AN: Not over JUST yet. But we're very, VERY close now. I said long ago that this story would reach 100 chapters? Well, I intend to stay true to my word. I hope you're still enjoying the story, even in its final stages. Three chapters left. As always, thanks to everyone reading, and please review. Also, SMT X Fire Emblem is looking...unusual. I'll probably play it regardless, of course. :D
Chapter 97: Inescapable Nightmare
|Palatial Discord – Throne of Ahura Mazda|5:00 am
Ethan lay back on the ground, eyes wide open at the sky above. With all his power, he had finally achieved what the rebels had been fighting for – defeating Nihane Kronos. The Ater Vox was truly gone at last, and thus was the Aeternus Corporation. The city around them seemed to lay still, unwilling to move even a second more through time.
Amara was lost for words. This was the end, she told herself. Now she would never have to fight Nihane ever again. Thanks to everyone's efforts, the Eternal Road would never come to pass. All that was left was to banish Inanis, or the Ater Peractorum, from the world.
She walked straight ahead, and knelt by Ethan. Her other self joined her, and laid a hand on Ethan's forehead.
"I think he'll survive." Other Amara said. "It's not like...well...back then."
"I know." Amara said, relieved. "Ethan, you might not feel too happy right now, but...we owe you our lives."
"No." Ethan said. "I'm the one that put your lives in danger in the first place."
"Maybe so." Aimee said. "But it's Janus that deserves most of the blame. Any one of us could have ended up like you, and been fooled into serving it."
"That's only an excuse." Ethan said, sitting up. "Nihane and I are one and the same, two sides trying to pretend the other doesn't exist."
"Look, quit beating yourself up. You did something pretty awesome and won the big fight!" Blaine said. "If you had run away and left us to do the job, we'd be pretty pissed off. But you took responsibility. That's not easy for anyone to do."
"...I suppose." Ethan said. "Nihane, the other me...I wanted to save him. Then I could have been like the four of you with alternate selves. But it's too late now...he's gone."
Precisely. It is high time he was excised from breath and pulse. We heartily thank you 'rebels'. Now we can reveal ourselves in truth.
"What?!" Amara screamed. "No!"
Nihane's lifeless body lifted up, and turned pitch black with red sparks of energy emanating. This false body completely curled up into a perfect sphere, that rapidly expanded and broke apart into two halves. These powerful orbs transformed into a male reaper and a female magician – Janus.
"Extraordinary. The unthinkable has happened twice in one night – Nihane Kronos perishing."Both of them spoke, completely monotone. "You all must know our identity by this point. Philemon has divulged most of the truth. Yet, introductions are only proper. We are Janus, the two-faced god you humans birthed."
This is the first time we've ever been able to speak to them...no. It's one being, just in two different bodies. Two heads, just like the Roman god...
"We know your story." Aimee said, seething with rage. "You want humanity to die, so you'll fade away as well. Right?"
"That is putting it simply, but in essence...yes."Janus said. "We did not suffer at first. There were few occasions on this island that stirred us from our slumber, in the world of Shadows. We created our own dominion, Inanis, where we could escape from the throngs of Shadows around us. Humans were settling from all over the world, spreading their culture and setting the foundations for a future world city. The future seemed bright for all of us. Yet when humans get together, conflict is born. Cultures clash, ideals differ, and mankind goes to war. That day, when five districts of this city turned on one...We were unable to rest anymore. We were fully aware of what evil beings humans are. In the name of supposed 'good', they commit atrocities. Infanticide did not even slightly repulse them!"
"I..." Amara mumbled.
"Living in that Shadow world was too agonising for us and our brethren. Human's cursed dual nature constantly added to our number, as they justified barbaric acts one after the other as 'what must be done'! We could not sit idly by and let mankind haunt us. With my power, we did the unthinkable. We deliberately influenced the minds of the worst people in the island, persuading them to act on their inhibitions."
"The Divine Sparks..." Blaine said.
"Indeed. However, our power was limited, and those five bloodbaths were all we could muster. The human world heavily influences the Shadow world, but the reverse is impossible. We were not content in simply mirroring the state of the human mind. Therefore...we needed an avatar to continue our plans. One who would invoke the Divine Sparks, and open the way to the Eternal Road. We waited nearly three centuries for a suitable fellow. Ethan, we watched you with great interest the minute you disembarked from that boat. For you had the blood of Jahan Kronos in your veins, a boy that had slipped off the radar entirely..."
"So I was being watched since that day...?" Ethan said, shocked.
"This is horrible..." Aimee said. "Janus, can humanity not redeem itself in your eyes?"
"We have recognised your efforts. Your will to preserve the world has achieved many things. For one, all thirteen of our kin have fallen in battle. You even defeated the former rulers of this city, after a decade of war. Just by having the gift of Persona, you present the humans we could accept as worthy of the world. Yet among you are billions of warmongers. Their foul actions resonate with us every single day, and we have had far more than enough. You cannot stop us, no matter what miracles you think you can enact."
"Oh yeah?" Serena asked, angry. "You're barely even giving us humans a chance to prove ourselves!"
"Five hundred years is 'barely' a chance?"Janus said, shaking both heads. "We have no care to listen to your hopes and dreams for the future. For us, we want nothing to do with 'tomorrow'. There must never be another day of existence. Humanity will never stop tormenting us. Not as long as cesspools of despicable humans fester in abominable cities you foolishly inhabit."
"I've heard enough of this." Nathan said. "Janus! We will never settle this via negotiation. If you want to cause the Eternal Road so much, you'll have to destroy us all!"
"Yeah, what he said! I don't want tomorrow to never come! I've got too much going for me to just throw in the towel!" Blaine roared.
"We're not afraid anymore." Serena said. "Thanks to your stupid scheme, we're more than a match for you! So put up, or shut up!"
"I've never hated someone so much in all my life..." Amara said, in a low voice. "By the hand of Isis, I WILL destroy you! You will pay for taking Zao from me! Rudo, Tomas, Keisha, Kaman, and everyone else too!"
"You blame us for all your hardships? Those events that brought you to the brink of despair were facilitated by yourselves. If you insist on putting us to sleep, so be it. Let us form a new battleground for you all."
Janus vanished. Immediately, the ground beneath the palace trembled. Buildings far and wide began to crumble, and the sky returned to a chaotic mess of shadowy colours. The floor the team was standing on broke off, and...began hurtling away from Amurdad.
"What's going on?!" Kyle screamed. Amara almost fell over from the speed, and had to crouch down to avoid falling over. They circled all over the false city as it collapsed, passing over the ruined Divine Spark sites. Finally, their vessel reached its final destination - the Centre Point.
|Ater Peractorum - Core of Destruction|End of Time|
This place? Why? What sort of battle does Janus have in mind? I don't like the possibilities...
The floor beneath the team started transforming, into an absolutely gigantic circular field. It was decorated with six giant circles in the perimeter. In each one were Persian words, and in the centre was an even bigger circle. The six outer ones connected to the central point via glowing white grooves. Beneath the platform were the six pillars from the dome, radiating with the power of thousands of Shadows.
Thousands of fibreoptic-like wires burst out from beneath the floor, and connected to every square inch of the red fields that had been the Ater Peractorum. Now, Amara could see not a single remnant of New Motus City.
