MLTO C1, P6

This is the sixth Part of "MLIV:TO" 's first Chapter.
It was released on 08.10.2022.
== Plot ==
Geralt and Toby travel to the woods surrounding the Goodman Farm. There, they find a mysterious woman who seems to be very angry at the Goodman siblings. Driven by a lust for revenge, she tries to murder the two of them, even though she has absolutely no idea who Geralt is and vice versa.
It is at this moment that Geralt realizes something that he never saw before. Something that could change his view toward the Goodmans.
Will the truth finally be revealed?
== Story ==
As Geralt and Toby leave the Goodman Farm, Geralt looks at his companion. Apparently, something about him is getting him worried, but he cannot recall why he is feeling this way. Perhaps it is a mere sense of paranoia- they're still strangers to him, after all.
And yet, there is a possibility that it could be more than that.
"Say."- Geralt says- "Have you had any enemies on the farm?"
Toby sighs.
"Like my big brother said, there's a lot of them. Bandits, outlaws, desperate refugees lookin' for gold to steal. There's no shortage of fools."- He says- "But there was one who always escaped our sights. She's clever, but not so much as to step away."
Geralt nods.
"And she is out here?"- He asks- "In the woods?"
Toby looks at the forest ahead of them.
"Tough life out there, I know."- He says- "If that were me, I would have just scampered away. There's no point to continue asking for revenge, no matter how just it may be."
Geralt looks at him and raises his eyebrow.
"What kind of revenge?"- He asks- "What has she done?"
Suddenly, Toby becomes very nervous. Geralt could tell that he is trying to hide something, but decides not to press any further than he already has.
"Well, this person's quite evil. She entered our farm at night and killed... killed our dog."- He says- "He was the last precious thing we've had ever since mama and papa departed and we've been trying to keep 'im safe. But that woman, she was despicable. She didn't even break a sweat. A bullet in the noggin' and it was done."
Geralt raises his eyebrow.
"If what you are saying is true, then this woman has truly committed a heinous crime."- He says- "Killing humans is one thing, but animal cruelty is where I cross the line."
Toby nods.
"So you're as much of a guardian of animals as we are. That's good to know."- He says- "Perhaps you could knock some sense into her."
Geralt nods.
"I will do my best."- He says- "When we find her, you should let me do the talking. I may be young and inexperienced, but I have great skill in diplomacy. If that person is not a pure-blooded villain or villainess, then I can easily convince them to withdraw."
Toby looks at him.
"It seems like you know a lot about this stuff."- He says- "Tell me, kid. Who taught you how to be respectful of others?"
Geralt smiles.
"Well, my dad was the one who laid the foundations of my morals. Ever since I was still a child, he helped me realize that not everyone in this world is evil and that there is always a chance for redemption."- He says- "Of course, aunt also helped me out a lot after he disappeared. She is relentless in her pursuit to teach me how to not become what she used to be. And, truth be told, she's doing great!"
Toby raises his eyebrow.
"And what happened to your daddy?"
Geralt looks down.
"He... disappeared after a big raid. Most of our family was slain during that day and I lost a person who was truly important to me."- He says- "But I know that he's still out there! Day and night, I've been trying to find where he might be. I recently found evidence that he survived and I am clinging to it, in the hopes that I could reunite with him someday."
Toby nods.
"That's very noble of you, kid. Young people like you are very rare to find and I'm sure that my big brother could learn a few things from you."- He says and smiles- "I wish you good luck in finding your daddy. Maybe you'll find what you're lookin' for someday."
Geralt sighs.
"I appreciate your kindness, Mr. Goodman."- He says- "Now, could we find that person?"
Toby nods.
"Oh, yes. I almost forgot about that."- He says and readies his rifle- "Alright. Let's get this over with."
The two of them enter the woods. Although they seem to be quiet at the moment, Geralt cannot help but notice that he and Toby are being watched. Something is stalking them and it won't be long before it makes its appearance.
