Edit Note: Altered the conversation between Seraphina & Amara because it caused a plot hole.
Chapter 63: Shadowed Remembrance
|September 17th|Aeternus HQ - Shirley's Room|11:46 am|
Adjusting to her new power had taken some time. Indeed, adjusting to this entire situation was still proving itself difficult for Shirley. In her mind, nothing made sense, no matter how many times she recalled recent events.
After her parents died, she was on her own. At some point after that, she was allowed to stay at Kaman's bar, and she occasionally performed songs there for the drunk patrons. Yet only one man there was more interested in her tinkling the ivories than him downing another pint. Dan Kingsley, an older gentleman. He had a rough exterior, sure, but she could tell he was a kind man. Things started to feel odd when he brought his brother Matthew with him. She was certain Dan's baby brother had died shortly after the Shadow madness begun. Then, he told her something that completely took her by surprise. He was in love with her.
At that moment, feelings came rushing back. Of her screaming mother, before she was stabbed to death by a monstrous Samurai Shadow. The same kind Shirley could dispatch with Rhiannon. And of her brave, yet naïve father, who's body was immolated right after he tried to save his wife. Yet there were other feelings she couldn't understand. An intense fear...and hatred. That was a terrible day.
After this, things had gone even worse. She had been abducted by Carlos Nadal of the Ater Vox, a man she still did not trust. No...she didn't trust either of them. They spoke repeatedly of how those with Personas who had turned their backs on Aeternus, and those who had always been against them, were nothing more than terrorists seeking to undermine the hard work they were doing. But...despite all the hardship she had endured, she finally saw the one woman she had been waiting a decade to see. Lucille Victoria Crossman, better known as Lucy. Yet Lucy had gained a power called Persona, and she was expected to use that power to defeat Shadows. Shirley had nowhere else to go, so she had simply stayed.
They weren't the same girls they were back then.
"Shirley? Aren't you coming?" Lucy's voice could be heard outside her door. "I've got good news. We're being moved to where the Holy Cross dweebs were staying!"
"Oh..." Shirley said. Sighing, she got up, and opened the door. Lucy quickly took her by the arm, and they made the long way down towards where the Holy Cross was. It was quite a large living space, but all signs of their stay had been thoroughly removed. And there was room for four people, making it rather spacious. Shirley couldn't help but feel a little sad about that.
"Lucy, who are the Holy Cross, exactly?" Shirley asked.
"Alastair, Bianca, Kazuya and Richard." Lucy said. "After what happened in June, they were presumed dead. But it looks like they came back and joined up with the enemy...like Blaine did."
"Ah..." Shirley said. "Say, Lucy...there's something else that's been bothering me."
"Shoot." Lucy said.
"That weird old man. I think his name is Tomas. Do you know him at all?" Shirley asked.
"Um...not really. He's usually working in Archibald's department, so I never see him very much." Lucy asked. "Why? He didn't...do something funny, did he? Cause if he did, I'm gonna shoot him to a billion bits, and shoot each of them to microscopic bits!"
"Calm down, Lucy! It's not like that at all. When I saw Tomas using his Persona, I remember screaming at the sight of it. But I barely even remember why. I just remember that something about it made me afraid...even more than I already was." Shirley said.
"You sure it wasn't just some freaky ass Persona with seventy eight eyes, all a different shade of red except one that's gold because it's the only good part of his soul?" Lucy asked.
"...No." Shirley said, imagining this creature, and almost smiling. "It wasn't that sort of scary. Some of the Shadows we've seen are like that, and I hate seeing them. But after using Rhiannon on them, I've begun to get used to them. But Tomas's Persona just triggered something in me."
"Oh…" Lucy said. "Well, Shirley, I've got an idea. I've heard about cases where people who suffer really badly at a young age suppress memories to cope. What if...something about Tomas's Persona made you almost remember something like that?"
Shirley gasped. That seemed a likely explanation. After all, the Shadow nightmare had indeed started when she was a child. Yet she remembered her parents dying. That would count as suffering 'really badly', but she hadn't forgotten that. What would have happened to her that was worse than her family being murdered by supernatural forces?
"...Shirley? Please, tell me you're alright. If you want, I can get you a glass of water before I have to go to Farawell -"
"No." Shirley said. "Thank you, Lucy. You've given me some serious food for thought. There might seriously be gaps in my memory…and I'm going to start looking into them. All I know is Tomas Weiken is at the heart of all this."
