Chapter 27. The Journey Begins

  Leonel returned to his friends when the night had fully embraced the city. They waited for him by the old tower on the outskirts, where no one would disturb them. The wind stirred the edges of their cloaks, the stars hid behind clouds, and the air was thick with tense anticipation.

  — Finally, — Stan crossed his arms. — We were starting to think you’d changed your mind.

  — Never, — Leonel replied firmly.

  They were fully prepared.

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  Stan held a small ice dagger, its blade covered in a thin layer of frost. He was a master of ice magic but never relied on it alone—his throwing knives always found their mark.

  Ethan stood slightly apart, his fingers resting on the hilt of his sword. He was the most skilled in combat, confident in his strength, though unlike the others, he possessed no magic.

  Leonel, over the past months, had not only learned to control fire better but also to summon spirits. It did not come easily, but he knew—they couldn’t succeed without it.

  A little behind them stood Beligor—the puppet, the pawn of darkness. His face remained expressionless, yet Leonel couldn’t shake the feeling that something more than just emptiness lurked inside him.

  — Are you sure we should take him? — Ethan asked doubtfully.

  — He’s part of this, just like we are, — Leonel answered. — If we want to understand what’s happening, we can’t leave him behind.

  Beligor didn’t react. His eyes remained empty, but something inside Leonel told him—one day, he would speak.

  — Then let’s not waste time, — Stan said, sheathing his dagger. — We leave now.

  Leonel took one last look at the city they were leaving behind.

  Perhaps they would never return.

  But there was no turning back.

  Their journey had begun.