Bob himself had moved, taking Saydaa with him on a grav-jet. The pair had arrived at the former location of the Paraguana Refinery complex, a giant tree sitting where the refinery once stood. The pair had landed on top of the tree and were standing on one of the branches. Saydaa looked up at Bob.

“Um, boss-man, you sure this is going to work? Like, I just say these magic words and it’s all good?”

Bob shrugged.

“Under normal circumstances, no, it wouldn’t do anything at all. You’d need years of study and meditation, communing with the Earth. Even then, you’d have to be specifically chosen. But here, where the full power of the Earth was unleashed and still flows strong? When chanted by someone with her own mystical powers for the sole purpose of communication? It just might work.”

Saydaa fidgeted a bit and sighed.

“Well…ok then…here goes…”

She took off her shoes, placing her bare feet against the branch below. She clasped her hands together, closed her eyes, and stirred up her power, sending it towards the tree.

“I’m one with the Earth…and the Earth is with me.”

At first, nothing.

And then…the tree began to shake.

And the pair heard a quiet voice…a mere whisper on the wind.

“...you…are not one with us. We…do not know if we like you.”

Bob nodded.

“That’s fair. But it’s not about if you like me or not.”

“...why…have you come?”

“The Earth is in danger. We are surrounded by marauders from across the stars. They will destroy this planet. Even if they do not, they will exploit it to its fullest. We seek to prevent that.”

Silence.

Bob took a deep breath.

“We can help you. We can give you a way to fight, and then fight alongside you. But it must be now. Otherwise…there will be no one left to help.”

“...you are insolent and irreverent. But…we agree. We felt them, they took our friend. We will not forgive them. We will let you borrow our power, though you are not one with us. But know this: you are not chosen. We want our friend back. You must bring her back.”

Bob heaved a sigh, and whispered to himself.

“...I want my friend back too.”

With that, he turned to Saydaa. She nodded and called upon her power, rising to the air as her whole body glowed red. She lifted her hands and thrusted them down on the tree…

Red light danced along the tree, drawing geometric shapes all over it, until the entire tree was covered in magic circles. Once the final shape was in place they flashed once. The light faded from both the circles and Saydaa, the shapes becoming black lines carved into the bark.

And then…

The ground began to shake.

The lines began to glow once more.

Green light grew from the bottom of the tree, filling the lines and the shapes, climbing up the tree.

Higher.

Higher.

Until it reached the final branches.

The whole tree began to shine bright.

And then a green beam of light shot into the sky. It reached high into the atmosphere and then started to spread out horizontally.

Spreading farther.

Wider.

Until the entire planet was covered in a shield of green light.

And just in time.

The fleet had taken up their positions.

Their bows began to glow.

They opened fire, unleashing an orbital bombardment designed to wipe out all major population centers and military bases…

The blasts struck the shield and exploded against it.

But the shield held.

Not a single strike would land on the Earth that day.

Back in the UN, the world leaders watched with their mouths wide open. Londyn’s face was scrunched up, her mind not even sure what to think.

It settled on a pounding headache.

And then she got a call.

“Hello Londyn.”

“...I have a lot to say.”

“After. For now we have work to do.”

She heaved a sigh.

“I take it this isn’t permanent?”

“No, and there’s no guarantee they won’t find a way through. I suspect they still have forces on the planet in any case. And the tree at Paraguana must stay standing for the shield to function.”

“...and let me guess, you want me to protect it?”

“You and anyone else who doesn’t want an orbital bombardment.”

Londyn heaved a dramatic sigh.

“...you never make my life easy, do you?”

“I’m sorry for that.”

“No well…”

She allowed herself to smile.

“I’ll admit, this time I’m glad for the chance to fight. Not sure we can win, though.”

“Just hold out as long as you can, I have a plan.”

“I hope so. You’ve committed us to this, after all. How it ends is on you now.”

Londyn hung up. She took a deep breath and turned to the world leaders.

Now for the hard part.

The Nova Guardians fidgeted as they climbed on the grav-jet. They had barely started their hero career, now they were suddenly heading into a fight for the entire world! Against aliens of all things!

The members of Aurora Legion stepped onto the jet. Wonder Knight went over and pat Crystal Guardian on the shoulder.

“Don’t worry, you’ll be fine. I know it’s scary, I’m scared too. But you’re not going alone. We’re all coming with you. Just do your best, and we’ll get through this. Together.”

And then someone placed a hand on Wonder Knight’s shoulder, patting him once before walking by.

Captain Hot Devil nodded.

“He’s right. We’re all in this together. We’ll be there to help you.”

The Nova Guardians gulped and nodded. But they had stopped trembling.

A man walked into the ILS engineering bay. He followed a scientist to a large cylinder. The cylinder opened up with a hiss.

The man sighed.

“Is good to be back. I look forward to see what new suit can do.”

Tesla Titan returned to duty once more.

Tina’s Titans rushed aboard their transport when they heard the boots. They turned around and gasped.

Tina jumped aboard, in her combat uniform this time, a pair of pistols at her side.

“All right you maggots, I’m going to show you how it’s done!”

“It’s an honor, General.”

“You bet your butt it is! Let’s do this!”

Admiral Faulker heaved a sigh.

Yep.

Definitely a suicide mission again.

Just once, he’d like an opponent he could actually do something about.

But hey, at least he got the entire fleet this time. If nothing else, he could take pride in commanding the largest fleet the States had ever put together.

And then received a transmission…from the Chinese PLA Navy.

“Hello, Admiral Faulker.”

“If it isn’t Admiral Huo. I’m surprised to see you again. Guess you’re being sent to die too, huh?”

“...I prefer to pretend our governments are acknowledging our skill and flexibility.”

“Hey buddy, whatever lets you sleep at night.”

The ILS’s mobile HQ arrived over Paraguana. Drones and grav-jets launched from every hangar on it, either delivering heroes and supplies to the ground or starting patrols around the glowing tree.

Londyn had put out an emergency call. Code 0, all-in threat of global annihilation. Every hero she could find was here. Active duty heroes like Aurora Legion or Master Elegant Katana, Academy trainees like the Nova Guardians, Academy trainers like Icy Falcon and Dr. Ueda. New heroes looking to make a name for themselves, brand new applicants who had only signed up in response to the threat. Even retired heroes like Tesla Titan had answered the call.

And they weren’t the only ones.

The Venezuelan army was already in position, its soldiers chatting with some of the heroes on the ground. Out in the sea, the largest naval fleet the world had ever seen gathered, ships from every nation that had them standing by. The skies were filled with soaring fighter jets while helicopters and landing boats disembarked soldiers and armored vehicles from all across the world. All around the beaches and the forest, soldiers began digging trenches, setting up command posts and field hospitals, deploying artillery, and preparing for a fight.

The shinobi of Japan appeared along the shore in puffs of smoke, eager to avenge their fallen leaders.

Major General Tina had arrived as well with her squad in tow, already arguing with Tesla Titan over something.

A group of seven otters swam through the waves, small barbed spears held in their jaws.

A group of cackling women stood around a bubbling cauldron. Londyn decided not to ask what they were cooking.

Londyn herself stepped off her grav-jet, joining the assembled military commanders.

“General, thank you for having us. You sure this is all right?”

The Venezuelan general shrugged.

“My government told me to get rid of all the intruders on our soil, but that I am free to choose the order I handle them. I figure we’ll start with the ones up there.”

Londyn smiled at that and got to work. They had a lot to discuss if hundreds of militaries and heroes were going to fight together.

And fight they would.

Because the Battle for Earth was about to begin.