Luna's heart raced as she stared at the approaching figures in black. The hallway was dark except for the bright light at the end, making the scene feel like something out of a nightmare.
She could feel Declan's warm hand holding hers tightly, and it was the only thing keeping her from completely freaking out.
"What do we do?" she whispered, her voice shaky.
Declan squeezed her hand reassuringly. His green eyes, visible even in the dim light, were filled with determination.
"We fight," he said simply. "Luna, I know you haven't had any training, but I need you to try and use your magic. Can you do that?"
Luna nodded, even though she had no idea how. She thought about the dragon tattoo on Bear's back, how it had come to life earlier. Could she do something like that again?
As if reading her mind, Bear's deep voice rumbled from behind them. "Little Inky," he said, using the nickname he'd given her, "if you need a big scaly friend again, just say the word."
Despite the tense situation, Luna couldn't help but smile at the nickname. It made her feel a little braver.
Suddenly, Iris's mismatched eyes began to glow in the darkness. She raised her hands, and strange symbols appeared in the air, glowing with a soft blue light.
"I'll try to hold them off," she said, her voice strained. "The rest of you, get ready!"
The symbols shot forward, creating a shimmering barrier between them and the approaching Collectors. But even as Luna watched, she could see the barrier starting to crack under the assault of the Collectors' weapons.
Charlie, his glasses reflecting the glow of his laptop screen, was typing furiously. "I'm trying to get our systems back online," he muttered. "If I can just bypass their interference..."
Fiona, her spiky red hair seeming to glow like embers in the dark, pulled out what looked like two regular pens. But with a flick of her wrists, they extended into glowing batons.
"Time to bash some Collector heads," she growled, a fierce grin on her face.
Malik stepped forward, his dreadlocks swaying. The tribal tattoos on his arms began to move, swirling patterns that seemed to come alive.
"Remember," his deep voice rumbled, "aim to incapacitate, not kill. We're better than them."
Zoe, who had been quiet until now, suddenly spoke up. "Um, what am I supposed to do? I don't have any magic or cool weapons!"
"Stay close to me," Luna told her friend. "I'll protect you." She hoped she sounded more confident than she felt.
Just then, Iris's barrier shattered with a sound like breaking glass. The Collectors rushed forward, their weapons raised.
"Now!" Declan shouted.
Everything happened at once. Fiona leaped forward, her batons whirling in a dizzying display of skill. She moved like a dancer, graceful yet deadly, taking down two Collectors before they could even react.
Malik raised his hands, and the tattoos on his arms seemed to peel off his skin, forming into shadowy creatures that lunged at the attackers.
Luna watched in awe as the ink animals - wolves, eagles, and what looked like a bear - tore into the Collectors' ranks.
Bear let out a roar that shook the walls, and suddenly the dragon tattoo on his back came to life again. It grew rapidly, filling the hallway and snapping at the Collectors with razor-sharp teeth.
Amidst the chaos, Luna felt a tugging sensation in her gut. She looked down at her arms, covered in her own tattoos, and had an idea. Focusing hard, she willed her tattoos to come alive, just like Bear's dragon.
To her amazement, it worked. The intricate mandala on her forearm began to spin, creating a swirling vortex that pulled in the nearest Collector.
The delicate butterfly on her wrist fluttered to life, growing to the size of an eagle and dive-bombing another attacker.
"Luna, that's amazing!" Declan shouted, ducking under a Collector's swing and retaliating with a punch that crackled with electricity. Luna realized he must have some kind of elemental magic.
For a moment, it seemed like they were winning. But then more Collectors poured in, and Luna saw something that made her blood run cold. Among the new attackers was a woman who stood out from the rest.
She wasn't wearing the standard black gear, but instead was dressed in a sleek, dark purple suit. Her hair was a striking silver, cut in a sharp bob, and her eyes... her eyes were completely black, like pools of ink.
The woman raised her hand, and suddenly all of Luna's animated tattoos froze. With a flick of her wrist, they were forced back onto Luna's skin, leaving her defenseless.
"Well, well," the woman said, her voice smooth and cold. "What do we have here? A new ink mage? How... delightful."
Declan moved in front of Luna protectively. "Vivian," he spat the name like it was poison. "I should have known you'd be behind this."
The woman - Vivian - smiled, but it didn't reach her inky black eyes. "Declan, darling. Still playing hero with your little Veil friends, I see. Why don't you step aside and let me talk to the new girl? I'm sure I could offer her a much better deal than you can."
