I didn’t interrupt the process, mesmerized. Just added a bit more mana to the orb, letting pieces freely absorb the energy I was providing.

The pieces started growing larger and larger, to the point where we were able to recognize the shape of the statue, and finally it was completely fixed.

Before us, in the middle of the room, stood a nice and simple wooden throne, on which there was sitting a female figure. Faceless and featureless, cross-legged and looking forward, unmoving.

-What is this…? Who is this?

-Well, that’s interesting… - I said, carefully observing the statue that I just fixed. - I am not sure…

The statue, even though it absorbed quite a bit of mana, was not even a bit more infused than when it was just reduced to random pieces of wood. If I was to look solely on its infusion level, I couldn’t tell where it was ending and where the floor, or the throne, was starting. Everything was just a large blob of infused matter.

-Whatever, or whoever it is, they are made out of Origin Crystal - I stated. - I think.

-You think? What are you talking about? I thought that Origin Crystal was supposed to be, you know, a crystal! Not… this?

-Well, so did I. But how do you explain the ability to repair itself? - I asked. - Using just clear mana, without any spells, just like a certain someone?

-I…

-And the fact that I am not destroying it, while I am clearly touching it - I said, putting my hand on the side of the throne. I…

I stopped mid sentence.

I felt something.

Not mana, no. The wood was still as uniform as it was, but… it was like a stray thought. I couldn’t place it myself, nor understand what it meant, just something that pricked my brain for a second.

I shook off the weird feeling and immediately scouted our surroundings.

There was nothing amiss. Everything was just as it was a moment ago.

The feeling passed as soon as it appeared as well. Peculiar.

-What was I about… ah, right. This definitely is an Origin Crystal. Or rather its seed.

-The hell? What’s that supposed to mean?

-Remember, when we were back in the Red Edge, I said that your crystal was grown… or, well, that your island was artificially created out of crystal by your previous leader, or rather Mike?

-Yeah… you think that he did the same here? But… why isn’t it crystal then?

-That’s the thing… I am not sure, but I do have some hypotheses.

-I think that it just didn’t have enough time to spread.

-Spread…

-Yeah. Just like me, you or anyone else afflicted by it, Origin Crystal will slowly absorb mana and grow, replacing original… parts, so to speak.

I noticed her touching her own crystal as I was explaining that.

-Like that - I nodded. - And you sooner or later end up like this - I pointed to myself. - But what happens if the subject is not a person?

-Does it make a difference? It would only probably be different if the subject wasn’t alive, right? - asked Kon.

-I think so too - I agreed. - Just like with Edge, it was just a piece of rock, enchanted or not. There was no life in it… not until it awakened.

-Awakened?! What are you talking about!?

-What? Say what you want, but Origin Crystal is not just some dormant power that is laying there doing nothing. You do know that. It is a person.

-I know, you keep repeating that, but…

-But what would happen if that presence would attempt to take over something that is not human, yet alive? - I asked, not letting her continue. - Would it work then like it was with a human, trying to compete for the control of the organism, or like it was with rock, that it only would be able to take over after it was completely converted, or at least considerably, to be a functioning vessel?

-You don’t mean… that this thing… is alive already…? - asked For, suddenly intimidated by this remark.

-I don’t know. Why won’t we ask directly?

Both of them looked at me, terrified, but almost instantly turned to the wooden sculpture that was in front of us.

-That’s… her? The presence in the crystal…?

-That is the main question - I nodded. - I am uncertain.

I placed my hand on the throne and touched the sculpture sitting on top of it.

There was no mistake. I slowly was starting to understand… The tug I felt before… To connect with it… It was her. I could feel some kind of presence inside of it. Spreading like roots through the whole chamber and even further away, leaving the room and my range…

-Can you hear me?

I directed the question right towards the sculpture and the “tug”.

But, both For and Kon also flinched, hearing me as well. Hell, even Rob did. It was quite obvious, because he wasn’t so accustomed to that kind of communication, so he almost tripped on his own legs before he contained himself.

And yet, I didn’t get a reply.

-Nothing…?

-Is that good or bad? - asked Kon, confused. - What does that mean?

-Not sure…

-Before, in the Edge, I told you… I felt something awaken. I communicated with something.

-Right… What was that?

-Back then I assumed that it had to be some kind of person that was connected to the source of it all…

-Axelrod?

-Probably. But I am not so certain any more. Or… not only him.

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

-Not only? There’s more power freaks like that?!

-It’s not like there’s more… it’s just that we all are connected together. It’s just Il. Or whatever else exact iteration of her soul we are all dealing with.

-She was in the Edge?! But wasn’t she supposed to be dormant within you?

-Maybe not dormant, but yes - I agreed. - And the fact is… there’s more of her than just one singular copy, I am certain.

-You think that she didn’t transfer herself to me… just had a copy of herself connect with me? - asked Kon.

-It’s not like she planned that… it just happened. I was thinking about it… and slowly I am starting to understand.

-She is just fragmented. When we finished our incantation, back long ago in the MIRE… we succeeded. I think. But, after that, we also failed, destroying the crystal in the process. I thought it meant that only the largest piece had retained herself… the one that was stuck in me. But the more I hear about her and about everything, I think that it’s not like she moved to one thing… she’s just in all of them at once, but never knew about it. They weren’t connected… at first that is.

-And what, you think Axelrod connected them?

-Not really connecting… I’d say she’s awakening them.

-Awakening? By putting pieces inside other people?

-That is precisely what was happening. You, him - I pointed to Rob. - Mois, Odar…

-All of them? Don’t be ridiculous…

-People in power. People he trusted. People he wanted to control. Either way, it all would be the same because all of them would slowly be converted.

