The Tower of Shadows trembled as Bear's tattoo dragon unleashed another earth-shattering roar. Luna couldn't help but smile at the chaos her friends had brought with them. Trust Bear to make such a dramatic entrance.
"I see your little friends have arrived," Arcturus said, his voice cold and calculating. His silver hair shimmered in the dim light as he stepped forward. "How... inconvenient."
Luna felt Declan's grip tighten on her hand. Electricity crackled around him, making her skin tingle where they touched. Despite everything, her heart skipped a beat at his closeness.
"Give it up, Arcturus," Declan growled. "You're outnumbered."
A slow, cruel smile spread across Arcturus's face. "Am I?"
Suddenly, the shadows in the corners of the vast chamber began to move and twist. Dark figures emerged, their robes swirling like living darkness - more Collectors.
"Oh great," Zoe muttered from her perch on Bear's shoulder. "More creepy guys in robes. Because that's exactly what we needed."
Bear set her down gently before cracking his knuckles. His faded tattoos seemed to ripple across his massive arms. "Don't worry, purple," he said with a grin. "Just means more fun for us."
The tension in the room snapped like a rubber band. Chaos erupted as both sides clashed. Luna's tattoos sprang to life, forming protective barriers around her and her friends.
Beside her, Declan was a force of nature, electricity arcing from his hands as he fought.
Through the chaos, Luna caught sight of Vivian. The silver-haired woman stood apart from the battle, her black eyes fixed on Luna with an intensity that made her shiver.
There was something calculating in that gaze, something hungry.
"Luna, watch out!"
Iris's warning came just in time. Luna ducked as a bolt of dark magic whizzed over her head. The mismatched-eyed woman was already moving, her braids whipping around her face as she traced glowing symbols in the air.
A shimmering barrier sprang up, deflecting another attack.
"Thanks," Luna gasped.
Iris flashed her a quick smile, her brown and ice-blue eyes glowing with power. "That's what family's for."
Across the chamber, Charlie had set up some kind of magical tech station. His glasses reflected the glow of multiple screens as his fingers flew over holographic keyboards.
"Their magical signature is similar to last time," he called out. "I might be able to disrupt it again!"
"Less talking, more hacking!" Fiona shouted back.
The redhead was in her element, her transformed pens dancing through the air like deadly weapons. Her spiky hair seemed even wilder than usual, matching her fierce grin.
Malik moved like a shadow among the Collectors, his tribal tattoos peeling off his dark skin to become snarling beasts. "Focus," he reminded everyone, calm as ever even in the midst of battle. "Remember your training."
Luna found herself back-to-back with Zoe, just like they used to stand up to bullies in high school. Except this time, instead of mean girls, they were fighting dark mages.
"Just another Tuesday, right?" Zoe quipped, wielding what looked like a broken chair leg like a staff. She might not have magic, but she wasn't going down without a fight.
"Totally normal," Luna agreed, sending a wave of living ink at an approaching Collector. "Maybe next week we can go to the mall instead?"
Their laughter was cut short by a bone-chilling sound - not quite a scream, not quite a roar. Everyone froze as Arcturus raised his hands. The air itself seemed to bend and twist around him.
"Enough games," he snarled. Gone was the smooth, cultured voice. Now he sounded like something ancient and terrible. "I will have what I came for."
Dark energy pulsed from his hands, and Luna felt her knees buckle. Her tattoos writhed on her skin, trying to resist whatever he was doing. Around her, her friends were struggling too.
But then Declan was there, standing between her and Arcturus. Lightning crackled around him like a storm given human form. His wild curls danced with static electricity, and his green eyes blazed with determination.
"You're not touching her," he growled.
For a moment, something flickered across Arcturus's face - recognition? Regret? But it was gone so quickly Luna might have imagined it.
"You always were too noble for your own good, Declan," Arcturus said softly. "Just like your father."
Luna saw Declan flinch at those words. She wanted to ask what Arcturus meant, but before she could, another voice cut through the tension.
"Enough!"
Vivian stepped forward, her silver hair floating around her face like she was underwater. Her black eyes were fixed on Arcturus with pure hatred.
"You've taken enough from this family," she spat. "No more."
To Luna's shock, Vivian's power manifested not as ink, but as pure darkness. It rolled off her in waves, making the shadows in the room writhe and dance.
"My dear Vivian," Arcturus said, his voice dripping with false sympathy. "Still bitter about our little... arrangement?"
"You mean when you trapped me?" Vivian's laugh was sharp as broken glass. "When you stole my power and twisted it into something dark? Yes, I'd say I'm still rather bitter about that."
Luna's mind raced. There was clearly history here she didn't understand. But one thing was becoming clear - Vivian might be dangerous, might even be an enemy, but right now she hated Arcturus more than anyone else in the room.
The air crackled with tension as three different types of power clashed - Arcturus's dark magic, Vivian's corrupted ink magic, and Luna's pure ink magic. The very walls of the Tower seemed to groan under the strain.
"Luna." Declan's voice was low, meant only for her ears. "Whatever happens next... trust your instincts."
She looked up at him, caught off guard by the intensity in his green eyes. For a moment, the chaos around them seemed to fade away. It was just them, standing close enough that she could feel the warmth radiating from his skin.
"Declan, I—"
But whatever she was about to say was lost as Arcturus made his move. With a gesture, he sent a wave of dark energy at both Luna and Vivian.
Luna's tattoos reacted instinctively, rising up to protect her. Beside her, Vivian's darkness did the same. Their powers collided with Arcturus's attack in a blinding flash of light.
The last thing Luna saw was Declan reaching for her, his face a mask of worry and something deeper, something he'd been trying to hide. Then the world exploded in light and shadow, and everything went dark.
When Luna opened her eyes, she found herself in a place that shouldn't exist. The walls around her were made of pure light and shadow, constantly shifting and changing. And she wasn't alone.
Vivian stood across from her, her black eyes wide with surprise. Between them floated a sphere of pure magic, pulsing with power.
"Well," Vivian said softly, a smile spreading across her face. "This is interesting."
The sphere pulsed once, twice, and Luna felt power unlike anything she'd ever known course through her veins. Her tattoos blazed with new life.
But before she could react, the sphere began to crack. Light spilled from the fissures, growing brighter and brighter until Luna had to shield her eyes.
And then...