After two days of travelling, they reached the encampment where a large forces of knights and daring warriors gathered by the queen.
"At last, you all made it." said the queen.
"What's the situation now?" said Naofumi.
"I've gathered enough forces to fight against the Spirit Turtle. But some countries have already begun their assault on the turtle."
"They attack without waiting?"
"The Spirit Turtle was destroying their countries. No way they would refrain from fighting the monster."
"Right... Any news on the other heroes?"
"We still have no information of their whereabouts, Shield Hero."
Then, they felt a short tremor on the ground, and it sent everyone on high alert.
"Master! Look!" Filo pointed her wings at a mountain on the horizon.
"Is it just me, or did that mountain over there just moved?" said Naofumi.
"That's no mountain." said the queen.
Now they realized that they were looking at the Spirit Turtle emerged amongs the mountain range. Marius looked at the beast then turned and looked at the queen's forces.
"Do you have enough men to fight that thing?" said Marius.
"I don't have any comforting answer to your question, but this is all the men we can muster."
"You're going to need a god to kill that thing."
"Unless you can pray one to help us, there's really no way except fighting that thing." said Naofumi, "And how did the previous heroes defeated it?"
"According to records, they got inside of it by the city on its back and placed a seal on its heart." said the queen, "Our plan was to set up an ambushes on its course. It seems to be heading towards highly populated cities. We'll sent in an evacuation team to prevent civilian casualties."
"And then we go in and seal its heart?"
"Correct. But I fear such plan will cause more casualties."
"... How about I try fighting it as a test."
"You're insane." said Marius.
"I'm only testing its abilities and mine against it so atleast we know what we're dealing with."
"This is not like your experiment, Naofumi. We're about to face a titan."
"Have a little faith. Didn't you try to take on the zombie dragon once on your own?"
"That one was different."
"We're not gonna kill it. Once we know what that thing can do we'll retreat and report to the queen."
"... Fine. But if we die, I'm dragging you to Hades's domain myself."
"Shield Hero, your performance will affect the morale of our troops. Please be careful." said the queen.
"Yes Ma' am." said Naofumi. "We'll ride on Filo's back. She'll get us there faster."
"Yay!" Filo cheered.
"I have a bad feeling about this." said Marius as he unattached Filo from the carriage.
"We can fight that thing! Have faith!"
"That is hardly comforting."
Riding on Filo's back, they can see the turtle getting closer and closer, and the more powerful the tremor they felt each time the beast stomps the ground. Filo immediately stopped running and let the others dismount. Then, emerging from the mountains were swarm of bat-like creatures in large numbers flying towards the heroes.
"Everyone get back!" Naofumi commanded his party and prepared his shield. "Meteor Shield!"
The Meteor Shield expanded to block the swarm's path. The bat familiars fired rays of light from their eyes at the barrier to break through it.
"Rishia! Stay behind me and provide magic support! You three advanced and attack the familiars!"
Marius, with his round shield equiped, drew his gladius and led the attack with Filo and Raphtalia. The three exit the barrier and started attacking the bat-creatures. After the initial attack the bats retreated, leaving the battlefield.
"Was that it?" said Filo.
"Those were just pawns." said Marius.
"What do you mean?" said Raphtalia.
"The beast was testing our strength."
"Guys! Heads up!" Naofumi shouted, after he saw three creatures falling from the Spirit Turtle.
The three creatures were gorrila-like with turtle shells on their backs. The middle one roared at them and all three charged towards the heroes.
Naofumi applied support magic on the frontliners. Marius sheathed his gladius and took out his spear as he and his comrades braced themselves.
"Hold the line!" said Marius, his hands gripping his spear tightly and his shield facing the charging beast.
With the beast now close enough Marius thrusted his spear at the monster's chest. The best roared in pain and started pummeling Marius with its fist. Marius kept his shield up with all his strength from the strong blunt attack. He took the opening and stabbed the beast's left forearm, pulled the spear back and thrusted it at the chest.
With the beast backing away, Marius raised his weapon high and stabbed its eyes, causing it to backed away even further. Marius switched his grip on the spear, charged and bashed the beast with his shield. The beast fell on its back, and Marius jump on top of it and plunged the spear into its throat.
The beast struggled with its life before eventually succumbing to its fatal wound and dies. Marius pulled his bloodied spear and saw Raphtalia cutting the beast in half while Firo used her high quick attack and unleashed a flurry of sharped talons, decimating the beast.
"Let's get closer to it while there's still a chance!" Naofumi ordered, and all of them sprinted closer towards the Spirit Turtle.
The gigantic turtle spotted the approaching group and turned its gazed towards them.It lets out a tremendous roar and more familiars emerged from it's shell. Naofumi activated the Meteor Shield again to repel the incoming swarm.
The Spirit Turtle then lifted one of its front foot and sends a powerful kick towards them. Naofumi prepared his shield and the kick shattered the Meteor Shield. It hit the Shield Hero, sending shockwaves through his body as it pushed him back.
"Master Naofumi!" Raphtalia shouted.
"I'm fine! We'll hold out a little longer!" said Naofumi.
"We've seen enough! We must retreat!" said Marius.
"Not yet!"
