S҉h҉a҉t҉t҉e҉r҉e҉d҉ But Alive (Rainimator Story)

Chapter 13

Nearly a week or so had passed, and Astra was, much as she disliked it, still putting up with Rain. The tension thickened day by day, she just needed a damn break from it all. The 'zwip' of a blade cut through her thoughts and she blinked, focusing her attention back on the boy. The air was crisp and fresh, she took in a breath, letting the cool air fill her lungs. The taiga was her second home now... she felt safe here. Astra sighed. Her thoughts were drifting. Again. 

"Azura... how is he?" She asked the technician. 

"I've been monitoring his recovery... nothing wrong as of now. He should be fine." 

Then, with an afterthought, Azura asked, "What about you?" 

"...I've been better," she mumbled. The blue-haired woman cast her a sympathetic glance. 

"War takes its toll on everyone." 

"Yeah..." Astra rubbed her temples, closing her eyes briefly. "Everyone is tired... Azura, you should sleep more." The two exchanged a wry glance. Astra knew her friend far too well... she wasn't going to listen to her.

"Theo!" Astra called, and he turned to look at her. 

"Yes, Astra?" 

"Who's on patrol right now? I'm pretty sure I'm taking the night shift, right?" Theo paused for a moment, running through the roster in his mind. 

"Daryll and Jacob, I think" Astra nodded, she couldn't help but feel something, however, and her suspicions soon proved to be far more accurate than she hoped.

"DRAGON!!!" She heard one of the guards yell and her gaze flicked up to the sky. Oh no... The Ender Dragon swooped over Dreadfort, setting a few of the village houses alight with its pyromancy. Whose side do I take? The Endermen started teleporting into Dreadfort, attacking the civilians, and all Astra could do was stare. 

"Astra! We have to defend the Frostbourne! Astra! ...Astra?" Patrick's shouts gradually became a question of concern when he saw her shaking. And when she turned to face him- and the rest, Patrick stumbled back in shock. Azura let out a gasp, breaking her calm image. 

"A-Astra... your eyes..." The black-haired woman blinked, her gaze watery. Her eyes... they were... purple... Purple sclera, and white irises.

"You're one of... them?" Theo sounded so... betrayed. Astra let out a strangled sob, turning away, gathering her powers and vanishing in a puff of Ender Particles. 

"Astra! Wait-" Azura grasped empty air. 

"There's no time for this, we have to guard the civilians. At any cost," The Grandmaster spoke grimly, and Patrick nodded. Astra appeared in the thick of the chaos. There was screaming everywhere, and the Endermen were attacking all the people, yet avoiding her. They recognised her. Recognised her as... one of them... 

"Stop this! Who gave the order?!" Astra questioned, no, demanded in Ender Language. 

"FutureReader... It was the Matriarch herself." One of the Endermen replied, bowing his head. 

"No... that's not- that's not possible..." And yet, looking at all the damage and debris that surrounded her, hearing the dragon's thunderous roar overhead, she knew that it was indeed very much possible. 

"Stop. Please, stop. As FutureReader, I am telling you- this is wrong." 

"FutureReader, the Matriarch is never wrong." 

"Trust me, the words of a FutureReader are of great importance. What happened the last time you didn't listen to the FateWatcher?" Astra challenged, no matter how it pained her to say it. There were murmurs amongst the Endermen, but eventually a few of them halted in their attacks, and she gave them a nod of gratitude. Glancing towards the sky, she saw Rain, wearing his full ice armour and narrowed her eyes, but averted her attention back to the ground. A few of the Endermen had fallen and were lying in the snow, she realised, and she sighed heavily, grief filling her. Gathering the pearls they had left behind, she kept them, knowing that they were to be returned to The End. Turning around, a few of the Frostbourne soldiers had surrounded her and the Endermen, who were letting out screeches of discontent and aggravation. 

"Stand down," Astra reminded firmly, her purple gaze sharp. 

"Astra... how could you betray us like this?" Dexter gasped, bitterness swirling within the depths of her dark eyes. 

"No, listen-" She was cut off as a blade 'thunked' a few centimetres next to her. One of the lanky black mobs made a move to stand before her, gathering its teleportation particles, but Astra extended a hand to block them from doing so. 

"I said, stand down." Her voice was harsher this time. 

"Dexter, I need time, please, trust me on this. They won't attack." "I-" The blue/brown-haired woman was cut off when there was a loud flapping of wings, and they turned their gazes to the sky. The Dragon Tamer... he has succeeded. Rain guided the dragon towards the Dreadfort wall, landing it. The few remaining Endermen still locked in battle with the Frostbourne halted, obeying the dragon- and it's tamers' wishes. Meanwhile, Astra saw another End Portal appear, three figures stepping out. 

She teleported right next to Ceris, snapping, "Why the sudden attack? What did they even do to The End?" The Matriarch took a step back, Astra had never been so agitated before. Vordus and Zegarnirn did not interfere, they trusted Astra. 

"You would not-" Ceris, suddenly aware of all the people listening in, paused and switched to Ender Language. "You would not understand, Astra." 

"What? What is it I would not understand? Have I not proven myself to The End?" She retorted hotly. Her mentor paused for a moment, contemplating whether she should tell Astra or not. Eventually, she made up her mind. 

"Mira." Astra recoiled at the name, it brought back too many memories. Ceris seemed to have difficulty continuing, but she did. 

"She approached me in a dream. Said that the spirits wished for us to conduct a short raid on Dreadfort. We cannot deny the wishes of the spirits, you should know that, Astra." 

"I... I know," Astra bowed her head. 

"Excuse me, do you care to fill us in?" Theo asked, hostility lining his words, after all, The End had just attacked them. Ceris nodded curtly. 

"We can negotiate. With the taming of the dragon, a truce has already been formed," Vordus replied calmly. 

"However, this would be best a private conversation," Ceris finally addressed Theo, her purple gaze glinting, but revealing nothing.

"...Very well." The leaders disappeared within the depths of the castle and Astra could see them no more.

Woooo update!!! Things are finally picking up now and integrating into the main MVs smh- Took me long enough lmao. That's all from me! Please like, comment and follow!

~Lightningstar out