Bab 22: The Watcher's Gaze
Hadrian returned to Eldrun's shop just as the last light of day faded, casting long shadows across the small, rune-inscribed storefront. The warmth of the shop welcomed him as he entered, and there, on the counter, was his newly crafted wand. It was a striking piece of craftsmanship—slender and elegant, yet unmistakably powerful.
The wand was carved from pale Yggdrasil wood with faint veins of green and silver running through it, shimmering under the shop's dim light. The handle was wrapped in dark, burnished leather with intricate runic engravings, each one pulsing faintly with arcane energy. The tip seemed to catch the light unusually, almost as if it were absorbing and refracting it, giving the wand a luminous yet dark aura.
Eldrun looked up as Hadrian approached, his single eye sharp. "There it is—your wand, crafted from the World Tree itself, bonded with the essence of your familiar and your companion. But there's one last thing."
Hadrian raised an eyebrow as Eldrun produced a small, silver knife from beneath the counter.
"Seven drops of your blood," Eldrun said, his voice carrying an ancient weight. "Blood binds, strengthens, and seals the connection between you and your wand. It will make it yours in a way nothing else can."
Without hesitation, Hadrian took the blade, pricked his finger, and let seven drops of his blood fall onto the wand's shaft. Each drop seemed to sizzle as it made contact, the silver veins in the Yggdrasil wood pulsing with life. The wand absorbed the blood instantly, its glow intensifying for a moment before fading back to a subtle, steady pulse.
Satisfied, Eldrun nodded approvingly, then reached beneath the counter and tossed a wand holster toward Hadrian. He caught it, feeling its surprisingly lightweight and noting its unusual appearance. The holster was crafted from black scales interwoven with dark leather, absorbing the light around it, making it seem like a void in his hand.
Hedwig, perched nearby, tilted her head, her voice a murmur in his mind. "I sense… a powerful dragon. The magic in this leather is potent."
Eldrun's gaze sharpened with a hint of pride. "A keen familiar you have there. Yes, this holster was crafted from Fafnir himself, one of the strongest dragons to ever live."
Hadrian's eyes widened. He'd heard of Fafnir in legends, a dragon of unparalleled strength and ferocity.
"Fafnir's hide is imbued with powerful magic," Eldrun continued, gesturing to the holster. "This isn't just any holster. It's enchanted to be anti-summoning—no one can call your wand away from it. And the wand will return to it on its own if disarmed. It's also charmed to turn invisible once you strap it to your wrist, so only you will know it's there."
Hadrian secured the holster around his wrist, feeling the cool, weightless sensation of the enchantment settling into place. As promised, it vanished from sight, though he could still feel it there, humming with power.
"Thank you, Eldrun," Hadrian said, his tone sincere as he flexed his wrist and felt the wand's presence almost as if it were a part of him now.
Eldrun regarded him with that single, intense eye, his expression unreadable. For a moment, it seemed as though the old wandmaker was studying Hadrian, as if trying to peer into the depths of his soul, to understand what lay hidden within him. It was an unsettling gaze, one that felt almost… divine.
"Good luck, lad," Eldrun said quietly, his voice low and thoughtful. "Remember, this path you're on… it's only just begun."
Hadrian nodded, feeling the weight of Eldrun's gaze lingering on him as he left the shop, the crisp night air filling his lungs. But as he walked away, he couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to Eldrun than met the eye.
Once Hadrian disappeared into the shadows of the district, two ravens appeared in a flash of light, their feathers sleek and gleaming as they settled on the counter before Eldrun. Their eyes glowed with an unnatural intelligence as they regarded him.
"Allfather," one of the ravens cawed, its voice an eerie echo. "Was it wise to let the Cambion live?"
The weight of Eldrun's gaze shifted, his presence deepening and expanding as he cast off the guise of the humble wandmaker, revealing himself in his true form. No longer just "Eldrun," he stood taller, his aura magnifying, the essence of the Allfather—Odin—now unmistakable in his bearing. The single eye that gleamed under his eyepatch was far more than it seemed, holding a universe's worth of knowledge and ancient wisdom.
"Curiosity is the root of all wisdom, Huginn," Odin replied, his voice resonant and filled with an ageless gravity. "And I am curious to see what a spawn of Sparda and Peverell blood can achieve."
The second raven, Muninn, tilted its head thoughtfully. "And if he grows too powerful, too… unpredictable?"
Odin's eye gleamed with a mix of caution and intrigue. "Then I shall see to it myself. But until then, let him walk his path. The world has yet to see the true potential of one who carries both demonic and Peverell blood. And perhaps," he mused, his voice softer, "he may surprise us all."
The ravens cawed in understanding, their forms shimmering slightly as they prepared to return to their duties. Odin looked toward the doorway where Hadrian had vanished, his eye filled with a pearl of ancient, inscrutable wisdom. In that brief moment, a quiet smile touched the corners of his lips, as though he were contemplating a grand design that only he could see.
"We shall watch him," Odin said, his gaze distant and thoughtful. "For he may be the key to realms even I have yet to glimpse."
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone