Thestral relaxed slightly, convinced that the famed Magizoologist had caved in. He shifted his grip on Rolf, lowering the boy from his arm but still holding him firmly by the armpit. He moved his wand away from the child's throat, a sign of good faith. "There now, was that so difficult? As long as you cooperate, no one has to get, " Thestral froze. A sharp, needle-like pain pierced the back of his neck, spreading through his entire body like wildfire. A strange weightlessness overtook him. His vision blurred, then suddenly, he was staring at his own headless body.
For the briefest moment, his remaining consciousness processed the horror of what had just happened. Then everything went black. Behind him, a black-cloaked figure hovered in the air, one hand gripping Rolf, the other kicking Thestral's body away as if it were nothing more than an empty shell.
The battlefield went completely silent. The three remaining Silver Wands stood frozen, their minds struggling to comprehend how their leader had been cut down in an instant. A moment ago, everything had been under control, now, the situation had flipped on its head. The hesitation cost them. Newt wasted no time. With a quick flick of his left hand, a small, emerald-green fleshy pod shot out from his palm, looping around his fingers like a yo-yo. The moment it left his hand, it expanded, morphing into a massive butterfly-like creature with razor-sharp mandibles. With a deep, guttural screech, it shot forward, its wings slicing through the air as it lunged at one of the masked men.
At the same time, Newt's wand flashed as he hurled a hex at another. Tina, the seasoned Auror, didn't hesitate either. Her wand snapped upward, unleashing a barrage of rapid-fire curses at the final enemy, her movements sharp and precise.
The remaining Silver Wands barely had time to react. Forced into a defensive stance, they countered the incoming attacks with swift, practiced wand movements, deflecting the spells with expert precision. But their focus had already shifted. Their eyes locked onto the figure in the center of the battlefield, the one who had taken down their leader in an instant. If they wanted to turn the tide, they needed to get Rolf back. Fast.
The cloaked man who had struck down Thestral and snatched Rolf away was none other than Alex, now wearing a disguise mask to obscure his true identity. He had no intention of revealing himself just yet. From the moment Tina had appeared, he had begun moving. But with so many experienced combatants in one place, any sudden movement could have given him away. He had to be careful. Despite being invisible, he still had to contend with the natural laws of physics, his movements disturbed the air, and if he made too much noise or brushed against one of them, even a seasoned wizard could detect his presence. So he moved slowly.
Fortunately, all eyes were on Newt and Tina. The Silver Wands had no idea he was creeping closer with each passing second. When he finally got within striking distance, he knew he had only one chance. Thestral was tense, his grip on his wand steady, the tip still glowing with magic. A reckless attack would have put Rolf in danger.
So Alex waited for the right moment. He know Newt had sensed him. And once he was in position, the old man had seamlessly coordinated with him, despite them being complete strangers. Their silent teamwork had ensured his attack was a success. But the fight was far from over.
The three remaining masked figures were not ordinary wizards. Their reflexes were sharp, their spellwork precise. In a matter of moments, they had already neutralized Newt and Tina's attacks, demonstrating their superior combat skills. The Winged Demon Newt had conjured was frozen mid-air by one of the masked men, locked in place with a well-aimed freezing spell. And now, all three enemies had shifted their focus. Straight to Alex.
"Fiendfyre!" The masked wizard who rushed at Newt and Tina conjured a swirling mass of flames that instantly took the shape of a massive crimson eagle. Its wings unfurled, leaving a blazing trail in the air as it screeched toward the Scamanders.
Meanwhile, the two wizards targeting Alex wasted no time. One of them flicked his wand in rapid succession, casting five powerful curses in an instant. As soon as the magic formed, the spells sank into the snow-covered ground and vanished. It was a variation of the Subterranean Hex, designed to attack from below.
The curses would burrow beneath the snow, lying in wait before striking, attacking in a staggered pattern, three from above and two from below, creating an almost inescapable trap. "Mist Veil!" The second masked man waved his wand, and instantly, a dense fog spread across the battlefield. The darkness of the night was already bad enough, but now, with this thick mist, visibility dropped to nearly zero. And then, as if vanishing into the mist itself, the masked man's body flickered and disappeared.
'An invisibility spell.' Alex's eyes narrowed. These weren't just strong fighters. Their tactics were well-rehearsed. One took the offensive while the other created interference.
The pressure around him skyrocketed instantly. Newt and Tina had their hands full, and Alex knew better than to count on them bailing him out. This was his fight. The problem wasn't the mist or even the curses tunneling beneath him, it was the fact that he was still carrying Rolf. Fighting at full strength while protecting a hostage was a liability. He needed to get Rolf out of the way.
Alex shrugged off his cloak, and as soon as it left his shoulders, the enchanted fabric seemed to come to life. It wrapped itself around Rolf, fastening securely at the neck before lifting the boy into the air. With a faint whoosh, the cloak carried Rolf high above the battlefield, turning invisible as it went.
Now Alex was free. But the moment he regained mobility, the ground beneath him lurched. The five buried curses erupted from the snow, their trajectory perfect. Two shot straight for his legs, while the other three streaked toward him from above. Alex reacted instantly. His wand flicked downward, casting a Triple-Layer Shield Charm just in time to absorb the brunt of the attack. At the same time, he leaped backward, aiming to dodge the two hexes targeting his feet.
But the enemy had anticipated that. Just as Alex moved, two tendrils of white snow shot up from the ground, twisting around his legs like coiling serpents. The fine, silken texture of the spell reminded him of spiderwebs, but the strength of the grip was like iron. He was trapped. And he knew exactly who was responsible. The invisible wizard. Through his Echo Spell's faint pulse, he pinpointed the masked figure's position, ten meters behind him, murmuring an incantation under his breath.