With a determined yet horrified expression, Luna sprinted through the courtyard of her family's estate. It was a forested area with, several beautiful stone villas that served as the Lykos Family's living spaces.
Around her, the chaotic battle continued to rage like a whirlwind of destruction, with reverberating explosions and splattering blood.
Expertly, she dodged several active fights, most involving people more powerful than her. Luna was still only seventeen, so she hadn't even been awakened yet, a fact she cursed in her own mind.
But she was fearless. The Lykos family raised their children as warriors, and despite her kind disposition, she'd always taken to those teachings. Although she was slightly hesitant to partner with someone as ruthless as Damian, she knew perfectly well that only power could bring change.
In front of her, a Moonkin cousin of hers was impaled against a wall with a spear of blood, and she averted her eyes. Next to her, a Bloodkin sagged to the ground with numerous claw wounds across their body. Despite knowing this was all her father's fault, she couldn't help but grow angry at the deaths of her family members.
The fighting was relatively even matched. Partly because the Moroi attack came as a surprise, but also because, even if the Lykos were a martial family, that didn't mean they were stronger than the Moroi. The Moroi had far more resources to pump into their people, as the entertainment industry was always thriving.
Most of all, however, the Lykos had been completely unprepared. Seeing all the devastation, Luna cursed out her father for bringing this upon them.
Several fighters on both sides noticed her, but most didn't pay her any attention… because no one recognized the surely dead body she was carrying in her arms.
Blood flowed freely from several open wounds, bones were sticking out of places where no bones should be, parts of his body were stuck in a half-transformed state, and it still wasn't over, as muscles continued to ripple and bones continued to snap.
Luna looked down at him with a difficult expression. His distorted features shocked and disgusted her, but she refused to let it affect her. Regardless of their differences, she'd fallen for this man's charm, energy, and intellect. The fact it was her father who brought him to this point filled her with grief. The only relief she felt came from the fact he remained unconscious through it all.
She had no idea how he was still alive, but it didn't matter. With renewed determination, she darted forward, across the battlefield, and towards the edges of her family's estate, where her car was parked.
"I have to find a way to get him to the Moroi estate…" she growled softly, determined. Even if they can't help him… at least he'll be with his family."
***
Meanwhile, in a prominent place on the battlefield, the struggle between Lavinia and Elias was rapidly escalating, with neither combatant in a good state.Several claw marks marred Lavinia's leathery skin, and the sharp teeth in her snout dripped with the blood of her enemy. Tongues of lightning flickered across her giant bat-like incarnate form, burning her skin.
Elias didn't look much better. His fur was dirtied with blood from the many teeth and talon wounds across his body. Shadowy tendrils roamed across his muscles, making them spasm in pain, a fact Elias refused to show on his wolf-like face.
At first, no words were spoken as Lavinia simply screeched in rage and fought her opponent like a reckless berserker. She had to put him out of action for at least a few minutes so she could rescue her son and get out of there… and judging from the state of him, she didn't have much time.
Her talons, crackling with crimson energy, raked at her opponent like a whirlwind. Several puddles of blood in the surroundings began to stir and created several spikes, launching themselves at Elias.
The entire time, Elias was mostly playing defence, a smug grin playing on his lips, exposing his teeth. Lightning sparked around him and destroyed the blood spikes before they reached him. At the same time, silvery moonlight covered his furry arms as he used them to defend against Lavinia's talons.
Suddenly, he spoke with a taunting grin. "You know, I'm not really sure why you're still here. Shouldn't you be getting your son out of here? Perhaps you still have a chance to save him."
It took a few moments for his words to penetrate Lavinia's rage-filled mind, but when they did, she simply snarled without stopping her attack. "Don't make me laugh, you tragic excuse of a man! We both saw your little daughter taking my son away, so you're trying to distract me! Just be a good little doggy and die!"
She accentuated her words with an explosion of shadow that surged from her wings and attempted to overwhelm her opponent. But Elias wasn't so easy. His expression was one of extreme effort, but he managed to create distance and form a barrier of moonlight around him.
At the same time, pure myst leaked from his body, encasing himself and Lavinia in a secondary barrier, just made to block sound. His next words were only meant for the two of them.
He raised his clawed, transformed hands and smirked cruelly at Lavinia. "I mean it, Lavinia. Go. Save your son. If he dies, all of this would have been for nothing… and so would your life's work."
Startled, Lavinia stopped in her tracks. Blinking once, she then came to a realization. Immediately, her fury spiked. "So that's why you're really doing this! How did you even find out?!"
Elias snorted and waved his hand dismissively. "Does it matter?" A smug, taunting grin reappeared on his lips, exposing his teeth. "All that matters is that I couldn't simply let the boy become the first primogenitor in centuries without having him be part Moonkin."
"You idiot!" Lavinia screeched, desperation, fury, and grief in her voice. Her talons flexed with the desire to rip him apart. "H— His fate was already uncertain, I— I didn't even really want to awaken him anymore… What if I killed him?!"
She pointed at him, her incarnate form's snout trembling with rage and helplessness. "But now you've probably signed his death warrant! Hear me, Elias! There will come a day when I will rip you apart for what you've done today!"
Without waiting for an answer, she disappeared into the distance, leaving behind an indifferent Elias. "If he dies, he dies," the Moonkin shrugged, a surprising amount of rage and disgust flashing through his eyes before he buried them deep again.
His true reasons for what he did today were some that he refused to fully face himself.