AN: Sorry for the late update, it's been a busy few months but here it is! Once again, please read, review, follow and favorite. And thanks to everyone who has reviewed, both this story and Duality!
Chapter 52: Our Light and Darkness
|Pleroma|
Shintaro eventually got to sleep that night, and sure enough, he found himself in the Pleroma. He couldn't quite make out anything, however, beyond a blinding green light. He tried to move, but it seemed like he was underwater, and restrained, somehow.
Is this another memory?
He thought he saw human-like shapes move to him, and despite being very close, he couldn't make them out at all. Yet, there were five of them.
"This is the one Junko has made her top priority, isn't it?" One of the people, who seemed to be a man with black hair, said. He stood next to a woman with long black hair, in a white outfit.
"Yes. The boy she fell in love with. She can't bear to be without him. That's why she's gone to all this trouble."
All this trouble? What are they talking about? Is Junko with them?
"He seems to be awake. Perhaps he can hear us. Whether he understands us, however, is another matter." Another man said, one that seemed to have ginger hair, and what looked like a beard.
"Yeah...we've not had much luck yet. Still, we got EX-NIHILO working, didn't we? We can handle this kid. Maybe he'll even remember all his picture books." A purple-haired man said, laughing to himself.
"Don't be such an ass. Come on, we have to try. Shintaro Nakahara, can you hear us? Do you know where you are?" A ginger haired woman said, hands on her hips.
Yeah, I can hear you, but this isn't making any sense at all! My body's not doing anything at all, either! I can't even move my mouth!
"Uh...ah? Where am I…? Huh…? Shintaro…?"
The way he said this, he seemed unfamiliar with that name. As if it was the first time he'd ever heard it. Why, though, he couldn't tell.
"Oh, he spoke this time. Much more than previous, too. We're finally making some progress. Not as much as I would have liked, but it's better than nothing." The dark-haired woman said, enthused. "Shintaro Nakahara is your name, do you remember that much? I am -"
"Get me out of here! What the hell are you bastards doing to me?!" Shintaro screamed.
Just then, the vision faded, and he was transported to another place. This time, it was Wakahisa Toy Store, and there she was. Junko Kaya, talking fondly with the owner and his daughter. It quickly changed to just being her and Shintaro. He could move again, but he only seemed to be going through the motions. And it was only just then he noticed someone standing next to Junko – a little girl, perhaps six years old. Her brown hair was short, at shoulder length, and she had a teal t-shirt and a black skirt.
Huh? This girl wasn't with Kei. Who is she?
"Thank you so much, Shintaro-kun! I can always count on you and Suzuki-sensei" She said, happily, as she took his notes, and put them into her bag. "Everyone else is still coming, aren't they?
"Of course Probably be here any moment. So, this is the niece I've been hearing so much about!"
Niece?! Wait, that's right! Junko did tell us about her niece. The one back in Yokohama she was writing letters for. But Kei didn't have one. No, she had an aunt -
Just then, it finally hit him. That was how Kei knew about Junko. Because they were family. The aunt she had been searching for was the same girl in his dreams.
"That's right! Keiko, say hello!" Junko said, kindly.
"Um...hello!" The girl said, hesitantly, hands behind her back. She was shy, with her hands behind her back.
Wait. She doesn't have the same colour of hair Kei has. But Kei doesn't dye her hair, does she? What's going on here?
"Good to meet you, Keiko!" Shintaro said, kneeling down. "Junko asked me to get you something. Here, it's a book I had when I was your age..."
He handed her a book, Forest of Spring, one about a forest filled with intelligent rabbits, and other creatures. It seemed to have been written by someone with a keen interest in Irish mythology, as most of the characters had been named after figures in various cycles, whether they were gods, goddesses, or mortal heroes.
"Wow, it looks amazing! Is it really okay if I have this?" 'Keiko' asked, enthralled by the cover.
"Of course! In fact, I have a lot of other books you might like – hey, over here, guys!"
Soon enough, Kohaku and the others arrived. Akari and Kaii were there, as vibrant as they had been in life. And the rest of the conversation played out largely the same as before, with the group deciding to go to the space museum in Asakita. Just as they left, however, everything froze, and Shintaro could move again.
"You finally remember my name, don't you?" Junko asked, also able to move.
"Yeah. It took me a long time, but I got there in the end. Junko Kaya, the girl from Yokohama. I can't remember everything, though, but I'm getting there -"
Just then, Junko rushed at him, and embraced him, in a flood of tears. These were not sad years, however. These were joyful tears.
"I'm so happy…! I've waited so long to hear you say my name again! Not just that...you can remember me!"
"What the hell happened? Why did I forget you? Why did Kei Kakusa take your place…?" Shintaro asked.
Is she really your niece? No, it can't be. Kei is only the same age as us. And she doesn't look quite like this little girl.
Junko let go, and looked up at him.
"What's the last thing you can remember about me?" She asked.
"We promised to be together forever, the night before we went to the Citadel. Last night. But I can't remember going there. Probably because I haven't actually been there yet. ...Or have I? I'm so confused..."
"I know you are. Listen, Shintaro. You and everyone else must go to the Bythos Citadel, as you planned. There, you must fight, and never run. When you fight Nisa Liat, everything will become clear. Then we can finally be together, just like we promised."
"Wait. Why can't you join us in the Theio Kosmos?" Shintaro asked.
"Because...something happened, a long time ago. I wish I could be with you all, I really do. And we will be. Soon, Shintaro. But you have to hold on. Don't tell any of the others about me until then, okay? I love all of you. I can't wait to see them all again, properly. This day was the best day we ever spent together, all of us. Mostly because Keiko got to come here."
"Yeah. It was great. I just wish I knew why I had to repeat the past -"
"Don't worry, Shintaro-kun. You won't be trapped in the past forever. After the Citadel, you'll be free. Now, wake up. We won't need Kei Kakusa much longer..."
|Kansei High School – Courtyard – 7:00 am|
After they woke up, Shintaro bid his parents farewell, and left with Kei. They reached the school quickly, and looked up. This was the first time they had properly looked at the building in the Theio Kosmos.
