Dark Fascination


by Asurahime



~*~*~*~

Chapter Ten

~*~*~*~



I once dreamt of a bridge where light and shadow twined about each other like sunlight upon water. The reflection broke like a rainbow prism, chasing away the shadows to reveal the morning sun as it shone upon me. I felt so warm and so alive as sparkling drops of rain fell from a perfectly azure sky.


A dark-haired man with eyes the color of the sky held my hand as he tucked a white flower in my hand and behind his right ear. His eyes only grew brighter as stepped across the bridge. A lady with eyes as emerald as my own smiled upon me as she held me close to her, singing softly as if the song was only meant for me.


The two of them loved me, I know they did. I could tell it by the feel of their hands, their voices as they whispered softly into my ear, and the way the three of us crossed the bridge as a family. A family? How long as it been since I belonged to something like this? Never? Forever? I love this feeling, so free and untainted by roses, shadows, and moonlight. I loved the two as much as they loved me.


Until I woke up and realized that it was all just a dream.


The rain which hid my tears, cleansed my pain, and blew the flames of hate away turned the world into colors of white, black and grey. My happy memories were slashed and dispersed into the night, fading so fast that I could only watch helplessly. All my tears started to overflow as the rain came pouring down like stinging needles falling from the sky. Why are we born into this life? Why do we die into the night? Only the rain appears to know as I regain memories of those I love when we met in the dark.


Light turned to dark as the man and lady faded away into the shadows. I am alone on the bridge of the present, stuck in limbo between the past and the unknown future. But now there is a small smile on my face as I took a step forward, away from the past. Although I do not look back, I know that two figures follow me as a white amaranth shines through the darkness.


Smoldering in the midst of time with an instant's kiss.


~*~*~*~


Red-white flames and ashen mists rose from the heart of the Sanctuary of Kurenai, illuminating the dark figure who stood, unfazed by the intensity of the fire. The crystal flowers along the walls could not have compared to the sharp gaze that the Black Wing gave his surroundings. Cold mercury eyes reflected the flames which both sustained and bound Kurenai, hiding the turmoil that would have been present in their icy depths. Draco merely approached the narrow ledge where a certain half-mystic had stood some time before, uncaring that the frozen wind coming from Kurenai's lair was tossing his platinum hair from its former unruffled state.


"For what occasion do you visit my Sanctuary, Prince of Darkness?" asked a voice as sharp as steel and as smooth as silk from the recesses of the cavern. It held sincerity and a great deal of obvious amusement.


"If you already know, Lord Kurenai, then why do even have to ask such a question?" Quicksilver eyes peered at the cold, silver mists emitting from the cavern. However, Draco was unable to keep the condescending smirk from his face. "You always did like playing mind games, didn't you."


A figure rose from the flames wearing flowing iridescent white robes that were trimmed with red, gold and the occasional violet, and a golden circlet with a ruby stone set exactly on the center. Stepping on the ledge over the trench, the new mystic stood in front of Draco with his robes, long white hair, and beard flowing about him with a familiar unseen wind. The mystic did not look young, nor did he look old as piercing, electric blue eyes twinkled merrily in the brightness of the Sanctuary. A second, smaller being rose from the flames immediately after, revealing itself to be a red-gold Phoenix with eyes as blue as the mystic's. The magical beast perched on Draco's shoulder, bright feathers contrasting against the raven wings of Charm Lord's Messenger.


Kurenai chuckled at the pained look on Draco's face and did nothing to deter the situation. "Oh, I see that Fawkes has taken a shine to you."


Draco gave Kurenai a disbelieving stare as the phoenix crooned his approval, nipping at the already messy platinum strands near him. The Black Wing could do nothing but glare at the Eternal Flame, who was barely trying to hide his laughter behind a hand. "Lord of All Mystics, it's times like these which makes me wonder how could you have possibly lost to Lord Severus."


Kind laughter answered him as Kurenai held out a pale hand towards Fawkes, who quickly flew back to his master. "I lost to Severus? My dear boy, I am still before you, aren't I? I am not dead but of flesh and blood. My flames still flicker, using up the same air as you do. I cannot lose until I am dead, dear child."


"Why did you tell that half-mystic how to escape from Facinaturu? Why are you conspiring with Blaise then?"


"Conspiring, Lord Draco? How could it be conspiring when all Lord Harry wanted to do was leave the castle? Isn't this better than to have him be trapped inside this darkness for all time like all the other Princesses?" The Eternal Flame chuckled, stroking Fawkes' brilliant feathers but keeping his smiling blue eyes on the platinum-haired mystic before him. "Or perhaps it is for some other reason that you didn't want the Prince of Mystics to leave?"


Quicksilver eyes narrowed at the white-robed mystic. "What are you talking about?"


"Despite that Severus has taken the title of Charm Lord, I am still able to view everything that happens within the borders of this region. My boy, I had not seen you putting up too much of a fight when Lord Harry was leaving," smiled Kurenai. "In fact, you actually dove in after him to save him rather than just simply doing the obvious of teleporting in front of him and grabbing him. You had given the half-mystic every opportunity to escape... and allowed him to take it."


Draco was silent, unable to answer the mystic momentarily. "Harry is mine. I told him that and even if it means going against Charm Lord's wishes, I am going to keep what is mine out of Snape's grasp."


"You are starting to sound quite a bit like Seamus, Draco," drawled Cedric as he approached. He smiled, not without a touch of insanity, to Kurenai. "Hello Dumbledore. Have you finally decided to join us in the coup against Lord Severus? After all, I am quite fascinated with him. I will be even more fascinated when Lord Harry takes his place as My Lord."


Kurenai shook his head with a smile. "I am surprised and quite pleased that you still remember my old name, young Cedric. But I must decline your offer. I'm old and wish to just remain as the Eternal Flame of Facinaturu. I have already turned the reins of this land over to you young mystics."


