The Moon's Fangs | 1

On our long trek back down the districts to check up on Baze and Shion, we ended up running into them in Five, where Baze had his men going around and helping with damage control.

He’d stated the General tended to focus his forces on assisting upper-level civilians, and the lower districts are often forgotten or neglected. Baze could pretend this was a means of expanding his turf, but Reks and I both saw through that scary viking facade. Baze had a soft side, even if it was hard to find.

Before heading back to the lab, we overheard Baze asking about Etch’s whereabouts. Apparently, he’d gone missing before the shockwave.

While Reks attempted to have Luk dive into the barrier issue, I wandered into the armory to choose a weapon like I was stalking a grocery aisle, choosing which flavor of ice cream I wanted to try first.

I traced a finger along the edge of a clear, rectangular box with several aquamarine-colored gems. Each were perfectly round and nearly flat except for their edged tops.

~These are called cannons.~ Nox explained. ~The gem is activated once connected to a Guide after being inserted into the palm of your hand. Many soldiers utilize this as a secondary weapon.~

As the snake explained, a small projection of a person materialized. The person picked up a projectionized cannon and brought it toward its right hand. After laying the gem in their palm for only a couple of seconds, tiny threads of astral energy sank from the gem and laced into the palm, sinking partly in and embedding itself there like it had its own will.

A phantom pain tingled against my own palm from the thought of how much that must hurt.

When it was done, the projection aimed its palm towards a manifesting target, then shot a bright beam of light straight through it, burning a hole through its center.

My brows rose.

~When used against a crystalline monster of the Adamant Horde, a cannon can break off shards of their body, depending on their body type. In some cases, cannons have blown a hole straight through when aimed at weak spots.~

I gave the tiny, but deadly little gems a considering look before deciding those were probably not the best fit for me.

I dragged my gaze over an assortment of spinning disc weapons, handguns similar to what Nolan carried back at Altered, weaponized gloves, giant power hammers, then towards the vitiate’s wide range of blades.

There were so many types of blades, it was obvious these were Reks’ weapon of choice. His collection ranged from futuristic greatswords to simple daggers, and everything in between.

Like a girl who might have a pair of shoes for every occasion, Reks owned a blade for every function.

“I would have never thought an alien species as high-tech as Orlaith would use so many archaic weapons.”

~Well, these are not exactly archaic.~ Nox countered. ~Most are infused with a rare form of astral energy. Along with that, many of the weapons you consider to be “high-tech” are common in galactic wars and battles. Therefore, most renowned civilizations now possess armor built to protect against innovative weapons such as cannons, redfins, and other common Guide-related weapons. During Reks Alren’s true era, the Age of Paradise, he was one of the only vitiates to utilize astral-infused blades, giving him an edge in battles due to the enemy’s armor being unable to withstand an attack against him in close range–which is another thing most try to avoid. With the Lucils in reign, infusing weapons with astral energy became a common practice, yet Reks found infusing his blades dealt more serious damage than the former.~

“What about the crystalline monsters?” I asked, finding it hard to believe a blade would do much against those.

~On the contrary,~ Nox followed up after my afterthought. ~One of Reks Alren’s specialties is close combat. However, his astral-infused blades cannot penetrate all Horde types. The Obsidians, for example, are The Full Spectrum’s personal sentries. They are nearly indestructible, but it is theorized they are difficult to make for her, which is why she only has a few and not an army of the Obsidian type. But besides those pesky monsters, the others have clear weaknesses, such as their joints or the backs of their necks.~

As the Guide explained, it brought up another projection of a person with dual-wielding double-edged blades, both the length of one of my arms. The little projectionized person leaped in the air, towards a materializing crystalline monster, and struck it clean into the back of its neck. The projection of the monster fell to its knees, then before its face made contact with the nonexistent ground, it dematerialized into nothing.

“Is it really that easy?” I asked, watching the little projection run around and take out multiple new materializing foes, slicing them exactly where Nox claimed where their weak spots were located.

~Of course not! Close combat with a weapon like this is absolutely effective, but is also absolutely a high risk. If one of the more common Horde members manages to land a hit on you, well… you would be toast. As would the common solider, might I add.~

An obsidian crystalline monster materialized. When the simulator sliced at the back of its neck, the blade shattered on contact. The new monster moved so quickly, like a racing shadow, the projectionized person didn’t have time to break free. The Obsidian snapped their neck with a powerful squeeze, sending them into a fragmented oblivion.

