The sound of the titanic beast's heart echoed through the air, telling them that they are getting closer. After venturing deeper they found something out-of-place just standing in the middle of their path.

"The Dragon Hourglass?" said Naofumi as he walked closer to it, "But it's blue... And smaller."

"What does it mean?" said Marius.

There was a symbol written in the middle of the hourglass unknown to everyone except to the Shield Hero. Naofumi reached his hand to the object but it went through it.

"There's less sand in it." said Filo.

"Master Naofumi." said Raphtalia, "Is everything alright?"

"We'll investigate this later. The heart is still our priority. Let's go." said Naofumi.

They all continued on to reach the heart. Marius took a quick glance at the blue hourglass. He still remembered the terrifying vision he had with the hourglass back at the church.


After what felt like endless walking, they finally reached the heart of the Spirit Turtle. The organ was a combination of the red and blue muscles they saw before, intertwined to form the heart.

"So this the heart then, huh?" said Naofumi.

"It is, shield Hero. And it's a very ominous creature, I daresay." said Shadow.

As if it heard the voices, the muscles in the middle of the heart opened up to a large eye. It looked around and spotted the intruders. The eye glew and shoot out a laser at them. Naofumi used the Meteor Shield and it reflected the laser away.

"Should we try weaken it first?" said Naofumi.

Raphtalia readied her sword, "Let's do it."

"Okay!" said Filo.

They both jumped out of the shield barrier and unleashed their special attack on the creature's eye. After getting hit by their attack, Marius threw his spear and it pierced right in the middle of its pupil.

"Good shot!" Filo cheered.

The eye moved violently with the spear stuck on it. Marius summoned the spear back to his hand, leaving a hole on the eye as it leaked out fluids. Suddenly, the Spirit Turtle roared and it vibrated the inside of the cave, and a huge magic formation appeared on the heart.

"Everyone get back!" Naofumi ordered. He braced himself for another attack while his party member retreated back into his barrier.

The heart shoots a black ball of magic at him. It shattered the barrier and reached Naofumi's shield. Light around the black ball was distorted as Naofumi could feel his body become heavier. He then diverted the black ball to the side and it dispersed after hitting the cave wall.

"We can't fight it right now! We have to withdraw and bring our forces here!" Naofumi ordered.

They all immediately leaved the chamber. The heart's eye regenerated and shoots a laser at them while they turned their backs at it.

"Behind you!" Filo sensed the incoming attack.

Marius turned around and blocked the laser but the laser shattered the shield barrier and it sent him back further away until Filo caught him. Naofumi activated his Meteor Shield to reflected the laser.

"Marius! Are you alright!" said Filo.

Marius looked at his shield and it was almost caved in by the laser. "I'm alright."

"Come one! We need to get going!" said Raphtalia.

They quickly ran further away from the heart while Filo still carried Marius on her wings.


Another small group of familiars attacked the knights but was taken down easily with the help of Rishia. Resting from the recent attack, she heard footstep coming from toward them and saw her party members coming out from the cave they went in.

"You can put me down now." said Marius. Filo gently put Marius down on his feet.

"How are things holding up here?" Naofumi asked Rishia.

"We've been attacked five times by the familiars but there's only a small number of them." said Rishia.

"Which means the vikings are still repelling them." said Marius.

"Umm... Did you find Itsuki?"

"No we didn't find him nor any of the heroes." said Naofumi.

"Oh... I see..."

"We'll look for the other heroes after we seal the heart."

"Did you find it?"

"Yeah, we found it. Everyone! Listen up!"

The knights reverted their attention to the Shield Hero.

"We've found the Spirit Turtle's heart! But I must warned you that the path there will be dangerous! Me and my companions will lead the way while all of you keep up and protect the mages! We need them alive to seal the heart!"

The knights let out a thundering respond that echoed throughout the cave.

"Can you still fight?" said Raphtalia.

Marius rolled his left shoulder, "I'll rest when this is all over."

