Disclaimer: The world of Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling.
Magic Break Can't Be Seen
Nicolas Flamel
October 31st, 2017
Nicolas roared as he threw a Crucio at Alexander, blasting apart a Transfigured rhino that rushed toward him from the side. He Summoned the remains toward him, blocking a Killing Curse that would have connected with his head, and Banished the shards at Alexander. The infuriating man merely waved his hand, Transfiguring the shards into butterflies, which he then disappeared into.
Snarling, Nicolas slashed his hand, causing the butterflies to burst into flames. But as the flames died, Nicolas found himself alone in the Egyptian desert. Wary, Nicolas kept his eyes and ears sharp, ready to defend himself as need be.
"You're certainly impressive, Flamel," Alexander's voice echoed around the desert. Nicolas immediately cast spells to try to track him down. "You are the absolute pinnacle of what a wizard can be."
"Compliments won't spare you, beast!" Nicolas roared. "Your life is forfeit!"
The sand under Nicolas' feet exploded, and two large hands grabbed his legs. Nicolas was slammed into the ground before he was picked up and thrown through the air. Cutting Curses slashed open his arms as he flew, angering the ancient wizard. It was time to kill this beast.
Nicolas had barely crashed into a sand dune when his magic lashed out, claiming dominion over the surrounding sand. The dunes began to shift and move, a demonstration of power and control that was beyond mortal limits, and as Flamel rose, he healed the deep cuts on his arms with a careless gesture. He glared at Alexander, who merely grinned in reply.
And then Alexander vanished.
Nicolas lunged forward, dropping the control he had over the sand, allowing it to fall to the earth in beautiful cascades. His magic saturated the area Alexander just left, and he allowed it to lead his mind far away, all the way to Australia. He followed it in an instant.
Apparating across a country the size of Britain was possible for most wizards, although most restricted themselves to shorter jumps. As the distance you wished to go increased, so too did the cost on your magic, but that was still within the tolerance of most wizards. The true issue was control.
When a Wizard Apparated they folded part of the world around them, twisting it together with another, far off, point. They then moved between the two instantly, using their magic to power the transition. But you had to factor in the planet's curvature into the equation, and often, when an exceptionally powerful but stupid wizard didn't, they'd rip themselves in half. Most wizards found Portkeys a much safer alternative.
But Nicolas was not a stupid wizard by any stretch of definition. He stepped from the sand dunes of Egypt to the Australian Outback as easily as one would step from one room to the next, not even bringing trace amounts of sand with him. His eyes immediately fell upon the beast who was hurriedly carving a set of runes into the nearby stones. Nicolas threw out a dozen Curses in five seconds, each capable of killing in an unique way.
A boulder intercepted them, exploding, and covering the area in dust. Nicolas growled and raised his hands when the ambient magic in the air suddenly peaked. He crouched, casting Bunker Shields over himself as the world around him exploded.
A Killing Curse smashed through his shields a moment later, and Nicolas barely had the time to twist out of the way. He snapped off two of his own into the dust and smoke around him, but the sound of a body falling eluded him. Nicolas twisted his hand, summoning the dust and smoke into his hand, revealing the area once more. For thirty meters all around him, the earth and rocks were scorched black, and what little vegetation remained was reduced to twigs. Alexander was missing once more.
Growling, Flamel followed his magic once again, Apparating to a city somewhere in America. The people around him immediately panicked, but he ignored them, keeping his eyes out for the infuriating giant who just would not die. Suddenly, Flamel felt the sharp edge of a blade pierce his back.
"Did you miss me?" Alexander whispered in Flamel's ear. He yanked the knife out a moment later.
But Flamel was not broken by this attack. He lashed out with his magic, spreading a wave of death that slashed through the air around him. Dozens of Muggles were cut down, and the rest ran away screaming. However, when Flamel turned to look at the crippled form of his foe, he was sorely disappointed.
Alexander looked around at the devastation with barely concealed contempt, his wound already healed. "Rather wasteful in your old age, aren't you?"
"Fiendfyre!"
Nicolas summoned the cursed flame, and the ambient temperature shot through the roof. The nearby buildings caught fire as a towering beast took shape in the middle of the street, beating massive wings in exaltation. It took the form of a dragon, and Nicolas could feel it strain for freedom.
He crushed its will. Centuries of practice enabled him to dominate one of the most terrible spells in a wizard's arsenal. The cursed fire could not even whimper as its will was crushed and Nicolas immediately directed it at Alexander.
