Dark Fascination


by Asurahime



~*~*~*~

Chapter Nine

~*~*~*~



A sword is made for cutting and a spear for stabbing. Mercy is precious, but mercy can also be an indulgence in a world like ours. Although it has not been spoken, it is clearly what my previous actions have reflected. It is definitely what is reflected in the eyes of the Mystic Lord who had torn me apart and left my soul bare for all the world to see. That is, if I have a soul left.


I have become swift as the wind, strong as a storm, but none the wiser. I have accepted what has become of me, but I still cannot help feeling like a falcon confined in a silver cage. There was no set path that was not paved with marble and moonlight, but now that I have tasted even the slightest bit of freedom once more, the single road remains overgrown with thorns.


Those dreams of waking up to find that all of this is just a nightmare during a transient night are gone. I have become just like that transient night. Nothing else lies ahead, but I still want to believe in a future moment than in yesterday, whose midnight blue fades and wears out into cobalt. Before I could forget my past like a waking dream, I must understand that there is nothing about the past that was truly worth remembering. Unless I decide my future for myself and face all consequences, then I truly will have no soul left.


I would have sold it along with my humanity to an infidel for an eternity in hell. Until I find my way, I cannot show mercy to myself. There are those who continue to follow me in this exile and I may not know where a road would lead, but I take comfort in the fact that they are with me. I am a vagabond, but as long as they will have me, I will remain their prince.


Never-ending eternity awaits.


~*~*~*~


Crimson eyes narrowed into sharp shards of ruby as a crystal lamp shattered in the Throne Room of Chateau Aiguille. The crystal fragments fell to the floor, raining down and cutting into a rose plant like knives, leaving shredded rose petals scattered on the floor, tainting each fragment with a rose tint a deep as the last drop of blood in a mortal heart. Charm Lord Severus rested upon his throne calmly, pale lips curving into a cruel smile as he was presented with the image of a raven-haired, scarlet-robed half-mystic on the charmed floor mosaic. "Mine."


Hearing slight movement outside the room, Severus dissipated the image with a wave of his hand. The rose-entwined gate leading to the Throne Room suddenly opened, revealing an unfluttered Blaise as he stepped inside, an arrogant smirk on his face. Charm Lord wanted nothing more at that moment than to smack the mystic's smirk out of his face. But he will listen to the news first... as if he didn't know it already.


"My Lord," started Blaise, prostrating himself on the floor, mindful of the crystal shards littering the area like crystallized rain. "The Heir has left Facinaturu, taking the Strategist and Arch-Princess Hermione with him."


"How fascinating," drawled Severus in a bored voice, not bothering to look at his black-robed General. "Tell me something that I am not already aware of, General."


If Blaise had not been so stunned, his jaw would have dropped to the floor in shock. "B-but your Majesty!! Aren't you going to send someone to bring them back!?


"Leave them. My Harry will return to me soon." Charm Lord inspected his nails carefully as he stood up, long black hair and intricate green and white robes rising and falling about him with a unseen wind. The whole effect is beautiful yet so menacing.


"What are we going to do about Draco?" asked the General, running out of ideas of what to possibly say to his Lord.


"Leave him." Needless to say, Charm Lord was getting irritated by Blaise's complaints.


"But--"


Without another word, Severus raised a hand calmly, but the expression in his eyes was ferocious. Blaise couldn't even make a sound as he was bodily lifted from the ground and slammed against the far left wall of the room. Charm Lord reversed his gesture to a fist with two fingers pointing to the right, which caused Blaise to hit the right wall, dragging his body through rose thorns and ragged crystals. Finally, Severus lifted both hands and formed a cross with the middle and index fingers of each hand, throwing Blaise to the ceiling and dropping him down to one knee on the Throne Room floor, dripping blue blood and untied dark blonde hair sticking to the blood flowing down his face and tinted with the shade of blue. This was the total opposite of his former unruffled appearance, but he prevented himself from collapsing, closing his crimson eyes against the pain. "My sincerest apologies, My Lord."


Charm Lord lowered his hands before disappearing out of sight, contempt just dripping from his tone as he addressed the injured mystic. "See to it that it doesn't happen again, Blaise. Do not question me again."


"Yes, Charm Lord."


"Harry is mine. Mine."


Blaise stayed there for almost an eternity before managing to get up again, heedless of the blue blood dripping slowly from his body and unto the rose petals on his path, dying them a royal blue.


~*~*~*~


Slowly letting out a breath, Harry's green eyes flickered over in Fleur's direction. "...... I understand how difficult it is, but you mustn't cry anymore."


The water mystic let go of her makeshift garrote as her former adversary's life force dissipated into shining pin-points of light. "I know that, Lord Harry. It's just that--it's just that that was the first time I had taken the life of anything."


"Mystics are creatures of charm and fascination, but they are also creatures meant to be on the battlefield. Eternal life gets boring and mastering the arts of combat and strategy only serves to ease off some of the boredom which comes with it. However," whispered Hermione tentatively, not wanting to upset Fleur any further. "Unlike most other forms of mystics and mysticism, those who live in lakes, river, and oceans never truly needed to know how to defend themselves. I don't even recall the last time I have heard of such a thing."


Green eyes fixed themselves on Hermione. "Is it a crime to do that for self-defense?"


