Chapter 6 Swords, Golems and Poker?
Three years had gone by since Harry since Harry had first stepped foot inside the repository.
During his most resent year of tutelage Harry had advanced in both his knowledge and skill to the point of near mastery or mastery of all his subjects and due to his enhanced biology Harry had even gone beyond mastery in the subject of body magic which in turn help not only his elemental magic but his wandless magic as well.
That night Old Harry once again called Harry to one his favourite training room just as he had in past years and just like the year before Old Harry and his other teachers were standing there with serious looks on there faces
"Today Harry marks the end of your third year among us. Today also marks the start of your final year of study." Old Harry said.
Harry just smiled and nodded, waiting for Old Harry to continue.
"During this year you have not only learned every thing he had to teach you, you also surprised us, more then once. You have gained mastery level skill in most of your classes, you have mastered four out of the six elements you have been taught and most surprising of all you have mastered the Magus Orbis a technique created by the Ancient One himself, kneel before me Harry." Old Harry said with a small smile watching as without hesitation Harry dropped to one knee in front of his mentor.
"Harry it is my great honour and privilege to present you with this, a ring of mastery." Old Harry as he handed Harry a small velvet ring box.
With baited breath Harry opened it revealing a simple silver ring. Harry watched as he slipped the ring on, the silver ring pulsed with a small amount of magic, first the rune for fire burned itself into the ring with red light followed by water, air and finally lightning. The outline for earth and shadow could also be seen faintly but Harry knew that they wouldn't be engraved onto the ring until he had gained mastery over them, that's how a mastery ring worked after all.
"Thank you; I didn't think I was ready for such a gift." Harry replied still shocked.
"You are welcome Harry, now Harry there is another matter we need to discuss, the Ancient One's katana, it has been decided by your teachers and by myself that you have reached the level of skill needed for you too choose your own weapon, just as with your wand use the workshop, you can accesses all the designs of your previous self's, use it and the repository to make your own weapon."
*****
Before Harry could even consider forging a new weapon he first had to decide what kind of weapon he wanted to use, after a few hours of going over many different weapon choices Harry decided that he would forge a sword, however instead of using a katana like he had during his training he instead decided that he would use a Masonic sword, the same style of sword as Godric Gryffindor's, only his would have a longer handle allowing for a more accommodating two handed grip.
Like before with his sword Harry researched as much as he could about sword creation and like before with his wand he found the Ancient Ones words of wisdom very enlightening.
The Ancient One believed that the best weapons should be forge by there wielders and for the best results the Ancient One recommended that during the forging process that one should use elemental magic, the excess magic flowing through the metal would seep into the steel helping to create a far better quality blade than normal methods.
Once again Harry used the holographic capabilities of the Void ship to design his sword. After going through the many different metal samples available in the Void ships storage including his own version of adamant Harry was able to decide what his sword was going to be made from, the magical world's equivalent of tamahagane steel and a small amount of goblin silver as an added kick should he ever come across an unfriendly werewolf. The blade was going to 37" long and the sword itself was going to be 47" long. The guard and pommel are going to be cast from goblin silver and a few transmuted gems were also going to be inlaid into the handle, taking a lesson from Japanese sword smiths Harry decided to add an adamant core to his sword. And as an extra layer of protection Harry also planed to add the same spells and runes he ha on his wand, broom and hoverboard just to be on the safe side, after all it would royally suck if he got stabbed in the back, literally by his own sword and on top of his standard protections he also planned to cast the normal unbreakable, permanent sharpness, anti-rusting and impact absorbing spells on his weapon.
After practicing on small blades and other such small objects Harry was finally ready to smith his sword. The first step to creating his weapon was creating it's core, synthesizing a small amount of adamant Harry molded the metal into the shape of his sword core before moving on to actually forging his sword.
Harry watched as the molten goblin tamahagane and silver burned bright orange under his forges fire, after a few more minutes of watching Harry flicked his wand towards the fire and mumbled a soft levitation spell, levitating the mouldable metal lump onto the large surface of the nearby anvil.
The main difference between muggle and magical forging techniques were actually pretty pronounced where muggles used tools like hammers to make weapons the best magical weapons smiths hand forged there products using a variety of protection spell that made it possible of them to literally HAND make there weapons.
