Birth of the Syndicate

*A year and a half after the Invasion of Ruin*

Chapter 1: Refuge

Zone crash lands in an Indian reserve. He staggers out of his space cube and makes his way towards a nearby river, but passes out before he reaches it. He wakes up to the sound of loud murmuring and police sirens. He stands up dazed and confused, accidentally causing an uproar among the crowd of people standing behind police tape about 13 ft away. Someone must've called the police after hearing the loud crash and drew a crowd after noticing that he was an alien of some sort. An officer flashes a flashlight at him, causing him to flinch. "Excuse me officer, could you help me out with something" he asks aloud. "It can talk!", someone shrieks from the crowd. "Officer" Zone calls again. The officer pops his holster and slowly makes his way over to Zone. "No need to ready your weapon, I just need your help and I can be on my way." "What do you need?" the officer asks nervously. Zone stares at him quietly. "Thank you" Zone says as he walks away. "Don't forget to get Margaret a gift for your anniversary tomorrow" he shouts as he flies off. The officer's wife was named Margaret. The officer stands petrified in fear.

Chapter 2: Threat

Houndman is standing atop a building in Sin City, looking over the city and listening for anything alarming. "Looks like tonight will be peaceful" he thinks to himself. "Not so" Zone says from behind him. Houndman wisps around quickly and analyzes him. "Sorry to alarm you, um...Houndman is it?" "Who are you and How do you know who I am?" He asks. "I am Zone, a telepath, as your people would say, from another planet." "What do you want from me?" Houndman interrogates. "I'm looking for some help, you see. My planet was destroyed by an intergalactic warlord named Carbonis. He overthrew our King and wiped out most of my people. I and few others escaped, but he will follow me. If he isn't stopped, he will kill me and take over this planet as well. So I ask, will you help me" Zone offers. Houndman ponders for a moment "Yeah, I'll help, but I'm not strong enough to defeat an intergalactic warlord. We're gonna need more than help" Houndman agrees. "Next stop, Pentopolis" Zone states.

Chapter 3: Monarchy

The Kings of Unity are atop their thrones. Mumnum is relaxing, Jingle is staring into the sky, Yairen is writing something on a silver tablet, Norvan is meditating, and Sie is studying while a violin plays in the background. There are 10 warriors guarding the entrance: 2 are wearing bronze Chinese armor armed with spears, 2 are shirtless wearing golden pants armed with sickles, 2 are wearing bronze plated armor with a blue belt armed with a sword and shield, 2 are wearing black robes armed with long swords, and 2 are wearing iron chain mail armed with scimitars. Suddenly a silver knight enters the throne room and bows. "My Kings, 2 strange men wish to speak with you" he informs. "Bring them in" Mumnum orders. The knight leaves and returns with Zone and Houndman. "Houndman and his companion, what brings you here?" Sie asks warmly. Zone fills them in on the situation. " Sorry, but we cannot leave our city unattended" Jingle responds. "If you don't go the world will be destroyed" Houndman argues. "I'll go", Yairen accepts "This shouldn't take too long" Yairen steps down from his throne and joins the other 2. "Would you know where to find Stone?" Zone asks. "Follow me" he says as he opens a portal. They step through and enter into what appears to be an outdoor training field. "Stone!" Yairen calls invitingly. A tall woman in a brilliant silver and crystal armor with large beautiful wings flies over from a throne of precious stones that radiate light. "What do you need this time" she interrogates mildly annoyed. "How do you know that I didn't come just to talk?" Yairen asks sarcastically. Stone gives him a stern look. "There's a warlord on his way to conquer Earth and we need your help" "Well if Yairen can't handle him alone, I guess you do need my help" she mocks. Stone places a small blue crystal in Yairen's hand "Crush it when he arrives and I will come with my army to assist you." She agrees. "Well since you knew where to find her, do you also know where to find Captain 7 and Lintle?" Houndman asks jokingly.

Chapter 4: Troubled Waters

A portal opens up on the top deck of a pirate ship and Yairen, Zone, and Houndman emerge. "Intruders!" yells a shipmate and a bunch of others spring up and charge. They are armed with scimitars, cutlasses, batons, pistols. Zone stretches out both of his arms out in front of him and pushes outward, sending about 20 of them barreling over the sides of the ships. Yairen snaps his fingers and around 15 collapse onto the deck. Houndman fires a sonic howl and that sends 10 of them flying backward. Captain 7 heard the commotion and comes rushing out of his chambers "WHAT IS GOING ON HERE!" He looks at the carnage outraged. "We came to enlist your help, and they attacked us" Yairen pleads. "Help you?! I'm gonna kill you!" Captain forms 2 large waves from both sides of the ship and launches them at the heroes, fires 3 shots from his pistol, then leaps forward, charging with his sword ready. Yairen redirects the waves, Houndman blocks the bullets, and Zone grabs the blade as the captain brings it down violently. "Enough!" Zone snaps "There is a warlord on his way to wipe us all out and we need your help" "What about my crew?" Captain 7 snaps back. Yairen raises the waves around the ship and drops his crew onto the deck, then puts them into a pile telekinetically. He waves his hand at them and a gentle wind blows over them and they wake up confused, then notice the heroes. "Intruder!" one of them yells and they charge. "STOP!" Captain Seven roars. They freeze in place. "I'll come. Mossbeard, you're in charge until I get back." A dirty old pirate with a visible stench around him emerges from the crew "Aye Aye Cap'n" he accepts awkwardly, then smiles his toothless smile and walks away.

