Getting the weight of his attacker off him already does a few wonders for Zelos, but he's still disoriented from the stab, the ether loss, and the impact to the floor, so his reaction time is limited to a relieved gasp for air. He tries to force his eyes back open, but then Zelos feels the ambient ether in the cave jumpstart itself back to normal after a dangerous spike that leaves him slightly breathless and in pain, and when he finally does open his eyes, he sees neon cyan ether crystallized behind Lloyd.
What... the fuck.
Something in his core is screaming in panic, and with the chaos all around them and the scene in front of him, Zelos can't tell if it's his own or Sheena's. But it doesn't matter in the end, though; do or die, Zelos. Get up and get back into the fight. Swallowing hard, Zelos utters some noncommittal half-baked word of gratitude and acknowledgement for Lloyd, then tries to get up despite the pain on his shoulder. Pain that grows from warm to hot, then from hot to searing, then scorching, then--
「 An Aegis cannon goes off. 」
The atmosphere itself is shattered and pierced with the might of the blast. Before he can even bite it away, a scream is ripped from Zelos' throat, halfway through getting up, and he stumbles backwards and away from Lloyd when faced with the beginning of the end. This is fucked. Oh, Architect, they will not survive. His mind is screaming, but before the blast can fall upon them Zelos calculates its speed and distance by tasting the way the ether in his veins begins to boil--
And then the charge hits.
「 Report: the charge did not hit the mountain itself. Protocols specify that being anywhere further than the estimated five kilometer radius from the blast site should ensure at least higher than a 50% survival rate depending on cover. 」
「 Ether output increase: 46%. The charge was not set to the full depth of its destructive capacity. 」
「 Distance from blast site: 7.8 km. Survival probability: 84%. 」
「 Hypothesis: Area has become the target for a Sylvaranti warning shot. 」
「 Recommended course of action: Exit the ten kilometer fallout radius. 」
Somewhere in his core Zelos knows that he needs to warn the others. He needs to warn the others, but pained and lost in his own calculating mind as he is, the only things Zelos is aware of are the ether shield covering him whole and the painful boiling of his own ether in his veins. He grips at his stomach and pulls, scratches, reaches up to his throat and desperately clutches it in his hands.
It burns. Zelos stumbles back, back, back even though the ceiling begins to cave in, through the rubble, the ether in the atmosphere choking him as it spikes once again. Eventually Zelos falls to his knees, arms coming to cover his midsection as he retches, gaze lost.
The cyan light from Lloyd fades away as the rubble separates him from its source.
THIS IS THE WORST DAY. EVER. OF ALL TIME
What... the fuck.
Something in his core is screaming in panic, and with the chaos all around them and the scene in front of him, Zelos can't tell if it's his own or Sheena's. But it doesn't matter in the end, though; do or die, Zelos. Get up and get back into the fight. Swallowing hard, Zelos utters some noncommittal half-baked word of gratitude and acknowledgement for Lloyd, then tries to get up despite the pain on his shoulder. Pain that grows from warm to hot, then from hot to searing, then scorching, then--
The atmosphere itself is shattered and pierced with the might of the blast. Before he can even bite it away, a scream is ripped from Zelos' throat, halfway through getting up, and he stumbles backwards and away from Lloyd when faced with the beginning of the end. This is fucked. Oh, Architect, they will not survive. His mind is screaming, but before the blast can fall upon them Zelos calculates its speed and distance by tasting the way the ether in his veins begins to boil--
And then the charge hits.
Protocols specify that being anywhere further than the estimated
five kilometer radius from the blast site should ensure at least
higher than a 50% survival rate depending on cover. 」
「 Ether output increase: 46%. The charge was not set to the full
depth of its destructive capacity. 」
「 Distance from blast site: 7.8 km. Survival probability: 84%. 」
「 Hypothesis: Area has become the target for a Sylvaranti warning shot. 」
「 Recommended course of action: Exit the ten kilometer fallout radius. 」
Somewhere in his core Zelos knows that he needs to warn the others. He needs to warn the others, but pained and lost in his own calculating mind as he is, the only things Zelos is aware of are the ether shield covering him whole and the painful boiling of his own ether in his veins. He grips at his stomach and pulls, scratches, reaches up to his throat and desperately clutches it in his hands.
It burns. Zelos stumbles back, back, back even though the ceiling begins to cave in, through the rubble, the ether in the atmosphere choking him as it spikes once again. Eventually Zelos falls to his knees, arms coming to cover his midsection as he retches, gaze lost.
The cyan light from Lloyd fades away as the rubble separates him from its source.