"...Kei. You don't want to talk about last night, do you?"
The Wild Card looked at him, and shook her head.
"Fine. Once we fight Nisa Liat, we'll get the answers we've been looking for."
"That's right. Shintaro, I'm sorry. I'll understand if you hate me. But whatever happens, I promise I'll protect you." Kei said, hand over her chest. "I know I'm not Junko. But I'm still your comrade."
"I know. We fought so many times. I just wish I could understand everything. But it's not like you know everything either, is it? You ended up taking Junko's place and went through the same events we did with her, and you don't even know why."
"No...not yet. But like you say, we'll find out soon." Kei said.
"Just one thing. Is Junko Kaya your aunt?"
Kei looked at him, and as she did, tears began to stream down her cheeks.
"Y-Yes. That's right. I loved her so much. She disappeared a long time ago, and I...I never really got over her. That's why I became a transfer student here as well. So I could find out the truth. But then I ended up doing the same things she must have done. Making the same friends she did. I never wanted to replace her, I swear!" Kei pleaded, on the verge of tears. "But..."
Shintaro shook his head, and moved closer. He gave her a warm hug.
"Don't cry. I believe you. We don't have to be trapped in the past forever. After the Citadel, we'll be free. Right?"
"...Right." Kei said, wiping her tears. Just then, she noticed the others approaching.
"Oh...are we interrupting something?" Kohaku asked, curious.
"No, not really. Just some last minute nerves." Kei said, shrugging, as she broke away from Shintaro. "But I'm okay now. Glad you're here, Kohaku-chan."
"Thanks. Looks like we're all here..."
"Yes." Celestine said. "As Aeon Admins, we committed many crimes. If those can't go unpunished, then I'll accept any punishment. I only ask that you let us fight Nisa Liat with you."
"Yeah, same here." Toki said, looking at Shigeru. "We're all in this together."
"...Yes. Well then, we need to get to the Citadel."
Just then, there was a massive shake, and bolts of black lightning struck the ground out of nowhere. Then, a massive shadow overcast the area. Shintaro looked up, and gasped. There it was, a twisted, nightmarish castle, floating above the city itself. Red and blue jewel-like structures protruded from the sides, as well as many black spikes. From it, eight black chains dangled, connecting themselves to each skyscraper within the Divine Nine. The buildings seemed to sway towards Kansei slightly, and their exteriors became dark, with strange red veins pulsing all over them.
"So, all of you arrived. Good." Nisa Liat's voice said, from high above. "This Citadel has existed in the Theio Kosmos for a long time. I kept it invisible, until now. And now, you'll get to see it. The place where you will die..."
"...Shut up!" Shintaro yelled. "Don't act like you've already won!"
"Why not? I have already won, you just don't understand that. You ignorant fool."
Huh? Why did her voice go strange when she said that word?
"Fine. I'll give you the path to the Citadel. It's one-way, however. Not that any of you were planning on running away, right?"
Soon, a red glowing circle appeared in the courtyard, a massive one that encompassed the whole area. Shintaro and the others found themselves whisked upwards, and they were soon standing outside the castle's front doors, which were gigantic and black. Their windows were stained glass, and depicted Nisa Liat with a wicked smile, arms outstretched.
"Whoa. We're so high up..." Noboru said, looking down at the city from below.
"Yeah. If you have a fear of heights, it's too late to do anything about it now." Toshiaki said, stepping back.
Just then, there was a flash of blue light, and a smaller door appeared to the right of the main one. Out of it stepped a blonde girl, in a pretty blue dress. She had glowing orange eyes, but she had an innocent expression. Completing her appearance was a butterfly hair decoration.
"Lavenza!" Kei said, shocked.
"Yes, Kei Kakusa. My master asked me to speak to you before you venture inside the castle of light and darkness. For this may be the last time we ever speak, honoured guest."
"Guest…?" Shintaro asked.
"That's right. I am Lavenza, and my master, Igor, controls the Velvet Room. It is where those of a certain potential can go to harness the power of Personas. While there are many here in this city that can wield a single Persona, there are very few who are able to wield multiple..."
That's right. I forgot all about that now. Kei spoke to an Igor and a Lavenza before! But is Igor not going to show up?
"I wanted to thank you and your master for all your help so far..." Kei said, respectfully, clasping her hands.
Lavenza smiled, but shook her head. "The power you wield comes solely from you. You met so many people, and grew close to them all. That strength is what brought you here, to your last challenge."
"Will everything really be over after this?" Kei asked, uncertainly.
"That, I don't know. Even my Master can not say what might happen next. But you will continue onward, right? Towards the uncertain future, whatever it may bring?" Lavenza asked. "Destruction or regeneration, either may be at the end. Only you can decide."
"I know. I may need to perform more fusion once we're inside. Your master will still aid me, won't he?"
Lavenza nodded. "Of course he will. And you have so many allies fighting with you. Just remember, if you ever need our guidance, we'll be here in the Velvet Room."
With that, she bowed politely, and returned to whatever was beyond the blue door.
"What a strange girl..." Kohaku said, perplexed. "She had a lot of power inside her, I could tell."
"Yes, she's very powerful. At one point, she was split into two. But even as Justine and Caroline, she was extremely strong. Yet she can't fight outside the Velvet Room. I'm not sure why, but even so, she's been a great help right from the start..." Kei said, fondly. "But we don't have time to stand here and chat. Let's go."
She moved forward, and pushed open the heavy doors before them.
|Bythos Citadel – Chamber of Origins|
The second Shintaro entered with the others, he was greeted by a truly bizarre sight. In the far back wall of the room, a feminine angel-like statue was touching hands with a demonic one. The angel had glowing blue eyes, while the demon's were blood-red. Around the left side of the room were elegant white and gold columns, perfectly formed and with designs of angels carved into them, while on the right, their counterparts were warped, twisted, made up of black and red spikes.
"You Aeon Admins weren't in charge of décor, were you?" Toshiaki asked, looking up at Toki, who was next to him.
"Please, I can't even paint a blank wall. Nisa Liat made this place show up with magic. We barely got to change anything."
Rinaka nodded – and it was only now, Shintaro noticed, she was standing very close to Shiro.
