The Genesis Game

When the two of them stepped into the clinic, it was not what Seraph had expected at all. He had thought he was stepping into a small office, something sterile, bland, with questionable chair placement next to stacks of old magazines and dim lights illuminating old wallpaper.

When they went into the clinic it was not one he had expected to do all he had thought it would be small and sterile very medical like with chair placement in dim lights.

Instead, what Seraph saw was a fully functioning, state of the art training floor, but what drew his attention the most was not the facility. but the old man currently running through the assault styled obstacle course. Gliding over the balance beams that looked over cool looking pits of water, jumping and swinging from dangling ropes onto sheer rock faces and climbing up to the top, reaching tiny flimsy looking platforms that dangled from supports, and jumped across each with ease.

It was an impressive sight to see, but Seraph couldn't bring himself to praise the effort. He knew the old man was no mere man, likely another elf, and for an elf running the course was athletic, but not amazing.

When Seraph had enough of watching he got Sadie's attention. "Let's get going, we need to find this physician."

Sadie shook her head. "You already found him." She explained pointing at the old man working the obstacle course. "That's him, that's the physician, all we need to do is wait for him to be done."

They didn't need to wait long for the old man to finish running the course, with the ability and speed he was showing, it appeared that he was well versed in this course and was working on his mastery of the layout rather than struggling through it.

When the physician finished and walked over towards them, Seraph was glad he had restrained himself and not showed outright disrespect to the man. The aura the physician was exuding was on a different level than anyone Seraph had encountered in this life, even in his past life, judgement of the aura alone would have placed him within the top 100 most powerful people within the dungeon.

"Strange." Thought Seraph as he worked to keep his face straight and not reveal his inner thoughts. "I don't recognize him, and with power like this, I would have crossed paths with him"

As the physician approached, he grabbed a towel from the front counter and used it to pat himself off. Though the man had appeared to move effortlessly through the course, his clothes were stained with sweat. It was not a mark of weakness. "What can I help you two with?" He said, not bothering to introduce himself.

"I'm looking for my father and a friend of mine, a human and a new elf. The human is my father, his name is Paul, and the elf is my companion Jack, we've been traveling together since getting here and got caught outside at night and got seperated."

"I'm well aware of who they are young demon. It's not like there have been many of you humans and race changers walking around. Though for clarity's sake, referring to your father as human, when you are not isn't exactly intuitive, you might want to adjust that perspective a bit." Advised the Physician.

"You know the difference. I was born a man as were my other companions whether we have stayed that is what the situation has required." Responded Seraph in irritable being catching himself and adjusting his tone as Sadie sent an elbow into his side as a reminder to watch himself. "

The Physician nodded. "You'll get no judgement from me Seraph. You've enough faults and sins that I don't need to make assumptions based on your looks. Your story tells me everything I need to know about you."

"But, I am a Doctor first and foremost. I'll go ahead and take you to the both of them. They're in my infirmary. Each of the two men are having a rough time of things and recovery has stalled. Based on the injuries your father was evacuated with, he managed to reach a critical state between life and death, the stress of that trauma appears to have warped his thoughts and damaged his mind." Explained the Physician with a regretful expression on his face. "But maybe seeing you will be good for him and speed up the recovery. The dungeon may heal wounds, but a wound of the mind recovers at the rate an individual can learn to cope and build resilience to it."

Seraph frowned. "I'm sorry to hear that, I'd like to help him if I can. How's Jack doing? It was an emergency when I left him at the door of the Inn."

"He's doing a little better than your father is, he was lucky Sadie was able to carry him up here in the state she was in, if you see her, you should thank her for that, not many would be willing to help out someone else when their like that. As for Jack recovered consciousness a few times, but ghost touch permanently damages stamina, if not for his connection to that masked abomination that's been masquerading as his shadow, your friend Jack would be dead."

Seraph looked at Sadie, wondering if the Physician didn't recognize her with her new racial change, or was refusing to acknowledge her. The glare she gave him sent the clear message that whatever the answer, now was not the time she wanted to explore it.

"Will you take me to them?" Asked Seraph with a touch of difference towards the man who was tending to his father and his comrade.

The Physician turned away from Seraph and looked at Sadie. "After everything this demon has taken from you, and done to you, can you vouch that no harm will come to my wards and those under my protection within these walls? Can you keep this demon on a leash?"

Sadie nodded her head, tears barely held back as she nodded in affirmation. "I can restrain him if he gets out of control."

"See that you do." The Physician answered as he turned to walk away, motioning for the two of them to follow after him.