During the mid-20th century, humanity began to have difficulty controlling many known issues plaguing the planet for a very long time, such as global warming, famine, war, and corruption. All these unresolved issues finally reached the planet's limit. Due to the rising sea levels, many islands and small countries disappeared while much bigger countries shrank. Volcanic and earthquake activity increased significantly in many places, and heavy droughts destroyed many more civilizations and drastically changed established ecosystems. The surviving humans believed the apocalypse had arrived, marking the end of civilization. It would have been the end until the arrival of an alien species known as the Nevu made their presence known to everyone on Earth.

At first, many thought their end had arrived, while others' faith was restored. However, the Nevu had other plans, announcing their true intentions by declaring they would collect 1% of humanity's remaining population to add to their growing collection. It was the only announcement, leaving everyone bewildered over who would be chosen. An endless supply of scouts was sent to scour the Earth. At first, there was peace between the humans and scouts until the humans felt their privacy was being invaded. Many of the scouts were attacked and used in attempts to communicate with the Nevu, and others were captured for experimentation. Many more people were killed as the scouts defended themselves, while the remaining laboratories and secret government areas were revealed as well. The violence escalated to the point where the remaining human governments declared war. In less than a year, the Nevu had overwhelmed the human armies by using their more significant numbers against them. The more powerful nations decided to retreat, hoping to gather more information about their new enemies. The Nevu seemed overpowered by numbers and an endless supply of abilities. Many surviving humans believed they were immortal because they witnessed Nevu scouts surviving their explosions by regenerating.

The war came to a standstill when the Nevu revealed their ruler's deceit to all humanity via global broadcasts. There were endless hours of the rich and powerful striking a deal with the Nevu by sacrificing their remaining citizens, using the war to gather the 1% needed to be collected with the promise that the Nevu would only take the best and brightest humanity had to offer. Riots broke out among the remaining populations against those in charge or who had any power. The Nevu took a neutral stance by giving everyone advanced technology for the war. The average citizen fought against those in power for being traitors, while those in power fought against the average citizen, hoping to be the 1% to be collected. Everyone else used the advanced technology for numerous reasons: to hide, help, or learn.

Humanity would take over 500 years to make any advancements. The global war against the government ended in victory for the average person. Humankind had to reset their laws, government, language, culture, and education by forming a new system. An impossible feat was accomplished by many different groups of people deciding to unite their efforts. These groups could master the technology given to them by the Nevu. By bringing their efforts together, by the end of the 20th century, humanity could restore Earth to its former glory by making the necessary changes to survive. Over half of the population of all species on the planet was lost in exchange. Not to mention, mankind had a change of heart concerning the Nevu. Or at least, that is what they wanted the Nevu to think by creating a peace treaty with them, allowing them Nevu to willingly collect them once they reached 1% of their population as long as the Nevu did not meddle in their affairs. A deal the Nevu accepted wholeheartedly because they were interested in collecting the best humanity had to offer.

There was peace among all the species (including the Nevu) until the beginning of the 30th century.

The humans declared another war against the Nevu once they created the perfect weapons to combat them, known as the Horizonix. Only seven could be created in total. Seven humans with Olympic-level abilities, in both physical and intelligence, were able to harness its power. Together, they created a group known as Humanity's Hand. Each member would rally many supporters to join their fight against the Nevu. Only those seven members were able to successfully eliminate the Nevu, which they publicly did to garner more support. Over time, the Nevu began to retreat from humanity until they were no longer welcomed within human cities, towns, settlements, or communities. Due to their very large numbers, humankind was unable to eradicate them but was able to keep them at bay.

Due to their heroic achievements, Humanity's Hand grew their influence from being a spartan army representing mankind to law enforcement, emergency workers, celebrities, and much more. The only aspect of the world they did not touch was government. The group's original members led the next generations to defend mankind by picking and training their successors. Only the seven most potent pure humans can be the next heroes. Many rules were implemented to search for those powerful humans while organizing which individuals were best suited to which positions. By the sixth generation, two of the seven members mysteriously disappeared after brutal battles against the Nevu army. Everyone conducted a global search for them, which lasted a decade until they were declared dead. No one knew where they had disappeared to, as the Nevu never made any announcements concerning any achievements because it was already well-established; they were a hive-minded community. All Nevu knew about their triumphs through telepathy.

The structure of Humanity's Hand had to change. Their motif shifted from superheroes to a more militaristic mindset. Each group member and their teams had to change their terms to playing card suits—diamond, ace, clubs, and hearts. It was the best way to organize everyone into positions after losing two members. The structure remained the same for the next hundred years.

While the world continued to change and evolve its tactics in the fight against the Nevu, a mother and daughter lived peacefully on a manmade island a few miles off the coast of a small harbor town. Golden apple trees and other fruits and vegetables surrounded the island. They lived in a quaint cottage, just the two of them, with a large flower garden. The mother was a human woman named Joan, while her daughter was a hybrid child between a human and Nevu named Nuvia. They had been living peacefully together for over ninety years. Nuvia helped her mother care for the fruits and vegetables and kept their island and home clean of all debris. Nuvia fed her mother blood every night to help heal and nourish her cells from aging. Until one day, Nuvia's mother announced her intentions to visit the nearby human town as she usually did bimonthly to restock on supplies. Nuvia bid her mother farewell and waited for her return.

