As Jim lowered his Lance, he muttered - loud enough for only Rei to hear:
"You're not like him."
Rei didn't flinch. She knew exactly who he meant.
"I know," she replied. "But that doesn't mean I didn't care about him."
Jim didn't respond.
But something in him softened - just a little.
From the sidelines:
Heatsun and Moonsalt exchanged a look.
Henry and Marie remained silent, sensing the unspoken shift between the two warriors.
The year of training had forged something complicated between Jim and Rei - not friendship but a growing understanding, built through battle.
And with Dark Void's return looming, it was the only thing that might keep them both alive.
The Next Day...
A dark shadow swallowed the sky above Soluna. The sun's golden rays and the moon's soft glow were both devoured by an overwhelming, eerie darkness as Dark Void's warship descended.
The atmosphere seemed heavier - not just from the massive, blackened ship hovering above Heatsun's base, but from the sheer presence of those who had arrived.
The hatch of the warship slowly opened, revealing the imposing figure of Dark Void - his form still shrouded in swirling black mist, his piercing crimson eyes cutting through the gloom. But this time, he wasn't alone.
Three figures stepped out behind him.
The moment they landed, the ground cracked beneath their feet, and a sinister energy rippled across the battlefield.
Dark Void's voice echoed, cold and merciless:
"One year... And yet, you think you're ready to defy me?"
He sneered at Rei - the very warrior he had once twisted into his pawn.
"Let's see how far you've come... Test their strength."
The three elite commanders moved in unison, spreading out like harbingers of destruction.
The team braced themselves.
Rei's eyes sharpened as she faced off against the first commander Toxica.
Heatsun's Solar flames flared as Commander Hellfire approached with a molten grin.
Jim spun his Solun Lance as Commander Aquadrown loomed over him, water swirling ominously around the shark-like warrior.
The battle erupted like a storm as they exchanged glances.
Toxica grinned, her skin a sickly green, hair like twisting vines, and fingers containing venom. The air reeked of poison.
"I can sense your Lunar powers, girl," Toxica hissed. "Let's see if they can cleanse death itself."
Her venomous vines lashed out like whips, releasing clouds of toxic spores.
Rei kept her calm. She wasn't the same woman Dark Void once manipulated.
Her Lunar Crescent Hatchets pulsed with a dark blue aura - the Lunar Crescent Storm- slicing through the poisonous mist. Each swing dissolved the toxins, creating a small buffer of clean air around her.
But Toxica didn't let up - her vines coiled faster, stabbing at Rei from every angle.
Rei countered with precision, her hatchets cutting through the vines one by one. But she noticed something unsettling - for every vine she severed, two more sprouted.
"They grow back...?" Rei muttered, realizing Toxica's plant abilities were more advanced than she thought.
She would need more than just speed - she needed a plan.
Hellfire was a walking inferno - his body a mixture of molten rock and blazing flames. His every step scorched the ground beneath him.
Heatsun stepped forward, his Solar powers glowing gold.
"Your fire won't burn brighter than mine," Heatsun declared.
Hellfire laughed - a deep, guttural sound. "We'll see."
The clash of flames was explosive.
Golden and crimson flames battled like titans - creating massive shockwaves that rippled through the battlefield. The heat was unbearable.
But Hellfire's strength was overwhelming. His flames didn't just burn - they exploded.
Each blast pushed Heatsun back little by little.
"You're slowing down, old man," Hellfire taunted, unleashing another fiery eruption.
Heatsun clenched his fists - his body burning hotter - but he couldn't fully keep up.
Then - Moonsalt stepped in.
"I thought you'd never ask for help," she said softly.
Her Lunar powers clashed with Hellfire's magma creating a steam-filled storm.
Together, Heatsun and Moonsalt fought as one - a fierce display of Solar and Lunar unity - but Hellfire wasn't slowing down.
The last commander, Aquadrown, was a behemoth - his massive frame covered in armored scales, his shark-like face twisted into a sinister smile. Water spiraled around him like living snakes, forming deadly tendrils.
Jim tightened his grip on the Solun Lance.
"Let's finish this quickly," Jim said coldly.
Aquadrown didn't even blink. He raised a hand - and waves of water erupted from thin air, flooding the battlefield in seconds.
Jim, caught off guard, was suddenly submerged.
