The Backpack Boys Magazine - The Portrait in the Fortress

In this issue

The Backpack Boys: The Portrait in the Fortress — A story of memory, silence, and a woman who chose to stay. In the quiet coastal town of El Nido, Gabriel and Simon uncover more than ruins during their visit to the weathered walls of Fuerza de Sta. Isabel, a 17th-century Spanish fortress. Hidden within its stones lies a forgotten portrait—and the name of a woman lost to history. Her name was Alina. Not a saint. Not a muse. A healer. A daughter. A woman who chose not to flee when fire came from both enemies and allies. Through a series of letters, paintings, and long-buried memories, the boys piece together the story of Alina and Esteban, a forbidden love forged in the shadow of war, erased by empire, and rediscovered by chance. But as they uncover the truth, they come to realize: this is not just a love story. It’s a reckoning with the past—and a promise that some names will not be forgotten. A haunting, emotional journey across time, The Portrait in the Fortress blends history, romance, and mystery into a deeply human tale—where art remembers what history tried to silence.