My chest heaved with each breath, adrenaline still coursing through my veins as I tried to wrap my head around the weapons in my hands. The sickles in my hands felt like an extension of my own body, but at the same time, they pulsed with an energy I recognized and identified with Midnight Blossom’s aura. The distant cries of the remaining monsters echoed throughout Refuge Zeta's cavernous main hall. I looked up at the remaining LED lights that provided what little lighting we had left. They flickered with every rumble as if they were also at the mercy of the monsters.
“We need a gameplan, girls,” Dawn Lily commented, shaking off the grime and straightening her outfit. She turned her attention to Twilight Aster, concern visible in her eyes. “Aster’s in no condition to fight now.”
Midnight Blossom scanned the perimeter as the blue and silver light from her sickles illuminated the areas shrouded in darkness.
She looked at me, her lips curving into a grin. “Well, we can't exactly just fall over and die. Hey newbie, you got a working name?”
“Lux,” I responded almost immediately. I couldn’t put my finger to it, but it was a name that felt as natural as channeling the power I’d used to create the sickles and the staff from before. A nod from Midnight Blossom was all the approval I needed.
“Alright then, Lux. We need to hold our ground here until more help arrives. If we let these monsters take over and keep rampaging, Refuge Zeta is done for,” Blossom declared.
A loud buzzing caught my ear, and Albert’s face popped up on one of the nearby drones. “Heads up! Conductor’s got more drones arriving! And hey, nice moves Sienna...I mean, Lux! We’ll figure something out for Twilight Aster up here. Just get me an opening.”
On the other side of the room, the Juggernaut continued its rampage. The massive behemoth of muscle and claws roared, its deep bellow echoing through the hall. Electricity crackled as Voltage, threw arcs of energy toward the beast in mid-air. But the Juggernaut seemed undeterred, each of Voltage’s strikes barely leaving a mark.
Then the Juggernaut let out an ear splitting roar and charged at us in all its horrifying mutated glory.
"Aww, man, come on! Seriously? Not again again," Dawn Lily groaned under her breath, drawing her weapon.
Voltage appeared beside us with a flash, his voice thick with annoyance. “Heya, Midnight Blossom, done prancing around yet? Fancy a round with the big guy?”
Blossom scoffed, rolling her eyes dramatically. “You’d think with all that electricity flowing through you, it’d light up a brain cell or two, but I guess not. Shocking, really.”
From the corner of my eye, I spotted Arsenal moving towards the opposite end of the hall. She had a massive cannon resting on her shoulder supported by her appendaged arms, and its barrel was glowing red hot from recent use.
The glint of Voltage's yellow eyes deepened, smirking. “You flower girls have always got a zinger, don't ya?”
Before she could retort, the Juggernaut came barreling toward us. Its hulking frame seemed to shake the very foundations of the Refuge.
Suddenly, Arsenal's cannon fired a massive flaming blast, striking the Juggernaut square in its chest and slowing it down, though only momentarily.
The creature shook off the impact, revealing a charred but still very much alive body. Its burned flesh shifted and mutated, before hardening into scales.
“The flippity hell's that thing made of?!” Voltage shouted, sounding genuinely impressed and frustrated at the same time.
Dawn Lily leapt into action, aura flaring yellow. “We need to slow it down!” she exclaimed, converting her bow into a staff and thrusting it into the ground. "[Solar Art: Cascading Radiant Pillar]!"
Golden beams of light erupted from the ground, forming a radiant wall of light between us and the approaching Juggernaut. The massive creature collided into the wall, creating a resounding boom but failing to penetrate through as its movement was slowed down like it was in molasses.
I glanced up at the moth, its singular eye fixated on our group, weaving in and out of focus as it darted around the vast ceiling of the Refuge. It was as if the creature was taking in all our positions, evaluating where we were weakest and waiting for the right moment to strike. The eye glinted with something too close to intelligence, making it all the more terrifying.
Albert seemed to have picked up on this as well. “Stay sharp, everyone! That moth thing's playing smarter. It's watching you. Learning."
