Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any other fandom I manage to squeeze in this story.

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Lightning Dragon's Roar
A Harry Potter Fanfiction
By Zero Rewind
© 2015
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Chapter 36: Roots Revisited

A few hours passed after the encounter with the operatives in black.

After bidding their respective goodbyes, Lois, Chloe, and Mr Kent had left the farm. Lois and Chloe went home to get some rest, promising Clark and I that they would come up with information about this new problem by the next day.

As for Jonathan; after much reassuring that Clark and I wouldn't destroy the landscape while they were gone, Mr. Kent left to meet with my new landlord, Martha Kent; most likely for a date.

Heh, landlord. I doubted I would stay in that place for long.

When he asked, I told the man that he could tell his wife about what happened, so long as she didn't tell anyone else.

I found it a little strange how easily my abilities were accepted. Chloe was a little wary, but Mr. Kent didn't even miss a beat.

I actually found it quite easy to talk to the farmer.

He didn't try to lecture me after I had killed all of those men. I had expected him to bodily throw me out of his land; instead, he invited me in his home, and offered me food and rest.

It was quite heartening, to say the least.

The sun had set a few minutes back, but I still stood outside, deep in thought.

My thoughts turned inwardly, as I heard Erebus vibrate from within my duffel bag, which lay at my feet, next to the barn I was leaning my back against.

I stared at my hand, channeling Lightning into it, bathing my immediate surroundings in bluish white light.

A split second later, the Lightning converged to form a Lightning Blade, wildly spinning over my hand.

I frowned at the creation, before crushing it out of existence, causing a small shock wave to blast out, lightly rattling the wood behind my back and scaring off any small critters.

The Lightning Dragonslayer.

That was what I was supposed to be. For a while, I had thought that I accomplished something special— completely unheard of.

But then, I had a run in with Neville Longbottom, who told me that the Potters have had a history of using Lightning aligned elemental spells.

Something changed in me, that day.

I kept on training, and I improved by leaps and bounds, for sure. Thanks to Dumbledore, determination, and sheer force of will. I trained, trained, and trained some more, refining what skills I knew, and created a few new ones; but I had lost something, as well.

Then, I started tangling with Demons.

Lilith was— I frowned. She had given off such an overwhelming presence in almost every fight against me. Then, Dante's brother Vergil, had completely annihilated her in a split second.

Granted, she was not expecting such an attack.

Still, those two men were on a completely different league than I. Dante had taken Balthazar's venom and just kept going like it didn't even happen.

And the amount of punishment they took from the Demon Emperor Mundus…

Mundus, himself, made us all look like weaklings. I had combined my power, along with that of Erebus, Dante, Vergil, and Balthazar, before unleashing it at Mundus; it only served to push him back.

What could I have done against something like that, were I alone?

And then, I went from the frying pan, and into the fire, what with this human experimentation. My whole body felt changed, my senses empowered, my Lightning much more manageable.

I felt lost. So very lost.

So, I decided that the logical course of action was to return to my roots of my path.

Maybe the Lightning aspect of my magic was part of the Potter bloodline, so what? The way I accessed it was different than my ancestors; I ate the electricity.

I fucking ate it.

I smiled, remembering my overwhelming fear when I bit down on that gigantic contraption I had made out of an astonishing number of batteries.

It mostly went up from there, and I learned some lessons, both easy and hard.

This world was extremely vast, filled with the likes of Mundus, Dante and Vergil; unknown entities like Queen Mab of the Unseelie residing in the Nevernever— whom Erebus spoke of— and a whole universe to discover, if the files I read about the Stargate were real.

Even in the middle of rural Kansas, I found another powerhouse! How many more were out there?

I took a few steps forward, raised my hands above my head, and concentrated.

Copious amounts of Lightning emerged from my hands, brightening the area around me once more.

When I was at Temen Ni Gru, I learned how to form swords made out of my Lightning, from the Watcher of Time— from a previous Lightning Dragonslayer. It was a pretty versatile technique, allowing me to launch devastating attacks from close to mid range.

