Wind and Fire sailed through the skies alongside ethereal blades as the Thieves carried out Ren's plan yet again. He tried his best to keep everyone safe, switching to Rangda to cast barriers around them or Personas to physically shield them from the Shadow's attacks, but there were always attacks that slipped through, knocking his friends to the floor or into the air, covering them in cuts and bruises. He healed them up as much as he could; each time they would wave or give him a thumbs up before throwing themselves back into the fray. He watched them attack the tall Persona again and again, even as sweat poured down their faces, even as they grimaced with each step forward. He bit his lip, wincing at each of their cheers and battle cries.

Is this really all we can do? Is this the best I can come with? He shielded Morgana and Hanako from an Electric attack and watched them retaliate, their movements getting slower with each exchange. It's good that the Persona hasn't used that big red attack yet, but it only used it last time after it was badly injured: who's to say the Shadow isn't just holding it in reserve the next time we knock it down? It doesn't have any tendrils for us to cut either... The Persona sent a hail of rocks down on them. Ren used Rangda to create a barrier around Hanako and crouch over Morgana as he covered Sumire. She gave him a worried look, but he responded with a smile, trying to hide his own growing fatigue.

He knew he wasn't doing a good job of it.

For a brief moment, the cacophany of shining rocks was all they could hear as they surrounded them, obscuring the battlefield. Sumire and Ren locked eyes in the chaos.

"I'm fine," he told her. Time seemed to resume. She couldn't hear him - of course she couldn't - but she read his lips and bit her own, looking away. Her red orbs watered, but before he could ask her why the attack ended and she ran out from under him, summoning twin swords to slash at their foe. Despite looking at her from behind, Ren could tell that even she - with all her gymnastic prowess - was getting tired. He hated to admit that it made sense though: with her Bless attacks being no use she was forced to rely on Physical skills - of course her health was draining quicker than the others'.

A second array of rocks formed in the sky.

No! Already?!

They pelted down. His team was too far apart for him to protect them all. He saw Sumire pirouette out of the way so cast a barrier around Hanako. Morgana, caught in the thick of the avalanche, ducked and weaved over several before a stray missile sent him sprawling across the floor. The cat sprung to his feet with a defiant grin and sent four giant fists hurtling at the Persona in return. The Shadow blocked it and Ren roared at the sight, running forward. He slid under one of the repelled fists as Arsene answered his wordless cry and appeared above him, firing a blast of black magic at the giant. The attack hit its side just as the wings shielding it disappeared with a satisfying burst of energy and the being collapsed. The other Thieves charged to meet him, pelting the Persona with as many Physical skills as they could muster while also slashing and stabbing every inch of its skin that could reach with their own weapons, all four of them rasping for breath with each strike until the white figure swung an arm at them. They jumped back in time to avoid the hit, recalling their own Personas as it dragged itself upright. Instinct overwhelmed Ren and he leapt into the air, spiralling through the air and slashing at its torso as many times as he could before retreating a second time, feeling the second swipe of its arm brush past him as he went. It felt like marble scraping against his skin and the sensation made him stumble as he landed. He pressed a hand to his cheek and looked at it. Nothing. Good. He'd avoided taking damage, but only just. He looked to his right and saw a horrified Sumire glaring back at him. He raised his hand and hurried out a "Sorry!" as he turned back to their foe in time to see a flash of holy light where the Shadow stood.

The Persona fired the Element as a beam and world seemed to slow down again as Ren cursed: his stunt had left him too close to the being to dodge. He could feel Vohu Manah rushing to the forefront of his mind, but grit his teeth.

There's no time!

The world resumed as Ren crossed his arms and closed his eyes, only to feel someone shoving him out of the way. He landed on his side, hard, but only had the thought to look up at his savior. There was Sumire, holding her arm in front of her face as she bore the full brunt of the attack. He knew she was immune to it - it was her own Element, after all - but still struggled to his feet as quickly as he could, almost falling over a second time as his legs trembled. It took until the beam sputtered out of existence for him to join her, once again taking in the rivers of sweat pouring down her face, clinging to the edges of her mask.

"I'm so sorry." The second apology had left his lips before he'd even thought of saying them.

"It's okay, Senpai." Her voice was quiet, her breathing ragged and her eyes half-closed. But despite everything, she smiled at him. "We'll get through this. I know we will."

