The morning light peered over the horizon. The city was still waking as they arrived in Henfil. As tired as they all were, Edwin's life was at risk. Corrin was not going to lose a dear friend. They wore cloaks to mask themselves from the Imperial guards.
Merri led them to a doctor's office. It was clear that Merri knew where she was going. Inside, the doctor was getting himself ready. He wore black formal wear and had glasses on. He was a balding Erthari man with gray hair and a cigar in his mouth.
He inhaled, and the tip of the cigar burned fire red for a moment before puffing out the gray smoke. He flicked the ashen tip into a tray and looked up at the group. Edwin was held by Forrest, his feet drooping to the ground.
"Oh dear, what in the name of the gods happened?"
He took them to the back of the office, and they sat Edwin in a specialized chair.
"He has Arron's Sickness"
The man turned and saw Merri. He took his glasses off and smiled.
"That's a relief, it shouldn't take too long."
On his way, he rested his hand with Merri's for a moment.
"It's good seeing you again after so long, Merri."
He walked out of the room, and another puff of smoke faded away as he left.
"You know him, Merri?"
Corrin looked to Merri, who gave a long, relieving breath.
"Yes, he's my stepfather, Dr. Arvell. He taught me both to be a doctor and how to fight."
Corrin smiled at the prospect.
He soon returned holding a leaf inside a mortar and pestle. He crushes it up until it's a paste, and goes to place it in Edwin's mouth. His hand suddenly started shaking rapidly. The rest of his body soon followed.
"What's happening!?"
"I don't know! There's nothing that could have started a seizure!"
The mortar and pestle drop onto the ground, and the shards fly every which way. The crushed leaves in his hands also fall to the ground. Arvell stopped shaking and slowly got up, his nerves still shocked and twitching.
"Have enough yet?"
One individual was standing outside the doctor's office in the street. His face was pale and his eyes were red. His hair was dark. Corrin recognized the markings; it was just like the Queen from his dream. Only he did not possess a scar like the Anees.
He had on his head a Cavalier hat, a black scarf around his neck, and black clothing. He strode closer.
"The Queen has quite the bounty on your heads, you see? I've been following you since you exited the Cerelu Forest. I figured now was a perfect time to strike, seeing as one of you is dying and you're all so tired from traveling all night."
Merri quickly picked up the crushed leaves and tried to put them in Edwin's mouth. But immediately her hands started shaking, and she too fell to the ground in a seizure.
"No, no, no. We won't allow that."
The man grabbed a rapier and held it in his right hand. He chuckled. The glass shattered, and in an instant, the man's rapier was an inch from Forrest's neck.
"Upward wind!"
Corrin's sword exploded upward in a brilliant golden flash. The man's rapier flew up. Corrin's scar glowed a bright yellow, and it tickled his cheek. The man looked at Corrin and smiled.
Corrin felt an uncomfortable whirl flow through his brain, and he fell to the ground, whimpering and shaking uncontrollably. Corrin could still see and understand what was happening, but his body was unable to move.
Corrin watched as Vesterii dashed behind the man and swung his axe violently. The man turned his attention to Vesterii. Corrin felt his body move as the Vesterii fell to the ground in seizure.
The man dashed backwards, his boots tearing apart the ground as he slid away from them onto the dirt road. People around them took notice of what was happening. Some ran, others curiously watched. Vesterii stopped shaking, but his body was still immovable.
"What the hell is he doing!? How are we dropping down like flies?"
Forrest looked down. Arvell, Merri, Vesterii, and Corrin were all still fidgeting and twitching as they got up slowly. Edwin was still unconscious. Only Lenn and Forrest were at the ready.
Arvell slowly ascended, fixing his glasses in place.
"He's using a Resonance. I haven't seen one in years. Though he appears to still be learning about its effects."
"The hell is a Resonance?"
Vesterii said as he inched his way up, his body still shaking.
"It's a delicate power. Those that can find and connect with the Anees power surging through the air, depending on their souls' desires and their own determination, gain a unique trait that only they can harness."