"Wanna rest on top of Filo while we walk there?" Filo rested her head on Marius's shoulder.

"I am fine... Can I?"

"Not now. Since you said you can still fight." said Raphtalia.

"Come one." said Naofumi. "Let's go."


"Keep moving men! Do not stop!" the commander shouted as he and his knight fight off the increasing numbers of familiars emerging from the cave walls.

A knight tripped on his slain comrades. As he tried to get up, Marius grabbed him by the collar of his cuirass, "Sir Masked Hero?"

"You heard your commander! Do not stop running!" Marius shouted. He lifted the knight up on his feet and they both ran together as the familiar crawled closer towards them.

"You two! Hurry up!" Naofumi shouted.

Marius and the knight quickly ran faster till they ran passed Naofumi.

"Now!

On Naofumi's order, Shadow slashed one of the muscles and it closed the gate. The loud screeching of the familiars can be heard from the other side.

"Commander. Are the mages okay?" said Naofumi.

"Two of them were injured during the onslaught. But it's not severe." said the commander.

"This is just a minor injuries, Lord Shield Hero." said one the mages, "We can still perform the ritual."

"You better heal up right now. We need all of you in great shape till we get there." said Naofumi.

"How many men did we loose?" said Marius.

The commander looked at his remaining men as he tries to estimate the casualties, "We... Almost lost half of our forces. Seven of our men are severely injured."

"This doesn't look good." Naofumi looked at the healers tending the wounded, "But we can't stop here now. Can the remaining forces go on?"

"Most of them are still shaken up. They never faced something like this."

"Get your men in high fighting spirit, commander. Or I will." said Marius, his voice growing slightly sinister.

"Wha-... Y-Yes, my lord. I'll get to it." the commander left and went to the remaining knights.

"What was that all about?" said Naofumi.

"Sorry. Bad habit. But we are short on time. A weaken and frightened army will only slow us down." said Marius.

"Yeah, you're right. Let's keep moving. We're almost there." and with that, Naofumi walked to the front.

"T-thank you, Sir Masked Hero. You saved me back there." said the knight Marius saved.

"You were lucky." said Marius, "Your commander demand you keep fighting."

Marius walked passed the knight and joined the frontline.


The beat of the monster's heart rumbled the ears of everyone within the chamber. The mages quickly prepared the ceremony.

"Raphtalia. Filo. Attack the heart till the mages finished the ritual." said Naofumi.

The two sisters nodded and charged at the heart.

"Marius. Rishia. The soldiers don't have enough manpower to hold out another attack. I need you two to provide support for them."

"It shall be done." said Marius. He turned and joined the knights with Rishia behind him.

"Masked Hero." said the commander.

"Have your armies formed shield wall around the mages. Rishia will use her sorcery to support us."

"Yes sir." the commander turned towards his soldiers, "Knights! Formed a shield wall around the mages! Do not brake the formation!"

With his command, the knights formed a shield wall around where the mages are performing the ritual. Marius stood side-by-side with the knights, raising his shield and his spear ready.

"I can't believe it! The mighty Masked Hero by my side!" said a knight on Marius's left.

"Focus!" Marius exclaimed.

The heart opened its eyes and saw the mages getting ready to seal it. It then summoned all of its familiars to attack them. They could hear the incoming horde..

"Rishia!" Marius shouted.

"HOEEE!" Rishia responded.

"Prepare your offensive magic! On my signal, you release it on our enemies!"

"O-okay!"

With Raphtalia and Filo attacking the heart, the knights braced themselves for the incoming attack. And then came the massive wave of familiars pouring from the entrance.

"Steel your nerves men!" said the commander.

Marius could here the whispering prayers of the knights. Beside him, he heard the clattering sound of armor from a terrified knight on his right.

"Rishia! Now!" Marius cried.

Rishia releashed her offensive spell at the approaching familiars and it killed most of them, with a few injured one still running towards the shield wall. The charging monsters made contact with the shield wall and the two forces started pushing each other as the knights slashed and stabbed throught the gap between their shields.

