Chapter 14

Harry eagerly closed his eyes and settled down in his bed. As always, the darkness closed in and suddenly lightened into a bright white featureless plain. Harry impatiently watched as color began seeping into the scene, giving it life and texture. Darkness swept the sky as stones and fires popped up across the land. Beneath him, Harry saw the ground recede as a stonewall formed at his feet. Behind him, a stone keep sprouted up and flags faded into view.

Harry recognized the place as the battlements of the palace at Fray. He looked out over the city and watched as buildings burned and the harbor filled with boats. The view was made all the more eerie by the complete lack of life in the city or buildings. Harry realized that, due to the mostly complete state of the walls and the heavily blockaded gates, that this was during the siege on the city perhaps a day or two before Harry and his men had arrived. A staff lay propped against the battlements before him, its top gem gleaming fiercely. Harry gasped as he saw a huddled form next to the staff, almost invisible within the shadows. The figure shivered and twitched, huddling as though the light from the fires would burn just like the flames.

"Astyr…?" Harry asked uncertainly, seeing the gleaming hair and general face shape. They were the only people that ever appeared in their shared dreams. It had to be Astyr.

Harry approached the figure and made out a determined mumbling. It almost sounded as if the man was casting spells but nothing was working. He growled and jerked every once in awhile, glaring angrily and unseeing into the stones.

"Shit!" Harry swore worriedly and grabbed the other's shoulders, noticing the sickly look the other had acquired.

He received a shock and almost dropped him at the feeling of putrid dark magic oozing from his skin. Harry noticed now why he had been so hard to see in the shadows. Astyr's skin was darkened and scratched at. The blood coming from the wounds seemed unnaturally dark in the shadows and his eyes did not glint with life. Instead, they were a glazed dark blue, constantly searching and never settling on one thing.

Harry's own widened eyes sought Astyr's and they locked. Then Astyr screamed. He screamed horribly like he was being tortured or killed, but not breaking eye contact even for a second. His scream blasted into Harry and Astyr's voice drifted into Harry's mind.

Help me Harry! Why wont you help me! KILL ME! Let me bleed on the flagstones and burn my eyes! I will die in your arms, Harry! I will die like Cedric died, I will die like Sirius, Like Lorrie! I will die like everyone you have ever killed and let die! It's the only way you can save me, Harry! Kill me!

Harry gasped at the invasion as the darkness began trying to infect his soul. His pupils dilated and his breathing quickened as the black stole over him. But Harry was not an accomplished occlumens for nothing. He threw the tendrils of blackness out and focused his eyes clearly on Astyr's. The scream ended in a pathetic way that broke Harry's heart.

Something was possessing Astyr. Something was taking over his mind.

"It isn't you Astyr! That thing is not a part of you. I am going to get it out."

Receiving no response, Harry drew himself out, bracing for impact, and never questioning his actions. He plunged into Astyr's mind. He surprisingly encountered some very powerful occlumency shields. It seemed Astyr was well equipped in the magic department. Harry searched the walls and was disappointed to find no cracks. The dark creature inside of him had not entered in the same way. It had spread like a disease into the soul. Harry was attempting to enter via the mind.

He readied himself and charged his energies. He had to get past the shields. If Astyr had been functional, he would be able to sense the charging of Harry's power and would charge his shields accordingly. Normally Harry, as wonderful a Legilimens as he was, would not be able to gain access. This time, however, Astyr was in no position to protect his mind from forceful invasion.

Harry flung his power at the shields, crumbling them before shooting into the expanse beyond. The Dark tendrils floated within the space around Him as he went farther into the other's mind and away from the opening in the shields. The feeling of the darkness almost had him gagging but he refused to allow it to deter him. He wouldn't be able to dislodge the nasty spirit that was claiming Astyr's body without reaching the man's conscious mind. Harry traveled further, losing himself in the blackened landscape. It was an almost barren place full of hate and disgust. Whispers of memories crept out of the shadows, twisting and pulling at him, trying to hurt him and destroy him. This wasn't Astyr, Harry thought. He had to find the conscious and separate being that was Astyr so that he could show him how to throw the creature out.

