The moment Ace brought them to their feet, Clover released a tide of earth magic. The ground shook and jutted out of the earth knocking down everything in its path. Simultaneously, a torrent of ice shards launched towards them.
Ace glanced back apprehensively. His line of sight was obscured by the wall of earth magic surrounding the whole area. He dragged a hand over his face. There was a lump in his throat. Clover was stronger than anyone he had ever met. It would be alright, wouldn't it?
A sinking feeling made him stop in his tracks. No. no! This wasn't right. This was just like before. If he had fought harder for Sena, he might never have lost him. He wasn't about to lose Clover. Ace turned back and ran as fast as he could. He started to scale the wall of earth. He had to reach Clover...
There was a laugh from behind him...
Ace turned back apprehensively. Michael was standing just below watching amused.
"I just can't get a read on you," Michael chuckled, "Sometimes I think you're quite clever and other times...well this speaks for itself,"
Ace jumped back down. He immediately drew his sword.
"Ah, don't bother," Micahel slapped it out of his hand with a whip of magic. "I just want to talk anyway,"
Ace summoned his sword back into his hand. For some reason, the rush of dark magic was more intense than usual. He staggered slightly as he thrust the sword directly at Michael. However, his hand was caught and pinned behind his back. Michael relinquished the sword from Ace's hand once again.
"Stop it," Michael released him with a shove to the ground, " Why are you fighting me? Neither of us wants this box to end up in the Empire's hand. Be smart about this,"
Instead of reaching for his sword. Ace turned rapidly and charged at Michael. He knocked him to the ground and punched him in the face. Michael was momentarily stunned. However, it didn't last long enough to get more than a punch before Ace found his arms covered in ice.
"You little shit," Kalandra appeared from behind and yanked Ace's face back. His arms were still stuck in the ice so he was forced to meet her gaze as she pulled him by the hair. Michael slid out from underneath him.
"You shouldn't underestimate him," Kalandra warned.
Micahel cracked his neck to one side with a smile, "You're back sooner than I expected."
With a flick of her wrist, she threw Bird down beside Ace. He was passed out cold. Michael stared down with irritation.
"Didn't I tell you to go easy on him?" he snapped.
"He's your damn student! Any easier and he would have killed me," Kalandra barked back.
"You two make quite a couple, "Ace stared up viciously, "but it doesn't look like you've thought this through. There's no way I'm going to help you,"
Michael stared down coldly, "and then you say something stupid like that. You disappoint me, Ace,"
Ace let out a laugh, "Oh Gods, I've disappointed the man who ruined my life. Whatever should I do?"
Michael smirked, "You remind me of a younger version of myself. A younger, stupider version. Did you know, I met Clover when I was your age? Thankfully I've never been the romantic that you seem to be. I'm much too practical. Their beauty wasn't enough to ensnare me but I can see how a boy like you would fall for it. It's a real shame."
"A shame because you couldn't appeal to them?" Ace smirked.
"Do you even hear yourself?" Michael said flatly. He knelt down beside Ace. "I'm telling you that I don't want to kill you, you foolish boy. It would be much easier to kill you but I'd rather not. Do you understand? Let me have the necklace and I'll leave. They won't be able to find me once I leave here and you get your happy ending. Well as least as happy as this world allows. "
Ace stared at Michael wide-eyed in surprise, "Why on earth would you do that?"
"Because I suppose I owe you a little. Thanks to you, I'm pretty close to getting what I've always wanted,"
"What's that?" Ace stared in disbelief.
"I just want my own happy ending, Ace. Same as everyone else. I'm tired of always being forced down. First, it was my old man. Then Clover. And then, the court. I'm so tired of all of them. The things they took from me, I can't get back. And it's not just them. This world has taken so much from me. People have taken so much from me. All my life, I wished there was a way that I could just be free, but every time you escape from one thing, there's always something else. There's always someone more talented, more powerful, more vicious. You can understand me, right?"
Ace blinked stunned.
"Is it so much to ask to be free?" Michael went on, "Why were we born with this desire to be free if we can never be?"
Ace glanced at Kalandra. Surely, it was a lie. However, the look in her eye was commiserating with Michael. Still, Ace shook his head.
"This is another fucking trick!" he snarled.
"I told you it was pointless, Michael," Kalandra shrugged, "He doesn't get it,"
"He does," Michael observed Ace shrewdly, "but he's too stubborn to listen," he sighed.
"Now what?" Kalandra stared down icily at Ace.
"Plan b," Michael stood up. "You don't want to open it? Then you leave me no choice but to kill you,"
Kalandra drew a blade from under her cloak, "I'll do it," she swooped down.
"No, wait." Michael intercepted her, "I'll do it. This is my plan."
"Are you sure you can handle it?" Kalandra grinned.
Michael stared at her with a blank expression, "Just give me the knife."
She handed it to him. Michael took the blade and held it to Ace's neck.
"Are you sure about his Ace?" Michael said in a low voice.
"Are you?" Ace stared back unmoved.
"No, but certainty is a luxury," Michael exhaled. "I've come too far to turn back now."
Ace gave a weak smile, "So have I,"
"Then I won't ask you to forgive me. I have more respect for you than that," Michael pulled back his hand.
Ace closed his eyes. Was this it? Frozen to the bone in a sea of white. This wasn't how he imagined it all. He didn't feel afraid, only disappointed...
