Shattered Justice (A Persona Quest)

Okay. You don't think you're getting anywhere near the webs anymore. Also, you don't think you want to, since the parts you'd be standing near are currently on fire.

But that fire's going to spread. Eventually, it will reach where your friends are.

And while the webs burning away around them would technically solve the problem, you don't think that could possibly be comfortable. Or safe. If only there was something you could do without getting too close to the webs themselves...

...Oh. Right. You have magic. Magic you're reasonably good at and that can be used from a distance.

It'd be easier to deal with if you had your Evoker on hand, but running up to those spiders has been established as a bad idea. You'll pick it up later.

Instead, you look to the web, and focus your power as best you can.

The Captor Spiders are immune to Bless. You've known this for pretty much as long as you've known there were Captor Spiders. But you don't know if their webs have the same resistances. It might have been better to test this out on a lower floor, but you're making the most of the information you've got.

Hama isn't a spell you make much use of, outside of when something in Tartarus really annoys you and you want it gone. But it can hit from a range, and it has natural sharp edges.

It's also some of the most dangerous magic you can use, but Morgana's not weak to Bless. And you strongly doubt Lavenza has any weaknesses whatsoever. You've never seen any when you look at her, at least.

You back up a bit, just to make sure you can see both of them. There's not much time before the fire reaches them, so if this works, you'll have to be able to get to the other quickly. They probably won't accuse you of playing favorites, there's more important stuff to worry about, but you're still worried about it.

You start with Lavenza- if this goes wrong, you're less likely to accidentally hurt her. And, in your head, you picture a card made of light.

That's the easy part.

The hard part is conjuring a single card without placing it in your hand. You've never tried that before, because you'd always sort of assumed you'd be cutting things within arm's reach. But you don't need multiple cards. Just one that moves in a specific way.

You successfully conjure the card, and then you have to hold in in place while you decide how to cut, since the best-case scenario of losing focus is that you have to start over.

At this point in the spell, it's more likely that losing focus would make the card attack Lavenza. Something tells you she wouldn't like that. So you hold it in place until you can successfully change the spell's focus. It works better if you position your hand like you're holding the card, so that's what you do. And then you slice.

It's exhausting work. The webs offer a strong resistance to your magic, but they don't stop it entirely, so you can still do something. You have to cut, and change direction, and you don't think you've ever strained your magic so hard before.

You're not even doing anything fancy, you're just cutting a square around Lavenza and seeing what happens.

What happens is that, when she falls, it's towards the section of the webs that is on fire. You... probably should have worried about that a bit more.

Despite how she was clearly unconscious just a few moments ago, she rolls out of the blaze and starts ripping burning web off of herself. You... think she'll be fine?

When you cut Morgana out a few seconds later, he does not land in the fire.

He lands on Lavenza's head, instead.

...You're going to have to apologize to both of them for that, aren't you?

But they're out of the webs. They successfully inch their way enough around the spiders to make a run for it, and then Elizabeth summons the most powerful electric Persona you've ever seen and the spiders are obliterated.

...And that, you suppose, is that.

---

During your time in the Labyrinths, everyone was picking up a lot of items. Choose one to take home with you.


[ ] In the Group Date Cafe, you picked up a strange bottle. You have no idea what you can do with it, but it must be useful for something.

[ ] In the Group Date Cafe, Satonaka-san found a strange, cold stone. It doesn't do anything for her, but maybe you can find a use for it?

[ ] In the Group Date Cafe, Morgana found a Skill Card that any of you could theoretically use. You sort of want it just to make sure he doesn't use it.

[ ] In the Inaba Pride Exhibit, Akihiko-san found a strange ring. None of you know what it does, and it's a bit too big for you to wear. Maybe you can figure it out when you're older?

[ ] Teddie-san has acquired a strange item that doesn't get used up. He says he doesn't need it, because it has the same effect as a spell he already knows. None of SEES know that spell, so maybe it'll be useful to you?

[ ] Rei has a strange ornament that she says she won't be needing anymore. You aren't sure you'll need it, either, but it looks nice.