Chapter 785 - 786

"Stupid intruder, the strength of this Cyclops belongs to us; it belongs to the Claw of the Raven!" With a sad and shrill roar, Evan and Sirius turned their heads and saw a dark wizard-like figure emerging outside the stone door.

To be precise, this being couldn't be considered a person; it was a monster. A shimmering purple halo surrounded its body, emanating intense and volatile magical power and a dark and shadowy strength. It had grown significantly, towering almost as tall as Hagrid, and its face and skin were covered in intricate purple patterns, resembling a venomous spider. Its body contorted unnaturally as if the energy within it was shifting. Its tattered wizard's robe strained against bulging muscles while black folds covered its surface.

Behind the monster were the lifeless corpses of house elves, their wide eyes staring in injustice and resentment at the monstrous being before them. Their faces displayed a mix of fear, hatred, and despair, knowing their souls had been ruthlessly extracted and poured into this creature as part of an evil ritual.

Other dark wizards surrounded the monster, muttering in low voices as they conducted their sinister ceremony. Their faces were a blend of fanaticism and excitement as they watched the monster eagerly, anticipating the miraculous transformation of their master.

They referred to this as a "gracious gift" or an ancient blessing from their gods, the belief of the Claw of the Raven. It involved turning a member into a fearsome half-demonic entity. They offered up 50% of their flesh and blood to their ancient gods, filling the void with shadow energy produced by the annihilation of house-elf souls. As the ceremony progressed, the monster's size increased, and its internal magical power became even more apparent.

Evan could sense this monster's impending threat as its magic power surged rapidly. It was his first encounter with such dark magic, a practice theoretically deemed impossible, as few would willingly sacrifice their own soul in such a manner. It was essentially a path to self-destruction. When one's magical power became too volatile, it often led to death, causing one's soul to vanish entirely.

However, until that moment, the monster was truly invincible, impervious to ordinary spells. Only pure, crushing magical power and strength could harm it, a level of power few wizards possessed. Most would hesitate to pay such a high price, even when facing their most fervent enemies. Temporarily retreating from this monster would have been the wisest course of action, but the dark wizards of the Claw of the Raven were driven to madness by their beliefs, willing to sacrifice their souls for power.

Flames danced in the heart of the cavern, and fiery elements swirled in the air. The scene was both astonishing and alarming.

"What are you doing?!" The new student monster yelled from across the massive stone door, its eyes immediately fixating on Evan and the scabbard that had penetrated the Cyclops's eye. It let out a furious roar, "Stop, or I'll give your souls to the master! This power belongs to the Claw of the Raven!"

Evan didn't respond to the intruder. He knew the ceremony hadn't been completed, and the monstrous entity couldn't enter the room yet. He had to make the most of this time to destroy the Cyclops's body before it was too late.

In the next moment, Evan increased the flow of magical power, pushing the scabbard further downward. It nearly plunged entirely into the Cyclops's eye, causing a gush of golden-yellow blood.

This was a crude method of absorption, and beneath Evan, the Cyclops let out an unwilling roar, attempting to shake off the scabbard. Its immense strength and vitality were now leaking out as the scabbard served as an outlet.

"Stop, you stupid intruder! I must kill you! I must present your souls to the master!" The monster outside the stone door screamed in frustration. "Come on, my strength! The master must see! The master must see!"

The creature had no patience left. Once the ceremony was complete, it planned to use its newfound power to annihilate Evan.

Sirius brandished his wand and cast several spells that hit the creature accurately but had little effect. Evan was panting, his wand aimed at the intruder.

Bang, bang, and bang!

With the assistance of the scabbard's power, he unleashed a series of crimson lightning bolts that struck the creature. The creature's body, both inside and out, ignited.

"Pathetic magic! Weak spells!" The monster taunted, its body burning with purple magic power. "I can't hold back anymore! My soul and my flesh are all for the master!"

The creature's body expanded dramatically, and as it relinquished control, it lunged aggressively toward Evan, determined to tear him apart and unleash the fury of the Claw of the Raven.

Sirius aimed his wand and fired spells that hit it, but it had little effect. Evan gasped, lifting his wand to target the creature.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

With the scabbard's help, he unleashed a series of crimson lightning bolts that struck the creature. Its body blazed with purple magic power, and its head seemed to transform into pure energy. The lightning left behind ripples of energy on its surface.

"Ridiculous magic, feeble spells! Let me show you the master's true power!" It cried out in agony, its face contorted. Its entire body burned with magic power, and it roared, "I can't restrain it any longer! My soul and flesh belong to the master!"

The creature's body expanded rapidly as if it couldn't contain the power anymore, and it lunged aggressively toward Evan. Meanwhile, the Cyclops's final reserves of strength burst forth.

A blue magic rune emerged from the scabbard, hovering in the air. It was a magical seal left behind by Ravenclaw.

Amidst the chaos, the Cyclops rose from the lava, causing it to churn violently. This was a battle between two monstrous entities. Evan held the scabbard with all his might, attempting to stop it. The scene resembled a child being carried away by a powerful force, spinning within the secret room in the cave's depths.

The Cyclops let out a deafening roar while the demonic monster howled, creating a cacophony of sound in the narrow space. Giant stones tumbled down, and the underground magma erupted, flames consuming everything.

Evan knew that while he hadn't absorbed all of the Cyclops's power, it was enough. The scabbard had reached its limits in terms of absorption rate and capacity. Continuing further was impossible. Additionally, the imminent eruption of the volcano, driven by the fury of nature, posed a greater threat than any magic.

Rocks fell in masses, the cavern collapsed, and there was no time to linger. Cyclops would be forever sealed here.

