A/N: Sorry about that last cliffhanger...

Well, maybe not.

You guys had it coming.

(3/3/11)

Same day...

3:45 PM

A crack of thunder ripped across the sky as the dark clouds began to rain.

"Cato?!" I said solemnly, "I thought you were dead."

"My death was... greatly exaggerated." Cato said with a malicious grin.

I stared dumbfounded at Cato's sneering face.

"What's wrong, my friend?" He mocked as he absentmindedly walked around, "How are you feeling? Shocked? Confused? Hurt?"

"Pissed off." I said flatly.

He nodded, "That's one way of saying it. How did you like the party I threw in your honor?"

"Somehow, I don't see how it could be a party. Cato... Nothing to eat, nothing to drink... And the only chick had been nailed to a cross." I remarked while circling him.

"I'm so sorry, my brother." Cato said with a faux-sad voice, "I'm afraid I wanted to see you so badly, that I couldn't make any preparations for the event."

"Whatever." I said indifferently, "Wait, what?"

"Of course, you should have known... We're two sides of the same coin... One side is made of gold, and the other silver." Cato said, "Your Persona is the Prince of Peace, Paragon of Light, while mine is the Scion of Darkness, the Lord of the Shadows." He drew himself up.

"Persona?" I said dumbly.

"Don't play dumb." Cato said.

"Where'd you find out about that?" I said.

"From your old friend, Jin." He said with a smile.

"He was not my friend." I said angrily, "Just like you, he was a misanthropic, nihilistic killer. And how do you know about Jin? That guy's history."

"Yeah, well, I found his nifty little laptop." Cato said as he took out a metal briefcase with an Italian Witch decal I saw at New York, "I learned about Persona and Shadows... I learned about SEES... and even met up with Takaya."

"How?!" I demanded, "And how'd you find Takaya?"

"Wasn't easy to find that crazy fool, let me tell you that," he said as smirked, "He was in some asylum up north in New York. Taught me everything I know."

"So, that's your real purpose of funding the trip... I should have known!"

"Why did you think I funded that trip to New York? Or that I passed a case file to Naoto, knowing you and that Detective would lead to my greatest power? Yes, that was the exact reason I suffered to allow the school trip in the first place. I can assure you it was not from the goodness of my heart... During the trip, I made a few calls and closed a few deals in order to release Takaya from Ward Island. He was too incapacitated to be of any help, so I was forced to tend to him. Very demeaning, but he served his purpose. You were even seatmates with him on the plane going home."

I cursed as it occurred to me that the man with a blanket beside me at the First Class cabin was Takaya, which made me frustrated.

I pointed my sword at him, "Explain how you even knew about him!"

"Ah, I see I piqued your interest..." Cato mused, "Very well... before my expulsion, I did a little research on the events prior to this school year. I first found the briefcase while taking a stroll around Gekkoukan..." He said.

"Where exactly?" I grunted.

"Not telling you!" He said, "All I'm saying is that it's pretty near the Astronomy tower."

"Oh yeah?" I said, then realizing, "Oh yeah...! I saw you walking there one time. I was with Naoto."

He nodded, "Yeah. And let me tell you, what I read in there was pretty crazy shit. But it helped me take a step above humanity. Which will further my attempts to takeover Hell and invade Heaven."

"You plan on invading Heaven and taking over Hell?!" I cried in disbelief, "You're not just mad... You're downright insane!"

"Yes, I may be insane now, but insanity is not my only source of power. After I gained my Dark Abilities, I reclaimed my former memories, and claimed my new identity... One whose mere utterance will cause fear and wonder."

"You sick son of a bitch! How the hell are you even alive?" I demanded.

"Tough bit, really." Cato said, "Remember how I, as the Elder, was dying from corruption? Well, turns out, it was true."

"Still doesn't explain why you aren't six-feet under." I said coldly.

"Sheesh. Chill out, dude." Cato said quickly, "Anyway, I thought about it all the while... Hacking coughs, feverish delusions and in a twilight of suffering and Death... It was horrible. I couldn't sleep for more than ten minutes without risking my life and the demonic parasites were leeching from my body. I knew true suffering."

"Boo-hoo." I said dryly, "Poor you. Get to the point before I run you through."