Lucy left for Farawell. Before she left, though, she made sure to leave a glass of water and some cookies out for Shirley. In her own words, "You can't investigate a creepy scientist on an empty stomach!"
|Aeternus HQ - Tomas' Office|18:30 pm|
Shirley had been following Tomas ever since she had finished dinner. Fortunately, the few time he saw her, it looked more like she was headed somewhere else. To her confusion, he headed towards an NDD. She had been informed on how they worked by Lucy - developed by Aeternus over 10 years ago, they allowed easy and painless transportation across wide distances. They were available over the city and in the headquarters - provided you knew the codes for your favoured destination.
In the case of teleporting to restricted areas with the HQ, or if in the other five districts of the city, the HQ itself, one would need an Aeternus ID to travel there. Each of these were ranked, and thus one couldn't enter the room where the Ater Vox met frequently without being one of their member, unless they were a guest for a particular meeting. So it seemed odd that Tomas, instead of going to his office, was heading somewhere that needed an ID. It was past six at night - only the Ater Vox would bother working this late, and only a small amount of employees actually lived within headquarters. He disappeared before she could approach him, but noticed something shining on the ground. A set of keys…most likely for his office.
If I quickly go inside and check around, I might be able to find out more about that Persona of his.
She was about to pick them up, when she heard several voices talking. She didn't know who they were, but her face was becoming known across the building. So if she was seen acting strange, that would become public knowledge very fast. So she quickly put the keys into her pocket, and dashed down the hall - and nearly bumped into an office woman.
"Well, aren't you in a hurry." She said. "I suppose you're going outside to kill more Shadows, aren't you? You must find that exhilarating."
"I..." Shirley said. "It's my duty, madam! Just like your duty is...um...stuff with paper and...pens?"
"Yes. Stuff with paper and pens. I have to do that stuff right now." The office lady said. "I was supposed to have finished it an hour ago. So you go do your stuff."
Shirley shrugged, and searched far and wide. She eventually located the office, and luckily no one else was present. The offices of those not in the Ater Vox or with a Persona were considerably plain. Tomas' was not an exception. Seizing the moment, Shirley opened the door, and made her way in.
"Strange. Shouldn't there be more in here?" Shirley mused. There were print outs of various reports here and there, as well as a high tech computer. The swivel chair in front of it was rather comfy - and Shirley had to fight the urge to spin around in it for hours on end. The computer, upon starting, looked rather unlike any operating systems she was familiar with. This clearly wasn't an iMac, but it didn't seem to be anything like Windows, either. Beyond that, Shirley knew nothing of alternatives.
"These are funky machines. I hope I don't get caught." Shirley said. To her astonishment, there was no prompt for a log-in or a password. Why would Tomas have such lax security for his important data? Shirley gulped at the long list of folders available. All of them had rather unassuming names, such as NOV-08, or DEF-REPORTS. Each of these folders had between 30 and 50 different files in it - some word documents, some files that Shirley didn't understand. Yet nothing related to what she was looking for. Nothing on here about the Persona Tomas had. Why?
Defeated, Shirley quietly switched off the computer, and glanced longingly at the swivel chair. She would have to petition for one in her new bedroom, but that would have to wait for tomorrow. When she opened the door, however, there was someone already waiting for her. The brain of the Ater Vox - Archibald Ebert.
She gasped. How did he know she was here? Shirley hadn't considered the possibility of security cameras. Yet she had been caught, by one of Aeternus's own leaders.
"Good evening." Archibald began. "I presume you weren't expecting to be noticed. Yet when you disappear as soon as you've finished eating, and you start searching for something rather intently, it's hard for someone as observant as I to not notice."
"Mr Ebert! Please, forgive me. This regards Tomas Weiken, and it's important! I know about his Persona. I need to find out why it prompted me to scream at it upon sight." Shirley pleaded.
Archibald smiled, rather devilishly. "Ah. Carlos did report that. He must have presumed you were overwhelmed by the events at that time. There is information regarding Tomas Weiken's Persona that I have obtained, and has been passed on to my colleagues. Yet it was not from the office you were sneaking around in. Nothing that could incriminate him would ever be left there - he's not that foolish."
Shirley looked at Archibald, curious. Tomas was up to something, she knew it. Now if she could just find out what…
"I take it you're determined to learn of Tomas's real intentions. I could just tell you, but that would be a lengthy discussion, one that would prompt many questions. In fact, I believe becoming aware of the information would badly affect someone of a weak will." Archibald said. "Since you have a Persona now, I've got a feeling yours is somewhat stronger than most. So I have an offer for you."