With every familiars charging, Marius stabbed them with his spear, keeping them from getting nearer. They held off the attack for what felt like forever, never knowing what's going on behind them, except for the sound of Raphtalia and Filo attacking the heart, and Naofumi giving out orders.

Meanwhile, Marius and the knights are still holding out the never ending attack, growing more and more weary. Behind them, Rishia juggled between casting healing spells on wounded knights while using her spells against the familiars.

Then, the heart shoots out its laser and it disintegrated several knights forming the shield wall. They immediately fallback with more knights filling the gap. The heart then started to formed a large white massed around it and scattered it in all directions. The white mass flew everywhere and it hit the knights from behind.

Naofumi quickly activated his shield abilites to shield them but the damage as been done. The shield wall collapsed and the most of the knights were quickly ravaged by the familiars. Marius and the others withdraw, forming a smaller and thinner circle around the mages.

"Are you guys okay!" said Naofumi.

"We lost too many men, Shield Hero!" said the commander, "We won't last even longer with this condition!"

"Are the mages done sealing it yet!" said Marius.

"We've prepared the sealing magic for the heart!" said the head mage.

"I know this is diffcult! But please finish the sealing ritual before we're overrun!" said Naofumi.

Marius realized the situation have become dire. With their forces thinning and the familiars endless attack, he has no choice but to call out the flames and use the spear ability. He braced himself, calling out for the flames until he heard the loud battlecry coming towards them. One that he heard back in his world.

The familiars near the entrance were cut down by a swinging dane axe, wielded by Ulfric with his viking clans, drenched in blood.

"VALHALLA!" Ulfric and the remaining vikings let out their warcry, and they charged towards the familiars as they savagely cut them down to pieces.

"This is it!" said Naofumi, "We have more time to seal it!"

"For the first time in my life... I am happy to see the vikings..." said Marius.

"Shield brother!" came a battle hardened Rolo, "The monsters retreated! So we followed them here!"

"Good. You guys bought us enough time." said Naofumi.

"Shield Hero! The magic seal is ready! We just need to weaken the heart again!" said one of the mages.

"Raphtalia! Filo! You two know what to do!"

"Of course!" said Raphtalia.

"Okay! We'll do our best!" said Filo.

"Let's do this!" said Naofumi.

"Marius! May we join in the defense?' said Rollo.

"Yes... We need more soldiers here." said Marius.

They then heard more familiars coming from the entrance. The knights and the viking formed a bigger shield wall, with Ulfric and a band of berserkers at the very front all eager to taste blood.


The mighty swing of the dane axe threw the mutilated carcass around, as the hulking Raider decimated the familiars that were trying to stop the ritual. And around him were blood thirsty berserkers cutting the familiars down in blind rage.

The familiars that do got throught the first defense were met with a massive shield wall, and were immediately slain by the the Masked Hero, the knights and the vikings, while gaining magic support from Rishia from behind.

And suddenly, the familiars stopped attacking and limped to the ground. Their bodies quickly rotted to dust. The cave went silent and not even the beat of the heart could be heard. Marius turned around and saw the heart wrapped in magical ribbon and no longer beating.

"They did it. We won!" one of the knights cried, followed by his fellow comrades and the much louder roar from the vikings.

Marius let out a sigh of relief. As much as he wants to joined them cheering, his heart was too heavy upon seeing the dead knights lying on the cave floor. Most were brutality mutilated. He strapped his spear and shield on his back, freeing his arms from the burden of carrying his weapons as he walked towards his family.

"Marius!" Filo exclaimed, "Did you saw us fighting the heart!"

"No, I was too busy fighting the rear." said Marius.

Filo let out a disappointed groan.

"So, Marius. Did Rishia performed well?" said Naofumi.

Marius turned his head to Rishia, who looked away anxiously.

