"At the Tower, the individual's values collapse on them. It seems as if they no longer have anything to believe in, but..."
Edogawa-sensei, Persona 3
The next Saturday, Eruca called for a meeting at her mother's house.
With the knowledge gained from Protea's confession, she thought it was time to finally decide on a course of action. Thankfully, Sophia had planned a girls' day out with her friends, leaving the house empty for at least a few hours. Eruca and the others met in the living room to gather their findings, Sonja taking notes on a writing pad. When finally they broached the topic of the Chronicles, Eruca headed to her room, bringing back Ernst's schoolbag. A tense silence hung in the air as she lay the two books side by side on a coffee table.
Sonja tapped the writing pad with her pen. "I can't believe it," she murmured. "All of this trouble, just over a pair of books…"
"D'you think it's all true?" asked Raynie. "This whole story of the Black Chronicle being able to change history?"
"It has to be," Rosch said. "It's not like it's much weirder to imagine than everything else that's happened to us so far. I'm more concerned about what we're supposed to do now that those damned things are in our hands, now."
Marco reached for the Black Chronicle, slightly frowning. He stopped, cheeks flushing to a deep red, when he noticed that everyone was looking at him. "Do you think we could actually use them?" he asked. "To change the past, I mean?"
Eruca opened her mouth, but found that she could not answer. The others seemed also at a loss for words.
"Even if we wanted to, how would we actually do it?" Raynie said. "It's not like they came with an instruction manual!"
"My brother used the White Chronicle, didn't he?" Eruca said. "Several times, if I'm not mistaken. Didn't he tell you how it worked?"
Rosch and Sonja exchanged a fondly exasperated look, while Raynie rolled her eyes.
"Never said a thing," Rosch said with a wry grin. "Can't say it surprises me. I loved the guy like a brother, but he wasn't the open sort, was he?"
"I wonder why he never told us anything," Raynie said. "Didn't he trust us enough?"
Again, a sense of unease swept through the room. A hint of bitterness—no, of self-directed anger had shown in Raynie's voice. Marco looked miserable, while Aht pouted in her seat, kicking her little feet at the floor. Eruca was horrified to see tears forming in Sonja's eyes.
"No," Eruca said, standing up, "that's not it. I know Ernst, and that's not how he saw things. He probably kept it all to himself because he didn't want to burden you with his troubles."
"Yeah," Rosch said, wistfully. "That sounds about right. That idiot... always worrying for others, but never for himself." He hit the coffee table with his closed fist—but the gesture had no violence, no strength to it. He just seemed very, very tired. "Dammit, but I miss him. Of all the people… why did this have to be him? Goddamn it… just, damn it all to hell…"
Sonja uttered a small, soft sob. Aht hugged her knees, eyes growing big and shiny. Gafka began to rub her back in a comforting manner.
Eruca, for her part, felt an inexplicable chill. She stood with her back straight, as if frozen still, trying to make sense out of the jumbled mess of thoughts cluttering her brain. No, she thought. This is not the time to feel sorry for myself. This was not the time to be overwhelmed by mere emotion. Still, these sound arguments could not stop the coldness from gripping her within its tight embrace; she wrapped her arms around her chest to maintain her warmth, but to no avail. She felt as if her awareness of the living room was dimming, as if she heard nothing but the maddened beat of her heart and her laborious, long-drawn breathing…
"Then," Marco said, breaking the silence, "we find a way to use that Black Chronicle and we save him. And Mimel and Kiel and that other kid too. We'll save them. We just… we just need to find out how…"
Eruca inhaled sharply; his words had brought her back to the real world with the force of a winter gale. Bringing Ernst back… When and where had she heard such a suggestion before? Why couldn't she remember who had made her that proposition?
Sonja gave a final sniff, before wiping her eyes. "I… I think I have an idea." All eyes turned toward her. "That man, Selvan… I know where we can find him."
Not long after, they were standing in a hospital parking lot.
"Of course!" said Raynie. "Sonja, you're brilliant! Protea said that someone had beaten him up, right?"
"He still hasn't recovered from the attack?" Rosch added, sounding dumbfounded. "But that happened almost two months ago!"
Sonja wrung her hands together. "From what I've been able to find, he was in a coma for a long time after his accident. He just recently woke up. That's all I know. The whole thing was kept all hush-hush. It's bizarre, honestly."
Eruca looked at the big, grey building in front of her. Was her brother's killer really hidden in there? "Is it safe to meet him? If he is a hostile Persona user, then…"
Raynie kicked at the snow. "Well, there's only one way to find out. Let's see what that bastard has to say for himself."
Gafka gave her a pointed look. "As the lone responsible adult in the group," he said, "I reserve for myself the right to haul us all out of there if the situation turns sour."
"Just try, will you?" Aht said with an impish grin. "You're the only one of us who's got no Persona, remember?"
Gafka grunted. "I really do need a raise," he muttered under his breath.
"Then," said Eruca, "it's settled." She gave a grim nod. "Let's go."
They crossed the frozen length of the parking lot, earning suspicious looks from the passersby. As they neared the entrance, Sonja gasped, before stopping in her tracks.
