The Moon Guard – Part 3

If you haven’t read Part 1 of The Moon Guard, you can begin the story here.

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“Oh I don’t think so, Speaker.” Replied Val’Nyr in a venomous growl. 

Before the Speaker could reply, Val’Nyr lifted an intricate horn to his lips. The horn was the deep gray of a storm cloud and  twisted unnaturally. The noise it made mimicked that of loud crackling thunder, seemingly shaking the air around us all.

Shortly after the thunder horn ceased, six menacing dark clouds descended from above, Lightning crackling throughout. Atop we’re six equally as menacing women, each with their own eerily dark glowing Moon shard pendant. 

“Meet my Valkyrie!” Val’Nyr boomed. “They will be the end of you Speaker!”

They all had their eyes locked on Val’Nyr, and a proud look on their faces. Their glistening onyx armor was almost identical to Val’Nyr’s, only lacking a gnarly chest scar inflicted by the Speaker.

As if reading my worried mind, I saw the Moon Guard finally approaching in the distance. I knew it had only been a handful of moments, but those moments felt like an eternity faced with Val’Nyr and his Valkyrie. I felt we had a chance with the Moon Guard.

I was in awe with how graceful the Moon Guard was on their iridescent clouds, the shimmering radiance was a stark contrast from the dark stormy clouds of the Lightning Heavers. Without warning Val’Nyr let loose a bolt of Lightning aimed at the Speaker, she blocked it effortlessly and descended upon him.

Lightning cracked the sky, thunder rumbling as the Speaker and Val’Nyr twisted around each other in a heated battle. It was as if they were dancing through the sky, almost beautiful. The Moon Guard made the first move against the Valkyrie, unsheathing their crescent moon shaped swords, adorned with a Moon shard at the hilt. There were only five of them, and six Valkyrie. It sunk in then, it was my job to balance the scales. 

I had no weapon, only my gliding skills to aid me. One member of the Moon Guard, vastly taller than the rest of us, was taking on two of the Valkyrie. Each time they clashed the Moon swords sang against the crackling of the Lightning, creating a symphony of a storm. I hunkered low, summoned all of my courage and pushed forward. I targeted one of the two Valkyrie, her back facing me, I readied my fist with my Moon ring, hoping to get a hit in while she was preoccupied. I focused all my energy and body weight into my fist, and when I glided close enough, I swung at the back of her head with all my might. 

I made contact, and to my shock my emerald cloud energy had emerged from my ring, I felt nothing of the impact, but the Valkyrie certainly did. A loud cry escaped her lips, her cloud dissipated and she began to free fall towards the ground, limbs flailing erratically. After a split second the shock wore off of what I had just done, and I decided I didn’t want her to die. I had done this move before, I felt confident in my skills, I let out a breath and let my cloud go and began to rapidly fall. I angled my body head first, and arms back in order to catch up to her. Once I was close enough, I put out my arms to cradle her body into my chest. I didn’t let how fast the ground was approaching phase me, and inhaled deeply through my nose, on the exhale I summoned my cloud again. Floating maybe five hundred feet off the ground, I glanced down at the stranger in my arms. Her eyes were closed, breathing ragged, and I felt warmth on the back of her head; blood. 

I floated to the ground, and gently laid her body down, instructing nearby citizens to bind her and watch her. Before taking off back to the battle, I had an urge to take her Moon shard pendant placing it around my own neck. Once it made contact with my skin I felt a painful shock ripple through my body, glancing down I noticed the eerie dark shadow around the shard dissipate, and replaced with the same emerald green that swam through my cloud. I didn’t have time to fully register what had just happened, my insticnts pulled me back to the battle raging above.

I ascended as quickly as I could, once in view my eyes widened in horror. Val’Nyr had our Speaker by the collar of her silver cape in one hand, and his fist was reaching back and Lightning circled around his dark armored wrist up to his fist. With only seconds to think, in sheer panic I clutched the new pendant around my neck with my left hand and jerked it free with one smooth motion. I called upon the energy of both Moon shards now in my posession, focusing it all at Val’Nyr, using my hatred for him as a catalyst.

The next few moments happened in slow motion, that familiar warmth surged throughout my body, emerald green energy taking the shape of Lightning flew from my body striking Val’Nyr in the chest. The force of it sent him spiraling backwards, somehow maintaing his storm cloud, he clutched his chest in agony. 

“You little pest!” Val’nyr spat as blood poured from his mouth.

Before he could spit any more poison, the emerald green energy began to warp and spread throughout his body. His face contorted in pain, and his body began to swell abnormally large until it ruptured. Blood and guts rained all over the Speaker, soaking her silver cloak, but I could tell by her body language all she felt was relief. I stared down at my hands in utter shock, unsure of how I managed to make Val’Nyr explode. 

Sudden roars of agony and sadness pierced the air, shaking me from my thoughts. The Valkyrie all quickly retreated, disappearing almost as quickly as they had arrived. 

…

The Speaker handed me a crescent moon blade, adorned with the Moon shard I had taken from the Valkyrie I saved. When my hands made contact, I felt a surge of energy as the hilt and blade illuminated emerald green. 

“Congratulations, you saved me, you saved us all, and for that… Welcome to the Moon Guard!” The Speaker said as she raised her arms high, shooting one last crescent moon into the sky. 

The crowd erupted in thunderous applause. My chest swelled with pride, I still wasn’t sure exactly how my abilities came to fruition, what matters is I had achieved my dream. But most importantly my people were safe, for now.

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