"Yes. We used the Gnosis to teleport between here and Shinshuto below, so we barely ever went into the foyer."
Shintaro looked around and saw several black doors at the left and right sides.
"Do you know where they go?" He asked.
"...Huh. I can't remember anymore." Katashi said, scratching his head.
"Me either..." Asami said, equally confused. Celestine and Aika exchanged worried looks.
"Then we explore. One way or another, we must reach Nisa Liat." Shigeru said, impatiently. He walked towards the left door, but before he could touch it, it burst open, revealing a powerful angel. A Seraph, one that was barely human at all. It seemed more like a mass of faces and wings.
The door on the right had also broken down, revealing a demon – a 'Pales', which seemed like an evil donkey skeleton, that still had long white hair on its head, as well as evil red eyes.
"Behold, foolish humans. The power of Light and Darkness. The angelic and demonic. Constantly battling each other, but for now, they will unite, and see to your demise!" Seraph 'said', even though none of its mouths moved.
"Go ahead, try your best. The Shadows here are far stronger than any of the ones down below. And without the Aeon Admins here, we're in charge! Now, die!" Pales said, preparing to charge.
"Sorry, asshole, but if a dead donkey and a Christmas ornament are the best she can throw at us -"
Just then, the central door broke down, and many other Shadows appeared, of many varieties. Some of which Kei had once used as her Personas. Leading these was a slender woman, naked, with only a writhing snake and serpentine tattoos around her. Next to her was a more divine woman, wearing black robes, holding gold chains. This one was 'Maria', according to Shintaro's Gnosis, and the other was...
"...Lilith."
"Correct, boy...Nisa Liat asked us to greet you here, with our little army of angels and demons. Normally, we would be at odds, but today is a special day."
As she chuckled, one of the demons floated near her. This was Samael, the Poison of God, in the form of a giant dragon. Together, they had birthed Lilim.
"Beloved children of man, salvation is nigh. The Pleroma Princess will recreate this wretched world into a true paradise. Your sacrifice will be the final blood spilt to make our new Eden."
"Eden? You call her new world an Eden?! She was planning to get rid of everyone except her mother!" Manami said, angrily. "And now Mayor Ashikaga is dead! What sort of new world can you have with just one person!"
"You haven't got much imagination, have you? Do you think Nisa Liat can't create a new life?" Lilith asked.
"It will be the dawn of a new age of mankind. One you are not privileged to see. Now you will be eliminated. Your intrusion ends right here!" Maria declared.
With that, the army of Shadows rushed, and there was a massive burst of all elements, as Personas and Shadows clashed all over the room. In the chaos, Shintaro ended up being faced down by a huge Fafnir, the monster that the legendary hero Siegfried had once slain. This one looked more like a cyborg, with barely any 'organic' features at all.
"Die!" Shintaro cried, striking the creature with his sword – however, it didn't seem to cause much pain. "Huh – shit!"
The creature swung its sharp claws, which Shintaro only barely managed to dodge. Clearly, this particular incarnation of Fafnir would not be easily felled by the sword. He'd have to turn to the winds of fate this time.
"Ogma! Garudyne!"
The Persona emerged and conjured the emerald winds that it had coursed many times since April. Stronger than before, they sent the heavily armoured beast high in the air, and it fell to the ground with a heavy thud.
"Incredible, Shintaro. Let me help!" Celestine cried, summoning Egeria. Immediately, she sent down a crushing Aquadyne, the pressures of which caused even more pain.
Thank you, Celestine. Now I can finish this guy off myself.
"Now you're mine!" Shintaro cried, leaping up, and driving his sword through the creature's head. There was a flash of black 'blood', and a loud roar – and soon, the creature was destroyed, fading into nothingness.
"Watch out! Behind you!" Toki cried as he blocked the swords of a strong Rakshasa.
Swiftly, Shintaro turned around and ducked under the large snake of Lilith herself. Even if it had been a regular snake, a bite would have been very dangerous. No doubt this one would have even nastier tricks up its sleeve, befitting the serpent of the woman cast out of Eden.
"Don't you hate having you fight alongside those Aeon Administrators? Celestine was only using you because Nisa Liat wanted to exploit your weakness...and that boorish Toki over there kidnapped you, all to seize the Cognition Core! How can you put aside your hatred for them so easily?!"
Hatred, Shintaro thought. Did he really hate either of them at this point? That kidnapping at the TV Studio was one of the worst moments of his Persona 'career', no doubt about that. And he had poured his heart and soul out to Celestine, even spent the night with her. Only for her to have been working for the enemy.
But Nisa Liat betrayed them, too. She just wanted them around until she didn't need them anymore.
"Right now, there's only one person I hate!" He cried, slashing through the Shadow's body. Ogma then followed up with a Savant Slash, the shockwave sending her flying.
"Good one, kid..." Toki said, impressed, as he continued to duel the Rakshasa. With one Nakishigure from Shutden Douji, he eventually destroyed the Buddhist demon. However, plenty of others were nearby. Smirking, he rushed forward, katana and wakizashi out, and deftly struck them all.
He really is a tough guy. But we've all gotten so much stronger since then.
All over, everyone was picking off the myriad of Shadows. Noboru was using all the blessed power Aengus had to keep Pales at bay, while Evelina's cursed darkness was piercing the holy energy Seraph attempted to slay her with. Kohaku was slashing at Parvati, and Manami's dancing had befuddled Narasimha. Toshiaki was freezing a fiery Throne, and Masato was electrocuting a Jatayu.
"Enough of this!" Lilith cried, getting to her feet, warily. Celestine ran down towards Shintaro, her dagger still drawn. Novalie and Michiko approached, their swords also ready. "You think you're wise because of your oh-so-high test scores?! Please! Intelligence can only get so far. But just because your grades are higher than many others, doesn't make you their superior! Even you can make childish mistakes! You're not 'wise beyond their years'!"
"You bitch..." Michiko said, angrily. Hearing this Shadow insult her student clearly vexed her as well.
"No, Sensei. She's right. I still have a long way to go. And I'll probably make even more mistakes as time goes on. But even so, I'm not giving up!"