With a small smile on his face, Harry began to knead the hot metal as if it dough, folding the metal over and over while the fire protection and sustaining spells on he's hands keeping the temperature of the metal from dropping in the slightest. Harry lost count of the amount of times he folded the metal. Repositioning himself in front of the anvil Harry cast an elemental water spell to quench the hot metal. The sound of sizzling filled the forge as white steam billowed off of the now cooled metal, taking a large breath Harry concentrated a large amount of elemental magic into his mouth before breathing out a stream of fire, reheating the cooled metal rapidly, he grasped the metal and began to lengthen it while pressing down on it to make the metal flat.
After what felt like forever Harry, looked down at the unsharpened blade before slipping a small dagger out from his belt and without a moments hesitation slashed his wrist, years of training in the art of blood magic had ridded Harry of his nerves when it came too abstaining blood for his blood rituals.
Harry's blood welled to the surface of his wound, moving with grace and purpose Harry coated his sword with his blood which sizzled on contact with the hot blade. The same process was used on the other side, but Harry had to reopen the wound because of his rapid healing. When he was done coating the blade with his blood Harry heated the blade one last time while pumping a steady stream of magic into the blade, being carful not to overload the blade, to much magic and the blade would crack and shatter, too little and the blade wouldn't attune to him fully, like his first failed attempted. Harry watched, holding his breath as the blacken charred blood on the sword seemed to be soak into the blade leaving nothing more than the smooth surface of metal, a handful of spell later and Harry had a fully battle ready sword blade.
Creating the swords handle and pommel was far easier, all Harry had to do was design the look that he wanted the pieces to have and upload the design into the Void ships magical auto-cad and let it do the rest.
*****
After a quick sword duel to test out Harry's new sword Old Harry and set about creating a training schedule for Harry's fourth year, according to Old Harry by the end of it Harry was going too be able to fight on even ground with both Voldemort and Dumbledore himself.
Harry couldn't help but smile when he saw the schedule that Old Harry had set out for him;
4:00- 7:00 am Physical training running for 30 to 45 min, work on a set muscle group and martial arts
7:00-7:30 Shower
7:30-8:00 Breakfast
8:00-10:00 Battle magic
10:00-12:00 Wandless and Wordless elemental magic
12:00-12:30 lunch
12:30- 2:30 Duelling
2:30-4:30 Animagus training
4:30-5:30 Swordsmanship
5:30-6:30 Battle strategy
6:30-7:00 Dinner
7:00-9:00 Elemental Transfiguration
9:00-10:00 spell creation
10:00-11:00 Free time
11:00-12:00 meditate
12:00 Bed
"That's still a lot," Harry commented.
"If you had your way all you would do, would be fly that hoverboard of yours and blow up the training grounds." replied Old Harry with a grin.
"Well not just that, so Animagus, huh, I was wondering when we would get to that!" Harry crowed.
"Yes, you where going to learn it about second year but I didn't want the head ache." Old Harry said with a laugh.
"Ah, you crack me up; if you keep it up I'll reprogram your robe into a tutu." Harry threatened.
*****
"Elemental transfiguration is different from other transfigurations, not because of any large power requirement, no it's because you have to combine both standard transfiguration with elemental magic," Old Harry lectured, "Today you will be attempting to transfigure this table into an animal made of lightning. You can change the element if you wish. Elemental transfiguration is extremely dangerous; if you lose control of the elemental magic it will create a backlash. Now watch how it's done." Old Harry said as he flicked his wand transfiguring the table into a full grown horse whose tail and crest were made of flame.
"As you can see with some practice you can transfigure animal with partial elemental features as well." Old Harry said as he dispelled his creation, returning it to its original state.
Harry raised his wand as he intoned, "Elementum mutatio!" As usual Harry felt the rush of magic running through his veins. He quickly poured his magic into the spell and willed it out of his wand, all the while concentrating on turning into a animal of pure lightning. Harry watched in fascination as lightning arched across the table as it shifted and morphed becoming a large wolf, it would have been a perfect elemental transfiguration if the wolf didn't have patches of wood spread out randomly around its body.
"Try again Harry." Old Harry said as he waved his hand turning the wolf into a table again. Old Harry watched as Harry tried to change the desk into a lightning beast for the next half hour before taking pity on his student and explaining the 'secret' of elemental transfiguration.
"Harry you have to concentrate, not on just changing the desk into an animal and adding elemental magic to the spell but using elemental magic for the spell, concentrate on the animal being made from lightning, lightning given form." Old Harry said a look of happiness on his face as he watched comprehension dawn on his young student.
Nodding to his teacher Harry imagined a large wolf created of lightning, arches of power jumping around its body, opening his eyes Harry flicked his wand at the desk and whispered, "Elementum mutatio!" seconds later a wolf identical to the one that Harry had envisioned stood next to him not five feet away.
