Dark Fascination
by Asurahime
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Chapter Three
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There is no escaping the rose-entwined cage which entraps me in its heart. It is slowly becoming a part of me, immersing my soul with its silver mists and dusky shadows. I am tainted, but am I worse than before? An innocent darkangel that lay bleeding next to a pool of crystal water, running from the nightmare which is now a frightening reality. I have lost what little I used to have and fear makes my soul shake like the wind.
But my will remains unbroken. I have been degraded. I have been confined. I have been slain. I have been revived. I cannot spend days cradling my anxiety and licking at the wounds inflicted upon me. My smile has been destroyed, but I pray that my spirit is not extinguished. It is all I have left and I would risk my life once again if someone would dare destroy it.
Wounds can heal. Tears can dry. Pain can fade. Sadness can pass. But my freedom to choose is something irreparable and precious.
I had chosen to peer into the glass-like pond of water and was twisted into a whirlwind. This fantasy is not a world in which I belong to, and deceptive phantoms with silver hair and eyes seek to lure me in deeper. But all of this would have been easier to believe if I cannot see the streams of violet flowing from the paleness of my skin to merge with the clarity of the water.
This was torment aided by true lies. The water had shown me as I currently am as any pool would, but the truth of the moment caused my spiraling descent into an unfamiliar world.
Who was that person with the quicksilver eyes? They were enshrouded with mystery and had shown scars of his own spiraling descent into this velvet underworld. But now all I can do is try to forget, as welcome oblivion drags me deeper, away from the hesitating signs of day.
To where sadness is born.
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Harry could not keep from crying out as he felt a thousand pins being inserted into his body when he was forced into the maelstrom. The rose petals had surrounded him to the point that he could no longer see his hands in front of his face. But as suddenly as it had started, the rose petals went as still as death and dissolved into silvery ashes. The emerald-eyed boy lowered his hands from their defensive position as he stepped down from the edge of the pool of water. That was when he realized that he was not in the same room as before. The quality of light streaking through the open door was different from that of the other room. "But... I thought that there was no such thing as magic..."
Almost as if in a trance, Harry walked towards the open door. Upon entering, he had to shield his eyes from the bright light, but that was soon forgotten as he gasped at what was inside.
Hundreds, no, thousands of different kinds of flowers were visible and their scent was over-powering. It did not take Harry long to noticed that there was not a single rose in the garden, and was slightly intrigued by the fact. This was a place where he felt that he was safe. There was something so pure and perfect about the place that the rest of the castle did not have. It did not have the melancholy walls, dim lights, and tangled roses which characterized the rest of Harry's prison.
He took a few steps into the room and noticed another door to the left side of the garden. Unfortunately, before he could take even two steps in that direction, his world turned gray and spun around. It was then that Harry learned that there is no sanctuary in the Castle of Thorns, for mysticism is based on deceit and enchantments.
A mirror before him showed green eyes locking into an intent red stare and Harry noticed that his throat stopped moving. Thus, the gloved hand which could have prevented any cries of horror was unnecessary as the captor was impaled by a black scythe from behind. His assailant smiled before pulling out the scythe from his back, causing a spray of blood to dye the white freesia below. However, the vermilion-eyed attacker was not finished, for he swung the handle of the scythe to inflict two horizontal and vertical slashes on Harry's covered back in a mockery of a cross.
"Why....?"
That was the last word to escape from Harry's lips before he fell unconscious upon a bed of white roses. His flat green eyes closed behind raven lashes and a stream of purple escaped from the side of his mouth and fatal wound as he coughed. He stopped breathing a second later.
Blaise shook his head as he wiped the blade of his scythe clean upon the flowers, staining them as violet as the ground around the fallen young man. He feared that this was what his Lord had done, but who was he to question Charm Lord's motives? Taking one more glance at Harry, his lips twisted into a mocking, self-satisfied grin. "Why you ask? If you really must know, all of us just needed to prove a point. It would have been such a waste to just leave you to die on those crossroads when Lord Severus says that you have better uses as you are. What a pity that Draco was the one he assigned to watch over you, though."
