Days had passed fleetingly, and without realizing it, they'd been in Melte for a week already. She had been so busy the past few days, especially since Alvaro and Deviro's conditions worsened.
The staggering weight loss of both faye warriors was so evident with their current stature. Just like all the other fayes in Melte that were infected, their eyes and cheeks were hollow; the visible outline of their cheekbones was prominent on their faces. Their ribcages were evident on their chests. It was so hard to believe that she was staring at the first and second commander of Aelfrey's warriors. Their previously muscular physiques were now cadaverous.
The pernicious illness's manifestation does not only happen on the outer surface of the host's body; she had discovered that the disease was slowly attacking the fayes' internal organs. The incessant coughing was the only first sign of the illness.They had perceived that the illness was a progressive type of sickness. It takes its time to finally bloom inside the host of its victim. It was really a terrifying ailment.
A knock on her door snapped her out of her thoughts. She cast a swift glance towards her two companions, who were now sleeping after another attack of the non-stop coughing. The medicinal tea has proved effective in lessening the threatening effects on their lungs.
She walked towards the door and pulled it open, revealing a young faye at the age of a decade and six years. Her lips automatically curled into a smile. "Ayasha! Is something wrong?", she asked the young faye in a white robe.
Ayasha, who was still shy around her, looked at her toes before replying, "I'm not really sure, Miss Gala, but Uncle Balto sent me to tell you that you are needed in the great hall."
"I see. Tell him that I'll be there shortly."
She took off her white robe from the clothes rack and wore it on top of her linen undergarment. Balto had specifically ordered those who were working for the disease's cure to wear white robes. She could not help but think that Melte's ways were similar to those of the hospitals in her world.
She made sure to greet everyone as she strode towards the great hall. The hallways were littered with busy fayes. It was easier to distinguish the servants from the healer fayes. Just as she passed the corridor down to the kitchen, a realization struck her!
She scurried down to the hallway until she reached the huge oak door leading to the great hall. Clearly in a hurry, she did not bother knocking on the door. "Balto!" Her voice echoed in the tightly closed room, all eyes on her.
Unfazed by being at the center of attention, she strode towards the old faye, urgency evident in her pace. 'I can't believe I missed such a crucial detail.' She thought inwardly.
"Gala! We were just talking about you. Can you help us with this new medicine that Elora was working on?" Balto asked when she reached the long table at the center of the room.
"That can wait. Balto, you need to listen to me first. I just discovered why not everyone was infected with the illness." She breathlessly told the chief village.
Their eyes stretched in amazement. "Really? What did you discover, then?" The old Balto asked, eager to hear the good news that she bore.
"Notice that all the fayes who were infected were all adults?" she asked.
Balto creased his brows. " Yes, I did notice that too. Apologies, I'm not following through. Can you elaborate more?"
"Fayes aged starting at twenty were the only ones who fell ill and the rest who were aged below twenty were unaffected." She explained slowly. Their reaction came rather slowly; they all gasped at her discovery. They all could not believe that they had overlooked that one tiny detail.
Perhaps the discovery wasn't all that significant, especially since it doesn't specify a possible cure for the ailment, but learning the disease's characteristics and behavior is a step closer to finally putting an end to their town's plight.
In the middle of their short revelry at her discovery, a panting servant appeared in front of them. They all went silent as they could sense the bad news that the servant bore.
"Miss Gala, come with me quickly! Alvaro and Deviro were not in very good condition." The servant announced, still panting. She didn't bother asking another question. She dashed out of the great hall, running for her life towards their room.
"Alvaro! Deviro!" A scream broke out from her right away when she saw the two warriors convulsing violently on their beds.
Balto and some of the healer fayes arrived shortly, their expressions contorted in great apprehension. "Did someone from the infected fayes already experience this stage of the disease?" She asked Balto; despite worrying for her two companions, she remained composed in the midst of a dire situation. Panicking at this time won't help her think straight.
"Unfortunately, this is the first time someone has experienced this Gala." The old faye answered, her voice troubled beyond comprehension. They needed to act right away. Aelfrey could not afford to lose the top commanders of their warriors.
She sighed a long, exasperated sigh. Nevertheless, she hurriedly ordered the healer fayes to check their temperature. She turned to the remaining healer fayes and instructed them to bring her lukewarm water in a small basin and a dry cloth.
She then went to the kitchen to cook a garlic porridge her mother serves her and her younger brother Avin every time they have a fever. The illness is probably attacking their immune systems now, resulting in a high fever.
She thanked her mother silently for teaching her specialty back home and effectively relieving the fever. Based on the fayes' reactions, it was their first time seeing someone suffering from a fever.
Whatever the case, she felt the urgency of finally putting a stop to the disease. She needs to try everything on this day.