Our heroes are waiting in Dr. Elund's office, in the town of Scarletwood, anxious to learn the condition of Galen. When they first arrived here with Galen, he was barely breathing...

Faeda: (-_-)
Edeline: (-_-)
General Lu: "It's okay. I'm sure your friend will be fine." (>_>)
Oar: "You don't know that for sure." (-_-)
General Lu: "I guess not..." (-_-)
Adie: (;_;)
Vi: "It's okay, Adie. Let's wish for good things, together." (-_-)
Adie: "Yeah..." (;_;)
Edeline: "Stupid... this is just..." (-_-)
Oar: (-_-)
Edeline: "Galen!!! You big moron! I could just-!" W('O')W
Faeda: (o_o)
Vi: (o_O)
Oar: "Feel better, now?" (-_-)
Edeline: "Not really..." (-_-)

Edeline collapses into a chair and lets go a long sigh. "Galen." she frowns, "Stupid. Why do you have to be SO stubborn, at times?" "Galen is Galen." nods Vi. "Yeah." sighs Edeline, "I doubt that monk will ever change. He's always been foolish, hot-tempered, and arrogant, since the day we met! ...He's my best-friend. I love him to pieces." Faeda wraps an arm around Edeline.
The door opens and a very exhausted Dr. Elund walks in. "Doctor!" gasps Edeline, getting to her feet. Everyone huddles around the doctor, waiting for answers. "Okay," sighs Dr. Elund, "Galen is conscious now, but he needs his rest." Everyone sighs in relief. "I need to see him." nods Edeline. "But-" frowns Dr. Elund. "Please." asks Edeline, "I want to tell that moron a thing or two, for scaring us SO much!" "I'm afraid I have more to tell you." says Dr. Elund, his voice awkward. "Wait," frowns Adie, "Galen's fine, right?"
"He's stable." nods the Dr., "For now. He was hit with an poison. Arcane spell, and very nasty one, I've only seen a case of it twice in my lifetime." "So," says Faeda, "You'll cure him, right?" "I can't." frowns Dr. Elund, "Arcane spells are still a mystery to everyone. Lost knowledge of the ancients, somehow learned by Zev and his army. I haven't a clue how to cure your friend." "So..." whimpers Adie, "Galen's going to... die?!"

Dr Elund: "I'm sorry... I did everything I could." (-_-)
Adie: (;_;)
Faeda: (>_>)
Edeline: "No... there must be something you can do, doctor! Anything?!" (o_o)
General Lu: (-_-)
Dr Elund: "There is only a rumor, of a herb that can counteract the poison. But no one has been able to find this rare herb. It just doesn't seem to exist anymore. I'm sorry." (-_-)
Edeline: "H-how... long does he have?" (o_O)
Dr Elund: "Seven days... eight at the most." (-_-)
Edeline: "I see..." (-_-)
Faeda: "Wait... where is rare herb said to be located?" (<_<)
Dr Elund: "Somewhere in Stagmoon. But... the people of that village has never found such an herb, themselves." (-_-)
Faeda: "I think it's worth a try." (^_^)

Everyone looks to Faeda, puzzled. "What do you mean?" frowns Edeline, "Look for the herb?" "Yes." she smiles, "I don't know why, or how, but I have a feeling that if we look for it, we will find it." "Maybe it's just wishful thinking." says Oar. "No," Faeda shakes her head, "I'm pretty sure." "Seven days..." ponders General Lu, "That's enough time to visit Stagmoon and back." "Yeah," says Adie, hopeful, "We have to try!"
"At any event," waves General Lu, "The seer has an journey to finish. Edeline and I can go looking for the herb and-" "No." says Faeda, firmly, "We will all go searching." "Faeda," asks Vi, concerned, "Are you sure?" "Yes," she nods, "I can't concentrate on my mission, knowing my friend is in trouble. So, if I went now, I'd only fail." "Please," frowns General Lu, "Be reasonable. You've spent so much time away from your duties, as it is! There's no need for a group to go searching for one herb." "You won't change my mind, General Lu." Faeda says, shaking her head.
"We'll have to leave now," nods Oar, "If we want to get a good head start." "Yes," agrees Edeline, "But before we leave... Dr. Elund? Will it be okay, if I saw Galen for a while?" "Sure." nods Dr. Elund, "But don't stay too long. He does need his rest. Right now, he's very weak." "Galen?" whimpers Adie, "Weak? That doesn't seem right at all." "It's okay, Adie." smiles Faeda, "We'll find that herb and he'll be himself again. You'll see." Edeline heads for the door to Galen's room. Her friends stay in the waiting room, letting her and Galen have some privacy. She walks into the tiny room...

