Chapter 376 - The Pool of Answers (2/2)

”I . . . had friends. Friends who would die for me, kill for me. Sounds familiar? I had friends like yours and I know your fear of losing them all too well. But have you considered that you can not save them?”

”What do mean?”

”I mean did you ever think that you can not save people who don't know how to save themselves?”

”Shouldn't the entire motto of saving people is saving people who can't save themselves?” Chris asked perplexed.

”No, Christina, you can not save people who don't know how to be saved. You can save people who want to be saved, who know how to save. Now tell me, do your friends know how to save themselves?”

”. . . . ” Chris took a long minute to analyze what the voice said before answering, ” . . . yes.”

”Then let me ask you again . . . do you choose your friends' safety or the secret to destroy your biggest enemy?”

”The destruction of my biggest enemy.”

”Then you know what to do.”

This time, Chris didn't hesitate. She marched forward and broke into a run. As she went farther into the lane the orbs started to light the path for her. Finally, it opened wide . . . in a translucent white swirling pool. Chris almost toppled over to the pool before skidding to a stop.

”You meant to say this was a test too?” Irritated Chris asked looking up, not knowing where the source of the voice was. The entire place was well lit now.

”A test of what?” The voice inquired.

”I don't know. . . my agility? To see if I can act quickly or not. Because you could have warned me about the pool.” Chris didn't know why she was arguing but she was feeling very frustrated by the fact that she still couldn't see the owner of the voice.

”I didn't ask you to run,” the voice replied laughing.

”Okay, so now what? I am here. There is this foggy swirling pool and. . .” Chris looked around but there was nothing else. Just the vast pool ending at the far wall and there was nowhere else to go. ”Nothing else. And I can't see you or the secret to destroy Malgino.”

”Both are in front of you. You are just not looking,” The voice answered calmly.

Chris looked around again. Now carefully. . . still, she didn't see anything apart from the white translucent pool. Chris was about to open her mouth to shout at the voice feeling furious when it hit her.

The pool.

It wasn't filled with water.

”They are memories. You have a pool of memories!”

Chris felt stupid for not noticing that the swirling shimmering silvery substance in the pool was neither liquid nor gas. They were memories filled with the expansion of the pool.

”At last. You managed to come to the right conclusion,” the voice remarked but Chris didn't feel offended by the comment. In fact, she was thrilled because now she realized the voice came from the pool.

Chris dropped her bag on the ground and unhooked her belt holding the sword and dagger. She placed the weapons above her bag and stared at the pool.

”So now what are you going to do?”

Chris heard the voice coming from the pool.

”Find you,” she smiled and took a deep breath before diving headfirst into the pool.

Instantly, Chris's surroundings changed. She was falling, falling through whirling darkness, and then, quite suddenly, she was blinking in dazzling sunlight.

She was back at Hogwarts.

⟦To be continued⟧