great-warnovel Chapter 62 The Pact of Heroes
Chapter 62 The Pact of Heroes
"Are we really going to do this?" Sprout asked, his face full of worry. "I mean, have Albus die first?"
A week has passed, and the hall where the sapphire is preserved still remains in its dilapidated state after the previous battle, floating alone in the huge cave. The professors are too busy to spare any manpower to repair it.
At this moment, Hermione, the two heads of the house, and Lily were all gathered here, along with Dumbledore, who was strapped to a high-backed chair. Without the help of the Mirror of Erised, he looked even worse, as if he might go to the other side of death at any moment.
The pyroxene once again hovered on the stone pillar in the center of the hall, steadily emitting a beautiful glow. Eight-eyed spiders crawled back and forth in the cave, while Hagrid remained behind the door of the fourth-floor corridor, wary of anyone who might try to intrude.
This is the heart of Hogwarts, where a spell connects the underground caverns to the fourth-floor corridor. Accessible only by a specific key or through the gate guarded by Hagrid, you can also try crawling through the spiderweb tunnels carved out by the eight-eyed spiders.
Incidentally, the keystone pillar behind the secret passage of the One-Eyed Witch statue has lost its function, and Hermione will now enter through the fourth-floor corridor, just like the other professors.
"Hermione's magical theory is correct. I have performed more than a dozen spell simulations, but, I mean, but..." The diminutive Professor Flitwick paced anxiously in circles.
"Aren't we really going to consider trying it out with the ashes of other dead wizards first?" He looked at Dumbledore, who was sitting calmly, and kept rubbing his prosthetic hand.
"Felius, give our little lion a little confidence, and give me a little confidence too," Dumbledore said softly.
"I am the strongest white wizard. Death is not so easy to take me away. I am just changing my form. In just half an hour, you will see a brand new and powerful Dumbledore." The person who should be encouraged the most is now encouraging others.
He looked at Hermione, who was being held by Lily and speaking softly.
"You've given us so many surprises, and we'll trust you this time too. Go for it, don't worry," Mrs. Potter said, patting Hermione's head.
The girl took a deep breath, stepped forward, and looked at the old man who looked almost indistinguishable from the deceased: "Then, I want to ask you one last time, seriously, was this your own choice?"
Her deep eyes were like a still lake, and her serious expression made her seem like a little adult: "There is no turning back on the path to death. You are still lingering in the realm of the living. If you give up now, perhaps there will be more profound magic in the future that can heal your injuries, or perhaps there will be more powerful potions that can bring you back to life."
"But if you accept my proposal, it means that you will personally lift the curtain of death. In the eternal years to come, you will only be able to watch everything in this world through the curtain. You will not be able to taste sweetness or bitterness, nor feel cold or heat. Gray and white will become the background color of everything, and even the most beautiful music will only turn into a sad sigh."
"So, I have to ask you one more time: are you doing this voluntarily?"
The professors gathered around, Flitwick's eyes reddened, Sprout leaned weakly against Lily, and on the bird perch, the phoenix Fox let out a soft mournful cry, seemingly reluctant to part with its old friend.
Dumbledore, observing all this, suddenly laughed: "You tell me, wouldn't a walking Hogwarts count as a tower?"
He struggled to his feet, and the shackles formed by the curses broke off from his back. The pale white spirits seemed to have found an exit, surging out through the opening in his back.
One, two, the ghosts that squeezed out of the old man's body floated in mid-air, looking around blankly, and then saw Dumbledore walking toward death.
On the ground, a magic circle that had been drawn beforehand was ready, with a circle of pale blue candles burning slowly.
With the ghosts gone, Dumbledore had almost lost all his power. Death was urgently calling to him, calling to the soul that should have arrived decades ago.
He staggered to the center of the magic circle, looked at Fox and smiled, "Help me one last time, old friend."
The phoenix's mournful cry echoed through the cave. It soared into the sky, unleashing blazing flames, but this time, the flames that symbolized rebirth burned for a funeral.
boom!
Dumbledore remained calm amidst the flames, his arms outstretched as he was consumed by them.
In a short while, the phoenix's flames died down, leaving only a pile of gleaming white ashes on the ground. Everything about the strongest white wizard had gathered here.
"Oh God, what have we done?" Flitwick couldn't help but cry out, but no one stopped him.
Hermione stepped forward with a determined expression, holding the already modified Soul Bell in her right hand. She drew upon the immense magic of the Radiant Stone, and an invisible whirlwind began to swirl around the magic circle.
jingle.
The clear sound of bells echoed between the rock walls, and the ghosts surrounding them were jolted awake, but they did not immediately go berserk as before.
With the help of the professors, Hermione removed the dark magic from it, and now it is simply a ritual object used to guide death.
A faint white light slowly rose from Dumbledore's ashes. With the help of a magic circle and the Soul Bell, Hermione gathered Dumbledore's soul back together.