And then, they hear some rustling from the nearby bushes.
"Hmm."- Geralt says- "Someone is trying to scare us. It is not a very good attempt, though."
Toby sighs.
"It's gotta be the wildlife. There's a lot of it out here."- He says- "Come on. Let's move while the sun's still up."
After exploring the woods for about five minutes, the two of them find a seemingly abandoned encampment. Boxes of supplies have been left behind, filled with all kinds of useful supplies.
Geralt sighs.
"It is quite unwise to steal from someone else's place, but we have no choice."
Toby nods.
"Don't feel bad about 'em."- He says- "They're as bad as the robbers you met before."
Geralt rummages through one of the boxes and finds an unopened bottle of water.
"Finally!"- He exclaims- "I have been so thirsty!"
He uncorks it and tries to drink some water. but Toby prevents him from doing so.
"Don't do that!"
He knocks the bottle out of his hand as he corks it back.
"Umm."- Geralt says- "Why did you do that?"
Toby shakes his head.
"Have you even thought of the possibility of a trap?"- He says to him- "Whoever's livin' in here, they must have left that to distract us. It could be filled with all kinds of bacteria that'll try to mess with your brain."
Geralt raises his eyebrow.
"It seems like clear, sparkling water to me."- He says- "I don't see what is wrong."
Toby shakes his head.
"That's what they want you to think."- He says- "Don't you see it, kid? It's all part of their plan. They poison the water to weaken us. And then, they try to end our misery by sneaking up on us and-- "
Suddenly, an arrow flies forward and nearly pierces Toby in the neck.
Toby leaps to his feets and aims his rifle.
"Who's there?"
A short, beautiful woman emerges from the bushes. Her brown hair is unkempt and she has a wild look in her eyes. As she aims her crossbow at them, her hands start to tremble, either because of fear or anger. Or maybe a little bit of both.
"There you are! I finally found you!"- She yells- "You may have escaped from me before, but you've got nowhere else to run!"
Toby turns to Geralt and sighs.
"You see what I mean, don't you?"- He asks him- "Her apperance only managed to prove my point."
The woman glares at him.
"Stop with that chit-chat, you fiend!"- She yells- "I know what you've done!"
Geralt raises his eyebrow.
"And who might you me, if you don't mind us asking."
Without looking at him, the woman shakes her head. Her eyes return to normal, even though it's just for a few seconds.
"My name's Chloe O'Brien. I was a simple housewife who was trying to keep her own family alive and well. And then, Redmark and his people came and forced us to work for them. We barely escaped from them and were forced to live as outcasts."- She says- "One day, me and my family found the farm. We spoke with the people living in it, in the hopes that they'd show some hospitality. We stayed there for what would seem like a month, until my boy saw what they were doing. He was shocked by that and told us everything. That's when we finally knew that we were dealing with a bunch of psychopaths. We saw their true nature and tried to run away. But they found us and killed both my boyfriend and my son. But they never put my boy down. They just shot him and let him come back as one of those... things. He's still in the woods, still roaming. And I haven't had the heart to put him down."
Suddenly, her eyes become wild again. She aims her crossbow at Toby and glares at him.
"Did you hear that, you freak?! You killed them! You killed my family!"- She yells- "And now, you bring some young, innocent soul in my glade, thinking that you're going to make me feel something! Well, I've got something else coming for you! And I'm sure that you know what it is!"
Toby shakes his head.
"I'm not sure what you mean, girl."- He says- "I've never killed any innocent people in my life and neither has my brother."
Chloe shakes her head.
"You're the filthiest liar I've ever known!"- She yells- "The truth's crashing into you like a wave and you still have the guts to pretend that you're someone else?!"
She aims her crossbow at him.
"I'm done talking to you."- She says- "Perish, you freak!"
As she shoots two more arrows at them, Toby pushes Geralt out of the way and hides behind a pile of boxes. Geralt tries to reason with Chloe, but soon realizes that she has gone too mad. She cannot be saved.
