Juro was the first to wake within the palace. First priority he took was looking to see if the swiftraven had returned with his message. He was glad to see the raven outside his window. Patiently waiting to be let in. The knight took the envelope and read it. As well as noticing another sheet of paper within. A devious smile came to his face.

“Ah. So he’s sending Verokina for the dracion. Guess we won’t need to do too much work.” Juro said to himself. He placed the letter inside of his drawer and dressed himself in his regular attire. Then the man headed down to the main hall on the first floor. Where he was greeted with another sight he was ready to witness. Three stretchers were lined up ready to be loaded onto a large carriage. They were patients afflicted with the infection who had sheets covering them.

“Lord Juro. The patients are prepared to be sent to Dreamsky.” An alchemist announced for the knight.

“Delightful. Hurry along now. No reason to daddle. And make it fast.” Juro ordered the men. They quickly yet carefully loaded up the patients. Then rode off as swiftly as possible. Juro looked to his pocket watch. “Hmm. Seems it’s time to get those two up.”

After the two were treated to breakfast, Ezra and Nicholai met with Juro. He had instructed them to remain within their room until he called for them. It was nearly noon and they had finally been able to get an audience with the knight. They moved back to the lower floor where they stood waiting for them.

“So. I’ll brief you through everything that we know about the infection.” Juro said. He then turned and guided the young men to the right side of the room, where they past through large doors marked for only knights and employees. The smell of the hallway started to become eroded quickly as they went further from the bright room they were in.

At the end of the hall, they entered a massive area, where there lay tons of patients spread out across numerous beds. Ezra and Nicholai legs froze as they gazed all over the room. Watching as an immeasurable amount of pain was felt by everyone who had been infected.

The doctors and alchemists were all protected from head to toe, as were the knights. Nicholai couldn’t find the strength to move. Ezra was completely speechless as he moved to each bed and noticed everyone's infected features. It was much worse than he could imagine. A red rash covered a large portion of their bodies. Whatever body parts that had been covered were now distorted.

Eyes turned golden. Arms stretched to twice their length, revealing bones which were beginning to change color as well. Hair was falling out, so much it littered the floor. Teeth had become more akin to fangs. And some parts of skin had started to generate holes seeping blood. Ezra continued walking over everyone as he checked out the disfigures people, stopping once reaching a bed that seemed to have been crushed. Pieces of it were scattered all around, and a massive crater was left in its wake.

“As you can see. This isn’t as pretty as we wish it was.” Juro said to the dracion.

“So what the hell is it?” Ezra asked.

“Some sort of scourge. Once someone is infected. They transform…..into monsters.” Juro answered Ezra’s question. Leaving him with more questions.

“Monster! How? That’s impossible!” Ezra screamed.

“I wish that were true. But I've seen enough to know that it’s the truth. Just as you see before you.”

“So how did this all begin?” Ezra questioned even more.

“In a village west of here. Eventually. Someone turned up sick, until one day. The whole village was massacred by the monster. A monster we believe to be someone who caught the infection and transformed.” Juro explained.

“Then that begs the question. How did that person get sick?” Ezra continued his wonders.

“We still have the body of the monster. Our hunters brought it back after they killed it. They described it as odd.” Juro mentioned to the dracion.

“I want to see it. If I can get a blood sample. I can get it to Garnet. That may be what she means by a good source.” Ezra said to himself, though Juro was listening. Nicholai finally found his strength and walked through the display and made it to Ezra. The dracion notices his friends' fear. “Hey. You alright?”

“I think so.” Nicholai responded. Shaking his head to reorient his focus to Ezra’s and Juro’s conversation.

“Alright. We may be able to get what we came for. We just need some blood from this monster corpse and head back to Garnet. She’ll come up with something.” Ezra stated to Nicholai.

“I’m sorry but we can’t do that?” Juro voiced to the two young men. “We cannot allow you to leave the kingdom with something like that. It could potentially be released and cause the infection to spread to other kingdoms.”

“My boat is sitting out in the water. We don’t have anywhere else. Mostly because you guys won’t let us dock, and the way we came got us attacked by a sea monster.” Ezra complained to the knight.

“That is none of our concern. Besides. I myself cannot issue such matters.” Juro said.

“What about the king? Can’t I just get his approval?” Ezra immediately asked.

“The king is too sick and bedridden to have any say in these matters.” Juro came back with.

“Well when I spoke with him he seemed just fine.” Ezra immediately countered. He thought to stop and go speak with the king himself. Yet his thought was interrupted when the doors burst open. The king's personal doctor, Menrick, was out of breath standing at the doors.

“The dracion! Where is he?” Menrick spoke through deep breaths. Ezra went to the man and helped him back up.

