AN: Here comes the 90th chapter. Back when I first started, I imagined what it'd be like to get this far. And now I know! Please enjoy. And I'll update the Movelist of the Extra Materials with everyone's profile later. There's a certain update I've put on there that WILL spoil this one if you read it first. And no, the title has nothing to do with the band fronted by Amy Lee. This hasn't become My Immortal. But if it helps, imagine Amara wearing black leather ripped fishnet corset outfits, or something. (Although I think Stella might go for that...XD) Anyway, please read, review, follow, favorite, and I'll see you all next time!
Chapter 90: Evanescence
|Unknown Place|
Amara couldn't see a thing. All was completely blank. It didn't feel like there was any ground beneath her feet, or anything around her for miles. Her body, in fact, felt nothing at all. One minute she had been fighting with everyone else, trying to stop Nihane from destroying them. The next, she was here, lost.
Nihane defeated us, didn't he? Then...it's up to the others to finish him off. Unless...they were caught in the blast too.
As soon as she thought this, she found herself standing on solid ground. It seemed to be dusty stone, and nearby was a broken pillar. She raised her her head, and gasped. In front of her was the ruined palace of Amurdad, where only a shell remained of the beautiful home. The porch and the stairs leading up to it were intact, but damaged from the rampage.
Am I in Inanis? Or are these Ethan's memories?
Amara noticed someone was to her right – Nathan. To her left were Serena, Blaine and Karl. She gasped, relieved yet surprised. What was happening?
"Amara?" Karl said. "Everyone else, too."
"Did Nihane kill us?" Nathan asked. He looked at his hands, and lifted his fingers. "No. This feels real. I'm alive, somehow."
"Everything happened so fast. I couldn't see anything but bright light!" Serena said. "But this is Amurdad! How did we end up here?"
"No clue. Maybe Nihane sent us down here." Blaine said, nervously. "Where the heck do we go now?"
"Don't ask me." Amara said. "I...I'm not even sure if this is Inanis. It feels weird."
With no other option, the team hesitantly walked up the steps. In front of the main door was one lone figure, dressed in the casual white clothes Amara remembered. His back was to the group, staring into the door which now lead to nowhere.
"Nihane?" Serena said, stunned.
"Or is that meant to be Ethan?" Karl asked. Amara nodded.
"It has to be. I keep seeing things like this. Ethan's memories, the ones Nihane tried to throw away. But they couldn't be wiped out forever." Amara said.
"...This place is no home of mine. Not anymore." Ethan said, hesitantly. He turned around, revealing his tearful eyes. "Amurdad was a beautiful town. Yet as sad as its downfall is, some things are meant to fade away. Evanescence happens to us all. I wish I'd realised that before now..."
"Ethan." Amara said. Ethan slowly turned to them, saddened. "Are you really him? Not Nihane?"
"I did call myself Nihane. But that ends now." Ethan said melancholic, looking deep into her eyes. She shivered. This was the kind young man she had met in the park, so long ago. Not the maniac who had sent her here. "Please, call me...Ethan Walters."
There was silence. Amara gulped, but this Ethan did not seem even remotely hostile. He looked high in the sky, in this strange dream of Amurdad.
"I need to explain everything. To you and all your comrades. And not here. I'll take you back to Aeternus Headquarters." Ethan said, awkwardly. "I understand you're confused after everything that's happened. All I can ask is that you trust me, at least for a time."
Amara stared at her friends, who were silent. But eventually, she turned to Ethan. She knew this man from her youth. Shy, quiet, but he meant well. He had to be the same. She nodded, yet kept her distance.
"...Thank you."
|Aeternus HQ – Rooftop|12:58 am|
Amara opened her eyes, seeing her distraught other self above her. She gasped, and sat up. The cold air on her face gave her goosebumps, telling her this was reality.
"Oh, thank god! She's awake!" Other Amara said.
"What the - what happened?" Amara asked. "We're alive...?"
"Looks that way." Sophie said. "You don't know how worried we were."
"Yeah. You and Nihane were putting on one huge light show." Other Blaine said. "Then everything went bright, and we couldn't see a thing. When it was over, you guys were all lying on the ground. Scared the shit out of us."
"It looks like you're okay now." Kyle said, relieved. "The Shadows are gone, too. We were fighting them the whole time, but we did it."
"Sort of wish I had been fighting him." Other Serena said. "Although after that huge attack Nihane used, maybe not."
"Glad you all pulled through. And, I'm sorry we worried you all." Nathan said, as he stood up.
"No need for apologies." Priscilla said, happily. "You all survived such an arduous battle. I feared the worst, actually. Yet everything is resolved. The Ater Vox are no more!"
"Yeah." Aimee said. "Perhaps now we can celebrate. This is the end!"
"Not just yet." Amara said, pointing to Nihane. Or rather, Ethan. Somehow, his outfit had changed from his regal attire as Nihane to his more casual clothes. He sat up, and opened his eyes.
"Huh?" Dan said. "What's with him? How did Nihane find the time to change clothes?"
"Don't tell me he can use Persona skills to create a custom wardrobe. That's just stupid." Lucy said, rolling her eyes. "Hey, Nihane! What are you up to?"
"That isn't Nihane!" Amara shouted.
"...Wait!" Other Amara said. "Of course! That's him! The way he used to be!"
Ethan stood up, leaving his sword on the floor. To actually be looking at him, and not Nihane, was an odd feeling. But his kinder eyes made him approachable.
"Everybody. Thank you for coming all this way." He said. "I've been waiting for a chance to properly introduce myself for a while now. But...I'm Ethan Walters."