The Prince of Darkness scowled in disgust. "You're not old. Mystics don't age and you just choose to appear like that."


The twinkle in Kurenai's eye grew brighter as he started to step back into the flames. "Perhaps, but I do look much wiser and experienced like this, is that not right, Fawkes?" The phoenix just gave a trill in reply as he nibbled at Kurenai's beard before the two disappeared into the cold fire, dark shadows and silver mists of the Sanctuary.


Draco drew his sword in a flash and had the point against Cedric's throat, not quite close enough to draw blood, but close enough that not even a hair could pass through. The greenish crystals and white flames intensified at the gesture, reacting against the violence the Black Wing was showing the Black Knight. "What do you want, Cedric? I have no patience to spare on you."


Crimson eyes bore into grey, as feral as those of an injured wildcat. Cedric moved himself away from the blade, drawing a set of sharp knives from within his robes. Without any time to spare he threw them directly at Draco, each cutting the air around them fluidly. Before the knives could embed themselves on the winged mystic, a shield of crystal and fire sprung up from the ground in front of Draco.


Cedric's smile did not change, but the look in his eyes became even darker as he turned his back on Draco and walked to the outside of the Sanctuary. "The Sanctuary of Kurenai forbids violence within it. I had forgotten."


Even more furious than before, Draco pulled the knives from the ground before him, stepping out to meet the eccentric, saffron-robed mystic. He threw the knives in return and found himself smirking as the blades cut into Cedric's face. What disgusted Draco was that Cedric didn't even give any indication that he was hurt. "You are a monster, Cedric."


"I know." A happy smile.


"Why in the hell are you doing this!?" shouted Draco, rushing Cedric and swinging his sword rapidly at an upwards diagonal slash.


Cedric blocked the blade with his MysticSword, a blade created from mystic energy, just as Draco's weapon was about to cut his side. He held on the sword and smiled at his opponent, eyes hard as he bared sharp fangs. "Lord Harry is the one who will change this region from the Hell that it is right now. I want that power..."


Draco snarled as he slid his sword away from the lock. He quickly gave a low cutting arc with his sword, scoring the Black Knight's left thigh and drawing dark blue blood. "You can get that power on your own, you're strong enough."


Quicker than the eye can follow, Cedric stepped in the blade of his adversary's weapon and thrust his own through Draco's right shoulder, cutting off several raven-black feathers and wringing a muffled cry of pain from the other. "You didn't let me finish, my friend. I want that power, but I want Lord Harry more than I want that power. I want to own him, his mind, his body, his heart, and his self. I have waited for so long for this moment and mystics, even Charm Lord and you, think that I have gone insane. Perhaps I have, but that's not going to stop me from getting what is mine."


"Go to hell, Cedric!!" Draco pulled his sword free from the ground, slashing viciously upwards and laying a deep cut across the other's chest. The Black Wing quickly disengaged after the attack and scored another long streak of blood at the right side of Cedric's face, barely missing his eye.


The Black Knight just smiled even though he is obviously hurt. He raised at gloved hand to the wound on his face, wiping away some of the blue drops of blood with his glove, staining the white material. "You forget, Draco. We're already in Hell." His beautiful face suddenly twisted in fury and he lunged forward, striking the ground before him and using the flat of the MysticSword to throw dirt into Draco's face. "I will not be satisfied until Lord Harry either returns or I am dead."


Raven-black wings fended off most of the dirt, but the sudden drop in his guard cost Draco, earning him a shallow cut on his left leg that he had just barely managed to dodge. Cedric had smiled as Draco felt a sharp pain lancing through his right hand. Looking down, he saw that a blade-tipped black rose had impaled through his hand. The Black Wing slightly gritted his teeth as he broke the rose in half, pulling off the stem and crushing the black petals in his bleeding hand, staining the ground black and blue with petals and blood. "I hate those flowers."


"To think that the Prince of Darkness is worried about such trivial things." Cedric smiled congenially. "The only one I answer to now is My Lord. Everyone else's comfort is secondary."


Switching his blade from his right hand to his left, the platinum-haired mystic launched himself, beating Cedric's sword slightly to the side and following the opening caused by the descend of his own sword along the length of that of the other mystic's. Bypassing his best friend's guard completely, Draco planted his heel down on the ground, drew back a glowing right fist and slammed it right in the center of Cedric's chest, sending him flying backwards.


"I have no intention of killing you, Cedric." The black-pinioned mystic raised the bleeding hand again and narrowed his eyes in concentration. A sparkling ball of energy formed in the center of his palm, spinning quickly and glowing white before separating into ten individual sparks of light. Raising his hand up, Draco sent the sparks straight to Cedric, each hitting an inch away from his body.


"That doesn't really seem to be the case from my standpoint, my friend," mocked Cedric, his light green hair quickly getting stained darker by the shallow cut on the edge of his scalp. "It definitely looks as if we are trying to kill each other. And over somebody, no less."


"Shut up, I'm not your friend. Just tell me what in the hell you want so that you could leave me alone." The grey-eyed man was reaching his patience's end.


Getting up and dusting himself off, the man in orange Victorian robes released his concentration and let the MysticSword disappear. "I thought that I had made myself explicitly clear, Draco. I want Lord Harry. I want to serve the one who will reset the eternal clock of Facinaturu."


"If you did not know, let me tell you now. I already marked Harry. He is my prey and my prey alone," hissed Draco as he sheathed his own sword.


Shrugging but keeping that slightly condescending smile on his face, Cedric took out a bladeless rose, similar to the one he had given Harry, from the confines of his robes. He softly brought it to his lips before tucking it into the breast-pocket of his robes. "We will see what will happen, won't we? For now, I ask you to keep an eye on My Lord."


Draco suddenly stilled and gazed at his companion with eyes narrowed in suspicion. Their wounds may be quickly healing, but that doesn't mean that the mental stability of Cedric is also being repaired. "What are you asking of me? To find him?"


