MTLNOVEL Chapter 16: Building Sandcastles
Even by the end of the Defense Against the Dark Arts class, Harry was still nowhere to be seen. Ron and the others searched the common room meticulously, but they couldn't find any clues he might have left behind. A wave of anxiety spread among the Gryffindor students. Even the usually cheerful Weasley twins wore solemn expressions as they huddled over a piece of yellowed parchment, looking for something.
Eventually, word of Harry's disappearance somehow reached Professor McGonagall. Soon after, not just Gryffindor students but also the professors began searching the castle for him.
By dinnertime, a rumor started circulating among the students that the famous Savior, Harry Potter, had vanished while experimenting with magic in an abandoned classroom, accidentally erasing himself in the process. As for the origin of this rumor, a certain blond-haired snake claimed to know nothing at all.
Because of Harry Potter's disappearance, Hogwarts descended into a state of anxiety—excluding certain members of Slytherin, of course. Meanwhile, on the other side of reality, a banquet brought joy to a group of individuals, thanks to the arrival of a certain soul.
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In a secluded river valley more than ten kilometers from Baldur's Gate in Faerûn, several long tables laden with delicacies sat quietly on a riverside clearing, illuminated by dozens of candles. Around the tables were neatly arranged tents, a wooden stage, a roaring bonfire, and a few log benches circling the fire.
The night was tranquil, with a sparse moon and stars casting a serene glow over the scene.
Suddenly, a purple projection flickered into view, followed by a figure emerging from a riverside path, and then another. Finally, a blazing portal tore open in the clearing, spitting out two armored figures. All those invited to the banquet—be they people or souls—gathered here.
An old man in a tattered robe watched the familiar faces casually chatting in small groups. Clapping his hands to draw their attention, he began to speak as the chatter ceased.
"You have all been summoned here—some from above, others from below. It is because of the bonds between you that the Wheel of Fate was able to keep turning when it was threatened to halt. After the fall of the Supreme God, you have been scattered across the months. Tonight, destiny has mended those ties again. You must cherish them. They are a powerful weapon, especially in the hands of the good. Now, go. Learn about one another once more."
When the old man finished speaking, the attendees began to enjoy the banquet, cherishing their reunion. Yet Harry (in his soul form), who stood beside the old man, never took his eyes off a solitary white-haired figure.
Seeing Shadowheart walking alone toward the river, Harry followed out of curiosity—along with Scratch, the white mixed-breed hunting dog who, for some reason, had been trailing him incessantly.
There, Harry saw two translucent, star-speckled figures floating around Shadowheart, gazing at her with fondness.
Beyond the two glowing figures, through the starlit haze, Harry spotted a ghostly yet graceful woman with long black hair and dark eyes, clad in a flowing robe that shimmered like moonlight.
Harry froze in place.
Noticing the soul's gaze, the moonlit woman turned her eyes toward him.
She paused briefly, then nodded gently in one direction behind Harry, then another, and finally offered a serene smile before addressing the boy with a kind look.
Though her lips didn't move, her gentle voice resonated in Harry's mind.
"Greetings, traveler from another world."
Through the faint starlight, Selûne, Faerûn's eldest deity, greeted Harry.
"Greetings, esteemed goddess," Harry replied respectfully, bowing deeply. Though Selûne's reputation was far better than that of the Githyanki Queen, Harry's recent unpleasant encounter with the latter left him wary of divine beings.
"No need for such formality, young one," the gentle voice soothed his mind. "I am nothing like that lich queen, Vlaakith. I'm far more... approachable."
"Lich... queen Vlaakith? Wait, are you saying that Lae'zel's enemy, the Githyanki queen, is not a god but a lich?" Harry's head snapped up in surprise.
"Precisely. And I suspect your mage friend is already aware of this. He has, after all, been spending these past months in Mystra's company. Ah, speaking of her—here she comes now. Hello, Mystra!"
Soft footsteps approached from behind, and Harry turned to see a strikingly beautiful woman with flowing dark hair and radiant skin. Her simple yet elegant dark robes, made of the finest silken fabric and adorned with a jeweled lattice, exuded a mysterious allure.
The dark-haired beauty nodded at Harry before turning her gaze to the hidden figure of the Lady of the Night. "Selûne, aren't you supposed to be feuding with your sister? How do you have time to drop by here?"
"Oh, and it's perfectly fine for you to spend time with your little wizard paramour, but I can't spare a moment for my long-lost Chosen?" The Moonmaiden raised an eyebrow, folding her arms as she challenged the goddess of magic.
Caught between two deities exchanging godly quips, Harry Potter's heart raced as he sweated nervously, hearing far more than any mortal should.
As for Shadowheart, the girl who should have shared Harry's plight, she remained completely oblivious.
She couldn't see her goddess. Nor could she see Mystra, who had stepped out from the void.
Instead, Shadowheart sat on a large rock by the water's edge, her shoes off as her pale feet stirred the rippling water. A faint smile graced her lips, her eyes half-closed as if lost in memory.
Watching her serene expression, accompanied by the sounds of flowing water and chirping insects, Harry couldn't help but recall the night he and Shadowheart had built sandcastles together. Truly... peaceful—yes, peaceful. That's the word.
"Honestly, Selûne," Mystra remarked, breaking his reverie, "aren't you going to help that little girl? She is your Chosen, after all."
With a glance at Shadowheart, still immersed in her memories, Mystra added, "You've got dominion over navigation and guidance. Doesn't it bother you to see the poor girl and her partner stuck in a long-distance relationship?"
"Blame the fact that this young man's universe is so far from here," Selûne sighed. "I've only just regained my status as a greater deity, and nearly all my energy is spent dealing with my sister. I can't possibly muster the divine power to build a cross-universal portal."
As the two goddesses conversed in divine whispers, a lively young woman's voice suddenly interrupted.
"Hey, hey! Speaking of fixing this long-distance romance, I've got a brilliant idea!"
The two deities turned to see a beautiful figure descending gracefully from the night sky, her face half-hidden behind an ornate fan.
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