Chapter 38: Red Core

I wasn't particularly sure on the details, but the energy inside Lyra's body has been slowly wrecking damage internally.

For the past few days now, Lyra was slowly dying. Technically, she's supposed to be dead, if I hadn't intervened. But yet, even that only postponed the inevitable.

I had messed around a little with Lyra's biology when we first met, that's what's responsible for her current condition.

In any case, Lyra would die if the excess energy rampaging in her system isn't redirected effectively.

Staring at the red crystal like core in my palm... that's where this comes in.

The professor had said, in order to control the rampaging energy, Lyra needed a Center — a conductor to control, redirect and focus all of the amass radiation. In other words, a core. 

An Elder God's core served as a focal energy point. It's akin to a necessary organ made out of thickly condensed mass of energy radiation. This is where all the energy absorbed by those creatures are amassed and stored. The more energy concentrated in a core, the more stronger an Elder God is.

And the more energy in a core, the more closer to evolving has an Elder God become.

I owed no obligations towards Lyra, but it wouldn't leave a bad taste if I helped her out regardless.

I was fortunate enough to come across a quasi-evolved Elder God. But yet it stil wasn't enough...by my standards. 

Again, I knew little about the specifics in this area of subject, but if Lyra needed a Core, it apparently has to be one of a high level, to increase the compatibility rate even if by a single percent.

From the way Professor Hathaway spoke, a random Elder God's core wouldn't work, and best case scenario, Lyra's body would collapse under unimaginable pain and ultimately die.

An Elder Gods core just wasn't designed and fitted to be used by a weak race, like mankind; adopting this organ into their body was an instant death sentence.

The Professor spoke about compatibility level and attunement, and whatnot. I could only guess, not just any Core would serve right, aside from that, there was the chance that Lyra would die mid-the procedure.

But that was something I decided to think over later. I had to first find a Core, and the quasi-evolved Elder God brought one right into my arms.

But...

If I was going to get her a Core...then why not just give to her the best available?

A quasi-evolved Elder God's core already had a densely packed amount of radiation and was high level enough to force a breakthrough of the creature.

I've said this once already, but when an Elder God breaks through, they acquire high level intelligence, and vastly incomparable power and base abilities.

Alas, the quasi-elder God was just that— incomplete, and ultimately still lacking.

So I took measures into my own hands.

I forced the abomination to force its limits to keep evolving, painfully and easily. Only till it was about to permanently cripple and damage its core with the energy consumed of its life force, did I rip its core out, satisfied. 

While I was running through my thoughts, we arrived back to the inner settlement of the village in a few hours after a short break. The travel this time took a shorter period of time since we didn't have to be wary of ambushes or face roadblocks like before.

The raid took, nearly two days, from travel, to fights. And by the time we got back, the group dispersed, to each their own, most likely to get treated.

They would most likely be called, to give a report eventually. I also had the feeling that so would I.

Before that, I had to hand the cover over to the Professor, so i went out to find him.

The heavy steel door of the waiting room slid right open as I stood before it.

Since returning, the surveillance placed on me has reduced just a little slightly. Or so it seemed .

Of course, I knew I was still being watched and tailed.

I walked through the door and looked to my sides.

"Tunnels as far as the eyes could see..." I sighed then straightened my back and said, seemingly to myself.

"Hey. I need to see Professor Hathaway over my companion."

My voice lingered in an echo for a few minutes, no response seemingly in sight.

Eventually, a gruff voice transpired from my side.

"Come wth me." It said, and belonged to a Native.

Short hair and a trimmed brown beard, and seemingly in his thirties, the man turned towards a direction and began walking.

Silently and casually, I followed behind.

'Come to think of it, there's still so little i know about these people, '

The Outsiders were a large number of unfortunate people, disregarded by Mankind. These guys had somehow survived throughout the wasteland of the apocalypse for the last seventy years, and have even managed to evolve somehow.

Each I have met so far possessed "Mana" without owning a core like the Knights Lyra and Hathaway spoke about. And then there's the eye-catching Ozaro form which gives them explosive capabilities.

The members of the Ntuli Tribe all seem to be battle hardened veterans — warmongers for short.

My gaze lingered in the broad back of the man walking in front of me. His thick brawny arms laid bare for my eyes to see, and his figure was well toned.

From a single experienced glance, it was clear this old man was powerful.

He wasn't as burly as Barak, neither did he seem as strong, but regardless.

"Oh, yeah. Speaking of which, what happened to the other guy...uh, what his name again? Iraq?" Fruitlessly trying to start up a conversation, I said.

But as expected, the man remained quiet and limited himself to keep walking. I wasn't bothered by the no-response and kept my mouth shut for the rest if the walk.

Until, eventually, I arrived back at Hathaway's office, or laboratory. It was still a sight that could draw the gaze of many.

And inside of it, behind a messy desk, was the old professor himself.

"Honey, I'm home." I said to draw his attention from whatever he was doing to the door.

Hathaway jerked up, startled for a moment then adjusted his glasses as he gazed at me.

"H...Huey? What are you...ah, you've returned from the expedition. How did it go? " Regaining composure, he got up from his seat and calmly approached me.

In the short while it took him to reach me, I studied his appearance.

Professor Hathaway seemed ruffled compare to when last I saw him, almost two days ago. His grey hair was all over the place, and he hid the the black circles under his eyes behind his glasses. His expression was slouched, and complexion was slightly pale.

"Huh? You haven't heard of our return?" I disregarded the subtle signs of exhaustion and overexertion and continued.

Professor Hathaway laughed dryly.

"I've been hauled up in my lab since you've left. I've asked no on to bother me." Saying so, he turned back towards one of the steel desks by the wall.

There was what resembled a coffee machine, and the Professor prepared a cup for himself.

"The subjugation is over. All that's left is for the council to keep their side of the deal." I curtly said, dismissing the Professors offer for a cup.

"I assure you, they will keep their end," he said and turned, "even if they don't, I'm the one with that knowledge."

'Interesting. ' I found the old Professor's behavior amusing.

Is he openly saying he could just tell me? Then why did I have to go through all of that bullshit?!

Slowly I assumed my cold and aloof mask and turned an icy gaze towards the man.

"Can I trust that you do?" I asked, and Hathaway lingered for a short second.

"You wish to find your old neighborhood, to seek out what became of it, and if possible your family," he paused and took a sip of his coffee, "landmass were displaced and wiped out, I can only give you the general location of where we are now, at best."

I already knew that; there was no assurance my old neighborhood even still existed as a ruin from what I've seen.

"How is Lyra?" I I withdrew my pressure and asked, changing the topic.

"Much as you've left her. The radiation continues to run rampant in her system." He sighed.

" I see. Well, I've brought a core, so how soon can you get in with her treatment? "