Chikara is the first to react to the stranger's appearance. Aggravain swipes at her Persona with a brutish mailed fist. Galahad dodges comically, with the chalice he's lying in sliding backwards just out of reach. Nightmare then flings out an arm, and Galahad retaliates.

Its magic is subtle, almost imperceptible, but as it presses its index and middle fingers to its temples, you can make out slight ripples pulsing through the air towards Aggravain, only visible thanks to a faint lavender hue that hangs in the air. At first, Aggravain doesn't react whatsoever. It's unclear what Galahad's attack is even meant to do. At least, that's how it seems until an invisible force snaps Aggravain's arms backwards, and wrenches them behind its back.

Both Aggravain and its user howl in pain as the Persona crumples to the floor, its body being crushed by the force of Galahad's magic. Taishi darts forward to intervene, and your body leaps into action. Launcelot and Kay swiftly rematerialize (neither looking worse for the wear) and easily pin Meliagaunt to the wall between the two of them. As it writhes and flails desperately against your Personas, trying and failing to cast spells, Launcelot uses its free arm to drive its lance through its shoulder and into a patch of soft, crumbling mortar behind. Its hands free, it leaps over to help Galahad restrain Aggravain. For the first time, there's something much different spreading across Taishi and Chikara's expressions: panic.

Galahad hovers over Aggravain's convulsing form and raises a hand. More waves of energy surge into Chikara's Persona. Thick, snakelike veins bulge and pop underneath its leathery grey skin, muscles strain and go taught as Galahad's power manipulates them on invisible strings. Finally, it becomes too much to bear – Aggravain releases a strangled roar and dematerializes with a flash of blue flames. Nearby, Chikara's massive frame collapses, unconscious.

Taishi's eyes flit frantically from her body to the three of you, and you can practically see the neurons in his brain firing, trying to work out an exit strategy.

"Hee hee hee," he giggles nervously, eyes roving madly, "what now, then? You and I both know you're not about to kill us."

Nightmare sighs beneath her bandanna. "Well, at least you've worked out that you're not worth it." With one fluid motion, she brings her bat down on the back of Taishi's head. His body goes limp, and Meliagaunt vanishes. "Besides, I'd hate to have you replaced with someone more competent."

Hayate gapes at her as she drags Taishi's body on top of Chikara's. Bending over, she digs around in Taishi's pocket until she fishes out the gacha toy. She tosses it over in her hand before flipping it towards his open mouth. She laughs, a high, tinkling musical note as it bounces off his nose and he juggles it back and forth in his palms.

"Hold onto to that. We're going to need it, right?"

Hayate nods mutely and stuffs the toy into his pocket. Without another word, Nightmare turns and leaves the vault.

"Wait," you call after her. She glances back over her shoulder towards you.

"Sure you wouldn't rather wait until we were back upstairs? Dunno how long these guys are gonna be out."

Nodding, you and Hayate amble after her.

"It's just – how'd you know we were here?"

"I've been trying to keep an eye on those two ever since they came after you at the theater. Three says it's not our job to play watchdog, but they've getting really bold. When I saw them crawl onto the train after you…it's not like I could ignore that."

"Three?"

She grunts. "Yeah, it's not great. It's just what we call each other – I'm Nightmare One, and then there's Two and Three. Not my idea."

"Two and Three…were they-"

One cuts you off before you can finish the thought.

"Yeah, you know 'em. We've been at this since last year, so for what? Maybe five, six months?"

That long? That means they must know plenty about the situation that you don't.

"Are the Yatabuya really behind this?" you ask.

"You're still wondering about that? With the way they've been going after you? Of course it's them. Just the ones at the top, though. Rest of 'em aren't bright enough to come up with this."

"Sorry, maybe that was a dumb question. I meant, how are they pulling this off? Why?"

One pauses. "Hmm. Those are better questions. How's not easy to answer – not even we've really gotten a handle on that - yet. As far as we know, their boss started the whole thing by converting gang members into Shadows to prove their loyalty. They cast these Clouds out like nets over patches of the city and use them to establish control. Once they're Shadows, they become tougher, more persuasive.