"I am supposed to be the one who is suffering mentally here, Draco. Of course I want you to find My Lord," replied Charm Lord Severus' Knight, crimson eyes glinting like frozen fire in the dusky crystal-light. "I would do it myself, but circumstances prevent me from doing so."


"Circumstances?"


Cedric looked at him at the corner of his eye before starting to disappear. "You don't actually think that Charm Lord is going to be quiet for long, do you? He has already lost Zero Princess and losing his Heir will not sweeten is countenance any."


"He will know something, Cedric." Draco scowled, not liking the way things are turning out. "You are not in your best now that you appear to be losing your mind."


"Yes, but think about how things would be if I don't stay," he replied with a dark smirk. "Besides, I still owe Blaise one and I have been waiting for decades to string him up from one of the pillars."


The Black Wing's lips twisted into a smirk before Cedric could completely disappear. "As much as we fight, I think we understand each other better than anyone else. Whatever you do with Blaise is in your control, but let me just say now that it would be incredibly foolish of you to underestimate him. The General may be a malicious excuse for a mystic, but he is far from a pushover."


Cedric was gone, but as Draco took to the skies, he heard Cedric's voice again. "That is why you're my best friend. Lord of All Mystics knows why, but you are. Just find Lord Harry and protect him for now. I will hold Blaise off for as long as I can."


~*~*~*~


The Ravenclaw tore through puffy mounds of white clouds as the airship burst through the region. White birds dove to evade the descending craft and took refuge in the trees. The airship slowly landed in a patch of grass surrounded by flowers and sheltered by sturdy oak trees. Four figures walked out carefully, different colored eyes narrowing against the brilliant glare of the sun.


"So this is Surrey?" asked Ron, leaning against a tree. "I must say that I'm surprised at what humans are actually capable of when they put their minds to it." He held up a hand and rested it against the trunk.


Terry smiled sadly before shaking his head. He faced Harry and grasped him by the shoulders. "Lord Harry, I have to stay here to guard the Ravenclaw and prevent humans here from seeing it. You probably know better than I do how closed-minded people here are, and seeing something like the Ravenclaw is bound to bring about unwanted attention. However, I will be waiting for you here until everything is over."


Harry nodded solemnly, he had grown used to Terry and was actually glad to not have to split with the pilot so soon. Looking up, he noticed the fateful crossroads in the distance. Although the half-mystic had absolutely no intention of staying here, he still felt partly guilty for not telling the Dursleys where he has been. They may not care, but he still felt responsible. "We'll be back soon, Terry. I know where to go from here. I just have to tell the Dursleys that I am alive and leaving."


"Ron and I are coming with you, Harry." The Arch-Princess linked her arm with Harry's just as the Strategist threw his arm around the smaller boy's shoulders in such a way that suggested something deeper than friendship. "We are going to need to go invisible here to prevent any necessary uproar though. Will you do the honors, Ron?" asked Hermione, understand quite well how Ron liked to show off his ability of Rune Magic.


A wide smirk broke over the Strategist's face as he pulled a grey-colored stone from his robes. "For the two of you, anything." Holding the stone in his right hand, Ron made one quick vertical and upward-branching strokes with his left hand in the air before him. A rune symbol similar to a pitchfork glowed electric blue before him. He quickly grabbed Harry and Hermione to him and closed his eyes, the symbol reflecting momentarily on their foreheads before the three of them completely disappeared.


The teal-haired pilot smiled as his three passengers disappeared. He gripped the pendant on his neck as he leaned back on Ravenclaw to wait. "The Hide Rune. A brilliant move if I do say so myself."


The three invisible mystics made their way through the city, lead by Harry. With Ron's warning, they were all careful not to accidentally bump into anything or anyone, lest the Hide Rune's spell dissipate and they are found. Ron was always between Harry and Hermione, clutching on tightly to his prince's hand and the Arch-Princess' waist to keep up the spell's appearance. They navigated through the roads, but the two mystics did not notice Harry's eyes getting darker and darker as they retraced the steps which led the half-mystic into their world.


The three stopped in an ordinary house with an ordinary roof and an ordinary fence in the ordinary street called "Privet Drive". But nothing was ordinary about the three mystics as they suddenly appeared in the driveway of the house.


"This place doesn't seem so bad, mate." The Strategist crossed his arms over his chest and shifted his weight on his right foot as he examined the abode with fascination. "I haven't seen something like this in a bloody long time!"


Harry's eyes remained focused on the door, as if dreading what he was about to do. "I wish I didn't have to see something like this ever again..."


Blue eyes looked up at him with confusion. She thought that he wanted to go home, but her prince looked as if he has just been given a cup of poison to drink. "Harry....?"


The half-mystic turned to her, smoothing out the disconcerted look on his face before smiling forcedly. He wanted to erase the worried looks present in Hermione and Ron's faces, but nothing could have prepared him to face the Dursleys again. The very thought of seeing and hearing their revilement of him made his heart plunge to the bottom of his stomach in remembrance. "I'm all right. Besides, there is nothing that could have prepared me for this."


Raising a white-gloved hand to the door, Harry gave three sharp knocks before stepping back, hardening his heart from what was about to take place.


"DON'T YOU BLOODY SALESPEOPLE EVER LEAVE?! WE DON'T WANT TO BUY A BLOODY THING FROM YOU! GET A REAL JO—!!" An enormous yet unfamiliar middle-aged man opened the door, his large frame having trouble fitting through the doorway as he brandished a poker at the three mystics. His dark brown eyes fell into his small, beady pale blue eyes, which widened when he saw who was at the door. His skin grew sickly pale as he took a step back, followed by another.


Harry blinked, surprised that he had not recognized the man at the door. Did I go to the wrong house? He glanced around but did not recognize any of the other homes around him. The Arch-Princess and the Strategist merely exchanged glances worriedly, keeping their eyes firmly away from their prince.


