[color=fff79a]“Given the circumstances, it’s likely they went off on their own to investigate, though I am uncertain what led them to this notion, not to mention it was foolish of them. Then again,”[/color] through the grim reality they were facing, Wesley let out a chuckle, [color=fff79a]“Jaakuna has always been one to take on reckless ventures, yet, despite it all, it all works out in the end. I am not saying neither of them is in the right, but I have faith this will all work out in the end. All we need to do until then is endure. Besides, we are--”[/color]

Wesley sensed something coming for them. But where? It wasn’t behind nor to either left or right. So it must be…

[I]CRASH![/i]

Suddenly a giant beast of shadow which, unlike the ones before, was large -almost as large as Hashmal was in his Esper size. It came at such a surprise that Wesley hadn’t the time to react. Its form was slender and big. It moved awfully fast as it came from the roof. Wesley prepared his mist, but as it got closer, he realized it wasn’t going to be soon enough, not to mention the worry of hurting Nadeline and Shion clouded his mind.

And then it got close. Wesley closed his eyes, but instead of hearing the cries of Nadeline, he heard the beast itself cry out, then his eyes opened and saw the anguished expression as the beast faded into shadows.

Looking around, he saw in the direction where the door was, Shemhazai, the Whisperer had a freshly-fired crossbow with Michel standing behind it. [color=fff79a]“What timing, Michel!”[/color] Wesley let out an uncharacteristic cheer, which he corrected by coughing a moment later.

[color=teal]“We had our hands busy with our new friends.”[/color] Michel said with a chuckle, getting a sigh from Shemhazai.

[color=hotpink]“Must you always be so coy with how perilous this situation is.”[/color]

[color=teal]“Relax, Shemmy. We’ll make it through, then you can tell me again how you and Hashmal--”[/color]

[color=hotpink]“I believe that’s quite enough out of you, Michelangelo!” [/color]Shemhezai snapped, cheeks flushed with pink as she looked at Hashmal, to which the latter humphed.

[color=fff79a]“...Anyway, since it’s obvious Jaakuna and Emiri aren’t here, my job is to make sure these beasts do not harm any of my citizens. Furthermore, I am issuing that the Espers aid my city. Of course, I can only order Hashmal--”[/color] Wesley was interrupted by a scoff from Hashmal [color=fff79a]“--but I can’t tell Ultima nor Shemhazai what to do, so I am asking you two if you will fight with the Humes of Dalmasca? Please, we need your strength.”[/color]+

[color=hotpink]“I am willing to if the High Seraph is.”[/color] Shemhezai added.

[hr]

[color=orangered]“The biggest mistake my foolish younger brother ever made.”[/color] Adrammelech added angrily. 

Isaiah listened and couldn’t believe it. Okay, well maybe he could, but there was still a lot of surprising facts that Roman just said. Quite possibly the biggest one was that Jackson was most likely fighting Zodiark/Emiri as this very moment, which just made Isaiah wonder more about what kind of mess he had gotten himself into this time. He’s always been one to attract trouble, but now it seemed as though he was at the center of the worst thing to happen to Ivalice since the Undying, Vayne Solidor.

[color=gold]“This no doubt means that, in order to save Ivalice from certain destruction, Jackson has to kill his beloved.”[/color]

[color=orangered]“Not necessarily,”[/color] Adrammelech said somberly, hinting at something he wasn’t saying (as usual). [color=orangered]“We are under the assumption that Zodiark has merged his being with the Time Scion’s, but that’s not accurate. Ivalice, though she appears to be breaking apart, is not yet in the darkness.”[/color]

[color=gold]“Meaning that Zodiark hasn’t been fully released.”[/color]

Adrammelech clapped, [color=orangered]“very good, you actually do have some intuition.”[/color] He received a scowl from Isaiah. [color=orangered]“But anyway, the ritual has not yet been completed. But it will be short. Only thing stopping it is…”[/color]
[hr]
The battle raged on as Ivalice was further threatened to collapse on herself. Emiri taunted Jaakuna , proving that her magicks were far superior to the Transcendents  own, yet it would not make him back down. When she came for him in a physical manner, there would be no backing down on his part. He met her as their sword would clash, mist of light and darkness sending shockwaves throughout the room, slowly crumbling it into pieces. A few more clashes like that and the Henne Mines will crash on top of itself.

[color=#ED1C24]“[/color][color=#EB2028]Y[/color][color=#EA242C]o[/color][color=#E92930]u[/color] [color=#E63238]r[/color][color=#E5363D]e[/color][color=#E43A41]a[/color][color=#E33F45]l[/color][color=#E14349]l[/color][color=#E0484D]y[/color] [color=#DE5056]t[/color][color=#DC555A]h[/color][color=#DB595E]i[/color][color=#DA5E62]n[/color][color=#D96267]k[/color] [color=#D66B6F]y[/color][color=#D56F73]o[/color][color=#D47477]u[/color][color=#D2787B]’[/color][color=#D17C80]r[/color][color=#D08184]e[/color] [color=#CD8A8C]g[/color][color=#CC8E90]o[/color][color=#CB9295]i[/color][color=#CA9799]n[/color][color=#C89B9D]g[/color] [color=#C6A4A5]t[/color][color=#C5A8AA]o[/color] [color=#C2B1B2]w[/color][color=#C1B6B6]i[/color][color=#C0BABA]n[/color][color=#BEBFBF]?[/color] [color=#C0BDB6]Y[/color][color=#C1BCB2]o[/color][color=#C1BCAD]u[/color][color=#C2BBA9]’[/color][color=#C3BAA5]r[/color][color=#C4B9A0]e[/color] [color=#C5B898]o[/color][color=#C6B794]n[/color] [color=#C7B68B]b[/color][color=#C8B587]o[/color][color=#C9B482]r[/color][color=#C9B47E]r[/color][color=#CAB37A]o[/color][color=#CBB275]w[/color][color=#CCB171]e[/color][color=#CCB16D]d[/color] [color=#CEAF64]t[/color][color=#CFAE60]i[/color][color=#CFAE5C]m[/color][color=#D0AD57]e[/color][color=#D1AC53],[/color] [color=#D2AB4A]Z[/color][color=#D3AA46]o[/color][color=#D4A942]d[/color][color=#D4A93E]i[/color][color=#D5A839]a[/color][color=#D6A735]r[/color][color=#D7A631]k[/color][color=#D7A62C]![/color][color=#D8A528]”[/color]  Jaakuna pushed back so far that he had forced he and Emiri to clash into the wall where both had become entangled in an aura of black and white.

