Invisible Shadow

History

In 1894, a series of 22 Mill workers reported sick to their local clinic. In nine hours, twenty lay dead, with another ten in serious condition. However, a few days later, no new patients were admitted, and work continued on. Until about a week later, when seven outbreaks of the same virus sprung up ib Ghettos of Argenstrath, Gearford, Astam Junction, and Hjem. The Vibranni ghettos and Villages around the towns also began to fall ill by the hundreds.

The Technocratic council tried not to worry about it, but it was when word reached over seas that a similar sickness was spreading in Paor, that is when panic struck. Soon, the Technocrats could see the issue. With a load of new funds being poured into medical Science in the coming weeks, they expected a cure to arise before it got out of hand.

However, it only took another two days for every town and city in Antiford to have near 100 dead by this new disease. People began shutting their doors to visitors. Mills lost entire work forces overnight. Businesses failed and crumbled. Hospitals were soon obsolete and over full. 

Soon, new problems arose. Carpenters were called on to make the cheapest and fastest coffins they could in bulk. Instantly Titanian and Mercian wood skyrocketed in price, and never had the demand been so high. Entire work forces set to digging shallow graves, even going into thee dunes for mass burials. However, the influx of trade soon stopped altogether as the plague that had gripped Antiford by the throat now was spreading even faster into Titania and South Araz. The Titanians, whose majority were of the Yeti race, were surprisingly resilient to the Influenza, many surviving the fevers and illnesses which killed humans and Vibranni. However, the Titanians could see many of them still falling ill to the disease, and could foresee illnesses that could be just as devastating. With Titania's Human and Vibranni population dwindling, they close their borders to Refugees and trade from other nations. 

In a last-ditch effort of hope. Many royalties and hopefuls traveled to Kuu in search for a cure. Kuu, who initially welcomes the seemingly endless volunteers and test subjects, seemed to have gotten close to finding it. However, with the wide spread of the disease and it's deadly effects, it wasn't long before Kuu researchers began falling ill with the very disease that they raced to cure. Soon, Kuu was suffering the heaviest loses of any nation, with thousands of deaths and bodies, literally, piling up in the streets. After two months since the first outbreak, Kuu finally fell to the Influenza. The Nation went silent, and many began to return from Kuu telling of entire cities turned into graves and not a soul to be found. With that, many turned to Argenstrath in Antiford.

Antiford, however was doomed. Complete Anarchy has surfaced. The Technocrats, now entirely ruled by Doctor S. Carter, claimed Titania to have a cure, or a vaccine, and that they closed their border to hide it. Aligning with the Prush Confederacy, Mercia, and several Paorean nations, they orchestrated the largest scale attack on Titania the world had ever known. What was meant to be a saving grace only fed the Influenza. The battlefield allowed it to fester and mutate. A stronger Influenza now struck down Yeti and human alike. The corpuses of the battlefield only turned entire areas into incubation for the Influenza. By the time the war was deemed useless, and an Armistace was settled upon by the field generals, most government figures were falling ill to the Influenza, and many survivors were now catching the new, mutated strands from Veterans returning home.

It only took three months until total, world wide Anarchy gripped Orr. The death toll being in the Billions, and the known Vibranni population having been wiped off Orr, governments failed and Nomadic families and communities began to form, all trying to escape the graves. Slowly, the Influenza began to die off, but not before it had left Araz un inhabitable to most living creatures and Paor was suffering. The only 'Nation' which could be heard of was the Nation of the Badger, which was believed to be started by Antiford nomads who began a seasonal nomadic culture in Southern Mercia. 

Orr was never the same again. 

My Little Birdie

Arnett struggled with his gas mask, he was sure his angry facial expression was not making it through the cockpit windshield of the Scorpios II. He glared out past the desert and to the small town of Tull that now stood against him. He could spot their white masks from this far away, that being all that singled them out against the dull gloomy colors of the town and desert.

"We said, 'no'," came the hyper enhanced voice of the leader using a voice amplifier.

Arnett slammed his angered fist down on his knee, then wincing in pain, he brought the mouthpiece of his own amplifier to the mouthpiece of the gas mask.

"And I said I am not sick, and I need supplies. I am willing to pay for them, however I can not go without these supplies," Arnett leaned forward, pointing for effect, "I highly doubt Tull's ability to keep me out."