"What the – No!" Aimee screamed. The metal barriers around the city had vanished completely. Yet not a trace of the ocean could be seen. The tentacle-like wires seemed to extend endlessly, absorbing more and more power from the Shadows that had infested this domain.
"Oh man..." Matthew said, frantic. "Dan, what are we going to do?!"
"I don't know!" Dan screamed. "This might be it for us!"
Amara checked her watch. It seemed to have stopped at 5 am. Yet the battery was not close to being ran out. Her phone seemed to be the exact same, too. It did not move beyond five in the morning. Could this situation really have stopped time itself? Janus' power had stopped the Ater Vox aging, but to know it was enough to cease all of time was disheartening.
"Janus, where the hell are you?" Nathan demanded. "Answer me!"
We are all around you.
Amara gasped. Right in front of her were both halves of Janus, flying high above her. The reached the outer edge of the platform, and their backs faced each other. They appeared to be reclining on the air, and raised their weapons – and became pure gold. Just then, however, something massive appeared beneath them, casting a shadow all over the bizarre land below. A gigantic golden doorway, ornate and almost beautiful. Attractive swirls were in every inch of its design. Built into it were the thirteen masks Shadows could wear. The door itself was many feet tall, with many designs painted onto it in monochrome. In the upper left appeared to be Jahan's face, and the upper right was Ashis.
No, that's...Janus! They're...mimicking their appearances!
Beneath them was an elaborate cityscape of the modern New Motus City. Flying above it was Nihane Kronos, in an expression of absolute agony. In this illustration, he was chained to the two faces above him.
"...What the fuck?" Blaine asked. "We're fighting a door?"
Not entirely correct.
The entire circular podium was barricaded by five replicas of that same door. Except in each one, it was a different person being tortured by Janus. Pierre. Carlos. Josephine. Nina. Archibald. Their faces, screaming in agony, etched onto the heavy doors.
You were determined to face us yes? Then a lack of an escape route shouldn't pose a problem. This time, We will not need to rely on a human to grant Us power. We have more than recovered the energy we spent in the past. Now we have eternity within our grasp... If you intend to see us gone, then use all the power in your possession! It will not even amount to a billionth of ours... Yet it will at least make for a fascinating conclusion to the universe.
"You got that right." Blaine said, scowling. "Man, I never saw anything this trippy even on my last pub crawl...this is fucking crazy!"
"Six doors..." Serena said. "How are we doing this?!"
Do you need time to prepare yourselves? A few extra moments of strategic planning will not hinder us in the slightest. The minute you summon your Personas, however, we shall commence our assault.
Aimee panicked, gazing in fright at the six monolithic beings around here. "Um...what do I do?!"
"It's a tall order to have to beat up all of these!" Karl said, astonished.
"At least these targets can't move...but perhaps they're so powerful, they don't even need to." Nathan said.
To be before the true culprit behind all of this was an odd feeling. Ever since June, she had focused on eventually beating Aeternus, later Nihane. Only today had everything utterly changed. The god-like force of Janus may be outlandish in appearance, but one thing was clear. It sought to exterminate all of the Persona users.
Everything has been leading up to this. Every swing of my sword, every flame Hathor or Isis produced...this is what I was born to do. How the hell could I possibly give up now? I've got to do something...
"Everyone. I know you're all scared." Amara said. "I'm...terrified. Things look pretty grim. But everyone, we knew from the beginning things would end up this way! You awakened to your Persona ability because you had what it takes to stand up against the Shadows – the ability to accept the other side of you!"
"You've got to admit, it'd be crazy to think we could take all of these one. But wasn't it crazy to start up a rebellion in the first place?" Other Amara said. "An eight year old girl taking on a huge corporation with the entire city under their control! But all of us bet on her, not them. We've been facing impossible odds since the very beginning!"
"...I wanted my old life back. To be with my brother and Zao." Aimee said. "That can't happen anymore. Janus has seen to that. Aeternus has fallen, thanks to all of us! So why not go one step higher? We can beat Nihane, so why not aim for the god above him?"
The others paused, taking in her words. Amara hoped, with all her hear, that they were listening. When she saw them nod, and prepare their weapons, she gasped with delight, almost shedding a tear.
"Everyone...you're really going to do this?"
"For you, we'd go to the ends of the world!" Serena said, whipping the ground.
"It would be a terrific honour to face Janus head on with you." Nathan said, standing strong with his staff.
"Buddies like you don't come along very often. I ain't going to let you do this alone." Blaine said, loading his gun.
"Amara. I think I was fated to do this. To do something this big together with you all. Meeting you wasn't pointless after all. It was a blessing. I'm ready for anything!" Karl said, raising his fists.
"Everyone...we're going to have to divide into teams again. But don't forget! We're not far from each other. We can change teams at any time, just as long as we keep each door occupied!" Aimee said. "I'll do my best to heal everyone. Tara, Serena, Richard will be on duty to keep you safe too!"
"Playing nurse is my game." Richard said.
"I promise, I'll save anyone in danger!" Tara said.
The big team divided quickly into six groups. Facing the Nihane Door, or Ameretat, were Amara, Nathan, Serena, and Blaine. Archibald's Door, Spenta Armaita, was opposed by their Other selves. Nina's Door, Asa Vahista, was targeted by the Roger, Karen, Lucy and Shirley. Sophie, Priscilla, Kyle, and Dan took on Josephine's Door, Vohu Manah. Alastair, Bianca, Kazuya and Richard decided to face the Carlos Door, Kshatra Vairya. Lastly, Matthew, Tara, Aimee and Karl opposed Haurvatat, the door with Pierre's face on it.
"We're ready!" Amara yelled. "LET'S GO!"
|Ameretat|
This is it, Amara. A door that size is not going to go down easy. But remember, you've never been the girl who gives up. Not when it came to all your schoolwork, the job offer, and everything in this world! Janus has to realise it can't screw around with me anymore. I'll burn this thing to the ground!
Amara's first instinct was to begin tough battles the normal way. Yet just before she did so, she had an idea. She would use a recently acquired ulterior move, one which had a useful side-effect.
"Isis! Gem's Shroud!" Four red jewels appeared above the party's heads, and gave them a red glow of resilience. Next, she was tempted to run at the door and hack at it. The doors did not seem to move, looming overhead like the entrance to a grand castle or palace. Yet she had no idea what sort of attacks Janus could use. She had to be careful, and save her sword until she was sure it would be useful.
"Masukukaja!" Nathan roared. Cu Chulainn ably doubled the team's agility, which would make Amara's plan easier. Janus had thankfully not attacked them yet, but with its supreme power, it would take a tremendous assault from every single person here until it fell. Which meant they had to be at their very best.
"Selene, show me your lunacy! Aquarius!" Serena cried. Smirking, Selene floated on her moon chair and clicked her fingers – and down came a mysterious vase filled with freshwater. It tipped over, crashing down on Janus. Odd cries that seemed vaguely human could be heard, and the water returned to the vase. The jug disappeared, yet would be used soon enough.
