Chapter 455 - Seeker Talks To Zeraphine

The meeting had ended, and Seeker was the first to leave the room as the remaining Presiders watched him leave.

"There is... something off with that Presider..." Tiana's expression changed immediately.

The remaining Presiders turned to Tiana.

"Our little talk reveals he knows much. He knows of great secrets, and he even knows about Prime Defiant and the secret of Presider Marrho that none of you knew. He also has the same power that Top-Tiers like Shakstress has. But I feel that's it's all a trick. He must have earned that power by other means, and it's possible to find out about those secrets either through Pridgeon or Crostfree before him." Tiana assessed.

"And so, I asked him about that light. Normally, only true Presiders know of that name as that name is not mentioned here on Earth. And I was gambling that that technology would not even escape the mouths of Presiders until they see it here. After all, who has the tech to study it? None of us would dare."

"And yet he knew of that name. Do you have a hypothesis?"

"Only the impossible. The only way for him to know the exact name of that technology is if a shocked Presider will mutter its name. None of you, even Zeraphine, did that when each of us saw the reports from our men. I was hoping to reveal his earthy origins since the naming schemes that these Earthlings have made from the techs they have imitated from the alleged Lost Primordial is different from ours."

"You mean how they call Universe Energy, Origin Energy, and how the WGP call their Thrones Rules?"

"Yes. So the impossibilities are that he heard it from another Presider. Like Gordon or Pridgeon. But I'm sure you've all attempted to infiltrate Pridgeon's ranks and how fruitless that labor is. Unless Pirdgeon is allied to them to a greater degree, or the Progenitor has spies within Pridgeon's ship."

"You are assuming that Presider Progenitor's spies heard the term Zethayne Light from Pridgeon, and those spies immediately contacted him? That is preposterous! This Progenitor would need to turn all the Pioneers in Pridgeon's ship to be his spies to do that with all the security measures and the monitoring in place!" Enderks laughed.

"Which is why I said that it is impossible. The other options are what we have thought of. Another Presider secretly traveled here, or he is one of the Presiders who came here during the Third World War. But no... I feel that he isn't an Aragarian at all! Be warned, fellow Presiders. We are at war and will most likely kill each other if not establish an alliance or enslave one another. But you all better use him for his uses to help you. But never let an Earthling arise from this war. He should be our first target to wipe out. But I'll leave that up to you." Tiana spoke and suddenly began to open a strange portal and moved her Throne in it and vanished.

Feyor, Enderks, and Straviaa remained.

"It seems that this Zeraphine is more involved with him than we thought. We should warn Garenjazz. Tiana is right." Feyor frowned.

"Ha! The strong deserve to be strong. If this Progenitor is an Earthling, if he rises because of his strength, let him! It's stupid for Presiders to even think about the race or origin of Presiders. If that man is Conqueror, he will Conquer regardless of what he is! Straviaa and I will have no intention to focus our cross-hairs on him. It took them, a Mid-Tier and a Presider that has devoured Top-Tier tech, to secure victory from Shakstress. Even now, our problem will be the Top-Tiers. Feyor. I thought you to be a Conqueror. But forming an alliance with a Top-Tier? Cowardly!" Enderks mocked as a strange light suddenly shot up from the ground where he and Straviaa stood.

Straviaa was startled and was about to say something, but she could only give Feyor a meaningful glance and allowed the teleportation to take her.

"Hmm... That old Enderks has gotten senile and arrogant. To dare fancy himself a Conqueror!" Feyor left and moved to the deeper parts of the fortress.

As they all left, Zerpahine and Seeker were quietly riding the long elevator taking them up.

Zeraphine was quiet.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you that I knew. About you being a Presider..." Seeker finally broke the silence.

"Since when did you know?"

"The World Governing Trading Hub. I met him for the first time, and he told me the truth. When I attacked that underwater city, I also met Lourca Oviili. And she also confirmed what my father said in that you are... a Presider." Seeker sighed.

