• • Sunset: Heroes of the Milky Way
• October 4, 2026

Sunset: Heroes of the Milky Way (Chapter 37)

Alloya Ra’non

The Pantheon

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I see the soldiers as they pop out of the hatch one by one. Hideo had figured right, the bastard had made a point to create his own escape plan. I would wonder why, but it doesn’t matter now, he’s ours. 

We wait as Lamberine struggles out of the hatch like the deflated old man he is. 

Lamberine has a squad of four Riverti soldiers attempting to protect him, but they’re not gonna mean a thing. As the guards start to survey the area, trying to think of another way to evacuate, they don’t notice the water coming together. 

Lamberine does though.

Womby seemingly shoots from the ground in his Hydroninad form from under one soldier, ensnaring him in his humongous jaws. He chews a little, allowing the soldier to gurgle and scream out, but in one crunch Womby bites him in half. 

The other three start shooting at Womby with cosmic energy blasters, but they don’t have the firepower to phase him, let alone harm him. 

Still though, they try their best, the three forming a triangle around Lamberine.

Then light shines from above, blinding them, and when it dims the soldier from the opposite side of Womby turns around looks up at Clay, in his all the glory of his sun form. Clay holds out his hand directly over the soldier and vaporizes him with the intense heat of a star. 

The soldier is simply ashes.

Two soldiers left, and the one to Clay’s left turns to run out of fear. 

Understandable, but for him, futile. Lamberine doesn’t even get the chance to yell at the soldier before Hideo, as a body of sound, surrounds him like a tornado. A tunnel of sound waves reverberating and hitting the soldier from all directions at deadly decibels. The poor man’s insides have melting as a skeleton with bulgy skin falls over.

For the last one, in my cosmic form, I descend behind him and place my right palm flat behind his back. With the ease of doing a push-up, I form a miniature black hole in his chest, too small to be seen by the Regamorph eye. 

I condense the cosmic energy around him, concentrate it on point, and cause that one point to experience the pressure necessary to cause infinite density. In a second, the man collapses in on himself, being sucked into the black hole, and once he disappears, I immediately drain the energy and remove the pressure from the black hole causing it to dissipate once again.

In less than a minute Lamberine found himself on the brink of escape, to having to rethink his escape plan with his soldiers, to contemplating his imminent death at hands of four god-like beings who have him surrounded.

“I can’t remember the last time four of us were ascended at the same time in the same place,” Clay comments with pondering gesture of his hand.

“Well, when was the last time more than three of us could ascend?” Hideo mentions.

“Good point,” Clay admits with a nod of his head.

As those two bicker I slowly begin hovering towards the frail man that is Lamberine. His shaking is so uncontrollable one would think he just took a dip in an arctic ocean. Once I’m within arm’s distance, he falls to his knees, right before my feet.

He places his hands down on the ground in front of him and starts yelling. “No! This can’t be how it ends! I did what I was supposed to do! I did what they told me, what we planned! I played the game better than anyone else!” 

Seeing him here, now, shouting in shame, it is hard to not to want smile and smir as smugly as possible. 

But he said, ‘they.’

There’s more, there’s always… more. 

I leave my cosmic form, I don’t want him to die simply from my touch. I get down on one knee, and put my head next to him, just so he can feel my breath on his ear as I speak. “You called this a game, do you know why you lost?”

“I got rid of Terrine, took control of the Guardian, and armed my armies with the best this galaxy has to offer, but in the end it didn’t even matter. They couldn’t do anything…” Then he picks up his head and looks me straight in the eye. “They couldn’t do anything against you. Omniguard promised me that you would never be a problem.”

Mr. Loose Lips here. He could have refused to confirm what Terra told me about him. He could have left us in the lurch, but he’d have to be anything other than pathetic. 

“That was your first mistake. You trusted a nest of vipers. What did you expect except to be screwed over?” 

I am sure on Clay’s planet, that made sense, but I for one have no idea what a viper is.

