The scent of moist earth overwhelmed the young blacksmith as he sat upright surrounded by heaps of freshly picked radishes.
"Where am I?" looking down and finding his hands and nails caked with dirt the boy slowly stands and looks about. He realizes the field seems to stretch to the horizon in all directions. "Could have sworn someone was calling me."
"I was Tyrrian." says the pleasant vice again this time from somewhere above him. Looking up hand over his eyes to shield it from the intense light from what he thought was the sun. Tyrrian is greeted with the face of his friend Tom the Cleric of Limtram and recently deceased.
"TOM! but how, you're dead." stepping back a few paces Tyrrian sees his friend is sitting astride a large softly glowing radish hovering a few feet above the field.
"Yes, Tyrrian I am dead. I have come to warn you, the others are in grave danger. Even now one of them is going to fall, you must awaken and go to them. Your strength will be needed to defeat the new foe they are about to meet."
Moving close enough to the boy Tom is able to reach down and touch the boy's forehead. The soft glow becomes a golden light that seems to course through Tyrrians very blood.
Sitting bolt upright in bed, sweat stained clothes plastered to his body Tyrrian cries out, "Danger! we must go to the others!" Firm hands press the boy back down in bed, as Tarek and Brother Beavis look down upon him.
"Settle down lad," Beavis brings a cup of water to Tyrrian's lips "you've had a bit of a fever and you been talking in your sleep."
"Beavis is right, it's safe there is no danger." assures Tarek as he pats the boys shoulder. "You need your rest, the fever just broke."
"It was Tom, he told me our friends are in danger! We must go after them!"
20 minutes later
As Tyrrian and Tarek mount horses to go after the rest of the party Beavis reluctantly hands the reigns to the boy.
"Are you sure you're well enough lad? I fear the malady may yet return and be worse this time."
"I'll be fine brother, besides Tom's warning can not be ignored. We may already be too late."
Turning to Tarek, Beavis hands him a small pouch of herbs. "Watch him, should the fever return steep this in water and make him drink it. Moep is still in topor and other villagers are showing sign of the fever now. Don't let him push himself too hard."
Placing the pouch in his vest Tarek shoots a smile at the cleric. "Don't worry, he is like a little brother to me. I'll take care of him and we will find Alexander and the others."
A cloud of dust settles around Brother Beavis as he watches the two young men ride towards the coast. After a few minutes the cleric turns back towards the White Horse Tavern, he has more tea brewing inside and must see to Moep and the others who have fallen ill.
Just as it was. Sadly, we did not find out comrades in time to save poor Bull Zi.
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