The Oracle Paths

941 Oracle Overseer Summit

As the Myrtharian Nerds jubilantly responded to the announcement of new faction skills, discussing everything and nothing in the faction chat, a summit with far more dramatic consequences for the future of the Mirror Universe and its inhabitants had just come to an end.

System ZZ831, Oracle Capital of Planet AO.

At the summit of a monstrous skyscraper -a colossal black metal tower as massive as a small moon- an equally gigantic Yellow Cube suddenly sprang to life, blinking intermittently.

This giant cube, resembling a titanic amber jewel, hovered peacefully a few meters above the ground, bathing the entire Oracle Capital in its soft light. Dispensing its warm radiance, gentle to the eyes, it mingled with the light of other differently colored Cubes, each equally magnificent and gigantic, together forming a multicolored tapestry evoking the most sublime auroras.

The skyscraper and this cube together formed the central Transportation Tower of Planet AO, a technological behemoth reserved for the private use of the governor of this System and a few privileged elites who could afford its services. An unimaginably powerful Aether Core fueled its Yellow Cube, and its use was strictly limited to inter-system travel.

The Yellow Cube continued to blink faster and faster, becoming increasingly blinding, until everything went dark, revealing an alien silhouette at its base.

Xantheo, Rank 5 Oracle Overseer and probationary Governor of System ZZ831, had returned.

On probation because to be eligible for the title of Oracle Governor, the governed System must contain at least 10,000 planets. System ZZ831 currently had only 1,048.

Xantheo had a slender, elongated body covered in iridescent scales that shimmered with a bluish-green hue. He stood at around 7 feet tall, with four arms, each having six digits. His elongated head was adorned with a crown-like crest of vibrant cerulean feathers. He had large, almond-shaped, silver eyes that seemed to pierce through the veil of time. His lower limbs ended in cloven hooves, which gave him a distinctive, elegant gait.

In essence, he was a majestic alien, whose appearance did not disgrace his lofty status. Accustomed to observing trillions of living beings under his jurisdiction with a superior air, Xantheo normally exuded such an oppressive presence that even the Oracle Guardians who made up the palace guard found it difficult to approach him.

It wasn't just his guards who struggled to meet his gaze. Numerous Oracle Overseers managing the planets of the System under his supervision also had great difficulty behaving with dignity in his presence. Especially when he stared at them with inquisitive eyes during their annual reports.

Alas, not today. If anyone could see the current appearance of this feared probationary governor, they would find him pale and drenched in sweat - something that should be impossible for a lifeform as evolved as him.

Noticing two Oracle Guardians of his guard flying toward him to receive him, Xantheo evaporated the sweat on his forehead and soaked clothes with a single thought and, clearing his throat, forced himself to rebuild his intimidating and regal facade.

As the two Oracle Guardians landed in perfect sync before him, kneeling with their hands clasped in a sign of respect, his two lower arms joined behind his back, giving him an air of sovereign calm. With his two other hands, he gestured for them to rise.

Straightening up, the alien on the right immediately noticed his superior's strange behavior and was tempted to ask a question better left unasked. Sometimes, ignorance was bliss.

"Your Highness, what are your commands? Do you have any news or decrees to announce?" The alien to the left tactfully inquired, before his colleague could succumb to excessive curiosity.

Rather than responding immediately, Xantheo heaved a weary sigh, his dread of the impending challenges already weighing heavily upon him.

"Not just yet," he answered after a brief pause, his voice laden with fatigue. "Before that, I want you to summon all the Oracle Overseers to my palace for an emergency conference. They must attend in person, whether physically or by hologram. No one may shirk this order by sending someone else in their stead. I cannot stress this enough... Those who disregard this command or feign busyness will face severe consequences."

"All the Oracle Overseers from ZZ831?!" The left Oracle Guardian stammered in astonishment. Even the annual gathering, where they presented their reports, could be delegated to a trusted subordinate. Xantheo had always tolerated some absences, so long as the provided excuses were credible.

