Chương 122: Travesty

Travesty, Scion of Gost. Illuminator of the Veiled Ghost and last of the Entra Mane Vorastoth, watched silently as the two cloaked figures teleported beneath the Star Shard. One held a strange orb, while the other wove his hands through a complex pattern, attempting to open a portal to somewhere unseen. Travesty tilted his head slightly, studying the air around them. What affinity was that cloaked figure using? The teleportation wasn't folding space, so not Cosmic affinity. Was it Space? Or pure mana manipulation?

No, that wasn't it. The one with the orb carried lightning-aspected mana, while the other radiated faint currents of wind. He shuffled his foot, deep in thought, until his focus shifted to the runt. He moved the green-skinned girl aside, his attention fixed on the fire-aspected mage nearby. For a moment, Travesty simply watched, curiosity tugging faintly at his thoughts. Then he took a single step forward. As his foot touched the ground, a vast wave of frost blasted outward.

Ice swept across the circular arena like a living tide, freezing everything it touched. Within a heartbeat, every remaining competitor around him was encased in shimmering crystal.

"Alas, I am surrounded by weakness once more," Travesty mused, voice low and resonant. His attention was fixed on the only two things that remained untouched: the Star Shard, glowing softly within its glass container, and the orb clasped in the lightning wielder's hand. Travesty raised one hand, and golden light flashed outward as his Absolute Cell unfolded, a dome of perfect radiance expanding from his body, pushing through the frozen arena.

Two nearby competitors, one water-aspected and the other earth, shattered as the cell reached them. Their stars blinked out, and their bodies dissolved into motes of light as they were forcibly ejected from the event. Travesty paid them no mind. His golden cell continued to expand, methodical and unstoppable. The next pair of trapped figures vibrated frantically within their icy prisons, struggling to break free, but the effort was useless.

The moment the cell touched them, their stars cracked, and they also vanished. To Travesty's mild surprise, the runt was the first to escape. The ice binding him splintered apart as he then pulled the green-skinned girl free and bolted from the encroaching cell.

"Not so disappointing," Travesty murmured, allowing them to go. There was no need to chase. He was unimportant today. The cell rolled outward continuously, reaching the centre where the cloaked duo stood. In a shimmer of light, the one holding the orb vanished, reappearing far to the east. The other broke free from the ice just as the golden cell reached him, but instead of fleeing, he teleported into the cell itself. Travesty paused, mildly intrigued.

"Ark! What the hell is this guy? Another anomaly?" the wind-aspected mage shouted, panic rising in his voice. But no sound could escape the Absolute Cell. No skills, no plea, no cry for help. It was sealed from all interference. Travesty paused his advance, curious to see how the intruder would respond. Raising one palm, he condensed a perfect sphere of ice in his hand. It pulsed, cracked, and reformed repeatedly as he fed more mana into it, until the orb glowed with blinding intensity.

Then, with a flick of his wrist, he unleashed it. The attack streaked across the cell, freezing the very air in its wake. The wind-aspected mage reacted, his hands weaving in desperate precision. A small black hole materialized before him, dense, silent, devouring. The orb of ice vanished into its depths, swallowed whole by the void. Travesty smiled.

"Void," he whispered as he surged forward, fist wreathed in frost. The wind-aspected mage tried to respond, hands raising as he attempted to conjure another black hole. But his eyes went wide. Nothing answered his call. His void affinity… was sealed. Travesty laughed, the sound cold and rich with cruel amusement. His strike connected squarely with Gaston's chest, detonating in a concussive burst that hurled the mage across the cell.

He smashed into the golden barrier with a thunderous crack, the shockwave rippling outward before his body slumped to the ground. Blood splattered across the ice.

"I hope you can at least put up a fight before I claim my prize," Travesty croaked, his grin wide and savage. __ Joe skidded to a halt, boots grinding across the frost-slick ground as his eyes locked onto the scene at the Star Shard's location. A massive dome now enclosed Travesty and Gaston, sealing both the shard and them within. He activated Farmer's Sight, but the dome defied his understanding.

