Reincarnated as a random race, of course I got goblin.

Chapter 68 - Aftermath

Shadow's POV

It's been a couple of days since the fight with the Hero. My other half is still in a deep sleep, though Our connection tells me that it is uneasy. Laying within the cave, she's tended by the Huldr. A soft, solemn song carries outside to where I'm sitting in the grass, basking in the sun and keeping an eye on the progress of the Dragons.

I kept at a distance during the fight, as we agreed to do beforehand if something like this would come to pass. Still, to think the Harmekian Queen and her cohort would stoop so low as to do this to their Summoned Hero. 

According to World Knowledge, the Soul of the Hero was safely returned to their own World, though it seems it also dragged with it the five other Souls that had been bonded to them when the Malice consumed their bodies. 

But, weren't there six soldiers left after the seventh blew themselves up? And We saved two of them? Indeed. Turns out that the armor the Hero was wearing was actually a living thing. Or, well, it had a Soul at least. 

Not that that matters to me at the moment. Once I induced my other half to sleep, I had her carefully moved to the cave. According to Samantha, the Malice she was exposed to was in a hybrid state between the inert kind that comes from chimerified humanoids, and the very dangerous kind produced by hateful monsters.

Seems that the Egis was actually a kind of monster, then? Most likely. 

Regardless, the Malice within Her acts more akin to a cancer instead of an acid. Slowly spreading and Degrading. Causing immense pain as it does so, most likely in order to feed off of the negative emotions pain cause. 

Luckily for us, my other half is used to pain. Seems that in her previous life, she suffered some sort of injury that left her nearly unable to function due to the pain it caused her. Looking through her memories, it seems she had finally been rid of the pain just weeks before her death and reincarnation into this World. 

This slows the progress of the Malice, giving me precious time to prepare the cure. 

We're unable to move her, so taking her to another Divine Spring isn't an option. In addition, all Delpha's Purifying Ritual can do is stall the spread. So, I have to build one. 

Most of the pieces are already in place. I immediately sought out a Crystal Lizard and gained its Crystallize Skill, among a couple others. Now all I'm doing is awaiting results from the Dragons. 

Relying on their knowledge of the World helped, as they knew where to find Oasis Water and Celestial Marble. In addition, I sent the Life and Death Dragons to aid King Dervix's troops up north. As We are unable to aid personally, those two will have to do. I did send along a Lurastray that I made, teaching it some important phrases.

Seems that, on principle, Dragons refuse to communicate with humanoids, even though they're able to via their Telepathy Skill. Something about it being beneath them. Whatever. So, the Lurastray tags along in order to yell phrases such as "We're on your side!" and "The Monarch sends her regards!".

I sent the Heat and Water Dragons, along with one Evil Eye, to look for Oasis Water. If transporting it back is impossible, I might be able to synthesize it once I've seen it myself through the Shared Vision Skill that the Evil Eye has. 

Similarly, the Air and Lightning Dragon are searching for Celestial Marble along with the other Evil Eye. Celestial Marble has odd properties, according to the Dragons, being found at the top of ancient mountains, seemingly impervious to the wear of time.