6 minutes had passed as Selene and Cetus continued their fight and only a few minutes remained until the twin suns of Planet Meso reached their peak.

"Heh, how impressive Cetus you're able to deal with me evenly while we're both in our base states. I would've thought the injuries you sustained from our last battle would be more of a hindrance. Guess I was severely mistaken." Selene said, wiping traces of blood from her mouth.

"We Star Clan members are trained in a sophisticated art of war and strategy from the age of 5 all the way up to our adult age. If I relied just on my awakening during the battle what kind of leader would I be. Although a couple more minutes and it'll spell the end of your faith." Cetus said as he cracked his neck.

"Quite the opposite, a few more minutes and you'll be meeting your untimely end. So let's skip the small talk for now and continue the fight!" Selene rushed at Cetus and kneed him in the gut.

Cetus gasped for air as he grabbed Selene's shoulders driving her to the ground. Selene stumbled almost falling onto her back as she tripped Cetus and almost sliced his head off with her claws. 

Cetus jumped back barely dodging the attack from Selene's claws as he quickly ran forward. Cetus shouted out "Star Clan Technique #34 Piercing A Celestial Body!" as he dug his fingers into Selene's body as a shockwave exited her back.

"AGH!" Selene coughed up blood as she flew back onto the ground while her stomach began to bleed. "A piercing technique that ignores durability, you Star Clan members never cease to come up with a way to piss me off."

"Trust me there's way more where that came from." He looked up into the sky and then back to the battlefield as most of his men had fallen. "We were barely able to last and they still whittled down our numbers to a minuscule amount. It's now or never."

Cetus shouted out and commanded all of his remaining men to release their maximum energy outputs and unleash their Awakenings all at once to push the Moon Clan back. 

Selene smirked and commanded her men to activate their Awakenings as well and to not waver due to their advantage in numbers. Battle cries and beastly roars filled the battlefield as the remaining warriors from both clans activated their Awakenings and began to battle even harder.

"Seems like we're the only two left. Let's see if the twin suns hitting their peak will give you Star Clan members the increase in strength you need to topple us." Her aura flared up as she transformed into her werewolf state.

"Trust me this battle won't go in your favor like the last time." He let out a scream as he unleashes the full force of his awakening. 

Selene and Cetus glared at each other as Cetus immediately disappeared from her line of sight. Cetus jabbed Selene in the gut 4 times in a matter of one second as she instinctively threw a punch that missed completely.

Cetus let out a reluctant sigh and held out his hand and pushed Selene away with his raw aura. "Looks like the difference in power is in my favor now even despite my injuries huh?"

Selene snarled and dug her claws into the ground and began flinging piles of stones toward Cetus. "LET'S SEE ABOUT THAT!"

"Those tactics won't work on me for a second time." He teleported in front of Selene, kicking her in the jaw, and sending her crashing into a nearby rock. "Star Clan Technique #18: Orbs of Light."

Cetus held out his hand forming 3 whitish-yellow orbs as he hurled them toward Selene. Selene stepped back trying to dodge as the orbs circled around her at incredible speeds and struck her body at the same time causing a large explosion and shaking the entire battlefield.

"BOSS!" A group of Moon Clan soldiers cried out upon seeing the large explosion that occurred.

Selene had transformed back as she was on her hands and knees growling with pain. "Ngh...Bastard!"

Cetus stared at Selene as he kneeled down to her, putting his hand on her head. "Where'd all that confidence you had earlier go? Giving up Selene already, how pathetic. Now look who's groveling at whose feet.'

"YOU LITTLE!" She stood up swinging her fist at Cetus as he chopped her arm resulting in a loud crack sound. "AAAAAAGH! THIS ISN'T HAPPENING…!"

"You underestimated us severely. You were too cocky not only in your own strength but your men's strength as well. Not that it's a bad thing to have faith in your strength but considering the result." Cetus smirked.

"You won't get away with this, you damn Star Clan." She said while holding her broken arm.

Members of Selene's squad surrounded Cetus all within their awakened states as Cetus turned to look at them. They readied their claws to attack Cetus as Selene slammed her fist into the ground.

"I TOLD YOU ALL NOT TO INTERVENE! THE ONLY ONE WHO IS GOING TO TAKE HIM DOWN IS ME AND ME ONLY! SO STAND DOWN THAT'S AN ORDER!" She said with an intense and fearsome scowl.

"But Boss.." One of her men said as the others looked at each other.

