Trail of Secrets
Chapter 15
Harry potter stared out over the spinning crimson vortexes of the Aether, a Longsword clutched loosely in his hand. He didn't know how long he'd been here. The rainbow-colored path that had brought him had long since disappeared.
He glanced at his shoulder, where the mark of the hollows had moved, a triangle with a line segmenting it, and a circle highlighting where the line intersected with the triangle. It was now traced in gold.
He raised his arms, his arms were thicker, his chest had broadened, and those weren't the only changes. His telepathy was stronger, so was his telekinesis. Some of his powers had change completely his aura manipulation had grown to Aether manipulation, a grin split his face, that may have been a blessing in disguise.
Solomon was able to teach him many ways to use the Aether manipulation, but his favorite was the life force manipulation the Aether gave him access to, since this allowed him to feel closer to his family since a lot of his family had the ability to manipulate life force in one way or another.
While learning life force manipulation, his shape shifting evolved into something called form manipulation, something that allowed him to change himself right down to the very foundation of his body.
He glanced upwards, the dark clouds that once resided here had faded to a pale white, reminiscent of fog. As a matter of fact, the entire realm was now filled with fog. Every once in a while, he would look down from his spot atop the Mayan like Temple he was training on to see a humanoid shape moved through the fog towards one of the spinning vortexes.
He had been alive for so long, but still the universe had so many secrets, his grin widened, it would be good to discover more.
A woman with curly dark hair flashed through his mind, his grin slipped.
Maybe one day he could find someone to share it with, someone that would be willing to go on the adventure with him.
"Are you ready?"
Harry turned, Solomon stood behind him, his long white hair and beard neatly braided. Power radiated from his body. His thin but strong hand wrapped around his long staff.
"I am."
Solomon turned, running his hand over the hair pulled behind his ear.
Standing in the center of the top of the pyramid, Solomon slammed his staff down. Five lines of energy exploded from the end of the staff traveling to the edge of the platform. A ring formed at the end of each line of power.
Harry fell to his knees, his chest seizing, five white streamers have missed exploding from his mouth. Each of the streamers floated over to the circle taking a familiar shape.
Harry fell forward, sweat dripping from his brow on to the rough-cut stone beneath his hands.
Taking a moment to get his breath back, he slowly rose to his feet.
In the five circles stood Hans, Beatrice Grey, Alecto Carrow, Amycus Carrow, and Walden McNair.
Solomon spoke from the center of the five, drawing Harry's attention back to him. "Each one of these people changed your life in various ways some good," he looked at Beatrice, "some bad," he looked at Amycus, Alecto, and Walden.
"Others," he looked at Hans, "did so without you even realizing it."
"As the final part of your training before you reenter the physical world and the next step on your evolutionary path, you must defeat each one of these people and cut the chains binding you to your old life. Prove to me and those standing here that you are ready and worthy of the power that is been granted to you through your evolution."
"Begin," he slammed the staff down launching himself into the air.
The rings around the five disappeared, McNair, Alecto, and Amycus charged forward.
Rotating his right wrist, Harry conjured a single-handed longsword in his right hand made of white energy.
It burned like the sun as he raised it, it's light forcing those charging towards him to squint. Stepping forward, Harry turned on a heel, bringing his sword around to slice McNair and half.
The man released a scream that reverberated in Harry's very soul. As he screamed his body began to vibrate, turning into wisps of energy that flowed towards the vortexes in the distance.
Alecto and Amycus paused on either side of Harry, ignoring their friend's death.
They thrust their hands forward, psychic waves exploding from them.
Bending his legs, Harry launched himself into the air.
The blast continued onwards, knocking both siblings off the temple, causing them to disperse into streamers of mist like their friend as they journeyed towards the ground.
Slow clapping drew Harry's attention upwards to where Solomon floated. "Well done, you defeated those three quicker than I expected."
"I am no longer the teenage boy they kidnapped, that experience made me realize I need to be strong to protect myself."
Solomon nodded, "And that is why they were here, they were your first exposure to the darkness of the world, they drove you to become the man you are today. To fight for those who can't fight for themselves to be a protector of the innocent."
Hans stepped forward, his heavy steps sending vibrations through the stone. His red eyes never left Harry, his large trashcan sized hands clenched and unclenched.
He bent his knees, and Harry was surprised his leather pants didn't tear as the muscles bulged.
Harry glanced at Solomon, "What's he supposed to teach me, I'm getting the impression this wasn't about me letting go of my past life. I think it was more about remembering who I am."
A mischievous smile spread across Solomon's face, "You could be right. Now defeat him and find out."
Hans charged forward, his tree trunk sized arms swinging at his sides like wrecking balls.
Harry stepped forward, psychic energy wrapping around his body to form a hardened shell.
Hans through a punch.
Harry raised a hand, catching the punch.
The force behind the blow sent a jolt of pain through his brain. Blood trickled from his nose.
Releasing a breath, he swung his right arm forward, clipping Hans under the chin.
Hans arced through the air landing a foot away from Harry with a loud thump.
