12 Returning to the Castle.

With a radiant smile, Chihaya responded enthusiastically.

"Absolutely, that's one of my personal favorites. The Fool's Journey is a beautiful metaphor for the journey of life, as illustrated by the Tarot's Major Arcana. It begins with The Fool, who embodies our initial state—innocent, brimming with potential, standing on the precipice of an exciting new journey."

Ren nodded, absorbing her words as Chihaya skillfully navigated through the deck.

"The journey kicks off with an encounter with The Magician, who inspires The Fool to tap into their innate potential, highlighting that they are equipped with the necessary skills, tools, and resources to accomplish their dreams…"

Chihaya was actually quite good at teaching, as she very carefully drew out examples and told the tale of the fool as if it were a book she had read countless times. Her storytelling was enhanced by a touch of drama, captivating Ren as she unveiled the cards one by one.

By the time Ren left, he had actually been quite glad he had come. With his newly gained understanding of the meanings of each card, he now had an idea of how to deepen his bonds more smoothly. And more importantly, how to grow from them. This was, after all, his fool's journey.

(As each Arcana becomes relevant, I will bring it up. I didn't want to fill this in with the information of all 22 cards at once.)

— —- —-

As the final bell rang, signaling the end of another school day, the group reconvened on the rooftop as they prepared to go into the Palace once again.

"Are we finally going? I've been rearing to go ever since we last entered that place!" Ryuji said with excitement, almost incapable fo keepin ghis body still.

Ann, ever prepared, showcased her backpack filled with snacks and medical essentials. 

"We're all set. Our weapons are stashed in the alley, ready for us."

"I'm ready to take him down," Shiho added, with resolve in her eyes. 

Seeing that all of them were ready to go, Ren stood up before beckoning for them to follow him.

"Alright, then. It's showtime."

Crossing through the weave between the worlds, the group was greeted by a shattered castle whose pieces seemed to be floating up into the sky. Unlike the last time they had entered, the storm that had been roaring had calmed. 

Pulling out his gun, Ren pointed it to a piece of rubble before firing it. To everyone's surprise, the small rock shattered into pieces as a real bullet flew off the gun.

"Wow, was that for real?" Ryuj asked as he pulled out his shotgun and also took a test shot toward one of the collapsed walls.

"Hm…" Ren thought to himself as he theorized as to why they worked before nodding his head and indicating for the group to follow him into the Castle.

The once royal halls were now filled with rubble, dust, and debris covering the majority of the castle, but as Ren observed the damages around him, he could see the cracks on the walls begin closing at a noticeable speed. With the level of damage the castle had taken, it would take weeks for it to recover fully, but the fact that it was healing at all was concerning.

The group moved silently throughout the castle until they encountered a lone knight on patrol. With a discreet gesture, Ren indicated readiness for an ambush and stealthily detached from the group to approach the knight from behind. As he neared, Ren leapt, seizing the knight's mask. Surprisingly, when his hand made contact with the mask, he felt a connection form with it before it turned to dust.

The knight collapsed, then writhed before disintegrating and forming into a small group of three fairies, each barely two feet tall. Quickly raising his gun, he fired two shots, downing two fairies with injuries. Aiming at the third, he paused as she frantically raised her hands, pleading for her life.

"Hold on! There's no need for this. What do you want? Money? I can provide anything, just spare me!"!"

The injured fairies, seizing on Ren's moment of hesitation, chimed in with their own appeals for mercy.

"Please, let's avoid any further violence... Just state your demand, and we'll comply!"

Raising an eyebrow with interest, Ren asked.

"Where is your king?"

The unharmed fairy was the first one to answer.

"Our king resides at the summit of this fortress, currently recuperating from recent wounds. Spare me, and I shall guide you to him!" she proposed eagerly, edging closer.

Nodding his head, he pointed the gun at the other two before asking.

"Now, what can you two offer?"

Exchanging glances with each other, the pixies pulled out a bundle of cash from god knows where before tossing it toward Ren.

"Take that, that's all we have!" They shouted before scurrying away.

With interest, Ren picked up the bundle of cash before his eyes widened.

"This…. This is real money…"

The small fairy in front of him giggled before answering.

"Indeed, we Pixies honor our promises. We are of the Fey, after all! Speaking of which…" She said as she closed her eyes.

