//------------------------------//
// Battle of the Night 
// Story: Oh no, they're Goddesses now! 
// by James Pwyll 
//------------------------------//

"So begins another night."

Luna's determination was clear, and she narrowed her eyes at the sight that now greeted her. The day was ending, and the sun of her sister was slowly creeping down beneath the horizon. She could see all the land from here, atop her vantage point on the highest mountain in the realm. With her divine sight, she could see every flicker of light from the windows of those homes where the hearth-fires were being lit. Darker and darker the skies grew, until at last the glow of the sun was gone completely. Now came her time to rule, her stewardship over humanity, and she knew her greatest duty in this time. Her armor glistened in the light of the full moon above, which she looked to with the briefest flicker of pride. But then her grip on the hilt of her sword tightened, and she turned her gaze instead to what lay behind her.

"It approaches...like all other nights."

Far away, on the opposing horizon, as if rising in response to the lowered sun, a darkness rose up into view. Like a cloud, but one not of this Earth, dark blue and purple, moving with intent like a thinking creature. It was a being completely divorced from what mortals believed life should look like, but Luna knew it well. She turned, facing it fully, and as it steadily crept above, blocking out the twinkling of the stars, she raised her hand and pointed her shining sword to it.

"Nay, Tantabus! Thou shalt not cover the land in night eternal! Thy nightmarish designs for this world and its people shall meet its end!"

She leapt up high, gripping her sword-hilt with her second hand also, flying higher and higher to meet with her foe, who growled menacingly at her approach. As soon as she was close enough, Luna's eyes widened, and she swung her sword with great effort.

"Have at thee!"

She struck the ethereal creature, causing a gash in its form that, on a beast of flesh and blood, would be described as a "wound". The beasts roared loudly, the sound echoing across the mortal world and undoubtedly causing many a nightmare for those who slept unknowingly beneath this mythic duel. Luna kept up her attack, hacking and slashing at the Tantabus, all while the demon itself attempted to counter her. Its movements were slow and cumbersome, no faster than an actual cloud, and thus it was no match for the swift and nimble movements of Luna. The Goddess of the Moon and Night, staying her sword for a time, raised her free hand to point at the Tantabus, speaking loudly and clearly.

"Tantabus! Thou art a being of great power and fearsome intent! Flee now from this field of battle, and I shall not give pursuit!"

But her enemy did not acquiesce to her offer, and instead unleashed yet another terrible bellow. Luna, for her part, simply smirked to this.

"Very good...it's more fun for me that way."

So, battle resumed, and she leapt up again to meet with her enemy. How many a night had this dance of blade and beast transpired? How many tales and songs and myths had been weaved by the peoples of the mortal world? For surely this nightly joust had become the stuff of legend, the story of Luna, guardian of the mortal realm, who every night would meet and challenge the terrifying Tantabus. How many years? How many centuries? How many millennia? None alive could say, save for the Goddesses themselves, and Luna in particular. This was her duty, her solemn and sworn task in life, and she would not relent, no matter how many times the centuries passed her by. The Tantabus was the creature of nightmares, and she the shield that guarded the domain of humanity from it.

"No mortal has ever felt the cold bitterness of thy nightmares, Tantabus, and none shall this night either!"

Sheathing her sword, Luna knew the end of this night's battle was near, and so she again drifted down to her mountaintop. The Tantabus too sensed the end approaching, and so, after releasing another haunting roar, it descended, perhaps believing itself capable of defeating her now that her weapon was no longer in play. But this was a false belief, as the Lady of the Night instead raised her hands to the sky, and sparks began to fly from them. Lightning, born without cloud, gathered in her palms, and the Tantabus halted, it's vague semblance of a face twisting into a look that could only be described as one of horror. Luna's own expression, that of certainty, looked straight to her foe.

"So ends our battle, Tantabus."

She shot forth her attack, an almighty blast of lightning, heading out and straight for her enemy. The Tantabus, still alarmed by this development, could not move fast enough as the attack finally struck it. It was engulfed fully in the lightning, unleashing one final unearthly screech as it happened. The sight was awesome to behold, and Luna watched as her power further and further constricted the Tantabus, wearing it down, little by little, like a stone endlessly beaten by the ocean. And just like such a stone, there came a time when the Tantabus was reduced to nothing. Mere wisps of smoke and nightly essence remained of this once-mighty beast, and as it finally passed from the world, the lightning too faded. Luna, her battle won, softened in her expression and sighed. She looked behind her, to the twinkling lights of all the human villages below, and smiled.

"Rest now, mortal peoples...for you are safe for another night."

Sitting down upon her mountaintop, Luna finally allowed herself a moment of rest, and so stretched out her arms, taking in the silence of the moment. Unfortunately, that silence did not last, and her ears twitched slightly as she heard a faint sound from behind her. She heard it draw closer and closer, and a small smile formed on her lips.

"You can stop now, Tantabus. You're not going to sneak up on me that easily."

Looking over her shoulder, Luna smiled further upon seeing the Tantabus behind her. It was indeed the same otherworldly cloud of purple and blue, but it was now no longer some impossibly huge and indeterminate beast. Instead, its shape and size was more akin to a child, a little girl specifically. As it blinked to Luna, it soon let out the distinct sound of a sigh, folding her "arms" and pouting soon after.

"Awww! I thought I could scare you this time!"

Luna chuckled.

"One would have to get up very early in the morning to be able to do that, my young friend."

Tantabus floated beside her, sitting on an adjacent rock that wasn't quite as high up as the one Luna herself was sitting on. As Tantabus dangled her legs over the edge, swaying them back and forth, she too looked down at the sleeping villages below.

"So...think any of them saw it?"

Luna considered that, giving a quick shrug.

"Mayhaps they did. It would have been quite the show for them if that was the case."

Tantabus' face changed to one that was very clearly meant to be a smile.

"Ooooh! Was I really that scary? Was I like a big spooky ghost and stuff? I was trying to go like a ghost this time. How'd I do?"

Luna smiled warmly to her, reaching over and giving her a quick pat on the head, which simply slightly passed through her, given her nature.

"My dear girl, you were utterly terrifying."

Tantabus seemed completely delighted by that, flying up in a zoom and doing a few somersaults in the air above, causing a laugh on Luna's part. When the younger Goddess finally descended, however, she looked to her elder with curiosity.

"Say...since I've been so good lately, would it be okay if I actually got through a few times tomorrow night?"

Luna glanced to her, raising an eyebrow, which prompted Tantabus to clasp her hands together and assume a more pleading tone.

"Oh please? Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease? I'll keep the nightmares little, I promise! And I promise I'll only give them to the really bad humans!"

Luna returned to her smile, sighing contently and reclining back slightly.

"Well, I'll talk with Celestia. We'll see if there are any mortals who really deserve it. I hear there's this rather testy fellow named Svengallop who's been giving some of the land's great singers a hard time lately."

Tantabus rubbed her hands together, showing clear eagerness to finally unleash her nightmares on some unassuming, yet still very deserving, human.

"Ohohohoho! I know just the nightmare to give him! I've been working on one where the person is surrounded by snakes on one side and scorpions on the other!"

Luna considered that.

"Hmmm...maybe keep it to just snakes. Don't want to give them too much of a scare."

Tantabus gave a hearty salute.

"Yes Ma'am!"

Smiling, Luna gave her a quick pat on the shoulder, which naturally just passed through her again, much to Luna's slight irritation.

"Oh, right, always forget that bit."