You can read ahead up to 110 chapters on my Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/darkshadow6395
It came out!
The black-robed skeleton from the mysterious tower had actually followed him!
Ian hadn’t even bothered to check whether the black sand and other items he’d gathered were “intercepted” in the Twilight Zone. His stiff neck turned, and he saw the figure that sent a cold shiver down his spine.
The black-robed skeleton stood quietly behind him, as still as a ghost, its eye sockets burning with deep-red soul fire, flickering with a hauntingly intense glow in the darkness.
Although the eerie runes covering its skeletal body had faded, its bones appeared much more ordinary. Yet, the oppressive sense of dread in the air only seemed to grow stronger. Ian couldn’t tell if it was due to leaving the Twilight Zone or if it was because the chains that had once bound the skeleton had now shattered.
“Expelliarmus!”
Instinctively, Ian tried to blast the black-robed skeleton away, but the red light from his wand strangely dissipated upon contact with the skeleton.
Like scattered starlight slowly fading away.
The black-robed skeleton wasn’t affected by the Disarming Charm. It didn’t flinch, nor did it lose any of its bones. Ian’s increasingly refined spell had no effect at all.
“I don’t believe it! Tongue-tying hex, throat-slitting curse! Bah! This is useless!”
“Sectumsempra!”
“Crucio!”
“Imperio!”
“Shove a steel pipe in its front teeth!”
…
Relentlessly, Ian waved his wand with lightning speed, casting four spells in quick succession, but none of them had any effect on the black-robed skeleton.
It was as though, just before his spells reached their target, some invisible force neutralized them, leaving the mysterious skeleton’s black robe fluttering in the dim light, like flickering shadows.
“Hmm?”
The black-robed skeleton, with its robe billowing, revealed glimpses of its ribs. It reflexively tightened its robe, almost as though trying to hide them.
“My magic isn’t working because of the robe?” Ian’s gaze shifted to the black robe adorning the skeleton, noticing the magical runes embroidered on it.
The robe remained almost intact, despite everything else in the tower having decayed over time, meaning it was certainly no ordinary piece of clothing. It was covered with unfamiliar magical symbols whose effects Ian couldn’t yet decipher.
Looking closer, Ian thought the structure of the runes resembled those of death magic, though he couldn’t tell if they were linked to any specific ancient magic or deity.
“No, it’s not the robe,” He muttered to himself.
Although Ian couldn’t fully understand the magic behind the symbols, he could certainly tell when magic was in effect. His eyes moved to the chains still wrapped around the black-robed skeleton’s hands.
Despite the fact that the skeleton had followed him out, having escaped the “imprisonment” of the tower, the skeleton still bore the remnants of many broken chains.
Ian could feel it.
The rusted chains still pulsed with magic.
The chains, aged and corroded, peeked out from the folds of the black robe, like shackles from an ancient time, still restraining this formidable being.
“Is this another form of magical suppression?” Ian wondered, his curiosity piqued. But despite the intrigue, he had already retreated several paces and dared not approach the skeleton recklessly; after all, it was a being whose origins and intentions were shrouded in mystery.
“I don’t know, I have no brain,” The black-robed skeleton muttered, raising its chain-clinking hand and pointing at its hollow skull, perhaps misunderstanding Ian’s mumbles as questions directed at it.
“How can you hear me when I’m speaking so quietly from so far away?” Ian asked, surprised, lowering his voice to almost a whisper.
“I was born to hear the voices of all things.”
It was unclear what the black-robed skeleton remembered or had forgotten, but it opened its mouth, now just a hollow cavity, and solemnly made a loud sound that reverberated in the quiet air.
“…”
Ian had a general rule of not enjoying watching others make a fool of themselves, but at this moment, he found his principles somewhat flexible. What could he do against a creature that seemed impervious to magic?
He couldn’t even reach its skull by jumping!
“What do you want from me… this is no longer your world,” Ian asked, still perplexed as to why the black-robed skeleton had followed him across the boundary between life and death.
Could it possess such an ability on its own, or had it simply tagged along with Ian? If it were the latter, he might be able to understand, but if it were the former, that would be quite frightening.
The thought of such power was terrifying.
Fortunately, the black-robed skeleton didn’t appear violent; it remained calm and composed. Despite being hit by several of Ian’s spells, it showed no signs of attacking or ambushing the young wizard.
“I need to be loved.”
When Ian had questioned it, the black-robed skeleton finally stopped repeating itself and spoke in a deep, hoarse voice, revealing its own desires.
“…”
Ian was once again at a loss for words.
He had no idea how to respond. If only the wizarding world had a help forum, he might have posted a plea for assistance on how to deal with a skeleton that craved love.