"Wait!" she cried. "Something's wrong—"
Something in the air shimmered, and Eruca felt a strange, pulling sensation somewhere in her gut. With a gasp, she squeezed her eyes shut. When she opened them again, what she saw rooted her to her spot.
The hospital seemed to stretch into an orange sky, becoming a grand, twisted tower of sort. Snowflakes fluttered in the wind—no, Eruca realized as she cupped her hands to catch some of them, those were bits of ash.
"What… what the hell?" Raynie said. "Sonja, did your Persona do that?"
"What? No!" Sonja sputtered. "That wasn't me! Something else pulled us in!"
Chills went down Eruca's spines. In front of the tower-like building there was a sign with precise, clear typology, the kind you would use to announce a governmental edifice.
It said 'Niflheim Institute of Experimental Psychology.'
Marco paled. "Wait, we're really going in there?"
"No," said Gafka. He moved to grab Aht by the arm and pointedly ignored the peeved look he got in response. "If something else pulled us in there, it means there might be an enemy who knows we are coming."
"It's be like walking in a trap, yeah?" Rosch said with a scowl. "Still, we don't have much of a choice, do we? If the hospital's got a counterpart in the Shadows' world, then…"
"There might be Shadows inside," Marco said in a squeak.
Sonja moved forward with shaky steps. Behind her was a shimmering form—Eruca let out a gasp of surprise and wonder at the sight of it. Was that Sonja's Persona?
"I don't know," Sonja said. "I think I sense a few Shadows inside, but something is interfering with Hlín's sight. Also, I'm not sure, but there might be… two Persona users?" She grimaced. "Something's wrong, you guys, I never had that kind of trouble with Hlín before. I don't like this..."
Rosch set his jaw tight. "You think it's got something to do with Dias and Selvan?"
"These bastards!" Raynie said through grit teeth. "Let's get them before they hurt more people!"
Gafka remained silent as he held onto Aht. She smiled, patting him on the arm. "I know you're worried," she said, in a surprisingly steady voice, "but we're the only ones who can help right now. We'll be careful, right, you guys?"
"Definitely!" said Sonja, while Marco nodded rather fervently.
"Yeah," Rosch added, "we have new members, right?" He grinned at Eruca. "We'll show you the ropes along the way. You'll see, fighting with your Persona, it's almost… instinctual. Sorta freaky, actually."
Eruca considered his words. Somewhere at the back of her mind she felt the bond linking her with Verdandi. It was strange, in a way—Eruca had spent most of her life unaware of her Persona's existence, yet her presence was as familiar and comforting as the sound of her heartbeat. Could it be that Verdandi had always been there, unnoticed, keeping a silent vigil over Eruca?
"Alright," Eruca eventually said. "I'm ready to go whenever you are."
"Great!" Rosch's smile then grew unsure. "You know, this feels so weird. Stocke used to be the one to call the shots. I'm… I'm not sure I can actually do as well as he did, you know?"
"Oh, Rosch…" Sonja walked up to him, grabbing his right hand. "You'll do fine. I trust you'll see all of us through."
For some reason, Rosch appeared even more hesitant. Still, he managed a wavering grin. "Right. Then, let's do this."
The entrance led to a long, dimly-lit hallway. The walls were bare and painted a dull, greyish colour. Eruca frowned. She had been at the hospital only a handful of times, but she remembered the lobby as a bright and welcoming place—well, as bright and welcoming as a hospital lobby could be. This was not the case with this strange, twisted version of reality. The flickering fluorescent lamps bathed them in a cold, harsh light. Eruca swallowed nervously, rubbing her arms as to fight a sudden chill.
"There's no one here," said Marco. "What's up with this place? Where are all the Shadows—oh, oh man, here they are…"
The word 'Shadows' had barely left Marco's lips when two dark shapes materialized into existence. The blob-like creatures peered at them with bright, golden eyes before growing in size. Now, two humanoid figures stood in front of them; they had luminous halos floating over their heads and small wings fluttering of their backs. Eruca felt a stab of panic when she noticed they both had guns.
"Not these guys again!" said Rosch.
"At least we know how to beat 'em!" Raynie added. "Sigrún, get rid of these small fry for me!"
As she finished speaking, there was the clear, sharp sound of breaking glass. A figure rose from behind Raynie. Eruca watched in amazement as Raynie's Persona swept the air with her lance, bringing forth a gale of wind that knocked the two Shadows off their feet.
"Marco!" Rosch said. "Boost my defense, will ya?"
"Sure!" the smaller boy answered.
Behind them flared a burst of blue light. A tall, red-clad knight leaped above Rosch, holding a huge shield forward to protect the rest of the group, while a furry creature resembling a mouse bounced excitedly behind Marco. A green light diffused around Rosch's Persona, and the great knight pushed forward, slamming the two Shadows with his shield.
"Who want to do the honour?" Rosch called out.
"Oh, oh, I'll do it, I'll do it!" Aht cried, hopping on her spot. "C'mon, Idunn!"
The graceful figure of Aht's Persona appeared with a shower of sparks. Idunn twirled, her lovely features lit by a mischievous grin. Around the fallen angelic soldiers burst a pillar of light so bright Eruca had to shield her eyes. When the light faded, however, she saw that the two creatures were still standing—although they now appeared to be in terrible shapes.
