We all serve in our own way. Part 2 Hector's Side

As the friends waved goodbye, Leroy and Rexford went back to talking.

"I value my friends more than anything, I rather not cause problems for Mia like that. So I will find someone elsewhere." Rexford never let personal affect business to much but when personal allowed for more special business opportunities, things were a bit tricky. "So when are you going to get married?"

"Pffft!" Leroy spat his lemonade out in surprise. "Huk! That is to weird of a question. Not even with anyone currently." Composing himself, a few of the others laughed at his ruined shirt. "Who gave you that crazy idea?"

"Hehe, well.. I just thought you and Rachel..."

"Woah! I just went over to comfort her from a bad breakup, nothing happened." He raised his hands up in protest. "In fact, where is Rachel?"

"Stopped by a train that broke down, said she will be here eventually." Richard yelled. He already had his tie around his head in a drinking contest with Katy. "I am going to dethrone you today!"

"Fat chance!" Katy picked up her pace drinking in bigger gulps now. It was slightly maddening to see her put away so much booze. Where did she keep it all?! Even the bathroom break in which another went with her revealed she only took a really long piss!

"Hmm, maybe I was wrong." Rexford opened his phone checking a few text messages as they talked. He even received one from Rachel that asked if Leroy had made it already. 'Man, these two are going to have it bad in the future.'

*Zoop!* The environment started to slow down once more. Rexford, had forgotten about it until just now, he looked to the street seeing the old-timer again. A bright gold light burning where eyes should be shining back and meeting his gaze.

The old-timer's clothes turned into golden robes that hid its figure. Blinking once, Rexford watched time catch up quickly. The old-timer was none other than Destiny, and it did not like to be kept waiting.

Looking back at his friends, Rexford couldn't help feeling like he failed them somehow. There was still a small chance to change things, however.

They continued on partying for a little longer. Right around 1:00 they decided to go for a walk before hitting another location. The laughing and giggling were heard down several streets, but none messed with the group.

People were happy to mind their own business for once. That and they knew Hector, Leroy, and Rexford carried. Valencia and Katy carried as well but not tonight considering they knew heavy drinking would be involved.

*Zoop!* Time completely froze instead of slowing down. A gold light washed over Rexford's friends before disappearing.

"Do you think it best to keep them here any longer?" Destiny questioned. Its voice coming from every direction. Already knowing with each passing moment events just turned worse in other Dimensions. "It has already been a year since each of them were supposed to be taken by the various Pantheons that seek them."

"Tch, they can eat a bag of shit for all I care!" Rexford's eyes were hard as he stared out. What did he care about if a few Dimensions collapsed all togethor? Thats for those who have power that presides over their fault. Not his or that of his friends. "They should have found others to take their place. To busy fighting amongst each other and backstabbing to do their fucking jobs!"

*Ptuh!* Spitting in disgust, Rexford hated the various Deities for several reasons. Let alone for the fact they ruined things here in his Home Dimension millennia ago, but they set eyes upon those of his close friends a few years back as well.

*Shine!* A Black and Gold light left from Rexford. It swallowed a weird clear energy in the surroundings. This caused time to return to normal in an instant.

"If you are done standing there, come on!" Joseph shouted. Having returned he was dreading having to go back for some other reason. Just then, his phone started to ring. It was his sister who was supposed to be there with them having fun by now. "Hello?"

As he answered that call, the others got a table outside at the next bar. Katy, Valencia, and Ashton ordered some water and bread until everyone gathered up again. A few went to the bathroom and others took phone calls outside.

Rexford watched as Destiny appeared across the street. Standing still, his eyes darted around not seeing time having stopped. Which was not a good sign. Feeling a hand on his shoulder, he dreaded turning back.

"My man, you see that over there?" Leroy pointed at Destiny. His eyes felt like ants were crawling on them, so he blinked and looked away to relieve the pain. But like a moth to a flame, he couldn't resist. "I swear I can feel like a fire burning under my skin or something."

Before Rexford could address that, things went from bad to worse.

*Rip!* A black tear opened up in the sky. It swallowed up various people including his friends inside. Even those who were just outer circle friends were taken up.

Rexford couldn't even budge standing there watching them get dragged away. Then he saw the moving darkness shake the Dimension altogether.

"The Unending Army... shit." His fist balled up ready to fight. Common sense could not prevent him from charging at the mass of intangible darkness. "..all gone.. just like that!"

*Shine!* A golden light pulsed from the tears in the sky. Rexford could see his friends floating before various lights snatched them all away. The street lights in the area were all out and the only sound to be heard belong to the regular people pulled out of the collapsed space.

"Where did they take them?!" Rexford almost demanded. Black Gold energy wafted off his body. The power of his soul pushing hard against the confines of the Dimension. He was starting to become a threat to the very Aspects that held the Dimension togethor here. "Bring them back!" He shouted fiercely.

"I am not the one that took them." Destiny's gold robes fluttered while it moved around the area. Each lift of the hand, and the terrain returned to normal a little. "The various Pantheons actually saved them from the Unending Army's plans. You should be happy or at least grateful."

"Grateful!? They have kids damn it! Veela has twins waiting on her at home! Leroy Practice was just getting to the point he wanted! Hector has so many families that depend on him!" Rexford screamed despite the pain of his voice. He started to shake with uncontrollable rage. Which only made matters worse. "Break the rules and bring them back!"

