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Haruna was examining the Indrayanti Beach as he was searching for the Cores of Asura that was hidden somewhere, did it fall into the sand? He grunted and glared at the sunny beaches because of his hatred of the hot weather--but he had no choice, but to endure it and pulled himself together. He hated Rakshas, because they are humans who infused with the Cores of Asura and as a price for accepting the Core; a curse was inflicted into them. It left a bad taste in his tongue. He took out a pair of beach glasses from his ear. He look around and everyone having fun, along with kids and some men or women who were jogging, or walking by.

Now, the question comes... where the hell did this Cores fell off?

"Where are those things?" he asked impatiently in annoyance and anger. "Damn it..." his thought trails off until his eyes narrowed with shock and widen, he was shocked to see the shining light pierced his right eyes--damaging his glasses in the process. What was that? Did the Core of Dyaus... appear in front of his eyes? He reached out his hand, but he widened his eyes even further in anger. 'No, let go!' he thought, refusing to accept it. It cannot be, is the Core of Asura chose him--him of all people that would be a Raksha? He didn't want that, is that part of Maha's schemes, trying to mock him for that?

Haruna was the vessel of Void Raksha, he didn't want to deal with this, not now. He desperately grabbed it, ignoring all the voices around him--he growled, swearing that someone will pay for this after this whole affair have ended. Without a doubt, he had grown curious about this and began to examine the beautiful orb closer--he doesn't like seeing a young child crying and refused to see a helpless future in this generation, who might be suffering from this Cores? He still can protect them, instead of accepting this core. But, if there's anything he wanted is to never see it again, and this was the only way to prevent it.

Even if it cost to drain his life as a price of saving humanity.

He touch it, the moment he gripped the orb on his palm--a blinding light encased on him as he was startled to see the light covered his upper-body.

"Are you going to give up here?"

The Void Raksha whispered inside his head, Haruna felt his heart skipping a beat--and realized the light wasn't hurting him at all, why didn't the light hurt him?

"This was inevitable, even I believed everything was inevitable to fall apart no matter how many times we keep fixing it... the damage was far too much, with no choice; this is our world and you're here to decide on which are your enemies. Don't listen to what the others say, it is good to accept your Fate as what you're destined for... regardless whether you're hated, loved or a feared demon. You should be yourself, don't even mind to what other's thoughts are," the Void Raksha's voice echoed in his mind, with understanding and serene tone.

Haruna didn't listen to him, rather he clutched the orb tighter on his hand with such determination--the void-like shadow grew from around his figure, the orb have morphed into a sphere shape as he closed his eyes, let the energy flowing into his veins while the black orb shone brighter--while the shadow absorbed into the orb. "Wait, what are you doing, don't do that! Oh no--" the light blinded his sight, dissipating before his eyes.

Haruna felt the Void Raksha within him is growing more stronger--he started to be consumed by his emotionless state as the Raksha Transformation started to slowly take place, before a gigantic beam of the white bright light appeared from the sphere as it enveloped him. But, the light 'entered' his mouth without making him gasping--he was terrified and confused on what is happening and looked around... and he thought he was going to died instead.

Even though everything happened so fast, the Core is consuming him as he tried to struggle his way to break free from that prison--he felt the light and the Void Raksha within him and starting to 'wrestle' each other, then he heard the Void Raksha roaring to defend him from outside of that strange trap. 'What's going on...?' he thought to himself, worried about the light he caught. This felt familiar, why would it happened?

Then, he recalled the memories of Maha took care of him who was unconscious after the car crash, which he escaped due to unknown forces being controlled by Maha himself. It must be those men who manipulated it just to get to his family, Haruna grunted--the Void Raksha screamed within him and he felt the being slowly merging out with the light to protect his host and himself, how is he going to defend himself? Everything hurt, he didn't want to forgive--but, before he could touch the door handle... the image itself shattered into pieces...

Meanwhile...