After two months of waiting, Nuvia decided to search for her mother after noticing drastic changes to the weather on their island. Joan had forbidden Nuvia to leave the island's safety, which was one of the many reasons she had not gone out to search for her sooner when she wanted to. Nuvia floated away from her island home once the wind changed in the direction her mother used to visit the nearby human town. From there, she noticed the path among the heavy forest leading down a road. Nuvia followed the road until reaching the first human town she could find, which was an hour's flight using her levitation abilities. After landing, Nuvia began searching for her mother by asking each person she encountered, only to be met with cold, angry, or frightful stares. Many evaded her questions, while others made threatening gestures from a distance. Once the locals grew tired of her, they began to attack by throwing rocks and other items, demanding she leave. Nuvia was adamant about only obeying once she found her mother. It wasn't until law enforcement arrived that the attacks against her stopped. The citizens explained the situation to the officers, who then requested everyone to leave. At first, the officers were compliant in listening to Nuvia's side of the story, learning about her search for her mother, the length of time she was missing, and her home. Once the officers had all the information concerning the situation, they spoke to their superiors. It wasn't until handcuffs were placed on Nuvia's wrists, leaving her speechless, that the officers decided to detain her for the murder of an unknown woman found over a cliff near the town, which was now turning into a cold case. Nuvia was confused by the allegations, denying it because she knew it couldn't be her mother. Her mother was not dead! Realizing she wasn't going to leave peacefully with them, the officers pointed their energy weapons at her, only to meet with backfire. Nuvia had activated her ability to create a bubble barrier for the first time. The shock was enough for her to run away from the officers, one of whom continued to fire while the other used a plasma sword in an attempt to stab her. Some energy blasts hit her while she felt the other incoming officer heading towards her with another weapon. In her desperate attempt to defend herself, Nuvia accidentally activated her ice ability for the first time. As she raised her arm, a sudden, intense cold emanated from her hand, forming jagged ice spikes that shot toward the approaching officer. The ice spikes collided with the officer's weapon, encasing it in a thick layer of ice and rendering it useless. This gave Nuvia the crucial moment she needed to escape by levitating away once the wind changed in the direction she had previously come from.

Once she felt the wind would change direction again, Nuvia stopped levitating and glided across the tree branches toward her island home. Realizing the wind would no longer help her cross to her house by levitating, she decided to take her chances by using her new powers to cross the water. Every step she took would freeze the water underneath, as she thought; however, the movement of the waves would destroy her small platforms. Deciding to run across the water by skipping over the waves, she levitated to her island once the wind changed directions.

Arriving at her home, Nuvia relaxed from her journey to the human town, but she couldn't stop thinking about the accusations made against her. Deep down, she knew her mother wasn't dead. She decided to search through her mother's room to find any clues. Inside one of the picture books, she found a cryptic message from an unknown man requesting her mother to activate the "safehouse" once the time came to defend themselves against the upcoming war. Another message hid a clue about finding the device to lead her to its location. Nuvia figured out the device was hidden in the greenhouse. Finding the device, she followed its instructions to the "safehouse" across the island but within the forest.

Enemy soldiers and their autonomous drones were searching in the forest for signs of Nuvia. She quickly realized they were too close to her home and the "safe house." Levitating to the top of the trees, she began to jump across the branches to escape her pursuers. The autonomous drones chased after her once they realized she was using the trees. Attacks were blasted toward her, which she avoided using the bubble barrier, realizing it was now surrounding her inside a sphere. Some of the drones broke from their blasts. The remainder continued to pursue and even drove her to a specific part of the forest, where one unexpectedly blasted the branch, she was on, causing her to levitate down towards the ground quickly. A group of soldiers surrounded her, all weapons pointing towards her in every direction. Nuvia remained frozen, uncertain of what to do. Then, a Nevu appeared out of nowhere, attacking all the soldiers and drones alike using fire. Some of the soldiers screamed about a plant monster attacking them while the drones called a "Nevu" alert. Once the battle was over, Nuvia turned to the shadowy, gas-like savior with two red eyes but surrounded by giant blue eyes on top of their head, forehead, neck, shoulders, chest, and knees. She couldn't see a plant monster. All she saw was a human form. The Nevu noticed Nuvia wasn't afraid of it and questioned why. Nuvia said he looked "normal" to her. The Nevu inquired about her name and why she was in the forest. She explained the situation to them, only to learn the Nevu lived in the forest. When it sensed the human soldiers, it thought it was chasing them, only to find them chasing her. They could tell she was and wasn't a Nevu. Nuvia didn't understand them, not knowing what a Nevu was. They explained the Nevu were an alien species that had arrived on Earth to save humanity, only for the humans to attack them in response. They were being hunted down for being different, which gained Nuvia's sympathy. She decided to take the Nevu with her to the safe house. Maybe they will find something to help them, too.

Their journey through the forest was met with more enemy soldiers and drones. Both Nuvia and the Nevu used their combined abilities to protect one another. Throughout their journey, Nuvia learned more about the Nevu, a hive-minded species always connected through telepathy, where everyone was considered equal, unlike human society. She argued against the belief that humans were inherently violent and lacking morals, citing her mother as an example who was human and embodied none of those qualities. The Nevu apologized for upsetting Nuvia, attributing it to their limited experiences with humans. Despite their initial differences, Nuvia began to notice similarities the more they discussed their respective species.

Upon finding the "safehouse" hidden inside a cave, Nuvia and the Nevu were about to enter when they encountered more enemies surrounding them. The Nevu ordered Nuvia to unlock the "safehouse" so they could escape. She did so and informed the Nevu, unaware that they had inadvertently killed another group of humans.

Exploring inside the cave, Nuvia was surprised to find a clean white space filled with various technologies, gadgets, bookshelves, clothing, and other items she didn't recognize. It was huge! As they explored further, the device urged Nuvia to touch something, which activated a hologram message from the same man who welcomed them to the cave and explained its purpose. As the hologram was about to detail how the "safehouse" was meant to defend against humans and other Nevu, the Nevu warrior attacked the hologram's machine in a rage upon discovering the traitor's location. The machine's destruction activated an AI version of the same individual, which intervened between the Nevu and Nuvia. The AI instructed Nuvia to run while attempting to order the Nevu to stand down. The Nevu revealed genuine anger and disgust upon learning that Nuvia was the child of an elder and a human, believing she needed to be destroyed to preserve their pure lineage. Terrified by the Nevu's sudden hostility and feeling rejected by their collective, Nuvia fled deeper into the cave as the AI protected her from the Nevu's attacks. Standing before another opening leading to a garden, Nuvia realized it was a trap set to kill the Nevu and pleaded with them to stop. However, the AI triggered another trap that blasted Nuvia deeper into the garden, while the original trap killed the Nevu. Stunned, Nuvia witnessed Nevu's body transform into pure energy before the AI teleported it away from the cave. Mourning the loss, the AI informed Nuvia that it needed to neutralize the Nevu for her safety. The AI revealed itself as her father when she asked about its identity.

