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I know I'm a little late, but here is the chapter.
I have been busy with work, and even though I don't get very physically tired, it leaves me mentally exhausted. And on the weekend I was out with family.
Aside from all this, I have drafts of the next chapters, so I'll continue posting as soon as I have one finished.
Thank you and all the best to everyone.
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Now calmer, i remember the creature. When i saw it, my mind was clouded with anger. The anger was real, but the lack of control and reasoning was not. All my life i have tried to be as rational as possible, but in front of him nothing made sense.
When my father died, i felt nothing, as if i were empty of any emotion, and the next time i meet him, my mind is clouded with anger and i attack without thinking or planning. Besides, his touch seems to paralyze my body, nothing about him makes sense, almost as if he were artificial.
150 years later
I am uncertain where i am; the landscape has changed significantly. Large wheat fields where people work stretch across almost the entire landscape, a vision of peace and calm.
As i follow the paths through the wheat, i see a group of Roman soldiers heading towards a house on the edge of the fields where a woman and a child are playing.
The men dismount from their horses and draw their swords toward the family.
-"What are the honorable soldiers of Rome doing here?" Kael says with a provocative smile as he approaches.
-"Who are you? We are here on Rome's orders, disappear." says one of the Roman soldiers.
I ignore his words and continue to approach them. The first Roman I reach raises his sword, but i quickly take it from him and use it to decapitate him.
The other Romans, now on guard, point all their swords at me. I try to fight with my sword, but in vain. My lack of experience is evident as i face them, but thanks to my superior strength, one by one the soldiers fall until only one remains. He starts running towards his horse, mounts it, and flees. I throw my sword, which pierces his chest and kills him instantly.
-"Are you all right, ma'am?" Kael asks the child's mother.
-"Yes, good traveler, thank you for your help!" says the mother, a little afraid as she looks at Kael.
-"Forgive my lack of respect, but may I ask what Roman soldiers are doing here seeking your life?" Kael asks curiously.
-"I don't know. My husband is part of the Roman Legion, a general. His name is Maximus." says the woman.
-"A general? Would he be good with a sword?" Kael asks eagerly.
-"Yes, I've never seen anyone defeat my husband." the woman says with a smile, despite her fear.
-"Would you mind if I stayed? I would like to meet your husband, and it would also be beneficial to you if more Romans show up." Kael says.
The woman looks at the bodies on the floor with fear.
-"There's an empty room inside the house at the end of the hallway." says the woman with a tentative smile.
I notice her fear, but try to act as normal as possible.
-"Thank you." says Kael.
The room is simple, but since i don't need to sleep, it doesn't matter.
Time passed, and the calmness of this place was invigorating, unlike the hustle and bustle of the city. Everything runs according to the necessary time, without haste, stress, or pressure.
I see the boy playing in a forest near the wheat fields with a bow and approach him.
-"Do you like using the bow?" Kael asks.
-"Yes, I'd like to use the sword, but it's too heavy." says the child with a smile.
-"Don't you feel hot in all those clothes?" asks the child.
-"Honestly, no, I haven't felt the warm embrace of the sun in a long time." says Kael, smiling but with a sad look.
-"A long time?" asks the child.
-"I have a skin disease that prevents me from getting any sun, so I've been covering myself with clothes for as long as I can remember." Kael lies.
-"Would you like me to teach you how to shoot a bow? I learned when I was younger." Kael asks.
-"Yes, yes." says the child, full of energy.
I tell the child to follow me and we continue into the forest. I sense the presence of a deer in the distance, but i don't go directly to it.
-"Do you see these tracks? The earth around them is still fresh, a deer was here recently." Kael whispers to the child.
We continue to follow the trail until we find the deer, near a small lake drinking water, and i tell the child to go ahead. She raises the bow and tries to pull the string with difficulty. As i watch, i have flashbacks of the last good moments i had with my father, and without realizing it, i start to smile as i watch.
The child is much younger than i was when i hunted a wild boar for the first time. I reach the child from behind and hold her shoulders as i help her pull the bowstring.
-"Take a deep breath and calm down. Raise the bow slightly above the deer and release the string gently." Kael whispers.
The child shoots the arrow and hits the deer, but unfortunately does not kill it instantly.
-"Let's follow the trail." says Kael.
We follow the blood trail for a few minutes until we find the deer already dead. I put the deer carcass on my back and we head home. The cheerful child talks about the experience the whole way until we hear the mother's voice calling out in concern.
She runs ahead of me until I see the woman at the edge of the forest with a man. The moment the child sees the man, she screams.
-"Dad!" says the child as he runs toward the man excitedly.
I look at the woman, who looks at me angrily.
-"I'm sorry, I should have told you he was with me," says Kael apologetically.
-"He hunted this deer, I think he'll be as skilled as his father." says Kael with a smile.
After hugging the child, the man approaches me and extends his hand.
-"I heard you saved my family, thank you!" says Máximus gratefully.
I look at his hand and remember Aro, then relax and extend my hand with a smile.
-"I was just passing through, it was a pleasure to help. My name is Kael." says Kael.
-"I am Maximus Meridius. My wife said you wanted to talk to me?" asks Maximus.
-"I heard you were good with a sword. I was wondering if I could learn a little from you." Kael asks expectantly.
-"If you managed to take on seven Roman soldiers by yourself, I don't know if I have anything to teach you, but if it's your request, it will be my pleasure." says Maximus.