Birds rose from the forest and flew north as if fleeing disaster.
Lines of people fleeing the calamity stretched across the hills like ants scattered over the low rises.
"The infected enter an incubation period. As time passes, they lose their minds, attack those around them, and spread the Plague, becoming hateful creatures like Frenzy Ghoul."
Sailing across the Sea, New Origin One moved away from the source of the Plague. Francois was glad they had been cautious enough not to dock or let anyone aboard. Who knew whether contact would spread the Plague through the ship?
Annan looked away from the distant coastline. "Do you think the Ratfolk are behind this?"
"Plague doesn't come out of nowhere," Francois said.
Annan thought for a moment. "Can you keep going?"
"The Plague can't reach us."
"Then keep sailing."
The Portal closed. On the deck, where only the sound of waves remained, someone sighed. "I want to go home. The fish here are too clever..."
"There's still time to have Annan open another Portal home."
"Let's finish the task our lord gave us first. We should go ashore and ask them." Faster jerked his chin toward the coast.
"Do you need your brain to fish? Where would we run if we caught the Plague?"
"That's why someone has to go ashore alone." Faster rolled up his dirty sleeves.
"Let's wait a little longer... We've only seen people fleeing, not any soldiers."
Origin One sailed on, leaving a wake that slowly faded behind it. The farther they went, the heavier Crewman's spirits grew.
Flowers and grasses withered, forests died, and haze shrouded the land, staining the noon sky an apocalyptic yellow.
Strangely, they saw countless human and nonhuman refugees, but no trace of the Ratfolk. The Clan had yet to show itself.
Many