09/14/2031- Afternoon

It's been 19 years since the day everything changed. With the world enveloped in a mysterious fog and the coming of Shadows to the real world, humanity was facing the most difficulty battle for survival so far. Many places had fallen prey to the Shadows. Cities and even some small nations haven't survived those few years. The Kirijo Group was well-know around the world before but now they became the strongest company that still was in activity. Largely due to their R&D department know has Ergo.

Already possessing experience with the Shadows, they became the only company capable of developing technology of security systems against them. They also develop machines that helped people with potential learn how to summon and control their "Persona", the manifestation of their inner Shadow. The original SEES team needed the help of a device called "Evoker" to summon their Personas. But with the Investigation Team of Inaba, they've learned how to control their Shadows at full will, summoning them by shattering the card that "sealed" their true self.

The Special Investigative Extracurricular Execution Sector, former SEES, was now known worldwide as the official army that fought against the Shadows. They were formed mainly of people already trained in the official army, together with a few people that were able to summon their Persona and some volunteers.

The original SEES and the Investigation Team members received military training after the group was announced to the world. Each country had developed its own version, always keeping in touch with the teams of the rest of the world. Since the Shadows have a strong resistance to wounds caused by bullets, every SIEES member was trained to use at least one melee weapon.

Japan had the strongest SIEES division. It was also the first place to become completely covered in mist. Many cities were either destroyed or abandoned. Underground facilities were built to ensure the safety of people. Some parts of the abandoned cities were remade to be used as bases of SIEES, such as the area around Iwatodai Dorm or the old Gekkoukan High, now a military school. Many places of the world developed their own way to train Persona-users. Some countries already had teams composed of Persona-users, but none of them were as strong as Ergo.

Any type of TV could be used to reach the source of the fog, but Japan was the only one with a close access to it: a place that was known as the Temple of Izanami. Many campaigns were organized to attempt to reach it. Most of them couldn't even reach the Junes store. But today was different. They made a team formed by Yosuke, Yukiko, Chie, Mitsuru, Akihiko and Junpei, with both Fuuka and Rise as Spotters. They were able to break through the army of Shadows that made their nest there and reached the entrance of the Temple. But to their surprise, there was a Shadow with a long black coat wearing a dark-red mask guarding the entrance. The coat had shades of red and he was holding a dark naginata with a red blade.

"It can't be… That's Adachi's Persona! How he can be here if Adachi died at prison when the Shadows invaded this world?! And this power… It's just like Senpai's!!" Exclaimed the former star, Rise.

Rise Kujikawa is one of the former Investigation Team members. She decided to help when SEES became an official army. Her Persona, Kanzeon, is regarded has the best one to track things at long-distances. She normally doesn't need to be close to the area to be able to scan it, and is also able to accurately map an area with easy. But analyzing enemies isn't her strong point. She can't make a distinction between the three types of physical attacks and needs to analyze a previous fight to determine the enemy's weakness.

"Mortals are so foolish… Where do you think that Fool gained his power? Anyway, that doesn`t matter… Why do you all still struggle? I made a test to see if humans were able to handle the Truth. I gave the ability to seek the Truth for three Fools. The first one could not see it, for he had no eyes. The second one saw it and could not accept it, deciding to give his back to it and sought shelter on his own illusionary world. The third one sought for the Truth, but chose to die rather than face the mortality and fragility of the bonds of life…"

"You damn bitch!! What do you think you know about him?! There is no way to someone who doesn't have feelings understand another! I'm going to bring your head with me this time!!" Replied the angered Yosuke, casting a Panta Rhei to his enemy.

Yosuke Hanamura was originally a member of the Investigation Team. He helped in the murder case of Inaba and with the defense of the citizen in the Shadow Outbreak. He joined the SEES quickly to be able to train and avenge his fallen friends. One of the few fighters to use two knifes as main weapon, he is somewhat physically weak, but extremely fast. His Persona, Suzano-O, is wind-based and is well-balanced in terms of physical and magical skills.

