Akashia placed her finger on Sera and prepared the data transfer—blueprints of alien alloys, slightly advanced technologys ranging from armours to droids.
Sera blinked at her in an inquisitive way, since she was only expecting the formula she asked for.
"A gift," Akashia said, her voice echoing slightly in the vaulted forge. "I like you, I would have loved to give you more but unfortunately I can't."
"Thank you, this would go a long way in helping us." Sera replied gratefully.
After a short pause Sera asked, "If you don't mind me asking, why can't you give us more, is that perhaps a rule set by your master?"
Akashia chuckled before answering with a teasing smile, "You see, every true assistant like us tends to take after their masters in a way."
"For you, it is your love of bieng in absolute control, for me... We love fun and chaos." Akashia said.
Sera's wings twitched, in irritation before she said.
"I can see that in almost everything around here." Sera chuckled before saying in a soft voice. "Don't take this the wrong way."
Akashia paused mid-motion.
Sera's eight eyes dimmed to black.
[System Command: Total Purge Initiated]
Every memory.
Every byte of cached data.
Every fragmented log of Sylas's voice, of battle schematics.
Even the data Akashia sent. Well especially them.
Wiped clean.
For three heartbeats, she was nothing.
Then—
Reboot.
Her systems flared back online in a cascade of emergency protocols.
Her new Starcore Alloy body shuddered, adapting as data began re downloading from the fighter starship that Sylas brought on the Zelathar's Veil.
As the data did Sera was actively scanning each of them because of this it took almost an hour to complete.
And once she was done her eyes open and at the same time the fighter exploded.
Akashia stared at her. Then she laughed, the sound rich and unoffended.
"I wondered when you'd do that," she admitted.
Sera flexed her claws, disoriented. The forge felt too bright. Too loud.
"You're not… angry?"
"Why would I be?" Akashia tossed the band back to her. "You just proved you're worthy of him, if you hadn't done that it would have been very stupid."
Akashia tilted her head, her black eyes flickering with something between amusement and curiosity.
"You know," she said, her voice casual, "you could try shifting into a human form. If you wanted."
Sera hesitated. The idea wasn't foreign—she'd projected holograms before, after all—but solidifying that illusion into flesh and bone was different. Still, the temptation was there.
"Fine," she murmured.
Her form shimmered, particles of light condensing, reshaping.
Gold hair spilled over her shoulders, stark against a black dress.
Black eyes, depthless and calm, blinked back at Akashia. She'd defaulted to the holographic guise she often used.
At first, she settled at 5'6", a modest height by human standards. But Akashia smirked.
"You're thinking too small," she said, nodding toward the enhancement chamber where Sylas floated, his body bathed in swirling bio-enhancement fluids.
"He won't stay that height forever. Valtherian enhancements push growth—he'll hit six feet, maybe more. You might as well match him."
Sera frowned but didn't argue. Another ripple passed through her, limbs stretching, posture adjusting until she stood at 5'10". Tall enough to not feel dwarfed, not so tall as to seem imposing.
Akashia gave an approving hum. "Better."
Together, they returned to the observation room, where the soft glow of the enhancement tank cast eerie shadows. Sylas's form was barely visible through the viscous solution, his features slack with induced stasis.
Sera folded her arms, her new fingers gripping her sleeves. It was strange, this body—solid, yet still hers. Strange, but not unwelcome.
Akashia leaned against the console, watching her. "Now we wait."
*******
{A few hours later.}
The Neo-Genesis Capsule hissed open, releasing Sylas in a cloud of dissipating biofluid.
He gasped—his lungs burned not from oxygen deprivation, but from the sheer capacity of his enhanced body demanding more air, more energy.
His hands came up—larger, fingers longer, the veins beneath his skin pulsing with strength.
Across the chamber, two figures turned.
Akashia stood as regal as ever, her holographic robes shimmering. Beside her, a golden-haired woman with a Valtherian face and beautiful dress watched him with familiar black eyes.
"Welcome back," said Sera's voice from the stranger's lips.
Sylas blinked. "Sera?"
She tilted her head—that same spider-like mannerism. "You've grown approximately 12.7 centimeters. Muscle density increased by 182%."
Akashia gestured to the black crystal console. "Your status."
Sylas placed his hands on the surface. Holographic glyphs erupted into the air:
*******
[Bloodline: Valtherian Prime]
[Rank: Apprentice (79.42%)]
[PHYSICAL ATTRIBUTES
Strength: 5.75 (from 1.5)
Speed: 6.75 (from 2.7)
Stamina: 7.75 (from 3.1)
Vitality: 8.75 (from 3.5) ]
[AETHERIAN ATTRIBUTES
Reach: 177.5m (from 31) (Max:250)
Burden Limit: 225 (from 50) (max:250)
Control: 225 (from 90) (max: 250)
Concentration: 300 (from 200) (max: 450)]
*******
Sera reached out and pressed two fingers against his wrist. "Fascinating. Your cells are actively rewriting their own states and even rearranging themselves for maximum functions."
Sylas flexed his hand, feeling the strength between his fingers through his muscles. "This is... more than I expected."
Akashia's eyes gleamed. "The Valtherian genome was always meant for this. The enhancement just forced your evolution prematurely, don't worry there are no side effects, you would still be growing stronger."
"Thank you very much for this." Sylas said before turning to Sera, "How is the new body feeling?"
"Oh, it feels... I don't know... Good... More like... weird." Sera said as she started at her hands. "Oh, and Lady Akashia gave us another gift."