The world before Raymond's eyes exploded into a blinding white. For a single, terrifying instant, every sound disappeared. His vision, his hearing, even his sense of direction vanished beneath the overwhelming flash.
Before he could comprehend what had happened, an unimaginable force struck him head-on.
His body was hurled through the air like a leaf caught in a hurricane. The wind roared past his ears as the world spun uncontrollably around him.
Then…Crash!
Raymond's back slammed violently into the trunk of a massive tree. The impact was so brutal that the bark splintered apart, sending wooden fragments flying in every direction.
The tree groaned under the gallant force before finally stopping his momentum.
"Argh...!"
A painful groan escaped his lips. For several seconds, his body refused to respond.
His lungs desperately searched for air that simply wouldn't come. Every attempt to breathe sent a stabbing pain through his chest, making him cough violently.
Then the pain arrived.
Not all at once but in relentless waves.
A burning sensation spread across both of his arms as though they had been thrust into boiling water.
His palms were blistered and charred in several places, strips of skin torn away by the explosion. The sleeves of his robe had been burned almost completely away, exposing flesh that had turned an angry shade of red.
His chest felt even worse.
The front of his clothes had been scorched black, and beneath the torn fabric, patches of burned skin throbbed with unbearable heat. Every breath stretched the damaged flesh, sending fresh agony through his body.
His back screamed in protest from the collision with the tree. It felt as though every bone had been shaken loose.
His shoulders ached. His ribs felt bruised.
A sharp pain pulsed along his spine whenever he tried to move.
Warm blood trickled down the side of his forehead where the impact had split his skin open. It slid past his eyebrow and into his eye, blurring part of his vision.
A constant ringing echoed inside his ears.
His head pounded relentlessly, making it difficult to think.
For a few long moments, Raymond simply remained there, struggling to breathe while his entire body trembled from the pain.
Slowly...Very slowly...
His vision began to clear. The white haze faded away. What replaced it made his pupils contract.
The forest… it was burning.
Brilliant flames of crimson and orange fire raced across the ground, greedily devouring dry leaves, bushes, and fallen branches.
Nearby trees had already been swallowed by the flames, their trunks crackling loudly as thick black smoke rose into the night sky.
The once peaceful clearing had become a sea of fire.
Heat rolled over him in suffocating waves.
Raymond forced himself to lift his head.
Then he looked toward the place where they had been standing only moments earlier.
His breathing caught.
A massive crater scarred the earth. The ground had been blasted apart, leaving behind a depression several meters wide.
The surrounding soil had been melted into black glass, while shattered rocks and broken tree trunks were scattered in every direction.
The riverbank itself had partially collapsed into the crater, and the water hissed violently as it touched the superheated ground.
The destruction stretched far beyond the clearing.
Trees had been uprooted while boulders had cracked apart. Even the air still shimmered from the lingering heat of the explosion.
Raymond stared at the devastation in stunned silence. His mind struggled to process what he was seeing.
Just then…he saw vague silhouettes moving towards him. A loud laugh echoed through the burning forest.
"Haha! See? I told you there are plenty of idiots who'll rush in to help an injured stranger without thinking twice."
The familiar voice which Raymond really had no interest in hearing entered his ears, making the pounding in his head feel even worse than before.
His brows furrowed deeply.
Despite the ringing in his ears, he recognized that irritating voice almost immediately.
Austin.
Raymond slowly lifted his head. Through the haze of smoke and dancing flames, he saw the dirt-blond adventurer standing several meters away.
Jack and Jill stood behind him, both wearing cruel smiles as they surveyed the devastated clearing.
Austin glanced at the unconscious Lyra and Rowan before casually waving a hand.
"Go."
His tone was calm, as though he were giving an ordinary order.
"Grab those two. I'll deal with the last one myself." A grin slowly spread across his face as his eyes settled on Raymond.
"After all… we have some unfinished business."
Jack and Jill immediately rushed toward the simultaneously injured pair.
Meanwhile, Austin began walking toward Raymond with slow, confident steps.
Each footstep echoed through the burning clearing.
Raymond planted his sword into the ground and tried to force himself to stand.
The moment he put weight on his legs, intense agony shot through his battered body.
His burned muscles screamed in protest.
His ribs throbbed violently. Before he could fully straighten himself…
"Cough!"
A violent cough escaped his throat. Fresh blood spilled from his mouth, staining the blackened ground beneath him. Austin watched the scene with clear amusement.
"My, if it isn't our great noble."
He stopped a few meters away and looked Raymond up and down and continued.
"You somehow always manage to make yourself look even worse whenever I see you." His grin widened. "Though, i think my luck has finally turned around." He spread his arms theatrically.
"This must be my lucky day."
Raymond wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand. Despite the pain twisting through his body, he forced his expression to remain calm.
"Yeah," he replied quietly. "Luck has never really been my strong point, you see."
As he spoke, he slowly pulled his sword free from the ground. The blade reflected the flickering firelight.
Austin's smile faded ever so slightly. His eyes narrowed. For some reason, Raymond's calm attitude irritated him more than any insult ever could.
"Still acting tough." Austin clicked his tongue.