A little more than five kilometers behind Ezer, the Viscount along with his four knights and the undead carrying the ax stopped where the footprints of a child ended.
"So far they come." A squatting knight examining the surroundings for abnormalities addresses the Viscount.
“He's not as stupid as he seems. He used the river to cover is tracks.”
“Ah, sir, this is a stream so s-so...” He stops mid-sentence at the look of irritation on his lord's face.
“I don't give a shit about the name!” We will separate into three teams, I will go along with my puppet. You will split into two wings with an encircling movement in the direction of the castle, we have to find it before nightfall, these woods are already very dangerous during the day. I'll go straight ahead from the center, if you find him or something happens, break these crystals. Boron hands each team a red crystal, the size of his palm.
“But sir…” The same previous man tries to get the Viscount's attention. “Perhaps the boy is not heading for the castle.”
“Do you mean he got lost? Who does not know how to navigate and does not know their own lands?
“Or maybe just the opposite, he's smart enough to know that's where we'd look first.”
Boron contemplates his knight's words and nods at the genuine possibility.
“He knows how to remove his tracks whit the rocks, he doesn't seem to be that stupid. Perhaps the information was not accurate and he is more than a bookworm.” Another soldier intercedes in the conversation giving his opinion.
“To the north are the mountains, it is impossible for him to go in that direction, not if he wants to live. Okay… I'll go to the castle following a path slightly south, two others go north and the rest go west.
"Yes my lord!" They responded at the same time, exercising the gentleman's salute by putting their fist on their hearts and they left.
“I don't have much magic left, but it has to last until nightfall. It's the first time I control this undead for so long, if I reach my limit... things can get dangerous.” The Viscount whispers secrets in his mind that he would never utter to anyone.
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“That boy… I didn't have much interest in him if it wasn't for my father, but now it's personal. Once I catch it… I can use it up a bit before I give it to him.”
Boron talks to himself as he advances through the snow and treacherous terrain, a few steps ahead, a mass of flesh breaking through the thick white layer.
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“I-I think I'm far enough already.” Ezer articulates with a voice shaken by exhaustion.
But the truth was different, he had barely advanced a little more than two kilometers in an hour. His lack of experience moving through the woods and not having eaten all day slowed him down more than he thought.
“Now I'm not cold, but that will change at night. I have to find a place to sleep and fast.”
The thick coats he was wearing, which were made of animal skins, in addition to the constant movement, kept his body temperature high.
As he continues to advance, he comes across multiple animal tracks in the snow.
“Are these... from dogs? No, they are very big and I doubt there are any dogs in this part of the forest. The most likely are wolves.”
“They seem to be recent... and they are a pack. They may be separated into two groups.” Crouching down to get a better look at the tracks that clearly branched off in opposite directions, Ezer gets up and continues on his way feeling nervous from the nearby animals.
“They separate, so I don't know whether to just go straight or go around. But if I do, I may find myself with a part of the pack. And if I go back I can meet the Viscount and his men.” His thoughts became chaotic and he didn't know what decision to make.
But he brings his hand to the dagger and repeats his mother's words. Now it became a habit, every time he had a problem, he remembered it and that helped him calm down and think rationally.
“I'll keep going straight, if I take a detour, I'll lose time and they might find me."
Ezer had no idea that the Viscount's men separated into three groups, generating an encircling movement, one of them, in his direction. He would find out in no time.
The sun had long since begun to descend and it would not be many hours before it would hide completely. Ezer continued forward with a slight headache, but no visions. He began to feel that someone or something was watching him and, with each step, the feeling grew stronger.
He reached the top of a hill slightly larger than the previous one. At that moment he encountered something unexpected.
Nearly two hundred meters from Ezer, two men halt their advance and stare directly at him. Hunger and exhaustion caused him to completely forget stealth and simply focus on moving forward, making the mistake of practically ending up right under the noses of his pursuers.
“Oh!” Ezer lets out a gasp and starts running in the opposite direction and down the hill. The knights start chasing him at that very moment.
His throat begins to ache from the cold winter air. He escapes through the same places he came and knows, but the slope and the thick accumulated snow makes him fall and lose a few precious seconds, which the knights take advantage of by closing the distance that separated them.