AN: The scene that was originally going to be at the start of this chapter was moved to the end of the previous to improve pacing. If you haven't seen it yet, please do. This chapter took a lot of rewrites, but it's finally done. Read and review, please!
Chapter 64: Breaking Point
|Inanis - Amurdad Ruins|4:00 am|
Inanis. The land of emptiness. A marvellous city had once thrived on this very spot. Alas, it was in the heavens now. Yet scars from it's dark past had returned. These were the embodiments of a history that the city were desperate to forget. Generations had passed, yet here they were - exactly as they were centuries past.
Outside the desolate realm of Inanis, it was the early morning. Within these boundaries, however, time had no meaning. One could wander for days and the sky would be forever the same sue. At this very moment, the land's only master was due to venture into the domain he had claimed for himself.
Nihane Kronos, the leader of the Ater Vox, appeared in the centre of the vast expanse of naught with a red column of light. While far apart, he could see the remnants of a shadowy past. In the direction of Nova Albion was a mansion, that may have appeared enchanting, but the owners were selfish and greedy. Takanawa's domain had a castle that was built for grandiose plans of domination, that could never realised. Farawell's Cathedral paraded around notions of holy order and devout worship, yet this Cathedral was bathed in the blood of a chilling massacre.
"Two more to go. It's taking too long." Nihane said to himself. Around him, Shadows were prowling the empty stretches of Inanis. When Nihane was here, however, they vanished. His presence was darker than any Shadow could be, and thus, they hid. He travelled to his usual destination - the ruins that had once been the sixth district of New Motus City.
When he arrived, the sky finally changed. He saw the clouds covering the city of that day, hundreds of years ago. Raindrops that had long since evaporated would fall again, for only Nihane's eyes. He waded through the rubble that had once formed the grand entrance to Amurdad, and gazed at the once beautiful gardens. Even the flowers were not spared. A tree that had existed for generations had been sliced in two.
Every sight he saw sent pulses of rage through Nihane's body. This was disgusting. Those rebels had accused the Ater Vox of committing crimes against humanity, but they had seen the memories of Amurdad's last day. But they wouldn't understand. This was something in the past that should be forgotten.
"Ridiculous. The people of Amurdad are not going to forget that their fellow citizens razed their land and wrote their home's name out of history." Nihane said. "Their time had yet to come. That is why I will revive this precious land."
Soon, Nihane was at the largest structure within Amurdad - the Aether Palace. The final target attacked on the day of disaster. The previous Nihane Kronos had managed to take his wife and son on a boat, but his daughter and son-in-law did not make it. A family forced to abandon their heritage to stay alive, in whatever country they wound up in...Nihane would make his ancestors proud. Nihane climbed the steps, and sat down. His eyes were closed, and his body became enshrouded with a red aura. The light could be seen from all over Inanis, but Nihane was in a world of his own.
He heard voices speak to him. Those voices spoke the gospel of world revolution.
|Aeternus HQ - Meeting Room|08:30 am|
"Where is Archibald?!" Josephine said, growing restless. "We've been here for nearly an hour now! Unacceptable!"
As if on cue, Archibald entered the room, without a care in the world. Even the glares of his comrades did not deter him. He sat down, and smiled.
"Sorry for the delay. I had quite a lot of work to get through. Where is Nihane? It's unusual for him not to arrange important meetings, let alone not attend them." Archibald said.
"He's in Inanis again. What he's doing there, no one knows, but from past experience he'll be there for quite some time." Nina said, coldly.
"So we decided that if he wasn't going to turn up, we'd have to tackle last night's fiasco ourselves." Pierre said.
"Fiasco?" Archibald asked.
"It happened after midnight. Ornatu Legion soldiers were in the middle of a training exercise when they saw the external laboratory go up in flames. The emergency response was quick. However, none of the equipment inside is usable anymore." Carlos said.
"We weren't using that lab for anything important." Archibald said. "It is of no consequence."
"H-How can you say that?!" Josephine screeched. Pierre looked at her with contempt. "We checked security cameras and NDD records. Shirley Evens and Lucille Crossman were in the lab last night! It's a miracle they weren't killed!"
"...Is that so?" Archibald said, curious. "And what, do tell, where those women doing there so late at night?"
"We don't know." Pierre said. "As far as we're aware, Shirley and Lucy were conducting their regular duties as Last Soldiers. While we were aware of what Tomas was up to, there's no way they would know."
"Interesting." Archibald said. "Let's put that aside for now. Josephine is right - it is indeed a miracle they didn't die in a fiery explosion. Am I correct in assuming they didn't return to headquarters?"
"Yes. Neither of them were in their rooms." Carlos said. "This suggests to me that they are outside our territory. The worst case scenario is that Tomas has captured them. To what end, we don't know."
"How many times are we going to say that?! We don't know anything!" Nina said, slamming the desk with her palm. "All we're doing is speculating. What's the point in that? We have no alternative but to scour the entire city until they're found!"
"Shut up, Nina. You sound like a child." Archibald said. Everyone looked at him in surprise. Nihane had badmouthed Nina plenty, but hearing that from Archibald was rather uncharacteristic. "First of all, let me remind you of what we're dealing with. Tomas Weiken wasn't content with giving himself a fake Persona like Vouivre or Vetala. He captured, tortured, and killed two men just to have a Persona that could compete with ours. This man may be a psychopath, but he must have some sort of agenda. From the other files on his computer - ones he assumed were for his eyes only - I deduced he had a keen interest in the Divine Sparks."
