37 Chapter 37 "Skyler vs Merlin"
The final challenge was the trial of Spells, which had a surprising twist.
Dumbledore once again waved his wand at the Book of Merlin, causing it to suddenly close.
Whispers emanated from the book, and a cloud of smoke gradually rose from the cover, revealing a middle-aged wizard with a distinguished and wise appearance.
His most striking feature was the deep, intelligent eyes that bore a striking resemblance to Dumbledore's.
Skyler couldn't help but mutter, "Merlin?"
The man, bearing a faint smile, regarded the four contestants and said, "I never imagined that after so many years, I would have the opportunity to be summoned once more. Four talented young individuals, may I assume you are the challengers for this test?"
"Challengers? Isn't this a friendly match?" Skyler wondered aloud. When did this competition become a challenge?
Percy was the first to respond, saying, "Respected predecessor of magic, greetings. We are students of Hogwarts participating in a friendly competition known as Merlin's Test. Are you the final challenge in this game?"
The man paused for a moment, exchanged glances with Professor Dumbledore, and shared an imperceptible nod with him.
Then, he turned back to the contestants and spoke softly, "A House competition, is it? How intriguing... Young ones, you may think of me as Merlin. I am but a memory, sealed within the Book of Merlin, patiently awaiting the arrival of the challengers. You're right; in this final stage of the game, you will face me. However, it's not about defeating me. Your objective is to successfully disarm me. You can go one by one or fight together, using any means you see fit."
As he finished speaking, the man extended his hand, and a small piece of dead branch flew towards him.
With astonishing speed, the dead branch transformed into a magic wand in his hand.
A gentle tap on his own body caused him to materialize from his phantom state.
The contestants could now see his lifelike appearance, complete with skin and hair.
Merlin's visage was not strikingly handsome, but he exuded a unique and indescribable charm.
His eyes held the depth of the starry night, and the lines of his facial features appeared finely carved, conveying a sense of wisdom hidden within.
Cassius and Gemma exchanged glances, nodding in agreement as they stepped forward to face the challenge.
Cassius displayed solid dueling skills, expertly casting spells at incredible speed.
He executed three consecutive spells with curved and hard-to-anticipate trajectories.
Gemma, on the other hand, conjured four formidable snakes with bared fangs and sharp claws that lunged at Merlin from all directions.
Transfiguration spells were a complex branch of high-level magic involving the transformation of magical energy into tangible forms.
Even with the relatively straightforward spell she used, Gemma's performance displayed her expertise.
Her casting was stable, the illusion exhibited flexibility, and it was durable, making it clear that she had mastered the art of Transfiguration.
Merlin faced the onslaught of four menacing snakes and spells simultaneously, yet he appeared remarkably composed.
With a slight tap of his wand on the ground, the earth beneath him trembled, sending forth invisible waves of force that rippled outwards.
The gas wave's impact was astonishing; even the audience several yards away could feel the wind upon their faces.
Gemma's conjured snakes were overturned by the forceful air wave, dissolving into smoke and vanishing.
Cassius, who had been in close proximity to Merlin, was blown off his feet and unceremoniously tumbled to the ground.
Cassius and Gemma made multiple attempts to challenge Merlin but ultimately gave up.
Next, Percy and Penelope, a couple deeply in love, rose to the occasion, challenging together with remarkable synergy.
Percy, hailing from the Weasley family with its magical bloodline and fighting prowess, exhibited keen combat abilities.
The Weasleys were known for their natural aptitude as warriors, with many, like Bill and Charlie, joining the Order of the Phoenix just a few years after graduating, where they were cast in the spotlight.
On the other hand, Penelope hailed from Ravenclaw and a Muggle family.
While her intelligence and dedication to her studies were remarkable, her magical inclinations leaned more toward scholarly research than combat.
Percy began by employing the Transfiguration Spell to conjure a magnificent flying eagle from thin air, intending to disarm Merlin's wand from the sky.
This plan could potentially disrupt Merlin even if it didn't succeed.
Simultaneously, Penelope whispered incantations, rapidly altering the landscape and raising a solid stone wall in front of them.
This wall appeared to be a defense against Merlin's anticipated blast wave.
Merlin nonchalantly waved his wand and unleashed a spell that struck Percy's summoned eagle.
Little did he know that Percy had set a trap. When the eagle was hit, it triggered a series of Transfiguration.
A thunderous explosion reverberated as the eagle morphed into a swarm of chirping birds that fell from the sky and swarmed around Merlin.
Merlin's lips curled into a smile, and he muttered, "An excellent idea..." He swiftly moved his wand in a single, unbroken motion, casting a circle.
A circular wall of blue flames materialized around him, consuming the incoming flock of birds.
Skyler recognized this technique—Protego Diabolica, one of Grindelwald's masterful skills from the Fantastic Beasts movie!
While everyone marveled at the dazzling visual effects of the flames, a nearly imperceptible red light streaked through the flames towards Merlin's wand from a concealed location.
Percy had silently cast a spell!
This sneak attack caught Merlin by surprise. When Percy's spell struck, he had just unleashed a powerful spell and was still trying to control the magical flames.
Before the flames had a chance to stabilize, Merlin couldn't stop his wand from casting the spell.
