22. Plans

'.....'= Thoughts 

"....."= Conversations 

____________________________________________________________________________________

Ethan knew the vampires had an acute sense of smell, and he had to do everything in his power to mask his scent as he fled into the forest. He sprinted through the underbrush, his heart racing as he frantically tried to come up with ways to conceal his scent. The moonlight filtered through the trees as he ran, casting eerie shadows on the forest floor.

As he ran, he reached for handfuls of pine needles and crushed them in his hands, rubbing the fragrant resin all over his body in an attempt to mask his human scent. He knew that the vampires were used to the overpowering smell of human blood, but he hoped the pungent pine scent would at least confuse them for a short while.

Ethan also searched for a patch of wild garlic and rubbed the pungent cloves on his skin, hoping the strong odor would throw off the vampires' sensitive noses. He knew it was a long shot, but he had to try anything and everything to increase his chances of escaping.

On his way, Ethan stumbled across a patch of mint and crushed the leaves in his hands, applying the refreshing scent to his skin in the hopes of further masking his human scent. The cool, invigorating aroma enveloped him as he continued to run, the sharp, refreshing scent mingling with the earthy pine and pungent garlic.

But despite his efforts, Ethan knew he couldn't rely solely on scent-masking to escape the vampire's pursuit. He had to use every trick in the book to throw them off his trail. He carefully chose his footsteps, trying to walk in the prints of deer and other forest creatures to disguise his human gait. He also tried to vary his pace, sometimes breaking into a run and then slowing to a stealthy walk, changing directions appropriately, doing his best to throw off Eliza who might be tracking him in few days.

As he ran, the forest around him grew thicker and more dense, the trees crowding in on him like ghostly sentinels.

Due to his current strength he could continue to run without getting tired or without any sleep for almost six days. Though he had obtained the strength from Victor, he was still a human and not a vampire like Victor. He still needed to eat and sleep after all.

Whenever he became hungry he would eat fruits from the trees. But without any unnecessary breaks, he continued to run as fast as possible and as far as possible.

'Shit, I didn't use my talent on the masked men,' A sudden thought came to his mind but he didn't regret it much as he would get countless chances to try his talent on the humans as well as the vampires in the future. All he need to do was focus on becoming stronger.

As the sun rose higher in the sky, Ethan allowed himself a moment of relief. He had managed to evade Eliza, at least for now. But he knew that the relentless creature would still be out there, searching for him. He would have to remain vigilant, to continue masking his scent and using every trick in the book to outsmart Eliza.

Slowly days passed as Ethan continued his escape.

On the fifth day, he suddenly came upon a clearing. In the distance, he could see the faint glow of a small settlement. Without hesitation, he changed course and headed toward the cluster of simple structures. As he approached, he slowed his pace, mindful to keep his presence as inconspicuous as possible.

Drawing closer, he could see a few figures moving about, going about their nightly routines. Ethan cautiously surveyed the area, noting the layout of the settlement. He could see cooking fires, clothing lines, and various long houses made of cedar trees.

Taking in a determined breath, Ethan slipped into the shadows, mindful to keep his movements quiet and swift. He crept from one house to the next, careful not to alert the inhabitants. Using his heightened senses, he was able to locate various items of clothing and utensils that could be of use to him. Moving silently, he gathered a few sets of clothing from different houses, along with a small bundle of utensils.

He knew he had to survive, and the inhabitants of this settlement would likely not miss a few items. With a mix of gratitude and regret, he slipped back into the cover of the forest, his newfound belongings clutched tightly in his hands.

As Ethan distanced himself from the settlement, he continued to push deeper into the forest. He needed to find a safe place to settle down and prepare for the challenges that lay ahead. His mind raced with thoughts of how to best utilize his time in seclusion.

As Ethan made his way deeper into the forest, he knew that staying away from human settlements was his best chance at survival. The thought of seeking refuge in a town or city crossed his mind, but he quickly dismissed it. The vampires that had kidnapped him could easily track him down in populated areas, and he couldn't risk his life for just some human interaction.

As he trudged through the dense underbrush, he carefully considered his options. Staying hidden in the forest seemed like his safest bet.

He had an infinite lifespan, moroeover he had an incredible physique obtained through his talent which could grow stronger as he trained. Although he knew that in order to use his talent, he had to go to human settlements, but now was not the time to do it.

He didn't want to get caught again by Eliza and regret not able to do anything due to being weak.

'Its decided then. I will train my ability 'Enhanced Physique' as much as possible before going to different towns and cities,' Ethan resolved.

His talent, combined with his infinite lifespan, had far more potential than anyone else. However, he had to be careful when acquiring new abilities, as he only had two ability slots remaining. He also needed to research how to increase the level of his talent, as he had been informed before the travel to the 'Twilight' world that the ability slots would increase as his talent level increased. Now, he just needed sufficient time without any disturbances to figure it out.

As he ventured deeper into the forest, the sun dipped below the horizon, casting a dim orange glow through the trees. Ethan knew he needed to find a suitable location to establish his hideout. He scanned the surroundings, looking for a spot that offered both concealment and access to vital resources. He finally found a secluded clearing, nestled between towering trees and surrounded by thick shrubbery. It was the perfect place to start building his temporary sanctuary.

______________________________________________________________________________________________ 

For 5+ advance chapters visit my patreon. 

patreon.com/StoryTeller229