Freeg woke up and stretched. Letting out a single yawn she quietly rose up to see Sonnia was already gone. The bed was left unmade and a pillow tossed across the room. Looking around she saw the body of the assassin also gone.

  “Sonnia? Where are you?”

  Picking up Garm she went downstairs of her home seeing random small scratch marks on each step down then smelling a small Smokey smell. Her pace quickened going out the back door Sonnia was next to a fire looking up at the sky.

  “Morning sleepy head! I’m glad my noises didn’t wake you up. I’m just ditching the loose weight before we go back! You know, don’t want your home to be infected with dead guys and roots.”

  Freeg walked over with a sour look on her face.

  “Burning a body in public isn’t the best way to go about that. It’s rude and disrespectful, Sonnia. If my home wasn’t stone, I would be more upset.”

  Sonnia tilted her head, feeling Freeg's words weigh her down.

  “Okayy well I’m assuming we can go back then? I’m ready to pay Gar a visit, I’m sure we both have LOTS of questions for him. Now let’s go please!”

  Sonnia quickly ran away like a woman playing tag. Darting to the stairs she waited for Freeg to catch up. She looked around at the area below seeing people talking around about their normal lives. Along with guards walking about relaxing. With small shops being set up and a masked man with a cart rolling around. Sonnia saw Derrick relaxing in an alleyway holding out his hand to random people walking by. He wore a top hat with its top missing. Once Freeg caught up Sonnia immediately went downstairs hopping on the rails and sliding down.

  “Homeless Derrick! Hi friend! It’s me, Sonnia!”

  The man looked up and took off his hat and bowed his head down. He wore a necklace with a petal encased in a small glass cover.

  “Yes I remember you the rich girl with the petals and now friends with the source of it eh. You got friends in high places. I hear you had quite the night last night. I have eyes and ears all over you know. To think the cure was real…you are a fast worker.”

  Sonnia grinned and shook her head smiling. Freeg caught up and looked over Sonnia’s shoulder carrying Garm in her hand.

  “We are going back to find the cult thing they tried to kill my friend last night. It’s annoying.”

  Derrick shifted his head and turned to the side

  “I see. Sounds like an eventful night then. I won't keep you. I’m on the clock after all. Now excuse me and goodluck.

  A random group walked by and Derrick held his hand to them.

  Spare change sir?”

  Sonnia tossed him a few silver his way and waved bye to him as they continued forward. Freeg looked back at him.

  “Strange, you make weird friends. I’ve never seen him before. He seems nice at least.”

  She cupped her hand and coughed. Continuing to the plaza. Free frowned when she saw the hole in the ground covered by a heavy chunk of metal. With a guard walking over shaking his head.

  “Sorry Freeg, we saw you last night. We can’t risk your secret path anymore. Chester and Captain's orders, though on behalf of them. We appreciate your hard work. The cure will be put to good use soon. It’ll be the highlight of the festival when we set it up.”

  Freeg put her foot on the metal and pressed her weight on it, testing it. No budge was seen from it.

  Sonnia stepped forward.

  This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

  “We need to get in. They got more dust plus they tried to kill Freeg. We need answers so get it off let us in.”

  The guard took a step back and blew a whistle. Within a few moments more men showed up. All of them already had their weapons out. Freeg backed off but Sonnia watched them all and grinned. For a moment she debated smacking them but then a new idea popped up. She started coughing on her hand.

  “Oeugh Oeugh Ehgeh. Truth is, ever since yesterday I’ve been feeling off. I don’t want to make everyone sick. Let me in at least I feel hot. I think it’s creeping up my arms.”

  The guards all backed of all of them looking nervous as Sonnia coughed. She grinned and bit her tongue a little letting blood seep from her lips.

  “I better go in before you all get it. Pleaasssee for the good of the city and Chester and the others.”

  Sonnia walked to the walls waiting with a smug look as guards surrounded. They all

  Whispered to eachother and covered their face others held up their shields each time she coughed. Their disgusted actions fueled her. Now taking a kneel she cupped her out hiding a laugh as she coughed. Eventually the captain himself showed up. He had light bags under his eyes and wore simple clothes. His hands glowed and summoned a will o wisp which went into the golem. Its eyes glowed blue as it came to life and created a gap letting Sonnia go through.

  “If you want back in then you are welcome to. There’s no coming back though once I do this. I’ll give orders to kill on sight if we see you on this side of town.”

  Sonnia walked over unbothered by his words, spitting at his feet. Then waved to Freeg who looked worried. She tried walking over to Reunite with Sonnia but the captain put a hand on her shoulder stopping her.

  “Freeg stop. Your health has been deteriorating. Stay here let us help you. If not for yourself then for me and the people who care for you and your work. I’ll escort you to the station myself.”

  Freeg watched as golem slowly stomped back into place. While the gap slowly closed up Sonnia could be seen waving and smiling happily.