"What? What's he going to do with them?" Pierre asked.
"The exact same thing we're going to do." Carlos said. "Complete the Eternal Road. If Archibald is right, I think we can conclude that Tomas is plotting to trigger the Divine Sparks and seize the Eternal Road's energy for himself."
"Perhaps we can narrow down his whereabouts, then." Josephine said. "Saragel and Legarte will be under thorough investigation. Any objections?"
Everyone else shook their heads. Nina still frowned, but she kept quiet. Archibald scolding her was a bitter pill to swallow.
"Fine. Then we shall arrange for the Ornatu Legion to patrol both areas. Also, we should be personally involved if there is a chance of a Divine Spark being triggered tonight. Carlos, Pierre, you're going to Legarte. Josephine, Nina, both of you shall be placed in Saragel."
"What the hell? Why are you deciding that for us?" Pierre said. "Nihane's our leader! Not you!"
"How observant." Archibald said. "Yet we devised a protocol for this exact situation shortly after we seized power. If the leader of the Ater Vox is unavailable, the member with the highest seniority temporarily takes command. And that points directly to me. Unless you think you somehow have more experience than I do."
"Fine. I guess we should get some fresh air anyway." Pierre said. "One more suggestion, though. Can we increase the amount of Shadows in the two districts? It might make it harder for Tomas to hide."
"Not a bad idea. We'll simply...alter their behaviour a little. It would be counter-intuitive if they were to distract the Ornatu Legion, after all. We'll simply inform them that we've developed a device to protect them as they search for Tomas." Archibald said. "One final thing. Carlos, when you faced Blaine and Daniel, and Tomas intervened. There was someone else there, correct?"
"Yeah. But he had a hat on, and wore glasses." Carlos said. "What was Tomas' excuse at the time?"
"He claimed he was another employee who was assisting him. Which is only partially true - he certainly is no employee." Josephine said. "So who would Tomas keep hiding within the lab?"
"...Rudo Furaha." Nina said. "So we're looking for four people now."
"Exactly." Archibald said. "For now, let's focus on Tomas. In the report the media will deliver, we must ensure that only Tomas is mentioned."
"Agreed." Nina said. "Well, we should get ready to depart. Tomas Weiken, Rudo Furaha, Shirley Evens and Lucy Crossman...we'll get to the bottom of what happened."
Archibald watched as the other four left. He walked over to the window, and stared at the city beyond the walls of the headquarters. Once, in better days, his only true friend lived here in harmony with his wife and son. Now, the friend and wife were no more, and the son was now his enemy. And Tomas's plan could eliminate any hope of recreating the happier times of Archibald's life.
"Tomas Weiken. I don't know if you intend to merely disrupt the Eternal Road, or claim it for yourself. But if you even dare to try, I will destroy you."
|Secret Base|11:00 am|
It was a typical morning for the group. The Holy Cross had informed Aimee they were going to Takanawa to visit Kazuya's parents, so they would be back later on. Everyone else was planning to sit back and relax.
"Yo, Seraphina." Amara said. She and Serena had come over to the main base, due to the 'boring' atmosphere of the other. "Can I ask you a favour?"
"What request do you have for me, Lady Amara?" Seraphina asked.
"I want to go see my dad again. He seemed pretty sad yesterday, so I drew him a picture to cheer him up." Amara said.
"She was up all night drawing that thing. Kept me awake..." Serena said, rubbing her eyes.
"Sorry!" Amara said, sheepishly. "But you were busy writing the night before! So payback!" Serena glared. "Um...so, can we go?"
"Alright. Let us depart with haste." Seraphina said. She went over to the NDD, and typed in the code. However, nothing happened. "What devilment is this?"
"What's going on?" Kyle asked. "Is our NDD broken?"
"Try something else!" Amara suggested. Seraphina hesitated, but typed in a code for Takanawa. The device activated, and everyone stared at it in confusion. Seraphina attempted the code for the external lab again, but nothing happened.
"It seems like the NDD you're trying to reach is no more." Kyle said. "It's only happened to us once. Me and Dan were in Nova Albion one night, but then a drunk driver tried to ram his truck into a Shadow and crashed into the building. So we had to walk for miles just to get back. Or rather, he did."
"I had blisters for weeks, dude!" Dan said, sadly. Priscilla giggled, but Aimee seemed troubled.
"If we're unable to contact Tomas and Rudo, that's going to complicate things." Aimee said. "Let's wait for now. There might be a simple explanation for this, so don't get scared."
"Oh…okay." Amara said. Kyle looked anxious. He opened the Aeternus website, which was only accessible within New Motus City. Yet for some reason, the page wasn't loading. Eventually, it came up with an error message.
"What's wrong, buddy? Another 75 syntax errors?" Dan asked, leaning over.
"The Aeternus website isn't working. I'm going to have to work my magic to figure out what's going on." Kyle said. "So far, I'm thinking there's been a huge surge in web traffic, and the server can't handle so many connections. It make take a while to get through."
