Moments of Progressiveness

As Anastasia and Astra entered the kitchen, they found a scene of delightful chaos. Clifford, with his hound-like enthusiasm, was trying to balance a tower of cookies while Cheshie was engaged in a spirited dance around the table, occasionally swiping a treat from the pile. Crumbs and laughter filled the air.

Anastasia couldn't help but chuckle at the sight, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "Seems like they're having fun."

Astra nodded, his lips quirking into a rare smile as he observed the playful antics. "Indeed, they are. It's good to see them enjoying themselves."

Cheshie, noticing their presence, meowed and purred as she greeted Astra and Anastasia, offering them cookies and snacks. Clifford, ever the excitable one, wagged his tail and barked a friendly greeting.

Anastasia joined the fun, taking a cookie and giving Cheshie a playful pat. "You two seem to be getting along well."

Clifford nodded, trying to balance another cookie on the stack. "Yes, Astra-Senpai and Cheshie have been great. They even told us about a new organization they're forming."

Astra leaned against the kitchen counter, still watching with a mix of amusement and warmth. "Indeed. Shadow's Resurgence. We have some interesting allies."

The atmosphere in the kitchen was filled with laughter, friendship, and the promise of new adventures. For Astra, who had known so much darkness and pain, this was a refreshing change, a reminder that life could be filled with moments of joy and connection.

Clifford then howled a gasp as he spoke "Woah, Astra-Senpai is that your real face under that mask all this time!!???"

Astra, who had momentarily removed his mask when he entered the kitchen, blinked at Clifford's surprised reaction. He glanced at Anastasia, a hint of amusement in his eyes, and then turned back to Clifford.

"Yes, Clifford," Astra replied in a calm tone. "This is my real face."

Clifford seemed both amazed and puzzled. "You look... so different without the mask. Not what I expected."

Astra couldn't help but smirk at Clifford's reaction. "Appearances can be deceiving, my friend."

Cheshie, who was nibbling on a cookie, chimed in, "Yeah, Astra-Senpai's real face is a well-kept secret. He likes to maintain his enigmatic aura."

Anastasia, savoring a cookie herself, added, "It's all part of the mystery that surrounds him."

The kitchen was filled with laughter and chatter as the group enjoyed their snacks and each other's company, a brief respite from the shadows and the revenge they were entangled with. It was a moment of connection and camaraderie, a glimpse of the brighter side of life that they all needed.

Astra, who had momentarily removed his mask when he entered the kitchen, blinked at Clifford's surprised reaction. He glanced at Anastasia, a hint of amusement in his eyes, and then turned back to Clifford.

"Yes, Clifford," Astra replied in a calm tone. "This is my real face."

Clifford seemed both amazed and puzzled. "You look... so different without the mask. Not what I expected."

Astra couldn't help but smirk at Clifford's reaction. "Appearances can be deceiving, my friend."

Cheshie, who was nibbling on a cookie, chimed in, "Yeah, Astra-Senpai's real face is a well-kept secret. He likes to maintain his enigmatic aura."

Anastasia, savoring a cookie herself, added, "It's all part of the mystery that surrounds him."

The kitchen was filled with laughter and chatter as the group enjoyed their snacks and each other's company, a brief respite from the shadows and the revenge they were entangled with. It was a moment of connection and camaraderie, a glimpse of the brighter side of life that they all needed.

Clifford then gasps as Astra has a straight face as the doggy bestialkin "What? It was true he soloed a lot of faction Knights, the Order under the Prime Minister himself. Spared faction knights that didn't interrupt his quest to slay Equinox her eminence?!!! And me and Cheshie is the same age as him yet he acts like a veteran adult in his 30s???"

Astra, maintaining his stoic demeanor, responded to Clifford's astonishment, "I've been through unique experiences that made me who I am today. It's not about age, but rather the path one chooses."

Cheshie playfully added, "And Astra-Senpai has chosen the path of the enigmatic, shadowy hero. It's part of his charm."

Anastasia, smiling, explained, "He's seen more than most, Clifford. His past has shaped him into the person he is now."

Clifford nodded, his curiosity piqued, and he continued to enjoy the lively atmosphere of the kitchen.

His tail wags "Still , it's amazing how you manage so many quest and kills since at a young age under Equinox herself even though compare how our old cult describes her..the way you describe her personally made us realize how well she deceive all the citizens of Coloria"

Astra gave a thoughtful nod as he replied, "Equinox had a way of appearing benevolent while hiding her true intentions. It was a dark time for the kingdom. But now, we have a chance to build something better with Shadow's Resurgence."

Clifford wagged his tail even more, clearly impressed by Astra's words. "That's true, Senpai. We'll follow your lead."

Anastasia beamed with pride, happy to see Astra's influence on the two new members of their organization. The kitchen was filled with a sense of camaraderie, and they continued to enjoy their meal and lively conversation.

Astra then ask with a serious tone "then , why did that old cult form in the first place and how long since Equinox lived for centuries to rule this emperial nation uniting all 7 kingdoms"

Clifford thought for a moment before answering, "The cult formed as a way to maintain control and influence over the kingdom. Equinox ruled for centuries, and her longevity and power allowed her to maintain her grip on Coloria. The cult served her interests and helped keep the citizens in line through manipulation and fear."

Astra nodded, understanding the complexity of the situation. "It's a long history of control and oppression, but now we have a chance to change that. With Shadow's Resurgence, we can work towards a brighter future for Coloria and its people."

Anastasia chimed in, "It's time to break free from the shadows of the past and bring about a new era of hope and justice."

