59 - Chapter 58 - Day 2185

It was another three days before news reached Adya that Jarel had woken up. He was reportedly confused and not responding to instructions. Evelin had sent for Adya while she kept an eye on Jarel, just in case he turned violent.

Adya rushed to the infirmary, situated in one of the barracks, as soon as she received the message. She hoped Jarel would have recovered enough to provide some answers. A part of her felt guilty for being more concerned about the information than Jarel, but she was experienced enough to put her emotions aside and focus on what was necessary.

She was about as safe as it was possible to be. Evelin had recalled all her cultivators and positioned them to guard all approaches to the estate. In addition to that all cultivators had been provided life sensing talismans, an expensive endeavour. The talismans, though temporary, would allow instant notification to reach the estate if any of the cultivators were to be killed.

Sai had analysed the runes used in their formation and realised that she could create something similar, but it would require the requisite materials. Adya had been informed that the reason her formations were seen as anomalous was that she could create them without materials. Even Rory needed to use the appropriate materials, either qi infused metals, inks, or beast parts to create his artifacts. It was also the reason all those items had a defined life span. When the qi in the material was used up, or burned out, the item would fail.

The only reason she had not needed any materials was the direct interference of the system. This was also the reason there was no mark left to link the formation with the actions. She wondered what the link to the system meant for her future creations. It also raised questions about the artifacts she had designed. Even more questions for her to investigate when she was free of the current crisis. The list was turning into an endless hydra.

She arrived at the infirmary to find Jarel thrashing about. “Calm down Jarel,” she instructed. She hoped her control would be enough to have an effect.

The results were mixed. His body was forced to obey her command, yet his eyes still showed signs of psychosis. She wondered what level of control she had over the body. She thought about ordering the body to produce specific chemicals, but realised that the instruction would likely have no effect as it required the recipient to understand her instructions. This had been the case when she had tested giving instructions in a language the recipient did not know. It also meant that the instruction could be ignored if the person could not hear it.

Adya could not think of any direct intervention that would have an effect. She ordered the others to carry Jarel out to the gardens. He had spent some time wandering in the gardens, and she hoped the environment would help calm him. Now that he was not thrashing about, he was not a danger to anyone. To ensure that remained the case, she ordered Jarel not to fight against being moved.

She followed behind, frustrated at her inability to do anything to improve the situation. She could think of multiple interventions from her past lives that would have been effective, yet she was unable to replicate any of them. She needed to get stronger and create advanced technology to return her full suite of capabilities.

As they reached the garden, Jarel was set down on the grass. Adya looked into his eyes to see if it was having any effect. She ordered Jarel to take in the scenery and to try and relax his mind. She started to see the effects of psychosis lessen by the reaction of his pupils. It was not an immediate change, but his condition seemed to be improving.

Adya took a seat on the grass across from Jarel, continuing to keep an eye on him while also musing about the lack of tools and advanced medication.

Just as she was starting to see tangible improvements in Jarel, another one of the cultivators came running.

“We have lost two tier 5s and a tier 6 in the last ten minutes,” he shouted. “We are under attack.”

Evelin took charge and started to issue instructions.

“It may be a feint,” said Adya.

“I am calling everyone back to the estate,” said Evelin. “It may cause more damage, but we need our strength in one place, otherwise we risk being defeated in detail.”

Evelin sent people to collect her family and retainers in the main house, and also had Adya and Jarel moving in the same direction. By the time they reached the main house, the sounds of fighting could be heard all over the estate. Evelin went off to take charge, leaving a squad of tier 6s to guard the house.

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Adya looked towards Jarel to see if he was continuing to improve. He seemed to be improving slowly, at this rate the fight would be over before he recovered. It seemed there was a significant limitation to healing for most people. While Jarel did not seem to have any physical injuries, it was clear that the mental injuries were taking significantly longer. It was also not clear to her how extensive his original injuries had been when he had been found. She should have asked, and would have to remember to do so in the future. She had been so lost in her own world that it had not even occurred to her at the time.

The sounds of fighting grew louder and more concentrated. They could now see the effect of qi techniques from the house, with explosions all too common. Again Adya cursed her helplessness.

