Moonlight {Moonlit Trilogy Reboot}

Chapter Four: Ataraxia

They followed Quartz closely as he ran his fingers along the map. The albino sighed and looked back at Conchord. His shoulders drooped.

"That used to be my home." He said quietly. Igneous looked down and then back at Quartz, hollowness filling his chest.

"I can't relate but I understand." Igneous said, approaching Quartz and rubbing his shoulder. "I've never had a home myself."

Quartz sighed. "That's why we need to get to Ataraxia, so nobody will lose their homes."

"Let's go then." Holly replied.

"Can we go hunt something to eat, though?" Quartz asked. "I haven't eaten since Conchord burned."

"Um, sure." Holly said. "I'd rather wait, though." Quartz snickered.

"Your loss then!" He charged off into the woods. Igneous tilted his head before shaking it and slowly following the strange fellow. Senn and Holly stayed behind and exchanged glances, deciding to wait for the two to come back.

Igneous trudged through the woods. He looked around, looking for Quartz. However, no matter where his eyes focused, he couldn't find the strange Magnorite.

He walked in what felt like a hundred circles. Still no sign. Igneous had given up until he heard a growl.

"Quartz?" He asked quietly. The growl grew into a roar and the source of it threw him onto the ground. Before him was a Moonlit, larger than the ones he had seen before. They towered over him so easily. Igneous shook under the massive claws.

"You will come with me."

"Why?" Igneous' voice escaped as a tiny, pathetic squeak. The Moonlit growled.

" His orders."

Igneous kicked against the thing, not knowing who the Moonlit spoke about nor their intentions. He didn't want to find out.

The Moonlit roared and thrust their claws into Igneous' left eye. The Magnorite shrieked, kicking much more frantically now.

The claws yanked back with incredible speed and Igneous felt the worst pain in his life. His left eye could no longer see and then he realized why.

His attacker had his eye in their hand.

Igneous shrieked the loudest he ever had in his entire existence. Suddenly, Quartz broke through the clearing, deer in one hand. He noticed the gory scene before him and threw the deer to the side, tackling the Moonlit. He was quickly replaced with his more beastial form and the two fought. Igneous was unable to keep himself from screaming, the sound now a mix of distress and pain.

Two more figures ran into the focus but Igneous was unable to stay awake long enough to notice.

==

When he was awake again, Holly had her eye where his eye once was. Igneous was confused, having temporarily forgotten the traumatic events.

"I couldn't save your eye." Holly said. Igneous was suddenly brought back to the terrible moment and cried out again. A soft sigh greeted his blind side and he brought his remaining eye to its source. It was Quartz, but as his Moonlit self still. He held up the deer.

"You should eat, it will help you recover."

Igneous sighed and took small bites of the deer. If he had an appetite before, it was gone. He wanted to throw up.

"Usually, I'd suggest waiting for you to recover before we head anywhere, but we can't risk getting caught. Especially not with one of Vraleus' scouts knowing our location." Holly said.