The AI explained that it had scanned its brain to create the AI version of itself and everything found within the cave. Nuvia inquired about her father's whereabouts, learning that he had passed away before she was born but had created everything in anticipation of the conflicts between humans and Nevu that would threaten her and her mother. The AI asked about her mother, and Nuvia explained her disappearance, prompting a grim response from the AI. Guiding Nuvia back to the cave entrance, the AI showed her the array of materials and assured her safety inside. However, Nuvia insisted on leaving to find her mother despite the dangers. The AI warned her about the ongoing war between humans and Nevu and stressed the importance of mastering her newfound powers to survive. It estimated it would take her a decade to learn thoroughly. Nuvia argued that she couldn't wait and pressed about her father's love for her mother, to which the AI revealed his deep affection and loyalty towards her, referring to her as their "firefly." Nuvia emphasized that finding her mother was her priority, and the AI reluctantly agreed to assist her, sensing activity at other safehouses worldwide. With eight safehouses, six more remained unlocked for Nuvia to reach her true potential.

Over the next few days, Nuvia remained in the cave, learning about Nevu and human societies and mastering her powers. When the AI provided her with the locations of the remaining safehouses, it cautioned her not to lose the key needed to unlock the AI's features, which included teleportation between safe houses. Nuvia prepared for her journey, mounted a hoverbike, and departed the cave's safety towards the next town.

Nuvia was surrounded by a criminal gang of humanoid animals in the next town. Uncertain of each other's intentions, they decided to rob and potentially sell Nuvia due to her unique appearance. Just as they were about to attack, a mysterious man appeared and swiftly dealt with the gang. After ensuring Nuvia's safety, he questioned her unusual appearance, leading her to discover the term "splicer," referring to genetically altered humans, which she denied as her mother was an average human. When asked about her father, Nuvia hesitated, unsure how to respond. Changing the subject, she explained her journey to find the safehouses left by her father in search of her missing mother. Intrigued by her story, the man offered to guide her safely out of town, which Nuvia gratefully accepted.

As they navigated through the town, the man suddenly turned on Nuvia, attempting to decapitate her and steal her belongings. To his surprise, Nuvia regenerated her head, shocking him and causing him to suspect she might be a Nevu. Confused by the accusation, Nuvia chased after him as he fled back into the town.

Nuvia pursued the man across rooftops and walls through nimble movements and levitation but eventually lost track due to his familiarity with the town. Returning to the outskirts, she concealed her bike and continued her search, encountering resistance when seeking information. Eventually overhearing a group discussing a government-restricted area, she investigated and followed the sound of gunshots, leading her to find the man conversing with a government agent. From their conversation, Nuvia learned the agent was a scorned lover seeking retribution by threatening orphaned children while the man reluctantly cooperated to protect himself. Taking action, Nuvia intervened by destroying drones and shielding the man with her ice abilities when more arrived. The agent panicked at Nuvia's sudden intervention, and the man questioned why she was helping him. She cited his previous aid in saving her and her gratitude. As the situation escalated, Nuvia pursued the fleeing agent only to witness the man being killed by a nearby Nevu.

The town fell into chaos at the sight of the Nevu's appearance. Paralyzed with fear, Nuvia faced the Nevu, recognizing its resemblance to the Nevu who had accompanied her to the first safe house. Before the Nevu could harm her, the man reappeared, decapitating the Nevu and shielding Nuvia from its attack. As more Nevu emerged and began attacking indiscriminately, the man dragged Nuvia away, seeking to escape before more government forces arrived. Confused by his sudden protective behavior, Nuvia followed him obediently as they fled to the outskirts of town. There, the man asked about her bike and instructed her to avoid nearby towns, warning of the government's pursuit to obtain information about the safehouses and their keys. Nuvia speculated that if the government knew about the key, they might have discovered one of the safehouses. The man agreed and planned to return to the town to help others escape. Still, Nuvia persuaded him to accompany her instead, valuing his knowledge and skills in combating the Nevu. Reluctant but intrigued, the man agreed to join her because if the safehouses yielded nothing of value, he would sell her to the government. Nuvia accepted the terms, eager to continue her search.

During their journey to the next town, Nuvia learns that the other man's name is Kael and learns more about his qualifications. Nuvia feels safer having him on her side. Once more, he reminds Nuvia of their ongoing deal. They figure out the safest route to the next safe house, even if it means taking the longest path.

Arriving at the next town, Kael leaves to stock up on supplies while realizing he and Nuvia are now wanted criminals after seeing the local broadcasts. He quickly gathers everything before returning to inform Nuvia about the situation. He tells her that a hoverbike won't be sufficient for their travels and that they will need to steal a vehicle. Nuvia is against the idea, but Kael explains the benefits: better concealment and longer travel distances than a bike. In the end, Nuvia agrees. Before forming a plan, Kael inquires about her skills, only to learn that she only knows how to farm and garden and has no battle experience other than the encounters she’s already had. He is amazed by her luck, as she would have been killed if higher-level soldiers had hunted her down.

Kael teaches Nuvia survival skills to help him locate and steal a vehicle. Fortunately, he finds Nuvia to be a fast learner. In no time, they locate a vehicle to take. Kael speaks to the owner while Nuvia observes from a distance. She learns the importance of using flattery to lower others' guards. After gathering all the needed information, Kael instructs Nuvia on their plan to steal the vehicle after midnight. Thanks to their teamwork, they successfully executed the plan.

As they are about to leave the town with their hidden supplies and the bike, they are ambushed by more enemy soldiers in customs vehicles. Kael learns from the soldiers that the man he had initially spoken to and stolen from had recognized him. He quickly drives back into the town and changes direction while the soldiers chase after them. During the chase, Kael explains to Nuvia that he suspects this situation and knows a few escape routes. However, more enemy soldiers block these routes. The soldiers chasing them are met with Nuvia throwing pillars of ice, which have no effect. Kael explains that their vehicles are specially made to withstand potential Nevu attacks. Unsure of what else to do, Nuvia is instructed by Kael to create bubble barriers on his command.