Red eyes darkened with a shadow of bloodlust and fascination. Blaise knelt down before the fallen boy and gently caressed the midnight fringe of hair aside to unveil a silvery marking on the pale skin. It was a mock gesture of affection as the mystic dipped a gloved hand on the pool of violet and outlined the pale brand. "What a pity indeed."
His bitter laughter rang out loud and clear even as he faded out of sight, amused by what he had done and rejoicing in the feel of taking an innocent life. Harry, thankfully, did not hear a word the mystic said. On the other hand, someone else had listened to every word. He knew how conniving Blaise can be, and was amused by how the blonde-haired mystic thought so highly of himself. It was ludicrous to watch. However, what this stranger was most interested in was the current state of the formerly white garden.
"...... Purple blood?" he asked, raising an eyebrow in mild amusement before leaving his perch on a balcony. With white and green robes billowing about him, half-lidded crimson eyes sparkled with pleasure and great anticipation. "He will do."
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Dark dye ran in rivulets along the shining white scar. After carefully tracing the contours of his forehead, the purple shade was trapped along the pale-skinned boy's eyelashes before flowing down ashen cheeks like precious amethyst tears. However, the violet color became even darker when compared to the blazing emerald gems that suddenly appeared. "None of this is real..."
Waking up, Harry raised a hand to cover his heart and was not surprised that it came away sticky and wet. What he was not expecting was that the liquid his hands came in contact with was as cold as ice and the amazing lack of pain. After being stabbed and slashed at mercilessly, one would think that there would be at least certain convulsions and bouts of agony. But there was nothing, not even the sensation of bloodloss.
"I'm alive.....?" asked Harry as he stood up, not noticing the strange shade of the flowers and stains of his old clothing. "No wound!" Finally looking down at the flowers once again, he saw the same unearthly shade of dark violet which had stained his hands when they were scratched by the unfeeling thorns of the gate. "Does this nightmare ever end?"
Numbly, Harry turned back to the pool of crystal water and threw himself in, barely even feeling the cold water coiling about him. By some strange force, he found himself in the courtyard with the closed gate once more. Since this is a nightmare, why should he expect anything to have changed? Turning around to continue searching for an alternate escape, Harry was amazed to find that the other rose-entwined gate from before was wide open. Fiery ruby eyes met cool emerald from the inside the gate, locking in a battle of wills where the victor remains undecided.
Without even thinking further, Harry entered the gate, not heeding the double rows of beautiful robed figures with gemstone eyes. The only pair which had drawn him in were the burning ones which seared his retina and made everything seem cloudy. There was no turning back now, for he was surrounded by a strong, intense force from all sides. Searching for a way out, he had developed a certain dark fascination with his surroundings, but the aura radiating from this new figure was so palpable that his white and green robes swirled around him with an invisible wind.
It was then that Harry realized that he had reached the depths of Hell.
"What is your name?" asked Charm Lord Severus as he stared down, mesmerized at the sparks which broke up in Harry's eyes. He had no idea why he was so enthralled by this black-haired creature, but there was something about the boy that made his blood burn and reawaken the desire for possession deep in his heart.
Harry did not draw his gaze from the figure, but it had changed into a fierce glare. There was something about this regal man which made his skin crawl with unbridled enmity, almost like blood calling out for blood. Moreover, the was something in the quality of the curt tone of the other which angered Harry. "My name is Harry James Potter, but don't you know that it's rude not to introduce yourself before asking others for their names? I don't mean any animosity by criticizing you, but there are such things as manners."
Gasps and murmuring echoed through the room, finally drawing Harry to notice that there were other people in the room aside from him and the man before him. Looking around, he found himself transfixed by frozen mercury eyes which seemed to be assessing the extent of his power by countenance alone. All of the muttering ceased when a sharp cry rose above them.
"You dare be so insolent to My Lord!?" snarled Blaise in a cutting tone before threatening to take a step forward and remedy the situation. Harry glared at him with minimal fear, more out of anger and confusion when he saw the hint of violet staining the blade of the black-robed man. It was the same color on his clothing and Blaise's eyes were the same arrogant ones that Harry saw distinctly from the mirror. There was no difficulty in harboring hatred towards the mystic.
