Serender: The Accidental Super Villain

Chapter 10

    After Aiosha concluded their lesson on Sirene ancestry, Serender grabbed her dad's hand and pulled him to his feet. "Let's go daddy!" She demanded.

"Aiosha bring me my books, please?. They are on top of the refrigerator."  Xander said to Aiosha.

Has Serender gently led her father to the back of the house, Aiosha went to gather the books Xander requested.

When she reached up to get the books, she felt all of the energy leave her body like she was having a power outage. Her eyes went dark and her body flopped to the floor.

Xander felt a pain in his chest. Xander and Serender looked into the sky. They could hear Aiosha's song. Xander gasped and turned towards the house. He hobbled as fast as he could back into the house. When he entered the patio door, Aiosha was picking herself up from the floor.

"I'm okay. Go back outside." She said without looking in his direction.

"But Aiosha." Xander started to plead with her.

"I SAID GO BACK OUTSIDE! IT'S NOTHING!" She yelled. She didn't want Xander to see her eyes. She felt so much sided the tears wouldn't stop flowing. 

He was worried but he wanted to honor her decision. He wasn't going to let her push him far away but he would give her her space.He sighed and then turned to go back outside.

    She stayed on her knees on the floor. She had told herself she was prepared to die but in that moment she wanted to see Serender's firsts. Her first love, her first shipwreck, or even hear her excitement about  her first kiss. She was sure those things would happen when she started the PHD program. They had planned to let her go in person to the university in Santiago, Chile. That was going to be her 13th birthday present. 

Aiosha tried to steady her breathing. She could barely move her legs but she was going to make it to the bathroom. She held herself up with the wall of the house and pushed the bathroom door open. Looking in the mirror was painful, alone. Her skin looked pasty and the dark circles around her eyes were no longer concealable. She threw cold water onto her face and then dried off.

    She made her way back to the kitchen, she pulled the stepping stool in front of her. She needed to get his books without overexerting herself. Soon she felt like she was back to normal. The blackouts were getting closer together but they planned on revealing her situation to Serender when she turned 13. She had to hold out at least 3 more years but she really wanted more. Every time she made it 1 more year, she would hope for just 1 more. [Please don't let this be my last year.]

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    "While I was studying alone at the research facility, I thought about trying to be a superhero. I was going to be called Cinder with an X." Xander said to Serender and waited for her to acknowledge how awesome that name was. 

Serender looked  up and thought about it. "I can see that. Cinders are coals that are still hot on the inside and also the reason for plenty of forest fires because people don't put them out properly."

Xander chuckled. "Well yeah. I guess."

"I like it."

Xander nodded his head. He was happy that his daughter liked the name too.

"Sorry it took me so long." Aiosha said while sitting the books on the patio.

Xander continued to watch Aiosha. He could have started their lessons without the books but he needed to see Aiosha and make sure she was really okay.

"Thanks Mom! Come on Dad!" Serender said then stood up.

They talked about creating, throwing,  and manipulating fire. Aiosha watched has Serender quickly mastered each concept and waited for the next challenge. She was exceptional as usual.

 Time flew by. Everyday Serender practiced martial arts and controlling her flames. She meditated to understand the creation of the force field around the island and to control her need to sing.

    Serender kept repeating, "No matter how many lyrics or sounds come out, you have affected someone without a doubt."

After 1 year of training, Serender had mastered the basics and was perfecting her flying. Aiosha and Xander spent their time watching her and holding hands on the beach. Every moment together was precious to them, even more so since they didn't know when Aiosha would pass away.

On Serender's 13th birthday, they gave her the option to go and live on campus in Santiago.  

"People are the embodiment of chaos. Interacting with them would only make me a victim of their chaos." Serender said with a straight face. "This is a great gift though. How many years before I would have to reapply?" She didn't want to leave the island but she also didn't want to seem ungrateful

"1 year. You have 1 year to decide." Xander said then looked at Aiosha with concern.

This was their year to come clean with Serender. Aiosha was at a point where she had to lean on her, already crippled, husband for support. She was barely eating but she would do anything to see that 1 more year. 

