Thundham nodded in satisfaction as one of his hands ruffled Elrhain’s hair. But although the gruff old man shot his eyes through the crowd, feeling pride at what would be declared in today’s gathering, he didn’t show a hint of his inner emotions on the outside.

“Good. I see you are all spirited as ever, despite the times. Then, how goes the settlement of my people, Palaikts of my clan?”

“… seven thousand heads of the eastern lake have all been well arranged in the rim of loch Sagathan, with three hundred new arrivals the day before. About fifty thousand, those who remain at East beyond the central boundary of Earthloch are making their way here as we speak under the lead of their various lords.

By the miracles of the spirits, the manna-rioghs that overflow are predominantly weak ones, lesser than high Earthen. So, their journey, while will take time, is not too perilous. We will settle them in before the end of Ashfall. By mid-Equinox at the latest, even if there are accidents.” Said Palaikt Sabhalan with a bow.

Ashfall was the season after the Monsoon, which was in turn called Greysqual. It was the Autumn of this world. And Equinox was the season after that, before the start of the five winters.

‘Equinox… I initially hoped that the main body would migrate before the monsoon ended… are there more people in Earthloch than Lilian said? Or, is the land simply that large outside the central boundary?’ Elrhain pondered while nibbling a sticky gum-like fruit he and Agwyn had scammed, traded from Ysbail this morning for some leaf and charcoal sketches.

He saw the other Palaikts also bow one by one and listened attentively as they reported the situation of their respective areas. The remaining dhionne to arrive was about the same for their dominions, and so was their expected arrival time.

Thundham nodded, then praised all the lords and ladies for their hard work.

From there, he moved onto other topics. The state of food stockpiles, how the hunters were faring, and about any gheist outbreaks near Lochuir. Just like that, an hour went by, and the nobles' faces became more and more unsettled, as if they had an itch on a place they could not reach.

Elrhain smirked, realizing how even the prime and proper Thundham would be mischievous sometimes.

Finally, as some nobles were just about to lose composure, being the tribal muscle heads they were, Thundham addressed the magma-tusk elephant in the room.

“Word has reached me that there has been an occurrence of the swampling’s curse in many settlements. I urge you to affirm again, but you must build the villages by the shaman’s teachings. Is that not the case? The dirty pits and waterways cannot mingle, or of course, the curses of the undergods will haunt the denizens for dishonouring the disc!”

Elder Sonora was the first to speak up. “My lord, of course we have abided by the ancestral teachings! Yet the curse grows strong even though it had only appeared two days ago. Our healing mages and shamans toil day and night to appease the undergods. Still, the spread is yet unstoppable.”

“Hah, ancestor’s teachings. Don’t you mean Impelakty teachings of those heretic scholars?” Palaikt Sabhalan mocked, but Elder Sonora simply narrowed his eyes and didn’t argue back.

What surprised Elrhain, who had an unobstructed view of the nobles below, was the clear shift in mood in South Palaikt’s camp. The nobles there seemed to grow incensed at Sabhalan’s mockery of the Impelakt scholars even though the target of the insult was not them.

‘Interesting. Well, the south does directly border the Impelakty plains. And they are also the only Palaikty in southern Earthloch with no equal neighbours. Cultural exchange has a greater chance of happening, as does cultural invasion!’ He mused.

“Silence!” Thundham warned. “Palaikt Sabhalan, there is a time and place for such behaviours, and now is not it. I will not forgive another transgression.”

The western lake nobles hooted while Palaikt Sabhalan hurriedly bent at the knee after a stiff apology.

“Now, Palaikt Sonora, as you were saying.”

“Yes, my lord. The situation is bleak, and we have not a moment to waste! For the sake of the unlearnt in our presence, let this humble Sonora explain carefully why we should not squabble west and East at such times. For we are not hapless cave mutts.” Palaikt Sabhalan glowered, but Elder Sonora again ignored the four-armed man with a cocky smile, returning to his speech.

“As you already know, the start of the collapse is the best time for newborns to be drenched in the rich manna the princess has so graciously summoned down. But with the curse of the swampling running rampant, I fear that the babes to be born in this golden time will either die of it or be crippled greatly even inside their mother’s womb.”

