Chapter 05

Chapter 05 – Help you help me

Daryl woke up really sore that day. He had slept late last night because he was reading the Forbidden History book yet again. He dreamt that he found the artifacts from that era and that even the Emperor himself couldn’t stop him.

“Now that I think about it, if I ever manage to find these artifacts they will probably execute me. I must find why they sealed this part of history and most of the stuff that really happened. This book must have some chapters missing.” he thought. It was true that the crucial parts were left out, as Daryl believed.

“Did you wake up lazy grandson?” asked his grandfather from the kitchen.

“Yeah gramps…” said Daryl with a boring look on his face as he dragged his body off the bed.

“Great. I want you to go to the market and get me some groceries today. I wrote a list. Don’t you dare forget anything this time!”

“Yeah, yeah… Whatever you say…” answered Daryl as he walked into the kitchen to get some breakfast.

“I see you stayed up late reading that book again…”

Daryl took some bread and some honey and looked at his grandfather. The old man discover the part of the book that was lost. I don’t want my grandson to be hunted down by the Empire.”

“Um don’t worry gramps I am going to be careful when I start my search to…” said Daryl while biting a piece of bread. He didn’t even finish his sentence when he ducked down to avoid the ladle that his grandfather tossed toward him. “Aw, come on gramps! Why do you treat me like that!!!”

“Shut up! Eat your breakfast and go fetch the groceries!”

Daryl mumbled something while being really frustrated and finished his breakfast fast in order to go run the errand for his grandfather. He exited the house and started walking down the road to go to the market. The weather was really good that day too. Spring had come…

“He doesn’t get it…” he thought as he was reaching the intersection that lead to the market in the north and the Village South Gate.

Daryl was lost in his thoughts that he didn’t pay attention to the bundle in the middle of the intersection. He actually walked straight into it and tripped over.

“Ouch! What the…”

He turned around and looked at the bundle. To his surprise it started moving. It actually wasn’t a bundle of something but a live person that had fallen over on the road.

“A human?” Daryl’s eyes opened wide as he went to examine the fallen person.

It was a girl with a short boyish haircut. Her hair was dark and a really strange color. They seemed to be dark purple. Daryl hadn’t seen this hair color before in his life. The girl seemed to be around his age and she looked very weak and dirty. She had her eyes closed and her breath was heavy.

“Are you ok? Hey! Answer me!” he said as he shook her.

The girl opened her eyes slowly. They were deep purple too. Such a strange eye color too… She summoned all her strength and whispered.

“W…water… water…”

 “Water? Understood! Wait! I need to get you to the shade first!” said Daryl and picked her up in his arms. His training all this time had made him quite strong fortunately.

He took the girl next to a barn that had a nice shade and he put her down with the back against the wall. He then ran off to get some water for her to drink. He entered a friend’s house and asked for a glass.

When he brought her the water the girl grabbed the glass from his hands and drank it in a hurry.

“Slow down! You’ll drown!” said Daryl.

“I… I haven’t drunk anything for two days!!!” she said after she emptied the glass and handed it back to him. “Can I get some more?”

“Eh sure! Wait here!” answered Daryl and got up to bring some more water. As he was going away the girl spoke.

“I am also hungry… Can I…”

Daryl sighed. He couldn’t say no to people asking for his help. So now he had to bring her food as well.

“Ok… I have to go to the market to get some food then. Can you wait here?”

“Do I look like I could go anywhere in this condition? Thank you…”

Daryl left the girl behind the barn and went to the market. He had a tight budget for the groceries his grandfather asked but he had to get something for the poor girl first. He went to get some fruit and passed by the tavern to get some cooked food as well. He also got a bucket to fill with water.

As he was shopping around, he noticed three people he hadn’t seen before in the village, just like the girl. One was short and looked filthy rich and the other two were very tall and bulky. They seemed to be looking for something as they were asking around. Daryl just passed them by.

“Too many strangers in the village today. It’s not like we have anything interesting here…” he thought.

He brought the food and the water to the girl who started eating and drinking like a maniac. When she was full she laid back again and burped. Daryl thought that she didn’t have any grace.

“Thank you! I owe you one!” she said.

“Well, I can’t really ignore people in need so…”

The girl laughed at his honesty and it made him blush.

“I see! You’re a good guy… Mind telling me your name? I need to know who my savior is.”

Daryl gave it some thought. Should he reveal to a stranger what he aspired to be? Wouldn’t he become laughing stock? But, she was a traveler who would probably never see him again so why not?