"I am Pixie. From now on, I will live inside of your heart! I am thou, and thou art I!" She proclaimed as she transformed into blue flames, coalescing into a mask identical to Ren's. The mask, as if magnetized, merged seamlessly with his.

Oddly enough, Ren now sensed an additional presence within his heart, residing next to Tartuffe.

The rest of the crew popped out of their hiding spots and dashed over to Ren, bombarding him with questions.

"What the eff was that! Is that how you get your persona?" Ryuji asked with excitement as he readied his gun in preparation for the next fight.

Shaking his head, Ren answered.

"I am not sure. But it seems the people here have wills of their own, independent from Kamoshida. As for personas, from what I was able to read yesterday, I believe that they are just another version of yourself. Your inner desires… I don't really have a proper formula for how to awaken them, but I'm sure one of the ways must be in a situation of life and death…"

Thinking for a moment, Shiho nodded in agreement.

"My persona awakened when we were about to get captured by Kamoshida. Circe called to me and offered me strength when I needed it most."

Ryuji, half-joking, half-serious, chimed in as he adjusted his shotgun.

 "So, we just gotta charge headfirst into the next bunch of baddies, huh?"

Ren couldn't help but smile and roll his eyes at the suggestion.

"There's something we could try. Though it might not be the most pleasant experience." Ren said as he stood up.

Ryuji's excitement was palpable, his determination clear. 

"Alright, count me in for the next fight.."

Turning to Ann, Ren could tell that she was slightly hesitating.

When she noticed Ren's eyes on her, Ann's hesitation vanished before she, too, nodded her head.

"Screw it, I'm in too. This is all so confusing, but if I can stop Kamoshida, I don't mind being slightly uncomfortable."

With his attention shifting, Ren focused on his mask before feeling the possibility of change. Among his soul, he could sense the very mask that the guards of the palace wore.

"Everyone, give me some space. I'm going to attempt something," he announced, removing his mask to focus on altering its form.

As Ren focused deeply, the mask in his hands ignited with ethereal blue flames, morphing before their very eyes into an exact replica of the palace guards' masks. As Ren carefully placed the mask on his face, he felt his outfit change as his body became enveloped in armor. To the rest of the group, it looked as if Ren had turned into one of the knights. The transformation was so precise that it left the group uneasy, especially when Ren faced them with the mask's hollow gaze.

Despite the mask's opaque eyes revealing nothing, Ren's familiar voice reassured them.

"I think I have an idea for infiltrating through the palace! We can also use this to catch that other version of Kamoshida off guard." Catching into blue flames once again, Ren returned to his usual appearance before stretching slightly.

"Though I must admit, that was somewhat uncomfortable."

After a short discussion of their plan, the group set forth once again, navigating the labyrinthine corridors of the castle with a renewed sense of purpose. Weaving through the dimly lit halls, the group eventually stumbled upon a group of knights.

Clustered at the base of a grand staircase, which spiraled upwards into the unseen reaches of the castle, stood five knights. Among them, a figure stood out. A golden knight whose armor gleamed with an almost otherworldly luster under the flickering torchlight. This knight, evidently of higher rank, was issuing orders with an authority that brooked no dissent.

"You all!" the golden knight's voice rang out, clear and commanding. "Our king lies in recovery, and it falls upon us to ensure his safety. Our vigilance must be unwavering, our resolve steel. Remember, our orders are explicit—kill on sight, without hesitation, without mercy. We cannot permit even the shadow of a threat to fall upon our king!"

The knights around him responded with a unified clatter of armor, a silent testament to their unwavering allegiance and readiness to carry out their dire mandate. The gravity of their duty hung heavily in the air, a palpable force that seemed to stiffen their resolve even further.

Before the knights could break their formation to begin their patrol, Ren put a reassuring hand on Ann's and Ryuji's shoulders. He leaned in, his voice barely a whisper.

"Trust the process."

Puzzled, Ann and Ryuji echoed a synchronized "Hm?" Their confusion was short-lived, however, as they suddenly felt an unexpected nudge propelling them forward. The world seemed to tilt under their feet, sending them stumbling into the open space before the knights, culminating in an ungraceful tumble to the ground. As they scrambled to regain their bearings, they glanced backward only to notice that Ren and Shiho had vanished from sight.

The realization made them both release a cold sweat before they turned to the group of knights as they heard a shout.

"Intruders!"