He then grandiosely spread his arms towards the other camps. “And this is not a problem for just west lakes alone. Whether North, South, East or even the main house at the centre and the Outer Circles beyond, if the curse remains unchecked, the very future of our great clan will be in jeopardy. What a joke it will be if, a hundred cycles later, when the collapse ends, Earthloch actually comes out weaker than before! Babes are the future. All else must be sacrificed to save them if we want to take complete advantage of the princess’s hard-fought blessing!

So I request you dispatch Elder Croneira and Elder Landhor to our settlements, where the curse hit the hardest. To relieve the future pillars of Earthloch of an untimely demise!”

Elder Sonora exclaimed his point with a swooping wave of his hand before placing them over his chest. Despite his fake elegance, none of the other nobles mocked him. Their faces grew grim as they, too, recognized the severity of the situation.

What Elder Sonora claimed was, of course, farfetched. Especially regarding the situation of the Western Lake nobles. He did that simply to have Elder Croneira treat his own people first. But, if even half of what he claimed happened, then it would indeed be a horrid turn of events.

Even Palaikt Sabhalan had dark clouds on his face and looked up straight at Thundham, awaiting the grand elder’s solution.

At first, the South Palaikt seemed unperturbed, but his followers could not keep their calm as good as he.

As for Palaikt Blethen of the northern lakes, she and her adherents were the only ones who could keep from losing it. News must have spread among them of what happened two days ago. Onthoakt Slanout even smiled, his reverent gaze crossing with Elrhain’s as if he was giddy being one of the only few in the know of a great secret.

Elrhain looked away and nudged little Agwyn on her bum with his pen. The girl snarled, then promptly sat up. It was about time for attention to shift to them.

The two had foreseen this and discussed heavily on how to proceed with their plans depending on the reactions. The only problem was, they did not know how or what those reactions would be. Cyra’s uneasy gaze that night still weighed heavily on their little minds.

Thundham, not noticing the turmoil of the two kids, didn’t directly reply to Elder Sonora’s request but shifted his gaze towards Elder Blethen.

“Regarding this, Palaikt Blethen will disclose the steps we shall take. Rather than me who was not present during the events, I believe it would be better for her and Onthoakt Slanout to take the helm from here.”

Blethen smiled as she stepped forward with chest puffed, acknowledging Thundham’s will as though it was a great honour.

Everyone else looked puzzled, speculating if this usually lazy northern lake ruler who did not show much interest in anything other than cultivation had sneakily come up with some countermeasure for the curse with none the wiser.

“Everyone.” Palaikt Blethen’s voice rang out. Unlike her Elven face, her voice was raspy. It had the mark of ageing and a slight treble only those who have seen the vicissitudes of life could offer.

“Just like your lot, this swampling’s curse rampaged in the North Lake villages for the last two days too. However, I don’t know if it’s by luck. Still, definitely by the blessing of Earthloch, we of the Coldest north have thoroughly defeated it!”

Elder Blethen did not beat around the bush. Her voice grew louder with emotion at every breath, and she clenched her fist up high as if to show everybody that the north did it first!

Murmurs rose, which soon broke into a full storm of agitated voices. No one had the will to poke fun at Elder Blethen’s childish antics. They glanced towards Thundham as if to question these claims, then at Blethen with faces full of disbelief at the grand elder’s acknowledgement of the fact.

Finally, without any warning, everyone, even the prime and proper utterly lost their composure. Even Elder Sonora, who had just predicted an infant doomsday, was flabbergasted.

He hurriedly threw the shock away and crowded with the other Palaikt’s for answers from the North Palaikt. Except for the South Palaikt, everyone else looked like they wanted to pry open the secrets from Blethen’s mouth if they had the power to do so.

“I-Is that true, Elder Blethen? How in disc’s name could a cultivation freak like you also know alchemy?”

“Wonderful news! I believe that the Northern lakes must immediately share their gains with us to drive the curse away once and for all!”

“As expected of the strongest of us. You have done the clan a high favour in this time of need.”

Palaikt Sabhalan beamed with an offhand joke, while Elder Sonora demanded like Elder Blethen owed her money. The South Palaikt finally broke his silence and wholeheartedly praised the northern Elf.

Following their lead, the Onthoakt’s and Reanakt’s, too, raised the clamour by many degrees. Praise mixed with wonder pushed away the fear and brought in a round of hope, like entering an icy cave after treading miles through the arid desert.

