AN: I hope everyone had a merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! I've been working on a bonus chapter to be put on my dA account, so check that out when it's done. Also, currently enjoying Paper Mario: Sticker Stars. It's quite fun. :D Anyway, read and review!

Yes, the title of this chapter is a shout out to Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne. This arc is going to be a more emotional one than before, with two new Persona users coming later on and the return of the Holy Cross. I hope you enjoy it!

Chapter 48: Demonic Sponsors

|Farawell Cathedral Site|8:40 pm|

Everyone stood there, dumbstruck. This mysterious man had declined to give his name, but he was offering to help the Holy Cross. Something about him felt familiar to Amara, however. Did she know who this person was? The hat and the sunglasses made it hard to see his face, which annoyed her greatly.

"Fine. We'll go with you." Amara suddenly said. "Just remember. We won't show mercy if we get tricked."

"Aww...she's so cute when she's trying to sound tough!" Blaine said, grinning. Nathan smacked him on the back, and glared at him.

"That one's also for earlier." Nathan said. "Amara, do you really think this is the best course of action?"

"Kyle's not got the know-how to do it, and I doubt Roger does either. We could ask Seraphina, but we don't know where she's gone to prophesise. For now, we'll just play this by ear." Amara said. The man simply shrugged, and Amara stared at him. Had she said something embarrassing?

"It would seem you've made up your mind. Come with me. The place we're going to isn't easily accessible. You've become accustomed to the teleporting doors, no doubt, but only someone such as I can take you there." the man said. He stepped forward, and lifted Alastair with his arms. "Well, don't just stand there. Help me transport these people!"

"Seriously? We have to carry these guys?" Zao said. "You could have at least given us stretchers, you weirdo!"

"Just think of them as really big catches." Blaine said, as he picked up Richard without much effort. Nathan took Kazuya, and both he and Blaine looked at Zao expectantly. "You're not gonna ask the girls to do it, are ya?"

"Um...heck no! I'm a gentleman! Don't worry, ladies! I'll take care of this!" Zao said, laughing nervously. He slowly picked up Bianca, grunting, and even more sluggishly made his way to the others. The group began following the unknown man, quietly (apart from Zao's grumbling). Sorry about this, Zao, but it won't be for long!

Eventually, the man took the group to the Farawell Shadow Development Centre. The place where the team first appeared in the other world. Why was the man going in there, though?

"Wait, stupid! We can't go in there! Some old bastard from the Ater Vox is in there, and we can't fight him carrying these guys!" Blaine said.

"Haha! I'm more familiar with your exploits than you may think. Archibald Ebert may be an old bastard but he isn't here, actually. That obsessive old man is preoccupied with improving the effectiveness of the Ornatu Legion. It's for the best that he hasn't had any luck yet." the man said. "We'll be fine just sauntering in here, trust me."

"Are you acquainted with Archibald yourself?" Nathan asked. "I share the 'old bastard' opinion. He's a coward who didn't even fight us in person!"

"Ah. I learned of that fight. I'll tell you later. Honestly, you lot have little patience. If you were in my shoes, you might know what it's truly like to wait for someone." the man said. "As I said before, we'll use the NDD on the ground floor to get to our destination. I can't tell you where it is yet, or you'll give in to mistrust from the get-go. And without trust, there is no success." the man said. What the - I've heard someone say that before, too! In that same tone of voice! Could it be...?

"Amara, what's wrong? You're acting weird!" Zao asked. "Oww, my arms...Bianca's heavier than she looks!"

"Really? She's rather svelte, from what I can see. I'd have thought fishing all day would have given you stronger arms." Nathan said. "Perhaps Blaine can help you with a new exercise regime?" Blaine laughed, with a sinister air to his voice, and Zao whimpered, still struggling with the weight of Bianca.

"Stop teasing him!" Serena said. "Although Bianca is kinda thin..."

"Are you done chatting? Then hurry up and follow me!" the man said, annoyed.

Amara and the others continued to follow him, and finally they reached the NDD in a room that was formerly locked. The only other thing in the room was a diagram of what looked like the clown Shadow they fought in June, with 'Trickster Harlequin' written beneath it. Serena shuddered, and Nathan grimaced at the sight of it. Other names were written in tiny print beneath it, but Amara only caught one of them - 'Unblessed Cherub'.

"Alright, here we are."

The man took out what looked like a mobile phone, and began bashing on a few keys. It seemed like he was sending a message to someone, but Amara wasn't close enough to see. He then retrieved a golden badge from his coat pocket, and shined it in front of the NDD. There was a strange humming sensation, and a symbol appeared in front of the number keys. The symbol looked like a circle with six points on it's perimeter, with the upper segment of the circle white and the others transparent. That's the Aeternus logo. Is it a trap after all?

"Holy crap! We're going to the Aeternus Headquarters?" Blaine said. "What the hell are you trying to pull? If you're gonna get us captured, we'll tear you a new one! Several new ones!"

"Is he always so boisterous?" the man said, sighing.

"That's one word for it, anyway. He is from Kanaloa." Nathan said, shrugging. "His reaction is understandable, however. We've never ventured into the headquarters, and a total stranger taking us there is rather unexpected. From my understanding, they're impregnable, even for people like us."

"That's right. But with this, we can reach a special place. Don't worry, you won't be crossing swords with Nihane Kronos today." the man said. "This is your last chance to flee, if you're already convinced I'm untrustworthy."

