Now we do our first beast persona battle. Hang on to your seats.

Chapter 13

Nosce te Ipsum

Jason's face was serious as he stood, waiting for the others to meet up. He was pacing around the hallway where the Library Maze and Pyramid met. Both Kevin and David were watching him pace around. David's eyes were barely visible beneath his hood, and Kevin watched with a concerned expression. He'd never seen Jason so agitated.

They heard a voice call out, and looked up to see Jennifer leading Sam and Wes down the hall.

Wes held up his phone, an arch in his brow. "Dragon hunting?"

"Somewhere in the maze is a way for me to control Bahamut, and we're going to find it."

"How, exactly?" David asked.

Jason pointed to Sam. "With her power." He looked behind him, into the maze. "I can feel that something has changed in the maze. With Sam's help, I can find it, and do what I have to do."

"If you think I can," Sam said, and summoned Calliope. "I think it's this way," she said, walking to a left path.

"Are you sure?" Jason asked.

Sam shrugged. "I feel something telling me to go this way."

"So are we just going to wander the maze based on your vague sense of direction?" David asked.
"Maybe I can help," Jason said, and put a hand on her shoulder.

Suddenly, Sam's senses exploded. She saw the maze on a whole new level, with every nook and cranny exposed.

At the same time, a charge of electricity ran through Jason's arm, and he could literally feel his connection to the maze as he never felt it before.

"I know where to go," both of them said at the same time. They separated, and the feelings faded, though the memory lingered.

As if in response, a flurry of Shadows came around the corner, as if to block their passage.

"You won't stop me!" Jason shouted, and crushed his card. "Sigurd, Maragi." Sigurd emerged, and fire exploded around the Shadows. Drawing Gram, he charged at the remaining ones, the others in awe at his determination.

As Jason slashed through what he thought was the last one, something whizzed past his ear. He turned to see one last Shadow with an arrow in its head before it vanished.

"You missed one," Kevin said simply.

Jason didn't respond, but sheathed Gram and walked on.

As they followed, Jennifer pulled on Kevin's sleeve, slowing him down. "I'm worried, Kevin. He's going to push himself too hard, and if he keeps going he's going to burn himself out."

Kevin nodded, his expression serious. "That's what we're here for. It's up to us to keep him under control."

As they continued through, more and more Shadows appeared to block them. More than half of them were destroyed by Jason, while the others dealt with the stragglers. Jennifer watched with concern as he held his sword lower, his strikes becoming slower. As he gained wound after wound, she did her best to keep him healed, but it was becoming difficult.

"Jason, we need to take a break," she said.

Jason just shook his head. "We can't slow down. We need to keep going."

"You should listen to her," Kevin said, putting a hand on Jason's shoulder. "You can't fight if you wear yourself out." Jason simply shrugged off his hand.

Then Jennifer was in front of him, and, to everyone's shock, slapped him across the face. Jason stood there, stunned as his cheek throbbed.

Wes had a smirk on his face, and looked between Sam and Jennifer. "I think she's been around Sam too much. That's exactly what she would have done to make me pay attention." Sam just smiled and nodded.

"You know, for someone so intelligent you can be a real idiot sometimes, Jason!" Jennifer shrieked. She waved her arm at the assembled group. "There are four of us here who are just as ready to fight as you."

Jason nodded, realizing that she was right. And then, with a flash of light, a door appeared, as if it was waiting for him to reach this conclusion.

Slowly raising his hand, Jason placed it on the door. "This is it. He's in here." All of the faces became serious. With a deep breath, he pushed open the door.

"It looks like...an arena."

Jason agreed with Sam's assessment. It did indeed look like an arena. Piles of books littered the floor, and a round of shelves formed a wall.

"Welcome. Welcome," a voice called. A familiar voice.

Sitting on a pile a books, a large novel in his hand, was...Jason.

Sam focused Calliope on the doppelganger, but recoiled and grabbed her head. The copy laughed, and closed the book with a thud. He stood up, and turned to them. Then, they saw the difference.

Instead of Jason's green eyes, they were a glowing red, the same color as the beast persona card.

"So, you finally made it," the copy said, a dark smile on his face. "Do you honestly think you're strong enough, Jason?"

"Of course I am," Jason replied calmly.

"You can't lie to me, Jason. You can't lie to yourself. Despite your claims, you still fear losing the people you care about." His crimson eyes focused on Jennifer. "You're still afraid of losing her. And as long as you fear that..." With a scream that transitioned into a roar, the copy shifted, blurred, and transformed into Jason's beast persona, Bahamut. "I will always be able to control you."

With a stamp of its giant clawed foot, and a burst of fire from its mouth, Bahamut poised to attack. "I am that which lies beneath, the beast within the man! I will rule you through your fear!"

Jason held up Gram, the sword shaking slightly. So, he thought, this is what it means to face your own fear. With a deep swallow, his hand steadied. "Wes, David, up front with me. Kevin, you stay in the back with Jennifer and Sam."

