PHASE 63 - RISE OF THE LUNAR WARRIOR GODDESS

The room became silent. We are so astounded about the news, and now we don’t know what to say. We already had much trouble when Miss Helena had three God Cores. Rikkun almost died permanently when we fought her with six. Now she has seven God Cores.

...

“Oh, so the Legionmaster died again,” Rikkun muttered carelessly.

“D-Darling… You shouldn’t be talking like that… You have died for seven million times.” I smiled at him.

“Urk!” Rikkun’s expression looked like he got hit by a large stone on his forehead as he went back to being speechless.

“I...I’m sorry…” Diadem started to speak. His eyes are fixated on the floor, and his posture is slightly curved. “If it wasn’t for me, Helena wouldn’t be acting like that.”

“That’s okay. It’s not your fault.” Heushac patted Diadem’s shoulder. And then… His mouth released a stupid question.

“...Who are you, anyway?”

“He’s Diadem, fool,” Rikkun said.

“Wha-!!!” Heushac jumped back and. “I’ll take back my words! You’re at most fault here!”

“Yes, you’re right,” Diadem said in a sorrowful tone. “But I promise… I’ll do my best to bring Helena back.”

“Then let’s work together.” Heushac pointed his fist to Diadem as he projected a friendly smile.

“H-Heushac…” Diadem almost cried when he answered it with a fist bump.

“I don’t want to spoil the mood, but…” Rikkun made an unimpressed glare at the two. “You ain’t doing shit against a kendo champion that has the power of seven gods.”

“Then we’re going to find ways on how to defeat her,” Heushac said.

“Maybe searching in the shrine library can give us some answers!” Diadem said to Heushac with a determined face.

“Yeah! Let’s study together!” Heushac answered.

Then the two left the scene, leaving only Rikkun and me in this office…

I don’t know, but for some reason, Diadem is getting along very well with the members of the Aether Crusade. He’s far from his personality back when he’s killing innocent people. Rikkun, Heushac, and I managed to pardon him in a very short time because of his apologetic and friendly attitude.

<>

It’s quarter past ten in the evening. The wall clock in our office here in the shrine is the only thing that is making noise. Rikkun called it a night and now, we are preparing to file the documents and books that we borrowed from the shrine library.

A shrine maiden named Maila went to our office and immediately caught our attention. “Tiara, Alaric. Asumi-nee wants to talk to you at the bell tower.” She said. Then she left the office immediately.

I looked at Rikkun and he replied a nod. “I’ll just clean up my desk real quick.”

“I-I’ll helps you, darling!” I said as I pumped my fist.

“Thanks.”

I fetched the books on his desk and put it in the corresponding bookshelves nearby. These books he’s been reading are all about different mythologies such as Greek, Roman, Buddhism, Norse, and even a Lovecraftian novel. He’s overworking himself and doing his best.

I was about to slot-in the last book on my arms when suddenly, I felt a soft and warm sensation on my buttocks.

“Kyah!” I shrieked. It was Rikkun’s hand!

“I-I’m sorry,” Rikkun said. He’s moving the desk so that I won’t bump myself to it, and his hands accidentally swiped my butt. Now he’s blushing, and steam is about to come out from his nose. “I-I didn’t intend to do that.”

“I-It’s fine,” I said with an innocent blushing smile. I covered my mouth with the cloth of my shrine maiden sleeve as I shyly made a humble request. “D-Do it again please~”

<>

We’re now at the bell tower of the shrine. Normally, Asumi-nee can be found in the lowest part of the tower, but we ended up climbing all to the top.

When we reached the peak, the evening bell rings. The wind blew so hard that leaves started to rain upwards. The gigantic blue moon glares, which gave an eerie atmosphere to everything around us.

There in front of the bell stood a beautiful brown-haired shrine maiden on her unusual long blue kimono. Her brown eyes stared at us with affection, and her smile gave us a little speck of hope.

“Asumi-nee…”

For some reason, her aura is different. It’s not the same wacky leader we always had in the shrine. I can’t sense any evil intent on her, but her eyes are like those of a cobra; vicious and ready to kill.

“Alaric. Tiara. You should have read the bad news about the Legionmaster. Helena’s power is enormous, and now that she has seven God Cores, nobody can stop her.”

Asumi-nee lent out her right hand, and a golden ball of light materialized. It’s a Quintessence-

No…

It’s a Goddess Core. I can sense a strong power originating from it. I can feel its warmth, which is a similar sensation like that of a mother caressing her child.

“I have a . I can see everything in the far future, every day, every minute, every second. I can memorize all the details of each and every timeline’s butterfly effect, and I have only found one course of action to beat the rampaging sword princess.”

Asumi-nee slowly put the golden Goddess Core to her chest, and her body was engulfed with yellow light.

“!!!”

Asumi-nee’s body revealed her divine form; a perfect beauty behind a golden dragon mask. Her brown hair is now mixed with silver moonlight threads, and her kimono shredded, revealing her shiny skin. Her arms and legs are covered with glowing white tattoos of ancient scriptures.

She levitated up high. Her silhouette can be seen at the center of the full moon, making a human-shaped lunar eclipse. Her golden dragon mask shined with incomprehensible colors which added to her beauty.

“Normally, the Kozukata Shrine won’t intervene, but this is a dire situation. I shall help you on your quest on defeating the sword princess.” Asumi-nee, or more properly, Haliya, said in a motherlike voice.

Rikkun and I glanced at each other with smiles on our faces. Then we looked up to the Moon Warrior Goddess and gave our thanks.

“Asumi-nee! Thanks for giving us aid!”

“Right! Your powers as the head shrine maiden and a goddess will help us a lot.” Rikkun said.

“But there is one condition.” The moon goddess immediately cut our hopes like soft cheese. “I shall see to it that you are ready. I will give you my aid if you two managed to defeat me in a full-force battle.”

The Philippine Moon Warrior Goddess materialized her ultimate weapon on hand; a halberd that has a moonlight crescent-shaped blade. She swung it around her body like an expert martial artist.

“Rikkun.” I looked at my love.

“Yeah, let’s do this!”

I held my heart with the hand I’m equipping the platinum ring with. My chest immediately glowed as Rikkun swiped his ring finger, opening a small Gate. Then, the blonde prince drew the crystallization of my love for seven million timelines; the . The platinum shine of its blade and the glass-like diamond edge reflected the elegance of the moon’s light.

But something is telling us that it would take more than that to defeat Lord Haliya. We confirmed it when she started to mutter a mind-blowing thing.

“I have traveled through numerous parallel multiverses, but I have never seen a that beautiful... Tiara Hikari and Alaric Eisenhower… Even if destinies are forged for you not to love each other, you shall never falter! Fight for your love and never surrender!”