I could also use them as a form of shielding, like how I used a Lightning Blade to block one of the guard's projectiles earlier today.

Still, I needed something that was long range, with piercing power.

My Lightning Dragon's Roar was a powerful attack in its own right, but it wasn't a precision type. Simply put, it was my shotgun; loud, and powerful, it was my go-to attack if I wanted to obliterate everything in my path.

So I had to return to the root of my powers; Laxus' Dragonslayer Magic.

"Lightning Dragon's Heavenward Halberd." I said, and frowned in concentration.

The Lightning converged to form a spear-like shape. I concentrated harder, and molded the electric energy into a long halberd.

I grabbed hold of the weapon with both hands, infusing it with as much Lightning as I could without breaking its shape, before throwing it with all my might.

The attack flew with a loud clap of thunder, tearing through the trees as if they weren't even there. I kept watching until I lost sight of it, but the sound of trees dropping left and right still assaulted my ears.

A few moments later, the sounds stopped, and all was calm once more.

I stared at my hands once more, and grinned.

"I am the goddamn Lightning Dragonslayer, and don't you fucking forget it!" I roared out into the night, feeling a weight suddenly lift itself from my shoulders.

"Dragon slayer?" I heard a voice ask from behind me. "Strange name, considering that there are no dragons to slay. You know, since those don't exist."

I turned to see Clark, who was staring at the destruction of the trees I had caused. His comment lacked any true bite, when compared to how he was acting with me when I had beaten his face in the ground.

"You'd be surprised at what's out there." I replied with a wry grin. "Sorry about that, I was just feeling a little..."

"Like the weight of the world is on your shoulders?" Clark asked, a knowing look in his eyes.

I nodded. "Something like that."

I turned to Clark.

"I'm sorry."

"It's fine." Clark said, still looking at the damage. "It's just a few trees."

I shook my head.

"No, not the trees." I said quickly. "I meant about what happened today."

"Ah." He said, turning to face me. "Which part?"

"All of it." I said immediately. "Look, I know we don't see eye to eye on how we deal with enemies—"

"You kill them." Clark said simply.

"..." I bit down on my anger. "Yes, and you don't. Both are shit choices; I kill them, which stops them from either perpetuating their evil, or redeeming themselves. You spare them, which allows them to either perpetuate their evil, or redeem themselves."

He gave me a long look, before turning back towards the treeline, a small smile on his face.

"True. I guess it is a no-win situation, no matter how we look at it." Clark agreed.

We stood there for a while longer, before I felt a shift in the air. I turned to look at Clark, who seemed completely oblivious.

"Use your hearing and vision to check if someone's nearby." I said in a whisper, before feeling out with my Lightning as I surreptitiously pulled Erebus from the duffel bag.

The energy left my body in a thin line of power, twisting through the air, as if it was sniffing out any foreign presence.

Nothing. Maybe it was my imag— no, wait.

There was definitely something here. I just couldn't pinpoint its exact location.

"Near the treeline." Clark said slowly, turning away so as not to show the perturbed expression on his face. "It's some kind of insect monster, just standing there and staring right at us."

I focused my energies in the general direction of the treeline, and prepared myself for whatever onslaught that was coming. My Lightning lightly touched the being's aura.

It was like taking a great big whiff of a pile of rotting feces. The foul stench of this being— it had to be a Demon, for sure— invaded my senses. Images quickly flashed before my eyes; what few I managed to make out made my stomach clench.

A young child eviscerated before eaten alive; an old man compelled to drain his own blood by any means necessary— with a diverse set of tools at hand… I forced myself to calm down, much like I did when browsing through gore posts on 4chan.

"It's a Demon." I snarled, breaking the connection as the monster quickly rushed to our position. "I can handle it."

"You sure?"

"Yeah, I got a good measure of its power." I nodded confidently, leaping forward, Lightning suffusing into my nerves and muscles, increasing my speed dramatically.

I made a powerful, downward slash with Erebus, but the monster sidestepped it, before raking its claws on me. I managed to turn, just in time for the claws to impact my right, armored arm.

