"Evan, go get the village elder. Children, off to your rooms! Don't worry about Layla." A middle aged lady, with a striking demeanour broke up the group. The older children taking lead to bring the rest to the second level, while a brown hair boy nodded and ran out with no hesitation.
Looking at Arthos, she said, "Follow me." Arthos silently followed, carrying Layla in his arms. "Lay her on the bed." Arthos complied.
"It's the corruption sickness. Poor child, she must have touched the corruption." Layla hurriedly took a red potion and poured it down her throat.
Hearing 'corruption', Arthos felt his chest tighten. "I'm sorry, I killed a corrupted squirrel in the woods. I accidentally showed the carcass to her?"
"What?! The creatures have turned corrupted? " Then she narrowed her eyes, "How could you bring a corrupted carcass back, much less let a defenceless child get in contact with it? Where is your common sense? " She sighed, "You must be one of the summoned heroes. Only they are immune to the corruption. So much for saving us all."
Arthos felt immensely reproachful. Ignorance is the greatest danger. For a moment, he blamed himself for not raking the game seriously. Damn it, why did it have to be so real. "What can I do?" As Anne hurriedly gathered blankets to cover Layla, she said, "Get some hot water for me."
Like any husband in a kitchen, he stood blankly. Anne looked towards him with a silent scream. Just this moment, Evan returned with an elderly farmer plastered with worry on his face. "Anne, what happened to Layla?" Before she could answer, the elder grimaced and stared at Arthos , "She has been corrupted. Was it you?"
Arthos never wished he could blend into the wall better. Anne came to his rescue, " Stop, Senior Wellick. He is an adventurer who did not know better. Rather than blame him, I need him to head to Lindber to get some Holy Water."
"Lindber? That would take a week to and fro. She would last a day at most!" Anne looked at both men with an exasperation that made stones look smarter. "He is a summoned hero." Wellick stopped in his tracks, as if struck by lightning, then turned to Arthos, "That's right. Only he can do it."
"Hero, you must head to Linber and buy a vial of Holy water. Only that will purify the corruption and save Layla. " Wellick's attitude took a 180 degree turn, from a stare of blame to a gaze of reverence. " Hold it, what can I do? Where do you get the Holy water. "
Welwick and Anne froze and looked at each other. "Aren't you an adventurer?"
"Just tell me exactly what to do. I have just been summoned to your world and I do not know much but I want to save this girl's life. " Arthos said with unmasked impatience.
"Go to the Temple of the Light in Lindber. Buy a vial of Holy Water and bring it back. It costs a silver. We are sorry, only summoned heroes and high ranking officials can use the teleportation crystals. Please do this for us. " Anne calmly instructed. Arthos nodded. He was a man of few words, now was not the time for more.