The Wind Mage's Legacy: Chapter 28

Hi all,

Here’s the first chapter for the week. Sorry, it took me so long to get out. The Artisan’s Path chapter will be out later tonight/tomorrow. 

Chapter 28

The car pulled through wrought-iron gates that stretched twenty feet high. 

Harry pressed his face to the window as the McDonald estate revealed itself—a Gothic monstrosity that didn’t fit with the New York countryside. Gargoyles perched on every corner, their stone faces leering down with expressions ranging from malevolent to merely murderous. Gothic spires pierced the evening sky whilst flying buttresses cast skeletal shadows across the manicured lawns. 

"Cheerful place," Harry muttered.

Catherine laughed. "Wait until you see the inside. The family has a thing for medieval aesthetics."

The car stopped at the front entrance. Before they could exit, the front doors swung open. Men and women in tactical gear exited the mansion. Some carried assault rifles alongside bandoliers. Others gestured commands to floating constructs —humanoid figures that were wreathed in flames.

"Something isn't right," Catherine said, climbing from the car after the driver opened the door. "Why is the family mobilising?”

A woman in midnight-blue tactical gear jogged past. Catherine intercepted her path.

"Sarah, what's happening?"

The woman's eyes widened with relief. "Catherine! Thank God you're back. The Cross family hit our patrol near the awakening site three hours ago. Your father's mobilising everyone in case it escalates into an all-out conflict."

Harry picked up the emotional currents flowing through the estate. Rage, anticipation, and barely restrained violence. Whatever had happened, these people were preparing for war.

"Who exactly is the Cross family?" Harry asked.

Catherine's jaw tightened. "They are the other major spirit practitioners in New York. Ice wielders. They've been our primary rivals since the city's founding." 

“Ice?” Ayano raised an eyebrow. “You don’t see many clans with that particular element. They are known to be very calculating with restrained emotions.”

Catherine nodded. "They are the bane of our existence. Fire and ice don't play well together."

"Rival over what?" Harry asked.

"Territory, resources, political influence. Currently, a piece of land that recently awakened with spirit energy." Catherine headed for the door. "Both families want to relocate there since the environment is beneficial for their growth."

"Awakened?" Harry frowned. "What does that mean?"

"Spirit energy exists everywhere, but the strongest concentrations emerge from deep underground,” Ayano answered. “Sometimes channels open suddenly, enriching the environment."

"Like Mount Kailash."

"Exactly. The concentrated energy allowed Baxi's illusions to become more potent," Ayano said. “That's just one benefit. It not only helps us regain energy more quickly but also impacts our physiology. This can result in the next generation of spirit practitioners becoming stronger, and it can attract more spirits to the region.”

Harry eyed the uniformed men and women as they ran past them. “I didn’t know your people used conventional weapons.”

“Our family has deep ties with the military,” Catherine said. “We straddle both the mundane and the spiritual world, unlike most clans. We have learned to utilise our powers and technology to rise to prominence.”

“You told me previously that you are affiliated with MACUSA. Do you also interact with the magical community a lot?” Harry asked.

“Not so much,” Catherine replied. “Only when our interests align, otherwise, we ignore each other.” 

Catherine gestured toward the imposing entrance. "Let's go inside. I'll introduce you to my parents and see what’s going on."

The entrance hall rose into dark vaulted ceilings, illuminated by chandeliers.. The McDonald coat of arms took up the entire far wall: a dragon emerging from a sea of fire with the sun above it.

The sound of raised voices echoed from somewhere deeper in the building. Catherine led them past suits of armour. The shouting grew louder as they approached a heavy wooden door bearing the family crest in brass.

Catherine knocked twice.

"Not now!" A voice roared.

"It's Catherine, Father."

Silence fell. Heavy footsteps thundered across the floor before the door burst open, revealing a man who shared Catherine's blonde hair and aristocratic features. 

"Catherine!" He crushed her in a fierce embrace before pulling back to study her face. "Thank God you're here. We can use all the help—"

"I brought friends, Father. Harry Potter and Ayano Kannagi."

Duncan McDonald's eyes widened as he took in Harry, then Ayano. "The wind contractor and the Kannagi heir. Catherine mentioned you might be arriving soon. Please, enter."

The office beyond defied the Gothic theme with sleek modern furniture and state-of-the-art communication equipment. A dozen people clustered around a conference table dominated by a large map. A woman with silver-streaked hair and Catherine's sharp cheekbones looked up when they entered.

