It started over a year ago. A calamity constructed beyond everyone's notice, concealed beneath unnatural night. In that terrible moment, Nyarlathotep's hands reached out from the void of his banishment, and began weaving his return. Akira Kurusu and Susumu Kamiyama were both instruments to his design, powerful and disposable in equal measure. They each fulfilled their purpose in Nyarlathotep's plan. And now, his ultimate goal was within reach. The formless world of Chaos was almost complete.

But all had not gone quite as planned.

His careful scheme truly was compromised from early on. The duality of lights and shadows in Akira and Susumu's lives made them valuable, but it also tilted the scales in their favour, despite Nyarlathotep's design. And the strength of their bonds – which Philemon had long championed – gave them a fighting chance. Had the Crawling Chaos miscalculated? Was even he susceptible to what unforeseen events may bring? Those questions were all meaningless now.

Nyarlathotep found it amusing, nonetheless. The irony glared at him through nine sets of eyes, all fixed on him with unflinching defiance. As if mocking his own nature, it was chaos itself what tarnished his plan. The Phantom Thieves were truly like his very own kin, he thought. Their power stemmed from all the forces that guided a soul to deviate, to differentiate itself. In their rebellion, they proved themselves champions of Chaos. Powerful enough to tilt the scales back into an uneasy balance. An outstanding feat in itself.

Sadly, they would never be able to comprehend whatever praise he bestowed on them. Nyarlathotep edged closer to his true form, crossing past the divide between he and human understanding. There was only one possible means of common expression between them now.

Power, simple and raw. The Phantom Thieves were much stronger than before. And so was he. With the chaos raging within and without this strange world, all would be decided on a war of attrition. In the briefest silence, all eight of the Phantom Thieves spread across a battlefield made of sky, surrounding the gargantuan Dark Lord. And then, as one, they lunged forward, ready to fight, tooth and nail.

Nyarlathotep responded in kind, lashing out in a bloodthirsty glee. Despite the Dark Lord's size, his tentacles swung with uncanny speed, repelling their advance in one swipe. His cry for death echoed throughout the world, as he took the offensive, lunging and clawing in every direction, with frightening precision. Though the Phantom Thieves were able to evade most attacks, Kamiyama shielded them with his own power when the slightest delay would spell a quick demise.

"Oracle, how are we looking?" Joker called at their Navigator while he took refuge behind one of Ozymandias' bulwarks.

"As good as we'll ever be. Full stats, and a little extra fuel in the tank if needed!" Oracle's Persona travelled a wide radius around their foe, further away from the general reach of his tentacles. "Still can't get a read on this guy. He looks stronger, but eight Thieves can probably handle it easier than just Queen and you."

"Good. Keep us looking dapper! We'll need to close in quick and punish every move!" Joker exclaimed as he sprinted out from behind cover and around Nyarlathotep, seeking an opening.

"Don't be afraid to drop a few bombs while you're at it!" Skull ran in the opposite direction, ready to attack on the first chance he got.

"I can drop a few F-bombs. Mum will get mad at me, though." The Navigator flew up higher, positioning herself right on top of the Crawling Chaos. "Sorry in advance, I guess… FUCK YOU, DUDE!" At the command of Oracle's profanity, countless shining orbs began raining down on Nyarlathotep, exploding on contact. Though they hardly scratched a dent on the enemy's skin, it made for an effective distraction.

"He's off-guard now!" Joker shouted as he ran. "Everyone else, charge!"

"I have been waiting for this!" Fox leapt from behind a boulder, then zig-zagged through Nyarlathotep's careless flailing. Oracle's distraction would last only seconds, but it was enough for him to summon Kamu Susano-O, and release a blizzard upon their adversary. Although the main body went unperturbed, the tentacles' roots squirmed in pain.

"Well done, Fox!" Queen praised. "Mona, hop aboard!"

The feline thief hopped on the back of Johanna as soon as she materialised.

"What do you need me to do?" Mona spoke, as he gauged the perimeter closest to Nyarlathotep's luminous body.

"Be a bit of a Wild Card yourself. Support, offence, whatever's needed." As she rode on, the team's lieutenant looked further away, as Joker and Skull ran in from the other side. "You won't be fighting alone for long. Are you up for it?"

"Aye, aye!" Mona cried out as he leapt from Johanna's back, into the front lines. No sooner he landed, the team's leader reached him, with Skull and Seiten Taisei bashing against the flailing mass of chaos. It was a crude, but effective way of breaching enemy lines. Meanwhile, Queen sped away to bring Panther and Noir straight into the heat of battle.

"Attacking the shiny part isn't doing anything." Oracle transmitted. "Seems you guys will need to wear him down, bit by bit."

"Can do." Noir hissed as Astarte broke out her artillery, towed by Hecate and Johanna. The trio had a harder time penetrating past Nyarlathotep's tentacles, as their enemy went into a sudden frenzy. Instead, as the team's more effective ranged attackers, they rained fire and brimstone on the outer body.

These efforts were slowly paying off, as each second slashed away at Nyarlathotep's composure. Despite the harrowing moments leading up to the encounter, the Phantom Thieves were proving more than a match. Before long, Panther spotted something in the distance, which even Oracle could not see past the smoke of her bombs.

"Guys, he's glowing!" She warned. "He must be up to something."

"God damn it!" Skull's voice crackled into the communication channel. "The tentacles are doing something weird."

