Chapter 362: Soul

Seeker was starting to feel terrified at the wild imagination of Meryl.

"You… you're scary!" Seeker nearly cursed.

"Come on, Zeek! I think the best way to deal with Zeraphine is through jealousy! Wasn't it written? Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm, for love is strong as death, jealousy is fierce as the grave. Its flashes are flashes of fire, the very flame of the Lord." Meryl quoted.

"No. If I tried to use that route, Zeraphine might follow the same decision that I had with Alphie!"

"Then make her fall for you, and then fall for someone else! You could arrange this in a way that you can fall for her, and then you give Alphie just one passionate night! It'll make Zeraphine take drastic measures to get you back! In her passion, she might disregard the consequences and find herself in a position that she can't return to her team! Didn't you say that she killed herself because she didn't want to kill you? You can also use that ability where you leak your emotions to her! Make her see the love she had for you. I'm actually curious how that would turn out. You have strong memories of her and could even capture her emotions. What happens if you reflect that on her?"

"I'm avoiding it at all cost. I don't know what her real techs are. The more I see the power of the other Presiders, the more I'm convinced that Zeraphine held out on me on that day we fought. Harker has already stated that she has a strange ability to bend the thoughts of someone! And now that we've noticed that Lara's real body has been transforming into the one that Zeraphine had, it proves that her technology is something that happens in the dimensions beyond the third."

"Oh… So her power has to do with mind-control. Then how do you plan to deal with her in the future?"

"I need to make sure of something else… That's why I'm waiting for him to arrive?"

"Him?"

"The only person who could shed light on Zeraphine's mystery. We tried looking at her physical body, we tried to scan her to determine what was the source of her power, and even Granite Malang's painting could not bring out any hints of who she was."

"I thought she looked beautiful in that painting."

"Whatever."

"Are you blushing?"

"The point is! There's only one more person who can shed light on her mysterious trait, and he is on his way here. Quite taxing to get that man to travel. But luckily, that other Emperor who went to rescue Magantae was able to pick him up."

"Who is this man?"

"I brought him here so we can all grow. Nogard Meng. The only Soul Cultivator among all the Unlocked." Seeker smiled.

"The Golden Dragon?"

"Meryl… If you can acquire his power, we could have something powerful. Right now, our bodies demand great sources of energy. And while me and Lynd stand on two opposite spectrum in our attempts to create a Cultivators body, what Nogard has should be another important step to perfect it. You want Lanterk to help you find a way to create Nuclear Fusion so that you'd have a constant source of energy fueling you. If you do manage to cultivate your soul, you could create a power source that is not within the three dimensions."

"That does sound interesting…"

"We all have to do that. I believe that the Aragarian Principals will have the power to alter the physical world. Even if you have Nuclear fusion, it may just disappear at the wave of their hand. So we have to build up our souls and find a way to make it an energy source that can help us continue fighting."

"I understand. Well… I have to get ready and talk to Danny. He should be arriving anytime soon. Is the information about Small Willy sent to the incoming subs? Is there someplace safe where I can tell him about it?"

"They know that a Presider has arrived. But since they still had to fight and complete their mission, and we couldn't risk sending a message that could be traced or intercepted, they still don't know the exact details. Not everyone has Realm like mine that can create a sound shield. The briefing will happen in a secure place soon. You could get Danny and bring him near Lynd or me to make the sound shield."

"Eh? I'm too lazy for that. I think it's better than Danny doesn't know that Small Willy is a Presider. He's not a spy, after all. It's better that he just thinks that kid is some snotty son of a Pioneer or something… Besides, if he knows that I'll be flirting with a Presider, he might get worried. I better tell him after me and Small Willy fake that whole seeing me naked thing. That way, his jealousy will give him the courage to face a Presider." Meryl smiled as she began to move.

Seeker prayed to the Lord that Eagle preached about to spare Danny and comfort his heart from whatever hell Meryl will bring.

"Women be crazy… Hmmm… If Meryl plans to mess around with Lanterk, I'll reschedule when Cliff gives a wedgie to Lanterk then…"

The presentation of Lynd had finally ended. It was just as strange and mysterious as Seeker's presentation. Although Zeraphine wanted to go out and head for Seeker's location because of the terrifying wounds he felt, Lynd showed them an even more amazing scene.

The Exoskeletons that the families had provided to see if it would be struck were crushed to the ground by a strange invisible sound. The sound was so terrifying that the glass dome covering the entire area was almost destroyed.

The description of what Lynd's power is was that he could control sound. His appearance and how he won in the great gamble explained how his voice was the key factor as he used it to invoke fear and shock.

Lanterk and Zeraphine were both lost in their own thoughts.

Neither of them had the technology that was similar to what they had just seen.

