260 THE POISON MAGIC FOUNTAIN
The crowd erupted again, their anger reignited by Hagglis' accusations.
Unbeknownst to the crowd, Hagglis was conspiring with the Koresh Empire for some time. He brought the cursed fountain to the governor's residence as part of a plot to frame the governor and destabilize the city.
"Arggghhh", suddenly another person succumbed to the poisoning, his body transforming into a crazed monster.
"We are all poisoned, what should we do?" the crowd cried in fear and frenzy.
As tensions escalated, more people began to show signs of poisoning, their symptoms mirroring those chained men.
Soldiers quickly moved to restrain the affected individuals, bringing them before the governor to prevent further disruptions.
"See? The accusations are true!" a protestor shouted.
"The governor is lying!" another cried.
"They're covering their crimes by arresting the victims!" a third voice added.
The crowd seethed with unrest, their fury reaching a fever pitch.
General Nahum bent close to Governor Zeru, his voice low and urgent. "Should we use force to disperse them? The poison is spreading, and more are falling ill by the minute."
Governor Zeru hesitated, his face etched with conflict.
The weight of his decision pressed heavily upon him. Maintaining order was paramount, but the thought of spilling innocent blood filled him with dread.
"Force might quell the mob, but it would surely turn the city's heart against us. What should we do now?" the governor asked worriedly as he looked behind him.
One of the ministers behind them slipped closer to the two men. His voice was a hushed murmur, barely audible over the din.
"The poison has a magic trigger. Someone here is activating the curse on the mob. They must be stopped."
It was Leo disguising himself as a minister so as not to reveal his presence here.
General Nahum's eyes narrowed. "Where do we find this curse initiator?"
Leo's mind moved subtly, summoning his control panel.
To his eyes, the world transformed into streams of magical code, swirling and darting like ethereal currents. He traced the threads of poison on the victims, following their trajectory until his gaze locked onto a hooded figure in the crowd.
A single strand of code snaked from the figure toward a victim writhing in agony. Then more strands were revealed connecting to the perpetrator and the victims.
"There," Leo said, his voice sharp. "The man in the hood—he's the one controlling the curse."
Without hesitation, General Nahum signaled his guards.
They surged forward, cutting through the crowd with precision. The hooded man barely had time to react before he was seized and restrained. With his capture, the flow of poison ceased, and no new victims fell.
The poisoned men were soon held under control.
Yet, the governor's troubles were far from over.
The mob remained restless, their anger undiminished.
"We demand the governor answer for his crimes?" the crowd screamed for justice.
Zeru turned to Leo, his expression fraught with desperation. "What now? The people are still rioting."
Leo's response was calm, almost enigmatic. "Wait. Just a little longer."
As if on cue, a new group emerged from the edges of the square.
At their head was Megane, the renowned pharmacist from the Lilleo-Megane pharmacy. Her presence commanded immediate attention. She stepped forward, her voice steady yet imbued with authority, cutting through the tension like a blade.
"The cure for the poison is here," she announced, her words carrying the weight of hope. "Stand down and let us heal the sick."
"Who is this woman?" the crowd asked.
"She's the famous pharmacist from Lille-Megane pharmacy, we are saved", someone shouted in relief.
The crowd, though still murmuring, began to quiet.
Megane's arrival signaled a turning point.
"Whew that is a relief," Governor Zeru exhaled, his shoulders easing as he watched the scene unfold.
"I am the pharmacist from Lilleo-Megane Pharmacy," Megane announced.
The crowd quieted and were curious about her presence. "We know the cause of the poisoning," she continued, pausing for effect, "and we have the cure."
Her assistants moved swiftly, applying a potion to the poisoned individuals. Almost instantly, their symptoms began to fade—their veins returned to normal, and their frantic movements stilled.
The crowd watched in stunned silence as the victims were healed before their eyes.
"Did the pharmacist cure the strange poison?"
"We are saved."
Leo and Governor Zeru had uncovered the sinister plot orchestrated by Hagglis and the Koresh Empire early on.
"This is a close one", Governor Zeru spoke to his ministers who sighed relief at the climb down of the crisis.
"Don't worry, the suspense is only a part of the show", Leo replied.
There was a scheme against the governor.
The scheme was designed to sow discord in Sodom City by using a cursed magic fountain to poison the water supply, turning the people against their leaders.
However, instead of exposing the conspiracy immediately, Leo and the governor decided to play along, feigning ignorance to draw out the conspirators and gather more evidence.
Leo even visited the Hagglis family, using his charm to extort magic items and resources from them. His corrupt actions convinced Hagglis and his allies that their plot remained hidden, lulling them into a false sense of security.
Unaware that they were being manipulated, the conspirators continued with their plans, confident that their scheme would succeed.
Meanwhile, Megane worked tirelessly to develop a cure for the poison in the fountain's water. Soon, she successfully created an antidote.
When the mob stormed the governor's residence, fueled by Hagglis' lies and the poisoned victims, Leo and the governor were prepared.
They allowed the chaos to unfold.
As the crowd demanded answers, Megane stepped forward, her antidote in hand, demonstrated its effectiveness by healing the poisoned victims on the spot.
Governor Zeru seized the moment. "Arrest Hagglis and the Toledo family!" he commanded.
The guards moved quickly, apprehending Hagglis as the crowd looked on in confusion.
Minister Alem stepped forward to address the crowd. "Hagglis of the Toledo family conspired to poison the people of Sodom City using a cursed magic fountain," he explained.
"What is happening here? We need answers", the crowd shouted.