Persona: Duality

by Sraosha

Amara Furaha is an aspiring artist living in the idyllic metropolis of New Motus City. One day, she is stranded in another world, and is attacked by unholy creatures - the Shadows. She, along with many others, will begin a journey to eliminate them and put a stop to the organisation that has jeopardised the safety of her beloved city. Yet, she must also try to live a normal life.

78. New Heights

AN: While this is another long one, it's at least shorter than the mammoth anyway, I'm pretty proud of this one! Nakanobu Hotel was named after a real-life one in Tokyo, but there's no similarity other than that. Not that any Japanese people seem to read this story (I do check - I've noticed a few Malaysian fans, amongst other countries!), so I think I'll be alright. As ever, thanks to all my readers! Read and review, and I'll see you next time!

EDIT: Added new scenes here so part of Chapter 79 will make more sense.

---

Chapter 78: New Heights

---

|October 13th|Farawell - Warehouse|18:44 pm|

The group were standing around, waiting for Amara. Having heard the grave news from Karl, the team were on edge. Yet there was no sign of Amara at all.

"You did tell her the right time, didn't you?" Blaine asked.

"Of course I did! Half six!" Karl said.

"It hasn't been that long." Nathan said, checking his Rolex. "Shouldn't we wait at least until ten to seven?"

"Amara's usually prompt..." Serena said, anxiously. "But after what happened, she might have changed her mind."

"Oh, screw this. I'm calling her." Karl said, taking out his phone. He found Amara's number, and called - but it never rung once. Instead, there was a message from the phone network saying the number could not be reached.

"...The fuck?" Blaine said, confused. "What's going on?"

"Did she get a new phone? She did have a birthday last month." Serena asked.

"Oh no..." Karl said, sweating. "She must have arrived early...and went inside without us! And her phone's with her!"

"That's not good." Nathan said. "I hope she's still at the secret base. If not, we've got trouble..."

|Secret Base|18:50 pm|

The minute the group arrived, they felt all eyes on them. Yet whilst most of the gang were around, there was no sign of Amara. That sent a shiver down everyone's spine.

"Oh...good evening." Aimee said.

"Aimee...are you alright?" Karl asked, walking over to her, and resting a hand on her shoulder.

"...No." Aimee said. "But if we don't do something, no one alive will be either. So I've made a decision." She got up, and picked up something that was leaning against the wall. The bladed weapon Zao had once used in combat - it had been restored after the stress it had faced over countless battles. "I used to have to fight on the frontlines, before everyone else came along. Irene could only heal, but with her I could at least fight a bit with this weapon. I wanted Zao to have it, so it'd be useful...but now it's time for me to have it again."

"We've had a lot of time to think." Kyle said, adjusting his glasses. "The six Divine Sparks all occurred, but the Eternal Road hasn't begun. That must mean something else needs to happen. So our plan is to find out what that something else is - and stop it."

"Unfortunately, Sophia has not triumphed in her search. Yet it is a relief that Nihane has not arrived at a solution, either." Seraphina said. "If he continues to bide his time, that will prove beneficial for all of us."

Other Amara sighed, and looked to the team. "Um...why isn't the other me with you?"

"Huh? We thought she'd gone on ahead!" Serena asked, indignant. "If she didn't go to the base, where did she go?!"

"Leave that to me." Seraphina said, standing up. "I failed her - and everyone else here - with my gravest mistake. I will never allow that to happen again! Sophia! Help me!"

Sophia pulsed into existence, her cards floating around her. A few seconds passed, as everyone stared at her. Eventually, Seraphina opened her eyes, whilst Sophia continued to monitor the situation.

"...This is unusual." Seraphina said, disturbed. "I detected that Lady Amara did not arrive here tonight. Rather, she entered this world somewhere in Takanawa."

"What?" Priscilla said. "Seraphina, did you forget? In Takanawa, there's been increased Shadow activity, especially around the Nakanobu Hotel!"

"Nakanobu? Oh my goodness! That place has been abandoned for years! If Lady Amara grows closer to the hotel, her life will be in danger!" Seraphina said.

"She's got a Persona! She'll be fine...right?" Lucy asked. Despite the words, she had an air of uncertainty about her. Other Blaine squeezed her hand, despite his own doubt.

"There is no time to waste. We must arrive in Takanawa now!" Seraphina announced. "We should use the NDD of Yamanoka Supplies. I do apologise, Kyle."

"Why?" Kyle asked. "Oh...yeah. That's the place I got abducted..."

"Sorry." Other Blaine said. "I never did apologise properly for that. Kyle, do you want to go to a different one?"

"...It's fine." Kyle said. "You know, you're not so scary anymore. You're more like an overgrown teddy bear."

"What? Come on, I'm still tough!" Other Blaine pouted. "Guess now I'm not a bad guy, I've lost my edge..."

"Oh, come on. You're about as scary as a cygnet." Lucy said, sticking her tongue out. "But that's what we love about you!"

"Okay, enough chit-chat!" Dan said. "Looks like we've got a new mission. Find Amara! And while we're there, we take care of that hotel!"

"Right." Aimee said. "If that's the case, then Nathan, Serena, Blaine, Karl and I will focus on the first duty. We should be able to find her swiftly. Everyone else, investigate the Kyushu Hotel and wipe out the Shadows!"

Everyone nodded, and before long, the team moved through the NDD, ready for a new operation. The group moved through the rather grim Yamanoka Supply building, yet whilst everyone else went on ahead, Nathan noticed something.

"Hold on a second. Where is Aimee?" Nathan asked. "Did she forget to turn the oven off again?"

"...That's not reassuring." Karl said, frowning. "I'm sure she's coming. Be patient."

"Hmm...somethin' feels weird." Blaine said, scratching his head.

After a few uncomfortable minutes, Aimee finally appeared, rubbing her eyes. When she saw the others, she quickly forced a laugh, and ran up to them.

"What's wrong?" Serena asked.

"N-Nothing at all!" Aimee said forcefully, shaking her head. "I was just...checking the oven, that's all!"

"Wait, so Nathan wasn't kidding about the oven thing?!" Karl exclaimed. "I knew you could be forgetful, but -"

"Hey, don't be mean!" Aimee said, rather loudly. "Uh...look, just forget about it! We need to patrol the area! Amara's probably lost and confused right now!"

"Relax. If all else fails, she can use fire." Serena said calmly. Then, upon further thought, she gasped. "...Oh no! The Shadows might resist fire!"

|Takanawa|18:57 pm|

Amara couldn't believe her eyes. Despite the months she had been part of the rebellion, she did not recognise this location one bit. It seemed to be a janitor's closet, with a bucket, mop, tins of paint, and other utilities. The only source of light was the NDD, which had an audible hum of power.

"...Why did I punch in that number by random?"

She had wrestled with coming to the Secret Base. Yet, everyone there would be coming up to her, expressing endless amounts of pity. Why would anyone need constant reminders of what had happened?

When my mother died, it didn't stop for weeks. Everyone told me how sorry they were. How bad they felt for me. Asked if there was anything they could do. Then it all stopped, like she never died at all. Like she never existed. I won't let that happen again. I won't sit back and listen to pity! I'll kill Shadows on my own!

Slowly, she opened the door. There were some stairs, which were coated in an ugly grey paint, and the lights were flickering. Amara breathed a sigh of relief - at least there was some life in this building. Clutching her sword, she climbed up the stairs, until she saw another NDD. To its right was a sheet of paper, yellowed, with some codes. Unfortunately, the building names were only in Chinese, and hastily handwritten. Unsure, she typed in the first bode she saw.

She was now in another basement type area, also quite drab. Anxiously, she went through a doorway into what looked like the corridor of an apartment building. As she stepped forward, she noticed quite a few doors were marked with a multilingual sheet of paper. In English, Chinese, Japanese, Thai and Korean, they said:

Unfit For Occupancy: Please wait until renovation is complete. Thank you for your understanding.

Shadow attacks? No one is safe on the ground floor...or any floor.

Amara slowly walked down, keeping an eye out for Shadows. Suddenly, a senior-looking Chinese couple rushed out of their apartment, screaming. Amara gasped - their home must have been invaded.

"Alright. Time to get back into action."

She found the apartment, apparently home to the 'Ling' family. To her surprise, there was a picture on the mantelpiece of Kaman and Maria on their wedding day. So those were her parents? I don't suppose Kaman has seen them since she died. I wonder if he wants this -

"Argh!"

Amara screamed in fright, as the entire bathroom door was knocked down. Out of the ruined lavatory came a Habelerie Shadow, a bizarre spherical creation with a giant tongue.

"Hathor!" Amara cried. The Shadow remained unfazed. "...Huh?" It took a few moments for her to notice, but the blue smoke that signalled the Persona ability had not appeared. Nor was Hathor herself present. "Hathor, hurry up! Persona! Uh...come forth! Come on! Show up already! Hathor!"

Despite her invocations, Hathor did not emerge. Amara, hesitantly, tried to attack the Shadow with her sword, but it might as well have been a flyswatter. She could not summon a Persona. Therefore, she was as good as dead.

"NO!" She screamed. Suddenly, the Habelerie licked her face. Pain, unlike anything she had ever experienced, flowed through her body, and she fell back onto the ground. The Shadow began to chant - a spell of some kind was coming. Without Hathor, she would burn to death, be electrocuted, or any other kind of torturous death.

Her heart pounding, she got up from the ground, taking her sword, and scrambled out of the apartment as a lightning bolt struck the ground beneath her. As it did, she screamed. She forced the front door open, and gasped.

She was in Takanawa, and all alone. Without a phone signal, she couldn't call Nathan or anyone else. And with that Shadow inside the building, she couldn't get down to the NDD.

"Help!" She screamed. If she knew how to drive, she might have been able to take a car and get somewhere. Her only hope, however, was for Seraphina to sense her and the rebels to come and get her. "Why did I come early?!"

No, that's not the important question! Why can't I use my Persona?

Suddenly, she heard more Shadows far in the distance, coming out of an alleyway. Ornatu Legion soldiers came rushing out, and began battling them. One of them, she noticed, was Cuiling. So she was in her home turf...could she ask them to get her to safety?

"...What am I thinking?" Amara asked. "I'd be handing myself over to Nihane on a silver platter! I've got to get somewhere else...but where?!"

Desperate, she began running as far as her legs could take her. Mercifully, no Shadows she passed seemed to bother her. Takanawa was a beautiful part of the city in the normal world, boasting a fashionable blend of traditional and modern architecture. Yet here, everything was so frightening. Giant skyscrapers, casting dark shadows over every street, and rusty abandoned cars, some even burnt out. Some pavements had strange red stains over some of the tiles...and Amara ran away from them, howling for help each time.

"Nathan! Serena! Blaine! Karl! Anyone! HELP!"

Eventually, she lost momentum. Utterly exhausted, she stopped herself from crashing into the doors of a large hotel, with Japanese letters - she thought the alphabet was called 'kanji', but she wasn't sure - spelling out a word she didn't know. However, there was a helpful English translation right beneath it - 'Nakanobu'.