"Ethan?" Aimee asked. "Did...you guys make Nihane reform?"
Amara shook her head. "Actually...Ethan and Nihane are more like two different people."
"Were." Ethan said. "Nihane is no more. I don't know what happened, exactly, but he lost his will. All of a sudden, I was in the Amurdad of his memories, and I could tell he had been defeated. Amara's team showed up too...they must have been dragged into the memory as well."
"Nihane must have given up." Nathan said. "He faded away, but Ethan remained."
"So...was there still some good in him?" Alastair asked.
"It's a lot more complicated than that. It would be easier to show you." Ethan said. "It all started ten years ago, at the Convention Centre." He clicked his fingers, and everything disappeared, being replaced by...
|June 7th 2002|Farawell – Convention Centre|16:00 pm|
Amara saw rows upon rows of seats, filled by various members of the press and other investors. The red plush and wooden seats, the beige walls filled with posters and news on upcoming products, and the lights overhead instantly brought back memories. This was the old Centre, to every detail. Amara even recognised some old chewing gum stuck to the carpet.
Walking on stage were the six Ater Vox, dressed in their best clothes. Their eyes and facial expressions already seemed altered from normal. Assistants rolled on stage a platform containing a large item, covered in cloth.
"Dad, what do Aeternus do again?" The speaker was an eleven year old girl. She wore a familiar necklace, and wore her hair in a similar style to one she would have ten years in the future. This was a child Amara, sat next to her father Rudo.
"That's you!" Serena said.
"Yeah. This is where me and Dad were sitting." Amara said.
"I forgot about that dress..." Other Amara said. She looked down at the red short sleeved dress her younger counterpart was wearing. "I used to wear it all the time when I was that age."
"Amara darling, Aeternus are a networking company. They specialise in products that help people get online. They were among the first to release Wi-Fi routers. Many reviewers say they're ahead of their time." Rudo said.
"This is boring...why did school have to be cancelled the day you had to go to grown-up stuff?" Amara said. "I wanted to stay home and draw with my gel pens!"
"Well I can't exactly have you be on your own. And Tomas had to hold the fort at work." Rudo said. "Besides, this is a good company to invest in. In the future, I think the internet is going to be more and more involved with our lives. There might even be a website where you can upload pictures via a mobile phone."
"Your father might give me a run for my money." Sophie said, amused.
"Look! It's starting!" Kazuya said. The curtains were drawn, and the lights shone on stage. "Aimee, you saw this too, right? What happened?"
"The Shadows appeared on stage...and all over the city." Aimee said, sadly. "Hang on. I was here too. I was at the back, and I remember going near the front to get a closer look..." She went nearer the back row, and gasped. "Mum! Dad!"
She had found Tracy and John Davenport, her parents. To Tracy's right was Aimee, wriggling in her chair. She had her ginger hair in pigtails, and was wearing a white cotton dress. To John's left was Karl, who still had his spiky hair. Seeing him baby-faced was odd. He wore a New Motus soccer shirt with white shorts, and he too was fidgeting.
"Aimee! I know this must be boring, but once it's over we'll go home and let you watch Powerpuff Girls." Tracy said, holding Aimee's hand.
"But mummy, you said I could go play in the park!" Aimee said.
"Can't they talk about something cooler?" Karl whined. "They keep going on about Keel-oh-bits...what's a Keel? And what is it biting?"
"It's how fast a network is, Karl..." John said, chuckling. "Don't worry. If Aimee's not hankering for the TV, we'll watch Bend It Like Beckham."
"It's...just like I remember." Karl said, stunned. "Aimee never used to have her hair long and straight. When she was seven, she always had it in pigtails. She said she wanted to be like Angelica from the Rugrats, but not mean."
"Well, I'm glad we ended up with Aimee as our leader instead of her. Although I always did think the Ater Vox were a bunch of babies." Dan said, amused. "Oh, speak of the devil..."
Walking on from the right were the six members of the Ater Vox. Archibald led them, waving to the applauding crowd, and he went to the podium to begin his speech. The others brought on a large item covered in cloth, and Amara knew from the shape what it would be.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, it's an honour to present to you our latest technology. As you are all aware, Aeternus has become an industry leader. Despite all the advances we have made, however, the internet is still in its infancy. Much needs to be done to truly connect the world. With that aim in mind, we have done something truly revolutionary!"
He turned around, and motioned for Nina and Josephine. They waved to the crowd, with big smiles, then tore off the cloth. Beneath it was none other than the Neo Dimensional Door, the same device that had connected Amara to this world from her own.
The audience began to murmur among themselves in confusion. Amara asked her father what the 'robot archway thing' was, but Rudo could not offer an answer. Aimee, somewhat more interested, got up from her chair and went to have a closer look.
"Wait!" Aimee cried. "...It's no use, is it? I...I can't turn back time..."
"I'm sorry...I kept asking myself why I didn't go and bring you back to your seat. I just promised Mum and Dad I'd watch you." Karl said.
"No, we have not ventured into interior design." Archibald said, prompting the audience to laugh, despite their confusion. "What I have before you today is a Neo Dimensional Door. NDD for short. Indeed-dy, it's quite an exception device. It'd be far easier to show you what it does." Archibald said. Pierre went up to it, and pressed a button. The familiar blue light came on. Everyone stared, intrigued – and went wild when Nihane put his hand into it. It seemed to have disappeared. When he took it out, it was back.
"No, this is not a magic trick!" Archibald said. "Pierre will show you exactly what function this door has." Pierre followed his cue, and...walked through it. He vanished into thin air, and the audience was in an uproar. Amara – the young one – was completely stunned, and her father was bewildered too.