"They're not dead yet?!" Aht exclaimed. "Just get lost already!"
"Oh!" said Sonja. "I get it now! They're strong against light magic!"
Aht pouted, crossing her arms. "Bummer! I wanted to be the one to finish them off!"
Raynie bounced her eyebrows at Eruca. "Want to finish the job, then?"
Eruca blinked. "I… well, if you think it's for the best…" She reached for the hidden pool of energy within herself, silently willing Verdandi forward. She felt a diffuse sense of peace as she heard the telltale noise of glass breaking and sensed the warmth of the blue light. As Rosch had said, Eruca knew instantly what she had to do.
She pointed to the two Shadows, shouting, "Verdandi! Come to our aid!"
Goosebumps prickled at Eruca's skin as the temperature dropped several degrees. The Shadows twitched as they tried to escaped, but crystals of ice trapped them, encasing them in a frozen prison. When the ice broke off, a few seconds later, the Shadows dissipated in a puff of black mist. Eruca let out the breath she had been holding while the others gave whooping cheers.
"Ice spells, huh?" Raynie said with a grin. "I guess that'll come in handy, huh?"
"That's kinda funny," Rosch said. "Stocke's Persona used fire magic."
Eruca felt a dull pang. "Did he, now?" Somehow, she was not surprised. Again, she found herself missing her brother with a sudden, unsettling intensity. After a while, she took a deep breath, fighting to keep her voice steady as she said, "We really should get going. There's no time to waste."
"Right," said Rosch. "I, uh, I'll lead the way."
They advanced carefully through the ill-lit hallways. There were several doors on the way—most of them would not open, to Eruca's great puzzlement. Still, Rosch managed to wrench one open; within, they found a cramped room with a small cot and some other furniture. There was a monitor on the wall, displaying the name and physical attributes of an imaginary patient. Eruca felt the blood leaving her face as she noted the age of the room's occupant. Sixteen-year-old— the same age as her.
"Oh-kay," said Raynie. "That is absolutely not creepy at all, no siree. Is it s'posed to be a hospital or more like…?"
"An asylum," completed Sonja. "Or a governmental research institution." She bit down her lip. "Or maybe both."
"Great," said Rosch. "What does this say about the mental states of the two assholes we're supposed to find?"
His words prompted only silence from the others. They had come to find answers, but so far they had found only more mysteries…
Outside, they soon stumbled into three more Shadows.
Immediately, Rosch's Persona—it was called Tyr, or so Eruca understood—appeared in a flare of blue, dropping in front of the group with his shield raised. Like a well-oiled machine, the rest of the group summoned their Personas as well—except for Eruca, who found herself startled by the suddenness of the encounter.
Two of the misty forms transformed into shadow soldiers. The third… the third grew in size, becoming—
"Oh, crap!" Rosch exclaimed. "Everyone, get out of the way!"
"What—" was all Eruca could say as Raynie grabbed her by the arm, dragging her to the side. Not long after, there was a terrible deflagration, and a bright, enormous projectile sped by Eruca, missing her by the width of a hair. Safely tucked within Gafka's arms, Aht began to scream.
"Wh-what was that?" Eruca sputtered. She had her answer, however, when she turned to look at the large form darkening the hallway. It was a golden tank, with ridiculously small angelic wings fluttering on the top of the hatch.
"Shit, not one of these things again!" Raynie grumbled. "We've got to beat it using magic, right?"
"Yeah," Rosch said, wiping the sweat from his brow. "Let's, uh, let's do this, guys."
Marco's Persona—Byggvir, Eruca remembered—hopped in the air. A veil of light fell upon Tyr, and the Persona stood straighter, with more assurance.
"Thanks, buddy!" Rosch called out. Marco smiled sheepishly in return.
Sigrún leaped over Eruca's head, landing gracefully by Tyr's side. The feline Persona cast her wind spell, as the great knight protected her from the soldiers' bullets. The two angelic Shadows struggled to stay upright under the wind's assault. The tank, however…
The tank just fired again.
The ball of light went through Tyr's shield like a heated knife through butter. The subsequent deflagration tore through the hallway, and Eruca put her hands over her ears to shield herself from the noise. Dimly, she realized that both Rosch and Raynie were screaming in agony.
Breathe catching in her throat, she realized that Tyr and Sigrún had disappeared in a scatter of blue lights. As Sonja cried out Rosch and Raynie's names, Eruca saw a few other figures approaching from behind the tank. More angel-like soldiers. And another tank.
The blood drained from Sonja's face. "Oh… oh, no… why couldn't I sense them coming?"
Rosch stood on trembling legs. Face twisting in pain, he grabbed at his chest. "C'mon, Tyr," he panted. "Just another time… c'mon, we need help…"
The blue light flickered a few times around him… but no Persona burst out to come to his aid. Rosch stumbled on his feet, grunting. A frown of confusion settled on his features. Sonja held on to him, even paler than before.
"G-Guys…" Marco said, tugging on Raynie's arm. The latter just groaned, holding a hand to her face. "T-There's more of them… what s-should we do?"
