PERSONA 3 DEVIL'S HERALD

...28/08/2009 Friday; Dark Hour...

In Tartarus, S.E.E.S. was preparing for another incursion, adjusting their weapons and equipment.

Hiro, entertained by spinning his kukri between his fingers, had his attention drawn away by the sound of something manifesting behind him.

When he turned around, he saw the indigo-blue door of the Velvet Room appearing out of nowhere.

Without hesitation, Hiro sheathed his kukri into the scabbard strapped to his belt, watching as the door opened and Elizabeth stepped out. She was dressed in her usual blue uniform, carrying the mysterious book marked with the large metallic "V" at its center.

Elizabeth smiled, a certain delight in her expression. "Hello, Hiro. It has been some time since your first visit to the Velvet Room."

Hiro quickly glanced at the group, noticing that no one—except Minato—seemed to perceive Elizabeth's presence or the Velvet Room's door. "Elizabeth. Does Igor want to speak with me?"

She opened the book in her hands and began flipping through the pages, searching for something specific. "No, my master does not wish to speak with you yet. But I am here to congratulate you on reaching the second stage of your Arcana."

Intrigued, Hiro stepped closer, trying to sneak a look at the contents of the book. "Ah… that was the Devil Arcana, right?"

Elizabeth gently pushed Hiro back, preventing him from peeking at the pages. "Exactly. The fifteenth tarot Arcana—the Devil."

Suddenly, the book emitted a soft glow, and a tarot card slowly emerged from its pages, floating in midair.

The Devil Arcana card hovered between them.

Elizabeth, in an enigmatic tone, explained, still smiling. "The Devil Arcana represents troubled thoughts or self-destructive behaviors that hinder personal growth. But you have abandoned such thoughts and embraced what you must do."

Hiro, eyes fixed on the card, questioned, "But what do you mean I've reached the second stage?"

Elizabeth extended her hand, making the card float above her palm. "The second meaning of the Devil Arcana: the feeling of being bound to something external. As if the very world is against you, instilling fear, insecurity, or influencing your decisions."

A shiver ran down Hiro's spine, as if he were being watched.

When he turned around, he saw his Persona, Lucifer, staring intently at Shinjiro in the distance, its gaze intense.

"Has your Persona been appearing in your visions?" Elizabeth asked, a slight concern in her voice.

"Yeah, he just showed up right there. Why?" Hiro replied, looking at her, expecting a clear answer.

Elizabeth averted her gaze, her expression subtly melancholic, as if she knew more than she could reveal. "Unfortunately, I cannot say more. That would break the rules of the Velvet Room."

"Ah… I see," Hiro murmured, frustrated by the lack of concrete answers.

But Elizabeth smiled again, confident. "I am certain you will figure out what to do. Trust in yourself and in your allies, Hiro. Just like Minato, it is your bonds that make you stronger, but you must also strengthen your own heart."

Hiro sighed, looking at Elizabeth. "Alright. Thanks for the heads-up, Elizabeth."

"You are welcome. Ah, here, take this."

Elizabeth flipped through a few pages of her book and retrieved a small silver badge with a golden "V" at its center, extending it to Hiro. "This badge will allow you to enter the Velvet Room without me having to come fetch you. Whenever you wish to speak with me or my master, feel free to enter."

Hiro placed the badge into the pocket of his coat. "Alright. I think I have a lot to ask Igor."

Elizabeth gave a graceful bow. "We will be waiting for your visit… and Minato's as well. Until next time, Hiro."

The Velvet Room's door opened once more, and Elizabeth stepped inside, vanishing as the door shut on its own. Hiro remained still, staring at the blue door, reflecting on everything that had just happened.

Was Lucifer trying to drive him insane? Was the world conspiring to make him abandon everything he had achieved?

Questions spun through his mind.

Then, Minato approached, placing a firm hand on Hiro's shoulder, interrupting his spiraling thoughts.

"I heard your conversation with Elizabeth," Minato said, looking directly into Hiro's eyes. "Wanna talk about it tomorrow?"

Hiro sighed, relieved by Minato's presence. "Maybe. But right now, we gotta take Ken to test his Persona, right?"

Minato shoved his hands into his pockets and nodded. "Yeah, I told Mitsuru I'd take you and Yukari up. We're heading to the fourteenth floor. The Shadows are weaker there, so it's a good place for Ken's test."

With a nod, Hiro and Minato began walking back to the group, where the others were discussing how to test Ken's Persona.

The fourteenth floor of Tartarus was a dark labyrinth, illuminated only by the eerie green light of the Dark Hour filtering through the windows.

Hiro, Minato, and Yukari advanced cautiously through the corridors, guiding Ken on his first incursion.

Ken gripped his spear firmly, trying not to show any nervousness.

He wore the standard S.E.E.S. combat jacket, fingerless gloves, and carried his Evoker in a holster at his waist. The S.E.E.S. armband was displayed on his left shoulder, with the number 9 clearly visible.

Hiro glanced at Ken from the corner of his eye, furrowing his brows as he noticed the absurd size of the spear the boy carried.

The weapon was practically three or four times Ken's size.

"Ken," Hiro murmured, unable to hold back his concern. "I know you chose to use a spear, but are you sure you can handle it? That thing is basically a street pole compared to you."

Ken gave a carefree smile. "Hehehe… I know it looks exaggerated, Mikoshi-senpai. But great generals used spears because of their reach and agility. They could control the battlefield."

Hiro blinked, surprised by the boy's mature response. "You really know your weapons. But you do realize you're way too small to use a spear, right?"

Ken chuckled again, more relaxed now. "I know, but I feel good with a spear. It makes me feel like an adult who knows what he's doing."

Fuuka, listening in through telepathy, giggled softly. "You're very mature for your age, Amada-san. But please, don't push yourself too hard and get hurt."

Ken blushed slightly, shy at the compliment. "Th-thank you, Yamagishi-san. I promise I'll be careful."

Before the conversation could continue, Minato raised his hand, signaling everyone to stop.

He glanced around cautiously and slowly drew his sword.

Yukari frowned, pulling her bow from her back. "What is it?"

Minato, still scanning the surroundings, pointed to a fork in the path ahead. "We've passed through here about six times already… this will be the seventh."

Fuuka, now more concerned, spoke through telepathy. "What? You're walking in circles? But Lucia hasn't detected anything…"