"At least it's empty here..." Amara said, still catching her breath. She leaned against the door, and took a sip of her bottle of water she brought. Being in this part of Takanawa, where every building was either empty or in disrepair, was very unsettling. The days where she and the others walked through the streets, effortlessly dispatching Shadows, had made it easy to forget the grim reality of the situation. Yet now she was another weak human. If she wasn't careful, she may end up as another stain on the pavement. "Damn...Seraphina, where are you - ARGH!"

Right in front of her, a trio of Prime Magus Shadows had appeared. Creepy magicians, each one boasting arcane knowledge of deadly sorcery.

"Hathor!" Amara cried in desperation. Somehow, it just wasn't happening. No blue smoke, no Persona, no nothing. "...HELP! SOMEONE!"

There was no time to wait for aid. These Shadows had picked her as their target, and Hathor was not stepping up to the plate. Angrily, Amara kicked the door behind her - and it gave way, rather easily. She had to get in this hotel as far as she could, or it was all over. She ran through - but as soon as she did, she appeared to vanish.

|Takanawa - Tanikawa Road|19:25 pm|

"...Do you think that couple will be alright?" Nathan asked.

"I saw the Ornatu Legion earlier. They might just make it." Aimee said. "But where could Amara have gone? Seraphina didn't make a mistake, did she?"

"No. Not this time." Blaine said, shaking his head. "She's nearby. We just gotta find her."

"I know she can take care of herself, but..." Karl murmured. "She can't fight those Shadows by herself. Not like this. I've got to find her!"

Serena leaped with right, as they heard a loud voice scream.

"Holy smokes! What was that?!" She exclaimed.

"That was - no! It was Amara!" Karl said, frightened. "It came in that direction! Towards the Nakanobu Hotel - wait, what?"

"Don't panic. This might make things easier. I'll contact the others to let them know." Aimee took out her phone, and rang Priscilla's number. "Huh?" It seemed, however, that she couldn't reach Priscilla's number. "Did she not charge her phone? Let me try another."

"Dammit! That hotel could be dangerous! We've got to get there, right now!" Karl shouted. "Aimee, I'm not letting Amara die!"

"You still love her, don't you?" Nathan said.

"Yes!" Karl said, tearfully. "I can't just switch my feelings off. Amara's the only girl I've ever loved! No one else made me feel so complete, but I blew it! It doesn't matter if we're not together anymore, I'm not leaving her in danger!"

"Then get in there!" Blaine shouted. The group dashed to the hotel, where there were three Prime Magus staring at the door in confusion. Yet there was no sign of Amara in sight.

"Huh? But - I heard her!" Karl said. "Did she get inside?!"

"Let's hope so." Nathan said. "We better take these down."

"Right." Karl said. "Alexander - WHOA!"

Alexander appeared, as expected, yet a huge flash of light occurred. Then, he disappeared into a column of blue energy. It burst open, revealing a different figure entirely. His hair was like that of Alexander, but orange, closer to Karl's hue. His sword was longer, sharper, and the tip of the blade had a blue tint. He now wore a blue ribbon around his head, with a white one on his right arm, and a purple on his right. He had a blue t-shirt with a white lightning bolt on it - one of Karl's favourites when he was younger - and armoured boots. Completing the look was a white and blue cape.

I am thou. Thou art I. From the sea of thy soul, I am reborn. I am Aeneas, the first true hero.

"This is..." Karl said, his mouth open in awe. "Is this really my Persona?!"

"Yup. Looks like you grew up a little." Blaine said, proud. "Come on, show us what you're made of!"

"You got it!" Karl cheered. "...Huh? I thought I felt something just now..."

"What?" Serena said.

"I think I can do this! Just watch!" Karl said. "Here goes nothing. Mass Destruction!"

Aeneas, to everyone's surprise, began to charge massive power into his newly forged blade. Then, with two almighty swings, sliced through each of the Magus Shadows.

"No way!" Blaine said, stunned.

"T-That was...Rashnu's attack!" Serena uttered. "But how?! I thought moves like that were pretty unique?"

"So did I!" Aimee said. "This is amazing! Karl, you must have earned the right to use that power. Maybe you have the other ones, as well!"

"I'm not so sure about that. I might be able to do Bloody Destiny, but that's it." Karl said. "Still...pretty cool, right? I guess Zao must have rubbed off on us after all." He smiled a bit, and the others laughed.

"Alright, we need to get back to work. Amara's in that hotel somewhere!" Aimee said. "Now I know we'll find her for sure. So here we go!"

The group started to walk through the doors. Yet the minute the entered the lobby, everything seemed to change.

|Takanawa - Reverse Nakanobu Hotel Room 114|19:30 pm|

Welcome to the Nakanobu Inn. Your room is No.114. Please enjoy your stay. Check-out time is tomorrow morning at 11:30 am.

"Huh?"

Amara awoke, to find herself in an exquisite bedroom. The sheets had a red and gold design to them, complete with various Asian motifs, and right next to the bed was a rather fetching rose futon. There was a paper lantern hanging from the ceiling, and on the walls were gorgeous paintings of Japanese locales Amara could not identify.

"I have to say, this feels nice..." Amara said, relaxed. The bed was rather plush, and the pillows cool and scented with jasmine. Then something clicked in her mind. She had not reached the reception - instead, she had immediately woken up here. Had someone taken her up to the room? Surely not - the hotel had been abandoned for quite some time. During a previous 'grinding' trip to Takanawa, they had passed the hotel, where Kazuya explained that the hotel was a luxury establishment popular amongst foreign businessmen.

Slowly, Amara got up from the bed. Her sword was hanging on a stand by the door, below an intricate replica of a katana. Alas, only Amara's sword had a proper blade. She took it, and went to the window. The red curtains were drawn, and when she opened them, everything suddenly changed.

The room suddenly became very dark and monochrome. Barely any colour remained at all. The bed sheets became torn and ruined, and the once-glorious furniture was overturned, broken and covered with burn marks. The paper lantern had been torn to shreds, and the bathroom door had fallen over, and everything inside was utterly broken.

"What?!" Amara said, confused. "The hell just happened?"

You're unwelcome to the Nakanobu Hotel. Your Room is not No. 114. Please enjoy your death. Check-out time is right now.

"Who's saying that?!" Amara demanded. There was insane laughter from all directions. Just then, she heard other voices. She moved to the door, and listened carefully.

"Thank god we got out of that room...that was scary..." It was Shirley, sounding quite shaken.

"What's with this place?!" A disturbed Richard said. "Where are we even going?"

"Uh...I dunno! Maybe try getting to the rooftop!" Lucy said. "Hurry up and move! This place is screwed up!"

Thank god! Someone's here!

"Lucy! Can you hear me?!" Amara hollered. No response. She instead heard loud footsteps, and what sounded like a struggle. Shadows were in here. Uneasy, Amara looked out of the window. "What the hell is -"

Seeing the buildings of Takanawa from this window wasn't so unusual. Yet seeing them upside down certainly was. Even more unusual was seeing the sky right below the hotel, and the pavement above. Getting out of this hotel was not going to be anything short of an ordeal.

"Oh my god!" Amara screamed. She grabbed her sword, yet her palm was quite sweaty. Just as she went to the door, she heard the voice again.

What's the matter? Is there a problem with your accommodation? I'd be more than happy to send someone up to help you, madam.

"Don't you dare!" Amara shouted. However, 'room service' appeared in the middle of the room. It was a Nemean Beast Shadow, with an iron ball chained to it's leg.

"Stay away from me!" Amara screeched. The Beast roared, and looked ready to pounce. With all her might, Amara broke down the door to the room, and rolled away from what would have been a fatal mauling. Its claws were sharp enough to cut through the floorboards...even with Hathor, that would be painful.

"What was that?!" Someone - Amara thought it was Roger - shouted.

"Just a Shadow! Come on, head to the rooftop!" Karen's here too?!

"HEY!" Amara cried. "Wait for me - argh!" Blocking her path was a Devoted Cupid, aiming its bow. Rolling to the side, Amara dodged the shot, and ran again, ignoring the roaring of the Nemean Beast. It seemed to have been distracted, however, as she heard it mutilating another Shadow. She tried to get towards the elevator, but stopped in her tracks. It wouldn't be working, not in this state of disrepair...

I do apologise, madam, but the elevator is undergoing maintenance. Please use the stairwell. We apologise for the inconvenience.

"Shut up!" Amara shouted. "What the hell is up with this hotel?! Karen! Roger! Where are you two?!"

She looked, and saw the stairs just to the left of the elevators. There were even more Shadows behind her, and they were agitated. With sheer adrenaline, Amara leaped onto the marble stairs, knocking over a withered bonsai.

"Hathor! Hathor! Hathor!" Amara cried. There was no response. Somehow, there was no flicker of her power anymore.

I'm going to die? But why?! Zao, help me! I can't do this without you...I need you...why did you leave me?!

Madam, we received a phone call asking for you. The caller was a Mr. Yuria. He sounded rather disappointed about you shortening your stay.

"I SAID SHUT UP!" Amara hollered. She went up countless floors - more than she was sure the hotel even had. Eventually, however, she saw a door leading to the roof, and kicked it open.

No sign of Shadows - or anyone - in sight. Yet she could have sworn Roger, Karen, Richard, Shirley and Lucy were making their way up. Had she beaten them to it?

The sky was pitch black, yet covered in eerie purplish clouds. Yet now that ominous sky was beneath the ground. Now, more than ever, the world looked like another planet. The gloomy, dreary towers surrounding the hotel were powerless before the might of the Shadows. And in moments, there would be no New Motus City anymore. Every nation in the world would completely disappear.

"On my own again...just like before." Amara said, looking up at the moon. The only part of the sky that remained undefiled. A beautiful, shining orb of the heavens. "I completely failed, didn't I? I couldn't save this city at all. We didn't stop a single Divine Spark. There are still Shadows everywhere, but I can't...I can't even kill a single one!"

She finally dropped her blade, and slumped against the stone wall. If Hathor was part of her, then...had part of her gone for good? There could be only one explanation, Amara thought. Her own heart had died. Living without Zao was too hard...

"Why...did I let myself end up like this? To be so weak over him...a man! But he wasn't just any man...he was my sunshine! I thought we could stay together forever...just like he said..."

Amara could no longer hold it back. She hung her hand in her hands, and let the tears flow.

I'm so sorry, Zao! I can't do it! I can't stop the Shadows. If only you were here...

|Legarte Supply Complex Abyss|19:34 pm|

The area was completely quiet, after a long period of hysteria. Barricades had been set up to prevent any more citizens from looking down and spreading rumours about a city beneath the ground. Unable to glean any answers, the people had left, awaiting the construction of a new Complex. When a man began to walk towards the crater, the footsteps could be heard from afar. Some opened their windows to see him approaching the crater.

Nihane had arrived, for another inspection. One of his hunches was that this Divine Spark had somehow been tampered with. Yet no evidence had been found to confirm that theory, other than the crater becoming a hole leading to Inanis - all down to the Interitus Legion Compound stretching far beneath the surface. Janus, to his annoyance, had not been very helpful, only insisting Nihane stay patient.