  “Be back soon, Freeg! It won’t take long to stay safe till then.”

  Looking around as she slowly walked deeper into the zone, it felt more lonely. Despite it being day no one was out. Sonnia smiled and called out to anyone listening while resting her weapon on shoulders.

  “Hellooooo! I know you are out here. It’s me, the rose ranked initiate. You all had the balls to attack my friend and spy on me, don't be shy now.”

  After walking for a bit she heard some cries close to where she had tried sleeping the night prior. Dawning a predatory look Sonia went to go and explore. As she walked the noises got louder. Knocking on the door of a half broken home with slow deliberate Sonnia waited a few second before pushing it open.

  Inside there was three people. A man with blonde hair and an injured eye, another with a beard , then a woman laying down breathing hard, she looked like she was about to break out. With bumps all over her arms and black lines leading up her bid to her head. Then a jar next to them with only a few petals. Sonnia walked looking around, swaying her head.

  “I remember that Jar. Which. Of. You. Stole. It.”

  The bearded man got up staring, he held a dulled knife in his hand.

  “I did… I don’t regret it. We need those petals. It’s the only thing keeping her alive. You were not sick. She was. Keep better care of your stuff next time.”

  Sonnia quickly smacked the blade from the man’s head. Slowly creeping in, she tilted her head and looked at the woman.

  “She looks terrible. Are you sure you didn’t sabotage her? You gave her so many. Clearly you did something wrong, the petals cure after all.”

  The blonde haired man held the sickly woman’s hand. His gaze never leaving while he held her hand comforting her.

  “We did everything we could. She isn’t going to last long. Damn shame. If not even the flower can save her then what more can I do?”

  Suddenly Sonnia reached into her pocket and threw a pinch of dust at the woman. The purple glow made her breathing easier. The two looked in astonishment.

  “You are a cult member?”

  She turned around and slowly walked away with her voice low.

  “Keep the jar, stay healthy. Remember to ask next time. Stealing is punishable everywhere.”

  With that closed the door and continued down the alleyway hearing the voice in her head speak.

  “Thank you.”

  The words from her inner Paladin made her smile. From afar few figures stood blocking her path. Gar’s earlier bodyguards, the three of them stood in place staring down at the streets. Their skin looked more grey with the same black lines of the plague.

  “Hello strange people. I was looking for you all actually! Gar and I have some business to attend to. So get out of my way please.”

  She walked forward confidently, her body tried squeezing past. However the three men clumped together and blocked her path. Grabbing onto her they tried to force Sonnia down. Not having time to react she used her lean body and squeezed out and jumped back a few feet like the stone tiles were stepping pads.

  “I see. It’s okay! I am happy to play your game first. Let’s play baseball!”

  She clutched her weapon hard and swung hard at one of the cultists' faces. He fell over onto the ground, slowly he rose back. The impact seemed to break his neck while his head laid to the side, yet he still moved forward. His eyes were glassy and unresponsive to the situation. While

  His face kept a constant straight face. Black roots slowly forced his head back into position. The three moved in unison at her.

  Out of their finger tips were black sharp thorns. Sonnia watched with a curious face backing up more while letting out a nervous chuckle.

  “Hehe nice trick you got there….but I think I should leave now. Umm bye!”

  She ran backwards and went around ducking through alley ways trying to lose them. She kept hearing constant footsteps slightly behind her like they were trailing her. Running around she saw multiple bodies dead on ground, they all had saplings forming all the people Sonnia thought she had saved the night before. Each flower she ran past smelled like sweet sugar mixed with decaying flesh. The plague seemed to spare no soul in the quarantine zone.

  Sonnia stopped briefly to observe a body closer. It was a man who seemed to die screaming. His mouth opened in shock while he laid on the street, his skin in particular seemed to be coated in sprouts all over even standing through his shirt. Even more curious it seemed a rat next to him also had a flower growing out of its head. The rat's fur seemed to be coated in the purple dust. Sonnia kneeled down looking over them and shrugged a little with a smile that slowly weakened into a plain stare.

  “Hhhhhhhh should’ve figured the cure wasn’t true it must have extra steps or he gave me a fake one. Gar must’ve tried to have me assassinated to keep

  Quiet about it. The idiots thought Freeg was me I imagine. Dumbass I will need to repay him back on bulk”

  She got up and went back into a light jog. Trying to retrace her steps. After a bit of running she found a familiar sight. The house was broken down into a heap of rubble. The same place where she first met Gar. She could practically see his small base when she stood atop the piles of rocks. While looking out she heard footsteps approaching. The same three figures from earlier found her and now walked forward without saying a word. Sonnia slid down the rubble and got into a stance as if about to run at them.

  “Right right right. Our hide and seek ends. I’m ready to try this time. Here I. COME.”

  She immediately ran right at them while holding her staff like it was a battering ram.