"Oh no…" Oracle said, briefly ceasing her distraction to observe Nyarlathotep's behaviour. "Joker, you need to get the boys outta there. He's building up for something, and you'll never dodge it from close quarters!"

"I see it." Joker spoke. His tone was cautious, but a familiar tone of confidence showed through.

"What are you planning, Joker?" Queen asked.

"We're taking him on airborne." Joker grinned. "Skull, Mona, Fox. Stay close to me. Everyone else, keep your distance."

"Joker!?" She yelled out, as the amorphous figure of the enemy began to swell.

Susumu Kamiyama could see little of the battle itself. All he could do was stay back and provide defence from Nyarlathotep's lash. But now, even he was pulled into the gravity of the situation. He beheld in terror as the light surrounding Nyarlathotep was about to manifest into an all-consuming magic onslaught. The sheer potential force acquired a voice of its own, like a terrifying shriek about to burst his eardrums. And for a moment, it seemed like the battle was about to end in disaster.

But then, just as the Crawling Chaos unleashed his attack on the non-ground beneath him, a diabolical ebon figure soared high, narrowly escaping the explosion. Atop its head stood Joker, with his friends at his sides. Despite Seth's imposing appearance, its summoner appeared mightier even – a startling contrast from the shell Nyarlathotep meant him to be.

"Show-off…"Queen shook her head, relieved that her friends had made it to safety. Privately, she admitted that she sorely missed this side of her significant other. Same as one year back, it was such a sight what reassured her. Victory will not come easy-fought, but it would always be undeniably theirs as long as they all fought as one.

"You don't see that every day." Panther remarked at the sight of the black dragon, and the furious bursts of thunder, ice and wind from the Phantom Thieves riding atop its wings. It looked somehow sprung right out of a movie or a fantasy novel.

"Panther, Noir." Queen spoke with a dry, humourless voice. "He said airborne, correct?"

"Y-yeah." Panther gazed unsure, with the memory of their close shave with death still fresh in her mind.

"You may want to hold on to me." The lieutenant, extended her hands at each side. "I promise you. You will not fall."

"I know." Noir held her hand without the slightest hesitation.

"I'm really starting to hate flying, you know…" Panther followed suit, mentally preparing herself for what was to come.

Whether it was by desperate necessity, or Philemon's will, Makoto Niijima was made a Wild Card herself. From early on, it was a power both formidable and overwhelming, at times painful even. Unlike her other half, she had little time to learn at her own pace, and much lay still beyond her knowledge. Regardless, she was confident in her own intent - not only by her own strength, but that of her friends.

The image and memories of the people she loved were within. Like waves polishing a jagged stone smooth, those bonds granted shape to a Persona – formed and nurtured in the Velvet Room. The raven-winged Goddess of Death emerged from the aether, readying herself to take flight. And to wage war unending.

"Morrigan. Take us up high!" Queen called out.

The armour-clad Persona carried Queen with one arm; the weight of her comrades seemed to make little burden. In the other arm, a lean, black sword pointed upwards, towards Seth. The trajectory was sure. And before anyone could even blink, Morrigan took off into the skies, leaping already half of the distance in one impulse. The trio was physically stunned by such violent propulsion.

The enemy caught sight of their attempt to join the others. One of his tentacles slithered across the air, aiming directly for Morrigan, with enough strength to swat them out of the sky. At such speed, Queen could never hope to evade the attack. Then, without even thinking it, Panther managed to summon Hecate for a second. The burst of energy engulfed Morrigan in raging, searing flames - only one instant before collision with Nyarlathotep's limb. And in one breath, the flaming sword skewered right through the great tentacle, tearing it apart. A strange scream-like sound echoed across the entirety of this world.

The trio succeeded in their ascent, and came out the other side unblemished. But the moment stuck with them in a cold, visceral manner. For the briefest time, they managed to see the inside of Nyarlathotep. It was no flesh and bone, like some giant, abyssal creature. But it was not like the oily darkness within a Shadow, either. If anything, it was like odourless, black smoke. Somewhere in the centre of it all, they were able to see Nyarlathotep's shining presence. But something else too, another human-like figure floating inside the smoke.

Only the cheers from Joker and the rest shook Queen and companions from their stupor.

"That was badass!" Skull shouted as the team reunited aboard Seth's back.

"Bath. I need… a bath." Noir spoke, still shocked from the raw experience of penetrating through the enemy's constitution. She was quite used to carnage, but this was something far off her comfort zone.

"That looked very disturbing." Fox added. "Formidable, but very disturbing, yes."

"Nevermind that. It looks like our efforts are paying off!" Mona hopped. "He's looking weaker and weaker by the moment."

"Joker." Queen walked towards the Leader. "I'm not sure if what we saw is accurate, but…"

A booming, screech drowned out the Lieutenant's voice. By all suitable references, it sounded like the cry of a dying beast. The Phantom Thieves looked down, and what they saw left them momentarily at a loss. Nyarlathotep squirmed violently, with convulsing peaks and valleys all over his monstrous surface. By now, the team has learned to keep their guard up at all times, but the enemy looked genuinely weakened after Morrigan's bloody flight.

"Attention everyone." Oracle called out to her comrades. "The enemy is vulnerable. I repeat… the enemy is vulnerable."

"Does that imply what I believe it does?" Noir brightened up.

"It's been a long-ass time since we've gotten one in." Skull grinned wide.

