The Oracle Paths

1171  A Solution You Won't Like

"… And that's all there is to know," Kael concluded with a yawn after his lengthy briefing. "Still ready to follow through with your plan?"

Silence followed. The trio was left speechless by what they had just heard.

If they thought the hungry creatures that recently overran Twyluxia were the worst of it, they were sorely mistaken. Not only were the few million that managed to breach the protective barrier a mere drop in the ocean, but Twyluxia itself was just a small fragment of this world-plane.

Kael had explained that while these abominations had some connection to the Digestors, they were not the same, even though it felt like they were. Given what he had just revealed, they might have preferred dealing with the Digestors. At least with them, they knew what to expect.

"So if I understand correctly… you're stuck here?" Weiss voiced the trio's thoughts, sparing Shadrex from another cryptic rhyme.

"Not necessarily." Kael shook his head.

"I don't get it." Kaelum grumbled. "You said you needed these corrupted Players to stem the tide of monsters to the point of sparing even the most dangerous for our camp. You insist on letting Jake visit his companions here. I could understand if it was to ambush him and kill two birds with one stone, but you order us to do nothing. Are you even on our side or are we just sacrificial pawns to help you accomplish your own missions?"

It was the most articulate rant the belligerent brute had delivered in a while, though it was still as disrespectful, if not outright aggressive. He might as well have called the Oracle Hacker a selfish piece of shit; the tone would have been the same.

The teenager had been relatively 'merciful' until now, but nothing guaranteed he'd stop at humiliation next time. To prevent a regrettable escalation, Shadrex reluctantly broke his silence,

"Kaelum's words may lack finesse, yet wisdom they do not lack. A Player as powerful as you can still emerge victorious from this Ordeal, even if our camp faces defeat. Your kind serves a purpose, and in this regard, you are not so different from the Digestors, no disrespect intended. Can we place our trust in you?"

Weiss and even Kaelum blinked in shock. The Bipolar Seer had tried to maintain his enigmatic tone while being as direct and comprehensible as possible given his audience. The result was surprisingly 'ordinary,' but the facial muscles spasming under his hood told another story. Even Shadrex didn't have the guts to keep bullshitting the kid.

To his great relief, Kael showed no signs of offense and turned his attention from Kaelum to him.

"My Ordeal rating obviously takes priority." He declared shamelessly, causing them to twitch. "A global defeat would be an annoying setback, but not as problematic as failing to contain the underground threat. Though, if you were all wiped out on the surface, my plans down here would be affected. Raising the score would be too difficult."

The trio's faces suddenly lit up at his last words. They noted that he had only spoken of wiping out and not of losing the war, which was enough for them. Containing his excitement, Weiss asked cautiously,

"In that case, what do you suggest?"

Kael looked at each of them in turn, then grinned.

"Simple. I've already told you. Let Jake come here. If he's as formidable as you say, he won't win the battle at the cost of losing the war. Conquering Twyluxia only to see the world-plane disappear and its entire population exterminated, devoured, or corrupted would be a hollow victory, even if it secures his Main and Global Mission.

"Moreover, if my Soul Spywares are to be believed, his girlfriend is also here. There's no way he'd abandon her. Force him to fight here, and you'll have a free hand on the surface. Besides, with what I just revealed, a lasting conquest of Twyluxia can only be achieved by resolving the situation down here."

The trio became thoughtful. Kael's words had merit. If Jake were truly forced to expend his energy holding back countless hordes of monsters, crushing the remaining enemy camp on the surface would be child's play, even with Natan and a potential Cho-Min-Ho hiding their cards. There was also the issue of the Soulmancer King, but according to Valandar, he was currently incapacitated.

This plan, however tempting on paper, was full of "ifs." If Natan and Cho Min Ho were cornered, their desire to hinder Jake could turn into a genuine alliance.

Their latest report also indicated that the Myrtharian Nerds and other independent Players had started rallying around Jake since his victory on his front. Without the Oracle System, such coordination wasn't easy to achieve. Somehow, they had reestablished a communication network across a large portion of the continent.

Then there was the real origin of the evil beneath the surface. Its roots extended far beyond anything they could have imagined, both figuratively and literally...

The situation was far more complex than it appeared, and the good guys and bad guys weren't necessarily who they seemed. This Ordeal, with its simple objective, was proving to be far more twisted than they had initially thought.

Kael's smile widened as he watched them ponder. He hadn't told them everything.

He was the only one among the corrupted Players fighting in these depths who knew the truth. Victory wasn't a matter of numbers. This world was irreversibly doomed.

Jake's presence here would at best delay the inevitable. As if he had any intention of stopping it…

"And if he doesn't come?" Weiss finally asked. "If he decides to conquer the surface first? Given his strength, it could take just a day or two. He could then come here with all his forces to end the conflict once and for all. Even if that's impossible, he could just withdraw himself and his faction after completing his task."

Shadrex immediately performed a divination, then frowned in turn.

"The future weaves a tangled thread, impossible to foresee. His spirit, fierce in Ordeals past, will not settle for mere victory. Should Lustris fall beneath his might, he'll linger to raise his Ordeal score, though whether he heeds this call, is a coin toss evermore. My visions swirl in shadows deep, revealing paths he may tread. One way or another, his choices remain unsaid."

Here we go again… Weiss facepalmed. It's been a while.

"If I may..." Kael said. "How confident are you in stopping him? Suppose Cho-Min-Ho, Natan, Valandar, your factions, and armies cooperate to trap him, what are your chances of success? And if you manage to kill him, what then?"

The trio's expressions darkened once more. Unlike the Oracle Hacker, they didn't know that resolving the underground threat was a delusion. For them, after conquering Twyluxia, the next goal was naturally to end the deep-seated evil causing the world-plane's ruin.

Kael hadn't entirely lied to them. He had explicitly made it clear that even with his help, achieving victory would be arduous and they had to be ready to perish for it. Getting rid of Jake prematurely was a double-edged sword.

It would secure their Main and Global Mission, but their chances of achieving an exceptional rating would be affected.

"In that case, let me suggest a solution you won't like..." Kael resumed with a cold smile. "If he doesn't come here right away, incapacitate him. Knock him out, seal him, drain his strength, ally with Cho Min Ho. Do whatever you need to, just make sure he's incapable of interfering until the Dusken Throne is conquered and the opposing Mirror Universe accepts defeat."

The trio had of course considered this solution. It was feasible, depending on Cho Min Ho and Natan's confidence—or rather delusion—in conquering Twyluxia without him.

But Shadrex wasn't satisfied with his divinations. His instinct screamed that things wouldn't go as planned.

"And if that's impossible?" He muttered darkly.

Kael's chilling smile stretched once more.

"In that case, I have a suggestion you'll dislike even more." The youth let out a sinister laugh. "Orchestrate your defeat. Lose the war."