A few days later, inside one of the Xenedar's training rooms, a group of beings gathered. Gyron and T'paartos were on one side, Gyron looking after T'paartos while his parents were getting settled in, and they were watching with Lothraxion as Crotonar showed Harry the fighting stances one took when using aldrachi warglaives. The aldrachi had given Harry a pair of warglaives used by smaller races within the Army of the Light with the promise that if he learned well, he would personally recommend a pair of his own in the future. Harry gleamed at that and was paying close attention to Crotonar's teachings.
"Remember to put your right foot in front of your left foot, like this." he demonstrated to Harry, who attempted to match it. He did a pretty good job if the aldrachi said so himself. "Alright, enough stances, let's get down to the real fun."
"T'paartos would like to see real fun." T'paartos piped up. Harry giggled at that while the others smiled.
"Alright Harry, assume the stance like so." Crotonar began, demonstrating the stance. Harry copied. "Now, try and pay attention. This is a simple maneuver for someone like you." Crotonar swept the glaives down and up again and bade Harry to copy. He did so. Crotonar tsked. "Close, but with more oomph on the upward strike. Remember, in battle your opponent will not hold back. You cannot hold back as well. I hope you're taking notes T'paartos. Now try again." Harry did so, putting more strength into the upward strike. Crotonar smiled at that. "Good. We'll make a fighter out of you yet." Harry smiled at the praise.
"This is so cool. What's next?" Harry asked eagerly. Crotonar showed Harry some more moves that Harry got the hang of over the hour that the two practiced. Finally Lothraxion called it to a halt.
"Alright Crotonar, why don't you show T'paartos some moves while I get on with Harry's magical training." Harry and T'paartos beamed as Crotonar agreed and walked up to T'paartos, beckoning him to come up to choose a weapon. Meanwhile, Lothraxion approached Harry and began the lesson. "Now Harry, magic is a complex thing to master. It will take years of practice. That's why I'm starting now. Are you ready?"
"Yes, I'm ready." Harry said with determination in his voice.
"Good. Now the first rule of magic is that you must work with it and never force it to do your bidding. To that end, I want you to look inside yourself. Feel for the magic that is within you. Find it and tell me when you have done so." Harry closed his eyes and reached within for his magic. He stayed like that for a while, trying to drown out the sounds of T'paartos training with Crotonar and Gyron in the background. Finally he opened his eyes.
"I can't feel anything." he stated with worry in his voice and eyes. "What if I can't use magic."
"Harry, that's ridiculous. You can use magic, we just have to find it. Think back to when T'paartos was in trouble. You used magic to defend him then. Think back to all the times you used magic accidentally. Think of those and try again." Harry closed his eyes, thinking back to when he helped T'paartos. He remembered his emotions running high and he remembered reaching for something, anything, that would help him and T'paartos. Thinking on this, he reached within himself, feeling for magic. Finally, he found a spark of ...something... within him he hadn't felt before.
"I feel something. It's like a spark or something."
"Good Harry. Now bring that feeling to the surface." It took some effort, but Harry was able to bring the spark to the surface, feeling its warm glow suffuse his body. "Good, we're almost there. Now, focus that energy into your arms and reach out to connect with the magic surrounding us." Harry focused the warm glow flowing through his body into his arms and reached out, connecting it to the magic surrounding him. He then stretched out his arms and let the energy flow through him. It came out as a purple beam of energy at a training dummy. It struck the dummy and knocked it down. Harry opened his eyes at the sound and gaped at what he saw.
"I did that?" he asked in wonder. Everyone else was staring at the dummy as well before turning to Harry.
"Yes you did Harry. You found your inner magic and connected it with the magic surrounding us. This is good, very good." Lothraxion praised his son.
"T'paartos is impressed. T'paartos wants to see Harry do more." T'paartos cheered. Harry smiled and turned to Lothraxion.
"Can we do more?"
"Of course. Let me show you how to create a frost blast." The lesson went on for some time, Lothraxion teaching Harry magic while Crotonar and Gyron showed T'paartos how to wield a warhammer. After a while, Harry and T'paartos began to tire.
