The strong winds blew through the forest, blizzard threatening to knock down the door. Sirius threw another piece of firewood in the stove to keep himself warm in his lab. With the first show he moved all his stuff into the hut, to avoid going out as much as he could. He enchanted a stove to spread heat better across the hut and insulated the roof to contain the hot air. He persuaded Gregor that there is nothing for him to be afraid of in here, so he was allowed to sleep in his lab when the storm comes. And so it came. The thick walls protected him from unforgiving weather, a sticky smell of burning pine spread across the small hut, the and Sirius have fallen asleep in the safety of his bed.

He dreamt. It has been a long time since his dream was pleasant, usually his sleep was uneventful. But this dream was different. He felt happy, he was flying in the sunny forest along with Seth, who happily floated around him. Then he noticed something in a place of his old home. A thick pillar of energy was gently moving upwards, shining with a multitude of colours, rumbling as it was passing the rocky soil.

Sirius looked up. The pillar extended into the sky, splitting into smaller streams that went into different directions, forming a net beyond the clouds. And they... connected? Sirius looked more carefully. The branches did, in fact, connect with other lines, coursing through the air. Somewhere in the distance Sirius saw another pillar, this time going down. As he looked around he noticed more and more such pillars, forming a dense net across the whole world. Under his feet he could feel some lines, coursing and pulsing with energy, like veins on his hands. In daze he moved towards the pillar. It drew him closer and closer, and Sirius followed it like a moth to the flame. He stood right beside it and looked at the raging flow inside.

He felt a pulse from under his feet, and the pillar spew out some of its violent energy. A small thread touched Sirius' arm, grazing it with its hot tough. And then Sirius saw...

Crystalline towers, perfectly square and rounded, tall and short... Stone boxes, shining with majestic multicoloured lines... A giant boat, made of metal... A long smooth road, black like soot, illuminated by bright yellow orbs...

"You should not wander here. It is dangerous." A voice from behind startled Sirius awake from his visions.

"What..." He began turning around.

"Stop." The voice answered. "There are things in here you should not look at until you have Astral Body."

"Uncle..." Sirius began crying.

"I am what remained of him." Answered a voice of Verden. "How did you come here?"

Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

"I have fallen asleep near the World Tree..." Sirius began regaining composure.

"Ahh. I see..." The sound of slithering and gurgling mass moved behind Sirius. "I am surprised you managed to do so much in here despite not being a mage."

"What?"

"What do you mean by 'What'? Of course I looked after you. It's just from... here."

"From where? Who are you?" Finally asked Sirius.

"Where we are is not important. AS for me... When Verden have cast his Final Flash, he channeled every piece of mana he could muster. Every ounce of energy went into the creation of his final spell. However, he was torn apart in the process, his body not capable to contain so much power coursing through it. His soul was bound to this... How did you call it? ...to the World Tree." The voice slowly moved from side to side behind Sirius, accompanied by sticky sliding, echoing in this strange world.

"Why are you talking about master like it is another person?" Sirius asked, sobbing a little. His mind felt sluggish, and it was hard to think, but he carefully listened and tried to remember this encounter.

"Because he was another person. The Astral body without Thought Constellation is a mere creature of emotion and reflexes. When he lost his body and mind, I was left behind. It took some time to heal the damaged Astral Body of his. Now I only exist for the purpose he gave me, pushed by the remnants of his consciousness. I feel his regret of not condensing the Thought Constellation, but he had no choice. I also feel his longing for you and his friend."

"What else do you feel?"

"Pride for your achievements. Resentment of the Circle and the Order. Duty of a healer. Sense of accomplishment for the creation. Shame for hiding you in the woods, but also happiness that you survived." Emotionless voice of Verden finished and sighed. "Regret."

"Why?" Asked Sirius, afraid to turn around.

"I have not mistaken." Ignored his question the voice, as it became further and further away with each word being said. "You will be very special, I see it in your soul. I knew it when I saw a tiny manasnake coiled in your crib. My legacy will remain. Good bye." Finally the voice disappeared in the distance.

Sirius turned around, but no one was there. He knew this ghost was real, and that he was still here, just hidden from his gaze. He fell to the ground and cried a little. Seth slowly appeared above him, floating mid-air, and looked at him from up high. For the first time in his life Sirius felt concern emanate from manasnake.

"I am alright." He whispered. "Yes, I am sure. I just did not expect to meet him. What do you mean he was always here?" Sirius sit up and looked at the snake. "How did I what?..."

Sirius understood Seth. No words were spoken, no hard feelings, pure concepts seeped out into the mana around, mixing and forming thoughts, which Sirius felt.

"Is that even a dream?... How did I do it?" Wondered Sirius.

Suddenly he felt a pull from behind, as if he was grabbed by the heart and tugged back. He felt as if he was falling, as the world around him changed, losing vivid colours and brightness. Then he saw the ceiling of his hut.