"Alright, you two, settle down," Grandfather's voice, as comforting as a warm blanket, filled the room. He leaned back in his creaky armchair, the firelight casting dancing shadows on the walls. "Let me tell you a story from a time long past. A legend of Arkhalos."
He paused, letting the anticipation build. "Thousands of years ago, the world had a great protector. He was chosen by a wise master named Sigaaru, who knew the secret of how to gather the energy from the world around us—from the wind, the earth, the very air we breathe—and turn it into a force for good.
"Sigaaru trained Arkhalos, teaching him seven special moves that unlocked seven incredible powers. These powers made Arkhalos the true protector of humanity, incredibly powerful, almost unstoppable."
Grandfather held up a finger. "First was the Omega Gate. With a powerful scream, Arkhalos could release a wave of radioactive energy that would instantly vaporize his targets. A simple touch, or even a long stare at an object, could make it disappear in a flash of energy."
He raised a second finger. "Next came Psyche-Weaver. This gave him the power to create illusions of anything he could imagine. He could make clones of himself to confuse his enemies or shield himself from blasts and bullets by wrapping himself in illusionary energy."
"His third power was the Kinetic Aegis," Grandfather continued, his voice low and serious. "With a simple anti-clockwise turn of his hand, he could reflect any attack—physical or emotional—right back at his opponent. He also had super-senses and, thanks to his inner peace, he could even fight evil spirits."
"Then there was Chrono-Lock," he said, tapping his temple. "He could freeze time, speed it up, or even glance into the past. But this power was dangerous. It had rules, and if he overused it, he could create paradoxes that could shatter the world. He was also a master of martial arts and could move at the speed of light."
"The fifth power was called Lux-Synthesis. Arkhalos could rebuild anything from any material in a new or unique way. He could also shapeshift, not just into other people, but into any type of matter or object. He could even bend light to create solid things out of thin air."
"His sixth power was Rift-Walker," Grandfather said, a hint of awe in his voice. "He could create portals like black holes and wormholes, allowing him to travel anywhere in an instant. He was so powerful he could trap someone in a wormhole forever. This power also let him become like a ghost, phasing through walls and attacks as if they weren't there."
"And finally, there was the Locus-Mind. He could move objects with just his thoughts. He could see the aura of energy around any person or object, allowing him to guess their emotions and thoughts. This power let him see his enemies' weak points, trick them easily, and always come up with the perfect plan to defeat them."
"Arkhalos was known for his courage, his willingness to serve others, and the many sacrifices he made while defending humanity and the world."
"Grandpa," one of the grandsons piped up, "what's 'humanity' and 'the world'?"
Grandfather smiled. "That's a good question. 'Humanity' is all of us. It's every person on the planet, living together, sharing our lives and our dreams. And 'the world' is our home—this beautiful Earth that gives us air to breathe and ground to stand on. Arkhalos was the guardian of it all."
His smile faded. "But his emotions soon turned darker. The immense power he held began to corrupt him. He started to believe he should rule the world, forcing everyone to live under his control. The great protector turned against the very world that gave him his power."
"But what he didn't know," Grandfather leaned in, his voice a whisper, "was that going against your master can be a dangerous and regretful mistake. To stop him from causing unimaginable destruction, Sigaaru appeared and challenged him. Arkhalos was strong, but Sigaaru was his master, and Arkhalos was no match for him."
"In the end, Sigaaru made the ultimate sacrifice. He gave up his own life to forge a prison of immense power known as The Paradox Crown. It was a wormhole infused with Sigaaru's own life force. He locked away Arkhalos's chi—his life energy—and cast him inside. The wormhole was sealed with black holes, and the energy of any nearby white holes was drained, leaving no chance of return. The world was protected from a powerful threat."
"But," Grandfather said, his eyes gleaming in the firelight, "many believe that someday, Arkhalos will return. And this time, there will be no one to challenge him."
The grandsons stared at him, their eyes wide in the dim light.
Grandfather chuckled, breaking the tension. "Oh, well, it's just a myth, so no worries." He stood up, stretching his old bones. He walked over and tucked his grandsons into their beds. "Now, off to bed for a good sleep."
As the boys closed their eyes, the screen fades to black. Bold, epic letters appear:
PROTECTORS OF HUMANITY