Cain returned and informed the king about what was happening, the situation was dangerous as they can’t know who is infected or not unless they get close enough.

The king was surprised at how much the situation has gotten out of hand, he immediately sent soldiers to guard the castle and scout the capital for anyone suspicious.historical

“CAIN!” Sofia flew in, “Princess Sara was acting strange, would you mind checking her?”

The king’s face paled as he heard her, if Sara was infected that means a lot of people have been already infected in the castle, his wives and children are all possible victims.

“That fucker, I will slice it to pieces!” The king pulled his sword in rage.

“Calm down, let’s check her first!” Cain yelled as he ran with Sofia toward the room where Sara was held.

Even though she was both unconscious and naked, The Headmaid had her tied to the bed with a rope. Isbert was standing at her head with a worried face.

Cain quickly inspected her eyes, it was strange. He could not feel the tadpole’s presence at all. That reminded him of the first time they met, he bumped into her and should have felt the tadpole there.

As Cain was doing that, Sofia and the king explained what Cain told them on their way to Isbert and the Headmaid. Their faces turned pale.

“She doesn’t have a tadpole..” Cain mumbled. “Is that so?” The king’s face brightened, it was better that she gone rouge than being infected, he only cared that she was unharmed.

Looking at Cain’s face, Both Sofia and the Headmaid understood that something was off.

“Was she alone?” Cain growled as he turned toward the Headmaid, “The other maids are tied in the next room. You can check them if you wanted.” Cain rushed toward them. They all had tadpoles behind their eyes.

Since they worked with Sara, it meant she is infected but doesn’t have a tadpole..This was bad. She was in the later stage, already too far gone.

Those tadpoles are the Aboleths reproduction catalyst, and there are two types of them. The greater tadpole and the lesser tadpole. The latter can be mass-produced while the other can’t. For an aboleth to reproduce it needed to infect a large sea creature with the greater tadpole. It will eventually turn into an Aboleth.

But the lesser tadpoles were used to infect humanoids and create servants (Since the monster can’t reproduce with a humanoid body)

The lesser tadpole starts as a small egg implanted in fish or water, when ingested it hatches in the stomach. The tadpole then travels from the intestine to the bloodstream and reaches its final resting place behind the eye. After a few weeks, she finally grow to about an inch long.

At that stage, the tadpole drills the thin layer of bone between the eye and the brain while secreting a numbing agent so the host can’t feel it. Using its tail, she attaches to the brain’s frontal cortex and started influencing it using electrical signals. At that point, she starts sending the information to the original Aboleth. But this isn’t where it ends, it’s just the start of the horrifying part.

After taking control of the host and growing strong enough, the tadpole attempts to eat the host’s brain and replaces it. At that point, the tadpole becomes almost indistinguishable from a normal brain. The host remains alive and retains his memories and personality, but this meant that the tadpole has become a vital organ that can’t be replaced.

Sara was probably at the last stage, the tadpole had already become her brain so it can neither be sensed nor removed.

The usual treatment, in this case, is a quick and painless death but Cain can’t do that to the king’s daughter.

“This is bad, just sit for a moment and I will explain.” Cain then carefully explained everything to Baltos and the Headmaid. Their faces turned white and then yellow, “Is there a way to save her?” Baltos yelled at the top of his lungs.

“There is only one way, to kill the original Aboleth, Sara can then live her life with the tadpole as her brain without the creature’s influence,” Cain replied with a firm voice, doing such a thing wasn’t easy, especially since anyone can be infected without him knowing.

“We’re done!” Mei suddenly jumped from behind Cain with a big smile. “Why the gloomy faces?” She said.

“Mei, take control of the castle and inspect everyone without exception. Remove any tadpoles you find and tie everyone else and gag them so they can’t hurt themselves.” Cain told her his order and it was strange.

“You write me royal permission to command the navy, we’re going to hunt the Aboleth right now. Even you might be infected so do it now!” Cain glared at the Baltos.

After thinking for a second, Baltos nodded. “Just take that thing down.” Baltos could understand where Cain’s worries are, if no one can detect the infected at the later stage, anyone was possibly an enemy besides Cain’s party who recently arrived.

After writing the permission, Baltos sat down for Mei to tie him down. From that point, the Pixies took control of the entire castle.

Cain rushed to the garden where he regrouped with everyone else. All the girls are ready for a fight as his father and Ariel, Zaleria and Nemmoxon were also ready to fight. “Why is she here?” Alice asked staring at Isbert who was standing behind Cain.

“The tadpole can’t develop in her ice-cold body, she is safe,” Cain said.

“I want to help even if it is small,” Isbert said with determination in her eyes.

Alice sighed as she turned toward Cain, “Fine, but she needs to protect herself.”

As everyone agreed, Zaleria carried them to the port. The navy commander approached Cain with a smile, trying to greet the dragon that fended off the orcs but he had the royal permission thrown on his face.

“No time. Get everyone ready, we’re hunting a sea monster.” Cain said as he flew to the ship followed by everyone else.

‘The cult who opened the Hell Gate must have something to do with Aboleth, it can’t be anything else.’ Cain thought as the ship sailed just a few minutes later. The Aboleth hated changing their lair so he must still be in the same spot that he killed Nemmoxon’s parents in.

The ship stopped as they reached the spot, Cain looked at the water and then turned toward Zaleria and Nemmoxon, “It’s our win if you can force him to the surface, I will take him out.”

“Why won’t we just kill him down there?” Zaleria growled, even though she can’t breathe underwater, nor swim that well.

“He has an advantage there, and a whole army of Krakens. Just get him to the surface, a hundred feet is enough for me to catch him.”

“He is right, a hundred feet from the surface it is,” Nemmoxon replied with a calm voice, she won’t make the same mistake as her parents.

“That’s why you aren’t the strongest of the metallic, that’s cowardliness is what differentiate you from the Gold Dragons.” Zaleria growled as she flew to the sky and transformed to her draconic form. After flying a good distance from the ships, she plunged headfirst causing massive waves and shaking the entire fleet.

“Don’t mind her, just do what you think is best and return alive.” Cain told Nemmoxon.

She nodded strongly as jumped from the ship. As a bronze dragon, she didn’t like transforming in front of peoples unless absolutely necessary. She transformed when she was deep enough that no one can see her.

The hunt is on.