Chapter 1 - Chapter 1.The Fight to live.

𝘚𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘭𝘤𝘩

𝘚𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘭𝘤𝘩

His footsteps struck the mud again and again—heavy, uneven, desperate.

Each step dragged, the ground pulling at his boots as if trying to swallow him whole.

"Stop right there brat!"

Shouts echoed behind him—blurred, angry, carried by the wind.

Tree after tree passed by as he ran, until they thinned and suddenly disappeared as he stumbles to an open ground.

there, he saw a man—standing with his axe, waiting for him to move.

as he stopped to catch a breath, the sounds behind him grew closer, forcing him to run again.

But, when he tried to evade the man in front of him, the man suddenly struck him with his axe.

𝘗𝘭𝘢𝘬

He managed to block it, but the force was too great, sending him skidding toward the Cliff's edge.

Right as he managed to stand back to his feet, he saw two bandit that chase him from the woods had already arrive, and joint the man with axe who appears to be a bandit too.

Knowing that there were no turning back as his retreat route has been cut by cliffs,fear crawled up his spine—not of death but dying here,nameless,hearless,swalloed by mud and steel. He then decide to take his defensive stance and fight the bandit for his life.

The situation is tense. The bandit, even though they outnumbered him they only took a small step. Killing their distance step by step.

Not long after, he spotted the Archer in the back already pull the arrows, ready to shot him at any moment. Realizing it, he quickly dropped his swords, took the knife in his belly, and throw it. Ending the Archer life's as the knife pierce his throat.

Seeing their comrades down, the other two bandit were stopping. Knowing that they are scared, he quickly pulled a feint on the right bandit, before turning fast at the unprepared bandit in the left and strike him with his sword.

And there goes the second bandit. As he thought he already won the battle, the third bandit does strike him.

The sound of their clashing sword echoing in the mountains, competing with the sounds of birds in the woods.

Strike after strike, slowly drains their stamina to their limits. Until suddenly, he manage to launch a shield bash that throw the bandit to the ground before finishing him.

When he is still exhausted and trying to catch his breath, a whistle was coming from the forest.

"What the, *huff, another bandit?"

He then quickly pulls the Archer bows and quiver without seeing the arrows amount and started running to the other side of the forest, avoiding the growing whistle sounds.

As he running in the woods, he desperately trying to stepped on a stone, branches, and grass to erase his track, yet the ground is too soft that his footprints was left perfect at the mud—acting as a map for the bandit straight to his throat.

As the sounds grew closer followed by dog barks, he found himself right in a river. He then took the shallowest path, and move to cross the river.

As his weight shifted, a loose stone beneath the surface gave way. The rock slid sideways, and his foot lurched into a gap. Then, a sickening 𝘱𝘰𝘱 echoed in his ears as his ankles twisted at an unnatural angle.

Pain exploded through his leg, sharp and blinding. For a heartbeat, he considered staying down. Just one heartbeat.

He fell to the shallow water, trying to absorb the sickening pain in her legs. But, he forced his foot to move as the dog bark is getting very close.

As he managed to cross the river, he looked at an thick grass and took a stepped there to erase his track. Unfortunately for him, the dog has already saw him and start chasing him in full speed.

As he running away, the path was ended by a vertical incline of slick mud and loose roots. It's not just a normal slope—it was a wall of wet earth.

Knowing that his twisted ankle cannot support normal climb, he drove his sword into the mud above his head. Ignoring the scream of his muscle, and hauled himself as he grip the sword hilt tightly as his body pressed flat against the cold, muddy face of the mountains.

Supported by his determination to live and his Shield, he managed to get in the top of the ridge— collapse as he trying to catch his breath.

Not long after that crazy attempt, the dog bark suddenly came again. He then look down, and saw three bandit with 2 dog barking wildly as they saw him at the top of the Ridge.

He then decide to use the bow he took from fallen bandit, when he realizes that the bandit quiver had only three arrows in it.

Thinking that is better than nothing, he quickly took one arrows and start pulling the strings and aimed at the bandit archer. As he were aiming, the two of their eyes met, and they release their arrows at the same time.

Lucky for he though, the arrow he shot managed to hit the archer and block the archers arrows. Not wasting precious time, he quickly pull the second arrows.

𝘞𝘰𝘰𝘴𝘩!

His arrows once again hit the bandit. He then stopped and saw the third bandit is trying to climb the slope the same way he did. But, he doesn't gave him the chance. He quickly pull his last arrows, and as he shot him. The undefended yet immobilized bandit can only stay still, as the arrows Pierce his hands and throws him falls.

Meanwhile, the dog are keeps barking as they were very starve. They try to reach him, but this time the wet and muddy slope were the one that saves him. He then took a rock near him, and throws it onto the woods.

Thinking it was a food, the dog quickly runs and chase after the rocks. Taking this chances, he quickly rise to his foot, and start moving again at the ridge path.

Hours after hours has passed, yet this time it's not the bandit scream that he listened to, but the melody of birds song and falling leaf.

As he moving, the path is starting to guide him down from the mountains. Knowing that the bandit are still nearby, he pushed his foot to move, and just pass a what is seen to be safe cave. Not long after, his eyes were struck by sun rays, and revealing an border outpost.

Below him, the soldier's had saw him, and quickly ran to approach him. Sensing that he was now safe, he let out the pain to consume him, and then, he faint.