"[color=fff79a]A different symptom?[/color]" Wesley mused, biting his thumb. This truly was perplexing. The Word seemed to draw upon physical ailments as a way to work its way into the body. What happened to him was one one possible symptom. It does seem to work in the way a cold or the flu does, but with the added bonus of being bonded to what makes the Wood so enlightening but far more expansive. It connected them to Mist itself and as an added bonus, it enhances their capabilities past even than that of the Esper Seals do. Still, it was an enigma. 

Just as Wesley was pondering on it more, a thought came to him. Before he would speak, he caught Keiran's glance. Based on it, he saw that Keiran knew that Wesley was starting to figure it out. "[color=fff79a]I..need to see this for myself.[/color]" Wesley stated aloud. He used the gears on his chair and back out from the table and would proceed to go to the halls. "Please excuse me and enjoy the rest of the meal. I will be back shortly," Wesley stated, distracted by the thoughts of The Word that plagued his mind. 
[hr]

When she had slapped him, Zodiark let out a chuckle, smirking at her. He fully expected a reaction such as that. In fact, he anticipated it. He wanted her to react like that. Of course, he knew how much she cared for Rio. That was the only other man she loved before The Golden Wolf of Archadia came into her life. It was disappointing, though. To think that a woman with so much discipline and as cold and guarded as she was could be prone to the most basic of Hume emotions: anger and love. She could try and deny it but she's more like Jaakuna than she would like to deny.

And that's what Zodiark would exploit. "[color=36454f]I was mistaken. Rio and Jaakuna, though similar, do not have the same dark lust for power.[/color]" Zodiark stated, grinning sinisterly. "[color=36454f]Rio has more in common with the Time Scion. Her desire for power and doubts in her own power is just how...[i]pitiful[/i] Rio was. Always coming to me for more and never realizing that my power was what led to his demise. Emiri will soon face the same end. And there's nothing you nor Jackson can do about it.[/color]" Zodiark was ranting, approaching Shion. He placed a hand on her cheek. "[color=20b2aa]My sweet Blue rose,[/color]" Zodiark's speech suddenly changed, sounding eerie familiar like Rio's voice. "[color=20b2aa]Despite everything, you let me die. You let Avira die. And, just like them, Francis and Jaakuna will die all because you couldn't do what needed to be done. It's all your fault.[/color]"