CHAPTER 22
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CHAPTER 22
In this dream, Elmi's surroundings seemed alien and surreal. The shifting landscape beneath his feet created an unsettling sensation. He could hear faint, eerie whispers in a language he couldn't understand, adding to the foreboding atmosphere.
The strange and nightmarish creatures lurking in the shadows darted in and out of his vision. They had grotesque and distorted forms, with sharp claws, multiple limbs, and eyes that gleamed with an unsettling, ethereal light. These creatures seemed to move with otherworldly grace as if they were part of the very fabric of this nightmarish realm.
As he ventured further into this nightmarish landscape, he felt an ever-present darkness closing in around him. The air was heavy with a sense of malevolence, and the weight of the oppressive atmosphere bore down upon him, making each step he took feel like a herculean effort.
Elmi sensed that he was not alone in this eerie place, and he had the distinct feeling that he was being watched by an unseen force. The fear and fascination he felt were intertwined, creating a surreal and unsettling experience.
In the midst of this strange dream, Elmi couldn't help but wonder if there was a deeper meaning or purpose behind his presence in this nightmarish realm. The dream left him with a lingering sense of curiosity and a desire to uncover the secrets hidden within this dark.
Suddenly, a colossal figure, a nightmarish fusion of various animals, emerged from the shadows. This creature possessed an overwhelming and unrelenting aura of raw, primal power. As the monstrous entity loomed over him in the dream, Elmi could hear a whisper in his mind, a voice that revealed the creature's name: "The Lore of Beasts." It was a form of ancient magic, an enigmatic force that held dominion over the creatures of the world.
When the gentle morning light touched his eyes, Elmi was startled and awoke from his dream. He was drenched in cold sweat, and the lingering presence of the Lore of Beasts and the mysteries it held continued to gnaw at the edges of his consciousness, leaving him with a sense of both trepidation and an insatiable desire to delve deeper into the world of magic.
...
On a sunny morning, Elmi eagerly ventured into the woods to practice his newly acquired spells. His desire to explore the full potential of his magical abilities was insatiable. As he roamed through the serene forest, he spotted a small, innocent bunny nibbling on a patch of grass. Elmi couldn't resist the urge to try out his magic. With a focused and determined expression, he extended his hand toward the bunny and cast the incantation.
"Oculus Corvi."
The spell invoked two small, magical crows. These spectral birds immediately set upon the bunny, attacking its eyes and causing it to go temporarily blind. The poor rabbit panicked, attempting to flee but stumbling into obstacles in its disoriented state.
Elmi observed the effects of his spell with a mixture of fascination and responsibility. He had harnessed an intriguing power, and he was determined to master it.
"Tempestus Spectralis." With an incantation and a focused mind, he summoned three wailing spectral skulls, accompanied by gusts of strong winds. These eerie manifestations swiftly moved across the forest floor, targeting the unfortunate rabbit. In a matter of moments, the spectral skulls crashed into the small creature, bringing about its swift demise.
Elmi used the rabbit to bait a better target, but he could hear the disapproving grumblings of Thalassa since he was killing animals for practice, but he knew if he was truly in danger, she would save him.
As the wolf approached the bleeding rabbit carcass, Elmi stood on top of a tree. As the wolf drew nearer, Elmi prepared to unveil another spell from his growing repertoire. He chanted the incantation,
"Glaesum Lancia," and with his magical ability and the knowledge bestowed upon him by the Lore of Beasts, he conjured a magnificent, glowing amber spear floating on top of his palm. The spear shimmered with an otherworldly light, and Elmi aimed it with precision and accuracy.
With a determined flick of his fingers,
he hurled the amber spear toward the approaching wolf. The impact of the spear struck the beast, causing a moderate level of physical damage. But it wasn't just the physical injury that affected the wolf. Upon striking the creature, the amber spear released a blinding burst of light, bathing the immediate area in its intense radiance.
The wolf howled in pain and shock as it was temporarily blinded by the overwhelming light. Disoriented and bleeding, it thrashed about in an attempt to escape the unexpected assault.