Its structure was impossibly intricate, a lattice of condensed mana weaved through with microscopic frost crystals that shimmered like trapped stars. He could barely see through its veil, only two vague silhouettes flickering within. Corel stirred weakly on his shoulder, still partially encased in ice. He poured mana gently into the frozen shell, melting it layer by layer until it cracked apart. Beneath, he saw the faint glow of her barrier still holding, thin but unbroken.

"You okay?" he asked, setting her carefully on her feet and steadying her by the waist.

"His attack was too fast to dodge," she whispered against his ear, her breath still shaky. Joe nodded grimly. Travesty's speed was beyond reason, inhuman, divine. That name… Travesty. The moment it formed in his mind, something deep inside him stirred, recognition coiling through his thoughts like smoke. No, that wasn't possible; he refused to believe it. Yet his heart insisted otherwise. He knew that name. He forced the thought away and looked toward a nearby surge of movement.

A lizardman, barely standing, tore free from a block of half-melted ice. One arm hung limp and charred black, but his resolve didn't waver.

"If I can't claim the star shard," the lizardman rasped, pulling a blood-red pill from his storage ring and swallowing it whole, "then I'll claim the bounty!" Joe exhaled slowly, pity flickering for only a heartbeat. His Mana Stream pulsed once. A thin beam of condensed mana shot from his fingertip, slicing cleanly through the lizardman's skull. The body dropped lifeless to the frozen ground. Corel blinked, her voice quiet.

"Why didn't he teleport away?" Joe didn't answer. His gaze lingered on the corpse, mind half a world away. Excellent Harbinger. The Devourer stirs once more. Soon, he will wake.

"Fuck!" Joe swore, his heart hammering as a shadow inside the dome crumpled to the ground. A split second later, a deafening screech tore through the air. Waves of explosive force slammed against the golden barrier, shaking the very ground beneath them. Joe barely had time to react before a massive blast surged outward. He Space-Jumped away just in time as the shockwave ripped through the clearing. Who the hell was that?

Joe reappeared several hundred meters away, landing in a crouch, scanning for the source of the barrage. It was Ark, who stood before a massive, metallic cannon that glowed with runic light, hurling beam after beam of condensed mana at Travesty's dome. Each blast struck with catastrophic force, yet the golden barrier didn't so much as flicker. Orbs spun around Ark like miniature suns as he tapped frantically at a floating tablet, his fingers a blur. Joe had no idea what Ark was doing, but it wasn't working.

Nothing was. When he turned back, the dome still stood, silent and unyielding. Within its light, the shadow of Travesty moved toward the centre. Toward the hovering Star Shard.

"I think it's over," Joe muttered. Corel, standing beside him, fully thawed out, tilted her head.

"You've been acting strange since meeting that Corthegian woman. Are you not going to do anything? Just let him claim the Star Shard?"

"You saw how strong he is," Joe said, his voice faltering.

"Do you think we can even do anything?" Corel stepped closer, her brow creased with worry. She placed both hands on his face and forced him to meet her gaze. For a long moment, neither spoke.

"Listen to me," she said softly but firmly.

"I don't know what's going on inside that head of yours, but I do know you. You've never given up. You've never turned away from something impossible. I don't know why you're holding back now, but I don't like it." She let go and turned toward the dome.

"We have to at least try. If we lose, we lose. But you are no coward." Her words hit him like a strike to the chest, shattering the fog in his mind. She was right. What the hell was he doing? Since when did he hesitate? He straightened his back, resolve burning in his chest, and placed a hand gently on her arm.

"Thank you," he said quietly, taking a deep breath as his thoughts cleared. Corel smiled.

"Good. Now what's the plan?" Joe returned the smile, meeting her moonlit eyes.

