“You have to loosen up a little, Xan.” Geoff told his friend as they re-entered the house, shutting the door behind him. “That guy was being an asshole, but drama wont diffuse every situation.”

“You’re right… He was just... Getting on my nerves.” Xanthus sighed, picking the right words.

“Well, I could probably warm the bacon back up, although it’s probably a bit off now.” the goblin frowned, looking at the freezing stack of pancakes sitting on the counter.

“Bacon can sit out for up to four hours, at least from what I’ve read. Just wash your hands first and we’ll be fine.” Xanthus said.

“Yeah, it should be good. Still, you want me to heat it?”

“Sure, toss it back in the pan I guess.”

Geoff washed his hands and took the bacon and tossed in the pan, while Xan looked over that bill he’d been neglecting. He kept reading it over and over again to reaffirm his suspicions. Steam power was expensive. Extremely expensive in a small town like this… He owed over six hundred Sergs...

“I hate this empire.” he finally announced. Geoff nodded, tossing the wet bacon.

“There’s always the West.” the goblin suggested.

“That would be suicide. Too many monsters.”

“I mean the far west, that place is a utopia.” corrected Geoff. It was true, the West Coast of the western continent was brimming with innovation and prosperity. It was a golden age for them, but currently Xanthus and Geoff were stuck on the other side of the planet.

“Well, Erune is pretty good too. I mean, it’s basically a two days carriage ride away.”

“I don’t think we should go there. There are many other places where we could be. And, it’s just a silly pipe dream. We belong here, in Farrowood. We can research a cure for your dad, and get rich off that sweet physician money, all in relative peace.”

“Yeah, you could be right I guess. But this empire does suck, we probably should have left years ago.” Xanthus said. It was blatantly clear then and there.

Geoff lent Xanthus a smirk, handing him the pancakes and letting him finally dig in. They were bone cold now, a shame. “Well, I am certainly open to adventure. I was trying to have a chat with those doctors back there and they were straight up ignoring me… talk about racist! I’m the least threatening goblin ever!” Geoff grumbled, munching his cold meal.

“You do have a tendency to flirt with women though, Geoff, you… don’t even notice it sometimes.” Xanthus replied timidly through bites.

“And you still have the heart of a child and won’t find out how awesome love is! My ex and I still write each other, even though she knows I’m a criminal. That’s true love right there!” Geoff laughed.

“What am I supposed to do about that? There isn’t just an attractive love interest waiting for me, unlike your cheap romance novels you read.”

“Hey, life could be a cheap romance novel if you want it to.”

“I’ll pass on that one, friend.” Xanthus rolled his eyes.

“Still, there’s adventure out there. Maybe not cute chics with soft, fragrant hair, but there are always sick people to cure. I feel the world could use a Sickbringer and his handsome goblin sidekick.”

“I told you not to call me that.”

“Apologies.” Geoff replied politely.

----------------------------------------

The day passed, and then another. Nothing notable happened. Nothing worth speaking of. Business as usual.

“So you finally got around to paying off that bill, huh?” Geoff said to his friend as he came back inside. Xanthus removed his jacket and hung it upon the coat rack with a smile.

“Yup. I’ve been thinking a lot about what you said the other day, by the way.” Xanthus added, walking over to the couch. The goblin was reading a blue covered book titled ‘Machinations and You: A Cultured Goblin’s Guide to Innovation and Service’ by Briar Jekowitz.

“And?” Geoff muttered, taking a glance at his friend setting some odds and ends onto the coffee table.

“The whole moving thing.”

“I know, I asked what you were thinking about?” Geoff said, looking up from the literature.

“I was just gonna let you know that I think I’m good here. I have made my stance clear, I don’t wanna move. I had enough silly trivialities to worry about in my past, I just want to live a calm life now, and cure Dad.” Xanthus explained, making his point.

“Okay man, whatever. I didn’t really feel like it either.” Geoff shrugged, shaking his green, pointy head.

