Chapter uploaded: April 10th, 2023
Last edited: April 18th, 2024
A/N
Hello, AzureDragonZX here, once again.
Before we get started, a quick warning. The following chapter contains non-explicit instances of moderate violence and nudity. Currently, More Than One Heart is rated T, and while I don't intend to go the full distance for an M rating (even if this is a crossover with an M-rated series), I do also try to be as realistic as possible in certain areas.
This is the first chapter to properly introduce Persona-centric themes and material. I've made an effort to explain every new concept so it should be easy for everyone to follow. Whether or not you're familiar with Persona 3 shouldn't affect your enjoyment of More Than One Heart too severely. (Though given that this takes place after the events of that story, there will be mild spoilers... Nothing too major though.)
With all that said, enjoy!
More Than One Heart
Chapter 3 - One Hand, One Heartbeat
Somewhere beyond the mortal realms is a dimension beyond understanding. Devoid of the concepts of time and space, stretching on seemingly indefinitely. In its current state, it was indistinguishable from outer space. A black void littered with countless stars.
The Collective Unconcious. Or as it's more commonly called, the Sea of Souls.
From within the dark void, one small spark of life, cloaked in a pale blue aura, drifted through the endless sea, not caring where it led him. It had no goal in mind, it wasn't even aware of its surroundings. It just let whatever supernatural forces were out there guide it onward.
Its movements gradually slowed down and it came to a gradual stop. Too exhausted to continue its directionless journey, it was content to stay still and rest peacefully. The pale glow cradling the wisp-like form grew weak, like a candle flame about to be snuffed out.
Unknown to them, there was another presence within the realm following them. This entity had existed within the Collective Unconscious for an untold amount of years. It took the form of a blue butterfly gracefully flapping its tiny wings and leaving a trail of magic behind it.
The butterfly continued its pursuit, looking for the one soul who would bring about a great change, just as they had done in the past. Eventually, it came across the blue sphere of life that it was looking for, circling the wisp for a couple of passes before landing on top of it.
The once dim light of the soul suddenly grew stronger. In that moment, it shone brighter than any soul within the infinite realm. And from that light, something unexpected emerged. Two long arms covered in pale white skin, followed by two powerful legs. The figure grew in size, gaining a slim but muscular form. The light eventually died down, revealing a small bipedal mammal in its adolescent years with a mane of short blue fur on its head.
A young, male human.
A heartbeat began to resonate throughout his body, and his lungs slowly began to take in air. It was alive, but still fast asleep, unaware of the world around him.
"Escape…"
The word didn't come from the human. Rather it was a plethora of voices from all directions trying to rise him from his slumber.
His body twitched slightly as it gained more strength. The voices called out once more, and his ears heard their call this time.
"You Must Escape…"
'Escape?' he thought to himself. What did that mean?
Another small but impactful burst of energy shook his idle form. He was still unable to move, but he was beginning to regain feeling in his limbs.
He couldn't sense any looming threat. The feeling he had now was akin to a child in its mother's womb. Not having to think or act on his own, and the 'world' as he knew it wasn't a factor he needed to consider.
There was no danger…
He could go back to sleep…
"You Must Escape, Young One…!"
One final pulse of energy hit him, this one more potent than all the others.
Water… From the waist down, he could feel that he was submerged in what felt like a gentle stream of water, and he was resting against a stony surface. He couldn't feel the weight of any clothing on his body, meaning it flowed over his bare skin. Surprisingly, he didn't feel any cold or warmth from this. Everything was tranquil and still.
Confused, he slowly opened his eyes.
A wave of blue blurred his vision. Blinking a few times, his mind adjusted to the lack of light in the area, and he saw the blue butterfly that was resting on his nose, patiently waiting for him to wake up.
The young male tried to open his mouth, but he couldn't form any audible sounds. The butterfly didn't react to this, not even turning to face him.
"You Must Escape! It's Not Safe For You Here…"
Those voices again…?
As he turned his head around to potentially face whoever was trying to reach out to him, the butterfly finally reacted and took off once more, leaving him alone with only the faint trail of magic acting as evidence that it was ever there.
Having regained enough strength to move his legs, the young man hesitantly sat up, resting an arm against a bent knee. Despite his lower half still being "submerged", water wasn't dripping down his legs and they were dry to the touch. He knew that he hadn't imagined that river… Even now, he could feel it flowing across his body.
Turning his eyes upward, he saw he was in an outdoor area that let him see the night sky. Golden lights littered the black canvas in every direction. Even… below him?
"What… is–!?" His hand immediately snapped up to his neck. His throat was burning from just those two words.
"Escape! Before It's Too Late!"
The voices kept prodding at him from every angle. Some gently whispered, and others frantically bellowed. Collectively, a chorus of dominating sounds rang out to him, spurring him into action, no longer concerned with letting him take his time.
"Escape…" He was thoroughly confused now, and more questions came up the more he pondered his situation.
Who was he, and how long had he been trapped here?
Ultimately, right now… He had to put faith in those mysterious beings. Even if he couldn't sense anything, the urgency in their combined voices couldn't be ignored. Until he remembered everything, their guidance was all he had to rely on.
Groaning heavily, the young man twisted his body around and placed his hands on the floor. He began slowly crawling up the stone pathway on all fours in the direction he saw the butterfly disappear, one limb at a time. His body protested the sudden exertion, but he kept going, holding onto the faint sense of determination he now had.
The sound of water trickling overhead reached his ears as he crawled. It reminded him of a thirst he didn't know he had until now. He had been asleep for so long, he reasoned, it was only natural that he'd be both thirsty and hungry by now. For some reason, however, he didn't feel the pain associated with either.
The pathway ahead eventually rose up at an incline, becoming too steep to remain sprawled out on the floor and he was forced to continue on foot. It took effort, but the young man lifted himself up, using the wall to his left as a support. His footsteps slapped loudly against the stone floor as he stumbled forward, his body not knowing how to keep itself balanced yet. On top of that, his head was still throbbing.
He let out a loud sigh and pushed a long bang of blue hair to the side as he looked around. Even with his long-term memories a blur, he figured he should at least know something about where he was, and why he was stranded here, naked and without supplies.
Had he been abandoned and left to die?
No… his body was completely unharmed, with not a scratch on his peach-coloured skin.
Had he been separated from a larger group of people?
Possibly, but it still felt unlikely.
Was he even alive to begin with? Was this the afterlife? He didn't remember dying, but this otherworldly environment was concerning. But it also didn't feel like heaven or hell…
Was that butterfly actually an angel guiding him to his ultimate destination?
These, and many other thoughts, distracted him as he walked.