"My, my..." Cato sighed, "A lot of hostility. To simplify things, I was at a loss to what I should do... I mean, I'd been told what to do my entire life... Seeing you and Minako, I realized that ignorant fools like the people of Gekkoukan and demigods like you, me and Minako, well... We more or less have a choice."

I perked up at his words, "Minako's-"

"Let me finish. Yes, she is like us in many ways. But enough of that." Cato composed himself, "I made the decision... to fake my Death."

"Why not make it permanent? Right now?!" I challenged, but he dismissed me with a hand.

"Quit tryin' to act tough. Anyway, when that grenade got set off, I teleported away just as it was about to be detonated. I believe you saw me when Guinevere and Guardian disappeared."

I grunted.

"Yes. In that moment, I chose to end my life for good. The pain was too strong and I knew I couldn't defeat you. The shame and humiliation would be too much, so that's when I decided to make the ultimate offering."

"You offered yourself as a human sacrifice." I surmised.

"Very good, Minato, very good!" He congratulated, "I did. Hoping another Prince of Darkness would arise in culmination of my sacrifice. But it did not worked out as planned. My soul, as you well know, has been tainted with the blood of countless souls. Instead of dying, I was reborn. Not as a human, but on the same hierarchy as Demons... I was reborn... a Demon Lord. I took it as a sign to forge on the quest of destroying you."

I felt nauseous, "Why are you doing this to me?!" I demanded, "Just what do you hope to accomplish, you sick bastard? After you kill me, what then? After utterly decimating me, along with the rest of humanity, will you finally feel satisfied with the destruction of the world!?" I demanded.

"Heh. Maybe not." Cato said, looking somewhat disappointed and lost, "But since ancient times, there has been enormous power gained by shedding the blood of man. From the awakening of the Ancients to the Fall of the Aztecs, there is both power and majesty within human sacrifice. Only by offering what is most sacred to one can man access True Darkness."

"So, you consider me sacred, eh?" I uttered in contempt, "How very touching. But I already have a girlfriend, and I'm not too willing to go Brokeback Mountain with a mass murdering maniac." I said dryly.

Cato laughed, long and hard, "You really don't get it, do you, brother?"

I looked at him odiously.

"Do you realize why I hadn't made my appearance until now? Why my attacks have ceased for those weeks of void? I was immersing myself in Darkness, preparing myself when my Enduring Soul is released from this mortal prison and finally become a Pure Being."

I clenched and unclenched my jaws. Just what was this fool up to?

"Yes, Minato, a man must be able to sacrifice the one whom he holds dear. His most precious and worthy offering. You, of course, are NOT precious to me. You are NOT worthy," Cato declared, "Do you not see yet, Messiah? You aren't the sacrifice... I am."

I stared at him, even more dumbfounded, and slightly disturbed.

He rolled his eyes, "I challenge you. You will liberate me from my mortal shell. One way or another. You will do this or you'll lose everything you hold dear before it ends. I can promise you: there are things much worse than death." He sneered at me as he held out his sword arm. Lucifer's Blade promptly reappeared in my left hand, "Consider this your final judgement. Your absolute punishment for your sins against me."

I raised both Lucifer's Blade and Deus Xiphos slowly at him, "Killing you, a punishment?" I laughed loudly, "Do you think I will even hesitate to end your life? You murdered countless people and tried to kill me and my friends-"

"Fool!" Cato's voice exploded so loudly, it echoed ten times over, "You are wrong! I did not murder those people. You did! I did all of that to coax you into saving them. I wanted to fight you. You could have ended this madness with a swing of your sword, but you were only moved to action when your beloved was captured. You caused all that, Minato, not I!"

My knuckles turned white as I clenched the two swords, "You know nothing of what I did. My job was finished. Why should I follow the wants and needs of a pure lunatic? It's not my fault!"

"Not your fault?!" He roared, "Who made me into what I am? Who filled my head with hopes and dreams that you would save me? What kind of monster would leave his brother in a timeless void to rot until the end of time?!" He then turned and looked me in the eyes for a few seconds, "But most of all... What kind of brother would look his own twin in eyes... After all this time... And not even fucking recognize him!"

Cato's words silenced the world for six minutes as the air grew colder. The swords were a lot heavier than usual.

