War Arc:
Chapter 41: Seed of Destroyer
Dark Hour – 24/11/2012(Saturday) – Tower of Seven Chain of Time, Sumaru City
(1 day earlier)
"Wait, wait, wait. You're saying, all three rumormongers, Tamaki Tadashi, Chika Ueda, and Kenta Yokouchi will die tomorrow?" Jun asked after he was summoned by Father Time that night, "What do you want me to do?"
"Simple. I want you to save them," Father Time said, "They will be unaware of the attack on the rumormongers tomorrow, and you will have to find out yourself who attempt to do so. You can try, but I don't think we should burden them with any more trouble."
"Something will happen, isn't it? Is it predestined like you always said too?"
"Not if you change it," Father Time unseated himself from his chair, "And I mean only you. I'll give you my 'time stop', so you need to prevent all three attempts before 5 tomorrow."
"…Are you serious?" Jun widened his eyes, "Are you telling me to RUN to each location to save them?"
"Dear, dear, dear… Those three are crucial in the future. You can do your best. Steal a few snacks along the way, that should be fine, isn't? And don't forget to send that 'guy'. Something's big is going down tomorrow."
Windy – Late Evening - 25/11/2012(Sunday) – Koukai, Sumaru City
(5 days before War's arrival)
Jun was dialing someone as he stood waiting at the corner of the street. Frequently he watched the movement of the arrow on his watch. When the call was made, Jun gave only one command with his worn out breathe.
"Go to *heavy breathing* Yumezaki and try to prevent as many Shadow men as you can. I'm so tired right now."
He hung up on the call and took another bite from the sushi pack in his portable pouch.
"Sorry, Eikichi-kun. Think of it as a compensate for saving your wife and your shop. I'll pay you later," Eikichi mused as he chugged down a bottle of water, "Phew, time stop is tough…"
He turned to the crowds on his right to see all their attentions were locked on the small opened stadium near the Aquarium. Some of them were nagging about the sold-out ticket for Gas Chamber little concert. However, any negotiation would be fruitless, for the concert was ready to begin when the crowd from inside the stadium were cheering madly upon the name "Eikichi".
The rest of Gas Chamber couldn't contain their smile upon the presence of Eikichi Mishima as he slowly walked towards the stage. Eikichi gave the signal, and they were ready in their position. As he walked to the mic stand at the center of the stage, his eyes searched for Jun who promised his presence in the crowd, but to no vain.
'Must be busy, heh?' Eikichi thought, finally snatched the mic and made his introduction.
"Ahem! You people must be waiting for a long time for us to make our grand entrance! FEAR NOT! We are here as your beloved, sexiest band in Sumaru City! All of you, my die-hard fans, tonight, THE GAS CHAMBER IS REVIVE ONE! MORE! TIME!"
The stadium burst into thunderous cheers, roaring the Koukai Ward as the wind carried Eikichi's voice throughout the city.
Too immersed in his passion for his incoming song, he was oblivious to the catastrophe outside the stadium.
"Today, I would sing your all-time favorite song, "Seed of Destroyer"! Well, what are you waiting for?! LET'S TEAR THIS PLACE DOWN!"
The bass trembled the floor. The guitar strings shrieked the song of the underworld. The lyrics of Hades echoed the air.
~Seed of Destroyer~
HEEYAAAAA!~
Scream! Don'cha wanna lit the fire again~
Scream! We got nothing to lose no more~
This anger, sorrow, take it out~
We're ready for a fight tonight!~
Tatsuya Suou
Late Evening – 25/11/2012(Sunday) – Subway tunnel, Yumezaki Ward
Katsuya's mouth was broad opened upon the new presence of Apollo, All the redness was stripped away from the singing god. Instead, he was donned in the creatively cyan-blue skin with black stripes all across the figure. But the most prominent of it was that the mask of Apollo was torn apart and replaced with another horrifying mask of cyan-black that was carved to give the impression as if a little creature with its tentacles was warping around Apollo's face.
"What is… that?" Katsuya said, who felt the goosebumps on his skin. Tatsuya felt as if he was released from the devil's clutch, catching his breath as he forced himself to stand on his two feet, but fragilely fell back to his knee when he was awestruck by Apollo's new presence.
"A-Apollo?" Tatsuya called, but his response was a modified voice of his persona.
"Thou art I… I am thou… The 'Seed of Azathoth'…"
"Tatsuya, watch out!"
He heard his brother calling for him, but it was too late to stop Cthylla's charge attack against him. The gigantic creature rammed into his chest, sending him flying away a few meters to the back, temporary affecting the presence of his persona. It was this moment, Tatsuya turned into a beast, recklessly dashing towards Cthylla as he gave his battle cry.
Apollo: Ghadamon form, cloaked in fierce blue flame, landed a straight punch towards Cthylla's head, stunning her. The color returned to Tatsuya's eyes, thus the battle began.
Suou Brothers VS Cthylla
Triple Down- Katsuya sent Hyperion high into the air. Hyperion glued himself to the ceiling before releasing three consecutive melting hot bullets to the spine of Cthylla. Her scream echoed the dark tunnel, sending chills to all the other Shiori's forces that finally made their way to the subway train, where Shiori was forcing the back door open with a few shots. Katsuya understood Shiori's overwhelming fear in her eyes when she turned her attention to the octopus monster.
The seemly amplified Apollo claimed his palm onto Cthylla's broad face before bursting a massive flame on her, sending her shrieking madly as she, in incredible speed, extended her arm and clawed through Apollo's torso, but it was evaded. Katsuya came rushing down to his side to regroup, sensing an opportunity to reload his gun.
"Tatsuya, please tell me if that's really you," Katsuya demanded.
