Bonus Chapter 3
(Just to reiterate, I've made some changes to this part of the story.)
(Don't bring up the original story or anything like that.)
(This is absolutely not a major modification! Not a major modification! Not a major modification!)
The moment Strange saw Kaecilius charging towards him, leaping over the wall, only one thought crossed his mind: he had to run.
He was just a novice monk who had only been studying for a short time.
There were three men in front of him. Kaecilius himself had circled around to his side and was behind him, while his two attendants blocked all his escape routes from the left and right.
He had no time to think, no time to be afraid; driven by instinct, his body raised his hand and drew a circle.
Orange sparks bloomed at his fingertips, and a portal suddenly opened in front of him. This was not part of his plan; he hadn't even figured out where the other side of the portal should lead.
The first follower couldn't stop and rushed straight into the portal.
Beyond the gate lay an endless expanse of yellow sand, the sun blazing overhead, with dunes stretching to the horizon.
The follower rolled several times on the sand dune, his mouth full of sand, and when he got up, he was completely dazed.
The second follower paused for a moment, then turned to look at Kaecilius.
Kaecilius didn't stop for a second; he didn't even glance back at his men, but continued to advance towards Strange, stepping over the wall.
The follower gritted his teeth and swung his energy blade at Strange from the side. Strange hastily dodged, just enough to expose the portal hall behind him. Before the follower could stop, half of his body was already plunged into the open portal.
Beyond the door lay a dense, almost impenetrable tropical rainforest, where the humid air, carrying the scent of decaying leaves and vines, wafted towards us.
The attendant crashed into a thick tree trunk, startling a flock of unidentified birds, and the vines rustled from the impact.
Strange seized the opportunity, turning the knob to change the portal's position. He was breathing heavily, the Sling Ring still slightly warm on his finger.
But now only one person remained. Kaecilius stood in the corridor a few steps away, the mocking smile still on his lips, neither angered by the defeat of his two subordinates nor changing his expectations for the battle.
He raised his hand and released an energy shockwave. Strange didn't even have time to raise his Sling Ring before he was sent flying by the dark shockwave. His back smashed through the half-open wooden door at the end of the corridor, and he rolled into the room where the collection was displayed.
He rolled on the ground several times, his elbows and knees aching, his robes covered in dust and sawdust.
He struggled to his feet. The place was filled with glass display cases, wooden shelves, and dusty stone platforms. Every item emanated a magical aura.
He didn't have time to look closely. Kaecilius had already followed closely behind and stormed in, his demeanor calm and collected.
Strange staggered backward, grabbing a magical artifact that looked like a trophy from a nearby stone platform.
The object was made entirely of some kind of dark golden metal, with a ring of dull gemstones inlaid around the rim, and the base engraved with dense runes. He gripped the trophy base with both hands and desperately poured magic into it. The magic barely began to flow, and the rim of the cup only emitted a faint glow.
Kaecilius, initially somewhat frightened, saw Strange's expression and said sarcastically, "You don't know how to use it, do you?"
Strange threw the trophy at Kaecilius.
Kaecilius didn't even raise his hand to block; he merely tilted his head slightly. The trophy grazed his ear, slammed against the wall with a dull metallic clang, and rolled into a corner.
Strange grabbed another bronze mirror, infused it with magic, but nothing happened, so he threw it away.
He then grabbed a strangely shaped bronze dagger, infused it with magic, but there was no reaction, so he threw it away.
Kaecilius treated this fool, who had wandered into an armory but didn't know how to use it, as if he were strolling through a museum.
He wasn't in a hurry to kill; he was enjoying himself.
As Strange retreated, he threw everything within reach at Kaecilius, his eyes darting around for anything that might be of help. Then he spotted an axe hanging on the wall, gleaming with a dark golden light. He didn't know the activation spell, but he didn't care; at least it would have some destructive power even if it wasn't activated.
Just as he reached out to grab it, a deep red Cloak suddenly flew out from the glass display case next to him.
Before Strange could even react, his collar was violently yanked backward by an incredibly powerful force, sending him flying backward as if grabbed by the collar by an invisible hand. His hand barely grazed the axe on the wall.
The Cloak loosened its collar and floated down in front of him, its collar slightly raised as if looking up at him. Strange lay on the ground, panting heavily, still reeling from the shock, when he saw the Cloak suddenly turn towards Kaecilius, its collar taut as if expressing some kind of strong dissatisfaction.
"... Are you helping me?"
The Cloak, of course, didn't answer. But it made its stance clear with its actions; it suddenly flew toward the ' Crimson Bands of Cyttorak ' on the side wall, precisely knocking the Crimson Belt off its hook, and it landed right in Strange's arms.
Strange looked down at the exquisitely crafted magical restraints in his arms, then looked up at the Cloak still confronting Kaecilius in mid-air. The Cloak turned around, its collar slightly raised towards him, its posture conveying a hint of disappointment.
"Okay." Strange struggled to his feet, unsure how to use it. He could only throw it at Kaecilius.
Just as Kaecilius tried to dodge, the object seemed to have a mind of its own, locking onto Kaecilius's body.
Moments later Kaecilius was forcibly restrained and forced to kneel on the ground.
Just as Strange was about to sit down and catch his breath, he heard a muffled sound coming from Kaecilius's throat, who was tightly bound, as if he was trying to say something.
He sighed, dragged his aching body forward, and reached out to remove the gag from his mouth.
Kaecilius stared intently at Strange, his eyes showing no trace of defeat or humiliation, but rather a chilling fanaticism.