I've watched all five seasons of Game of Thrones and read some fanfiction regarding the subject. Great stories, both canon and the fanfictions I've read so far, but as a result, I suffered from writer's block in my own story :P

Not to mention the fact I have exams in this week and the next; basically, I've been busy.

At any rate, here's chapter 67!

Chapter 67.. fucking hell, I should probably end this story, already, huh? I was kind of toying with the idea of a "Dresden Files / A Song of Ice and Fire" crossover, in which Dresden, after the events of the Darkhallow, gets flung to Westeros, where he is stranded. All of his magic would be intact, however. No nerfs to his power; I would want him to curbstomp all of the other magic users out there, with the exception of the Others, I supposed.

On with the story!

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

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Lightning Dragon's Roar
A Harry Potter Fanfiction
By Zero Rewind
© 2016
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Chapter 67: Gaia Pit (3)

"RRRAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" The demonic entity roared out once more.

"Can you say anything else?" I shouted out as I turned yet another corner.

"RRRAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

"You don't say." I swore under my breath, almost tripping on an errant stone.

Shit. I couldn't mess around here; it would get me killed.

I had been running for almost three minutes, now, and the beast-thing had no intentions of stopping. Who knew that actively exerting control over your own bodily energy would unleash such a terrible creature?

And what a monster it was; a sentient river of lava whose only idea of fun was immolating me.

So obviously, I, your personal hero, enacted a devastating strategy that would hopefully take it out of the fight.

I ran.

How would that take it out of the fight, you may ask?

Well, if I wasn't there, then it wouldn't be able to fight me, now would it?

Take that, you stupid naysayers! That'll show you.

§It's getting closer!§ Balthazar hissed urgently.

I narrowly dodged another one of its many tendrils of molten rock, twisting and turning my body as I rushed through the zigzagging layout of the cave.

"I know." I said to the unhelpful snake in English, after almost tripping on an errant rock.

One misstep, and I would be utterly overrun by the creature.

"RRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

"Shut up!" I yelled out behind me as I finally exited a tunnel, reaching a small room which branched out into three more tunnels.

Really? You have to do this to me now, cave?

I blasted the entryway behind me and layered a cooling charm and a shield over it. There was a strong thud that rattled the shield, but it held as I tried to figure out which way to go. After a few seconds of confusion, I finally picked the middle path and went with it, screw the consequences.

Good thing I did, as the shield had finally collapsed from behind me, the lava monster continuing its chase with an unholy fervor.

Was this thing even alive?

All it seemed to do was roar at me and chase me around, but I had yet to see any indication of it being truly alive. When I had sensed for it, I could not feel the malice that I had come to associate with the denizens of the Demonic Realm.

Yes.

There was no other explanation.

This wasn't a demon— but some kind of defense mechanism with sentience.

A haunted set of caves, only triggered by uses of energy in its general vicinity.

So how would I go about this?

If I had Erebus on hand, I could simply negate its attack with Dark Stream, the ice energy in the Dark attack completely countering it. However, I did not have the Devil Arm with me.

Water?

It was worth a shot, I thought as I pulled out my wand and channeled as much power as I could through it. The tip lit up with a bright electric spark, and I bellowed out.

"Aguamenti!" A torrential flood of water flew out of my wand, my bluish white Lightning zigzagging through it and smashing into the lava with enough force to tear through steel.

There was no shriek of pain, further proving that this thing wasn't really alive— I supposed it was also likely that it possessed no pain receptors— and a rush of steam flooded the cave, though it did not last very long as the water mixed in with the lava, rapidly cooling it as it bubbled dangerous against the water stream.

If any of that magma had touched me, it would have been the end.

I kept up the effort for over a minute, watching the molten rock rapidly solidify under the cold torrents of water, thus naturally stopping the lava flow, and ending the danger.

"RRRAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" I heard the muffled roar from behind me, but I paid it no heed, instead cutting off the flow of power before throwing a cooling charm on the still-not-quite fully solidifed rock before me.

It seemed to do the trick, as the rock shifted to resemble the cave walls around me, smoking slightly even with the cooling charm.