"Quetzalcoatl, we need to toughen up to break this freak down! Matarukaja!" Blaine roared, raising a clenched fist high in the sky. The rugged Persona gallantly swung his hammer, and everyone's strength received a shot in the arm. Amara grinned.
Janus, it seemed, was through with talking. Without even uttering a word, it cast War ~ Ruin Ignis. Amara gasped – the resulting spell was the exact same as Nihane's Fire of Ruin. But that was to be expected. Nihane was essentially borrowing Janus' power, and this was it without any limitations. The scorching flames would have scared Amara, even with Isis' affinity to fire, except for one thing. Gem's Shroud had taken the heat, and stopped it from reaching the others. She grinned, pleased with the result.
"I didn't feel a thing..." Serena said. "Amara, did you really...?"
"If I had stuck with Marakukaja, we might have ended up as Melba toast now."
"Actually, Amara, Melba toast isn't -"
"You know what I mean, Nathan!" Amara said. "Come on, focus!"
Blaine, holding his gun, focused on the statue of the male Janus. With one eye shut, he fired repeatedly. The bullets did not bounce off, to his relief. In fact, they seemed to have caused some slight pain.
Amara decided now was the time to strike. With her blade, she ran at the door, and slashed it as high up and as hard as she could. It actually felt like she was making a dent in it – aided by Nathan's staff and the many swings of Serena's chain whip. "Take THIS!"
Her final stab, however, was interrupted by a quick red shockwave, which hit their area of the field.
"Ouch!" Amara yelled. "Damn, it doesn't even need to move to attack..."
"When you're a giant fucked up door, you probably need a lot of things to protect yourself." Blaine said. "Oh crap, what's it doing now?"
The female statue on top flashed red, and began her Peace ~ Gloriosa Cordis. The white and purple column of energy, while obviously much bigger this time around, was more or less the same as Peerless Ascent. To think that Nihane, a foe that gave Amara a lot of trouble, was just a taste of things to come...
She would continue the fight. The others were hard at work, attacking with all their strength, and so she would do the same.
|Spenta Armaita|
The Other Amara briefly looked at her alternate self, and grinned. She was giving as good as she got. Despite her privileged life, she had taken to fighting like a fish to water. This world's Amara was proud to accept the one from the other world as her ally.
From the minute the Shadows appeared, the Other Amara's life had been turned upside down. She would be thrust from one dark day to the other. The gorgeous sunsets and coastlines were gone, and all that remained was a life under heavy guard. That is, until she developed her Persona powers, and became her own guardian.
The force that ultimately was responsible for all of this needless suffering was right in front of her now. She hadn't been able to fight Nihane, despite her burning hatred – but now this door before her would know that her fire burned hotter than the sun.
Isis' Agidyne scorched Janus, and her blade slashed through the sturdy doors. However, a red wave of strange power sent her flying back – only for Nathan to catch her.
"Ugh! I hate it when they do that!" Amara yelled.
"It comes so fast. It's hard to anticipate, and even harder to dodge it." Nathan said. "However, this wretched thing can't even move. It's simply a matter of outlasting them! Garudyne!"
Cu Chulainn's gallant wind rushed fiercely, hitting Janus with its full pressure. It let out another wave, yet Serena leaped over it and whacked the door with her whip. Each link seemed to ram into the hard, iron-like exterior, but it seemed to be effective.
"You've had it now, Janus!" Serena cried. "Aquadyne!" A deluge of Selene's magic began, spraying water over the majority of the Spentra Armaita Janus. Blaine's gunshots seemed to be making their mark, but it was difficult to gauge their effectiveness when there was no real flesh to pierce.
"Looks like you really can't solve your problems with guns." Blaine said. "Quetzalcoatl, your name is still weird, but you're on top now! ZIODYNE!"
Lightning from the mighty god fell down on Janus, shocking it extensively. Now it was getting irritated. Amara braced herself, expecting another painful attack. The scythe, now fixed atop the door, shined red. Somehow, it managed to slice the team with an invisible slash. Amara gasped, spinning out of control and falling to the ground. War ~ Land of Agony was every bit as dangerous as Nihane's Scarlet Crusade.
"Holy hell!" Nathan screamed. "That was painful...much too painful!"
"Don't cry now...there's more coming!" Blaine shouted, pointing up ahead. The female statue flashed. It was prepared to summon the source of Nihane's Dead Sea. No longer diluted, its full power would be unveiled as Peace ~ Mortuum. The illusion remained the same, with the team trapped on a boat riding through the waves of a torrential storm. Yet the waves that claimed the boat were much higher, and no one was spared. Even Serena was in pain, judging by her agonising screams.
"The fuck?!" Blaine said. "How come it's hurting you?"
"I...I don't know!" Serena said. "Ever since I got Selene, water can't hurt me at all – until now. Don't tell me Janus can just break through that?"
"Such a lack of sportsmanship." Nathan said, tutting. "He feels the need to break the rules just to beat us. Sad, isn't it?"
"Yeah..." Amara said. "Come on, let's hurry up and win this! The minute we beat this one, we go and help out the rest!"
|Asa Vahista|
"Argh!"
Priscilla landed hard on her derrière, much to her costernation. Janus' attacks were strong, but Sophie expected nothing less. This being had masqueraded as Nihane's Persona, and thus had created the image of an unstoppable fighter. This power was hiding behind no mask anymore, and Janus would not limit itself to destroy these humans.
Sophie thought of her mothers up above. Where had the Ornatu Legion taken them? What condition was the city in? If the Shadows had all migrated to the Ater Peractorum, and the Interitus Legion servers had all be destroyed, they should be safe. Yet there was no telling what would happen next.
You must focus on what you can do. Remember, Sophie. You are their special girl. That power they were afraid of...you must use it to banish all their fears! Sophia and I will be in perfect symbiosis. Janus will have no choice but to recognise ME as ultimate power. So let's go!
"You okay, Sophie?" Kyle asked. Dan aided Priscilla to her feet, who thanked him. "You're still healthy, aren't you?"
"Yes." Sophie said. "Just because I am at death's door does not mean I have to answer his call! Sophie! Celestial Iris!"
Sophie's starry eyes lit up the field, even brighter than her Stellar Vision technique. This time, a galaxy-like structure was formed, and the mass of stars and planets flew straight into Janus. Sophie marvelled at the sight of this power. A huge sense of pride welled up in her. Another of Janus' red waves came, and suddenly, an rain of blue lasers came down. She just barely twirled out of their way, but tripped.
"I have to say Seraphina – or Sophie – your outfit might be glamorous, but it isn't suited for combat." Priscilla said.
"My apologies, Priscilla, but my sports bra and shorts were blown up." Sophie said sardonically.
"You had a sports bra?" Dan asked, curious.
"Sarcasm..." Kyle said, rolling his eyes.
"Never mind." Priscilla said calmly. "Scathach! Crystal Queen!"
Scathach concentrated dense amounts of frost and ice around her person, creating a truly mighty crystal castle. Next, Scathach glided above this fortress, and shot an azure light upon it. This was the catalyst for the castle's rapid expansion, until it ultimately shattered around Janus, piercing the gargantuan door with shards of brutal ice.
"Well done, Priscilla. Now here comes my Volcanic Divide! Vulcanus, go!"
