I cannot express how hard and difficult it was to write this chapter. I knew that this chapter would take time, I even suspected I'd get it done in five or six months if I was lucky. That being said, it's been a week and a day. For that I am sorry.

Before you read though, I should warn you that this chapter is not pleasant. It's nowhere near as graphic as I originally intended, some two-three years ago. But it was still not pleasant. Know that what happens in this chapter will affect events in this story right through to the end.

Warning: References to extreme sexual violence.

Wendy

Harry laid there with his head on the 14-year-old girl's – Wendy's – lap. She had yet to explain where he was.

They were obviously in some kind of prison… or dungeon. Harry was convinced it was a dungeon. Prisons were just a place where bad people were kept. Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia as well as Aunt Marge had told Harry he would end up locked in one when he was older, so he knew what they were. Dungeons on the other hand, dungeons were where people were locked up and tortured.

Harry was sure that's what was happening, he had been awake less than an hour now and he had heard too many different screams to count; male and female, young and old.

There was no one else in this cell with him. Just Wendy. The cell was designed to hold ten people at once, but it was remarkably empty. Yet there were signs that people had stayed here before Harry arrived. The floor was littered with of different colours and textures to what Wendy was wearing as well as other more recognizable things, there was a girls shoe that looked only just a size smaller than Harry's.

Outside the bars on the front of the cell Harry only saw a black wall, the entire place was wet and cold and there was a horrid smell about the place.

"Where are we?" Harry asked after a while.

"This is a Vanguard secret research facility. I do not know where it is but I think we're underground." Said Wendy. "I have been here many months now and I have not seen a single window."

"Why are we here?" asked Harry.

"The scientist, Malakai, wants to use us in his research. There were once hundreds of us here. Now there are hardly any of us." Said Wendy.

"He's… he's going to kill us?" said Harry.

"Please keep calm Harry." Said Wendy. "I will do all I can to protect you. That may not turn out to be much but I will take care of you."

Both of them were distracted by the doors opening and two of the guards coming in.

"Hey there bitch, ye miss me?" said one of them leeringly.

Harry felt Wendy's body shudder against his head.

"Hey looks like she's already offering 'erself to the little bastard." Said the other.

Harry didn't have time to sit up as the first speaker quick-marched over to him and grabbed him by the chains that bound together his hands.

"Ow!" said Harry as he was pulled off Wendy and thrown across the room.

"Ye can get a shot of 'er later mate. The bitch is mine." He said viciously. He then turned onto Wendy "Well bitch, let's start by getting you outta that horrid rag."

Both the guards descended on Wendy and Harry saw them tear her clothing from her body, removing what little clothing she had on. The girl who had tried to comfort Harry during the last hour, he didn't understand what was going on but he had to help her.

"You leave her alone." Shouted Harry. For lack of any other option, he rolled along the ground and impacted the man on the ankle before either of the guards could react. Unfortunately for the guard he lost his balance, he fell and banged his head against the wall.

His companion kicked Harry hard in the gut, the young boy felt sure a bone broke.

The uninjured guard then helped his friend out.

"You shouldn't have done that Harry." Said Wendy.

"But he was hurting you." Gasped Harry.

"They've done it before." Said Wendy. "I'm sorry Harry, but I'm afraid they're going to come back and punish you for that. These men are cruel. I'm sorry."

A few minutes later the uninjured guard and three others came in.

"That's the little bastard." He shouted.

The other guards moved out, surrounded then picked Harry up.

"Take him for a flogging." Demanded the guard.

"No please take me instead." Begged Wendy.

The guard slapped her across the face.

"You and I are going to continue what we stArted here."

Harry was dragged by the other three guards out of the cell. He heard Wendy cry as he left. When she began to scream in agony, he began to struggle, but Harry was forced to stop when one of the guards clenched his hand around his throat.

"Stop it you little runt. I wouldn' worry about her, yer about to get yours."

Harry was brought into a room with ropes and manacles hanging from the ceiling. His arms were freed from the chains he'd woken up with, but the guards then secured his hands with ropes that were hanging from the ceiling. His feet were then manacled to the floor.

Two of the guards ripped Harry's shirt open at the back while another took out a whip.

He held it up in front of Harry's face just long enough to see him register the presence of the implement. Then he went behind him and brought it down upon his skin.

"AHHHH!"

ORACLE2PHOENIX

Harry was missing and Raine just had to find him. There was no way he could possibly stay in Aselia now. The Vanguard had obviously wanted him for some reason, it wasn't safe here.

"Raine." Said Genis from outside the door to her quArters. "You need to come, Yuan is here, and he's got important information about the Vanguard."