 “Eh, I’m Daryl. Daryl Storm. A, uh, normal villager and… future treasure hunter!” he said finally.

The girl looked at him strangely and then she started laughing.

“What’s so funny?” asked Daryl really disturbed by her reaction.

“Oh nothing!” said the girl. “It’s the first time I meet someone who’s aspiring to become a treasure hunter. Allow me to introduce myself! I’m Nessa Diaz, a treasure hunter!”

Daryl was taken aback. A treasure hunter? A real treasure hunter? Could it be that fate had sent her to him? But, before, he could say anything to her, the girl saw something behind him and got up really fast and hid behind some trees nearby. Daryl followed her.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

Nessa told him to be quiet and dragged him behind her. She seemed to be looking towards the road. Daryl looked at that direction and saw the three strange men he had witnessed earlier asking around at the market.

“Oh these guys! They were at the market earlier!” he remarked.

“You didn’t speak to them?” asked Nessa terrified.

“No, I thought they were strange so I left them alone.”

“Good… Look Daryl… these guys… are looking for me… and… if they find me… it will be bad. So, can you keep quiet about me?”

“Sure but…” Daryl suddenly thought of something. She was a treasure hunter. A real one. She was probably his ticket out of this god forsaken village and his dull life. So he had to strike a deal with her.

“But what?”

“I can help you if you do something for me.”

“Eh? What?”

“Since you’re a treasure hunter… make me your student!”

Nessa’s jaw dropped. This guy was… she didn’t know him and he already asked to become her student?

“Are you serious man? We just met!” she said.

“Totally. You need to get away from those guys; I need to become a full-fledged treasure hunter. I can help you and you can help me.”

Nessa looked at the boy’s eyes. She hesitated for a second but she could not waste any more time. Rogers and his men were heading their way.

“Ok! Ok! I will teach you how to become a treasure hunter! Just… help me please!” she said.

“Great!” Daryl got up from his hiding place immediately and went up to Rogers and his men. Nessa bit her lips and her heart started racing.

“Good morning gentlemen.” he said with a carefree tone.

Rogers and his brutes gave him a weird stare.

“Good morning young man. What were you doing behind those trees?” asked Nessa’s ex-boss.

“Me? Oh… You know… When a man’s gotta go he’s gotta go.” Daryl said and patted his pants. Nessa struggled to drown her laughter. “More importantly gentlemen…” he continued “I haven’t seen you around Rheen. Are you travelers?”

“Something like that. Actually we are looking for someone.”

“Really? Whom might you be looking for in our humble village?”

“We are looking for a girl who might have passed through here. She’s about this tall with short dark purple hair and purple eyes. She definitely stands out with these weird features so if you have seen her…” said Rogers.

“Oh her? Yes I saw her.” said Daryl casually. Nessa did a double take. He would betray her? She started trembling. But Daryl continued “She passed through here about two hours ago. I think she was heading for the Village North Gate. Yes… it was definitely her. Her hair and eye color were very unusual as I recall.”

Rogers seemed surprised to get some information from this boy.

“Are you sure young man? I asked around at the market and no one had seen her.”

“I think she was sneaking around but I saw her. My eyesight is perfect!” Nessa was impressed by Daryl’s acting. It was a great trait to have in the treasure hunting job. Maybe it wasn’t a bad idea to take him in as her student. 

“Then she must be heading towards Ondahl! It’s the biggest city around here. Figures! Ok men! We need to catch up with her.” said Rogers. As they were leaving he turned to Daryl. “Thanks for the information. Here. Take this.”

Daryl found himself holding a pouch full of money. Rogers and his company left in a hurry to pursue Nessa, who was still hiding behind the trees. After some time passed she came out and stood next to her new friend… and student.

“Wow! You even got money for that. You really have it in you!” she remarked.

“And it’s more than my gramps gave me for the groceries! Oh… I forgot! I have to go get them or he will kill me!”

“You live with your grandfather?”

“Yes… he’s a scary man. Well, since you’re my teacher now I have to introduce you to my gramps. And somehow convince him to let me leave this place.”

“Sounds difficult. Anyway, my plans to go to Ondahl are blown thanks to somebody… It could help to lay low for now.”

So, Nessa followed Daryl to the market for the groceries and then to his house to meet his grandfather and try to talk to him about letting his grandson leave the village with her.

“How did I get myself into this situation?” she thought to herself. “A boy and a girl travelling together. People will misunderstand for sure…”