Harry felt the flash around him and cursed as the attention of the creature was focused on him. He could feel as it turned to regard him, like a snake rearing back to strike.

You hope for nothing but pain. I will die soon. Kill me! Put me out of my misery! Please….Please Harry…Kill me.

Harry felt the words cut into him as Astyr's voice pleaded with him. He grimaced and shot an occlumency barrier out in a sphere away from himself so that the creature could not approach him, buying him a little bit of time. In doing so, he heard the whoosh of someone's breath as the power passed through him, ignoring him for the bigger threat. Harry turned and saw a very physical manifestation of Astyr. This was it, his last resistance against the creature. The figure was decked out in full battle attire and he held a staff menacingly. A sword hung from his belt and unknown runes drifted languidly across his person, glowing eerily in the darkened landscape. He wore knee high boots that were strapped with knives and braced with long bones. His black shirt was what Harry would call a poet's shirt and his hair lazily drifted in the same manner as his runes. A necklace with a single rune floated as though trying to join its counterparts.

"You are not she." He stated calmly, speaking in way that Harry recognized as the calm of a good soldier.

"No Sparkle, I'm not."

"You shouldn't be here. She will take you, too."

"I am going to help you get rid of her." Harry said, approaching him and reaching out slightly with one arm.

"What do you know of shades, Harry Potter?" His voice was skeptical.

"I…know nothing. But I know mind magic. I can throw her out of you. You just need to let me in." Harry began to beg.

"In?"

"I need to have control of this place."

"My mind? You want to possess me." He accused Harry angrily, afraid of the idea.

"Yes…" Harry was desperate. "Please! You will die slowly if I don't help. She has you, Astyr! She has you and you are almost turned! You are almost a shade yourself!"

"How do I know that you wont take me, and abuse me? How do I know you wont take me and use me, and leave without…"

"Because! Because I wouldn't ever do that to you! How could I? You need help, Astyr. You can't die like she says you will! I wont let you!"

"You are very predictable, Harry. You come, you go, and you leave behind chaos. I do not want my mind to rot in the place you leave behind." Astyr sneered, his anger hiding self-doubt.

"All that will be left behind is you. If that is rotted, then you have only yourself to blame."

"Yes. Yes I suppose I do."

Harry began worry. He could feel the shade pressing in on them and that last statement was frightening. What exactly were they talking about? He warily backed up a bit.

Astyr changed the subject, throwing Harry for a loop.

"What happened last night?"

"What? What do you mean what happened last night?"

"What happened?"

"I…I got wasted with Draco and Marcus. It's…It's tradition. Why?"

"I thought that the dreams were over. Are the dreams over Harry?"

"No. No, I don't want them to end. We are in one right now."

"You don't hate me, despise me?"

"I… Where is this coming from? Sparkle, I am so sorry. I am sorry that I made you think I didn't care about you. Merlin! I'd be devastated if I couldn't see you! I didn't mean anything I said before. I was lashing out. I was taking my own inability to…." Harry stopped before the statement came out.

I was taking my own inability to make you fall in love with me out on you. I was mad at myself because I couldn't believe that any feelings you had for me would be true and not due to my titles or legends. I was mad because I couldn't fix it and I couldn't let myself live the lie of loving you as you worship me.

Astyr noticed the slip. Determined to end it, Astyr reached out, and quicker than Harry could react, he laid his finger to Harry's temple. He encountered the powerful resistance that held Harry's mind. It was unlike anything Astyr had ever seen. It was impossible to penetrate.

Astyr turned and addressed the visage of Harry.

"I need to know. I am going to die, Harry. I am going to die but I would rather die than let another dark soul invade my mind. I will submit to this shade if it means that I do not have to take the chance that you hate me and that you can't stand me. Show me that I can let you in. Show me that you know me, and trust me. Trust begets trust. I will die otherwise."

Horrified at the words that echoed those of the shade, Harry's walls fell before Astyr. He moved forward…and was engulfed in sensation.

Harry's mind was a maelstrom of color and compassion. Astyr was guided to the thoughts that Harry had of him, to the deepest layers of his mind that held the strongest emotions. Astyr allowed himself to be a part of the experience…and became overwhelmed.