Raine followed her brother to the conference room, it had been over a week since Harry had disappeared and they could find no leads despite scouring the entire area near the Otherworldly Gate for signs of transport, camps, hidden bases, anything… there was no indication the Vanguard had ever been there. Raine was now about to find out why.

"Submarines?" said Raine. "Where in the world could the Vanguard have gotten submarines?"

"From us I'm afraid." Said Yuan solemnly. "In order to assist with your search, I went to the former Tethe'alla base to get some technical assistance when I noticed that one of the two Submarine pens there was broken into. We have five submarines missing."

"What? When did this happen." Said Sheena.

"No one has accessed the Tethe'alla base since the rebellion failed last year. One of my former Lieutenants volunteered to wait there and make sure no Renegade weapons would be stolen during the chaos. They were obviously lifted after the rebellion."

"What about the Sylvarant Base?" said Regal. "Has anything been stolen from there?"

"No, we've checked. The defences on that base are too powerful for the Vanguard to infiltrate without causing some attention. The problem with the Tethe'alla Base is that its main defence is its stealth. Very few people outside the Renegades know of its existence. The Vanguard was searching actively for it in the months prior to the rebellion. But we assumed that they never found it."

"Was anything else missing?" asked Lloyd.

"No. But in all honesty there wasn't much else there. The Rheairds are mainly kept with me or at the Sylvarant Base hangar and most of the technology in both bases has been shut down." Said Yuan.

"So the Vanguard used submarines to get to and from the Otherworldy Gate." Said Raine. "They could be anywhere."

"Not necessarily." Said Yuan. "The Submarines have specific needs, they would need a sizable facility and access to certain technologies and resources in order to function. Both the Renegades and Desians had those technologies and there are those in Tethe'alla who, given enough time, could replicate them. The Vanguard will still need a facility of some sort though."

"Well at least we have a lead." Said Marta. "Let's go find that base."

ORACLE2PHOENIX

Whenever the guards came for Wendy, Harry could tell she was terrified of what was to come. He didn't want the guards to hurt her, so he stood up to them and more often than not he was taken away for a beating and Wendy would be assaulted anyway. Other times, he would be beaten on the spot and restrained while the young teenager was raped and he could do nothing but watch.

"Are you alright Harry?" said Wendy, about a week after he had first arrived. Harry had been knocked into a dazed state by boot to the temple. He was only conscious enough to see what happened to Wendy.

"Forget about me." Said Harry "What about you. What are they doing to you? Why are they…"

"It is a very deep violation." Said Wendy resolutely. "You are too young to understand this but…girls have a certain appeal to older men. Some men seek to satisfy the appeal regardless of how the girl feels. It is a horrible act to do so without consent, they do it purely out of their own pleasure."

"But why? It hurts you doesn't it?" said Harry.

"Yes Harry." Said Wendy. "It hurts. It hurts every time and I will never forget it so long as I live. Please do not fight them again."

"But…"

"Oi bitch… runt…" came the familiar voice of a guard. "Time for round 2…"

"Please Harry…" said Wendy. "Don't let yourself get hurt fighting for me.

"Don't interfere this time runt." Said the guard opening the door.

"Stop." Came an authoritative voice. The guard stopped at the cell door and turned. "Y… yes Commandant, Sir."

Magnar looked into the cells to see the 14-year-old girl and 5-year-old boy both loosely fitting rags.

"So you are the boy from another world." said Magnar. "Guard."

"Sir?"

"Have them escorted to the lab. Twenty-three is about to expire. The girl shall become number twenty-four and the boy shall become number twenty-five. So I suggest you keep yourself off the girl from now on, unless you want to become infected that is?"

"N… no sir… can I just have one more…"

"No. The girl is to be transferred immediately. Get the men together. Also, we have no further need of the others. Kill them, you are of course free to relieve yourself on any of your choosing should you have the desire; but keep it to yourself, I'm tired of hearing about it."

"Understood sir." Said the Guard.

Harry and Wendy found their hands bound behind their backs before the guards escorted them away.

Any thoughts of struggle in Harry's head vanished as he heard the other prisoners in the other cells screaming and only to be silenced. The others were being executed, just like Magnar ordered.

ORACLE2PHOENIX

"We haven't managed to find a costal base." Said Mrs Dorr. "However a force comprising Asgard Militia and Royal Army soldiers just took down a major Vanguard base in a forest North of Lake Umacy."

"Lake Umacy is not connected to the sea." Said Lloyd in frustration.

"I know and the base was too far away from any significant water source capable of supporting the submarines. But that's not what's important." She laid the map out on the table for the Symphonia group to see."

"That marking?" said Genis.

