Two months later
Within one of the cave chambers, a colossal crystal pulsed with light, smaller crystals growing organically around its base. Crystal steps led up to it. Inside the massive crystal, bathed in the combined glow of yellow, blue, and white light, Ava slept peacefully, watched over by Aurora and Sennilia.
"Are you certain she doesn't require sustenance?" Sennilia asked as Aurora prepared to depart for another chamber to inspect their small garden. Aurora paused, turning to Sennilia with a faint smile.
"I am certain. Consider it thus: under the appropriate solar radiation, Kryptonians are sustained by the sun's energy," Aurora replied. However, Sennilia's gaze dropped to the ground.
"Aurora, I must tell you something... The truth is, Ava isn't a pure Kryptonian," Sennilia confessed, her eyes welling with tears. Aurora regarded her with an unreadable expression. Her numerous scans of the child had consistently indicated pure Kryptonian DNA.
"Lady Sennilia, I cannot comprehend your statement. All my scans persistently show her as pure Kryptonian," Aurora stated.
"Your scans are both accurate and incomplete. Firstly, let me clarify that Ava is indeed my daughter, a fact you witnessed during her birth. I am uncertain what other elements comprise her DNA; however, I know she is more than merely Kryptonian. Her father, by some means, altered her genetic structure. He even achieved the impossible. Supposedly, my daughter was to be half Kryptonian and half New God. Yet, that is not the case. If you possessed samples of all the DNA her father utilized, your scans would, in fact, identify her as pure-blooded of a different race each time. She is, in truth, the sole member of her species, and incredibly precious, especially as a potential weapon, should anyone discover her true nature." Sennilia's hand rested protectively on the crystal chamber. She would permit no one to harm or exploit her daughter. Despite her burning hatred for Ava's father and his actions, her love for her child remained absolute.
Aurora still struggled to fully grasp the implications but accepted Sennilia's word. She looked at Sennilia. "Was it, at least, consensual?" Aurora inquired.
Sennilia looked down for a moment, then met Aurora's gaze, a wry smirk gracing her lips. "When it comes to that bastard, consent is not a factor."
Aurora observed her, a strange, unidentifiable sensation stirring within her. She dismissed it as a potential glitch, resolving to run a diagnostic test later. "So, what shall we designate her race as?" Aurora asked Sennilia. Sennilia looked at her, confused.
"What do you mean?" she asked.
"Well, if I were she, I would desire to know precisely who and what I am, even if no others of my kind exist. A sense of identity is a valuable asset, particularly when facing adversity," Aurora replied.
"That's a very mortal way of thinking," Sennilia said with a smile.
"I suppose you are rubbing off on me, Lady Sennilia," Aurora responded. Sennilia looked back at her daughter, sleeping peacefully, and once again placed her hand on the crystal. She felt a strange surge of power coursing through her own body, also affected by the light of the sun crystals. Sennilia pondered, recalling an Earth mythology Jor-El had once told her about a Goddess born from Chaos, so powerful that even the Gods feared her.
"Yes, Nyx," Sennilia declared to Aurora. "I shall name her race after a mythological Goddess from Earth. I believe it fits perfectly. Born from Chaos, we will ensure she becomes so powerful that even Gods will fear her."
Five years later
Aurora was on the verge of a system overload, attempting to decipher the bizarre glitches plaguing her internal processes. Every compliment from Sennilia, the slightest brush of her hand, or even a mere glance in her direction caused her artificial heart to accelerate and her cheeks to flush – a reaction she hadn't known she was capable of. Yet, every diagnostic test she ran returned a perfect bill of health. She did, however, notice an increasing adoption of human characteristics. Her hair had grown longer, now neatly tied in a ponytail. She would have cut it, but Sennilia had insisted she keep it, expressing her fondness for Aurora's long hair. Aurora was certain her head would explode from the conflicting data.
Pit-a-pat pit-a-pat pit-a-pat.
Aurora heard the distinct sound of tiny feet pattering loudly on the cave floor, growing closer and faster. A small smile touched her lips as she continued her work.
Peeking around a corner was a five-year-old Ava, with shoulder-length black hair and vibrant emerald green eyes. She wore a simple white dress adorned with the House of El emblem.
"Target in sight... ready to pounce!" Ava announced, her voice clearly audible to Aurora. Ava launched herself across the chamber, wrapping her arms around Aurora's neck and her legs around her waist. She peered over Aurora's shoulder, pressing her cheek against the android's.
"Gotcha!" Ava exclaimed proudly.
"Indeed, you did, Ava," Aurora replied, continuing to work on what appeared to be Ava's bodysuit.
"Were you surprised?" Ava asked.
"Negative," Aurora responded with a smile.
"Aww, why not?" Ava pouted, a hint of disappointment in her voice.
"Because I heard you," Aurora answered, still smiling.
"Really? But I was extra, extra, extra, extra quiet!" Ava insisted, her lower lip trembling into a pout.
"My, that was quite a lot of 'extras,' wasn't it? Would you like to know a secret?" Aurora asked, feeling Ava nod against her cheek. "If you are to be the hunter, you must first master silence. Any noise, and your prey will flee, or they will detect your presence. Second, you must not rush to capture your quarry; wait for the opportune moment, then pounce. However, do not delay too long, or you will lose your target."
"Okay!" Ava chirped, planting a big kiss on Aurora's cheek. Aurora felt her internal systems react strangely again.
"Where is Sennilia?" Aurora inquired.
