Magic Discovered

Chapter 22

James, Lydia, and Algon sat frozen as the image disappeared, and then James blasted up.

"What are we waiting for?" he cried, already swinging his coat on. "Let's go!"

"Hold on." Lydia grabbed his hand. "We can't just race in there without any idea of what's going on. We're just Apprentice Mages; we should go and get people who can actually do something, like some guards or even the Headmaster!"

Algon shook his head. "We don't have the time," he said. "Delta won't wait around for us, and there's no telling what trouble he could get himself into if we aren't there. I say we go help him right now."

Lydia looked between her two friends and sighed. "Fine, but I still think this is a bad idea." 

After grabbing their armor and equipment, they snuck out of the dorms. The night was cold and dark, only the lone moon providing light to see by. No other mages could be seen, which unfortunately meant that they couldn't get any extra help.

Arriving at the infirmary, they discovered that the main door was locked for the night. 

"How are we going to get in?" Lydia whispered.

"Let me go take a look around. Stay here and watch the front."

James walked around the side and his friends stared up at the building. It was silent, with no light coming from any of the windows. They searched for signs of Delta, possibly flashing from his pistols, but found nothing.

Lydia's amulet lit up and James' face appeared. 

"Hey guys, I found a way in." They found him standing in front of a cracked window. 

"This must be the way that the Ikirian entered," Algon said, remembering what Delta had told them. "Strange though, the locking sigil doesn't seem to have been messed with."

James pushed the window open further and slipped inside. He then turned and helped Algon and Lydia down as well. Surveying the lobby, they saw that the room was dark and quiet. The only respectable source of light came from Algon. The orange glow emanating from the cracks in his rocky skin illuminated a small portion ahead.

James knelt down by a furnished sofa. "This must have been where Delta was hiding," he whispered. "Look, he dropped one of his bullets when he drew his pistols."

He passed it to Lydia, who stored it in her amulet.

"He said that he heard something upstairs, and I think he left to follow it. Should we head up there as well?"

"One second; let's make sure we're ready first. James, got Ruin?"

"Ready to draw. I've got several spells mentally prepped too."

"Algon, do you have your staff?"

He nodded and pulled it out. "I'm going to be a bit limited on what I can do in here. If we need to fight, let's force him outside so we won't have to worry about the patients or the building."

"Good thinking. Ready?"

Algon and James both nodded. Lydia gulped.

"Well, then let's go."

The air was still as they climbed the stairs leading to the infirmary's second floor. The landing was as dark as the lobby, with most of the doors to the rooms closed. 

"Where's the staff?" James asked as he crept forward slowly. "Shouldn't there be at least one Alchemist watching over the patients?"

"Yeah, you're right. He must be around here somewhere. Maybe if we can get his attention, he can alert the guards."