Sonnia looked at her with confusion. She aimed it at Freeg like it was a laser pointer. While her eyes trailed Marm and the pot holding it.

  “How does a flower prevent sickness? That makes no sense. They smell good and look pretty. Then you take care of them until you forget about them.”

  She stuck out her tongue after she saying it with a smug look. Freeg blinked once as she held her flower to her chest.

  “I know how it sounds, but Marm is special, she even helped you heal because of its petals. I had been bedridden for a long time, in fact most of my life. One day though, I was given a gift from my parents, a strange flower which caught my eyes.”

  She continued, while stretching out, getting comfortable in her cell. Looking up at the small opening in the ceiling.

  “I don’t know what compelled me to, but I took a petal and ate it, then I felt strength lifting me up as I took my first steps. I knew she was meant for me. I took her with me every day from that moment on. I care for her and she helps me and the town. Even in jail, she stays with me. I feel her love for me.”

  Sonnia half-listened to her story. She stuck out her tongue and pulled the petal out of her mouth as Freeg talked. Now frowning a little while looking at it in her hands. After discarding she curled into a ball listening as Freeg spoke more.

  “If I may ask, what crime did you commit? I hope that isn’t too personal to ask.”

  Sonnia looked at her and smiled innocently. Showing off a bruise on her face.

  “Technically, I did nothing wrong but try to enter the city, then a man put his hands on me, and I defended myself, and I would’ve won if Sonnia didn't interfere with my fight.”

  Freeg listened, her eyes looked at the blemish on Sonnia’s face. Although slightly confused by her words. She ignored it and continued on.

  “Well, at least it doesn’t sound like you are a bad criminal, I’m more at ease then. Mine isn’t bad either, I'm technically not in any trouble, I’m under quarantine, I came into contact with a dead body that had a disease that popped up in this city while on the other side of town.”

  Sonnia's eyes widened, and she crawled back to the edge of the cell. She covered her mouth and nose almost in a childish manner.

  “I’ve been with a sick person this whole time? And you put your fingers near my mouth too! That’s disgusting! If I get sick, I'll beat you with my staff until one of us dies.”

  Freeg nodded, then continued talking.

  “I’m not sick, nor do I feel anything wrong other than my normal sickness, but the plague that haunts Lowmere is scary. I don’t blame your reaction. It starts with a small fever, but it turns into something more scary, the fever takes over, and roots grow up the skin, eventually you die, and saplings take form.”

  Looking more worried, Sonnia started feeling around her legs and arms with careful precision. The feeling of her smooth skin made her more at peace. She looked at Freeg with an annoyed look.

  “Great, so now I’m stuck in a town with a plague, in a jail cell with a woman and her magical flower….mmmmmm not ideal.”

  Suddenly, her eyes dazed, she heard a voice in her head, it was her other self. She spoke in a firm voice.

  “We should do our part and help the city. The disease sounds terrible. You should offer your assistance; we are healers. They will be grateful. Please don’t abandon them; you are better than that.”

  Sonnia's eyes returned to normal. She Looked up at the ceiling and rolling her eyes.

  A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

  “Fine, I’ll try for a little bit…BUT ONLY if I get snacks and a bath, and a nice massage on my shoulders and legs!”

  Freeg looked concerned, stood silent, and watched as Sonnia now rambled to herself. She felt nervous but asked in a calm voice.

  “Are you Sonnia?”

  Sonnia hopped up to her feet, now smiling and stretching her legs. She looked at the bars and tugged again at the metal. There was no shake or wiggle from her test. Looking around for other weaknesses in the cell.

  “What else can you tell me about this disease? If I am to help, I need wayyyyyy more information. What else about it?”

  Freeg answered in an earnest voice, a little confused by Sonnia's spiraling words.

  “Well, for the most part, it's under control. There’s the eastern part of the town under quarantine. Anyone who gets sick is sent there until they die, then they burn the bodies. Every day, the sick are thrown on carts to be thrown there; it’s even been walled off by disabled golems. I’ve done my part to help. Every week, I distribute petals to some to try and keep them healthy, but Marm only has so many petals to give.”

  Sonnia thought to herself briefly then smiled. Grabbing her staff curling her fingers around it with a tight grip.

  “Well, I guess I’ll be leaving for this quarantine zone then. Thank you for being so helpful, Freeg. You are a good friend. Stay healthy, and I hope you don’t get taken by the disease…Kaeeellliithhhhhhhh help me get out of here.”

  Freeg watched Sonnia as she grabbed her staff. Seeing her smack it on the ground and spawning a purple portal. Out of it walked out Kaelith. Wearing black armor and wielding a warhammer in his hands while shadows hid his face. He offered a light bow.

  “Hello Sonnia, how may I be of assistance?”

