The day of the first trial arrived. The team of ten Metalux was sent to fight the enemy army. All wore black combat suits and helmets covering their faces to avoid recognition. They carried no flag of any nation, as it was an ultra-secret mission. They were taken to the coast of Korea to rescue a doctor who had created a device capable of deactivating and controlling enemy weapons.
The territory was hostile, and the mission was extremely risky. A simple letter carrier arrived at the location with an envelope containing a tarot card. After leaving it in the house, he departed. From it emerged, the ten members of the team, including Adia, were ready to carry out the mission. "Alright, let's get to work. I want everyone ready," said Milo, who was the mission leader. "What an arrogant guy," one of the members commented. "Well, what did you expect from the boss's son?" added another.
"Silence and get to work," ordered Milo, who had overheard the murmurs. "We're entering enemy territory," announced one of the soldiers. "Luckily, we have this guy Adrian; he'll handle the tech stuff." "Hurry up, nerd," another said to him. "It's ready, sir."
"You and you, go in," Milo instructed a young woman named Azulema and a young man named Ezequiel. "You come with me, Eduard, and Adia too. You four, prepare yourselves at the other door."
The five entered the building in front of them. "Which way, brainy?" Milo asked Adrian, who pulled out a kind of computer with a radar. "The target is on the fourth floor." "Alright, you heard him, everyone on the fourth floor. The others heard us over the radio: prepare the exit," came the response from the other side.
On the way to the fourth floor, they encountered a couple of guards who were neutralized by Milo. "Hey, you're only supposed to incapacitate them, not kill them," Adia pointed out. "This is war, and you knew that when you enlisted," Milo replied. "Careful," warned Azulema as she lifted the bodies of the fallen guards to use them as shields. "Wow, good job, girl," Milo commented.
"We've been discovered. Goodbye stealth effect; time to act," Milo announced. "Azulema, I want you to protect Adrian. Eduard and I will handle dishing out blows." "And what about me?" asked Adia. "Well, you protect us," Ezequiel responded before heading off to face some enemies.
"Alright, we've reached the fourth floor." They opened the door and found the scientist guarded by several soldiers, who were quickly repelled. "Let's get out of here," said the scientist as she began calling the other four. Only static could be heard. "What's going on? Why can't I communicate with them?" Milo asked, concerned. At that moment, a couple of grenades were thrown into the building, destroying much of it. They kept throwing until the building was reduced to rubble.
"Ha, ha, who are they?" asked a man who arrived at the scene. It was Ming Hung. "I don't know, sir, but they were throwing something like magic without using any devices, though we managed to repel them. Alright, take their bodies, so our scientists can see how they obtained those powers." Immediately, Ming's men took the four deceased youths. Ming and some of his men began inspecting the area. In the process, they spotted a sphere amidst the rubble.
"Thank you for saving us, Adia," they all said from inside the sphere. "Those bastards are taking our friends," said Milo, furious. "They're dead," confirmed Azulema, trying to read their minds. "Alright, release us from this bubble and let's attack."
"So there were more," said Ming, who radioed someone. Soon, numerous soldiers and tanks appeared. "Fire!" ordered Ming.
"Take cover!" shouted Adia as she erected another protective dome. "There are too many of them," said Ezequiel. "We're not going to make it." "Sir, we already have the scientist. It's time to retreat," one of the soldiers informed him. "No," replied Milo, stepping out of Adia's sphere and leaving them unprotected. He charged toward the enemy like a rhinoceros, destroying a couple of tanks while striking down any other targets he could reach.
"What do we do, Adia?" the others asked. "I don't know what you expect me to do. I'm not in charge," she replied as she tried to put up another barrier. "What if we call Ras for extraction?" suggested Eduard. "Alright, Adrian, connect me with Ras." Quickly, the boy set up a radio and called Ras. "Sir, we have the scientist, but your son isn't following protocol and started attacking the enemy forces. Additionally, we've been compromised. There are too many enemies. Milo is indestructible and strong, but we're not the same. We've suffered four casualties."
Ras instructed them to do whatever was necessary to leave the area and return to the extraction point. "And your son?" asked Adia. "Well, if he's not going to follow orders, then he'll learn. Perhaps the enemy will dissect or torture him. That'll teach him. Priority: the scientist." Adia knew how Ras operated, so she had no choice but to use her powers to save the reckless Milo and the rest of the team.
She unleashed an electric surge that temporarily disabled the remaining tanks and then raised an earthen wall between Milo and the enemy forces. "What are you doing?" asked Milo as he pounded on the massive wall that had risen in front of him.
"She told me to protect you," replied Adia, positioning herself in the middle and beginning to recite a spell. "I hope this works."