The Persona lifted up his visor, revealing a pair of blue and green eyes. With his sharp sword in hand, Vulcanus immolated it, making it reminiscent of the Norse god of fire Surt's Laevatein. Once satisfied, the youthful-looking Persona swung it sharply down, and the blade of flame grew, colliding with the door. The echoing thud almost deafened Kyle's ears, but the sparks of flame that ravaged Janus were worth it.
"Awesome!" Dan said. He aimed high up at the giant door, and fired his rifle. Each shot was heavy, and echoed loudly. Truth be told, he did like handling rifles – but what he wanted was a chance to use them recreationally, not trying to protect his life. "Persona!" Mictlan appeared, radiating dark bloodlust. "Soul Harvest!"
Mictlan faithfully gathered blood red energy in his scythe, and his eyes seemed to glow the same ominous hue. Then he viciously attacked, and as the scythe dug into the door's 'flesh', energy seemed to flow out, and into Dan's body.
Janus had been silent ever since the group had gone to war. Conversation of any kind with this entity was out, leaving only way for warfare. And now Janus would attempt to expel their foes, with the grand Peace ~ Exactos Noble. As with Noble Banishment, a lethal attack of Nihane's, it generated a stereotypical vision of heaven, clouds and all. Alas, Priscilla was grabbed by a giant golden fist, and there was a flash of bright light. Once all was 'normal' again, Priscilla, ordinarily resilient against the light of judgement, fell to the ground instantly.
"Fuck!" Dan yelled. "Seraphina, Sophie, whatever you're calling yourself now, do something!"
"Alright, but please, cover me." Sophie said. Blue lasers from above fell down on the team, and she screamed, leaping back.
"Hang on! Let me help!"
Ethan ran up, having just aided the Holy Cross' team. He summoned Sraosha, and began a blinding Prism Apex. The powerful blast ravaged Janus, causing it to cry out monstrously in pain.
"Thank you!" Sophie said. "Recarm!"
Priscilla soon came back to life, yet in a daze. This fight had yet to conclude, even with all twenty five of the team fighting at their absolute hardest. The Ater Peractorum was violently vibrating with every attack launched. Could it contain this much power alongside Janus? Sophie had to live through this, or reuniting with her mothers would prove futile in the end.
|Kshatra Vairya|
Roger managed to land on his feet, having been thrown back by wave after wave of unknown red energy. He grimaced, heart pounding, as the ground trembled before Janus' almighty dominance.
"Damn, this ugly door sure takes a beating!" He proclaimed.
"Perhaps some rising damp will cause rot." Karen said dryly.
Roger smiled devilishly. "Apsu! Do this thing! Aquadyne!" The mighty freshwater god struck Janus with a blast of water more rapid than the Victoria Falls.
"That's it, Roger!" Karen cheered. "Janus, there's no key to your stupid doors. They'll never open, just like your heart! So you should just freeze over and head back to your stupid realm! Bufudyne!"
Daena's cold ice graced Janus, dropping the air temperature around it. Lucy grinned, giving Karen a high five, and quickly fired some shots up high.
"Atta girl!" Other Blaine cheered, after an exuberant whistle. "Go show him what happens to guys that mess with my Lu!"
"Gotcha!" Lucy said, smiling. He quickly smiled back, and got dragged back into his own fight, in which Other Serena was casting Mediarahan. To see him cheer for her, even in this darkest of hours, made her own heart beat fast. Before she had met him, she had few friends – mostly likely a result of her perfectionist nature and abrasive attitude. She had thrown herself into bonding with the Clairdol youths, only for it to be thrown back in her face. Yet one person had stayed with her, to hold her close and wipe away her tears. Blaine, a man who had been through hell, yet managed to hold onto his heart. And that same warmth had awakened her own. Now, she was standing among those she loved most in this world.
Ishtar exploded from Lucy's heart, and radiated that same Passion. It was now Ablaze, scorching Janus with hot-pink flames. They ruptured stronger than every before, prompting the statues atop the doorway to yell.
"You always were hot-tempered." Shirley said. "Normally, I'd keep that fiery rage under control...but that'll wait until we have six doors on the bonfire." She winked, then summoned Ceridwen. "Take this, for all you have done to us! No mercy! Grieving Rune!"
The Welsh sorceress cackled, channelling her great magic. Thus, a rune-like stone emerged from the ground, summoning an ethereal rain of dark energy upon Janus.
"Yeah! Magic, bitch!" Shirley yelled.
"That's...surprisingly out of character." Karen said.
"Yeah. I think Dan is a bad influence on her..." Roger said, smirking.
"No he isn't! He's a perfect gentleman!" Shirley said.
"Son of a bitch!" Dan yelped, after his team received another punishing blast of red light.
"...Outside of battling." Shirley mumbled, raising her eyebrow.
"Oh god! LOOK!" Lucy screamed.
The arena had disappeared, overcast by a barren plain that had once been a prosperous lea. Tornadoes had ravaged the place, leaving not even a single blade of grass. Dead trees lay everywhere, and the sky was clouded over completely. Suddenly, the tornadoes gathered into one, and sent everyone high above the ground. Only when the storm subsided did the team fall back down – a destructive War ~ Air Irae, or Air of Retribution.
"Why do all these stupid attacks do that area change thing?!" Lucy despaired.
"I doubt Janus is going to answer you, but if I were to guess..." Karen said. "It's a form of psychological warfare. Showing us scenes of destruction related to the element."
"It's working..." Shirley said, shaken.
"Hang in there, Shirley." Roger said. "As long as you know they're not real, you'll be fine -"
Immediately after this, the next fabricated area appeared. They were in a deserted town atop a hill, where everything was in disarray. A gigantic cloud, pulsing with electricity, darkened the abandoned village. With its wrath, it rained down thunder and lightning, breaking apart every building it found. In fact, it even destroyed the ground, pockmarking the village and leaving nothing but smouldering ruins – and injured fighters.
"Oh, that was worse than when I had that shitty Amstrad computer..." Roger said, woozy.
"Roger, I just got electrocuted...stop trying to show off nerd trivia..." Karen remarked.
"Hehehe...sorry." Roger said. He helped her up. Tara, gasping, very quickly sent a Mediarahan their way. "Wow. Thanks, girl!"
"You're welcome. Please, keep at it!" Tara cheered.
"Roger, let's see this through alive!" Matthew yelled.
"You got it!" Roger replied, with a big smile.
"Keep safe, you all..." Karen prayed.
The four returned to battle, no matter how many scenes of devastation Janus could imagine. The mind could be swayed, but strong hearts knew the truth.
|Vohu Manah|
Alastair had been hit by the elements, yet he stood strong, holding his hefty sword up proud. He scoffed at Janus, and glanced at his weary, but ever loyal, companions.
"My friends...it may only be because of Janus that were were brought together. Yet it is also our fate to break Janus apart!" He said boldly. "I aided in felling your strongest minion. Nihane our master was nothing more than an arrogant child! So what else is there to fear? You?" He laughed, without even trembling. For when it came to upholding true justice, nothing could scare Alastair away. "Michael Deus, show Janus he is nothing like God! Angel Plume!"