“So what’s for Lunch?” Xanthus smiled at Geoff.

“Could you make it, I don’t really want to…” he replied, disinterested.

“Yeah, sure. Just know it’ll probably be a sandwich.” Xanthus smiled.

Just then, as Xanthus rose, he looked out the window, crowds of people had gathered as two carriages pulled down the road. Royal colors of red, blue, and gold, along with the empire’s golden phoenix symbol embroidered upon their flags.

“What are they here for?” Xanthus watched, running to the window and looking through the glass, now intent to discover what was going on.

The carriage pulled down the small road outside and stopped in place, the horses commanded with magic by the driver, who then peered straight at Xanthus through the window.

He hopped off the horse and went to open the doors. “Wait… are they… Oh no…” Xanthus said, face agape.

Geoff put down the book and got up, looking out the window too. A young man, in his teen years, exited the carriage. Not a human man though, he was a half-orc. It was the prince’s son, trailed by the prince himself. A full human with the ashen hair of the royal family. He traveled all the way to Farrowood, with an army of guards. And it was now obvious why.

Geoff gulped in fear. “Wellll, Xan… I think they are here for you.”

The townsfolk had gathered outside to watch the prince’s arrival. He seemed happy to be here, albeit perhaps nervous, but his smile hid it well.

Xanthus watched as he greeted normal citizens, his armored guards protecting him from any possible harm. He knew why the prince was here, he knew how he’d found out. He just didn’t know what the prince was going to do with him…

The royal man and his child came to the door, his guards knocked for him. Xanthus sighed and went to the door before they decided to kick his lovely front door off its hinges.

Unlocking it, he saw the guards, armed with giant glaves and stalwart faces. They grabbed him by the arms instantly.

“Good lord!” Xanthus gasped, the suddenness catching him off guard.

“You’re under arrest, Xanthus Zeneger.” the guards said, walking Xanthus over to the prince. He stood, shadowed by two burly armored men and backed by his carriage. If the crowd wasn’t watching from a distance, this would be an arranged kidnapping.

“For what?!” The alchemist struggled in confusion.

Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

“Attempted murder, for now. But there are several thousand more accounts that we know, and we’ll prove in time, Sickbringer.” one guard explained, speaking his title like a curse as he brought Xanthus before the prince.

“Hi…” Xanthus sweated, looking at the pair. His name was Prince Harkner, renowned for his mastery of both combat and strategy, hidden by a kind, charismatic, and non-threatening demeanor. They say he was so good, that Ochamus would have outright won the war with him alive back then, but for now, he was twenty eight, missing the war by two years.

“Hello, Xanthus. I’m afraid it’s time for you to face consequences for your actions.” he said, his voice calm, collected, and poignant toward Xanthus.

“I have no clue what you are speaking of. I have only done good for this town. In fact, I healed your guards just this week.” Xanthus held together, trying not to let anything slip.

“And I thank you. We will determine if this is a misunderstanding later though, for now, you have been accused with evidence that you poisoned five men with a lethal injection of Laevian Flu.”

“I never did such a thing. I cured five men of a deadly disease.”

“Enough talk, we’ll save it for the judge in the capital.” Harkner turned around, sweeping his hand to order the guards to put him inside the carriage.

“The capital?!” Xanthus exclaimed.

“Yes. It will be a one night ride.” he replied, one of the guards then tapping him on the shoulder. “Pardon?”

“Are you sure you wish him to ride with you?” the guard holding Xanthus said with bated breath.

“Definitely.”

“Of course, my liege.”

Xanthus fell to the floor of the carriage with a thud as the guard forcefully inserted him through the door. He got up and rested himself in the chair, there was nowhere else he could go, so he just sighed and accepted his situation.

“Is there anyone else present in the house?” Harkner asked.

“No.” Xanthus replied quickly. The prince simply lent him a smile as he turned to the guard.

“I don’t believe so. I looked through the entire place.”

