Chapter 26: The Bad Times
“C’mon Julia C’mon! Talk to me here! You’ve got enough XP to level up right? Right?!” Utarou hissed as he hid from Templar Adam, holding a bucket of blue goo that was once Julia.
The night was dark, stormy, the sounds of Adam’s strikes against the forest and the thunder rolling across the landscape was difficult to distinguish.
“How the hell did this happen?” Utarou thought as he rushed between the bushes, time slowing to a crawl as he and Adam locked eyes, Julia’s imminent demise was clear to both of them.
…
18 Months Earlier
“So you’re just taking over and leaving me here to rot huh?!” Utarou shouted defensively as his head in a cage was thrown into the dungeon, his body chained tightly just beside him with both stumps of his neck being clamped shut.
“We’re keeping you here until the proper authorities can sort this mess out.” Henrek scoffed, tossing the key to a nearby guard.
“Hans, make sure no one gets their hands on this.” Henrek ordered as he left Utarou alone, shutting the door and leaving swiftly.
“So Hans, since when the hell did we have this?” Utarou asked non-chalanetly as he looked around, he’d been entirely unaware that the watch tower had a dungeon built, though considering the specialist equipment they had to contain him, perhaps he could guess.
“I’m uh, not supposed to talk to you.” Hans muttered as he finished checking the locks, leaving Utarou with one candle before locking the door himself.
“Well, great. This is probably a good trial run if I ever get stuck in a serious situation, I’m sure one of the many allies I’ve made so far will come and rescue me in no time.” Utarou thought confidently.
…
15 Months Earlier
“Two million four hundred and fifty six thousand nine hundred and thirty two…. Two million four hundred and fifty six thousand nine hundred and thirty three…” Utarou thought boredly, having exhausted everything else to think about a month earlier he had resorted to counting.
Until, a crack of light.
“FINALLY! I’ve been waiting, you know!” Utarou said as his eyes struggled to adjust to the sudden flash of light.
“Urgh, it’s worse that ya haven’t rotted away. How the hell’s you managed to make’n a deep ‘n dark dungeon smell like sweaty underwear?” May complained, walking down the stairs into the dungeon.
She was starting to show, being 3 months pregnant and all.
“Hey don’t blame me that my body operates with perfect hydration at all times… It is really getting moldy though so if you could hurry up and get me out of here please?” Utarou begged, his former infinite confidence having been humbled after a week of darkness.
“I’m just here cuz I figured I could’n try and give ya somethin to make it a bit more comfortable. I ain’t supposed to be here y’know.” May sighed as she placed a candle and book on the floor.
“W-what?! No daring escape?!” Utarou asked indignantly as he rolled towards the fire, knocking the flame into his cage.
“Honey you didn’t put the-” Barney shouted from the top of the stairs, only to see that Utarou had already tried and failed to set himself on fire do to how muggy his dungeon was.
“Mans too moldy for any of that.” May sighed as she walked away.
“W-wait! At least get me out of this so I can read the book!” Utarou begged.
“Not a chance, you’re too much of a slippery bastard to let escape.” Barney laughed.
“Barney come on! We had some good times right?” Utarou pleaded.
“Only thing you’ve done is bring the church into our lives! We were happy ‘n such back in Nihola!” Barney retorted indigantly.
“Urgh, he also pushed me to get that ol’ healin’ recipe.” May added reluctantly.
“Aw now honey you would’ve found it just fine by yourself.” Barney comforted as they locked Barney back into the darkness.
“Wow! Thanks for the gratitude!” Utarou shouted as he flicked his head cage up, grabbing the wax stick with his mouth.
“This can do something, surely…” Utarou thought.
…
10 Months Earlier
“Oh… You’ve been… busy.” Hope mumbled as she walked down the stairs, holding a flagon in her hand.
“Oh!? Hope! Hope finally, the first monster girl, you saved me in Mountain Keep and you’ll save me now!” Utarou exclaimed, his cell becoming a curated moss pit, with ramps and holders of moss being made thanks to the limited ambilitation provided by a half melted candle stick.
“It’s been so long, I learnt how to read ink in the darkness!” Utarou rambled as Hope stood just across from him.
“I… I don’t know what I’m doing here… I should go.” Hope mumbled as she turned to leave.
“W-w-wait! Why did you come here?! Please tell me!” Utarou begged as he hopped over with his cage. Hope looked back, looked at the flagon and sighed.
“It’s… Julia. I think she’s still… a-alive…” Hope stammered, placing the Flagon on the ground for Utarou to see. Utarou knocked his book down to act as a platform, hopping up to look down into the flagon.
It was nearly overflowing, clearly larger.
“Yep… Yep she’s definitely growing… She can 100% still get XP like that then.” Utarou nodded confidently, smirking for the first time in months.
“R-really? I knew she was still in there!” Hope exclaimed.
“What does Henrek think?” Utarou asked.
“H-he hasn’t looked… This has been hidden in the look out tower since they locked you up… I check in on it sometimes and share bread with her…” Hope explained.
“Tell him! I’m sure once he see’s that she’s growing then he’ll let me go and all will be well!” Utarou declared confidently. Hope shook her head.
“Henrek can’t stand to look at her… He didn’t even want to hold a funeral.” Hope stammered, clutching her chest.
“He’s barely hanging on, for me and Lilly… I don’t think he can handle this all… The church doesn’t look like it’ll forgive us and… and…” Hope began to sob.
“Wait, who's Lilly?” Utarou asked, unbothered by the church’s threats. He knew he had what Templar Adam wanted; he just needed to figure out how to unlock it from Julia.
“Heh, you don’t know? It’s our daughter… She’s beautiful, you know.” Hope said softly.
“She doesn’t even have a cool legacy skill does she…” Utarou grumbled. Hope shook her head and laughed.
“I always thought you were strange… but funny. Thank you for everything. I’m putting her back now, in the back of the storage room, behind the curtains.” Hope said, choking back tears.
“Hey you could try and free me you know!” Utarou shouted, before the door shut again.
“She’s got a plan, surely… hopefulfly… Oh god Hope please tell me you have a plan.” Utarou thought desperately.