Parallel Vol. 4 [LEGACY EDITION]

Chapter 46.1: The Maggots' Vice-Guildmaster

Judar Outpost,

Outlands, Serisis.

10:30 a.m. 18th Banem 1092.

Judar Outpost was a small barrack/fortress located at a small settlement on the border of the Outlands. Adventurers and soldiers with missions in the Outlands usually stopped by this post for resupply and rest before venturing into the dangerous lands.

Currently, a terse silence hung over a room in a private quarters as a skinny lycan shaman examined the massive orc who laid on a bearskin rug. Rudega and Ragnaf stood to the side with complicated expressions, while Chu Ling and two commanders stood next to the shaman.

While everyone waited with bated breath, the shaman finally finished his examination and looked up at Ragnaf with a heavy expression. "When was he poisoned?"

"Yesterday evening," Ragnaf responded, his eyes dark. "Can you cure it?"

The shaman shook his head. "If you had arrived a few hours ago, maybe, but I'm afraid it's too late."

"What?" Rudega trembled, unable to keep calm. Durst was absolutely necessary to prevent an all-out war. The orc's credibility was such that his one word was equivalent to a thousand of Rudega's platitudes. Without Durst, Rudega knew he had no way of convincing the orcs they were being manipulated. "How about a priest? Surely a healing spell can cure this?"

The shaman once again shook his head. "Unfortunately no. This is not an injury, but poison. Only the dispel spell can erase it. However, this strand of poison," he muttered as he cast a pensive look at Durst, "I'm afraid only a grandmaster poison expert can dispel it. It's a sinister virus that mimics the infected's blood. My dispel level is too low to differentiate between the real blood and infected blood. Worst case scenario, I might end up killing him if I cast dispel on him right now."

Despair colored Rudega's eyes as he slumped to the ground and buried his head in his hands. "What do we do now? He is our only hope of turning this mess around."

A heavy silence hung in the room as no one could find the right words to say. Chu Ling and her commanders did not know these people well enough to start offering platitudes and the shaman did not have any good news to share so he kept his mouth shut and waited for his prompt to leave.

At this moment however, Ragnaf's voice suddenly cut through the silence. "How long does he have left?"

The shaman's eyes brightened, glad he finally had something that could at least be construed as a bit of good news. "An orc's regenerative abilities are truly extraordinary," the shaman praised. "He is rapidly replenishing the blood cells eating up by the virus, and healing his organs almost as fast as the poison is spreading. That is the only reason he is still alive, as well as why he's still in a coma. His body has shutdown to conserve its resources for this fight. At the current rate, I'd say he has just over one month left – two at the most."

"Two months," Ragnaf muttered. "That should be enough time. I'll find someone who can heal him within that period." The orc's gaze hardened as he gazed at the bed-ridden Durst. "This is no way for a proud orc to die."

Ragnaf turned, and was about to leave the room to begin his search, but Chu Ling hastily called him back. The orc paused, confused and looked at the princess, wondering what she wanted.

Chu Ling let out a sigh, recognizing the desperation in Ragnaf's eyes. Two months. He wanted to find a Grandmaster Poison expert in two months? In Serisis of all places. That was a fools errand if there ever was one. Normally she would not have cared and let the orc do whatever he wanted, but after hearing their story from Rudega, she could not help but sympathize towards their plight.