"That doesn't make any sense. Why would everyone suddenly have the urge to go online now? The website's only updated every once in a while, like you said. And you're the only one we know skilled enough to get access beyond that website." Aimee said. "I have a bad feeling about this..."
"I fear our only course of action is to bide our time." Seraphina said. "May this matter be resolved without heartbreak..."
|Legarte - Abandoned Restaurant|10:45 am|
A unit of Ornatu Legion soldiers were walking down Legarte,when they looked at an empty restaurant. The sign had completely fallen apart, leaving only metal studs. They stared inside, eyeing the bare interior. Every single table and chair had been taken long ago, and the wine rack had been depleted of it's stock as well. Only outlines on the walls were proof of a once-glamorous restaurant being here. Now, it was deprived of all heart.
"Sheesh. I know in these times, people don't go out much for food. But come on! I'm hungry! Couldn't they have kept it open for hard working soldiers like us?" Emma, the youngest of the unit, said.
"Not if they were killed by Shadows." Miharu said. She looked at the ceiling. If there were wondrous light fixtures here at any point, they had been pilfered as well.
"This is creepy." Brian, the eldest of his team, said. "Let's get out of here."
"Wait, you idiot!" Freddie said. "What if the old scientist dude we're after is chilling out in there?"
"How is anybody supposed to do that inside that ugly dump?" Emma said. "Brian's right. Let's get out of here!"
All of them left. Little did they know someone had heard them. Alas, it was not a scientist. It was Keisha. She got up from behind the counter, and grumbled.
"Ugly dump, huh?" Keisha said. "You wouldn't be saying that ten years ago!"
Back then, everything had been different. This restaurant's name may have been forgotten, but it was once called the Vivaldi Village. Run by Marcia and Jacob Vivaldi, it was a moderately successful family restaurant, famed for it's delicious pork ribs and generous servings of ice cream. Alas, after the Shadows came, the good times ended. No one was brave enough to venture inside anymore. Nor were Marcia and Jacob willing to leave.
Yet their needs outweighed their will. They promised Keisha they would return, and once they did, they would all have the best meal she would ever have. And so for hours on end, Keisha waited and waited. Yet they never came back. Keisha would leave the restaurant for herself, leaving the door unlocked in her hysteria.
It did not take long to find out what went wrong. Marcia and Jacob were sprawled out on the ground, covered with blood. Shadows surrounded their bodies. Keisha's screamed grabbed their attention, and she was powerless to act. Everything seemed lost - her parents were dead, and soon she would meet their fate. Yet that did not come to pass.
Two women on the scene had dispatched the Shadows, as if it were daily routine. Those were the ladies of the Ater Vox, Nina Agnethe and Josephine Johnson. Despite Keisha's tearful cries, they casually arranged for the cremation of her parent's bodies. According to Nina, it was the 'simplest option'. Eventually, Keisha was returned to the Vivaldi Village - or rather, what was left of it.
Thieves had taken everything inside. Not even family photos were spared. All Keisha had on her person were the ashes of her mother and father, with nowhere to scatter them. So they had been stored upstairs, and the front door had been locked ever since. Later, she would become the third member of Nick and Brad's gang, yet not once did she divulge her past to them. No one else could understand.
If Keisha had been more careless, she would have had to fend off the Legion. And a fight in the place she had once called her home was unthinkable. She breathed a sigh of relief, but then she became confused.
What was that about an old scientist? That sounds like...him. Tomas, that bastard! I'll never forgive him for what he's done! And if he's trying more crazy shit, I'll destroy him!
Retrieving her weapons, she stormed outside. Somewhere in Legarte, Tomas was hiding. And she'd find him long before the Ornatu Legion ever would. She took the same path she did when she went to search for her parents - but this time, she had the power to protect herself from the demons that ruined her life.
"Just you wait, Tomas. And you too, Roger. Some day, I'll tear you both to shreds!"
|Normal World - Legarte - Garden of Eden|14:15 am|
The Garden of Eden was a moderately successful seafood restaurant, named after the owners Henry and Lindsay. Richard, their son, had invited Karl along for a light lunch, the day before the first match of the big tournament.
"So what do you think?" Richard said, smiling. "The mussels here are great. Me, however, I'm in the mood for some sea bass."
Karl smiled, as he glanced at the menu. "I'm going to try those mussels, then, with the garlic sauce. Hey, Richard, you never told me your folks were restaurateurs!"
"Funny story, actually. My parents used to have boring, dead-end jobs, but they got lucky and won the lottery. Not like the jackpot, but a couple of thousand. They decided to do what they had always dreamed of - open a restaurant. It took them ages until they found premises they liked, though." Richard said, looking around him. "The thing is, before they renovated the place, it used to be another restaurant. Something Village. According to my folks, the former owners were really sad when they handed over the keys."
"Hmm…I guess one dream ends and another begins." Karl said. "Just like with this tournament. If we managed to win the whole damn thing, think about it! We've got a chance to get into the national team! Imagine it, Richard. You and I could be on video game boxes. Kids everywhere will say we're their heroes!"
"Heck yeah!" Richard said. "Trust me, Karl, I'm a silly guy, but playing soccer is the one thing I'm serious about. So you and I are hitting the park right after this!"