"Screw that! We're going!" Amara said. "Whatever happens, happens!"

The man smiled, and Amara felt her heart race. He pushed several keys, and the door became active. Without another word, the man went through. Amara went in straight afterwards, ready for whatever was in store. She had a feeling she knew who the man really was, especially from the way he smiled. Soon, she would find out for sure.

|Aeternus Headquarters - Unknown Area|8:50 pm|

Amara wound up in a cold, lifeless corridor. Apart from pale yellow light panels on the ceiling, there was virtually no decoration at all. The only sound was the quiet humming noise of machinery throughout the area. Despite being a man made structure, it didn't feel as if humans could build something so unwelcoming and so soulless. Even the Farawell Shadow Development Centre had a more accomodating atmosphere than this. However, there were no Shadows around. The doors were shut, but upon closer inspection, they were sliding doors.

The man stood in front of her, still holding Alastair. Soon, Nathan, Serena, Blaine and Zao followed, and the man breathed a sigh of relief.

"I was concerned you wouldn't come. Then I'd only be able to save Clark, and Summers, Miyazaki, and Eden would be in a real bind." the man said. "It wouldn't be the Holy Cross with just one of them, would it? From what I've gathered, they work at their best when together. Come with me. We'll be able to resuscitate them soon enough."

"Thank god!" Zao said, arms shaking. "I hope I never have to do this again!"

"What's the matter, wimp? You that afraid of some exercise with your buddy Blaine?" Blaine said, with an mock evil glint in his eyes. "I won't torture ya...much."

"I thought we said stop teasing him?" Amara said, walking onward.

The others followed the man into a darkened room, labelled the 'Decontamination Room'. The only objects Amara could make out were four black machines in a cross formation on the floor. They were large enough for a person to lie on. The man lowered Alastair's body onto the north facing on, and gestured for the others to follow his example. Soon, Bianca was facing south - the nearest to the entrance, and thus the closest one to Zao - Richard was facing east, and Kazuya was facing west.

"So...what are you gonna do with these guys?" Amara asked. "Can't you turn the light on?"

"My apologies. I've become accustomed to the dark. One moment..." With the flick of a switch, the lights came on. The room was similar to the previous hallway, except for bizzare vent like structures in the ceiling and several computer terminals in the south end. The whole place had a sleek, refined look, almost like a modern day smartphone. Amara looked at the man, and gasped. His hat had been casually tossed to the floor, and so were the pair of sunglasses. With those items no longer obscuring his face, her suspicions were confirmed. Standing right in front of her was a man she never expected to see in this world alive. Her father, Rudo Furaha.

"D-Dad?" Amara shouted. "Dad! It's really you! I can't believe it!"

"Yes, Amara. It really is me. It's good to finally see you again." Rudo said, smiling. His hair was the same jet black shade as his daughter's, even if there were some strands of gray throughout. His eyes were bleary, and he was rather thin - the Rudo Amara knew had something of a pot belly, due to his hearty appetite. "Even if you're not the Amara from this world, I'm glad you're safe. I suppose I should expect no less from someone as determined as my daughter."

"Wait, you're aware of the other dimension?" Nathan asked, now flabbergasted. "Just how much information do you know?"

"Whoa, Nathan, hold with the interrogation! You're interrupting a touching moment!" Blaine said. "...Okay, now even I'm confused. Wasn't Amara's daddy supposed to be dead in this world?"

"Indeed he was! And if it weren't for my quick thinking, he would be! Alas, Rudo Furaha is here living and breathing to this day!"

Huh? That sounds like...

Standing in the doorway was a short, older man of about sixty years. He was balding, yet still had white wispy remnants of what was likely a handsome head of hair. He was clutching a very aged wooden walking stick that looked like it would break in two any moment, and was wearing a long, thick green coat, which was rather faded and beat up as well. His grey eyes flickered wildly, as he gazed piercingly at all the people in the room. Zao gasped, but everyone else was confused.

"It's the old guy! Tomas Weiken!" Zao said. Tomas laughed, and something about his laughter sent shivers down Amara's spine. Why is he here?

"Old guy? Believe me, young lad, I'm capable of far more tasks than most people at my age. If only walking without a stick was one of them..." Tomas said. He had a hint of a German accent - a trace of his heritage, from his youth in Munich. "Ah, so there you are, Amara. We've heard a lot about you. Fabulous and whimsical tales of your battles have been told. I hope that we can count on you to fight Aeternus."

"Thank you. But what's going on, Tomas?" Amara asked. "Like Blaine said, my father was killed five years ago!"

"Ah, that. We certainly do have a lot of explaining to do. Well, before I get to that, let me explain my situation. When those bloody Shadows attacked, me and your father were totally cut off from the rest of the world. We had no means to run the oil company whatsoever, and thus no way of making a living. Don't get us wrong, however. We had the sense to know surviving the monsters was more important than lining our pockets." Tomas said.

"Eventually, Tomas and I were contacted by Nihane Kronos himself. I'm not sure why I trusted him, but I agreed to whatever he said. We would resume control of the oil company, so that Aeternus had access to cash reserves outside of the city. Thus, they could use that money to supply the city with the food, water and any other supplies they needed. Anything that went awry would be my responsibility, not his. After all, he was the one with the power to make the Shadows disappear, unlike me." Rudo said, bitterly. "That impudent young man...how he became so powerful is beyond me."

