Chapter 648 The Tainted Lands
"Isn't that…?!"
While still observing the darkened lands, Rey cast his gaze closer to the beautiful area and noticed something peculiar.
Existing at the great divide that separated the fertile, lush lands of the Elves from the rotten and darkened land of blight was a camp. The camp was surrounded by walls, which were further reinforced with Magic, protecting them from enemy attacks and perhaps the corruption that encroached upon the land. 'Their barrier isn't good enough, though. Parts of the walls are already darkening. It's only a matter of time before the cap becomes infested as well.'
The plants around the compound were already withering off, and their dead leaves were fading away at a slow rate. Rey estimated it would take only a few more days before the entire area was covered.
Several tents—in their thousands—existed within the compound, and it was clear what kind of place this was.
"I think you just stumbled on the stronghold of the Elves. This must be their battle camp." Rey spoke up, his eyes narrowed as he observed the details of the place.
Everything added up.
"I know. I've been staring at it for a while now…" Esme murmured as she keenly watched the camp.
There were a few patrol Elves walking here and there, but for the most part, the grounds seemed abandoned. From the way it appeared, most of the people in the camp were indoors; a rather odd phenomenon.
"You'd have expected it to be a lot livelier, especially since it's still daytime."
Rey's observation received a nod from Esme, and while the both of them said nothing specific, the two could already see the problem that plagued the area.
After turning to look at each other for a second, they both opened their lips to confirm their thoughts.
"Miasma…"
"Yeah. It's Miasma…"
One would never expect to find perverted Mana in a land as pure as this, but from the sheer magnitude of the corrupted lands, and the scale at which it was spreading, there appeared to be no other explanation.
With the problem already identified, the next question remained.
—Now what?
"Do you want to check it out? The camp… and all that?" Rey asked Esme calmly.
He already knew her answer, even if she tried to hide it. The mere fact that she was looking at the camp for so long, while showing an expression of concern, proved that she wanted to do something about the situation.
'I'm not sure she'll be willing to admit it, though.' If he hadn't asked her anything, she would have probably tried to wave it all off.
But now…
"I am curious about it." Esme answered. "Want to check it out together?"
Rey smiled as she said this.
'I'd rather just return to the Shrine and meet The Oracle. But, I can tell that this is somewhat important to her, so…'
"Yeah. Let's go."
Rey took her hand and they both descended to the camp.
************
"Guark! Kack! Arrck!"
Several strained voices filled the interior of the massive tent, creating a dreary atmosphere within the room.
Elves were lined up on moss-coated beds, all of them looking pale and incredibly skinny. The beautiful hair of the Elves were falling off, and their beauty could hardly be seen as a result of their sickness-stricken features.
The eyes of the Elves looked like they were about to fall from their sockets, and every breath they made was strained to the limit.
They all looked and felt downright miserable, and those who attended to them could see that.
"O' Nature… have mercy on these ones. Lend out your mighty gracious hand and cure them; with your breath provide them relief… and with your grace cure them."
Those were the prayers that Tatiana Lin Kimera rendered as she prayed for her fellow sisters who constantly suffered and writhed in pain.
She was the one in charge of the infirmary—this accursed place that now reeked of death.
Her subordinates were all running around, trying their hardest to aid as many patients as possible, but Tatiana knew the ugly truth.
'Unless Nature intervenes… unless The Oracle hears our pleas… there is no hope for these ones.'
They were all doomed to die.
Only very few people ever came out of this tent alive, and for those… they were weakened to the point where they had to be placed out of commission for battle. The survival rate of this corruption was less than one percent, which meant that most Elves in this batch wouldn't live.
In fact, it was possible that none of them would.
Once their corruption reached a certain threshold, they would have to be transferred to another tent where Elves were—sadly—left to die.
At the very least, a few people among these hundreds still had hope.
"AAAAAAANNNNNGGGG!" Very loud moans echoed from outside the tent as Tatiana was engaged in deep thoughts.
It caused her to instantly cease her worries and raise her head. The other attendants that were running around also stopped as soon as they heard the voices.
Something about the way the sounds echoed suggested very perverted and unnatural thoughts, and the Elves all stared at each other in confusion.
"G-get back to work, you all! I will go and investigate!"
The younger workers instantly shrieked and nodded, scurrying off into action, while she marched towards the Tent's exit.
'What was that sound? Are some of the patrol officers messing around during such a precarious moment?' Tatiana doubted it.
The Camp was in such a dreary state that no one was in the mood for any activity except survival. They could only hold off for a week at most without some kind of backup from the Community, and even then…
'We'll practically be calling them to their graveyard.'
Tatiana bit her lip as she exited the tent and readied herself for whatever she would encounter.
But, much to her shock… her eyes witnessed something absolutely absurd.
"H-huh…?"
All the Patrol Elves were prostrating to a certain man—a human—who had a hooded fellow standing beside him.
Their bodies trembled as more moans escaped their lips, further puzzling Tatiana who took everything in sheer surprise.
Then, the man glanced at her.
"You there…" He said with a smile written on his face.
"... You will do."