The scenery around him changed over time, with rough and stone-ridden cliffsides smoothing out and adopting a wooden surface as he went further in. It eased his mind slightly to now know that he was in a location that had seen human involvement at one point. Possibly an old, abandoned tomb of some sort. If he kept walking, he would eventually find an exit leading back to civilization…
A ghost of a smile crept up his face in between his deep breaths at the thought. He wouldn't be roaming the cliffsides forever…!
The relief was short-lived, as he soon walked into a large open room, and was greeted by a large series of corridors springing up in multiple directions. Gone was the lived-in environment he was just in, and in its place, he saw surreal structures warping in on themselves in ways that defied all physics. The surface he once considered a floor ran up along the wall, large and uncanny carvings of human faces were embedded into the ceiling, and giant rock structures jutted out everywhere at random. Even more bizarre, the only light that enveloped the room was purple, akin to a poisonous mist.
The sight made him flinch in surprise. He cocked his head back towards the mountainside to make sure this all wasn't a hallucination. He confirmed that it wasn't… But was this really the right way to go? He didn't know if there was another option; he had been funnelled into this weird place and his only lead, the butterfly, had gone this way, as well.
Quietly groaning in discomfort, he reached out with one foot, stepping onto the smooth surface. His other foot followed, with him holding his breath as his body entered the potentially toxic fumes. He stood in place for a few seconds, unsure if it was safe to breathe. To his relief, nothing bad occurred. He could feel oxygen entering his lungs, and the carbon dioxide being released on every exhale. Everything was safe for now…
Steeling his nerves, the young human entered the labyrinth at a steady pace, letting the sound of his heartbeat remind him that he was alive and well. He was mentally prepared for the worst, but the tomb itself wasn't out to get him at least.
He opted to take the left-most path. His hesitation earlier had caused him to completely lose track of the butterfly, so now he had to explore on his own. If he chose wrong, he reasoned, he could always turn around and try again.
The way ahead made no logical sense. He walked down long corridors that took three lefts to make a right, walked up stairs that rose a metre off the ground before dropping back down moments later, and entered multiple small and empty rooms that were connected by the corners. At the very least, it was easy for him to keep track of everything.
It didn't take long to find something new along the long path, however. After climbing a set of stairs that led to another floor, he stepped into a room ever so slightly larger than the ones below. There, he saw a small black mass sitting on the ground. At first, he dismissed it as a shadow being cast down from one of the ceiling decorations, but he stopped when he saw it move.
The creature in front of him was small, gelatinous and had no features of note other than a pair of arm-like limbs, and a small pale-blue mask where its head should be. It emanated a murky purple aura that gave it a distinct presence, but when taken together, it didn't appear threatening.
Instinctively, the young man reached down to his left hip but froze when his hand touched bare skin instead of a potential tool or weapon that could help.
'Just now… Why did I do that?' he thought.
He didn't have the chance to ponder the odd muscle memory for long. The monster must have heard him and turned around to face the human. It didn't wait for him to regain his bearings, and charged into his idle form.
The attack was weak, but in his unguarded state, it was enough to knock him to the ground. He crashed onto the smooth floor and let out a pained cry, unknowingly alerting more monsters that were resting nearby of his presence. The one that just attacked capitalized on his vulnerable state and charged again.
Instincts took over once again, and he swung his arm out in a motion similar to swinging a sword. But with no actual weapon in hand, his bare fist struck the monster instead. The improvised punch did nothing, as if he had hit an iron wall.
His eyes widened in shock. This didn't make any sense… The monster looked like it was made of jelly! It should have at the very least reacted just now.
Looking around, he saw more masked creatures crawling over to him. Even if they didn't have visible eyes, he could see the killing intent they all had.
It suddenly dawned on the human just how at a disadvantage he was. These creatures, while unremarkable in appearance, would kill him at this rate! The only viable option he had now was to run.
The first monster lunged again. He barely saw the attack coming and was able to roll out of the way. Scrambling back to his feet, he tore off back down the path he came from, away from the masked creatures. He didn't care if he left the labyrinth altogether as long as he got away.
It took a few minutes for his frantic sprint to slow down. His hands fell to his knees as he panted for air, his hoarse throat causing him to cough in an uncontrollable fit. Saliva and mucus burst from his mouth, dripping down onto his leg.
'I can't do this…' he choked, 'It's too dangerous… I have to go back.'
Rising back up with the intent to return to the peaceful river, he was met with a surprise. The stone walkway was no more and his path was barricaded. He was facing a figurative and very literal wall.
'What…!?' he stumbled back in shock, 'I… came through here. I know I did!'
He frantically turned his head around again, desperately hoping to find any sign of nature, but this time, he was surrounded by the creepy and otherworldly scenery he had been trapped in for the past ten minutes.
His heart sank in realization. He truly only had one direction to take, and taking that path would result in him being funnelled into the monsters' nest. A shiver ran up his spine and his stomach felt heavy at the thought.
He whispered a quick prayer for protection and courage but he still found himself unable to move. His legs felt heavy like lead and he was nowhere near as confident anymore.
'…I can't. Not like this.'
Staring down at his hand, he was reminded of his actions before. For whatever reason, his instincts kicked in to defend himself when the monster attacked. His body was ready to fight, but with the odds against him like that, he couldn't act on that feeling and was forced to run.
'Maybe…?'
It wasn't an unreasonable idea. The cave had been explored by humans at one point. It was possible that they left something behind.
Something he could use.
Standing up and facing the purple hallway once more, he made up his mind.
'Let's give it a try…'
He hugged the wall and hid in the shadows, out of sight. With the grace of a cat, he darted between the stalagmites making as little noise as possible. His movements were so quick and precise, he became a blur as he "teleported" from one hiding spot to the next.
He took a deep breath, trying to stay calm and focused. He needed to find a way out, and fast. He moved forward, with his senses on high alert. Stealth was less of an option and more of a tool. He could avoid conflict for now, but fighting was an inevitability in this ever-evolving world. From what he gathered, the monsters were immune to regular attacks and he needed a special means to damage them at all.
Sticking to the outer walls of the room, he carefully avoided every enemy on the floor while searching for either an exit or something useful. It felt oddly familiar doing this. Even beyond the muscle memory, his sharp instincts were able to help guide him along in this dangerous place. And the longer he spent down there, the more his eyes adjusted to the darkness. By now, he had no trouble gauging his surroundings anymore.
Suddenly, from the corner of his eye, he saw something stand out in the darkness. A lone chest sitting on the floor.
He raised an eyebrow at the sight. Thematically, it didn't feel out of place to find a treasure chest in an underground cave like this, but this wasn't a video game. As far as he knew, nobody actually left these things lying around for wandering travellers to find, in real life.
