The Final Battle (Part 2)

The thirty-sixth chapter of the Crusaders of the Constellations Novel, it continues from The Final Battle (Part 1).

## Story

In his normal Golden Griffin Warrior form, all Ra has to do is to name all the 12 zodiac marks on his Zodiac Wheel Shield in order to activate it. But in order to make the golden magic work, he has to memorize all the 12 zodiac marks in the correct order and the hard part is that he must name them all without looking at his shield. After all, just looking at his shield will not turn on the Araw Ginto. But most importantly he has to relax and remember all the names of the zodiacs not by the head but by heart which is another way to make the golden magic work, for stressing himself out to remember them would make the golden magic run very low. And once he named all the zodiacs in the correct order and remember their names by heart; his right hand would suddenly automatically form into the Araw Ginto, which has a hole in it. Then a flaming heart would appear in the hole of his crystallized blade and be ready to be used. But as his Dreamland Parents told him, this kind of weapon must only be used once. 'Cause once it's been used; its powers will charge up again by next year as in Ra must only use the heart of the Araw Ginto every once a year so this special move is for emergencies only.

The Heart of the Araw Ginto is rare as it is super powerful and instantly heals everybody, fixing up their broken-down homes and instantly defeats a strong enemy quickly just by swinging his right arm and throwing the heart of the Araw Ginto in the air like a tennis ball to make the golden magic happen. In his Golden Griffin Warrior of the Blazing Sun form, which is his Hyper Form, the power of the Araw Ginto have increased tenfold. Ranald glanced at the zodiac marks on the Ecliptic Zodiac Wheel Shield of the Celestial Way and when it flew behind his back, he memorized the names of the zodiacs not by the head but by heart.

Suddenly, his right hand automatically formed into the sun-like Araw Ginto. A flaming heart appeared in the hole of the crystallized blade, ready to be used. The Devourer of Worlds slithered at him, opening his fanged mouth. "Eat this, Void Serpent!" Ranald shouted as he swung his right arm, throwing the Heart of the Araw Ginto in the air like a tennis ball at the Devourer of Worlds. In his normal Golden Griffin Warrior form, the Heart would instantly defeat an enemy, but in this case, as Ra and Ranald in their merged form absorbed energy from Heaven and the Sun to gain their Hyper Form which is the Golden Griffin Warrior of the Blazing Sun, the Heart changed into solar energy constructs of thirteen animals representing not only the zodiac constellations and the Sun, but also Ranald's bonds with his Dreamland Dimensional Mate and the twelve guides who taught him their martial arts. A white ram for Aries, a red bull for Taurus, twin silver-grey tigers for Gemini, an orange crab for Cancer, a yellow lion for Leo, a pink snake for Virgo, a jet-black African golden wolf with a pair of scales on its back for Libra, a purple scorpion for Scorpio, a green horse for Sagittarius, a sandy brown goat for Capricorn, a cyan mouse for Aquarius, twin blue sharks for Pisces, and a golden griffin which looks like Ra himself for the Sun.

The Crusaders of the Constellations and the Solar System Guardians despite being tired and injured by the battle with the Devourer of Worlds used their special moves along with Mayari to help Ra defeat him. The thirteen animal energy constructs charged at the Devourer of Worlds and hit him, resulting in an explosion. The wave of golden solar magic resulting from the explosion healed everyone, including Lobong Ligaw and Buaya who were resting in the hospital. All houses which were broken by the Serpent's rampage were instantly repaired by the golden solar magic from the Araw Ginto. The Devourer of Worlds, having been hit by the Heart of the Araw Ginto and its golden solar magic, shrunk in size until he became like a normal snake. All Crusaders, Solar System Guardians, and Mayari turned back into their normal forms, exhausted by the ordeal.

The Ecliptic Zodiac Wheel Shield of the Celestial Way turned back into the Zodiac Wheel Shield and disappeared. Ranald and Ra turned back into their Golden Griffin Warrior form and de-fused, returning to their normal forms. Ra told his Dimensional Mate how proud he is of him, and entered his body to serve as his conscience. Ranald and Mayari walked up to the depowered Void Serpent, who lowered his head in fear and shame. All of their classmates, King Athos and the staff surrounded the two, with Cerynitis leading Ranald's parents, the orphanage children, and some folks from Ranald's town to them. Soon, Buaya, Lobong Ligaw and their wives and sons arrived, followed by Ranald's bullies and everyone in the city. "The prophecy...is fulfilled," King Athos whispered to his staff.

