The Oracle Paths

A moment later, the quartet emerged from the vortex leading to the seventh and final floor. With the Nexus gone, this cavern, less spacious than the previous floors, was plunged forever into darkness.

It was not a mystical blackness due to dark miasma or occult magic, but a very natural obscurity. Because there was no light source, they simply could not see.

Compared to the extreme weather or downright evil conditions on the other floors, this place was nothing special at all. It was really just a small cave.

Without any source of light, even the highest Perception could do nothing. This was only true, however, for those who could only see the spectrum of visible light. Because Jake could discern infrared, he was not completely blind.

A battle of unprecedented proportions had raged here and the rock and rubble had not yet fully cooled. Jake could still get an idea of where he was by combining that with his mental sense and Aether Vision.

Still, Cekt conjured up a dozen more light orbs to properly illuminate the area and what immediately stood out to them was the gaping hole in the center of a huge rock sitting in the center of the cave. It wasn't until they examined it more closely that they realized it was actually a gigantic head.

Despite its tall size, the albino Nosk was only reaching below its nose. It was a wonder how this thing managed to fight in such a bulky cave.

This head was concealed under a silver chitin exoskeleton of incomparable density, forming a monstrous helmet reminiscent of the prehistoric skull of a dragon covered with protruding horns combined with the sophistication and elegance of an Oracle Guardian's futuristic headgear. Its eyes and the face underneath could not be seen.

"This is the Dungeon Digestor's avatar." Cekt stated solemnly, his usually jovial face streaked with dark thoughts. It certainly brought back unpleasant memories.

"Is it a Floor Boss?" Will asked curiously as he studied the huge head. Even after its death, this chitin helmet was still shrouded in a tyrannical aura capable of suffocating the feeble-minded to death.

"Not strictly speaking, but it's just the same." The Aetherist was not rattled by the question and answered honestly. "A Floor Boss is still a Digestor. The Dungeon Digestor is able to control and influence them, but it uses the superiority of its Rank and its incomparably powerful Spirit Body and Soul to achieve its ends. In theory, if they evolve enough, they can evade its authority and leave, as I think has unfortunately happened with the Floor Bosses on the last three floors.

"The Dungeon Digestor's avatar is a soulless entity that it can possess and control at will. It is the last bulwark protecting the Nexus where the Dungeon Digestor's soul is kept and the Dungeon therefore puts the vast majority of its efforts and attention into its creation and improvement."

Turning to Jake, Cekt gave him a teasing look then said,

"This avatar has your eyes, and your teeth."

Jake did not appreciate the joke. This Dungeon had gone so far as to plagiarize the original to create superior versions. If he were on earth, he would have sued it for copyright infringement or at least demanded some kind of royalty, but here he had to settle for the mockery of a wrinkled, hideous alien barely reaching his knees...

"Its thick skin comes from a Taotie, the spots on its feathery beard from a Simorgh, its flat, squashed snout from an orc or a feline, its ears... a goblin or an elf? It could also be some kind of demon..." Cekt continued to list his features while staring at the chitin helmet as if he had no trouble seeing through it.

After hearing him list all the notable anatomical details of this head and their potential origin, they concluded that it was an imperfect attempt to combine the best bloodlines from its Dungeon to create the ultimate monster. Since it was dead, it obviously hadn't worked.

" It unfortunately, or rather fortunately, didn't have enough time." Cekt commented glumly. "That avatar wasn't finished and his Aether Code was completely unstable and overloaded. It probably crumbled on its own after a few attacks. An authentic avatar has the rank of the Dungeon Digestor itself. If given enough time, this avatar would have reached Rank 13. At this level, even I would be obliged to fight seriously..."

Jake and Will shivered as they heard his last words, but the Nosk merely snarled fiercely, as if to prove that he feared nothing and no one.

The rest of the body was nowhere in sight, as if it had been stuck in the ground, unable to extricate itself completely from the ground before perishing. This was misleading, however, as bits of chitin here and there told them that this thing had definitely delivered some lethal blows before succumbing.

