AN: Thanks for reading, and please review, favourite, follow, etc. But no spam reviews please. I'd rather have feedback on my story than irrelevant spam - if you want to contact me, you can always PM me and I'll get back to you. Sorry for the delay, but please enjoy - we're getting closer to the actual end of the story now!
Chapter 111: A True Friend's Reprise
|Unknown|
Ethan looked around him. There was nothing but dazzling, hrash light ahead. But beneath his feet, he could feel soft grass. Then, more of the environment came into view. He gasped – there were flowers, as far as the eye could see. And then he realised. This was his home when he was Jahan. If he was in the garden, then the palace – his former home - was just ahead.
"Jahan? Jahan!" A voice said. It was Ashi, running towards him.
"Ashi...!" Ethan said.
"Why are we here?" Ashi said. "Our true home was destroyed, was it not?"
"This isn't the real palace. We're seeing it as we remembered it. When we were alive...and I was your brother."
Before Ashi could respond, she noticed something up ahead. A person, a faint shadow of a man, wandering towards them. They raced up towards the steps that led to the palace, and saw the man up closer. It was their father, looking distant.
"Nihane?" Ethan asked. "What has happened?"
"Children..." Nihane said. "If Amurdad had survived beyond its day of destruction, would we be any more accepted? Even without the massacre, would our way of life have given way to modern impulses...?"
"Father, why are you asking all of this now?" Ashi said, concerned. "We just fought you in a fierce battle...and you were defeated."
"I know...and you fought very well." Nihane said, smiling. "I couldn't bear what happened to Amurdad. Especially what happened to my daughter...and my grandson."
"When I learned the truth, I felt the same way." Ethan said. "Janus was there to turn me into your successor. To recreate Amurdad...and bestow suffering onto the rest of the island."
"I...I know how you both feel." Ashi said, sadly. "I have no memories between my death and coming back to this world now. But I know one thing. I truly did hate this city, every single person that lived here. Then my hatred ended, somehow..."
"Ashi?" Ethan said.
"Father. Had Amurdad survived, it probably would have changed as radically as the rest of the city did. Over two hundred years passed since that day. If only this palace and this garden had survived. Even if no one knew who lived here, and who planted all these flowers, if they were all still here, that'd be enough for me." Ashi said.
"During our confrontation, I finally realised what I truly yearned for." Nihane said. "To see my two children once again, and for them to become strong and pure. That time has finally come. That, my children, has finally exorcized my hatred."
Ethan gasped. He was weeping, and he hadn't even realised. This was the father he had been looking for all this time. A father he could be proud to call his own.
"Father." Ethan said. "I may no longer be Jahan, but I still have a duty. I've got to put an end to this. I have to go back to the city. Then all of us can finally restore the two fused timelines to normal."
"That's correct. Son or not, your honour depends on it." Nihane said. "I have no strength left to offer you, my children. I'm afraid whatever you need to do to solve this crisis, I'm unable to offer any aid. Our fight caused me to expend all my energy."
"Then the two of us will return back to New Motus City, father." Ashi said. "Once everything is complete, I doubt I'll be able to exist like this anymore. Rest assured, father, that I will definitely support Nihane until the end of everything."
Nihane nodded. All of his energy was gone, but he was content. His rage, suffering and grief had been laid to rest, and his soul could view his beloved homeland once last time before departing to the great unknown. Ethan and Ashi looked on sadly, as they watched their father disappear for the last time.
"Our father was a great man." Ethan said. "...Just like him, I fell victim to Janus."
"You're both free now." Ashi said. "Yet the world still needs our help."
"I know. By the way...you've been watching me, ever since I landed in Legarte Harbour, haven't you?" Ethan asked, smiling. "I should have known sooner."
Ashi smiled, remaining silent. This illusionary world was about to fade back into their memories, and they would return to the physical realm – where one last task remained.
"Let's go back, brother. There are many people waiting for us. Our precious comrades..."
|Palace of Antiquity|
The room at last fell silent, leaving a devastated wreck of a throne room. The entire ceiling was erased, allowing the eerie sky to shine dissonantly upon the few souls left in this still world. Amara, in fear of what she may see next, slowly opened her eyes. Around here were her allies, each one of them slowly taking in their surroundings. Once again, the throne of Amurdad had been toppled.
"Holy shit! Ethan!" Blaine said, worried. Amara gasped – lying on the ground was Ethan, his eyes fully closed. On the other side of the room was Ashi, face down. Panicking, Amara ran over to Ethan, Blaine following.
"Ethan, can you hear us?" Amara asked. Ethan didn't respond, and he didn't seem to stir. Frightened, she turned her tearful eyes to Blaine. Rather than give way to anxiety, however, Blaine calmly pointed to Ethan's chest. Slowly, but surely, it was rising. Amara breathed a heavy sigh of relief, and managed a smile – which Blaine returned to her, hand gently on her shoulder.
"Easy, little lady. Our Ethan's one heck of a prize fighter. He'll be just fine." He said, full of pride.
"...Huh?" Ethan said, faintly. His eyes opened. "Oh...Blaine? Amara?"
"Ethan! Are you really alright?" Aimee asked, rushing to his side. Serena and Tara went to check on Ashi, while Richard went with Aimee. Ethan looked up at those around him, and sat up. He seemed to be in some pain, clutching his back with one hand, but otherwise, he was relieved to see everyone.
"I'll be alright, Aimee. Thanks." Ethan said, hand on his head. "I didn't expect our combined attack to be that powerful. It wasn't just me and Ashi's strength on this occasion, however..."
"Was it Zao?" Amara asked, eagerly.
"I...I believe so." Ethan said, nodding. "Rashnu, Mithra, and Sraosha. The three judges of the human soul in Zoroastrianism."
"What's Zao got to do with the two of you, though?" Roger asked. Karen frowned. "What? Ethan didn't really get to interact with Zao, did he?"
"The Nullity Masquerade told us that he is also a descendant of Jahan Kronos." Ethan said, looking at Ashi.
"Ethan." Ashi said. "Who exactly is this Zao? And what exactly happened back there?"
"Zao...was a dear friend of ours." Amara said. Tears welled up in her. Ashi looked into her eyes, and she seemed to understand.
"Last October..." Serena began. "He...he..."
"I'm so sorry..." Ashi said, looking around.
"It's alright." Karl said. "He gave us all the strength to carry on, even when we were all at death's door. Literally."
"Zao was so lonely until he met all of us..." Serena said, sadly. "I wish I could have spent more time with him. I just thought there'd be plenty of times we'd all meet up, he'd talk about fish, his grandpa...and he'd get so excited when we told him about what we were up to."
"He sounds like a good friend." Ashi said. "But Ethan...why did you hide the truth from me for so long?" She stared at him, with a grave expression. "You knew my real name, how I died...and no doubt, all of your friends knew as well."
"I...I was a fool, like always." Ethan said, hanging his head in shame. "I didn't think you could handle remembering such a horrible event..."
Ashi stood up, frowning. "Isn't that up to me, what I can or can't handle?" Although she tried to stay composed, Amara could tell from the way Ashi was staring at him – she was disappointed in him.