Juha opens his eyes when the ice engulfed him all over him like a cocoon, even his limbs and appearance. As the ice cocoon shattered he finally stand up as the shards of the ice has supporting him the ground, standing by the cold air and a different appearance--holding the newly-improved Brahmastra; Rimestar of Parvata; a new shape of the trident with the corals and fins like the sea creatures. His expression was cold and calculating judging from his gaze, almost like an ice to begin with. His hair extended longer as his bangs almost covering his eyes, which his snow-white hair has the light and dark ocean blue hue; some parts of his hair behind his ears are tied with the binyeo that has peony ornament. Both of his eyes are pure turquoise with gold tints and sharp dilated pupils like the sea creature, with the pair of horns and fins similar to the sea creatures. With the two white ice pillars behind him, his horns has shells and flower corals including his attributes along a choker body harness.

Wearing a black traditional South Korean hanbok with black-green sash around his waist, black sleeveless turtleneck with golden borders, outer robe has dark blue shades with the coral and ocean patterns and white inner robe. Sporting a pair of black fingerless gloves and black boots, scales on his eyes are so dark and light turquoise blue; a platinum coral-shaped earrings and black Raksha mask. He became an Ice Raksha; one who commands the ice and blizzards of winter season--that is the awakening form of his Raksha power. "Bada!" the white serpent responded to her master, as she bowed its head towards him before joining his ultimatum and protectively circling him.

Juha sensed the creature was heading straight at him without hesitation, his gaze darted up at the creature before he held up his trident-a fan-like fin has spread that is shaped like a shark fin. The blade shattered with amount of ice shards, then he swung his trident to made the whirlwind blizzard at it. The creature's limbs shattered that he held up his trident upwards--as he dashed forward and he passed the alien-like creature--thus earning the creature the stab of sharp ice nails piercing into their cores and limbs. The creature vanished into thin air as the core was frozen, until that shattered into shards of ice to the ground. Juha sensed another one incoming, but when he was about to turn around--a six bronze-platinum arrows hit the alien-like creature instead.

Masaki spun his bow and examined the designs when he hold it in his form of Harvest Raksha; one who commands the harvest and autumnal winds, with his Harvest Spectramancy; Chihayafuru Utahime and his Brahmastra; Harvesting Autumn-a bow with features and elements of autumn colors. As his auburn hair was in mullet with the hairpin at the back, wearing a collared black turtleneck underneath a dark purple haori with the elbow-length sleeves and red-orange autumn leaves patterns, black tight slacks tucked under his dark orange boots and orange sash around his waist-with choker body harness on him he wears.

As he gained a piece of crown shaped like an anthler, a harness of his quiver hanging behind his back for his arrows and his bow; with a black of fingerless gloves and the similar Raksha's mask along the platinum-colored autumn leaves earrings-his eyes are green-hue with a tints of yellow. "Juha, you're awakened," he didn't react when he was observing at his hand, before looking at him. "Masaki… where are the others?" his voice becoming impassive, true to its strength he holds a bitterness similar to ice which he was an Ice Raksha.

Izana transformed into a Water Raksha; one who commands the embodiment of water and maritime. her hair was platinum blonde with white shades and dark purple highlights on them. Her upper bangs pinned back that her whole hair pulled into empress bun with the purple and black headdress-alongside the white horns similar to the sea creature on her head and fins that was on her ears, leaving her longer bangs fell between her face--wearing a black Raksha mask like them; her eyes were purplish-blue color. Wearing her white, black and purple kimono with the ocean and plant-themed resting past her shoulders, the black choker with silver gemstone in the middle with light purple teardrop crystals held them together. The lower part of the kimono has a mermaid-style with the frills at splits on the end, along black tights. A black sash with red and white lines in the front, black platform soles and a choker body harness.

"I don't know yet, all I know that we accidentally touched the Cores," Izana stated, forming several rounds of water shield as she evaded the incoming laser that would damage them. "Haruna's gonna kill us if he find out we awakened... which he is one, too," Izana grumbled, she hold back and her and Masaki joined forces against the Interceptors while the sounds are affecting them.

