Three Spheres

Chapter 73 - Meeting

_ Everything's clear, sir!

_ Great; let's go downstairs. _ The leader of the rescue team confirms, approaching Aruane _ It'll be hard to explain all this in the reports, huh? It won't look good on your resume: "Unable to get a hold a trio of brats from the ACU".

_ So funny. Everything was working out and suddenly they went crazy! _ She replies, observing the strange architecture around her _ But it isn't surprising; this place is horrible.

Nina nods "yes" repeatedly. She recalls the surprise she felt when she arrived at the hospital to check on the Paragon and he had just disappeared. "The Body Aberration disobeying us, I understand, but that one had a foot in the grave", she thinks, waving a blue fire torch to ward off the vengeful spirits.

The expedition, made up of no more than 7 people from the nearby District Unit, continues its descent through the crypt. The silence permeated by the crickets' song is quite uncomfortable. The place seems abandoned and there isn't a trace of the people who passed there recently... Neither footprints, nor remains; nothing.

_ Just out of curiosity, will they receive some kind of "punishment"? _ The team leader asks Aruane again, unconcerned.

_ I'd like to, to teach a lesson to these arrogant kids... But, the ACU has autonomy, even though I'm, theoretically, the superior in charge. _ She sighs.

_ It's better that way. _ One of the knights answers _ Everyone from the ACU has a mental problem. If the District had to take responsibility for all the bullshit they do, it'd suck!

_ That's right! _ A girl replies _ Especially these Prima-Ordinis Parvus who think they know what they're doing. I bet 50 Croix that those three are stuck in a hole crying for their moms!

Everyone laughs.

Luckily, no one accepted the woman's bet, as she would have lost a small fortune when they arrive at the green hall. Bones and fleshy slime explain the stench of death. The team divides to assist the three individuals who are fallen to the ground and investigate the location.

_ This is the Paragon! _ Aruane exclaims _ Ah, great, he's fine! Alscher?!

The blonde grunts, narrows his eyes, but can't regain all of his senses. In parallel, a Veneficus helps Johan. His back is full of very thick scars that blend together, making it difficult to identify the cause of the injuries. Fortunately, he looks fine.

The third body on the floor, however, was already dead.

_ It's a Nymph .. But I don't know what kind. She is a little... deformed? _ A man says.

_ It must be the "woman" that Ionani had spoken about when he returned from here. _ Aruane replies, while the boys are taken back to the surface _ If she had anything to do with the disease, it's good that they've already dealt with it.

_ Hey, guys, there's something here! _ A girl exclaims, pushing a stone wall _ T-There's something here...!

None of them had ever seen anything like that. The friable mass, oozing pus and blood fluid, appears to fibrillate when they approach. Nina notices the cables that connect to that thing. The Veneficus verifies:

_ I think there's spiritual energy flowing through them...

In the corners of the room, several Banshees moan and whine. They don't attack, weaked.

_ Does that...? The disease...

_ Yeah, it seems to makes sense. _ Aruane approaches, with disgust _ If we put the pieces together... The Pixies said that the problem was here; they also reported on an increase in the aggressiveness of the Banshees... The Banshees can drain vital energy from their victims with their "evil eye" passive spell. _ Aruane opens a laugh of scorn _ They were feeding this thing at the behest of that Nymph... And that's why people got sick.