"I don't think we've busted out a single one since this little comeback." Panther lay a playful elbow on her boyfriend's shoulder.

"It really would be a lowly crime on our part if we didn't pull at least one." Mona's paws quivered in anticipation.

"It's been due for a while, I suppose." Queen indulged in the collective mood, despite her lingering misgivings. The strange figure within Nyarlathotep still floated in the shore of her thoughts. However, she knew that everything they had worked for ultimately amounted to this one chance. Now or never.

"What will it be, Joker?" Fox stood confidently, with a warm smile peeking from under his mask.

"Ravage him."

With this, Joker gave the order for their strongest offence. An All-Out Attack to end them all. Like a bird of prey, Seth flew circles around Nyarlathotep, spelling certain doom for the Lord of Chaos. And then, bearing the might of all elements in the magic repertoire, the Phantom Thieves delivered their fury in a devastating funnel upon the adversary.

Nyarlathotep screamed. Despite his erratic movements, he was unable to mount a counterattack. The only thing that still kept him in the fray was resilience. But even this could not last indefinitely. And the Phantom Thieves' assault would not cease, even for a moment.

However, while Oracle aided her friends, she noticed something peculiar on one of her screens. The clock, to be precise. By now, it was late night outside in their world. The Masquerade was over by at least two hours, thus their boost should have run out. And yet, the Phantom Thieves fought on, like the event were still ongoing.

"Don't look a horse in the gift…" Oracle tried muttering a proverb that always seemed to escape her. "Something about a mouth? Agh, screw it. Just mess him up for good, guys." Still, she wondered.

Did something happen out there?

[ ]

Ilya-kun lay on his mattress, arms and legs spread wide open in a strange ecstasy of liberation. A bullseye pattern was painted on his ceiling, in black and red; he liked to think it had some sort of hypnotic effect, if he stared long enough. But today, even with his eyes closed, he knew himself completely entranced. On all four corners of his room, the speakers flooded the air with music. He doubted he would ever get tired of listening to the final hour of the event.

He last checked the online traffic an hour ago. Now past several millions, he deemed his mission fulfilled.

In this moment, Ilya Dmitryevich Begishev - unofficial code name, Bellman – felt himself at freedom to simply revel in the carnivalesque tide he helped loose into the world.

The Masquerade was now over, but only in Tokyo. Across all continents, the recorded event was being played over and over - the moment relived at anybody's leisure. The Phantom Thieves and the inexplicable phenomenon of their work became known worldwide. But somehow they still remained a mystery to all onlookers. Unlike most other sensational figures, they resisted becoming a commodity – an asset for sale and consumption. Instead, they faded from the public eye, as suddenly as they had emerged.

Yet they remained, in some peculiar way. Like a whisper in the back of your head, like some arcane knowledge ever at your reach. With or without powers beyond human comprehension, the Phantom Thieves embodied the spirit of rebellion. In an age where the pursuit of gain towers above all else, they were a necessary human overture. It was now up to the masses to segue into the next act. The Masquerade reminded them to carry on. There was yet much to do.

The Phantom Thieves never made a single appearance throughout the event. But they hardly needed to. Today, and for as long as it is necessary in a world of greed and violence, everybody was part of the Phantom Thieves.

[ ]

The all-out attack continued. Nyarlathotep remained an amorphous creature of impossible dimensions. But with every passing second, this gargantuan creature seemed ever weaker. The light that emanated from his core was clouded by the monster's flesh sublimating. By all appearances, the sire of grand catastrophe hung on the verge of defeat. However, within his being lay one more card. A thing neither alive nor dead, that may yet turn the tide.

Susumu Kamiyama witnessed Nyarlathotep's slow destruction at ground level. The sight was every bit as glorious as it was grotesque, and he would not turn away even once. For he desperately wished to believe his eyes, he would ignore the rising dread in his heart. Something was amiss, or rather something else lay beneath the profane murk. Then it came into view, floating up from Nyarlathotep's shrivelling mass. A black, cadaverous thing in the size of a young man. Kamiyama found it horrifyingly familiar.

Suddenly there was a sign of life. A twitch of the finger, spelling terror. Kamiyama meant to sound the alarm. But by that fleeting moment, it was too late to warn the Phantom Thieves.

The figure stood up straight with the sickening sound of its spine uncoiling. At the very end of that motion, its hand stretched out to the sky, fingers spread. There was a scream; it sounded both animal, human and some unknown else. With a violent spasm, a long spear-like lightning shot up from his hand, shining on Nyarlathotep's spurious world. It barely missed Seth and the Phantom Thieves.

He has returned.

The Joker. Nyarlathotep's knight. He stood like a corpse granted life too late into state of decay. His coat was tattered and his white mask appeared to be grafted into marble-like skin. Multiple black spots of contamination pocked his body. He looked like a being whose very life was an affront against creation. And yet, there was still some of Akira Kurusu in his appearance – a lingering, undying phantom of the pain that birthed him.

Strangely, the Joker did not resume his attack. His eyes were fixed on his reflection, but he no longer glared in hatred. The unnatural life he was given no longer pushed in the same murderous direction. Like Akira and Susumu, he too had strayed from Nyarlathotep's design, due to Makoto Niijima's journey into the dark. His mind and soul, artificial as they were, did outpace his make. And now, his own drive was not to destroy, but to understand. He could barely compose the thought in his own head, but this was his first instinctive step into defining his own self.

