Adrian stepped out of the cave, his small boots crunching against the loose gravel scattered at its entrance. He could feel the weight of Mimi, curled on his shoulder, her emerald flames flickering gently against his skin. He exhaled a deep sigh, watching his breath drift in pale clouds before him. I still have to find someone out here... any sign of life would do.

A nagging ache drew his gaze down to his left arm, where the number "1" was etched into his skin. He frowned, lifting his right hand to touch the arm, the skin beneath his fingers cold and unresponsive. He willed the arm to move, pushing his focus to every nerve, but it hung there, inert, as though weighed down by an invisible force. Not even a finger twitched.

He sighed and shook his head. I’ll have to be more careful with my signature spell next time. Make sure to use it only when absolutely necessary.

Closing his eyes, Adrian drew in a steady breath and let his mind reach outward. He stilled himself, hoping to feel the pulse of magic around him.. Yet the forest remained silent, Still nothing. Not even a faint hint of presence.

Frustration knotted in his chest as he opened his eyes, biting back a groan. Before he could dwell on the emptiness, he felt a gentle tap on his nose. Mimi's tiny paw rested there, her bright eyes studying him as if they held an unspoken message.

Adrian blinked, taken aback by her insistence. “Mimi, what’s up?”

In an instant, Mimi sprang from his shoulder, leaping down to the forest floor with grace. She turned to face him, her tail-tip alight with green fire, wagging like a beacon. With a quick glance over her shoulder, she darted forward, pausing only long enough to ensure he would follow. Hopefully, Mimi has found something interesting, or better yet, someone.

Adrian trudged along behind Mimi, who darted through the underbrush with a determination that made his legs ache just watching her. She twisted and weaved between roots and rocks, her small, fiery form lighting the way like a darting lantern.

At first, Adrian kept pace easily, but the longer they walked, the quicker his breath grew. His legs burned, and a fine sheen of sweat formed on his forehead. It's been hours.

Eventually, he came to a halt beside a large oak tree, pressing a hand to its rough bark to steady himself. “Mimi, where exactly are we going?”

The little fox paused, glancing back at him, her emerald flames flaring slightly, as if to signal the urgency. She let out a quick, insistent trill before bounding ahead, eyes fixed forward.

Adrian clenched his fists and took a deep breath. “Alright, alright, I get it.” He pushed himself forward again, picking up his pace despite the fatigue. His legs protested, but he ignored them, keeping his eyes trained on the glow of Mimi’s tail.

After what felt like an eternity, Mimi halted near a thicket of dense bushes, her small body crouched low, her flames dimming as she moved stealthily. She emitted a low growl, her ears flattened, and Adrian crouched beside her.

Through the bushes, he spotted a small clearing up ahead, where he saw four adventurers which were slowly encircled by a group of massive trolls. The trolls towered over the adventurers, their thick, mottled skin resembling boulders, and each one gripped a massive stone club that could crush a man with a single swing.

Adrian’s eyes widened slightly, surprised by the scene unfolding before him. He took in the adventurers, noting the frantic, tense movements as they tried to keep the trolls at bay. Why are they struggling? Fire magic would have made quick work of trolls, and for an adventuring party, such a weakness should be as common knowledge as wielding a sword.

But then his gaze sharpened, catching the details of the adventurers’ condition. Their clothes were tattered, and their bodies were covered in bruises and scratches, some of which bled freely. One of them, a swordsman, leaned heavily on his weapon standing in front of an unconscious rogue, whose hooded cloak was in tatters. Another, a woman with a bow, could barely hold herself steady.

Adrian’s eyes fell on the mage in the group: a woman in a frayed cloak, with her hood fallen back, revealing sweat-drenched hair plastered to her forehead. Her eyes glowed with an unnatural brightness, and the veins on her temples and hands pulsed with a faint blue light, throbbing rhythmically in a way that made Adrian’s stomach twist. Mana core overexertion. She must have pushed herself far beyond her limit too often.

Adrian glanced at Mimi, who looked back at him with a fierce determination in her eyes. Her flames flickered brighter, as if giving him silent encouragement. Time to lend a hand, though this will be slightly trickier since I won't be able to use my left arm for a full day.

Adrian’s mind churned through the possibilities as he watched the trolls close in on the adventurers. With only one arm functioning, he’d need to be precise. No grandiose spells, he couldn’t risk wasting energy. Think, Adrian. Trolls are slow, bulky. They don’t react quickly to unexpected moves.

He glanced around, spotting clusters of brittle, dead branches strewn across the forest floor and a thicket of thorny bushes flanking the clearing. I can work with that.