"Offer?" Shirley said. "What do I have to do?"
"I call it an offer not because I expect compensation. All I require is your silence unless otherwise directed." Archibald said. "Tomas has all his truly important data in an external facility. You may have seen it whilst outside the main building. It's initial purpose, to conduct research whilst construction on the main building was being carried out, was fulfilled. Yet it would seem Tomas has taken it upon himself to use it for his own interests…which seem to contradict our objectives."
"Then please, Mr Ebert! Let me see it for myself! I have to learn what Tomas's Persona truly is. I know it's not like mine. It's fabricated, just like the Ornatu Legion's stock. But it's not like theirs, either!" Shirley said.
"Fine. Wait for me outside your new room at midnight." Archibald said. "That is when you can access the place without being caught. Now get going. I have other matters to attend to."
Shirley nodded, and made her way back to the floor. Now things were getting interesting. Alas, she couldn't help but think that something was seriously wrong. Tomas using a secret lab for strange purposes. Was he on the side of the rebels? Or was he on his own?
|Aeternus HQ - Outside Shirley and Lucy's Rooms|12:00 am|
The clock had struck exactly midnight. Shirley was there, still dressed in her battle outfit. She may have to contend with Shadows, if Tomas's unknown research involved them. Despite Lucy's protests, she had every intention of accepting Archibald's offer. Very soon, she heard footsteps. Archibald had arrived, just on time.
"I don't have much time. You will need this code, and a set of passwords." Archibald said, passing a piece of paper onto her. "If you get into trouble, you'll have to hope your training via Rhiannon has paid off."
"Gee, thanks." Shirley said. "No one will know about this, I swear."
"Is that so? I'd like to remind you this includes Lucille. You'll have to withhold the temptation to divulge anything you learn tonight to her. She can be rather reckless, and I'd prefer to keep her under control. Now go." Archibald said, swiftly leaving.
Shirley could relax a little more now. At midnight, no one was around in the corridors. She found an NDD outside a medical room, and turned it on. These were peculiar devices, but she had slowly gotten used to using them. The code she needed was longer than others she had memorised, but after entering it, the door was active. Stashing the paper with passwords in her pocket, she leapt through it.
|Aeternus HQ - Secret Lab|12:10 am|
"This place...it's so hollow." Shirley said, staring around her.
This place was even more devoid of life than the main headquarters. From where she was, she could see various doors, each with some sort of lock. She passed one called 'Decontamination Room'. What that room involved, she wasn't sure. She looked at the passwords she had been given, but none of them worked on the door's lock. Suddenly, she heard footsteps, and she hurriedly hid behind a wall.
"...still don't get it." A young woman said. Shirley wanted to check who it was, but she knew she couldn't take that risk. "Aren't you going to tell me anything?"
"I...cannot." Another woman said. "Lady Amara, these are top secret matters. I assure you, however, I am firmly on your side."
"Yeah, I know that!" Amara said. "But come on! You keep having secret chats with my dad! He won't tell me anything about it, either...it doesn't make any sense!"
"Your father is not in danger." Seraphina said, irritated. "This concerns me and me alone. He...updates me on information I request."
"And you're really not going to tell me what it is?" Amara asked. "You really keep a lot of things to yourself. Or on yourself, come to think about it."
"Ah!" Seraphina yelped. "You will remember to keep your lips sealed about that, Lady Amara. And you will also remember to not pry into my private business. Do you understand, Lady Amara?"
"Okay..." Amara said. "Just forget it. It's probably boring stuff anyway."
"...Exactly. Then we should go." Seraphina said. After that, no other voices were heard. Shirley briefly pondered what that conversation was all about, but all she was concerned with was the truth behind Tomas's Persona. She could ruminate on the rebels later.
Finally, she found one room that seemed peculiar to her. It lacked an identification plate, but the steel door seemed very robust. Knowing the nature of this place, it was probably protected against Persona attacks as well. Shirley hastily punched in the password, and made her way in. The lights came on automatically, and the room can into view.
Like the rest of the lab, it was predominantly white room. Tomas didn't seem to have much interest in giving either of his offices a personal touch. Yet there were papers scattered everywhere. Complicated print outs that Shirley couldn't understand, and peculiar diagrams. Many piles of broken equipment were left to rust in the back, and the computer at the desk had many USB drives attached. There was also another door to the right that was sealed shut, too.