"That's...!" Skull uttered in disbelief.

"… looking like bad news, I agree." Panther finished her partner's thought.

"We should continue." Mona said. "While we got Nyarlathotep against the ropes."

"Wait." Joker raised his hand in halting gesture. At this point, he no longer needed a connection to Nyarlathotep to guess at his Double's intent.

"Oracle, do you get a reading?" Queen asked.

"Not really. I can only sense Nyarlathotep and he's almost done."

"This is odd. An enemy would have an ace of their sleeve when vulnerable. But he doesn't seem interested in harming us… aside from that lightning, that is." Noir observed.

"It cannot possibly be this simple." Fox punctuated.

Joker commanded his Persona to fly closer to the ground. The doppelgänger, in turn, followed them with his eyes at every motion, arms hanging at his sides. Closer now, the Phantom Thieves sensed no aggression in his ominous presence. But one cold fact remained: Nyarlathotep was still there – a faceless man-like figure encased in a shining orb. The bulk of his physical body had been ground and burnt into a thick, black marsh. Debilitated, but not defeated yet.

His intentions became immediately apparent when the light around the Crawling Chaos shone brighter. At this silent command, the dark blotches on the doppelgänger began expanding. From the skies, Joker and his comrades witnessed the spreading corruption in the Joker's body. The process looked unbearably painful, but no sound emerged from his lips. The Joker shook and contorted, but every convulsion preceded a more fluid, deliberate motion.

When it ended, the Phantom Thieves were able to distinguish a familiar, terrifying look in his eyes. It was clear as day: whatever inkling of autonomy lay inside the Joker was suppressed, or killed. The rampage began with a dark silhouette appearing behind him, a featureless Arsene. The false Persona growled a wordless curse and slashed into the air, unleashing furious, black rivers in every direction.

Kamiyama commanded Ozymandias to create more barriers to shield the Phantom Thieves, but every wall crumbled down against this adversary. Soon, the rush spread throughout the battlefield like a flood, and the Phantom Thieves were on the move. Though their spirits remained strong, they all knew even the original Arsene could never brandish such might. With this realisation, it was obvious they could not afford to take any chances.

"Spread out!" Joker shouted, dodging the curse's reach. "Don't engage him yet!"

"Roger that!" Queen confirmed. Both she and Oracle took to control positioning. With the help of Johanna and Prometheus, they each ensured the team would be out of the Double's reach. All the while, they kept an eye on Nyarlathotep, as he gathered himself, reassembling every chunk and of himself, back in the black whole.

At the end of 'Arsene's attack, the silhouette behind the Joker changed into another familiar shape. The condemned shadow of Captain Kidd. As soon as Skull recognised the shift, he prepared to snatch the advantage by running in and taking the attack himself. But this lighting rod tactic failed before he could even close the gap. The thunder shot behind the double's back, homing in towards Mona.

The feline yowled as the thunder caught the very tip of his tail. Though it was not a direct hit, it sent a fearful jolt down his pulse. Had Captain Kidd's connected directly, Mona might not have survived it.

Panther recognised the next change as a mockery of her first Persona, Carmen. The fallen lady conjured a torrent of black flame and smoke. The red-clad thief followed its trajectory towards Fox and managed to crudely shoulder him out of the way, taking the brunt of the inferno herself. And though Panther herself could withstand fire, this flame was an entirely different menace.

"He's targeting our weaknesses, isn't he?" Panther felt the burn lingering painfully on her skin.

"Makes sense." Oracle spoke. "He's based off our Joker's memories and knowledge."

"Wait." Skull grunted in exasperation. "Weren't those memories a load of bull, anyway!?"

"The memory of our fates was." Queen hissed, observing everybody's movements. After Mona and Panther's reactions, she calculated that any poorly-thought engagements could lead to disaster. "But his knowledge of Joker's bond with us is the same. He knows us."

"Maybe this goes the other way around as well!" Noir dodged a small explosion, courtesy of the tarnished Johanna. "If he can wield our strengths, he could have our weaknesses too. Like any other Persona!"

The Phantom Thieves attempted to predict the next attack, but the Joker followed no discerible pattern. The shape of each dark incarnation came at a whim, leaving the group with no choice but to gamble. Any of the eight would run in for a chance to steal an opportunity when it looked affordable. The enemy shrugged it off every time, violently lashing out in response. And on the rare times they could test their theory, they came out empty-handed. Nyarlathotep's knight simply possessed no weaknesses to exploit.

As the adversary continued his onslaught, the Phantom Thieves realised how different the Double was. Not only from their Joker, but Nyarlathotep as well. From the moment they set foot in this world for their final mission, they thought of the Crawling Chaos as their strongest enemy. But his agent was even more powerful. In fact, simply trying to stay afloat was starting to tax heavily on them. And if they continued to attack from the distance, their energy would be depleted within minutes.

Even when bolstered by the Masquerade, the Phantom Thieves were barely a challenge to the Joker. Nobody dared even think of it, but the end was drawing near. Not with a bang, or a whimper, but a primal scream of hatred and pain. Nyarlathotep would get his victory, wielding the eternal shadow in man's soul.

But with this outcome slowly eclipsing them, the leader of the Phantom Thieves came to a realisation.

"I see…" Joker muttered, stopping dead in his tracks as his twisted reflection raged on. "It really all came out like he planned it."

"What are you doing!?" Mona yelled out.