The archangel's feathers were charged with holy sanctity, and were torpedoed at Janus' immense form. They cut into the door, and incurred wails of pain.
"Great. Now I have to say something impressive." Kazuya said, groaning. "Fine. Janus, you...suck!"
"...What." Richard said.
"Oh, dear me..." Bianca said, sighing.
"Gomenasai..." Kazuya said, shaking his head. "I need more Inspiration, Uriel Ignis – like THIS!"
A single heavy bolt of divine thunder hit Janus from above, flashing throughout the Ater Peractorum. The shock caused even more odd yells. The more the Holy Cross pressed Janus, the more pained it sounded. This could only mean that they could win, with just a little more patience.
"I have no speech for you! I already did one for Carlos...who despite his mistakes, was an honourable man. One whose life you wrecked!" Bianca yelled. "Gabriel Praeco! Chrysanthemum!"
Gabriel, heeding the call, covered her blade with orange, red, yellow and pink petals. Then, with a supersonic thrust, she impale Janus right in the centre, deeply cutting through its tough front.
"Not bad, Bea, cept you kinda gave a speech right there..." Richard said.
"Oops." Bianca said. "Whatever! I think he got the message."
"Usually, when you stab someone, it signals a clear 'fuck you'." Richard said. "Unless it's Pulp Fiction. Janus, this sure as hell hasn't been a pleasure. So get off the stage! Our act is on now, and we need all the room we can get for our performance – rebuilding our lives! Swift Swallow!"
Raphael grinned, and after flipping off Janus, a giant bird formed from wind flew from his hand. It flew straight into Janus, bursting apart as fast as it had appeared. A Sukukaja had made it even faster – and stronger.
"Oh god..." Alastair said. "Does he need to do that to use it?"
"Well, it does symbolise his feelings towards his opponent..." Bianca said, awkwardly.
Janus did not partake in Richard's amusement. Instead, it went straight to annihilation. Nihane had employed Vermilion Edge as an occasional attack. Now Janus could utilise it for even greater effect, rechristened War ~ Field of Sorrow. The male half's scythe broke off the statue, flew at Richard and barbarically slashed him, sending him to his knees.
"Ouch! Ow ow ow OW!" Richard yelped. "Again?! What did I do, insult the 2012 Grim Reaper Expo?"
The two-faced deity did not respond to this either. Rather, they began a fearful curse, or War ~ Horrenda Maledicite. The overwhelming darkness that ensured sent shivers down Bianca's spine. When she saw the red eyes open, she screamed, especially when the dead hands dragged her far below. Everything went 'normal' soon after, and she lay on the floor, eyes shut.
"Bianca?!" Kazuya yelled. "Oh no...Richard, hurry! We need you!"
"I got it. You guys keep up the good fight!" Richard said. Wave after wave of red energy came, but Kazuya and Alastair were unfazed. They fought on, while Richard's Samarecarm did its magic.
The Holy Cross had not fallen. It stood strong, lighting up the darkness in these times of calamity.
|Haurvatat|
"Hey, sis...how are you holding up?" Karl asked. He and the others had taken quite a beating already. Janus' spells were just as traumatic as Nihane's, and even stronger. Not only that, the regular attacks were punishing and difficult to evade, even for Matthew, the fastest of the entire team.
"I'm okay..." Aimee said, exhausted. "Janus is strong, but considering it was Nihane's Persona, I expected nothing less...it has no more limiters."
"Then neither do we!" Matthew cheered. "HA!" He leaped over the scarlet waves, hopping away from the laser pellets, and extended his sharp knives. They plunged into the door, leaving huge gashes. "Janus, you don't have the right to do anything but get lost! Ehecatl buddy, show him what your claws are made for! Berserker!"
The feline Persona pounced up, and hit the giant doorway three times, its claws shining with pure sharpness. Then came the final killer blow, scratching through the elaborate designs.
"Not bad, Matthew!" Tara said. She marched at Janus, and her hands made her double-edged sword glide through the air, cutting into the mighty foe's hard 'body'. "Chehooit, we need your help. Beloved Meadow!"
For a time, Tara and her allies beheld the titular area - a beautiful, grassy meadow filled with flowers, tall trees, and birds chirping as they flew across the blue sky. Their bodies were rejuvenated, just by looking at the breathtaking scenery. However, this soon gave way to the fields of war.
"Thanks babe." Karl said.
"...What?" Tara said.
"Pay no attention to him. He's a flirt." Aimee said.
"Great. Two Casanovas in the one team. Now it really is the end of the world." Tara said, sighing.
"Relax! I'm already spoken for!" Karl said. "Okay Aeneas, time for a penalty kick! Or slash! Mass Destruction!"
Two slashes of Aeneas' blade struck Janus, leaving a cross-shaped scar – that vanished slowly, like footprints on sand. Yet their damage was considerable, judging by the reactions of the statues on top.
I hate you so much, Janus. I had my dream of meeting Zao again, so we could fight together...and look what happened to him! Both of them...they died so horribly because of you! Janus, you will never be forgiven. Humanity doesn't deserve to be destroyed by your stupid scheme! I'll knock the nihilism right out of you!
"Septentrione!" Aimee cried.
The Big Digger's chosen star this time was Merak, an electric star. It let out celestial thunder, shocking Janus to the core. In retaliation, it sent out a wave of red energy, but it was quite slower this time, allowing for easy evasion.
"Okay!" Tara said, happily. "This slowpoke doesn't stand a chance now!"
"Don't be so sure! Look!" Matthew said, pointing fearfully at Janus.
The two doors began to open slightly, revealing piercing darkness within. Out of it came orange, purple and green miasma, that was forcibly inhaled by the Holy Cross – weakening every fibre of their bodies. Now, they were at the door of disaster – or rather, Duality ~ Ad Ostium Calamitas.
"Me and my big mouth..." Tara said, lethargic. "I wish I could just bury this thing!"
"It does look kind of like a pimped out tombstone...so you'd save on the expenses." Matthew said, pondering this idea.
The male statue's head looked at Aimee, and his scythe broke off, and flew down. It slashed her, but it seemed to do no damage. Rather, its red trail had adversely affected her aura. She frowned, apprehensive.
"Shit. Is that bad?" Matthew asked.
"Yeah. Aimee, you have to be careful! I'll look out for you!" Karl said.
"Thanks..." Aimee said. "I'll do the same for you. My big brother needs me, now more than ever."
The fight continued, with the Davenport siblings battling in perfect sync.
|Ameretat|
Amara's stood still, even as her body was sent across the field. Janus still had plenty of power to spare. At this point, it had ceased any communication other than deadly intent. The entire rebels were fighting with all their heart, but Amara could tell the odds were stacked against them. Regardless, Isis remained strong.
"Tefnut's Raze!" She cried. A bright burning flame erupted beneath Janus, and the flames spiralled around it, resulting in a brilliant combustion of radiance.
"Cu Chulainn, I need you more than ever! Gae Bolg!" Nathan yelled. The Celtic hero powerfully drove his spear through Janus, his muscles bulging with strength. "Yes!"
"Hang in there, everyone!" Serena said. "Reservoir!" A heavy monsoon began to fall, resulting in a pool of water beneath the group's feet. Slowly, it would help to recover their health, which was crucial at this stage. Janus' powers were incredible, Amara had to admit. Yet if they could survive, then it would prove humanity had a right to exist after all.