As the Cyclops attempted to move, Evan aimed his wand at the ground beneath him.

Boom! With the recoil from the spell, he was propelled backward, dragging the scabbard with him.

On the platform above, Sirius also leaped, grabbing Evan in mid-air.

In the next moment, they found themselves in a forest, not far from the erupting Mount Etna, where the column of smoke pierced the clouds.

Dark red magma spewed forth, accompanied by billowing black smoke and thunderous eruptions that shook the surroundings. The searing hot rocks, propelled by the explosion, were hurled into the air, leaving fiery red streaks within the smoky haze.

As the magma continued to spout, it devoured the landscape while the black smoke blotted out the sky, making it nearly impossible to see. Most of Sicily was shrouded in thick smoke and dark clouds, resembling something out of a doomsday scenario.

Although the process was far from perfect, Evan had, for the most part, fulfilled Gryffindor's request. The Cyclops and the Claw of the Raven dark wizards would be buried deep within the limestone cave at the mountain's core. Nobody could escape, and nobody could locate them, buried thousands of feet below the surface. Unearthing the collapsed cavern was nearly impossible.

Evan caught his breath as he examined the Gryffindor sword's scabbard in his hand. It was still stained with the Cyclops's golden-yellow blood, but the once unstoppable magic power had finally subsided. Apart from the occasional burst of imposing energy, it now appeared to be an ordinary, ancient scabbard.

The balance between the Cyclops's power and the Ravenclaw seal magic had been maintained. Evan had not completely suppressed the Cyclops's power and believed it was better not to disturb this balance now.

"Evan, are you okay?" Sirius asked, his gaze fixed on the erupting volcano in the distance.

"I'm fine, just some superficial wounds. A simple treatment will do!" Evan replied as he examined his arm, which had several bleeding abrasions. He took out some Dittany and applied it, and the wounds instantly closed. Dittany was a miraculous healing solution for minor injuries, and it worked particularly well for flesh wounds.

Evan had acquired these wounds from the Cyclops's reckless attacks and the abrasions from the falling rocks. The most severe injuries came from his clash with the monstrous transformation of the Claw of the Raven dark wizards. Even with magical protection, Evan had been in considerable pain, feeling like his bones were about to shatter. The dark magic secret technique that allowed a wizard to merge with shadow energy was terrifying indeed—a gift from evil gods that surpassed ordinary dark magic.

If Evan had encountered that monster again, he doubted he could have defeated it. In that case, he would have considered returning to his books on magic and searching for a way to counter it.

"These Claw of the Raven dark wizards won't escape; they'll all remain here, buried alongside the Cyclops," Sirius said, turning his attention back to Evan. "Now, what's your plan for what comes next?"

Evan's mind flashed with the image of the scabbard plunging into the Cyclops's eye, and he began to form a plan. "First, let's not rush with the giants. Instead, let's have Hagrid and Madame Maxime attempt to bring the giants into our fold. I have a better idea that will completely resolve the giants and the Death Eaters. Our next priority is the Calamity Emissary, about to summon an ancient entity. We'll go to the lighthouse by the seaside to investigate. Perhaps we'll find something there."

Evan paused for a moment before continuing. "They may be searching for that ship, which they mentioned submerging in a magical city beneath the sea. I have some clues that might lead us to a ghost ship of the dead. Let us investigate."

Evan explained the situation to Sirius, who nodded in agreement. After a brief preparation, the two Apparated to the seaside.

Before them stood a grand, old-fashioned lighthouse that loomed atop the coastal cliffs. It was situated at the northern tip of Sicily, with the vast, azure sea stretching out before Evan and Sirius. In the distance, the Italian Peninsula could be faintly seen.

The lighthouse's front gate was made of sturdy iron, which had corroded over time, resulting in rusty stains. Thick electrical wires, exposed by the sea breeze's corrosion, could be seen above the blue bricks. The lighthouse was jointly managed by both Muggles and wizards. At night, it would emit a beacon of light to guide ships, protected by magical enchantments from the dangers of the Strait of Messina, such as Sirens and treacherous whirlpools.

Since the Claw of the Raven dark wizards had extinguished the lighthouse, these ancient magical threats had reemerged.

Sirius pushed open the iron gate, which produced a creaking, mournful sound. The rusted staircase spiraled upwards, and the narrow gap between the walls made trailing challenging. Walking on such stairs was an arduous task for someone like Evan, who feared heights. Despite their efforts to step lightly, each footfall echoed through the echoing chamber.

Evan felt that the lighthouse, deteriorated as it was, might transform into a monstrous creature at any moment. They were entering its maw, and the staircase beneath their feet felt unreliable as if it might give way at any moment.

Fortunately, they encountered no Claw of the Raven dark wizards inside the lighthouse, but it was also not necessarily good news. If they didn't find any clues here, they would be in the dark about where the Calamity Emissary intended to summon the ancient entity. Evan had no intention of recklessly boarding the ghost ship without solid leads. It was best to investigate further.

The weather grew increasingly overcast as they climbed to the top of the lighthouse. This section of the structure resembled a castle turret, with a square room inside that was shrouded in absolute darkness. They realized that the power had been turned off when Evan illuminated the area with his wand's light.

Sirius opened the door to the outside, revealing a darkening sky with stars hanging over the horizon. In the distance, the erupting volcano spewed columns of smoke and ash into the air while red-hot magma flowed down the mountainside.

"No one's here," Sirius remarked, but his voice suddenly trailed off. What disappeared along with his voice were the beams of light from their wands, leaving them in unsettling darkness.