Eruca looked behind her. Aht was whimpering, face hidden by her hands, while Gafka was slowly dragging her backward. Eruca whipped her head as she heard a low, hissing noise; light was gathering in the turrets of both tanks. The other Shadows had their guns raised and ready. Fear gripped Eruca's guts with a strong, icy hand and—
"Retreat!" she called out, in a surprisingly clear, unwavering voice. "We need to get some cover!"
Thankfully, no one thought to question her command, and the others scrambled back the way they had come, Sonja and Marco helping poor Rosch and Raynie along the way. Eruca's heart gave a jolt as she felt the bullets breezing past while they ran.
They turned the corner to hide from the creatures' sight. Eruca bit down a scream when she realized the Shadows were hot on their trails. She willed the tears out of her eyes, inhaling sharply as she gathered all the strength she had left.
Eruca felt a surge of power as Verdandi sprang to life by her side. "You guys go on ahead, I'll cover our escape."
Rosch raised a pair of tired eyes to her. "But—"
"What?!" Raynie exclaimed at the same time.
"I won't fight them head-on," Eruca said. "I'll just provide a distraction. Go on ahead, I'll won't be far behind!"
"Good call," Gafka said, before grabbing a slightly catatonic-looking Aht and rushing back the way they had come.
The others were not so decisive, to Eruca's great annoyance. Rosch and Raynie seemed especially keen on staying behind; they protested with all of their dwindling strength as Sonja and Marco dragged them to safety.
Cold sweat beaded on Eruca's brow as she sent Verdandi to face the Shadows. She could not see what awaited her Persona, not really. Still, it seemed to her as if she could somehow sense her foes through her bond with Verdandi.
Stop them! Eruca beseeched Verdandi. Heart pounding madly, she peered over the corner, seeing the bright, brave figure of her Persona standing in stark contrast to the menacing forms of the Shadows. Verdandi fired her musket, and bits of ice scattered in the tight space of the hallway, forming a frozen wall of sort. To Eruca's relief, it managed to slow the terrible creatures in their tracks.
She spurred Verdandi to follow after her. It was the good call to make; the moment Eruca took to her feet, the soldiers began to open fire again. A sharp, sudden pain blossomed in Eruca's chest, and she realized with horror that she could somehow feel the few stray bullets that had managed to graze Verdandi as she made her escape.
Eruca stumbled forward, trying not to think much of the pain in her chest and the terrible noises made by her pursuers. Still, her legs managed to find enough energy that she found herself running—always forward, never looking back.
Finally, thankfully, the entrance to this wretched place was within sight. She slammed the door open, nearly tumbling forward as her foot caught on something.
"Whoa!" Raynie said as she caught Eruca in her fall. "You okay there?"
Eruca only looked behind. "Are they… are they still pursuing us? Are we—oh." Snowflakes were falling on Eruca's cheeks. They were back outside—in the real world. She was surprised to see that it was already evening. Still, to Eruca's weary eyes, the dark, dreary sky was beautiful, comforting even.
"Eruca!" Sonja ran up to her. "That was really dangerous! You could have been hurt!"
"Ah…" Eruca felt her cheeks reddening. "I guess that was careless of me. I'm sorry."
Raynie patted her on the back. "Don't sweat it. S'not like we were exactly careful ourselves. Especially since you guys are newbies and all…"
"So are we, Raynie!" said Marco. "Except for Rosch and Sonja, none of us have much experience fighting those things!"
Rosch's expression darkened. "It's not like we did much better, didn't we? Can't say I was being leader material back there, right?"
"I'm sorry, guys," Sonja added. "I got this one job, this one thing you trust me to do, and I couldn't even pull it off. I felt like Hlín just didn't—just wouldn't understand what I asked her to do."
"It was the same with Tyr," Rosch said. "It's almost like our connection was disrupted or something."
"Yeah," Raynie added. "It was the same for me. Like… like she was straining at the leash…"
Aht extricated herself from Gafka's hold. Her little face was grim. "I didn't feel anything weird with Idunn. What's wrong with your Personas?"
Eruca frowned. She hadn't had any trouble controlling Verdandi, either. Then again, maybe she wasn't quite as attuned to her other self as Rosch or Sonja were to their own Personas.
"So, what do we do now?" Raynie said. "It's starting to get late, you know."
Everyone turned to stare at Rosch. He rubbed his prosthetic arm in an absentminded manner. He would not meet their gazes, Eruca noticed.
"Let's just go home," Eruca found herself saying. "We can always try another day. I'm sure we can be better prepared next time."
Eruca opened her hand, and a few snowflakes melted in her palm. She gathered a bit of Verdandi's strength, a bit of her confidence and poise, before saying, "I'm sure we can figure it out. Let's just stay hopeful."
There was a strange smell in the air.
Eruca wrinkled her nose, eyes squeezed shut. No, actually, there was no smell in the air. She wiggled a bit in her seat, before opening her eyes. For a while, she only saw a bright blue blur. She started to frown as her vision cleared. She was on a platform of some sort, one that was floating in a large, empty blue space. In front of her was a desk; behind the desk were the strangest people she had ever seen.
I'm dreaming, Eruca realized. There was no other sensible explanation.
The old man in the middle had an impossibly long nose, and eyes that seemed on the verge of popping out of their sockets. He was accompanied by two brown-haired children—a boy and a girl with golden eyes filled with a quiet solemnity.
