“Ho? May I ask where your immeasurable interest for our instruments stems from? Are you playing something yourself?” Saye asked her promptly. Gieldan raised his eyebrows as he heard those words and was eagerly awaiting Emily's reaction.
At first, she hesitated, untypical for her usual behavior her glance went downward, yet when she remembered Olivia's sad face she took heart and continued.
“Yes, I've played the piano myself back in the day. Music was always so fascinating to me. It was something that could uplift my mood even on the most tragic days, even if I didn't want it to. It had so much power, love, and potential that I never once considered stopping.”
The band exchanged smiling gazes as they listened to her story.
“What I loved the most was playing with my little sister, Lea. She was much more talented than me though. So much that I couldn't wait for the nights to pass so that I could hear what she would show me the next time we played together.”
Her expression began to cloud, and her eyes started welling up as she remembered the past. “Yet all of that disappeared on the day she passed away…”
Nobody was able to say a word, although the guests around them continued to celebrate and dance. It seemed like time was frozen for a moment to everyone that had been listening.
“Since then I haven't played a single note with sincere joy.”
Slowly she noticed that the mood was dipping and, like a switch, she recovered to her usual light-hearted and confident self. Emily apologized, before being interrupted by Renard who had put his arm around her, adding something.
“None of us can understand what you had to go through, but it seems like you truly love music just like we do. As a sign of our respect, I don't think the other Twisted Waves would hold it against me if our first song was played for you. As long as you're okay with that.”
“Oh my, cutiepie Renard. I knew I could count on you. That's the same thing I wanted to suggest,” proclaimed Saye as he danced towards them and pulling his arms around them, despite the protests of Renard.
The rest of the band nodded in agreement, looking at the woman who just poured her heart out to them.
“So, my dear…?” Elrar asked with his calm and deep voice.
“Emily,” she responded.
“Haha, alright then Emily, what can we play for you?”
“Oh no, please don't. This is your big moment, and I also don't think you'd know of any songs that I like,” promptly she began to smile as she played with her hair.
“Hm?!” everyone was staring at themselves in confusion.
“Alright then,” Emily eventually gave in and whispered something into Saye’s ear as she followed it up with a heartfelt thanks, wishing them goodbye.
“I'm sure we'll see each other again one day, Emily,” Moy shouted after her.
“Don't worry, we'll take this place down, harhar,” rattled Elrar that dragged the waving Saye with him.
“Take care, Emily,” they shouted at her, and even Renard managed to wave goodbye.
Cautiously, and with her hands pressed against her chest, she walked back to her aspect on her tall shoes, who was still waiting for her.
“Thanks,” she said softly.
“Hm? What for?” asked Gieldan almost without opening his mouth.
“That you left me alone with them for a few moments without interrupting,” she answered with a smile.
“They didn't seem like a threat. Also, it would be quite shameful if my partner had been taken out by some musicians.”
“Yes, and I'm sure all the ladies that have been ogling you ever since I have left have nothing to do with that,” Emily giggled.
“If only you'd know…”
As the human and her aspect reunited, Saye and his group had taken over the huge stage at the end of the room and were ready to celebrate their performance. Marveled at by masked beauties and endless costumes on an elevated stage with golden statues in the form of a gryphon.
After a short introduction the Twisted Waves started and unlike the any of the musicians before the room had been transformed. The guests had been invigorated with their song and began to dance anew as if the ball had just started mere moments ago.
“Come, let us dance as well, Gieldan,” it burst forth from Emily as she energetically grabbed her aspects hand, pulling him towards the dance floor.
“Who says that I can dance? Is this even the right moment for this?” he said only to be met by her bewildered expression as if she wanted to ask if he was being serious.
With that, Gieldan’s own pride took over, and he readjusted his long hair to a ponytail and started walking with a stern strode. As Emily, beaming with joy, jumped towards the crowd, only one thought was occupying Gieldan’s mind.
“Even after all that has happened to you, you still love to live, don't you Emily?!” Lost in thought, he watched her while slowly breathing. “Even though you don’t forgive yourself you march forward. It doesn't matter whether you win in the end or not,” his gaze morphed into a malicious smile.
“Who would've thought that there would ever come a time where I respect that damn human broad. I should be more careful.”
“Where are you, Gieldan? Move your slow ass over here,” she shouted back at him, and Gieldan returned from his thoughts.
“I'm coming post-haste, my little princess. Ouch,” it followed from Gieldan after Emily pulled him back by his ponytail.
“Who's the little princess here, huh?!”
“Alright, alright. You win.”
The aspect admitted defeat, and both of them took their place on the dance floor. In full harmony and Gieldan’s lead, they danced in their costumes as if they had always been a part of this masked ball, free of any sorrow. Emily's laughter mixed with the happy tones of the evening and all of it combined itself into the unstoppable current that swallowed her up before. Drifting along the with the flow giving up their bodies to the music.