"Follow my lead." The world blurred. Joe and Corel appeared inside the dome just as Travesty reached for the glass container holding the Star Shard. They materialized above the ground, suspended for a split second before Travesty's head snapped upward, surprise flashing in his glacial eyes. Joe clapped his hands together, vanishing mid-fall as he released Corel. He reappeared at Travesty's right side, foot in motion.

His kick almost struck, only for Travesty to twist faster than his sight could follow and seize his ankle in an iron grip. The air started to freeze around them as their eyes locked. Joe gave no warning as he activated Space Jump, dragging them both through the void. They reappeared outside the dome in a burst of warped air, tumbling violently across the frost-crusted ground. Travesty lurched upright, then promptly emptied his stomach all over Joe's leg. Still, his hand never loosened its grip.

A system notification flashed in their vision and echoed through the world around them. The first Star Shard has been captured. Five minutes before the event ends. A timer appeared before them, its golden numbers beginning to count down. Travesty roared in fury, the sound cracking the air. With a violent motion, he hurled Joe aside and dispelled the golden dome. As the barrier collapsed, the scene within came into view.

Corel stood at its heart, the Star Shard container strapped securely to her hip as she sprinted away. Travesty's foot slammed down, and a ripple of ice surged across the ground like a tidal wave. Corel leapt high as frost exploded beneath her. She landed lightly, twin blades flashing into her hands just as Travesty closed the distance. He reached for her, his movements impossibly fast. She struck first, steel met frozen armour with a ringing clang as her blades glanced harmlessly from his now ice-plated forearm.

Travesty caught her mid-air with alarming ease, his strength barely restrained. With almost delicate precision, he set her down on the icy ground before him. Corel blinked, startled by the gesture. Her stance tightened, blades raised, the container shielded behind her. Travesty extended one hand.

"Hand me the Star Shard," he said calmly, his voice cutting through the frigid air.

"I know you're with the runt. I won't hurt you… But I am taking that." He pointed toward the container. The runt? Confusion raced through her thoughts. Was he talking about Joe? How did they know each other? Before she could respond, Joe reappeared in a blur, his foot slamming toward Travesty's side. This time, the strike connected, but Travesty barely moved. He caught Joe's leg once more and slammed him into the ice. The ground fractured beneath the impact as he let go.

Joe rolled to his feet, chest heaving, his barding splintered and steaming from the blow.

"Runt!" Travesty thundered, lunging forward and seizing him again. He slammed Joe into the ground a second time, the sound echoing like a thunderclap. Corel had never seen anyone handle Joe so easily, move so much faster than he could. For a heartbeat, she stood frozen, caught between fear and disbelief.

"Stop calling me runt!" Joe bellowed, forcing mana to coat his limbs. His next strike connected with explosive force, knocking Travesty off his feet and skidding him backwards across the ice. Corel snapped back into motion. She dashed to the side, searching for an opening, only for a cloaked figure to flicker into existence before her. Ark. He thrust out his arm, and a storm of mechanical orbs erupted from the air around him. They shot forward in a synchronized barrage, slamming into Corel's chest.

She rolled instinctively, barely twisting aside to protect the glowing star on her chest, but the impact sent the Star Shard container spinning from her hip. It arced high into the air. A crackling whip of blue lightning lashed out, wrapping around the container mid-flight. Ark yanked his arm back, pulling it into his hand. A new timer blinked across everyone's vision, five minutes, counting down once more.

"Enough!" Travesty roared, shaking off Joe's grip and launching himself toward Ark. Three of Ark's orbs darted forward, intercepting Travesty's charge and forming a glowing hexagonal barrier between them. Travesty slammed into it with earth-shattering force, frost spiderwebbing across its surface. Ark's eyes flickered as he tried to Space Jump away, but his body didn't move. A sharp notification appeared before him: You are currently in possession of the Star Shard. Movement skills are restricted.

