since no one outside can help us, we’ll have to seek allies within the academy, – I continued for him. – Do you have any trusted students?
– Where from? – the spellcaster was surprised. – I’ve only been working here for a week. Have you forgotten?
Indeed. My thinking had slowed down. Still, we couldn’t do it alone; we needed more people. But who could we involve in the search for a powerful, destructive mage? Upperclassmen were out of the question; there was a high chance that one of them was behind this. The professors were similarly suspect. Maybe the freshmen? They’re clueless, of course, but in the absence of anything better…
– What if we ask Kazimir for help? – Altair Ivanovich suddenly suggested. – I’ve known him for many years; he’s a reliable man.
Kazimir Vseslavsky? That overhyped nonentity, only good for beating carpets with a staff? And how exactly could he help us?
– He’s not a very strong mage… – the spellcaster hesitated, seeing the outrage on my face. – In fact, he’s a very weak mage. But do we have a choice?
There really was no choice. Besides, Kazimir had influence among the students, which could be significant in our situation. Even a dozen mediocre mages from the senior classes would be a force to reckon with. But it was also worth involving the freshmen. There was no way out of the castle anyway, and my date was off, so why not get to know each other better? And provide some entertainment for the girl.
That was our decision. The dragon went to persuade the director, and I leisurely headed to the student dormitory. Asya was fortunately awake but unfortunately flatly refused to participate in any adventures without her brother. Well, Zheka could be useful too. In the decisive battle, he could distract the enemy with his green mohawk.
We decided to hold the first meeting of the operational headquarters for preventing the apocalypse in the same much-troubled spellcaster’s office, near the only intact table under the crown of the majestic oak.
– You’re probably wondering why we’ve all gathered here? – I began in a mysterious whisper. – A global-scale catastrophe is looming, and the culprit is here. In our academy. We’ve been sealed off from the outside world by the Veil of Despair – a powerful spell of the highest order. We can’t leave the castle walls to ask for help, so we must act ourselves.
– Uhh… – Zheka extended, not too meaningfully.
I didn’t expect anything else from him.
– What kind of catastrophe, and why exactly should we prevent it? – Asya asked suspiciously. – And who appointed you the leader?
A smart girl indeed. Maybe she’s really worth marrying?
– Simply because you are the only ones we trust. The matter is too serious to let anyone else know, – Kazimir unexpectedly intervened. – And you are the strongest students of the first year! I say this to you as the director of the academy.
Well done! He emphasized the importance of the moment, flattered them, played his position, and didn’t reveal any useful information! A professional! Too bad he’s only good at smooth talking. And he looks authoritative – a gray beard down to his belly, baldness, deep wrinkles all over his face… You wouldn’t guess the man’s barely in his thirties.
– Now we need to find someone who is behaving strangely. Skipping classes, not showing up in the dining hall, wandering at night, constantly writing or calculating something, – the spellcaster took over. – In short, we need a list of all suspicious persons. I will watch the fourth year, the director will oversee the teachers and fifth-year students, and you, my friends, will have to monitor the rest.
I would also use my magical vision to check everyone for illusion spells. However, Altair and I decided not to inform the director, Asya, and Zheka about all the details of the operation. At least, we chose not to talk about the nature of the impending ritual and the fact that I’m a Guardian and he’s a giant intelligent lizard. In short, we omitted the trivial details. Surprisingly, Kazimir didn’t know that his old friend was a dragon. But then, why be surprised if even I was fooled by the spellcaster’s disguise.
Chapter 3: Beyond Oneself
At dinner, the headmaster announced a glitch in the academy’s protective spells had us trapped inside. He vowed to fix it soon. And everyone believed him. I tell you, he’s a smooth talker!
During the weekend, our world-saving team collected intel on all castle dwellers. Students mingled, played cards, drank, partied, and drank some more. No one was hunkered down with books or calculations. Teachers too were quite normal, taking care of their affairs and resting after a workweek.
It seemed our plan had hit a snag, but then fortune stepped in. On Sunday night, Kazimir went to the kitchen for a drink and spotted a dark figure leaving the library. But in the dark, he couldn’t make out this mysterious book lover, and naturally, Kazimir failed to cast the night vision spell. Well, what to expect…
And we would have been clueless again, were it not for one small detail – all the library walls were adorned with mirrors. Few modern mages could explain their presence, but past wizards would have known instantly, even laughing at the ignorance.
Centuries ago, all books, especially magical ones, were extremely valuable. Naturally, they were guarded meticulously. But how to guard an entire library around the clock without extra expenses? Simply by hanging magical mirrors on the walls and integrating them into the castle’s defense system.
Soon, barrier charms, magical marks, and various copying spells emerged, making the mirror system obsolete, turning into an unusual decorative element. Everyone forgot about it, except the Guardians.
I wandered slowly through the reading hall, inspecting the ancient mirrors in their hefty gilded frames. I needed to find a special one – the control panel for the system.
Ancient mages were insightful, knowing knowledge could fade over time, so they always left hints. But what kind? Among so many identical mirrors, how to find the right one? What should make it stand out?
– Stop! I stopped at a dusty mirror. It looked no different from the others, but… something about it caught my attention. What exactly? It seemed ordinary, only the gold plating was better preserved. I cautiously scratched the frame and momentarily froze in surprise. This wasn’t gold plating! It was pure gold! Ah, those ancient, cunning mages!
But how to activate it? For access, a password, a code phrase was needed. How could mages pass it down through generations? How was it preserved in the annals of history? And then… I smiled at my own guess and stepped back to see my reflection better.
– Mirror, my light, speak and reveal all truth!
A fine ripple spread across the mirror’s surface, and soon, a pretty girl in a kokoshnik appeared in the reflection.
– Greetings from the voice assistant of the mirror defense system – Marfusha. How may I assist you? she said sweetly.
– I need to see who visited the library last night, I said, anticipating the capture of our elusive mage.
– That’s
