Chapter 1: Awakening

...Book 1...

...Moon...

......Chapter 1: Awakening ......

Zenaku knew this was a dream, or rather a state of consciousness. In this dream there is nothing, but the darkness. To him the darkness is safe, and a place for him to think. He did not know how long the darkness had been around him, but soon...peering from above, a beautiful heartwarming light beckons him to the real world, and he reaches out to touch it.

Moon felt his glowing yellow eyes pop open, seeing the magical coffin that has been used to seal him away, he could feel the lid moving, and the green smoke, and moonlit vapor begin to pour out. Finally...he was free, and the power of the Moon greeted him. Zenaku leapt high into the sky, his instincts sharp. The coffin lid moving meant one thing...the spell didn't fail, someone had released him, and he would find out why. He landed in a tree branch high above where he was sealed. He was a Neko man, who was 28 years old with blue, and black spiky hair, a very dark almost back pants, and his crescent moon shaped sword in its sheath. His fingernails were sharp claws, his blue, and black wolf tail just above his rear, and finally his teeth were normal, but with two large fangs bearing out.

Despite all of that, the night was on his side, and it made him extremely stealthy, even when landing on dead, or tree branches that would make a crack...his power from the Moon gave him absolutely dead silence. Courtesy of being the son of Hati. Zenaku looked down, at the ones who set him free, and already...he didn't like what he saw. 5 people, all men were standing around the pale white coffin with Moon markings that had him sealed away. All of them were dressed in dark brown robes that went all the way down to their feet. Some had a combination of staff's, and knives, yet not including the blades...one thing heavily stood out.

All the men wore a deer skull with giant antlers, and long flaring nostrils...they're staffs having the same skull matching the ones they wore. Already, Moon knew exactly who they were Cultists, foolish followers of the Dragon God who thought they could tame his power...something he so heavily despised. Moon needed to check something, from where he was sealed away, and in order to do that...he had to get rid of the intruders. The cultists seemed confused...it was very clear they had no idea what they released, so Moon smirked.

"Lunar Streak" He whispered, as with super speed he became a purple blur, slashing, and tearing through all five cultists before they even had a chance to react. His claws streaked with human blood, and many of it coating the grass. With the cultists dispatched, Moon turned around, gazing at the coffin he was sealed in, but that was not on his mine, but rather the three coffins sealed around the one he was in. Moon cursed, all of them were empty. Without, Silverstreak, Leatherback, and Hammerhead he couldn't summon his most powerful magic in his arsenal...The Preda-Armor. He now had a new mission, beside getting revenge on Nidhoggr, and that was to find his missing metal comrades, who also formed into his armor.

Moon began jumping along through the trees, as he scanned the forest, trying to see if they were any opponents in the area. He heard the shouts of many of the cultists who had many torches lit in a nearby area. It seemed to be quite the commotion, as a lot of magic, and sword fighting being heard in that direction. Altering his movements, to change direction, his toe claws scratching the tree branch bark, he launched himself forward, becoming a purple blur to investigate the commotion. He soon came near to the cultists, as a feeling of hope, and hatred boiled in his heart. Moon saw a silver, and blue metal wolf...growling, and snarling as it bared its fangs at the cultists, it's red eyes glowing with malice.

He knew the wolf, and was happy to see it...Silverstreak. Out of all the pieces of the Preda-Armor, Silverstreak was the most important piece. Moon's chances of fighting, and survival would increase drastically by having Silverstreak back to its rightful owner. What angered Moon the most, was the fact the cultists were not only trying to hunt it down, but also trying to tame it. Bastards...they dare try to steal a family gift, or heirloom that was given to him from birth...from his Mother Hati? Moon's blood boiled...these Cultists deserve one thing, and one thing only...death. Moon's body glowed with purple, and black energy, as he took out his Crescent Sword. "Crescent Blade" He snarled, hearing the blades edge unlatching, resonating with Lunar energy.

Moon instantly speed blitzed off the trees, as he quickly got in front of Silverstreak. "CRESCENT SLASH!!!!!" He roared, as he launched huge amounts of curved glowing yellow energy, slamming into the cultists, blood gushing, and exploding around the cultists. Seeing the new arrival, the Cultists turned their attention to Moon. Zenaku raised his arms out, as sensing his master's thoughts...Silverstreak transformed into his wolf armor, which equipped on his body, covering him entirely. Moon looked like an anthro silver, and blue metal wolf with Silverstreak covering him. Moon felt his sword disappear, but he was still angry. Without Leatherback, and Hammerhead...he couldn't use the Preda-Armor's full power.

