Chapter 17: Bloodhounds
5 years ago
After using the potions, Estefan had finally gained the strength necessary to survive in this brutal world. But his body couldn’t yet properly handle the newfound powers he had so he needed to shape his body and cultivate his abilities.
Every day, he trained deep in the estate forest. The guards rarely entered and the only interruptions were the cleaners, who came once a week and stayed for only a few hours. Once they left, the place was his again allowing him to train with freedom without anyone finding out about it.
The forest became his personal training field. He sprinted across miles of uneven terrain, treating every tree and rock as an obstacle to conquer. One day, during his usual routine, Estefan stumbled upon the estate’s outer wall.
It stood ten feet tall which was intimidating to most, but to him, it was another challenge.
At fifteen, he made it a goal to scale it daily. After days of repeated attempts, he finally succeeded, climbing over and seeing the wild forests that stretched far beyond.
Most of the lands were privately owned by rich merchants or even other nobles who were buying lands since no matter what happened they all knew the lands of Angeras would never fall to anyone so it was like a safe space where one could easily run off to.
Since the gates were far away and patrols nonexistent, Estefan felt safe enough to roam freely. His walks stretched for kilometers. The strolls turned into endurance tests, and eventually, daily routines.
On his route, there was a village he often saw from a distance. He never entered but used it as a landmark to avoid getting lost.
Until one day while he was returning from his usual trek, he saw smoke rising above the treetops, directly over the village. He ran the moment he saw with his heart pounding.
What he saw stopped him in his tracks. The village was engulfed in flames. "It’s not my problem... My presence would only make it worse." That’s what he told himself as he turned to leave, but something made him stop.