"You little girl… so arrogant, aren't you? Fine. Let's see if you can handle this—take down these troublemakers first!"
The Alchemy Commission's medical officer, who had stepped forward, sneered with disdain. Her gaze sharp, she extended an arm with a fluid, almost theatrical motion. From behind her, a low-roofed hut shuddered as if something had been waiting, and in the next moment, several figures emerged—twisted and half-demonized, their bodies grotesquely malformed.
Bailu's eyes widened in horror. Her earlier bravado evaporated, and she shrank behind Felicity like a deflated balloon, barely daring to peek over the older woman's shoulder. Despite her fear, she couldn't resist pouting, her gaze filled with lingering defiance as she glared at the disciples of Sanctus Medicus.
But… why panic? She had Sister Felicity. Felicity wasn't worried in the slightest, so Bailu reasoned she had no reason to worry either.
Banxia, however, wasn't so composed. She dropped into a crouch, clutching her head in both hands as if that could somehow protect her from a coming blow.
The disciples wasted no time. They closed in, circling Felicity's group like vultures scenting blood, their movements sharp, restrained—deliberate.
They knew better than to draw too much attention. This was Exalting Sanctum territory, after all. The Realm-Keeping Commission's hunting dogs and the Cloud Knights were ever watchful, their patience for the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus running thin. No matter how emboldened they were by the Stellaron's chaos, they couldn't afford to be too brazen.
"Such a pity... The Devilish Archer Author's wicked charms have twisted your hearts. You mortals have forgotten the grace of the Merciful Medicus, the healer who once mended your wounds."
The lead disciple's voice dripped with feigned regret, her gaze sweeping over Felicity and the others in what she clearly thought was a benevolent, almost maternal manner. She shook her head with a soft sigh, as if lamenting the blindness of those before her.
Felicity simply blinked at the scene, amusement stirring in her chest. The sight was almost laughable—like a mouse baring its fangs at a cat, naively believing its tiny claws could drive the predator away.
Was this supposed to be a threat?
A small, amused smile curved Felicity's lips. She lifted her hand, fingers snapping with a sharp, casual grace. A faint green glow bloomed in the air, threads of light unfurling like vines from her fingertips and weaving toward the half-demonized disciples.
In an instant, their twisted bodies began to revert, the mutations peeling away like old bark sloughing from a tree. The change was visible, almost mesmerizing—until the healing halted, replaced by a cruel withering. Skin shriveled, hair turned brittle and colorless, and vitality drained from their forms like water from a cracked vessel.
"I am Abundance," Felicity murmured softly, her voice almost tender. "Health... Rationality... things you don't deserve."
The Alchemy Commission's leader froze mid-sentence, her breath catching in her throat as realization dawned in her wide, horror-stricken eyes. She tried to speak, but the words never came. Her face collapsed inward, age ravaging her features in seconds. Her body, once a vessel of life, crumbled under the weight of time, and with a final, silent gasp, she died—withered and spent.
Bailu clutched at Felicity's waist, trembling slightly. Part of her was unsettled by Felicity's terrifying abilities, but they had been together for so long—if Felicity had wanted to harm her, she wouldn't even have the chance to blink. So, she clung closer, letting the warmth of Felicity's presence soothe her.
Banxia, on the other hand, felt a cold sweat form on her back. A moment ago, she'd dared to challenge such a terrifying existence? Foolish… she was a fool.
Felicity's hand found Bailu's head, smoothing over her hair in a gesture both protective and absentminded. Her eyes drifted toward the small house where the disciples had emerged, her expression cooling.
Someone else was in there. She could sense it.
But she wasn't in the mood to clean up every last detail. Let the one hiding inside handle the aftermath—it would serve as a message. A reminder to the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus that they were not beyond her reach. She would find out who dared to wield the name of the Merciful One in vain.
"This is the only branch here?" Felicity asked, turning her head slightly toward Banxia.
Banxia flinched, her voice low, careful. "Y-Yes… This branch is the main one for Exalting Sanctum, but... not all of them are accounted for. Some of the members I met before… they've scattered. I don't know where they went."
