The Systemic Lands

Chapter 276: Day 545 – The Good Doctor’s Surgical Plan

“Hello Doctor Katz,” I greeted the man as he came into the conference room.

“Champion Michael, you wanted to speak to me.” I nodded at this and gestured to a chair next to me. He took a seat.

“Naran hasn’t woken up. I think it is time to attempt more drastic procedures,” I explained. He needed to eat and drink properly. If he kept lying in a coma, then he would die from wasting away. Waiting was no longer an option in my mind.

“I have been thinking about this and what this Astrologer told you.” I had passed the information to him, in hopes he would find a solution for Naran. “I believe the answer is to cut away the infected tissue wholesale. The pain should wake him and then he could get a restoration.”

“And the risk that he won’t be able to?” I asked.

“A risk. But the only option. Mixing more energy or crafting crystals could produce unwanted side effects. There is barely any time to act once the crafting crystal has turned to powder. I can’t control the dosage or only partially break apart a crafting crystal into dust. I have tried minute portions of water and blood, but it is all or nothing and the crystal has to be submerged.”

“I see. There is nothing else?” I asked.

“Nothing reliable. I know you mentioned the Ritualist attacking you through a dream, and wanted to consider how to wake Naran that way, but I have no idea where to begin. It had to be some complicated methods with the tethers, the same as when the Ritualist took control over people,” the good doctor explained.

“However, there is a possible solution. The mention of using another person’s energy got me thinking. You know that when you put a large amount of energy into water that housed powdered point crystals, it glowed.” I nodded at this, interested where the good doctor was going.

“That got me thinking and we ran some more tests. It is possible to influence your energy outside of you. That is how priming works. You send a mental trigger to your own energy. Through resonance. I am proposing to cut away what I safely can, then you control energy infused water to flush the bad energy out of Naran’s system.”

“That leaves the issue of my energy afterwards and control?” I asked.

“And those are the two big issues. But human energy should be more in line, like a different shade of yellow rather than a different color entirely, to steal the metaphor that was passed onto me. As for the control, that is up to you. You are the only one with the stats to attempt something like this,” the good doctor said.

“When can we start?” I asked.

“Depends on how much you want to practice?” the good doctor asked me. I considered my response. Doing it right away would be too risky. I didn’t even know how well I could control energy. Waiting too long was a bad idea based on what the Astrologer said.

“I will practice, and we can plan to make the attempt this evening,” I said, not wanting to delay. I had been waiting around for Naran to get better, but he still hadn’t improved.

“Alright. I will make my preparations,” the good doctor stood up and left. I guess he was leaving me to my own devices. No matter, I wasn’t some child who needed their hand held. I got a bucket of water and some point crystals.

I tossed them together and pushed in my energy. The water began to glow. I closed my eyes and focused. My index finger was wet, but I didn’t sense the water. I steadied my breathing and tried to clear my mind.

There was something, I thought, but this approach wasn’t working. I went to the research building and had one of the people there break down a point crystal and then I slowly mixed their water into mine. I felt something.

Like a billowing sheet, gently pushing against me and someone waving the sheet. That was the water I had infused my energy into and the energy from the other person. I tried to will my energy to move, in a certain direction, and it kind of worked.

I just wanted movement. Eventually the glowing water was slowly spinning around with the water that I hadn’t pushed my energy into being in the center and duller. There was mixing but there was also separation.

Letting out a sigh, I sat back in the chair I was sitting in and stretched. I was not going to be able to do this well. It made me regret not taking the Astrologer’s offer, but it was too late to complain about spilled milk and to try and put it back into the cow. That would just be unpleasant for all involved.

The fact that I managed to get anything to happen was impressive in my mind. I was missing something. I got a new bucket of water, but this time I focused on the energy spinning about counterclockwise as I pushed my energy into the water.

This time there was a reaction as the glowing water spun counterclockwise. I needed to know what I wanted to happen before the energy left my body. That was why priming worked. I had to thank the Astrologer for cluing me into this. Energy was both physchoreactive and psychoactive.

It was easier to make use of energy through the psychoactive half of the equation, rather than trying to get it to react. That still didn’t explain why I couldn’t push energy out of my body except into crystal powder liquid and not liquid without the crystal powder.