As the battle continued, the others only could watch as Jaakuna, the one who anyone least-thought would amount to anything was the only person strong enough to end the dire situation Zodiark had created, yet Savayna felt something was off. Not about Emiri nor Jaakuna, but something else fast approached Henne Mines. She sensed it the minute they stepped into Henne Mines. In her gut and in the whisperings from Mateus, both of them had felt something was truly off, but what? Gods damn it, what is it!

And to make matters worse, Grant, clueless as ever, asked what they should do? [color=lightblue]“As if i’m supposed to know. Jaakuna fights on for our’s and Ivalice’s sake. And what are we doing? Standing around like helpless ants.”[/color] Savayna balled her fist, wanting to punch something but as always - as she was back..back in Archadia. 

And then it hit her. Not since Archadia, but before. She knew.  The feeling she had..the sinister, vile, gut-wrenching feeling she had since arriving her, she knew what it was  - or rather [i]who[/i] it was.

[color=lightblue]“Prepare yourselves! It--IT COMES!”[/color]
[hr]
[color=gold]“You’re kidding me. Please tell me you’re not telling the truth, Adrammelech.”[/color]

[color=orangered]“I’m afraid not. I wish I was, trust me, it’s not an ideal situation, but in order to get rid of the bigger evil, a lesser one must be accepted.”[/color]

Isaiah was bewildered by Adrammelech’s words. To think, of all people, [i]they[/i] were their only hope. If that was true, then they’ve truly been desperate to end this temporary apocalypse. But even still, Isaiah couldn’t shake this feeling in his gut that, wherever this person was, they were laying in wait--waiting for the right time to strike.

[color=gold]“And to think, they were under our noses this entire time..”[/color]
[hr]

Savayna’s mist field activated into overdrive as misty wind spread as far as it could, yet it would not stop the opposing mist of that which made its presence known. Vile magick of ancient origins spread from the walls and from the ceiling, inching its way through the cracks. Dark blue and black goo-like magick covered all crevices of every hole that was already there or had been made from the battle.

Her eyes glimmered with iciness and Savayna, with the power from MAteus, charged forth. But she was too late. Her body froze when she heard ominous laughter. More to the point, it was [i]that[/i] laughter. It was that same laugh that still sent chills down her spine and it was the laugh that would freeze where Jaakuna and Emiri stood. It froze Keiran. It froze Grant, Lorenzo, Emette, and even the masters of ice, Savayna, and Mateus. All were forced to stay put as all of the black, tar-like magick came together into one place at the center of the room, standing over the Snake-Bearer Statue.

The tar magick came together, the form complete and the laugh was now at full volume, but it was no longer echoed as it was before. The source of it was in front of them and even though Savayna was right, she had wished she wasn’t. [color=lightblue]“You!”[/color] Savayna yelled out. She could still speak but her movements were bound by [i]their[/i] power.

The form looked up and those in the room would know as their face came into the light. It was a face of dark tones, tribal markings going from the bottom of the eyes well down to the cheeks, heavy eyeshadow that brought out the richness of those all-too-familiar, sapphire-colored eyes. The hair was no longer spiked up as it had once been; instead, it was down, wavy, and like silk. And the attire this one had worn was no more. In its stead was a dress colored black and blue, patterned with the same symbols that Emiri was covered in.

[color=lightblue]“Levi! What are you--you’re supposed to be dead!” [/color]

[color=0f52ba]“General Savayna, you surprise me. Your strength has nearly doubled since our last bout. And you, my sweet prince,”[/color] she looked at GRant, [color=0f52ba]“I see you’ve yet to unlock Zeromus’ Seal, but you’re not far. I imagine you’re going to be even stronger than Jackson here.”[/color] Her eyes went to Jaakuna and Emiri.  [color=0f52ba]“Poor Time Scion, your power is so great, yet your fragile mind makes you suspect to dark influences. First, it was Venat and now, even Zodiark beckons you, which makes me believe that Chaos is at his limit with you. I wonder, though? Will you need to be reset once more?”[/color] Her always sinister voice hummed. [color=0f52ba]“And as for you, Jackson, I applaud you trying. Belias no doubt told you of my arrival, yet as we stand here, you were too late.”[/color]

[color=lightblue]“What are you going to do!?”[/color] Savayna demanded to know, repeating herself again.

Levi chuckled, amused. Her eyes went all around the room. She had missed all of her wonderful friends. It was the reunions to top all reunions. [color=0f52ba]“I am going to do what I was meant to.”[/color] Levi eyed the statue. It spoke to her. It was the reason her purpose; for her to become Zodiark was truly her calling, for her name and her soul aligns with the Snake. She is the embodiment of Ophiuchus. [color=0f52ba]“Flow into me, Keeper of Precepts. Part with time and become one with the Snake-Bearer!”[/color] Her markings glowed and she let out a maniacal, almost orgasmic laugh, becoming possessed as the true end was about to begin.