1087 Connected
For the first time since the Separations, a Primal reconnected with the Expanse.
For the first time since the Void Call, a Primal regained a portion of his true being.
The Origin Essence strengthened him, while the changes to his personality pushed Gluvos to fight more ferociously than before. It was almost like the Primal had realized Michael's hesitation. Maybe that was the case. Maybe the Primal noticed Michael stopped trying to kill him and his siblings. That allowed Gluvos to fight without care for his defense. Michael was the one who was forced to pay more attention to his attacks if he wanted to keep Gluvos alive.
10:46
Michael instinctively sensed a drastic change in Gluvos' Essence. The silverish-dark Essence was replaced by the bi-colored Origin Essence in the Primal's reserves. That change, even if it wasn't visible from the outside at first, was enough to ignite a domino effect of changes. Gluvos roared at the top of his lungs, uncontrollable pain sweeping through his cells. And that even though Michael had long since let go of the Primal.
Gluvos' roar transformed into an ear-deafening scream. It filled the Beginning and took the Primal by surprise. They initiated a second attempt at fleeing but the Gods restrained their movements. Michael was glad they did because it would be difficult to finish the sacred mission given by the weave if the Primal were to flee now. Maybe he could fix Gluvos and the Primal fighting the Calamity Dragon, but the rest would be troublesome to deal with if they'd managed to flee.
'Stop thinking about things that haven't happened yet. Focus on the task ahead!' Michael urged inwardly while trying to retaliate against Gluvos.
Gluvos was overflowing with emotions, sensations, and the accumulated pain of millions of years. Maybe most Primal would react to this by fleeing but Gluvos' eyes were crimson and filled with bloodlust. The Primal was changing but as the changes were introduced to his retaliating body, he also transformed into a fierce and bloodthirsty combatant.
The Origin Essence strengthened him, while the changes to his personality pushed Gluvos to fight more ferociously than before. It was almost like the Primal had realized Michael's hesitation. Maybe that was the case. Maybe the Primal noticed Michael stopped trying to kill him and his siblings. That allowed Gluvos to fight without care for his defense. Michael was the one who was forced to pay more attention to his attacks if he wanted to keep Gluvos alive.
Michael cursed his fate once more, but a trace of hope ignited in his heart when he noticed something unfamiliar flickering in Gluvos' bloodthirsty eyes. The Primal was angry, confused, and overflowing with a type of energy he'd only felt for the first few days of his life. He missed the Origin Essence and embraced it tightly, ignoring how much the addictive sensation of the strongest Essence in the universe affected him. That increased Michael's challenge considerably, but he watched Gluvos come to his mind slowly.
It would take a while, but Gluvos would come to his mind.
'I'd appreciate a little bit more speed. How about you transform back into that smiling pushover faster?' Michael asked the Primal inwardly, but Gluvos didn't answer. That was probably for the best. Gluvos attacked Michael hundreds of times in a second. He blocked most attacks, using Pure Aether, Extraction, Poison, and Death to rebalance the amount of Essence within the Primal. It was a slow process, but most of the weave's Essence had been drained or transformed into Origin Essence under the Expanse's pristine Essence. 'If not for Seer, balancing their Essence would be impossible.' Michael grumbled, 'I would have to kill the Primal if not for Seer. There is no way for me to perfectly balance their Essences mid-battle if I cannot see it. Even now, I cannot be certain everything is fine. It doesn't feel great to give someone else access to the Expanse and its reserves, either. Bastard! Get back to your senses. Now!!'
Michael transformed Pure Aether into a massive hammer the size of a spaceship and smacked Primal Gluvos firmly. The Primal's skull cracked, but the damage was far less than anything Michael could have hoped for. Even though it didn't look like Michael was growing weaker, Primal Gluvos' power was clearly increasing.
'I still have full access to the Expanse, whereas Gluvos has only a strong enough connection to gain exactly the amount of pristine Essence I'm willing to give him. That has to be good enough.'
The tip of Gluvos' Essence Blade pierced the Pure Aether armor and scratched his throat, but Michael teleported behind Gluvos. Slipstream consumed too much Essence for it to be worthwhile most of the time, but Michael was tired. Tired of getting his body torn apart. Tired of the fight with the Primal.
But even more so… Michael was tired of getting used.
The Will had used him.
Fenrir, Hel, and Jormungandr had used him.
Even Loki and everyone else made sure to take advantage of him once they found out that he was the perfect vessel. Everyone wanted something from Michael.
But Michael was tired.
"Get your act together!" Michael roared, his hands transforming into claws that reached for Gluvos neck.
"Stop that!" Gluvos roared, speaking the first few words since the Expanse Link had been forced upon the Primal.
"Only if you get your act together!" Michael rumbled.
A moment later, he snapped Gluvos' neck. It broke just like that. It was almost too easy.
…
The cracking noise resounded through the Beginning. It was much louder than expected, but neither Michael nor Gluvos paid attention to that.
Gluvos gurgled something incomprehensible, which Michael ignored as he infused just enough pristine Essence into the Primal to transform the remnants of the weave's Essence into Origin Essence.
Once the Primal's body was filled with Origin Essence, Michael sealed his access to the expanse's essence. Only a quarter of a second later, the Primal tried absorbing the surrounding Essence, but Michael had been expecting such a move.
Pure Aether surged out of Michael and engulfed both, isolating Michael and the Primal from the outside.
"Remember who you are," Michael thundered.
"Remember what you are," He added, his voice resounding in the perfectly sealed cage of Pure Aether.
"Remember your mission."
"Remember how happy you have been."
"Remember your love."
"Remember your responsibility."
Michael took a deep breath.
"Remember everything you can become…everything you can change."