Chapter 97: WINGS UNVEILED

Magnus stood at the entrance to Millmore with Darren, Xyra, and Gareth by his side. Standing across from them were Christian and Scarlette, who had come to say their goodbyes. Now that Magnus had the talisman and the danger had passed, there was no reason to stay. It was time for the friends to part ways once more.

"Take care," Christian said with a warm smile. "I hope you come back soon. Your visits are always so exciting." Magnus just smiled. He didn't really have an answer for that, mostly because it was true — whenever he was in Millmore, something wild happened. Life was never boring there.

"In a few weeks," Scarlette added, "we’re throwing a party. You’re all invited, so please come if you can."

"Thanks, I’ll keep that in mind," Magnus replied. The party sounded great, though he worried he might forget to come back in time. He had always loved big celebrations; his parents used to host them all the time at their mansion. Going to one would bring back happy memories, so he truly hoped he could make it. However, "a few weeks" felt like a pretty vague period of time.

The four travelers turned to leave, waving back at Christian and Scarlette. Gareth's wave was a bit stiff — the old man was usually so grumpy that it was a surprise he waved at all. Xyra knew he had his reasons for being bitter, but she wondered if being around Magnus made it worse. To Gareth, the young sorcerer was a constant reminder of everything he had lost. That had to be frustrating, to say the least.

They began the long trek across the open fields toward Drester. It would likely take a week to get there. Drester was a massive city, far away from Millmore and every other settlement. While a place called Vekta had once been bigger, Drester was now the most crowded spot in the country. It was actually the only place large enough to be called a "city"; everything else was just a tiny village or a small town.

They didn't actually have much business in Drester. They were mostly just walking Gareth home. The old man was tired of the outside world and missed the quiet shadows of his shop. It was hard to believe he had left home at all, but he’d had a good reason: he wanted to find Magnus and learn more about the talismans. Even though he was often mean to the sorcerer, it was clear he cared about him. They had known each other for years, and Gareth was the closest thing Magnus had to a father.

Xyra walked with her head down behind Magnus and Gareth. Darren, who had been trailing behind, picked up his pace until he was walking right next to her. He clearly had something on his mind.

"I know," he whispered quietly, making sure the others didn't hear.

"Know what?" she whispered back.

"Gareth told me. Magnus... he’s actually Albus." Xyra gave him a sharp, defensive look. Darren just held up his hands and smiled. "Relax. I’m not a bounty hunter. I would never turn in a friend for money — I'm not like that guy we met before."

"Can we not talk about that?" Xyra snapped, her voice turning bitter.

"Still a sore subject, I see," Darren said. "Look at it as a lesson. Now you know not to trust random strangers, especially those from the Sorcerer’s League."

"Yeah..." Xyra sighed. That was a memory she’d never be able to shake. Even though Magnus had forgiven her, she still felt terrible about what she had done. I’ll pay you back someday, she promised herself. I’ll make it up to him completely.

When night fell, they set up camp. Gareth and Xyra stayed by the fire while Magnus and Darren headed off to spar. They did this all the time, though it never seemed to lead anywhere. They were so evenly matched that neither of them ever won. Still, Xyra figured fighting was probably more interesting than staring at a fire. She was bored out of her mind.

She looked toward the trees. The two of them had promised to stay within the magical barrier so they wouldn't be attacked by demons while they practiced. It annoyed her how focused they were on fighting. Didn't they realize she wanted some company? She hated being ignored.

"If you're that bored, go watch them," Gareth said. "They only just left. They probably haven't even started yet."

"I don't know..." Xyra hesitated. She liked watching them, but it was getting a bit repetitive. Their moves were starting to become predictable.

"Well, I'm going," Gareth said, standing up. "I want to see what those two idiots can actually do."

Xyra sighed and followed him. She didn't want to be left alone in the dark, and now she had an excuse to go watch. She would never admit it out loud, but she loved seeing Magnus in action.

They found Magnus and Darren in a clearing. To their surprise, the two weren't fighting yet. They were just standing there, looking like they were in the middle of a serious conversation.

"What's the delay?" Darren asked. He was getting impatient.

"I was just curious," Magnus said. "About you being a half-breed. Since you’re part dragon, can you do anything special without fully transforming?"

"Like what?" Darren asked, confused.

"Can you use fire magic?"

"Yeah..."

"Anything else?"

Darren smirked and crossed his arms. He realized what Magnus was getting at, and he liked the challenge. "Are you trying to find an excuse to use magic against me?"

Magnus grinned. "Well, if you can use magic, I should be allowed to use it too."

"So, no holding back this time?"

"Exactly."

"You’re going to regret this," Darren warned, cracking his knuckles. Magnus didn't look scared at all. His whole posture said, "Bring it on."

Darren took off his jacket and shirt. Magnus watched him, puzzled, until a pair of brown, leathery wings sprouted from Darren's back. They were dragon wings, scaled and sized perfectly for his human frame. Darren flapped them once and lifted off the ground, hovering in place.

"What do you think?" Darren asked. "I would say I have the advantage now."

Magnus just smiled. A dim light surrounded his body, and he began to float as well. He had cast a levitation spell. "I know you have the edge, but I hate losing. I had to level the field. Ready?"

"Let's go."

The two shot into the sky, deciding the air was a better place for a real fight. They had no idea they had an audience. Xyra and Gareth watched from the shadows of the trees, completely stunned.

Xyra's jaw dropped. No one had ever told her about Darren's "condition." Magnus obviously knew but hadn't mentioned it. She felt a little hurt. They kept it from her — it wasn't like she was going to tell anyone. Then again, maybe Darren was embarrassed by it.

"A half-breed, huh?" Gareth muttered, recovering from his shock. "You kids are full of surprises. He must be the boy Xerxes told me about years ago."

"You know Xerxes?" Xyra asked, her surprise shifting to the old man.

"Yeah. He helped me a lot back when I was searching for talismans. He mentioned having a son, but he never said the boy was half-human."

"How are you so sure Darren is his son?" Xyra asked. She had met Xerxes, and Darren didn't really look like him. He didn't have the pointed ears or the cat-like eyes — though now that she thought about it, Darren's eyes were so dark it was hard to see his pupils.

"I know the Dragon King well," Gareth said. "That boy acts just like him. He has that same pride, and he fights exactly the same way. There’s no doubt. That’s Xerxes's son."

Xyra looked back up at the sky in awe. The battle was playing out like it always did, just higher up. They dodged, blocked, and traded hits. The only difference was the magic. Darren threw fire, Magnus countered it with water, and then they switched. They were stuck in a loop. Eventually, they gave up on magic and went back to using their fists, but it didn't change anything. They were perfect equals.

Finally, after two heavy kicks landed at the same time, both boys tumbled onto the ground. They managed to slow their fall just enough to land on their backs with a thud. They lay there panting, completely wiped out.

"Are you guys okay?" Xyra asked, running into the clearing.

The two scrambled to look at her, clearly embarrassed that they’d been caught. Darren looked especially worried. He sat up, sighed, and stretched his wings.

"Well, I guess the secret is out," he said, rubbing his head. "You won't tell anyone, right?"

"Right," Xyra promised, unable to stop staring. Up close, his wings were incredible. They were a rich brown color and covered in tiny scales.

"Do you have to stare?" Darren asked, sounding self-conscious. "I know they're weird looking, but I didn't think they were that ugly."

"What? No!" Xyra said quickly. "I’m staring because I think they’re amazing."