Moonrise ✔ [Complete]

39 Games

Placing his dagger between his teeth, Jaysek took out a rag from his pocket and carefully unrolled it with his fingers. Hidden inside the rag's folds was a thick, black paste which Maeyune could have sworn was writhing and bubbling. She watched him as he swiped his dagger through the paste, coating the silver blade with the black substance.

Then, looking apologetically at her, he said, "This might hurt."

"What are you--"

He pressed the tip of his soiled blade against the curve of her neck and slid a quick cut into her skin. She gasped, the pain sharp, and she felt the thin trickle of blood that trailed down her collarbone. A swear was ready to fall from her lips, but her voice caught when the room began to change. The walls wavered—the same way a disrupted hologram would waver—before they solidified again.

A sound of metal cutting through metal came from the door. What followed after was a blast of golden light.

The door rocketed off to the side, and a tall figure arrayed in gold armor stepped through. His antlers nearly reached the height of the doorway's arch.

Reo.

Maeyune's breath caught. His radiant light was a pure contrast against the ship's dark, foreign metal. Having been trapped inside the alien environment for some time now, she felt the flutter of glee at the sight of a familiar, friendly face.

But his expression was far from friendly. His gold eyes darted to where she was attached to the machine, then he gave Jaysek a frown.

Out of relief, she tried to call his name, to warn him. But nothing came out. Her neck began to throb.

"If it isn't the golden boy himself," Jaysek called. With a grin full of grace, he extended his arms out to the sides and bowed at the waist. A second later, he snapped up and hurtled his dagger in Reo's direction.

At least, Maeyune thought he had thrown his dagger. She watched it stop in midair only a foot from Reo's face, but then it disappeared, and it was back in Jaysek's hand.

The wound in her neck burned, and the room began to twist and shift. She blinked, then blinked again, wondering what had gone wrong with her eyes. A dizzying headache soon took over, and she shook her head in an attempt to get rid of it. It only worsened, drilling needles into her skull. She let out a cry as she squeezed her eyes in pain.

Then, it stopped--just stopped, and when she opened her eyes, she could see everything clearly again. But when she did, she wished that she hadn't.

She stared as Reo's gold skin and armor mutated, dripping away to reveal his former, malevolent crimson form. His gold antlers melted to black, and his eyes turned to that horrifying blood red.

After his transformation was complete, his shoulders drooped, and he appeared exhausted—or bored.

She heard him utter a deep sigh. "Did you really have to put her up like that, Jay?" he asked.