Prolouge

Yuli sighed as she listened to the pounding footsteps marching up the long corridor to her lab. She knew what was coming. There wasn't any doubt about what awaited her, Yuli had broken the rules of the Following, and the only thing that awaited her was death.

There was a loud boom followed by a wave of heat as the blast door, nearly a foot thick, was blown off of the wall and sent flying through the lab, smashing various expensive machines and years of research.

"Yuli, where is he? Where is that abomination you call a son!" Turning around, Yuli had a sad smile on her face as she looked at her younger sister, "Hello, Natasha."

Natasha's face was contorted in rage with waves of energy pulsing off of her forcing the cohort of armed and armored soldiers to stand in the doorway less they fall victim to their commander's indiscriminate rage.

"Don't talk to me, sister. I knew it ever since you came back from that expedition. I knew something was wrong with you. I just didn't think you would somehow end up pregnant with a tainted bastard!" Natasha suddenly thrust out her palm, which sparked with mysterious energy, and Yuli felt the air collapse in on her as it fell under Natasha's domain.

Bringing her hands together as if in prayer, Yuli allowed her own power to fill the room, and in the next second, a thin translucent barrier of air formed around her.

A shockwave was created as Yuli's barrier stopped Natasha's attack. Unfazed by the failed attempt, Natasha charged Yuli, her entire body shooting off electricity as she moved faster than the speed of sound.

With the same sad smile on her face, Yuli pulled her hands apart before thrusting them out and grabbing the thin membrane of air around her. Yuli closed her eyes and let out one final breath before pulling with all her might, 'Goodbye, Thane, my dear son.'

Natasha stopped short as she felt the mass of energy collecting around her sister, and with a wave of burning anger, Natasha watched as the air around her sister condensed. Eventually, becoming solid and forming a transparent, flawless crystal around Yuli.

Letting out a scream, Natasha released a shockwave of energy so powerful that it swept through the room shattering glass vials and frying every electronic. Not even her soldiers were spared as those closest were blown off their feet.

Panting, Natasha felt tears burning their way down her cheek. Reaching up, she quickly wiped them away, "Get a maintenance team in here. I must report to the Council about this new development."

Natasha glared at the frozen visage of her sister one last time before storming out of the room, the heavily armored soldiers nearly twice her height scrambling to get out of the way.

As all of this happened, a young man who looked no older than twenty walked through the crowded streets with a hood covering his face and a bag strapped to his chest. Looking around as if to ensure no one was watching, the man ducked into an alleyway. Pausing to make sure no one saw him, the man carefully unzipped his bag and smiled at what was inside. That smile cracked as tears started to run down his cheeks, "Yuli…."