Mira barely registered the voice amidst her exhaustion and pain. Everything around her was becoming a blur, her senses dulling. But the voice... it was a familiar voice.
"E-Elder Sandra…" she managed to whisper, her voice barely audible.
"Alright, no need to talk." Elder Sandra said as she descended onto their location. Upon closer inspection, she realized that they were much worse off than she initially thought. "Let's get you girls back to the Sect."
She wrapped her Qi gently around them, lifting them off the ground, before turning around toward the Battle Maiden Sect.
Giving one last look in the direction of the explosion, she shook her head and took off.
'I'll ask them about what happened later.'
***
While Elder Sandra took Mira and the others away, at the site of the explosion, a massive shadow was crawling out of an even larger crater. It was as if a meteor had descended on the earth, the destruction caused by the gravity ball turning the surroundings into a wasteland.
This shadow had similar features to the Shadowfang, but its form wriggled in the sunlight as if it was merely a mirage. However, that was just an illusion. It was a real beast with a physical body heavier and more powerful than the common man could imagine.
With blood dripping out of its body and onto the cracked ground, it made its way out, walking over to the nearest source of shade, where it drew energy from the surroundings and began healing.
Suddenly, it sensed that its prey was leaving at a much faster pace than they were previously. Its eyes narrowed as it sniffed the air a few times, licking its lips in the process.
"I'll remember your scent, Humans. Next time, you won't be able to escape." It mumbled before trudging off in a different direction, its body blending in with the surrounding shadows.
***
Mira was barely conscious as Elder Sandra flew them back towards the Battle Maiden Sect. The world around her blurred as the Elder's Qi kept her aloft. She clung on to consciousness by a thread, the whisper of Elder Sandra's voice a comforting balm amidst the agony.
When they finally reached the Battle Maiden Sect, Elder Sandra did not head towards the central grounds where the majority of the disciples resided. Instead, she flew them straight towards the secluded area where the Elders lived and healed.
"Hold on, girls," she whispered as they descended towards a large pavilion shrouded in a calming energy. This was the healing area reserved solely for the Elders and serious cases of injuries among the Sect members.
As they touched down, other Elders who resided within the pavilion came out, their expressions grave at the sight of the injured warriors. Elder Feolan, Head of the Healing Hall, known for her powerful healing abilities, was among them.
With its vast array of medicinal herbs and healing techniques, the Hall was the best place for treating the warriors.
"Take them to the healing chambers." Elder Sandra ordered.
Inside, the healing chambers were furnished with specially designed slabs known to expedite recovery.
Seraphina was placed on a healing slab with Nova standing vigilantly by her side. Nova's brows furrowed deeply as she watched Elder Feolan pour her Qi into Seraphina, her face solemn.
Mira was guided to another healing slab. Asami and Eden were treated nearby, their injuries less severe but still requiring attention. Celaine, Rayna, and Everly were huddled together, the severity of their injuries was not as critical, but they still needed immediate attention to prevent future problems.
The severity of their injuries revealed itself fully as they were transferred onto the slabs. The color had drained from their faces, their sickly skin made more prominent on the white slabs. They lay motionless, their chests rising and falling in shallow breaths. It was an unnerving sight for the usually vibrant warriors.
Elder Sandra, who got the story from Celaine, Rayna, and Everly, was the last to leave the healing chambers, her gaze lingering on each of the injured Battle Maidens before finally exiting, her heart heavy with worry.
Meanwhile, inside the healing chamber, Elder Feolan and the others got to work. They moved with a sense of urgency but maintained their precision. Each motion was practiced and calculated, their hands glowing with healing Qi as they tended to the wounds.
Nova never left Seraphina's side, her hand tightly clasping the unconscious girl's. She watched Elder Feolan work, her heart aching as she saw Seraphina wince in her sleep, a clear sign that she was still in pain. Yet, all she could do was stand by and give her silent support.
Mira, despite her weakened state, didn't allow herself to fall into unconsciousness. As the Qi coursed through her body, closing wounds and healing internal injuries, she fought to stay conscious. She didn't know these people and had to ensure that they actually did their job correctly.
The only person she trusted wholeheartedly to heal her body was Maria, but since she wasn't here, Mira was stuck with these people.
Nearby, Asami and Eden grimaced in their sleep, the pain of their injuries momentarily flaring up due to the healing process.
Celaine, Rayna, and Everly were seated together, their injuries tended by Elder Liara.
As hours turned into days, the healing process continued. Slowly but surely, they started showing signs of recovery. Their complexions improved, and the severity of their wounds lessened.
Throughout the healing process, the Elders of the Battle Maiden Sect made sure to keep the extent of the injuries and the ongoing healing process a secret. It wouldn't look good if, suddenly, their strongest members were brought to near-death states right after a major war.
Aelina also visited them once, giving the Healing Hall permission to use whatever they needed to return Mira and the others back to peak condition.
***
About a week later, Mira got tired of sitting around doing nothing but eating and sleeping and decided to give Aelina a visit.
She still wasn't close to her peak condition, with many internal injuries, broken bones, and lost Blood Essence from the [Blood Burst] technique, but she was healthy enough to walk around.
With the help of the Elders, she had finally gotten rid of the Shadowfang's Qi that was rampaging in her body, which limited most of her healing capabilities.
Mira made her way up the mountain, the path familiar beneath her feet. Despite her injuries, there was a kind of relentless determination in her step, refusing to let the limitations of her tattered body hold her back.
As she reached the top of the mountain, she found Aelina waiting for her. The Sect Master of the Battle Maiden Sect was seated at a small table, a teapot and two cups arranged neatly on the tabletop. Her eyes, filled with concern and relief, watched on as Mira approached.
"You shouldn't be out of bed yet," Aelina chided gently, though there was a small smile playing at the corners of her mouth. She was well aware of Mira's stubbornness, having seen it in action on numerous occasions.
"I'm fine," Mira replied coolly as she sat opposite the Sect Master.
Aelina shook her head, still keeping a light smile on her face, "It's okay to rest, Mira. You never know you'll get another opportunity like this, after all."
"I'm not made of glass," Mira countered. "Besides, I'm sick of staring at the ceiling."
Pouring the tea with practiced grace, Aelina couldn't help but chuckle at Mira's obstinance. "Very well," she conceded, passing one of the cups to Mira. "Then let's have tea and a chat."
"You said you had a way to raise the strength of the Sect as a whole before you left. I know you aren't the type to joke around. So, how do you suppose we do that?"
Mira nodded, liking how Aelina went straight to business.
However, instead of answering her question, she took out a beast's corpse and dropped it next to the table.
Aelina raised an eyebrow, taking a sip of tea, but didn't say anything and continued watching.
Mira kneeled beside the beast, cut into it with a dagger, and quickly extracted its Blood Essence with the help of her [Harmonic Trinity] Technique. It was a delicate process, but Mira did it with such perfection that Aelina's eyes widened a bit.
However, what happened next shocked her to the core.
Mira took out a drop of Celestial Nectar and merged it with the beast's Blood Essence. The two liquids swirled around for a bit before, eventually, the impurities from the Blood Essence were expunged, and the remaining beast Qi was dispersed.
What was left was a pure, refined, and undiluted beast Blood Essence, ready to perfectly fuse with whoever wanted it. While Mira didn't quite understand the implications of what she just showed, Aelina did, and to say she was shocked was an understatement.
"Well?" Mira smirked and prodded.
Aelina fell silent for a while before she calmed down and began thinking. Numerous scenarios flashed through her mind, each one better than the last, until her lips curved into a similar smirk.
"It seems you were right. We might have to cause a little chaos, after all."
