The sun rose and set, an unforgiving cycle that marked the passage of time. Slow, yet agonizing.
One day bled into three. And three days stretched into seven.
Alrain kept running. His blistered and bloody feet pounded the uneven forest floor, urging his body through thorny underbrush and over protruding roots of ancient trees. He did not know which way was north or south. He knew only one thing: distance. To get away from the kingdom that had become his personal hell.
Behind him, the shadows of Yonna's death and Orvion's sacrifice clung like ghosts in pursuit, whipping his conscience every time he thought of resting for even a moment.
"Run... I must keep running..." he whispered to the passing wind.
During this long, mentally draining escape, the wilderness became both his only friend and his enemy. To survive, Alrain was forced to use the remnants of his unstable lightning magic to hunt. Wild rabbits, small boars, or anything that moved and had meat, he hunted them all.
He roasted the meat over a small fire, eating it half-cooked just to fill his stomach, while his eyes remained vigilant of his surroundings.
One afternoon by a riverbank, Alrain stared at his reflection in the water. His face was filthy, and his eyes looked wild.
"I am weak..." he mumbled, crushing the leftover bone in his hand until it shattered. "Alone, I will never be able to touch the hem of that King's robe. I need power! I must find strong allies to destroy that bastard King!"
This resolve became his new fuel.
However, the forest was not always generous. When night fell, the fear of nocturnal monsters or the kingdom's pursuit squad forced him to sleep in uncomfortable places.
Alrain would climb the tallest trees and sleep on large branches in full alert. Every rustle of leaves made him jolt awake, instantly ready for battle.
He would only descend and continue his flight when the sun fully illuminated the forest.
Until one day, his luck ran out.
The forest he entered this time was different. The trees towered high with canopies so dense they blocked out the sunlight. There were no traces of animals, no bird songs, even insects seemed reluctant to live there.
His food supplies had run out two days ago.
Now, Alrain was truly helpless. Hunger was no longer just a desire to eat, but a physical pain gnawing at his stomach. His energy was nearly gone. His legs felt as if they were shackled by heavy iron.
Only that hope and promise kept him dragging his feet forward, step by step, ignoring the hunger, let alone the thought of giving up.
"I hope... I can find a monster to eat..." Alrain said softly, clutching his stinging, twisting stomach.
But that hope was in vain. Alrain, directionless and ignorant of the forest he was traversing, could only keep walking straight. The escape was truly aimless. His steps began to stagger. Sometimes he crashed into tree trunks, sometimes he tripped over roots and fell, only to force himself up again with great difficulty.
Despair began to haunt his clouded mind. The whisper to lie down and let nature take his life sounded so tempting.
No... don't die here...
"What are you doing here?"
The loud, authoritative voice of a man shattered the silence of the forest.
Instantly, Alrain's weakness vanished for a moment, replaced by a sting of pure adrenaline. His fighting instinct took over.
Alrain straightened his back, his eyes sweeping the surroundings vigilantly, entering combat mode even though his legs and hands trembled violently from unbearable hunger.
From a distance, amidst the shadows of the giant trees, a figure was walking casually toward him. The man wore simple yet high-quality clothes, his steps calm but radiating an undeniable aura of dominance.
"I ask you once again!" the man exclaimed as he continued approaching, his voice echoing through the trees. "What are you doing in my territory?"
Alrain did not answer. His tongue felt stiff, his throat dry. He only stared at the shouting man with a sharp gaze, trying to assess if the person was a threat.
Zap!
The sharp sound of displaced air rang out.
Alrain's eyes widened. In the blink of an eye and without him realizing it, the man was already standing right in front of him, only an arm's length away.
Alrain was shocked by the incredible speed. That velocity reminded him of King Dalvanel. The trauma hit him hard. Alrain's knees went weak instantly. Not just from shock, but because his remaining energy had been completely drained by the sudden surge of adrenaline.
Thud!
Alrain collapsed onto the ground. His vision blurred, his breath ragged. He wanted to get up, wanted to fight, but his body refused his brain's commands.
Amidst the tension, a sound broke the atmosphere.
Gurgle... Gurgle...
Alrain's stomach growled loudly, roaring to be filled, audible clearly in the quiet forest. The stranger looked down, his eyebrow raised slightly.
"Are you hungry?" he asked, his tone shifting from threatening to slightly surprised.
Alrain lowered his head in shame, but his ego was dead. He nodded weakly.
"I will give you food if you answer my question!" the man replied, staring back sharply into Alrain's green eyes. "What are you doing in my territory? Are you a spy trying to infiltrate here?"
"I-I..."
Alrain tried to open his mouth. However, suddenly his voice choked. His tongue felt heavy as he tried to explain.
Doubt clouded his heart. Not out of fear of the man, but a deep crisis of trust following his own King's betrayal.
Can this person be trusted? What if he hands me over to the kingdom for a reward? Alrain muttered in his heart, his fist clenching weakly on the dirt.
Seeing the hesitation and wariness in Alrain's eyes, the stranger's expression softened. He sighed deeply.
"No need to speak!" the man said firmly, cutting off Alrain's internal struggle.
The man crouched down, bringing his eyes level with Alrain. "From your appearance, your tattered clothes, those wounds, and that gaze full of vigilance, it can be concluded that you are currently on the run."
The man smiled faintly, a smile that implied no threat. "It is natural if you do not trust a stranger like me."
The man moved his hand into empty air. A flash of light appeared briefly, and a cloth bundle materialized in his hand from out of nowhere.
The aroma of roasted meat and warm bread instantly wafted out, piercing Alrain's nose, making him drool.
Without hesitation, the man offered the large portion of food to Alrain. "Eat this."
Alrain's eyes sparkled at the sight of the delicious-smelling cloth bundle before him.
Without a second thought, Alrain's hand snatched the bundle. He immediately devoured the food ravenously, biting into the bread and meat at the same time, barely chewing. The savory and warm taste spread throughout his body, as if reviving his dead cells. It was the most delicious food he had ever tasted after days of enduring hunger.
The man just watched in silence, letting Alrain eat his food.