Gerald’s Fate

For the past week Tilia helped out with the family.

Little Lou grew quite attached to Tilia and would become upset whenever the idea of her leaving was brought up. Every time Tilia would pay her head and say with a smile, "Not yet Lou. I'm not leaving just yet."

On the seventh day Tilia was ready to leave. Ryla seemed adamant to give her herbs and such for the road. Tilia didn't wish to take them, for she most likely wouldn't use them. However she cracked under the constant pressure of Ryla.

Upon making sure she had everything she said goodbye to everyone.

Lou walked up and tugged at a piece of cloth sticking out of her armor, "Are you really leaving?"

Tilia crouched down, "I am."

"Why must you go?"

"Remember when you said I was strong? Well something far stronger is hurting my friends. I need to become stronger so I can fight it."

"Let Papa do it then, he is strong."

Tilia smiled, "I can't leave this to him. If your papa keeps protecting me, how can I grow stronger?"

"Oh. . ."

Tilia pulled out a scale from one of the many monsters she killed, "Here, hold on to this. Perhaps it will help protect you."

Lou held it with sparkling eyes, "Really?"

"Maybe, perhaps only you can find out."

Ryla patted Lou's back, "What do we say?"

"Thank you!"

Tilia stood up with a smile, "No problem."

Gerald came over and shook her hand, "Thank you, you have saved us from so much trouble."

"You saved me as well, let this be our debts paid."

Tilia waved as she walked off. Lou waved and shouted, "Come visit!"

Tilia responded with a thumbs up. Soon she disappeared into the forest.

Lou clutched the scale. Ryla patted her shoulder, "Come, let us make a necklace out of that."

As Tilia walked through the brush of the forest her face had a look of worry. She stopped in her tracks and looked back, 'What is this feeling of worry?'

She had dealt with the delinquents, she left on good terms. So why was she so worried?

She shook her head, perhaps it was her reluctance to leave such a nice family. However. . . she decided to camp out nearby for a day just in case.

. . .

Ryla was slowly drilling a hole into the scale, after all it was abnormally hard. As her hands worked she spoke to Gerald, "Tilia's a nice girl, what troubles is she facing?"

Gerald shrugged, "I never asked, in fact she never mentioned it until she left."

Ryla's brow creased, "What kind of troubles does someone that strong have to face? Especially to be so determined?"

Gerald sat down and sighed, "Must be something great. She's already far stronger than what I was in my prime."

"That's not something I thought I hear you say."

Gerald chuckled, "She has this strange ability to strengthen a person. Yet even with it she still aims higher?"

"She's what you call. . . a pugilist, right?"

Gerald shook his head, "Despite the fact she doesn't have a weapon. I can't help but get this feeling it's not what she's used to."

"Experience?"

"Yeah, while she is skilled in unarmed combat her stance when she's ready to fight makes it seem she's used to carrying something heavy."

"Maybe she lost a two handed weapon?"

"Maybe, I'm surprised you remember this stuff though. I thought it didn't interest you?"

"It's hard to forget when you talk so passionately about it."

"Haha, can I see that scale?"

Ryla sighed and handed it over, "It's harder than a rock! I can't seem to put a dent into this thing."

Gerald inspected it closely. He then raised an eyebrow, "It's from one of those?!"

"What?"

"Remember that monster I chased off? It's like a lesser variant or something. Harvesting a scale of this quality is quite difficult. This is quite valuable!"

"She handed it off so easily though is she some princess?"

"No way, those elves are quite protective of their royalty. I think she was hunting these before she met us. To do so barehanded as well."

"I am trying to make this into a necklace, but I can't get a hole open."

"I won't be able to, your best bet is probably to glue a string on it with some sap. This thing is worth so much because of its hardness."

"Alright, the sap will wear off eventually though."

"I'll find something nice."

The two chatted happily for a few hours, until the sun shone in Ryla's eyes.

She looked out the window, "The sun is setting. Bring Lou inside."

Gerald nodded and went outside. He shouted into the field, "Lou! It's time to come inside!"

Silence. . .

Gerald's heart skipped a beat and he walked outside searching around the house. Yet he couldn't find Lou anywhere.

He ran back to the house and was about to swing the door open when he saw a note pinned on it.

-If you want to see them again, bring us what we want. Meet us in the cave south from here.-

Gerald slammed open the door, "Ryla?!"

The house was roughed up and no signs of Ryla was anywhere. Gerald couldn't feel his heart beat for a moment.

He snapped out of it. This had to be the work of that group! They wanted money, money he didn't have. It even looked like they took anything of worth from his house.

Gerald moved the bed and punched through the planks. There lay a box that looked like it was recently touched. He pulled it out and opened it, two sabers lay inside.

He grabbed the two sabers and wrapped them in a cloth. Even if he had a history with them his family was worth far more. It should be worth enough.

He then pulled out the scale in his pocket, "I'm coming Lou, Ryla. Don't worry."

. . .

"Hehehe. He has no choice now!"

Ryla gave a glare to the man who tied her up. The man looked down at her with a sickening grin, "So your the wife of Gerald. No worries, as long as we get what we want you will be free! That is if he can give it."

The group laughed, "He really thought giving us a few cuts was enough to stop us?"

The group's laugh stopped when they heard footsteps. There a figure stood, holding a bundle in their hands.

One of the men walked forward, "Gerald! I thought you had no money! So why do you come?"

Gerald spoke in a cold voice, "I have no money, but I have something valuable you can sell."

"Now you're speaking our language! Now, what is it?"

Gerald dropped the cloth, it landed with a clang and unfurled. There, two glimmering sabers lay, "My treasured sabers. I am confident you can sell these for the price you want."

The group flinched upon remembering the sabers again. However the one who stepped forward had a greedy gleam in their eye, "Indeed, these are worth quite the pretty price. However. . . we can give you one of your family members back."

"What?! This wasn't what we agreed on!"

"Agreed? My dear Gerald you don't understand! The price is higher, after that little skirmish you put us through. It is natural for our price to be higher! So I repeat myself, these are worth one of your family members. Choose one, unless you can pay for the other, we will kill them here."

Gerald clenched his fist, blood began to drip down, "Myself, everything I have."

The individual shook a figure, "No no. You're not worth anything to us. Your clothes are cheap! We don't want your little house in the wilderness either. Besides, we already took some valuables out of there."

Gerald's fists turned pale.

Ryla began to yell, but it was muffled by the gag placed on her.

The man who stepped forward snapped a finger, "Release their gags, let them choose who will be picked."

The gags fell and Ryla immediately shouted, "Choose Lou! Don't worry about me, just get her out of here!"

Lou looked scared, "Papa? Mama? What's going on?"

Gerald bit his lip, "Sorry Lou. . ."

Ryla's eyes widened, "Don't pick me!"

Gerald lifted a hand, "This. . . a scale from the Barveth beast. I am sure it's worth more than my sabers."

The man rubbed his hands with greed, "That is quite worth something! Fine. I am a man of my word, hand the stuff over and we. . . we. . ."

The man stepped back in horror.

Gerald felt heavy breathing behind him. He looked back and saw a giant six legged armored beast. It was a Barveth beast, more precisely it was the wild BOSS Tilia encountered.

Wham-!

Gerald crashed into the wall. The Barveth beast had slammed one of its legs into him. Gerald slid down covered in blood, such a hit had knocked him out cold.

Lou's eyes widened, her invincible father who had defeated so many monsters before. Had fallen?!

She screamed with all her heart, "Papa!!!!"