AN: Another new chapter! We're getting closer and closer to the end of this Arc. What happens after that will a secret, of course, but let's just say there's still a lot left to come. Thanks to everyone who's read and reviewed so far - please continue to do so! Hope all of you are safe!
Chapter 43: Beholder of Atonement
|July 29th|Bella Donna – Food Court|17:30 pm|
The summer vacation was underway, and thus, Shintaro was free from school. Today, dressed in his plain blue t-shirt and jeans, he was enjoying a casual day with his friends from school, as well as Kaii. They did have an important meeting with Shigeru's group later, but for now, he was happy to have a quiet meal with them all.
"So, we got a long summer ahead of us. Hopefully a quiet one..." Toshiaki said, looking up at the sunny blue sky. He'd dressed in a green vest and shorts, and his toned bare arms seemed to have an admirer – Natsumi. However, he hadn't quite noticed her staring at him so fondly. "Just wish I'd done better on the end of term exams. But with everything going on, it was hard to focus."
"Yeah, I know..." Evelina said, sighing. Like her best friend, she was in a vest, albeit a tight black one. Outside of school, she had made no secret of how much she hated skirts, and now she was in her favourite dark purple jeans. Perhaps the green colour of Chieki's uniform wasn't for everyone. "Let me guess, Shintaro aced his with flying colours?"
Confident as ever, the bookworm nodded. "Absolutely. Studying was a welcome distraction...but now that we're done with school for the summer, it's hard to know what to do. Hopefully, we'll be done with the Theio Kosmos soon. Maybe tonight's meeting with Komatsu-san and the others will be the last."
"If only it were that simple, Shintaro-kun..." Kohaku said, sadly. As ever, she had on her orange summer dress, one that matched the vivid lower half of her hair. "There's still a lot we need to take care of before we can officially end our Theio Kosmos business."
"Like what?" Akari said, in a similar dress – albeit a light pink. "I mean, we killed all the other Anomalies just fine. We can handle the other two in our sleep. Right, Kaii-kun?"
"Hmm? Oh, yeah..." The pugilist of the team said, busy finishing his panini. "But then there's all the Aeon Admins left. Including my dad...and you know he's no pushover."
He's a lot of things. Things I don't really want to say in front of his children.
Noboru gulped. His white polo shirt gave him a more formal look than the others, for he had never quite been fond of dressing casually. "Yes...they may still try to get revenge on us. And Toki might not be able to stop them..."
"This sucks!" Natsumi cried. She'd picked out the purple skirt and pink t-shirt she'd made herself in her school's sewing club, and it looked wonderfully made. "Asami, she surely wouldn't want to fight us after what happened in Asakita, would she?"
"Who knows?" Masato replied, cautious. His fiery red t-shirt matched the red hue of his hair, and he was in his running shorts – free from the green of the Chieki uniform. "I dunno if we really have to worry about those idiots any more. We've seen all of their tricks – and none of them can do the Wild Card like Kei. She's our ultimate weapon!"
Kei chuckled, slightly embarrassed. She was in the same teal and black outfit she had worn most days off school, the one Shintaro had become quite fond of.
"You flatter me, but it's not like I'm some unbeatable machine or something. I'm only human."
"Modest as ever..." Manami said, smiling. Her flowing blue and purple top and her long matching trousers were as graceful as her dancing. For wearing restrictive clothes would only inhibit her moves. "I'm just glad Bythos have been quiet without Nisa Liat in charge. My father's a lot less stressed these days, thank goodness."
"That's good to hear..." Evelina said. "Better than my own father's condition. Hopefully, he makes an improvement over the summer. Although he won't exactly be able to walk free from hospital..."
"It must be so hard for your family..." Shintaro said, sadly. "We can only do what we can. It's about time we got going to the Meguro. Maybe Shigeru finally has something for us to do."
Just then, everyone's Gnosis began to ring. Surprised, everyone answered it – and it appeared to be the same caller on each device, the name only listed as 'Unknown Caller', and the portrait being a strange red eye surrounded by a dark haze.
What on earth is this?
"Is it...calling all of us?" Kaii asked, confused. "Hey, who – or what – is this?"
"Heed my words, all who can hear my voice. I have much to tell you all, about the Theio Kosmos and Nisa Liat. I cannot sustain this call for long. Come to the Penance Church in Hiyashi, immediately. There is very little time. Hurry. This is the only chance I suspect I will have to impart the knowledge of the catastrophe ahead."
The voice sounded deep, echoing, and authoritative. It did not convey any emotion or tone whatsoever. Perhaps it was robotic. Yet before anyone it had called could say anything more, the call dropped.
"What the hell?!" Akari cried. "Is this a prank? Why the hell should we go to that church? I hate places like those.."
"Yeah, this seems creepy. Can we just go to see Shigeru and the others?" Masato asked, looking at Kei. "Please…?"
"I understand this is rather odd, but even so...there may be something to this. Let's go to the church, even if just for a moment. It hopefully won't take us long to figure out if this is real or not." The Wild Card said.
"...If you're sure, Kei." Shintaro said, but he felt a shiver down his spine. This didn't seem safe, he thought. Yet their leader seemed calm, but then again, she always did. What would it take for something in the Theio Kosmos to truly terrify her?
I just hope this is over with quickly. Komatsu-san doesn't like to be kept waiting.
|Bythos Citadel – Meeting Room|17:30 pm|
Today, the Aeon Admins had gathered one more time. Without Nisa Liat, Bythos had been dormant, and the younger members were getting anxious, uncertain of their group's future. They didn't want their legacy, such as it were, to fade away, but they faced dire consequences if they acted against their direct orders. And with no Pleroma Princess, it was the Aeons that would order them.
"So, we're still at an impasse." Keiya said, with a blank look on his face. "How irritating. Our searches throughout the city have turned up nothing. I didn't think it would be possible for Nisa Liat to fall, but it seems she has. Now, we must decide the future of Bythos ourselves."
"But we don't have her level of power." Aika said, nervously. "Can we even gather the remaining Cores? Or seize the existing ones from those 'Knowledge Seekers'?"
"Why do you doubt yourself?" Shiro asked, adjusting his glasses. He sat back on his chair, with a smug smile. "Our powers are not insignificant. Together, we can launch a full-scale assault and win the four Cores that are rightfully ours."
