Chapter 35, Awakened Ones

I glance at the town now shielded by a veil of crystal light. So that's Crystal Shield. Rose has done her job, now it's our turn to do ours.

"Haruka!" I opened my hand to him.

"Servants who dare to raise your hand against your masters, heed our order to you." We said as we joined our hands. "Words spoken become a chain which binds and restrains. Head our very order. Domination!"

A golden light shines on the battlefield and chains emerged from the ground. The chains held them down and bound every last Guardian that opposed us. Then, the chains wrapped around each of them and then became a barrier and raised each Guardian to the sky.

"They subdued all the Guardians in one go..." Dres-san said.

"All that's left, are the Titans and that woman." We said.

The battle against the Titans was difficult. Our power not even being able to dent them but theirs enough to severely injure anyone on contact.

"We'll deal with the Titans." Mnemosyne said. "Please deal with the stragglers."

"That's our job." Takeshi said. "Haruka, Haruki, take care of that witch."

"You can count us." We said and flew for her.

We slashed her at our sword but she managed to dodge our attack.

"Descendants of the Heroes... the pests that have stopped me time and time again." She said angrily. "I'll have you pay for what your ancestors did to me."

"You'll be giving back Luna's body!" Haruka said and kicked her.

When she doesn't move from where she is, I force her back with magical power but she easily deflects it. In the blink of an eye we're both sent flying backwards.

"You guys alright?" Neph called out but we couldn't answer.

"Everyone, back into the barrier!!" Dres-san shouted and we retreated.

"You two, hold on." Lita said and placed her hands on our backs healing us."

"Just now. If I didn't strengthen my body I would've broken more than just my bones." Haruka said. "What kind of power is she using?!"

"It's likely, the powers of our fellow Titans." Mnemosyne said as she regrouped with us. "The Titans, they aren't fighting like themselves. It's likely, she has devoured the souls of the other Titans."

"Can she do that?!" Jason exclaimed.

"Normally you can't." I said. "Unless, she isn't from this world."

"What do you mean?" Elias-san asked.

"The one that stole Luna's body is likely, a Drifter." We said. "We've got one problematic enemy."

"Drifter? As in visiters from another world?!" Takeshi exclaimed.

"What?" Dia asked.

"Drifters are beings not from this world. It's part of the South's history. Stories that have been passed down." Asami said. "I've heard about them before."

"Before the Four Calamaties were banished to the distant heavens to be purified they brought countless disasters to our world. Among them was collisions with other worlds." I said. "The worlds that collided with each other would be visited by disasters that if they are unable to push away, would lead to their own destruction."

"During the moments when worlds collided there have been times when people from the two different worlds come into contact. Some are even stranded on the opposite side with no way of returning." Haruka said. "We call such individuals Drifters. After the Four Calamaties were banished past the distant skies there haven't been any case of Drifting or contact between worlds."

"Then she is?" Luna asked.

"Most likely, a Drifter that arrived to our world during the ancient era. But the question is how she was able to survive this long." We said.

"She's probably from the wordl adjacent to this." Lita said. "The people from that world feed of souls. They developed a way to turn souls into food but this led to countless eras of wars. Finally, the we decided to destroy their world after much deliberation."

"Why?" Queen asked.

"Because devouring souls is a crime that has been rarely spoken of." We said. "When a person dies, the soul leaves the body and returns to the high heavens to be purified and allowed to reincarnate. Extremely filthy souls can only reincarnate as beasts though. That's the natural order of the world."

"So, anyone who disrupts the natural order at a large scale is a danger to the world. The world was deemed dangerous by the High Heavens and was sentenced to obliteration." Lita said. "She must've crossed over to this world before it destructions."

"So, how do we defeat her?" Sky asked.

"Easy." We said. "We just have to drive her out of Luna's body and have Luna reenter it. After that we'll simply catch her soul and seal it away."

"You make it sound so easy." Alexi said.

"We're about to make it easier." We said and took out two swords from the storage space. "Perfect."

"Those are?" Storm eyed the sword as we unsheathed them. They didn't have a blade. "No blade?"

"It's the Soul Blades." Takeshi said. "They can tamper with the souls of a being and even destroy the real bodies of spirits. One of the Forbidden Weapons."

