The Oracle Paths

"Very well," Cekt approved, his countenance calm and undisturbed.

The instant the Soul Slave Seal controlling Epsilom and Hade's thoughts and movements dissolved, the aura of Epsilom's energy undulated notably, signaling his reawakening.

"Thanks, master," the disciple bowed swiftly, his embarrassment overwhelming him to the point of avoiding the alien elder's gaze. "I'm truly ashamed for being caught off guard so easily."

With a gratified smile, Cekt encouraged him to rise straight with a telekinetic gesture.

"The fault is mine for leading you into such peril without prior reconnaissance," the Wendok admitted, not shy of recognizing his part in the misadventure. His expression sobered as he solemnly queried, "How do you feel?"

Probing his body and mind with focused concentration, Epsilom finally disclosed, "I can only maintain lucidity for another hour or two. Beyond that, even if the virus is removed, the corruption will overcome my sanity."

"Ugh... I suppose you're faring better than the others," Cekt winced, massaging his temples to quell the impending migraine. It had indeed been a grueling day.

In the meantime, Jake was assessing Hade, baffled by his persistent nonresponsiveness. However, with Xi's input, he concluded that the Sinewshade's altered brain and hormonal status prevented him from forming coherent thoughts. His friend was still conscious, yet his mental fortitude was entirely consumed in battling the invading, corruptive virus.

As for Lyra, despite being an ethereal being like Epsilom, her Spirit Body level and Soul Strength were considerably lower. Despite her advantage over the virus compared to organic life forms, her spirit had been affected nearly as swiftly as Lucia's.

'I better get to work,' Jake grimaced, realizing that Hade and the other disciples' conditions were rapidly deteriorating.

With the danger passed, he allowed Ulfar and Siri out of his Inner Space Dimension but left Lucia and Drakon inside to avoid any mishap. The Beskyrian was more than glad to finally be outside and made it known.

"Hahaha, I was beginning to feel claustrophobic in there!" The warrior exclaimed with elation. "You should consider furnishing that space if you plan to invite guests in the future. It's far too dreary for the moment..."

Knowing that excessive curiosity would do him no good, Jake cleared his mind and dedicated the subsequent hour to producing a batch of antibodies to create enough serums for everyone.

The first to benefit were Hade, then Epsilom and Lyra, and finally, the Sinewshades sedated by Cekt. It was fascinating to see them revert to their original appearances, although grotesquely altered due to bone and muscle modifications.

However, he had to admit he was relieved they were asleep, and Saros was absent.

Otherwise, he would have had to brace for a tough fight as he didn't have enough fairy spirits to neutralize them all, especially since many of these Evolvers were at Saros's level or even higher.

Thinking of Lucia, Jake suddenly turned his head to Ulfar, who had been standing stiff as a post all this time. He was struck by a detail, or rather its absence, that he had almost overlooked.

'He should be nearly as corrupt as Lucia. Am I lucky he didn't react to Saros's presence, or is he holding himself back?' He wondered with a stern expression.

[Everyone will likely need to be tested for corruption levels once Cekt returns.] Xi noted with a weariness in her voice. The thought didn't exactly thrill him either.

His brooding was swiftly interrupted when he saw Hade walking towards him, clearly having regained his bearings. He had seen him communicate briefly with Ulfar telepathically and knew he was more or less abreast of the events since their separation. He halted a step away, and the two men stared at each other before Jake broke into a smile.

"It's good to see you. Before you say anything, know that you're not to blame. No one could have foreseen this."

Jake didn't know if Hade was the type to wallow and self-flagellate with misguided guilt, but seeing his face and shoulders visibly relax at his words, he knew he was right to have said them.

"In any case, I'll ensure this doesn't happen again." Hade vowed with a solemn expression. "Even if I can't protect the other Myrtharian Nerds, I'll continue to look after those who are here. You can rest easy, I'll take care of Lucia."

Jake's lip twitched at receiving the pledge of the Fluid Grandmaster, who appeared even younger than him. Clearly, unlike the other disciples, Hade was cognizant of his condition. He knew returning to a normal life was a far-off dream, if not an impossibility.

"Rest for now. We'll talk more when Cekt returns," Jake abruptly ended their reunion after a short, somber conversation in which neither was in the mood for a joke.

Watching Hade's retreating figure, Jake's heart felt heavier than ever. It was hard to believe that their lives could crumble in a few hours.

It was hard to believe how swiftly their lives had spiraled into chaos. Ulfar was the only one who seemed his usual self, probably because the full weight of the situation hadn't sunk in yet.

During the brief respite, Jake received gratitude from Epsilom, Drakon, Lyra, and even Siri. The first two especially apologized for any harm they may have inflicted on him and his comrades. Jake forgave them with ease, knowing their only fault had been to play solo.

Finally, noting that Cekt wasn't back yet, Jake decided to ascend to the Magnetic Resonator's surface to log in to the Mirror World. Once linked, he asked Xi to gather as much information as possible about current events on B842 and what they had missed in these "few hours."

Minutes later, Xi's hologram reappeared before him, her expression grim. Meeting Jake's gaze, she offered a bleak nod. Jake's heart sank at this final confirmation.

She then transferred the data she'd compiled, and Jake's fists clenched white-knuckle. It took him a good half-minute to unclench them and draw a calming breath.

After gathering what he needed, he disconnected from the Mirror World and returned to the gloom of his comrades and co-disciples. Cekt was still absent, so he seized the opportunity to also address the "aesthetic" issues of the healed Sinewshades.

Before embarking on Lucia's cosmetic surgery, he first practiced on the sedated Evolvers. Ultimately, he was grateful for their deep slumber, for the amount of blood splattering the ground by the time he finished suggested they would have endured tremendous suffering awake.

At least he could confirm his body-reshaping techniques, combining the Life Element and his telekinesis, worked like a charm. Of course, he then set about restoring his girlfriend's former beauty.

Unlike the Evolvers, Lucia wasn't sedated, but in an artificially-induced coma maintained by Jeanie controlling her brain waves. Consequently, her body reshaping was much more painful, Jake's heart breaking each time her face contorted in agony within her sleep.

Earlier, he had already recalled Zephir, allowing Drakon's awakening. In Saros's absence and his master's presence, he deemed the risk minimal.

Minutes later, having been much more meticulous and cautious with her than the other infected, Lucia's eyelids fluttered, then slowly opened.

The first sight she beheld was her beloved's face, but this time, her response was not one of excitement. Her eyes, brimming with sadness, quickly welled up with tears. Weakly lifting her arm to caress his cheek, she murmured,

"I'm sorry, Jake. I don't think we can stay together."