"I'm gonna wreck you so hard, there won't be enough of you left for one face! Torment!" Blaine yelled. Quetzalcoatl's electricity, combined with his hammer, lead to an outburst of pure anger, an intent to crush the opponent into dust. Janus, while screaming, offered no dialogue. Amara slyly smiled, pleased to see this being suffer so.
This will be the last battle I ever fight in...the last time I ever need to kill! Janus, you can't survive this forever! Soon you'll be gone...and I'll never need to hear your name again!
Janus began casting another spell over. Peace ~ Vita Pulsus, as the name implied, was the exact same as Pulse of Life. Blaine swore loudly. This being was fighting hard to keep its goal of annihilation alive, even with all of these humans seeking to kill it. Blaine fired his gun, and the others rushed at it with their weapons. However, a combination of lasers, waves, and green exploding energy bombs sent them back.
"Ugh! If only I could load save states here..." Serena said.
"Serena, we're fighting to save the world, not just the USA..." Blaine said.
"That's not what I meant, you dork!" Serena said, irritated.
"Watch yourselves..." Nathan said, cautious.
Janus prepared a spell using both selves – Duality ~ Extasis. The purple column of light, which appeared to have wailing souls within it, fell down on Serena much like Rapture would have.
"NO!" Amara yelled. "Serena!"
"We're shit out of luck now..." Blaine said. "Damn, why not me? She sould have just sammy-recarmed me like before!"
"Um, guys! I'm here too, you know!" Aimee said. "Once sec..." Concordia's Angel Whisper quickly restored Serena to full vitality. This seemed to anger Janus, who let loose with his tricolour weaponry. "You guys, stay strong! We all help each other here!"
"Okay." Amara said. "Karl, you better keep up with your sister!"
"Easier said than done." Karl said, proudly. He and his team returned to the battle, as their weapons and magic collided with the enemy's. Amara's team did the exact same. Fire, wind, water and lightning would engulf their foe, trapping them into oblivion.
Everyone's counting on me. Maybe, once I get home, I can finally tell my father all about this. Me and Stella can have a good laugh about it too. And...Deo. His grandson should be here now. The least I can do is bring the message to him. That we won.
I know we haven't won yet. But I just know...This power inside of me won't burn out. Go ahead, Janus, try all your overpowered techniques. They'll just inspire me to fight back!
|Spentra Armaita|
The other Amara was continuing her own fight. There had been several occasions she and several others had fallen, but the healers around kept everyone alive. Janus' power, she hated to admit, was much greater than hers. Yet she had one thing she didn't – a human heart.
"Hurry, Nephthys! Sable Cross!"
The goddess' sword turned pitch black, and basking in the darkness, she slashed Janus twice with it.
"Nice!" Nathan said. He steadied his grip on his weapon, leaping aside from one of the energy bombs. Ducking under rapid laser fire, he leapt over the red waves, and span his staff at Janus, hitting him repeatedly. "Now, Cu Chulainn! Brave Storm!"
A green ball transformed into a terrifying hurricane, mixed with yellow winds as well. It's speed and strength tore at Janus, rattling it fiercely.
"That was kind of cool..." Blaine said. "I knew from the day we met that you were a tough kid."
"Which day?" Nathan asked, smiling. "The day at the school?"
Blaine shook his head, laughing. "The time at the park, man! You were able to keep up with me, the hellraiser from Kanaloa! Coolest kid Nova Albion ever had, you were. And still are! No offence, Alastair."
"What'd he say?" Alastair said, looking at Kazuya in confusion.
"Something about your defence?" Kazuya said, shrugging. Alastair, still perplexed, returned to his battle, making sure to guard more regularly.
"You're a kind hearted chap, Blaine." Nathan said. "If only I'd remembered that before that day I was chosen...I would have known right away you couldn't have put a bullet in my father's head."
"I forgot too...but I sure as hell won't forget now! Not after fighting a giant door thing with you! Come on, Quetzie, Lightning Circuit!" Blaine cheered.
His Persona appeared, exuding strength and dominance. In one hand alone, he held a hammer heavier than his whole body. Using this power, he crafted a spinning wheel of electricity, that span fast at Janus, causing its whole 'body' to flash.
"Cool." Serena said. She looked at Janus, suddenly sad. "Nina...if the only thing left of you are my memories, I won't let them be taken away! Tranquil Sea!"
Selene stepped on the ground, and the area momentarily became a beautiful, serene plain with the moon shimmering in the night sky. Then waves of water crashed into Janus to form a grand sea, which spread a soothing energy through the airborne platform.
"Yes!" Amara cried. "It has to be on the ropes now! Right? Uh...right?"
Janus may have been subject to many attacks already tonight, but it was not beaten. Its doors opened slightly, and the entirety of the doorway shone golden, charging with masses of energy. This was Duality ~ Victorae Porta. With this, Janus could inch closer to its victory...
"Oh no..." Blaine uttered, stepping back.
While they were silent, Amara had a feeling both selves of Janus were gleeful at their fear. Soon, they began their own form of Midnight Dawn. Duality ~ Nocte et Aurora created two orbs of light and darkness, which combined resulted in a tremendously powerful explosion – heightened exponentially by Janus' charged power.
"Ugh..." Amara groaned. "I...I can barely stand..."
"Me too..." Serena said. "It...hurts..."
"Nathan, you...alright?" Blaine asked, glancing at his comrade.
"Not...really..." Nathan said. "Dammit. This pain...can we really overcome it?"
"We have to!" Amara said. "There has to be some way we can survive this...we have to outlast Janus! Somehow, I know we can do it!"
"I hope you're right..." Serena said. "I...really hope so."
Her Mediarahan would be the barrier between life and death here. Fighting Janus was no easy feat, Amara knew, but all of its attacks were of staggering power. Had they meddled too far? No. They hadn't meddled enough. Only when Janus was dead would they put up their swords.
|Asa Vahista|
Sophie did her best to shield herself from Janus' onslaught, and thanks to the occasional Tetarkarn and Makarakarn, she escaped some near-death experiences. Yet she was tired from keeping up with this giant doorway to destruction. She needed to step up her game, the only way she knew how.
"Sophia! Grant me your wisdom! Mind Charge!" Sophie screamed. Her mind was going into overdrive, as it fuelled with power she never thought possible. A celestial rush of arcane knowledge flowed into her brain, and she was prepared to unleash that power on Janus.
While Dan was firing his rifle again, and Kyle slashed the door, Priscilla hopped away to dodge another green bomb. The Queen's Cannon, which was floating high in the sky above Janus, was firing at it repeatedly. Yet there was more winter to come.
"Bufudyne!" Priscilla cheered. Freezing cold ice hit Janus with a mighty thud. She gasped, however, when Kyle nearly fell near her. Four red waves in succession hit him and Dan, and so did a couple of bombs.
"Fucking hell...this is like getting thrown out of the Black Wolf..." Dan groaned, looking up at his foe. "
"I hate booze, but I sure could use a beer right now..." Kyle said, also in deep pain.