However, as a war wizard from the Dark Age, Merlin exhibited combat reflexes far beyond those of contemporary wizards.
He raised his wand-holding hand and performed a swift maneuver, causing his wand to dance expertly in his hand, allowing it to evade the disarming curse's effects.
Although the force of the disarming curse pushed Merlin five steps back, his wand remained securely in his grasp, not yielding to the attempted disarmament.
While most spectators couldn't discern the intricate battle of wits unfolding, Skyler's keen Magical Sight could perceive the intricacies of the enchantments dancing upon the wands.
He recognized that Percy had employed a rapid-casting Finite Incantatem—something that could neutralize disarming spells in a fraction of the time it typically took.
Though the force of Expelliarmus knocked Merlin back, his grip on the wand remained.
Having lost the element of surprise when countering Percy's sneak attack, Merlin became entangled in Penelope's relentless wave of Expelliarmus casting.
Penelope's magical reservoir was already advanced, and her magical essence leaned toward the gentler, more intricate side.
Her wandsmanship was as fluid and graceful as a dance, causing the wand to glide and pirouette dexterously between her fingertips.
Her spellwork was a symphony of grace and precision, where one incantation effortlessly segued into the next.
This relentless onslaught left Merlin in the position of having to fend off the assault using a chain casting of Protego, rendering him incapable of mounting any effective counterattacks.
Meanwhile, Percy had orchestrated his final, climactic move.
Powerful vibrations surged through the ground beneath them.
The very earth beneath Merlin's feet took form, manifesting as a colossal clay hand reaching up from behind.
It clamped Merlin, who was already occupied with countering Penelope's onslaught.
Unable to evade due to the intervening clay hand, Merlin's body and wand were ensnared by the sinewy, malleable grasp.
With Penelope aiming at Merlin's wand, she cast her last Expelliarmus.
Immobilized and unable to avoid, Merlin seemed on the verge of defeat.
Yet, in a surprising twist, Percy and Penelope overlooked one crucial aspect: the ability to cast spells without a wand.
Merlin, renowned in the field of wizard dueling, possessed the expertise to perform wandless spellcasting.
The Expelliarmus Penelope had casted met an invisible barrier just inches from Merlin, blocked by his timely execution of the Ironclad armor charm.
Simultaneously, the clay hand that had ensnared him disintegrated into a muddy disarray, dispersing upon the ground.
Percy and Penelope felt their meager magical reserves quickly depleting as students and made the pragmatic decision to concede.
Although they hadn't succeeded in disarming Merlin's wand, the audience applauded their exceptional performance. Even the professors serving as judges shared admiring glances.
Comparatively, Gemma and Cassius, who had come before them, wore resentful expressions that were palpable with envy and frustration.
Observing their bitterness, Skyler couldn't help but shake his head in disappointment.
He approached Percy and Penelope, offering his congratulations and admiration.
Percy proudly stated his Weasley lineage and encouraged Skyler to study diligently, expressing confidence that with hard work, becoming a prefect and achieving their level of proficiency was attainable.
In contrast, Penelope humbly downplayed her contribution, attributing it to the advantage of competing against upper-grade students.
Skyler couldn't help but smile slightly, pondering the intriguing question in his mind: how did this contrasting pair come together?
The only remaining contestants were Cedric and Skyler.
Cedric suggested a team effort, but Skyler carefully deliberated and ultimately decided to politely decline.
The two were strangers, lacking the essential synergy required for such a partnership.
Furthermore, Skyler's magical repertoire included numerous large-scale attacks, which could inadvertently harm his teammate.
He believed that going solo would provide a more strategic advantage.
Witnessing Percy and Penelope's performance, Skyler had gleaned a valuable insight.
It had become clear that for a young wizard still honing their skills at Hogwarts, disarming a wizard like Merlin was a lofty and impractical goal.
The goal proposed by Merlin - "taking away the wand is victory" - was indeed misleading.
Percy and Penelope had fallen into this trap by incessantly targeting Merlin's wand.
In Skyler's perspective, the path to claiming Merlin's wand was to first incapacitate him!
Percy and Penelope's errors served as valuable lessons for Skyler.
He grasped the fact that Merlin, possessing substantial magical prowess and expertise in wandless spellcasting, could not be overcome with physical restraints alone.
To triumph over Merlin, Skyler would have to outwit him mentally.
With tactics organized in his mind and a clear understanding of the field's dynamics and the distance separating the contenders, Skyler took a series of deep breaths to calm the internal turmoil of excitement and tension.
Then, he approached the challenge.
In an unexpected twist, as the duel commenced, Skyler executed a move that left everyone astonished.
Skyler moved like a cheetah in its natural habitat.
His figure blurred as he dashed toward Merlin with incredible speed, seemingly determined to engage Merlin in close combat and seize his wand.
Skyler's physical prowess, the result of dedicated training, became evident in this moment.
He raced forward with a whistle in his wake.
Before Merlin could react, Skyler had entered the three-foot range in front of Merlin.
Merlin swiftly directed his wand toward the ground, generating an invisible wave of force that radiated outward.
In response, Skyler, well-prepared for this scenario, employed a quick spell.
Astonishingly, it propelled him into the air!
