Chapter 115 INTO THE HEART OF THE ENEMY

Chapter 115 INTO THE HEART OF THE ENEMY
Magnus moved gently, lifting Xyra into his arms. He carried her to her bed and set her down, being as careful as he could not to wake her. Seeing that she was still fast asleep, he turned and tiptoed out, shutting the door quietly behind him. He was so focused on what he was doing that when he turned around, he nearly jumped out of his skin. Christian was standing right there with a wide grin on his face.

"My, I don't think I've ever met a bigger flirt," the mayor said with a quiet laugh.

Magnus shot him a glare, even though he knew the man was right. He did flirt with Xyra, plain and simple.

"It's fine," Magnus grumbled, trying to justify himself. "She's the only one I did that with. So technically, you can't call me a flirt."

"Then what else should I call it? It's flirting, clear as day. But hey, it’s completely fine to flirt with your girlfriend."

"W-why do you think we're...?"

"I saw that little moment on the balcony," Christian smirked.

Magnus's face flushed red — a rare sight for the sorcerer, who hardly ever blushed. Leave it to his love life to break that streak.

Christian couldn't resist teasing him a bit more. "Look at you, a real ladies' man. It’s nice to see you settling down with just one girl."

"Why does everyone keep getting the wrong idea?" Magnus asked, throwing his hands up. "I'm not like Darren. I don't chase after every woman I see."

That was certainly true for Darren. The hunter adored women, and though he behaved himself well enough in their company, Astrid had shared plenty of stories about his antics.

Magnus's smile faded as thoughts of the hunter crept back into his mind. They had to save Darren. He meant too much to everyone — especially to Xyra, Astrid, and Magnus himself. Magnus swore he would make Raheem pay for taking him. He wasn't going to let anyone steal his friends away again. He had already lost too many people he cared about to death or injury, and he refused to let history repeat itself. Tonight, everyone was coming home alive. They couldn't afford to let anything go wrong.

Night fell faster than any of them wanted. The time had come to storm the League headquarters. Given the situation, they would have to stick to the shadows and keep things quiet. Even if the League workers weren't magic users, they were still dangerous.

Outside Christian's castle, Magnus, Xyra, Astrid, Christian, and Scarlette gathered under the heavy night sky. The thick layer of clouds blocked out the twin moons and every last star, making it nearly impossible to see. They just had to hope they wouldn't need the light anyway — the harsh blizzard waiting for them on the mountain would have blinded them regardless.

"Well," Magnus said, breaking the silence. "I guess this is it."

"Please be careful," Scarlette said, giving them a somber smile. It was hard watching them leave. So much could go wrong. They were walking straight into the heart of their enemy's territory. To make matters worse, Raheem was there too, somehow working alongside the League. It was an odd pair; despite being a demigod who used magic himself, Raheem hated sorcerers. He viewed anyone with magic as a threat, and the League was simply a convenient tool to wipe them out.

"Don't worry," Xyra reassured the older woman. "We'll be back." She looked over at Astrid. "And we'll bring Darren with us."

Astrid gave her a warm smile. She couldn't wait to see her brother again, to throw her arms around him and tell him how worried she had been. First, though, they had to actually find the headquarters, which was going to be the hardest part.

That thought sparked Astrid's memory. "Wait a second," she called out as Magnus and Xyra started to turn away. She rummaged through her small bag and pulled out an object. It wasn't as fancy as a Lazufeer, but it was made of a smooth, golden metal adorned with a few small gems.

"What's that?" Xyra asked.

"A talisman," Astrid explained, stepping up to Magnus. She handed it over, and the stone at the center of the sphere instantly lit up with a bright yellow glow.

Magnus stared at it for a moment. "I already have one to sense demons and dragons, but not magic."

"Because you are a sorcerer," Astrid pointed out. "It would constantly glow around you." Sure enough, it was shining brightly just from his own power. "But when you get close to the League, it will start to pulse. That place is bursting with magic. This talisman is unique — it only pulses when it's near an enormous well of energy. My dad made sure your own power wouldn't set off the pulse."

"Why did he make something like this?" Xyra asked.

"It was supposed to be a gift for Albus when they finally met, just to show his support."

