Apocalypse: The Huntress Luna

Chapter 1

(44 years later…)

Sipping my morning brew, I inhaled deeply and peered out the kitchen window.

What a beautiful sunrise….

Looking out, I couldn't help but feel a sense of appreciation for my life, no matter how messed up it was.

I was born into this jacked-up, post apocalyptic place with two amazing parents who taught me that if I could be anything in the world, I should be kind. 

They taught me everything they could about where we came from, how to fight and how to survive.

In our settlement, Tectum, they were part of the Council as well as Medics. I don't know much about what else they did as they liked to keep home life separate but I did know they dabbled in science. Our medical and science facilities were second to none and many came from other settlements to glean as much knowledge as possible.

My parents were a rare breed - they had their fair share of grief and pain but still managed to show me love. 

But all that was cut short.

I was only 14 when they fell sick and passed.

Mom got sick first and then dad caught whatever she had and followed not long after.

I … then lost my way and joined the Militia for a few years to become strong and skilled. I was part of an elite team that ‘cleared’ the Vargul and gathered whatever resources we could from the Old Cities.

We killed hundreds of the Vargul and other human raiders which earned me the name Huntress.

But to be honest… it had left a dark smear on my soul. I chose to bury those days, even today.

Our settlement was large and secure so we did all we could to protect it - from rogue Lycans, Vargul or humans. Some settlements had Lycan packs living among them which was the norm but here at Tectum, it was just humans.

We have fought alongside Lycan Packs in the past but they always moved on from here afterwards, seeking out more of their kind.

Slight shuffling and a small yawn behind me drew me out of my thoughts. 

“Mom”?

Looking back, a small figure wrapped in a blanket stood by the stairs.

“You’re up early”, I smiled.

“Mmm, I woke up and you weren’t there so I came down”, he shrugged sleepily.

“Alright, my love, why don't you take a seat and I'll bring you some breakfast”.

He turned and made his way to the next room and I couldn't help but smile. I would jokingly tell him that he was the love of my life but honestly, it was my honest truth.

My boy. 

My Yann.

I busied myself mixing porridge in a pan over the stove with some fresh goat's milk and let my mind wander back 9 years.

My life was a dark, bloody mess. I was lost in the haze of my own grief and I didn’t know how to get out of it.

That was until I fell pregnant. 

His father didn't want anything to do with it, which didn't bother me since he wasn't exactly ‘dad-material’.

Staring at his little pink face as I cradled him to my chest, I just knew that I had been given another chance. He made my world make sense in every way and there was nothing I wouldn't do for this kid. By God’s grace I had been given another chance. So I named him “Yann” meaning “God is Gracious”.

Yes, religions survived The Fall and my parents made sure to educate me on all of them. I also chose for myself and decided I would take what I liked from a few of them, here and there.

So I left the Militia and joined the Medic Corp as a way to atone for the years of darkness. Fast forward to today and I am now the Head of the medical school, making sure the generations to come are taught everything we know.

I finished buttering his toast, popped a spare in my mouth and headed into the dining area with his steaming bowl of porridge.

He had his nose in a tattered book and I could just see his dark chocolate hair over the top.

“Get it while it’s hot”, I smiled and I slid his breakfast in front of him.

Without moving from his position, all I saw was a small hand slowly reaching for the toast to dunk it into the bowl in front of him and then into his mouth. 

Yann was a special kid. Not in the sense that he needed special assistance but that he kept to himself and wasn't like the other children. He found it hard to make friends in school but those he loved, he loved them fiercely. Whenever his birthday rolled around, he would only ever ask for books or plants even though I insisted I could get him bikes or scooters. I still had my connections in the Militia, so I would jump at any opportunity to get my hands on books that were salvaged from over the wall and would proudly present them to him. Despite what others may think, we were happy with just the two of us. The family of friends we had around us may not be blood but they were family nonetheless.

As I looked on, I drained my mug as his glasses started to fog over and groaning, he pulled them off to clean them.

 couldn’t help but chuckle until I almost choked on the piece of bread in my mouth. I seriously did not know how the time escaped me!

“Holy macaroni, is that the time!? Yann, we gotta get going!”, I said, throwing my hands in the air.

His eyes shot to his Mickey Mouse wrist watch and he shovelled his breakfast down his throat.

With a few minutes to spare, we were out the door and on our way. Luckily his school was just down the path and my office a little further on.

We kissed goodbye outside the shabby cabin that was his class and I hurriedly made my way to my building.

The Medic Corp was in the centre of our settlement so that it was accessible from every direction. They say it was an old school building from before The Fall, which was perfect as it was big enough for our operation.

“Sorry I’m late”, I said sheepishly to the figure outside my office as I jogged down the hall. She turned around, showing she was holding two steaming mugs of what I assumed was coffee. “Girl, are you serious? You’re 5 mins early?”, she said, giving me an eye roll.

I swung the door open and plopped into my seat behind my desk. Passing me a mug, Calliope sank into her chair and leaned back, closing her eyes.

“Long night, I presume?”

Opening an eye, she grunted in response and took a swing of her coffee. After a few more seconds, she straightened and cracked her neck from side to side. “Okay, I’m ready now.”

Calliope’s jet black hair was box-braided and she twirled it up into a messy bun on top of her head. Her beautiful dark skin was always flawless and made her light brown eyes pop. She was the type that didn't need much to make her look gorgeous as she had killer curves and a face to match.

She handed me a bunch of files of the new recruits and sifted through notes that were left at my door. “How’s my little man?”, she smiled, without looking up. 

“You know him, always has his nose stuck in a book and a snack in his hand,” I chuckled, sipping the dark brew.

She frowned at one note and passed it over for me to read.

Andromache,

Come by my office today, 

Something came through that I think you would want to see…

Bring me a snack while you’re at it?

~ Gus

I groaned out loud and gave Calli an annoyed look. “Why does he ALWAYS have to call me by that name? It’s just so...old and dusty.” She blinked then flung her beautiful head back and laughed. I looked at her exasperated and got up to leave. “I'll sort the new recruits out for ya if you get me something good from the cafeteria”, she yelled out as I waved from the door.

Calli was my right-hand man and one of my best friends. She was also my PA that helped me run things here at the school. She and I joined the Militia together and left together when I fell pregnant to help me raise Yann. I tried to make her stay but she wouldn't budge and ever since then, she had been there for every birthday, every scraped knee and every fever. There wasn't anything I wouldn't do for her… heck,  I would slay a god-damned dragon for that gal.