That sight made my head spin. How long has it been since my death? Months? In the worst case, how many years have passed?
"How much of my life have I lost?"
The words were out of my mouth before I could stop them, and I thanked the heavens that those close to me couldn't understand.
We walked to a more remote part of the back of the mansion, close to the small lake where I used to spend some afternoons fishing with my father. A man was waiting for us there. Judging by his clothes, he should be the new butler of the house. Behind him, leaning against a recent tree stump, lay meticulously positioned weapons. Swords, halberds, and bows I could see different types of weapons waiting for someone to wield them.
As soon as he noticed our presence, the man bowed. Restrained, but elegant.
"I hope today's breakfast was to your liking, young master." said the butler after returning to his original position.
"It was wonderful as always, Gerald," the child said with a look of disinterest as he walked towards the weapons. He analyzed them in detail, trying to choose which one would deliver the blow that would start his morning of training. He remained undecided for a few moments until he placed his hand on the wooden part of a training bow and placed the quiver on his back.
As I saw the boy arming himself with the bow, Gerald's previously serene gaze fell on me, and his change of expression was so quick that he seemed like another person.
"Kaleb, why aren't you in your place for the young master to begin his training?" The butler told me this while pointing to a marking made on the grass in the shape of an X.
I decided to do as he ordered; I needed to maintain my disguise as Kaleb for as long as I could. As I headed to the marked location, a feeling of danger ran through my body. A feeling of death. I tried to be quick enough to turn my body and see what was coming towards me with a huge bloodlust, but because my new body was too injured, I couldn't avoid what was coming.
An arrow came flying towards me as if tearing through the air all the way to its target, me. The blow was right on the back of my knee, latching onto my flesh after reaching the other side of my leg. The pain from that arrow began to spread through my body like a shock wave, making it difficult to stand. I fell to my knees on the floor, causing the contact of my injured leg with the floor to restart that wave of pain throughout my body.
Gerald approached me with calm steps and knelt down beside me. With a single movement, the butler placed his hands on the back of the arrow and pulled it out, keeping a look of perversity and pleasure on his face.
The pain of that moment was so great that I couldn't hold it in, and for a brief moment before I passed out, I let out a deep guttural scream of pain.