  Freeg eyes widened in fear. She hugged the wall as tight as she could as her heartbeat increased. His presence increased the temperature of the cramp cell. She watched Sonnia talk so casually to the demon. While Freeg protected Marm with her arms

  “I’m gonna be a hero and save the town, but I can’t do that in this cell, help me out pleaseeeeeee.”

  Kaelith nodded his head and lowered himself into a formal bow. He put his hands on the bars, channeling magic into his hands. The bars turned bright orange and started bending to the sides, slowly caving in from the intense heat and the strength of Kaelith. He pulled the metal forming a big enough gap for Sonnia to go through. Kaelith looked at his owner.

  “Was there anything else you needed, Sonnia?”

  Sonnia smiled and shook her head, now going through the gap as burnt metal filled the air.

  “No! I can take it from here! Thank you, Kaelith. You can go back now.”

  With those words being said, Kaelith returned through a portal, staying silent. Freeg watched, petrified, as Sonnia waved goodbye and walked away. Freeg thought to herself.

  “What in Veythe’s name was that? What kind of magical item was that? Sonnia… you are scary. I’ll pray you stay safe then.”

  Meanwhile, Sonnia walked slowly through the hall. A jailer who had gone to investigate the smell saw Sonnia. She looked back waving with an evil grin while waving.

  “Helloo mister, I’m lost, can you point me in the direction of the east part of Lowmere, please?”

  The man tried to draw his sword quickly. Before he could fully unsheathe his blade he felt a strike against his cheek before darkness took over. Sonnia had chucked her staff at him. She approached him and stared down. Sonnia first reaction was to cover her mouth and try not to laugh as he bled a little from his mouth.

  “Mmmphhhh, I didn’t think he would go down that easily. I just wanted to ask some questions.”

  She went down and searched his pockets. Finding only a few silver coins which she happily took. She then retrieved her staff and exited outside. Smelling the fresh air, and looking up at the night sky. She whispered to herself.

  “Alright then, let’s do this.”

  Now looking back at the building she exited, Sonnia observed it. It was smaller than the other buildings around it. With uneven stones stacked on top of each other with a window near the door. After a moment of thought she ran up to the window. Breaking it with her staff and using the sill as a jumping pad to help her up. She ignored the glass in her foot and propelled herself upwards. The sharp pain made her grin, and reminded her that she was alive and in charge. Latching her fingers into the small gaps in the uneven stones, the best she could as she ascended.

  Slowly climbing up to the top of the roof, she sat down. Now cleaning her feet of glass pieces best she could one piece at a time. She hummed to herself as her hands were at work. After freeing herself from the embedded glass while bits of blood trailed, her hands glowed a wine red.The magic stinged a little but closed the multiple wounds with ease. The magic stung her feet a little like alcohol on her skin. Sonnia, now able to walk better, jumped off the roof onto a nearby building. laughing as she did, like a child playing around. Reaching the top of the next building, she looked out.

  The town looked like it had three sections: a section on a second floor, full of bigger buildings that seemed more carefully built, to her left, more scattered. In the distance, the view of golems that looked scrunched in unison across alleyways almost blocked off a whole part of the city. She grinned and said to herself.

  “Bingoooooo I found it all by myself! But Sonniaaaa, what if we get sick and die? The disease sounds annoying. I don’t wanna have roots grow in my skin, I’m not a cute plant.”

  Waiting for a response Sonnia smile vanished. When nothing popped up from her other self she said out loud.

  “The sick area can wait, I wanna explore the rich-looking area, it looks nicer anyway!”

  Sonnia hopped down to the ground while her staff scraped against the side of a building. Looking around Sonnia saw torchlight coming from various directions. She quickly ran into an alleyway to avoid any prying eyes. Ducking between alleyways and darting from one house to another navigating the first floor of the city. She slowly made her way to the stairs she remembered seeing from above. Before reaching them she a man sleep under a blanket lying still.

  Sonnia got closer, whispering a brief greeting to the man and smiling softly.

  “Hello, friend. I’m not here to cause harm. I’m just sneaking away because I’m in trouble. I’m Sonnia, what’s your name?”

  The man ignored her, lying there silently. Sonnia frowned and poked at his head with her staff. She yanked off his blanket, only to something under his shirt pushing against it. His arms had black lines going up where his veins would be with green sprouts all over his skin. Sonnia backed up quickly casting the blanket away.

  “Ewww, that's gross. Is that what it looks like? So eerie-looking, I wonder if it hurts… but what’s the point of the quarantine zone if this happens? Hmmmmmmmmmm gross.”

  She backtracked, finding a way around the body, leaving it there. She heard distant men's screams in the background and assumed she was being sought, which made her giggle to herself. She stayed in the dark alleyways till she found stairs going up and took them. The moment she reached the top, her feet almost melted into the ground. The material was made of softer earth than the stone or clay soil she grew accustomed to. It felt pleasant to walk on; she smiled, eying all the buildings one after another, until she heard screams.

  “She’s over here! Second floor!”