CHAPTER 5, THE FIRST VISIT TO HELIOS

I... I can't believe it! I failed to protect someone close to me yet again. Licht... I couldn't protect him, as I thought these things i saw my ring was still there, he is still alive. "Oi! Ray are you alright?" I heard Lia's voice call out to me.

I exited the black mist, outside the black mist, Lia with a few other students stood. They are countless students here and when I went to join them, they told me the students were gathered because of the severity of the fight.

As we all gathered in the meeting tent, we gatehred the information we had. Aria and Shin were there, they told us what they had found out. Firstly, the Shadow doesn't leave the mist and moves towards the city a little far from the shores. Secondly, the mist drains our Aura and weakens us which gives it a chance to attack. "Therefore, we've decided to use the Helios Tactic on it." Aria said.

"We can't do that, Licht is still inside it." I told them.

"What!? He was eaten by it?" Lia exclaimed. "Then he must be dead."

"He is still alive." I told them, holding my ring.

"Ray-dono, how are you so sure ~degozaru?" Shin asked me.

"With this." I showed them my ring. "As long as this ring is still here, he is still alive."

"Wait a second! Did you exchange Geschwister Vows with him?" Aria excalimed.

"Yeah." I answered her. "Which is why I know he is still fine. So we have to save him. That is why we fight isn't it? To protect those we hold dear?"

"He is right. We'll see what we can do." Lia said. "With time, I could locate him somewhere in that Shadow's body, at the time we'll force our way through it's hide and get him out."

"Thanks." I told them as I pulled myself together. Geez, we only met yesterday but I'm already attached to him. He must be really special indeed.

As we all tried to keep the Shadow at bay, I noticed an eerie glow from its body and Lia then told me that he was there. Licht, hang in there. I'm coming for you now!

As we fought with the Shadow repeatedly, I had cuts and wounds all over my body from its attacks. But as the others made way I charged at the eerie glowing area with my blade and cut a hole into its hider, it's tough, but after countless tries I had pierced it. After cutting its stomach open, I found him, covered in black slime-like liquids. I pulled him out from there and brought him outside the mist, he is breathing and he seems to be fine, some of his clothes were melted from the liquid though.

LICHT POV

As I open my eyes, I'm in a dark place, by myself. Last thing I remember was.... Ahh! I was eaten by a Shadow. What is this place, there is nothing here but darkness. As I wonder through the darkness a strong siren rings and in front of me I see twelve lights. They're so beautoful, they all shine in different colors red, yellow, blue and many more. "Welcome." A voice says, I turn my head to see someone, cloaked in black and wearing a white mask.

"Who are you!" I demanded.

"Calm down. I am not your enemy. I welcome you, to the Helios." He said, I knew it was a man from his deep voice.

"Helios? I've never heard of such a place. I was killed in battle wasn't I?" I asked him.

"No, you were not. You've simply been linked here." He answered. "What was it you last thought of during your battle?"

"I... I thought that... I needed to be stronger." I answered. "Being eaten by that the Shadow made me realize that."

"Indeed, but how will you grow stronger? The greater the Light the darker the Shadows. Have you heard of this?" He asked.

"Yes." I answered.

"Soon, a darkness shall engulf your world unless the Sacred Swords gather, you have no hope of survival." He said. "When you find out what your 'Light' is, you shall become stronger."

"My Light?" I asked.

"If you wish to save your world, then you must fight." He said. "However, in order to fight, you must grow stronger and in order to grow stronger you must realize something."

"What is it?" I asked him.

"Why do you fight?" He asked me.

"To avenge my family!" I answered him.

"Hmm... well let's leave it at that for now." He said. "Do you see those twelve lights?"

"I do, what about them?" I answered him.

"They are the Lights of the Sacred Swords. They're ancient lights that have guided this world for a long time." He said. "And in the near future, when a war begins, they'll appear once more and guide the nations to victory."

"What does that have to do with me?" I asked.

"You'll know when you get there. Well, it looks like times up." He said. "Remember this, when the Light of the Heart is pure, the Sacred Sword will truly Awaken."

A blinding light shined and when I had cone to I was in Ray's arms. It seems that they extracted me from the Shadow. They cut a hole into the stomach and pulled me out from there. Ray, he was covered in wounds and bruises, badly beaten up. I won't forgive this Shadow. "Licht-dono are you okay ~degozaru?" Shin asked me.

"Licht?" I heard Aria's voice but I ignored it.

"I'll kill it here and now. I won't forgive it for harming Ray." I said as my hatred filled me. I called Etoiles to my hand and activated it Etoiles form. In this form, it is a sword, with a glowing blade that is made from light. "Die, Shadows!"

RAY'S POV

When I had come to, I saw Licht cutting through the black mist with his sword. It was like he was a different person. Charging at it with rage and hatred, even his Aura was different, the pure, golden Aura that flowed from him turned black. Isn't this... Berserk. Is his Special Skill Berserk? If it is where did he learn such a dangerous Special Skill? "Ray! What happened?" Yuri called out to me.

"I'm not sure, when I had come to he was like that." I answered her as she landed beside me.

"Isn't that Berserk?" She asked me. "No, wait, it's a little different. Anyways, we need to stop him."

"I might be able to stop him." I told her and got back up. "Please keep the others away from him for now. Berserk causes you to lose control and unable to tell the difference from good to bad."

"Understood." She answered.

I charged at him with spear and he blocked it with his sword. He is even stronger in this state... here goes nothing. "Licht, why are you like this?" I asked him.

"I won't... forgive them..." He answered.

"Forgive who?" I asked him.

"I won't let Shadows... hurt anymore people." He answered. "I don't want to... lose someone again..."

"Licht! I'm right here, as your older brother, I'm telling you to cool your head!" I said and punched him.

"Ray...?" He said as the black Aura started to turn back to its pure gold light again. "What was...? Look out!"

He pushed me out of the way as the snake's head came running. I completely forgot about the Shadow... my bad. Just then, as our two weapons came together, his sword turned into a spear as well. "My Etoiles can take multiple forms." He said just then, our Auras mixed with each other. His golden aura and my azure aura mixed with each other were making a golden light with a tint of azure.

"We'll charge at it with this." I said as he held his spear, as we were walking we left a trail of aura behind.

"Okay." He answered and we charged at the Shadow with our joined spears piercing it to the other side, we pulled away as we saw it grow black lumps and as we were away, the snake exploded.

I'm glad he is fine now, but what was that earlier. He lost control as if he couldn't twll what was going on anymore. I better keep a close eye on him, I don't want my little brother to kill himself by accident.