The next day, an expedition set out. The names of the ships, Arlen finally learned, were the flagship Righteous Arrow accompanied by Pillar of Faith. Arrow raised anchor and headed with a skeleton crew to the Mire. Arlen rode along while a pair of native assistants took a sailboat to guide them.

Arlen inspected the ship to the extent the crew would let him look around. Nothing he saw surprised him, and his lack of confusion probably told the outsiders something.

Arlen's improvised dock and road still stood. Huygens anchored well off of the muddy, treacherous shore. "Who built that road?"

"Stone-shaping magic can do amazing things over time. The Mirefolk have bad land."

Arlen lowered himself by a ladder and went ashore with the sailboat crew. They went first, trying to get the locals' attention. It didn't take long; a fishing boat drew into sight and retreated, summoning other people by land.

A party of hunters hailed Arlen. "What are you doing with that monstrous ship? Are you bringing your filthy sickness here too?"

Arlen spoke from a safe distance. "I must get to the ruin and ask about a cure. These outsiders want to see the Mire. You can keep them away from your towns, if you want."

"For all we know, you're sick yourself."

"I don't think so, and I've been around them. Let me pass and avoid me if you want to avoid the risk for now. It might be best."

The hunters conferred. "Stick to your road. Keep away from us."

Right now, the road ran directly to town because Arlen had been led to it, with a minimum of the aggravating twists and turns of their navigation style. Arlen pointed this out. They said, "Then go around. This isn't hard for you."

Harder than they knew. The captain was eager to go ashore and see the place, since he'd come all the way to the islands only to be ordered to stay in one spot just because of a little plague. Arlen sighed. He returned to shore and beckoned for the shore party, which he told, "We'll be wading part of the way."

They gave the village a wide berth. The nice, sturdy stone walkway only took them so far before they had to detour around suspicious, hostile Mirefolk. They all waded through the murky water.

Captain Huygens asked quietly, "Those beastly ones. Are they your enemies?"

"They've agreed not to attack, while we have guests. Best not to upset them."

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

Huygens wanted to do Arlen a favor and impress him by fighting. He went along sullenly. The expedition slogged deeper and deeper into the island, so that all four of Huygens's men had their hands on their swords and pistols. It took hours to reach the ruined chemical plant.

Huygens sized it up. "This much of an ancient base was here all along?"

"It was leaking poison. The water's cleaner now. Wait here; I'm going in first."

"How long ago did it stop?"

"Only this year," said Arlen, distracted by trying to find the entrance he'd used before, and the stone walkway he'd built up to it.

He went in, and quickly got out of sight. His target was old Sachin the Builder. The muggy world of splashes and insects faded out as he went deeper into the ruins.

He reached the laboratory. "Sachin, we need your help."

The creature in the glass tank squirmed. "How long has it been?"

"Not very long. Outsiders have come at last, and a plague is sweeping through the islands."

"Really, now! Fascinating. Tell me about both."

Arlen did, and described the costly but effective treatment methods. "Can you provide a better cure?"

Sachin burbled. "This sounds like one of the diseases from last time."

"What?"

"When my people first arrived, yours sickened and died. They weren't the same species, so that helped, but still there were three terrible plagues at once. Very interesting interaction between those; it gave my department some ideas."

Arlen grimaced. "Did you cure them?"

"For the most part the people survived and became immune, after minimal treatment. Anti-fever drugs, pain-killers and the like. The most stubborn of the three never quite went away. I suspect this is a new strain, brought to you from outside. But then, you'd have no idea what any of this means, would you?"

"More than you'd think."

"Strange. Let me see your blood, if you're seeking a cure."

Arlen subjected himself to having a needle in his arm. It had to jab harder than he'd have expected, due to his effectively armored skin. The Builder was able to fill a vial with dark blood and pull it into the lab's machinery.

"While you're working on that," said Arlen, "I brought you a message. What is this?"

He showed off the note that'd been copied from one stolen from the Mariv. Sachin scanned it and said, "The scribblings of stupid children. Debased dialect. What are they paying teachers for, these days?"

"What does it say?"

"These guests of yours seek knowledge of 'legendary' lost treasures. Ways to control the weather and smite their enemies. They believe in a vast control center on an island showing signs of heavy fighting."

"That would be what we call Newshore. Is there a control center, then?"

"I've told you, I never had full knowledge of what was here. But the battle on that island wasn't for nothing."

The lab went quiet. Sachin finally said, "Excellent. I have a solution. Your terrifying plague should respond well to a standard drug. As soon as the next materials shipment arrives, we can produce it."

Arlen said, "You can't make it right now with what's on hand?"

"Of course not. Most of the equipment hasn't been properly maintained in... in... some time."

Over the agitated bubbling of the old one's tank, Arlen asked, "Is there a magical method?"

"Harder, but... yes. I'm no expert. Let me send a recipe to your shaper field." Again a vine uncurled and presented Arlen with a circuit-like rod meant to interact with the energy that Arlen had absorbed.

The connection burned Arlen again, making him stagger and wheeze. When he recovered, Sachin said, "This isn't the ideal drug, but a cruder version. You should be able to generate it from the dirt and pond scum around here. There are certainly interesting chemicals at play already."

"Thank you, Sachin! You may have saved many lives."