Rise Of Pandora

Rise Of Pandora : XLV. Among The Dead

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V. Stoic

Gelasius, in clear contrast with his sister, spoke boldly and meaningfully, never losing a single word to obscurity. He repositioned himself on the warm couch, sitting straight up, distancing the spine of his back from the couch. He steeled himself and hardened his voice until he was as sturdy as the light armor he wore. He did not look at the others, preferring instead to maintain eye contact solely with Atlas, gorging deeply into the two gateways to the Purple Man's soul.

"The south was a very different experience for the three of us. We worked very closely with the leaders. London really did have many friends there. They got us close to the leaders there and over time we earned their trust. We learned a lot of details, most of which Dinos has already shared."

Gelasius paused, swallowing the balmy air around him. With a face growing ever more intense and fear-stricken, he pulled in a great deal of saliva down his hoarse throat. The room grew nervous with him. They were all in confusion by what he wanted to say.

"I think this could be an extinction event. Truly. None of this is an accident. The Dakini does not want to influence humanity, take over our governments. It is all petty to them. I believe, and I have given this a lot of thought, but I believe they wish to just rid themselves of human influence and threat or at least reduce our numbers so greatly that we would be on the verge of endangerment. Think on it. Over the past two years, the governments have changed radically all across the south, not even just Kaoacien. Down there, the numbers are constantly increasing and now more than it has been in recent history. And as we've discussed in the past, the Shadowlands is certainly where the Dakini reside, and using the toxic fog is their way of keeping everyone else out. I am absolutely confident about this."

"But what I do not understand is why the Deathknights and why the Shadowbirds. They simply rid us with the airborne toxins, so why the minions? The fog is so strong it could ruin us simply. During our last two months in the south, there were approximately four reports about the poisonous fogs affecting populated villages, the fourth of which my brother and I had the opportunity to be a part of. We enlisted on an expedition crew sent to investigate the deaths of villagers in one of the outskirt villages, Okhan village. It was a small village town of probably no more than a few hundred but when we arrived, it was a ghost town. The fog was so dense and toxic, I'm telling you that when we could hardly stay there long before the whole team began to regurgitate and nearly pass out. I mean every word of it. My skin was practically rotting under the clothing I wore."

Gelasius rolled up the sleeves of his shirt until they were both bundled past the elbows. He extended out his arms to the group, examining their expressions as he did it. All there faces expressed disgust and shock at what they witnessed, for what lied in front of their eyes were patches of rotted green skin piled on his arms. It was not so severe as to cause too much alarm but it was as if his skin was plagued by randomly assorted patches of mildly ailed skin.

He retracted both arms but did not roll down his sleeve, as if to say he was not ashamed of the marks which he bared.

"There are more welts across my body. The same ailments I suffer from, my brother suffers too. We've used several creams and herbs on our faces and bodies but some sores remain prevalent. But areas within my body which I cannot reach remain assailed by the infectious toxins. For instance, I can no longer smell out of my left nostril and the bottom of my tongue has been sore ever since. Not even the heat I produce from my body helps, I've tried many times to burn the toxins. Still...we are the fortunate ones. Hard to believe, right? Our bodies are able to prevent the infection from festering; I cannot speak the same for the other men exposed to the gas."