Echoes of the Fallen Gods: The Astra System

The roads of Valencia Nova stretched endlessly before them, bathed in the early morning haze. Agastya kept one hand on the wheel, his gaze flickering between the rearview mirror and the open road ahead.

Their vehicle—a modified cargo hauler—rumbled quietly as it sped across the highway leading toward the outer districts. The industrial sectors were safer, less patrolled, but no route was ever completely secure. On Earth, the presence of Raiders and the monitoring drones was inescapable.

Thea was nowhere to be seen and Agastya had this look of uncertainty. He had taken jobs like this before, smuggling a celestial blooline into the academy, but this? This was on an entirely different level. The risk of smuggling a princess was as high as it got. One wrong move, and they were both dead.

As if fate wants to worry him more, he had already faced the first obstacle, just twenty minutes into the ride.

A Raider vehicle emerged from the side street ahead, its black and crimson exterior gleaming under the artificial lights of the city. It was a sleek, armored hovercraft, with the insignia of the skull with cross bones etched into its hull. A flashing signal pulsed on its side, indicating it was ordering them to stop.

"Shit," Agastya muttered under his breath, easing the vehicle to a halt.

"Stay calm," Agastya murmured, glancing at the empty front seat before stepping out of the vehicle.

The Raider craft hovered a few feet above the ground before two figures dropped down with perfect precision. They were clad in advanced combat suits, their helmets sleek and black, glowing with red visors. Their presence alone was enough to make most civilians tremble in fear.

"Identification," the lead Raider demanded, his voice metallic through his helmet's modulator.

Agastya forced a casual grin and reached into his coat, pulling out a small ID chip. "Agastya Vren. Scrap dealer. Just making my way to the industrial district to offload some junk."

The Raider took the chip and scanned it. A soft beep confirmed the ID's authenticity.

The second Raider circled the vehicle, running a gloved hand along its dusty frame. "You're transporting cargo?"

"Junk," Agastya corrected. "Some broken machinery, old parts from decommissioned teleportation gates. Nothing worth your time."

The lead Raider nodded to his partner. "Check the vehicle."

The second Raider moved to the back and activated a portable scanner, sweeping it across the hauler's cargo bay. The device let out a few soft beeps but showed nothing suspicious.

Agastya maintained his relaxed posture, watching carefully. So far, so good…

The first Raider handed the ID chip back. "You're clear to go."

Agastya exhaled, reaching for the door. "Appreciate it. I'll—"

"Wait."

The second Raider raised his hand. "One last check."

Agastya's stomach twisted.

The Raider pulled out a Grade-1 Thermal Scanner—a device capable of detecting biological signatures hidden behind layers of any material.

Agastya's fingers itched toward the concealed blade at his waist, but he forced himself to stay still.

The Raider activated the scanner and swept it across the vehicle. The device's display remained neutral at first. Then—

Beep.

The Raider's head snapped up. Thea, hidden beneath the false floorboard under the front passenger seat, held her breath.

"Hey, You," the Raider said, his grip tightening on his weapon. "There's something—no, someone—inside."

Silence fell.

Agastya's smirk vanished.

Thea's heart pounded.

The lead Raider's visor gleamed as he took a slow step forward. His hand rested on the hilt of his energy blade.

"Step aside," he ordered. "We're searching the vehicle."

"Wait… wait…" Agastya hurriedly stopped them. Before they react further, he called her out. "Thea, come out my dear."

Thea's breath became heavier but she eventually opened the compartment door and emerged from the front passenger seat before stepping out of the vehicle.

Agastya spoke. "Sir, she is my niece. She lost her identification chip and I was worried that she would get taken to the authorities." He went on falling upon his knees and pleading to the lead Raider, grabbing his hands. "Sir, please don't hurt her. I saved around 8000 credits so far. I will give my entire savings to you sirs. Please show us mercy."

The second Raider's expression shifted slightly. However, the lead Raider looked like Agastya's acting had any impact upon him. He pulled out a scanner from the backpack and pointed at Thea's face, which filled with fear. "Before I believe your story, I need to check whether she was on the bounty list or not."

The moment the Raider's scanner finished processing, a notification flashed across his visor alongside the image of the princess.

68% match.

The lead Raider's grip tightened on his weapon. "Looks like we have a problem. What are the odds that the princess of Iberica escaped the prison last night and a lookalike appeared in the dawn?"

Thea barely had time to react before the other raider lunged, grabbing her arm in a vice-like grip.

Agastya's mind raced. He had planned for almost every scenario—except this one. His bribe was useless. His cover story had failed. There was no talking his way out anymore.

He moved in a blur.

With one swift motion, his hand snapped up, grabbing the second Raider's wrist and twisting it violently. A sickening crack echoed in the night air as the man howled in pain. Agastya followed up with a brutal kick to his chest, sending him crashing into the side of the vehicle.

The lead Raider had barely reached for his firearm when Agastya closed the distance. A sharp, precise strike to the throat crushed his windpipe, leaving him gurgling for air. A final kick to the head sent him crumpling lifelessly to the ground.

There were no flashy techniques, no intense battle between magic spells, or any sort. Everything just went silent in the matter of seconds.

Thea stood frozen, her wide eyes reflecting the dim glow of the Raider's fallen visor.

Agastya didn't hesitate. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her toward the vehicle. "Let's go."

They had seconds.

A sharp, high-pitched beep suddenly filled the air.

Agastya's head snapped toward the lead Raider, who was slumped against the vehicle. His visor flickered with red warnings.

Emergency Bounty Alert: Celestial Bloodline Suspect Escaping.

