After Snow left, one of the guards approached. The man had received a few brief words from Uncle Fang and immediately asked them to follow him. Compared to his companions, this man seemed more laid back. It wasn't clear if he was ranked higher or lower than the rest, but Zeke didn't care much at the moment.
He wanted to get off the streets and take some time to deal with the poison. At this point, he was entrusting most of his body's weight to Gravitas. Also, the fact that Akasha still hadn't managed to do so was worrying, and the pain, while initially tolerable, was starting to get to him.
Under normal circumstances, Zeke would have spent this time inspecting their new surroundings. It was always a good idea to get as much intel as possible, but he really couldn't bear to do so at the moment. It also didn't help that their guide completely ignored his presence. The man would occasionally explain a few things to Ash, Vulcanos, or Gravitas, but he never even glanced at Zeke.
His dismissive attitude could be due to the fact that Elder Fang had pronounced him as good as dead, but Zeke doubted it. It was far more likely that humans didn't have any standing within the tribe.
They made their way through the village, with Ash and Vulcanos at the front and Zeke and Gravita in the back. The more time passed, the more Zeke began to shiver.
There was something about this place that made the air much colder than it should have been. The chill had been noticeable during their climb, growing stronger with every step. If this trend continued, Zeke wouldn't even want to imagine how frigid the mountain's peak would be.
Usually, his strong body could fend off this level of cold without any problem. However, in its weakened state, the cold was beginning to affect him. Gravitas also noticed this, and Zeke could see the worry in her eyes. "How much longer?" she asked the guard, the impatience clear in her tone.
The man turned to look at her, his gaze briefly darting toward Zeke before focusing back on Gravitas. "We're almost there, sister."
From the annoyance in her eyes, Zeke could tell that she was about to snap at the man. However, before she could, he tightened his hold on her shoulder, signaling her to calm down. Gravitas met his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath.
"Move your feet, then, 'brother'," she said, clearly annoyed by the man's way of addressing her and his casual disregard for Zeke's life.
With a nod, the man turned back and continued to lead the way. True to his words, they soon arrived at their destination. They stood before a rough wooden door that seemed to lead into a cave.
Their guide pointed at the cave entrance. "This is our guest residence. It's the only place in the village that is suited for… outsiders." upon delivering this cryptic statement, he was about to leave but decided to say a few more words. "If you need anything, you can come find me in the barracks." Those words were spoken to Ash, meaning that he would be the only one welcome there.
Ash nodded at the man before pushing the door open. Gravitas followed right on his heels, leading Zeke inside. The so-called guest residence was a lot nicer than Zeke had expected, and it became immediately clear what the man meant by being suited for outsiders. The most dominant feature of this place was the massive fireplace that took up a considerable part of the living room.
Zeke saw several different chambers deeper into the cave, but he didn't care about those at the moment. He weakly lifted his hand, pointing at the firewood that was already stacked inside the fireplace. "If you would, Vulcanos."
Vulcanos nodded and approached the structure. From between his hands, a glowing clump of molten stone emerged, dropping right between the wood. A moment later, the lumber caught fire, and the warm glow of the fireplace illuminated the room.
Gravitas helped Zeke into the armchair closest to the fire, handling him with such care that he felt like a porcelain doll. If he was being honest, it was quite endearing to see the usually so headstrong woman treat him so delicately.
It took a few moments, but the heat of the flames eventually drove the cold from the room, and Zeke's body began to relax. However, the unhealthy color of his skin didn't recede. It was clear that the poison had yet to be dealt with.
The Chimeroi stood around him, exchanging worried glances, clearly unsure how to handle the situation. Gravitas seemed especially nervous, likely blaming herself because the spear had originally been meant for her. However, he didn't regret taking the hit for her. As a Blood Mage, he had the best chance of dealing with this type of threat.
He smiled, trying to look as reassuring as he could. He wanted them to remain calm, but words wouldn't do much in this situation. Instead, he decided on a different strategy.
"I have a new mission for you," he said, projecting his voice mentally. At the moment, he didn't trust himself to speak, and the three would only worry more if they heard how weak his voice was. Fortunately, [Telepathy] had no such limitations.
At the sound of his voice, the three immediately became alert. They hadn't expected to hear such a tone from him, especially since his powerful voice contrasted sharply with his fragile state.
"What is the mission?" Vulcanos asked, being the first to recover.
"I need you to gather information. More likely then not, we'll be stuck her for the foreseeable future, and our knowledge is severely limited at the moment," Zeke said.
