Chapter 816 (2/2)

“We are not lying to Shal,” Versault cut in. “He is the hero.”

“But you just said-”

Versault’s face twisted into a grimace. “Your interference changed more than you know. Because of you, the original hero is no longer viable. So we have been scrambling to assemble a suitable duel that will have enough weight to shift the defining image of Tellus. For all of Shal’s… deviations, he was still an image that was acceptable for Tellus to use to ascend.”

That gave Randidly pause. “What happened to the original hero?”

“You happened,” Versault hissed lightning fast.

Tilting his head to the side, Randidly regarded the two with confusion. “You are blaming this on me as well?”

“The original hero,” continued Versault, “was Drak Wyrd.”

Oh. Yea, that was my fault.

“Really?” Randidly said with a frown as he thought further about it. “But he accepted energy from Lucretia- he was a heretic.”

“Due to your influence, as far as we can tell,” The Oracle said with a shrug. “This matter of arranging for two images to fight for dominance and achieve ascension is not an exact science; even someone as wise as the Spearman has his limitations. For us to be unable to see through the conflux of fates is understandable.”

Randidly’s lips quirked upward. “But are you not the Oracle? Isn’t this your cup of tea?”

“It isn’t as easy as it looks,” The Oracle barred her teeth. “Sometimes I feel flashes of insight. My knowledge of karma is unmatched, even by the Spearman. But there are limits. Touching fate is reaching into murky water where the clearest image you see is your own reflection on the surface.”

“So what you said to me earlier, about a betrayal…” Randidly said slowly. “Why did you tell me not to come to the Death School? When you clearly now want to keep me here. If I had attempted to turn around at your advice, would you have just let me go?”

“Of course not,” The Oracle said dismissively. “But there was little chance of that. We have been controlling stubborn groups of young men for generations. Is it truly so strange that I would advise you do the opposite, knowing that you would refuse to listen to my advice? Perhaps you are not as intelligent as you look.”

Randidly looked at the Oracle then, but his eyes were not filled with hot fury. He was angry. But that wasn’t the dominant emotion that he felt as he looked at the Oracle. Then he turned and glanced at Versault, who was watching him with dark eyes.

What he felt was pity. These fools. Even now, they didn’t understand how they would doom themselves through their strange manipulations and distant controls. It was an unfortunate coincidence, but Randidly suspected that even if he had not appeared on the scene, Drak would have gone off the rails and failed at becoming a hero.

That was life. Unexpected things happened. Especially when your true goals were mired in lies and deceit.

“Why do you look at me like that?” The Oracle demanded.

Both Randidly and Versault ignored her.

“What now?” Randidly asked. His Skills were close to being fully healed. Very soon, he would have some confidence in escaping the two of them.

Versault smiled. “Now, Shal is being prepped to fight the Spearman’s own image, warped by the violence of that shade Silo. You are familiar with him, correct? We discovered him by accident, but he will serve admirably as the final hurdle Shal will defeat.”