Ron shook his head, burying his hands in the pockets of his green robes. "It is not a sin, simply uncommon. Water mystics are generally pacific mystics, but when they are threatened or when something important to them is in harm's way, they will stop at nothing to destroy the attacker."


Straight white hair fell around Fleur's face like an iridescent curtain, hiding her from sight. It was not as if she wanted to shed tears, especially before her future Lord, but at the moment, it was something that she could not help. "That is true. I am ashamed for it, but it had to be done. My family is still waiting for me and I can't die yet, not here!!"


A bright smile lit up Harry's face as he placed a steady hand on Fleur's shoulder. "Don't look down, Fleur. There is no reason for you to be ashamed and you did the right thing."


"Besides," chuckled Ron. "We weren't about to let you get killed after getting this far."


Hermione only smiled in agreement, but a sudden hiss sounded from the darkness, much like the rasp of sandpaper. Her blue eyes darkened considerably as she raised her hands in the beginning of a spell. "Harry, something is out there. Something which I really do not feel too well about."


"What do you mean, Hermione?" asked Ron, quickly wiping away what he can of the creature's blood from his gloves, which was not too much. The dark green liquid was seeping into the white fabric and spreading quickly.


Harry brought a gloved finger to his lips, motioning Ron to keep silent. The sound seemed to emanate from the damp walls and straight into the hearts of the four mystics. They had not heard of it before, but there was a sharp, painful keening in the tone. "........"


"My Lord?" Fleur hesitantly tugged on to the half-mystic's sleeve.


Turning towards Hermione and Ron, he placed a comforting hand on Fleur's. However, in the darkness of the basement, Harry's eyes became as hard and cold as ice. "Don't you find it strange that all the monsters we have fought so far were so easily beaten? The lord of this mansion couldn't have just been talking about those creatures when he warned us not to go here."


"So you're saying that those are just small fries compared to what else could possibly be here? Bloody hell, Harry!" The red-haired Strategist practically grabbed Hermione and put himself before the green-eyed Mystic Prince. "If whatever is down here hurts even a hair on your head, I'll kill them."


Fleur and Hermione exchanged glances. "What about us? We are the females of the group, Ron. Aren't you also going to protect us?"


Ron's cheeks were tinted blue as he glanced at everywhere except for Harry. "Uhm... of course!!"


There was nothing else Harry could do except raise his gloved hand in an attempt to cover the smirk on his face. "Enough of this." He quickly turned towards Fleur, holding on to her shoulders and making her face him completely. "Fleur, you are familiar with the creatures of the lake, aren't you?"


One couldn't even speak when Harry's involuntary spell of Fascination was cast, but when Fleur got full blast of the power within the young mystic, she could not do anything but obey whatever he wished. "Yes, My Lord."


While Charm Lord holds on to his mystics with rose branches riddled with thorns, slowly growing into their minds and ensnaring the victims completely, Harry's spell is woven of golden strands of silk. They could barely be seen, but stronger than chains and painless as moonlight. The victim do not even know that they are held captive, but those strings are capable of playing them like marionettes, moving not their minds, but their hearts. Unlike the rose branches, which can only be escaped through force, causing wounds and bloodshed, Harry's charm allows for freedom simply by surrender. Perhaps that was why he is still capable of emotions... and of love.


"Are there any predators of the lake that could possibly live on land or water? A large predator that is capable of driving creatures mad?"


"The Kraken," said Fleur without hesitation. Her eyes were half-closed, but clearly glazed over. "It is a large predatory creature, able to survive in land, but prefers water. It also prefers dark places, striking out with little mercy, piercing its victims with poisoned feelers before ending their lives... or controlling their minds. It used a low-class mystic which as been driven mad by bloodshed and greed. Only one who has ever seen it has survived, for the Kraken has a dangerous power of being able to control both water and electricity."


"Who was the one who had escaped?" asked Hermione.


"Me."


Harry waved a hand in front of Fleur's face and caught the water mystic as she fell against him, unconscious. "Thank you, Fleur. Rest for now." He handed the water mystic to Ron before glancing towards a shadowy door in the far corner of the room. Water covered the floor as it flowed from the bottom of the door, making the smallest sounds echo throughout the room.


Hermione's face lit up with a small smile that was visible even in the darkness of the room. "We will get you out of here Fleur. Despite all consequences we will get you out." The female mystic then lifted up her right hand towards the door, palm up and fingers apart.


burning light tears all defenses

guided by the white cross of light

fueled through the golden circle of the sun

heal and destroy all dark


What little light filtered through the basement gathered at the tips of her fingertips into a spectacular ball of white light. Hermione drew the light above her head to be cupped by both of her hands, rays illuminating her figure in an image of an angel rather than a mystic. Quickly bringing her hands down, her eyes narrowed as they reached the height of her shoulders and sent the ball violently against the door in a beam of light.


SunRay


No sooner had the light impacted the door that it splintered into shreds of wood and metal. Smoke rose from the remains as the light turned to fire, burning the pieces despite the water pooling on the ground. The harsh wailing sound from before increased in intensity, forcing the three conscious mystics to cover their ears helplessly. It was a voice that could wake the dead, yet the water mystic slept on, deep in the sleep spell of her prince.


The cries stopped as suddenly as it had begun, but the flow of water had become more swift. Harry, followed by Ron and Hermione, walked through the broken door cautiously, not knowing what to expect except for what Fleur had told them. It proved correct.