"Forgive me. It's taken me some time to get used to this. I should have told you from the start." Ethan said. "That day was beyond cruel for all of us, but you above anyone else. I didn't want you to have to relive that day..."
Ashi was silent for a moment. Then, she walked over to Ethan, and wrapped her arms around him, tightly.
"Jahan, or Ethan, you're my brother. I'd forgive you for anything..." Ashi said. "This Zao that helped us...I wish I could thank him in person."
"He'd like that. He always liked getting attention from girls." Amara said, with a small chuckle.
"Ashi, if you don't mind me asking..." Ethan said. "How did you manage to appear in this world?"
"When I died, my only son was taken from me. The only people I knew would survive were you and Father." Ashi said, glancing at the charred remains of the throne. "For a long time, my spirit couldn't leave this island. I was so full of grief and rage towards the people of this city."
"The same sort of grief and rage that ignited the Divine Sparks, it appears." Sophie said.
"Mine and my people's anger and hatred burned through the city, and in each of the five remaining districts, doomed the ones we cursed most. My pain was ever flowing, mindless, even. All I desired was to make everyone feel our sorrow. One after another, our agony took hold over the depraved ringleaders of our own massacre. They were driven to madness by our sheer pain. Pain so exponential, historians dared not record it. Apart from one - who was deemed a lunatic." Ashi said, hands over her chest.
"The Divine Sparks were horrifying events, indeed." Amara said. "It's...hard to imagine someone like you making them happen."
"Perhaps...but I had lost my baby just before I was killed. My husband was murdered. My brother and my father were forced to live in exile in an unknown land, never to return home in their lifetimes. The perpetrators had torn my home to rubble, and were heralded as heroes. Our souls couldn't leave this plane behind without giving them a true taste of terror." Ashi said.
"Our forebears wrote Amurdad out of history. We're probably the only people alive with any idea that it ever existed." Nathan said, grimly. "No wonder your spirit hated us so much."
"I really hated this city. In my life, I never felt that kind of despair, but in death it was all that my spirit could feel. Yet once it was all over, I couldn't bear to haunt their people anymore. So I finally let go of my hatred, and fell into a deep slumber." Ashi said. "I didn't awake until a boy named Ethan Walters disembarked in Legarte Harbor."
"...What?" Ethan asked. "When I came to the city for the first time? You were there with me?"
"Yes, Ethan. I didn't have conscious thought. It's a little hard to explain. All I felt was the return of someone I loved very much. I couldn't make myself known to you, but I tried to follow your own journey through life on this island. Your loneliness, your happiness...and you coming into contact with Janus."
"So the entire time Ethan has been on this island, you've been by his side..." Kazuya said.
"That's right. Even when he, like all of you, became part of two different worlds." Ashi said. "In one world, Ethan continued to be used by Janus, convinced he was the new Nihane Kronos. In another, my brother's body was destroyed, but his spirit remained within Miss Amara's necklace. Yet all I could do was watch..."
"...Ashi." Ethan said. "During our last battle with Janus, I could hear your voice. You saved me from abandoning all hope of victory."
"...That's right." Ashi said, smiling. "Your victory over Janus saved the entire world, Ethan. With everything settled, I could finally let myself rest again. That is, until you fought the original Trauma Shadow."
"When the worlds merged into the last single point they were one and the same, you came to help Ethan...right?" Karl asked.
Ashi nodded. "The fabric of reality was distorted beyond all belief. All human souls but yours disappeared, unable to move beyond the frozen time. The chance to manifest in this world again came, and thus I seized it. I manipulated the energies to become flesh and blood. Yet, the new body didn't have all the memories of my old life yet."
"Amazing..." Other Amara said.
"No kidding." Other Blaine said.
"Your Persona was already fiercely strong when you unleashed it...I've been wondering about that for a little while now." Sophie said. "And I think I can tell why. During your life, you had a strong sense of self. You had the potential to summon a Persona..."
Ashi nodded. "Amurdad had no knowledge of anything like Personae and Shadows, but somehow, I always had a knack for healing people. Not to mention all those flowers I planted. I managed to keep them alive a little longer than normal."
"Posthumous level grinding, I guess." Other Serena said.
"Ashi." Ethan said. "We've beaten our father. But the worlds aren't separating at all. What should we do now?"
"I'm not certain." Ashi said. "There's nothing left for us in this castle, it would appear. We should leave this palace, and consider our next strategy."
Ethan nodded, smiling. "Alright. We could use a break from all the fighting, anyway. Come on, let's go everyone!"
With no Nihane to control this palace, it seemed to have lost its lustre completely. Indeed, the colour was fading from every wall and floor. Amara looked behind her, as they left the throne room, and it appeared that most of the castle was vanishing as they left it behind.
"We shouldn't stay here too long." Alastair cautioned. "This place is probably going to disappear really soon, without Nihane to keep it in place."
"How the heck did you even get inside?" Ethan asked Amara, impressed "The barrier surrounding this palace was impenetrable, I thought..."
"So was the Aeternus HQ, apparently." Serena said. "Course, they didn't factor in what happens when you ram it with a super powerful, kinda magic bus."
Ethan gasped. "How did you get your hands on another Obliterator?!"
"It came from another point in time. Once we accomplished our goal, it disappeared, perhaps returning to where it was needed next." Sophie said.
"Amazing..." Ethan said, in awe.
"Course it was." Lucy said, proud of herself. "Isn't everything we do amazing nowadays?"
"Heck yeah it is!" Other Blaine, arm around her shoulder.
|Outside|
The group finally left the palace, having once more saved themselves from calamity. Amara looked behind her, and saw the last vestiges of the phantom castle dissipating, leaving nothing but faint trails of smoke.
"Our home really is gone..." Ashi said.
"If our memories of this place can survive beyond our deaths, then it's never truly gone." Ethan said.
"Maybe so." Ashi said.
Amara waited to see what would happen next. After all, the convention centre had once been here. Slowly, but surely, the familiar building seemed to rebuild itself, and was back in its 2002 self. Ashi gasped in shock – but Ethan held her hand, calmly.
"Ethan, what -"
"It returned back to the present form." Ethan said, smiling. "The other locations throughout this city should have all reappeared too."
"Then, is it over?" Other Serena asked, hesitantly. "...The Centre is back, but nothing else is changing."
"Maybe we're just being impatient." Alastair said, albeit concerned.
There was silence for a moment, as the group continued to look around their surroundings. True, the fearsome castle was gone, and there didn't seem to be any Shadows nearby anymore, either. Yet the world remained stagnant. Two universes were twisted into one, unable to move forward even a single second from each other. Only the Persona users were still cognizant, all others unable to exist in this world.
"...This isn't right." Matthew said. "Nothing has changed at all. Was going after Nihane all for nothing?"
"How can you say that?" Ashi asked. "My father...his soul is finally able to rest. It wasn't for nought!"
"Sorry, Ashi. I...I just wasn't thinking." Matthew said, looking away sheepishly. Dan sighed.
"Standing here doing nothing won't get us anywhere. We have to do something. Anything!" Tara said, desperately.
