MOONWATCH

Kaesea

I could tell the lunalisks were close. There's two of them, and they're working together. A Class Affectum Degree VI and a Class Anima Degree VIII. Great.

This should be fun.

It's later in the day, and I can see the sun beginning to set behind the trees. The leaves have fallen last autumn and the branches are bare. The lunalisks are just around the corner, and I can only imagine what horrors are in store for me.

The Class Affectum Degree VI is capable of controlling the mind and body of the victim, while the Class Anima Degree VIII lunalisk siphons life from the victim and anyone around them. This means I'm in for a superhuman psychopath called an imperium.

I'm ten miles from home and tired from running. If I get attacked there's little chance I will be able to defend myself without getting hurt or drained of my powers. This isn't looking good, but I can't allow someone else to be taken over by darkness. I know what that is like and I don't want others to suffer. I'm in a shadowy alleyway, with tall concrete buildings on either side and a busy street to my back. I followed the trail here, but I don't see anything.

Then I suddenly hear a sound behind me. Turning, I see an elderly woman with eyes pitch black, her mouth a gaping hole. Moonwatch, she growls, and her voice is distorted, layered with screeching voices like thousands of angry insects. We have come to destroy you.

I shudder. Not only is this situation highly sinister, but the imperium knows who I am and if I don't destroy the lunalisks they will reveal me to their master. There are beings in power who want darkness to cover the world, and to destroy me, stopping me from bringing light. If a single lunalisk escapes, I will be as good as dead.

"No, I'm here to destroy you." I hold my hands out as they start to glow, but before I can do anything, the imperium rushes forward at the speed of light and grabs my neck. It lifts me high above its head, with strength more powerful than the woman could wield by herself. She's barely in there, and so I don't feel sorry as I send a sharp punch to its jaw. It screeches but holds me tighter.

Black tendrils of darkness wrap around me, and I feel cold. All of a sudden, I realize that my obsidian necklace is missing, and I am vulnerable to the lunalisks' life-siphoning energy.

My heartbeat starts to slow, beating so softly I can't feel it. The darkness wraps around my chest and my breathing falters. I can feel myself going limp, and although I know I am in danger, my mind doesn't process it or react. I feel like I'm sinking, like there is nothing around me or touching me. It's surreal.

My hand falls, fingertips still glowing slightly with light that I do not realize is there. My thoughts are full of dark clouds, thick like cotton and deep as the night.

And then I hear Lukas. Wake up, little sis!

The light in my fingertips grows bright and hot, and with the last of my mortal strength I shove the light deep into the darkness. The imperium screeches, a sound like glass on metal, and the darkness shrinks back, dropping me to the ground.

I shakily stand up and snatch my obsidian pendant, putting it back in its place around my neck. My breath is short and my heart is feeble, but I can feel the energy coming back into my bones and I know what to do. My light shines brighter and I send a bright bolt into the imperium's chest. It staggers back and struggles to regain its balance.

With an outstretched hand, I plunge more light into the creature until the darkness seeping out of it has gone, like water pouring into a cup of coffee. Soon, the elderly woman collapses and the two lunalisks fly out of her, their enormous jagged wings beating vigorously.