Charm Lord Severus' thin lips twisted into a taunting smile at Blaise as he drifted down from his throne and seized Harry's chin with a firm hand. The other hand traced the stained silver scar on Harry's forehead before running it through raven-colored locks and undoing the small piece of twine at the end. Framed by pure darkness, white skin and green eyes were enhanced to the point where they seemed supernatural. "Harry James Potter... Harry... such an unpretentious name for a creature so alluring. And quite spirited too, I see. I am greatly pleased. You will do quite well to serve me in the future. You should be honored to be chosen me even if you were just a simple human."
Harry did not move, but simply stared back unflinchingly into enthralling vermilion eyes. Beyond the rose-colored surface of Charm Lord's eyes, all Harry saw were the shadows of darkness which eclipsed what little light there was. He put the thought to the back of him mind and patiently repeated his question from earlier. "I do not know who you are, but you know my name. Will you not answer me?"
Charm Lord
Merciless King
Protector of Rose
Ruler of Darkness
Pursuer of Beauty
Supreme Judge
Ruler of Facinaturu
Lord of the Castle
-Mystic Lord Severus-
Harry was taken by how certain people in the room knew just when to say title by title to give it the most effect. However, every single title told of a certain purpose which combined describes one man. It was enough to tell Harry that everything within the confines of this dark region he had been taken to is controlled by the man whose face is mere inches from his own.
The horrifying thought was enough to snap Harry's trance. "A mystic? All of you are mystics? I am a human! Harry! Just Harry!! Why have you taken me here? I have had enough of your mind games! Let me leave this place! I don't belong here and I certainly know that--"
His rant was firmly silenced as frozen lips descended on his own. The kiss was not insistent; it was without passion and chaste but before Harry could struggle, he felt the sensation fade as he was released. There was an extremely smug look in Severus' face as he placed a finger upon his captive's lips and trapped his wrist with a firm, manicured hand. It was as if he was oblivious to the presence of the rest of the Mystic Court, who gazed with a mixture of fascination and astonishment. "Let me warn you now that that will be the only gentle kiss you will ever get from me," Charm Lord whispered to Harry, eyes darkening with a need for possession.
"How dare you..." Harry hissed with indignation.
"Listen closely, 'Just Harry,'" Charm Lord's tone took on a slightly sharper edge as he returned to his throne, heedlessly gazing from his position at the beautiful, dumbstruck boy before him. "I know quite well that you have seen your blood in the garden. Yes, that was your blood, a violet shade it may be, but it is yours. Truth be told, you are no longer human."
Harry clenched his hands tightly as the strands of his hair began crackling with static. "You're lying!! What else can I be other than a human!?"
The mystics of the court all shrank back at the anger in his voice. There was a certain timbre in the boy's tone which resembled Charm Lord's, but at an entirely different level. Although they feared for Harry's life, they found themselves eager to hear more as a thirsty being yearns for water. Three mystics separated from the crowd to stand noiselessly behind the irate new character who was currently lashing out at their Lord. It was rude of the boy, but none of them found the will to stop his tirade.
Severus raised a hand towards the dark blonde figure who now stood behind behind Harry with an unconcerned and mildly predatory glint in his eyes. "You were impaled and slashed by Blaise's scythe, yet you still stand before me alive and obviously unhurt due to your accusations against me. I would normally have reduced any mystic, much less a human, to ashes within a heartbeat if they dared take the tone you are using right now, but I understand that you are still insecure with your new status."
Status? Black hair whipped around to face three gem-colored eyes which bored into his own emerald ones. Each of them were so different, but they all reflected the same message as Charm Lord. "I don't understand..."
Severus continued on as if Harry had not spoken, the malice and possessiveness in his movements were crystal-clear. "Even before Blaise cleared the point, you had already been dead, run over by my carriage and trampled by my horses. It was only my blood--royal Mystic blood--which saved your life. Your red human blood and my blue mystic blood has altered your blood into its current amethyst shade. Although you are only a half-mystic, you are also my son and the heir to the Mystic Region of Facinaturu. There shall be no other, and the Prince of All Mystics is crowned today. That is you, beautiful Harry."
