Chapter 33: A New Threat with Audiobook

By: Asa Montreaux

The Andrews School was buzzing with activity, as students adjusted to their return to regular classes after their intense brush with danger. Yet, underneath the surface of daily life, a creeping unease lingered. The tension in the air was palpable, with whispered conversations in hallways and anxious glances exchanged during classes. Despite their best efforts to focus on their studies and magical training, the events of the past few weeks had left an indelible mark on Hugh and his friends.

Hugh sat at a round table in the school's sprawling library, surrounded by piles of ancient magical texts, their pages yellowed and fragile. Eliza sat across from him, reading up on defensive magic, while Mish, Fiona, and Sam were buried in their own research. They had all grown quieter, more focused in recent days. There was a sense that the normal routine of the school—classes, spells, exams—was merely a distraction from the larger, more dangerous game at play.

"You feel it too, right?" Eliza asked softly, her eyes not leaving the page.

Hugh nodded. "Yeah. It’s like we’re waiting for something to happen. Something worse."

Sam, flipping through a book of advanced hexes, chimed in, "And it will. You don’t think The Crimson Dawn’s just going to give up after failing to steal that artifact, do you?"

"They won’t stop until they have it," Mish added, a frown creasing her forehead. "But it’s more than that. I think they’re after something bigger—like they’re trying to cripple the whole world of magic."

Hugh glanced at the others, feeling the weight of those words. Macomb’s cryptic warnings still echoed in his mind, but there had been no updates on The Crimson Dawn since their last confrontation. The world outside the school seemed eerily quiet, and that quiet only made Hugh more nervous. 

Later that day, after a grueling practical magic session, Agent Macomb reappeared. This time, he didn’t summon them to his office. Instead, he found them in the middle of their afternoon training, his expression unusually grim.

"You’ll want to hear this," he said, leading them away from the training grounds to a secluded alcove.

They followed him in silence, each of them sensing that whatever news he was about to deliver wasn’t good.

Macomb folded his arms, his dark eyes scanning their faces. "The Crimson Dawn has made another move. This time, they’ve stolen something... different."

"What is it?" Hugh asked, his stomach tightening.

"Airplane guidance devices," Macomb said, his voice low. "They’ve hacked into several major corporations that manufacture the navigation systems for airplanes—systems that keep planes on course."

A heavy silence fell over the group.

"Wait," Fiona said, shaking her head in disbelief. "What would a terrorist group want with that? I thought they were after magical artifacts?"

"They are," Macomb replied, his face hardening. "But they’re not limited to the magical world. The Crimson Dawn has always operated on two fronts—one in our world, and one in the mundane. By controlling modern technology, they can exert influence in ways we didn’t expect."

Hugh clenched his fists. "So, they could... take control of planes?"

"Yes," Macomb confirmed. "But there’s more. They’ve already used these stolen devices to tamper with key flight paths in several regions. At first, it seemed like minor glitches. But we’ve since uncovered something far more sinister."

Mish’s voice was tight with apprehension. "What are they planning?"

Macomb met her gaze, his expression somber. "We’ve recently received intelligence suggesting that The Crimson Dawn is preparing to hack into the guidance control centers. If they succeed, they’ll have the ability to control the direction of any plane they choose."

Sam’s eyes widened. "They could crash planes... or divert them to wherever they want."

"It’s worse than that," Macomb said. "With full control over the guidance systems, they could turn passenger planes into weapons. Imagine the chaos they could cause—planes disappearing, crashes happening all over the world. The disruption would be catastrophic."

A cold wave of fear swept over Hugh. The implications were horrifying. "So what’s the plan? What can we do?"

Macomb took a deep breath. "That’s what we’re working on. There are already teams trying to prevent The Crimson Dawn from fully taking control. But they’ve gotten smarter—more subtle. We’ve lost track of where they’re operating from. Every time we think we’re getting close, they vanish."

"Why hasn’t this hit the news?" Eliza asked, a sharp edge to her voice. "If it’s that serious—"

"Because the panic it would cause is unimaginable," Macomb cut her off. "Right now, the governments involved are trying to keep this under wraps. They don’t want widespread fear. But we don’t have much time."

Hugh felt a surge of anger and frustration. The Crimson Dawn was playing a dangerous game, and every step they took seemed to be leading closer to disaster. His mind raced with the possibilities, each more horrifying than the last. How were they supposed to fight back against something so invisible, so far-reaching?

Macomb’s phone buzzed, and he glanced at the screen. His expression darkened even further. 

"What now?" Sam asked, his voice tense.

Macomb pocketed the phone, his jaw set. "They’ve hacked the guidance control centers. The window to stop them is closing fast."

The words hung in the air, thick with impending doom.

"Now, it’s a race against time," Macomb added. "We need to find them—and fast."

The group stared at each other, the weight of the situation settling in. The stakes had just gotten much higher, and the battle that lay ahead felt more dangerous than ever before.