The water wasn't normal - it was pressurized and dense. Every move felt sluggish - like fighting in a liquid prison.
Aquadrown moved effortlessly, swimming circles around Jim.
"Solar powers are useless in my domain," Aquadrown growled, his voice distorted underwater. "And your Lunar powers will only drown."
Jim clenched his jaw. His Solun Lance glowed faintly - but the Solar half of his power felt weaker underwater.
He had to rely on his Lunar side more - using the Lunar Waves to push back the water, creating small pockets of breathable air.
But Aquadrown was relentless.
The battle raged on - Jim struggling to balance his opposing powers, feeling the weight of the water and the pressure of expectation.
Above it all, Dark Void watched in silence.
His three commanders were slowly pushing the team back - testing their strength, just as he commanded.
But there was no mercy in his gaze. Only cold calculation.
"One of you will break first," he whispered to himself.
The battlefield lay in ruins - scorched earth, steam rising from the clashing elements, and rippling waves still fading into the distance. The air reeked of burned vines and charred stone, yet not a single commander had fallen.
The people of Soluna meanwhile were running in fear as they were already warned by Henry and Marie.
As the dust began to settle, Toxica's twisted smile remained unchanged. Hellfire's molten body crackled but showed no sign of slowing. Aquadrown hovered above the battlefield, water still spiraling protectively around him.
Not a scratch.
"Enough," Dark Void's voice cut through the silence like a blade.
The commanders instantly stepped back, their auras withdrawing, though the malice in their eyes remained.
Jim, still catching his breath, gritted his teeth. "You're retreating?"
Heatsun's flames dimmed, and Moonsalt's frost receded. The battle had stopped as quickly as it had started - but the damage lingered.
Dark Void smirked, a cruel glimmer in his red eyes.
"This was never a battle," he said. "It was a test."
The weight of his words sank into their hearts.
A test.
They had fought with everything they had - and yet, Dark Void had never intended to conquer Soluna today.
"You've improved," Dark Void said, his gaze fixed on Rei. "But you're still not ready."
Rei's jaw tightened, her Lunar Crescent Hatchets glowing faintly in her hands.
"What do you want?" she demanded.
Dark Void stepped forward, the very air warping around him with dark energy.
Dark Void laughs, promising that the real war has just begun.
Jim clenched his Solun Lance, his Solar and Lunar powers still sparking faintly. "You think we'll just stand here and wait?"
Dark Void chuckled - a low, menacing sound.
"You have no choice."
With a wave of his hand, a swirling dark portal opened behind him, its tendrils of shadow licking at the air.
The commanders, with one final glance, stepped through - first Aquadrown, his watery form dissolving into mist... then Hellfire, flames flickering as he vanished... and finally Toxica, her vines retracting into her body as she slithered into the portal.
Dark Void turned one last time to Rei.
"I look forward to watching you break."
And with that, he stepped into the portal. It sealed behind him - the battlefield suddenly falling into a heavy silence.
For a long moment, no one spoke.
The wind howled softly through the broken landscape. The echoes of battle still hung in the air, but now there was only an overwhelming emptiness.
Jim slammed his lance into the ground. "Damn it!"
Heatsun let out a slow breath. "We weren't ready..."
Moonsalt crossed her arms, her usual calm demeanor shadowed by concern. "If this was just a test, what happens when the real battle begins?"
Henry and Marie exchanged worried glances. Even they - seasoned warriors - felt the looming threat of what was to come.
But Rei - she didn't move.
Her hatchets still in hand, her eyes fixed on the spot where Dark Void had stood.
The terrified Solar and Lunar people in the background were somehow releived seeing it finally getting over.
Rei's thoughts raced.
The battle... it wasn't a victory. It wasn't a defeat. It wasn't even a battle.
It was a warning.
Her heart pounded in her chest - not from fear, but from resolve.
"This is my fight," Rei finally said, her voice steady but cold.
Jim turned to her. "What?"
Her fists tightened around her weapons. "Dark Void targeted me back then, and he's still targeting me now. This war... It started with me."
Her eyes burned like twin moons.
"I won't run anymore."
The others watched her - their silent acknowledgment hanging in the air.
"This war is my responsibility," she said, her voice firm. "It started because of me, and it will end because of me."
