Chapter 6

"So let me get this straight." Sir Isaac started, trudging through endless slop. "You want us to go back to town to get to the Council of Alchemy and Magery, after you watched Dullahan ride back there?"

"Yes."

"Despite the fact that this Grimwald guy has the entire kingdom under his control and would most definitely have all of his forces stationed there?"

"Yes!"

"Well, you're the one in charge here so not my fault once we get gutted."

"Look, we're going to need all the help we can get. We barely escaped Dullahan alive, much less with minimal injuries. If we're going to do this, we need a proper plan and the proper equipment."

"What are you suggesting then?"

"You take the hits and I'll be your support. I'll try to back you up in a fight as much as I can, but I don't know how useful I can be. And if I'm going to be your little personal medic, I'm going to need my tools."

"So what? We're going to sneak into your lab at the castle?"

"No, we're making a quick stop at my house." Elizabeth grinned cheerfully. The two made their way out of the dead lands. They stepped through endless waves of mud and rotted flesh until they reached the sanctity of cobblestone streets. They ventured deeper into the heart of the kingdom, passing through small villages, walls, and gates. The cities progressively got busier and busier as they reached the center. Elizabeth and Sir Isaac expected the whole kingdom to be in disarray, but nothing has changed. Life still wasn't good, muck and bodies still lined the streets, but it didn't get worse. Everyone treated them the same as before, with either a passing ignorance or a semi friendly smile and wave. A crushing realization befell upon them.

They don't know about Grimwald... They both thought. Maybe it was for the best. Added unnecessary panic could make things more difficult. And if they were known wanted fugitives in the eyes of the new regime, that could make things even worse. One thing was now certain, play it cool, don't tell anyone about Grimwald unless if they're involved, keep the peace, save Ethros. Elizabeth halted right outside a cute little wooden house.

"This is it!" She beamed. Elizabeth happily placed her hand on the door handle and... "It's locked." She whispered.

"Well then unlock it?"

"I don't have my keys." Elizabeth blankly stared at her door, stuck in a trance.

"You don't have your keys?"

"They obviously took them when I died!" She bent down and peered through the small keyhole. "Maybe I can pick the lock. But how would I even go about doing that? I don't have anything small enough to fit in it, let alone the experience required to pick it in the first place." Elizabeth began to ramble on, unnoticing Sir Isaac walking up from behind. He pushed her to the side and swiftly kicked in the door. The loud crack of the splintering wood drew the attention of several bystanders.

"There. Now it's open."

"Are you crazy?! We can't look too suspicious or else Grimwald's going to catch us! What if Dullahan were to find us, huh?!"

"Just shut up and get your stuff."

"You are unbelievable." She sighed. Elizabeth walked through her busted doorway and into her deserted home. Darkness engulfed the space. Dust fluttered around in the breeze. She tip-toed around the pool of vomit and blood in the middle of her floor. Nice to see they didn't bother to clean up after they retrieved her. Elizabeth disappeared behind a wall into a room in the back of the house. "You're welcome to come in!" She called out to Sir Isaac. "Just don't come back here!"

"Why not?" He asked, taking his first step into his companion's home.

"Because I'm changing you idiot! This dress is torn and covered in blood!"

"Whatever." Sir Isaac wandered around the house. He looked at, picked up, and generally inspected every item inside. The state of the house felt so full of life, and yet so devoid of it at the same time. Eventually, he came across one item in particular. Sitting atop a dresser, in between a wilting flower and an award, was a little framed picture. A drawing of a woman who looked similar to Elizabeth. Sir Isaac picked it up, stared at it, lost himself in it. Soon Elizabeth rounded the corner.

"Okay, how do I look?" She showed off her new outfit, a similar lilac dress and leather belt around her waist with a bag draped over her shoulder. Sir Isaac looked up at her, and then back at the drawing.

"You look the same."

"Ugh, you don't even have the decency to say I look nice? I'm dealing with a lot here; you could at least try to help me feel better. Whatever, I have all my medical supplies in this bag, and I stuffed the scroll in there too. We should be all set."

"Mm." Elizabeth took notice in Sir Isaac's behavior. Was his distance just how he is, or is he too distracted to act otherwise?

"That drawing is of my mom." She started. "After my father passed, we grew really close. She pushed me to always try to help others, she's why I became a doctor. After the plague came to Ethros, she was one of the first to become plaguebound. I drew that picture to remember her by." Silence filled the room. "Do you have any family, Sir Isaac?" He paused for a moment before responding.

"No."

"Do you wanna talk about it?" She tried to connect.

"No." Denied. He set the drawing back down on the dresser. "Let's get going." Sir Isaac stepped outside and started making his way to the CAM, leaving only one broken soul inside the house.