[@Shadow Dragon]

"What can you feed on?" Ophion asked, knowing that he probably wouldn't like the answer. "I may have something for you in my lab. If not, you may be able to feed on an animal outside of the city limits. Just take care that you don't slay an animal belonging to anyone. As for the adventure, it is in a crypt deep within the desert. A series of tunnels, really. There's a staff belonging to one of the mage kings of old which may be useful for my research. He was known to have been a necromancer in life, so his tomb is probably protected by the remains of his army. You can see why having someone well-versed in the magic of the undead would be an asset to this endeavor, I imagine."

[@bloonewb]

The turmoil in the street increased as the guards and soldiers descended upon each other. In the chaos, many of Hekaga's inhabitants took the havoc as a sign that they could start looting, and a riot was underway within minutes. 

From his palace, Ternoc could see fires already breaking out, along with the distant sounds of a battle. At length, one of his ministers spoke up.

"My lord, shall we-?"

"No. Just let it burn out. We can clean up the mess when they're finished. If it gets out of hand, send for the cavalry."

"Y-yes, my lord." 

Ardasa's carriage cleared the city gates and was out of Hekaga, although this by no means guaranteed safety. Still, she was past the worst of it, as fighting continued behind her. The melee lasted well into the night, and only by daybreak did the grand prince finally decide to send in his horses. The usual round of arrests, killings, and purges progressed, with traitors being ferreted out of the ranks, thrown into dungeons, or executed for daring to kill the king's men. Ternoc knew that it was all a temporary measure, cutting out some of the superficial rot while the edifice of state still festered. Still, if there was to be a way to cure the illness, he would have to be the one to do it, and only as king could he command the moral, financial, and military might needed.