2010
The whole school was devoid of students as the graduation ceremony is held in the auditorium. Students were chatting among themselves without a care for their surrounding. Among them, a girl with pink sweater was looking towards the empty seat besides her.
'I wonder where is he?' Yukari Takeba thought to herself.
''What's up, Yuka-tan?" asked a capped boy from beside her.
"Uh, do you know where he is, Junpei?"
"Him? Now that I think about it, I haven't seen him since we got to school, but don't worry yuka-tan, maybe he's just fall asleep on the way."
"I hope you're right. I hope so…" is what Yukari said but in the back of her mind she couldn't help but think that she's forgetting something, something important.
Then suddenly, all the students got quiet as a red-haired student took the podium.
x-x
On the hallway, a lone student is walking, more like limping, actually. His posture is crouched and he seems to be breathing heavily. His blue hair covered half of his face that only one of his eyes is visible. His skin is ghostly pale and his silver-grey eyes look dead as he kept walking towards his destination, the roof.
As he reached there, to his surprise he saw a girl waiting for him. A blonde haired girl with beautiful blue eyes who has headphones-like things on her head.
"Aigis", that's her name, a name not of a machine, a name not of a robot but the name of his dear friend.
The girl heard his voice and suddenly turned towards him.
"…Makoto-san…."
After a moment of staring, they started to walk towards each other with the girl smiling, but on the way the boy couldn't keep up and fell down towards the floor. But instead of meeting the ground, he fell onto the hands of that girl.
"Welcome back, Makoto-san." as he heared that, the boy let a small smile graced upon his lips.
x-x
The boy is laying down now in the lap of the girl as they sat upon a bench.
"The breeze feels nice, doesn't it?" The girl said but he couldn't hear her anymore.
"--" her lips are moving but what's she saying? He couldn't hear anything. He couldn't hear anything no more. His eyelids felt heavy and he wanted to close them but he couldn't. No, at least not until the promised time.
But, even though he kept powering on, he's near his limit. But he kept insisting as he knew…No, he's sure that if he closed his eyes now, they would never open again.
"Makoto-kun!"
A voice.
"Yuki-kun!"
"Yuki!"
"Hey!!"
No, not just a voice.
"Look, they all keep their promises." The blonde girl said gently.
He used all the power he had just to crane his head and looked towards at the the door. And finally the door opened and emerged his friends, his precious friends. They all came, even Ken and Koromaru. Everyone remembered their promises and came to the rooftop.
'But….' But he couldn't stay and talk with them. As his eyes finally close with a gentle smile on his face.
"Li-v-e"
Yes, this was the scene he saw before he's gone from this world. This was the scene Makoto Yuki saw before he sleeps forever.
-x-x-
20XX
'How many years has that been?' The boy thought to himself.
The place he is in now is an empty space filled with white with only a chair shaped like a harp which he is sitting on as he reminiscenced about his final day on a little planet called the Earth. In this place there is no way to know the time and time itself has no place here.
And, If you are asking where he is now, he is at the sea of souls acting as a barrier between two primordial gods. A barrier which he gave his soul to craft. A barrier he crafted to protect his loved ones at the cost of his own life. '…And his precious soul.'
But does he regret it. No. He chose this fate of his own will. Even if some gods come and give him a chance to correct his past, he will not change this choice. No matter what he will act as a seal to stop the mankind's manifestation of grief and negative emotion, Erebus from reaching the Nyx, the goddess of Night.
On the two gods, Nyx may be neutral but Erebus sure is not. He is dead set on destroying humanity. His only reason to exist is to make contact with Nyx and bring about the fall. And as he exists because of humanity's grief, until humanity does not exist no more or don't want to die anymore he will keeping reviving and will keeping trying to destroy the seal, which is to say, him.
'Speaking of that furball,' Even now he is regenerating. Now anyone would be scared of being mauled by a two-headed overgrown dog. But not him. For he is the messiah. The man who gave his life for the good of humanity. The sole wielder of universe arcana. As he is also a God with capital G.…But, no those are not the reasons why he's not afraid.
As the Erebus finally finished regenerating, he sat his red eyes on the seal and set to pounce upon the door. But, he didn't even have the chance, as soon as he came alive, he was just as fast destroyed by the purple light that filled the whole place with a loud noise and big explosion.
"~Hello, Makoto-sama~"
The one who said that was Elizabeth. His attendant in his journey and the only one beside Erebus to…make contact with him.
"~Well, nice to see you again~, ~I came to talk to you again~. *Cough* and this time, ~you won't be able to believe what had happened~." Elizabeth said happily in a singsong voice.
She comes here most of the time. First to destroy the Erebus every time when he revived and to talk about what's happening in the outside world. And Everytime she comes, she would talk nonstop about all the thing that happened after he was gone.