“Again Clay, no one else does this. No one knows what you’re talking about! Multicultural exchange is the death of culturally specific metaphors!”

“That can’t be right.” Even in his sun form, he gets a little crease in his forehead from being embarrassed. 

“Maybe saying a nest of Hydroninads is better?” Womby offers. “That’s kind of universal.”

“They’re only on this planet!”

“We all know about this planet! Nobody knows shit about Earth!”

Lamberine takes this simplistic and unnecessary conversation as an insult, and that makes it worth it for me. “How dare you?!” he shouts. “How dare you belittle me with your jokes! This is my fate you’re deciding! You should treat it with-!”

“The incredible amount of disrespect it deserves,” I interrupt. “Don’t you get it yet? You were never going to win this ‘game,’” I assure in air quotes. “At the end of the day, you just don’t compare to the likes of us. I don’t mean this because you are not a Guardian, I mean to say that you’re just not worth anything. 

“You have wasted our time, that’s the best you could ever do. So many other problems we could have fixed peacefully, had to turn violent because of your insecurity or your lust for power, or whatever. I never really thought to get to know you, you were just annoying.” 

I see him purse his lip, and then I figure out that he is about to spit in my face. 

I grasp hold of his face by his two cheeks with one hand, making Lameberine’s spit spill over his lips. 

“Do you want to know why I beat you at this ‘game?’ Because you think the game is politics, when the game really is, ‘how long can I piss off Alloya Ra’non before she nukes my whole life?’ You were never gonna win, you haven’t even scratched the surface of how to win.” 

Then for the moment my friends and I have all been waiting for. I look around me, and stand up, lifting the Prime Minister over my head by his jaw. 

I ask my team, “How do we want to kill him?”

“Kill him? I thought we were going to put him on trial?” Hideo asks as if he’s confused. “Just kidding, can I turn him to mush?” 

Clay suggests, “Let Womby decide, he was the one this piece shit hurt the most. I bet you want to boil him alive.” 

“Sounds fair to me,” I agree. Then I turn to Womby, who is showing me his watery and toothy grin. He unhinges his large jaw to speak, before looking at me like I have two heads. 

Then I feel a cold sensation on my fingertips. I swivel my head quickly to see Lamberine being engulf by what looks like a black shell.

I can’t let go fast enough, as his body is encased in this black covering that looks too similar to a horizon of a black hole in the shape of a pathetic old man. I see a look of fear in Lamberine’s one remaining eye as it closes around him, and then suddenly, his eye squints. Not like he is crying, afraid, or confused, but like he’s… smiling. 

He’s smiling…

Once it fully in cases him it shrinks and disappears into nothingness.

My hands move towards my head, and when they grasp hold I scream, “No! He can’t just get away! What?! How?!” 

I look around at my team saying, “Does anyone-?!” 

I stop because everyone is just shocked as I am, why would they be anything else?

I squeeze my hands, the urge to explode, to destroy everything after being cheat wells up in my chest. My hands starts to burn with cosmic energy, not because I have no idea, but because I do.

The aura he had around him, the coloring, the power type, it’s mine, it’s all mine. Whatever pulled him away, whoever saved Lamberine, they were only able to do that because they access to my powers. Because I wanted to speedrun politics in my ‘retirement,’ because I fell for the sales pitch even Clay could have seen a mile away. 

Because for just enough time, I was willing to be a righteous fool.

I immediately turn to Womby as he returns to his normal form. “I’m sorry Womby. I promise that I will find him and make him pay.” 

I had him in my hand, but I had to showboat. I had to rub my victory in his face, make him feel worthless all because he hurt my family.

“Captain, I believe you, but no one could have—”

BA-BOOM!!!

He’s interrupted by a large, thundering, and frighteningly familiar sound. It’s too soon, too early for them to be here. Had I been too naive to think I had more time? 

Practically in unison, we look up, past the dome of Ramone that’s still is not covered by water. They should not be this close, but then again, I’m sure there are a lot of technological advancements that they have that I don’t about it.