"It would see we're starting to run on empty..." Priscilla said, sighing.
"Guys! Here!" Richard shouted. In breakneck speed, he cast Mediarahan on the group, and immediately leaped back into action, via Garudyne.
Dan and Kyle got up, rejuvenated. With one look at each other, they knew exactly what to do. Their Personas appeared, ready to attack.
"Kyle, from one brother to another...you up for this?"
"Sure. Just follow my lead!" Kyle said.
"I'm big brother, I'm supposed to lead..." Dan said, although he smiled regardless. "But, I'll let you have this one. Let's go, Mictlan!"
"Yeah! Vulcanus, give it all you've got!" Kyle roared, exhilarated.
Mictlan darkly summoned a mighty thunderstorm, while Vulcanus' sword was raised up high. It was a sharp beacon, gathering the myriad bolts of lightning and pulsing with energy. Soon, it was fully powered up, and Vulcanus somersaulted in the air, soaring to the top of Janus.
"Nataku!"
Vulcanus slashed down, leaving a blinding trail of electric light. It burst into a thousand jolts of lightning, electrocuting the entire battlefield. Priscilla and Sophie whistled, while the two men looked smug with themselves.
"Not bad, you two." Priscilla said earnestly.
"Splendid work." Sophie said, applauding.
Janus, however, did not partake in this praise. Instead, it continued its mission of conquest. War ~ Sea of Tears shared its potential for massacres with Crimson Riot – five bloody slashes, via a deadly scythe. No one escaped from their sharp onslaught. Sophie felt like her insides were being torn apart inside, and clutched her sides. To her relief, she remained in one piece.
"Are you alright, Seraphina?" Priscilla asked.
"No, I feel just fine after a giant scythe tried to gut me open." Sophie said nonchalantly. "Oh, and it's Sophie now."
"Oh yeah..." Kyle said. He fired up his computer on his wheelchair, and quickly updated a file. "Now I can fill out the surname field. It was bugging me, having to leave it blank..."
"Kyle, now is not the type for data administration!" Dan yelled.
Soon, Janus acted again. Another Vita Pulsus came along, healing up some of the damage that it had been dealt. The group sighed. Janus would not perish so soon. Not while it harboured a desire to erase itself from a worthless existence.
I almost feel sorry for you, Janus...but does your misery mean you had to plague us with such sadness? No matter what happens in our lives, we can go on without hurting one another. I wish you could understand...but yours is the one mind that's closed to me.
|Kshatra Vairya|
"Man! This door really doesn't know when to quit!" Roger yelled. "Just like The Simpsons..."
"Judging from what Kyle read online, I don't think I missed much these last ten years..." Karen said.
"Regardless of the state of TV, I ain't going to give up!" Roger yelled. "I might have been the cultured guy from Kanaloa, but I still got the fighting spirit! Apsu! Ocean Stampede!"
Dark blue waves were conducted, to collide with Janus. It groaned wildly, and dropped more bombs near the team. Lucy gasped, but jumped to escape the blast.
"Haven't we got enough to deal with without his weird weaponry hitting us?" Lucy asked. "How many times does it have to show us some weird destroyed area to attack?"
"I count nine for us..." Shirley said, annoyed. "And each time, it feels real...like I'm really seeing this village getting drowned by lava..."
"While it may be distressing, you can't give in." Karen said, crossing her arms. "I won't let you girls cower in fear. Not while you've barely even scratched the surface of your potential."
"Karen..." Lucy said.
"In that other word, I am your employer. But more than that, I am your friend. I want nothing more than to see you spread your wings and make a name for yourself! Shirley, the same goes for you. The future is yours!" Karen said.
"Wow...I've never seen you like that before." Roger said. He stared at her in pure admiration. "You've really grown strong..."
"Well, I could have stayed that scared girl...but if I had, I wouldn't be here now. Plus, I need to get the word out that I'm alright. That won't happen if I run away to safety." Karen said. "Daena, please fight Janus with your full power! Nitrogen Curse!"
A sapphire and emerald mist was unleashed, flowing around Janus and deeply freezing it with its sheer cold touch. Lucy and Shirley looked up, and noticed that the two Janus statues seemed rather uncomfortable. This was excellent news.
"Ishtar, show them that Lucille Victoria Crossman means business! Crazy Cutter!" Lucy yelled. Ishtar, with her fiery axe, hacked and slashed at Janus, flying all over. Each swing let out a red burst of violent passion.
"Ceridwen, please protect me until the very end! Bright Fear!" Shirley pleaded. The odd light, shapeless yet luminescent, was accompanied by what sounded like a banshee's scream. Janus let out its own agonising wail, as the light struck its body.
"Oh crap, I think they're pissed..." Roger said, afraid.
"Really, Roger? I thought they were attempting murder for fun!" Lucy said, irate.
Shirley gulped, however, as a particularly nasty War ~ Field of Sorrow hit her across the chest. She fell to her knees, gasping in pain.
"Shirley, no!" Lucy yelled.
"Hang on. I'll get one of the girls!" Karen said. Just as she was about to leave, however, she found herself grabbed by a huge hand. She had walked right into a Peace ~ Exactos Noble. Before long, she was subjugated to the light's judgement, and left on the ground unconcious.
"Oh no..." Roger said, in a panic. "Someone, help!"
"I'm coming, I'm coming!"
Aimee ran up, worried. With one Faerie Whisper, however, she brought back Karen from the brink of death. Relieved, she hurriedly ran back to her own team, in need of further treatment.
"She's working her hardest just to keep us all safe..." Lucy said. "What a leader, huh?"
"Yeah." Roger said. "I hope I can be like that someday."
"Roger...?" Karen said, looking up. "Did Janus get me...?"
Roger nodded. He lent her his hand, and she arose, stretching. There was nothing else for it. They would have to carry this on. Would the two worlds hold on for much longer? It felt like reality itself was being torn apart in this realm...Roger could only do his best, and hope there was still time.
|Vohu Manah|
"Whoa!" Richard yelled. He backflipped to escape from a red wave, only to land straight into a magic explosive. "Ah!"
"Richard!" Bianca shouted. "Are you alright?"
"I think so...but I think I landed on my wallet..." Richard moaned, holding his head in pain.
"Oh no. You might have crushed the moths inside." Kazuya said.
"Actually, Richard did have a lot of coins in there. In case he found any vending machines." Alastair said, amused.
"Hey, if I'm going to be fighting monsters all night, I'll need some cheap chocolate!" Richard said, standing up. "Alastair, I've had it! We've got to bring Janus to its knees...or, uh...hinges...and soon!"
"Agreed." Alastair said. "Hmm. Tell you what. Let's do what we do best. Michael Deus!"
Richard whistled, and struck a goofy 'heroic' pose. "Ally, you took the words right out of my mouth! Raphael Vita!"
"Let me do my part as well." Bianca said, holding out her rapier. "Gabriel Praeco!"
"Well, I can't exactly be the odd one out..." Kazuya said, sniggering. "Uriel Ignis!"
Each Persona circled around Janus, their sacred necklaces glowing ever brighter. From above, the sound of angels singing could be heard. From below, the symbol of a mighty white cross emerged, casting a divine light over Janus. It seemed to be building up with pure power, causing the ground to shake. The angels continued to pray, solemnly wishing for this false god's fall from grace.