As they continue their chase across town, they reach a dead end and are surrounded by the enemy. Kael is uncertain what to do other than forcefully pushing through the custom-made vehicles, hoping to get enough speed and momentum to jump over them. However, they get blocked from behind as well. Nuvia overhears Kael's frustrations and notices no more vehicles behind the ones blocking their way in front of them. Deciding to take action, Nuvia gets out of the vehicle despite Kael's attempt to stop her. She creates a wall of ice to block the vehicles behind them before the soldiers can surround them. She does the same for the streets on either side.

Kael is confused by Nuvia's plan, especially when she climbs on the hood and orders him to drive ahead at full speed. Without hesitation, he drives toward the car in front of them as the enemy soldiers begin shooting at them. Nuvia turns her chest and dress to ice, creating an ice ramp using the vehicle as a base for the car to drive over. Once the car returns to the ground, Nuvia uses her levitation ability to create another wall before the custom vehicle can back up as Kael did. Kael gains more respect for Nuvia's quick thinking. When she returns to the vehicle, he wonders why she never told him about her ice abilities. She teases him, saying a girl needs to keep a secret or two for emergencies.

After inspecting the state of their vehicle, Kael suggests getting it repainted and changing other important details now that the military is aware of their situation. Nuvia wonders where they'll be able to get something like that done for free. Kael quickly informs her not to worry because he knows someone who can help them. It will take them a couple of days on the road to reach their next destination, which is a much bigger city. Kael suggests that Nuvia hides in the back seat due to her appearance. She begins to argue because she wants to see the city. He suggests she lie on the ground while looking out the window. She does this and finds the large buildings amazing.

It is not long until they reach their destination. Nuvia watches as Kael gets out of the vehicle and speaks to a small child. It does not take long until another man appears to give Kael a firm hug. She later learns the man is a mechanic named Axel, one of Kael's closest friends, who owes Kael a large debt. Axel decides to help Kael by customizing the vehicle and changing its information so the military won't notice them in exchange for clearing the debt. As the men continue to discuss business, Axel mentions the cloud-looking girl seen on the news. Kael explains the situation with Nuvia before introducing them. As Nuvia is about to introduce herself, she is interrupted by the surprised reaction of another child, a little girl named Lily, who finds Nuvia very pretty. Lily asks her father if Nuvia can play with her. Axel approves after convincing Kael to stay a few days before heading on the road again.

While Axel works on the vehicle, Nuvia and Lily play together almost daily. Lily teaches Nuvia about toys and plays pretend whenever Kael isn't training Nuvia in survival skills. The few days quickly turn into a week, and Kael begins to suspect foul play because Axel's excuses sound flimsier. Nuvia overlooks the issues at first because she is enjoying her time with Lily. The young girl is very intelligent and reads all kinds of stories to Nuvia after realizing Nuvia doesn't know how to read.

One day, after Axel and Lily return from a shopping trip, Lily comes home sick in her father's arms. Axel explains to Nuvia and Kael that Lily has delicate health, and he'll need to stop working on the vehicle to care for her as a single father. Kael is outraged by the situation but understands. Nuvia decides to visit Lily with the hope of helping the girl feel better so her dad can return to fixing the vehicle. When she tells Lily to breathe in her hair, Lily begins to feel much better after vomiting. To Axel's surprise, he celebrates the miracle Nuvia performed to save his daughter. He decides to make a dinner for Kael and Nuvia to celebrate Lily's restored health.

During the celebration dinner, Kael eats alongside Axel and the rest of his men while Nuvia watches everything from another room. She feels uncomfortable joining the dinner with so many other people present. Nuvia begins to search for Lily, realizing she isn't around. A boy grabs Nuvia's attention by signaling her to follow him. He takes her to the garage to reveal that their stolen vehicle has been remodeled. Nuvia is confused and unsure what to say until the boy reveals that the vehicle has been ready for over a week. Axel has been lying to her and Kael. She wonders why he hasn't informed Kael about it. The boy explains that Kael has been under surveillance the entire time, just like she has until now. Nuvia wonders why now is different. Unlike Kael, the boy admits that Axel no longer believes her to be a threat. Axel believes Nuvia is under his control because of Lily.

Nuvia wonders about Lily's whereabouts, and the boy leads her to a secret room with monitors showing each room in the household. The boy shows a broadcast of Axel with Lily, leaving Nuvia speechless and then enraged. Axel has been poisoning his daughter for the past few years, not having the heart to kill her but making her sick enough to get help from the government. Nuvia asks about Lily's current whereabouts, and the boy reveals that Axel has killed his daughter. The boy admits that Lily did not deserve her fate, just like Nuvia and Kael don't deserve theirs. He reveals Axel's plan with the government to pin Lily's death on Nuvia while Kael is set up to kill his henchmen during the dinner after being drugged to increase his paranoia. The government has promised Axel to pardon his crimes and offer him riches for Kael and Nuvia's capture.

Nuvia quickly leaves the room and heads upstairs, the boy questioning her decision not to head straight to the party. She reveals her intention to find Lily. She sees the girl peacefully lying in her room, no longer breathing. Nuvia painfully holds her tiny form, finding her cold. She tries to force Lily to drink her blood, but it doesn't help. The boy is curious throughout the entire scene. Nuvia notices him and gives him some of her blood in one of Lily's teacups. She orders him to hide in the stolen vehicle, warning him to drink the blood only if he is close to death. Nuvia is determined to save Kael and everyone else.

Appearing at the party while holding Lily in her arms, everyone is curious about the scene. Nuvia calmly reveals that Lily is dead. Axel acts shocked by the news, pretending not to believe it, but as he tries to get closer to touch Lily, Nuvia moves out of the way. She angrily accuses him of being the murderer. Axel acts outraged by Nuvia's accusations, deciding to pin it on her, only for Nuvia to broadcast the footage to everyone in the room. Unfortunately, the broadcast breaks once it ends, and Axel laughs, revealing it was the original copy. He orders his men to kill Kael and Nuvia, only to find his men already dead. Kael had taken care of them throughout the party by poisoning them. He suspected Axel had something planned initially, considering Axel never cared for his daughter.