"Well said, Shintaro...these Shadows can insult as much as they want. But they're only representations of humanity's inner darkness." Novalie said, aiming her sword at Lilith. "We represent its potential. Saga!"
A chilling Mabufudyne blasted apart a horde of Shadows nearby, and at the same time, Asami's Agidyne immolated the icy Skadi before her. Natsumi, not to be outdown, had Brigid hurl her bladed ring, this time becoming an Execution Discus. It sliced apart the group of Yaksa nearest her. Smiling, she ran forward and dodged Cu Chulainn's spear.
"Ha! You can't even aim!" She cried. "It's a shame, for a Shadow, you've got some good armour…Masato, you should try out his style!"
"Uh, no thanks, sis!" Masato shouted, as Camulus arose to attack. Cu Chulainn's Garudyne struck, but not before he was electrocuted by a fierce Ziodyne. Screaming, he was left vulnerable to Rinaka's pistols.
"Die!" She cried, enrapturing the spear-wielding hero with her dark Mudoon. It claimed him instantly, and she continued to assault the enemies around her.
Before long, it was just Lilith and Maria left, with all their allies vanquished. Even so, they remained determined to slay every single human before them, and the foyer became a mass of Hamaon, Mudoon, Kougaon and Mudoon spells. It was hard to keep up, but Shintaro did not succumb to either of these. He and Ogma set their sights on Lilith, as did Kohaku, Masato, and Natsumi.
"Ready, everyone?" He asked.
"Ready!" Masato cried.
One after another, each Persona struck. Lilith screamed in deep agony as the winds of Ogma sent her flying into the air. This pain only increased as the burning fire of Brigid scorched her. Electricity surged through her, due to Camulus' force. Lastly, as her body fell to the ground, Airmid's mastery over rock consumed her, and her body was left fading away.
"How dare you…! You will regret this! Keep going through this castle and you will all die…!"
With that threat, she was gone, but Maria was still there, her calm face unchanging. However, her voice was alarmed, and frantic.
"No, this can't be! We were supposed to eliminate any and all humans...why must these sinful creature drive us this far?!"
"I'll put an end to this sanctimonious chick right now!" Toshiaki said, throwing his grenade at her. "How about it, Noboru? Evelina, Manami, you too!"
They nodded, and soon enough, a chilling Bufudyne trapped Maria, Conchobar's ice merciless. Next, came the evil force that Aoife conjured, followed by the torrent of water that Li Ban manifested. Aengus' bless-elemental magic was predictably useless here, thus instead he drove his swords deep into the holy figure, causing it to break apart and dissolve, with a blood-curdling scream.
Finally, it's all over. I can't believe so many Shadows were summoned here to this one room. Nisa Liat must be serious. She wouldn't just let us waltz up to her room freely, of course. I wonder how everyone else is handling things.
"Phew..."
Shintaro looked around at his many allies. They had just defeated an army of Shadows, perhaps the strongest one in the Theio Kosmos. Yet there would surely still be enemies ahead. They had only just entered the castle, after all.
"No point wasting time here. Let's go, if you're all in good condition." Kei said, leading the charge.
They continued to progress, into the long dark corridor.
|Corridor of Madness|
The corridor looked very much like one would expect from a twisted castle like this. Paintings of demons at war with angels were all around, and the chandeliers seemed to be made of twisted black metal, mixed with red blood.
"Do you guys know where to go?" Kohaku asked, looking at Aika.
"No...this place has changed a lot since we were last here." The singer replied, sadly.
They continued to advance, moving through various corridors, until they raised the Foyer of Purgatory, with two elaborately furnished staircases, both carpeted. One went up, the other down. A statue of a demonic face with three red eyes was in the middle of the room, but as Kei got closer, one of those eyes exploded into many particles.
"Whoa!" Evelina cried.
Rinaka gasped, as she moved closer to the statue.
"I remember this now. A defence system to guard the highest room..."
"A defence system?" Netuno asked, frowning. "How does that work, then?"
"Each of those eyes represents one of three seals. One of those seals has already been broken..." Shiro said, pointing to the empty eye socket. "The other two seals, we're going to have to look for those."
"Oh god, I remember!" Asami said, amazed. "One of the seals was in the entry room, Nisa Liat said. It probably broke during the fight. The room lost all its colour after Lilith and Maria died, right?"
"Yes, that's exactly right." Keiya said, clasping his fist with his hand. "There's one on each floor – including the basement. And there are three seals.
"What are the other seals?" Shigeru asked.
"Well, the basement level – as much as a flying castle can have a basement, anyway – had two really powerful Shadows. I don't remember what their names were." Toki replied.
"But if we take too long to break the other two seals, the first one will reform..." Aika said, worriedly.
Kohaku frowned. "So...some of us will have to go downstairs. The rest upstairs. Right?"
"Right. I think -"
"I'll go to this 'basement'." Shigeru said. "Nisa Liat will likely be further up...so it's imperative that as many people as possible go upstairs."
"What? But...what if the Shadows down there are too much for you?" Shintaro asked.
Smirking, the man lightly chuckled.
"Please, we've fought together many times now, young man. Nothing's too much for me any more."
"I'll go with you!" Novalie said, eagerly. "My Gnosis told me to follow you. I'm going to keep doing that, for as long as I need to."
Hiroyuki stepped forward, bravely. "It was just us six to start with. So we ought to stay with you. I got your back."
"Thanks, you two. I appreciate all your hard work. You've been amazing." Shigeru said, proudly.
"We're going too!" Reia said, holding Netuno's hand. "Like Hiroyuki just said, we ought to stick together!"
Netuno nodded. "We're a team, right? Let's hurry and go before the seal comes back."
"...Shintaro. I'm going with them." Michiko said, looking at her students. "Please, look after yourselves, okay? Whatever happens, you must never lose. I don't intend to fail, either."
"Sensei..."
I'm really glad you were my teacher. Please, don't -
"Suzuki-sensei, we have to hurry...don't worry, though. I haven't forgotten a single thing you taught us." Kei said, clenching her fist. "Fight on!"
