That night, the Band of the Sun reunited at the inn after a grueling day. The atmosphere of their room was tense, with the tension they could not escape as the growing plague became a dark shadow that stalked their every step. The previously quiet room was now filled with deep uncertainty and worry.
They sat around a large wooden table with worried expressions on their faces. In the center of the table, several maps and notes were scattered, reflecting their persistent efforts to unravel this deepening mystery. A heavy silence enveloped the room, like the shadows of a night rampant outside the window.
Catallina, with eyes that reflected tension, finally decided to reveal what was on her mind. Her voice sounded serious as she spoke, "That priest... he might be right. I saw something odd when I met General Dorgs."
Theo, with his smile that often showed deep thought, responded, "What did you see?"
Catallina, her face filled with doubt, replied, "I saw the same black liquid as the one in the host bottle. It appeared briefly in General Dorgs' eyes, and then went back into the eyes."
Uldor, who was always on the lookout for strange signs, was astonished at Catallina's confession. "What does that mean? Is the general a follower of the Devil's teachings?"
Gorstag, with his inherent stubbornness, shook his head violently. "It can't be, can it?"
Theo, who always tried to remain calm in difficult situations, nodded seriously, "We need to know more before making any conclusions. However, this is a very suspicious sign."
As they were still immersed in deliberation over the suspicious findings shared by Catallina, the door of their room suddenly banged loudly. All eyes immediately turned towards the door with unconcealed confusion and shock. Then, Deputy General Tobias with a panicked look on his face walked into the room with quick, breathless movements that hinted that something was very wrong.
Tobias, without waiting, immediately spoke in an anxious tone, "We have a big problem!" His voice was noticeably shaky, reflecting the urgency of the situation they were facing.
Tobias took a deep breath before he began to tell his friends about the horrible plan that the city officials were going to carry out tomorrow night. His facial expression was full of worry and anxiety as if a huge burden was being placed on his shoulders, and he felt a responsibility to reveal the truth to his friends.
"I don't know how to tell you this," he said in a serious voice that trembled slightly, "but you must know. The city officials have planned something very terrible. Lord Elias will order the extermination of all those who have contracted the plague tomorrow night."
As the words slipped from Tobias' lips, the reactions of his friends were inevitable. Theo looked shocked, his eyes widened and his face reflected disbelief, "What?! They can't do that!"
As Tobias revealed the horrific plan that the city officials, including Lord Elias, were about to carry out, Catallina felt her frustration deepen and intensify. Her eyes blazed and her face flushed with unbearable anger.
"This is the most cruel decision I have ever heard of!" she screeched, her voice booming in their room, reflecting her deep anger. She felt devastated by the actions proposed by their city leader.
Catallina's gaze, filled with anger and determination, drifted from one peer to another seated around her. She stood resolutely, hands clenched at her sides, and her body trembled with overwhelming emotion.
"Do they think that killing people who are already suffering is the only way out?" she shouted, her voice showing how shocking and disgusting this act was to her. "It's a senseless act of cruelty!"
Her teammates, Theo, Uldor, Gorstag, and Tobias, sensed the pain and anger that engulfed Catallina. They could feel the tremors of her anger, and although they also agreed with her feelings and concerns, they knew that now was the time to remain calm and plan their next steps carefully.
Theo, in a soothing voice, tried to steer the situation onto a more productive path, "Catallina, we all feel angry and upset about the plan. But now the most important thing is how we can stop it."
Tobias nodded, understanding their feelings. He continued, "I completely agree with you, but they fear the plague will spread even further. Lord Elias and the higher-ups have lost their minds."
Gorstag, who has always been the one to find solutions in critical situations, expressed his despair in a heavy voice, "But what can we do to stop it?"
Tobias, with a sharp look that reflected his determination, revealed the plan he had thought through, "There is one way to stop them. There is an antidote to this plague that is kept in a storage room that is heavily guarded by guards."
The plan that Tobias had revealed caused further tension in the room. They realized that they had to act quickly and carefully if they wanted to thwart the terrible plans of the city officials and, at the same time, save the lives of the plague-infected citizens. All eyes are on Tobias, waiting for further instructions on how to carry out this rescue plan.
The atmosphere in the room is heightened by the discovery that the city officials have kept the antidote to the plague, while the townspeople suffer. Uldor, always meticulous in his thinking, examined this information carefully.
"Antidote?" he muttered in a confused tone, trying to digest the news that Tobias had just revealed.
Catallina, with eyes that radiated anger and frustration, blurted out the question with great emotion, "The bidder! So they have it?!"
Tobias was silent for a moment, eyes focused on the floor as he pondered the implications of this discovery. His voice finally emerged heavily as he replied, "Yes! Lord Elias ordered it to be kept. If you think about it, why do the higher-ups and members of the city government seem to be doing so well? Isn't that strange?"
Theo, who had been with Tobias, was surprised to hear that his friend also knew about this antidote. "Then you know about it too?"
Tobias, looking panicked from being under emotional pressure from his friends, admitted hesitantly, "I..I..Yes."
About their friend's disloyalty, Gorstag, who was always firm in his actions, grabbed Tobias roughly by the shirt, his face filled with deep anger, "You bastard! How can you relax while the citizens suffer like that!"
Theo immediately tried to calm the escalating situation, "Gorstag, enough!"
Gorstag finally released his violent grip on Tobias, but the look in his eyes still reflected deep anger. Theo, as their leader, continued with a very important question, "How can we get it?"
Tobias, feeling guilty and full of responsibility, winked with determination, "I have a plan. I'll help you guys break into that storage room. We must steal the antidote before tomorrow night."
Theo nodded in agreement with the plan, realizing that they didn't have much time to move. "Alright, we need to get moving. We don't have much time."
With the plan they had just laid out, the sense of pressure deepened. They knew that their task would be extremely dangerous, but at the same time, they had no other choice but to try to stop the cruel plans of the city officials and save the people infected by the plague.
*****