In the back of my mind, Balthazar woke up.

§Can't a snake get some rest?§ Balthazar said grumpily, the scales on my arm shaking agitatedly.

I smiled in relief at the sound of my companion's voice, before smashing a Breakdown Fist right in the Demon's face, sending it tumbling on the ground and illuminating my immediate surroundings for a split second.

It gave me a good view of the Demon that dared to attack me out in the open.

It was almost human in shape, but that's where the similarities ended. The Demon— what else could it possibly be?— sported a number of horns on its largish head.

As far as I could figure, it was an insectoid, judging from the compound eyes, pincer shaped mouth, spindly arms and the dark brown carapace over its body.

It screeched at me, most likely incapable of human speech.

"I think I'll call you Super Roach." I smirked at the Demon, beckoning it forward.

It happily obliged, spitting some kind of acid my way. I jumped out of the way as fast as I could, but some of the acid caught me on my right foot, causing me to stumble.

The insectoid rushed me, hoping to kill me while it had me on the ropes. Its claws got mere centimeters from my face, but the insectoid was smashed in its side by a blur. The Demon flew through the air, eventually hitting the ground harshly.

I heard a few loud snaps shortly after, suggesting that the Demon— yep, it definitely broke a limb or two, if those shrieks of pain were anything to go by.

It got its breathing under control, before getting right back up, its limbs snapping into place with loud clicking noises.

"Thanks." I nodded to Clark, who was now standing in the Demon's previous spot, eying the demon with a great deal of apprehension.

"I thought you said you didn't need help." Clark said, giving off a slight smirk.

"Nah, I had it on the ropes." I denied.

"You were face down on the ground, and it stood above you, ready to deliver the final blow." Clark said incredulously. "I don't know what planet you're from, but on Earth, that's called losing."

"It's a basic tactic." I answered easily, showing him my lightly damaged leg. "Make it think it has the advantage, before unleashing a can of whoop-ass onto it."

And it was true, if Clark hadn't interfered, I would've had a Lightning Dragon's Roar ready for the beast in question.

Oh well.

"Human… Reward for your death!" Super Roach wheezed, showing a small grasp of the English language— deep under the clicks and whistles.

It waved its spindly arms at Clark. The very air around the man broke like glass, and a pack of Hell Prides emerged, surrounding him from all sides.

"What is this?" He said in alarm, looking warily at the Demons and taking a step back.

"Demons! Don't get hit, and finish them off!" I yelled out, before turning to the Super Roach.

"Reward from who?" I asked, having a good idea of who it was that put a bounty on my head.

"Why tell human anything?" Super Roach challenged, its pincers clicking agitatedly at all the talking. "Human only need die for food."

"That so?"

"Yes. Zap you with my lightning, roast you good."

I inwardly smirked; lightning, eh?

"Clark, you take care of those Demons, and I'll get this guy. Do not interfere, no matter what."

"I—" Clark tried to say, before ducking underneath a Hell Pride's scythe, using his heat vision to set it ablaze. A swift push, and it slammed into its brethren like a fiery comet.

"I've got it." He said, as another pack of Hell Prides appeared.

I guessed Mundus didn't tell his underlings anything about their targets. It was a very poor business choice, all things considered.

"Ha! Give me your best shot, you weakling!" I challenged, opening my arms wide. "See the power gap between us."

Super Roach glared at me with its compound eyes, before obliging me by throwing a few bolts of green lightning.

It threw a few more weak attacks, which I didn't even bother to eat, hoping to wait it out until it tried to kill me with a powerful maneuver.

I put up a false front, of having trouble with the Demon. Super Roach coated its hands with bright green electricity, moving to try and cut my limbs off.

I met its strike with Balthazar's thick hide, the energized black scales easily blocking the strike. It tried another few, but I somehow blocked them with Erebus, feeling a strain on my left hand, which was still hurting from the fight with Clark.

I faked a wince, and backed off, dropping Erebus with an exaggerated loud clatter and holding my injured (see: slightly damaged but fine) left hand tenderly.

