LUNA'S brigade rumbled back towards Luyas, the weight of two thousand swords a heavy burden on the wagon. A tense silence hung in the air, punctuated only by hushed whispers of strategy. Despite their urgency, Luna couldn't shake off the gnawing unease clawed at her. Suddenly, her gaze was drawn to a weathered, rusted gate on the left. Thick chains secured the entrance to a vast expanse of dark, unsettling trees.
"Forbidden Forest, isn't it?" Luna murmured, a strange pull tugging at her.
The Senior Knights exchanged confused glances. Karl, the gruff veteran, boomed, "Captain Luna! We need to move quickly!"
Ignoring him momentarily, Mika sidled up to Luna. "Anything interesting in there?" she inquired casually.
Luna pointed towards a shadowy figure flitting between the trees. "There!"
Mika's emerald eyes widened as a large group emerged from the forest depths, cloaked in crimson robes with an ancient symbol emblazoned on their backs.
"Who are they?" Luna whispered, a tremor running through her voice. "What in the world are they doing in the Forbidden Forest?" She wondered aloud. No one ever ventured into those treacherous woods, rumoured to be the domain of ferocious beasts.
Lost in her observation, the Captain overlooked Mika's sharp intake of breath and the beads of sweat forming on her forehead. Something about the robed figures triggered a throbbing pain in her head. Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to appear calm.
Luna, determined to report this anomaly, turned to Mika. "We need to get back and tell my father immediately. You should get some rest too."
Moments later, they rejoined the impatient Senior Knights.
"Apologies for the delay," Luna offered, her voice laced with panic and excitement. "I thought I heard something coming from the Forbidden Forest. There were... people in hooded robes."
Lee, the elder Knight, furrowed his brow. He approached the gate and peered through the thick bars, his expression hardening in confirmation. He rushed back, scribbling a message on a worn scroll. Taking a carrier pigeon from the wagon, he released it towards Andania.
"W-What now?" Luna stammered, the weight of the situation settling in. "Should we stay and observe, make sure they don't escape?"
The ground trembled violently before anyone could respond. A deafening explosion erupted from within the Forbidden Forest, catching them all off guard. A thick plume of black smoke engulfed the area, shrouding everything in a veil of uncertainty.
"What was that?!" Luna cried, ears ringing and eyes stinging from the smoke.
Another explosion roared, this time closer - at the very gate.
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THE Forest Burns. The acrid smoke slowly cleared, revealing a scene of devastation.
Luna regained consciousness, coughing and wincing from the pain that wracked her body. The shockwave had slammed her against a rock, separating her from her companions. Disoriented and injured, she clambered to her feet, her vision blurring. Panic surged through her as she realised there was no sign of life around her.
"Mika! Everyone!" she cried, her voice hoarse.
Then silence. A chilling silence.
Tears welled up in Luna's eyes, fear constricting her throat. Her mind reeled, unable to grasp the chaos that had unfolded. The shock of the situation was overwhelming.
Suddenly, a voice pierced the silence.
"Captain Luna! Captain Luna!" Three familiar figures emerged from the brush, a beacon of hope in the midst of chaos.
Relief washed over her, but it was short-lived. The once-picturesque green hilltops overlooking Andania were now a raging inferno. A dark hollow formed in Luna's stomach. Everything happened so suddenly, leaving them all in a state of disarray. Tears streamed down her cheeks like rain. She was perplexed and couldn't make any sense of what was going on.
"Luna! Are you alright?!" Mika gasped, concern etched on her face. A chorus of her name went unanswered. Luna's eyes were vacant, reflecting the shock she was experiencing.
Suddenly, a sharp slap struck her cheek. Lee, his face grim, retracted his hand. "Apologies, Lady Luna. But now is not the time to panic. The people of Andania need our help. Pull yourself together!"
He strode towards the horse-drawn wagon. "I'll send word to Luyas."
"The swords-" Luna stammered, her mind still reeling. "The Commandant is expecting them."
"Judging by the guards in Andania," Lee interrupted, "it seems the Commandant planned to hand them over anyway. Now, Captain Luna, what are your orders?"
Luna's heart hammered against her ribs. Her world had tilted on its axis, and terror gnawed at her.