"I will not." Destiny moved around the area waving its hands once more. Restoring the "tear" in the Dimension from the Undending Army and the Pantheon's actions. "They were supposed to die back then a year ago but you.. you altered their Fate. Which is still causing trouble in other Dimensions."

"Then let me do the work for all of them then!" Rexford finally felt the pain in his chest spread to every limb of his body. "Just let.. me.. do.. it.." Blood started coming from his eyes and ears. He did not belong in the Dimension anymore.

"It does not work that way." Destiny's voice actually sounded a little regretful. Almost, if one listened well enough. "They will save multiple Dimensions and their children here.." Rexford's eyes shined in malice staring at Destiny. ".. will be safe and help stabilize Earth if need be. But I see nothing of the sort happening here that will need that to happen. They did not have enough children and changed enough to anchor to this life. But what their children have learned, and what you have set up will give them that opportunity. But that is only because their parents are now dead here."

Destiny's eyes shined as different Events played out in an instant. The best outcome was that the parents never returned. Considering they were supposed to die a year ago, it was more than they were entitled to.

Some people were just better off dead for the sake of others.

By the looks of it, Rexford was understanding that in the back of his mind. Considering the number of bodies under his belt and a few of his friends, they already lived that type of lifestyle.

*Thump!* Rexford dropped to his knees in pain. Visibly, his very flesh started to peel away. His soul to powerful for his human flesh. In the corner of his eye, he saw a woman come over in a purple toga with black hair. The tan skin looked lovely the more he stared.

"Gaia, what do I owe the visit?" Destiny turned to the Goddess/Titaness as its appearance changed once more. No longer the image of an old man but that of an old woman. "Surely you have not run into trouble?"

"No.. just felt the massive disturbance. Imagine my surprise you were involved." Gaia passed a small glance to Rexford. A small purple breeze eased the pain he was under for a bit. The very action caused a purple streak of hair to appear on her head. "It feels like those who should not belong finally have left. That is good."

"Good!?" Rexford despite the relief she gave him, was still mad about the situation. "How much longer will people have to pay for the mistakes of the Pantheons?! Why can't you all just leave us alone!?"

"Until the end of time at this rate." Gaia was not angry or offended. Despite knowing a little more than a regular human, Rexford was still unaware of the grand workings of the Dimensions. "You "Champions" need to step up more and not cause more trouble than failures. That would also help matters."

"We are as good as those that created us!" Rexford shouted back. Both he and Leroy were super petty.

"Enough Rexford." A voice cut from the darkness. A large dark skin man walked out. Red white flames circling around his body. It was the man-god Shango. "The more you dally, the more the innocent suffer. Allow me to escort you to the Waiting Area at least."

"I refuse!" Struggling to his feet, Rexford stared the man-god down. "You are the one that wants Leroy! Well, you can't have him!" A man against an ascended God did not make for a good match. "Who grabbed Hector!?"

"Tiamat did." Gaia said. Seeing the power growing in Rexford, she wanted to show a little goodwill now for the future. She did not have the power to help him overall currently. "Odin took Michael, Rachel by Hera, Valencia by Vishnu, Joseph will be taken by..."

"Kuff!" Rexford felt his blood flow in the opposite direction. He was dying and nothing could really be done to help him. "Destiny... another business deal... how about it?!" His voice came out pleading. Containing the power of a dying man's breath and that of a shattered soul.

"I am listening." Destiny wrapped time around Rexford. Suspending him between Dimensions to prevent the ending of his soul, it would not allow him to ever return to this earth but that was far from concern at this point. "Speak clearly and true."

"I will serve until the "End Times" arrive if you let me help my friends again." Rexford already made a deal once to have one year to change their fate from dying. It didn't work but this was the only thing he could think of to try again. "You do not interfere in what I do as long as the rules are obeyed of course. Do we have a deal?"

Shango and Gaia would remember this day for a long time. It was the day they saw the beginning of an Evil Champion move about the Dimensions.

"Of course." Destiny smiled creating a horrific sight. Rexford fainted as his eyes exploded along with his body collapsing a few seconds later. "On your way now." With a flick, Destiny set him to the 1st Dimension he needed to go to.

"It is best I head out. Leroy's soul is already off course still." Shango turned to disappear. He would have nightmares from Destiny's horrific face. A realization hit him however so he had to ask. "What Pantheon does Rexford belong to?"

"Oh... you sure you wanted to know?" Destiny's voice came out somewhat amused. "I can tell you, but it comes with a cost." Shango's face turned white as a sheet. Which was quite a feat for an African God like himself.

*Fwish!* Shango left in red-white flames instead of answering.

"I want to know." Gaia was not deterred.

"He belongs to mine." Destiny answered. Gaia felt to her butt looking dazed. "The cost... is you can never tell anyone. Understand? Even if war happens." Gold energy wrapped around the area as the two left the Dimension. 'I wonder if that fool will speak?'

Destiny was referring to the other Deity that watched from the shadows. Xiwangmu, of the Chinese Pantheon whose Aspects were that of Creation and Destruction, tapped into quite a few other Pantheons, stepped away with an unusual look on her face.