"You should be happier, brother." Cato said solemnly, "I finally returned."

Suddenly, vivid memories flashed my mind as I remembered, vaguely, of someone who shared my childhood... with the same blue hair, same grey eyes and having a slightly humorous disposition. Though I rarely visit my family tomb, I remembered wondering who owned the third gravestone sitting beside my parent's. I remembered on the night my parents were killed, there was someone else sitting beside me inside our car as our parents died. He was banished into another realm by Death when he tried attacking him... His name was...

"Johei." I breathed, "Johei. You're my twin..." I said with a pained voice as my head began to hurt from the strain of remembering.

"My name is not JOHEI!" Cato bellowed, "And I'm not your brother either. Not anymore." He said bitterly, "All I wanted was for you to save me. Save me! But you've forgotten about me. It's time for you to either kill me or me killing you. Live or Die. Make a choice, godling. Who are you?"

I closed my eyes for a moment, in order to muster all my fortitude. Then, with passion, I opened my eyes and said. "I am Minato, the Messiah! Call me a little godling again and you'll have death as your answer!"

Cato cringed for a moment, but composed himself, "Very well. I'll be taking that back-" He said as Lucifer's Blade returned to his hands, "Anything you want to say or do before we square off?" Cato asked.

More than anything, I'd really like to call Minako and tell her that I love her, because I sensed that Cato, while assuming to be cowardly, was not to be trifled with. Especially since he had the command of Hell at his disposal.

As if reading my mind, he smiled and said, "Call her."

I looked at him with narrowed eyes.

"Give me some credit. It would be too anticlimatic to kill you after all the trouble I had to fight you. If I did, I would've stabbed you in the throat the night I kidnapped Minako and stole the sword."

I nodded. While I don't trust Cato, I knew he was a bit honorable. I picked up my iPhone and called Minako.

She picked it up, "Hello...? Minato...!" She said anxiously, "Did... you kill Cato?"

"Are you alright?" I asked her.

"Yeah, I'm good now, thanks to everyone's help, especially Yukari, Junpei, Akihiko and Mitsuru's. They healed me with weird incantations and- ah, forget it.." Minako said, "Except, I got these scars on the wrist. But forget it, did you kill him?"

"No..." I said, "This is about something else."

"Huh?" Minako said confusedly, "Hurry up and kill-"

"No." I said defiantly, "This may be my last chance... Minako, there's... something I've been wanting to say to you since the day we became friends. There is a chance I might die today, so I want you to know, now and forever..."

Minako took deep breaths.

"Minako, I love you." I whispered as I dropped my iPhone and smashed it with my heel.

"Touching." Cato said dryly.

"Come." I snarled, "Only one of us will out alive. And it WILL be me. I can't lose. I just can't."

Cato smiled, "The four Dark Lords of the Forbidden Path may have mastered Death, but I have conquered them all."

"You haven't conquered them all." I said grimly.

Cato nodded, remembering Viktor, and me. He took off his cloak, revealing a full-body sleeveless black leather suit, with matching black chain mail underneath as seen on his arms and legs. Six plates of polished black metal plates protected his stomach area. He slicked his hair back, giving him a Loki-like presence. He radiated pure evil.

"You look good in tights." I noted.

"Thank you." Cato said with a smirk, "You look good as well."

I felt somewhat self-conscious, but when I looked at it, my Armor of Light, combined with Sensei's Robe, made me look like a Heavenly Knight. The Armor of Light protected my torso, all the way to my thighs, but my chest was exposed, which might look imposing as well as epic.

"I'm sorry it has to be this way." He said sarcastically.

"You aren't..." I said.

"Perceptive." Cato said before raising his blade.

"Well... The final showdown... You kill me or I kill you... This wasn't my idea of a heartwarming family reunion." I said.

"Got that right." Cato smiled, "Before I was given this blade, I was nothing..." Cato muttered, "Now, taste it's edge and my victory!" He said as he lunged at me, blades spinning.

I raised my sword and jumped forward, catching the blade. It created multicolored sparks as the two blades collided with one another. He pushed the blade and followed up with a kick, sending me a few meters away, knocking the air out my lungs.

