Astrid went after the heavily fortified town-centre with the intention of destroying it. The walls were built to last, and if Rodrick succeeded in killing the troll that was quickly turning the tide of the battle against their favour, then Astrid would be the only one strong enough to break through. But Victor saw the distress in her eyes, the slightest glimpse of hesitation and she stood right outside the front door.
“Astrid,” he said. She startled and turned around quickly. Despite everything that had happened she seemed no different than when he spoke to her last on the night of the academy’s assault. “Astrid, please don’t do this. If you open those doors everyone inside will be killed.”
“I have to follow Elizabeth’s orders. You are the enemy, and these people are the enemy. We didn’t hesitate to kill on Mr. Silver’s orders.”
“That was different, we were given a choice,” said Victor. “It was feint, but I saw the doubt in you. Do you really think this is the right thing to do? We've known each other for a long time. We had a lot of good moments. We looked out for each other. I can't let you hurt these people, that's not who you are. I believe that you can still do the right thing, but if I'm wrong then kill me now!”
“She’s the only family I have!” Astrid screamed.
“That’s not true! You have us! Sam and I were always there for you and we’re here for you now!”
Astrid turned away from them. “Look around you, the battle is lost. Your comrades are falling. Join me and Elizabeth and let us save you before it’s too late.”
“It already is too late,” Sam replied.
“So it is,” Astrid whispered. She knelt down and placed her hands at the foot of the fortified door. There was a pale-blue glow – a sign of alchemical deconstruction. The door began to come down.
“Astrid no!” Victor tackled her and threw her away from the wall.
In a desperate struggle, they wrestled in the dirt, but Astrid remained stronger than Victor. Sam immediately used her alchemy to repair the damaged wall. Meanwhile, Astrid struck Victor in the jaw and pinned him down. She drew her Wyvern Dagger and raised it with a cry.
“Do it!” Victor screamed.
Astrid looked into his eyes upon burning anger and sadness. She paused, as if some invisible force held her arm at bay and stayed her blade. Tears filled in her eyes. She looked up at the sky and the dagger slipped from her fingers. “I don’t know what to do,” she whispered.
Then Rodrick’s voice echoed through the heart of the battle, carrying a heavy warning: “The troll! The troll comes!”
Astrid looked over and gasped as the heavy club was hurled along the ground. The troll’s thick arm was caked in blood and it howled furiously. Victor raised his arms. There was a flash of golden hair and a beam of light. The troll smote them with a deadly blow.
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