AUTHOR'S NOTE: The following contains lots and lots of violence that may make some uncomfortable. You have been warned.
For a split second, Harry felt engulfed by the worst thunderstorm ever.
Artillery burst all around him, shaking the very air. Tracers, energy blasts and spells of all colors streaked across the valley. Rainbow-like explosions snaked through the charging Stacyx. Hundreds fell. Others fended off the dazzling barrage with their shields.
Stacyx mind blasts rained down on them. Hammer-like blows struck the ground non-stop. Harry saw two German aurors thrown back by an explosion. They rolled across the ground and lay still. A battery of Union Army cannons from the movie Gettysburg were reduced to smoldering wrecks, along with the soldiers manning them. A GI Joe Havoc combat vehicle rolled up and launched every missile it carried. Geysers of flame consumed about three dozen Stacyx. Sergeant Knox and his Space Marines from Star Blazers fired their bopper guns. The fat rockets crashed into the Stacyx horde. Bodies and body parts soared into the air, propelled by fireballs.
Harry shot Redactor Curse after Redactor Curse at the charging creatures, joined by Hermione, George, Lee and Susan Bones. Some of the spells didn't penetrate the Stacyx shields. Others did, causing the creatures to burst like rotten melons. Nearby, the Patil twins cast Body-Bind Spells while Kingsley Shacklebolt formed Firerain Clouds over the Stacyx. Dozens of creatures turned into living matchsticks, screaming and flailing until they fell to the ground dead.
Son Goku from Dragonball Z sent out a chi energy blast that incinerated several Stacyx. McGonagall, Flitwick and Percy cast shield charms to deflect several mind blasts. A bulky humanoid-like mobile suit from Gundam Wing stumbled and fell, spouting flame and smoke from numerous mind blast hits. The John Stewart Green Lantern from Justice League formed a plow with his power ring and bowled over several Stacyx. The stocky Autobot Gears from the Transformers cartoon cried out when a mind blast severed his leg. Armored vehicles with radar dishes brought over from the Godzilla movies sliced apart numerous Stacyx with laser beams.
Still they kept coming.
"What does it take to stop these things?" Artimus Rand's face went pale as he stared at the advancing horde, now just 400 meters from them.
Harry didn't answer. He just fired spell after spell. The ground quaked from artillery strikes and Stacyx footfalls. Whole areas of brush burned. A thick haze of smoke formed over the battlefield, carrying the stench of cordite, burning metal . . . and burning flesh.
A Portuguese auror carried Professor Sinistra away from the battle, the astronomy professor's left arm reduced to shredded, bloody strips. Terry Boot flopped on the ground, hand slapped over his eyes.
"I can't see! I can't see!"
Madam Pomfrey, Hawkeye Pierce from MASH, Dr. House and Dr. Stephen Franklin from Babylon 5 rushed around the battlefield, tending to the wounded. Several were beyond help.
The air grew thick with bullets, spells, energy bolts and mind blasts. Fountains of dirt exploded all over the valley. Clumps of Stacyx fell or were tossed into the air.
So were clumps of wizards, witches and TV and movie characters.
Harry's heart pounded furiously. He hacked on the ever thickening smoke and continued to cast spells. How the hell would anyone survive this?
A blue insectoid helicopter soared over the battlefield. Blue Thunder dove on the charging Stacyx, blazing away with its gatling gun. Large caliber rounds tore through the creatures. Dozens fell dead.
Another helicopter appeared . . . Airwolf. Missiles and 30mm chain gun rounds laced the Stacyx, their bodies exploding into chunks of dark colored meat.
A green animated flying dragon swooped in. Zok from The Herculoids. Lasers shot from its eyes and tail, slicing apart numerous Stacyx. Behind the dragon came a Sopwith Camel piloted by Biggles. The World War I fighter plane's twin Vickers machine guns chopped up more Stacyx.
Still they kept coming. Now just 100 meters away.
