If ever there have been a call too close to accurately measure, that was it.
Michel knew he had to get there before anyone else did. When he had left Archadia, he knew that he was the only shot anyone had at getting to the Creature first. Due to travel restrictions put in place by the Jagd to ensure that their land was protected, Meli and Michel couldn’t travel through conventional means. However, that didn’t mean they lacked means of not only traversing through the Sandsea but get to the Tomb as quickly as possible.
When they touched ground in the Sandsea, Michel had ensured a quick path from each major checkpoint from the start of the Sandsea to the tomb, all the way to where he had sensed the Creature’s deathly presence. Once he did and once he realized the severity of the situation, Michel had done something drastic. It was something only those with decades of training and mastery of the void would do. It was, as Shemhazai warned Michel before he went through with it, the last resort for any user of the Void. Even as the one who commands the empty, vastness of the Void, Shemhazai rarely used it. But Michel assured her that there was no other choice.
He had to activate the Forbidden Portal: The Void’s Whisper.
This ancient form of Void Magick called upon the remnants of the Occuria within Ivalice. It called upon the Void’s deepest regions to create a time portal so accurate and precise that not even someone as ancient as the Creature would be able to stop it.
When it was cast, for a moment, Michel caught a glimpse into the future. It was only for a few seconds, but he saw Aloa being dragged to the Creature, who had taken in a new form. “Ancient whispers of naught, hear me now. I bear the mark of the Void and call unto you; forsake all so that the Death Seraph may live. Ancient whispers of naught, project thy will unto me.” Michel chanted out, a portal of pure white appearing before him, and he and Meli were sucked into it. Without any warning nor any time to process it, the same portal appeared in front of the Creature and ran interference so that Aloa was sucked into the white hole, rather than the black hole.
They all traveled through the void, eyes blind to all and unable to dictate where they’d land, it was only after the sounds of nature did Michel realize where they had landed. Unfortunately, however, Michel’s body could not handle such prolonged exposure to the Void. Unlike previous uses of the Void, he would only be in the Void for three seconds(max) peruse, but this time, he spent a whole minute in it. To Shemhazai, it was nothing; she lived in the void, but for Michel - a hume with limited experience - he had a reaction to it as if he was holding a double-edged sword. Literally, the ancient magicks of that place tore a piece of his soul out, and now he was facing grim possibilities of death as a void portal had replaced where his belly button was. And as it continued to collect mist, it increased in size almost to the point where it was as wide as a balled fist.
Michel was conscious for this and heard Meli’s cries, begging Aloa to help him. Michel himself wasn’t fearing death. He knew the risks when he had used the Void’s Whisper. He had prepared his mind for the results of death. If he had to spend an eternity in the Void and not have his soul saved, then so be it. If it must happen, then he had resigned to that fate.
But it seemed Aloa had a different idea for him. Her hands hovered over his body. He couldn’t help but notice how her hands emitted an oddly-familiar glow. Something about it made him feel welcomed and how under its light, he was safe. As long as he remained still, then maybe he wouldn’t have to set himself at Shemhazai’s door just yet. After a moment or so -- long moments, mind you -- Michel felt a tingling sensation crawl up his spine and make its way all around his body. It was weird but welcoming. As he had looked down, he noticed the portal that had appeared on his body was no more. Whatever Aloa had done, she saved him - at least, for the time being(as she noted).
He slowly got up to his feet, using Meli and Aloa as an aid. Though he still felt tenderness in his stomach, he had enough strength to stand. “And to think I had this big speech prepared about how I got to you just in the nick of time,” Michel admitted, chuckling, wincing slightly through the tender pain he felt.
“You have my thanks,” Aloa replied, though she closed her eyes. “I would note your recklessness, but sadly I am not in a position to defer your judgment.”
“Of course you can! He could have died!” Meli couldn’t help but yell.
“But I didn’t.” He noted, giving Meli a smile.
“My question is, what the hell were you thinking, rushing in there all alone?! Did you want to die?!”
“It would have been inconvenient, I suppose,” Aloa mused out loud, her voice once again airy. “Ivalice would have marched on without me. I am certain Shion would have been glad to take my mantle.”
“She would’ve grieved for you.” Michel said, “Ivalice knows your presence here and if anything was to come out of what you accomplished, you are just like the rest of us. You are an Ascendent, which is exactly why you can’t die just yet.” He informed her, almost sounding as if he was ordering her to stay alive.
“A comforting thought, though at the very least I can say I walked away having accomplished something,” She admitted, looking at her hand. She let out an uncharacteristic sigh. “It took a sacrifice...but it was done.”
“Sacrifice?”
“I chose to withhold my ascension for as long as I could. I sought out Emet-Selch’s counsel, had hoped to find a way to form a crack in the Collective’s nonshattering shell...but to do that, I had no choice,” Aloa was bitter as she spoke. “She has passed on to the afterlife, robbed of her chance on Ivalice. I only pray it was not in vain.”