"Alright you two, let's get you back to our quarters. We'll train more tomorrow, okay."
"Okay." the two of them said glumly. Just then an aranasi soldier appeared in the training room.
"High Commander, Xe'ra wants to see the three of you at once." the soldier stated. Lothraxion nodded and dismissed the soldier before turning to the others.
"Let's leave the children with Nahoas and Karul while we go to the meeting." he suggested. The others agreed and left the children with T'paartos parents to play while they went to the meeting.
Break
It was crowded. Xe'ra had gathered the high ranking members of the Army of the Light for this meeting. Lothraxion exchanged a glance with Gyron and Crotonar before the three got settled into their positions. Also there were the draenei Captain Fareeya and Archmage Y'mera.
"What is it Xe'ra? Why have you gathered us here?" Lothraxion stated. Xe'ra looked dimmed and disturbed. "Xe'ra? What's wrong?" Lothraxion asked gently.
"Azeroth had been invaded." Xe'ra spoke with a sense of foreboding in her voice. Everyone gasped at that. Azeroth was a very important world to the Army of the Light and the Legion for being home to the last of the world souls, a creature that would become a member of a race of beings called the titans. The titans had helped order many worlds and had been allies of the Naaru. One of their number, Sargeras, had fallen to darkness and created the Burning Legion and killed the other titans in a ferocious battle. Some say the titans weren't dead, but in hiding, but that was a fringe belief at best. In any case, as the last known titan world soul, Azeroth was very important to everyone.
"By the Legion?" Gyron asked.
"In a sense. They have corrupted a race called orcs on Draenor." the draenei in the group gasped. Draenor was the last known location of the Genedar, a ship containing many draenei, including their leader, the prophet Velen. All the draenei in the Army had left the Genedar to serve in the Army.
"I don't know what happened to the Genedar. All I know is that the orcs were corrupted and a massive portal was created to link Draenor with Azeroth. They invade through it even as we speak."
"And what are we going to do about it?" asked Crotonar. "Is it time at last to go to Azeroth."
"No. It is not yet time. If we go now, we will interfere with destiny's way." Crotonar growled at that. He had little faith in Xe'ra's and the Naaru's ability to see the future, preferring to trust in one's practical experience. He followed Xe'ra because of that, but made his displeasure with some of her decisions known to many.
"If we're not here to protect Azeroth, why are we here?" asked Gyron, putting a hand on Crotonar's shoulder to calm him.
"The Legion's goals are to weaken Azeroth for another invasion. I have foreseen that they will fail and Azeroth will be stronger than before. But the Legion prepares their forces for the attack. And to that end, they have targeted Fen Habbanis."
This drew everyone's attention. Fen Habbanis was home to a city planet built by an ancient federation of species 2 million years ago. The planet was long ago abandoned as said federation fell apart, but it had been rediscovered over a century prior and settled by many species as a sign of peace and friendship between the various races of the universe. It was a strategic target, one the Legion hadn't dared attack before.
"They're growing bolder." Lothraxion observed.
"Indeed." Xe'ra agreed. "Fen Habbanis' defenders are doing all they can but they need help. To that end, Lothraxion, you and Gyron will use the Aurobos to attack the Legion's ships while Crotonar and Fareeya will lead the ground forces. Is that clear."
"Crystal." everyone declared. Xe'ra dismissed everyone and they began to move out, the leaders preparing to gather their teams for the mission. Lothraxion turned to Gyron.
"I need to tell Harry about this."
"Of course Lothraxion. Please hurry though." Lothraxion nodded and left the room.
Break
Harry and T'paartos were playing while Nahoas and Karul watched over them. The sliding sound of a door opening signaled Lothraxion's arrival.
"Dad, how did..." he stopped as he noticed Lothraxion's serious face.
"Harry." he began. "Xe'ra ordered us to go help defend Fen Habbanis." Nahoas and Karul exchanged a look while Harry stepped closer. "Crotonar and Gyron have to go too. Can you two..."
