The Legend of the North

Chapter 23

Announcement

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"The terrain is starting to get more difficult." Ezer was getting closer to the mountains and the terrain was beginning to change. The sun was at its highest point and the day was beautiful, but he had no time to stop and admire the scenery now that was on high ground.

"They are huge, I understand why they call them the white mountains."

Huge peaks rose covered in white and side by side. Ezer picks up the pace in the steep forest. At first his walking was fast, although over time fatigue began to make itself felt, forcing him to slow down.

"Now I understand why Rel made me train my resistance, if it weren't for the exercise of looking for water a kilometer away, I would now be twice as exhausted."

His thoughts were interrupted by a sudden sound in the forest that was unnaturally silent.

"Too quiet... Is it because of the proximity to the mountains or something else?" He was constantly on the alert for beasts or any indication that his pursuers were approaching.

His lack of experience in environments like this bothered him, if Rel were around, he would surely know what to do.

Ezer uses his peripheral vision trying to discover the origin of the sound that occurred behind his back. Nothing, there is nothing but trees for hundreds of meters.

"It will be better to hurry, the mountains seem so close, but in reality they are not. I have to reach them before nightfall".

The steep upward slope of the terrain turns downward once you reach the top, the descent was almost the same difficulty as the climb due to the need to regulate each step you took.

"If it's already difficult like this, I don't want to imagine the mountains. I think I'm beginning to understand the reason for the respect towards them." Although reality is harsher than he thought and would notice it when set foot in the mountains.

Halfway up, small rocks slid behind him. He turns around in alarm and sees the origin of this, and surely the previous sounds.

Two men, one tall and one short, one skinny and one fat, their features were totally opposite each other as well as the weapons they carried.

Ezer doesn't hesitate for a second and runs in the opposite direction as fast as he can without losing his balance. The men behind him do the exact same thing.

For a moment Ezer thinks about sliding down the slope as he did in the encounter with the goats, but he dismisses it, noticing the hundreds of trees and the reminder of his back being dislocated.

He jumps over a rotten log that must have been on the forest floor for years, losing his balance slightly, but regaining it safely.

"They are falling behind, if I continue like this I may lose them." Looking away, he notices how the distance increases between his pursuers.

Or also notices this and begins to despair as he gulps for air to keep running.

"We're not going to catch up like this Or." His hair was sticking to the head with grease instead of behaving like a clean one would.

Or understands that his friend is right, but he doesn't give up and continues running. The greed for gold was greater than fatigue and shortness of breath.

"Shut up and r-! I have an idea, help me!" With the ax already in his hands, he begins to cut the few pieces that joined the rotten trunk, which Ezer had passed a few seconds ago, from its base.

"Push!" With face red from exertion, he yells at his partner.

"I'm on it!" With their combined effort, the last fibers that joined the trunk separate and it begins to roll down, taking more and more speed.

"We're not supposed to kill him, we need him alive."

"He's not going to die just with that... I hope." Or drops the ax and places his hands on the knees as breathes raggedly.

Ezer's mind goes completely blank and only one idea remains in his head, to dodge. The trunk was now rolling with a speed and force that generated loud noises with every meter it moved.

Even though it slowed down when it hit a tree, it didn't change direction and kept getting closer to Ezer.

He runs to the nearest tree for cover, but the trunk is almost on top of him. Ezer manages to take refuge, but instantly notices a problem, the tree he uses as a shield is too thin and young.

The log hits before he can think of anything and is destroyed along with the tree that covered him. Splinters fly through the sky and fall meters away, part of the force was transferred to Ezer, throwing him to the ground running out of air in his lungs from the blow.

The sky seems to spin before his eyes and feels a ringing in the ears, he tries to get up, but only takes about two steps before falling again. He feels severe pain in his left arm and ribs, but they do not appear to be broken.

Finally, he manages to stay on his feet at the same time that the trunk finishes splitting in two and stops several meters in front of him.

"Aahhgg... where are those..." Ezer instinctively moves his body to one side when sees an object approaching.

A butcher knife cuts the air where he was a few seconds ago. He takes a few steps back and focuses his gaze on his enemy.

The man was clearly exhausted while the other is in worse condition with an ax in his hands. Ezer draws his dagger and tries to clear his mind, his heart was beating with all its might pumping adrenaline to every inch of his body.

"Child, come with us... We just want to... return you to your family who are desperately looking for you." Or speaks haltingly from exhaustion.

Ezer doesn't answer and plants his feet on the ground.