"Damn it." Agastya wasted no time. He grabbed the man's helmet and slammed it against the metal frame of the vehicle, ensuring he was completely unconscious—or worse.

Then, he yanked the door open, shoving Thea inside. "Buckle up."

She barely had time to obey before he slammed his foot on the accelerator. The modified hauler roared to life, tires screeching as they tore away from the scene.

Through the rearview mirror, Agastya saw the emergency distress signal pulsing ominously in the night sky. Within minutes, the entire Raider network would be on their trail.

"You killed them…" Thea's voice was barely a whisper.

"I had to," Agastya muttered, gripping the wheel tight. "If they took you, we were both dead anyway."

He exhaled sharply, his mind racing with possible escape routes. They needed to get out of the city—fast.

"Hang on, Princess," he said, his voice grim. "Things are about to get messy."

And with that, he floored the accelerator, speeding the vehicle to the max.

Roughly an hour later, the vehicle reached the barren lands outside the city. But, the vehicle wasn't alone in that wilderness.

The roar of engines and the mechanical whir of targeting systems filled the air behind them. Agastya gritted his teeth as the bounty hunters closed in.

"Damn it."

He jerked the steering wheel sharply, weaving through the winding road at breakneck speed, but it was futile. A shrill warning blared across the dashboard—missiles locked on.

"Hold on!"

A deafening explosion shattered the vehicle, flipping it into the air like a broken toy. Metal twisted, fire erupted, and both passengers were thrown from the wreckage.

Agastya hit the ground hard. Pain seared through his ribs. Blood trickled down his forehead. He struggled to push himself up, but his limbs felt like lead.

A shadow loomed over him.

"Mister…"

Thea's voice, trembling but determined.

He felt her arms lifting him, dragging him away from the burning remains of their vehicle. Even through his hazy vision, he saw the bounty hunters closing in—dozens of them. "Fuck," He couldn't help but curse aloud.

And then, he felt it. A rush of energy, divine and overwhelming into his system.

His half-lidded eyes widened as Thea let go of him and stepped forward, her expression resolute.

White wings burst from her back, unfurling in a blinding glow. A golden aura surrounded her as she unleashed her angelic form.

Her wounds healed in an instant, and with a soft whisper of a basic incantation, she placed a hand on Agastya's chest.

Warmth flooded through him, mending his broken bones, sealing his cuts, revitalizing his failing strength.

But before he could utter a word of gratitude, Thea let out a pained gasp.

The bounty hunters struck.

Chains laced with cursed energy wrapped around her limbs. A massive hand grabbed her by the hair, yanking her to the ground. "Argh…" She let out a cry of pain as her radiant aura flickered, dimming under the suppressive force of the enchanted bindings.

"She's the real deal," one of the bounty hunters sneered. "The boss will be pleased."

Agastya's heart pounded. His fists clenched. "Dammit. Looks like I have no choice."

His fingers found the locket around his neck—the last remnant of a life he had long abandoned.

With a slow, deliberate motion, he pulled it off.

A ripple of power surged through the air. The bounty hunters stopped in their tracks, sensing something primal, something ancient waking up.

Mana swirled violently around Agastya's battered form, crackling with raw heat. His shadow stretched unnaturally, flaming tendrils of energy weaving through the ground beneath him.

He exhaled.

Then, with a mere thought—

A divine glowing bow materialized in his grasp.

The leader of the bounty hunters stiffened. His eyes widened in disbelief. "That bow…"

Agastya didn't give them time to react.

He pulled back the string, an arrow of pure, searing energy forming at his fingertips.

"Agneyastra, Heed my command and burn down my enemies."

And then—he let go.

The single arrow split into dozens, then hundreds, multiplying like a swarm of blazing comets. The sky lit up with their descent.

A heartbeat later, all the sixteen bounty hunters were burned to death, their vehicles exploded subsequently. Surprisingly, Thea, in their midst, was completely unharmed as none of the arrows struck her.

Ash and silence remained.

Only one enemy figure still stood.

The bounty hunter leader, trembling with third degree burns all over his body, his weapon shaking in his grip, "I'll kill you."

He lunged at his peak speed, his body enveloped by sparks of lightning, increasing his speed to the point that it only took a fraction of a second for him to cover ten meters. "Ha."

Agastya responded.

With a flick of his wrist, a divine sword wreathed in flames, materialized in his free hand. He sidestepped the incoming attack effortlessly, his movements even faster to follow.

A clean stab.

The blade pierced through the bounty hunter's chest before his lightning powered punch reached Agastya.

The man coughed, blood trickling from his lips, eyes filled with horror. His voice was weak, barely a whisper.

"The divine bow… and the divine flaming sword… You're… the Flame Emperor… How… how are you still alive…?"

His body slumped without being able to hear the answer.

Agastya remained still, staring down at the corpse. In the end, he let out a sigh and dismissed the weapons. "Return."

Thea, now freed from the cursed chains, pushed herself up, her gaze locked onto him in pure shock.

"…Who are you?" she whispered.

Agastya didn't meet her eyes. He raised his hand, pointing his palm in one random direction, and in the next instant, another vehicle that looked exactly like the one that they just rode earlier and was destroyed by the missiles—a cargo hauler.

As her gaze was momentarily grabbed by the vehicle that materialized out of thin air, Agastya spoke. "Everyone has a story they wish to keep to themselves, Thea."

With that, he started the engine, the vehicle roaring to life.

Thea watched him, countless questions flooding her mind.

But Agastya's own thoughts drifted elsewhere.

"Flame Emperor, huh…

It's been years since I heard that title."