Nuvia reveals that Axel has teamed up with the government to capture them. Kael isn't mad about Axel's betrayal; he is outraged about Lily's death. Axel is afraid of Kael hurting him, but Nuvia stands between them, holding Lily in her arms. She tries to reason with Kael about letting Axel go, arguing that Lily wouldn't want her father to meet the same fate as her. Kael argues about leaving any witnesses, but Nuvia reminds him they're already wanted criminals. Kael points out that whatever they do doesn't matter to the government anymore. One more won't hurt. Nuvia argues that it will hurt her. Kael and Nuvia have a stare-down until Kael reveals that her kindness will be her undoing. He decides to knock Axel out while Nuvia freezes him to the ground.

Kael returns Lily to her room and apologizes to the dead girl. Nuvia creates a flower out of ice, remembering that her favorite flower is roses. They both leave, taking the vehicle of one of the goons. Nuvia wonders about the little boy, and Kael admits to avoiding taking him because his life will be ruined otherwise. He doesn't want to make the boy's life harder than it already is. Once Kael successfully changes the vehicle's information, they quickly leave the scene, returning to their mission of finding the next safe house.

In the next town, closer to the safe house, Kael is talking on a public phone to someone while researching information about their criminal status. He informs Nuvia about Axel's death, hinting that the government has pinned the massacre more on her than on him. Nuvia doesn't mind being blamed for more deaths because she knows the truth. They continue their drive until they reach the next safe house. Nuvia activates it, allowing Kael to drive their vehicle inside the enclosed space. She uses the key to unlock the cave's true power, allowing the AI to reappear. It welcomes Nuvia to the next cave, then notices Kael. It already has information about the other man, which impresses Kael. Nuvia admits to him that the AI is her father. The AI inquires about Nuvia's progress, and Kael answers for her by admitting she is reliable but still very stupid. The AI agrees with Kael's assessment of her. Nuvia is annoyed by their agreement. She informs her father about her new abilities, which the AI documents. They wonder about any weaknesses to report besides her stupidity and brash behavior. Nuvia isn't confident about it, other than that her ice pillars can be knocked over by custom cars. The AI tries to teach Nuvia about the effects of temperature differences and kinetic energy, but she ignores it because she does not understand it. Kael wonders about Nuvia's education level, only to learn she never received one. The AI isn't too shocked about it, knowing that Nuvia's mother always found education pointless even though she was highly intelligent due to her fantastic memory. Nuvia doesn't believe she needs it, but Kael disagrees. He decides to allow Nuvia to remain in the safehouse long enough to learn more about her powers. The AI decides to educate her on it while repairing their vehicle. It informs Kael to make himself home with anything he finds in the cave. Kael reveals his deal with Nuvia, to which the AI allows him to take anything he believes to be valuable.

Nuvia and Kael remain in the cave for a week. The AI is making necessary repairs and modifications to their vehicle, Kael is reading and exploring the cave, and Nuvia is learning more about science. It is a slow process due to her stubbornness about not needing to learn about temperature, ice, etc. The AI encourages her to learn to become a better support for Kael. Kael teaches self-defense and other survival skills whenever she isn't studying science. Suddenly, an alarm sounds, warning Kael and Nuvia that one of the other safehouses has been uncovered by someone other than Nuvia. The AI cannot find more information due to the cave's high security, but it determines that an intruder has found and forcefully opened it. Kael wonders if the AI can determine how long it took to unlock it. The AI can only determine through the weaponry that it has been used for over a year. Kael and Nuvia leave the safe house to find the rest before another one is unlocked. At least they have time on their side, even if the AI is uncertain of the amount now that one has been forcefully opened. Kael prepares the newly remodeled vehicle with supplies and items he wants to sell. He informs Nuvia about heading to his headquarters next to inform his group about the new plan. Nuvia is confused when she learns that Kael has his headquarters, and he reveals that, on the outside, it is an organization created to protect orphan children from being forced to join the military. He reveals that he was a child soldier. In reality, their group is an anti-government organization that works alongside the black market and other criminals. Nuvia feels uneasy about it all, but Kael reveals that the black market has a lot of available resources. Maybe they'll have clues concerning her mother. Nuvia is willing to try if it means she'll be a step closer to finding her.

They use the teleportation device to arrive in the cave Nuvia had opened beforehand and then head over to the town under Kael's influence. It is a short drive that takes them a few days to reach. Nuvia looks out the window to find they are in a small village filled with nature and much more peaceful than the first town she had visited. Once they reach their destination, Kael orders her to remain in the car as he speaks with someone. Moments later, a woman around her mother's age appears and opens the car door to welcome Nuvia. Kael reveals her name to be Amara, an indie blogger and a well-known social media reporter. Amara is excited to meet Nuvia, as she wants to reach out to her. Nuvia is just as excited to meet Amara. Amara already knows that Nuvia is nothing like how the government portrays her. When Nuvia asks about it, Amara reveals that the government has painted her as an enemy created by the Nevu in their war against humanity. Nuvia rejects this idea, revealing she is simply searching for her mother. Amara feels sympathy towards her and decides to show her around the mansion. Kael returns to his office to get settled.

As Amara shows Nuvia around, she notices the contrasting looks everyone gives her compared to the friendly ones from Amara and Lily. She even recalls Axel’s initial gaze resembling the ones she received on her first trip to a human town. Once the tour is over, Amara tries to offer Nuvia refreshments, only to learn she doesn't need anything other than water. Amara learns that Nuvia is self-sustained due to her Nevu genes, a detail Nuvia learned from her father. Amara is surprised that the Nevu don't need to eat or drink and is excited about discussing these details on her podcasts. Nuvia isn't sure it's a bright idea considering her current status, but Amara assures her that she is protected by her job as a reporter and won't get into trouble for it. Their conversation is interrupted by a message from Kael to meet him in his office.

Once the girls arrive at the office, Kael informs them about his next mission from the black market. He needs to leave. Nuvia decides to join him, but he orders her to remain in the mansion because he doesn't want to involve her in his business. He suggests that she continue studying the material her father made for her. Nuvia reveals she can't read without an AI doing it for her. Amara decides to teach her while Kael is away.

For the next few days, it is peaceful, with Amara teaching Nuvia the science material while allowing her to visit the village occasionally for a break. Nuvia showcases her powers to help with chores, earning the trust of some villagers while others remain wary. One day, the Nevu, who are searching for Nuvia, attacked the village. Simultaneously, Kael's group is ambushed by the government, preventing them from offering each other any support. Kael reassures Nuvia that he will return to the village before the end of the day. Despite Amara's warnings about the many enemies, Nuvia decides to face the Nevu to protect the village.

