I would like to apologize to the people actually reading this story. I haven't really been with it much when it comes to writing stories much. Also I've been re-reading this and I didn't really like how I'd written it. There were some inconsistencies that I hope I corrected. I've decided that I'm going to upload this chapter and if the time comes that I really do want to rewrite it, then I will. Until then, I'm sorry you had to wait so long and here is the next (short) chapter of Silent Savior.

Disclaimer: Again I own nothing. Any in-game dialog is word for word straight from the game itself.


9/ 10 Th

Dark Hour

Next: 24

We all entered Tartarus, this huge tower that never seems to end. Is our journey ever going to come to an end, or is something going to happen? I don't know if it was just my nerves from earlier in the day or not, but the moment the Dark Hour hit, I had a very bad feeling about tonight. We all waited for Minato to pick his team. I really didn't want to go tonight, but Fate must hate me today because not only do I have to go, Shinji and Mitsuru are going as well.

"Okay, I have an ice user, an electricity user, and Shinjiro-senpai. I'll handle fire and wind. Mitsuru-senpai, you and I are going to be the main healers tonight, okay?"

"Understood."

"Alright, let's go. We have a whole new area to explore today."

We ventured into Tartarus, to the last floor we fought a guardian (or 'boss shadow' as Minato likes to call them) on. We started up, since Minato didn't want to engage in any fights until we were on the next floors. How he always knew when we had new floors to discover, I had no idea. Once we made it to the barricade, we watched it fall, allowing us entrance to the floors beyond. Once we ascended the stairs, we all heard Fuuka try to analyze the next floors for the next enemies.

"I'm sensing something but it's not like the other enemies you've faced so far. The distance from you all to the enemy is still too far, can you please go up a floor or two?"

So we continued on by Minato's orders. My feeling of dread came back full force with what Fuuka said about the enemy being different. After we had climbed 3 more floors, taking out some enemies along the way, Fuuka came back with some news.

"! Everyone, be careful! The enemy I was talking about is on this floor!"

Of course, the shock of those words put us on guard in an instant. The only thing that disturbed me more than that, was that this was just another normal floor. It was nothing like the boss floors we've encountered already. Suddenly, I felt a chill go down my spine and I spun around on spot. There, staring at us, (or what could be called 'staring') was a Shadow. While at first it didn't seem any different than all the other Shadows, this one was staring right at me. I must have gained Minato's attention when I spun around so suddenly, and he told us all to retreat. He must've felt the difference in it as well. As soon as the words left his mouth however, the Shadow was upon us. We no longer had a choice but to fight. Since we were in the process of running when it attacked, it had the advantage and it knew that. The skill it launched wasn't anything any of us had seen before.

"Um…That skill is one I've never seen before! I have a bad feeling about this. Everyone please, be very cautious. This Shadow isn't like any you've encountered before."

I wanted to say that she had already said that about 3 times already, but I needed to focus. Whatever that skill was, I doubt it would end well for us. Minato was already making a plan, having Fuuka analyze the target, and giving it a strong wind attack.

Though that attack proved useless since the Shadow dodged it. The way it dodged the attack though, gave me chills. Its movements were erratic like it didn't give a care in the world. What really scared me though, was when it looked straight at me again. Normally, I don't bother to remember a Shadows appearance, but this one, it looked like something out of a horror movie. It resembled a combination of multiple Shadows that we had already encountered yet none of them. It had the sword of the Dancers, the armor of the Musha, the symbols of the Snakes, the eyes of the Seekers, a lantern from either a Raven or a Phantom, what looked like chains and the overall appearance of a Maya. I tried to snap out of my shock, only to see the monstrosity charging an attack right at me!

I could vaguely hear my teammates yelling my name, but I was more concerned about the sword sticking out of my shoulder. That felt a lot…like…Primal Force…you bastard… I felt dizzy and I could barely see. I wonder how much damage that one attack did to me. The Shadow was still there, right in front of me, and I could still barely move or see. Something must've happened where I couldn't see, because I heard a lot of shouting, including Fuuka's. I felt the attack before I heard it, one of my teammates was trying to get the Shadow away from me. The only reason I knew the attack didn't work, was because I felt the sharp pain of the sword go deeper into my shoulder. I'm not sure if I cried out or not. Not much was making sense to my slow brain right now. Then I felt the sensation of being lifted, or more like, I was being thrown into the air. I don't know how or why, but I heard what Fuuka was saying about the Shadow.

"It's going after Akihiko-senpai because its only weakness is electricity!" Oh, so that's why it targeted me. I wonder how it knew I used electricity. Why did it know? Shadows shouldn't have the ability to see that stuff…

I opened my eyes, (when did I close them) and saw the thing that might be my death tonight. I'd never seen this attack before, but I knew it was an attack of my weakness. Ice. I heard the attack hit before I felt it this time, but when I did feel it, it was excruciating. It had to be the most powerful ice attack that I've ever seen, or felt. I could already feel my consciousness fading, but I kept my eyes open on the Shadow. I don't know if I could take my eyes off it if I tried. Now, my only weakness may be ice, but after being frozen solid, having to be thawed by an attack of the same magnitude as the first is even worse. I know I screamed this time. I could feel every part of my body go from frozen to fire all in a second. I could feel every burn, whether it was a freezer burn or a third degree burn. I finally felt my eyes close no matter how much I tried to keep them open.

"AKIHIKO!"

"AKIHIKO-SENPAI!"

"AKIHIKO-SENPAI!"

"AKI!"

I could hear all the screams and yells of my teammates, and I wondered if it was just because of the attack or because they saw me close my eyes. Then it hit me. Or I guess, I hit it. The wall, I mean. I felt my head and back slam right into one of the many walls of Tartarus, and as my consciousness finally faded into nothing, I slid down onto the ground in nothing but a lifeless heap of steaming flesh.

"AKI-" …Then nothing.