𝐈𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐇𝐀𝐃𝐎𝐖 𝐎𝐅 𝐇𝐄𝐑 || 𝐒𝐞𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐒𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰

Chapter Thirty-Eight: San Bakar's Trial

Chapter Thirty-Eight

It had been two days since everything had gone on with Sebastian and things were starting to go back to normal in the way they could best. Life seemed a bit more peaceful, which Matty was grateful for, but what she didn't know was that her life was about to be thrown into the most hectic time ever.

Late one night, Matty was suddenly awoken by Natty, who was shaking her trying to get her awake. "Matty, Matty! Wake up." Natty said, shaking her until she awoke and sat up. "Professor Fig is looking for you, he said it is urgent."

Matty rubbed the sleep from her eyes, looking up at Natty confused. "At this hour? What are you doing up?"

"My mother got me; Professor Fig told her he needed to see you and so she came to get me to wake you." Natty replied. "If it is this urgent, I suspect you should get up and go find him."

Although she was still exhausted, if it was Professor Fig calling for her at this hour, he had a good reason too. She stumbled out of bed and put on her robes before leaving her dorm and heading straight down to the Map Chamber. She knew he wouldn't be in his office and one of the reasons why she actually got up was because she knew it'd have something to do with San Bakar's trial.

Upon entering, she saw Professor Fig standing in front of the portraits. "You've made it." He said, turning to see Matty.

"What's going on?" Matty asked as she rushed down the stairs towards her Professor.

But Professor Fig didn't answer, instead, Professor Bakar did. "We've come to a mutual decision to have you complete the fourth and final trial to view my memory." He said to Matty. A place on the map started to glow, letting Matty know where it was.

"The next trial will involve an exceptional level of magical skill-and a nuanced ability to interact with beasts." Professor Rackham spoke up. "Find a face of stone and tendrils. I should advise that you must engage with any beasts that are part of the trial on your own. And Professor Bakar will meet you in his pensive room."

Matty felt extremely grateful that she could now complete the fourth trial. Although she had been angry with the Keepers for very long for not trusting her, it was more important that she finish this trial and stop Ranrok before he got to the Final Repository.

She and Professor Fig spoke briefly about going separate ways to meet each other on the coast to find the trial since Professor Weasley had been keeping an eye on him for the past few weeks since he seemed to always be in and out. She agreed and set out to the coast.

She found a small entryway between two mountains, perfectly hidden. If you didn't know something was already up through here, you would've probably never paid any attention to it, or even noticed it in the first place.

When she arrived, Professor Fig was already there inspecting a few things. "You're here. And I have good news-we do not have any of Ranrok's Loyalists to contend with." He said to Matty as she walked up. "Of course, the bad news is that it's likely because they no longer need to track the Keepers for information."

"We'll have to be quick then. We've had enough time wasted already." Matty said, taking a good look around.

As she looked ahead, she saw a small part of the stone that was against the ending of this small place in between these mountains. It was too smooth to be a part of it and ivy had started to grow all over it. She lifted her wand and cast incendio to burn it and something was revealed.

A sealed doorway appeared. Carved from the stone of the very mountains they were between and on the door was placed a face of stone and tendrils, just like Professor Rackham had said.