Back at the White Griffon, Professor Marth was facing an unexpected complication. After the state of national emergency had been issued, all the academy's staff that had even a shred of knowledge in medicine had been tasked to pack their things and reach Kandria as soon as possible.
The Professors had been permitted to bring along anyone they deemed could help, even students. It was part of the cover story the King had devised to make Lith's presence in Kandria seem unimportant.
He would just be one of the many youths accompanying their mentors, hoping their talent would be recognized by the Crown or at least to gain practical experience. Having only one student from the White Griffon among all the experts would rise too many questions.
The departments most affected were two, the light magic and the alchemy department. Despite they were used to cooperate for the most difficult cases, this time the approach on the matter couldn't be more different.
For alchemists, this was a once in a lifetime opportunity. Working without a budget limit with only state of the art instruments, with the opportunity to have them even custom made, was an offer too good to turn it down.
Hence, the alchemy Professors had no qualms about bringing students along. They would have minimal interactions with the infected, studying the disease only through tissue samples and in the safety of their labs.
For, healers, instead, it was a nightmare. Daily contact with the victims, high risks of exposure to the plague, not to mention that according to the reports the mortality rate was akin to a warzone.
It was difficult explaining to the ones that volunteered how dangerous the situation was, without either being rude, or giving enough details to trigger panic attacks.
After turning down many well-meaning amateurs, Marth was at an impa.s.se.
"Please, Professor. Why can't I accompany you?" Quylla from Cerea seemed unwilling to accept a no for an answer.
"Because it's too dangerous!" He snapped after running out of excuses.
"Let's be honest, okay? You are a twelve years old at her first year of academy. What kind of contribution could you possibly offer? You still have a whole life in front of you, I can't endanger your future on a whim.
You are one of the most prized talents your cla.s.s has to offer, but you are still young and emotional. Believe me, I'm not going on a vacation or a field trip, it's a serious matter."
"Then why Lith has been sent there?" The fierceness in her voice made it more of a statement rather than a question, taking Marth by surprise.
"Excuse me?"
"Don't try to deny it. First, he gets summoned in the Headmaster's office, then he never returns for dinner or breakfast. And the next day the lessons get suspended. It can't be a coincidence."
Her cold logic made him proud, but the worry he perceived made everything clear.
Puppy love, the thing that he hated the most. Because no matter how idiotic it was, there was no reasoning with it. Yet he had to try.
"His case is different from yours."
"How so?" She snorted, stomping a foot.
- "Because he is inhuman! G.o.ds, I wish I could say it out loud, but the Queen would kill me." – He thought.
"With Manohar gone, he is our best diagnostician." He actually said.
"Besides, he has already made several contributions in the theoretical field thanks to his unique understanding of the human body. Otherwise I would have never let him go. Now, if you excuse me, I'm in a rush."
Quylla left Marth's room with a dejected look, the door slamming behind her.
Outside, Yurial and Friya were waiting for her. Her face told them everything they needed to know.
"Why the long face?" Quylla asked, noticing that Friya seemed to be on edge, even more than her.
"My mother just called me. She only said that someone has screwed up big time, and that I must pack my things and be ready to leave the Kingdom on short notice."
***
"First, I want to know who sent you, and why." Lith was very curious about their attempt to capture him. The other team had spared no efforts to kill him, so either the contractor had changed his mind or it was another matter entirely.
The first one to answer was the soldier that had tried to blackmail Lith using Trion's life as a leverage. According to the nametag on the uniform, his name was Vickas Banut, a plain looking man with chestnut eyes and hair of the same colour.
His cheeks were still bright red, since Lith had slapped him multiple times to force him regaining his senses. Puke still dirtied his mouth and uniform, giving him an even more wretched look.
"Will you let me go if I tell you?" His voice trembled, mustering the courage to look in his captor's red eyes.
"Of course not." Lith laughed.
"It would be useless, since you are all already infected." He lied through his teeth. According to Life Vision, the three of them were still healthy, even without the masks and after having been scratched and bitten by the undead.
- "Either the parasites do not handle well the coldness of the morgue, or they die shortly after their host. Too bad I have no time to infect them and study the plague's progression. I need to get out of here fast, before someone else comes in." –
"Then why should I tell you? If I have to die, I'll bring my secrets with me in the grave!" The certainty of death seemed to have rejuvenated Vickas spirit.
"Excellent question!" Lith clapped his hands.
"Eat him alive, starting from the feet." His orders were meant for the prisoners to understand their fate, rather than for the undead.
The mindless zombies were like puppets, and Lith needed but a thought to make them move according to his will.
Vickas tried to fight back, twisting and kicking every time he could, but the creatures ignored his pitiful attempts. One covered his mouth with a rotting hand, while the other managed to grab his legs, filling the air with m.u.f.fled screams and chewing sounds.
The other two prisoners tried to avert their gaze, but the zombies kept their heads blocked and their eyelids open.
"As you can see, they are avoiding all the major arteries." Lith explained with the same voice he would use to explain math to a dumb kid.
"I'm a healer, after all. You can't expect me to kill you by accident. You'll die only when I say so, and in a way of my choice. The first one to talk will win a swift death. The others will join my ranks."
The two first tried to scream, but their mouths were sealed as well. Lith hated to be interrupted by hysterical cries when he was speaking.
When Vickas' feet disappeared, leaving most of the bones bare to see, puke seeped through their noses and the zombies' fingers, preventing them from talking and allowing Vickas to make his move.
Lith noticed his hands waving madly, so he stopped the zombies, using at the same time light magic to briefly relieve his pain.
"Yes?"
"Duke Selimar arranged everything, with the complicity of General Lizhark and Mage Fernath." Vickas blurted as soon he was able to speak, pointing at his accomplices, that managed to stop puking, shocked by his betrayal.
"I never heard of them."
"But they know you. They know that yesterday you said something to Varegrave that forced the King to declare the national emergency. It's the first progress in over a month."
"But why kidnap me?" Lith couldn't see the logic behind their actions.
"Because they are scared of the plague. One of their a.s.sociates, I don't know who, is the responsible. But he did it behind their backs, they didn't even know it existed. When they understood what had happened, they couldn't trust him anymore.
They don't want the plague to be eradicated, it's an all-powerful weapon. But without a cure, they will be forced to either flee or submit."