Chương 6: Chapter 6: A Life Reborn
Sebastian Vettel, once the celebrated king and the slayer of Leon Winter, now found himself alone, exiled from the kingdom he had once ruled. His feet, weary from walking endless miles, led him far from the politics, the betrayals, and the lies. He wandered for days, through forests thick with ancient trees, their canopies casting a gentle, mottled shade on the forest floor. He no longer carried the weight of a crown or the burden of saving a world that did not want salvation. All he carried now was the ghost of his past and the bitter taste of betrayal.
One evening, as he ventured deeper into the woods, he stumbled upon a small village nestled in a secluded glade. The village, known as Ravenwood, was isolated from the rest of the world, hidden from prying eyes. Smoke curled lazily from the chimneys of stone cottages, and the scent of fresh bread and pine lingered in the air. The people of Ravenwood, humble and kind, were a far cry from the nobles who had once surrounded Sebastian.
A group of villagers stood at the edge of the forest, chopping wood for the coming winter when they saw him emerge from the trees. A tall, rugged figure with worn clothes and tired eyes, he looked as though he had been walking for days without rest.
One of the men, a burly woodsman named *Thorin*, approached him with a cautious gaze. "You look like you've come a long way, stranger," Thorin said, resting his axe against a tree. "We don't see many travelers around these parts."
Sebastian nodded, too tired to offer much in response. "I'm just passing through," he muttered, his voice hoarse. "Looking for a place to rest for the night."
Thorin studied him for a moment, then glanced back at the other villagers. "We don't have much, but we've got enough to share." He gestured for Sebastian to follow him into the village.
And so, Sebastian found a place in Ravenwood. The villagers welcomed him with open arms, offering him food, a roof over his head, and—most of all—kindness. It was a quiet life, one free from the weight of responsibility. In return for their hospitality, Sebastian took on work as a laborer. He chopped wood, helped repair the cottages, and tended to the animals. The simple tasks kept his hands busy and his mind occupied, allowing him to forget, if only for a while, the tragedies of his past.
Over time, the villagers grew fond of him. They knew him only as Elias, the quiet but capable man who had arrived one day and made their village a better place. No one questioned his past, and Sebastian did not offer it. He had left behind the name Vettel, buried it in the grave with the life he had once lived. Here, he was Elias, a man of the earth, a man without a history.
In the evenings, Sebastian would sit by the hearth in the village tavern, listening to the laughter of the villagers, their stories of daily life. One night, as he sat by the fire with a mug of ale in hand, a woman named Elara approached him. She was one of the villagers who had been kind to him since his arrival—a widow, with a gentle smile and a strength that came from years of hardship.
"You've been with us for some time now, Elias," Elara said, sitting beside him. "Yet, you're still a mystery to most of us. Where did you come from?"
Sebastian glanced at her, his face unreadable. "A place far from here," he replied simply. "A place I don't care to remember."
Elara studied him for a moment, then nodded. She didn't press him for more. Instead, she smiled softly and said, "Well, wherever you came from, I'm glad you're here."
In time, Sebastian began to call Ravenwood home. The village thrived, growing from a small collection of cottages into a peaceful estate, with gardens, farms, and a thriving community. The people trusted him, and under his guidance, the village prospered. He had no desire for power, but the villagers naturally looked to him for leadership, and he led them with wisdom and humility.
As the years passed, Sebastian's heart, once hardened by betrayal, began to heal. He found love again in Elara, and together they built a life filled with quiet joy. She became his wife, and though the ghosts of his past still lingered in his mind, he found solace in her presence. They worked the land together, raised animals, and built a small home on the outskirts of the village where they lived in peace.
Elara gave birth to a son, Eliot, a boy with bright eyes and an infectious laugh. Sebastian loved him fiercely, and as he watched his son grow, he felt a sense of contentment that he had not known in years. He taught Eliot the ways of the world—not the politics of kings and nobles, but the simple joys of life. He taught him how to build with his hands, how to care for the land, and how to be kind to others.
For nearly a century, Sebastian lived in Ravenwood, watching the village flourish. He kept his identity hidden, knowing that if the truth of his past were to be discovered, it might bring danger to those he loved. He died peacefully in his bed at the age of one hundred, surrounded by the people who had become his family. They buried him in a quiet corner of the village, under the shade of a great oak tree. On his grave, they carved the name Elias Blackthorn, the name he had taken to protect them.
But even in death, Sebastian's legacy lived on. His son, Eliot, grew up strong and kind, inheriting his father's wisdom. Yet, thirty years after Sebastian's death, tragedy struck.
Eliot had been left in the care of his mother's sister, Margot Blackthorn, a woman who had always harbored jealousy toward her sibling. Margot had lived in her sister's shadow for as long as she could remember. Elara had always been the beautiful one, the smart one, the one who had found love and happiness while Margot had been left to wither in bitterness.
When Elara died, leaving behind her son, Margot took him in—but not out of love. No, she despised the boy for what he represented. He was a reminder of everything she had lost, everything she had never had. And so, when the opportunity arose to rid herself of Eliot, she took it without hesitation.
One evening, under the cover of darkness, Margot led the boy deep into the forest, to a place where no one would find him. The ground was soft with decay, and the trees loomed tall and foreboding. She brought him to the edge of a ditch, a deep, dark hole that seemed to swallow all light. Without a word, she pushed him in.
Eliot tumbled down, the cold earth scraping at his skin, until he hit the bottom with a thud. He cried out, but there was no one to hear him. Margot stood at the edge, staring down at him with a cold, hateful gaze.
"Stay here," she spat. "This is where you belong."
And with that, she turned and walked away, leaving the boy to rot in the darkness.
It ended in silence, with Eliot left alone, abandoned in the pit of despair.
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