There were three heavy knocks on their front door. The doctor has arrived.
"I am here to see the patient," the doctor said.
Lucy was feeding her sickly father when the doctor arrived an hour too early. "Wait a minute!" she exclaimed. The bowl of half-eaten porridge was placed on the bedside table. "The doctor is here, father."
He wheezed and coughed between words. "Go... open the door for him."
She rushed down the stairs to let the visitor in. Each step she took on the wooden staircase emitted an eerie creak. She opened the door and was a little bit startled by the doctor who towered over her frame. He was a large man clothed in black and wore a white bird-like mask. His breathing was heavy, rhythmic, and audible through the mask's beak. The lenses were reddish, covering his eyes. There were crude stitches all across the mask, as if there were little to no care in making it. His worn out brown satchel was worn on his right side. He held a short cane with a snake's head on the handle on his right hand and a lantern on his left. The sight of the doctor right in front of her unsettled her a little bit, making her losing her senses
"Good day," the doctor said. "Where is the patient?" His voice was deep and slightly muffled and altered by his mask.
Lucy's senses came back to her. "M-my father's in his room. Please come in." She opened the door a little bit more for the doctor. He wiped the soles of his dark boots on the doormat to clean it before entering. The doctor wandered his gaze around the wooden house. There were dishes piled on the sink and some of the furniture were already collecting dust. He observed his surroundings until Lucy asked him a question.
"Uhm... would you like a glass of water or anything?"
"Thank you, but I'll have to decline." Lucy closed the door behind her and the doctor hung his lantern on the coat rack. The family dog won't stop barking from the outside.
"When did he start feeling unwell?" the doctor asked.
"Uhm... about two weeks already. At first, he had a light fever which he didn't paid attention to. Then suddenly, he lost strength and started to develop pus on his skin."
"Two weeks... I see..." the doctor stared into space, trying to assess the situation that the patient is in. "I believe there's still time. Where is he?"
"F-follow me, doctor. His room is upstairs."
Climbing the stairs with the doctor made Lucy anxious for the future. She couldn't stop gazing at the peculiar man in their home. They had already consulted with other doctors, shamans, healers, and men of medicine but none had given her the right diagnosis. She wondered as to how this man is going to heal her father. When they finally reached the second floor, she pointed to the room at the end of the hallway where her father stayed.
The doctor knocked on the old man's door before entering and found him lying sickly on his bed. His former vigor was long gone since he got the illness. He was essentially a shell of his former self.
"Good day, sir," the doctor greeted the man politely.
"Doctor," he called to the visitor. "Am I going to die?"
"There is still time, sir. Please stay still," the doctor replied. Lucy stood quietly in a corner and observed. She crossed her arms in doubt and anticipation of failure.
The doctor knelt by the old man's bed. Using his cane, he adjusted the patient's arms to observe his body, making sure he would not directly touch the old man. Pus and boils filled his arms and body, his eyes were bloodshot, his lips were chapped and were already blackening, and his skin already turned deathly pale. He has seen this case a lot before in his life. The doctor placed his cane on the floor and pulled out a leather book and a roll up tool case from his satchel.
He flipped through the book until he found the page that he was looking for. He then placed it and the tool case in front of him and pulled out a stick of chalk from one of his satchel's front pockets. He drew a large circle with triangles, runes, and mystic symbols around him while he murmured chants and incantations.
"I'd like you to gather some dirt from the backyard, please," the doctor instructed Lucy. Confused, she only nodded and left the room.
"Sir, I'm going to extract a few samples of your blood and hair. I need it for the diagnosis spell," he said to the old man as he looked for one of his syringes and scissors from the tool case. The patient merely nodded.
The doctor snipped a lock of the patient's greying hair and extracted a blood sample. When Lucy returned with a handful of dirt, the doctor instructed her to place it in the middle of the circle. She stood back as he placed the lock of hair and the blood on top of the clump of dirt.
"What are you going to do?" she asked the doctor but he didn't paid attention to her question. The doctor clapped his hands and began the diagnosis spell.
"Eir, Asclepius, Imhotep, give me knowledge. Sethanis, pradoxis, oculus!" As the doctor exclaimed the incantation and opened his arms, the circle started to glow in a golden light and fill the room with strong winds. motion, and magic. Lucy's father started glowing as well. Lucy couldn't help but to wonder at the doctor's abilities. The glow continued on for what seemed to be an eternity. Seeing everything that he needed, the doctor clapped once again, ending the diagnosis spell. Lucy immediately came closer to the doctor.
"So, what's my father's sickness? Is he going to be alright?"
The doctor adjusted his hat and faced Lucy. "Just as I suspected... I'm sorry but your father has The Green Death."