A mind blast took off the head of a Colombian auror. U.S. Cavalry soldiers from the movie She Wore a Yellow Ribbon fell to more Stacyx fire. Storm of the X-Men summoned lightning bolts to fry several of the creatures. Basketball-sized Zeroids from the TV show Terrahawks kept up a steady stream of laser fire. Two dozen Stacyx crumpled to the ground.
The rest surged forward, unleashing blood-curdling shrieks.
Fifty meters away.
"Looks like we're going to have to go hand-to-hand with these bastards," said Bentley Basham as his blew up a Stacyx with a Redactor Curse.
Men in gold helmets and red cloaks hurried past Harry and his comrades. A bearded man cried out, "SPARTANS!! PREPARE FOR GLORY!!"
Leonidas and his Spartans from the movie 300 formed a human wall and interlocked their shields. None of them budged as the Stacyx drew closer.
The mass of bodies collided. The Spartans dug their heels in and held the Stacyx at bay.
Mind blasts cut several Spartans in two. Other Spartans thrust their swords forward, stabbing and ripping Stacyx flesh.
More men rushed past Harry. Hundreds upon hundreds. Mel Gibson's William Wallace from Braveheart and Kirk Douglas' Spartacus led their Scotsman and slave army into the sea of Stacyx. Swords and clubs rose and fell. Mind blasts connected at point blank range. Red blood and oily black blood gushed into the air. Heaps of men and Stacyx dropped to the ground. The grass changed color from a brownish-green to a dark reddish-black. Men and Stacyx slipped on the bloody ground. Still they hung on to one another, punching and clawing and stabbing.
"They're penetrating our flanks!" McGonagall warned.
Harry looked to the left. Clint Eastwood's U.S. Marines from the movie Heartbreak Ridge and Captain Dick Winters' World War II paratroopers from the mini-series Band of Brothers fell back before hundreds of Stacyx. Herbie the Car sped past the retreating Americans and crashed into the Stacyx line. Several creatures bounced off the sentient car's hood and spun through the air. Herbie took out at least thirty Stacyx before mind blasts reduced the car to a flaming wreck.
Harry, Seamus, Viktor and Montague unleashed Repulsing Spells. Several Stacyx went flying through the air. A mind blast blew apart the torso of an Italian auror.
TV and movie characters plunged into the horde. Ash from the Evil Dead movies swung his chainsaw hand. Stacyx limbs and heads spiraled through the air. Naruto and his Shadow Clones pummeled Stacyx with fists and feet. Duncan MacLeod from Highlander and Aragorn from Lord of the Rings lashed out with their swords. Several Stacyx spun and fell dead.
"Heads up!" yelled Bentley Basham.
Harry blew apart another Stacyx with a Redactor Curse before turning to the front. Stacyx leaked through the human barrier of Spartans, Scotsman and slave soldiers. Harry and the other wizards and witches backed away from the earthen berm they used for cover as the creatures leaped over it.
"Freezium!" Jimmy O'Bannon cast a freezing spell, turning several Stacyx into ice statues. Rosa Infante snapped her wand up in an arc. Part of the ground ripped free. An earthen tsunami rolled over numerous Stacyx. The Brigadier from Doctor Who and several of his UNIT soldiers stepped forward and sprayed the creatures with their stubby Sten Guns. Captain Jack Sparrow from Pirates of the Caribbean took out one Stacyx with his flintlock pistol before pulling out his sword and slashing through their ranks.
Harry snapped off one spell after another. Stacyx started running past him. The Hanson Brothers from Slapshot tackled one and beat the hell out of it.
"Whaaaa-ooooh!" The Bruce Lee from Enter the Dragon launched quick kicks and punches at the creatures, knocking down several.
Hawkgirl from Justice League swung her mace while Ghost Rider whipped around his chain. The two left piles of dead and injured Stacyx at their feet.
