The Mage Paradox [BOOK THREE]

Chapter 12: Midnight break in

Lylia who dozed off earlier awoke with a jolt by Nana.

"W-what?" Lylia looked around, dazed.

"It's midnight, the plan!"

Lylia's breath caught her throat and she got up from the lumpy bed she cleaned with her magic.

The plan, to finally end this all, this night where everything comes to an end.

Midnight.

"Hurry up, they are waiting outside!" Nana pulled Lylia out and towards the hatch of the bunker, away from anxious citizens. They waited with concerned and impatient faces.

"Finally," Dyrroth mumbled, arms crossed.

"Sorry, I was tired." Lylia apologized.

Hester butted in. "No time for that, we need to get going." he pointed at the building on the hill. "At midnight, everything will be perfect," he shifted his gaze back to them. "avoid any mistakes, we cannot afford that."

All of them nodded in agreement.

"So what's the plan?" Cyclops asked.

Hester smiled a little. This was the part he was waiting for. "Lesley," he pointed at the sniper who directed her attention to him. "You must protect the leading group in shadow, as for the leading group," he drifted his attention to Dyrroth, Cyclops, and Lylia. "distract the people in the building and in the process, try to find some clues." he looked at Harith and Nana next. "You two with your cat senses, go find Harley."

"But why do I have to go? My cat senses are weak." said Nana.

"Eiter way, you have to assist Harith if he gets into trouble."

Nana hesitated, then she nodded.

Hester turned to face the hill again. "This will be dangerous, be careful."

"Where will you go Hester?" Lylia asked.

Hester lowered his head mysteriously. "I'll be fine, all of you should focus on the mission right now I presume-"

Dyrroth grabbed Hester's head and made him look into his face. "Are you trying to 'butt' out of the mission...?" he whispered dangerously.

"What?? W-what will make you think that?"

The demon looked into Hester's eyes, then he let go of his head a moment later, fully convinced. Hester brushed the hem of his suit. "We can't waste any more time, we have to act now, hear me?"

No one responded.

Taking that as a yes, Hester started to walk towards the hill.

After a few long minutes of walking, ("My feet are getting tired" Nana sighed.) over oversized rocks, ("These look familiar..." Harith muttered suspiciously.") overturned pillars, ("Strange." Cyclops whispered. "If I had my equipment, I could study it.") animal corpses, ("Some of these are shaped like human..." Lesley muttered.) and finally, ("Finally!") The kids (And Lesley) reached the top of the hill, which took faster than Hester anticipated. ("How weird..." he murmured.)

Somehow, the Venom base looks just like every abandoned castle. Darkened, dusty, and creepy. But Dyrroth and Harith sense something else behind all of that. Something evil.

Dyrroth cocked a grin and Harith gritted his teeth.

But the only thing that was out of place was a pair of steel double doors at the entrance, both had a big venom crest displayed on them.

"There's the entrance." Hester pointed.

"You just spotted it?" Dyrrtoh turned, sneering.

Hester frowned. "Of course not. I just pointed it out."