"Let's see...what is Tomas hiding here?" Shirley said. "This creepy scientist sure is up to something. Archibald already knows about it...so why isn't he doing anything? Does he not get this either?"
No. Archibald was a master of his craft. His knowledge would surpass Tomas', no doubt about it. Shirley sighed, and sat down in the chair. This didn't feel as comfy to her. When she turned on the computer, she saw the same unknown operating system. Perhaps Aeternus had developed their own proprietary version. Shirley noticed that unlike the computer in the office, there was no internet connection whatsoever. In fact, the computer was completely outside the network. Clearly, Tomas wasn't taking any risks…unlike her.
As she stared at the mammoth list of folders before her, she realised something. She had no idea what to look for. To start with, she searched for Persona. Many files were before her, and she clicked the first one on that list. A simple text document from May this year that spoke of various Japanese cities with strange activity. Namely, Mikage-cho, Sumaru, Iwatodai, and Yasoinaba. The first involved SEBEC and a schoolgirl. The second involved spreading rumours and 'New World Order'. The third involved an accident, 'Apathy Syndrome', and the Kirijou Group. The fourth involved fog, murders, the 'Midnight Channel' and unexplained disappearances.
"Dammit! This has nothing to do with what I need!" Shirley said, angrily closing the document. As she begun clicking documents, hoping to get lucky, she gasped at a picture she opened.
It was the Persona she had been looking for. The red robes, and the black feathered wings with eyes on them. Not to mention the gigantic red scythe he clutched. This was...Belial. Shirley remembered the name now. And that face…
I know that face. He didn't have grey skin or blood red eyes, but I know that face for sure. And it's...
Shirley opened another picture, and gasped. It was the same face, but on a human body. His clothing looked torn, and he had blood trickling from his mouth. It looked like he was lying on the ground, after some sort of altercation.
Wait...Belial. B...Bradley - no!
Finally, it all came together in her mind. Tiny little bits and pieces of the nightmare she had lived before this one. Only last year, she had been staying in a shelter. Most of the inhabitants were rather miserable, but she had been on good terms with a middle aged lady. This building managed to keep the thirty or so guests fed and watered, provided they were able to work. Shirley and the woman had been outside gathering books for the children there…
|September 20th 2011|Saragel Homeless Shelter|8:21 pm|
"Phew." Shirley said. The books in her arms had many stories in them, and Shirley recognised some of them from when she was young. This copy was faded, but the cover of a rabbit gnawing on a carrot still kept it's colour.
"You're not good at heavy lifting, are ya?" the older woman said. "Hey kid, I never caught your name."
"Really? We've been living in the same shelter for about two years...although I dunno yours either." Shirley said, embarrased. "I'm Shirley Evens."
"Nice name. I'm Joanna Brooke." Shirley smiled. Joanna was an attractive woman, but the life she had lived for nine years had taken it's tool. She had many wrinkles, and her eyes looked grey. Still, she kept her blonde hair in a classy looking bun, giving her the look of a fifties movie star.
"You know something?" Shirley said. "I think the kids are gonna love these books."
"I know they will." Joanna said. "My boys love reading."
"Your boys?" Shirley asked. "Oh! You mean you've got kids at the shelter?"
"...Yes." Joanna said, looking at the ground. "My useless husband keeps complaining of back pain. He never keeps his promises to play with our sons."
"Oh. That's sorta lame." Shirley said. "It's sad...we've lived in the same place for two years, but we don't even know anything about each other."
"Don't worry about it." Joanna said. "We have our own lives to live. All I need to do is keep my two boys happy, and hold them if they're scared. And you…well, you're young. You must want to get out there and find your own way of life. Yet that's not so easy with those nasty Shadows around. Thank heavens the Ornatu Legion did some cleaning up around here."
"...Yeah." Shirley said.
They soon got back to the shelter, and Shirley went straight to her bed. As she heard Joanna's kids laughing, however, she smiled. Without any activities here, Shirley quickly fell into a slumber.
However, her rest did not last long. She looked around, and noticed something odd. All the other beds were empty.
"Joanna?" Shirley asked. That was the only name she knew from here. "Where is everyone?"
Shirley got up, and noticed a strange smell. Smoke. Shirley then looked outside the window, and screamed. The oak tree was aflame, smouldering branches dropping onto the grass. She glanced at the other windows, and saw flame everywhere.