Luna felt a chill run down her spine. There was something terrifying about this woman, beyond just her appearance. She could feel the raw power emanating from her, and it made her newly awakened magic recoil.
"Stay away from her," Declan growled, his hands crackling with electricity.
Vivian laughed, a sound like breaking glass. "Oh, protective, aren't we? Don't tell me you've gone and developed feelings for this little amateur, Declan. You know that never ends well."
Luna saw Declan flinch at those words and wondered what history there was between him and this terrifying woman.
Just then, Charlie let out a triumphant yell. "Got it!" he shouted, and suddenly the lights in the hallway blazed to life.
At the same time, a high-pitched whine filled the air, and several of the Collectors dropped their weapons, clutching their heads.
"Run!" Iris shouted. "To the safe room!"
They didn't need to be told twice. As one, the group turned and ran down the hallway, with Luna practically dragging Zoe along. Behind them, she could hear Vivian's frustrated scream and the sound of pursuit.
They rounded a corner and saw a heavy metal door at the end of the hall. Malik reached it first, slamming his hand against a panel next to it. The door slid open with a hiss.
"Everyone in!" he shouted.
They piled into the room, which looked like a cross between a high-tech bunker and a cozy living room. As soon as they were all inside, Malik hit another panel, and the door slid shut with a series of loud clicks.
For a moment, everyone stood there, panting and trying to catch their breath. Luna leaned against a wall, her legs feeling like jelly. She looked around at the others.
Fiona was sporting a nasty cut on her cheek, while Charlie's glasses were cracked. Bear's dragon tattoo had returned to his back, but it was moving restlessly, as if agitated. Declan...
Luna's eyes widened as she saw Declan. He was leaning heavily against a table, his face pale. That's when she noticed the dark stain spreading across his shirt.
"Declan!" she cried out, rushing to his side. "You're hurt!"
He tried to smile, but it came out as more of a grimace. "It's not that bad," he said, but his voice was weak.
Iris was there in an instant, her mismatched eyes examining the wound. "Liar," she said, but her voice was fond. "You're lucky it missed anything vital, but you're still losing a lot of blood."
"I can help," Luna said, surprising herself. She didn't know where the words came from, but suddenly she knew, with absolute certainty, that she could heal him.
Everyone turned to look at her. "Little Inky," Bear said gently, "I know you want to help, but healing magic is advanced stuff. Maybe you should let Iris handle this."
But Luna shook her head. "No, I can do this. I don't know how I know, but I do." She looked at Declan, meeting his green eyes. "Do you trust me?"
Despite the pain he was clearly in, Declan's gaze never wavered. "With my life," he said softly.
Heart pounding, Luna placed her hands over Declan's wound. She closed her eyes, focusing on the feeling of her magic. In her mind, she pictured Declan's injury healing, the flesh knitting back together, the blood flow stopping.
To her amazement, she felt a warmth spreading from her hands. When she opened her eyes, she saw black lines spreading from her fingers, looking for all the world like animated ink.
The lines sank into Declan's wound, and before everyone's astonished eyes, the injury began to close.
A few moments later, it was done. Where there had been a serious wound, there was now only smooth, unbroken skin. The only sign that anything had happened was a small tattoo-like mark in the shape of a crescent moon.
"That's... that's impossible," Charlie whispered, his eyes wide behind his cracked glasses. "Ink mages can't heal!"
Iris shook her head, her braids swaying. "Apparently, this one can."
Luna felt dizzy, the room spinning around her. She had done it - she had healed Declan. But the effort had drained her, and she could feel herself starting to fall.
Strong arms caught her before she hit the ground. She looked up to see Declan holding her, his green eyes filled with wonder and something else... something warmer.
"Thank you," he said softly, his face close to hers. For a moment, Luna thought he might kiss her. Her heart raced at the thought.
But then a loud bang on the door made everyone jump. Vivian's voice came through, cold and angry.
"You can't hide in there forever," she called. "And when you come out, I'll be waiting. Especially for you, little ink mage. You're even more special than I thought."
Luna shivered, pressing closer to Declan. She looked around at the others, seeing the worry on their faces. They were safe for now, but for how long? And what would happen when they eventually had to leave this room?
As if reading her thoughts, Declan squeezed her gently. "Don't worry," he said, his voice low and determined. "We'll figure this out. Together."
Luna nodded, trying to believe him. But as another loud bang echoed through the room, she couldn't help but wonder: what had she gotten herself into? And more importantly, how were they going to get out of it?