"My head hurts like crazy, that's for sure. But the voice in my head, it's GONE… *chuckle*," Tatsuya suddenly broke into a quiet, but sinister laugh.
"Haha… Finally, some peace. The voice, the whisper, I don't hear it anymore. Am I free, or am I already poised with its madness? Well, who cares? People's lives are on the line. I'm okay. We need to put down Chizuru first."
"…" That moment was perhaps the first time that Katsuya felt terrified of his little brother that it muted him. 'Something' is changing inside Tatsuya that he knew his entire life with, and it was not in a positive way.
"…Good. Let's take down Chizuru before she harmed the passengers," Katsuya finally replied, sensing a strange movement from the creature, "What is she doing?"
Gene Mutation- To the brothers' horror, two pairs of arms began to grow from her ribs, while her razor-sharp claws grew half a meter long. Her body seemed to deteriorate, where her plumped torso had decreased in size in exchange for her taller heights and longer arms. For a while, it seemed that her lower torso was 'vibrating', which Tatsuya took note during his observation.
"Her stomach, it's moving for a second there. Do you see it?"
"We can think about that later! Hyperion!"
Hyperion blocked the incoming charged attack from Cthylla, only to be shocked by her sudden increase in speed and strength. Tatsuya managed to dodge, leaving Katsuya defenseless as Hyperion arms were shredded apart like a paper, canceling Katsuya summoning.
"Urgh!" Katsuya cried in pain as a single blood dripped from the side of his lips, "She's getting faster and stronger."
Tatsuya watched in panic as Cthylla gazed down at her prey who had nowhere to run. Cthylla began another odd act as they were watched by Tatsuya who returned to his feet rushed towards her again. But it was almost too late.
Subatomic Nuclear- Cthylla charged an extremely powerful nuclear like sphere in her mouth, aiming for Katsuya who was a few inches away from the charged spell. Katsuya cursed, ready to summon Hyperion again to tank the force.
'Can't make it in time for Mahanma to blind her. Looks like I need to take it…' Katsuya thought as it was ready to burst. Tatsuya, who running towards him, knew that he couldn't make it in time to help him dodge the attack.
Or did he? Somewhere in his mind, it as if the new Apollo was showing him something like a new skill in his arsenal. In the midst of the adrenaline, he summoned Apollo.
"Nova Frost!"
[[[0]]]
[Like a gift from above, all the voices in the surrounding faded in silence, leaving only his breathless walk as he immediately pushed the 'frozen' Katsuya from the designated line of the target. It was only then that he felt a strange overwhelming power within him.]
[[.]]
The time flew as normal as Cthylla released a burst of nuclear force to the empty spot where Katsuya previous was, blowing a huge hole in the ground, spreading its insane force all across the tunnel.
"What the hell just happened?" The confused Katsuya turned to Tatsuya who was equally confused.
"For a few seconds, I stopped time," Tatsuya said, "I remembered Apollo's Nova Kaiser can stop time in the past long ago, but this is entirely different. I can stop time as long as I expect it to be."
"I thought Jun can do that, but you?" Katsuya stared at him, "Looks like you got a new trick to use."
"I think so…" Tatsuya responded before he saw Shiori near the subway, giving the signal that everyone had evacuated the subway and was being led to emergency stairs on the other side of the tunnel. Katsuya nodded before he commanded.
"Let's stay out of her range and led her away from the passengers. I got a plan."
The Suou brothers escaped to the opposite direction from the evacuated subway. Cthylla, however, was faster than the mortal speeds as she immediately jumped to the brothers front and charged her Subatomic Nuclear for the second time.
But they had already prepared.
"Hyperion: Fata Fall!"
Both brothers disappeared from the view of Cthylla as the massive nuclear power bombarding the tunnel, marking fast-spreading cracks in the walls and the ceiling. Cthylla swung around her massive head in search of them but failed.
"Justice Shot!"
Out of nowhere, a powerful shot was released, splattered away three eyes of Cthylla right side. She gave a loud cry, enraged by the surprise attack. She examined her right and saw Katsuya with his gun aiming at her. Marking her target, she once again charged her powerful blow.
Subatomic Nuclear- It was a close range, and Katsuya would be blown to dust if he was there at all. By the time she finished charging her attack and was ready to blow it again, the image of Katsuya caused by the illusion spell Fata Fall immediately dispersed. Hyperion was above her, while Apollo was below her jaw.
In synchronization, both personas pushed close the mouth of Cthylla, shutting her jaws as the charged bomb trapped in her mouth. The real Suou brothers were watching from the side as the countdown began.
The Subatomic Nuclear blew up in her mouth, sending the impact throughout her body before a flare of flames burst from her head, frying her white skin to the state of a cremated corpse. Silence came afterward as smokes engulfed the air around him.
"I've gotten serious for nothing. She's reckless and easy," Katsuya commented, turning to Tatsuya, "But I'm more worried about you."
"I don't know what happened myself, but I feel like I've gotten stronger, way stronger… Urgh!" Tatsuya clutched his head in dizziness, "My head hurts like crazy, my hand has gotten hot..."
Katsuya was observing from the side and saw Tatsuya's bleeding nose.
"Your gloves, take it off," Katsuya demanded, but he forcefully removed the gloves himself and was shocked by the mark on Tatsuya's hands, which is glowing in bluish flares.
"Explain yourself," Katsuya demanded.
"Alright. I noticed this earlier today after I went to the house that went up to the flame as I reported. I feel hot, very hot."
"I see… *cough* … Wait, what's that smell?"
The brother turned to their back and could only watch in horror over the mass of black mist.
From the corpse of the original, a new, seemly reborn Cthylla emerged with another pair of arms, increasing it to 8 arms in total, motioning her massive body like a spider-crab. Again, the stomach part of the creature was vibrating.
