Strongest Superhuman System

They went silent again, but after a few seconds, Mark tried to change the subject.

"How did your lessons with Merlin go?"

Luna's smile was small and subdued. Like she was happy and sad at the same time.

"It went well, really well. I don't think there are any words I can use to explain what Merlin could do with magic. When I watch him, I feel like a child who is only learning about mana for the first time in her life. In a way, I think I understand why Morgana hated Merlin so much in all the stories. Any mage would hate him if they saw the sort of things he could do so easily with mana.

Complex magical theories are like a joke to him."

Mark chuckled at her monologue. He was glad that Merlin was willing to teach Luna some things. In a small way, Mark felt guilty that Luna was pulled into this game against her will. She did not want to be here and it was only because of him that she had to face all these dangerous people without any powers of her own.

Mark finally leaned back with a sigh.

"You don't have to be scared, I'll make sure nothing happens to you."

Luna smiled and used her shoulder to gently bump Mark with a chuckle.

"Like my knight in shining armor?"

Mark scoffed.

"Sure, whatever you want."

Luna laughed at his dry response, but she finally stopped laughing after some time and said something that shook Mark to the core.

"I used to be a slave once. It was a long time ago and I barely remember it, but I know that I once lived in a basement under a small house. It was always dark and there was never any hope of me getting out. I'd get a meal once a day and I'd come out once a week to make a video for my father to sell on the internet. It was... It was hell.

I was so lonely. I didn't know what to do. I couldn't even talk to anyone for more than ten years. After I got out, I swore that I would never allow myself to be powerless again. That is why I hate this feeling of powerlessness. I hate it so much.

When I go to my room to try and sleep, I feel like I'm back in that basement again. I feel all alone in the dark. I feel scared."

Luna's hands were digging into her legs now as she hugged her knees even tighter and Mark could see the tears gathering in her eyes as she spoke to him about her past. Luna was looking at the television, but her eyes had a faraway look in them that showed she was seeing someone completely different in front of her.

Mark was shocked by her revelation. That was the last thing that Mark ever expected someone like her to go through, especially with how beautiful she was. Mark now understood why Luna didn't want him to leave her earlier when they were about to fight Merlin. She was scared that she would be alone without any powers to protect herself.

Mark started to get some images in his head from four years ago. Wasn't there someone similar he met four years ago? Someone trapped in a dark room who was scared to be alone?

But that was four years ago, and Mark couldn't catch the memory because of how fleeting it was. He and Luna stayed in silence for some time as he digested all that Luna had said. After Mark got himself back, he finally sighed while speaking gently.

"Well, I guess it's not so bad sleeping here. It'll keep us on our toes in case the wiik-bat comes back."

Mark closed his eyes and folded his arms as he leaned back on the couch to sleep and Luna turned to him in surprise once she heard his reaction. Luna has never told anyone her story before. This was something that she always held close to her heart without allowing anyone to even catch a glimpse of it. But for some reason, she felt like Mark was someone that would understand.

All the conversations that they have had ended in them disagreeing on one thing or the other, but Luna has never seen anyone who understood her as much as Mark. If it was him, Luna was sure that she could tell her story without fearing a misunderstanding.

Luna thought that Mark would try to cheer her up, or maybe he would even try to make her get over it herself. Luna would have felt even worse if Mark told her that she was being silly and she would have hated it if he tried to pity her, but Mark wasn't doing any of that.

Luna watched Mark lean back in the seat with his arms folded before he closed his eyes to sleep and she couldn't help but laugh quietly while cleaning the tears that had gathered at the edge of her eyes. Why the hell was she so surprised? It was Mark she was talking to here. Of course, he wouldn't have the same reaction as anyone else.

Luna would usually prefer to be alone at moments like this. She didn't want anyone to see her in such a weak state. But her heart couldn't stop thumping heavily as she realized that she actually preferred staying with Mark. She felt safer with him there.

Luna leaned into Mark's side and put her head on Mark's shoulder gently while watching the flashing colors on the silent screen.

Luna liked being alone, but this wasn't so bad either.

…

The next morning, Merlin came out from the inner room where he had been sleeping to see that Mark and Luna were already awake and moving around the kitchen together. Luna was cooking something on the stove and Mark was making coffee. The both of them were talking about something, and Luna was quietly laughing at something Mark told her as she checked the boiled rice.

Once he saw them, Merlin immediately knew that something had happened between them last night. For some reason, they were closer than they had been yesterday. Did he really have to be here? He was only going to be a third wheel at this point.

Merlin rolled his eyes and walked into the room and Luna immediately greeted him with a smile once she saw him. Merlin waved at her before giving Mark a knowing smile that Mark returned with a blank look of confusion.

Mark asked Merlin if he wanted a cup of coffee and Merlin thanked him as he took his seat at the dining table. There was a tablet open on the table and Merlin took it to read through the news page that was loaded there.

It turns out that the Japanese government has labeled the explosions yesterday as the work of a terrorist organization and they are doing everything in their power to find and detain the culprits.

Merlin scoffed and thanked Mark as Mark put a cup in front of him.