Moonrise ✔ [Complete]

50 Silver (Part 2)

Considering the late hour, Maeyune knew that night had already ascended. But when she'd left the underground base through one of its hidden exits, she'd emerged to find the world darker than night. The Wobeck gloom had remained unchanged, with occasional sparks of violet light skimming its surface. The brief flashes of light allowed her to see up to thirty feet.

The entrance to the base sat within the slope of a hill, obscured by a heavy growth of trees. Given the forest chirps and the whispering breeze, there was not a single sign that thousands waited in hiding.

She'd climbed up the hill and discovered a small patch of open land. For what had felt like an hour, she'd lain sprawled across the grass. There was much to contemplate, much to plan. But now, she only lay as still as the dead, unable to think.

She stared unblinking at the heavens, at the gloom, but each additional second did not make the sight any easier to accept. Her eyes wandered to the branches above her. Many of the summer leaves had turned to brown, withered and hanging like tiny carcasses.

Vaius was dying.

Maeyune rose to sit, drawing her knees into her chest. Through the gaps in the trees, she watched the dim reds in the distant sky, and she imagined the destruction that the invaders wrought across the planet.

Her planet. Shivra's planet. The Moon God's ward. Her responsibility.

She had to remain strong. The war continued, and relenting to defeat was not an option--not for her. She had to prevail. She hadn't been able to save her friends, but she would continue to fight for the planet.

Aerylis, Trix, Benny--she would do this for them.

Aunt Lyn, Master Jorin, the moon temple guardians--she would honor them.

Breathe.

She could do this. She would do this. Powers or no, she would prove herself worthy of her destiny. She would show the world that she could do it.

Be strong.

She'd grown accustomed to others relying on her. She would be their champion, to fight for them and to protect them. She had trained her entire life for this. This was her calling.

Be strong.

Her friends were dead, gone, stolen from her. She couldn't lose Meera and Clover, too.

Be strong.

She couldn't lose her aunt, the last of her family. She couldn't lose, couldn't lose...

Be...strong...

Something wet slid down her cold cheek.

You cannot lose.

A stream of tears fell, and soon, a sob erupted from her chest and choked her. Beleaguered by the weight of the world, she buried her face into her knees and wept.

She didn't know how long she sat atop the hill, how long her chest heaved or how long she cried. If this was her only opportunity to escape and be alone, then being alone was far simpler than pretending everything was fine.

"Maeyune?"

The voice startled her out of her skin. Surprise stopped the convulsions in her chest, stopped the flow of tears long enough for her to direct her attention to the voice.

It had belonged to Reo.

Maeyune scrubbed violently at the tears staining her cheeks. She sniffed, cleared her throat. "Yes?"

"You were gone for a while. Are you alright?"

His voice sounded far.

She inhaled a deep breath and forced her senses to calm. She glanced over her shoulder, and despite the next flash of violet light, she could hardly perceive his figure standing near the entrance to the base. The darkness, thank the heavens, masked the damage on her face.