[BEFORE AND DURING THE ENCOUNTER OF JENKINS AND LORD VALEBROOK]
Malakai gazed at Goddess Mene's enigmatic smile, his mind whirling with questions. "Then shouldn't I be out there?" he asked, his confusion evident. "My evolution is finished, and I might as well get back and escape."
Goddess Mene's smile never wavered. "Patience, Malakai," she counseled. "While your evolution might be completed, your body still needs to form a proper core."
Malakai's brow furrowed in puzzlement. "But I remember I had a core already," he protested. "So that shouldn't be a problem."
Mene nodded her head graciously. "Indeed you do, Malakai. But that is why I said a proper core. Your previous core was suited for your last body, your last evolution. But you have broken through another realm, and your new body is stronger. Your core must keep up with that growth, especially for someone like you who formed a core prematurely."