Science Meets Will
Days after the Rakh-ahtan assault, the Institute for Practical Science (I.P.S.) painstakingly estimated the unimaginable loss of life. Mankind, shattered by the vanishings that had unfolded over several months, had bid farewell to over a billion of its members.
Yet, in a single merciless day, the Rakh-ahtan Invasion swept in and obliterated those numbers, snatching away three billion more souls. However, amidst the weeping world, forces of resilience emerged, some bearing small numbers, others concealed and joined forces with humanity.
In the days following, Loh' and Robert tirelessly collaborated, conducting numerous tests on Al, Cesar, and the rest of the team. Robert's curiosity was piqued, wanting to understand the nature of what exactly these individuals were cultivating.
"We must find a way to observe and analyze this elusive Will. We can't rely on luck, nor do we have the time to awaken peoples Will" Robert said to Loh' as he scanned Jin's etheric shell, a royal gauntlet bearing Jin's family name, "Takahashi."
Loh' reiterated his theory, which he had been voicing for the past few days, "There must be a connection with the body and the environment. Otherwise, why would our people transform into Red Sand, capable of being crystallized into Ancestral Essence? I'm sure we will find the answer in the bones."
Robert had been contemplating Loh's suggestion and extensively tested Al, his teammates, and particularly Asoto' himself. However, aside from a significant disparity in bone and muscle density compared to ordinary humans, nothing conclusive emerged.
As Robert scanned the etheric shells of the cultivators and examined Asoto's Ancestral Essence, he found them to be ordinary objects and stones. From a distance, Jin chimed in, mentioning that it was their breath that powered and influenced what they referred to as their Autonmous Revolution Converter (A.R.C.), nestled within their Navel. It was this invisible engine that allowed the manifestation of their Will through their Etheric Shell. Yet no evidence of this A.R.C came up in any of their test's.
"The Red Sand used to make the crystals full of Ancestral Esscence for the Tonovians is possible because of the miniscule Will a Tonovian gathers through their incredibly long-life spans. The following generation can then consume the Ancestral Essence allowing them to manifest the Will of their ancestor for some time. This does not require the elusive A.R.C. cultivators however rely on this A.R.C powered by their breath to manifest their Will." Robert thought before pausing and saying. "It whatever it is, must be carried in the air in a neutral state. Ancestral essence in it's base form is a Red Sand with unique properties. It must follow the same path as oxygen... It's in the blood!!"
Having had an epiphany, he ran to get their expert Biomedical Engineer who specialized in Hematology.
Over the next few days, Dr. Ramirez the hematologist and her team worked closely with Robert, Loh', and the rest of the group. They conducted extensive analyses of blood samples taken from Al, Cesar, and the other cultivators. They examined the composition, cellular structure, and any potential anomalies within the blood.
They found nothing.
Feeling exhausted and desperate for a solution, Robert resorted to a drastic measure. He took a needle and injected Jin's blood, which he had collected, directly into a mouse. The effect was immediate and unsettling to witness. The mouse started running frantically within the glass container until its eyes turned a faint shade of blue, and it suddenly froze, completely paralyzed.
When Robert dissected the mouse, they made a surprising discovery—the blood within it had crystallized. This finding left the Jin and the rest of the team feeling uneasy about the prospect of sharing their own blood. However, Robert reassured them, emphasizing that great discoveries often required sacrifices. He reminded them that such risks were inherent to advancing the boundaries of science.
Robert and Loh' began conducting their experiments without the rest of the group. Meanwhile, Robert discussed with Cesar and the group the urgent need to rescue an associate, a brilliant programmer and software engineer located in Rishikesh, inside the state of Uttarakhand, India.
Robert explained how Cesar and his phantom seed along with Asoto' had made quick work of his most skilled super soldiers, Robert believed they had the best chance of rescuing his associate. Loh', lacking combat skills, would remain behind.
"My team agrees and is willing to proceed with the rescue mission for your associate. We believe that our group of six should be sufficient, especially considering it's an extraction mission," Cesar confidently stated to Robert. However, Robert wore a concerned expression and insisted, "No, no, that will not suffice. It would weigh too heavily on my conscience to send just your team. Three of my personal guards will accompany and assist your group."
Cesar's expression tightened, reflecting his hesitation, but after a brief moment of contemplation, he nodded in agreement. "Very well," Cesar conceded, understanding the gravity of the situation. "Your guards will join us, but they must follow our lead and be prepared to work as part of our team."
With the agreement in place, the combined team prepared themselves.
A few hours later, they found themselves soaring in a jet across the desolate, scorched lands of Eastern Canada—where the land was not consumed by fire it was submerged beneath water. From the Rakh-ahtan's spaceships, which had met their demise, raining down upon the earth like fiery meteors.
