The double doors to the oracle's chamber reminded Walter of movie scenes of an employee meeting a CEO.

When Elin slammed the doors open and rushed out, she giddily exclaimed, "I'm level 25!"

In a world where your life depended on your level, it made sense she'd be ecstatic about such a dramatic increase.

"Do you know what this means?" she hopped as she grabbed Brother Favian's hands, "I might be able to petition the church to reinstate my nomination. Surely they can't ignore this?"

Her brother patiently waited and agreed.

"I mean, I lost a little more MP, but I don't use it, so..." her voice trailed off, and she turned to look at Walter, "Sorry, I got carried away."

"It's fine, I'm glad you leveled up."

"Well, whatever boosted me might have worked for you, too. Right?"

"You're up," Brother Favian ushered Walter through the doors.

The doors sealed with a latch.

Unlike the other rooms in the temple, bathed in light, the oracle's chamber was pitch black. The agoraphobic mood of standing in outer space unbalanced him until his eyes adjusted to the darkness.

"She looked happy. It's nice to relay the good news," a girl whispered.

In the center of the chamber, like a tiny boat in a sea of shadows, was a red lounging sofa. The dark wood was carved. The furniture maker intended it to be napped on, but the thin white cushions didn't look comfortable for long-term use.

Next to the sofa stood a matching end table. Its polished surface carried a candelabra and a silver tray. Upon the silver tray, Walter spied drug paraphernalia, specifically a thin pipe for opioid use.

"Please excuse my rudeness. You hesitated at the door, so I thought you might not enter. I'm robbed of so much sleep these days."

The oracle curled inside a messy pile of robes. Walter watched her red outline, an ability granted to him by his 'Eyes of the Archwizard', struggle to shift to sitting crosslegged. The red was faint, and he wondered if she had health problems. The blue light radiating from her heart, however, was much brighter. Occasionally, as a pale flare one might see from the sun, some of the blue light moved beyond her body and connected to a point over her head.

If red is her HP, then she was unhealthy, and if blue was MP, then she was extraordinary in terms of magic.

"Allow me to introduce myself, I am Laira," she slid back her hood. She was younger than Elin, but it was hard to see her face. A thick blindfold covered her eyes, "Who visits the oracle of the Temple of the Witness?"

"I'm Walter, and I'm here for a scan."

"Yes, I saw you in the hallway, talking with Brother Favian," the oracle said quietly. Her head drooped in exhaustion.

Can she really see me?

"If this is a bad time, then I can come back later."

Peals of laughter escaped her, and each one sounded like a breaking crystal, "No need to fret. This is the best time."

Walter pointed to his eyes, a charade to question the covering on her face.

"The blindfold?" she tilted her head, "I need it. My vision sees what my eyes do not, and using both at the same time makes me dizzy," she covered her mouth and giggled again, "Oh, I understand, you were testing me. Did I pass?"

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"Yeah, I think so. Either that or you're really convincing."

"Brother Favian placed his hand on your shoulder, did he not?"

"You heard our conversation?"

"I can see," the oracle said, "but I cannot hear. Can I get a good look at you?"

Walter stepped forward, and the oracle raised her hand to stop him, "Stand still, the distance means little."

Blue wisps drifted from her body and back to the point over her head. He watched the floating point as it drifted closer and circled around him. When it reached his face, it stopped, and the oracle flinched.

"What's the matter?"

"Nothing is the matter. I didn't expect you to see me. It's scary to be looked at directly, but you're less imposing than I imagined."

"Gee, thanks."

"I'm teasing, of course." After tapping the space next to her, she said, "It's nice to have a normal conversation. Have a seat."

The odor of the incense scorched his nose when he sat, and he stared at the tray. His eyes watered.

"Imagine having eyes you couldn't close," she said. Her tone was defensive, "I need those to sleep."

"Makes sense."

"Relax, I wouldn't make Elin cross with me."

"You know her?"

"Of course."

Walter nodded. Is it really okay just to let people assume me and Elin are in a relationship? The two of us haven't discussed it, ourselves. I may be inexperienced, but even I can tell we like each other. Should we? When I think about it logically, it solves a lot of issues. Logic isn't the point, though.

"Is something the matter?" the oracle prompted.

"Sorry, I got distracted by thinking."

"You seem like the type. Shall we begin?"

"Yes, please," Walter said. He straightened up and waited.

After a beat, she said, "Then grant me permission to cast magic upon you."

Right, the law was the law. He consented.

Laira fidgeted, "Are you sure you want to do this?"

"Not knowing is a handicap, right?"

"If it's your wish, I will, but I need your help afterward if I use scan magic on you."

"What kind of help?"

"When something is valuable, then someone will figure out how to own it."

"Okay, what does that mean?"

The oracle waved her hands as if to draw attention to the room.

Walter recognized his misconception on a second look. The room wasn't spacious, it was claustrophobic, and the shift in perception gave him chills. With the walls visible, Walter noticed how close they were.

No windows, and only one way in and out, watched by a guard. This was confinement. No, this was safekeeping. Walter performed a short leap of logic to realize how useful far-sight would be to the military, to anyone. If the church didn't want to keep her prisoner, they would still lock her up, if only to protect her from others that would take her.

Since he first met Brother Favian, Walter thought it odd a warrior like himself was wasted here in a church and not fighting.

"You're smarter than you look."

"I'll take that as a compliment," Walter grumbled. He took it for granted that she guessed his thoughts, "How can I help you?"

The oracle folded her hands on her lap. Her blood drained from them from how tightly she clasped them. "I prayed, and Gaia sent you as my jubilation. I need to sleep, then, if you can manage it, could you convince them to let me outside?"

What did Elin say to me? 'You're a man, after all. I would be disappointed if you didn't ask.'

"I'll figure something out."

The oracle nodded.

"[Scan II]!"

----------------------------------------

Laira remotely viewed Walter as he strode out of the chamber. Elin consoled him outside, regarding his news about his level still fixed at zero. Or rather, nil. He claimed the symbol changed from a number to a symbol, among other things.

Mother's scan magic was always a little inaccurate.

"You two should hug," the oracle said, "and you better have lots of babies."

The two hours of direction from Walter taxed her to the limit, and the oracle curled up. What did he call those things? Oh right, a third-person camera and a HUD. That didn't matter to her now.

Being an oracle didn't mean she understood the messages she delivered, but the recipient might. Whatever Walter read in his scan led to an epiphany, and then to her request.

Tomorrow, she would demonstrate to Brother Favian why it was no longer necessary to keep her locked up. 'Seeing is believing,' they say, and once she uses her worldly eyes, it'll prove her spiritual ones are closed. She collapsed and wondered what her own dreams looked like, without the drug-fueled haze to trick her into disbelieving reality. In the end, she got what she wanted.

Blindness.