Chapter Twenty

Lord Grave stepped into the Library and his ninety year old eyes managed to embrace two fragile boys with a voluminous mess created. Caulin’s face turned pale all of a sudden and Adne shrugged briefly with a sigh that told the boys she could no longer pin the old man down. Caulin could sense Adne’s gaze telling him that she was sorry for failing but…After all, she was not to blame. They had planned to find the treasure in the boundaries of five to seven minutes but almost an hour had been elapsed thanks to her.

            Now even Jesi had to bring himself to accepting the fact that they’ve been caught and would have to face the wrath of Lord Grave. The embrace of Professor Grave now moved to Jesi who was was having snakes of sweat all over his face. It was apparent he was shocked to see that Jess of all people could break into his office though. Jesi wanted to say something but is seemed he could not even remember what his name was.

            Adne, whose composure was still accurate decided to let it all out to save her other two.

“Lord Grave,”

She said.

“Your pardon, with all honesty. I wanted to tell tell you earlier but I was saturated with fear that I could not speak a word of it for your information.”

She revealed and waited expectantly.

“Could you just tell what you unruly kids are all about in here in my office?”

He lunged at Caulin and his fearful companion. There was a limitation to everything of his including his patience and irrefutably the old man was completely bankrupt in terms of patience and tolerance. He was infuriated and Adne knew very well their expulsion was due from Gramway.

“I will ask you to believe us please Lord Grave, it is of utmost importance.”

Ariadne pleaded. Professor Grave said not a word but seated himself on a small black-draped chair.

“Sir Grave, out of the love we three have for the realm, we sort to uncover some suspicious activities in Gramway and we thought finding the gnome throngs of Lord Stag’s will certainly give us a lead. Caulin Granger and Jesi Borden know of all I told you and even more.”

She gazed across the room, not seeing any hope.

“Perhaps Lord Grave, we should have done this in a more discreet way but the hindrance was that we couldn’t figure out who to trust.”

She said, glancing down bitterly at her folded hands.

“As it was, I particularly and the both of them never knew of the constant danger this feat might lead us to, I bet we would have been prepared for it.”

Looking up, she continued briskly.

“But whatever action we took had a graceful intention lurking behind it. You are not going to tell the Lords of Gramway are you. We can’t be expelled Lord Grave, otherwise the evils in the realm may not be stopped.”

“No,”

Lord Grave answered, shaking his white haired head vigorously. He rose explosively and begun pacing the floor, his gloved hands clasping and unclasping.

“What you three are doing is no toy.”

He said. Caulin turned to check Jesi. He was no longer sweating for he was rest assured somehow that expulsion was billions of miles away from them.

“You three have magic then?”

He asked urgently.

“Ehm-we actually…”

Jesi said, stammering for the first time.

“We do not have magic but have a distinct affinity for unravelling both normal and magical problems. Anyone with no dim wits can do that Lord Grave.”

Caulin said cuttingly, noticing Jesi wanted to tell the truth. He was not sure whether he could trust the patience of Lord Grave enough. Already they could be expelled from Gramway for breaking into the office of a school authority; not to talk of it been coupled with the possession of magic.”

“I’m not sure whether to believe you Granger, you are sure not dim-witted but who without magic would want to solve a magical problem especially when it could cause your head off your shoulders.”

He said, still in an apparent rage.

“It is just as I said to you earlier Lord Grave, we are clean and if only we could get the gnome throngs of Lord Stag’s, we could make a difference in the realm.”

“What Division are you in, all of you?”

He queried.

“Gwyneide, your honor.”

“Alright then, fifty points from your Division on each of your accounts. A hundred and fifty in all from Gwyneide!”

He said and gestured them to make their way out of his office.

“May your mercy have a place with us, Lord Grave? We had no notions of causing any trouble, could you reduce the punishment on our division?”

Ariadne said.

“My word still holds!”

He commanded. Caulin breathed heavily trying to undo his anxiety emanating from the points the Division lost, thanks to him. He had been the one to suggest they found the gnome throngs at the Merashar River where the isle of gloom gloomily stood. The rest of the students in his Division were never going to forgive him for that and he had to prepare himself for the scorn. Professor Dunotdare was also available to render his share of the punishment. Jesi was not exempted from the pain of having to do that punishment. Points been taken from your Division was mostly attached with a day or two’s detention even if it is not mentioned.

            The worse of it all was when you are assigned to the Wolverine willows. It was an endless forest with a variety of willows and of course other species of trees. One thing that no one has been able to figure out was why it was always winter in the Wolverine Willows. It was a perfect place where your fearfulness was genuinely tested. Rowdy and recalcitrant students who were sent there on detention came back so repentant and never again were they ever involved in anything against the principles of the Lords of the school. Hormil, a friend of Caulin’s was once sent there and since then, good behavior has never been something he lacked.

            Caulin, casting his mind imaginarily into the Wolverine Willows made him itch terribly. Of all the places in the world that was the last place he would dream of going. As for Jesi and Ariadne it was not hard to imagine how depressed they were only by the mention of the Divisions losing points. Even if detention was not mentioned they were sure to suffer its wrath.

“Professor Grave, I plead for mercy. Aye-we do beyond the shadow of a doubt that we did just the wrong thing and we deserve your scorn but if you will think further about this…Gramway needs fellas like us and awarding this punishment can go a long way to truncate our enthusiasm to unravel the many evils.”

Ariadne Rooney explained.

