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Luna watched in horror as Marcus fell face first to the ground, her heart feeling as if it had stopped as she watched the mountain of a man crumble. For the first time ever since she left Eclipsis, she had finally found someone that reminded her of home, someone that felt familiar despite having been the first time they officially met. And he had been dealt what had to be a fatal wound and she was powerless to stop it.

She felt memories force themselves to the forefront of her mind and she clutched her head. The sights of corpses, the smell of burning flesh, the sound of screaming, of cannonfire and clanging steel, and even the taste of ash flooded her senses, as fresh as if they were happening in the present rather than fifteen years ago. Even the scar on her back burned as if it were fresh.

She fell to her knees as she started to hyperventilate. [color=lightblue]”Stop…stop it, please…No…”[/color] she muttered as her eyes filled with tears. Then, just as it became too much, as she started to relive that hellish night all over again, it all went away. Her hands fell away from her head as she forced herself back into the present. Luna slowly lifted her gaze toward Captain Arbor, who still stood near Marcus’ body. She saw the white coat and felt a cold fury erupt in her chest.

[color=lightblue][b]”Way of Lunara: New Moon.”[/b][/color]
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Captain Arbor pulled on his weapon to free it from Marcus’ body, but found that it was seemingly stuck. “Even in death, you’re getting in my way?” he grumbled just before he felt a chill run through his body, like someone had walked over his grave. He quickly lifted his head to find that Luna was no longer where he last saw her. Instead, there was only a cloud of dust. He quickly looked around, turning his head left and right as he spun this way and that.

The veteran Marine had been in so many battles over the years that he had developed a sort of sixth sense for enemies, something that had helped him stay alive in even the most dire battles. Now, he couldn’t sense Luna no matter how hard he tried. It wasn’t as if she had just run away, either. He [i]knew[/i] she was still there, if the feeling of dread was anything to go by, but he had no idea where she–

It was like he had been hit with a sledgehammer. [i]Something[/i] had slammed into his jaw and made him stagger backwards a few steps. “W-where did that come from?” he muttered just as he felt another blow, this time in his stomach. Just like the first, the second impact was accompanied with a loud [i]thump.[/i] He fell to his knees as he clutched his midsection, completely winded, only to be thrown to his back as another solid hit connected with his chin. He laid there in a daze before it finally clicked.

Coughing, he rose to his feet and yelled into the darkness, “B-before the attack…I did my research. I learned as much as I could about…your empire’s defensive capabilities…About your vaunted Legion…about the Way of Lumen…” He straightened up and added, “Everything I found pertained to the Luminos family. I could hardly find anything on the Noxes, only what was already public knowledge! But, there was a book I came across, an old one written by someone that visited your Empire a long time ago…It talked about a secret military your family controlled, one that operated from the shadows. I honestly thought it was just a story, but seeing you fight like this, I know it’s not! The Sicarii!”

He waited for another attack to come, but when none did, he continued, ”Your family commanded a group of saboteurs and assassins, didn’t they? Even the glorious Day-and-Night Empire had a dark underbelly!” As he spoke, he slowly backed up toward a tree. [i]If I can just get in here, I can make my way back to the ship and mobilize the rest of my men![/i] he thought as he backed into something. When he tried using his power, though, it didn’t work and he felt his blood run cold.

He quickly turned around and backed up, though he tripped over his own feet and fell to the ground. Looking up, he saw the dark silhouette of a woman standing in front of him. He couldn’t see any of her features except for her piercing silver eyes, as cold as steel, glaring down at him. [color=silver]”And your point is…?”[/color] Luna said. There was nothing in her voice, no warmth, none of the emotion she had just moments ago. It was cold, steady, and every word felt like a blade poking at the captain’s throat. [color=silver]”Your precious World Government isn’t any different. Every kingdom, empire, and government in the world needs people willing to do what others won’t.”[/color]

She slowly crouched, bringing herself eye level with the captain. [color=silver]”Don’t get me wrong, [i]Captain,”[/i][/color] she continued, practically spitting out the last word, though her voice remained quiet and even. [color=silver]”I [i]don’t[/i] want to do this. When I fight, I want to enjoy it. But, when I fight like this, I can’t let myself enjoy it. It stops being a fight, stops being fun, and becomes...”[/color] She leaned forward and whispered into the captain’s ear, [color=silver]”...an assassination.”[/color]

Captain Arbor swung his fist at Luna, but only met thin air. [color=silver]”I hope you’ve made your peace,”[/color] Luna said. The captain spun around, trying to pinpoint where her voice came from, but he quickly found himself in the same situation he had put Luna in not that long ago. It was as if her voice echoed from every shadow around him.

[color=silver]”You’re not leaving here alive.”[/color]

Another heavy blow, then another, and another slammed into the Captain. The last moment before each strike hit, he saw a bolt of lightning as Luna cloaked her fists or legs in Electro, numbing wherever they struck while further empowering each attack. He couldn’t see where the strikes were coming from, couldn’t do anything to defend himself against them. He’d tried to guard his face, only to be struck in the stomach, or vice versa. He’d try to pick up a weapon, only to have it kicked out of his hand before he could get a good grip. He’d try to make a run for the trees, only to be tripped. The captain tasted blood and could hear a ringing in his ears, yet every strike was weaker than that first kick. He couldn’t understand it, he was powerless to defend himself, why wouldn’t she hit harder than she had been?

And then he realized: if Luna hit him as hard as she could, it would send him flying and he could use his power to phase into the first tree he came into contact with. It would take more hits, but Luna was purposefully holding back to make sure he couldn’t run away, even by accident! [i]This woman’s going to torture me to death![/i] he thought as fear gripped his heart.

The onslaught continued for a couple of minutes. The captain fell to the ground, groaning, his face swollen to the point of being practically unrecognizable. Luna reappeared in front of the captain and lifted him by his topknot, similar to how one would harvest a carrot. The captain groaned and whimpered, the words almost unintelligible, “P-please…no more…H-have mercy…”

Luna gritted her teeth. This man had killed so many of her people and almost seemed proud of it, yet here he was, asking her for mercy. Luna raised her fist, her eyes flashing with fury as tears brimmed in them. But, she couldn’t bring herself to do it. She had been trained as an assassin, as a Sicarius. She had the ability to take someone’s life, but she just couldn’t bring herself to do it.

She wasn’t going to let herself go down that path.

She dropped her fist and tossed the captain at the base of a nearby tree. [color=lightblue]”Leave. Get out of here before I change my mind.”[/color] When he didn’t immediately phase into the tree, Luna glared at him and yelled, [color=lightblue]”I SAID GO!!”[/color]

Only when Captain Arbor flinched and slowly slipped into the tree did Luna relax. She sighed and turned her attention back to Marcus’ body. She began to feel sorrow replace the rage she had been feeling. She should have been faster, should have been stronger, then maybe she could have saved him. Instead, he had to die because of her, just like everyone else who had tried to help her.

She walked over to Marcus and knelt beside him. She placed a hand on his back and quietly said, [color=lightblue]”I’m sorry, Marcus…I’m so, so sor–”[/color] She stopped when she noticed she could feel Marcus breathing weakly under her hand.