Viggo's Terrible, No Good, Very Bad Days

Part 32- The Scourge of Odin (Part 2)

Ryker reached the ship to find Ola waiting for him, her normal welcoming smile nowhere to be seen. Immediately his heart sank; what had happened while he was gone? Ola grabbed him and began to half-drag him across the deck, and, once inside, whirled around to face him.

"Viggo's in quarantine. What those men died from is contagious- it's called the Scourge of Odin."

The realization that he recognized the illness was accompanied with an overwhelming wave of horror. Ryker slid to the floor with his hands over his face, only supported by the wall at his face and Ola's fruitlessly comforting hands. "Come. We can talk privately in the infirmary."

Once the pair were alone, Ola explained how dire the situation is; how they needed a Buffalord, how unlikely it was to find one, and how little time Viggo had left.

"I want to see him."

Ola shook her head. "Absolutely not."

Hands shaking, Ryker gave her a look of desperation. "You said that he has a month at most, but probably less than that. I can't let him die alone."

Ola hesitated, about to refuse again, and Ryker yelled, "He's my little brother! I can't lose him!"

"And I can't lose you both!"

Tears were running down Ola's face, and her breath was ragged from her outburst. "If you get close to him right now," she continued, in a much softer tone, "You will both die. You may think I'm strong, but I can't. Do. This. Alone. We need a plan to try and save Viggo. And... if that fails... we will need to support each other more than ever before."

Ryker and Ola held each other for a long moment, trying to get their thoughts together. Finally, Ryker drew away, taking deep breaths to calm himself. "You said that Buffalord drool could cure him?"

Ola nodded. "Yes. But Viggo is already too sick to be moved, and the drool will disapparate before you can get it back to him. We just don't have time-"

Then she froze, a look of dawning realization on her face. "If I can somehow completely seal a bottle- it just might hold out- let me try something." She was already lost in concentration and dashed off through her shelves of medical items, muttering to herself.

Eventually Ola returned, carrying a long tube and a blob of thick brown wax. "Before you get too excited, I have to warn you that I have no idea if this will work for sure. I don't want to give you false hope. But- if you can get the drool into this tube, mix it with the herbs, and seal it before it starts to corrode, then we have a fighting chance."

Ryker moved to take the tube and wax, but Ola moved to stop him. "I know that you probably want to try this right away, right? I just have to warn you that it's a really long trip, even if you fly."

What Ola was trying to gently suggest was that Ryker might make it back with the cure, only to watch Viggo die in front of him.

Or he might come back to a funeral, without the chance to say goodbye.

It was a risk he would have to take. 

*another long bit XD probably one more piece for this idea, then I'll move on to another request. As always, thanks for reading!"