Israphil the Spire—among the Ten of the Oracle, he was both the most distinctive and the least. His large stature was striking, yet it sharply contrasted with his calm, almost lethargic demeanor.0

Serica Lauren often likened him to mist, as his presence could become so faint that one would forget he was even there. 0

“That man? You can never tell what he’s thinking. It’s unsettling just to look at him.”0

Serica, known for her forthright nature, saw Israphil in that light. At first, most people hadn’t understood her cold assessment of him. However, even in the dire circumstances of the Oracle War, Israphil always had a book in hand. Soldiers and many others called him the Black Sage because of his incessant reading. 0

That’s just his appearance. He truly has no place in a war, Karyl thought as he observed Israphil, who looked puzzled at the spore in front of him, and chuckled. 0

Israphil’s presence was confusing at first, but as time passed and the Oracle War went on, all nine others came to agree with Serica’s evaluation. A bit of thought would reveal the oddity of it—a...0