章 104: 0104 Merlin's Resting Place
"Hello, sir and madam, the tickets are seventeen pounds each, and thirty-four pounds for two. If you are willing to pay seven more pounds, we can give you a souvenir album and a tour map."
In front of the gate of the scenic spot, a female ticket seller who looked like she was working part-time had a polite smile on her chubby face and said to Bryan and Cliodna who were traveling together. She wore a blue uniform with a name tag that said 'Emma' and a straw hat that barely covered her curly brown hair. Her eyes sparkled with enthusiasm as she tried to persuade the visitors to buy the extra items.
Bryan squinted slightly as the sun in the west shone on his face. He glanced at Cliodna who was unmoved, and it seemed that this woman had no intention of paying. He curled his lips and took out a few banknotes from his pocket and handed them over. He felt a pang of regret as he saw the money leave his hand. He had worked hard to earn those Galleons by doing commissions in the knockturn alley, and now he had to exchange them for muggle currency at a low rate.
He had returned to the orphanage two weeks ago. Since he graduated from Hogwarts, this was the longest time he stayed there. Not only to fulfill his promise to Little Hammer, the young boy who looked up to him as a big brother, but also because he needed some time to think about whether he wanted to agree to this Druid priestess's request.
After a period of difficult choices, Bryan finally agreed.
Not because Cliodna could offer a generous reward. In fact, these Druids who have been chased by the Church like rabbits for centuries are all poor. They may not have as many Galleons as Bryan.
He agreed for two reasons. First, Merlin's relics are irresistible to any wizard or muggle. Even if Dumbledore, the headmaster of Hogwarts, knew about this news, he would probably not mind running over to find out for himself. Although Bryan didn't know what this priestess meant by 'Merlin's resting place'.
Second, Bryan was always very curious about the divination result of the last Druid priest before his death. Both the Church and the Druids are religious forces. Bryan didn't think he had ever dealt with these fanatical religious people. He couldn't figure out why he, an orthodox wizard, would be involved.
But deep in his heart, Bryan faintly felt that it might have something to do with his identity as a reincarnator. He had come from another world where magic did not exist, and he had inherited the memories and abilities of another Bryan Watson who died in a car accident. He had always wondered if there was a purpose behind his strange fate.
Now it was summer vacation time. The famous muggle tourist area in England, the Stonehenge Park on Salisbury Plain, was bustling with people. There were crowds of people everywhere.
In his previous life, Bryan had experienced this situation often, but since he came to the magical world, this was the first time. In the crowd, Bryan, who was in thought, suddenly felt a coolness in his arms. He came back to his senses and found that Cliodna had been squeezed into his arms by the crowded crowd.
She was wearing a long white dress with green patterns that matched her emerald eyes and her long blonde hair that was braided into a ponytail. Feeling her back pressed against his chest, slightly stiff, Bryan took a deep breath. A special fresh scent entered his nostrils accurately, making his heart beat faster unconsciously. His consciousness also became momentarily dazed.
"Sorry, Mr. Watson–" In the noisy surroundings, Cliodna's cold voice was like a bucket of cold water extinguishing a little strange feeling that would inevitably rise in Bryan's heart. He hooked his fingers in his jeans pocket and blocked the sound of their conversation with a simple silencing charm.
"Is this what you call Merlin's relic?"
He looked at the Stonehenge that stood in front of them. It was made of several huge stones that were arranged in a circular pattern. Some were upright and some were horizontal. Some were connected by lintels and some were isolated. Some were smooth and some were rough.
They looked ancient and mysterious, but also ordinary and simple.
Bryan couldn't see anything special about them.
Bryan exhaled heavily and sneered, "Merlin buried himself in the stone before he died? No wonder no one could find his resting place for more than a thousand years."
Bryan and Cliodna followed the flow of people and stood outside a circle of iron railings painted with white paint. They could see the ancient Stonehenge that stood in the middle of the plain. Not far away, a muggle guide was telling a group of middle school students about the origin of Stonehenge.
"–The Salisbury Stonehenge, Ring Stone, Temple of the Sun, Prehistoric Stone Table, Stonehenge has different names in different historical periods. According to scientists' identification, it is generally believed that they were built around 2000 BC. At present, there is no consensus on how ancient people in the Stone Age and Bronze Age built such magnificent Stonehenges with extremely backward productivity."