Some people in the mansion help Nuvia in the fight, trusting Kael's judgment. Nuvia informs everyone of Nevu's weaknesses and joins them in supporting them. The battle begins with everyone being cautious of Nevu's shapeshifting abilities and their transformation into pure energy upon death. The villagers follow Nuvia's strategy while she takes on the more challenging Nevu, especially those using human hostages. Nuvia realizes the fight seems more manageable than usual and evacuates villagers into the mansion's basement for protection.

Once inside, Nuvia quickly realizes most of the volunteers are Nevu warriors, with everyone in the basement being Nevu. She tries to remain calm and act normal. Amara notices Nuvia's awkward behavior, and Nuvia explains she feels overwhelmed by the number of people in the mansion. Amara suggests she take a break in the bathroom, but Nuvia heads to Kael's office instead.

In Kael's office, Nuvia contacts Kael to reveal the situation. Kael is surprised and wonders how Nuvia missed it. She explains she only noticed once inside. Kael reveals he installed a security device from Nuvia's AI father to detect Nevu after she informed him of the attack. Nuvia recalls the volunteers were all human until now. Kael tells Nuvia he is heading back and instructs her to survive until he arrives. Nuvia calms her nerves and returns to the basement. Amara interrupts and heads back together, where Nuvia notices the Nevu acting normally. She spots a small group of humans and tries to approach them, but the Nevu surround them, using them as hostages.

Nuvia wants to go outside to gather more information about the dead Nevu, but Amara stops her, suggesting she serve refreshments to everyone. Nuvia complies and notices that all the Nevu request drinks, while the humans decline except for one, who drinks before her. Nuvia tries to ask him questions, but he ignores most of them, disappointing her.

As the night progresses, Nuvia continues serving refreshments. Amara informs her that Kael has returned. Nuvia runs to Kael's office and finds more Nevu entering the mansion. Once there, she encounters a Nevu warrior and attacks, believing them to be intruders. The Nevu, claiming to be Kael, tries to calm her using his voice, but Nuvia doesn't believe him and continues her ice attacks. The Nevu dodges her attacks, not wanting to hurt her. Amara and more Nevu warriors intervene, and they knock Nuvia out.

When Nuvia regains consciousness, Amara is thrilled to see her awake in a guest bedroom. Nuvia wonders what happened, and Amara explains she attacked Kael in his office, mistaking him for a Nevu. Kael knocked her out and saved the villagers. The anti-Nevu system had malfunctioned, detecting a few Nevu in the basement, and Kael and his men took care of them. Unfortunately, there were a few casualties. Kael, bandaged, enters the room. Nuvia apologizes, but Kael reassures her it wasn't her fault and praises her quick thinking. He acknowledges her need for more training but sees her becoming more reliable. Nuvia is relieved and happy to hear it.

Kael prepares for their next trip to search for the safehouses now that he has completed his black-market mission. Nuvia bids Amara and some of the people from the mansion farewell. Amara promises they will cross paths again because she needs to return to her usual duties. Just as Nuvia is about to ask about Amara's additional duties, Kael lectures Amara for revealing too much, stating that there are things Nuvia does not need to know. They bid everyone farewell and travel back to the safehouse to use it to teleport to the next recently unlocked safehouse. Kael admits it will take a few weeks to reach the next one due to taking a longer route. They both enjoy their road trip, traveling through different towns and cities. Occasionally, they camp to allow Kael time to rest and give Nuvia time to practice her abilities, including new ones she is working to master.

One evening, Nuvia hears a familiar voice calling out to her, belonging to Lily. Just as she decides to investigate, the little girl disappears. Nuvia begins to believe she is seeing illusions due to missing her. The next day, as Kael drives, he notices Nuvia deep in thought. He worries about her, but Nuvia brushes it off, saying she simply feels tired. At the next stop, Kael buys them an ice cream cone for himself and a sundae for Nuvia. She informs him that she cannot have it when he gives it to her. Kael asks her to try it and enjoy it. Nuvia cautiously eats the ice cream, finding it cold. When Kael asks if she likes the flavor, she looks confused, saying all she can feel is the cold, which confuses Kael further. Even so, Nuvia enjoys eating something alongside Kael, which helps raise her morale. Nuvia notices another vision of Lily in the distance, enjoying her ice cream too.

A couple of hours later, they needed to stop because Nuvia was sick and trying to spit something out. Kael decided to set up camp to give her time to recover. Nuvia was given a tent while Kael busied himself with other tasks. Left alone, she felt a cold hand touching her skin, comforting her with a voice that sounded like Lily. Nuvia quickly regained consciousness and finally, spit out whatever her body was rejecting. It was a disgusting transparent ooze. She decided to leave her tent and found it was early morning with a thick fog. She saw Kael in the vehicle, getting it ready. He noticed Nuvia was awake and asked about her condition. She said she felt okay but gross. She asked if there was somewhere she could bathe. Kael informed her about a lake not far from their campsite. She could use it. Nuvia decided to do so, and when Kael offered her a towel, she rejected it, explaining that she could use her clouds to create her dress again. Kael was impressed by this revelation about her clothes.

Heading to the lake, Nuvia made her clothes disappear, allowing herself to be naked. She swam into the water, her hair floating above her head. As Nuvia enjoyed the chilly water, she noticed another vision of Lily warning her not to lower her guard because she was in danger. Suddenly, pillars of ice were thrown her way, narrowly missing her. She turned towards the source, demanding to know who was there. In no time, a version of herself levitated above the water, glaring at her. Nuvia was shocked. The other Nuvia began to freeze the water, forcing Nuvia to levitate away.

Nuvia and her clone engaged in a fierce battle. The clone mirrored Nuvia's abilities, creating ice constructs and attacking with precision. Nuvia countered with her ice pillars, but the clone seemed to anticipate her every move, using a bubble barrier. They clashed in mid-air, their ice skin shattering on impact. Nuvia struggled to gain the upper hand, realizing her clone was equally matched in power and skill.

