Chapter: 31
Disclaimer: I don't own High School Dxd or any other universe used in this story.
Pa/ t reon details below the chapter if you're interested in seeing some content in advance.
(An Abrupt Exit)
-{Zephyrion Gremory}-
He swiped his hand and the fire was redirected with some visible effort.
He raised his hand, a massive golem erupting from the ground and encasing his entire body. Stone formed into a massive body and turned into metal within seconds.
Dumbledore stood within the towering golem, its metallic surface gleaming under the light.
It was massive.
Seriously.
I moved first.
A wave of my hand sent a barrage of molten fire toward the golem's chest, each sphere burning white-hot. The space around the fire was distorted by the sheer heat.
The flames shot through the air and struck true, splashing against the metal, but instead of doing any damage to it, the golem seemingly absorbed the heat.
I really needed to continue my magic study.
Just as I went to send another attack, the golem's massive hand came crashing down.
My body blurred as I darted to the side, narrowly avoiding being slammed onto the floor. The impact sent stone and debris flying in every direction, dust clouding my vision.
I flew around and gained speed, I sent a punch towards the Titanic Golem's chest and a shockwave erupted from the impact.
Dumbledore regarded me with open shock as I displayed a level of strength that was beyond the wizard's magical enchanted bodies.
The Golem stumbled back. Cracks appeared on its frame.
I moved quickly, shifting my approach.
With a snap of my fingers, the air crackled with demonic energy.
I made a large blast of wind that slammed into the Golem. The metal groaned under the pressure. Dumbledore's retaliation came quickly as his sharp bespectacled eyes stared at me calculatingly.
The golem's arm swept through the space between us, carrying the force of a collapsing building. I leapt backwards, twisting midair as I conjured a shield of stone.
The sheer impact that followed destroyed the stone shield and rattled my bones, forcing me to skid across the air and onto the ground. My feet dug trenches into the stone as I struggled to stay upright.
That hurt.
Raising both hands, I forced the temperature in the area to plummet.
I frowned at the drain on my demonic reserves.
Frost spread across the ground, creeping up the golem's legs. The metal groaned, ice seeping into every joint.
Then, I clenched my fists and jagged spikes of ice shot out from the ground, piercing through the golem's arms and legs.
The construct stumbled and Dumbledore raised one of the Golems' hands as it fell back, a truly massive metal spear forming and launching at me with a speed that didn't match its sheer size.
Transfiguration was just cheating at this point.
I could see the damage already mending on the Golem's body.
I dodged and a mass column of wind followed after the spear.
I didn't hesitate.
A flick of my wrist sent a dozen spears of stone toward the golem's head, each strike aiming to disrupt whatever magic kept it moving.
The Golem raised its hand and blocked. With a wave of his wand from inside the construct, the ice shattered, exploding outward like a rain of deadly shards.
I covered myself with a barrier, the impact sending deep reverberations through my magic.
Then the golem lunged.
A massive fist hurtled toward me, and this time, I had no time to dodge. It crashed into me, sending me flying through the air. My back slammed against a stone pillar, the force knocking the breath from my lungs.
My vision blurred for a moment, pain radiating through my ribs.
I scowled.
Fuck it.
Static red tore through the space around me as I just let go. A ball formed with an extreme amount of effort as I concentrated through the building rage I was beginning to feel.
I did enjoy fighting but that didn't mean my Sin of Wrath enjoyed being hurt.
The ball exploded up and easily tore through the Golem's arm, sending sparks that ruined the rest of its body as they stabilised in the air and acted as lasers while the Golem fell back.
Dumbledore quickly formed a platform from the Golem's head as the rest of its body was eviscerated.
His sharp eyes widened with shock as he looked at the display of destruction.
The red blast floated and arcs of destruction became solid within the air as they floated, zapping everything out of existence when it came too close to it.
An unfortunate bird found that out as it coincidentally found itself landing on one of the thick arcs of destruction.
My breathing was slightly heavy as I got up. Not hesitating as I blasted a massive wave of fire at him that he instantly blocked.
My eyes caught sight of Aurors gathering and looking ready to join in.
It looked like it was time to go.
"It's been fun," I said to Dumbledore, whose breathing was slightly heavy from sheer magical usage.
Summoning my energy, I slammed my palm onto the floor, sending a pulse of magic through the stone. Instantly, the entire battlefield shifted.
Sections of the ground crumbled away, creating sudden pits and jagged spikes that reached up to the heavens.
I winced at the Demonic energy drain.
Imagination magic was overpowered. But elemental magic was draining. Especially when it was conjured directly. However, having a strong imagination helps.
With a wave of my hand, I summoned a dark smoke to cover me further.
Dumbledore's voice remained steady. "A clever trick."
And I could feel the rumble as he instantly went on removing the massive spikes of earth by the dozens.
But he couldn't see me now.
I took that as my cue to leave.
I moved quickly, jumping back into the castle.
My heart pounded in my chest, mostly out of excitement as I manoeuvred through the castle and past the many Aurors gathering, keeping my steps light like Rivera had taught me to do with varying success.
Then I heard it, the faint sound of something whistling through the air behind me.
I spun around, barely dodging a glowing golden chain.
Dumbledore had seen through my distraction faster than I expected.
It moved past me and I watched curiously as hundreds of others glowed through the spoke.
Or maybe he hadn't found me but was probing for me.
The chains let off a suction-like effect a moment later and all the smoke began to drain from the area. As I went to make more smoke to cover my retreat, someone else whispered a spell and a massive amount of dense magical fog filled the area.
Unlike my fog, the chains seemed to have a harder time absorbing it.
My eyes turned to a single girl. She had her wand stretched out and was breathing heavily. The sheer amount of spoke she had made evidently took quite a bit out of her.
I memorised her face.
Long black hair, sharp features, eyes that held something between curiosity and danger along with a deep intensity that was focused solely on me. Her cheeks were slightly red and within her eyes, I could see… want?
She didn't speak. Just stared.
I smirked, inclining my head slightly before moving past her without a word. There was no time to linger.
I quickly ran, making my way through the many corridors. Occasionally passing by students.
Could I have killed Dumbledore? Probably. I'm sure he had more trump cards though and I wasn't sure if I would be able to handle the armies of Aurors that would follow after.
I was a High-class devil but even I had my limits. Dumbledore was most assuredly in the high class with his magical reserves. Probably just touching it, and that wand of his I imagine was powering up to the point he could match me. I had to briefly wonder just how strong an ultimate-class being would be.
Considering the sheer amount of destruction two High-class beings had just done in a battle that wasn't even intended to cause any damage.
The castle felt eerily silent in contrast to the chaos I had just escaped.
My breathing was steady, my mind already calmly running through possible routes.
The Aurors would be searching for me right about now. I'm sure I had already caused quite the commotion due to the battle. I had got what I came for and now it was time to leave.
Then, as I rounded another corner, I caught sight of a single girl.
A blonde-haired girl.
Her expression was one of surprise, her icy blue eyes wide as she took a step back. I didn't recognize her.
That didn't last for long as I realised she looked like Reginald.
It couldn't be right.
-{Reginald Greengrass}-
Reginald had braced himself for this possibility.
