Stillness Dark in the Skyscraper [Mod]

[Ayakura Alisa]

Was this the place? Yeah, I think this was the place. I decided I'd make a break for it to get here, seeing as I'd already run through this area twice, but today I was alone. I still had the bandage on my head, but the pain was significantly less compared to back then. This was the executive building Seiji told me about, I think? The one where he planned to make some sort of antenna or something which would broadcast some sort of soundwave or signal strong enough to literally break through the barrier. Actually, I had come down here to explore the first floor of this building. I wanted to see if my parents had come down here. Were there any notes? This building seems like a place where they'd likely have gone, and if there were any 'Shadows' lurking around, well, I'd have to think about how I get past them. This time, I had managed to maintain Kaze-Shiki's heirloom status by keeping it in a box back at home, I ordered a sharper knife, almost like a wakizashi, this was Izayoi. I had received it recently after payment, too, so it all worked out.

Come to think of it, wouldn't scaling this building be difficult if there were so many 'Shadows' around? And I was alone... I don't want to climb this place alone. I don't think I have enough power to. Hopefully, just hopefully, that will change, but for now, I just have to know my limits. If I had a camera, I could take photos. For now, I'll have to deal with my memory and maybe paint or draw the environment and post it up in my website. Maybe even art up a Shadow if I see one. I gripped Izayoi tightly in my right hand, the tip and blade pointing away from me, I could quickly raise it and strike whenever something appeared; I needed to keep up my guard.

I couldn't let myself get ambushed, because I might get seriously injured. Hmm. But I was hardy... I could take a blow to the temple fine, what's this going to do? Unless, of course, they cast magic on me, but that would be something of a completely different realm. Alright, here goes nothing. I was already outside of the building, but this time, I actually set foot in. There were a flight of stairs just right there.

Guess I was climbing up there after all... I decided I'd just take the plunge and begin to walk up some stairs. Hope there's nothing too dangerous out there.

[ChromaticTruthsayer]

A pack of Shadows appeared!

Distant Maya

• Cleave

Absorb: Repel: Null: Rs: Wk: Pierce
Vain Maya

• Zio

Absorb: Repel: Null: Rs: Wk: Fire

[Ayakura Alisa]

Having walked up the stairs and turned around the corner, I saw two distinctly black forms... entities... things materialize from... somewhere. I couldn't recognize the shape that well. Were they masks? Were they slime? I don't know, but they certainly seemed to form from the very nethers themselves... I thought I saw some strange things, but this certainly takes the cake. I gripped Izayoi tightly in my hand; I had no Persona to rely on for magical attacks. Interestingly enough though, the two Shadows that emerged seemed to have different personalities. One of them stayed a fair way back from the other, almost distant, while the other had a strange smirk on it that I swore I saw. However, before I could do anything, the Shadow charged itself with electricity and before I know it I was thrown back, literally almost thrown down the stairs by a god-freaking lightning strike! Are you kidding me. These things know magic. That's going to be very frustrating to deal with. My head started ringing a little. This was NOT the time for my head wound to open up again! Please! I groaned and propped myself back up. How could such things hold such a power? I leaped forward, Izayoi in hand, and attempted to strike the Shadow a direct blow, as I did, it reeled back a little, but it was definitely still up.

Before I knew it, the creature grinned again, charged itself up with electricity, and struck me down with lightning. Again. I fell back and rubbed my head a little. The head wound had not opened up again, but I could feel the blood leak out a bit more than usual. I groaned. However, I failed to remember that there was a second one. The second creature looked timid, but after seeing me launch an attack, it seemed to charge in, taking advantage of my downed state, and tackled into me with a cleaving attack, causing me to roll over. I winced, but did not scream, though I wanted to. This was too much. I couldn't even get up properly after that one. This was otherwordly. In my fallen state, as it attacked me, I scraped back at it with Izayoi, stabbing into it as it got close. It spun in place, clearly injured, but both Shadows were still... alive. Was alive even the right word? I did not even know. Flashing back to the annoying girl, I definitely know what she meant now. Though, I did not mean to have to learn it the hard way. Perhaps it was my overconfidence that got me in this situation.

Panting, I weakly stood up and almost stumbled over, but the cleaving Shadow was still nearby, almost taunting me. Mustering more of my strength and will - for my parents - I dealt the Shadow a mortal strike with my knife, as it was too close to try and evade my killing stroke, causing it to fall down and roll over, visibly cracked and smashed up. I had mustered so much strength I literally fell over in my movement, leaving me vulnerable for the other mask shadow to avenge its fallen friend. Do Shadows even have friends? God, this isn't the time to wax philosophical. I have things to fight, damnit! But crap, I could barely move, and that other mask looked like it was going to zap me again. I weakly rolled to the side, but it seemed to read me like a book, striking my leg with lightning, causing me to suddenly scream in pain... I hoped nobody heard me. But that was enough to get me to try and stand up, as being downed would just expose me to more attack. However, I found myself unable to properly move the leg that got struck. Fuck. I try not to curse much. But... God. That hurt SO much. I can't move...! The mask glared at me with a look of... I don't know. But it was taunting me. I limped forward to try and strike at it.

All it did was move away from me, faster than I could chase it. Arrrgh. I groaned. At least I could still use my arms. I started to crawl towards the mask, and it looked like it was charging another lightning bolt at me... How much energy did this damn thing even have? However, it didn't realize I was forcing myself incredibly fast. I winced with each movement, before roaring out and driving my dagger into the electrically charged mask... With my blow from earlier, it couldn't move, and I continued to wrench the dagger as far into it as I could make it go, making it writhe even as it charged electricity. At once, though, my dagger conducted it and I also got minor shocks. I didn't care. I just wanted to get rid of it. I found myself literally smoking a little from the shocks. After I pulled out the dagger, the mask fell and dissipated to nothingness.

Staring into space, I crawled to a wall and sat against it. I nursed my paralyzed leg and continued to stare into nothingness. I was panting and gasping for breath. I could smell smoke. It came from my right arm. I looked at it and found that I had been shocked a bit too much by electricity. "...She was right... these Shadows are... too strong for me. If only I had...!" I don't have that power... but I supposed if I could barely survive a fight against these two, I was not ready to go out alone. It was a tough lesson to learn. But... it was probably a mistake I was going to end up repeating more than once. By choice.

[Erithania]

If you were outnumbered like this, things would be bad.






Fortunately, you only had a couple enemies. Have some FP.

[Ayakura Alisa]

I'm out of here for today. That already took way too much out of my system. I weakly managed to make myself stand up, my paralyzed leg visually shaking as I limp my way down the stairs of the building. I had to cling to the wall to stop myself from falling over and rolling down the stairs painfully. Somehow, I managed to struggle to get out of the building. I retraced my steps and went back through the terminal, still clutching Izayoi tightly, but shuffling along the ground as I limped my way back. That was pretty damn crappy... I can barely feel my leg and my arms. I shook and shivered as I stepped out of the terminal and made my way back. Some blood dripped and soaked my bandage.

"Sigh."