Chapter 83; It's now or never Pt:3

...10/09/2009 Thursday; Dark Hour...

In the dormitory, the pale light of the Dark Hour seeped through the cracks in the window, casting distorted shadows across the command room.

Fuuka sat at the center, her trembling hands clasped together, while the ethereal silhouette of Lucia hovered around her.

Her eyes were closed, her mind immersed in the battlefield. She saw everything—every blow, every wound, every comrade being thrown against the concrete.

A sharp pain throbbed in her forehead, like invisible blades sinking into her mind.

She shuddered.

BAM! BAM! BAM!

The persistent sound of Ken's fists pounding against the door echoed through the room, accompanied by Koromaru's anxious barking.

"Yamagishi-senpai!" Ken's voice, muffled by the metal barrier, was filled with desperation. "Please, open this door!"

But Fuuka kept her eyes shut, her fingers pressing tightly together.

And then—

"FUUKA!"

Hiro's voice exploded in her mind, so close and desperate that her heart faltered.

"STOP USING YOUR PERSONA!" His despair struck her like a blow. "YOU KNOW YOUR HEAD IS INJURED!"

Her lips parted in a trembling breath.

The warmth in Hiro's voice, the weight of everyone's concern…

Guilt wrapped around her like invisible chains.

But she couldn't stop.

She wouldn't.

Her gaze remained closed, her voice coming out low but firm: "I'm sorry… for making you all worry… but I can't just stand by while everyone fights to survive."

Silence hung in the air for a moment.

"Yamagishi, stop now!"

Mitsuru's voice cut through the telepathic link, filled with urgency. "You're in no condition to summon your Persona!"

Fuuka opened her eyes, turning toward the window.

The Dark Hour's moon loomed high in the sky. A half-moon.

Halfway to the next Full Moon. To the next Shadow Arcana.

She clenched her fists. Her gaze hardened.

"I refuse, Kirijo-senpai."

The statement sliced through the air like a blade.

"I am your navigator… and I won't let you die while I sit here doing nothing."

At the industrial zone, a greenish glow began to envelop the Shadow.

Its muscles tightened. Its mutilated skin started to heal.

Chunks of flesh writhed, fusing back into the monstrous body.

The grotesque sound of bones realigning sent chills down the S.E.E.S. members' spines.

Hiro's widened eyes reflected the creature's impossible regeneration.

"But you…" His fists trembled at his sides, frustration overflowing. "YOU KNOW YOU'RE INJURED!"

The response came soft yet resolute, echoing in his mind through telepathy:

"I know…" Fuuka's voice was gentle, yet unwavering. "But I can hold on long enough to help you all… I won't leave your side."

The Shadow, now fully regenerated, let out a roar that made the ground tremble.

Its eyes burned with renewed fury.

Its razor-sharp claws dug into the asphalt.

And then, without hesitation, it lunged forward once more.

The Shadow charged forward, its claws tearing through the asphalt with each step. Its guttural roar reverberated through the air, and spheres of dark magic began orbiting around it, sparking like corrupted little suns.

Hiro remained still for a moment, watching. But something inside him burned.

Fuuka had put herself at risk.

His chest tightened, a suffocating weight forming as the scene from before replayed in his mind. He had let her get hurt by Noir.

His fist clenched.

Behind him, the icy presence of Lucifer manifested, accompanied by a bitter chuckle.

Anger boiled in his stomach.

Hiro's eyes briefly glowed a deep red—then the light vanished.

He pulled out the Evoker.

The cold barrel pressed against his temple as his breath quickened.

"LUCIFER!"

The gunshot echoed, and a flash of light spread across the battlefield.

At that moment, a dark silhouette rose behind him. Its imposing wings unfurled, eclipsing the eerie green glow of the Dark Hour. A twisted grin formed on the being's face, and a maniacal laugh filled the air.

Without hesitation, Lucifer shot forward, extending his pale hands toward the Shadow.

Violet wires emerged from the darkness, slithering like hungry serpents before coiling around it.

The creature thrashed, struggling furiously. But it was useless.

The wires tightened.

The Shadow's flesh began to tear, and black liquid splattered onto the ground.

Even so, it refused to give in.

Back at the dormitory, Fuuka watched everything.

Through Lucia's shared vision, she saw every strike, every charge. Her friends were giving their all, but the Shadow…

It was recovering.

Fuuka's chest tightened, the weight of helplessness pressing onto her shoulders.

Then, a red glow flickered on her shoulder pad.

Her eyes turned to the Gekkoukan High emblem. The crest pulsed rhythmically. Her Theurgy was ready.

She closed her eyes.

Without hesitation, she pressed the symbol, and a soft click sounded as the cartridge was ejected.

"Everyone, I'm sending Lucia's Theurgy! Get ready!"

With steady hands, she opened the Evoker's compartment and loaded the cartridge.

"Yamagishi! Stop now!" Mitsuru's voice thundered through her mind.

"Fuuka! Please, don't use Theurgy!" Yukari pleaded, her tone laced with fear. "You're already pushing yourself just to keep Lucia active!"

But Fuuka only gripped the Evoker tighter.

She knew the risk.

But she also knew she couldn't back down.

Fuuka closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Her chest rose and fell in a tense rhythm, but her expression remained serene.

She raised the Evoker and pressed the barrel against her forehead.

"Persona."

The gunshot rang through the room, and a crimson glow enveloped her head.

Lucia, who had already been hovering over her, spread her arms in an almost divine gesture.

Glowing particles began to detach from her ethereal form, shimmering in the air before converging at a single point. Slowly, a sphere of water began to take shape, pulsing with radiant blue hues.

Lucia's voice resonated, a mysterious and sacred chant, as if calling upon something from the depths of her being.

Fuuka opened her eyes, determination burning within them.

"Help them... Lucia."

The Persona lifted her hands, and the liquid sphere ascended slowly.

It passed through the ceiling effortlessly, as if no physical barrier could hold it back. Outside, it glided through the night sky like a blue comet, shooting toward the industrial zone.

The command room's door exploded inward.

The impact reverberated through the room as the sofa, which had served as a barricade, was sent flying.

A silhouette stood amid the dust and debris—Nemesis.

Ken lowered his Evoker and rushed inside with Koromaru at his side, but he froze upon seeing Lucia dissolve into shimmering fragments.

"Yamagishi-senpai!"

Fuuka, still standing, followed the sphere's trajectory across the sky.

A relieved smile formed on her lips before her body wavered.

Dizziness hit hard, a crushing weight in her head.

Her knees buckled.

She collapsed, hitting the floor with a dull thud.

Koromaru whimpered, running to her side, while Ken knelt next to her, his eyes wide with alarm.

"Now it's up to you… everyone…" Fuuka's voice was faint, yet filled with trust. "I… believe in you…"

Her eyelashes fluttered.

Then, the world went dark.

"Oh no… Yamagishi-senpai!" Ken shook her shoulder, panic seeping into his voice. "Wake up!"

But Fuuka had already succumbed to exhaustion.