The clock struck the twelve-hour mark of the Lunar Cry event, and the world irrevocably changed.
Before, it had been the domain of screens and scientists, of fear relayed through shaky video feeds and hushed reports. Now, it was a visceral, inescapable reality. As night fell across the globe, the sky, even in heavily light-polluted cities, offered a horrific spectacle: the Pandora's Ribbon had become visible to the naked eye.
It wasn't just a faint aura. It appeared as a colossal, shimmering black bow ribbon across the face of the moon, a dark, pulsing band that seemed to absorb the light around it, yet simultaneously radiate an unsettling, malevolent glow. It hung there, massive and geometrically impossible, stretching across the lunar surface like a wound that bled pure void.
And that was when the second wave of panic.
People had retreated, barricaded, and glued themselves to news reports. On the streets, sirens that had briefly quieted began to wail again. The night sky became a focal point of terror. In bunkers and crowded apartments, the sound of civilized fear—hushed calls, hurried prayers—was replaced by an unrestrained, primal volume.
But the sight of the Ribbon was different. It tore through the psychological defense of distance. The sight of the Ribbon confirmed humanity's deepest, darkest suspicion: this was not a natural event. It was of some alien power.
Religious fervor spiked into hysteria; conspiracy theories suddenly looked like prophecy. Above all, there was the paralyzing certainty that whatever was about to happen was not coming from the moon, but through it. The world held its breath, staring at the visible, terrifying sign that Pandora's Box was not just full—it was about to break open.
The pizza boxes were swept aside, and Koba and Mothman were snoring, loudly. I got up from my makeshift hammock, that wasn't a bad 6-to-7-hour power nap. But I felt the time compression—the critical six-hour window had arrived—and the growing panic on the surface world demanded an immediate, decisive move. The Gutter Nest was safe, but it was underground. I needed elevation and a clean line of sight on the chaos unfolding in the heavens above.
"Alright, wake up everybody" I announced, wiping the last bit of grease from my hands. "We're moving. We're advancing to the high ground." I sent a mental command to Herja, "Herja plot me a course to the Camel back mountain range."
I paused at the threshold of the forge, the smell of burnt pizza still mixing with the metallic tang of orgone. I lifted my hand to my temple, the umbral glow of my enhanced plasma tail a subtle thrum behind me. The six-hour clock to the Lunar Cry was my only focus.
A moment later, a bright, segmented overlay of tactical navigation flashed across my vision. The complex, three-dimensional blueprint of Beast Vein City—the Gutter Nest, the tangled sprawl of the slums, and the distant, jagged spine of the mountains—was highlighted. A precise, rapid route was drawn in shimmering green, slicing a path through abandoned districts and using massive caverns to bypass the worst congested points, so that we could take the Hand.
"Route generated," Herja's cool voice confirmed in my mind. "ETA to high-ground vantage point: 45 minutes, assuming S-Rank speed and minimal engagement."
"Forty-five minutes," I confirmed, looking at my assembled team. We're heading for the Camelback Mountains. It's the perfect choke point, eight miles from the city center, but we can hit anything coming in." Before we headed out, I activated my internal connection. "Herja," I commanded, the display in my HUD shifted to a deep-scan mode. "Run diagnostics on Felicity. I need her current class, stats, and a full breakdown of the chibi summon."
A brief, cold blue light enveloped Felicity, who just shrugged, unbothered by the sudden scan. A moment later, Herja delivered the report directly into my HUD:
"Affinity: Caster/Support Type.
Level: 5
Health Points 4500
Orgone 11,800
Strength 5
Agility 18
Intelligence 14
Stamina 9
Attack Speed 145
Defense 115
Accuracy: 233
Resistance 88
Estimated battle power: 15,000."
Queen of the Hollow Path abilities:
'Fast Travel'
Felicity's primary form of movement. Near-instant displacement across short to moderate distances. Can also open of 'fast travel' gates for allies.
Cavet: Fast travel gates can only be opened to locations Felicity has previously been.
Unique Summon ability:
'Chibi Troika''
Felicity can summon three distinct Chibi entities—small, powerful projections of heightened psychic intent. Unlike other summon types all three Chibi's can be active and fully materialized in a single instant.
Cavet: Each Chibi can only last 1 turn.
Chibi Name Emotion/Effect Primary Utility
Happy Felicity Aura of Fortitude; Grants a 25% increase accuracy buff and 15% attack boost to all allies within the zone.
Sad Felicity Aura of Despair; Inflicts a 25% attack down debuff on all enemies, severely reducing their damage output and initiative.
Fierce Felicity Aura of Bloodlust; Grants a 15% Crit damage Buff to all allies. Causes a 'Rage' Debuff in enemies, making them attack recklessly, lowering their defense and accuracy by 25%"
I absorbed the data, my grin returning, but now with a tactical edge. Felicity was a party buffer, capable of swinging the morale and combat stats of an entire battle!
"Your perfect Felicity!" I muttered under my breath, adjusting my grip on the dark crystal rod. Felicity tossed her raven black waterfall hair braid over her shoulder, "Tell me something I dont know." She said with a smile.
I didn't need to say anything more. We were already moving, a blur of motion and grim determination, following the green line into the chaotic night.
The Five-person advance team—myself, Marla, Koba, Mothman and Felicity—made their final preparations, ready to leave the safety of the Gutter Nest and climb toward the Camelback Mountains, where the visible, terrifying sign of the Pandora's Ribbon waited. The Hand moved with silent, geological purpose, navigating the deep caverns Herja had mapped out in the spine of the Camelback Mountains.
The journey was a vertical sprint. Marla focused her Orgone to steady her footing against the immense tectonic shifts the Hand's movement created. I stood at the forefront, my eyes locked on the green navigational overlay projected onto the cavern wall by Herja. Koba and Mothman, gripping the Hand's steely knuckles for balance simply trusted the ride.
The colossal Hand ascended a steep, narrow ledge and then slid into a vast, silent, cavernous clearing. The rock walls here were ancient and smooth, the Hand, however, slowed its methodical progress and came to a stop.
Then, it began to tap. The Hand's immense, steel fingernail began to delicately, rhythmically tap the cavern wall, running its blunt tip across the cold rock. "What's it doing?" Marla whispered, squinting, the emerald Orgone around her wavering with tension. I brought my fingers to my lips, shushing her. "Shhhhh. He's onto something."
The tapping continued, a low, percussive sound echoing off the stone walls, an ancient communication only the Hand seemed to understand. It tapped past smooth rock, past glittering mineral deposits, until its massive fingernail settled squarely on a single, suspiciously smooth boulder resting against the far wall. The Hand's massive fingers curled around the boulder. With a low, grating sound of stone grinding against stone, the Hand rolled it away. Immediately, the cavern was breached by a shocking flood of light. Not the harsh, weak light of the city, but the cold, brilliant white glare of the moonlight. The opening, a natural fissure obscured by the boulder, was large enough to drive a truck through.
I grinned, stepping forward into the sudden wash of lunar brightness. The Hand hadn't just found a way outside; it had revealed a hidden, perfect exit.
We had reached the Camelback Mountain peak, and the Pandora's Ribbon hung right before us, impossibly huge, dominating the night sky.