The man with the Resonance laughs.
"You're a smart old man."
Arvell's glasses shine from the morning light.
"His Resonance appears to be the ability to cause seizures."
Imperial guardsmen begin to show, and they break through the crowd. With them are katanas and shields, sheathed. One that clearly commands respect, walks in the middle. He had on his back a single large katana.
"Whoa, calm down! We wouldn't want anybody here to get hurt, would we?"
The man wears Imperial armor. He turns to the man with the Resonance.
"You there, put down your weapon at once!"
"Captain… These people here have quite the high bounties. The Queen herself orders them to be brought in dead."
The captain put his hand on his katana's hilt, which was over his right shoulder.
"I will not allow this to continue. Now that the imperial guard is here, we will take over the situation."
The man with the resonance smirks. He walks forward, closer to the captain.
The captain falls to the ground in seizure. The other imperial guards rush over to him, leaving the man with the Resonance.
"I suppose I should properly introduce myself, hm? My name is Tomu. And you all are…"
He pulled from his pocket sheets with bounties.
"Forrest Leimon… Merri Honei… Edwin Farris… Corrin Hisstion… Lenn Eskalot… and Vesterii Shaliim."
He folds them back up and sticks them in his pocket. He smiles and closes his eyes, facing his head down. Forrest takes this opportunity, jumping forward. He brought his katana up, but he was too late. Tomu smiled, and Forrest flew past him, shaking on the ground.
"You really are helpless, aren't you?"
He walks closer to them all. Lenn stood there, and he quickly dashed towards Tomu. However, he did not smile. Instead, the steel screeches violently as they trade blows, Tomu being forced back. The dirt is kicked up and flows around them as they exit the establishment.
"Haha! You're quick!"
Tomu smiles as he laughs, and Lenn falls to the ground. His fall rendered everybody completely helpless. Vesterii throws his arm into the air. While he's on the floor, his axe flies up and lands on Tomu's foot. It sinks in, and blood splatters upward.
"Augh! You stupid Mostiis!"
Tomu thrusts his rapier towards Vesterii's head. Merri and Corrin use the opportunity. Merri parries the attack away from Vesterii, sparks flying through the air. Corrin shoots forward and aims for Tomu's neck.
"Light Kata-..."
Corrin feels a rushing wind as Tomu brings his leg up and pushes it into Corrin's chest. The power felt unreal, and he flew through the roof and several feet above it. Corrin felt the wind get knocked out of him.
As he fell back down onto the roof, he saw a battle unfurl.
Vesterii, Forrest, Merri, Lenn, and Dr. Arvell all fought against the man. Sparks flew and dust kicked up. The crowd backed up as they flew out of the building. Corrin didn't know when he should go help; they were all moving so fast.
Then, an electric wind bellowed out from Tomu's body, turning into a skull-white before it faded away just in front of Corrin. Everybody around him suddenly collapsed in an uncontrollable spasm.
Corrin watched as Tomu gripped his chest and wheezed.
Corrin knew that this was the moment. He dashed around and climbed off the building, and ran to Tomu's flank before jumping towards him.
Corrin aimed not for Tomu's neck, but his mouth. He had figured it out: Tomu smiled to make people go into a seizure. He also had to be looking at them, which meant that the people around him would soon awaken.
"Light Katana…"
Corrin's blade burst with a golden color, and his scar began to feel as if somebody was cutting it open with a knife.
"...Po-!"
Corrin felt a sharp pain explode through his left stomach. Tomu's rapier jabbed into it. Tomu whipped Corrin around, and he flew into a nearby building, the wooden walls crumbling. The people inside ran out screaming.
Corrin felt the pain rising through him. He limped upward and grabbed onto the rubble of the wall as support. He looked down at his body. He realized that it was only bruised; he had on the small chain breastpiece that had absorbed the attack. It had luckily hit the chains and not gone through them.
Tomu laughs maniacally at the sea of shaking bodies, but stops when one stands up. The Captain of the Imperial Guard, holding his large katana in his hands.
"I will no longer allow you to hurt any more people."