"No!" Shirley screamed. She barged down the door with all her strength, and collapsed onto the ground of the entrance room. Luckily, the building itself wasn't on fire, but no one was there to be seen.
"Be quiet, girly. You're the only one we got."
Shirley could not remember at all what happened right after that. When she came to, she was in a dark room she didn't recognise, filled with various antiques. Two nasty looking men were looming over her. One with red hair, one with blue. And their sinister smiles only intensified as Shirley screamed.
"Pipe down, you moron!" the red haired man said. "The name's Brad. And this guy's Nick. Don't you forget it."
"We were supposed to rob everyone in the shelter and make a killing. But when we fucked up our fire, they ran away screaming like idiots. Guess they didn't give a fuck about you, did they?" Nick said.
Shirley gulped. What did these man want with her? And what had happened to Joanna and her family?
"Okay, bitch. Since you didn't have anything worth jack, we need you to keep watch over our treasure whilst we're out getting more." Brad said. "In fact, we're gonna go do that right now. So that means…we're gonna lock you in, and you can be all comfy in here. Just remember...it's not yours. You take one coin, you're gonna lose a thumb..."
Shirley didn't respond, and kept still. Nick and Brad laughed at each other, and left the room.
"Oy Keisha, what's taking you so long?" Brad screamed.
"Sorry, Brad. I was investigating the old summer home. Looks like we can get some fancy stuff from there, but the 'rivals' seem interested too." A girl - presumably Keisha - said.
And thus, Shirley was kept inside this room, and became painfully aware of the unholy ways it was obtained. Stolen from defenceless, scared people - even if it meant blood. Each item, once valuable, become a cursed trophy in Shirley's eyes. And she couldn't do anything. Not once did Shirley get to see the outside of this room. The only glimmer of information she got was that it was in Saragel somewhere. She also never once met Keisha, either. Brad and Nick constantly taunted Shirley, especially about the other homeless shelter inhabitants.
"I bet they're all lying in the street as leftovers. Those Shadows are pretty violent, aren't they? If you ain't good at running, or you haven't got a Persona thingy, you're gonna look like an autopsy." Brad said.
"...What's an autopsy?" Nick asked.
"Goddamit, Nick, you ruined the moment! ...Wait, never mind. She's still sitting there frightened." Brad said. "Keisha, get your ass in gear! We're heading out to the river!"
"Why there?!" Keisha, somewhere outside the room, asked. "I heard there was a scary guy killing people left and right there…what if we run into him? You guys just have those knives!"
"Whatever, girl. You're a fighter too. Remember, we taught you how to get a guy from behind - even if you did ruin your dress. We're off. You know the drill." Nick said, slamming the door shut."
Shirley, as with most nights, gazed at the growing pile of treasure. So many precious family heirlooms, unrightfully seized. If only Shirley could return them...but without a key, she was stuck in this place.
However, the two men did not return that night. By the time Shirley woke up, the door was still locked. Shirley called out for either of them, or even Keisha. No response. Desperate, Shirley knew this could be the time to escape. It took many tries, but she finally managed to break the lock by bashing it with a gold ornament - which did not sustain it's beauty afterwards.
Shirley did not waste any time. Without even looking at the building around her, she rushed down the stairs, and finally got outside. A newly printed news bulletin had been posted outside the door, and Shirley gasped. She had been held in that building - a museum - for three months. The day...was Christmas Day. And a snowflake landed on her cold hand.
She ran as fast as she could. How she managed to avoid getting caught by Shadows, she would never know. However, her mad dash finally ended as she collided with an older man. After a few harsh words, the man finally introduced himself, and she did the same. He was Kaman Barrs, owner of a run-down bar called The Mole. One thing led to another, and she soon became a regular pianist. Brad, Nick, Keisha, Joanna and everyone from the homeless shelter were pushed back into the dark recesses into her mind, only to be brought back into the light today.
Present Day
There was so much that had been forgotten. Shirley breathed a sigh of relief - those two men had never come back for her. And she had managed to stay in The Mole, where she managed to tap into her potential as a pianist. Not only that, she got to meet Dan...who she had rejected. Now she knew why…those thieves bragged about murdering couples for the sake of some jewellery. It must have made her think that...a world like this wasn't the place to pursue romance.