"Catherine, darling." The woman crossed the room and embraced her daughter whilst studying Harry and Ayano over Catherine's shoulder. "I’m glad you’re back.”

"Just in time, it seems. Mother, meet Harry Potter and Ayano Kannagi." Catherine gestured toward her parents. "Harry, Ayano—my father, Duncan and mother Victoria."

Harry inclined his head. "Pleased to meet you both."

"The pleasure's entirely ours," Duncan replied. "Forgive the circumstances. We weren't expecting the Cross family to escalate things to this degree. They have grown bolder over the past few months."

"What's the current situation?" Catherine asked. "Do we know why the Cross family attacked us?"

Duncan's expression darkened. "No warning whatsoever. Caught us completely off guard. We'd been competing for the property through proper channels until now. Legal negotiations, political manoeuvring—the usual dance. Then they resorted to outright violence."

Silence filled the room.

"Two of our patrol members didn't make it home," Duncan continued. "Good people with families at home. Now I have to tell them they won’t be coming home.”

Catherine's shoulders sagged. "I thought this might happen. The Cross family has abandoned all restraint."

Victoria moved closer to her daughter. "It seems your theory may have been correct, darling."

Harry straightened. "Theory?"

Catherine turned toward him. "I suspect they're working for Gaia, or at minimum being manipulated by it. The entity seeks to sow conflict among spirit practitioner families, and we represent two of the most powerful in America."

Harry frowned as the implications sank in. Gaia didn't wage war through direct confrontation—it turned allies against each other, exploited old grudges, and fed existing conflicts until they spiralled beyond control. The entity had transformed ancient family rivalries into deadly warfare whilst remaining safely hidden in the shadows.

The strategy was brilliant in its simplicity. Why risk exposure fighting spirit practitioners directly when you could manipulate them into destroying each other? Every clan weakened by internal strife was one less obstacle to Gaia's ultimate goals. Harry wondered how many other "family disputes" across the globe were the Origin Spirit's handiwork. This wouldn't be like facing Voldemort or Typhoon—enemies who announced themselves and fought in the open. 

"Just how far does Gaia's influence spread?" Ayano asked.

"Too far," Catherine said. "We need to root out this cancer before it becomes incurable." 

She faced her father. "How are we responding to the Cross family?"

Duncan sighed. “Intelligence gathering for now. They've made no additional moves since the initial attack, but we're maintaining full alert status. Every patrol's been doubled, and we've activated our network of informants throughout the city."

"Do you think this connects to the upcoming alliance meeting?"

"You think they're trying to disrupt it?"

"The timing's suspect." Catherine traced patterns on the map with her finger. "Our family called for this gathering. If they're genuinely working with Gaia, they'd have clear motivation to distract us or force us to cancel altogether."

Duncan's jaw set with determination. "That's not happening."

"Have you informed the alliance of our situation?"

"Yes, but they won't intervene in what they consider a private family conflict." Disgust colored Duncan's words. "Politics as usual."

Catherine's laugh held no humour. "Typical. They want to address Gaia's threat, but they wouldn't mind if our family emerged weakened from the process."

“Why don't we show our guests to their rooms?” Victoria interjected. “For the moment, we act as though nothing's changed. The meeting proceeds as scheduled in two days."

Catherine nodded. "Alright."

They left the room, and she guided Harry and Ayano through the mansion to the east wing, where the guest rooms were located.

"You'll keep me informed of developments?" Harry asked as they walked.

"If the situation escalates significantly," Catherine replied. "I wouldn't concern yourself with family politics. The McDonald's won't be shaken by such an incident." 

She gestured toward tall windows overlooking the grounds. "Just enjoy yourselves for the next two days. I’ll take you somewhere good tomorrow."

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Later that evening, Harry sat cross-legged on his bed and closed his eyes. The transition into the void happened almost instantly—one moment he was in the guest room, the next he stood beside the obsidian lake. No struggle, no lengthy meditation required. Whatever Baxi had done during those trials had fundamentally changed something in his mind.

The lake stretched before him exactly as before, its black surface reflecting nothing. Night sat on the rocky shore in the same position, as if he'd never moved. Harry dropped down beside him.

"Back already?" Night asked without looking up.

“Did you miss me?”

“Come back and ask me after another hundred years.”

“Hilarious.” Harry picked up a loose pebble and skipped it across the water. Three bounces before it sank. "I never asked Baxi what this place is. Part of my mind?"

