Returning to Familiar Ground

Night fell over the Forbidden Forest.

The shadows of the trees overlapped, and the wind blew through the woods, carrying a damp scent. Skylar stopped and reached out his hand to his side.

Viviane looked at his hand, paused for a moment, and then placed her fingertips on it. Her hand was cold, as if it had been immersed in water for years.

The next moment, the space suddenly sank.

Apparition.

My vision briefly lost its focus before stabilizing again.

They landed in unfamiliar land.

The mist drifted low along the ground, with rolling hills and broken rocks in the distance. The sky was a fixed, unchanging twilight, devoid of sun and stars, as if time itself had slowed down.

The air was fresh, yet slightly damp.

This is the legendary Island of Avalon, the origin of the legendary King Arthur.

This was actually Skylar's first time on the island. Although he had successfully occupied the island after defeating Morgan last time, he was seriously injured and had to leave everything to his maid.

Viviane stood beside him, her gaze lingering on the land for a long time. Her expression was no longer the cold, weathered look of the Forbidden Forest, but rather a quiet, almost pious devotion.

"Avalon," she murmured the name, the syllables echoing subtly in the air, "Just as I remember."

Skylar noticed that when she uttered the name, there seemed to be some kind of response from the depths of the island—ripples appeared on the lake, and the distant stone array glowed faintly, as if a sleeping consciousness had been gently touched.

"Is this your old home?" Skylar asked.

"Yes and no." Viviane shook her head, her long silver hair shimmering softly in the mist. "This is a sealed remnant of Avalon. The real Avalon has long since sunk in the torrent of time. But this place still remembers us."

She raised her hand, her fingertips tracing an extremely complex symbol in the air. The symbol was not dazzling; instead, it resembled the worn marks of time, its lines ancient and restrained.

As the last stroke was made, the ground trembled slightly.

A stone door that was originally integrated with the rock wall slowly emerged. The door was entwined with vines, with simple patterns, but with obvious magical traces.

"This is a secret place on the island," Viviane said. "In the past, only we nine sisters had the right to open it."

The stone door opened silently.

Inside the secret realm, it resembles a Magic Garden forgotten by time.

The towering dome is not man-made, but rather formed by the intertwining of enormous vines and crystallized tree roots, through which light filters naturally, softly and steadily. The ground is warm, moist soil, slightly springy to the touch. A myriad of plants grow here in incredible ways—

Some flowers resembled translucent sea anemones, their petals swaying gently with the air currents; some vines twined around stone pillars, their leaves adorned with slowly moving runes; and there was a shrub shaped like coral, its branches glistening with blue dewdrops, each drop containing stable and pure magic.

Skylar immediately recognized that many of the plants here were already considered "lost" or "only existing in legend" by outsiders.

Skylar stood there for a moment, not going in immediately.

He had seen the Magic Garden.

The one in southern France, managed by the Ministry of Magic of various Europe countries, is one of the most famous herb cultivation sites in the entire Wizarding World. Every inch of land there is strictly planned, with temperature, humidity, and light precisely controlled, and every plant has a number and growth record.

It was a "carefully cultivated" garden.

And this one in front of us—

Skylar took a slow step forward, his foot landing on the soft soil, and his brow twitched slightly.

There are no obvious divisions here, no traces of artificial pruning, and the plants grow in different directions, yet they form a natural balance with each other. Vines twine around the rocks, tall medicinal plants shade the low-lying seedlings from the light, and water vapor circulates naturally in the air.

Everything appeared primitive and wild.

Skylar's gaze lingered on a few plants.

One of them was a variety he had seen in a France garden—the specimen there was carefully cultivated, its magic was stable, but its aggressiveness had been clearly weakened; while this one here had clear leaf veins, its magic was radiating outwards, and it even had a faint aura of self-defense.

"The original species," Skylar whispered.

Viviane stood beside him and nodded gently.

"This place has never been altered," she said. "We are only responsible for protecting it, not for planting."

Skylar let out a soft breath.

He finally understood the difference between the two.

The Magic Garden in France was a product of serving the entire Europe Wizarding World, representing the pinnacle of efficiency and security; while here—

It is a remnant of an era.

A place that still operates according to the old rules.

Skylar didn't finish his sentence, "If these plants become known to the outside world..."

"They will disappear," Viviane, "Just like everything else."

Skylar did not refute.

He withdrew his gaze and looked into the depths of the garden, his tone becoming serious.

"This place is more dangerous, and more valuable, than any Magic Garden I've ever seen."

Viviane did not deny it.

"As the king chosen by the oath, this place now belongs to you as well," she said.

Skylar paused for a moment, then revealed a knowing smile. For any master of Potions, this place was a sacred ground capable of inciting madness.

I never expected this trip to be so fruitful.

He originally thought he was just casually rescuing a Giant Squid.

Although Skylar had a long-term contract with the France Magic Garden, he never wanted to be subject to anyone's control anywhere.

Now, he actually owns his own "Magic Garden"!

Moreover, very few people know about this place, meaning it could become his secret stronghold, a secluded paradise far removed from worldly turmoil and war. In case of unforeseen circumstances in future wars, it could also serve as a "doomsday fortress" for the Sleeping Dragon Society.