"I see it! Her stomach, that's the source of her regeneration power!" Tatsuya analyzed, leading Katsuya's eyes on it.
"So, she can't die unless we destroy her stomach?"
Mafreidyne- In a rapid speed like bullets, Cthylla blasted a few nuclear bombs on them. The brothers dodged sideways, but the aftershock reached Katsuya's right side and torn his sleeve.
"Argh!"
"Katsuya!"
"Ugh! I'm fine, just lure her to somewhere else!"
Catching her attention, Tatsuya ran in the opposite direction of where Katsuya was, at the same time reanalyzing her stats.
'Katsuya was right. After she regenerated, it seemed as if her body become more gruesome. It happened because we somehow 'killed' her. Let's not forget the black mist just like Nameless Mist that Sudou used was released… The stomach area… the gruesome body… the increased number of arms… Damn it, I can't think! I feel like my brain is going to explode.'
Tatsuya turned around to observe her. He had not tested his theory, but it is highly possible that he was close to figuring out how her regeneration ability works. But the pain in his mind and body obscured his deduction again, and Ghadamon Apollo was summoned without he willed it.
Sunrise Inferno- Apollo released an insane amount of blue flames and aimed it at Cthylla, but Tatsuya himself was caught in the friendly fire. Cthylla was burned with the extreme heat, though he knew she will regenerate again. What awed him was the insane power of the new Apollo, crisping his enemy like a bug.
[[[0]]]
[Nova Frost- It was what happened next to leave Tatsuya in a state of desperation. For the first time as a persona user, his persona goes against his command, sharply glaring at his summoner like a prey. The twisted god figure approached him before unexpectedly placed his blue glove around Tatsuya's neck. Nothing more to say except experiencing the horror of his persona daring himself to kill his summoner.
"Gah! Apollo, stop… This isn't you!" Tatsuya begged, struggling to remove the hand that choked him, but the pressure only increased, where the ability to scream was lost to him. For the first time, the new Apollo gave his corrupted speech.
"I am thou… thou art I… May the world be destroyed by the Spawn of Lord of All Things… I am a servant of Nuclear Chaos, as all there is… I am a destroyer…"
How much he hated that those words were coming out of Apollo.
"No… You are not… anyone… You are… me… and… Uh! I am… you… I command myself… to release me… So… Argh! …shall you…!"]
[[.]]
Ghadamon Apollo released the choke from his neck as well as the flow of time itself. Tatsuya fell weakened on the ground, coughing and breathing to regain his pulse, just as Apollo once again dispersed in mid-air.
"You're not supposed to kill her," Katsuya approached while clenching his injured right arm, unbeknown to the struggle he faced in stopped time, "You can't control your persona, didn't you?"
"Sorry," Tatsuya apologized, observing the burned out Cthylla trying to regenerate herself.
"Now's not the time. Don't use your persona. And you were right, I saw the moving stomach. Besides, I might have a hunch on how her regeneration work. If my theory was right, her body operates like giving birth to herself from the inside."
"…Okay, that's disgusting."
Beep!
Katsuya's earphone rang, but Shiori's voice was disturbed by the roar of the newly regenerated Cthylla who now possessed 10 limbs and 10 eyes with her body twice the size, where her head could already touch the ceiling.
"Katsuya, we have success… *buzz* evacuate *buzz* outside *buzz* station…"
"Well done! Now listen, tell everyone to step away from the tunnel's underground line! Just do it!" Katsuya declined the earphone call as they began to run again from the creature.
"Tatsuya, I have a plan! You need to run to where the underground station is! I'm planning on bury her under here! If I don't make it out, attack her stomach. That's where she 'impregnate' herself!"
"Too late! She's already here!"
Cthylla, watching them sprinting, immediately reached out her hand to Tatsuya. But Katsuya did what he had to do. He pushed Tatsuya out of the way and allowed himself to be captured. The stumbled Tatsuya could only stare in shock as Cthylla revealed her broad tongue.
"DON'T… LOOK... BACK! RUN, IDIOT!"
Katsuya reloaded his gun as he struggled to move his hand in the grasp of the giant creature, then aiming it at the ceiling.
"Come closer, Chizuru. Kill me and it's over…"
He was ready to aim.
"Hyperion: Heat Kaiser!"
Reinforced by the bullet power, the summoned Hyperion blasted a nuclear attack on the ceiling. The fragile tunnel, previously damaged from the fight, seemly ready to crumble.
"Get ready to be buried under the debris again, Chizuru."
"Katsuya!"
Bang! Bang!
A few shots were heard under the palm of Cthylla that gripped Katsuya. Cthylla screamed, releasing her bleeding hand injured by Katsuya's shot. Gaining his footing, Katsuya escaped from her as the ceiling finally broke apart, sending the huge boulder over her.
"ARRRGGGHHH!"
Chizuru was fated to be buried again. Her scream was lost under the falling ceilings.
But the cracks didn't stop there. It spread, chasing Katsuya who was running towards Tatsuya at the other end. The lights were engulfed in darkness, and its jaws hungrily jawing for Katsuya.
"Faster!" Tatsuya, still running in the direction of the underground subway station, shouted, "I can already see the station!"
"Just a little more, and I'll-"
Out of nowhere, a large bolder slammed on Katsuya's head on the back, shattering his black glasses he was wearing. His speed was staggered, and it was a guarantee that he will be buried along with the tunnel. Despite knowing the aggression of his persona, Tatsuya begged for another use of his power.
"Ghadamon Apollo: Nova Frost!"
