Zeke opened his blurry eyes only to find himself staring up at an unfamiliar ceiling. Intricately carved wooden beams stretched out like the ribs of a giant, adorned with delicate patterns. The ceiling rose high above, a canvas of opulence illuminated by the soft glow of ornate chandeliers hanging like jewels from its expanse.
He blinked once, then again. Yet, the sight didn't change. He tried to rise, but his body protested, sending a bout of pain coursing through his nerves, forcing him to fall back into the soft bedding. With the pain, the last of his sleepiness subsided, and in its place, memories resurfaced. Ahh, that's right. He killed the Archmage, didn't he?
And then…
[Answer]
…and then Host almost killed himself by overtaxing his body to an insane degree.
Was that annoyance he heard in Akasha's voice? Zeke smiled at the thought, the action causing him another spike of pain.
"What happened after that?" Zeke asked, content to remain lying down for the moment.
[Answer]
I managed to stabilize Host's condition.
Zeke nodded. Honestly, he had counted on Akasha to save him. Otherwise, he wouldn't have dared to push himself so hard. The knowledge that somebody was looking out for him was comforting in a way that was hard to describe. He was slowly beginning to understand why the Invocatians were willing to give up their Cores for a better familiar.
Zeke recalled the state he had been in before passing out. From what he remembered, he had sustained severe internal injuries, and even his brain had started to hemorrhage toward the end. That was the last thing he remembered. Thinking about it now, it was a small miracle that he felt as good as he did.
Using [Perfect Body Control], he inspected the state of his injuries. A moment later, he had a good grasp of his current situation. The verdict? He was a mess and yet in a far better state than he had any right to be.
How had Akasha done this? He could tell that not much time had passed, and yet, he didn't feel as terrible as he should.
[Answer]
I had help.
It was only then that Zeke became aware that he was not alone. Three figures lay sprawled at the foot of his bed. Their identical faces, light orange ears, and tails were very recognizable. They were the triplets recently acquired by the Archmage. Zeke recalled that their Souls had been among the first he had managed to rescue. Thankfully, he had succeeded in saving all three.
"Them?"
[Answer]
Yes. Host has made the right choice in saving them. Their abilities will prove helpful.
Zeke's eyebrows lifted in surprise; receiving such praise from Akasha was no small feat. He observed the sleeping sisters with increased attention, noting the dark bags under their eyes and the emaciated appearance of their figures. It was evident that they hadn't led the most comfortable lives before arriving here. Well, it wasn't like their future would have been all that rosy serving the Archmage.
But now… they served him instead.
Unbidden, his memories returned to the scene right before passing out, a sudden realization hitting him. That was right. How could he have forgotten? Unlike in all previous instances, this time, he gleaned a clue about how he had managed to enter that wonderous state.
The key to his success was one of his engraved spells: [Perfect Body Control]. It allowed him to strengthen and control parts of his body by regulating the flow of blood. The name was rather deceiving, as he didn't actually control his body. It would be more accurate to say that it allowed him to puppeteer his body, using his own blood as the strings.
Zeke remembered clearly how he had tried to use [Perfect Body Control] to increase blood flow and, in turn, the speed of his brain. It had worked, but the effects didn't extend to his Soul. In his desperation, he had used the spell over and over again. Until it finally worked.
Why did it work? Simple. Zeke had merged his Blood and Mind Mana, casting his engraved spell with this novel, hybrid mana composition. What to call it—MindBlood Mana? BloodMind Mana? Never mind, the name could be determined later. What truly mattered was his breakthrough: successfully fusing two distinct mana types into one.
Zeke wasn't quite sure what had made this feat possible. He had tried to combine different Mana types on multiple occasions without any success. However, a few theories were already swirling around his head, and he couldn't wait to start experimenting. However, before he could dive any deeper, a flicker of movement caught his attention. The sisters were waking up.
Zeke waited patiently as, one by one, the triplets stirred, gradually sitting up. Because of their lingering drowsiness, their eyes remained partially closed, struggling to focus. However, that quickly changed when the first of the three locked eyes with him.
With a startled yelp, the girl recoiled, unable to steady herself before tumbling to the floor. The sudden commotion caught the attention of her siblings, who quickly turned to see what had alarmed her. Upon locking eyes with Zeke, their expressions turned ashen with a profound sense of fear, mirroring the terror evident in their sister's gaze.