"...I suppose there's nothing here today, either." Nihane said. "How annoying."

As soon as he said this, the ground began to shake. Sparks shot out from the crater, and five streams of power gushed upwards, smashing through the barricades. Shadowy forms pulsed and fizzed, until colour and shape slowly arranged correctly. Nihane gazed at the one nearest him. A female with blonde hair - Nina. And of course, the bodies near her were Josephine, Archibald, Carlos & Pierre.

"Well, isn't this a surprise." Nihane said, amused. He bent down, and looked at Nina's lifeless body. "...Janus, are they alive?"

Their bodies have been subjected to not only severe physical injuries, but an exponential amount of Shadow power. Had they stayed out of the physical realm for any longer, they would have lost any chance of recovery. As it stands, they will die if we do not decontaminate them.

"Janus, do you understand what will happen if I do that?!" Nihane roared. "Natural Persona users will be fine, they won't lose the Persona and they'll keep most of their memories. But with them, they'll lose everything! They'll go back to being weak humans. What use will they be to me then?"

Calm yourself. You forget you have access to my full power. Togther, we can return them to their former state. Yet you must follow our instructions exactly, or the consequences will be dire.

"Tch...fine." Nihane said. "Then let's get started. I doubt we should waste time."

|Lobby|19:35 pm|

The minute they had entered the hotel, the entire lobby had turned almost completely monochrome. There wasn't a single piece of furniture left intact, and the CRT monitor on the desk had been completely smashed. A statue of Arahabaki had been utterly shattered, its remains scattered over the tattered carpet.

"...Wait, was it this bad before we went inside?" Serena asked, confused. "This doesn't feel right."

"Perhaps it was too dark to make out the lobby clearly." Aimee said. She took out her phone again, but it refused to turn on. "...What? That's never happened before!"

"I may be stating the obvious, but this hotel is no normal place." Nathan said. "Perhaps it's haunted."

"...That doesn't fill me with confidence." Karl said. He looked to the ceiling, but all he saw were ruined lights. "At least there aren't any ugly angels here."

Hello, and welcome to the Nakanobu Hotel. My name is Yuriko. How may I help you today?

"...What?" Blaine said. "Who's there?"

"I don't...see anyone." Karl said. "Perhaps...a ghost?!"

"Forget it! Let's hurry up and find everyone else!" Serena said. "Amara! Anyone! Where are you?"

Are you looking to talk to one of our guests tonight? I'll need the full name, please.

"...Look, just ignore that voice." Nathan said. "I don't want to stay here a moment longer."

I apologise, sir. It seems we were unable to accommodate your party this evening. Perhaps our staff can recommend other hotels in the area.

Out of nowhere, five Maya Shadows appeared - but their masks were different. Instead of the Arcana, it was a question mark. Then, one of them began to mutate into what looked like a dark, red-eyed Uathach. The others became Hephaestus, Tezcatlipoca, Maká and Acolnahuacatl.

"...Personas?!" Aimee cried. "How?!"

"Just like Doppelganger - dammit! Of all the things to remember!" Blaine said, with a heavy sigh. "What is up with this hotel?"

"Perhaps the accumulation of Shadows over the years turned this hotel into a haunted house..." Serena said. "Oh god! They're coming!" Uathach started attacking with a Mabufudyne, and instinct made Serena look for Amara to heal her.

"No way!" Karl said. Immediately, he punched Maká right across the face. Then, he had Aeneas inflict a Mighty Braver on her. "Go! Hurry!"

"Right! Setanta!" Nathan exclaimed.

His eyes widened when he saw what was happening, however. As with Alexander, his Persona disappeared in a blue column. Once it was over, it too had changed. The skin seemed closer to a human hue now, with orange eyes, and its hair was a bright blue - with a headband resembling a spiked dog-collar. He wore a blue thick coat, a navy cape, blue boots, and it held a huge spear.

I am thou. Thou art I. From the sea of thy soul, I am reborn. I am Cu Chulainn, he who will destroy all in his frenzy of battle.

"Me too?!" Nathan cried. "This is amazing! I never imagined...I could be so powerful!" He soon attacked Uathach with a Mór Gaoth, and winced as she fell to the ground, twitching in mute agony.

"...You're not attacking Priscilla." Karl said. "That's just a Shadow. Don't let their disguises fool you!"

Nathan, distracted by this advice, got struck by a painful scythe swing from Reverse Tezcatlipoca. He stumbled, clutching his hip, and almost fell over.

"Are you alright?!" Serena asked. "Hang on! Artemis!"

There was barely any time before Artemis began to change. Soon, the new Persona emerged, revealing herself to be a beautiful goddess, with blonde spiky hair in a long ponytail. Her skin was pink, with blue sparkles dazzling everyone's eyes. Her eyes were of similar hues. Her dress was now floor-length, white and purple, with a moon symbol on the front. Atop her head was an azure shimmering orb, somewhat like a full moon, and her cape was white and pointed. In her hand was a big bow, loaded with arrows, and a huge crescent moon chair floated beneath the Persona for her to sit on.

I am thou. Thou art I. From the sea of thy soul, I am reborn. I am Selene, and my peerless moonlight shall light up the world.

"...Karl, Nathan, and Serena?" Aimee said. "Now I'm jealous!"

"This is pretty cool..." Serena said, smiling. "She's pretty...maybe even prettier than me..."

"Don't say that. She's you, remember?" Blaine said. "You might not have badass water powers or healing hands in real life, but you're still pretty incredible. Like all that studying you did...I could never do that."

"Blaine..."

Serena quickly made Selene cast Diarahan on Nathan, and he smiled in appreciation. Together, they attacked Uathach and Hephaestus, who were slinging Bufudyne and Agidyne everywhere, hitting everyone with full force.

"My turn." Blaine said, puffing out his chest. "I've got a good feeling about this. I'm gonna catch up, you'll see! Tlaloc, show me what you've got!"

As he suspected, this would be the last time he would call upon Tlaloc. From today onward, it would be a different name he used. Before long, the new Persona took form. A blue-skinned muscular male with orange eyes and dark blue hair, it had green snake tattoos all over its body. It had a blue and white sash around the waist, and green plant-like anklets. It wore a strange gold crown, complete with a white feather headdress, and had a gold collar. The Persona was flapping its translucent blue wings, and clutching its mighty hammer.

I am thou. Thou art I. From the sea of thy soul, I am reborn. I am Quetzalcoatl, and humans will make sacrifices no more.

"...Awesome!" Blaine said, approvingly. "Sorry, Nathan, but you lose in the manliness stakes again!"

"Oh, is that so? I'm sure Priscilla would disagree with that. Granted, she may be biased." Nathan said, amused. "Go on, Blaine. I want to see what Quetzalcoatl can do that Tlaloc couldn't!"

"Steady on, pal. I just got the damn thing!" Blaine said. "But I think I'll start with an old favourite...Brutality!"

Quetzalcoatl's hammer was just as strong as Tlaloc, as it mashed the strange Shadows repeatedly. Tezcatlipoca had taken quite a beating by this point, and received a few shots in the face as well. Soon, Blaine and the others were fighting hard, their new power giving them the definite edge.

Alas, Reverse Maká had the same healing potential as her true counterpart. She healed her team with Mediarama, and they continued the assault without so much as a hint of gratitude.

"Ungrateful cretins..." Nathan said under her breath. "Do they really think they can out-last us? Whatever they are, we'll destroy them all!"

"W-Wait!" Aimee begged, running into the fray. "I'll fight too!" She swung her weapon clumsily, and Reverse Acolnahuacatl leapt out of the way. It pounced right at her, and she winced in pain.

"Aimee, what are you doing?" Karl asked. "You need to stay back! I'm sorry, but -"

"Not this time, Karl!" Aimee yelled. "I don't want to watch you suffer anymore. How do you think it feels to stand idly by while I watch you risk your lives? I want to be right with you! Irene, help us!"

Her Persona emerged, as it had done so for a decade. However, now would be the last time Aimee would call upon her name. Irene, as had four other Personas tonight, disappeared into a blue column of power. Once that power had been released, Irene's new form manifested.

She was taller, with a warm, peaceful smile. Her hair was a dark orange, growing lighter at the tips, and a bright angelic emblem floated in mid air behind her head. Behind that were two long wing-like pigtails. This Persona carried a blue staff, with a star crest on it, and a matching small shield. She wore a white tunic with a blue and gold cross, a white and sapphire circlet, and high heel metal boots.

I am thou. Thou art I. From the sea of thy soul, I am reborn. I am Concordia, she who will bring peace to the mortal plane.

"...Wow." Karl said. "Aimee, your Persona looks incredible."

"Yeah. She's got a cute face, but you wouldn't want to mess with her." Blaine said, admiring the lady above their heads. "Well, what are you waiting for? Go get 'em!"

"Oh...okay!" Aimee said. "All Irene could do was heal people...but Concordia looks different! Please, Concordia, lend me your strength." She concentrated for a minute, and during this time, the enemies began to surround her. "...Starfall!"

Five clusters of light were beckoned above Concordia, and they blossomed into shining stars. Each one came hurtling down in a massive explosion. The Reverse Personas, unable to maintain their forms, degenerated back into their Maya selves before dying in agony.

"...Aimee. I'm sorry I ever doubted you." Karl said. "And you were fighting with Zao's power...he must have given us his skills."

"You think so?" Aimee said, clutching her chest. "...No. I know so. Zao must have wanted to make sure I could go on. You too. Thanks to him, I don't feel so helpless...but even so, I wish he was here to watch me."

"We all do, Aimee." Serena said. "This hotel wouldn't be so scary if he was here to joke around. But...actually, this hotel isn't scary anymore. Selene made me feel a lot better!"

"When I first gained the power of Persona, I didn't think it could grow so much." Nathan said, dusting off his jacket. "It doesn't end here, does it? We've still got room for improvement."

"Fine with me. I can't wait to show off to the guys!" Blaine said, pumping his fist in the air. "Come on, we've got to find them. This hotel's still all screwed up."

"Yes, we must. I'll rescue them at any cost!" Aimee said. They made their way to the stairs, preparing for a lengthy climb.

|Room 315|19:40 pm|

"...awake, Nathan?"

Other Nathan opened his eyes, and saw Priscilla standing over him, looking anxious. She breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing him, however, and stood back.

"Priscilla? Where are we? Last I remember, we went inside the hotel."

"I don't remember, myself." Priscilla said, shaking her head. "I woke up right next to you, and you were sleeping quite soundly. I felt guilty about waking you up, actually."

"That's alright. There's no time to sleep, anyway." Nathan said. "...Although being here makes me yearn for the old days."

"Oh, because of the bedrooms in your old house?" Priscilla said. "I remember that, because you took me on a tour of the home. I had never seen such a huge house before..."

"Oh yes, the big tour!" Nathan said, beaming. "It was so much fun, trying to make that tour interesting. I tried to offer you one of my dad's whiskies, because he always did that for guests. I'll never forget how angry he was when he walked in..."

