Chapter Text
The Solunian forces descended upon the kingdom under the pitch black cover of the night, save for the brilliant moonlight, and the rain of fire. Fire that spread throughout the streets like it had a mind of its own, and struck fear in the heart of the enemy. They had almost no time to react to the sudden invasion, and every soldier was sent scrambling to ring the alarm bells, don their equipment, head to their stations, and join the battle.
Apo was in an alleyway when it stopped. She meant to join in, but a fellow soldier pushed her into the alley and told her to remain there. In the back of their mind, they remembered this soldier as one of the kinder ones. So in the alleyway she remained, unable to move her feet, as if the armor that was much too big for her anchored her to the floor. Part of them hated themself for not joining the fight, but the others parts were glad that they were not out there. It was in this position that they heard a cry for retreat, and the subsequent cheers of victory from Soluna. As their fellow soldiers retreated from the town, Apo's thoughts quickly spiraled with what may happen to them. Would they be killed? Kept as a prisoner of war perhaps? Or maybe they'd be forced to serve in Soluna's own military (she shuddered at the thought). At once her mind was silenced as the knights came into view.
They were beautiful. That was the first thing that Apo thought. And indeed, with the moonlight glistening off their brilliant white armor, they were a sight for sore eyes. She would later learn that they were called Moon Knights. There were two of them walking side by side, and together they made for an awe inspiring presence as their eyes scanned the surrounding area. Behind them were numerous other soldiers, and leading them all was a man that Apo recognized instantly. King Ren. A name that was well known in these lands, and that kept their fellow soldiers up at night. But for all the gruesome and terrifying stories she had heard about The King, she saw no trace of them in man before her. Despite his large intimidating frame and the various bloodstains all over his clothing, all Apo could focus on were his eyes. Illuminated in the firelight, they looked kind. He stopped in the middle of the street, raised his hands infront of him, and with a flick of his wrists, snuffed out the flames before him. When the fire vanished, it was as if they were never there in the first place. Not a single building had burnt down (despite being covered in flame just moments ago), and the only evidence that there was a fire in the first place, were the faint marks of soot and ash. Apo stared at him, with their eyes wide open. Before they could formulate a thought, one of the Moon Knights spotted her in the alleyway, and immediately leveled their spear at them.
"Drop the weapon!"
Apo looked down at the sword in their hands. They had forgotten that they were still holding it. Much like the armor they wore, it was much too big, and it weighed heavy in their hands. At the Moon Knight's command she raised the blade up in a defensive position, as fear entered their heart once more. The Moon Knight stepped forward and-
"Stand down", at the King's words the knight stopped. His voice was calm and polite, and the soldiers behind him looked at him with confusion as he gave the order. He turned to face Apo, and his face shifted into an expression of sadness that shocked her. He stepped in front of the knight that had leveled their spear, who now took a more neutral stance, and walked towards Apo. They now realized that they were shaking, a shaking that seemed to only worsen as The King made his way closer. By the time he was five feet away, she could barely hold onto her blade. It was at this distance that he stopped, and crouched down so that the two of them were eye level with each other. "Hello there. What's your name?". His voice was kind, and his words held a warmth behind them.
"Apo." Their voice came out as barely a whisper. "Are you going to kill me?"
At this, King Ren chuckled. "No, no I won't. How about you put down the sword, okay? Nobody's gonna hurt you." At this, the sword slid out of their hand as they tackled him in an embrace, years of tension pouring out of their body as tears started streaming down her face. For a moment he was stunned, before wrapping his arms around her. "It's alright, you're safe now." And they knew it was true. It was finally over. No longer would she fight for a cause she didn't believe in, and for a ruler she despised. Wrapped in King Ren's arms, she allowed herself to feel hope for the first time in a long while.
"Thank you".