The Truth Beyond the Wall

Inside, the house was alive. Furniture moved on its own, and utensils floated mid-air. It seemed to be an AI-infused magical home.

"Rin," said Mindil, "make some tea."

"Yes sir," said the house. "It will be ready in 5 minutes."

The Headmaster sat. Mindil asked, "So what brings you here?"

The Headmaster pulled out the Root of Life book and placed it on the table.

Mindil chuckled. "One of the most powerful beings in the Realm is reading my book. What an honor!"

"It's serious," the Headmaster replied. "Tell me the truth about this book."

Mindil sighed and removed his shirt. On his back was a root-like structure, glowing faintly.

The Headmaster was stunned. He had seen this exact symbol in a vision the Tree and the Root.

Mindil turned around. His eyes were now glowing red, and a hat formed on his head the same figure from the Headmaster's vision.

Sensing danger, the Headmaster raised his hand to cast a Breath Spell, but before he could, Mindil clapped.

Time froze.

Mindil walked around the frozen Headmaster.

"So, you've already been to that place. Something is happening at Holy School, isn't it?"

He touched the Headmaster's hair. "I may look like the figure from your vision, but I'm not one of them."

Suddenly, a green blast erupted. The Headmaster had broken the time-freezing spell.

Mindil was thrown across the room, shocked.

"How… how did you break that spell?" he gasped.

The Headmaster floated in mid-air. His eyes glowed blue, and a soft green aura surrounded him.

He landed gracefully and moved his finger in a circle.

Time reversed.

Now, they were back to the moment where the house had said: "Tea will be ready in 5 minutes."

"You can do Time Magic? That's impossible!" Mindil exclaimed.

"I never show my true powers," the Headmaster said coldly. "That was just 1% of me. Don't ever try to master me."

Mindil, now humbled, nodded. "You're stronger than I imagined… even stronger than the laws themselves."

"Tell me everything," the Headmaster demanded. "Who are you? And who are they?"

Mindil nodded. "That book was written by me. Everyone thought it was fiction, but it's not. It's real. It happened long ago…"

He began telling the tale of how his parents magical beings were found in a mysterious forest crater by human scientists.

The place was supposed to be in Nepal, at the height of Mount Everest, during an earthquake relief operation.

There, they discovered strange anomalies, unknowingly building their base near a portal that opens once every 900 years, linking the two worlds.

Mindil explained how his sister learned of the Ancient Law that killing magical beings grants humans intelligence and magic. She murdered two scientists and became a monster. His father tried to stop her but failed.

Eventually, one brave scientist killed her with a chemically enhanced knife. That act made him the first hybrid a being of magic and science. His blood became unique.

"He was named Ketan," Mindil said. "He passed his powers to his eight children. They can't speak or hear. They're immortal, like guardians of the portal."

The Headmaster's mind was filled with questions. One above all:

What would this mean for Cristerfor?

He returned to the Holy School, deep in thought. As he entered the Tower, he found Barry sitting on his chair.

"Barry?" he asked.

Barry stood up.

His hands were covered in blood.

He was holding the severed head of a boy.

The face was soaked in blood unrecognizable.

Barry threw the head at the Headmaster's feet.

"You've been betrayed," he said coldly.

Whose head was it? Was it Cristerfor's? Had the prophecy already begun?

To Be Continued.