A slow tanky ship hovered on a direct path towards the evergreen planet of Tessa. The ship was on autopilot. Inside, there was a blacksmith workshop and a few rooms of accommodations. The blacksmith equipment looked used and the cauldron was still active. There was a set of chains that hung on a hook beside the cauldron. It was wet. However, it was smoking. The ends of the chains were attached to Destoria’s kunais. She had been busy forming her new weapon. The smell of smoke was mixed with the screams of Destoria in a room not far from the workshop.

Destoria was forcefully stitching the wound left from her experimentation that was on her face. Blood was spilled across the floors of her bunk as she stared deep into herself in the mirror. Every single time she pierced her skin with the needle, she would have flashbacks.

She kept seeing images of an old friend. Another victim of the corruption of the New Allegiance, Orion Hubolt. A Head Operator. The first energy manipulator of the Allegiance. A lover. They two share a strong bond and when he was falsely accused and executed for ‘treason’, it devastated her. She felt a strong urge for violence and to flee the faction for its injustice. However, she was eventually kidnapped and experimented on by Monarch.

As she stitched the last string on her face, the deformed smile that once was the terrifying identity of the ruthless Destoria Roxx had been covered. Now, she appeared more quiet. Less terrifying but more sinister. It shows a reincarnation of herself. Something she can use as a tool of fear. When she wiped the blood off her face, she felt cold. She walked out of the room exhausted as she turned to the cockpit. She glared out of the ship as her eyes witnessed the ship descend into Tessa.

Athena was standing where she meditated hours ago. Beside her was a Head Operator. Ryan Lou, or mostly identified as the Spectral. A man in the shell of a spirit, he was one of the founding members of the New Allegiance. Armed with a powerful suit, he combines the brutality of the exo-suit and his knowledge in hand combat. He too resides in this rebel slum alongside the others. He stood alongside Athena as he was promised that his long lost comrade would join their cause, failing to consider her aggressive entrance.

The ship would eventually crash land down onto the grass fields. The explosion would catch the attention of the two as Destoria made her land. She managed to leap out of the ship before crashing it. She had no plans to leave after her goal was accomplished. Her past is irrelevant. Her future does not matter. This moment on this planet, the only thing that matters is her blade piercing through his heart. 

She would land on her feet right in front of Ryan and Athena. She slowly rose up to stand tall as her glowing orange eyes looked to Athena, then Spectral.

“You look…great Des.” Ryan was confused about her appearance but he knew that she was here for Carter. It only makes sense.

“Whatever it is you plan to do, don’t. Carter is mine.” Destoria would threaten the two.

“You can’t. He can aid us to stop the people that did this to you.” Athena replied with worry. She feared Destoria as she knew she would only be throwing their opportunity to stand a chance for warfare.

“He did this to me. If he really intended to do that, he would show up here!” Her scream would echo around the fields.

“Des, how about we talk this through and discuss better options.” Ryan would step forward, offering a solution.

“You know me long enough to know that we fight before we talk.” She would struggle to smile after saying that.

“Who am I kidding, you’re out of your bloody mind.” 

Muzzles would protrude out of his gauntlets. As the blaster assembled itself on his wrists, he would begin firing plasma bolts at Destoria.

With her quick reflex, she would pull her weapon, swinging it. The bolts would be redirected away from her upon contact. This provoked Ryan to switch into his plasma blades and Athena to wield her double bladed sword wielded with a compound of various alloys, a signature weapon for energy manipulators that fought against the Dominion.

In an instant, the 3 would be engaged in a duel. Athena would fight with a defensive stance to minimise possible lethal damages while Ryan gave aggressive blows to tire Destoria out. Their plan worked momentarily before Destoria switched to an attacking stance.

Almost immediately, she would begin fighting without remorse. Attacks that if not properly repelled, would be deadly. Blood was spilled. They traded shots after shots, wounding each other. In the charade of violence, Carter walked out to the fields where they were. He left earlier for his safety but now, he is the key to stop this.

