Chapter 2 - The Plague

<p>As they wandered around the village, Kelly couldn't help but wonder about Bruno's magic. She knew that he couldn't use it against Thomas, the son of the village Lord, but she was curious to know more. So, she turned to Bruno and asked, "Hey Bruno, what's your magic? You know, since you can't use it against Thomas." Bruno smiled and said, "Ah, Kelly. My magic is to make people believe in me. I may not have any actual magic powers, but I have the power of persuasion. And who knows, maybe one day I'll be able to use that power to make Thomas believe in me too." Kelly nodded in agreement. She could see the determination in Bruno's eyes, and she couldn't help but root for him. She knew that he had a good heart and that he would do whatever it takes to make things right. Later that day, Bruno and Kelly visited the family pharmacy, where Bruno's father worked. As soon as they walked in, Bruno's father looked up and saw them. He jokingly asked his son, "Is this your girlfriend, Bruno?" Bruno blushed and shook his head, but before he could say anything, Kelly stepped forward and introduced herself. Bruno's father was so surprised and impressed by her beauty and grace that he instantly knelt and bowed down, pushing his head against the floor knowing Kelly is the eldest daughter of the 1st pillar of the Wormswood Family. Kelly was taken aback by this gesture and quickly said, "No, no, please don't do that. It's fine." After the awkward moment had passed, Bruno explained the situation and propose to his father to oppose the village Lord with the support of Kelly's family. They all knew that it wouldn't be easy, but they were determined to try. With Bruno's power of persuasion and Kelly's support, they were sure that they could make a difference. They were in the middle of discussing their plan when a blood-curdling scream pierced the air. They quickly rushed out of the pharmacy to see what was happening, and Richard was already there, looking horrified. "What's going on?" Bruno asked, the panic evident in his voice. Richard pointed towards the source of the scream. "It's the plague," he said. "Someone must have use dark magic and has released it on the village." Dark Magic is more powerful than ordinary magic since it's sole purpose is to only take lives. Bruno and his father quickly donned their protective gear and rushed towards the infected individuals. Kelly, on the other hand, was told to go back inside the pharmacy, as they didn't want to involve a noble in this dangerous situation. The plague was spreading at an alarming rate, and even with Bruno and his father's medical expertise, they were helpless to save the infected. Richard quickly turned to Bruno, telling him to take Kelly out of the village while he would take care of his mother and sister. Bruno couldn't believe what he was hearing. "We can't just leave them here!" he protested. "We have to," Richard replied sternly. "It's too dangerous, and there's nothing we can do to help them now. You have to save Kelly and get out of here." But Bruno was desperate. "Father, please, use your magic. There must be something we can do!" Richard sighed. "I've told you before, son. My magic is limited, and I can't use it to interfere with the natural order of things. It's beyond our control." Finally, Bruno relented. He knew there was nothing they could do. As he went inside the pharmacy to look for Kelly, he was shocked to see her collapse on the ground, black marks spreading across her face. "Kelly!" he shouted, rushing to her side. He had never imagined that she could be affected so easily. The plague was too strong, and it had wiped out the entire village in a matter of hours. Bruno managed to get Kelly out of the village, but she was already infected. He tried to revive her, calling out her name, but there was no response. Moments later, he saw his father and mother carrying his little sister, who was also affected by the deadly plague. As they stood there in silence, not knowing what to do, a black mist appeared and out stepped Ishkafel from the shadows. It was clear that Bruno's father and Ishkafel had a history, though Ishkafel had been lost in the shadows for some time and had been working odd jobs just to get by, he couldn't publicly reveal his presence everywhere because he knew Superiors can always get him anytime which forced him into hiding. As a gesture of goodwill, Ishkafel gave them a vial of antidote for the plague, but Richard demanded two vials. Ishkafel responded with a grim statement, "In life, you have to sacrifice something. Save the noble and become a hero, or save your daughter just like a loving father would do. You choose." And with that, Ishkafel disappeared. A moment of silence filled the air, and Richard took the vial, walking towards his daughter. Bruno stopped him, knowing that what he was doing was unreasonable - saving a girl he just met rather than his own sister? But Kelly was the one who saw him as an equal, talked with him, and brought happiness into his life. He could never forget his family, who had been there for him every step of the way. Realizing this, Bruno quickly took a step back, making way for his father. They could try to make another vial but not identical to the original one, and also it would be too late since the plague was rapidly spreading. Bruno heard Kelly's soft voice and quickly approached her, asking why. She told him to always believe in himself and asked him to promise something. "You were the first man I ever met who's genuine and kind-hearted. Most in my hometown are proud and cruel people who think titles are everything. I know you'll be someone with a great title someday, and I wanted you to promise me something: be always humble and don't be like these jerks in my hometown." she smiled as if she's making a joke. Bruno couldn't respond but just nodded with sadness on his face. Kelly held his hand firmly, and a bright glow appeared in her eyes and disappeared. They were shocked and sad. As the little sister was getting better from the plague, they heard the sound of approaching horses. "It seems Ishkafel did a heck of a job," Thomas' father said with a smile. "You... you started all this?!" Richard asked angrily.. "Of course I did," Thomas' father replied. "I can't risk her knowing all my secrets in this village. Well, there's no secrets now. All I need to do now is to get rid of all of you. Shoot them!" But just as the arrows were about to rain down on them, an ice wall appeared in front of them. Bruno's eyes opened wide as he saw his father standing in front of the ice, struggling to contain the magic within his body. "RUNNNN," Richard shouted. They were afraid to leave him behind, but Richard urged them to go. "PLEASEEE GOOO BRUNO, GO WITH YOUR MOTHER AND SISTER. LIVE A GOOD LIFE FOR ME," he shouted. As they ran, Thomas' father taunted Richard, saying, "What a touching scene from the infamous unranked mage. Do you really think you can stop me with this puny ice?" But Richard calmly replied, "It was never about stopping you, My Lord. It's about showing you how to value life." And with those words, he melted the ice so that their eyes would meet. Thomas' father grew even angrier and unleashed his flames on Richard, causing him to burn and cough up blood. But even as he turned to ash, Richard did not scream or cry out. Enraged, Thomas' father ordered his men to look for Richard's family, dead or alive. He didn't care either way.</p>