[[[0]]]
Cloudy sky, the river flooding down the land~
Don't lie, the lava burning in your hand~
Inside, my demon hungrily craves for blood~
Gnawing in the darkest corner~
Maya Amano
Windy – Late Evening – Yumezaki Streets
She lost count at the number of times she glanced at her watch and waiting at the front stairs of Yumezaki subway station. While she was lost in her thoughts, she heard a loud commotion in the other direction of the station. Hordes of people, exiting from the unknown side of the alley, were seen swarming down the streets, which she immediately caught the sight of Chikarin among them.
"Chikarin, over here!" Maya called from across the streets. Chikarin, who only noticed her later, stared with surprised to see it was Maya who called out to her.
"Maya-san, it's you! Listen to this, you got to believe me! There's a monster in the subway station! I was on the subway when…" Chikarin said as she hurriedly moved towards her.
It was when she began to increase her pace that from afar, Maya saw a man, heavily dressed in a sick mask, was following Chikarin's pace and growing his speed. Although it was a distance away, Maya saw something reflective in his gripped right hand.
"Chikarin, run! It's the assassin!" Maya dropped her bag and aimed her gun at the man at the back. Eventually, the man jumped in speed, and his knife that was aiming for her neck revealed itself.
However, Shiori excelled in all her tasks too well to overlook him.
"I don't think so, sir."
With her martial art skill, she twisted the arm of the assassin. Chikarin, hearing the noises on her back, turned around in realization.
"Todoroki-san was right! Someone was after me!" Chikarin shouted.
"Oh, Chikarin. I'm so glad you're safe," Maya approached her, "Not just you, all rumormongers were attacked earlier today. Did you have some sort of information regarding the rumors-"
Dush!
They heard a sound coming from the assassin. A handgun was laid on the ground, with the man's hand swollen in red over something. Even Shiori was surprised.
"He had a gun?! I-I didn't stop his aim," Shiori wondered.
It was almost instant too, the sound of hitting on the assassin's hand. Almost like the time has been paused.
It was then, from underneath the ground, a powerful rumbling sound was heard, sending everyone on the streets into a panic.
"What was that?!" Chikarin shouted.
"It came from the underground, the subway tunnel!" Maya said.
"I need to call him…" Shiori walked away as she immediately pressed the earphone on her right ear, "Katsuya, it's me!"
Maya couldn't hear what she was talking about, but it seemed gravely serious as Shiori immediately commanded her units to spread out.
"Keep them away from the tunnel path! This place is under the restriction of me! Keep your distance away from this place!"
"Chikarin, come here," Maya called out for her from the side of the street. Chikarin simply obeyed, still unable to comprehend the situation.
"Chikarin, Tammy said you have some sort of info regarding the rumors, and you're on your way to Todoroki-san. I need to know that information."
"Oh! I see," Chikarin smiled, "It's interesting! They said it's a whisperer-"
She didn't manage to finish her sentence as the huge sound of explosion occurred from under the ground. The tars road sank down, marking a long sinkhole across the streets. The high heels of Chikarin was an inch away from falling into the sinkhole.
"W-W-Waaaa!" Chikarin jumped to the side, "Where did this sinkhole come from? Did it come from the tunnel?"
While Yumezaki turned chaotic over the sudden event, Shiori and her force tried to suppress the situation. Then came along a dangerous silence with the gazed of passengers slowly leaving the place.
"I guess it's over?" Maya said.
Shortly after, all hell broke loose.
"EEEEEAAAAAHHHHH!"
A horrifying scream of a beast was heard across the streets. The scream was enough for a weak-willed person to faint in fear. Maya could see a movement among the debris in the sinkhole.
From the remained of the sinkhole, a huge monster leaped out of the surface, limbs like a spider, but head of an octopus. Her size was bigger than a truck, extended like a train, witnessed by hundreds of people of Yumezaki. Screams and cries began to fill the place, with the police immediately evacuated the people while Maya made a quick decision to ask Chikarin to leave.
"Maya-san, that's the monster from the tunnel!"
"Good to know, Chikarin! But please leave this place!"
"But-" Chikarin paused when she realized a hand pulling her to the back, who turned out to be Ulala.
"Whatever that thing is, I hope I'm not too late," Ulala said.
"Ulala, you're here!" Maya smiled in relief, "Come on we need to evacuate these people."
The monster, however, made a curious move. She buried her head in her long arms, with uneasy noises heard from the distance. Maya's chest began to pump hard, for her instinct reminded her of incoming danger.
A blast from the past came back to haunt her; the first encounter with Tatsuya Sudou at the street where he released the Nameless Mist to the crowd. This time, the scale is massive.
Maya screamed, "Everyone, don't inhale the mist!"
Nameless Mist- Like a bud from a flower, a few holes poked through the monster's spine before releasing a massive amount of black mist that began to engulf Yumezaki.
(We know you want more)
I know you want more~
(We never ignore)
I never ignore~
When the mist in the sky sheath the stars~
(Don't you see?)
You're not in desolation~
(What you need)
What are you waiting for?~
Let's planted the world with our seed of DESTROYEEEEERRR!~
Tatsuya Suou
Destroyed subway tunnel
"Katsuya, wake up!"
Tatsuya shouted at the unconscious Katsuya next to the fallen debris. His left sleeves had been burned and were unaware of his bleeding nose, but that was the least of his concern.
"Huh? Tatsuya…?" Katsuya slowly widened his eyes to see his brother next to him. He then fully regained his consciousness when he recollected the situation, "Tatsuya, your nose… You use that time stop again, didn't you?"
"Let's worry about that later. Let's get you out of this place and regroup with Shiori."
But when they climbed the underground station and ascended the stairs, they sensed dark mists that appeared to be originated from the outside. Its color brought an unpleasant emotion, for they had heard of the mist's aspect from Maya before.
