Chapter LXXXVII
Left Behind
Once her grandfather departed, Remian, who renamed himself Markus, was next. Miveria had declared she would adopt the name Drunia before leaving, all in a collective effort to distance themselves from their troubled histories in Imperia. As Adriaas bid farewell to numerous friends, she pondered whether she too should adopt a new identity soon.
While maintaining her role as the Head Healer of MedCamp, Adriaas received an offer to join the council following Bitlan’s exit. With the third anniversary of her arrival in Imperia approaching in a few months, she readied herself for her upcoming extraction.
With a number of council members extracted to other countries, a massive workload fell on the remaining members. Their previously relaxed routines had allowed them to work fewer than twelve hours a day. After Gruvin's departure, however, Adriaas found herself working nineteen-hour days. She attended strategy meetings, coordinated healers across the camps, and treated as many patients as she could.
Overwork became Adriaas's method of coping, helping her to block out the pain of separation from her Imperial family. She focused on ensuring that MedCamp and Capahuento were left in capable hands. Contrary to her expectations, Libeth stepped up after Gruvin's departure, earning Adriaas’s deep trust.
Heeding her grandfather’s advice, Adriaas worked diligently and saved her earnings. During a visit to the accountant, she was relieved to find that she had amassed seventy thousand Onis. This financial security brought her peace of mind, allowing her to plan for her future. With Gidit, Gruvin, Miveria, Remian, and Bitlan having left within six months, Adriaas was increasingly eager to leave Imperia for Dictaduria.
Though the Third Country had a grim reputation, Adriaas knew that resistance against the system continued in new and fascinating ways and, while she waited, there was solace in her weekly gatherings with Raxae and Elchome.
While Xendur, Irrevol, and Zunkit remained mere acquaintances, Raveena had become a core part of their circle. Due to her involvement with the dark faction of the camp, they rarely saw her, but she played a strategic role in maintaining stability in the wildlands through Capahuento. Together with her team, they ensured that the Elkrachets could not breach their defenses.
Bitlan had once mentioned that the empress lost interest in assaults during the extraction season. Most of Sabina’s followers had faced extended condemnations for their crimes within Imperia making the inconvenience of Extraction season a damage only Capahuento seemed to suffer from, complicating the rebels' efforts to triumph while Sabina retained her grip on power without losing any soldiers.
On a Thursday morning, the long-awaited announcement finally arrived. A letter, meticulously placed on her desk, caught Adriaas’s attention. Curious about its origin, she opened it eagerly.
January 11th, 12,581
Adriaas Ancaris, upon opening this letter, the iris scan it performs confirms your understanding. Your transfer to Dictaduria is scheduled for February 2nd, 12,582 H.E. at 6:21am. Do not bring any belongings or allow anyone to accompany you on the levitator once it picks you up.
This letter will disintegrate in five seconds.
Thank you for your attention.
The Fifth Sephirot.
Adriaas watched in dismay as the letter slipped from her grasp and set itself on fire. She felt foolish; such cold, automated, and calculated messages were typical in communications with an extarri. The anticipation with which she had awaited the letter now seemed misplaced. She had hoped for news about her friends and family but realized of her fantasy, and just because Bitlan and the others had departed earlier didn’t mean they would be waiting for their arrival, they we're dealing with their own settling in the Third Country.
That evening, Raxae, Elchome, and Adriaas seized the perfect opportunity to discuss the tumultuous recent events. Elchome wisely suggested they avoid public spaces like the brewery for their conversation, as their words could be overheard by unwanted ears, given their council status.
“I received the letter,” Adriaas announced as they sat in her office, sipping beers.
Elchome nearly choked on his drink, spilling half of it. “What?” he exclaimed, quickly mopping up the spill. “Already?”
“She mentioned it might arrive last time we met,” Raxae added, exasperated. “Do you ever listen?”
“You had a good day, Raxae?” Elchome asked with a hint of sarcasm.
“I was, until I got here with you two,” Raxae snapped back, clearly upset by the news.
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Raxae’s transfer hadn’t been scheduled yet but it seemed they would remain in Imperia for a longer period.
“Don’t be selfish; you’ll get out too,” Elchome consoled, offering another beer.
“I’m just sad my closest friends here are leaving,” Raxae responded defensively.
Adriaas smiled. Indeed, after Gidit, Gruvin and Bitlan’s departure, Raxae and Elchome were her main sources of support. They had grown close over the past few months.
“What name will you choose? Are you changing it?” Elchome inquired politely.
“Maybe I’ll make a minimal change, from Adriaas to Adria, while keeping the Zaraz,” she mused.
“Why?” Raxae asked, momentarily putting aside her irritation.
“It feels less Malkuthian and more Extarri, simpler,” Adriaas explained.
Her reasons ran deeper. By abandoning the name Adriaas, she would sever the last tie to her father. Annevan had chosen her name and made her loathe their shared surname. Only after meeting Bitlan, who had discarded the Ancaris name decades earlier, did her feelings begin to shift.
