In the end, it took Elijah nearly half a day to heal from his ill-advised but absolutely necessary misuse of Roots of the World Tree. However, he didn’t waste that time. Instead, he spent it catching up with Nerthus about the grove. As it turned out, the spryggent had spent quite a lot of effort cultivating plants that would serve to mitigate the effects of Elijah’s frequent use of Grove Conduit. Draining the grove’s ethera still wasn’t good for the island’s health, but according to Nerthus, the effect had been cut by quite a high degree. Up to fifty percent, so long as Elijah didn’t go overboard.

Less if he did.

So, probably less, Elijah had to acknowledge.

In any case, Elijah couldn’t help but wonder where he’d be if he didn’t have Nerthus in his corner. The spryggent had not only saved his life by shoving him forward and into the first stage of body cultivation, but he had also proved invaluable as a manager of the grove. If it wasn’t so obvious that Nerthus loved every second of tending to the grove, Elijah might have felt like he was taking advantage of his friend.

As it was, he still wished Nerthus would take a day off from time to time. Maybe have some fun. Travel. He could do that now, if only in short spurts, and Elijah felt it would be good for him to branch out a little.

But so far, the spryggent had refused, save to visit Ironshore’s Druid’s Park from time to time, and usually only when he was trading with the locals who routinely bought produce and honey from him.

Elijah knew better than anyone the toll isolation could take on a person, and he didn’t think for a second that Nerthus was immune to that sort of thing. In the end, he couldn’t force him to take the well-intentioned advice, though. Nerthus had to make that decision for himself.

So, it was with that on his mind, Elijah headed back to New York via the Conclave Spires. This time, he didn’t bother with the road or the ferry. Instead, he ducked out of sight, shifted into the Shape of Scourge, and used Guise of the Unseen before sprinting toward the city in the distance. Like that, he covered quite a lot of ground in a hurry, and before long, he was diving into the sea.

As it turned out, the evolution of Shape of Venom was even more adept at swimming than its predecessor. He tucked his arms close to his body, becoming an hydrodynamic shape that cut through the water like a crocodile and using his thick tail as a motivator. It wasn’t nearly as fast as Shape of the Sea, but it was a lot less conspicuous.

After all, it probably would have caused quite an alarm to suddenly see a fifty-foot turtle-monster swimming toward the docks. Elijah definitely didn’t want to cause a panic.

Once he reached the island, he circled around, looking for a good spot to come ashore. And it wasn’t long before he found precisely what he was looking for in an abandoned stretch of undeveloped coast. It was rocky, with only a few derelict buildings for decoration. Most importantly, it was entirely deserted, so Elijah climbed ashore without any hint of notice.

He didn’t shift out of the Shape of Scourge, though. Instead, he immediately set off, dodging the crumbling wreckage of fallen buildings until he reached a more populated stretch. Unlike the parts of New York he’d already seen, this area was quite a bit less polished and its populace a good deal less affluent. As he trotted along the center of the narrow street, he saw mostly blue-collar workers, their hands stained with the evidence of their labors, and their families.

Of course, there were lower class people as well. Elijah saw quite a few enterprising thieves, dipping in and out of the shadows as they preyed upon the passersby. Folios weren’t common among the populace, so most people carried their ethereum in coin purses at their waist.

The thieves had a field day with that, picking pockets and absconding with their ill-gotten gains.

There were beggars, too. Men, women, and children – dirty and often malnourished. Many had suffered grievous wounds, and missing limbs were common enough that Elijah didn’t even flinch when he saw them.

Buskers were there, too, though not that many. One man sat on a corner strumming a guitar, notes of ethera swirling around him as he played a soothing song. When Elijah came close – still under the Guise of the Unseen – he felt a slight uptick in his Regeneration. Just a couple of points, so it was only noticeable because he was looking for it. Still, the people gathered around the Musician clearly appreciated it.

Elijah also saw other men and women who were obviously far wealthier. Their clothing wasn’t out of place, but Elijah could feel the difference – especially from the ones who offered help to those in need. Altruists, it seemed. Elijah even passed a clinic where a decently high-leveled Healer had set up shop, though the woman herself looked entirely exhausted, both of mundane energy as well as ethera.

He would have stopped to help, but it seemed she’d already closed up shop and dismissed any patients she couldn’t see. So, all that was left was an exhausted woman sitting inside an empty building and staring at nothing, her expression blank and her shoulders slumped.

As Elijah moved on, he decided to come back at some point and offer some assistance. For now, though, he felt that helping Rakhan was more important than healing a few people. The behavior of the beasts in Central Park – as described by the hunter – was distressing on its own, and after some of the things Elijah had seen, he knew just how quickly it could get out of hand.

So, he left the clinic behind and raced through the narrow streets until he came to more familiar territory. The difference between the wide avenues of the more front-facing parts of the city and what he’d just experienced was stark, and Elijah couldn’t help but wonder about the inequality he’d witnessed.

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Certainly, he knew that people had never been truly equal. Even in egalitarian societies, there were always those better off than their neighbors. And the addition of levels, inflated attributes, and magical abilities had only expanded those differences. Still, he would have preferred if the city had paid at least some attention to those relegated to a lower class.

Especially when it appeared that the city had wealth to spare.

But if Elijah knew nothing else, it was that societal change was slow to enact. And what’s more, it wasn’t his responsibility. So, while his heart bled for the unfortunate people he’d just seen, he pushed thoughts concerning their fate into the darkest facet of his mind where they could mingle with all the rest of his trauma.

