MEDEA WAS STILL a little grumpy by the time they’d returned to Gedd, cleaned and dressed. Thankfully, Gedd hadn’t asked about her sour mood—possibly because he was terrified of her. Robin wondered not for the first time why Gedd would take them in, even for a single night, if he really thought she was diseased in some way.

Robin obviously had no idea what this blight was exactly, but it wasn’t hard to imagine the possibilities. Nobody he knew on Earth would’ve let a stranger stay in their home if they had the plague. Maybe it was something more abstract than an actual disease…?

…Maybe it was a magical disease.

Gedd claimed she bore the mark of the blighted after seeing her face, and had instructed her to cover her eyes, so he was obviously referring to Medea’s strange eye runes. If those were the mark, that lent credence to the theory the blight was magical in nature… though he had to admit that was only because runes were linked to magic in his mind; an idea likely formulated by fiction. There was no evidence that was the case on Gaia… even if it was completely freakin’ obvious she had magic eyes. It was a wonder he hadn’t been turned to stone or lasered yet.

Gedd led them through the village, introducing them as travelers he’d met while out foraging. With Medea’s eyes covered, the people of Lowrest hardly gave them the time of day. The villagers trudged by, going about their business with haggard and weary looks about them, as if a weight had settled on each and every one of their shoulders and it was only a matter of time before they were crushed. Robin had seen looks like that before. People who’d all but given up hope, just going through the motions.

Gedd’s outburst made more sense now, but judging by his fear of reprisal, such displays were punishable by whatever authority ruled this place. And yet Gedd had risked himself anyway. He couldn’t possibly know they wouldn’t turn on him, which meant one of two things; Gedd was either an idiot… or a man with little left to lose.

Not long after arriving in the village, they’d reached Gedd’s home. It was a simple building with stone walls and glass windows, and a shingled roof—not entirely unlike something he’d expect to see back home—and Robin had to force himself not to stop and ponder how human technology had progressed so similarly on another world. That way surely led straight to madness.

Gedd ushered them in quickly, closing the door behind him. A cozy fire burned in the hearth, and the scent of fresh baked bread wafted through the air, setting Robin’s stomach rumbling and reminding him he wasn’t quite certain when the last time he’d eaten was. An attractive woman with blonde hair tied in a loose braid and slung over one shoulder awaited them inside, preparing a meal in a small kitchen that occupied much of the main room. She wore a dress much like the one Medea wore now.

“Welcome,” she said, performing a slight curtsy. “I am Sesara, Maker and Gedd’s wife. We are delighted to receive you as guests, Travelers.” It sounded rehearsed, but she didn’t seem overly put out by the whole thing. If anything, her demeanor was tired, likely the general malaise he’d noticed hanging over the rest of the villagers. “May I ask from where you hail?”

Before he could come up with a suitable lie, Medea blurted something out.

“Tarthos,” she said. “Tell them we hail from Tarthos.”

Robin shrugged, and told them.

“Ah… is that within the realm?” Sesara asked, sheepishly.

Medea’s head fell, still hidden beneath her cloak. “They’ve never heard of it, have they?”

If they had recognized the name of Medea’s home… they’d done a very good job of hiding it. Robin placed a hand on her shoulder, which she seemed to interpret easily enough.

Sesara powered through the awkward moment, waving them inside and seating them side-by-side at a thick wooden table near the kitchen, where she went back to work. “Your travels must take you far and wide if you come from outside Aerie. I’m envious.”

Robin wondered if he should actually translate the small talk, but Medea made it clear she wasn’t comfortable being left out of the conversation.

“Leaving one’s home is no small thing,” she said. “It’s easy to look back one day and find you’ve nowhere left to return…”

Their hosts didn’t understand her, but it was obvious she was down about something. Sensing the mood was just about dead and buried, Robin turned to Sesara. “You said you were a Maker?”

“Yes.” Sesara smiled, and seemed grateful for the change in subject. “In a small village like ours, that means I do a little bit of everything. Preparing food, mending clothing and furniture, and well… I’m certain you know. You’ve sure met plenty of Makers in your time on the road.”

“You’d be surprised,” Robin said. “And I guess that makes Gedd some kind of… hunter?”

A stormy look came over Gedd’s face, and then Sesara was there, slipping a hand over his shoulder from behind and resting it against his chest.

“Ah, not quite…” she said, looking a little nervous. “Gedd is a Forager.”

Robin was sensing some kind of strange undertone to the conversation, but it was difficult to put his finger on. Still, he was never one to shy away from the hard topics, and he knew Gedd would get talking if he riled him up a little. “And you don’t like being a Forager,” he stated, looking the man in the eyes.

Gedd grunted in disgust. “It’s not a matter of taste. What good is picking flowers when my home is being threatened by monsters?”

Sesara’s eyes went wide. She gripped Gedd’s shoulder tightly, whispering something in his ear.

“I am sorry, my love,” he said, shaking his head. “But what would you have me do? I am powerless in all but my words.”

Robin leaned forward in his seat. “You’d rather fight them? The monsters?”