"It's a dark mist…" Katsuya said, "I thought there was some smoke, but its… cold."
"Mist?" Tatsuya remarked, "Don't tell me… Chizuru's still alive?"
"Tatsuya, hurry. We need to check the outside."
Windy – Night – Yumezaki Street
There was no word that may describe the situation when the Suou brothers reached the streets. The mists were thick, scorching cars and buildings enlightened the darkened sky. An extensive sinkhole was formed on the road, deep enough to bury a car. People were escaping in fear, but mostly polices helped evacuating the area.
But the center of their attention was Cthylla, whom they thought had been buried under the debris, crawling at the center of the stage as she roared another battle cry. Engaging her was Ulala, who was defending the weakened Maya behind her. Ulala herself was covering her mouth with a scarf wrapped around her neck to avoid the inhalation of the mist.
"She didn't die from that?! To think she crawled her way to the outside!" Katsuya remarked.
"Maya! Ulala!" Tatsuya screamed as they approached Ulala.
"Ulala, what happened to Maya?!" Tatsuya screamed as they regrouped with them with half of their face covered to block the mist. Ulala herself seemed to be at her wit end, turning to them with sweats still dripping down her face.
"Tatsuya, Katsuya! You sure took your time," Ulala said, "Don't inhale the mist, it weakened your persona. Maya stayed for too long to evacuate everyone. You need to take her to somewhere safe!"
"Maya, can you hear me?!" Tatsuya rushed to Maya's side, seeing as she's barely opened her eyes. Yet she responded to his voice, desperately forcing her head to nudge upward and observed Tatsuya.
"Tatsuya…? You're here…" Maya faintly said, before clenching her knees and pushed herself, "You got to be careful *cough*! The mist is poisonous! It's the same one with Sudou's skill!"
"I know, but I need you to leave this place! Let us handle the fight! Go and make sure the rest is safe!"
"…I don't think any of us can leave this place anymore," Maya replied with paleness filling on her face.
The moment they glanced at the direction where Maya eyes were, they understood immediately the danger. The first time Sudou used the Nameless Mist was enough clues of how the skill worked. Shadow men, as Katsuya referred to it on the first incident, were swamping around the streets, blocking the route of their escape, but seemed to be commanded, for their movement were too organized.
"She's commanding them," Tatsuya deduced, "Anyone inhaling the Nameless Mist will be subjected to the one controlling it!"
"There's one more thing," Katsuya observed the Shadow men, "Their eyes, their skin, they're all the side effects of Limbo Recall."
"I know what you're thinking, brother," Tatsuya chuckled.
"Being in the scene yourself totally put it in perspective. I think I know why Sudou had many followers now…" Katsuya chuckled in response.
"We're one step closer to solving this mystery."
"Damn straight."
"Hello?! Don't leave me out of the box! Tell me how to beat them!" Ulala scolded, but Suou brothers were absorbed in their detective mind games.
"But we can't really hurt them! They're civilians!" Maya warned, "If only Naoya Toudou's skill was here-"
"Did somebody miss me?"
A familiar and bitterly, yet easing voice was heard in the dark mist.
"Amon-Ra: Hieroglyphein!"
Like a radiance of moonlight, the mist was vanquished from their surrounding by a ray of bright light. All the victims recovered their forms as they laid down weakly on the ground. Naoya Toudou emerged from the dispersing mist.
"Sorry, I'm late. Traffic jam," Naoya said with a smirk, "Jun told me to come after you."
"Jun did?" Maya gasped.
"Surprise, huh? That guy got some foresight thing with his persona. Do you believe me when I said he stopped time in front of sushi shop and beat the crap of someone inside without anyone notice? That's the kind."
"So, it wasn't Chunky who beat him…" Maya mumbled something.
"Now, can someone update me on this monster?" Naoya continued.
"You won't believe me if I told you," Katsuya said.
"Try me," Ulala responded.
"Chizuru Ishigami, that's what she was formerly," Katsuya Suou answered, "But now, I don't know what she is-"
Malaquadyne- They were too invested in their conversation that they didn't notice the incoming attack from the monster releasing the powerful burst of freezing cold water from its mouth. The group was swiped out from the battleground and crashed on the walls of the building on the opposite side of the road.
"*cough**cough* Lesson learned, don't talk when you're in a battle scene!" Naoya commented.
"That's not what I want to hear, Toudou!" Ulala scolded.
"We seriously underestimated her," Tatsuya said, unsheathed his sword, "Let me do this. Maya, you need to get away from here. Bring all these fallen people with you. They need you more."
"Alright, but be careful," Maya said worriedly as she immediately escorted the recovered victims away from there.
"Ulala, lend her a hand," Katsuya commanded.
"On it. Don't get yourself killed, you three," Ulala warned, carrying some of the victims out of the battleground.
"Good. Now that they're gone, I can release my power again," Tatsuya exhaled without breaking eye contact with Cthylla, "Katsuya, Toudou, get out of my range. I need to use it."
Although Naoya was baffled, Katsuya immediately understood.
"Wait, Tatsuya, don't tell me-" Katsuya leaped to him to halt his summon, "You can't use it, you idiot!"
"Woah, Katsuya-san, back away!" Naoya shouted.
"Ghadamon Apollo: Sunrise Inferno!"
With the massive blue flame cast by Ghadamon Apollo, Cthylla's body was burned to crisp. As the equivalent exchange, the blast pierced his chest and sent him flying backward at high speed. Naoya managed to pull Katsuya to the back before he himself got caught in the flame.
Leaving the fried Cthylla, Katsuya and Naoya both rushed to his side to aid him.
