Spirit's Awakening: The Path of Lightning and Water-Chapter 312: Collapse and Recovery

The construct’s growl deepened, energized by the Lightning mana circulating through it, reverberating through the room like distant thunder. The construct tensed its posture ready to pounce.

The low, threatening sound made Lassim retain enough clarity to recall who should be approaching, though his body was too battered to rise from where he was hunched over the two bodies on the table..

"Stop," he commanded, the single word barely more than a whisper towards the entrance. His trembling hand rose weakly toward the construct. "Stand down."

The hybrid beast hesitated, its glowing bronze eyes locked onto the incoming person from the doorway. For a moment, Lassim feared it wouldn’t listen, but then the construct slowly backed away, its stance easing into cautious readiness towards Lassim’s position.

The tension in the air thickened as the footsteps reached the threshold, and a figure finally emerged. Lassim’s blurry vision sharpened just enough to make out the details of the newcomer.

A woman stood there, her attire brightly colored, instantly making her recognizable as a member of the Lightning Sect. The traditional violet martial uniform she wore was accented with patterns of green vines embroidered along the sleeves and collar, giving her an unusual but the very distinct appearance of a qualified nature elemental healer, compared to the uniform of most other sect members.

Her wild green hair curled and framed her youthful, cheerful face, though her sharp emerald eyes radiated a soft glow, her mana already circulating. At her side hung a leather satchel, faintly jingling with the sound of glass vials and tools as she moved. In one hand, she carried a staff-like rod carved with intricate runes, its base glowing faintly with pale green light as she was ready to waste no time due to the urgency of the mission command she received.

The healer’s gaze swept over the room, pausing briefly on Lassim before flitting to the prone forms of Rlyis and Eno. Her expression shifted from cheerfulness to sharp concern in an instant.

"Oh dear, oh dear," she muttered, stepping inside with quick, decisive movements. "What happened here?"

Lassim’s lips parted to speak, but his voice faltered. His body sagged further, his vision swimming as the mental exhaustion threatened to overtake him and his [Lifestream Aegis] flickered out, coming to a halt as he couldn’t maintain the technique any longer.

The healer noticed immediately, her bright, cheerful voice cutting through the haze like sunlight breaking through storm clouds. "Oh my goodness, you’re still awake with these kinds of injuries? And here I would be expecting you to be out cold! Tough one, aren’t you?" She knelt beside him, Lassim only vaguely recognizing her extraordinary height, her hands already glowing with faint green light as she reached out to touch his wrist.

"Who… aaare y-you?" Lassim managed to whisper, his words slightly slurring.

She beamed at him, her smile warm and utterly out of place in the grim surroundings with blood pooling beneath the table and floor. "Dara, emergency healer extraordinaire, at your service!" she chirped, leaning closer to inspect him. "Sent by your loving Master to mop up this disaster—and don’t worry, I’m great at cleaning up messes, trust me."

Her fingers danced lightly over his pulse as she held his wrist, and her expression shifted slightly.

"Let’s just see how bad you’ve been pushing yourself, shall we?" she continued, the green light from her hands intensifying as it probed his injuries.

"Not… me," Lassim murmured, his voice firm despite his fading strength. He managed to gesture faintly toward Rlyis and Eno. "Them first. Please."

Dara blinked at him, momentarily flustered by the unexpected response. "Oh, you stubborn fighter types are all the same," she muttered, shaking her head with exaggerated exasperation. "Fine, fine—big, dramatic martyr moment, I get it. Let’s not waste time arguing. They’re next."

She darted over to Rlyis with a sprightly bounce that betrayed her size, her movement quick like the flash of a faerie. Her glowing hands hovered over Rlyis’s chest as her brow furrowed in concentration.

"Hmm, nasty work here," she muttered to herself, "The report wasn’t wrong, that’s Abyssal corruption alright. Though, it’s been a while since I’ve seen something this mean and clingy. Don’t worry, though. Auntie Dara’s got just the thing for you, sweetheart!"

From her satchel, she produced a vial of shimmering liquid that glowed faintly in the dim room. She poured a precise measure onto her fingertips, the liquid spreading into her healing magic like ink in water.

As she worked, the green tendrils of corruption that weren’t fully exercised by Lassim’s lightning fish sprites and [Lifestream Aegis] began to recoil, retreating under the combined force of her cleansing energy and the elixir.

Rlyis stirred faintly, a pained groan escaping her lips. Dara leaned closer, her voice soft but encouraging. "There you go, love. That’s a good start—just hang in there a bit longer. It’ll dissipate soon enough." She gave Rlyis’s arm a gentle pat before turning her attention to Eno.

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"Alright, big guy," she said, her voice lifting again. "Your turn! Let’s see what kind of mischief this corruption has gotten up to in here."

As Dara moved to Eno, her staff, which Lassim only now realized with his hazy vision had transitioned to floating by her side, hovered just within reach as she focused her attention on Eno.

Her nature elemental mana flared brighter, spilling over Eno’s body like the spreading roots of a fast growing weed as she worked to purge the corruption.

Lassim watched her work with fading focus, his grip on reality slipping as his body finally began to give in to the exhaustion.

