THE RISING BASTARD SON-Chapter 30 - - - The Weight of Weakness

The Weight of Weakness

The first light of dawn crept through the ancient trees of Elderwyn Forest, golden rays piercing the misty air like spears. Birds chirped softly, hesitant as if afraid to shatter the fragile peace. The forest, once a witness to the horrors of the night, now struggled to appear normal.

Sam lay slumped at the base of a tree, his breathing shallow. Bruises, blood, and dirt covered his skin in irregular patches, his clothes torn and stained. The torment from the night before had left him broken, his body unwilling to move, his spirit barely holding on. He hadn’t had the strength to crawl back to camp, nor the courage to run deeper into the woods. So he had simply collapsed, left to the mercy of time and silence.

In his unconscious state, Sam dreamed.

He stood in a void filled with endless black water. It stretched in all directions, motionless and cold. There was no sky, no wind, no horizon—just darkness and a still surface that seemed to pull in everything around it. Sam felt weightless, but heavy at the same time, like gravity didn’t know how to treat him in this place.

In front of him stood a figure. Humanoid. Silent. Faceless.

The young man—or whatever it was—had no distinguishable features. His face was pitch black, shrouded in shadow, as if light dared not touch him. Pressure built in his chest the longer he stared.

He tried to speak but couldn’t. His lips moved, but no sound came out. The black water around him swallowed all noise, even his own breathing. Still, he tried to move toward the figure. Each step became more laborious, his legs dragging as if bound by invisible weights. His limbs burned with protest. Eventually, he collapsed to his knees.

Why am I so tired? he thought. It’s just a dream... isn’t it?

The figure started to glide toward him.

Not walk. Glide.

Sam felt his heartbeat race. Every instinct screamed for him to run, but he couldn’t move. Then, just before the figure could reach him, a voice thundered through the silence:

"Wake up, young man. Wake up!"

The dream world cracked apart like shattered glass.

Sam’s eyes flew open. Sunlight pierced the forest canopy above him. His body ached, his limbs stiff. Hovering above him was Teron, the older man’s weathered face drawn in concern.

"Hey, young man," Teron said, kneeling beside him. "Why are you out here? What happened to you?"

Sam tried to speak, but the memory of the night before weighed down his tongue. The fear, the pain, the humiliation. It all wrapped around his throat like chains.

Teron saw the bruises, the vacant look in Sam’s eyes, and didn’t press for more.

He helped him to his feet, letting Sam lean on his shoulder.

"Come on. We’re about to leave the camp. You need to move."

They walked in silence. Every step was agony for Sam. After a while, he managed to whisper:

"A soldier... he beat me last night. I don’t know why."

Teron didn’t turn to look at him. He simply kept supporting Sam and answered quietly:

"This is the world we live in. The strong always rule the weak."

The words struck Sam deeper than the whip had.

Why am I so weak? he thought bitterly. Why did I have to end up in this body? Why is my luck so cursed?

After a few more steps, Teron halted and gently set Sam down against another tree.

"Wait here. I’ll be right back."

"Where are you going?" Sam asked.

"To get something that can help. Don’t move."

The forest air was cool against Sam’s bruised skin as he waited. Every heartbeat echoed in his ears. Birds sang faintly, and the occasional rustle of leaves reminded him how vulnerable he was, sitting alone.

Soon, Teron returned, carrying a handful of dark green leaves. He knelt beside Sam and began grinding them into a pulp with practiced ease.

"These will help," he said simply.

"Leaves?" Sam asked, eyebrows raised. "They can heal me?"

"These aren’t ordinary," Teron replied. "They work."

Sam watched him for a moment before asking the question that had been burning inside him since last night.

"Who are you, Teron? You never answered before. And during the fire... you were gone. Then suddenly, you appeared again. Were you the one who..."

Teron’s hand froze. His voice, when he spoke, was sharp and cold.

"Enough. This is not the place for such talk."

Sam blinked.

"The world watches more than you think," Teron said. "There are ears everywhere. One wrong word can get you killed."

Sam lowered his gaze and nodded silently.

"Alright. If you don’t want to answer, I won’t ask again."

Teron didn’t reply. Instead, he carefully gathered the green liquid from the mashed leaves and held it out to Sam.

"Drink this."

Sam did. The liquid tasted bitter, but within moments, warmth spread through his limbs. It was like fire moving through his veins, not painful, but awakening.

The sharp pain dulled into an ache. His muscles relaxed. He could move again. Not perfectly, but enough. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

He slowly stood, testing his strength. He looked at Teron and saw the man watching him closely.

"Thank you," Sam said. "And... sorry for earlier."

"It’s alright," Teron replied. "But the medicine is temporary. By nightfall, the pain will return."

Sam nodded. "Understood."

Inside, he couldn’t help but feel more certain. Teron had set the fire. He had to be the one. The timing, his sudden reappearance, his knowledge of healing plants. But why?

Why would he help me?

For now, Sam pushed the thoughts aside. His body could move again, and the camp was just ahead.

Together, they started walking.

One, bruised but breathing; the other, silent and watchful.

And behind them, the forest whispered secrets only the trees could understand.

[ End of the Chapter ]

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** Author’s Note **

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