"After I killed the Erebus last time, I went to the place called Inaba because I sensed a presence similar to you, Makoto-sama. And when I found that, I learned that he was indeed a wildcard like you."
'A wildcard?…Hmm, I don't think what to think. Should I be concered…or jealous?'
"And he's already finished his journey and now he's facing another treat to mankind."
'…Jealous, it is.'
"So when I went there, you wouldn't believe who I saw." Elizabeth paused for a moment. Probably for dramaric effect. Then adopting a smile, she said "They are your friends. All of whom you took your journey with, even the strength arcana and Aigis-san."
'…Koromaru? Well, that's indeed surprising,' was what he's thinking. But, of course, he can't really say anything back.
There are only two drawbacks to being the seal and one is that he can't interact with outside world. So he can't reply back or smile back or show her that it's annoying when she speak in that singsong voice.…And of course the other drawback is being the seal.
For her, he looks just the same, just crucified to the door with the same look on his face. But even then she doesn't falter.…she never does.
"And that's not even the most surprising!"
Then she opened up her palm and materialized a card. A card he's too familiar with. A card that marked the start of one's Journey.
'…The Fool.'
"Yes, I've gained the fool arcana. And I believe that I'm now more closer than ever to free you from this fate." Elizabeth looked towards him, oh. Actually the door, with a sad smile. "So, please wait a little more now, Makoto-sama, it won't be long until I can see your face again."
'….'
She is trying even now. She left the velvet room for this She left her family for this. This, just to save him from his own choice.
'….'
Will she succeed? It doesn't matter. This is enough, more than enough.
"~BUT, now onto the most surprising matter!~"
'Wait, there's more?'
"It's the food called 'fsteak'. The friend of wildcard said that it is beary delicious and It is indeed as much delicious as the takoyaki from iwatodai. I heard it is short for beef-"
Hum,…well that's Elizabeth. No matter who you are, even if you are a statue stuck in a wall, she is able to make you feel at ease. Even an eternity at sea of souls is not that bad if she is there for you. She is the reason he didn't go insane. If he can record everytime she talks, he would listen to it everyday, every moment...She is the salvation for his damnation. She is the light that shines in this sea of souls. She is the light of Messiah.
x-x
20XX
Even after she started her own journey she still came here to destroy Erebus every time. And after that she would talk to him about her journey and her something, which she dubbed ''Elizabeth's answers for the earth's wonders!"
…which was basically her, telling him every food she ate. If he doesn't know any better, he would think that she's rubbing in his face that she could eat and he couldn't. But he digress
'…Mostly because I'm sure that I don't know any better.'
x-x
20XX
She's still coming even now but this time she brought some news. She said that the wild card that she talked before is fighting or dancing to defeat another treat to humanity.
….
He doesn't really understand what she's talking about and while that was true most of the time, he's really sure that doesn't want to understand this time.
'I mean, dancing? Really? I wonder if he's playing or saving humanity.… And I'm not saying that because I also like to dance,… No, I don't want to dance at all.'
….
'Not. At. All.'
x-x
20XX
Today was the same for the Messiah. As he barred the Erebus from reaching the Nyx. But this time something was amiss. Although when he became the seal, being attacked by the two-headed dog is given, that's not supposed to happen.
'…Elizabeth is not here.'
'Is she occupied somewhere? Is she too busy on her journey? Or is she in danger?' Those thoughts went through his head as Erebus kept attacking the seal without rest.
'Did something happen to her? …No, it's Elizabeth. She can one shot even Erebus. No one or nothing can harm her, Yes, nothing to worry about.
….
...I'm worried.'
x-x
20XX
He didn't know how long but he knew it's long. Erebus did not even stop for one second. He kept attacking and attacking and attacking and Oh My God he growled… but then attacked the same. It does not hurt but It is starting to get annoying.
Elizabeth is still missing. He hopes she's fine. Although she can one shot Erebus she is still not a god. She can be killed, destroyed. Even he could.
….
Or he couldn't…but he could. He has the universe arcana after all. And Like all the people who started their journey, is Elizabeth fighting against a god?
….
There are so many things that could happened But there's nothing he could do to help. The only thing he could do is wait and wait as the Erebus attacks and attacks.
x-x
Nothing. Not a thing. Not even a single thing changed.
Now he was starting to think of ways to search for her. 'Oh, Maybe I could senda telepathic message to Igor and asked for her, uhhh,…No, she left the velvet room. So they will not be able to search for her.'
But, In the first place he doesn't know how to send telepathic message. 'Then, what can I do? What can I...'
As he was thinking, something strange happened. '…Wait, Erebus stopped attacking.'
Then he looked towards the overgrown dog and something that never happened before…happened. A blue butterfly, the same one that he saw when he was at the station or so he thought.
And then all of a sudden Erebus started to disappear. As like he regenerated with red mist, now he is devoured by the blue mist. He didn't even has a chance to growl as he disappeared into emptiness.