“Hmm, alright. His friend must’ve fled. Send out the hounds, sweep till dusk, if he’s not found, send out a manhunt. Geoff is as crucial to this as Xanthus is.” Harkner ordered, although Xanthus heard something that confused him.

‘Crucial’, Xanthus guessed this may have to do with the court case. Perhaps they needed him to stand trial, after all, he’d known Geoff since the goblin was still drinking milk.

But crucial was a strange word to use. Xanthus let a smile cross over his face, if his suspicions were correct, Harkner may not be here to arrest him.

----------------------------------------

Geoff was hardly careful. In fact, the attitude had been forced upon him by Xanthus.

His master packed a backpack of holding for him in case of emergency, if they ever needed to flee Farrowood, and so that was his first thought. It was in a secret cubby behind a loose crowning, causing the entire board to come off, revealing the secret compartment behind it.

He crawled inside and sighed, grabbing the backpack off the wall and equipping it. He steeled himself for what came next.

He heard the guards entering the front door, he scurried across the wooden floors, nearly tripping over the plush rug he’d advised Xanthus against.

Fuck you, Xan… he thought, running to the back of the hallway and pushing a plant pot aside. Behind it was another panel, which he slid out of place, revealing a goblin-sized tunnel into the ground. The panel, on rolling wheels, slid back into it’s inconspicuous spot behind the plant pot.

Geoff didn’t waste any time listening to the footsteps entering the hallway, he even forwent the ladder down, opting to just jump to the bottom. He had little time to waste, so he hit the ground running, sprinting down the dark, earthen passageway.

----------------------------------------

After some brief farewells, the prince and his son got in the carriage with Xanthus. He ordered the guards to leave, and the horses began galloping off back to Bellaver.

Little was said until they reached the main road out of town through the forest, that was when the Ashen Prince opened his mouth.

“Xanthus.” he simply spoke.

“Harkner.” Xanthus replied in kind.

“Do you have something against the royal family?” the prince smiled.

“Not at all.”

There was a short pause...

“Do you perhaps have something against us now?”

“No. Nothing.”

“Excellent.”

Xanthus looked out the window, the trees rushing past made him feel uneasy. Carriage rides were never really his favorite. His gaze shifted back inside, his eyes locking with the half-orc youngling. He was ugly, disgusting. A sickly green freak of nature. Humans and orcs should have never put down their arms. Xanthus was sure the little princeling got bullied.

He stared at the boy for an unrecognizable amount of time before Harkner spoke up.

“That’s my son, Skoolla. It’s his orc name.” Harkner said uneasily, he peered at Xanthus further, who remained unresponsive, just staring at the runt’s beady eyes.

“Does he speak?”

“Yes, but he’s still learning English. My wife taught him Orc first.”

“And how is that relationship working out?” Xanthus said without looking over still. The boy, only around five it seemed, didn’t seem to notice, or acknowledge.

“Quite well actually.” the prince added, staring back at Xanthus. He finally gazed at the prince then, his trance broken.

“Not to intrude, but… don’t you have a son too?” Harkner asked.

“What makes you think that?”

“My men, they saw a child sized bed in your home. It’s rather irresponsible to have children in your life as a wanted criminal.”

“Assuming I am one. That’s not my child. That is my… small friend’s bed.”

“Explains the porno in the drawers I suppose.”

“God damnit, Geoff…” Xanthus muttered to himself.

“Let’s get this out of the way. I know you are the Sickbringer. Your eyes make it obvious. But, you are also a master alchemist. And I believe you are also a master of subterfuge.”

Xanthus sat back in his seat, the plush leather gained from the slaughter of royal cows pressed into his back, soothing and uneasing him. He didn’t know how to respond to that.

“What do you want?” he asked in reply, exhaling.

“I want your skills. It’d be a shame for such a great mind to go to waste.”

“It depends what you need me to brew.”

“Preventing a second war with Erune. That, Xanthus, is what I need.”