"Yes." Said Mrs Dorr.

"But that's where Kvar's Ranch was." Said Sheena.

"That's not all. We've checked the remains at the Palmacosta Ranch and the other Ranches are being checked by other forces. No Vanguard units were active but areas of both Ranches have been scavenged."

"Alice and Decus were interested in gathering Exspheres from the Iselia Ranch." Said Marta. "We caught them doing it once."

"The representative from Asgard told me that areas of the Ranch near Luin were also excavated." Said Dorr. "It looks like the Vanguard has been trying to acquire Desian technology. Renegade too."

"But you are checking all the Ranches now right?" said Raine.

"All except of course Rodyle's."

Raine nodded. After the worlds were reunited, Rodyle's Ranch was flooded by the Renegades and the tunnels allowing access to the underwater facility were collapsed in order to prevent anyone ever using the Mana Canon again.

"The problem is the Ranches and the two Renegade Bases aren't the only facilities with advanced technology in them." Said Dorr. "Cruxis had hidden facilities in both worlds that we've yet to find and the areas under the Towers of Salvation are so vast it's difficult to find evidence of excavation."

"But with the exception of the Renegade Base in Tethe'alla and the Remote Island Human Ranch that was sealed off, there is nowhere." Said Lloyd.

"That we know of." Said Mrs Dorr. "The Vanguard invested a lot of time and effort trying to gain Desian technology. They may have found something we missed."

ORACLE2PHOENIX

"So this is the boy from another world? I will be interested to see how you react to the new and improved Angelus Project."

"Who… who are you?" said Harry, as he and Wendy were each strapped down to tables by the guards.

"I am an old acquaintance of your friends the Symphonia Group. They thought me dead, in some ways I was but thanks to the generosity of the Vanguard here, I was brought back to life. I am Rodyle, the last of the Desian Grand Cardinals."

Harry's eyes widened in shock. Presea had spoken a lot about Rodyle, it was because of him and his associates that her sister was dead and that she lost sixteen years of her life to an Exsphere.

"But you died, your body…"

"Yes my colleague Pronyma betrayed me…"

"I thought you betrayed them?" said Harry.

"Details, details." Said Rodyle. "She contaminated the Cruxis Crystal I equipped and my body disintegrated."

"But then we brought him back." Said Malakai. "For a Half-Elf he has been remarkably useful. I've finally made progress in the Angelus Project."

Harry screwed his mind, the others had mentioned the Angelus Project. It was something to do with the Exspheres Lloyd and Presea used.

Rodyle glared at Malakai, "We've made Progress." He said. "Don't think for one second a human like you could be anything more useful than a lab assistant."

"That's enough." Shouted Magnar. "The point is, soon we will have access to more Cruxis Crystals. We have the Cruxis Crystal that disintegrated Rodyle, and we have removed the virus placed on it. We have also liberated the one that was on the Mana Canon. I would very much like to use the weapon for our efforts, but despite what my superiors said during the rebellion it is beyond our ability to repair."

"We shall create a third Cruxis Crystal thanks to the two of you and the twenty-three specimens before you." Said Malakai.

"Please, don't hurt Harry." Begged Wendy.

"Ha ha ha!" laughed Rodyle "Do not worry, you will not see him suffer. Who knows, if you provide the Exsphere with enough energy it might not need this little runt to evolve."

Malakai went over to a container, opened it and lifted out a red coloured Exsphere.

"Now my dear." Said Magnar. "It is time for you to serve your ultimate purpose."

"No." said Harry "NO STOP." He screamed. He had heard that Exsphere experiments were horrible, that they made people suffer. He struggled against his bonds to no avail. He could see Wendy looking fearfully at the crystal. But he couldn't stop it.

Malakai placed the Exsphere on Wendy's chest. It absorbed itself inside and melded into her body.

ORACLE2PHOENIX

Two weeks, that's how long the men had said Wendy would be wearing the Exsphere. Harry knew that no one should dare take it off. He'd heard horrible accounts of what happened to people who had them removed without a Key Crest.

The two of them were in a new and unused cell. They heard the guards talking about it a few days after the Exsphere was attached. The dungeons that they were originally locked in with at several dozen other prisoners had been abandoned, along with other cells in other areas of the base. Harry didn't understand what that meant but the guards said something about the corpses now being underwater.

Wendy's health had deteriorated rapidly. She was chronically sick and her skin was turning completely white. More than once Harry had deliberately woken her up, fearing she was dead. But still she smiled at him and still she held Harry close to her and comforted him.