Michel closed his eyes. “So, it was her power I felt coming from you when you saved my life from the Void.”
Aloa nodded silently. Meli looked between the two, not quite understanding. “I’m more concerned about your ‘temporary’ fix,” The dark haired woman decided to press the manner.
“It is temporary because should he chose to push it, it will unravel. I thought this a simple explanation,” Aloa couldn’t help but show the slightest hint of annoyance. “He knows the risks. If he were to go the rest of his life using his magicks in moderation, he would live to a very old age. But our enemy will see to it that he will not go quietly.”
“As if Michel’s willing to risk his neck for yours again! Have you no shame?” Meli revealed the mutual feeling of annoyance. “I’ve heard nothing but praise about the ‘almighty viera’, but here you are nearly getting yourself killed and forcing Michel to save your sorry ass!”
“A pity.” Aloa’s response was rather curt, though she didn’t seem to bother with an explanation nor an apology.
Though he appreciated Meli’s loyalty and willingness to defend him, it wasn’t necessary, so he waved towards her. “There is no need to put any blame on Aloa here. I am at fault here. I knew the risks in using the Void Whisper. Shemhazai told me I wasn’t ready, but I knew it was the only thing that could save Aloa in time. What’s done is done.” He gave a shrug, though his eyes opened and they glanced solely on Aloa. “We did have another reason for coming all this way.”
Aloa seemed to understand, giving Michel her full attention. “Do tell.”
“About, oh, I’d say no more than a full hour ago, we, the Ascendants, received a visit from a monk who revealed himself to be someone by the name of Grigori--an alias, no doubt--who informed us of a troubling fact about the Creature and how it may be the true enemy to us all. He stated that neither Zodiark nor Venat posed us any real danger but rather the Creature was the one who we should be focusing on.” Michel told Aloa, “he told us to seek out the one who bears the Calling of Death.”
Staring at Michel for a moment, she quirked an eyebrow at him. “...hm,” She mumbled. “I wonder why.”
“Y-You don’t know?!”
“I’m not omniscient.”
Ignoring the peanut gallery banter, Michel remained focused on Aloa. “Admittedly, I do not know his exact reasoning, but he did only want to reveal this to those of us who were Ascendants. And he wouldn’t do it until all of us were present. Of course, most were unavailable. Another thing to note is he knows about what we become when we ascend.”
Aloa looked at Michel in understanding. “I see.”
“Let me guess: you know who this Grigori is, don’t you?”
“It is a name I am familiar with, though I cannot say we’ve met in person,” She admitted, ignoring Meli rolling her eyes. “Much how the Occuria were Ivalice’s shepherds, you could say Grigori was...the next being in line.”
“Meaning?”
“Meaning that it is a watcher. An otherworldly being tasked with Ivalice’s good will in mind. There is probably more with numerous legends attached to it, but that was the relevant information given to me,” Aloa surmised.
“And who was it that told you this information?”
“The one who taught me everything I know. She has long since passed, though not without giving me the information I needed for Ivalice’s prosperity,” She replied.
Michel knew who exactly that was. He recalled Shion had told him of a strange Viera she encountered in her travels. “Shion did mention that I believe. Kyli, if I recall. She referred to her as ‘one strange Viera’, though she didn’t go into any details.” Michel bit his thumb as he pondered.
“Likely due to her inability to recognize the phenomenon known as ‘personal space’.” Her answer was pretty quick, accompanied by the tiniest of smiles.
For an obvious reason, his mind went to Jaakuna, which prompted Michel to let out an unforeseen chuckle, though there was a slight wince in his face. Meli gave him an extremely concerned look, though glared at Aloa, knowing she was the reason behind his odd behavior. Not long after taking a moment to collect himself, Michel gave both of them an assuring smile. “My apologies, but I was just reminded of Jackson and how he and Kyli have that same problem.” Uh-oh, he had one more chuckle left in him and, of course, it came with a double-edged pain.
“Whereas Jackson intrudes simply to show his authority, my mentor believed it to be an unneeded social custom. She believed that as creatures of Ivalice, we all shared the same spiritual plane...admittedly, while the idea had some merit, I do think she simply liked to tease,” She admitted as Meli began fussing over Michel. Aloa looked to the sky, frowning. “I suppose I should inform Shion of what has happened. No doubt she’d want to consider our next move.”
While he wanted to push further to hear more about Kyli, Aloa was right about one thing: they needed to go. “I’d offer to take us through my portals, but after what I just did--” Michel caught the scathing glare from Meli by even just mentioning using his powers. Apparently, she still wasn’t happy with him. “--I think our best option is to rest up. Utena headquarters isn’t far. We can send word to Madame Blue Rose, and she could meet us there.” Michel more or less suggested.
Aloa looked upon the coastline. It wasn’t preferable, but she would agree. She didn’t quite want to look at Meli, considering she was glaring, though her ears would twitch. “Lead the way.”
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