"Damn, this'll be a long fight..." I thought to myself, "Cato's got help from the Dark Side... I might as well..."

I pulled out my Evoker and summoned Surt, "Ragnarok!" I cried as the Jotun-king from Muspell appeared from the sea of my soul ad sent a pillar of flame towards Cato.

Cato smirked as he produced his own reverse-engineered Evoker, to my shock and dismay.

"What the fu-" I bit back a curse.

"Agni!" He cried as a fifteen-foot tall giant with red skin and yellow eyes spun a serrated edged scimitar and a wall of flame surged from it, shielding Cato from the blast.

I stood there, stunned, "How?!"

"You think you're the only one with tricks?" Cato asked, "Inside the briefcase, of course, was Jin's Evoker. It was broken beyond repair, so I had Hideyasu reverse-engineer it. The design closely resembles a Mauser rather than a Ruger-" Without warning, he shot a bolt of blue flame from Agni, which struck me on the left shoulder, fortunately protected by armor.

Roaring in anger, I summoned Surt and sent a curtain of fire toward him. He charged and used Lucifer's Blade to cut across it as he placed his Evoker to his temple and uttered, "Khione!"

His head erupted in blue fog as the snow-goddess appeared and smites Surt with a glacial blast.

"Thor!" I uttered as the Asgardian Prince appeared from a pillar of light and threw Mjolnir at Cato, who was thrown several feet away.

He recovered slightly, "Gaea!" He mumbled weakly as the Earth Mother appeared and engulfed him in trees. As it parted, he was healed, "I can go all day long."

He really isn't going down easily, I thought to myself. As expected, this wasn't going to be an easy fight.

Realizing action was the best course, I charged and slashed him with precision, power and a bit of desperation.

"Face it, Cato," I grunted as I parried his assault and countered, "You're nothing more than a pompous, pretentious cowardly fool who uses a few magic tricks and an enchanted sword to gain an unfair advantage in battle!"

"You'll see more of what I have in store for you." He struggled against my assault as he finally pushed me back with a right forearm thrust, knocking me back a few feet as he drew a familiar gun from inside his suit.

Takaya's Gun, I mused, how fitting. I had faced that cursed gun of his in all my major battles. It had failed to end me, but will it succeed in his hands...?

Cato, with the skill of a gunslinger, unleashed a flurry of bullets to my direction as he reloaded.

Using the power of time, I slowed it down while spinning my sword, causing the bullets to be sucked into a vortex, and them landing harmlessly on the floor, "Resorting to firearms, Cato?" I scoffed, "I thought you were above that. Now you proved to be a bigger wuss than I thought."

Cato seemed offended, "Yeah, but at least I'd be a wuss without a bullet in my brain!" He said as he unloaded another volley at me.

I teleported right behind him and did an upward sweep. Before it could connect, he jumped and teleported twenty feet in the air and smashed Lucifer's Blade overhead. I blocked it as a sickening sound of clashing steel echoed across the skies.

I kicked him away as I slashed him three times across his armor and kicked him away. He responded by slashing at me eight times, with me barely able to withstand his attacks.

He had grown stronger, I thought, and more quicker. I weaved past him and blocked his attacks and managed an upward strike across his midsection. He bellowed in pain as he locked blades with me.

"So what'll it be, Minato?" He grunted as sparks flew from our blades, "Two demigods locked in an epic, mortal combat until judgement day?" Cato breathed maliciously.

"Or you could just surrender?" I shrugged as I knocked his blade to the side and slashed. He jumped to avoid it as my sword sliced a Corinthian pillar decorating the room in half.

He landed on his feet and struck me three times with his blade, unbalancing me, followed by a palm thrust, which knocked me off my feet.

"You wanna know what I discovered?" Cato said as he prepared to stan me, "Apparently, us with the potential can gain the ability to transform. Takaya himself told me."

"So?" I said as I avoided his stab and got to my feet, "Seems to me you two spend a lot of time together!" I slashed a wide arc horizontally.

He evaded my slash, "So, he told me that I should try it. I got so frustrated of failing so much, that I took a gun and shot myself in the face. And you know what happened? The other guy spat the bullet out!"

"Sure. And I'm suppose to believe that you're just as sane as I am?"