So he wasn't surprised when the admittedly impressive duel between the two seventh years was brought to a halt as Aurors stormed the stadium.
His new Lord had many good traits he found himself agreeing with, but he also had a few bad ones.
Such as a lack of subtlety and a hint of recklessness as shown when he decides to fight a Dragon. Which was to further gain an exit from the most famous magical bank in Britain that he robbed on a whim.
With his wife in hand, who looked slightly nervous he didn't feel much need to rush. As everyone else did the Aurors announced the attack of the Dark Lord Gremory.
Now, had this been Voldemort? That was a different case altogether. His Death Eaters were monsters and he was as sure he could imagine what fate would become of him along with his wife.
Right now the Aurors sought to protect him, the headmaster sought to protect him and the Dark Lord sought to protect him. He was in a weird position.
He watched the family of Malfoy scramble away with a cold amused smile.
No. The only worry he had now was that he couldn't find his daughter. He was sure Lord Zephyrion hadn't planned this attack from the start. From what he had gained, this was mostly likely a case of self-defence. But he couldn't help but worry for his daughter.
He watched as dozens of Aurors filled the place and took up guard positions. More and more appeared. Half were sent off to join the army that was looking for his Lord and the other half stayed to defend.
'Amara, just where have you gone?' He thought worriedly.
"Reginald," a familiar voice called out.
Reginald turned, and his eyes met the gaze of Lord Abbott, who approached flanked by his wife and a nervous-looking son.
Lord Abbott's face was a study in restrained concern, the stiffness of his posture betraying more unease than he likely intended.
It wasn't surprising, he would look the same in this case.
The Abbots weren't on either side just like the Greengrass.
"Abbot," Reginald greeted his friend coolly, inclining his head. "A pleasure as always."
"A pleasure?" Abbott scoffed, his lips curling into a dry smile. "Only a Slytherin would find pleasure in a scene like this."
He rolled his eyes.
Their friendship was rather odd, considering they were in different houses and had met purely by chance. Both of them didn't know how they had ended up as friends but they didn't mind it.
Reginald's smile became larger. "You mistake practicality for enjoyment, my friend. The Ministry enjoys chasing its tail. I see they are putting on quite the spectacle."
Lord Abbott glanced around before stepping closer, voice dropping to a low murmur. "You seem untroubled, Reginald. Remarkably so. A Dark Lord on the loose, an attack on Hogwarts, most are losing their heads, a reasonable reaction to such a thing."
"And?"
"What do you know?" He asked, with narrowed eyes.
His lips tugged up. "Am I not correct to feel safe with so many Aurors protecting us?"
"We know it's more than that, I'm in the position you are in after all. I know how you normally act." Lord Abbott replied. A hint of annoyance crept into his tone.
Reginald admittedly wasn't trying to hide anything.
In truth, he would rather Abbott join him. The more influence he could gain within this new Faction he found himself in, the better. And while the weaker and more normal wizards could be as excited as they wanted about being treated as more than useless.
Bloodlines and power were two very real values.
Years of magical beings breeding naturally caused a purer magical child.
"Yes, perhaps. Let's just say that if you stay by me you won't need to worry about a single thing." Reginald decided to indulge his eldest friend.
Lord Abbott appraised him before his eyes narrowed further.
"I want in."
"It's not that simple," Reginald replied smoothly.
It really was.
Lady Abbott looked over the two with concern, sneaking a glance at the most relaxed Lady Greengrass.
"Please, tell us. Times are hard and rumours of raids on any unaffiliated house are spreading around." Lady Abbott pleaded.
"Is it the new dark lord then?" He deduced.
Reginald stayed silent, affirming his suspicions with a lack of words.
Lady Abbott gasped. "Reginald, why would you join one of them? Don't you remember why we stayed impartial in the first place?"
He sighed. "It's… hard to explain. It was mostly done on a whim but I don't regret it."
"Tell me what you know." Lord Abbott asked seriously.
He glanced around, putting up a silencing ward just for safety. Considering they were surrounded by Aurors and panicking people.
"The Daily Prophet paints him out as a monster but he isn't like they say. He is a teenager with a lot of power and many people flocking behind him. That raid? It wasn't even done with his knowledge, that attack on the ministry? A mistake, he entered the ministry accidentally and they attacked before he could reply." Reginald said, noticing his wife watching closely as well and deciding this would be a good time to explain his reasoning too.
"So he can be trusted?" Lord Abbott questioned.
"He isn't bad. I joined him on the condition that he protect my family and he agreed, giving me an artefact that allowed me to summon him once. Join him, become his follower and you can have that protection too." He tried.
Lord Abbott looked conflicted.
"I know it sounds very strange, especially for me." He chuckled. "But I took a chance to join him and I've only been awarded so far. That isn't considering his generosity and power… I've watched him give a weak wizard magical power. He is beyond just a wizard…"
And wasn't that the truth?
He was a Demon, or, well, a Devil.
Lord Abbott blinked. "He increased someone's magical power? How does that even make sense? Not even Merlin could do such a thing."
"That's exactly how I felt, yet, I've seen it. The ministry is trying to make him seem bad but I can see a much brighter future with him. He is reckless and makes mistakes, but takes a leap. Follow him and you won't regret it." Reginald said passionately, feeling his loyalty to Zephyrion grow deeper as he worded the absurd man. "With the way things are going now, you'll even be wiped out by Voldermort or forced to join a side."
That last part sealed the deal.
Lady Abbott looked concerned but trusted Reginald at the end of the day, which went double for Lord Abbott, who gave a firm nod.
"I- will think about this more later." He replied, but Reginald could see he was mostly doing that to see how this played out.
"I have to wonder why he is attacking Hogwarts then." Lady Abbott frowned.
"He isn't," Reginald replied.
Everyone, including his wife, sent him confused glances.
He sighed.
"He came here to retrieve something, he must have been caught. Trust me, only he is here. He has gained many followers and none of them are here." He replied.
"I see, that does make sense. Why are the Aurors sending so many of themselves then?" Lord Abbott asked.
Reginald chuckled. "Trust me, they are going to need it. And I suspect that the Ministry truly feels threatened by him. Two Dark Lords are a threat enough but while one has slowly built himself up, the other seemingly over the course of less than a month is rising at a rapid pace. So many neglected weaker witches and wizards flock to him, and there's only so much that quality can gain over sheer quantity."
They all had looks of realisation.
"He's also really powerful." Reginald sheepishly added, hiding his concern for his daughter.
'Where are you, Amara?'
Zephyrion Gremory}-
I stared at the beautiful blonde-haired girl who took a step back.
She instantly raised her wand and I raised an eyebrow in return. Her cold icy eyes glanced at my crimson hair and unique eyes.
"Amara Greengrass I presume?" I said, listening carefully for if the Aurors were close.
Her eyes widened slightly. "You know my name?"
"Of course." I smiled.
She frowned slightly, glancing assuredly at her wand. As if she was measuring if she really had a chance.
"How do you know about me?" She finally asked the million-dollar question, her voice was laced with concern.
"Your father," I admitted, keeping an ear out for any incoming Aurors.
She flinched, and a spell whipped out a moment later.
"You lie."
I dodged the fast blob of light and gently grabbed her arm, aiming it towards the ceiling.