Damian has transformed into Empyrea Raksha; one who commands the sky, aether and sun-control. His red-orange hair was a bit wavy similar to the sunshine's rays and long bangs on his left side almost covering his amber-orange hue with the golden tints in the inside, along the long bangs on his right. His black and red mantle has a few gold and brown accents, black armored coattails hiding his body in red. Wearing a red and black short draped skirt of mantle, with some more intricate gold patterns and gold rims with brown accents. With a black Raksha's mask like them, he has pair of golden-colored horns with scales on his skin and his pupils are sharp like a feline. He wears a black turtleneck sleeveless bodysuit with a black choker body harness under his white tunic, with a peony and the three different symbol were embedded in the middle, with golden ornament and long right sleeve--black fingerless gloves from his wrists to his elbows and black boots. The braid behind him had a red-brown with gold or the kind of brown leaves with few loose ends, and his weapon is a polearm with chains--Daylight--Sky of Akasha.

"Haruna's gonna go feral if he find out that we became like this--oh, damn. We have to split now."

On the other side, Haruna was surrounded by the marionettes who was part of the Legion Raksha--he look up to see the perpetrator who attacked him. The girl has a gradient of light grey to dark blue long hair with long bangs, red eyes and fair complexion--she wears an accented dress with scattered light blue lining and black borders on its green parts. That design was accentuated by pink petals flanked with a pair of metallic black armbands that reach to her shoulders--with a frilly black shawl reaching below her knees, wearing a blue ribbon that hold back a messy tied bun that was held by a platinum gold wing brooch. Attired in black long boots with heels, a pair of gloves and garter-belt straps with ankle straps.

"Raksha of Dominion, Alma. An Imperial Raksha is quite impressive... just to let you know that your existence is in my dominions--your name is Haruna Sinuraya, and the Void Raksha are part of the Imperial-level Raksha--which you have awaken," the girl replied in a mischievous manner. "Perhaps you're still having an existential crisis, misunderstandings and conflict or to deal with some social issues like so many tragic dramas and problems for millennials... however, that's quite understandable even my masters know a lot about it too. Especially, the voices and sounds that affecting your heads," the girl laughed as she grinned at him and observed him for a moment.

"Oh, and I happened to overheard there are three Rakshas from your team awakened... not just you. I'd thought my legion would able to caught all of you."

His eyes widened, so that means... all of his friends and family will... become a Raksha? But... didn't Karuna said that they only transformed once they touch the Orb? Then, how... is that even possible? Or he's the only one did touch the orb to become like this...?

She chuckled, seeing the Void Raksha's energy around him, his posture remain calm and his hands was still clutching the orb for a moment--before looking around him to see her watching his reaction. "That Cores...? Wait... aren't they supposed to be created as a result from all sorts of tragedies that happened in these years? What is your objective of giving me this?" Alma shrugged off his question with a wry smile. "Come on, why do you hate them? Not all of them are bad, you know? Do you think they will use Raksha's power just for killing purposes, what they want is an equal competition from their enemies... what your ancestor was waiting for years? No matter how broken the world is, won't you try to do it anyway? It just depends on your opinion and the Cores that chose you, by the way the Orb is--"

Alma stopped when she saw a torrent of water appears behind her before turning into the hand, grabbing her and squishing her. It made her chuckled, watching the ice spikes along an autumnal wind and huge spiral wind were slamming down on her before she raised her hand up. Creating a force field around her while hearing Alma cackled as she shielded herself, with the destroyed marionettes around her. "Oh dear, your allies are here? You shouldn't have been involved into this, I won't remember on who am I fighting--but, there's going to be changes," she taunted.

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

"Haruna, get over it."

"Haruna, get over it."

Damian warned, making him froze to see his best friend in his Raksha form. "You think we're bad just because we're Rakshas? Don't think about another possibilities, it's bad luck. Man, screw up all of those thoughts...!" Damian shouted, creating a vortex of sunbeam and destroyed the area where she stands. Haruna was still in his trance, not that he didn't hear what is happening. He cannot muster the courage to fight her, let alone a Raksha. The sound is slowly crumbling, he went closer to him and pulled him up.

