Jake followed Nigel through a crowded New York street, staying right on his heels to ensure he didn't lose him.
"Hurry Long, this way." Nigel urged him.
"I don't get it, where are we going?" Jake asked him.
"I believe your sorcerer friend is in an abandoned warehouse in lower Manhattan. It isn't much farther, come along now." Nigel answered.
"I thought you said it was almost impossible for wizards to find each other." Jake recalled.
"I've told you a thousand times Long, I prefer the term sorcerer," Nigel corrected, "and It isn't impossible, it is just hard unless the other sorcerer is willing to be contacted by nearby sorcerers, which it turns out, this one was."
"So who is it?" Jake asked.
"I'm not sure," Nigel answered, "I wasn't able to collect a name, just a location. Whoever she is, she isn't very good at hiding, I suspect she is still a beginner who has not gotten very far in her training yet. On the downside, it is very likely she knows I traced her, so be on your toes, she'll be expecting us."
Nigel and Jake didn't say another word to each other for the majority of the rest of the way. As they started getting close to the warehouse, Jake finally broke the silence with another question.
"So, who all did you contact?" Jake asked.
"Just an assorted variety of your various allies." Nigel answered, "Plenty enough to give you reasonable chances in this fight. You'll see when we get there."
It wasn't much longer until they reached warehouse, and Jake saw the group of friends that had come to his aid. It wasn't what he was expecting. The only people there were Gramps, Fu, Haley and Sun, nowhere near the army he was expecting.
"Nigel," Jake said, "I thought you said you contacted a bunch of my allies."
"Sorry Long, but I'm not incredibly familiar with who your chaps are. I just sent out a message to all dragons in the area and figured that would do it." Nigel responded, "As I said before, I don't think we are going up against a master sorcerer, so you won't be needing an entire army. In fact I would wager I could take her by myself."
"Not a chance, she's made it personal, I plan on personally dishing out some Am Drag payback." Jake said.
Gramps got a concerned look on his face, "Jake, I have told you many times not to let your personal feelings get in the way of your dragon duties. Do not let your anger or your feelings for Rose cloud your judgment. Even the young snake can snatch unfocused mice. Do not let yourself become distracted."
"Listen to your grandfather's warning Jake," Sun added, "Remain calm, and keep a level head, you must be able to out think your opponent if you plan for victory."
"I'll keep that in mind," Jake muttered, "Now come on, we're wasting time."
Jake led the group to the door. As he approached it, he made an attempt to turn the nob, but found the door to be locked. He peeked through a small window on the door, and saw that not only was it locked, but it was also boarded shut. Jake surveyed the building and noticed all of the windows were boarded over as well.
Sun started to speak, "This must not be the way in, let's start looking around for another..."
Before she could finish her idea, Jake dragoned up and quickly bashed the door off its hinges, sending a couple of wood splinters from the door frame flying in the process. He turned back to his human form and took a couple of steps in.
As he looked around, he saw the warehouse was dark, and dusty. It didn't look like anyone had been in there in years.
Jake turned to Nigel, "Are you sure this is the place?"
"Certain." Nigel answered, "There must be some secret in here somewhere. Best have a look around."
The group split up and started searching the warehouse. Other than a few old boxes, there didn't appear to be much too it, however it was big, and the chances of there being a secret somewhere were great
"I don't think there is anything here." Haley said, "It seems to be just an old warehouse."
"Keep looking." Jake replied, "There has to be something here."
Jake wasn't going to give up easy, he just found his first lead to finding this mysterious wizard, it wasn't a very solid lead, but it was still the most he's come up with all week.
Jake walked along the wall, feeling it for any secret panels that may be hiding there. Jake slowly took one step after another, when he heard one step that sounded different from the rest. He took another, and received the same sound. As he took another, it sounded like the rest of the steps. He took a couple of steps back, and listened to the 2. They sounded... hollow.
"Hey! I think I found something," Jake called out.
As the group gathered around, he walked back over the area so they could hear the difference in the sounds.
Nigel pulled out his wand, "Allow me," he said, as he started into a spell, "Secrets hidden no more, reveal the floor."
To the surprise of everyone, nothing happened.
Nigel raised his wand again, "Secrets hidden no more, reveal the floor."
This time the section of the floor Jake had been walking across started caving in on itself, section by section, eventually forming a spiral staircase that led down below the warehouse.
"After you then." Nigel said, rather pleased with himself for successfully performing the spell.
The group walked down the staircase, going further and further below the warehouse. At the bottom, they entered into a large, empty room with candles lit along the walls. The room had a very high ceiling, and no windows or doors. The room was a perfect square, being 50 yards long and 50 yards wide, and it was made entirely of stone. As the group walked to the center of the room, they all received a bad feeling.
Haley looked around, "I don't want to point out the obvious, but I think we just walked right into a..."
Before she could finish, a large stone barricade identical to the wall slid down in front of the door they just entered from, sealing it shut.
"A trap." Jake finished, as the group took up a defensive stance in the shape of a circle.
The location where the door was could no longer be seen, it was just a large, stone wall identical to the other 3. As the group carefully examined the room, all of the candles that were providing light went out simultaneously. They came back on in perfect synchronization a moment later to reveal the room was now full of ogres. At the far end of the room, stood a wizard with long, dark hair.
Jake froze in terror, his heart skipped a beat, and he lost all his breath when he saw who it was.