While the two of them were ordering, Karl thought he saw a lady staring at them outside the window. He didn't recognise her, but she seemed particularly interested in Richard. Karl gulped - if she was a stalker, there was no telling how far she'd go. Yet she eventually saw Karl looking at her, and flustered, she ran off.
"Hey, dude. There was a girl outside looking at you." Karl said.
"What, really?" Richard said, face red. "But I don't see her anymore. She must have been star struck! Get used to it, Karl. When we win the tournament, that'll be every day for us!"
|Takanawa - Cao Dian Tudi|14:22 pm|
The Holy Cross may no longer be officially titled, yet out of habit they kept that group name. And on their way back from Kazuya's family's sushi restaurant, a number of Jotun Shadows had materialised in front of them, hungry for destruction. Yet they did not anticipate that their enemies were the true masters of destruction.
"Gale Force!" cried Richard. His Persona may share Richard's upbeat smile and demeanour, but when focused, it could cause serious havoc. Raphael leapt all over the area, blasting the grotesque Shadows with blindingly fast gusts of wind, one by one. "Now! Kazuya!"
"Gotcha! Heaven Pyre!" Kazuya shouted. Uriel stabbed a Jotun that was about to attack him, then struck the ground. Shining light burst from Uriel's mighty spear, and that light unleashed a burning flame. The Jotun disintegrated, no match before the angelic dominance.
"I'll not be outdone, either! Sea of Tranquillity!" Bianca cried. Gabriel's feminine beauty hid a fierce knight. One of the remaining Jotuns was preparing a spell, but before it could attack, a fabricated crescent moon appeared before it. The moon then developed into a full moon, and crushing waves of water emanated from it. The Jotun was powerless to resist, and was destroyed.
"Then I will bring this battle to it's finale! Behold, foul angels! Your trial awaits! Sacred Blade!" Alastair bellowed. Michael's holy blade shined in his hand, and with the sound of a heavenly choir, the sword's bright light blinded the remaining Jotuns, causing them to scream in agony. Michael gave them no mercy - in a split second, he slashed them with his sword, leaving nothing but the white trail left by the swing. All the Jotuns were gone now, leaving the battlefield calm.
"That was great." Richard said. "Someday, we might be able to beat the Commander in a fight!"
"That might take a bit of effort on our part. Still, I'm glad we're getting accustomed to our new situation." Bianca said.
The four of them wandered around for a while. Takanawa seemed no different than usual for this world. Yet quite a large number of Shadows were acting erratically - they seemed to be reacting to something. It could not have been the Divine Spark that occurred in Tachibana University, however, as most of the Shadows were going in the other direction.
"I'm concerned..." Alastair said. "Haven't you noticed some Shadows seem to be heading in a certain direction? What I mean to say is that they're not aimlessly prowling through the Takanawan streets. They seem to be going somewhere specific."
"Hmm. Do you want to follow them and see what happens?" Richard said.
"Might be dangerous, you know. But if we keep our distance, we'll be alright." Kazuya said. "Richard, you will remember to heal us if necessary, won't you?"
"No, I'm gonna leave you at the mercy of the Shadows and spend the rest of my life shaking in the corner of my room wracked with guilt." Richard said. Kazuya gulped, whilst the others laughed. "Of course I'm going to heal her, you…what's the word in your language? 'baku'?"
"It's 'baka'. Baku is a city." Bianca said. "Now let's be on our way!"
They departed, as they followed the Shadows on what would be a long journey.
|Normal World - Legarte - Real People Offices|17:04 pm|
"Phew..."
After a long day at work, Amara was glad to be going home. Zao had already called to say he wasn't coming to the Other World tonight, as he wanted to hang out with Karl before the tournament started tomorrow.
I suppose if things had turned out differently, it would be me cheering him on instead of Zao. But there's no use complaining now, is there?
Sighing, she put on her coat and entered the elevator with Stella and Lucy. The latter was looking rather anxious, and Amara wondered what it was about.
"I sense you are still concerned about Edmond." Stella said gently.
"Huh?" Lucy said, looking up. "Don't do that! It's not Edmond I'm worried about. Okay, I am. Petrified, really. I've completely forgotten to finish that project for college! I've been so stupid!"
"What? What project is it?" Amara asked.
"It was a report about major scandals and how they were reported in the press. And it's due in next week! I've barely even started it!" Lucy said, her eyes watering. "Then I've got Edmond coming round tomorrow, and I haven't seen him since he left for university…and he's a professor now! So the entire time he's here, I'll be rushing just to get all my homework completed!"
"Lucy, I'll be honest with you. You're due for a rough few days." Stella said. "Yet, I have some advice for you. When searching for sources, venture outside your usual databases. There may be some truly helpful articles for you. Wisdom can be found everywhere."
"Wisdom...everywhere..." Lucy said, pondering to herself. "Oh! That's it! The Sophist Gaia archive! You're a genius! I'll have to check that as soon as I get home. Thanks!"
When the elevator reached the ground floor, Lucy eagerly ran outside, as she pulled out her phone. Amara chuckled - she rarely got this excited.
"I imagine you pulled a few all-nighters in your tenure as a student." Stella said, smirking.
"Ah, shut it. It all worked out in the end. Here I am, aren't I?" Amara said. "I wonder. If Lucy graduates, you think she'll still work here?"
