C19- Piscea (3)

Noah got out of the hospital and changed his clothes. He washed his hands thoroughly and threw the protective clothes into the firepit. After that, he walked towards Corvin in front of the hospital.

"Okay, I activated the paintings. The hospital should be much safer after ten minutes or so."

"Alright. So Noah, the plague has appeared here, at the northern parts of the city, and I expect it to spread to the whole city in about a month at this rate. Don't play around here too much."

"That's longer than I expected."

Noah ignored his small jab.

"Well, if it goes at this rate, that is. Soon, the ratmen will probably appear and cause chaos, spreading the plague faster. In the worst case scenario, the ratmen can probably infect almost this whole city within four days."

"That..."

"That is unless we kill the Plaguehorn colossus before it orders the ratmen to attack the city. But all we know about the colossus itself is a rumour about a rat the size of a bear or something."

"So, can we do it Corvin?"

"I... I don't know. But, you brought your violin, right?"

"Huh? Yeah, what about it?"

"I will look at the patients inside, I want you to find some melodies that will help me fight or melodies that will let you fight. Maybe a new painting wouldn't hurt as well."

"Hmm.. A new painting might be a stretch but I can probably come up with some tunes."

"Great, then I will enter once it is safe. Uuh, Noah."

"?"

"I can also activate your paintings right?"

"Uuh, I don't know, I didn't put anything like that while I made them. But, isn't someones magic like an extention of their consciousness? It should allow you to activate it, probably."

Corvin stared at Noah.

"Right... Well, I guess I need to be hasty in my inspection."

"Trust me a little bit at least!"

"My life is on the line, how can I leave it to something that even the maker of it isn't sure about!"

"Ugh! Whatever dude! If you die, it's not on me then!"

"I won't, thank you for your concern."

Corvin smiled at Noah.

"Now, shoo shoo. Go make music."

"Alright, alright. I am going."

After watching Noah leave, Corvin entered the hospital after making sure the air inside was clean.

Inside the building, there were many people laying on the ground under sheets. The hospital was seperated into five different parts. Each part was used for something different. One part for people suspected of having the plague, one part for people at the early stages of the plague and one part for people with the latest stages of the plague. The other two parts were for people who didn't have the plague and a staff room.

Walking through the corridor and entering the second part, where people who caught the plague recently were at, Corvin started to inspect the patients.

People were lying on the ground because they got rid of the beds for more space. There were just a little bit above three hundred people in this part alone.

With a serious expression on his face, he started to examine the symptoms of the patients. The main symptoms were a general soreness of the whole body, fever and malnutrition. 

Talking with patients who were awake, Corvin concluded that the way of transmission is most likely through air and skin contact.

After finishing his notes on the second part, he walked towards the next part, to see the patients who caught the plague a while ago.

"Wait, young man. Don't enter there!", shouted a doctor.

"It's okay, I know what I am doing."

"Who are you?"

"Corvin Mundy. I came from the Altus Empire to fight the plague. Didn't they inform the doctors?"

"Don't joke with me! Why would they send a kid?"

"Because I am capable?"

"What?"

"Well, the governor was with me before I came here. You can go ask him."

"Wha-? The governor?"

"Yes. I am here to stop the plague with his permission."

The doctor didn't want to waste his time with a child, so with a sigh, he returned to working on the patients.

"Whatever. Don't say I didn't warn you kid."

"I won't.", said Corvin and entered the third room.

What he saw would be traumatic for most kids. It didn't effect him that much, since this isn't his first time seeing a scene like this. The illness didn't discriminate, and hurt everyone equally. At the far end of the room, he could see patients on the verge of death, or turning into monsters.

'How did Noah not faint when he entered here? Is he okay or did he not enter here? But the painting is right there. Well, I will ask him sometime later.'

Some patients were chained to the walls to stop them from attacking others. Some patients started to lose the skin on their faces, while some grew tails. The room was filled with moans of pain. Some patients died, not being able to bear the pain of their body changing shape. The ones that didn't die usually lost their minds, which is probably how the colossus could enter the minds of the humans who turned into ratmen. Corvin took out some containers and took some samples from the patients for research. After finishing his notes about patient behaviour and late stage symptoms, he put the notes inside a special container that will allow him to read them without touching them and he left the hospital.

After disposing his expendable clothes and cleaning himself thoroughly, he gave Norman a report about his findings and went to the inn.

*****

"Who are you? What are you?!"

"Hm? Didn't you hear me? My name is SAM."

"I heard you, but what are you?"

Amy couldn't believe what she saw. In front of her was something that looked like a human but obviously wasn't.

'Is it a monster or a colossus? What is this thing?'

"What I am isn't important miss, as you will forget about me after we are done."

"W-what do you mean?"

"Miss, I can feel your emotions. They are a mess right now, right? You lost your family and city. You couldn't find a cure to the plague even though you can use magic that perfectly suits that purpose."

"Ho-how do you know about my family? How do you know my magic?"

Amy's was an organic chemist mage, usually called a pharmacist. She could use magic to make drugs, potions or poisons and similar things of that nature. If she learned and trained, she could even use magic to shape organic matter like animal tissue.

But, her talent was hidden from the citizens until she could protect herself. So no one should know about her talent.

But looking at the face of the man in front of her, she felt like he knew everything there is to know. Almost like he created everything himself, he had an all knowing smile.

"You are right in some ways, but that doesn't matter right now."

When he said that, Amy's heart started beating faster.

"Huh? Right about what?"

'Ca-can he read my mind?!'

"About being suspicious of me, of course! What, did you think I read your mind or something?", asked SAM. It was impossible to read behind his smile.

"What do you want from me?"

"Ooh, very direct, are we? Well, I want you to take this thing and go where it points towards."

He handed her a small compass, but the needle didn't point towards north.

"What happens if I don't?"

"You will probably die in the middle of the forest. Killed by more of those monsters that you just saw."

"W-what happens if I do?"

"I will protect you on the way, and you will meet someone who can stop this plague."

"Huh? What? Did I hear you right?"

"Yeah, this will bring you to someone who can stop the plague. Well, they need your help to do it."

"Really?"

"Yeah. So, what do you think?"

"I-I will follow it.", she said with excitement.

"Great! Then, good luck. Don't worry, I will protect you on the way, even after deleting your memories about me."

"Huh? Why are you deleting them?"

"He doesn't need to remember my existence yet."

"Who?"

"You will meet him. Now come on, go on your merry way.", said SAM and put his hand on Amy's head. He turned her towards the path and disappeared.

"Please follow the compass, miss."

"Huh? Who was that? Am I just hearing things?"

After leaving a last message to her, SAM left, both her side and her memories. She looked around to see where that voice came from, but saw nothing.

"Whatever. It was probably an animal or something. Just walk towards where the compass points Amy.", she muttered to herself and started walking.