"Oh yeah? Even if we got them, how would we know what to do with them?" Asami asked, defiantly. "Kei's team haven't used either of them. Do you really think it's because they don't want to? Or because...they can't?"
Toki looked at her, strangely. She was putting on a good front, to hide her true feelings, it seemed. She had no desire to even touch those Cores, let alone distort the city with them. Alas, the other Admins remained steadfast on changing their futures with their mysterious power.
"You seem less and less enthusiastic about being part of Bythos, Asami." Keiya uttered, frowning. "Does the idea of a total rebirth of the city not appeal to you?"
"Ha! Her idea of a total rebirth was to destroy the Akartharto Kosmos and have everyone from there live here!"
There was a silence, and Asami's face went white with shock. Toki grimaced – she had let on far too much. He would have to step in, if the other Admins went hostile. He would at least protect the only one here he considered a friend.
"...What are you talking about? Destroy the Akartharto Kosmos?!" Celestine asked, shocked by this outburst. "That doesn't make any sense!"
"Oh, it does! You don't even know her original name, do you? She's the ghost of the Mayor's daughter! Noriko Ashikaga! She ended up here after she died, went insane, and wanted to destroy the world we know – so that everyone in it could come here!"
"Bullshit. How would you even know that, anyway…?" Katashi asked.
"Uh...well, Toki's Persona...uh..."
"Your Persona, Hayashi-san? What's so significant about that boorish Shuten Doji?" Shiro asked, annoyed. "You know, ever since the Tarumi debacle, your behaviour has become rather peculiar. Are you truly loyal to Bythos? Or is the rift between you and your two sons non-existent?"
"...Nisa Liat has lied to everyone of us." Toki finally said, heavily. "She knew right from the start Kaii was my son. But did she bother telling either one of us? No! She hid that from both of us. Just so she could use us to achieve whatever she wanted! And Asami's friends, too! She turned them into the Parcae, and she never told Asami! How can you trust someone like that?!"
"My goodness..." Rinaka said, stunned. "No wonder you two have been so quiet since Yosei Forest. Yet..."
"Nisa Liat would never betray us!" Katashi said, banging his fists on his portion of the desk. "No way! She helped me and my family escape my big brother's curse! She saved us! You're making this up, Toki! Go to hell!"
"I don't fucking think so, kid." Toki said, darkly. "How can you be so stupid? Did you not find it weird that Ichiro, the kindest, nicest medical student everyone said he was, murdered someone so brutally? What if Nisa Liat had something to do with that, too -"
"No she fucking didn't!" The runner screamed. "She'd never do anything like that! Just cause you're an expert at ruining families -"
"The hell did you just say?"
"You want a fight, old man? You got it -"
Just before Toki and Katashi could annihilate each other, however, everyone's Gnosis began ringing. They were all being connected to a group call. After a moment, as they stared at each other, they answered it. Soon, they were connected to what appeared to be a hazy image of a red eye.
"Heed my words, all who can hear my voice. I have much to tell you all, about the Theio Kosmos and Nisa Liat."
The way this baritone, almost machine-like voice boomed made Toki's hair stand up on end. His Gnosis felt rather warm as he held it in his hand, and the screen much more vivid. Despite not having charged it the previous night, it was now at 100%.
Is this guy charging our phones from wherever he is? Wait, is it even a guy? A human? What is it?
"What the hell is this?" Rinaka asked, trying to get a better picture. "Who are you?"
"I cannot sustain this call for long. Come to the Penance Church in Hiyashi, immediately. There is very little time. Hurry. This is the only chance I suspect I will have to impart the knowledge of the catastrophe ahead."
With that, the call dropped. No one spoke, instead gazing at their phones, dumbfounded.
"...That voice. It didn't sound like anyone I've ever heard." Shiro said. "Perhaps, if we go...we can find out if Toki and Asami were telling the truth."
"...Fine." Katashi said. "But we better be ready for a fight. If it's a church we're going to, we might have to deal with some divine messengers..."
"Angels? I wonder..." Aika said.
"I feel ignoring this would be unwise..." Celestine said, staring nervously at everyone. "To Hiyashi, then."
|Hiyashi – Penance Church|17:45 pm|
The only Catholic church in Shinshuto, yet it was a grand, glorious building, featuring elaborate stained glass windows and statues of religious figures adoring the magnificent white facade. Even though few in this city were practising Christians, the bells of this church had become part of life in Hiyashi, and the building was a tourist attraction. Here, however, the church didn't feel so divine. There seemed to be an odd sensation in the air.
Kei's team, however, were not the first to arrive. To their shock, eight others were in front of the holy place, gazing up at its beauty. The Aeon Admins, who had just arrived.
Bastards! What are they all doing here?!
"...Ssh. Let's see why they're here before we rush into battle." Kei cautioned the others, who were all on edge.
"...This is where our mysterious caller is? Really?" Katashi said, unimpressed. "Are we really gonna waltz right in here? What if we get struck down by angels of vengeance, or something?"
"I doubt we need to worry about that, somehow..." Keiya said, rolling his eyes. "Still, we should be cautious. Let's watch out for anyone – or anything – that may be watching us."
"I think we're a little late on that, Tsukino-san." Shiro said, turning around.
As the two sides saw each other, they immediately went tense, hands reaching for their Gnosis. However, Kei remained calm, and walked forward, fearless. For having quelled Nisa Liat, she had no reason to fear what the Aeon Admins could possibly do to her – at least, that was how Shintaro viewed her power now.
"Mysterious caller, is that what you just said?" She asked. "Masato-kun, can you tell everyone what our caller said?"
"Um...it was like...heed my words. I have much to tell you about the Theio Kosmos, Nisa Liat. Can't stay on call too long. Come to the church. There's no time. Catastrophe."
The Admins, stunned, turned to each other, confused.
"That's exactly what we heard. All of our phones were contacted by the same individual. It seems...all of us are invited to meet the same fellow." Aika said, gravely.
"You don't want to fight here, do you? Without finding out why we were called here?" Shintaro asked, glaring at Celestine. "Course, if you raise your sword...I'll do the same, and break it apart."