Beady yellow eyes pierced the darkness of the void which welcomed them beyond the broken door. The eyes belonged to an enormous sea-green octopus, three times the height of Ron, with numerous feelers that had a clear, green poison dripping from the ends of each. An inhuman screech resounded from the throat of the creature, as if damning the four who had dared to enter into its domain.


"Lord of All Mystics... Fleur was right," clarified Ron, his breath coming out in a whisper as he stared at the Kraken in front of him.


"Ron! This is not the time to be staring fixated at it!" Hermione quickly jumped to the side as a feeler embedded itself where she had been standing. Forming a cross with her hands, the mystic princess slashed downwards, leaving a rose-colored trail of magic which sharpened like a knife and severed the feeler off.


Harry drew Asura in one smooth stroke and stepped in front of Ron and the unconscious Fleur, deflecting two more feelers. Poison from said feelers dripped to the ground with a hissing sound, making the water boil like acid. "Ron, take care of Fleur. Hermione and I will take care of this right now." He jumped away and rushed the Kraken, reversing his hold on the crimson sword so that the point is pointing downward from how he held the hilt. Harry ran until he was about a foot from the monster and after a split-second, all anyone could see was a clear streak of blue, light reflecting from a sword, and the v-shaped splash of blood as he came out from behind. The Kraken gave a loud cry of rage as its blood escaped from its body in torrents.


NoMoment


"Harry!! Now!" shouted Hermione, a rose-colored energy sword in her hands. Harry acknowledged her and rushed the monster once more. A feeler grazed his cheek as he came close, drawing a little blood, just as another of the creature's appendages tore off a white rose from Hermione's crown. Not minding what just happened, the two approached the main body of the monster. The Arch-Princess reached it first and made a diagonal cut, cutting deeply into the monster's body and grazing one eye. As she leapt away, Harry arrived, making a second diagonal cut that was perpendicular to the one Hermione inflicted. This time, he had blinded the Kraken completely, Asura dripping crimson on the floor and on to Harry's glove.


Breathing hard, Hermione dodged to the side, pushing Harry and herself out of harm's way as the blinded Kraken swung its appendages wildly, enraged by its wounds and the pain.


"Do you think that did it?" asked Ron, but he still maintained a defensive stance in front of Fleur.


Green eyes were shaded by black hair as Harry shook in head. "Don't bet on it, Ron."


"Why?"


"Because here it comes again." Hermione also took a defensive stance in front of the Kraken, but another bolt of energy was being charged from her mystic aura, ready to be called should she need it. However, this time the creature was still and unmoving, in a moment of stasis which was contradictory to how it was before, thrashing around in pain and agony. There was something different about it this time, something even more dangerous.


Harry silently brought Asura up, sending two blue, circular blades of air pressure towards the Kraken. His pale lips drew a grim line as the Kraken didn't even seemed fazed by them.


SwallowSwing


Two feelers raised up to the air slowly and silently, to the point where not a single could could be heard in the room full of water, which reflected even Fleur's quiet breathing. It was when the appendages reached their pinnacle that the pandemonium started. Two columns of water slowly formed on both sides of the creature, in a gently circular pattern at first, but after a few seconds, the four mystics found themselves trapped between two violent waterspouts, each charged by electricity and with water whirling so fast that Ron and Hermione found themselves quickly trapped inside the swirling Maelstrom.


"Ron! Hermione!!" shouted Harry, but he was helpless as the second tornado of water bore on him. There was no room to run, but he rushed to Fleur and stood on front of her, shielding her body with his own. Am I really going to die this time? He waited for the cold water to hit him and imprison him along with Ron and Hermione, but he would be damned if the bloody Kraken got Fleur as well. Gritting his teeth, Harry felt the water bearing on to his figure and trying to draw him into its center, but all he could see was white.


~*~*~*~


"Are you happy here?


The water mystic placed both of her hands upon Harry's and rested her forehead upon them. "I know that I should be grateful because this human saved me... but I can't stand the stench of humans and I miss my family. There is nothing more that I can ask for except to go home!"


Red hair glinted blue-green as Ron stood near Hermione's chair, his green robes contrasting with the white of Hermione's dress. "Can we help you get out of here?"


"By my Lord is only a half-Mystic!"


"You're right. I am half-human and half-mystic. I now understand and accept that. Still, I can try to get you out," replied Harry, smiling.


Pride was evident in Hermione's voice as she addressed Fleur. "He has inherited the blood of Lord Severus."


Fleur suddenly became panicked as she leapt out of the pool of water. As her body left the dais, her tail split into legs and a white gauze dress covered her. The water mystic quickly prostrated herself before Harry, her hands shaking as she took hold of the crimson trails of the half-mystic's robes and brought it devoutly to her lips. "Lord of All Mystics, Severus! Oh please forgive my insolence! I had not known, my Prince!!"


"Why are you so afraid?" asked Harry, uncomfortable at how Fleur was acting. "I am not him."


"I would die if I could ever offend Charm Lord!" wailed the water mystic. She took off a necklace with four white-blue pearl-like stones and smaller pieces of coral separating them. "Please take this as a token of my utter servitude. I am yours to command as you wish."


Harry backed away in shock, but Fleur was insistent, so he took the necklace. He examined it for a few seconds, clearly unhappy that the half-mystic was acting this way, but he put it on. "........ Come on."