"Weakling, you say?" Super Roach taunted. "Not so weak now?"

God, this thing had the speaking prowess of a toddler; it was almost enough to make me laugh, but that would have been extremely inappropriate, considering the circumstances.

"You are weak." I pretended to have trouble speaking. "Why else would you target children and old men?"

Super Roach moved its pincers into a horrific looking smile. "You saw meals? Fun to make them do it to themselves— invade body and make them! Ha ha ha!"

It stopped laughing, and eyed me with a hungry gaze in its many-eyes.

"Do same to you!" It said, before its form flickered for a few times. A few seconds later, the area was bathed in green, as Super Roach completely transformed into lightning, zapping to me.

I waited until it got close enough, before grinning and dropping the act. The green lightning slammed into my body, but I bodily grabbed it, easily redirecting to my mouth, down my throat, and into my stomach.

Realizing it got caught, the Demon attempted to escape, but it was to no avail. I just kept pulling more, and more of it, easily absorbing its power and claiming it as my own.

Its escape attempts turned more and more frantic, as it realized that its existence was about to come to an end. The more it tried, the more energy it expended, the more I ate and pulled it in.

It was a vicious cycle.

'You picked the wrong mage to attack, fool.' I thought savagely, devouring the Demon entirely. My body glowed with power, but I reined it in, somehow.

I doubled over in pain, the newly integrated energy thrashing out against my body, tearing through it and healing it at the same time. Eating electricity had never caused a reaction like this.

§Remnants of the Demon are in here, trying to take control.§ Balthazar whispered in my mind. §I've injected my poison into it. It's dying as we speak.§

And my faithful viper was right. The pain lessened, and lessened, until all that remained was the simple pain associated with holding so much power in my body.

Compared to earlier, it was nothing.

I licked at my teeth in slight irritation, wondering how exactly Balthazar can inject poison into something by solely using his energy.

"Ugh." I said, and spit out a large globule of saliva, before turning to Clark, who was staring at me in pure astonishment.

"You… ate him?" He looked queasy. Around him were several large piles of ash. Likely, he had decimated the waves of Demons with his heat vision alone.

"Well, Super Roach turned himself into pure lightning..." I said, before grabbing Erebus off of the dirt floor. "Had the texture of half cooked meat."

"Super Roach?" Clark, smiling despite the disgust he was feeling. "Wait, you can eat electricity?"

"Yes, to both." I nodded.

"The Dragonslayer of Lightning." Clark said, eyes widening, taking a seat on the dirt floor. "As in, Laxus from Fairy Tail?"

"Woah. You read Fairy Tail?" I blurted out, looking at the older man in a new light. "Maybe you're not as dreadfully boring as I thought."

"Gee, thanks." Clark deadpanned.

We shared a laugh, and I sat down, joining him.

"Tell me more." Clark requested after a few moments of silence.

"Hm?"

"Why choose the element of lightning?" Clark asked.

I smiled.

"It sounded like the best choice." I said, looking forward. "It was more readily available than water. Learning how to play around with the earth element would have gained some unneeded attention. The same goes for fire."

"What about the wind?" Clark countered.

"...I guess I never really thought of harnessing the wind as a weapon." I said after a few moments. "Lightning is fast, powerful; it can cut, paralyze, and even fry my opponents if applied hard enough."

My eyes shined. "I remember when I first watched Fairy Tail. I had avoided it for the longest time, literally judging the book by its cover. The name was very effeminate."

Clark nodded knowingly.

"Then I saw it, and all the magic they used. It was marvelous." I continued. "Laxus, especially. He was a bit demented, rough around the edges, awkward around his friends, and extremely powerful. It reminded me of myself."

"What do you mean?"

I looked at him for a long moment, before indulging him.

"I never had many friends, growing up." I said. "My relatives were also quite terrible to me, in the early years; they knew what I was and they tried to stamp it out of me. That's changed, though. They're better, now."

"Then I found out about this whole new world, filled with people like me. A society comprised of wizards!" I smiled in remembrance. "Suddenly, I felt a little normal."