"You were quite upset. There you were, sobbing your heart out as he dragged us out of there...and then he caved in and forgave you. I think he knew you were trying to be like him, because I swear I saw him smile a little." Priscilla said.

"That house is probably in serious disrepair. Mother and father are long gone, and I couldn't stay there for very long. Not with Josephine on my tail. That wretched woman...no matter how much sadness she may bear, I cannot forgive her!" Nathan said.

"I understand..." Priscilla said, resting her hand on his shoulder. She started to ruffle his hair, and stroked his face. "Josephine took so many things away from us. But she didn't stop me from loving you, did she? Please, don't tell me she stole your heart too..."

"...She has no chance in hell of doing that." Nathan said, calming down. "I wish we could have gone together, Priscilla. But I didn't know you'd have a Persona as well...I didn't want to get you in danger."

"It's dangerous everywhere in this world. Especially this hotel." Priscilla said. "Knowing you were out there, though, gave me courage to go on. But when I thought you had died after the Cathedral, I realised I had to stand on my own two feet. I don't want to just be known as your girlfriend! I'm Priscilla Lancaster! I'll contribute to the rebellion, no matter what we're forced to deal with."

"As will I." Nathan said. "We're together again, and this time we're staying that way. In fact...now is as good a time as any."

Priscilla blinked in confusion, as Nathan reached into his pocket. When he went down on one knee, however, she gasped, and her eyes began to flow with tears.

"Priscilla Lancaster, you're the only woman I've ever loved. We may not have the affluence we once had, but that does not matter anymore! To me...and to you." He opened the box in his hand, revealing a gorgeous ring she recognised. His mother's wedding ring...an Albion heirloom. "Will you marry me?"

Priscilla stood there, quietly, as she began to sob. Then, she ran over to Nathan, and embraced him, causing them both to hit the floor.

"Yes, you idiot! Of course I'll marry you!" Priscilla squealed. "Nathan, I love you so much..."

"I love you too." Nathan said, chuckling. He was getting teary-eyed himself. "I can't promise our wedding will be a lavish one, but at least we'll have plenty of guests. First, we need to invite them!"

"Absolutely." Priscilla said, standing up. Nathan gently lowered the ring onto Priscilla's finger, and admired how it caught the light. "If you're about to apologise for not buying me a new ring, don't even try it. I love this one! I'll wear it for the rest of my life, I swear it!"

"Good thing I have the matching one with me." Nathan said. "I'm...so grateful I have the chance to wear it." He took out another box, and place another ring on his finger - this was his father's ring, still glistening after all these years. "What are we waiting for? Let's find everyone and tell them the good news!"

"Yes!" Priscilla said. She went to the curtains, and opened them. After this, however, the entire room began to degenerate into its ruined, true state. "What the - this room wasn't like that before!"

"No, it was." Nathan said. "What we saw was an illusion. The curse of the hotel!"

There was an uncomfortable moment of silence. Then, all of a sudden, their weapons appeared on the wall, next to a replica katana. The newly engaged couple grabbed them, and readied themselves. This room could probably accommodate a small duel, Nathan thought. This wasn't a five-star hotel for nothing.

The door swung open, revealing two Shadows - a Pistil Mother, and a Vehement Idol. Ugly monstrosities, attempting to mimic the essence of women.

"Nathan! You must be careful!" Priscilla said, anxiously. "Uathach!"

She opened the fight with Mabufudyne, and grinned. The Idol had been utterly compromised by the ice, falling over to the ground. She quickly ran forward, and struck it with her baton. "Yes! How fortunate..."

"Priscilla, look out!" Nathan cried. The Mother, reclining on her chair, had fired an Agidyne at Priscilla. The flames erupted around her, causing her to fall back, shrieking in agony.

"Oww!" She moaned. "That's just rude!"

"Setanta, come forth - huh?!" Nathan cried. As his counterpart had done already, Setanta had begun a transformation. This incarnation of Cu Chulainn had red hair and collar instead of blue, and wore a red and white tabard, with red vest, boots, and trousers to match. Covering one arm was a giant metal and red sleeve, and a matching bracer on the other. His spear was just as sharp.

I am thou. Thou art I. From the sea of thy soul, I am reborn. I am Cu Chulainn, he who shall destroy all in his frenzy of battle.

"N-Nathan, what is that?!" Priscilla asked, bewildered. "How did Setanta change form?"

"I don't know...but lately, I've been feeling stronger and stronger. Let me put my strength to the test!" Nathan shouted.

"Not on your own, you won't!" Priscilla roared, standing up. "Uathach! Let's go!"

She destroyed the injured Idol with severe ice, while Nathan stared down the repugnant Mother. It did not seem so bold now, and levitated backwards, eternally perched on her chair like others of her kind.

"Hehe..." Nathan said. "I never ran away from battle! And that'll never change, not even now. Cu Chulainn! Liath Macha!"

Supersonic winds propelled Cu Chulainn into the air, just like they had once with Setanta. Then, after reaching the apex of height, he held his mighty spear Gae Bolg downward, and came crashing down, driving the spear through the Mother's body. She, like her Idol friend, disintegrated.

"You've always been strong, Nathan." Priscilla said. "Don't you get scared at all?"

"All the time." Nathan said. "I...just have to fight my fears. So you and everyone else can be safe."

"...In that case, I'll fight even harder!" Priscilla said, confidently. "There's bound to be Shadows crawling everywhere in this hotel. I'm ready for them, if you are!"

"I'm always ready." Nathan said. He opened the door, and they ventured into the hallway. More enemies would be coming, but they had no idea how painful their deaths would be.

|Restaurant|19:42 pm|

Other Serena, disturbed, had found herself inside the hotel restaurant. A magnificent place for dinner, in its heyday it served a wide variety of fish, noodle and tofu dishes. Even now, Serena thought she could smell all manner of spices. The walls, tables and chairs were lavishly decorate with reds and gold, and in the middle of the restaurant was an ornate statue of the Shinto goddess of the sun, Amaterasu.

"...Hello? Anyone here?" Serena called out.

"Serena! I'm over here!"

She looked towards the east end, and saw Kyle by the specials chalkboard, eating pretzels. He looked at her, and smiled.

"Are you okay? You sounded really scared..." Kyle said.

"You look pretty spooked yourself." Serena said. "Relax, I'm here now. We'll get out of here soon."

"I hope you're right. I can't get any of my gadgets to work." Kyle said, concerned. "...This hotel must be different from the other buildings in this area. A strange signal that jams all our electronics. And considering we wound up in this place, I bet everyone else got scattered throughout the hotel."

"That means Shadows could be everywhere!" Serena said, afraid. "Wait. Kyle, can you move your wheelchair at all?"

"...No." Kyle groaned. "It won't respond to anything I do. I can wheel it myself by hand, but...how am I supposed to fight like that? It was so easy to just float above the ground on this thing and attack all the Shadows...they all look so surprised when I get the jump on them. And Dan always looked so proud when I was fighting. About a year ago, we had a duel to see if I could handle him."

"Who won?" Serena asked.

"...A tie." Kyle said, smug. "We had to cut the fight short, because the Ornatu Legion heard us. That was one intense fight. Dan didn't hold back at all. He said it was to push me to the very limit, and...damn, it did. Since then, I've never been afraid to get into a battle. But now, I can't even move without someone's help...what the hell am I supposed to do now?"

"Kyle." Serena said, kneeling down. She looked him straight in the eyes, and held his cold hand. "Do you really think you're a burden? You think we hate having to help you?"

"It'd be easier if I could run around like you guys. Then I'd look a lot tougher than this...sitting in this chair, every day, smaller and weaker than everybody else. Even Lucy looks more badass than me." Kyle said, sulking.

"Okay, that's enough! Stop talking shit!" Serena said, grabbing Kyle's head. "None of us hate it if we need to give a helping hand. Dan is practically your big brother now! He always says he'll step in if he needs to. And Matthew cares about you a lot. He told me he was thinking about getting you some more computer parts once he gets paid!"

"...Did he?" Kyle asked. "But I didn't ask him to do that..."

"Exactly. He wanted you to put your smarts to good use. Actually, he said he wanted to learn how to do 'cool cop stuff' like hacking, and you and Roger would be the perfect tutors. And he's still kind of cool with Roger, over the whole Keisha thing...so you're it!" Serena said. "But listen to me. You think you're the only one who thinks they're not worth a damn? Zao was the exact same way! I saw the way he looked in battle. Everyone overshadowed him, but towards the end, he was amazing! He worked hard to prove himself useful. Kyle, you can do the same. You've been doing it for ten years!"

"...What do you mean? I didn't have Hephaestus right away -"

"Not just Hephaestus! Aimee and the others told me all about how much work you do on that computer. You really helped them keep an eye on everything, and even Seraphina was impressed. Hacking the Aeternus network is no easy task, either. I tried once..." Serena said, smiling. "But you're the master. So you know what? You don't have to look tough. You keep this machine oiled!"

"...Thanks." Kyle said, weakly. "I'm not sure if I can be useful right this second, but once we break this curse, I'll be ready to dominate the battlefield."

"Good to hear it. Until then, you're sticking with me." Serena said. "...I didn't know what to do about this whole mess for a long time. My sister ignored me and my parents, even when she could have saved us easily. I had to get home schooled, because of the danger of going outside...it was really lonely. You were the only thing I had that was like a friend..."

"Huh?" Kyle asked. "What do you mean?"

"Remember when we bumped into each other?" Serena said. "That was the first time we really met, but I had seen you before a few times. I already had a Persona then, and something about you made me feel you were the same. But I never saw you use it, until that day in the gym. I was right outside...I was about to burst in and save you."

"You've been watching over me all this time?" Kyle asked.

"Yes." Serena said. "My sister turned on me, and ordered me to be killed - if Blaine hadn't turned out to be such a kind man, I wouldn't be here today. Yet that meant if I went out freely, I'd get caught, and he'd get in trouble, and then we'd probably both end up dead. So I couldn't just come up to you and say hi - but I did manage to help you out of tight spots."

"Wait! That time in Saragel, with the Snake Shadows! I thought I had miscounted them!" Kyle said, astounded. "So there were five after all!"

"Yeah." Serena said, smiling. "Now, we can fight together freely. So how about it? Just you and me, Kyle! This time, we protect each other!"

"Perfect." Kyle said. "I'm on your side until the very end!"

Right that second, the entire cafeteria suddenly changed. Chandeliers were shattered all over the floor, tables destroyed or overturned, chairs broken and turn apart, and Amaterasu's statue had vanished, leaving only the pillar she stood upon.

"Huh?" Kyle asked. "What - but it was all nice a moment ago!"

"It's a curse...wait, look outside!" Serena pointed to the large bay window, and Kyle gulped. Outside, the buildings seemed to be the other way around. And when he looked up, he saw the pavement...and the sky was beneath it.

"So basically, the Stone Tower Temple from Majora's Mask?" Kyle asked.

"Exactly what I was thinking. Good game." Serena said, approvingly. She abruptly pulled out her whip, and cracked the ground with it. "Hey, lousy Shadows! Hurry up and get in here!"

