The day was gray and the road was lonely. Lonely roads were a normal thing in this part of the realm, the northern provinces were scarcely populated after all. But now it was quite worse.

Priests said it was a punishment of the gods, merchants blamed each other for bringing it from a faraway land, nobles retreated to their castles and fortresses, and the common people lived in fear. No one knows for certain where it came from or how it works exactly, but everyone knows the symptoms: the reduction of one's size to, approximately, an adult man's index finger. The people simply call it "The Plague".

And, to combat The Plague, thousands of learned peoples gathered together to form an organization dedicated to study its effects and to protect those afflicted. They adopted the name of the Medical Corps. One can easily recognize them by their uniform, composed of a long robe, black in the exterior and red in the interior, and a long mask resembling a bird.

One such doctor traveled the lonely road. She was relatively tall and walked firmly and attentively. The myriad of flasks and tools she carried in her robes produced a tingling sound as she strolled along the road. Her long robe also served to effectively hide a steel saber and a loaded pistol, one never knew what could happen when you traveled during these times.

The silent aura of the road relaxed the Doctor, it was nice to have some time to herself and her thoughts. Unfortunately for her, that peace was suddenly interrupted by a disproportionately loud voice coming from the inside of her robes. And she remembered that she wasn't traveling alone.

"Anja!" The tiny voice called "Anja!"

The Doctor stopped in her tracks and answered without looking down. "What is it *now* Marce?"

A tiny brown-haired head peaked out of one of the dozens of pockets from inside the robe. The tiny pale man looked up to the giant masked face and screamed again. "Please put me in another pocket! It stinks here!"

"I'm quite sorry my humble robe isn't proper accommodation for my Lord. Would your majesty be satisfied with an alternative? Would he prefer the inside of my boots?" Said Anja, a little irritated.

"Your sarcasm isn't helpful at all." Said Marce. "I was willing to stay put since we left town but it's been three days of walking and this robe stinks of sweat and other things" Said Marce, very irritated.

"Awww that's too bad my Lord, maybe I should get you your own personal carriage next time," Said Anja, finally looking down at her tiny companion.

"Look Anja, I know I'm your subordinate, I know I got myself into this, eh, uncomfortable position... but that gives you no right to treat me like if I was your property and..." the tiny man was interrupted as the world trembled around him. Anja started walking again and the act itself made Marce lose balance and fall into the pocket again.

"Look Marce, I already conceded to let you carry all the 'cool' toxins I have to keep on a pinhead size doses" Anja said. "You get *one* request from me, nothing more"

Marce's muffled voice came louder than expected "LOOK I KEEP TELLING YOU IT'S A GOOD IDEA". He said "apprentices should be expected to carry these things"

"As far as I know apprentices should be disciplined when their incompetence turns into a danger to themselves and others. Now shut up and consider yourself lucky I didn't force you to..."

"To what exactly!?" Said Marce, peaking out of the pocket again.

Anja didn't answer, she was looking deep into the distance. The Doctor instinctively pointed her finger into the direction she was looking at, forgetting her subordinate couldn't see anything besides her masked face from his angle.

"An Inn" Anja said.

"You know I can't see anything from..." Marce suddenly stopped, as his whole surroundings turned into a leather glove. Anja picked him up and gently opened her hand just above her chest, so Marce could have a good view of their surroundings. She was still pointing with her finger.

"An Inn" She repeated, pointing to it. Indicating the fact that smoke came from the chimney.

Marce sat in her palm. Legs crossed.

"An Inn" he nodded. His anger suddenly replaced with thoughts of warm food and a good bath.

And the opportunity of his master to take a bath herself.

-----

The Inn was as desolate as the road. Anja noticed a light layer of dust covered the tables. But the chimney was lit. And so were a couple of lamps around the place.

Anja didn't need to call, as soon as she entered the place she heard steps coming from the second floor. From from stairs at the other end of the room appeared a blonde, light-skinned young woman, wearing a simple dress. Anja estimated that she was no older than twenty.

The woman smiled.

"Good day good Doctor!" She said gleefully. "Would you like a room and some food?"

Anja raised her hand, a bit, seemingly asking the woman to not speak so loud.

"Yes, I would. Now if you could"

"Of course, of course! Please have a seat at the bar! Make yourself home! What would you like?"

"Beer, bread and something to eat it with please" Anja said, as she sat in a stool and rested her hands on the bar.

"I'll have something ready in no time!" Said the innkeeper, entering the kitchen.

Once she left, Marce jumped out of the robe and into the bar, stretching his limbs like a cat waking up from a nap.

"She sounds happy" he said

"Of course she does, judging by the state of this place and the road, we should be the first clients in a long time" Said Anja.

"You better tip well then" said Marce.

"I'm not rich, the heaviest thing in my pockets is your annoying ass" she teased.

"Who are you taking to good Do-" the innkeeper returned from the kitchen, carrying beer and a plate with bread, cheese and meat, suddenly stopping once she saw Marce.

The small man waved at her.