Approaching it with caution, he was surprised to find that it wasn't locked. Opening the lid, he saw a leather grip of what he assumed to be a sword. Now feeling slightly relieved to have found an actual weapon, he reached inside to pick it up.
The grip was long and thick. A two-handed sword, most likely…
He hadn't lifted the blade an inch out of the case when he had to stop and see just what it was he was holding.
While part of him knew that larger-than-normal weapons could theoretically be forged, the broadsword in his hands was simply massive. It was effectively a giant slab of steel with one side sharpened enough that it could cut. The blade alone looked to be as long as he was tall! There was no conceivable way any human could lift it, much less use it in combat!
…Yet here he was, holding it in his hands without any issue.
He tried swinging it in front of him to test its effectiveness. To his surprise, he felt a strong rush of wind burst out as the steel sliced through the wooden chest, destroying it effortlessly.
This wasn't a cheap prop… The sword was that heavy. How he was able to wield the oversized weapon with minimal effort and without doubling over from an irregular centre of mass, he couldn't understand. What's more, the technique he applied when striking the chest was perfect. It was a level of precision that proficient sword masters could only dream of achieving.
'…I did that!?' he thought in shock with the sword still in his hands. He looked down at the weapon in awe. '…I need to see just how good I am with this thing.'
For the next few minutes, he sparred against an invisible opponent in front of himself, practicing his swordplay with his newly acquired weapon. His movements were all swift and accurate, as if he had plenty of experience with swords.
'It wouldn't be my first choice…'
He gave the sword one final swing, sending a powerful shockwave ahead, kicking up dirt and debris around him. The look in his eyes was now calm and focused. He was ready to continue exploring the labyrinth, even if he had to fight.
'…but this will prove useful.'
He then lowered the weapon to his side and walked out of the room.
Just like before, the entire layout of the floor was different from what he remembered when he returned. But he was mentally ready for that this time. Fortunately, this new arrangement also resulted in fewer monsters roaming about, giving him ample opportunity to take them out one at a time.
Without making noise, he crept up to the first slime creature he saw as slowly as he felt he could, getting close enough that he could reach out and poke it. Swinging the broadsword overhead, he was able to land a blow against the monster. Unlike before, it recoiled in pain from his attack, flailing its arms into the air before disintegrating before his eyes—vanishing into the air like smoke from a flame.
The human stood in place for a moment, closing his eyes and letting the feeling sink in. The monsters weren't invincible like he once thought, and he was strong enough to defeat them. He must have faced these creatures before, he reasoned. There was no other explanation for how he could be so comfortable with an endeavour like this…
Mentally deciding that the best course of action would be to clear out the rest of the floor of enemies before moving on, he opened his eyes, ready to continue fighting. But when he did, he was met with yet another unexpected sight.
The world around him was now blue and featureless. Looking down, his feet were still planted on the floor, but he could see past them as if he were standing on glass. Above him, he could make out what appeared to be… tarot cards hovering in place. Though instead of the traditional twelve arcana drawings, the faces on each card had markings depicting different objects ranging from swords, olive branches, or even gold coins.
He only got to look at each card for a few seconds before they turned over and began to shuffle before his eyes. The "vision" went on indefinitely, as if he was meant to interact with the floating cards and they were waiting for him to make a decision.
He looked down at his right hand, flexing it briefly to verify if he was still conscious, before finally reaching out to the floating cards. He didn't have a specific one in mind when he pulled one out, he hadn't been keeping track of them ever since they started to shuffle, so he didn't know what to expect when he saw the single red sword staring back at him.
No sooner had he selected the card that the vision ended, and he found himself back inside the dark labyrinth, exactly where he had been after fighting the monster. And instead of a card in his hand, he was holding a small, sheathed katana.
The blade didn't look like traditional steel. Its surface was almost translucent, akin to glass, with the faintest shimmer of blue behind it. He was unsure of the overall quality of the weapon, especially when compared to the broadsword he was still carrying, but the added options he was slowly getting felt reassuring.
.
.
.
"Those weapons, while not much on their own, should be able to damage the Shadows. Treat them with care."
.
.
.
His eyes widened in shock.
It wasn't those otherworldly voices talking to him this time. This felt more like a repressed memory coming back to him. He stopped everything and desperately tried searching his mind to see if he could remember what it all meant.
The voice belonged to a female. A young adult, possibly in her early twenties. Seventeen at the absolute earliest. She spoke in an incredibly mature and professional tone, but her voice had an odd quality, like she was talking to him in the back of his head. Almost like telepathy.
Try as he did, the young man couldn't remember anything beyond that. Looking around, he confirmed that he was still alone. No monsters. No other humans. Just him and the eerie silence of the dungeon.
'Shadows… That's the name of those monsters I faced just now, I suppose.' he thought to himself, taking in the information he was given, before leaving. From what he understood, the woman was giving battle advice to who he assumed to be himself from an earlier point in his life. A navigator of sorts. This also confirmed to him that he had fought the Shadows before. That also would explain the "phantom memory" that was his proficiency with swords. His soul remembered how to fight more than his body did. But that still left the question of what he had gotten himself into.
'I hope I get answers soon.'
Gradually, he was able to clear out the remaining monsters. All of them were weak enough to be taken out with his swords alone, but some needed additional effort to put down. There were times when, after a flurry of strikes, the Shadow got knocked over, and he was able to follow up with additional attacks before they could move. The surge of adrenaline whenever this happened felt like time had frozen for the faintest of moments just for him.
He had just finished parrying another attack from a larger, bipedal Shadow when he saw something reflecting off of his blade's steel. Whatever it was, he clearly saw a flash of red coming off of something behind him. Finishing off his foe quickly, he directed his attention to the unknown intruder.
Nothing was at the other side of the room, so he could rule out an ambush. But this new Shadow seemed to be actively pursuing him rather than waiting for him to approach first.
The faint sounds of movement were growing closer… Looking down the hallway he had just come from, he finally saw the tall figure cloaked in a red aura that was coming for him. It was nearly three times his height, wearing a long, torn black coat and wielding two comically long revolvers.
Acting fast, the human ducked behind a large stalagmite and held his breath, hoping the Shadow would lose sight of him.
'What… is that thing!?' he asked as it passed by. The monster hadn't made eye contact with his hiding spot, but its movements weren't random. It knew that he was nearby.
Suddenly, another memory resurfaced. Now he knew what to expect, he didn't freeze in place. Looking around he could also see the ghostly white kanji floating by him as the memories in his head played in his head, as if they were relaying a transcript for him. In addition to the young female, he heard a male voice this time as well.
.
.
.
"I feel a strong presence. It must be Death!"
"So… what? Did something die in here recently?"
"No. Death as in the Reaper! It's following you! Can you hear the sound of rattling chains?"