Over Ramone, a Regnorian destroyer has just finished wormholing itself over the city.

“If that is here for the reason we all think it is, this place is totally fucked,” Hideo comments.

Terra’rork

“Dr. Rork, we will only offer peaceful negotiation for so long,” groans a man from the Regnorian destroyer, another Regamorph who does not understand Techanot naming conventions.

“Yes sir, I understand, but my Captain’s orders are to not allow anyone to board before she returns,” I reiterate to him.

“It is because of who your Captain is that we are even entertaining your denial for us to board, we need not make a request.” 

“If that’s the case, then you know there are consequences to boarding this vessel, consequences that your men would suffer, and then everyone on your ship.” 

His mouth tightens at the threat. There’s no ship in any armada that could withstand a single Guardian’s efforts, let alone Alloya.

I assure him, “My Captain is not going to be away for forever. She should be here any minute.” Right on cue I hear her come over the coms.

“Terra, open the hangar, we’re here!” Alloya alerts me. 

I quickly set the Rango to open and alert the man to their presence. “And speak of the demon and she will. We’ll exit Ramone to speak with you right now.”

“No, just lower your shields,” he orders. Just lower the shields? I do so, but I wonder, they don’t plan to wormhole someone into the ship do they?

That is literally what happens. 

I turn around with my jaw dropped as a small wormhole opens up in the middle of the bridge. “How is this possible?” I gasp to myself.

Soon a familiar individual walks through the wormhole. He somehow heard my bewilderment and informs me, “The Regnorian Republic has made great advancements since we last spoke Terra’rork. Also, apologies for the navigator saying your name wrong.”

I sigh, remembering the last time I spoke with this man, the Chancellor… Alph.

Not a very intimidating man, nor an intimidating name…

I’m not even going to try and be surprised by the ways Regamorphs just suddenly have so many new things. If I find out that they’re turning themselves into cyborgs, I‘m going to crash the Rango into the sun.

“Don’t worry about it, Chancellor,” then I realize my error. “Sorry Alph, last time I saw you you were, you know.” I just had to make this conversation awkward.

No, I’m being serious, I had to. It was intentional.

‘You are aware I don’t listen to everything, correct?’

Didn’t know that, didn’t care. Still annoyed by our last conversation, with you being so useless.

Tortugan doesn’t respond.

Alph waves his hand like it’s nothing. I can certainly tell that it has been twenty years for him. 

The man’s face had creases and wrinkles of a man forty years his senior, but that would happen when one is the puppet leader of a galactic empire. 

“Alloya is on the ship I presume?” he asks me. “And to think the last time the rest of you saw me was when you were being broken apart. Kind of funny, I gotta do it again.” His smile deepens, and the apathy in his eyes only grows crystal clear.

Great, he can be petty too.

“She and everyone else should be here at any moment.” 

I would say speak of the demon again, but at this point eerily timely arrivals are just going to keep happening to me.

When Alloya enters the bridge she stops cold once she lays her eyes on Alph. Her emotions aren’t one of anger, but more uneasiness. Something tells me she doesn’t plan to walk over him like last time. I get up to stand and walk around everyone’s seats, this way I can see everyone. 

When Clay, Hideo, and Womby appear behind Alloya, they all seem characteristically annoyed to see Alph. I don’t blame them. 

Then Aleti pushes through them, even past her mother, and gives Alph a big smile.

“Uncle Alph!” she yells with happy smile on her face. She starts running to Alph, who walks towards her with open arms and smile of his own.

In unison Clay, Hideo, and Womby all become shocked, yelling, “Uncle?!” 

They keep trading glances between each other like they’ve been caught up in some grand conspiracy. I guess no one told them?

Wait, why is Hideo glancing at them at all?

Clay grabs Alloya by the shoulder while pointing at Alph, who is currently embracing Aleti in a tender hug. 

“Alloya, why is she calling him uncle?!”