Pierre appeared from backstage, waving to the crowd. Nina and Josephine went to roll out the second NDD, that had been activated prior, where Pierre had emerged. The audience went insane, shouting questions, and many had their mouths hung open in shock.
"That's right, ladies and gentlemen. We've figured out the technology to transport people from one location to another – in an instant!" Archibald shouted. "This is the future! It may have a short range, maximum of 50 metres, but later versions will offer intercontinental transport!"
The journalists, sitting in the front row, fielded many questions, such as security, how exactly this was achieved, and whether this would be legal. Archibald, aided by his colleagues, fielded all these questions with ease – as if they had rehearsed their responses. They claimed that each retail version would have high-security settings, made up a story about 'an unknown frequency', and that they had taken steps to ensure the NDD could not be used for illegal purposes.
"Wait. If there are two NDDs here, where did the one in that warehouse come from?" Nathan suddenly asked.
"Beats me. They must have had one spare that got forgotten about." Amara said. "I can't believe I forgot about this. All I could really remember was the explosion."
"What purposes does this device have? Well, the possibilities are endless! An instant way to travel to your relatives across the globe! A chance to work far away, yet not have to move! No need to book a plane to see the world!" Archibald spoke. "I guarantee, in the near future, all of you will have one in your house. All you need is the code of the NDD you wish to connect to, and you're there!"
"We of Aeternus formed our secret research team two years ago, to fully develop a product based on our theory." Nihane said, smiling to the crowd. "No one was harmed in the process, despite the risk involved. We're now convinced that living organisms can survive being transported from one area to another. Now, I'd like to invite a number of volunteers on stage. Let's see..." He glanced around, staring at the many hands risen. He picked out three men and two women, neither of whom Amara recognised.
"I remember...these five were the first victims of the Shadows." Aimee said. "They pushed a button on a remote, then some Maya ones came out and killed them..."
"...I don't think they survived in our world, either." Amara said, despondent.
"Thank you for coming down." Carlos said. "Now, all you have to do is walk through it. But first, we'll have Archibald change the co-ordinates, to a different location. Once you're there, you can just come straight back and tell everyone what you see!"
"Yes." Archibald said. "One second, guests – hmm?" He suddenly looked in pain. Serena gasped – Nina was holding her head, experiencing a rather severe headache. Amara thought she saw a strange glow around the two of them, but none of the others. What had happened?
"Nina, are you okay?" Josephine asked. "Is it...Hel?"
Nihane, anxious, motioned for them to be silent. Nina stood tall, and gave him a rueful stare. She walked over to Archibald, ignoring the confused faces of her other fellows.
"No need to worry, ladies and gentlemen." Pierre said, clearing his throat. "The NDD will not cause any health problems. Perhaps my fellow project members are suffering from stagefright!"
Archibald and Nina stared at each other, composed. Nihane was tapping his feet on the ground, getting bored.
"What are you two doing? This wasn't part of our plan!" Nihane said, out loud. The audience murmured, astonished by his anger.
"We must do this. Or the world will disappear." Nina said.
"The world?" One of the journalists on stage asked.
"What did she say, Dad?" Young Amara asked. "The world disappear?"
"I'm sorry...I'm so sorry..." Archibald stammered. "But there is no other way forward. We must make it so there is another world, free from our schemes."
The audience watched in silence. Nihane glared at the two of them, and charged at them – but all too late. Archibald had already pressed a button on the remote, one that was meant for a later date.
"NO!" Nihane yelled, face filled with fury. No matter what did he did, it was too late. The audience stared, more perplexed than ever."How DARE you betray me, you -"
He was cut short by a gigantic flash. All around them, Amara and the rebels saw the hall go up in fire, shaken by the blast. She heard Aimee scream, and saw Karl dragging her back.
"...Huh?" Amara said. She looked up, and saw her younger self lying on the floor, motionless. Rudo was desperately trying to resuscitate her, tears streaming down his face.
"Oh my god!" Serena cried, covering her eyes. Tears ran down her face, as she sobbed. "Can't we do anything?!"
"I don't think we can...this is the past." Karen said.
"Dammit...I'm right here, but I can't do a fucking thing!" Blaine growled. "Why did he have to show us this?!"
Amara stared at the stage, which had gone up in flames. The blue portal from the NDD remained active, barely visible behind the flame. Standing near it were ghostly visions of the Ater Vox. Josephine, Carlos and Pierre vanished quickly, but Nihane's spirit stood there in shock. Then, something red flew out of him, and disappeared.
"...Ethan?" Amara said.
"Amara! Can you hear me?!" Rudo screamed, looming over her. "Dammit! What the hell is going on?! Someone help!"
Some survivors, while dazed, looked over. Amara could hear screaming among the chaos, but her attention was fully on her younger self. Ethan's spirit stood still, in a complete trance, next to the ghosts of Archibald and Nina.
"A...mara?" The soul of Ethan said. Suddenly, his soul became pure white, and broke down into millions of tiny particles. All she could hear now was a tortured scream. Death must have brought clarity to his heart, only to utterly break it. Amara watched, as the minuscule fragments of his soul floated around. It was like snow, but far slower. One by one, the particles flew to a particular source – the ankh around the young Amara's neck.
Amara gasped. Right after the explosion, she had stopped breathing, and her necklace was damaged. Yet Ethan's divided soul had repaired it, and her chest rose, albeit unsteadily.
...He saved me. Ethan Walters saved my life.
|December 22nd 2012|Aeternus HQ – Rooftop|1:15 am|
Everyone was silent. Having witnessed an atrocity first hand was sobering. Yet they had seen the event that had separated the Normal and Other Worlds. The explosion that had saved one world from the Shadows, yet left two dimensions tied together.