"I'm sorry to bother you sir, I must have gotten the wrong house--" apologized Harry as he started to turn away, confused as to what had happened.


"Potter—you're Potter, aren't you!?" whimpered the whale of a man, poker falling to the ground as he fell on his behind, causing the door to shake from its hinges at the quake. He kept on crawling back, the cold sweat of fear trickling down the sides of his face. "ANSWER ME!! You freaks are of *that* sort, aren't you!?"


The emerald-eyed boy whipped around at the sound of his surname, confusion creeping into his face at how the stranger could have known. "How do you know of my name?"


A blood-curling scream tore through the air, causing Ron and Hermione to pull Harry into their embrace to keep him from harm. However, the man did not cease his cries as he stared at Harry in total fear. "You're a liar!! You're one of those people sent to torture me!"


Harry tried to break free of Ron and Hermione, but their hold on him was unbreakable, their eyes averted from his confused gaze. The half-mystic turned to face the catatonic human, confused to why he was acting in such a way. "Who ARE you?"


Before the man could slam the door in the three mystic's faces, one more cry erupted from his throat.


"YOU CAN'T BE HIM, BECAUSE HARRY POTTER HAS BEEN DEAD FOR TWELVE YEARS!"


Harry's eyes grew blank as the words echoed through his mind. He could not have understood them any less if they had been said in a different language. All the half-mystic prince felt was a cold sensation sweeping through his body as Asura pulsated a dull red-grey light, mirroring the shock and consternation that was slowly building up inside its master.


Finally releasing their prince, Hermione and Ron looked away. They only looked up again went a sound, similar to dry laughter emanated from the throat of their leader. However, they flinched at the raspy quality of it, coming out in a sound that was obviously pained and forced.


"Why didn't you tell me?"


~*~

"We're going to Rootville to get your clothes. The order was placed on them long ago."

"Are you in such a hurry to leave then? Even if you follow Zero Princess' footsteps, know that you will still remember every bit of your experience here. That is the curse of mysticism--one never forgets, for time means nothing and neither does death."

"A rose would not do justice to the one who could reset the clock of Facinaturu. As you can see, time means nothing here and nothing ever changes."

"So that means that you are missing... for at least a week, correct? ... 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."

~*~


Auburn hair shielded Hermione's sapphire-blue eyes from sight. "Time means nothing in Facinaturu. There is a heavy veil which keep mystics from keeping track of the time; thus is another way Charm Lord asserts his dominance. The mystic Time Lord was imprisoned because of this very reason. We didn't want to shock you."


"Twelve years have passed... and I didn't even realize it." The half-mystic's eyes became glassy and unseeing as he faced the door, unblinking. "That must have been Dudley. No wonder he looked as if he saw a ghost—because he really did. He has grown older... and I am no longer human."


"Harry, you have to understand--" started Ron, reaching out for the half-mystic only to have his hand slapped away.


"Leave me alone!!" shouted Harry, his lightning scar and his hair crackling with mystic energy as his clothes swirled about him with an unseen wind. Asura just about burst into white flames at its wielder's anxiety.


"Harry!!" Twin screams were torn from Hermione and Ron's throats as they saw their companion break for the first time.


Quickly pinning the half-mystic to a nearby tree, Ron ignored the lashing of his friend's uncontrolled release of power as he held Harry's wrists above his head in an attempt to subdue him. The ground before them cracked with the force of raw power Harry unleashed. Concrete and asphalt sprayed the side of the Dursley's house as well as decimated anything within a ten-foot radius of Harry that was not mystic. Hermione immediately brought up her hands to cast spells to hide their presence from mortals who may be watching, quickly repairing the damage that could be repaired.


A cold gaze from the half-mystic froze Ron in his tracks, static slashing at clothes. "Will you bloody calm down before I do something drastic, Harry!?"


The answer he got was to be lashed by the air barrier surrounding the half-mystic.


"Didn't I tell you to leave me alo--!!"


Ron had just about given up before he took a small vial from his pocket, uncorked it, sipped the contents and crushed his mouth against that of his prince's. He forced open Harry's lips and allowed the potion to enter into the half-mystic's mouth, flowing down his throat. To the Strategist's misfortune, Harry had slightly bitten his lip to prevent the forceful invasion, but the flame-haired mystic endured, firmly keeping his friend still as the anger faded.


It had taken much longer than the Strategist first thought until the half-mystic calmed down. Ron could just feel blood slowly trickling down the side of his face from the cut on his forehead as well as a shot of pain from where pressure was being applied to the wound on his lip. Before long, he felt the young man sag into his arms, black hair falling about the pale face like a curtain.


Green eyes looked up at Ron, finally clear of rage and confusion, before they closed again and Harry leaned to the kiss, needing reassurance from everything that has happened. Unlike Charm Lord, the Strategist's lips were warm and pliant rather than thin and passionless. The only drawback was the cold trickle of strangely-sweet blood from the wound.


Drawing back upon tasting Ron's blood, Harry lifted a gloved finger and gently touched the wound, catching a few drops of brilliant blue. Pain and undeniable guilt filled his eyes at the realization that he was the one who had caused the injury. "Does it hurt?"


The green-robed Strategist gazed down at his leader, emotions swirling deep in his cerulean eyes. "No..." His answer came out at barely a whisper, unable to tear his eyes from the deep green before him, wanting nothing more than to just surrender.


Harry recognized the flash of light and shadow within Ron's eyes which he had come to learn as Fascination. Reaching up, he brought Ron's face towards his and licked at the blood trickling down his chin. Then the half-mystic ran his tongue over the wound itself before bringing the Strategist into another, deeper kiss. The contact from the different levels of mystic energy caused a transfer, healing the torn skin from Ron's skin until nothing betrayed that there was ever anything marring his handsome face. The Strategist has lost, but he was more than happy to surrender.