He let out a long and low exhale he didn't realise he'd been holding in. "...I don't deserve you," he smiled and took a deep breath. A flash of lightning caught the edge of his vision. The Persona fired a mass of Electricity at Hanako and Morgana, but Ren was already running. He called Odin and sent the Aesir to shield Hanako as he skidded to a halt before the latter. The attack hit his back and bounced off in all directions, but he shrugged it off. Instead, it was the sight of his remaining allies gasping for breath that made him weak.

"Are you okay...Joker?" Morgana stood tall, his small body still trembling ever so slightly.

"Yes. Yes! Of course. You?" Ren stood at turned to face their foes once more, the cat moving to stand beside him with a short cackle.

"Hah, this is nothing! Just who do you think I am?!" Morgana did his best to grin, still trying to catch his breath. Ren forced a smile onto his own face and looked past Morgana at Hanako, who let sweat drip off of her face as she studied the gleaming figure standing against them. He did the same. He got the impression both it and the Shadow were gauging them in turn.

"Is there any way to stop it healing?" he asked Morgana, eyes still locked on the towering figure.

"No, I don't think so." Ren heard an annoyed flick of a tail slapping the floor. He glanced down to see Morgana shaking his head before folding his arms. "That seems to be a power of the Persona itself...and I don't think it'll be running out of the stamina to do that anytime soon either..." he groaned. "If only Oracle were here, she'd probably already have found a weak point by now! My analytical skills are nothing compared to hers!"

"Hey, no confessions until you're on your deathbed," Ren tilted his head towards his friend though his eyes remained fixed on their target, managing a genuine smile this time. "We're still gonna get out of this in one piece." He raised his head again, but saw Morgana look at him from the corner of his eye.

"Joker..." A pause, then "Right!" Morgana slashed the air with his scimitar and nodded. "We could use a new plan though."

Hanako, who until now seemed to have been fully absorbed in her own observations, snapped her fingers, making the boys jump as she turned to them. "Wait, what about the - "

A loud bang echoed through the air as the Persona fired a blast of Almighty energy.

"Everyone, brace!"

The Thieves did as Ren ordered, tensing at once. Ren, Morgana and Sumire raised their arms to shield their faces while Hanako held her naginata almost pefectly vertical in front of herself as she bounced on the balls of her feet. The orb of raw power splintered into its familiar streams and they scattered, dodging as best they could, but Ren hissed as the attack finally overwhelmed him. He felt the light flow over him like scalding water, scraping away at his skin until it dissipated. He grit his teeth as he struggled to stand upright, looking to his right to see Morgana and Hanako do the same. However, a glance to his left put a small yet thankful smile on his face: Sumire seemed to have completely dodged the sudden assault. He opened his mouth to congratulate her, but Hanako cut him off.

"What about the - " she coughed, then slapped her chest as she caught her breath.

"Melody-sa - !"

"I'm fine!" Hanako held out a hand and rushed the rest of her words out. "What about the crystal from downstairs?" She kept an eye on both the Shadow and enemy Persona as she spoke, ready to dodge again if she needed to. "You know, the Will Seed thing?"

"Huh? Wait, you mean this?" Ren held out his palm and the three-headed Crystal appeared above it, floating in a slow circle. A flash of white light distracted him and the Persona fired a sudden blast of holy light at him right after. He threw himself out of the way, rolling onto one knee and hopping back onto his feet, the Crystal forming in his hand again as he did so. "I don't know!" He didn't mean to shout. He continued with a more measured tone once the sudden spike of adrenaline left his system. "I still don't sense anything from it."

"But...it has to do something, right?" Hanako pressed the back of the hand currently holding her gun against her waist. "Isn't that what you said?"

Ren grit his teeth as he tightened his grip on his knife, the Crystal still floating above his other hand. If only he could figure out what that 'something' was..!

As if sensing his frustration, Hanako took the grey thing from him, letting it float above her own palm as she gave him a tired smile. "Now now, let's not count our chickens out before they've even had a chance to hatch." She clenched her fist beneath the gem to make it disappear. With a satisfied "Hmm!" and her eyes still on her closed hand she shot herself with the other in one continuous, fluid motion as though it were the simplest thing in the world. "Now, let's go Orpheus!" The self-professed Mistress of Strings appeared above her, flames pooling in her palms as she followed the running Hanako back into the fray. Despite the situation, Ren couldn't help smiling at her retreating figure. He ran after her, calling on Thor to aid her by hurling yet another golden fist at their enemy.

