บท 19: Recovery
"Die already, die...!"
"S-somebody... h... help me."
"Die!"
"No..."
"DIE!"
***
Morning...
The morning sunshine entered through the window...
"Hey look, he's waking up.", a voice said.
Slowly opening his eyes, at first, Allen's eyesight was blurry, but it immediately got used to the light and saw Drake who was looking at him.
"Allen? Allen? Hey, can you see me clearly?", Drake asked while waving his hands to catch Allen's attention.
"Yeah.", Allen softly answered.
"He's awake?", Mr. Sanchez entered the room with Kate.
"Yep.", Drake nodded.
Allen tried to turn his head towards Kate and Mr. Sanchez, but he paused when he suddenly felt striking pain on the back of his head.
"Hiss...", Allen hissed in pain. He tried to move other parts of his body, but he couldn't. "Why can't I move?" He asked.
"It's because most of your body is permanently paralyzed.", Kate replied.
"W-what?!", Allen worriedly blurted.
"She's joking, you're not permanently paralyzed.", Drake reassured.
Allen heaved a sigh of relief and asked, "What happened?"
"You don't know?", Mr. Sanchez asked.
"No, I don't."
"Answer these questions first. What's your full name? What's your father's name? What's your mother's name? What's your brother's name? From what town do you live in?", Mr. Sanchez interjected and sternly asked.
"Allen Morgan, Marco Morgan, I don't know my mother's name, William Morgan, Crescent Town.", Allen answered.
"Well, you didn't get any partial amnesia.", Mr. Sanchez nodded in satisfaction.
"When can I move again?", Allen asked.
"In a few days, or a week.", Mr. Sanchez answered.
"Oh." He pursed his lips when he heard the time, then questioned, "Can somebody tell me what happened?"
"After you stabbed that barbarian on the heart, he grabbed you on the head and threw you to the wall, then the barbarian just died afterwards.", Kate said.
After a pause, she continued, "When I reached you, you were bleeding on the back of your head and quickly losing a lot of blood, even a pool of blood formed under you. That's when Drake arrived, and so we took you away back to the underground tunnel so Mr. Sanchez could take care of your injury."
Mr. Sanchez then interjected, "To be honest, you should've died with that kind of injury, your whole body was already pale at that time, luckily, you didn't and the healing was a success."
"Thanks, I think I remember it now.", Allen said. "But then, where are we staying?"
Mr. Sanchez: "In Levine's private villa."
Allen: "How long have I been sleeping?"
"Two days, actually Levine visited to check on our condition, without him, you would've probably awaken up by next week.", Mr. Sanchez said.
"Oh.", Allen also noticed that his blackeye wasn't painful anymore, meaning that it has been fully healed.
"Kate, Drake, you can go outside, I need to speak with Allen alone.", Mr. Sanchez said.
"Mhm.", Kate and Drake left the room.
Mr. Sanchez then closed the curtains on the window, blocking out most of the sunlight, he took a look at Allen and asked, "You made a deal with that devil, didn't you?"
"Yes, I did.", Allen said.
"What did you used as a bargaining chip?", Mr. Sanchez asked.
"The barbarian's blood. He said that he wanted that blood.", Allen said.
"Hais, don't always make a deal with devils, alright?", Mr. Sanchez said.
"I had to, I had no choice, me and Kate... and probably Drake would've died if I didn't do it.", Allen said.
"Well...", Mr. Sanchez paused then said in a soft voice, "Thank you for saving my apprentices."
Allen was stunned when he heard what Mr. Sanchez said. He was thanked for the first time by the tavern owner, and even heard a different tone of his voice.
"You're welcome.", Allen composed himself and just smiled.
"So, did you use that dagger?", Mr. Sanchez asked. Of course, the dagger he was referring to was none other than the Erchian Dagger.
"Yes."
"What did you feel when you used it?"
"I-I felt like... I could do anything... I... that boundless power... it was like I can do everything I want...!", Allen panted faster at each paused he made.
"Hey! Hey! Snap out of it.", Mr. Sanchez flicked his fingers in front of Allen.
"Oh... what?!", Allen stopped talking like a maniac and noticed that he was profusely sweating.
"So, it's that intoxicating.", Mr. Sanchez sighed.
After which, he continued with a solemn look, "Kid, don't get lost with all that power, alright?"
Allen: "Don't worry, I won't."
"Good. Get a rest, you deserve it.", Mr. Sanchez walked out of the room.
***
Three days swiftly passed by and Allen could walk again, with somebody escorting him.
During a cloudy day...
Allen was walking down the stairs with the support of a walking stick and Drake.
