Chapter 68: "The Moon Healing and Repair"

Chapter 68: "Moon Healing and Repair"

Tessa's first thought was to heal the wounded as things had settled a little, she raised her hands to heal.

As Tessa raised her hand, the moonlight cascaded gently down upon the broken bodies of the students, the teachers, and Mr. Hammond.

The droplets glowed like silver tears, and with each drop that touched a bruise or wound, the pain vanished, leaving only warmth and healing behind.

The students who had been trembling in fear moments before were now blinking in astonishment as their injuries faded away, their breath catching in disbelief.

Mr. Hammond, standing to the side, watched in stunned silence. His heart was heavy with guilt. He took a hesitant step forward, his voice shaking. "Tessa... I—" He swallowed hard, the weight of his betrayal crushing him. He could barely meet her gaze. "I... I failed you. I threw Ms. Caldwell and the others to the SSG... I couldn't stop them."

Tessa's eyes softened, her lips curving into a gentle, forgiving smile. She stepped closer to him, her presence radiating kindness. "Mr. Hammond, you did what you thought was right in an impossible situation. I understand. You don't need to carry that burden anymore."

Her words melted his guilt away like ice under the sun, and he lowered his head, tears streaming down his face. "Thank you... Tessa. You are beyond anything I've ever imagined."

And then, from the crowd of students, Oxlade's voice broke the silence with a shout, filled with triumphant pride. "I told you! I TOLD YOU she's a superhero!"

His declaration sent a ripple through the students, many of whom were still reeling from the chaos. A roar of agreement followed, voices rising in passion.

"Tessa! We love you!" cried one of the younger students, tears of relief spilling from their eyes.

Karl, his voice shaking with emotion, jumped in, shouting at the top of his lungs, "I've been telling you guys from the start! She's not just a student—she's the superhero of Riverdale!"

Ecdy, not to be outdone, added with a grin, "And the moon goddess of Rhemon!"

The students erupted in cheers, their voices blending into one overwhelming chorus of joy and celebration.

Laughter and sobs filled the air as they clapped and shouted her name. "Tessa! Tessa!" The teachers and matrons joined in, their hands coming together in applause as they wiped tears from their eyes.

Amidst the rapture, Tessa's smile grew, but there was a calm grace in her as she raised her hand again. This time, the moonlight didn't heal—it mended.

The damaged buildings began to repair themselves as if time was rewinding. Walls reformed, windows fixed themselves, and the charred remains of classrooms blossomed back into life. The school, once a symbol of destruction and chaos, now stood renewed and whole.

Mr. Hammond stared, slack-jawed, unable to comprehend the miracle happening before him. "This... this can't be real." His voice was barely a whisper. "The school… it's…"

He trailed off, his body trembling with the overwhelming mix of emotions—gratitude, awe, disbelief. He looked at Tessa with wide eyes, his voice shaking. "How is this possible? You've saved us... you've saved everything!"

Tessa didn't respond immediately. She simply gazed at him, her glowing eyes reflecting the moon above, and in that moment, she wasn't just a student anymore. She was their hero.

"Thank you, Tessa," he said, his voice breaking as he clasped his hands together, bowing his head. "Thank you for everything."

As the students celebrated around her, the cheers continued to rise, filling the air with their joy. It was a scene none of them would ever forget.

The shouts of "Tessa! Tessa!" echoed through the air, their voices like waves of praise and love crashing over her. They were free, they were safe, and they were no longer afraid.

But amidst this jubilant celebration, one man stood apart—General Rwald Dune. His once-powerful army was gone, his soldiers reduced to ash. His deadly 30, now scraps of metal.

Adrian, with a smirk playing on his lips, stepped in front of the trembling general, his eyes gleaming with a mischievous glint. "Well, well, well... what's the plan now, General? You were so confident a moment ago. Looks like you're the last man standing."

General Dune, face twisted with anger and desperation, couldn't hide the panic rising in his chest. He pointed a trembling hand toward Tessa, trying to regain his authority. "Surrender... surrender now, or the students will—"

But before he could finish, Adrian chuckled darkly, cutting him off. "Really? That's your big plan? Hiding behind children now? What happened to all that big talk, General? You were boasting just minutes ago, and now you're shaking like a leaf."

Nymff, standing nearby, crossed her arms, her tone laced with disdain. "Pathetic. All bark, no bite."

Ecdy, shaking off his initial shock, joined in with a grin. "Seriously, Dune. You're embarrassing yourself. We were expecting a real fight."

The general's face burned red with fury, his frustration building into blind desperation. His gaze darted across the battlefield—his soldiers lay in smoldering heaps, the dead and defeated. 'Only one line of defense remained-he thought': the Deadly 30, the elite mechanical warriors he had trusted to crush any opposition. His voice echoed with manic rage as he pointed at Tessa's group, barking his final command.

"Kill them!" he roared, spittle flying from his lips. "Kill them all!"

But something was wrong. The once deafening sound of the Deadly 30's metal limbs crashing forward, their synchronized stomps, their brutal precision—it was silent. Eerily silent. His heart thudded in his chest, and he slowly turned his head, expecting to see his trusted machines storming forward.

Instead, he saw nothing.

Where the Deadly 30 had stood moments ago, ready for destruction, there were now only twisted piles of smoking metal and sparking wires. The battlefield was littered with broken limbs, shattered armor, and crushed circuits. The elite soldiers that were meant to be his unstoppable force had been reduced to nothing more than a scrapyard of destruction.

His breath caught in his throat. His mind struggled to comprehend it. "W-What...?" His voice, once booming with authority, was now reduced to a whisper of disbelief.

Gone. Every one of them. The Deadly 30 had been obliterated. Their shattered remains littered the ground like fallen leaves, and the still-smoking debris was the only testament to their once-mighty presence. It was as if the moonlight itself had consumed them, leaving nothing but scorched metal and lifeless wires in its wake.

Adrian stepped forward, his eyes gleaming with a mix of amusement and disdain. "Looking for something, General?" he asked, a sly smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Because all I see are piles of scrap metal."

Nymff chimed in with a mocking grin, gesturing to the broken remains at their feet. "Didn't anyone tell you? You can't stop the moon with toys."

Ecdy, cracking his knuckles, added with a chuckle, "Looks like your so-called 'Deadly 30' just became the 'Scrap Metal 30.' Shame. I was hoping for a real challenge."

General Rwald Dune's mouth hung open, his eyes wide with disbelief. His plan, his final line of defense, had crumbled to dust before his very eyes. His body trembled, not from fear, but from the crushing realization that he was utterly powerless.

All he had left was his own pitiful self, and that, too, was soon to be lost.

Adrian turned back to Tessa, his fiery gaze meeting hers. "What do we do with him now, Tessa?" His voice was calm, but the edge of a smirk remained.

Tessa's eyes glowed with the soft shimmer of moonlight, her expression unreadable. "He comes with us," she said quietly, the finality of her words hanging in the air. "There are things I need to know."

And as Adrian reached for the broken general, the man could do nothing but tremble in the face of his utter defeat. The war was over. He had lost—everything.

as the cheers of the students echoed behind them. Riverdale had its hero, and the world would soon know it too.