The Dawn of the New World

It was a dilapidated old single-story structure that had been damaged recently. A small bed was placed in the middle of the only room still fully intact.

Henrik was wrapped up in a blanket like a mummy with Fulke sitting next to him. There was a small green tube connecting the two.

Upon seeing Hao Xuan Fulke smiled and got up before remembering about the tube.

"Brother, you're back! I would greet you properly but-" he raised his hand to show where the tube was going into his arm, "I'm otherwise occupied."

Hao Xuan gave a nod before asking the obvious, "Blood transfusion?"

"Mhm. It's the only thing that seems to help."

Without wasting any more time Hao Xuan walked up to the bed to inspect Henrik himself.

'Pale complexion, low body temperature, slow heart rate. It just looks like he is sleeping.'

"Where is the wound?"

Hazel stepped forward and carefully lifted Henrik to show the back of his left shoulder. There was a mass of green veins protruding from the sides of a small hole. Slowly but surely the green veins were spreading to the rest of his body.

"It was just the entry wound at the start but after some time that ugly green color began to spread. Everything it touches becomes inflamed. We dug around but couldn't find anything inside."

Even with Hao Xuan's limited experience it was easy to conclude the examination.

"Blood poison. Slow but effective and very hard to get rid of."

"That's what I thought too," Fulke chimed in as well, "It is also why giving blood slows it down but that's only temporary."

Hao Xuan placed his hand over Henrik's forehead to send in a string of spiritual sense but it was like knocking on an empty house.

'His Mind Palace is sealed. I guess as a way to protect his soul but the longer it stays closed the harder it will be for him to wake up. The connection between his mind and body is all but severed at this point.'

"What else have you tried so far?"

"Everything we could. Hazel gave him a few common antidotes and we had the native healers take a look at him too along with the demihuman Princess. But nothing is working."

Hao Xuan ground his teeth in annoyance because he knew exactly where it had come from. Eurig was the one behind this and he was not a human anymore. He had already sold his soul to some demon and his powers as a result came directly from hell.

Thankfully, he just happened to have brought some experts not too long ago.

"Among the most recent batch of refugees that came to Argham there are two bald men, Zou Huan and Han Rong. Bring them here quickly."

Hazel knew who he was talking about so she jumped to action, "I'll go," and ran out of the building. They didn't have to wait long because she was back in less than a minute with both of them in tow.

"Here they are," she pointed at the two flustered men who looked like they had been dragged here by force.

They fixed their robes before Han Rong muttered under his breath, "You could have just said Hao Xuan needed to see us."

They gave a cursory nod to Hao Xuan before both of their gazes locked onto the bed.

Zou Huan's hand suddenly snaked forward and a Qi blade cut the green tube in half.

"STOP! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?"

Hazel and Fulke both jumped to their feet pulling out their respective weapons but, "DON'T!" Zou Huan was faster than them.

He moved in front of Fulke and tapped thrice on his chest, closing off the circulation between the main meridians.

Han Rong stepped in front of Hazel raising both his hands to create a shield, "Please wait, this is for his own good!"

Hazel's golden quarterstaff hummed loudly as copious amounts of Qi coursed between them but she held back at the very last second only because Henrik would also be caught in her attack.

"Explain yourself!" she pointed the Grail Seeker at them.

Fulke's body functions had all been shut down and he couldn't even move or speak as Zou Huan ripped off his shirt to reveal a string of green veins spreading throughout his body.

"It's a demonic poison. It acts both as a curse and a poison that spreads indefinitely through contact. The more spiritual energy one uses the faster it spreads."

Seeing the obvious similarities between Henrik and Fulke's wounds Hazel reluctantly pulled back her weapon.

"So what happens now?"

Han Rong breathed a sigh of relief before moving to Fulke and inspecting him thoroughly.

"The source has been cut off and not enough of the poison has accumulated within his body so he should be fine in a matter of hours. But..."

He looked over to Henrik whose face was now covered in beads of sweat.