Chapter 11: Bartleby is (not) okay?...

Christmas and New Year's was pretty uneventful. I spent the holidays at my home on Firecat Alley with my parents, but nothing much occurred. I was excited to return to the Arcanum with my friends and learn more fire secrets from Ignus.

As I walked down the street, avoiding Gretta DarkKettle's house as I have done every day since I was little, I received a message from Ellie. "Hi, Matt, do you want to meet with Bartleby before going to the Arcanum? It's been about 4 months since we fixed the Borealis Core, so Bartleby should be healed."

I realized that would be a good idea to do. I replied with "Sure, I'll meet you in the Commons; I'll be there in a few minutes."


After about ten more minutes of walking I reached the commons. The grass and trees were not as green as usual, as it was January. A cool breeze caused ripples on the pond. Ellie was sitting on the brown grass near the shore of the pond, waiting for me.

"Hi Matt," Ellie hugged me. "How was break?"

"It was fine. Got to spend time with family; open presents; the usual."

"I got back from Marleybone today. There's a war there. Polaris invaded… Napoleguin apparently seized power in Polaris and invaded Marleybone, Monquista, and Valencia."

"Oh, God…" I sighed. "I can't believe I helped the penguins…"

"It's ok. You didn't know… Besides, most of the Penguins were good. Only Napoleguin became a crazed military dictator."

"I just wish there was a way I could help… Either way you look at it, I am a cause of this."

"Sweetie, don't beat yourself up over it. Her Majesty's Navy is more than a match for a bunch of penguins. The redcoats will prevail," my girlfriend reassured me. "Let's go check on Bartleby now, okay?"

"Oh, right," I stood up. "I hope he's feeling better now."

"Race you there!" Ellie started running.

"You're on!" I challenged her. While running, I had to dodge a few younger Ravenwood students who were riding their bikes, tigers, horses, or pogo stick mounts. When we got near Bartleby, Ellie froze the sidewalk and slid in front of Bartleby. I did not see the ice so I slipped and fell due to the fact that I was running.

"Oh gosh, I done goofed…" Ellie melted the ice before helping me up. I glanced at Bartleby whose leaves were brown.

"Bartleby isn't looking too good," I dusted myself off.

"Yeah… I think he's gotten worse…"

"Hello, wizards…" Bartleby groaned. His voice sounded raspy.

"Bartleby… what's wrong…?" I asked the old tree. "We fixed the problem in Polaris. Is something else making you sick?"

"Ah, young wizard, I am not sick. However, I am still feeling under the weather. I am feeling depressed and gloomy. I long to see the past…. However, I cannot. Now my days are filled with sorrow and longing."

Just then, I saw his, still empty, eye socket. "OH! The Eye of History is still missing! Was that ever found when Malistaire was defeated?"

"I'm sure Cyrus would have returned it if he found it after killing Malistaire in Dragonspyre…" Ellie added.

"I don't remember seeing it in Darkmoor…" I pondered.

"Ask… Ambrose…. He will know," Bartleby grumbled.

"Good idea. Come on Ellie!" I began to run. Ellie rolled her eyes at my obvious 'payback' for her head start earlier.

I reached Ambrose's office first to ask the headmaster. "Ah, you are back, Matthew DragonBlade. What can I do for you this morning?"

"Hello, sir," I caught my breath. "Do you know what happened to the Eye of History?"

"Oh, how could we have completely forgotten about that?" Ambrose asked when Ellie entered the office. "Hello, Ellie FrostHeart. How lovely to see you again. Anyways, the Eye was not found in Dragonspyre by Cyrus, nor was it found in Darkmoor…"

"Where do we look now?" I asked.

"There is only one place left to look… And I have avoided this option for many years out of fear for this school, however, we are in a dire situation. I need you two to go to Malistaire's house…"

Ellie and I gasped. "Sir, that's the house in the Dark Cave that everyone avoids…" Ellie warned.

"Even Gretta Darkkettle…" I added. "And she's a pretty wicked witch herself."

"Matt! Gretta is so nice…"

"She turned me into a CAT once… That was not a fun twenty-four hours."

"I bet you were so cute as a cat…" Ellie teased.

"I'm sorry to interrupt your feline discussion, but time is of the essence. The Eye of History, or some clue of it, should be in that house," Ambrose interrupted. "You can find his house at 12 Spiny Skeleton Court, and here is a bone key that should get you in. Good luck, alumni…"