"What are you doing, kid?"- Toby whispers- "Get back here! Now!"
Geralt sighs.
"Alright."
He hides behind the crates as Chloe continues to shoot at them.
"What are we supposed to do?"- He asks Toby- "She doesn't look very well!"
Toby sighs and shakes his head. At this point, he is only pretending to be sympathetic, but Geralt chooses to ignore it.
"I'm afraid that there's only one way to save her now."- He says- "If you catch my meaning."
Geralt gasps.
"No! I don't want to do this! She is just another lost soul!"- He exclaims- "Come on, Mr. Goodman! There must be another way!"
Chloe laughs maniacally from the other side.
"You can hide, but you can't run away from me!"- She yells- "I'll get you soon enough!"
Toby sighs and shakes his head.
"That's the point, kid. She's a lost soul and we're only trying to save her."- He says- "Do you want to live for another day? Just do as I say and we'll be fine."
Geralt looks at him.
"But... that poor woman... "
He sighs.
"I will handle this myself."
He stands up.
"Have you gone mad, kid?"- Toby asks- "Hide! She'll kill you!"
Geralt shakes his head.
"No. I will not hide anymore."- He says- "I know that there is some good left in her. Nobody loses every trace of what they once had. All that I have to do is to awaken what she had lost with my kindness."
He raises his hands in the air and attempts to talk Chloe down, but she simply shoots at him. Toby is right- she has clearly gone too far. And the poor boy is only condemning himself.
"No! Stand back!"- She yells as he gets closer to her- "I won't let you corrupt me anymore!"
As he gets close, Geralt notices something on her mouth. He approaches her and notices that it is a scar.
"Lady, what happened to you?"- He asks her- "I can tell that you have suffered a lot."
Chloe points her crossbow at Geralt's chest.
"I said stand back!"- She yells- "Don't make me do this!"
Geralt looks down at her stomach.
"You seem to be emaciated."- He says- "Have you been eating well lately?"
Chloe looks down and sighs.
"I... no."- She replies- "It's been a tough time in here. I haven't had the chance to do much. I've only... been stealing."
Geralt sighs.
"I can tell that you and I are sharing the same fate, We have been separated from the people we love the lost and were forced to survive on our own."- He says- "But no one dared to help you out. I can tell why you are being so delusional. It is all just because you miss them."
He reaches for his pocket.
"But you will not stand helpless any longer."
He pulls out a large granola bar and hands it to Chloe.
"For... me?"- Chloe asks- "You mean it?"
Geralt smiles and nods.
"Of course, lady."- He says- "I mean you no harm. I only want to help you out."
Chloe sighs.
"Maybe you aren't as bad as I thought."- She says- "Few people would dare to help me out."
Geralt nods.
"Once you are well-fed, I shall help you emerge from those woods with a new face. My brother is in the nearby farm. He is as kind as I am and will take you to our home for the time being."- He says- "Once we get there, I shall introduce you to my aunt. She is a healer and will ease your pain. Then, we will dress you well and send you on your way, to live a more peaceful life."
He smiles.
"Vengeance is never the answer, lady. What you have been doing until now was wrong, but it was not exactly evil."- He continues- "But now, you are given the chance to start a new life. Will you take it?"
Chloe looks up and nods.
"I... I think that I can do that."- She says- "But will you promise me something?"
Geralt raises his eyebrow.
"Of course."- He says- "What would you like me to do?"
Chloe looks at him.
"Could you find my boy in the woods and put him down?"- She asks him- "I tried to do it myself, but I didn't have the strength to do it. And yet, I don't want him to roam in there forever."
Geralt smiles.
"You have my word, lady."- He says- "I will put your boy to rest, if that is what you wish."
Chloe cries tears of joy.
"Oh, thank you!"- She exclaims and hugs him- "You're the first person outside my family who's truly cared about me!"
Geralt smiles.
"I try to help whoever I can."- He says- "My father has done that before and I want to do the same."
Chloe looks up at him.
