File 11 - Treasure

While Sam was captivated by the drawings of beasts and figures from the past, he heard a cough behind him. Sam turned his head toward the noise and saw a big, sturdy man.

This man has been looking at Sam for a while now, and the curiosity that showed in Sam’s face made him smile.

He approached Sam, bowed and said: “Good morning Young master, I saw you looking at these drawings for a while, are you perhaps interested in what sort of animal this is?”

Sam turned around and inspected him. He recognized this man from yesterday.

Black hairs, a straight nose and a strong chin. The look in his green eyes was deep but not malevolent.

Above all, gentleness emanated from the general expression of his eyes and forehead. Sam remembered Carla speaking about him when he asked her about the people of the Lennart family. He was the clan guards captain and if his memory served him right, this man’s name was Vincent.

Sam nodded and said, "Good….morning Vincent, These animals...what are they?”

Seeing Sam nodding his head and talking to him, Vincent felt happy inside. How long has he dreamt of this ?

When Gerad left Amos in search of a cure, he saw how Brian took advantage of the situation.

Allowing such degrading things to be done to Gerad’s son only to sooth the villagers!

He was ashamed to have accepted such a situation and desired to intervene each time he saw such treatment taking place.

However, Lord Brian and his wife made it so that going against their decision meant one did not take the village wellbeing at heart.

He felt such frustration.

When Vincent saw Sam standing in front of him yesterday, he felt exhilarated. He was wondering what reaction Lord Gerad will have when hearing of it, and how long time it will take for him to return. He just hoped the black eagle would not delay and fly straight to his Lord.

Eyes shining, Vincent approached and answered Sam’s question:

“These are drawings of beasts or the fiercest wild animals encountered in the forest."

Vincent pointed at a drawing near Sam. "For example, this fanged tiger is called a Wind Killer."

"Its specialty is ambush and in most cases, when you realize you are attacked numerous victims are to be deplored." "They are fast, and their fur is as hard as stone.”

Vincent pointed to another drawing. “This one is a beast named Thunder Rat" "It’s not as fast as the Wind Killer, but they have high intelligence and able to cast lightning type attacks.”

Vincent looked seriously at Sam and put a hand on his shoulder. “If by any misfortune you happen to cross path with any of the beasts that are displayed on these walls, do your best to retreat if you have the chance.”

Vincent continued showing drawings and from time to time explained the strategy to take the beast down. Sam could see a hint of excitation in his eyes, like a thirst for battle when reminiscing about these encounters.

Sam liked such a person, in time of life and death, these people were the one that could keep a calm outlook and act defensively or aggressively according to the situation.

People who knew their own limits.

Sam listened to Vincent explanations, and asked about the kind of workshops available in the village.

Vincent explained that aside from the smith, they also had a wood workshop and an herbs store. There is a tavern and a mayor’s house located in the center of the town.

Finally, the Heavens Trader house. A trade center that display importation and exportation rate for all to watch in order to partake in transactions and negotiations of the goods.

Sam had others questions, for example he wanted to know what was the relationship between a wild animal, a beast and a spirit beast. What was the extent of their strength?

In addition, what type of herbs did they have to gather that needed them to risks their lives?

He wanted to gain more knowledge about this world, and Vincent seemed a good person to talk to.

When he was about to ask more questions however, he was interrupted by Carla and Dr.Mepan’s arrival.

Vincent excused himself and left, but not before bowing toward Sam and saying:

“My Lord, Take good care of yourself and focus on your rehabilitation” “If you want to know more about beasts, you can find me in the training field.”

Sam nodded and said: ”Thank you, I…will”.

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At noon, Philip and his two sons, Aaron and Feyd came back to the village.

Philip was a brown haired, tall and burly man. He had the Lennart family’s traits but in finer details. His blue deep eyes shined with gentleness and his expressions and demeanor were overall less restrained than Brian’s.

He gave the feeling of someone humble, with wisdom and not imbued with his person.

Philip is the third son of Reimond, the patriarch of the Lennart’s clan.

Because he was not only the youngest but also the weakest, his status was small in the family.

Gerad never shunned him however, because he knew and understood the nature and wisdom of Philip. They respected each other and their relationship was close.

However, the same cannot be said about his other brother Brian.

Philip's two sons were also big and burly for their age, but seemed to have taken from their mother for the facial features.

They had faint traces of the Lennart hawk-like traits, but their face was rounder, changing the sharp effect to a more jovial one. They were currently listening to their father’s report to Brian.

“Philip, how was the trip back?” Brian asked.

“As I feared, we encountered an unusual number of low rank beasts in the outer part of the forest”. Philip answered.

“The gathering missions this time was dangerous. We met with two rank eight beasts and escaped through this situation only thanks to several traps we set on our way." Philip paused: "But that was not all”.

