At the top of Bhutan, an intense battle was beginning to unfold, while deep in the Himalayan forest, a dragon was unhurriedly climbing from the back mountain towards the royal palace at the summit, his claws scraping against ancient stone.
"Damn Dumbledore, when I get back I am definitely going to pluck out every last one of your beard hairs!"
Using his tail to hook the briefcase, his sharp claws digging into the mountain stone, Aiden was like an oversized lizard scaling a wall. The entire mountaintop was wrapped in peculiar protective magic that shimmered in the thin mountain air.
Meanwhile, all wizards' attention was focused on the summit, making the collective unconscious sea extremely chaotic—waves of conflicting emotions crashing against his consciousness. Combined with the protective magic's effects, both flying and Apparition would be instantly detected.
Left with no choice, he could only use the most primitive method to climb this towering peak, claw over claw.
"When will this ever end?" The dragon's wailing was destined to attract no one's attention in the howling wind.
***
"Almost at the top, hang on a bit longer," Lally encouraged from above.
Due to his long-term lack of exercise, Jacob had already started gasping for breath, his face flushed red. Seeing his distress, Lally could only stop and wait for him to catch up.
"I have... climbed more mountains today than in my entire life," Jacob panted, hands on his knees.
Unfortunately, as soon as the three stopped to rest, they were surrounded by Grindelwald's acolytes materialising from the shadows. Their cases were seized roughly, and seeing this, Jacob also threw down his case and fled with surprising speed for someone so winded.
The wizards present paid no attention to a fleeing Muggle—after all, how much of a threat could someone without magic possibly pose?
Helmut, Director of the German Ministry's Auror Office, stood in the middle with three cases placed carefully before him. Two acolytes immediately moved to destroy the cases.
"Wait, check first to make sure the thing is inside, idiots," he snapped.
Three acolytes stepped forward cautiously and opened the cases. Unfortunately, one contained bread, one contained books, and another contained Quidditch equipment.
The acolytes turned their confused gazes to Helmut, who drew his wand, wanting to interrogate Lally and Theseus. Suddenly the cases erupted into chaos. Bludgers burst out from inside, knocking down several acolytes with sickening thuds.
Numerous book pages exploded outward, and Monster Books hidden in the pile jumped out to bite the acolytes with snapping jaws. Most spectacular was the bread Dumbledore had cast a Doubling Charm on—it rapidly multiplied, filling the entire street in an avalanche of baked goods.
Lally and Theseus seized the opportunity to pull out their wands, stun the acolytes guarding them, and disappear into the panicked crowd.
Jacob, swept up in the mob, suddenly felt someone take his hand and pull him into a shadowed corner.
"You know it is dangerous for you here, right?" Queenie said, looking at Jacob with obvious worry while staying alert to her surroundings.
"You know, Dumbledore told me I have a complete heart, but I think he was wrong, because my heart still has a place for you," Jacob said, smiling radiantly, the warmth of love radiating from his entire being.
"You do not understand. I only escaped temporarily. They will soon—" Unfortunately, Queenie's warning could not be finished—they were already surrounded by advancing acolytes, wands raised.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the mountain, Newt had already reached the summit, breathing hard. A spell struck him from behind. A woman named Henrietta Fischer claimed to be sent by Dumbledore, her voice honeyed and convincing. Under the enchantment, the dazed Newt handed over his case to her without question.
At the summit, the election had begun with great ceremony. Theseus and Lally, guarding at the mountain's foot, encountered Yusuf Kama arriving with a group of acolytes. The two groups confronted each other, and just as tensions reached breaking point, their leader suddenly turned traitor.
Yusuf Kama used a powerful spell to overturn the ground behind him while simultaneously dealing with the remaining acolytes in swift succession. Theseus and Lally exchanged knowing smiles and turned towards the suspension bridge swaying in the wind.
"Why so slow?" Theseus asked, tilting his head slightly.
"Restoring memories took some time," Yusuf Kama said with dry humour.