Those two attacks sparked a second volley of attacks from the Thieves - Fire, Wind and Physica - that the Persona endured before firing a blast of Curse energy at Sumire. Ren shoved her to one side and took the hit for her, hissing as the foul attack wove searing trails over his skin. He forced one of his eyes open to see Sumire looking at him, tears in her own before she grit her teeth and summoned Ella. The Princess leapt over the continuing stream and spun, lashing out with both legs one after another. The Shadow spread her wings, deflecting both. Ren broke into a run, dodging one of the reflected strikes as Sumire jumped over the other, and screamed for Arsene. The gentleman thief launched an identical blast of black magic at the Persona. The attack struck true and it fell. Ren had Arsene immediately spin as he drew close and lash out with a kick, his bladed heel cutting deep into the other spirit's chest. The Persona skidded back and the other Thieves' Personas charged to follow up on the strike, but this time the Persona turned black at once. It raised its finger, summoned another giant red and black orb above its head and fired it before they could reach it. The orb again split into pillars upon pillars of thick, furious energy that split apart in midair before arcing down and stabbing into the ground. Again the Thieves were thrown back. Ren slammed into the ground and rolled, but twisted himself into a sprinter's starting position and kicked off with a yell of effort, calling on Arsene for another kick. His other self obliged, a sword-shaped aura forming around around his legs as he flew, but the white figure simply fired a large beam of Blessed energy at both selves for their troubles.

"S - Senpai!" Ren caught Sumire running to push him out of the way again from the corner of his eye, but mid-sprint one of her legs buckled, tripping up the other. She crashed down on all fours, then clutched her head with a loud groan. He reached out to her, trying to recall Arsene at the same time but the Persona was too close to the divine-looking figure to retreat before being consumed by the holy light and burning away. Ren muffled his scream as his other self was snuffed out, but it escaped from his mouth when his weak legs failed to save hmself from the attack. The white light crashed into him and sent him flying through the air. He slammed into the marble floor, bouncing once, twice before skidding to a halt the third time he hit it. He forced himself to his hands and knees to see Sumire still clutching her head. He looked to his side to see Morgana doing the same. Hanako meanwhile was back on her feet, gun to her head.

"Orpheus!"

Ren felt a familiar gentle warmth soothe his wounds, numbing the ache in his limbs so he could stand again. He did so, seeing Sumire and Morgana do the same, shaking their heads clear as they did so. He remembered feeling dizzy the last time the Shadow-Persona duo had used that large attack: perhaps it was so powerful it also had a chance to mess with their brains?

A low grunt brought him back to the present, his head whipping to the source of the sound.

Now Hanako was clutching her head. She fell to her knees and pressed one hand to the floor to keep herself upright, then the other, heaving and coughing over and over. The other three ran over to her, but Ren had a sneaking suspicion her current predicament wasn't the Shadow's doing: after all, she'd been fine when Sumire and Morgana had collapsed...

"Melody-san!" Sumire skidded to a halt and got on her own knees. She held Hanako's shoulders, but the older woman shook her off.

"I - I..!" She spluttered. Sumire called her name but Hanako held out a hand to stop her leaning in, her own gaze still fixed to the floor. "I'm...I'm okay. It's just...urgh, my head..."

"You're pushing yourself too far!" Morgana grabbed Hanako's wrist and leaned into her, features trembling slightly. Seeing Morgana of all people look so scared...felt wrong. "Leave the healing to me from now on," continued the cat "you just focus on attacking. You too, Joker! I'll do all the healing, you just keep shielding us or attacking as well!"

"But..." choked Hanako. "I..."

"It's fine!" Morgana grinned and puffed out his chest. "Don't forget, I was pretty much the only healer the Phantom Thieves had until you came along!"

"Is that...so?" She turned to him, revealing a sweaty face, flushed with gaunt eyes. Sumire gasped but she shook her head at her and chuckled at Morgana. She pushed off the ground and wobbled but refused Sumire's hand, forcing herself back onto her feet with her own power. "Then I'm sorry to ask this of you, but please take care of us." She inclined her head towards Morgana once more and, as if to prove she wouldn't be a burden, immediately shot herself in the head, calling for a fireball to strike their foe. Ren noticed Morgana smile at the sight, then fail to hide a quick wince and tremble of his own leg as he ran to support her.