As proof, several hooded corpses lay on either side of the cave. Most of the time, there was almost nothing left of them but a few bones or fragments of weapons and armor, but that was amazing in itself.

The cave was unusually spared considering the might of the participants in this clash of titans, but according to Cekt this was quite normal. The walls of the cave were the body of the Dungeon itself and they could regenerate quickly.

Behind these walls flowed huge rivers of silver blood, some as wide as the galleries they had ventured into. There was enough energy in that blood to sustain the structural integrity of the Dungeon even after its death.

Upon learning this, Jake could almost see the illusion of a dollar bill fluttering behind the businessman's pupils.

"Thi-this is Rank 13 Digestor Blood, right?"Will stuttered nervously as he rubbed his hands together with a greedy smile laden with nefarious intent.

Cekt momentarily lost interest in the chitin skull and levitating up to his face, violently brought his cane down on the top of his skull.

"Stop dreaming!"

"Ouch! Damn it, it was just an innocent question!"

Jake couldn't help but chuckle as he watched the businessman lose his distinguished and scholarly composure. Although he did not ask the question again to avoid taking a cane stroke, his own interest was plastered all over his face.

Knowing full well that the two humans would not give up so easily, the Aetherist brandished his cane and began to lecture them with a stern expression,

"First of all, this is not really Rank 13 Digestor Blood. This blood obviously exists in small quantities, but it is diluted to spread to the far reaches of its territory. I've already checked, and the actual Rank 13 Digestor Blood has already been stolen...

"Second... If you want to take the rest you will have to compete with the other local behemoths. Now that the Dungeon Digestor hegemony is over, the wisely behaving Rank 12 and 11 will start their infighting again. That blood will be the first thing they'll fight over. That kind of troubled waters you'd better leave it to the high-rank Evolvers and Oracle Guardians who will take care of the aftermath. As the saying goes, don't eat more than you can chew."

Will was clearly not convinced by this explanation, but with the Wendok's unreasonable and temperamental nature he preferred to keep a low profile. Jake did the same. In the end, it was only a little silver blood. Was it worth risking his life?

The group continued to search the cave from top to bottom, finding nothing of note except more hooded corpses and broken artifacts. Even their Oracle Devices had been recovered.

When they were about to end the search and head back, they heard something, or rather someone, sneeze near them.

"Bless you." Jake replied robotically before freezing.

Alarmed, he turned around in the direction of the sneeze, but saw only an unbroken, lukewarm wall. He was not crazy, however, and he was certain of what he had heard.

The others had heard it too.

Cekt floated to the wall and a beam of mental power pierced the wall, probing its depths for miles. His eyes widened slightly in disbelief as he found the cause of the previous noise.

Expertly waving his cane, he formed a circle in the air that began to slice through the wall as if a spatial rift had cleaved the fabric. Beyond a few meters, the rock left place to a kind of sticky and compact grayish mucous.

Some blood capillaries the size of their thighs hinted at the precious silver liquid that Will so ardently desired. A stern look from the old alien, however, dissuaded him from running out to fill several bottles.

After drilling for about fifty meters, they did find someone.

A human.

The individual was badly injured, but still conscious. All his bones were broken and his body was completely embedded in the rock. Reconstituting the facts, he had probably been hit by a very heavy blow, then crashed against the wall of the cave. His speed must have been such that he had broken the wall and disappeared inside. The wall had then regenerated itself over him before he had time to recover his senses.

Cekt didn't know who it was, but Jake and Will recognized him at once because of his double golden star-shaped pupils and his long aquamarine sword.

This man was Garrow Wyte, the one who Will said had saved their lives by scaring Hecate into fleeing. Despite his undoubted talent and power as a swordsman, that hadn't stopped him from taking a nasty beating.

If they had not discovered him in time, he would have died buried alive, probably of asphyxiation.

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