“Destoria!” He yelled across the fields.

She shifted her vision to the man in the robes not far from her.

She would dodge Athena and Ryan’s incoming attacks. With her fueled rage, she would charge towards him, throwing her blades to him. The kunais would cut through the air. However, Ryan would manage to fire his weapon on time to push the blades out of trajectory. As Destoria came closer to Carter, Ryan would sweep in to pull her away. His attempt was futile as it allowed Destoria to redirect him to Athena, pinning them both. As she landed on her feet, her eyes locked with her adoptive father. She began yet another charge, attacking in the same manner as before. However, she didn’t anticipate Carter to attack using a weapon of his own.

Carter whipped a syringe gun filled with an antidote to Destoria’s current predicament. He fired the gun. It would manage to be injected into her system. At the same time, Destoria’s chained kunai would pierce through his chest. In sync, both of them would fall onto the grass. 

Athena recovered herself, only to see what she was meant to prevent happen before her eyes. Even so, it ended not like how she predicted.

Destoria’s pale skin would transition into her regular light brown. Her eyes stopped glowing and her bloodlust ended. The massive change both mentally and physically would strain her, causing her to faint.

On the other hand, Carter’s life slowly faded away. Blood would flood the area near his body as his skin turned pale. He drew his last breath before he turned cold. Carter is no more. Nevertheless, he did what he promised. He gave the Allegiance the weapon.

~~

Much time has passed since the duel that occured in the fields. The weapon that Carter used was effective. Destoria opened her eyes, surprised to find herself lying on a bed in a chamber. As she sat upright, she would see soldiers surrounding her. Their attire was military, yet it seemed like revolutionists. It looked cheap and not properly maintained. Before she could even observe her surroundings properly, the door to the room swiftly opened. Athena walked down with a briefcase from the opening and right to the front of the chamber. She opened it without hesitation. As she entered the chamber, Destoria shot up, curious but frightened at the same time.

“You look well.” Athena said in a calm tone.

“You don’t seem afraid.” Destoria replied with a confused expression on her face.

“Carter’s serum worked. Glad to have you back.” She approached to hug her.

“I remembered everything…I am sorry for attacking you and Ryan.” Tears formed below her eyelids.

Before she could cry, Athena would comfort her.

“The past is the past, Des. It shouldn’t concern us anymore. Here.” She would place the briefcase she was carrying onto her bed. As she unlocked it, it would reveal a new outfit. It dived back to the outfit she wore when she was younger. A blue battle armour that is versatile for hand combat yet protective against heavy energy attacks. Nesting right on top of the outfit was a chain. It had Orion’s chain code alongside hers. Destoria picked it up upon seeing it.

“How did you get-“

“Orion told me to pass it to you when we were on Gordo. I wanted to but you got injured and Orion got…sentenced.” Athena interrupted her.

Athena would then leave her be. The guards would follow her out as well. Destoria remained in her chambers as she made peace with the sudden change in her life.

~~

Athena would enter a control room. In the room stood the former leadership of The New Allegiance. Ryan, as mentioned before, stood on the far end of the round table. Beside him was the former leader of the Vigilante Corps Ava Pentercost. She was taken in as means of service to pay for her crimes as a vigilante. She shared a strong bond with Ryan Lou but their relationship grew apart due to the complications of this conflict. On the far side of the table, Ajay Shrader. Multi billionaire from Earth, tech genius and expert in xeno science and mostly the strategist of the team. He owns a cyborg he calls Cee-G as a mere extension of himself in the field. Across him is a man draped in a black suit and a top hat.

This man has been in aid of the insurgents after he found out about the Supreme Leader’s true intentions with the colonies he possesses and his influence. Nothing much is known of him except that he is a powerful sentient.

Athena calmly walked to her side of the table. She gave a sigh before awaiting Ryan’s mission brief.

“Item number one. Mbongu. Kal said that he wanted to personally supervise the data recovery from the raided outpost on the planet. After a few days, we failed to receive any update at all.” 

