Category 3

Separating from the still baffled man, Diana takes a moment to remember their youth from five hundred years ago. Back when she and Rodrick were only 25 years of age.

She was in charge of training promising recruits. Having learned of Rodrick being the sole survivor of many encounters with the Devourers, she took an interest in him.

She remembers those memories fondly.

'You are my only mortal shackle binding me to this plane.'

She was about to advance to the higher planes right after escorting the trainees to the Forge.

Yet it seems as though fate had other plans for the relatively young immortal. Advancing to the 8th rank, the Palladian rank was not a feat which could be achieved in a short amount of time.

Owing to her inhumane talent and the funding provided by the federation after years of service on the front-line, Diana managed to ascend the ranks at a breakneck speed

It is only when a person reaches the 8th rank, when they gain the title 'Immortal'.

Simply because there is nothing on the lower plane of this world which could harm them.

Age becomes irrelevant as time drags on.

Deciding to see Cedric's growth to the end, in hopes he would be able to save his father, Rodrick. Which would allow Diana to advance to the next plane without worries.

Focusing her gaze on the rough featured man, Diana opens her mouth "Rodrick, I would like to inform you that I am about to administer the medicine to your son."

"Huh!?"

A chill crawls up Rodrick's spine as he registers the true meaning of Diana's words.

"Wait. He. It. The shard, has it awakened? Already? You said that It would take 30 years in the worst case scenario."

Diana's expression darkens as she grits her teeth. Clenching her hands, she stares at the ground in an attempt to come up with a reasonable explanation as to why her prediction was wrong.

Raising her gaze to meet Rodrick's fear-stricken eyes, she mutters "I am afraid that it's not the usual case this time."

"The abyssal shard embedded in your son is not a mere category 1 or 2 as I had hoped. Sigh. It seems like a mutated variant of a category 3."

A confused expression paints Rodrick's face as he inquires:

"You're going to have to explain what all these categories mean to me.. Is it bad?"

Furrowing her brows, Diana mutters softly, hoping Rodrick would not have to hear her answer.

"There is no worse than this."

Feeling his legs about to give, Rodrick sits down on a nearby log. Steeling his gaze, he pats the spot right next to him on the log: "It's time you start explaining about what really was implanted in my wife? What happened that made her die when giving birth to my child? And what the hell is happening with my son?!"

Diana reappears next to Rodrick, sitting on the log, she decides that she can no longer hide the truth of the matter. She turns to Rodrick and starts explaining:

"Celestia, your wife. She was implanted with a shard of the abyss. A rare crystal that forms from deep within the Devourer's borders. A crystal that is very useful for cultivators to become stronger, yet it is a double edged sword."

Seeing she had Rodrick's unbridled attention, she continues: "There have been cases in the past when women get implanted with the shard of the abyss. The shard itself appears to be harmless at first. That is, Until the woman gives birth to a child."

"What happens next is that upon giving birth to the child, The shard moves itself to infect the body of the child. This act goes against the laws of the universe and in retaliation, the laws strike back at the bearer of the child in an act of punishment, thus killing the mother."

Seeing Diana struggle to speak the entire truth, Rodrick puts his hand on her shoulder.

"It has taken a toll on me, but I have come to accept Celestia's death. The fact remains that she is no longer with us. So if I understand everything correctly so far, it means that time is of the essence. Just finish what you have to tell me and go on to do what you think is right."

Diana rests her head on Rodrick's shoulder as she continues: "There are three categories known so far. Each one categorizing the influence the shard of the abyss has on the child it infects."

"Category 1 is when the child hears voices inside of his head. The voices come from the abyss, where we presume many past heroes have fallen. In most cases the voices actually help the child become stronger. Giving advice and guidance. Sometimes the child becomes a crazed lunatic and is quickly dispatched."

Sitting upright again, Diana looks Rodrick in the eye: "Category 2 is when the shard affects the physical properties of the child. Oftentimes the child transforms into a Devourer. Some manage to take control of the shard and can transform their limbs into weapons. But that is just the 0000.1th percentile. The rest don't survive for more than a couple of years."

"Sigh. The last category. Category 3 is unknown."

Opening his mouth in disbelief, Rodrick grips Diana's shoulders: "What do you mean unknown? Then how would you know he even has a shard inside of him?"

"What I mean is that the federation usually hunts down those who do not fit in the first 2 categories. They are often uncontrollable. The last incident we had with a Category 3 ended up in the destruction of the Lua sector."

Standing back up in a stir, Rodrick's gaze trembles as he is reminded of an incident from the past:"That was a Category 3!? The federation told us that the devourers were using a newly created weapon! 640 planets were destroyed as a result of that explosion! You're meaning to tell me Cedric has this-This thing implanted inside of him?"

Tears start streaming down Diana's face as she continues: "From what I've seen. It isn't your son anymore. I felt the presence of a being from the upper realms reside inside the boy. The only way we can prevent Cedric from losing control again. Is if I retrieve the 'Spirit Removal' pill from the federation's vault."