"He was rather upfront about it too." The team's leader chuckled, as his initial fears about the Joker's power proved justified. "From the start, this was who he was betting on.

Joker locked eyes with his Double.

"All kinds of things were wrong in his plan. And yet it shaped out how he intended." He walked in even closer, despite his own sense of self-preservation screaming in his ear. "He got what he wanted. A token to slap Philemon in the face. The corruption of the Wild Card."

"Joker?" Queen stood bewildered, as he seemed to successfully claim his double's full attention.

"And in the end…" Joker's finger twitched. The team's lieutenant recognise this little spasm of his – something that occurred at the prelude of every ambush. "Nyarlathotep will still lose."

He lunged at the Double, summoning another Persona as soon as he broke into a run. To his command rose Shiva the Destroyer, landing a smiteful blow on the doppelgänger. This was enough to stagger him for a moment, but Joker was ready to follow up with Thor's hammer. The succession of powerful strikes followed, each one by another, mighty hand.

The rest of the Phantom Thieves gazed on puzzled, as their comrade engaged the enemy. At every turn, he looked slightly more like Nyarlathotep's Joker, attacking and changing his Personas with no apparent rationale. He fought on instinct, barely caring to evade a counterattack, often enduring it at no small cost to himself.

"I know you're in there!" Akira yelled as he fought, even using his own fists against his Double. "This anger doesn't belong to Nyarlathotep. It belongs to you! The pain that he used to make you, to manipulate you. It's always been yours!"

Every impact pried out a memory in the two Jokers. The direct confrontation with the soul from which he was made urged the Doppelgänger into reviving his friends' false demise. The ache was well beyond his ability to verbalise the thought. It was a force of its own, independent from his maker's intentions. As for Akira, the corrupted visage of his Double seemed less like a copy of himself, and more like his own being. In the young man's eyes, the resemblance blurred and reshaped itself. And Akira saw him clearly, as one more soul entrapped into a cruel fate from the beginning.

The feeling was too familiar to ignore.

There was no saving him back then, and there is no saving the Joker now.

Still, Akira Kurusu would not stop. And neither would his friends. The rest of the Phantom Thieves seized the opportunity given by their Leader.

Queen spearheaded the charge. Skull, Panther, Mona, Fox and Noir were at each side, with Oracle behind to provide support. Kamiyama also approached, joining in the Phantom Thieves' swan song.

"Real talk, everyone." Oracle announced, flying through the air in direct course with the duelling Jokers. "We're running pretty low and we got no more lunch to spare. There's only so much left for one final go, and it's gotta be for broke!"

"We'll make it count!" Queen yelled.

The cavalry joined the fray almost on the exact moment the Double made Joker stagger. They took advantage of this minuscule window and refused to let up. With so much on the balance, playing fair was out of the question. Whether by blade or magic, all eight resolved to defeat Nyarlathotep's ace, once and for all. But though he was heavily outnumbered, the Joker still proved dangerous. Every second could potentially decide the fate of the world and all of humanity.

"This guy just won't go down!" Skull roared, resisting a quick frigid burst from the shadow of Goemon.

"He's not fighting back as hard either." The swing of Mona's scimitar blended in with Mercurius' gale. "We have this in the bag…!"

"As long as we keep fighting… and never stop!" Noir's axe barely left a scratch on the Joker's frame, though the adversary certainly felt the blow.

Then, for the briefest moment, it seemed as if the Phantom Thieves successfully overwhelmed the doppelgänger. It was a sudden break in the tempestuous flow of things. But such a moment could easily be misread. The ground shook and the Joker was fallen. But too late they realised they were down as well.

"You have got to be kidding me." Queen said, her voice barely above a murmur.

The black swamp had gathered back into a monstrous body. The Crawling Chaos was again on his feet, having gathered himself while his knight went to battle. The beast let out a cacophonous cry and began lashing away even more aggressively than before. The Phantom Thieves were being pushed back on the defensive. However, to everyone's surprise, the Double was not as quick to recover. Even in his innately weathered state, the signs of exhaustion were evident, and his anger waning. Still, there was fight in his eyes, even if he no longer even knew what his purpose was.

"Persistent." Fox spoke with bitter contempt for the Dark Lord.

"Don't lose heart now. This isn't over." Panther retorted.

"He's getting desperate." Joker smiled. "That's a good sign."

"Not trying to crap on anyone's parade." Oracle said. "But how is this, in any way, a good sign?"

"We managed to successfully overwhelm him." Queen looked in the Double's direction. "Even if just for a little while."

"Yeah, that asshole would let him finish us, now that he himself can't gloat as good." Skull chuckled. "Things mustn't be going so sweet for squiddy."

"Easy enough. We just need to keep it going." Mona bounced.

"We can't let him distract us, however." Noir gazed murder at Nyarlathotep.

"No problemo." Skull pointed his club in the monster's direction. "We'll just have to keep him distracted, while our aces finish the job."

"You mean mum and dad?" Oracle arched an eyebrow. "Oh, you mean Wild Cards, duh."

"That's as good a plan as we'll ever get… and it came out of Skull's skull." Mona shook his head. "That'll haunt me, but let's do it."

"Why, you…" His bicker-companion began.

"Drop it. Time's a-wasting." Panther made for Nyarlathotep. Fox and Noir joined her, bound for the Crawling Chaos' more feral manifestation. Skull and Mona hurried after the red-clad Thief following another quick, silent exchange.