"As for me, I actually had quite a bit of scientific knowledge from when I was much younger. Archibald Ebert himself witnessed the depth of my intelligence, and offered me a secondary position as a researcher for Aeternus. Even now, they still think I don't who are creating the Shadows. It's hilarious!" Tomas said, chuckling. "Only a desperate fool would believe they were to be trusted! And with the city the way it is, every woman, man and child is desperate. For food, water, shelter, and salvation! In fact, the Holy Cross was named so to appeal to the more religious inhabitants of the city. Yet they were far from the saviours Aeternus declared them to be!"

"Nihane wanted me to allow Amara to join the Ornatu Legion. I asked him, over and over again, why her? Why did she have to risk her life in battle against those despicable creatures?" Rudo said, clenching his fists. "All he told me was that she had stronger power than most others. At the time, I didn't realise what that meant. So when the time came for her to join the Legion, I had no choice but to let her go. It was soon after she left that Tomas came back with some news."

"News?" Serena asked. "You mean, what Nihane and the others were really up to?"

"Precisely! I stumbled upon some secret files on Archibald's computer - fortunately, he never found out. And he calls himself an unfailing genius, too! That old hag Josephine would have a field day if she knew his secure information was leaked." Tomas said, waving his free hand in a dramatic manner. "I also learned that Aeternus were actually creating the Shadows. Can you imagine how I felt that day? I was trusting those lying slime balls with the salvation of the entire city, and they were only bringing damnation! There are plenty of things in this world I hate. Being lied to is the absolute worst!"

"It gets worse, too. It turns out natural Persona users were being targeted, since they had a stronger chance of affecting phenomena called the Divine Sparks. And thus, Amara was eventually to be sacrificed for the sake of something called the Eternal Road." Rudo was angry, as he stepped on his sunglasses with his shoe. The pieces scattered across the room, and Serena stepped back in shock.

"They also planned to force Amara to stay in the Legion by holding her father hostage. Or rather, claiming to do so. In reality, they intended to murder him in cold blood, and Amara would never learn that the father she was yearning to save was dead all along. Looks like the opposite happened, right?" Tomas said, with a wicked smile. Unlike Rudo, he didn't seem angry at all. Rather, he had a eerie jovial tone as he spoke. "I didn't have much time before the assassin came. I took Rudo with me, and we escaped here - the secret outside lab on the Aeternus Headquarters!"

"However, Amara's natural Persona appeared, and she refused to aid Nihane's cause. So from that day, she disappeared, and we lost hope of finding her...until we learned what happened at Farawell Cathedral last June." Rudo said. He stared into Amara's eyes, and she felt sorrow from the melancholic look of her father's face. "My daughter had been sacrificed after all."

"Is that why you were at the crater? To pay your respects?" Nathan asked.

"That's part of it. I still had hope that she could be alive. These machines you see before you are designed to cure Ornatu Legion members who get affected by excessive Shadow energy. After all, they're not like you. Their Personas are merely Shadows given a new name and shape that obey commands. Tomas claimed that my daughter, and anyone else who succumbed to the Divine Spark, could be lurking within Inanis." Rudo said, staring deep into Amara's eyes. "Alas, we couldn't go! Inanis is too dangerous to venture into - not only are the Shadows far too powerful for us, Nihane Kronos keeps constant watch over that accursed place! That man is obsessed with causing as much misery as possible, and we could do nothing to stop him!"

"It's lucky you were at the crater. And even better, the Holy Cross survived, too." Tomas said. "Don't you see, Rudo? This means your daughter could still be out there! Not only that, the Commander of the Ornatu Legion!" Blaine's eyes widened - he hadn't forgotten how his other self had opposed them. "Plus, this young lady and the Albion heir!"

"...Yes. There's a chance my daughter is alive, in both worlds. Amara, what was your other self like?" Rudo asked, pleadingly.

"Um…she was on her own. She wanted nothing but to kill the man she thought killed her father. She didn't want company, and when I tried to help her, she just refused. I think she started to like us, though." Amara said. In reality, she hadn't tried to think about it, but it hurt knowing her other self could be dead. Now that it was possible she was alive, her memories of her came rushing back. If only her other self had been as lucky as she was.

"Hey, old guy, did you ever talk to the Commander?" Blaine said.

"Ah, it's no surprise you'd ask about him. Yes, I did. He wasn't particularly sociable, but that was until he discovered I wasn't quite on the same wavelength as Nihane and the others. In fact, the opposite. He was the only one who knew I was working in the outside lab to thwart my bosses. I was convinced he would have me killed for treason, but he actually told me he wanted to do the same. He was the one who told me about the other dimension, and I didn't believe him at first - but when he's angry, he's very convincing. Terrible temper at times, that man. I made him promise that if he ever found Amara, he'd bring her here." Tomas said, looking to the ground.

"Don't worry, Mr Weiken! We'll find the Amara of this world! You can count on me!" Zao said, wrapping his arms tightly around Amara. "We'll even go through the whole of Inanis if we have to!"

"Zao, you're hurting me..." Amara wheezed. Zao quickly stopped, and blushed. Blaine laughed, and even Nathan chuckled a little. Serena sighed, crossing her arms.

"I think that covers most of our past." Rudo said.

"Wait - the other me said she found you dead!" Amara said. "What happened there?"