"Believe me, it's insane, but true nontheless." Cato said while raising his blade to smite me.

"A person who listens to an insane person is much more ill." I spat while dodging his blow.

I surged forward with a flurry of slashes and stabs, hitting Cato and stunning him. As he reeled back, he braced himself with one knee.

I prepared to cleave his head off, but he deflected my blade, causing an ear-splitting sound to ripple across.

"Die." He said as he thrusted forward. I stepped aside and did Minako's signature charge, with little effect since he ducked to avoid it. I tried it again, but he managed to not only avoid it, but drew his gun as well, shooting six rounds of hatred before reloading.

I managed to deflect four, one missing and the other embedding itself on my armor, causing no penetrative damage, but bruising my abdomen from the impact.

With a roar, I charged at him, blade-first, but he spun his blade like a windmill, causing me to fall down on the floor. He savagely tried to stab me, but I put my hands on the floor and sprang, rolling up.

I slashed forward, but he deflected, slashed upward, throwing me in the air, and downward, slamming me on the floor as I sprang up before he moved to strike, enduring the pain.

He threw his blade at me, as I ducked to avoid it. It returned to him like a boomerang as he threw it again, which missed me, but when I looked, Cato had teleported to the trajectory where the sword would land, caught it and stabbed at me. I bended over to avoid it as he stabbed downward.

I desperately teleported away. In anger, and fear, I charged at him again, my blade dipping into the floor, creating multicolored sparks as I raised it up to slash at Cato, who met my blade with his. I repositioned my blade and stabbed at Cato. He blocked it with his sword, but I managed to knock it from his hands, but to my surprise, he caught it in reverse-grip as it fell and slammed the pommel into my exposed chest, stunning me and sending me into the walls.

He smirked as he drew his gun and fired at me with inhuman precision. I slowed it down with the power of Time and vacuumed it by spinning my blade, setting it on the ground and smacking it with a backswing so beautiful, Tiger Woods would shed a Tiger tear.

His eyes grew wide as he made a helm-splitting downward slash, causing the bullets to create twelve holes at either side of the wall behind him.

I used the momentum to close the gap between us and disarmed Cato and kicked Lucifer's Blade away before knocking him down and held the blade against his throat. I took Takaya's gun and threatened to shoot him.

Instead of being scared or begging for his life, he smiled maliciously, "Come on, shoot me." He laughed coldly, "Do it. Be a man."

I cocked the gun and trained it on him while he looked scared... Then, I heard a voice in my head.

It was the most pleasant feeling I've ever felt. If I ever did heroin, I think it would feel like this too. Every thought, problem or worry in my head was being slowly wiped clean, leaving me in a state of euphoria.

"Do it..." A pleasant, airy, male serpentine voice hissed, "Kill him... For he issss a real demon." The voice urged. I wanted to comply immediately. To riddle Cato's head with holes and end him.

"No. Don't." A female voice, Deus Xiphos, said sternly, "Don't descend to their level of savagery..."

"Do not lisssssten..." The pleasant voice purred, "He desssserves to die... He desssservessss it..."

The stern voice spoke out, "It is for no one to say who deserves to die or not..."

"Liesssss! I know what you want and this is what you want!"

"But is it what you need?" The female voice said.

"All I want issss what's bessst for you, My Lord..." The pleasant voice hissed like a serpent, "And I want to align myssself with ssssssstrong masssssters..."

"Be the better man." The stern voice said with a finality in her voice.

And with great struggle, I chose to do what was right.

I emptied the gun at the air, except for one bullet,"I'm not a man like you!" I snarled as I shot Jin's briefcase, destroying the contents it as it fell off the Tower. I threw the gun away as well.

Cato flew into a rage as he screamed and summoned his sword, cutting me across the chest with Lucifer's Blade. He then downed me with a kick. The curse from the blade flowed in my blood like poisonous lead because Cato struck me with anger and hatred.

"I warned you..." The pleasant voice said angrily in my head, "To take me, but... You sssssspat in my face..."

Cato sneered at me, "The Sword talking?" He laughed, "Look at you. You had a chance to kill me and you didn't. You should've listened to the sword." Cato sneered.

"I have honor." I said weakly, ashamed at a little gash causing so much pain, "And I never listen to an Evil sword like you did!"

