Chapter One

The death toll began to mount in the dragon clan. The Dragon Fighters were slowly dying. The humans too- even some of the Yokai. It was strange. Even Yokai were dying from this "plague". It was like Thatz, who was not picky on whom it killed. (Do you think Thatz would care about the Chicken he's eating? No way.Nooo way.)

Thatz was showing a steady recovery.

How could you tell?

"ALL RIGHT! FOOD!"

His appetite was back.

However, Rune had not woken up, and Tetheus had not returned. Thatz and Rath sat by Rune's side as often as possible. (Mainly when not sleeping, eating or ticking off Alfeegi.)

But the next day.

(Author 1 (Roxanne): During lunch, no less.

Author 2 (Kaylith): I'm pretty sure.

Thatz: FOOD! ^_\^

Roxanne: What is it with us that cute little smiley face?

Kaylith: ??? Cute? It was a typo originally!

Thatz: ::Sniff:: Typo?

Roxanne: Look what happened! You made Thatz cry! ::Zap::

Kaylith: Itai.)

"What if Rune's sick, like I was?" Thatz wondered aloud, staring sadly at a full plate.

"Thatz?! You're not eating?! Not even you feel guilty enough to loose your appetite!" Rath said, watching him.

"Oh, shut up." Thatz growled.

The door slammed open, and Ruwalk stumbled in, panting. It looked like he had ran a great distance.

"More bad news?" Thatz asked, sinking lower in his chair.

"No! Rune woke up!" Ruwalk smiled at them, and in half of a second, Thatz and Rath had dropped their chopsticks and were out the door.

Rune was half-awake, sitting upright, his long blonde hair drawn into a cascading blanket of yellow. He seemed very distressed about something when his comrades entered, but that changed.

"RUUUUUNE!!!" Thatz screamed, throwing his arms around the elf in a grip that could easily pop Nadil's head back off. (Roxanne: So we don't think that Lykouleon killed Nadil. It could have been Thatz!

Kaylith: Keep telling yourself that, Roxy. Keep telling yourself that.)

"I see you're feeling better." Rune smiled, trying not to get choked.

"What about you?" Rath asked, allowing himself to fall backwards into a chair at the foot of the bed.

"I'm alive." The elf replied, trying to pry himself from the human's grip.

"Ah." Thatz laughed with embarrassment, and separated himself from Rune, and he bowed. "Arigatou."

"Don't be so formal!" Rune laughed. "It's against your character! What would the readers think?"

"Eh-heh-heh-heh."

After chatting for a while, the knights of fire and earth left the water knight alone. Rune threw his legs over the side of his bed, and began towards Lord Lykouleon's court. He hadn't made it half way, when Kaistern went streaking in the opposite direction. Wheeling around, realizing whom he had just passed, he began to drag Rune outside.

"Rune, can you heal someone?"

"More than likely. What happened?"

"Tetheus." Was Kaistern's reply.

Being dragged to a room towards the back of the castle, in halls Rune had never traveled, but he was lost in his thoughts of despair. What he did not notice, was that the splendor of the main halls was saved here, most of the walls were blank.

Does this illness spare no one? Rune thought. I don't know if my healing will work. I almost tapped into my life force to save Thatz.

They came to a halt in front of what Rune supposed was Tetheus' room. Fashioned in the same manor as the other rooms, this room was as elegant as the rest of the castle.

Tetheus' breathing had become very shallow. He was as white as the wall behind him, which was in contrast from his dark hair. Rune had only seen the humans this bad. He tried to heal the ill soul, but like so many before him, within twenty minutes, the Officer of Black was dead.

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(RJ: Angst is your friiiiiend..