Infinite Evolution: Return of the Talentless Mage-Chapter 27 - 0. Night Approaches!

The brewing cold stung, the chills running down his spine despite wearing a full-bodied coat to protect himself from the cold. Even the sun didn’t do much in this situation, almost like most of its heat had faded away, just when he needed it the most.

’I’ve gone a considerable mile away from the shed, so this is progress. I just need to keep pushing. After all, the blood of Thorne, even if rejected, still runs through my veins.’ 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

’And no Thorne has ever given up on anything, even life and death situations they have strived to survive and climb back up from nothing. I won’t be so different from either of my ancestors!!.’

He kept his mind busy with multiple memories, so he wouldn’t get bored with the amount of time that passed by per second. He didn’t want to weaken his mind when he hadn’t even begun the journey yet, the journey of a thousand steps.

So far he had been trailing in a straight path, keeping to the sides of the river. Often he would stop for a while to fetch water, though it was cold it was still fresh. Other times his stomach would growl in protest for food but he didn’t have time to stop for food breaks if he wanted to reach the next town on time.

He needed to be fast and active, ignoring all distractions and side quests along the way until he arrived at his destination, got himself a decent shelter and rested well enough before thinking of them.

His feet moved quickly, taking more steps than before. At this pace he would cover more ground this way, so far as nothing stalled or obstructed him along the way then he would get there quickly enough.

When he raised his head to look at the angle of the sun, he realised that the afternoon was slowly drifting away but his progress had also improved.

If he was to calculate, he had travelled roughly 7km away from the shed and if that wasn’t progress then he didn’t know what else to call it.

’If I continue briskly at this pace then I will definitely arrive at the next town within four days max unless something disturbs me along the way, only then can it be stretched to six days, depending on what slowed me down.’

He had taken into consideration everything that could possibly happen along the journey and ways to avoid it entirely. Also calculating the amount of time he might spend in the forest until he arrives at the next town’s border.

’Everything seems to be going as planned so far, I should be able to travel 10km today, given the amount of time until nightfall. Also, the fact that I have to gather firewood and a way to create fire before darkness covers the jungle.’

’Nothing was left out in my calculation, except how I will get food. Though the only time I am freely allowed to eat is at night or early in the morning before I set out, with this cold I’d have to avoid bathing to avoid catching a flu.’

’If I get a flu here, there’s no one to support me or take care of me in the meantime. No shelter around to rest in from the cold and no way to warm myself up either. So I will practically just be stuck until I die.’ He chuckled softly, thinking about the possibilities of him dying out here in the cold.

While he kept his mind busy with more questions and answers to those questions, he found himself covering more ground than he expected because he kept his mind busy, avoiding all distractions as he moved.

Even the slightest rustle was ignored by him, he kept his eyes forward and feet moving without stopping. Trailing closely to the river to avoid losing his only way to the next city.

’Another problem might emerge if I don’t get somewhere suitable between now and nightfall.’

The sun was slowly starting to set on the horizon, the light causing his shadow to fall back, following him closely behind.

Throughout the whole time he was thinking, his mind never came up with a solution to the chilling cold of the night hours. He had somehow forgotten about the chilling cold that crept during the hours of the night, the one he had witnessed the night before.

The chill in his bones, that crept underneath his skin the whole night, making him shiver and seek for warmth during the early hours of the morning.

This time around he was in the open, not the enclosed shed that protected him from the heat of the fire to keep him from freezing to death. This time around, the fire would not save him from the constant cold that would bite against his skin if he didn’t do anything to prevent it from happening.

Even the coat he stole wouldn’t help him. Maybe protect him for a few hours, then the cold will creep into his dreams, making him view nightmares as reality until he collapses and slowly loses his life.

’What do I do about the cold at night?! Now that I am thinking about it, it will get colder each night until snow commences and starts falling from the sky. Last night was just the beginning!’

His steps slowed, concern for the new problem rising with each heartbeat. He was currently at the said to be hottest part of the day and yet he still shivered from the cold.

’If it felt this way, then imagine how it would feel at night. This night will not be funny for me, if I don’t think up a solution before nightfall!!’

The responsibility on his shoulders had expanded more than his mind could accept. The pressure was too much for one person to carry, especially an inexperienced sixteen-year-old who is only out in the wild because he was kicked out of the clan by his incompetent father.

’I will eventually think of something, I have faith in myself!’

The sky was now orange in colour and the sun was far enough on the horizon, preparing itself to disappear for the day and Ralph still hadn’t thought of a solution for his current situation.

’I have faith in myself, something will definitely happen! I can’t die, not yet! Not while I have nothing to lose!’