“Oh, aye,” Gedd laughed. “I’d love to stick a length of hard steel through one of their rotting hearts…” He trailed off, clenching and unclenching his fists on the table. The way Gedd talked about fighting was like it was simply an impossibility, as if being powerless were just a fact of life.

Robin was still missing something, but the pieces of the puzzle were starting to slide into place. “Is that why you were with that monster in the woods? You were trying to fight?”

From Sesara’s stunned reaction and Gedd’s dirty look, Robin gathered that was yet another thing the man had been hiding from his wife.

“Gedd, what does he mean?”

“I didn’t want to worry you, love…”

“You saw one,” she said, tears pooling in her eyes. “How close?”

Gedd hesitated for a moment, and sighed. “Not too far out. Maybe an hour’s walk.”

His wife all but collapsed into a chair. “It’s come then… the Blight.” Then Sesara came back to her senses, rounding on her husband. “You were fighting one?”

“No,” Gedd clarified quickly, holding up his hands. “It caught me by surprise when I was out foraging. The beast was like nothing I’ve ever seen before… tall and monstrous, with limbs as big as my head… I’m not foolish enough to think I’d stand a chance.”

“Good,” Sesara said, sighing. “That’s good. I know you’re angry, husband, but you know as well as I fighting would do no good. Not against them.”

Sesara stood slowly, wandering into the kitchen only to return moments later with a flagon of something dark, pouring each of them a cup.

“Do they not have warriors in the village?” Medea asked, accepting her drink as it was passed to her. She sniffed and took a tentative sip, her face contorting hilariously for a brief moment before she seized control of her expression and set the cup gently back down on the table.

Robin had no idea what the drink was, but it was strong. He took a swig, not loving nor hating the burn as it poured down his throat and settled in his belly, before relaying Medea’s question.

Gedd peered into his cup for a long moment before tipping it back, downing the whole thing in one go. “We have but few Hunters and Guardsman, but any Warriors who might’ve lived in Lowrest are long gone, conscripted to fight in the king’s army.”

“If there are more of those things coming, why haven’t they sent anyone to defend you?” Robin asked. “Didn’t you say Lowrest provides food for the highlords?”

“Aye, I did,” he hung his head. “But I was angry… and feared for my life. In truth, the king’s army is spread thin defending the border… I know this. Without them, we’d already be dead.”

“So, what?” Robin said. “These are just the ones that slipped through?”

Sesara nodded, shivering in her seat, hands gripped around her cup. “They say the Blight covers the land like the rising tide… and the Blighted rise with it. It was only a matter of time…”

This Blight was sounding more and more menacing by the minute. They’d been using the term for awhile now, though, and Robin wasn’t entirely sure what was what at this point. If the Blight was the disease, the Blighted were… people like Medea, apparently. Sesara said the Blight had come in response to Gedd sighting an actual monster, though. Did that mean that monster in the forest was once a person? It’d certainly seemed to possess some level of intelligence, but it was more of a beast than a man in Robin’s eyes.

Still, if Robin wasn’t reading this wrong, that meant Gaia had itself an honest to god magical zombie plague. If Gedd thought Medea was going to turn soon, it was obvious why he’d be afraid, and yet… something must have convinced him to take a chance on her. He was risking his life and his family. Why? Robin refused to believe it was a simple case of guilty conscience.

“The Blighted,” he began, choosing his words carefully. “They were once people?”

“That’s what they say,” Gedd nodded, staring pointedly into Robin’s eyes. “Those who come in contact with the Blight go raving mad. When they’re at their worst, just before they’re lost forever… the mark appears in their eyes. By that point, it’s already too late to run. You’d best pray to the Ouranos an aetherknight is nearby to save you.”

“You had better remember all of this,” Medea said testily, reminding him he was supposed to be relaying everything to her. “I expect a full translation.”

Robin nodded absently as he considered Gedd’s words. Was it simple curiosity that’d led the man to take a chance on Medea? He doubted it, but then why? Because those with the mark were supposed to be mad? Gambling his family on hearsay seemed… unwise to say the least. It didn’t make sense to add another problem to the pile when they already had more than enough to deal with. Gedd should’ve be looking for a way to survive the monsters on his doorstep, not invite them into his home.

Unless… Gedd thought they could help. But that would be ridiculous. Robin told him they’d been robbed blind by bandits, so there was no way he thought them some great warriors, right? In that case, what could he possibly expect from them? If he was under the assumption they knew something about the Blight because Medea hadn’t turned into a monster, he was going to be very disappointed.

In that moment, the front door swung open and a young woman walked in carrying a woven basket filled with various fruits. She had her mother’s light hair, though hers hung straight, and pretty blue eyes that matched her dress. She froze when she noticed the strangers sitting at the table. “Da…? What’s going on?”

“Daughter,” Gedd beckoned her over. “These are our guests, Robin and Medea, Travelers from beyond the realm. Greet them with kindness.”

“O-oh!” The young woman walked over quickly and curtsied in the same way her mother had earlier. “Greetings, Travelers. I am Talia, daughter of Gedd and Sesara. We are delighted to receive you as guests.” It was a similar spiel to the one Sesara had given them earlier.

