Chapter 132. The Suddenly Arriving Enemy
Duncan retreated with a pained expression, rubbing his ears, feeling as though his eardrums were about to be shattered by the piercing sound.
"Sorry, sorry, I got too excited."
Olivia's eyes swept up and down the boy in front of her, who was a head shorter than she was, her voice tinged with suspicion.
"Are you really called Duncan Scamander?"
"This name doesn't seem particularly special, does it?" Duncan shrugged.
"Why were you so shocked just now?"
Olivia shook her head slightly and muttered under her breath, "No, it's just that you're too young, which is a bit beyond my expectations."
"Oh? So you already knew about me?" Duncan focused on Olivia and asked.
Olivia nodded.
"Mr Scamander mentioned you to me before, and he told me to find you after you arrived.
But I didn't expect you to find me before I even received his message."
"Did my grandad leave me any information?" Duncan frowned, not fully convinced.
"Mr Scamander told me to find you and then take you to the forest at the edge of the town.
He said you have a way to deal with the crazed creatures inside."
Olivia recalled Newt's instructions with a solemn expression, making sure nothing was left out.
"At that time we're to leave by the path on the town's left side.
Mr Scamander said there are fewer people guarding that side, so it's relatively safer."
"Did he say when we should go into the forest?"
As Duncan spoke, the case in his hand opened a crack, and a Bowtruckle slipped out.
Having confirmed Olivia's identity, Pickett painstakingly clambered up onto Duncan's shoulder and whispered, "I've seen her before."
Duncan gave a slight nod, his wariness easing a little, and locked the case again.
But Pickett didn't seem inclined to go back inside.
Olivia's gaze brushed past Duncan's shoulder to the Bowtruckle licking its fingers.
"Let's stay here for a while first," she said.
"Mr Scamander will find a way to send us a message when the time comes.
We'll go then."
Duncan nodded and asked, "Are all those crazed creatures in the forest?
I don't seem to have found any sign of them in the town."
"Basically all of them are," Olivia replied.
"A while back, a few magical creatures did rush into town and run amok, but Mr Scamander used some method to drive them all out.
They haven't come back since."
"He probably scattered some kind of powder around the area..." Duncan muttered, then asked curiously, "By the way, how did you come to know my grandad?"
"He's my saviour," Olivia said with gratitude.
"When he came to this town, he happened to see me being hunted down by those bastards, and Mr Scamander stepped in and rescued me from those wizards."
"And..." Olivia's tone turned sorrowful.
"After he heard what had happened in the town, he didn't hesitate at all and decided to help me.
He wanted to rescue the townsfolk captured by those wizards as quickly as possible so they wouldn't be tormented any longer.
"It's just a pity his rescue plan failed at the last moment, and he himself fell into danger."
"So that's how it was..." Duncan murmured softly.
No wonder Newt had suddenly thrown caution aside and attacked the canyon base.
"If you need anything, just tell me," Olivia said.
"As long as it's possible, I'll do my best to help you."
"I might have to go out for a bit later," Duncan said.
He needed to ask Kray whether he had found any new leads.
"No problem," Olivia said.
"Tell me before you head out, and I'll go with you."
Then he looked into the distance and asked, "Do you only have one room here?"
Olivia raised a hand and pointed to the end of the corridor.
"There's another one up ahead, but there's nothing in it and it's very dirty.
Do you need me to clean it up for you?"
Duncan smiled.
"No need, I can manage."
Olivia arched an eyebrow.
Given that this boy was stronger than she was, cleaning would be a piece of cake for him, wouldn't it?
Duncan had taken only two steps in the direction Olivia indicated when the walls on both sides suddenly began to shake violently, and even the floor trembled.
A thunderous explosion boomed in the distance, the sound damped and deepened by the passageway, but it reached Duncan's ears clearly.
"What's going on?" Duncan stopped and looked back.
A blank look flashed across Olivia's face.
Thinking of something dreadful, tension rose in her eyes, and she spoke rapidly, "They've probably found out we're here.
They're attacking the ground above."
"Is my luck really that bad?
They've come knocking the moment I arrive?"
The thought flashed through Duncan's mind, and he hurriedly asked, "Is there another exit here?"
If the wizards blocked them in this narrow passage, it wouldn't be in their favour.
The Erumpent couldn't come out to help, and they would be forced to fight head-on.
Their strength might be a bit lacking.
One-on-one should be fine, but one against many would likely be dangerous.
"There's another exit over there!" Olivia said, striding forward at a run.
"Can't you Apparate?" Duncan kept pace beside her.
"No."
Olivia's tone carried a trace of embarrassment, then she added, "But even if I could, it wouldn't help.
This used to be the treasury of a certain family in our town, and Apparition can't be used here."
"All right." Duncan sighed helplessly.
"Mori, your turn to work."
"Got it!"
Bored of staying perched on Duncan, Mori answered with a cheer, slid to the ground, and became a fine stallion.
Duncan swung smoothly onto its back and, riding Mori, shot forward like lightning.
As he passed Olivia, he leaned down and reached out a hand.
"Quick, grab my hand and get on!"
"Ah? Right!"
Staring for a second at the suddenly appearing horse, Olivia came to her senses, seized Duncan's hand, and used the leverage to vault onto the horse's back.
"Duncan, hold tight—time to floor it!" Mori whooped in excitement.
Perched on Duncan's shoulder, the Bowtruckle blanched with fright.
With the wind howling past its ears, it clutched Duncan's collar in a panic, afraid of being blown off and accidentally trampled by Mori.
At the same time, an earth-shaking blast sounded above.
Dust billowed, and a large breach opened in the ceiling.
Several heads poked through, cautiously taking stock of the corridor below.
One of them shouted harshly, "That's her, no mistake!
Move it—this time we mustn't let her get away!"
"Yes!" several black-clad figures answered in unison.
They leapt from the hole one after another, slamming down into the corridor.
"They're here!"
Olivia's eyes flickered.
After a brief hesitation, she pulled something from her bosom, stuffed it into Duncan's hand, and said quickly, "At the first fork, turn left.
You'll see a statue—tug its tongue and a new exit will appear.
Protect this, and if you can, please save my little sister.
I'll hold them off!"
"No need!"
Duncan caught Olivia with one hand, and with the other he flicked his wand.
As the wizards charged forward with a shout, razor-bright stone spikes thrust up from the floor.
One man failed to dodge in time.
The spike punched straight through his body, lifting him toward the ceiling and pinning him fast above.
Seeing him writhing in pain and hearing his hoarse screams, the others jolted in shock and faltered for a beat.
In that instant, the passage ahead filled with criss-crossing spikes, leaving not a single gap for anyone to pass through.
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