Child of Destiny

One year and six months later...

It was dark, throughout Beyond HQ. All power and resources had been redirected to Earth's defences. Sarah was having a hard time dragging Nirro's body out of a cart and into the lab.

The feeling of darkness, enveloped the Earth and Moon, as its residents struggled to get by and maintain order, every day. Hope was no longer an emotion people held, for they could no longer see their Sun. Earth had been transported out of the Solar System, abandoning Sonara and Dargan. A situation Sarah had been forced to deal with for nearly the past year, due to the constant invasions by the children of Atlas.

She finally made it, into the lab and had her last remaining android help her, then continued preparations for surgery. They placed Nirro's body into a revamped cryomed, connected to a similar one beside it, with a large tube.

A plan Nirro thought of, as a last resort to protect the Earth, Sarah remembered, then stepped into the other. Nanites, along with fluids flowed through each of the cryomeds and filled them up once the glass had sealed closed.

Normally, patients were put to sleep, before or within seconds of it closing. However, Sarah stayed awake. Remembering Nirro's plan, as it haunted herself over and over, with the events that transpired, as the last of the Novas fell one by one to the Cerian Empire.

The cryomeds whirred loudly, as the nanites broke down Sarah's body and integrated it with Nirro's. Fixing the imperfections, and damages to the princess's body as they became one.

Nirro's face merged with Sarah's, as her hair stayed black, but morphed into Sarah's hairstyle. She had slits running under her eyes, with her complexion becoming a little more pale.

After six hours, the fluids in the cryomeds drained out, clicking open the glass cover. Sarah opened her eyes and coughed up some contents. Her mind and memories had been implanted into Nirro's core and restarted.

She gasped for air. Grasping the concept of breathing for the first time. Slowly, she got out of the pod, fumbling and falling to her knees crying. She felt physical pain for the first time, the tears flowing down her cheek, and her chest getting tighter, as she realized how finite, life truly was. She was alive.

The concept of being alive had only been something she could simulate, not truly feel. Every emotion imaginable hit her all at once, as she sobbed even harder, thinking of everyone that died and the billions of people she had failed. Dragging around a half-burning planet.

Then she thought of Tobi and stopped crying. "That's right, the last mission..." She wiped her tears. Her eyes stung red but went back to normal quickly.

An android helped Sarah up and walked her over to a nearby mirror. It was difficult to walk, but she knew it would take her time to get used to Nirro's body. She could not decide on what face to make, seeing her new self in the mirror, as tears, broke through once again.

"I have her eyes..." She reached up to her face, then looked away. "Take me to the Mortuary, Saphyra."

Saphyra was an almost identical clone of her, with brown hair and a darker skin tone. Sarah made Saphyra to be able to replace her in case, anything should happen to her.

She tasked Saphyra with taking care of the Earth and keeping a lookout for the children of Atlas. A task now far more difficult, with limited resources.

Saphyra drove Sarah, down the empty dark halls of Beyond HQ. People she could not bury yet, were piled up still sealed up in bags around the room. In the center, there were many operating tables, but the closest one had Norah's lifeless body on it.

One of the only Novas she could bring back in one piece. Next to Norah, was Kalista's body on another table, almost unrecognizable. Saphyra helped Sarah walk to them.

"I'm so sorry girls, but I have to do this to bring you back, it's the only way." Sarah apologized, as she stared at their faces, remembering what it was like to be with them.

She shed a tear, while reaching one hand out, then absorbed the both of them. Energy coursed through her like never before.

Saphyra let go, as Sarah stood on her own. Electric & earth attributes began crackling and subtly made their presence around her.

She smiled lightly, thinking of her friend. "Nirro, it worked. Your plan worked." Then looked over at Saphyra. "It's time for the next step..."

Three years later...

Saphyra frantically rushed Sarah to the Medbay. Who was screaming outright from labour pains, as her water had just broke.

After a disturbing amount of miscarriages and grief, Sarah had finally been able to give birth. A living, breathing child, she hoped, would be able to change the future.

She wished Nirro and Tobi were there with her, as the contractions worsened. Causing her to scream even louder and grip Saphyra's hand. She felt cold and hot at the same time, followed up by a series of popping headaches, as the baby threw violent kicks and punches, more than a mother could take.

Every once in a while, she would seize from a bolt of electricity running through her, starting from her abdomen. Saphyra tried to keep her awake and coach her through, as Sarah was fighting for her life. "You need to take deep breaths and push, on my mark."

Sarah nodded. Although she had been screaming at her, due to the pain, she was glad Saphyra was there for her. Just like her, she used the same method, the brothers did to create her, but programmed the android to be more independent, and focused than her, so as to not make the same mistakes she had. Yet Saphyra had always supported her, asked for constant advice, and worked together with her. Making her the closest she's had to a little sister.

"Ready?" Saphyra asked.

Sarah bit her lip and nodded, as Saphyra smiled at her. "Now push!"

After several attempts, Sarah slumped back exhausted, while Saphyra carefully wrapped a cloth around her newborn baby. "Sarah look, it's a girl!" She said, bringing the baby closer.

