Nocturnal Isle

Chapter Eleven: The Revelation

After we had been in the hot tub for a little while, Luna had an Idea.

She gave me a small smile. "I want to teach you some self-defence techniques. If you're going to stay here with us, you should know how to protect yourself, don't you think?"

I couldn't argue with that. I'd been feeling pretty helpless around Luna and her family. Sure, none of them had given me a reason to feel unsafe, but the power imbalance was obvious. Maybe this would be a good way to close that gap, even if just a little.

I stood up. "Alright, let's do it."

Luna left me in the room to change back into my clothes, and when I was finished, I found her standing on the other side of the door.

As Luna guided me down the hallway to a combat training room, she had a focused look on her face, different from the playful glint I'd seen earlier. It was as if she was preparing for something serious.

The room was very large. There were so many weapons lining the walls, new and old, ranging from swords to machine guns. There were also lots of various props and targets.

Once we entered, Luna took off her jacket, revealing a simple tank top and leggings, her pale skin glowing faintly in the dim light. There was an ease about her, as if she wasn't concerned in the slightest about what was coming. Meanwhile, my heart was already pounding.

"Before we start," she said, turning to me, "I want you to know this isn't just about strength. It's about technique, control, and awareness. You might not be as strong as I am, but that doesn't mean you can't defend yourself."

I nodded, suddenly feeling the weight of her words. "Okay, teach me."

She stepped behind me, her fingers gently guiding my arms into a basic stance. Her touch was light but firm, correcting my posture as she explained.

"Keep your feet shoulder-width apart. You need balance. Without balance, you'll be on the ground before you even realize what happened."

I adjusted my stance, trying to follow her instructions. Her closeness made it hard to concentrate—my heart was racing, but not because of the training.

She moved around to face me. "Now, we're going to start with something simple. If someone grabs you, how do you get out?"

I shrugged. "I don't know. Push them off?"

She chuckled softly. "Not exactly. Pushing might not always work, especially if the person is stronger than you."

Before I knew it, she grabbed my wrist, her fingers cool against my skin. "Try to break free."

I tugged at my arm, but her grip was iron-clad. I tried twisting, pulling away, but it was useless. She smiled, clearly enjoying how outmatched I was.

"Now," she said, still holding my wrist, "instead of pulling away, step in closer."

I hesitated, but followed her instruction, stepping toward her. She loosened her grip slightly as soon as I did.

"When you get close, you create leverage. Now twist your arm out of my grip—like this." She demonstrated the motion, slow and deliberate, letting me feel the shift in her hold.

I did as she instructed, and to my surprise, my arm slipped free. "Hey, that actually worked."

"Of course it did," she said, smiling. "You're learning."

For the next hour, Luna showed me a series of techniques—how to escape holds, how to block, and even how to throw a proper punch. Each time she touched me to adjust my stance or guide my movements, there was a quiet tension in the air. Her hands on my shoulders, her voice low as she whispered instructions—it was all very... distracting.