Chapter 715: A Bit of a Pickle
Chapter 715: A Bit of a Pickle
Although the turn of events was unexpected, it didn't dampen Albert's good mood. The more contestants eliminated, the easier it would be for him to obtain the Golden Crucible, assuming that the black-clad youth wasn't an equally formidable contender. He wondered how many contestants his mysterious assailant had already taken out and hoped he wouldn't be the next target.
Come to think of it, those red sparks he saw earlier could very well have been this guy's doing.
It was entirely possible.
What a good Samaritan! Albert mentally awarded his unknown assailant a good person card.
Speaking of which, he still didn't know the other guy's name. He vaguely recalled seeing it mentioned on the task panel, but he dismissed the thought. Names didn't matter much, and he figured they probably wouldn't cross paths again.
Albert cast the Reviving Charm on the patrol member whom the black-clad youth had knocked out. The poor guy seemed to have taken a nasty fall and looked rather worse for wear.
"Are you alright?" Albert asked, refraining from offering physical assistance.
"I'm fine, just a bit bruised from the fall. Where's that scoundrel? And my wand?" The patrol member struggled to his feet, his face contorted with anger. He couldn't believe a contestant would dare attack him.
What was this guy trying to pull? "Well, after you passed out, that guy took your wand and dueled with me." Albert pointed at the unconscious youth. "Then he was hit by a reflected Stunning Spell and knocked out."
"Thank goodness you stopped him. Who knows what that scoundrel would've done otherwise." The patrol member eyed Albert, recalling how disheveled he had looked when he first arrived. Indeed, even skilled wizards could fall prey to unexpected ambushes.
"Yeah, my Armor Spell came in handy, and I guess I got lucky too." Albert casually changed the subject. "What happens now? He didn't use his wand, so there might not be any proof."
"Don't worry, this guy will definitely be disqualified. It's not the first time contestants from Wagadu Magic School have used their prowess in wandless magic to ambush others during the Potion Championship. They've finally been caught red-handed. Those rascals shouldn't be allowed to participate in the first place." The patrol members were long-time residents of the Magical Gardens and experts in herbs and potions. They were the first responders to any tricky situations that contestants might encounter within the gardens.
Of course, combat wasn't their forte, and there had never been a case of a contestant attacking a patrol member before.
While these patrol members were tasked with monitoring and ensuring that contestants didn't vandalize the Magical Gardens, their primary role was to safeguard the contestants' well-being during their time in the gardens.
Hearing this, Albert realized that contestants from Wagadu Magic School seemed to have a habit of resorting to such tactics.
No wonder the task was called "Wagadu's Tricks."
"By the way, did you happen to see my flying broom?" The patrol member scanned the surroundings awkwardly. He felt embarrassed that he hadn't been able to help and now had to rely on Albert.
"I think it flew off that way." Albert pointed in the direction the broom had flown. "Why don't you call for the other patrol members? I still need to gather potion ingredients."
"Alright, thanks a lot. You take care now." The patrol member straightened his hat and gave Albert an encouraging nod. "Keep up the good work. I'm rooting for you."
As he spoke, he raised his wand and shot a red spark into the sky.
Moments later, a female witch descended on her broomstick and joined them, whispering something to her unfortunate male counterpart. She then sent another red spark into the sky, summoning the rest of the patrol members in the vicinity.
"What happened here?"
The newly arrived patrol members looked at the unconscious youth on the ground, their faces filled with confusion.
"This scoundrel ambushed other contestants and even attacked me when I tried to stop him. But this time, he got more than he bargained for." The male patrol member recounted the incident, and soon, the three of them took off on their brooms, carrying the unconscious black-clad youth with them.
Albert watched them disappear into the distance, puzzled as to why they hadn't used the Summoning Charm to retrieve the broom. Had the fall addled their brains?
Once he was sure no one was around, Albert turned in the direction the broom had flown and attempted to summon it back with the Accio spell.
Riding on his newly summoned broomstick, Albert soared through the air, a spell of illusion concealing his form as he gazed down upon the magical gardens, still unable to discern their full extent. As he contemplated his next move, a path leading up the mountain caught his eye.
Recalling the fairy tale, Albert remembered that the Fountain of Good Fortune was said to be located within the Magical Gardens, and the protagonists had only found it after climbing to the mountain's peak.
With a stroke of luck, Albert decided to follow this mountain path, hoping to stumble upon the elusive fountain.
Though he encountered none of the giant white worms mentioned in the story, the terrain indeed matched the description. After flying for about half an hour, Albert discovered a spacious area near the mountain's summit.
"Could this be the legendary Fountain of Good Fortune? My luck is holding out," Albert mused as he checked his pocket watch before cautiously approaching the fountain.
It was a four-tiered stone sculpture, bearing the marks of time yet remarkably well-preserved overall.
Albert inspected the fountain closely, murmuring, "This is something!"
Mysterious symbols adorned the edge of the fountain's base, accompanied by astrological signs representing Mars, Jupiter, Mercury, and Saturn.
On the very bottom edge was the symbol of the Deathly Hallows.
The second layer from the bottom featured an eye symbol, reminiscent of the ancient Egyptian Eye of Horus, also known as the Eye of Providence. Albert leaned towards this interpretation, as the latter seemed chronologically inconsistent.
The third layer from the bottom displayed the Greek letter Omega, the 24th and final letter, signifying "the end."
At the very top was a combination of the sun symbol and a crescent moon, forming the alchemical symbol for platinum.
However, the water in the Fountain of Good Fortune seemed utterly ordinary. Albert cupped his hands and took a sip, detecting nothing extraordinary or magically potent about it.
He wondered about the intent of the fountain's creator in inscribing these symbols. Was it mere pretentiousness, or was there another purpose?
In the story, didn't one have to bathe in the fountain for its effects to take place?
Moreover, the final line of the tale nagged at him: "...for none of them knew, nor even suspected, that the water of the Fountain of Good Fortune had not a drop of magic in it."
Albert noticed a new task prompt appearing.
Fountain of Good Fortune:
You have ventured deep into the Magical Gardens and discovered the legendary Fountain of Good Fortune. However, this fountain seems devoid of any magical properties and fails to bring good luck. Yet, you notice mysterious symbols etched upon it, suggesting that there is more to it than meets the eye. Unravel the secrets of the Fountain of Good Fortune.
Reward: Unknown.
The unknown reward came as no surprise to Albert, and he refrained from idle speculation, knowing it would be futile. The very presence of a panel task was an unexpected bonus.
This trip hadn't been in vain.
As for how to complete the task, Albert drew a blank. He intended to discuss it with Nicolas Flamel when he had the chance, hoping that the alchemist's vast knowledge might shed some light on the matter.
Mounting his broomstick once more, Albert followed the direction indicated by his pocket watch and soon reached the gnarled fig tree where he had left his previous broom. Leaving it nestled among the dense branches, he continued on foot back to the entrance of the Magical Gardens, ready to tackle the second round of the competition.
He wondered how Guy Bernard's elimination would affect the reaction of the Bernard clan's leader. Probably, he would be furious! Things might be heating up over there.
Albert couldn't help but feel a twinge of anticipation.
(End of Chapter)
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