What they couldn't have known was that they weren't the only ones that prepared themselves for this occasion. Again and again, as Emily began to spin with Gieldan, she noticed something for a split second, as if some kind of turmoil was beginning to grow around them.
Only in the blink of an eye she could see masks that were whispering to each other, shortly disappearing afterward. Anew she was distracted by the joyful sound of the music and the charming movements of her dance partner, but she could've sworn that she could hear some of it through the noise.
“Soon it will begin. Our guys are in position.”
“We await the signal.”
“Hurry, we don't have much time.”
More and more masked Personas were vanishing from her eyesight as she felt as if she was spinning in circles with the spotlight shining directly on top of her. A spotlight that began to decline more and more until nothing remained around her than the pitch black darkness, leaving her in a standstill. Without warning, she broke away and followed the last masked man she saw. Her clueless aspect rushed after her.
Only after both of them made it to an even wider and more imposing looking hall, they stopped in front of a crowd of guests that had gathered. In search of the strange masked Personas, she fought herself through the crowd, almost losing Gieldan in the process. Eventually, both of them came to a halt as they reached the front rows of the masses that had built this large circle, leaving them speechless once more.
Meanwhile, something boiled inside the city that none of them could've influenced. It was as if a cold wind was hunting through the alleyways bringing forth disturbance and fear. Even underneath the neatly paved streets, far from the sparkling lights and sounds, this unholy aura did not stop. Deep below the expensive buildings of Pride’s city, the sound of small bare feet, running as fast as they could, echoed through the sewers.
“He is insane! He will kill me, I know it! I have to get away from here. Faster, run faster, damnit. Where is the friggin' exit?!” it panted from a panicked voice of a little boy who desperately ra
n on the stone cold plates of the sewage.
He ran past disgusting puddles, through mud and ooze. Shortly behind him, another pair of steps could be heard, though they were calmer and more precise in nature. They sounded like the person was having the time of his life, strolling through the canals. This frightened the little boy even more, bringing his heart to the brink of rupturing.
“Please, please, just let me be. I haven't done anything to you.”
Without him saying another word he could hear a voice talking behind his back.
“Running is futile. Our fate has been decided for us the moment we are born, but I guess you haven't had the time to learn that yet. But don't fret, I shall be your loving teacher,” it resounded from a smooth voice through the passageways.
“NEVER,” the boy thought “I just have to find the exit and then I'm out of here. No matter what awaits me at the top, it can't be as bad as down here. If only I knew what this place is…”
But all of it seemed futile. Every corner and every branching path looked like the same old dreary stonewalls with grids along them, just as the streaming of the sewerage besides him.
“WHY AM I NOT MAKING ANY PROGRESS?!” He tried to clench his teeth but missed and hit his lips which promptly started to bleed. Nothing he could think of could help him in his situation. His head was full. It didn't allow for any more thoughts to be generated. The only thing that reigned over his heart and mind were thoughts about his inescapable, impending death. Driven by instincts for survival he managed to run, despite his legs beginning to cramp, for he knew, when he stopped his follower would eventually catch up.
Out of nowhere, a second voice let itself be noticed, one he hadn't heard before.
“We shouldn't waste too much time down here. We have a lot before us, and I think we are actually walking in the wrong direction.”
“Yes, yes I know, but I remember the way. Before we start I want this one all to myself,” the first voice responded in such a disgusting tonality that the boy could basically hear his malicious smile through his words. The boy didn't stop, and just as he thought everything was over, he turned a corner, facing a glimmer of hope.
“Finally! At least that's something,” with his final breaths he managed to find a drainpipe, just big enough for him to climb in and hide. This was his salvation from the frightening monstrosity that relentlessly followed him.
“He can’t fit in here. There is no way. No matter what he does,” the boy thought, as he slowly began to catch his breath. In fact, he himself had trouble to squeeze himself into the tube, but the adrenaline had already taken over his entire body. His skin had been cut thanks to his torn clothes, but it didn't matter to him, just like the cold and stinking wastewater that was streaming alongside his body.
Finally, he was safe. The only thing that made him nervous was that he could not see where he was going in that pitch black pipe.
“What was that?!” he panicked, and his head wanted to reflexively turn itself, but it was blocked by the narrow pipe.
“I'm sure there was something. Is it gone now?! How can that be? Is it another creature?”
His breath became heavier again and his heartbeat more and more uncontrollable. So much that he could almost feel how his heart was throbbing through his chest, pressed against the cold pipe.
Eventually, his eyes were adjusting to the darkness to a certain degree, and he looked ahead once more to crawl forward, yet he couldn’t. Something was seemingly stuck in front of him. He pinched his eyes together to make out what it was until he could finally see it.
It was a black creature that was looking directly at him with four yellow eyes. Staring down on him as if they were looking right into his soul.
In this moment the only thing he had wished for was that he could've closed his eyes even faster, but it was already too late for him.
“WLLLLLLLLLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRGGHHHHHH!”
The screams of the young boy echoed through the whole canal, reaching his pursuer who joyously jumped from one leg to the other.
“I-found-you.”