When Jennifer opened her mouth to complain, Kevin put a hand over her mouth. "Don't complain, Jennifer. Jason needs to face his demon on his terms." Jennifer nodded reluctantly.

With a roar, Bahamut charged at them, forcing the front three to dive out of the way. "Sigurd, Agi!" The fire exploded, but didn't faze Bahamut as he returned a blast at Jason, who had Sigurd block.

"Fire and wind won't be any good," Sam called, studying Bahamut with Calliope. "He's got the same strengths as Sigurd."

Wes flipped out his card. "If he has the same strengths, then he has the same weaknesses." He slammed his fist into the card. "Lancelot, Bufula!" Lancelot stabbed Bahamut with his lance, ice spreading from the weapon. Bahamut roared and moved back, hitting Lancelot with its tail, making Wes stumble.

"You fool!" Bahamut roared. "You cannot hope to match my power!" The ornament over its back spun, fire and wind mixed in its mouth.

"Look out!" Jason screamed. "It's going to use the..."

"Agairu Flare!" The attack blasted from Bahamut, heading straight for Wes.

"Rakukaja!" Jennifer shouted, and a purple wall appeared in front of Wes just before the flare hit, and sent him sailing back, smashing into a pile of books.

Jennifer ran to him, Brunhilda appearing behind her, ready to heal Wes.

When Bahamut turned to her, Kevin was in front of her, bow drawn. He fired an arrow, then flipped out his card, calling Philoctetes. "Arrow Storm!" Philoctetes raised his bow, and a shower of arrows came down, striking Bahamut.

"Fools! It will never be enough!" Bahamut flapped his wings, and a blast of wind hit Kevin, sliding him back.

Then David was running at him, slashing at Bahamut's eyes. Whenever Bahamut tried to bite, he moved out of the way. When Bahamut charged another fire blast, David summoned Romulus. "Zio!" A blast of lightning shot into Bahamut's mouth, detonating the fire, stunning Bahamut.

"Now, while it's down!" Jason shouted, and the five of them attacked together; Jason, David, and Jennifer slashing, Wes pounding, and Kevin shooting arrow after arrow.

"I am the Dragon King!" Bahamut shouted, flaring its wings, blowing them all away. "You are pathetic humans, suppressed by fear. I am never afraid!" It turned to the prone figure of Jennifer, and the ornament spun.

"You're wrong, Bahamut," Jason said, struggling to his feet. "You are a part of me. You are my fear made flesh."

"Allow me to prove you wrong," Bahamut sneered, and fired the Agairu Flare right at Jennifer.

Without another thought, Jason dove for Jennifer and shielded her body with his. Searing pain went through his back, and they tumbled around, finally coming to a stop. When Jason looked up, he saw blood running from Jennifer's forehead. He ran a hand down her cheek. "Jennifer? Can you hear me?" When he got no response, he gently lowered her to the ground, and got back to his feet, his eyes red.

"Good. Good. Give in to it, Jason." Bahamut laughed as it saw the red card appear. "If you give in, my power will be yours, and your mind, body, and soul will be mine."

Jason struggled, his eyes drifting between the card in his hand and the dragon before him.

"There is no need to hesitate this time," Bahamut said. "Your pathetic friend is not in danger from you, so why not use it? Give in to your fear, and give in to my power."

Jason knew it would be so easy. Then he looked over at Sam, who was standing with her hands over her mouth, fear in her eyes. Then he heard David get up behind him. Looking at his friends, he had an epiphany. He was not someone who was ruled by fear. He was someone who thought through fear.

"I...Will...Not!" The card turned from red to blue, and he crushed it. "Sigurd!" Behind him, David summoned Romulus.

"Hit him together?" David asked.

Jason nodded, and Sigurd and Romulus stood side-by-side. Sigurd's sword burned with fire, and darkness swirled in Romulus' hands.

As Bahamut charged another Agairu Flare, the two elements merged.

"Agairu Flare!"

"Hell's Gate!"

The two attacks collided, but the dual technique swallowed Bahamut's, and became larger as it collided with the dragon, slamming it into a wall.

"Go ahead," David said, going to check on Kevin, "Finish it."

Jason limped over to Bahamut, suddenly exhausted by what he just went through. He went to the struggling dragon, and met its eye. "I'll always be afraid of losing Jennifer, but now she's strong enough to fight on her own."

With a sigh, Bahamut's dragon form shattered, becoming the revolving red card. Jason held out his hand, it flew to his palm, and vanished.

Suddenly, Jason fell back on his rear, laughing as the euphoria of conquering his own fear ran through him. Then, Jennifer was on top of him, hugging him tightly. "I'm so proud of you."

Jason smiled and rubbed her head, as Kevin came up and helped him to his feet.

Vega watched, hidden at the top of the arena. The boy had done very well. Now that he had gotten past this level, they were ready for the next test. Smiling, he walked away, hoping they were ready, for what they were about to face.

Bonus points to anyone who knows what the title translates as.

The next chapter is just as exciting, so get ready for it.

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