Gravitas stared at him. "What about you?"
"I'll remain here for the time being."
Her eyes narrowed. "That's not what I meant."
Zeke turned his head slightly, meeting her gaze. "I will be fine."
"But the old man said—"
"Gravitas," Zeke cut her off. "I will be fine."
She stared at him for a moment longer, but seeing his calm eyes, she relented. "As you say, Master."
"Good," Zeke continued. "Now, I think it would be best if you went to the barracks, Ash. You should be able to somewhat blend in."
Ash nodded silently.
"I need you to find out everything there is to know about their military: Ranks, commanders, organization, everything. If you can, try to find out how the war is going."
Ash nodded again, a gleam in his eyes. He seemed quite excited about this mission.
"Vulcanos, I want you to inspect the terrain. Find out everything you can about this village: Exits, entrances, defenses, whatever you can."
"Fine," Vulcanos replied, substantially less pleased with the assinement.
"Gravitas, I want you to investigate Snow's family situation. There is something going on with the direct line, and we need to know what that is."
Gravitas nodded. "Consider it done."
Zeke nodded, pleased with the confidence in her voice. "Very good. Now, get to it. I need to get to work as well before my situation gets any worse."
Hearing his words, the three departed immediately. There was no real reason to leave right away, but Zeke sent them out. If they stayed any longer, they would only worry more, and there was nothing they could do at the moment.
Quiet returned to the room, with only the crackling fireplace and Zeke's labored breathing disturbing the stillness. For a moment, he solely focused on the burning sensation in his body. The poison had spread from his palms up to his shoulders. Any further, and it would have reached his heart, likely killing him. However, Zeke wasn't naive enough to think this was just a coincidence.
"What's the status, Akasha?"
[Answer]
The substance affecting the Host's body is a hypothermic venom with potent magical properties. It disseminates rapidly, and once it reaches a major organ, the likelihood of survival diminishes significantly.
Zeke's expression turned serious. "What options do we have?"
Akasha remained quiet for a moment, heightening his tension. However, her next words were completely unexpected.
[Answer]
Complete removal of the poison is possible at any moment.
Zeke was at a loss for words. "What…? Then, why didn't you do so?"
[Answer]
There were two primary reasons. Firstly, revealing that ability in the presence of unfamiliar individuals might not have been strategically prudent.
After a moment of thought, Zeke realized that she had a point. Revealing his ability at that time would not have benefited him. After all, his presence was largely ignored because everyone thought he was as good as dead. Moreover, if the only human in their group seemed immune to the enemy's most dangerous weapon, it would have looked suspicious.
A smile tugged at his lips. Akasha's quick thinking had saved him from a hassle. Now that his condition was unknown, he could work from the shadows without drawing suspicion. This might turn out to be a major advantage.
"Well done, Akasha. That was brilliant," he said, offering genuine praise. He was particularly impressed with how she instantly assessed the social hierarchy of their new surroundings and acted accordingly. She had come a long way since they first met a year ago.
It was then that he remembered her earlier words. "What was the second reason for not removing the poison?"
[Answer]
This may be somewhat presumptuous of me, but I believe I have found a more advantageous use for the poison beyond neutralizing it.
Zeke furrowed his brows. If Akasha was this hesitant to bring it up, it couldn't be anything normal. However, he trusted her completely. "Just say it."
[Answer]
I suggest we use the poison to temper Host's body.
Zeke fell silent, processing her words. "What brought this on?" he asked eventually.
[Answer]
This is the second instance in a short period where Host has been afflicted by poison. This time, it was relatively simple to counter. However, there is no guarantee that future occurrences will be as manageable.
Zeke nodded slowly. He had also been considering ways to address this problem. As a Blood Mage, he should have some methods at his disposal, but he wasn't familiar with them. If he were still in Tradespire, he could ask Tristan Bloodsword, but that wasn't an option right now.
"Go on," he said.
[Answer]
There is a principle in medicine called the poison ladder. According to this method, the body can build immunity to a substance by being repeatedly subjected to its effect in increasing doses.
"So… you suggest that I poison myself with a deadly substance? Repeatedly?" Zeke asked, torn between exasperation and amusement.
[Answer]
Correct.
Zeke remained silent for a long time. If anyone else had suggested this, he would have laughed in their face. However, Akasha was both the most knowledgeable and the most trustworthy person he knew. Moreover, her life was bound to his, making it impossible for her to suggest anything that would harm him.
Considering all that, did he really need to hesitate?
A smile slowly spread across his face. "Let's do this!"