I flinched, staring down at the obsidian monster. A bad feeling churned in my stomach. The simulator showed how effective astral blades could be, but one wrong move, going against one wrong enemy could be the end of everything.

Even in the last memory I saw in Reks’ head showed him and his friends, badly injured, cornered by a pack of Obsidians. It was Ellison who annihilated the constructs. Whatever power the empress had tapped into to do so had been dark and terrifying.

“If it’s so risky, then why would Reks rely on it so heavily?”

~He is a vitiate, may I remind you. He is a walking legend!~

I wanted to roll my eyes and blush all at once from how my Guide doted on him.

“Having Luk must be a huge help too.” I added, wondering how Reks normally used his Guide in battles. A giggle bubbled up in my throat when my imagination compared him to a version of Spiderman swinging between trees with snake whips like Tarzan while completely adorned head-to-toe in that sexy assassin uniform of his.

Surprisingly, Nox hissed with laughter too from the hilarious image of Reks in my head. ~Your imagination grows stranger by the day.~

“Just keeping you on your toes–” I paused, then quickly backtracked. “Tail? The tip of your tail?”

~Technically, I do have toes. Your toes.~

“Ew. Stop.” half of my nose scrunched up from that awful thought.

I stepped over towards the smaller blades adorned to the wall like pristine works of art. After testing the weight and size of a few in my hand, I chose one that I thought could possibly be easily concealed on my thigh – something I definitely thought a badass assassin girl would wear under a dress if she were to go undercover at a ball.

I ignored the somewhat funny jokes Nox made referencing movies and books I liked with similar scenarios.

“Will you just show me how to use this properly? I need to know how to somewhat use this thing by this time tomorrow.”

I wasn’t sure how I felt about the weapon in my hand. Imagining actually using it in a real-life scenario was hard. I didn’t want to stab anyone. But The Full Spectrum wouldn’t hesitate. I needed to be prepared for her. I’d never be ready to face something like that, but practicing before a game you’ve never played was better than not practicing at all.

Over on the opposite side of the armory, Nox activated a lifesized simulator of a person a little taller than myself. Without any distinguishing features, it looked like a model of an unfinished NPC from a video game.

I walked over and cautiously touched the projection. My fingers softly buzzed from the resistance. I pressed my hand against it’s shoulder with a light shove, and it took a step back from the force.

~This is a beginner’s training simulator. It carries a redfin and a dagger. Its attacks are basic and predictable. If you get hit by one of its attacks, you will not be hurt. You will merely feel a slight buzzing sensation similar to what you experienced when touching it.~ Nox explained. ~When you are ready, I will activate the exercise.~

When the Gudie put it that way, this should be a walk in the park compared to practicing against Reks.

I squared myself up, lifting the blade level with my chest between myself and the simulator. As I did, Nox made slight adjustments to my stance like it often did during my other sessions. I began to get used to the strange sensation of the Guide navigating through my muscles, tweaking my angles here and there, and prompting my fingers to adjust the grip I had on the blade.

Compared to Reks, this simulator’s movements were sluggish and predictable. When it lunged forward, I already knew which direction to dodge to stay out of its dagger range. When it aimed to shoot, Nox rushed through my muscles like a spry tide. Like a serpentine guardian angel, Nox influenced my shoulder to dip back at the perfect angle to evade the shot.

At that moment, I saw my opening. Nox honed in on that dose of adrenaline, centralizing its energy as I dipped farther back, dropping to a knee before flinging my blade at the simulator’s exposed chest. The blade sang before slicing into the upper right peck of the projection. The contact left its chest buzzing like a bumblebee.

“I got it!” I exclaimed, jumping back up with the child-like energy one would have when hitting a cardboard duck target at a local fair.

A smoky rumble of amusement approached me from behind. “Well done, Amelia. However, there is one major flaw.”

I turned to see Reks’ smile turn smug. “Make that two.”

My brows pulled together in question, but a sudden buzzing sensation vibrated through the center of my back like a massage gun on steroids.

I yelped in surprise, falling against my side on the mat – not because it hurt, but because it scared the hell out of me! I shot the simulator a deathly stare over my shoulder, who stood there like it was just put on pause with its handgun pointed at me and my blade still stuck in its chest.