"I'm guessing it didn't last?" Clark hedged.

"You'd be right." I said. "The Boy-Who-Lived, they call me."

"Lived from what?" Clark asked.

"Apparently, when I was a child, I was struck with the Killing Curse, but it didn't do its job, instead turning on the man that did it, destroying his body." I explained.

"Killing Curse?" Clark said in alarm. "Something like that exists?"

"Yeah, unfortunately. The incantation is Avada Kedavra. If you hear someone say that, followed by a flash of green light, avoid it at all costs." I gave him a rough explanation of the spell. "If it hits you, you die. Simple as that."

"But you didn't?" Clark said. "Die, that is."

"Nope. I guess that made me special, somehow." I replied. "Personally, I think my mother invoked some ancient magic to protect me right before she was killed by the same curse."

Even Voldemort had admitted as much in the graveyard.

"I'm sorry." Clark said sincerely, looking much like his adoptive father in that one moment. "What about your..."

I shook my head.

"He died, holding Voldemort— that's the evil wizard's name— back long enough for my mom to complete her preparations." I answered.

"Wow…" Clark said.

"What about you?" I turned my attention to him. "What happened to your parents?"

He gave me a long, considering look. It was as if he wasn't sure he could trust me with the information.

"Come on." I urged. "How bad could it be? I know you're definitely not human— but I know plenty of people who aren't fully human, too."

"Were they from another planet?" Clark asked seriously.

"No." I answered, giving him a once over. "You are?"

Clark just nodded, and told me about his parents, who had sent him away from his home planet, Krypton. The reason? To save him from the destruction of the planet.

"That's incredible." I said, and smiled.

"You're not weirded out?" Clark asked in surprise.

"Not really." I said honestly. "Should I be?"

"I guess not, considering what you deal with on a regular basis." The man of steel— I could attest to that— answered, before looking down sadly. "My friend, Pete, he never looked at me the same when I told him."

"Some people just can't handle it, I guess." I commented.

"Yeah, if the government ever found out, that would be something crazy." Clark said, finding the idea of such an event disturbing.

"I wouldn't be so sure." I retorted, tracing lines in the dirt. "There have been rumors of something called the Stargate Program."

"Stargate Program?" Clark repeated, intrigued.

I began to explain, drawing on whatever I could remember off of those files I had found on 4chan.

"Supposedly, it is a circular gateway that can lead you to a number of different planets in the known universe. You just have to dial the correct address, and you simply step into it." I explained, rubbing my chin in thought.

"The files that were leaked were quite extensive. Plenty of mentions of a Colonel Jack O'Neill saving the world, but not saying exactly what he did, and what the crisis actually was."

"I've seen him on TV, a few times." Clark said, the name familiar to him. "Chloe found it weird that he got a Medal of Honor, when all he did was do research in a mountain base."

"Really? Where's this base?" I asked eagerly.

"Not sure, but I think it's at Cheyenne Mountain, in Colorado." Clark answered. "You're telling me—"

"I'm not saying anything." I cut him off. "Think about this, for a moment. The files got leaked, right? Not five minutes after the occurrence, the site on which we received the files was taken down. That speaks for itself, wouldn't you agree?"

"True. Chloe would have a field day if she had those files." Clark granted, and sighed. "So, the government— the United States Air Force, at the very least— is aware of extraterrestrial life."

"That's about the gist of it." I answered, looking up at the starry, night sky. "Strange, isn't it? This world is bigger than anything you or I could imagine."

Clark mirrored my action, giving off an aura of peace despite the heavy subjects we had just discussed.

"Yeah… And it's only going to get bigger."

"You think we'll ever find our place in it?" I asked, and received no answer for the longest time.

"I don't know." Clark said, eyes still glued to a certain spot in the sky. "But in the meantime, we should simply try to help others when we can. Maybe a form a guild like Fairy Tail?"

I blinked, and looked at him, a smile slowly forming on my face.

"A guild, huh." I said, before looking back to the sky. "Not a bad idea, Kent. Not bad at all."