A quick glance behind me showed the plain wall was covered with lacerations.
An advanced version of the cutting spell perhaps?
I kept her arm held steady even as she tried to back away while I invaded her personal space. Her cold blue eyes contained a hint of fear and I rolled my eyes.
"Relax. I'm not going to hurt you, as for your comment. That's something you're going to have to speak to your Father about." I replied calmly, hearing the faint footsteps coming in on our location. "You people really need to learn some control, seriously shooting spells at everything isn't healthy."
She blushed slightly, a red hue forming on her pale cheeks out of what I perceived to be embarrassment. She perked up as shouting came from the distance.
I gave her a boyish grin.
"Goodbye for now," I said, letting her wand arm go and quickly running away in what she probably perceived as a mere blur.
While the magical humans here seemed to have advanced physiques due to the strange magic they wielded, that didn't mean they were up to the level I was at.
In danmachi terms, they were mostly lower-end level two, with the Aurors being at the lowest point of level three if I had to make a wild guess. It was mostly in the sheer processing and perception power they had.
It wasn't long until I found the place I entered through and left the castle.
As I made my way outside, I casually sat on a rock, awaiting Reginald. I suspected it would take a while for everything to calm and for a calm exit to be made.
So I wasn't too bothered that it had already been thirty minutes.
That whole situation had been annoying.
The Ministry would be pulling its hair out for weeks over that. I'm sure Dumbledore would find out what I took eventually. This had meant to be stealthy, a quick exit.
James Potter would have thought that his cloak was stolen and it would be a case of theft.
Now, it was a Dark Lord stealing one of the three Deathly Hallows.
In Dumbledore's eyes anyway. Fighting him confirmed one thing, he was smart. Despite the old age of his body, fighting him had been surprisingly hard.
For this relatively low-level world in all consideration, he was without a doubt at its peak and it showed that.
Movement caught my eye.
Two figures emerged from the treeline, one walking with composed confidence while the other's nervousness was written all over her posture.
Lady Greengrass looked suitably intimidated, her gaze flicking from me to the shadows as if a monster might leap out.
Reginald, on the other hand, was as collected as ever, only a slight furrow in his brow betraying any concern.
"Lord Zephyrion," Reginald greeted, inclining his head with a touch of formality.
"Reginald," I returned, hopping off the rock.
My eyes flicked to his wife, who stiffened under my gaze. "Lady Greengrass."
"Lord Zephyrion," she said, her tone wavering slightly before she steadied herself.
The mask of a proper pureblood lady slipped into place, but I could see the tension in her shoulders.
I gave her an easy-going smile. I didn't do that while ruling by fear shtick.
It wasn't sustainable and I wasn't exactly great at ruling in the first place.
Reginald's gaze swept over me. "You're unharmed, my Lord?"
"Fine," I said, shrugging.
"What happened?" He questioned.
"Just two nosy Aurors getting involved, and things spiralled from there," I smirked. "It became... eventful."
He sighed, but before he could press for details, I added, "Dumbledore got involved too."
Reginald's eyes widened a fraction. His wife openly gawked, disbelief etched on her face. "You fought Dumbledore?" she questioned.
"Yeah. He's incredibly powerful and no doubt a magical genius. The old man's got some moves," I admitted with a grin. "He's probably one of the most powerful beings in this world."
That was true.
Unless the stories about death were true I would have to reevaluate my stance on this world.
Reginald noted my weird way of phrasing it but didn't call me out.
Reginald pinched the bridge of his nose, muttering something under his breath. "At least you're in one piece," he said.
I nodded. "Got what I needed from Hogwarts."
He seemed relieved but didn't comment further. I let the pause hang for a moment before adding, "Oh, and I ran into your daughter."
Reginald stiffened, eyes narrowing. "Amara? Is she-"
"She's fine," I assured him. "A brief chat. She was eager to blast me with some spells at first but we parted on... not hostile terms. Though you'll need to explain a few things to her."
Reginald's shoulders slumped, tension melting away. "I see. Thank you."
He gave a rare, genuine smile.
His wife watched the interaction in bafflement, whatever idea she had in her head shattered as we casually spoke, even if Reginald still held a deferential tone.
I stepped closer, hand outstretched. "Let's get back to the base."
Reginald put a hand on my shoulder.
The familiar, worn hall of our base greeted us, torches flickering along the stone walls.
Reginald sighed, letting his mask slip now that he was away from prying eyes. He gave me a respectful nod. "My Lord."
"Reginald," I replied.
I had to admit, he was growing on me. And I was seriously considering taking him back with me. Though I'm not sure he would appreciate the sudden lack of privacy or housing.
He gave me a nod, as he apparated away with his still silent wife.
Now, to let things cool down. I had a few more days before I went back so I wasn't rushed on time.
-{Dumbledore}-
Dumbledore frowned softly as he stared at the strange red ball that floated in the air, he watched as the many arcs that had stabilised and froze in the air slowly withdrew.
Good.
It was a sign that the magic was fading.
Despite that, Dumbledore already had plans to make this place inaccessible for further monitoring and testing.
Such magic was foreign and that worried him.
Even though Dumbledore had firmly stuck to the light side of magic, he had studied the darker arts and magics to gain an understanding. Along with their weakness and vulnerabilities.
Never had he seen such magic that caused this level of… destruction.
He had seen cursed fires and many other such powerful magics had turned towns or even cities into wastelands, but even that left remnants behind in their stead.
Cursed fire could be put out with much difficulty as could the various other destructive magics that could only be performed by what magical society dubbed as powerhouses.
This, however…
He stared at the ball of red, and his elder wand came up. Releasing a soothing light that attempted to entwine one of the smaller branches of the strange red power.
Only to be snuffed out.
There was no struggle, no change to increase the magical flow and power of his attempt. Simply there one moment and not in the next. The magical power was gone, the spell was gone.
Dumbledore wasn't shaken by many things, but this managed to truly shock him.
This was a power God's from myths and legends wielded. Not a teenage wizard with too much power on his hands.
His mind went through various situations as Aurors investigated the scene around him with awe watched on. He would chuckle at the newly-gained looks of respect he was being given if it wasn't for the dire situation at hand.
"How bad is it?" Jacob Jenkins said, approaching Dumbledore from behind.
"Certainly not ideal." Dumbledore mused, still staring at the strange dissipating power.
Jacob looked at the magic with no small amount of fears
"What is this?" He questioned, more of a whisper than anything. "No, more importantly." He turned a small glare towards Dumbledore, but it noticeably lacked any heat.
"Just how did he enter Hogwarts?" Jacob questioned.
Dumbledore sighed.
It seemed the new Dark Lord was already gaining that level of infamy, which wasn't surprising when you considered the sheer respect for power that was ingrained in Magical Society.
The damage caused by their battle was visible to dozens of Aurors. Along with many other witnesses, his eyes glanced towards the young lady staring at the battlefield.
Bellatrix Black.
His lips creased into a frown.
"He had help," Dumbledore said calmly, his eyes twinkling with thought. "Most likely a hidden entrance, Hogwarts has more than a few, after all."
"One of my Aurors said he was under the effects of a polyjuice potion. That was how he was first caught." Jacob said, pacing around nervously.
