Disclaimer: I own nothing in this work.

Chapter 2

"Two days ago, in the real world, your train was involved in a collision with an apartment complex. Several people died in the accident…and you were one of them."

At those words, Ren's mind stopped. His fingers clenched Lavenza's small hand unconsciously as the whispered thoughts from earlier surged back to his mind. A small part of him wanted to deny her words; to decry the similarities he had noticed with Akechi's descriptions as nothing more than a coincidence. That he wasn't really dead, that this was all just a dream he would wake up from at the end of their talk.

The other part of him wanted to throw his hands up and scream his frustrations to the heavens. Why was all of this happening to him, his thoughts cried out. What had he done to have all this shit happen to him within this one year? Did his soul have some sort of sign that just attracted supernatural interest like sharks to the smell of blood?

The moment passed, and Ren took in a deep breath. The thoughts from before grew quieter; not completely gone, yet not at the forefront of his mind. Ren closed his eyes, welcoming the darkness of his mind. 'Calm down', he thought to himself. 'Breathe in, breathe out…'

Lavenza's hand tightened around his clenched grip, and he felt a similar yet darker warmth brush against his very being. Within his mind, Ren felt the twisted, wicked and powerful gaze of Satanael upon his very being. His Ultimate Persona offered no words, yet Ren's thoughts grew calmer as their connection deepened. It wouldn't do to lose himself in his emotions; not now, not when there was a chance he could still return to his friends and reality.

"…Shall I continue?" Lavenza asked, watching as Ren's face regained some color after her words. She began to gently rub the back of his hand with her thumb, like she had seen a mother do to their child during a bout of distress.

Ren exhaled, nodding silently.

A smile made its way unto her face for a moment before Lavenza grew serious. "As I said, your body was identified amongst those that lost their lives in the accident. According to the news reports, the operator scheduled on that day had been working while inebriated and his lapse in judgement was what was responsible for the crash…"

Lavenza paused for a moment, her mouth twisting into a grimace, "However, my Master and I doubt that is what actually happened."

Ren's heartbeat grew louder once more. "What do you mean?"

Lavenza looked right into his eyes as she spoke, "On that day, shortly after we bade farewell, my Master and I felt the presence of something that did not belong in this world. It did not stay for long, perhaps no more than a few minutes, but it was…strange. It felt like moving darkness, if I am to be honest – something that thrived on all manner of negative emotions and interests."

Ren could see where she was going with this. "You and Igor think that presence you felt was what caused the accident?"

Lavenza nodded. "While it is perhaps too early to say that the being we sensed it the cause of your death, there is little doubt in my mind that its presence is connected to the sudden change in your fate. A presence of that malevolent nature does not appear and disappear without taking action in some way…and you and I know how Tricksters attract all sorts of attention, don't we?"

A somewhat harsh chuckle left Ren's mouth. "Yeah, you could say that," he muttered. His free hand rose to rub at the bridge of his nose as his mind digested what he had just been told. To be entirely honest, the situation felt very much like when he discovered the true nature of Yaldabaoth and how much attention it had been paying him.

In fact, it sounded as though the entity that Lavenza and Igor had noticed was deliberately going out of its way to act like Yaldabaoth at the beginning of the school year. Just like Lavenza, Ren seriously doubted that the entity was unrelated to why he was in this…fake Velvet Room, for lack of a better term.

The fact that Lavenza's words hadn't sparked any kind of familiarity in his mind was also suspicious; surely some aspect of her tale should have triggered something in his memories, shouldn't it? He felt like there was something at the very tip of his tongue that he should have remembered from her words, but every time he felt like he was about to reach it, it would drift out from his grasp.

Exhaling harshly, Ren then moved to playing with a lock of his hair as he tried to think. He didn't know how to feel about the situation; even though she had told him a few minutes ago, the idea that he had died back in reality hadn't truly hit him.

"Once again, I cannot say for certain that this theory is correct…but this strange occurrence is all we have to start with," Lavenza said. "So long as we do not lose faith, I am sure that this will lead us towards the truth of what happened to you and the other humans."

"I see…"

Lavenza's smile was hopeful. "I am certain of this, my Trickster. No matter how long this takes, my master and I will do our best to aid you in overcoming this trial."

"What about Morgana? Did he…" Ren asked, his musings put on hold.

Lavenza bit her lip, agitation and unease in her eyes as she slowly shook her head. "No. Morgana's essence did not return to my Master, which suggests that he is still alive at the moment. However, it is as though his very being has disappeared off the reality you all fought hard to save," she confessed.

Ren sighed. "That's…worrying," he admitted.

"I agree. I'm sure that his presence would be a great comfort and help to you, especially now."

Before he could continue, a sudden alarm began to blare out in the room. Ren glanced around, hoping to see where the alarm was ringing from, but had no such luck. The alarm rang from every corner of the strange place he was in, just like the Velvet Room.

"It seems our time together is coming to an end," Lavenza remarked, her voice reaching Ren's ears despite the blaring alarm.

