WITCH OF THE END

Later in the evening, Luna found herself unable to get some rest.

Her palms were sweaty, her hands trembled intensely, and her heart pounded loudly as if it was about to explode out of her chest. All of this was due to one feeling that she couldn't compress…a feeling of impending doom. The train had entered one of the evacuated cities and the eeriness around her made Luna's entire being shiver. This part of the journey wasn't like the empty wastelands they had crossed before. Here, there were signs of corruption everywhere, leaving the former city empty and silent as an actual grave. It was difficult to believe there were millions of people living here.

Earlier today, they were briefed and informed that this was the most infected area in the Southern Reach because their systems failed to detect the black ether in the air. So by the time the evacuation began, it was too late and most of the humans were already in the final phase of turning into infected.

Everyone on the train, whether mundane or ascender, needed to stay on guard because some of those infected had grown too powerful in a short span of time because of the single factor of having the spark of divinity dormant in their systems. The army had done its best to wipe out as many as they could but failed due to their shortage of ascenders. The best they were able to do was push the infected to the deeper parts of the city and let them feast on each other in a specific territory.

***

Luna was now waiting in one of the first cars, where most mundane soldiers were gathered. They were armed with magical artillery to give them a fighting chance against black ether abominations should the worst come to happen. Most of them held plasma swords, that contained a zenshi charged crystals in the hilt. While others held crystal-charged guns to defend themselves and the train in case of an attack.

Luna on the other hand held her beautiful black katana forged from enchanted steel. Its blade did not reflect light but rather seemed to absorb it as she continued to hold on to it. The sword was special in a way that it had two enchantments: one that made it durable and another that granted her the ability to cut through almost anything as long as she desired it. The person who forged it for her made it so that it didn't need zenshi to activate these two enchantments, making it the only one of its kind.

In her family, every member had a sword that fit them perfectly. The special forge-masters of her clan used special materials from the divine realm to create weapons capable of holding powerful enchantments like the ones on Luna's sword. To them, blades were extensions of a swordsman's soul. So when a person of their bloodline died, they were usually buried with their sword because it was part of their soul.

"Nervous?"

Luna raised her neck to see the owner of the voice. It was a young female soldier holding a cup of coffee in one hand. She was offering it to her with a warm smile.

"Yes…I am." Luna replied honestly and accepted the cup of coffee before turning her beautiful gaze to the window. Everyone, including herself, was tense because of the current situation. Nothing had happened yet, but the ascenders capable of flight were already scouting and monitoring the train from above.

Darkness was among them.

"I'm not the only one, I guess," Luna added after noticing the strange look the woman was giving her. She had short black wavy hair with a few white strands in her locks. Her beautiful face was complimented by a few freckles which highlighted more of her genuine looks.

"Well, I'm not good at being brave." The woman laughed nervously.

Luna studied the woman for a few moments. 'Why is this woman in the army? Isn't she worried for her life, at all? Doesn't she know often died in these operations, especially mundane humans?'

Luna wasn't mundane, she could survive. But the woman in front of her looked so…Fragile and innocent despite looking much older than Luna herself.

The car was filled with mostly young men and women. They all carried stoic expressions, which Luna found strange in the first place. No one seemed worried for their life apart from the young lady in sitting front of her. It almost made her think that Lady Astrid had placed everyone here under her mind-controlling powers.

"I'm Mira, a lieutenant serving the government. I've heard a lot about you, Miss Lunaris. You seem to be the main topic here, surpassing even the mighty Lady Darkness."

'Oh, a fan?'

Luna didn't feel flattered by her words. Attention was up there as one of her most powerful enemies. As a gamer, attention meant more credits to update her software and buy exclusive gear. But as a legacy, attention meant that people expected great things from you. These soldiers, including Mira, probably felt safer knowing that the Flame of Winter's daughter was fighting alongside them. That they wouldn't die because Flame of Winter's daughter was here.

Luna didn't want to feel responsible for their deaths or even their hope. Hence why she kept an unapproachable look until now. 'Where did she get the guts to approach me?'

"I am from Hansho, my little sister is in your class. She says so many things about you..." Mira continued her introductions, her nervousness was as clear as day. it's like she wasn't even trying to hide it.

Luna slightly smiled at the mention of her class. 'Small world.'

"Really? So you're a highblood?" she questioned, now curious about the young lady.

Mira, however, shook her head in response. "Not by blood. I was raised in a sect and later adopted by the noble house of Hong. I joined the government to earn my house glory and prestige."

Luna studied the woman even more. It was rare to see a mundane adopted by a noble house and given the family name. This meant that the Hongs were either good people or Mira was a skilled fighter who didn't break easily.

'I choose the latter.'

"This isn't my first operation, you know," the young soldier began, her voice tinged with a hint of anxiety. "I've assisted in fights against giant birds with tentacles that slice through anything in their path. Battled a giant snake with the power to control corpses. Truth be told, being a government soldier is exhausting."

She clasped her trembling hands together. She then locked her eyes with Luna and shifted them once she felt even more anxious. "Every time I fight, I wonder if it's going to be my last day. It feels like I'm gambling life."

Luna, who had never faced any of those creatures suddenly felt bad for the young lady. Maybe she wasn't going to die during this operation. The person Luna had to be worried about was herself--she had zero to no experience when it came to all of this.

As they were still having their conversation, the train's robotic voice came online and made an announcement that caused a stir in their car:

"Reactor damaged, self-repair system is now online."

Immediately, all the soldiers in the car sprang into action, drawing their weapons. Even Mira regained her composure and activated her plasma blade—a thin, long weapon glowing with blue energy that resembled flames flowing from the hilt.

'Something has breached into the train without being noticed. This oddly feels familiar.'

Just then, Luna noticed what was wrong. "I've got to get to the main car," she muttered urgently to herself as she picked up her sword and rushed to the end of their car.

'Crap...' The doors burst open after one power kick from her as her mind started calculating the situation. The attacker had chosen to attack the reactor first; their main source of power and the reason why everyone was still alive despite the ether in the air. If it damaged the reactor, the self-repair system would require a great amount of power, forcing it to shut down some systems. Stopping the train wasn't an option in this zone, it meant death.

So Luna had to reach the main car, defend the reactor, and ensure their survival somehow. 'If the defense system goes offline, black ether could seep into the train.' she thought as moved faster to the next car without looking back.

All those mundane soldiers, including herself, would get corrupted if the system went offline for more than ten minutes.

With a fierce swing of her weapon, Luna cleaved through the thick iron doors leading to the reactor room as though they were mere paper. Luna was greeted by a scene of chaos and danger as the doors fell away. The first figure she saw was an old man in a lab coat lying motionless on the floor before her. His coat was stained by the red color of blood.

The sight sent a jolt of adrenaline through Luna's veins. She recognized him immediately—the chief technician with the uncanny ability to peer into machinery. They had only exchanged brief words when she had boarded the train, but now his presence in this dire situation added an extra layer of urgency to the already tense atmosphere.

The old man was dead.

...Along with his entire team of ascenders.