The Second Adam [ENG]

"Oops... A intruder, huh?"

"Raagnol... open the door, then run to the forest south of the kingdom. I'll distract him here," whispered the soldier to Raagnol.

The soldier handed the set of keys to Raagnol and let him open the door himself.

"A rescue mission? And now you're playing the hero? Hah! A intruder is still a intruder."

Captain Raztro charged forward. Drawing his sword from his back, he pointed it straight at Raagnol.

The soldier quickly blocked his strike. A fierce battle broke out between the two. Meanwhile, Raagnol focused on opening the door.

After trying several keys, the door finally opened. Beyond it, a staircase led upward.

Raagnol hesitated. Should he really leave the soldier behind?

"GO! DON'T WORRY ABOUT ME!" the soldier shouted with all his might.

Without thinking twice, Raagnol followed the soldier's orders.

Just as he took his first step, Captain Raztro slashed at the soldier and quickly rushed toward Raagnol.

Raagnol stood frozen, watching everything unfold.

Captain Raztro swung his sword straight at Raagnol's neck and...

"Huh? Wha... What is this? Why can't I move?"

Captain Raztro froze in place, his sword still raised, stopping just short of slashing Raagnol.

He realized he was now bound in chains wrapped tightly around his body. The chains clung to him with an iron grip.

"How does it feel, huh?" muttered the soldier with a weak voice. His hands were trembling, from both pain and fury.

"Magic? HAHAHAHA… You're using magic to fight me?" Captain Raztro burst into laughter.

One by one, the chains began to snap. Captain Raztro unleashed his strength, resisting the magical binds that held him.

Raagnol couldn't believe what he was seeing. Captain Raztro was breaking through magic using brute strength alone. He couldn't imagine how strong Raztro really was.

"RUN!!" the soldier shouted.

Taking advantage of the moment, Raagnol bolted up the stairs. Sunlight began to appear. At the top of the stairs, Raagnol saw the outside world.

He realized that this prison wasn't located in the capital city, but somewhere outside the kingdom. There weren't even any guards posted at the exit, it must not have been the main way out.

Without wasting time, Raagnol ran as fast as he could toward the forest the soldier had mentioned.

After a long run, Raagnol finally reached the forest. No one was around. Only trees surrounding him and the sound of chirping birds.

"Who was he?"

"Why did he help me?"

Raagnol questioned everything that had just happened. He hadn't even had the chance to thank the soldier. But he was grateful, grateful to have escaped the death sentence that awaited him. One thing was certain now: Raagnol knew he was a fugitive of the kingdom.

He looked at his hands, still unable to believe he was a mage.

Raagnol pointed his right hand toward a tree in front of him, as if he was going to summon a fireball. But nothing happened. Not even a flicker of light.

"Huh..."

"Maybe it's all just nonsense. Or... maybe I just don't know how to use magic?" Raagnol sighed, confused by it all.

"Looks like I'll have to wait here... for who knows how long."

He sat down on a rock and waited. He didn't know how long he'd have to stay there. But after the exhausting run, he decided to rest for a while.

As the sky began to darken, Raagnol tried to start a fire. He gathered sticks and scattered leaves, then piled them together. With two stones, he struck them together. Sparks flew. He tried again, and a small flame appeared, slowly growing stronger.

As the cold night wind blew, Raagnol sat alone, with only the warmth of the campfire to keep him company.

But without his knowing, something was watching him from the shadows behind the trees.