….
'Wait. Is he gone for good? Does Elizabeth plan really work? Did she really kill a god? Where is she? Is she here?' Makoto looked around the place.
"Nice to see you again, Makoto Yuki."
'That's not Elizabeth. That's a man's voice.' Makoto looked towards to where the voice was coming from to see a man in a white business suit and a butterfly mask. '…Who?'
"Makoto Yuki, I am Philemon. The master of velvet room."
'…Velvet…room? Wait, isn't Igor the master? Why did I never heard of him before?'
Then the most surprising thing happened. The touched the seal and disintegrated into many blue butterflies and they all came into him…
'…INTO HIM!?' Makoto stood up from the chair in alarm. 'Is he breaching the seal?'
Then they all reconstructed into the man from before in front of him. The only difference is that now he's standing face to face with him.
"Who…who are you?" Makoto asked the strange man in front of him. 'It's Been a long time since he moved his mouth…or was it?'
"I've already told you I am Philemon, the master of velvet room. BUT, if I were to explain further, I would be the god of human consciousness and the power of 'persona' you and other guests of the velvet room used is given by me."
"Then what is Igor?" he asked back being skeptical. 'He can't harm me here, but I wouldn't take the chance.…yet.'
"Let's just say he is created by me to guide you and the others as I cannot interfere with humanity. Directly, that is."
'So, he's the mastermind, Huh…' ,"So what are you doing here? I don't think you come to introduce me to yourself now,…are you?"
"Correct. I came to ask upon your help." The man paused for a moment before continuing. "…The velvet room has been taken by a god called Yaldabaoth", '…don't know who.', "And another guest, such as you, will be in danger if we do not intervene."
"Wait." Minato stopped the man. The after a pause, "The velvet room… taken. Really? Are you sure? With Igor and his battalion of servants?"
"Yes, you must have realize that the one who left the velvet room is not coming here even now.", 'No way, was she there?', "Even she was included when velvet room was taken."
Makoto's calm demeanor faded and he said with what akins to fear in his voice. "So, go and retake your place. What are you doing here chatting up with me?"
"Like I said before, I cannot interfere with such events directly. That's why I came to ask for your help."The man said in his monotone voice with no emotions. Well, he can't tell because of the mask.
Makoto calmed down again. "Well, I like to help you but I can't move from this post without risking the humanity. Why not ask the other wildcard? Yu Narukami, is it?"
"I'm afraid that's not possible. The other wildcard, while capable is not a god. He can't enter the velvet room without the permission… while you as a Messiah and newly acquainted god can, and if you're worried about the seal, don't be.… I can hold the Erebus. But, Not for long."
"…So there's time limit,…well how long then?"
"In your human's terms, a year or so. I hope that will be enough."
"Maybe,… but then what happened after I finish my job?"
"You will have to become the seal again. I'm sorry but this is the thing only you can do."
"I see." Makoto nodded back with his face betraying no emotions. No sadness or no disappointment.
"I know of your bonds on your previous journey but I may suggest not to meet with them. After all you will have to leave them again.…But If you want to meet with them, I won't stop you."
Makoto didn't say anything back to the man's words. 'So, I will have to go to earth as a business trip. At least it could be better than staying here and I still have to save Elizabeth. "…I want to ask a question,… you said that the seal is the thing only I can do. So the thing Elizabeth is doing, is it all for naught?"
"When I said that, I mean for now. As you would also know, even gods don't know what the future holds."
'Hm,… I see.' "Okay then I suppose I will do it." The man nodded and blue light began to emerge around him. "One question before I go." As he said that the man seemed surprised, well, keyword being 'seemed'. "You didn't do a thing even when the fall is coming or the TV world is merging with reality. So why now? why now of all time you decided to take action?"
The man said nothing for a moment and then "I will concede that I didn't do anything before but now there's great danger coming and I must act before it's too late,… but I can't say what the danger is,…it is not my place to say."
'Yeah, he's Igor creator all right. Cryptic messages must run in the family.'
"Now go, you who saved the humanity before. However limited as may be, I give you one year. Now go, without falter. Not as a man but as a god. As a messiah, shower the humanity with your salvation."
The light became stronger and stronger and soon it engulfed him completely.
'*Sigh*'
…. With a flicker of light, Makoto Yukki completely vanished from the great seal.
Now in the sea of souls, the man stood alone. "I can only hope that this will be enough."
x-x
2017(4/1)
"Ladies and gentleman, thank you for waiting, we will be arriving at Shibuya shortly"
-x-x-
First fic i'm writing so, please tell me if there is something I should do before writing another. I know this chapter is short but this only acts as a prologue so I will try write next chapter 9k or you read this, then thank you for reading my story, I hope I can meet your expection. I decide to write this fic from reading phantom messiah by azura de martel.
{Revised}