“Talia, come with me a moment,” Sesara said, taking the basket from Talia and pulling her by the hand to another room.

When they were alone with Gedd, Robin saw his opportunity and took it, keeping his voice low enough only those at the table could hear it. “Why did you invite us to stay, Gedd? I already told you we don’t know anything about the Blight… so if you’re thinking we can help, think again.”

Gedd looked a bit taken aback, perhaps at being called out so directly. Robin knew the song and dance, but when somebody wanted something from him he preferred to cut through the bullshit.

“Aye… I’ll admit my intentions weren’t entirely noble. I had hoped you were being wary, and had come bearing good news… perhaps even of a cure.” Gedd poured himself another drink, downing that one too. “But either you’re a very good liar… or I was wrong to hope.”

“It wasn’t a lie.” Robin made every attempt to keep his tone neutral, but knew he’d probably failed and let some of his temper leak through. He couldn’t help it—he hated being used. “We don’t know anything about the Blight. Medea may have a mark, but it’s clearly unrelated to the Blight or we’d be dead. Am I wrong?”

“You’re not,” Gedd agreed, as if Robin had made his point for him. “Which is why it seemed important to bring you here. I have heard of none bearing the mark and living to tell the tale. If the girl has some kind of… resistance to the Blight, she may be the very key to our salvation.”

Robin closed his eyes, gritting his teeth. It never ended. He’d crossed worlds to get here, only to find people were selfish assholes no matter where he went. Three cheers for fuckin’ humanity, evolution’s biggest mistake.

“Robin?” Medea asked, quietly. “What did he say? Why are you angry?”

Robin opened his eyes and came face to face with Medea’s runes, flaring in a peculiar way behind her irises. She’d had to get rather close to meet his eyes beneath the large hood covering her face, and Robin was briefly torn between pushing her away and pulling her closer.

Instead, he did neither, sighing as he reigned in his temper. Like she’d said in the stream, Medea was a big girl; she didn’t need him getting angry on her behalf. Hell, she’d probably want to help after he explained Gedd’s theory.

Robin’s issues weren’t her problem… and besides, he could admit his anger was completely unreasonable in this case. Gedd’s intentions weren’t entirely noble, no, but anyone who claimed otherwise was full of shit. This was a desperate man backed into a corner, who still hadn’t actually done anything other than offer them food and a place to stay. And he’d been honest when confronted, spilling his theory about her resistance to the Blight.

“He believes I can help?” Medea was understandably surprised by the revelation. “But I know nothing of the Blight…”

Robin shrugged. “He thinks you might have some kind of… resistance because you have those symbols in your eyes.”

Medea was looking more confused by the second. “I have what on my eyes?”

Robin chuckled at first, but it died in his throat when he realized she wasn’t kidding. “Seriously…? You don’t know? Hold on…”

Gedd fetched a polished cleaver at Robin’s request for a reflective surface, handing it to Medea who stared down at herself, gasping as her fingers reached up to hover just below her eyes.

“What is this…?” Her voice was so very small. “Not even the color is the same…” She reached over and pinched a strand of violet hair. “My hair as well…?”

It was hard for Robin to find it very funny after witnessing that. He hadn’t realized her entire appearance had changed, and could scarcely imagine what waking up looking like a different person would feel like.

“Damn. I didn’t know, or I would’ve…” He sighed, shaking his head. “Still, I’m surprised you didn’t notice in the stream.”

She turned enough he couldn’t see her face beneath the hood. “I was distracted.”

"Ah."

Medea sighed, sinking deeper into the cloak as she wrapped it around herself. “I know little of… any of this. I want to help, but… I… I am lost as to how. I fear my help would amount to nothing.”

“Hey, no pressure from me.” Robin held up his hands. “If it were my call, I’d tell the guy to fuck right off.”

She looked up at him again, eyes wide. “Truly? You would not say it’s my responsibility to help? My duty? What if he is right, Robin? What if I am the key to saving countless lives?”

“Listen…” Robin began, thinking for a brief moment how best to word his message, and then just deciding to wing it. “I don’t know what kinda crap they’ve been feeding you, but everyone has a sob story. People will always try to convince you theirs is the most important, the most worthy, but it’s up to you to decide if it’s worth it or not. In the end, the only person who has your best interests at heart is you. If you don’t look out for yourself, nobody will.”

Medea stared for a moment. Then something strange happened—she began to laugh. It started as a quiet choking sound he initially mistook for sobbing, and slowly morphed into full-bellied laughter as she doubled over, clutching her stomach. It was the first time she’d laughed since they’d met, and Robin found himself at a loss, unsure of what he’d said that was so funny. He hadn’t even been trying to make her laugh that time.

Still… he couldn’t help but sit back and relish the moment. It was… nice he supposed, her laugh.

“That is the most…” Medea choked the words out in between peals of laughter. “Impressively pessimistic thing I believe I’ve ever heard.” She wiped at her eyes, slowly catching her breath. At last, when her laughter finally tapered off, she turned to him with a small smile on her face. “Thank you… but you’re wrong.”

Robin raised an eyebrow. “Yeah?”

“Yes.” She nodded. “It would seem I am not the only person looking out for me.”