Nuvia grew more fatigued as the fight continued, her hair growing shorter. Her clone used this to its advantage, launching a relentless barrage of ice shards. Nuvia barely managed to deflect them, feeling the cold bites on her skin. Realizing she couldn't win this fight alone; she decided to retreat. She quickly turned into mist to obscure the clone's vision, then quickly regained her body with shorter hair and ran back towards the camp, hoping to find Kael.

When she arrived, she found Kael already engaged in combat with another clone. He was fending off the clone's attacks with difficulty. Nuvia joined in, using her remaining strength to assist him. Together, they managed to overpower the clone, but it was a hard-fought battle. Kael wondered if the Nuvia next to him was the original, only for Nuvia to confirm she was. He noticed her hair was short, and she wasn't wearing her dress. Nuvia admitted she had used too much power against the clone that ambushed her.

The other clone caught up to them, and Kael ordered Nuvia to get in the car to drive away. The clone tried to use ice attacks against the car to block it, only to find the car was unaffected. Kael informed Nuvia that the car was not only Nevu-proof but also ice-proof. He began driving away even as the clone tried to freeze the road underneath them. The clone continued to use all its ice abilities to slow them down, but it didn’t work. Then, it attempted to attack the car directly. Nuvia watched as the car began to take some damage due to the clone increasing its weight.

Just as the clone was gaining weight onto the car, Kael and Nuvia overheard Lily's voice warning the Nuvia clone to leave her friends alone. Lily used her water abilities to push the clone off the car. The clone fell onto the road, where Kael ran her over with the car, shattering her to pieces. Nuvia and Kael wondered if that had stopped the clone, but it began to rebuild itself slowly, resembling regeneration, except it looked smaller in comparison. Lily informed them that the clone would continue to attack if a water source fed it, and fog was considered one.

Nuvia wondered about the Lily clone, only for said clone to urge her to leave as fast as they could while she held the clone's back. When Nuvia asked about more clones, the one from before reappeared to join the other. Nuvia wished to fight, but Kael rejected the idea, hoping they could rely on Lily. They drove away.

Once the sun began to rise in the distance, Kael and Nuvia felt a sense of relief, realizing the fog was beginning to disappear. They both did not know what to make of the situation concerning the Nuvia and Lily clones. Kael decided to head to the next town to make a quick phone call while giving Nuvia time to rest. Drinking fresh water from their tanks helped her hair grow enough to create another outfit to cover herself.

Her mind was going through the chain of events, realizing the Lily images were real instead of being all inside her mind. Lily reappeared behind the backseat, feeling weak. Nuvia was alarmed about it. She wondered about her situation, and Lily requested some water. As Nuvia was going to give her some to drink, Lily shook her head, admitting she needed all of the water inside the canteen to rest. Nuvia permitted her to enter, which she did by turning into water. They continued talking while using the canteen to hide that she was talking to someone. Nuvia asked about the situation, only to learn Lily didn't know much other than waking up in a lab after her father had killed her. Nuvia winced at the realization that Lily remembered her death, to which Lily informed her in detail about her father forcing her to drink all of the poison. It took some time for her to die. She remembered mentally calling out to her for help, only for Nuvia to feel guilty about being unable to help her. When Lily had reawakened, she remembered feeling pure rage about it, but her anger was directed at Nuvia instead of her father. When Nuvia wondered what snapped her out of it because she was calm now, Lily admitted having seen pictures of her dead body holding an ice rose in her hand. She knew it came from Nuvia because only she knew about her favorite flower. She thanked Nuvia for it as Nuvia silently cried about it.

When Kael returns from his phone call, he will inform Nuvia about the plan to continue on their journey to the next safehouse, except they'll have to use the shorter route instead of going the long way. It was clear someone must have found out about their plan. When Nuvia asks why they were taking the longer routes in the first place, Kael explains the area of the next safehouse was in the middle of an active battlefield between the Nevu and the military. It wasn't one of the main battlegrounds, but it was large enough to be a pain to go through. He would rather avoid it, but there was no other choice. They'll be in the next safehouse in less than two weeks.

As they head to the roads directly to the battlefield, they'll find many military roadblocks requesting them to turn around or avoid the street entirely. Nuvia was alarmed that none of the military recognized them. Kael explained it was another Nevu technology used to hide their identity as long as they kept the windows up. Fortunately, it was still working correctly, unlike the other anti-Nevu tech. Once Kael realized he could not use any short roads to head to the safe house, he asked the military about it, only to learn all the roads surrounding the safehouse were blocked. There was no other way to reach it unless they flew over them. Nuvia wonders if the military knew about the safehouses just like the Nevu, to which Kael admits they probably knew about it before she had. Reminding her what her father had said about one of the safehouses taking a year to infiltrate. They'll need to go to a safe house that is further away. The next one to them was on the other side of the country, which would take over a month to reach.

The duo began their long road trip across the country. Kael intended to stop in the next town to restock on supplies, but Lily, through the canteen, advised them to avoid the next town and head to the one after that. Kael was shocked to hear the young girl's voice, and Nuvia explained that Lily was now with them. He wondered about the other clones, to which Lily proudly admitted to defeating them all alone. Nuvia explained Lily's situation to Kael, which made him curious about the process of cloning Lily using Nuvia's cells. Unfortunately, Lily didn't know much about it other than that she now existed. Kael didn't trust the clone but kept his opinion to himself, hoping Nuvia would learn from the experience.

Following Lily's advice, they skipped the next town in favor of the one beyond it. The journey was peaceful, with no ambushes by the Nevu, the military, or more clones. Kael reminded the girls to always be on guard, as silence was never a good sign. They stopped to camp whenever Kael felt tired. He noted that Lily and Nuvia did not need to rest due to being self-sustained. Whenever Lily got tired, she rested in the canteen full of water. At the same time, Nuvia would occupy herself with other activities while waiting for them to recover, occasionally spitting out more transparent ooze.