A few moments passed before Harry could open his eyes, amazed at the lack of pain. When the green eyes were visible to the world once again, the half-mystic found himself blinded by white light coming from the necklace that Fleur had given him. Each of the pearl-like stones emanated a pulsing burst of light, appearing to be communicating with the ring on Fleur's right hand. It took him a few more seconds to realize that he was dripping wet, yet completely unharmed. Bringing a hand to his face, he pushed back the strands of black hair that fell into his eyes. "What... happened?"


Blue eyes framed by silver hair smiled up at him as Fleur brought up her right hand, showing the blazing ring. "This is the MellowRing, blessed by the spirits of the lake. What I had given my prince is called the PearlHeart, a piece of the heart of the Ocean of Stars that has been scattered throughout all the regions. They both protect against every danger that water could possibly inflict."


Harry's lips turned up into a slight smile as he saw the light winking out of both necklace and ring. "Is that how you were able to escape the Kraken before?"


Fleur returned his smile with a brilliant smile of her own. "Yes, my prince."


Two tentacles suddenly shot past Harry, and he barely had the time to get both himself and Fleur out of the way before they were impaled. The Kraken was still alive and more furious than ever when it saw that its prey was still alive. It no longer minded the two unconscious mystics it held, and throwing them to the side wall, it began approaching the more dangerous of its adversaries, the ones still conscious even after the Maelstrom. They now know that even blinded, the Kraken can tell by the vibrations of the air and water of what is before it, living or dead.


Harry grew paler when he saw Hermione and Ron hitting the far wall with a cry torn from their throats at the pain. He would have rushed to their aid, but Fleur held on to his surcoat, a determined look on her face. Knowing that the half-mystic was going to question her about what she was doing, Fleur decided to answer first. "My prince, take care of the Kraken for now and I will take care of Lord Ron and Princess Hermione."


Jumping to the side, the half-mystic brought himself and the water mystic out of harm's way once again. "But you're still weak from that sleep spell."


Fleur smiled again before taking off her MellowRing, holding it before her until it floated between her palms. "I'm strong enough to do this."


"Take care." Those were the last words to come out of Harry's mouth before he brought Asura up, about to start his offensive, his body growing colder as he looked at the prone figure of his two friends. Green eyes narrowed in concentration as the half-mystic made his way to his enemy.


The MellowRing started pulsing with a silver-grey light as energy was drawn straight from Fleur's mystic aura. She couldn't help but flinch as she grew weaker and weaker at the draining, similar to as if she was losing blood. This was the reason why she rarely resorts to this spell, but one more look at the determined face of her enthralling Prince, the Mystic Heir, and she continued. Focusing on her targets and seeing that they were beyond the short range of her spell, the water mystic raised her ring above her head and charged the air between her and the two mystics.


Despite the calm showing on the outside, Harry's mind was a jumble of conflicting emotions. Even as he attacked the Kraken, furious at it for harming his friends, he was still hesitant with the issue of taking a life. He hadn't thought twice about destroying the cockatrice and the banshee from before, but he hated the rush of ruthlessness which spread through his heart after. It was too much like the predatory emotion present in the eyes of Charm Lord and Blaise as they looked at him. But looking around, he saw what set him apart from them. There was a reason for him to fight.


Obviously not pleased, the Kraken raised its appendages, starting to charge the air around it with electricity, about to attempt to create another Maelstrom. Although the spell no longer has an effect on the two remaining mystics, Harry knew that if he did not strike now, he may never have a chance again, for the static in the air was interrupting with the flow of energy from Fleur's spell. "Fleur! How much longer!"


"Just a few more moments, Lord Harry! Try to keep the Kraken from charging the air!!" shouted Fleur as sharp bolts of electricity began to surround the MellowRing, trying to block out the flow and slicing into Fleur's hands, drawing blue blood. "Please! Just a little more time!"


Having had enough and listening to Fleur's plea, Harry thought for a few seconds about what to do. It came to him almost like an epiphany. Quickly dipping Asura into the water surrounding them, Harry drew what little knowledge he had in transferring some of his mystic energy into the blade and the water coating it. He then raised it up out of the water and into the air, charging the particles surrounding the sentient sword and started running towards the monster, about to make an end of it once and for all.


Perhaps the Kraken had a special sense that came out when it was blinded, telling it that its end was near, for the flurry of attacks increased in intensity as Harry approached. As Death drew nearer, the Kraken gave one more burst of energy, forgetting about the half-mystic rushing it and throwing all of its appendages in a futile attempt to at least take down the water mystic which had escaped it before. This bad move left it defenseless to the damage that Harry's attack would inflict.


"Goodbye." Ducking under the outstretched arms of the Kraken, Harry drew the crimson sword in a similar way as he did with NoMoment, charging quickly as he drew near. But unlike the first attack that drew a clear streak of of blue, Asura cut straight through the Kraken, so efficiently that it was severed into two and the two halves immediately drew back together again to make a whole. However, at that split-second when the charged blade entered the creature's body, thin streams of water violently escaped from the fatal cut.