Ark swore as he dove aside, barely avoiding capture as Travesty ripped straight through the barrier separating them. A jagged lance of ice shot from the frozen floor, piercing Ark's shoulder clean through. His scream echoed, sharp and raw, as blood splattered across the icy ground. The lance missed the shining star on his chest by a mere fraction of a measurement. At the same time, Corel landed lightly on one foot, spinning into a graceful flip.

She sheathed her twin blades mid-air, replacing them with a slender whip that unfurled with a sharp crack. She angled her arm back, ready to strike… This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. … but before she could act, Ark hurled the Star Shard container to the side. It spun end over end before slamming into the waiting hands of the second cloaked figure, who had just reappeared on the battlefield.

"Ark!" the figure shouted, strapping the container to his back before rushing toward his wounded brother.

"Run, you fool!" Arked bellowed back. Corel pivoted, redirecting her swing. Her whip lashed out, coiling through the air with a hiss. Gaston ducked, which led to the whip wrapping perfectly around the container at his back, yanking tight. Gaston blinked in surprise at his mistake. Corel jerked her arm, pulling the container free, only for a knife to flash through the air, severing the whip's length. The Star Shard spun wildly upward.

Corel landed on one foot once more, pivoted sharply, and kicked a nearby frozen rock. It rocketed through the air, slamming into the container at the same instant Travesty leapt for it, knocking it just out of reach of his grasp.

"Great shot!" Joe shouted, reappearing high above them as he snatched the container. His grin met Corel's below; he even managed a quick wink, then his expression shifted to panic as he looked at his hands.

"Shit! I can't Space Jump while holding the shard!" he yelled, pulling his arm back. Corel's eyes widened. She threw up a mana net as fast as she could.

"Joe, don't you…" Too late. His arm detonated with explosive force as he hurled the container like a missile. It tore through the air faster than sound. Corel braced, her net caught it, flaring brilliantly for half a heartbeat before shattering into sparks. The container slammed into her chest, sending her tumbling backwards.

"That hurt!" she mumbled through gritted teeth, clutching the container tight. Joe didn't hear her. Travesty had seized him again, lifting him like a rag doll before hurling him aside. The massive lion's glare shifted back to her.

"This is getting annoying," Travesty muttered as he surged toward her.

"Now!" Joe's voice roared across the field. That was the signal. Corel crouched, drawing a deep breath as she activated Seeker's Fortuitous Reprieve. The world sharpened. Time slowed in her mind as her senses heightened to their maximum capacity. Her eyes glowed a bright gold as lines of motion, threads of imminent fate, flared all around her.

Every movement of those within range unfolded in her mind before it happened: Travesty's lung, Gaston's approach, the flicker of Ark's next skill, and Joe's staggering recovery. But that was not all. Her skill had three functions. First, the glimpse of future movements, letting her read every motion within her radius. Second, a surge of luck that made her nearly untouchable, every attack sliding just short of its mark. And third, a burst of blinding speed. Temporary, devastating, but costly.

The backlash would hit hard once the skill wore off, but that didn't matter, as Corel moved. Corel dashed to the side, her movements a blur as she slipped past both incoming strikes. Her foot landed on a cracked patch of ground, exactly where Joe had planted a seed. The moment her weight touched it, the earth erupted. Dozens, no, hundreds, of massive vines burst upward, coiling skyward like emerald serpents. One struck beneath her feet, launching her high into the air.

Mid-flight, Corel twisted with instinctive grace, snagging the vine as it rose and spinning around its length before letting go, propelling herself out of sight. To anyone else, she'd vanished, but Joe, still tumbling through the air from his last impact, spotted her arc through the sky. In an instant, he Space-Jumped to her side. The jump didn't slow his momentum, so when she grabbed him mid-flight, both of them plummeted together. They hit hard, skidding across the fractured stone in a violent tumble.

Corel pushed off him before he even stopped rolling, landing lightly and sprinting east. Behind her, the battlefield erupted as a massive section of vines exploded outward. Both cloaked figures emerged through the debris, closing in on her.

