They parked far from the park, continuing on foot. Guns with silencers in hand.
Andrea made them stop before they reached the center.
"I see strong magic radiating among the trees ahead."
Lu Shen was handed the binoculars and moved forward until he was able to see through the vegetation.
Seven men were in the clearing where the statue of the goddess Nike once stood. The sculpture was no longer there and the pedestal had been transformed into an altar. On top of it, Zeyang was lying.
Lu Shen held his breath then saw him move and closed his eyes in gratitude. He was alive.
Under the stone there was the Bowl. Observing it, he saw that it was full of a dark liquid. Lifting his gaze, he saw Zeyang's bloodied wrist. He clenched his teeth and his knuckles turned white. He forced himself to continue studying the situation before acting. He saw the Rune Cube immersed in the blood.
He slowly went back and explained to them what he had seen. "I need to reach the Cube to break the spell."
"We'll cover you," Lombardi said.
"They won't be able to use magic either," said the wizard. "But I don't know if they have any protection."
"We'll find out," said the captain. "In any case we have additional resources," and as he spoke his hand transformed, showing a paw armed with sharp claws.
Lu Shen asked for a knife: since the spell had required blood for its activation, more would be needed to break it. Liam handed him a small but sufficiently sharp one, then they set in motion.
---
When they were closer, Andrea made them stop. "I see a kind of veil."
Lu Shen nodded. "I fear firearms won't be able to pass through it, we have to move to plan B."
Lombardi nodded. He moved away followed by Matt and shortly after a wolf and a puma returned.
Lu Shen tightened his grip on the knife and moved away in order to get as close as possible to Zeyang and the Cube.
When he was in position, he stopped and waited. His gaze fixed on the detective, every muscle tense.
The wolf and the puma approached silently, then, with a leap, attacked two of the men.
They screamed in surprise and pain, while the others approached with sticks picked up from the ground and tried to strike them. The two beasts, however, moved away and attacked again.
In the confusion that had been created, Lu Shen managed to get closer and cut the ropes on one of Zeyang's wrists.
He saw him open his eyes wide in surprise, then he freed the other arm while the wizard released his ankles.
"Hey!"
One of the men noticed them but was knocked down by the wolf.
In the meantime Andrea and Liam had also joined the fight.
Zeyang got down from the altar, but his legs did not hold.
Lu Shen caught him and pulled him to himself. For a moment he embraced him, closing his eyes at the warmth of his living body against his own, then led him with him to where the Cube was.
He made him sit down and took the knife.
Zeyang's hand, however, stopped him before he cut himself.
He placed a hand over his. "Trust me," he told him.
Zeyang's eyes looked at him for seconds that seemed endless, then he withdrew his hand.
Lu Shen smiled at him, then cut himself, dipped his fingers into his own blood and ran them over the runes carved on the Cube.
The artifact trembled and warmed in his hand, then he directed his magic into the fingers that were tracing the runes with blood.
He continued, feeling the Cube's magic quiver, until it burst outward.
Its force hit them like a gigantic shockwave, knocking them all to the ground stunned.
Lu Shen straightened up with difficulty then summoned to himself every residue of magic he still had in his body and destroyed the Cube and, with it, he hoped, the spell.
Trembling, he got back to his feet and placed an arm under Zeyang's shoulder, holding him close.
A man was coming toward them with a gun in his hand. The wizard swept the air with his free arm and the man staggered as if pushed by someone.
Lu Shen's breath was short and hurried, his entire body trembling to withstand the effort of remaining standing and walking while supporting Zeyang.
Then the detective placed himself in front of him and they both fell to the ground when a shot was heard.
Lu Shen took him in his arms and saw blood gushing from his shoulder. His eyes widened, unable to utter a word. He placed his hand trying to stop the blood.
Zeyang smiled at him, reached out a hand to caress his face, then his body became heavy in his arms.
With a scream Lu Shen made his magic explode and the wizards were thrown far away.
He stood up holding Zeyang in his arms and headed toward the cars.
Liam reached him. "Shall I carry him?"
Lu Shen stubbornly shook his head.
Once at the car, he got in the back with his precious burden while Liam took the driver's seat.