"We destroyed the Trauma Shadow, and all its remnants." Other Amara said. "What's left? Where else is there to go?"
Amara gasped. Just as her other self said this, there was a flash of light. Now there was a gigantic pillar of light, radiating upwards in the sky infinitely. And it was coming from Legarte.
"I'd say there." Aimee said, pointing towards it.
That light feels warm, somehow. I have to reach it, if I want to end this ordeal!
|Sacred Heart Church – Graveyard|
As they reached Legarte, and grew closer and closer to the light, Amara gasped. Up ahead was the beautiful Sacred Heart Church, the stained glass windows still a work of beauty. Leafy vines grew up the aged walls, and blossoms were scattered everywhere.
"This is...where Zao is buried." Amara said, with a heavy heart. "...Or would be buried."
"And...where I will rest too, right?" Aimee asked, gulping. Karl nodded, glumly.
"If the light is coming from here, then..." Karen said.
"Let's get closer." Roger said. The group reached the light – which indeed, was shining from the site where Zao's grave would later be placed. Amara looked up ahead, and saw it gracing the ethereal sky.
"...There's just this light here." Amara said, glumly. "Nothing more."
"Then, is this a dead end...?" Karl said.
"We are in a graveyard, after all." Richard said.
"Dude, don't be an ass. Of all the times..." Dan said, sternly.
Amara, in despair, fell to her knees, However, just as she touched the ground, the light became a strange mix of blue shades, and was illuminating the entire city. A brilliant blue flare ignited around it, just like the sort one would see when summoning their Persona.
Suddenly, a humanoid form walked out of the light, made up of the same glowing energy. Then, with several flashes, it took shape and form. Blue hair and blue eyes, an orange shirt and beige shorts. This was a face Amara had loved and wept for...
"...Zao!" Amara screamed, getting to her feet.
"Huh...?" Serena said. "...Wait, what is going on?"
"This is Zao?" Ashi asked.
"This isn't just another of the Masquerade's tricks, is it?" Karl asked.
"No, guys. This is...really me." Zao said.
"Really? But...how?" Other Amara asked.
"Then, if you're truly Zao, then you must have done the same as I...correct?" Ashi asked.
"You got it, Ash. It took me a lot longer than you, though." Zao said. "Our world right now is really unstable. Only guys with Personas can still be here in this fused state, and to make matters worse, time isn't moving forward at all. All the other people in this city are sealed away. They'd be erased if all of us were killed, so for now, we're the only things holding back the total end of everything. That's why I came back."
"Zao, wait a minute. You...willed yourself back alive?" Aimee asked.
"...Not alive." Zao said. "...I can't really come back to life, as much as I want to. Truth is, ever since I died, I've not really been able to leave this world behind. At first, I wanted to be with you when you all fought Janus. And now you guys are still in a huge bind. This time, though, I'm able to create this fake body. Just like Nihane and Ashi Kronos."
"Zao..." Karl said. "...I...I'm really glad to see you..."
"Same, buddy." Zao said, hugging Karl fondly. Aimee ran towards them, and joined in. Zao looked up at Amara. "Hey...you and French guy look pretty happy together."
"I..." Amara said, wiping the tears away from her eyes. "...I know, it's not even been a year, but -"
"I know. It's not easy seeing me again. That day in October caused you guys a lot of pain. But I meant what I said. I can't be with you again, at least, not when things are normal. So...if there's someone out there that can make you even half as happy as I could, that's enough for me." Zao said, earnestly. "It'd be a lot easier to deal with than you spending the rest of your life crying..."
"You're still a helluva guy, Zao." Blaine said.
"We...really missed you." Serena said.
"I'm grateful I have you as an ally." Nathan said.
"Thanks, guys." Zao said. "Aimee..."
"Zao. Thanks to you, we're stronger than ever. Rebuilding the city is difficult, but when things get really tough, I think of you. The days we spent together as children...and when we fought together." Aimee said. "That keeps me going."
"What we need now is action." Karl said. "Just like old times."
"Right." Zao said. "I don't know the full story, but when you started battling the Masquerade, the worlds started fusing together. Destroying the main body caused it to split into tons of different pieces – which another soul used to recreate himself."
"Wait, so you're not using a part of the Masquerade's body?" Other Serena asked.
"I think since I had a natural Persona ability, I was able to create one on my own." Zao said. "Nihane, at least, the original Nihane, couldn't. He didn't have the same potential either of his children did. His spirit was bent on revenge, though. So he seized the first chance he could get."
"And he used the rest of the Masquerade to revive the Ater Vox and their loved ones. Albeit as mindless slaves." Priscilla said.
"Pretty much. The Masquerade's own spirit was vanquished, along with the rest of the Traumas, but it had massive energy reserves. Nihane's own will kept the worlds from splitting apart properly. So defeating Nihane and the rest of his minions should have finished the job." Zao said.
"Right." Other Nathan said. "Since the worlds remain fused, there must be another factor in play."
"...Yeah." Zao said. "I can sense it...someone, or something. It's hard to tell what exactly it is from here. But ever since Nihane passed on, it's latched onto this fused state, and is now the one keeping it this way."
"Another ghost from the past?!" Other Blaine asked.
"I don't know." Zao said. "Thing is, after you guys used that cool looking bus thing to break in the palace and exorcise Nihane, it seemed to pop up out of nowhere."
"...Fucking hell!" Blaine said.
"You haven't changed, it seems -"
"It's Janus!" Blaine said. Lucy gasped.
"No!" Lucy said. "We stopped Janus! There's no way it could come back after what we did to it!"
"Guys, try and keep it together! I don't know what it is yet!" Zao said. "But if it is that two faced jerk, then we've only got one choice. We've got to go up to wherever it's hiding, and destroy it!"
"So we're not done yet." Shirley said.
"Patience, everyone." Bianca said. "We're all at our peak now. All these battles have honed our bodies, our spirit, and most importantly of all, our Personae!"
"That's not the same as spirit?" Richard asked.
"Don't get technical with me." Bianca said, sighing. "The point is, if Janus has come back, there's nothing to fear. We fought it once, and we can do it again."
"How do we stop this from happening again, though?" Alastair asked. "Can Janus, or any of the Trauma Shadows, truly be killed?"
"I don't think so. They're not biological creatures, after all." Kyle said. "Even so, we need to put a stop to this. Zao, how are we going to get to where this new threat is?"
"This light." Zao said. "The one I used to gather all the power needed to reform this body. It's still got a lot of power stored within. We can use it to reach this Janus-like thing in a flash!"
"Then we better move, fast." Karen said. "The longer we leave the world like this, the less chance we have of making everything normal."
Zao nodded. It seemed everyone was in agreement.
"...Zao. This really will be the end of all of our suffering, right?" Amara asked.
"Suffering that involves Shadows? I sure hope so." Zao said. "But even once everything is back to normal, life can sure go south."
"I know that..." Amara said. "Even so. We try harder and harder with every obstacle that comes our way. That's our only way."
"I hear ya. Then come on, let's get this show on the road!"
Amara ran inside the light with Zao, and one by one, her many allies followed suit. With incredible speed, she was shot upward, until she was in the sky. She screamed, as she saw every single building of New Motus below her.
