Some time before, right after Reason emerged and Original descended into Temorsth's/their mental world.
An endless sky, unfolding with boundless stars, unnumbered colors, even ones never seen before, clouds of unbridled energy, too many worlds to count, yet all of them witnessed from a single point in both space and time.
At the end of the world, when you look back, you will see everything, words he once heard, this is its origin, his origin.
That is why, it is this altar that is thairs and theirs alone, a white place untouched by color or the infecting dark all around, an altar to the being he is and the one he is still becoming.
"Brother! Annoying, annoying beyond belief, why try to stop me? It is our ultimate goal, isn't it?" Monster's face hovered inches from Original's as the latter opened his eyes.
"It is still." Original sighed while pushing Monster out of his face. "But you would have gathered too many eyes on us right off the bat had we let you do it."
"Yet you..." Moster was about to continue, but...
"Hmh, I feel strange, what is happening?" As the others woke up, the moment broke, and his words trailed off.
"What is happening... why are we all awake, and why do I feel like something strange happened to us?"
"Everyone, please calm yourself..." Original's low voice echoed over the white platform.
"Original... why is our head so hazy, and what are these jumbles of memories flooding my head?"
"Serenity reigns still, memories of so many lives... yet so many missing and fractured ones."
A breath passed, and Original continued. "Everyone, try to remember your last memory before going to sleep..."
"Last memory..." As they looked into themselves, every voice was silenced.
"Aha... the last meeting... You were asking everyone to sleep... so this is it, the time we awake." A youthful voice filled with energy.
"Yes, precisely, many, many years passed, but we are finally free of their gazes..."
"This is a joyful moment... But... it is also a sad one..." Just as the words left Original's mouth, a scream resounded.
"What the fuck!? What is this place? Who are you people... Why... what... everyone looks like me!?"
"Ah... sad indeed..." Everyone's gaze lowered. They recognized the person, the one who sacrificed his own being...
"Persona..." A fierce and angry voice, strangely, could still show some weakness. Feral's face twisted at the memories unfolding.
...
On the white platform, a white round table with 17 seats, only two people are missing.
"Their gazes pierce so sharply, yet you are saying we should just go to sleep so deeply that we can't wake up on our own... to put all our trust and life in your plan..."
"Yes." Original just nodded at the loud words.
"Hmh, alright, we shall do." And he just calmly accepted, so too did everyone present nod their heads.
"Thank you for the trust and understanding, but... I do need one more thing..." Original's voice was still slow and shallow, but it had a strange layer to it.
"I need a sacrifice... one of us must die... to make the perfect lie, it has to be truth, as such one of us must renounce all memories, suffer all the torment they and life could give and descend into insanity..." Everyone was quiet, yet they were sitting as calmly as before, undisturbed.
"I will do it." It was a voice without much concern for it. Did he not understand that he just chose death himself?
"Persona..."
"I am the face, and it is my job to lie." A wry smile. "Let me at least tell the truth one time."
"I understand... thank you... Brother..."
"But I do have one request. I know you have Feral's core. I know him more than any of you. He wouldn't simply disappear into nothing."
"Yes, I do possess it still... your request?"
"Then revive him, and I shall give up all that I am."
"And I shall do as you ask... Brother." There wasn't much emotion in Original's eyes as a burning red orb appeared beside him, a core, memories, and a soul.
It didn't even take a moment before it, or rather, Feral took form once more.
"Now, everyone, I must ask you to go and sleep." Original's words hurried just a little, and the others too followed suit.
"Fuck... you... fucker..." Feral's eyes blinked open, just in time to witness Persona's last wry smile directed at him.
"Weakling... why... Brother..." He understood everything he needed in that moment, but as his arms reached out, the others took him. His still weak mind and body were easily dragged into the dark.
...
"You... fucker... You are the weakest of us... yet... yet you..." He stood in front of Persona, his head lowered, did he feel shame... why would he...?
"Fuck! The weak should do weak shit and hide, not sacrificing themselves..." Do his words even mean anything... to Persona, or rather to the person who once was him and now just somebody... a nobody.