"Plague Technology… Living Lightning… And now sound. What Presider has such a wide array of techs? Or is it… Crostfree? He always had the strange anomaly in his Nefilius Suit! He should be like me! Then he must be connected to Presider Marrho somehow!" Lanterk made his guesses. Lanterk had long noticed that there was something peculiar with Crostfree and had at times acted more cautious towards him than he would with Garenjazz. 

"Or is it Myrth and Shakstres? Are they the ones masquerading behind Crostfree? Could it be that one of them killed Corstfree and used the Devouring power to assimilate with Crostfree's tech?" Lanterk pondered. His mind wandered as he kept thinking how multiple techs would have been bestowed as a Judges Claim would surface in one Presider.

"It's too complicated now! It could be any one of the Mid-Tier Presiders! Are there more Presiders who are hiding their strength as Zeraphine and I have? Those four better start moving and decide to send someone. Otherwise, I'd die here!" Lanterk was angry.

"Should I tell Zeraphine about Crostfree's anomaly?" Lanterk pondered.

"No! It's too risky! She will suspect me of being stronger! Perhaps she already knows about how I really am!" Lanterk took a casual glance at Zeraphine to ask her a question.

"I'll be going to Seeker." Lara immediately spoke as Lanterk was about to turn to her. Since the communication was vocal, Lanterk was stunned.

"What? Are you just going to leave like that? What about the presentation?"

"Didn't you see what happened to Seeker? I have to go to him! Charm, let's go!" Lara urged her companion.

"Hrm? I'm sorry, did you say… something, Lara?" Charm's face looked white as paper.

"Charm? What happened to you?!" Lara was stunned. She didn't understand why her friend looks so deathly pale.

"I'm just… a little tired. Can we… go now?" Charm asked.

"Was it because of Seeker? Or Lynd? Did someone attack you?" Lara kept asking questions.

"It's nothing! I'll just be headed to my room." 

"Charm? I need to go to Seeker. Can you go back on your own? Charm?" Lara asked Charm as Charm didn't respond to her words.

Charm's face was without any emotion. She simply nodded and turned around, and walked ahead of Lara.

Lara was confused and gazed at where Charm was looking and spotted Cliff and Eva.

Eva was no longer trying to pursue Cliff. She was just standing there with a victorious smile as her attention was locked on to where Charm was.

Lara gripped her fist as she began to get up from her seat and leave.

"That's it? Are you leaving just like that? You saw all those things, right? Zeraphine! Those were three foundational techs, each requiring a Judges Claim! Are you sure that it's just Pridgeon and Crostfree?" Lanterk communicated with Zeraphine through their special communication channel.

Zeraphine stopped and glared at Lanterk.

"You start off learning math. One plus one equals two. Years pass, you use that principle and apply it on the science that allows us to make an accurate calculation to travel in space at such a fast distance without colliding on meteors, planets, and the like. This is the same concept here. Phallic Techs are the conclusion of Judges Claims. All routes lead to that altar in the middle! And are you an idiot? You just asked me if it is those two. So you noticed that there could be more of them, and yet you risk communicating with me through this line? Even I'm not sure if there are just two! Who knows who else is here? What if there are more Presiders here on this planet for all we know! What if they have Phallic techs that can hack into the links of our souls?!" Zeraphine then began to walk out and disconnected the link.

The moment she left the large room, she began to hesitate. She could see Charm walking aimlessly.

Zeraphine knew that the rooms that were prepared for all who wished to Trade would be on the other side. 

"…Being human really is frustrating." Zeraphine cursed as she followed Charm.

"Charm! Where are you going!" Lara called out.

Charm's walk started to get slow. Finally, she fell down on her knees and began to cry.

"Charm?!" Lara ran towards Charm and grabbed her.

"Are you alright?"

Charm kept crying and crying.

It was then that Zeraphine could sense an immense sadness when she touched her.

It wasn't difficult for her as Charm was in a state of weakness. Her soul was leaking out, and so, Zeraphine used a portion of her power to dive into the soul and felt a great depression that she had.

"Is it because of Cliff?" Lara asked her as she tried to get her to stand up.

"What a very despaired soul. Come here, my child. He's not the only man in this world," An old and intrigued voice called out.

Lara and Charm suddenly reacted. The voice was very mysterious, and it even managed to draw Charm out of her depression.

A masked man stood on the hallway. He had a strange plain robe on him and walked with a walking stick. Surrounding him were people wearing the attires that only one group of people could wear on planter Earth. 

"Emperors!" Charm was startled.

The moment Zeraphine saw the group, she felt a mysterious calmness. But on her mind, she was very threatened. Out of everyone there, her attention was on the masked old man.

"Soul Tech?!" She exclaimed as she felt it.