Philip’s expression turned grave. “I fear that a new spirit beast appeared in the lower part of the mountainside next to us.”

“We discovered a big network of tunnels that seemed to circle around the mountainside.” “I have been surveying this area for a long time but I never noticed it before last week”.

Brian whose eyes shone after hearing this asked, “Oh, did you explore?”

Philip sighed and said: ”Yes, I did." "I went alone inside and found something two hundred meters in before meeting up with a high rank beast. I collapsed one of the tunnel entrance in order to escape, and decided to come back here to report.”

Philip gave a crystal to Brian.

Brian looked at the crystal piece in his hand before looking at Philip. “Is this a spirit crystal?”

Philip nodded. Brian’s eyes lighted up and said: “There’s a spirit crystal mine on the mountainside?” “Heaven! What a lucky turn of fate, after centuries living here, we finally discovered a treasure!”.

Philip calmed Brian ardour by saying, "We don't know yet, it may have been lost by the beasts in the tunnel. However, this is a possibility".

After thinking for a while, Brian said: “Did you speak about this to anyone yet?”

Philip shrugged his shoulders and said: “We just came back and I know this is not a simple matter. The war twenty years ago was a good reminder of human’s greed”.

Brian nodded and said changing the subject:

“Oh right, Gerad’s son woke up when you were away”.

Philip, Aaron and Feyd opened their mouths and eyes in disbelief.

“Is it true?”.

Brian looked at Philip's expression and said:

“He is in the manor at the moment; Dr. Mepan is currently examining him”

Aaron asked excitedly, “Uncle Brian, when did he wake up?”.

“Few days ago, but he was still unable to move." "However, yesterday late at night Carla suddenly saw him walking outside of the stone house”. Brian answered with an ugly face: He was still calculating the consequences Sam's resurection would have in the future.

Aaron and Feyd gulped. If it was them that saw him going outside of his room, how would they have reacted?

Aaron was sure he would have fainted on the spot. Feyd, on the other hand was already feeling his stomach pushing toward his sphincters.

Philip however, upon hearing the news was ecstatic.

His nephew was awake!

How long had he been praying the Heavens ?

He resented Brian who used Gerad’s son to amass money by taking a fee every time someone was looking at this child's condition.

But what could he do? His footing in the clan was non-existent, and all he could do was looking at the events unfolding with a grieving heart.

If it was not for Gerad instructing Brian to take care of his son during his absence, Philip would have willingly taken care of him.

Alas, how long had he been wiping on thinking it was partly his fault that this child had been subjected to such treatment all these years. However, now he was finally able to see light after the dark.

Aaron and Feyd also felt happiness and were excited when they heard Sam’s revival, but for another reason.

Feyd was 11 and Aaron was 14 after all. And their age gap was just perfect for them to hope having a new partner in crime.

But then Brian said: ”Oh, right. There is another piece of information." "It seems that Gerad’s son had been awake for an undetermined time before waking up completely. I don’t know how long, but it was enough for him to learn to speak basic sentences”.

Philip was surprised. Aaron and Feyd on the other hand who seemed to not have thought of the matter, revealed a delighted expression.

Brian added. “What’s more, he choose a name for himself." "Sam.” “This is the name Gerad’s son wanted us to address him to at our first meeting.” Brian said the last sentence looking seriously at Philip.

Philip was stupefied. He indeed did not have a name. Because up to this day, his father did not gave him one.

The reason was that seconds after his birth, Sam had been declared barely breathing and unconscious by the wise woman who assisted.

His mother died of loss of blood few hours after, crying over her unconscious and seemingly dead son before being taken away after her last breath.

Gerad stood beside his child for a long time, destroyed by this chain of event and at first, deeply resented his son.

His son did not die however, and was just unconscious never opening his eyes. His father spent three days in his house, alone. After the burial, he went in seclusion after ordering one of his maid to take care of his son’s need. He never embraced his son, and almost never visited him. Only collecting reports of his condition through Carla's predecesor who took care of him his first two years.

When Brian after several years went and told him of a cure that could wake up his son, Gerad asked Brian to look after Sam before departing.

But now, they heard he was maybe awake a long time before it showed outside. Philip’s heart clenched, and he asked with a shaking voice.

“W-where is he?”

Brian smiled and turned around saying: “Follow me”.

Aaron and Feyd looked at each other. With a smirk, Aaron winked to Feyd whispering: ”Did you see uncle Brian's face when he said our cousin was awake? It was as if he swallowed bantor’s poop. I think things will be interesting when uncle Gerad hear of this”.

Feyd laughed but reverted instantly to a serious face when he saw Brian turning his head around with a "huh?".

On the way, Brian thought: ”I need a plan in order to assure we get the monopoly of this cave”.

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