A trio of Shadows emerged, and they were all of the Gigas type. Rather muscular looking Mythical ones, with clothing that left nothing to the imagine.

"Eew! Those things are definitely not my type!" Serena chided, fighting the urge to retch. "Lucy might be into the macho kind of guy, but me, I like intellectuals more."

"...Ah! That's good to hear!" Kyle said, beaming. Serena took a look at him, and upon her realisation, she blushed. "Hehe. Here goes nothing! Maragidyne!"

Scorching flames engulfed the strange bodybuilders, and the heat was enough to singe the ground. Although the floor had already sustained heavy damage over the years, it was easy to make out the burn marks.

"Artemis! Tranquil Sea - hey!" Serena cried. Before she knew it, Artemis had disappeared, only to be replaced by a completely different being. This Selene was quite alike her other form, yet her hair long and slightly darker, and the moon chair was black. She was dressed in black, with leather vest, boots with orange tips, and sturdy gloves with bracers.

I am thou. Thou art I. From the sea of thy soul, I am reborn. I am Selene, and my peerless moonlight shall light up the world.

"Sweet!" Kyle cried. "So it isn't just Tara and Seraphina - you too! I knew you could do it!"

"Thanks. You know what? I was getting bored of saying Artemis out loud. This'll mix things up a bit! Right...Selene! Tranquil Sea!" Other Serena shouted.

Massive waves crashed upon the Gigas, and all but one had been dispatched. Angry, it cast Balzac - on itself. Serena gulped, especially when it started rampaging towards Kyle.

"No!" She cried. She leaped into the air, almost twirling, as she swung her whip. It hit the Mythical Gigas hard enough to send it back to the floor, making the entire room shake. Kyle gasped - he would have been in serious pain if Serena hadn't performed a leap of faith.

"I'm okay..." Kyle said, panting for breath. "Hephaestus! Crushing Eagle!"

The eagle statue, carved delicately by Hephaestus, finished off the Mythical Gigas. With it gone, the room was empty once more - and Serena's heart sank. The people who built this hotel had such high hopes for the future - only for their pride and joy to have fallen into ruin.

"This place gives me the creeps. We've got to hurry up and find out where everybody else is." Kyle said. "With Selene, you're going to be even stronger than ever! I can't wait to see it!"

"Me neither! Those Shadows aren't going to be able to lay a finger on me!" Serena boasted. "Or you! So come on, time to head on out!" She grabbed Kyle's wheelchair handles, and stormed out of the restaurant.

The other me probably will get Selene too, huh? We've got to compare!

|Imperial Suite|19:44 pm|

"...Wake up, you dipshit!"

"Lucy...that you?" Other Blaine said, yawning, as he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. Pretty soon, there was a massive thump on his stomach, and he leapt up from the recliner, howling. "Dan?!"

"Damn straight. And the next time you confuse me for your girlfriend, I'll aim lower." Dan said, frowning. "...You okay?"

"Not after that! Geez...you always did have a mean right hook." Blaine said. He looked around, and whistled. The huge Imperial Suite on the fourth floor was pristine and intricate, just like the other facilities in this hotel. Yet here, the staff had meticulously made sure it was a cut above the other rooms, and thus one would need to be prepared to shell out thousands to go here.

"Impressed, huh?" Dan said. "If only Kaman ran a fancy place like this. I'd have had a real bed to sleep on. All he had was this 'foot-on' crap. It broke the first time I used it, too."

"What was it like, living in that pub?" Blaine asked. "...It must have been hell."

"You don't really wanna know, buddy." Dan said, shaking. "Every night, I cried myself to sleep, drunk off my ass. Kaman did his fair share of crying too, but I never really paid attention. I was wrapped up in my own world, trying to remember Kanaloa the way it was. But worst of all, I wasted all my time thinking about killing you."

"...Dan." Blaine said, looking to his feet. "I don't blame you. Kanaloa's gone because I was a dumb kid in a commander's uniform. I just followed orders and expected everything to go well. Maybe for Aeternus, it did, but that ruined our lives..."

"Does it matter who's fault it was?" Dan asked. "What if you had said no? They'd probably have killed us with Kanaloa anyway! And...I wasted an entire decade of my life on hating your guts. We're supposed to be best friends, but that went down the toilet."

"After Kanaloa...it was lonely as hell. The Ater Vox hardly ever spoke to me face-to-face. Archibald was okay, but boring as hell. The others just made me feel like shit the whole time. It took a while before I could go to sleep without crying."

"No surprise. You're still the crybaby that misses his daddy." Dan said, cracking a smile. "But ever since you came back, the world doesn't feel so bad. Matthew's back now, and he's a cop! He's all suave and cool, just like his heroes on TV. And you and me..."

"What about us?" Blaine asked.

"I realised something. What I missed the most was being your friend." Dan said, wiping his eyes. "The idea of hating you, wanting to beat the living shit out of you...it was poison. Worse than the cider we used to drink lunchtimes at school. Point is, I really loved being a big brother to you and Matthew. It felt good to come home, and watch you both making dinner. Well, you did most of the cooking. Thank god you came along, huh?"

"You never even managed to boil water, most of the time. Now who's the dips hit?" Blaine said, grinning. The two of them started to laugh, first a few chuckles, then, as the memories came flooding back, it became an uproar of laughter.

"...I've missed this." Blaine finally said, his sides hurting. "Dan. I don't want to lose you again. You're my brother, dammit. Even if we don't have a home to go back to, even if we can't go drinking with Zao, we're brothers."

"You're damn right, we're brothers." Dan said, shaking Blaine's hand. Then, they hugged each other warmly, as they had done long ago. "Blaine...you seem to be the relationship expert these days. I used to have to knock some sense into you every time you messed a girl around. But you and Lucy are always kissing, every time I see ya! What's your secret?"

"Hey, I'm not some kind of love guru. It just comes naturally with her. I know how to calm her down, make her smile, how to tickle her toes, and...every morning, I wake up and I see her next to me. She looks so happy, and it hits me. I'm finally not alone anymore. This is all real, and it feels damn good." Blaine said, cheerfully. "...You've met someone like that, aintcha?"

"...You know I have." Dan said, blushing. "Shirley's a special girl. Stronger than most of my exes, too. I still get butterflies in my stomach whenever we're in the room together, and she just smiles at me as if everything's fine."

"Dan, you moron...just say it again. You're in love with her. And I've got a hunch she feels the same!" Blaine said. "Why wouldn't she? You're the best guy I ever knew. How about we go look for her, and you try asking her out again? Things are a lot different now. And after what happened to Zao...we need something to keep our spirits up."

"You know what, I'll do it. Let's go...brother." Dan said, beaming. "Hey...something's weird. That tower across the street, the windows are all messed up." He walked closer to the windows, and gasped. "What the - it's all upside down?!"

"You kidding me?" Blaine asked. "...The sky! It's...below us!"

"What the hell is going on with this hotel?!" Dan asked. They looked away from the window, and gasped - the suite had become utterly trashed. Lamps had been overturned, and every single one of the chairs had had its upholstery torn to shreds. The walls were cracked, the flowers long dead, and there were turns of black marks on the walls made from a broken electric cable.

"Okay, now I feel a bit more at home." Blaine said, but he was clearly unnerved by this amount of degradation. "...Now would be good time to ditch this joint!"

"Agreed!" Dan shouted. He and Blaine bolted for the door, but two Shadows appeared - a pair of Chaos Cyclops. These beings seemed to be humanoid ogres chained down to a gigantic dish, floating above the ground.

Blaine swore, and began shooting them rapidly. However, the bullets barely made a dent in them. "Oh, come on!"

"Guess I won't need this thing, then..." Dan said, looking at his rifle. "Let's rough 'em up! Tezcatlipoca!"

The fearsome Persona, known for its violent demeanour, entered the fray with a rather cruel Soul Harvest. Blaine almost felt sick from the way it drained life force from the beast. Then, he stared the two creatures down, and smirked.

"Tlaloc!"

The summoning of his faithful Persona was second nature to Blaine, yet before it could attack, it began transforming. From now on, a new force of power was within him. Quetzalcoatl looked very much like his other form, except its skin and armour were green, and its loincloth was white and ragged. The wings were pointed and thinner, and the crown was embedded with emeralds.

I am thou. Thou art I. From the sea of thy soul, I am reborn. I am Quetzalcoatl, and humans will make sacrifices no more.

"How did you do that?!" Dan asked, incredulous. "I thought it was just Seraphina and Tara!"

"Dunno...but after our little talk, I'm feeling pretty good. About...the future." Blaine said. "Just think. Without Shadows, we can focus on cleaning up this city, and getting it back to normal. I'll find a job, anything I can do to help this place. And you'll be right there with me!"

"So I'm why your Persona changed?" Dan said, looking at Quetzalcoatl. "He does look quite ripped... Why you still standing there? Go ahead and smash 'em!"

"That's the plan, Dan." Blaine said, amused by his own rhyme. The two Cyclops attempted to spin at the two of them, but rather pathetically missed, only managing to smash up the coffee table. "Stormy Ascent!"

Quetzalcoatl created gigantic stygian clouds that hovered over both Cyclops. These clouds grew darker and bigger, until they sharply burst, raining down brutal lightning bolts on them. The volume of electricity sent sparks all over the room, further ravaging the broken accoutrements.

"I'm no expert, but that looked more painful than my wake-up calls." Dan said, proudly. "How about we finish these douche bags?"

"Nah, I'm just gonna lie back on that broken armchair and make you do it." Blaine said, sticking his tongue out. "...Only joking! Eat this!"

Quetzalcoatl performed a Maziodyne this time, and the electric torture seemed to be wearing the two Shadows down. One of the Cyclops, however, began to propel itself at Dan, and bashed him onto the ground.

"You little shit..." Dan muttered. "Die! Mudoon!"

The Chaos Cyclops looked around in fear, and just as the cursed magic took hold, it screeched in anger. It broke apart into wisps of darkness, and it's partner turned its wrath to Dan.

"Oh no you don't." Blaine said, angrily. "Brutality!" His Persona leapt through the air, and struck the Cyclops hard with the hammer three times. Tezcatlipoca aided, with more bloodthirsty scythe swings. Little by little, they chipped away at the Cyclop's health, until it could hold no longer. It died a bloody and painful death.

"Blaine, you and I are still the toughest dudes ever to come out of Kanaloa." Dan said, shaking his hand. "When we're living normal lives again. I'm buying you a drink every time."

"Oh yeah? I'm gonna remember you said that. Just remember, if you're getting me one, I'm doing the same for you!" Blaine said jovially. "Let's get out of here. Fancy hotels like this are cramping my style."

"You say that now, but if Lucy turns out to like it, you'll probably go on about how it's not that bad. Problem is, she can tell when you're lying..." Dan said, amused.

"...Yeah. But I mean it when I tell her how much I love her." Blaine said. He then looked worried, and threw the door open. "We've got to go! She might be in danger!"

|4F Hallway|19:52 pm|

Other Amara had just made a narrow escape from the bedroom, which had turned to ruin in seconds before her eyes. No one was around, but she felt the Shadows' presence. The hallways, like the rest of the hotel, had once been exquisite wonders of architecture and art. Yet the archways were crumbling, the curtains faded and tattered, the paintings torn apart, and ornaments had been left to the Shadows' mercy. This desecration of art, Amara could not forgive.

