Twilight Shadows

Chapter 45

"It." The Headmaster whispered again. "Evil." He whispered it as if he feared it, and the Headmaster immediately clamped a hand over his mouth as if he said something forbidden.

"Headmaster, I... I'm sorry if I..." I trailed off.

"Stephanie, I'm okay." The murderous look on his face told me everything. "Continue, Stephanie, continue..." Headmaster Dyson said heavily.

"I... I opened up the scroll, and... I read it." I said quietly.

The Headmaster widened his eyes and looked at me with fear. "That's how..." He finally whispered, as if in a trance.

"What's how?" I asked again.

"The Hell Hound. That's how it found us. Because of that scroll..." Headmaster Dyson said, the murderous look on his face replaced by one of horror.

"So, once the shadowy thingy finds its correspondent, the thing knows where I am?" I asked, unsure of my conclusion.

"Precisely," Headmaster Dyson said, looking straight at me. "And that creature is forbidden."

"What does that mean?" I asked.

"It's coming back. It's coming back..." The Headmaster looked horrified.

"There's something you should know..." I said, before the Headmaster would freak out or something. "The letter; it said that if I heal the Tree, I heal Evil. I bring it back."

The Headmaster looked like it was the end of the universe.

"Stephanie..." He shook his head. "That's why it targeted you... Because It knew that you were the strongest Healer. You had the most potential. And It knew that I would train you. And if you heal the Tree... You restore It to its full form."

"Headmaster... you're-you're not making any sense." I said, confused.

"Stephanie, Stephanie, Stephanie..." Headmaster Dyson sighed. "It's a long story, but... we've got some time.

When It was brought down by the five kingdoms, It was banished to the deepest, darkest corners of Oblivion, thought to never return. But, It bided his time, trying to get in contact with its followers. None of them remained faithful, and never returned to Its aid.

I've heard a rumor, but that's it. Somebody found out a way to help It. They allied together, and ever since, It has been coming back. It has been regaining its strength and power. But that wasn't enough. They needed a Healer. A powerful one.

If they couldn't get their hands on a Healer, It would be forever a wisp of smoke, floating around, harmless. Of course Its one loyal follower had to help him. Somebody set up this trap - this, this dilemma. 

And I think I know who it is..." Headmaster Dyson's eyes glittered with menace and fury. "Seth."

I blinked. "Seth?" I whispered. "The leader of the Shadows?"

"It all makes sense. Seth would've wanted to avenge himself on the Twilights, and naturally, he thought it was good to bring back It." Headmaster Dyson said, finally taking his eyes off me and pacing around the clearing again. "Seth is the only one powerful enough - other than It and I - to poison the Tree. Somehow, somehow Seth must've gotten himself a Potion and Transfigured It into the vial, pouring it into the Tree and poisoning it too."

I kept quiet as Headmaster Dyson paced even faster.

"It's an ingenious idea, really, but now, we are in a serious dilemma." Headmaster Dyson said.