Any semblance of lines had vanished. Stacyx intermingled with wizards, witches and their TV and movie allies. Harry tied up a creature with a Constricting Spell as it bore down on him. Dean Thomas brought down another Stacyx with a Stunning Spell. Miles Bletchley used a Firebolt Curse to incinerate a Stacyx. He searched for more creatures to kill . . . and never saw the one that snuck up behind him. One swipe of the Stacyx's clawed hand nearly severed Bletchley's head. He was dead before he crumpled to the ground.
"Minister!"
Harry's father-in-law, Arthur Weasley, hurried over to Kingsley Shacklebolt. He brought down two Stacyx before reaching the Minister of Magic.
"The Stacyx opened a portal behind us! They're pouring through!"
"I have that covered, Arthur."
Kingsley sent a Patronus through the smoky haze that enveloped the battlefield. Harry watched the ethereal white form soar over Disney's Kim Possible and Ichigo Kurosaki from the Anime Bleach as they battered Stacyx with chops and kicks. It glided over the rear of the tent city, making contact with numerous TV and movie characters.
Less than a minute later Veritech fighter jets from Robotech soared over the trees and transformed into humanoid-like Battloid mode. Their huge laser cannons blasted dozens of Stacyx. Cartoon vehicles sped toward the charging creatures and transformed into large robots. Turbo, Hans-Cuff and Smallfoot from Challenge of the Gobots and Jazz, Hot Rod and Warpath from Transformers sent a myriad of multi-colored laser bolts into the Stacyx horde. Geysers of dirt shot into the air, carrying dozens of purple-skinned creatures. The Stacyx retaliated with mind blasts. Two Veritechs collapsed in flames. Hans-Cuff fell, his right arm blown off. The caped mecha Escaflowne jumped into the fray, swinging its huge sword and cutting down whole swaths of Stacyx.
"Die you ugly brain-sucking sons-a-bitches!"
George C. Scott's Patton stomped through the fight, firing his pearl-handled Colt .45 at the Stacyx. Two dropped dead before he reached Kingsley.
"Something isn't right with this, Minister," he said in a gruff voice. "This is only a fraction of the Stacyx force."
"I noticed that too, General." Kingsley shot a Repulsing curse at an approaching Stacyx. "I think this is attack is just meant to delay us until the Moon landing takes place."
"Well we can't let that happen." Patton reloaded his pistol.
"What do you suggest?" Kingsley hit another Stacyx with a Body-Bind Curse.
"Hit the weakest part of their line, breakthrough and don't stop until we reach their camp and kill every single one of these devil-looking bastards."
Kingsley nodded. "Take whatever forces you need, General. We'll hold them off here."
Patton saluted and hurried off, shooting at more Stacyx along the way.
Kingsley waved his wand. Huge wooden spikes shot from the ground and impaled numerous Stacyx. Hagrid grabbed one of the creatures by the throat and tossed him over his shoulder.
"Harry! Look out!"
Harry whipped around at Hermione's warning. A Stacyx stood over him, arm reared back. Harry ducked under the swipe. He aimed his wand down and cast a Weight Charm. The creature's feet soon weighed the equivalent of a large boulder. Much as he tried to move, the Stacyx remained rooted to the spot.
Detective Elliot Stabler from Law & Order: SVU came up behind it and put a bullet into its brain.
Hermione blew up two more Stacyx with Redactor Curses. The Patil twins used another spell to collapse the ground under four Stacyx. The large, deformed Mister Hyde from the movie The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen battered Stacyx with his huge fists. Ron dropped another creature with a Stunning Spell. A mind blast struck close to Katie Bell, knocking her off her feet. A Stacyx moved in to finish her, but the former Triad hockey players from Durmstrang, Kurdzeli and Velich, jumped on the creature and rained fists on it.
"Sectumsempra!" Harry cried out. A huge bloody gash opened on a Stacyx's chest. It stumbled and fell face first onto the ground.