"Just you wait, Shadows! I'll kill every single one of you!"

"Lady Amara!"

There was a voice around the corner. Amara, making sure her footsteps were quiet, made her way to the voice - and it was Seraphina, looking pained.

"...Are you alright?" Amara asked.

"No...it is not physical wounds I feel." Seraphina said. "The curse upon the hotel...it pollutes my insight. The last days of Nakanobu's service were rather traumatic. With the Shadows infecting every nook and cranny, the staff had no choice but to open the hotel up to anyone in the area for free. Very soon, the rooms were packed full with ne'er do wells of all sorts. And with the likes of them, the hotel's decline accelerated. Betrayal...murder...heartbreak...all of them aggregated to contaminate the hotel with complete and utter darkness."

"I'm guessing that would really make the Shadow problem worse..." Amara said, shuddering.

"Much worse, Lady Amara. Those who wander in, expecting shelter, will be taken to a room that seems pristine. Then, once they are lured into a false sense of security, their lives will be consumed. That despair will give strength to the Shadows, and the curse deepens. All electronics are rendered useless, and to those inside, the outside world becomes upside down. Therefore, even if a guest were lucky enough to make it to the front door, leaving would only cause them to fall into the sky itself." Seraphina said, rather disturbed at the thought.

"Wait - so are we stuck in this hotel?!" Amara asked, confused. "How do we break the curse? You know that, don't you?"

"I have an inkling..." Seraphina said. "The negative energies of this establishment created a unique brand of Maya Shadows. Normally, there are twelve varieties, from Magician to Hanged Man. Yet the chaos of the hotel birthed a thirteenth - or rather, the 'zero' form. The Blank Maya."

"Huh? But I never saw any like that!" Amara said, confused.

"There used to be a great deal more. Alas, the majority were taken away for experimentation. You see, the Mayas have abilities to mimic the appearance and abilities of any other target. Even regular humans. The Ater Vox decided to create a Persona with that same potential, and that required a huge quantity of the Blank Mayas. Those that were leftover were abandoned here, and continued to torment those who tried to get inside." Seraphina said. "You know what became of that Persona, do you not?"

"Doppelganger..." Amara said, biting her lip. "Zao..."

"I...should apologise." Seraphina said meekly, staring Amara directly in the eye. "I was supposed to be your confidante, your ally. Alas, I could not be courageous enough to divulge the painful truth. I failed..."

Amara was quiet. One the day Zao passed away, Seraphina had stated there was no other outcome. Both Zaos would face off, and neither would survive. Even if she had told everyone, nothing would have changed. It may even have hastened his demise.

Seraphina's power used to sound cool. But it's a curse, worse than the one on this hotel. Why did I waste my energy getting angry with her? She couldn't do anything. None of us could. When you know something's going to happen, but you can't stop it...that must be pure hell. Like when mother found out her disease was terminal, and she wouldn't see me grow up...

"You didn't fail, Seraphina." Amara said. She grabbed her hands, and looked deep in her eyes. "I think I understand. Having powers like yours must be hard. You keep learning things you never wanted to know, or that some things you can't do anything about. If I were you, I don't think I could do it..."

"What are you saying? Your heart beats with optimism. You would cope so much more than me." Seraphina said, tearfully.

"No...that's the thing." Amara said. "I don't know what the future will bring. So I keep telling myself things will get better. That if I stay positive, work hard, I can make everything okay again. With your power, I'd probably never feel like that."

"...You know of my wishes, don't you?" Seraphina said. "My mothers..."

"I didn't forget, Seraphina." Amara said. "We'll save them together. And once we get rid of all the Shadows, you'll never need to use your power again."

"To be a normal child once more...that has been my vision of heaven for too long." Seraphina said. "Even after all that has transpired, you can still find the time to bring solace to me. How can I ever repay you for this?"

"You can start by talking more casually." Amara said. "Like, 'Hey, what's up?', instead of 'Salutations. How are you faring this evening'?"

"Am I that bad...?" Seraphina asked, blushing. "Well then, I shall have to take your advice in consideration. I mean...sure thing!"

"That's it." Amara said. "...My idea of heaven was just living with my dad again. In that big house, where all my pictures were...and Tomas came round at the weekends...but that's not going to happen anymore. Now...it's this city going back to the way it was."

"Then that shall be our goal. Together, we will bring back order to the people." Seraphina said, smiling. "It may or may not be possible, but I intend to try."

"Good to hear." Amara said. "Come on, we've got to find everybody else."

"...Let us make our way to the rooftop." Seraphina said. "The Blank Mayas...they are the force that maintains the curse. We must vanquish every single one of them!"

"Right. We better hurry." Amara said. They walked forward, and reached the stairwell.

|Aeternus HQ - Chamber of Eternity|20:26 pm|

"I can't believe we need to use this room. Why not the equipment in the other rooms?" Nihane asked.

That will only do for regular decontamination. It was once used by that cantankerous fool Tomas to restore the Holy Cross, in a bid to convince the rebels he had their best interests at heart. Such devices are of no use to us now. Follow my lead.

"...Alright! This better not take long."

Nihane concentrated, and stared at the fallen bodies of his friends. They were on the group, laid out in a star formation. Slowly, Nina's body began to rise, then one after another, the others did the same. An aurora of red light enveloped the area, and strange wisps of red power began to form, shaped like grotesque arms. One reached down into Nina's head, and pulled out Hel. Nihane gasped, but continued to manipulate the energy with Janus. Loki, Venti, Cybele & Thor were also retrieved, and each of them looked darker than usual, their eyes completely shut.

"Purpose, be relearned! Truth, vanquish deceit! Dominion, become prosperous! Devotion, regain holiness! Wholeness, reform! Immortality, stay eternal!" Nihane chanted. With each word, each of the Personas slowly reverted to their regular colour, and upon the last word, their eyes opened. The strange hands dropped the Personas back into their host bodies, and all of the power dissapeared.

"...Ugh..." Josephine muttered, stirring. She opened her eyes fully, and looked around. Her comrades were also awakening, completely free from the curse that might have consumed them. "Nihane...?"

"You're welcome." Nihane said. "I'll keep this brief. The final Divine Spark happened, but the Eternal Road has not started. Nothing has changed at all. The rebels are still at odds with us, and Keisha has nothing to offer but flute magic. We also have lost the Interitus Legion Compound. And if I had not arrived at the hole where the Centre used to be, you may have perished."

"Nihane...saved us?" Nina said, wearily.

"What...do you mean?" Pierre said, in disbelief. "The sixth Divine Spark finally happened, but not the Eternal Road?! What the hell have we been striving for?"

"Do you not think I had the exact same question?" Nihane said. "Unfortunately, even Janus does not know what we are to do. All it can offer is the possibility that something else must take place, whatever that may be."

"...I don't believe you." Carlos said. Nihane screwed up his face in anger, and glared at him. "You heard me! I don't believe that, one bit! You're hiding something, aren't you? You're just keeping the Eternal Road all to yourself! You never were going to let us use it, were you?"

"Why would I have bothered ressurecting you all if that was the case?" Nihane said. "I am just as frustrated as you are! Yet I am not the one at fault, am I? For a decade, I have followed Janus' words exactly! Everything has gone as it ordained, until now!"

"Ah, I see. You're just a puppet." Archibald said. "Have you ever once made a plan that wasn't Janus'?! Have you?!"

"...Who are you to judge me?!" Nihane shouted. "No one here had the power to make it this far except ME! Janus chose me! The true manifestation of my self! All that wisdom is mine, do you understand?"

"That...no." Josephine said, bitterly. "Our Personas do not converse with us like yours. They only act upon our commands! Yet Janus is calling all the shots, isn't it?!"

"...That's not true! Nihane, please say she's lying!" Nina said. "You wouldn't...let yourself be a tool, would you?"

"How dare you say that?!" Nihane screeched. "I am not some mindless drone that Janus bosses around. I am the rightful heir to the land of Amurdad - no, New Motus City! The knowledge of my ancestors remains in me, unlocked by fate! How can you possibly understand how that feels?! My legacy was destroyed by hypocrisy and prejudice! You were supposed to be my dearest friends, and now you accuse me of having no will of my own! That's unforgivable!"

"Who are you trying to convince?" Carlos said. "You've never had doubts as to Janus' authenticity? Never?"

"Your awakening...I did not see Janus then." Archibald said. Nihane gulped. Had Janus not modified their memories? Or...had some been restored? "Remember, you called it another name. It was a solitary being, carrying a blade. Do you not recall, Ethan?"

"...How dare you call me by that name?!" Nihane shrieked. He withdrew his sword, incensed with rage. "On your feet, all of you! If you all doubt the strength of my will, try to stop me! Janus, give me power!"

The Ater Vox arose, grabbing their weapons, and prepared for a gruelling battle. Janus burst out of Nihane's body, each half resonating with surpeme dominance.

|Rooftop|20:27 pm|

Amara had been sobbing for what felt like hours. No one had come. Had the others decided not to bother coming to the roof after all? Or did they not survive the journey?

I thought they could survive anything...but maybe we're not so strong after all...once the Eternal Road happens, we'll all disappear...maybe things will be easier for everyone...we won't have to worry anymore...

"That's not you!"

Huh?! Who's there? Is that - no, it can't be!

Amara opened her eyes, and gasped. The person she yearned for more than anything else was absent. Instead, however, was a rather ugly looking Shadow. A Maya, with a strange mask that was only a question mark. That mask began to flash - and little by little, the Shadow changed. It was now a completely monochrome Hathor, with blood red eyes.

"No!" Amara screamed. She dodged an Agidyne, and scrambled all the way to the corner of the roof. 'Hathor' brandished her blade, and darted at Amara, only to plunge the steel into the ground. Amara's heart was pounding, her body sweating. She ran to another corner, but tripped. "Oww!"

This thing, whatever it was, was marching towards her, wielding her staff now. Amara would be immolated in seconds, and there was nothing she could do about it.

This really is the end, isn't it? I'm going to die...then make it quick! Nathan, Serena, Blaine, Karl, Aimee, and everyone else...I'm sorry I couldn't carry on. Forgive me -

"HEY!"

Amara looked up. Blaine was there, aghast. Serena, Nathan, Aimee and Karl...they were all there. Just in the nick of time.

"What is that?!" Aimee asked, confused.

"It's like those things from the lobby!" Nathan said. "Amara, are you alright?!"

The strange monster had began casting Agidyne, but before it was complete, Karl punched it right into a wall, cracking it almost completely. Amara looked up, in awe. How could he be so strong?

Nathan...Serena...Blaine...you guys were my only friends here for a while. I didn't know it yet, but you guys are my best friends! Karl...you're still part of me, no matter how much it hurts...and Aimee, you gave me purpose in this world!

"Here!" Serena said, cheerfully. She handed over the sword, which Amara stared it in disbelief. "...Are you okay?"