"Do not interfere. I repeat do not interfere. At Least let me go out with a semblance of dignity." She stumbled onto her feet as she closed her eyes. "Do it, Cetus of the Star Clan."

"Gladly." Cetus held his hand up high and charged a blast reading to end Selene.

"Men, make sure Luna is taken care of. That is my final wish as your commanding officer." She said with a smile of regret yet relief.

"Yes boss, your daughter will be taken care of, we promise."

Cetus hesitated for a moment as his eyes widened then thought to himself. "She has a daughter..What the hell am I thinking just finish her. The Moon Clan has slaughtered many of my people who had families and children and vice versa. It's a cycle."

"What are you waiting for?" Selene opened one of her eyes and glared at Cetus.

"How. How old is your daughter.." Cetus said still hesitant.

"Asking just to humiliate me huh? Hmph, your Clan is disgusting. She's 6 years old you cretin. Happy now? Hurry up and end me at least my daughter won't have to see me go."

Cetus continued to think to himself as he clenched his teeth. "Come on Cetus what's wrong with you? You can take out one of the Moon clan's strongest warriors and be one step closer to ending this long hard fight. Come on what's wrong with me? Just strike the final blow! WHAT IN THE UNIVERSE IS WRONG WITH ME!'

An image flashed in Cetus' mind of his son smiling at him with those round blue eyes. Cetus closed his eyes and clenched his fists and subsequently remembered his wife as well from a time before her passing.  Cetus stopped charging his attack as his arm slumped to his side. He slowly transformed back to normal as Selene and the rest of her men looked at him. 

Cetus thought to himself. "Why do I choose now? In the heat of battle to be sympathetic. Maybe it's better this way. In the long run." He sighed as he began to speak out loud to Selene. "Selene of the Moon Clan. You and your men have lost today. I won't indulge in ending your life. I'm letting you and your men live another day so take this offer or don't take it at all your choice."

"You still look down on me for not ending my life. Not even giving me a warrior's death. You're. You're.."

The Worst.

Cetus' hair covered his eyes as he looked down and tried to play along. "Heh. I know."

Cetus had forsaken years of academy and military training and decided to go against the King's wishes and let Selene go. Maybe this way repaying the debt Selene gave him for letting him go a couple of weeks ago. Maybe it was his mind telling this once fearsome and competent military leader to let go of his desires and tap into his emotions.

Maybe seeing Lyra and Orion in his head also helped with the decision. Or maybe just maybe. This encounter with Selene could end the cycle of war and violence plaguing the two clans for centuries on end.

Even Cetus himself didn't know the answer to why he did what he did.

"I bid you farewell Selene of the Moon Clan. Until next time we meet." He walked past Selene as she and her men were flabbergasted.

"This was. A complete and utter loss." Selene said as she smiled with resentment. "Although I feel both disgust for him showing me mercy and yet gratitude for him making me able to see Luna again. Maybe those Star Clan bastards aren't that bad after all" She thought to herself as stumbled towards her men. "We retreat for another day. Come."

A majority of her men accompanied her and helped her stand. Although two members looked at Cetus back in disgust. It's like he wasn't only looking down on their commander but on them as well.

The two brawny members of the Moon Clan opened their jaws wide and prepared a double-mouth cannon onto Cetus. Selene slowly turned around as her eyes widened.

STOP IT RIGHT NOW! WE CONCEDE! I SAID WE CONCEDE!

The two men launched a dual blast toward Cetus as he slowly turned around but it was too late. Just then Selene with the remainder of her strength grabbed Cetus by the shirt as the two of them were scraped by the blast.

A dust cloud shot into the air as Selene's soldiers coughed and waved the dust away. The rest of the men scolded the two imbeciles who blasted Cetus as they accidentally shot Selene as well. The two quickly apologized and stated that they only intended to hit Cetus. The soldiers ran over to where the blast landed as Selene and Cetus were gone.

"The boss is gone! That blasted Star clan member must have taken her hostage. Someone put out a search party! We have to find the boss!" One of Selene's men yelled.

The Moon Clan members scrambled around making arrangements to find their boss as the remaining Star Clan members gathered the fallen soldiers and made their way back home.

Cetus was flying away from the battlefield as he landed in a nearby forest. He placed a barely conscious Selene onto the ground as his back was bleeding and burning from the prior attack.