"N-No... that can't be..." She stepped back a little bit before finally falling to her knees and placed her hands on her face. Finally, a concrete diagnosis. She had heard about this disease before from her neighbors. She never imagined that this affliction which had already claimed the lives of thousands would come down upon their home. She felt helpless. Crying is the only thing she can do right now. "Not the Green Death! How long is he going to live?"
The doctor knelt in front of Lucy and placed his hand on her shoulder. "We still have time. I'll need some flowers from the Ostrelwood tree. I've already ran out of stock a few days ago but luckily, I know where I can find them in the Sea of Trees."
Lucy wiped her tears and looked at the doctor. "I-I'll help you find them. Please doctor, save my father."
"No, I'll be going to the woods alone. You need to stay and look after your father. You don't have the equipment to traverse the Sea of Trees." He held her by her arms and helped her standing up. The doctor picked up his tools and equipment, placed them back in his satchel, and walked to the front door. Lucy followed him downstairs.
"I'll be back by tomorrow with the potion. Make sure he consumes at least a drop of this every day until the pus started to go away and his complexion comes back."
"Thank you, doctor. Stay safe," Lucy said. Tipping the brim of his hat, he picked up his lantern and walked away without saying anything else.
The doctor went back to his home and clinic in the middle of the city. His feline familiar was standing by his clinic's front door when he arrived.
"I told you it was The Green Death," he said to the doctor.
"I still had to make a proper diagnosis, Maximus. You know that."
The doctor entered his clinic and went down to his workshop in his basement. He flicked the switch on the wall and the lights flickered for a while before fully awakening to dissipate the darkness. The place was dingy, damp, and gloomy. Heading straight to the enormous bookshelf, he looked for his trusty potions book that contained the proper remedy.
"That's another positive case. I've already lost track as to how many people were already infected. If this keeps up, there'll be more sick people for us to deal with..." Maximus said while sitting on the doctor's worktable.
"I'll try to look for an answer in the Sea of Trees as well," the doctor said as he continued to flip through the pages.
"Why?"
"The Sea of Trees is home to a lot of things that we don't know. If I can prove that The Green Death came from there, I would like to know how to end it."
The doctor took his mortar and pestle and placed it on his work table. He took some salt, powder of Azolti, a small bark from an elder tree, four spoonfuls of pure water, two feathers of a raven, and crushed everything in the mortar. Once the concoction was completely mixed, he placed the ingredients into a small flask half full of water and slowly boiled the contents above a burner, mixing the concoction a few times as it cooked. He turned off the burner after a few minutes and transferred the contents into another flask, letting the potion cool off and sealing the flask with a cork.
"Only one ingredient left," he said to his familiar.
Maximus climbed up the bookshelf, pulled out a book about magical plants and gave it to the doctor. He then opened the book to the part about the Ostrelwood tree.
"'To gather the flowers from the Ostrelwood tree, a blood sacrifice must be presented. Three drops of blood to the roots and nothing more. The tree shall bow down to let the gatherer acquire its precious flower,'" he read out loud.
"'The flower of the Ostrelwood tree is believed to have magical and healing properties,'" Maximus continued. "Are you sure you want to venture into the Sea of Trees for this? You know you can just ask them for more supplies..."
He took his silver knife and wore it on his body. He also took a few potion bottles as well for protection. "There is no other way, Maximus. That man is going to die if we don't do anything. And I don't need their supplies. I can handle my patients."
"You humans are really weird. You know what? Just let him die..." Maximus licked his body clean. The doctor gave him a stern look.
"Keep the potion sealed until I come back. We'll finish the potion together." He took his satchel and lantern and left for the edge of the Sea of Trees.
It was almost dusk when he finally reached the forest edge, the only time anyone is allowed to venture into the mystical Sea of Trees to gather the necessary magical ingredients. Travelling into the Sea of Trees isn't technically forbidden to anyone in anytime of the day, but it sure isn't a safe place for a casual stroll either. Since time immemorial, the Sea of Trees stood quietly to the North of their city where it housed the multitude of mystical and otherworldly creatures that lurk within it.
After igniting his lantern, the doctor reached out to the Sea of Trees, closed his eyes, and whispered the incantation that temporarily lifted the protective spell that kept the mystical creatures from getting into the city. He looked behind a few times before finally braving into the forest.