"I haven't looked that far ahead. She may move on to bigger and better things. That's your goal as well, isn't it?" Stella asked. Amara nodded, but then she wondered. She did desire a career as an artist. And if her paintings were sold around the world, that would be fantastic. Yet that would surely mean at some point, she'd have to leave Real People.
"We've got a long way to go before that happens." Amara said. "For now, let's just stick with what we've got. Hey, you don't have plans for dinner, do you?"
"No. Why?" Stella replied.
"I was gonna make this curry for Zao, but he's eating with Karl tonight. So how about you and me have a girl's night in?" Amara asked. "Don't worry, I finally got around to cleaning the apartment. You won't have to worry about treading on my crayons."
"Sure. Let's go." Stella said. "And if you're going to the other world tonight, I should be able to discover what you will encounter."
|Legarte - Motion Publishing|16:40 pm|
"Ah, this brings back memories. I used to work here." Pierre said, gazing up at the skyscraper before him and Carlos. "Do you recall the day you first came to New Motus City? Everything in the world seemed to be here. Here was a city where I could start over again. And now I'm one of it's own rulers. If those simple minded fools I left behind 17 years ago could see me now, they'd be crawling on their knees and begging my forgiveness!"
"People like them will not exist, once the Eternal Road is here. Am I right in believing that's your current aim?" Carlos said.
"Of course it is!" Pierre exclaimed. "Think about it, my friend. Thuggish fellows, who cannot appreciate the truly great individuals of this world. What reason do they have to live? Why should I pity them if they suddenly decide to feel guilty for their evil torment?!"
"You're no stranger to torment, Pierre." Carlos said. "After all, you burnt a mother to death. And yet you speak of those who wronged you as if they were the worst villains in the history of the world."
Pierre was silent. His face contorted to a countenance of absolute hate. Carlos, however, did not relent.
"I suppose you imagine once the Eternal Road is over, nothing we have done will matter." Carlos said. "And it will be as if life has always been the way you wanted it to be."
"That's the point of the Eternal Road. We must be prepared to make massive sacrifices if we want to make lives without sadness for ourselves." Pierre said. "I was a victim. Yet once those that struck fear into my heart are struck off the face of the Earth, I imagine the life of Pierre Leonard will go far more smoothly. Likewise, so will yours."
"True." Carlos said. "I don't ask for much. Removing imperfections in the nature of humanity is just a bonus. All I ask is that I can live with her. And no one will get in the way of that."
"Ah...the daughter of an ex-boxer and a dancer." Pierre said. "I'm sure many would have considered her adorable. Yet now, she lives far away, convinced you've abandoned her. Not that it will matter. Just like the people I've killed. Because we are the artisans of the new universe."
"Exactly." Carlos said. "Our dreams can no longer be fulfilled via the restraints of reality. That's why we've gone to this trouble."
"That's enough chat." Pierre said. "We've got four people to look for. Let's try somewhere else."
"You don't want to go inside?" Carlos asked.
"The elevator inside there is most likely inoperable, and I'm not interested in going up endless flights of stairs." Pierre said. "Besides, Legarte has so much more to offer the young people of today."
The two of them left, heading for the river.
Meanwhile
What Carlos and Pierre did not realise was...they were being watched. On the 14th floor was someone who in another reality worked here. She was shaking at the dusty desks and outdated equipment. It felt like déjà vu for her. This was Lucy.
After the bright light of the explosion, she had somehow wound up here. It had taken her almost the entire day to gather her thoughts. As she wandered around this building, things felt familiar. She seemed to recall being inside the elevator and loving the view from the top. But she had never been here until today. And she had been on plenty of elevators back home, but not here.
She had been stumbling around the empty floors for hours. She didn't know when this building had been abandoned, but clearly it was quite some time ago. There were some lingering traces of the past left. For example, she found a faded photograph of a young girl celebrating her birthday with her other colleagues.
Now she was on the 14th floor. The more she looked around, the more it hit her. She had been here before. How was it that she had memories of being her, yet distinct knowledge she had never once been inside this building until today?
The Ater Vox were searching the city, it seemed. For what, Lucy couldn't tell. She almost wanted to go down and let them know she was alive…but then she remembered what Tomas told her. They were the true cause of the city's decline. And Blaine was a victim. Blaine...he had shown how kind he could be when he was recovering at her apartment. Even when his advice on making friends failed…she couldn't bring herself to blame him.
"Why...why did Tomas have to say all of that? Why did he have to confuse me..." Lucy said. "Stop. I have to find Shirley. That's what I came to Clairdol for, isn't it? I just have to find her all over again. Easy."
She went to the stairwell. Yet as she was about to go down, she heard a disturbing sound. It wasn't human at all. Reacting swiftly, she ran down the stairs as fast as she could. Yet on the fifth floor, there were many Shadows of all sorts lying in wait. They each resembled couples dancing together, dressed in ballroom attire.
"You're all gonna die! Shirley, I'm coming!"
|Other World - Legarte- Symphonic Street|16:43 pm|
The Holy Cross, upon arriving in Legarte, were greeted by the sight of hordes of Shadows lurking around. Not only that, the Ornatu Legion was present in the area, and they were preoccupied with taking down the Shadows. In Symphonic Street, however, the scene was quiet.
"Why's it so calm here?" Kazuya asked. "I don't even see people freaking out!"