But recently, they're starting to target normal people. That's been a little harder to deal with, actually. Brainwashing I can understand. But your everyday yahoo doesn't give a rat's ass about what the Yatabuya want. Sure, they let them stomp all over their Clouds without batting an eye (generally), but otherwise, what's the advantage?"

"So it's not a hundred percent about turf, then," says Hayate.

One shrugs. "Maybe not? I dunno, it's getting to be a huge pain now. At this point, the only way we're gonna get a straight answer is to get it from their boss, but…" A sigh slides out from behind her bandana. "That's kinda the biggest problem, isn't it? The guy's a ghost. Never shows himself to anyone, not even Chikara and Taishi. Obnoxious, isn't it?"

You're curious to find out how it is that she knows so much about the Yatabuya's involvement, but you've got a sense that even she might not be very forthcoming about that. The three of you turn a corner and mount the stairs to the entrance hall.

"So that's more or less where we're at in a nutshell. Like I said, Three'd probably have aneurysm if he knew I was telling you this stuff, but what can I say? I like you."

"Why's that? What's his problem?" you say. Suddenly, One turns around, leans in close, and taps your nose.

"Your face. No, not that you're ugly or anything, he just doesn't think you guys do enough to protect yourselves. Can't really get into it, but there's a reason we're going around like this," she says, indicating her hood and bandana. "But basically, he thinks you need babysitting, and he's not interested in that. Don't take it personally, though, he's just paranoid."

"Uh-huh…"

When you emerge back into the entrance hall, Mariko and Nisekao rush out to meet you. Judging from the sweat on Mariko's forehead and the greenish tinge to Nisekao's skin, they've been spending the better part of the last hour evading the Enforcer.

As quickly as possible, you run through everything that happened down in the dungeons, from Taishi and Chikara's ambush to One's sudden appearance.

"So those footprints we found were yours, weren't they?" says Mariko. One nods.

"I know I kinda left you to fend for yourselves, but Taishi and Chikara went with them, and, well, you looked like the capable sort."

"Th-thanks," says Mariko, trying desperately to look unflustered.

"No problem," replies One, oblivious. "Now, let's get moving and stomp this Dreamweaver already. Gettin' late."

Without waiting for agreement, she dashes off down the nearest hallway.

[Perhaps you should let her know that the Lady's chambers are in the other direction,] says Bifrons.

"Y-Yeah."

Once you've reined One back in, you begin navigating your way towards the Dreamweaver's chambers with Bifrons leading the way. Every now and again, as you pass through corridor after corridor lit by sputtering candles, you'll steal glances over your shoulder, expecting to catch a glimpse of the Enforcer. There really shouldn't be any reason to worry, but ever since you emerged from the dungeons, you've been feeling inexplicably chilly, and there's been a buzzing in your head, the source of which you can't seem to place. But the only ones prowling the manor now appear to be you and the others. You're debating whether to mention its disappearance to the others when Bifrons pipes up again.

[We're here, young master.]

To your right are a set of dark wooden doors, much like the rest save for a set of intricate engravings carved into their surface, barely visible in the flickering candlelight. Without Bifrons, they'd be virtually indistinguishable from the hundreds of other such doors you'd passed on the way here.

"This it?" says Hayate, jerking his thumb towards them. He pulls on the handle to no avail.

"You need the-" you begin, but before you can finish, a wave of nausea overtakes you, and your vision goes black.

Smoke. Not the kind that accompanies cooked food, but a burning smoke, acrid and stinging. Patches of color seep into the edges of your vision, smudged oranges and reds, obscured as though you were viewing the scene from beneath thin fabric. And a voice. Snatches of a voice, raised high, frantic and panicked.

"…are you?!"

The world fades out, and then back in again.

"Oh my God…no no no…"

You want to reach out towards the voice, let them know you're there, but you can't feel any arms with which to reach. There is only you, a bundle of vague consciousness and sense, adrift in the void.

"…dead…God, she's dead…"

Someone's arm slips under your back.

"…so sorry…we have to go…"

"Go where?" you say.

But as soon as you say it, the spell is snapped. You're back, with the others gathered round you, staring.

"In here…" says Hayate, still holding the door handle. "Are you still with us?"