"Hello," Zeke said somewhat awkwardly. He wasn't at all used to people being afraid of him.
The sisters remained silent.
"I am Ezekiel," he added after it became clear that they wouldn't speak.
Still nothing.
"We met earlier?" he tried.
The girls only huddled closer together.
Ok. This wasn't working at all—time for a change of strategy.
"Introduce yourself to your Master," Zeke commanded, mustering all the authority he could, which wasn't that much, given the fact that he wasn't even able to sit up properly. Luckily, it still worked, as the girls immediately straightened their backs.
"M-my n-name is Eira," one of the girls said, "and those are my s-sisters Thalia and Lumi." She indicated the others in turn before falling silent. Her voice had been unsteady, and Zeke had thought more than once that she wouldn't manage to finish that simple sentence, given how much she seemed to struggle with each word.
Zeke nodded, a solemn expression on his face. He couldn't show any uncertainty. Right now, he needed to give them a sense of stability if he wanted to calm them down. He knew from experience that people who were afraid reacted best to confidence, even if it was fake.
"Eira, Thalia, and Lumi," he said, looking at each of the sisters in turn. "I will remember your names. Now, tell me, did you assist with my healing?"
Nobody answered, but this time, it wasn't because of fear but because they didn't know who the question was directed at. Zeke pointed to the girl on the right. "Speak, Thalia."
"Y-yes, Master," she burst out. "The voice commanded us to do it."
Zeke nodded slowly, trying to stifle a grin at hearing how she referred to Akasha. "Well done," he praised. "You and your sisters did a good job."
Immediately, three pairs of ears perked up. Ok. That was adorable. Should he pat them? No, not the time. Zeke tried to hide his thoughts as best he could while pointing at the middle of the three. "Explain to me how your abilities work, Lumi."
"Yes, Master," Lumi said, already more confident than before. "We can use our ability to heal…"
Zeke waited for her to continue, but the girl remained silent. "That's it?" He asked after it became clear that she had nothing else to say.
After exchanging nervous glances with her sisters, the girl spoke once more. This time, she sounded less confident. "Yes…"
Zeke was dumbfounded. How could anyone have such a lack of understanding of their own abilities? However, after a moment of contemplation, he realized his mistake. Unlike Mages, Chimeroi didn't have to learn how to cast spells—their abilities manifested naturally, without the need for Intent or Spellforms. It was akin to the spells he had engraved on his Core.
All further knowledge would come with experience. However, judging by their looks, they most likely only awakened their abilities recently. When would they have learned anything more than the absolute basics?
Zeke cleared his throat and directed his gaze at Lumi, meeting her eyes. "Well done," he uttered with as much sincerity as he could muster. Despite feeling somewhat absurd in the moment, he hoped his praise would have the intended effect. To his relief, the girl's spirits visibly lifted, evident in the wagging of her tail.
He then turned his attention to the last of the three. "Can you continue to heal me now, Eira?"
"If that is your wish, Master," Eira replied without tripping over her words.
Zeke nodded at her. "Please do."
After sharing one last glance, the sisters rose and approached the bed from different sides. Thalia came from the right, Eira from the left, and Lumi climbed onto the mattress at his feet. In the blink of an eye, the three girls had surrounded him. A forest of ears and tails in every direction.
However, in the next moment, he couldn't afford to pay any more attention as a warm current of energy entered his body. Zeke almost moaned in comfort. This wasn't like the healing he was familiar with. The sensation was akin to being enveloped in a gentle embrace, a comforting warmth seeping into every fiber of his being.
It felt… amazing.
Zeke found himself so at ease that he nearly overlooked the changes occurring within his body. Yet, upon closer observation, he was astonished by the transformation taking place. His lingering wounds were closing at a speed that was visible to the naked eye. This surpassed any expectation of what a novice Life Mage could typically achieve.
While he was engrossed in this heavenly feeling, the door to his room opened. Through the tangle of limbs and tails, Zeke could make out three figures who had frozen at the doorway, staring at the bed with wide eyes. They were Ash, Gravitas, and Vulcanos.