"Judging by the guards in Andania," Lee interrupted, "it seems the Commandant planned to hand them over anyway. Now, Captain Luna, what are your orders?"
Luna's heart hammered against her ribs. Her world had tilted on its axis, and terror gnawed at her.
"W-We're not ready. Whatever or whoever those people in the robe earlier - we're not ready to face them!"
"But Captain!" Karl, the other Knight, protested. "We can't abandon Andania! The Knights stationed there aren't prepared to defend themselves!"
"Please," Luna pleaded, tears blurring her vision. "I want to go home!"
The two senior Knights looked at each other disappointedly. Though they were both Senior Knights, the Commandant had strictly instructed them not to overstep the young Captain and follow her orders.
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"Lady Luna," Karl said. "You are frightened and traumatised from what'd just happened. We all are — especially when the enemy is unknown. Nevertheless, we all have taken our oaths as Knights of Luyas, sworn to protect the Kingdom and to defend the weak. Right now, Andania needs us. Our best chance of surviving this battle is to stay together and help each other. You are our Captain and we will always be there by your side, watching over you back and ourselves. So please, let us fight along with the others in defending Andania against the enemy."
Luna's heart hammered against her ribs like a frantic bird trapped in a cage. "We're not ready!" she choked out, tears blurring the smoke. "Those robed figures... we don't even know who they are!"
Karl, his voice firm but laced with understanding, stepped forward. "We may not know who the enemy is, Lady Luna, but we know our duty. The people of Andania are counting on us. We Knights are sworn to protect the weak, and right now, they're the most vulnerable."
Luna stared at the burning town, a horrifying image that threatened to consume her. A memory flickered in her mind: her strong and confident brother led a charge against bandits. Shame burned in her gut. How could she have lived a lie for so long?
"I..." Luna began, her voice trembling. "I can't. I'm not cut out for this."
Disappointment flickered across Karl's face, but resolve quickly replaced it. "Fear is natural, Captain. But courage is choosing to fight anyway. We'll face this together. We'll watch each other's backs."
"Enough of this!" Luna's angry outburst shocked them. "I'm truly sick and tired of being reminded of the Knight's Oaths! Unlike the rest of you, I didn't join the Knights because I wanted to — I'd joined because my father forced me to!" Luna's heart raced as she blurted out the following sentences she soon regretted.
"Being my father's daughter and having an older brother whom many looked up to, burdened me with high expectations from the society. People have long expected me to follow my brother's footsteps, climb my way to the top and become a Knight. But no matter how hard I try to strive for their expectations, I will never be as great as my brother…"
Tears rolled down her cheeks, Luna covered her face with both hands. "I was never meant to be a Knight so what's the point of going back to Andania and die?"
There was a deep, long silence as the clouds turned grey and the sky began to pour. They all pondered what to make of Luna's unexpected confession. The Senior Knights have their eyes shut with deep scowls, trying to contain their anger.
Mika lowered her gaze to the ground. Luna's confession betrayed part of her, while the other part berated her for not realising sooner. How could she call herself a friend or even a sister when she wasn't aware of the things that were happening to Luna?
Then, a faint sobbing sound caught her attention. Looking up, Mika saw her Captain furiously wipe her tears away before turning her back to them. Taking a deep breath, Luna spoke in a much quieter voice.
"As far as I'm concerned, we've completed our mission."
Luna couldn't meet any of their gazes. Taking a deep, shaky breath, she turned away, her steps faltering. With each step towards Luyas, Luna felt a growing sense of dread. The moans of the wounded and the distant clash of steel echoed through the smoke-filled air.
With each step towards Luyas, Luna felt the weight of her decision pressing down on her. The air, thick with smoke and the metallic tang of blood, carried the distant clash of steel. Every rustle of leaves sent a tremor through her, a chilling reminder of her isolation. Had she doomed Andania?
But the thought of returning, of facing the judgement in her father's eyes, the inevitable comparisons to her valiant brother... That was a terror far worse than death. Even if she had chosen to head back and defend the town, it was impossible in her current condition. She would die for sure. Surely they would understand that… Surely, the Commandant would realise that to fight a losing battle is a foolish thing to do, right?