"Yes. The mind's more complex than most realise. Consciousness, subconsciousness, memories, dreams—all of it is layered upon one another. Go deep enough, the boundaries blur until the mind becomes indistinguishable from tangible reality. Does this feel real to you?"

Harry considered the question. "Completely real. How do you know so much about the mind?"

"Where did you think your mind-reading ability originated? It was Gaia's primary reason for contracting with me. The entity wanted access to the spirits' thoughts to maintain its control over them."

"Didn't stop the rebellion."

"The ability's not omnipotent. You have to be in  front of someone to read their thoughts."

"Can you read mine?"

"Of course, but why would I want to? Your thoughts are as tedious as anyone else's."

Harry snorted. "Thanks. What about Kaze? Weren't you originally part of him before we formed a contract?"

"Obviously. But he slept for so long, I couldn't access his thoughts. Now that he's contracted with you, I can no longer influence him or read his mind. I still sense his presence, but it's faint compared to your own."

"Lucky me." Harry stretched his legs. "Have you reconsidered teaching me to become a Mage? I've some free time before the meeting with the alliance. What about you? Are you free?"

"Amusing. Again, what reason do I have for helping you?"

"You're not purely motivated by revenge, I see. Is there something else you want?"

Night didn't respond immediately. Harry waited patiently, knowing that the boy had something in mind.

"I want freedom from this prison," Night finally said. "I'm tired of existing like this."

"Won't Gaia's death release you?"

"I doubt it. I've become an entity unto myself. Gaia no longer influences me."

"What about when I die?"

"Kaze will continue existing. Have you forgotten he contracted with another human before you? I didn't disappear when they died."

Harry nodded, remembering. "Right. How can I free you?"

"My only chance is becoming a spirit."

"Spirit Bestowal?"

"No. I need a physical body for that process."

The ritual from the Potter grimoire surfaced in Harry's memory—the one describing spirit creation. "What about the ritual?"

Night's eyes widened. "Yes, that’s a possibility. But it won't work in its current form. I need separation from you first."

"If there's a way, we'll find it." Harry paused. "How will that affect my abilities? I'd rather have as many advantages as possible when I face that monster."

"As long as you keep your word, we can delay the ritual until after Gaia is defeated.”

“Excellent. Now you can start teaching me to become a Mage."

Night stood, gesturing for Harry to follow. The lake's shore transformed, becoming a circular training ground surrounded by towering stone pillars.

"First, a test—finding your power sources in this space." Night gestured around the void surrounding them. "Your energies exist here as physical entities. Look for them."

Harry stared into the void beyond the lake's edge. Nothing but endless black stretched in every direction—no landmarks, no reference points, just oppressive emptiness that seemed to swallow his vision.

“How am I supposed to find them?” Harry asked.

Night snorted. “Figure it out for yourself.”

Minutes passed. Harry's eyes watered from straining against the darkness. Occasionally, he thought he glimpsed something, a flicker of movement, a brief shimmer—but when he focused on it directly, nothing remained.

He rubbed his temples, frustration building. This felt like searching for something that didn't exist. The void remained stubbornly empty no matter how hard he concentrated.

Harry closed his eyes and tried a different approach. He extended his awareness in the way Kaze had taught him to sense wind currents in the physical world. Gradually, he became aware of subtle presences.

When he opened his eyes again, the void looked exactly the same. But now he could feel movement within the darkness. Currents that weren't quite visible but existed, flowing through the black like underground rivers.

A golden thread drifted past the edge of his vision. Harry turned his head to track it, and the thread vanished completely. He tried again, this time keeping his gaze fixed ahead whilst using his peripheral vision. The golden stream reappeared, weaving through the void just outside his direct line of sight.

Behind it, he sensed something else—silver-blue and restless, moving in erratic patterns that made his head ache when he tried to follow its path. Every time he attempted to look straight at either stream, they disappeared. But when he relaxed his vision and stopped trying to force them into focus, both energies became almost visible.

Harry shifted his approach again. Instead of using his eyes at all, he reached out with the same instincts that guided his wind abilities. The void remained black, but now the currents flowing through it felt as real as wind on his skin.

The golden stream pulsed with familiar warmth—structured, predictable, responding to his attention like magic always had. The silver-blue energy twisted away from his awareness, wild and untamed, refusing to hold still long enough for proper examination.