"Will you be able to come back to this place again?" Ren asked.

"Do not worry, my Trickster," Lavenza stepped forward to grasp his hand one last time. "Now that I have found you, I will always be with you wherever you find yourself. For now, we must part ways; I must report back to my master, and you must find out what is happening to your body. In time, I believe I will be able to aid you on this peculiar journey once again."

When Ren woke up and opened his eyes, he wasn't prepared for his body to feel stiff and trapped in place. A low groan left his lips as he forced his tired head to look down at his body, his motions slow and almost unresponsive. Blinking hard to try and wake himself up, it didn't take long before Ren's eyes noticed the position he was in.

Rather than lying on the ground like he initially assumed, his body was perched in a seated position. Furthermore, he was seated inside what looked like a naturally formed seat of dirt and mud inside the large roots of a tree. Luckily for him, he wore the same clothes he had on when he had left for the train station, caked with dirt as they were.

'A small mercy, I suppose,' Ren thought. 'Wouldn't want to wake up with nothing on, that's for sure…'

When Ren shifted his body, a sharp pain in his chest surged up and he couldn't help but let out a cry.

With the last dregs of sleep washed away by the pain, Ren looked down once more at his chest and grimaced as his stomach dropped. Tree roots were burrowed inside his body, the most prominent ones sticking out from his chest; moving his body once more, doing his best to ignore the pain, revealed that there were roots buried inside his back and legs as well.

"…Fuck," Ren said, halting his movements for the moment. He tried to move his fingers and only succeeded in making them twitch. "I have to get out of this…

Raising his head, Ren was glad to find that no pain seized his body like it did before. Rotating his head a few more times, Ren soon came to the realization that he could only move his neck without any sort of pain flaring up.

"…Alright, I'm gonna need some help with this," he muttered.

In response to his words, Ren felt something old, powerful and malevolent make its way to the forefront of his mind. As the connection between the Persona and himself strengthened and flourished, Ren felt his body's discomfort shrink and lessen until it eventually disappeared from his mind.

A detached coolness permeated his mind, swiftly numbing away his anxieties and emotions until it completely settled. With his connection to one of his strongest Personas complete, Ren exhaled deeply and opened his eyes.

Rather than the beautiful color of the green forest, Ren's vision had darkened to such a degree that he could see through the several trees of the area. When his gaze dropped towards his body, his lips pursed when the tree roots in his body shone a bright green. Focusing deeper on the roots, Ren's irritation gave way to disgusted wonder as he saw what looked like little mouths at the end of the roots opening and closing inside his body.

A heavy atmosphere of disdain wafted in his being. "Vile parasite," came the gravelly and world-weary voice of Lucifer, its snarl rumbling within Ren's mouth. "Begone from my sight!"

Ren's hand suddenly moved, grabbing the roots in his chest and pulling them out with disinterest even as his rough treatment tore new holes in his body. Blood flowed freely from his wounds but the pain did not register in his mind. Staring at the bloody mouths that were still gnashing and biting, Ren felt his hand clench tightly around them for a moment before they were abruptly squashed.

A quiet scream came from the mouths of the creature even as it began to break down like ash. Ren gazed at the remains of the creature for a moment, utterly confused by what was happening, before he clicked his tongue and tossed the roots and disappearing remains to the earth. Forcing his body to sit up, which was difficult with the other roots in his back and legs, Ren then got to work pulling out the objects in his body.

Starting with the roots in his back, moving then to the roots that had burrowed into the back of his thighs, Ren did his best to remove each and every root in his body, culminating in the last few roots that were in his feet.

As he dealt with the last of the roots, Ren noticed something in the corner of his eye. Turning his head, Ren unconsciously jumped when something phased out of the tree he had been propped against. The creature had a black figure that had no lower body, floating through the air as a black smoke trail was left behind in its wake. It had bone-like spikes on its back and ribs on its upper body, with long, skeletal forearms and sharp fingernails. On its face was a mask-like bone plate with a single eye, with red-orange markings on it.

His anxiety was then smothered by Lucifer's disinterest. No matter what it was, it was nothing in the face of his Persona's power.

"One-Shot Kill."

The creature barely had any time to try and escape before a bullet tore through it, drilling past its bone plate as though it didn't even exist. The bullet then went through two trees that were directly behind the creature, blowing through them with a loud bang as it continued unopposed into the sky. The creature let out the same quiet scream that the mouths did, Ren noted, before it disintegrated into the same kind of black smoke that followed it.

With the matter settled, Ren felt Lucifer withdraw from his mind. As his connection to Lucifer disappeared, so too did the numbness that distanced him from the pain his body was going through. Ren barely managed to keep himself from screaming as the pain finally registered and brought him to his knees. The pain was so overwhelming, so prominent in his mind that he could not even call on any specific Persona at that moment.

