Schemers

Saphyra stood in the middle of the Command Room, as androids answered operating calls, incoming from all four planets.

Nirro strode into the room.

"Saphyra, where's Sarah?"

Saphyra paused her task to face her.

"She's working on tech in the R&D department."

Nirro nodded.

"I see, I'll go check up on her."

She looked at the monitors surveilling a planet.

"What's the status of Valtorin?"

Saphyra tilted her head and her eyes whirred, as she received new intel wirelessly.

"The teams have been surveilling the children of Atlas you've suggested us, to monitor. You were right, they have been gathering together on one of the princess's planets and some moons, close to our sector, preparing for an attack."

Nirro nodded, worried.

"Have you thought of a plan?"

She looked at Saphyra hoping earnestly for good news.

Saphyra's lips broke into a small smile.

"Of course, Nirro. Continue working on your projects. You can leave it up to me."

Nirro looked her dead in the eye, Saphyra knew she wasn't convinced.

"I'm preparing an ambush. I've already informed the Novas on standby. The operation will begin in 12 hours."

Sighing with relief, Nirro began to walk away.

"I guess you've got this then."

Saphyra turned back to what she was doing.

"I mean, I told you I did."

She was limited by Helio deciding to opt out of this mission, wanting to take care of some affairs on Earth, while Karim still need some more time to recover.

In the last few weeks, Sarah had added four new Novas to the squad, but they were kept in reserves, training at Beyond HQ. However, Saphyra still felt confident, that her plan would go well.

12 hours later...

Prometheus descended towards Valtorin, opening fire on hangars and outposts, targeting aircraft, tanks, and anti-aircraft artillery. Dozens of Aeromachs followed suit, traversing the planet, attacking all key military stations, and disabling Valtorin's defenses.

The Novas plummeted out of the sky, racing towards a newly built fortress.

Koji charged himself with electricity, striking himself a few times with lightning, while Simon & Amaara prepared a flaming blue ball of fire, hovering between their palms.

Amir Yusuf, an orphan who grew up in the streets of Jakarta, Indonesia, raced to the front with Sofia, as they covered a massive arrow of ice Nur had created, with stones and fire. Crashing it through the fortress's ceilings.

Moments before, within the fortress...

Kari the 106th in line had gathered her siblings to the command room of her fortress. She had reddish, orange hair and tan skin, with the same features as her siblings, except she was shorter. Being looked down on, by her siblings a lot, gave her a short temper.

"It's an ambush! Where are Arna and Druqen?"

She started down of her siblings, with ice silver-like eyes, emitting no kindness.

Lunno, the 141st in line, spoke up.

"I spotted them boarding a shuttle, by the hangar. I suspect they are trying to retreat, back to Cerian Space."

Kari's anger boiled over the top, showing no signs of subsiding.

"Unforgivable! I am going to kill them!"

Domitia, the 122nd in line, smirked, while the castle shook from explosions in the distance.

"Sister, we need to focus on the enemies invading. We can punish them later."

Kari shook her head.

"No, we all risked our lives to come here. There's no reason to back out now. I won't let them leave."

A child of Atlas with jet-black hair, light brown skin, and red eyes, laughed out loud as he continued to clean his blade.

Domitia gave him a stare of death.

"What's so funny, Kaletor?"

Kaletor, the 173rd in line, looked up at Domitia, unfazed.

"So what if they're gone? There are more insects for us to kill. Isn't this exciting!"

Lunno rolled his eyes.

"You say that, yet you always go for the weakest and unpowered first."

Kaletor gave Lunno a creepy smile.

"What can I say, I love hearing their weak bones snap."

Kari thrust her hands to her sides and bellowed out.

"Enough! Lunno, Domitia take out the ships bombarding our troops."

They nodded.

She continued, looking at Kaletor.

"Kaletor, I want you to reorganize our troops into battle formation and prioritize protecting our remaining spaceships. I will bring out our ace, take out the deserters and we'll make the invaders wish they never attacked us!"

They all agreed in unison, getting ready to embark on their missions. Until a giant flaming, stone arrow crashed through the ceiling and proceeded to rip through the fortress, leaving carnage in's wake, stopping with a fiery inferno, taking out a part of the fortress.

"They're here!"

Kari yelled out, shielding her face from the smoke and debris, while glaring at her uninvited guests.

Kaletor yelled out, as he got himself back up, with his sword pointing up in front of him.

"Who dares to attack us? Show yourselves!"

Pouring out of the hole, one by one Simon, Koji, and Amaara were in second gear, completely ready to unleash life-ending attacks.

