"A good question. You have two days to answer," Eldor said, his voice carrying a note of finality as he turned his back and strolled away, his footsteps echoing in the empty hallway.

Leora's eyes met Cyrus's, a mixture of desperation and determination in her gaze. "Cyrus, we don't have any other choice. We're running out of time," she pleaded, her words punctuated by a light cough. Cyrus's eyes flickered with concern as they fell upon the scarlet stain on her palm. His heart leaped into his throat. "Leora!"

.....

The grand buildings of Eldor's magic school loomed before Cyrus and Leora as they approached, their imposing architecture a stark contrast to the eerie silence that enveloped the grounds. Cyrus found himself perplexed by the absence of people; it was a far cry from the bustling activity he'd witnessed at other magic schools during his travels.

As they reached the office door, Cyrus hesitated, his hand hovering over the wooden surface. The door exuded a familiar aura, reminiscent of the one at the Bureau – a memory that sent a shiver down his spine. His fingers curled around the handle, but he found himself unable to turn it, paralyzed by an irrational fear.

Leora, noticing his hesitation, gave him a reassuring smile. "It's just a door," she said softly, reaching past him to push it open. Cyrus instinctively shielded his face, half-expecting some magical trap to spring. Instead, a calm voice drifted from within the room. "The doors here are perfectly normal."

Cyrus let out a sigh of relief as he stepped inside, his cheeks flushing with embarrassment. "If you had seen that door, you wouldn't say such words," he muttered, thinking back to the teal door of the Bureau that had left such a bitter impression on him. These days, even simple tasks like opening a door required mental fortitude – all thanks to his experiences at the Bureau.

The office was a testament to academic achievement, with shelves lined with awards and accolades. Cyrus and Leora took seats across from the desk, behind which sat a man wholly absorbed in his writing. His face was remarkably youthful, devoid of wrinkles, with delicate, almost feminine features.

Without looking up from his paper, the man spoke, his voice smooth and cultured. "The primordial canine is not here, but located somewhere around City Zero, just under your nose." His handwriting was as elegant as his appearance, each letter flowing across the page with graceful precision.

Cyrus raised an eyebrow, caught off guard. They hadn't even stated their purpose for being there – how could this man possibly know? Had Marko's father informed him in advance? Cyrus found himself scrutinizing every inch of the man's face, a flurry of questions forming in his mind.

Finally, the man looked up, a enigmatic smile playing on his lips as he leaned back in his chair. "I answer to the name of Eldor," he introduced himself.

"Greetings, senior," Leora began, but Eldor cut her off with a wave of his hand.

"The Murmurer," Eldor said simply, his eyes twinkling with a mixture of curiosity and mystery. Cyrus felt his body tense at the name, the realization dawning that Eldor possessed the ability to read minds. He sat up straighter, his hands balling into fists as he desperately tried to keep his thoughts – and secrets – to himself.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

"Do you know why he is called the Murmurer?" Eldor asked suddenly, his gaze piercing yet somehow veiled.

"Please, enlighten us," Cyrus replied, his voice carefully neutral.

Eldor rose from his chair with a fluid grace, moving towards the door. As it creaked open, he glided through the corridors, Leora and Cyrus following close behind.

"Someone who knows everyone and who hears everyone," Eldor explained as they walked. "With someone like him, there was no need for you to come here. And yet, he still sent you to me. How generous," he added with a laugh that did little to ease Cyrus's growing unease.

Cyrus's mind raced, recalling what Leora had told him about the Murmurer – Don Sanchez, the most powerful and well-informed individual in City Zero, perhaps in all of Arkania. It was said he knew everything, literally everything. Years ago, he had formed the black market, becoming one of its primary protectors. Even the Bureau could only watch helplessly as his influence grew, unable to sever all his connections.

As they reached a balcony overlooking a large compound, Cyrus's attention was drawn to a group gathered below – the first people they'd encountered since entering Eldor's school. The group consisted mostly of young children, the oldest perhaps ten years old, the youngest no more than seven. Their faces beamed with life and vigor, excitement palpable in the air around them as they waited expectantly for Eldor.

"Senior, please," Leora interjected, her voice tinged with urgency. "Time isn't our ally now. Where can we find the primordial canine?"

Eldor leaned against the balcony railing, his gaze fixed on the children below. "Today, the Eldor magic school entrance exam has started," he said, seemingly ignoring Leora's question. "Probably none of them will manage to complete it unless something – or someone – somehow does something."

Cyrus approached silently, standing beside Eldor as he processed the man's words. It was clear that Eldor wanted him to help the children pass the exam. From what he had seen, Eldor's magic school was in decline – apart from Eldor himself, no one else seemed to inhabit the majestic buildings.

Questions swirled in Cyrus's mind. What kind of relationship existed between the Murmurer and Eldor? It seemed strange, to say the least. He was curious about the reason behind this test, knowing from personal experience how harsh magic school exams could be. His fist clenched involuntarily as unpleasant memories rose unbidden from the depths of his mind.

"I don't think I'm a good instructor," Cyrus said, his voice tight.

Eldor laughed, a sound that held little warmth. "Who spoke about instructing? I don't mind how you do it, but if none pass the exam, you can forget about the information you seek. I have many good friends who will pay dearly for that knowledge."

Cyrus took a step back, shaking his head. "Sorry, I'm not the person for that."

"Cyrus?" Leora's hand reached out to him, but he shoved it aside.

"I failed," he said, his voice raw with emotion. "I'm a failure, and you know it. Don't act like you don't. I was just like them back then. If I had worked harder, if only I wasn't such a waste, my parents wouldn't have gone to the mines. She would never have died; my friend would still be here. How can I help them pass an exam I myself have failed?" His words echoed in the empty hallway, filled with years of pent-up pain and regret.

Eldor regarded him for a long moment before speaking. "A good question. You have two days to answer," he said, turning his back and strolling away.

Leora's eyes met Cyrus's, a mixture of desperation and determination in her gaze. "Cyrus, we don't have any other choice. We're running out of time," she pleaded, her words punctuated by a light cough. Cyrus's eyes flickered with concern as they fell upon the scarlet stain on her palm. His heart leaped into his throat. "Leora!"

He stood frozen, his eyes fixed on her fragile form. A warm hand slipped into his, and he looked down to see Leora's delicate fingers intertwined with his own. She wiped the blood from her mouth with her free hand, her eyes silently pleading for him to accept this challenge – for both their sakes.