"Why," the old man said, "how good it is to finally make your acquaintance, young lady. Welcome to the Velvet Room."
His grin spanned pointy ear to ear. Eruca repressed a shudder, instead masking her apprehension by returning his smile. "H-Hello," she managed. "Um, who are you exactly?"
The old man chuckled. "Silly me! My name is Igor. I watch over this place in my master's stead. Those children are Teo and Lippti."
The boy and the girl tilted their heads in greeting. Their faces remained perfectly still, showing no hint of emotion.
"Ah," Eruca said. "I'm glad to meet you, but… what is that place? What sort of dream is this?"
"Very perceptive, are you?" Igor's grin grew wider. "Yes, this is no ordinary dream. The Velvet Room, after all, exists between dream and reality, mind and matter." His smile faded a bit. "Your brother was very sharp as well. It must run in the family, hmm?"
Eruca's heart skipped a beat. "My brother? You knew Ernst?"
She spied a hint of sorrow flashing in the two children's golden eyes. After exchanging a long look with his female counterpart, the boy spoke, "Yes. Unfortunately for him. We've failed him, and he paid the ultimate price for our inadequacies."
"If…" the girl said, "if only we had been honest with him earlier, then perhaps…"
Eruca shot out of her seat. "What do you mean?" she said, barely keeping her voice steady. "Do you know something about his death?"
"We gave him a mission of sort," the boy, Teo, continued. "Something of great value had been stolen, something that could be very dangerous in the wrong hands. We asked him to find it for us."
"The Black Chronicle," said Eruca.
"Yes," said Lippti. "In exchange, he was allowed to borrow the powers of the White Chronicle." She closed her eyes and took a deep breath before continuing, "In exchange, my mistress gave him her favour."
"Your… mistress?" Eruca tried to make herself relax—she hadn't even noticed that her hands had balled into fists. "I'm not sure I understand. Perhaps it would be better if you explained everything from the beginning." She hadn't mean to sound so cold, but the ice had crept unbidden into her voice.
"Yes," Lippti said. "Yes, it would. Sit down, please. We owe you the truth, at least."
What followed could have been the plot of a novel. The twins spoke of Personas and Shadows, yes, but also of ancient goddesses and a plot to steal their powers for nefarious purposes. They spoke a nebulous cabal of people, letting loose monsters among schoolchildren in an attempt to spark an awakening much like the one that had so recently turned Eruca's world upside down. She listened without letting out a word in edgewise; perhaps this was all just a dream, but her mind had never come up with something so twisted, so surreal.
Finally, she found her voice again, "Who trapped your mistresses, these… goddesses of fate… inside the Chronicles?"
Teo shook his head. "Whoever it is, they covered their tracks rather well. We believe the act happened a long time ago. The Chronicles seemed to have been passed through generations among a select group of people who used it to bring about good fortune."
"Is that so?" Eruca frowned. "My stepmother said she stole the Black Chronicle from my father. He had the White Chronicle in his possession too. It belonged to my grandfather, apparently." She felt the blood draining from her face. "My family can't have been involved in this mess, can they? We… we were nobility, that's where our money came from…"
"We cannot say," Lippti replied. "Your idea is good as any we have so far."
"Well, my father is involved, that much we know," Eruca said. "He gave the White Chronicle to us for safekeeping after Protea stole the Black Chronicle from him. He knows the truth, I'm certain of it. If only…" She looked away, grimacing. "If only I had thought to ask him when he called, a few days ago…"
"I'm sure you will shine a light on these matters, eventually," said Teo. "For now, you must remain careful. You've retrieved the Black Chronicle, but your enemies still remain, lurking in the shadows."
Eruca bit down her lip. Dias and Selvan. The two men who had potentially murdered her brother. What would she do, once she had pried the truth from their lips? Disturbingly, her mind drew a blank when faced with the possibility. "Alright. Thank you for your assistance. Is there anything else I need to know?"
She was rewarded by a smile from the twins. "You are refreshingly honest and straightforward," Lippti said, sounding rather amused. "Most people would be overwhelmed by the amount of information you've just been given."
Eruca felt her cheeks heating a little. "I don't have a choice," she admitted, "do I? If I lose my momentum, then I fear…" She shook her head a little. "I can't go back, can I?"
Igor's grin widened, somehow. "Is that so? I wouldn't be so sure. Stranger things have happened, after all."
"What do you mean—"
Eruca startled when a piece of parchment appeared out of thin air, floating toward her. She took it with trembling hands, and a quill materialized next to her.
"It seems as if you've earned the favour of the Fates, much like your brother did. All you need now is to seal this pact is one little formality." Igor's bloodshot gaze came to rest on the parchment in Eruca's hands. There was something sorrowful in his eyes, now.
Inhaling sharply, she put quill to paper and signed her name.
When Eruca woke up, the next morning, she was surprised to remember every bit of her strange dream.
It was unusual that she could recall that old man and those two children so clearly. In a way, it was less of a dream, and more like a memory. As she ate her breakfast, Eruca mulled over what she had been told. That impossible story—about ancient goddesses and mysterious conspiracies—well, it couldn't be true, could it? It just sounded so fantastical.