I gave the barrier one final look, and nodded in satisfaction, before turning around and continuing my journey through this damned place.

§We've escaped its clutches.§ Balthazar hissed calmly as I dusted myself off and kept walking.

§For now.§ I replied, a little agitation creeping into my voice.

That trap was effective; only a few select individuals could have gone past the obstacle course, and even less could outright deal with the full awakening of the room's lava defense. No other wizard, save Voldemort and Dumbledore (who were both dead and gone at this point)— and possibly Moody, I supposed— could have overwhelmed the lava flow with a simple spell like Aguamenti.

I shook off the dull throb of pain that had worked itself in my body— a sign of my bruises and scratches beginning to heal up, my earring still drawing energy from its surroundings and shunting it to my wounds— and kept walking for a few more minutes, before entering a whole new chamber.

I stared at my surroundings with some surprise.

The lumpy, uneven cave floor had given way to flat cobblestone as I entered what seemed to be a large hall of sorts. The torches lining the stone walls were lit blue.

There were no decorations of any kind.

The exit, at the far end of this long hall, was blocked by a series of crisscrossing, circular blades. Just a bit before the blades, I could see an old, dilapidated throne. An old skeleton sat upon it, hunched over, its hands still gripping the throne's sides.

§Whoever that was must have had a strong spirit to remain this way, even after death.§ Balthazar hissed as I approached the throne carefully.

I flared my power slightly.

Nothing happened.

At the very least, there was no trap triggered by magic— which was nice to know.

As I got within a few meters of the throne, however, I felt the thrum of magic in the air, thick and almost making me gag; it was difficult to explain.

It was as if it was reeking of decay and rot. The torches became even brighter as I felt the energy enter the hunched over skeleton on the throne.

And then it lifted its head stared right into my eyes, sending shivers down my spine. Its previously empty eye sockets were filled with the same blue fire as that lighting the torches.

Its mouth began to move.

"Who disturbs my sleep?" The sound practically slammed into my body, but I weathered it easily enough. "Hmm... You do not seem to be a member of the Demon scum which infest this infernal place, though that arm of yours is quite interesting to behold..."

"Uh." I said eloquently. "My name is Harry Potter. Who are you?"

"Harry Potter. Such a strange name." The skeleton turned its head curiously. "I went by the name of Kuro, a very long time ago."

A Japanese name; it wasn't surprising, what with the Gaia Pit existing in Japan.

"It's nice to meet you." I said as I carefully considered my words. "May I ask how it is you came to be here? This isn't exactly a haven for humans."

The skeleton rattled as it opened its mouth and bellowed out a laugh. I frowned in confusion.

"You are the first creature to have asked me that." The skeleton— Kuro— said. "The other monstrosities that inhabit this place only seem to have the foulest of words— though it is thanks to them that I learned this language, over the many years."

I blinked at the information, before nodding in understanding.

"How much time has passed, since the end of my days?" It asked slowly.

"Ah..." I said. "I have no idea. I'm pretty sure your people had a different way to keep track of time, back then. What were you doing in the Gaia Pit? How'd you get here?"

A long moment passed.

"It is a sad tale." The skeleton began, looking down at its skeletal appearance. "I was not always like this. I was healthy, and strong. Few could match my prowess with a sword. My life was spent as a mercenary for the various lords of my nation. I killed, butchered, fought and bled for these lords in exchange for their wealth in gold; a sell-sword, as it were."

I nodded for it to continue.

"And then one of my contacts in Ryugenzawa informed me of another chance at making some more gold. We were to come to the Pit, and clear it out of the various scum hiding inside." Kuro continued, his tale striking a chord of familiarity with me. This must have been one of the mercenaries employed by the villagers in Cologne's story; I let him finish his tale.

"But this place..." Kuro said, the skeleton shaking with suppressed rage. "It is an abomination, filled with devils and malicious entities. And then there was the one who presided over them all... Orochi the Eight Headed Serpent; it was a massacre." The skeleton said mournfully, most likely thinking of his fallen friends.