StillStream


As the water stopped flowing, so did the Kraken's life as it shriveled into a dry heap of sea salts, energy dissipating into the air in multi-colored flashes of light. Harry did not feel triumphant, but he felt relieved, pushing away the feeling of savage joy into the back of him mind at the death of the Kraken. Suddenly, he felt something land on his hair and shoulders, and there came a warm, soothing rainfall that was strangely inside. The half-mystic quickly cleaned Asura, sheathing the sword, before watching the crimson streaks of blood on his gloved hands and violet drops of blood from the cut on his face fade away like they had never been there. There was something about the rain which gave him a serene feeling of comfort, washing away the troubles that he had just experienced.


sacrifice to the lord of light

synthesis of life and water

surviving through the dark of night

saving ones who must not falter


LifeRain


"Harry, are you all right?" asked a male voice, cerulean eyes worriedly fixated on his half-mystic prince. "Are you hurt?"


"I am unhurt." A smile lit up the half-mystic's face at the sight of the Strategist, unharmed and dripping wet from the strange rain. He lifted up his right gloved hand and brought it to rest on Ron's left cheek, causing the other to close his eyes and bring up his left hand to keep the half-mystic near. Ron then drew Harry into a fierce hug, as if to convey how worried he had been. After being released by Ron, Hermione and Fleur had thrown themselves at the half-mystic, burying their faces into his shoulders to hide their anxious tears. Harry merely shook his head in wonderment and drew them closer to him, allowing his friends to calm down.


To the side of the room where they fought the Kraken was a door with sunlight filtering through. There were also blue-white reflections of moving water against the dark walls opposite the door. Harry smiled, a true smile.


"Is it finally over?"


"Yes..... you're free."


~*~*~*~


Fleur ran through the door and practically threw herself into the crystal-clear blue waters of Owmi Lake. She could barely contain her glee as she dove to the depths and resurfaced, much to the amusement of the three high mystics. Without warning, she drew herself out of the pool and latched on to all three of her saviors, eternally grateful to them for saving her. "Thank you... so much."


Unconsciously, Harry drew all three of them tighter to him, almost afraid that they would disappear the moment he let go. He shed not tears, but there was a gripping feeling in his heart which loathes the loss of a friend. But he knew it was better this way. Fleur has been gone from her family for so long, caged and trapped inside the marble prison of humans. I would be terrible of him to keep her because it is time for her to return. "Will you be all right from here on in?"


The water mystic simply nodded, not trusting her voice not to break on her.


"Don't cry, Fleur," whispered Hermione, who was smiling brightly at the mystic. "We'll see you again."


"Take care of yourself now." The Strategist gave the girl one last hug before releasing her, eyes strangely bright.


"Fleur."


Fleur looked up one more time to see her prince's fascinating green eyes upon her. She clutched on to his coat, not caring that some of the silver fastenings were digging into her hands, and breathed in his scent. Red roses, silver, ivory, darkness, and light: her lord's scent was a mixture of these, intoxicating, beautiful, deadly, and unforgettable. "You are my Lord."


Blinking, Harry allowed himself to stroke her hair, confused at what she was saying. "Fleur?"


Adoring blue eyes looked up at him, glistening in their adoration. "You are my Lord, not Charm Lord, but the one I follow out of love, not of blood. I would willingly follow the path you tread and follow you just as my Lord Strategist and Princess are. But now I must go home. I will find you again at the time of Midnight, when the hour turns all light to darkness and roses bloom with blood-tipped thorns." She raised up her head and brought Harry's down with her right hand. Silently, the water mystic kissed the Mystic Heir, chaste but firm, as she saw his eyes, melancholy but of the most beautiful green she could ever hope to see.


Whether Harry was conscious of it or not, Fleur's life now belonged to him. And she was happy.


"Thank you, Princess Hermione, Lord Ron. Goodbye, Lord Harry." Those were the last words the water mystic said before she dove into the water, disappearing from sight, with not even a ripple to signify that she was ever there.


"Harry," started the Arch-Princess and she and the green-robed Strategist leaned against the doorway. "It's time we also leave this place."


Harry raised a hand to acknowledge her, but before he could go back through the door, he looked back at the glistening pool behind him. The PearlHeart hidden amongst the folds of his robes began shimmering as brightly at the sunlit pool. The corners of his lips turned up slightly in the ghost of a smile. "Until we meet again, Fleur.


The three companions returned to the mansion in silence, but companionable silence, each comforted in the fact that Fleur was now safe and returned to her rightful home. However, Harry knew of another obstacle they had to face.


"Where is she?"


Three pairs of mystic eyes, blue, cerulean and green fixed themselves upon the Lord of the Manor. The human was almost frantic with worry when he didn't see his water mystic with her companions. Hermione and Ron looked away, but Harry met the man's gaze right on. "She's gone."


The lord's hands began shaking, his already light complexion turning even paler. "W-what do you mean by that?"


"She went back home and you will let us leave this place." The half-mystic started walking towards the front doors of the mansion, followed by Hermione and Ron, but the man stopped them. The human shook, but clung on to Harry's sleeves.


"..... I understand... I had no right to keep her here against her will if she did not want to stay," said the man, "but... are the three of you just like her?"


Hermione held on to Ron's arm, saying yes but not looking at the human before her. "Not exactly, but we are also mystics, if that is what you are asking of us. We had to do it, I'm sorry."


Blonde hair fell into the man's face, obscuring his features to the three mystics. "Then please, make the pain stop." A white-gloved hand passed over his face and before he knew anything else, he could not longer think, sinking deeply into unconsciousness. All he heard afterwards was the black-haired boy's voice. "Her name is Fleur."