This disaster had killed the Ater Vox, without leaving any trace of their bodies. Yet Ethan's soul, free from Janus, had been torn apart. Amara had been carrying his spirit inside of her for all of these years, until the time she met Nihane.
"It's strange...to be dead, but be alive." Ethan said, staring at his hands. "I saw Amara in the audience, at death's door. The explosion had killed so many innocent people...even children. I couldn't bear it, knowing my actions might have killed someone so young. And without Janus, my mind just snapped, breaking apart..."
"But your soul ended up here." Other Amara said, pointing to the ankh. "Despite all your pain, you wanted to save me. That's the second time you've rescued this necklace, too..."
He walked nearer the group, eyes to the floor. "I wouldn't call myself your saviour. Not after all of this. For most of the last ten years, I was asleep. I couldn't see or do anything. Then when Amara and Nihane met, things changed. I started seeing my past in Amara's dreams...but it took me a while to know it was mine. Or who I was."
"So that's what it was..." Other Amara said, stunned.
"The me of this world continued to be Nihane Kronos, the leader of the Ater Vox. You all know what he did, of course. Everything I had planned. I wanted to save my friends..." Ethan looked over to the five wraiths, who were growing fainter. "But Nihane was prepared to get rid of them. All for the sake of a place he could call home."
"Ethan..." Amara said.
"You must think I sound pathetic. And that's probably accurate. Me, I never felt like I belonged anywhere. Not in Birmingham. Not in this city. I had no family, and no way to trace my origins. Meeting everybody in the project helped, though." He raised his head, revealing his tear-filled eyes. It was taking all his effort not to cry, it seemed. "I really liked it when Archibald taught me Javascript. Or when Pierre and Carlos took me out on the town. Then there was the time I went to the cinema with Nina. Even helping Josephine in the kitchen." He choked, wiping his eyes. "I guess you could say...I loved them all. They weren't just colleagues. They were family."
"Then...just what drove you to do all of this?" Aimee asked. "You don't seem the sort...you and Nihane are polar opposites!"
"It...was during the second year of our research. We pulled off a small test, just to see if we were on the right track. I made a mistake, and all I could see was this dark place, filled with oozing masses of shadow. All of them had tiny red eyes." Ethan said. "One of them broke out of the monitor, and it nearly killed us all. That was when something even weirder happened. I heard a voice talking to me. It told me to look deep in myself, to be my true mind. You can guess what happened next. My Persona appeared, and it defeated the Shadow."
"...Janus?" Bianca asked.
"No. My Persona was something else, without a mind of its own. Or rather, we were both of one mind. Right after I defeated it, I fainted. That was when two beings, both acting as one, appeared before me. They showed me everything – my ancestry. My past life. The death of my ancestor's sister Ashi. And they claimed to be my true self. That was Janus."
"You mean to say that Janus isn't a Persona?" Kazuya asked. "What is it, then?"
"I don't quite understand. It's very powerful. But it needed a human host to interact with this world." Ethan said, anxious. "I think Nihane was starting to realise the truth. But it was too late. Janus drove me to creating the Eternal Road, by turning Aeternus into a de-facto government to control a Shadow-infested city. He also made me lift up this city into the sky, so Inanis could appear in its place."
"Ethan. Is Janus communicating with you now?" Roger asked.
"No. At least, I'm fairly sure it isn't." Ethan said, apprehensive, shying away. "Janus seems to have become silent. Now that I'm in control of this body, I can think for myself. I don't feel all of that rage anymore. I was a fool. This was the place I was meant to be, whether I had a family or not. And now there's nothing left..."
"You shouldn't talk like that. Or you'll never get anywhere." Karen said. "Nihane's gone, but you're still here, moping about what's been done."
"True..." Ethan said. "I wasn't strong enough to forge my own identity. You can admonish me...anyway you like. Ten years of absolute hell...someone has to take the blame."
"Not exactly." Other Nathan said. "There's something you can do that I don't think anyone else can. Nihane put this city in the sky and filled it with Shadows. You can surely put it back in the ground and take the Shadows away, correct?"
"Yeah. Janus used you to make the city this way. Now that you're thinking freely, you can put things the way they're meant to be!" Other Serena said.
"Besides, the guy we were fighting is gone." Dan said. "We'll never get back what we've lost, but...you can still do something, as long as you're living and breathing. Get a grip, kid!"
"Kid?" Ethan said. "I should be older than you are now." He laughed slightly, managing a smile. "Putting the city back to the way it was...I may not be able to do all of this on my own. And it's not as if I have a right to request your help..."
"That's enough of that. Our mission was to save the city, so if we have to help you, we will." Other Amara said. "Don't forget, you helped me find my mother's keepsake. It's about time I returned the favour."
"You're too kind, Amara. Even after this torture I put you through. Before I begin..." Ethan said. He walked to his friends' spirits, and lowered his head. "Everyone. I...I can't possibly apologise enough for all of this. You gave yourselves to a false cause, and I couldn't stop it in time. But I swear, this will be the end of it. Archibald, Josephine, Nina, Carlos and Pierre, I'm glad we met. My biggest regret is that I wasn't able to be your friend for longer."
Ethan looked up, and gasped. All of them smiled at him. They may not have had the strength to speak, but their faces told him everything he needed to know. Tearfully, he turned back to his new friends, and though his face was damp from tears, he was smiling.
"There was a friend among you who never stopped smiling. Perhaps...even if I go into the future alone, I should follow his example." Ethan said. Amara nodded, whole heartedly. To hear him speak fondly of Zao cinched it. She could definitely trust this man, despite his massive guilt. His body became shrouded in a blue mist, and another figure burst out of him. "What's this?"