"But I never learned your name."- She says- "Who are you?"
Geralt nods.
"My name is Geralt Kaos. I am the son of the legendary hero known as Adam Kaos, the one who defeated Mordred Darkthrop more than one decade ago."- He says- "I have been trying to find my father and I am helping people along the way, just like he wanted before he disappeared."
Chloe raises her eyebrow.
"Do you think that he's still out there?"
Geralt nods.
"That is what I am trying to find out."
For the first time since they met, Chloe smiles.
"It's good that someone else has hope when I don't have anything left in myself."- She says- "You're a good, kid Geralt. You remind me of my boy. He was just like you. He wanted to save the world when he grew up. Perhaps you can be what he wanted to-- "
Suddenly, a single bullet flies out and strikes Chloe in the chest. As Geralt watches in shock, she falls to the ground and quickly bleeds out in front of him.
"What?"- He says- "What happened?!"
He looks back and realizes that Toby was the one responsible for this. There is a bullet shell on the ground next to him, indicating his involvement in the heinous deed.
Geralt angrily approaches him and grabs him by the neck.
"Why did you do that?!"- He yells at him- "Tell me!"
Toby shakes his head.
"You don't understand what we've had to go through."- He says- "She was dangerous, kid. I had to get rid of her."
Geralt glares at him.
"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't crush you into hundreds of pieces right now!"
Toby points at the dead girl's hand.
"Her crossbow was raised at you."- He says- "Even though you were kind to her, she was gonna get ya killed."
Geralt shakes his head.
"She was just scared of me! She did not know who I was until I talked to her!"- He yells- "You just killed an innocent woman and there is no excuse for that!"
For a second, Geralt is tempted to drive his weapon through Toby's skull. However, he soon decides that he is more useful to him dead than alive. He drops him on the ground and hands him the rifle, seemingly believing what he just said to him.
"Alright. I will forget this... for now."- He says- "But don't say anything to your brother! This is a secret between you and me!"
Toby nods.
"I'll stay quiet."- He says and takes a few steps forward- "Our work here is done, though. Let's go home."
Geralt shakes his head.
"Hold it, Mr. Goodman."- He says- "I want to stay right here for the time being."
Toby raises his eyebrow.
"You do know that she's gonna turn, right?"
Geralt sighs.
"I will take the risk."
Toby nods.
"Alright then. Go right ahead."- He says- "But don't blame me when you get bitten."
Having said that, he turns around and leaves.
Geralt looks down at Chloe's corpse, sighs and shakes his head.
"I am very sorry for what happened to you, lady."- He says to her, as if she were a living person- "I know that you were a little crazy, but you were not bad. You had good intentions, but nobody dared to understand you, distraught as you were."
He sighs again.
"You deserved a better treatment than this."
As he turns around and walks away, he notices that she has turned. She stands up and shambles toward him, but gets caught in a tree's brambles while moving forward.
Geralt notices that tears are falling from his eyes. He wipes them away and shakes his head. He raises his rifle and prepares to put her down, but his hands start to tremble. Even though he never knew her before, he feels like he lost someone truly important to him. And that prevents him from making his move.
Ultimately, he decides that he is unable to do the deed. With a dramatic sigh, he regretfully leaves the undead Chloe behind, hoping that someone else could have the strength to do it instead of him,
As he walks further into the woods, he hears more growling coming from nearby. He looks down and notices the corpse of a young man, possibly in his twenties or thirties. A large, red bullet wound sits on his head, a clear sign of his fate.
"This must be that lady's boyfriend. It looks like he was executed very quickly. And yet, there are signs that he has been struggling while trying to fight back."- He says to himself- "But who would be crazy enough to do such a horrible thing? Who would dare to kill a man who has never done anything bad before?"
Suddenly, he hears the same growling again and deduces that it comes from somewhere behind him. However, unlike the undead Chloe's growling, it seems to be more... high-pitched. Strange, considering that most reanimated survivors sound the same, regardless of their gender and age.
