Return to Rennaya

Tobi and the Novas continued to train on Azuria and increase their knowledge of iko, along with their strength and techniques. They took turns switching with the other Novas, invading the Cerian Empire and protecting the Federation, during the next several weeks.

Beyond progressed with a path forward, securing a safe route for Earth and the other planets of the Federation through Cerian Space. In due time they came across the last habitual planet, at the end of their path. A planet, that looked to be recovering from a mass invasion. With abandoned cities, overtaken by nature and an incredibly small population of survivors, showing up on Saphyra's scans.

She immediately rushed to Sarah, with the news, hoping to confirm something. However, as she watched Sarah's eyes light up, she got her answer. The war-torn, ghost planet, was in fact Rennaya.

Such news made headlines across Earth and the rest of the Federation. A massive event was created, to help raise the declining morale and to showcase progress. Beyond, would be visiting Rennaya, and performing a late funeral for the people there.

Sarah also wanted to dig up, all of the ancient artifacts and records, the planet might have to offer. Within a couple of days, of the discovery, Saphyra had gathered together four million troops, commanded and protected by seven and a half million combat androids. Dozens of Aeromachs were loaded with hundreds of tanks and aircrafts, all ready to be deployed.

Osei & Kalista insisted on going. The Novas had noticed that the Rennayans were holding back their emotions and didn't breaking out of character. However, they knew, the images and drone videos, that Saphyra had shown them, tore them apart.

Saphyra was hesitant but decided to add them to the roster. She then picked Norah, Tai, and Helio to lead an expedition, on the Northern continent. Kiala, Jacira, and Nate were to lead another expedition to the Western continent and lastly, Kayed, Simon, and Carina were to travel to the Eastern continent.

As for Tobi and Osei, she allowed them to have the freedom to look into the city of Senae, within the Central continent. Kalista wanted to go alone, but since the Azurian royal family wanted to take part, Saphyra asked her to escort Kaieda and Yori along with her to her hometown.

Akio granted each of the teams, a few of his Hashin to tag along with them. For his family though he doubled the security. With the Rahmanaka's help, Saphyra was now more confident that she could carry out this event with no problems.

Noon the following day...

One hundred and sixty Aeromachs, entered the Rennayan Solar System, making their way towards Rennaya. Only ten ships descended to the planet, the rest remained in orbit, securing the Solar System and conducting lighter expeditions on nearby planets and moons. They discovered old mining and research outposts on planets, moons, and asteroids that the Rennayans had set up. Using them for agriculture and inescapable prisons as well.

Tobi was a little excited to be learning a bit more about his roots. He loved visiting Nigeria with his family. Food back home was unlike anything else. With the sights and the culture, although he often felt a loss of cultural identity growing up so far away, visiting there always gave him a sense of home.

Now landing in Senae, after everything he had been told about, it all just felt surreal. Still, Tobi, knew better than to show his excitement, in front of Osei. Knowing his brother may still have some trauma, haunting him.

Sarah continued around them as usual. She had not been able to spend much time with them, after her transformation, but they didn't mind, just teased her a bit, and let her be. They always knew, that every one of the projects she worked on, and continued to work on, would positively impact Beyond's military strength in space.

"The other teams have their missions, but you two, including Kalista, are free to do whatever you want... After you get in first contact with the natives here..." She said as she watched them roll their eyes. "Just let them know, that we come in peace, please?"

They nodded, as two Hashin, split apart, following behind them, into the sky. Both heading toward coordinates, Sarah had updated on their monitors. A light HUD display on their retinas, that could be shut on and off by thought.

Osei ignored his orders and went straight to the spot. The place he last saw his parents broadcasted. The feeling he had seeing, their skeletons still in place.

He broke down, while the Hashin watching him, knew immediately to give him his space. He began preparing a coffin to keep them in, as they would most likely transport them to the royal cemetery, near the Hallantium. Osei thanked the Hashin for giving him a hand.