-But what’s the point! Wasn’t he being controlled as well? Isn’t he constantly fighting her, just like you said? Or…

-At this point… I don’t know any more - I said, truthfully. - I really think he knows, but I don’t understand why he would spread it willingly…

-Who said that it is him doing it willingly? - asked Kon. - Isn’t it possible that he’s already been taken over and that’s just her doing all this…?

-I… Well… before, I’d say that she is incapable of something like that… but after all this time I am not so sure…

-It would make sense… that she was trying to gather herself back together and then, after they are “assimilated”, to spread herself everywhere else, scout for more targets to convert.

-Not really - pointed out For. - If she was to gather herself up, why didn’t she try that with us? And Mor, too. He just was left to die.

-I don’t know… Maybe she didn’t know that he was also a piece of her? I mean…

-I am kind of hard to miss - I pointed out. - Sure, before I was not completely crystal, but Axerdod knew who I was and what I was made out of, I am sure.

-Right…

-And if that was not enough - added For - what about him? - she asked, pointing towards Rob, who was just listening to all this, stunned. - She knew about him. Or he. They are who made him like that, presented him with the leg.

-True…

-Everything comes back to Axelrod and his real motives. Or rather the fact who he really is inside - I summarized.

-Yeah.

-Too bad we aren’t even remotely closer to getting to him - said For. - So far we only got more questions to ask him. That is if he’s not just going to vaporize us again on sight… - she added.

-Well, this time it would be a lot harder - I pointed out. - Both of you are somewhat crystal, you have a lot more resistance to whatever he’s going to do.

-Yeah, if he doesn’t know that already and hasn't created some countermeasures to deal with us…

-Oh, there’s no mistaking it, the countermeasure has already been made - said Kon. - The question is if any of those made its way already to him…

-What counte… ah.

For stopped mid-sentence and gazed towards our prisoner.

Right. He was responsible for creating things using my own flesh.

She was assuming that whatever items they were able to produce would be able to somehow counter our own crystals.

I mean, that was very much possible. I’ve already seen some abilities of the weapon they made, and even while it was used with basically scraps of mana, it was powerful. But, was it powerful enough for me to actually be affected? Maybe…

Just as you’d cut one diamond with another, why wouldn’t the same be correct here, with two pieces of the same Origin Crystal?

Sure, they were already different, changed by different types of mana and all, but the origin was still the same.

I was hoping I would not have to learn that hard way.

-Fair point - I said. - And let’s hear that again, how many did you make already? - I asked Rob.

-Ah…! - he realized that he no longer was just a silent witness to our conversation. - I… I am not certain. What we made were mostly just small items… None of those were for him though! - he assured us quickly.

-Yes, yes. But that doesn’t mean that they wouldn’t make their way to him. And judging how he was keeping track of you, it’s fairly possible that he didn’t even have to take those, just witnessing your craft would be enough for him.

-What… do you mean? - asked Kon. - You think… he’s doing the same…?

-It’s a distinct possibility - I nodded. - He has access to a crystal. Possible that more than just one being part of him. I don’t have to tell you about his magic expertise, right? And that’s enough, am I correct?

-Y-yes… I think…

-You think?

-Well… it’s just that in our group there was just one person who was able to make anything out of those… I am not sure why, but we tried to teach others the same thing, but it never worked.

-Huh.

-And you have no idea why?

-No - he denied immediately. - I tried and tried, but nothing was helping.

He was not lying.

-Is there a chance that your blacksmith was working with him?

-What?! No! I don’t… I… I never permitted them to act without my knowledge

Despite his denial, I could tell that he was not certain… No wonder… so many holes…

-But you didn’t forbid them - I said out loud the obvious. - And not like they were completely yours.

-They did follow his orders to kill themselves… - pointed out For. - I think we can believe that part…

I guess she was right.

But that doesn’t mean that he hasn’t gotten the information in any other way. I bet spying was easy for him.

Hell, I was able to spy on him accidentally. Who says that he couldn’t just do the same and spy on Rob and get the information that way?

-Right… doesn’t matter. We still have to somehow get to him. And we are so far…

-Maybe not that far… - said Kon.

During our talks, he steadily was circling the room, looking for an exit I think, but it didn’t look like he found anything.

-Did you find something?

-I thought I might find some kind of switch or something… a hidden path… But nothing’s here… besides this small thing…

He pointed towards some seemingly random spot on a wall.

For the life of me, I couldn’t see what he was pointing out, using my magical vision I was just seeing the same pattern of mana on the wall, or in it for that matter. No signs of anything unusual.

-What are you talking about?

-Er… Right… you can’t differentiate mana… - he realized, seeing my confusion. - That spot is the only one that has something different about it… like, there’s some mana of a different source mixed on top of the wall.

-Oh… really? Interesting…

I went as close to it as it was possible without actually physically touching it, but even then it looked like everything else to me.

-Damn. Your eyes are something else… I can’t see a thing.

-It is faint, but I see that, too - said For. - A bit strange…

-Want me to try and absorb it? - I asked. - Or you have some other ideas?

-Wha…? Why?

-I don’t think destroying it is a good idea… - said Kon.

-I don’t want to destroy it… I want to taste it?

For gave me a look that was bordering between disgust and curiosity.

-What? - I asked, seeing her contorted face. - I mean it. I might not be able to see the differences, but I can definitely taste those. If I were to try it, I might be able to figure out what exactly we have in front of our faces.

-It’s not like I have some secret spell that would help us… - shrugged For. - You, Kon?

-I don’t have either. But… be careful…

-I know. I’ll try not to sick any security systems on us.

With that, I put one singular finger on the spot they pointed out and quickly took the mana from it. Just a tiny bit, to hopefully not trigger anything weird.