This is the end of the 50,000 words needs for NaNoWriMo. I don't feel that Luna Star is done. I will probably right a small epilogue and that will be the end of part one. I might right part two of Luna Star next year.
Joy carried Luna down the stairs and into the dark tunnels of the Hollows. Sibyl followed right behind her and turned back to look at the golden path. It was beginning to vanish behind them, evaporating into the air in small golden sparkles. Had it been times perfectly to disappear when they arrived her or was there something magical about it that made it vanish after it had been traveled along. Sibyl didn’t know. As the last flickers of it began to disappear she could see things moving out in the waters.
Not wanting to know what those were see followed after Joy into the tunnels. After they had traveled a little ways she turned back to the rising stone steps. There was a crackle of blue lightning and the passageway became sealed with a sparkling blue web of dangerous contained electricity. It should keep whatever might be following them back, at least for a little while.
Like before the passage kept level as they passed back through the twists and splits and turns of the passages. This time they had no golden path for them to follow so Sibyl had to use her memory to direct them. This time however her memory turned out to be correct. They managed to find their way back to Luna’s chamber, the large circular room with strange symbols all over it.
“Joy, wait. Now that we should stop for a minute. I’m going to contact Zephy and Blackberry to make sure they know that we are coming and to confirm that the passage is still open.” Joy nodded in acceptance and Sibyl began to reach for a connection again. It was difficult, straining against the distance but eventually she managed to force the audio connection to her body open.
“Zephy, Blackberry, are you there? We have recovered Luna. We are on our way back. Is everything all right for you?” Spoke Sibyl. She then waiting as for a response. The wait was long and worrisome but eventually she heard something.
“Sibyl, hurry. There is trouble.” It was the voice of Blackberry. “Things have gone wrong here. Those shadow forms that the Shadowed Soul used are attacking us. We haven’t see the Shadowed Soul yet but it could be out there somewhere. Use extreme caution and attempt to get back as quickly as you could. The quicker you can get back her the quicker that we can shut the gate. Zephy is already strained because she is keeping the gate open while fighting back the shadows.”
“Alright, we will be there as quickly as we can.” Sibyl then cut the connection and returned to Luna’s cavern. “Joy, we need to hurry. The servants of that Shadowed Soul are attacking the gate. We need to get there so that it can be closed.”
“Right,” nodded Joy, “Let’s hurry then. I think I can still run with Luna.”
“Good” said Sibyl and they ran through the tunnels. They passed back through the forest of flowers without stopping, not even pondering what might really be in that place. However it was when they reached the ancient tomb that they first found one of the shadow forms.
It waited there silently for them to arrive and then lashed out at Joy when she passed it. The swing cut a cruel gash across Joys chests and she barely managed to stop herself from falling and sending Luna tumbling. “Awaken Ouroboros” She said as quickly as she could but it was Sibyl who managed to get to the shadow first. An arrow of electricity pierced the shadow and it popped in a strange motion and returned to being a normal shadow.
The other shadows that had begun to gather however felt the sharp bite of Ouroboros’ blade. It spun and sliced leaving disappearing fragments of shadow across the torch lit floor. Yet as the shadows dropped before it more of them moved out of the exit that would have returned them to their world. Joy twisted and turned using Ouroboros to keep them back but they were too much for her.
“Get down” Came Sibyl’s should and Joy dropped. She fell to the ground and the rolled slightly to keep Luna on the ground right next to her. She had done all that in an instant and that was just quick enough. The hair on the back of her neck stood up and she could feel the crackling energy fly above her. Then a split second later there was a thundering boom and the whole room shook. Dust fell from the ceiling and began to settle on the floor.
Joy glanced up to see the passageway empty of shadows and she pulled herself to her feet. “Thanks Sibyl.”
“No problem.” Come her faded voice. Joy saw that Sibyl’s form was hazy and indistinct like she was barely even there. “However that is all that I can do. You need to manage the rest of it on your own.” Sibyl flickered and blurred in front of Joy’s vision. “I can’t keep this form up anymore. I’m going to have to return to my own body. I’ll try to help Zephy and Blackberry but you will have to escape. Go.” Then she flickered one more time and was gone.
Joy was then alone except for the unconscious Luna. It was all on her now. She didn’t know if she would be strong enough but she would have to try. She would not be the traitorous serpent. She picked up Luna again and made her way to the exit of the tomb. The passage was dark but seemed empty of those shadowy forms. Whatever lightning Sibyl had used it must have scoured the tunnel clean of them.
She then ran again. The path from here was simple and without branches. Even she could find her way back from here. She would just need to enter the large cavern and cross it to find the exit back to their world. It sounded easy enough.
At least it had sounded easy enough before she saw the cavern. She could see the gate from where she entered it. A disk of light that lead into Luna’s bedroom. If she could only get there she would be safe. However the entire cavern between her and it was teeming with those shadowy figures and right in the center of them was the Shadowed Soul.
Remana smiled as Joy entered the cavern, “A sweet child, you have brought be what I desire. Give her too me and I will let you go alive. She is all that I want.”
The memory of those lines of prophesy echoed through her head but the pushed them out with all the ruthlessness that she could muster. “No, I will not give her to you.” Then she held Luna the best that she could with one hand and held out the other, the one with Ouroboros on it, “Ouroboros, make us a path.” She commanded.
And Ouroboros followed the instruction. A green line that appeared to be paved with green scales sprouted beneath her feet and began stretching across the floor a strange weaving patten. Not having time to question Joy began running down that path just as strands of impossibly thick shadows reached toward her from Remana. And they missed Joy. Ouroboros had changed into a sword once more and as Joy ran following the path it swung out as if under its own volition.
Every swing was not to defeat the shadows but to keep the path clear. Remana screamed curses and her shadow tendrils teemed after Joy trying to catch her. But Ouroboros must have known that it couldn’t cut through those tendril. Instead it changed into a shield and the tendrils press against in and the splayed in all directions. That unexpected lost of control was enough for Joy escape from their reach and run as fast as she could toward the door.
Now she was most of the way there and Remana was not able to catch her in time. Her shadowy servants instead pressed in upon her trying to grab her and keep her down. There were simply too many for her to keep back with Ouroboros. She could see Zephy and Blackberry through the gate that this range and so she took one last gamble. She held onto Luna as tight as she could and threw her through the portal and into the room.
Remana screamed in frustration and failure as Luna hit the portal. There was a bright flash of light and then an equal dimming of lights and the form of Luna vanished. As the shadows grabbed Joy and pulled her down her could hear Zephy say, “Good job, now that she it through I can help.”
There was a roaring, a huge blazing and the room was full of fire. The heat was immeasurable and Joy could feel it pressing against her. The effect on the shadows though was even more impressive. They burned, blazing away in disappearing clots of darkness. An arm reached out of the surrounded flame and pulled her, dragging her somewhere.
Then the flames were gone and she was standing in Luna’s room. Behind her a portal was shrinking and through it she could see nothing but fire. Zephy held her shoulder. “Glad you are alright. Blackberry said you had a method of resisting fire, good thing it was as strong as he though it was.”
Joy smiled in relief as the gate disappeared and then she collapsed, falling into unconsciousness.