"Now that you mention it.…"
"You must have stayed on this floor for too long… If you see an unusually large Shadow, do NOT engage it! Leave it alone, and run!"
.
.
.
The Reaper… A monster leagues more powerful than the Shadows he had faced so far.
As much as he didn't want to admit it, he was nervous. Nothing he had seen so far had made him feel this anxious. It was taking a lot of willpower to not run away right now.
He carefully moved around to the other side of the rock and took a step out into the open. The sound of rattling chains from behind conveyed the Shadow's movement to him. It was moving alongside him and responding to whatever he did.
His nerves were running fast, and his mind was telling him to run and that he'd find somewhere safe to rest later. But the rest of his body refused to move. The hairs on his arms stood up straight as a cold shiver ran up his spine and a warm sweat trickled down his forehead.
Mustering up more courage, he took another step, but this time, he didn't hear the chains.
Any natural sound from within the underground tomb fell on deaf ears. The slow trickling of water, the draft running through the open passageway. He heard nothing.
Turning around, his biggest fear came true… The Reaper was looking directly at him.
He couldn't even blink before it closed in on him, and he was staring down the barrel of one of its revolvers…
*BANG!*
The impact from the shot launched him back several metres. Nothing he had endured up until this point compared to the pain he felt now. It was a miracle that he hadn't died on the spot!
Laying on the ground, the young human raised his head to look the supernatural being in the face. His vision was unsteady and he could audibly hear his heartbeat pounding out of control.
This was an opponent he had no hope of beating. An entity that existed only to kill. But he was in for another surprise as it took aim again. This time, when the trigger was pulled, something else left the weapon's barrel. He could faintly make out a bright light, a spark of yellow, and a loud cracking sound.
"...Lightning!?" he yelped in shock.
It had never occurred to him that, in this maze of supernatural oddities, magic would be something he'd have to contest with. Yet, he just saw the large Shadow in front of him cast electricity. And as he found out, it was very effective against someone like him.
"AAAHHHRRGHHH!"
His cries of pain bounced off the walls, echoing down the hallways. The dangerous element overpowered his senses, bringing him close to his limits and preventing him from moving or fighting back. Despite everything working against him, however… he still had to stand up. He wasn't ready to die yet…!
'I… won't—'
The Reaper brought both firearms forward again. At speeds anyone would have considered impossible, he fired more bursts of energy at the vulnerable human, severely damaging not just him but the floor he was standing on.
The stone surface beneath him began to crack, but he was in too much pain to jump to safety, and he got dragged in with the crumbling floor, plummeting into the abyss below.
"No!" he coughed.
Acting quickly, he pulled out his colossal broadsword and rammed it into the stone wall, stopping his descent.
Rock debris tumbled down an unknown distance below as he held on for his life with one hand. Beaten and bruised while covered in dirt, it didn't feel like there was any way out this time. There was no conceivable way to come back from this.
Closing his eyes, he mentally prepared himself for the inevitable. Letting fate decide how he would die…
.
.
.
"Don't Give Up, Young Human."
…What?
"This Isn't Where Your Journey Ends."
Hesitantly opening his eyes again, he saw a familiar sight in front of him.
The butterfly from before, resting on his nose.
"You…?"
Reacting to his voice, the butterfly got up and flew onto his forehead. Or rather, it flew into his head in a small burst of magic, unlocking a pivotal memory of his past.
He found himself outside on the rooftop of a school. It was currently snowing with faint signs of it slowing down; his own body heat was enough to melt the existing snow by his feet. Around him was a group of people who all appeared to be in high school or younger, just like him. They all had relieved expressions on their faces and were looking in his direction. Something had apparently happened moments before, but the conflict had been resolved now, and the group of friends were enjoying a rare moment together.
A boy his age suddenly leaned close, resting an arm on his shoulder, making a quirky remark at how close he and a certain blond-haired girl were standing together. The comment didn't offend him, but the sudden, unannounced physical contact definitely did.
"Personal space…!" he droned out as if it were a catchphrase.
"Come ON, Makoto! Quit saying that!" the other boy huffed.
"Personal spaaace…"
"It's always 'personal space' with you! What? You want me to get closer~?"
Everyone present laughed at their antics. It then hit him… He just called him "Makoto".
That was his name. He remembered that now. He remembered them!
A year's worth of lost memories suddenly fell into place. Everything from the day he transferred back home in the middle of his high school life, to now. This was the last chance he and his friends got to spend together before the most important day of their lives…
He was so caught up in his recollection that he didn't notice that an entirely new conversation had started without him.
"Not just moments like this." the eldest boy in the group said, "We'll most likely forget meeting altogether."
Everyone solemnly began adding their own comments.
"All the time we spent together…"
"We're going to forget everything in a few months, huh?"
Their words all burred together, with each of them expressing disappointment that they would be parting ways soon.
"We won't forget." Makoto suddenly spoke up. "No matter how much time passes, I won't forget you all!"
They all lifted their heads at his proclamation. It wasn't like him to be so bold like that, but hearing their leader sound this confident was all the reassurance they needed.
At some point as the group was talking, the sky had stopped its steady downfall and the clouds had parted, giving way to a warm ray of sunlight that illuminated the quiet city.
The depressing mood had improved greatly. Together, despite each of them leading very different lives and having different barriers to overcome, they forged a bond that not even the end of the world would sever. The fact they were all still standing together was proof that they could overcome this last ordeal. Just like they always did.
And so, with smiles on their faces and courage in their hearts, they walked off together one last time. Preparing themselves for the final battle.
"Let's promise… No matter what happens… We're all going to meet again someday."
.
.
.
"No matter what."
'…I remember now.'
Makoto brought his other hand up and grabbed the oversized handle of his weapon. He swung back and forth using the centripetal momentum to launch himself up and land cleanly on the flat side of the sword, using it as a makeshift platform. Looking up, he saw that he had fallen a substantial distance into the pit, but there was still a possibility of escaping.
Leaning down and tensing the muscles in his legs, he took a massive leap upwards, clearing several stories worth of height. Right as he reached the apex of that jump, he leaned over and let his foot tap the wall again, pushing off of it and continuing his ascent, repeating the motion again moments later. To anyone watching, he was practically running up the wall as it crumbled beneath him.
At last, he saw the light above him that signalled he was almost free. As he emerged from the opening in the floor in one last leap, he scanned the area around him. Many Shadows of all shapes and sizes had gathered near the large cavity. Some had fully developed legs, others had wings, but they all seemed capable of fighting.
Makoto's dramatic entrance concluded with him landing in the centre of the mob, a cloud of dust springing up as he touched down, drawing aggro from all the monsters. His gaze panned over the ones within striking distance, already knowing who was most likely to act first.