Crystals were energy made manifest. I looked at the spinning water and it had quickly come to a stop and the glow had faded away. The energy was being used up to provide the purpose. There were inert crystal particles floating around in the water.

That was the bad part about this kind of method. But better some inert crystals if I could flush the damage out of Naran’s face. I should also use as little water as possible. To generate a strong effect and flush everything out quickly, with a route for the water to flow.

I needed more than a physical route. I needed something more to grab onto another’s energy. I had a researcher make another batch of crystal powder water. I then dumped my energy into my own small batch of water with a purpose in mind.

My glowing water kept the ‘O’ shape I envisioned and tried to pull the other energy towards it. That didn’t work. But it did manage to push the other energy out of the way. I wasn’t using raw energy, but a liquid as my medium. I was sure the Astrologer had a more refined method, but this was as good as it was going to get.

I made my way to Naran’s room. His bed was being lifted up by four guards and escorted by another six out to the plaza on a table. That was smart, we needed him to get a restoration the moment he woke up. “Doctor,” I greeted the good doctor who was watching the transfer.

“Champion Michael. Ready?”

“As ready as I will ever be. Hopefully I should be able to do something,” I replied.

“Hmm, if not, I have supplies to try and shock him awake as a last resort. A last resort mind you. Hitting someone with mental effects, it isn’t a good idea if they are in an unstable state,” the doctor explained.

“That is fine. I will trust your judgement and follow your lead,” I replied.

“Good,” Doctor Katz said, and we made our way out to the plaza. Clarissa had gone all out, and several guards and soldiers were standing ready and the whole area was in lock down. The table was set down next to a stone platform and Naran was moved to the stone platform. Another smart decision, so he wouldn’t be able to easily break it if he went into distress, with his Body stat.

“Clear the area. Champion Michael, forgive me for my short hand during the surgery.”

“It is fine,” I replied. The good doctor nodded and took a deep breath and closed his eyes. I waited for the minute for him to get his bearings. He opened up his eyes and nodded to be across from the table.

“We are performing a radical enucleation of the left eye and a radical myectomy of the left side of the patient’s face. This will be followed up by a liquid energy flush. The goal is to remove cursed tissue and wake the patient up to allow for a restoration. Bandages, water, and crystals of varying types are in reserve for possible procedures of mental shock and emergency energy infusion.”

“Assisting me is Champion Michael who will perform the liquid energy flush and Nurse Amanda. Nurse, is everything prepared?” The good doctor was taking this seriously.

“Yes, doctor,” he had various cutting implements laid out.

“Due to the nature of the patient’s stats, enchanted surgical instruments capable of melting will be used. Michael, are you ready?”

“Yes Doctor, once you are finished, I will flush his face with water infused with energy in an attempt to remove traces of the malign energy left behind,” I said, and the good doctor gave me a nod.

“In the event the patient begins to seize, do not attempt to retrain him. We are incapable of doing so safely. In the event of a complication, I will make the determination on what we will do and take responsibility for this patient. Is that understood?”

“Yes, Doctor,” the nurse said.

“Yes, Doctor,” I replied and he nodded.

“Is there anything anyone wishes to say before I begin. Once I start, I will need to move quickly, since the goal is to remove as much tissue before he awakes.”

“The skull, will you be removing it?” I asked.

“I need to see the bone first and then I will make a determination on if a craniectomy is warranted and if can be safely done with the blood loss and the situation. I wish to avoid touching as much brain tissue as possible. Any other questions?”

“No doctor,” I said. I looked down at Naran. The left side of his face was messed up to put it lightly. There was muscle with silver streaks, his white eye, with no eyelid. I hadn’t really noticed the last part, but he had no eyelid, which was what had been creeping me out.

I wanted to say no, to stop, but there was no other option. We had to do this if Naran had any chance. At least that was what I thought. I had no idea what Naran would want, but I could only make decisions that would increase his chances of living. Don’t give up on me, I thought while he let out a low groan. You were going to live through this and be the first person to actually need surgery in Purgatory. It was like an achievement, if I had to guess.

It made me wonder if the System valued surgical skills. Probably not, with how it apparently disliked people knowing about it or going outside its boundaries. I couldn’t think about that right now or meta-points, I needed to focus.

“Acid cutting blade one,” the doctor said, and Nurse Amanda carefully placed a sharp looking metal knife in his hand.