Author's Note: Aaaannd chapter 5, now ain't that just crazy. I've been working almost nonstop to get these chapters created and published for you guys. Like always, I hope you guys enjoy. If any of you are new to the story, welcome! Also, for those who are wondering about the whole "tasteless" ordeal, since fish was the first proper meal Leo ate after the trial, that taste has stuck with him. Anyway, without further adieu, chapter 5!
Disclaimer: I do not own Rising of the Shield Hero or any of its characters, only my own.
"Dialogue."
"Writing."
Thoughts.
August 15, 2020
"It has been over a week or so since the battle in the mine. That was the day when Raphtalia faced her fears. Ever since then, she has been getting better and better with that sword of hers, to the point that I don't have anything else to teach her. Erhard was also correct when he informed me about demi - human's growth. As she leveled up, her body began to transform into that of a teenager. Our monetary situation is also not the best. We managed to gain around 140 or so silver from the mining trip, but that only brought us up to 333 silver last time I checked. Also, Erhard managed to somehow make two extra gas masks, one of which I gave to Raphtalia, the other going into my shield, which increased my poison resistance and unlocked the Breath of Death Shield. I hear Raphtalia calling my name now, so until next time."
- Private First Class Wisnieski
Shifting his position on the tree he was leaning against, Leo could begin to make out what Raphtalia was saying. "Master Leo! Look out!" A now mid to late teenage looking Raphtalia shouted. Turning his head to face the direction she was talking about, Leo saw a giant looking porcupine jumping towards him. Before he could react and block the attack, the porcupine smashed into him, some of its needles stabbing into his arm.
"Urgh!" Leo grunted, the sharp attack getting through his defense stat. As he checked his arm for the needles, Raphtalia gave chase to the larger than normal monster. As Raphtalia continued to chase the monster back and forth, unable to catch up with it, Leo began pulling the needles out one by one, placing them near the gem for his shield to absorb.
Animal Needle Shield
+14 DEF, + 15 AGI
Equip Bonus: Attack 1
Special Equip Effect: Needle Shield (Small)
Finally, something capable of attacking. I have so many shields now, yet, I have no clue what half of them can do. It's starting to become overwhelming. Leo thought. Looking up at the tall grass, he could just see Raphtalia's sword swinging. Sighing at his less than favorable reaction time, he decided to help Raphtalia in her endeavor with a new shield bonus.
"Shield Prison!" Leo shouted, the magic taking effect. The porcupine quickly found itself stuck in a ball made of shields and chains. Once Raphtalia had begun her swipe downward on the spot where the creature was held, the shield prison released its captive, sending it to a bloody fate.
+205 XP
Leopold Wisnieski
Level 16
+245 XP
Raphtalia
Level 18
"Master Leo, I managed to get it!" Exclaimed an excited Raphtalia as she held the corpse of the monster.
"Yeah, you did. Good job by the way. One thing I will ask however, is instead of chasing it, why not throw your knife like I taught you?" Leo asked her in a criticizing manner.
Raphtalia rubbed the back of her head in embarrassment. "Sorry Master, I forgot about that." She said meekly.
Leo simply rubbed her head before telling her, "It's fine, just remember what I taught you. Don't rely on your sword for everything. And the pistol is for emergencies only." He emphasized.
Raphtalia playfully scoffed, "Yes dad, I remember." Leo just chuckled at her response.
"Come on, let's head back to Erhard's place. It's time we get you some new gear." He said. Smiling, she quickly fell into step as they began to walk back to castle town.
On the way there, Raphtalia had begun to ask a few questions. "So, Master Leo, what was Poland like?" She asked, head hung in a slight tilt.
Taking a moment to think, Leo began to answer. "Hm. Well, to start, Poland is located in a place known as Europe. More specifically, Central Europe. Due to its geographical location, it has a colder temperature throughout most of the year, although it tends to get warm in the summer sometimes. The cities are full of beautiful architecture, some of it dating back over 500 years ago, when Poland was the Polish - Lithuanian Commonwealth." He stated.
"Wow, 500 years?!" She asked, surprised at how buildings could stay standing for such a long time.