"I told you not to use that persona again!" Katsuya scolded as he pressed the bleeding at Tatsuya's left shoulder, "Besides, every time the body died, the womb rebirth to another of herself, making it like Siamese twins duplicating herself from the inside! That's why the body grows bigger, and the arms multiply!"
"I know that! That's why I want to incinerate her completely in one shot!" Tatsuya said as he stood up, "But here comes the trouble part."
Nameless Mist- Cthylla, in the corpse of 'previous' body, released another set of Nameless Mist. Their line of vision was obscured, forcing Naoya to cast another spell.
"Hieroglyphein!"
Clearing the vision, it was then they noticed Cthylla, now in vision, was charging for another powerful blast.
Rapid Subatomic Nuclear- It was now or never, for the blast could wipe out the whole party.
"Katsuya, Toudou, help me destroy her body again," Tatsuya suggested, "This time, I promise I won't miss."
"I don't what your plan is, but whatever," Naoya agreed, "Amon-Ra: Agidyne!"
"You had to use that, didn't you?" Katsuya responded, "Hyperion: Triple Down!"
Before Cthylla could charge her final attack completely, Amon-Ra and Hyperion attacked her mouth, distracting her aim. The unsuccessful charge attack instead aimed at the sky, exploding bright enough to create daylight in the night sky.
Meanwhile, Tatsuya saw the time he needed and again use the forbidden persona. Tightly holding his sword, Tatsuya rushed to the abdomen below Cthylla and cast.
"Ghadamon Apollo: Inferno blade!" With his persona clothing his sword with a blue flame, Tatsuya cut through the abdomen with a huge slash.
"Nova Frost!"
[[[0]]]
[Immediately following the attack, Tatsuya stopped time to prevent the quick regeneration of Cthylla. He tore his hand through the abdomen and finally grabbed something like a hand. Using his full force, Tatsuya pulled the true form of Cthylla, which is Chizuru with her pale skin.
"Got you!" Tatsuya screamed, landing a huge knockout punch on her, ending the battle.]
[[.]]
The huge body of Cthylla was left to turn to ashes. Chizuru herself laid weakened on the ground, trying to catch her breath. Katsuya and Naoya watched from the side with awe.
"You use that time stop again, didn't you?" Katsuya stared.
"Time Stop? Like Jun?" Naoya responded, "That's some impressive power you got there."
"I just want to end this quickly. Toudou, go and find any survivors affected by Nameless Mist," Tatsuya ordered as he approached them.
All of a sudden, a sharp glove in blue flame stabbed Tatsuya at the right ribs from the back. Katsuya and Naoya stared in shock, seeing the figure behind him.
"Apollo?!" Katsuya screamed.
Tatsuya turned around to see his Ghadamon Apollo was looking at him from above his head with his horrible mask wiggling itself around his head.
"Apollo…" He felt his consciousness fading.
The Seed of Destroyer! Rooting through my mind~
Give me words, give me rage to take the abyss~
The Seed of Destroyer! Forgive me my love~
I'm a fool, but madness is eating my heart~
Maya Amano
Mu Continent
"This way!" Ulala guided the group of survivors to the Casino nearby, where a team of police and ambulance truck was holding the other survivors. Shiori who was leading the operation immediately saw them and took over.
"Ms. Suou, Serizawa, you're alright. Thank goodness," Shiori exhaled a sigh of relief, "We had to bring all the sick people to outside of Yumezaki. Don't worry, the mist doesn't spread completely in this ward, so there might not be many witnesses or victims."
"That's good to hear. I was worried about Matsuya-kun," Maya replied, exhaling a sigh. She didn't notice another presence approaching her until she hugged her, which turned out to be Chikarin.
"Maya-san, you're safe! I was so worried that you might be dead because you stayed back to fend off that monster," Chikarin gleefully said.
"W-Well, I'm not dead," Maya tried to accept that odd concern, "You should head home."
"Oh yeah, about the rumors," Chikarin remembered the abruptly ended conversation an hour ago, "They say it's the whisperer-"
Again, Chikarin never managed to finish her sentence.
"Now, now, we talk tomorrow," Ulala intercepted, pulling Chikarin away from Maya, "Maya is already exhausted. If there is any rumor you need sharing, just come to me and Baofu."
"Uuuuu! How many times am I going to get interrupted today?!" Chikarin finally lost her nerves, seeing as she had tried three times to have a proper conversation with Maya, but in no vain.
"I'm going to fetch Baofu too, so I'm done here. Don't get yourself killed, okay?" Ulala bit her farewell, taking along Chikarin with her.
Maya nodded before she turned serious when one of the patients, affected by Nameless Mist, was carefully being wheeled on the trolley to the ambulance not far from them. Seeing them, she reminded of her first encounter with Sudou.
"Shiori, are they affected by the mist?" Maya turned to Shiori who was on duty.
"Just as you see. However, curiously, they had the same symptoms as those drugged with Limbo Recall, though this is only the first stage." Shiori answered, "Once you reached the fourth stage, there's no going back. The number of deceased by the Limbo Recall alone had almost reached a hundred. There might be more…"
"Don't worry, Naoya Toudou can help them," Maya said, "Just like that time, he can cure these people."
She remembered detailly about Naoya's power to rip the shadow skin of humans. When she was busy being surrounded by Shadow men and trapped in the corner with Yukino, Maya could feel the darkness faded away the moment Naoya stepped in.
"I heard from Katsuya," Shiori rested her chin, "I find it hard to believe that it was merely two weeks ago since Sudou assaulted you."
"I wouldn't call it assault though," Maya palmed her forehead, feeling bitter remembering the dark past, "Sudou simply trying to grab my hand and-"
"I want you to be my 'sacrifice'."
"Come with me, Maya! We have a chance to truly achieve true freedom of this world, along with the 'other side'!"
