[Bonus for Powerstones!♥]
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"Ah, so you can see the blue glow as well…" Wade murmured thoughtfully, nodding slightly. "What exactly is this blue light? And what does being able to see it mean?"
"It means that you and I share a unique trait. Tell me, have you ever heard of… Ancient Magic?"
Wade's eyes widened. "Ancient Magic?!"
The concept of Ancient Magic was something he had encountered before—back in his previous life, in a game called Hogwarts Legacy.
It was a form of powerful magic… one that only a select few witches and wizards could perceive and wield. In that game, it had been the protagonist's greatest advantage—essentially, their ultimate ability.
"It seems you already have some knowledge of it," the figure mused. "That saves me the trouble of explaining too much."
He didn't question how Wade knew about Ancient Magic—he simply cast a glance at the table.
In an instant, a finely crafted teapot and two teacups appeared before them.
The teapot floated into the air on its own, pouring steaming tea into the two cups. One of them then drifted gently toward Wade, settling in front of him.
A rich aroma of black tea filled the air.
However, Wade made no move to touch the cup.
"This may be a dream," the figure said casually, "but the sensations you experience here are quite real. So why not have a sip before continuing your questions?"
Wade sighed and finally lifted the teacup to take a sip… The fragrance lingered on his tongue.
"A tea this exquisite probably only exists in dreams…" he mused before continuing, "Why do you also know Nightmare Magic? Are you from the Somnolen family?"
The shadowy figure shook his head. "No, I am not a member of the Somnolen family. The reason I know this magic is because I was the one who created it. However, several decades ago, I did teach it to someone from the Somnolen family."
"That's impossible," Wade immediately countered. "The manuscript recording this magic is at least a few centuries old. How could you have only taught it to them a few decades ago?"
The figure let out a helpless sigh. "What choice did I have? You specifically sought out dark magic from centuries past. I had to use some tricks to make sure that manuscript appeared to have the historical depth necessary to catch your interest."
"What the..." Wade looked at him in astonishment. "You were watching me while I was choosing dark magic?"
The figure exhaled again, as if speaking to a particularly slow student. "Wade, I know you far better than you think…
"In fact, the moment I discovered that you possessed the same unique trait as I do, I wanted to communicate with you in your dreams.
"But you were too far away. The distance exceeded the limits of this magic. Even I could only barely manifest before you—I couldn't speak to you at all.
"Then, I realized you had unexpectedly inherited the Somnolen family's tower. And, by sheer coincidence, you happened to have a lighter imbued with Ancient Magic…"
Wade narrowed his eyes. "So, you guided me toward the manuscript on Nightmare Magic, leading me to practice it. Only by learning this magic would I be able to hear your voice in my dreams… and then, using the lighter, you were able to lead me here?"
"Yes. I had to find a way to bring you before me," the figure admitted.
"....."
Wade fell silent for a long moment before suddenly asking, "Those white mists that appeared in my dreams… that was your doing too, wasn't it?"
"Yes…" the figure nodded.
"No wonder… But thanks to those white mists guiding me, I was able to grasp the fundamentals of Nightmare Magic much faster," Wade said thoughtfully.
"That was my intention… because I don't have much time left. I couldn't afford to wait for you to learn Nightmare Magic at your own pace, so I had to give you a push. If you feel offended by that, I apologize in advance."
Wade stared intently at the shadowy figure before him. "Right now, apart from you and me, is there anyone else who possesses the traits of Ancient Magic?"
"No. As of now, you are the only one I have found," the figure replied.
Wade took a deep breath. This guy… could he be the protagonist of Hogwarts Legacy?
That was a man who couldn't even attend a single class without taking out seven or eight people along the way.
And yet, he had ended up like this?
"Why couldn't you just approach me directly?" Wade asked in a single breath. "Why go through all the trouble of contacting me through dreams? And even now that I'm here, why can't you show me your true face?"
"As I said at the beginning… I am a pitiful man enslaved by power. I failed my teacher's expectations… I absorbed too much Ancient Magic," the figure spoke with deep bitterness.
"By the time I realized that the Ancient Magic within me had grown too excessive, it was already too late. I paid the price for my arrogance… I am at constant risk of self-destruction. And when that happens, the explosion could be powerful enough to wipe out an entire city!"
"Back then, a friend of mine who was highly skilled in alchemy crafted a cloak for me. This cloak could temporarily freeze all the Ancient Magic within me, delaying my death."
"But at the same time, my own body was also frozen…"
"For safety's sake, my friends moved me here, far away from people, and tried to figure out a way to solve my problem… In the end, I've been stuck here for decades."
"Now, my friends haven't visited me in a long time. Perhaps they have all passed away. I can no longer sense them…"
"I have no way of leaving, my friends are gone, so my only option was to contact you through dreams."
Wade asked, puzzled, "But if you can't even leave this place, how did you discover that I had this trait? And how do you know so much about me?"
The figure answered, "That brings us to Nightmare Magic… Do you know how I created this magic?"
Wade shook his head.
"You should be able to imagine what it's like—being trapped here, unable to move at all, for decades. The sheer boredom alone is unbearable. But the helplessness… the feeling of being completely powerless… that is far worse," the figure's voice grew more intense.
"Later, after I created Nightmare Magic, I was no longer as bored, nor as hopeless… As time passed, I realized that the power of my dreams could extend outward, allowing me to observe many, many things…"
Wade immediately understood—this man had created Nightmare Magic simply because he was too bored.
For someone who couldn't move at all, a dreamscape that could change at will was the perfect means of escape.
Perhaps, it was precisely because of this magic that this man hadn't been driven mad by the endless void and solitude.
No wonder his Nightmare Magic was so advanced…
This man, in his boredom, had managed to extend his dream powers outward to observe the world? That was terrifying…
"Your friends just left you here? Without checking in on you? Why didn't they at least take turns staying with you for a while?" Wade asked, confused.
"I told them to leave… I'm like a ticking time bomb, ready to explode at any moment. It wasn't safe for them to stay here," the figure said, his voice filled with helplessness.
As much as he had longed for companionship…
"All of this was my own fault… I once promised my teacher that I could control this power. And yet…"
Wade cut to the chase, "So, how do you want me to save you?"
"You also possess the ability to wield Ancient Magic… so—absorb me! Take some of the Ancient Magic within me! Only then can I be free again!"
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Read ahead: P^treon: Captain69
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