THAT DAY I BECAME A STAR

EXCIA SAINT AXELANDRIA POV:

"What do we do?!! The cocoon is too resistant!"

I can't believe this whole situation. To think less than three hours ago, we were idly chatting with the Saintess over some warm meal. And now we are fighting a Longinus who is strong enough to counter all my arrows at the same time as he is battling Farner. This is…This unbelievable!! How did it even come here? The only thing we were told before we got teleported here was that Kevin was confronting it alone. How did he even survi…

"Kevin!!"

Farner suddenly turns and then screams in panic. Looking back, I see Kevin on the ground, not moving. Is he dead? It wouldn't be surprising with the wounds he had when we arrive. Why does the Saintess not heal him?

"Stay focus!!!"

I remind Farner while shooting three arrows. But this damn thing isn't even grazed after that..

"Let's step back first and think!"

Roxcia proposed as she backs away from the cocoon. We do the same and regroup around the Saintess.

"Why aren't you healing him?" As soon as we do, Farner doesn't wait to ask for the reason Kevin is lying on the ground. There is a small puddle of blood around him as well. Is he really dead?

"We don't have time for this!! Focus Farner!!"

Of course, Roxcia would be the first to defend the Saintess. She loves her more than any of us. I don't dare to imagine what would happen if she were to die.

"What are talking about?! It doesn't even take-"

"He refused to let me heal him! Please stay focus, Farner!!" The Saintess's shout resounds inside our ears as if the thunder stroke somewhere. Since she has our mother's blessing, her words have quite the power on us.

"I…"

"Now is not the time. Whatever is going to come out of there is surely going to be more powerful. We must find a solution quickly."

"Hmm…" I have an idea but don't know if it will work or if she will allow us.

"What is it Excia?"

"I have an idea. But we will need for the knights to hold on until we are ready."

"The divine judgment?" Farner immediately catches my idea.

"Yes."

"And how long do you think it can take?"

"I don't know Roxcia."

"I will help you. If I focus all my divine power on you, it should be enough to speed up the process."

"I think so as well, Saintess. But the problem is that if you do so, the knights will have to fight that thing without any kind of blessing or protection."

"Don't worry. The eternal soldiers are the most courageous there is."

"Saintess!!"

At the same time, her personal knight, William, as well as the other knights who came with us and Frankher, all come and face the cocoon from a distance.

"Saintess, we have finished off all the Longinus."

"Good!! Listen up everyone!"

The Saintess advances and touches William's shoulder.

"Right now, this monster will be our most difficult challenge! But we all need to stay strong!!"

She points at the Longinus with her other hand.

"The heroes will absolutely defeat this thing but for that to happen. We have to buy them enough time!"

"WE WILL!!! AS MUCH AS THEY WANT!!"

All the knights answer in unison and move, encircling the Longinus's cocoon. We also take position and form a triangle, me, Farner, and Roxcia, then cross all of our weapons together.

"DEAREST MOTHER, GRANT US THE STRENGTH TO ADVANCE IN THE DARKNESS…"

While we are praying, the cocoon explodes loudly and a loud scream resounds throughout the forest, making even the air vibrates.

"KRIEEKK!!!"

Its scream is so loud, so frightening, so uncomfortable. It makes my ears ring and my whole body trembles. When we look, it has changed form. It now looks like an oversized Longinus Sloin. But it has two heads and four long arms with its two legs. There is a single claw at the end of each arm which are almost the length of a human's arm.

"Get in position!!"

The knights all ready themselves but the monster doesn't move. It just looks at us then its two heads smile.

"You think your shitty divine judgment will do anything to me. I survived it once. I can survive it again!!"

Saying so, the monster disappears. No, it didn't disappear, it just moved too fast for me to see.

"Focus, Excia!!"

"Sorry."

Roxcia reminds me of the task at hand. Calling for our mother's light into this world is no easy task. I should focus on that. I close my eyes and try to focus all my attention on our prayer.

Suddenly, I hear clashing sounds. The Longinus must be facing William.

"Lightning ball!!" That's the headmaster's voice.

"Don't let him move around, avoid the-"

"MOSLEY!!"

A knight just died from the sound I heard. This thing, we must defeat it quickly.

"Give me back my hearts!!"

The monster suddenly screams something I didn't hear before.

"Watch out for the kid!!"

"Saintess!!"

"I know!!"

I feel the power infused on us by the Saintess diminishing for a moment. What just happened?

"Saintess, why are you not healing him?!! He is my student!!!"

Frankher starts shouting at the Saintess right after that. Seriously, what just-

"Roxcia, you are not focused enough!!"

How does Farner manage to be so focused? I can feel her power flowing into us like water through a gap. Like it doesn't care about the obstacles on its path.

"…AND LET US BE THE LIGHT THAT WILL GUIDE YOUR PEOPLE!!"

"Everyone, now!!" The Saintess seems to know we are ready. She signals to all the knights to move away. I am sure she is going to use her imprisonment script.

"LIGHT PRISON!!"

I knew it.

"KRIEKK!!"

"DIVINE JUDGMENT!!"

As the Longinus screams, we unleash Divine judgment and when we open our eyes, the day has come. Everything is bright as if it was midday. A pillar of light, shining like the sun, falls right on top of the Longinus.

"KRIEEKK!!!"

But before it reaches it, the two heads open and a sphere of Regas appears on top of the Longinus.

"KRIEEKKK!!!!!!"

He shoots the sphere which then becomes a pillar as well. A pillar of Regas. Both pillars collide and we immediately feel pressure on the weapons we are holding. They are all shining white, proof that they are the medium used to ask for our mother's help.

"Argh!!!"

"AHHH!!"

"Come on!!"

We release our aura and apply more strength on our weapons.

"KRIEKK!!" However, the Longinus does the same. Where does he find all that power?!!

"Do it!!"

"Die!!"

"Let's go!! Come on!!"

The knights also encourage us. I don't think there is much they could do besides that in this situation.

Even though we are giving it our all, I can feel we are getting pushed back, slowly but surely, this Longinus is winning. I can't believe it. A Longinus is going to resist the Divine judgment!! Then what was the point of all our training? Why did we make so much effort until now? I can understand that we are weaker because we aren't using our sister's souls but even so…

"aaaaaAAAAAHHHHH!!!"

Suddenly, I can…No, we can all hear a voice, coming from the sky, inside the pillar of light.

"What the!!!"

We can't see who it is but then, whoever it is reach the junction between our pillar and the Longinus's pillar.

"FOOLISH WORM!!!"

"Kevin?!!" 

Hearing the Longinus's scream, Farner somehow guessed who it is. HOW?!! WHEN?! WHAT?!

Our pillar also gains in strength and when we feel his power increasing.

"LET'S DO THIS!!"

"OH YEAH!!!"

We all push harder. I can't even feel my hands anymore but still, I must continue.

"AHH!!"

"MY HEARTS!!"

"JUST DIE ALREADY!!"

Finally, I hear Kevin's voice from inside our pillar as it lands on the Longinus, then a loud explosion and a deluge of dust and black smoke hit us.

"Cough...Cough..." 

We cover our eyes for a moment and after the dust settles a bit. We see a silhouette there, holding its raizen towards the sky, like the winner of a competition. No…

"Like he is a hero himself."