Magnus offered a small smile. It was touching to know the dragon king had wanted to meet his real self so badly that he had a gift waiting for him, and a very useful one at that. "I'll have to remember to thank him," Magnus said, offering a polite bow. This would definitely help them locate the League. Now he just had to pray that everything else went to plan.

"Take care," Astrid whispered, a weak smile on her face. "Come back safe."

"We will," Magnus promised, tucking the stone safely into his cloak pocket. "Goodbye."

Magnus and Xyra turned and offered a final wave to the group. Both managed to smile, but neither felt truly confident. They knew how dangerous this mission was, but they were determined to push through it. Even if they had to face Raheem and Mr. Nixon, they were coming back with Darren and the Lazufeer talisman. They had come too far to turn back now.

The mountain was every bit as brutal as promised. Heavy snow whipped around them, driven by fierce winds that seemed to follow their every step. The further they walked, the worse the storm became. The biting cold stung their skin and seeped straight through their clothes. It was a miracle anyone could survive out here; a normal person would have frozen to death in minutes. Thankfully, Magnus's magic barrier provided some protection, though the fact that the bitter cold still bled through was a clear sign the weather was being driven by magic.

They trudged forward in silence across the icy, snow-covered path that wound through the mountains. Fortunately, they didn't have to climb any steep cliffs; the trail led straight into the valley between the peaks. If the League headquarters was hidden out here in this frozen wasteland, that's where it would be. Magnus led the way, wrapping his arms around himself for warmth. He kept the talisman in one hand, watching it closely for any sign of a pulse. He prayed it would happen soon — neither of them could stand this cold much longer.

"Magnus?"

Xyra's voice barely carried over the howling wind. He stopped and looked back. She had paused, trembling uncontrollably, her skin turned a pale blue. His barrier wasn't keeping her warm enough.

He hurried back to her side. He couldn't stop the storm, but he could share what little warmth he had. Before she could say anything, he pulled open his cloak, wrapped his arm around her shoulders, and tucked her tightly against his side. He rubbed her arm gently; more to comfort her than anything else, since the small gesture couldn't do much against the freezing air.

"Just stay close," he said, pulling the heavy fabric tightly around them both. "We're almost there."

She nodded against his chest, and together they resumed their slow trudge through the deep drifts. Magnus prayed he was right. He had never been so eager to reach an enemy hideout in his life. At least inside, it would be warm. As they pushed deeper into the valley, the snow fell even harder. Whoever cast this spell clearly wanted to keep the world out. But maintaining a storm like this for months was impossible for a single sorcerer; the League had to be using some kind of machine to power it.

Finally, they stepped into a massive, open clearing surrounded by a blizzard. There was nothing to see in any direction except endless white. They were right in the middle of the valley. Suddenly, to Magnus's relief, the talisman in his hand began to pulse, throbbing with a steady, bright light.

He froze. "Xyra," he said quickly, "I think we found it. Step back for a second."

She pulled away from his cloak, shivering instantly, and watched as Magnus dropped to his knees. He dug his hand into the snow and whispered a quick spell. The snow beneath his palm began to melt rapidly. He worked fast, knowing the storm would cover the spot again if he took too long. Within moments, the snow melted away to reveal a solid surface. It wasn't stone — it was metal.

Magnus grinned. They had actually done it. This was the League's headquarters. A metal outer shell made things much easier for him, allowing them to slip in without making a scene. Using a steel-shaping spell, Magnus forced the metal to bend and shift until a hole opened beneath them. Dim light spilled up from below. It was dark down there, but Magnus didn't care... it had to be warmer than the blizzard.

"Xyra, come here," he called.

When she stepped close, he wrapped his arm around her waist and jumped down into the opening. He cast a levitation spell just before they hit the ground, landing them with a soft, silent thud so as not to draw any guards.

The instant their feet touched the floor, the heavy warmth of the room washed over them, slowly thawing their frozen limbs. Looking around, they realized they had landed in a quiet workshop. A long conveyor belt stretched through the room, lined with hundreds of small glass vials used for holding magic spells. Everything was dark and shut down for the night, without a single machine running in the vast, silent room.