That was the manifestation on Ariana's waist, the seemingly illusory longsword.
"This is..."
Grindelwald stared at the runes emerging on the longsword, his expression grew solemn as if he had realized something. His pupils sharply contracted.
"It's a gift from Pandro," Ariana glanced at Grindelwald, who was in someone else's form, but her eyes reflected his original appearance.
For this elder who had once shattered her family, there's a trace of complexity in Ariana's eyes. Yet she quickly turned to face the surrounding twisted chaos.
"He said this gift is the bane of wizards." Ariana also appeared somewhat nervous, but after a moment of hesitation, she swung the longsword around.
It was not fierce.
But extremely fast.
The blade swung was as quick as lightning, carrying a transcendental power as it tore open a chasm-like fissure in the ever-tightening chaos.
Dawn seemed to shine in from outside.
It's the moonlight's glow.
The twisted scenery surrounding the three souls began to disintegrate like ice meeting boiling water, dissolving rapidly into stars visible to the naked eye.
Until it completely dissipated.
The bright night sky reappeared, the moonlight was clear and bright, stars dotted the deep sky, and the surging magic power among the individuals gradually calmed down.
"Did I just save your life, Ian?" Ariana's spirit body hovered in mid-air, her tone was curious, as if she could hardly believe what she had done.
"That's right! You saved my life! Ariana!" Ian took a deep breath, still shaken, quickly giving his thumb up to his companion.
"Could this be worth ten boxes of Chocolate Frogs?" The girl might have felt a bit greedy, sounding slightly embarrassed, as some people can easily be satisfied.
"Hiss, does my life equal one Golden Galleon in your mind!" Ian immediately sounded a bit indignant, speaking loudly.
"Ten boxes! Ten boxes every day! Don't let outsiders see it! Thinking Ian Prince's life isn't valuable enough!" Such boldness clearly shocked the floating girl.
"!!!!"
The girl's mouth turned into an O shape.
Of course.
Seeing this, she was probably the one with the most normal expression on this open ground, aside from Ian. Look at the two old guys by Ian's side.
Grindelwald's gaze was fixed intensely on the longsword in Ariana's hand, his eyes nearly bulging out, while the other old man's face was covered in continuous tears.
"It was bound to be this way... I knew it... I knew it..."
Under the tower.
Albus Dumbledore had already collapsed to the ground, sobbing uncontrollably, his eyes equally fixed on the longsword in Ariana's hand, tears clouding his eyes with an indescribable sorrow.
It was at this moment.
Ian for the first time felt a profound clarity of the emotions emanating from the old headmaster.
The vulnerability and... melancholy that belonged to an old man.
"Why cry, brother Albus? We've all come out," Ariana floated before Albus Dumbledore, raising her hand to wipe away his tears.
The gentle hand.
Seems to also help Albus Dumbledore mend his broken emotions and soul.
"If that hadn't happened, if I'd solved your problem earlier... your life should have shone," Albus Dumbledore buried his head deeply.
Perhaps at this moment, the Hogwarts headmaster was irresistibly pondering an alternate fate, for he had witnessed such possibilities exist.
"Aren't I shining now?"
With a gentle smile, the girl spun around in front of her brother—truth be told, as a Patronus, Ariana indeed presented a visually dazzling effect.
Albus Dumbledore bowed his head in silence.
A moment later.
"Ian, let her go back first, we have matters to discuss," Albus Dumbledore spoke in a husky voice, his gaze on Ian felt heavy.
"Okay."
Ian waved goodbye to Ariana, who pouted as she watched him, as he dispelled the magic, the girl suddenly dissipated into starry lights in the air.
The scene around became somewhat dimmer. The Gryffindor's Sword and the Sorting Hat dropped to the ground began to slowly vanish like being cast with an Illusionary Body Spell.
"What are we to discuss?"
Ian had already guessed in his mind.
"It's time to say goodbye, you know already, don't you?" Albus Dumbledore maintained his original posture, glancing at Hogwarts under the tranquil night.
"Unwarranted ripples will be smoothed out, that is us." He clearly timed it perfectly, his voice just dropped as his once tangible form began to fade.
Grindelwald also began to fade simultaneously.
"Dust to dust, earth to earth, just as I said before... it's a worthy sacrifice." Grindelwald's voice was as calm as Albus Dumbledore's. Their ancient magical robes, the hems swaying gently in the breeze with bodies growing transparent, seemed to be carried away by the wind at any moment.