Hundreds of Stacyx rushed about him, fighting his friends and allies. A carpet of tall purple bodies covered the ground. More Stacyx joined their dead brethren.
But they never retreated an inch.
Gunfire roared. Lasers whined. Mind blasts shrieked. Fire swept over grass and trees. The smoke clogged his nose and lungs. Harry couldn't go more than a half-minute without hacking; the same with everyone else around him.
Thomas Jane's Punisher blazed away with an M-4 rifle. Burt Gummer from the movie Tremors chucked homemade explosives, blowing apart several Stacyx. Spawn used the chains of his dark costume to slice Stacyx in two. A dark-skinned cartoon character in baggy clothes with musical notes swirling around him danced into the battle.
"Hammer Man! Hammer Man! Hammer -"
A Stacyx jumped in the air and landed on Hammer Man, crushing him into a bloody puddle.
Harry blew the creature apart with a Redactor Curse.
He glanced around, trying to see if General Patton was on his way to launch the counter-attack. He scowled when he saw no sign of it.
Bodies piled up around him; Stacyx, wizards, witches, TV and movie characters. It became impossible to move without stepping around, over or on a corpse. A few times Harry lost his balance, his shoes slick with blood. A Stacyx grabbed Michael Corner by the throat and squeezed. Before it could kill the D.A. member, Ginny hit it in the face with a Bat-Bogey Hex. Michael's wife, the former Cho Chang, cast a Petrifying Spell on the creature. The two women turned to one another and simply nodded. Cho ran over to her husband, who held his throat and wheezed. Ginny, meanwhile, nailed another Stacyx with a curse that turned its bones to rubber.
Harry kept taking out Stacyx. But no matter how many of the creatures he and his friends killed, maimed or stunned, they kept coming, kept fighting. Several fighters on his side had to be carted off the battlefield and to the hospital tents, including Millicent Bulstrode and Hannah Abbott. Harry's stomach knotted. They were already going to be outnumbered when they met the main Stacyx army. Now when the final showdown came, they'd have to do it with far less men and women.
If we ever do meet them.
Harry cut open two more Stacyx with the Sectumsempra Curse. At this rate the Minister of Magic's prediction would come true. These Stacyx would delay them long enough for the rest to commence their invasion of the real world.
A monstrous roar pierced the dull buzz in Harry's ears. He glanced to the right.
Puppet-like Tyrannosaurs, Ceratosaurs and Allosaurs lumbered out of the forest, guided by spells from Charlie Weasley and several other dragon handling wizards. The dinosaurs, native animals here in The Land That Time Forgot, plunged their snouts into the Stacyx horde. Each one rose with its maw filled with wriggling Stacyx. As they chewed, mind blasts pierced their hides. Several of the dinosaurs fell before they could swallow their meals.
While the Stacyx were focused on the dinosaurs, Dana Sterling's tank platoon from Robotech charged toward the enemy's left flank. Laser blasts ravaged the demonic-like creatures. World War II tanks from Patton and machine gun-toting Jeeps from The Rat Patrol followed the Robotech tanks. Shells and large caliber bullets cut down Stacyx. Fountains of dirt exploded all around the creatures, hurling them into the air. Three tanks exploded after hits from several mind blasts. Another dinosaur fell dead, its snout stained with the oily blood of devoured Stacyx.
As another of Patton's tanks went up in a fireball, five huge AT-TE walkers from Star Wars: Attack of the Clones marched out of the forest. Hundreds of white armored Clone troopers ran alongside them. A swarm of energy bolts streaked through the smoky air and burst among the Stacyx. The walkers continued on, their armor withstanding mind blasts. Their huge feet trampled numerous Stacyx.
"Look!" Ron, his face dirtied by soot, pointed. "They're running away!"