“So much for an easy task.” Ajay would rest his leg on the roundtable.

“Nevertheless, we will need one of us to sanction a recovery team to find or assist him. He could be in danger.” Ryan continued.

“I’ll do it. The man obviously needs someone to hold his hand in these types of missions.” Ajay offered his help upon standing up.

“Good.” Ryan’s facial expression was very numb. He seemed soulless to an extent. It was clear in his eyes that he had no hope that Kal was alive. Ava, seeing this, would continue this briefing from him.

“Eherm. Item number two. Destoria-

Before Ava could finish her sentence, the doors opened.

Destoria calmly walked down in her new outfit. The stitch on her face was tidied up and she seemed more like herself now.

“Her being here is self explanatory.” Ava would clear her throat. 

“Good to have you back, Des.” Athena smiled.

“I’m not properly back until I help. Where’s Kal?” Destoria asked while walking up to the table.

“Would you believe it if I said that he finally failed a mission after being cocky? I’ll be going to get the lad.” Ajay mocked him by being cocky himself.

“I can help.” Destoria replied with excitement.

Ava and Ryan locked eyes. They had a conversation through their eye contact.

“I hope you are able to perform the same way you nearly killed me.” Ryan crossed his arms.

She nodded. As she examined the information that was laid across the roundtable, she would slowly lock eyes with man in the suit.

The man knew exactly who she was. He was present when Monarch and Carter were experimenting on her. Destoria, however, felt like she was experiencing dejavu. He seemed so familiar yet so strange. Eitherway, it triggered her to reflect on her past as a slave to the dark king. Her mind would slowly disconnect from the briefing as she pondered into her service here.

Free. I feel free. The voices of my friends made me feel safe. I am in control of my senses and my mind. Once, I was a monster chained with a gruesome ambition. Now, I am a free woman. The angry flame that once burned in me was put out. The smoke that came from it no longer fogged my mind. Now that my mind is clear I can hear myself and I hear vengeance. The man who made me live through hell must face retribution. In a universe where tyrants rule as gods and heroes scour the infinitude of space for the means to overthrow those undeserving of their entitlement, I have found my purpose. I am gifted with my skills in combat. With the help of the people who saved me, we will not end until he faces justice.

He thinks his dogs can protect him. He made me what I am, a redeemed soul.

~~

Darkness. Absolute darkness. In the chamber laced with gold that surrounded the frame and glass tough as iron that shaped the room. At the center of it all, the King.

Monarch was sitting on a throne. In front of him, a table. The design of it was very prestigious and modern yet it has a sense of royal providence. His arms rested on the edges of the table as his helm was resting on it not far from reach. His hood was down so his face remained in darkness.

A blue luminescent figure zoomed in. It was Omega. He gently placed a tablet on Monarch’s table.

“Leave me be.” The Supreme Leader waved him away as he demanded solitude.

As Omega zoomed out, Monarch would grab the tablet. He took a few seconds to examine the contents shown on the screen before setting it down. He would gently tap the end of the table close to his right hand. A transmitter of sorts would slowly rise up from within the table.

Monarch would face the transmitter as he began speaking.

“File 177B. Operation lists sanctioned by the strategist department and under overwatch by General Kor Parzival and 4 Star Admiral Eclion. Send a notification to the respective individuals.” 

Monarch would equip his helm. He would then state the names.

“Admiral Eclion. General Kor Parzival. Iacon Operators Ravage, Omega, Edenia Hardy, Headhunter and Cerezera Ashe. Operation Knightfall destination confirmed; Tessa. Overseer of Operation Knightfall; Supreme Leader Monarch.” He would deactivate the transmitter.

As he approached the glass panel, a chest that was sealed in disguise would pop out of the ground. Monarch opened the chest, grabbing the weapon that was inside. A sword made with the same materials as Athena’s blade. Dubbed, Atomik Kontorola.

End.