He's nearing his limit as well...

Ren watched the Shadow shield the Persona from the simultaneous assault of Fire and Wind as it surrounded itself with pale blue light again. He fought the urge to scream, opting instead to rejoin the pair with Sumire at his side. After a moment's breath the Thieves split up, but at that exact moment the Persona summoned another volley of rocks. Sumire managed to weave her way through most of the missiles coming her way, but a stray caught her shoulder, jerking her back in a clumsy circle and into the path of many more. Ren called Rangda just in time to protect himself, but was too slow to shield Morgana or Hanako who too were sent sprawling to the floor. The trio pulled themselves to their feet and Morgana healed them all, but as soon as the blue light faded his legs quivered and he clutched his head.

This is bad... Ren grit his teeth. He'd lost count of how many times he'd had to do so in so short a time. Sumire's healing isn't strong enough to cover our whole team. I have Maria, but I also need to conserve energy to shield everyone whenever I can: Morgana's the only reliable healer we have left. If this keeps up we won't even have the strength to spare for Physical or Magical attacks!

He called on Rangda and surrounded the Persona in a mix of red, purple and green lights. The Persona flinched, but the Shadow just tapped her mask and negated the spell, restoring her partner's strength the instant he'd taken them. He growled and held his knife out.

I knew she'd do that. That's why I didn't do it earlier, what a waste of -

"Senpai..?"

Ren shook his head at the touch of Sumire's soft hand on his arm. "...nothing. Everyone, switch to using items for now!" Not that it'll do much, but at least it'll save our stamina while we think of something better.

He took out his pouch and grabbed the first solid object he could reach inside it: a small bottle with red liquid inside. He hurled it at the Persona. It bounced off its shin and exploded in a small ball of flame. The others followed suit, hurling items from their own supplies as they dodged the Personas attacks to the best of their abilities. He kept his eyes on the Shadow as he did the same, but she simply watched. They hurled items for several minutes, but not once did she try to shield her ally: it was as if she knew the items they were using weren't a threat.

Ren bit his lip, putting the molotov in his hand back into the pouch and returned the pouch to his pocket.. "I guess we have to go all in to get something out of you then...Thor!" He shouted the last word and the god of thunder appeared, jumping forward and punching the side of the Persona's face. The latter being floated back a few steps before righting itself, looking none the worse for wear. He growled. "Give us an opening already!" He ran in, knife arm held wide.

"Senpai, calm down!"

He caught a glimpse of Sumire's worried face and outstretched hand as he ran past her, ignoring both that sight and the sound of her frightened voice. He saw the Shadow surrounding her white titan with light purple energy and cheered to himself, leaping into the air and letting gravity strengthen his downward slash. He felt his blade tear the Persona's skin. He knew the attack didn't do much, but still the Persona froze for a second. He didn't know if it was from surprise or if the Shadow was simply mocking him for such a desperate ploy, but Ren seized the opportunity, switching Thor to Arsene and striking the giant with a Curse attack at point-blank range. At such a close distance the attack also hit him, but he endured the pain with grit teeth, forcing out a smirk as he watched the Persona fall to its knees once again. He jumped back at the sound of his approaching teammates, seeing their partners fly over his head as he did so.

"Ren-kun, please calm down!" Hanako shouted as Orpheus battered the larger Persona's head with her lyre.

"Yeah, Joker! We're all in this together!" Diego lunged with his rapier outstretched as Morgana continued her words. The blade pierced the Persona's abdomen before Diego kicked it back, leaving a small puncture wound in the blade's wake.

"He's right Senpai, we can still win this!" Sumire used Ella's signature skill. The marble beneath their feet shuddered as both of Ella's kicks struck true with deafening thuds, but the cost of the fierce manouevre brought the gymnast down to one knee, which in turn snapped Ren out of his reverie.

"Sumire, no!" He ran to her, but caught a flash of white-blue light in the corner of his eye. He turned, but was too slow to stop the blast of ice that crashed into his chest, sending him rolling across the floor.

"Senpai!"

