Chapter 143: 143: Ligeitoli's Motive

"I Got Caught..." Ligeitoli pouted, looking utterly aggrieved. Meanwhile, Nolan mocked her mercilessly. "See? This is why I call you a half-blood elf—because you'll never learn the vigilance of a true forest elf. You'll never be a real ranger." Ligeitoli looked even more miserable, but she didn't dare talk back to Nolan in front of High Priestess Lúthfa. Instead, she gritted her teeth and continued her story. The person who had caught her was a young wizard. But he wasn't alone—he had a wizarding attendant as well. The attendant was an old man, likely in his fifties or sixties. Together, they disarmed her, confiscating her bow before tying her up. "I thought elves despised swamps." The young wizard had mused. Ligeitoli, despite being bound, had glared at him defiantly. "This swamp is destroying our homeland! I refuse to let that happen! I came here to find a way to stop this dark magic! You need to let me go!" She had always been like this—loud and brash, never knowing when to shut up. But the young wizard had merely studied her with interest. "There is a reason your homeland is decaying," he said. "Do you know who that wizard is?" He gestured toward the young man lying there—the one whose status between life and death was unclear. Then, in a hushed voice, he said, "That is the legendary wizard, Merlin." Ligeitoli was stunned. "That's impossible! He died a thousand years ago! No wizard could live that long!" Her shock completely overrode any thought of struggling against her restraints. She fired off questions one after another. The young wizard, however, remained composed. "There are many ways for a wizard to extend their lifespan. Drinking vampire blood, consuming pure magical elixirs, mastering alchemy to create a Philosopher's Stone... and then there's the most ancient method of all—sealing oneself in time." He glanced at Merlin, his gaze meaningful. Ligeitoli didn't know whether to believe him, but there was something about this young wizard... His words carried an undeniable sense of conviction. She hesitated, then asked, "So which method did he use?" The wizard's expression darkened. "He used a powerful spell—one that sealed time and space itself. Everything in this swamp is trapped in that spell." Then, he revealed a chilling truth: "A thousand years ago, this wasn't a swamp—it was the Elven Lake." "The waters were pure, overflowing with magic. But the sealing spell has been draining that magic for centuries. Eventually, the lake lost its clarity, turning murky... and then, it rotted. Life became death. Prosperity turned to decay. I wouldn't be surprised if the elves who once lived in that lake have transformed into something monstrous by now." A cold dread crept over Ligeitoli. "So the spell is still draining magic. And now that the lake's magic is gone, it's feeding on the forest instead?" The young wizard nodded. "That's exactly right." Ligeitoli's hands trembled. How could she possibly fight against a magic this vast, this ancient? —--- "I have to break this spell!" she cried. "The elves have lived here longer than you wizards! This is our land—you have no right to keep taking from it!" To her surprise, the wizard laughed softly. "Actually, I agree with you." He spread his hands, his tone wry. "For generations, my family has had only one mission: to undo this seal. But even after all these years, we've accomplished nothing." Ligeitoli felt a wave of despair crash over her. Did that mean this magic was truly unbreakable? "Merlin cannot be killed," the wizard continued. "Any creature that bears hostility toward him will be attacked by the ancient magic that guards him. He is protected by countless spirits of the dead—beings far stronger than you, stronger than anyone. Even if the entire elven race fought together, they wouldn't be able to harm him." Ligeitoli's breath hitched. "Is there no way at all?" "There is." The wizard's gaze was sharp as he spoke his next words. "Wake Merlin up." Ligeitoli's stomach dropped. "What?!" The wizard nodded. "There is only one thing that can awaken him—the Philosopher's Stone." Ligeitoli's voice was nearly a whisper. "Why?" "The Philosopher's Stone possesses the power of 'infinity.' There's a legend that it can turn metal into gold, but I don't care whether that part is true. What matters is this: the stone can grant unlimited life. And that..." His gaze flickered toward Merlin. "...is the only thing capable of neutralizing an eternal seal." Ligeitoli felt a chill seep into her bones. This wasn't magic. This was alchemy. The wizard's expression turned grim. "For the past ten years, I've been searching for the Philosopher's Stone." "I know where it is." "It belongs to Nicolas Flamel." Ligeitoli gasped. Nicolas Flamel?! The legendary alchemist...! The wizard's voice lowered. "But Nicolas Flamel is no easy target. He knows how to hide. He knows how to keep himself beyond the reach of Dark Wizards." Then, his lips curved into a knowing smirk. "That cunning old Frenchman." Ligeitoli hesitated for a moment before finally confessing—she had traveled with that young wizard for an entire year, searching for the whereabouts of the Philosopher's Stone. —--- A year into their search, they heard a terrifying rumor—the Philosopher's Stone was about to fall into the hands of Albus Dumbledore. Determined to claim it first, they rushed to intercept him. But that time... They ran straight into Nolan Von Draugr. —--- The battle was over in seconds. Nolan crushed all three of them. And in the end, the old wizarding attendant, the one who had followed the young wizard for years, died a gruesome death—his body pierced by countless arrows, blood streaming from his seven orifices. Ligeitoli had never been so terrified in her life. —--- After that, she lingered outside the Forbidden Forest near Hogwarts, waiting for another opportunity. Under the cover of night, she snuck into the castle multiple times, searching for the stone. The young wizard had given her a magical compass, enchanted to detect powerful artifacts. Finally, on Christmas night, she found it—inside a chamber lined with mirrors. She could see the stone inside the reflections... but she couldn't reach it. No matter what she tried, it remained out of her grasp. Defeated, she slipped back into the Forbidden Forest, hoping to find another way. But not long after— Nolan and Dumbledore caught her. —--- "So, who is this mysterious little trickster?" Nolan asked, his voice edged with suspicion. "How do you know he wasn't lying to you?" His crimson eyes narrowed. "Every wizard in the world is obsessed with the Philosopher's Stone. It represents limitless wealth and immortality. Elves don't need it, but wizards? Wizards crave it more than anything." Ligeitoli fell silent. She was terrified. What if... What if that wizard had been lying to her all along? If that was the case, then Nolan would hate her for wasting his time. And worse—he would hate her for leading him into a trap. She couldn't bear the thought. She... didn't want Nolan to hate her. —--- "In fact, we can be certain—he was lying." Nolan's voice was cold as ice. He never had patience for fools, and right now, he found Ligeitoli's blind faith to be utterly ridiculous. "If he was really searching for a way to break Merlin's spell, then why did he sneak onto my ship and try to steal the Philosopher's Stone?" His tone sharpened. "That doesn't make sense." "The Stone in my hands is useless to him." "The only reason he wanted it... was because it had to be in his hands to fulfill his plans." —--- High Priestess Lúthfa fell deep into thought, then finally spoke. "It doesn't matter whether the story is true or false—we still have to try." She looked at Nolan and continued, "I know that swamp. It is deep, but not far. We'll need a team of rangers to handle whatever dangers we may face." "We'll also need an alchemy master... and, of course, the Philosopher's Stone." She turned to Nolan. "What do you think, Prince Draugr?" A cold smirk tugged at Nolan's lips. He reached into his pocket— And pulled out the glowing, blood-red Philosopher's Stone. "I like this plan," he said smoothly. Then, his gaze turned sharp as he met Lúthfa's eyes. "Now—let's talk terms." ~~~---------------------- Patreon Advance Chapters: patreon .com / HPdreame