The Stalker

I hurried to catch up to Ariel, she was still walking the path to the village through the forest. "Wait up Ariel, what are we going to buy". 

She stopped and waited for me to catch up, "Did Grandma say to join me for my protection, Grandma's friend?".

  "Well of course, you can call me John," I responded. 

"Well thanks for the assistance, but I'm going to buy some vegetables and herbs". 

We walked for 20 minutes when we got to the village of Trost. It was packed with lots of people, as daytime is where selling is best bought. 

We entered the shopping area, where there were many shopping stalls. I followed her to every stall she went to, to buy vegetables and some herbs. Mostly she got carrots, potatoes, celery, thyme, parsley and garlic. I saw a meat stall where they were selling expensive meat. They had pig and chicken meat, but the one I looked at the most was cow meat. Haven't had that in awhile. Ariel reminded me, we are here to buy veggies, not meat. 

I still went to check out the price with her tagging along. The seller was an older guy that had many cut scars on his arm, with a black curve mustache. 

I asked how much the boar meat was; he said, "That is freshly caught, so that it will be 60 copper Lucents".

  I ask Ariel what Lucent are, she explains "Lucent are a type of currency in the Tier 1 currency system, mainly their copper coins".

I checked my travel book in the currency section, and it looks like there are 5 tiers. Tier 1 is Copper, Tier 2 is Silver, Tier 3 is Gold, Tier 4 is Crystals, Tier 5 is Magic trade. 100 Copper is equal to 1 Silver and 200 Silver is equal to 1 Gold. Doubles the price till Tier 4, Tier 5 is a mystery. 

I put my book away and gave the seller 1 Silver coin that equals 100 Copper Lucents. He was surprised to see a silver coin as it is uncommon to trade within this village. He gave me 40 Copper Lucents back and thanked me for purchasing the boar meat. Ariel smiled and I carried the fresh boar meat wrapped in leather, tied by a string. We walked to the herb shop, the center plaza was crowded with people like a festival. 

As we walked there, I got a sense of someone watching us. I saw the herb shop sign above the door hanging by a pole. I whisper to Ariel to take a little detour to the herb shop without a question back. She just looked at me and I winked at her. Of course, she was confused so she just trusted me. We walk in an alleyway to get away from the crowd and to be less seen. We walked to the corner and turned left, where we hid inside tall stacked crates covered by a sheet of cloth. I gave the quiet finger to her as we waited silently for anyone that came by.

Eventually, after waiting for a couple of minutes a guy turned the corner and stopped where we could see him. The guy was huge, at least 9 feet tall, chubby with a gold square belt with black frizzy hair, and a brown coat. He looked around the ally before walking back to where we came from. I hopped out and checked behind the corner of the building and peered a little bit, but the guy was not there. I told Ariel to follow me to see a crate full of ferns. 

I told Ariel to knock on the door and a few minutes later, the shopkeeper opened the door. I told the guy a big man was following us. Also, to mention we were buying herbs, he then invited us in quickly and we set our things on the table, where we are in the back storage of the shop. 

Ariel asks the shopkeeper for a pound of Parsley and 2 small bags of Garlic. He said that would be 22 Lucents, so I gave him a silver coin. I got back 78 Lucents. I asked what I would buy with the remaining Copper change I have. 

He pointed at a basket of random herbs and with his other hand showed me a Silver Lucent. I told him I'll buy the basket as he smiled saying "It's a deal". I paid the shop owner while we gathered our things as the front doorbell rang. The shopkeeper was surprised as only a few guests bought his herbs for over two weeks but us. 

He went to the front desk to help the customer, as I looked through a crack glass peering the other side. The huge guy was there looking at a herb as the shopkeeper walked closer to him with shaking legs. 

The huge guy asked if he had seen 2 people, a guy with a girl. The shopkeeper lied and said that no one had visited the store for 2 weeks but him. I signal Ariel to open the back door, we walk away quietly as Ariel opens and closes the door gently. Then we rushed our way back to the cabin, each 30 seconds of walking I kept looking back but the guy wasn't following. We got back safely and told Gura of a huge man in a dark brown coat. Gura told us to put away the food and close the curtains in each window. 

Gura told Lily who was upstairs the same thing and to lookout for a big coat man. As we continued to finish closing the curtains, Gura told us to board up the windows and doors on the first floor. Gura Block the 2 doorway entrances with huge barrels. Gura then asks me and Ariel to go look for the coat man on the second floor, as she cooks dinner. 

The sun went down, and it was pitch black outside, Gura then carried a tray with soup bowls, a loaf of bread, and a metal pitcher of water. 

She went back to get cups and it got a bit chilly in the house. A quilt covered up Lily, and it was big enough for her but not for us adults. I sat next to Ariel and got closer to her, giving her a part of my coat. She lay her head on my shoulder to get comfortable and warm. Gura came with mugs and we ate silently for the night. As it got late, I asked if Gura had another quilt, she then handed me her quilt that was 4 times as big as Lily's quilt. 

I lay down on the floor as Ariel got near me and used the quilt. I thank Gura as she sits in the chair near the window keeping watch. She had her old armor and war hammer next to her as she protected us while we slept for the night. I fall asleep and dream about Ariel and me having a picnic next to the cabin, as Gura trains Lily as trees get smashed everywhere. I woke up as Gura quietly woke me up by tapping my shoe with her hammer. I felt a bit of pressure on my chest as Ariel cuddled me, I wished I would've noticed earlier and just cuddled her back. 

I moved her gently and got up without waking her up. Covering her with the blanket. I walked to Gura as she pointed to the distance, where a figure holding a lantern stood. As Gura hands me a monoscope, I use it and I see the figure more clearly. It was the huge guy that just stood still, he sat on a tree stump while facing our direction. I feared the fact of him finding us and just chilling away in the distance of the forest... waiting.