"Sounds good! I'll try to encompass the whole area to keep the buffs going for both teams." Oracle flew up into the sky, ready to perform her greatest multitasking feat yet.

"You got this, you two. No doubt in my mind." Mona raised his paw at Joker and Queen in comradely fashion.

And so, the two Wild Cards turned to face Nyarlathotep's knight, one final time. In his tarnished eyes, they recognised an old kind of desperation – of a foe resigned himself to complete destruction. Motives long stopped mattering – the only option was following the momentum to its bitter end. Without a word to be said, Joker and Queen rushed towards the Doppelgänger. The resulting clash shone throughout the heavens in Nyarlathotep's world.

[ ]

The crowds faded past hues of red and into darkness. A girl in blue travelled amidst the many souls, barely brushing one as she passed. There was neither up nor down, but only a number of lights spread throughout this region of infinity; some were nearby, others far. Still, she travelled towards them all. Lavenza's mind had left her body, leaving a frightened Yasunori Kujo seeking help. Before long, he came upon a nurse-in-training, who gave him a strange look when Yasunori mentioned seeing a shining, blue butterfly exiting the girl's body just before she fainted.

A butterfly seen also by Sojiro Sakura and Sae Niijima, and several others. Neither of them could quite explain the feeling that came over them when they saw it. It was like a sudden, violent feeling of urgency and forebodingness. Like a perfect storm on the verge of breaking loose. The majority of these souls suspected this had to do with the Phantom Thieves and their mission in a strange, hostile world. A handful of others were unaware, but they felt the same burst of emotion, nonetheless. A great, unexpected deal of concern for their dear friend Makoto Niijima.

Lavenza continued her journey, barely able to understand the silent command that sent her this down this immaterial road. It was a gentle voice that called from somewhere far away. And unbeknownst to Lavenza, a command also heard and frantically heeded by her siblings.

[ ]

Elements and colours shifted in chaotic succession. A multiplicity of effigies flickered in and out of reality as Joker and Queen summoned Gods and Monsters to battle. Like Akira, Makoto also found herself drawn into this wild, pugnacious dance - no longer thinking, only feeling. Fire and ice. Wind and thunder. Light and dark. Physical prowess and almighty, ethereal magic. The fight between Joker, Queen, and the ailing Double had gone past the logic of strength and weakness.

On the corner of the eye, the rest of the Phantom Thieves continued to wage war on Nyarlathotep himself. Through hailstorm, hurricane, telekinesis, inferno and thunderfall, the enemy was worn down little by little. But the same could not be said for his knight. The Joker certainly proved Nyarlathotep's greatest artifice, even beyond his vilest machinations.

The Double's power forced Joker and Queen to a point where impact and pain no longer mattered. None of the team's leaders would flinch or fall. And if one would shield the other, it was only due to pure instinct, rather than strategy. Nyarlathotep's influence was completely purged through battle, but the Joker just would not stand down.

As the fight continued, the pair came to a realisation. Even if the Double was now free from his Maker, the damage in his soul was too deep to be mended. Every blow or summoning by the opponent was merely an extension of a terrible reality that never happened - a world of horror without hope or reprieve. The Joker simply could not do anything but harm and destroy. Not even Makoto could liberate him anymore. And so, there was only one compassionate thing to be done for him - for a being gestated purely in despair.

His defences were weaker now. One definitive blow would give the Joker the most humane end possible – the closest thing to the solace he deserved. It was all just a matter of choosing the right moment.

"Stay down!" Queen lunged at the Double, enduring flame's searing touch in the process. She managed to land a blow on his side, strong enough to send him flying against his counterpart.

"Queen, we must end this now." Joker yelled, clinging tightly to his Doppelgänger. "Strike together. You and I." As he spoke, the Double unleashed several false Personas to strike and slash. At this point, it was late enough to start feeling pain again. Still, Joker refused to let go. Meanwhile, a reluctant Makoto summoned Johanna. She needed to gain sufficient speed for the coup de grace. They could afford no more than that.

In such proximity, Akira saw his broken reflection closer than ever before. At surface level, it was no different than looking into the eyes of a rabid animal. But one layer past the apparent, he confronted a painful fact. He could indeed have become like his Double, a broken shell given in to tragedy. Nyarlathotep's core machinations only relied on taking another's falsehood, and letting it unfold as a truth. The love and hurt in the Joker's soul, despite being an artifice in itself, were genuine. The only essential difference between the two is that Akira was saved by love that can never be corrupted.

"You didn't deserve any of this. I'm sorry." Joker gritted his teeth through the punishment. He continued to hold him in place, waiting for Queen to bring this chapter to a close. Within seconds, the rider appeared into view behind the Double. She was far enough to make that finishing blow. The lieutenant revved her Persona's engine once more to confirm her approach.

"CHARGE, JOHANNA!" Queen cried out.

"ARSENE!" Joker summoned his first Persona: the gentleman thief, the closest one to his soul.

The two came together with a harrowing clash of silver and black. Everything that had been decided upon first coming into this world came to an end thus. It seemed, for an instant, as if the Double had resigned himself to his fate.