Breaking the kiss after several moments, Harry bowed his head and gripped Ron's viridian robes tightly. He rested his head upon his friend's as two arms wrapped around him, holding him close. "What did you just give me?"


Closing his eyes, Ron rested his lips on his friend's dark locks, still feeling the powerful sensation in the the embrace that was present in the kiss. "The same potion that Draco had given you when you first woke up. It restores strength, enforces immortality, and balances the levels of energy in your body. It's a poison to humans, but as Draco said, our blood has mephitic qualities in it already. It will just take a while to take affect."


"What is it called?"


"Amaranth, named after the legendary undying wildflower."


Harry bowed his head, the word echoing through his mind before succumbing to his shame. "I'm sorry... I shouldn't have done that."


Hermione, finished with the spell-casting, threw her arms around Harry's neck, murmuring reassurances as her prince let go of Ron's robes to embrace her. "None of this was your fault, Harry. We should have told you before... and you're hurt."


"It would have changed nothing." The half-mystic gently tilted up her face with a gloved hand and kissed the Arch-Princess with the same desperation as he had with Ron. Hermione's eyes clouded with tears and Fascination as she opened her mouth in surrender to the other, helplessly feeling Harry's pain and despair as she willingly fell under his spell. Ron rested his cheek upon Harry's hair, holding his two grieving companions to him, each one joined through pain and blood.


Finally, Harry released Hermione, but collapsed to the floor from the strain of sharing his energy. "Will you two stay with me forever? I don't want to be alone anymore."


Arch-Princess and Strategist both caught the mystic before he fell, each laughing good-naturedly as they smiled. The answer had been obvious since they first laid eyes on an oblivious, newly transformed half-mystic. "Forever... if you wish."


A pleased and comforted smile easily brightened the Heir's pale face, some of the shadows in his eyes disappeared as he managed to stand up again. "There is nothing here for me anymore. Let's go back to Terry."


Before they could act, darkness gathered around the three of them, blocking out all light until all that was visible were each other and an impenetrable darkness.


_Prince of All Mystics, Charm Lord has had enough of your antics and says that it is time for you to return to Chateau Aiguille._


Arch-Princess and Strategist both rushed to the Heir's side, hands upraised and ready to form a spell at a moment's notice. They did not drop their guards as a crimson ball of light appeared in front of them. White rays extended out like knives, shattering the ball like a crystal and releasing a red armored figure with an iron sword and white feathered wings. The crimson eyes, so much like a certain General's gave away the fact that this being in front of the three mystics was definitely not an angel.


Harry suddenly stepped in front of his companions, Asura raised up in front of him like a flaming beacon. His eyes were like chips of jade as he glared defiantly at the FireSage, the first of Blaise's Shadows. "Don't you dare take Ron and Hermione back to that place!"


_That was not a part of my orders._


"Let the Lord punish me then, it was my fault!" shouted Ron, placing a hand over Hermione's mouth to keep her from speaking.


_That decision will be up to the Lord of All Mystics._ The iron sword descended upon the three, causing them to jump away or bear the brunt of it. The three companions had all dodged the blade in time as it landed upon the darkness which constitutes for a ground in the region of darkness that the FireSage had entrapped them in.


Hermione was thrown to Ron by the force of the attack, and the Strategist's quick reflexes allowed him to grab the girl, twisting around in time for him to land on his back, sparing the Arch-Princess from the impact. "Ron!"


On the other hand, the half-mystic landed several feet away from the two. He deliberately kept a good distance between himself and the other two, clearly noting that the FireSage's target was him. There was no need to bring the other two if they can be spared. Raising up Asura in an on guard position, he cursed burning off his energy uselessly before. The Amaranth potion was starting to take effect, but not quickly enough. Having no choice, he waited for the FireSage to make the first strike as he calculated what could possibly be done to stop the descent of the iron blade. At the edges of his vision, Harry saw something translucent rising up in front of him, a cold surge of energy began to gather.


The FireSage took to the air and held out its sword in front. Reaching the apex of its ascent, the Sage glided down, gaining speed as its weapon started burning. Harry's eyes grew wide as the crimson-armored Mystic Sage approached him. There was no way he would be able to block something going that fast.


The moment of impact was immediate and violent, but Harry felt nothing but a tense air which permeated the air. The FireSage's burning sword now lay before him after tearing through a translucent copy of himself which shielded him from sight. "MirrorShade... how?" The Heir momentarily glanced at Hermione, who was lowering her hands from the Mystic Magic spell of MirrorShade. She smiled slightly before raising both hands above her head in the form of a cross, her eyes fastened coldly on the stunned FireSage.


a blue moon falls to pieces

the brilliant world vanishes into darkness

called upon by the mark of the rose

the silent sky disappears

the Nightmare begins



_The three of you would dare to disobey the Lord of All Mystics!?_ yelled the Sage as it was bound by Hermione's spell.


PhantasmShot


The ground before the Sage blossomed into a formation of a white rose. The Sage stared at the rose, transfixed, as the flower suddenly became blue, covered with blood. Looking down upon its chest, the Mystic Sage saw someone's hand impaling its chest from behind. Blue-black blood spilled across white hands and long, manicured nails. Only one person had nails and hands and a killing method like that...


Softly, Harry gasped when the form of Charm Lord appeared behind the FireSage and impaled the shadow's chest with his right hand . His hands shook as he saw the face of his captor for the first time in a long while, but he still brought Asura's tip down to his feet and cut the air before him in a rapid upward vertical motion. The motion of the blade cut the section of air and ignited it, sending a fiery wheel to slice at the figures of Charm Lord and the FireSage.


WheelSlash


Not to be outdone by his companions, Ron raised his right hand, sparkling with pure mystic energy. His eyes narrowed as he approached the FireSage and placed his hand upon the opening of the wound. At the touch, the FireSage stopped moving, fixated by the mist which started to form around it. By the time the mist had dissipated, the FireSage had turned to stone before fading into the shadows, never to be seen again.