Ron stepped forward, about to take the man's temples, but Harry stopped him. "Harry, what's the matter?"


"...... What are you about to do?" he asked.


"Erase his memory of her, take away whatever pain he's having right now."


"Don't."


Hermione looked at Harry when he said that word, wonder what had gotten into him. The human had wanted to make the pain stop after all. "But Harry, hadn't he said that--"


The half-mystic brought the man over to rest upon a couch, calmly gazing down at the now-quiet features of the human. All he could feel before was grief, but there had also been a great amount of love and hope when Harry gave him sleep. "He will hurt more if you take away his memories of Fleur. Mystics and humans couldn't possibly live together........"


"So then--"


"... if things stay the way they are. If he loves Fleur as much as I think he does despite their differences, then there is no doubt in my mind that he will be able to meet her again."


There was a bright smirk in Ron's face and he slung an arm around Harry and Hermione. "Bloody hell, Harry. I didn't know that you were that much of a romantic."


Hermione giggled, but Harry just smiled and shrugged his shoulders as they made their way out the door and into the warm sunlight. "I didn't know it myself, Ron. Perhaps I have some connections with human empathy still."


"All for the better then," assured Hermione.


"Yes," whispered Harry, more to himself as they all walked back to the port, his long black hair glinting dark jade in the warm sun.


~*~*~*~


"What took the lot of you so long!?" mock-growled a teal-haired, amber-eyed pilot as he took off a white bandanna from his hair and jumped from his airship. "Ravenclaw is waiting for takeoff anytime, so let's go!"


Chagrined mystics took one look at the hyper pilot, glanced at each other, and sighed. Terry was just too hyper at times, much like Seamus, only not wearing leather. Harry caught something that Terry said and glanced at him. "Terry, what's this 'Ravenclaw' that you're talking about?"


Pride was about to burst from every pore of Terry's body as he flirtatiously bowed over Harry's hand, holding it and kissing the back. "That is the name of my beautiful airship, your highness."


Ron and Hermione couldn't help but grin as they watched the two from inside the ship, but they couldn't help a tiny pang of jealousy at how the pilot was acting towards their prince.


Drawing his hand back from Terry's grasp, Harry could only wonder if the pilot was half-mad. "Are you insane?" He couldn't stop it from coming out of his mouth and was starting to regret he said it at all, but Terry just laughed.


"No, you highness."


Confusion ran rampant across the red-robed mystic's face. "I'm a guy, but you just kissed the back of my hand as if I'm a girl. I don't know whether I should hit you or not."


A wink answered him as Terry guided him aboard the airship. "Girl, guy, mystic, half-mystic, human, or amazing bouncing ferret, it doesn't matter as long as they're as pretty are you."


"P-pretty!?" gasped Harry, not knowing whether to be simply angry or ragingly furious. Asura even flashed red for a few seconds due to its wielder's burst of emotions. Then he found himself smiling at the images of the twice mentioned amazing bouncing ferret in his position.


Terry just smiled innocently. "Pretty."


"You are an incredibly strange human." Harry entered the airship and sat next to Hermione, allowing the girl to rest her rose-crowned head upon his shoulders before letting Ron ruffle his hair once more. "You're not going to be able to get my hair more messy than it already is, Ron."


The other just grinned widely, teeth white against his freckled face. "I can try." He held up a hand and a comb appeared in it a moment later. "Then let me fix it. Long hair's just right for you, even if it can be quite inconvenient." Ron took the midnight, emerald-kissed strands from the crimson ribbon and started fixing it as Hermione did before.


They did not speak for the longest time, just allowing themselves to rest from everything that had happened so far. Even when Terry had taken off, he dared not break the serene air surrounding the three as they drew strength from each other. They all seemed so different, but they would gladly die for the others. Such a strange bunch of mystics...


Finally, Terry had to speak up. He did not know where they needed to go. He hated to break the silence, but it was necessary. After all, he will let the three of them suck his blood later if they wanted for disturbing the atmosphere. "Your Lord and Ladyships, I believe that it is time that you told me where you want to go."


Hermione and Ron immediately stopped what they were doing and looked at Harry. "Well, Harry. Where are we off to?"


"..... I hate to do this... but I think it's only right," he said, rubbing the silver lightning bolt scar from his forehead as Ron tied his hair. "I want to go to the human realm."


"Good choice, but there is one problem," started Terry, an amiable smile on his face.


The Strategist finished tying off the crimson ribbon and fixed his cerulean gaze on the pilot. "And what is that?"


"Which one?"


Harry stood up, startled at what Terry said. "What do you mean which one? Isn't Surrey around here somewhere?"


"Surrey?" asked Hermione, wondering what could her prince possibly be talking about.


Terry set the course on autopilot for a moment as he turned around, straddling his seat so that he was facing his three passengers. "Surrey? That doesn't sound familiar. Perhaps you're talking about a city within a region." He took out what looked like a sunburst, galaxy-cut white diamond from a compartment next to his controls and got up to move back with the three mystics. He stood up in front of them and took out a strange necklace from his shirt. The necklace seemed to be made up of blue-green and amber crystal beads with a large pendant in the center depicting a crescent moon within another crescent. He set the diamond on top of the necklace and made the diamond spin. Momentarily, a map appeared on top of the spinning diamond, consisting of triangles to separate regions and small pictures of what the regions consist of.


