Veronica was the first to wake up and rushed to the balcony to check on the men. When she got there, the men were okay. Huge relief washed over her after seeing the men already wide awake, talking to each other.
"Guys, are you okay? Feeling better?" she asked, wanting to know their condition.
"Yes, my lady. We're feeling much better today compared to last night. Thanks for your help!" one of the men replied.
"Did you guys vomited again this morning?" she asked again.
"Not anymore," the men answered in unison.
"That's good!" she said and left the balcony going to the kitchen to prepare hot cocoa for the men to drink on their empty stomachs.
Fifteen minutes later.
The men start drinking their hot cocoa with bread.
Graven and Terros finally woke up. They rushed to the balcony and were greeted with energetic men, drinking their hot cocoa and eating bread.
They smiled and looked at each other in relief.
"Everything good?" Graven asked his men.
"Yes, my lord! Thank you!" the men replied cheerfully.
Terros patted Graven's shoulder, and they went back inside the house, going to the kitchen to get their hot cocoa.
Veronica poured hot cocoa into the two mugs and served them with bread.
The men settled on the chair and ate their breakfast.
"Grandpa, do you think the black liquid was already expelled from their bodies?" he asked.
"Well... it's hard to say that they're already 100% cured. But based on the result? So far, so good!" Terros answered. "The more black liquid getting out of their system, the better!" he added. He looked at Veronica. "What do you think?" he asked for her opinion.
Veronica pondered the question for a moment. "Well... based on what I have seen so far... everything is good! The men didn't feel anything usual aside from vomiting and high fever last night. As long their body can cope up with the minor side effects, then there is nothing to worry about," she said.
Terros looked at Graven. "You see...son...? There's still hope at the end of the dark tunnel! After two to three days and everything is fine. We will give the medicine to the rest of your men so that we can finally get rid of the black liquid in their bodies, and we can finally blast that cursed King hiding under the basement of that abandoned castle for good!" he said excitedly.
Graven released a deep sigh. He understood Grandpa Terros enthusiasm to annihilate the cursed King into oblivion, but he has to save his two men first! Until then, he can't blow up that crumbling castle. "We will save my men first, Grandpa!" he told him.
"Ah, yes...of course! Dang! I have almost forgotten that the King hostage two of your men! Forgive me for being insensitive, my so. I'm forgetful nowadays! It comes with age!" Terros hit his head. "We have to think of a better plan than carelessly destroying that place!" he finally said and took a deep breath.
Graven patted Grandpa's back. "Yeah, a better plan is what we need. I can't turn my back on my men. I need to get them out of that place before we destroy that place," he said.
"I understand, son!" Terros said.
Graven and Terros left the kitchen and went to join the five men on the balcony.
Meanwhile, at the headquarter.
The first sign of attack of the enemy within manifested in one of the infected men.
"I can't b...breath! Some...some...thing is blocking my l...lungs!" he said, clutching his chest as he crumbled into the ground.
"Me too!" another one screamed.
Soon...everyone was having a hard time breathing. Calder also feels the same way.
And the infected men crumbled into the ground, unconscious.
Horace shouted to everyone. "Hurry up, let's bring them to Grandpa's place!"
Everyone went to their fallen comrade's side and grabbed them on the arms, they vanished instantly from the headquarter.
A few seconds later.
They all landed outside Terros's fortress.
Luke, during that time, was coming out of the tent where he was camping overnight. He was shocked to see his brother's men lying unconscious on the ground. He saw Horace and went to his side. "What's going on, Horace?" he asked while looking at Calder's unconscious body.
Horace looked at his master's brother. "The black liquid is attacking them from within, my lord!" he answered.
Luke recalled what his twin brother told him about the black liquid. So this must be it!
Horace activated the signal that will alert Grandpa Terros about their presence outside the fortress. A blue light emerged from the relic that he was holding in his hand, it lighted the area for a few seconds and disappeared into the sky.
Back at Grandpa's place.
Terros received the signal and looked at Graven, he was already clutching his chest. "Son, are you okay?"
"The black liquid is attacking me again!" Graven said.
"I'll go outside, Horace is here! He must have brought the others who are suffering the same symptoms just like you!" Terros said.
"I'll...c...come w...with y...you!" Graven said, his mouth twisted in pain.
Terros looked at Veronica. "Prepare the herbal medicine!" he ordered.
"I will!" Veronica said and rushed back towards the house.