A tall, purebred skeleton needing love?
“Is there any chance that I’m just a young wizard who couldn’t possibly give you the love you seek?” Ian emphasized his age, carefully avoiding any mention of his gender.
He was afraid the mysterious black-robed skeleton would take him for a little boy.
“I need to be loved.” The black-robed skeleton began to repeat its hollow words again.
“I could introduce you to other people? How about a Centaur? After all, interspecies relationships are a thing, and Centaurs are definitely more interesting than a human little wizard like me.”
Ian noticed that no matter which direction he moved, the black-robed skeleton would follow closely behind. The small wizard, barely taller than someone’s knees, couldn’t seem to shake this being.
“Calm down! Calm down!”
He wished for the help of a Phoenix at that moment, longing for the black bird to Apparate to him, but the Phoenix did not respond.
“It’s not reliable at all!”
Deep within the ancient, dense Forbidden Forest of Hogwarts, the night was as dark as ink, and the sparse moonlight barely illuminated the winding path ahead. Ian hurriedly stepped on the carpet of fallen leaves and twigs, beginning to jog, but he still couldn’t shake the black-robed skeleton, which moved at a leisurely pace.
Soon.
Ian discovered the reason.
Forget about invisibility; it seemed the black-robed skeleton wasn’t fooled by such tricks. Even when he deliberately used magic to knock down some trees to block its path, the skeleton would always appear just behind him, as if it knew exactly where to find him.
“Is he apparating!?”
When Ian turned around again, he saw the space distort, and in a flash of red light, the black-robed skeleton appeared just a few meters behind him.
No matter how far Ian tried to distance himself, the black-robed skeleton always seemed to pinpoint his location, appearing by his side after a brief delay when any obstruction appeared.
“This is truly cheating…”
Finally, Ian gave up the exhausting thought of running. He collapsed onto a large rock, panting heavily, his breath forming a fine mist in the cold air.
He blended into the mist that enveloped the silent forest. A long-nosed monkey peeked from the treetops, its eyes filled with caution, before it quickly darted to a higher branch with a whoosh.
Some dangerous magical creatures, foraging in the night, revealed their eyes from the underbrush. After a brief moment of hesitation, they immediately fled back into the thick forest.
Regardless of the creature, all of them possessed a sensitivity far beyond that of ordinary animals. It was clear that these magical beings sensed a deep and unnatural danger, choosing to abandon their hunt or escape in haste.
The magical creatures weren’t afraid of Ian; they were terrified of the black-robed skeleton that followed him like a shadow. Its robe fluttered gently in the night wind, resembling the wings of a ghost, blending into the darkness while giving off an indescribable sense of eeriness and mystery.
The oppressive feeling was palpable.
As if it could be touched.
This was why Ian was so cautious.
“How about I introduce you to some other humans? Don’t worry, even though England’s population isn’t large, we definitely have a wealth of talent in the different love department!”
Ian considered whether the few reliable seniors at Hogwarts might gain the black-robed skeleton’s favor. He was growing desperate to shake off this menacing presence.
Better them than him.
He even wondered if Grindelwald or Dumbledore could handle this trouble. Ian weighed his options, attempting to find a way to reduce the black-robed skeleton’s focus on him.
However.
“Your bird harmed me… so you need to take responsibility for its actions… grant me flesh and blood.” The black-robed skeleton showed no interest in other humans at all.
It finally revealed why it had been following Ian.
“Which bird? The black Phoenix?” Ian furrowed his brows in confusion.
“Grant me flesh and blood, love, I need love… your bird said so.” The black-robed skeleton ignored Ian’s question and continued murmuring in his ear.
“…”
Ian tried to use the Protean Charm to create a device that would trap the skeleton’s jaw, but when the device moved toward the skeleton and made contact, it lost all effect.
“Whoosh~”
It turned into a pile of branches.
Ian’s extraordinary talent with Transfiguration couldn’t alter this fact; no matter how much magic power he poured into it, the enchantment collapsed almost instantly.
“If you want that ghost bird, I can give it to you…” Ian’s gaze shifted back to the black-robed skeleton, noting the strange power emanating from its broken chains.
He found it difficult to understand how a being adorned with such terrifying anti-magic chains could still perform magic similar to Apparition whenever it wished to pursue him.
“That’s just an empty shell, a product of biological alchemy… isn’t it your handiwork?” The black-robed skeleton seemed genuinely puzzled, raising a bony finger to scratch its head.
“I thought someone finally punished that bird.” Its voice carried a hint of indignation, but more than that, it seemed to echo with a lingering fear.