He didn't understand what was going on. Raine and the others told him that attaching an Exsphere to the skin was dangerous and would make you sick. But even then, according to Lloyd, the process should take months, and Harry refused to believe he had been in Vanguard captivity for months. Yet how could Wendy have deteriorated so fast? Maybe this was another anomaly like what happened with Colette's Cruxis Crystal. But none of the Vanguard seemed overly concerned about what was happening. Both Malakai and Rodyle had come in frequently and examined both the Exsphere and Wendy.

Harry at least took some comfort in the fact the guards were no longer hurting him and his friend.

"Harry?" said Wendy.

"Yes?"

"Tell me about your home, tell me about Palmacosta. I've never been to Sylvarant before."

"It's brilliant. The Professor runs a really big school for smart people, she calls it a University. And she has these two girls, they're 12 and 13 and they're called Sparrow and Hawk. Sparrow's really funny and cool you'll like her. Hawk's cool to, though she's really clever, I mean really very clever. I haven't been beyond Palmacosta much. I've been to the flying city… Exire, that's where I first went when I came to this world, and I've been to Ozette and Iselia too."

"Have you seen the tree with singing nuts?" asked Wendy.

"What?"

"I once saw a man from Sylvarant who studies animal. He claimed to have seen a tree with musically singing nuts, when the wind blows they make a beautiful melodic sound."

"I… no I haven't seen a tree like that." Said Harry.

"Promise me when you get out of here, you'll go find that tree." Said Wendy.

"Ok. Will you come with me?" said Harry.

"I would love to. But I fear that I am not going to be alive much longer." said Wendy gravely.

"You'll be fine, the Professor and the others have helped people with Exspheres before. "

"I'm sorry Harry, but I don't think I have much time."

ORACLE2PHOENIX

"We've been interrogating a number of soldiers." Said Mrs Dorr. "From what we can tell, our recent efforts have put over 40% of the Vanguard out of commission."

"And Harry?" said Genis.

"By our understanding, he was taken to a secret Vanguard installation, but none of the Soldiers we've spoken to admit to knowing where that installation is, though a few have narrowed down the field. It appears that it is located somewhere in the body of water that exists between the Ymir, Asgard and Palmacosta continents." Said Mrs Dorr.

"Well that's still better than what we're looking for." Said Lloyd.

"Unfortunately, this secret base, we think this is the only Vanguard installation left." Said Mrs Dorr. "The prisoners we interrogated indicate that only a secret base, where the "three leaders" reside, exists, and we've run out of Vanguard to interrogate."

"The three leaders?" said Marta. "But there are only two, and that's including Malakai."

"Perhaps not." Said Mrs Dorr. "There are rumours in the Vanguard ranks of a third man, who is helping the Vanguard progress technologically. However no one seems to know who this person is. Also since Harry was kidnapped, a large number of Vanguard soldiers have been recalled to this base and haven't been seen since. There is a rumour that a major operation is about to begin and preparations for that operation are in the closing stages."

"Are they planning an attack?" said Lloyd.

"Well that's a little difficult to determine." Said Mrs Dorr. "In the last month the Vanguard have lost over a third of their forces. Our analysts, as well as their counterparts in the Militias and the Royal Army have all concluded that the Vanguard leadership expected us to locate and shutdown those bases."

"What." Said Raine.

"The bases all had very limited resources in them, our interrogations have indicated that stocks of food, fuel, weapons and such have been relocated to a secret installation, most likely the one Harry was taken to, and that the soldiers that went with those resources were among the best in the Vanguard."

"But even so, 40% of troops either dead or in our prisons?" said Sheena. "That's got to be over 3,000 troops."

"About 3,200 by my calculations." Said Presea.

"Well we need to start searching…" began Lloyd, but before he could continue, Tenebrae materialized.

"Everyone, we have an emergency. The Centurions have detected a massive shift in the Mana balance."

"This is all we need." Said Raine depressively. "Where is it?"

"The disturbance is centred underwater, about 50 miles from Palmacosta." Said Tenebrae.

Those who'd taken part in the World Regeneration all looked at each other in horror.

"The Mana Canon is located there." said Colette.

"But that whole base was deactivated, it was sealed… underwater…" said Regal. "Wait the Vanguard has submarines."

"But even so, Yuan said that the whole base was inaccessible." Said Lloyd.

"But the Vanguard has been claiming since before the Rebellion that they have access to a Mana Canon." Said Presea. "We all thought they were bluffing, but what they weren't. What if it's the same one that we used to stop the twisted form of the Giant Tree?"

"We need to get their now." Said Tenebrae. "If we don't hurry the Mana imbalance will explode and send a tidal wave that will take Palmacosta off the map."

The threat of the city being destroyed a third time hurried both the Symphonia group and the other officials into action.