"I sent one of the men out to send word to the villagers and faced the creatures myself, beating them down as hard as I could until I, alone, stood, surrounded by all the devils and Orochi itself. It bent one of its many heads down, and stared at me in amusement, before tearing my soul from my body, and affixing it to this room; as for my body, you see it before you here." The skeleton finished, the light in its eyes dimming slightly, as if the emotional outburst had drained it.

"I see." I said. "I'm sorry this happened to you."

"It matters little." Kuro said. "I have learned much in my time here."

"I suppose." I said noncommittally, not really knowing how to answer that statement. "As to how long you've been here, I would say at least five hundred years— maybe even a thousand. A very old woman told me a tale very similar to yours, and she called it ancient."

"I see." Kuro's skeleton rattled. "Hundreds of years in this forsaken place. I had hoped to either rise to heaven or fall into the underworld. Anything is better than this purgatory."

I nodded, acknowledging his words.

Think about it; forced to live out the rest of your un-life as an entity inhabiting a very small room with nothing but Demons and Devils as the extremely rare company that does go through. It was a miserable existence, to be sure.

"Can the spell holding you to this plane be broken?" I asked honestly.

"I do not know." The skeleton rattled, the tone of voice unsure. "When the devils would come, they would threaten to destroy my skeleton; they said it would destroy my soul."

It all clicked into place; this was a horcrux affixed to the dead man's body. Over time, it must have gained enough power to exert control over the room itself, changing it to its liking.

"It's not possible to destroy human souls." I said simply. "Destroying your skeleton will only set your soul free to go to the afterlife."

Another moment passed, as if Kuro was considering my words, before nodding resolutely.

"Do it. I have remained on this Earth for long enough. It is time to pass on." He said, a bit unsure, but I didn't blame him a single bit; after spending hundreds of years doing the same thing, change would be uncomfortable, and this would most likely be a big change.

I nodded. "I don't know if I'm capable, but I will definitely try."

Horcruxes could only be destroyed by using Basilisk venom, Fiendfyre, or Erebus' Dark Stream. I also managed to destroy one using the accumulated energy of the storm clouds above Hogwarts Castle, proving that my own power could destroy it.

Add to that, the fact that I tore through Voldemort's Fienderthe, a cursed earth construct on the same level of power as the Fiendfyre, it meant that there was a chance.

"I thank you for your honesty." Kuro said gratefully, before his tone of voice steeled. "Do it."

I gave a nod and took a few steps back.

"This will need my full power." I muttered to myself. "Dragon Force."

I felt the powerful pressure rising to the surface from within me, cracking the ground beneath my feet; with it, came a set of feelings.

Ferocity, blood-lust, wildness; that was about as accurate as I could describe it to be. It was the mind of a hungry animal, wishing to kill and devour all that stood in its way.

I took a deep breath, and focused my thoughts on the one thing I wished to do: destroy Kuro's horcrux skeleton. It was easier this way; I couldn't reason with the animalistic urges in me, but I could direct them to benefit me.

The haze on my thoughts cleared as I took in a deep breath, gathering the Lightning to my lungs. The air around me began to spark as electricity arced all over my body, converging in my mouth, storing itself in my lungs.

"LIGHTNING DRAGON'S ROAR!" The blast, large enough to encompass the body entirely, was so concentrated it was almost completely white in color, instead of the bluish white I had associated my power with. Unlike Voldemort's horcruxes however, this one did not shriek or curse at me as the Roar obliterated it from existence.

Instead, I heard a loud sigh of relief, and a "Thank you!" before it was gone, leaving me alone in the room. The blast had torn through the horcrux, the throne it sat upon, and the bladed doorway leading into the next area.

It was with some effort that I cut off the power from myself, and I wobbled in sudden weakness, panting with exertion and tiredness.

This power was truly amazing, but it was also a double edged sword, completely unreliable in a prolonged fight, not to mention the fact that the beast behind the power seemed to war with my mind every chance it got.

In a battle, it was a weakness, but in a situation like this... Well, the charred floor and the destroyed barrier of steel spoke for itself.