The author shook her head. "No, that won't...be necessary. I want to know what it is that our host has to tell us. Everyone, we should call a truce."
Slowly, the others nodded. Asami smiled, but quickly hid it.
"Good. Then let's not waste any more time. Our caller is waiting." Kei said, leading the way, walking straight past the Admins she had beaten many times in the past.
The two groups slowly started to venture through the dark doors, and came into the magnificent main hall of the church. The dark pews were all empty, but they seemed to have a red tinge to them. Almost as if they had been sprayed with blood. In the altar at the far back, a tiny red crystal could be seen floating above. As the Admins and the Knowledge Seekers approached it, it flashed brightly, illuminating the entire church.
"Thank you all for coming. We have precious little time, as I said. Thus, I summoned both of your groups. Unfortunately, the other six I lacked the energy to reach."
The being before them appeared to consist of a large sphere, made up of deep blue scales, and in the centre was a large eye, slightly bloodshot, with a giant red pupil. It had no arms or legs, rather four wings that flapped in unison, clad in dark green feathers. Despite having no mouth, it could talk – and rather loudly as well, its voice reverberating throughout the massive church.
"Whoa..." Toshiaki said, rubbing his own eyes, trying to avoid looking into the crimson iris of the angel before him. "This isn't like the angels on those windows at all..."
"Who..or what...are you?" Aika asked, disturbed. She stood nearer Celestine, who held her hand, trembling in fear. "You're a Shadow, right?"
"In a matter of speaking, Cecilia. Alas, this body is simply a vessel I have used to house a mere portion of my essence. My true body remains sealed away. For three cycles of the seasons, I have been unable to escape my imprisonment. However, I was still able to manipulate the energies surrounding this holy place to form a new body for me to possess. In this form, I am Tzaphkiel, or the Beholder of God."
"Tzaphkiel, huh? Uh...mind if I call ya Zaffy?" Toki asked, with a smug grin. Shintaro groaned, face in his hands, while Noburo and Kaii shook their heads in despair.
The angelic eyeball was momentarily silent. Perhaps it was stunned by this moniker this man had come up for it. However, it remained in flight, with no visible change in its expression – as much as a face consisting of a solitary scarlet eye could be considered an expression at least. Finally, it spoke up again, its voice slightly louder.
"I care not for childish nicknames, Shuten Doji. Especially when we have urgent matters at hand. My will has been drastically diminished, overshadowed by the rage of Noriko Ashikaga – or as you know her, Nisa Liat."
"Wait. Asami was right?" Katashi asked. "What the hell?"
"Right about what?" Manami asked, curious.
"About how Nisa Liat is the Mayor's daughter! Wait, did she tell you -"
Just then, a sorrowful tune started to play out of nowhere – it seemed as if the church organ was playing itself. One of the stained glass windows on the left wall changed, after another flash of light – it was now of a girl crying in front of ghostly images of other humans, including one that looked eerily like the Mayor Ashikaga. She was on her knees, head in her hands, and those around her seemed to be turning into dark mist.
"Oh my goodness." Shiro began. "This is real, isn't it?"
Toki nodded. "We didn't see it, but we overhead it. Noriko – or Nisa Liat – ended up here, and everything seemed to be perfect. She had a huge new house in Yosei Forest, her mother had much more time to spend with her, and her friends were always around. But they weren't real. Only she was. They were basically dolls, made to look like her friends."
"Tzaphkiel, was it you who tried to create her new world?" Noboru asked.
"Correct. She was the first human soul to arrive in the Theio Kosmos. The trauma of her death would have affected this domain, but I did not anticipate it would be enough for her psyche to break through here, and become corporeal. While she could dwell here, she could not return to her former life. I did not want to see her suffer any more than she already had...but I could not bring those she loved into this world. Thus, I fashioned the Shadows into illusions of her friends, and her mother, in the hope that I could shape this world into her own utopia."
"And when she fond out the truth, she didn't like it one bit." Asami asked, standing near Natsumi.
"Precisely, Kaihime. I could not hope to calm her down. She was faced to spend her afterlife alone in this world, with only the Shadows and myself to keep her company."
Another glass window, to the immediate right of the first, changed shape. It was of the same girl from the first painting, except now she had a face of monstrous anger. Her clothes had changed to the black dress she had worn as Nisa Liat, and behind her in a vivid red aurora was the purple silhouette of Rosmerta.
"Her Persona was unlike anything I had ever seen. I did not expect it – I only knew of Shadows, not of Personas. Yet her ability was different from yours, as you all know by now. She could turn the Shadows into new Personas, fuse them together to create even more, and change between then rapidly. This power was the 'Wild Card', one truly without limit..."
Keiya stared at it, raising an eyebrow. "What exactly are you…?"
Another glass window changed in response, causing Masato to leap from fright. It was of the city of Shinshuto from above, yet a white barrier seemed to surround the city limits, and a dark expanse surrounded it. Floating above was a blue ghostly humanoid figure, arms crossed over its chest.
"In truth...I have no 'name', Sin. I did not come into being with one, nor was there anyone to grant me a name. I saw no desire to name myself. The city of Shinshuto's development saw thousands of people moving here to live new live. I cannot say how, exactly, but the collective unconsciousness of the people formed a mirror world – an 'ideal' image, the true world they wanted to live in. The Theio Kosmos. I came into existence at the same time."
"...So you're some kind of god of this world?" Kaii asked, in awe.
"God? Despite appearing in this holy place as an angel, Grannus, I am no god. I did not create the Theio Kosmos. Perhaps it would be safer to say that we are one and the same. I was content to watch over this world and the Shadows, to see how the hopes and dreams of mankind affected matters over here. Alas, Nisa Liat has...changed all of that."
"What exactly did she do to you?" Akari asked, confused. "How come she didn't just kill you?"
"I have wondered the same, Epona. It may be that, even if I am drastically weakened, I cannot truly be defeated. Or perhaps she needed my powers over the Theio Kosmos. For you see, she was able to fashion truly frightening beings from fragments of myself."
"Like what…?" Shiro asked, arms crossed. To his shock, however, the glass window nearest him changed. It was of many Gnosis, each one pointing to a familiar Shadow in the centre. It was none other than the EX-NIHILO, complete with mask and sword.