This was the Persona Amara had seen once before, except it was not obscured at all. It was a male figure with purple skin, decorated with a glowing white symbol on his forehead, and innocent blue eyes. His hair was white and spiky, with a large bang covering his left eye, and it came down in a long flowing ponytail. On his back were metal sharp constructs with blue gems, and he had a necklace and a mighty sword to match. He wore a long blue robe, with a teal scarf to go with it, and blue shoes.
I am thou. Thou art I. From the sea of thy soul, I cometh once more. I am Sraosha. I shall observe all for eternity, to vanquish evil that threatens humanity.
Sraosha triumphantly raised his blade, and vanished. Ethan's tears did not stop, as he held his hand on his heart.
"That's it" That was the Persona I summoned eleven years ago! I never thought I'd see it ever again..." Ethan said, overcome.
"It's beautiful." Serena said.
"Not very masculine, is he?" Lucy said. "But I get the feeling he's got a lot of power to show off..."
"Yes. Ethan Walters, it's good to finally meet the real you." Nathan said.
"Right." Amara said. "I owe so much to you. My life. Because of you, I was able to go to college, enjoy living with my father, and...meet so many wonderful people." She held out her hand, happily. "Thank you."
"That's not...um..." Ethan said, trailing off. "Haha...you're welcome." He took Amara's hand and shook it firmly. "If that's all, then we can begin. All I need you all to do is give me a power boost, to make up for losing Janus."
Suddenly, the ground began to shake, and the land around the building turned bright purple. Amara gasped. In the centre of the rooftop, a dark silhouette was cloaked in a red aura, absorbing masses of shadow power. It then took form, as a young black-haired youth – but his skin was pure white, and his eyes red.
"Nihane?!" Other Amara yelled.
"How? Ethan's in control of his body!" Blaine shouted.
Nihane burst out laughing. His attire had changed to a black and purple regal looking costume, complete with a long billowing cape and red and black crown. His voice had a strange echo, as if more than one of him were talking at once.
"He can keep my flesh and bones!" Nihane yelled. "Don't you see it?! I made fake, replaceable bodies for my 'friends', not to mention the hundreds of Interitus Legion peons at my disposal! Wouldn't it be advantageous for me to learn how to make one for myself?"
"You have to stop this." Ethan said. "Please. Surely you understand now...Amurdad belongs in the past."
Nihane's haunting laughter continued, as he grinned at them, baring his teeth. "Janus...is no Persona of mine? Is that what you wanted to tell me? No shit, Sherlock! I figured that out months ago! It was calling the shots, not me. All for its own goal, not mine!"
"What...?" Amara said. "What goal?!"
Nihane giggled again, madly. He lifted his feet off the ground, levitating.
"Janus doesn't give a shit about what happens to Amurdad! Or anywhere else, for that matter! That's right. The Eternal Road is real, that much is clear. But...nothing new will come after it at all! Not for me or anyone! It's simply the end of the universe, pure and simple!"
"...No!" Other Amara cried.
"It wants to destroy the world?!" Other Serena asked. "Why?!"
"You think I care about why?!" Nihane shouted, hysterical. "I put everything into making Amurdad a reality...blood, sweat and tears! My old friends became my servants, all for that purpose! Now I understand perfectly...there's nowhere for me to call home! My ancestors will never find happiness. And the closest I'll get is wandering around that heap of rubble, wondering what could have been!"
"Nihane. This city is where we belong." Ethan said, resolutely. "I know that for sure! Surely you feel the same!"
"Shut up!" Nihane screamed. "If...if Amurdad is never coming back, why should I let anyone else have their dream?" He laughed again, as his red aura intensified. "Even if I wanted to save this ugly city, Janus needs a body to carry out what it wants...I may as well offer my services! Once the world is gone...there won't be anyone left! No one will have a home to go back to...at last, everyone will be on the same page! My old friends, come with me! I'm not done with you yet!"
He vanished in a blast of red energy, his laughter echoing throughout the dark land. The ghosts of Archibald, Nina, Josephine, Pierre and Carlos all flew away to different places, despite their desperate struggles.
"NO!" Ethan screamed, falling to his knees. "Everyone...Nihane, give them back right now! Let them rest, PLEASE!"
Suddenly, everything began to shake again. Amara soon realised what was happening – the building was sinking.
"Aimee! Can't you warp us out of here?!" Kyle screamed, as Dan clung to his wheelchair.
"No, not anymore!" Aimee cried. "Traesto's home point is still the secret base! I didn't get round to choosing another spot!"
"Then allow us."
Ethan gasped. The 'good' Archibald and Nina were there, in front of him. I don't get it. They caused the explosion, but it killed them...how are they still here? I saw their ghosts!
"This is what Nihane was aiming for all along. The Divine Spark that took Amurdad was only half of one, unlike the other five. He discovered that he needed to complete the second half to fully begin the Eternal Road." Nina said.
"Doesn't that mean...we've lost?!" Shirley said, distraught.
"No...even after defeating him, we lost in the end!" Alastair said, in despair.
"Not yet, Alastair." Archibald said. "The Eternal Road is not instantaneous. Please, come with us. We shall explain when we arrive at our new destination."
Everyone was whisked away from the collapsing land. The buildings of the HQ sunk beneath the shadowy ground like a marsh, and slowly, all thirty five floors of the main building descended too. The wrecked Obliterator did not escape this madness, either. The ground swirled down the centre, like water down a drain. Eventually, nothing was left but a giant gaping hole. Below was a giant gleaming white stone utopia, surrounded by a corrupted ancient city.