He placed a steadying hand on the nearest rock, narrowing his focus on the largest troll towering over the struggling adventurers. Keeping his voice low, he whispered, “Mimi, stay close but keep out of sight. I’ll need you to keep me covered if any of them get too close.”

Mimi gave a small nod, then vanished into the underbrush. Then, Adrian stepped forward, summoning a tiny ember to his right palm.

With a sharp motion, Adrian sent a small jet of fire into the thicket. Flames burst to life, crackling hungrily as they spread through the dry wood. Smoke billowed upward, and the fire illuminated the clearing with a flickering azure light.

The trolls froze at first, their beady eyes narrowing as they turned toward the growing blaze. A guttural growl escaped one of them, and the others backed away, their hulking forms shifting uneasily.

Adrian allowed himself a small, grim smile. Good, they're afraid of the fire.

His focus shifted as he caught movement: one troll was shuffling erratically, its massive feet stomping over the uneven ground as it growled and swung its club at the adventurers. That one’s distracted. Time to take it down.

Summoning his mana, Adrian formed a fiery dagger in his hand. The blade shimmered with intense blue flames, its edges crackling with heat. With a sharp exhale, the boy hurled it at the troll’s knee where, in a few seconds, it embedded itself deep into the creature’s joint.

The troll roared in agony, its mottled skin sizzling where the dagger struck. It staggered, its movements jerky and uncoordinated as it collapsed to the ground. Its weight sent shockwaves through the earth, and its sprawling form knocked into a second troll. The two tangled together in a chaotic heap, the second troll falling backward with a surprised grunt. Two down. Keep the momentum going.

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Adrian moved a bit closer to the fallen trolls to get a better angle, his right hand glowed faintly as he drew in a deep breath. The heat in his chest built rapidly, his lungs filling with the power of his fire magic. He stopped just far enough to avoid retaliation, then unleashed.

Blue fire erupted from his mouth in a brilliant arc, engulfing the fallen trolls. The first troll thrashed wildly as the flames consumed it, its screeches blending with the roaring fire. The second troll writhed briefly before falling still, the blue flames scorching its thick hide. Smoke and the stench of burning flesh filled the air.

The remaining two trolls bellowed in panic, their brutish minds overwhelmed by the fire. They turned and bolted, their massive forms crashing through the trees as they fled. Adrian watched them disappear, his chest heaving from the exertion. Good. They’re gone. Now to finish the job.

Before long, his breath ran out, and the flames from his mouth sputtered and faded. He bent forward, resting his right hand on his knee as he gasped for air. Still, his gaze remained fixed on the fallen trolls.

One of the scorched creatures stirred, its massive hand clawing weakly at the ground. Adrian tensed, watching as its wounds began to regenerate, the charred flesh knitting together with unnerving speed. There's not a chance that thing can survive for much longer.

But then the regeneration faltered. The troll’s movements slowed, its skin blistering as the fire’s lingering magic worked against its natural healing. With a final, shuddering groan, the creature collapsed, its body slumping lifelessly beside its fallen comrade.

Adrian straightened, letting out a long breath as relief flooded through him. “Finally,” he muttered.

After taking a minute or so to breathe, Adrian turned toward the adventurers. They stood huddled together in the clearing, their wide eyes fixed on him.

Adrian walked forward, his steps slowing as he approached the group. He stopped a few feet away, studying their battered forms. “Are you all alright?”

The swordsman, the tallest of the group, with rugged features and a broad build let out a shaky laugh, wincing slightly as he pushed himself upright. “Barely managing, thanks to you, but who are you really? I've very rarely ever seen fire magic that potent."

Adrian shrugged, offering a modest smile. “Just a kid who got lost."

"Come on, do you really expect me to believe that? You have to be some kind of mage using an illusion to disguise himself right?"

"I'm… really not."

"Relax, I won't say anything, but I would like to talk to the man behind the mask, so to speak."

"But I'm not using any illusion magic, I'm just a kid."

"What? no way."

"I'm being honest here. You can hold my hand if you'd like, to prove I'm real." Adrian said, extending his right hand outward.

The swordsman appeared skeptical at first. But after a few moments, curiosity got the better of him. He grasped Adrian's hand, and his face twisted into a look of surprise. "Unbelievable, you're either the world's greatest illusion mage who just happened to come to our aid, or you're… really just a lost kid. And I don't know which one makes more sense."

Adrian withdrew his hand and chuckled. "Like I said before, I'm just a boy who got lost."

The swordsman chuckled, shaking his head with a look of genuine amusement. “Well, if this is how you handle things when you’re lost, I’d hate to see what you’re capable of when you know where you’re going.”