He laughed, "Honor is for the strong. You, on the other hand... You're weak! You're sword is weak! You can't keep up! After I kill you, I'll transform the world into Shadow! Heaven will fall!"

"Just because something isn't strong, doesn't make it weak." I said defiantly, "And you... selling out your own kind for empty promises and false hope. And that's what makes you weak." I snarled as he scowled, "Power is not about overwhelming might... It's turning down temptation beyond our control! It is our choices, not our abilities, that determine our strength! Do you seriously think that they'll honor the contract you made? You're just another dispensable pawn in the board!"

Cato seemed to consider it, "It's a start. After all, everything starts off from small beginnings."

"The cup you're trying to fill has no bottom." I said, "It's time to end this madness, this fool's quest!"

Cato laughed, seemingly amused, "And why, pray tell, would I do that?"

"So this fighting will end!" I said passionately, "Our parents won't be happy, seeing the two of us, from the same flesh and blood, fighting like two nemesis and deriving some sick, macabre pleasure in killing each other!"

Cato stiffened his lips as his expression changed dramatically, "My... Our parents... hated me. They have wronged me by favoring you, their golden boy, the Chosen One, instead of me."

"They loved you, Johei!" I cried, "They loved you! They loved us! They loved us so bad, they died in our place on that night!"

"They died for YOU!" Cato spat, letting go of me and pointing the blade accusingly at me, "How can you say such lies, brother?! You NEVER remembered me until nigh, but you dare lie to me, in my face, claiming those worthless parents of mine loved me! Ha! If I were in that car alone with those two that night, they'd tuck tail and run, leaving me behind!"

"They loved you." I insisted, getting up, "You were loved, my brother. Whatever path you chose, they loved you. If they didn't, why didn't they just take me and left you to die?"

He paused for a few minutes, "The dead exist in the past." Cato stared at the floor morosely, "I loved you like a brother, Minato. Yet, I cannot forgive you for forgetting about me."

"I couldn't help it." I said defiantly, "My memories were vaporized that night. I couldn't even remember what happened beyond that."

"If you want to know," Cato said quietly, "I was banished into another world. A world where time does not move. A realm where Shadows were abundant. A realm where I was alone, in the gateway to worlds, where doors to other dimensions lay. I have seen worlds you never dreamed of, creatures that will break your mind and beings that will haunt me for the remainder of my days... All I had to protect me was Lucifer's Blade. For years, I tried to escape. It ended in failure. I looked at my past... None of them contained a version where those so-called parents of mine showed love for me." He said bitterly, "When my sword was invoked away, I was finally free. I escaped the prison that held me for nearly 10 years, and since I gained a fortune from my times inside that void, I assumed the mantle of 'Cato Romano', forged my identity and spent that moment erecting a company, which flourished under my rule. I tried reaching out to you, but you never responded."

"I never received a message-"

"There was a message, there was a message, THERE WAS A MESSAGE!" Cato screamed, "And I'll never forgive you."

"I know..." I said quietly.

Cato looked enraged, "It's time for you, and this wretched world, to suffer for it."

"You intend to take this world I love in payment for your imagined slights?!" I looked at him in the eye, "No matter what you fire at me, it won't change a thing. I will always get up to fight you. Because you threaten the world, and everything in it, I'll do anything I can to stop you. Even if you are my own brother, I cannot allow you to destroy this good earth, which I will protect."

"And a marvelous job you're doing, brother!" Cato said mockingly, "These wretched humans slay each other en mass over petty strifes and meaningless wars. You defend these people, these vermin... Demanding yet ungrateful, haughty yet lowborn, arrogant yet dependent... You bring weaklings under your wing!"

"You think you're above them?" I said with a hollow voice.

"Why not?" Cato said.

"Then you miss the entire point. Authority should derive from the consent of the governed, not from the threat of force!" I spat.

"I have grown in my exile, Chosen One!" Cato spat, "I have become anew. And I intend to destroy you first. Be glad." Cato bared his teeth as he took his Evoker, trained it at his head and cried, "Zeus!" as broken crystals exploded and blue fog erupted from his skull, forming into a orange robed, muscular man with a trimmed beard, with a lightning brooch, "Blast him with your thunderbolts!"