"Who are you... Why do you look like me!? What the hell is this place!? Answer me for fuck's sake!"
"Persona... You are not so weak... break under some time and pain... You fucker... You won't fool me..." Feral's teeth clacked, a step forward... a step back, an instinctive response from Persona.
"Who are you...? What do you want from-"
"No, you... Who are you?" Feral stepped even closer.
"Who... I am Liam, answ..." Boom... he flew away.
A punch, it was just a punch, yet such a loud sound, and an even louder thud followed as Persona hit an invisible wall at the altar's edge.
"No, you are not... so... Answer me... Who the fuck are you?" His slow steps sounded heavy... too heavy.
The others' brows frowned as a chill ran through all of them. That man was the only one to make it appear.
"Feral..." Of the lot, a fair and gentle voice, no anger or weight, a thin frame, yellow eyes. He reached out, intending to stop the scene unfolding, but a hand on his shoulder, Orginal's hand, stopped him.
"Aurora, leave him be... He stood the closest to Persona... Brothers of the same origin, how could they not..."
"Original..." A glance back at the scene, a deep sigh.
"Alright... but then... should we deal with this thing?" Saying the yellow-eyed... Aurora turned towards the endlessly unfolding starry sky, his eyes squinted just before so did the galaxy in front...
Yes, all the stars, all the suns, even the planets and the unfolding endless colors, everything was just a reflection, a reflection in the eye of this unimaginable being.
As it blinked, a thin, ghostly film swept sideways across its eye, like a second blink beneath the first, and finally the glaxy faded to reveal a similar yellow eye to Aurora's, the only difference being vertically slit pupils.
"I see now..." The words resound from all around.
"Finally, I understand... You were multiple, strange how until now I did not see it. Personalities are one thing, but this... no, you split your soul... to 17 parts nonetheless... interesting, truly interesting, I am fascinated, marveling."
"We do hear that... Snake!" Monster's words showed his unpleasant feelings toward this being.
"You are... that little monster I've seen... I see, so you were a true monster... and this one... oh, and that... haha, I like this, this is so intriguing."
"We do not like being the joy of others."
"That is not true... " The being answered rather firmly.
"Not completely at the least. I don't know all of you, but I do know you only hate a few things. Being looked down upon and being used for something you don't like, neither of those am I doing now, right...? Also, 'you' are not unreasonable.'
"Hmh, you do know a lot, it seems... though we don't have all of it, we do have some memory of you, and we will talk about that later, also will we compensate you for your torbels and help but-"
"Yes, yes, that good and all... but do tell me how it is that-" Tough he cut of Original so was he can of by the uncasing sounds.
*Boom* And the sound echoed too loud to ignore now.
"Sigh... boy, I tried all these while... I truly did, I gave him memory and hope, yet he could not return, give up, boy..." The eye looked at the scene of Persona trying to escape from Feral's punches...
He could not dodge any of it and yet... There was no real pain, no, there wasn't even any wounds, and yet Persona, or rather the person he was now, still instinctively tried to block.
"Person... you fuking weakling..." Feral's voice was low, too low for the person, the identity he was... his words sounded angry and yet... There was no anger in it.
*Boom...*Duf* Persona flew away, landing in the middle of the altar.
"Gah, why... why are you doing this to me!?" Though there was no real pain, Persona did not feel any strength in his legs, not even enough to stand up, only falling backwards while facing this being of pure power.
"Uh!!" The man walking towards him seemed slow, yet with just a few steps was in front of him. 'How could this be...' His leg was grabbed, dragged back just for a fist to arrive in his face.
*Boom* The sound, the weight, his face, not even the ground beneath should have crumpled, yet none was harmed.
"Persona... I... I am strong..." Freal kneeled, the lying boy between his legs.
"What are..."
*Boom*
*Boom*
*Boom* One after the other, strange and unrhythmical, the attacks rained like there was no end yet... yet in none of it was there any malice, no in them there was only one emotion... an emotion they couldn't name, an emotion that wasn't a part of them.