“Clay, everyone, in case you can’t figure it out, I just never told you that my younger brother was the Chancellor.”

“What?!” Womby exclaims.

“No way!” Hideo shouts whiling bringing his palms to his cheeks.

“Why didn’t you ever tell us?” Clay asks her, seemingly hurt.

In a way that regained their trust instantly, she asks, “Who would want to admit being related to him?”

“That’s true,” Womby agrees.

“I can understand that,” Hideo insults.

Clay still gives Alloya a sideways look. “Is he your brother or just your dad’s kid?” 

Alloya smirks at him.

“Mom?!” Aleti scolds her mother. “Guys! Don’t be assholes!” Then she turns back to her uncle. “I’m sorry about them, Uncle.”

“Don’t worry about it. We have a checkered history they can’t get past,” he tells his niece. “I basically fired them.” 

I see the anger flare in Clay nostrils, literally, there’s a bit of smoke. Hideo immediately flicks him.

Clay mumbles, “It’s not like he tried to have me executed or anything.”

Aleti turns around towards him, shocked and confused, but Alph reminds him, “You did help destroy a whole species.”

“No I didn’t!”

Hideo almost too seriously, replies, “That is completely arguable, failing to save someone is not killing them, even if you accidently blow up the place that caused the explosion.”

Alloya smacks Clay and Hideo on the back of their heads, then walks up to Alph with her demands. “Alright, let’s just get to the point. What the fuck are you doing on my ship?” Then while pointing to the sky, “And what are they doing in Riverteria’s atmosphere?”

Alph nonchalantly tells his sister, ignoring her commanding attitude, “Well I got here from the new individual wormhole generator. More importantly though, in case you’ve forgotten, Alloya, I’m not Chancellor, which means I don’t have to get you out of trouble to save face,” then stepping forward to get in her face and match her stern demeanor, “so don’t act as if I owe you anything.”

Then Alph composes himself and leans back, putting his smile back on. “Today though, I’m getting you out of trouble as your brother, and for your daughter, Alloya. And guess what? It’s not good. The destroyer, it’s a show of force to the Rivertans, they hold no ideas that they can take all of you.”

“Now I fail to see how it’s bad for me.” 

Aleti hits her mother on the arm. “Mom, can you be nice to your brother for like, a minute? He’s just trying to help us out.” Then Aleti looks her mother up and down before telling her, “Apologize.”

The Captain, bewildered, responds, “Excuse me—”

“Apologize to your brother, mother!” Aleti scolds her. Now the boys try to hold in their giggles. 

The Captain wants to berate her daughter, but with her daughter practically parenting her mother over her immaturity, it would seem a tad antagonistic. 

The Captain caves, and apologizes as she rolls her eyes, “I’m sorry.”

Aleti squints at her mother angrily, “Don’t roll your eyes at me, mother.”

Alph chuckles and places a hand on Aleti shoulders. “Don’t worry about it. She’s always been like this. It would take me being on death’s door for her to say she’s honestly sorry.”

She gives him a dirty look. 

Alph takes notice, remains unfazed by it, and tells her, “Remember that, and remember that I do not have to be here, I chose to. You said you failed to see the problem, but guess what? You, Terra’rork, and Aleti, you are all fugitives, and everyone across the Regnorian territories knows that.”

Aleti admits with a slump in her shoulders, “We kind of figured that would happen.”

“You can return home though… if…” Alph trails off.

“If?” the Captain questions Alph with a narrowing of her eyes. 

“If you come with us quietly…” he mutters quietly.

The Captain smirked as the boys behind her snicker. “Why would I do that?” 

Alph immediately gestures towards Aleti, who is obviously saddened by the confirmation. “Maybe she would like to go home, Alloya? Before you laughed did you consider that?” 

Then Alph gestures towards me, “Or how about Terra’rork?” At first, I get confused, but then I remember. “Don’t you think he would want to see his family again when whatever you’re doing is over?” 

