A/N: Well then let's see what Voldemort's been up to, shall we?

Disclaimer: I don't Harry Potter, Spyro the Dragon, or any other works referenced in this story. I only own my original ideas.


Chapter 28: The First Artifact

Voldemort apparated to the place the Dark Master had directed him. It had taken some maneuvering, crossing international boarders without detection, but now he was here, in this canyon somewhere in the heart of Egypt. He knew he couldn't trust his Death Eaters with this mission. No… he had to do this himself. He oriented himself and moved along the ledge he was on. He soon found a cave leading into the canyon wall, and started inside. A simple lumos guided his way as he moved deeper inside.

For a time, he wondered if this truly was the right place… there was nothing here but blank stone. Then he saw it: a well crafted illusion covering the passage deeper into this place. He moved through this passage, and noted that the stone in this area appeared the have been worked by someone's hands.

As he continued on, Voldemort noticed the walls had been carved into depictions of creatures, both ones he recognized and entities from the darkest of dreams. Ahead, he could see a doorway. He passed through it, entering a long hallway. The further he got down this hallway, the more he got the feeling he was in a place none had seen in many millennia. Eventually the hallway opened up to a massive cavern, and before him was his apparent destination: it resembled a step pyramid of black stone, attached upside-down to the ceiling of the cavern. This structure was accessible via a narrow bridge connected the hallway he'd passed though.

Voldemort made his way across the bridge, trying to ignore the dizzying plunge that would await him were he to misstep. He reached the pyramid, and started up the steep narrow passages within. He wasn't sure how many twists and turns he'd taken, but he had to assume that there must be some form of space expansion charm on this place… if there wasn't he'd be well above ground level by this point.

He got the sensation that something was very strange in this place, as he emerged onto a ledge near the top of the Pyramid. He was left to marvel at the powerful magic that must have been used to build this place, as he could only assume the builders must have somehow reversed gravity in this area. As he looked off the edge, he could see the bridge 'below' him, and 'above' him what should have been the floor of this cavern was the new ceiling, with crystals in the rock glittering like stars. He moved up (or was it down?) the last few steps the reach the 'top' of the pyramid.

There, sitting on an altar seeming formed naturally from the stone of this pyramid, was his goal. It was a staff of dark wood and metal, resting silently and awaiting for someone to pick it up. He knew enough not to blindly grab it, though. He cast a detection spell looking for any traps that might be present. There didn't appear to be any traps, but the staff seemed to radiate darkly, tendrils of shadowy magic slowly writhing across its surface. Voldemort picked up the staff. Instantly, a powerful presence washed over him, shattering his Legimency barriers with ease.

*FLASH*

"Is this the place?" said a voice.

The speaker, a broad shouldered robed figure stepped forwards. It was standing before a shine within a deep cave. Voldemort couldn't see many details of the area, other than the fact it was not the place he currently was. A second figure stepped into view, looking much like the first.

"It must be… with the power of this artifact, their dominion over the realms will be ended… it will be our time to rise," said a second figure.

The first figure pulled back its hood, but he couldn't quite make out what sort of creature it was.

"Yes, with this," said the creature, "the dragons will fall, and we shall crush the lesser races beneath our might!"

*FLASH*

Voldemort stumbled back, still clutching the staff. He tried to reconcile what he'd just seen. These creatures, these… whatever they were, what did the mean, 'the dragons will fall'? Everyone knew dragons were nothing but beasts… unless this artifact could do something to them. Perhaps it was used to change them somehow? Make them lesser than what they once were? No… he had a feeling that this creatures he'd witnessed were not from anywhere around here. There was something else, too: this staff seemed incomplete. It appeared that something was meant to be attached to one end, but he wasn't sure what.

In any case, there was nothing else for him to do here. Voldemort tried to apparate out, but found that he couldn't… this place must be heavily warded. He had no choice but to walk back the way he came. As he returned through the corridors of the pyramid, he noticed that the path seemed to have changed… he was sure that he has going a different way than he came in, but didn't remember passing any junctions. He tried turning back, only to discover after the corridor turned left four times that he was walking in circles. He continued on his original course, but the path seemed to have changed again. Eventually, he came to a larger room, lit by guttering braziers of greenish flames. In the center of the chamber was a huge statue of a serpent with six heads and clawed hands. In the dim, flickering light of the chamber, it almost looked like it was moving. The he heard a voice speaking in Parseltongue.

