Walking along the road back, Shane found Dalaran's winter nightscape nothing worth looking at. After eight o'clock, moisture filled the air, and the streets were shrouded in a veil-like mist. Even the magical lights had turned hazy. The temperature was low enough that the air Shane exhaled immediately froze into white vapor.
Several rats in the alley moved along with him. Antonidas truly knew everything. Had he known this would happen and warned Shane during dinner?
There was no point guessing now. After crossing two more streets, Violet Academy would be right ahead. It depended on when they chose to act. Once he entered the academy, they would have no more chances. Dalaran's resources were completely tilted toward the academy, turning it into an ivory tower. The outer walls had defensive magic, and no one could enter without a badge, much less launch an open attack.
Shane deliberately quickened his pace.
"Please wait, Mage Shane."
He turned around and saw the three half-elves he had taught a lesson. At that moment, two more people approached from behind. Shane was surrounded.
The two newcomers were an elf and a human. One of them had also been taught a lesson by him—the one whose mind had been utterly crushed in their mental clash.
"You..."
"We came for revenge," one of the half-elves said. Four of them had been taught a lesson, so revenge was expected. But what about the remaining one?
"I'm the helper they hired. I didn't want to come at first, but an important figure wanted Your Excellency to understand his power, so here I am," the newly arrived human said.
"So the four of them were merely cannon fodder you incited under the banner of revenge."
The human shrugged and said nothing.
Four fifth-rank mages and one sixth-rank mage.