Chapter 21, Hestia's Artifact

I drew my sword and my sheild as I spread my wings for the sky, I have less than a half an hour till the spell's effects wear off, I'll kill all those Titans before time runs out. The people have been evacuated and the ones that remain are the handful of us who can and wish to fight.

I heard more explosions and saw that a Titan has been taken down. Nine left to go. I'm thankful, it seems Salamander's Cannon has enough power to take them out thoigh it took a few shots. I'm wondering how the four are doing using the long-distance magic particle guns when I see a beam of light shoot away at the Titans, looks like they're doing fine.

I charge at the Titans with my sword but soon notice that it's doing little damage to them. Now that I think about it, it took seven shots from each of the seven Salamander Cannons just to kill one. Fourteen attacks in all was what it took to fell the smallest looking one. If so, what about the others?! Though they are large and the same height, it doesn't mean they're the same in size. I need to find their weakness and quickly.

As I'm trying to find a way to end this I noticed a mark on each of the Titans neck. A strange symbol even I had no idea of knowing what it was. All I saw was a clock face. But then I realized something. Maybe that is it's weak spot?!

I charge at the mark with my sword and as my sword pierced the skin the symbol shattered and the Titan suddenly quaked. I flew away and by the time I turned back the Titan had turned into an orb of darkness which fell to the ground. For a second I'm worried until the next one came slapping but I manage to dodge it.

I drive my blade into each Titan's neck and just when I think I've taken out the last one the ground quakes and I turn to see a giant Titan, twenty feet tall. I fly closer and try to chage it's attention from the town. It follows me but then returns for the town. I search it's neck for the symbol to find nothing. I begin to panick but the sound of the Salamander's Cannon at full blast snaps me back to reality. The Titan's left arm is destroyed in the explosion and it lets out a painful screech. Three more shots follow, the first on its leg, the second it's lower stomach and the third straight through the skull. But it persists on moving to the tlwn even though it's headless. I try to slow it as best as I can but as I try it slaps me hard and I'm sent flying to Hermes Town and I slam to the ground near the shrine.

"Haruka!!" Aishea-san and the girls came running.

I can't move my body... it's not listening to me. The shick caused my body to lose a large amount of magical energy. As I try to force myself to stand I hear a loud boom and the Titan let's out one last wail of pain before I see it disappear. I feel my energy return so I stand up and see that the boom came from the Salamander's Cannon. I'm immediately overcome with dread and as they disappeared I see Takeshi fell from the sky. I managed to catch him and I immediately notice red veins are creeping up his body.

"Takeshi!" I shook him.

"S-sorry... I... I'm... at... my... l-limit..." He forced a laugh.

"Don't talk!" I told him. He used the Salamander's Cannon's full power and this is the price he had to pay.

"Takeshi!" The four guards came running tossing aside the riffles.

"Under Sun the Inchor glows bright, the blood of the Moon flows endlessly." I spoke the spell to check how much damage he took. This is a spell handed down in each family as a way to check how badly injured the body of our comrade is. I unbutton his shirt and saw that his chest was nearly covered by the red veins. "The voices of Sylphid whisper, the water of Undine replenishes, the flame of Salamander burns, the ground of Gnome connects. The breath of Yggdrasil grows."

I cut a small wound on my finger and let the blood drop on his chest. My heart drops when the blood turns to a crystal of deep red. I feel tears drip down my face and I begin to sob.

"Haruka, you okay?" Elias-san asked as he place his hand on my shoulder.

I try to think of a way to help him but all I can think of is I'm going to lose a person dear to me. As more tears flow out my eyes the shield which I laid down beside me starts to glow and it changes. A flame appears and the flames enter Takeshi. Slowly the red veins began to disappear.

"This is!!" Hermes exclaimed when he saw the shield. He immediately took it and checked it. "Hestia's Anti-Titan Artifact, Hearth Fire Shield?!"

"What?!" Zeus exclaimed as he took the shield.

"What's that?" I asked.

"A special weapon given to is by your ancestor, there is one for each Guardian. Hestia's grant the power and healing." Zeus answered. "Meaning, it's healing Takeshi."

"It also means, Haruka, you have been chosen." Hermes added.

"Chosen for what?" I asked.

"To be the host of Hestia's power. Meaning, you'll have the power to use Hestia's ability." He answered. "And not in the same way I lent you mine. You can use her powers as much as you like. The power of healing. You have been chosen to be the Sage of Hestia."

I kniw he wanted to say more but right now, he knew I wasn't in a state to listen. I watched as slowly the veins disappeared and Takeshi started to breath normally again. I tentatively reach out and tap his chest. I place my ear to his chest and hear his heart beat. I cut another wound on my finger and drip my into his chest.

"Under Sun the Inchor glows bright, the blood of the Moon flows endlessly." I recited the spell with hope this time that he is fine. "The voices of Sylphid whisper, the water of Undine replenishes, the flame of Salamander burns, the ground of Gnome connects. The breath of Yggdrasil gives life."

To my delight the blood turned to a crystal of azure hue and my body relaxed and I lied down beside realized how exhuasted I was. My hands find his and right before I lose consciousness I see the moon above us. A crescent moon though hidden by the rays of the sun, shines upon its descendants.