Drawing his katana out of its sheath, he blocked the incoming punch aimed at his head. The large shadow shuttered in pain as its fist became embedded into the blade. In one fluid movement, Makoto swung the sword in a large arc, slicing through not only that Shadow, but the surrounding group as well. A blue trail glistened off of the tip of the blade, expanding outward in a sonic boom that forced everyone back and gave him room.
Every enemy that survived froze in disbelief at the human's sudden and inexplicable combat proficiency. The Reaper, conversely, got ready to cast another Ziodyne spell, now knowing that the human was weak to electricity.
Makoto knew he had to change his approach soon. He couldn't take them all out with just a sword…
'It's time…' he thought deeply.
He may not have the right tools on hand for it, but he had one last surprise that he could use to fight back.
Makoto glared at the Shadows surrounding him. He could sense the electrical energy building up around him, but he wasn't scared anymore.
Dodging out of the way just as it was about to hit him, he summoned a magical power of his own, ready to turn the tables around.
"Come forth…"
.
.
.
"PERSONA!"
A powerful blue aura enveloped the young human, bathing the entire labyrinth in its light. Any Shadow unfortunate to be standing close to him was killed by the massive surge of power. The Reaper was undeterred and continued its assault, firing another pinpointed shot at him. The energy bullet didn't make it the full distance between them before Makoto saw it coming and held his hand out. Not to catch it, but to draw something out that would absorb the impact for him.
"I am thou. Thou art I.
I have reemerged from the depths of thy soul."
The aura began solidifying in front of him. From that light, an armoured figure with a visage identical to Makoto's own emerged, the blast from the revolver safely caught in its similarly outstretched hand. It clenched its fist tightly, negating the threat before continuing its proclamation.
"We shall conduct our symphony of courage and unwavering wills together once again.
I am the Master of Strings…
…Orpheus!"
The light died down, and his other self finished materializing. At five metres tall, Orpheus towered over the lesser Shadows. His body was mostly mechanical, with thick metal plating covering most of his body, safe for his dark grey face. A red scarf wrapped around his neck, flowing majestically through the air, creating a striking image alongside the large lyre he had strapped to his back.
The remaining Shadows, struck by fear, turned around to flee.
'No, you don't.'
Makoto mentally gave the command, and Orpheus let out an inhuman scream, magically summoning an inferno around them that finished off any survivors, leaving him alone with the real threat.
He had encountered the Reaper many times before. The voices from the flashback were not wrong in telling him to run away. It always roamed throughout labyrinths like this one as a constant reminder of his and his friends' mortality. No matter how powerful he grew on his journey, he wasn't invincible. Once the Reaper had its sight on you, there were very few means of escape. He felt more confident now with his Persona by his side, but Orpheus's attacks wouldn't be enough. Or at least, he'd tire himself out before the monster was defeated.
Expertly dodging out of the way of the gunfire while casting smaller fire spells to give himself more time, Makoto got to work thinking of a plan of attack.
'I have taken it out a few times but I had backup at the time. The only time I've done this by myself was–' The large Shadow had got lucky and struck Orpheus with a flurry of weak attacks. The mental link between human and Persona caused Makoto to double over in pain as well.
There was no time to hesitate! Plus, if this worked, he'd end everything in a single strike.
'It's worth attempting…!'
Calling Orpheus back to his side, Makoto prepared one final spell that would use his remaining mana. The Persona's red eyes glowed a purplish white as multiple orbs of ethereal energy of the same colour materialized in the sky, hovering over the battlefield. This was the most powerful attack he had right now; a magical skill passed down to him by a dear friend…
The purple vortex expanded in size before imploding in a burst of almighty magic that enveloped the monster and expanded outwards. Makoto stood unflinching during this, staring ahead with his remaining weapon at the ready in case it hadn't been enough. When the energy cleared seconds later, nothing was left in its wake.
He was alone now. The magical explosion even destroyed most of the remaining floor in front of him.
Makoto fell to the ground in awe and exhaustion as Orpheus disappeared, retreating into the human's subconscious. Taking deep breaths, he peered down the massive hole to see the extent of the attack he unleashed. Megidoloan was one of the most physically demanding skills conceivable, but the results more than spoke for themselves!
The reprise was short-lived and he got back up moments later, knowing that even if he took care of it now, the Reaper would still come back to hunt him down if he was careless. It was impossible to kill a being that represented an eternal concept such as death itself… Something he had been made painfully aware of in the past.
Picking up his katana, Makoto started climbing out of the destroyed cavern, his mind still deep in thought.
The mystery was finally over. He remembered everything now.
His full name was Makoto Yuki, a Japanese adult born in 1992. Just as he had surmised earlier before his memory had returned, this wasn't his first encounter with the supernatural. It was 2009, his sophomore year in high school, when his life was changed forever. One fateful day… when one of the friends he had grown to trust was about to be killed in front of him, he faced death in the eye, and summoned his inner self; he awakened his Persona. What followed from then was a year-long journey that changed his life for the better.
But that was the past… He died a long time ago, and his soul should have returned to the Collective Unconcious.
His knowledge of the realm was limited, having never explored it directly. Theories about the human psyche had existed for millennia before he had even been born. From what he knew, the reality humans live in was kept in balance by the Sea of Souls. And in turn, the way everyone chooses to perceive their reality affects the sea. It was a symbiotic relationship that never stayed constant.
Makoto himself actually had a more direct connection to the Collective Unconcious than most people. When a person first awakens their Persona, the scope of their mind expands enough to see into the other realm, allowing them to form a connection with their inner self. For him, however, there were fewer boundaries holding him back. While he had Orpheus, he was unique in that he possessed the ability to welcome other Personas into his heart and use their powers as his own, effectively giving him limitless potential on a spiritual level. This unique trait of his was what was known as the power of the "Wild Card".
This, as well as his innate battle prowess, was what led to him becoming the leader of his team back in the day. There were others more knowledgeable and experienced than him, but they all needed someone they could rely on in the heat of battle when any one mistake could be their last.
Which brought him to the situation at hand. For whatever reason, he was alive again, and in his 18-year-old body. If not for the fact that his Wild Card powers from before appeared to be suppressed, effectively making him have to start over from the beginning, it was as if he was continuing from where his last battle left off.
His gaze turned to the "sky" above. To anyone else, it was a beautiful starry night, but Makoto knew just what those stars were. The souls of the living and dead.
All life starts within the sea and returns to it eventually. An infinite number of human wills rested in the Collective Unconcious, as made evident by the sheer volume of stars floating all around him.
The sight gave him pause.
It was possible he actually wasn't alive right now. Regardless of whatever those god-like entities from before had done with him, he most likely couldn't be considered "alive" until he set foot in the real world.