Eruca had a lot of spare time to ponder all the implications of the twins' tale on the bus trip to school. She was equally lost in thoughts during her classes, and she wanted nothing more than for the bell to ring; she and the others had to meet in order to plan another assault on the shadow-infested hospital. Rosch had not wanted to discuss the topic while they had been eating lunch. Despite his best efforts, he could not hide how shaken he'd been by the events of yesterday. Sonja appeared troubled as well; she spent the whole of their lunch break seemingly on the brink of tears.
Still, when school was over, Eruca did not waste any time on preambles. "So," she said as they waited for Gafka and Aht in the courtyard, "are we going back tonight?"
"S-Sure," Rosch sputtered in response. "Can't be just sitting on our hands, can we? We've got to face the problem head-on." He gave a strange little laugh—something between a chuckle and a wheeze.
Sonja, for her part, hung her head rather low. "I'm sorry, guys. I don't know what happened back there. I was totally useless."
"Don't say that," Rosch muttered. "I mean, I had trouble with my Persona as well, didn't I?"
"Face it, guys, none of us were any good," Raynie said. "'Cept for Eruca. The newbie blew us all out of the water, can you believe that?"
Eruca tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, feeling her cheeks reddening. "I was just lucky, that's all. But we can't always rely on luck. We need a plan." She looked at Rosch, but the older boy just turned his gaze away, to Eruca's surprise.
"A plan," he said. "Sure, that's something I can come up with." He grabbed his prosthetic arm, seemingly lost in thought.
Eruca frowned; she was about to ask him what was wrong when Aht and Gafka finally arrived, the Satyros girl bouncing cheerfully in the fluffy layer of freshly-lain snow.
"Well, someone's energetic today," Raynie commented. "Your enthusiasm really is boundless, huh?"
Aht stopped hopping. "Of course it is. Someone has to remind you grown-ups to loosen up once in a while."
"But we're not—" began Marco.
Aht waved a hand around, and Eruca had to bite down a laugh at Marco's affronted expression. "Yeah, yeah, that's not important. So, we're going back or not?"
Rosch and Sonja exchanged a wary look, while Gafka sighed deeply. Raynie leaned down, giving Aht an awkward grin. "Would it be better if you sat this one out? You saw how dangerous it got in there, didn't you?"
"Not that again!" Aht said, rolling her eyes. "I thought we'd cleared that up!"
"I know you cared about Stocke a lot, Aht," Sonja said, "but knowing him, he wouldn't have wanted you to get hurt on his behalf. He would have wanted you to remain safe, you know that."
Especially since you two barely knew each other, Eruca thought, somberly. Why was Aht so intent on saving someone she had met just a few months ago?
"That's not it!" Aht said. "It's partly my fault that he got into that mess! Grown-ups are always so hung up on me learning to be responsible for my acts and all—"
"You don't have to take responsibility for anything, Aht," said Raynie. "You're just a kid!"
In response, Aht only huffed and stomped away. Sonja went after her immediately; she dropped to Aht's eye-level and began to talk to her in low tones. The child only turned her gaze away, feigning indifference.
"Whoa," said Raynie. "Didn't think she would take this so personally."
There was another sigh from Gafka. "I think I know why she's acting that way." For a while, he was silent, then he added, "Do you have any knowledge about Celestian shamans?"
"Save for what we learn at school, not much," Marco said. "They're religious figures, aren't they? Like priests from the Faith of Noah?"
"Not exactly." Gafka took a hefty pause, before continuing, "They believe certain members of their people are gifted with unique abilities at birth. Abilities that allow them to see the people who've been marked by fate."
"Marked by fate?" asked Eruca. "What do you mean?"
"Apparently, they sense when someone is close to death. They're also supposed to guide lost souls to the heavens." Gafka shrugged. "I'm Gutral, so I can't say whether or not there's a grain of truth to all this. I just know it's a big part of their culture, of their heritage."
"What's the link with Aht?" said Raynie. "Is she one of those? A Satyros Shaman?"
"Or so her people think. Since she was a child she's had to comfort the sickly and the dying. Somehow, she's always managed to give them a measure of peace."
Raynie scowled, showing what she thought of putting such a burden on a small child. Eruca, for her part, only asked, "What does this have to do with my brother? Did she befriend him because she sensed he was…?" She could not complete that thought.
"Perhaps," answered Gafka. "Perhaps not. She might only be a normal child like any other. But now that she's older, she's started to question the role that is asked of her. What good it is to see those marked by death if she can't help them? Or at least, that's what I think she's going through."
"That's horrible!" Raynie said. "She shouldn't have to concern herself with that sort of things!"
"She's already guided her own parents to the hereafter," Gafka said softly. "She's lost more of her innocence than you think."
Raynie grew white as a ghost. "She's an orphan…? Oh, then she's… she's just like…"
"Yeah, but that doesn't mean I'm alone!" Aht had sauntered back to their group, followed by Sonja. She enumerated, counting on her fingers, "I've got Grandpa, and Uncle Vanoss and Cousin Liese, not to mention Cousin Isla too!" She looked at Gafka, sticking out her tongue. "And this big grump too, of course!"
Despite her obvious distress, Raynie managed a smile; Marco was looking at her strangely. His expression was almost one of… pity.
