The Plague

The Plague, an event that spanned 50 years, and only ended almost 8 years ago now. Half a century ago there was a thief who caused havoc to every kingdom outside the Lynceans.

Be they rich or poor, monarch or merchant, he stole and kill far and wide across Triquetra.

His name was Korekiyo Jin.

With his power of poison magic, none could stop him and hope to keep their wares. He'd amass a plume of gas and you could only run or stay and fight until the poison got you. You could kill a few of his men at best before that point. Now Korekiyo wasn't 'that' strong, but he was a threat to any kingdom hoping to conduct consistent trade.

With such consistent travel on the road, he would never think of going near Lync.

When the Kingdoms finally had enough of the thief's hindrance, the Kingdom of Triptych was the first to send out an elite squadron of Royal Soldiers to put an end to the bandits.

Upon the siege, they laid a trap for Korekiyo and his men. When he went to blast the faux caravan with poison. Korekiyo did not see the incoming soldiers surround his party. With the element of surprise on their side, the Tryptych soldiers put away the bandits one by one.

Korekiyo did his best to break apart their formation with his poison smog, but these soldiers came prepared. They wore masks and helms perfect for reducing their exposure.

Korekiyo was cornered, his prized poison would serve him no longer. He knew he would need something stronger. In his desperation, he conjured a poison that would not only be his last resort but his end.

Korekiyo had blasted one of the soldiers with the poison and despite being covered head to toe in coverings it did no good. The poor soldier screamed in pain, as this new poison erupted in vapors across his torso.

One of his fellow soldiers immediately went to avenge him but found Korekiyo to be screaming in pain also. His own poison wrapped around him and erupted from his throat devouring him from the inside out.

The soldier did not waste time to analyze what was happening, he took his blade and set it ablaze upon Korekiyo. He was scorched beyond recognition, but the damage was already done.

With this final act, Korekiyo did not claim one more victim, but so many more.

The soldiers returned with their injured comrade to be healed. Try as the healers might they did no good against the searing poison. Water magic, earth magic made remedies, nothing worked. By the time they thought of putting the Royal Soldier out of his misery, it was already too late.

The royal soldiers started showing signs of the poison. They came in droves to the healers, each growing more sick by the hour. Their families too. Then to their horror, the healers themselves started to get sick.

The soldier who originally got hit with Korekiyo's last poison had not been exposed to anyone other than the healers and soldiers and they were covered in wrappings and armor.

When word got to the king, he ordered complete isolation of the whole domain.

Despite this, people outside the kingdom got sick as well. No doubt many advantageous merchants took the first opportunity to get out on the road now that it was free of Korekiyo.

At some point, before they left, they were exposed to the poison, and in auctioning their wares had spread it. Their customers and their friends. Their friends and their families. This infection had finally reached Triskelion before long.

It was no longer a simple poison, it was an infection.

A plague.

During this time the kingdoms had no official alliance or treaty, but it was clear what they both needed.

A cure.

No healer, doctor, mage, alchemist, or what have you could find the key to undoing this phenomenon. No human ones anyway.

Communicating through letters and messengers the two Kings of Tryptch and Triskeles agreed. They needed more help. While no human had entered Lyncean territory for hundreds of years, this was the only place left to turn to.

They had Scholars and doctors with 3 times the knowledge of what they had, if they couldn't find a cure no one could.

And so each King sent a messenger in hopes they could reach the Country of Lync without getting infected by the poison.

Within under a month of travel and luck, each messenger arrived in Lync. On their hands and knees did they beg for their aid. That is, the first Lyncean that happened to be a farmer, but no less intelligent.

Despite their warnings of possibly being infected and not knowing it, they were happily welcomed inside their main city.

Once the main council heard their story, almost all of Lync was gathered to discuss what to do.

It was clear any ventured out would face infection and could not risk returning until a cure was found. Staying inside Lync would be guaranteed safety, this was true. But to have the first human visitors in their land in years and turn them away to face certain death? They would not have it.

Any doctors they could spare were allowed to leave and aid the human civilizations abroad. Some went alone, others went with their mate in tow.

In the end, the Lynceans would find a cure, but not without casualties. Even with the smartest among their ranks, it took 50 years to cleanse the plague. By those efforts alone did the kingdoms and their surrounding villages survive.

The Lynceans once feared to the point no one dared to set foot in their land, were now the saviors of the realm.

As for any and all records of the Plague. An unspoken rule was created by humans.

It was forbidden to leave any record of the original spell that created the plague.

Korekiyo wasn't that strong, but it should be impossible to hurt yourself with your own magic and create a spell so heinous it continued to act after death.

Hence in the current age, it was agreed upon that all records and mentions of Korekiyo would be purged across the whole territory.

His name, his birthplace, the mana seeds he devoured to create that spell, everything. The damage done by the plague could never be hidden, but the man responsible could.

The name Korekiyo would never be mentioned in history.

It would only say "The Plague".