"Something must have happened." Bianca said. "But we really need a place we can hide away. Let's try in there."
"What, that old recording studio?" Richard asked. "Can't we find somewhere better to go?"
"We're hiding away from Shadows and the Ornatu Legion until we find out what's going on. It shouldn't be for long." Alastair said.
The four of them carefully entered the Crystal Palace Studio. Several popular artists had been signed here over the years, and as with most establishments in these dark times, it had become neglected. Immediately after they entered, there was a foul smell no one could identify.
"See, this is why I keep suggesting we bring air freshener." Bianca said.
"Yeah, cause bringing flammable things into battle with things that can cause fire is smart." Richard said. "Anyway, what do you want to do?"
"I'm not sure. Perhaps we can explore this place and see if there's anything we can use." Alastair said. "Let's start on the ground floor."
One Hour Later
Richard was looking through various old records. "What are these big CD things? Why would anyone use them instead of Cds?"
"...I'm not even going to dignify that with a response." Kazuya said.
"But isn't that a response in of itself?" Bianca replied.
"Oy." Kazuya said. "Weird place. They've got some fancy recording equipment all around, but I don't think recording a charity record is going to help us fight Aeternus."
"Yes. Especially considering you can't sing." Alastair said.
"What? I can so!" Kazuya responded. "Anyway, Alastair, you're no Sinatra either. I've heard you sing to yourself, you know. Made recovering from that broken leg much more painful."
"Alright, I take it back." Alastair said. "I doubt we'll be forming a band anytime soon, then. Still, I never realised what it took to produce songs."
"Yeah, and this stuff is from 2002. Think what the rest of the world is using!" Richard said. "Wouldn't it be so awesome if we could go and see it?"
"What? You mean leaving the city for a vacation?" Alastair said.
"Heck yeah." Richard said. "Imagine it. We could go anywhere. Bianca can go to Holland and look at all the flowers!"
"There are flowers all over the world, you know." Bianca said.
"And Kazuya can go see real Japan!" Richard said, smirking.
"I have seen 'real' Japan. Granted, I was eight. But it was magnificent, especially Kichijouji." Kazuya said. "You'd like it too. Tokyo is over twice the size of our city, I bet."
"Yeah! And Alastair, um...well, just imagine it! You can go around the whole world. Think how many different kinds of cuisine there are. Just waiting for you to try them!" Richard said.
"That's all very well, Richard. Yet how are we supposed to go to other countries? I can't imagine the airport's operational these days. And our passports will have expired years ago." Alastair said.
"We're fighting a de-facto government here! Who cares about the law? We can fake passports, and no one will know any better!" Richard said.
"Now that's not making us look like heroes, is it?" Bianca said, shaking her head. "Come on, we can talk about this later. Let's get out of here. Things might have settled down by now."
The four of them left the room in silence. Richard sulked, but didn't dare bring up the travel dream again. When they reached the ground floor, they were greeted with a rather unexpected sight. Beast Shadows were roaring loudly, and someone was standing in front them. A woman with blue hair, with a dark blue outfit.
"What's going on?!" Bianca said. "Who are you?"
"Stop talking! We have to help her!" Kazuya said. "Here I go! Uriel-"
"Rhiannon!" The woman was surrounded by a brilliant blue aura - the exact same as that of a Persona. Sure enough, a being came out of her body. A graceful female, it was, with blue skin and red eyes. Yet despite the hue, they were not eyes of evil - yet to her enemies, she would bring down her scythe of extermination. She twirled said scythe, and a gigantic dark emblem appeared beneath them.
"Wait, what the heck is that?" Richard said.
The emblem soon unleashed the blast of doom. Each Beast roared in pain, but despite their stalwart will, they were but insects before the might of this dark magic. This was the evil counterpart of Hama, and just as deadly.
"That was magnificent!" Bianca said. "You're fantastic, miss."
"...Um, thank you." the woman said. "Who are you people?"
"That's Bianca, that's Richard, that's Kazuya, and I'm Alastair." Alastair held out his hand, and the lady nervously shook his.
"It's nice to meet - wait, you're the Holy Cross?!" the lady said. "I...um..."
"You know who we are?" Richard asked. "Well, reports of our deaths have been greatly exaggerated. Hehehe."
"I..." the woman said. "Oh! I have to find Lucy!" She immediately burst out of the studio onto Symphonic Street.
"What luck, we found another Persona user!" Kazuya said.
"Um, we should be following her. Right now." Alastair said.
The four of them ran outside. The other woman was rather fast, and despite the Holy Cross's best effort, they couldn't quite catch up. Soon enough, she was out of sight, and the four of them were breathless.
"What a woman..." Richard said. "An athlete...and a fighter..."
"What should we do now?" Kazuya asked. "Oh! Contact Aimee!" He took out the cell phone he had been given by Kyle, and dialled Aimee's number.
"Oh there you are. Where have you guys been?" Aimee said. "You four were out all day..."
"Sorry." Kazuya said. "We've got a bit of a situation on our hands. You see, there's Ornatu Legion guys everywhere in Legarte, and a lot of Shadows too!"
"What? That's peculiar." Aimee said. "Kyle's trying to access the Aeternus website for information, but apparently the server's down. If you can, get back here."