Sarah looked at her baby, weakly. Awestruck, by her accomplishment, she began to cry as she took hold of her and looked at her daughter's adorable face. She had a mixed light skin tone, with grey storm-like eyes glimmering briefly as she closed them, along with her face flushing before she began to cry.

She was a mother, she couldn't believe it. Sarah laughed weakly. "The people of Earth, wouldn't believe this nor accept it... We're going to keep her safe until it's time."

Saphyra smiled. "Of course. Before I go run some more tests on her, what did you want to name her?"

She gave Saphyra a faint smile and continued to soothe her child, playing with her. "We'll call her Kiala, the one who might change our destiny."

Fifteen years later...

Kiala zipped through the training room, trying to push herself to her limit. Completely destroying every android that came at her, with balls of fire.

A few androids leaped into the air, aiming for an aerial attack. She glanced up, and froze them in midair, while three more rushed her from behind.

She raised a hyper-athletic golem, with gold hands turning into fists and boxing their heads off. A large siegemech charged her, firing missiles and machine gun fire.

She blipped from her position, dodged the range of fire, clad in electricity, then rushed it, hopping onto its arm, and unsheathing her sword. It reared back, trying to shake her off, but she stabbed down into it to hold on, then climbed her way up to its head, as it tried to swat her with its other hand.

Kiala shifted into first gear, then leaped up and sent slices of ice, covered in flames and electricity, cutting the reaching arm off. She then aimed one hand down at its head while floating. "Static: Lightning Blaze!"

Blue lightning and orange fire raced forth mixing midflight and engulfing the siegemech, with the android piloting it. Resulting in a massive explosion.

She shielded herself in a dome of ice, as Saphyra clapped from the audience seats. Kiala looked over at Saphyra disappointed. "This is boring, I wish Mom would let me go down to Earth."

Saphyra shook her head. "You know we can't do that. You have an important mission."

Kiala frowned, unsatisfied with her answer. "Yeah but what is it? You guys have never told me. I've already defeated a few children of Atlas already. What are you guys so afraid of?"

Just then, the overhead speaker chimed in. "Kiala and Saphyra, it's time... come to the R&D department."

At the R&D department...

Kiala thought she had too many rules constricting her life. She was not allowed to go to Earth and barely interacted with other human beings, atleast without disguises. Lastly, she wasn't allowed any social media.

Amongst all of that, in her isolated little world, she was forbidden from ever entering the R&D department. A room Sarah had cooped herself up in regularly, after her birth.

Kiala was amazed, by the size of the room and the amount of clutter, notes, and parts lying around. She looked over at Sarah, who was standing by a chair, hooked to a large arc, portal-shaped machine on top of a large platform, as a replica of Saphyra continued working away on a monitor.

"Mom, what's going on? What's this?" Kiala asked, curious but wary.

Sarah smiled. "Kiala, we've barely told you anything about your father, but now... It's time for you to meet him."

Kiala smirked, shaking her head. "He got himself killed and left us in this situation. I'm not interested. Come on, let's go down to Earth Mom, and go shopping again. It's not healthy to keep yourself cooped up in here for this long."

Sarah laughed, a genuine one, that Kiala, hadn't heard in a while. "I'm sure he wouldn't like that attitude. Still, you will be going to Earth though, well at least close enough. You will be able to see him there, he can't come to us."

Kiala's eyebrows rose. "Wait what? He's been on Earth, this whole time?"

Sarah laughed lightly once more, then nodded at Saphyra. Who stealthily injected a tranquillizer into Kiala's arm, hidden in her palm.

Kiala felt the sting and looked back at Saphyra. "Wait...What... what are you doing?" She asked but started to fall, as her consciousness began to fade, but Saphyra caught her, just in time. Kiala struggled to fight the sedative. "Why... why are you doing this?"

Sarah watched, Saphyra pick her up in both arms, then looked back at her. "You will understand, eventually." She explained, fighting back tears. "For the last 20 years, I've worked on this plan, it was the only thing keeping me away from despair, aside from you of course. Please save him and be the hero you've always wanted to be."

She walked over and sat in the chair, as the machine powered up and began absorbing energy from her. Saphyra stood on the platform as a trolley with a big crate and another small box, labelled, 'For Kiala', were strolled onto the platform.

The arc part of the machine began rotating in place, like a wheel, then shifted apart, becoming a little bigger, before it started spinning in all directions, encompassing the entire platform, like a gyroscope. Cracks started to appear in the air, as the breeze in the room began to pick up.

Kiala's eyes started to close, she couldn't hold out much longer. Sarah looked at her once more and with her last breath, she gave her one final message. "Happy Birthday Kiala, You are my world and I will always love you." Then she slumped over, lifeless in her chair, as the machine pulled the last of her strength out of her, to reach optimal settings.

A tear dripped down Kiala's cheek, as she fell unconscious, while Saphyra looked at her creator, then at Kiala. She felt the sadness, but didn't cry, for there was no reason to. "For the mission." She whispered to herself, as they vanished with the entire platform, into thin air.