"Right now, we are here." Terry pointed to a blue triangle with his finger and the triangle expanded to show a sphere of blue, like a small planet surrounded by water. "Facinaturu is over here." He pointed to another triangle, this time dark rose in color, which expanded to show a dark sphere with red and white bursts of light radiating from the center. "There are many regions we could go to, but it will take an extremely long time for us to go to all of them. There is Manhattan, Kyo, Luminous, Shrike, the Magic Kingdom, Koorong, Devin, Shingrow, Yorkland, Nelson, Wakatu, Junk, Scrap, and many other regions."


"If that is the case, then we are in trouble." Ron wrapped both arms around Harry's waist and rested his chin upon the half-mystic's shoulder. Hermione rested a hand on top of Harry's right arm and entwined their fingers in a comforting gesture.


Moments passed until the ever-intelligent Hermione pointed something out. "Harry, why don't you give a description of your region? This Surrey you speak of and what people you know from over there do for a living."


Harry kissed Hermione on the forehead, grateful that she had thought about it... as always. "Well, all of the houses are the same and there is very little of what people consider "magic." In fact, the people barely speak of it at all. All of the houses look the same and there are stoplights, roads, parks, grass, industries..."


At that last word, Terry perked up. "Industries?"


Taken aback by the sudden life of the airship pilot, the jade-eyed half-mystic took a second to collect himself before answering. "Yes, my Uncle Vernon works in the drill industry."


Ron lifted his head up and looked down at his mystic prince. A sudden grin came to his face as he exchanged glances with an equally smiling Terry. "I think we know just exactly where you want to go, Harry."


"What do you mean?"


"There is only one region in the human realm which has the industry and the parks and stoplights that you talk about, and that region is Shrike. It is the part of the human realm apart from all magic." Ron suddenly stopped and glanced at Harry, realizing something he hadn't known before. "By the way Harry, why did you say stoplights as one of your first descriptions of that mortal region?"


Hermione looked just as intrigued as Ron and Terry, drawing her gaze to Harry's.


Black hair covered Harry's face as he lowered his head, looking down to his gloved hands. He was struck by how he was actually dressed now. How would Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia react when he looks more like a "freak" than before, magic included? Perhaps this was a bad idea, but he still felt it in himself to tell them where he has been... not that they would care. "Stoplights. It was just because that was where all of this started. Charm Lord ran me over at an empty crossroads with his speeding carriage as I was out on an errand."


Standing up, Ron looked out of the window as Terry pointed to a brown triangle and expanded it to show four smaller globes, a particular one showing something similar to a flashing disco ball encased in a thin veil of shadow. "That's strange. I could have sworn that Lord Severus only hunts for Zero Princess at the darkest hours of the night."


"And that's probably why he never found her." Hermione couldn't help but interject.


"Aunt Petunia sent me out at night," answered the half-mystic, disheartened at remembering the event of his mortal death.


Slim fingers rested on Harry's chin as Terry tilted his head upwards, assessing how the half-mystic looked. The teal-haired pilot turned his head this way and that, yellow eyes thoughtful and searching. Finally, he stopped and let go, shrugging his shoulders. "So that means that you are missing... for at least a week, correct?"


"Yes." Harry was so fixated on the map that he didn't notice Ron and Hermione glance at each other worriedly behind him.


"Strange... I've been in that region for the last month or so, but nobody has reported anyone missing at all. My friend Colin and his brother Dennis would have told me."


"Really?"


The Strategist and Arch-Princess suddenly no longer liked the way this conversation was turning out at all. There are certain things which they would rather not have their Mystic Heir find out so quickly, if ever. They decided to take control of the conversation again. "Seriously though, Harry. What kind of guardian would let their charges out so late in the night?"


Harry simply shrugged. "The Dursleys, Ron. The people I had to live with. Come to think of it, I'm not too surprised that they hadn't reported that I am missing. They pretty much think of me as a bother and are probably ecstatic to have me out of their hands. What fascinates me now is this map of yours, Terry. What is it?"


Strategist and Arch-Princess both gave sighs of relief at the end of that turn of the conversation. Hermione took another look at the spinning diamond as it began to slow down and gave a tiny frown when she looked at the details of Terry's necklace. "Terry, you are from the Magic Kingdom."


Taken aback by the sudden change of Hermione's attitude, Terry soon caught his mistake and smiled. "No."


"Don't lie to me, Terry. I know a RegionMap and a Gate spell when I see one." Hermione crossed her arms over her chest and waited for his answer.


The sea-haired pilot just gave a burst of laughter, pocketing the RegionMap and placing the necklace back under his shirt. "I wasn't lying, Princess. I was from the Magic Kingdom, but not any longer. I couldn't stand the training even if I mastered the spells of Realm Magic. I had just forgotten that Realm Magic is the opposite house of Mystic Magic, so I understand your sudden suspicion."


"No, I'm sorry," started Hermione, shaking her head. "You haven't given me a reason to dislike you, so I have no reason to be suspicious."


"Well, now that that's solved, let's all get along." Ron's grin was catching and the four people inside the plane soon found themselves laughing over nothing.