Ren slid to a stop, prone. He tried to raise his head, but his body screamed in agony. Morgana tried to heal him, the beginnings of a pale blue light flickering into existence around him...but the cat fell to his knees, clutching his head and mouth opening to form a silent scream of his own. The blue haze sputtered away with no effect moments before a bolt of lightning struck Morgana from behind and threw him into the air. Ren forced himself to his feet with a yell and ran, grabbing the cat just in time. He checked to see if the cat was okay, but Morgana jsut gave him a determined nod. He set his friend down and both looked up to see Orpheus bash the Persona with her lyre. Their foe punched her back, then swung the coffins dangling from its other hand like a flail, sending her crashing into the floor. Hanako yelled and clutched her head, but without missing a beat the Persona raised its empty hand and summoned a golden fist of its own above its head and fired it at Sumire as she ran to the other girl. She spun away from the attack and called on Ella, who in turn lashed out with a pair of giant swords. The enemy took the hit head on, letting Ella gouge a thick line down its front and back with each blade, and retaliated by creating a ball of Almighty energy in its palm. Ren knew he was too far away to help but forced himself to run anyway, only to stumble and fall to his knees as the Persona fired, sending out the collected power in its hand as a wave that blasted both women away. They crashed into the floor, their limbs twitching as they struggled to rise.

But how?! That thing should still be stunned! Are we getting too weak to hurt it?

Sumire managed to stand, but her legs trembled too much for her to move, instead leaving her swaying on the spot, a hand around her arm with her head bowed. A flash of darkness drew Ren's attention to the Shadow and then the Persona as it looked at her. Ren tried to stand as a black orb formed in the palm of its hand, but his legs refused to work. He punched one of them over and over as the orb reached its full size. His legs relented and he pushed himself upright, but as soon as he took his first step the attack fired. He broke into a hobbling run as time slowed down again, trying to reach the winded girl. He called Rangda. He knew he was still too far away for the Magician to protect her but reached out his arm anyway as he stumbled yet again, clinging the naive hope that it'd get him to her even a little faster.

Sumire...

The attack was so close.

Sumire..!

No no no no no no no no no...

Sumire!

"No!"

A second figure ran into his field of vision and shoved Sumire out of the attack's path. The smaller girl fell back, mouth open and arms outstretched as she saw the attack meant for her crash into Hanako instead. One second the older brunette was right by her side, looking directly into her eyes.

The next she was sprawled out on the floor far away, unmoving.

Time resumed for them all as the beam of black light fizzled out, its work done. Ren saw Hanako's gun spin away from the impact site with a clatter and felt her naginata bump against his foot as it too rolled away, though with a duller sound. He'd heard something else too, something that had hit the marble with a much higher pitch, but had no inclination to find it, not that the other objects had registered in his mind either: all he could concentrate on right now was the older woman lying prone on the ground. All he could see were the thin trails of blood running down her still face, dripping over her nose, slipping into her parted lips. All he could hear was the smaller redhead who fell to her knees beside her before pulling the silent woman's head into her lap.

"Me - Melody - Melody...-san?" Sumire cleared her throat but her words remained broken. "No...p - please no...not again. Not again! I can't - I can't do this again Hanako-san...please! Please... Please open your eyes!"

A spot of bright grey drew Ren's attention to the otherwise dark marble surrounding it.

Ah. Hanako-san dropped the Crystal. That's what that last sound was.

He felt himself bend down for a moment. Next thing he knew he was upright again with the strange thing in his hand. Why did he pick it up? He didn't know. Maybe Sumire's words about littering had gotten to him. He watched Sumire place her ear by Hanako's nose and look down her slim frame, a hand on her stomach. He watched the redhead's eyes widen for a second before she looked at him. Tears poured down her cheeks, the mask redirecting some down the sides of her face before it gave way to the increasing moisture and fell, bouncing off of Hanako's shoulder. Sumire let out a soft "Ah!" then froze, her eyes locked onto Hanako's face.

...but even this disturbance wasn't enough to rouse her.

Sumire sniffed and turned to him again, the whites of her eyes as red as her irises, as red as her cheeks. A hint of slime leaked from one of her nostrils as she took short and sharp, yet rasping breaths.

"Se - senpai...she - she...Senpai...she's not - I can't hear her... Senpai, she's not..!"