Previously on The Power of Everything:

Makoto Itou went on date with Kotonoha Katsura at Sakakino. Their date proved to be successful until a misfortune came upon them. Three giant floating orbs which came out of nowhere, suddenly attacked people nearby and came across Makoto and Kotonoha. During that moment, Makoto awakened his power, the persona Izanagi. Using his power, he managed to overthrow the enemy and defeated them with little effort. However, shortly after battle, Makoto collapsed and went unconscious despite Kotonoha tried to call him.

CHAPTER 5

SOCIAL LINKS

My consciousness was still fading. I couldn't open my eyes. My body felt heavy. I felt that I was in different world. However, I was taken into another realm. The realm which is not familiar anymore, the Velvet room. As usual, I was already standing in front of Igor and Abigail.

"*chuckle, it is so nice to see you again. And so, we meet again," Igor welcomed me.

"Dear guest, in your recent event, you subconsciously heard the call to awaken and you chose to follow the destiny of your inner voice. Thereby, enacting your glorious awakening to your power. A persona is a facet of your personality. You can think of it as a mask that protects you as brave many hardships," Abigail explained that to me.

"The persona you have acquired, it is a side of you that shows itself when you face the world around you. Perhaps you can think of it as…. A façade of determination you wear to face various difficulties in life. It is also a manifestation of your psyche. Your persona ability, however, is that of the wild card. Compared to that of others, it is very special. It is like number zero…. Empty, yet holding infinite potential within itself as I have mentioned in our previous meeting. Each persona has specific unique powers, strength and weakness as well as abilities. What and how this power will be used is entirely depending on you. The powers that I bestowed on you is another thing. You have the power to look within deep inside the manifestation of other beings, whether it's Persona or the shadows," Igor told me this.

Somehow, Igor knew about this whole Persona thing. What surprised me was that people came unaware of this case. Furthermore, Wild? Potential? Special? I still didn't understand what this is all about. Also, the power that I could look within, is Igor talking about the future vision that I saw? And, that other beings are called the Shadows? This is too much for me to swallow.

"The persona ability is the power to control one's own heart. And the heart is strengthened through bonds. As you form bonds by becoming involved with others, your own Social Links will gradually develop. The power of these social links is what will determine your Persona's abilities," Igor spoke of Social Links.

"Control one's heart?" I thought about it since this is too complicated for me.

Then, Abigail said, "Social Links are necessary for more than strengthening your Persona. At time, they will help light the way to the truth you are searching for."

Igor continued, "Where will your awakened power of the wild card take you…? I look forward to travelling the road of your destiny together… *chuckle. Until we meet again," Igor was intrigued.

Before I knew it, the light surrounded me again and I was transported back into the real world already.

"Where…. where am I?" I uttered these words.

I opened my eyes slowly and saw that the room was filled with many bedrooms and medical equipment. My eyes slowly turned to someone standing beside me. They were Katsura-san and Sekai.

"Itou-kun!" said a girl who is no doubt Katsura-san, my girlfriend, to me.

"Makoto!" Sekai called me.

Suddenly, Katsura-san hugged me and cried on my chest. Sekai looked at that moment and she started to seem sad.

"Itou-kun, I am so glad you are okay," she kept crying while saying that.

"Katsura-san…..," Sekai spoke with soft voice.

It took no detective skills that I knew Sekai's feeling at this moment. Considering that awkward moment last time, I could tell that she's extremely down. Nevertheless, I am sure it will be fine. Suddenly, Sekai asked both of us something.

"Katsura-san, Makoto, what happened earlier that you were suddenly collapsed? I was so shocked when Katsura-san called me and told me you were unconscious. You should thank her that she took you to hospital and called ambulance immediately," she explained it to me of how I got into hospital.

"I….. uh…."

Those words are the only thing I could speak because there's no way Sekai would believe me. The Shadows, Persona, Velvet room thing. Katsura-san, on the other hand, would believe me if I told her the whole thing as she had already seen my Persona, Izanagi.