The armor didn't have many weapons. The energy horn could not be deployed, he could not fire the Starburst Energy Cannon, and he definitely could not use the Crescent Energy Boomerang Blade, or the Drill Gator Sword. He couldn't use the armors Lunar magic either. However...it wasn't completely useless. It's energy, and mana was unlimited, while also being its strongest at Night. And he did have one weapon... The Preda-Laser. He could see the many cultists began to look at him, preparing their swords, daggers, and magic. Moon began trying to think things through, gazing at his enemies. He had one weapon...but...he was also wondering whether to use the armor's weapon now, or to fight with just his Crescent Sword.

Moon considered the options, and he went with the best idea, he first activated his armors cloaking device, using his stealth to get himself some distance between him, and the cultists who had surrounded him. He soon vanished into the shadows, leaping onto a near tree. The night was Moon's best weapon it gave him energy, and it was his best stealth option. Now matter what he leapt on, whether on a weak branch, fell, or even yelled it would make no sound...why? It was his mother's magical gift. Moon was truly one with the Night. He dropped the cloaking device, and put away Silverstreak, who became a white Moon crystal stored in his flute which was also a sharpening knife which would store up energy from the magic he had at night.

Moon brought his Crescent Sword, and with an alarming use of a speed blitz, as he came across the first Cultist. The Cultist didn't have time to react, as Moon split him in half with his sword. He then raced to the other, slicing a few more in half. The rest of the cultists managed to raise their staff's as they began chanting their spells. "Shadow Strike" The shouted, as giant circular faced shadows launched at Moon. He instantly unleashed a barrage of Lunar slashes, slicing the shadows, launching back, his toe claws scratching the forest floor, leaving marks.

"So...you do know Underworld magic" Moon snarled.

"Give it up Son of Hati...we know who you are, and what you are capable of, we are going to use your powers to become gods of this world, humans will rule where the gods could not" The leader said, raising his hands.

"Who are you?" Moon asked.

"My name is of no importance...I am Father Bonehead, and we are the Cult of Devils, and we...will rule...this...world" Father Bonehead cackled.

Moon looked at him up, and down, as he smirked at him. "Father Bonehead huh...well...I'll give you credit, your name fits you...your so stupid I could use your bone headed rock head to sharpen my blade"

"Hold your tongue mortal...you'll be dead soon enough" Father Bonehead grinned, raising his staff, and chanting another spell. Moon's toe claws dug into the dirt, as he launched forward with alarming speed, as he threw his sword, beheading three more cultists, before charging at Father Bonehead. "VENOM MIST!!!!!" Father Bonehead shouted, as he spread a huge vapor dark purple cloud around all the area, attempting to add paralysis, as Moon darted back, and growling his fangs bearing, as blood leaked out of his nose. "Ha...see...you can't defeat us, our dark spells can render you POWERLESS!!!!!!" Father Bonehead cackled.

Moon smirked. "Actually...the blood on my nostrils isn't mine" He chuckled, wiping the blood away.

"W-What?" Father Bonehead said confused looking to the side, seeing another one of his cultists dead. "Throat slash...expectedly skilled, but one thing you can't prepare for is our masks...let me show you TRUE POWER!!!!!!" Father Bonehead roared, throwing his staff to the side as he raised his hands. "COME MY BRETHREN…OFFER YOUR SOULS TO YOUR ONE TRUE GOD!!!!!!!!" He roared, his mask beginning to turn black, his body lifting the sky, as it glowed with bright sea green energy, as all of his remaining followers screamed, their souls being extracted, and being sucked into the mask. He roared with power, as he then descended, fully a thundering storm howling overhead his voice distorted. "Bow, before your enemy" He echoed.

Moon looked at Father Bonehead, seeing the change in the mask, as he growled. "Eikthyrnir's magic...in that mask...HOW DARE YOU USE SOMETHING FOR NEFARIOUS PURPOSES!!!!!" Moon snarled, as Father Bonehead looked at him acting as if he wasn't there, the mask now wearing his body as its own. He raised his arms, summoning a huge amount of giant bone teeth, launching them at Moon. (Warped Spirit Magic: Spiral Bone Teeth) Moon managed to dodge the attacks before raising one hand, summoning a scythe launching it at Moon with massive attacks, and adding curved blood slashes (Warped Spirit Magic: Scythe of Bloodied Bone). Moon used his speed to collide sparks with the blood slashes using his own Lunar Crescent Energy slashes from his sword. Then, when it came to the scythe, he managed knocked the spinning weapon into the ground.