Both streams existed here in the void, but not as physical objects. They were something between thought and reality, visible only when he stopped trying to see them with normal vision.

"There." Harry pointed toward the currents. "The gold one feels familiar. Warm. That's my magic."

"And the other?"

Harry watched the silver-blue stream weave through the darkness, untamed and restless. "Spiritual power. Wind, to be exact. It won't stay still."

"Exactly. Your magic follows patterns, structure, and rules learned at school. The wind energy resists all control." Night walked toward the flowing currents. "Watch."

He reached out and grasped both streams. They solidified in his hands—the golden magic forming a rope of braided light, the wind energy writhing like a captured snake. "This is your goal. Separate powers under unified control."

Harry approached the streams cautiously. The magic responded to his touch immediately, coiling around his fingers with eager warmth. The wind energy jerked away from him, requiring a swift grab to catch it.

"It's fighting me."

"Of course it is. Wind doesn't like being held." Night observed Harry's struggles with detached interest. "Stop trying to dominate it. Work with its nature."

Harry loosened his grip slightly. The wind energy settled but remained tense, ready to escape. He now held both powers, but they vibrated at different frequencies, creating an uncomfortable discord.

"Right. Bringing them together." Night stepped back. "Don't force a merger. Guide them toward each other gradually."

Harry moved his hands closer, watching the two energies circle each other warily. The magic reached out first, sending golden tendrils toward the wind power. The moment they made contact, both energies recoiled with explosive force.

"Bloody wind." Harry rubbed his stung palms. "They really don't like each other."

"Try again. Rejection's expected—you're asking oil and water to blend."

The second attempt went no better. The energies actively repelled each other, creating sparks where they touched. Harry gritted his teeth and tried a third time, then a fourth.

On the fifth attempt, he managed to keep them in contact for three seconds before they separated violently.

"Better," Night acknowledged. "Keep going."

Harry lost track of time in the void. His hands cramped from gripping the energies, and his concentration wavered from repeated failures. But gradually, the contact periods lengthened. Ten seconds. Fifteen. Twenty.

By what felt like the hundredth attempt, Harry achieved something resembling success. The two energies touched and held, creating a brief moment of perfect balance. 

"How long?" Harry asked, sweat beading despite the void's neutral temperature.

"Nearly thirty seconds. Adequate for a first session."

The achievement felt hollow. At this rate, mastering the technique would take years.

Night seemed to read his frustration. "The physical world will be harder. Here, you manipulate pure energy. In reality, the resistance will be tenfold."

"Encouraging."

"I'm not here to coddle you." Night turned toward the lake. "Practice daily. Build your endurance. The merger's only useful if you can maintain it during combat."

Harry released the energies, watching them flow back into the void's darkness. His hands tingled with residual power, and something deep in his chest ached—a phantom pain from forcing two incompatible forces together.

"Tomorrow then?"

Night shrugged. "If you return, I'll continue the lessons. If not..." He left the sentence hanging.

Harry caught the underlying message. Despite his apparent indifference, Night wanted this training to continue. The boy had spent centuries in isolation, teaching someone provided purpose, even if he wouldn't admit it.

"I'll be back."

Night snapped his fingers, and Harry withdrew from the void space. His eyes snapped open, finding himself sitting on his bed beside a sleeping Ayano. 

Harry ran a hand through his hair. “I’ve got to learn how to leave on my own. That feels way too disorientating.”

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

The next morning, Catherine knocked on their door..

"Ready for a proper tour of New York?" she asked, bouncing slightly on her heels. "There's a magical zoo in Central Park that I want you to see."

"Just the three of us?" Harry asked.

"Of course. Consider it a cultural exchange."

Ayano emerged from the room. "A zoo?"

"The Menagerie," Catherine said. "Attached to the regular Central Park Zoo but hidden from non-magicals. Houses magical creatures from around the world—some you've probably never seen before."

Harry frowned. “You can access it?” 

“Remember what I said about spirit practitioners?” Ayano nudged his shoulder. “Magical wards don’t work on us.”

An hour later, they stood before what appeared to be an ordinary zoo information kiosk tucked between the penguin exhibit and the children's playground. Catherine led them to a seemingly ordinary wall beside the emergency phone. But as soon as they approached, a large doorway appeared.

The magical zoo appeared to be even bigger than its mundane counterpart. Massive enclosures housed creatures Harry recognised from his Care of Magical Creatures lessons alongside others that defied classification. 