Chapter 5: War

*Los Angeles, California*

"So, do any of you know how to find Lintle?" Zone asks. "No one knows where to find him, he just shows up" Houndman explains. A large space ship bursts through the sky with 4 smaller ships surrounding it. "There's no time to look for him. That's Him!" Zone shouts nervously. "He tracked me to my exact location." Yairen creates thousands of portals that send every person in the city to a secure location. The ships land 60 feet away from the heroes. The hatch opens and a large pale alien in black armor emerges with his arms crossed "I am Carbonis and this planet belongs to me now." He announces proudly. "You'll have to get through us" Zone revokes. "You're the weakling from Topal, that I tracked here" he chuckles. He begins to approach slowly. "After I slaughter you and your allies, this planet will be mine. I may even rename it Topal, just to remind myself of the pitiful fight that you and your people put up against me." As he gets closer, their bodies begin to ache and the pain gets worst, the closer he gets. He gets to the bottom of the hatch and takes one step on the ground and the street explodes in a 4 ft area around him. A wire shoots into his armor from atop a building, it's Lintle. "You're not taking over anything" he grunts. "We'll see" he grins as he yanks the wire making Lintle fall from the rooftop. Lintle electrifies the wire, but Carbonis doesn't seem to notice. He simply plucks the wire from his armor and keeps walking. He presses a button and the 4 ships around him open and a swarm of spherical drones spray out. Yairen throws the crystal that Stone gave him on the ground and crushes it under his foot. Stone teleports in front of them. A portal opens up in the sky and a legion of valkyries soar through and clash with the drones. The heroes charge at the warlord as the drones and valkyries war in the sky. Carbonis throws a violet ball of energy at them and it explodes before hitting them, covering them in a thick vapor. Their bodies get heavy and they slam onto the ground. "The gravity betrayed us" Captain 7 grunts. Yairen points at him and he staggers backwards a bit. They regain their strength and charge again. Stone rushes him at the speed of light and strikes him across the chest. He grabs her leg and tosses her through a skyscraper and leaps after her. Yairen meets him in the air and wacks him through a bank with his torch. They charge and their fists collide. A small explosion erupts from Carbonis's fist and sends Yairen flying. Carbonis examines the burn mark left in his armor. Yairen and Stone charge in together, trading blows with him and manage to send him flying with a spear\torch thrust. Lintle turns his arm up to 60% and 500 volts and punches him in the back, making him fall forward. Carbonis gets up with minimal damage. Zone wraps him up with his arms and tries to slam him down. Carbonis resists and remains standing. Houndman sprays him in the face with pepper spray and tear gas, then get out of the way. Carbonis shakes Zone off and and elbows him in the face, knocking him to the ground. He tries to stomp on him, but Zone protects himself with a force field. Captain 7 shoots Carbonis in the face and gets his attention. "I'm the one who runs this planet and I'm not handing it over to anyone!" the captain states. "A pirate, how interesting. The last pirate I fought was in Hell" Carbonis replies. A stream of water jets out of the sea and forces him through six buildings. "Unlike you, he was able to damage me" Carbonis mocked. Seven creates a whirlpool in the middle of the city, filled with piranha. Zone paralyses him with his mind, Stone flings her spear into his back, and Yairen knocks him into the whirlpool with a Fist of Destruction. Houndman slashes him across the face with his blowtorch as he flies. Lintle electrifies the water with his wires. Carbonis releases an explosion of energy that evaporates the water and sends the heroes backward, landing in front of a gas station. He rises from the crater and lands 30 ft away from them. "Couldn't help but notice, but it looks like you guys could use some help." a voice speaks from a light post "My name is Wukong, The Monkey King" the new guy says. He is 6'8, covered in fur, and wearing a golden crown with red beads around his neck and yellow pants. "I'll take care of things from here" he says as he steps in front of them. "I am Carbonis, Conqueror of Planets" he shouts then charges. "Okay" Wukong smiles. Carbonis punches him, but he blocks it with his finger and grins. "Batter Up" Wukong calls as he swings his cudgel and smashes his armor and ribs. Carbonis cries out in agony and coughs up blood. Wukong looks at Yairen and grins "That torch of yours is hot, but this is a lot hotter" He clears his throat and releases the most powerful eruption of fire that any of them had ever seen, completely turning Carbonis to ash. Wukong turns back to the heroes "You guys could use a guy like me on your team" he says eagerly. "Team?" Seven asks puzzled and almost offended. "Yeah, a team. You guys work well together." he explains "We should stick together." The heroes look at each other and ponder for a moment. "Doesn't sound too bad" Houndman agrees. Everyone eventually agrees and they form The Syndicate and slowly recruit more and more heroes as time goes on.