"I hoped that the two of you wouldn't get into these fights," whispered Harry.


Hermione quickly ran to Harry's side, supporting the ashen prince as the figure of Charm Lord smirked at them and evanesced into thin air. "Harry!! Harry, what's wrong?"


Unseeing eyes were turned towards her as the Mystic Prince gripped her hand tightly in his. "Why was he here?"


"It was just a spell, Harry. The spell of PhantasmShot is capable of invoking several different aspects. The one who you had just seen was called 'Nightmare,' which focuses on the target's worst fears and turns it against them," explained Hermione as Ron approached them, noticing Harry relax considerably at her reassurance. However, with the FireSage's demise, the darkness surrounding them was quickly melting into the familiar image of Privet Drive.


"If there is nothing left for us to do here..." whispered Ron as he grabbed the two mystics and cast Hide Rune upon the three of them once again. "Harry..."


Solemn green eyes were turned towards the house that he had spent so much of his life in. He hadn't even realized that twelve years have passed since he had last set foot in the front door. Now, all that are left are memories.


Harry smiled and turned towards his friends again, his expression happier than they have ever seen him. Although all three of them were mentally and physically exhausted, they still shared a secretive smile.


"You know that Charm Lord is going to be more relentless than ever," muttered the Arch-Princess as they walked away from Privet Drive. "The fact that we're disobeying him isn't helping at all."


"You both promised me to be with me forever." Green eyes reminded them, but there was a mischievous sparkle in their depths that was not present there before.


"Then do you have any ideas?" asked Hermione, holding on to both of her boys, bruised, battered, and drained, but happier than she has ever been.


Ron rubbed a spot of dirt from her cheek with his white glove, grinning like a man possessed. "How about we just keep going and not look back from here?"


They did not look back.


~*~*~*~


"What in the bloody hell happened to the lot of you!?" shouted Terry when he caught sight of three rumpled mystics, all drained and covered with blood. Worry was bright in his eyes as he helped the three of them enter Ravenclaw, gingerly taking blankets from a compartment in the airship and covering each person. He didn't expect to get answers so quickly, so he started the engine and took to the skies.


When the sky faded from the bright blue of the region of Shrike to the dark blue of the transitional ocean between regions, Terry decided to turn on auto-pilot and moved to the back. He was not surprised to find that two of his three passengers were deeply asleep. The third looked up at him with weary cerulean eyes, a blood-stained gloved hand pushing back errant strands of flame-colored hair from his face. "They're exhausted. I can't really blame them. I'm about to bloody fall asleep myself."


Amber eyes glanced at the two figures beside the Strategist. The Heir was propped against Ron, his back to the wall, head upon Ron's right shoulder, and right arm securely around the Arch-Princess' waist. Hermione rested her rose-crowned head upon the bend of Harry's neck, tawny hair and white roses mingling with emerald-tinted midnight black. "You know, if you're tired, you can sleep now. I don't need to know anything as of yet."


Ron glanced up at their pilot. "I'm fine. This is more important than sleeping for the time being. Besides, I've been meaning to ask you a question."


Terry blinked. "And?"


"Why are you doing this for us? What could you be possibly be thinking in voluntarily endangering yourself by helping the three current most wanted fugitives in the opposite order as you? What were you really doing in Facinaturu?"


"Technically that's three questions, but since I'm a nice guy, I'll humor you." A grin answered Ron as Terry sat across from the three of them. He took off the white bandanna covering his teal-colored hair, leaning back against the opposite wall. "I'm not really sure why I'm doing this. I guess it's just because doing nothing but flying airships and frying the stray monster every now and then gets tedious and boring. When I saw Lord Harry over there looking so lost and desperate, I just couldn't say no. Besides, how many mystics do you see each day wanting to leave but by means of a human? I was very intrigued, so I gave him the benefit of the doubt. Anyway, he's too pretty to deny, mystic or no mystic."


The Strategist shifted his weighed, moving Harry higher on his shoulder as slowly as he could to not wake the half-mystic's rest. He knew very well how difficult it is to go against the Heir.


"It doesn't really bother me that the three of you are on the run from the entire Royal Mystic Court. I've sheltered worse in the Ravenclaw and they have all survived," grinned the young pilot, flashing pearly white teeth. "The three of you don't look like the criminal types, so I had to deduce that the ones chasing you are the ones who are evil. The magicians of the Magic Kingdom claim justice, or at the very least, neutrality. Unless you are born as a twin, you are free from the moment you can walk."


"You've only answered two of my questions."


The pilot smiles and shook his head. "I can't tell you that yet. You'll find out in time. Now." Bright amber eyes fixated themselves seriously upon the mystic's. "In all fairness, I have a few questions for you."


Sighing, Ron leaned his head against Harry's, meeting the pilot gaze for gaze. "Go ahead. I will answer what I can."


"As mystics, it's apparent by the way that the three of you are dressed and the way that you speak that you are part of the royalty. However, I know that there is something quite different about Harry. What has happened to have caused your departure to create such an uproar in Facinaturu?" The grimace in Ron's face indicated to Terry that this was not going to be a happy story. "We have time."


"The details are not something I would like to reiterate too much. Mostly because I only know about Harry second-hand and from when I first met him. I heard that he used to be a human but twelve years ago, was run over one night by Charm Lord Severus as he was searching for Zero Princess."


Terry now understood the grimace in Ron's face, his own turning pale with shock and disbelief. "Twelve years... it explains why I hadn't heard anything about any missing people resembling him for the past week. He was killed, but how did he survive? The bloodloss alone should have killed him and I heard that most mystics were created in the Sanctuary of Kurenai."


"That's just it. By some twist of fate, Charm Lord brought him back to life by giving him a blood transfusion—with his own blood. Harry slept through the four years as his blood balanced out and forced his body to accept the union. Blue mystic blood and red human blood has made the Heir's blood purple. Half-mystic blood. No one had ever thought that such a being with two completely opposite forces in one body could ever be created, but he is living, breathing proof."


