Luna was trying her best to keep everyone safe, but these weird glitch spikes kept popping up all around her, making it super difficult.
She didn't wait to see what Riko would do next. This huge boss was stomping closer, so she ran toward the shops that were all messed up along the street. Behind a wall that was falling apart, she saw three people hiding – two grown-ups and a little kid. Their faces were covered in sweat and this strange pixel dust. They were shaking so badly that Luna could hear their teeth chattering.
"Hey! Come on!" she yelled, waving her arms like crazy. "You can't stay here! We got to go now!"
One of the grown-ups finally got up and stumbled toward her, pulling the kid along. The kid looked up at Luna with big, scared eyes and asked, "Is that monster gonna eat us?"
"No way!" Luna said super quick, even though she wasn't sure if it was true. "We're leaving. Right now."
She tried to lead them toward this delivery truck that was all dented and beat-up, but still in one piece. She thought maybe they could hide behind it. But they didn't even get halfway across the street when the ground started buzzing under her feet.
Then it started shaking.
Then it glitched out.
Suddenly, bright cracks of static appeared on the ground, like lightning that had stopped in mid-air. Then these pixelated spikes shot up – long, sharp blocks of messed-up code that stuck out of the ground.
Luna stopped running and pulled the kid back just in time.
"Are you kidding me?!" she yelled, looking up. "Why does the ground hate me?"
More and more spikes kept appearing, flickering between being real and looking like something from a video game. They formed a circle around her and the people she was trying to help. The people screamed as they realized they were trapped.
The kid grabbed onto Luna's jacket. "We're stuck!"
Luna turned around, looking everywhere for a way out. But there was nothing. The glitch spikes made a complete ring, trapping her inside. She pushed her shoulder against one of the spikes, but it felt like being shocked with electricity.
She gritted her teeth. "Riko!" she shouted
Across the street, Riko was having a hard time trying to dodge another attack from the big armored boss. Dust was flying everywhere around him. His ears were ringing, and his body felt like it had been crushed.
But he heard Luna.
He heard her voice crack when she yelled.
He spun around as fast as he could. "Luna?!"
He saw her trapped inside a cage made of glowing spikes, with the people she was helping behind her, shaking. The glitch pillars were glowing brighter and brighter.
Riko felt like his blood was turning to ice.
"Oh no," he said quietly, running toward her. " not her. Not her."
He ran as fast as he could, even though his legs were killing him. He was breathing hard, pushing himself harder than he thought he could. He couldn't think straight.
All he knew was that Luna was trapped.
With every step, he got more scared.
Every breath felt like fire in his chest.
Then the boss came back, stomping back into view. Its armor was shining under the streetlights, reflecting the glitch light, it looked really menacing. Its claws were scraping against the ground.
But Riko didn't even see it.
He was only looking at Luna – she was crouching down, protecting the people behind her. He could see how scared she was.
"Riko!" she yelled. "Get out of here! It's too dangerous!"
Riko didn't listen to her.
He jumped toward the glitch spikes, trying to pull them apart with his bare hands. His fingers touched one of the pillars.
He felt a horrible pain.
"AHH!" Riko yelled, pulling his hand back. Static went up his arm.
"You can't touch them!" Luna shouted. "They'll shock you!"
Riko tried again anyway.
"Riko!" she screamed.
He didn't listen. He slammed his arms against the glitch spikes, trying to break them. "Let her go!"
The spikes flashed and threw him back. He landed on the ground.
Dust floated down.
Everything was silent, except for the humming sound.
Riko stayed still for a moment, trying to get his bearings. His body was shaking, and his eyes were burning.
Then he heard breathing.
Heavy, slow, and angry.
He turned around.
The boss was standing right there.
Its eyes were locked on Luna.
Not him.
Not the street.
Not anything else.
Just Luna.
It made a growling sound – a loud, mechanical growl that sounded messed up. Its claws scraped its armor.
Riko tried to get up again, but his legs wouldn't work.
"No!" he yelled. "I'm right here! Over here!"
The boss didn't even look at him.
It just walked around him.
Its shadow got bigger as it moved closer.
Luna saw it coming. She couldn't breathe. She pulled the kid closer to her and stood in front of everyone, putting herself between them and the monster.
The glitch spikes pulsated.
"Don't you even think about it!" Riko yelled, struggling to stand up.
The boss leaned forward.
Its claws opened wide.
It got ready to attack.
It charged.
Not at Riko.
At Luna.