Idly, I noted that the torchlight turned orange-red, after the mercenary's spirit was freed from its forced imprisonment. I closed my eyes for a moment, hardening my resolve once more.

This was what these creatures did; they toyed with the lives of humans for fun, keeping them well beyond the time of their death for personal amusement.

If I wanted to receive the Shimmer and give it over to the Leanansidhe, I had to be ruthless when dealing with these things.

There would be no mercy from me.

None at all.

"Rest in peace, Kuro the Mercenary." I bowed my head in respect. "You've earned it."

I shakily dipped my hand into my mokeskin pouch, pulling out the Zat-gun, aiming it at my mouth and pulling the trigger. Lightning energy rushed into my body, and I devoured it hungrily, replenishing my reserves to their normal levels before cutting off the flow of energy, and sighing in contentment.

I made sure the charred floor was not too hot to walk on, before making my way through the destroyed barrier and back into the familiar cave tunnels I was walking through before. It twisted and turned as I went steadily downwards through the series of tunnels.

I stopped for a moment, staring at the cave wall to my right.

There was a spatter of green on the wall, but it looked old and dried out. The fact that I couldn't discern any specific smell from it added to the peculiar sight's age.

I ended up dismissing it before resuming my course.

I wanted to zone out so badly as the minutes passed, but there was always the chance that something would happen so fast that I couldn't react— and therefore die horribly; I was very happy being alive, thank you very much!

The path turned into a noticeable spiral that led me at least hundreds of feet down until I reached a large, red door. Next to the door, I saw a familiar looking statue of a golden lioness-headed woman carrying a large hourglass.

§Unsurprising that a statue of the Watcher of Time resides here.§ Balthazar noted.

I nodded in agreement, before latching a tendril of Lightning onto the statue. I felt myself being whisked away to the familiar realm of the one who controls the statue; the Watcher of Time's seat of power, a endless blackness speckled with white, orange, blue, and red stars as far as my eyes could see.

"It has been a while, Dragonslayer." The Watcher of Time boomed neutrally.

"Indeed, it has." I agreed. "The last time I spoke with you was before I fought Mundus."

"Ah, the Emperor." The Watcher of Time said. "I heard many a tale of his defeat at your hands. You've brought a friend with you?"

"A friend?" I repeated in confusion at the sudden change in subject. "I'm afraid I don't understand."

"Your arm, child." The Watcher of Time clarified. "I feel another presence within it."

"Ah, yes." I nodded. "My snake, Balthazar, is bound to my body now, but we are still of two minds."

"Intriguing." The Watcher of Time mused. "But, I am sure you did not request my audience simply to speak."

"You're right, of course." I nodded. "I'm here to see what techniques are available to me."

"Of course."

I heard the sound of snapping fingers, and a browned, worn looking sheet of papyrus appeared before me. It said:

"Lightning Dragonslayer:

- Increased Energy Levels

- Lightning Blades (X)

- Air Raid (X)

- Thunder Roar

Balthazar:

- Hardened Scales

- Poison Mail

- Increased Venom Strength

- Venom Shock"

I read off the list, once again.

"There are techniques for Balthazar?" I said in surprise.

"Indeed. I have known many venomous Demons and Devils in my considerable centuries." The Watcher of Time intoned. "I am sure, with all of the Demon assassins Mundus has been sending you, that you can afford all of them. What would you prefer?"

I gazed at the endless expanse, feeling a little suspicious of being handed all of these boosts, but shook my head in amusement. To the Watcher of Time, it didn't really affect him either way; all he cared about was the offerings of Demon Blood he received— the Red Orbs I had been hoarding ever since I came back from my fight against Mundus.

I had gathered quite a bit, and, as the Watcher of Time said, I could afford the whole lot of them.

"I understand what the Increased Energy Levels, Hardened Scales and Increased Venom Strength will do; they're passive effects that enhance my already strong natural abilities." I started, talking more to myself than the formless entity whose domain I currently stood in. "But, what is Thunder Roar, and what are Poison Mail and Venom Shock?"