Tobi landed on the outskirts of the city, near a forest. He wondered if he was in the right spot. As he flew through the city, he was surprised by the craftsmanship the people had. Remnants of fallen skyscrapers roamed the city, invaded and reclaimed by the environment.

He wished he could have seen what it was like, back in the day. The sound of twigs snapping caught his attention. He glanced around, looking deep into the forest, to try and find the source of the sound.

Pushing some leaves to the side, a young Rennayan woman around his age, made her way into the open. Staring him down.

Tobi slowly placed one hand on his chest, above his heart and bowed slightly, a familiar action in his culture back home. Osei had taught him, this was also a show of respect, to another fellow Rennayan.

"Hi, my name is Tobi, Commander of the Beyond Space Force. What is your name?" His comm, helped to translate the words out of his mouth, as he spoke.

The woman backed up slowly but replied while trying to hide the fear from her voice. "Are you a child of Atlas?" She asked, wary.

Tobi, shook his head, wondering what would make her think that, yet she continued. "Are you a slave of the Cerian Empire?"

Tobi shook his head once more. "No, I am not affiliated with the Cerian Empire. I'm from Earth, a planet far off in space. Way too far to imagine, but somehow I found out, that I might also have come from here." As he said that, he calmly reached his hand out, with his palm facing up.

Pebbles crashed together forming a tiny sphere, followed by a ball of fire manifesting, then an orb of electricity, all orbiting around a sphere of telekinetic force, cracking up air in the middle. Last, ice manifested, joining the mix and leaving the girl astonished.

"It can't be... you are..." She stuttered, then dropped to her knees, shocked.

Tobi stopped what he was doing to help, her up. As he did, she grabbed hold of him and asked with sincere eyes. "Please help us! Our doctor is sick."

He thought about it for a second, then agreed. Moments later the woman rushed him, to her village. Deep within the forest. He expected to come across makeshift huts and salvaged garbage from the city. He was half right.

The woman had introduced herself, to him as Jelani. She had a dark complexion and wore ragged old clothes. She was around 5'9, with beautiful blue eyes, that had seen, enough stress in her life. Yet she carried on with the strength of a lion.

She brought him to a door of an underground bunker. Branches and leaves camouflaged it. Jelani walked up and brushed some aside, revealing a hi-tech touchpad. She tapped several buttons, then stepped back, as a door, revealed itself shimmering as nanites parted parted ways.

A small elevator took them down, with an open view of the entire bunker, leaving Tobi speechless. The interior of the bunker was massive, housing at least one hundred and fifty people with a capacity of tens of thousands.

The people seemed depressed, Tobi thought, as they got closer to a makeshift gate. Two Rennayan men stood firm, as guards.

"Who is that with you Jelani? He is not from around here." One of them asked, in a deep tone.

Jaleni frowned. "What's it to you, Remi? He's my guest. We're in a hurry, so let me through."

She started to walk through the gate, but the other guard grabbed her up, restraining her, as the other one stepped up to Tobi. However, In one swift motion, a large golem made up of ice, manifested, grabbing hold of the guard's leg, holding Jelani and lifted him up.

He dropped her yelling out, as a second golem caught her. Embarrassed, he began punching the golem, with fists covered in stones, telling it, to let him down.

At the same time, Tobi sidestepped Remi's reach with fire at his heels, then grabbed his arm, and twisted it behind his back, as he moulded cuffs out of stone and metal to keep him still.

People started to gather, while Jelani was let down. "Did he just use...?"

"It's not possible..." The people murmured.

Tobi looked down at Remi. "Listen, when people are talking to you. I was invited here on an urgent task. I apologize for doing this, but I do not have time to go through the right procedures right now."

He gave the man a smile, although he knew he wasn't getting one back. "I promise I will be back."