Cheshie claps as she tries cleaning up every mess in the kitchen to get the innkeeper in a good mood "Meow!!! Innkeeper Anastasia manage to make a great quote." Astra then became a technical actor to utter "Is it alright if I can sue that quote whenever we make a dramatic entrance to certain enemies that get easily scared with less discretion?"

Anastasia chuckled, appreciating the lighter moment, and replied, "Of course, Astra. You can use that quote whenever you see fit. It has a nice ring to it." Cheshie purred in agreement, finding the idea of dramatic entrances quite exciting.

Then they finish their meals and Clifford asks "Wait wait you two ladies why is my doggy intuition picking up you two are closer to Astra-Senpai than it seems?"

Anastasia smiled at Clifford's observation and responded, "Well, you see, Astra and I have been through some adventures together recently. We've built a close bond during that time. It's natural for us to become closer under such circumstances."

Cheshie chimed in, "Yeah, that's right! We're all like a little team now, and we're getting to know each other better."

Anastasia added with a smirk "and it only lasted 4 and a 1/2 days.."

Astra chuckled and nodded, "Yes, it's quite remarkable how much can change in such a short time." The four of them shared a brief moment of camaraderie, realizing the unique connections they had formed in this short but eventful period.

Then Anastasia spoke "So, what made the current generation of the same cult not upset the cult leader and associates are erm…Eliminated?"

Astra took a moment to respond, choosing his words carefully. "It wasn't about eliminating the entire cult, but rather, dismantling the leadership that had been causing harm. The lower-ranking members were largely innocent, just misled. We've given them a chance to choose a different path and serve a different purpose. The cult, as it was, had become corrupt, and we sought to bring justice to those who had been wronged by it."

The two nod and Cheshie whispers the current generation has grown tired of the same old practice of admiring Estella and her feats as they secret believe Shadow Knight is cooler for his feats are more worthwhile as he gives vibes of no ego and makes great efforts to finish his assigned quests"

Astra's eyes flickered with a touch of amusement. "Well, I suppose they can't all be wrong, can they? Shadow Knight or not, it's the actions that matter, not the title. If they've grown tired of the old ways and are looking for something more substantial, that's a good sign."

Before he stretches "anyways Cheshie? Can you pass on the basic teachings I informed you about the time we did our duo assassination in succession to your friend Clifford to test his worth as our right hand or rather manage of our organization?"

Cheshie nodded and turned to Clifford. "Of course! I'll make sure to teach you everything Astra taught me about our methods and principles. You need to understand our way of doing things."

Clifford is excited his tail wags as Astra ask Anastasia to go on with her work he would train them somewhere safe..as he flicker shadow travel to a vacant spot of the underground cult hide out and luckily there is a nice open area good for training as Astra created shadow constructs dense enough to be fighting dummies.

Astra set up the shadow constructs as training dummies, and Cheshie and Clifford eagerly began practicing their skills. Cheshie started by demonstrating some of the basics, and Clifford watched closely, trying to mimic her movements and techniques. Astra offered guidance and advice as they trained, ensuring they understood the fundamentals of being effective assassins.

Astra also added, "I'm Clifford what sort of canine Bestialkin breed are you?"

Clifford replied, "I'm a Blood Hound Bestialkin, so my sense of smell is pretty sharp. That's why I wanted to be a part of this organization – to put my keen senses to good use." He continued to train alongside Cheshie and absorb the lessons Astra provided.

Astra then asks "Okay which of the two common mana types you had? Luminous mana or Umbral? Since I can modify advice based on that.." Cheshie nods to reply "Plus, That's literally how amazing he is compared to us amateurs that the cult is so terrible training us though.."

Clifford replied, "I have Luminous mana. My abilities are more aligned with light and healing-type magic." Cheshie chimed in, "And yeah, Astra-Senpai is on a whole different level compared to us. He's been through a lot and gained a ton of experience."

Astra spoke modestly "Oh no need to for such fantasies, anyways actually there is more purpose for Luminous mana..you can recharge your magi-reservoir during the day..or positive emotions or some mana having that type around the environment. Plus it's not just healing, it can be a buffer and a sense of well lots of uses. I may be a very rare Ecto-mana-born magic user yet I have faced countless targets and rivals of the two common mana types.."

Clifford nodded, absorbing the information. "That's interesting. I'm still learning the ropes, so any advice is appreciated."

Astra then said, "Remember, it's not just about the type of mana you have, but how you utilize it and adapt to different situations. Cheshie, why don't you show Clifford some of the basics, and I'll give you both some more advanced training as we go along."

She saluted and spoke "What's cool he told me the potential of my Feline Bestialkin desires and Umbral mana type, plus knew my signature moves that did help along a personal technique of his called aura suppression that's why no one detected of us when we assassinated the leader and associates"

Astra nodded in approval. "Aura suppression is a valuable technique, and it can be your greatest asset when you need to stay undetected. Cheshie, teach Clifford what you've learned about it, and then we'll practice it together. Remember, the key is to control and minimize the energy you release. It takes practice, but it can make a world of difference in our missions."

Clifford asks "So we control our mana flow how? Pls Cheshie.." puppy face "Help your friend here.."

Cheshie smiled and began to explain. "Alright, Clifford, controlling your mana flow is like trying to hold back a river. You start by focusing on a specific point within yourself, usually in your core. Then, you gradually reduce the flow of mana outward, like a gentle stream instead of a rushing river. It's about being in tune with your mana and regulating it. Astra can guide us as we practice. Remember, it takes time and practice to master, so don't get discouraged."

Astra added with a calm face despite his eerie lifeless eyes they had gotten used to "Hmm, how about consider your core or what amazing magicians called Ki, a term for our inner spiritual core..although it's easier and risky for my mana type I should believe it's effective for the other two mana types as well as proven by Cheshie.."