Zeus hurled his thunderbolts as me as I willed my mind and shifted to Odin. The thunderbolt struck me and filled my body with pure, undiluted energy before bouncing back to Cato, who was hit square in the chest. It didn't affect him, since Zeus presumably nullified it.

I shifted to Surt and fired a barrage of flames at him, knocking him back as I shifted to Scathach and pounded him with blizzard-spells. I then moved back to Odin and blasted him Thunder Reign before shifting to Norn and struck him with a cyclone vortex from Panta Rhei. I reverted to Thor and smacked him with a Vicious Strike. He reeled back and knelt over.

"Ugh... You're such a showoff..." He muttered.

"Consider that a warning," I said fiercely, "Face it... In terms of Personas, you are too weak to take me on." I said, swelling with pride.

"You arrogant bastard... I am weak, but not helpless." He muttered before using his Evoker once more, "Rudra!" He summoned another giant, with teal skin and bright blue eyes, wielding a double-headed naginata. He spun it so fast, it created a raging tornado that swallowed me inside it. Since Thor was weak against Wind, he dissipated and I lay there, weakened.

I panted and supported myself with Deus Xiphos, "What's wrong, Cato? No lightning?" I said mockingly, "What, afraid I might redirect it?"

"Oh, you want lightning, eh?" Cato sneered before concentrating. I knew he shifted back to Zeus as I braced myself, hoping to intercept him with Norn.

Something took Cato's gaze as he stopped looking at me and focused to my left. He fires there instead.

At first, I was wondering how stupid Cato could be misfiring so badly, but I realized... He wasn't aiming for me. I turned left, and to my horror, Minako was standing there, dumbfounded, as the lightning snaked its way across the space.

I slowed down time as I closed the gap. I could see the lightning reflecting from Minako's eyes as I shielded her from the blast, fingers extended to redirect it, before realizing I still had Norn on. My body absorbs the blast as it ravages my internal organs before leaving as spontaneous sparks from my left fingertips.

I lay on the floor as the remaining feedback coursed through my body, seeping out from random parts of my body. I clutched my chest in agony.

"No!" Minako cried as she raced toward me.

"Minako..." I groaned as she raised my head.

"What?" She sobbed.

I smacked her in the ear, "You idiot... Why are you here...?" I groaned, "He could've killed you..."

"I don't care!" Minako cried, "I'm tired of always being left behind!"

"I'd hate to interrupt the little reunion here, I really do." Cato stepped in front of us, "But since I'm so good, you two can die together." He said as he pointed the sword at us.

Minako began to breath rapidly, so rapidly, that I began to worry about her. "AHHHHHH!" She screamed in agony and began to convulse as her eyes rolled back into her head as the top of her disheveled head exploded in bright blue fog.

"Minako...!" I cried weakly in alarm.

"Impossible..." Cato muttered.

A female voice began to chant,

"Thou art I... And I am thou! From the Sea of thy soul I arise!" A female with a streamline platinum body and bright, flaming hair, wielding a harp emerged from Minako's head, "I am Eurydice, Lady of Songs!" She declared.

Cato tried to charge, but was blasted ten feet away with Eurydice strummed her harp.

It was so beautiful, that I shed a tear before wincing in pain, "Minako... Are you alright...?"

"I've... I've got this massive headache..." She moaned.

"Use this..." I handed her my Evoker, "Saves you from the migraine."

She took it and squeaked when Cato stood up, "What do I do?!"

"Go on... Take it." I urged her.

She nodded and closed her eyes while she aimed the Evoker at her head, "Per...so...na..." She breathed as she pulled the trigger. A column of energy and blue fog emerged from her as, to my shock, a different Persona emerged.

It was a very tall, very pale lady, wearing a black dress and wielding a sharp knife. She also has a wicked smile, like that of a serial killer,

"Thou art I... And I am thou... From the Sea of thy Soul I arise..." The woman said evilly, "I am Eris, Goddess of Strife."

"Um... Attack?" Minako squeaked as Eris charged after Cato and kept him busy.

"Wildcard..." I muttered.

"What did you call me?" Minako hissed.

"No, not you..." I mumbled, "That ability..."