She recalled those very first words from Tatsuya Sudou to her that moment. Trauma and shock of Sudou's return forced her to repress her memory of those words, those words from Sudou that she told not a soul. But now, it was time for her to remember and connect the dots.
"C-Could it be…?" Maya gasped with face paler than the snow.
"Could it be what Tatsuya is hiding from me is…"
"Hmmm? Ms. Suou, are you alright?" Shiori asked with concern.
"How could I… How could I be so stupid?" Maya realized.
Her attention, along with the people there, was captured by a huge explosion sound from the sky above not far from them. It seemed to be fireworks, but Maya knew it was an attack from that terrible creature.
She gripped her fist hard as she rested her hand on her chest, realizing the insane heartbeat rate within her. She was lost for a moment, but as she closed her eyes, she saw the face of her beloved husband fading into darkness. That's right, the emotion that she felt clawing its way out of her at this moment… is fear.
"I…I… I…" She stuttered her words, "I need to go back…"
"!" Shiori widened her eyes, "Wait, Ms. Suou, this is suicide! The battle might not be over!"
Shiori managed to grab Maya's wrist, but Maya tried to twist it away.
"I need to go back. I need to ask him myself about the truth," Her voice turned to plead, "He needs me."
"…" Shiori couldn't answer, but to be baffled at Maya's stubborn concern. Nevertheless, she understood, allowing her gripped to loosen and allowed Maya to escape her clutch.
Despite Maya already sprinted so far ahead to where the battle was, Shiori wasn't the kind to stay still.
"Elites!"
The elite force lined up as she commanded, "5 of you will come with me! Our top priority is to protect Maya Suou! Now let's move!"
The Seed of Destroyer, growing in my mind~
Show me madness, show what I need to see~
(Show us what you need)
YEAHHHH!~
Tatsuya Suou
Misty – Night – Yumezaki Street, Yumezaki
"Chizuru Ishigami, are you conscious?" Katsuya asked as he kneed next to her to examine her. As expected, she was alive, but her vital was fast depleting unless she was administered to the hospital. After all, she might be held an extremely important information regarding Limbo Recall or the prophecy.
But for now, he needed to get her as far away from the figures standing in the midst of that dimming streets. He carried Chizuru on her shoulder and took a powerful gaze at them. He then rested her and sat beside her at the side of the street, a distance away from the new battleground.
Merely 5 meters apart was Naoya Toudou, gripping his sword tightly as he faced against the enemy. Opposite of him were two figures: the fallen Tatsuya, who was clenching his ribs that were continuously bleeding, and Ghadamon Apollo, painted a stripe line across his face with the red blood of Tatsuya's on his fingers.
He had heard that it is completely possible for your own persona to attack and even kill you. According to the Investigation Team, it occurred when you denied your shadow as yourself. Tatsuya has never denied himself. The only possible conclusion is that it is not him. Or to be exact, it is not his true persona that emerged from within him. Perhaps that malevolent persona was a part of him that was sleeping extremely deep inside him and was making its way into the real world. Yet, was that it?
Tatsuya couldn't guess as much.
"Nice to meet you, Mr. new Apollo. It's not nice hurting your own summoner. He's basically you. So, you're hurting yourself. Weird, huh?" Naoya tried to reduce the intensity of the situation with funky mannerism, but it was obnoxious at best.
"Toudou… stay back…" Tatsuya, still trying to catch his breath, warned Naoya, "That voice of Nuclear Chaos, this is the monster manifested in Apollo. It appeared, Toudou. And I still don't know why he's calling my name. What should I do?"
"Shush! All you need is one good smack in the head to make him out of commission!" Naoya cracked his neck, "But easier said than done, though."
"Just do whatever you need…" Tatsuya plead, feeling the itches on his arms, only to see the mark on his arms was changing color, where it was now fiercely brimming in yellow. True to the mark, the flames surrounding Ghadamon Apollo were yellow, and the mark was following the color of that persona.
"I can see that he's changing color, Tatsuya," Naoya prepared his stance, "But is it dangerous?"
"I wish I knew…" Tatsuya responded.
Then he stopped, wandering his eyes to the area behind Naoya. Why is she here again?
"Maya?"
"Huh?" Naoya and Katsuya, who was watching from the side, turned to where his eyes were. Maya was there, standing from the side with an astonished expression upon the view of the new Apollo.
"Tatsuya, what happened to Apollo?" Maya gasped, but Tatsuya grew even more furious when Ghadamon Apollo sighted her.
"Maya, run! He's coming for you!" Katsuya screamed.
[[[0]]]
[As the only witness to the time stop, Tatsuya could only drag his weakened body to where Maya was as Ghadamon Apollo made his way towards her, albeit sluggishly as if he knew he had all the time in the world to move.
"Please, please don't take her…" Tatsuya begged, but he knew his powerlessness in the eyes of the avatar of Daemon Sultan.]
[[.]]
Time was resumed, and Ghadamon Apollo was where he wanted to be: In front of Maya. Maya merely gazed into the strange mask of Apollo, motionless due to fear and surprise over the sudden movement.
To his surprise, Ghadamon Apollo seemly had no interested in such act, evident by his gentle stroke on Maya's cheek. But it was not an act of kindness, for Ghadamon Apollo quoted the fate of Maya as he gazed closely at her.
"The one birthed from fear and destruction gave his order. And was foretold that she was not Mary, but the little 'Lamb of god'… were always meant for superior purpose… A fate was written shall forever be etched beyond time… The little lamb… Waiting to be slain by the 'Dragon' and 'Beasts'… For all eternity swallowed in madness…"
Amidst that confusion, a few bullets shot through Ghadamon Apollo's head, which turned out to be originated from Shiori and her force, who recently arrived at the scene.