What the hell is happening to me?! Am...am I going to fall? No, don't tell me this was all a ploy by Janus -
Before she should finish her morbid thoughts, the world seemed to turn upside down. She was now falling towards another world entirely, one made out of dark, purplish matter. And she and the others came hurtling towards it...yet, their descent slowed down to a safe landing.
|Mausoleum of Memories|
Amara gasped. The group were standing upon what looked like a black void, with twinkling white stars floating beneath them. Immediately as she landed, however, a gigantic white round marble wall appeared. Spaced out on this wall were five ornate, dark purple doors, almost Gothic in style.
What just happened? Is there a place in the city like this?
Strange crimson, crystalline orbs were floating around their guests aimlessly, each in different sizes. In a succession of ethereal flashes, a vibrant lavender carpet appeared, and eerie purple rafters and columns appeared. The décor looked almost as if liquid was pouring down it, like a macabre garden feature. The windows next to the group showed the 'outdoors' – the void, and in the sky was what looked like a blackened moon – with only one shining speck on it.
Amara looked to her right. They were on the upper floor of this facility, and there was a circular golden barrier. Below, she could barely make out the surface, but there was a spiral staircase leading the long way down.
"Such a grotesque display of villainous grandeur." Sophie bemoanded, shaking her head in dismay.
"You mean 'tacky as hell', right?" Kazuya asked.
"Yes. Alas, your version isn't as poetic as mine. So I'm victorious." Sophie said, smirking.
"Looks pretty Final Dungeon to me." Serena said, admiring the decor. "Guess we're past the point of no return now."
"The decorators really overdid it on the purple." Kyle said, looking around.
"Zao, what the hell is this place?" Amara asked, clenching her fists.
"It's meant to look like a museum, I think." Zao said, confused.
"Feels more like a tomb in here." Blaine said, shuddering.
"Yeah, it's creepy as hell. But maybe that's what they were going for." Lucy said.
"If this is a museum," Tara said, looking at one of the red orbs, "what is it meant to be a museum of?"
"I dunno. But since it ain't even got a cafeteria it's already pretty crappy..." Dan said.
Tara, ignoring Dan's comments touched the orb. It lit up, then shattered, revealing a portrait of a woman in a black business suit and pleated blonde hair, wearing round red glasses.
"Hmm. Not a masterpiece, but it does the job." Alastair said, pondering this sight. "Does anyone recognise this woman?"
"This looks like Edina Patricia Maxwell." Aimee said. "The lady that campaigned for educational reform back in the 80's. I remember my mum talking about her a while ago."
"She really should have found a better hairdresser." Richard said. "Huh?" To his surprise, the painting flew to one of the walls, and clicked into place.
Another orb appeared, which Matthew touched. This time, it viewed a depiction of Farawell's Salisbury Tower, an incredibly unpopular eyesore of an apartment tower that had been demolished to much fanfare in July 1983. This turned into a model that fixed itself to the far side of the room, surrounded by a glass case.
"Wow." Other Blaine said. "That building practically screams Kanaloa..."
"Don't you get what this place is meant to be?" Bianca asked.
"I do." Amara said. "It's a museum based on the entire city. As curated by all of its people."
There was an uncomfortable silence, as they looked around.
"All of these 'displays'..." Kazuya said. "I get it. In this fused world, everyone except us is dormant, unable to manifest. Yet their memories remain, and created this museum..."
Zao nodded. "Exactly. Each door leads to a special exhibit. That exhibit? Farawell, Nova Albion, Legarte, Saragel, Takanawa, Kanaloa, the works!"
"What about the lower floor?" Roger asked.
"I cannot say, but I intend to find out." Ashi said. "Jahan. Will you please come with me?"
"Of course I will." Ethan said, smiling. "Everyone else, you should split up into six teams."
"Again?" Richard asked. "We split more than a banana!"
Kazuya gave Richard an odd look, but shrugged. "I suppose it'll be faster this way. Besides, whatever Shadows are beyond those doors, they can't be worse than the Trauma Shadows."
"Even so, we must never become complacent." Other Nathan said. "Let us proceed, so we can reach our final target."
Amara looked at Nathan, Serena, and Blaine – they each nodded, their team already decided. Their other selves had made the same choice. As ever, the Holy Cross were sticking together. Lucy, Shirley, Karen and Roger formed a team of their own, as did Tara, Matthew, Karl and Aimee. However, that left Zao...
"What are you going to do, Zao?" Ashi asked.
"Gee, I dunno..." Zao said, scratching his head. "I guess this is where you all beg me to join you, right?"
"You should go where your heart tells you to." Aimee said. "Isn't that what you always did?"
"Still does." Zao said. He looked at Amara's group, and smiled. "For one last time. Can we fight as a group of five?"
"If...that's okay with you all..." Amara said, nervously.
"What do you need to ask us for?" Serena asked. "We're with you all the way."
"Yeah. You're the leader of our rebel group, right?" Blaine said.
"I'll happily go along with your input, Amara." Nathan said.
"Then it's settled." Zao said. "We'll handle the south door. I got a good feeling about this!"
With that, the groups entered each doorway, preparing their weapons and their strategies. Ethan and Ashi looked at each other, hesitating.
"What a crew." Ashi said.
"You can say that again." Ethan said. "My former friends are all gone. But this new team I'm in..."
"You don't have to tell me." Ashi said, happily. "I'm glad you found a new place you belong. And once we've restored the world, you'll be free again."
"Free?" Ethan said. "I wonder."
"We must go." Ashi said. She lead the way down, with Ethan following behind. Her words were echoing loudly in his mind. Where exactly did he belong? His mind and flesh were from different worlds. If the worlds were fully divided, would he exist anywhere? Fear and dread swelled in him, his heart heavy with panic.
Yet for now, he had to force himself to fight.
|Museum of Memories – Farawell Memorial|
The Farawell Memorial was something else. As ornate as the central room, yet the room stretched far higher, the stairs leading to higher floors. The displays captured various eras of Farawell, starting from its humble beginnings as a farming village. Paintings, busts, statues, furniture, etc. The whole of Farawell's history was laid out here, picked clean from the minds of the city's souls.
"Wow..." Serena said, amazed, running ahead. "Farawell was so quaint back then. Can't really imagine it turning into the place we have now."
"When we fix this world, we ought to build a museum just like this. It'll be huge!" Blaine said. "Nathan can cover the cost, right?"
"You do remember I'm having a baby, right?" Nathan said. "And as CEO, I can't endorse spending millions to build an eerie history museum."
"Wait, back up." Zao said. "Nathan's going to be a dad?"
"We only just heard today!" Amara said, smiling.
"We're not sure if it'll be a boy or a girl yet." Nathan said, proudly. "Either way, I have to get back home alive. Our family must prosper. And I want all of you to be part of it, too."
"Course we will." Serena said. "Your boy or girl will be all over my book trilogy when it's published!"
"And you're gonna take them to look at all of my artwork!" Amara said.
"I'll cook 'em the best dinner ever!" Blaine said.
"You guys sound more excited than he is!" Zao said, smirking.
"...I just wish they could have known you." Nathan said, sadly.