Silence greeted the end of the Strategist's sentence before Terry looked out the window, watching the Ravenclaw tear through the ocean of stars. "A half-mystic as the Heir to Facinaturu. That explains a lot. Charm Lord's blood prevents him from falling under Fascination like all the other mystics and humans, and his mortal side detests being chained, but also prevents his development of other mystic abilities. If he left early enough after his awakening, then he shouldn't be able to teleport yet. That would explain why he needs my help. The whole entourage when I found you is also explained by the fact that he's the Heir. Charm Lord doesn't seem to be the type to be able to relinquish his possessions easily."


A wicked smiled grew on Ron's face. "If I didn't believe that you were from the Magic Kingdom before, I believe it now. All of you are bloody deductive thinkers, no matter if you're flying an airship now."


"You mean to tell me that the Strategist of Facinaturu is accusing me of being a deductive thinker? Such hypocrisy!!" The human pilot laughed heartily. "In any case," Terry's face grew serious, but his eyes softened as they landed on the exhausted pair still asleep. "You three came back looking as if you barely survived through a Windblast attack. What happened back there?"


Ron averted his eyes. "Harry found out that he has been gone for twelve years. He barely recognized the person who opened the door to his former house, but the man turned white as a sheet as if he had seen a ghost... which, in a way, he did. Harry then proceeded to have a mental breakdown, smashing everything in sight until Hermione and I managed to calm him down."


Terry raised an eyebrow when Ron turned slightly blue but made no comment on it. "So is that why you're all battered?"


"No, because of the unleashing of Harry's untapped power sources, little as it may be, a shadow of Charm Lord's General managed to find us. Needless to say, what happened after was not something I'd like to go into detail with." He flinched, remembering how Hermione's spell had thrust its hand straight through the FireSage's chest. It looked so much like Charm Lord Severus... The Strategist's face barely changed, but he just realized that Blaise's greatest fear is Charm Lord because of the PhantasmShot's Nightmare capabilities. The FireSage is an aspect of the General and it had the same fears and dreams, but this betrays that Blaise is no longer under full Fascination by Charm Lord. An ambitious Blaise is a dangerous Blaise.


Sighing in relief, the teal-haired pilot dusted off his pants and crouched in front of Harry, moving jade-tinged black hair away from the scar on his forehead. His smile turned sad. "You all have such a difficult path to walk. You don't have to walk it alone. I'm going to be with you from now on. I can no longer fight, but I can always assist you with wherever you wish to go."


"From the three of us, thank you," whispered Ron as he leaned further back, holding Harry closer to him. The last thing he saw before falling asleep was Terry smiling down congenially as he walked back to the pilot's seat.


"Rest, Strategist. You may not normally need sleep, but you're not normally tossed around or physically drained either. I'll head for Kyo. Your highnesses will be able to rest there."


Thank you...


~*~*~*~


Mosperiburg – The Palace of Ring Lord


The crimson flames of Hell burned behind glass windows and the boots upon black marble floors made no sound. Silence spoke more than noise possibly could as a single figure walked up a crystal flight of stairs, fair features contrasting sharply with the surrounding darkness. Diamond chandeliers sparkled with the reflection of the flames, causing scarlet rays of light to reach every corner of the room, but never merging with the shadows. The light was almost tangible, but the sole figure continued up the flight, never ceasing his ascent.


On the top of the stairs was an ebony door, worked with silver and rubies, imposing and austere. As the man approached the door, he did not need to touch anything, as it swung open slowly by itself, the creaking sound of hinges echoing through the hall behind him like the cries of the dead. But what mattered lay before him in the form of the mystic sitting upon the black iron throne. He sat in an aloof fashion, black robes and long wavy hair pooling about his feet, but hard ruby eyes glittered in the dim light. An adamantine coronet was set upon his forehead, decorated with a single diamond in its center, and nine rings flashed in his hands. He looked upon the newcomer with little interest and more of irritation.


"What brings the Black Wing here? Snape has not called upon me for centuries, are you here as the Messenger?" The figure scowled, filling a wineglass halfway with a red liquid before raising it up to his lips.


Draco rested his back against one of the marble pillars in the room, careful not to damage his wings. He fastened platinum eyes upon the man before him, glaring with helpless distrust. "I'm not here as Messenger. Charm Lord probably doesn't even know that I'm here."


"That is the problem with him, isn't it?" asked the black-haired figure, more to himself than to Draco. "He always believes he knows everything and that the whole world is meant to revolve around him. I would not have wanted to be called 'The Lord of All Mystics' if the title of 'Charm Lord' goes with the deal."


The Black Wing whirled around, blue robes swaying with his movement. "So is that why you remain the Ring Lord, Lord Sirius?"


Sirius laughed dryly, getting up from his throne to be on the same ground as the newcomer. "I'm nothing like Snape. I loathe the way he treats mystics as if they are pawns. The only reason I haven't challenged him is the loss of sanity and obligations which come with being Charm Lord. And that harem... In any case, why are you here?"


A dark smirk twisted in Draco's face at Ring Lord's confession. "In the way things are going now, you don't have to worry about the throne of Facinaturu. The Mystic Heir who has been chosen has finally woken up."


Slowly turning around, Sirius fixed a glare at the younger mystic. Taking the wineglass in his hand, he threw the contents in the fireplace behind Draco, not even causing the mystic to flinch as the flames roared with the added fuel. "I didn't think that that fool would go this far. He has already ruined the lives of so many mystics: Zero Princess, Time Lord, and Silence. He has already taken so many human lives for no reason other than his perverse pleasure." A sarcastic grin appeared in Sirius' face. "At a time, I would have admired his technique, but it just now sickens me. Now he has brought another pawn into the game. So has the mystic been brainwashed yet?"


"Slight error, Ring Lord. It's 'half-mystic,' not mystic." The dark smirk grew darker and more sinister, almost mocking.


