Chapter Six: Revelation of Bergen

Stare proceeded to examine the now unconscious mugger in the suit.

"He's out! We can tie him up." He shouted to Fiora, "But what hit him?"

"Erm, a shin guard. Yeah, let's tie him up."

They proceeded to tie him up with a rope they found in Fiora's backpack. It wasn't until after they tied him up that he woke up. He looked around, then at Stare and Fiora.

"What the hell are you doing!? Untie me!"

"Hey," said Stare to Fiora "maybe we should untie him!" Then to the mugger "What do you take me for, an idiot!? Let's go, Fiora."

They left the now cursing gangster and headed towards their original destination, the smithy.

It was around noon when they saw the smith shop. It was an old building, which had taken the toll of being used for years. No smoke was coming from its chimney.

As they approached Stare saw a red haired merchant outside the door. He looked impatient and kept banging his fist on the door. He turned around when he saw Stare and Fiora.

Stare recognized him at once.

"Bergen", he shouted. "Surprised to see you here. What are you doing here, anyway? I thought you were still with Reiji and Spak."

"I was when you met me. But I don't really see them that often. They just needed financial support for that trip as well as some equipment. I went with them for a small fee and the promise of an adventure."

"I see." Fiora said. " So you're a merchant as well? You must be a rather wealthy one if you could provide both equipment and financial support. Is your family distinguished in this line of work?"

"Yes."

"Oh, cool. So what's your lineage?"

"I come from the house of the Isilfjorders. You as a merchant probably know them. For even I know you."

"Anyway, I was born into a rich world and one of comfort and pleasure. I could have anything I wanted so long as I made one sale each day starting when I was eight. This made me happy and I thought my life would be like that forever. You know very well, however, that all things come to an end."

"It all ended one day when I was eleven. I came home once from a sleepover at the house of a friend of mine. When I went to my room I saw some people emptying it. All that was left was my collection of miniature alchemic beings. As you can imagine, I was shocked. The people weren't dressed as nobles and were stuffing my things into a bag so I ran to my parents and told them we were being robbed. They simply laughed and then told me what was really happening."

"They wanted me to take my study of the craft of merching more seriously. They were going to send me to a boarding school for novices of all crafts. There I was to learn about basic things but among others mathematics and item lore. It was here I found true friendship."

"Though I had friends before I never considered them as true companions. The friends I made there showed me loyalty and from them I learned about loyalty and trust."

"I soon fell in love as well. It was like a new outlook on life was shown to me. Like another side of the world was revealed."

"I stayed at that school for two years, going home only during the summer. It was during the summer after my second year that my parents truly showed me that my life was to be taken into their hands."

"They told me that they were dissatisfied with my progress and so they were going to assign a tutor to teach me and train me after school hours and during school breaks. This greatly saddened me because I would hardly ever get to see my friends at school. Then they told me they had arranged a marriage for me. I told you that I already had fallen in love with someone. So I told them that I would rather not go with their plans and they were enraged. They reprimanded me as if I had invoked the end of the world. I decided that if my freedom was going to have to be restricted for me to live a good life I decided I would just leave home."

"One night I took what things I needed. I brought some food, some clothes, my school materials and an axe for self-defence. I left home or rather I broke out that night and left on the train to the school. I stayed with an old hermit who let me stay with him after I told him my situation. After a month spent with the hermit I left him because classes had resumed."

"I stayed there and continued school life as if nothing had happened. I mentioned nothing to my friends about what had happened between my parents and I."

"Unfortunately, after nearly half a year, some people who my parents sent to look for me came. I managed to escape but I had to go into hiding again."

"The hermit, who welcomed me before, assisted me in my escape. He told me to go to Izlude and stay there for a while. I did so and left."

"I found life in Izlude enjoyable and so decided I would live there for a while. I stayed there and became an apprentice merchant. My instructor happily taught me since I learned fast and was of some use to him as an assistant. I returned to the school one year after. I had completed my studies as a merchant and wanted to get some information on how my friends were."

"The school had been attacked. The majority of the students had escaped but I realized I would not find my friends again."

"Instead I moved to Izlude permanently to assist my master."

"Five years later, a pair of enigmatic adventurers came to Izlude asking about a monster. I assisted them in finding it. I believe that you, Stare, know about that chapter of my life. For it was during that time that I encountered you. And I know you, miss Kafra, because you were the one I was set to marry. You were a lot younger then so I doubt you remember me."

"Interesting." Fiora said. "But what are you doing here? I mean if you're really supposed to be here I expect that you would know the password."

"…Password?" Bergen sounded confused.

"Rothion! We need help!" Fiora shouted inside.

The door opened and a man in his late fifties appeared. "Oh, hello Fiora. Come in." He said.

Fiora, Stare and Bergen entered.

"Hey. How come you didn't tell me about a password?" Bergen asked Rothion.

"I was hoping you'd get annoyed and just leave."

"Oh…"

"Rothion, Erk wants you to repair some shields." Fiora said.

"Alright." Rothion said. "It's pretty late. You and you're friend go have dinner and go to bed. The shields will be done by tomorrow afternoon. The annoying one here will help me since he wants to learn how to smith gear." Rothion said.

"Thanks." Fiora said as she and Stare proceeded into the kitchen.

That concludes this chapter. Once again I beg for reviews. Even if its nonsense.

…And I thank those who have already reviewed. 