SUTCLIFF shrugged indifferently in response to Johann’s cutting glare. “Bingooo. Long time no seeee, Clarence.” He flashed his fangs in a half-grin.
Johann held a hand to his head, just dealing with the Shadow Tribesman drained him.
Aki tilted her head. Strange. Are Johann and Sutcliff acquainted? I didn’t know Johann had friends among the Shadow Tribe.
Johann shook his head at her questioning stare. “…I will explain everything to you later. We have to focus our full efforts on rescuing Elias from himself right now.”
He turned from Aki and raised his voice for everyone to hear. He rushed through a quick rundown of what he knew while keeping an eye on the unmoving Elias. “The takeaway is this: the only one capable of stopping Elias is Aki. The Solar and Lunar Goddesses have polar opposite powers. This gives her the ability to suppress the Solar energy controlling him. Basically, we need Aki to hit Elias with the full brunt of her Lunar powers to negate his.”
In the end, Aki held the key to whether they won or lost the battle against Elias. Everyone swallowed hard at that realization.
I’m scared… That was her first thought. Knowing this was something only she could do didn’t help. She wanted to stop Elias. To help him. But can I pull it off?
Aki dropped her gaze to the flowers crushed under her shoes. Johann placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.
“Aki, there is nothing for you to fear. You have my full support in this.”
“How will you support me…?”
“Please see for yourself.” Johann held the staff out with both hands and rapped it against the ground. He narrowed his reverent blue eyes on the tip. “O Goddess of Creation, release the golden scabbard.”
The moment Johann loudly chanted, a silver wind, manifesting the power of the Creation Goddess, swirled around the field and wrapped about the tip of his staff like a silk garment.
Lucid silver light outlined the shape of his staff until the cross transformed into a sharp blade. By the time the light abated, the cross-shaped staff had become a full-length spear.
Aki gaped, shifting her gaze from the gleaming spear to the side of Johann’s face. He suddenly grimaced with pain and staggered a step forward.
“Johann?!”
“Johann, are you okay?!” Louis rushed forward and caught Johann a second faster than Aki.
Clutching onto Louis’s arm for support, Johann raised his sweat-drenched face. “…Forgive me. This is my second time using this weapon today. The strain is a bit much on my body. Thank you for your assistance,” he said, taking a step forward without Louis’s aid.
Louis gawked at the spear. “Am I correct in assuming…that is one of the Holy Relics bestowed upon the Ancients by the Creation Goddess? The Holy Spear, yes? I’ve heard that it drains the user’s stamina like a sieve in return for granting immense power. This is the first I’ve seen one in person… So the Holy Relics were real.”
Surprised he knew anything about it, Johann swung his gaze to Louis. “You’re well-informed. As you speculated, this is the Holy Spear bestowed upon Ivan Clarence by the Creation Goddesses. The spear is endowed with power from both the Lunar and Solar Goddess, so it should be capable of supporting Aki in suppressing the Solar powers running amok within Elias,” he explained, looking to each of their party members before smiling encouragingly at Aki. “Hence why you have nothing to fear, Aki. I am here for you.”
His stark white complexion caused by the burden placed on him from maintaining the Holy Spear bellied the confidence he tried to instill in her.
Johann is trying to assist me at a great cost to his health. Aki burned Johann’s weak smile into her mind. So what good am I if quiver in fear of the unknown effects of my own powers? Nothing will change at all if I complain about being incapable of doing it and use that as an excuse to run away from the one thing I can do.
Get a grip, Aki! Everyone is relying on me! Aki raised her head and took in Johann’s grim side profile as he watched Elias motionlessly eyeing them, Leo worriedly waiting for them to make their next move, and Sutcliff, Mina, and Louis silently giving them space.
Finally, her eyes landed on Elias who looked so sad despite being expressionless.
I’m the only one who can save him. Our friends are going to help make that possible. It’s time for me to fulfill my role as the Hero’s Right-hand—as the Hero’s Secretary.
Aki closed her eyes and exhaled. She opened them again with newfound resolve. “Guys, I’m going to do everything in my power to save Elias! Please assist me in any way you can!” She deeply bowed to her fellow party members.
Elias had once bowed to them asking for their help. He must’ve felt then what she did now. Success rode on her shoulders, but it was a success she couldn’t achieve alone. Their party was necessary to pull it off.
Please lend me your strength so I can do this! I know he’s waiting for us to save him! Aki struggled to look up and face the others. Johann placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.
“Of course everyone will help you. Let’s save Elias together. Please stop with the sad notion of trying to do everything on your own.” He crouched beside her and flashed a champion’s smile.
Heart warmed by the rare teasing grin he put on display just for her, Aki straightened and took hold of his hands. “Thank you, Johann! You’re always so sweet.”
Honestly, I want to say the same thing to you someday, Johann. When you need me most, I’ll return the favor, Aki promised in her heart. She had seen how much he was suffering being stuck as the go-between for the Hero Party and the Sanctuary. I hope the day will come that he will stop fighting alone and ask us for help.
Wanting to share that unspoken promise with him, Aki squeezed his hands. Wiser than his years, Johann picked up on what she was trying to convey, and his expression shifted to a sad smile with a hint of happiness wavering in the blue depths of his eyes.
Moment over, Johann raised his head and looked out across their ragtag party. “All right, allow me to explain our battle strategy. Please listen closely because I won’t repeat myself.”
He gave them a succinct rundown of the battle plan that even Aki could follow. Basically, the other four had to hold Elias back until Aki and Johann finished chanting an ancient spell capable of suppressing the Solar Crest on Elias’s forehead.
I wish there was a way to bring him back without fighting. But I’m not so naïve to think that’s possible now.
Elias stood with the Holy Sword drawn, waiting for them to make the first move. Almost as if he was waiting for them to figure out a way to save him.
Johann struck his Holy Spear against the ground, signaling an end to their strategy meeting. “There you have it. Please split into the vanguard and rearguard teams and take up your positions. Each one of you has a very important role to play in this. We can’t pull it off if any of you are knocked out. Do everything you can to follow the strategy—”
“Wait up a sec!” Sutcliff interrupted just as everyone started moving toward their predetermined positions.
Johann shot Sutcliff an irate glare. “Sutcliff!” he fumed. “What is so important you—”
“I’ve got somethin’ to give Master Leo before the battle!” Sutcliff said over him. “Now’s as good a time as ever for him to use it!” He snapped his fingers, and a beautiful dagger with a magnificent sheath embroidered with silver thread magically appeared in his hand.