"You may have wondered what material the Gnosis was made of, Mergen. As you may have suspected, it is not made from components originating in your world. Rather, pieces of my own form were crafted into the smartphones that grant you many capabilities. The power to teleport across this world, to summon your Persona. And when a Gnosis is destroyed, its energy returns back to myself. Without them, a human is powerless in this world."
Masato stared at the phone in his hands. "Are you serious?! We've been holding a part of your own body for months?"
Tzaphkiel turned towards the sporty redhead, and its eye seemed to narrow slightly.
"It is because you wield fragments of my body that you have survived for so long, Camulus. I have no will over your phones. The most I was able to do was call you tonight, and even then, I lacked the strength to reach all of you..."
"W-What about that thing?!" Noboru demanded, outraged, as he pointed at the loathsome demon. "The freak that killed Teruko-chan! That was you?!"
For the first time, Tzaphkiel closed its eye. For a second, Shintaro fought he saw a dampness around it, but it faded quickly.
"Listen closely, Aengus – and all of you. EX-NIHILO is a part of myself that Nisa Liat severed, fashioned and programmed to absorb a human's psyche. All of their hopes, dreams, despair - everything that makes someone truly human. For those who lack the Persona ability, they are doomed to lose their very soul, and thus, their life. Their physical vessel may survive for a time, but once the soul dies, the body dies too. I had no hand in its creation. Nisa Liat said these words to me once it claimed its first victim..."
Just then, from above, a young woman's voice proclaimed words of deep cruelty.
"What a roaring success! The EX-NIHILO I was able to make from you managed to completely drain that scum's mind! Nothing's left! He'll be dead soon, no doubt. If only I could show up to the funeral to liven it up a little. Perhaps, if my beloved creation keeps draining soul after soul, it'll become stronger than you! And now I know who I want to get rid of next. Komatsu-san's son, Noboru, is stupidly in love with a clingy, worthless girl. What about prissy little Teruko-chan? Hmm? Oh, I'm sorry - you don't actually have a choice, do you?"
The voice broke into a cruel laughter, that faded away – drowned out by Noboru's scream of rage.
"You bitch! How...how could you do that? What did Teruko even do to you?!"
"It is myself you should despise. Even though I did not choose to cause so much misery in either world, Nisa Liat's malice consumed her, turning her into a goddess of vengeance. I could not save Teruko Yoshikawa, and..."
Tzaphkiel turned to Evelina, slowly.
"Aoife. Your father was a victim of my loathsome fragment too. I do not know how much of him was spared and how much of him was lost, but even if he lives, he will never be the same again. You, too, have every right to hate me..."
"F-Father..."
Manami moved closer to Evelina, arm around her shoulder.
"What exactly would Nisa Liat have done if she were to get all six of the Cognition Cores?"
Another glass window changed shape. It depicted Shinshuto again, but this time, it was a darkened version overlaying a normal satellite map of Japan. The city looked warp, with blood-red lights. And the city seemed to be 'leaking' onto the surrounding area, both land and sea. In front of this was Nisa Liat, looking over the city with a vicious smile.
"If she were to achieve such a goal, Li Ban… The Shinshuto of the Akartharto Kosmos would no longer exist. Or rather, it would forever be fused with its Theio Kosmos counterpart. Nisa Liat would be the true overseer of the combined world, able to truly have her ideal world – and the people and places she didn't want to be part of it, would be discarded, reduced to absolute nothingness. If she were to accomplish this, it may not just be Shinshuto subjected to this fate."
"What do you mean?" Natsumi asked. "The Theio Kosmos is just Shinshuto, isn't it…?"
"At the moment, yes. However, Brigid, if Nisa Liat truly became the ruler of this world, and thus my remaining will is nullified, the Theio Kosmos could manifest elsewhere in the world. And absorb it into the fused world the Princess intended to rule over for all eternity."
Everyone was silent. Shintaro's mind was racing – could the Theio Kosmos end up replacing the entire planet? Would humans even be able to live here? Or would they be forced to become Shadows, like Nox, Mnemosyne, and the others? What would be spared, and what would be destroyed? The thought set his heart pounding, dwelling on this dire prophecy.
"I am glad the Cognition Cores did not fall into her hands. Yet, she seemed oddly unconcerned if others got to them first. Why, I do not know. The girl I tried to save became beyond salvation. No words could reach her heart, or restore her to the innocent child that was slain three years ago. It is because of my own failure that you have all been embroiled in her madness..."
"Tzaphkiel, we know you didn't want any of this. We want to put an end to this madness, as soon as we can. Once we defeat the last of the Anomalies, everything should be over. Right?"
The angel was quiet for a moment. After a few seconds, however, it spoke again.
"It is not as simple as that, Conchobar. Do you assume that Nisa Liat is dead? That her counterpart was able to defeat her?"
"...She's still alive?" Kohaku asked, horrified.
"I do not truly know what has happened to her, Airmid. Yet I remain imprisoned, in a place you cannot reach. The shackles that bind me have not broken. Therefore, the Princess must have survived, or at least, she has set up countermeasures to keep me contained. However, before she came to Yosei Forest that day, she visited me to talk - or rather, gloat about the catastrophe."
"Again with the catastrophe?" Shintaro asked. "What exactly do you mean?"
"You've mentioned a catastrophe more than once now." Shintaro asked, crossing his arms. "Can you be a little more specific?"
"Ogma. She has decided Ginumi will be where the next Cognition Core will emerge. The destruction of the Golden Laguna was merely a prelude of what is to come. For the next core, she has ordered all her inhuman forces to -"
Suddenly, Tzaphkiel froze, body pulsing violently.
"N-No! I...I must...this is my only...chance…!"
All the glass windows broke apart violently, shards spraying everywhere. Flying through the window came what seemed like hundreds of angelic Shadows. Leading the charge were ones the Gnosis identified as Aniel and Kazfiel. The former was a blue-skinned, mechanical looking one who seemed to lack legs beneath the red wings covering its torso. The latter had a similar look, but with yellow wings and a sword in its right hand.