"Honestly? I don't know..." Tomas said, shrugging. "Perhaps she was hysterical, or it was one of Nihane's mind tricks. He is a duplicitous loon, after all." Amara nodded, but something didn't feel right. But what did it matter? Her father was alive and well, and with any luck, so was her other self. She had to find her, and quickly.

"If there aren't any other questions, we'll begin awakening the Holy Cross." Tomas said. "The machines here based on similar technology to those used to give Personas to new members of the Ornatu Legion. What's happened to these four is likely a build up of Shadow energy, which these machines would normally remove in small quantities. Yet, these people have natural Personas, and they are actively fighting off the Shadow energy that came from the Divine Spark. It prevents them from suffering lasting damage to both body and psyche, but at the same time they cannot wake up. It's like being in a coma."

"How did they show up after all this time?" Serena asked. "They couldn't just pop up from Inanis, could they?"

"That's something we'll have to consider, but for now, we'll have to ask you all to leave the room. It's dangerous for those who aren't familiar with its use. You can look around, but do not leave without my permission. Here, even leaving the headquarters requires permission, and using the NDD will send a red alert to the security control." Rudo said. "Amara, we'll talk later."

"Okay! We'll wait outside!" Amara said. She and the others left, and the sliding door shut behind them.

|Outside Decontamination Room|9:10 pm|

"Well, this is exciting, isn't it?" Nathan said. "We really do have a double agent aiding us now! Perhaps he can help us stop the Divine Sparks!"

"I guess. But didn't something seem odd about that Wanker dude?" Blaine asked.

"Blaine! It's Weiken!" Amara snapped. "In our world, he's a sweet man who always looked out for me and my father. Don't talk about him like that!"

"But Amara, you saw the way he talked. Didn't something seem off?" Serena said.

"…He's just been under a lot of pressure. They had to stay here for all this time! They couldn't go out, could they? They don't have Personas like us!" Amara said.

"Alright, cool it. The good thing is, the Holy Cross are going to be hunky dory now!" Zao said. "Then we'll have new Persona users to boss around!"

"That's right. They won't be taking orders from Aeternus anymore." Nathan said. "Perhaps now, they can use their powers for a more noble goal."

"I just hope they know what they're doing in there..." Amara said.

|Decontamination Room|9:15 pm|

"You weren't going to tell them the truth?" Rudo said, pushing keys on his computer terminal.

"Of course not, Rudo. If they knew I switched you with that body double, and left him to die, they'd never forgive me. They're too idealistic to understand...that life is all about sacrifices. I just changed the one that would be offered!" Tomas said, cackling to himself. "So, you left the lab on your own. Does that mean you finally equipped Nebiros?"

"Yes." Rudo said, wearily. "I feel fine, thanks to your advice. But whenever I had to fight a Shadow, I didn't feel like myself at all."

"Of course you didn't! Nebiros was formed from the Shadows around here, just like my Belial. You should be more welcoming of their power, my friend! You simply have to forge a bond with the Persona, and soon it will become your own!" Tomas said. "What's the matter? Don't you trust my genius?"

"...I do. I wouldn't have stayed here all this time if I didn't." Rudo said. "Please, just let me keep it hidden from my daughter for now. You know how dangerous it is to have a fake Persona, from all the Ornatu Legion soldiers that have succumbed. If she found out, she'd-"

"Relax! Give me time, and I'll be able to prevent any of those nasty side effects you're worried about. Even the rumoured shortened lifespan!" Tomas said, sniggering. "Honestly, you're starting to become a hypochondriac. In this age, we have to take any steps necessary to survive. I'm not about to leave all the fighting to that talented daughter of yours! Are you?"

Rudo gulped. His daughter - both incarnations of her - had been fighting hard since she obtained her Persona. Relying on her was out of the question, but would she see it that way? "Please, Tomas. Just focus on the Holy Cross for today. I'll break the news later." Rudo said. "Hurry up with the decontamination!"

"You should be celebrating, you know. Your daughter's finally here, if not the exact way you intended!" Tomas said, shaking his head. "Beggars can't be choosers. Once we're done with it all, it will all have been worthwhile, every last sacrifice we've made!"

Rudo didn't respond, and instead waited for Tomas to activate the controls. The silence was deafening. Both men stared at each other, and time itself seemed to freeze. Finally, Tomas pushed his terminal's buttons, and the four machines began roaring with life. Michael appeared above Alastair, albeit with inverted colours. A dark energy came flowing out of his body, slowly restoring Michael to normal colouration, and the expelled substance, a black gas, was sucked into a vent-like opening on the ceiling. One by one, each of the Holy Cross's Personas were restored to normal. Gabriel, Raphael, and Uriel joined Michael, and with a bright flash, they returned to their users.

"Well, looks like we succeeded! Now, we can recover from anything!" Tomas said, cackling again. "Rudo, it's time for me to make full use of this opportunity. Are you going to join me?"

"I'm sorry? Join you for what?" Rudo asked, startled.

"Must you question every action I take? Trust me, old friend. Doing this won't hurt one bit. We can undo any damage later!" Tomas said. Then, he busted into laughter, as a red aura surrounded him. As the devilish entity came out of his body, Rudo yelped. Tomas continued laughing, and beckoned. Rudo knew he had no choice...he summoned the red aura too, and his own demonic power came out. The room was covered with a hellish red haze, as the voices of Shadows resonated.

|Outside Decontamination Room|9:17 pm|

"This is boring. Hey, I know! What number am I thinking of?" Zao said.