The three arrived at the palace and rendezvoused with Newt in the crowded courtyard.
"Where is the case?" Theseus asked urgently.
"Gave it to Dumbledore's person," Newt replied, still distracted.
Lally noticed Newt's condition wasn't right and hurriedly broke the enchantment on him with a sharp counter-curse.
"Oh no!" The awakened Newt immediately rushed out of the crowd, shoving through wizards.
The long stone stairway stretched before him like an insurmountable barrier. Newt caught up to Henrietta, but she revealed a cruel smile and handed the case back to Newt. It simply turned to dust and scattered through his fingers like ash.
At the top of the palace, Vogel began his carefully rehearsed closing statement.
"Each person represents a unique vision for how we should shape our world and the non-magical world. Now, let me proceed with the final ceremony—the Walk of the Qilin."
A monk-robed figure carried the Qilin reverently up the steps and placed it on the ceremonial platform. The Qilin's image was projected worldwide through magical mirrors. In the Eastern Lands, an elder sitting in a grand chair smugly stroked his beard.
Just as planned, he thought.
As expected, under Grindelwald's subtle manipulation, the resurrected Qilin bowed deeply to him.
Vogel immediately stepped forward to host the ceremony with theatrical flair.
"The Qilin has seen benevolence and brilliance. It seems our new leader has been born—Grindelwald."
"Woo-hoo!" The acolytes below began cheering wildly, continuously shooting green fireworks into the sky that burst like poisonous flowers.
Grindelwald stepped forward with measured confidence, signalling the acolytes below to bring Jacob up—this couple would serve as perfect examples after his ascension to power.
Vinda Rosier pressed her wand against Jacob's back, sending him roughly to the high platform and taking away the snakewood wand from his trembling hand.
"This is the one who tried to assassinate me. This Muggle tried to unite with a witch, pollute our bloodline, create forbidden families, and reduce our numbers," Grindelwald proclaimed, his voice carrying across the assembled crowd.
He raised the snakewood wand high.
"He wants to steal our magic, make us weak like his kind. He is not an isolated case, my friends. There are tens of millions of Muggles thinking of doing the same thing. And we, against these vermin, will only employ one method."
Grindelwald threw the snakewood wand contemptuously to the ground and raised the Elder Wand with terrible purpose.
"Petrificus Totalus."
Miraculously, the wand on the ground automatically jumped up and produced a Shield Charm, deflecting the Petrification Spell in a shower of golden sparks.
"How is this possible?" Grindelwald said, narrowing his eyes dangerously.
"Crucio."
Grindelwald's powerful magic, amplified through the Deep Realm's enhancement, incinerated the snakewood wand on impact. But just as the spell was about to strike Jacob, hexagonal crystal barriers suddenly unfolded before him like blooming flowers.
"Who is it this time!" Grindelwald roared with fury.
Crack. At the cliff's edge, a dragon claw grabbed the stone wall railing with crushing force. A nimble figure flipped up with inhuman grace, crouching on the stone railing like a gargoyle. Strangely, no one could see his face clearly—it seemed to shift and blur.
"Oh, the stones on the way up were a bit hard to climb. I am not too late, am I?"
Dragon wings spread wide, dragon horns gleaming—the Prewett appearance was unmistakable. Aiden extended his claw and grasped the air, pulling Jacob towards him with invisible force.
"You Prewetts—"
"Screech!" Grindelwald's words were interrupted by a phoenix circling in the sky above, its cry echoing across the mountains. Nirvana ashes from the phoenix fell on his face like burning snow.
Credence walked out from the crowd with faltering steps, pointing an accusing finger at Grindelwald. "He is lying to you all."
Then he pointed at the Qilin with his other hand.
"This creature is already dead. It was resurrected and manipulated by Grindelwald using Dark Magic."
Credence walked towards the crowd, wanting to warn them, but his remaining life seemed insufficient to support this final act of defiance. Finally, he collapsed weakly to the ground, and Newt rushed up to support him, cradling the dying man in his arms.