After the Hawk of Nebula retreated, leaving only devastation and faint wisps of smoke, Kairo and the Spark Faction members wasted no time. They rushed to assist Da Vinci's team, who lay unconscious amidst the charred remains of the arboreal dome within the giant pit. The condition of each member was beyond description; grievous wounds from Eagle's merciless attacks were clearly visible on their exhausted bodies.
Sage, the Spark Faction's medic, along with two assistants, quickly and accurately assessed everyone's condition. "Their pulses are still weak, Kairo-dono! But they've lost a lot of blood and have severe internal injuries. Especially the two large men (Bacchus and Taurus) and that delicate-looking young man (Da Vinci), their conditions are most critical! We need to provide immediate treatment!" Beads of sweat formed on Sage's forehead as he ordered his assistants to prepare first aid equipment.
Kairo looked at everyone's condition with a grim expression mixed with relief that no one had died. "We need to get them out of here immediately! Eagle might return at any moment, or other Nebula patrol units might follow the scent of this damage!" He scanned the surroundings warily.
As the Spark Faction team was arduously preparing to move the injured, Ryu, who was slightly more conscious than the others due to Kairo's earlier assistance, slowly propped himself up. He coughed a few times, feeling pain throughout his body.
"K-Kairo-dono..." Ryu uttered hoarsely. "Where... are we going next..."
Kairo walked over and patted Ryu's shoulder encouragingly. "You're all safe for now. I'll take you to 'Delphi Outpost,' an emergency shelter of the Spark Faction not far from here. It's hidden in a valley on the other side, well-defended, and has better medical resources than here. Your conditions are too severe to travel far back to Ashwind Post immediately."
Raven, who had recovered slightly faster than the others due to her agility and personal resilience, nodded in agreement. "That's right, kid. That secret base is probably the best option right now. At least until you're out of critical danger and can walk on your own." Though her face was still pale and had abrasions, her eyes remained sharp.
The journey to Delphi Outpost was arduous and fraught with caution. Spark Faction members had to take turns carrying and supporting the unconscious bodies of Bacchus, Taurus, Kiana, and Da Vinci through an underground route that Kairo and his team had partially prepared and "cleared" in advance. It was a network of natural tunnels that had been modified and reinforced in some places, with cleverly camouflaged entrances and exits to avoid detection by the Nebula Empire.
Along the way, Kairo elaborated on the rescue plan he had made with Raven. "After you reported about Eagle and the dangers of the Athenaeum to us last time, Raven and I didn't just sit idly. We knew it was too dangerous for you to handle alone. Raven always has accurate premonitions about these things. She suggested we set up a 'backup plan' by having a part of our team, including myself, Sage, and a few other warriors, to 'scout and observe' and 'prepare an emergency shelter' in the valley near the Athenaeum. We used our knowledge of the local underground structures and my plant-controlling power to 'reinforce' natural caverns and 'prepare a mechanism' for certain sections of the ground to 'open up' or 'collapse' if massive vibrations or energy occurred at calculated points... and it actually worked, albeit by a hair's breadth. I must admit, Eagle's final destructive power was far beyond what I anticipated. Luckily, my 'Arbor Dome' managed to withstand and mitigate most of the damage. Otherwise, you all would have..." Kairo didn't finish, but Ryu understood the implication.
Finally, after nearly half a day of difficult travel, they reached Delphi Outpost. It was a large network of caves cleverly converted into a secret base that blended seamlessly with the external environment. Inside, there was light from glowing crystals and oil lamps. The area was divided into sections: living quarters, a medical bay, a supply depot, and even a small training ground. The Spark Faction members stationed there quickly came out to welcome and assist them.
Da Vinci's team was immediately taken to the clean and well-equipped medical bay. Sage and the Spark Faction's medical team (which seemed to include herbalists and alchemists) began treatment with utmost effort, using the Spark Faction's special healing salves, bandaging wounds, administering tonics, and closely monitoring infected wounds.
Several days passed...
Members of Da Vinci's team gradually recovered one by one. Bacchus and Taurus, with their mountain-like physiques and superhuman recovery abilities, were the first to move and talk. They brought some cheer (and a little headache) to the medical team with Bacchus's boisterous and friendly nature. Ryu and Kiana also gradually improved. The horrific memories of the battle with Eagle still haunted them somewhat, but the relief of surviving and their gratitude towards the Spark Faction were greater.
As for Leonardo da Vinci, he took the longest to recover. His delicate body, combined with exhausting the golden brush's power in the trap room, caused him to have a high fever and be delirious for the first few days. Kiana and Ryu took turns caring for him closely, feeding him water and medicine, and sponging him down with concern. His golden brush remained a pitch-black metal rod, devoid of any light, lying silently beside him as if waiting to be awakened again.
One quiet night at Delphi Outpost, after Da Vinci had fully regained consciousness and his fever had subsided to near normal, he sat leaning against a pillow on his bed in the private room the Spark Faction had provided. The faint light from an oil lamp on the bedside table cast a calm and contemplative atmosphere.
Kiana quietly entered the room with a tray of dinner made from nourishing herbs. "Are you feeling better, Da Vinci?" she asked gently.
Da Vinci smiled faintly. "Much better, Miss Kiana... I must thank all of you for saving us." He looked at his old leather satchel resting on a chair beside the bed. "Miss Kiana... could you please hand me... that satchel... There's something I need to check. It's been on my mind for days."
Kiana looked on with slight curiosity but dutifully handed him the satchel.
Da Vinci received the satchel with slightly trembling hands. He slowly reached inside and took out the "notebook bound in pitch-black leather" that he had snatched from the secret chamber in the Athenaeum of Embers, placing it on his lap. The faint silver symbol engraved on the cover still looked complex and mysterious under the lamplight. It exuded a strangely ancient and powerful aura.
He took a deep breath. The feeling of excitement mixed with slight trepidation he had felt when he first discovered it returned vividly. He sensed that this notebook was incredibly important and might forever change his understanding of this world.
He slowly opened the first page of the notebook. His slightly weakened fingers touched the pages, made of a thin, leather-like material that looked ancient yet was surprisingly well-preserved, without any trace of moisture or decay.
The image on the first page made Da Vinci's eyes widen progressively! His gaze shone with shock! Disbelief! And an almost explosive craving for knowledge!
It wasn't just unreadable ancient script, but an incredibly detailed and beautifully lifelike "sketch" of the "internal energy structure of the human body." There were intricate lines of "energy currents" flowing and connecting in a network, and "power convergence points" or "chakras" emitting a faint glow at various parts of the body. Simultaneously, at the top of the page, "runes" glowing with a faint golden light when struck by the lamplight were clearly written as a title in a language he instantly recognized and understood!
"The Genesis of Awakening: The Mechanics of 'Mana' and the Legacy of the Progenitor Artificers."
Da Vinci's voice murmured softly, filled with shock and awe, almost breathless. "This... how is this possible... 'Mana'... or is this... an explanation of the 'essence' of energy in this world... the power of The Awakened?! And it's all recorded... in this notebook!"
The greatest secret of this world... was about to be unveiled before the genius from another land... here, in this secret base beneath the moonlight.
[End of Chapter 36]