1065 Escape
Michael had no idea how much time had passed, but he knew the cheers had subsided. Everyone was staring at him, trying to figure out what he was doing. However, nobody approached him because they were too afraid something would happen. Yes, the Rebels were afraid. Something about Michael was changing, and it was certainly not in the Rebels' favor or within their expectations.
How could they have expected that Michael's presence would slowly change until it felt eerily similar to Primal Xer's presence...the presence of a Primal.
Michael was not a Primal, but he was sure perceived as one. All that was missing were the fuel of Essences—Michael was still digesting the Primal Essence—and his connection to the weave. All gods were connected to the weave, some with a stronger connection, whereas others had a weaker connection. Under normal circumstances, a stronger connection indicated more power. In Michael's case, it wouldn't matter whether he was establishing a strong or weak connection with the weave. He was not yet a god but had already defeated a Primal. Yet, oddly enough, Michael looked like he was still in the middle of a fight. And maybe...that was actually what was going on. Maybe Michael was still battling the Primal.
Something about the surroundings changed. The Supreme Human Alliance's core planetary system had been integrated back into the weave but did not allow any other Primal to enter. The Rebels could see the Primal, the fear flickering in their eyes as their attention pulled to Michael and where Primal Xerx was supposed to stand. The presence of their brother was exactly where Michael was left, but Xerx was no more.
Primal Xerx's connection to the weave had been severed permanently. He was thus not a proper Primal anymore. No. The weave considered him dead, given the severed connection.
But if the Primal's death was already shocking, the interception of the weave was even more terrifying to the Primal. They considered the weave their parent. It was both mother and father to the Primal, giving birth to them at the beginning of time. Yet, this parent chose to keep them away from the monsters and gods who were at fault for Primal Xerx's death. They protected the murderer of their child!
The Primal could have attacked Michael together, eliminating the Rebels in one go before bombarding Michael until he was worn out. However, their minds didn't work properly as primal fear filled them. They had never felt like that and didn't know how to react to it. They looked at each other and instinctively turned around in unison. Even the smallest trace of Essence residing within the Primal told them to leave. To escape as long as they still had the chance. They had to grasp it now, or they would die...just like Primal Xerx.
The Primal tore apart the fabric of space and reality, creating several fissures to split up.
And escape.
The Rebels saw this. They saw the fear in the Primal's eyes and how they escaped—how they ran away from Michael. And it filled them with glee.
The Rebels were over the moon. They were excited and shot toward Michael, pulling him into a tight embrace. The Primal had been defeated for the first time, and it was all thanks to Michael.
He was their savior!
But at what cost did it come? What was Michael now? Who was he?