The surprise throughout the room intensified upon hearing that announcement. Some were outraged that Lord Severus would create his Prince from a human child who dares to defy him, but upon setting their gaze upon said human boy, their complaints ceased in their fascination. However, Harry still refused to believe one word of it. "That can't be true... It is possible to live through a carriage accident! People have also been stabbed before and lived for a very long time!! I can't be your prince!"
"How do you explain your lack of a wound?" drawled Blaise, turning his scythe upon his hands so that the blade flashed dimly in the glowing light.
"It is because you are all playing mind games with me! None of this is real, just a nightmare!!" shouted Harry, his nails starting to draw purple blood from the soft pads of his skin.
Cedric smiled sadly as he shook his head and took out a black rose from his robes, turning it to show a sharp blade. "I'm sorry, My Prince, but I am afraid that this is reality. If you do not bear mystic blood, you really would not have been able to live through Blaise's attack. The blade of his scythe was treated with an extremely potent poison known as kyuuketsuki. It is a poison created by My Lord and I can attest because all of my weapons are tipped with it. Had you been human, you would have died within a breath."
"But..." Harry suddenly found himself speechless when mercury eyes peered into his own. These eyes were more familiar, for they were the first the boy saw when he awoke. "You."
Draco nodded curtly before opening his right hand to reveal an empty crystal phial. "I was not lying when I said that the liquid within this was not poison. It is not poison for mystics because our blood has mephitic qualities in it to begin with. This serum is a mixture of a magic truth potion called Veritaserum, cleansing herbs called aceras, and active mercury. You drank it and your health was restored even though it would have killed you before."
"Although you are a half-mystic, you still have important obligations to our kingdom as the Heir to the throne and a mystic and other duties to me." In the latter part of the sentence, Severus' amused smile faded as a certain hunger came over his features. He was never going to let this one go. "Draco."
"Yes, My Lord?" asked the winged mystic, who seemed to be the only one who is able to break his gaze from the half-mystic's dejected figure.
"But why....?" Harry murmured almost inaudibly to himself, still not wanting to see the truth. It was difficult to figure out if the question was meant for himself or for someone else. Draco passed it off as rhetorical and focused his attention on his commander.
"I leave him in your charge. Train him to be worthy of the title of Prince of All Mystics and you will be rewarded handsomely."
An incensed voice rose above Charm Lord's as Blaise took a step forward, eyes questioning. "But My Lord, Draco is your Messenger and may not be appropriate for the instruction of your Heir. In the chance that..."
"Hold your tongue, Blaise. You know better than to cut off and question My Lord's decisions," glared Cedric, pinning the Hunter Knight with a savage look. "Draco is more than capable of accomplishing this assignment. He is both agile and skilled with a sword. His temperament doesn't really count too much against him either." The Black Wing sent Cedric a dirty look. He wasn't quite sure of whether he had just been complimented or insulted.
"Half-mystic... I'm..." Draco and Cedric both turned to Harry at that very second, almost forgetting that he was the one they were arguing about. The emerald-eyed boy was facing away from the entire court, staring longingly towards the closed gate beyond the courtyard, apparently wishing that he could run past through it.
Charm Lord's musical voice spoke again to reinforce Cedric's point after the argument over. "No, Blaise. The Black Knight is right in the matter and the Black Wing has trained some of the best mystic warriors and mages of Chateau Aiguille. He is perfect to teach him the mystic ways of life and battle. Be that as it may, the Prince's tongue may be too sharp and his visage too human and base for a mystic. I will waken Princess Hermione and summon my Strategist to take care of his learning and tactics for deception. These three should be enough for the Prince's education."
"As you command, My Lord."
The Lord of All Mystics fastened garnet eyes upon his "son" once again, smiling. However, that smile quickly faded when he noticed one more thing tarnishing Harry's perfect surface. "Ildon, get him some more decent clothes. The Prince of All Mystics cannot be expected to run around the castle and serve Charm Lord attired in bloody human rags."
Draco bowed low, closing his eyes in a posture of servility and respect. When he opened them, the only movement in the room were the flickering of the glowing crystals, the eternal mists, and two figures: him and Harry.