"Of course." Karul said. "We'll watch Harry until you get back." Lothraxion nodded his thanks and knelt down by Harry.
"Harry, this is very important. If the Legion takes Fen Habbanis, they will have access to a very strategic world in the universe. We have to defend it."
"I know. I just wish you didn't have to go." Harry said.
"Yeah. But remember, I always come back."
"Now and always." Harry confirmed. It was a little saying between the two to reassure them both that everything was going to be alright. Harry couldn't take it anymore and hugged Lothraxion. Lothraxion hugged him back tightly for a couple of minutes before letting go.
"I have to go, Gyron will be very upset if I take anymore time." Lothraxion chuckled at that.
"Bye Dad." Harry said glumly.
"Bye Harry." Lothraxion replied before stepping out of the room, leaving four concerned people behind.
Break
The screams of innocents could be heard for miles. The sounds of Legion ships blasting buildings apart into rubble echoed across the land. The sounds of Garothi world-breakers sounded off across the planet. It was a terrible cacophony of sounds.
It was music to Varimathras' ears.
The Dreadlord had been tasked by Kil'jaeden himself for this mission. Taking Fen Habbanis would be a huge blow for the many space empires that had settled the planet. Oh, they would recover physically, but the morale, that would be permanently damaged, and Fen Habbanis' central position in the greater galaxy gave them a launching point to attack the empires. Of course, first they had to take the planet first.
Varimathras had expected resistance, even heavy resistance, but that was not what he was worried about. An attack of this high profile would almost certainly attract the attention of the Army of the Light, and with it, Lothraxion.
The subject of Lothraxion was a sore one for many in the Legion. For a Nathrezim to willingly betray the Legion to one of their most hated enemies had been inconceivable prior to it actually happening. Lothraxion's defection had caused much damage to the Legion's plans and even now he was one of the most effective forces in the Army of the Light. Varimathras was certain he would come and they would face off once more.
As if his thoughts were summoning them, a shift in the magic around them signaled something was coming. One of the imps approached him.
"Master, a ship is coming. It's from the Army." Varimathras ignored the imp and turned to see the incoming ship himself. Casting a fel eye, he sent it to space and saw a glowing golden ship made of crystals firing on Legion ships. It cleared a pathway through the Legion blockade and hovered over the surface of the planet. Flashes of light confirmed his suspicions: The ship was bringing beacons down to the surface. Varimathras dismissed the eye and turned to the imp.
"Let everyone know the Army of the Light is here. Prepare for the fight." the imp scampered away and Varimathras approached the edge of the building he was on. He could already sense Lothraxion's presence on the ship and knew he had to lure him down somehow. 'Let's see how he reacts to his precious Army losing Fen Habbanis.'
Break
From the Aurobos, Lothraxion could see the chaos unfold. The defense fleets orbiting Fen Habbanis had been smashed through and the remnants were fighting the good fight and had received reinforcements, but it was clear that they needed help. One would think that one ship would not change the tide of the battle, but the Army of the Light knew more about fighting the Burning Legion than anyone else and their knowledge was the key to many victories. Lothraxion turned to Gyron.
"Let them know our plan." The plan was simple: Find the leader and kill them. That would bring chaos to the forces down below and up here and allow the fighters the chance to regroup and route the Legion's forces. It had been easy to find the leader. Lothraxion had sensed the Nathrezim Varimathras down on the planet below. He couldn't shake the feeling that he might have to go down there to finish him. Gyron placed her hand on his shoulder.
"We will win. Make no mistake of that." her confident voice ran out through the ship. Lothraxion nodded before looking at a locket he kept wrapped around his neck. Inside it was a picture Harry drew of the two of them. Harry had given it to him so Lothraxion wouldn't miss him. Now he used it as a symbol of hope; something to return to when he was finished. He looked at his crew.
"Let battle be joined." he declared.
Anyone who guesses where I got Fen Habbanis from gets...well...the satisfaction of knowing something, I guess. Any way, I hope you enjoyed.