"You jackass..Why'd you jump in front of me when I was trying to save your stupid behind from an attack from my equally stupid subordinates.." Selene said as she put her hand on her stomach trying to catch her breath.

Cetus could barely stand as he grabbed a fruit from a tree and an array of leaves. "That attack was meant for me anyway. I know you accepted defeat but I guess some of your soldiers weren't happy about that fact." Cetus said.

Cetus wrapped some of the leaves around Selene's wounds as he gently set her up. He cracked the fruit open and poured the juice into Selene's mouth to replenish her.

"Stop tending to me like I'm a child. I'm a warrior and we're sworn enemies. The last thing I need is a member of our rival Clan to help me recover. Now take me back to my soldiers or you'll be sorry-" She collapsed on her back and rolled around letting out girlish noises of pain. "Tch.."

"Not so tough are ya when you can't move huh? Now here." He continued to pour the juice into Selene's mouth to help her recover. 

She wiped her mouth and fell back down on her back. "Why did you take me here? Are you trying to take me, hostage, for ransom money? Or are you avoiding being injured to the point of death by my clan? Either way, this is an idiotic idea they'll find me."

"Hmph. It's neither of the two I just thought if the Moon Clan saw their pristine and tough leader looking so weak they'd be ashamed of her." He smirked, wrapping a couple of leaves around his own wounds.

Selene's eyes widened as she couldn't believe what she was hearing. A member of the Rival Clan showing her kindness? Let alone one that's fought her two times at this point.

"I spared you. I don't know why. I guess since you "spared" me during our last battle. Or just something inside of me telling me not to do it. For the life of me I couldn't tell you why I did what I did. From sparing your life to taking the blast for you." He put his hand over his eyes running it through his hair as he laughed. "All of this for a Moon clan member. If the others found out let alone the King they'd have my ass on a stake."

Selene's eyes were still wide as she slowly sat up then stared at Cetus with a blank yet curious face like a child. "Are you trying to make a pass at me or something?"

Cetus' face lit up like a Christmas tree as he then got annoyed making his eye twitch. "Trust me you're not all that."

"Hmph. I was obviously just joking. You think I'd ever get with a man from the Star Clan how disgusting." Selene said with a devious smirk.

Cetus thought to himself. "She didn't seem that disgusted by her own statement no matter how ridiculous it was." Cetus sighed and rubbed the back of his head. "I don't think your husband would take kindly to you flirting with another man let alone a man from the Star Clan."

Selene growled with her face turning a bit red. "I AM NOT FLIRTING WITH YOU YOU IMBECILE! And for the husband part. He fell in battle a couple months prior. That's why I'm taking over as the acting leader of the band of soldiers he used to command. They have no problem following me into battle or listening to my commands."

Cetus looked to the side awkwardly then back at Selene. "I'm sorry. For your husband's passing that is."

"Hmph, I don't need pity from a Star Clan member but it's whatever. My daughter and I have been doing fine without the big lug around. It is quite lonely though. Well what about you huh? I'm guessing a military man like yourself has to have a wife to go home too huh?" Selene questioned.

"No. No, I don't. My wife passed away from an unprecedented illness 2 years ago. Now it's just me and my son. I care for him with my entire being and I'd put my life on the line if he was ever in danger. That's why after my wife's passing I'm fighting twice. No three times as hard in order to end this feud between our clans."  Cetus said, clenching his fist.

"Hmph. You're not as bad as I thought. You care for your son the same way I care for my daughter. And we do have something in common with our missing spouses." Selene said as Cetus listened to her words intently. "Although ending this fight. Or well trying to end it is meaningless. It'll continue long after our time as well as after our children's time. It's useless." 

"I know that but if it's even a 1% chance. I want to stop the violence pain and suffering. This fight can't be for nothing." Cetus said, clenching the grass with his hand.

"You can try but it's futile. Now for the main issue, concerning our conditions. After a few hours of resting we will go our respective clans." Selene said.

"I know that. If we do, our rivalry won't stop and we'll be at each other's throats many more times." Cetus said. "An endless cycle until one of us perishes."

Selene chuckled and leaned over to Cetus and whispered into his ear as his eyes widened. Selene finished as Cetus looked at her as if what she was saying was serious.

"Hmph. You seem surprised but I like the sound of it, and your reaction early seems like you won't mind."

Cetus folded his arms and grumbled to himself. "Ugh. Fine. We'll recuperate and then head back to our clans and work your plan in somehow."

Selene smirked. "Sounds perfect to me."