Dumbledore wasn't surprised.
The Ministry had come out full force here as a show of just how much power they possessed and had ended up the fool. Embarrassed as one man snuck past entire teams of Aurors vigilantly looking out for anything.
They would have the magical news outlets play it to their advantage as much as they could but there was only so much they could.
"Ah, yes, that would indeed explain how he roamed so freely within the castle grounds. A most clever use of Polyjuice Potion, though a method not without its limits. The entrances were safeguarded with multiple anti-polyjuice measures, quite thorough ones, I might add. No, he did not accomplish this feat alone." Dumbledore said slowly, playing through multiple scenarios. "He had...assistance."
"Are we sure? From who?" Jacob quickly asked.
They had no leads towards the new Dark Lord. None had been captured in the single raid that had taken place and no other activity had transpired, making it hard.
"Ah, yes," Dumbledore replied softly, a hint of regret colouring his tone. "It is quite likely that a current or former student guided him to one of the castle's hidden entrances. Hogwarts has many secrets, and those who have walked its halls long enough often learn more than they ought to."
"Do you think you have any idea of who and where?" Jacob questioned further, his eyes staring at the destruction. "We need to regain control, not even Voldemort has done this much in so little time."
Dumbledore's eyes glanced towards Bellatrix.
"No, I don't believe I do," Dumbledore murmured, a contemplative look in his sharp blue eyes. "Though I suspect a former student, long since departed from Hogwarts, may have provided him with the necessary information."
"That leaves one question," Jacob said, staring at the battlefield. "Just what was his purpose for coming here?"
The twinkle in Dumbledore's normally serene eyes vanished.
That was the main question…
-{Zephyrion Gremory}-
I lazed in a comfortable chair as I read through some books.
It had been two days since the incident and as expected it had blown up. I didn't pay much attention to that though as I was more focused on my next move.
The cooldown on my eyes had vanished overnight…
Meaning another world was open, potentially my home world.
That left me wondering what to do.
Technically I was meant to spend a few more days here but… the temptation of going to another world wasn't small. I had learnt so much about this world already. My power and magical attack power had risen massively.
Yet, there was one more thing I wanted to do before going. Breaking Grindelwald out of prison and making a deal for his knowledge. He was another magical titan who had been able to fight Dumbledore, so I imagine his information would be invaluable.
A sharp knock echoed through the room, and I looked up as Reginald barged in, face pale and eyes wide.
"The Abbotts are under attack!" he blurted out, breathless.
I inspected him, rarely was he ever so panicked.
I stared at him, unimpressed. "And?"
He blinked rapidly, stammering, "They, they were planning to join you. They've been in contact with me, discussing terms."
Oh.
I see.
I arched my brow. "Who's attacking them?"
I had an idea, judging by his panic it wasn't an Auror raid, even as corrupt as some of them could be they wouldn't elicit that amount of panic.
"Voldemort's forces. Death Eaters and Voldemort army of Inferi."
A sigh slipped past my lips as I stood, brushing off my robes. "Show me."
I could see a glint in his eyes and I had a feeling this would solidify his loyalty.
I'm sure many would think that making a power base in this world was pointless. But having an army of wizards that wielded versatile magic was never going to be useless. This was a goldmine for devils who wanted to recruit magicals.
This was what they were at a base, with an evil piece who knew how strong they would get. I held my hand in recruitment for now though, even if I didn't select anyone, having a base away from home could be helpful if anything unfortunate happened.
Reginald nodded, quickly leading me out of the room.
Lady Greengrass was outside, seeming to be a bit more comfortable with my presence even as she watched me critically and with no small amount of nervousness.
"W-wait, let me join you." She blurted out.
Reginald paused, taken out of his panicked state for a moment before he frowned tightly.
"So this is why you wanted to come? Absolutely not." He replied instantly.
"Don't treat me as if I couldn't hand you your wand." She scowled lightly.
Reginald gawked. "The answer is still no, Amara needs someone to look after them in case something unfortunate happens to me."
"We will be fine, and don't forget that the Abbotts are my friends too!" She retorted.
He scowled.
"You're being unreasonable."
"Are you implying that our Lord can't protect us?" She replied.
He sighed, sending me a glance. "F-fine, just stay close to me."
I hummed.
I think I'll make a display of this.
Reginald led me to a place we promptly apparated from with a sharp crack.
-{Lord Abbott}-
The ground trembled as curses struck the manor's wards, casting eerie shadows through the flickering candlelight.
Lord Abbott's hands were steady, but his eyes betrayed a storm of dread.
He wanted to curse.
Just what was his luck?
The heat of everything surrounding the wizarding world had gone up exponentially. Something he knew to be due to the new Dark Lord.
The slow uprising that was happening and the inevitable full-blown war that was to come in a few years had its date pushed up massively.
Due to the second Dark Lord's erratic and quick movement, Voldermort had suddenly felt the need to compete, as had the ministry. Two Death Eater raids had happened in the past few days as Voldermort seemed to play catch-up.
The ministry had begun its raids and retaliatory actions, the standard stunners that Aurors were meant to use had been pushed up to harmful but none-lethal spells. Non-lethal being no cause of death. That was a broad term and it had upper the scales massively.
Now, here he was. The third Death Eater raid as Voldermort decided random muggle villages weren't going to cut it.
Just as he was about to join Reginald, he cursed.
The rhythmic thud of explosions echoed from the outer grounds, growing closer with each strike.
The wards strained, shimmering with desperate resistance.
He turned to his wife and daughter, clutching their wands tightly, eyes wide with fear. "The cellar. Now," he ordered voice firm despite the pounding of his heart.
"Father, we can-" his daughter began, but he cut her off.
"Go!" he barked. "Lock yourselves in and don't open it until I return!"
His wife pulled their daughter away, though she cast a pleading glance back at him.
She was a powerful witch, she'd be able to put up a fight if it came down to it.
He gave a nod, one filled with more confidence than he felt. The heavy door slammed shut, muffling their hurried whispers.
The wards shattered with a deafening crack, and the air pulsed with a rush of cold, dark magic.
Death Eaters poured into the entrance hall, robes billowing, masks reflecting the flames now licking at the garden.
Lord Abbott's grip tightened on his wand. He flicked it, and a silver badger erupted, darting away in a blur, the Patronus message sent to Reginald.
The first Death Eater to step through pointed his wand.
Lord Abbott dove, the green light searing past and slamming into a portrait. The painting's occupant screamed before disintegrating.
Abbott retaliated, slashing his wand down.
The curse missed but the Death Eater wasn't prepared for the sheer power that was put into the first spell that was thrown back as a massive explosion erupted, blasting the Death Eater off his feet.
He crumpled, mask cracked and blood pooling beneath him.
That alone had taken the front end of the building off, which made it easy for Two more to walk in.
One flicked his wand with a lazy sneer.
Lord Abbott twisted aside, but the curse grazed him, red-hot agony lancing up his arm.
He stifled a scream, firing a Blasting Curse.
The Death Eater deflected it with ease, pushing forward. Abbott raised a Shield Charm, but the second attacker shattered
The backlash threw him back, head spinning as he crashed into a table.