"Yeah. A few heavily preserved structures date back even further, around 700 or 800 years ago." Raphtalia's eyes went as wide as they possibly could at the statement.
800 years?! Just how long have there been nations back in Master Leo's world?! Raphtalia wondered. "Sadly however, most were destroyed during the war." Leo solemnly stated, breaking Raphtalia out of her state of thought.
"War? What war Master Leo?" Raphtalia asked, confusion etched on her face.
Leo sighed before informing her. "Around 80 years ago, a great war had broken out between us and a nation called Germany. They invaded us so quickly, that we lost so much manpower within the first few days. In the middle of the invasion, another country, the Soviet Union, invaded us from our Eastern border. We originally thought they had come to help, but we were wrong. Coming down on us from both sides, we quickly found ourselves surrounded. Some of the military managed to escape and go to other countries that joined the war in Poland's favor. Those who didn't either died or were subjugated. It wouldn't be until 5 years later that our country would be saved and released from Germany's grasp." Raphtalia's face, upon hearing the last fact, was filled with anger and sorrow. "However, today, Poland is a force to be reckoned with. We're one of the most advanced nations in the world, so there are few who would wish to take up arms against us." Leo stated proudly.
And with that, silence filled their travels once again. Finding themselves near the main entrance to the city, Leo had an idea.
"Hey, Raphtalia, race you to the entrance!" He called out before taking off. Raphtalia stood in shock before running as well. Much to Leo's surprise, Raphtalia managed to catch up and even surpass him quicker than he would've liked. So much so, that he swore he saw her smirk at him. Slowing himself down, he eventually found himself at one of the main gates leading into the city, Raphtalia patiently waiting for him.
"You were saying?" She asked smugly.
"Yeah yeah, don't let it get to your head." Leo replied, rolling his eyes.
Entering Erhard's shop, the pair were quickly greeted by the bald man in question. "Shield bro! Little lady! How are you?" He asked before getting a good look at them. "Oh wow, I barely recognized you kid! You've really grown into a pretty little lady." Erhard complimented. "So, what have you been doing out there?" He asked.
Raphtalia easily responded to Erhard's curiosity, "Master Leo taught me how to eat properly and use table manners. He's been helping me with a lot actually." She said with a smile.
"Is that so? Well then, you've well and truly grown, nothing like the pipsqueak you used to be." Erhard told her with a bright smile. Raphtalia only grumbled in response. Ehard laughed at how easy it was to tease her.
"Alright alright, that's enough." Leo cut in, a smile also glued to his face. "We're here to buy Raphtalia some new gear. That sword of hers is losing its touch." Leo informed him.
"Mr. Erhard, how about this one? It seems really sharp." Raphtalia requested. She held a sword with a golden hilt in her hands. The blade seemed polished enough that Leo could see his own reflection in it.
"Oh yeah, that one's made from magic iron. Won't lose its sharpness, so it'll cut through any monster that gets in your way without issue." Erhard explained.
"So, how much will the sword cost?" Leo questioned.
"Hm, how about a discount. It was originally for 125 silver, but how about we drop it and say... 100." Erhard said.
"How about 60?" Leo began to bargain.
"Ok, maybe not that low, but I can go 90." Erhard responded.
"75?" Leo asked, hoping to have struck a deal.
After a moment of thought, Erhard gave his answer. "Alright, I can do 75. You've got a deal. Your lucky I like you." Taking out a pouch of 75 silver from his currency shield, Leo was updated on his lack of funds.
258 Silver/500 Gold
Handing the pouch over to Erhard, Leo and Raphtalia began to leave, happy with their purchase. "Good luck out there kiddo! I need you in order to keep my business afloat!" Erhard joked as they left. Smiling, he soon returned to what he was doing prior to their arrival.
Walking out onto the streets, Leo turned to Raphtalia before telling her, "I think it's time we changed your clothing to something better suited for fighting. That dress won't be able to keep you going in an extended battle, come on." He motioned, walking to the nearby tailor. Raphtalia just followed him, curious as to what her master had in mind.