I honestly haven’t thought about it in a long time, and this makes me feel guilty. I haven’t seen my family in over a year, but because of this adventure I have almost— no I have forgotten about seeing them, as I am sure they’ve forgotten me.

“Terra,” I hear Alloya call my name. I look up, trying to not reveal my own feelings. I see Womby walk over to me, and then place his hand on my arm, displaying that he is sorry for me.

“Now do you see why this is bad?” Alph asks, talking to her as if she’s a child. “They want you three to come peacefully, to stand trial. You’ll get to say your piece, something you’re only getting because of your popularity. People want to hear your side. You’re getting a chance.”

“Who are we, ‘saying our piece’ to?”

Alph clarifies that with a cough into his hand, “Actually only you will be speaking, Alloya. You’ll stand in front of Parliament.”

“Ugh.”
“They gave you multiple medals. You once swore to uphold their word to the letter,” Alph reminds her with a wag of his finger.

“They also swore to uphold what’s best for the people,” she spits back, “whatever that means.”

“Yes, our people. I would say no offense to the rest of you, but I’m not going to pretend like your governments don’t do the exact same thing.” 

Even Clay nods his head to that.

“I’ll consider it,” the Captain mutters. Aleti immediately pushes away from her.

“Mom, we have to go!” Aleti pleads.

“We’re not done here. We need to find Lamberine, and fix what has happened here on Riverteria,” the Captain argues. 

Womby tells her, “Captain, I can handle my own people from here on out, and honestly, none of us have any clue as to how to find Lamberine.”

“Yeah, and the rest of us can take the time to make sure we can go home when this is all over,” Hideo tries to assure the Captain. “We’d hate to keep you guys from seeing your home planet without being shot at.”

“Actually,” Alph starts, “we don’t claim to have jurisdiction over the you two,” in reference to Clay, and Hideo. “I mean, Alloya assaulted government agents with Terra and Aleti as accomplices. What have you even done to warrant us coming after you?” As soon as he says that, Clay and Hideo trade looks. 

Hideo must be doing that for comedic effect. 

“You know what,” Alph says, “I don’t want to know.” 

“So,” Clay starts, “what will we do?”

The Captain tells him sternly, “You better start looking for Lamberine.”

“We’ll find him,” Hideo responds with a sure nod of his head.

“So we’re going?” Aleti asks, looking at her mother with pleading eyes. 

“Maybe it’s time we go back,” the Captain mutters. She looks at Alph and asks, “Is it safe to assume everyone will be watching this trial?”

“Guaranteed,” Alph replies quickly. Then he notices her smile afterwards. “What are you thinking?”

“Why not tell everyone what I’ve been doing? I’m sure they’ll be very interested to hear,” she reasons with a shrug of her shoulders.

Alph closes his eyes and starts rubbing his forehead, clearly developing a headache because of his sister’s antics. He just adds, “Just so you and Aleti know, you will need to be shackled. Terra… you’ll be fine.”

Ah yes, they don’t think I’m a threat.

“Sure,” the Captain agrees as she grins, somewhat full of herself. 

“So you three are definitely going?” Clay asks surprised. “What about the Rango?” Then gesturing to him and Hideo, “We can’t drive it!”

“You’ll have to find another ride,” Alph informs him as his arms go behind his back. “The Rango was funded by the Regnorian Republic, we’re taking it with us.”

Clay spreads his arms out wide, like he’s about to curse. Hideo rests a hand on his shoulder to tell him, “I can borrow a Waverite ship if we need it. Or we can call the Noland.” 

“Yeah, but this is our house!”

“How do you know about—?” the Ex-Chancellor starts but stops himself. “Nevermind, like I said before, I don’t want to know. If we’re all in agreement, can you three get off the ship so we can go?”

“Don’t be rude, uncle,” Aleti scolds him, causing him to narrow his brow at her.

Alloya chuckles, asking him, “Don’t like it when it’s done to you, do you?”