“What is it?” He asked the doctor.

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“The king...he doesn’t have much time left! He told me. To bring him the dracion.” Menrick recited to Ezra. Juro was surprised to hear the news. Even more than Ezra. He jumped over to Menrick, demanding to see the king.

“I’ll go as well!” Juro exclaimed as proudly as he could. Menrick instead put his hand up. Stopping the general from proceeding.

“I’m sorry. The king wants to see only the dracion.” The doctor informed him. Juro became mildly furious at the kings actions. He thought the king would want him there in the last few moments of his life. Especially for all the work he has done. Then Juro let his anger past. Everyone saw him grow furious, then subside. He nodded his head in approval. Speaking no words because he knew that not only was the kings word law. Because his opportunity had finally come.

Ezra left the sick bay and ran up to the king's room. Juro signalled the other knights. They all left their post and started to gather to his position. Nicholai was all the remained, he turned to see the knights gathered behind him. They all stood rather intimately. Nicholai alongside Menrick quickly started to realize something was wrong. Ezra was far away from them. So there was no chance to call for help.

The draconian made his way up the stairs and too the king. Who looked worse than he did the night before. Ezra rushed to his side.

“Gartham!” Ezra worryingly spoke. “Let me heal you!”

“No need my boy.” The king refused. “I need to speak with you before I pass. I’m sorry to put such a burden on you, but a dracion has never failed me before.”

“What?” Ezra asked confused about the kings history with someone of his kind.

“People come to Dolsrin for women, money, and games. And that’s why we are an easy target to be attacked first. Even by our own people.” Gartham started. Ezra started to catch on. “But without us, This empire would be nothing but bloodthirsty beasts killing each other. Which is why. I ask that you save Dolsrin.”

“Save?”

“Rather I would die fighting some monster or with a bottle in my hand. I never expected my own men to turn on me.” Ezra gasped at the kings words. “Juro. He’s working with the magistrate to infect the kingdom. And I’ll be damned if that happens.”

“Juro. Dammit! Nicholai!” Ezra thought of his friends. The king grabbed his hand before he could leave.

“Wait. Forget Juro. Get your friend out of here and head for Dreamsky. Juro has sent some patients there. However they are on the verge of transforming. If they are let within Dreamsky they’ll not only kill everyone but make more monsters!” The king yelled to the dracion, they let out a hard cough. Blood poured from his mouth. He sighed while holding his chest, then looked up to Ezra. The dracion turned to the door, then back to the king. He unsheathed his sword.

“Don’t worry. I know exactly what to do.” Ezra said, he then started to walk away from the king. Gartham watched as the dracion left him. The last dracion did the same, and this younger one gave off the same aura. Gartham had finally gotten his wish. He laid down in his bed, and listened to the footsteps as they went away.

Ezra continued down the stairs, his pace moderate. He expected the knights to be prepared for his arrival, and they were. They saw his blade coming down the steps before he did. Each of them already had their weapons drawn. Juro himself stood in between them. With Nicholai as a hostage.

“I’ll be taking my friend.” Ezra said as calmly as he could.

“You can have him, but you’ll have to stay.” Juro began. He then pulled out a piece of paper from behind his back and presented it to the dracion. The large bold words ‘WANTED’ stood at the top of the paper. “Red haired tall figure with a large sword. Ring any bells?”

“In fact it does. But that’s not me!” Ezra said back.

“Don’t bullshit me. The magistrate is going to plant these across every kingdom in the empire. You won't be able to get anywhere without someone chasing you. You’d do best to turn yourself in.” Juro barked to the young man.

“Do you think that scares me?” Ezra boasted. He then looked down to Nicholai and sighed. “I don’t have time for this. I have somewhere else to be.”

“Didn’t you hear me boy-” Juro started. Yet his threat to the dracion was interrupted by the same dracion hitting him in the face with his fist. Juro was sent flying. Unable to react to the blinding attack. Ezra stood Nicholai up, they looked over to the knight holding his staff. Ezra quickly struck the man down and retrieved the staff for Nicholai. “Kill them!”

Juro’s men jumped at the order. Nicholai placed his staff on the ground. The golden floor rose before the men, knocking them back and carving a path for the two to get away. They didn’t want to point their attention to the knights. And just focused on escaping the city.They stopped to find a quicker mode of transport, and found multiple carriages parked outside. Ezra quickly took the box seat. Nicholai were right beside him. The horses started to sprint at Ezra’s words. Yet he knew they were far from the knights.

