A Broken Future (Book One)

Chapter 7 For The Dead

Astrid's group slides down the hill as they see the town in complete disarray as the bandits pillaged they see the banner of the Crossbones gang flying clearly.
"Astrid!? What should we do?" Sasha turns to her her voice trembling.
"Simple we kill any bandits in our way!" Astrid draws her blade as she charges forward slashing and cleaving anyone in her path as Seraphim laughs.
"Oh yeah! This is my kind of brawl! Here is your chance kid show off your skills to Astrid and you can work on that relationship of yours I'll handle keeping civis safe." She flies up into the air as Sasha nervously holds her pouch.

Explosions ring out at a nearby tent as a group of mercenaries hold their ground at a tent Toni and his men fire back at the bandits.
"Keep the people safe hold your ground so we can drink ourselves under the table tonight!" He fires a few rounds before stepping inside and checking on the people.
"They are distressed but are unharmed." Hokki stands up after attending to the people.
"I don't know what the hell you are but you have the firepower and we need your help to clear out some of these goons." Hokki nods and heads out with Toni as its arm changes into a cannon he fires multiple blasts sending their forces packing as it kicks up a large dust cloud.
"We can't see anything boss!"
"Yeah I can tell!...this isn't the dust you created huh bot?"
"No this is magically infused...shadow magic." Suddenly a figure pierces the fog and slashes one of the guards with blinding speed leaping onto another and snapping their neck with ease before leaping off and cleaving through two more before reaching Toni and lunging forward with her kama as she gets blocked with a barrier by hokki.

"Yikes kid you are certainly good...if you are looking for a job there are other ways of showing that."
"You! You are the one who hired someone to kill Johnny Crossbones!"
"Oh yeahh unfortunately I can't tell you-" the woman strikes at the barrier again grinding her kama against it.
" because of you, my brother is dead!"
"Hey, that's just a part of the job kid! You can't blame me for your brother's choices."
"...tell me who you sent to kill him maybe I'll spare you!"
"HA! No chance in the nine hells im telling you anything besides they are probably long gone!"
"They are here."
"What now?" Suddenly Astrid leaps into battle striking down a few goons as she does.

"Im here Toni!"
"Dammit Astrid you have terrible timing kiddo!" The woman turns to Astrid her face filled with nothing but pure anger as she lashes out at Astrid as the mercenary just like before with the uniter she sees the attack coming before it happens dodging her kama.
"Woah! Hey! Can we at least? Talk!" She does her best to dodge the frenzied swipes of the assassin as she tries to talk to little effect.
"You killed him before he could talk!" They clash again as Astrid sighs knowing she will have to fight to end this.

Meanwhile, Sasha was fighting against some stragglers using her kunai to teleport to them however her body even with her brief training wasn't strong enough to handle the bandits without the kunai as she pants getting tired from fighting so hard as Pam appears.
"Hey hey now isn't the time to slow down sash."
"S-sorry im not meant for fighting like this..." Pam ponders before she snaps getting an idea.
"Are you gonna give up when you are so close to a date with Astrid?" Sasha lights up and looks at Pam.
"Yep don't forget what Seraphim said and hell I'll even put in a good word with Astrid about that date." Sasha seems to shake from excitement as her eyes activate and she is filled with adrenaline.
"I won't let you down!" She rushes towards a group of bandits with a vehicle.
"U-uhm wait Sasha!?" Pam tries to stop her but the blonde is already a blur Her confidence is raised almost too high as she goes through all the info in her head on magic.
"(Everything I learned from the kind man's shop I'll put it to use here and now!)" She brings her hands together drawing a spell circle with her hands using her mana and breathing through it she creates a massive fireball exploding the truck and anyone unfortunate enough to be standing near it.
"I-i did that?"
"Good shit kid! I knew it was right to have faith in you. Not to mention you have a great future in being a mage." Seraphim flies down and pats Sasha on the head as Sasha pauses.
"I...I killed...them." Her breath hitches as she starts to hyperventilate.
"No no, I didn't...im so sorry!" Seraphim pulls Sasha close.
"Hey...was that your first kill?"
"Y-yes..." she whimpers as she hugs Seraphim feeling extremely guilty.

The battle between Astrid and the assassin continues as Astrid starts to lose her focus the vision hurting her brain as the assassin kicks Astrid to the ground.
"Who even are you?!"
"Tilly... Tilly Crossbones is my name and it will be the last one you hear!" Tilly brings her kama down as Astrid uses her power to swap places with Tilly and blasts Azura's cannon barely missing the assassin as she hides in the mist.
"Of course, this just had to happen...I already have a lot on my plate here-AHH!" Astrid gets slashed by the kunoichi using the mist to twist its shadows to encase Astrid in a dome of shadows.
"Kid! Hey you bot can you open that dome?!"
"Hmm, dispersal of the shadow magic threatens the life of the child inside."
"Dammit you are useless I'll get her out myself." He rushes to the shadow dome to Hokki's dismay as he touches it he gets sent back hard into a stand.
"Okay...bad idea." Seraphim and Sasha finally reunite with the rest as they see the dome.

"Astrid!"
"She can't hear us this is some grade-A shadow magic I don't even think I can break through not without catching Astrid in the crossfire." Sasha isn't sure what to do but when she hears Astrid cry out in pain everything in her body flares up as her pupils change shape becoming sigils as she sees the very mana swirling in the dome.
"Dammit...I can't focus..." Astrid's mind was burning as she collapsed to her knees the visions of possible futures overwhelming her greatly as Tilly stepped out from the shadows.
"They said his body was unrecognizable, that whoever got him skinned him alive! his body was sent to the bad suns of all people! I'm gonna make you pay for what you did to him." She raises her kama to attack once again as she goes to time seems to slow down.
"Don't you dare!-" Suddenly a kunai flies next to Tilly as Sasha appears in a crimson flash.
"Hurt my Astrid!" She kicks Tilly in the back of the head sending her cratering into the ground as the shadow dome immediately dissipates.
"What...what happened?" Everything was a blur to Astrid as she felt herself getting lifted by someone seeing their burning red pupils Astrid's clowder vision cleared almost immediately as she saw Sasha with a tearful smile.
" You're okay!"
"Sasha...thank you." They both stare at each other before kissing each other softly before backing up a deep blush on their faces.

"Seems like you didn't need my help in the end huh sash." Sasha drops Astrid in a moment of panic.
"Astrid!" She goes to check on her as a crowd forms to thank the group for saving them Astrid stands up and softly smiles Sasha is filled with joy seraphim looks overconfident as usual and Toni waves at them all as Astrid realizes and looks back to see Tilly and the stragglers got away but she simply sighs and enjoys the moment it will be one of the few good ones the group will get for some time.

The steam billows into the sky as a train readies itself to move As Soma returns to her train her wife and attendant Ash is waiting for her at the entrance as she is hugged.
"Did you succeed love?"
"No...it seems the emperor doesn't see my vision...so I'll take your advice and take a break to clear my head."
"Yay! Finally! Let's head in love and get you something to eat! you deserve it." She almost drags Soma inside as a conflict between lovers is about to brew one that threatens the plans that both sides have laid out.

End of Chapter 7
(A/n the picture above is how I believe Tilly looks)