"I'll drive out the soul." Haruka said.

"And I'll hold it down." I said.

"What about the souls she's devoured?" Yue asked.

"We have this for that." I said and held a round hand mirror.

"The Eternal Prison." Ryu said. "You're going to collect all of them in there?"

"Yeah." We said. "But since we can't do that while we're driving her out. Luna will hold the mirror."

"How do I do that?" She asked.

"Hold out the mirror and all the souls that are loose will be captured." We answered and gave her the mirror. Then mirror then grew larger. "Qhen we finish driving her out and the souls are collected, we'll restore your soul to it's body."

"Okay." She said and held the mirror tightly.

"Let's go!" We shouted.

We charged for Luna's real body this time and she dodge our attack. How can she be so quick?

"You think I'll let you land those swords at me? Hahahahha! Fools!!" She laughed and jucked both of us back.

"Haruki, it's likely, she's using Chronos' ability of Time. She can see what we're going to do next." He said.

"Looks like we'll have a difficult time then." I said.

"Chronos' ability let's him see the future but it's not that easy. The future she sees isn't a single one, it is countless futures." Themis shouted. "As long as you can move faster than she can process you'll be able to land a hit."

"Thanks for the advice." We said and smiled.

"Ready?" I asked and he nodded. "Yuusha!"

"Maou!" He answered and we released our full power.

"Hyaa!" I charged at her and she dodges but then I notice the wound on her shoulder. No doubt, she can't process as quickly as our Awakened state can move.

"Tsuki Style Swordplay, Akatsuki!" We said and slahsed her with both blades. We managed to cut her but we need to drive the blade into her.

She switches to attck and we barepy managed to fend her off even in our awakened state. This much power must be thebpower of one of the Titans. Raw power that can shatter the ground on impact. We barely have the chance for a counter.

"Tsuki no Kage, 7th Kage, Tsuki no Fubuki!" Suddenly a blast of ice crystals and snow shoots towards her and she has to jump up to dodge it.

We turn to see Takeshi and Ryu, both in their awakened state as well.

"We can't have our masters getting hurt now can we?" Haruko said as he stood with the other members of Tsukikage that we brought along.

"Thanks, butgo help with the other Titans. Leave her to the four of us." I said and he nodded.

"So, how do we do this?" Ryu asked.

"Just force her down." Takeshi said.

"Roger that." Ryu said.

"Dragon King's Raging Talons!" Without hesitation he tore apart the air but she dodge it. His taol even hit her but he was sent flying back by her body.

"Sylphid's Heaven Tailwind!" Takeshi rushed forth the wind tailing behind him and she was sent flying.

"Demon Claws!" Haruka shouts as shadows hold her down. "Haruki!"

"Divine Chains!" I said and chains made from light held her still. "Haruka!"

"Hyaa!" He thrust his blade into her body, the blade glows bright and a single black light leaves her body.

"That's it!" I said and held the spirit down with my sword. Then, as I thrusted the sword down, souls both with white and black hues peft the body scattering in every direction. "Luna!"

"Yes!!" She said and held the mirror.

All the souls that scattered outwards were sucked into the mirror. Finally, the last one entered the mirror and we were done. We brought Luna's body back into the town while the Titans fell into a state of unconsciousness.

"Luna, come here, we'll return you to your body." We said and she nodded. "Mnemosyne."

"Alright." She said. "Have her lie down beside her body."

Luna lied down beside her body and Mnemosyne placed her had on Luna's body before she drew some kind of symbol. The next instant, Luna returned to her body.

"She's fine now. It'll take time for her to wake up but there are no other issues." Mnemosyne said.

"That leaves the souls of the Titans and the countless souls she's devoured." We said.

"Oi! You're glowing!" Jade said and we looked at each other.

"It's time." We said. "We have to go back to who we are now."

"So, this is where we say take care." Aria said as tears dripped down her face. "We can't wait... to meet the real you."

"We have so much to say but we'll leave Haru to tell you." We said. "After all, Haru is, the two of us as one."

A golden light engulfs the two of us and then I feel myself lose consciousness as if going to sleep. And, with Haruka's warmth fall to sleep.