The Oracle Paths

It was hot. The sun was peaking, but it was dark. It was a time to sleep. A time to stay home, dreaming of a radiant future that would never come.

That was how this day should have gone. Like all those of the past months. In the smothering fear of being devoured, sacrificed, forgotten.

Despair had become a tangible emotion that followed each citizen of Laudarkvik like a second shadow. And yet, for the first time in ages, the residents found themselves leaving their homes behind to attend the gathering at the top of the city where their new leader, Jake Wilderth, had convened them.

There was obviously not enough room for everyone on the Fifth Plateau, and the latecomers sat on the steps between the Fourth and Fifth Plateaus. Those who were lazy, physically impaired, or simply too late sat in one of the Faction Districts on the Fourth Floor.

These Districts, normally reserved for official members and families of the nine factions, were now open for the occasion, and for most of these fearful and penniless commoners it was the first time they had set foot here.

Noon rolled around and the nervous and anxious residents who were waiting began to feel the fear and despair creeping back into them. What if they were wrong? What if this leader was like the others? That he did not want their well-being, but to use them to pursue his own interests?

Once the first shadow of doubt, the first fear was awakened, all sorts of negative ruminations flooded their minds and soon the despair they thought was behind them began to haunt them again.

When some were about to fall back into despondency and asthenia, a bright sun shone over them.

Its warm light touched the whole city with its rays, chasing away the darkness of Laudarkvik, but also the one in their hearts. Covering their dazzled eyes with their arms, the inhabitants marveled in awe at the huge figure that towered over them, floating in the sky like a mighty sun god and dispelling the dark clouds for kilometers around.

It was a giant several thousand meters tall, with a handsomeness as ethereal as otherworldly. His shining silver hair and eyes shone like a full moon dipped in molten gold. Hypnotic galaxies swirled rhythmically in place of his pupils, giving the impression that he had access to the most mystical secrets of the universe.

The divine avatar was shirtless, revealing chiseled muscles as hard and lustrous as bronze, wearing only a strange golden medallion of a winged sun around his neck, and a strange shell in his right hand.

This giant staring at the crowd was none other than Jake. Or rather a projection, a hologram powered by his Light Manipulation.

Actually floating only a few hundred meters off the ground and measuring only a little over six meters, the Myrtharian had to admit that he had outdone himself. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Lucia gawking at him with her mouth agape and he could not help but smile.

He owed the credit for this feat to Asfrid and the support of all the Eltarians and Myrtharian Nerds present who had agreed to transfer all their Spirit Energy to him. Right now, he was the embodiment of the One Mind that made the strength of this race and his spiritual fluctuations were currently greater than Haynt's at his peak.

With Shamash's sun disk hanging around his neck, he truly looked like a divine being. Everything else was just a show. The sun shining, the dark clouds dispersing... With his current Mental Strength, he could easily accomplish these feats with his Bloodline abilities and a little telekinesis.

Right now, he was at his most powerful.

Just as the crowd could see him, Jake could distinguish each of them as if they stood directly in front of him. With an untraceable mental scan, he gained a clear picture of each of the inhabitants, natives and Players mixed in with the crowd.

He was about to begin his war speech, when a slight frown clouded his face. He had recognized several players whom he did not expect to see here.

The crease on his forehead lasted only a moment and soon he spread his arms, a welcoming smile plastered on his charismatic face.

"Sons and daughters of Laudarkvik, I am Jake Wilderth. A Guilty.

"My brothers and sisters. I see in your eyes the same fear that would take the heart of me! A day may come, when the courage of men fails, when we forsake our friends and break all bonds of Fellowship, but it is not this day!"

He had always wanted to deliver this punchline.

"On the right and left two seas of death enclose you, without your possessing even a single ship for escape. Unavoidable war on one side if you choose to fight for a glorious death; suicidal resignation if you refuse to participate in this macabre game.

"Isn't that what you tell yourself?"

The crowd nodded glumly. The future was dark no matter which way they looked. Satisfied with their reaction, Jake continued,

"Many of you have spent your entire lives as victims, living in fear without worrying about tomorrow. Mistrust and despair have set in your bones and you don't even have the courage to hope.

"I am not here to dissuade you from one choice or another. If you want to die, stick your head in the sand, or simply enjoy your last moments with your loved ones, I will not stop you.

"I stand before you today with one purpose: The truth and one promise."

Jake marked a short silence after this statement, letting the echo of his last sentence linger in the air.

"For those who don't know, there are only 10,000 seats on the Celestial City located in the heart of the Shatug Empire. Millions of warriors, monsters and Guilties like myself and your former leaders will fight to claim these priceless places. Wars beyond your imagination will rage throughout Quanoth and their fierceness will only grow until only the elite of the elite remain on this planet.

"Even if courage has not deserted you and you choose to fight, there has never been any future for you beyond this apocalypse, unless you possess power great enough to defeat me in a duel.

"That's why... I won't ask you to fight for something as trivial as escaping aboard the Celestial City. If I did, what kind of leader would I be?"

"But I'd be lying if I pretended to expect nothing from you. What I offer you is a ray of hope. If you believe in me, some of you will surely die, but the rest will survive.

"As powerful as I am, even I and my allies cannot guarantee that none of you will die. Hell! I don't even know if I will survive too. Our fates are tied together in victory or defeat."

He paused again and this time he noted the extent of their pessimism. Their faces screamed distrust, and on the surface his speech sounded like any spiel one of their previous tyrannical leaders might have spouted.

"I have a plan." Jake declared solemnly, his gaze peering into the hearts of every spectator. "A plan that doesn't require us to fight for the Celestial City, that doesn't require you to sacrifice yourself in a futile battle.

"Leave this planet."

This time he smiled as he saw the crowd's stunned reactions.

"I know to you natives it may seem absurd, but to a Guilty man like me it's not impossible. Let me show you how."

At that moment, another giant holographic projection appeared above them like a gigantic screen superimposed on the sky. In this video recording, they saw Jake fly faster and faster, higher and higher. They saw him flying through the deadly turbulence of those storm clouds, braving the lightning and thunder.

Halfway across space, they saw him with bated breath looking down on the entire planet below him and saw the clouds spreading inexorably. Then they saw him stop in front of an impenetrable multicolored mana storm, believing at the time that this was the source of the apocalypse predicted by the prophecy.

But again, they were gobsmacked as their leader did not give up and charged valiantly through the storm. His body was tossed about by the Mana impacts for what seemed like forever, and finally, when all seemed lost, the chaos subsided and a vast starry void filled their vision. In the distance, the sun that they had not seen for so long was shining brightly.

The video clip ended at that moment, leaving the crowd dazed and dreamy. Their hope rekindled.

For obvious reasons, he did not show them the part involving Aurae. The result would probably have been counterproductive.

In additional videos, he showed them the performance of his Purgatory, his stellar battleship, and Hade's portable fortresses, clearly explaining his intentions and the conditions and limitations of his plan.

Their spirits lifted, Jake concluded his speech with imperious coolness,

"You know everything now. The ball is in your court."

And then the giant hologram faded away and darkness returned. There was no ovation or shouting. Just silence.

A moment later, Jake landed atop Laudarkvik with a frustrated sigh.

"What's wrong?" Lucia worried.

"Nothing... I've always wanted to drop the mic after a standing ovation, but it took the one day in my life that I give a speech that I don't have to. Heck, I won't ever need one..."