The Bloody-Izanagi charged forward, ignoring the attack and countering with a strong downward slash towards Yosuke`s head. He able to defend, but it had left him with an open guard. His enemy used the chance and attacked using an upward slash which was enough to throw the young man upward, making a deep cut in his shoulder. Had he not been under the effect of Tarunda and wearing his protective armor, his entire arm would be severed. The Bloody-Izanagi jumped and hit with the blunt side of his weapon, sending Yosuke to the nearby wall, knocking him unconscious. He lunged forward, ready to slice the man in two when Suzuka Gongen defended the strike. Artemisia used her whip to make a chokehold and threw the fallen Persona back to the entrance, aided by a swiftly kick of Trismegistus.

"Resisting is futile. The one who stand before you all is the combination of the power of the three Fools who sought the Truth. It is something that you cannot defeat." Said Izanami.

"His power is beyond even that of Erebus! He can nullify any magical skills!!" Said Fuuka, with a worry tone on the voice.

Fuuka Yamagishi was one of the original SEES members. She is responsible for the training and administration of the Intelligence Department of SIEES. Her Persona, Juno, is regarded has the best analyzing Persona, as well as one of the few Personas that can shield its owner completely when summoned. She is able to give a complete analyze of the enemy in a matter of seconds. The downside is that she needs to be close of the battlefield or at a nearby place to make an accurate analyze of anything else besides life forms, like the terrain for example.

"Really?! How about a good old beating, then?!" Shouted Akihiko, lunging towards the enemy.

Akihiko Sanada is one of the top fighters in SIEES. One of the original SEES members, he had trained hard and became the commander of his own unit. He also is the one responsible for the training of new elite members and few cadets. He fights using mainly hand-to-hand techniques, but also uses axes sometimes. Because of that, his attacks are fast and strong. His Persona, Caesar, is electric-based; having supports skills as well has offensive techniques.

Using a well placed combo, Akihiko was having the advantage. But the former Persona wasn't suffering too much damage and with a single punch was able to throw the fighter back. He almost beheads him using Cleave, but Akihiko defended the attack using his forearm, gaining a huge cut in it. He was also was throw back at the strength of the attack. That was enough time for Izanagi to cast a Niflheim which knocked him unconscious.

"Akihiko! Dammit! Iori, I'm going to distract the enemy! You get Akihiko out of the battle! Come forth, Artemisia!!" Shouted Mitsuru.

Mitsuru Kirijo is the leader of SIEES and former CEO of the Kirijo Group. She gave up the former job to dedicate her time fully towards the SIEES, but she still oversees the activity of the Kirijo Group. She fights using rapiers and short swords. She is quick and fairly strong for her build. Her Persona, Artemisia, is ice-based and one of the strongest in terms of magic. She has many offensive spells and some physical skills.

Artemisia used Vorpal Blade, but Izanagi was able to defend it. She lunged and started to attack him directly. Although having a somewhat close speed, her enemy was stronger and easily parried her strikes and she was being pushed backwards. When she was close to be cornered, Junpei called.

"He's safe, Senpai!! Time to kick some ass! Trismagestus!!"

Junpei Iori wanted to be a hero. After he joined the original SEES he learned that being a hero wasn't like in the games he used to play. The events of the Dark Hour and the Abyss of Time changed his way of seeing life. He was once a lazy member, but he trained a lot and became a skilled swordsman, developing even further his Persona, Trismagestus. It's a fire-based Persona with a large list of physical skills and a few Fire magic. But one of the main reasons for his great power was a unique skill that regenerates his energy. Because of that, he can endure long battles that would leave most people tired.

Trismagestus's Brave Blade threw Izanagi to the side, which gave enough room to Mitsuru escape and she used Megidoloan. As the three bluish energy balls began to form, Izanagi started to spin his weapon overhead, which made the balls slowly fade away, his weapon starting to glow blue.

"What?! He can absorb Almighty skills?! This isn't good… Look out! He's going to counter it!!" Said Fuuka.

The enemy stabbed the ground and released a bluish Heat Wave. Mitsuru was hit by full force and was throw backwards. Junpei was able to guard it, since he was a little farther. Yukiko was even farther and was able to block it completely. Fuuka was protected by Juno's shield. Rise was behind her. Chie, who was fighting a group of Shadows who tried to ambush them from behind, also took cover behind Fuuka. The Shadows were hit and disappeared.