"Excellent lightning beast, Harry, 5 points to Potter." Old Harry said with a grin, "Now do it twenty times again, for each element." Old Harry said.
"Oh, come on! That's a Valeyard training technique, complete insanity."
"I don't know, it seems to work wonders for him. Now get to it!"
He couldn't help but chuckle as he watched his student start his training, 'That's what he gets for reprogramming my robe into a tutu." Old Harry thought as he walked down one of the Void ships many corridors towards the control room, laughing a laugh that would have made even Voldemort flinch had he heard it.
*****
Harry was practising with his sword when Old Harry, the Valeyard and the Time Lord walked into the training room, Old Harry held a finger to his lips as he looked at the other two, they all sat down quietly to watch there young student practise. He was moving from stance to stance, cutting and parrying all the while keeping his arms close to his body, his movements precise and refined. His use of the sword was almost elegant, only blemished by the occasional faltered step, the odd missed step or slow parry that only a fellow swordsman could see. After a final flurry of cuts he let out a long breath, sheathing his sword Harry turned and bowed slightly towards his teachers."
"You're getting very good at the Valeyard's Shadow Dance. I thought that you might like it, but I wasn't sure."
"I like it, it's more advanced than the basic styles, and it's also elegant and defensive while allowing for aggression when needed.
"That it is young Harry; however we aren't here today to talk about sword styles." Old Harry said all traces of humour gone from his face, "This is your fourth year among us and as such you will be tested now more then ever before, if you consent to it, too test your mastery of the blade you will duel against a magically created golem created by the Ancient One with one purpose, killing it's opponent, there will be no time out's and no second chances." Old Harry said his voice oddly detached.
I didn't see this coming. Harry thought to himself as he weighed up his options.
"Just how am I going too survive against one of the Ancient Ones personal training dummies?" Harry asked as he rested his hand on his swords hilt.
"For the purpose of this duel the golem's skill level will be lowered and you will be able to use body magic to amplify your own skills." Old Harry said his voice still detached.
"Fine, I accept the challenge, where is the golem and just who is the golem?" Harry asked as he unsheathed his sword.
"Me," said a flat voice off too one side of the training room, they all turned around to see a figure appear in the doorway of the training room. The golem took a step forwards, it looked like human like, the golems skin was made of a smooth black stone like substance, the golem stood 7" tall towering over Harry, its muscular features rippled like flesh as it walked into the training room, "Hello Harry, I am here to kill you." The golem said sounding as if it had won the lottery as it unsheathed its large claymore and leapt at Harry.
Harry parried the blow with the crack of metal contacting metal rang out into the training chamber as the swords met and the two fighters tried to overpower each other, jabbing, slashing and parrying in a whirlwind of motion,
This golem is strong, Harry thought his arms felling like jelly. The problem was that the golem was actually a competent swordsman. In fact he was pretty good; its technique even seemed more than a bit familiar, the Rising Phoenix, the style was the perfect defence for the Valeyard's Shadow Dance.
The golems claymore crashed down again, but this time Harry dodged too the left, using his own sword to direct the blow away from him, before striking out with his own blade aiming for waist level. The golem parried with a grunt, ignoring it's wound as it brought it's blade then down on Harry again, and again only to have Harry with a pulse of body magic leap over the golem and land behind it in an effort to get a clean strike at the golems unprotected back, only to have his blade meet by a series of hard strikes, purposely leaving his flank open to counter attack, it was a ploy of course, the second that Harry went for it the golem would shift his footing and with a flash of steel removing Harry's arms followed by his head .
But Harry didn't take the bait, instead he took a step back not risking moving into the Golems territory, waiting for the Golem instead come to him first, and come for him he did, his sword probing and jabbing, forcing Harry to deflect and block it time after time. As the fight dragged on Harry was able to get a feel for the Golems fighting style, assessing and judging it, looking for any weak points.
Suddenly the Golems speed increased, Harry surprised by the sudden movement only just managed to parry the massive overhead blow from the Golem that almost buckled his knees, before he pushed back with all his strength making the Golem take a step or two back as he counterattacked, the counterattack managed to force Harry off of balance making him leap backwards to regain his footing.
Harry brought his sword into a defensive position as they continued too faced off. The Golem's blade sliced down at Harry, he parried it away from his body with his own weapon, instead of the blade bisecting him the blade took out a large gouge from the floor with a shower of sparks, taking advantage of his opponents weaken position Harry slashed at the Golem's face. The Golem dodged backwards, retaliating with his own blade, performing a textbook perfect killing slash that would cut Harry in half. Fortunately Harry leaped into the air with a magically enhanced leap, performing a tight summersault.