"This is incredible," Ayano said, pausing before an enclosure where a Thunderbird stretched its enormous wings. Lightning crackled between its feathers as it preened. "I didn't know New York had facilities like this."

"The city's full of surprises," Catherine replied, guiding them deeper into the complex. 

They wandered through interconnected sections, each maintaining different climates and magical conditions. A Demiguise flickered in and out of visibility in its rainforest habitat, playing hide-and-seek with visiting children who pressed their faces against the observation windows. In the aquatic section, a Kelpie moved through the murky water, its horse-like form shifting between beautiful and terrifying.

The attack came in the reptile section.

Harry was studying a salamander the size of a small dragon when frost suddenly coated the walls around them. The temperature plummeted twenty degrees in seconds, his breath misting as he spun toward the source.

Twelve figures emerged from concealment behind several rock formations. They moved swiftly, ice already forming around their hands. The leader—a woman with red hair and arctic blue eyes—smiled at them.

"Catherine McDonald," she said. "How convenient to find you here."

Harry watched the scene with narrowed eyes. Judging by Catherine’s reaction, she was expecting company. She showed no surprise whatsoever. 

"Took you long enough, Miranda," Catherine replied. "I was beginning to think your intelligence network had failed completely."

The pieces clicked into place with sickening clarity. The casual suggestion of a zoo visit. The route that landed them in an isolated part of the zoo. 

"You used us as bait," Harry said.

Catherine didn't deny it. "Sometimes you have to force your enemies into the open."

Before Harry could express his opinion of her tactics, Miranda Cross raised her hand. Ice shards erupted from the walls, floor, and ceiling simultaneously.

Harry's wind barrier exploded outward, deflecting the frozen projectiles whilst pushing Ayano behind a concrete barrier. The chamber filled with the sound of ice striking compressed air, crystalline fragments scattering across the floor like deadly confetti.

"Take the fire wielders alive," Miranda commanded. "Kill the wind user."

“Let me handle these goons,” Harry said. “I’m not in the mood to play nice.”

Miranda smirked. “Cocky bastard.”

The Cross clan members encircled Harry. Their coordination spoke of extensive training and combat experience.

Harry didn't give them the chance to execute their plan.

Wind blades erupted from his position, slicing through the air with lethal precision. Three attackers threw themselves aside, ice barriers forming just quickly enough to deflect the blades. The fourth wasn't fast enough—the blade caught him across the chest, sending him crashing into the salamander's enclosure with a wet crack.

Miranda's eyes widened as she reassessed the threat level. "Concentrate fire on Potter!"

Ice spears the size of javelins launched from multiple directions. Harry rose into the air, wind currents carrying him above the coordinated assault whilst maintaining his defensive barrier. The spears struck walls and exhibits, shattering glass and sending exotic creatures fleeing to whatever shelter they could find.

He struck back immediately. A tornado formed in the centre of the chamber, its winds strong enough to lift two attackers off their feet. They spun helplessly in the vortex, their ice attacks dissipating as they lost all control over their trajectory.

The remaining Cross members adapted quickly. They formed a defensive circle, ice walls rising between them and Harry's position. Their attacks became more coordinated, concentrated bursts of freezing air that fought against his wind currents.

Harry compressed air into a battering ram and drove it straight down through their formation. The impact shattered their ice barriers and scattered the group, but they rolled with the attack and came up fighting. 

A massive ice construct rose from the floor—a humanoid figure twice Harry's height with fists like sledgehammers. It swung at him with crushing force, ice crystals trailing from its movements. Harry twisted aside, the construct's fist missing his head by centimetres before pulverising the wall behind him.

Two more attackers flanked him whilst he dealt with the construct. Ice whips lashed toward his legs, seeking to entangle and bring him down. Harry dropped toward the floor, spun horizontally, and unleashed a circular blade of compressed air that severed both whips and forced his attackers to retreat.

The construct lunged again. This time Harry didn't dodge—he flew straight at it, wind gathering around his fist. The impact drove through its torso, shattering the ice from within. Frozen fragments exploded outward as the construct collapsed, its magical animation disrupted.

Miranda appeared behind him, moving with inhuman speed across a bridge of ice that formed beneath her feet. Her hand was wreathed in freezing mist that would probably stop his heart if it made contact. Harry spun, grabbed her wrist, and used her momentum to send her flying into a support pillar. She hit hard enough to crack the concrete.