Immediately, the sisters stopped what they were doing and looked back at the trio of newcomers with panicked expressions. No. Don't do that. It will only cement their misunderstanding. This was only healing, nothing else. There is no need to feel awkward about it.
"Come in," Zeke said, his voice deliberately casual.
The newcomers didn't move, and Ash spoke up tentatively. "We can come back later…"
Zeke rolled his eyes. "No need. They were almost done HEALING me anyway." He put special emphasis on the word, leaving no doubt as to what had been going on.
Vulcanos took the initiative, circling the bed before settling into a seat beside a low coffee table. At first, Zeke was grateful to the Chimeroi for breaking the misunderstanding, but when he noticed the big guy winking at him insistently, Zeke lost all feelings of gratitude.
Shortly thereafter, Gravitas and Ash joined their companion, observing with curiosity as the sisters carried on with their task.
"Huh, I guess they were actually healing you, Master," Vulcanos said. His voice sounded almost disappointed. Zeke glanced at him in utter disbelief. Did that fool actually think he had been lying?
However, a different thought quickly emerged in his mind. How were they even here?
[Answer]
I called them. Their help was instrumental in gaining control over the Ember Scar Cartel during your absence.
Zeke nodded, acknowledging the truth in Akasha's words. Despite technically assuming control of the cartel by stealing all the Slaves, the transition of power wouldn't be seamless without someone ready to assume leadership.
"What is the current situation?" he asked.
"The fighting has died down, and all of the captains, lieutenants, and cooperators have either been captured or killed," Ash reported.
Zeke nodded absentmindedly, too stunned to pay attention. The reason for his state was the three sisters who had crowded around his missing arm. With closed eyes and furrowed brows, they were infusing their warm Mana into it. He could feel it; slowly, ever so slowly, the closed wound began to change.
From a mere stump below his shoulder, muscle tissue gradually formed, giving rise to a biceps, triceps, and eventually, an elbow. The process continued with the growth of his forearm, culminating in the emergence of his hand and five digits. By the time the restoration was complete, the sisters were sweating profusely, yet a sense of pride gleamed in their eyes as they beheld the fully restored limb.
Zeke stared open-mouthed at his new arm. He clenched his fist, flexed his muscles, and moved his fingers. It was perfect. There was no pain, no feeling of weakness, no sense of alienation. It was as if he had never lost the arm. It was an absolute miracle. Not even the Life Archmage in the Empire had been able to restore Leo's body so perfectly.
He looked up and beamed at the sisters. "Thank you," he said, his voice brimming with sincerity. They were leaning on each other, looking spent. All of a sudden, he got the impression that they needed to lie down more desperately than he did, so he threw off the blanket.
The Chimeroi stared at him. Zeke looked down. And promptly teleported the blanket back into place.
"My clothes?" he asked the ceiling.
Thalia held out a pile of bloody rags without looking at him.
He eyed the bundle wearily. "I might need… new clothes."
[Notice]
There are robes in the dressing room next door.
A moment later, Lumi disappeared behind a curtain on the right, making Zeke wonder if Akasha's words had been audible to all. His suspicion was confirmed when she reappeared carrying a red robe.
Zeke put it on without hesitation despite feeling odd about wearing the clothes of the man he had killed – a man with a propensity for cushy fabric, apparently. He stood up and gestured for the sisters to get in, which they did without much hesitation. They had barely all laid down before passing out. They had truly given their all, and Zeke felt gratitude.
"What's the status?" he asked a bit more quietly.
Gravitas met his gaze. "Stable for the moment, but there's chaos. Many died, but we don't have exact numbers yet."
[Notice]
Host was able to secure 92% of all fragments. 86 vanished during the fighting. Currently, Host is harboring 971 Soul fragments in total.
Zeke took in this information. Relief and guilt warred in him. He had not hesitated before killing the Archmage, knowing what it would mean. In the end, he had done what he could – much more than he could have hoped to. And yet, the deaths of so many weighed on his conscience.
He was relieved when Vulcanos brought him back to the present. "The survivors are confused. They need guidance," the Chimeroi said.
Now, this was a problem Zeke could solve. His mind started whirring with possible strategies and action plans and –
[Notice]
There is no time. If Host wishes to execute the original plan, we must move out within the hour.