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Chapter 3

The searing smell of burning flesh surrounded him as he heard thick laughter coming from around him. He turned his head around frantically as he tried to find the source of the sound. He felt cold as he watched as a large beam of light appeared in front of him. A distorted figure stepped out from inside it and he looked at it with furrowed eyebrows.

“Who are you?” Azrial asked.

The figure seemed to dash in front of him and he tried not to panic as he watched a set of glowing red eyes stared back at him. “I am you. Once you open your mind.”

….

Azrial groaned as he slowly sat up in his bed. He allowed the fur blanket to fall onto his lap. He stretched out his limbs as he tried to ease the tight knot that had formed in his shoulders. He slowly stood up from his stone slab bed as he felt his tension subside. His hands ran down his scarred chest as he let out a sigh.

He didn’t want to think about that dream, it had been recurring in his mind for several weeks now and he couldn’t decipher what it meant. He went over to the small tub at the corner of his hut as he cleaned up the remnants of the dirt that stuck to his body before he quickly changed his loincloth.

He sighed as he heard the sound of the birds chirping from outside as he knew that it meant his day was just about to start. He took a deep breath in before he grabbed a hold of his sword that was positioned in the corner and he hardened his features before he began making his way out of the tent once more.

He was surprised to find that there was commotion coming from outside. Already, there were two fires that were lit and his men were actively training on the mats. He had told them that they didn’t need to train as hard now that the war was over but it seemed as though they were intent on not listening.

He stared as he watched as some of the men laughed openly with their mates and he felt a pang in his chest as he doubted that he was ever going to have the chance to experience that. He was pulled out of his thoughts when his second in command Lank came to stand beside him.

“Good morrow.” He spoke and Azrial nodded his head at him as they began making their way through the pack. “Anything to report?” Azrial asked.

“Everything seems to be in order with the people.” He spoke and he watched as lank gulped before letting out a sigh as he said to him, “Well the grains are good and the men are in good shape although there is something strange that had befallen some of the children. They had fallen sick and the master had been unable to treat them. They all show similar symptoms of blue tipped fingers and red rimmed eyes.” He spoke and Azrial widened his eyes at his words. That was strange and he had never heard anything like it before.

“How many of them have been affected?” He asked, trying to remain calm in the situation. He watched as the man let out a sigh as he tried to think over his words. “I believe that there are four of them. But this started yesterday, it may grow today.” He spoke with worry in his tone.

He shook his head at him as he remained calm, “If the numbers continue to increase then let me know, until they do not panic.” He spoke and he watched as the man sighed before nodding his head. Azrial knew that it was nothing for them to panic about and there was nothing for them to be afraid of. He was sure that in the end everything was going to be fine. But he had been wrong. He had been so wrong.

By the end of the day the number had increased to an alarming total of ten. They were all children and although Azrial had told himself that he was going to allow the Masters to do their job he had to see the illness for himself. The sight that he was met with made his heart ache.

He looked around the room and took in the sight of the pale figures that lay on the mats. There were some who had dried blood on their faces and some could barely keep their eyes open. He had to swallow the urge to throw up as he took in the smell of decomposing flesh.

He turned towards Maester Jan who was placing a wet towel against the head of one of the sick girls. He cleared his throat in order to get the Maester’s attention and watched as he quickly turned towards him.

“Alpha. Good day.” He muttered as he bowed his head towards him. Azrial hummed in response as he asked, “What is wrong with them? Why haven’t you been able to stop it?” Azrial hissed in frustration. Jan let out a sigh as he wiped his hands on one of the rags that he kept stuck to his loincloth.

“Alpha I have tried everything but there isn’t much that we can do anymore. They aren’t getting any better and the numbers of the disseized only seem to be increasing.” Jan spoke in a grave tone. Azrial felt a sense of anger come over him at the thought. He refused to believe that it was over.

“I will not have that. There has to be a solution. Keep looking.” He hissed at Jan. Azrial made his way out of the tent as he began to pace the grounds outside it. He couldn’t risk losing his people, to make matters worse that evening he was called upon by the pack elders. They demanded that he put a stop to it and threatened to remove him from the position of Alpha if he didn’t act quickly.

Azrial’s hands were tied as he felt utterly defeated, he could only hope that things would get better in the days to come and yet as though death had paid him a visit, the pack continued to thin with each passing day.

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