ORACLE2PHOENIX

Harry was queasy. Shortly after he and Wendy were fed their rations they were overcome by tiredness and fell asleep. Now he was waking up. As he did so certain things began to occur to him. His arms were secured above him and his legs at the opposite end.

His vision gradually came back to him, or at least as much as it could to a boy with sight issues. He was back in the lab and Malakai, Magnar and Rodyle were hovering around preparing. Various other soldiers were moving around.

"Yes take that." Said Malakai. "Leave only what is essential to the Angelus Project. The sooner we leave, the better."

Magnar caught Harry looking around.

"Well it seems this young runt is awake." He sneered. "I'm afraid this is the end, for both you and your girlfriend."

Harry looked past the megalomaniac and saw Wendy too was strapped down. She was in a state of semi-consciousness and her entire body was leaking sweat as well as several other fluids, many Harry was convinced didn't normally come from a human body.

"The Exsphere has taken as much as it can from her." Said Malakai walking over to Harry. "If we merely left her like this, she would be dead within six to twelve hours. But I'm afraid we have other plans."

"You see." Said Magnar. "When an Exsphere without a Key Crest is removed, it mutates the body. I'm afraid this is the stage your companion is at now. Once the Exsphere is removed we attach it to you, then it shall have all the nourishment it needs."

"No." said Harry "Please, put a Key Crest on her."

Rodyle burst out laughing. "You don't get it do you? As we take the Exsphere off we take off one last great chunk of energy. If we spared her life it would take time for us to make up the difference in your body, and thanks to the incompetencies of these two we don't have the time."

Magnar and Malakai glared at him.

"It may have escaped your notice Rodyle but everything is going to plan." Snapped Malakai.

"Losing your entire army save a few scoundrels." Scoffed Rodyle.

"Sacrificing the weaker members of our army so that the stronger ones can come back and fight again another day." Corrected Magnar.

"Pah!" scoffed Rodyle. "Don't try and cover up your mistakes. It's obvious that your plan has put us all in jeopardy. It's only a matter of time before your enemies find us here. So let's get this over with."

"Yes, lets." Said Magnar. He nodded to his protégé.

Malakai nodded back and then approached Wendy with a set of tongs. Using them he clasped onto the Exsphere and pulled.

The scream from Wendy was horrible.

SMACK!

"Silence you whelp." Snapped Malakai. "Your service is almost over."

He began to walk over to Harry, as he did so he spoke. "She will transform in approximately twenty to thirty minutes. For us to achieve the maximum energy extraction from number Twenty-Five in such a short amount of time, we will have to remove the Exsphere after death. It will take half an hour before it can attach itself properly though."

"Well since Twenty-Four transforms in half an hour, might as well let her do the deed." Said Magnar. "That way we can focus on quickly salvaging this Ranch's equipment and taking it with us."

"Capital idea." Malakai agreed. He had approached Harry. "Your death shall grant the Vanguard the ultimate weapon. A Cruxis Crystal more powerful than any other device of its kind." The Exsphere was placed over the back of Harry's right hand and forced into his skin.

To Harry it felt like a knife had pierced right through the bone and past the palm, though in reality the crystal itself only attached itself to the bone.

"It will take no more than thirty minutes for the Exsphere to connect to Twenty-Five's universal energy. When Twenty-Four kills him, we shall remove the device from his body and it will form into a Cruxis Crystal." Said Malakai.

The three men began talking and coordinating the removal of the lab equipment.

Meanwhile Wendy's body was acting adversely to the lack of Exsphere, whilst in contrast Harry felt his life force and his magic begin to intermix with the crystal that had attached itself to him. But he also felt something else, not a part of him, yet inside him, take an interest in the crystal.

Suddenly, instruments set up to monitor Harry's body began ringing out alerts.

"What's going on?" Demanded Magnar.

Malakai rushed over to the monitor that was next to where Harry was strapped up.

"I… impossible." He stuttered. "Something's gone wrong. The parasitic process… it's accelerated rapidly. He's already entering the second stages."

"But you told me that it was impossible to get someone into the second stages any shorter than a few hours after attaching the crystal." Demanded Magnar.

"It should be." Said Rodyle. He pushed Malakai out of the way. "But this boy isn't from our world, yet I can see no reason, biologically, why the Exsphere is reacting like this. At this rate his body will mutate within hours."

"This is all irrelevant." Said Malakai. "Let Twenty-Four kill him off and we continue the plan. It is time to leave this world and end the Angelus Project."

"If we kill him now, there may not be enough energy to form a Cruxis Crystal. We need to wait twenty-five minutes to be on the safe side." Rodyle reminded Magnar.