And then, an undead child emerges from the bushes, slowly shambling toward him.
"Oh my God."- Geralt says- "This... this is not true."
And yet, it is quite true. It is an undead boy, in a dark and spooky forest, killed in an exceptionally brutal manner. It seems like he was around five or six years-old at the time of his untimely demise, making him a very young victim of some kind of bloodthirsty, merciless killer.
Geralt notices a huge wound on his neck and realizes that he must have been sliced by a sharp bramble. Or by another sharp object, possibly wielded by a human being. in addition to that, he seems to have a large stomach wound, possibly inflicted upon him while he was trying to run away.
He raises his rifle and shakes his head.
"I am sorry, young one."- He says- "I hope that you have a good life in Heaven."
With tears in his eyes, he fires a single shot at the undead child, striking him in the head and putting him to rest.
Then, he hears more growling coming from nearby. However, it is more low-pitched, indicating that it comes from an adult undead.
Much to Geralt's surprise, it is the man whom he noticed on the ground earlier. The bullet wound in his head is still there, indicating that it didn't quite reach his brain and he reanimated as a result.
He reflexively tries to fire his rifle, but the undead man knocks it out of his hand. He leans forward and tries to bite him, but is soon shot in the head by someone else.
Geralt looks back and realizes that his brother- Kaiden- has joined him in the forest. He runs up to him and hugs him, barely believing that his brother is still alive.
"Little bro! I finally found you!"- He says, concerned- "What happened to you? Were you bitten? Did those freaks hurt you?"
Geralt smiles and shakes his head.
"No, Kai. I was just... exploring this forest when I found the undead."- He says- "I had to put down an undead child. It was... very sad."
Kaiden sighs.
"I know how it feels. It must have been horrible."- He says- "But we have to go back to that farm... as much as I don't want that."
Geralt looks at him.
"So, what happened while I was gone."
Kaiden shakes his head.
"Well, the Goodmans started acting very suspicious. They tried to convince me that nothing had happened out there, but I knew better."- He says- "I asked to go into the forest for a pee break, so they allowed me to do so. And, well, you know what happened next."
He looks back.
"But tell me, Geralt. What happened in this place?"- He asks him- "I stumbled across an undead woman, but I'm not sure why she ended up like this."
Geralt shakes his head.
"Kai, I have a very bad feeling."- He says- "I was with Toby in the forest when we stumbled across that camp. We were attacked by that woman and she... she wanted to get us killed. I calmed her down and convinced her to come with us to our hometown, but then Toby... he shot her! He shot her right before my eyes!"
Kaiden gasps.
"Why would he do such a thing?!"
Geralt sighs.
"I am not sure!"- He exclaims- "The woman didn't seem evil, but he still finished her off! It is so weird!"
Kaiden nods.
"Well, that explains the case with the undead that tried to kill me while I tried to find you."- He says- "What do you suggest? Should we report it to the police? Or should we try to get along with them?"
Geralt shakes his head.
"I want to trust them. I really do."- He says- "But I still have this bad feeling on my mind. I can't get it off."
Kaiden sighs.
"Then we shall act normal until someone arrives to save us."- He says- "Pretend like nothing happened in there. It's between you and me."
Geralt nods.
"Of course."- He says- "I will keep it secret."
A familiar voice calls out for them.
"Geralt! Kaiden!"- Tyler yells- "Where are you? We baked you some pie!"
Geralt turns around and sighs.
"So much for our secret mission."
Kaiden nods.
"You said it."- He says- "Come on. Let's go."
Just as the two siblings prepare to leave, something changes. In the blink of an eye, the forest turns more vivid. It seems as if the brambles themselves are closing in on them, trying to prevent them from escaping with their lives.
At the same time, the illusion fades away. Bleach white skull appear all around them, surrounded by the dried blood of their previous owners. Although most of them seem to be old and cracked, some of them appear to be relatively fresh.