"Enough about that," Minako cried, "We need to take you to help!"

I had an idea, "Do it again. Use the Evoker."

Minako seemed confused, but obeyed, "Persona!"

As I expected, a new Persona appeared. It was an unbelievably beautiful woman wearing a rosy red garb of Israelite women, with a crown of roses sitting upon a boulder,

"Thou art I... And I am thou,,l from the Sea of thy Soul I arise... I am Magdalene, the Beloved Sang Real." She said with a sweet voice.

My heart rate spiked. It was her...

Minako closed her eyes, "What do I do...?"

"Heal me." I begged.

She nodded, not opening her eyes, "Do it, please." She said to her Persona, who nodded and touched me in the head.

I felt a rush of warmth and love as my body was healed from its ravages. I stood up and kissed Minako, "Thank you, my love. Thank you for saving me. Let me take it from here." I said as I looked at Cato, who staggered from the edge of the Tower, "Go, now!"

Minako nodded and left immediately.

I walked slowly toward Cato, who looked at me with contempt.

"Done hiding behind girls?" He mocked.

"Yeah." I nodded, "Behind every great man... is a woman he's willing to die for."

"Sentimentality is unbecoming of you..." He muttered mockingly.

"That 'girl' just summoned a child of Nyx to kick your ass." I said as Cato spat of a glob of blood, "And you're right, brother... Let's end this the way we started... TOGETHER!" I said as I grabbed him tightly by the neck and threw myself with Cato off the Astronomy Tower and into the roiling sea below.

A/N: Thank you for reading thus far. Remember to review! Soma for us writers.

Oh, and please do vote at my poll, if you have the time.

Q/A:

Blah: Okay.

Ace: Well, although you're partially right, it's still Cato. Imagine this: Cato is still Cato, but his Shadow side controls him, like Norman Bates, or Namatame (Shadow form) if you aren' familiar with Psycho. Three sides of Cato, due to being alone in the Abyss of Time... Johei, his good self, who loves his brother and will protect him, Cato, his self which was hardened by surviving in the Abyss and Elder, born out of resent,ent for Minato's supposed abandonment of him.

JackFrost: Well, for one, Minako being crucified. I kinda thought it would upset you guys a bit, also the revelation on who Elder was.

Mine: Did it change in a good way or bad way? And how?

Also, this isn't the final battle... Yet.

Also, I'm sorry for that, it was 4 AM when I posted it, and right now, it's 6 AM, which means I need to sleep, so sorry if I messed up. :(

DragOn: Shocking, isn't it?

Actually, believe it or not, this story is a continuation of Days of Summer. Minato is very aware of it. If you noticed he woke up before the final battle, Thanatos said he will survive, and he did. :) Cool paradox, no?

Rick: haha, no worries dude. I was hoping for that effect.

And Guinevere is someone close to Cato. You might guess who it is, as well as guessing who Guardian is. Two closest to Cato.

Don't worry about it. I'm still learning to write as I go. To be honest, prior to DoS, I never had any experience in writing.

And it's Hide, as in Hee-Deh, not Hyde. He's a close friend of Cato and I wouldn't put him there for no reason.

Haha, it's fine, your advice, as well as others, helps me better my self in many ways.

Hoshi: I know! God, from DoI, I kept writing, 'and Minato pointed the sword at Cato' and was like 'damn' because i realized that third person is more narrative.

Hoped you liked this chapter, though...

Lionhart: Yeah, I guess so. Cato is pretty smart though.

How are you guys, by the way? Typhoon Yolanda was a bitch, right? Though, it didn't really hit my part of town, down south, just windy and all. And I saw this meme on fb, 'since Typhoon Yolanda is the world's strongest typhoon in the world, the the Philippines is the worlds strongest country'. I guess morally? We get knocked down, but get right up.

Mistress: Nothing gets past you, eh Tammy?

Protagnus: Sorry! Hehe, I hope I don't disrupt your daily activities with DoA...

Nights: HAHA! Trust me, if you dare! Anyway, yes, Minako finally awakes to her Persona! Epicness? You'll get some.

Gin: Thanks Gin! Good to hear from you again!

Anyway, please remember to vote on ze poll if you have the time. As of now, I need to fall into a deep sleep.