Elmi's magical onslaught continued as he summoned forth the final spell from the Lore of the Beasts, "Aquila Apparitio." From the palm of his hand, a crested serpent eagle materialized, its beautiful form springing into existence.
the eagle wasted no time in attacking the disoriented and blinded wolf.
The eagle's sharp talons struck with precision, clawing at the wolf's eyes and delivering agonizing wounds to the beast's head. The wolf, already suffering from Elmi's earlier spells, howled in torment as the relentless eagle continued its assault.
Had the wolf not been blinded and disoriented, it might have put up a more formidable defense. But the debilitating effects of Elmi's previous magic had left it vulnerable to the eagle's onslaught. The small yet fierce creature, the crested serpent eagle, was 40 cm in height and 120 cm in wing span, which was the smallest eagle species. He would like to cast more of this spell, but he could only activate one eagle at a time; as long as this one existed, he couldn't cast the spell again. If the eagle was not killed, it would continue to exist for around 6 hours.
Recognizing the suffering of the animal, Elmi knew it was time to end its torment. He cast another "Glaesum Lancia" spell, and the amber spear swiftly found its mark, delivering a swift end to the wounded wolf.
...
Elizabeth at first did want to get involved between the two groups, but with Elmi's incessant pressures, she couldn't refuse him. She would explain to him that there were bad people who sided with an evil wizard, and the words Elmi said she would never forget,
"Mum, we cannot bury our heads in the sand just because it will make us feel safe. One way or another, they will come for us. Did I go to a muggle school just for show, or do we really believe muggles have the same rights as us?"
After this talk, Elizabeth was a bit ashamed that she had decided to take no sides. At the time, her ten-year-old child had more courage than her.
...
Diagon Alley bustled with witches and wizards as Harry and Elmi strolled through the cobblestone streets. The quaint shops, each with its unique charm, offered a wide array of magical supplies and curiosities. Elmi had already acquired his wand years ago, so now it was Harry's turn to enter Ollivanders, the famous wand shop. Its dark and narrow interior felt like stepping into an old library filled with secrets. Thousands of dusty wand boxes lined the shelves, reaching up to the ceiling.
As they approached the counter, a wizened, silver-haired wizard with a tape measure around his neck appeared. Mr. Ollivander began to assess Harry's potential wand. Elmi watched with anticipation as Ollivander selected a few wands and handed them to Harry. Each wand was different, and Harry swished, flicked, and waved them as instructed.
"Perhaps... this one?" Ollivander suggested as Harry held a sleek wand with a phoenix feather core.
A burst of magical energy erupted from the wand, causing the shelves to rattle and a few wand boxes to topple. Startled, Harry and Elmi exchanged glances, while Mr. Ollivander observed with keen interest.
"Curious, very curious," Ollivander mused, taking the wand back. "Not the wand for you, it seems."
This process continued for a while, with several wands proving incompatible with Harry. Dust swirled around them as Harry tried wand after wand. Finally, Ollivander handed him a seemingly unremarkable wand with a phoenix feather core and said,
"I wonder..."
The moment Harry grasped it, a warm, golden light filled the shop, and a sense of belonging washed over him. The wand hummed as if it had found its rightful owner.
"Ah, yes, eleven inches, holly, and phoenix feather. This phoenix gave one more feather." He approached Harry, pointed at his scar, and continued,
"... and its sister wand was the one that gave you this scar," Ollivander said, his pale eyes twinkling. "Very curious indeed. A perfect match, I dare say."
As they got out of the shop, they came across a group of students from Hogwarts, and at the forefront stood Draco Malfoy, a sleek and smirking figure. Elmi and Harry couldn't help but overhear snippets of their conversation.
"Father insisted on purchasing wands from Ollivanders, but honestly, the shop is so outdated," Draco was saying. He shrugged his shoulders and continued, "But Father says a Malfoy should always shop from the most established place."
He turned towards a redheaded boy and shouted,
"Weasly, can you even afford to buy yourself a wand, or are you going to buy a second-hand one?"
You could see Ron was fuming with anger, but before he could say anything, his mother pulled him, and they continued their shopping. Elmi always found this a bit curious. How could such a long-established wizarding family be so poor? They should at least be able to buy themselves new wands.