"We will fight you if you approach," came the voice again, "We will not take the chance. This is a quarantined zone. We are clean! We will not take the chance!"

Arnett looked around, and thought about his options. Grasping the controls, he yanked them, guiding the landship Scoprios II closer to Tull, and turning sideways to the town. He flipped some switched and the broadside of cannons moved forward and the armored flaps that protected them were lifted so the cannons could rise. Arnett saw them wave and some of the figured ran for cover, smaller figures that must've been children were hurried away. Only a few adamant figured stayed behind. 

"This is your final warning," yelled Arnett closing his eyes and shaking his head, "If you do not allow me to supply here I will... uh... fire... upon you... with shells of the sickness."

Arnett smiled, they were so afraid of this illness, he would use it against them. Either way, they might get sick. They would appease an oppressor rather then help a stranger. He smiled inside his gas mask, and adjusted his hat.

"Yes. I will use the same shells they used in Gearford on you!" said Arnett, "And then you'll have actual sickness and death on your hands!"

There was quiet, but Arnett could visibly see them arguing. He grabbed at his telescope from its spot on the console and extended it to the windshield, watching as the townspeople now argued amongst themselves. He smiled. He'd done it. Sure enough, an elderly man was attempting to take away their voice amplifier. Pieces of the argument were tossed into the air, and Arnett chuckled to himself.

Finally the man regained control, and he raised the Amplifier.

"What supplies do you need," said the man.

"I request the right to purchase Fuel, Some food, and Water if you have some," said Arnett.

"We have no need of Fuel, and we will sell you what we have," said the man, "Food we can do as well, but what little water we have must be saved for us!"

"Very well," said Arnett, he needed to keep moving anyway, "I have cloth and textiles, as well as machine parts and scrap. A few toys as well."

"Leave your Landship there," said the man, "You will walk into town unarmed!"

"Negative," said Arnett, "I will leave the Ship here with my crew. However, I shall walk into town as the most armed man there!"
 

---

Arnett was using the cart as cover and had his rifle resting on it as he slowly pushed it through the sand and towards the town of Tull. As Arnett approached, he could smell the stink of the Mills on the clothes, and he shook his head. He hated this stuff, why did he even pick it up in the first place? 

Eyeing the three men with rifles and two teenagers with pistols, Arnett smirked. Tull really was nothing. A few buildings and some poor people made this a sad, sad town. Arnett approached, and he could see the leader stood tall against the others, rifle in hand, and a Bobbie's helmet on his head. Beside him was an older man in robes, his hair white as sand. 

"Welcome to our town, traveler," said the old man, "Fear not, for the Gods' wrath has not come to this town!"

"Silence, priest," said the Bobbie, who turned and motioned to Arnett, "That's far enough! Lyle, douse him!"

A one of the teens holstered his pistol, and he approached Arnett and the supplies with a giant container and a hose extending it. Arnett picked up his rifle and knelt behind the supplies, rifle leveled. The adults with rifles tensed, their rifles being raised. The priest ran forward, arms raised.

"Enough, enough!" said the Priest, who pointed at Arnett, "Fear not, traveler. This is a blessed cleaning solution which will ensure the wrath does not taint your wares!"

"Cool down," said the Bobbie, "It's just a test."

The teen approached more cautiously, and he pumped the container, and a blue liquid sprayed from the hose, dousing the goods and the fabric. Arnett could smell the chemicals through his gas mask, and he immediately gagged and coughed. Then the hose was turned on him, and Arnett let out a yelp, leaping away from the blast but not before he was covered, head to toe. He raised his rifle once more, but this time the town had started to chuckle and laugh, and they began to remove their masks.

"Peace, traveler."

"It'll stop stinking in a bit," said the Bobbie, "But for now, let's unload your goods and get you your supplies. Welcome to Tull, traveler."

"Oh, yeah, it's a welcome," said Arnett.

"I am Sergeant Mueller of the White Haven Police Force," said the Bobbie, he stepped forward and removed his mask, "I am now head of this town. This is my home."

"Name's Lieutenant Arnett," said Arnett, "That's the Landship Scorpios II. It's mine."

"I see," said Mueller, "Lost your Captain?"

Arnett's face soured, "No, it's mine. That is mine. Always was..."

"Where are you coming from?" asked Mueller.

"Sortitudo," said Arnett, attempting to take off his hot and slimy gas mask, "Had to make sure my mother was buried properly."