He extended a hand, a warm gleam in his eyes. “Marcus, by the way. I think we should shake hands properly this time”

Adrian took the offered hand, feeling the roughness of Marcus’s calloused palm as he gave it a firm shake. “Adrian. Nice to meet you.”

Marcus gestured to his companions. The mage managed a weak wave, while the archer and a rogue, who was clutching a dagger in a battered hand, both nodded in acknowledgment.

He turned back to Marcus. “Do you know a way out of the forest? Or somewhere we can get you all some rest?”

Marcus scratched his beard thoughtfully, glancing around the clearing. “We had a camp not too far from here. Set it up when we thought we’d be trekking through this forest on a routine job. But then those trolls showed up, and we had to run for it.”

Adrian nodded, glancing over at Mimi, who padded silently to his side. “I don't mind helping you all return there, if you'll allow me to stay too of course."

Marcus’s eyes shifted to Mimi, who had silently padded up to Adrian’s side. He crouched down, a look of genuine interest on his rugged features. “And who’s this little one?” he asked, extending a calloused hand in an attempt to pet her.

Mimi’s eyes narrowed, and a low, warning growl rumbled from her throat. Her flames flared slightly, and she bared her tiny teeth, looking ready to take a chunk out of Marcus’s finger if he dared to get any closer.

Marcus chuckled, drawing his hand back with a wry smile. “Feisty, isn’t she? I’ll keep my fingers to myself then.”

Adrian rolled his eyes, though a faint smile tugged at the corners of his lips. “Mimi, be nice,” he said in a firm but gentle tone.

Mimi huffed in response, the flames around her dimming as she turned away from Marcus. With a flick of her tail, she leapt up and perched herself on Adrian’s shoulder, her gaze still wary but less hostile.

Marcus let out another laugh, shaking his head. “I see she’s got a mind of her own. Is she a magical beast"

"Indeed, she is."

"Well, I've never—"

Suddenly, Marcus’s expression grew more serious. He turned, glancing at the mage, who was still slumped against a rock. Her chest rose and fell with shallow breaths, and the blue veins on her skin continued to glow, pulsating rhythmically.

Marcus’s brows knitted together with worry. “I don’t know what’s happening to her. We’ve faced tough fights before, but this… it’s like the magic is eating away at her.”

Adrian stepped forward, his eyes fixed on the mage. He could feel the lingering magic radiating off her, wild and unstable. Mana overexertion. She’s been pushing herself too hard for too long.

He nodded to himself, then looked at Marcus. “She’s suffering from mana overexertion. Her core is strained, and if it continues, it could become critical.”

Marcus’s jaw tightened. “Can you help her?”

Adrian hesitated for a moment, then nodded. “I think I can. But I’ll need to be careful.”

He approached the mage slowly, kneeling down beside her. Her eyes fluttered open, glowing with an unnatural light, and she tried to focus on him. “Easy, you’re going to be alright.”

He extended his right hand, summoning a small, controlled flame. The blue light cast a soft glow over her face, illuminating the strain etched into her features. “This may feel strange, but it should help stabilize the flow.”

Adrian closed his eyes, focusing on the delicate threads of mana within the mage’s body. He extended his own magic outward, weaving it carefully around the erratic currents coursing through her. He steadied his breath, guiding the energy back toward her core, coaxing it to settle.

The mage gasped, her body tensing as the glowing veins dimmed slightly. Adrian kept his focus, sweat trickling down his temples as he maintained the connection. Come on, just a little more… He willed the mana to stabilize, drawing out the excess energy and dispersing it safely into the air around them.

Finally, the glow in her veins subsided, fading to a faint shimmer. The mage slumped back, her breathing more even, though exhaustion still clung to her like a heavy blanket. Adrian released the connection, his own body trembling from the effort.

Marcus stepped forward, his relief evident. “Is she…?”

“She’ll be fine,” Adrian said, his voice tired but certain. “She needs rest, and plenty of it. But the worst has passed.”

The swordsman nodded, gratitude shining in his eyes. “Thanks kid. You’ve done more than we could have hoped.”

Adrian managed a small smile. “Just glad I could help.” He glanced at Mimi, who nuzzled against his neck, her warmth a steady comfort.

The mage stirred, her eyes opening slightly as she looked at Adrian. “Thank… you."

Adrian nodded, his expression softening. “Rest now. You’re safe.”

Marcus gestured toward the edge of the clearing. “Let’s get her and everyone else back to camp. It’s not far, and she’ll recover better there.”