259 MARCH TO THE GOVERNOR'S PALACE
A man with a weathered face and a knowing expression stepped forward. "I've seen this before," he said gravely. "At the Governor's Residence. The Governor has a magic fountain—he uses it to enhance his soldiers."
"What happens to the soldiers who drink from it?" another voice asked, trembling with unease.
The man hesitated, his expression darkening. "I've heard they develop the same symptoms as this poor soul. If left untreated, their bodies might even explode."
A murmur of horror rippled through the crowd. "But how is he infected? He's never been near the Governor's Residence!" someone protested.
The man's gaze hardened. "The Governor's use of that fountain has contaminated the city's water supply. It's spreading to all of us."
"That's unacceptable!" a voice shouted, sparking a wave of angry murmurs.
Before the crowd could fully process the revelation, another patron let out a guttural cry.
Dark veins erupted across his skin, and his eyes glazed over with the same mindless fury. The inn's patrons scrambled to restrain him, wrapping him in chains as they had done with the first man.
"What do we do now?" someone cried, their voice tinged with desperation.
"We demand answers from the Governor!" another voice declared, rising above the rest.
The suggestion ignited a spark of collective resolve. Together, the crowd surged out of the inn, dragging the chained, infected men with them as evidence.
Word of the infection spread like wildfire through the streets, and soon, others joined the growing throng. Shopkeepers, laborers, and families poured out of their homes, their faces etched with fear and anger.
By the time the mob reached the Governor's Residence, half the city had gathered, their voices united in a deafening demand for answers.
-----
[The Residence of the Governor of Sodom City]
The mob surged against the gates of the governor's residence, their voices rising in a deafening roar as they demanded answers.
"We demand answers from the Governor."
"Give us justice."
"Once the protest begins, we smash the shops and carry away the goods."
The guards, fearing the sheer size and anger of the crowd, quickly closed the gates, but the collective force of the protestors was too much to contain.
With a thunderous crash, the gates were pulled down, and the mob poured into the courtyard, their faces filled with rage and anger.
The protesters expected resistance and oppression from the armed guards, or violent suppression, or even a bloody confrontation.
Suddenly things took a different turn as the gates were opened again.
"Open the gates", Governor Zeru commanded.
Instead, they found Governor Zeru standing behind the gates, calmly beside his advisors, his presence unshaken.
The sight of the governor's composure momentarily silenced the crowd, but they now had the chance to speak to the governor in person and veil their grievances.
Next to the governor, a large wagon was pulled out. On the wagon, there was a small ornate magic fountain - the cause of their protest.
Despite being loaded on a wagon, the fountain continued to spray water.
"This is the magic fountain. Even raised on a wagon, the water still flows," the crowd cried in wonderment.
But just as the crowd was marveling at the magic fountain, their mind sobered and returned to the reason of their protest- the poisoning of the city's people by the governor's willful negligence.
"We demand answers for the poisoning of our city!" one man shouted, stepping forward, his voice trembling with anger.
"We are told the governor is responsible."
"We demand justice!!!"
Minister Alem, standing beside the governor, raised an eyebrow. "What are you talking about?" he asked, his tone measured but firm.
"That magic fountain is poisoning our city!" someone shot back, pointing an accusatory finger at the fountain.
Minister Alem frowned. "How can this fountain poison the city? It's just a water fountain. Magical as it may be, it's only a fountain. Did you come charging into the governor's office based on rumors?"
The protesters hesitated, momentarily stunned into silence.
Indeed, the mob was roused into anger at the governor and for some unknown reason were driven here. Even they themselves weren't sure about the case they were bringing to the ruler of the city.
Are they only rumors?
Before they could respond, two men from the crowd of mob stepped up. They were visibly crazed and bound in chains, were brought forward by the mobs. Their eyes were wild, their veins bulging unnaturally.
"These men were poisoned by the water from your fountain!" another protestor shouted, and the crowd erupted into angry chatter, their voices rising in a chaotic uproar.
Minister Alem shook his head. "There may be something wrong with these two men I can be sure, but it has nothing to do with the water in our fountain."
"Liars!" the crowd roared, their anger reignited.
Governor Zeru stepped forward, raising a hand to silence the crowd.
"I don't know who started the rumor that my water fountain is poisonous, but there is only one way to prove otherwise," he declared.
Without hesitation, he walked up to the fountain, cupped his hands, and drank deeply from its water.
"What is the governor doing? Is he really drinking poison from the fountain?"
The crowd gasped and were shocked by the governor's bold act. But the governor's act wasn't enough to appease the mob.
"We don't … believe."
Suddenly, the governor's ministers followed suit, each drinking from the fountain without hesitation.
Moments passed, and the governor and his advisors remained unharmed, their calm demeanor further unsettling the mob. The water was safe to drink.
The crowd began to murmur, and their certainty was wavering.
"Maybe there is more to the poison in the city."
"Could it be… the poison did not come from the governor's fountain?"
But then, a voice cut through the noise. "We have witnesses!" someone shouted.
Lord Hagglis of the Toledo family stepped forward, his expression was grave and serious.
"The governor asked me to purchase this magic fountain from Debauchery City," he declared and pointed to the governor's fountain. "We discovered the water was poisonous, but he insisted on keeping it because it could make his soldiers stronger. He is responsible for the poisoning of the citizens."