"That's great!" Raynie said, her voice tight. "Listen, kiddo, if you ever need to help for anything, uh, just gimme a call, will ya?"
"Yeah, sure," Aht said, quirking an eyebrow. "So are we going back or not? We gotta do something about the two evil dudes camping inside the hospital, right?"
"She's right," said Marco. "That Selvan guy isn't always going to be there. Who knows where he'll be once he gets his leave from the hospital."
"I think…" began Eruca. She stopped when the others turned to look at her; she was not used to be the centre of attention. "I think I have something that can help with that." She opened her bag, showing them two certain items she'd brought with her to school today.
Eruca gave them a weak smile. "If you fail the first time, then try, try again? Isn't that how the saying goes?"
In truth, it was a big gamble to let so much hinge on the powers of the White Chronicle. None of the others understood how the book worked, even though they had all been saved by the book's powers before. Eruca had also overcome her embarrassment and shared the content of her strange dream about the long-nosed gentleman called Igor and the two mysterious children. She had hoped that Ernst had also experienced something similar, but his friends had only shown themselves clueless (and more than a little curious) about the matter. If he had been plagued with such dreams, then he had never told them about it. It was such an Ernst-like thing to do, Eruca thought dully.
They eventually decided to head back to the hospital. More than anything, they needed more information to come up with a suitable plan. Eruca was surprised to find herself the one to assuage Rosch and Sonja's insecurities; she assured them they would go as long as necessary before retreating to safety. It was bewildering to have them turn to her for guidance. Bewildering, and a bit frightening.
Still, despite their best intentions, they only lasted an hour.
Rosch had been adamant that he'd be the one to go first. It seemed like a good idea at first; after all, his Persona had the greatest defensive capabilities in all of their little group. Once again, Sonja's Persona could not read their surroundings as clearly as she would have wanted. It was a concern, really; Eruca had wanted them to have a good idea of the layout of the place, at least.
Their real troubles started when they reached a large, empty room, one filled with haphazardly placed desks and chairs. So far, they had been lucky, only facing lonely stragglers that were quickly dispatched by Sigrún's spear or Verdandi's bullets. Now, a group of four shadow soldiers and one tank awaited them—a group that had gone unnoticed by Hlín's sight. The moment they opened fire, Eruca and the others ducked to cover, while Tyr lunged forward to act as shield. Or so Rosch intended, she supposed. Instead, the Persona's glowing form flickered once or twice before vanishing from sight. Fear and confusion had settled on Rosch's features as he had let out a loud curse. His dismay caused a chain reaction, and soon all the others (safe for Gafka, who remained cool as a cucumber as he grabbed a screaming Aht) were panicking as well.
And so Eruca did the only sensible thing and called for a retreat—again.
To her disappointment, throughout the following week there were no time loops.
Eruca wondered if she had missed something Ernst had understood, something that had allowed him to tap into the Chronicle's powers. To say she was irritated would be an understatement; worse, all of their further incursions into the nightmarish tower turned out to be resounding failures.
A panicking Sonja also found out that Selvan would be admitted out of the hospital by the end of the week, to Eruca's great dismay. The growing impression that they were fighting against the clock did nothing to alleviate the growing pressure on their shoulders. Always they managed to reach the larger room filled with desks and chairs… and always they would be unable to destroy the group of Shadows awaiting them within. Soon, even Raynie started to have trouble summoning her Persona; the last time they had gone in, she had nearly gotten into a shouting match with Rosch as a result, leaving Sonja to break down into sobs.
Then, Eruca woke up one morning to find that it was Friday still.
Her heart seemed to have lodged itself in her throat as she looked at the date on her phone. I did it, she thought, but how? She immediately texted Raynie. A moment later, the words, 'omfg girl you just saved all of our asses,' appeared on the screen. Eruca allowed herself a smile before jumping out of bed.
Later that day, their little group met in front of the twisted tower once more, a new wind bolstering their sails. It was amusing how easier it was to push past their fears and enter the dreadful place once they knew they could afford to fail.
Three loops later, Eruca was not so enchanted.
She was the only one who fully remembered all the previous timelines, she soon realized. At most, the others were left with vague impressions—more like lingering emotions than true memories. Was that how it had been for Ernst too, Eruca wondered? She tried to imagine her brother having to deal with that burden all by himself—because, being Ernst, he had probably never breathed a word of it to anyone. The realization was heart-wrenching.
The bell suddenly rang, and Eruca startled, brusquely taken out of her musings. It was also harder with each loop to stay awake and attentive during classes. She rubbed her temples with a groan. She was not looking forward to yet another failed attempt at—
Eruca felt her phone buzzing. She frowned when she saw who had written her a message. The last time her uncle Heinrich had sent her a text, it had been months before Ernst's death.
Where are you? he simply asked.
It was very perplexing; he had not sent her any message in the prior loops. Still in the classroom, Eruca sent back, feeling a strange sort of trepidation. Want me to come over by your office?
Yes, came the clipped response.
Eruca scrambled out of her seat and set out to find her uncle. She found him leaning on the wall near the door to the faculty office. He was looking rather nonchalantly at his pocket-watch—the one Eruca and her brother had given him on one of the rare birthdays where they had not gifted him with yet another ugly coffee mug.
