PHASE 93 - THE GOLDEN CROWN OF THORNS

The next day, we asked the Kozukata Shrine’s permission to borrow all the God and Goddess Cores in their possession to attain our goals.

“Are you sure about this?” Asumi-nee asked. She has a doubtful look in her face.

“Yes. I’m sure about this, Asumi-nee.” I said as I held my chest. “Singing the is the only way I can think of to save my father.”

My father only has one more day to live. The curse has corrupted all of his life force, and he’s only clinging to his willpower to live. There is no hope to save my father, except for this.

The .

It is a song that grants all the singer’s wishes in exchange for her life. But since we already have twelve God Cores, we can finally do it without any drawbacks.

“Alaric said that there are still two more months before the awakening of the Frozen Soul. “ Diadem explained his side. “It wouldn’t hurt if we fix the Frozen Soul in advance, right?”

“Hmmm….” Asumi-nee held her chin. “You have a point. An ounce of prevention two hours in advance is better than a ton of cure.”

I think she just revised a popular saying. That’s Asumi-nee for you, she always makes wise words wiser!

“I’m not against the idea.” Asumi-nee continued. “But I think you have to ask for the whole group’s approval first. Especially Alaric.”

“I don’t think Alaric is against that idea,” Diadem said.

“Yes, but there is something confusing his mind.” Asumi-nee made a troubled yet serious expression.

<>

Two hours after that, we had a conference at the Kozukata Shrine Hall. We have all the Aether Crusade members present, except Drex and Benedict who are busy with their own lives. Rikkun said that we didn’t need to call and disturb them because they don’t have God Cores anyway. So now, there’s only Rikkun, me, Heushac, Helena, Key, Eliseo, Emily, Diadem, and Asumi-nee to attend this meeting. We also have Lironeo (Void Wolf) and my father here.

My father is currently on a wheelchair because he’s now too weak to move his legs. His arms are even shaking even though it’s not cold or he’s not nervous. The faint glow on his eyes is telling me that he’ll be going any minute. Looking at my poor father makes me want to sing the in this very moment.

“So…” Rikkun is now in front of everyone, at the podium. He scanned towards our faces, but her gaze to me is the longest.

Then he started his long speech.

“We are here to discuss the issue on hand, which is the . I have already told everyone that the is the only way to save everything that exists. The Frozen Soul is on the verge of awakening, and the calendars should end on December 31st. There are roughly two months away, but we have already collected the twelve God Cores. By using the power of those God Cores, Tiara can sing the without sacrificing her life. I hope everybody understands these things now.”

There’s a doubtful look in Heushac as he scratches his head. It seems that he doesn’t get anything Rikkun says even though he has been discussing it for the past year.

“Since I am a merciful king, I will allow democracy in our group,” Rikkun said with a chin-up smirk. “I shall answer all the questions that come out from your stupid mouth.”

Heushac raised his hand. “Can you explain everything from the start?”

“Shut up.” Rikkun immediately dismissed the question.

Everybody was awkward and silent. Heushac just got a taste of embarrassment from everyone. But he gets embarrassed every now and then, so this is just a regular day for him.

The atmosphere shifted from comedy to mystery thriller when Heushac’s big sister, Helena, raised her hand.

“I’m not against the , but I am against the one who proposed the very idea.” Helena’s voice is threatening. “I’m not talking about you Alaric or Tiara… I’m talking about the ‘one’ who convinced you to sing the .”

“The Outsider,” Rikkun muttered.

“Yes, the Outsider,” Helena said. “The Outsider is the one responsible for cursing Diadem. He’s responsible for corrupting Tiara’s father… And I shall also tell you that he is the one who gave the curse to Lironeo. And you know from yourself, Alaric, that he made you a Cursed Guardian too.”

The members of the Aether Crusade started to murmur to their seatmates, adding confusion to the mix. Rikkun had his eyes wide open and jaw hanging too. He can’t think of any argument.

The Outsider. I only have seen the person twice. First, is before my death presage. Second, is when Rikkun saved me from Shirayuki. Even though I know the person they are pertaining to, I don’t remember how that person looks like.

All I remember… is a shadow or a pixelated silhouette of a man that is eternally cursed. His face is covered in a shroud of darkness. Normally, we wouldn’t trust mysterious people, especially if he’s a Cursed Guardian.

“That is right.” Lironeo seconded Helena’s argument. “I don’t know how or when, but I remember him. I remember him corrupting my mind.”

“Yes, the Outsider is the one responsible for giving us a curse.”

Diadem stood up as he presented his own reasons.

“But we know that he’s telling the truth. The can give us answers once my sister started to sing it. If my sister gains omnipotence at this very moment, nothing can go wrong, right? I mean, she can just wish whatever she wants.”

Everybody mumbled to their seatmates again, as if they are convinced.

“Diadem…” I muttered with a hint of a smile in my face. I can’t believe my twin brother can bring out a strong argument like that.