"Sortitudo," said Mueller, slinging his rifle over his shoulder, "I don't understand. White Haven is closer. Why not got through White Haven for supplies?"

"I did," said Arnett.

"No," said the man, "White Haven is no more?"

"The illness has hit it hard," said Arnett, "They have locked down their doors and closed off. I could enter the city once I proved I was well, but many who are unaffected will not share their massive wares of supplies. And those who are, are not able to spare any."

"Where are you going?" asked Mueller, "I am unsure we have enough fuel for such a strange craft to return to Sortitudo."

"No, I have fuel," said Arnett, "More just helps. And I'm not going back to Sortitudo."

"Where will you go?" asked Mueller, now leading Arnett down the street of Tull, "Titania?"

"Titania is not an option," said Arnett, "They have closed their borders to all for seven weeks now. My goal is actually to head to Gearford. I must attempt to locate some allies in hopes of finding means to end or escape this plague."

"The Gods will see to it that it ends when it shall end," said the Priest, motioning towards the largest building in the town, the church, "This is no more but penance for the evil, with innocence being caught in the crossfire. As long as we block out the evil, the Gods will not send their wrath here. They have not already!"

Arnett and Mueller shared a pained look, and they began walking further down the street, faster, hoping the effort it took the Priest to keep up would shut him up. Everywhere Arnett could see illegal water condensers which were barely working. There was a local bar, which had large doors that looked as if they were hastily installed with all the windows boarded up. Otherwise, there were just several tiny homes in the town.

Children, which Arnett had seen earlier, played and laughed. A few girls even danced, singing a sing-songy song about a bird.

I had a little bird
Her name was "Enza".

"So, what do you think?" said Mueller, "Do you think you'll be able to survive out there? You think that fancy mask helps?"

"I hope so," said Arnett, "I took it off a dead soldier."

"Didn't do him much good, then," said Mueller.

"No, not with a bullet in his chest," said Arnett, "But it has done me alright so far."

"Is it helping the government? The Technocrats?" asked Mueller.

"Maybe," said Arnett, but then his voice drew to a whisper, "Rumor had it they escaped to emergency bunkers of some sort. Like a safe place. Got real scared. However, someone told me the other day they are starting to drop like flies. Some of them are even closing themselves off from other Technocrats!"

"So it gets by even the richest and most technological people?" said Mueller, "It really is the work of the Gods."

Her name was "Enza"
I opened the window

A child was continuing the song as she ran by.

"We have felt so closed off from the rest of the world," said Mueller, "I figured someone was smart enough to figure out a cure. We're so... technological and Scientific now a days."

"Maybe," said Arnett, shrugging, "But who is to say there is no cure? Who is to say we didn't do this?"

"What do you mean?" said Mueller.

"Rumor had it that this whole virus was created as a weapon," said Arnett, crossing his arms, "And somehow it just... got out of hand. It's working so much better then expected it's literally just wiping us out."

"Gods help us," said Mueller and the Priest together.

"Or worse, what if it is supposed to be this way," said Arnett, "What if it is a weapon... and the sights are turned on us?"

"Antiford?" asked Mueller, "But it is world wide. This sickness if spreading everywhere."

"Exactly," said Arnett, "Everywhere. What if the target is Orr. Everyone. What if the target is the human race... everywhere."

"Then those Demons wouldn't be falling so easily to it," said the Priest, "I told you, this is a work of the Gods. A weapon against sin!"

By this time they had made it back to the supplies, where the men were loading some food and fuel rations into the cart. Arnett frowned, they were right. There was barely any fuel or food they were willing to spare him. At least he lightened up the Scorpios II a bit, and made some allies.

"Sorry about the whole... gun thing," said Arnett, pointing the the Scorpios II, "We don't really have any sickness shells. That would be crazy."

"Yeah, that puts us at ease slightly," said Mueller, "Well, good luck on your travels."

"Who knows, maybe I could come back if things don't work out," said Arnett, "You have a good set up here. Who would have thought Tull would be the best place to live after all."

"I am afraid we cannot allow this," said Mueller.

"Why?" asked Arnett.

"You are going back out there, into the world," said Mueller, "We cannot chance that if you even make it back that you will not bring back the sickness. I am afraid if you cannot stay now, then we will not allow you back here. No matter how you try and bully your way in, we will fight you! You have been warned."

