“Take a deep breath, Ricardo,” Chase said as he stood up, pulling out a chair for Ricardo to sit down in. The beanpole of a man did so, setting the dart down on the table as he caught his breath. Once he had, Chase continued, “Now, what’s this about there not being an antidote? I thought you couldn’t tell what kind of poison it was.”
“Well, by itself, I wasn’t,” he began, pulling out a flask and taking a swig, swirling the drink around in his mouth before swallowing. “But when I was able to examine the poisoned scout before he passed, I was able to use some observation skills and abilities I have along with my Path to figure out some things about it.”
“Such as?” Tahlia asked, her voice hard and unyielding.
Ricardo glanced at her, before continuing, “It’s less a poison and more a virus. Once it’s in ya bloodstream, it binds to the cells in the bone marrow, and forces the bone marrow to include it in the blood cells that it creates. Even if ya were to remove and replace all of ya bone marrow, the samples of it already in ya blood would just reinfect the new marrow.”
Chase sighed in frustration, as Sikadi asked, “And how does it kill?”
Ricardo shrugged, “Haven’t had enough time to study it yet. From what I saw of the scout, it’s like his body just stopped working. How it does that, I don’t know yet. His organs were shutting down, but there’s no apparent reason for them to be doing so.”
Sikadi nodded with a frown, while Chase chimed in, a hint of warning in his voice, “I hope you weren’t planning on pricking anyone with the extra darts to have more examples to study.”
The expression of disgust and horror on Ricardo’s face eased Chase’s concerns even before he spoke, “Of course not! That…that would go against every moral fiber of my being as a man of faith! I just wanted to warn ya about the results, since it means ya are gonna be stuck with the virus for the rest of ya life, unless the apes have an antidote.”
Chase sighed, rolling his neck as he thought about how to proceed. He was stuck with a poison slash virus that had already killed one of his people, had no cure or antidote, and he still had no idea what exactly it did. The only silver lining was that with the slow rate it was working on him, he’d hopefully have enough time to deal with the samurai chimps.
Turning his attention to Sikadi, Ingawa, and Tahlia, he said, “Let me know as soon as the scouts report back on the leader. I want to get him dealt with as soon as possible.”
“Yes, Lord Newell,” Sikadi said with a bow, before departing along with the other two.
Turning back to Ricardo, Chase's expression softened slightly. “Keep working on it, Ricardo. Any information you can uncover about this virus could be crucial. We don't know enough yet.”
Ricardo nodded vigorously, his enthusiasm not dampened by the grim topic, “I will, my friend. I'll use every resource at my disposal. There might be some ancient texts I procured in the Tutorial I haven’t gone through yet that could shed light on similar afflictions or maybe a forgotten ritual that could purge it.”
“Good,” Chase said, clapping Ricardo on the shoulder in a reassuring manner. “And keep me updated, immediately on any breakthroughs or even hints of a solution.”
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“I will, I promise,” Ricardo said with a nod.
Ricardo's fervor renewed, he stood to leave, and Chase's mind whirred with thoughts of the days ahead. The threat of the Uchmute loomed like a dark cloud on the horizon, and the mysterious virus added an unpredictable element to their already precarious situation.
The tent flap closed behind Ricardo with a soft sound, leaving Chase alone in the dimly lit tent. As he considered what would happen next, his gaze turned once more to the map Ingawa had conjured.
With the threat of the Uchmute looming in the back of his mind, he had to wonder: Would their preparations be enough?
Sighing, Chase left the command tent. There wouldn’t be any gain to pondering and navel gazing. He needed to move, to act—any progress was better than the stagnation of worry.
As he stepped outside, the cool air of the encampment brushed against his face, clearing his thoughts momentarily. Chase had always found that the brisk night air brought a certain clarity. The moons sat low in the sky, casting elongated shadows that danced across the ground as the fires from nearby tents flickered.
He walked slowly through the outpost, nodding to the guards who stood watch. Each was alert, their eyes scanning the darkness beyond the lighted area for any sign of movement. Good, entertainment had made him think that guards that actually did their jobs were a rarity.
Leaving the outpost, Chase returned to his cabin and pulled out one of the meditation orbs. He hadn’t been focusing on his Paths lately, and given what he’d learned about the virus he’d been infected with, that felt like a mistake.
Sitting on his bed, Chase closed his eyes, and let his mind fall into contemplation. On the Path of Tenacity. While he’d primarily used it to ignore pain and fight through injuries, Tenacity was more than that, it was about enduring the unendurable, pushing past limits both mental and physical.
It was a way to reinforce his will and focus, elements he desperately needed in the face of the looming threats. As the soothing hum of the orb resonated through his core, Chase felt a gradual strengthening of his resolve. The weight of the unknown seemed less daunting, replaced by a clear determination to confront whatever may come.
Several hours passed in silent meditation before Chase opened his eyes, feeling rejuvenated. His senses were sharper, and even though the virus remained within him, he felt more equipped to deal with its mystery and danger.
Rising from his bed, he decided it was time to check on the progress of the scouts. He needed to know if they had managed to locate the leader of the samurai chimps. The sooner they found him, the better the chance of preempting any plans that could further endanger his people.
As he strode back toward the command tent, his thoughts lingered on Ricardo's promise. If there was indeed an ancient ritual or a forgotten cure in those texts, it could be the key to not only saving himself but also to securing a greater advantage in this harsh new world. The thought buoyed his spirits, reinforcing his resolve.
Upon entering the command tent, Sikadi approached immediately, her expression tense but controlled.
“Lord Newell,” she began, her blood red eyes widening slightly with urgency, “the scouts have returned. They have located the Uchmute leader. He's established a stronghold in the ruins of what appears to be an ancient fortress about three days from here.”
Chase's eyebrows lifted in surprise, a mix of relief and renewed determination setting into his features. “Excellent work. Gather a small team; I want to strike tonight before they can organize further or receive reinforcements.” His voice carried a decisive edge, leaving no room for doubt about the urgency of the matter.
Sikadi nodded, her movements quick and efficient as she exited to assemble the team. Chase turned to Ingawa, who had remained focused on the map in the center of the table.
“Ingawa, how defensible is this stronghold according to the scouts’ reports?” Chase asked, studying the topographical lines and markers on the map that detailed the terrain surrounding the fortress. The fortress itself looked like an odd mix of Japanese and a treehouse, sitting in the boughs of a massive tree that reminded Chase of the redwoods of California.
Ingawa's fingers traced over a particularly dense cluster of lines, indicating steep cliffs and rough terrain. “It's naturally fortified by its position on a high plateau. There are only two viable approaches: a narrow winding path, and a more concealed route through the forest. Both have their risks.”
Chase nodded slowly, absorbing the information. “We take the forest route. It might be longer, but we need the element of surprise. Prepare the men for a stealth approach,” he instructed, his tone firm yet infused with an undercurrent of urgency. “Also, gather any information on potential environmental hazards or natural traps that we might exploit to our advantage.”
Ingawa nodded, her expression reflecting a mix of resolve and the weight of their impending task.
“I'll have the scouts prepare detailed reports on the terrain and any observed enemy movements. We'll need to be nimble and alert,” she replied, turning to dispatch orders to the scout leaders.
Chase's thoughts turned away from the oncoming assault as Ingawa set about coordinating the preparations. Or rather, his thoughts turned towards the prompt that had appeared in front of him.