Felicity exhaled softly, a small, resigned shrug lifting her shoulders. "So… where to next?"
"I… I want to go to Cloudford." Banxia hesitated, glancing between the others.
"Sister Felicity, I promised her!" Bailu chimed in suddenly, throwing her arms around Felicity's and pulling in close, her voice taking on a deliberately sweet, almost childlike tone. It was her first time trying this, but she was a natural.
Felicity's composure cracked, the tension in her chest dissolving into something warm, something soft. She ruffled Bailu's hair, unable to hide the small smile tugging at her lips. How could she say no?
"Alright, let's go to Cloudford."
…
The Central Starskiff Haven—nestled between Cloudford and the Exalting Sanctum—lay at a distance, but they were lucky. A few mercenaries, greedy enough to risk their lives for a hefty fare, had agreed to ferry them across the divide. Thanks to them, the journey passed quickly.
Cloudford itself was a different story. The Stellaron's explosion and the chaos stirred by the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus had thinned the crowds. Many idle wanderers had been driven out, the roads eerily empty and cleared with ruthless efficiency. Yet, as they ventured deeper, the air grew heavier—thick with the quiet, unseen hum of countless lives.
Banxia led them through the streets, her steps tentative at first. When they finally reached a hidden corner, her pale face lit up with the ghost of a smile, as though a burden had been momentarily lifted.
But the relief didn't last. Her expression twisted into confusion, then bloomed into anxious dread. She paced back and forth like a trapped bird, peering into cracks and shadows where no one could possibly hide.
"Where is he…? We agreed to meet here…"
Her voice was a broken whisper, her gaze flickering toward Felicity as if silently pleading for understanding, for validation—perhaps even for admiration of her devotion.
Minutes passed, and then, suddenly, Banxia cried out. She scrambled toward a crumpled piece of paper, clutching it like a lifeline, waving it at Felicity with a triumphant, almost desperate energy.
"Look! This place was discovered by the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus, but he didn't abandon me!" Her finger jabbed at a crude map, hastily drawn, the lines scrawling toward a distant location. Hope blazed in her eyes, fierce and blinding. "He's waiting for me. I have to go find him."
Felicity's lips pressed into a thin line. She regarded Banxia with a long, unreadable gaze, then sighed quietly, turning to follow her down the narrow, winding path.
"Honestly… Love makes people so foolish," she muttered under her breath.
Still, the small weight of Bailu's hand curled into hers grounded her—a fleeting comfort amidst the chaos.
But the path ahead was far from clear. Soon, another figure blocked their way—a young girl clad in strange garb, her short black hair tousled by the wind. Her red eyes glimmered with a lifeless gleam, her expression eerily still, and she held a Herbalist by the throat as though she weighed nothing.
Machine-like. Hollow. Unblinking.
The girl's gaze shifted, fixing on Felicity and her companions. Her voice was a flat, mechanical monotone.
"Who are you?"
Felicity's eyes narrowed, but her tone remained calm as she swiftly pulled out the cloth pouch Fu Xuan had given her.
"I'm here on orders from the Master Diviner. A mission from Fu Xuan."
The girl, Xueyi, tilted her head ever so slightly. Her stare never wavered as she took the pouch, studying it with unnerving precision. Time stretched—an uncomfortable, dragging silence.
Finally, she handed it back.
"I can't verify whether this is truly from Fu Taibu," she said bluntly.
Felicity's mouth twitched.
Then why spend so long looking at it?
Xueyi's tone shifted again, smooth and practiced. "As a judge of the Ten-Lords Commission, I have no involvement in external affairs. However, I do know the general has authorized a special force under the Master Diviner's command."
With that, she turned to the Cloud Knights flanking her and gave a curt nod. "Let them pass."
Felicity tucked the pouch away carefully, her mind spinning. The Master Diviner… she had underestimated her. That small, quiet fortune teller was more important than she had realized.
Fu Xuan… was a useful ally indeed.
--+--
T/N: It's kind of unfortunate that the Emanators of Abundance are villains, it would be cool to just have a character that hyper scales off of HP and healing. Like the amount they heal is the amount of dmg increase?