“I just found the black Phoenix’s egg, no, it was a friend who gave me the egg… ugh, you really are a trickster, didn’t you just say you couldn’t remember anything?”
Ian felt he had caught the black-robed skeleton in a contradiction, unsure if he could use this to persuade it to leave him alone, ideally, to return to wherever it had come from, the Twilight Zone.
“I have no mind, but resentment… has long seeped into my remaining soul.” The black-robed skeleton responded earnestly, leaving the little wizard unsure how to counter.
Ian had never lost his mind, nor was he left with just a remnant of a soul. He couldn’t provide any rebuttal, and the first thing that came to mind was Voldemort’s fragmented soul. That old wizard had lost his mind in a variety of ways, and Ian wondered if other soul fragments would “quantum synchronize” with their hatred toward him.
“I still need to find a chance to eliminate him.”
Ian felt uneasy.
Of course.
Right now, his most pressing concern was still the black-robed skeleton in front of him.
“What do I need to do for you to stop following me?” Ian tried to negotiate with the black-robed skeleton. Even though it seemed to have no intention of harming him, he didn’t want a towering skeleton watching him while he ate, slept, or even went to the loo.
Would he still be able to attend classes? Would he return to the Orphanage during the holidays?
What about his reputation… well, that seemed to have little significance now.
After all, due to various reasons, he had lost much of his reputation, being regarded as a necromancer wizard. In fact, it could even be considered a relatively good reputation he’d gained in recent days.
“Grant me flesh and blood.”
The black-robed skeleton repeated itself, but it no longer mentioned love. Perhaps it had realized Ian was sensitive to that word.
“How about some pork or beef? We could use lamb, focusing on something tender and young!” Ian had no real knowledge of biological alchemy.
Moreover, he was highly skeptical that alchemy would work on this being, given that the chains on it could nullify all magical powers.
“…”
The black-robed skeleton fell silent again.
Ian felt it was dissatisfied with his choice of meat.
“I can’t get you human flesh, but I can write you a list. If you manage to kill those people and stick their flesh onto yourself, that might work too?” The little wizard began mentally listing his enemies, as well as potential enemies, including names from the Death Eater remnants.
“I want my own flesh and blood.” The black-robed skeleton finally couldn’t hold back.
“You really are making things difficult for an eleven-year-old child.” Ian sighed heavily.
“Eleven years old?”
The black-robed skeleton seemed puzzled, its eye sockets burned with soul fire, and within that fire, a glowing soul appeared rather than the true appearance of a little wizard.
Clearly, the black-robed skeleton could not see life; it could only see the soul of life.
“How about this, let’s compromise. You swear on your ancestral grave that you won’t continue to disturb my life, and I promise to help you when I have the ability to do so?” After a moment of consideration, Ian tentatively proposed, as he was quite skilled at making such grand promises.
“There is already a contract between us.” The black-robed skeleton’s voice remained hoarse, as though a pile of fish bones were stuck in its throat.
“When the hell did that happen?” Ian blinked in surprise.
“The moment you awakened me, the contract was already established.” The red lines on the black-robed skeleton surged again, and it gestured for Ian to look at his own wrist.
“…”
Ian complied and immediately saw a glowing pattern on his wrist, with countless crimson lines intertwining to form a design that resembled a blood-red sun.
“Is my wrist not enough for you, ancient monsters?” Ian felt a wave of helplessness; he had experienced this déjà vu three times over the past year.
“What is the content of this contract? Don’t think about deceiving me… I have people behind me and above me… no, below me, I’ll find them to verify whether what you say is true.”
Ian was wary, having been tricked by the Ouroboros “curse” in the Slytherin Forest, and he was anxious that the black-robed skeleton might also be setting a trap for him.
“You use love to grant me flesh and blood, and I will serve you… for ten thousand years.” The black-robed skeleton succinctly replied, pausing before adding,
“This is not my doing; it is a predetermined fact I sensed when I awakened.” The skeleton’s words explained why it had shown no hostility thus far.
“…”
Ian began to understand. Perhaps the deduction of his Twilight Zone Experience Card being “charged” by berserk magic was somewhat related to this contract that had been established without his knowledge.
Realizing this, he connected more dots. No wonder that mutt of a black Phoenix had refused to show itself earlier; the black-robed skeleton had pecked at Ian’s hand a few times before its resurrection.
He had thought it was merely a gesture of affection, but the real culprit was that blasted Phoenix! Ian would bet his life that the so-called contract was definitely tied to that black Phoenix!
“Alright, alright, ten thousand years, you work first, and let me think about how to give you flesh and blood.” Ian remained cautious, but if things were indeed as the skeleton claimed, it might not be a bad deal.