"Your bloodline ends tonight, Abbott," one of them mocked. "You should have joined us while you can."
Lord Abbott gritted his teeth, forcing himself upright.
He lunged forward, a whirlwind of curses flying from his wand.
Flames erupted, forcing one attacker back, but the other sidestepped and sent a bone-breaking curse that slammed into Lord Abbott's ribs.
By now, everything was destroyed. The once grand front room that greeted guests was ablaze and ruined, he retreated up the steps onto the second floor.
Pain exploded through his chest, but he roared, pushing through it. He conjured a large sharp jagged stone from thin air, launching it with a Banishing Charm.
It grazed a Death Eater's mask, cracking it, but not enough to slow him.
The large stone exploded through the walls behind that and left a hole from which multiple Death Eaters poured in.
Another Death Eater walked in and Lord Abbott grimaced, he was obviously a higher-ranking one. With a flick of his wand sent a blast of crimson light that Abbott barely blocked.
The force nearly knocked the wand from his grip. The six Death Eaters advanced, forcing him back with a merciless barrage of spells.
He barely managed to slow their advance as he was forced to practically spring back as the hallway was ruined in the next few seconds.
Six powerful wizards shooting at him wasn't exactly good for the environment, the fact he was still alive was a miracle he suspected was because they wanted him alive.
Lord Abbott's chest heaved. Bruises throbbed, blood trickling from a cut on his brow. His wand felt heavy, each spell more sluggish than the last.
He roared and the floorboards and walls were destroyed in a blast.
The massive hole in the mansion only stopped them for a few moments as a new floor was built.
The higher-ranking Death Eater sent a powerful spell that Lord Abbott just couldn't deflect, sending himself flying back as his wand fell to the ground.
Laughter echoed as the Death Eaters closed in.
A curse lashed out, carving a line of fire across Lord Abbott's back.
He tried to stumble back up only to collapse fully, struggling to push himself up even as booted feet surrounded him.
The masked leader sneered. "I expected more."
Abbott forced himself to his knees, vision swimming. His vision tunnelled, as he heard distant screams.
A few distant explosions later he found his daughter along with his wife dragged next to him. To which they were all dragged outside onto the lawn.
He really wished he had just joined Reginald.
A flash illuminated the area and made the dozen Death Eaters step back.
Out of the light stepped a figure that would terrify most but at this moment couldn't have looked any more beautiful.
Multi-coloured eyes lazily glanced around, with two sets of eyes alertly glaring from behind.
"What a mess."
-END-
Chapter: 32
Pa/ t reon details below the chapter if you're interested in seeing some content in advance.
(War and Worlds)
-{Voldemort}-
He was scathing, more than usual. As a feeling of unrestrained greed burst in his chest. One that hadn't appeared for some many years. One that made him want to lash out with his magic.
He rewound the pensive memory that had been given to him, watching the red arcs of power obliterate all of Dumbledore's experiments on it.
One of his secret informants had helpfully provided him with the aftermath of the strange powerful magic the boy had used.
Voldemort had been curious as to why the shaken informant had considered it important that he waste his time on it, but he was admittedly glad he had decided to check before torturing his informant for his insolence.
This magic.
He wanted it, no. He needed it. This magic was it.
This child has quickly proven himself to be more than expected. He had found it amusing at first really. An undoubtedly powerful youth being so quickly labelled a dark Lord.
Then this child quickly proved his strength as more gathered to his cause, he had decided to let the boy build a reputation before showing him true power and recruiting him. Perhaps even as an apprentice with the great promise he showed.
It would have boosted his reputation as a True Dark Lord.
The situation had changed. The boy had shown himself to be an equal. A term he hated. His broken mind sent a lance of rage through him, the strain of having done so many rituals and sacrifices making itself known once more.
He wanted this magic. He wanted the boy. This was the clear path to becoming more, to becoming a God. Perhaps it was some sort of rare branch of magic or maybe even a Ritual. Whatever the case was, he needed the boy.
He didn't care about Dumbledore. He would become a mere nuisance if he could get his hands on this magic. That left a problem, the boy was powerful. Incredibly so.
Voldemort didn't know if he could be persuaded to lower his stature to join him. While Voldemort considered it a great honour for the boy to be his apprentice, he was sure that his young inexperienced mind wouldn't see it that way.
Another problem was no one knew anything regarding him. He had popped up, shown his magical might and from that seemingly began building his existence.
Everyone seemed to only know everything past the Ministry attack.
Whatever the case. He was back and even his mind, as damaged as it was. Was more focused than it had been since he had started the more… intense rituals.
He had sent his army of Death Eaters on mass raids. He had been too passive, to articulate.
A breath was drawn, his red glowing eyes glinting dangerously. His admittedly monstrous amount of magic subconsciously drawing forth and making the informant sweat profusely.
A haze of dark purple energy surrounded his body like an aura, occasionally crackling with bolts of energy that danced around him.
"You have done well." He said, his tone pleased.
He let out a sigh of relief.
"You shall be rewarded, what reward do you seek?" He questioned.
The informant buzzed. "Galleons, my lord."
Voldemort looked down at him boredly, as if disappointed. "The chance for anything from the most powerful Dark Lord in existence and you ask for mere coins. The rare types of magics, information and spells you could have requested to learn. Gone, because you want Galleons. No wonder this world is so weak."
The informant shook, wondering if he had made the wrong choice.
A large sack of Galleons appeared, practically overflowing.
"Go, rat. Take your pay and leave." He said, as if disgusted by his lack of ambition.
He stared at the image of the crimson haired boy.
'Breeds like us are truly rare.' He thought, as plans formed in his mind.
The war was now in full throttle.
-{Lord Abbott}-
Lord Abbott breathed hard, sending a glance towards his child and scared wife.
The cold air of night that rushed through the smashed walls clung heavily to him as he stared up at the many Death Eater's.
He winced, the sharp continuous jolts of pain wracking his body making it hard to focus.
The Death Eater in charge strolled up to him, wand raised.
He didn't bother fighting.
It was done.
This scene had happened to other families before and he was too mature to hold out hope. He had been indecisive and too cheap on the ward renewals around the mansion.
"What a mess." A calm voice said, and that was the only warning they all had.
A large explosion blinded his vision and he felt himself yanked. He quickly found himself, and the rest of his family on floating platforms. That didn't waste any time flying outside the mansion.
He glanced up and his heart practically burst as he was greeted by the crimson-haired Dark Lord.
His heart further jumped when he saw his two long-time friends. His message had gotten through in time.
"Theodric, are you okay?" Reginald asked, looking over his beaten form worriedly.
Lady Greengrass fussed over his wife and child, his body slackening as all he did was stare at the relaxed Dark Lord.
Honestly, he was ready to swear loyalty here and now. Some may even say he's eager too.
He could only wonder what was going through the Dark Lord's head as he coldly stared over the remnants of the once-homely mansion that had stood tall for generations.
-{Zephyrion Gremory}-
My wizarding magic was improving.
I mean, it didn't seem like much but I was levitating multiple transfigured pieces of wood. I thought it was cool.
I wondered if I could make a floating fortress of some kind? Not for any use but because honestly it sounded cool too. I was in a childish mood. I didn't get much of these weird sporadic moods much of late.
