Dumbledore stood atop the reef.
The sea wind tugged at his silver-white robes, and Fox perched quietly on his shoulder. In front of him, within the large pit, a three-meter-tall giant first correctly called out his name.
Albus Dumbledore.
Subsequently.
Upon his inquiry.
The giant spoke a name that Albus Dumbledore had never expected to hear.
"Ariana."
The female Titan's pronunciation was in the future's English, not today's language. She still lay at the bottom of the pit, face buried in the sand, as if unwilling to face reality.
This name, like a stone cast into the heart of a lake, stirred ripples in Dumbledore's heart.
Ariana.
The name struck his mind like a bolt of lightning, instantly awakening memories he had sealed away for years.
He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, striving to keep calm.
"Ariana..." he repeated softly, his gaze growing increasingly complicated. His thoughts churned like a storm, with countless fragments of memory flashing through his mind.
That little girl.
Her laughter, her fear, and... that summer's tragedy. Dumbledore knew exactly what this name signified—it was his sister, a presence that had never truly left his life. But more importantly, this name shouldn't have appeared in this era, nor known by the Titan before him.
He also didn't think Ian was the type to gossip about such matters with the female Titan.
Perhaps.
This female Titan had glimpsed into his or Ian's memories? In that moment, Albus Dumbledore's mood was anything but calm, his mind swirling with countless conjectures and judgements.
However.
The chaotic jumble made it impossible for him to focus on speculating and sorting through his assumptions.
The air seemed to freeze at that moment.
Dumbledore's breath hitched for an instant, his knuckles turning slightly white.
His voice was almost squeezed out from between his teeth.
"How... do you know that name?" Dumbledore carefully examined his memories, finding no signs of intrusion.
To this.
Claire did not immediately respond.
Feeling she had maintained enough suspense and dignity to make people forget her awkward arrival, she climbed out of the pit.
And reached out to stroke the giant Phoenix that landed beside her.
The gold-red feathers contrasted with her silver hair, resembling a goddess from mythology. She looked at Dumbledore, her gaze deep and far-reaching, as if penetrating time itself.
"Steady your mind, Professor."
She said softly, her tone surprisingly gentle.
"I know what this name means to you." Claire lifted her head, her face still smeared with dirt, but her eyes holding an unprecedented inscrutability.
Indeed putting on a show.
"It's truly surprising."
Dumbledore's chest heaved violently, but he quickly forced himself to calm down. His years of experience allowed him to swiftly regulate his breathing and regain control of his emotions.
He slowly spoke, his voice returning to its usual steadiness.
"Are you a prophet?"
Claire nodded.
"A prophet from before the wizards?"
She nodded again.
"A prophet among the gods?"
This time.
Lyle's lips curved slightly.
Displaying an equally ostentatious smile.
"Exactly." Her voice carried an ancient authority, "I am the world's first prophet, endowed with the Creator's authority over the future."
Regarding the Creator.
She had only spoken of it with Ian.
Yet.
Even without knowing that unknown Titan epic, Dumbledore felt no curiosity about it at the moment, his mind entirely occupied with thoughts about the Titan prophet.
Simultaneously.
Two children.
Xiao Ya and Odin exchanged glances, evidently not comprehending these terms.
"What is a Creator?" Xiao Ya couldn't help asking.
Claire looked at them, a smug smile tugging at her lips:
"The Creator is the one who creates everything." Claire lowered her gaze to them, her expression suddenly becoming animated, like a stern teacher deciding to tell the students an interesting story.
She crouched down, though still taller than Dumbledore even in that position, but she tried her best to lower herself, gently tapping Xiao Ya's nose.
"Just like I created your world, I am your Creator. But above me, there is a higher-level Creator, the true source of this world."
The female Titan hid nothing.
The two children listened, bewildered, but they saw the giant Phoenix—Phoenix God—slowly approaching Claire, affectionately brushing her shoulder with its wings.
Dumbledore stood there in silence for a long time. His gaze shifted between Claire and the two children, yet his thoughts had already pierced through the scene before him.
Flying towards a more distant past and future.
For the topic of Creators, the old headmaster appeared uninterested—of course, given how later wizard researchers characterized many ancient Creators.
It's merely that these Creators were adept at Biological Alchemy.
Nothing too surprising.
Naturally.
This only applied to Albus Dumbledore's perspective, but for ancient children, they couldn't even grasp the meaning of a Creator.
They would only see the aspect they could understand.