Lunar Legacy: Rise Of The Beastlord

The Tremor Gator thundered forward, its enormous jaws splitting wide, teeth gleaming under the moonlight. Its maw was so massive it could swallow her whole. The ground trembled beneath each step as it closed the distance.

But Tasha didn't flinch.

Blue lightning crackled violently across her arms, coiling upward until her entire right arm blazed like a conduit of storm energy. And at the very last moment, just as the gator's jaws clamped shut… her figure blurred. A flash of light, and she was gone.

SNAP!

The beast chomped down on nothing but air. Confusion flickered in its cold, reptilian eyes, its momentum staggering forward in disarray. But before it could comprehend, a shadow loomed above it.

Tasha descended from the night sky like lightning incarnate, her fist coiled tight, electricity roaring around it. She slammed it mercilessly into the beast's skull with bone-shattering impact

CRACK!

The sound was like a gunshot echoing through the forest. The Tremor Gator's head caved in, fractures spreading across its skull like broken glass before it collapsed, lifeless, onto the ground.

Tasha landed gracefully, sparks still hissing off her knuckles as she exhaled, her chest rising and falling with the release of adrenaline.

Her eyes slid upward toward Jayden. He was still sitting on the branch, jaw slightly parted, stunned into silence.

A smirk tugged across her face as she strode toward him with the arrogance of a warrior who had just proven her worth.

"So, still think they stand a chance against me?"

Jayden exhaled, finally chuckling.

"I must admit, that was impressive. Taking out an E-rank in one blow on your first try. It's kinda badass."

Tasha shrugged, a knowing smile flashing across her lips. "What can I say, I'm awesome."

Jayden dropped down from the tree in a graceful motion, landing beside her. "Alright then," he smirked, brushing past her, "let's see how many more kills you can rack up before the sun comes up."

Tasha's grin widened. "Is that a challenge?" she asked.

Jayden tilted his head with a smirk. "Sorta." he muttered, already moving out of the clearing and into the deeper part of the forest.

Tasha's grin widened. "Fine. You're on." she said, before following along.

The two walked deeper into the woods, side by side, their voices clashing playfully as they argued about which Mortal Kombat character had the most brutal finisher—Raiden or Sub-Zero. Jayden teased her for not liking video games, while she fired back that Mortal Kombat was the one exception. And Lord Raiden, unsurprisingly, was her favorite.

They reached a wide clearing, shadows stretching long under the pale moonlight.

Tasha scanned the emptiness with narrowed eyes. No sound of life. No movement. Nothing.

She scoffed. "There's nothing here for me to fight. Unless you want me hunting trees and bushes?"

Jayden smirked knowingly. "Patience, young hunter. There are some beasts that don't reveal themselves until they're sure they can beat you."

Tasha crossed her arms. "And how exactly would they be sure of that?"

"In most cases," Jayden's grin sharpened, his tone dropping, "They'll reveal themselves when you're defenseless. Or…"

He leaned in slightly, whispering:

"…Outnumbered."

And in the next instant… he was gone. Not a step. Not a sound. Just gone. Vanished, like he'd melted into the night.

Tasha blinked. "Jayden?" she called out, but got no response.

"Jayden? Where'd you go?" she called out again, but there was still no reply. It was as if he had disappeared completely from the area.

Tasha spun in place, eyes darting, her pulse quickening now. "This isn't funny, Jayden. Show yourself."

All she got in response was silence.

And then…

GRRRGGH.

A low growl cut through the quiet.

Her head snapped toward the underbrush. And a pair of glowing yellow eyes stared back at her. Then another appeared to her right. Another behind her. And another to her left.

Her breath caught in realization. She was surrounded.

Four pairs of feral eyes, each one burning with predatory intent. Then the brush stirred… and four hulking beasts emerged. Tall, husky with jagged claws and matted fur, fangs glistening with saliva.

Howlers.

Each one was positioned at a corner of the clearing, circling her like predators deciding how best to carve up their prey.

Tasha exhaled, lightning flickering across her fists as she raised them into a stance, her eyes darting from one snarling beast to another.

The first howler charged, claws outstretched, saliva dripping from its bared fangs.

Tasha didn't flinch. She waited until the last second… And just as its claw arced toward her throat, she ducked low with her hands outstretched, her body blurring, sparks flashing… and drove her fist into its chest.

BOOM!

A violent burst of energy ripped through the beast's ribcage. It was launched backward like a rag-doll, crashing into a tree with a sickening crack. A smoking hole burned straight through its chest as it slumped to the ground, dead.

The other three faltered, hesitation flickering in their snarls. Their comrade had just been annihilated in one strike. But retreat was not an option… they snarled louder, fury masking fear, and attacked together.

The one directly ahead lunged, claws aimed at her neck. Tasha darted forward with unmatched speed, sliding low across the dirt beneath its lunging body, the beast's claws swiping at nothing but air.

And before it could regain balance, Tasha twisted on the ground, sprang up, and clamped both hands onto its tail.

With a surge of strength, she spun and hurled the howler into a tree with bone-snapping force.

CRACK.

The trunk cracked, and before the beast could hit the ground, she snapped her fingers.

ZZZZT!

A lightning bolt shot out from her hands and went clean through its skull, exiting out the other side and carving a smoking scar into the tree behind it.

Its corpse crumpled, lifeless.

The remaining two howlers didn't hesitate, they charged together, fangs bared, fury fueling them.

Tasha's eyes blazed, her entire body erupting in an aura of wild blue lightning. Sparks hissed and cracked across her skin as she leapt skyward, rising high above the beasts.

Her right fist glowed, electricity spiraling and building until it screamed with raw destructive force.

And then—

She dropped.

BAM!

Her fist slammed into the ground with a resounding explosion.

KRAKOOOOM!

The earth split violently, the clearing obliterated in a dome of blue energy that blasted outward. The shockwave flattened small trees, incinerated leaves into ash, and hurled the Howlers like broken toys into the darkness. Their corpses hit the ground in smoking heaps, charred black and lifeless.

When the dust finally settled, the once-lush clearing was reduced to scorched earth. The air reeked of ozone and burnt fur.

Tasha straightened, breathing hard, scanning the chaos she had wrought. Her lightning dimmed gradually, fading to faint sparks across her fists.

She whispered under her shaky breath. "Okay… maybe I should have held back more."

"Yeah," a familiar voice teased behind her. "Try considering that next time."