The King's council had fallen quiet. 

None of the men spoke as Valerius recounted the events that had transpired that long night. Their faces were a mixture of shock, confusion, and speculation, as he explained to them that he and his men had been ambushed in the middle of the night by fallen soldiers. 

He recounted to them the way the soldiers had ripped through their camp- not with sword, lance, or mace, but with tooth and nail.

No matter how many times he or his men had hacked away at them, they would just keep getting back up, biting and clawing at them. 

It was Prince Cassius who spoke first, his voice a mixture of disbelief and confusion. 

"Came back? What do you mean 'came back'?" 

"Just as I described," Valerius started, his eyes not moving from the map of Skáld and the surrounding dukedoms. "No matter how many times we cut them down, they just rose again, as if possessed by some kind of evil spirit. Even our own men turned mad as well."

At that, one of the councilmen- Lord Enric Banes stood up, his voice held a note of discontent when he spoke, "Then they're traitors to the crown!"

Valerius's jaw clenched as the men around him seemed to nod in agreement with the older lord. 

"My men were not traitors to the crown! My men fught and died for this kingdom and I'll be damned if some-"

"Silence." The councel room fell quiet as the King rose from his seat. "There will be order when in my presence." His attention shifted from Valerius to his counsel men.

At least they had the common sense to look abashed and ashamed. 

"Sir Strand," an oily voice, barely above a whisper came from a thin-lipped Father Eckhart, the King's holy advisor. "Do you perhaps have any evidence to the claims that you're making? Not that we doubt the things that you and your men encoutered, but you must admit, it does sound a little... uncontrived." 

Valerius swallowed his festering anger, "No. I did not want to risk bringing back whatever sickness our enemies carried." 

"Than," started the holy-man. "perhaps whatever you had seen is no more? Just a trick of a war-fogged mind?"

"I know what I saw. It wasn't some war-though imaginings!" 

Now it was the King's turn to speak, "Are they dead? The Altraxians and our men who've seemingly gone mad, are they dead?"

Valerius stood straighter, his hand clenching at his side as he answered back, "Yes, your Majesty. We've made certain that they - all of them- were disposed of." 

King Cassius was quiet, his eyes calculating, before he spoke again, "Then this matter has been handled. If what you say is true and whatever madness that had gripped not just our enemies but our allies has been extinguished than I see no other step to be done. You may go." 

"Your Majesty, I don't think-" 

"Sir Strand, we have more pressing matters to be concerned about. Just the fact that our enemies were found so deep within our territory is concerning in and of itself. We don't have time to worry about a sickness that you- yourself have already purged. This meeting is over."

And with that, the King rose from his spot at the head of the table. His flock of sycophants followed close behind him. 

Valerius stood ridged, his hands clenched at his sides. Frustration boiled deep within him. 

Cassius came to his side, his friend's blue eyes were wide with concern, "Don't worry about my father. I'll speak with him, suggest that we keep any eye out for this sickness. You tend to your men." 

"Send some of your men to the border. To the outlier dukedoms and villages like Shiver and Heilung, see if anyone has seen or heard of this sickness." Valerius turned to stop him, "You believe me, don't you?"

He didn't miss the look of uncertainty on his friends' face as he said, "Go tend to your men." and left him to stand alone in the counsel room.