Why must I think about Dan now? This is ridiculous. We're here to investigate…
Shirley looked at the picture of Belial again. "Why does Belial look like Brad? And that other Persona looks like Nick. What did happen in Farawell?"
Then she realised. The pictures she found earlier were of them lying on the ground, looking rather injured. Shirley, gazing at the list of results, clicked on another picture. Upon opening it, she instantly screamed.
Right in front of her was a disturbingly clear picture. The scene she beheld was like a horror movie - except none of it was special effects. Brad and Nick were suspended from the ceiling...and bloodstains covered the walls. Their bodies had become emaciated, and their skin dull and lifeless. But that was not all. Strange visors were covering their eyes and ears, and from what Shirley could see of their faces...they were screaming, their mouths wide open. Some of their teeth had been knocked out, and blood was trickling from their mouths. The part no one would forget was...a knife deep in each of their hearts. The same knives they had used in their 'operations'. Blood was pouring from the wounds to the ground...
Shirley stared in abject horror at the ghastly image for what was in reality half an hour. For Shirley, however, she felt like it was a never ending nightmare. It hadn't ended after all. It had only been paused. When she had managed to calm down enough to minimize the picture, she clicked on the document beneath it.
The details in it were beyond sadistic. It was for her own sanity that she skipped over pages and pages of months of the torture she had seen only a glimpse of. Yet, she had gathered the gist of it.
Tomas Weiken had turned human beings into Personas by imprisoning them in a world of their own fears. And one of them was still imprisoned...in his own soul.
Shirley's shock was so strong, she almost fainted. Yet she remained still, gazing into the computer screen. When she felt a hand touch her shoulder, she screamed, and leapt off her chair.
"Where did you come from?!" She raised her fists, prepared to attack. "Wait. You're..."
The man before her was the man she saw with Tomas…Rudo Furaha. She knew nothing of him, but if he was supporting Tomas' experiments, he was dangerous. In fact, she might very well be her next target.
"How did you get in here?" Rudo demanded. "I don't know what's going on, but unless you've got permission from Tomas to be here, you're going to have to leave!"
"Shut up! I don't need permission from that freak at all! Rhiannon!" She screamed. Her Persona burst out of her body, ready to attack.
"You as well..." Rudo said. "Please, cease your assault! If you leave now, I won't say a word to anyone!"
"Yeah, so you can turn more people into Personas? No way! Aeternus sent me here so I can put a stop to your despicable schemes! Bright Fear!" Shirley shouted. Rhiannon blasted Rudo with supreme radiance, then there was an eerie sound akin to a banshee wailing. Yet once the light had faded, Belial was above Rudo.
"So you leave me no choice. I'm truly sorry I have to do this." Rudo said. "Nebiros...Mudoon!" The cursed spell's power enveloped Shirley, but it had no effect. "What?!"
"That won't work on me!" Shirley said, smirking. She then dashed at Rudo whilst he was confused, and kicked him into the hallway. Nebiros, however, was gearing up for another attack. Shirley was swept aside by a Garula, and the winds knocked the monitor onto the ground.
"At this rate, she's going to kill me..." Rudo said, panicking. He dashed down the hall, panting, whilst Shirley followed in pursuit. She didn't know what was going on anymore, or who she could trust. Yet she had to prevent any more victims like Brad and Nick, regardless of what they did.
Rudo had used his Persona to break down the door to his own room, causing the alarm to go off. The shrill noise started to hurt Shirley's ears, but she ignored it and charged into the room.
"It's too late!" Rudo said. He pushed the red button on the wall, and a second alarm started. "Tomas has been alerted. You can't fight two of us at once, can you?"
"I dunno, but we're gonna find that out!" Shirley said. "Rhiannon, Grieving Rune!" True to the ability's name, a rune-like stone emerged from the ground, summoning an ethereal rain of dark energy upon Rudo. When it ended, he looked at himself, and gasped. He started to cough.
"It can't have been long since you obtained your Rhiannon, and you've already acquired some potent spells." Rudo said. "But...why are you fighting me?!"
"You see that Persona of yours? Your friend, whether you knew about it or not, tortured a human being to make it! I saw it all on his computer!" Shirley said. "And...not just yours. Tomas', too! Belial and Nebiros? Try Brad and Nick! Thieves from Saragel!"
Rudo gasped. He definitely knew what she was talking about. Angrily, she tried to use Bright Fear once more, but Rudo's weakened body dodged it, as the spell shattered his entire desk. To Rudo's relief, a framed photograph was still intact. He quickly pocketed it.
