Everyone stopped doing what they were doing and greeted Merasi who kept saying she wanted to fight. Ning started suspecting that she wasn't doing it for him at all.
He had noticed her opening the portal and stepping through high in the air, but without the ability to magnify their vision as he did, they wouldn't be able to see her coming at all.
"Lady Merasi, this is not a place to fight," one of the saints tried to talk her out of it.
"Oh?" Merasi said. "But it looked like you were quite ready to fight my subordinate right now."
Mercy was behind her sister, excited that she would get to fight some captains probably.
The captains on the other hand turned to look at Ning, now completely surprised that he was a subordinate of a Supreme. That made them shrink back into their flesh, hoping nobody noticed them anymore.
Ning decided to ignore them. There was nothing he would gain by antagonizing these captains when they were already under pressure. Besides, he wasn't petty enough to want revenge just because they spoke a few words at him.
Ning turned to look at Merasi and Mercy and realized that they really were looking forward to the face. He had to stop himself from sighing in front of the entire crowd.
He changed the subject, giving the captains some room to breathe by asking what they should do with the prisoners there.
Merasi thought for a moment and said, "Send them back to their government."
"But they might get killed."
"The government is not so stable right now, lady Merasi."
"We should keep them."
A host of people started speaking that made Merasi scratch her head, not sure what to do.
"Uhhh…. Alekor," She called.
"Yes, captain," Alekor came from the side.
"Did anyone die?" she asked.
"Quite a few, captain," Alekor said.
"Do we know who killed them?" she asked, looking at the people who couldn't have possibly gone past Aether Magister.
"There were a few of the rebels who managed to land some hits on us from what I hear, but those people should have died in the battle already. Other than them, it was mostly the terrorist named Taskar," Alekor said. "He was the one responsible for the most deaths."
"I see, then take these prisoners to the authorities, but make sure they get punished for only what they did, not what they could have done," she said.
"Yes, captain," Alekor nodded and went on to gather the prisoners.
"Some of you go with him. He can't handle them all together," Merasi ordered the captains and a few of them stood out to go help.
Once they were gone, Ning spoke with Merasi for a few minutes, most of which was her just telling him how good of a job he did with opening a sustained portal.
Ning smiled for a bit and said some words before excusing himself to go help some other patients.
The injured had to stay around for a little longer before they were ready for spatial travel. Portals lurched a person in and out while going through it, so the doctors and medical experts wanted the injured to be as stable as possible before they were ready.
They were planning to take these people to the hospital, but that too was far away. And with nobody really working these days due to the protests, the hospitals would have likely not been a good choice.
So, they were all treated right then and there.
Ning walked through the patients, giving some medicine, changing the bandages for some, and even helping some get back on their feet.
"You have medical knowledge too?" Merasi asked with a surprised look on her face.
"I was taught to be a doctor from a young age," Ning said. "But, fate had different plans."
"Well, fate or not, you are really good at it. Even if you never joined the tower as a battle force personnel, you would have likely entered as medical personnel," Merasi said.
Ning smiled at her and got back to work. Once Merasi left, he thought in surprise about how easily he was starting to lie.
He remembered the days when he stuttered whenever he was about to lie. The Ning of those days were gone.
'Guess that's what happens when you live for three thousand years,' Ning thought to himself.
Night fell soon, but bring lights were all around the area with batteries that were powered by Aether itself.
Some of the Aether artists, who could create Electrical energy were helping recharge the batteries.
Ning continued tending to the wounded, but the sound of cries was lowering quite a bit throughout the night.
Come dawn, only a handful of people could not travel by the portals. Rest were ready.
Merasi opened the portals this time, and one by one, people entered. Ning watched as the tired people gain some energy and walked through the portal with thoughts of finally sleeping in soft beds.
Once all the people that were leaving entered the portal, Merasi turned towards Ning and asked, "Are you not going?"
Ning shook his head. "I have some task in the Aether forest," he said.
"Oh, what task?" Merasi asked curiously.
Ning answered without hesitation. "I found potion-making to my liking so I'm thinking of taking it up as a hobby."
"I learned that it requires quite a few ingredients that are in majority found in the Aether forest, so I am going to go there before returning back to the tower in a day," he said.
"Oh, you found a hobby huh?" Merasi said with a curious look. "Alright, go. It's your free day today, anyway," she said.
Ning thanked her and watched her leave through a portal as well. When the other captains return, they would likely help the remaining few people go back, so Ning didn't have to worry about them.
Thus, he turned around and walked deep into the forest surrounding the camp. Once he was far away, he vanished.