The moment itself played out as if in slow motion. Joker felt and heard the sudden hollowing within his reflection's chest, as Arsene and Johanna collided against him, simultaneously. Neither could identify the rapid thump of his corrupted heart while it was there, but its sudden lack left them frozen for a moment. The Joker, Nyarlathotep's knight was defeated at last. But this barely felt like a triumph. In fact, to both Akira and Makoto, this truly felt like a loss. Regardless of the stakes, the raw nature of this deed was certain. Necessary. Imperative. Tragic, all the same.

Joker and Queen eased him down against a ground made of sky. His eyes were open, and his lips moving still, quivering in dying spasms. Beneath the mask, beneath the marble skin and tattered coat, a fleeting tone of innocence graced his features. One by one, the souls he touched from doing Nyarlathotep's bidding faded from his thoughts. The false memories of his past, and his mission under the Dark Lord - all feel away like a whisper into the void. Now all he could see were Akira and Makoto, accompanying him in his final moment.

A sound escaped his lips. Not a word, but a slow, deliberate exhalation. Whether something lay unmade beneath that final breath, they would never know.

[ ]

The Crawling Chaos felt it. Even more so than the fury of elements slowly grinding him into nothing. His knight was no more. The mayhem and despair engrained in its make was now completely silent. With no emissary to claim the souls of all into his world, his grand plan can lead nowhere.

No…

His vengeance upon Philemon has been thwarted.

No.

Through the very means he had left as human kind's inheritance. The power of the Wild Card, which narrowly slipped through his fingers, has costed him dearly.

NOOOOOOOO!

Alas, though Nyarlathotep's plan has failed, one thing was still certain. The Crawling Chaos has been liberated from his banishment, free to regain his authority and his power through any other means at his disposal. He would yet claim human kind. But for now, this husk of a world is entirely pointless in itself.

And yet, there was one more use he might get from it. The body of his lifeless knight still contained a magnificent deal of power, but it would not last. The Crawling Chaos resolved to spend it wisely. One final, vengeful will.

Phantom Thieves…

[ ]

The battle against the Joker has ended, and the Dark Lord would soon follow his servant's way.

But all enthusiasm died in a sudden shriek. The orb at the centre of Nyarlathotep shone with blinding light, prefacing misfortune. The Phantom Thieves braced themselves, as the Crawling Chaos stirred violently one last time, reshaping his own bulk into countless tendrils that blotted out the sky. But rather than attacking his enemies, these tendrils flew into the sky in a frenzy. In matter of seconds, Nyarlathotep was funnelling himself into the still figure of the Joker.

Both the Phantom Thieves and Susumu Kamiyama beheld in horror as the Crawling Chaos claimed his knight's body, filling and consuming him in grotesque, unspeakable manner. By now, they were quite used to seeing their adversary take on multiple forms. But this exceeded the sheer uncanniness of it all. This was far from the hidden, incomprehensible nature of his means. Plain and simple, this was a creature cannibalising one of his own. In the process gaining an even more imposing size than before, and a voice.

"Phantom Thieves of Hearts..." In merging with the baser make of the Joker, Nyarlathotep regressed into a more comprehensible form. The black mass spoke, with a voice they identified as Akira's. However, unlike their leader and friend, this sound was completely devoid of warmth and humour. It sounded poisonous and cruel – a mockery of Akira Kurusu's identity, stewed in the spite of years beyond count. "… You have forced my hand… been a thorn on my side, and for this… you shall be punished."

The Old One continued to grow in size, almost exponentially. Nothing remained of the Joker's body anymore. All was digested by the mass, which appeared to become less and less material. He then rose, like an endless, sentient cloud, expanding further and further until he himself was the sky.

The world of eternal entropy now lay in darkness. No alien constellations, or foreign sun shone on the Phantom Thieves. The only remaining light existed in Nyarlathotep's centre: an almost human, expressionless face expanding from the Joker's mask. It shimmered upon the Phantom Thieves like a hateful, glaring eye.

"I am Chaos…" The sky spoke. "I am humanity."

"You're a god damned pain in our ass!" Skull shouted in retort.

"Oracle. You got anything for me?" Joker requested, already knowing the answer.

"Nada." The unsure navigator drew a complete blank on her screens. "We might have some fuel left in the tank, though."

"I'm not sure it will accomplish much." Queen chimed in. "We should prioritise our escape. He no longer has the means to touch our world. That's what matters."

"Can you see a way out?" Mona asked, alarmed.

"There is none." Kamiyama joined the group. His features looked even more strained and tense. Through Ozymandias – an aspect of Nyarlathotep – the old man gained insight on Nyarlathotep's intentions. It was a terrible knowledge to harbour, and even more so to communicate. But he had no choice. "He no longer needs this world for his own existence, so he will destroy it. With all of us inside."

"So, again." Fox spoke dejected. "It's do or die."

"That's no decision at all." Panther said.

"True. We were prepared to give it our all, from the start." Noir stood tall and ready.

"So we shall." Queen declared, long having made her peace.

However, as they tried summoning their Personas, the Phantom Thieves found themselves completely debilitated. The very air surrounding them was quickly draining them of all remaining power, until even standing up was an ordeal. One by one, they fell to the ground, forced to gaze upon Nyarlathotep's works and despair.

But Joker resisted, knees shaking, stooped against Nyarlathotep's venomous intent. As if challenging gravity itself, he refused to concede a single inch further. The enemy had a hidden ace, a Wild Card in every sense of the word – and so did Akira. After all they had endured – since that infamous evening at Arancia, and the seemingly unending battle against the Crawling Chaos - Akira Kurusu would not let the adversary have the final word.