Upon entering the tailor's shop, it looked similar to a fabric store back on Earth. The walls were a plain gray color, with different assortments of fabrics lining the shelves. The tailor herself was a younger lady of average height, with dirty blonde hair and glasses. "Welcome!" She said, her bubbly personality coming out. "Oh my, aren't you just the cutest thing!" She exclaimed, coming up to Raphtalia.
Taking a step back at the sudden voice, Leo quickly regained his composure. "Hello miss, I was wondering if my companion here could get a new outfit." He told the lady.
"Oh, sure sure! Do you have anything in mind of what you would like?" She asked Raphtalia.
Raphtalia in response just smiled and replied, "Uh, not really. Master Leo here was the one who decided to come here, so he should be able to tell you." In a heartbeat, the tailor turned to Leo. Her over - the - top personality was really starting to surprise him, as it seemed that she had more energy than even Raphtalia.
"Is that so? Alrighty then, what would you like to get sir?" She asked the soldier.
Clearing his throat, Leo informed her of what clothing he wanted. "Is it possible to get clothing like what I am wearing? This kind of pattern, texture, and such? Also, these kinds of boots as well?" Leo asked.
"Hm…" The tailor hummed, walking around Leo, taking in each and every detail of his Pz. 93 Pantera camo BDU.
After some intense stares from the tailor, which, in all honesty, frightened Leo a few times, she took a step back, exclaiming, "Sure can! The pattern however will take some time, as I haven't seen anything like it before. I'll need to take your companions' measurements first, then I can get started." Leo motioned Raphtalia to follow the tailor, which she did without second thought. After around 5 minutes of waiting, the two returned, having taken Raphtalia's measurements. "Alright then. I have everything I need, even the fabric colors. Since this is a new pattern, I would say that it will take me around 2 hours or so to make it. Another half hour to make the boots. Is that ok with you?" She asked Leo.
Leo, nodding, replied, "Yes ma'am, that'll be just fine." Once all was said and done, the tailor went to the back of her shop and began working on creating Raphtalia's new uniform.
After she disappeared, the rumbling of an empty stomach was heard, with Raphtalia quickly looking embarrassed and defensive. "I- I swear that wasn't me!" She exclaimed.
"No no, it was me. C'mon, let's get some lunch, I could really use a bit to eat." Leo calmly told her.
Entering the restaurant, Leo and Raphtalia went to sit at one of the tables, a waiter quickly coming along to take their orders. "Are you two ready to order? Or do you need a moment?" The waiter asked the pair.
Almost immediately, Leo requested their meals. "We'll take two of the cheapest meals you have."
Without skipping a beat, the waiter replied, "Right away sir," before heading off to get the meals.
Once he was gone, Raphtalia turned to Leo. "B- but Master Leo, I liked the kids' meal..." Raphtalia said, a hint of sadness in her eyes.
"But you're not a kid anymore, riiiiight?" Leo asked, dragging on the final word of the sentence.
"No." She replied dejectedly.
Wow, she must've really enjoyed the kids meal if she's this sad about it. "Hey, cheer up. That just means you're becoming a strong adult. Maybe even stronger than most. And, if you want, I can also get you the kids meal, no problem." Leo promptly told her. This brought up her spirits almost instantaneously. No matter how much I train her, she'll still be a kid on the inside, as are most people. Leo thought. When their meals came, Leo, as he promised to do, ordered a kid's meal as well. Raphtalia, being the ever growing ball of fluff that she is, ate both meals while Leo ate his own, which still tasted like fish. Dammit.
Returning to Erhard's place to kill some time while Raphtali's new clothes were still underway, they were able to strike a conversation with the man once he had gone on break. Standing outside his shop, Leo, Raphtalia, and Erhard had formed some sort of triangle as they spoke. "Hey Erhard," Leo began, "I just want to say thanks. Thanks for all the help you've given us, thanks for believing me, and much more. If something happens during the wave and we don't come back, well, you've been a true friend." He said, extending his arm for a handshake.
Erhard promptly took it, before stating, "Likewise kid. But nothing will happen to you, either of you. I mean, who else am I going to take money from?" Erhard joked, attempting to lighten the mood.
