The light of the setting sun bathed the scene in shades of gold and orange, as two men on horseback rode frantically along a narrow trail through a dense forest. The sound of hooves echoed through the vegetation, resonating like muffled thunder. The fugitives, Ricardo and Miguel, exchanged quick glances of concern, knowing that their pursuers were not far behind.
Behind them, four men on black horses galloped tirelessly, their sinister silhouettes contrasting with the evening glow. The leader of the pursuers, a robust man with a stern expression, shouted orders to his companions, demanding that they pick up the pace. The distance between the groups was slowly closing.
Ricardo pulled on the reins, guiding his horse around a sharp bend, almost hidden by thorny bushes. Miguel followed closely, both men leaning over their saddles to gain speed. Branches and leaves whipped at their faces and bodies, but they did not slow down.
“What will we do when they catch up to us?” Miguel shouted, trying to make his voice heard above the roar of hooves and wind.
“Keep running, my lord!” Ricardo replied with determination. “Or find a place to ambush them.”
Further ahead, the path split in two. Without hesitation, Ricardo pointed to the left, opting for an even narrower and more winding trail. The pursuers, observing the decision, split up, two following each path to ensure no trail was lost.
The new route forced the horses to slow down. Loose stones and exposed roots posed a constant danger. Sweat ran down Ricardo’s face as he cast quick glances backward, searching for signs of the enemies. His eyes widened as he saw two figures emerge from the curve behind them.
“My lord, quickly!” he exclaimed, kicking his horse’s flanks to gain speed.
Miguel did the same, but his horse stumbled slightly on a root, almost throwing him from the saddle. Recovering quickly, he struggled to keep pace with Ricardo. The tension in the air was palpable, the sound of heavy breathing and hooves a symphony of urgency.
Finally, they spotted a small clearing ahead. Ricardo, with one last effort, pulled his horse into the opening, closely followed by Miguel. The two men dismounted quickly, hiding among the trees and readying their weapons. The plan was clear: make the clearing a battlefield for an ambush.
Seconds later, the two pursuers emerged, their horses snorting with exhaustion. Ricardo, concealed by the shadows, waited for the right moment. When the enemies were close enough, he struck both with speed and lethal precision, knocking them off their horses.
Miguel was impressed by what he saw; Ricardo was undoubtedly an experienced knight.
With no time to celebrate, they mounted again and continued their flight, knowing they were not yet out of danger. The chase was far from over, but for now, they had a small advantage.
---
The clearing closed behind us as we continued our flight. My breath was ragged, my heart hammering in my chest as if it wanted to escape. But it wasn’t just fear or exhaustion that tormented me; it was the constant and surreal awareness that, two weeks ago, I was someone else, in another place.
I was Luiz, a young engineer. That morning, I had woken up as usual, ready for another day of work on the construction of a new bridge. Now, I was riding a horse, wielding a sword, and fleeing for my life in a world that seemed straight out of a medieval fantasy novel.
The transition had been abrupt and without explanation. I woke up in a strange room, surrounded by antiquated furniture and candles instead of electric lamps. It took me a few minutes to realize that the reflection in the mirror wasn’t mine. The face was that of a younger man, calmer, without scars, and with eyes that reflected a life of tranquility. I was Miguel.
I still didn’t understand how this happened. There were no clues, no warnings. Just an instant, and everything I knew was gone. My skills as an engineer, my knowledge about machines and structures, none of it seemed useful here at the moment. I needed to learn to survive in a world of swords and horses.
Adrenaline kept my senses sharp, but my mind wandered through the memories of my former self. The comfort of my previous life seemed like a distant memory, almost a dream. And yet, I couldn’t afford to lose myself in nostalgic thoughts. There was a new reality that demanded my attention and different skills.
“Focus, Luiz... Miguel,” I muttered to myself, correcting the name as I tried to reconnect with the urgency of the present.
Ricardo looked at me, the concern on his face evident. He didn’t know my true identity, and I couldn’t tell him. Who would believe that an engineer from a different world was trapped in the body of a noble?
I needed to find a way to deal with this, to accept my new reality. Perhaps, if we survived this chase, I could find answers, understand how and why this happened. For now, my priority was to keep us alive.
This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.
The sounds of the pursuers still echoed distantly, but we knew we didn’t have much time before they found us again. Ricardo signaled for us to take a shortcut through a less obvious route. I nodded in agreement, tightening the reins and following him.
Each gallop reminded me of the disparity between my previous life and the current one. Every second, I forced myself to be Miguel, to understand that survival depended on quick adaptation and the acceptance of this new identity.
“Just keep going. Find a way,” I repeated to myself. After all, if I could build bridges in my old world, surely I could build a path to survival in this new and strange one.
---
The sun was beginning to hide behind the distant mountains, casting long shadows along the trail that Ricardo and Miguel followed. Exhaustion was etched on the sweaty, dirty faces of the two men. They had been on the run for three days, always one step ahead of their relentless pursuers.