The others stared at her - Heatsun and Moonsalt exchanging worried glances, Henry and Marie silently processing her words - but it was Jim who spoke first.
His usual coldness hadn't melted, but there was a flicker of something else - respect.
"You really think you can win this alone?" he asked.
Rei didn't flinch. "I have to grow stronger - not by relying on anyone, but by fighting my own battles."
Jim studied her for a long moment, then let out a small huff. "Fine," he said. "But if you're ever in a pinch... don't expect me to just stand by and watch."
Rei glanced at him and gave a faint nod.
Meanwhile, in Dark Void's base...
Shadows twisted and pulsed along the dark walls.
Dark Void loomed over a large map of Soluna, his crimson eyes glowing with anticipation. His elite commanders - Toxica, Hellfire, and Aquadrown - stood before him.
"It's time to send a message," Dark Void growled. "One of you will unleash your monster on Soluna tomorrow."
The three commanders exchanged looks.
Without a word, they raised their fists.
Rock... Paper... Scissors.
Toxica's hand showed scissors.
Hellfire grumbled, his hand a rock.
Aquadrown's fingers were flat - paper.
Toxica smirked, her venomous vines curling at the edges of the room.
"Looks like it's my turn first," she purred. "I'll send my monster to Soluna at dawn."
Dark Void's lips curled into a sinister smile. "Good. Show them what happens when they dare to defy me."
The shadows around him twisted even darker.
Tomorrow... the real battle would begin.
"I can sense your Lunar powers, girl," Toxica hissed. "Let's see if they can cleanse death itself."
Her venomous vines lashed out like whips, releasing clouds of toxic spores.
Rei kept her calm. She wasn't the same woman Dark Void once manipulated.
Her Lunar Crescent Hatchets pulsed with a dark blue aura - the Lunar Crescent Storm- slicing through the poisonous mist. Each swing dissolved the toxins, creating a small buffer of clean air around her.
But Toxica didn't let up - her vines coiled faster, stabbing at Rei from every angle.
Rei countered with precision, her hatchets cutting through the vines one by one. But she noticed something unsettling - for every vine she severed, two more sprouted.
"They grow back...?" Rei muttered, realizing Toxica's plant abilities were more advanced than she thought.
She would need more than just speed - she needed a plan.
Hellfire was a walking inferno - his body a mixture of molten rock and blazing flames. His every step scorched the ground beneath him.
Heatsun stepped forward, his Solar powers glowing gold.
"Your fire won't burn brighter than mine," Heatsun declared.
Hellfire laughed - a deep, guttural sound. "We'll see."
The clash of flames was explosive.
Golden and crimson flames battled like titans - creating massive shockwaves that rippled through the battlefield. The heat was unbearable.
But Hellfire's strength was overwhelming. His flames didn't just burn - they exploded.
Each blast pushed Heatsun back little by little.
"You're slowing down, old man," Hellfire taunted, unleashing another fiery eruption.
Heatsun clenched his fists - his body burning hotter - but he couldn't fully keep up.
Then - Moonsalt stepped in.
"I thought you'd never ask for help," she said softly.
Her Lunar powers clashed with Hellfire's magma creating a steam-filled storm.
Together, Heatsun and Moonsalt fought as one - a fierce display of Solar and Lunar unity - but Hellfire wasn't slowing down.
The last commander, Aquadrown, was a behemoth - his massive frame covered in armored scales, his shark-like face twisted into a sinister smile. Water spiraled around him like living snakes, forming deadly tendrils.
Jim tightened his grip on the Solun Lance.
"Let's finish this quickly," Jim said coldly.
Aquadrown didn't even blink. He raised a hand - and waves of water erupted from thin air, flooding the battlefield in seconds.
Jim, caught off guard, was suddenly submerged.
The water wasn't normal - it was pressurized and dense. Every move felt sluggish - like fighting in a liquid prison.
Aquadrown moved effortlessly, swimming circles around Jim.
"Solar powers are useless in my domain," Aquadrown growled, his voice distorted underwater. "And your Lunar powers will only drown."
Jim clenched his jaw. His Solun Lance glowed faintly - but the Solar half of his power felt weaker underwater.
He had to rely on his Lunar side more - using the Lunar Waves to push back the water, creating small pockets of breathable air.