"Half-mystic... mystic... blue blood... purple blood... why...?" muttered Harry to himself, obviously not aware that the room was now deserted aside from him and the man known as the Prince of Darkness.
"Accept your fate. Be grateful that we're still taking such good care of you even if you're impaired by your human blood. There is nothing more you can do now except surrender to what has happened and go on with what you have. Leave what used to be behind and acquiesce gracefully. Let's go." Draco knew that that was quite rude, but he can't really help being incisive when faced with unobservant people. That was another thing which sets mystics aside from humans. Not to say that Draco likes all mystics, since he would certainly enjoy hanging either Cedric or Blaise from the highest spire of Chateau Aiguille. Or both.
Harry stared with confusion at his blue-robed companion. Confused, but showing more signs of life than he previously did. "Go? Where are we going now?"
"Hello, is anybody in there? Weren't you listening to Lord Severus? We're going to Rootville to get your clothes. The order was placed on them long ago." Draco sighed with exasperation and grabbed on to Harry's bloodied hand, not caring that purple stained his gloves darker. The seemingly unobservant nature of the young man vexed him, but Harry's innocence surprised him. Even though Harry's blood is tainted, the genuine lack of guile present in his face astounded Draco. Draco smirked bitterly as he started dragging the unresisting Harry out of the Throne Room.
Accept your fate... Emerald eyes became shadowed by long black hair as the Black Wing's words echoed like an omen in Harry's ears. Burning through his mind like winter, killing off life with its somber shades and frozen expanses. Is this how life is to be now?
What if I don't want to accept fate?
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To be continued...
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Disclaimer:
This is my first slash story ever, so I am sorry if it offends anyone. I decided to cross two things I really love, which are the Harry Potter universe and the Saga Frontier universe into a crossover-AU work of fiction. Thus, I own nothing. I'm not really too certain about writing this piece since this is a whole new frontier for me. Please bear with me and I hope you enjoy reading. I don't really know what the final pairing would be for this, but trust that there would be a lot on the way. Perhaps someone could give me some suggestions?
Notes:
~Harry is now the Prince of All Mystics, second only to the Lord of All Mystics. It says in the text above that Harry has become Severus' "son," but the microscopic slash scene above seems to say otherwise. Let me clarify. Harry is only Sev's son in a way that his red human blood now contains blue mystic blood, making his blood purple (half-mystic). Sev's power is also transferred to Harry by blood, thus, he is the "Prince." It's like giving a part of yourself to someone else...
~Poisons have no effect on mystics. Because mystics are immortal and almost invulnerable, their blood is capable of dispersing the most toxic of poisons and even potions such as Veritaserum has no effect on them. This is so because mystics are creatures of deception and temptation.
~Apart from the hierarchy of Chateau Aiguille, there are also such beings as lower-class mystics. You'll meet several of these beings pretty soon.
~About this whole Zero Princess deal. You'll find out why she's so important in the next couple of chapters. Another thing: while it's pretty obvious who Princess Hermione is, who on earth is Severus' Strategist? The answer is in the next chapter. It's not really that difficult to figure out who.
~Also about this whole "men are free to go anywhere unless they are Harry" deal. You'll see later... that is... if this story is not so terrible. I promise this will become clearer.
~I hope that you guys are enjoying this. I understand that the characters out of character, but this is an alternate universe. It seems as if Draco, Blaise, and Cedric don't really like each other very much, don't they? (Major understatement!!!)
~Should I raise the rating of this story? It seems that with all the blood, darkness, and Harry's multiple deaths, perhaps the rating should be R instead of PG-13... what do you guys think?
~Another thing is that while I am genuinely pleased to have updated so quickly in the past few days, I must state that I may not be able to update as often as I would like... probably three chapters a week, often less because I need to study. I am extremely grateful for all the reviews that people have bestowed upon me thus far. As I said to the wonderful Gia, you guys are what motivates me to write. I blushed when I read some of what you guys wrote and nearly hugged my book of notes for this story to bits. Thank you so much. As long as I know that there are still some who read this story, I will write.