Luna takes in the dark, clouded sky above, surrounded by towering trees with gnarled branches stretching into the shadows. She's still adjusting to her surroundings when she notices a tall man with brown hair standing next to her, his expression calm and observant.
"Hey, I'm Zak," he says, offering her a friendly nod. "Looks like we're paired up since we spawned here together."
"Hi, I'm Luna," she replies, shaking his hand. She studies his composed demeanor, slightly taken aback. "You seem pretty calm. Aren't you even a little bit confused?"
Zak chuckles, glancing around the forest. "Nope. I've done this plenty of times."
Luna raises an eyebrow. "Let me guess… you're part of the royal family too?"
Zak smirks, looking a little amused. "Yeah, actually. How'd you figure?"
"Lara's my buddy while I'm here. She mentioned her family," Luna explains.
Zak nods. "Ah, so you're the recruit from the Agency. Makes sense you wouldn't know this part. My brother, the idiot, ran off there a while back. Left me as heir to the throne of Nordia."
Luna's eyes widen in surprise. "Wait—Ragra is the prince of Nordia? He never told anyone that!"
Zak laughs. "He's not the type to share much. Ragra was supposed to take the throne, but he couldn't handle the pressure. So here I am, picking up the pieces."
Luna tilts her head, studying him. "So why are you doing all this? I mean, Lara isn't interested in doing the work, so you don't have to either. You could just enjoy the perks without going through all this."
Zak shrugs, his expression growing serious. "Because I want to prove myself. I don't need special treatment, and I don't want a throne handed to me on a silver platter. I'd rather be respected for what I've done, not for who I am. Besides, I get bored pretty easily. And doing this… it keeps things interesting."
Luna nods slowly, taking it in. "I get that. Respect has to be earned."
"Exactly," he replies with a slight smile. "Now, we've got a mission to tackle. Ready to dive in?"
She nods, steeling herself. "Yeah. Let's see what's waiting for us in this forest."
With a last glance at each other, they move forward, stepping into the dense woods as the simulation begins to unfold, both ready to face whatever challenges lie ahead.
Luna frowns, glancing down at her empty hands. "So, are we really just meant to waltz into this with no weapons?"
Zak grins. "Of course not. There's probably a supply box up ahead with our gear, just before we enter the main battle zone. I'd bet yours is already registered and loaded with whatever you're used to."
"Good to know." Luna relaxes slightly but still looks around warily. "Have you done this simulation before?"
Zak shakes his head. "I've done similar stuff, but not this exact map, and definitely not with any of the new recruits. I have no clue what the others' abilities are, so we'll have to be careful. And if any of my cousins are in here, it's going to get tricky."
"Why's that?" Luna asks, curious.
"They're as strong as I am," he explains, glancing at her. "Maybe stronger. My cousins don't mess around. This simulation could get a lot more intense if they're involved. We'll need to be tactical, keep moving, and avoid open spaces where we could be pinned down."
Luna nods thoughtfully. "Understood. So what's the plan?"
"We'll take it step-by-step. We reach the weapons cache, get equipped, and then scout the area. We don't go head-to-head with anyone until we know exactly what we're up against."
"Got it," Luna replies, determination hardening her expression.
They exchange a quick nod and move forward, both aware that any moment could bring the first real test of their partnership—and their survival.
Luna and Zak approach a wooden crate resting under a large tree. Zak pries it open and grins, reaching inside to pull out two medium-sized axes with sturdy handles. "Perfect—my babies," he says with a satisfied grin, admiring the sharp, gleaming blades.
Luna reaches in, retrieving a pair of small, sleek daggers. She weighs them in her hands, testing their balance. Zak glances at her choice of weapons and smirks. "Isn't that cute? We're both dual wielders."
Luna laughs, sliding the daggers into their sheaths on her belt. "Guess we've got that in common." She then steps back, closing her eyes briefly. "I need to meditate for about thirty minutes. You scout the area, then come back and update me."
Zak raises an eyebrow. "Aren't you bossy? And what do you need to meditate for, anyway?"
"I use it to draw Inner for the mission, duh," she replies, like it's the most obvious thing in the world.
Zak's expression shifts, intrigued. "Inner, huh? That's forbidden for us Berserkers. Using it can get you exiled from Nordia."
Luna raises her eyebrows, nodding slowly. "Ah, I see. Guess that's part of the reason why Ragra left, huh?"
"One of them," Zak replies, a shadow of thought crossing his face. "But enough about my brother. I'll do a quick scout, see what we're up against, and hopefully avoid any cousins lurking around."
He gives her a nod and turns to head into the forest, axes at the ready. "Don't get too comfy now. I'll be back before you know it."
Luna smirks, settling onto the ground to start her meditation, as Zak slips silently into the shadows of the trees.
Fifty minutes had passed, and Luna was still deep in meditation, eyes closed, breathing slow and rhythmic. She had long lost track of time, completely absorbed in her focus. Another fifteen minutes slipped by before she was jolted back to reality. Her eyes flew open, and she immediately realized something was wrong—Zak hadn't returned.
Springing to her feet, Luna quickly scanned the empty forest around her. Anxiety prickled at her thoughts. Had he run into trouble? Without wasting another second, she dashed through the trees, her footsteps silent but quick as she raced through the underbrush.
As she broke through the treeline, Luna came to an abrupt halt, eyes widening in awe. Looming in the distance was a massive, ominous castle, its turrets and towers reaching as high as the clouds themselves. The sheer size of it was overwhelming, and Luna felt a strange chill crawl down her spine as she took in the towering stone walls.
But there was no time to marvel—she had to find Zak. She took off running again, this time aiming for the castle gates. The area was eerily quiet, and her steps echoed against the cobblestone path as she approached the imposing iron gates, which loomed like the jaws of some great beast. She felt a pang of desperation—she couldn't fail this mission. If Zak was in there, she needed to get to him.
Just as she was about to charge in, a flicker of caution made her pause. She forced herself to slow down, taking a quick breath as she surveyed the area more carefully. Not far from the gate, her eyes caught sight of a small, narrow window just a few meters off the ground. It was partially open, and a faint draft fluttered through the slats. Luna quickly calculated the jump, then took a running start, leaping gracefully up to the window and pulling herself through.
She landed with a soft thud, crouching as her eyes adjusted to the dim light of the small, empty room she'd stumbled into. She stood up, dusting herself off, listening for any signs of life. The silence pressed in around her, and she could almost feel the weight of the castle's ancient stones bearing down.
"Alright, Zak," she muttered to herself, steeling her nerves. "Where are you hiding?"
Careful not to make a sound, Luna eased toward the door on the opposite side of the room, her fingers resting lightly on the daggers at her hips, ready for whatever lay beyond.