A Broken Future (Book One)

Chapter 10 Hametsu Against the Flames

Some time passes as Ash gets accustomed to the palace she wanders around as people seem to be preparing for a war around her until she finds an empty room or it would be empty if there wasn't a deactivated machine inside.
Ash's curiosity got the best of her as she got close to it dusting off the machine a bit and revealing its still core the machine looked antiqued compared to the designs of the machine in ashvale what she was curious about however was how familiar the machine felt as she touched it chest some of her mana accidentally poured into it bringing the machine back to life as it jolts up.

"WAH!" Ash falls over as the machine like a puppet with its strings forces itself up as its gears twist and turn back to life its still core beating anew bright red as it finally fixes itself and looks at Ash.
"Do my optics deceive me? Is that you Miss Ash?" Ash was completely confused and dumbfounded as she stared at the machine...it knew her!? But how!
"You must be quite confused I am Pokki one of two guardians sent to look after you children."
"Children? Like the children of apocalypse?"
"Im sorry my data doesn't have that group you are a daughter of the mythical guardians." As Ash hears that she immediately jumps with joy.
"Yes yes! I knew my theories were correct! And soma thought we weren't them! This is perfect if I talk to her...right, I have to talk to Soma."
"Is something wrong miss?"
"I...I argued with the love of my life I know she means well but...she was so focused on her work that it felt like I didn't matter to her I don't mind that I gave her my life but..."
"You still love her yes?"
"YES OF COURSE!"
"And she loves you yes?"
"Yes...yes she does we always have but looking into her eyes I don't see my soma anymore." Ash sighs as she takes off her blindfold.

Suddenly Astrid and Sasha ride into the front entrance of Hametsu as a carriage stops behind them with the others inside as they all spill out Hokki transforms back to normal.
"Hokki a carriage was not the best choice."
"Noted."
"Alright then we just have to talk to the emperor seems easy enough."
"Yeah unless one of them made him angry." They all look at Yuri.
"What! I just stole a couple...few artifacts when I was here."
"We are fucked."
"Wait wait! We can still talk to him with our secret weapon."
"And do tell fearless leader what is that secret weapon?" Hideko jokingly asks as Yuri lifts Sasha.
"She will be our weapon!"
"....alright we are going back home."
"WAIT! The emperor  has a soft spot for the youth and Sasha is the most adorable person here."
"Wait don't I get a say in this?"
"NOPE! Astrid has given me her approval."
"Astrid!?" Astrid looks away as Sasha looks shocked and betrayed.
"Let's head inside now before the guards get antsy hell they already are." With Gray's words, they enter the city it is a bustling and expansive one as they explore you would be mistaken to think this city was created during an apocalypse.
"Wow, this place is amazing! It feels like an actual...an actual."
"An actual city I think that's what you mean to say sash."
"Yes! Of course Astrid hehe...hehe." Oddly the two seemed a bit...tense around each other and it was clear for them to see as Yuri scooted over to Seraphim to ask her what was going on between the two.
"What's up with those two?"
"Oh them they are going through some relationship troubles at the moment you know how it is." Seraphim shrugs and chuckles as Yuri nearly laughs out hard.
"Okay okay, I got it hopefully those two can figure it out soon don't need them fighting each other during a big fight."

"Yeah, but I can't wait for a big fight though."
"Love can you not say that you might manifest one on top of us as we speak."
"Sorry Lena I just can't get enough of fighting." She kisses Selena before they finally reach the palace and are stopped by the wall of spears as Emperor Thales approaches accompanied by Ash and the machine pokki as the group immediately get their weapons out.
"Woah woah what's the problem!?" Astrid steps forward.
"She works for soma! That's the problem!"
"....yeah so?" They all look confused as they lower their weapons Ash steps forward her red and black gaze is friendly as she approaches them.
"I deeply apologize for my lover's actions I swear I came here to separate from her and to try and atone for them we have hurt and killed a lot of people to serve Soma's dreams of unification but now I believe that something else is making her act."
"Are you saying that she is being controlled by someone or something?"
"Y-yes I don't have all the necessary proof but all I ask is that when she attacks give me a chance to reason with her and try to get her to stop." Yuri thinks hard about this as the others huddle around him.
"Yuri even by your standards this plan won't work if Ash is here then who knows what is wrong with soma!"
"Yes Hideko but this could be our only shot at gathering all the children in one spot...wait where is hokki?" They break the huddle as they see the two machines reuniting.