"Oh great, I have to wait ages outside here and now I have to play kid's games with Zao?" Blaine groaned.

"Don't be a grumpy guts! I was only trying to think of stuff to pass the time! Serena brought her 3DS, Amara's busy doodling, and Nathan's being boring as usual!" Zao said. "Seriously, we're in another dimension and he's checking his work schedule..."

"Excuse me, Zao, but I'm always exhausted after a night here. I need to make sure I don't have anything too strenuous tomorrow morning." Nathan said, turning back to his phone. "I just wish I could get internet here and check my email."

"If you're that bored, Zao, we could do what they did in the olden days. You know, chatting. You and Amara getting on alright?" Blaine asked.

"Oh, definitely! Amara is the cutest girl I've ever met!" Zao said, and he excitedly rambled all about how amazing he thought Amara was. Amara herself heard him talking, and smiled. He was exaggerating, as she didn't think she quite had 'goddess like beauty', but it was nice to see him so happy about their relationship. Serena groaned as she mashed the buttons, whilst Nathan just sighed.

"Okay, settle down, boy! You sound like a boy who's just got a puppy!" Blaine said, laughing.

"What about you and that Lucy chick?" Zao asked. "You two seem to be getting closer and closer!"

"Yeah, I guess we are. She always complains I'm not doing much with my life, but she wouldn't be saying that if she knew what I was really up to." Blaine said, cracking his knuckles. "Still, maybe it's time I thought about another job...that waiter stuff is getting old fast."

Amara looked around, and noticed another door open.

"Huh? That's..."

It was Seraphina. She turned around, and stared at Amara, unfazed. She must have been expecting them.

"Lady Amara! Your compnaions as well. I anticipated your arrival, but I was caught up in...other business." Seraphina said.

"What are you doing here?" Serena asked. "You need one of those badges to get in the headquarters!"

"Hecate told me there was a man I had to find. An older gentleman, who was desperate to achieve results in his scheming." Seraphina said. "I'm sure you know who I'm referring to, correct?"

"Tomas Weiken..." Amara said. "He's not that bad, honestly. Living like this for so long would get to anyone."

"I do suppose you are right, yet his mannerisms fill me with unease. I found Weiken in Nova Albion. He wanted to research the Divine Spark crater, but after I told him everything about myself, he agreed to let me come with him. I've been waiting for an opportunity to venture here for an incredibly long time." Seraphina said, staring at the door she came through.

"Why? They have better lunches than at your base?" Zao asked.

"No, you silly clown. There were just things I had to do here, but I never had the chance to get inside - until today." Seraphina said.

"Why are you so secretive, anyway? We all know you're some psychic called Stella Cleon in our world!" Blaine said. "Although even then we still hardly know anything about ya."

"I admit, details on my past are deliberately scarce. That is all down to my preferences. I would rather not divulge what happened prior to Hecate's grand awakening." Seraphina said, annoyed. "Please, stay out of my personal affairs!"

"Okay, your highness." Blaine teased. "How long is this thing gonna take?"

"We're finished." Tomas said. Something about him looked different. His eyes looked more wild than ever, and his already pale complexion was whiter than before. "It was a draining process on us both, but we did it! Come in!"

The group returned to the Decontamination Room. Amara thought she felt Shadows, but put it down to being in the headquarters.

|Decontamination Room|9:30 pm|

Alastair, Bianca, Kazuya and Richard were asleep, but their bodies were normal. Amara felt a bit weird when she came in, but that feeling quickly passed. Rudo was looking over Bianca's body, and seemed satisfied the process worked.

"Isn't this spectacular? The Holy Cross are alive and well! We'll keep them here for a medical exam, to make sure they haven't picked up any nasty injuries. Wouldn't want them to be out of action for a while, would we?" Tomas said, glancing at the equipment in the room.

"Seems like it was Nihane's hypnosis spell that truly inhibited the power of their Personas, though. At least, that's what Seraphina told Tomas." Rudo said. "The power of Janus is much greater than I imagined..."

"What happens if one of us falls under that same spell?" Nathan asked. "Would this machine work on us?"

"Yes, but your wills are stronger than the Ater Vox. Their wills were weak because they believed Aeternus could do no wrong. Even in face of the truth, with many people out for the Ater Vox's blood, they simply lacked the drive to rebel against their employers. Perhaps once they have recovered completely, they'll have the ambition to fight with us." Rudo said.

"Okay, I think I sort of got it. How come Nihane never used that power again, anyway?" Blaine said.

"When you fought him at Takanawa University, you must have been so determined to stop the Divine Spark that any attempt to control your minds would have been useless. However, you saw how much he overpowered you, even without twisting your minds. Nihane is far too dangerous to fight - not even the rest of his 'friends' can beat him." Tomas said.

"Yeah..." Amara said. She considering bringing up her multiple visions of Nihane's past, but didn't Right now, they had more important matters to worry about. After all, Aeternus were likely working on the next Divine Spark right that minute, and there was no telling when it would be. Suddenly, Seraphina looked alert, and held her head with both hands.

"Seraphina, what's wrong?" Serena asked.

"Sun...Darkness...Place of Worship...Ruins..."

"Uh oh." Blaine said. "Another vision. That means something fucked up's going on."

"Lady Amara, and the other warriors! Forgive me for that episode. There's a strong sensation pulsating somewhere in Farawell!" Seraphina said. "It's nearby where the Cathedral once stood!"