The two blades met in mid-air with the sound of impacting steel, vying for supremacy before they broke apart once again.
"You fight well," the Golem said its voce slightly strained, "but not well enough."
"I was about to say the same too you," Harry replied, "I know the style your using, it's a good style, but mines better."
"The Valeyards style is good but it's not better then mine," The Golem said, smiling. The Golems blade came around and down with bone jarring force, but this time Harry met it with his knees fully locked, holding his blade above his head, his arms straining with effort even with magic reinforcing his muscles.
"Your problem is," Harry gasped, "that I've got my own style." Harry grinned as he drew more of his magic into his body before suddenly he surged up, pushing the Golem's blade up and back, sending the Golem staggering.
"You're the first person to ever see my completed style." Harry looked at the Golem coldly. "The Seven Stances of Death" And with that he attacked, his blade lashing out in the offensive form of the Seven Stances, he went on the attack now that his opponent had made the mistake of showing all of his own attacks, not to mention making the mistake of thinking that Harry had been on the defensive since the very beginning of the duel.
The Golem was forced back a step, and then again when Harry brought his sword up and across his body, forcing the Golem to fall on the defensive, keeping his sword very close to his own body. "Interesting style," the Golem said as he took another step back.
Harry slashed high, very fast, recovering from the Golem's parry by going low this time, the Golem was able to meet Harry's attacks every time, but his technique weakening as he desperately tried to keep up with Harry's new style.
But Harry pressed his advantage. The next time he attacked he once again knocked the Golem off balance, only this time Harry's blade carved a line along the Golem's torso as he did so. The Golem tried to counter attack, trying to use his weight and strength as an advantage, it was too late however, Harry saw the blow coming and moved to one side as the sword came down, knocking it too the side slightly with his own blade so that it came down on nothing but empty air, Harry brought his own sword up and around in a slashing strike that the Golem had no hope of blocking. It caught the Golem in his neck, decapitating him.
The Golems head bounced across the training room floor before coming too a halt in front of his teachers. Just too make sure that the Golem was really defeated, since his training drones could still move without there heads, Harry's next strike took off the Golems right arm before finally its legs, satisfied that the Golem was indeed dead Harry once again sheathe his sword before falling too one knee panting from the exhaustion.
The sound of clapping rang through the chamber as Old Harry and his two companions got over there shock.
"Well done, young Harry, you have not only passed the test, but once again proved too us just how good a student you are with your new sword style." Old Harry said as he helped Harry too his feet.
*****
As Old Harry sat at the Void ships controls that night he couldn't help but feel he was being watched, but try as he might he couldn't identify where or who the person was, until the spoke,
"Good evening, young one."
Old Harry spun in his seat too face the person behind him, it was the same person that had visited him the day Harry mastered the Magus Orbis.
"Evening, old one, I knew someone was here, no wonder I couldn't find you." Old Harry said with a smile.
"Yes, well you can't be around for as long as I've been without learning a trick or two," the new comer said with a laugh as he sat down next to Old Harry, "I was there when Harry fought the Golem, I've got too say I'm surprised that he got away without a single wound, not even you managed that if I do remember correctly." The new comer said as he looked over the Void ships many controls.
"No, I ended up with a hole in my shoulder after my duel with the golem," Old Harry said as he rubbed his left shoulder, easing some phantom pain from an old wound.
"I want too meet him." The new comer said; as he turned too face Old Harry. "I have decided that it is time."
"Very well, I will tell young Harry of your plans tomorrow, now I have a very important question too ask you." Old Harry said his voice suddenly very serious.
Sensing the shift in the conversation the new comer replied, "What's the question?"
"Do you want to play poker?" Old Harry asked holding up a deck of playing cards, breaking the serious mood that had fallen over the control room.
"You dumb arse! I thought you wanted something important!' The new comer said as he punched Old Harry in the head.
"Ow! I'm old! Be gentle! Old Harry said as he nursed his sore head.
"I'm older then you are!" the new comer said as he punched Old Harry on top of the head, again.
"So… do you want too play?!" Old Harry asked after a moment of silence.
"Yeah, deal the cards."
AN: Nothing much to be said about this chapter, Can anyone guess who this new comer is and why he wants to meet Harry? REVIEW! TheTrueBard out.
P.S. I may be editing my previous chapters; if I do I'll let you know
Translations
Elementum mutatioElement Transformation