This is when Geralt and Kaiden realize that there is something horribly wrong with this place. Whoever killed those people is definitely nearby... and is looking for more lives to end.
"Kai!"- Geralt exclaims- "Let's get out of this place! Now!"
Kaiden nods.
"Roger that, little bro!"
The two boys run back, crashing into many brambles and getting some small cuts in the process. Trying to escape from something that looks like a part of some horror movie has never been harder and the two of them don't even think about looking back.
As they come across the undead Chloe, she tries to break free and nearly bites Kaiden. However, the youth manages to avoid her in time and she is left behind in the dark forest as they finally emerge from it.
Running back to the Goodman Farm, they are intercepted by Tyler. He seems to be worried, although it might just be a facade that hides his true self.
"Boys! You're back!"- He exclaims- "What's wrong? Did you find something?"
Geralt shakes his head.
"No. It is alright."- He says- "It was just a... bear."
Tyler gasps.
"A bear? In the woods next to home?"- He says- "That's truly worrying! We must investigate immediately!"
Kaiden shakes his head.
"It's probably best to leave it alone for now."- He says, getting along with Geralt's plan- "Bears are irritable creatures. I think that we should thread carefully."
He smiles, trying to make it seem as convincing as he possibly could.
"So, why don't we just go back and forget what we saw out there?"- He says- "I'm sure that things will get better as time passes!"
Tyler stares at them suspiciously for a few moments. He clearly knows that something is wrong- maybe Toby betrayed Geralt and told him everything. However, he soon decides that it is not worth it and smiles again.
"Alright then."- He says- "Come in, then. The pie's waitin' for you."
Geralt smiles.
"Ooh. You baked some truffle pie for us?"- He asks- "That is very kind of you."
Tyler smiles.
"It's the least we could do."- He responds- "You're our honorary guests, after all."
As the two boys enter the farm, they notice that Toby is waiting for them. He holds a freshly baked pie in his hands, smiling as he leaves it on the dining table.
"Sorry to keep you waiting."- He says and smiles again- "Dinner's almost ready."
Kaiden raises his eyebrow.
"But it's only 5 PM!"- He exclaims- "Why are you making it so early?"
Tyler smiles.
"Our family likes to eat their dinner around this time."- He replies- "Mama and papa taught us to do so ourselves, so we're keeping the tradition alive."
Geralt raises his eyebrow.
"This is a weird tradition, but alright."- He says- "Let's eat."
As the two siblings sit on the table, Geralt notices a trophy standing on a shelf nearby. It is made of gold and has two crossed sword embeded into it. Much to his surprise, there are also three more of them, making him think that one of the Goodmans is quite a good fighter... or so it would seem, at least.
"I can see that one of you has achieved a lot of success."- He says- "Who might it be, if you don't mind me asking?"
Tyler looks back at the trophies and smiles.
"Oh! Those belong to my little brother!"- He exclaims- "He's a very talented warrior and has been wanting to become an adventurer ever since he was a child. However, the farming life can't be ignored, so he was forced to come back after a certain amount of time."
He smiles.
"But he earned a lot of trophies when he was still out there, so we decided to leave them here, as signs of his competence."
Toby looks at Geralt.
"You know, if I didn't have to stay in this farm and help my brother, I would've become an adventurer like you."- He says- "Those folks are free people. They help others and seldom ask for pay. It was my dream to become one of them, but I guess that it's going to remain a dream."
Geralt sighs.
"Well, I think that the adventurers have lost a valuable ally."- He says- "It is a shame that it ended up this way, Mr. Goodman."
Toby smiles.
"Oh. It's fine."- He says- "As long as I'm with my big brother, I think that it's better than being alone in some dark and creepy dungeon."
Geralt nods.
"I have to admit."- He says- "Being at home is much better than having to fight hundreds of mad enemies. But this is life that we have chosen and we cannot change it."
As the four of them prepare to eat the dinner, Tyler goes to the kitchen and comes back with a plate of delicious-looking meats.