While I was thinking about how cool a walking fortress powered by my demonic power would be, the many Death Eater's recovered. The many Death Eaters recovered quickly, too quickly.
There were nine of them. They hesitated at the sight of me.
"We have no business with you, leave." The leader said.
"You have business with me now." I replied, I considered giving them a chance to leave but honestly I didn't want to waste my breath. It was kind of cold considering it was night.
Their hesitation only lasted a moment as they tried to push by attacking first. They didn't yell, didn't posture. They just moved with their wands raised, spells firing like they'd trained for this exact moment.
"Confringo!"
"Reducto!"
"Bombarda Maxima!"
"Glacius Duo!"
"Diffindo Maxima!"
"Relashio!"
"Carpe Retractum!"
A shower of spells rained, both bright and dangerous spells flew through the air. A massive web of magical force arced toward us. They weren't messing around. They were trained and coordinated.
I snapped up my left hand
A dome of layered magical energy expanded in a flash, shielding Abbott and the others. The large platform I had created, cracked beneath the pressure.
Sparks flew as impact after impact slammed into it.
Our vision was simultaneously blocked by the massive shower of magic slamming into the barrier with large explosions and other strange spells slamming against the surface.
"What do we do?" Reginald questioned.
I looked up above the barrier curiously, raising my other hand and I summoned a truly massive stream of water that shot up at an insane speed. It shot up and gravity took its hold, making it fall in the general direction of the Death Eater's.
Four of them decidedly broke from attacking and formed a large magical shield above them.
I didn't drop the barrier as pieces of the broken building came up, with some difficulty I whispered a transfiguration spell and formed massive spikes of wood. I further attempted to turn them into steel but failed.
My hand flicked, the wooden spikes being sent into their direction.
They reacted quickly.
"Incendio Maxima!" one shouted, setting the air ablaze between them. A wall of fire ignited midair, catching two of the spikes and turning them to ash before impact.
Another flicked his wand upward. "Arresto Momentum!"
The remaining spikes slowed dramatically mid-flight, momentum stolen.
A third Death Eater stepped forward and cast, "Oppugno!"
The slowed spikes twisted unnaturally and were thrown back toward me with a violent crack of redirected magic.
A blast of wind split the rebounding spikes away from me.
I dropped the barrier, allowing both Reginald and his wife to start firing back with surprising skill.
Reginald fired first, his spell slamming into the stone at the feet of one Death Eater.
His wife followed up immediately. "Incarcerous!"
Thick magical ropes shot forward, weaving through the smoke of the blast.
The Death Eater barely had time to slash them away with a cutting curse.
Reginald advanced with his spells.
She launched a silent stunner that clipped the target's side. Not a direct hit, but enough to stagger him.
He broke off and cast a Blasting Curse at the ground near my feet.
My magic surged out.
A wave of water erupted around me like a shield, twisting upward like a coiled snake before crashing forward at them. Three of the Death Eaters reacted immediately.
"Glacius Totalum!"
The wave froze instantly. A fourth cast a precise "Bombarda" at the base, breaking it into jagged shards. "Depulso!"
The ice exploded outward with hundreds of deadly sharp pieces hurtling back at me.
Not bad.
They were obviously cohesive as a team.
A barrier formed around us, easily protecting us from all of the debre.
Thin strands of fire lashed out like ropes. One caught a Death Eater's leg. He yelped, casting a water spell to counter.
My palm burst outward, air condensed and then exploded. He flew across the field, hit a tree, and didn't get up.
The rest pressed harder, working in tandem as they realised they weren't winning.
I had to admit, they were genuinely powerful and it was the teamwork they displayed that was keeping them in the fight.
All of them simultaneously aimed at me and let off powerful exploding charms that actually cracked my barrier. The explosion made the air vibrated as Reginald and everyone else on the floating platforms stumbled.
My eyes narrowed.
Demonic power gathered, a large amount of it.
They were all firmly within the middle-class which was an achievement for this world.
Still, it wasn't enough. There was a reason the High-class were considered powerhouses within my birth world. To my Devil side anyway.
Fire gathered and exploded out in a blinding blast that forced them to scatter. A massive explosion tore through the mansion easily and sent some of them sprawling.
Heat singed the air, making waves as a massive fire broke out. Quickly consuming the rest of the mansion.
My hand whipped out, blasting a recovering Death eater away. His legs skidding back as the shielding charm he hastily conjured shattered. He was only able to whip out one more spell.
The spell made a thick layer of frost appear on my large barrier, and he could only fall to the ground as I used a powerful stunner on him. The spell crackled out like a bolt of lightning instead of the normal spells they used.
That would be the influence of imagination magic.
My hand waved and a powerful shockwave made the quickly recovering Death Eater's fly back. Only three of them raised a powerful shielding charm which dampened the damage.
By now Reginald and his wife had stopped firing spells, staring at me in shock as I dealt with the powerful wizards.
Two more fell in quick succession.
The leader scowled, half of his mask broken. He swirled his hand with his wand, and I noticed his arms tremble as if he was holding back some obscene force.
Red roaring flames came to life and I could sense they were dangerous.
The flame exploded out and instantly ate at the barrier, I sent a glance to the Death Eater leader. Growing serious. He obviously didn't have any control over it, judging by his haggard breaths.
I attempted my normal trick, that being using a superior wave of wind to send the fire back at the caster but the flames didn't budge. In fact, the demonic energy almost seemed to be consumed and fuelled the fire.
A grin formed on the Death Eater leader as he backed away from the glowing flames.
"My Lord, that's magical fire. You'll need to use another magical element to combat it!" Reginald said firmly.
Oh?
Reginald and his wife continued firing spells at the Death Eater's to keep them distracted, even as they stared at the cursed fire warily. They managed to take down one and forced the others into shielding from the assault.
Static destruction crackled around my arms and gained the attention of everyone around.
With difficulty, bolts of static destruction exploded out and dove into the fire. The effect was immediate as the fire dimmed, the flames that licked against the static destruction simply ceasing to exist.
It wasn't long until the cursed fire was out.
The Death Eater leader stared at the display with pure bafflement.
Water exploded out from the ground and with a flex of my will, shifted into large disks, forming into ice and then spinning towards the Death Eater's.
I smirked slightly as I caught Lord Abbott sending me a disbelieving look.
Imagination magic was insanely powerful, having access to multi-elemental manipulation along with basically allowing me to copy any magic if not to a bit of a weaker degree, was insanely strong.
And it only got stronger as my demonic power reserves skyrocketed in capacity. Being firmly within the lower end of the High-class had its weight.
Though more complex attacks were certainly hard and cost a lot to produce. My demonic power capacity was starting to dip below half. That was mainly because of my usage with the power of destruction though.
The Death Eater's that had been forced behind a shield were blown back as the attack hit them one after another. Instantly, three of them were incapacitated, possibly dead.
That made five out of the nine.
The rest of them were winded, especially the Death Eater leader.
He scowled, and performed a spell that formed a massive amount of smoke.
I knew what was coming, he was trying to escape.
I blew the wind away and caught him apprating with two of the downed Death Eater's.
The others were only able to pick one up before being forced to escape.
