Tommy's hideout P1

A couple of hours had passed since Nat and Edmund left home, and Natalia was in fresher clothes than she was when she killed Mat.

“I’m just saying,” Edmunds spoke, breaking the sound of hoofs on the grass and allowing silence around them. “we need a better name than The Slums. I mean, come on! We’ve advanced for thousands of years—thousands! And we’re still calling it The Slums? What is this, some dystopian budget drama?” he gestured dramatically making Natalia raise an eyebrow as a smirk started to rise as she rolled her eyes. “Okay...” she started, “-so genius what do you want to call it? The Slightly-Underwhelming-Middle-Class District?” she joked, “No, no, hear me out,” warming to his ideas. “Something cool, like… The Grit District. Or shadow city-” “Where a town” she deadpans, cutting him off and making him huff before jumping back in “Or—wait for it—The Neighbourhood Formerly Known as Slums.” Natalia let out a snort laughing as she shared with him a glance “Yeah, sure. Let’s add a symbol to it, too. Maybe a graffiti logo. How about a trash can on fire with a crown on it?”

“I’m serious!” he shot back. “It’s just… insulting, you know? ‘Oh, where are you from?’ ‘The Slums.’ Boom, the conversation is dead. But if I say, ‘Oh, I’m from Shadow City,’ suddenly I’m mysterious and sophisticated.” “Yeah, because nothing says ‘sophisticated’ like rats in a trench coat fighting over half a burrito,” Natalia muttered.“Exactly!” Edmund pointed at her triumphantly, completely missing the sarcasm. “We keep the edge but ditch the stigma. Genius.” he smirked thinking his idea was the best making the brunette sigh, “Fine. You pitch it to James and the rest of the town. I’ll just stand back and watch them laugh you out of The Slightly-Less-Bad-Than-It-Sounds District.”

Laughter echoed faintly in the warm air as the deo approached Tommy's base. They could make out the kingdom walls as the sun began to dip lower, painting the horizon in hues of orange and pink, and Natalia couldn’t help but pause to admire the scene. Still, the fading light was a reminder—they had maybe an hour before darkness fell, and there was work to be done.

“Come on,” Natalia called, tugging her horse. “Let’s stop the horses. They need a water break, and so do we.”

Edmund nodded silently, dismounting with practised ease. The horses eagerly dipped their heads to drink from the nearby stream as the pair took the moment to stretch and gather their thoughts. After a time, they settled into conversation, their voices low as they went over the details of their plan.

Natalia tried to dredge up her memories of the place they were preparing to infiltrate, but it was harder than she wanted to admit. Every time she thought back to that wretched place, all she could feel was pain—pure, unfiltered pain. Her memories weren’t maps or layouts; they were a haze of cold cell walls, the kind that felt like they were closing in. She had spent the first twelve years of her life in that hellhole, trapped in a reality that no child should ever endure. Even thinking about it now sent a shiver down her spine that had nothing to do with the chill of the evening. Edmund noticed her quiet demeanour and glanced over. “You alright?” he asked, his voice cautious, as if afraid to step too close to something fragile.

She hesitated, then nodded tightly. “Yeah. I just... remembered. That place—it’s not just a target for me. It’s personal.” His eyes softened in understanding. “Then we’ll make sure it’s worth it,” he said firmly. “We take it down. Together.” Natalia forced a small, grim smile and turned back toward the setting sun. The light was fading, but the fire in her heart burned brighter than ever. Tonight wasn’t just about a mission—it was about finally closing the door on a part of her life that had haunted her for far too long.

After their much-needed break, the deo continued on their mission they believed they would have the advantage of a surprise attack allowing Natalia to keep the shadows and Edmund to keep the high ground and have her six as both checked their gear one more time Nat became overcome with anxiety she was terrified going through the gates again she could feel her magic was just wishing to break out to protect her from those around her but she instead of allowing it to break free she allowed her magic to wrap around her heart and mind keeping her safe from though who wish to hurt her she never understands what was happening but allowed her magic to gain an ounce of control and to frow her storm of anxiety she always felt like a flame was dancing on her heart.

“Nat!”

“Natalia!”

“Mmm what?!”

“I’ve been calling your name for the past five minutes.” Edmund frowned, concern clear in his eyes Nat shrugged, still distracted. “Yeah, sorry. Was lost in thought. We’re here now—let’s just move into position.” Edmund sighed softly and rolled his eyes before unsaddling his horse. He found a high lookout spot, hidden but offering a perfect view of the Tommy hideout. He equipped his bow, loading an arrow with precision as he scanned the area. Natalia disappeared into the shadows below him, blending in with the night.

Edmund could hear loud music blaring from the camp, drowning out the laughter, but his focus snapped when he saw something that made his stomach drop. ‘Please, for the love of God, that can’t be a child…’ His blood went cold as the sound of laughter grew louder. A small child, barely able to stand, stumbled forward, looking worse for wear. Edmund couldn’t tell if the child was even alive, but the men’s faces—grinning with twisted joy—made his insides churn. He couldn’t hear their words, but the sight alone made him fumble with his bow. He barely had time to aim before—

“NO!”

“I’m going to end them.” His voice was a low growl, in his mind speaking to Natalia through their link he watched as she moved throw the ranks his words were cutting through batted breath. He didn’t hear anything back as he watched the outer patrols go down, one by one, like silent dynamites. Each man dropped without a sound; his death unnoticed by the others. Edmund tried to follow Natalia’s path, his mind racing as her voice echoed in his head: Keep your eyes on the middle. I’m moving closer.

His anger doubled, a burning fury that matched the pace of the mission. He watched in horror as more men emerged, dragging another child into the camp, the little one stumbling in front of them like prey.

“Nat!?!" Edmund’s voice cracked, the rage and helplessness mixing.

"I know! Two minutes!!!" Natalia grunted, the strain in her voice unmistakable as she flipped two more men to the ground, the thud of their bodies resounding in the night air. Natalia was getting closer to the middle she could hear the pain in Edmund's voice but she needed to keep to the plan so no more people get hurt well the ones that mattered anyway.

Nat unshifted her sword it shone with the full mood she smirked behind her mask as two of Tommy's men had the chance to spot her but instead of doing the normal thing and calling for help they just decided to stupidly run at her.

The sound of mettle glassed together created sound around them as she pulled back and she thrust forward, parring the gang's attack as kicked the oncoming attack form behind her making the second attacker stumble back and allowing Natalia's sword whistle through the air and slicing through the ragged clothing they wear blood drain instantly as he fell to the ground with a thud.

His friend watched as he fell now gaining his awareness around him he charged with anger at Natalia as his sword thrust forward, sharp and unforgiven. She was able to block with a swift motion, the impact revibrating up her arm. With a swift twist, she countered, her blade cutting a dangerous arc through the air as Nat spins to the side missing a second of the blow of his sword but she couldn't hold the hiss as the man had a fraction as he found an opening as his blad grazed her right biceped a large slash wound making red travel down her shirt making the man smirk in victory making Natalia mutter under her breath ‘fuck this’ with a growl of frustration she charged back at the man blade raised in a swathed movement as she felt her magic following her path making her seem like blear to the man's eyes as he tried to block the oncoming attacked she sent his way as he tried keeping up until an opening was made as he monetary slipped Natalia lunged forward, his sword driving thrown the gap he allowed opening.

Thud