"Hello," Eruca said. "You wanted to see me?"
Heinrich shrugged. "I was about to head out. Do you need someone to drive you home?"
Eruca blinked owlishly at him. "What?"
"I'm going to your mother's. I'm offering you a ride home."
"Oh." Eruca glanced aside, feeling her cheeks growing a bit red "I'm meeting with some friends tonight. Sorry."
"Is that so? You've been busy lately."
"Um, well yes." His gaze was a bit insistent, and Eruca felt even more uneasy. "Thank you for the offer. I'll… I'll be going now."
"Alright. Goodbye, then."
"See you soon, Uncle."
Heinrich smiled back at her—or at least, his mouth quirked into a smile. His eyes remained disturbingly cool and calculating. Eruca tried not to dwell too much on the strange impression still gripping her as she went to join the others. Of course, Protea's revelations raised the disturbing possibility that her uncle was somehow aware of everything—the Chronicles, the existence of Personas and Shadows, or even the events that had led to Ernst's death. She shivered; it was not a hypothesis that she wanted to entertain.
Once again, the others waited for Eruca's cue to enter the tower.
She was still not sure why she had ended up with that role. Even Gafka had grown to defer to her when there were decisions to make. It was a bit dizzying, truly.
Eruca reminded them that they had to remain careful, even more so than usual. "Think of it as a reconnaissance mission," she had told the others. "Until we figure out what's wrong with our Personas, it's useless to press on." She had forced herself to smile, then. For reasons she still couldn't understand, they had come to look to her for guidance. She could not fail them, not when there was so much at stakes.
And so, Eruca tried fervently to ignore the fear pressing down on her chest as she found herself yet again under the dim, flickering light of the fluorescent lamps. She hugged her frame to gain some much needed warmth. The tense silence was only broken by the sounds of their footsteps, and by their halted, nervous breathing. Even Aht was unnaturally quiet; she clung to Gafka as if he was her lifeline, eyes wide in a pale, worried face.
"Sonja," Eruca whispered, "do you sense anything?"
"I can't say." Sonja shook her head, giving a little sniff as she wiped a tear off the corner of her eye. "I'm sorry. I wish I could help…"
"It's okay," said Eruca. She turned to Rosch. "What about you? Are you holding up?"
"Maybe." He evaded Eruca's gaze. "I wish I could say you can count on me, but…"
"Guys," hissed Raynie. "Be quiet, I hear something."
"Enemies?" Marco said. Behind him shimmered the blue-tinted form of his Persona.
Everybody turned to Sonja, who instead looked miserably at her feet. Eruca sighed; ignoring the lump in her throat, she took the lead.
"I'll look ahead. Rosch, Raynie, you cover me."
"G-Got it," Rosch said with a gulp, while Raynie added, "Be careful, you hear?"
Eruca followed after Verdandi, taking solace in how the bright hue of the Persona dispelled the surrounding gloom. She glanced around the corner: indeed, two angelic soldiers blocked the way, guns raised and ready.
"There's two of them," Eruca told the others. "We should—"
She was interrupted by a scream from behind. Eruca whirled on her feet, heart pounding. At the other end of the hallway, facing Aht and Gafka, were two other Shadows.
"Bastards!" shouted Raynie. Her interjection was followed by screams of agony as she sent her Persona to shield Aht and Gafka from the upcoming bullets. She faltered on her feet before falling to her knees, panting, as Sigrún dissipated in an explosion of blue light.
"Eruca!" Rosch exclaimed. "Watch out!"
The two Shadows she had glimpsed chose this moment to irrupt in front of her. Verdandi raised her musket and shot, blasting one against the wall; the other, however, evaded the icy projectile directed toward him. Each of the bullets that hit Verdandi wrenched a cry of pain from Eruca. Much like Raynie, she found herself on her knees. Her vision was blurring, and the others' screams seemed to be getting more distant, as if they were suddenly very far away. Someone—a man, she realized dimly—was calling out her name, sounding rather panicked. Eruca frowned as she tried to understand why the voice seemed so familiar…
There was a flash of light—an eye-searing, blood-red light that seemed to devour what little warmth remained in the hallway. Black and crimson tendrils sprouted from a hole in the ground, grabbing the angelic Shadows. The creatures writhed in apparent fear as they were dragged within the gaping maw. In the span of a heartbeat, they were gone.
Through eyes blurred by pain, Eruca saw that only a man and a Persona remained in front of her.
The Persona was clad in a violet waistcoat and a crimson frock coat; his haughty, impeccable bearing and fluffed jabot brought to mind an old-fashioned butler. Wild, flame-like hair seemed to be caught in an invisible wind as he turned to face Eruca. She stifled a gasp when he grinned at her; the top of his face was covered by a mask sporting a long, pointy nose, but his jaw was bare, showing maimed, sewn-shut lips.
The man held out a hand to Eruca. She grabbed it and climbed to her feet, mouth hanging open as she recognized him.
Uncle Heinrich's smile was charming, in a strangely unsettling way. Behind him, his Persona's mangled mouth twisted into an equally disconcerting grin.
"You know what it is they say about heroes," Heinrich told his niece. "They always make their entrance at the moment where all hope seems lost."