"I will not repeat myself," Xantheo growled coldly, finally managing to shake off the anxiety that had gnawed at him.

No longer able to contain himself, the right Oracle Guardian, who had remained silent until now, cautiously gave in to his curiosity and asked,

"W-what is really happening? Should we be concerned?"

The left Oracle Guardian wished to sew his lips shut to silence him, but it was too late. His body tensed, anticipating a verbal lashing or being pinned to the ground by a surge of spiritual pressure, but neither transpired.

Instead, Xantheo thoughtfully twirled his cerulean feathers, contemplating his choice of words before somberly announcing, "You will find out soon enough. And yes... You should be worried. Now, get to work."

As if he could no longer hear them, Xantheo strode heavily and with a face burdened by concern toward his palace, leaving the two Oracle Guardians bewildered. Suddenly recalling the command they had been given, their minds snapped back into action, and they hastily relayed the directive to the other planets in the System.

Precisely one hour later, the conference room in Xantheo's Oracle Palace was filled to capacity, each seat occupied by a fearsome Oracle Overseer and one or two Khaanul bodyguards the most common among Oracle Guardians.

Very few Overseers employed Oracle Guardians of other species or independent Evolvers in their close protection. There was a historical reason for this.

The Khaanuls were rumored to be an artificially created race, designed to serve the Oracle. They were inherently loyal and more resistant to Corruption than most other species in the Mirror Universe.

Among these Oracle Overseers and Guardians, blending in discreetly on a platform, were Oros and his loyal sidekick Garos.

Seated comfortably in his floating shuttle-chair above the ground, the thin, bamboo-like neck of the small but powerful alien swayed imperceptibly, carried by the shifting air currents in the room. His long neck was topped by a tiny, golf ball-sized head devoid of eyes, nose, ears, and mouth, rendering his thoughts unfathomable. Despite this, the Oracle Guardian Captain beside him knew Oros was deep in thought and must not be interrupted lest he face a painful reprimand.

As the silence stretched on, Garos respectfully inquired in a hushed tone, "Boss, why do you think we've been summoned here without explanation?"

Oros' neck suddenly ceased its oscillations, and a gentle voice answered telepathically in his head with indifference, "Something serious must have occurred, or an important order must be conveyed in person."

"Something serious? Like what?" Garos inquired with apprehension.

He considered himself experienced, but to his knowledge, he had never heard of a situation requiring the presence of all Oracle Overseers from a System in such short notice.

"The kind of seriousness that threatens the very integrity of the Mirror Universe. I haven't been an Overseer for very long, but before that, I'd heard of similar situations. For instance, when Syntharae and Vorthelax betrayed the Oracle and joined the enemy. Another time was when System A16 fell in just a few days after its leaders suddenly abandoned their posts without informing anyone. Yet another time was when..."

Garos listened with a vacant stare as the diminutive alien mentioned dozens of similar occurrences until he grew numb, but he quickly noticed a pattern. In each case, the cause was a profound upheaval that led to the overall weakening of the Mirror Universe.

It could range from a major catastrophe, like the betrayal of two of the twelve Ancient Designers, to the fall of a System or a key planet/ civilization/individual. In all of these cases, the consequences for the Mirror Universe were almost as heavy as the betrayal of an Ancient Designer.

In light of what Oros had just told him, Garos couldn't help but wonder which Ancient Designer had betrayed them this time.

Sometimes, instinct was a fascinating thing. Although Garos hadn't accurately predicted the news, in some aspects, the truth wasn't far from his assumption—and potentially... much worse.

As Oros finished sharing his anecdotes, the lights in the room suddenly went out, and a projector illuminated a circular platform that swiftly rose, floating in the air where the stage was meant to be. Despite its futuristic, metallicgray appearance, the room was arranged like a vast amphitheater.

The sinister silhouette of Xantheo was lit at the center of the levitating platform by the projector. The Rank 5 Oracle Overseer had never been known for mincing words, and he dove straight into the matter at hand. Drawing a short breath to muster his courage, he darkly declared, "The Ancient Designer Lure has fallen in battle."