ORACLE2PHOENIX

The Symphonia group, hovering above the water where the Mana Canon used to be took stalk of what was happening. The sea was highly disturbed and the Half-Elves in the group could sense huge disturbances coming from the depths.

"So what now?" called out Marta.

"Sheena." Shouted Lloyd "Use Undine to open up a way to the base."

"Right!" acknowledged Sheena. She channelled her energy. "I call upon the Maiden of the Mist. I summon thee, come, Undine!"

The blue coloured maiden who controlled the power of the waters in the United Worlds appeared on the surface of the sea.

"Undine, use thy power to cast aside the water. Regain us access to the Mana Canon." Called out Sheena.

"As you wish." Stated the Summon Spirit of Water. Against any laws of reality that would exist on Earth, the sea gave way and opened a massive hole, at the bottom of which was the tip of a very familiar tower.

"That's the mouth of the Mana Canon." Shouted Genis.

"Undine, how long can you keep the water out the way?" asked Sheena.

"Indefinitely if needs be." Said the Summon Spirit.

"Good." Said Lloyd let's go.

ORACLE2PHOENIX

"Sir." Said one franticly worried Vanguard soldier. "We have intruders. They've entered through the Mana Canon."

"Damn." Said Magnar. "Take your men and stop them at all costs."

"But sir?" began the soldier.

"Do it." Ordered Magnar. He knew he was sending him to his death, but that didn't matter. The Vanguard's survival, it's future, its plans were dependant on their safe escape.

The soldier took one last look at the girl he'd been violating for the past several months, she looked at him with severe disappointment, but to his frustration, there was no fear. Not of him anyway.

"The Cruxis Crystal will be ready in fourteen minutes." Said Rodyle.

Malakai locked eyes with Magnar. Magnar touched his nose to signal his protégé to stand by.

"Could we stimulate the blood flow?" asked Malakai.

"It's already stimulated to maximum. Anymore and it could prematurely kill him." Said Rodyle.

"Then it appears we've run out of time." Said Magnar gravely.

"Indeed." Agreed Malakai.

"What are you two… AH!" Rodyle screamed.

He looked down to see that Malakai had stabbed him in the stomach. The Vanguard's Second in Command extracted the dagger and then plunged it into the Desian's heart.

"I'm afraid that without a third Cruxis Crystal you are useless to us." Said Magnar. "Shame I would have liked to wield Harry's personally, then Malakai could have had mine. But I guess he'll have to settle for yours."

Malakai grinned maliciously at Rodyle, then grabbed a hold of the Cruxis Crystal and forcibly detached it from his body. Rodyle grunted in pain as he was separated from his source of power.

"Everyone and everything we need is on the ship. Too bad about the Angelus Project. With any luck he'll tear the Symphonia group apart. Farewell Harry Potter." Sneered Magnar.

"Goodbye runt." Said Malakai. "I do so hope we meet again, I would love to get that Exsphere from you."

Magnar, Malakai and the rest of the Vanguard not defending their escape left the laboratory, sealing the access point behind them. A dying Rodyle was left with one former host body that was about to change and one that was going through the most insane mutation imaginable. But all hope was not yet lost, he may have lost his Cruxis Crystal but he still equipped an Exsphere, the only thing keeping him alive at that moment, and the laboratory had a Refresher in it. Something that could heal his wounds, but he had to get to it fast before one of the host bodies mutated and unleashed their rage upon him. He pulled the dagger from his body and dropped it on the ground.

ORACLE2PHOENIX

The Symphonia group were on a mission. It had become clear, the second the first soldiers appeared, that this was the elusive Vanguard base that they'd been looking for. The one where Harry was being kept.

Raine in particular fought like mad. She was normally an expert in support Artes, with some skill in offensive Artes. But magic was out the window for the most part. Her staff may as well have been a club to the poor soldiers who fell before her.

Genis concerned for his sister, tried his best to keep up and fired off mainly quickly cast Artes like Fireball and Wind Blade. Presea too kept up with the Sages providing extra cover as she dealt devastating attacks with her father's axe against the Vanguard.

ORACLE2PHOENIX

Rodyle was in the refresher healing when Wendy suddenly lost control of her human form.

The boy locked eyes with the girl who'd comforted him and suffered with him through this horrific and traumatic experience. He may be rapidly progressing through the parasitic process, but Wendy was the real danger now. Though Harry thought that she was the one in danger, it never occurred to him that she could possibly be a danger to him.

Wendy broke free of her bonds and began thrashing about on the floor. Her body began expanding and her blood veins expanded and throbbed at an alarming rate. Then her body growth accelerated at tremendous velocity as her skin turned green and she formed from the thin and weakened fourteen-year-old girl into a deranged and mad Exsphere monster.