“Hmm, I don't know. I think I expected more,” said the deceitful voice that arrived moments later, holding up the boy by his leg, letting his lifeless, beaten up body dangle back and forth.
“What did you expect?” the second gestalt appeared before him and focused his four gleaming yellow eyes onto him
“I don't know. Something spectacular?” He tilted his head to the side and began to poke his index finger into the dead eyes of the boy.
“I mean this is the first time that I've seen a child ever since I've arrived here.”
“And if we had followed our initial plan, we would know much more by now. It will figure itself out once we raise enough ruckus.” The four-eyed figure was on its way.
“I'll be with you shortly, just let me finish this one up,” the first figure replied after deliberately sweeping a strain of his blond hair to the side. “Now, let's see, what do we have here?” he added with a curious voice.
He held the body over the streaming wastewater and pulled a knife out of his pocket with the skilled movements of his fingertips.
“Show me what you're made of,” he spoke, full of enthusiasms, as he rammed the knife into the stomach of the boy, cutting his abdominal wall piece by piece so that the remaining blood and guts could fall into the water.
His hands covered in blood, he looked at the empty stomach of the boy and out of nowhere his entire motivation and happiness faded.
“Hmpf, how pathetic. They look just like ours,” he said with a bored expression on his face and threw the disfigured body next to his guts into the water. Like a toy that was no longer desirable, he disposed of the child and walked away calmly.
Even on the surface, inside the palace, the voices began to rumble as the night began to hit its peak. Just like a special floor in the west wing of Pride’s palace were three of the blue masked guards were on guard duty.
“Hm?! Who's there?” one of them said as he seemingly noticed something.
“Calm down men, everything's in order,” a voice responded from a person that was looking at the glorious paintings of Pride’s history that were hanging from each side of the walls.
“Please, excuse us. We didn't think we would meet you here, so far away from all the festivities and guests,” one of the guards answered.
“We didn't mean to interrupt, we were just on guard duty for the Gallery of Champions. We have to ask you to leave.”
The figure turned itself to the three guards.
“So you do recognize me, huh?“ the shadowy character spoke before turning back to the paintings
“Ah yes, the champions of old and the king of kings sitting on his throne. I remember it,” a smile began to form on his face. “Don't you worry about me. I'm not really suitable for the limelight. I know that even I'm not allowed in here when the ball is taking place, but I'm sure the glorious and noble Magnagares can forgive my misstep? I just wanted to marvel at all the historic events that are taking place. Like this one,” the figure pointed at one of the paintings with Lord Pride and the masked man in blue standing by his side.
“The Magnagare garrison. A strong and treacherous armada that is only loyal to their Lord – Pride himself. What a display of unyielding dominance.”
“What do you mean? We don't understand,” one of them managed to speak up.
“Oh, don't sweat it. That's not even in your capabilities,” the figure replied coldly.
“What the?! UGHH-”
Immediately the Magnagare who spoke turned to his fellow men, but what he saw left him without words. Both of them were sinking to the ground and a wide puddle of blood formed beneath his feet, while little tentacles were squiggling out of the slits of their masks.
“HOW DARE YOU BETRAY LORD PRIDE?!” he screamed, and was ready to draw his weapon, but suddenly the mysterious gestalt appeared right in front of him and leaned his head onto his mask.
“I really c
an't stand it when someone sees me in this form”
Blood was dripping down at the bottom of his masks as the figure punctured his torso with his bare hand, letting his lifeless body sink to the ground as well.
“It is time for the king to stand up from his throne.”
And so the cold-blooded murderer left the scene without another word, while the blue guards were left bleeding onto the jewel embedded floor, overpainting their glimmering colors with a dark red.
Even above the roofs of the jaunty city bustled calamity, where five figures gathered in the shadows of the lights. One of them prepared himself to speak in front of the others.
“It is time, my beloved generals. If you'd be so kind.” He flung his arms upwards and pointed towards the dome of Pride’s Palace in the distance.
“Everyone knows what he has to do, and after it's done, we will join the greatest force in this world. Once and for all they will feel true despair as they curse their existence until their last cries for help are silenced in the face of war.”
As quickly as the ominous figures had gathered they had dispersed, leaving only the picture of a city within its own walls, herding them up together and an imposing palace that was resting at its core. There was no wind or storm, but something indescribable had gripped the atmosphere. An aura that was caressing over everyone's skin. Like a beast that was prowling in the forest, waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike, when no one was expecting it. The wheel of fate started turning once more.
Chapter 25 – Pride of the King
“What’s all the commotion about?” asked Emily who had made it to the front row.
“It looks like we will meet our host earlier than I had expected,” answered Gieldan who crossed his arms, while he spotted an empty, golden throne at the end of the hall.
“Emily!” a trusted voice let itself be noticed behind their backs.
“Huh? Oh, it's you,” she immediately recognized the two persons that were almost directly next to them in the crowd. It was Olivia and Balthasar who had been taken in by the current of the masses themselves.
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