Without a word, they both chanted a strange hymn, causing Tzaphkiel's body to be enveloped in a red aurora. A strange blue wisp of light came out of its eye, akin to a teardrop, that flew out of the church and into the evening sky – leaving the Shadow a mindless, yet dangerous foe.
"You humans of chaos..." Aniel began, with a cold voice and expression. "You have seen and heard far too much."
"All of you will be slain here. Then a new world will begin!" Kazfiel declared, swinging its sword defiantly. "We will cleanse the old world of filth, starting with you!"
"This must be divine punishment..." Shintaro said, weary. "The soul possessing Tzaphkiel is gone, isn't it?"
"So its seems. Looks like we aren't getting out of here without a fight." Celestine said. "Our truce still stands. We must fight all these angels together..."
Shintaro drew his sword, and called down Ogma. The winds of Magarula engulfed a handful of them, slaying some of the weaker ones, yet one of them managed to hit him with a stray Hamaon. Gulping, he shut his eyes – but it did not claim his soul, not yet. He slashed rapidly at the divine Shadows near him, as Celestine called Egeria.
"Scarlet Monsoon!"
A heavy torrent of blood-red rain fell upon many of the Angels, killing several of the Archangel and a handful of Powers. One of them aimed their weapon at her, but were blocked by Aika's staff.
"No, don't you even dare. Cecilia, sing for me!"
The Persona and the human's voices sang a chilling ballad, one only an Anxious Heart could produce. As the vocals echoed throughout the church, the Power was encased in frigid ice. Unable to fly, the angel fell to the ground, collapsing alongside the ice.
Kohaku gulped, shocked at the fleeting remains of the angel. "Aika, that was..."
"Indeed. The first time I used that on a Shadow, I was surprised by how...bloody it was." The singer said. "You don't have time to recoil in horror. For now, we're fighting this horde of zealots together..."
"I know. I won't stop until they're all destroyed! Airmid, come!"
Finding a new power building within, Kohaku and her Persona unleashed a volley of green rocks upon the Principalities surrounding Natsumi & Asami. This Radiant Rockfall crushed most of the angels to death, and as their bodies faded away, green sparkles of healing light flowed around them.
"Wow...that feels great." Asami said, happily. "Natsumi, let's destroy as many as we can!"
"Yeah! If we keep this up, those angels are history!"
"You fools! Angels, do not give in to these pathetic humans. For the sake of our true God!" Aniel cried, as he tried to attack with a Makouga. The light engulfed many, as the chaotic battle raged on.
"God…?" Asami asked, jabbing at another angel with her halberd. "Who is this loser talking about?"
"He doesn't mean Nisa Liat, does he?" Natsumi asked, horrified. "We have to end this, as quickly as we can. Brigid!"
The Persona threw her sharp ring, this time via a Cycle of Death – faster than the original Bladed Circuit, and far deadlier. Some angels were torn to shreds the second the blade pierced their bodies.
"Not bad...but Kaihime has gotten stronger too! Here we go!"
The warrior Persona twirled her own spear around, creating a spiral of both fire and electricity. These coiled around Aniel, halting it from its own assault on Keiya, and the Sear Shock left it both badly burnt and shocked – leaving it free for Toki and Noboru to slash rapidly. Their swordplay differed quite a bit from each other, with the younger swordsman's blades being swifter and more controlled, while his father's daisho pairing lead to stronger, slower, and more violent strikes.
"You're really coming into your own, kid..." Toki said, smiling. "You'd have made a great Black Condor. Maybe if they ever need a new actor..."
"No...that's not really my style. But I can still learn something from you." Noboru said.
"This is an outrage!" Kazfiel shouted, disgusted by the injuries that had been inflicted upon his ally. "It is no surprise that you are father and son. Both of you are guilty of much inequity…begone!"
With its holy sword, the archangel struck the duo, alongside the nearby Keiya and Masato, with a mighty Deathbound. The sharpness of the sword and the sanctimonious words of the angel both were hard to bear, and Noboru gasped in shock at the pain it caused.
"Crap..." Masato groaned.
"Where did this...hellish army come from?" Keiya asked. Masato gave him an odd look. "Or...heavenly army, I should say."
"I have no reason to answer your questions. All you need to know is that we exist to prevent the old god from ever returning to power!"
"Shit! Noboru, are you okay?!" Toki cried.
"I-I'm fine..." The young actor muttered, getting to his feet. "Dad, we can't let them win, not after what we just heard, so for now...we attack together. Aengus!"
"Alright, it's about time! Shuten Doji, I need you!"
The youthful Persona jumped into the air, both blades shining with blessed light. At the same time, the Oni Persona pierced the ground with its cursed swords of darkness, creating a black void that ensnared both Kazfiel and Aniel.
"Saint's Void!"
Aegnus drove his own swords into the darkness, causing ripples of blue light that surged throughout the church. Many more angels were destroyed in the shockwaves of both cursed and blessed energy, but there were still many more attacking, their swords and their spells full of anger.
"Ugh!" Keiya said, gasping, as a Dominion attacked. He fell backwards, but got to his feet, and aimed some fast kicks at the holy being. Then, he threw card after card as fast as he could, each one drawing 'blood'.
"Your pack of kid's playing cards sure causes some nasty papercuts." Masato said, smirking, as he whacked the Dominion over the head with his club.
"In this world, they can be as sharp as knives if I wish them to be..." Keiya said. "But as you should remember, Sin's powers are far more varied than that..."
"Oh yeah, you showed me all of your tricks. You got any new ones?"
Keiya smirked. "Oh, I think I do. Sin, appear!"
The Persona appeared, and conjured two Joker cards. They turned to Masato, and briefly surrounded him. Panicking, the boy almost struck them, but when he saw them change, he stopped. They had now all changed to mirror images of Masato himself. These them became copies of the redhead, that immediately turned towards Dominion.
"The Doppelganger Duo will follow your lead. It's up to you to follow this up with something spectacular. Or at least, something halfway decent."
Masato nodded, with a wicked grin – an expression both of his replicas copied. He summoned Camulus, as did the others. The clones of Camulus were hazier, and thus, did not appear to have all the strength of the original Persona. Still, it would be enough to destroy the Dominion.
"Spirit Shock!"
A succession of thunderstorms crashed onto the Dominion and its surrounding angels, shocking them into oblivion. As it died, the two clones vanished.