Reks knelt down as the buzzing sensation eased away from my back. He lifted one finger and said, “One, never turn your back on an enemy until you or your Guide has confirmed them to be neutralized.” he lifted another finger. “Two, never throw your only weapon away. It leaves you vulnerable and unarmed. If you do, you better make sure you’re able to flee the scene. But I still don’t recommend it.”

I faked a little pout, then put my feet back under me. “Did you at least see how cool I looked before that? I was practically dancing around that simulator.” I said, reaching over and pulling the blade out of the projection’s buzzing chest. Little pixels spilled out of it like a nest of fireflies, then nestled back into the simulator to make it whole once again.

Reks gave the blade an intrigued look. “Out of all the weapons in here, why choose this one?”

I glanced down too. The onyx-black blade was like a void, yet unlike Reks’ eyes, no color danced across its darkness. It was as if it rejected or propelled light like an opposing magnet. The sharp edges were neatly lined with a pearlescent sheen, matching the intricate detailing in the hilt, where it curved in a nearly full circle, ending in a sharp point. I gripped it through the circle, mesmerized by the design. “I’m not sure. I guess I thought it was beautiful and it was probably a good size to start out with.” I shrugged, feeling my cheeks warm when meeting his thoughtful gaze. “And I thought it could be easily hidden under a dress.”

He smiled at that, one side of his lips curving up with that wicked smirk I found myself loving and hating. He lent his hand out for the blade, and I offered it to him hilt first. “Out of all the weapons in here, you managed to grab one of the most precious ones.” he said, testing the weight. “This was my father’s gift to my mother when she completed the Vitiate Trials.”

“Since you have it now, does that mean she gave it to you when you did the same?” I asked.

The faintest hint of melancholy fell over his expression. “Not exactly. Though I like to think she would have if she lived to see it.”

Sadness hollowed through me, leaving me to teeter between asking for more information or leaving it open for him to choose for himself without pressure.

“It was a long time ago,” he said, reading my expression before I had time to decide. “She died when I was young.”

“And your father?” I asked, pressing my lips together.

“Even younger.” he twirled the blade between his fingers like a dangerous pinwheel. “Vitiates are in constant danger, always risking their lives when on the job. Coincidentally, both my parents were assigned under the same Lucil, who was considered to be the most high-risk to serve under at the time. My mother…” He stilled the blade, dark eyes staring off into nothingness. He sighed, biting down on his bottom lip as he pulled himself away from what seemed to be a memory he didn’t want to relive. “Long story short, my father’s death weighed heavily on my mother. She obsessed over how she could prevent history from repeating itself until death claimed her a few years later. I was eight.”

Reks slid the blade back in my hand, shifting his weight behind me to fix my posture and slightly adjust my grip on the handle. “I bounced between homes after that, distant relatives and friends of my parents. Eventually, I was recruited by General Nasalas Rhosyn for vitiate training, and he became like a father figure to me. He was a good man.” A hitch of laughter brushed past my ear. “I’m rambling. Why am I rambling? Sorry.”

His hand slipped up my wrist, then across my forearm as he tried to revert back. “I never met my mom,” I said, which sent his hand back over mine to guide me through a series of motions with the blade. With his full attention, I kept going. “I used to ask my dad about her all the time. He’d always evade the questions, telling me he’d explain when I was older. It wasn’t until I hit middle school he finally gave in and told me that he… he had no idea who she was either.”

Reks craned his neck to the side, using his free hand to brush a lock of hair behind my ear so he could see my face better. “How is that possible?”

A sad smile touched my lips. “I think it was a lie. My dad is a really sweet man, but when it came to secrets, his demeanor always changed. It was like he was afraid, or something. After that, I dropped it.”

His brows knitted together, concern falling over his expression. “Even if it was fear sealing his lips, something like that shouldn’t be kept from you, Amelia.”

I shook my head. “It’s okay, really. I’ve thought a lot about why he’d keep it from me. If she had died, I don’t think he’d feel inclined to keep that a secret. So I’m sure it’s along the lines of abandonment or something like that. I decided a long time ago that I wouldn’t search for someone who didn’t want to be found.”

Reks looked stuck somewhere between shocked and offended. “Surely hospitals on Earth would have records or video footage of this mystery woman. Have you tried looking into it on your own?”

“Mhm.” I switched my focus to our hands and the blade. “I called every hospital within a hundred-mile radius. No dice though.”

Reks slid the blade from my hand, letting it drop gently to the mat, then enclosed his arms around me. His head nestled in my hair on the top of my head, causing heat to blossom in all directions from my core.

