Perry stepped out of the phone booth, the cold night breeze brushing against his cheeks, mixed with the damp scent of earth. He tightened his robe, trying to ignore the lingering sense of unease in his heart. He glanced around, the academy, bathed in the night's shadows, seemed peaceful and serene. The distant streetlights cast a soft glow, making the stone path's texture stand out clearly. A few night birds flew across the woods, their wings fluttering lightly, almost as if to remind him: this place is safe.
He took a deep breath, his steps slightly hesitant, but he reassured himself, "After all, this is the academy, I think it have some powerful defensive wards. That shadow shouldn't have followed me here." With this thought, his pace became a bit lighter.
However, just as he was about to step away, a faint sound of footsteps suddenly reached his ears. The sound wasn't loud, yet in the stillness of the night, it seemed amplified, striking Perry's taut nerves. He quickly turned around, his fingers instinctively reaching for the magic book hidden in his bag, scanning behind him with a cautious expression.
What appeared in his line of sight was a student wearing the academy's magic robe. The person emerged from a nearby phone booth, moving lazily, looking like any other student. He yawned, then bent down to adjust the collar of his robe, seemingly unaware of Perry's gaze.
Perry watched him for a few seconds, confirming there was nothing unusual, and then quietly let out a breath. "Just an ordinary student…" he muttered, the tension in him slightly easing. Yet, his steps quickened again, as if he couldn't wait to leave the open area.
He walked on, pulling the magic book from his bag and considering using teleportation magic to return to his dorm. He needed time to calm down and quickly address the system's issues. He flipped through the pages, quickly searching for the spell section, ready to chant the incantation. However, just as he focused on the book, a voice came from behind him.
"Henry, where are you going? Professor Edward is looking for us!"
Perry froze, nearly dropping the magic book in his hands. He quickly looked up and turned to the direction of the voice. A tall man with brown hair was walking toward him from the end of the path. He wore a friendly smile, walking casually, with no apparent malice.
The voice was eerily familiar, but Perry couldn't immediately place it. He frowned instinctively, his mind racing to recall the memory, but it felt like he hit a blank. He suppressed his confusion and forced himself to stay calm, asking casually, "Professor Edward is looking for me?"
He want to see Edward to get Henry memory but right now no a good timing.
The man paused for a moment, then nodded with a smile. "Yeah, the professor said he needed to talk to us, but I'm not sure what about." He stopped, shoved his hands into his pockets, and spoke casually, "But it's probably nothing serious, right? By the way, why the rush? Is something going on?"
Perry took a deep breath, trying to keep his tone calm. "No, nothing urgent."
The man seemed not to notice anything unusual, simply nodding. "Oh, well, that's good. I wonder what the professor wants to talk about. Hope it's not bad news." After saying this, his eyes casually swept over the magic book in Perry's hands, smiling as he asked, "Were you preparing to cast a spell? Studying this late?"
Perry's heart tightened, and he quickly brushed it off. "Just looking through it, nothing special."
The man didn't press further, just shrugged and took a few steps closer to Perry. This made Perry instinctively take half a step back. Though the man seemed harmless, there was something off about the situation. He strained to recall the man's face, but the memory remained elusive.
At that moment, the system's voice suddenly sounded in his mind, calm and precise: [The man in front of you is Henry's roommate, Alaric, the lion.]
Perry froze for a moment, then his pupils contracted slightly. So it was him.
Memories flooded back instantly, and yesterday's scene replayed in his mind like a movie: a majestic lion lounging lazily on the dorm bed. And this man before him was the "human form" of that lion. He hadn't expected a magical beast in the dorm to be able to transform into a human, speaking so naturally with him.
"Let's go, the professor's probably waiting for us," Alaric said casually, still smiling.
Perry paused for a moment, feeling a bit more at ease in his mind: "Alaric also a magic apprentice, well, having some shape-shifting ability isn't so unusual. Maybe it's an innate talent in his species." However, even with this explanation, a complicated emotion lingered in his heart. The proud lion from the dormitory was now walking side by side with him. This change would definitely take some time to adjust to.
Seeing that Perry hadn't moved, Alaric wore an expression of mild impatience. With his hands in his pockets, his voice carried a hint of urgency: "Henry, Professor Edward is waiting for us in the plant laboratory. We should hurry, he doesn't like people being late."
Perry's mind jolted, quickly suppressing the chaotic thoughts. He nodded, trying to make his expression as natural as possible: "Alright, let's teleport there." He knew Alaric wasn't suspicious, but the more familiar the person, the less room there was for making mistakes. He quickly regulated his breathing, forcing his thoughts back to a calm surface.
Alaric noticed this and flashed a cheerful smile, clearly satisfied. He pulled a thick magic book from his pocket, its cover engraved with intricate earth element runes that subtly shimmered with a soft glow. "I'll handle it," he said, flipping open the book and expertly turning to a specific page.
Perry noticed the strong earth-elemental light patterns that appeared on the pages and thought to himself: "It seems his major is earth magic, no wonder his presence feels so stable."