The Institute for Practical Science (I.S.P), was nestled Kilometers deep within the Highlands of Maine.
Humanity had congregated around any source of power that could offer them protection. Religious Citadels, once renowned for their spiritual influence, had amassed substantial military might, allowing them to bravely fend off the invading forces and the perils posed by the environment.
Unbeknownst to the churches a key reason why they did not fall was the enigmatic Light Acolytes and Dawn-keepers, whose presence remained hidden from ordinary human eyes, yet provided invaluable assistance.
Additionally, the benevolent God Leaves extended their Immortal and Mortal Rings to shelter human refugees. And their Immortal warriors delivered devastating blows to the Rakh-ahtan forces.
The I.S.P, with its dozen or so scattered bases around the globe, welcomed and sheltered whatever survivors they could find, although the numbers were scarce. Apart from these three formidable factions, the remaining individuals unfortunate enough to tread upon the ravaged earth encountered an almost guaranteed gruesome death.
The jet they now occupied was a marvel of engineering—an aircraft ahead of its time by fifty years—concealed by the U.S. military prior to the Earth's fracturing. Eventually, it was auctioned off for billions of dollars, a testament to its unrivaled technological prowess.
Robert easily purchased it the I.S.P's financial backers readily providing the necessary funds. Similarly, the Churches had amassed a formidable arsenal through comparable means.
"So, who's this guy we're supposed to rescue?" Agnethe asked Cesar who in response walked to the front of the jet to retrieve the files Robert had given him.
One of the super soldiers accompanying them responded, "Devraj Harinder Mishra, a skilled computer and data scientist. We are expected to face hostility upon landing. I'm sure Mr. Sullivan explained the hordes of humans infected?"
Cesar stopped walking, pondering the soldier's words. He couldn't recall Robert mentioning anything about infected humans. "No, he did not mention anything about infected humans, but he did prepare these breathing masks for us. He claimed they should have a strengthening effect on our A.R.C.," Cesar replied.
"Yeah, he even gave us forms to fill out on the effects of the breathing masks. They should be somewhere in this jet," Ellie interjected.
The super soldier and the other two of his kind looked at them curiously. They had heard that these so-called cultivators were incredible, as one of their comrades had lost an arm to them, and another had died.
"Well, as the invasion came to a halt, a silver blood belonging to the Rakh-ahtan remained it is near indestructible. People across the world came into contact with it in some way or another. They became stronger, faster, deadlier, and began attacking other humans, either killing or infecting them. We're heading to Rishikesh, Uttarakhand, India. They are being overrun by these infected humans." The super soldier spoke in a soft tone to the six.
Cesar was completely shocked shouting "Are you telling me there's zombies roaming the world?" the super soldier turned towards Cesar and replied "Not exactly, it's more like parasites posing as humans. Our target has sheltered himself on the 13th floor of the Terra Manzil Temple. The last defense of the Religious Hindu religious power in that region." "
A few hours later, the pilot called Cesar and the super soldier with the soft voice, over. "I need you two to figure out where you want us to drop you off, although I don't see any good place," the pilot said.
As the jet slowed down and lowered its altitude, the sight that Cesar and the super soldier witnessed sent chills down their spines. Hordes of infected humans swarmed the ground, desperately attempting to follow the flying jet.
"It doesn't seem like I'll be able to make a clean landing. I can either scorch the ground with a hailstorm of explosive missiles or drop you off near the mountains," the pilot suggested.
The super soldier agreed with the second option, but after a few moments of contemplation, Cesar responded, "No, level the ground and create an opening. Get us around 150 feet above the target. Time will be the deciding factor of this mission. The faster we act, the less attention we draw from more infected."
Being the captain, Cesar's decision was final. The two of them then walked out to meet their team.
Moments later, a river came into view, its bay teeming with hundreds of infected humans. The jet hovered above and began raining down a storm of incendiary fury from the heavens, engulfing the ground in flames. What remained was a silver liquid, pooling together amidst the inferno.
The pilot had executed Cesar's command precisely. The side exit door of the jet opened, and Agnethe swiftly rushed out, leaping into the air. The rest of the team quickly followed suit.
As they descended, Agnethe's earrings began to glow, and she grew to a towering height of 90 feet upon landing a safe distance away from the river. With great care, she caught her falling teammates and the three super soldiers, ensuring they avoided contact with the silver liquid, as per Cesar's instructions.
Within moments, Agnethe returned to her regular size and gently placed everyone back on the ground.
Infected humans closed in on the team from all sides, sprinting towards them, jumping through the flames. The jet, still hovering above, unleashed a barrage of bullets, targeting as many infected as possible. Any that managed to break through were met with lightning from Jin's gauntlet and destructive winds from Cesar's Spear.
