Jayce walked to and fro in his dorm room, his thoughts focused on how to get the ingredients for the S-rank potions. He had made up his mind to craft the best potions possible, not the average ones that would barely earn him a passing grade in alchemy. But the ingredients he needed were scarce and hard to find. He mumbled to himself, "Aloewater, golden lily, phoenix feather… where can I get them?" He looked at the list again.
Jayce stopped pacing and threw on some clothes. He grabbed his backpack and headed to the library, hoping to find some answers. As he turned the corner, he bumped into Poppy, who looked distraught. "Jayce, thank goodness you're here!" she exclaimed. "Come with me, quick! The Headmaster wants to see you right away!" She grabbed his arm and pulled him along, not giving him a chance to ask any questions. Jayce felt his heart pounding in his chest, wondering what was going on. He followed Poppy's lead, hoping for the best.
Jayce entered the Headmaster's office and felt a chill in the air. He saw Headmaster Lucian's face, which was usually calm and composed, twisted with worry. Jayce's heart sank, knowing that something was very wrong.
Headmaster Lucian looked at Jayce with a grave expression. "Jayce, you have to go back to your family villa as soon as possible," he said, his voice urgent. "I just received a terrible news. The entire Stormcloak clan has been afflicted by a mysterious and incurable disease called Scarlet fever. We haven't seen anything like this in decades."
The Headmaster paused before approaching Jake and putting his hands on his shoulders almost like he was trying to keep him from flying off. "But there's something worse I need to mention... Your mother was the only one who didn't get sick, so she's being held at an imperial fort under suspicion of poisoning your family." He paused again, his eyes narrowing. "I have a strong suspicion that Duke Kassadin is behind this. This must be his act of revenge against you."
Silence hung heavy in the room as Jayce clenched his fists, his fury simmering beneath the surface. The weight of his mother's accusation and the thought of his family suffering consumed him, rendering him speechless.
Headmaster Lucian nodded at Jayce, his face solemn. "Jayce, I will do my best to unearth any obscure mention of a potential cure for this disease, but you have to go back home now," he said, his voice firm.
Lucian then removed his hands from Jayce's shoulder and returned to his chair. "You have the Zorander ultra-fast regeneration, so like me, you are immune to all poisons and diseases. You will be fine, but your loved ones might not be so fortunate."
He sighed, his eyes showing a hint of sadness. "I know how it feels, Jayce. I've been there. The pain, the anger and the guilt of losing someone close to me, especially to something that I could easily survive. It is hard but you must remember not to lose yourself in it." He stopped, realizing that he had said too much.
Lucian shook his head and waved his hand. "But there's no time for that now. Go, Jayce. Go and be with your family." Jayce sensed the headmaster's pain and regret, but he had no time to ask for more details. He nodded and ran out of the office, his mind racing with fear and rage.
In a frenzied rush, Jayce burst out into the Academy courtyard. Without a moment's hesitation, he took off into the air, propelling himself forward with inhuman speed. The wind whipped through his hair as he soared through the skies, the urgency of his mission guiding his every move.
Jayce's heart dropped as he neared his family villa. The estate was surrounded by imperial soldiers, who blocked anyone from entering or leaving. He felt a cold shiver run down his spine.
Jayce touched down in a thick forest, not far from the villa. He whispered a spell, the words forming a cloak of invisibility and silence around him. He hid his presence and crept towards the villa, avoiding the watchful eyes of the soldiers.
Inside the villa, a haunting scene unfolded before Jayce's eyes. His family, once vibrant and full of life, now lay in the grip of a merciless illness. Coughs racked their bodies, blood staining their lips. The weight of their suffering pressed upon Jayce's heart, his eyes brimming with tears.
Jayce tried his best to heal his uncle, using his most powerful healing chant. But it was useless. His uncle's condition did not improve. Jayce felt a surge of despair, realizing how evil Duke Kassadin was. He had chosen a deadly and ruthless virus to harm innocent people. Jayce was appalled by the Duke's wickedness, and his anger and resolve to make him pay grew stronger.
Amidst the chaos Jayce's father, Aldric, saw his son. He ran towards Jayce, his face full of fear and pain. He was weak and sick, barely able to stand and collapsed into Jayce's arms. He spoke in a shaky voice, telling Jayce a devastating truth. "Jayce, your mother is pregnant. She's carrying my child." He looked at Jayce with a begging expression, asking him to do something unthinkable. "Jayce, please, save your mother and our baby. Forget about the rest of us."
Jayce felt a wave of resolve wash over him as he listened to his father. He nodded firmly, promising himself to save his family no matter what. With a sad heart, he left the villa unseen, going back the same way he had come.