He waited, gritting his teeth as hard as he could, as he lay on the ground. The breeze picked up, carrying the heavy scent of Ren's blood as it passed over him. Ren's eyes cracked open, catching a glimpse of the blood that had begun to pool around his body, and shut themselves again as another wave of pain started.

No thoughts passed through his mind. Every breath he took wracked his body with pain. He tried to stay still, in hopes that the pain would subside with little movement. As he lay there, trying to keep his body still, there was a sudden sensation that made his body jerk; at that moment, it felt as though something intangible had passed through his chest.

"M…Maria," he weakly called out, the beating of his heart rumbling through his head. "…Salvation…"

A warm, comforting feeling rose within him as his body was bathed in a green light, leaving him momentarily nostalgic. The light made him close his eyes, and its gentle nature reminded him of the times when his mother would pull him into her arms after he got hurt and sang sweet nothings while he cried from the pain.

The moment passed and Ren rose to his feet, unsurprised to see his wounds were completely healed albeit still bloody from earlier. Turning to his side, Ren's eyes landed on his Persona, who was watching him with a kind smile.

"Thank you," he said, "I'm not sure what exactly is happening right now, but I'll be calling on you when I need you."

Her smile turned even warmer, if such a thing was possible. It reminded him of Sumire's smile. "No need to utter your thanks, Trickster. Your gratitude has already reached my very being," she said, her form turning translucent and disappearing in bursts of blue flames as she receded to the Sea of Souls. "Should you require my aid, all you have to do is call for me and I shall appear."

Ren sighed and looked around.

As he stared out at the vast expanse of land before him, a sprawling sea of greenery that looked more artificial than natural, his eyes narrowed as he saw movement in the bushes at the very edge of the area.

For a moment, the movement stopped. The gentle breeze in the area carried a few gentle chirps from birds further away. A pleasant scent wafted in the air, relaxing his body. Within himself, Ren felt several Personas stir in anticipation.

Ren waited.

A second passed.

Two seconds.

Three.

On the fourth second, a Persona reached out and instantly forged a connection with him. Before he could even blink in confusion, her sweet yet dangerous voice whispered in his ear, "Concentrate."

Ren took a step back as his body was engulfed in a bright blue light, strengthening his next magical spell. "Alice?" he whispered.

Her response was a giggle that echoed in his head even as she retreated back to the Sea of Souls. He opened his mouth, to call for her once more.

A sea of black, white and red creatures surged from the edges of the land. A cacophony of howls and growls assaulting Ren's ears despite the distance between them. His eyes widened at the veritable sea of black, evil-looking bears, wolves, and snakes that were charging towards him.

A chill run down Ren's spine as everything approaching him slowed down to a crawl, like a video being slowed just before it was finally paused. He remembered when something similar happened at the start of his year in Tokyo, when he saw himself surrounded in blue flames that were shaped like Arsene.

"What's going on?" He whispered, staring at the frozen creatures. The similar mask-like bone plates on their bodies suggested a relation between all the beasts he saw as well as the ghost-like being from earlier.

Whatever thoughts he had about the creatures died as Lucifer manifested beside him, towering completely over Ren like he usually did whenever he was summoned for battle in the Metaverse. The Persona gazed down at Ren as his six wings expanded and showed off his glory.

"Trickster," Lucifer spoke, his perpetually frown bearing down on Ren, "For what reason are your actions filled uncertainty? Did you not conquer the false God of Control, escape the snares of the corrupt politician, and denounce the ideal reality that was offered to you? The trials you have overcome were of greater adversary than this rabble of pests. Wake up, Trickster…your rebellious will screams at you to do so. The time for hesitation has already passed. Use my strength and end this swarm decisively."

Ren's fists clenched as he turned to face the creatures again. He didn't know why these things were after him. He had no idea where he was, and why he was able to call forth his Personas like he was in the Metaverse. He had apparently died and come back like Akechi did, with no idea of how that came to be. He was frustrated, anxious, and wary at the twisted beasts he had encountered, and all his boiling emotions were roused with Lucifer's words.

"You're right," he said, unaware that the same azure flames had formed around his eyes, "If it's me or them, then there's no need to hesitate."

The flames grew stronger, spreading past his eyes to extend past the tips of his bangs. Behind him, Lucifer spread his arms in preparation for the skill that would be invoked. Time began to speed up, and Ren could see each and every beast crawling towards him. His emotions surged, transformed into power, and he unleashed it.

"Morning Star."

A/N: Hi guys, sorry that this chapter took so long to be released. I initially planned to have this done, with more things in it, in October but things became messy. I wasn't able to return to my home country when I planned to, leaving me stuck in the US until very recently. During that time, I just couldn't find it in me to write this chapter. As to why I'm releasing the chapter as it is now, I have a doctor's appointment on Wednesday that will have me unable to see well for the entire day at the very least. I wanted to get as much of this chapter done as I could before then, and this is what I felt could be done before then. Better to have a short chapter that's out there and start working on the next one.

Anyway, please read and review. I'd really appreciate your critiques and suggestions. Thanks!

The Wandering Maelstrom.