The school of Bermuda - Volume 2 - The Sea Monster

-15-

(Lulis by Likianka)

"Izãdo, come over here," Madame Tera Noctis beckoned, causing the prince to startle and turn towards her.

"You're often with her," Ree remarked. "What are you up to?"

"She's helping me find a solution," Izãdo replied.

"Personally," Lulis added, "that teacher really scares me..."

"You have no idea," Izãdo agreed.

With this rather mysterious declaration, the prince walked away from his friends to join the professor.

He found her in her office, the enormous forbidden grimoire open on her desk.

"A spell to annihilate the monster?" Izãdo asked.

"No, none, but some clarifications regarding dark magic. Look at this, it's written that an invocation cannot be canceled by a spell."

"That's not really what I was hoping to hear."

"Let me finish. No magic, not even dark magic, equals the power of fairies. So, we would need a fairy to defeat the monster."

"But fairies don't go into the water. And don't talk to me about the fairy Viviane, she's been dead for a long time. Moreover, Lili is half fairy, she should have been able to get out on her own for a month and a half... it's almost Christmas."

"I haven't finished yet! Fairies are the most powerful creatures, but there are others that have almost as much magic. Among these creatures, many are still unknown to wizards, but we can affirm that the Idrik and the Manticores are part of them."

"Great! I just have to find the Idrik, the king of animals who hasn't been seen for over a thousand years, despite being seven meters tall, or a Manticore. Let's just say I have a choice between searching for three hundred years or committing suicide."

"Why commit suicide?"

"I'd rather stick a knife in my head than be poisoned and devoured alive by a monster that's part-man, part-lion, part-scorpion."

"You can be so negative!"

"And on top of dark magic, you're friends with a Manticore?"

"Do you want to go out the window again? Think a little! The book says there are other creatures that almost equal the magic of fairies. With a little logic and time, it should be possible to find one that can be persuaded. Prince, are you listening to me?"

Izãdo looked up at his professor, seeming to have an idea in mind, and gave her a victorious smile.

"I think... professor, I think I know which creature might meet our expectations!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lili sat in the middle of the room. After several hours of failed attempts, she had given up on using her fairy magic.

Alonzo and Areiti, standing nearby, didn't say a word. Only the triton's stomach rumbled, breaking the silence for a moment. Without a glance, Lili muttered a spell to conjure up a table filled with food.

"Lili, you should eat too," Alonzo advised. "You need strength, you absolutely have to try again."

"What's the point? I'm unable to use this magic consciously."

"Your teacher told you that only anger could activate it. But maybe something else could work, have you tried?"

"Like what?"

"Fear, or willpower. I'll help you, I'm not afraid of your flames. Areiti, go find shelter."

The young aquatic boy nodded, took a plate from the conjured table, and ran into the hallway.

Lili sighed and stood up, returning to stand in front of the dragon.

Alonzo approached her from behind and placed his hands on her shoulders.

"Now," he whispered. "Close your eyes and visualize your school. But not as you usually see it... I want you to imagine it in ruins."

"What?"

"Lili, listen to me. You absolutely have to imagine it completely destroyed."

"I can't..."

The albino slid his hands to the girl's temples, helping her by inserting some images into her mind.

The devastated island, the school in ruins and on fire. Lili could see the lifeless bodies of her friends, her teachers, but also her father. The Bubak, Ermite, and the centaurs were also there, lying on the ground in pools of blood. It was a horrifying vision for the half-fairy, who began to scream.

She fell to her knees, crying, as weak blue flames surrounded her. It had indeed awakened her power, but not powerfully enough to release the Leviathan.

"Alonzo, what are you doing?"

The albino turned to Areiti, who ran to take his friend in his arms. Strangely, the flames were cold, even icy. The little triton gently calmed her, looking at the adult.

"What did you do to her? Why is she crying?"

"I thought such a vision would awaken her powers. It did, but it's not strong enough."

"Don't do that again!"

Alonzo looked at the angry expression on the young boy's face.

To be honest, he wanted to laugh because it only made him cuter. However, he knelt beside Lili.

"I'm sorry," he murmured softly. "I wanted to go too fast."

Lili looked up at him and, after a few seconds of hesitation, went to cuddle against him to calm down.

Despite the vision he had just subjected her to, she couldn't hate him. He was there to help her, he hadn't done it with ill intentions.

Alonzo calmed her like this for a long time. After crying for so long, she fell asleep in his arms. The albino then advised the triton to do the same, inviting him to lean against him as well.

They both woke up several hours later, feeling hungry. Fortunately, the fully laid table that Lili had conjured was still there, and the food was still perfectly edible, the hot dishes hadn't even cooled down. So they were able to fill their stomachs.

Lili was ready to try again, but Alonzo stopped her, a somewhat guilty look on his face, and finally gave her one of his unmistakable smiles.

"You need a break," he declared. "You're making a lot of effort. I have a small idea regarding the visions to make up for the ones earlier... I can easily show you some images of the past, as long as it's related to you. Tell me, Lili, have you never wanted to know about your mother?"