“Alex.” I heard a voice call my name; a white light that faded away as fast as it appeared. “Alex!” He shouted, he sounded like he knew me, but I did not recognise the voice calling for me. I could feel a light tug on my power, as if they were trying to summon my very consciousness to them, then I sensed my talismans reaching out to touch this power. “Alex!”

“Who are you?” I called out as I awake in a hut. My body was sore all over, my blood still faintly boiling; it was obvious I was still fighting off the effects of Sniper’s poison.

I felt annoyed at myself to let them get me like that, stupid sensitivity to the darkness. I pictured the Draco in my mind, his power was so immense. How was I meant to fight someone like him, who was he? Perhaps the true cause of the darkness, Dumah’s puppet master.

“Fang.” I looked at the door, it was Ibiki. “I thought we’d lost you.”

I sat up, shaking my head. “I know this sounds impossible, but my clan has a strange immunity to poison.”

“You’re right, that does sound impossible.” I shrugged at his comment, what else could I say? “That was some scary stuff Fang, what the heck was that?”

“You remember what I told you about Dumah.” I wanted to make sure at least Ibiki was informed in all this compared to the other as I had known him for years. He nodded. “That Draco is far worse, and I fear is the cause of all this chaos within Cathopia, who knows maybe even the world.”

“But he was so powerful, even that Sniper and female Animalia were no push overs, even for you,” responded Ibiki.

“I know that, but my sensitivity to the dark energy emitted at that moment, contributed to my failure to win, then that poison messed with my connection to my talismans.” I stopped remember they had disappeared; I quickly touched my neck; Mila was there and Larana was on my arm as normal. I quickly glanced around the room, seeing the twin lion swords, but no winged lions, was the poison still disrupting my power, one way to find out.

“Just means more training if you ask me.” I nodded in agreement. “We have all decided to become the strongest in all of Panthera, under your power and knowledge, I’m sure it’ll happen.”

“I’m surprised after seeing all that, you didn’t want to quit,” I commented.

“As knights of Cathopia, it is our duty to protect it and all that chaos gave us all the more reason to.” I saw a determination in his eyes, I know I would see it in the others too.

My nose twitched. I could smell something horrid, a mix of herbs maybe. I realised I had some horrible green goo on my arm where Sniper had bitten me.

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

“What the heck?”

“It is an herbal remedy said to stop the spread of poison, looks like it worked,” grinned Ibiki.

“And I’m telling you it was my immunity,” I argued. “But…” I looked again upon the twin lion swords.

“What?” He held concern in his expression.

“It has caused a disruption in my power and the connection between my talismans,” I sighed. “I cannot return to Cathopia until it has been restored. Dumah would find out I have been weakened.”

“No worries, Raoul said you weren’t leaving until you were one hundred percent better,” encouraged Ibiki. “Plus, he did mention something about the darkness and some medicine.”

“Really.” He had me intrigued but not for long as he fetched Raoul to inform him, I was awake.

“After what Ibiki told me about what happened I fear this may have happened as the winged lions are always present even whilst you sleep,” said Raoul concerned. “So, I took the books of our history those left by Fang and found this. “He held up a glass of mainly brown stuff with blue at the top and bits of green stuff in it. I gulped; it did not look pleasant.

“You sure it’s safe?” I questioned.

“It is said that this was concocted by Fang to cure sickness caused by the dark energy, mind saying that King Alton came for the recipe some years back, but I have modified this to also help combat the poison within your body” He shrugged as if it meant nothing.

“King Alton?” If he’d come for it knowing it would help against the dark infection Dumah would cause upon him, then perhaps he expected this to happen.

“He came alone which was the strangest part.” Raoul nodded to himself, still holding the strange liquid stuff so proudly.

“Give it here.” I held my hand out.

“I suspect you are already recovering nicely from what the poison has done, but this will help you recover faster.” He handed it to me. “The trick is not to smell it.” That line came too late as the scent of it wafted up my nose.

“Too late,” commented Ibiki. It was the worst thing I had ever smelt in my entire life. It was a combination of something rotten and vomit.

“Do I really need to drink this.” I couldn’t, no way. If it smelt this bad who knows what it tasted like.

“Tigra.” Ibiki whispered her name. I looked at him. “It’s who you need to hurry back to.” He was right.

“And…” Without a second’s hesitation I drank the whole thing. The thing tasted just as bad as the smell, finishing I barely kept it down. I felt my body suddenly pulse, it was painful but only lasted a few seconds. “What was that?”

“A sign it is already working,” nodded Raoul. “Three times a day until it is all gone.”

“Three times…” I laid back down, the thought almost too much, if King Alton drunk this stuff every day, he was a brave Feles that’s for sure. I glanced at Ibiki. “I hope everyone has recovered from what happened.”

“Yes, they are already training to improve their skills,” responded Ibiki.

“Good, tomorrow I’ll start the harder stuff, we need to be ready for the next time we face them.” I looked upwards. I wouldn’t let them beat us next time, considering I was one of few skilled warriors within Cathopia, we might just be the only hope our home had.