"Well, I reckon that it's time to begin."- He says and smiles- "But first, we must... "
Suddenly, the front door opens.
"Excuse me."
The four of them turn around and see the person who has just joined them. It is Akira- Geralt and Kaiden's aunt.
Geralt rubs his eyes twice, just in case this is another illusion. No. It is not. His aunt really came all the way here to look for him and his brother. Apparently, she had noticed their disappearance and tried to find where they went. And she just did.
"I'm looking for my nephews. We lost them somewhere around here."- He says- "Do you know where they are?"
Tyler smiles and approaches Akira.
"Of course, miss. Your dear nephews are right here."- He says- "They were feelin' pretty lonely, so we took them in until someone arrived to take them back."
He shakes her hand.
"But where are my manners!"- He continues- "I'm Tyler Goodman and this is my brother- Toby Goodman. We're two farmers who survive in this dark world, trying to make a living while chaos is all around us."
Akira smiles and nods.
"The pleasure is mine, Tyler."- She says- "My name is Akira Kaos. I'm a travelling healer and I help people who are wounded- physically and emotionally."
She looks at Geralt and Kaiden.
"My nephews mean a lot to me. They're the only things that their father left behind before he disappeared."- She says- "So. Could we go now?"
Tyler shakes his head.
"Oh. I think that it would be unwise to leave before dinner."
Akira raises her eyebrow.
"Dinner, huh?"- She asks- "Say. What kind of things have you got on the table?"
Tyler smiles.
"Well, we've got all kinds of delicious meats for you to try. We also have some freshly baked bread that we made just a few hours ago."- He says- "Last but not least, we have our spectacular truffle pie. It's a delicacy that we hope to share with you and your family."
Akira gasps.
"Oh! This sounds great!"- She exclaims and approaches the table- "Alright. I think that we could stay for one night. We're all starving, so I guess that it's a good thing not to reject your hospitality."
Tyler smiles.
"I'm glad that you think so, miss."- He says- "Then please be our guests. We're excited to have you here with us."
As Akira joins her nephews on the table, they grab forks and knifes, aiming toward the truffle pie that has been left in the middle of the table.
Geralt is the first to take a bite. When he does, he realizes that the Goodmans were not wrong- the pie truly is wonderful.
"This is... astounding!"- He exclaims- "How did you manage to make it so good?"
Tyler smiles.
"Well, it's a baker's secret. I'm afraid that we can't share it with anyone else."- He says- "But the sweetness is a key component. The sauce that we put in there enhances the taste and makes you want to eat more."
Geralt nods.
"That sounds amazing!"- He says- "Well, count me in! I want some more of your pie!"
Akira smiles.
"And I second that!"
As the three of them singlehandedly devour the large pie, they sit back. Tyler smiles and pushes the plate filled with meats toward them.
"Now that you're done with the pie, you should try our meats."- He says- "They would restore your energy in an instant."
Geralt shakes his head.
"No, thank you."- He says- "We are full."
Tyler smiles serenely.
"Oh, come on."- He says- "Don't you have some space left for the other good stuff?"
Geralt sighs.
"Alright."- He says- "Maybe we could take a single bite."
Geralt grabs one of the meats with his fork. He prepares to eat it, but soon catches a strange scent. He leans closer and smells the meat, realizing that it exudes a strange, medicinal aroma. However, it is not sweet like he had expected, but more spicy. The mere smell of it makes Geralt's stomach turn. 
Soon, he puts the meat back on the plate.
"Geralt, dear."- Akira says to him- "Is something wrong?"
Geralt stands up and smiles.
"I... need to get to the toilet for a while."- He says- "With your permission, of course."
Tyler nods.
"If that's what you want to do, then go. Don't let us stop you."- He says- "Just try to come back in time. We'll have some more pie baked for you soon."
Geralt nods.
"I will do my best."
Having said that, he politely excuses himself and goes downstairs.
Once he is down there, a horrible stench assaults his nostrils. While wondering where it comes from, he hears growling coming from all around him. He draws his weapon and looks around, but sees nothing of interest.