Suddenly, the ground rumbled. Ace's eyes shot open. Earth shot out of the ground from all sides. Both Michael and Kalandra jumped back. Bird was under Michael's arm. Michael looked up to the wall of earth on the other side.
"I was hoping you might have been killed already," Michael sighed.
"Sorry to disappoint," Clover jumped down.
"Well, it looks like I wasn't far off," Michael smirked looking Clover over.
They were standing with some difficulty. Their shirt was covered in blood yet Clover smiled indifferently.
"It's not so easy to kill me, unfortunately," Clover held up a hand.
"Take Bird," Michael instructed Kali.
She disappeared at once with Bird.
At that moment, earth attacked Michael from all sides. He launched back, throwing ice magic from either side as he did. Clover blocked it with a wall of earth magic. However, as they did, Michael slipped through their defence with ease.
He hit Clover in the side and sent them flying into their own magic. Clover hit the clay wall with a slam and slid down. Michael stood over them.
"You should have just died quietly," Michael kicked Clover to the side.
Clover let out a gasp and fell to one side.
"I'm trying," Clover choked back a mouthful of blood, "but you kids are making it pretty difficult," they gave a weak smile.
"What will it take to wipe that smile off your face?" Michael shook his head, "You know, maybe it's good you came."
Instead of continuing to beat Clover, Michael glanced at Ace. He was still struggling to break free from the ice magic encapsulating his arms. He watched desperately as Michael stood over Clover.
"Okay," Michael smiled, "I think I've just found a better solution. You're just a kid after all. Killing you is a bit unpleasant for me it seems. But as you know well, I don't have the same qualms about killing Clover."
He yanked Clover up by the hair.
"Clover!"Ace screamed.
"Here's the deal," Michael said coldly, "Open the box. Give me the necklace or I'll kill Clover right now,"
"Don't listen to him, Ace," Clover breathed.
"I'm going to count to three. Decide," Michael held up the blade to their throat. "One... Two..."
"Fine!" Ace cried, "Give me the box! I'll open it,"
"Ace," Clover hissed in a low voice, "don't you dare..."
Michael hit Clover over the head with the hilt of the blame. They slammed into the ground and stopped moving.
"Clover!" Ace pulled forward, "why did you do that?! I said I would give it to you!"
Michael glanced down unsympathetically, "I didn't like their tone."
He glanced around. "Kali, are you still there?"
Kali appeared still hauling Bird, "this kid is heavier than he looks," she lamented as she threw him down once more.
Her eyes were drawn to Clover who was slumped over. She stared down sombrely but her eyes met Michael resolutely.
"Is he going to open it?"
Michael nodded. Kalandra pulled the box from under her cloak and handed it to Michael.
"Open it," he said darkly. He waved his hand and the ice dissipated.
Ace held up his hand stiff and trembling. He couldn't feel anything in either hand. He stared down at the box. If he did this, there was no chance of Clover ever wearing it in future. Michael would be gone. And once he did, Clover wouldn't hesitate to cut him off completely. He had been sensing the wall growing between them since he gave them the box in the first place. Then he would have nothing.
Albaric wouldn't take him back. He would be alone again...
"I said open it!"Michael barked.
"I'm trying," Ace said flatly.
"Try harder!" Michael snapped.
Ace gritted his teeth. He closed his eyes trying to concentrate. Why wasn't it working?
'Why?'
Ace felt a cold chill. He could hear the voice whispering from some dark foreign place within.
'I have a better idea.'
'You don't want to give in, why should you?'
'Kill them..'
Ace tried to ignore them. Clover's life was at stake. His own feelings didn't matter. He continued to try to open the box. However, the darkness only seemed to surround him more. It was swallowing him whole. He felt adrift in a realm of searing pain. Tears tore down his face under the strain.
"OPEN IT!!" Kalandra and Michael screamed.
Ace felt like he couldn't breathe. Everything was black. All he could hear was the voices screaming at him. Suddenly Ace felt a cold touch on his cheek. finally, the noise subsided. It was completely quiet.
Ace slowly opened his eyes. The tears were still pouring. He stared at the woman looking back at him sadly and he felt relief. He didn't know how he came to be in this strange temple again or why this woman's appearance comforted him. Nevertheless, without hesitation, he went into her arms.
"It's okay, my child," she said, "cry if you want."
Ace looked up at her ghostly pale skin and glassy green eyes. He knew he ought to be afraid. His instincts told him to run but his heart was too weary. Her arms felt so familiar and consoling.
"Lucia," he exhaled shakily, "what should I do? If I give Micheal the necklace, Clover will hate me but if I don't they'll die. I don't want to be alone anymore. I don't want to go out in the cold again but I don't know what to do,"
Ace knew she couldn't possibly understand what he was talking about but he blurted it out nonetheless. The woman held up an arm cloaked in dark silk and brushed the tear from his eye.
"I know the pain of being powerless. I wish I could protect you from it," she said wistfully, "you are my little light here in this darkness,"
Ace stared at her uncomprehending. "So there's no way around it?" he asked.
"Power is easy to attain. All you have to do is be willing to face the consequences,"
"What consequences?" Ace breathed.
"I cannot tell you," she smiled. "But it will certainly be terrible."
"But if I take this power, will Clover be saved?"Ace's eyes widened.
"Yes," she answered.
"And the necklace?!" Ace exhaled rapidly.
"It will be yours,"
"Then give it to me!" Ace begged. "I'll take whatever consequences there are! Please, Lucia!"
"As you wish..."