The air has changed in Durmstrang. Not just the air but the mood. Outside rain was falling almost daily now, and leaves started to fall from their trees. It's fall.
The changed of season didn't bring much new other than that people were talking about Halloween. the mood was nice, common rooms were decorated with pumpkins and spiderwebs. It felt quiet cozy.
Inside the charms classroom. Linus was sitting and listening to the teacher talking about the Levitation spell, the spell wasn't hard. But that was easy said for someone who used ancient magic to do whatever he wanted. Sigrun and Nikolai who sat beside him had troubles with it.
"Wingardium Leviosa" said Sigrun as she waved her wand over the black feather on her desk. She had patience atleast. Nikolai had already broken the feather 3 times because he got angry.
I waved my finger over the wand, and it started floating. I made it do loops in the air, and made it float down onto the head of Nikolai just to piss him off more.
The professor, Elara Holm looked at me but didn't say much.
Sigrun finally managed to get the feather to float, she looked at me.
"Good work." I patted her head and she blushed.
The class ended shortly after that. Linus had since coming out of the infirmary, trained on the ancient runes. He wanted to be able to make the minions like in the duel with Elisa. But stronger ones. The ones in the duel were far to easy, and got defeated fast. So, I would need some protection rune or something like that.
Sitting in the Durmstrang library didn't really help much. Not like they were going to show some ancient rune book just like that. Thinking about it there was a rumor about a mark that had been etched into a wall in the school. A mark that couldn't be erased.
Linus took a walk around the school corridors to find this mark, it didn't take him long to find it.
There it was, the so called deathly hallows symbol. Etched into the wall rather close to the headmaster's office. I wonder how to hasn't been removed yet. Linus used his trait rune-sight, there indeed was a rune on it. Studying it further proved worthless, it was not what I needed. This just made it so it would remain. It wouldn't protect, so if they just removed the wall the symbol would be removed with it. Maybe outer walls could give some ideas.
While walking in the corridors he saw a familiar face. "Hello, Elisa." She tensed up as she if was caught doing something bad. She turned around and looked at me.
"Hello, Gray." She said with a forced smile.
"You doing alright?" I wanted to know if she was still hurt from the duel.
She hesitated for a moment. "Yeah, I'm alright. Just didn't expect to see you here."
I smile and nodded. "I have something to do, see you later Winterholm."
I didn't want her to be uncomfortable so leaving was the best for now. Exiting the gate of the school. I looked at the runes on the walls. There are a lot of disillusion magic to keep it hidden. But here are the protection runes.
Linus drew it in his notebook.
Linus walked into the forest to his training area he had found before. With the flick of his wand, a stone knight was formed, the same as in the duel. They were about two meters tall, with a big sword. Linus took out his wand and held the book in the other hand. With the wand he started drawing the rune onto the knight's chest.
It took about an hour before he actually made it somewhat good. "Alright let's try it. Stand over there." The knight walked back a couple of meters.
Linus held his wand up. "Bombarda." The spell flew out, and hit the knight's chest. The knight staggered backwards. And when the dust cleared, it only had a few marks.
"Good." Now I just need to be faster with making the rune, I can't make the knight have it when he's created. So, I need to practice making the rune.
Linus practiced the runes more and more in the forest, he got somewhat better but not perfect like he wanted. He notices that he could put the runes on things before he made them into the knight or whatever he wanted. So if he put the rune on a rock, and then made that rock into a knight, the knight would get the rune. Very useful.
After spending hours in the forest, Linus had sat down in front of the fireplace in the common room. Sigrun sat close beside him. I picked up a newspaper that laid on the table.
It wrote about some guy who got called the boy who lived. Who is this and what did he live from?
I turned to Sigrun. "Hey, what's this about?"
She turned to me as if she had seen a ghost. "You don't know?"
"no I don't that's why I'm asking."
"Harry Potter, or the boy who lived is a British wizard, same age as us. He survived the killing curse from the dark lord." Said Nikolai casually.
Linus raised his brow, he survived the killing curse. Isn't the whole thing with the curse to kill someone. How did he fail at that. Sounds interesting.
"Is this Harry potter strong?" I asked, I already wanted to duel him
"Probably, he is kind of legendary so I would think so." Said Sigrun now leaning on my shoulder with her head. 'She really is getting bolder with her moves.'
I thought for a moment. "I want to duel him." I said out loud.
"of course you do." Nikolai said with no surprise in his voice.
They make me sound like I'm a psycho.
The next day everyone else apart from me were in the potion class. Since I have permission from professor Arkadi to skip the lessons, I decided to do some strength training in the outside gym. Lifting weights and such had become a norm here, it felt good. Not just training magic but also the body.