The other five Divine Spark sites were now bright purple, their energy protruding out as pillars of light. Shadows everywhere were scrambling to them, hoping to go to Inanis. The sky became a hellish blend of red and purple...and the giant barrier around the city vanished.
The people of the city were caught in what may very well be the true apocalypse. And only a handful of strong-willed people had a chance to prevent it. If not, the eternity of nothingness lay in wait. And nothing could possibly escape it.
|Farawell – Inanis Abyss Dome Exterior|1:27 am|
"The Cathedral!" Kazuya said, staring at it in awe. A faint image of the Farawell Cathedral could be seen, above the giant crater. Being so close to the giant column of energy it was generating brought shivers to everyone's spines. The citizens must be out of their minds with fear.
"This is bad!" Matthew said, head in his hands. "Instead of fixing everything, we've made it worse! And the barrier's gone! Everyone will find out that we're above the entire planet!"
"You think the outside world can see what's happening?" Tara asked, frightened. "Oh no...what will they do? Even if they sent in aid, it'd be useless against Shadows!"
"This really is a fucking crisis, no kidding." Other Blaine said, disturbed. "Nihane and Janus aren't going to give up. And there's no government left to help the people."
"Can we do anything about this?" Other Nathan asked. "As things stand, the entire world is done for!"
Archibald shook his head. "Even in a situation as dire as this, there is still hope. We have known this for ourselves. You must go to the place that was Inanis, before the city meets its end."
"Was Inanis?" Bianca said. "We haven't been there for a long time, truth be told..."
"With the Eternal Road moments away, it's changed completely. It is in no way empty, therefore its old name has no meaning anymore. From now on, call it Ater Peractorum, as it is a world of dark nostalgia. Shadows dwell in every nook and cranny." Archibald said.
"Our spirits are there, too." Nina said. "In each of the Divine Sparks, down below. They'll have nigh unlimited energy to draw upon. Nihane is controlling them all now. Given new and mighty bodies, against their wishes. He has gone to the reborn Palace of Amurdad, to gain as much power as possible."
"That means..." Amara said. "We need to defeat the Ater Vox, one last time."
"Precisely." Archibald said. "And their fake bodies are much stronger this time. No longer human. Even if it hurts, you must fight them to the bitter end, so we can find peace."
"Alright..." Aimee said. "Everyone. This isn't how I imagined it'd be, but we still have a chance! We're all going to the Ater Peractorum! And I want you all to promise me, that we'll take on Nihane and Janus together!"
"YEAH!" The others cheered, raising their weapons.
"I should have realised things would have turned out this way..." Ethan said. "No. There simply is no time for self-pity. We're going inside."
The large group made their way inside, to reach the giant portal to the new land that had been built over Inanis.
|Inanis Abyss Dome|
This location seemed mostly the same as before, except for one thing. The giant hole in the ground was now red as blood, instead of snow white. Not only that, the floating chandeliers were swinging wildly, and the six pillars were all active. The cables beneath the clear ground were carrying energy to the portal, causing the entire dome to shake.
"We really have to jump down again...?" Serena said, shaking.
"It'll be okay. We made it before." Kyle said. "I know, this is a lot more dangerous, but...I doubt the old method would be such a good idea anymore."
"Me and Zao went down together..." Amara said. Ethan looked at her, surprised. "I asked him to hold my hand, and never let go."
"I see..." Ethan said. "Amara. I may not have any right to say this, but I'm sorry for what happened to him."
This is coming from the same voice that taunted me about him. The same heart, just in the polar opposite. I...I know he means it. But I can't help but think of Nihane when I look at him.
"Forgive me. Time is of the essence. If everyone is ready, jump down. Be very prepared – this world is not the wasteland you saw before. You will be forced into battle the minute you move away from the centre." Ethan said.
"Okay." Amara said. Without a second's thought, she began running straight to the hole, and leapt with all her might. However, as she fell, everything changed.
|Unknown|
Amara could see nothing but darkness, as she fell through it. No one was in sight at all. She gasped – was this a trap? No sound either...this was truly absolute nothing. There was no oxygen, either. If this continued, Amara would die...
"Is anyone there?!" Amara screamed.
"Amara!" She gasped, and looked around. She thought she saw something far in the distance, falling below her. Red hair...it had to be Nathan.
You too? Has everyone else fallen to Inanis but us?
Soon enough, she heard her name again. This was Serena, judging by the blonde hair and glint of blue from the necklace.
Serena! Don't tell me, after this, I'll see -
She heard a deep voice say her name, and far away, she saw another body falling. Brown hair, black leather jacket...it was Blaine.
Hang on. Isn't this...
"...My dream?!" Amara said, in shock. This had been exactly what she had dreamed long ago, before any of this. Falling in this same empty space, hearing unknown voices. Yet now she would know them from anywhere. Had this been destined to happen all along?
Just then, her speed of descent slowed down to a crawl. Millions of tiny stars could be made out around the darkness. And someone came into vision. A smiling, happy-looking young man with blue hair, who had eyes to match that sea hue.
"...Zao!" Amara said, out loud.
Zao nodded, smiling as he had done in life. He wrapped his arms around her, and they felt real, so warm. She shut her eyes, and embraced him too. It was just as it had always been. Yet she knew this could not last. She had watched him slowly die in front of her.
"I wanted your last memory of me to be a good one. Don't cry, Amara...I'll take you to see everyone. It's the only thing we can do." Zao said.