Edeline: "Galen?" (o_O)
Galen: (-_-)
Edeline: "It's me, Edeline. Can you hear me?" (O_o)
Galen: (-_-)
Edeline: "You look so pale..." (-_-)
Galen: (-_-)
Edeline: "Stupid monk..." (;u_u)
Galen: (-_-)
Edeline: "Why couldn't you just do what you were told?! Why didn't you just stay back?!" W('O')W
Galen: "...Edeline?" (-_-)
Edeline: "You're so stupid!!! You're so stubborn!!!" W('O')W
Galen: "...Edeline. I'm sorry..." (-_-)
Edeline: "No. I'm sorry... that last part was meant for me." (;_;)

Galen lazily opens his eyes. "Huh?" he says, weakly, "What are you talking about?" "I'm the stubborn one." sobs Edeline, "I'm the stupid one." "What did you do?" asks Galen, puzzled. "I was so busy chasing ghosts." she sobs, "So busy being angry over what Zev did to us... to everyone... that I didn't care about bringing my friends into the middle of the battle! I only cared about revenge!" "Edeline..." sighs Galen. "No," waves Edeline, "I know that you guys wanted to be there for me. But if I wasn't so busy hating Zev, we would have left that battle to General Lu and the rest! And Faeda would be on her way to the Golden Soul by now... And you would be safe, Galen! But now... now, I'm losing the only person in this world that ever mattered to me!"
"Edeline." sighs Galen, placing a hand on hers. "I'm so sorry, Galen!" she sobs, "I didn't mean to get you all involved! I screwed up, big time! And I only wish I could take it all back!" Galen hugs Edeline, suddenly. "Hey," he whispers in her ear, "Don't cry. You did nothing wrong. You followed your heart and stood up for what's right. And Edeline, so did we. I don't regret, not a second, coming back to fight by your side. You're the only person I could truly rely on. So, I'd die a thousand deaths to make things right for you... to help you... to..." Galen falls back into the bed, unable to keep hugging Edeline.

Edeline: "You need your rest, Galen..." (;_;)
Galen: "I know... this poison sucks." o(^_-)O
Edeline: "We're going to find a cure for you." (;_;)
Galen: "There is no cure." (-_-)
Edeline: "Faeda is sure there is... and where to find it." (;_;)
Galen: (-_-)
Edeline: "Galen?" (;_;)
Galen: (-_-)
Edeline: "Hey, Galen...?" (;_;)
Galen: (-_-)
Edeline: "We're fighting for you... you know?" (;_;)
Galen: "I know... make it an good fight." (-_-)

"We have to go now..." whispers Edeline, "But we'll be back." "Okay." says Galen, eyes closed. Edeline heads for the door. As she touches the handle, Galen calls out, "Hey, Edeline." "Yeah?" she sniffs, turning to face Galen. He looks so small and frail, lying there, like a small helpless child. It's enough to make Edeline want to cry harder, but she quickly stuffs back the flood. "Edeline." he sighs, "Remember... to smile." "Yeah." nods Edeline, "I'll do that." She leaves the room, wiping away her tears, as Galen slowly falls asleep.
From Edeline's somber look, everyone could tell it was bad. Adie starts to sob again, Vi and Faeda face the floor, Oar seems unaffected. General Lu places a hand on Edeline's shoulder, offering his sympathies. "Well," sighs Edeline, her mood lifting a bit, "What are we waiting for? Let's find that herb." "Yeah." nods Faeda, with a smile. "Okay." sniffs Adie. "I'll come along too." nods General Lu.
Adie and Oar is on one steed, Vi and Faeda on another, and General Lu on his black steed. Edeline rides the horse, given to her from the Mayor, leaving Galen's horse in the stables. The horse seems to look as lonely as our heroes felt, without Galen, as they ride away.

Adie: (-_-)
Faeda: "It's okay. Everything will turn out okay in the end." (;^_^)
Edeline: "Yeah. It has to. I don't know what I'd do without Galen." (-_-)
General Lu: "We'll search hard for this herb. Don't worry." (-_-)
Faeda: "I really do have a feeling, everything will be fine going to be okay." (;^_^)
Oar: "How can you be so sure?" (-_-)
Faeda: "I just feel it. It's hard to explain." (;^_^)
Edeline: "Remember to smile..." (-_-)
Vi: "What's that, Edeline?" (o_O)
Adie: (O_o)
Edeline: "He told me to smile. And I'm going to try." (;^_-)

They ride for a long while. By nightfall, they're just outside of a town named "Lion's Hold". "Let's stop in town for the night." nods General Lu, "I know the owner of the Inn." Everyone is tired, but Edeline is determine. "No," she says, "Let's keep going." "We're tired." sighs Oar. "Well," she says, "You guys get some sleep, catch up with me later?" "No," says General Lu, firmly, "You're tired too. We should all get some rest." "But-" frowns Edeline.
"You'll pass out," says General Lu, "Before you would make it to Stagmoon, from exhaustion. I know you want to help Galen, I want to help him too, but you need your rest! You won't be any help to him, if you run yourself ragged." Edeline sighs, "Must you always be right?" "Annoying," he grins, "I know! People tell me that, all the time!" Faeda and Vi giggle. "First thing in the morning?" asks Edeline, one brow up. "At the crack of dawn." nods General Lu. Everyone rides towards town...