"No you don't!" Joe roared, thrusting his hands forward. Six scarecrows appeared like marionettes, crashing into the pair. Both figures flared with light as their defensive gear activated, but one vanished, reappearing directly in Corel's path. Still boosted by Seeker's Fortuitous Reprieve, she pivoted. A ball of ice streaked past her shoulder and slammed into the cloaked attacker, sending him staggering back.

For a brief second, Corel thought the attack had missed her, then realized it hadn't been aimed at her at all. Travesty appeared out of nowhere. The lion-headed being struck downward like a hammer, his fist slamming into the ground where the cloaked figure landed. The impact sent a shockwave through the ice. As Travesty shattered the star on his chest, the cloaked figure flickered and vanished, forcibly teleported away. Corel only let the sudden violent act stop her for a moment, as she bolted again.

Travesty blurred forward, cutting her off effortlessly. His sheer speed made her heart drop. She raised her blade defensively as he extended a single clawed hand, not to strike, but to halt her.

"Stop," he said, his tone calm but edged with command.

"I won't hurt you. But I need that Star Shard." The plea caught her off guard. The lion who'd crushed opponents like brittle flakes sounded almost… restrained. Her jaw tightened.

"No." She sprang away. Travesty sighed, an almost weary sound, before giving chase. No matter how fast she ran, how sharp her turns, the white-maned giant was always there. He didn't just pursue her; he controlled the battlefield. While chasing, he deflected Joe's attacks, shattered the remaining cloaked figures' attacks, and kept them both at bay without breaking stride. Three minutes passed this way. Corel's breath came fast, her heart pounding. Maybe she could actually make it…

Thirty seconds later, Travesty stopped holding back. As Ark appeared on her left, Joe appeared on her right. Both reached toward each other and her at the same time, one to protect, one to seize the Shard. Travesty moved. He erupted forward like a cannon blast, slamming into both men mid-motion. His claws clamped onto them as his massive form twisted through the air. Then he brought them down in a bone-shattering impact that tore the ground apart, debris exploding outward in a storm of dust and fractured stone.

"Enough!!" Travesty roared, his voice shaking the air. Frost erupted outward in every direction, freezing the battlefield solid. Joe and the cloaked figure were locked in place, encased in glittering ice. Only Corel remained untouched. But before she could move, Travesty was already upon her. He slammed into her with a crushing force, his arms coiling around her like iron bands. Corel screamed in fury, struggling against his grip, but she couldn't move. His aura pressed down on her like a mountain.

His massive hand closed around both her wrist and the container she clutched. The countdown timer flickered… and froze. Corel thrashed, headbutting him hard. The impact was like slamming into steel. Pain exploded through her skull, and her vision swam.

"Let go!" Travesty snarled, his breath hot against her face as flecks of spittle struck her cheek. He didn't simply wrench the container free, though. His hand trembled slightly, his cheeks tinged pink as his gaze slid away from hers. What? Corel blinked in disbelief. She noticed her torn armour, the ripped leather across her midriff and shoulder, and raised a brow. Is he blushing? For a brief, reckless moment, he reminded her of Joe. She smirked.

"I can give it to you… If you let me go first," she purred, her voice low and teasing. To her shock, he obeyed instantly. She landed lightly, suppressing a grin. No time to question his gullibility. Her leg snapped out in a kick aimed at his knee. Thud! It was like kicking a wall of enchanted iron. He didn't even flinch. Corel darted away as the countdown resumed.

"Grrrr!!" Travesty growled, snatching her ankle mid-step and yanking her clean off the ground. She hung upside down as he shook her violently, trying to dislodge the container from her grip. The timer ticked down… 10 seconds. He panicked, clamping one huge hand over hers again. Then… Joe appeared like a dancing gnome, his knee smashing into Travesty's jaw with almost primal fury. Travesty's head whipped back, but he didn't release her. Instead, he swung her like a weapon, slamming her shoulder into Joe's chest.

