The Chronicles of a Scalebound Sage: Wandmaker Vol.2

WM [90] Truth About Creation

"I admit, it was a shock to see you in this form, Isin," Laxy said, her voice tinged with a mix of awe and sorrow. "The last time we met, you were undoubtedly Nephilim. Now, you are a Child of P̶̧̿O̴͎̭̐I̶̠̙͊S̷̨̨͉̈́͆Ǫ̷̘͍̕N̸͚̯̹̽. I can only imagine the trials you endured to be forced into such a state."

Bjorn tilted his head, his eyes narrowing. "How can you tell who I am?"

"Your core may have changed, but your soul is unmistakable," Laxy replied, settling herself on the fabricator as if bracing for a heavy conversation. "Please, tell me, O'great leader of humans—did you succeed in freeing your people? What became of the Last Great Aetheric War?"

Bjorn hesitated, lowering himself to sit on the cold, metallic floor. His central head locked onto Laxy while the others swiveled, scanning for threats.

"In truth, I've lost my memories," he confessed. "I know little of the war, though the True Hydras have shared tales. They say Isin became the Sunderer of the Angelic Throng. Humans are no longer slaves, and angels, if not extinct, are few in number."

Laxy's gaze softened, her voice quivering as she spoke. "Then... you succeeded?" A faint sniffle escaped her. "After everything that happened here, I feared the worst."

Bjorn leaned forward. "What happened here, Laxy? Why is this facility on the brink of releasing all its accumulated corruption?"

Laxy's expression darkened. She wiped the moisture from her synthetic face as if trying to erase painful memories.

"You truly don't remember, do you?" she asked softly. "Perhaps your current form is to blame—it wasn't meant for a soul like yours, though you seem to have adapted well. Still, let me explain. There was a traitor among the refugees brought to Helmforað, the city beneath us. The transference gate was restored, and Nuriel seized control. She ordered an evacuation and activated security protocols to eliminate anyone too slow to flee. It was a massacre."

Bjorn's eyes flared with a sudden intensity. "Nuriel? How? I thought angels couldn't enter the Chaos Lands."

"Chaos Lands?" Laxy echoed, tilting her head as though hearing an alien term. "You mean the Places of Creation? Even now, you fail to understand. This land is touched by Creation itself, yet you call its gifts corruption. Do you truly not remember why the angels wanted this place so desperately?"

Bjorn's thoughts churned. Touched by Creation? The only concept that seemed to fit was primana. He recalled fragments of knowledge—P̶̧̿O̴͎̭̐I̶̠̙͊S̷̨̨͉̈́͆Ǫ̷̘͍̕N̸͚̯̹̽ had mentioned the angels' use of Creation bombs, lamenting their reckless waste of energy before their defeat in the Last Great Aetheric War.

"This facility was designed to separate mana from Creation energy," Bjorn realized aloud, his voice tinged with revelation.

"Correct," Laxy confirmed. "For seventy thousand years, it has collected Creation. Under normal conditions, it would draw upon this vast reservoir to avert catastrophic failure. But Site Manager Nuriel, perhaps out of resentment for your betrayal or for reasons only she knew, had barred Doxy from accessing alternative energy sources."

Bjorn growled low. "Then what do we do? The path to the Aetheric Core is blocked."

"The orange line marks the route to Helmforað, where the core was relocated into the city's heart," Laxy explained. "To access it, however, you will need an Angel Core or an equivalent artifact."

"Are there any left here?" Bjorn asked.

"No," Laxy said, shaking her head. "All have been removed."

Bjorn fell silent, pondering their next move. "Then can you make one?"