"I..." Amara said, looking at everybody. Everyone was so worried when they saw her on the roof, cowering before this odd Shadow. There was no doubt about it. Nathan had given her courage to fight just about anything. Serena had given her imagination to paint pictures wilder than even her dreams. Blaine had given her ambition and drive to succeed in all of life's challenges. Karl had given her not only love, but protection and kindness. And Aimee's compassion for life and truth had resonated with her...

"I'm not dying yet! Not after everything you've all done for me! This time, I'm going to fight for you! I'll show you...I NEVER give up!" Amara screamed. "HATHOR! NOW!"

There was a faint flicker of a blue light, as the anti-Hathor began to rise from the ground. It raced at her, only to be blocked by the real thing. Hathor had manifested, looking even more golden than before.

"Yes!" Amara cheered. Suddenly, Hathor was engulfed by a blue column of light, that shone throughout the entire upside-down hotel. Yet this didn't bother Amara in the slightest. She felt so much power, so much strength, that she knew she could never be beaten. Not even by her own Persona.

The blue light disappeared, and now there was a new being in its place. Her skin was a bright shade of orange, and her eyes were a similar colour. Her hair was a luxurious black, yet now in an enormous flowing ponytail longer than her entire body. She wore a gold circlet, with an amethyst adoring it. She wore purple armour, with gold armlets, anklets, and bracelets. A golden sash was wrapped around her waist, and an ankh just like Amara's was around her neck. In her right hand was a white and gold triangular sword, and the left held a long intricate gold staff. She was nothing short of a goddess.

I am thou. Thou art I. From the sea of thy soul, I am reborn. I am Isis, she who would restore those who have been torn apart.

Isis...the goddess who revived her brother Osiris after he was killed by Seth. The patron of nature and magic...and she's my Persona now. My true power. Thank the gods...

"Hell yeah! Just like us!" Blaine said, cheerfully.

"Looks like we're all on the same page." Nathan said, happily.

"You mean...you too?" Amara said, stunned.

"All of us." Karl said, smugly, as he took up his stance. "I've made up my mind. You might be able to protect yourself, but I'm going to be there anyway! We'll take on the Shadows together, no matter what happens!"

"We were so worried about you!" Aimee said, spinning her glaive above her head. "This hotel has been an absolute nightmare. But now, there's daybreak! We have the power to end all nightmares. And this time, I won't stand back and watch! I'll fight right next to you!"

"So will I, baby!" Blaine said, twirling his gun in the air. "Until I started coming here, my life was pretty dull. I just went from one bad job to another. I'd probably still be in that stupid waiter's uniform if you hadn't shown up in Kanaloa. But now, I wanna do something better with my life. And I'm not gonna be able to do that if I don't beat these Shadows!"

"I used to be really scared of going in here, you know? Crazy monsters everywhere you go, weird places like this, it's horrible! It wasn't like any of my games...but that's why this matters so much. This is for everyone here! One day, they'll only fight monsters on their computers, where they belong!" Serena cheered, preparing her whip.

"Finding the courage to keep going in this world wasn't easy." Nathan said, embarrassed. "I knew the risks, but I kept myself going. Now I'm glad I did. We all met each other, didn't we? That more than makes up for dealing with these Shadows."

"...I love you all!" Amara said, fiercely. "You hear that, Shadows? Taking Zao away won't put out the fire. You just rekindled it! Now I'll burn every single one of you to ashes!"

Right that minute, more Blank Mayas appeared on the scene. Each one began to mutate, and there was a Setanta, Tlaloc, Artemis, Irene and Alexander to join Hathor.

"Here we go!" Amara cheered. She stood tall, and gazed at Isis. With such a powerful goddess in her heart, she knew she couldn't lose now. These Shadows were no longer threatening. They were pitiful insects, that could be crushed in seconds. "...Wait! Something feels odd."

"Oh yeah?" Aimee asked. "Go on, Amara. Just do what feels right."

"...Helios!" Amara cried. Wait! Zao's attack! But that can't be -

As she suspected, Isis began to make familiar movements. Burning flames engulfed the team of Dark Personas, incinerating the ground they stood on. Amara's jaw dropped - the same powers Zao once wielded were hers.

"Awesome!" Serena cried. "You got Zao's moves too!"

"Too?" Amara asked, confused.

"Might be easier to show you." Aimee said. "Concordia! Starfall!"

Her new Persona emerged, and unlike Irene, was armed with a powerful staff. The blasts of star-like energy crashed onto the Shadows, hitting them with full force. However, the Setanta dashed at Karl, trying to impale him with his spear. Amara blocked a hammer swing from Tlaloc, and hastily stabbed at Hathor. Alright! I can stab these things!

"Bloody Destiny!" Karl cried. Amara was amazed - not only had Karl's Persona changed, he was using another of Zao's attacks. Most likely, he could use Mass Destruction as well. And Aimee would probably have Astral Laser...

"Heartful Cry!" Amara screamed. To her delight, Isis complied, and struck the malevolent team with immense power. Serena whipped at the Dark Artemis, and grinned.

"That's old school now! Selene!"

Another new Persona. Everyone had changed so much in one day...it was nothing short of a miracle. Amara dodged Alexander's sword, and watched, as a Malaquadyne hit the dark team.

"Cu Chulainn!"

Nathan summoned a Persona even more courageous than Setanta. Both he and his Persona were fighting more bravely than ever before. His stance did not waver. Cu Chulainn bombarded the Shadow Personas with Magarudyne, engulfing the rooftop with wind.

"Quetzalcoatl!"

Blaine conjured another new Persona - fittingly, a muscular one. However, it had strong eyes, and a face filled with determination. If one were to try to block its path, it would crush them into dust. Quetzalcoatl blighted the Shadow Personas with Maziodyne, electrocuting all of them.

By this point, the strange enemies had taken massive amounts of damage. It was strange, fighting the past versions of their Personas. Yet Amara found it so rewarding, to fight alongside her friends again.

"Aimee! Karl!" Amara shouted. "Let's try something new!"

"Oh...okay!" Aimee said, reticent. "What, a fusion spell?! I've never done one before!"

"Relax. It's not too tricky. Just follow our lead. Combine our strength!"

Isis, Concordia, and Aeneas emerged, circling around the wounded group of Shadow. Each one of them called upon different energies - flame, strength, and celestial power. However, something appeared in their very centre. The sword Rashnu once used - it had been left in the Interitus Legion Compound, now that Amara thought about it. Now, it could be used again.

"Ready?" Amara cried, looking at Aimee.

"Y-Yeah!" Aimee said, concentrating. "I'm giving it all I've got!"

"Then let's do this thing!" Karl ordered.

The three Personas rose to Rashnu's sword, and took hold of it each. The swell of power they had generated started to surround the blade, giving it a radiant glow. There was only one thing left to do.

"FINAL FATE!"

Serena, Nathan, and Blaine watched in shock. It was just as the name suggested - the destructive move Rashnu once used had been born again. It wasn't quite the same, lacking the full splendour of elements the real thing did, but its power was undisputed. Amara felt her heart soar as she saw it strike her foes, and screamed as the power surged throughout her body.

Yeah! I can't be stopped! Not now, or ever!

Each of the dark Personas began to shudder, and there was a distortion effect like interference on an analogue television. Then, all six of them 'melted', revealing their original Maya bodies as they slowly died. Rashnu's sword dissipated into the three Personas, vanishing with them.

"...We won." Amara said. She felt her hands shaking. Then she raised her sword up high, and made sure everybody could see her. "WE WON!"

Everyone cheered, also holding their weapons with pride. Amara looked at Karl, and he started to blush.

"I'm sorry I worried you again...I know how bad you get when you think I'm in trouble." Amara said.

"How did you get here?" Karl asked. "Did the NDD take you to Takanawa instead of the base?"

"No...I put in a different code. I didn't...want to see anyone." Amara said, sheepishly. "I couldn't use my Persona...I had some close calls on my way here..."

There was a moment's silence. Then, Karl walked over, and held Amara in his arms. She thought she saw him crying as he did so...

"I...never stopped caring about you..." Karl said. "But I knew you could never love me as much as him...I just wanted you to be safe..."

"I'm okay now." Amara said, although she felt herself get teary-eyed. "I guess I'm lucky, aren't I? Both of my boyfriends really loved me..."

"Both? You only had two?" Blaine asked, confused. "When I was your age, I was on my seventeenth!"

"Shall I tell Lucy that fact?" Nathan said, nudging Blaine.

"...You shall not."

"What I meant was, until I met Karl, I never really felt like I was in love with anyone." Amara said. "You're still part of my life, you know. We shouldn't drift apart."

"...Thanks." Karl said, with a warm smile. "I never thought we'd be friendly like this ever again. I know, you don't need me to protect you...but if I have to, I will."

Amara chuckled, and turned to everybody else. First, she gave Serena a big hug, and they laughed quite a bit. Then, she got another hug from Nathan, and with his height and strength, it felt somewhat one-sided. Yet he was gentle, and laughed with her. Finally, she received a huge hug from Blaine, and it was somewhat of a bear hug. Even so, she felt quite secure with him, and he was quite cheerful afterwards.

"I don't believe it..." Amara said. "It's only been two days since...Zao died..."

"Yeah." Karl said. "Normally,we'd still be in denial. But nothing about this situation is normal."

"Once it's all over, we can grieve freely..." Nathan said. "Until then, we've got to find someway to save this city."

"No, more than the city. The entire planet. That's one big deal." Blaine said. "But I'm a Spencer. If I set my mind to it, I can do it. My dad's behind me every step of the way!"

"I still want to cry..." Serena said. "But we don't really have time anymore. I want to make Nihane pay, for causing this mess! If we can just save this city, I think Zao can rest..."

"My peaceful days with Zao are over." Aimee said. "But I still want to make a better future for this city. Ten years like this have ruined so many people's lives, even ours. I want to tip the scales!"

Just as Amara was about to speak, the entire area disappeared, leaving the team standing in utter void.

"What the - ?" Serena cried. "Is this part of the hotel's curse?"

"I don't think so...this feels different." Amara said. "Just wait..."

|Collective Unconsciousness|

Little by little, tiny stars appeared far in the distance, resembling outer space. Amara couldn't believe what she was seeing, yet it felt like she was moving through this strange place. She tried stepping forward, and a ripple of pale blue light echoed throughout the entire domain.

Then, there was ground beneath her. A strange glassy podium, with a golden barrier around it, and pillars connecting a huge stained glass dome high above them. On the platform's outer perimeter were over twenty strange pictures, much like those of the Major Arcana. Amara noticed that she was standing on The Sun - and right next to her was the Other Amara.

"Whoa! Where did you come from?" Amara asked.

"I dunno! We were in that hotel, fighting Shadows, and then my Persona changed!" Other Amara said. The Other Nathan, Blaine and Serena were there as well, each pretty shocked to be in this place.

Before anyone could question the enigmatic situation further, bright flashes of light occurred, momentarily blinding everyone. Fluttering in the centre of the platform...was a butterfly, with blue pale wings.