Haruna tried to break free from the marionettes, hearing Izana and the group's sounds coming and creating more sounds all over the place--confusing them to make a total mess, with Alma is totally harmless and doesn't have injuries--she's very strong and smart than anyone thinks of her. She only smirked at him, she didn't do anything and her eyes grew mischievous before she snapped her fingers--creating a strings of puppet that had many sharp swords heading straight towards them. "Ah ah, don't escape... it's still too late, just surrender now!" Alma advised, a menacing, creepy laugh echoed as she creates a black dome of darkness around them--trapping them.

"You're useless, Haruna Sinuraya."

Those words made him flinched, and his breath stopped. "Huh? What did you just say?" Haruna's anger is increased tenfold by now. His emotionless yet distant voice echoes on this battlefield, while Damian was surprised to see Haruna still refusing to come out from his state. Alma grinned, before she continued. "Look at you, angry and terrified just by stating the obvious? Is this how you take care of your friends? You called them useless when it's part of them, are you?"

"You might realized now but, you aren't able to accept your destiny? Your four friends, Sanjaya Adinata, Raiden Amagiri, Akito Kujou, and Kanae Ayatsuji... they left you after they became a Raksha. I know everything because Lord Maha told me about them. He told them that you have a secret on what had happened on the car crash, right?" she asked, before adding that statement with a chillingly calm tone.

"If you want to be forever cursed in darkness and betrayal, stay there and rot. A nightmare isn't a nightmare if you're a Raksha yourself."

And that, is when Haruna heard enough, he cannot hear anything from outside. Even his family and best friends' words weren't reaching out for him, as he realized what the Void Raksha was and what is his function. Many voices of discouraging words and despair made his vision went black, realizing that his friends were... having a different mission. He suddenly shouted a bloodcurdling scream full of pure hatred--it became warped, demonic screech and roars that turned into the corrupted darkness and storms surround him along with the tides.

When his friends figured out what happened, there was a flash of them getting injured due to the lack of training from their new powers--while Alma remained unafraid to see Haruna transformed into his Void Raksha form. "Oh dear, now that you really awakened... let's see, what's your form and who is it. We have to deal with a little obstacle, or he gonna destroy this entire area with his little tantrums of mine," she sneered, creating a gigantic barrier that surrounded him.

"No, Haruna!"

He's losing control of himself, he didn't hear anything. Nothing but madness and chaos envelop him, as a gigantic orb of endless void black light encased the purple dark portal. Is he really the Void Raksha and why did he became one?

However...

Haruna opened his eyes, he was in the room filled with bright white lights--he look around him in fear and notice that he cannot touch anything, was he an ethereal or in a transparent state? He turned around and then he look up to see a familiar figure before his eyes, making him froze to see him.

"After two months, we meet again... though not physically."

It was Sanju, his back was turning against him--his voice was no longer cold and his dark brown eyes gleams... softly, not deadly. But... not even a smile, since he's in a silent state as he gazed through the view. Haruna didn't want to snap at him, he never wanted to involve his friends in this mess--so why should he? What did he wanted from him? He's not letting himself be merciful... no, not anymore. "Sanjaya... I..." he realized something, behind his words that day... that fight... he realized that Sanju never hated him. But, what is going on? "What... happened, with that day...?"

Haruna asked, seeing him didn't move an inch--as if he can't see or hear him. But, his sense was telling him something else. "Wait, I get it now..." he said, looking up at Sanju whose posture didn't change a single bit. The way he stood is similar to his silent stance but, based from the tense atmosphere; Haruna is not sure if Sanju is or not. The room was empty.

"Ah, now I get what's the thing going on... you wanted to protect me and my friends. I'm sorry, for all of the misunderstandings we had... I finally realize that Maha indeed experimented me. Ever since the accident and what's happening in Indonesia... it seems that you already knew about that, all this time," Haruna calmly stated, but his eyes narrowed. "You let all people coming after you, while you're not the only one because... there are other experiments that Maha did--I was one of them. You want to keep me safe from harm, by leaving me... am I right?"

A silence passed.

"Haruna, do you see it yourself? Do you know what is the Void Raksha made of? She was not afraid, and you felt terrified," Sanju sighed with a wistful smile, glancing at him. "As long you use your power for good, rather than evil then I can trust you with the new team... the team. No... from other countries. I have my own team, so do yours--when both of you reached to the objective: find the true enemies," Sanju added, looking at him.