Then, a sound pierced the chaos - the unmistakable rhythm of footsteps running in the opposite direction. Luna whirled around, a flicker of hope igniting in her chest. Maybe... maybe Mika had changed her mind…
Her last hope was dashed when she saw Mika rush toward Andania, a sword in her hand. Lee and Karl followed closely behind her, along with the cart that carried the swords.
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A gunshot echoed loudly at the spacious burnt field. One accurate bullet flew through a Spirit's skull. Plum's eyes looked at his surroundings. It didn't help that the strong smell of the blood, corpses, and bodies all mixed together made him want to puke his guts out.
Damn, he was a lucky bastard. Blessed with a sharp intuition, Shinji Karou had been alerted and made a mad dash to avoid getting caught in the explosion earlier. If he had taken his own sweet time finding out about her whereabouts, indeed, he would have been killed in a pathetic death.
Shinji sighed. His left hand searched for a cigarette box he had kept in the inner pocket of the brown wool long overcoat; on top of the black sleeveless mock turtle-neck shirt he’s wearing. Finally finding what he was looking for, the man popped a cigarette in his mouth, lightened it, and moved forward.
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UPON arriving in Andania, Mika gasped shockingly at what had become the once lively town: chaos and destruction. Townsmen screamed horrifyingly as they escaped from being slaughtered by the cold-blooded creatures — the Spirits.
Mika pulled the hilt of her sword on her back and charged forward. Without any hesitation, she swung her blade and slaughtered them.
"Hurry! Run towards the nearest shelter! You'll be saved there!" Yelled Mika at a group of townspeople she had just saved before marching off toward the deepest part of the town.
Honestly, Mika was terrified. Terrified at the bone-crushing sound and impact her blade had made in contact when it hit the Spirit's neck. Frightened at what was going on. Gazed at her trembling hands, it was the first she had laid her blade other than tiny monsters that lurked near the Kingdom of Luyas.
When she arrived at Andania, Mika could easily smell a scent beyond mankind's senses. Clearing her mind, Mika sprints ahead, just in time to block an assault. She landed a hard kick on the creature on its stomach, causing it to fall on its back. Wasting no time, Mika thrust the Spirit down with her blade, ending its life.
Mika was about to dash out of there when a loud and terrifying shrill caught her immediate attention. A little girl, face pale as snow, looked terrifyingly at a group of five hungry, bloodthirsty-looking creatures in hoods. They had her cornered and bore sharp, pointed teeth and acidic drools.
Tears ran down the little girl's cheeks as she wept softly. The creatures shrieked excitedly and loudly. All of them jumped in the mid-air, ready to feast on the delicious young blood－SHLAT!
One by one, the hooded creatures dropped dead on the ground like flies. As the last creature fell on the ground, with an extended cut on the chest, it let out a sharp, painful cry before exhaling its last breath.
Silence filled the air with only the strong smell of blood between them. The terrified girl had her trembling hands still on her face, with her eyes shut tightly. Tears were rolling down her cheeks like rain. Finally, curiosity got the best of her. Bracing herself, the girl dared to peek through her fingers and found the creatures lying in a pool of blood and death on the ground.
Gasping aloud, the little girl lowered her hands and looked up to her saviour. Her eyes beamed with light as she immediately recognised the familiar uniform and the kingdom's crest: the Knight of Luyas!
The little girl ran toward the knight at full speed. Wrapping her short arms tightly around Mika's waist. Chuckled affectionately, Mika returned the embrace and lifted the girl gently from the ground, carrying her in her arms.
"Let's get you somewhere safe. Okay, sweetie?"
The girl nodded silently, her arms wrapped securely around Mika's neck. Together, they proceeded to the inner part of the town, where many of the townsmen were fighting the creatures that had invaded their homes.
Mika and the little girl managed to arrive safely in front of a 'Safe House' — a shelter heavily protected by layers of Force field in the deepest part of the town, away from the current invasion.
A veteran Luyas Knight guarded the door, whom Mika recognised as Bud, quickly approached them.
"What happened?" Bud asked unkindly whilst Mika handed the little girl to him.
"Found her cornered in the alley."
Bud gazed pitifully at the little girl before they looked up at Mika. His eyes said it all was fear and an unspoken accusation. Mika softly brushed the girl's hair.
"Take care of her," She said, before taking off to the battlefield.