The innkeeper looked at him with eyes as big as plates. The Afflicted were a common sight, but Marce was still an official member of the Medical Corps on the rank of apprentice, and as such wore an apprentice uniform himself, a white on the outside and red on the inside robe and no mask.

"Don't you worry, he's not contagious, I give him a potion weekly that prevents him from spreading it" said Anja.

The innkeeper blinked "Oh! Sorry, sorry..." she put the plate and beer on the bar, workout taking her sights out of Marce. "I mean, it's not a problem to me, I'm Immune"

"Then we're two" replied Anja.

"You can't get it too?" Asked the innkeeper.

"I've been exposed many times, nothing happened. Perhaps that's why they gave me my mask so soon" said Anja.

The Innkeeper nodded, interested.

"Thank you" Anja said, and removed her mask, revealing her soft brown skin and hazel eyes, crowned with a raven black hair she kept short. She set the mask aside and pulled a small box the size of a dice from her robes. She opened it and removed her gloves. She picked a minuscule tin cup and carefully filled it with beer from her own jar.

She gave the cup to Marce, who drank happily.

"I'm sorry, I was just a little tired and didn't introduce myself. I am Doctor Anja van der Linde. This one here is my apprentice, Lord Marcellus Filippo Sebastian-"

"Please, just Marcellus. Or Marce if you like" said the man "I never liked having like ten names"

The Innkeeper made a gentle bow to her guests and presented herself. "Marie Lakes" she said "pleased to meet you both"

"You're awfully friendly for an innkeeper" Anja said, taking a sip from her beer "and young, most innkeepers I met are a lot older"

"I... well, inherited the place. My father was claimed by the Plague, as most of my town did. Mother died when I was a kid"

"I'm sorry to hear that" said Marce.

Anja was picking her bread apart with her fingers, trying to make a piece as small as possible, and setting it in front of Marce, along with a small slice of cheese.

"Don't worry, I'm doing well. Dad left a heavy chest of coins before getting sent to the Asylum. Enough to run this place for a few years, and being immune myself I can operate without fear of-" she cut herself off, looking at Marce

"The Eisenland Asylum?" Asked Anja. "You sent your old man there?"

The innkeeper nodded. "The village was almost wiped out, Doctors came and took everyone to Eisenland"

"Curious, we work there" said Marce, with a hint of pride.

"We'll make sure Mr. Lakes is doing well there" Said Anja "Eisenland is a good place. Good staff." She said, with a mouth full of bread.

"Mind your manners, Anja!" Screamed Marce.

Marie giggled at the pair. "I've never seen a man so small scolding someone whose both his superior and a hundred times his size"

"Nobles are a pain in the ass since birth. Being the size of a mouse isn't enough to humble them it seems" said Anja, leaning menacingly over Marce.

"Hey, hey, don't lean over him like that! He's going to get scared!" Exclaimed Marie.

"He's the size of a mouse but he's not a mouse. Marce knows I'm just teasing, right short stuff?" Said Anja, poking Marce in the head with the tip of her index finger.

Marie laughed.

"So anyways" Anja continued "What village are you from?"

"Lakeview" Marie said, with a hint of nostalgia. "Its been quarantined since last year"

Marce nodded

"Yes, I remember if from the maps" he said. And then something clicked in him. "Hey Anja, don't you think Marie could have a clue on our assignment? She's an innkeeper after all"

Marie looked confused.

"What assignment?" She asked.

Anja took a small map of the region out of her robe and extended it before her. Many villages, including Lakeview, were surrounded by red areas indicating quarantine.

"A lot of people have disappeared around this area" Said Anja, pointing to the map. "We have reason to believe multiple outbreaks have occurred somewhere around here"

"Outbreaks?" Asked Marie

"Yes, we believe there are slow-infected going around" Marce said "The Plague normally dwarfs an adult man in a matter of hours, but it isn't rare for people to go days or even weeks without showing any symptoms, and they spread the Plague anyways"

Anja looked a little proud, seeing her apprentice being so accurate with his information. "Yes" she said. "And those people could be going around unwillingly shrinking merchants and travelers, before succumbing to the Plague themselves"

Marie suddenly turned pale.

"Oh Gods! That sounds like a disaster" she said.

"A disaster in the making" corrected Anja "that's why we're here, to investigate, and to take care of the afflicted we find"

Marie nodded enthusiastically "Oh, thank you for your service" she said.

Marce smiled to the giant woman and bowed "it is our duty my lady" he proclaimed.

"Well, why don't you stay here tonight?" Said Marie. "This place needs you, but it's very late. You should rest."

"And take a bath" Said Marce, just before getting poked in the head by Anja, again.

-----

Anja came out of the bathroom dressed in a simple white shirt and brown pants Marie provided. She had to admit Marce was right, days of walking a dirty road took a toll on one's hygiene.

She opened the door to her room, expecting to see her tiny apprentice sitting on the room's desk. She saw nothing.

Something was clearly wrong, Anja knew Marce was skillful and quite agile, but he wouldn't be able to get out of the desk on his own.