"Sir, why did people build it?"
A curious girl with glasses raised her hand and asked the guide. She reminded Bryan of Hermione Granger who was always eager to answer questions in his Defense Against the Dark Arts class. He wondered what this little witch would feel after seeing Gilderoy Lockhart's arrest report on the Daily Prophet. The former professor had been exposed as a fraud and a liar who had stolen the credit for other people's achievements.
"Good question–" The muggle male guide had to shout loudly so that the students could hear him. He wore a khaki jacket and a hat with a badge that said 'Stonehenge Tour Guide'. He held a microphone in one hand and gestured with the other.
"People think that ancient people built it for astronomical observation–the main axis of Stonehenge, the ancient road leading to the stone pillars and the rising sun on the summer solstice morning, are on the same line; In addition, there are two stones that point to the direction of the winter solstice sunset. Therefore, people speculate that this is probably built by ancient humans for observing celestial phenomena, and can be regarded as the earliest prototype of an observatory!"
He paused for a moment, then continued, "Of course, there are also other theories, such as religious ceremonies, burial sites, healing centers, etc. But no one knows for sure what the real purpose of this stonehenge was."
He pointed to a large stone that stood upright in front of them. It was called the 'Heel Stone' and it was aligned with the sunrise on the longest day of the year. The students looked at it with awe and curiosity, imagining how the ancient people moved such a heavy stone without any machinery.
"The founder of the ancient Druids built it for two purposes, besides using the power of Stonehenge for star divination, it was also to draw magic from beyond the world."
Cliodna said in a low voice that only Bryan could hear.
"Draw magic from beyond the world?" Bryan frowned and looked at her with a puzzled expression.
"What does that mean?"
Cliodna closed her mouth again. She stared silently at the door frame made of several huge stones. It was called the 'Slaughter Stone' and it was stained with blood-red lichen. For some reason, she had a hint of resistance in her body, as if she didn't want to reveal too much.
Bryan pointed to the inner circle of stones that was surrounded by a rope barrier. It was forbidden for ordinary tourists to enter, but he knew that they could easily bypass it. He looked at her with curiosity and asked, "Although I don't know what this stonehenge has to do with the relic you mentioned, I guess you have been in there many times, right?"
Cliodna nodded slightly and said, "You are very wise, Mr. Watson."
Her beautiful appearance attracted more attention wherever she went. Many tourists around them secretly cast their eyes on her, admiring her fair skin, green eyes, and blonde hair. She looked like a fairy from an ancient legend.
But Bryan, who was with her, didn't feel much envy. Instead, he felt a bit bad, because he finally found a wizard who could match his level of Occulumency besides Snape and Dumbledore. He could not read her mind or emotions at all. She was always calm and cold, as if she had a wall around her heart.
The two didn't talk much for the next time. They just followed the muggle tourist group and visited this magnificent stonehenge. Bryan tried to observe it from a different perspective, but only vaguely found that the balanced magic in the void was distorted abnormally in this space.
According to common sense, this situation meant that there was a high-concentration magic node. But no matter how Bryan looked at it, those stones were just ordinary big stones and nothing special.
He wondered what secrets they hid and what connection they had with Merlin, the greatest wizard of all time.
In the southeast sky, a moon had jumped over the horizon of the plain. Bryan and Cliodna had dinner at a nearby muggle restaurant. Then they took advantage of the night not being too dark and set up tents on the lawn with many camping muggles. They were both good at this. They didn't use magic and easily built a round dome tent.
"When do we need to wait?" Bryan asked after a long silence. He faced the rolling 'green waves' on the plain and felt a premonition that something terrible would happen in the next exploration.
But this Druid priestess seemed very reluctant to mention anything about the relics. Every time Bryan casually brought it up, she would immediately shut up and say nothing.
Many muggles looked at Cliodna who was standing with Bryan. She was the most beautiful woman they had ever seen. Her fair skin contrasted with her green eyes and blonde hair. She looked like a fairy from an ancient legend.
Two young men stood up from among the muggles who were having a group meal. They were wearing casual clothes and backpacks. They seemed to be adventurous travelers who wanted to explore different places. From their direction, they seemed to be heading towards Cliodna, perhaps hoping to strike up a conversation.