The sibling's eyes all went wide in fear. Realizing the danger they were in, except for Kari, who grinned and then yelled out.

"Come out Machia!"

The entire fortress began to shake and break apart, as a massive robotic titan, twenty feet tall and modeled to look like a genderless child of Atlas, reached up from under the ground and shielded the siblings.

The attack leveled the rest of the fortress, leaving almost nothing standing.

Kaletor laughed out loud, quickly shaking off his fear.

"Is that all that you've got?!"

The Novas were confused and wary of the giant titan guarding the siblings.

Simon began to prepare another, this time aiming for the ground below them, to send them crashing below the fortress. However, Machia reached into its side belt and pulled a giant shuriken-like razor, which began to rotate incredibly fast before it threw it at high velocity toward the Novas.

Nur, Sofia, and Amir rushed to dodge, however, Koji crouched down and unsheathed his sword to release an electric strike along with Simon's blue ball of fire.

"Static: Raijin no Sonzai!"

"Ignite: Ádi̱s!

Their attacks collided with the projectile in midair lighting up their area with a bright explosion. Amaara continued to watch unfazed, realizing this would be a tougher mission than they had signed up for.

Kari scanned over the Nova's assessing their strength, then whispered to her siblings as debris and parts of the fortress walls fell, covering her voice.

"Lunno, Domitia, you can hold off these invaders for a bit can you?"

Lunno raised his eyebrows.

"You're not planning on leaving us all of that work are you?"

Domitia looked at her as well with worry.

Kari rolled her eyes.

"Fine, I will take a few of them with me. I can't let those traitors get away. We'll need their strength."

She looked over at Kaletor.

"What are you still doing here? Go make sure we have a way off of this planet!"

He scratched his head.

"Yeah but, I will need some cover, those monsters are a little stronger than I thought, and that one is just glaring at us, not making a move."

He said pointing at Amaara.

Domitia glanced at her.

"She does look the most dangerous out of them. Watch out for her Kari."

Kari sighed.

"Alright hide in the hands, I have a plan."

She hopped into the cockpit of the Titan, in its chest. As the hatch closed, it suddenly began to change, morphing into a replica of her while cupping one of its hands. It moved with her every thought and will.

Kari used the Titan to drag rocks and dust towards the Novas showering them and blocking their vision. She then, at sonic speed launched into the air, leaving cloud rings, and jetted towards the main hangar.

Amaara gritted her teeth and looked back at Nur, Sofia, and Amir, while Simon and Koji raced after her.

"I can feel one of their energies still lurking around, but they're hiding it well. I'm sure you guys can handle them right?"

Nur was nervous about Amaara leaving them, knowing she was the next senior in line.

"But...but-"

Amaara smiled, then shook her head slightly.

"You've got this Nur. Show us how far you've come."

Nur looked back at Sofia and Amir, they were already scanning, bracing themselves, and looking for the enemy.

"Right... I've got this."

Amaara nodded, then took off in the direction Simon & Koji flew.

Nur turned her attention toward the rubble around her, looking for any sign of movement. Her anxiety started to creep up on her. She had never been one to take charge.

However when the battles for Earth were broadcasted all over the world and she watched Tobi and the Novas fight for something more than themselves, despite what they've been through. It gave her newfound confidence to gain more control of her life. So when Sarah invited her into the Novas, she couldn't believe it. However, the dangerous situations they face, make her regret her decision every day.

"Aww they left you chiclets all by yourself?"

A sinister sarcastic voice spoke from below them.

They looked down below yet could not find the source. Sofia launched a fireball at the ground, with no hesitation. However, it was swatted aside.

"Now that's not very nice. We just want to play with you a little."

Shimmering out of thin air, the siblings uncloaked themselves from invisibility.

"Told you it won't work with those that can see iko."

Domitia said, seemingly annoyed with Lunno.

Lunno scratched his head.

"I know, I know. I thought we could just finish this quick, I'm not interested in spending much time on them."

Domitia scoffed.

"Then shall we?"

Lunno sighed.

"Sure, go ahead."

His chest opened up revealing his core and Domitia quickly grabbed it and swallowed it whole, as Lunno's body dropped to the floor. Immense pressure instantly began to slowly push back the Novas.

Domitia's eyes swirled in circles, then stopped, her body got bigger, as her muscles boldened even more. The Novas found themselves shaking out of fear, involuntarily.

Domitia grinned, a completely different person than who she was a couple of minutes ago.

"Call me Litia, the one who will guide you to the afterlife."