Then she felt a grunt on her left and narrowly avoided getting a woodcutter's axe to her head.

Marie was standing there, axe in hand. She had a cold-blooded stare in her eyes.

Anja dodged a second blow and got to the floor, rolling towards the chair where she left her robe. Apparently, Marie had hoped that she only needed one strike, or she hastily came up with this idea and forgot to check for the gun, or she didn't expect for a Doctor to be armed.

The gun was still there. Anja quickly grabbed it and pointed it right at Marie.

"Where is Marce?" Anja asked. Coldly, not a hinge of fear or doubt in her voice.

Marie didn't answer.

"Where. Is. Marce?" She repeated.

Marie lunged at Anja, quickly shortening the distance between them.

Anja pulled the trigger and noticed to her horror that the weapon wasn't loaded. She realized it felt somewhat lighter but she had shrugged it off as the adrenaline kicking in. Anja also realized that despite the gun being there, the saber was nowhere to be seen. Marie had planned this more thoroughly than expected. Anja had to think quickly.

There were no sharp objects in the room. There were no windows and only one door, blocked by Marie.

She was cornered.

Then, suddenly, Marie let out a scream of pain and dropped the axe. Anja reacted quickly and did not question what had just happened. She grabbed the axe, and before Marie could react, Anja smashed the axe against her head.

Marie fell. As the blood haze dissipated, Anja's rational brain kicked in. She realized what had just happened, and began searching Marie's pockets, hoping, by the love of all gods, that she had not smashed her apprentice while falling.

"Front Anja! I'm on the front!"

Anja searched the front pockets of the woman, immensely grateful for the fact that Marie had fallen on her back. And then she found Marce, very agitated, and holding a blood-stained needle. Marie had put him where she kept her sewing materials.

"Told you it was a good idea to give me the toxins" he said.

The Doctor let out a noticeable sigh of relief. She picked her apprentice from the dead woman's dress, and carefully hugged him, or well, she did her best to hug someone the size of her fingers.

They stood there for some minutes as they waited for their breaths to go back to normal. Then, Marce broke the silence.

"Hey Anja, that woman mentioned something important..."

-----

The pair headed for Marie's private room. Anja carefully left Marce on the small bookshelf Marie kept in her room as she searched.

And then, she found them.

At least a dozen afflicted. Men and women, trapped in the night drawer. All wearing nothing but rags. Marie had left them bread and water, as well as a small cup for them to use as an improvised bathroom. A disgusting sight.

The people were shocked to see Anja. They were evidently not expecting her. Most looked confused. Some were scared.

"Is she gone?" One, a bald man, asked.

Anja nodded.

"W-who are you?" Asked another, a red-haired woman.

"Don't worry" Anja smiled "I'm a Doctor"

-----

The next morning, after the pair had rested, and the prisoners had been released and cleaned. All were eating breakfast in the main hall of the Inn.

"Deliberately infecting people is a serious crime" said one shrunken man "you did the right thing splitting her head open"

Anja sighed "It was merely self-defense. I'm no inquisitor"

"You have to appreciate her scheme though" said another man "After she got hold on an infected, she kept him and used him to spread the Plague. Making us bathe in the beer she served..."

"Please, don't mention that" Said Marce, from his spot just beside Anja in the table "I actually liked the taste of that beer"

"Her scheme was incredibly irresponsible" Anja said "a lot of her victims didn't stay and just went on with their lives spreading the Plague. Who knows how many empty carriages or abandoned sets of clothing we could find if we keep moving from here"

"Also, we don't know who was the first of her inffected" said Marce, worried "everyone here got the Plague by drinking her beer and we've found no evidence of another afflicted here"

"Perhaps they died at some point, corpses are still infectious before they start to rot" Said Anja.

"That bitch shrunk me and robbed all I was carrying and all that was in my cart" said an afflicted man "I used to be a very wealthy merchant you know?"

"Well that's what you get from traveling around without being of the immune" said a woman.

"We've been months trapped in that drawer and not one day came without the reminding me of that-"

"Enough." Said Anja "Marce, come, I need to speak something with you"

She picked Marce, without asking, and both went back to Marie's room, where they spent the night.

"What did you need to tell me?" Said Marce, still in Anja's grip.

"I made the calculations, there is not enough space in my robe for all my stuff and fifteen shrunken people" said Anja, as she let Marce off her hand and into the desk.

"Well, you should just leave a bottle or two of-"

"No" she replied as she put on her uniform "I'm not leaving my valuable stuff here, I don't want to have to return for it and I'm not putting one step inside this cursed place again you hear me?"

"So what are you planning to do?"

Anja plucked Marce from the table with her fingers and hovered him above her mask.

"Oh no, don't you dare" he said.

"You gotta give it to those artisans, there really was a good reason to make these things with these big hollow beaks"

"Anja put me down-" he said, interrupted by fact that he was falling down.

"Stay put Marce, we have a long road ahead" said the Doctor as she put on her mask and returned to the hall. Walking around with so many people would not be very comfortable.