Tobi started to leave, as Jelani watched Remi, get up slowly with his hands still cuffed behind his back. She called out after Tobi, but it was too late, both of the guards had freed themselves, gathering their utmost strength to take on the monster that had just walked past them.

Tobi continued walking without care. With his next step though, a trail of ice, raced out from under his sole, freezing the two lunging at him. Then a titanium and diamond cage swallowed them up and rose, as a tower to the ceiling of the bunker, keeping them prisoner.

He turned his head towards Jelani, who was shocked by what she had just witnessed. She grew up with Remi and the other guard. They were one of the toughest in the village. She couldn't imagine them losing so easily.

"Are you coming? Don't worry about them. They just need to cool their heads a bit." Tobi said, as he continued walking.

Jelani looked up at the imprisoned guards once more, then turned around to lead the way. Pausing as their path was laden with people kneeling and murmuring to themselves. Some of the elders had tears flowing, thanking God for what they had just witnessed.

Tobi was a bit puzzled, but he could tell, they were doing this for him. Jelani looked back, seeing his confused expression. "What do you expect? The legendary Rennayan was only supposed to be a legend or a fairy tale. Showing off your abilities like that only gives them hope."

She grabbed his hand, rushing him forward. "Come on! We have to hurry!"

They stopped in front of one of the largest mobile units, the size of a single home. It looked ancient but was more held together than the rest of the units. Which spread around in a circle, with the large headquarters in the center. Storing their security monitors and warning devices, that helped the survivors keep tabs on the outside. The headquarters also contained a large elevator, behind it, to help bring or evacuate the masses.

Jelani had told Tobi, as much as she could, on the way over to the clinic. He noticed many tents set up outside of it.

He could hear the sound of painful coughs, and feel the pain that the people were suffering from. He made a protective ice mask, to filter the air, he was breathing, realizing, that there was an outbreak in the bunker.

He followed Jelani, into the clinic, as she made her way toward a large room. Passing by more sick people, waiting for their end.

On a small bed, laid a middle-aged woman, weak and holding on to life, as best as she could. Tobi walked up to her, while Jelani, rushed to her side, whispering to her.

One look at her and Tobi knew she wasn't going to make it past the next few days, possibly even the next morning. He approached slowly as Jelani, glanced back, crying. "Please, is there anything you can do?" She asked, desperately.

Tobi was unsure, he had never practiced his medical abilities, as often as Helio and Nur, so he didn't know the extent of what he could heal. Sarah had often had them partake in volunteer missions, in impoverished countries. Healing as many of those, suffering from diseases, wounds, and ailments.

He placed one hand over her stomach, summoning forth, the sickness, weakening her by isolating the areas affected with ice. However, it backfired, spreading itself further and putting the host through much more pain.

The woman screamed out, as a nurse rushed in, while Jelani held on to the woman's hand. Tobi, felt, the weight of another's life, in his hands, something, he'd been feeling too often lately. He knew he couldn't mess this up.

He burst into second gear, limiting his energy outpour to himself, to avoid hurting those around him. He concentrated on his patient. Isolating the infected areas and deleting the cells slowly, while accelerating new cell growth. It strained him, but after five minutes, he was able to replace all of her infected cells, with healthy ones.

The woman stopped convulsing, as she slept, at peace. The nurse and Jelani rushed to the woman's side, checking her vitals and status. However, Tobi knew, as he turned around to focus his attention on the remaining patients in the clinic, that she would be alright.

Ice golems, shaped like Tobi, manifested in front of the majority of them, powered by a flaming core and scaring people throughout the hospital. Regardless, they quickly dropped their guards, when a warm euphoric feeling, soothed them.

"Frost: Elixir of Life," Tobi whispered, then dropped to one knee, as he began to suffer side effects. Each breath he took, was followed by mist and vapor. His body started to shiver, as frost began spreading all across his body.

Jelani turned to thank him but stopped when she noticed what was happening to him. "Tobi! Are you alright?!"