Time stopped for Harry. His friend, whom he had shared suffering with for so long, was lost. She had become a terrible creature.

The creature in question looked at Harry still strapped down and trapped. But the monster knew only rage. Its instinct was to kill. It charged at its former cellmate.

In the seconds before the creature closed the gap, Harry felt his fear of Wendy affect him, activating his accidental magic. The straps suddenly became loose and Harry jumped off, just as the creature smashed its huge fists down on the table.

The Creature turned to face him. Harry ran for it, the organism rapidly closing on him.

Wendy swung her enormous fists at Harry and knocked his running form into a wall. Right next to where he landed, a door opened and a small group of Vanguard soldiers ran in. They halted at the sight of the creature.

Wendy saw them coming in and immediately turned her attention away from little Harry. She ran for them and pounced. The Vanguard had nowhere they could go but ran anyway. One of them didn't make it. He was lifted from the ground and his body just broke at the hands of organism. She then turned and went for the other soldiers who were running for the door Malakai and Magnar escaped through. But it was sealed shut. One of them stopped to try and pull it open, while his comrades ran for it, Wendy killed him next.

Harry meanwhile got up off the floor. The impact had not greatly injured him, unknown to him the Exsphere was starting to enhance his combat skills. He saw the sword of the first soldier to fall, crawled over and picked it up.

Harry got to his feet about the same time Rodyle exited the Refresher.

"Stupid… inferior… beings." He grumbled.

Rodyle may have possessed an Exsphere, but he was never much of a fighter. However like Yuan, he possessed a Sorcerers Ring that was capable of firing electric bolts.

He aimed at Harry, and fired. The poor five-year-old was not in his right state of mind. Between the surrounding chaos and the corrupted feeling of the Exsphere meant he was a bit groggy.

The bolt of electricity hit Harry. He collapsed to all fours, screaming in agony.

Wendy the Exsphere Monster turned from the corpses of the soldiers she just killed and saw Harry collapse. Deep within, somewhere, she recognised Harry as a friend and Rodyle as an enemy. She began moving slowly at first, but she then sped up quite quickly.

Unfortunately for Rodyle, his attention was on Harry for a few crucial seconds. By the time he registered Wendy, she already had her arm back ready to attack. That arm, thrust forward, the force of it carried the fingers of the creature straight into Rodyle's small body.

This time, life left Rodyle for good. The creature, when it killed him, also smashed his Exsphere. It was three years overdue, but the last Desian Cardinal was dead, with no Exsphere and no Cruxis Crystal to spare his life.

Wendy roared, in a sound that echoed round the base. Harry was the only being left alive at this stage. She looked to him and charged.

Harry righted himself. He picked up one of the swords the Vanguard dropped. Then with a little swing he flexed his magic into him. The attached Exsphere was now infecting his body, but it was also enhancing it.

He timed his attack just right. "I'm sorry." He whimpered.

The monster that was once his friend in this hellhole under the water charged for him.

"Leonazium!"

Wendy was halted by the beast's head and dropped to her knees and supported her upper body with her arms. Harry had knocked the wind out of her. For a few seconds, she regained herself.

"Harry… please… kill… me…" She groaned out.

Harry's eyes widened. His friend was still in there. "W… Wendy."

"ROAR!"

Wendy jumped to her feet and went for Harry. She swung her arm at him again. Harry blocked her attack with the sword he picked up, but he still got knocked across the floor by the sheer force of Wendy's strength.

"KILL… ME…"

Harry clambered back to his feet as the Monster Once again charged him down, it's great and powerful arm outstretched.

"No." Said Harry simply. But he knew he had no choice, if he didn't stop Wendy, she'd kill him. He couldn't hold out much longer. "Please."

The monster was right on top of Harry. So the poor boy did the most terrible thing he had ever done or would ever do… there was no other way, he did not know his friends, those who had saved him and could save Wendy were on the way… Harry had no choice. He ran straight at the creature, before it could bring its arms forward, Harry stabbed it in the heart.

For a moment time seemed to freeze. Harry was crouched on his knees with the sword sticking upwards into Wendy. He dropped to the ground as the creature fell dead next to him, morphing back into the 14-year-old girl it had originally been.

"No… NO!" Screamed Harry.

But then he lost himself. His entire body was engulfed in unimaginable pain. The Exsphere was consuming him. He too would become like Wendy. The last thing he saw, before he became blind to the pain, was a squad of Vanguard soldiers running for their lives.

Leading them was the man who had violated Wendy on so many occasions.

