---
The Sun Clan's forces moved like a golden tide through the valley, torches casting flickering shadows against the trees. Their warriors, clad in gleaming armor, were disciplined—strong, trained.
But they were also predictable.
Luna watched from her perch on a rocky outcrop, night-colored eyes gleaming. Her warriors were already in position. The trap was set.
Ahava knelt beside her, his grip firm on his blade. "They have more men than we expected."
Luna smirked. "Then we kill more than expected."
Ahava exhaled sharply but didn't argue.
Below, Dain and Kiran waited in the darkness with the rest of their warriors, ready to strike.
Luna lifted her hand. The signal.
Then she dropped it.
---
The Ambush
The Eclipse warriors exploded from the trees like shadows come to life.
Kiran and Dain led the first charge, cutting down the front-line guards before they could raise their weapons. The Sun Clan's soldiers shouted in alarm, but they had no time to regroup.
Luna moved through the chaos like a ghost, her daggers flashing under the moonlight.
She was a blur of silver and death, weaving between enemies, striking with deadly precision.
One soldier lunged at her—she ducked, spinning low, slicing his legs out from under him. He collapsed, screaming.
Another swung his blade. Luna caught his wrist, twisting sharply until she heard the sickening crack of bone. He fell to his knees, gasping in pain.
Ahava fought beside her, his strikes clean and efficient. There was no hesitation, no wasted movement.
Dain roared as he cleaved through two men at once, his twin blades gleaming with fresh blood.
Kiran danced through the battlefield, quick and unpredictable, his daggers finding every weak point in the enemy's defenses.
The Sun Clan had numbers, but Luna's warriors had something greater—unwavering loyalty and the hunger for victory.
---
A Dangerous Opponent
Luna had just taken down another enemy when she felt it—a shift in the air.
A presence.
She turned, barely dodging the blade aimed at her heart.
A man stood before her, taller than the rest, his armor marked with the Sun Clan's royal insignia. His golden eyes locked onto hers with deadly intent.
"Princess of the Moon Clan," he said, his voice smooth, but laced with venom.
Luna's grip on her daggers tightened. "Not a princess," she corrected. "A queen."
The man smirked. "We'll see about that."
Then he attacked.
His speed was startling. He moved like lightning, his sword striking with relentless precision. Luna dodged, parried, countered—but he was stronger. More experienced.
For the first time, she was being pushed back.
Ahava saw the struggle and moved to intervene, but the warrior blocked him effortlessly, forcing him away.
Luna gritted her teeth. This wasn't an ordinary soldier.
This was a Sun Clan warlord.
She needed to end this—fast.
---
Breaking Limits
Luna waited. Studied him.
He was aggressive, but predictable. He relied on his strength, assuming she would fold.
That was his mistake.
When he lunged again, aiming for her throat, Luna shifted—sidestepping at the last second.
The warlord's momentum carried him forward. Off balance.
Luna didn't hesitate.
She slammed the hilt of her dagger into the back of his knee, forcing him down, then pivoted and drove her second blade into the weak spot between his shoulder armor.
The warlord gasped, his sword slipping from his grasp.
Luna leaned in close, her lips near his ear. "Never underestimate me."
Then she twisted the dagger.
The light faded from his golden eyes, and he crumpled.
Silence followed.
The remaining Sun Clan warriors faltered, their morale shattered at the sight of their fallen leader.
Luna lifted her bloodstained blade. "Run," she commanded.
And they did.
---
The Aftermath
The battlefield was theirs.
The Eclipse warriors stood victorious, bloodied but unbroken. Dain wiped his swords clean, grinning. "Well, that was fun."
Kiran smirked. "Told you we'd win."
Ahava eyed Luna, his gaze unreadable. "You could have died."
Luna met his stare. "But I didn't."
He exhaled but said nothing.
Dain clapped a hand on her shoulder. "So, what now, little queen?"
Luna glanced at the bodies, at the gold and weapons left behind.
"We prepare for war," she said. "Because this was only the beginning."
And she meant it.
The Sun Clan would come for her. Again and again.
But she would always be ready.
Because she was not just a warrior.
She was a queen.
And soon, the world would know it.
---