“If you’re ever curious, I could have Luk dig around, or you could even have Nox give it a try. The choice is yours.”

A smile crept on my face. I tilted my head enough to peer up at him. “Maybe I’ll want that in the future. But right now, all I care about is how we deal with tomorrow night and then Blaire. So let’s save that rollercoaster for another time.”

His eyes flashed for a millisecond, coming back to reality.

“Right.” He said, sliding his arms down my waist and then coming to a pause on my hips. His fingers pressed against something in my pocket, then a frown formed as he fished the item out. “What do we have here?”

“Hey, you can’t just take things out of my pocket.” I argued, moving to snag it, but he was too fast.

Reks held the pink crystalline shard I’d taken from our encounter with Blaire, looking at it, then me with a strange look in his gaze. Was he angry I took it?

I ran a hand through my hair nervously. “You mentioned the shard might react when Blaire is close by... so I wanted to keep one close to me. You’re not mad, are you? I didn’t think it would be harmful with us inside the barrier.”

Orginally, I wanted to attach it to my charm bracelet, but decided against it out of fear it may rip off and break when we did come into close enough contact with her.

He clenched the shard, then huffed out a frustrated laugh. A hint of a wicked smirk settled across his lips. “You ruined my surprise for you. I’m not angry. I’m furious.”

I blinked, confused.

Before I could question him, Reks had a hold of my wrist. He pulled me over to the workbench and lifted me up, pressing me back to sit on it. Heat blossomed across my chest like a bouquet of flames.

“I’m confused.” I said after a moment, reaching up to skim the collar of my shirt.

“I’m aware.” he smirked, reaching behind his back. The motion stretched his partly unbuttoned shirt, exposing his chest to me. “Close your eyes.”

I did as he said, then licked my lips nervously. “Wha—"

His lips pressed against mine in sudden surprise. He took advantage of my parted lips, his tongue invading my mouth, demanding my sweet surrender. He closed in on my gasp, claiming every drop of thrill he ignited in me.

My breath turned ragged, and I felt his wolfish smirk against my wet lips.

"Don't open your eyes until I give you permission." his voice turned husky against my lips as he pulled away.

I breathed out a shaky laugh. "You aren't playing fair."

"My game, my rules." he pulled my hair back, off of my shoulders. He bunched the locks together, tying my hair back.

My brows scrunched together, lips pursing, but fought the urge to peek and kept my eyes closed.

His hands fell away from me for a moment, then returned. One curved around the top of my throat, inclining my head to the side while the other touched my ear.

My mind reeled to decipher what he was doing.

A light weight tugged at my ear.

"Open." he said, gentle grip sliding away from my throat.

I did.

Reks had Luk materialize a small mirror in front of my face. Dangling from one of my ears was a pointed shard, different than the one I had taken. But it belonged to Blaire.

Unexpected tears welled up in my eyes. In his hand laid another shard too, right next to the one I took. His also had a thread tied through it.

"You turned Blaire's shard... into an earring?" I asked, voice trembling as I touched the pink crystal dangling from my ear from a thin, white thread.

"I know how much she means to you. It's dangerous to carry something like this around outside of the barrier if we aren't prepared for it, but it is also crucial to have, to know when she is near. Putting them on a normal chain wouldn't do, it may choke you or rip through you by accident. The thread I used is strong enough to hold it in place, but will break if enough force is applied, without causing you harm." he lifted the other shard he laced a thread through, and tied it to the end of his braid. "Now we'll both be informed if she's near. I know it isn't much, but I hoped this would reinforce my vow to you, to help you bring her back, no matter what we learn tomorrow night."

My vision blurred from the tears, the depth behind the gift. He really meant it. He had meant it all along.

"Reks..." I cupped his cheek, feeling Blaire's shard graze against the back of my palm from his braid. Such a simple gesture contained a wealth of sentiment. His eyes, his captivating prisms, held me like night-forged shield protecting a small flame. "Reks, this means everything to me. I... I don't know how to thank you." I pulled him into a hug.

His darkness warmed me more than any day in the sun. In his darkness, I had an arsonist prepared to light everything aflame. His world had already turned to ash, and he'd be damned if he let mine burn too.

His hands slid up my back, pressing me closer to him. His lips parted against my ear, but whatever he intended to say fell away as he dragged his lips to mine.