Ten thousand years.
His great-great-grandchildren’s graves would surely not be disturbed; regardless of whether he could figure out how to provide the skeleton with flesh and blood, it was certainly a deal that wouldn’t leave him at a loss.
“What… does ‘working’ mean?”
The black-robed skeleton tilted its head in confusion.
“Working means you don’t eat, drink, or sleep while doing tasks… of course, there’s no work for you right now; I just want to study the chains on you.” Ian hesitated, contemplating whether to approach the skeleton.
“Whoosh~”
Suddenly, a sound of something slicing through the air echoed in the forest, and an arrow shot out from the darkness, fast as lightning, heading straight for Ian, who was sitting on the rock.
“Thud~”
Before Ian’s protective gear could react, the black-robed skeleton appeared in front of the little wizard, raising its hand to catch the arrow, which was almost as fast as a bullet.
“Something dark is coming…” Ian glanced at the broken fragments on the ground, his tone slightly irritated, knowing that the arrow had been aimed at his head.
“It’s a monster.”
The black-robed skeleton was a linguistic genius.
It’s single sentence quelled Ian’s anger.
“Have you never looked in a mirror?”
Ian was genuinely impressed by the black-robed skeleton’s lack of self-awareness. Well, it made sense; without a heart, it seemed normal to lack common sense. Voldemort’s fragmented soul didn’t seem as bizarre as this skeleton.
“Thud thud thud~”
As Ian was left speechless, the attackers revealed themselves, centaurs, their hooves echoing as they emerged from the shadows. Leading them was a burly, somewhat aged centaur with a gray beard and exaggerated muscles.
“Evil soul, and evil wizard… You have trespassed into a forbidden area.” The lead centaur spoke in a stern voice.
“That’s a skeleton! A moving skeleton!”
“This is a wizard who toys with the dead!”
“He’s just a little brat, yet he dares to dabble in such dark magic; the people in the castle won’t blame us; we are helping them eliminate this festering maggot!”
“Kill him!”
…
The centaurs shouted angrily, and some even raised their bows again, just then, a strange wave appeared in the air.
“Ha ha ha ha ha~”
A bizarre sound echoed.
The black Phoenix appeared in front of the centaurs.
“Attack!”
“Damn! It’s an ambush!”
The panicked centaurs attempted to shoot down the flying black Phoenix, but it seemed to flit between life and death, its form flickering as it dove toward the centaurs.
It pierced through the nearest centaur, but when the terrified centaur looked down at its chest, it found no wound.
“I’m still alive! It’s fine!” The centaur exclaimed, but when it turned to look at its companions, it saw their expressions filled with horror.
“What’s wrong?”
It turned back.
Instantly, its face turned pale.
There, the black Phoenix held a dim, somewhat transparent figure in its beak, which was struggling, its face identical to that of the centaur.
With a swift motion, the black Phoenix raised its head and swallowed the entire transparent figure.
“NO!”
The attacked centaur’s voice was abruptly cut off, as if an invisible force had seized its throat. Its eyes began to fade, transitioning from deep amber to a pale gray, as if all vitality was being drained away. This fading process rapidly spread throughout its body, and its once robust muscles and smooth skin became dull and lifeless.
It was as though the ravages of time had eroded it.
As the fading intensified, the centaur’s body grew weak, its limbs trembling as if they could no longer support its massive frame.
Finally, with a dull thud, the centaur collapsed like an ancient statue, shattering into countless pieces, revealing pale bones and shredded muscle fibers.
Clearly, what had been taken and consumed was its soul!
“What a wicked creature! What a terrifying ability! Alert all kin! Inform the school!” The lead centaur, witnessing the gruesome demise of its kin, was struck with fear.
The other centaurs reacted similarly. All centaurs were champions unafraid of death, but the horror of having their souls consumed made them tremble in fear.
“Don’t let these beasts escape; they just attempted to murder me!”
Ian watched as the centaurs began to scatter, speaking softly to the black Phoenix that had returned to his arm. He didn’t draw his wand, as the centaur’s soul had been devoured, and the black Phoenix was once again engulfed in purple flames, a surge of magic power flowing back to him, albeit not much, but certainly better than nothing.
“Ha ha ha ha ha~”
The black Phoenix soared into the air once more.
However, before it could charge out, the stationary black-robed skeleton assumed Ian was speaking to it, turning its head slightly to gaze at the fleeing centaurs.
Its eye sockets flickered with a flickering fire of souls, and the red lines on its bones began to shimmer, glowing eerily in the moonlight. Some mysterious magical power seemed to radiate outward from it.