Leo scoffed at the burly man's attempt of humor. "Yeah, thanks." Leo replied, rolling his eyes with a grin on his face.
"Master Leo, Erhard, look!" Raphtalia said as she pointed towards the street. A row of knights and horses, all armored up, were parading the street, hundreds of onlookers flooding the paths, keeping a lane open for the kingdom's warriors.
"Seems clear enough that the entire town is on edge. Ever since the first wave, people have been fearing for this moment." Erhard stated, less emotion than normal in his voice at the fact.
"Yeah, I hear you. If only there was a way that I could find out exactly when and where this wave will hit, we could think of a plan to help better repel it." Leo said, concern etched on his face.
"Wait, you mean no one has told you about the timer?" Erhard asked, his voice a mix of confusion and surprise.
"Timer? Like a clock?" Leo asked. Erhard simply nodded before continuing.
"You remember that church that everyone can see from town square? Inside, there's this giant hourglass. Once the final grain of sand falls, the four heroes will be teleported to wherever the wave takes place." Erhard began to explain.
Leo nodded, realization appearing in his eyes. "Yeah, I think I remember the king telling us something like that. Thanks Erhard, we'll be sure to check it out after we get Raphtalia her new clothing. It should be done by now." Leo said, waving Erhard goodbye before he and Raphtalia went to the tailor.
As they made their way through the streets, Raphtalia just had to ask. "Master Leo, why did you get me new clothes? I'm fine with what I have now."
Leo just kept walking as he replied. "Three reasons. One, camouflage. It'll help you hide if something goes wrong and you must escape someone or something. Two, because your dress could get caught on something or limit your movement. Clothing like mine will allow you to move more freely, allowing for quicker attacks and reaction times." He stopped in his tracks before turning to face her. "And three, because every soldier needs their gear and identification." He said, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a small box. Taking the box from his hands, he quickly told her to open it. Doing so, a small metallic object gleamed in the bright sunlight. Taking the item out, it was revealed to be some sort of necklace, with a small piece of metal that had her name engraved in it, along with some numbers and the rank of Private.
Looking back up at Leo, she was surprised when she found him in a salute. "I had Erhard make those for you. Congratulations kid, you're officially a Private of the 6th Krakow Infantry Division." He firmly told her. Raphtalia just stood there stunned, unable to comprehend what he just said. Gripping her dog - tags tightly in a balled fist, she jumped at Leo and hugged him. No words were exchanged for a solid minute until Leo broke the silence. "Come on, we're going to be late for your uniform." He told her with a smile. Releasing him, she smiled and put the tags around her neck, before resuming their walk to the tailor, the engravings shining all the while.
Raphtalia felt as if she was in heaven at how soft the clothes felt on the inside. I have to admit, the tailor did a REALLY good job at making the pattern seamless. The boots were also perfect, with the easy to slip on and off design. She even threw in some fingerless gloves for Raphtalia, which was nice. And we got it all for only 50 silvers, just because we "taught" the tailor a new pattern for clothing! All in all, a great shopping spree. Leo thought as they made their way to the entrance of the Three Heroes Church. Opening the door, a nun in a white dress with some form of cross greeted them.
"Welcome, sir hero, to the Church of the Three Heroes. What can we do for you today?" She greeted, a smile strewn across her face.
"Hello there miss. We're here to see the Dragon Hourglass in order to register for the upcoming Wave." Leo informed her.
"Right this way." She said, extending her arm as if to follow her. Without another word, the nun began to walk in the direction of the hourglass, Leo and Raphtalia following close behind.
Upon seeing the Dragon Hourglass, Leo and Raphtalia couldn't help but be amazed. It's intricate gold design complimented the red color of the sand almost perfectly. "Wow." Leo simply said in awe. Walking up the hourglass, he suddenly realized that he had no idea how to register. "So, do we have to do something? Or is i-" He was cut off once the gem in his shield began flashing. Out of nowhere, a beam of light shot out from his shield and towards the hourglass, taking him by surprise. "W- woah." He simply exclaimed. The room lit up green for a moment before fading out. On his HUD, Leo saw a new, blood red timer appear.
