AKI took a deep breath to concentrate every fiber in her body on drawing out the full strength of the Lunar Goddess. Successfully manifesting those powers ran the risk of losing control like Elias, so her intense concentration played two roles: activating the power and maintaining her sanity.
Holding the Holy Sword in one hand, Elias launched off the ground at an unprecedented speed, making the first move before they could finish getting ready.
The battle has begun!
Mina, Louis, and Sutcliff scattered in three directions, surrounding Elias at a distance.
Elias arrived in front of them at lightning speed, then bent his knees and pulled his sword back to release his air blades. But Sutcliff teleported in front of him, forcing him to switch into close combat mode.
Elias swung the Holy Sword toward Sutcliff, who read the movement, narrowed his eyes, and blocked the downward slash with crossed daggers.
Steel scraped steel in a spray of sparks.
Mina lunged forward and deftly brought down her knife. Sensing her seconds beforehand, Elias spun out of the way, gracefully dodging her attack. Waiting for just that moment, Sutcliff’s summoned wolves lunged at Elias from every direction.
Not losing a beat, Louis cast the spell he had been chanting since the battle began. Roots burst from the ground and wrapped around Elias’s feet, holding him in place so he couldn’t keep sidestepping the wolves.
“We pulled it off, Johann…!” Louis informed them.
He had been waiting for the perfect moment to restrain Elias. Activating the ancient spell took enough time as it was, they couldn’t risk missing their target by letting Elias move freely around the field. Sealing his movement was paramount to this plan’s success.
With a nod and a smile at Louis, Johann looked from Aki to Leo and then pointed the Holy Spear at Elias. “Aki, Leo, I am going to recite the spell. Please repeat the words after me.”
It’s time! O Lunar Goddess, please lend me the strength to save Elias!
“Thinking of you beyond the heavens carves countless layers of sorrow into this bleeding heart.” Johann’s calm voice rang clearly through the domed field.
Aki repeated each word after him, careful not to make a single mistake, when she felt a sudden spark stinging the flesh on her forehead.
As she listened to the words weaving the spell, she wondered if they were the lyrics to a song about heartbreak and a love that never came to fruition. Every spell in this world told a story—perhaps these ancient words were a hidden message to someone?
I wonder if the Lunar Goddess sung this poem about someone she loved. Aki had no proof, but some part of her knew it was true. It may have been the Lunar Goddess’s power within her telling her so.
Heat licked at the corners of her forehead as if in answer to her speculation, and the outline of the crest grew increasingly warmer by the second.
Aki grimaced from the burning sensation. She felt her consciousness fade into the recesses of her mind. Afraid of what that meant, she bit the side of her cheek until it bled, and dug her feet into the ground to keep her mind anchored in place. This was where the real fight began. Passing out here meant the end of the line for them all.
I’m the only one who can stop Elias! She forced her eyes to remain open.
Leo and Johann’s regal chanting boomed on either side of Aki, assisting her in her silent battle for dominance over the power roiling within. “Will my feelings for you be allowed at the end of the world?”
Did the Lunar Goddess suffer through unrequited love, too? I don’t know who she’s longing for, but her passion and sorrow calls to the powers simmering in the pit of my belly.
Immense power swelled within her like lava erupting from a mountain top. A terrifying surge of energy overflowed from every nerve ending in her body. In return, a haze clouded her eyes and her mind drifted away.
Between the faded scenery and her lapsing thoughts, she felt as if she were entrusting the use of her body over to someone else, and unknowingly let her eyes slide shut.
“Hey, Aki! Stay with me!” Leo shouted sharply beside Aki, causing her to jump.
Eh? Ahh. Wh-What? Did I just zone out?
Johann placed a nervous hand on Aki’s shoulder. “Aki, please don’t let your mind wander! You risk falling into the same state as Elias!”
“I-I’m sorry! I d-didn’t even know it was happening…”
Aki hadn’t even realized she had blanked out. She may have easily lost her mind to the Lunar Goddess’s power if Leo and Johann hadn’t spoken to her. And if she had, she would’ve turned on her friends just as Elias had.
She had averted courting disaster thanks to her friends, but Elias had no one to help him through it when he manifested the Solar Goddess’s overwhelming power. If only she had spoken to him and kept his mind grounded in the present!
I’m going to save Elias now to make up for failing to help him then!
Aki slowly and deeply exhaled to bring her mind into focus. “Johann, Leo, sorry about that! I’m back and ready to keep going!”
Sweat beaded their foreheads as they gave a tired but relieved nod on either side of her. Now that she had the mind to pay attention, she noticed their complexions were growing paler by the second. The strain of using the Holy Relics was immeasurable even for Adventurers at max level.
I can’t afford to lose to the Lunar Goddess!
“These next words act as the closing line of the spell. Please concentrate all your energy into reciting them,” Johann instructed.
The three of them shared looks and deeply inhaled in unison. They uttered the final words of the spell with every hope their voice would reach Elias. “My thoughts are with you at the distant ends of the land. Please let this desire…reach you!”
Their three voices overlapped during the final verse as Johann and Leo pointed their Holy Relics at Elias and swung down. On that signal, silver light burst forth from Aki’s forehead, and spread in a wave over the entire field. The light shone on the blue flowers destroyed during battle, the broken cave walls, Mina, Louis, Sutcliff, and Elias, who stared at Aki with a grim expression.
“Hot!” Aki staggered and pressed one hand against her forehead.
Scorching heat emitted from her skull in accord with the burst of light radiating from her. It burned so bad her mind spun out of control. Letting down her guard for even a moment would see her blacked out on the ground
Endure! You can’t lose to her powers here! I’m going to save Elias no matter what it takes!
“Elias, please…! Come back to us!”
Aki held her hands out toward Elias with every emotion she felt for him, believing that her bonds with him would become the power capable of bringing his mind back to the surface. She knew the love they expressed for each other was the strongest bond of all!