Midnight Blossom growled, “Of course it's not going to be easy.”
Dawn Lily beam, quickly interjecting, “When has it ever been, Blossom?”
“Judging from the clashes Midnight Blossom and Lux had with it, its thorax and eyestalk are vulnerable compared to the rest of its body,” Albert stated, furrowing his brows. His voice was filled with a sort of sudden analytical clarity I really didn’t associate with him. “There’s something about its movements though, it’s staying in the shadows. I think it might be sensitive to light.”
From my vantage point, I could see Dawn Lily making her next move. Her aura flared blue, matching the hue of a deep ocean. “[Hydro Art: Sweeping Torrential Wave]!” With a sweeping motion, she nocked an arrow back and unleashed it, transforming it into a massive wall of water. It surged forward, crashing into the Juggernaut and pushing it back as it clawed out of the radiant pillar. The creature fought against the tide, its muscles straining, but the sheer force of the water seemed to keep it at bay. I balked in disbelief as the water seemed to wrap around the pillar she’d summoned before, almost insulating the creature inside as it thrashed and clawed.
“Lily you heard the boy, let’s buy some time and go after the moth! Lux, cover her and Twilight Aster, I’ll lock down the meathead!” Midnight Blossom ordered, launching herself at the Juggernaut, sickles blazing with a silver aura. Her swift movements created a blur, drawing the Juggernaut’s attention. She twisted in midair as it swung at her, and her aura dimmed and vanished for a brief moment.
The room seemed to darken for a split second as Midnight Blossom leaped further into the fray. With a graceful twirl, she called out, "[Moonlit Chains]!" Ethereal chains of shimmering moonlight shot out from her sickles, slicing through the wall of water and light wrapping around the Juggernaut's elbows and binding them as she circled .
"Take that, you big lug!" she yelled, pulling the chains taut as she landed behind it. The beast let out a roar of frustration, struggling against the confining chains, its every movement seemingly reflecting off the iridescent surface.
Dawn Lily continued her assault, her face a mix of concentration. “[Solar Art: Glorious Sunburst Lattice]!” she yelled, pulling an arrow of pure light from thin air and launching it at the Juggernaut. As it flew, the arrow multiplied, turning into a stream of luminous spears that bombarded the creature like a machine gun.
The moth, ever vigilant, swooped down quietly, targeting the now vulnerable Dawn Lily. Seeing this, I felt an instinctual tug, propelling me towards her.
"Look out!" I screamed, lunging forward.
Dawn Lily barely had a moment to react with her eyes focused on the Juggernaut. The moth’s tail darted forward as it dove down in a blur, aiming for her. But as the blow was about to land, I intercepted, harnessing the new instincts I’d been instilled with. My sickles clashed with the moth’s tail, causing sparks to fly from the impact. The force of the blow had me skidding back several meters, but it was enough to create a small gap between the moth and Dawn Lily.
"Thanks, Lux," she said, panting.
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I took a brief moment to look down at the sickles in my hands. I didn’t truly understand what I just did — the moves felt both alien and instinctual at once.
Whatever I did with my Luminary Conversion had allowed me to tap into the shallowest depths of Midnight Blossom's abilities. But even though I could use them with proficiency, there was a vast difference between that and true mastery. I knew I had borrowed her movements, her techniques, but I lacked the finesse and intuition that came from years of wielding them.
Suddenly, a number of flying crafts exploded out of the shadows, snatching Twilight Aster from behind us and whisking her away at a breakneck speed. My heart leapt into my throat as I recognized it as one of Conductor's drones. “I've got Twilight Aster and Chameleon. I was waiting for that opening!” Albert declared. “Focus on the moth!”
Taking the chance, Midnight Blossom capitalized on her earlier binding skill, dragging the Juggernaut back through the pillar with all her might. "A distraction would be nice right now!" she bellowed.
“It’s sensitive to light!” Albert suddenly called out from one of the drones. “Give us a lightshow!