"Hear, hear." Terry then started walking back to pilot the plane, setting a course for Shrike. "Well, my Lord Harry, a RegionMap is a tool created by the house of Realm Magic to show all of the regions that you have been to. Combined with the Gate spell, a magician is able to cast a spell to take them to a region that they have been to before in a heartbeat, a little like mystic teleportation. Both require having to have been in the place one is going to. However, while mystics such as yourselves can teleport anywhere by picturing the place in your minds and could go to a specific place, magicians must have the RegionMap and can only appear at an entrance point of the region that is unhindered by barriers and shield charms."


"Is that why you fly this airship? You could be a magician after all!"


Terry grinned. "True, but I lack one of the qualifications of being a magician: the patience for it. All I want to do is complete this RegionMap by going where very few mortals have gone before."


"That's fascinating." Harry smiled, listening to Terry, but his gaze suddenly landed on Hermione and Ron. "But if that is so, why can't the two of you leave Chateau Aiguille?"


Ron shrugged and he threw an arm around Hermione's shoulders. "I can. Lord Severus allows for the Princes to go out of the palace so that they would be able to run errands and messages such as what Draco and I do, we are free from the veil of the region. However, Charm Lord gives that luxury to only a small handful of the Arch-Princesses, for he is more possessive of them because of what had happened to Zero Princess. If a Princess must escape the region without leave, they must do it as the three of us had."


"Will I ever be able to learn that?" asked Harry.


Hermione smiled and patted his arm. "With time."


~*~*~*~


"Blaise." Severus' crimson eyes blazed with unseen passion as he gazed upon the smiling figure of his Heir. All of this was just taking too long. Precautions must be made to bring him back.


The General appeared in the Throne Room, completely healed, but shamed to the point that he was unable to look his Lord in the eyes. He could still remember the flow of blood as each drop colored even the darkest crimson petal darker than night. It was not something he wanted to experience again. "What is your bidding, my Lord?"


Charm Lord brought his fingers to his lips, eyes half-closed in disinterest at the dishonored black-and-silver-robed mystic before him. Nonetheless, desperation has proven quite fruitful before. Besides, the disobedient Black Wing has somewhat disappeared, the Black Knight is not quite as his best, almost mad at the monotony of eternal life, the Strategist is with his emerald-eyed Heir, the Guardian has betrayed him, and the Illusionist is not the most reliable of the Mystic Princes. "Bring my Harry back. Use any means necessary."


With that, he evanesced into thin air, withdrawing to Harry's former chambers to surround himself with the memory of the second who had escaped him. "You still belong to me, Harry. Nothing can take you away. Even if I have to destroy regions, stop time, and turn the worlds upside-down, I will find you." Severus glided towards the bed, running a hand through the smooth rose-colored silk covers and picked up a rose from the vase near the pillow. Looking at it momentarily, he smiled almost gently before throwing the flower point-first into the mirror, cracking the once-flawless glass into a million pieces.


Back in the Throne Room, Blaise stood up, blankly looking at the empty throne of his Lord before turning around and holding up an empty hand. A silver and black scythe decorated with crimson corundums immediately appeared at his summoning. Without a word, he took the scythe and made the symbol of an inverted pentagram on the mosaic floor, cutting deeply. The symbol glinted red, blue, green, and white before turning dark again. "Rise."


Three shadowy figures rose from the inverted pentagram, each facing their summoner.


Blaise retracted his scythe, looking at each of his shadows. "Go and find Lord Harry. Use any means necessary."


Three shadows nodded understanding before leaving, each headed in a different direction as the others.


Crimson eyes turned back to the throne, face unreadable, but Blaise was actually in turmoil. The very edges of his lips turned up and a white fang pressed against his bottom lip, drawing a drop of sapphire blood into a feral smile.


Perhaps for now... but in the end, he will completely belong to me.



~*~*~*~

to be continued...

~*~*~*~



Disclaimers:



Notes:


~It's strange... it makes me wonder if it's even worth it for you guys to wait so long so patiently for me to update and be given poor quality chapters like this. Please tell me, is it worth it? *smiles* That is, if anyone is still reading this.


~Everyone's getting possessive, aren't they? Trust me, it's just going to get worse... or is it better? I don't know, it's up to your guys' viewpoint of this whole thing.


~I like Blaise. I honestly do. But there is no one else I can use who can portray the image of Ciato so well... (I would use Draco, but... he already has a better part in the whole) and to be honest, I had great fun making Snape smack him around like a beach ball... did anyone else? *evil, mad cackling emanates from the background*


~Harry clearly is getting more powerful as he learns attacks and spells, and please note that most, if not all of the spells and techniques are actually from SaGa Frontier. However, the incantations are not from the game... those cheesy lines are made up. Also, if some people (who are as familiar to Asellus' quest as I am... though I must say that's extremely, extremely rare) have noticed, not everything is in chronological order in accordance to the events that happened in the game. Also, I have added some extra scenes that were never shown, so please excuse them. I hope that doesn't bother anyone.


~*hides her laughter with a cough* Ahem... pretty Harry.... *coughs some more*


~Please don't mind the names of the regions right now. All will be explained in due time. **In other words, when I do that glorious thing called "updating."**


~For those who were wondering if this series was near its ending, I have one thing to say: I have an extremely, and I mean EXTREMELY long way to go. Once again, if you are familiar with Asellus' quest, you know how far I am into the story. But trust me, even if you have played the quest, it is not going to end there.