'But… why me?' he thought to himself as he reached the top of another cliff. While he wasn't ungrateful, the context surrounding his life and eventual death were complicated. What's more, he left without regrets, having already fulfilled the promise to his friends. What reason could there be for him, specifically, to be brought back…?
Moving around another corner, he found himself in a secluded corridor. The environment on this next level was very damp, and his feet audibly splashed up water as he walked. Looking around, he could see more old chests lying around on the floor, along with dozens of deceased bodies. Surprisingly, they hadn't started to decay, but this made sense to Makoto.
Time didn't flow in the traditional sense within this realm. These bodies would likely remain this way for all of eternity, or at least until this catacombs-inspired setting vanished. It was likely that none of them were alive at any point, and they were only cognitive beings that manifested based on how he, himself, would envision an underground tomb to be.
Just setpieces at the end of the day.
Looking around, he could see that the corpses were all wearing clothing that wouldn't be too out of place in a western fantasy novel or a Japanese role-playing game. Leather and steel armours, colourful belted garments, and even some that resembled more modern clothing but from different cultures than his own. Though strangely, many of the bodies littered about he swore weren't human. There was something about their proportions that felt… wrong to him.
Being in a safe enclosure where he had a moment to think, he was reminded of how vulnerable he currently was. He had managed to obtain two weapons, one of which he had to abandon, but he was still completely naked. While this didn't cause him any immediate embarrassment (survival, in general, was a more pressing concern for him than public decency), it was a problem that he needed to correct.
He slowly got to work, looking through any unlocked chest he could find and inspecting the plethora of bodies for anything he could take. Unfortunately, in most instances, the clothing and armour he found was something that either wouldn't fit him or was too complex for him to disassemble, and he didn't have the time to waste learning how.
In the end, his search for something to fully clothe himself with proved fruitless. And knowing that the Shadows nearby would find him if he stayed put any longer, he needed to improvise.
He picked up the only clothes that fit him decently, a pair of short-legged black pants with brown accents, and pulled them over his waist.
'For now…' He told himself, still disappointed that this was all he could find. The pants were comfortable, even without underwear, but he desperately hoped he wouldn't have to do this for long.
In addition to the pants, Makoto took a couple of shoulder straps and belts from the dead corpses to help carry his small arsenal and supplies. He now had his katana fastened to his back and a large leather pouch on the side of his waist. Most of the chests he looted also contained various items and treasure that he took for himself, tucking whatever he could into the pouch.
He was about to walk away when he considered what would happen when he did escape. He didn't have to worry about suffocation or hypothermia at the moment, but that would change once he was back in the real world. He didn't know where he would find himself when he returned, but what he had on now might not be enough to protect him from Mother Nature's wrath.
Deciding that it was in his best interests, Makoto walked over to one of the larger bodies from earlier and removed the dark blue, hooded cloak from its body and draped it over his shoulders. The cloak, as expected, completely enveloped his body down to his lower calves, whereas it only ended by the waist of its previous wearer. But he chose to ignore that detail and re-fastened the leather shoulder strap holding his current weapon. He then left the 'Safe Room' as he decided to call it, and continued onto the next floor.
The hours passed, and Makoto found himself impressed at how far he was able to make it on his own. He was working without any teammates or proper navigational support, yet had already cleared dozens of floors without prolonged breaks. That was something he couldn't have accomplished in the past when he was still learning. Unless there were more memories that hadn't returned to him yet that proved otherwise. The Sea of Souls was unpredictable. Even for someone experienced like him.
As he kept going, fewer enemies stood against him. Most Shadows by this point knew better than to stand in his way and ran away in fear at his strength. The purple mist had also cleared, leaving the higher floors in darkness once again. It all pointed to him finally reaching the end of the labyrinth.
The final room before the end was covered in clusters of gems of multiple colours. A comforting sight to see after everything. Oddly, they seemed to glow brightly at his presence as he walked by…
He paid them no mind.
'This is it…' Makoto stood in front of a large boulder blocking what looked like an entrance to a cave.
Reaching into the pouch on his waist, he pulled out a vial of healing medicine and gulped it down. Some of the wounds he had accumulated had healed and his mind cleared as some stamina returned to him. He had actively avoided summoning his Persona after using that Almighty spell on the Reaper to save energy, but he'd need Orpheus' strength ahead.
Tossing the vial aside, he walked up to the rock. The room seemed to respond to his presence and the boulder miraculously moved out of the way without him needing to do anything, letting him pass. Makoto flicked his bangs to the side one last time, drew his sword, and entered the cave.
It was pitch black inside; he couldn't even see the stars above him anymore. His eyes slowly began to adjust, but he found himself having to drag his sword against the ground as an improvised walking stick so that he didn't trip over anything.
It was then that he saw it.
In the centre of the cave, there was a tall, bipedal dragon restrained by chains and emanating a dark aura that made Makoto weary. It looked bruised and exhausted, panting heavily and looking back and forth frantically as if searching for its prey. In its hands was a long weapon that he assumed was either a dagger or some sort of glaive.
'So… this dragon is the 'guardian' of this area? I can't leave unless I defeat it?'
Makoto narrowed his gaze. Fighting this dragon wouldn't be an easy task, especially since it appeared saner and more in control of its thoughts than the other monsters he had faced. He wondered if this was the danger those otherworldly voices were warning him about, but part of him doubted that theory, as the blue butterfly guided him in this direction.
Makoto stepped forward, not bothering to sneak up on the dragon. Any advantage he got from getting the first strike against an opponent of this size and power would be minuscule and he knew better than to waste time when he was already tired. He was a couple of paces away before the dragon turned around and pointed his own weapon at the human. Makoto didn't flinch at the action, only letting his eyes meet the beast's without showing signs of fear. He had faced worse opponents, both with and without teammates.
They stared at each other for a full minute, sizing each other up. Both appeared weak and exhausted, but willing to fight to the end. Finally, Makoto raised his sword and returned the initial gesture, his passive gaze growing serious again. The muscles in his legs tensed in anticipation of springing forward and attacking the dragon, but before anything could happen, he saw something unexpected. He wanted to dismiss it as the dragon's hazy black aura messing with his vision, but for the briefest of instances, he saw someone else standing in its place.
A human-like figure in a red and black trenchcoat with white gloves and pants. Multiple thick chains circled their shoulders, connecting to a series of coffins that acted as a pair of wings, and a white, reptile-like mask covered their featureless face.
'Thanatos…?'
Blinking his eyes, Makoto found himself staring at the dragon again, and not the Persona he summoned once in the past.
Pushing any feelings of hesitation aside, he spoke up, not caring if talking still hurt his throat.