Tobi winced, from cold stings, but continued to reach for his belt. He retrieved a booster and injected himself with it.

Then stood up, recovering himself from the frost taking over his body. At the same time, a man around his height crashed through the room, followed by several guards and patients, looking much better and watching behind them.

"Jelani! Nia! Are you alright?" The man asked, frantic, and wary of the strange man in the room, with his loved ones.

Jelani gleamed at the man, with tears, and a trembling smile. "Poppa, we're alright. Mom's well again."

Tobi was a little surprised, that the doctor, was her mother, but he surmised a little that she was a relative or someone really important to Jelani. He made way for the man to check on his wife.

As he passed by, Tobi noticed immense stress, wearing the man down, way beyond his years. With grey streaks invading his hair and beard, accompanied with baggy eyes, from sleepless nights.

The man cried out, seeing his wife sleeping soundly, while the nurse confirming her good health. He turned around and faced Tobi, then looked down at the ground. "First, you have my utmost gratitude, for saving the mother of my child. Second, your resemblance... May I ask..."

Tobi sighed, nodding. "I guess, I should introduce myself. My name is Tobi of Earth, but I also hail from Rennaya, as the son of Zenu and Safiyah." The room went silent, as he uttered those words.

"How?"

"It can't be possible."

"I thought the royal family perished."

Were all the murmurs and whispers echoing across the room. Then there was some outrage, and people asking for help.

"Why couldn't you save us."

"What took you guys so long?"

"Please take my child with you."

Tobi was about to speak up, but Jelani's father shut them all down. "Silence!" In an instant, there was pin-drop silence.

The man commanded the respect of the entire room. Then he got down on his knees with his head low.

"I am the Chief of Inami village, Belo. Forgive me, before founding this village in this abandoned bunker, I deserted from the royal army. Running to save the lives of my family. There are many soldiers, like me, who regretted not dying with your father that day. As we watched, him and your mother fight their last battle, on the sky-screens."

Tobi could feel, the amount of guilt, this man was carrying with him. He wanted to try and ease the burden, just a little bit. "Raise your head, Belo, was it?"

He gave the man a heartfelt smile and extended his hand to help him up. "You have long been forgiven. You've done nothing wrong. Instead, you should be rewarded, for keeping the last of our kin alive here, for over two decades."

Tobi, looked around the room, as more people poured in, and some watched through the windows. "I'm sorry I'm late. I was born without the knowledge of my heritage. My brother Osei had been captured by Atlas, until about earlier this year. Now, we're back. We are here to give you a hand and get you out of here. These are not the conditions, any of you should be living in!"

He took a deep breath before continuing. "It won't, be easy and I'll need all of your help. But together, we can change your future."

Cheers of joy and smiles of relief, rippled through the room. Tears kept dropping, uncontrollably. Tobi turned back to Belo, who was astounded, by his captivating words. "You are the last prince." The Chief whispered.

Tobi, chuckled, scratching his head. "What's that? Nah, I'm not a prince, just a regular citizen in my world. I even had to work and everything."

Belo shook his head laughing. "A member of the royal family working a regular job. That can't be!"

Tobi laughed slyly, thinking about all the bills that plagued his life, before he met Osei. If only he knew, he was due some gold.

Belo, looked at him, once more, then nodded. "If you have barely heard of your heritage, then I think there is something, you must see. If your brother is here, he must have been too young as well. Call him to meet us."

Tobi was curious about what the man, had in mind, but he did as he was told. Moments later, he, Belo, and Jelani were flying towards the Hallantium, watching Osei, from the opposite end, shoot across the sky towards it.

Belo and Jelani dropped to their knees out of respect when they saw Osei. "At ease, you may rise." He said, smiling at them. It had been some time since he had seen the manners of his people. "So what is all of this about?"

Tobi turned back to the Chief and raised his hand out. "Well..."

Belo nodded, stepping up. "Below the Hallantium, lies the treasure of our people..."