The pressure that had engulfed the hall at Elder Sonora’s premonitions broke away with cool, refreshing sweat.

But Elder Blethen held her dainty hand up, refusing to speak anymore. She snorted, then after yelling, “Shut the f*ck up! Don’t Interrupt me!” she closed her mouth as though the ruckus annoyed her mood considerably.

Everyone understood her intentions and obediently shut up, knowing her volatile temperament that did things more on whims than rationale. It would be no surprise if this moody Elder refused to speak for the rest of the day just because someone looked at her wrong.

Finally, after a few rounds of polite urging from the three other Palaikts and an exasperated Thundham who was secretly blaming Blethen for ruining the momentum of the grand reveal, Elder Blethen reluctantly opened her pressed lips.

“…. Sigh. Fine, but one more squeak before I finish, and I am leaving. Where was I? Yes, that. Uh, we made the remedy of the curse the evening before yesterday.” Elder Blethen rummaged for a bit but then recovered her earlier calm poise.

Elrhain was speechless, and Agwyn looked heartbroken.

This lady’s behaviour was not Elven at all!!

“Before arriving here today,” Elder Blethen, not knowing she had shattered two kids’ pure impression of her, continued, “I have personally confirmed that it works. In fact, it’s completely cured all cases of the curse regardless of age and health. The thing even worked wonders for six mothers carrying children, both mother and child saved. Those people only need some good food now, and they’ll be back to beating their husbands in no time!”

The hall threatened to boil over once again, but a cough from Thundham wedged their voices shut, least Blethen acted up. But Elrhain found it hard not to scream out at the Northern fake Elf to ‘not give Agwyn any damn ideas!’

“But I have to clear one important thing before I tell you lot what the cure is.” Elder Blethen said, “The first cursed saved by the remedy was not from my village. She was a sick mother, a servant called Nana from Onthoakt Slanout’s domain. In fact, only after he confirmed the cure to work on her and the other sicks in his village did this sleazy bastard send word of it to me.” Elder Blethen cursed, then thwacked Onthoakt Slanout’s head as if remembering the irritation she felt. The Onthoakt just shrugged as if he was used to it.

But then, Elder Blethen herself tensed up and looked at Thundham apologetically. “Uhh, it was from there, under the eyes of a main house Watch Captain and a shire healer on duty in this Bast-, the Onthoakt’s village, did we dare to use the remedy on other Northern Lake domains.”

“Then was it this healer who found the cure? To be a shire healer and not from the Elder’s rest, could such a genius really exist?”

Elder Blethen shook her head but then scowled at Elder Sonora for interrupting her. Luckily, she didn’t keep her earlier promise, and everyone seemed to sigh in great relief.

“You misunderstand, Bevin. The healer was the first person to carry out the cure, true. But she only did it under the prince and princess's guidance. That is why their escort for the day, the watch captain who had witnessed the entire process, helped us clarify the remedy to the other healers with healer Kond. Hm, Kond is that shire healer, a blood mage.”

“Oh, certainly. There’s no way the Elder’s Rest would pass over such a talent if it did-Wait, what did you say?” Elder Sonora hiccupped; his face looked as if hit by an ogre’s club. Blue and purple with a hint of pain.

“The prince and princess’s…. guidance?”

Not just him, but everybody else too, at last, registered Elder Blethen’s sudden words. And the woman herself, who nonchalantly dropped the bombshell without manner or mercy, grinned like a child who had successfully pulled a prank.

“Imagine my surprise! You always told me the prince was useless, but by what Slanout said, he’s a better talker being a toddler than you are at your old age. Now eat your words, you antlered prick!

Yes, you lot heard right. Clearing your ear won’t do you any good young Sabhalan!

The ones to dig up this life-saving remedy from some stinky piles of forgotten memoirs in the archives, the ones who convinced the stuck-up knucklehead Slanout to make the cure, the ones who guided Kond in preparing the treatment, and the ones to save hundreds of thousands of lives of our clan from now until forever are none other than Prince Elrhain and Princess Agwyn.

It is none other than the blessings of Earthloch that they had picked Slanout’s territory to tour yesterday. It is none other than their genius that they could recall a long-forgotten passage from the memoir of a discwalker deceased a thousand cycles past. That they could pinpoint the remedy of the swampling’s curse from just one glance at the patient!”