Suddenly, rain clouds gathered in the sky above them and it swept the surrounding familiars. They all looked behind them and saw the queen on her royal carriage with knights as her guards.
"That's it! Filo! Raphtalia! Now's your chance!" said Naofumi.
"Right!" the two girls said in unison.
Raphtalia got on Filo's back and she jumped high enough to almost reach the turle's head. Filo then landed a powerful kick to the jaw of the Spirit Turtle, benting its head back. Raphtalia then launched herself at the turtle's exposed neck and slashed her sword, cutting through the monster's hide and blood gushed out to the ground.
But the cut was too shallow and it quickly regenerated. The turtle turned its gaze at the two. A large magical formation appeared before the Spirit Turle, then Filo and Raphtalia were pulled to the ground. The tried to break free of the spell but their bodies were too heavy for them to retreat.
The Spirit Turtle lifted its foot above the two to crushed them. Naofumi activated the Meteor Shield above the two trapped girls but the massive weight almost destroyed the barrier. He then used the Shield Prison on the two before adding more layer of barrier after the first one was shattered by the turtle.
Marius could not watched any longer as his lover and his little sister was about to be crushed. "Gods above. Grant me your strength. Grant the flames of war." Marius prayed silently as he tried to bring out the same flames that he used against Apollyon on his last battle. Soon, he felt the same burning feeling inside him and he immediately unleashed the golden flames.
Naofumi and Rishia felt the hot wave coming from Marius and were shocked when they saw Marius covered with the bright firey aura. Lighting struck the spear on Marius's hand and he threw it straight at the turtle's head. As it travelled, it destroyed all the shield barrier Naofumi conjured and even obliterated the bat familiars in its path.
The spear hit the turtle's head and and multiple lightning struck the turtle from the clouds, burning the beast's hide. It retreated its gigantic foot away and Naofumi released the two from the Shield Prison. With their bodies no longer felt heavy, they looked up and saw the Spirite Turtle's head covered with burns and the trees above its head caught on fire.
"Do it again while it's still stunt!" Naofumi shouted.
And with that, Raphtalia and Filo prepared their special moves. As Raphtalia prepared her magic, Filo begans by gathering light surrounding them. With their magic now ready, the two unleashed a powerful straight light and it pierce through the Spirit Turtle's neck.
Blood started pouring out of its neck as the decapitated head of the beast fell from its neck. The huge carcass dropped to the ground, causing an earthquake and dust storm around it. After the dust as settled, the flames on Marius quickly disappeared and the spear reappeared on his hand.
"Since when can you do that?" said Naofumi.
"Since the last wave... But I was not the only one..." said Marius.
"What do you mean?"
Filo and Raphtalia landed near them before Naofumi could get an answer.
"We did it." said Raphtalia.
"Yeah. If it weren't for Marius you two would be crushed to death."
"I did what I could." said Marius.
"That was amazing!" said Rishia.
"If you work hard enough you'll be as strong as they are, Rishia." said Naofumi. "Well then, I guess we'll have a victory party after thi-"
The sound of something wriggling was heard coming from the huge carcass. They all turned to see it slowly getting back on its feet while a membrane grew from the neck stump. Then, the membrane ruptured and a new head emerged from the neck, and it let out a roar before it gazed at the heroes.
"So that's why they sealed its heart in the first place." said Naofumi.
"Now can we retreat?" said Marius.
"Definitely."
As they all mounted on Filo's back, the turtle moved its foot to trample the heroes. Naofumi quickly blocked the attack with the Meteor Shield while they escaped.
Back at the encampment, the heroes rested after the battle.
"As expected, that was quite tough." said Naofumi.
"Now we know what the beast can do." said Marius, "So how do we defeat it?"
"By sealing its heart like the queen said... Anyways, how did you get that power?"
"What power?"
"Don't act dumb on me. I meant when you were covered with flames."
"I don't exactly know... Perhaps when we went to that Class Upgrade, it showed me vision when I placed my hands on the hourglass. One of those visions were fire burning my entire body."
"If that's true, then maybe you did get something from the Dragon Hourglass... And you said you're not the only one."
"Apollyon has it as well..."
"You mean the Scary Lady?" said Filo.
"Yes. The Scary Lady."
"I see. You guys rest, I'll go discuss the next plans with the leaders." Naofumi turned around and walked towards the tent that held the meeting place.
While resting, Marius noticed the leather wrappings on the spearhead loosen. He took a look at it and noticed a greek word on the base of the spearhead that said, "Zeus?".
"Who?" said Filo, titling her head.
"I knew I will meet all of you here!" called the familiar voice.
"Boat Guy!"
"Rollo? What are you doing here?" said Raphtalia.
"We vikings have been called to battle by Ulfric the Speaker! Look!" said Rollo, as he pointed at the massive horde of viking that have just arrived, led by one of the members of The Order, the Raider, "Last time we gathered our people this large was when we were united by the Warborns. This brought so much memories."
"So you will be fighting the Spirit Turtle with us?" said Marius.
"Yes, my friend. And if I am lucky, I will taste the mead from Odin's Hall!"
While they continued on with their conversation, Marius tighten the leather wrappings back to cover the name on his spear. Now he has questions about the spear's origin. Maybe the next time he met Queen Fitoria, she might have the answer to his question.