Dawn Lily quickly caught her breath and nocked another arrow, aiming high. "[Sunflare Burst]!" She let loose, and a blinding column of golden light erupted from the arrow's trajectory, veiling the entire ceiling and blinding the moth momentarily. Its discordant chittering grew louder as it fluttered about, seemingly disoriented.
The room was filled with a radiant glow that reflected off the shimmering surfaces of our outfits, weapons, and the walls.
Midnight Blossom seized upon the opportunity. She darted forward with catlike agility, maneuvering around the Juggernaut and taking advantage of its momentary distraction from the blinding light.
I felt a resonating thrum as she rushed toward me, and I felt her aura sync with mine for a brief, intense moment.
“Lily! Give us a boost!” Midnight Blossom yelled.
Dawn Lily nodded. "[Solar Art: Ascending Sun Lilies!]”
“Lux, I need you to—” Midnight Blossom started.
“I understand,” I cut her off, settling into a stance that she mirrored in surprise.
I was way ahead of her. Somehow, I understood. This was a maneuver their team had practiced and rehearsed endlessly to deal with aerial enemies.
Without a word, I jumped into the air as Dawn Lily’s eyes flashed gold, and a multitude of vibrant sun lilies sprung from the ground beneath us. Each petal glowed with a warm golden aura as they surrounded Midnight Blossom and me. The sun lilies propelled us into the air with astounding force, launching us over the moth in an instant.
Time seemed to slow down, the moth below us, its remaining eye gleaming and flicking back and forth with malicious intent. But this time, we had the upper hand.
As we soared, Midnight Blossom and I locked eyes. I nodded, understanding her intent in an instant.
We began to spin, creating a whirlwind of orange and silver light. The sickles and chains in our hands singing with the force of our combined power.
I didn’t know any of Midnight Blossom’s skills, nor did I have Twilight Aster’s skillset. However, I could definitely fill Twilight Aster's role at that moment.
I felt the surge of energy swell in my heart —Hopeful Heart Alchemy. Our spirits and wills were intertwined, and I felt the latent knowledge borrowed from Midnight Blossom merging with my inherent ability.
I felt a surge of adrenaline as I threw the sickles at the moth, and instinctively SUMMONED a staff as I had in the tunnels below.
"[COMBINATION ATTACK! CELESTIAL EQUINOX SPIRAL DANCE]!" Midnight Blossom’s voice rang out, her sickles infused with a haunting dark blue and silver luminescence.
"[Luminary Art: Hopeful Heart Alchemy!] — RADIANT MIDNIGHT BLOOM!!” I shouted, raising the staff high and channeling all the energy and emotions I felt in that moment.
Midnight Blossom burst forth in a flash of navy blue luminescence, her every chain and sickle reflecting the light like a dazzling dance of midnight stars.
I pointed my staff downward at the moth, the top shining with a brilliant orange light. As our combined forces descended, the energies swirled together.
The staff in my hand pulsed with bright energy, and the area around us blossomed with spectral flowers that erupted with blinding light, further disorienting the moth. The radiant blooms converged and transformed into a cascade of luminescent petals that circled around Midnight Blossom. Further blooms erupted, serving as hard light walls in the air that Midnight Blossom bounced off, building momentum as her movements pushed my ability to perceive them to their limits.
I began to fall as gravity took over and tugged at me. But my focus was still on the scene before me; Midnight Blossom seemed to dance as she twisted through the air, an ethereal ballet dancer amidst a storm of petals. Everything was happening in a flash, and it was surreal to me that I could even keep up with it in time to react.
I hadn’t exactly summoned petals like Twilight Aster would, but the hard light structures seemed to do the trick. The remnants of our combined attacks were a whirlwind of silver and bright orange light. A tempest formed, swirling around the moth in an overwhelming celestial dance of might.
I raised my hand, boxing the moth in with a Luminary Barrier as it attempted to recover from Dawn Lily’s blinding attack. The moth let out a shriek, thrashing wildly as it tried to shake off the impending doom. Its desperate movements echoed an animal caught in a trap, knowing that escape was futile but still striving for survival.