Michiko nodded. As she did, Noboru and Toki looked at Shigeru, unsure what to say.
"What's the matter, son? You don't think I can do this?"
"No, that's not it..." Noboru said. "I just...wanted to fight alongside you. I can go, right -"
Shigeru shook his head. "No. You ought to go on ahead. I'll break this seal so you can break the other one. You'll be just fine."
"I'll hold you to that." Toki said. "Good luck. Not that you'll need it."
"...You should be careful, too." Shigeru said, curtly. "Let's go. We'll see each other soon."
With that, the group of six went down the stairs, and through the door. As they did, Kei opened her mouth, as if to say something, but then stopped.
Kei? What's wrong?
"They'll be fine." Celestine said, to a worried Shintaro. "Your teacher is strong, and so are her comrades."
That isn't exactly what I was worried about. Kei still is hiding something. Does she know what's going to happen today? How much did Junko tell her?
|Gallery of the Chosen|
Shigeru and the others entered the room, and were immediately struck by how outlandish the art on display was. Gigantic golden frames conveyed the most surreal, alien landscapes that any of them had ever seen. The floor had an onyx black circle in the centre, and on the ceiling was a golden marble one. Both suddenly flashed, and from above, came a gigantic angel, bearing many wings. Its body seemed robotic, and its face cold and judgmental.
"...Metatron." Novalie said, looking at her Gnosis.
From the symbol below, came a demonic being holding a sceptre, looking like a giant fly. It was full of malevolence and chaos, unlike the holy lawful angel above. This was Lord of the Flies himself, Beelzebub.
"Unclean ones, how dare you enter the Gallery of the Chosen. This is a sacred gallery of art that only the Pleroma Princess and her chosen ones are allowed to enter. You six must be destroyed, for you are far too tainted with darkness to be allowed to exist." Metatron said, voice echoing.
"Once Nisa Liat finishes fusing together the Kosmos, her void of chaos will consume everything in its path. I will gladly give everything to make such a wonderful event happen. If you think you have the right to exist in the new world, you'll have to prove yourself!" Beelzebub said, buzzing as he spoke.
"Shigeru, these beings are incredibly strong..." Michiko said, worriedly. "Are you sure we can take these down by ourselves?"
"We don't have much choice. Remember, to open the way to Nisa Liat, we have to break this seal."
Hiroyuki nodded. "No point in running now. We fought like crazy to get this far. Let's finish this up, so we can join everyone else and put an end to Noriko's stupid plan!"
"Right!" Reia said, clenching her fists. "I'm not scared of a tinman and a housefly!"
"Angels and demons, fighting side by side...what a disturbing image." Novalie said.
Netuno grinned. "You think so? It might make it on our next album cover! Let's do this, then!"
Metatron raised his arms, calling forth a sacred Makougaon, radiating a blessed light throughout the hall. Immediately as it hit him, Shigeru knew this was going to be an arduous battle. The pain was already severe. Yet even so, he knew he had to carry on.
"Who are we taking down first?" Netuno asked, reeling from the assault himself.
"Go for which one is nearest to you...don't leave either of them free to attack!" Michiko called, looking at the Lord of the Flies before her. Despite the massive size and evil red eyes of the devil before her, she was dauntless. "Go!"
Nidaba emerged, and ignored the demon's cold laughter. Instead, she conjured the Winds of Slumber, full of air that would normally render the victim drowsy. However, while the winds themselves were strong, they left Beelzebub wide awake, judging by its alert red eyes.
"He looks more awake than your students do!" Netuno cried.
"If only I could give you detention..."
"Well, I guess putting students to sleep is more Koyanagi's thing. But this ought to shock him. Go, Tam Kung!"
Netuno and his Persona called down the thunderous Shock Solo, as electrified musical notes surrounded their foe. Both intense in volume and electricity, the Shadow was bombarded with volts of vindication.
"You bastards!" He cried, buzzing foully. "I knew your music was going to be painful, but just hearing it was torture! Now you're all going to die!"
Raising his unholy sceptre, he began to call forth a Demonic Decree. As soon as it hit Netuno, he collapsed in pain. The dark, cursed power was something he hadn't experienced from a Shadow before – this one was stronger than most of the ones he had faced before.
"Netuno!" Novalie cried. "Here!" With Saga's healing hand, he was restored with a pulsing Diarahan.
"Thanks..."
"That was a different curse skill than any I've seen before...it takes away half of your life force..." Novalie said. "Be careful. There's no telling what either of these things are capable of!"
Hiroyuki nodded, as he took aim, and fired at Metatron's chest. The shot, however, bounced off harmlessly. Guns were not going to bring down this messenger of god.
"Your Howa Type 89 is useless against me! You are a failure of a human." Metatron bellowed, voice echoing. His mouth did not move – perhaps it was incapable of doing so. A merciless being of light, so determined to defeat his foes that he would even consort with one of the darkest of demons.
"Yes, thanks Met, I saw that for myself."
Masamune appeared, however, and began to manifest a new blade, a truly potent one. The Usumidori, a pale green sword used by Yoshitsune, crafted to perfection. Taking this sword with both hands, he swung at Metatron fiercely, leaving a gigantic gash across his chest, causing it to leak a strange glowing 'blood'.
"Wow..." Reia said, impressed. She struck forward with her scythe, but was sent flying back by a bright ball of light that Metatron had hurled with his hands. "Damn! Eunomia, we're not letting him get away with that, are we? Get him!"
Her Persona was capable of many things, and had learned abilities of many elements. And now, she was conjuring the power of flames. The Twin Flare she had used before was already intense, but now, it was the Gemini's Blaze. Two scorching balls of flame, with magenta highlights, were launched and consumed the mighty Metatron.
"Reia...I gotta ask, how come your Persona doesn't focus on one element like most of us?" Netuno asked.
"I'm a fashion designer. I have to evolve with the times, and so do the clothes I make. And I have a lot of different styles. Guess Eunomia does too..."
"...No wonder your Persona's so incredible."
The two rushed at Metatron, full of energy. Alas, this was not going to be a short confrontation.
|Hall of Darkness|
After traversing through several hallways that seemed ordinary enough, Shintaro's group had entered a bizarre hallway, with a pitch black floor, columns of pure white, and constantly blinking crimson and azure lights. Just as they reached the middle of the room, they had a familiar voice.