"Katsura-san, I am okay now," I told her while trying to change subject to Sekai.

Katsura stopped crying and looked at me with relief. She smiled to me so wide that her smile could almost always cure my injury.

"I must have been tired. It is nothing, Sekai. I didn't have enough sleep and then I collapsed," I told Sekai a lie.

Sekai seemed to buy the lie. Katsura looked at me with confuse. I could already tell what she's thinking. She must have thought of why I didn't tell Sekai the truth.

"You should have slept more, geez. *frown."

"So…. Sorry," I apologized to her.

"Well, I will leave you two lovebirds alone. Makoto, get well soon," Sekai wished me well and went out of my hospital room.

Katsura got flustered and shy hearing the "lovebirds" word. Her face was in beet red. Then, she looked at me and asked me questions that I would have expected she wanted to say.

"Itou-kun, why didn't you tell Saionji-san the truth? Also, the figures earlier, I didn't know you are such a great person who hides this power in secret," she asked me.

"Katsura-san, I know this might sound crazy but, the day when I first met you on the train was the day I received this power. I couldn't tell Sekai because no one including her would believe me. You already saw what happened earlier, Katsura-san. That's why I am willing to tell you. Not only is because I trust you, but also because you are my love, my girlfriend," I told her that caused her even more shy.

Her face was totally in red when she heard that. There were still more that I need to tell her, but I don't think this is the right time at the moment. So, I told her this.

"Katsura-san, one day, I will tell you the whole truth. I promise," I ensured my vow to her.

"Yes, Itou-kun!" she replied back with joy.

I mentioned something to myself, "Then yet again, what were those things earlier? The Shadows that attacked us out of nowhere?"

"Shadow?" Katsura got confused.

"Yes, those things earlier, someone in my dream told me that those are Shadows," I told her part of my conversation with Igor earlier.

"Someone?" Katsura got confused again.

"Yes, I'm sorry. It's hard to tell you the whole thing. I couldn't believe it myself. *sigh," I told her that and I was tired.

"Itou-kun, it's okay. Don't force yourself. I believe in you. Thank you too for saving me earlier. I was scared of you earlier and couldn't do anything. But, now I know that you are willing to protect me and love me with your life. Thank you."

After saying that, Katsura's face went closer to my face. As I knew it, our lips touched each other. We kissed. That was our first kiss. It's warm and I couldn't say anything because I was too happy. While we were kissing, a voice echoed in my mind.

"I am thou, thou art I… Thou has acquired a new bond. It shall become the core of universe that dispels even the world. With the birth of Priestess Arcana, I have obtained the winds of blessing that shall lead to universe and new power."

In my mind, the image vision showed Priestess arcana. Is this what Igor mentioned earlier about Social Links? How my powers will develop from Social links? Then, my Persona should be growing too from this. And then, second voice echoed in my mind.

"I am thou, thou art I… Thou has acquired a new bond. It shall become the core of universe that dispels even the world. With the birth of Fool Arcana, I have obtained the winds of blessing that shall lead to universe and new power."

This time, the image vision showed Fool Arcana. I obtained two Arcana at the same time. I wondered how many there are and how many I will need to achieve infinite potential. After that, the voice and the image were gone and I came back to sense. We stopped kissing and she looked at me with smile.

"Katsura-san, no…. Kotonoha. Can I call you by first name? It is weird if I still call you Katsura while we are lovers," I asked her.

"Ye…. Yes! Makoto-kun," she's shy and gave her permission.

"Kotonoha, please keep this secret from anyone. I don't want my friends to freak out knowing that I have this power hidden within me. I will tell them when the time comes including the whole truth to you."

"Yes, Makoto-kun," she nodded.

We kissed again. I felt like someone was watching us. But, I saw no one so I thought that it was my imagination. It was already night at that time. Kotonoha decided to go home. She kissed my forehead before leaving. The doctor told me that I could go home the day after so I decided to sleep. The night passed by.

TO BE CONTINUED