"Heaven's Vengeance!"
The cross finally emerged, piercing Janus with sacred, pulsing blue and white light. The angelic choir hit the final chords of their song, leaving nothing but feathers falling to the ground.
"Now that was good." Alastair said, proudly. "Yet...Janus has yet to show us its true abilities."
Indeed, Janus had yet to fall. Nor had the other five doors around the circular platform's perimeter. This one decided to launch into another War ~ Mersis Mons. A Sinking Mountain, one that even Richard could not shrug off.
"You don't play fair, Janus! I thought I could just coast by the wind or earth spells, but no!" Richard moaned. "Guys, are you alright? Hold on, I'll heal you -"
"Watch out!" Bianca cried. The team were under attack yet again – via the harsh waters of Peace ~ Mortuum. Naturally, this was an enhanced Dead Sea, that let no one escape its waves.
"Urgh..." Kazuya said, shaking. "I think I've got sea smell all over my clothes..."
"It's okay..." Bianca said. "We'll get you a new wardrobe after we're done here. Just don't relent! Fight Janus as hard as you possibly can!"
The Holy Cross had never fought so hard before. Together, their light would not fade. It would always be there to shine out the darkness of depravity.
|Haurvatat|
"Eat this! And this, and this, and THIS!" Matthew yelled. His hyper slashing frenzy seemed boundless, even as bombs and lasers tried to cease the medley. Eventually, however, he was catapulted via another red wave.
"What the – ah!" Tara yelled. She dropped her sword, and held out her arms to catch him. "Whoa!"
"Tara, you...you okay?" Matthew asked, worried.
"Yeah...thank god you don't take after your brother." Tara said. "But never mind me! Are you okay?"
"I guess..." Matthew said. He got back to his feet, holding out his knives. "But this door still won't die! I don't care if it's one mind or two! They took Keisha from me...if they had just left us alone, Keisha would still be here! And...I don't have a single chance to just cry...I have to keep fighting, until my hands are covered in sores from holding these bloody knives!"
"...Matthew." Tara said. "Let's cry together."
"What?" Matthew asked.
"You and I were stuck in Clairdol together. We're basic – no, we are family. When you're upset, I...feel down too. But when you're happy, jumping around like a hyperactive monkey, because one of the girls at the pub asked you out, or you crack open a case...it cheers me up." Tara said.
"...It really is nice having you around." Matthew said. "Dan and Blaine are my big bros, but...it's good to have a big sis too."
"Thanks for everything, Matthew. Once this is over...let's not go our separate ways. You want to bring order back to this city? I'll be with you. And if you need your time to grieve...I'll be there with you! Like now! Chehooit, go!"
"Guess I'm really lucky to have met you. I...I wish we could have met in the other world."
Karl looked at him in surprise. Had Blaine told him the truth? There had been an unspoken rule to not inform Matthew of his fate in the other world. For why should someone have to know they're no longer alive in a 'better' world? It was hard enough for Karl to learn he had perished in this one. Leaving Aimee on her own.
"Matthew...?" Aimee said.
"I..." Karl said, awkwardly. "You know, don't you?"
"I'm a detective, Karl. I figured it out a long time ago. Why you talked with Dan and the others about what their other selves after up to, but never me. Something happened...and my big bro's all on his own. Nothing I can do about that...other than kill the culprit!" He looked hatefully upon Janus, then back to Tara. "Ehecatl, be a good 'bro' and get out there!" Matthew shouted. Out came his leopard-like Persona, baring its fangs and claws.
Chehooit summoned giant rough rocks from the ground, that span around Janus like planets around the Sun. Ehecatl leapt up, and the spikes and claws on its body sharpened considerably, extending to at least twice their original size. They gleamed red, as the rocks increased in mass.
"Terraforming!"
The two Personas worked together, via magic and primal savagery, to turn those rocks into beautiful, detailed planets, each resembling planets of the Solar System. One by one, they collided into Janus, exploding brilliantly in what most would consider an apocalyptic fashion. Jupiter and Saturn, of course, did the most damage, yet Pluto's final collision was something of a damp squib.
"I thought NASA said Pluto wasn't a planet anymore?" Karl asked, confused.
"Really?" Aimee said. "Wow, I missed a lot..."
"We've got a lot of catching up to do. But first, I have to take down this door! The only place it fits in is hell!" Karl said, cracking his knuckles.
"Right. But first...here!" Aimee said. "Diarahan!" With Concordia's divine love, she healed up her brother. "Go get him!"
"Hell yeah I will! Solemn Stiletto!" Karl cried.
Aeneas took up his grand sword, and held it up high, causing the fuller to turn red. With one single swift thrust, he stabbed Janus with it, and the two statues screeched out in horrible agony. Cracks began to appear in the door. One by one, the doors were beginning to show signs of wear and tear, from the collective fighting spirit of the rebels.
"We must be doing something right!" Aimee said, hopeful. "Janus will have to concede defeat sooner or later!"
"Uh...more later, I'd say." Matthew said, pointing at their opponent. The doors of Haurvatat opened slightly, releasing the omnipotent light of Duality ~ Victorae Porta. Thus, Janus' power grew dramatically. With just a flicker of light, they combined this gift of energy to create the blast of Armageddon – Megidolaon.
"ARGH!" Karl screamed. He fell down, like the others, in a crumpled heap. This power...it was unbearable. Completely beyond all measure...the Trauma Shadows combined couldn't hope to match it.
Maybe we're doomed...everyone else looks pretty worn out, too. How long can our healers last? If they can't survive, we're toast...and then I'll never be able to go home. I've got to keep trying, but...against Janus, that's a lot easier said than done. Please, let us beat Janus soon!
Struggling, Karl stood up. His legs ached, his arms were sore, but he wouldn't be getting a half-time break. He had to press on, and keep up this arduous battle – for the sake of everyone back home, as well as those he loved nearby.
|Normal World|End of Time|
The nightmarish phenomenon seemed to be without end. The tempest surrounding New Motus City did not end. No outside force could possibly brave it to provide rescue. Police and ambulance services could only do so much to keep the city from falling apart at the seams. The people, scared and panicking, could do nothing but watch as friends and families vanished before their eyes.
Then, the situation suddenly took a turn for the worse. The city began to shake even more, and something poked out above the bizarre clouds. Buildings. Skyscrapers, towers, and even homes. And they were getting closer...
There was a replica of New Motus City right above it. Yet it was not a copy. It was the exact same city, yet from a differing timeline. The barrier between the dimensions was breaking, piece by piece. Before long, the two cities would become one – and fully cancel each other out.
Thus marking the end of all motion. The disappearance of all.
Many wondered how exactly the situation developed into such absurdity in the space of a few hours. Yet with their doom approaching closer and closer, the people of the city had begun to lose their will. Many simply watched, preparing for the final moment.
A select few knew the truth of the situation. Those people had spread out, to aid those lost amidst the terror and the despair. For in another world, they were fighting to keep this grim apocalypse from occurring.
There was very little time left. Every further action was crucial now. A single mistake, no matter how small, could lead to an eternity of stillness.