Just as Adya worried that the fighting would reach them, the fighting ended with all sounds dying down. Evelin returned shortly after that, her left side covered in blood.

“We were hit by several squads of agents,” she reported. “ We had to kill several as it was just not possible to subdue them all.”

“Does that mean we do have some prisoners?” asked Adya. “Also do we have numbers for losses and injuries on our side?”

“Not yet,” said Evelin, taking Adya aside and speaking so only she could hear. “That is being collated. We do have a few with severe injuries. Do you think it would be possible to get more stamina potions? Without them we will lose even more people.”

“They are a limited resource,” said Adya, whispering back. “Yet I am willing to use them for the worst cases. I also have found a cache of tier 5 and a smaller number of tier 6 stamina potions. Tell me how many of each you need and I will get them.” Sai had spent the past days stocking up on several hundred potions of various grades, though tier 8 potion supplies were still limited. At her grade, even with massive regeneration, it was just not possible to create them in substantial numbers.

Evelin asked for a selection of the tier 5s and tier 6s as well as three tier 8s for the critically injured. Adya went in the direction of the treasury to retrieve them. The keeping of her substantial secrets necessitated some theater. Evelin went to organise the wounded and gather reports.

Adya returned with the potions and hurried towards the infirmary to administer them. She had also made sure to retrieve her ink and brushes so that she could change the loyalty of any of the survivors. She was accompanied by half the tier 6 squad that had been left to guard the civilians.

They had almost made it to the barracks, when one of her protectors cried out in pain. Adya’s past life training kicked in and she did not even try to look at what had happened, just broke into a sprint towards her destination. She could hear the sounds of a fight behind her, it seemed to be intense.

Mai: It looks like they are fighting just one person. Based on the way they are struggling, the individual they are fighting is at least tier 7.

Adya made it to the barracks, not that it would provide much protection against a tier 7 if they could not stop them.

“Evelin,” she cried out. “Tier 7.”

Evelin rushed out to join the fight, while calling for all tier 6s to join her. Adya wasted no time and went to administer the stamina potions to as many of her agents as she could. It was clear that the threat was ongoing and she needed as many of them back in fighting condition as possible.

As she was in the middle of administering the potion to the third person, the roof and part of the wall collapsed. Adya barely managed to move, all thanks to Mai, avoiding injury herself. She rushed to see if the person was still alive. The agent, a woman, was in bad shape and barely hanging on. Adya wasted no time and poured a tier 8 stamina potion in her mouth while ordering her to swallow.

She then went back to start digging the other agents out of the rubble. Thankfully most of the barracks were still standing and only a few of the agents had been caught under the collapse. At tier 5 and tier 6, even though it would hurt, it was unlikely to be life threatening. Again by luck or providence, Adya had managed to reach the three most severely injured before the attack. Had she been any slower, it was likely that one or more of them would have died.

Adya worked, with some of the agents with minor injuries also helping. The sounds of fighting were prominent in the background, with the sounds of more buildings collapsing in the exchange.

Once they had managed to recover everyone and Adya had administered the potions, they decided to see what was going on outside. They needed to assess if they needed to move, or if it was safe to remain.

As they looked out, they could see a large part of the barracks were destroyed and several soldiers and guards lay dead in the rubble.

“Anyone fit enough to see if they can find any survivors?” asked Adya. “I have tier 3 stamina potions that would be able to save them from anything but the most extreme situations. But only if we can get it to them.”

“The fight seems to be contained on one side,” said one of the agents. “It seems they are fighting a tier 7. Thankfully there seems to be one assailant.”

“We should be able to start collecting the survivors,” said another agent. “But please stay hidden. It would be easy for the tier 7 to target you at range.”

Adya stayed out of sight and handed out potions as the agents with her went out to see who they could save. They even managed to drag back one of the tier 6s injured in the fight allowing Adya to save them. Even with a lot of her agents fighting, their opponent did not seem to be going down. Was this really the power of a tier 7, or was this person a tier 8?

As Adya did what she could, again she cursed her own weakness. She felt no need to curse her enemies, power was the only virtue. She hoped her agents would be able to end the threat and still be in a condition to fight. She did not think she was out of danger yet.