...
Persona's voice echoed in his mind.
"Brother?" The moment that boy was born...
"..." Though they looked exactly the same... for him, there was a difference. 'His eyes...' Innocent and bright eyes...
"Haha, Brother, you are so strong." Jumping around like a little child...
"That was nothing... but..." 'You shouldn't look at that...'
"Uhm?" His head to the side... innocent blinking eyes...
"Nothing." 'Why... why would someone like him follow me... he is... I am arrogant, uncontrollable, just a maniac who only enjoys the fight... why would he... I am no good... why would he...'
...
"Brother, you are so kind. Even when they were your opponent, you would compliment them, You are so kind."
"Kind? Me? You don't even know me... It's just for an even better fight next time." 'Yes, just for a better fight... I am not kind...'
"Batter fight... but... You protected them too..."
"P-protect?" 'I...' "Yes, the strong should protect the weak."
"Isn't that kind too..?"
"Wh-what?"
"I mean... Brother, didn't you say that the strong don't have to do anything they don't want... You are strong... then aren't you kind?"
"Th-That's... it was just a whim."
"A whim... But... you protected me too..." His head lowered...
"..." 'Ah...' His hand moved, a movement he hadn't intended... at least he could hide it... "Persona, you should become strong so that I don't have to."
"Strong..."
...
"Brother, I have become stronger, I will show you."
"Weak!" 'Strong...'
...
"Brother, I finally have my own power, I can finally match you."
"Weak, far too weak, the weakes of all of us!" 'You have become so strong...'
...
"Brother... I can do it."
"You can't." 'Go on, show me...'
...
"Brother... I did it, I did it!"
"You were lucky, try harder next time." 'That was great!'
...
"Feral... I will show you I am stronger!"
"Hah, what can you do?" 'Come, Brother... show me your strength...'
...
"Persona... Brother..." *Boom* "I am strong... am I not... then why... You fucking weakling, why did you give up!? You... you haven't shown me anything yet!" *Boom*
His fist lowered for a moment... 'I haven't shown you everything...'
"Sigh, what even are you trying to achieve? Wenting your rage on him? That is not very brotherly... Just give up, he is gone, accept it."
"Give...give up...?"
"Oh no, he has done it..." A rather young and joyful voice called out. Sitting relaxed at the altar's edge, he looked up. "Big thingy... You have messed up now, the only thing you shouldn't have said."
"Hmh?" The great beast lowered his eye, then, hearing the words, glared back at Feral.
"You should just shut up." Still holding Persona's collar, Feral looked up at the eye, and his eyes... There was real intent in them, an intent even this being couldn't dismiss.
"My brother... my brother is not so weak he would be defeated, not by time, memory, or even the fuking Gods!!!" He turned back to Persona.
"Do not underestimate him..."
*Boom* Echoing sound that shook everything, everyone.
"My brother... my brother is strong."
*Boom*
"Stronger than anything!!"
*Boom*
"Stronger than anyone could imagine!!!"
*Boom*
"My Brother! He is Great!"
*Boom*
"Big one..." Original's slow tone attracted the attention of the beast.
"You should learn some things before you get yourself killed... Feral... Feral is not weak nor is he strong because of anything special; it's just... he is too damn stubborn... and... his brother... sight, they are just the same."
"..." Silently, after hearing such words, the beast no longer spoke; instead, his eyes redirected at the scene unfolding... to ask a question or doubt words that were his wish.
Stubborn, what does that change? Why are all of you so sure? Why is none of you doubting? Do you all not share the memory for how long, for how many years I tried and wasted trying to wake him up... but why do I...
He remained silent because, instead of doubting this crazed fellow, he was doubting his own idea... for just one simple reason: those eyes. His eyes never once wavered; there was no doubt in them. How could he show doubt to someone like that? 'I was sure all of those, they felt the same.'
"Let me ask you this..." Feral raised the boy from his collar, preparing a punch with his other hand.
"Who are you?"