Dame Fortune |thor|

Chapter 1

Nona

Kayornia wasn't as beautiful as I had thought it would be. I had researched my father's planet before coming. The images depicted it as a haven of sorts, filled with peaceful beings and greenery as far as the eye could see. And what I was faced with was far from a green haven.

It was dark, buildings were left to rubble. I saw the native northern Kayornians on the sides, begging those passing by for any sort of food.

I gave one family the pouch of food I had brought with me on my travels, hoping it would aid their hunger, even if just the slightest. Continuing on, I hoped that my father was where my aunt Fauna had prophesied he was.

Plucking all of the courage I could, I knocked on the hut door before me. There was scuffling on the other side, but the door didn't open.

I knocked again. Nothing.

I placed my hand on the door and closed my eyes, reaching passed the door. I saw a crowd of heat signals in the room, telling me I was purposefully being ignore. But I felt fear and anxiety.

"I'm not here to hurt you," I called. "I'm looking for my father — Khal'n Kozer! My name is Nona Biakóri and —"

The door opened, revealing a Kayornian. He was massively tall with two large horns that towered on top of his head. His face was flat and... more beast like than human but all Kayornians looked more 'beast'.

"H-hi," I said. "I-I'm looking for —"

The Kayornian threw me off by pulling into a hug. "I'm Khal'n Kozer," he said. "And you, my daughter, are so beautiful."

***

"Sorry," he said, placing a tray of two drinks on the table before us. "For not answering the door. It's only been a few months since the war ended and my people were given their rights back — we're all still on edge that the southern Kayornian's will change their mind."

"The war? Is that why everything is in shambles?" I asked, reaching over to pick up the cup.

My father nodded, sadly. "A few weeks after you were born, Southern Kayornian's took control of us Northern Kayornian's — deamed is a threat because we held power that they didn't. We were enslaved and put in camps — for hundreds of years. I helped lead the revolution that ended the horror and we recently won."

"I am very glad that you did," I said. "I'm sorry I didn't know if I had —"

My father put his hand up and smiled softly. "No matter," he said. "Our struggles make us who we are."

I smiled, taking his words to heart. I had never experienced any such turmoil and oddly enough — I wanted to. I wanted to do more than sit back and watch other people live their lives. I wanted to live my own and become a real person.

"I am so glad you've come, Nona," my father said, reaching his hand to touch mine. "You are magnificently beautiful."

I smiled. "Thank you... dad."

***

I spent the next few months with my father, helping to repair the damage of the war and providing shelter to those in need. Every day was filled with stories of other Kayornian's and their own struggles. The whole experience was humbling.

I was heading to the shelter for the homeless when he arrived. A bunch of large, circular ships could be seen emerging from the atmosphere, a couple already having landed on the planet.

I stopped, dead in my tracks for fear of what it could mean. I longed to be able to see my own fate — or even the fate of those on this planet. But I was involved in this planet and I wasn't allowed to intervene in fate-related incidents.

I picked up my feet to a run, taking off to the town my father lived in not too far away from where I was. As I came closer to his town, I heard screaming and crying and gun shots. I picked up my pace going at super human speed.

"Nona!" I heard my father shout. I turned to face him, seeing him run the opposite direction of the fleeing crowd.

I began running to him, also trying to fight the flow of those fleeing. Some aliens reached for me, prompting me to pull out my knife. I kicked the aliens knee, sending it down to be below me — then I stabbed up through his throat. Pulling my knife out, I pushed the alien out of the way to work on the next one.

Once I had successfully escaped the aliens, I saw my dad fighting one himself. I ran as fast as my legs could carry me, helping Kayornian's up and to their feet as I ran. As I neared my father and went to plunge the knife in the aliens back, the alien stabbed my father.

"NO!" I screamed, running quickly to the alien and stabbing them in the back of the throat. "Dad!"

I caught my dad before he hit the ground with the alien, tears blurring my vision. My shaky hands put pressure on his wound. "I-it's okay dad... you— you'll be o-okay. Stay with me..."

"No-Nona," he croaked out. "I-I want to...."

His lips tinted over with blood and I let out a sob. "No please... don't leave me," I begged.

He put his hand up to my temple, his eyes closing. Suddenly I saw was in a little cottage. It felt warm and cozy and homey. I saw me, as a newborn baby in my dads arms as he cradled me.

"It's getting dangerous here my little one," the distant voice of my father said. "I want to keep you safe — so I have to say goodbye."

My father came back into view in my arms, his blood covering my hands. "Run," he croaked out. "Be... safe.... say.... goodbye..."

His hand fell off of my temple as the color drained from his eyes. "No, please..."

A felt an alien approach behind me, drawing back his knife. I rolled around, kicking his legs out from under him before plunging the knife in his head in anger and grief.

"Talented fighter," came a deep voice. I looked up to see a giant purple alien — I recognized him as Thanos. A Titan I had been warned about by my mother. "Ah... Nona Biakóri — goddess of fortune. I'm going to insist you come with me."

I wiped my tears with my sleeve and looked around at my people crying and kneeling, awaiting a gunshot to end their life.

"If I go," I said. "You must spare these people."

Thanos hovered for a moment before calling to his people to stop and head to the ships. "Deal."