He opened his mouth, the words slow and heavy on his tongue. "Thank y—"

His sentence was left unfinished as his vision darkened, the edges narrowing into a pinprick of light before it was swallowed entirely. His body slumped to the floor on his side, consciousness slipping away just as Dara glanced back toward him, her smile softening with a touch of pity.

~~~

When Lassim woke again, the room was bathed in the golden light of late morning. The ache in his muscles that wasn’t felt due to the effects of [Lifestream Aegis], hit him like a dull thrum all over his entire body. He blinked slowly, his gaze adjusting to the familiar space that was his room.

The scent of herbs and an fragrant broth lingered in the air, and as his vision cleared, he noticed a figure sitting nearby. Dara’s vibrant green curls were unmistakable as she hummed softly to herself, sorting through a collection of vials and herbs laid out on the table.

"You’re awake!" she said cheerfully, noticing his stirring. "What in the heavens are you made out of?! I was expecting you to sleep the entire week away with how badly you were injured."

Lassim tried to sit up, wincing as his body protested the movement. The worst of the pain was at his waistline, which made him recall how the demon assassin had nearly sliced him into two halves during their battle.

"How… are they?" he asked, his voice hoarse.

Dara set the vials aside and her long legs and tall figure moved to his bedside in a single step, then bent over, placing a steadying hand on his shoulder.

"Easy there," she said, guiding him to lay back down, gently, "You’ve got plenty of time to worry about everyone else, but first, let’s see about getting some food in you."

She handed him a bowl of steaming soup, the aroma rich and inviting and the source of the fragrant smell he’d noticed. "Eat up," Dara said with a grin. "My cooking’s not bad, I promise. And don’t worry—I’ve been taking care of your friends. They’re stable, but it’ll take several days before they’re back on their feet."

Lassim accepted the bowl with shaking hands, though, trembling much less than he previously remembered them being as his stomach growled eagerly during the first sip. The warmth of the broth spread through him, grounding him as he tried to recall everything that had happened before he passed out.

"Rlyis and Eno," he said after a moment, his gaze meeting Dara’s. "They were in really bad shape. Are you sure—"

"They’ll be fine," Dara interrupted, her tone gentle but firm. "I’m rotating their healing sessions and keeping a close eye on them. Right now, they’re resting under the influence of a sleep tonic I concocted myself, so they won’t be waking up anytime soon. You, on the other hand, need to focus on getting yourself back to full strength before you try playing hero again. I didn’t think I’d need to administer any to you since I figured that with the extent of your injuries you’d be out like a light. If you wish to get some further sleep, I’ll give you some so you can truly rest. It’s only been about 9 hours since I arrived."

Lassim nodded slowly, his exhaustion still evident as he set the bowl aside. Brushing aside her suggestion he replied, "I can help with their healing," though his voice lacked its usual vigor.

Dara shook her head, crossing her arms in mock sternness. "Not a chance. You’re still recovering, and I don’t need you keeling over in the middle of a session. Rest first, then maybe we’ll talk."

Before Lassim could argue further, a new, unexpected and heavy presence entered the room.

The door opened, and the air seemed to shift with the arrival of the newcomer. Lassim’s Spirit Sense flared slightly, recognizing the sharp, authoritative presence he’d met once before, before the figure fully stepped into view.

Elder Mei, the head of the Lightning Sect’s Guard division, carried herself with the same stern confidence Lassim remembered from their previous encounter at the War Council meeting. Her dark violet robes as a special, top Sect Elder, embroidered with jagged silver lightning patterns, complemented her commanding aura. Her sharp features were as intimidating as he remembered, her piercing gaze sweeping the room before settling on Lassim.

Her presence filled the small chamber with an almost oppressive sense of discipline that seemed much stronger and ready for war in this enclosed space than the time he met her in the wide-opened War Council meeting room.

Dara’s usual cheerful demeanor faltered slightly as the healer’s tall figure straightened, offering a small bow of respect.

"Elder Mei," Dara greeted with a smile that faltered only briefly. "It’s good to see you. Though, I assume this isn’t a social visit?"

"It is not," Mei replied curtly, her voice sharp as a metal elementalist’s blade despite her being a lightning cultivator. Her gaze flicked to Lassim, who was still propped against the pillows, his face pale. "Disciple Lassim."

"Elder Mei," Lassim said, his voice hoarse. He pushed himself up slightly, ignoring the slight pain that flared in his waist.

"You’re fortunate to be alive," Mei said bluntly, crossing her arms as she stepped further into the room. Her sharp eyes darted to the construct, which stood silent and motionless near the foot of Lassim’s bed, its oxidized bronze eyes watching her every movement. "I’ve received the report from Sect Master Volten and have reviewed the site of your battle. Quite impressive, I must say. We found the remaining remnants and just wow… A Spirit Mystic stage abyssal demon assassin... and you survived."

Lassim nodded slowly. "Barely," he admitted..

Mei’s expression remained neutral, but there was a flicker of something—respect, perhaps—in her gaze. "The Sect Master has sent me to ensure the outpost remains secure for the near future based on the success of the secret project that I’ve now been made aware of. The rest of the sect will still be unaware for the time being, which includes you Dara," Her eyes flicked to the cheery nature healer before continuing, "A battalion of guards is already stationed outside, reinforcing the defensive arrays, adding more specialized defenses in an expanded area, and monitoring the new perimeter. The fact that such a threat came out of nowhere with no signs of portal activations in the last two months is... concerning. That means it came in unnoticed during the Sect War at some point and hid."

Lassim said, his voice gaining strength. "I don’t know the demon’s name, but I can describe him later for you if you wish. Though, I think it’s most important to share what he said. He mentioned being sent by a General of Rage, and..." He hesitated briefly, recalling the venom in the assassin’s final words. "He said I’ve been taken notice of and that his death would only increase my importance. That the General’s wrath would come for me and all who—, well, I guess all who I care about, but I chopped off his head before he could finish his sentence."

Mei’s expression seemed to harden further at his words, her arms moving to tighten across her chest. "A direct order of assassination from the General of Rage," she muttered, her voice low and filled with slight terror.