Location: Behind the walls of the Royal Guild Tower.
Time: Midnight, Day 2.The thick fog rising from the river blanketed the capital, providing perfect cover. The team stood before the rear wall of the abandoned tower. The wall soared over thirty meters high, its surface perfectly smooth and coated with detection spells."The plan is simple," Lirion explained, pulling on leather gloves treated with mana-dampening agents. "Elara, you are responsible for distracting the rooftop guards with a mild thermal illusion. Garek and Rowan, you will guard the ground entrance and cut off any reinforcements. I will climb.""Alone?" Garek objected."My shadow will be with me," Lirion reassured him. "And if the climbing plan fails, you will be the escape route."Elara began her incantation. Three fiery phantom shapes appeared on the opposite roof, drawing the guards toward them.In that moment, Lirion began his ascent. He did not use flight magic (which was easy to detect), but rather the "Mana Claws" technique. He formed tiny circuits at the tips of his fingers and toes, creating precise surface adhesion without emitting any light.He climbed meter by meter. Every movement was calculated. His breathing was so slow it nearly stopped his heartbeat, avoiding heat sensors.When he reached a height of ten meters, his fingers felt a "prickle."[System Alert: Precise Detection Field two meters away.]Lirion froze in place, clinging to the wall like a spider. A flying guard passed very close, his magical lantern sweeping across the wall. If Lirion had moved even a single centimeter, the field would have detected him.Lirion activated the Stone's ability: "Aura Isolation."He felt as if his body had become empty of mana. The guard passed over him without glancing back, believing the wall to be empty.Lirion completed his ascent until he reached an abandoned upper balcony. A partially broken window served as the entrance.He slipped silently into the internal corridor.