"We?" Amara asked. She gasped. Nearby was the Other Zao, but he was at peace. They both summoned Rashnu, and beneath her feet a blue symbol appeared, depicting a butterfly.
"Goodbye, Amara. Please, don't forget what you believe in. You can fight Nihane and win, no matter how much stronger he gets. Nothing's as strong as my favourite girl." Zao said.
As she rose above him, she smiled. To see him one more time had put her fears to rest. Hopefully, she could find her friends soon enough...
|Collective Unconsciousness|
"Amara!"
Amara gasped. She had been here before, during the expedition to Nakanobu Hotel. This was Philemon's domain. Sure enough, the fluttering blue butterfly was in the centre, and every other rebel was around him, on their retrospective Arcana.
"Zao, he...he took me here!" Amara said, stunned.
"Yeah... me too." Karl said, shaken. "He must have sent me here. Him and everybody else."
"Princess Aimee, he called me." Aimee said, blushing. "I kind of started crying when I saw him, then he hugged me tight."
"Yeah, he was good at those. Even now." Karl said. "He told me to practice them for Liam someday..."
"Wait, what? Who's he?" Aimee asked. "You never told me you had a boyfriend!"
"Hey, come on, it's the 21st century." Other Amara said.
"No, I didn't mean it that way!" Aimee said. "I just wanted to know first! What he looks like, is he good with animals, what food does he like..."
"Oh boy." Karl said. "Well Aimee, it's early days, but Zao seems pretty sure it's going to last. And he was usually right about these things. And seeing as you ask, he has a pair of degus and a chinchilla."
"Guys, not now! We're lucky he came to our aid. Or we may have never found anywhere to go." Sophie said, still in shock.
"That little dude sure saved our bacon." Blaine said, grinning. "Told me I ought to just get on one knee already. Hehe..."
"And he said that I booked a great location for the wedding. I just hope he hasn't been watching all of our actions." Nathan said, shuddering.
"Well, he told me that Kyle and I were the cutest pair of geeks he'd ever seen. Not that I remember him meeting any other pair..." Serena said, giggling.
"Even knowing who I was, he smiled at me. He...was the kindest soul I ever came across." Ethan said, mystified. "That aside, what is this place?"
There was a flash of light, and the butterfly was gone. In its place was a woman with tan skin and blue eyes, with black hair. She wore a white suit and purple cape, and had a butterfly wing mask on her face.
"Welcome, everyone. As you know, this is the Collective Unconsciousness. It is where all human thoughts exist, as the billions of stars around you. My name is Philemon, who dwells here for as long as humans exist. For...I am you. You are me. Tell me, you all, who do you see before you?"
"You look like me...as a superhero?" Roger said.
"What? No, that's not you! It's me! How could...wait..." Karen gasped. Everyone was looking at each other in utter confusion. Finally, Ethan spoke up.
"We see ourselves. Because you are all of us, and we are you." Ethan said.
"Precisely." Philemon said. "From the dawn of collective human thought, I have existed. And throughout the ages, I have provided guidance to those of a strong sense of self, so they may fight against the forces that seek to blot out human existence. I have observed humanity for thousands of years, and seen their achievements – and follies."
"Philemon." Amara said. "You mentioned a 'two-faced god' last time, didn't you? Janus, right?"
"Correct. It may have two faces, but it is of one tormented heart. Existing in a world filled with contradictions has driven it to resenting its prolonged life. Yet as with me, it will never die as long as humans exist. And there is no telling when, or even if, humanity will die out. The future is unknown. People have dreamt of living away from the planet, in outer space. Colonies may someday house all humans, and other worlds may be terraformed. Those ideas may very well become reality in the distant future. Or a nuclear war may destroy everything you know and love. Global warming, meteorite impacts... Either possibility can happen. Janus did not want to wait indefinitely to escape its painful life...and that is why it chose you, Ethan Walters. The Aeon."
"Because of Amurdad...?" Ethan asked.
"Yes." Philemon said. "That incident is what brought Janus to full agonising clarity. It was forced to watch an entire city engage in horrid slaughter, in the name of what they perceived as justice. The centuries that followed were not kind to it, either. Try as it might, it saw no value in a contradictory species that would not permit it to die. It chose you as its avatar, so that it could amass ultimate power – and destroy absolutely everything, so it would never live again."
"That's horrible..." Amara said. "Something that exists because of human weakness...are we really such terrible beings?"
"Some choose to be that way. Yet others like you seek a better tomorrow. That is what I am placing my faith in, Amara." Philemon said. "Now all of you have gained a new resolution of the heart, and awakened to your true self. The power you have accumulated is truly worldly. With that in mind, the final leg of your journey shall begin. Go forth into the Ater Peractorum, and prevail against the phantoms of the past. Yet aside from Nihane, one other entity seeks to impede your progress. You must face death head on."
"That's right...I completely forgot." Ethan said. "There's one more Trauma Shadow left. The Mummy. It was very weak initially, but now I imagine it has risen above all its peers."
"It looks like everything's coming together." Aimee said. "Thank you, Philemon! We won't lose. For all of the stars here, we'll win!"
"I shall send you on your way now." Philemon said. "The two-faced god will have power you have never seen before, even from the one it touted as master. If you are to fall, I will not be able to save you. This is a true test of humanity's potential."
|Ater Peractorum – Centre Point|2:00 am|
The group were in what looked like the Inanis Centre Point Dome, but it was much darker in colour. Within the area was a red haze, and the six pillars were almost entirely black. Looking outside the giant archway, Amara could make out many old decrepit buildings, overcast by the red, black and purple swirling sky between this city and its future counterpart.
"This is it, then." Aimee said. "We're actually here to fight a god. The one that dragged us all into this."