I caught one. The rest were gone.
Well…
That was inventful.
I walked over to the unconscious Death Eater and floated him on a small platform. He wouldn't be going anywhere.
Behind me, Lord Abbott leaned into Reginald, whispering something I couldn't hear. Probably personal. Maybe something about the damage, or the fact that they'd actually been saved.
Eventually, Abbott stepped forward.
He straightened himself despite the wounds, knees still unsteady but eyes locked onto mine.
"Thank you for your help, truly you have assisted us in not meeting a bad fate," he said quietly, his tone formal.
I said nothing.
He knelt.
"Then allow me to give something in return. My name, my oath, my wand. I, Lord Theodric Abbott, swear loyalty to you, Dark Lord Zephyrion Gremory. Not out of fear, or tradition. But because you saved us when no one else would."
The others watched silently. He bowed his head.
I didn't respond right away. Mostly because I was impressed by how noble he sounded.
But I accepted.
And just like that, another house fell in line.
Honestly, things were progressing surprisingly smoothly.
I looked around at the destruction.
"I think you'll need to come back with us for the time being." I commented.
To my surprise, both Lord Abbott and his wife seemed almost eager. Perhaps it was the safety I offered or the fact that they had just been attacked by the other Dark Lord.
It was good, with this little excursion my power base in this world had become all the more solid.
Reginald breathed, a certain glint behind his eyes that I think identified as true loyalty.
"Is there any valuables you wish to… retrieve before we depart?" I questioned.
Theodric sent a glance to the burning mess of a mansion. "I don't think there is anything left to retrieve my lord… we luckily thought ahead and prepared for the occasion that we had to flee. Most of our truly valuable items are within the vault."
"Good, that makes things easier." I paused. "Why is your son with you? Shouldn't he be at Hogwarts?"
They looked confused at my question.
"We temporarily pulled him out for the semester because of… well. Everything that is going on." He replied.
This was probably an effect of my meddling, Hogwarts was meant to be considered the safest place in Britain right?
Oops.
"Well, we better get going." I concluded, and we apparating away a moment later.
We appeared in the hideout I had deduced to reside within, and once more. We were met by Clint.
"My Lord, I'm assuming it's over." Clint sighed, his expression bordering on a pout.
"Yes," I replied, studying his reaction. "The fight was more substantial than you might think."
His eyes darted to the fallen Death Eater I'd brought back, unconscious and bound next to me, before returning to me with barely concealed frustration.
"I see," he said. "You know you can call on me as well? You've got an entire gathering of wizards and witches eager to support you at a moment's notice."
The slight edge in his tone betrayed how deeply this mattered to him.
"Of course," I replied with a genuine smile, meeting his gaze directly.
I truly did appreciate his loyalty. It was rare and valuable, perhaps one of the qualities I admired and respected most in this or any world.
I simply had no use for them yet. The Hogwarts breach had been designed to be subtle and unnoticed, a careful infiltration rather than a show of force.
I placed a hand briefly on his shoulder, feeling him straighten at the contact. "Next time, Clint, you'll be the first I call upon."
He nodded, giving me a grateful smile.
-{Clint}-
Clint sent a small glare towards Lord Greengrass.
Was it wrong to say he was feeling left out?
While everything was moving fast, the last few weeks had made Clint feel more alive than most of his life.
He knew he was in the most influential position due to his recruitment of practically everyone joining their cause. Especially with his recent rise in power that had sent sparks throughout the small faction they had created.
Whispers of rewards that could be gained for good work. It was making everyone restless, they wanted that gift from the Lord.Clint could still feel the tingling sensation from when his magical power had been amplified.
It was like nothing he'd ever experienced before. And admittedly he wanted more of it.
Every witch and wizard he'd recruited had similar stories. People who had been dismissed by the Ministry, overlooked by prominent families, or relegated to menial positions because their magical signatures weren't "strong enough."
His lord had changed that, and had shown them all that power wasn't fixed at birth. And they wanted more. Already a hierarchy was forming, those who had their ambition stamped on were rising again.
Just yesterday, three more wizards had approached him, asking how they could gain an audience.
Last week, a former Auror who'd been discharged for insufficient magical aptitude as they so eloquently put it, had practically begged to join their ranks. They were building a faction based not on blood status or family connections, but on loyalty and potential.
He didn't think his Lord knew just how important he was. And truthfully he had been loyal from the start. As many of those who joined were becoming.
His eyes drifted to the new family, noting the noble house ring on Lord Abbott's finger. Another noble family joined their cause.
While it was good for their standing, Clint couldn't help but feel concerned.
These old families were used to influence and power. Would they try to take over what he had built from the ground up? Would his lord start favoring those with prestigious names over those who had been loyal from the beginning?
Sometimes Clint wondered if his lord truly grasped just how many people were now hanging on his every word, how many were clamoring for even the smallest acknowledgment.
He left the room, Ben, a friend he had quickly come to trust, was leaning against the wall and gave him a nod as he walked out.
-{Zephyrion Gremory}-
I thought about my plans as I stared at the large Basilisk laying in front of me. It had been a day and Lord Abbott and his family were looking to reconstruct their mansion, this time with a lot more protection.
I still had a few days left before I had to go back.
Letting the heat from my actions recently cool down would probably be best. While I was being labelled a Dark Lord that didn't exactly make me want to go out pillaging.
The Basilisk stared back at me, its reptilian eyes betraying a keen intelligence. The Basilisk's scales shimmered under the dim light, its massive form still somehow elegant despite being confined to this space. I could see it was growing restless after weeks of captivity, even in this enchanted and spacious holding area.
"I'm leaving soon," I said, approaching slowly.
This time around within this world has been... interesting along with incredibly useful as I bought many more magical books to study when I went back to Hestia, but my time here draws to a close.
I was going to see if I could return home. It was time to test the one true ability I had seemingly gained from my human side.
The Basilisk eyes tracked my movement.
"I want to take you with me," I offered, extending a hand cautiously.
It let out a huff.
"I'll take that as a yes?"
It inclined its head and I smiled.
I scratched his scales, it wasn't a comfortable feeling considering each scale was as hard as concrete but the Basilisk seemed to enjoy it regardless.
I wonder how he and my other familiar will get along. I sat in contemplation, watching the Basilisk's movements.
Taking a magical creature between worlds was risky, considering we could end up in the middle of a shopping mall for all I know. But it would be a good experiment.
If I could transport a being as magically complex as a Basilisk, it opened up numerous possibilities.
My thoughts drifted to the faction I'd built here. I'd accumulated quite the following in a short time. Noble houses, discarded witches and wizards, even those who had legitimate grievances with how magical society functioned.
Perhaps I should stay here longer, considering I had many looking towards me. A force that could probably take out my familiar funnily enough and I had been here for less than five percent of the time I was in Danmachi.
The magic here was insanely versatile. And I was honestly glad I had come here despite the rocky start.
The Basilisk huffed again, breaking my thoughts.
"Yes, yes, I hear you," I muttered. "We'll be leaving soon."
I stood, giving the Basilisk one last look. "Wait here. Not that you have much choice."
Its tail thumped once in what I chose to interpret as agreement.
I found Clint and Reginald in one of the manor's corridors.
