KADUNA – RUINED INTERSECTION – 06:01 A.M.
The helicopter touches down in a storm of dust and ash.
Rotors slow.
Doors hiss open.
David, Prince, Favour, Ojo, Emmanuella, Gabriel, Tijani, Paul and Peter jump out, boots crunching on broken glass.
Twenty meters ahead:
Aliyah — grey Libra gown torn, kneeling, five demons latched to her body, sucking purple-white zodiac energy like leeches.
Ojo (Aries) steps forward, flame tattoos igniting.
"Don't worry. I fit handle this."
He claps — dual spinning blades of fire and lightning manifest in his hands.
"FLAMING THUNDER!!!"
BLADES SPIN — hurricane of crimson flame and white lightning.
They slash through the demons — one, two, three, four, five.
Bodies EXPLODE into ash.
Wind scatters the remains.
Aliyah collapses forward.
Emmanuella (Pisces) rushes, catches her.
"Hey… are you okay? Stay with me!"
Aliyah's eyes dim — barely a flicker.
She passes out.
IDC ABUJA – BRIEFING ROOM – 14:00 P.M.
Agent Vision stands before the eight warriors — David, Ojo, Favour, Prince, Emmanuella, Gabriel, Tijani.
Aliyah is in a resting chamber, zodiac energy slowly regenerating.
Vision's optic projects a holographic star map.
**"New orders from the top.
You eight are to depart immediately for New York, then proceed via orbital shuttle to Milky Way Galactic Sector 349.
You will meet the Head of IDC in person."
David — mouth open:
"Whaaat?! Space? Like… actual space??"
Vision:
"Correct. Priority Omega. The Head wants the warriors who defeated Skorn."
Paul & Peter (Gemini twins) raise hands.
Vision:
"You two remain in the North. Demon activity is spiking again. Hold the line."
Vision turns to the eight.
"Shuttle launches in four hours. Pack nothing. Everything is provided."
David glances at Favour — she gives a small, determined nod and smiles.
Prince cracks knuckles, lion tattoo faintly glowing.
"Let's go meet the boss."
IDC Abuja – Warrior Quarters → Hangar – 15:30
Favour can't stop stealing glances at David while packing.
She adjusts her braids, tugs her hoodie down, swaps combat pants for a short black skirt, white sneakers, and slips in small silver hoop earrings.
David doesn't notice — too busy stuffing his Scorpio jumpsuit into a bag.
Favour bites her lip, cheeks warm.
Hangar Van – 16:00
Seven warriors pile in.
Ojo slides next to Favour, eyes roaming.
"Favour, you dey hot today o."
Favour (instant death glare):
"Remove your disgusting eyes from me. You no reach my level."
Prince & Gabriel from the back seat:
"YEEEEEHHHH! That one enter ohhh!"
Favour turns — locks eyes with David.
David blushes crimson, looks away fast.
Private Jet – En Route to New York
Luxury cabin.
Robot servants glide between seats offering jollof cups, zobo cocktails, puff-puff.
Ojo sulks.
Favour sits across from David, pretending to read mission brief while sneaking looks.
IDC New York – Underground Space Center – 20:10 Local Time
Superior at the desk salutes.
"XL-25 is prepped. Head of IDC is waiting in Sector 349. Go Straight through the elevator."
Elevator drops 30 floors — doors open to a massive hidden hangar.
XL-25 gleams under floodlights: sleek silver, two swept wings, thrusters glowing soft blue, sharp curved nose.
Seven warriors board (David, Prince, Favour, Ojo, Gabriel, Tijani, Emmanuella).
Astronaut suits auto-fit.
Seats lock.
Helmets seal.
Countdown:
10… 9… 8…
XL-25 rolls — runway lights streak past.
Thrusters IGNITE.
LIFTOFF.
David grips armrests, grinning like a kid:
"WOOOOOH! HERE WE GOOOO!!!"
G-forces slam them back.
Clouds part.
Sky turns black.
Earth curves below.
Prince breathes:
"Wooah…"
XL-25 Computer (calm female voice):
"Mission acknowledged. Preparing hyper-jump."
David:
"Hyper-what—?!"
Engines HOWL.
Space folds.