There, there was a determination burned within Sanju--as he clenched his fists. "Haruna, you exist not because of Maha. You still Haruna that we always love and care for, you still deserve as someone equal... unlike what they said. Your power is so powerful, that most of us are afraid," his expression has an unusual conflict, while he listened to his words as Haruna watched him--listening to his words.

"The orb that now resides within you, I believe it was the 'light' that can take and subdue the voids and save you. If you let that happen, you'll let it consume your body and turning you into this," Sanju frowned, glancing at him. "It might not mean that I won't help you, so... I came here to tell you that you can let go your past fears of what will happened. Did you understand me? Do not lose hope, all of them weren't true or it was a lie to let you suffer. Now, awaken your inner power as a true Raksha."

While those words echoed in the darkness--Haruna widen his eyes, seeing Sanju left while he tried to reach out for him. Even if Maha could hurt or kill him and his friends, he could not abandoned him. "Wait, one more thing!" he yelled, Sanju stopped in his track for a moment and glanced at him--turning around to him. "Miss Siska is..."

"I know, but remember her lesson; even if she no longer with us after her death..." Sanju continued, but the stern on his tone implied that he was holding back his emotions. "... tell the others that we won't give up fighting until the truth is revealed, she's alive in our hearts after all. Besides, you're her favorite student after all--I'm just a class monitor who keep an eye on all of you so I can check on every last one of you... but, I often to teach you. Just be you, you're more more stronger when you do that," he ended his sentence before he smirked, he walked away and disappeared in sight.

'Sanjaya, you haven't changed even if you're...'

Haruna closed his eyes and listened his heart's calling, before he faced the Void Raksha who was possessing him--his almond-colored eyes shimmered into orange-color with circular yellow irises. "I'm part of you," he said, making the latter shocked as he walk forward--making the Void Raksha stepped back from him until he was hugged by Haruna. "Thank you, Void Raksha. Without you, I will be always be powerless or let the darkness consumes me like a piece of shells," his voice were soft and faint, before he was fading away--finally letting him go.

The Void Raksha's cold, ruthless and emotionless expression slowly disappeared into a smile, a blissful sigh escaped from him before he chuckled. He's happy. After all, he was helping his host defeating his demons and gaining his powers as a member of the Rakshas. "There you go, and... don't overdo it," he spoke softly as he disappeared into an ice particles, returning back to Haruna--before falling to the ground and return to his senses and awoke with the enormous Void black light dissolved into particle before the Orb of the Void faded away--now transforming into a different kind of Raksha.

***

Alma was about to kill his friends who were restrained by the marionettes, until she noticed a bright light is emerging from the shattered blue orb. She narrowed her eyes before watching the orb inside Haruna, slowly revealed to be a Core of Aditi--the Celestial Asura.

Haruna stood in front of her as he finally unleashed his true Raksha form, known as Celestial Raksha; one who commands the stars and space of the world--mastering thermal manipulation to molecular level, gravity and black hole. His black hair turns white with black steaks over the end of his hair and long bangs over his red-orange mixed eyes with sharp pupils with circular irises, fair complexion and regaining a black-colored curled horns with tags hanging forward. His hair extended long as it was pulled into high half-ponytail with black ribbon and hairpin with orange beads and red threads around it, he also gained earrings with tags on his earlobes. His attire consists of black sleeveless turtleneck bodysuit under his dark gray high collared-coat with orange cloud-like batik-patterned themes that exposed his chest, long black fingerless gloves and a black belt with three rectangular buckles in the middle around his coat. He wears a black short pants over his mid-thighs and has orange sachet hanging on his belt. He wears thigh-high black boots with orange stitches and leather belt that straps around his calf with black and gold ornaments that has tassels hanging over at the end of the strap along the a pair of knee pad inside his thigh boots.