Arriving in the city, Kael searched for another public phone to gather more information. He ordered the girls to stay in the car. The girls began to have small talk until they felt loud explosions and vibrations nearby. Quickly, they noticed a group of people running past them, shouting about a monster attack. Passing by their car were more Nuvia clones wreaking havoc on the city. The girls hid further down in the car as they witnessed everything. Lily was confused about the situation because she only knew the clones were attacking the city they had skipped over. Nuvia was surprised to hear Lily's confession concerning the situation. She inquired more about it, only for Lily to admit that the Nuvia clones were created to ruin her reputation, making it harder for her to hide, while she was created to capture her. Nuvia wanted to know the identity of the person who created them, only for Lily to lower her head in shame, being unable to inform her or else she would be reset to act like her original self. Kael returned to the car, relieved to find the girls still in the vehicle. He had every intention to escape, except Nuvia got out of the car intending to stop her clones from destroying the city. Kael attempted to stop her by yelling at her to return to the vehicle because the city was a lost cause. Nuvia didn't obey him in the slightest.

Nuvia began to challenge her clones, and their response was to throw vehicles in her direction. She used her bubble barrier to block the cars from flying past her. The cars exploded in a collision with the barrier, and the clones used the smoke screen to hide their location and attack her from behind. Nuvia allowed herself to get hit, landing on more cars. The clone created a sharp ice pillar in her dominant arm to attack Nuvia. Nuvia narrowly dodged the hit by opening her legs apart and using the ice's moisture to control gravity, pushing the clone away from her. The clone increased its weight to stop it from flying further away. It returned to attack Nuvia by ice skating towards her, aiming to stab her once more. Nuvia suddenly created a wall of ice for the clone to smack right into at the last minute. As planned, the clone hit it and broke into pieces. Nuvia levitated to notice the clone rebuilding itself, except it looked much more minor. As Nuvia was about to absorb more of the moisture surrounding her, another clone attacked from behind, and two more from either side deeply cut her arms.

Landing softly on the ground as nearby water droplets were actively healing her injuries, Nuvia faced the clones as they fused into a much bigger version of herself. Nuvia was stunned to learn they had new abilities. Just as the bigger version was about to throw sharp ice pillars at her, Lily intervened with a powerful water attack. She created water barriers, shielding Nuvia from the oncoming ice pillars. Lily and Nuvia fought side by side, combining their abilities to fend off the giant clone. Lily used her water attacks to keep the clone at bay, forming whips and jets of water to disrupt its movements, while Nuvia created ice barriers and launched ice projectiles. Despite their efforts, the clone's size and strength made it a formidable opponent.

As the battle intensified, Lily grew weak, realizing the water she had been hiding in contained poison. Her attacks became less effective, and she struggled to maintain her form. Sensing Lily's distress, Nuvia protected her against the giant clone, using her bubble barrier to shield Lily from harm. The clone, seeing an opportunity, put civilians in danger by hurling debris and creating chaos in the surrounding area. Nuvia was faced with the choice of saving Lily or protecting the civilians. Understanding the gravity of the situation, Lily urged Nuvia to prioritize the citizens, assuring her that she would be okay. Kael, trying to help the civilians, hoped Nuvia would rescue Lily. However, the situation was becoming critical, with the clone's attacks threatening to cause widespread destruction. Nuvia made the difficult decision to save the civilians and Kael, promising Lily that she would return for her.

The moment Nuvia headed to rescue the civilians, Kael, the giant clone version of herself, attempted to grab Lily to take her away. Due to Lily's weakened state, the clone had a tough time getting all of her. It decided to freeze Lily in a block of ice and levitate her away inside the bubble barrier. Nuvia had a difficult time helping the citizens as none of them trusted her or Kael. Realizing she had very little time left, she created a bubble barrier significant enough to save everyone from the ongoing car and building explosions. Once the dust settled, everyone realized they were still alive, but instead of celebrating Nuvia's help, they attacked her as a group, realizing she was too weak to do anything about it. They blamed Nuvia for the destruction of their city. Kael protected Nuvia by getting everyone away from her. The citizens argued with Kael over protecting a monster instead of them. It was now his chance to escape from her. Nuvia was a little broken by everyone's reaction; however, she didn't blame them for their fears because they weren't entirely wrong in blaming her. She used her little strength to levitate herself and Kael away from the group and back towards the car. Kael got Nuvia into the vehicle before driving out of the city before the government arrived.

Just as they were driving away, Nuvia reacted by hitting the car with force, realizing she had failed Lily. Kael silently observed her inner turmoil about letting a friend down. He inquired if she regretted rescuing the civilians, to which Nuvia sincerely responded that if it hadn't been for Lily encouraging her to rescue them, she would have prioritized Lily. Kael repeated his question, believing she hadn't answered it fully. Nuvia began to feel more frustrated over her response because she regretted it, but at the same time, she didn't. She shook her head, admitting she would never have forgiven herself if she had allowed the citizens to die due to her selfishness. Kael ended the conversation and changed the topic, revealing that the black market had a lead on the identity of the Lily and Nuvia clones.

It was a top genetic doctor by the name of Dr. Victoria Weller. She was well-known for the advancement of splicing and for convincing the government to accept it as a form of plastic surgery, like in the Old World days. She was the leading doctor who knew how to undo splicing to return an individual to be fully human. Nuvia was confused about the reason for this, so Kael explained that many criminal gangs forced their members to undergo illegal splicing to retain their numbers better. Just like the Nevu, humanity regarded splicers as less than human, even though they were technically still human, just in animal form. Nuvia found the idea of rejecting someone for being different to be wrong, and Kael agreed.

He further explains that the next black-market mission was to search for Dr. Weller's whereabouts due to her missing. The black market wants her to return at all costs, or the government will overrule their decision concerning splicing. They still need splicers to be on their team because if it becomes illegal, they'll have to turn their backs on them as everyone else has. Splicers are regarded as lower-class citizens with little to no government help. They aren't even accepted into the military. Nuvia asks if he knows where to search. Kael was ahead of her, having already planned to search her home and work office. He allowed Nuvia to search her home while he searched her office. They'll be there in two days.

Arriving in the city in the middle of the night, Kael leaves Nuvia a few blocks from Dr. Weller's home with instructions to wait for her partner to arrive. Nuvia doesn't believe she needs anyone to help her, but Kael reminds her of her inability to read and use technology. He suggests she use the opportunity to learn from someone new. Nuvia begrudgingly agrees.

WHAT TINCAN SAYS