"Well, they can know of me. Close enough." Zao said, laughing slightly. "Get 'em a fishing rod for their birthday one year. Go out to Legarte, or wherever you guys feel like, and just catch all the fish you can."
"I'll look forward to that." Nathan said. "Let's press on. We have to learn more about this exhibit."
The group began to walk up the stairs, however, when a swarm of Maya Shadows appeared. Five of them in total. Zao gasped, pale, and Amara could see why. They were the Blank Maya. The origin of the Doppelganger Persona.
That Persona that killed Zao. The only Persona I've ever hated.
"Go to hell!" Blaine shouted.
Reacting with fury, the five Shadows suddenly transformed. They were no longer Shadows. They were the Reverse versions of Karl, Aimee, Priscilla, Kazuya and Keisha.
Serena shook her head in dismay. "More copies...can't you guys come up with your own style?"
"Unbelievable. Making us fight our own comrades." Nathan said.
"Bastards!" Zao said. "We'll tear them to pieces! Go! Rashnu!"
Amara's heart fluttered – the last time she saw Rashnu so clearly, it was when it held her in its arms. Now, Zao and Rashnu were of great strength, powered by heart itself. And a Heartfelt Cry send the Reverse Persona users straight to the ground, sending shockwaves throughout the exhibit.
"YEAH!" Amara cheered, punching the air with her fist. Reacting swiftly to her approaching enemies, however, she blocked Reverse Kazuya's knives. While she tried to attack him with her blade, he managed to evade her, and leapt away, casting Itami on Serena.
"Ugh...I feel...dizzy..." Serena said, looking dazed. A nasty Poison had taken her, and all her defences were down. This prompted Reverse Karl to punch her right into an exhibit – only for Zao to catch her.
"Whoa! Not cool!" Zao said, glaring at the Shadow before him. His opponent, however, cared not for this, and instead decided to equip a Gallant Gladius – slashing Zao. Fortunately, Serena had staggered out of harm's way, and watched as an intense Maragidyne burned through their adversaries.
"Phew..." Amara said, with foes on either side.
"Pretty tough enemies..." Serena said. "Too bad for you guys...I'm pretty damn tough myself! Selene! Tranquil Sea!"
The enemy team was waylaid by the waves, yet the water's power flew around Serena, and became an antidote for her poison. Feeling healthier, she swung wildly at her nearby enemies, leaping out of harms way. However, her allies weren't so lucky.
"Godammit!" Blaine yelled, having been struck by Reverse Keisha's Aria Di Sorbetto. "Feisty girl...no wonder you and Lu had the same Arcana. But I ain't gonna go down easy! C'mon, Snake Man! Torment!"
Quetzalcoatl appeared, smirking at his new nickname, and struck Reverse Keisha with his almighty hammer. Blaine, leaving her no time to recover, shot her – ignoring her cries for help. Her voice had an eerie echo to it, which sent a chill down Amara's spine. Causing even more of a chill, however, was the upcoming Mabufudyne that Reverse Priscilla had cast.
"Ugh..." Amara said, shivering. "It never gets any easier..."
"Tell me something I don't know!" Zao said, clashing blades with Reverse Aimee. "Since when did she get so good with this weapon? It's...so hard to keep up!"
As with her true form, the Reverse Aimee had mastered the laser glaive weapon. Were it the actual Aimee he was seeing fighting, he would have been so proud of her. Yet now, he was frantically trying to keep up with her pace. Finally, however, he broke through – or so he thought. She merely leapt away, barely being grazed by his weapon, and summoned Reverse Concordia.
"Aw, crap -"
Zao was struck down by Shadow Flare, an igneous and Stygian attack of great strength. His new body wasn't invulnerable, it seemed. Even so...Zao didn't intend to give up. Rashnu and him were as one, prepared to completely destroy any threat that dared to present itself to him. Even if those threats dressed as his two oldest friends...
|Basement|
"What a dreadful place." Ashi said. The ornate stairs turned into dank, concrete ones, that ceased – leading to a grimly lit hall, filled with broken vases, decaying furniture, and ruined sconces.
"Indeed." Ethan said. "A forgotten, desolated exhibit. Obviously, it's meant to symbolise Amurdad."
"Janus, that...monster...it used our homeland's destruction as a mere tool. That's unforgivable." Ashi said, angrily.
Eventually, they reached the end of this exhibit – it was the room from the Palace that had been used as part of the Aeternus HQ. The Eternity Hall.
"Why is...this here?" Ashi asked.
"The Eternity Hall was only accessible via an underground passage." Ethan said. "Those who destroyed the Palace didn't seem to find it. The original way down here was lost, however, so in the modern era, this place is completely inaccessible, buried beneath Kanaloa's Pride Square."
"I see...that would be the place we met." Ashi said. "Or...should I say reunited?"
"I'm not sure..." Ethan said. "I don't have all of Jahan's memories. Our childhoods were much different. Even if we have the same soul, Ethan and Jahan are two different masks."
"And Sraosha is one as well." Ashi said wisely. "You, the introverted genius who struggles to befriend others, yet cares deeply about the friends you make. Jahan, a doting younger brother who fears reproach from his father. Sraosha, an observer who defends humanity..."
"Heh..." Ethan reached the door to the Hall of Eternity, which opened. "There's yet another mask I wore, however. One that became its own identity."
"...What do you mean?" Ashi asked, gravely.
A faint red mist was in the white tomb, and an image of a human male was the one emitting this colourful smoke. Ashi gasped. The boy looked remarkably like Ethan, albeit in clothes of her father's.
"A fool." Ethan said, tearfully staring at his fallen alternate self. "A fool who eagerly swallowed up lie after lie, seeking vengeance while abandoning all semblance of love."
Ashi and Ethan stared at the figure who had once deemed himself Nihane Kronos, the leader of the Ater Vox. After the defeat of Janus, Nihane had appeared, only to chide those who had toppled the two-headed god, and vanished, seemingly forever. Yet his spirit, weak as it had become, remained in this tomb.
"My original body was killed in one world. Yet my spirit made it to the other world, and managed to take this body." Ethan said. "Only death seemed able to free me from Janus' influence, but my soul wasn't ready to pass onto the next world without atoning for my mistakes. I had to do something. And when Amara and her friends fought Nihane in battle, he was overwhelmed by their power...that was when I could force his spirit out, and take his body as my own."
Ashi, astonished, looked between both iterations of her brother. One, a disembodied ghost, whose lofty ambitions had been annihilated. The other was technically dead, possessing another incarnation of himself.
"...What's going to happen to you?" Ashi asked Ethan, concerned.
"I...I don't know." Ethan said, grim. "I died a long time ago, physically, that is. Nihane here has fallen into a deep slumber. Janus used him even after he was forced out of this body...twisting his soul, his very energy, into a tremendous avatar of power. We barely managed to defeat it."
"Your body is...still healthy, isn't it?!" Ashi asked, checking his hands. "You don't feel ill?"
"I don't think so..." Ethan said. "Unless Nihane here vies for control, this body should continue as normal. He made it so that he and the Ater Vox would never age until the Eternal Road was finished, but ever since I took control, I'm growing older as normal. Only problem there is, I was born in 1979. I certainly don't look it."