"I'm ready for you."
He darted forward, practically hovering over the ground, and swung his sword. It was effortlessly blocked, and the dragon began its own assault.
It performed three quick swings that kept the human at a distance and lined him up perfectly for a powerful thrust that flung him back against the cave wall. Makoto didn't hit the floor before the dragon stretched its arm out and channelled an element. The already dark room was engulfed in a black shadow as it cast a heavy Eigaon spell on the human.
Makoto yelled out in pain as the Darkness element wracked his body. Not only was the attack powerful, but along with Electricity, this was one of the two elements he was weak to, making it hurt all the more.
He fell face down to the floor, completely vulnerable. The dragon saw this and, for the first time, moved from his initial spot and charged at the human, breaking out of its binds.
Just as the glaive was about to puncture his head, it clanked against something else. A confused grunt escaped the dragon's throat as it looked down. Its weapon was now caught in between the strings of an equally large lyre.
"You aren't fighting just me…!"
Lifting its head up, the dragon found itself face to face with an armoured figure with red eyes. Orpheus roared in fury, bringing a knee up into the dragon's stomach, landing a punch to its jaw, and smacking the instrument in his hands into the beast's skull, causing it to retreat.
The dragon stumbled in place briefly, shocked that a new contender of sorts had joined the fight, and even more surprised at how similar the ghostly figure resembled the human. Looking ahead, it saw Makoto cloaked in a brilliant blue aura, the same aura emanating from the Persona protecting him. It didn't take long for the dragon to put the pieces together.
Thoroughly livid, the dragon bared his teeth at the human, who was now standing upright, while the supernatural being hovering above him magically healed his fresh wounds with a simple strum of its lyre.
'All right… Let's see what you got.'
Despite it not being as powerful of a weapon as the broadsword, Makoto was able to move much more nimbly with his katana, making it easier to close the gap between them. But he wasn't in control of the fight just yet.
The dragon was a force of nature, with its unrelenting attacks. Makoto found himself having to multitask dodging out of the way while reading what felt like a dozen incoming strikes in advance. The fact that he was fighting a creature that specialized in Darkness spells only made things worse, as he kept getting stunned by carefully executed curses, which the dragon took full advantage of.
Makoto eventually decided that it would be better to block the strikes instead of dodging, thinking that the impact from their weapons connecting would cause the dragon to stagger, and he could use the opening that created along with his smaller size to land some hits.
'This one's different from the others…' he thought.
He could tell a lot about his opponent from the way they fought. This wasn't some mindless animal swinging a sword around. The dragon wasn't a Shadow. It was just like him, someone with free will and who had plenty of life experience. The hours he had been wandering through the caverns were also beginning to catch up to Makoto. While his stamina was beyond superhuman, he still had limits.
The fight continued in the dragon's favour. Makoto couldn't even focus long enough to give any commands to Orpheus and was forced on the defensive. With every blow, his footing began to falter, and he was being forced back. Eventually, he stopped attacking altogether, as his sights were blinded by the steel of his opponent's blade.
Everything happened in what felt like a nanosecond, with his mind desperate to keep up.
A strike at his head… He dodged it.
A thrust at his chest… He lost his balance and fell onto his back.
A stab at his heart…!
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The attack was stopped.
A familiar armoured hand reached out and caught the glaive before it could draw blood. His Persona took the impact of the blow, crying out in pain before its existence shattered like glass. The blade kept descending, but its course had been altered. Makoto saw this and darted forward, slipping underneath the glaive, through the reptile's legs, and emerging on the other side.
'There's no stopping now!'
Makoto let out a loud scream, no longer caring about his weak vocal cords, and lept up with his katana aimed at the dragon's back, intending to finally end this scuffle. The dragon didn't react in time and felt the katana strike its back.
…The blade met resistance from the armoured scales on its body.
Fear began to creep in for the young man. This was his last attempt! If the dragon got another chance to attack, he wouldn't survive…!
Makoto gripped the sword tighter, putting more force into the stab. Miraculously, it eventually pierced the dragon's hide!
But it didn't hurt it…!?
Looking up, a pair of red eyes glared down at him in rage.
Makoto's jaw dropped as he let go of his weapon as gravity slowly pulled him to the ground.
The long glaive was pointed at his heart again in the blink of an eye.
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Human skin was far less durable than a dragon's scales.
His gaze fell from the dragon's threatening expression, down his arm, all the way down the blade… half of which disappeared into his chest. No blood burst out of the wound, and he didn't feel the pain he expected to, but he knew what this meant.
After everything he had achieved in the past few hours… he failed.
He was dying.
Makoto's breath fell short as he stared ahead. The dragon didn't celebrate its victory, and kept that same cold expression on its face…
Cold…
Ice…
Weak… to… fire…
That's right… There was one more thing he had prepared.
From the corner of his failing vision, he could make out that blue light that was beginning to fade. Even in defeat, Makoto's will did not want to give up. He never did…!
Using the last of his strength, he called out to his other self, giving one last order.
"A…gi…dyne…"
His eyes fell shut before he could see the massive explosion engulfing the dragon. He didn't hear its painful cries, either. It no longer mattered.
He silently felt proud of all he was able to accomplish. Several hours in this dangerous place with less than no preparation or time to rest, and he almost made it out on his own. Had his friends been at his side, or his powers been fully restored, there was a chance that things could have ended differently…
Now there was nothing left for him to do.
It was over. He had failed to escape the Collective Unconcious.
While he had regrets, he felt at peace knowing that it was finally over.
'Maybe this time, I'll go properly…" he thought solemnly, "Maybe… I'll get to see everyone again…"
Like a string being pulled past its breaking point, the fabric of the reality around the human and dragon collapsed. The entire underground labyrinth shattered into nothingness, leaving them both floating in the outer space-like oblivion that was the Sea of Souls. Without a floor beneath them anymore, the pair descended into the void as they passed out.
The dragon screamed in pain until its last moments, but Makoto was too tired for that by now.
Before the darkness took him, possibly for good this time, he opened his eyes and saw a magnificent golden gate looming above him. At that moment, he couldn't tell if he was falling away from it or being drawn towards its doors.
'This is heaven…?' he thought to himself.
He questioned again why he was brought back so suddenly only for it all to be taken away… The time he spent "alive" again felt nostalgic. For that one brief moment, it felt like he was surrounded by the close friends he had made over that one precious year.
Tears fell from his eyes and he surrendered to death's whim. But before he did, he saw them. Several powerful-looking, quadrupedal dragons of varying colours. The purple one, especially, was gigantic… All of them stood by the gates like a council of gods, staring down at him with magisterial expressions as he fell into the abyss.