Besides the dying light of the setting sun, the lantern was the only source of light within the forest. . He traversed deeper, cautiously taking his steps. Some of the flora in the forest can be deadly, like the Aster plant which emits a strong acid that can dissolve a man within minutes if carelessly stepped upon, or the Horn of Sinclair, a capricious vine that traps unwary travellers and pulls them into their deaths. He walked on and on for miles deep into the Sea of Trees until the last remaining rays of the sun was gone. He paused for a while and drank one of the potions from his satchel, a necessary precaution. The potion hid his scent from the otherworldly predators he knew of that may be hiding in the darkness. He pulled out his silver knife to protect him, in case the potion wasn't enough. With each step, the light slowly changed its color from red-orange to a mute shade of blue, signifying that he is getting closer and closer.
After walking on for hours, he finally reached a clearing where the Ostrelwood tree was located. The light from the lantern glowed brighter thant it was before. The Ostrelwood tree stood proudly in the middle and the glow of the full moon shone down on it. Its leaves and flowers twinkled in the moonlight with all of its magnificent glory.
The doctor walked closer to the Ostrelwood tree. He placed his lantern on the ground and removed his glove from his left hand. He felt the mystical bark of the trunk as he circled around it while whispering incantations. After coming back to where he started, he stepped back a few steps and slowly dragged the blade's edge across his palm. He felt the sting of the silver knife's sharpness as it drew blood from him.
"Three drops... and nothing more," he said to himself as he walked closer. He let the blood slowly drip from the knife and into the roots of the Ostrelwood tree. As the final drop of blood fell, he immediately sheathed the blade back into its sheath.
Suddenly, the tree started shaking, a sign that the tree has fully accepted the sacrifice. After a few moments of rumbling, the tree gradually bent down until the doctor was able to grab the flowers from its branches. He took as many as he can so that he'll be able to have an extra stock just in case he gets another patient with The Green Death. He stored the flowers in a secure pouch in his satchel and gathered his items.
As soon as he turned around, he found himself no longer within the protection of the Ostrelwood tree clearing. He was teleported to a part of the Sea of Trees that he wasn't familiar with. Everywhere he looked, there's nothing but unfamiliar trees, rocks and mystery. This wasn't his first expedition in the Sea of Trees but this is the first time that the forest acted like this. The doctor looked for an explanation from one of the books that he carried. A Compendium for The Sea of Trees was the first book he got but as soon as he took the lantern that he carried, he saw that the flame changed from a bright blue to a sinister and horrid shade of red, a sign of death and danger.
"What the hell is going on?"
Suddenly, he heard a deep and deathly growl coming from the darkness. He quickly stood up and lifted the lantern, trying to look for the source of the noise. He raised his silver knife to protect himself and cast a shield spell that glowed yellow and orange on his left hand.
"Who's there!?" he shouted out into the darkness of the Sea of Trees.
And then, a ghastly black humanoid slowly crawled from the darkness with a sinister smile, its teeth razors, the blood from its last unfortunate victim dripped from its lips, its hands filled with sharp claws, its eyes deathly white and soulless. The scent of decaying flesh filled the doctor's nostrils. Even with the protective mask that he was wearing, he was able to smell death. The thing had what seemed to be a human head. It was an ungodly being, a mass of different human and animal flesh melded together. The doctor slowly walked back away from the thing, fearing that the potion he took earlier wasn't effective enough or if this thing has a sense of scent strong enough to overpower the potion's effects.
"S-stay back!" He pointed and waved his weapon at the creature trying to keep it at bay.
"Meat.... meat..." the creature menacingly said as it readied itself to pounce at the doctor. It showed its claws from the hands that protrude from its hellish arms and body. The doctor slowly walked back until he backed up into a boulder.
"MEEEEEAAAAAT," it shrieked as it showed its fangs and pounced at the doctor. He dodged the creature's attack and it struck the boulder, destroying a large chunk of it. The creature pounced again and the doctor deflected it using the shield spell. The thing pounded on the shield, trying to break it with its otherworldly might. As soon as the shield spell broke, the doctor had a window of opportunity to strike back. He stabbed his blade at the thing and he was able to run away, leaving behind the book he was looking for and the knife stuck straight into the thing's face.
The thing howled at the night and chased after the doctor. Being cautious at the plants was no longer his concern. His concern by this point was to survive and escape the Sea of Trees. The thing was fast despite its horrid body. The doctor sprinted as fast as he could, even when his legs and lungs started burning.
He hid behind a fallen trunk, covering his mouth to control his breathing. He sensed the thing was looking for him. He heard the thing sniffing for his scent but the thing ran past him. The creature's growls and roars fainted until it was gone and the lantern finally changed from red to a mute shade of blue once again. The doctor breathed a sigh of relief. He removed his mask for a short while and wiped the sweat from his face. As he wore the mask again, he noticed that all of that running got him lost even more. The only thing that can guide him by this point is the moon above him and the lantern on his hand. The doctor sat down until he caught his breath. He hooked the lantern onto his belt to keep his hands free. Surprisingly, the lantern never felt hot even though it glowed.