Philemon...we meet again.

Welcome to the Collective Unconsciousness. This may appear to be outer space, but this is where the thoughts of humanity gather. The stars you see are the souls of the seven billion humans alive today. Every life touches another, and thus, all souls are one. I am Philemon, a dweller in the rift between consciousness and unconsciousness of all souls. It would seem your resolve has strengthened considerably since our last meeting...and it has given rise to a new power of your soul. Well done.

"No way! It's Filly-Mon! How you doin', old pal?" Blaine asked, cheerfully.

"...Blaine, Philemon isn't one of your drinking buddies. You won't be able to offer him a beer." Nathan said, rolling his eyes.

"So wait, this place is like...our minds?" Other Serena said. "The more I look at those stars...the more I feel it. So many people's thoughts, merging as one..."

Indeed so. All souls are one. Ever since humans gained culture, art and knowledge, this realm has existed. The many thoughts and desires of mankind have given rise to many beings, of incredible power. One, a fearsome goddess of night, almost drowned the entire world in darkness. Another, a cursed goddess of falsehoods, aimed for mankind to abandon truth. And now, the two-faced god seeks to eliminate the duality within humankind that troubles it so.

"...Okay, I'm confused." Other Blaine said. "What two-faced god? What the fuck is happening?"

There is still time, everyone. The Fool's journey may have ended, yet yours must go on. And I will see to it that you finish that journey, for his sake and yours. Alas, I cannot interfere with the human world directly. That is why I brought you here, to give you my counsel. Some time ago, I appeared within your minds to unlock your potential. That potential has grown wonderfully, and now, your sense of self is stronger than most. I congratulate you all.

"Philemon, what should we do? The Eternal Road is hanging over our heads, and I don't know what to do to get rid of it!" Amara said.

There is a way to avoid the darkness of eternity. Yet you and others who share your path must grow stronger. The time will come when I will take all of you here once more, and show you my true self and divulge my role...now, go. There may be tragedy, but as long as your will is strong, you will be able to conquer any shadow.

Philemon vanished, and soon, so did the entire area.

|Aeternus HQ - Chamber of Eternity|20:44 pm|

"No!"

Nina watched in horror, as the Permafrost around Nihane shattered into dust. None of her ice spells had done anything to him, but this one she had banked on trapping him. Maybe then, she could calm him down and talk to him without resorting to violence. Unfortunately, he had no will to negotiate, as his sword sliced her. Then, to compound her pain, she was burned by Agidyne.

"Nihane, stop!" Josephine shouted. She tried to fire her bullets at Nihane, but they simply phased through him. Shocked, she called upon Cybele, who set off a Terra Lapsis. Despite the terrifying tremors, he did not lose his balance even once. Without a word, just a smirk, he had Janus terrorise her with Garudyne.

"How can this be?" Archibald asked. Nihane turned to him, and shrugged, with a faux-innocent look in his eyes. "...You have crossed the line! Blitz Sphere!"

Nihane watched, silently, as the electricity surged through him. He simply chuckled, as the heat and lightning tried to weaken his body. Now, he looked at Archibald, and sent him crashing down with an Aquadyne.

Carlos lunged forward, and let loose with his fists, punching at insane speeds. Unfortunately, moving faster than the speed of light seemed to be within Nihane's reach, as he moved his head and body away from all blows. When it came to Venti's Airborne Melee, however, he merely stood still, chuckling, as his body withstood the onslaught.

"...How is this happening?" Carlos questioned. "Ethan, why -"

Nihane cast him aside, via Magnadyne. Now, only Pierre remained standing. He ran away to the corner of the room, cowering, and began shrieking at the top of his voice when Nihane slowly stepped near him.

"Stay back, you monster!" Pierre screamed. "Don't come near me! Please! Loki, stop him! Peur Lumiére!"

Even as flames engulfed his body, Nihane walked through it all, as smoke billowed from his clothes. He stood right in front of a terrified Pierre, and simply laughed as Magnadyne took his former ally to the floor.

"Do you not understand yet?" Nihane asked all of his fallen enemies. "My heart is strong! My will is true! I am the one who gave you the right to stay here! If you would throw that back in my face, there is only one course of action!"

"Nihane, please don't!" Nina begged. "Let's talk about this!"

"There is nothing to talk about." Nihane said. "I restored you all from the brink of death because of our bonds. Yet you chose to shatter those bonds with the sharp edge of betrayal. How am I supposed to talk that over?"

The two manifestations of Janus gyrated around Nihane, generating a spiral of immense power. It was in every colour of the rainbow. Then it turned pure white, and formed a massive pillar of light. It grew and grew, and the entire Ater Vox were sucked in.

"NO!" Archibald screamed. "Ethan, please stop!"

"...I will erase every last trace of that name! Even you, Archie." Nihane said coldly, his eyes full of hate. "This is our final goodbye, it seems. Parting may feel painful, but it is the will of Janus."

Janus - both forms - touched the column with the palms of their hands. The entire area became bathed in light, and the echo of sheer power drowned out the short screams of death.

When it was over, the Chamber of Eternity was silent. Once more, the Ater Vox were strewn over the floor, their bodies mangled beyond recognition. Nihane stared at them stunned. Not a pulse of life could be felt within them - even without Janus, he knew that.

"Wasn't that boring?" Nihane said. "The rebels have surpassed even my peers. Janus, it seems you are my only friend remaining. How sad...but I accept this fate."

Their story is not over yet, Lord Nihane. We cannot allow them to perish. Their souls remain, yet their bodies are beyond repair.

"Janus, why do I need these traitors to work with me?" Nihane asked. "And how can we save them without their bodies?"

Nihane. You will not accomplish the Eternal Road alone, even if you are to be the sole inheritor. Use them for just a little longer. As for their proper ressurection...that shall be within our grasp. We shall send their souls into a deep slumber, and withhold their Personas, for now. Tonight, you may rest. At the crack of dawn, we shall be hard at work.

"I suppose I can tolerate that." Nihane said. "As long as we can filter their memories. I will not be called by that name. Not even by you!"

Why would we do such a thing? We are Thou. Thou art We. Nihane Kronos is your sole identity, just as Janus is ours.

"Very well. The day I part with my comrades for real will be soon, I hope." Nihane said. He left the Chamber, ignoring the stunned looks of the nearby employees.

|Takanawa - Nakanobu Hotel Rooftop|20:45 pm|

"Hey! Anyone home?"

Amara suddenly saw Richard in front of her, shaking her face. Frightened, she slapped him, and he yelped, almost falling over.

"A-Ah! I'm sorry!" She whimpered, face red with embarrassment.

"Okay, Richard, it looks like she's awake now." Bianca said. "What happened? We were going up those stairs forever, when out of the blue we were right at the top! You were all standing here dazed..."

"We saw Philemon again." Aimee said. "You all remember him, don't you? The butterfly who helped us unlock our power!"

"Oh yeah?" Karen asked. Amara looked around, and saw every other rebel - except Kaman. Perhaps he was still on his way up. "When I heard his voice, I was convinced it was God..."

"In a way, that's kind of right." Roger said. "Philemon's like the grand-daddy of this Persona thing, right? I get the feeling he's been around for a long time..."

"Same here." Lucy said. "I've only seem the guy the one time, but he managed to calm me down...before everything went crazy."

"We owe Philemon our lives." Shirley said. "So what was he saying?"

"Well, he congratulated us for doing so well..." Amara said. "And he said after all of us got stronger, he'd take all of us to meet him again."

"Meet him where?" Priscilla asked. "The only time I met Philemon, all I could see was darkness around him."

"It was the 'collective unconsciousness'." Other Nathan said. "A dimension born from everybody's thoughts. Mine, yours, and the billions of humans living on this planet besides us. Maybe even those who are no longer among us."

"This is crazy..." Matthew said. "But whatever! Look, the curse on the hotel's gone!" He pointed to the buildings across the street, and Amara gasped with relief. It was the right way up, and the sky was in the correct place. Some form of normality had been restored here, at least.

"I sense what happened to me and Tara has happened to more of us tonight." Seraphina said. "I daresay all of us stand a chance at our Personas evolving into something greater."

"So what happens next? We broke the curse, and Amara looks fine...but where do we go next?" Tara asked.

"I don't know yet. But I definitely won't stop until we do." Amara said. "Zao's last words to me were to never give up until we saved the city. Even if I have to go on without him...I'll save it."

"You're tough, Amara. But if you ever wanna cry, you've got plenty of shoulders to cry on." Lucy said, cheerfully. "Although mine is tiny..."

"That's where dudes like me come in!" Other Blaine said, proudly pointing to his own broad shoulders. "Wow...I didn't think we'd feel this happy again."

"Me either. But it kind of feels like Zao's here, trying to cheer us all up. Maybe it's working..." Karl said, chuckling.

"Can we go back to the Secret Base, everyone? I think we've all earned some rest." Priscilla said, grinning.

"Yeah, that'd be nice." Shirley said. "...Wait. We're missing someone. Where did Kaman go?"

"He's not here?" Karen asked, disturbed. "Oh yes, he didn't come to the hotel with us. That's worrying..."

"Don't look so worried. Didn't Aimee stay behind because Kaman wanted to talk to her?" Kazuya asked.

"Yeah, we had to wait a little bit until she arrived. But she never said anything about Kaman. What's that all about?" Serena said.

"Kaman...wasn't feeling well." Aimee said, eyes to the floor. "He said, ever since Zao...he was having flashbacks to Maria."

"It would bring back some awful memories, yes..." Bianca said, sadly. "Never mind. We'll see him when he's better. I'm in the mood for some coffee now! Let's go!"

"Got anything stronger?" Other Blaine asked. "Me and Dan haven't had a good booze-up for ages."

"As a matter of fact, me and Roger found some alcohol in the basement here." Karen said. "We might as well take it for ourselves. Our reward for saving this hotel from the curse!"

"Right on!" Matthew said, cheerfully. The group began heading down the stairs, but before Amara could join, Karl tapped her on the shoulder.

"What's up?" She asked.

"I really hope we can stay friends." Karl said. "Losing you as a lover I can accept - Zao was better for you than I ever could be. But I want to try being a better friend."

"So do I. After everything that's happened, I don't think I could forget you. And I don't want to." Amara said. "You've not eaten Aimee's Madeira Cake yet, have you?"

"Not for ten years." Karl said, smiling. "Now I'm really hungry. And an athlete has to keep his strength up, right?"

"Right. Go on, I'll be right behind you." Amara said. Karl nodded, and left. She turned around, and looked up at the night sky. Now, all Amara could see were the shining stars, and the moon. It had been moments before Amara had relinquished her zest for life, in the face of darkness. But just seeing everyone else arrive had made her reconsider - they all mattered to her, in their own ways.

Zao...was it your voice I heard earlier? ...Thank you. I'm going to do my best from here on. I still don't know how we'll save this world, but once we do, we'll do it. Then I can go home proud.

She started to head down the stairs, quickly making her way to Karl and the others. As she did, she briefly felt something touch her hand. An image of a walk along the beach came back to her, and she smiled.