Father Bonehead raised his hands one again, as he launched a huge amount of Bone Spikes, as Moon leaped, and raced behind the trees, still facing the cultist before launching himself in the air. "Eikthyrnir's magic was used for peace...to guide the lost souls to a better place, when they were gone...and with Eikthyrnir gone his magic was found by humans...but for you to twist it for you own wicked purposes..." Moon growled, his fists clenching, his two fangs growing, his eyes turning wolf like yet still keeping their original power. "I'll kill you... Bastard" He growled, while in midair, he grabbed his sword, using his fastest speed blitz, slashing Father Bonehead's head off with a massive quick slash. The head flying off, bouncing several times onto the ground, before rolling to a stop, as the headless body collapsed on the ground, dead.

Moon sheathed his sword, as the headless body began shaking, a ghostly groan echoing in the sky, being sucked up into a glowing sea green portal into the sky. "Go rot in hell" He growled, the body disappearing into the portal which soon vanished. He went overlooking down at the mask, as he checked its magic...it still had a portion of Eikthyrnir's magic, he picked it up, and put it into his inventory slots. He pulled up, his Misteria stats, that was given to every adventurer, and Moon as he looked at the mask. It was called "Mask of Krenjeko" Apparently it used Eikthyrnir's magic, and a bit of dark magic as well...it mostly summoned low tier dark magic spells, but the Eikthyrnir spell stole others souls to grant the caster more powerful Undead magic, however it made them a slave to a vengeful spirit, and when they died...a curse would damn their soul to hell.

Moon deadpanned as he saw the mask's ability. It was the dumbest item to have, why would someone use this? He shook his head, damn cultists...nothing but a bunch of fools. He kept the mask, he would either purify it, or destroy it...whichever came first. Likewise, he went throughout the forest, and it's dead trees the place looking lifeless. Furthermore, he heard the howls of the Shadow wolves...a pack of wolves that were all the color of shadows. Of course despite them usually attacking humans, Moon knew they wouldn't harm him, he was Hati's son after all. Traversing through the dead forest, as the sunrise began to happen. He soon left the forest, coming across a town. It was abandoned...no one had been here for years. The buildings were rotting, the wood, clay, and stone wearing off, and hanging.

Moon explored every building, finding nothing much. Their had been many homes, a pathway for guests, and furthermore it also had a bar. He looked around, trying to scrounge what supplies he could. He found a map, and more importantly, a portable home. It led him to the nearest area, the town of Cogworks. He had managed to find some spare food that the cultists left behind. A few had the decency to pack normal meat food, as for the others. They all had rotten human limbs packed in their sacks with bugs crawling all over them. Seriously...what were these guys on? Moon also noticed that Father Bonehead's bag had letters, and notes...which meant the cultists weren't just a random cult drawn up from their ass. They were big...he would have to deal with them sooner, or later.

After exploring more of the town, He soon found something that could help him on his journey. A dark sand robe, he sniffed it, then turned away in disgust. He soon found a bunch of water, and was thankfully able to wash it off as well as he could. It wasn't as clean as Moon wanted...but it was all he had. He put the robe on, his Moon shaped necklace hanging from his neck since the beginning. He followed the map, seeing a Desert Valley straight ahead, probably a vast one. Traversing the desert wasn't a good idea, the monsters in the desert were slightly harsher than the ones in the normal Grasslands...always merciless, and never forgiving...not to mention the massive heat, and the cold nights. He had managed to grab, and rinsed out a canteen, filling it with water.

Moon knew he would have to ration his water, and meat. If he ran low, he would have to hunt the dangerous predators of Desert Valley...which wasn't ideal...especially if he didn't have Leatherback, and Hammerhead. He saw a welcome town sign nearby, worn, and destroyed hanging off the edges of its poles. It read. "Welcome to No Man's Land: Population...who the f*** cares" Moon started to see why this town became abandoned, not much care went into it, and there was a dying forest behind it, and an almost endless desert in front...not exactly a tourist attraction. Moon sighed, as he threw on the black hood of his coat, and began to walk into Desert Valley. He had a revenge to enact, a cultist to destroy, his missing weapons to find, and more importantly, a mate to call his. However...currently, their was only one thing he had to do, and on his mind...and that...was to survive.

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