The uneasy sense of foreboding grew over the next week. The village carried on with its daily life, but a shift in the air left me feeling restless. I began to prepare additional batches of antiseptics and salves, driven by a sense of urgency I couldn't quite explain.
Then, one evening, as I was closing up my hut, a group of villagers came rushing in, their faces pale with fear. Among them was Eirik, the village elder, his face drawn and anxious.
"It's the Red Fever," he said in a strained voice. "A hunter returned from the northern hills, and he's burning with fever, his skin flushed, his breath labored. We've seen it before—it spreads quickly and kills even faster."
The words sent a chill down my spine. I knew the symptoms he described: Red Fever was likely a form of septic fever, a highly contagious illness that could devastate entire communities. In my old world, treatment would have been difficult even with modern medicine, and here, without antibiotics, it would be deadly.
Eirik's gaze was steady as he spoke. "Doctor, I don't know if your knowledge can help, but if there is anything you can do, the village needs it."
I didn't hesitate. "I'll come to see the hunter right away. Lora, gather my supplies—the antiseptic, the salves, and some fresh bandages."
The fevered hunter lay in one of the outer huts, separated from the rest of the village to prevent the spread. When I entered, the heat from his body was palpable. His breathing was ragged, and his skin was flushed, red blotches spreading across his chest and neck.
I knew this wasn't an infection I could simply cure, but I could manage his symptoms, try to prevent it from spreading, and buy time for his body to fight back. Using the antiseptic, I cleaned his skin, focusing on any open wounds that could worsen the infection. I applied the Silverthorn salve, its properties meant to ease his pain and reduce inflammation.
The villagers watched from the doorway, their expressions a mixture of hope and fear. I knew that if the fever spread, my supplies would be strained. But with my newly gained knowledge, I was prepared to fight, even if it was a losing battle.
As I worked, I felt the system's presence flicker, a sense of something looming on the edge of my awareness. I braced myself, knowing it would likely issue a new quest—one that would test everything I'd learned.
The village held its breath, waiting, as the Red Fever threatened to consume everything we had fought to protect.