I shook off the lingering weight of the previous room's discoveries, following the path in the opposite direction. The hallway continued into a stairway, bringing us up and out of the damp lower levels of the castle. Slowly, the somewhat mildewy smell in the air was replaced by the sharper, more intense scent of food cooking. After a deep breath, I recognized the scent of turkey.
As we ascended the stairway, it grew in intensity. Before long the, admittedly intoxicating smell, was permeating my nose, somewhat lowering my guard as we rose. That was before I opened the door at the top. Fortunately, despite it's apparent age, it didn't creak in the slightest. As such, I was given an opportunity to survey the room before any of the shadows inside were alerted to my presence.
Firstly, I was given immediate verification of the smell, which I had correctly identified as being turkey. An unnaturally large bird was sat on a wooden kitchen counter, steaming as if it had just left the oven. Standing nearby it was a familiarly armored knight seemingly stirring a cauldron.
"I gotta say," The shadow's voice was muffled and distorted as it spoke, "it sucks that we have to make all this food, but we never get the chance to eat any of it."
Another shadow's response revealed itself from another side of the room, it's back turned into a corner housing a pantry.
"Ain't that the truth." He said with a scoff. "So true, in fact, that I'm keen on taking a cut of that turkey right now. Aren't you?"
"I don't know man, the Queen's got an eagle eye. There's no way she doesn't notice a whole piece of her turkey missing." The cauldron knight timidly responded, his tone betraying his words.
"We just say someone else took it. Who's going to prove it was us?" The other said coaxingly.
"Hey," Koda whispered, "Now's our chance, while they're distracted."
"Got it."
Gathering my courage, I wasted no time in summoning Hachiman and engaging the two shadows.
"Persona!"
Hachiman's form materialized in moments, his existence catalyzed by my words. My confidence swelled in the face of danger, as it had before. As he was closer to my current position, I had Hachiman target the knight stirring the cauldron.
"Power Shot!"
The arrow sailed through the air, it's speed and power evident. Soon, it was piercing the knight's armor, red energy spewing from the wound.
"Oh, we've got an intruder?"
Both knights began convulsing, and shortly after exploded in a wave of that same energy. As it dissipated, standing where the cauldron knight was, was an unnaturally obese woman. She had a pointed hat and green skin marred with boils and pimples. On her head was a pointed hat, and matching it was a pitch black robe the size of a shower curtain, which blanketed her extremely large form.
Standing across the room, instead of the pantry knight was a floating pumpkin carrying a small lantern in it's hand, wearing a hat and a small cloak beneath it that obscured it's form. On it's face was a malevolent smile, wicked in it's demeanor. They moved with brevity and intensity, not wasting any time.
As an opening attack, the Jack-O-Lantern waved his lantern through the air, and a swirl of fire converged into a point, forming a fireball in moments. Following that, it launched at me with little warning. Unlike my first time in the metaverse, however, I was prepared.
I deftly took a step to the left, allowing the fireball to pass by uselessly. At the same time, the Witch began pointing a wand directly at me. Purple energy formed in the air around it, but it wasn't immediately dangerous. As such, I focused my attention on the Jack-O-Lantern, as he seemed to be the easier target and more direct threat.
"Hachiman, fire at the Jack-O-Lantern!"
As Hachiman was taking aim, the enemy waved his lantern again. Instead of the one fireball, five formed in a half-circle in the air above his head. They lingered there for a moment, each one beginning to fire in off-beat succession. The first two I dodged with ease. The third, I just barely managed to escape it's path.
Hachiman's arrow loosed toward the Jack-O-Lantern just as the final two were releasing. With a thunk, the arrow sunk deep into it. It was sent reeling in response, but was not dead quite yet. The last fireballs continued to fly at me, unabated by the damage.
I desperately rolled away from the fourth fireball, but in doing so, was not able to dodge the final one. Realizing the impending impact, I threw my hands up in defense, fearful of the pain it would bring. In less than a second, the fireball landed, releasing an explosion of force which flung me onto my back.
A guttural scream released from my throat, echoing throughout the room. I was immediately in agonizing pain, and my breath seemed to be escaping my lungs as I struggled to breathe.
"You gotta get up!" Koda yelled shortly after, her voice leaking concern.
I released a growl as my survival instinct kicked in. I ignored the pain and used my burned forearms to roll back onto my feet, barely cognizant of my surroundings.
"Focus, Hachiman, focus." I muttered to myself, my blurred vision finally sharpening. As such, I saw two more fireballs forming in the air. Adrenaline pumping, I ordered Hachiman to take the final shot at the Jack-O-Lantern and finish it before he could finish them.
"Take him out!"
It was then that the Witch finally made her move. Her wand's glow had, unbeknownst to me, increased in intensity and luster over the course of the fight. My persona's arrow landed true, impacting the Jack-O-Lantern and sending it bouncing off the wall behind it. The witch, however, was only just getting started.
Once the wand's glow reached it's zenith, the Witch flicked her wrist and a wave of a similarly colored light washed over me. I instantly felt as if I we're controlling my body backwards, and my thoughts slowed to a crawl. I began to stumble around and lose my balance, struggling to control my limbs. The Witch waved her arm in a large circular motion, wind picking up around it. A detestable grin painted her face as she eventually pointed her wand at me, confident in her victory.
A horizontal gust of wind projected out from her, and my mind quickly snapped to the only thing I could do. Instead of trying to resist the effects of whatever spell I was under, I simply threw myself to the ground, mostly dodging it's effects. Mostly.
As I fell to the floor, my right arm lagged behind due to my lack of coordination. I saw white as a searing pain erupted from it, causing me to scream in pain once more. In one quick glance I could tell it was moderately deep, and would need medical treatment.
Standing as fast as I could, I realized my endurance and pain tolerance was not going to last much longer. This fight needed to end, and quickly.
"Hachiman! We got any other options?" I asked him as I ignored the blood dripping from my arm. Instead, I kept my eye on the Witch as she caught her breath. Apparently magic isn't as easy as it looks.
"You're asking me?" He said with a hint of amusement. "Assess your own spirit, perhaps you will find your answer there."
I didn't have much time to think, as I saw the Witch recovering, and quickly.
"Assess your spirit." I repeated with intention.
Time seemed to slow as I reached deep inside my psyche. I needed a weapon to use in the metaverse. Something that I harbored within, that was central and absolute, and was strong enough to gain corporeality. Something that defined me, but also defined others around me. My hate? No, not nearly specific enough. My grudge? Perhaps, but there's something more there.
Oh, of course.
What I needed was a Curse.
"Eiha!" I yelled, feeling a sizeable drain of... well, of something I hadn't quite known was there.
Hachiman rose his hand to the sky. As he did, the Witch had a visceral reaction, a look of fear replacing the lazy confidence of before. She made a sharp movement with her wand, but the reaction was far too late.
Hachiman pulled his palm down with force, and in doing so, damned the shadow to it's fate. A spiral of dark and red energy that was not unlike the one's that seemed to compose the shadows, erupted from her feet. She began writhing in pain, the curse burning at her and eroding her form. Within seconds, she was gone entirely.
Finally, I collapsed onto my knees with my arms entirely limp. The adrenaline faded just as quickly as it came, my forearms felt like they were on fire and the cut in my bicep throbbed with pain.
I breathed out, the true weight of my fragility sinking in.
"Shit."
It Was A Test Of Mortality That Sharpened His Caution
