The Oracle Paths

The three Rank 17 Players' eyes lit up as they heard the Titan Tree confirm what they had been trying in vain to convince the others of from the start. Though, they had no clue who this River's Bane was.

On the other hand, the Celestial and the other four Radiant Conclave members knew exactly who he was! The old kraken had given them a run for their money over their long, unrivaled years of rule. His brutal death had left them puzzled on more than one level.

The reactions of the other Saints weren't as expressive, but their shock was no less intense.

"This is... unexpected, to say the least," Lady Lyria, who rarely spoke up in their meetings, couldn't help but comment. "I'll need to update our archives."

This demure beauty was a slender woman of an introverted nature but with insatiable curiosity. She was easily recognizable by her long golden hair braided into a complex plait, a stark contrast to her plain, prudish white dress that fell flat to her ankles. Her emerald green eyes were always attentive, shining almost as brightly as those of Shadrex's supernatural luminescence.

In contrast to the thorny flower that was the seductive but vicious Lady Faye, Lady Lyria had a much purer heart, though she knew how to plot and conspire when the situation dubbed for it. Usually staying out of internal or external conflicts involving the Radiant Conclave of which she was a part, her primary role was that of the Keeper of the Archives.

What interested her was reading, learning, and compiling the history and knowledge accumulated by the Lustra Plains over millennia. Because she loved learning and had the talent and cultivation to match, she had almost effortlessly gained the informal status of the most powerful Radiant Mage of the Lustra Plains. The term Radiant Mage, as opposed to Lifemancer and Light Warrior, was actually coined just for her, and the entire order was currently under her jurisdiction.

Given her more honorable and candid nature compared to Lady Faye, it was only natural that the Celestial found her more trustworthy. Even so, she was not without her thorns. If her curiosity required her to break rules or harm the interests of other Saints, she would stop at nothing, even if it meant descending into the darkest depths of crime and lawlessness, to quench her thirst for knowledge.

As a result... The Celestial and other Conclave members seldom dubbed on her services, having assigned her the glorious position of Keeper of the Archives primarily to keep her out of the way as much as possible.

Events with dramatic geopolitical consequences like the demise of one of the oldest and most infamous indestructible Titans were, unfortunately, exactly the kind of shocking news that could draw her out of seclusion... The Celestial and the other Saints already anticipated the worst.

And, unsurprisingly,

"... Jake Wilderth, right? If he really killed River's Bane, I must meet him!" Lady Lyria exclaimed exuberantly, leaping from her seat. Addressing Anthace directly, she shouted, "Where is he?"

"..."

Anthace wisely remained silent, gauging Valandar's opinion before responding. Meanwhile, the Celestial managed to maintain a stoic facade, but internally was suppressing a deep, weary sigh.

Due to the assault on Lustris, he hadn't been able to clearly sense what was happening outside. His mental sense was impressive compared to other natives of the Lustra Plains, but it remained his weak point. While he was busy monitoring the capital's circumstance and capturing their enemies, how could they have time to see what had provoked the old kraken's fury?

Not to mention that this wasn't the first time such an incident had occurred. River's Bane was a scourge whose infamy was well-known. He would rage several times a year, usually by accidentally encountering another lone Titan, or when one of them went to the Lumyst River to collect water.

How could they have imagined that this time the outcome would be different... It called many things into question. Especially, how to deal with this foreigner.

"Lady Lyria, you can meet him but on one condition," Valandar immediately adjusted his strategy, deciding to go along with the whims of the Archive Keeper known for her stubbornness rather than opposing her.

"Anything you want," the young woman's face stretched into an innocently beaming smile.

"Make sure he doesn't battle here in Lustris. Meet all his requirements if necessary to get him to leave," the Celestial ordered, eliciting stunned gasps from both the three Players and the other Saints.

BAM!

"Have you lost your mind, Val?!" Lord Calyx vociferated, his knuckles white as he clenched his fists tightly on his golden armrests.

Master Eldrion, usually of a measured temperament, was also in complete disagreement with this decision.

"Val, I understand you want to protect Lustris, but you understand why this foreigner is here," he tried to reason in as respectful a tone as he could muster. "He won't leave without getting what he wants. What do you plan to do then? Hand over our Goblet of Ethershine on a silver platter?"

The gaze of the three other Saints zeroed in on the stern face of the Celestial after this legitimate critique, watching attentively for his reaction. Unperturbed, the giant, perpetually cloaked in his mantle of light, slowly flower from his throne while glowering at them, then declared sternly,

"My Goblet of Ethershine, you mean? Certainly not. A replica like that other fool who scampered off earlier without checking what he had stolen? Perhaps. Replicas are expensive, but only for mere mortals. If I dip into my own vault, I can easily bring out a few dozen."

Gulp. The rest of the audience's gaze widened, their mouths agape.

Only the Celestial could drop a bombshell like that so casually. Goblets of Ethershine were the Lustra Plains' equivalent of the Chalice of Nethershade. Technically, they were both cups meant for collecting Lumyst Water. According to those who had observed both artifacts, their design was substantially similar, but to completely distinguish themselves from those primitive barbarians, the term Chalice had been replaced with Goblet.

There were a host of rumors about these two relics. For instance, that they were once one and the same, and that reuniting the two original relics would cause something incredible to happen.

Yet, several previous Celestials had already put that theory to the test. According to the Radiant Conclave's archives, such a war had occurred several times in the distant past for that sole purpose, but the results were disappointingly fruitless. It was now common knowledge that these relics had absolutely nothing to do with each other, except for their antonymous nicknames.

But even this official truth was, in fact, counterfeit. As the current custodian of the original relic, the Celestial knew for certain that these rumors weren't baseless... Even the Keeper of the Archives and the other members of the Radiant Conclave were in the dark about this, except for Master Eldrion who was also privy to the truth.

"If that's the case... I suppose it won't be a problem, I guess," the old Saint replied in a mixed tone, unable to express his true thoughts without betraying their secret. "But my gut tells me he won't be so easily fooled. We'll have to give him a damn good replica. Maybe the best one..."

"If that's the price to pay to prevent Lustris from being torn apart tonight, so be it," Valandar cut in impassively, his decision final. "Lyria, if you've been following, you can go meet him..."

The Keeper of the Archives didn't comment on his lack of formality, nodding excitedly.

"I'll accompany her," Lady Faye added out of the blue, raising a few eyebrows. Her sensually suggestive wink was nothing short of suspicious. "I want to meet this Jake Wilderth. Who knows, maybe I'll catch his eye with my killer looks..."

To emphasize her point, she thrust out her chest, making her generous bosom bounce and almost spill over. Valandar apathetically ignored her two imposing 'assets' and seriously considered her request. This vixen's character was as cunning and twisted as they come, but in this particular case, her skills in seduction and manipulation were exactly what they needed to sweet-talk their dangerous guest.

As long as she didn't push it too far. They definitely didn't want this Jake Wilderth seeking revenge after she broke his heart...

"Understood," the Celestial finally snorted. "And Faye..."

"Yes?"

"Don't disappoint me."