"Oh, so you're here already? Wonderful. I was worried I'd have to wait in boredom for you all to arrive."
"...Don't get too comfortable. We'll be there before you know it." Shintaro said, angrily.
"Is that so? Even better. Well, it'd be even more boring if you didn't have any obstacles. And the Shadows you've been fighting until now – I've decided to change them from this point onward."
Suddenly, black 'bubbles' emerged from the ground, with a strange red glow. Slowly, they reformed into human shapes, with glowing red eyes. Shintaro gasped – they were now dark copies of themselves. One looked just like him, but with a blank, expressionless stare. Another looked like Shigeru. There were a lot more just like them, even the Aeon Admins.
"There, isn't that more exciting? If you're the greatest warriors in this city, stronger than any Shadow...then it only follows that Shadow versions of yourselves would be the greatest threat to yourselves!"
"Nisa Liat, you..." Masato began, infuriated.
"Consider it preparation for the trial ahead!" Nisa Liat said, laughing – her voice faded, however, as the Shadows advanced.
Trial ahead? What is she talking about?
"Damn...so, she's making us fight ourselves, is she?" Shiro said, shaking his head.
Toki smirked, swords drawn, as he stared at his hollow mirror image. "Ah, no big deal. I know my every move."
"It doesn't matter what they look like. We can defeat every last one of them!" Kei cried. She slashed through Hiroyuki's dark copy, but was hit by the Mirror Reia next to her.
The Mirror Shintaro did not seem to have a 'Mirror Ogma', instead it managed to cast magic by itself – a Garudyne that Shintaro dodged. After all, it had no true sentience, only existing as a copy of the original, with only one goal – to kill.
"Nisa Liat must be desperate if she thinks these will delay us." Kohaku said, dryly. She kicked at the Mirror Netuno near her, then slashed through him. With a Magnadyne, she brought him to an end, the body vanishing as it touched the ground.
"Don't be careless, Senpai..." Noboru said, as he despatched the Mirror Masato nearest to him. "We can't just stay here and fight these things all day. Nisa Liat is our target, not these weak copies of us."
"Right. Plus, their real strength lies in their numbers." Natsumi said. She and the Mirror Asami were battling, but after a quick Agidyne, the copy was down.
"Let's break through and get to the seal we need to break! Our friends downstairs are depending on us...we cannot waste any time!" Shintaro cried. "Go!"
Ogma emerged at the cry of his master, and with one brisk Savant Slash, slashed apart the Mirror Shintaro before him. The wisps of its body sank into the darkness below.
And so, the team continued their assault, desperate to reach their goal before the seals were restored.
Suzuki-sensei, please tell me you're winning…
|Gallery of the Chosen|
The battle continued, with massive displays of strength and magic no matter where one looked. These Shadows may not have been Anomalies, yet they were tremendously powerful. Nisa Liat had no doubt been preparing these for some time. As Metatron prepared yet another Makougaon, Shigeru called upon his Persona's Deathly Blades.
"Dis Pater, hurry! Destroy this automaton!"
"Auto-what?" Netuno asked.
Just as the angelic blast of blessed power struck, so did the sharp, lethal blades of the Persona. Angry, Metatron flapped his wings, determined to eliminate everyone in his vicinity. The Makougaon was unleashed, blindingly bright and full of holy rage. Hiroruki in particular was looking rather ragged, using his rifle to stand upright.
"Crap...I knew this wasn't going to be easy, but...no, can't stop…"
"Shit…" Netuno cried, exhausted himself. "Can...we really do this? Just six of us? Or should we call for backup?"
Novalie shook her head, dodging Beelzebub's flies. "Do you really expect to be able to make a phone call in the middle of a battle?! We don't have a phone-a-friend lifeline here!"
"Yeah, I get that, but still, this is a lot for just us -"
"Calm down, 'tuno. it's not over yet." Reia said, as Eunomia emerged. "You and Electric Sea feel like you can do anything when you're on stage, right?"
"Yeah...of course we do. We're all following the same dream. Just...like us!"
Reia nodded, and as she did, Netuno smiled. Shigeru wondered if she really was as fearless as she seemed, but her words had managed to inspire the guitarist. And now, she was ready to speak another word of power.
"Persona!"
Angry, the Persona began to 'knit' two gigantic fireballs, the Gemini's Blaze.
"See that?" She cried. Just then, a swarm of flies darted at her. Beelzebub had been sending these all over, in between his devastating array of curse and ice magic. Swiftly, she dispelled them with a swing of her scythe.
"I guess you're more lively than I thought…" Beelzebub said, eyes glowing a wicked red hue. "All the more reason to celebrate when your life runs out!"
Reia and Netuno looked at each other briefly, and laughed off this threat.
"What's so funny?!"
"Sorry, dude, it's just Reia here is never gonna get killed by a fly like you. Especially with me on her side. Tam Kung, drown him!"
Guiding the seas, the Persona used his anger to turn them into the Waves of Rage. These rushed at Beelzebub, fueled by pure hatred and fury, thus sending them forward at frightening speed. The demon was almost sent flying from the attack.
Smirking, Netuno laughed in the Shadow's repugnant face, while Novalie quickly healed the team up.
"Be careful. This Shadow is far stronger than you think. Don't think you've seen all he can do!" She cried.
Shigeru thought of Akari, whose Persona could have sensed what powers these Shadows truly had. Alas, she was not here any longer. The destruction of Tanjoshima remained a dark memory of him - after all, everything after that day had brought even further sorrow.
"So, that's how it is, is it?!" The Lord of the Flies screamed. "Then I shall freeze you all! Behold!"
Channeling great power, he unleashed an ice blast even stronger than Mabufudyne, the Ice Age. Netuno and Reia gasped in shock, as they were encased in the chilly, brutal onslaught. Hiroyuki, too, was unfortunate enough to have been caught in the blast. Unlike the others, however, he could still move.