"Ah." The Watcher of Time gave the impression of a nod as the background moved up and down a few times, disorienting me slightly. "Thunder Roar was an old technique, mistakenly believed to be an attempt to emulate a Dragon's breath attack. This is obviously false. Instead, it was simply the power of Lightning channeled into one's hands and shaped to resemble the maw of a dragon.

It was an ancient technique employed by mages who were masters of the martial arts in the eastern continent, in the country known as China. However, the technique is without worth if you do not learn the style it belongs to beforehand."

"I think I understand." I replied. "So Thunder Roar is absolutely useless to me. No matter. What about Poison Mail and Venom Shock?"

"Ah." The Watcher of Time intoned. "The Poison Mail is a coating of poisonous energy covering the entity that is known as Balthazar, or your right arm, as it were. While the name suggests that it has protective qualities, it is anything but a skill for protection. The Poison Mail covering your arm would increase the damage of your attacks considerably, seeing as the venomous energy will corrode your enemy's. It is by no means lethal, but it will weaken your enemy faster than you're used to."

I gave a nod, taking the Watcher of Time's words into consideration.

"Venom Shock, on the other hand is an old Demonic technique created by an ancient Devil named Kali, eons ago." The Watcher of Time explained patiently, but was cut off by Balthazar before he could continue.

§The Kali? The archenemy of Kalki, final avatar of Vishnu?§ Balthazar blurted out.

"Indeed, young viper." The Watcher of Time confirmed with what seemed to be amusement, though I could not tell for sure. "Kali, on the orders of the ancient Emperor Zoma, long before Mundus' reign, was to wreak havoc on the Buddhist faith, believing the religion's kind nature to be as dangerous as the monotheistic religions which spawned in the lands surrounding Jerusalem. He was a powerful Devil, wielding poison as his weapon, tearing down armies of men, and contending against the high ranked Angels of the Heaven Realm."

"Heaven Realm?" I asked with a bit of interest.

"It is similar to the Demon Realm, though no Demons or mortals alive have ever found their way to it." The Watcher of Time explained. "It does not exist within Nevernever. It does not exist alongside the Demon Realm, which I'm sure you've seen. It exists; that is all anyone knows of it. The Angels guard the secrets to its entrance with unerring efficiency." He said with finality.

I nodded, wondering if Kuro's spirit would manage to find its way to Heaven Realm, before going back to the original subject. "So, Venom Shock?"

"Kali was physically powerful, yes, but the bulk of his true strength lay in his venom, and how he used it in battle. He learned the Poison Mail from this very statue, in fact; but I digress. After watching the destruction caused by floods in the river-lands located in what would later to become known as Asia, Kali emulated this by pressurizing the venom in his glands, and shooting them out during his many battles. The venomous projectiles were so strong he could pierce through thick, castle walls, and easily tear through the armors of the many warriors he came across; a most devastating attack. So, young Dragonslayer, what do you choose?"

A moment passed as I considered my options; honestly, the choices were pretty simple.

I held up the offering of red orbs to the powerful being. "I will take Increased Energy Levels, Increased Venom Strength, Hardened Scales, Poison Mail and of course, Venom Shock. Thunder Roar will forever be useless to me. I don't ever want to waste the resources to learn it, as the style that it necessitates does not exist."

"Wise choices."

X marks appeared next to the mentioned skills I wished to learn, as information flooded my mind, filling it with images, feelings, instincts and knowledge on how to get it all to make sense.

"Thank you, again." I said as I broke off the link, the world around me shifting back to the tunnel with the large, red door before me. I opened the door, and crossed its threshold, finding myself in front of the forest I had seen at the entrance. Even from afar, it looked humongous, but, as I looked up at the five story tall trees, bathing my surroundings in darkness, I realized that humongous was an understatement.

Staring out into the dark depths of this forest, I could see various creatures skulking around, skittering, slithering, while some were leaped from branch to branch, snarling at their fellow forest-dwellers.

A series of loud roars, followed by wails of agony— which were cut short suddenly— silenced the forest for a few moments, before the background noise resumed.

And I was supposed to cross this place?

"Fuck me."