At the end of the workout, I heard footsteps behind me. I turned. 'Shit, the headmaster' he usually gave out punishments for anything so there was an attempt to avoid his as much as possible.
"Linus Gray, what are you doing here and not in your potion class?" he asked with a deep voice.
"Headmaster, I have been cleared by professor Arkadi to skip potion classes until after Christmas." I said truthfully.
Igor karkaroff, also a known former death eater. Was known for being ruthless and a pain just because he wanted too. "Yes, I have heard off your achievements in potions." He looked around and then up a little. "Well then, I will give you a task." He smiled but it was not a nice smile. He pointed upward I looked and it was a mountain he was pointing at. "Run up that mountain and back."
What? Is he serious… I don't want to question him, it would probably not end good. "Understood, headmaster." I said with a very forced smile as I cursed him in my head.
I looked up to the top of the mountain in the distance. Yeah, this is going to suck.
Linus started running and running, sweat was running down his face.
Hours passed and Linus looked up to the top.
He breathed heavy, barley able to stand at this point. "I'm going to kill…" he took a deep breath. "That headmaster someday."
After what felt like forever, he finally reached the top of the mountain, the school could be seen in the distance, the lights of the school lit up the valley it was located in. and yeah, the sun was down by now. He sat down on a rock, and looked to the distance as he regained his breath and strength. But one thing was weird. How did I even run all this way and still managed to stand up. Is it because of my training or one of my traits?
Linus sat on the rock. But he heard something, he looked around but found nothing.
The sound continued. Linus stood up and walked carefully towards the sound. Nothing. He took out his wand and raised it. He aimed the wand forward toward, the moon was the only light source at this time.
He heard the noise more clearly now. It sounded like something was sniffing.
Suddenly in the corner of his eyes he saw it. A giant black bear lunging towards him.
"holy…" the paw of the bear ripped into Linus sending him flying on the top of the mountain. He was thrown against rocks. Finally landing against a rock he looked up and saw the bear once again lunging towards him. Linus rolled to the side. Making the bear ram into the rock he was just at.
He raised his wand… where is my wand. He looked around. It was still on the ground where the bear hit him.
He held out his hand, the wand flew towards him. The bear started to lunge again. with his wand raised he yelled out "Caelum Rendis!" as the incantation was screamed out the sky hallowed, it was screaming back. And when it stopped a lightning strike bigger than anything I've seen before hit the bear. The mountain shook, the strike gave a shockwave enough to vibrate the valley below.
Linus stood for a moment, breathing. The bear laid dead in front of him. Spark could be seen all over the ground and on the bear still. It didn't face Linus.
"Yrsa, I need your help"
[it's been a while, what do you need?]
"Can I store this bear in the system storage?"
There was a silence for a moment. [Yes, you can or now you can]
The bear disappeared into the system storage. Linus slumped down on the ground. His back was screaming. He reach to his back and looked at his hand blood. The bear had cut his back with that hit.
I need to get down again.
What followed was the most torturous hours of Linus's life. The screaming pain from his back. His exhausted body. He didn't know how many hours has passed since he started, but the sun is coming up again.
Pov: Sigrun Mörkhed
Sigrun was sitting eating breakfast in the hall like very morning. Her table filled with her roommates. She was waiting for Linus, she hadn't seen him since yesterday which was weird.
She looked over at the big door and saw Nikolai, Erik and Armin enter. They soon sat down at the same table.
"Good morning, have where is Linus?"
The three looked over at her at the same time.
Nikolai finally spoke "We thought he was with you" a silence followed
"Why would he be with me?" Sigrun asked confused
Armin answered. "Well, we thought he was sleeping in your bed tonight."
Sigrun face exploded with the biggest flush. "IDIOTS NO NO… not yet" she whispered the final part.
"We are joking, but if he's not with you and he didn't sleep in his bed tonight. Where is he?"
Just then a huge bang. the big doors to the hall flew open. Followed by deep and heavy footsteps.
Everyone in the hall looked over even the professors.
In walked Linus. His red school uniform jacket torn, his boots bloody, his face filled with hate.
Behind him, he was dragging a black bear, the dragging bear left a blood trail as he walked with it. As he passed student his back was revealed. Four big claw marks across his back.
Gasps and murmurs spread the hall.
"Did he really kill that?"
"That's not a normal bear, that's a magical black bear."
Everyone looked as Linus walked up to the professors table, with the bear dragging behind him. He stopped in front of the headmaster.
Pov: Linus Gray
Looking towards the sitting headmaster. I really just wanted to kill him right now.
His hand clutched hard.
Not now. "Headmaster, I finished your task that was given to me." Linus stopped and really made sure he looked into the eyes of the headmaster. "I even got a nice souvenir"
The headmaster sat silent. Probably thinking about what to say.
