

Hiro returned home in high spirits until he saw his father waiting for him. "I'm sorry, there was this thing at the bank, and then the bridge fell. I caught it and saved everyone," Hiro said, catching his breath. His father approached him. "Good job, kid, but you have school tomorrow, so go to bed." Hiro headed to his room, but his super hearing detected a woman's cries for help. In a flash of super speed, he flew out his window and stopped the crime. Back in his room, he sighed.

"Wow, I don't get why you want to save these apes. You should be out there stopping the war," said Sephira, sitting on Hiro's bed. "I wish I could, but with school and the time difference in space... you want me to fly lightyears away? Plus, have you ever talked to humans? You'd understand if you did," Hiro replied. "Whatever. It doesn't matter since my teacher is rounding up a team to prevent this war," Sephira said, walking to Hiro's window.

"Come on, let's go." "Not this time. I missed a week of school last time," Hiro said, then lay down on his bed, exhausted. To his surprise, Sephira lay down beside him. "Sephira, this is my bed. On Earth, only people in a relationship sleep in the same bed," Hiro explained as Sephira wrapped her arms around him.

"You're not from Earth. Plus, on my planet, we need body heat to conserve energy," Sephira said with a straight face. "Seriously?" Hiro asked. "No," Sephira replied, flying out the window. "Are alien girls always this hard to read? Heck, I can't even understand human girls," Hiro muttered as he drifted off to sleep.

The next day, Hiro sat in class, reading a book while listening to the teacher lecture, until his super hearing detected a car chase. "Excuse me, Miss Jones, can I use the bathroom? I really have to go," Hiro uttered, and the teacher gestured towards the door. Hiro bolted out and darted into a bathroom stall. He swiftly donned a ski mask and soared at super speed towards the car chase, where the bad guys were firing upon the pursuing cop cars.

"I have to stop them before people get hurt," Hiro declared to himself. He flew ahead of the car, seized it, and gently set it down at the police station, disarming the occupants. "I guess you'll have to retake driver's ed," Hiro quipped, as the police emerged from the station. With that, he sped back to school and rushed into class, where his classmates burst into laughter. "Wow, Hiro, you must have eaten something big, haha!" one student exclaimed, and the entire class erupted in laughter.

In a towering skyscraper in the heart of Delport, a man clad in a black suit observed footage of Hiro's exploits on the internet. "Incredible," he remarked. "Such immense power within that body. I would never have suspected it in this town." He rewound the video. "Too bad you can't claim that power, brother," a man sitting opposite him interjected. "I cannot, but I believe this might assist," the man replied, holding up a black meteorite rock. "This is not of Earth, nor is our Savior. I wonder what would transpire if our weapons were crafted from this material." He smiled wickedly. "And if this is not his kryptonite, I am confident you will find something else, Rick, considering our status as the most formidable brothers on the planet." "Rest assured, John, I shall," Rick affirmed.

After third period, Hiro met up with Richard on the school bleachers. "Sup Richard, I thought you had practice after class?" Hiro questioned, but Richard was keeping his head down. "I got kicked off the team because of my leg," Richard said. "What's wrong with your leg? Did you sprain it or something?" Hiro asked, confused.

"I never told you this, or Phoebe, but when I was just 13, my Mom and Dad got into a huge fight resulting in my dad taking me in his car while speeding. We got into an accident ruining my leg for life. I thought I could play by just ignoring it, but I can barely dribble or run," Richard explained. "I'm sorry that happened. But you don't have to only play basketball; there's other stuff that's easier for your leg," Hiro said, trying to cheer up his friend.

"Thanks for trying to help, Hiro, but basketball runs in the family. I thought this time I might play, but I guess it just wasn't meant to be," Richard said before walking away. "I wish I could help in some way," Hiro said to himself, then noticing Wendy doing her cheerleading. Hiro was now only focusing on her, feeling his body getting hot, then his eyes.

"Ahhh, what the hell?" Hiro said to himself, looking away as two small red beams came out of his eyes, melting the metal bleachers. "Looks like my heat vision is back," Hiro said to himself while leaving, watching where he was going, feeling around due to his eyes hurting and blinking constantly. Hiro found himself under the bleachers, trying to open his eyes, then red beams came out, destroying metal pipes.

"Crap, if I can't get this under control, then my powers are on the fritz again," Hiro said to himself while feeling his way out of school. In the building of the Wayne brothers, Rick was on the phone. "Now remember, all I want you to do is fight the town's hero, then your debt will be settled," Rick said as the scene opened to a man flying in the air wearing a suit. "Okay, and after this, never contact me again," the man said.

Hiro sat outside, Sephira circling around him. "This is just like your X-Ray, just focus and control it," Sephira said. Hiro kept his eyes closed. "This is different since it's really destructive. I really don't want to hurt you," Hiro said. Sephira chuckled. "You hurt me? That's funny. You can't connect your punches, let alone hurt me, since this time I'm on guard." Sephira said. As Hiro opened his eyes, two massive red beams shot out, but Sephira held up her arms, protecting her chest, and took the attack.

"Now just focus and learn to turn it off, just think about someone you don't want to hurt," Sephira said. Hiro controlled his heat vision, and the beams stopped. "Whew, I'm so glad you're still here," Hiro said. "Yeah, but what triggered your heat vision in the first place? Last time it was anger," Sephira asked. "Nothing... It just came out of nowhere," Hiro said nervously, trying to hide the truth. Then the ground shook, and they saw an explosion in town.

"Good thing I got it under control in time," Hiro said, grabbing his ski mask and putting it on. He flew toward the site and spotted a man in a suit shooting energy beams and destroying buildings. "Finally, you're here," the man said, then shot at Hiro. Hiro flew into a building and then crashed to the ground. "Ouch, that kinda hurt," Hiro said. He flew back up to the man and wound up a punch, but the man's force field blocked it. "Who are you?" Hiro asked.

The man grabbed Hiro's throat. "I'm just a contract killer," the man said, tightening his grip. Hiro used heat vision to hit the man, breaking his metal mask. Hiro flew and punched the man, sending him into the sky. Hiro hit him with heat vision again. The man caught himself and charged up an energy beam, but Hiro countered it with heat vision. "Sorry, kid, but I have a debt to pay!" The man yelled. The suit glowed blue, enlarging the energy beam.

"I can't lose; if this hits the city, everyone will die!" Hiro shouted. He enlarged his heat vision and overpowered the man, sending him flying. The suit exploded, and Hiro, exhausted, caught the man from falling. The police arrested the man, and Hiro flew back home, crashing into the ground. "Never felt so tired before," Hiro said to himself, then passed out.

In the towering Wayne Tower, Rick gazed intently at the footage of Hiro on his screen. A twisted grin spread across his lips as he muttered, "So, it did manage to harm the town's hero. Now, I need to find more test subjects." As he leaned back in his plush chair, a voice interrupted his musings. "You're right, Rick. The way the suits work, you'll need someone young and desperate," John remarked. A woman strode into the office, her voice echoing with confidence. "Using street thugs won't cut it. This kid is strong, fast, and can fire lasers from his eyes. I can understand your fascination with his abilities, but your current approach isn't working." Rick remained silent, his mind racing as he considered their words. "I see," he replied at last. "I'll need to find someone else, someone who meets those criteria."