11 Chapter Eleven

"My memories, sir. They're becoming....painful." I told him. "What's causing the pain?"

"What did you remember right before you started feeling the pain?" The teacher asked.

"I saw two dragons. They had riders and they were fighting some kind of dark swarm of who knows what," I told him freezing him in his actions. He looked like he was in really deep thought and his face had a hint of worry.

"That's it. Nothing further, that's when the pain started," he looked at me as if he was expecting something more. Like I had only scratched the surface of the pain I was going to feel. The man started pacing around the classroom brushing his hand through his pitch-black mop of hair in frustration. "This wasn't supposed to happen like this."

"What do you mean, sir? I thought you said that I was going to have a painful memory."

"Yes, I did. But so far have you haven't seen anything that's supposed to be painful in your memories. Your bond with old white is a little too strong," he said mumbling the last part to himself. "The painful part hasn't come yet. It's too risky now. I have to take you somewhere to have this taken care of once and for all. Otherwise, we won't have a Siege to save Armensia," he put the papers he was working on in his desk. "Do you still remember the spell that gets you to Armensia?

'No. Oh! Wait I do remember it,' It never occurred to me that I could do whatever I remember. "Yes, I still remember it."

"Okay, open it. Take my hand and I'll guide you through the portal to the location we are going," he said offering his hand.

I focused on the magic within me as I tore the barrier separating the two worlds. Moving my hand in a circular motion until a prominent portal appeared in front of me.

"Beautiful," Mr Bergstrom mused as he looked at the white pool swirling with magic that acted as a doorway between the two worlds. "Did you know that only the Siege and some other rare beings produce a purely white portal," he said matter-of-factually.

He then grabbed my hand and we went through. I remembered the last time I went through this it was a short confusing trip that happened all in a haze. Bergstrom was in no hurry at all. He stopped us right as we had just jumped in. The rush of magic that I felt all around us in the portal was amazing. As I had noticed, the portal didn't have the rushing force that Ciara's had.

"I see you are full of questions right now," he says smirking. "Well here is the explanation. I myself can open a portal, but mine is more of knowing where you're going before you jump into it. And where we are going requires one to stop in midland and find a special passageway. And that's the shortest route there. But enough, for now, let's go."

He finished and started walking. Ahead there was an opening just like the one we came through, but as we reached it, Mr Bergstrom took a detour and believe me, I trust the guy, but what he did next was a bit difficult to follow through. This place looked like a tunnel of whirling magic. It was quite mesmerizing that we weren't spinning. And Mr Bergstrom just went straight through the side of the wall pulling me to follow him.

In an instant, we were in a different place, but this one was like an ordinary dark creepy cave. The only light was the one from the shimmering magic tunnel we just went through which now look like a waterfall. The whole thing was just mind-blowing. I followed Mr Bergstrom deeper into the cave until we came upon a real waterfall. I'm mind blown.

"What's this? Some kind of game. Which of the two is the entrance into the cave?" I asked Mr Bergstrom quite confused about the whole thing.

"Well, it depends on the way you see it. Some want to think of this as the entrance and others the other magical waterfall. But the thing is that they're both magical. They are protective measures against evil. Only a few people can enter here," he confirmed.

We went through the waterfall and just like the other tunnel, this one is made of whirling water and just like Ciara's portal everything started swirling and in an instant without giving us time to walk around we landed on the cold stone floor of a dimly lit cave. I got up dusting myself and completely dry. 'I love magic.'

The cave we were in was illuminated by a single orb of white light at the centre of the roof of the cave right above a somewhat big pond with crystal clear waters. At the far right was a white phoenix bird that I only knew to be a myth. It was beautiful with beautiful white plumage and a sharp beak and talons. As if on cue, the great bird turned to face us. "Professor Bergstrom, is it now?" a calm majestic voice resonated through the whole cave.

The bird took flight right below the white orb and faced us. "To what do I owe this unexpected visit," the majestic voice came again, but this time it was clear that it was from the bird. Something about it just made me feel safe.

"Master Zaraias, the Siege is in trouble. I ask you to help him. He may not survive it this time. He hasn't even remember what it is yet and the pain is already coming at him." he said bowing slightly.

The phoenix swooped in and in a shower of light, it took the form of a middle-aged man in a white cloak. "You know, Professor. I was capable of helping him the first time."

"With all due respect master. I've worked with the artras before. I know how difficult their alpha can be. Especially if she's drawn to the Siege despite Tobias. This was the only way."

"Put him in the pool and let him float, I'll take care of the rest," Zaraias said.

"Aahh. I can't particularly float in water," I stuttered remembering how terrible I was in my swim lessons.

"Oh don't worry this is pond is magic. You could put a dozing goofball there and he would still be sleeping thinking it's a bed," Bergstrom said.

Bergstrom led me to the pool and told me to lay flat. I relaxed and let my body float in the water as a huge wave of sleep took over me and my consciousness was warped into the past to the day when my fateful memory was erased.

The man that I now assumed was Zaraias reverted to his white phoenix form, took flight and started hovering above me. With each wingbeat, magic flowed off the feathers and landed on the water around me sending me deeper into a slumber and paralyzing me at the same time. It was like watching a movie while remembering it at the same time and the whole time Zaraias used his magic to dampen the pain I was supposed to be feeling but there was still a slight nagging that let me know how much pain I was supposed to be feeling.

....

"Kevin. Maybe we should just leave this guy alone," Kendall asked timidly.

"No. He said he'd explain everything," Ciara had been ignoring me that day and I had done my best to give her the space. We reached the old guy and I noticed he kept looking at Ciara. I looked back and forth between 1 them and it was like they had met before. I had to be imagining things.

"Don't give up on him yet," the guy said while seeking her eyes.

"All he has done is shut me out the whole time. Someone like that will only cause trouble instead of peace among the artras," she snapped at the old man.

"Uh, Ciara what are you talking about?" Isaac asked backing away from her a few steps.

"I think it's time I explained everything. Follow me," the guy said, "oh and my name is Dan by the way."

We had followed Dan into a car after some convincing of course and he had driven off towards a direction we all knew was owned by rich families who kept to themselves.

He led us to a big mansion deep within the estates the rich guys had stuck themselves in. Most people rarely saw them. We reached the gate and it opened automatically as though we were expected. He led us through the compound after parking. We passed by a fountain on the way to the main door. The place was mesmerizing or at least that's what everyone else thought. Ciara on the other hand still looked grumpy and bored and she kept her head down the whole time. If I was to guess I would say she lived here but that just sounded crazy.

When we reached the main door, Dan turned to Ciara expectantly. "Didn't he give you a key?" she asked bored still.

"Well. I was coming with you so it was pointless to have two." Dan replied.

We all looked back at her in surprise and watched as she fished a key from her pockets and opened the huge door in front of us. "Hey, guys. Welcome to my place," she said bored and was about to start a tour when Dave interjected.

"Tour later. Let's get to the library. There are books I have to show you there that will explain everything.

....