But before they got close, they were deterred by Bryan's alert eyes and turned away with a smile. They pretended to be looking for something else and walked away quickly. Bryan didn't care about them. He only cared about Cliodna's answer. He sensed that she knew something important about Stonehenge that he didn't know.
The tents around them flickered with lights and flames. Many muggles were still enjoying their night or preparing to sleep. Some were playing music or singing songs. Some were reading books or watching movies on their devices. Some were cuddling with their partners or whispering sweet nothings.
Cliodna glanced at them and lowered her voice. She said, "It's better to wait until the muggles are resting, Mr. Watson. We'll make some noise later–"
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章 105: 0105 The Door to Ruins
The night was deep and dark, but the moon shone brightly over the vast plain, casting a silvery glow on everything below. The moonlight was so intense that it seemed like a powerful searchlight was shining on people's heads, revealing every detail of their surroundings. The grass swayed gently in the breeze, creating a contrast of light and shadow on the ground.
In the camp where the Muggles had set up their tents, most of them had fallen into a deep slumber, unaware of the magic that was about to happen. But there were still some Muggles who were awake, drinking and laughing around the fire, enjoying their last moments of ignorance.
In the nearby scenic park, several night patrol staff were also asleep, curled up in their cozy guardhouse. They had no idea that a wizard had sneaked into their territory and cast a stun spell on each of them, ensuring that they would not be disturbed by any noise or movement.
In the middle of the park, there was a circle of large stones that looked ordinary and ancient. They were called Stonehenge by the Muggles, and they had attracted many tourists and researchers over the years. But none of them knew the true nature of these stones, or the mystery that lay behind them.
As the night progressed, a thin mist began to envelop the stones, creating a mysterious atmosphere. The stones seemed to come alive, emitting a faint and subtle aura that only a few could sense.
In fact, the Muggles had discovered this phenomenon a long time ago, but after a series of experiments and research, the Muggle scientists could not give a reasonable explanation. In the end, they could only attribute this phenomenon to the abnormal geomagnetic field here.
"–This Stonehenge is broken, and the missing pillars are the key to opening the ruins. For a long time, we found one pillar, but still failed to make up for it."
In front of the stone gate that marked the entrance to the portal, Cliodna spoke with a hint of regret in her voice. She was a druidess, a descendant of an ancient magical tradition that had been almost forgotten by the modern wizarding world. She wore a simple linen robe that was slightly yellowed by time, and held a grapevine wand in her hand. Her hair was green as grass, and fluttered gently behind her. She looked like a fairy from a storybook, but her eyes were cold and sharp. She fully met Bryan's image of this 'mysterious' queen of banshees.
Bryan pressed his palm against one of the pillars that formed the gate, feeling the warmth that radiated from it. He wondered what kind of magic was hidden inside these stones, and what kind of world awaited him beyond them. After a while, he didn't ask how to open the 'door', but turned his head and looked at Cliodna who seemed to have no emotional fluctuations at any time. He casually asked,
"How many times have you failed?"
"I've been in three times–"
Cliodna replied indifferently, "My teacher has been in five times, Mr. Watson. There is a suppression that ordinary people can't resist in the space behind the door. Of course, it won't bring too much trouble to such a powerful wizard as you–"
Bryan knew that Cliodna's 'ordinary people' were not Muggles, but other wizards who were not as skilled or experienced as him. He was not too worried about the suppression, as he had faced many dangers and challenges in the underground world. He was more interested in finding out why he was here in the first place.
"–Because of incompleteness, when we enter the door, our position is also random and not fixed. The predecessors of Druidism left a mark in the center of the ruins. I can reach there by relying on the mark, but Mr. Watson, you may need to rely on your own strength to reach the center of the island."
Cliodna explained further as she pointed her wand at the stone gate. Bryan noticed that she used the word 'island', which confirmed his suspicion that they were going to enter another dimension that was isolated from the rest of the world. He nodded without hesitation. He knew that this trip was not only to help Cliodna get her so-called 'holy relic' that belonged to Druidism from Merlin's eternal resting place, but also to figure out why the ancestor of druid's 'prophecy' had something to do with him.