The white light gathered more and more, finally forming a complete ball above the magic circle. Hermione maintained a steady bell rhythm while using her free hand to draw upon the power of the radiant stone.
"The pure soul dwelling in the ashes."
"The lingering shadow enshrined in the altar."
"Please show your true colors!"
jingle.
With a ringing of a bell, a burst of white light appeared, and Dumbledore's pale white body floated in mid-air, his eyes slightly closed. He was just as he had been in life, wearing a pointed wizard's hat, half-moon spectacles, a crooked nose, and a long beard. Except for his translucent body and robes, everything about him was lifelike.
Hermione watched this scene with a sense of relief. Everything had been proceeding smoothly so far, and Dumbledore's soul had been successfully summoned and manifested!
The next step is to solidify the connection between the soul and the ashes into a contract, connect them with the energy of the pyroxene, and use the summoning of the Soul-Capturing Bell as a command to bring them back to life!
Suddenly, she saw a symbol, shimmering with a faint golden light, slowly rotating deep within the core of Dumbledore's soul.
It is a symbol constructed from winding golden branches, warmth, and harmonious radiance; simply by looking at it, one can feel its uplifting and reassuring power.
"Great Rune!" she almost cried out in her heart.
She was very familiar with this thing, or rather, the one who faded was very familiar with it. In the memories transmitted by the one who faded, he had handled it more than once.
This is a fragment of the Elden Ring, a concrete manifestation of the rules of order. Every powerful being who occupies the Great Rune is said to possess the potential to become a king.
Limb Reattachment, Full Moon Queen, Shattered Star General, Blasphemous King, Omen King...
The Faded Ones approached them one by one, seizing their Great Runes, and in the end, according to their own will, repaired the Rune Ring with different rules, or destroyed it.
But why does Dumbledore's soul possess a Great Rune? Isn't that a product of the Borderlands?
Hermione was puzzled. If we disregard the differences in the rules of different worlds, and only consider Dumbledore, as the strongest white wizard in this world and a top expert who can contend with the Dark Lord, it would be natural for him to possess the Great Rune. But this is not a border region, nor does it contain the Circle.
"Hermione?" Lily's voice interrupted her thoughts.
The professors looked at her with puzzled and worried eyes.
"They can't see the Great Rune!" she thought to herself, suddenly realizing that it wasn't Dumbledore or the world that had a problem, but rather herself.
A soul from another world altered her perspective; certain qualities of Dumbledore's soul were presented to her in the form of Great Runes, qualities that the other professors lacked the ability to perceive.
Without further thought, she rang the bell again.
The dazzling stream of magic solidified, like a blue ribbon, bursting forth from the magic circle and gently wrapping around Dumbledore's soul.
"With this bell, knock on the door of the tombstone."
"Inscribe the oath, invite the slumbering masses of the decaying earth."
Hermione called out loudly, and the brilliance of the sapphire stone surged, a powerful hurricane engulfing her and Dumbledore, forcing the professor and the ghosts to retreat.
"Listen to my voice, you wandering souls!"
The soul that had just fallen asleep suddenly opened its eyes. Dumbledore floated in mid-air, and the power of the world's strongest white wizard suddenly erupted.
A dazzling white light emanated from the ghostly body, yet it did not feel cold; instead, it was like the warm winter sun, making people feel comfortable and unable to help but relax.
when!
The surging energy became somewhat agitated, and Hermione slammed her staff heavily onto the ground, causing the magic to obediently transform into a surging tide and flow into Dumbledore's body.
"Follow this covenant and the sound of the bell, fight for me, heroic spirits who have returned!"
jingle.
The final ringing of the bell signifies the completion of the contract.
A massive influx of magic flowed into Dumbledore's body, causing all light to recede and vanish without a trace.
When everyone opened their eyes, they saw Dumbledore slowly drifting down in his spirit form, and Hermione leaning on her staff, looking up at him.
"Did you succeed?" Lily stepped forward and asked.
"I feel...good...no pain, my soul is light and strong." Dumbledore looked at his body, his voice still echoing.
The phoenix flew over affectionately, circling the soul as if wanting to touch it, yet worried that the flame of life would burn it.
"Your ashes are best kept safe by yourself." Hermione took a step back to avoid any appearance of impropriety.
If she possesses both the bell and the ashes, she can control Dumbledore at will; but if she possesses only one, she can do nothing.
Dumbledore smiled, and with a wave of his hand, the remnant of his past on the ground rose up and merged into his soul.
The next moment, his translucent body materialized, and rich colors emerged from it, revealing a Dumbledore who was almost indistinguishable from a living person.
He stroked Fox, who obediently settled to the side.
"Is this a transfiguration spell? It seems to be combined with other spells as well?" Flitwick's eyes were still moist as he curiously poked it with his finger, finding it warm and elastic.
"I can't possibly go negotiating with the nobles of Malfoy Castle looking like a ghost, can I?" he laughed.