"Bastard…!" He swore, aiming directly at Beelzebub's face. Pulling the trigger, he fired a bullet straight through the demon's head, just as his Persona Masamune emerged. "You're not getting away with that, you fucking little bug!"
Three new weapons were crafted instantly, a trio of tanto - the Hocho. Wider than most blades of this length, they were incredibly sharp - and in an instant, were flung at the Shadow, impaling it in a perfect triangle formation. They then slashed upward, causing even further pain, and a display of gruesome blood.
"I didn't have you and Masamune down as a knife throwing act…" Novalie said, impressed.
Metatron, however, was not amused by his comrade's current state of bleeding agony.
"Pathetic. It seems divine intervention is required in order to best these heretical humans. Allow me to destroy them…"
Metatron raised his arms to heaven, as a fearsome Swords Dance rained down. These illusory swords certainly weren't as finely crafted as the weaponry Masamune could create, but it didn't make them any less dangerous. Netuno collapsed the second they struck him, having barely endured the chilling ice from Beelzebub earlier.
"No!" Reia cried.
"You'll pay for that…" Michiko declared. "Begone!"
Nidaba's Winds of Slumber emerged, more intoxicating than before. They rushed at the angel, causing the feathers on his wings to shake violently. This hurricane was relentless. Even if it couldn't induce sleep, it would grievously harm the victim, divine or demonic.
"You're so strong, Michiko...Shintaro and the others are lucky to have you as their teacher." Novalie said, warmly.
Michiko laughed. "If only I could do this in my lessons. Then some of the less attentive students might be inspired to do better in my tests…"
Giggling, the blonde college student looked at her comrade, with pride. "What I really meant was how strong you are. Even after everything we've been through, you keep going, both here and at Kansei High. Well, I won't lose either!" she exclaimed. "Saga! It's time to show everyone what I can do!"
A freezing Blizzard of Blight enraptured Metatron, the merciless snow concentrated entirely on his body. Not only was it colder than any Bufudyne, the snow was enchanted with all sorts of debilitating ailments, from poison to despair. Alas, the mechanical angel was not affected by either of these, only the icy cold. But that was enough to satisfy Novalie.
"That was incredible, Novalie…" Hiroyuki said, impressed. However, the Nordic student had more pressing concerns, mainly healing her comrade Netuno.
"Everyone…" Shigeru said, looking at his exhausted comrades. "We can win this. Don't give up!" He said, barely dodging a swarm of flies from Beelzebub. Angry, his own fists struck the massive Lord of the Flies before him, and managed to stagger him.
His body had been through hell several times over the past few days. Even so, he would not give in. He would destroy Beelzebub and Metatron, no matter how strong they claimed to be.
|Atrium of Separation|
After navigating through many treacherous passageways, the group had finally reached a strange circular domed room. Further ahead were ten intricately decorated bridges over a pool of what looked like utter darkness. There were eerie purple lights floating all over, illuminating the otherwise darkened room. The minute he looked at this room, Shintaro felt a shiver down his spine.
"What...is this place?" Masato asked, anxiously. "Why are there so many bridges? I can't even tell what's on the other side."
Just as he finished questioning this, one of the bridges suddenly collapsed, sinking into the dark depths below. Natsumi gasped, and clung to Toshiaki.
"Whoa! What's with you?" He asked.
"Oh...sorry, I just got a fright, that's all..." She said, slowly letting go, red in the face.
"What's the idea here, then?" Evelina asked, arms crossed.
"I don't know...I don't remember this room at all." Rinaka replied, confused.
"Me either..." Shiro said, moving closer to the gap where the bridge had been. "Look. At the end of those bridges are separate doors. And they each have writing on them. For example, that one there reads Shiro Kayanagi – what?!"
"What? But that's not where your room here was, was it?" Katashi asked, perplexed.
"Look beneath my name. It says Toshiaki Yukimora as well!" The teacher said, disturbed.
The runner gasped.
"Why would it say our names? And what about the one at the end of the collapsed bridge?"
Shintaro looked closer. "...Kaii Murayama and Akari Ito."
"...What?! What the hell is this supposed to mean?!" Toki demanded, furious. "Why is my son's name on that door?!"
"Please try to stay calm, Hayashi-san.I think I see what's happening here." Kei said. "Koyanagi-san, Toshiaki-kun, could you try going towards a different door other than your own? Then to the one with your own names on it?"
The two nodded, and tried going to the one next to it, which read 'Evelina Solberg' and 'Rinaka Tamura' respectively. The door did not open, no matter how hard they pushed it, and there was no doorknob to pull it open. They then moved to the one with their name, and it immediately lit up, and the door slid open, revealing a long passageway ahead.
"...So, we can only go through the ones with our names on it?" Shintaro asked Kei, as Shiro and Katashi stood at their doorway, confused.
"I think so..." She said, "But each door only has two names each. See, if you try going to that one over there – the one that has both yours and Celestine's names – it won't do anything, I bet."
Shintaro tried going to his door alone, and sure enough, nothing happened. Celestine eventually walked towards him, however, and the door opened just like before.
Kei looked on, nodding. "As I thought...and since Akari and Kaii are no longer with us, their path is gone. Nisa Liat just felt the need to remind us, in the cruelest way possible."
Toki, shaking, clenched his fists, suppressing the urge to scream. When he saw his son looking upon him, however, he took a deep breath, managing to calm down.
"So it's one member of the Knowledge Seekers and one member of the Aeon Admins per door..." Kohaku said. "And I'm with Aika..."
"I have to go with Keiya?" Masato said, surprised.
"Asami's with me?" Natsumi asked.
"Rinaka and I? Seriously?" Evelina asked, frustrated.
"Katashi-kun, you and I have to..." Manami said, numb.
"Dad, you and I must..." Noboru said.
Slowly, each pair went to each door, and went through it. Shintaro lingered, while Celestine walked on ahead slowly.
"Wait, what about you, Kei?" Shintaro asked, anxiously.
Kei, having stayed in the entrance of the room, pointed to another door, one that seemed slightly bigger than the others. It only had one name on it. Her own.
"...I'm going alone, it seems."
"No!" Shintaro cried, panicking. "Not all on your own!"
