THE FINAL BATTLE
740 Words
The cabin was on fire.
The Shadow King stood in the clearing with twenty Shadow Beasts behind him.
"Luna," he said. "Come to your uncle."
"She’s not going anywhere," Kael said. Sword out.
"Then you’ll die with her."
Lyra was behind us, holding a knife. "I’m not useless," she whispered.
"You’re not," I said. "Stay back."
The King snapped his fingers. The beasts charged.
Kael met them head on.
I ran to his side. The mark was glowing. The moonsteel dagger was glowing.
For the first time, it didn’t hurt.
This was what I was made for.
I threw light. Shields. Blades.
Kael fought beside me. Back to back.
We moved like we’d trained together for years.
Because we had.
One by one the beasts fell.
Until it was just us. And the King.
"You’re strong," the King said. "I’ll give you that. Stronger than your mother."
"Don’t talk about her."
"Why? She was weak. She chose love over duty. And look where it got her. Dead."
He raised his hands. The sky turned black again.
"This ends now."
A wave of shadow came at us.
Kael shoved me down. Took the hit.
"Kael!"
"I’m okay," he lied. Blood on his lips.
The King walked toward me.
"Last chance, niece. Rule with me. Or die."
I stood up. Shaking.
"My answer is no."
I raised my hands.
The mark exploded.
But this time I wasn’t alone.
Kael stood beside me. His hand found mine.
"Together," he said.
"Together."
Our light met. Silver and blue.
It shot into the sky and came back down as a spear.
The King screamed.
He threw everything he had at us.
We threw everything we had back.
Light vs Dark.
Moon vs Shadow.
For a full minute the world was white.
I couldn’t see. Couldn’t breathe.
Then... silence.
When the light faded, the King was on his knees.
There was a hole in his chest. Where his heart would be.
And it was glowing. Silver.
"No," he whispered. "The Goddess... she chose you."
"Yes," I said. "She did."
The King looked at me. Really looked.
"You look like her."
"I know."
He smiled. Sad.
"Tell Selene... I’m sorry."
Then he turned to ash.
The smoke blew away in the wind.
It was over.
---
Ashvale was still standing.
Thanks to Lyra. She’d run back and warned everyone. They’d evacuated to the caves.
Sister Miriam hugged me for ten minutes and cried.
"You silly girl," she said. "Running off like that."
"I’m sorry, Sister."
"Don’t be. You saved us."
A week later we had a funeral.
Not for anyone.
For the old life.
Kael and I stood on the hill where we first trained.
The moon was full. White. Peaceful.
My wrist didn’t burn anymore. The mark was just a faint silver crescent now.
A reminder.
"What happens now?" I asked.
"Now we live," Kael said. "If you want."
"If I want?"
"The Guardians don’t need me anymore. The King is gone. So... I’m free."
"And what do you want to do with that freedom?"
He looked at me.
"I want to stay. Here. With you. With Lyra. With this stupid village."
"That sounds good."
He took my hand.
"Luna Ashford. Will you..."
"Yes."
"I didn’t even ask yet."
"Yes to whatever it is."
He laughed. "I was going to ask if you wanted to help me rebuild the cabin."
"I still say yes."
We kissed under the moon.
No monsters. No prophecy.
Just us.
---
*6 MONTHS LATER*
The cabin is rebuilt. Bigger.
Lyra lives with us now. She says the orphanage is "too quiet."
Sister Miriam visits every week with soup.
Ashvale is rebuilding. Stronger.
And me?
I still sell flowers in the market.
But now I also teach.
Other girls who have marks. Other Chosen.
There are more than we thought.
Kael trains them with me.
He’s still grumpy. Still overprotective.
Still the best thing that ever happened to me.
Tonight we’re sitting on the roof.
Watching the moon.
"Do you ever miss it?" he asks. "The fighting?"
"Sometimes," I admit. "But not the fear."
"Good."
He leans his head on my shoulder.
"The prophecy was wrong, you know."
"How?"
"`Save the world, or save the one she loves.`"
"And?"
"We did both."
The moon shines down on us.
Silver. Peaceful.
And for the first time in 1000 years, the world is safe.
Because the Moon Chosen chose love.
And chose to fight.
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