"So… the intruder into this place has arrived at last," hissed the voice, "why have you come to this sacred place?"

"I could ask you the same question," hissed Voldemort.

"Such insolence!" hissed the voice, "I know why you are here; you come to the take Forbidden One's staff. Do you know mortal, what it is you treat with? What kind of being you have sold yourself to?"

"I am no mortal," hissed Voldemort, "I am Lord Voldemort!"

"A meaningless name for an insignificant being," hissed the voice, "If you continue down this path, you will be destroyed… every part of you".

Voldemort took a step back at that. This… whatever it was knew. But… it couldn't do that, right? It was locked down here, and had been for countless millennia.

"Destoyed? By you?" hissed Voldemort.

"By me… by the Forbidden One, what does it matter really?" hissed the voice, "however, I can see your deep reverence for serpentkind, and I am feeling generous today. I shall make you a deal: put the staff down, and I shall allow you the leave with your false life intact. Is that fair?"

That actually did sound good, a perfectly reasonable request. But something was wrong. Voldemort could feel the tendrils of otherness caressing the edge of his perception, and shook it off. At the same time, he blinked at the statue… had it changed position?

"Did you really think I'd fall for that?" hissed Voldemort.

The voice sighed, than the replied, "I was offering you a fair deal, and yet you throw it away. Very well, then you shall only find death in this place!"

A wind rushed through the chamber as the doors slammed shut, briefly extinguishing the brazier. As the magical flames relit themselves, Voldemort saw that the statue was gone.

Voldemort scanned the room, realizing that there never had been a statue in this chamber… it was whatever he'd just been speaking to. The subtle scrape of scales against the floor was the only warning he had before it struck, tearing at him with its claws, but he barely dodged as it attempted to constrict and bite at him. He got a better view of his opponent, seeing it in its true beautiful, terrible glory. The heads of six different venomous snakes surmounted its thick body, twisting and twining between each other almost hypnotically. In another situation, he would of admired it, but now it wanted him dead.

"AVADA KEDAVRA!" shouted Voldemort.

The jet of acid green light lanced towards the snake creature, and impacted its hide. It didn't fall. It didn't even flinch. It hissed at him, and he could tell that it was laughing.

"Was that supposed to do something?" said the creature, "You gaze upon perfection, mortal. Many have tried to slay me across the centuries. All have fallen and been consumed. You will be no different".

"FIENDFYRE!" shouted Voldemort.

The flames blasted forth, and wrapped themselves around the creature. It began hissing in pain as it started burning, but it just looked angry. It slithered up to him again, and tried to tear into him with its claws and fangs, but Voldemort was ready with a shield spell, deflecting its blows. He stepped back, and prepared another spell, using that cutting curse Severus had developed.

"SEPTUMSECTA!" Shouted Voldemort.

The blade of magical energy struck, but the creature didn't seem hampered by its injury. The creature hissed and its eyes flashed with power. For a moment, Voldemort saw himself, weak and completely muggle. He shook this illusion off, and readied to continue fighting. Meanwhile, the magical flames of his Fiendfyre continued to burn.

"CRUCIO!" shouted Voldemort.

The Torture curse shot towards the creature, but seemed to have no effect.

"You are weak," said the creature, "your power is nothing compared to mine, Time to end this little game. I think you'd look better as a mouse!"

A pulse of magic shot towards him, but he fought off its effects. The creature slithered towards him once more, and in desperation he tired the Killing Curse once more.

"AVADA KEDAVRA!" shouted Voldemort.

The jet of green light struck the creature, and its breath hitched, and it crumpled to the ground, dissolving into a massive number of snakes. They slithered away through small gaps in the stonework, through one stopped and stared at him with a hateful gaze before departing. The doors slowly ground open, and the exit to this place was revealed.

After a short time traversing the passages, He found himself back at the bridge. He briefly glanced back at the pyramid behind him, before departing. He didn't wish to linger in this place any longer than he needed to.


A/N: Well, Tom's playing with thing better left forgotten. I case you're wondering, the creature Voldemort fought here in technically immortal. As such the Killing Curse can't slay it permanently. In any case, that's it for now. Next time, the adventure continues! See you then!