He finally stood up "Good work on completing my task Linus Gray" he paused "You've earned a day off for your effort. And if you give that bear to the clothing master of the school, they will make you a school robe with the pelt from it."
Linus stood just staring at him for a moment. And just nodded and began walking out again with the bear dragging behind him. I didn't need to drag the bear in or even go up to him and do all this, but it might have pissed him off, and that's a win in my book.
The hall erupted in talks and murmurs. Linus didn't have the energy to even listen.
As Linus exited the hall. Sigrun, Nikolai, Erik and Armin had gotten up to follow him.
"Linus!" Sigrun shouted to make him slow down for them to catch up. "What happened?" She looked him over with a worried expression.
Nikolai took a look at the claw marks on his back. "That's bad" he said making a grim face.
Linus sighed. "The headmaster saw me training while you guys had potions class. And he decided that I needed a bit of a workout I quess." Well, it was sort of the truth.
Sigrun looked confused. "What kind of workout has you brawling a bear!"
"Oh no, the bear was extra. He told me to run up the big mountain outside the school. The bear met me at the top" I said casually.
Linus wasn't too focused on the worries of his friends, had had other things on his mind. How do I make life as bad as possible for the headmaster. The whole thing with sending him up that mountain was just a powertrip, trying show that he had the power here. I just had to think of a way to get power over the school as well…
Linus now stood in the shower washing of the blood and grime. The claw marks on him stings as water ran down his back.
He could feel the ancient magic in his blood almost boiling. He felt hate, anger the blood wanted revenged.
Linus was so focused on his rage that he didn't notice that the shower had gotten a layer of frost spreading out from where he was standing. The water in the shower had started turning to ice. The breath coming out from his mouth turned into white mist.
"Breath… control…" his blood cooled, and his rage faded slightly. The frost in the showers disappeared.
Linus stepped out of the shower room, and laid down on his bed. The rest of his friends were already in class. Linus soon fell asleep.
"You used Caelum Rendis already." A familiar voice said.
The lady stood in front of him, in a familiar green field. Nerida.
She stood gracefully in the field. Her black dress flowing slightly with the wind. Her hair the same. she looked majestic.
"Its one of the more powerful lighting spells I made." She said while looking out over the field. " Your lighting is white, its beautiful, reminds me of snow."
We stood there for a moment just enjoying the view. "Is this a dream?" I finally said.
She waited a moment before answering. "Not exactly. It's more of a space inside your head. I don't know how it works, its ancient magic stuff." She looked at me for a moment. "I saw what you did with the knights, when you put runes on them. Very interesting way to use it I must say."
I shrugged my shoulders. "It's not perfect, but I'm getting there"
She laughed slightly. "You are only 11 and already more immersed in this magic than I was when I was 22."
There was a silence one more, but it didn't feel awkward. Just two people enjoying the view and feeling of and open green field.
"You need to find the veil." The words hit Linus's ear like a hammer. She knew of it too? And just to say it out like nothing.
"I didn't know you knew about it."
She scoffed. "I saw it once. Its power is stronger than anything I've ever seen. And if that thing falls into the wrong hands." She looked at me with almost this pity. "You and everyone on this planet will die."
Alright no pressure I get it…
"How much do you know about the fragments.?" I asked.
She pondered for a moment. "The fragment was made to make it harder to use the veil. No impossible but harder. Once all pieces are collected, then that book you found will reveal what happens next."
So, the book was connected, but what does any of this have to do with my family. "Why did a group called the Veilborn kill my family. If I'm a Veilborn as well. Are they a fake group of fanatics?"
"Yes, those who killed your family are as you called them fake. They are a group that wishes to use the veil born to clean this planet from all non Veilborn."
She pointed at my heart. "But you are a true Veilborn, the protectors of the veil. The Gray family has always carried this burden. Ever since it was first found."
"So… they were cleaning up all the protectors so they could use the veil." I said
Nerida nodded. "Kill them Linus Gray. Don't let them use the veil."
And with that Linus mind faded from the green field. He woke up in his dorm room. Sweating, gasping for air as if he had run a marathon.
*Reward received: As a protector of the veil, you will now be able to use veil spells. (This is not a trait, it is part of your bloodline as a Veilborn.)*
This just makes me more confused, I don't even know any veil spells.
Linus head mind exploded with knowledge, spells flooding his mind. He fell to the floor, gasping for his air. Ha clamped his head with his hands, thinking it was going to make it better.
After 10 tortures minutes the pain faded.
Linus laid on the floor, looking up towards the stone ceiling.
The door opened to the room. "You good?" said a voice
Looking over at the door, it was Armin. He held up my hand "Yeah, I'm good now"