"That...was amazing!" Masato cheered. "I'm just glad you didn't use that against us..."
Keiya smirked, proud of his skill. Alas, the army of Angels was still vast, and seemed endless. Even so, the battalion of Persona users would stand their ground, for as long as it took.
|Asakita - Meguro Hotel|18:15 pm|
Shigeru had been pacing back and forth in the room, angry. He had failed to reach any of the Knowledge Seekers. Not even Noboru had been in touch. They had never been late to any meeting until now.
"Where the hell are those children?!" He demanded, gazing at his five comrades. "Why aren't they responding to my calls? This is unacceptable! Especially after what happened at the hospital!"
"Komatsu-san, you need to stay calm. There has to be a reason why none of them have turned up yet. Perhaps their schoolwork has kept them busy." Hiroyuki said, frowning. "Still, this is a little unusual."
"Indeed. They knew that we'd be waiting for them here. For them not to update us at all is extremely unusual..." Michiko said, nervous.
"No kidding...and it's not like they'd be busy with schoolwork either." Netuno said. "Especially with what happened at Hanashima..."
Hiroyuki nodded, grimacing. Somehow, Hisaya Ueda of the Claret Squad had escaped from the hospital. And there was no sign of an intruder, or any suspicious people at all entering the ward. Only a doctor and two nurses, who saw her one moment, then when they came back to her room after a power outrage, saw her bed was empty.
"That girl...just what could have lead to her disappearance? And why?"
"No use worrying about it now. But Reia, I think we gotta look for those kids, even if we have to do it the hard way."
Nodding at Netuno's suggestion, the fashion designer took out her own Gnosis, alongside her laptop. Very quickly, however, she found a long list of Gnosis IDs, each one last tracked in one single place in Hiyashi.
"Huh?" Novalie said, confused. "That's the Penance Church! But...there's so many people inside!"
"It can only mean one thing..." Reia said, gazing at her screen with worry.
"Damn...why did they go there without coming here first?" Shigeru said. "Never mind. We're heading there right now! We've wasted enough time. My son – no, all of those children may be in danger!"
Quickly, the six left for Hiyashi, unsure what to expect.
|Hiyashi - Penance Church|18:30 pm|
"Ha! Is that the best you can do?" Kei taunted, as she clashed swords with Kafziel. She saw a beam of light from Tzaphkiel's eye, and ducked under it. "You obviously never took a kendo class in your life..."
"Insolent girl! You and your friends vex me to no end!" Kazfiel said, his arrogant face contorting with anger. "Burn to ashes! Agidyne!"
A burning flame engulfed Kei, who winced in pain. In her anger, her Persona – Hecatoncheires – immediately appeared, and launched an Assault Dive, slamming the angel to the ground.
"Kaii!" Akari cried, crushing a weak Angel with her tonfa. She jumped backwards, ducking under an Archangel's sword, and aimed a kick at its stomach. "This is our big chance!"
"It is? Oh, I get it! Awesome! Then here we go! Grannus!"
"Epona, ride to victory!"
The two Persona beamed as they flew to each other, holding their hands. An aurora of both pink and blue light surrounded them both. Then, they turned to Kazfiel, and a pulse of energy, generated by both their power, flew at the angel.
"Psycho Nova!"
The pulse created a huge stellar explosion, shattering much of the area around the angel – and by the time the smoke cleared, there was nothing left of him, or the handful of angels that were nearby, too slow to escape their demise. Akari jumped into Kaii's arms, happily.
"We did it!" She cheered. "We're so amazing!"
"H-Hey, most of that was on you..."
"No! Your transgression will not go unpunished, pitiful mortals!" Aniel cried. "Whether by my hand or another, you will fall, and the city you know with it!"
"Yes, yes, we know. You angels are a repetitive bunch." Shiro said, sighing. "Listening to your drivel is more painful than your holy powers.."
"It's like being back in class with you." Toshiaki said, chuckling."But...I'd rather suffer another Maths class than listen to these guys preach about how evil, pathetic, weak, and sinful we are..."
"Then we put an end to this carnage, swiftly. Mergen! On my command!"
The dark skull-shaped rock, the Terror Firma, broke through the ground, and its dark wrath consumed Aniel's being. Not willing to leave the angel to counter-attack, Toshiaki hurled one of his frost bombs, causing a blizzard-like explosion.
"Bet you never learned how to make those in heaven, huh?" Toshiaki jeered. "Conchobar, show them something else you can't learn in church!"
The Persona complied, firing a freezing cold Bufudyne. Aniel cried in pain, but quickly rose back into the air, and fired off sharp red feathers into the sky, which fell upon to the others as a rain of blood-soaked arrows.
"Oww!" Evelina cried in pain. She rolled aside of some of the sharp feathers, and fired a few bullets, aiming for the angel's eyes – yet she didn't quite meet her mark. "That doesn't seem fair, does it? Using its own body as ammunition!"
Rinaka did not respond, instead firing her own bullets. Alas, her guns seemed to have little affect. Grunting, she called down Breskta, and pointed at the angel she wished dead. The Persona, in response, smirked as she fired a massive Striking Missile, which exploded with a vivid blue mushroom cloud.
"One must make use of whatever weapons and tools one can find." The ex-policewoman said. She saw angels flying towards her, and quickly turned to them, firing more bullets. "Hurry, Evelina! You must not fall here!"
"As if I'd ever do that. Not when everyone else is kicking so much angel butt! Aoife!"
With her laser pistols, the Persona in the green dress fired two dark beams of cursed energy, finally breaking through Kazfiel's eyes. Blinded, and in utter outrage, it began throwing Kougas in random directions, one barely missing Katashi.
"...How much longer is this gonna go on for?" He grimaced, slashing apart a Power. With a few kicks to a Principality nearby, he rushed at Kazfiel, stabbing the weakened angel with murderous intent. "You're finished, loser! Derzelas, let's hurry this up!"
Nodding, the agile Persona launched a Turbo Tempest, that was just as fast here as it had been at Ginumi Harbour. The Persona was sent skyrocketing in the air -which Manami quickly took advantage of.
"Li Ban, we need your help! Please!"