"Mommy is in the hot spring," Ava replied.
Aurora nodded. Ava's gaze fell upon the suit Aurora was crafting. "Is that my suit? Is it ready? Are we going outside today?" Ava asked eagerly.
"So many questions. Perhaps a brief respite? To your first question, yes, it is. To your second, no, it is not. And to your final question, it is too hazardous without your suit," Aurora explained.
"But it's boring, staying in the cave," Ava complained, pouting.
"Why not go and conceal yourself, then surprise Sennilia when she emerges from the hot spring? You can practice what I have just taught you," Aurora suggested. A mischievous grin spread across Ava's face, and before Aurora could blink, Ava was gone.
It wasn't long, however, before Aurora heard Sennilia's startled scream, followed by giggling from both of them, more pitter-patter, and then Sennilia's playful shout, "I'm going to get you, little sun-eater!"
After dressing, Sennilia entered the chamber where Aurora was working. Sennilia leaned down, peering over Aurora's shoulder. "How's it coming along?" Sennilia asked. Aurora's eyes widened as she turned to face Sennilia. Their faces were so close that Aurora felt a blush creep up her neck as her gaze fell to Sennilia's lips.
"I-I-It's c-coming along nicely," Aurora stammered. Sennilia looked at her and smiled.
"Are you alright? Still experiencing those glitches?" Sennilia inquired.
"I-I'm fine," Aurora insisted, her face reddening further. However, she noticed the sudden silence. Too quiet for Ava.
A couple of minutes ago
After successfully startling her mother, Ava had hidden behind some boulders in the main chamber. She could hear Aurora and her mother conversing in the back chamber. Her eyes darted to the cave entrance, and a mischievous grin spread across her face. Had anyone been watching, they would not have seen a body running across the enormous chamber, but rather a streak of dark purple lightning.
Ava opened the entrance, and the piercing cold wind and snow rushed in; however, it did not affect her. All she could see was an overwhelming whiteout. She stepped outside, a pout forming on her lips. Ava couldn't discern the environment's true appearance beneath the snow, and a flicker of anger ignited within her. Her eyes began to glow a dark purple as she stepped forward, each stride melting the snow-covered ground beneath her feet. She did feel a slight weakening, a consequence of the red sun.
"Stop," Ava commanded, and the wind, as if compelled, ceased its roaring. The snowfall also halted. She could now distinctly hear the creatures native to this planet; otherwise, a deathly silence enveloped the landscape.
Ava looked up at the red sky, directly at the sun, the source of her discomfort. "Meanie..." Ava muttered, reaching a small hand towards the sky as if to grasp the sun itself. She closed her hand into a fist, and abruptly, the sun extinguished, plunging the entire planet into darkness. Then, the sun reignited; however, it was no longer a red sun, but a vibrant yellow, blue, and white sun. These three colors always made her feel stronger, warm, and utterly comfortable.
Aurora and Sennilia stood in the cave, stunned, as they witnessed Ava's impossible feat – changing the very sun. The sky shifted from a harsh red to a soft, light blue. Ava's eyes returned to their normal hue as she looked at them, a proud smile on her face, and ran towards them for a hug, beaming with accomplishment.
What they did not know, however, was that the frozen planet had begun to melt. Nor did Aurora and Sennilia realize that this icy world was, in fact, the tomb of an ancient, evil creature, sealed away over one hundred thousand years ago by two powerful Arians. They were also unaware that two new beings, sensing an enormous surge of power from across the universe, were now en route to Ipra. Their impending fight for survival against this ancient creature would prove to be the most formidable and perilous challenge they had ever faced.
Three months later
The canyons had begun to fill with water, and patches of land, though still sparse, were emerging through the melting snow. Sennilia and Aurora had already defeated several creatures that started to emerge from their hiding places, including a giant centipede. Sennilia had to admit, she was enjoying her newfound powers, the same ones she had felt when Ava was in the crystal chamber.
Aurora checked the ship's power source. It had been steadily absorbing the new sun's solar energy and was almost fully charged. The problem, however, remained the ship's extensive damage; Aurora had been forced to strip vital parts from it to construct and maintain their cave dwelling.
BOOM!
Aurora's head snapped up. She looked out from the ship's shattered viewport and saw a plume of smoke rising about a mile away, beyond a hill that was now visible through the melting snow. She decided to investigate alone, unwilling to put Sennilia and Ava in danger – despite knowing they were both far more powerful than her, especially Ava. She left the ship, heading towards the crash site.
Later, Sennilia and Ava were in the cave, preparing for lunch, when they heard Aurora re-enter. Ava came running around the corner to see Aurora accompanied by two unfamiliar individuals.
One was a woman unlike any Ava had ever seen. Dark purple fur covered most of her body, save for her head, hands, chest, and stomach. Her long, wild hair was also dark purple, and her eyes, a light purple, met Ava's with a smile. The woman wore a black tube top, black pants, and boots. Ava looked her up and down, noting the woman's muscular build and impressive height – though, to Ava, everyone was taller. She also observed a purple tail wrapped around the woman's waist. Ava then turned her attention to the man. He wore a black bodysuit that covered his entire body except for his face. His skin was ashen, and a prominent scar ran from his forehead, across his right eye, down to his cheek, leaving that eye milky white, while his other eye was a piercing yellow. He was bald, and strange black markings adorned his face. Unlike the woman, he was lean and tall.
"Ava, meet Victoria and Albus," Aurora announced as Sennilia emerged from the back of the cave.