"I need to speak with both of you," I said. "In my office."
They followed without question.
When we reached my office, Reginald immediately took note of the empty bookshelves.
All my magical texts had been packed away. The rare volumes on elemental manipulation, the ancient tomes of forgotten rituals, the extensive research on magical creatures.
The room was stripped of most of the things I had brought out in my temporary living space, leaving only the furniture and a few scattered items on the desk.
Reginald sighed heavily. "So, it's that time, is it?"
"Yes," I replied simply.
Clint looked between us, confused. "Time for what? What's happening?"
"I'm leaving," I said.
"Leaving? Again?" Clint's expression shifted from confusion to something closer to hurt. "My Lord, forgive me, but why do you keep departing? We've just begun to establish ourselves properly and your presence has boosted morale many fold."
I gestured for them both to sit. "My presence in this was always meant to be temporary, Clint. I have responsibilities elsewhere that require my attention. Naturally I'll be back though."
Clint looked down, but nodded.
"Is there anything you need?" Reginald questioned.
"Yes, I need you to gather all available information on Nurmengard for when I come back," I informed them.
"If I may, why are you interested in that particular prison?" Reginald questioned.
"There's a subject of interest within there, and I have a plan for it when I come back." I revealed.
Clint smiled. "I'll have it for you," he promised.
I reached into my robes and produced a scrolls, sealed the Gremory symbol.
I didn't need to explain what it was, they knew familiar with the contract.
Clint carefully picked up his scroll, examining the shapes etched into the parchment.
"I'll return in two weeks, make sure to summon me then" I said.
"Two weeks," Clint repeated.
I nodded, then reached into a small pouch at my side.
From it, I withdrew a handful of gleaming stones that caught the light strangely, seeming to glow from within with various colors. I set them on the desk between us.
"What are these?" Clint asked, reaching out to touch one cautiously.
"Magic stones," I replied. "A rare type of ore that can be used to power magical formations, among other things."
Reginald picked one up, examining it with scholarly interest. "I've never seen anything like this. Where did you get them?"
A smile tugged at my lips. "That's a secret, for now in any case."
"I see, what shall we do with them?" Reginald questioned.
"Test them, I have no clue as to the effects they would cause to a potion for example. Find people that are willing to research its effects and see if they can be used for more than just power sources." I ordered.
This was something I had been meaning to do for a while, finding out why the guild bought so many monster stones. There must be something behind it besides the reason they give everyone.
Clint looked up from the stones, his expression now determined. "When you return, my Lord, I promise that we will have a full detailed report on it, I'll make sure of it."
Was it weird I wanted to ruffle his hair? He was so eager to please me. The effects of being neglected and unwanted must have seriously damaged his psyche. I could feel for him due to my past experiences too, even if I went about it a different way.
"I appreciate your hard work, Clint," I said sincerely. "You've proven yourself invaluable."
Clint stood and bowed deeply. "I should get started on gathering that information about Nurmengard."
With another respectful nod, he left the room, clutching his contract scroll tightly.
When the door closed behind him, Reginald's formal demeanor relaxed slightly. He looked at me with hesitation, as if weighing whether to ask what was truly on his mind.
"You can speak freely, Reginald," I assured him.
He took a deep breath. "Are you... going to Hell?"
The question caught me slightly off guard, though I shouldn't have been surprised.
Reginald technically knew I was a devil.
"No," I answered truthfully. "But I won't be anywhere you can reach for the next two weeks, except through that contract."
Reginald nodded slowly, seemingly relieved. He paused for a moment, becoming slightly more sincere.
"Thank you for being trustworthy and saving my friends. I'm sure they will be useful." Reginald said, his tone much more open than it had been so far.
I stood, signaling that our meeting was over.
Reginald gathered several of the magic stones before bowing and taking his leave.
Alone again, I began my final preparations.
My books were packed, my affairs in order, and my followers instructed.
All that remained was to collect the Basilisk and make the journey.
Well, besides the Death Eater who was staring at the back of my head.
I slowly took off the mask.
A man glared up at me.
"You have something I want," I said, unrolling the document before him. "And I'm prepared to offer you freedom in exchange."
Freedom from the mortal coil.
The Death Eater scoffed. "I serve only the Dark Lord."
"And that servitude isn't going to go far if you are dead, is it?" I gestured to his bindings. "I'm offering you immediate release."
I loosened one of his hands just enough to hold a quill.
"Sign here," I said, deliberately angling the document so he could only see portions of the text, my fingers obscuring crucial clauses about soul transferral and consumption.
"Do you take me for a fool?" he hissed.
Yes.
You literally follower a guy who's sacrificed himself so much that his eyes glow red and he looks like he was born from a turtle.
"No," I replied coldly. "I take you for a man with limited options." I pressed the quill into his hand. "Sign, or find use in becoming a potion tester for our new brewers. They aren't that great yet but they are enthusiastic."
Fear and desperation eventually won out.
With a trembling hand, he scrawled his signature at the bottom of the contract.
Immediately, the parchment blazed with crimson light. The Death Eater convulsed, his mouth opening in a silent scream as tendrils emerged from the document and wrapped around his body.
I watched dispassionately as his essence was extracted, a luminous, writhing substance pulled from his now-limp form.
His body slumped forward, empty.
The soul hovered momentarily before being drawn to me like a moth to flame. I inhaled deeply, consuming it whole. Power coursed through my veins as the wizarding magic was converted into demonic power.
I glanced at the empty husk that once housed a faithful servant of the Dark Lord.
That had been easier than before.
I made sure everything was packed before leaving the room with a nod.
As I walked through the halls of the mansion one last time, I felt a strange blend of anticipation. Each world I visited had added something, and I had only been within two different worlds.
The Basilisk was waiting, just as I'd left it. Its massive form shifted restlessly as I entered the chamber.
"Time to go," I said. "Ready to see something few of your kind ever have?"
It huffed in response, those intelligent eyes fixed on mine.
I would transport us to a secluded clearing first, away from prying eyes. Then, with the Basilisk as my test subject, I would attempt the journey between worlds.
If successful, it would open new possibilities for future travels. Hestia might even be able to come with me, or perhaps my entire Familia.
I teleported us out to a mundane forest.
The forest clearing was silent except for the occasional rustle of wind through the trees.
Basilisk looked evidently in discomfort from the teleportation. But now, under the open sky, it seemed more at ease, stretching its massive wings and breathing deeply of the night air.
"Are you ready?" I asked, standing before the large creature.
The Basilisk lowered its massive head, bringing its eyes level with mine in what I interpreted as silent approval. Its scales gleamed under the moonlight, shifting colors slightly with each movement.
"Having you with me will be a good test," I said, more to myself than the Basilisk. "If I can transport a being as magically complex as you without the contract's protection, it opens up... possibilities."
My rainbow-colored eyes began to glow brighter, power flowing through them as the dimensional magic reached its crescendo. The Basilisk's form shimmered slightly, its physical presence beginning to phase between realities.
The world around us collapsed into a swirling kaleidoscope of light and energy, reality fragmenting into infinite shards that spun and twisted around us.
I felt the familiar pull of dimensional travel, the disorienting sensation of being everywhere and nowhere simultaneously.
-END-