But Aquadrown was relentless.
The battle raged on - Jim struggling to balance his opposing powers, feeling the weight of the water and the pressure of expectation.
Above it all, Dark Void watched in silence.
His three commanders were slowly pushing the team back - testing their strength, just as he commanded.
But there was no mercy in his gaze. Only cold calculation.
"One of you will break first," he whispered to himself.
The battlefield lay in ruins - scorched earth, steam rising from the clashing elements, and rippling waves still fading into the distance. The air reeked of burned vines and charred stone, yet not a single commander had fallen.
The people of Soluna meanwhile were running in fear as they were already warned by Henry and Marie.
As the dust began to settle, Toxica's twisted smile remained unchanged. Hellfire's molten body crackled but showed no sign of slowing. Aquadrown hovered above the battlefield, water still spiraling protectively around him.
Not a scratch.
"Enough," Dark Void's voice cut through the silence like a blade.
The commanders instantly stepped back, their auras withdrawing, though the malice in their eyes remained.
Jim, still catching his breath, gritted his teeth. "You're retreating?"
Heatsun's flames dimmed, and Moonsalt's frost receded. The battle had stopped as quickly as it had started - but the damage lingered.
Dark Void smirked, a cruel glimmer in his red eyes.
"This was never a battle," he said. "It was a test."
The weight of his words sank into their hearts.
A test.
They had fought with everything they had - and yet, Dark Void had never intended to conquer Soluna today.
"You've improved," Dark Void said, his gaze fixed on Rei. "But you're still not ready."
Rei's jaw tightened, her Lunar Crescent Hatchets glowing faintly in her hands.
"What do you want?" she demanded.
Dark Void stepped forward, the very air warping around him with dark energy.
Dark Void laughs, promising that the real war has just begun.
Jim clenched his Solun Lance, his Solar and Lunar powers still sparking faintly. "You think we'll just stand here and wait?"
Dark Void chuckled - a low, menacing sound.
"You have no choice."
With a wave of his hand, a swirling dark portal opened behind him, its tendrils of shadow licking at the air.
The commanders, with one final glance, stepped through - first Aquadrown, his watery form dissolving into mist... then Hellfire, flames flickering as he vanished... and finally Toxica, her vines retracting into her body as she slithered into the portal.
Dark Void turned one last time to Rei.
"I look forward to watching you break."
And with that, he stepped into the portal. It sealed behind him - the battlefield suddenly falling into a heavy silence.
For a long moment, no one spoke.
The wind howled softly through the broken landscape. The echoes of battle still hung in the air, but now there was only an overwhelming emptiness.
Jim slammed his lance into the ground. "Damn it!"
Heatsun let out a slow breath. "We weren't ready..."
Moonsalt crossed her arms, her usual calm demeanor shadowed by concern. "If this was just a test, what happens when the real battle begins?"
Henry and Marie exchanged worried glances. Even they - seasoned warriors - felt the looming threat of what was to come.
But Rei - she didn't move.
Her hatchets still in hand, her eyes fixed on the spot where Dark Void had stood.
The terrified Solar and Lunar people in the background were somehow releived seeing it finally getting over.
Rei's thoughts raced.
The battle... it wasn't a victory. It wasn't a defeat. It wasn't even a battle.
It was a warning.
Her heart pounded in her chest - not from fear, but from resolve.
"This is my fight," Rei finally said, her voice steady but cold.
Jim turned to her. "What?"
Her fists tightened around her weapons. "Dark Void targeted me back then, and he's still targeting me now. This war... It started with me."
Her eyes burned like twin moons.
"I won't run anymore."
The others watched her - their silent acknowledgment hanging in the air.
"This war is my responsibility," she said, her voice firm. "It started because of me, and it will end because of me."
The others stared at her - Heatsun and Moonsalt exchanging worried glances, Henry and Marie silently processing her words - but it was Jim who spoke first.
His usual coldness hadn't melted, but there was a flicker of something else - respect.
"You really think you can win this alone?" he asked.
Rei didn't flinch. "I have to grow stronger - not by relying on anyone, but by fighting my own battles."
Jim studied her for a long moment, then let out a small huff. "Fine," he said. "But if you're ever in a pinch... don't expect me to just stand by and watch."
Rei glanced at him and gave a faint nod.