"Looks like you lot are kept busy, aren't you?" Rudo said. "Take care, Amara! If it's a Shadow, it'll be dangerous. Everyone, look after my daughter!"

"At your service, your majesty!" Blaine said, chuckling. "Back to that weird crater thing, then?"

"Yup. I wonder what the mysterious foreboding sensation is." Serena said. "Dammit, I hate backtracking! Stupid Cathedral!"

|Farawell|9:50 PM|

"Here we are again. Fun fun fun! Anyone in the crater?" Serena asked.

"Not as far as I can tell. It looks just the same as it did when we left." Nathan said, sighing. "This looks like it'll be a waste of time. Seraphina, you said someone was here, right?"

"Hecate speaks only inner wisdom to me. However, I remain unable to locate the person she informed me of. Alas, we must be patient, and-"

"Die, you monster!"

Huh? What the heck - that's MY voice!

"Either Amara's changed careers and become a ventriloquist, or it's the other one!" Blaine said. "Let's go!"

"Okay! I'll save the other Amara!" Zao said, running ahead. Seraphina and the others followed, and soon enough, they saw what the 'monster' was.

A knight wearing dark green armour, with four arms and a gilded dark cape, was standing over the other Amara. It had the 'Strength' mask on it's helmet, further decorated with white horns. In each of it's arms was a weapon - a sword, a halberd, a battleaxe, and a lance. It raised it's sword aloft, and it managed to cast a Diarama spell on itself. Amara would have been surprised by this Shadow in regular circumstances, but it was the sight of her other self lying on the ground that shocked her the most. She never would have imagined seeing her again...

"You guys?!" Other Amara said, standing up and turning around. "What's going on? Last thing I remember was the cathedral falling to pieces!"

"We'll tell you later! We have to get rid of this bastard first!" Amara said, raising her weapon. "Do any of your moves work on him?"

"Fire's worthless against it, and physical moves barely even scratch him!" Other Amara said, annoyed. "Even if I hit it a ton of times, it'll just heal itself!"

Right then, Zao laughed. What's so funny? Ah...it's cause we're the same. He stepped forward, and held up his fist.

"Rashnu! Come!"

Rashnu appeared, and held out his hands.

"You know what to do! Life Lock!" Zao called out. The spell Rashnu used appeared to have a strange effect on the Shadow - enough to anger it, as it forcefully stabbed at Zao with its lance. "Ow!"

"Zao! What did that move do?" Amara asked.

"Simple, I locked it's life. Well, sorta. It'll stop the Shadow from healing itself!" Nathan said, shaking his head. "Anyway, let's take it down!"

Blaine struck the Shadow - the Tempestuous Warlord - with a powerful Zionga attack. This caused it a great deal of pain, and while it was down, Nathan struck it with a Garula attack. Serena followed up with Aques, and everyone waited for Zao to make his next move.

"Oh...okay! Rashnu, cut him up!" Zao yelled. Alas, Rashnu's sword couldn't even scratch the Warlord's armour. It stood up, and swung its halberd around rapidly, hitting everyone with vicious swings. Amara grimaced, but then she thought of something.

"Rakukaja!"

Zao was now protected from damage, and he smiled. Dodging another thrust, he cast Bufu - yet it was rather weak, and barely passed as a chill for the Warlord. The Other Amara looked curious, and stared at the others.

"Marakukaja!"

Now, everyone had the same protection Zao did. Amara felt a twinge of jealousy, but let it go. It wasn't as if she would be much use during this battle.

The Tempestuous Warlod may have had the appearance of a fierce warrior, was rather predictable. All it could do was attack with one of it's weapons, and it never seemed to utilise more than one at a time. Serena's Mediarama spells were able to cover the damage, as ever, and like the others, she used her elemental magic to good effect. Without the ability to heal, the Warlord was lost, and fighting a losing battle.

"This guy's a joke! A few more hits, and he's dead! Zio!" Blaine cried.

"Magna!" Zao shouted.

"Aques!" Serena yelled.

"Garula!" Nathan called out.

The final barrage of attacks finally made the Shadow fall to the ground, every piece of it's armour shattering like glass. As it faded away, the other Amara looked at the team, smiling.

"You guys have gotten strong since last time. How long ago was that, anyway?" she asked.

"Over a month ago. We're actually in August now!" Serena said. "What happened with you?"

"I remember the cathedral breaking apart, and lots of white light. Then I remember seeing the cathedral again, but it was weird. There were tons of people in robes around, then lots of screaming, then eventually I wound up in the middle of that crater." Other Amara said. "I didn't think that much time had passed. What's happened since then?"

"We'll tell you the full details later, but two more of the Divine Sparks have occurred in Takanawa and Nova Albion. They didn't claim any lives themselves, but the events around them caused a lot of grief. More importantly, we've gained some new allies, such as Zao Yuria here." Nathan said.

"Hey, can't I introduce myself to my girlfriend's alter ego?" Zao whined. "Hi, I'm Zao!"

"Your girlfriend? I'm going out with this wimp?" Other Amara said. Zao laughed, and shrugged it off. "I suppose he's got nice hair. Plus he is sort of cute when he's smiling!"

"Thanks!" Zao said, running a hand through his vibrant ocean blue hair.

"So is your other self around too?" Other Amara asked.

"Um...I dunno." Zao said, nervously. "We might find him someday!"