The remaining attackers pressed their assault with desperate fury. Ice spikes erupted from every surface, turning the chamber into a frozen death trap. Harry's wind barrier strained under the constant bombardment, each impact sending shockwaves through his concentration.

He needed to end this quickly.

Harry rose to the chamber's ceiling and spread his arms wide. Wind gathered from every direction, compressed into a sphere of devastating potential energy. The pressure made his ears pop as atmospheric density reached dangerous levels.

"Down!" he shouted to Catherine and Ayano.

The wind sphere exploded outward in all directions. The shockwave hit the Cross members like a physical wall, slamming them into walls, floors, and broken exhibits. Ice barriers shattered, and their bodies crumpled under the extreme forces.

Silence fell over the devastated chamber. Harry descended slowly, surveying the aftermath. All ten remaining Cross members lay unconscious or groaning in pain amongst the wreckage of what had been a peaceful animal exhibit. Miranda Cross stirred weakly against her pillar but couldn't manage to stand.

"You weren’t lying about his abilities," said a new voice.

Duncan McDonald emerged from concealment with a squad of armed family members. They moved through the defeated attackers, securing them with restraints.

"You were watching the entire time," Harry said. It wasn't a question.

"That’s right," Duncan confirmed. "We needed to see if they showed up here."

Harry turned to Catherine, his expression thunderous. "What exactly was that about?"

"Counter-intelligence," she replied, seemingly unaffected by his anger. "We've suspected Cross clan infiltration of our communication networks. This confirmed it—they knew about your arrival and our plans to visit the zoo."

"So you used us as live bait without bothering to mention it."

"Would you have agreed?"

"That's not the point." Harry stepped closer. "You put Ayano at risk."

Ayano emerged from behind her barrier. "I can protect myself, Harry. But Catherine should have warned us."

Duncan's people finished securing the prisoners and began evacuating them through concealed exits. Miranda Cross glared at Harry as she was carried past, promising retribution with her eyes alone.

"Information gathering required operational security," Catherine said. "There was a mole in our—"

"Bollocks." Harry's eyes flashed azure. "You want cooperation? Then you include us in planning. Otherwise, our alliance ends here."

Catherine's confident facade cracked slightly. "Harry, you don't understand—"

"I understand being treated like a tool instead of an ally. Next time you want to use me as bait, ask first. Or find someone else to fight your battles."

The threat hung in the air between them. Catherine looked to her father, but Duncan's expression remained neutral—this was her operation, her consequences to manage.

"Fine," Catherine said finally. "Full disclosure from now on."

Harry nodded.

The damaged exhibits around them bore testament to the violence that had erupted in this supposedly peaceful place. Harry wondered how many other battles the Spirit Alliance fought, and whether he'd signed up for more than he'd bargained for.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

The meeting convened in the McDonald estate's grand ballroom, its Gothic architecture lending gravitas to the proceedings. Servants had cleared away the ornate furniture, replacing it with a massive oval table that dominated the space.

Harry counted twenty-three delegates as they filed through the double doors. Most wore business attire that could have belonged in any corporate boardroom, though a few had opted for more traditional clothing from their respective regions. 

"Larger turnout than expected," Duncan murmured to Catherine as they took their seats.

Ayano positioned herself beside Harry. "Half of these people look like they'd rather be fighting each other than sitting at the same table."

She wasn't wrong. Harry noticed the careful spacing between certain delegates, the way some avoided eye contact whilst others stared with barely concealed hostility. Old grudges ran deep among practitioner families, and temporary alliances didn't erase generations of competition.

A woman with blonde hair claimed the chair directly across from them. Her handshake crushed Harry's fingers when Catherine made introductions—Amalia Nyberg, representing the Sweden fire clans. The man beside her introduced himself as Klaus Zimmermann from the German earth practitioners.

Victoria McDonald entered carrying a silver tea service, playing the perfect hostess despite the circumstances. She moved around the table, ensuring everyone had refreshments whilst her husband positioned himself at the table's head.

"Ladies and gentlemen," Duncan began. "Thank you for coming. We all know why we're here."

The casual conversations died immediately. Twenty-three pairs of eyes focused on Duncan with laser intensity, waiting for him to articulate what many suspected but few dared voice openly.

"Gaia has returned," he continued. "How are we going to deal with this threat?"

The real discussion was about to begin.

So, what do you think? In the next chapter, Harry and Ayano participate in the meeting, and he continues his training to become a Mage.

Thanks for reading.