"Yes." Ethan said. "Naming itself after a Roman god of duality...Janus orchestrated this entire sorry opera."
"Hey. Don't forget we haven't decided the ending yet." Amara said. "And we're going to write our own!"
"That's our Amara...upbeat until the end." Nathan said. "A lifetime feels like it's gone by since we first met. But now I wonder how I did without your positivity."
"Same here...you're probably my best friend, apart from Kyle." Serena said, blushing. "Kind of like a big sister, too."
"Hanging with you has been a helluva ride!" Blaine said, arms behind his head as he stretched. "Can't believe this all began when you helped me fix my bike...I never did thank you enough for that, by the way."
"Well, take her for a ride on it one day!" Serena said, giggling. "Although Lucy would probably get mad..."
"It's fine." Amara said, chuckling. "I couldn't have ended up with a better group to save the world with. Karl, you too. Knowing you has been one of the best things in my life. You sure did cause me a lot of heartache, too...I just hope you've learned your lesson now. For Liam's sake."
"Well..." Karl said, embarrassed. "I think I'm getting there, day by day. Still hurts, knowing what I put you through. But having you as a friend is still amazing."
"Sounds like you're all saying your goodbyes." Dan said. "Come on, we're all going to get through this! We always do!"
"Not all of us..." Matthew said, eyeing the floor. "But I'll do my best, so that we can come back to a better world!"
"Yeah. Zao, Keisha and Kaman wanted this just as bad. Let's not take their sacrifices for granted." Tara said, solemnly.
"I hope we can leave the city to the Ornatu Legion. All the Shadows are done here, so they've got it easy." Other Blaine said.
"Someone needs to keep the peace while we're occupied." Other Amara pointed out. "So...their mission might not be as easy as you say."
"I guess you're right. But hey, they're my old soldiers. They'll know what to do." Other Blaine said.
"Are we ready to go, then?" Bianca said. "We need to find the Divine Spark sites, and fight whoever's inside."
"I'm going to Amurdad." Ethan said. "The Mummy will be there waiting for me."
"I'll come with you!" Amara said. "You won't be safe on your own!"
"Yeah. And I'll help too." Other Amara said. "It'll be like the Saragel mission, except without a complete bastard."
Sophie walked to the group, happily. "I'd like to be cast into a supporting role in your troupe. May I?"
"You're the star, Sophie. Course you can." Other Amara said. They laughed, giving each other a high five.
"Hold on." Alastair said. "I'd like to pledge my blade to your team, if I may. Ethan, I think you're an employer worth working for."
"I'm going to fight Archie." Other Blaine said, staring outside. "He needs my help now. And I'm the one that's got to do it."
"Hang on, I'm comin' with ya." Blaine said. "Archie's our dad's best friend. I gotta do my part to help too."
"Then I'm heading there too." Dan said.
"Me too!" Matthew said. "The Kinglsey-Spencer family is unbeatable!"
"You know who I'm going after." Other Serena said. "Sis...I kept wishing she'd come to her senses. But now all I can do is let her die."
"I'll...I'll be there with you." Serena said, sadly. "She's my family...I want to let her know how much I missed her."
"I should be on your team, then." Kyle said. "I was thinking about fighting Pierre, but...you're more important."
"I don't know who I want to fight...how about I tag along?" Kazuya said. "She was one of my bosses, so I ought to help her in her time of need."
"I must deal with Josephine." Other Nathan said. "She may have seduced my father, and tried to have her way with me. But she doesn't deserve to be used again and again."
"If that's where you're going, I should assist you." Nathan said. "Josephine...she wasn't evil. She was a lonely soul. If I can do anything to help her, even after what she has done, I shall."
"...I'd go with you anywhere, Nathan." Priscilla said. "This is for Reginald. He would want to save her, even after all that she did."
"Carlos would have been my first choice. But I think helping you two – or three – might the better choice here." Tara said. "Count me in."
"Pierre..." Karl said. "Even after his death, he's still in pain. I have to let him find peace, in any way I can."
"I'll help you." Karen said. "You're still young. I'd like to keep an eye on you."
"Me too." Roger said. "I don't really have a reason to fight Pierre. But after what happened to Brad and Nick, I know what I've got to do. Stop anyone from disrespecting the dead!"
"I'm on your team too, pal! Just like in your world!" Richard said, putting his arm around Karl. "Plus, I'm the best dude at healing! You'll need me with you!"
"...Aren't you the only man here that can heal?" Karl teased.
"Exactly! It's no contest!" Richard said, sticking his tongue out.
"It looks like I'll be facing Carlos." Aimee said, sadly. "He treated us fairly, considering the circumstances. It wouldn't be right leaving him to suffer in the afterlife."
"He's the one that reunited me and Shirley." Lucy said, holding her hand. "So we'll be coming with you! Right?"
"Yes, absolutely." Shirley said. "It was because of him that I discovered my Persona. I'll show him exactly how far I've progressed!"
"Carlos was my favourite of the Ater Vox, to be honest." Bianca said, grimly. "Please, let me fight on your team. I'll fulfil my duty as a Holy Cross."
"I think we all know where to go, then." Ethan said. "Blaine, head to the Cathedral. Serena, go to the Castle in Takanawa. Nathan, you'll need to find that mansion in Nova Albion. Karl's group, look for the Naval Base. Aimee's team will be going to the Town Hall of Saragel. It goes without saying that each of these places will be worse than you remembered, as of now."
"Understood. Good luck, everyone. We'll see each other alive. Please, once you're all finish...come to Amurdad. We might need everyone's help to kill Janus." Amara said. "Let's head out!"