"She did well. Without her, the rear guard won't last long." said Marius, and Rishia lighted up.

"That's good to hear. I wanna see more like that next time."

"T-thank you!" Rishia blurted out.

"Oh, big sister. Filo is returning these." said Filo. She walked over to Raphtalia and her chest expanded.

"Filo? What are you-" before Raphtalia could finished Filoregurgitated white clumps on her, restoring her drained mana. "Filo! I definitely won't let you off easily!"

The demi-human started chasing the playful filolial around.

"Was there something else I missed?" said Marius.

But a beating sound suddenly erupted. It stopped the two girls on their tracks, and silenced the chattering of the armies. All heads turned to the heart and after a few seconds it beats again. The magical ribbon began to cracked with each beat becoming even faster. Soon, the ribbon breaks and the heart returned to it's awakened state.

It opened its eyes, now larger than before, and unleashed an even powerful beam at the heroes. Marius quickly pushed Rishia away and tackled Naofumi to the side. The laser hit the ground instead, before directing its beam towards the armies, destroying everything it hits.

"What the?! Was the ritual a failure?!" said Naofumi.

"The ritual was a success! We did everything it instructed!" said one of the mage.

"Dammit!"

"Naofumi! Order everyone to retreat! We cannot do another attack!" said Marius.

"Right. Everyone! We need to retreat now!"

With that, the knights and the vikings quickly withdraw from the attack, followed by the heroes.


"My loyal subject. As the second princess, I will... No... I shall... What was it again?" Princess Melty stood underneath an apple tree in the castle garden, with a piece of paper on her hand. She read the writings on the paper and tried to memorize it, not realizing an apple dropping to her head.

Before it could land on her, a kunai pierced the apple and it sticks to the bark of the tree. Startled, Melty looked around and saw her Orochi bodyguard with his hands extended.

"That was close." said Hanzo.

"Hanzo? What are you doing here?" said Melty.

"I just want to see you."

"You do know your duty is not required when I'm within the castle walls? Besides, someone else is watching over me today."

"Yes." Hanzo looked at one of the Shadows perching on the branch of the apple tree and gave a peace sign, "I'm a aware of that. So, how are you doing?"

"Busy memorizing my speech. I am the future queen after all."

"Did the queen instructed you to?"

"Mother said I have to get well prepared before my time as the queen. And it's not that easy, you know."

"I see."

"Hanzo!" a loud voice called out the Orochi from behind.

Hanzo turned around and saw the Kensei walking towards him and quickly bowed to the sword saint.

"Hanzo, you must come with me at once. Lady Ingrid summoned us." said the Kensei to Hanzo in their native language.

"What's going on?" said Melty.

"You will have to come with us, your highness. Follow me." the Kensei turned his back and headed inside with the other two followed.

"Hanzo, what's going on?"

"I don't know." said Hanzo.

They reached the top balcony of the castle overlooking the great view of the city below. There, they saw Lady Ingrid looking throught a telescope, with a group of knights around her.

"Lady Ingrid." said the Kensei.

"Meiji. Hanzo. We don't have much time left. The beast now drawn to the city." said Lady Ingrid.

"You mean the Spirit Turtle? It's heading this way?!" said Melty.

"Yes, your highness. Hanzo will take you far away from the city for your safety. Atleast one of the royals must survive."

"Yes, Lady Ingrid." Hanzo quickly grabbed Melty's hand and pulled her away.

"Where are you taking me?!" said Melty.

"As far away from this place as possible. Let's go!"

"Meiji. You must take the trident to a safer location. We cannot risk loosing it should the beast destroy the castle." said Lady Ingrid.

"It will be done. But what about you?" said Meiji.

"I will stay and defend the castle. Now go."

Meiji ran inside and went looking for the hidden entrance known only to The Order. Lady Ingrid looked throught the telescope again and saw the dreaded Spirit Turtle trampled a small settlement.

"Wherever you are, Shield Hero... Please save us." she said softly.