Will My Artefact Hold?

The mood, already somber given their predicament, nosedived into the negative upon receiving confirmation from Jake's lips. They had believed that as long as he was with them, they would pull through. What a letdown...

"Hey, I'm not some all-powerful god, in case you weren't aware," Jake retorted with a look that was half-irritated, half-aghast. "If I gave off the impression that I was that badass, then I'm genuinely sorry."

Hearing his 'sincere' apology, even the usually brazen Crunch and Lord Phoenix were overtaken by a sense of outrage, a vein throbbing on their temples. Hephais, who was typically the most unflappable among them, also had his mouth slightly agape.

What was even more astonishing, though, was that the others, including Amy, who knew him less well, weren't particularly surprised by what he had said, feeling even ashamed for relying too much on him.