The Boundless Prophecy

Chapter 2 (2.2(b) Madam Monette)

Both healers appeared taken aback by this seemingly unrelated question following their investigation's disclosure.

Wallace subtly shook his head and stole a glance at Caren, who mirrored his gesture. Though Wallace had heard about the tragedy in Flamevalley many years ago, the enigma and controversy surrounding it were akin to secrets buried in the depths of the Sea of Mamaryth.

Their reactions did not surprise Madam Monette.

"As you're aware, Flamevalley now stands as a ghost town just twenty miles east of The King's Palace. Its abandonment stems from a tragedy half a century ago. To be concise, a devastating plague swept through the town, claiming the lives of hundreds. The royal Krez family's pride was wounded by this outbreak, not solely due to its proximity to The King's Palace, but also because the town belonged to King Maleos's cousin. The disturbing nature of the plague led to beliefs that it was... man-made," she trailed off.

Her expression bore naked dismay as she launched into the sorrowful tale of Flamevalley.

Wallace rifled through his scant memories of the tragedy associated with Flamevalley. Why had she chosen to disclose this story? Was there a connection between these incidents?

The more he pondered, the more troubled he became by the similarity in how lives had succumbed to the unknown in both cases.

"The cousin of King Maleos, Lord Parves, was a distinguished chemist fifty years ago. You might have noticed the tapestry depicting him when you entered the Apothecary just now. The plague itself, responsible for claiming so many lives, stirred tension and panic within the royal family. Lord Parves shunned healers' aid and concealed the tragedy behind closed doors. While many had heard of the hundred lives lost overnight in Flamevalley, the truth remained elusive," Madam Monette explained.

Madam Monette paused, anticipating the bewilderment that would envelop the two healers. She rose and headed to the cabinet to fix herself another drink, letting the information sink in for Wallace and Caren.

The revelation struck Wallace and Caren with disbelief. An outbreak of such a deadly plague seemed improbable to conceal from the world, but the involvement of the royal family complicated matters. Despite his skepticism, Wallace adhered to the adage that once impossibilities were ruled out, whatever remained, however improbable, must be the truth. Madam Monette had no reason to fabricate a story merely to amuse healers from Crissaven Sanatorium.

Returning to her seat with a comfortable air, Madam Monette clutched her mug as if she hadn't moved at all.

"Lord Parves assembled the foremost chemists to study both the plague and its cure. It took them nearly half a month to devise a formula to control the outbreak, but by then, many more lives had been lost," Madam Monette chose her words carefully. Wallace noted her distinction between controlling and curing the plague.

She pressed on despite Wallace's perplexed expression. "Using the formulation, they managed to save the remaining people, yet Flamevalley was sealed off, fearing any remnants of the plague could re-infect the populace. Limited knowledge hindered the chemists' understanding of the deeper intricacies. Nonetheless, they astutely preserved tissue samples from the afflicted, freezing them for future study. Only in recent years have we revisited and unveiled the truth by examining these samples," her satisfaction in revealing this was evident in her tone.

Wallace felt a pounding in his head as he grappled with unravelling the layers of her narrative. He sensed an underlying motive behind her storytelling beneath the surface of her words.

"It hadn't crossed my mind that the massacre in Reolan City could be linked to the tragedy at Flamevalley. The sanatorium never released any information regarding deaths, let alone a deadly infection like the one you've described. I hadn't connected the incidents until I saw the document you brought. However, the speed at which the victims from the Reolan Incident perished was much quicker compared to Flamevalley. Reports stated it took nearly a month to evacuate and burn the dead in Flamevalley, clearing the town," Madam Monette concluded her narrative, her eyes betraying a tremor that didn't escape Wallace's notice.