Ashi nodded, sadly. "This whole tragedy has literally torn you apart. Both of you. Can't we do anything for either of you?"
Ethan looked straight ahead at Nihane's closed eyes, shaking his head. "Ten years of being manipulated by Janus lead to a city under lockdown...creating a war between Aeternus and the other Persona users. Many people died because of me. He...he should reflect on what he has done."
"So may be sleep forever." Ashi said. "An eternal rest...along with the rest of our family." Ashi said. "It's...too terrible, everything that has happened."
"It really is." Ethan said. "Once the two worlds are finally separated, I'm sure both of us can move on. Nihane can finally cease to be himself, and start a new life. And I..."
If my flesh is of one world, yet my soul is of another...will I be able to exist in any of the two worlds? Or...will me continuing to exist make it impossible to fully separate the worlds?
"I...don't know what my future holds." Ethan said. "But I don't intend to end it all now." He raised his hand, and touched the hazy ghost of his alternate self. Without a sound, it flashed and disappeared – but in its place was a framed photograph. Ethan took it in his hand, and gasped. It was him and the rest of the Aeternus group. Not as the Ater Vox, but as friends.
"Josephine, Carlos, Nina, Pierre, and Archibald..." Ashi said, smiling. "You all look so warm together."
"Indeed." Ethan said. "I...I saved this image to an old photo-sharing site. I wanted Amara and her allies to learn more about how this disaster began. Nathan was at work, but I was able to control him – not possession, but I made him search for the filename I gave this old photograph."
"I'm not sure I fully understand your technology, but..." Ashi said. "Take it with you. These friends will be your strength, from one world to the next."
Ethan looked up at her, and smiled. He put the photograph in his pocket, and began to leave the room. Before they could return to the central hub of the museum, however, another strange figure appeared. It was a man with long, curled red hair, an extravagant long and red wool coat with gold lining, and high black leather boots.
"And just who the hell are you?" Ethan demanded. Ashi, horrified, covered her eyes, trembling with fear. "Ashi?"
"She remembers me...but of course she would!" The ghostly figure said. "I killed hundreds of your people. All in the name of justice!"
"...You were involved with the massacre?" Ethan asked, disturbed.
"I was the catalyst of the entire plan, after all. Lord Cyrus Penville. Surely I haven't been forgotten about in your modern era, have I?" The man said. Ethan vaguely recalled the name from reading an old history textbook. Cyrus was involved with the city Treasury back in the 18th century, and had once appeared on bank notes, but at some point he had been replaced with more popular figures from the city's past.
"Cyrus...!" Ashi said, cowering in fear. "He's the one who killed...killed..."
"That infant? Yes, I helped exorcise that demonic child. You should thank me. Had he survived, this city would no doubt have perished." Cyrus said, cracking up with laughter.
Ethan couldn't even speak due to the sheer disgust he felt in his heart. Yet something about this felt off. Would this figure seriously reappear, after so many years, just to taunt Ashi?
"Your people couldn't let it go, could you? Those catastrophes you plagued us with almost destroyed our fair city! You should have accepted your end with grace, but no, you had to instil fear in our hearts...your Divine Sparks sent me to an early grave."
"Oh really? Which one?" Ethan asked, arms crossed.
"That disaster at the military base...I came to visit my brother that day. Only to find he had shot countless other men. Unable to cope with his pathetic guilt, he put a bullet in my head!"
"Bastard!" Ashi screamed, hysterical. "Get the hell out of here! Now!"
"You should go straight back to Hell where you belong." Ethan said, drawing his sword. "Whatever grievances you may have suffered do not even begin to compare with what happened to Amurdad. We will bring you worse pain than you could ever imagine.
"You'll both be in Hell before me, demons!"
Cyrus cackled evilly, only to be enveloped by darkness – and he was soon replaced by a Knight shadow. Only this one had two disparate wings, a demonic bat like one, and an angel one that had blood on the tips of its feathers. The Misguided Knight lunged forward with its lance, prepared for battle.
|Farawell|
"Eat THIS!" Zao said, striking down the last of the Reverse Shadows – Aimee. She collapsed, fading away, leaving the room silent once again. "Phew..."
"Thank god, we won." Amara said, swinging her blade in victory.
"Damn. It's like being back in that rundown hotel in Takanawa..." Blaine said.
"That wasn't long after...well...the thing with the Interitus Legion, right?" Zao asked.
"That's right. Except back in Nakanobu, all those Shadows were copying our Personae directly. This time, they're directly copying ourselves." Nathan said.
"Yeah...I remember now." Serena said. "The Maya are trying psychological warfare. To weaken our spirits, they mimic our friends and their Persona ability."
"There's a lot more Shadows like this upwards. Let's go!" Zao said.
Up, they went – and as expected, many more Shadows appeared. In an instant, each one changed shape to one of their allies. As well as Keisha, they aped Kaman – these Shadows had no respect for the dead, it seemed. Amara continued the fight, proceeding through the exhibits.
At the highest point, they reached a round, circular floor, with an empty stand. The frames nearby had no artwork in them at all. Confused, Amara approached it, but as she reached the wall, the ground started to shake. The paintings changed to bizarre watercolor recollections of...
"Us?" Serena said, disturbed. There, on each of the eleven paintings, were illustrations of Amara and friends engaged in combat. The battlefield in each one was somewhere in Farawell, throughout the last year – and in the centre was a depiction of the crater, that had appeared in place of the Cathedral for a short time.
Their next opponent assembled itself upon the stand, from dark shadowy liquid bubbling up to the surface. It became a human-like shape, barely holding itself together, cloaked in a sinister scarlet aura. It held its hand out, and one of the farmer's pitchforks flew into its hand. An inky black fluid leaked onto its 'face', creating a Magician Arcana mask. Then, clothes suddenly appeared on it, such as a straw hat, blue overalls, black work boots, and a reed in the Shadow's mouth.
"Umm..." Serena said. "The hell is this supposed to be?"
"It's...so powerful.." Zao said. "The result of many Shadows gathering together. Too weak to manifest, they combined together in one huge mass of darkness."
Amara gasped. "I...I've read about statue in Farawell that looked just like this! Only less demonic. It...It was hit by a heavy goods truck back in the 80's, but they never got around to replacing it. They called it the Farawell Farmer."
"So in the other exhibits, you think the other monuments came to life?" Blaine said.
"Probably." Serena said, groaning. "It'd be nice if we could talk our way out of fighting, for once."
"Problem is, this guy is obviously a boss battle. You wouldn't be able to negotiate with it." Zao said.
"Right on. So the only thing to do is blow it to pieces." Blaine said, aiming his gun. "Get him!"
SKIP BATTLE – 3 TURNS
|Amurdad Exhibit|
A tough battle was underway, having torn what remained of this exhibit to shreds. The Knight was brutal, and certainly quick at attacking, but Ethan had no intention of letting this Shadow prevail.
"My skills surpass yours!" Ethan declared. "Come, Sraosha! Almacia!"