“You did lie to me,”

Lord Grave confessed.

“Not exactly grand master, I only kept the truth to myself. Every single thing I told you was true.”

“How difficult is it for you to imagine that keeping the truth is parallel to lying, been reclined, deceitful and dishonest?”

Lord Grave inquired.

“It’s crystal clear to us that our punishment is inevitable but with all due respect grand master, how about granting us the grace of having the gnome throngs, Lord Stag’s?”

Caulin said, with a facial expression that seemed like he was matching inexorably into a hideous dungeon of defeat. Well, what choice did they have at hand? Lord Grave paced toward his desk and uttered a word or two. It sounded more like a spell to Jesi who was a bit relieved. At least they could say that their effort yielded a great fruit.

“Lest I do forget. How did come to be of knowledge about this legendary book. Only two copies of this book existed; this one and the one engraved in the good brains of Lord Stag. Inopportunely everything he knew died with him so just this copy remains.”

He elucidated.

“It was a puzzle we solved together. We were recently on the shores of the Merashar River and the isle of gloom made it all known, Lord.”

Caulin said innocently. He was such an amazing kid though…

“The isle of gloom? What is that?”

He asked.

“We call it that way because it looked gloomy to us. Now can we have the book grand master? I am itching to see what Lord stag says about the Enbaum Willow, the Wolverine Willows, the Stone of Rumvolt and other significant details.”

“You speak right kid Granger, he has a lot to say. You can have the book and return after your stay in summer’s skin gets dangerous. Have you ever learnt of dire wolves?”

“They are hard to find and are horrid. What do you mean about my stay in summer’s skin getting dangerous? And why should I return the book only when that time comes?”

Caulin questioned.

“You know what Master Granger, there are times when one can assert that the inability to render answers to certain questions proves the wisdom of those who ask them. Don’t forget that ever.”

He replied and instead of clearing things up in his head, he became more confused. Jesi could imagine how stupid Caulin felt as he listened to the old master. Ariadne’s disconcerted mind became evident with the sour salty look she wore.

“About the dire wolves Granger, have you ever seen one?”

Lord Grave asked, watching Caulin too closely. Solemnly, Caulin shook his head.

“I haven’t seen any and I doubt I ever will. I heard there are a volume of them in the Wolverine Willows behind the wall.”

Caulin said.

“That’s not true.”

Ariadne objected.

“Drakeizar is a dire wolf and to be supreme, he killed all dire wolves so he could be the only one in existence; except one dire wolf of course. It is called the Qiujah. So there possibly couldn’t be lurking behind the wall any dire wolf.”

Ariadne added, deliberately looking away.

“How do you know that, Miss Rooney?”

Lord Grave interjected.

“I read from here some months ago. The book also said the Qiujah has been sleeping for thousands of years but shall awake when the goblet of fire opts to embrace the pleasantries of water; when winter takes over Zaccrota and snow decides to fall a hundred feet deep; when the sun lurks behind itself for centuries and children would have to be born and die all in great darkness; when the night comes that will last a whole generation; when many gods die in their realms and wizards have to lose their powers to be able to breathe; when Lermils will weep and feel their tears freeze on their cheeks; and then the Horges will rise for the first time and with enormous claws, sweep through realms and cities, through the Wolverine Willows and the woods, inflicting resentment at the Qiujah for only the gods know what. That is when the second dire wolf, the Qiujah shall awake from his slumber.”

Ariadne recounted.

“That’s gross and fearful?”

Jesi said in a rasp.

“What do you know about fear little Borden? Fear is for the winter where even willows will express their token measure.”

The grand master said briefly and moved to his desk, his coat damp from anxiety.

“And Ariadne, what are the Horges?”

Jesi asked.

“The book never said what they were but I can swear they are not for the good of the realm!”

She said.

“What a dire wolf that will be!”

Caulin sighed. Jesi nodded.

“It must be glorious though. To run, to leap and to hunt. It could be tempting I guess, to be whole as well. I sure think that Qiujah will be a difference to this realm.”

Caulin continued.

“I will admonish you three to be vigilant and not to be so much overwhelmed in the temperate hands of summer. Spending way too much time in summer could be grievously perilous. Sometimes it could cause you to forget what it is like to human. Be careful not to get trapped, Trio.”

The Lord of the Library uttered.

“You may go now. But my decision pertaining to your Divisions still holds and you shall sure be on detention for only today. Not another word from any of you and be good, before the time comes when you all shall become destitute of what good is like.”

            Caulin Granger, Jesi Borden and Ariadne Rooney walked out of the Library, a bit grateful for the time spent and at least, expulsion couldn’t make manifest on their path that day though it would have loved to. Just to find the gnome throngs they had ended up making a few discoveries and were going to work toward them. As they walked along the passage to their class, Jesi curiously lost himself to the thought of having to forget his mother and father, sister, and even forget the Gore Trio; forgetting himself!-all in their perilous feat to undo the negativities prevailing in the realm of Deruthe. Well, he thought, should he forget himself then he will lose all he’s built and the Gore Trio will be in ruins.

“We still would have to make do with this detention than to end up losing ourselves to summer. Let see what Jaime Owls say about this detention and the deduction of points from our Division. He is part of Gwyneide, isn’t he?”

Caulin spoke.

“He is.”

“Caulin, have you ever seen an eleven pointed star?”

Adne demanded, recalling what little princess Elaina had said.

“It’s my birthmark, Rooney,”

Caulin said, managing a slight nod.