"Sorry," you say, "just… spaced out for a bit there. Like you said – it's late."

Mariko shoots you a look that seems to pierce right through that lie – but stays silent.

"Here," says Nisekao, pointing a small indentation just beneath one of the handles. "I th-think you need to put the idol here."

"Right," says Hayate, fishing the toy from his pocket. The spot doesn't look deep enough for the whole thing to fit, but when Hayate holds it up, it zips into the indentation with a small click.

Instantly, harsh crimson light spills from the slot, turning the engravings into spidery veins crawling across the doors' surface. A shaft of light pulses from the crack between them, and you hear the sound of the lock turning over. Then, on its own, the doors groan open. The room inside is near pitch-black.

"Looks like that did it. You ready?" says One.

"S-Sure…why not…" says Hayate in between deep, measured breaths.

"Alrighty, then! You first!" says One, and shoves him inside.

"H-Hey, wait!"

One turns back to you. "Well, c'mon, then. This is the fun part, after all."

You flick on your flashlight, and with one last deep breath, follow her into the gloom.

Inside, Hayate is cowering in the middle of the floor with his hands clasped over his head.

"C'mon, man," you say, casting your flashlight over him. "Get up, you're fine."

"Easy for you to say," he says, straightening himself up and looking around frantically. "Can't just do something like that to a guy."

"Let's take a look around," says Mariko, gesturing for you to follow.

From what little the flashlight illuminates, the room is huge, maybe only a little smaller than the gym at Toshima. Like many of the rooms in the manor, the walls are lined with bookshelves packed to bursting with light novels and other assorted fluff. An elegant crystal chandelier hangs from the invisible heights of the vaulted ceiling, its bangles tinkling hauntingly in the silence. An antique desk covered in sheets of paper has been pushed into a corner. And standing out at one side of the room is a large four-poster bed draped in sanguine curtains.

The five of you exchange looks, and advance upon the bed together. Upon reaching it, the others stop, and then turn to you. Good of them to volunteer. However, your outstretched fingers barely brush the edge of the fabric before a small voice calls out from behind you.

"You're not allowed in there."

Your heart nearly catches in your throat as you whip around to find who spoke. There, in the middle of the floor, is a slim figure in a lacy black gown, barely illuminated by light of a single, stubby candle.

"What the – where'd – how'd-" stammers Hayate, but the candle flickers out, plunging the room into darkness once more. Then, another candle flares to life, this time off to your left.

"I didn't say you could come here," says the Dreamweaver, a touch of anger creeping into her voice. You take a step towards her, but as soon as you do, the candle goes out again, and she reappears in another part of the room.

"You don't get it."

"Why don't you leave me alone?"

"You're such a pain!"

"Hey!" shouts Hayate, and the Dreamweaver appears inches away from his face. Hayate emits a high-pitched squeal, but stands his ground. "I-It wasn't our plan to get stuck here, either. Y-You were the one that trapped us in here with you!"

The Dreamweaver seems to swell to almost ten times her normal size, her face contorting into a twisted mask of rage and disgust.

"HOW DARE YOU SPEAK TO ME, WORM!"

All of you shrink backwards as black smoke begins to curl around her form.

"'My classmates are so fake and obnoxious – I wish they would disappear forever!' I have to say, I wholeheartedly agree. Humans are such horrible, tiresome things. Everything about you is so…manufactured. You say what you think people want you to say, do what you think others want you to do. There's nothing 'real' about you at all, is there? If that's what humanity truly is, then why wouldn't someone want to do everything in their power to avoid it?"

"Yeah, maybe. I won't lie, a lot of people are like that. But can you really just assume that no one's ever being genuine? That you can just avoid interacting with people your whole life?" you say.

"SEE?" screeches the Dreamweaver, clutching at her face with long, slender fingers. "This is exactly what I mean! I'm not about to be preached to by you or anybody else! Not now, or ever!"

She removes her hands from her face, revealing half of an orange skull mask, one yellow eye roving madly underneath.

"I'm done. Finished. My patience is all worn out. I don't wanna deal with you anymore. From here on out, I'm going to start getting what I want. And what I want…is to erase you from existence!"

The candle goes out.