"Make sure you're not seen until tomorrow morning. If Nagisa wants to talk, speak quietly." Michael finished giving the instructions to Sheena, along with a black robe and hood. "And wear these tonight while escorting her. "
He watched, unashamed, as Sheena donned the robes. When she finished, the lavender glow around them winked out. They gave a last hug and kiss, and then Sheena's hands and eyes glowed with Spirit for a moment before she completely disappeared.
After checking to make sure she made it inside safely, Michael looked skyward, and sighed. The moon was full, and very beautiful. The clearing around him was calm, serene, with the fresh scent of nature teasing his nose and a gentle breeze rippling the grass.
Suddenly, Michael's body gave a sharp jerk, his pupils dilating. His entire body seized up, and Michael fell to his knees, clawing at his chest. 'Oh, Gods, not another one...' Quickly he summoned his power, releasing a powerful, mile high pillar of seven-fold weaves around him to prevent his energy from spilling over.
His action was a painful mistake.
White-hot knives of pain tore through his body, preventing him from standing up. His breathing became ragged, deep and uneven as his body violently convulsed again and again. All too soon for his liking, magic began to surround his form, appearing as blue-white crackles of electricity. A blanket-like mist of magic swirled around his form soon after, and the lightning emanating from him grew sharper, more violent.
Suddenly, he shot his gaze upward, and he roared a howl of anger and pain as his body launched a massive, blue-white lightning bolt to the heavens. Shockwave after massive shockwave poured out from his shining form, colliding and slamming brutally into the magic barriers he created.
And then, just four seconds after it started, it weakened and then stopped.
He was kneeling in a deep, relatively small but impressive crater that was once a flowery clearing. He gave a wracking heave, then fell onto the unforgiving ground, unconscious.
The magic barrier he made shined brightly, and then rushed into his motionless form.
A shadowy figure made it to the edge of the crater, staring at the body within. Two bells gleamed in the moonlight as the girl walked to the center. Red hair, tied in two long ponytails, fell to the ground as she examined Michael's unconscious form. Her eyes, one green and one blue, swept over him.
She sighed. "Michael...really, you should be more careful." Magic gathered around her. Gold Love and green Earth swirled around him, before sinking into his skin. Light, soft weaves of Spirit followed, and Michael's face relaxed. Another weave of Earth and Love, and he was fast asleep.
With a strength greater than her appearance would suggest, she gathered Michael in her arms. 'Sheena,' she sent a curt call, 'He's out again.'
'Another Outburst?' Resign and concern colored Sheena's reply.
'Yes...I healed him as best as I could, but he needs time to recover.' She hesitated. 'Should I leave him here, or take him with me?'
There was a pause. 'Leave him here. He is determined to find the root of the dark power and stop it. I may have something when he wakes.' A Spirit image of Sheena smiling accompanied her next thought, 'Why don't you stay here for a while, Asuna? At least until he wakes up?'
Asuna thought it over, and smiled. 'Yeah, I'll stay. I'm curious about this new soulbond, too...'