Kei shook her head, staring straight at her destination.
"It's the only way forward. Listen, Shintaro-kun," She said, fiercely. "Don't worry about me. Even if I'm on my own for a while, I can handle anything..."
"But Kei-chan…" Shintaro began. "You have to make it to Nisa Liat. No matter what. It's the only way you're going to find out what happened to Junko, isn't it?"
Kei stood still. Finally, she nodded. With that, she ran through her door, and disappeared from view.
"Hurry, Shintaro!"
"R-Right!" The bookworm cried, running after the author.
|Gallery of the Chosen|
The battle continued, with neither side willing to give in. Yet both parties were utterly drained of energy, barely able to cast any of their spells. Novalie's healing had come in handy, yes, and she had saved her allies from peril many times. But even this had a limit.
"Shit!" Shigeru cried, as the pain of Metatron's Sword Dance surged through him. "I...I need help, Vinters! Hurry!"
"I…I'm trying!" Novalie cried, as she blocked Metatron's 'grenade' with her rapier. "But Saga's energy isn't infinite…"
Michiko and Hiroyuki looked at each other, alarmed. They were getting rather weary themselves. They needed all the energy they could to stay the course, but without adequate healing, they would be at great risk.
"W-What about our healing items? We have a ton of those, don't we?" Netuno asked.
"We've used them already…" Reia said. "That Balm of Life we just used on you? That was our last one!"
"What?!" Michiko shouted, shocked. "But without those, and no Revival Beads either, that just leaves Samarecarm!"
Novalie nodded, sheepishly. "And I don't know if I have enough power left to cast that…"
"Damn. Then our only choice is to go all out on the offensive." Shigeru declared. "Suzuki, Kita, we'll take out Beelzebub! Rimando, Fonseca, Vinters, stop Metatron!"
The group nodded, and all six Personas emerged. Each one began casting spells, of the highest caliber. Metatron was bombarded with Aquadyne, Ziodyne, and Reia's Vanishing Ray. Beelzebub, however, was struck hard with Megidola, Garudyne and Masamune's Shichishito.
"Not bad...for mortals. But that still wasn't enough. So it's over for you all! Cower in fear…" Beelzebub said, laughing darkly. There was still power within him, however small.
"Yes, tremble, for your final judgment has come. Sinners must be destroyed! Blame only your weakness for what you are about to face." Metatron proclaimed, full of cruel wrath.
Shigeru gasped in horror, for the area seemed to turn dark - except for two glowing lights. Metatron's was a burning white flame, full of almighty power, that was slowly expanding. Beelzebub's was red, a mass of cursed energy with countless evil flies contained within. At once, they were unleashed, and did not stop until they had collided with everyone within. Shigeru tried to stand, to inch towards either Shadow, but the barrage of flame and darkness was too much to resist. He fell backwards, pain completely paralysing him. The Fire of Sinai, and the Death Flies, left no survivors. All he could hear were the tortured screams of agony of all five of his allies.
No. This can't be happening. We were supposed to defeat these two and let everyone else fight the Princess! So why couldn't we win?
This was the end, he told himself. After all his battles, this was the end result. To be destroyed by this duo of death, made up of an angel and a demon. And he had gotten his five oldest allies caught up in this. Whether they were still breathing or not, he couldn't tell. He wanted to see them, in case there was any chance they were still alive. But there was no sound. Not even a whisper.
"May your corpses rot here. Your other allies will be joining you in hell soon enough. Nisa Liat has prepared an insidious trap for them! Now, begone -"
Just then, there was a strange flash of light, and the sound of aggravated buzzing. Metatron, in frustration, cried out, smacking away whatever was approaching him.
"What?! So, you cannot be patient and end our alliance after their deaths? You insist on assaulting me now? You truly are abominable. Very well, I shall smite you, then destroy these fools! Begone, foul insect!"
Metatron's body began to glow again with a bright white flame. At the same time, dark red insects seemed to appear around Beelzebub, glowing once more with a cursed power – and he was guiding them with his sceptre.
"What the hell...is he doing?" Shigeru said, barely conscious, as he lay on the ground. He couldn't see his comrades, or hear them. He was only able to move his head enough to see the two demons. Beelzebub had a strange aura to him now, apart from the red one. There was a strange golden tint to his compound eyes.
The deity of the Theio Kosmos?! Has it come to save us?!
"Die!
He gasped. Truly, the sight he was witnessing was one to behold. A transcendent display of energy. Both Metatron and Beelzebub had put their full strength behind their greatest magic. The Fire of Sinai, blindingly bright, consumed Beelzebub's body. At the same time, the cursed Death Flies ravaged Metatron's body. Before long, their bodies started to convulse. Then, with an array of blue and red light, they exploded.
The blast was unlike anything he had felt before. All he could see above him was the ceiling, lit by the destruction of both angel and demon. Why they had turned on each other, Shigeru did not understand. But the seal was broken. Now, Noboru would be able to proceed. Yet this room was shaking, as if struck by an earthquake. And he could not move. There wouldn't be any escape.
"Dammit..."
His strength was gone. It had taken all of his energy just to survive that battle, and he could not see or hear the others that had supported him. The pain he felt was immense, surging through every vein of his body. He had always known something like this might happen, but now that it was finally here, his mind was racing through many emotions and memories.
His lonely childhood, his friendship with Yoko, and meeting Kaiyo and Noboru for the first time. His wedding, and all of the wonderful days they had spent as a family. Yet he wasn't going to be able to enjoy any more of those - he was starting to realise that now. And the five that had followed him had fallen as well. He couldn't sense either one of them. No one was going to come to his rescue, not now.
"This...really is it, isn't it? Kaiyo, Noboru...I'm so sorry...please, go on without me…"
Finally, he closed his eyes, unable to even keep them open. He had fought with everything he had, and this was the result. The Shadows were gone, but only because they had turned on each other, rather than being defeated by him and his friends.
All he could hope was that Noboru and the others would have more strength than him. That was his last thought, as he lost consciousness. As he did, he heard a faint sound of a woman calling him, and his body becoming lighter and lighter.
"Guess I wasn't too far behind you after all, Yoko…"