They had no time to think, only to react. The ambush had occurred brutally and suddenly. Ricardo and Miguel were part of a larger entourage, consisting of ten people, on their way to an administrative barony that had been assigned to Miguel by his brothers. Besides the two of them, there were eight guards, all fearless and experienced. But despite all their preparation and skill, they were caught off guard and massacred.
Miguel could still hear the screams of their companions and the sound of clashing swords. He and Ricardo were the only ones who managed to escape the carnage, leaving behind fallen friends and allies.
The pursuit was relentless. Why they were being chased was a question that both carried in their minds, but the urgency of survival did not allow them the luxury of deep reflection, even though they had an idea of who had ordered this. Clearly, these were not just bandits but hired mercenaries.
The two continued riding, the sound of hooves echoing along the increasingly winding trail. Ricardo, ever vigilant, led the way while Miguel followed behind, struggling to maintain focus and energy. His body was exhausted, but his mind buzzed with thoughts of the past and present.
Miguel had been dispatched to the far south to manage a barony, a decision made by his three brothers. They saw him as an obstacle in the fight for succession of the duchy. Apparently, exiling him wasn’t enough; now, it seemed that someone wanted to eliminate him for good.
Night was beginning to fall when Ricardo found a small stream. They stopped quickly to water the horses and try to refresh themselves a bit. Miguel dismounted with difficulty, his legs trembling after hours in the saddle.
“We need to keep moving, my lord, we can’t stay here long,” Ricardo murmured, his eyes scanning the forest for signs of the pursuers.
Miguel nodded, his mind returning to the present. “I know. But just a minute… just a minute.”
Ricardo understood and allowed Miguel to kneel to drink some water. The two men knew they didn’t have time for a proper rest, but every second was precious.
When the horses were ready again, they mounted and moved on. Miguel cast a farewell glance at the stream, wishing he could stop there and rest. But he knew that wasn’t an option.
As they rode again, Miguel’s thoughts returned to his former life. The feeling of injustice consumed him, but it also gave him strength. He needed to survive, not just for himself but to prove that he wouldn’t be easily discarded. He had been an engineer, capable of building bridges and solving complex problems. Now, he needed to use that same determination and ingenuity to survive in a world that seemed to have come out of a medieval nightmare.
The sound of enemy hooves seemed more distant now, but the sense of imminent danger did not disappear. They needed to keep going, always one step ahead, always on the move. The escape was far from over, and the night promised to be long.
---
Night fell upon us, bringing with it an almost palpable darkness. Ricardo and I finally found a relatively safe spot in the forest to set up an improvised camp. We were exhausted, but we knew we couldn’t let our guard down.
With difficulty, we dismounted the horses and looked for a place where the animals could rest. The terrain was uneven and covered in leaves, but at least it offered us some protection from prying eyes. We couldn’t light a fire – the risk of being discovered was too great.
As we tied up the horses and set up the small camp, my mind couldn’t stop ruminating about the recent events. Ricardo, always vigilant, noticed my unease and broke the silence.
“You’re worried about your brothers, aren’t you, my lord?” he asked, his voice low to avoid attracting attention.
“Yes,” I replied, my voice sounding more bitter than I intended. “I can’t help but think they’re behind all this. They’ve always seen me as an obstacle, even though I’m just a bastard son with no chance of succeeding our father.”
Ricardo nodded, his eyes shining under the faint light of the moon. “It’s likely, my lord. Ambition can drive people to extreme acts. But we can’t let this destroy us. We need to focus on surviving.”
“I know, but it’s hard,” I admitted, sitting down on a fallen log. “All of this... it seems so surreal. Just a few days ago, I was at the mansion, and now I’m here, running for my life.”
Ricardo looked at me with sympathy. “I know it’s difficult to accept this new reality, but we need to adapt quickly. My lord, you have to focus on the present. Your noble title fortunately was maintained, and now you are a baron. Maybe they didn’t think your death would be so hard to achieve. Once we reach the barony in two days, we’ll be safe.”
I nodded slowly, trying to absorb his words. He was right, of course. I needed to stop lamenting what I’d lost and start finding ways to use my skills to survive in this new world. Maybe there was a way to find creative solutions to the problems we faced, but I would think about that once I was definitely safe. It’s not as if I couldn’t defend myself; I practiced Brazilian jiu-jitsu in my old life as a hobby.
The night was cold, and without a fire to warm us, the dampness of the forest seemed to seep into our bones. I pulled my cloak tighter around me, trying to retain what little heat I had. Ricardo did the same, settling into a position that would allow him to sleep a bit, but always alert to any noise.
“Let’s rest as much as we can, my lord,” he said softly. “Tomorrow, we’ll need all our strength to continue.”
I lay down on the hard ground, feeling every stone and root beneath me. The cold and uncomfortable surface made sleep difficult, but exhaustion would eventually overcome me. As I closed my eyes, I thought about Ricardo’s words and the need to accept my new reality. I didn’t know how or why I had been transported to this body and this world, but I needed to survive. And to do that, I needed to be Miguel, at least for now.
With these thoughts, sleep finally enveloped me, bringing a brief and uneasy relief from the harsh reality that awaited me at dawn.