With all her splendour, the water dancer appeared, and twirled in perfect sync with her master. This Twirling Typhoon engulfed Kazfiel, finally drowning the angel, leaving nothing behind but screams of agony.
"We're...done, right?" Shintaro said, having pierced a Virtue to death.
"Not yet, Shintaro-kun. Look..." Kei said, pointing to Tzaphkiel. It was silent, with no will left in it – only malice. Via its eye, it fired a gigantic laser of light, breaking apart all the pews it came into contact with. Kohaku just narrowly avoided it.
"I don't think whoever possessed it is coming back, somehow..." Manami said. "Let's finish it off!"
Kei nodded, and rushed forward. Dodging its furious wing strikes, she jumped at the angel, slashing it from every angle – leaving a vicious cross-shaped scar across its huge eyeball. She then drove her sword deep into the pupil, and summoned the recently augmented Ostara.
"Behold my power!"
The radiant goddess of the spring may have been out of her element in the summer, but she was no less determined. Her arms outstretched, petals around her began to form – but these suddenly multiplied, and slashed the badly wounded angel's body, dancing in a Petal Cotillion.
"Begone!"
Kei swung out her sword to the right, and the Shadow burst into a pile of dark blood. That soon vanished, and if it, the last trace of any angelic presence in this church. Thanks to everyone's hard work, the army of divine messengers had been destroyed.
The church was a ruin, having gone from a place of prayer to a blood-stained battleground. Shintaro, exhausted, dropped to the ground, dropping his sword to the ground. No matter how many angels he would slay, more and more seemed to come at him. He had never seen anything like it in this world.
I didn't think anything in the Theio Kosmos would scare me any more, but...
"That seems to be the last of them. Well done, all of you." Shiro said, dismissing his sword. "Is everyone alright?"
"We seem to be in one piece." Rinaka said, eyeing everyone in the vicinity. "But, Tzaphkiel..."
"Yes. It was unable to finish giving us its warning over Ginumi." Aika said ruefully. "I don't want any more tragedies to happen in this city. I've...been following the orders of an insane phantom all this time. A ghost of darkness who can never return to the world of light, so seeks to ruin that."
"It looks like we're thinking on the same page, Aika-san." Celestine said, walking over to Shintaro. "After what I've seen today, it's clear...that if I were to continue to serve Bythos, it would bring only more sorrow."
"Then are you two…" Asami began, lump in her throat. "Are you quitting Bythos too?"
Aika and Celestine nodded. Shintaro got to his feet, stunned.
"You mean it? You two aren't going to...fight us anymore?"
"What reason do we have to face each other in battle, Shintaro?" Celestine asked. "I'll face whatever punishment I deserve...but for now, I want to prevent whatever Nisa Liat planned for Ginumi."
"As do I." Keiya said. "...The man I hated most is now dead. Had we continued to blindly serve the Princess, we may have ushered in the end of the world..."
"This...this is some kind of sick nightmare, isn't it?!" Katashi asked, distraught. "What the hell am I supposed to do now…?"
Just then, there were loud footsteps, and shocked gasps. Having just ventured inside the church, were Shigeru and the others.
"What the hell happened here?!" He demanded. When he saw the former Black Condor, he raised his fists, eyes fiery with anger. "...Toki, what the hell are you and your Admin friends doing here?!"
"Calm down...the charade is over." Kaii said, defensively. "You sure missed a lot, but...in a nutshell, it looks like the Admins are gonna give up being in Bythos."
"W-What?!" Novalie asked. "All of you?"
Rinaka nodded. "Our Princess has lied to us from the beginning...she played us for fools. I can never forgive her, or myself..."
"I feel the same as you, Rinaka." Shiro said, gazing to Michiko. "The ideal world Nisa Liat promised to me – I know realise it would have been utter hell."
"Then..." Netuno said, uneasy. "Let's go somewhere a little less destroyed, and talk about this."
"Very well..." Shigeru said, heavily. "Then...we go to the Meguro."
|Meguro|19:00 pm|
The events at the church were rather hard to explain, but eventually they covered everything. The bizarre angel of Tzaphkiel, who had become an avatar of a being that was a governor of the Theio Kosmos. How it had aimed to save Noriko Ashikaga so many years ago, but the power she awakened to surpassed its own, and she turned it into a prisoner, using it to create the Gnosis, and the EX-NIHILO.
"...Before it could finish telling us about Ginumi, the angels came swarming in. I don't even know where they came from." Toki explained, sitting between Noboru and Kaii.
"I see...this entity clearly wants to atone for what Nisa Liat has done with its power. It seems the Princess has hidden her true insanity well..." Shigeru said, shaking his head. "And regardless of whether she is truly dead, she plans something extraordinary to procure the Cognition Core of Ginumi."
"Could it have something to do with Tanjoshima?" Aika asked. "The island is due to be opened to the public soon. Many will be moving in to the luxury homes and parts, and enjoying the facilities there. A water show will be held in August, during the end of summer vacation. Celestine-chan, do you remember the exact date?"
"Um...Yes. August 26th." The author said. "It will be an elaborate display projected onto a screen of water. Many other performances will be held on the same night, with bands playing, acrobats, etc. Many of the city's elite will be attending, and hundreds have purchased tickets to attend.
Shigeru nodded. "Yes, I was invited to attend. Yoko herself asked me to come, and to bring Kaiyo as my plus one."
"Hold on a moment, dad. If Tzaphkiel's telling the truth, doesn't that mean that everyone there will be in danger?" Noboru asked, worried.
"Dammit..." Toki muttered, eyes on the floor.
"We don't know what exactly Nisa Liat planned before she was defeated in Asakita. However, doing absolutely nothing would be far too dangerous." Michiko said. "Therefore...all of us will attend. If our Mayor understands the risk, then she surely would permit us all to be there."
This didn't seem real, somehow. Not only would Shintaro's team and Shigeru's group be there, but all of the Aeon Admins would be present too? With so many Persona users in one place, surely they could prevent any tragedy. Even so, co-operating with their former enemies would not be easy.
Shigeru, judging by his dour expression, seemed to be having a difficult time making up his mind. Finally, he spoke.