Terros and Graven disappeared from the balcony.
They landed outside the fortress and were greeted with the horrific sight of unconscious men lying on the ground.
"Grandpa! My Lord, the black liquid attacked our comrades again!" Horace said in an agitated voice.
"I know!" Graven said, still clutching his chest. As he watched his men, including Calder, lying on the ground. Then his eyes landed on his brother rushing to his side before he loses consciousness.
Graven fainted in his brother's arms.
Luke looked at Terros. "What's wrong with my brother?" he asked worriedly. He can't help but get worried. Despite everything that happens between them, Graven is his only blood relative in this world.
"All that you see around you, including what happened to your brother now is the result of the black liquid that the cursed King had put in their bodies," Terros explained.
"What are we going to do now?" Luke asked.
"We can try to give them medicine, but I guess it's too late for that. Anyhow, the best thing to do right now is to bring them to the crumbling castle so that they can receive the antidote right away before it's too late!" Terros said.
A few minutes later.
Veronica appeared in the clearing, holding the tray filled with the herbal medicine. "Grandpa, shall we start feeding them with the medicine?" she asked while looking at the unconscious men lying on the ground.
Terros shook his head. "I think it's too late for that! If we served them medicine right now, it won't reach their tummy, and besides, the King might get alerted that we are trying to find the cure. He might attempt to try other tricks, and we are left with a new problem to deal with," he said.
"So, what we're going to do now?" Veronica asked.
"Go back to the house and watch over the five men," he said. "How about their condition right now?"
"Unlike their unconscious comrades, they look fine, strong, and energetic! I think the medicine is protecting them! We finally have a breakthrough!" she replied cheerfully.
"Good! You may go back to the house now!" Terros said.
"Okay!" Veronica disappeared from the clearing instantly.
Terros addressed everyone in the clearing. "Men, listen up! Let's bring your comrades to the crumbling castle so that they can receive the antidote!" he said.
"Grandpa, I will go with you!" Luke insisted.
Terros shook his head. "Son, if your brother is awake now, he won't allow you to go with us! So stay here, keep yourself safe. Don't add to our problems!"
"I won't become a problem to you. Just let me go with you, Grandpa! I will obey your command!" Luke insisted.
Terros released a deep sigh. "Fine! But you must stay away from the castle! That place is dangerous!" he warned him.
"I will!" Luke replied.
Terros looked at the men. "Let's go!" he said. He holds Graven and Luke's arms, and they vanished from the clearing together with the rest of the men.
A few minutes later.
They landed outside the crumbling castle.
Luke looked at the castle. "Is this the place where the cursed King was imprisoned?" he inquired.
"Yes!" Terros replied. He looked at the men. "You all stay here. I'll bring them one by one inside the castle! Watch out for the ambush coming from all sides! We don't know what the cursed King has prepared for us this time! Remember what happened in the previous times? The roots that suddenly shoot from the earth and the multitudes of bats! They might appear anytime and anywhere to attack us!" he reminded them.
"Copy, Grandpa!" the men replied in unison.
"I'll go with you inside the castle! I'll help you in transporting the men!" Luke offered.
Terros sighed. "Son, please don't be so stubborn! Just stay here with them. You will be much safer here!" he said.
"I will insist! I must go with you! Even if you won't allow me! I'll go there on my own!" Luke persisted. "You don't have to worry! I can command my spirit to separate from my body, and the cursed King won't be able to do anything against my spirit! I can even enter his place and spy on him without being noticed by him!" he offered.
"A-are you sure? Are you telling me the truth, Luke?" Terros doubted Luke's claim.
"Sure! Watch me!" Luke said. He put his brother's body gently on the ground and levitated in the air.
A few minutes later. Luke's body becomes two!
"You can clone your body?" Terros asked.
"No. It's not cloning! I call it semi-cloning! As you can see... my real body is not moving, nor talking. It will float in the air like a statue until my spirit returns to it!" Luke explained.
Terros sighed. "Whatever! Leave your body outside then!" he finally relented. He looked at Horace. "Son, Take care of Luke's body!" he requested. He waved his hand in a circular motion, and out of nowhere, a bubble appeared in the air encompassing Luke's unmoving body inside.
"Awesome, Grandpa! Now my body is safe and secure!" Luke exclaimed in glee.
Terros holds Graven's body, and he disappeared from the clearing.
Luke's spirit floated towards the only door that he can see that was still attached to the frame of the castle.
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