Sraosha's incredible sword pierced the Knight's armour, causing a spray of rust-coloured blood.
"Mithra!" Ashi beckoned. "Radiant Sun!" Bright sunslight beamed down from a red and orange sun in the air, which shone brightly even in the demonic and artificial sky. This light seemed to set the Knight on fire, and in pain, it wildly thrashed its spear around.
"Whoa!" Ethan said, rolling out of harm's way. "You freak!"
The Knight didn't seem interested in name calling. Yet with an Akasha Arts, it felt quite comfortable with responding. Ethan and Ashi were forced backwards, and they heard the ground above them shake from the force.
"Ethan! We must survive. Even if it is just the two of is fighting!"
"I know!" Ethan said. "This is child's play compared to some of the Shadows I've felled. Sraosha...Prism Apex!"
Another light phenomenon was created, with the sole purpose of harming the Misguided Knight. Ethan cheered with pride as his Persona struck his foe, but gasped as he saw it fly ahead, trying to impale his sister.
"No!" Ashi said, quickly summoning Mithra. "Diamond Light!" The Persona's jewels gave all their might to repel their foe, breaking apart some of its armour and sending it to the floor.
"Now!" Ethan said, with his sword in toe. He and Ashi held nothing back – they swung their blades with brutal, killing intent. Ashi's tears ran down her cheeks. This man had orchestrated the demise of her home town and killed her child – there was no way she was going to let him win.
The Misguided Knight finally arose, however, and swung both foes away. Having been worn down, it needed to turn the tide desperately. Thus, it activated a Power Charge, concentrating great strength within its weapon.
"No!" Ashi said. "We won't let you strike! Full Force!"
Mithra's power raised the bar for both of the siblings, and Ethan grinned. He should be able to put a stop to this foe shortly. He had to count on Sraosha's blade – the powerful Claíomh Solais.
"Sraosha!"
His blade struck the Knight through the heart, causing even more blood to drip down the Shadow's accursed armour. Pure hate was flowing through Ethan's veins. Had this man restrained himself, and not acted upon his prejudices...there might still be an Amurdad.
"DIE!" Ethan screamed. Alas, the Knight remained alive, albeit barely. Lance in tow, it twirled it around powerfully, and rained down the terrifying Agneyastra. Both Ashi and Ethan were waylaid by this strength – yet still not defeated, much to the Knight's chagrin.
"No...not yet!" Ashi said. "What you put me through...my son through! I will NEVER let you escape!
The Knight's body collapsed with a loud clang, dropping its lance. Little by little, each portion of the body evaporated, leaving the form of Cygnus once again.
"Ugh..." Cygnus said. "So even this form won't break you? Perhaps nothing will. All of my attempts to stop you have failed...in the end, there truly was only one who could hope of defeating you all."
"This form?" Ashi asked. "Then..."
"Just as I suspected." Ethan said, stroking his chin. "You were never Cygnus Penville, were you? Beneath the mask, what else should you be but the Masquerade?"
"Hehe...I'm a shapeshifter. It's all I'm good for." The ghostly form said, vanishing. "I'll concede...You'll never find your happy ending, Ethan Walters. Tear this world into two, and you'll be ripped apart as well!"
"Wait! What are you saying?!" Ashi screamed. Alas, nothing remained of the Masquerade. Ethan, shaking, stood still.
He's right, isn't he...? The only way we can separate the two worlds forever is if I die. But...I wanted to live...I still have to guide the city! If my soul is of one world, but my body is of another, then...there's no way I can exist the way I am now in either of them, once this is all done.
"It doesn't matter." Ethan said. "We've got to return to the others, and fast. I won't waste any more time on the Masquerade or Cygnus." He then pressed on, leaving the underground tomb.
"...What is it that you're afraid of?" Ashi asked, scared herself.
|Farawell Exhibit|
The Farawell Farmer was adept with fire magic, scattering flames throughout the exhibit. Amara's own brand of fire couldn't seem to singe him whatsover. The power of Farawell itself seemed to be on its side, as it managed to survive some of the intense assaults the group rained down upon him. Despite this strength, Zao and Rashnu seemed to be fighting back as hard as they could, cutting through the farmer with Mass Destruction.
"Die already, you creep!" Serena yelled, sending forth an Aquadyne. It struck back with Ragnarok, an immensely strong Fire attack. Zao was looking a little exhausted, however. Getting back into the sway of things seemed to be a struggle for him. Serena, worried, cast Diarahan on him as well.
"Sweet!" Zao said. "Amara, go for it!"
"Right! Gem's Shroud!" Amara conjured a protective barrier - that absorbed the flames of the Farmer's Maragidyne. She had spent most of this fight covering her allies with this cloak, hoping to spare them from pain. Beyond fire spells, the Farmer didn't seem to have much else to attack with, other than his pitchfork. Amara's sword clashed with it, and tried to force him away.
"Will you just buy the damn farm already?" Blaine shouted, as Quetzalcoatl aka 'Snake Man' hurled his ferocious wheel in a Lightning Circuit, shocking the farmer.
"Oh, I get it!" Zao said, grinning. "Good one."
Nathan sighed, and it didn't seem like the Farmer had much of a sense of humour either. Targeting Nathan, he cast Spirit Drain, restoring his energy - laughing all the while.
"So that's what amuses you, is it?" Nathan said. He slammed the ground with his staff, and called down Cu Chulainn. "Time for you to get off the stage!"
The ace hero took his spear, and it began infused with spirals of wind. He leaped into the air, onto the ceiling, and then dived down, driving the mighty spear through the Farmer.
Blaine whistled in admiration, but grimaced at the next move the Farmer made. Getting up from the ground, and supporting itself with its pitchfork, it charged up its mental powers - ready to burn any in its path. And it laid eyes upon Zao.
"What you lookin' at me for?" Zao said. "What, you wish you'd become a fisherman instead? It's more fun than growing crops...never too late to change careers."
The Farawell Farmer was not looking for career advice, especially not from the blue haired joker in front of him. Instead, it conjured an immense flame, the Ragnarok. Zao was struck badly, screaming in pain.
"That's...it!" Zao yelled. "This guy is a major pain in the butt! I'm gonna rip him to pieces! Everyone, let's do this like old times!"
"Alright!" Amara said. "I missed doing these with you!"
The five Personas arranged themselves in a cross formation. Isis took the north position, Selene the east, Quetzalcoatl the west, and Cu Chulainn the south. Rashnu took the central position, and energy began to be channelled via all five of the entities. Each one of them was glowing brightly, but Rashnu seemed to shine brightest this time around.
"I remember doing this one..." Blaine said, grinning wildly. "It was a pretty badass move!"
"We first used this when we met Keisha." Serena said, momentarily saddened by the thought of her.
"We're all a lot stronger now!" Amara said boldly. "This will be even better than we ever did it before!"
"I was so weak back then. Now, though, I know I can do anything!" Zao shouted.
"Then let's finish this monster off!" Nathan said. "All five of us at full power, united!"
"Come! Cosmic Cavalcade!"