The next moment…
“Ahhhahhh!”
A series of piercing screams erupted.
Even though they had already scattered, fleeing in different directions, all the centaurs ignited in crimson flames simultaneously. There was no escape, no warning; the flames seemed to erupt from within them. All the centaurs fell to the ground, their agonizing cries echoing through the forest.
The flames did not immediately kill the centaurs.
Instead, they acted like a dreadful curse, gradually eroding their skin and flesh. The centaurs’ skin began to dry out, as though exposed to the burning heat of a dragon’s breath for days, losing all luster and elasticity. Their muscles contracted, as if an invisible force was squeezing out all their blood and moisture.
The surrounding trees seemed to sway away, as if recoiling from the very magic that coursed through the air.
“NO!!! I was wrong!!!”
“Kill me! Just kill me!”
“Evil dark wizard! Your soul will be cursed!”
After a series of painful moans and desperate struggles, the centaurs, like puppets deprived of all life, slowly collapsed to the ground, their bodies withered like mummies. They lost all their former pride and vitality. The flames extinguished as the centaurs fell, leaving behind a scene of charred remains and devastation.
The air was thick with a suffocating, burnt smell, the trace of life ruthlessly stripped away.
“What bad luck!”
Ian quickly distanced himself from the ashes, watching as the black Phoenix perched on his shoulder, while the black-robed skeleton followed him. He decided to share the curse of the centaurs.
“To be fair, it was you who attacked first, so you’re the dark wizard in their eyes.” Even without sensing the curse, Ian remained extremely cautious.
“Ha?”
The black Phoenix seemed to indicate that it was not a wizard.
“Then it must be referring to it; it is the only outsider here… the outer bone.” Ian and the black Phoenix almost simultaneously turned their heads to look at the silent black-robed skeleton.
“??????”
The black-robed skeleton remained silent.
But it clearly sensed how Ian was treating it, as it had just followed Ian’s orders to eliminate the centaurs, only to find itself being excluded alongside the black Phoenix.
“It’s fine; you can handle it; I believe in you… and please help me bear the curse from Voldemort.” Ian walked along the narrow path toward the secret passage.
The empty forest echoed with the sound of rustling. The white light from his wand illuminated the surrounding scene, and the damp path was covered with various slippery mosses.
Some oddly shaped fireflies were drawn to the light but dared not approach.
“Smack~”
The black-robed skeleton stepped on a tiny mushroom.
Ian glanced back at it.
Immediately, he took off running.
The somewhat bewildered black-robed skeleton had just begun to follow when the tiny mushroom beneath it suddenly swelled and exploded, releasing a large cloud of green smoke.
The toxic mist enveloped the black-robed skeleton, turning it green, yet it still moved swiftly, teleporting to Ian’s side, who had already run quite a distance away.
“This is a good find; let me scrape some off.” Ian had already pulled out a vial and brush, donning protective gear, and as soon as the black-robed skeleton appeared, he rushed forward to collect the toxic powder.
After a moment, the black-robed skeleton returned to its original color.
Ian was satisfied with the vial of powder he had collected. Perhaps they had lingered in this spot too long, as a curious creature emerged from the depths of the forest.
It seemed unafraid of the black-robed skeleton or Ian and the black Phoenix, slowly walking out of the thicket. It resembled a horse but much cleaner and more graceful, surrounded by colorful butterflies that emitted a soft glow. It was a Unicorn.
Ian was somewhat surprised by this encounter; he had roamed the Forbidden Forest more than once or twice but had never seen a Unicorn approach him so willingly.
In fact, the Unicorn was not approaching him at all. It walked past Ian and the black Phoenix, kneeling before the black-robed skeleton. Its front legs touched the ground as it bowed slightly.
The black-robed skeleton tilted its head in confusion but still reached out to stroke the Unicorn’s head, this scene felt magical and unbelievable to Ian.
“You were so cruel when you killed the centaur! How can a Unicorn consider you to have a pure soul?” Ian thought either he was going mad or the Unicorn had lost its mind.
It certainly wouldn’t show such affection to him; while it might allow him to touch it, it would never be as submissive as it was before the black-robed skeleton. This beautiful magical creature had quite the temper.
Seeing that the Unicorn even seemed to want to carry the black-robed skeleton, Ian’s expression turned bewildered.
“You are actually a good skeleton!?”
He couldn’t fathom why he was witnessing such a bizarre scene.
“Ha ha ha~”
The black Phoenix echoed in agreement.
It looked at the black-robed skeleton as if it were a traitor to its kind.
(End of this chapter)
You can read ahead up to 110 chapters on my Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/darkshadow6395