Serender smiled big at her parents then gently held them close.  In her heart she could fill herself growing stronger. Her urge to sing was sometimes overwhelming but she couldn't tell her parents that. Her mom was always sickly even though Sirenes were immortal. She didn't understand what was going on but she just wanted a little more time with her parents. They needed her whether they knew it or not.

After 7 months passed, Aiosha lost her ability to walk. She spent many days putting puzzles together with Xander and watching the news. The outside world was at peace. The doting parents hoped it would stay that way, so their daughter wouldn't have to see it in chaos. Serender’s hate for humans had not changed. She would say, "The evidence that they should not continue to exist is substantial." Aiosha believed those words were an even greater reason for her to socialize during times of peace.

    The day before Serender's 14th birthday, Xander prepared Aiosha's favorite meal. He lit candles and incense. He was over the moon that she made it this far. He wanted to celebrate every day going forward so that he could see Aiosha's beautiful waking eyes. He couldn't lie though, seeing the love of his life struggling just to make it to the next day, hurt. When he touched her bony hands, he wanted her to reconsider letting him die with her. After their meal, Xander had to call Serender in to carry Aiosha to the room.

    While seeing Serender carry her mother broke his heart, it also made him smile. Aiosha would shift Serender's curly black hair. She'd smile and bury her face into her neck and Serender would hug her back. Aiosha was always at her strongest when she was around Serender. 

    The next day Xander examined Aiosha. Her heart was still pretty strong. While she looked weak, she still had another year left in her. He kissed her forehead and went to the kitchen to make her some soup. Serender had already come by and hugged them before starting her morning training.

    After she finished her thousandth kick she started her run on the beach. Her body was toned to perfection but she was having a lot of growing pains. She couldn't run like she wanted to. She felt nauseous. Her stomach felt like she had eaten some really hot food and it was swirling continuously around the lining of her stomach.

    She stopped running and hugged her abdomen. That's when the wind picked up. She slowly looked up and out to sea. Something was different. She inhaled the breeze and exhaled a song. She didn't even feel the urge to sing yet her lips moved. A song full of longing and the desire to be wanted, elevated her soul. It felt so good she sung it louder. The song encouraged all that loved her to come to her despite  obstacles in their way. 

    Serender felt like if the world would just come to her, she wouldn’t have to  leave the island.

Xander continued watching the news while peeling some potatoes for dinner.

**Breaking News: Hordes of people are walking into the ocean on the east coasts of North and South America.**

Xander jumped up from the table and almost fell over. He was frozen. He couldn't hear Serender’s song but what was going on on the news had to be his daughter's doing. BUT that would also mean Aiosha was no longer shielding the island, his connection with Serender's songs were broken. He stumbled and held onto the wall as he pushed himself to move faster through the hallway.

    When he opened the door to the room Aiosha was lying face down on the floor.

"No...no..no..Please." Xander was in tears. He turned her body over, she was still warm. Aiosha had explicitly asked him not to resuscitate her. Xander held her in his arms tight and continued to cry. He started to rock back and forth, thinking about all of the people who were dying or going to die because of this incident. He didn't have the motivation or energy to get up and go to Serender.    

    It didn't matter. Once a song was sung, it couldn't be reversed or taken back. While Xander rocked Aiosha limp body with his eyes closed. He heard her whispering voice. "Xander, I'm here. Open your eyes."

Xander quickly complied. She wasn't dead but she was on her last leg. 

"It's over honey... Serender sung a song that seems to be calling people to this island." Xander took a deep breath and stuttered through his tears. "Let's try to get to the kitchen." Aiosha requested. Xander held Aiosha's body tight and used his cane to usher them into the kitchen.

By the time they got back to the TV. The news was reporting the death toll in the millions. Images of people walking off buildings or into traffic littered the airways. Millions of bodies and vehicles littered the ocean. Inmates in the prison yards were electrocuting themselves to death trying to get out of prison. 

    Serender came running into the house. She was terrified. "Mom, what's going on?! There are airplanes crashing into the force field around the island!" 

Aiosha sighed and pointed towards the TV.