The power generated by the five Personas shined brightly, creating a gigantic circular rainbow. The Shadow slowly managed to get up, alas it was too late. A massive rain of what looked like tiny stars struck it, splattering black and brown fluid all over the ground. Finally, a terrifying and tremendous rainbow explosion occurred, destroying the Farawell Farmer completely. All that was left was a rusted pitchfork, which clattered unto the blood-soaked carpet, and disintegrated.
"How'd you like that?" Blaine said. "Cosmic Breath Version 2, baby!"
"Looks like we're all victorious." Nathan said, folding his arms.
"Yup. That was tougher than I thought it'd be." Zao said, breathing a sigh of relief.
"With any luck, there won't be any more battles after this. Right?" Serena said, weary. "For the past year, it feels like all I've been doing is getting into fights..."
"Yeah...same." Blaine said. "I don't wanna fight just to stay alive anymore. I want all this shit to just end."
"Yet you'll fight till your dying breath to make sure it does, right?" Amara said.
"It's tough, I know..." Zao said. "I know the end is near, for all of us. We can get through this. C'mon, let's hurry up and reach the end."
They left the Exhibit, now a complete wreck, to rejoin their allies.
|Museum|
Leaving the Farawell exhibit, the group saw the other groups all waiting for them, discussing their battles.
"So, Legarte was that old fountain again, Saragel was the cannon outside the Solar Ray Mall, Takanawa was that 'Megami Tensei' statue, and Nova Albion was the column in Aurelia Park..." Kyle said. "I wonder what Farawell's was?"
"There they are!" Sophie said. "We've been waiting for you guys!"
"Phew..." Amara said. "We all made it."
"It wasn't easy, but we pulled through." Ethan said. "Ashi, are you alright?"
"I believe so..." Ashi said. "Curse this Museum."
"Yeah..." Matthew said, wistfully. "Can't say I'm fond of them myself."
"We had to fend off the Farawell Farmer..." Serena said, annoyed. "But, we put it out to pasture."
"Nice." Aimee said. "Then it looks like we're all finished. Where do we go now -"
There was a flash of light, and in the centre of the room, appeared a golden circle platform, and in the ceiling above it was a pale blue light. This contraption, it seemed, would lead them to their final battle.
"Looks like the way forward is ahead." Ashi said. "I revived myself for the sake of this planet...as painful as remembering the past was, I have no regrets now."
"I...wish I could say the same." Ethan said. "Yet I must put an end to this tragedy forever. I have no choice but to end everyone's suffering."
"You two really are gloomy. Guess I can't blame ya." Zao said. "All I really want is this world to have some kind of normality again.
"Time to finally split the two worlds apart!" Lucy said. "Once this is done, I'm taking a long vacation. Fighting Shadows is a drag."
"Same here. I'm sick of having to fight everytime I wanna live my life." Shirley said. "But, if Dan's ever in a bind, I don't mind having to kick some butt."
Dan, beaming, held her hand tight. "Yeah! Come on, let's get up there and kill who – or what – ever we need to kill next!"
"Our last enemy...I really hope it is this time." Kyle said. "All of my data on Shadow research won't be necessary anymore. I'll have to devote my talents to the reconstruction of our city."
"Talents..." Kazuya said. "I need to think about what mine are. I used to want to work with animation. But perhaps what this city needs isn't an upcoming anime director. Perhaps...I'll be an educator."
"Teaching, Kazuya-kun?" Bianca said. "I know you can do it. There are so many schools in this city that could use a teacher like you. And all of them need some natural beauty. That's where my flowers come in."
"Perhaps what the Holy Cross need to do next is start our own school?" Alastair asked. "I've instructed several Ornatu initiates before. I could easily adapt to teaching more wholesome classes."
"Then...I can be the P.E. Teacher? It's the only class I could teach!" Richard said, excitedly. "Just you wait! I'll have then give me fifty pushups every day! Or just play football for the whole class...fine, maybe basketball, so we can use those hoops."
"Everyone seems to be so clear on what they want to do with themselves..." Karen said, smiling as she gazed into Roger's eyes. "I...I want to help spread the news of our city. I want to help the world hear the story of our recovery."
"Same here. I'm going to do something to help our economy thrive again. No more drab, dreary shopping centres. I'll make the Solar Ray Mall of the other world here...and it'll be ten times better."
"A competition with yourself, then?" Amara asked. "Sounds good..."
"Yeah. We'll have to see which Amara is the better artist!" Other Amara said.
"I want to write about all our experiences, for everyone to see." Other Serena said. "Sure, I might have to change a few names, but..."
"Honestly, I ain't got a clue what I wanna do, professionally." Other Blaine said. "I don't wanna just do what the me in the other world is doing...but I got no qualifications or anything."
"But..." Lucy said. "The experience you've gained over these last ten years has to count for something, right?"
"Huh?" Other Blaine asked.
"You took command of an entire legion of soldiers. Even if it wasn't by choice, you became a true leader." Lucy said, smiling. "Whatever you know, you'll be just fine. You were able to open my heart...I don't think I can ever thank you enough for that."
"Lucy..." Other Blaine said, tearing up. "We'll figure out our path together."
"Hehe..." Other Nathan said. "Well, Albion Inc. may have been disrupted badly. Yet I'm still the scion of the Albion family. I have to do my best to resurrect it. My clan does not end here."
"Right." Priscilla said. "Our family will face any danger and win. The Shadows may disappear, but our true battle has yet to begin."
"You guys are so romantic..." Tara said. "Hm?" She just noticed Matthew had grabbed her hand, red in the face.
"Whoa..." Dan said, amused. "I knew it. You two were always tight, but..."
"Hey, don't embarrass me, Dan..." Matthew said. "I...I think I've felt like this for a long time."
"I wonder if ace detectives still need me looking after them." Tara said. "Well...I'll be busy honing my skills with the violin again. I wanna be like the other me. I wanna be in that orchestra!"
"Nice." Shirley said. "I guess the Kingsley brothers attract musical girlfriends, huh?"
"Just don't ask me to sing along. I can't hold a tune." Dan said, grinning. "Guess I oughta get my shit together, too. I gotta set a good example for my little bro."
"You already do, Dan." Matthew said.
"...Aren't you going to add something sarcastic to that?" Shirley said.
"For once...no." Matthew said, smiling, as he and Dan fist-bumped. "Good to be home again, bro."
"Right back atcha, kid." Dan said. He looked at Karl, who was now rather pensive, and moved over. "What's eating you?"
"Karl?" Aimee asked. "What's the matter?"
"Aimee..." Karl said. "...I'm sorry. We won't be together again...when this all over..."
Aimee shook her head, despite her tearful eyes. "That's...not true. Is it? You're my big brother. I'll never forget how much I loved being with you. Me, you, Zao...in my heart, we'll always be together."
"You're gonna be just fine, Aimee." Zao said. "Not for long. You're only eighteen now, right? Yet you spearheaded a rebellion that eventually saved the entire planet. Even if it gets lonely out there, just remember. You and this city are one and the same."
Aimee, still sobbing, smiled happily. "Thank you so much..."
"...I'll play every match in your honour." Karl said. "I'll win for our city, and for us. And I know you'll be cheering from this world."
"Then let's go." Amara said. "We'll face our last battle together."