Corruption

"The scene in front of them made Drakos' blood run cold. His father stood on the other side of the large cavern, staring the group down. Black... something dripped down his face, from his eyes and mouth. The dripped echoed throughout the cavern. His eyes looked lifeless and for a moment Drakos was afraid it was too late. Caligo took a shaky step towards the group and let out a moan that made Drakos want to turn tail and run."

Causes

The exact cause of the illness is unknown, as it is rare and strikes quickly. Those who have seen it theorize it has something to do with the mixing of Essences.

Symptoms

Those affected by Corruption go through a series of four stages before the disease claims them. In the first stage, the affected exhibit flu-like symptoms. Fever, nausea, fatigue, and body aches are all present in this stage and can last anywhere from a few days to about a week. This is when the second stage symptoms began to show. In the second stage, the affected will begin to cough and vomit up a type of black ooze. The patient will remain like this for anywhere between a few months to almost a year. If not cured, the patient will enter stage four. The patient will begin to both cry and bleed the black ooze while also displaying decreased mental function, lethargy, and will also begin to attack other Sprites for their Essences. It is nearly impossible to cure the patient once they've entered this stage, and they will most likely die within the next year, if not sooner.

Treatment

There is only one known cure for Corruption, and it's considered more a temporary fix than an actual cure. Two Sprites, one with healing powers and another with immense power, must use their magic and heal the Essence of the affected Sprite. This brings the Sprite back to their normal self, for a while at least. The process must be repeated every few months, or the Sprite will revert to back to their Corrupted self.

Prognosis

If left untreated, the only outcome is death.

Sequela

As there has only been one case of Corruption that hasn't ended in death, there is little known about the side effects. What is known is that the affected retains no memory between entering stage four and curing. The affected also suffer from lethargy and a compromised immune system.

Affected Groups

Any Sprite is at risk of corruption.

Prevention

There is no prevention for this illness.

History

The first recorded case of Corruption in present day was the Sprite of Darkness, Luna. He fell ill after the disappearance of his sister Solaris and could not be cured in time, eventually passing away from the illness. The next case was the Sprite of Death, Caligo. He fell ill shortly after Luna, but vanished in the middle of the night with his son. He was found many years later and was able to be cured.

Type

Magical

Origin

Magical

Cycle

Chronic, Acquired

Rarity

Rare

Affected Species

• Sprite