"But the best thing of all is, we found the Holy Cross! Not long ago, in that crater!" Amara said. "And a double agent from Aeternus is helping us. With his help, we got the Holy Cross to wake up! And he says he has an idea about the Divine Sparks!"

"Double agent?" Other Amara said. "Who is it?"

"Oh, that's a surprise. For now, just follow us. Trust me, it'll blow your mind!" Blaine said, smiling. "Come on!"

"Fine. I suppose right now, sticking with you guys is the best idea. The Holy Cross, huh? I hope they don't go back to Aeternus. They're so annoying when they're complaining all the time." Other Amara said.

|Aeternus Supplementary Research Unit - Library|10:20 pm|

"Ah, you've returned. How did it go - Amara?!" Rudo gasped, and started intently at what he saw right in front of him. His daughter - she had a scar above her right eye, but it was the one he had been longing to see for years. His eyes were welling up - and Amara smiled. Everything had gone beautifully - father and daughter were reunited, after years of being separated. Now, there was nothing to get between them.

"Dad! Tomas!" the other Amara cried. Pushing aside Zao, who narrowly missed a wall, she ran straight into her father's arms. "You're really here?!"

"That's right, Amara. And I'm not going anywhere." Rudo said. His arms were tightly around his daughter, and Amara thought she saw him shedding a tear. She couldn't help but shedding one herself, and she had a feeling her other self was just as emotional.

"Dad, what happened? How did you manage to get away?" Other Amara asked. "I saw your dead body right before my eyes!"

"That doesn't matter. Me and Tomas did what we needed to do to get away, and here we are." Rudo said, looking at Tomas out of the corner of his eye. Tomas smiled, and it was the first time Amara felt genuine warmth from him. "You've done well to survive, Amara. I'm proud of you - both you and the other you."

"Dad..." Other Amara said. She smiled slightly, and breathed a sigh of relief. The others also smiled, even Zao as he got off the floor, grumbling about his scuffed knees. "I missed you so much, dad! You don't know how many nights I spent crying, hoping I'd wake up...and everything would be the way it should be! I'd be at home, and you'd call me down for breakfast, and ask me what I spent all night drawing, then I'd show you!"

"It's not quite the old days, Amara. We're still in tough times. At least I get to see your face again. You're starting to look just like your mother, you know. Now that we're together again, she won't have to worry about you!"

"Daddy, I'm going to do what I planned to do with my Persona all along. Protect you! Oh, and helping the other guys is part of that too." Other Amara said. "Tomas, you saved my father. I can never repay you or thank you enough!"

"Oh, there's no need to be so thankful. You can wait until our plans come to fruition!" Tomas said, shaking Other Amara's hand. "After years of inertia, everything is finally starting to pick up! Look at all the fine Persona users on our side! Yes, even those from an alternate timeline have done the impossible and come here to aid us in our struggle!" Tomas was absolutely delighted, waving his arms in a dramatic fashion. He almost lost his balance, but managed to stay upright. This was enough to cause Zao to giggle, and one dirty look from Nathan stopped him. "However, we need guidance for our ever rising power. In particular, reversing the Divine Sparks!"

"And how do you propose we do that?" Nathan asked.

"The theory is actually simple. The Divine Sparks are brought on by intense feelings of despair from individuals, and those feelings awaken similar emotions from Inanis. That is why ancient buildings appear there in the Divine Spark locations. Therefore, we counter those negative feelings with the highest amount of positive feelings we can, and sever the ties between Inanis and New Motus City." Tomas said.

"However, allowing the positive emotions to flow will be tricky. It will require intense mastery of the Persona ability, and it must be done in unison. Also, you're aware that Shadows are drawn to Persona users due to their opposing natures." Rudo said. "While both are born from humanity, they are constantly at war with each other."

"So if we go through with this plan, tons of Shadows are going to fuck us up?" Blaine said.

"You put it better than I could have, lad!" Tomas said. "That's right. However, I fear that no matter how many you defeat, there will be too many, and your focus will be diluted. Even more concerning is the fact that doing this simultaneously is impossible - and if we take too long travelling between the Divine Sparks, we run the risk of Nihane finding us. His power remains the strongest."

"In other words, your plan's not gonna work?" Zao said. "That's a major bummer!"

"Don't be so hasty to throw in the towel, boy. There is no conundrum on Earth that cannot be resolved with logical thinking." Tomas said, with an wicked grin. Amara felt a shiver down her spine as he said this. In fact, something had felt different about Tomas ever since she first saw him in this world, but it only until now that she realised it was something disturbing. "Allow me time to conduct more tests. I believe we can reach the answers we need sooner, rather than later. Trust me, I have a few ideas on how this will work out..."

"Well, I guess we'll leave it to you for now. You've given us a lot to think about!" Serena said. "The Eternal Road will soon be gone! Then this world can go back to normal!"

"Father, can I stay here?" Other Amara asked.

"No." Rudo said, sternly. "There is always the danger that Aeternus employees other than Tomas will discover the truth and come for us. You need to stay as far away as possible!"

"But dad, I don't want to leave you here on your own!" the other Amara said, hysterical. "I was convinced you were dead for so long! There's no way I'm leaving without you!"

"I need to stay here to help Tomas with the future experiments. You need to concentrate on eliminating Shadows and preventing any future schemes the Ater Vox may conduct." Rudo said. "Please don't cry, Amara...you'll be back here soon enough. Once we've vanquished the Divine Sparks and saved the city, you and I can live normally again."