Arnett crossed his arms and scowled. He felt really bad about this. However, he could see that this was something everyone around them agreed upon. The Priest crossed his arms, Mueller waited for a response, and the other watched for Arnett's response. The children still danced and played, unaware of what was happening.

I had a little bird
Her name was "Enza"
I opened the window
and in flew Enza.

Arnett shook his head, "I'm sorry, but I cannot chance it. I'd love to come back, but I can't stay here now. I am sorry, Mueller."

Mueller nodded in understatement, "Then you understand why I must ask you never to return to Tull, Lieutenant. You and your crew will no longer be welcome."

"Fine, good day to you," said Arnett.

The walk back out to the Scorpios II seemed a lot longer then the one in. Arnett hummed that stupid children's song the entire way.

Packing up the Scorpios II, he thought about the train accident which he had gotten all the supplies from in the first place. Looks like the Flu has hit the train, bad, and killed everyone mid-trip. The second train of people fleeing Argenstrath to White Haven didn't even know, and didn't have a chance of stopping themselves, little alone another run away train. They collided, and the scene was unimaginably terrible. Now he had given away, bartered, with the last memories of that image. He was glad, even if it was for basically nothing. He wanted that image gone.

Moving the Scorpios II away from Tull, Arnett considered turning around, but he really did need to find his friends. Maybe they would know how to deal with the Flu. Maybe they would know how to stop it. Arnett hummed the tune as he steered towards Gearford.

I had a little bird
Her name was "Enza"
I opened the window
And in flew Enza.

Arnett fanned himself, he was beginning to feel a little hot. It was always hot in the Scorpios II, but he was so glad that he didn't have to wear his mask at this moment. Then he let out a terrible cough. It seized him all at once. Arnett stopped, and fear took over him. Staring at his now bloodied hand, his eyes were burning with the promise of tears. He shook his head.

Looking out the windshield, and suppressing another cough, he thought of the town. Their water condensers, their boarded up bar, their little church and crazy Priest. And their children, singing that haunted song. 

Arnett closed his eyes, and mouthed the words.

I had a little bird
her name was "Enza"
I opened the window
and Influenza.

Tull was dead. They just didn't know it yet. The blame would be on the Ghost Landship, Scorpios II. Arnett put his head in his arms, because he couldn't watch the reflection of his crying in the windshield.

Enforcement

"Get those people back!"

"Get back!"

"There is no medicine here!"

"Lieutenant, get those people back!"

"I said get back!"

"Constable Norton, what on Orr is going on?"

"Sir, it appears to be the beginning of a riot. They want a cure, sir."

"There is no cure, Constable. Besides, public events have been canceled until further notice."

"I understand, sir."

"And if this is not a public event, and if they will not leave, this is a riot."

"Understood sir!"

"And if this is a riot against a public office then this is no longer a riot, Constable, it is an uprising."

"Sir?"

"All these people can not be well. They must be sick. They are spreading it to each other, spelling out the letters of death! Now they are here, and threatening us. We cannot get sick, Constable."

"Sir."

"So get RID of them, Constable."

"Push those people BACK! Back I said!"

"Tell that man firing his gun up in the air like that will do nothing. It must be facing the crowd."

"Sir? Those are civilians?"

"A riot with armed civilians? Doesn't sound like a riot to me. Sounds like an uprising."

"Sir? I... I cannot-"

"If you can't then the military can, Lieutenant, you are no longer under Constable Norton's command. You are in command until Colonel Flisk returns to relieve the Constable. Order these men to fire upon the uprisers."

"Sir!"

"Yes, Sir. For the glory of Antiford! Men, take aim!"

"For the safety of me..."

"No, you will not relieve me, sir, I resign! I did not sign up for this!"

"You resign as Constable, fine, but not from your post. Not unless you want to join the sick. Now pick up a rifle and fire!"

"FIRE!"

"Yes sir..."

"And that thing, what do we bother spending money with it if it's not in use. Fire into the crowd. Burn them!"

"You in the Walker, fire into the crowd! That's an order! FIRE!"

"Officer Norton, I don't see you firing into the crowd..."

"..."

"I'm sorry, Officer, only Government officials are allowed on this side of the guns!"

"Yes, sir!"

"That's better, Officer Norton. Keep firing!"

"Return to your homes! This rebellousness will not be tolerated! Return to yor homes!"