"Keep that thing away from Ms. Suou!" Shiori commanded, before turning to Katsuya at the side, "Katsuya, I believe I arrived in time."
"You did well, Shiori," Katsuya nodded, shifting his attention back to the berserk persona.
"The destination… had been set…"
Those were the last of the Nuclear Chaos' voice in his head. Immediately after, Ghadamon Apollo made a curious move as he clutched his head.
"Watch out, he's trying to do something!" Katsuya screamed.
"No," Tatsuya corrected him, "It's over."
All of a sudden, the mysterious mask of Ghadamon Apollo formed a vertical crack as an odd red glow fought its way out of the mask. The cracks grew bigger, and finally, from the cracks, emerged a swamp of red butterflies that circled in the air, before shattered into thousand glass-liked substance as it scattered away into the sky like a firework. And Ghadamon Apollo, along with Tatsuya's strength, faded into nothing.
The mist dispersed, and the flames and destruction seemed to dim away, like the battle didn't occur, but simply a case of sinkhole and panic waiting to recover.
The Seed of Destroyer! Marking in my line~
I'll be here, with destination ready for me~
The Seed of Destroyer! Stretching in my way~
And the world awaits the end~
YEEEAAAHHH!
Night – Stadium, Koukai
"That was all, people!" Eikichi concluded his concert, "Thank you very much, I love you all!"
He dropped the mic, exiting the stage coolly as the crowd was at its peak. He felt satisfied, knowing that the concert went better than expected. For a while, he caught a glimpse of Jun at the back of the audience, though it seemed that he was strangely losing his breath for some reason.
Again, he had no idea about the fate that befell Mia Kaneda, or even his wife.
"Good job, guys!" Eikichi praised his team as they returned to the backstage, "Allow me to say that I'm proud of all of you! See you guys later! Gotta call my wife."
And so Eikichi made his way to the back door while dialing his wife. Worryingly, there was no dial.
"Hmmm? Did she go to bed already?" Eikichi said, before one of the staff came to him, informing of someone's urgency to see him.
"Who could that be?" Eikichi wondered, exiting the back door of the stadium to the street at the back of the ward, only to see Lisa with a bitter expression, "Lisa? What are you doing here? Where's Matsuya-kun and Mia-chan?"
"I don't even know where to start," Lisa began, "Mia-chan just fainted immediately after you left, and she still hasn't woken up until now."
He almost couldn't believe his ears upon that news.
Maya Amano
Night – Yumezaki Street, Yumezaki
The silence in the street erased all tension a while ago as the twisted Apollo disappeared. Witnessing this were Katsuya, Naoya, and Shiori along with her force, who were eyeing between Maya and Tatsuya. Tatsuya, the poor man, was kneeling on the hard tars, sustaining the last of his strength to gaze at her. His eyes were drowning in sorrow, but she wanted to end this distance between them.
Gently, Maya approached her husband, walking past the watching Naoya as she too kneeled on the ground, leveling her eyes with Tatsuya.
"Thank goodness you're safe…" Tatsuya mused under his breath, though loud enough for Maya to hear. Maya lent out her hand to his, stroking gently as she took a small breath and began.
"Tatsuya, can I ask you something?"
"Anything…" Her husband voiced.
"Do you remember the promise you made, that you won't leave me behind in anything. I love you for that, I love your strange innocence that always felt guilty for every reason and how you're prepared to atone for it. I love that the story about yourself from the 'other side' affected you so much that you don't want to make the same mistake he made. But this isn't right. I need to know. So, I will ask, and I want it from your lips as you look at me in the eyes."
Tatsuya gave no response but to allow her to continue. She found herself gripping Tatsuya's hand harder than it should, for she couldn't deny the fear she had. Curving her lips, she gave the dangerous question.
"Am I going to die?"
"!"
Katsuya and Shiori widened their eyes in shock. Naoya merely turned away, refusing to see the scene. But the worst of all was Tatsuya, whose eyes revealed the defeated purpose, and Maya felt like lies were impossible at this point.
"When Sudou found me for the first time, he said something about me being a 'sacrifice'. If my fate is the same as described in Conquest's awakening, then… I'm going to die, am I? And Jun might have told you that, didn't he?"
Tatsuya hurriedly tangled his hands with her, as if a sign of a comfort. His lips twitched, and he confessed the truth.
"Jun said… he can't see you at the end of the prophecy… He said… you are the 'lamb of god', a 'sacrifice' for one of the Four Horsemen. Worst of all…"
Tatsuya gritted his teeth. And she felt the world froze over by his confession. The fading aftermath sound of the battle, the voices of her friends, the voice of her own heart, all froze like an ice. She couldn't react to the cruel truth. She wondered, why was the fate so merciless towards them?
"He said… I'm the reason you're the 'sacrifice'…"
Night – 25/11/2012(Sunday) - ?
Somewhere in the collective unconsciousness, Conquest gazed suddenly to one particular point in the distance. Shu, the god of air and servant of the god of creation, could not forbid himself from asking.
"Tell me what you see, Lord Conquest," Shu asked, and Conquest remarked.
"A destination. For the first time since the Great War between Creator and Destroyer, War has marked his destination in the real world."
A/N: Hello, my reader. Sorry for not updating for months. If this chapter seemed terrible, it's just that I don't have my beta-reader to proof-read this time like I used to. Anyway, there you go, the 'sacrifice' for one of the Horsemen was revealed, Maya herself. I know, the lyrics are terrible, but I tried… Those lyrics at the end of each scene were meant as their battle theme during the song, and also to symbolize the 'seed' spreading inside Tatsuya's mind.
Please wait for the slow update.