I walked, like i do everyday, facing north. Every step is a battle with my body, which is now screaming at me to drop right there. But I couldn't stop, not now, beacuse tonight I get to eat more than those weird purple plants I forage every night from the nearby forest, or the rats I catch after hours of struggling. I felt my strength crawl back in me as I picture a nice fat loaf of bread and a bit of meat.

One more step.

One more, that's all

And finally, appearing from the horizon is Veluca village. To anyone else, it would have been slightly better than sleeping in a wasteland, for it was half a dozen of huts that threatened to fall apart from the slightest nudge, and at the center a market deserted but for a single stall who's owner looked around with a piercing gaze as if daring anyone to touch it.

But to me, this was heaven.

Atleast now that I have the money which I stole from the local bandits, the BlackBlade.

But As I stepped over the fence, I realized a daunting truth

I was definitely the richest person in this town, and those neighboring it.

And people did alot more than killing a little kid for alot less.

Suddenly, every movement around me seemed dangerous.

I struggled with my anxiety as I passed the local drunk, who of course wasn't so much drunk anymore after wine became even more rare than pork. But I learned that you could always recognise the local drunk by the way he eyed every stranger as if expecting him to, miraculously, have a hidden cask of wine he could snatch.

I stood in front of the stall, and before he could send me off thinking I was here to beg for food, I lay down 2 denars. Enough to get me a couple of vegetables, but not enough to arouse greed in the owner for more.

"Let me guess, you want food. Well kid, you better run back to your father and tell him it ain't  enough"~ he said. I wasn't surprised at all, haggling was a given in this situation. I was a kid after all, vulnerable he thought

"What? B-but this is all t-that we have... I walked all the way from selucai village to find a merchant! I was supposed to be back 3 hours ago..."~I said stuttering with fake tears. I knew that he has lost his humanity; everyone has. He wasn't going to piety me.

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"Selucai, huh, I got a cousin there. Well you can have an apple then. Wouldn't want you to go back all the way at night"~he said, but I wasn't fooled, he just wanted to make sure he gets his money. Traveling at night meant I probably won't come back. Crying just made me seem honest.

Thus was the first time I went to sleep (between two trees, but near the village, on a worn-out blanket) without being hungry. Like I said, heaven.

But it lasted barely 2 minutes.

"Oi, this is him isn't it?" Said a masked guy pointing at me with his sword. I knew who he was before looking at him, I recognised his voice.

He belonged to the BlackBlade.

The others (a dozen atleast)  who have been searching desperately for me in the forest all looked in my direction. I realized then how foolish I was, stopping at the first village I spotted.

I should've known they would look for me here.

I should've hid more carefully.

None of that matters now, I needed to escape.

They're coming from all around me, they knew not to underestimate me by now.

Last time they did I stole all their earnings.

just Before the first bandit managed to slit my throat open, I jumped.

Hanging on the tree branch, I felt the cold steel bite my leg. It was a familiar feeling, I just kicked him on his jaw with the other one.

I couldn't check if he was still conscious, I had to climb higher, and fast.

They were getting closer.

My muscles protested as I carried my self up, and I stood, trusting the branch to endure me. I leaned on my better leg and took a deep breath. I dared to look down. They surrounded me, not even bothering to check their partner's body. I knew they weren't going to leave anytime soon. Returning empty handed meant certain death.

I stared up at the sky, holding back a sigh.

Another day in paradise.