Ş́̕͟o̷̴n̶̸s͠͡ ̷̛͠Of̢̀͠ ̴̸̷̧̢Mà̡̕n͞͏̵̡͜ ̴̵̵̛An̶̡d̸̀͢͞ ̵̨͡͡Dr̡ą̕ģ̛͢o̸̧͢͝n̷.͟.̀͘͜͜.̸̴̡͡ ́͘͝
Y̸͘o͏̨̧͠͡ų̢͡͡r͜͢͡ ̸͞Jo̶̡̡͠u̢͏ŕ͏͠n̛̕͢i̡̕͏e̸̴̛ś̶̵ ̨̡̡̀́Wo̶͘͜ǹ̴͞'̵̛t̷́͡ ̸̸̡́En͟d̸́ ̴̨̛̛He̴͠r̨͟͢͠ȩ͜͝.̴́ ͟
G̵͟͢o̵ ̷͏̷Fó̵̷̢͏r̴̷t͏̢h̵̴̨͜͡ ̡̢́͢͞Wį̸͟t̶͟͢͡h̀͘͠ ̵̶́Yò̧͝ư̸r̛͏̸ ̨̨Hé̸͡͞a͘r͏̴̕t̴̛s̸̴ ͏̶̷As͜͢ ̸͞Yo̵͏̛̕͟u̶̕r͏̶͜͜ ͢Gư̷̧͘i̵̴̡̨͠d̴̴̨́͞e̢͘͜s.̡͠.̛͜͢.̷̨̨̀
T̀͜ơ͝ ͜͝͝͞Th̶̛͘͡e̶͘ ́́Wo̸͟r͘̕͠͡l̷̢ḑ̷̴ ̴̶̛͠Yo̢͜͏͏ù̶́͞͞ ̢͟͜Ca̵̛͡l̡l̸͜͏ ̕͜͠Ho͝m̢͡é͠͝.͏͘͠
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Water.
He was submerged in a body of water. Cold and biting…
Why was this so familiar…?
No… He was imagining that. Death was obviously a very painful experience. The feeling of your blood going cold isn't pleasant, especially when you lose so much of it at once. But it would be over soon. He had already seen the gates of heaven. Soon, he'd be standing before God, ready to move on into the afterlife…
A force he couldn't identify was pulling him upwards, his arms and legs dangling behind him. But he strangely felt the joints in his shoulders and knees react to the movement.
You could still feel your individual limbs when dead…? Wasn't it just a spiritual thing?
The coldness subsided, replaced by a warm sensation, not unlike sunlight through an open window.
This was it…
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.
Why did it still feel like he was drowning?
Drowning…
Water…
Lack of ai–!?
…Makoto's body broke through the surface.
All of his senses were assaulted at once. The sun beamed down on his face, forcing him to look away. As he rocked his head to the side, water entered his nostrils, causing his body to expectorate it all out in a coughing fit. His body lurched around in the small pool of water before his foot landed on something.
He quickly sprung up, but the combination of the unsteady foothold and his long, wet bangs smacking him in the face knocked him off balance, and he fell backwards, landing on his bottom.
"Mrgh…?" he groaned. His throat was sore… Just like–!
Makoto gasped in revelation.
Yes… The Sea of Souls. That had just happened…!
He was certain he died at the very end. That glaive pierced his heart!
Looking at his chest, he was surprised to see it still intact, not even a visible scar. In fact, his body never looked better! No brushes, blemishes or single discolouration in sight.
He brought his hand up in front of him, staring at it in disbelief. It moved when his brain instructed it to, and all five fingers could bend and flex accordingly.
This wasn't a dream. None of it had been. He actually was alive again, sitting in a small pond of water outside in the middle of a quiet forest.
Without thinking, Makoto swam over to the edge of the pool and made a move to step out, the adrenaline in his head was still keeping him on high alert. But he paused at the last second. His body throughout all those battles may not have been mortal, but he still felt the exhaustion that came with fighting for hours on end. After everything he had been through, Makoto felt he had earned a small break, and slid back into the water.
He let out a loud sigh as he felt the tight knots in his tired muscles begin to loosen. The small pool may as well have been a hot spring for how much it eased his tension.
It was now that he realized that he also kept his clothes from before. Strangely, they were all tighter on him than he remembered, and he had to open the links on the belt and shoulder straps so that they didn't dig into his skin.
To his surprise, he also kept the katana he gained at the end of his first battle. The sword was currently floating in the pond beside him, having fallen out earlier. Reaching over to it, Makoto picked it up and took the chance to inspect the craftsmanship.
If not for the blade itself, the weapon would be considered cheap. He had used something like it in the past, a weapon he dubbed an "Imitation Katana". It was one of many tools designed by top-secret researchers to help him and his friends fight the Shadows. Something with the physical properties needed to damage supernatural beings, but it held no unique properties beyond that. He didn't want to imagine the kind of weaponry someone with more evil intentions would create…
He drew the sword from its sheath again, marvelling at the pale blue material.
'It looks just like the ones I used back then…' he thought to himself as he inspected it from under the moonlight.
"Hm?" Moonlight? Wasn't it still daytime? He felt the sun's rays on his face not long ago, so maybe it was actually evening? Looking up, he was shocked to see not one, but two moons looming overhead. One red, and the other… green!
'It couldn't be…!'
Most humans wouldn't have reacted to a green moon the same way he just did, but Makoto had seen that exact moon once before. A dreadful omen that meant dark forces were at large in the world.
'So, it's not over yet.'
Makoto slowly pulled himself out of the water, quickly dried himself off and refastened the belt around his hips, having made up his mind that he couldn't rest just yet, not when that creepy moon was in the sky. What's more, he was stuck in the middle of a dark forest where the trees were as tall as skyscrapers. There was no telling what could be lurking out here at a time like this, but he didn't exactly want to find out.
He looked up one last time at the twin moons, feeling small and otherwise insignificant under their light.
'God, I don't know what you have planned for me or what you expect me to do…' A slight breeze swept through the area. His hair and cloak both fluttered behind him, majestically. 'But I'll put my faith in you.'
A/N
Well… This took me more rewrites than I want to admit…! I kept getting new ideas on where to take things, plus the move of the story to the Spyro archive meant I had to remove a lot of content for better clarity. But I finally got it to a point where I was satisfied. I just hope all the new (and old) readers liked it…!
For real this time, the big introductory chapters are over. That doesn't mean the first arc has started yet, but the pacing from here on won't be as sudden and fast. I can take my time easing into everything now. Plus, I don't think writer's block will be as much of an issue anymore!
Let me know what you guys think of the story so far, and if you think I need to fix anything. This was the first Persona-oriented chapter, so I hope it was easy enough for everyone to follow!
Until next time, farewell!
-AzureDragonZX