Astrid woke up in a cold sweat. She had a nightmare about the Cloister and her father dying.
“Seriously girl are these going to become a regular thing,” came a voice.
“You are nothing to be, and keep out of my business.”
“First of all Astrid my introduction is needed as of this point. My name is Darius and I’m the reason you still have powers. With that being said, we need to get you in control of your powers. It may be a reprieve from what is happening with your nightmares that I am feeling as well by the way.”
“Why would you help me?”
“Honestly it’s to establish trust. Being trapped here has put life into perspective. I’m coming to realize if this is going to be my life, I need to work with you to keep you alive and one day for you to trust me.”
“Okay we will try this thing out. What do we do?”
“We need the backyard and several items to work with?” Astrid snuck out the back with various objects she thought wouldn’t go amiss. “So the first step is getting a basic understanding of the shadows you work with. Before we work with the objects, we’ll start out with basic shielding and pushing back. First of all take a stance.” Astrid stood with her feet evenly in line with her shoulders. “Feel your core. The core is important. To address your powers you need to feel this. Feel the shadows in your core. Let them move out somewhat. Don’t let them take you fully over yet. You aren’t ready for that at this time.” Astrid focused on her center as she did in meditation sessions at Ethra. The shadows felt like they were condensed there.
“I can feel the shadows in my core.” She said surprised.
“Good now let them slowly come out but keep in mind not letting them control and flow all around you.” Astrid’s skin on her chest turned black. The shadows moved outwards on her skin. “Bring them forth to your hands and don’t forget to breathe.”
The darkness flowed up her chest up to her shoulders. Astrid brought them down to her hands.
“Okay I think I got that.”
“Yes you do I can feel it from here. Now take a single step and bring your hand up in front of your face. Imagine your protecting yourself.”
Astrid stepped and made the motion Darius requested. A wave of shadows shielded her face.
“Holy shit I got it.”
“Now that you established that make a fist and push forward to counter.” Astrid did as she was told and the wave extended outwards and faded. “Again,” said Darius. Astrid shielded and countered. “Keep going until you are comfortable with it.” Astrid shielded and countered several times.
“I think I’m comfortable.”
“Good now let the shadows extend to your feet slightly. This will establish a full push” Astrid did as she was told. “Again with the shield, but this time with the counter extend your palm and hit the pottery in front of you.” Astrid felt a power in her feet and legs the next time she stepped. She shielded and pushed forward hitting the pottery and the shadows recoiled. “Bring back your hand instead of shielding, just aim at the bottle.” She did as she was told, pushed forward and shattered the bottle. “Step towards the rest of the objects and hit them.”
Astrid stepped and hit, and stepped and hit. Finally she hit a mini statue and it exploded.
“Wow I think I got this.” Astrid said with a smile.
“And this is the end of the first lesson.” Darius concluded
Jason came running outside with Elania.
“What was that?” Elania shouted as she approached.
“I’m learning to control my powers,” Astrid called back.
Jason stopped and looked at the objects she hit.
“And controlling them you are doing well.” He responded. “Although that statue was passed to me from my late uncle, but for this exercise I guess we’ll overlook it.”
“Sorry,” Astrid said kicking the ground slightly as her shadows retreated back to her core.
“Well it worked better than when I was teaching you. What has changed?” Jason asked.
“I’m not sure. I guess I just needed time to myself, and to be less scared of my powers.” Astrid replied.
“We may have a lead on the Assassin’s Spirit,” said Elania.
“What is it?” Astrid asked looking at Elania.
“Well the purpose of it is to bring us out similar to Lancer. They were both sent my Fereneses. With city hall it’s something public and eye catching.”
“Okay so what may it be planning?”
“There’s a Dansbury town hall in a few hours to try and calm what’s been happening with the political leaders of the city. It may make a statement there.”
“We should get going then shouldn’t we?”
“Eli,” yelled Lorelai from the house.
Everyone came running in.
“What is it Lori?” Elania asked.
“The governor and a few state senators arrived in Dansbury for the town hall. They were in the Civic Center when their detail was attacked. According to the news several of what we call pupils has barricaded them in the building. There hasn’t been any communication outside of simply killing the hostages once an hour.” Lorelai said holding out the mark 2 ring.
“I think Astrid should join us.” Elania said taking the ring, “but bring Jason along just in case.”
“Fine,” Lorelai said as Elania was putting on the ring, “Jason grab your crossbow and bring the SUV around. We’ll run ahead, survey the building, and go in if possible.” The two merged and were gone.
Sparky came up behind a swat van and walked over to where the police had set up.
“I need some assistance,” She said starting the officers.
“The governor is trapped inside along wi–“ Said a nearby officer.
“That I know,” Sparky interrupted. “Do you have any cameras in the Civic Center?”
“Yes we do but they’ve been taken out.”
“Do you have blueprints? It’s nice for a girl running in to at least have some grasp of where she is going.”
“We can get them for you.”
After Sparky was able to look at the blueprints she sped into the building. Jason and Astrid had pulled up near the back. The car was hit by a barrage of blades from the distance.
“Oh dear…” Jason said trailing off.
“What is it,” Asked Astrid.
“It wasn’t drawing all of us out. It wanted you.”
Sparky came running through the building and started knocking the pupil’s unconscious. She didn’t notice a wire and was shot in the legs with several blades.
“We can do this,” said Darius from inside Astrid.
“Meaning,” Astrid whispered.
“The Assassin’s Spirit works off the main being it takes over. So if we kill this one the rest will fall.”
“How do you propose we do that?”
“The idea in itself is risky. We need to catch it off guard. It’s stupid and something you aren’t prepared for with your level of training.”
“You want to take me over again don’t you?”
They heard Sparky scream from inside the building. Jason got out and clicked his crossbow. He was about to fire when a blade struck him in the shoulder. Jason fired but the assassin dodged.
“I know they are important to you. And as far as survival goes, you are now important to me. I propose a trial run. Let me out for this, and I’ll go back. I know I don’t have much to go on for promises, but know that I will keep to it.”
Jason fired and was hit in the side. The swat team ran into the building.
“It looks like I may not have much of a choice in this but here goes.”
Astrid touched the seal on her chest. Shadows covered her body, her clothes changed and Darius took over. He got in the driver’s seat, switched the car into drive and floored it at the assassin. The assassin threw blades and took the hood off. Darius kept his arms on the wheel and made hand signs. The car was becoming covered in shadows. Another few blades struck the car and it caught fire. Darius finally clapped his hands together and pulled them apart into fists. The car split in two and flew into the air. Darius threw his fists forward; one after the other and the two halves of the car flew forward and exploded as the assassin tried to dodge. An explosion knocked him into the air and he threw blades ad Darius who shielded with Shadows. An arrow went into his chest, the Assassin’s Spirit died along with Fredrick. Darius retreated. Astrid ran up to Jason and Sparky sped over.
“That had to be the main spirit because the rest stopped and… and…” Sparky unmerged and Elania fell over bleeding.