Chapter 55
After leaving the Headmaster's office, a thought crossed Albert's mind—one he hadn't considered in quite some time.
During the summer holiday, he had discovered a crucial condition required to continue learning the advanced levels of the Piercing Charm. To progress, the spell had to be cast successfully on a rare magical creature. That revelation had consumed his thoughts for weeks.
Now, you might ask: how did Albert know this? The requirement was revealed in an ancient book he had found during his first year—buried beneath the family vault, near the treasure chest. If he failed to use the spell on a rare creature and penetrate its body, he would be unable to advance in mastering the Piercing Charm.
"Hm… that's probably why others—like my father—weren't able to continue learning it," Albert mused aloud. "But since I have a natural talent for magic and learn quickly, I should be able to fulfill this requirement without much trouble."
And so, after careful reflection on where in the magical world one might encounter rare creatures, one location immediately came to mind: the Forbidden Forest.
However, creatures within the Forbidden Forest could not be slain lightly—especially not unicorns. To kill such a being would bring a terrible curse upon the one who committed the act. Albert had even been blessed by unicorns in the past.
Moreover, Albert had now chosen a path of balance and harmony in life. A savage killing would only violate that principle. It wouldn't fulfill the true spirit of the Piercing Charm's requirement either.
Instead, he settled on a different target: the Acromantula—giant, eight-eyed spiders. They were ideal prey: abundant in number, fast-reproducing, and their deaths wouldn't disturb the natural order. After all, these spiders were not native to the forest; they were artificial magical creatures bred by wizards—Hagrid among them.
Their proliferation had created a biological imbalance in the Forbidden Forest, one that Albert felt no remorse in correcting. He would have more than enough targets to test the charm on.
Another key point: Albert's life-based magic had a natural advantage over such unnatural beings. The Piercing Charm, when infused with his magic, would cause immense damage to these creatures. Furthermore, the eyes of Acromantulas were known to grant rapid healing and heightened vitality to any wizard who consumed them.
The only problem? Reaching the place where these spiders dwelled.
But Albert was determined. If he wanted to hunt, he'd need to prepare in advance.
That Monday night, after curfew, Albert slipped out of the castle and made his way toward the forest. The woods were pitch black under the moonless sky. He carried a lantern from his room, and after walking for less than ten minutes along a forest path, he heard rustling in the trees beside him.
Something large stepped out of the shadows.
Albert instinctively raised his wand, but paused when he recognized the silhouette. A moment of squinting confirmed it.
"Good evening, Betty," Albert said, lowering his wand with a sigh of relief. "You startled me—I nearly attacked you."
It was Betty, the centaur he had met the previous year when he had rescued a unicorn.
Betty eyed him for a moment before asking, "Did you ever visit the place I told you about this summer—with the ring?"
"No," Albert replied, pulling a silver chain from around his neck. "The ring you gave me is still with me."
"That's strange," Betty said, pawing the ground with her forehoof. "Then how did you learn to enter the Emerald Dream?"
"The Emerald Dream?" Albert repeated, curious. "What's that?"
Betty thought for a moment, then offered, "Take my hand—and don't resist the invitation. I think you'll understand once you enter."
Albert trusted Betty. Without hesitation, he reached out. The moment their hands touched, he felt something tug at his spirit—an invitation to enter a different plane of existence.
As soon as he accepted, Albert's awareness was swept into a realm brimming with natural energy and radiant life. Though unfamiliar, there was something deeply nostalgic about it. Then it struck him—it felt like a grander, purer version of the dream-world he had once wandered into in his sleep.
But unlike that dream, this world was far more vast, alive, and vibrant.
He looked down at himself and noticed something odd: he appeared not as a young man, but as a small boy—eleven or twelve years old. He guessed this had something to do with the Mind Shield Charm he had practiced, which protected his mental form from exposing his true self. Without it, his soul would've likely manifested as his adult self—his self from a past life.
At that moment, he noticed glowing specks of light converging around him. They gathered until they took on the shape of Betty.
"I didn't exactly enter the dream world," Albert told her as she formed. "But I visited something like it—only smaller, and much more dangerous."
"Sometimes, your magic can pull fragments from the Emerald Dream and create personal dreamscapes," Betty explained. "But once a fragment detaches, it begins to die—and with it, the world inside. Such practices weaken the Emerald Dream and should be avoided. You must not follow such poor examples, Albert."
Then she softened her tone. "The last time I saw you helping a unicorn, I believed you were worthy of entering the Dream. That ring I gave you was a key. But I never expected you to learn how to enter it by other means. Can you show me how you do it?"
"Of course," Albert nodded.
He used his method to exit the Emerald Dream and re-entered moments later.
Betty frowned slightly when he returned. "Your method is... very wizard-like. You're tearing through the veil between worlds."
But then her expression eased, and she gestured to the green glimmers floating around Albert. "Still, since the Dream has already accepted you, the hardest part is over. You won't need that spell anymore. Go back to your school—there are books there that can teach you how to enter the Emerald Dream properly. In the meantime, I'll show you the real way."
Betty proceeded to teach him the authentic method: how to feel the current of nature, how to harmonize with it, and how to step into the Dream through spiritual alignment.
This technique was subtler and more intricate than anything he had found in textbooks. But it was faster, safer, and Albert could tell—it was the true way.
"The purpose of the Emerald Dream," Betty told him, "is to strengthen your spirit. Think of it as a mental fortress: the stronger it is, the harder it will be for enemies to harm you. No intrusion can touch your mind easily when this world stands firm."
As he continued training, Albert couldn't help but smile inwardly.
Coming to the Forbidden Forest had been a good idea after all.
He hoped every visit would be as rewarding as this one
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