[color=8882be]“You’ve got your new weapons. And we obviously need to take it down. I suggest you start your training with them.”[/color] Joshua responded to Alex while he approached a collapsed Imgor.

Imgor kept staring at where the wyvern had collapsed into the ground just as a claw clasped the edge of the hole. The claw was covered in black sludge like liquid with a similarly black vapor emanating from it. Soon the entire creature pulled itself out.

[color=8882be]“That’s impossible! The plague does not progress so quickly!”[/color] Joshua blurted out. 

The creature had lost large portions of its wings. It had become black and its flesh looked like it melted away for the most part, while the bones that used to form the rib-cage of the creature were now protruding upwards through its back in an unnatural fashion.

At the same time a distinct scythe made a thud as it hit ground and right after, Sapphire followed suit as she fell to her knees letting out a yelp not of fear but of pain as she clutched her abdomen. Dark markings began spreading over her entire body, which came to the attention of the others present as they reached her neck and then covered half her face.

Her yelp obviously did not go unnoticed, and before anyone could even react, the now plagued creature lunged at her. A black mist formed around Sapphire which converged into an arced solid structure that now sat between her and the lunging beast. 

The plagued wyvern pummeled into it, breaking it apart and knocking Sapphire out in the process, however not before spikes of similar material to the wall that formed from the black mist shot up through the ground and impaled the wyvern.

A howl resounded through the forest, the creature clearly still alive yet immobilized for the time being, struggling to come free.


[hr]

The fact that Jonathan, unlike the rest of the people who gathered around, rode to the scene attracted the attention of the veteran hunter among the two. The younger one was just about to take action against Jonathan as he focused his on him instead of the crowd and approached him with furious steps, obviously not pleased with him striding in without a care in the world.

“Hey, you th-“, Before he could continue the older one stepped next to the young one and raised his hand in front of him, stopping him in his tracks. This incited the crowed even more, furiously protesting at the fact that he was allowed to approach.

The younger one gave Jonathan a rather sour look, however he seemed rather obedient to the veteran as he went back to his attempts at calming the near-revolt.

“Yes, I've heard of the House of Gulderland. Regardless of your nobility however, unless you're a hunter, I can’t allow you to step any closer.” The other one spoke.


[hr]

The door creaked open and Willo stepped out of the room and back into the main hall. The door to which the blood trail led was open. It was previously closed. That spelled trouble.

[color=a187be]“Willo!”[/color] Lazarus yelled from behind the barrier yet still somehow maintaining a stern voice. Just after he yelled her name a black gooey liquid dripped onto her shoulder.

Just above her, suspended over the door-frame, an entity observed her. The being vaguely resembled the shape of a human, yet it was clearly anything but. Bones were sticking out of its limbs, its flesh was dark green in its appearance as if partly decomposed, with a black bile seeping out through cuts and openings in the skin. Its head was nearly featureless with a mere pair of perfectly black eyes and what Willo identified as its arms and feet ended in sharp bony claws.

Usually the plague affects every living thing it infects differently. Some might even be confused with normal animals if the plague progresses slowly enough. However, there were tell-tale signs of infection such as greenish or black secretions and blackened eyes. 

Lazarus had taught Willo and her team how to recognize these signs of infection. It obviously didn’t take long for Willo to deduce what she was facing in this case.

Despite it not appearing to have much strength in its atrophied limbs, it pounced with considerable speed at Willo.