1 How it all started

Before I knew it, I was grasping for air. I crawled into a tree trunk and prayed to the heavens I wasn't found. Blood started to fill my lungs and I thought I was going to die. I then succumbed to the pain and blacked out.

Where did I go wrong? Until yesterday my life was normal. My usual everyday life. I would go to work in the morning and read my comics at night. Not the life I hoped for but it was better than the other humans who haven't sold their pride for good living conditions. I was at 13 years of age and other people my age were out there strengthening their magic and fighting skills while I was here wasting my life.

Everyone is born with a special element and each race has varying levels of power. The humans were the lowest. While the demons had the highest level of strength. I didn't bother going to a high-level mage for him to tell me my element. I didn't care much.

Everyone always thought I was an elf, they look similar to humans at first, with the pointy ears being the only difference, and of course the magical powers. But I didn't train on magic so they couldn't really tell I wasn't a elf, I had long hair that reached my shoulders. It isn't a fashion choice; it was just so that I could hide my human ears. Humans are considered one of the weakest races, thus we don't get high paying jobs and are discriminated against and treated harshly.

I was going on about my day normally. I wake up early in the morning in the room provided to me by my employer. I was his daughter's servant after all, so I had to be there at all times. She didn't act harshly towards me and treated me with respect. It was a happy life, I would get to ogle a good-looking woman in the morning in real life, then do the same at night but in a book. And at the end of the month, I would get paid handsomely. It was the perfect life, suited for a coward like me. Instead of working at my village to help my fellow humans, I would serve the very people that persecute us and live comfortably.

I didn't really care as long as I could live comfortably myself. Of course, I would send money to my family as well and maybe visit them sometimes, but that was it. Everyone in my village knew that of course and I didn't bother hiding it. I would get provocative stares from my village people every time I go there but I couldn't care in the least.

One afternoon, as we were taking a stroll through the market like we usually do. We were presented with a petty thief who demanded some money. Upon our refusal he quickly swung at us with a knife which he had kept hidden. At first, he didn't realize it was a noble's daughter because of her tendency to dress casually when she is outside. And to my luck, she hid behind me causing the knife to land right at the side of my head. It was the first time I had bled this much and was horrified at its sight.

I started shivering and lost awareness of my surroundings. The thief was quickly apprehended by the local guards. After Annie (the noble's daughter) came to check my wound and without m even realizing it, she brushed off my hair to reveal a human ear. I quickly noticed and covered it up again. But she had already caught a glimpse of it. "Wait! It's not what it looks like!" I blurted, but to no avail. Annie looked at me with a disgusted look and her attitude quickly changed then she let out a scream.

Eeeeek-

"It's a human!" she shouted.

"Someone, get it away from!" she added.

Everyone's attention quickly turned to be and I was overrun by a crowd pinning me down and some even kicking me. I was apprehended and was accused of plotting to kill the nobles that governed this village. Of course, it was all baloney and unfair but I knew what I was getting myself into when I disguised myself as an elf. I knew I had to escape and maybe return to my village. My family was sure to accept me. I was their beloved son after all. I was trialed a few days later, but of course, it was all rigged. I was sentenced to life in prison for attempted murder. I tried to defend myself but anything I did or said was ignored by the racist jury. I sat there laying with my hands tied behind my back. Waiting for the carriage to be prepared to take me to the prison. I sat there in shock. "Am I really going to spend the rest of my sad life in prison for a crime I didn't commit?". "SCREW THAT!" I shouted.

I jumped from my seat and ran towards the exit passing the guards in the process. Conversely, they started firing at me with arrows and chasing me with swords. I suffered a scratch to the arm and one to wrist. I was also shot twice, once in my shoulder and another in my waist. Thankfully there weren't any mages at the time or I would have died. It was really reckless but I did what I had to do to escape.

Drip-drip-drip

It started to drizzle and that drizzle soon turned to rain.

Soon the pain became unbearable so I fell to the ground and started to crawl. I quickly crawled into a nearby trunk, hoping I wasn't found by any hungry animal "Is this where I die?". I started thinking to myself, I soon blacked out and succumbed to the pain.

It continued to rain for hours after that. I woke up the next morning still in pain. Although it had subsided. I was still in no shape to get far away. I knew I would be spotted by a lumber jack or maybe by some kids playing around. I had to heal myself quick. I was severely dehydrated and needed water, and quick. I got out of the trunk, having recovered a little energy -Just enough to barely stand up- and ventured through the forest. I couldn't help but think, "what if I am spotted by someone, or found by a wild animal?" there was a high chance of that. This was the first time I regretted not learning magic, or anything for that matter. I couldn't go back home, because I had no money on me and a carriage is pretty expensive.

I recalled a story I read about an adventurer who had an arrow wound same as me, and if my memory served me correctly, he would break the tip and pull it out and so what that.

Crack-

Crack-

I had now removed the arrows, however if I don't wash this wound fast it will get infected and I will be a goner for sure. I Soon stopped to rest for a bit and laid beside a tree. After I quieted down, I heard it "The sound of running water!". I was saved at last. I was quickly filled with energy and I ran towards the sound, and there it was. A running river, which would mean I could drink from the water as it was running. I started drinking water until my belly was full, and started cleaning my wounds as well. I got my clothes off since they were all ragged and torn up. After I cleaned the wounds, I washed my clothes, and dried them, I then used them as makeshift bandages.

This is really a miracle, if I didn't find that river I would have perished in that forest and got eaten by some rats or wolves. I laid myself beside the river bank and slowly dozed off as everything around me got dimmer and dimmer.