From Dreamland, Golden Heart and Hydara, and some of the spirits of the good children watched as their son, his Dimensional Mate and his friends were congratulated by a lot of people, including the two superheroes and the Dream Defender Duo's Dimensional Mates from Earth. "I'm so proud of you," Golden Heart whispered as she sobbed tears of joy. Hydara's five heads nodded in agreement, and they nuzzled up against the griffin while the children cheered.

Ranald and Mayari removed their golden locket and silver pendant, which still remained in their new forms. As normal humans, they may have exhausted their star-power in them, but they can still use the star-power stored in their locket and pendant to seal the Devourer of Worlds away. They held them in front of the Devourer of Worlds, who begged them not to kill him. "We will not kill you though we are still wary of trusting you. We will make sure that you will not trouble the universe should you wake up again," Ranald said to him. The golden locket and silver pendant shot out streams of light in their respective colours. The golden and silver lights coiled around the Serpent's neck, becoming a collar with gold and silver patterns. King Athos scanned the collar with his stone tablet and said, "It will send an electric shock through the snake's system should he misbehave. It also seals his powers." Someone gave Mayari a chicken drumstick that she stuffed into the Devourer of Worlds's mouth.

Ranald hugged his parents before going with his classmates and teachers to take the now small Devourer of Worlds to the dark side of the universe. They boarded the Dimensional Shuttle and Dimensional Wayfarer to go there. Once they found and entered the obsidian door leading to the dark side, Ranald got the Devourer of Worlds, who swallowed the chicken drumstick and muttered a few nasty words at him, and placed him at the entrance of his fortress and told him to behave. Then, they exited the dark side of the universe, only that Ranald was now on the Dimensional Wayfarer with Mayari.

Outside the dark side of the universe, Ranald and Mayari held out the golden locket and silver pendant one last time. From the locket came red, golden and white light, while from the silver pendant came silver and blue light. The lights converged at the doors of the obsidian portal, magically becoming a wax seal resembling the Yin-Yang symbol. The golden side has a silver deer with blue eyes and golden antlers chasing the moon, while the silver side has a golden griffin with red eyes and claws chasing the sun. "The Devourer of Worlds shall no more trouble all dimensions and worlds," Ranald said solemnly as he wore his treasured golden locket around his neck again. "And that all dimensions be safe and sound in the years to come," Mayari added as she wore her silver pendant on her neck too.

Left alone in the dark side of the universe, The Devourer slithered into his fortress to look for Malvor and his fellow villains, only to find out that they vanished. He retreated into his hall with the obsidian mirror to sulk, and maybe admire the collar that the magic of the locket and pendant placed on him to keep him from consuming worlds.

The spacecraft teleported back to Aether World Cosmic University, which is as intact as they left it. As they disembarked from the vehicles, King Athos told the students that they will have a two month's break to spend time with their loved ones, and after that, they will work together to rebuild Aether World. He walked up to Ranald and gave him his schoolbag back. "Thank you... and your friends for saving the universe," he said, tears welling up in his eyes. "And thank you for being a good teacher to me," Ranald said, hugging Athos.

'This is the best adventure I had with you and your Dimensional Mate!' Baby Little told Ranald cheerfully, 'Going to other worlds and saving Earth from the Devourer of Worlds, and making a lot of friends along the way!' "Yes, and even being carried by my teacher," Ranald chuckled to the stuffed baby griffin. King Athos gave Baby Little some rock candy, which the angel ate with spirit-offering. After being told by the king that he can go home through the Cosmos Observatory's portals tomorrow, Ranald thanked his teacher again and walked to the Celestial Hall of Residence's main building, chatting with Ra in his mind along the way.

He went to the Celestial Hall of Residences's cafe to meet his friends there. "It's tiring fighting with you in the battle against the Devourer, so I will make simple ham sandwiches today," Cassiopeia said. "I wonder if it's possible for us to turn back into our Crusader forms," Ranald told her. "Eh, maybe with some special words like you and your Dreamland friend would say. Who knows?" she said. As Ranald made his own coffee and sat at a table, Phrixus, Bai Tu, Delmare, Kibahime and Mayari joined him to eat and drink. They chatted about the times they spent in AWCU and the adventures they had from the first day of school until bedtime.