Prophecy is something that seems illusory, but also follows logic and causality. Bryan never thought that he would encounter such a thing just because he was 'unlucky'.
"Then open it, Miss Cliodna. I can't wait to see what's inside–"
Bryan shook out his wand from his sleeve and stepped back a few steps. He spoke with a cold and calm tone, but his eyes betrayed his excitement and curiosity. However, before Cliodna could perform the opening spell, she stopped and looked at him with a serious expression.
"Before entering the ruins, we will encounter some obstacles. Mr. Watson, you need to be mentally prepared."
She warned him as she aimed her wand at the huge stone gate in front of them. Bryan raised his eyebrows and asked,
"What kind of obstacles?"
Cliodna did not answer directly, but said with a slight tremor in her eyelashes as she stared at the stone gate,
"When the pillars are in place, this stone gate will become its original appearance: an Mirror of Erised. I think you must have heard its legend."
Bryan felt a chill run down his spine as he heard the name of the mirror. He had indeed heard of it, and he knew what it could do. It was a mirror that showed the deepest and most desperate desire of one's heart. It was a mirror that had driven many people mad with longing and despair.
"Mirror of Erised - mirror reflecting inner desire."
Bryan nodded and muttered something under his breath. His face was expressionless, but that was a sign of his inner calmness. He quickly ran his Occulumency shields in his mind, hiding his astonishment very well from the mysterious woman beside him.
"Mirror of Erised has two sides: one can reflect people's deepest desires; and another one is used as a door for ruins. Only those who dare to face their past that they least want to recall have the qualification to step into ruins."
Cliodna's voice was low and solemn, as if she was reciting a sacred oath.
Bryan's eyebrows moved imperceptibly as he searched quietly for memories in his mind. There were many things he didn't want to look back on, and some things about Mirror of Erised that he had never read or heard before. He wondered how she knew so much about the mirror.
The existence of Mirror of Erised was not a mysterious secret. In many books introducing legendary alchemy items, there were introductions about this magical mirror that could reflect people's hearts. However, Bryan had never heard before that Mirror of Erised had two sides, and that they had different effects.
In addition, there was another problem that puzzled him: why would the mysterious ruins that Bryan had not yet entered use Mirror of Erised as a door? What was the connection between the mirror and the ruins?
There was no consensus in the wizarding world about the creator of Mirror of Erised. Even if Cliodna told him now that the mirror was made by Merlin, Bryan would not be too surprised. But there was something about the name 'Eris' that caught his attention. He was sure that even many Muggles were familiar with it.
In Greek mythology, Eris was the sister of Ares, the god of war, and the daughter of Zeus, the father of heaven, and Hera, the queen of heaven. She was the goddess of 'dispute and discord'. Among her myths, the most famous one was 'The Golden Apple Controversy', which sparked the Trojan War.
Thinking of this, Bryan's eyelids trembled violently. If it weren't for the emotional disguise through Occulumency, he might have gasped in shock.
Island - golden apple - Druidism
Several nouns flashed through Bryan's mind like lightning, making him guess, or even confirm, that he had found out the truth.
Since he learned about 'Merlin's eternal resting place' from this mysterious woman, Bryan had only taken it as a joke. In modern wizarding world, Merlin, who had almost become a mythical figure, how could his resting place appear easily? But now, Bryan was not so sure about his judgment.
The central belief of ancient Druidism, the most important island in legend of King Arthur, and the ideal holy land in Muggle Celtic mythology - Avalon Island. In addition to 'blessed island' and 'heavenly island', there was another very easy to ignore alias: golden apple island!
Could it be that behind this door was really 'Merlin's eternal resting place'?!
In a few moments, Bryan's palm was sweaty and his lips were tightly closed. He resisted asking Cliodna beside him anything, but his heart was a mess.
Cliodna noticed Bryan's strangeness, but she didn't say anything. After glancing around cautiously, she raised her wand and pointed at the boundless night sky. A stone pillar with a primitive and ancient aura appeared in a dazzling and dazzling white light.
Bryan took a deep breath and let his calm reason take over his body again. He said nothing, but his nerves were tense and focused on Cliodna's actions.
He had to be so careful because this Druid Priestess beside him who was bathed in vague light and shadow hid too many secrets in her heart. He had to guard against her!
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