"I... I'm sorry." Lara sighed.

The pair remained silent as they rose up.

"Are... you even Lara? The Diamons have been on this planet for a long time. If you are aliens, then when did you...?" Seeker slowly asked.

"I'm sorry."

"Lara. I deserve to know." Seeker looked at Lara straight in the eye.

"...No. I am not Lara Diamaon. I am Zeraphine, as you may have heard. This body is not my real body."

"...Is the real Lara dead?"

"No... She's alive. This body is hers. It is just her consciousness is sort of sealed away. It's complicated." Zeraphine answered.

"Then who have I been talking to? These past months, we had little time together. But I didn't have anyone to talk and chat and text to. You were among the people that I would talk to escape! And frankly, Zeraphine, you were special. Even compared to Lynd and Meryl! Was it you?"

"I hope you believe me, Zeek. I was not using Lara's memories or anything. It was really me. All those talks, all those late-night calls... It was you talking to me."

"I guess that explains why you tried and save me earlier when that Presider caught me. You revealed your real power. Or was it my Presider dad? Did he put you up to this?" Seeker questioned.

"No! Of course not! I'm sure he wants us to get together. But it's for another complicated reason. It has to do with my family."

"Right. Where is your family? Are the Diamons?"

"No. They are all under my control."

"Under your control? Like Mind Control?"

"Yes... But don't worry. I never had the chance to use it on you. Not with your father around."

"Well, that's a relief! I'm so glad that you have not mind-controlled me yet!" Seeker expressed sarcastically.

Zeraphine could not help but laugh at Seeker's exaggerated answer.

"... Or am I mind controlled now?"

"N-no! You're not! I wouldn't dare! Besides, I sense that there are several souls in you, honestly. I think your father did that to protect you." Zeraphine answered.

"Wait. I have several souls? What does that even mean?"

"It's a very difficult thing to explain."

"Ugh... I guess there's time for that. Then show me your real body."

"It's not here yet."

"Not here yet?"

"Your father is arranging the shipping of my real body. He's having the Dalisay clan bring it here."

"Oh... That's... weird."

"...Yeah."

There was silence as they reached the surface. 

Many soldiers and armed men, Exoskeletons, and other strange mechs were there.

"Is that a Titan from the Piercing game?!" Seeker was shocked.

"It is... It's actually technologies that Pioneers have. It looks like the Pioneers are now investing in building this on earth openly..." Zeraphine sighed.

"Wait. So Pioneers have techs? I'm confused. My father never talked about Pioneers?"

"Um... Seeker, Why? Why are you so unaffected in learning about my real identity? You were able to accept it easily." Zeraphine asked but avoided Seeker's eyes.

Seeker turned to her, and Zeraphine could see Seeker's gaze from her peripheral vision. But at that moment, Zeraphine used her soul to gaze at Seeker's expression.

"You forgot."

"Forgot?"

"I made a covenant with you, remember? It's not a contract that can easily be broken when one party fails its part. In a covenant, I can choose to follow the promises that I made. It honestly doesn't matter if it's Lara or Zeraphine. As long as it's you."

"What do you mean by that? It doesn't matter if I'm Lara or Zeraphine as long as it's me?"

"As long as it's with the girl that I fell in love with." Seeker smiled and rested his gaze on her. He waited for Zeraphine to look at him.

Zeraphine froze for a bit. Then, she blushed and ignored Seeker as she walked ahead.

Seeker saw it and smiled. 

Seeing the opportunity, the Adult Seeker finally asked.

"Hey. What did she mean by several souls? I doubt that Greg and the rest count as soul." The Adult secretly asked.

"She probably was referring to Lennox, who was with us earlier. His powers count as dividing the soul, after all. So maybe she counted three back then." Seeker then began to chase after Zeraphine. 

Secretly, the Adult had only one thought which he hid from the other consciousness inside of him.

"But that was back then...." The Adult frowned.