Haruna stretched his arms with a yawn, he looks like he woke up from his sleep or an hour of nap--while he gazed at his hands, admiring the handiwork; it seems the Orb has disappeared and fusing with the core of Asura at last. Alma almost dropped her jaw but, she quickly retracted and grinned. "Huh? Who are you? Are you possessed or something?" Alma laughed out, shrugging while giving him a bored expression. "I thought someone saved me--"

"Oh, so now I have to pick you up? I'm a Void Raksha no more, did I say that?" Haruna questioned before grinned, gesturing her to fight him. "That was fast... your besties were caught by your marionettes, all of them were struggling their way to be free," the man asked with a smirk, before scoffing. Then, he use his catalyst-like skill to manipulate the marionettes' actions in such manner, thus stopping them as a whole--tension increases on Alma's face. "How did you... oh, I get it! That Orb that I thought--it wasn't a real Orb, was it?" Alma mumbled,while biting her thumb's nail.

'When I released that, the orb was actually--'

Alma recalled about her plan that Maha had planned; let the orb created multiple voices similar to the Cores while generating a 'noise' that harmed humans--Maha promised that those sounds were not as simple as human's sense of hearing, therefore explaining Alma's confusion and the darkness. Then, she saw an ice pike that came from Juha--despite his injured state; his regeneration did heal most of his fatal injuries. Izana summoned a huge torrent of water from her palm while Masaki conjures a strong gust of cyclone along Damian.

Haruna evaded an air blast that headed toward him, before using his fist on the ground to blow air wave and creates a stream of gale with intense shock waves--destroying some marionettes and hurling them above, which means it would going to be hurled down in no time. As the black dome was weakened to almost impossible with the effects to hold them in there, Haruna unleashed the power of his Raksha form--spinning and slamming the marionettes aside when they were destroyed into pieces.

Alma was in utter confusion and gasped in horror to see a destructive light was shining over them, she couldn't control that amount of powerful power from the previous era. She need to be more careful next time, but she didn't mind on how or why he became like that. "What the fuck?! You're... you have..." she silently screamed before cackling, "No, who is it? Is there a connection of the Cores within you? I was right, the Cores were a part of everything that could exist! No!" Alma shouted, gritting her teeth.

Haruna used his fist punched her back, slamming her to the ground and forming a crater below him with the wind swirling around them; a cloud of debris spread around as she coughed blood to see Haruna with his stoic, stern expression glared at her. "Are you mad because you found out that you have an enemy in front of you? You might already knew about the truth, you have shown your true nature... Alma..." he hissed as he punched her face, "Alma... isn't even your name."

The mentioned woman laughed, she weakly raised her finger as if she's urging him to come closer. "Ahh, yes. I'll admit I was making this all up... my name is--" her words got interrupted by his fist again, hitting her back harder. His face remained cold as he lifted her up until he closed his mouth tightly with his tight grip. He narrowed his eyes, "Let's see, have you been able to predict an average person's behavior after leaving them? Now tell me about the Legion Rakshas."

Damian spoke, approaching them along with the rest as they stopped them. Alma coughed up blood a little, before she growled and stand up while the blood washed over her face and back--after many blows on Haruna's fists. "About the Legion Rakshas, you know... you don't have a clue. You didn't even know where they are. They are a bunch of notorious Rakshas who gave up their humanity a long time ago and now just a pawn of our masters. Lord Maha treated them as a living weapon, a war machine," Alma scoffed with a serious expression before adding with a smirk, "The difference is that between the people of today and Rakshas of past era, both still have the same sentiment--just that the Previous Era still has a mind of killing machine. They don't side with humanity. We--all of us, not even involved with neither party, they always doing just the small favors and kill for the other party's... if you know what I mean..."

Alma explained, before she yelped when she got tripped--making her gave up in process as she smirked. "Well then, looks like my time is over--"

They froze to see her suddenly self-destruct, blood spilled all over the floors along her eyes turned violet-colored. Before Damian attacked, Haruna put his hand on his shoulder and he didn't do anything... only the eerie, creepy laughs echoed before the 'corpse' disintegrated into paper and paper burned by an orange light, then revealed that she was already dead. "I suppose Maha love to execute his underlings when they fail his task, right?" he calmly concluded before the group jumped off the building as they went back in their normal selves... because, the mission was accomplished. Even if it isn't, Alma just gave up and decided to be a martyr instead.

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