One day Victor travelled back to Haswhald – although the name of the city had recently been changed – in the company of Rodrick. New people lived in Sudostris. New faces came and went. New buildings were around – the city was somewhat larger than it had been – and old buildings were no more.
But Mr. Silver’s academy still stood tall, but its grandness had somewhat faded. It was scheduled to be demolished soon and Victor wanted to walk among the grounds one last time. Everything was grey. The gardens were wild and overgrown, weeds and tree roots had cracked through the concrete, and long creeping vines scaled the high faded walls.
“I always thought he would have built this place to last forever,” Victor remarked, and listened as his voice echoed through the ghostly halls.
“Eternity was the only certainty for him,” Rodrick replied. “He never assumed to expect everything in a future and lengthy as his.”
Victor laughed. “I guess I should keep that in mind.”
Together they went outside and walked around some more, but the desolate state of this magnificent place that was once their home began to make both of them rather sad. Victor continued to think about Mr. Silver. In all of his searching and learning of great secrets he was yet to understand everything that had happened on the night that Mr. Silver vanished from existence.
“Where do you suppose he is right now?” he asked Rodrick.
Rodrick looked down and shrugged. “Silver? Well, if my understanding of The Truth is correct, then Mr. Silver is everywhere. His body was taken too when he left so I don’t know if we’ll ever be able to see him again. Maybe it was simply that he and Elizabeth ‘jumped’ somewhere unknown before they went. It is strange to think that The Source of all things is not a physical place. But who knows! The universe is vast, and it will always be full of great and wonderful things. I’d say anything could happen.”
Suddenly, up high in the tower of Mr. Silver's old office Victor thought he caught sight of the shadow of a man – in fact, he was certain of it. In all his years his keen eyes never failed him. But it was probably just some old beggar seeking refuge in the academy. It was peculiar, however, that someone had managed to get back into Mr. Silver’s office.
Victor stared up at the window in wonder, and the mysterious man stared back. And then Victor whispered: “Anything could happen in the vastness of the universe.”
His eyes did not fail him this time, and as the old man turned away his cloak opened slightly, and Victor saw a flash of long silky hair, as pure and bright as the moon splashing upon an ocean of silver.
ns 172.71.254.31da2
and then Add to home screen.