The wall began to crack under Milo's blows. When it finally collapsed, the enemy army rushed in to search for them, but they found no one. "Sir, what are we going to tell the general?" one of the soldiers asked. "I don't know," replied Ming, astonished by what had happened.
Inside a kind of spacecraft, a sphere formed, and from it emerged Adia and the others. Milo was unbearable because they hadn't let him finish off the army. However, Adia used a powerful electric shock to knock him out. The ship departed, heading back to the base.
At the base, Ras thanked the team for rescuing the scientist. "We had them at our mercy," said Milo, irritated, after being called to a meeting. "And you pulled us out of the fight," he said to Adia. "Leave me alone with my son," ordered Ras. "You fool, you almost got your team killed on the mission. If you keep up this attitude, I'll remove you from the team. You need to calm down, or you'll accomplish nothing worthwhile. You only act on impulse, like when you tore that boy's arm off. Are you referring to your weak son? I'm growing tired of you, Milo. You should have stayed captured. If it weren't for Adia, we wouldn't even be having this conversation. You're indestructible, and bullets don't harm you, but there are other things, like electricity, that do. If they had captured you, they're not like me—they're harsher. They would've ripped your intestines out while you were awake to figure out how you work. But, Dad…" "No more 'Dad.' From now on, you will be demoted. Adia will take command of the missions."
Milo stormed out of the room, punching his fist into the concrete wall with a powerful blow.
More missions passed, and Milo remained reluctant to follow orders. Adia had to save him over and over again. "I'm getting tired of your nonsense, Milo," she told him. "Next time, I won't save you."
"Dr. Maos, are you ready for the operation? It's time to start the show," said Milo.
On the last mission, Milo did what he always did: charge after the enemy army. But a massive explosion occurred, and he couldn't escape it. Adia recounted what happened to Ras. The man showed no reaction and returned to his office. Yes, it hurt because he had already lost both his sons: Milo in truth, and Drake simply because he wasn't valuable to him. "I guess the legacy ends with me," said Ras.
The next day, Mr. Ras was in his office as usual when something took him by surprise, and he died instantly. Then a voice was heard: "The job is done in the room."
Explosions began erupting all over Ras Industries. People were evacuated, except for Mr. Ras, who disappeared amidst the flames and explosions.
"What will become of us now?" asked Azulema and the others, looking at Adia. "I don't know," she replied. Then they saw a figure walking toward the light of a lamppost. "Well, how about serving the common good? Not as pawns on a chessboard, but as agents—my agents," said the person, who revealed himself to be Drake. Adia was happy about this and decided to join him along with the others.
More memories of Adia surfaced as she worked as an agent for Drake, recruiting more subjects like them and others who had no powers. There was a brief period of happiness in her life with her partner, raising two children. Another moment showed a tragic instant when her eldest son exploded during a mission, leaving the younger one out of her life and causing Azulema to erase her memory so she wouldn't recall those tragic moments because she couldn't bear the loss. That's why Adia became carefree once Azulema placed the mental block.
In the room, in the present, tears streamed endlessly from Adia's eyes, as well as from everyone else's, who felt everything their fellow warrior had gone through.
"I wonder what's happening," said Ada, since they couldn't see what was going on inside the closed-off area, but a heavy atmosphere spread, making those outside feel as if gravity were pulling them to the ground.
The force of all those conflicting emotions was overwhelming. Azulema shouted, "Adia, you must let go of the pain and look ahead! You have to do it!" "That's what I'm doing," she said. "Then do it with more strength, my friend," Azulema urged, prompting the others to grip Adia's hands more firmly. "Come on, come back to us!"
All the images began rushing rapidly through Adia's mind until she reached a moment when she reunited with her father. "Father, what are you doing here?" she asked. "My daughter, I know you've always been a free spirit. Free yourself from your guilt, but it was my fault that you lost your father." "It wasn't your fault, my little girl," her father replied. "You are who you are, and you are a warrior. So show the world who you are, my young soldier."
Adia's eyes emitted a blinding glow that engulfed the room. Everyone fell to the ground, and in the center, once the light dissipated, stood an Adia filled with greater determination and strength.
"Thank you, Azulema," said Adia as she helped her up from the floor. "You're welcome, my friend. Remember, now that you've broken that mental block, everyone who ever knew you will remember what happened." "I know," she said. "The only downside, my friend, is that you still look so young—you don't look your age at all. How do you do it?" Azulema asked, smiling after regaining her composure. "Well, I don't know. I think it's a magical secret," Adia replied, and both of them laughed along with the other girls, who were slowly getting back on their feet. "Alright, it's time to find Aiden," said Adia, determination blazing in her eyes.