"I can't believe that the mysterious, famous guy of the town who killed the barbarian, is currently being supported by me.", Drake laughed.
"What do you mean?", Allen asked.
"Oh, you're famous now, the earl personally visited the fight scene in the tavern and concluded that whoever killed that criminal organization's boss is a hero.", Drake explained.
"The earl didn't tell the public that the organization boss was a barbarian and necromancer?", Allen asked. Just from the statement that Drake said, he only said 'criminal organization's boss' and not a barbarian and a necromancer, letting him have suspicions.
"He did tell that it was a barbarian, as for the necromancer part, he hid it, probably because to make sure that the citizens won't panic.", Drake said.
"Oh."
When they finished speaking, the both of them already reached the ground floor.
-click-
The front door of the villa suddenly opened, both of the kids looked at who just arrived.
"Oh, Allen and Drake?", the newly-arrived person spotted the two boys.
"Lord Levine?", Allen and Drake said at the same time.
The newcomer was none other than the owner of the villa, Lord Levine.
"Hello children.", Lord Levine greeted.
"Greetings, your lordship.", Drake bowed.
"Greetings...", Allen tried to bow but couldn't do so because he can't stretch out his back yet.
"No need to bow, I'm just here to see my friend.", Lord Levine said. After which, he left the main room and went to a door in a corridor.
"He's sure on a hurry.", Allen said.
Drake: "Mhm."
...
After a few minutes, Allen and Drake walked out of the door leading towards the backyard garden. There, they saw Kate reading the book that the feudal lord gave her a few days ago.
The girl noticed that the two boys were approaching, and so, she sat on the corner of the bench to make space for them.
As Drake was about sit beside Kate, the latter suddenly stopped the former.
"Huh, what are you doing?", Drake asked.
"You're not going to sit next to me!", Kate said.
"Why?"
"I still remember what you did, so go sit at the other corner!"
"But..."
"Hmph!"
"Alright alright! Allen will sit next to you instead.", Drake then helped Allen sat in the middle while he sat on the other side.
"I'm still having problems with the numbers, can you help me with it?", Kate asked.
"Okay.", Allen nodded and helped Kate understand the more complex measurements shown on the book.
...
Few minutes later...
"Ugh, I would have gave up reading this book if it didn't have something to do with flicker.", Kate said. "It's tattered of measurements and whatnot!"
-rumble-
The sound of thunder rumbling echoed from the sky. Signalling a rain's about to pour down.
The trio looked up the sky, Allen said, "Looks like it's going to rain. Let's go back inside."
"Alright."
"Okay."
...
Just as they entered the villa, heavy rain started to sweep down. Then, the trio saw Mr. Sanchez and Lord Levine walk out of a room.
"Oh?", Mr. Sanchez looked at the three kids. "We're just about to look for the three of you. Let's go inside the room, we'll discuss about something."
...
"There's a mountain at the other side of the river called Mount Watchtower. Since I moved to my castle a long time ago, I stumbled upon this treasure map when I was cleaning the library.", Lord Levine laid down a map on the table.
"I could've explored this place already if I wasn't that busy in my territorial affairs. There is always a new problem that I have to personally take care of everyday, so I'm entrusting the exploring to you.", Lord Levine added.
"Well then, let's say if there's a treasure, how can we split it up amongst the both of us and the children?", Mr. Sanchez asked.
Meanwhile, the trio was just listening while whispering to each other about the treasure.
"So, do you think there is a treasure?", Drake whispered.
"Do you think it's real?", Kate asked.
"Probably yes, think of it, why would Lord Levine show this to us if it wasn't real. As a lord, he would surely care about his reputation. Though, it is weird that somebody would hide it in that kind of place.", Allen quickly analyzed.
"What a smart, annoying, bookworm.", Kate muttered, but Allen and Drake heard it clearly.
"..."
"..."
"How about I'll take 20% of the treasure?", Lord Levine suggested.
"20%? We're just taking advantage of you then! Take 40% instead.", Mr. Sanchez said.
"No! How about 25% and I'll take some weapons or items if there are, I won't change this.", Lord Levine said.
"Then... if you say so, alright.", Mr. Sanchez agreed. They were still taking advantage of Lord Levine, what if the weapons that was recovered were of low quality?
"Alright, these three kids will be the one that will explore for the treasure then.", Mr. Sanchez said.
"Wait, aren't you going with us, master?", Kate asked.
"Of course not, I still have to take care the leftovers from that organization.", Mr. Sanchez said.
"Then, when are we setting out?", Drake asked.
"Probably after Allen fully recovers.", Mr. Sanchez looked at Allen.
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