"Now that you've lost your magic," Skylar didn't press the matter of the oath, but instead smoothly changed the subject. "You need a safe haven where you can use the Evil Dragon Heart for long-term cultivation without being disturbed."

"I intend," Skylar said, "To settle you here. Besides your cultivation, you will also help me manage this garden. Many of the rare plants here have value in Potions and alchemy. I need you to help me transform this place into a completely natural herb garden, providing all the materials I need. I will arrange for a House Elf to come and serve you; you can tell it anything you need."

Skylar has six House Elf under his command, but they each have their own duties, such as running errands for Skylar and transmitting important information between his various intelligence networks, so they cannot spare the time to be here.

His choice was Kreacher, the House Elf of the House of Black.

After Sirius Black's death, Kreacher's allegiance shifted to Bellatrix Lestrange, but Bellatrix is currently imprisoned and has no direct descendants.

Therefore, Kreacher has two options for his second allegiance: the House of Lestrange or Narcissa of the House of Malfoy.

But no matter what choice he makes, he will ultimately be inextricably linked to Skylar. (The former is because Skylar is the behind-the-scenes power behind the House of Lestrange, and the latter is because he is Narcissa's biological son.)

Getting Kreacher to obey his orders wasn't a problem. Even staying away from the portrait of Mrs. Black might be beneficial to Kreacher's mental state. What could he do? Our protagonist was such a considerate and kind person!

"Besides that, I also need to reseal this place; it can serve as a retreat." Skylar paused for a moment before slowly saying, "If the war gets out of control, it will be my last bastion."

Viviane bowed slightly and replied softly in a calm tone, "I understand. Please rest assured that you can leave this place to me."

Skylar nodded, sorting through his thoughts. He was fairly satisfied with his arrangements, and then naturally asked, "By the way, since we share a common destiny, I hope we can be more honest with each other. I need to know your capabilities."

"My bloodline," Viviane whispered, "Is from the ancient sea god's race. The Siren, the Merpeople singer of the modern Greece Wizarding World, is merely our descendant."

They are actually descendants of an ancient race, products of the same era as Ancient Divine Dragon, Ancient Giant, Ancient Elf, and Ancient Goblin.

As if to confirm her words, Viviane let out a soft breath. She didn't cast a spell, nor did she wave her staff; she simply parted her lips slightly.

The song flowed out.

It wasn't the melody of any modern wizarding song, but an almost instinctive chant, its scales ancient and free, like waves crashing on the shore, or an echo from the deep sea. The moment the song began, the plants in the garden trembled in unison, their leaves unfurling, their flowers blooming, and the magical fluctuations in the air were rewoven, becoming smooth and layered.

Skylar was startled.

This is Ancient Magic that uses music to influence reality!

In the ancient East, there were also powerful magic spells like "a hundred birds paying homage to the phoenix" and "the blue sea rising with tides."

The song ended, but its lingering charm remained in the air for a long time.

"I can use my singing to influence other creatures' perception of reality, and even weave a dream world that traps them; I can also use my singing to influence the emotional fluctuations, desires and passions of the listener." Viviane spoke of her terrifying bloodline talent in the most calm tone.

"This..." Skylar swallowed hard, then said, "Does this power you possess have a name?"

Viviane gave a self-deprecating laugh and said, "My sister Morgan calls it 'the Phantom Enchantment Song.'"

A glint of light flashed in Skylar's eyes. This ability is very useful.

Skylar was a master of illusion, not only proficient in the various mental magics of the House of Malfoy, but also mastering the House of Lestrange's secret technique "Mind Cage" and the Slytherin Parseltongue technique "Absolute Dominion".

However, these spells can only be cast when Skylar is in close combat with his enemy, and to be absolutely certain of success, he should ideally activate his Magic Eye and make eye contact with his opponent. These casting conditions limit the effectiveness of magic in many situations.

Viviane's abilities, however, are different.

She can lurk in the shadows, influencing everyone and everything with her music on a large scale, shaping the entire situation to her liking. If used well, it's a formidable weapon on the battlefield!

He paused for a moment, then added, "Once you begin cultivating the Evil Dragon Heart, I need you to occasionally attend the Skylar Lookout, which is under my control. It's a radio station broadcast to the entire Europe wizarding community."

Viviane was slightly taken aback.

"This is one of the important channels through which I can manipulate public opinion, and it's currently being managed by my trusted maid Latifa," Skylar smiled. "Your singing will make more people willing to listen."

"If this is what you want, I'm willing." Her voice regained its cool calm. "Perhaps, my singing can finally stop being just for the past."

Skylar nodded in satisfaction. Although Viviane did not have any magical cultivation at the moment, her natural voice was enough to move people and make them intoxicated. With her joining, the audience base of Skylar Lookout would surely reach a new peak in terms of numbers.

Later on, Skylar could even try to cultivate Viviane into a new generation of singers and stars, allowing Skylar's business to extend into the entertainment industry.

Skylar's current businesses are mainly in manufacturing, services, and sports, Viviane can fill the gap in his entertainment industry.

This will make his business more diversified.

Deep within the garden, the lake ripples gently, as if responding to a new agreement.

Avalon, after a thousand years of slumber, has once again welcomed a new king.

[Make Sacred Sword Oath with Viviane, the "Lady of the Lake"!]

[The "Island of Avalon" secret realm is now open!]