Chapter Three

"You said you lived over three hundred years, how are you still alive?"I asked curiously.

"As a wizard we have a very long life span, sometimes it's a curse and other times it can be a blessing," Merlin explained.

　　Sighing he brought his attention back to me.

"That girl, named Ariel said there was a madness in your kingdom. How did that come about?" Merlin asked as if he was hinting at something.

　　"If you're so curious, why don't you come to ask me yourself?" Ariel said sarcastically.

　　"The reason I didn't ask 'you' was because I wanted to know his point of view," Merlin said sarcastically back.

　　"I don't remember anything, sounds like she needs to tell us both." I said sighing.

　　"How do I know I can even trust you, Merlin" Ariel glared at Merlin.

　　"That's a good point, miss Ariel. However need I remind you I saved your life from those treants, so I believe its needless to say I should have a bit of your trust, but I guess it would be foolish of me to expect you to trust an old man like me." Merlin joked.

I sighed, looking at them both. "Can't we talk about it, there are so many things that aren't making sense. Besides, Merlin sounds like he wants to help. Right now we can take all the help we can get."

Ariel rolled her eyes. "Fine," She sat beside us and took a long breath.

　　" Queen Madlynn of the kingdom Lazarus fell into a deep despair after King Lotharios went to war with Camelot and never returned.” Ariel began.

“Lazarus? I thought you said you were from Mudhaven.” Merlin questioned eyeing her suspiciously.

“That was what mudhaven was named originally to what had happened.” Ariel explained.

“Right, apologies, please continue.” Merlin urged her on.

　　”Right, anyway it caused her so much agony she took it out on us by closing the kingdom to only her inside subjects. The gardens were decaying our livestock were dying and water became poisoned.” She sat next to me as she spoke. 

“I remember Lazarus, once upon a time ago then the place seemed to have just vanished, I assumed the place had fallen to great famine and just died off, it makes sense now if the place had its name changed.” Merlin says slowly as if he had found the truth to a long lost mystery.

“Our People were losing their sanity by killing other civilians for food and started getting sick. Throwing up, and bones breaking and their eyes turned to black and ripping their own skin to shreds.” She shivered in disgust from the memory before continuing on. 

“So we made a plan, we were going to leave the village and find some sort of cure. It was all Lukes idea, that's why there are so many people follow you, Luke. This is your retribution." She finished solemnly.

　　"Retribution, who said I even want a retribution? sounds like we just came from a never-ending war. maybe it was my way of getting out of that hell hole." I said angrily. 

　　"How could you say that! with everything we've all been through, our friends, our family! they're all going to die!" Ariel screamed hysterically.

　　"If we left them there aren't they already dead?" I said coldly.

“Luke has a point, if they are tearing and killing eachother and they lost their sanity, there would be no way to save them, by the time you do get back you’ll find them already dead.” Merlin says calmly.

“Ariel met my eyes, please Lucas, they are still people too, they are suffering, are you really going to let them all die?” Her eyes pleaded in exterential agony.

I sighed and looked away watching the others quietly talk amongst themselve’s.

‘Memories began to pour in before I can get grip on any of them. Blood, blood was everywhere and the smell of iron and decay and burning flesh filled my nostrils all the death and agony. Bodies piled up on each other as we burned them and then it all went black.

Throughout all the smoke, and feelings of fear and despair. It was still clear Ariel was in the distance watching the flames of the charred bodies turning to ash.

　　It felt as though the world was on fire and that this was a literal hell on earth even the crops and grass was yellowing from the poison we called water, the ache in my stomach became more surreal as the hole in my stomach where food should be  grew even larger, I was used to being hungry. 

　　But this, is far worse I used to be able to steal some bread, or Ariel used to bring me some berries and nuts and a pail of milk. But once the plague started there was nothing everything ran out the animals died from eating the poisoned grass because of the water and no crops would grow.

　　The civilians started turning on each other they were losing their faith and their humanity tearing each other limb by limb. 

　　Our little village was in turmoil the queen gave up on us and closed the doors to the palace all had was each other and that soon end in conflict. I couldn't allow my home to be destroyed. 'There were stories of people selling their souls for their livelihoods, whether or not that was true I have to find a cure that will be my life's retribution.’

“Luke, Lucas.” I heard Ariels voice slowly pulling me back to my conscious mind.

　　Merlin, the old man appeared behind me and slapped me on the side of the head.

　　"Owe, what was that for?" I argued.

　　 "You never scream in the face of a dragon, do you have a death wish? Merlin grunted.

　　"Sorry," I murmured, I must have screamed while I was in that strange daze.

　　"Don't apologize to me, you incompetent fool. Apologize to Balinor," He shook his head.

　　"Uhm, right... Sorry, Balinor," I awkwardly apologized, Balinor huffed and shook its giant head ignoring me.

　　”Luke, you didn’t answer my question.” She insisted.

　　"Ariel, I know what I said was wrong. I'm sorry, we have just been through so much and it's hard for me too, but how do you expect me to know all the answers?" I explained hoping she would believe me. 

　　My mind suddenly went blank.

　　Shaking my head the past hour felt like I missed something and all of a sudden Ariel is in my arms.

　　"I know," She said through tears. "I'm just tired of living in fear," 

　　"Aren't we all?" I sighed tightening my grip on her.