He started to walk once again after he made sure that the thing is long gone. The doctor tried to look for clues as to where he was within the Sea of Trees. None of his maps and guides gave him any answer. He was deeper within the forest more than he ever was before. The wind started to blow gently, cooling him down a little bit.
He discovered a cavern after walking for hours. He removed his lantern and sat down by the cave's walls to rest up. It's been a hell of a night for him. His stomach started to grumble. He wasn't able to pack some food because he thought his journey through the Sea of Trees won't even take him a few hours. The doctor removed his hat and mask as he gazed upon the full moon, wondering when he will be able to get out of the forest. Suddenly, he noticed a green mist coming from within the cavern. Miasma, he thought. He quickly wore his gear to protect himself.
Picking up his lantern, he journeyed deeper into this cave. He shone the lantern at the walls of this cave. It was filled with runes and other magical symbols that he wasn't familiar with. He wondered as to who would carve such things into this cave. He found more dark runes and symbols etched onto the walls the deeper he went into the cave and the mist became thicker and thicker.
At long last, he reached the deepest part of the cave. There was a large dark crack on the dead center of it where the green mist was oozing from. He knew what he had to do.
Although this situation needed at least five people conjuring the spell at the same time, he needed to at least start a first layer of sealing spell to lessen the miasma being released. The initial seal can go a long way already. He took a stick of chalk from his satchel and etched a small sealing circle on the ground. He clapped his hands and did a few hand gestures before slamming his palms on the ground. The seal started to glow purple and it emitted a purple tentacle that poured its energy onto the crack. A deep concentration is what he needed or else the seal would fail.
Once the initial seal was done, he drained most of his energy. He pulled out a potion from his satchel to replenish some of his power. He was about to do another initial sealing spell when he heard running and footsteps from within the further tunnel. Growls and roars and the decaying stench of filth filled the pit. His lantern returned its color to red, now more intense than it was earlier. The things were coming after him and they knew he was the one who tried to seal the miasma. The pit started shaking and broke the incomplete seal.
The things emerged from their deathly tunnel and ran to the doctor, each one trying to finally get a meal. "Meeaaat! Meeeeaaaat! Meeeeeaaaaat!" they all exclaimed in disturbing delight and excitement. In a last-ditch effort, he cast a strong burst of light, stunning the creatures of darkness temporarily. With his magical energy now in dangerously low levels, he tried to limp his way out of the cave.
He destroyed the entrance of the cave when he was able to safely get out to safety by casting an explosion spell, sealing up the creatures for now. The things shrieked, growled, and roared until they all went back into their tunnel, disappointed that their dinner was delayed yet again. The green mist of miasma seeped through the cracks of the rocks. There was no time to rest. He limped away from the cave, never stopping for anything, until he reached another clearing. Lying down in the middle of it, he removed his mask and let his energies, both physical and magical, recharge, almost falling asleep due to fatigue and exhaustion in the process. His lantern glowed white, signalling him that he was safe from danger. He noticed the color change and breathed a sigh of relief.
The stars and the moon shone bright that night. A gentle breeze blew around him and the trees danced to it in a pattern he couldn't follow. He stood up after a few minutes of rest and saw a glowing white orb with a small blue core floating in front of him. It spoke to him in a child's voice.
"What are you doing here?" it asked him. The lantern didn't change colors.
"I..."
"You're not supposed to be here, you know?" He brushed the grass and dirt off of his clothing.
"You're a Spirit of the Lost..." This is the first time that the doctor has seen one of these elusive spirits. It has been established by the Alchemy Guild of Doctors and Sorcerers that a Spirit of the Lost was a wandering soul of a child who was foolish enough to journey into the Sea of Trees and died trying to get out of it. It's been said that they only appear to travellers of the Sea of Trees to guide them out of the forest so that they wouldn't experience the same fate as they did.
"Follow me, please." The spirit started to float away from him. He followed the spirit back into the Sea of Trees after wearing his mask and hat.
The path seemed winding when he followed the floating spirit. They took twists and turns, traversing rocky areas and streams of water until he saw a bright light at the edge of the forest.
"I can't follow you anymore. This is where you go," the Spirit of the Lost said to the doctor. He thanked it and walked towards the edge of the forest.
It was already the crack of dawn when he got out of the Sea of Trees. The doctor looked back to the forest and saw the Spirit of the Lost that guided him took the figure of a small child and waved at him before it turned back and disappeared into the forest. The doctor removed his hat and mask, breathed deeply and returned to his clinic.
Maximus was by the front door when he returned. "You really took your time in there," he said. "You look horrible."
"I'll tell you everything later. Right now, we have a potion to brew."