ORACLE2PHOENIX

The Symphonia Group had to fight their way through the underwater ranch. Tenebrae, possessing the ability to turn invisible and run through walls, did not have the same restrictions.

The Centurion had been almost as troubled as Raine had been when Harry disappeared, and not just because he disappeared on his watch. Tenebrae could sense much in Harry, it may be because the boy was a being from another world, but the Centurion didn't think so. He wasn't yet six-years-old, very young, he had suffered an abusive upbringing, yet he had an innate kindness and courage that few in the United Worlds had ever displayed. Tenebrae knew that one way or another, the boy had a great destiny ahead of him, and the Centurion wanted to help him in that destiny. He wanted to become Harry Potter's Centurion. He had favour with Lord Ratatosk, and he had formed a pact with two monsters.

Even though the monsters were still technically in the direct service of Lord Ratatosk, the Guardian of the Ginungagap considered them Harry's. Tenebrae had both Kenkon the wolf and Ioder the chimera under his control, both monsters would have a role in rescuing the visitor from Earth.

No. Harry is no longer a visitor. Even if Raine wanted him back on Earth, he had no home there. Everyone who had ever shown him care or consideration was on Aselia. Ratatosk would take care of him, with Tenebrae and Richter's help. But only if it came to that.

Tenebrae burst through the wall, just in time to see Harry strike a sword through Wendy. Tenebrae had never seen an Exsphere monster before, but he had heard tales of them during the Kharlan War and the Symphonia Group too had told him about what these creatures were and how they were made. He was saddened that he could not reach the creature in time to save it. But Harry was still alive, though by the look of things not for long.

ORACLE2PHOENIX

The Vanguard soldiers stopped to regard the scene, several of their colleagues were dead and the Half-Elf who was assisting their leaders was also dead.

"Damn." Said the leader. "I really enjoyed her."

Tenebrae rushed over to Harry's form and materialised. Though he as a Centurion did not personally fight, he moved protectively in front of Harry.

"Kenkon! Ioder!"

The wolf and the chimera materialized on either side of Harry. The next thing the boy knew, he was receiving a boost in energy. Emil and Marta had provided each of the monsters with Undine's Whisper, grimoires allowing them to learn the Healing Arte: First Aid.

Nothing could stop the Exsphere from attacking Harry's body at that time, but the Healing Artes strengthened him, putting him back in the fight, for the moment.

"T… Tenebrae… You're alive." Said Harry in surprise, getting back on his feet.

"I shall explain later young Harry. Right now, we have business to take care of." Said the Centurion urgently.

Harry looked over and noticed the Vanguard soldiers. There were seven of them, but Harry only had eyes for one of them.

"Kenkon, Ioder take out whoever else you wish." Said Harry. "But I've got the one at the front."

Coming from the mouth of a five-year-old, it ordinarily would have sounded daft, maybe even funny. But Harry was the only human left standing in a lab full of bloody corpses. Some of whom were in Vanguard uniform.

As if sensing his words, light rose from Wendy's body and imbedded itself in the Exsphere on Harry's hand. It may be doing Martel knows what to Harry's body right now, but the crystal was a game changer.

"You will need this." Said Tenebrae. It was the Wooden Sword that Ratatosk had given him, it got left behind when he was captured at the Otherworldly Gate.

"Ta." Said Harry.

The Vanguard moved first. They began charging at him. But the Exsphere in Harry had the energies of Wendy and twenty three other victims. In the name of those victims, Harry was going to make the Vanguard pay for what they did.

He went straight for the leader, the one who had so sadistically raped Wendy. His wooden sword smashed against the soldier's cutlass. The two engaged in a battle of blades. At first the soldier looked confident, but then he seemed concerned. Later Harry would guess that his wooden sword was surviving the duel better than the rapist expected.

After a minute of the clashing wood against metal, Harry felt himself learn a new Arte.

"Fierce Demon Fang!"

The shockwave from Harry's sword cleaved through that the soldier and then pierced his flesh. He fell back limbless but alive and screaming. It happened in mere seconds, Harry never intended to take advantage of such a moment, but on instinct he swung his sword down and impacted his foe right through the heart. He looked into the eyes of the man who'd raped Wendy and saw the life that was in them die and then close. That was it. Harry Potter, aged five, had killed a man.

The original version of this was much more graphic but I toned it down significantly. Partly this was because of the purge 18-months-ago. But there are other reasons, mainly that I considered simply how horrible such a piece would be.

Also despite the Sunday Telegraph's interpretations of Rowling's interview (seriously read the original, at the end she indicates Ron and Hermione was still right to happen) I am not changing any of my view on pairings. This series will have the same pairings I have advocated since I got my Fanfiction account 3 years ago.

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