Behind them the knights stationed on the perches above the places and the walls readied their ballista. Each of them was getting ready to aim for the carriage. The two witnessed the knights' preparation. The bolts then started to come. Ezra sliced the first one, shattering it. Another came from close to Nicholai, he saved the sorcerer before he was impaled.

“Dammit. Nicholai take the horses. Just hold on as tight as you can!” Ezra ordered. He handed the ropes to Nicholai. He then climbed above the carriage, and started to shatter more ballista shots. After a few shots. He noticed a moment of rest. He used this chance to fire lightning spears at every ballista reloading. While some were beginning to be destroyed he saw another problem coming to stop their escape.

Instead he didn’t. He was only able to notice after it tackled him off the roof of the carriage and onto the street, crashing him into one of the houses.

“Ezra!” Nicholai cried.

“Keep going, I'll catch up!” Was Ezra’s rebuttal. With that he wasted no time caring who his opponent was. He jumped up immediately and attacked the assailant. Knocking them back with his sword. Right as they were away, the dracion started to sprint away and tried to get back to the carriage. His attacker saw him leave, and rush back to the rooftops of the homes to follow the dracion. Ezra’s speed helped him catch up with the carriage.

“Nicholai keep going. I need to shake this guy. The city gates…..” Ezra looked forward and noticed that the city gates were closing. “I’ll deal with them.”

‘Got it!” Nicholai agreed with the swordsman. Yet he began to notice Ezra’ assailant, and something Ezra hadn’t seen. The man was not just a man. His bottom half was that of an arachnid. “What the hell!?”

“Is he half spider!?” The two yelled together in surprise. The spider-man brought out his weapons, some small swords. He threw them at the carriage. Ezra spanked the horses to pick up their speed. Getting Nicholai away from the attack. Ezra decided to make quick work of the man so he could secure their escape route by opening the city's gates.

He launched himself into the air. The spider man saw his target go into the air. He tossed more swords at the dracion. Swiped them with his sword, instead they stuck to the weapons. The swords were large pieces of web and silk. The spider man smirked at the dracion seeing his blade covered. However Ezra didn’t falter. He ignited the blade immensely, the bright flame illuminated over a large area.

Gartham saw the fire shining over the city. It was the last thing he saw, before closing his eyes. Leaving the world with a smile as bright as the flame.

Ezra brought himself down with the flaming sword, striking the spider man. Crashing down into the empty home. The flames spread and obliterated the house in an instant. Ezra stood up before the spider man who laid defeated. The dracion had no hesitation; he left behind the opponent and sprinted back to Nicholai, for he was nearing the gate.

Nicholai saw the swordsman jump back onto the roof of the carriage.

“Nicholai cover me! I need time to charge this attack!” Ezra told the sorcerer.

“I can’t use my spell to block the ballistas unless I'm touching the source of what I want to move. At this speed my staff will either break or the source will be long behind us!” Nicholai stated.

“Then use the wind! Concentrate it-” Ezra's description was interrupted. For a ballista shot had been fired into his arm. He was able to quickly apply Force to protect it, yet it still went through. Disabling his right sword arm.

“Ezra!” Nicholai cried.

“Don’t worry. I only need one arm to charge the spell. Just try what I told you.” Ezra assured the young man. Nicholai pulled his staff before him. He started to concentrate on his spell. Another ballista was coming for them. He swiped his staff, moving the wind to push it to the side, yet it didn’t move it enough and it managed to miss them by slightly. “Try again.”

Nicholai changed his plan. He took the rope controlling the horses and put it into his mouth, then grabbed the staff with both hands. The next shot came in, this time he swung with all the might in his body, and the wind broke the shot in half. He wanted to congratulate himself, but another shot was coming. He swung again, breaking it once more.

They two came closer to the gate. Nicholai continued to break shots. Then, a light came behind him. He looked back to see Ezra’s attack. A large fireball that was nearly the size of the carriage, maybe even larger from where Nicholai watched. The knights at blocking the gate saw the monstrosity as well.

Not wanting to be burned alive, they all scattered like bugs. Ezra sent the massive fireball flying to the gate. It burst down the large doors and split them to splinters, carving the way for the two to safely escape. Ezra dropped to his knees. Nicholai watched the destruction before him.

“This guy….”He said to himself as they left the city.

Juro stood inside the kings bedroom over his now dead body. Some doctors were preparing a stretcher to take the king to be buried next to him son.

‘Sir! We have him.” Some knights came into the room holding Menrick. Juro turned from the king. He placed the bottom of his staff over Menrick’s heart. Then, of the push of the trigger, a single bullet ended the doctor's life. The knights held his lifeless body.

“Put him with the other subjects.” Juro ordered. “Also, the dracion said he came by ship. Tell our men at sea. To sink it immediately.”