Wormhole mouth OPENS — swirling blue and white.
XL-25 shoots forward — light-speed.
Stars streak into lines.
They vanish into the tunnel.
MILKY WAY – GALACTIC SECTOR 349
22:47 Earth Standard
XL-25 bursts out of the wormhole with a silent flash.
Stars snap back into pinpricks.
Dead ahead: IDC Headquarters.
Size of Africa and Antarctica combined.
A continent of steel, long, broad, impossibly complex: towers, rings, docks, weapon arrays, glowing blue veins of energy.
The letters I.D.C burn across its flank in letters hundreds of kilometres tall.
David presses his face to the viewport.
"Wooah… I have seen it all."
XL-25 glides into a massive hangar lock.
Force-field shimmers, air pressurises, ramp lowers.
They step out.
Ten alien guards await:
Skin electric blue
Eyes burning red
Transparent visors
IDC jumpsuits
Plasma rifles glowing neon blue
The lead guard's voice is mechanical, layered:
"She is waiting for you."
David (confused):
"She?"
Elevator ride – eight floors up
No sound but the hum of anti-gravity.
Doors slide open.
A chamber of pure white light.
At its centre: a figure of living radiance, pure white energy, form shifting, genderless, timeless.
Files of light float around her like orbiting moons.
She notices them.
Voice static, cosmic:
"Ohhh… you are here."
Energy condenses.
Light folds into flesh.
A woman now stands before them:
Skin like polished obsidian and starlight
Hair flowing galaxies
Eyes containing entire universes
White gown that moves like liquid mercury
Lifia (soft, warm, yet infinite):
"I believe this form is more… appealing."
David, Favour, Prince, Ojo, Gabriel, Emmanuella, Tijani — speechless.
Mouths open.
Eyes wide.
Lifia smiles — creation itself smiling.
"Welcome, children of the Zodiac.
We have much to discuss… and very little time."
The Libra Awakens
(Abuja timeline – parallel to the space journey)
IDC Abuja – Zodiac Resting Chamber – 09:14 A.M.
Aliyah's eyes flutter open.
White ceiling. Soft blue lights. Gentle hum of machines.
She bolts upright, heart racing.
"Where… am I?"
Agent Vision stands at the foot of the bed, arms folded, optic glowing soft cyan.
"You are safe. Inter-Galactic Division Corp medical wing, Abuja."
Aliyah rubs her temples.
"IDC…? What's IDC?"
Vision steps closer, voice calm and precise.
"The Inter-Galactic Division Corp was established 347 years ago to maintain peace and global—on certain occasions—global stability.
We operate across planets, dimensions, and timelines.
Our primary directive: protect sentient life from existential threats (demons, void entities, rogue celestial bodies, and anything that would unmake reality).
To do this, we recruit individuals who carry ancient zodiac signatures—twelve bloodlines tied to the original constellations.
You, Aliyah, are Libra.
Your energy signature was detected yesterday in Kaduna when you fought five Class-5 demons alone.
We extracted you seconds before total energy collapse."
He pauses, letting it sink in.
"In short: you're one of us now. A Zodiac Warrior."
Aliyah stares for a long moment, then exhales.
"So… I was brought here because I'm a Zodiac Warrior."
Vision nods once.
"Correct."
She swings her legs off the bed, stands—still a little wobbly, but steady.
"Okay. I get it."
Beat.
"But right now… I'm starving."
A tiny flicker of amusement crosses Vision's metallic face.
"Of course. Follow me."
Corridor – 09:20 A.M.
Aliyah walks beside the cyborg, barefoot in a fresh grey Libra jumpsuit.
She glances up at him.
"So… do you ever eat?"
Vision (deadpan):
"I run on fusion cells and spite."
Aliyah actually laughs—a small, tired sound, but real.
They reach the cafeteria doors.
Vision stops.
"You'll find the others here eventually. For now—eat, recover, and prepare.
The war is far from over."
He turns to leave.
Aliyah calls after him:
"Hey… thanks for saving me."
Vision pauses, optic softening.
"Thank the seven Warriors they are the reason we could save you in time."
He walks away.
Aliyah pushes open the cafeteria doors, stomach growling louder than any demon she's ever faced.