00:20:12:48
00:20:12:47
00:20:12:46
00:20:12:45
Only 20 hours left before the wave? There's almost no time to prepare for such an event! Leo thought, trying to figure out what he could do with such limited time. It was then that a voice called out to him, one that he never wished to hear again.
"Leo, is that you up there?" Called out Motoyasu, his party of females trailing behind him. There was one face that Leo never wished to ever see or hear from again however: Myne.
"Master Leo, do you know who these people are?" Raphtalia asked, curious as to how they knew Leo's name. Leo never replied though. Instead, he just began walking down the steps of the hourglass, intending to leave. He already had what he came for, no need to stay any longer.
"Hey! Sir Motoyasu is talking to you Leopold!" Myne exclaimed. This statement made Leo stop dead in his tracks, silently wishing a painful death upon the red - headed female.
Without thinking, his military instincts kicked in, but not physically. "Private, let's get a move on. We have a Wave to fight, so there's no time to sit around on our asses. We have to finish preparations." Leo said, his voice carrying no emotion, only the cold, hard steel tongue of a soldier. The one thing that caught Leo's attention however, was when Motoyasu began to speak.
"Why hello there! My name's Motoyasu Kitamura, the Spear Hero! Such a fine lady like yourself shouldn't be traveling with scum like Leo. Please, leave him and join my party, so that I may fight and protect you." Motoyasu said creepily to the raccoon-eared girl. It was when Raphtalia heard Motoyasu call Leo scum that she immediately resented the blonde spear wielder. The man in question grabbed her hand before leaning closer and stating to the teen, "Wow, you're cute when you-" Motoyasu began, but was immediately stopped. Raphtalia simply grabbed his arm and twisted it behind him, causing him extreme discomfort and even some pain.
"Don't you dare speak ill about Master Leo again." She told him, venom laced heavily within her voice. With all her strength, she pushed Motoyasu forward, sending him falling down the stairs before he landed with a large thud.
"You filthy demi - human! How dare you attack Sir Motoyasu like that!" Myne shouted, grabbing the handle to her sword. With eyes of cold steel, and a voice of venom,
Raphtalia easily responded to Myne's outburst. "If he didn't want to end up with his ass on the floor, he should have thought twice before insulting Master Leo, as well as touching me afterwards."
Slowly getting up while rubbing his head, Motoyasu began to speak up, "Wait, you actually care for that criminal?! Haven't you heard any of the rumor's about what he's done? He was the one who ra-" Motoyasu never got to finish his sentence, as he soon found a boot smash into his face, cutting him off and leaving him with a bloody and broken nose.
"You want to finish that statement Motoyasu? Huh?" Leo asked, saying nothing more. When there was no response, Leo's voice rang out amongst the stunned silence. "Private, let's move. We're losing daylight." He ordered to Raphtalia.
"Yes sir." She replied, following Leo as he made his way out of the church. Ren and Itsuki, who had been standing silently at the entrance to the room, were filled with shock at what they had just witnessed. As Leo and Raphtalia left, a cold silence filled the air, and none dared to break it.
The duo had rented a room at a nearby inn to try and get some rest for the upcoming wave. Raphtalia was laying on one of the beds, arms crossed behind her head, staring at the ceiling. Leo, on the other hand, was working on creating healing and antibiotic pills. Some of the creations failed and turned to ash, while those that did succeed coming out as good quality. Some even managed to become very good quality, which pleased Leo. As he continued to work, Raphtalia was the first one to break the ice between them. Sitting up, she had begun to ask Leo about what Motoyasu had said.
"Master Leo, when the Spear Hero said rumor's, what was he talking about?" She asked the man. With a quick sigh, Leo stopped what he was doing before turning around.
"Raphtalia, do you know what rape is?" He asked the girl, not willing to go further until she answered his question.
Raphtalia immediately began to look uncomfortable, but replied anyway. "Y- yes, I do. Some of the other slaves I was with had talked about it before, why?"