Indeed the Stacyx were running . . . but not away. Many of them hurried off to strengthen their crumbling left flank. Many of the potential reinforcements were met by Superman, Thor from The Avengers cartoons and the Thing from the Fantastic Four movies. The three heroes fended off mind blasts and lashed out with fists, and in Thor's case his hammer. Two hundred creatures lay immobile at their feet in less than two minutes.
"Look out!" yelled Viktor Krum.
Harry and the other wizards and witches around him parted quickly for a herd of black-clad men on horseback; Ardeth Bey and his Medjai from The Mummy movies. They swept into the Stacyx right flank, firing rifles and slashing with their swords. Several of the Medjai and their horses vanished under packs of Stacyx. Others kept fighting.
Minutes later more men on horseback arrived; The Riders of Rohan from Lord of the Rings. They joined the Medjai, swinging their swords with fury. Screams of agony joined with screams battle rage. Both riders and Stacyx fell. Many Medjai and Riders jumped from their horses to fight the creatures on foot. Arms and swords swung non-stop. Blood covered the living and the dead.
Harry swallowed a breath and stared wide-eyed at the savage fight. He suddenly realized more Medjai and Riders stood than Stacyx.
"Now's our chance!" Kingsley shouted. "Come on!"
The Minister of Magic waved them forward. Battle cries went up, including one from Harry. The air filled with spells of every color. Stacyx exploded or fell.
Almost everyone tripped over the thousands of corpses strewn about the valley. Harry's hands and robes became slick with the blood of the dead. Still he kept running and casting spells. Out the corner of his eye he spotted Malfoy take down a Stacyx with a Cruciatus Curse. The creature spasmed and shrieked.
Now the surviving Stacyx broke ranks and fled to the hills in the distance. The wizards, witches and TV and movie characters kept after them, yelling and shooting. Some Stacyx halted and fired mind blasts to cover their retreating comrades. They were quickly swept aside.
High-pitched roars sounded overhead. Harry looked up. Veritech fighters, E-Frames from Exo-Squad and mobile suits from Gundam Wing dove on the retreating Stacyx. Rockets, lasers and shells churned up the ground around the creatures. Hundreds fell. F4U Corsair fighters from the TV show Black Sheep Squadron arrived and strafed the Stacyx. They were followed by black and white P-40 Warhawks from the John Wayne movie The Flying Tigers, their wing-mounted machine guns blazing. More Stacyx fell.
The pursuit of the Stacyx slowed as the fighters had to catch their breath. Harry watched the surviving Stacyx hurry over a hill and out of sight. There couldn't be more than a thousand left.
But there's a lot more where that came from.
Harry and his allies advanced. He checked his watch. Three hours before the Moon Landing. They were bloodied and in desperate need of rest. But Harry knew they couldn't think that way right now. No matter the risks, they had to attack the Stacyx camp now.
An hour later they reached the hill overlooking the enemy encampment. A shudder went through Harry. When he glanced around him, he noticed everyone else shudder.
They valley below was filled with Stacyx, stretching into the horizon.
Cold wrapped around Harry and plunged into the pit of his stomach. He thought of the battle they just had. The intensity, the violence, the horror.
It would be nothing compared to what was about to come.
"Well, I guess this is it." Hermione's voice quivered.
All Harry could do was nod. He forced his head to turn in Kingsley's direction, waiting for the Minister of Magic to give the order to attack.
Instead, the man raised a hand. "Hold."
"What?" Harry murmured. What the hell were they waiting for?
"Hey! Look at that." Dennis pointed.
Harry followed his friend's finger. His brow furrowed when he spotted three Stacyx approaching, the one in the middle more muscular than any of its brethren. It also sported a white stripe down its torso.
What amazed Harry the most was the Stacyx on the left. It was carrying a white flag.
The trio got within five meters of them before the large Stacyx spoke.
"I am Ner'kral, Overmaster of the Stacyx. I wish . . . to negotiate."
If you think this is over, think again. This battle was just a warm-up act.