Midnight Blossom's dance became more frenzied, the chains and sickles slashing and twirling, painting arcs of silvery light through the air as she blurred around the moth in accelerating streaks of light. The spiraling patterns she drew grew tighter, forming a lattice of light trails that constricted around the moth, leaving it with less and less space to move.
Dawn Lily drew back another glowing arrow , her aura surging with an intensity that was almost palpable. "[Solar Art: Celestial Solstice Coda!]" she yelled, releasing the arrow which split into multiple trails of scorching light.
The streams of gold intertwined with the moonlight chains, further trapping the moth in a massive web.
Then, as the sickles I’d caught fell past the moth, Midnight Blossom made her move.
I briefly saw her flick them back up above the moth, before she flashed past the creature’s thorax in an instant. The trail of light followed her as she appeared on the ground in a blur.
A brief trail of afterimages followed behind her as she crossed her weapons in front of her. Somehow, I heard her next words loud and clear despite the chaos of the battle and our considerable distance.
"Sweet dreams," Midnight Blossom whispered as she finished her dance, the chains pulling taut, restricting the moth's movements entirely as the lattice of orange, yellow, silver, and night blue light spiraled through the Moth’s torso.
And for a split second, there was a serene calm. The flapping and chaos of the moth halted as everything settled into a quiet moment of anticipation.
Then, with a blinding eruption of light and energy, our combined forces detonated. The very air seemed to scream as a shockwave rippled through the room. I screamed as I flipped through the air, tossed around like a leaf in a hurricane.
I could feel the ground approach at an alarming speed. But then, gentle hands caught me, steadying me and breaking my fall. It was Dawn Lily, her soft golden aura had enveloped me, acting as a buffer against the harsh ground. I was in a state of shock, breaths coming in rapid and short. My inexperience was definitely leaking through
As the dust settled and the ringing subsided, I looked around. The once-terrifying moth lay still, its once vibrant wings now tattered and limp, devoid of any life. Moonlight Blossom’s final attack had completely pierced it through its torso.
The chains of moonlight were barely visible now, slowly dissipating into the air.
I felt a weight on my shoulder, turning to find Midnight Blossom leaning heavily on me.
"Piece of cake," Midnight Blossom murmured, huffing. “Now for the meatball.”
As if on cue, the entire chamber vibrated with an eerie intensity. The Juggernaut roared again, bursting forth from Dawn Lily’s radiant pillar. The solar barriers had failed to keep the beast contained for long. Its chest heaved in massive snarls, and the chains that Midnight Blossom had masterfully wrapped around it snapped apart, shattering like fragile glass.
We all watched in horror as the beast’s muscles somehow grew even larger. Its eye, burning with red fire, scanned the room and landed squarely on Midnight Blossom and me.
Voltage, grinned despite the tension. “Well, looks like the big fella’s not a morning person,” he quipped, electricity dancing between his fingers.
Arsenal just quietly loaded another round into her cannon. The weapon hummed with dangerous energy, promising devastation. "Round two," she growled.
But before we could strategize or even form a plan to deal with the juggernaut, the sound of shuffling and groans filled the air. Zombies began pouring forth in droves. Their glowing, decayed forms moved with an alarming speed, their blue eyes void of life but filled with hunger.
The atmosphere turned cold and desperate as we found ourselves not only facing the relentless Juggernaut but also a horde of undead.
"Just keeps getting better and better," Voltage muttered.
And as the overwhelming odds became clear and the chamber filled with the sounds of snarls, roars, and the crackling of electricity, the world seemed to shrink. I tightened my grip on my staff, summoning every ounce of courage I could muster.
Then, a chilling sensation ran down my spine. I twisted around as every instinct in my body screamed at me to run.
Somewhere, deep in the shadows, an even darker presence lurked, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. I had a dreadful feeling we were about to find out what that was.