"S…." His vision grew blurry. "S…"

"Akira!?" Makoto yelled out in desperation.

"S…!" Within his body, he felt an azure inferno menacing to burn out of control. He could not let that happen. He must not let it happen. Akira needed to pry this incarnation out from the darkest depths of his soul, despite all circumstances. He had to take the reins, and pour all of himself into one final summoning.

The young man was instinctively aware of his friends' voices around him. Ryuji, Ann, Morgana, Yusuke, Futaba, Haru. And Makoto. They all witnessed him, pushing, fighting, even if it would kill him. And in the end, their love was the very thing that urged the Demon Lord out of Hell.

"SATANAEL!"

The royal behemoth in black rose anew, in all of his rebellious splendour. Like the one who fell Yaldabaoth over a year ago, he towered above them all. But in relation to Nyarlathotep, he was still a single, small entity against an entire world of evil. He was not fighting a God, but the unleashed manifestation of the shadows in all of human hearts. The odds did not deter him.

Satanael flew into Nyarlathotep's distant heart. The sheer toxicity of the adversary's being was a heavy and painful burden. Still he soared fearlessly ahead. The Demon Lord raised his arm, and aimed. Well beyond the Phantom Thieves' need to survive, Nyarlathotep had to be banished again, lest he return to prey on human kind once again. Satanael could not afford to miss.

The light of the Sinful Shell cut through the darkness, finding Nyarlathotep's heart without fail. The Crawling Chaos quaked but he did not fall, let alone crumble and desintegreate like the God of Control had upon defeat. Satanael fired again, to similar effect. A third time, and Nyarlathotep cried out in anger. The Dark Lord was feeling every impact from Satanael's bullets, but none could fell the Old One.

Makoto Niijima saw her other half, enduring the pain, commanding one bullet after another. She knew he would sooner succumb than let hopelessness claim him. And it indeed was coming to that, as Nyarlathotep's core shone brighter, like an explosion building within. The end of days was coming.

Together or not at all…

The mission was not Akira's alone to handle.

This… is how we do it, you know.

She got back up, slow and arduously, after being forced into submission by Nyarlathotep's presence.

I don't know how, or why. But I'm a Wild Card too. I have a responsibility.

Keeping her centre of gravity was an ordeal in itself. The slightest hesitation could unmake her efforts.

I got you back, and I'm not losing you like this.

Her head began to ache, and her senses felt distant.

I'm not failing our comrades.

Makoto Niijima was almost completely out of her self.

For you, for everyone we've ever known, and everyone who's yet to come.

The summoning went unnoticed. The team's lieutenant sat astride Johanna. Her grip on the bars was steady.

We will emerge victorious.

Blue lights began to appear in Makoto's eyes, blurry, seemingly shapeless at first. But one by one, the shimmering butterflies filled her vision, wings fluttering slow and carefree. As if obeying a plea from her subconscious, all twenty one gathered in the centre of her vision. As Johanna's engine roared ever louder, a new shape formed at a deep, unseen place within her.

Then she heard the voice. Gentle, age and sexless, singular and plural. Eternal and mortal.

The Arcana is the means by which all is revealed.

The Fool… Akira Kurusu

The Magician… Futaba Sakura

The High Priestess… Haru Okumura

The Empress… Sae Niijima

The Emperor… Yusuke Kitagawa

No man is an island. No soul thrives beyond the reach of another.

The Hierophant… Sojiro Sakura

The Lovers… Eiko Takao

The Chariot… Ryuji Sakamoto

The Justice… The Memory of Akihiko Niijima

The Hermit… Tae Takemi

The Wheel of Fortune… Yasunori Kujo

The Strength… Yuuki Mishima

The Hanged Man… Kyosuke Satake

Within and without time, profound bonds will make reality out of the impossible.

The Death… Edward

The Temperance… Ann Takamaki

The Devil… Dr. Isao Shinoda

The Tower… The Memory of Goro Akechi

Strangeness leads to understanding. Disaster leads to renewal. Amidst uncertainty, resolution leads the way.

The Star… Morgana

The Moon… Izumi Sasahara

The Sun… Hifumi Togo

The Judgement…. Lavenza

Makoto Niijima… the contract has been fulfilled. The bonds you have forged throughout the years will never die. Protect, embrace and cherish. Stand tall, though the world would crush you underfoot.

Ride forth.

The voice shifted, became defined and familiar. To her senses, it sounded just like Johanna and Anat. But she knew it did not belong to either of those masks. This was neither the Mysterious She-Pope, nor the Fearsome War Goddess. The new mask burning bright blue on her face was something far beyond – she was both kin and foil to the core aspects in Makoto Niijima's soul. Both light and dark. Hallowed and profane.

The young woman gritted her teeth in fierce defiance to the Old One who would force his twisted intent on all. Makoto was long weary and sick of vain, old men. Even if the stakes were much higher, Nyarlathotep was no different to those arrogant wills.

Makoto revved the engine further and further, until smoke came out of the exhaust pipe and from under Johanna's tires. It rose behind her into a massive silver cloud. And amidst the veil of smoke, a dark figure loomed closer and closer into the world.

Her friends, and Kamiyama beheld in tremulous awe, as the horned figure began to emerge.

"It's time… Raise Hell…"

Makoto smiled balefully, as her ultimate Persona joined the Demon Lord.

"LILITH!"