“Will you inform the council during tomorrow’s meeting?” Elchome inquired.
“Yes, I want my entire plan ready before sharing it with them to avoid any potential crisis. We’ve been preparing for this possibility for months,” Adriaas confirmed.
"The day you leave will be a sad day for Capahuento," Elchome declared, embodying his role as a council member. "But especially for the two of us." He glanced at Raxae, offering a reassurance that they were not alone in their feelings.
"Elchome is right," Raxae conceded. "It won't be the same without you. I don't know how long we'll be able to hold ourselves together with so many Kapas leaving."
"Our task is to maintain stability as long as possible," Elchome countered with optimism. "And even though it feels like we've lost many members, we've also gained more. We're now at four hundred and sixty-seven thousand members, six thousand more than when Bitlan left."
Only Gidit was privy to Adriaas's past relationship with Bitlan.
"We have more people to train," Raxae argued, her tone laced with concern. "The best among us are leaving."
"I don't think that's entirely fair," Elchome interjected. "Many remaining members are more than capable. We must do our utmost to equip the new ones with the tools we have to share so they can stand against the empress and her forces." He was resolute. "My efforts won’t cease until my levitator arrives."
Adriaas shared his sentiment, although Raxae seemed less convinced. Their conversation drifted to other topics, such as mission reports and camp gossip. Adriaas had ordered a few pizzas and drinks, and their dinner night unfolded as usual.
The next day, Adriaas began her routine enveloped in a haze of anxiety, trying to focus on the myriad tasks she needed to complete before her departure in three weeks. She woke up earlier than usual and arrived at MedCamp, where she spent the morning organizing patient files from the past two years, until an interruption came.
Illermo, her latest assistant, entered her office. "Someone is looking for you, boss. It's urgent."
"Let them in. And would you mind bringing me a bagel from the Lunch tent?" she asked, grateful for a break from the monotonous task of file organization.
"You got it," Illermo replied before exiting.
Moments later, a woman clad in dark attire entered her office. "Hey, what can I do to help? Illermo mentioned it was urgent," Adriaas greeted her, taking a seat and trying to tidy her cluttered desk. "Sorry for the mess."
"Oh, please, don’t worry," the woman glanced around to ensure privacy. "My name is Heliax."
Adriaas couldn't help but wonder if they had discovered the transfer letter. "You’re from the dark faction?" she inquired, intrigued. "What's happening?"
"The Elkrachets are coming," Heliax revealed in a hushed tone. "Multiple sources have confirmed it. The council has called for an emergency meeting."
"What?" Adriaas was taken aback. "Now?"
"Yes, my duty is to escort you to the meeting location." Heliax's serious demeanor underscored the urgency.
"What can you tell me?" Adriaas rose from her chair, reaching for her medbag.
"What I know, which isn't much. Our leader has all the information." Heliax explained.
"Tell me what you know before we leave," Adriaas insisted, aware that such information could wreak havoc on unprepared minds.
"Samelia's forces are launching a full-scale attack," Heliax disclosed. "They've pinpointed the location of sixty percent of our factions and are ready to wage war against us. That’s all I have."
An Elkrachet invasion was among the last scenarios Adriaas wanted to face. She had hoped to avoid participating in such a conflict, relying on assurances from Bitlan and other council members that Sabina would delay actions until the extraction season concluded. Yet, here she was, just a day after receiving her transfer confirmation, being led to an emergency meeting by a member of the dark faction.
As they traversed the expanse of MedCamp, only at a fraction of its capacity, Adriaas wondered how would that place work the day all those beds were occupied. A knot tightened in her stomach as she stepped out of the tent, following Heliax, uncertain if she would survive long enough to reach Dictaduria.
***
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT
A Tree of Omens is entering a status of Hiatus until the second or third week of December. Please, accept my apologies and know this decision wasn't taken lightly. I've come to realize, thanks to some of you, and a wonderful group of authors, who were kind enough to share incredible advicea.
In the months since I started posting, many mistakes that I have made with the original release have come to my attention and I'm currently working on fixing them in order to reach more readers and make Malkuth a bit more accesible for everyone.
First task in hand, a relaunch with a chronological release (Meaning Adriaas Punishment will turn into Volume I, Souls in Sectum will turn into Volume III (which will be the one with the most extensive rewrite) while Life as a Gevuritah will remain as Volume II. All of them are being reworked and will return with new titles.
I truly value your opinion and time and, if you have anything to share about the fiction and how to improve it, please do so, this is the best time to share.
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If you can't wait and wish to continue, Patreon is running with up to 21 chapters (7 weeks) ahead of RR release so far and I will continue to publish there for at least a month before reaching the end of the current mini-arc and stop for hiatus.
Thank you for understanding,
Aequitas and much love,
Indigo Sapiens.
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