The impact sent a shock of pain through her body. Why were both men so damn hard? She wondered as the Star Shard container flew from her grasp. The remaining cloaked figure, still alive and barely free of the earlier ice, caught it midair. Travesty dropped Corel and lunged. He collided with the figure, the two rolling across the frozen ground, each fighting to keep hold of the container. Joe flashed in next, and suddenly all three of them were tangled together, thrashing like wild beasts over the glowing prize.

Corel groaned, rubbing her aching shoulder as she crouched low, waiting for an opening. As she waited, she heard the distant sound of ice breaking, and for a moment she wondered what that was. As her mind wandered, she could only watch helplessly as Travesty slammed Joe hard into the ground, ripping the container free at last. As he caught it, the Star Shard pulsed within his grasp. The air around them screamed. Frost raced across the battlefield in jagged veins as the temperature plummeted.

The snow crystallized in the air, freezing the breath in Corel's lungs. Travesty stood over Joe, his body wreathed in mist, his mane whipping in the howling wind.

"Frozen hell!!" he roared. The world turned white. Silence fell. The air itself froze. Corel's heart stopped mid-beat as the world turned white before her eyes, the star on her chest splintered into light. She vanished a moment later, teleported back to Thropia. Joe's eyes glazed over as a solid layer of ice crept up his body, locking him in place. Only the bubbling flow of his Mana Stream allowed his mind to move, protecting his flesh beneath the frozen shell.

If not for that, without the system's protection like the others, he would have died then and there. His mana surged, cracking the frost around his head. He gasped, pulling in air so cold it burned his lungs. Through the haze, he saw the last fading glimpse of Ark and Corel as they disappeared, teleported away by the system's safeguard. Relief flickered through him. She was alive. Hurt, maybe, but safe. Travesty stepped into view.

The massive lion's mane rippled in the frost-laden wind as he looked down on Joe, eyes burning with restrained fury.

"It's over, runt. No more games." Joe wanted to answer, curse, fight, anything, but his frozen muscles refused to obey. His body remained stiff, trapped in agony. They'd lost. And truthfully, he couldn't even resent it. They'd done well to last this long. The chaos, the shifting control of the container, the timing, it had all barely held together in their favour until now. But in the end, Travesty's power was simply overwhelming. Still, one question gnawed at him through the pain.

Why had Travesty held back against Corel? He could have crushed her easily, yet he hadn't struck her even once. Joe's fractured arm, still half-frozen, was proof enough that no such mercy had been extended to him. He could only watch as the frozen battlefield remained still and silent. The timer above them ticked its final seconds. 5… 4… 3… 2… 1… Congratulations. A victor has emerged. The Star shard has been claimed. Travesty turned one last time. His piercing eyes met Joe's.

"I don't know what happened to you," Travesty said quietly, the fury gone, replaced by something heavier.

"Why you don't remember anything… But know this, little brother. The time for our final meeting draws near. Prepare yourself. Do not be found wanting." And then he vanished, leaving nothing but frost and silence behind. Joe stood there, alone in the cold, his breath a shallow mist beneath the ice around him. Little brother. The words echoed in his skull, looping endlessly. What the hell did all that even mean? He didn't have the strength to wonder long.

The world flickered, and he, too, was teleported back to Landradad. __ Far away, in the quiet of his home, Travesty appeared in a swirl of icy mist. He pulled the Star Shard from its container, the gem pulsing with divine brilliance. He didn't really know what it was. But he knew it could be refined, absorbed, or forged; each method carried immense potential. The shard was said to contain the very essence of progress, the key to breaking through the system's limits. None of that really mattered.

In the grand scheme of things, only one purpose remained. He held the shard in his palm and let it sink into his chest. A soft chime echoed. Ding! You reached level 171 in your class. Ding! You have reached level 171 in your profession. Ding! You have reached level 171 in your profession. He exhaled slowly.