"There's more, Aimee. We were hiding in this recording studio, and we went upstairs for a long while. Yet when we got back to the ground floor, we saw a girl with blue hair!"
"Girl with blue hair?" Aimee said.
"Yeah. She was about our age. She beat up some Shadows with her Persona! Oh, and who was it she said she was looking for?" Kazuya asked.
"Lucy." Bianca replied.
"I see." Aimee said. "More and more problems keep happening... I need you to come back right now. Please, hurry!" She hung up, and the others looked at each other, apprehensive.
"I fear we may have opened Pandora's Box." Alastair said.
|Amara's Apartment|18:12 pm|
"...It wasn't a total disaster, was it?" Amara asked, sheepishly.
"No!" Stella said, chuckling. "Your unusual combination of ingredients actually reminds me of some of my mother's dishes. Next time, ditch the paprika, less rosemary, more parsley, and don't spill orange juice into the bowl when chopping the onions."
"That was an accident!" Amara said, blushing. "Come on, I didn't have time to run out and buy more! And they were shallots, not onions!"
"Perhaps next time I can treat you to something a little simpler." Stella said. "Now then, shall we begin with the reading?"
"Oh, of course!" Amara said, grinning. "I've been waiting for this. Our Personas are kicking all sorts of ass now."
Stella shut her eyes, and concentrated. Amara kept quiet, and waited for her to speak.
"Secret experiments...hidden agenda...he endangers...two troubled souls..." Stella suddenly said. She looked like she was in a trance. "Two evils...combine...the hunt...begins..."
"What?" Amara asked. "What's this all about?"
"Descent into emptiness...trade of devils...the one of zero arrives...closer to eternity...hope flickers..."
Stella finally snapped out of her trance, looking absolutely exhausted. Amara ran over, worried.
"Stella! Please, tell me you're okay!" Amara begged.
"I'm fine! Honestly, that just took a lot of out me. I never figured it'd be so vague..." Stella wheezed. "Okay, stop holding my hand like that, and let's go over what the spirits conveyed."
"...Okay." Amara said.
"Secret experiments. From what you've told me about the other world, Archibald is the most likely person to be conducting those. If he has a hidden agenda, that will most likely become apparent tonight. There's no shortage of troubled souls in the other world. Two evils combining, however, I have no idea what that could mean. Possibly, two Shadows merging together." Stella said, now calm.
"What about the rest?" Amara asked.
"A descent into emptiness most likely means Inanis. Which implies that...a Divine Spark will happen tonight. There are two places it can happen, yes? Yet you still do not know where. Consult Serena on where to look. I'm not certain about 'trade of devils'. Potentially, it could involve the Ater Vox exchanging Shadows amongst themselves. Yet that's speculation." Stella said. "The one of zero...that's something else I don't understand."
"This is so weird!" Amara said. "A Divine Spark is going to take place tonight. And yet, there's some stuff going on we don't know about. And we're going to find out."
"That's right. 'Closer to eternity'...I think we both know what that means." Stella said, solemnly. "You must feel dread right now. The Eternal Road has posed a tremendous threat to you ever since you became aware of it. Yet, perhaps you shouldn't be afraid. Whatever happens tonight, be strong."
"Thank you." Amara said. "Before I have to go, you want to watch a movie?"
"Certainly. As long as I get to choose." Stella said, smiling.
|Secret Base|18:20 pm|
"So what you guys are saying is, Shirley's got a Persona?!" Dan said. "How the hell did she pull that off?"
"Don't ask me." Priscilla said. "Philemon works in mysterious ways. Now it looks like she's our enemy, just like Lucy. Things aren't working out for us today, are they?"
"Speak for yourself." Kyle said. "Guess who finally got through to Aeternus?"
Serena let out a cheer of sheer delight. "Alright, Kyle! Way to go!"
"Relax. It's a lot easier than it seems." Kyle said. "Anyway, here we go. There's a news article that was posted today at 9 in the morning. It's...not good." The others crowded round to read it. The photograph of a burnt-out shell of a building did nothing to put anyone at ease.
Aeternus Laboratory Ablaze
September 18th 2012
Posted at 9:03 am
A valuable research facility that belonged to Aeternus has been destroyed by it's own self-destruct mechanism. With it, valuable technology and volumes of experimental data have been lost. No human remains were found at the scene. It is believed the culprit, later identified as 68-year old scientist Tomas Weiken, is hiding within Saragel or Farawell. Also, he is responsible for smuggling a wanted man within the Aeternus compound illegally. There is evidence to suggest he has an interest in conducting terrorist activity in either Saragel or Legarte.
Therefore, we ask members of the public to report any suspicious persons or behaviour to the Aeternus Emergency Line. Ornatu Legion personnel will be dispatched promptly to the Saragel and Farawell areas to ensure the safety of the public. Those in other districts are advised to proceed as normal. We thank you for your assistance.
"Holy shit?!" Amara cried. "Tomas! What the hell is he thinking?!"
"This is bad. I mean, really bad!" Serena said. "The lab's gone! And Saragel and Legarte...oh no!"
"Dammit." Dan said. "I should have know that guy was a few beers short of a six pack."
"Interesting analogy." Priscilla said. "I must admit, talking with him in the past made me feel more uneasy than hopeful. Yet I didn't want to say it, since...everyone trusted him."
