“Child.” Suddenly, when both finished eating, Rel uses a much more serious tone of voice and his eyes express the same. The atmosphere becomes heavy and Ezer, without realizing it, tenses slightly.

“I know little about what happened to you and what I don't know I can guess. There is a town to the southwest 8 kilometers away and there is a rumor about a search job for a boy with gray hair. They pay well, I can assure you that there are many who are actively looking for you, and those who don't, would not hesitate to report you when they see you.” After a brief pause he speaks again. “You have three options. The first is to turn yourself in and let your life be their decision. The Rolennar claim that you escaped betraying their trust and goodwill. Perhaps they will publicly punish you as an example, but I don't know what their true intentions are. They are too interested in you and I think I know why. Boy, what year is this?” With that question he completely changes the subject.

"Emm... 962 of the second era. Why do you ask?"

“Exactly 1962 years since the extinction of the elves, but there is only one family with a little of their blood in their veins. And if the legends of his abilities are true... Kid, you told me you could see magic, right?”

“I don't know if it was magic, it was strings of lights that flo-.

"That's definitely magic. No one, not even wizards, can see it, only feel it.”

“But I heard that they could launch fireballs from their hands. Are they invisible?”

"No, I expressed myself wrong. Nobody can see the source of the magic, the energy, I think it's called mana, but I'm not sure, I'm not a magician.” He shrugs at his ignorance. “Being able to see it is special, and special isn't always good, even more so if the wrong people know about it. Therefore, the second option would be to continue moving through the woods and hide until they stop. But since you are almost inside their net with your back against the mountains, it is very likely that they will find you.

“And the last one?” Ezer asks, feeling that wasn't the best of the three.

“The third is to escape his web by crossing the mountains, crossing the border, and heading into the unknown. It is impossible for them to look for you in that place, it is the safest option, but at the same time the most dangerous. So... which option will you take?”

---------------------------

The road was full of holes with water, and if one was not careful, the mud could come up to the ankle. The small and poor town, with people accustomed to hunger and lack of strength, was more active than usual.

An old man sitting in the same chair for years, drools from the side of his mouth. He can no longer control half of his body, so he just waits for death by entertaining himself by watching the occasional people pass by and listening to their conversations.

"Did you hear what they say?" His hair fell into his eyes and was so greasy that looked buttered or that he didn't even take a bath.

“Yes... I personally saw the posters, 50 gold coins... 50 GOLD coins! My life is guaranteed if I succeed and I only have to catch a child.” Greed was clear in his words.

“You have to be careful, in this town they wouldn't hesitate to step on each other for that reward.” He brushes his hair out of the eyes now that rain is falling again.

"But we're like brothers... we take care of each other." He can barely put his hand on the friend’s shoulder because of the difference in height.

“Of course, of course Or.” He looks down slightly at his obese companion.

“Shit! This rain is getting stronger. Where do we start looking for it?” Looks at the black clouds that only promise to continue the rains.

“There is a man, he comes hopefully once a month, lives far away in the forest. We could ask him if he doesn't know anything.”

"Will he tell us something? We're talking about 50 gold, nobody wants competition and pissing off someone crazy enough to live in the woods...”

"That's the advantage, he doesn’t know about the reward because lives so far away." He gestured with his hands and then goes back to brushing his hair out of the eyes with bony fingers.

“Hahaha! Well thought!” With an exaggerated laugh, he slaps his partner's back with his palm.

At that moment, a man approaches from behind them.

"Could you repeat what you said?" An authoritative voice addresses them.

Seeing the man's clothing and emblem, Or and his companion could do nothing but nod.

---------------------------

“Faster! With that resistance you will not be able to cross the mountains.” Rel sat watching Ezer run with full gear on his back.

"Is it…fun…to watch?" Ezer responds with a voice broken by exhaustion.

“It is not I who is wanted. Well, you've run enough.” He motions for him to come closer.

"Can't I rest for a moment?" Ezer was out of breath, but he wasn't completely exhausted yet and he could continue.

Rel notices this and stares at him for a moment.

“This child is tough, I don't know if it's because of the time in the forest or something else, but for a fourteen-year-old…” His thoughts are interrupted when he notices that Ezer has already normalized his breathing.

“I already taught you everything I know about the bow, now you just have to practice until you master it. I don't know much about swords and there aren't any to practice right now, so we'll train with this instead.”

From his belt he takes out a black dagger and also a short knife which he hands over to Ezer.