The struggle between their magicks was near even. Aloa and Zalera’s combined power was splendid. Such a display of refined mastery over the Death Seraph’s ancient magick truly was something to be proud of. To be able to handle such dangerous, hazardous power with little to no difficulty showed just how far this Viera had come. To think, this was the same young Viera who couldn’t do a single thing right in her youth, yet she was standing toe to toe with one of the most powerful beings to ever exist in Ivalice’s history. Her power even rivaled the Occuria - the very godly beings that forged Ivalice into their image.

And yet, it just wasn’t enough. This strong Viera who displayed absolute domination and control over death magicks literally had no idea that inserting her arm into one of the Creature’s copies was exactly what the being of death wanted. Though it wouldn’t be explained in the exact moment she did it, the explosion that followed, however, might be a totally different story. As mist centered around Aloa and then it unleashed itself in a widespread display of brilliant, bright magicks, the Creature then enacted its plan. 

Without warning, black shadows gathered around the Creature, first swallowing him into nothingness, then after a short moment, its form reappeared in front of Aloa. Of course, this time it resembled nothing humeoid. It didn’t have a physical form per-se; the entirety of its existence had become a literal manifestation to what it, above all else, represented.

Death.

In its new form, the Creature was in a circular state of dark matter, formed and molded from the darkest regions of the void to become an all-consuming mass that was intent on absorbing any and all forms of energy...living or otherwise.

And unfortunately for Aloa, her explosion did very little to stall it. Within seconds, her last-ditch efforts were moot. Anything she might’ve come up with on the spot was useless. All matter of magick, life, and energy was fuel for this black hole that it had become.

Right about now, regardless of the fact Aloa had put up some kind of complex web of protective magicks, it wouldn’t do her any good in the long run. In a matter of one minute, even that wouldn’t be able to save her. 

The minute had run out and the ground that Aloa stood on cracked, robbed of its life, but more importantly, it's connected to Ivalice herself. As a result, it was reduced to a blackened state that rejected Aloa’s connection to the Gods and propelled her towards the Creature. It all seemed bleak. She was facing death in the eye and nothing Zalera would do could save her.

She was dead.

She had no options left.

She had to...

No, there was something of a glimmer in front of her.

It started out as a little dot of light within the darkness, then it expanded at such a rapid rate. By when Aloa was mere inches from being swallowed up by the Creature’s mass, the light beat her to it. And just as soon as it had done that, had the Creature been led into a temporary state of victory. It was long enough to allow what had actually happened to enable Aloa to get a safe distance away.

Not even a full, ten seconds later, Aloa would find herself being spat out of that same portal, no doubt preparing herself for death’s embrace, but what she’d find was not the abysmal darkness of hell but the sunshine of Ivalice and the cool winds of the Phon Coast. She’d feel the sand between her bunny-like feet, and the waves crashing ashore. She’d hear the sounds of seagulls flying overhead as they frolicked above the water, catching fish as they came. 

Then, as if adding a looming cloud to the blue skies above, a sound of absolute terror from a familiar raven-haired woman would be heard as she hovered over another familiar male with forest-colored hair. She’d hear the sounds of the Void threatening to take him as a portal the size of a thumb appeared through his clothing.

Aloa would see the consequences of Michel overusing the Void.