Chronicle 34

Lunar Lightning spun in place, his cape forming a projection vertically with all phases of the moon. After a complete rotation, he appeared on the lunar surface where he most often dwelled. Where he left Cassius Killmove. He was shocked to see that the cursed man was no longer trapped there. Below the spot he was stranded was a ring of ash and some curiously lingering flames. He inferred something either came to help or kill CK, then after a moment moved on to his own issues. Floating around the moon slowly, he caught the attention of the moon-mites.

“Where do you think you’re headed?” said a mustached moon-mite floating around, rolling in midair along with the hero.

“My birthplace. I was told I’ll find it here.” Lunar Lightning answered, then realized something. “Didn’t I disintegrate you?”

“We reintegrated.” The moon-mite chief stopped him in his tracks. “You weren’t born here.”

“How could you know that?”

“We live thousands of years. You’ve only been around maybe a few years.”

“So where did I come from?”

“You’re not wrong when you say the moon. Just not this one.”

“Which moon?”

“Beats me.” the chief looked back at all the moon-mites tumbling around. “Any of you know which moon this guy came from?”

All the moon-mites looked at each other, shrugging in unison. Lunar Lightning broke from the group and went to explore on his own, hoping to find any clue. In one of his favorite craters to linger in, he ruminated on his past. When he traced his memory back as far as possible, he’d reach a painful wall he was unable to pass. As if pounding a hammer into steel, he repeatedly slammed into that wall. Black and white electricity grew around him, expanding to a large portion of the moon, crackling when he’d focus enough on that wall. In the distance, had he looked, he’d see the moon-mites playfully fleeing, some disintegrating at the edge of his waves of crackling energy.

“WHY CAN’T I REMEMBER?” Lunar Lightning shouted aloud, his energy exploding outward. A bolt of lightning lingered longer than the rest, jittering, leading him back to where he teleported to originally. He followed it as it faded, leaving black and white streaks fading in the air. The end of the trail was dead center in the ring of ash beneath where CK was. Electricity buzzed, tracing the circle of ash. Remnants of flame grew and spread until the moon’s surface at the center began to fade. LL flew above it and looked down into it to see familiar light, as if the moon’s shine was emanating from inside. It called to him. Unable to decline, he turned to fly head first into the hole.

As Lunar Lightning entered a different realm, he felt his power grow, as if fed by the place he found himself drawn to. Electricity coming from his body wasn’t violent and destructive, it was alive. It moved like a many-headed serpent and was ever-present around him. Emblems on his suit were illuminated with moon-glow, as did his eyes. The top of his head was visibly radiating energy that he could feel moving in waves. His cape grew longer and wider and his body in general felt larger. In this form, he knew he’d found his home.

Looking around, Lunar Lightning found that the shining he saw was coming from the air of this realm. There was a moon, similar in appearance to the Earth’s, nearby, but smaller. Surrounding it was glowing space and many diverse moons at various distances. They all seemed to slowly orbit a central moon. It was a perfect sphere of moonlight, with a pearlescent surface that dimmed the light coming from its core so that the light wasn’t unbearable. To find his history, Lunar Lightning understood he had to go there.

“Welcome back to the Sanctuary of the Moon.” a voice echoed in the realm. It awoke whatever beings were on each moon. They rose together, facing Lunar Lightning as he made his way drifting towards the central moon. He couldn’t quite make out who or what they were, but they were similar in color to their respective moons, a wide spectrum of appearances. Growing near to the center, Lunar Lightning realized it had been turning towards him since he entered. A massive flat region atop the enormous orb had a monstrous being sitting on a throne at the other end. LL floated high above his end of the flat area, a speck in the air compared to the seated figure, feeling that it was close enough.

“You’ve entered the Court of the Moon King. Speak.” said a large moon-mite beside the throne.

Lunar Lightning hesitated to speak, taking in the sight, memory flashes sparking in his mind. So massive was the Moon King that the hero, who was unshaken by every Earthly evil, was frozen in fear. He sat with a relaxed posture, using both armrests with his white-tipped, clawed hands dangling over the edges. Lunar Lightning saw the back of those hands were pocked with craters, as was every moon in the realm except, it seemed,for the central one. The King had long hair hanging back over his throne’s headrest and flowing behind the chair. He wore a crown of narrow spires, giant stone spikes rising up from a partial stone ring. Each of the spires was a world with many small moons orbiting. His face was pale blue and cold, his eyes bright with the same light as within the central moon. One side of his body was dark, however. His skin on the dark side looked charred and his hair was fuller and jet black. LL gathered the courage to speak, but he couldn’t hide the anger he felt of his lost past.

“What is the Sanctuary of the Moon?”

“Your home.” The Moon King’s voice was calm and still.

“Why don’t I know that? How much has been taken from me?”

“Nothing has been taken from you. You’ve given this up yourself.”

“What do you mean? Explain what you’re talking about.”

“YOU WILL RESPECT THE MOON KING.” the moon-mite stated, colors bursting from the realm, each moon exuding its energy in fury.

“It’s fine. He’s lost.” said the Moon King. “You’re my child. As are all of you.” He motioned a hand around. Lunar Lightning saw all the other beings coming near to witness the Court. “You were born by my will. A universe of Lunar power. A universe filled with the glow of divine moonlight.”

“Who are they?” Lunar Lightning asked, noticing how similar they all were to himself.

“Lunar Aspects. As are you. A God of the moon, with a fragment of my power.”

“And who are you?”

“FOOL! YOU QUESTION HE WHO IS. HE WHO HAS GIVEN YOU LIGHT. HOW DARE YOU-” the moon-mite advisor shouted. Lunar Lightning’s own power expanded in that moment, as did all the other aspects. The Moon King interrupted him again.

“He doesn’t remember, Howard. Easy.” The King patted the head of the moon-mite, which gently bounced him off the ground and upwards, floating up and down for the rest of the conversation. “Many have called me the Tide Bringer, the Light in the Dark, the Ever Glow. I have no name. You may call me the Moon King. My existence is tied to this and every realm containing moons. As you are fragments of me, I am a fragment of the all that is.” He motioned again to the other Lunar Aspects. “These are your brothers and sisters. To name a few, here’s Lunar Flame…” An Aspect shone a fiery red from the distance; a female in a suit very similar to LL’s own - her moon glowing the same color simultaneously. “...Lunar Bubbles…” a bubble covered Aspect shot bubbles all over, which Howard hopped around to pop quickly. The bubble moon surrounded itself in its own bubble, which popped after a few seconds. “...Lunar Fur…” an Aspect with the head of a silly wolf roared weakly as its mildly wooly moon grew out its own fur and then shed it. “All distinct, all my loyal children. You’re the only one who defied me.”

“How so?” Lunar Lightning quivered, growing into the memory.

The dark side of the Moon King instantly spread to cover most of him. The central moon filled with a foggy darkness as well, corresponding with his transformation. “You betrayed me. My generosity. My love.”

“No.”

“Look below.” The Moon King and all the Lunar Aspects looked down at the flat surface on the central moon. It became a screen, featuring the moments Lunar Lightning needed to see, though painful. As those memories came to the forefront of his mind and he watched them play out, he was filled with more emotion than he’d ever felt.

“NO!”