Sacrifice Of Ashes (Alternate Sonya)
She had trailed one from the sky... The Inquisition stood out from other people, when one knew what to look for. Their warehouse was large and an upper window granted access to the winged Russian. Sonya waited there, perching watchfully on the ledge, as those below busied themselves with the construction of something clearly of importance.

Its reason seemed a mystery, until overhearing a conversation. At that point, the sketching of this location and what was being built, was hastily overwritten with notes on the pad retrieved from pocket. The Russian alphabet was strange to look at, but below each word came the most important translated in English:

'STRANGE DEVICE'/'BROADCAST SIGNAL'/'HOME DIMENSION'/'INVASION'/'PURGE NEW WORLD'

It filled their observer with a mixture of grief and resolve. Her father had been incarcerated for his secret relationship with a demoness. Her mother, doing what she could to protect her, had eventually been tracked down, taken to a facility and, ultimately, destroyed. It was while awaiting their decision on what to do with her, that the young Sonya had taken her chance and escaped by force. Never would she look back. But never, either, had she ever dared to think a true refuge would ever be found. Only the constant fight for one's own survival.

To know that this world, too, was now on the brink of supernatural extermination, was like being confronted with the news of her mother's death, all over again. They had thought it would weaken her. Make the child see there was no escape. Make her understand that the only option was to submit to the purging of her more infernal genetic half.

Instead, fury had erupted. A kind of anger which had served the girl well, ever since.

And this time, she could make a difference... Help to intervene, before all was lost. this world might have its significant share of trouble between so many species, but it was at least a start and the possibility of equilibrium was better than none, no matter how small.

But as she turned, so was she seen. A swift dodge of aerobatics avoided the first shot and even a handful of the next.

Just not enough...

It was with a shaking collapse that she arrived back with the only creatures she could ever look upon as close to being friends and family. A mixed and varied group of those who would be labelled as criminals, left with no other choice but to work together, should they wish to survive.

There was no healing sufficient for these wounds. What had penetrated skin, was tipped with toxins guaranteed to act on most species the Inquisition had catalogued. Amid the increasing frequency of convulsions, that important shred of paper, clutched tightly in one hand, was passed to those who came to her assistance. It had everything needed, including a map and overheard schedule of time.

By the time she began to cough blood, the half-demoness who had fought and, ultimately, fallen in an effort to provide a new home for them all, she had no regrets of knowing what would be done. Others would have to die, before this was over. But the cause was worth it. Freedom was worth it. The right to exist was always worth it.

Later that night, her body would be burned. Her ashes allowed to scatter in the winds, as per final request.

And there, Sonya Ramius would fly, one last time...