Chapter 328: Spawn of Pandora

Chapter 328: Spawn of Pandora

Inside a gloomy morgue located under a hospital of Zero, strangely hidden from sight and locked with several codes he had to peruse, Hans dragged open one of the compartments housing a dead body.

His eyes narrowed as they inspected the creature grafted with various discordant body parts. "...I cannot get a clear read," he muttered with some hint of surprise in his voice. "But it could not be... unless some power inside these things has a firm rejection of time and fate?"

"Did you find something?" A voice echoed behind him and the author almost broke character due to the suddenness of it. He sullenly looked over his shoulder to see Nyx emerge from the shadows of the murky room and glance at the Grafted's body.

"...even Xiorra must have issues sensing you," Hans uttered and the only thing she did in response was smile faintly. He huffed and pointed at the cold corpse.

"This here; a Grafted, labeled that way by Kratos. This one specifically has its structure composed of exactly 16 different creatures. Like the others of its kind, the core component is a Host. A human one in this case, as well."

"Estimated physical attributes; 50," he added whilst prodding the body with a scalpel lying nearby. "These chimeras have three evolution stages named 'Blank', 'Gray', and 'Black'. The latter signifies they have reformed their soul and mind after conversion. Interestingly enough, they retain their capability as Hosts. This specific one died as a Level 1, however."

"In the Arena, right?" Nyx remarked and he nodded. "I was watching the broadcast earlier; these Grafted are being tested through the fights in the competition, aren't they?"

"That would be the most rational theory. This is all I can 'read' from this point."

Nyx quietly nodded and walked to the other side of the morgue tray. She hovered her hand above the Grafted with her eyes closed, Hans scowling at her. He could feel her gather her divinity, then pour it out through her palm. It was an innovative scanning method, he admitted.

After a short moment, her breath shortened and she pulled her hand back with widened eyes. "It's not possible... no, technically, it could be done..." She muttered disbelievingly.

Hans raised an eyebrow. "Something I should know?"

"...ever heard of the Spawn of Pandora?" The goddess said gravely.

The author's expression twitched and looked back at the Grafted. "Are you telling me that...?"

She nodded and sighed. "Rakna's not going to like this..."

⠀

* * *

⠀ Rêađ latest chapters on no/v/e/l(b)in(.)com

"| ...what? |" Rakna uttered emotionlessly, even managing to send a shiver down Hans' spine who was listening through the communicator after Nyx encouraged him to be the one to explain.

"| Good, if you struggle, Nyx and I will come to help you. Before that, try buying some credits, and use them to trade exit crystals. If we're backed up into a corner, we'll use those to flee. Otherwise, assuming they will cease to work once the Plateau is recovered, we'll System-transfer out of here or use my wings if the situation gets out of control. |"

""Understood,"" Nyx and Hans replied at the same time and before they knew it, their leader had cut the call short. They looked at each other and breathed out.

"That was nerve-wracking," the author groused. "Mind telling me why our common friend seems to have a bone to pick against the Téra?"

The former goddess shook her head. "I only heard about it. But if you want the short version, you do remember the crystal mausoleum back at home, right?"

Hans' eyes widened in realization. He had restrained to 'read' those graves. Even him has a bottom line and prying, out of curiosity, into the secrets of a cemetery personally erected by Rakna wasn't something that sat right with him.

"The cause of all their deaths... was an Abyss Téras."

⠀

* * *

⠀

Some distance away in the streets of Zero, a deathly quiet Rakna walked through the crowd which rapidly made way for him. None of them wanted to mess with someone who was projecting the shape of an intimidating aura despite the restriction of the Plateau.

"{Don't go summoning Phobos' aura on a moody swing,}" Fray chastised, even if he did sympathize with the cause of his anger. "{It won't do you any good.}"

'I know,' Rakna responded evenly. 'But this just so happens to have turned into a personal thing.'

"{...this Téras is not the one you encountered. Verias is dead; remember it well. Vile their race may be, are you telling me that you will react this way every time you see one of them?}"

'Yes,' the therian said without hesitation and the fabulist didn't know what to say. 'I will do it until I'm satisfied. I'm not going to bother with objectivity on an enemy that doesn't deserve it. They die and that's it.'

Fray sighed. "{As you wish. It is not my place to tell you how to deal with hated foes. And I know you are intelligent enough not to let it blind you. At least I hope so. These Téra are probably far less affected by a lack of World than Hosts. Do you think you can beat a creature in the same class as Verias while at their full power?}"

'...I will avoid that occurrence if anything. The plan is to get things done fast and bail out.'

"{But something has spotted Hans, right? What if they intervene as soon as you act?}"

Rakna fell silent for a moment and paused his steps. 'If that happens...' He started to answer when the image of Kaelith making him promise to be careful flashed in his mind. He gritted his teeth and continued, 'We'll just have to see how things go.'