Harry took a step forward while tightening his Psionic armor around him. It rippled for a moment before forming a second skin instead of the golem like armor he had been encased in before.
"Listen buddy, my fighting you before was a mistake, you were just trying to protect the Morelocks, I understand that I judged you not only by your action towards me, but also by your appearance, you taught me even though someone could have a monstrous visage, they could have a good heart."
Hans slowly rose to his feet, his red eyes locked on Harry, for a long moment he just stared at him before his body dispersed into mist, falling towards the spinning vortexes in the distance.
Beatrice Grey moved forward, her long green hair swaying with each step, the runes tattooed on to her arms glowing with power. A gentle smile spread across her lips, she raised her right hand and fire danced around her fingers, "And what do I have to teach you?"
Harry shook his head, making sure to keep his Psionic barrier active, "I remember what you taught me, even if I haven't put it into practice for a long time," he glanced at her, taking in the skintight dark green jeans and flowing white blouse that showed more cleavage than he would've liked, "for that I'm sorry."
Beatrice made it go on gesture with her left hand.
"You and grandpa Stefan gave me knowledge, you showed me there was a way I could do good in the world without fighting, for a long time I disregarded that message," he shook his head, "especially here recently. I may have developed the technology that made Potter industries famous, but in my heart, I was always searching for more knowledge, searching for the next fight to test my skills."
Beatrice inclined her head, "Well done, it looks like you haven't lost all the brains your grandfather and I strove to give you."
Harry winced.
Wisps of fire swirled around her body, "Now prepare yourself."
Harry tensed.
Beatrice's eyes shone a bright neon green. With a simple push of her toes, she exploded forward, "Come Harry, show me how much you have grown since my death. Prove to me you have the strength to face what is to come, to continue down the path of your destiny."
Beatrice fist slammed into Harry's crossed arms, a blast of fire exploding from either side of her wrist to push him backwards.
Reaching out with his mind, Harry let his power sink into the rectangular stones that made up the pyramid.
Four pulled themselves free flying at his grandmother's back.
Whips of fire burst from her, reducing them to powder.
Her eyes narrowed, light green energy spewing from them in thin beams.
Small panels of psychic energy appeared around Harry, knocking him away.
"Is this all you have learned? Is this how much you've grown? I'm disappointed."
White tendrils of power curled down Harry's arm, forming protective gauntlets. With a twist of his wrist, blades emerged from the gauntlets. Gritting his teeth, he pushed against Beatrice's power, knowing if he fully broke his crossed arms, the full impact of her punch would hit him.
He could feel his feet slowly sliding against the stones, he had no way of knowing how far away he was from the edge. Taking a deep breath, he took a chance, launching a kick with his right foot at his grandmother's left knee.
Her knee buckled under the strike, her blow losing its strength.
Leaning forward he swiped with both blades, only for her to vanish in a burst of emerald fire.
Hovering in the air, and Emerald aura around her, she slowly clapped.
"So, you have learned something new, maybe you will be able to survive the path you will walk."
Her eyes flashed and Harry rocked backwards, the world swimming around him.
He pushed outwards with his telepathy, pushing back against her invading energy.
The two energies clashed in the middle of the platform, two varying shades of Emerald green creating a distortion in space.
The ground beneath the energy began to disintegrate, large pieces floated up to disappear into the energy while others were reduced to powder.
Beatrice brought her hands together, beads of sweat popping out on her brow as she forced the energy into a compressed sphere. With a minor explosion, the energy imploded, sending a shudder through the temple.
Wiping the sweat from her brow, Beatrice glanced around for her grandson, eyes narrowing as dust obscured her view of the platform.
Manacles of pale white energy snapped around her wrists and ankles. She turned her head, finding Harry holding a glowing white chain.
"This fight is over."
A gentle smile spread across Beatrice's face, "Well done, perhaps you are ready to face your future." The corners of her lips turned downwards, "I know what you plan to do when you return, I ask you not to let those actions or the actions of others take you down a dark path."
"I won't, but he has to pay."
"Agreed," she leaned forward placing a soft kiss on his forehead. "I'm so proud of the man you've become Harry," she pulled back slowly dispersing into streamers of mist. "I look forward to watching your adventures."
As the last of his grandmother disappeared, Harry allowed the manacles and chains to fade away. He floated towards the ground.
Solomon floated down to join him.
"So, what happens now?"
"Now you return to earth."
"What happens to you?"
Solomon glanced at the swirling vortex is, "Maybe it's time for me to leave this place and be reborn."
"Well whatever you decide," Harry offered the man his hand, "I want to thank you for your help."
Solomon took his hand, "Thank you for arriving here and showing me that my vision was true and not wishful thinking."
The Aether pulsed and Harry began to fade away.
Solomon turned to face the swirling vortex is. Floating into the air, he drifted over to one.
A beam of crimson energy shot up from it center to engulf him.
As he disappeared, the temple that had been his home for so long began to crumble, its pieces fading away. The last of the earthborn angels had chosen to be reborn, now that someone carried on their legacy.