Moonstones

Escape?

Lunette felt groggy and sore. She vaguely remembered racing through the forest, chasing after a vision she couldn't help but feel was real. Lunette rubbed her head as she sat up.

"Slowly now," Lunette heard Derward coax her.

"The kids..." Lunette started but then yawned.

"No more talk of children and monsters." Derward helped Lunette stand. "What is important is that we found the stone."

"Where?!"

"On that platform."

Lunette had to lean on Derward before she regained some balance. What was different? It looked as if the cave was dying, slowly falling apart like a body would rot. The short dais was surrounded by bright crystals in her vision, now they were no better than a dull flashlight, to rock worn and cracked. The only truly shiny thing that caught her attention was a gold, glittering stone.

"What happened here," she asked, dropping to her knees and scooping up the stone. "Everything was so bright and vibrant without a shadow to be found."

"I unfortunately did not partake in your vision Princess, but it seems this cave has been abandoned. These crystals hold life, need life, without it, they cannot survive."

"But why did she leave?" Lunette pondered, turning the stone over in her hand. "What changed? That creature was so unnatural, I've never come across anything like it."

"Simplest, quickest and best description of this her you speak of?" Derward bent his head down to the princess's level.

"Like a manticore but more splendid and diverse. It was like a hybrid. It was almost beautiful how the creatures just blended into one another..." The stone glowed and gold started creeping up Lunette's hands. She screamed and dropped the stone but it was too late.

"Lunette!" Derward shouted. He wanted to leap and catch her but he wasn't sure what Lunette was going to become. Derward was left speechless when he came face to face with the monstrous creature the princess had begun to explain to him. "But you didn't touch the beast," Derward muttered beneath his breath.

"What?" Lunette started to inquire but paused. She was taller than Derward. The tip of his antlers were at her eye-level.

"Lunette, do not panic. Look at me." Lunette followed Derward's instructions. "That stone is the Former Forming moonstone."

"What stupid name is that," Lunette's voice sounded off. It was gruffer with a bit of a rumble to it yet still her normal pitch.

"Forget the name!" Derward swung his head back as if literally tossing the idea aside. "The stone lets you transform into whatever you have touched that is living. However, you never touched a Terror before. In fact, they should be extinct.

"A Terror?" Lunette's heart was racing. Had she turned into the beast she'd fearfully chased?

"Its Latin name is Terrere which is funny because terrere is a verb in Latin and yet it is being used as a noun."

"Derward! Now is not the time for a Latin lesson! I've turned into this Terrere thing. How do I change back?"

"You have to use the word former in a sentence I suppose."

"You suppose?!" Lunette roared but Derward didn't even jump.

"Well, I must admit that I am not entirely sure how you are supposed to go about doing it. It was a struggle."

"Was?" Lunette was super frustrated. Deciding getting all riled up wouldn't help, she exhaled then inhaled. "You said to say the word former in a sentence, right?" Derward nodded. "So, I wish to become my former self." Lunette squeezed her eyes shut.