Rikkun then backed my twin brother up. “I already saw the about the . There is no risk in singing it if we have already gathered the twelve God Cores. The blinking out of existence is imminent. The Outsider is telling the truth about everything, at the very least.”

Helena raised her shoulders and projected a defeated smile. “Well, I guess I don’t have much evidence. We don’t know what his true intentions are, but I think we still have to do it.”

“Yes, that’s right.” Rikkun made a wide smile. Then, he slammed his palms to the desk. “Anybody against the idea of the ?”

Everybody kept silent. There might still be doubt in their minds, but the fact is still there. I still have to sing the one way or another.

Besides… I don’t want to lose my father. I can revive him even if he dies at this very moment, but I don’t want him to suffer the pain of death. I want to fully heal him no matter what. He has endured so much, and it is only I who can remove the pain away.

“So, Tiara…” Rikkun walked in front of me and lent out his hand. “Are you ready to save your father, and also the universe?”

There’s no hesitation in my mind when I took his hand.

“Y-Yes!” I smiled jollily. “I’m going to sing it, right now!”

I shifted to stare at my father, who is silently crying. His hands are too weak to grip a handkerchief, so he had Asumi-nee to wipe his tears instead.

“Tiara, my beautiful daughter…” He muttered.

“Watch me perform the greatest song of all, Dad!” I made an innocent smile.

<>

We prepared the peak of the Kozukata Shrine Bell Tower as the venue of my grandest acapella. The gentle breeze here is soothing, and the sunlight is not so bright, yet warm. The swaying sakura blossom trees unleash petals that mixed with the afternoon wind.

With this atmosphere, I can focus on singing the with a clear and pleasant mind.

Around me are the very same members who attended the meeting earlier, except Lironeo. He said that he’ll be scouting in case somebody interrupts this critical ceremony that is about to happen.

Asumi-nee is busy distributing the God and Goddess Cores to their owners. Rikkun got his God Core first, so he immediately went to my side to check me out.

“Are you ready?” Rikkun asked in a worried tone. “If you ever feel nervous in singing, just remember what I taught you the first time you sang in front of many people. Look at the skin between my eyebrows and think of the people as pumpkins.”

I shook my head. Then I pressed my face forward as I held both of his warm hands. “I’m not nervous anymore, Rikkun. I don’t have to. Because you’re always here with me.”

Our faces drifted closer to each other, but then…

“Kiiiiiiissss!!!” Asumi-nee shouted. She’s watching our faces up close as if she’s observing a social experiment with maximum curiosity.

“A-Asumi-nee!!!” I shrieked. Then Rikkun and I withdrew our faces.

“Oh, don’t mind me! Just kiss!” Asumi-nee made an innocent smile like a kid.

“Geez, Asumi-nee! We can’t do that!” I shrieked once again.

“L-Later…” Rikkun mumbled with a blush. Then his face returned to its original color. “We’ll have you sing first. Good luck, darling~”

My boyfriend’s gentle hands rubbed my hair. Aaaah, this is so refreshing! I really love it when he’s giving me headpats!

“R-Right! I’ll sing with determination!” I made a warcry as I pumped my fists.

“Everything ready?!” Diadem joined the conversation.

“I have distributed all the God and Goddess Cores.” Asumi-nee made a thumbs-up.

“Yes! I’m ready!” I said.

I went to my praying position as I test my voice.

“Do re mi fa so la ti do~”

Great, my voice works perfectly. I’m more than well and fine to sing it.

In order to cast the most powerful spell of all, the singer must be in the form of divinity. Necchan was in Goddess Freya Mode when she sang it, so I should do it too.

I closed my eyes and focused all my prana in my body towards my heart and lungs. My dress transformed into white goddess silk that has non-combusting flames on its tips. White floating scarf swirled on my arms. Ten white wings materialized from my back.

SONG OF SALVATION, READY TO CAST.

I just heard Necchan’s voice inside my head.

The people who are possessing the God and Goddess Cores surrounded me as they passed their divine orbs to my heart. Every time the divine powers entered my body, I can feel a gentle warmth. It feels like I’m absorbing their feelings, their emotions, and their will to my very existence.

Rikkun gave me the God Core of Freyr.

Eliseo gave me the Goddess Core of Venus.

Emily gave me the Goddess Core of Hel.

Key gave me the Goddess Core of Athena.

Asumi-nee gave me the Goddess Core of Haliya.

Diadem gave me the God Core of Ra.

And Helena gave me the God Cores of Zeus, Odin, Vishnu, Mercury, Mars, and Neptune.

The twelve God Cores was immediately unleashed by my heart and then swirled around my body until it reached above my head. They revolved like planets, and slowly, their circle became smaller and smaller until they combined themselves into a glowing golden ring. The ring molded itself to shape like a majestic crown full of spikes.

Then the glowing crown of thorns slowly descended on top of my head.

TWELVE GOD CORES COMPLETED.

There goes Necchan’s warm and kind voice again.

“Start singing, Tiara. You are now safe to sing the ”