PHASE 46 - DEJA VU AND THE FLOWER PRINCESS

I didn’t have a choice, so I immediately accepted Naomi in the Aether Crusade. I know how she’s overprotective over her womanizing husband and arguing about that issue will spend a lot more time so I just went with her way. I trust Naomi anyway, and a healer Gate Guardian would be useful in case everything goes south.

The next day came by so fast. I have informed the Kozukata Shrine about our plans, so they immediately prepared the bell tower for the . The Kozukata Shrine businesses and other activities closed for this day and they all focused on guarding the perimeter, making sure that nobody would trespass.

The Aether Crusade assembled on top of the bell tower, carefully surrounding Tiara in a circle. Everybody deployed their Weapon Gems, which is a sign that everything is ready. When Tiara saw this signal among our teammates, she let out a nerve-calming sigh.

Instantly, Tiara’s shrine maiden dress immediately transformed into an eastern goddess’s robe with a floating scarf. Flames ignited on the tip of her skirt and sleeve. Ten white fluffy wings spawned from her back. This is her .

“Tiara, good luck.” I made a quick smack kiss on her soft sweet lips.

“Ah!” Tiara blushed and she’s now on full red. She was caught off-guard with that one. “S-Stop kissing me all of a sudden, Rikkun! My heart can’t take it!”

“Hahaha, I’m sorry, my love.” I laughed arrogantly as I patted my girlfriend’s head like a puppy. “You shouldn’t be nervous about that.”

“Auuu... Stop teasing me, Rikkun… I might not be able to focus…” Tiara pouted.

I always kiss Tiara as a good luck charm in order for her to remember that I am there whenever she does her best. That kiss is supposed to calm her, and not to make her nervous. I guess that always has the opposite effect on a shy girl like her.

Meanwhile… Somebody is trying to imitate my romantic scene with Tiara.

“Kristoff, good luck.” Jeanne pressed her face forward, ready to make a quick smack kiss to Kristoff.

However, Naomi made her way in between the two and blocked Jeanne’s lip with her palm.

“Hey, don’t kiss my husband.” Naomi glared like a jaguar ready to eat a deer.

“Hahaha, old habits!” Jeanne knocked her forehead. Then she made a smug as she teasingly asked Kristoff. “Anyway, are you sure you’re not taking up my good luck kiss, Kristoff?”

“Uh, er…” Kristoff blushed as he scratched his head. He’s hardly processing his words as he’s confused about his decision. “W-Well, maybe a smack would do…”

“Hey!” Naomi is in full rage mode. Her ears are releasing off some steam. “Are you really admitting a mistress in front of me!?”

“Just kidding! Just kidding!” Kristoff awfully tried to calm her wife. “You’re the only one I love, Naomi!”

Jeanne just chuckled like a sassy princess in the corner. I don’t know if she’s doing it on purpose, but it seems that she has this hidden hatred against Naomi. She always tries to piss her off.

To get the attention of our members, I clapped my hand so hard that my palms become red. When I was already sure that everybody’s attention is to me, I made a proclamation.

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“Everybody, to battle stations! All Aether Crusade members, get ready! Our one and only objective is to protect Tiara Hikari at all costs.”

“Yeah!” All the members shouted.

“Commencing Operation!” I shouted out loud. With my right hand, I swiped my fingers and opened a Gate.

<>

Yami.

The crimson moon gave brightness to everything in the surroundings. The bell tower is still the bell tower, and the sakura trees below are still sakura trees. There’s nothing much of a change between the Kozukata Shrine and its Yami counterpart. The only thing different is the blood moon and the red skies.

Tiara slowly removed her hand on her chest, and the twelve God Cores spawned from her heart. The glowing orbs started to rotate around her as infinite prana enters her body. Golden dust flew around the place.

Tiara started to hum telepathically as she tried to speak the lyrics with her lips. She slowly knelt forward and made a praying position. She closed her eyes to fully feel the emotion of the song.

“Oh, unrequited love. Oh, love unsung-”

Shivers went down my spine. My head blasted a static for a millisecond which made it ache.

“Argh!” I cried.

“R-Rikkun, what’s the matter!?” Tiara was overly concerned that she stopped singing. I would have asked her to continue and not be distracted, but I know something is not right.

I looked at my worried love. Against my will, my activated, making me see a future that is not intended. There is something wrong with the God Cores!

“Tiara, stop singing the at once!”

I was too late. The God Cores immediately blinked a black light, and in an instant, the God Cores unleashed chains that bind Tiara. All twelve God Cores now have this maleficent prana signature inside them as if it was corrupted.

“Kyah!” Tiara cried as the chain restrained her body. The grip of the restraints is so tight that Tiara now looks like a girl engaging in BDSM. Even her bare thighs are now exposed.

“Tiara!” I immediately materialized my katana and tried to slash the chains. However, the sword just passed through the chains as if the chains itself is some kind of hologram. “Damn it!”

“Wait!” Helena muttered as she approached us. She also tried to touch the chains but it just went through. “These chains, I know it. It’s the that is used to seal divinity. I have felt this before so I can’t be mistaken.”

Helena’s words have merit. Back when she was a crazy lunatic having the power of multiple God Cores, we used the spell to restrain and weaken her.

Tiara’s case is somewhat worse. There are twelve God Cores restraining her divine powers, so she won’t be able to use any spell at all. She won’t be able to move. She won’t be able to sing the .

We looked at the twelve God Cores floating around, and we immediately concluded that all those orbs have been corrupted by unknown energy. It is different from what we feel from the Cursed Gods or Cursed Guardians. It’s something else otherworldly.

“R-Rikkun, h-help!” Tiara cried.

“!!!” I shouted out loud, and the Aether Armor was equipped to my body. With my mechanical gloves, I tried to catch the God Cores. Alas, it just passes through. “Damn it!”

“Alaric, calm down!” Jeanne approached my side. “We need to keep our cool!”

“Suck my cool!” I shouted out loud. "Tiara is in grave danger!"

Right now, I’m trembling. My fear was covered by my Aether Armor. The trauma of having my loved one lost once again came back to me. I don’t want to lose Tiara. I don’t want her to suffer.

“Somebody has sabotaged the God Cores,” Jeanne muttered. “As of who can it be, we-”

Jeane’s loud analysis was interrupted when we heard a scream that was near us.

“AAAAAAAAHHHH!!!” It was the voice of a man. When we turned around, we saw our emo kid Benedict being swallowed by a humongous white flower. “H-Heeeeelp!!!”

“Benedict!” Most of us cried.

It was too late. The white flower chomped his body whole like a Venus flytrap. The flower immediately popped out of existence as soon as it finished itadakimasu-ing our emo kid.

“Hohoho, I’ve been waiting for this!” It was an unfamiliar voice of a woman.

We traced the voice until it led us to look upwards, at the far side of the crimson moon. There, a woman with infinitely evil aura astounded us.

She is wearing a white flower nightgown dress. Her eyes are green and bear the cross-sigil mark of a Gate Guardian. Her long black hair dances as the malefic breeze go around. She has these two gray horns on her forehead. What’s more terrifying than her weird appearance is her demonic smile.

“I-It can’t be…” Jeanne sat down as her strength left her body due to fear. “How can I be so careless? I have forgotten about you…”

“You… You are…” Tiara muttered as she stared at the floating white lady as if she had met her before.

“Long time no see, Jeannette and Tiara.” The lady greeted them. “I didn’t know we’d meet up in this circumstance.”