CHAPTER:10

Treasure or family

Meanwhile, with Lay and the others. 

Charles: “Uh...huh? Where am I?” 

Ryan: “Charles you’re awake!” 

Charles: “Ryan? What? What happened?” 

Ryan: “We had some complications but we’re fine.” 

Charles: “Where are the soldiers at?” 

Ryan: “They’re all dead.” 

Charles: “Really and we managed to get out of it all?” 

Ryan: “Yes, with their help.” 

Charles: “!!! It’s you two!” 

Nowell: “Hey pops.” 

Lay: “...” 

Charles: “I don’t understand Ryan?” 

Ryan: “We managed to get real lucky and make it out with our lives, although it’s looks like getting the heart of Glarera won’t be possible.” 

Charles: “That’s fine brother.” 

Ryan: “What?” 

Charles: “I didn’t help you all those years or join you on this voyage because I was interested in the heart of Glarera, I did it because I wanted to be there for you where father wasn’t.” 

Ryan: “Charles, you...” 

Charles: “You’re my brother and I don’t want to lose you like how I lost father, to this day I know it still bothers you, that you sacrifice your entire youth to this fruit that father left us for, in a way I hate the damn thing because to me it was destroying my family.” 

Ryan: “Charles…” 

Charles: “I was afraid you would leave and end up the same way as father, and to be frank you did, but I’m no better, instead of stopping you I joined you because I knew words would not reach you, being that you were so far gone in your obsession.” 

Ryan: “...” 

Charles: “My inability to help you has also cost you trouble with your family, the way things are Luna probably hates us both.” 

Ryan: “I bet so too.” 

Charles: “Hey brother remember when we were younger and you, me and father went on our first expedition together as a family to find the hidden golden frog statue?” “Golden frog statue? What are you? Wait!” 

[Flashback] 

   Middle age man: “Come you two it’s time for some adventuring hahahaha!!!” 

Young boy A:"Grrrr jeez, that old man!" 

Young boy B: “Ryan, father, wait up!” 

The young boy tripped while he was trying to catch up to the two. 

Young Ryan: “Jeez Will can you be anymore useless?” 

Young Charles: “[Sniff]” 

George: “Now, now Ryan, go and help your brother up!” 

Young Ryan: “Why should I say we go on ahead without him!” 

George: “Foooooll!!!!” 

The father said, smacking Ryan upside the head. 

Ryan: “Ow!!” 

George: “We don’t use that kind of thinking on this adventure! And he’s your only brother so go and help him up!!” 

Young Ryan: “Grrrr.” 

Ryan went over to Charles and gave him a hand. 

Young Charles: “Thanks big brother!” 

Young Ryan: “Whatever.” 

George: “You two need to stick together in times like this, cause family’s more valuable than any treasure around!” 

Young Ryan: “Corny.” 

George: “Is not! I have an idea! We’re all going to split up and find this treasure!” 

Young Ryan: “What? In a forest like this?!” 

George: “Yep, I think it’s a fun idea, we’ll definitely find the treasure faster!” 

Young Charles: “But father, what if there are monsters around here!” 

George: “Hmmm there probably are so.” 

The father handed Ryan a knife. 

Young Ryan: “Huh?” 

George: “But you two are boys so you’ll be fine!” 

Young Ryan: (This old man is so annoying!) 

George: “Hey take a look at that!” 

As the two turned around, the father dashed away as far as he could. 

Young Ryan: “Huh?!” 

Young Charles: “Father!” 

George: “Good luck you two!!!” 

Young Ryan: “Is he serious? Why take us on this journey if you’re gonna abandon us later on?! Was this his way of freeing himself from being a parent?” 

Young Charles: “Ryan I’m scared.” 

Young Ryan: “Quit being such a chicken and lets go.” 

Young Charles: “...” 

The two traveled through the forest but while in search of the golden frog, Ryan kept almost leaving his brother behind, Charles desperate to stay by Ryan’s side did everything in his struggle to avoid being abandon, jumping over rocks, walking over lodges, walking through lakes, finally after such struggles Charles’s legs gave out. 

Young Charles: “Ryan please wait!” 

Young Ryan: “[Sigh] come on, can’t a 9-year-old like you keep up?” 

Young Charles: “I’m tired Ryan…” 

Young Ryan: “I’m going on ahead my instincts tell me the treasure’s close. You go find the old man I’ll be fine.” 

Young Charles: “Wait Ryan, I want to be your side please don’t leave me! I’m scared to be by myself!” 

Ryan went ahead. 

Young Charles: “Brother! [Sobbing].” 

The boy cried, trying to keep up with his brother, but was at complete exhaustion and little did he know a creature was watching him from afar. Meanwhile, 3 minutes later with the young Ryan. 

Young Ryan: (I can’t afford to be slowed down, I’ll do whatever it takes to accomplish what I want! Crybabies like him are just in the way!) 

As the older brother went on ahead, he began to feel very doubtful. 

Young Ryan: (What’s wrong with me, Will will be fine. I need to focus on finding that shrine to get to that statue!) 

As he felt like he was closing in, he suddenly stopped. 

Young Ryan: “He said he wanted to be by my side… he’s just a little kid after--“ 

Young Scream: “Aaaaaaaaahhhh!!!” 

Young Ryan: (That was?!) 

Ryan rushed back to where the yelling was coming from. 

Young Ryan: (That scream! It can’t be!) 

Young Charles: “Aaaaaaahhhh!!!” 

Hearing the scream again, Ryan ran back with all his might. 

Young Ryan: “That scream! Charles!” 

Ryan finally made it back, only to see Charles getting bitten by a wolf around the shoulder area. 

Young Ryan: “Charles!!!” 

Ryan took out his knife and rushed at the animal while the wolf released his bite and charged at the boy. 

Wolf: “[Growl]!” 

Young Ryan: (Here it comes!) 

The wolf jumped on Ryan, lunging its fangs near Ryan’s neck. “G--get off!!” Ryan struggled to push the creature back, but the wolf weighed more than the 12-year-old and sunk his fangs into Ryan’s shoulder as well. 

Young Ryan: “Aaaaaaaaahhhh!!!!” 

Finally, Ryan used the knife in hand to stab the wolf around the neck and freed himself from the wolf’s captivity. “[Heavy breathing].” 

The wolf looked over at Ryan for a good moment, staring into his eyes, and then fled. 

Young Ryan: “[Heavy breathing].” 

Young Ryan: (It’s gone.) “Charles!” 

Ryan rushed over to Charles. 

Young Ryan: “Charles no!” 

Young Ryan: (He has a deep bite around the shoulder and is bleeding excessively! if I don’t do something now, he’ll bleed out!) 

Ryan tore his shirt and wrapped it around Charles’s shoulder and carried him. 

Young Ryan: “Dammit, it hurts to carry him, but I have to find father and have Charles’s wounds treated!” 

Ryan then ran, screaming out his father’s name. 

Young Ryan: “Father!! Father!! Where are you?! Charles needs medical attention! Please be around here!! Father!!” 

But Ryan heard no reply. 

Young Ryan: (Dammit, this is all my fault! If only I didn’t ignore him, he would still be fine!) 

Young Ryan: “Father please help us!!!!!” 

Ryan tripped and collapsed, dropping his brother. 

Young Ryan: “W--Charles [sniff] please don’t die! I’m sorry! I just wanted to find the treasure!” 

Ryan grabbed Charles’s hand as they both blessed immensely. 

Young Ryan: “Please! Someone!” 

Suddenly someone approached the two who were laying on the ground. 

George: “Ryan, Charles!”