"Stop talking bad about him!" Amara said. "He's not gone crazy! Aeternus must have found out what he was planning! So we've got to help him, and fast!"
"Alright, alright." Aimee said. "I'll get everyone here, and we can head out as soon as we're ready. Matthew and Tara...we can leave them a note if they turn up when we're gone. Same for the other world people. Now - hmm?"
There was a phone call on Aimee's phone. She answered it, shaking. "Hello?"
"It's Roger. We got a problem. Keisha's gone missing."
"What? How many things are going to go wrong today?!" Aimee shouted.
"Oy! That was right in my ear, lady!" Roger said, angry. "Listen. If you've got other stuff going on, deal with it. But Keisha could be in danger, and someone's gotta look out for her, even if she's a pain in the butt. Me and Karen are gonna go out and find her."
"Fine. Tell everyone else to get here as soon as possible. We might have the fifth Divine Spark on our hands."
|Other World - Saragel - Opal Street|18:25 pm|
"This is absolutely frustrating. How can it take this long to locate four different people?" Josephine said, angrily tapping the ground with her foot. "If a Divine Spark were to happen in Legarte, Carlos and Pierre would never let us live it down!"
"I know it's aggravating, but we have to be patient. Our soldiers are leaving no stone of Saragel unturned." Nina said. "Which means if we happen to encounter our rebel friends, we'll find them before they find us."
"All of them are filthy slime. Especially Nathan." Josephine said. "That man has become horrid and twisted! I will have nothing more to do with him in his current form. His father was growing old, and his son is no gentleman anymore! Thank heavens the Eternal Road will change all that.
"That's nice..." Nina said, looking away.
"Do I detect a hint of sarcasm?" Josephine snidely asked.
"Let's just say your Eternal Road plans are a little shallow." Nina scoffed.
"Well if you're such the deep thinker, what about your plans?" Josephine said. "You're simply going to repeat your childhood years, the way you want them!"
"Exactly. The Serena that exists now has become warped, both in mind and body." Nina said. "If I have my say, there will be no possibilities removed from her. And my parents will love each other, not seek companionship with the wrong people!"
"So, your parent's affairs will never have happened. Serena will be free of that condition. And to reach that goal, you'd kill your sister as she currently is." Josephine said. "...How vicious."
"That makes both of us." Nina said. The two of them smiled, and shook hands. "Let's not make this a total waste of time. We might still find our targets before the day ends."
"Indeed. Let us go!" Josephine said. The two of them turned the other way, and started to walk towards the promenade.
Meanwhile
Keisha got out of the alleyway nearby, and breathed a sigh of relief. The women were gone, and they were not any closer to catching Tomas. Alas, neither was she.
"Where is that geezer hiding?" Keisha muttered. "I can't ask the others for help. They think he's their messiah or something. He's a freak, no doubt about that."
She started wandering around. Ornatu Legion people were everywhere, yet none of them seemed to recognise her. The hunt for Tomas was a large-scale operation, bigger than anything Keisha had seem them do before. At one point, she saw four familiar faces. Sanjana, Esther, Vince and Raymond.
Those jokers again. Good thing their memories have been wiped out.
"Excuse me, miss." Raymond said. "Are you on your way home?"
"Um, yeah." Keisha said. "But I don't need an escort!"
"Okay, whatever. Get going." Raymond replied. "Do you think we should go to the Museum?"
"Why? There's nothing in there a crazy scientist would be interested in. Let's go check the Promenade again." Vince said. The four of them left, and Keisha chuckled. If only they knew - or rather, remembered.
Wait. That's it!
Keisha knew exactly where to go next. The Museum! She finally made it there, despite many confused stares from Ornatu Legion soldiers. Along the way, however, she ran into a horde of Maya Shadows. With the Legion nearby, she couldn't risk her status as a rebel being unveiled - especially with the Ater Vox nearby.
"Um...uh..." Keisha mumbled. Then she screamed as loud as she could, causing the nearest unit to jump out of their skin. "Help! For the love of God, someone help! I'm too young to die! I have to visit my grandmother and see if she's okay! She just had a hip replacement and I'm the only family she has left! Please, someone! SOMEONE!"
"Be calm, lady. We'll eradicate this scum." Brian said. Emma, Miharu and Freddie nodded, and all four pulled out their weapons. "Don't you worry. We'll make sure you get to your grandmother's -"
"Yeah, whatever. See ya!" Keisha said, and ran away waving at them. She just barely heard their confused banter as she got closer to the Museum. Finally, she was there. If Tomas was in here, he was at her mercy. She didn't think she stood a chance against the Ater Vox, but she could handle an old guy with a walking stick for sure.
She noticed the door was locked. Tomas must have obtained a key somehow. Soon, it dawned on Keisha. Brad and Nick had keys as well, and she had assumed they had been taken. Now she knew who had thieved from thieves. Tomas...it was no co-incidence her former friends were identical to his and Rudo's Personas. Something awful had happened. And she was going to make them pay.
She unlocked the door, and stepped inside. The minute she did, however, something felt off. It was like she was been watched from every angle. Then suddenly, everything went black, and she could only hear the most twisted laughter imaginable. Her heart was pounding, her pulse was racing.
"Someone! Help me!"