The team slowly forged a path upstream, battling their way towards a massive orange and white Hindu temple. One of the super soldier's warning echoed in their ears, reminding them to avoid coming into contact with blood.
Infected humans charged at Agnethe who was finding it difficult fighting against an opponent she wasn't supposed to touch. However, Al swiftly acted, throwing his knife like a dagger, stabbing the infected human and pulling him back with a chain. They pressed on, facing an unending onslaught of infected.
The jet's weapons had to cease firing momentarily to allow the steel to cool down. Suddenly, the team found themselves in close-quarters combat with the infected.
Asoto', consuming one of his Ancestral Essence crystals, grabbed a sharp rock and purposefully stabbed himself in the thigh. His skin hardened, causing the rock to disintegrate as he ran it down his thigh. His wound rapidly mended, and he launched himself at one of the infected, demolishing it with two powerful chops, sending red blood and guts flying while small traces of silver blood fell to the ground.
Surprisingly, Asoto' remained uninfected. Witnessing this, the rest of the team unleashed their full strength. Agnethe grew to a towering height of 60 feet, clearing a path for their advancement.
One of the super soldiers carelessly stepped on some silver blood. He immediately began convulsing, displaying signs of infection. Before anyone could reach him, he exploded like an actual bomb, unleashing a mushroom of green flames into the sky.
A crater marked the spot where the super soldier had stood. The explosion caused damage to Agnethe's left leg, forcing her to return to her normal size, Ellie rushed to her aid.
Amidst the chaos, Al found himself instinctively lifting his face from the ground, a numbness pervading his senses while his head rang with disorientation. Nevertheless, he moved with purpose, as did the rest of the team.
The onslaught of infected had momentarily ceased, granting them a brief respite, particularly aiding Agnethe in her slow recovery. Pressing forward, they could see the temple in the distance, their destination within reach.
"That's the temple. We're almost there," Cesar declared. However, Al's attention was drawn to another approaching phenomenon. "What's that? It appears to be a dust storm heading straight for us," he voiced his concern.
"No, it's a few hundred infected sprinting directly at us. It seems they have noticed our presence and abandoned their interest in the temple," one of the remaining super soldiers chimed in.
Realizing the impending threat, Cesar suggested, "It seems we'll have to try those inhalers Robert gave us." But before he could activate his inhaler, the war jet soaring above unleashed a barrage of gunfire, decimating the forefront of the approaching wave.
Unexpectedly, a colossal rock, comparable in size to a car, was hurled at the jet, causing it to spiral out of control. The team swiftly turned their attention to the source of the attack, glimpsing a solitary figure approaching them.
"It's a Rakh-ahtan soldier. It appears to be alone, calmly making its way towards us," The super soldier with the soft voice remarked. The gravity of the situation sank in as Jin spoke up, "Damn it, we're as good as dead. Just one of those creatures took down two Dawn-keepers with its bare hands."
With the infected closing in from both sides, Cesar took charge, issuing orders in the midst of the chaos. "Jin, Agnethe, and Al, deal with the horde of infected. Me, Ellie, Asoto', and the two super soldiers will handle the Rakh-ahtan," he commanded, propelling everyone into action.
"That's bullshit, he's the one who should be handling the hordes, his Wind Will is perfect against large numbers, while I can best assist against the Rakh-ahtan". Al thought, nonetheless, he held his tongue and sprinted toward the oncoming horde.
Jin's lightning blast struck the first infected, clearing a path for Al to unleash a barrage of punches and stabs. Agnethe grew to a height of 30 feet, employing her colossal strength to pummel her way through the encroaching horde.
They were only three against just over a hundred, the numbers were too many. The infected picked up on Jin being the most defenseless and closed in on him, he found himself outnumbered and on the brink of being overwhelmed.
Acting swiftly, he unleashed a barrage of lightning blasts from his gauntlet, clearing a path through the horde. However, sensing the imminent danger, Jin made a split-second decision and activated Robert's inhaler taking a deep breath in from the contraption.
The concoction within the inhaler consisted of a unique blend of Hydrogen, Oxygen, and Nitrogen, that Robert speculated could potentially stimulate the A.R.C. (Autonomous Revolution Converter) of cultivators. To Jin's astonishment, the effects were instantaneous.
A surge of Will surged through his being, surpassing anything he had previously experienced.
He manifested his electric shield around him it was completely incomparable to his previous attempts at it an impenetrable barrier of crackling energy. The infected assailants that had swarmed him were reduced to mere ashes, disintegrated by the unleashed power.
Amidst the display of his newfound power, Jin was taken aback. "Amazing! The knowledge of spells is flooding into my mind. Could it be that I have actually accessed the Mental Domain?"
Jin pondered, as his gauntlet unleashed a torrent of thick electricity, obliterating the infected that had been chasing him.