He felt Harry's fear. Harry feared loving Astyr, feared Astyr's love for him, and feared for Astyr's death. He felt his love and understanding for Astyr's personality and his trials. He felt the fascination Harry held for him. He felt the frustration and misery that came from being held on a pedestal and he felt the gratitude towards his friends for being there with him. He felt the betrayal of Astyr's change in attitude when he found out about Harry being Facis. He felt the loss of losing Astyr, of someone Harry had cared for, still cared for. Someone that Harry loved.

Astyr let himself be immersed in Harry's feelings. He allowed himself to bask in the warmth and he felt his own fears melt away. Harry loved him. His Shag was there and didn't want to leave, and didn't want anyone else. He wasn't a God or a super powerful being that could never regard Astyr lovingly. He was Harry.

As Astyr left his own mind to inhabit Harry's, the shade stirred and became more powerful within him. Harry felt it and reacted.

"Astyr, please!"

Harry grabbed for Astyr's mind and found no resistance. He harnessed Astyr's depleting powers and allowed himself to fill Astyr's thoughts. He thrust out, dispelling the darkness and destroying the shade in the process. He twisted his mind in such a way that he regained control of the parts that the shade had taken. He had a very powerful mind and he used it to the utmost extent. The shade began screaming and shrilly whistling, clawing at toeholds. Its words were lost on Harry who focused his superior occlumency on strengthening Astyr's shields and overpowering the shade, forcing it to shrivel and die.

In the dreamscape, the two figures on the battlements of the castle groaned and opened their eyes. From one, an infinite darkness was slowly fading and from the other, a light was retreating as control was regained. For a moment, the two looked up from their positions lying slumped on the ground and locked eyes once more. Each saw himself before their own magics drew them back to their proper bodies.

Each got up carefully, still looking in the other's direction.

"So you saw? You know how to destroy a shade?"

"Yes."

"Good."

Both looked slightly awkward and lost. Harry broke away and looked at the ground, putting his hand up to his neck subconsciously. He scuffed his foot on the ground, rolling a broken arrow that lay there.

"So…"

He mentally applauded his foolishness but was cut off suddenly as Astyr stepped forward and kissed him hard.

Astyr grabbed him around his waste and arm and pushed his lips upon Harry's almost desperately. Harry's arms stiffened and became useless as the sensation of the kiss washed over him. Astyr's lips were softer than anything he had ever felt. They were neither wet nor dry and the friction between them made him nearly lose himself. They broke away for a moment only for Harry to regain use of his motor functions and pull the other closer to begin anew. Harry allowed his lips to part and Astyr followed his example, letting their tongues venture and lock with one another. Harry felt as though he were spinning and that gravity was momentarily suspended.

Astyr had only one thing in mind when he pressed in to kiss the man of his dreams. He wanted to keep Harry forever and to make love to him until the end of time. He closed his eyes and thrust his body against the other as his lips nearly crashed into Harry's. He nearly moaned as the initial shock on Harry's part gave way to a response that turned the kiss into something more heavenly. Astyr moved slightly against the other's body and simply felt as his emotions got the better of him. Breathing forgotten, he moved his lips with Harry's chastely loving everything about him. Breaking for a moment Harry put his arms around Astyr possessively and clung as they plunged in for more. As Harry opened his mouth, Astyr parted his own swollen lips and tickled around Harry's lips with his tongue. He leaned in even more as their tongues twisted perfectly around one another, enhancing the feeling. Slowly they withdrew, still kissing but pacing themselves and letting themselves acknowledge their surroundings.

Coming back to earth, the men parted and smiled giddily at each other. But smiles turned abruptly to dismay as the sky began to melt upon them, raining pigment and eroding the keep and walls.

Harry's grip on Astyr tightened. "Sparkle…" he whispered mournfully.

Astyr heard and his sadness faded in resignation and happiness. He smiled sweetly to Harry who returned it only to be looking at his clock in his lonely room, completely devoid of Frayan gods.

A/N I know this chapter is really short but it just seemed like the perfect place to stop, don't you think?

Please review before going on.