353 Mutated Mushrooms (1/2)
As agreed, Joseph took Zero and Truen out discreetly to a coma patient's house. The patient's name was Birb Blunder and he was a carpenter who worked at Madeline's Artisan Workshop.
”How long has it been since he had fallen into a coma?” Zero asked and Joseph sighed.
”He's been in a coma for about a year now. It happened one day when he slept with his windows open and a mushroom suddenly grew right outside of his house. We've chopped that mushroom down but that stupid fungi has grown five more since then,” the garrison head explained.
Zero asked if he could be carried outside to take a look at the mushrooms that Joseph talked about. The giant obliged and cautioned Zero not to touch it or get too close. He even advised the doctor to wear a mask. Truen remained behind on Zero's request. The wood elf was simply not equipped to handle the spores and Zero had taken precautions using advanced magic that Truen wasn't capable of.
When Zero got to the mushroom, he hopped closer towards it and examined the mushroom's gills. ”Sorry, but could you lift me a little higher? I can't reach the gills. I need some samples of the spores to offer it to the wandering gods.”
Joseph still looked sceptical about Zero's wandering gods but complied anyway. There was no real harm in allowing Zero to try. What's one more failed attempt? Magnus Hilda didn't have anything much to lose at this point. If none of the conventional methods worked then they might as well give the unconventional methods a try.
Zero successfully retrieved a sizable sample and quickly sent it to the pharmacy inventory for Talias to start running tests. If it is confirmed to be the same kind of mushrooms with sleeping spores they found before, Zero would have to start work immediately. Sleeping spores were poisonous and the doctor didn't know what kind of side effects it would have on the patients who had been in coma for a long time.
”Has any of the coma victims shown any strange signs other than not being able to wake up?” Zero asked once they were back indoors.
Joseph shook his head. ”Not at all. They are just unable to move a muscle and appear to always be sleeping although Birb's wife claims that he can hear her sometimes in his sleep state.”
”How does she know?” Zero asked. This was a very strange piece of information. If the patient was unable to move, how could anyone tell if they were able to hear conversations?
Zero frowned. Sleeping people wouldn't be able to hear conversations much less react to real-time information. Perhaps he was wrong before. These mushrooms may be a little different from the sleeping mushrooms. It could also explain why the patients remain relatively unharmed even after sleeping for so long. However, without further analysis, Zero couldn't make a sure conclusion.
”I understand. I would like some privacy to speak to the wandering god and check on Birb's vitals. I may not be able to come to a conclusion right away because it takes time to receive an answer but can we also take a look at some of the other victims and the mushrooms from various parts of Magnus Hilda?”
Joseph gave his word and gave Zero the privacy he needed. The doctor wasted no time. Birb was a big giant about fourteen metres tall and Zero was a very small creature in his presence. If what Birb's wife claimed was right, Birb should be awake now. Zero wanted to test if Birb could hear him.
”Hello, Birb. I'm Zero, a doctor who carries the voice of gods. For now, I am going to measure your pile and run a regular vital check. I would also like to know if you truly are conscious but unable to wake up or asleep. I know you cannot move your muscles but please roll your eyes if you can hear me.”
As expected, the giant was able to roll his eyes and his heart rate accelerated. The discovery made Zero a lot more confused. The patient was clearly awake but unable to move. How did all the previous doctors not realise this? Everyone said that it was a coma but coma patients cannot respond. Then, Zero ran a few other tests. With the help of magic and flight, Zero pried Birb's closed eyelids open.
”I can see you rolling your eyes. Tell me, are you able to see me? Roll your eyes up and down like you are nodding if you can.”
Again, Birb responded positively and Zero became excited. He measured Birb's pulse while talking to the giant and also asked for permission to draw some blood to test for poisoning. Birb agreed and Zero was very satisfied by the end of the half an hour he spent in the room.
When Zero was done, Birb's wife offered them some cakes before Joseph brought Zero around Magnus Hilda. The doctor asked many questions and Joseph was very helpful, answering them to the best of his abilities.
”The first area where victims were found is in this very village. Nobody thought much about it until the third victim appeared. The villagers reported it to the king and the king sent doctors over but when some of the doctors became infected and none of the villagers was cured, the king announced that a plague had appeared.”
Zero took a look at the village that had been mostly abandoned with the exceptions of a few elderly. The mushrooms have taken over almost everything from the walls and ceiling to the pavements and gardens. Even Truen found the sight shocking.
”Has nobody tried to get rid of the mushrooms?” The archer asked and Joseph sighed heavier this time.