"Listen to your father, Lady Amara. He will not be prone to foolish mistakes. Learn some patience." Seraphina said.

"Why are you lecturing me, you weirdo?" Other Amara said. "Fine, I'll wait. Don't get in trouble, okay? If anyone tries to hurt you, I'll be there to burn them to ashes!"

"Wow, she's so different from you!" Zao said, looking at Amara. "But anyway, we're going to be able to stop the Divine Sparks after all! It's going to be great! We'll have to have a big party to celebrate, too! It'll be even better than Nathan's barbecue!"

"You'll have your work cut out for you, then." Nathan said, with a slight smile. "I think we should come back in a few days, to give Tomas time to sort out his ideas. That's okay with everyone else, yes?"

"Fine with me. I'm going to the movies with Lucy tomorrow, anyway." Blaine said, also happy. "If we're lucky, she'll let me come back to her place afterwards."

"What's so lucky about that - oh." Nathan said, sighing again. "No details, please. As for me, I'll be helping Adrian plan his wedding. I'll also need a new outfit - it's been a while since I've attended a wedding, and I want to look sharp." Nathan said, excited. "Perhaps something blue?"

"You always buy a new outfit for every event you go to? Nice to see you're keeping the dressmaking industry afloat!" Blaine said, mockingly. Nathan rolled his eyes, and turned to Amara.

"What about you girls? Do you have plans for tomorrow?" Nathan said.

"I dunno, really. Apart from work, I could maybe draw a few things..." Amara said. "Actually, I've got a better idea! Serena, let's do something cool! There's an art show on modern sculptures at the Marianne Museum at 6 o'clock, free to attend! You want to come?"

"Well...go on, then!" Serena said, smiling. "It's not going to be tons of nude statues, is it?"

"I don't know, the brochure didn't say who the guest artists are." Amara said. "Oh! Zao, I forgot to ask if you -"

"Don't worry! I couldn't come anyway. My grandfather's having a dinner party, and he wants me there. I couldn't pass up a chance to have the best trout in town!" Zao cheered. "Anyway, let's go home! Soon, all our troubles will be over!"

"Seraphina, are you going to tell the others what's going on?" Amara asked.

"Absolutely. I fear I may have to wait until later to tell Matthew and Daniel, however. Both are currently very intoxicated, and the latter's influence on the former is...strong." Seraphina said, amused. "Even from here, I can sense the amount of alcohol those two have had."

"The Kingsley clan really know how to party!" Blaine said, punching the air. "If I wasn't so tired, I'd join them. Early start tomorrow…damn."

"Oh yeah, can I go back with you?" Other Amara asked, looking at Seraphina. "I don't have anywhere else to go, and I could a place with a bed. Or a comfy sofa."

"Oh, I'm sure we can arrange something. You don't want the sofa tonight, though. Dan will soon be passed out, and thus filling the room with the air of alcohol." Seraphina said, amused. "Come with me."

And so, the team left the lab, to wait until Tomas had figured out a flawless way to undo the Divine Sparks. If he was successful, it would surely lead to the downfall of Aeternus and the Ater Vox as well. Could this really be happening?

Amara returned home, with no choice but to wait and see what would unfold.

|Aeternus Headquarters - Archibald's Office|11:00 pm|

Archibald had returned to his office for the evening. Even after becoming a member of an organisation plotting to distort the fabric of reality, he still couldn't get out of the habit of leaving his desk untidy. Important items were often left scattered amongst sheets of paper, and plenty of discs and USB drives were between them. Drinking his coffee, he browsed an old folder on his computer. At the moment, he was having a bout of nostalgia. He was fascinated with reminiscing olden times, ever since the early 90's. Something significant had occured to Archibald in that time. It was something had not breathed a word about to anyone else, even his Ater Vox colleagues. Yet this event had played on his mind ever since, and had become the reason for following through with the Eternal Road?

He glanced at one file, which titled 'Furaha Project'. This report detailed the scheme to use Amara Furaha as a sacrifice to bring the next Divine Spark, which hadn't entirely worked out. The two remaining Divine Sparks had yet to materialise, and it could be years before they came forth. Archibald sighed, and reached to switch off his machine. Just before he did, he noticed an oddity. The file had been accessed at 6:40 am, yet Archibald knew for sure he hadn't opened it since 2 am earlier that day. No one could have gotten access to his files except...

"Ah ha! Good old Tomas Weiken." Archibald muttered. "Why did that oafish fool look through my personal files? If he saw it..."

Suddenly, everything came together. There had to be a reason why Tomas kept entering the outside lab, despite no experiments being designated there. Tomas could be described as obssessed with that location, refusing to allow anyone else to enter at the same time as him. Archibald had taken no interest in that building, and thus assumed Tomas was merely dedicated to his work.

"So, you're up to something, are you?" Archibald smiled evilly, finishing his coffee. "Then go ahead. See how far you get. One wrong move, and you'll be squashed like a bug."

Archibald sniggered, as he retired to his bedroom. Whatever Tomas had planned, he had no doubts it would fail.

Notes: Thomas Weiken's name has been changed to Tomas Weiken. A minor edit, and one that will be made throughout the earlier chapters. This is merely to make his name feel more German, and to suit my preferences. Yes, he will be a major character this arc, as will Rudo. Also, Zao's Seal Heal technique is now 'Life Lock'. I don't recall if I actually mentioned it by name, though, but it was a while back.