"What is going on?"- He says to himself- "Am I hallucinating?"
Suddenly, the spirit of his late mother appears beside him.
"Honey, I have a very bad feeling."- She says.
Geralt turns to her.
"So, you are thinking the same way as me?"
Aalia nods.
"Yes."- She replies- "The Goodmans are not quite the people that they claim to be."
Geralt raises his eyebrow.
"Then what should we do?"- He asks her- "Do you have any ideas?"
Aalia stares at something in the distance.
"I think that I see a strange outcropping. Some kind of loose stone."- She says- "Maybe that could be the answer to this riddle."
Geralt looks around.
"I don't see any loose stones here, mom."- He says- "What are supposed to do?"
Suddenly, Aalia disappears.
"Mom? Mom!"- He says- "Don't leave me alone again!"
He looks down and sighs.
"I guess that I have to handle this mess all by myself."- He says to himself- "If Kai and aunt are unable to believe the truth, then maybe I could bring it to light."
After checking every wall for ten minutes, he comes to the conclusion that he is wasting his time. Sighing, he leans on a nearby wall to rest.
As soon as he does that, however, he hears a click coming from nearby. Taking a few steps forward, he notices that he has accidentally pushed a hidden button. Suddenly, a portion of the wall to the right of him slides away, revealing some kind of hidden passage.
"Oh! How interesting!"- He exclaims- "I bet that this is where they are holding their worst secrets!"
He descends further and finds himself in a barely lit room. Strange implements litter the tables and the growls of the doomed are much louder. In addition to that, he cannot help but notice that the moaning he heard earlier is quite close now.
And that is when he notices a man on a wall. He is very emaciated and he is chained to it for some reason.
"Help... me."
Geralt draws his weapon and cuts him loose.
"What happened to you, good sir?"- He asks him- "Who did this to you?"
The man looks up at him weakly.
"The Goodmans... are not good people."- He says- "What they tried to feed you... it wasn't food. It was poison."
Geralt gasps.
"Poison?!"- He asks- "But... but why?!"
The man looks down at his stomach and shakes his head.
"Don't... try to save me. It's too late."- He continues to ramble- "I was tricked by their... hospitality. Tricked by their... tasty food. When I ate the meat, though... that's when I felt everything turn upside-down."
Geralt looks back, horrified.
"I have to warn my family!"
He leaves the room immediately.
"Go, my boy."- The man says as he lays on the ground- "Go. Save... yourself."
Geralt runs back into the living room just in time to see his brother about to eat one of the meats on the table.
"No!"- He screams- "Do not eat that!"
Kaiden drops his fork, alarmed.
"Geralt! What in the world?!"- He exclaims- "What's happening?"
Geralt approaches the Goodmans and points at them.
"They are happening!"- He yells- "They tried to poison us with their hospitality, their food! They have many more people in their basement! And we're just their next victims!"
Both Kaiden and Akira gasp. They stare at the Goodmans, trying to find out whether Geralt is lying or not.
When Toby reaches for his rifle, they realize that it is the former.
"So, you finally discovered our little secret."- Tyler says- "What a shame. We thought that it'd take longer than that."
Geralt draws his weapon and glares at them.
"Who are you?"- He says- "What do you want from us?!"
Tyler smiles.
"Oh, nothing special. We just want to get rid of those who prove to be dangerous for our reputation."- He says- "Unfortunately, you're part of them."
Toby sneaks up behind Akira and smacks her in the head with his rifle, knocking her unconscious.
"Aunt!"- Kaiden yells.
He leaps to his feet and points his pistol at the brothers.
"We won't become your victims!"- He yells- "We're leaving now!"
Tyler shakes his head.
"We're afraid that it can't happen."- He says- "Not when you know our little secret."
Having said that, he and his brother approach the Kaos siblings and place large bags on their heads. They consider smothering them to death, but soon decide against it.
And then, they smack them both in the head and knock them out.