(3rd-Person Narrator: Cleansing Hand)
Cleansing Hand sympathized with this stranger. For two weeks, he and his fellow practitioners cared for her on the brink of death. Surprisingly at the start, her internal energies were in disarray. They fluctuated wildly from nonexistent levels to levels regular Aurea could have. In a few days, she excreted a Vampire Fish, which explained her terrible condition.
From then on, her energies rose from almost nothing to stabilize to somewhat reasonably human levels: 2nd Sphere 8th Circle Mana, 2nd Tier 3rd Level Ki, and 3rd Pillar 2nd Base Soul Power, or Chi. Logos once said that each of the 13 Spheres, Tiers, and Pillars had 13 Circles, Levels, and Bases respectively, with 3 Stages within those. Ki and Mana were averaged to determine one's Rank.
The stranger recovered to the 1st Stage of each Circle, Level, and Base, and miraculously conserved an estimated 1/6 of her power. Yet she still emitted power recording to be a Rank higher than she actually was! Cleansing Hand shuddered to think of how strong she would be if not drained by a Vampire Fish and still suffering a severe illness that even Aurea were drastically affected by.
If anyone could sense Chi, Cleansing Hand would have rated her top-notch material- far superior beyond any he had even know, excluding the fabled Logos. Chi, after all, was one's internal energy, the driving will, the burning purpose behind our actions. It was the conviction of a person. But many failed to even raise the 1st few Stages, let alone achieve Pillars!
This is why he assumed she was a hidden expert from the Phoenix Kingdom at first or the Kaizen Empire next. His questioning used languages passed down from the Ancestor's collection of races: Francian for fellow High Humans, or Elves, Spanian for Dryads, and so on with the Harpies, Merpeople, Draconians, Beast-people, and Dwarves.
Since she spoke a variant of the Enlightened Language, he also guessed she was a Human Elder prodigy overseeing a hidden village until it was struck by the misfortune of disease and parasites. Cleansing Hand, in his interrogation, was incorrect in all cases and realized this could be the prophesied plot to attack the Aurea.
After Logos disappeared, supposedly dying at age 33, the Aurea Golden Age of Might ended 300 years ago. The Era of Prosperity began 33 A.D. because Logos' time system was based on his birthday. It was also foretold, before Logos disappeared, that one day, a great calamity would fall on the world without him being able to interfere.
Because the stranger's city most likely experienced the same treatment, she should have been the leader of the scouting party. They were looking for medicine! And the city she spoke of would be Meteoros, on Expert Island, where only the strongest gather and exchange. No wonder the strongest 9th Spheres and Tiers barely kept 9th Circles or 11th Tiers and lost control of their Spheres, Tiers, and Bases! The experts of the world were even hampered so much by this pestilence!
Little did Cleansing Hand know that because bodies from Tekton always carried internal energies, they used them to eliminate any contaminating diseases. It effectively kept them healthy but failed to create an immune system for their bodies. Additionally, it was not required to reach the 13th level to Rank Up, but necessary for absolute stability in controlling their energies, with the perk of boosting one's power.
The minimum was 10th level, which everyone thought was the maximum because of the sheer difficulty in raising beyond 10th level. Cleansing Hand knew that an excess of power could lead to shorter lifespans. If one's power got out of control, they would rampage in madness. However, this madness was caused by energies not empowering the body's structure before absorbing more power. This left an inferior efficiency and capacity for energy because of the state of one's body.
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Joanna, on the other hand, had no such energies before and her body was forced to strengthen itself both internally and externally. Naturally, she possessed an intrinsic immune system that would also help in identifying and eliminating infections. Thus, she recovered and developed immunity. It helped that Joanna consumed the white "strawberries", as they, in fact, were rare Mana Berries.
The unbelievable agony Joanna faced was because her body tried adjusting to this new world filled with energies because God was not stealing from her anymore. There also was the parasite, which absorbed a majority of the BOOP and died, only to be expelled as waste. Additionally, the "Miracle" had a side-effect of severe diarrhea and shedding skin, but happened only to purify the body and enhance its performance.
This is why Cleansing Hand was curt, kind, and forgiving of Joanna, but couldn't stop criticizing her terrible, domineering attitude. He was grateful that this particular senior was gracious enough to remedy her wrong of bringing the infection, despite the fact it would eventually reach them too. Instead of stealing what she needed, like other powerful cultivators would do, Joanna shared the suppressant recipe. It was obvious in his eyes that this recipe would not cure them, but simply allow a little recovery, easing the symptoms.
Yet this would be enough to deal with the ongoing problems. In the 1st few days of Joanna's stay, each rare plant plot fell one by one as hours passed. Soon a majority wilted into useless yellowed stalks. Aurea collapsed left and right and filled up all the sick beds available. Many were left out in the open as they lay where they fell.
Only the strongest 9th, few 10th, and single 11th Ranks could resist enough to function properly. The rest died at this time. This left the 7th to 9th Ranks severely ill. Funerals had to be arranged individually and respectful rites were to be given, despite being in dire conditions.
Roaring Thunder's obvious 10th Rank went to 2nd Rank. Strangely, his daughter of 6th Rank was only partially affected, being lowered to the bottom of 1st Rank. Unknowingly, her own Chi reached 4th Pillar, which allowed her to suppress the BOOP. Seeing her brother Pulsing Air become one of the dead, Clear Aqua treated the ill. This especially included her mother Stormy Wind, who was in critical condition as an 8th Rank. Cleansing Hand appreciated her help, yet still needed more hands.
With Auream Regulam collapsing in on itself during preparations, they were in danger of being entirely wiped out. Just a week after Joanna's arrival, patrols returned with news, which included reports of incoming armies. They bore the flags and coat of arms representing:
the Kaizen Empire and their Inquisition,
the Luthan Kingdom and their Sprezzatura,
and the Yalta Confederation and their United Arms.
These patrols quickly fell either ill or to their deaths.
Quick Foot's 9th Rank reduced to 1st Rank but still went with Roaring Thunder to scout the surrounding area. They found the Calm Grasslands in front of their forest died, with animals dead or dying all around.
Deeper into the Jungle of Death, the Forest King, who was a meter tall, muscle-bound rat, was found in meditation. He was fighting the BOOP internally, shifting from 4th Rank to 3rd Rank.
The nearby Lurid Lake had many fishy creatures floating up, which its entire surface with the dead. True death made the land stink of the rotting flesh of thousands upon thousands of creatures whom once were protectors of the Aurea.
Following the Soft Road, Roaring Thunder and Quick Foot dashed to the Peak's Pass of the Logos Mountains, which were risen by this legendary man to surround and protect his people. Standing at the Pass, the two fell to their knees in despair.
The armies really came in swarms of 100s of 1000s, with their elites in the front. They all thirsted for glory in a bloodbath. With tears in their eyes, they began laying down whatever dubious traps and hindrances possible to slow down these masses, even for a few more hours.
When they returned 2 weeks after the time Joanna appeared, the armies reached the Peak's Pass. But Roaring Thunder and Quick Foot were informed that there was hope. However slight it was, hope still motivated them to save their people and that was all they needed.