"Alright, stand close. I'll teleport us there," Alaric said, lowering his head and reciting the incantation. His movements were skilled and fluid, and his tone was steady, almost like a poem being sung. As his voice resonated, a soft earth-colored light began to gather beneath their feet, forming a complex magic circle.
In an instant, the light flashed, and the scene before them blurred and then clarified. Perry blinked, finding that they had already arrived in a new space. It was a spacious plant laboratory, surrounded by a variety of plants and experimental equipment. The air was filled with the refreshing scent of earth and the faint fragrance of flowers.
In the center of the lab was a massive carnivorous plant, lazily opening its gaping maw, seemingly feeding on a chunk of meat. Perry's gaze inadvertently met the plant's "eye," which, to his surprise, shifted like a living creature, causing him to quickly look away, a sense of unease creeping into his mind.
"We're here," Alaric casually closed the magic book and turned to Perry, a hint of pride in his eyes. "What do you think? My teleportation magic is pretty accurate, right?"
"Very precise," Perry responded casually, quickly scanning the laboratory. The setup was highly professional, with tables filled with transparent containers holding plant samples. Some of these containers even emitted a faint glow. The walls were covered with complex charts detailing the plants' growth cycles and magical properties.
Alaric smiled and patted Perry on the shoulder, his tone lighthearted. "Stop dawdling. Professor Edward is waiting for us inside." With that, he strode forward, heading straight toward the depths of the laboratory.
In the far end of the laboratory, a tall and lean middle-aged man was engrossed in his work. He wore a deep green robe, with a pouch full of reagents hanging at his waist. In his hand was a slender wand, which he used to carefully mix a vial of faintly glowing purple liquid. The liquid flowed slowly within the flask, pulsating as if it were alive.
"Professor, we're here," Alaric said, his tone more respectful than usual.
The man raised his head, his sharp eyes glinting like a blade, though they held a spark of a scientist's passion. His expression softened slightly when he saw Perry, and he spoke in a steady voice, "You're just in time. I need your help to complete an important experiment."
Perry nodded slightly, keeping his expression calm and focused. "Professor, what do you need us to do?" His voice was measured and steady, but his mind was already racing, trying to deduce the professor's intentions.
Professor Edward put down his wand and gestured toward a nearby workbench. "Over there is a 'Star Fern,' a plant highly sensitive to magical energy. I need you both to use your elements to control its growth direction. It's great that Henry and Alaric's elements complement each other—one water, one earth. Use your plant control skills to guide it and simultaneously record its reactions."
Perry looked at the "Star Fern" and saw that its leaves exhibited a strange silvery-green hue, with a thin layer of starlight-like shimmer on the surface, faintly sparkling under the lab lights. It was planted in a transparent magical pot, with complex runes glowing faintly at the bottom.
Perry's heart tightened, this was unfamiliar to him. He hesitated slightly and asked, "Professor, is there anything special I need to be aware of?"
Professor Edward seemed not to notice Perry's hesitation and calmly explained, "The Star Fern doesn't require much control over mental energy. Just focus and follow the steps I give you. Don't worry—if you fail, it's fine. I'll guide you along the way."
Perry silently sighed in relief, maintaining his calm exterior. He approached the workbench and reached out to touch the Star Fern. He felt a faint magical pulse transfer from the plant to his fingertips. The plant's life force flowed like a small stream, subtly flowing through his mind.
"Good," Professor Edward nodded. "Now, focus your mental energy and try to guide its leaves to grow to the left."
Perry and Alaric closed their eyes, trying to sense the plant's magical flow. Fortunately, Perry had the plant control skill to perform the task without a magic book. At this moment, Alaric offered some advice: "Concentrate your thoughts on the runes at the plant's roots. They are the key to guiding its growth."
With Alaric's help, Perry's mind gradually connected with the plant. He could feel the Star Fern like a soft fabric, able to move slowly with his thoughts. However, just as he was about to guide the leaves to grow, an uneasy feeling rose from deep within him.
It was that feeling of being watched again!
Perry was interrupted, his eyes snapping open. Alaric, too, was affected and opened his eyes, looking at Perry in confusion. "What's wrong, Perry?"
Perry quickly scanned the area but saw nothing unusual. The laboratory, apart from Professor Edward and Alaric, was filled only with plants quietly growing. Even so, his intuition told him that the "shadow" that had watched him outside the phone booth had not given up, but had instead become more hidden, lurking in the shadows.
"What's wrong?" Professor Edward noticed Perry's discomfort and frowned.
Perry quickly masked his panic and forced a small smile. "It's nothing, I might have just overextended myself with the mental focus. Sorry, Alaric. Let's continue."
Professor Edward nodded and didn't press further. He gestured for Perry to continue with the experiment, and Perry could only force himself to focus, burying the unease deep within. However, his vigilance was quietly heightened, and he silently resolved that once he left the laboratory, he would have to figure out the true identity of this "shadow."