"Very well. Then, I'm going to have to ask all of our Aeon Admins to renounce your membership with Bythos immediately. Then, and only then, will I allow you all to come with us to Tanjoshima's opening ceremony. Do we have a deal? If not, then we may just have to bury you all."
"S-Shigeru-san!" Novalie said, shocked. "Surely we don't -"
"We've fought many times, Vinters. I'm not going to fight alongside either of them unless they've truly abandoned Bythos, and no longer remain loyal to the Princess. Murayama did this many months ago, and thus, was barred entry to the Bythos Citadel."
"Then I'll do the same!" Asami said, immediately to her feet. "I hate Nisa Liat, and everything that's she's done! She stole my friend's lives, and I did some awful things because I believed in here...there's no way I can go back to Bythos! I'm with you now, whether you want me or not!"
"Asami-chan..." Natsumi said, overjoyed. "Of course I want you here!"
Ecstatic, the tearful girls embraced, finally able to call each other friend again.
"I meant what I said before. I've been incredibly foolish, and as a teacher, I should have known better." Shiro said, numb. "I will abandon Bythos. Michiko...will you accept me as your ally, if not as a friend?"
"...Yes. Of course I will."
The two teachers hugged each other as well. Toshiaki, watching on, smiled.
"I don't have any more reason to carry on as an Aeon Admin. I got my revenge, but far too many people got caught up in it..." Keiya said, clenching his fists. "From now on, my card magic is yours. Do with it what you will."
"...As long as you don't trap me in any more cards." Masato said, smirking.
"Evelina, I...I know you probably hate me." Rinaka said, awkwardly. "I'm not asking for your forgiveness. Your father's situation is my fault. Even so, I wish to fight on your side once again. To save Ginumi – no, all of Shinshuto from becoming like this world."
Evelina was silent, but she nodded resolutely. Her father's bodyguard smiled.
"I guess...gotta make this official." Toki said, staring at Shigeru. "My boys are fighting as hard as they can. I gotta look after them, and show them how a Black Condor really does things. Course, I…I can't be as strong as you. Fighting alongside me is a lot to ask. Especially after everything I did to Kaiyo."
"...Yes. I had to hear her recall terrible stories of her life with you. You must stay away from her, at all costs. What Murayama and Noboru wish to do with you is their choice. But I cannot let my wife suffer again. I'll accept you as an ally, but nothing more." Shigeru said, darkly. "I mean it. Come near Kaiyo, ever again, and you will not survive."
Toki stepped back a little, losing some of his confidence. Still, he nodded.
"Kohaku, I..." Aika began. "I can't expect you to trust me so easily. Still, the fact that the woman who allowed me to become the musician I am today was so warped...it's shattered everything I believed in. I want to return Shinshuto to peace, so that they can play beautiful melodies again."
"If...If you really mean it, then I'll...let you fight with us." Kohaku said, nervously, arms behind her back. "I don't want to have to fight you again, Aika...never again."
"Katashi-kun..." Manami began. "You're not going to return to Bythos alone, are you?"
"...Nah." Katashi said, looking away. He couldn't quite meet her eyes. "I...I wanna know what really happened to my bro. Nisa Liat must have done something to him. If I stay on her side, I'll never get the truth. So...fuck it, I'm giving up being an Admin. No point staying in Bythos all on my own."
Shintaro and Celestine looked at each other, unsure what to say. He didn't know what to feel. Not so long ago, she had revealed to be one of his sworn enemies. Yet now, thanks to Tzaphkiel, the two of them could finally become allies. But going back to the way things had been was out of the question.
"...You want to be on our side, don't you?" Shintaro asked, slowly.
"Yes. Of course I do. To stop any more bloodshed caused by Bythos. And to ensure the Theio Kosmos returns to its original state, and nothing else like this happens again." Celestine said, holding out her hand. "I know. We can't simply go back to the way things were. Especially..."
"...Especially what?" Shintaro asked.
Celestine looked at Kei, briefly, but then turned back to the bookworm that had once loved her.
"Never mind. Some things are better left unsaid. Yet, I formally announce that I am no longer an Aeon Admin. All of us are under the same umbrella now, it seems."
"This is incredible!" Kaii said, pumped, holding Akari's hand. She blushed as she looked at him, but shared his enthusiasm. "Finally, this is what I've been waiting for! All of us to see who the real enemy really is! Now, we can fight whatever stupid Shadows she left behind! Or if she comes back to life, we just kill her again, and again, and again! Nothing can stop us!"
"You're rather confident...it must be a family thing," Asami said, amused, giving a sideways glance to Toki.
"Kaii's right!" Akari said, gazing fondly up at him. Their eyes met, twinkling at each other. "All of us will protect Shinshuto together. We'll find a way to break free the guy that was controlling Tzaphkiel! It'll all work out, I know it will!"
Shigeru looked at the now-traitorous Admins. "Then try to return to the Citadel...if all of you are true to your world, you will remain here."
Sure enough, Celestine and the others tried to activate the Aeon Pathway. Yet, not a single one disappeared. Their new loyalty was not with the Princess that had once been the Mayor's daughter, but rather, their former adversaries. Adjusting to this would be hard, for everyone concerned, but it was better than a violent confrontation every time the two sides collided.
"Very well. Then you have nowhere to return to. For now, we must prepare ourselves for the ceremony. There is one more thing, however..." Shigeru began, turning to Keiya and Asami. "The Claret Squad was under your control, wasn't it?"
"...Yes. But Fumihiro and Ryosei were murdered by the EX-NIHILO." Keiya replied. "And Hisaya was taken to Hanashima. She hasn't woken up, has she?"
"Well, she disappeared from there last night. How and why, however, is the question." Hiroyuki responded.
"...What?!" Shintaro said, shocked. "Why would she just vanish like that?"
Masato shuddered at the thought. "I didn't think she'd ever wake up. After what EX-NIHILO did to her and her friends. You think she's after revenge?"
"Even if she was, what could she possibly do to us by herself without a Gnosis? Especially with all the Admins and the Princess gone..." Kohaku added, confused.
Shintaro shuddered at the thought. He should have been relieved to not have to face the Aeon Admins in battle any more, he knew that. Yet it was the fear of the unknown that was flowing through his mind.
Would everything truly be as wondrous as Akari and Kaii believed?