"Nice! Thanks for the help! Now I can kick your ass, once and for all!!" Said Chie as she started to run towards Izanagi.

Chie Satonaka was a self-taught martial artist by the time the murder incident in Inaba happened. One of the first to agree to join SEES after the outbreak, she honed her skills, becoming one of the top fighters. Her Persona is Suzuka Gongen, an ice-based Persona that has more physical strength and skills than magical ones. She fight using hand-to-hand techniques.

Chie summoned her Persona for help and tried to subdue Izanagi, but she was thrown backwards because of his strength. Junpei used his Persona, but Izanagi countered it, slashing its belly. Being one and the same, Junpei flinched in pain at the attack. Izanagi tried to cut him, but Suzuka Gongen protected him. Suddenly, he started to feel better.

"I believe that you guys need my help. The other's conditions are stable, but it will need a more traditional treatment to be able to awake them safely." Calmly spoke Yukiko, as she made her way to Junpei's side.

Yukiko Amagi was the third victim of the murderer in Inaba, and the first to be saved by the Investigation Team. She had fallen in love for the leader of the team, and bore his child. At first, she didn't wanted to help SIEES at all. It took some time for her to finally overcome her depression and she slowly began to help. At first, in charge at teaching the basics of summoning the Persona and a few management issues. She eventually ended in the battlefield. Her Persona is Amaterasu, a fire-based Persona that, although having a somewhat poor physical strength, has one of the highest magical stats and has a vast list of Fire and healing spells, regarded has the best healer in Japan's SIEES division.

"There is something strange…I think you can't see with the naked eye, but there are some sort of chain in both of his wrists and foot, as well one on his neck. They seem to go all the way inside the Temple." Noted Rise.

"Then maybe if we cut those chains… Alright Rise-chan, guide me. Chie-chan, you distract him while I try-" Spoke Junpei. But before he could finish, Chie was hit by a Tempest Slash.

She was thrown and hit the wall behind Yukiko, gaining a deep cut on the shin she used to defend. Junpei decided to try anyway and charged while Yukiko started to treat the injury. He was able to dodge the Shadow's attack and slashed where the chain was supposed to be. But his sword cut through the air.

"Hey, Rise-chan! You sure there is something here?!" Screamed the man.

"I don't understand! The chain is definitely there! Maybe you can't hi—*gasp* Junpei-san!"

Yukiko was so focused at healing that didn't noticed that Izanagi threw Junpei and quickly dashed behind her, hitting her with Vicious Strike using the blunt side of his weapon. He tried to kill Chie with Primal Force, but she defended using her Persona. Although she got severely hurt and lost consciousness, she was still alive.

Yukiko was dizzy on the ground and taking advanced of it, Izanagi was going to impale her with Vile Assault when a round red robot with a face in his belly appeared in front of him and slashed the former Persona's face with one of his claws. The slash was strong enough to leave a huge scar in the mask.

"It can't be!! That Persona …it's—" Before Rise could finish, the place was engulfed by a bright light. She heard a familiar voice has they started to lose consciousness.

"You can't beat him like this… Try to enter trough an old model TV that had stopped working…" The voice said, while the silhouette of a thin boy started to fade.

Yukiko woke up at the outskirt of Inaba. Her whole body was in pain and she couldn't move. She noticed that the other were there as well. From afar, a Shadow saw her and started to approach. She tried to move, but her body was too weak. When the Shadow was about to attack her, a silver-haired young appeared and killed the Shadow with one slash of his two-handed sword. He turned towards her with a pair of worried silver eyes. She began to wonder as her consciousness started to fade.

"It's really him…? Of course it is. It has to be! That day, he promised to come back to visit me again. And he never breaks his promises, right? So, it has to be him. He finally…came…" The boy crouched besides her and called her name as she fainted.

A/N: Well, that was a long one. Anyway, as you noticed, the underline represents Rise or Fuuka speaking through their Persona inside of the other`s head. And whenever italic shows up, it will mean a character`s thought. If you intent to keep reading, please don`t forget about it. About the fight scene (my first one) I guess I`ve watched too much DBZ when I was a kid. As always, thanks for reading and leave a review, if you have time.