Translated Chapter
166. The Boy and the Girl
The Boy and the Girl
The boy and the girl stood in front of the ancient stone archway, finally finding a place that felt right. This massive structure had been built by the student himself in the past—its cracked surface and weathered stone gave it the appearance of a giant’s skull, with only a single eye socket remaining.
“Right here,” the boy said. “Hurry—let’s get all the big gaps sealed.”
The girl nodded, lifting her wand. With a flick, the wand sparked, and a shimmering silver thread shot from its tip, weaving through the air. The gaps in the wall began to close on their own, like a spell knitting the stone back together. In the end, only three or four small gaps remained.
“This spell is simple,” the boy said. “First, don’t get caught; second, don’t get noticed; third, think about what lies behind it.”
“Behind it?” the girl asked.
“Yeah—don’t say anything. They’re here.”
The boy raised a hand with a faint, mocking smile, gesturing for the girl to look through the gap in the wall.
Only a small, shivering creature moved through the shadows—some kind of small, furry animal, its tiny eyes wide and bright, darting through the narrow gap in the wall. The girl gasped, her breath catching.
“Boy?” she whispered.
The boy nodded, his eyes fixed ahead. A single, silvery boy appeared in the corner of the wall, barely visible. He moved with purpose, slipping through the gap.
The boy and the girl were now both standing still, and neither saw anything.
The girl lifted her wand, whispering, “Flicker, flicker,” and a tiny spark flew from the tip. The wand’s glow revealed two red eyes staring back at them from the other side.
They both froze.
The boy’s wand trembled. “Stop!”
A sharp, echoing cry rang out—someone had been discovered.
A second, deeper voice echoed from behind the wall. The girl’s wand flared wildly, and the boy’s hand shot out, grabbing her wrist.
“Shh!”
They stood still, listening.
The girl looked at the boy. “I can’t believe this is happening.”
“It’s not just me,” the boy said. “I can’t use strong spells on them.”
“Can’t you just… cast a strong charm?”
“Only one spell works on these creatures. That’s it.”
The boy took a deep breath. “It’s simple. I’ll guide you.”
The girl raised her wand. “I’ve already learned it.”
She raised the wand, and a small, glowing silver sphere emerged—just large enough to fit in her palm.
The boy nodded. “Good. Now, if you see a creature with red eyes, don’t panic. Just focus on the spell. If you see a large, glowing figure, don’t hesitate—just aim.”
He looked at her. “You’re doing great.”
The girl lowered the wand. “But what if they’re everywhere?”
The boy smiled. “Then we’ll have to move fast. They don’t like being seen. They’ll scatter if they feel watched.”
He paused. “And if they get too close, don’t run. Just stay calm.”
The girl swallowed. “But what if they’re already watching?”
The boy looked at her. “Then we’ll have to act fast. There’s no time to hesitate.”
They stood there, the silence thick between them.
Then the girl whispered, “I’m scared.”
The boy smiled. “Me too. But we’ve got this.”
He reached out, touching her hand. “We’ll do it together.”
The girl nodded, gripping his hand tightly.
A distant sound echoed—footsteps.
The boy raised his wand. “They’re coming.”
The girl’s eyes widened. “What do we do?”
The boy looked at her. “We go.”
They turned and ran—through the narrow gap, into the dark.
Behind them, the wall trembled, and the stone cracked once more.
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“Wait!” the girl cried. “What about the spell?”
The boy didn’t stop. “We’ll come back. Just stay close.”
They vanished into the shadows, their footsteps fading into silence.
The archway stood empty once more, its gaps still open—waiting.
(End of Chapter)
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