Just Yet

With the final moments of their lives hanging on a thread, they found themselves crouching down behind a crumbling wooden table. The darkness engulfed everything around the abandoned cottage. With every exhale another valuable second passed. The pouring rain hit the roof with such force it sounded like the beat of a hundred drums.

"This is it isn't it, Luna?" Evelyn asked.

Luna pulled out her sword and replied, "Not today my dear, not if I can do anything about it."

Luna went to stand up, but Evelyn pulled her back. "No, you can't leave me," begged Evelyn.

Luna knelt down and kissed Evelyn's forehead. "Life will not be the same if you are no longer in it to keep my spirit alive. I must do what I can to save not only you, but avenge those who died trying to rid this world of the evil that walks it."

Evelyn tightened her grasp around Luna's hand. "Why does it have to be you?"

"If it's not me then who will it be? Someone has to be brave enough to start the change...let that change start with me tonight," Luna replied.

The moment Luna pulled her hand from Evelyn's a feeling of an uncertain goodbye came over her. Evelyn hugged her knees as Luna ran out of the cottage to face her fate.

A dense fog covered the ground making Luna second guess her footing. The rain drenched her hair and clothes and the silence in the air made Luna feel uneasy. Whatever was lurking in the darkness, watched her as if they were enjoying Luna's inner turmoil.

"I know you're there!" Luna shouted.

"So clever aren't we," replied a familiar voice. Walking out of the forest was Valtina the Witch of Destruction. "You don't seem surprised to see me, Luna."

"How could I mistake you for anything other than the evil that you are," Luna said sternly.

"You are witty now, but just you wait; I will have the last laugh at the end of all this," Valtina insinuated.

"It's intriguing that you think you will prevail, remember Valtina evil never wins," Luna reminded her.

"Then let me be the first to rewrite your foolish childhood fairytales," Valtina replied with a grin.

Valtina raised her staff towards the night sky. A plume of iridescent purple engulfed Valtina. Instantly Valtina was transformed into a gargoyle. Her wingspan was as wide as three cottages. The beast's breath could be seen with every exhale like a chimney on a cold winter's night. The beast soared above Luna, and then disappeared into the night sky.

Luna's eyes scanned the sky for any sign of the beast. It wasn't until she heard a slight rustling noise which caused Luna's eyes to dart toward a towering tree in the distance. At first there was nothing there, but when the beast opened its eyes, the two red glowing orbs gave up the beast's location.

With one swoop the beast came toward Luna at full speed. Luna ran as fast as her legs could carry her. When the beast was close enough, Luna threw herself to the ground and covered her head from the beast's talons. The beast flew over her and then past her, but quickly turned back around.

Luna scrambled to her feet and weaved in and out of cottages as she ran. The beast's arched talons collapsed every cottage that it passed, leaving nothing but dust and rubble in its place. Luna was running out of ideas and options to defeat the beast. In the distance Luna could hear a rumbling and see flashes of light, a lightning storm was forming on top of the heavy rain that was already falling. Luna saw this as an opportunity to use the storm against the beast. She found refuge behind an old well to collect her thoughts as the beast searched overhead for the new found hero, Luna.

"Over here!" A voice shouted in the distance.

Luna's heart sank, she knew this voice all too well. "Evelyn, No!" Luna watched as the beast turn its attention towards Evelyn. She diverted the beast to try and buy Luna time, but at what cost? Luna jumped to her feet and grabbed a thick metal linked chain as she made her way towards Evelyn. When Luna was close enough, she threw the chain as far as she could towards the beast and to her luck it wrapped around one of the beast legs. The beast turned around in anger. With one flap of its wings it created such a gust of wind that it knocked Evelyn to the ground, rendering her unconscious.

The beast flew upward trying to break free of the chain, but the chain only managed to get wrapped around an old silo. The beast jerked its leg and the silo ripped up from the ground. Luna tried to rush towards Evelyn, but the silo was coming right at her. Again, Luna found herself running for her life. Her sword was no use against a creature like this. Luna had to think on her feet once again.

Lightning lit up the sky and allowed Luna to see the full magnitude of what she was up against. With no powers or magical spells, Luna had to beat her opponent with only her wit. Luna ran towards the forest; the tree's branches would keep her hidden to buy her some more time. With each flap of the beasts' wings a gust of wind followed making it hard to stand upright, but Luna had to keep going.

Unfortunately for Luna, it started to feel like the odds were stacked against her. Luna, without realizing it, found herself standing in the middle of a clearing. She was unfamiliar with this part of the forest, if she were, she would never have allowed herself to be exposed like this.

The beast was right behind her, but to Luna's luck the silo got stuck between two thick trees. The beast let out a loud scream in frustration. It soared higher to try and break free from the wedged silo. Suddenly, the odds were slowly turning in Luna's favor. The lightening overhead started to intensify. That's when the idea came to Luna, it would be a shot in the dark, but it was a risk she was willing to take in order to put an end to this beast once and for all.

Luna rushed over to one of the trees on the opposite side of the clearing and started to climb. She held on tight for every gust of wind from the beast's wings could have sent her plummeting to the ground. When she got to the top she shouted, "This ends tonight!" Before the beast was able to turn towards her, Luna found what little strength she had left and chucked her sword towards the back of the beast's neck. To her surprise the sword wedged itself in between one of the stone scales that covered the beast.

As the beast turned around, Luna could have sworn she heard it laughing. However, it didn't discourage Luna or her plan. Luna just smiled and pointed up at the sky letting nature take its course. Luna wasn't sure if it was pure luck or just perfect timing, but a bolt of lightning struck the sword like a lighting rod. The sound that came from the impact was one that Luna would never forget. From the top of the tree, Luna watched the beast hurl towards the ground as it fell from the sky.

Luna climbed down with caution in case something or someone was waiting for her at the bottom. She couldn't handle an ambush at this point. However, to Luna's surprise the beast was no longer there. The only evidence of the beast being there was an outline in the ground where the beast made contact. "This isn't over Valtina," Luna said out loud. Suddenly, a wave of fear and guilt washed over her. As the blood drained from her face Luna instantly felt ill. "Evelyn," Luna whispered. Luna darted back through the forest to the spot where she had last seen Evelyn.

Luna's limbs ached with every stride, but nothing could keep her away from Evelyn. "Evelyn!" Luna screamed when she saw Evelyn laying there motionless. In that precise moment it felt like Luna's world had come crashing down around her. Luna rushed to her side and kneeled down next to her. She turned Evelyn onto her side and brushed the loose strands of hair out of her face. "Evelyn, please don't leave me...Please wake up," Luna whispered. Tears formed in her eyes as she wrapped her arms around Evelyn, bringing her closer. "You should have stayed in the cottage," Luna whimpered. "This is all my fault."

Someone from the great beyond must have been listening or maybe it just wasn't Evelyn's time, but a faint voice said, "I couldn't let you go out there alone."

"Evelyn!" Luna cried. "You're alive!"

Evelyn cupped the side of Luna's face and said, "Of course, we aren't finished writing our story just yet."