"Better." No more bottlenecks. No more restraints. The path to the peak was open again. Soon, everything would end. Soon, he would finish what had begun an age ago. __ Joe sat quietly on the grass, staring up at Yggdrasil, its colossal trunk rising into the clouds, its branches stretching like arms embracing the heavens. Before him rested the small wooden carving of Veda, its surface worn smooth from countless moments of contemplation.

He thought about everything he'd learned today, an avalanche of revelations that refused to settle in his mind. He thought about Gale and her words that still echoed in his soul. Brother. He thought about Travesty, about the raw, terrifying power that radiated from the lion's every motion. He thought about Gaston and Ark, the strange space mages, their roles still shrouded in mystery. Were they after the Star Shards… or something far more dangerous?

But above all, he thought about the whisper that haunted his mind, the words that refused to fade. The Devourer stirs. What was he supposed to do about that? His mind spiralled as both his mana bars suddenly drained, flickering to nothing. Pain tore through him as a vine burst from his arm, thicker, darker, and heavier than any that had come before. He fell onto his back, his entire body convulsing as if the world itself was being ripped out of him. This vine was different. It wasn't just growth, it was finality.

For an hour, his body shook violently. The vine coiled and twisted until, at last, it detached on its own, rolling onto his chest and pulsing with pure white light. The sky darkened. Clouds twisted over Landradad as lightning arced from horizon to horizon. Bolts of celestial fury crashed down around Joe's still form, scorching the grass and shaking the forest. For thirty endless minutes, the heavens raged. Then… finally… it stopped. In the quiet that followed, Joe's body erupted in a burst of light.

His torso tore apart in streams of crackling white electricity, his spine dissolving into brilliance as the final vine settled in its place. And then, as quickly as it began, it was over. His body reformed, whole, untouched, serene. But Joe did not move. He did not wake. His friends arrived soon after, drawn by the thunder and lightning. None dared speak as they approached. The air was still thick with static energy, and Joe's body radiated a quiet, otherworldly calm. He lay there beneath Yggdrasil, unmoving.

Unwaking. This is the end of book three of the Eternal Spark. Joe will return in Book Four, the final book of the first Arc - Integration. Epilogue Six months had passed. Corel glided through the skies aboard her sleek skyboat, its sails glinting silver under the afternoon sun. Below her stretched the vast expanse of Landradad, and at its heart, the great tree that watched over them all. Yggdrasil. She landed softly at its roots, the familiar aura washing over her like a heartbeat she'd come to rely on.

Her gaze drifted toward the figure resting beneath the giant tree. Joe. He hadn't stirred once since the day of the storm. Corel had tried everything: healing pills, elixirs, arrays, and even the best healers she could find. Nothing worked. The system leaderboards still recognized him; his mana still flowed faintly through his body, but his eyes never opened. So, she had wrapped him in leaves woven from Yggdrasil's branches and laid him to rest at its base.

There, the vines pulsed with gentle light, feeding life into him as the seasons turned. They waited. When she disembarked and started toward her home, she was surprised to see a familiar figure waiting for her.

"Zevra," Corel greeted with a cautious smile.

"What brings you here today?"

"I've come with news," the old Seer replied, leaning heavily on her cane. Her tone was different, sharper, heavier.

"Where is …?" Corel hesitated, studying Zevra's expression. This was the first time she had asked about Joe in six months. The Seer's eyes gleamed with something she couldn't read.

"By the tree," she said at last.

"Take me…" Zevra ordered. Corel obeyed, leading the old Voldura across the grass until they reached Joe's still body. Zevra stood in silence for a long while, studying him, her cloudy eyes narrowing. Then, without another word, she turned and began to walk away.

"That's it?" Corel asked, confused.

"He'll wake in two days," Zevra said, her back still turned. Corel froze. Zevra's predictions had never failed before. Not once. Her heart pounded as she reached for her communicator.

"Hey, Cor, everything okay?" a voice answered.

"Gather everyone," Corel said softly, her gaze drifting toward the tree above.

"He's going to wake up… in two days."