Ring Lord paused in shock, not realizing how much he has really missed since he set himself apart from mystic society. "A half-mystic? What in Kurenai was that bastard thinking!?"


"It doesn't stop there, the half-mystic escaped the palace alive and took the seventy-ninth Arch-Princess and Strategist with him. Now, he has beaten Blaise's FireSage and even Charm Lord is having trouble finding him."


Sirius' laughter echoed throughout the room with its intensity. To anyone who did not know him, it would have clearly been the laugh of a madman. "So the fool has let another escape through his grasp. It's only fitting. What is the name of the half-mystic?"


Draco glanced at the mystic through his white-blonde fringe of hair, shadowing the emotion on his face. "Hair darker than midnight with eyes deeper and darker than emeralds or poison. He was remade at about seventeen years old and his name is Harry."


The laughter ceased immediately as Ring Lord turned to face the Prince of Darkness, disbelief and wonderment radiating off his figure. "This boy... wouldn't happen to have a scar on his forehead, would he?"


"What does it mean to you if he does?" asked Draco, crossing his arms over his chest, but keeping one hand rested on the pommel of his sword.


"Because if he does, then that means that Charm Lord will never be able to tame him. He is already marked by another power and it will be dangerous to interfere. I fear for the half-mystic's life if that is the case."


The Black Wing's lips flattened into a straight line, anger coursing through him at the thought that someone else could have possibly claimed his prey already. He certainly can't have that, but he would need Sirius' help to find the Prince of All Mystics. "He has a scar. And I need your help in finding him, especially now that you say that he is in danger."


Bowing his head in agreement, Sirius took five rings from his hand and handed them one by one to the Black Wing. "Take these rings. They are the Guardian, the Thief, the Healer, the Fighter, and the Lord. Each one has its own uses, and you can use each of them once a day except for the Lord. The Guardian protects, the Thief hides, the Healer cures, the Fighter strengthens, but the Lord is something you must figure out on your own. Do everything in your power to save Harry because he is extremely precious to me."


Glaring at the Mystic Lord, Draco placed the rings in his pocket save for the Lord and the Thief. "Where is he now?"


"I cannot leave this region or else it will collapse, or Charm Lord or Hell's Lord would try to invade. Take this instead." Sirius handed a flame-colored diamond to the Black Wing. "It will point out to you where Harry's direction is. However, I must warn you that it will not penetrate through the regions of magic. You can also use it as much as you want, but it will use up your energy as a source of power."


"Understood. But I have one more question."


Sirius returned to sit back upon his throne, looking down at the Black Wing. "What is it?"


Draco averted his eyes, looking down at what Sirius had presented him. "Why is this half-mystic so important to you?"


A gently pleased smile swept across Sirius' features, stunning Draco with surprise. Mirth and mischief swirled in Ring Lord's eyes that were never in Charm Lord's fiercely possessive gaze. The comparison was almost enough to floor him. Almost.


"It's because Harry is my beloved godson."



~*~*~*~

to be continued...

~*~*~*~



Disclaimers:


Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling and SaGa Frontier belongs to SquareSoft. I hold no claim on anything.



Notes:


~Thank you so much to all my reviewers, especially to Catzi/Rachel who finally got me off my slump. It gave me the strength to drag myself in for a few hours in front of the computer to finish another monstrous chapter. I really had fun, especially because this is the only break I have between essays since I started college.


~I had to have someone play Kurenai, but I loved the name too much to change it into the character's name. Thus, we get Dumbledore as Kurenai, the Eternal Flame.


~Cedric is getting more and more insane every chapter, ne? Let me just say not to give up on him. Everything has a reason in this story. Moreover, the pilot didn't really have too much of a part in the actual game. I was really planning on just using Terry/him as a way out of Facinaturu, but then I fell in love with the dynamics and decided to keep him. It was surprising what I came up with when I have practically no outline for this story!!


~Prey. *laughs* I have been watching and reading way too much X/1999 and Tokyo Babylon these days. Just a hint on whoever is actually reading these notes. Everyone in this story is the prey of somebody else, except for one person, who is the true predator. Can anyone guess on who is this person? It will become clear by the end of the story, a long ways away, but you guys can try to guess. It's just something to think about. And no, playing SaGa Frontier or reading my other SaGa-related fanfiction will not help you!!!


~I now consider Shrike as a region apart from magic in this fanfic. It isn't really in the game, but it's the most related to a "normal" world. Also, yes, the fat man with the poker who couldn't fit through the door was Dudley. Don't ask me what happened to Petunia and Vernon.


~Harry has been asleep for twelve years. Because there is no semblance of the passage of time in Facinaturu, a day can seem like eternity and eternity can seem like a day. This is why Dudley is already grown when Harry returns to Privet Drive. Read back in earlier chapters if you don't believe me.


~*groans* That is the first actual semi-slashy scene I have ever wrote. I felt strange writing it rather than just reading it in fanfiction. I couldn't stop laughing the entire time... especially because I followed it up with a het scene. It was irresistible for some reason.


~I am really in a Tokyo Babylon mood, aren't I? Oh, for those who are confused, that isn't the real Severus, but a tangible manifestation brought about by Hermione's PhantasmShot spell. I just loved the hand-go-through-chest thing. Makes me wonder if I should consider raising the rating now... is it time? This is never going to be a lemon though... I can't write them.


~What can I say? A Ravenclaw will always be a Ravenclaw... and I wanted Ron to equate as Strategist equals deductive thinker for once in fanfiction.


~I love Sirius... can I say more? I felt damn awful that what happened in actuality happened, so I gave him something more refined in my story. You guys will learn more about Ring Lord and those rings later. Yes, he is a mystic, one of the Four Mystic Lords: Charm Lord, Hell's Lord, Time Lord, and Ring Lord. Time Lord is another we will meet later... and that Silence guy also...