One day, he’d need to deal with all of that.

Not yet, though.

For now, he quickly made his way toward Central Park, and when the gate came into view, he ducked into a dark alley before resuming his natural form. He’d chosen to exchange his suit for his armor, so when he stepped out into the light, he was ready for battle.

Unfortunately, his armor wasn’t what it had been when it was new, and some of the attribute bonuses had disappeared. In fact, the suit was better in almost every way. If Elijah hadn’t been so concerned with preserving it, he would have worn it instead. But the armor had the advantage of being mostly replaceable, so, as he strode toward the gate, he didn’t need to worry about its fate.

The guards on duty were different than the ones Elijah had met during his last visit, but they clearly recognized him. Or at least that seemed obvious from their deference. Was that because of what he’d done to the Tamer in the square? Or could they feel his power?

Elijah wasn’t certain.

But he was grateful that he didn’t need engage in diplomacy – the normal or the aggressive sort – to get into the park. Soon enough, he was striding inside, where he quickly disappeared into the trees.

The path was barely recognizable, the vegetation having reclaimed much of the infrastructure once built by the city. Elijah wasn’t familiar with the former layout, but he’d seen enough movies and television shows set in the location to recognize the differences. It had become less of a park and more of a wildlife preserve, as evidenced by the overgrown flora and prevalence of fauna. Elijah could barely take a step without sensing a new animal, and that wasn’t even considering the sizable insects.

However, after only a few dozen feet, he felt something else.

And it was familiar enough that it twisted his stomach into knots. The corruption was similar to what he’d felt so long ago outside of Argos, when a neglected rift had poisoned the local ecosystem and turned Artemis into an unrepentant killing machine who slaughtered anything in her way.

He swallowed hard.

He’d only managed to cure Artemis of the corruption through the use of a potion he’d earned while conquering the rift. He lacked anything of the sort, which did not bode well for any affected wildlife. Especially considering that, even far from the epicenter, the corruption in the area felt much fiercer than it had in the other situation.

And as Elijah progressed further into the park, it only grew stronger until it felt like he was swimming in the noxious stuff. Only a few minutes later, he started to see the evidence of the corruption in a more tangible way. Trees, rotted and infected by thick, black tendrils. Animals that behaved in odd ways, almost like they were rabid but without the wanton disregard for their own safety. They watched. They waited. And if the opportunity presented itself, they would pounce.

More than anything else, though, Elijah felt a seething hatred emanating from each and every one of them. In the space of a hundred feet, he’d gone from the inviting atmosphere of natural vitality to one infused with hostility and menace. It left him feeling more than a little out of sorts, which was probably why he never sensed someone coming until they were right on top of him.

Before he could ascertain the newcomer’s identity, Elijah summoned his scythe and swung it in a deadly arc. Only when he recognized Rakhan did he halt the weapon’s path, ending only an inch away from the big Sikh’s throat.

“Be still, my friend,” the hunter said in barely more than a whisper. “I come in peace.”

Elijah let out a deep breath. “Impressive stealth.”

“The atmosphere clouds the senses. I am not so sneaky.”

Elijah could believe the first claim, but the second was a little more dubious. Rakhan had power, and Elijah suspected it was more than enough to remain unseen if he so desired.

“Come,” Rakhan said. “I have a camp deeper into the park.”

Elijah thought about responding, but chose to keep quiet. Instead, he just nodded and followed Rakhan through the wilderness. The malevolent aura remained just as pervasive as ever, which meant that the trip was anything but pleasant. Fortunately, the park wasn’t that large – only a few miles across – and Rakhan was clearly knowledgeable enough about its layout that he didn’t hesitate on the path.

Eventually, they arrived at their destination – which turned out to be a small castle, that seemed entirely out of place in an American park. It was overgrown, and the surrounding plaza had been reclaimed by the forest. However, the castle itself was still standing. Rakhan led him inside, where Elijah found himself confronted with decayed opulence. Gold trim decorated the walls, peeking out from between creeping vines that also stretched across the floor.

The entire place was a show of baroque luxury, and though it was obviously abandoned, it was still an impressive display.

“Belvedere Castle. I visited when I was on holiday as a boy,” Rakhan explained. “It provides shelter from the corruption without.”

“Where does the corruption originate?” Elijah asked.

“I have not found the source.”

“It’s a rift. I can feel it. Abandoned. Neglected. I’ve seen something like this before,” Elijah explained.

“I suspected as much. Your senses will be very useful in the search. But first, you must be weary from your travels. Come. Eat. Replenish your strength,” the man offered, gesturing toward a fireplace in the corner. There, Elijah saw the glowing coals, which Rakhan soon stoked back to a flame.

As Rakhan retrieved a pot from nearby and began cooking something that smelled like vegetable stew, he offered a basic explanation of the situation. It was as Elijah had suspected, though the hunter had yet to discover the source of the corruption.

Eventually, the stew finished cooking, and Rakhan paired it with some pita bread. Before they ate, he said a short prayer thanking Waheguru for his blessings. With that complete, they dug in.

The stew was flavorful – moreso than Elijah would have expected from someone without a class dedicated to food preparation – and he very much appreciated it. However, once they were finished, and Elijah had heaped praise on his friend, they got down to business.

“I have narrowed the search down to an area to the north, but I can go no further alone. The wildlife is too hostile and far too numerous. I must ask your assistance.”

“That’s why I’m here,” Elijah said. “When do you want to leave?”

“I must rest. We will depart in one hour.”

Elijah nodded. “Sounds good.”