With a quick sigh of relief, Leo began to explain everything. "Good, then I don't have to tell you how serious it is. A day after we were summoned, the king had adventurer's prepared for us so that we could have a party. All of them chose the other three heroes, as nobody seemed willing to join me in a party. It was then that Myne, who was actually the princess, joined my party. Now, I had been informed that a princess was going to betray the four heroes in some way, so I had decided to let her join me, as I could keep an eye on her and make sure the other heroes could stay safe. Oh how wrong I was. Instead of targeting all the heroes, she solely targeted me. I was a fool for thinking I could keep everyone safe, as only I was the only one in any real danger in the first place! She attempted to turn the other heroes against me, as you saw with Motoyasu. The sword and bow hero, however, didn't fall for it, or were at least highly doubtful of the accusation after I showed all the holes in her "testimony." Here's the kicker though. Not everything that came out of the situation was bad." He finished.
Raphtalia just seemed confused. How could something so bad not be entirely that? "Uh, master? What do you mean by, "not everything was bad?" Raphtalia had asked.
Leo smirked at her question. "Well, it was thanks to all this that I found you, kid. If it weren't for the shitty royalty, we would have never met." Leo said, completing the story.
I have to admit, if it wasn't for all my stupidity, I would have never had the chance to take Raphtalia under my wing. Even when darkness surrounds you, there is always a light to reach for.
Once all the information had been laid out to her, Raphtalia couldn't help but idolize Leo even greater than before.
"Master Leo?" Raphtalia asked, her voice carrying itself as if a simple breeze could break her.
"Yes Raphtalia?" He responded questionably.
"I- I- Thank you for telling me all this." She simply said. "I'm going to turn in, if that's ok with you." She told him.
"Yeah, no problem kid. I- I really needed to get that off my chest." He stopped for a moment, taking a deep breath before continuing. "Good night Raphtalia, I'll see you in the morning." He replied, watching her as she placed the covers over herself and drifted to sleep. Once Leo finished his latest batch of medicine, he stored it into his backpack before getting into a bed of his own.
Who knows what's going to happen tomorrow. Regardless, no matter what, we will see this through. We. Will. Fight.
[Note: Play Kansas in Shield Hero Album for extra effect.]
Darkness shrouded the land in the early morning, as knights and adventurers alike stood together, preparing themselves for the hardships that were soon to come. People, tall and short, poor and wealthy, weak and strong, fast and slow, it mattered not, for today, they were one.
Two individuals in particular stood out amongst the crowd of armor and cloaks.
"Master Leo." Raphtalia suddenly spoke, a look of worry on her face.
"Yes Raphtalia?" Leo asked as he stood firm, awaiting the clock to reach 00.
"I just want to say, thank you. You've given me so much when no one else would. You gave me hope, provided me with clothes, fed me warm meals, cured my illness, and taught me how to survive. How to live. You've given me a chance to live my life as I wish to do so." The teenage girl said. As she continued, sunlight began to break through the clouds, making the world beyond them seem to glimmer. "For that, I am truly grateful to have met you, Master Leo." She said, before taking a defiant pose, the sun behind her causing her to seemingly beam with hope. "I am your sword, Master Leo, for now and forever. I will fight with you, no matter what. For the people, for our friends, for you. No matter what lies ahead, I am with you!" She exclaimed, finishing her speech.
Leo slowly turned around after she finished, looking her dead in the eye. Removing his goggles, she caught sight of his emerald green eyes once more, staring at her, looking proudly at what she had become. Saying nothing, Leo merely nodded before standing at attention. Raphtalia knew exactly what was about to happen. Just as rehearsed, Leo took up a two fingered salute. Waiting for a moment, Raphtalia soon copied the motion, sealing her faith to him. Leo smiled as he reached up and put his goggles back on over his eyes, watching the timer complete its countdown.
00:00:00:08
00:00:00:07
00:00:00:06
00:00:00:05
00:00:00:04
00:00:00:03
00:00:00:02
00:00:00:01
00:00:00:00
A bell rang out, signaling the beginning of the second Wave of Catastrophe.
The beginning of the end.
Author's Note: Ok, wow, just wow. This chapter held so much emotion and growth between these two that I cannot even begin to comprehend it. Also, there is an easter egg located somewhere within the chapter that references back to something. And no, it's not Metro. Anyway, that's it for me. See you next time. Stay safe, bye!