"Ever since Tomas made me get this Persona…I have had strange symptoms. At one point, I heard voices speaking of the names you mentioned. But Tomas wouldn't do that...would he?!" Rudo said. The poison from Grieving Rune was getting worse. Shirley looked at her hands, and shuddered. What was she doing? Tomas was the one she had to take down, not this man...
Rudo eventually lost consciousness, yet Nebiros did not disappeared. It looked into Shirley's eyes, and for a second she thought she saw Nick. Suddenly, she heard a loud noise outside the room, and she thought she could smell smoke. When she looked outside, she saw Lucy kneeling on the ground, as Tomas stood in front of her laughing.
"You!" Shirley screamed, dashing to Lucy's side. "Lucy, are you alright? What are you even doing here?"
"Archibald said that you might need some help, so he gave me the codes as well..." Lucy wheezed. "But this guy...he's dangerous."
"So I should be. Shirley's already found out the secret to my success!" Tomas said. "Seems like the Ater Vox did before her. The jig is up, I take it?"
"You got that right." Shirley said. "What the hell are you trying to do? Was it just to prove you could create powerful Personas?"
"What?" Lucy asked. "What's going on?"
"I'm glad you asked, madam. I was frustrated with my research. I longed for a way to defeat Nihane and his allies, and stop them from creating Shadows!" Tomas said.
"What are you saying?!" Shirley demanded. "They're trying to save the city from those monsters! You're crazy!"
"Oh, I'm sure I am. But trust me, it's quite the open secret these days. All the rebels know. Thanks to their discovery of the Shadows, the Ater Vox managed to gain power over the entire city - and act as it's saviours." Tomas said, with an evil glint in his eyes.
"Then does that mean...Blaine is..." Lucy said. Shirley helped her stand up, as both struggled to process. They had been working for Aeternus for the goal of eradicating Shadows forever, but their enemies were being created by their employers? Could that be real?
"Oh, that Commander boyfriend of yours? Trust me, he knew the truth long before you two, or even I, did. Once they forced him to destroy Kanaloa to make way for their headquarters, he knew they were bad news. Yet he had nowhere else to go, and no one else to turn to." Tomas said. "So eventually, I started to work on a plan to gain power…enough power to triumph over the Ater Vox, and put an end to their tyranny!"
"And that involved turning people into Personas?!" Shirley shouted. Lucy stared at her, confused.
"Whoa. What's that supposed to mean?" Lucy asked.
"It's a little more elaborate than that, my dear. Shadows are made up of multiple people's dark emotions. Transforming that into a Persona highlights their true weakness compared to the real deal you both have. So I created Shadows that were...purely of one person. And to do this requires certain catalysts. Long story short, I made Nebiros and Belial out of two very...co-operative men called Nicholas and Bradley." Tomas said.
Lucy and Shirley were speechless. This man had committed acts of depravity he saw as nothing more than 'research'.
"Now then." Tomas said, raising his handgun. "I suppose now you'll want to jump ship and join up with the rebel friends? I can't allow that. After all, they still think I'm trying to help them..."
Belial swung his scythe in a terrifying frenzy of rage. Shirley crashed into a wall, and pain surged through her back. Lucy collapsed, moaning.
"Tomas..." a weak voice said. It was Rudo, clutching his chest. "It hurts..."
"Oh, does it?" Tomas said. Then, he started laughing. Shirley watched in bemusement as he rejoiced in his friend's pain. "Then it's finally happening! Rudo, do not fight the pain! Accept it! For we shall finally have what we need to escape the curse of this wretched life!"
"What are you...crazy?!" Shirley said, scrambling to her feet.
"There's no further need to stay at this location!" Tomas said. He pulled out a remote from his pocket, and walked over to Rudo. The two of them staggered over to the NDD, and Tomas punched in a code. "If I were to stay here, the Ater Vox will someday come to exterminate me! Yet I know exactly where to go!"
"Tomas...what's happening?!" Rudo whimpered.
"Shirley..." Lucy said, her voice barely above a whisper.
"I will become one with the power I have created! And as for you two...once I press the button, this lab will be utterly destroyed by explosives. I'll lose all my data, of course, but it's obsolete now! Farewell, Shirley. Oh, and you as well, Lucille." Tomas said, cackling.
Shirley gasped, but before she could reach him, he had already pressed the button. Then everything turned white, and she felt her body floating...