Nicolas half expected his foe to Apparate away, to escape the fires rumored to consume the soul of whatever it touched. But instead he held out a hand, as if he would pet the fiery dragon, and held his ground.
It was only because of his connection with the Fiendfyre that Nicolas could tell what happened next. The moment it touched Alexander's skin, it felt as though a Dementor was present, sucking all the warmth and air from the nearby area. Even worse was the magic that made up the Fiendfyre, predominantly Nicolas', and how it was sucked into Alexander without issue.
Nicolas was shocked, but even more than that he was horrified. What manner of sorcery was this, what fell ability allowed Alexander to consume magic as if he was a Dementor? Nicolas Apparated away, eager to put distance between, so he could gather his thoughts and figure out how to kill Alexander.
He arrived somewhere in Eastern Asia, in mountains that had once housed a group of peaceful monks. Nicolas had killed them three hundred years ago and had taken their former dwelling as a place of refuge. He immediately raised wards that would hide his location and prevent Alexander from finding him. Thirty seconds of frantic casting later, Nicolas allowed himself a moment to catch his breath.
"Who are you hiding from?" Alexander asked. The man was sitting calmly in a chair that definitely did not belong to Nicolas.
Nicolas panicked, and for the first time in centuries, miscast a spell. His Blasting Curse went wide, hitting the mountain behind Alexander, and both men looked up at the sound of ominous cracking. Suddenly the mountain top broke, and boulders larger than whales bounced down the mountain toward them.
Nicolas Apparated away once more, landing in a city in Austria. Alexander appeared a moment later, baring down on Nicolas with a maniac grin, his teeth bare. Nicolas gritted his teeth and braced himself, before casting a Soul Eater Curse, which did exactly what it advertised. As it flew through the air toward Alexander, it left Nicolas feeling like someone had reached into his chest and squeezed his heart, an unavoidable side effect that would pass after a few moments.
For the first time in their fight, Nicolas witnessed Alexander handle something he wasn't familiar with. The man moved impossibly fast, snapping up a shield that did little to slow down the spell, before twisting underneath it. The spell flew through the air above him easily, and Alexander returned to his feet.
"Now that wasn't nice," Alexander began to say, before diving to the side once more. The Soul Eater Curse flew through the space his body just left, having turned and sped back toward the target. Nicolas watched with grim satisfaction as his foe frantically dodged, using the time to get over the side effects of casting the spell.
Just as Nicolas was about to add more spells into the mix, Alexander dove through a door, ripping it off its hinges. Nicolas could hear screams and shouts of surprises as the curse followed him inside, and occasionally it moved in front of the windows. Suddenly, a window on the third floor shattered, and Alexander flew from it with a Muggle in his grasp. The curse sped to the pair on the street, and that was when Alexander threw the Muggle in its path.
Immediately the man's body shriveled, drying from the inside out. But it was the faint, leaking substance that came from the man's eyes and mouth that told the true effects of the spell. It was the man's soul, being eaten by the curse, and the man died in one of the most painful manners possible, as it ate his soul into nothing.
Alexander eyed the corpse before turning to Nicolas with a serious face. Both men had grim frowns, no longer willing to play with their foe. From now on, they would fight with everything in their arsenal.
Which was when the first bomb hit.
Both men were blasted off their feet, sent flying through the air. Buildings broke apart around them, and it was only Nicolas' instinctual use of magic to shield himself that prevented him from becoming flattened. Even so, he was buried under a mountain of debris.
With no idea what just happened, Nicolas Apparated away, landing in Kenya. A fair pop behind him alerted Nicolas that Alexander had survived and was still chasing him. Nicolas Apparated away again.
Alexander chased Nicolas all across the world, never giving him a moment's break. They moved from wilderness to city, to devastated landscapes, and Nicolas did not understand what was happening. Somehow cities all over the world were being destroyed and Nicolas had the gut feeling that Alexander was the cause.
So he Apparated to Paris. It still stood, which was good. Flamel coughed slightly, feeling a tightness in his chest. Perhaps he had wandered through too many exploded cities; it seemed he had something stuck in his lungs. Alexander appeared nearby.
"How you feeling, Flamel?" Alexander asked, for once not casting a spell.
"Annoyed you don't have the good sense to die," Nicolas spat. He felt slightly warm. "What the hell are you doing to those cities?"
Alexander smiled but shrugged. "Far be it for me to ruin the surprise for the great and wise Nicolas Flamel!" he said with a mocking laugh.
"I've killed far more troublesome beings than you, boy," Nicolas said. "I'll figure out how to kill you soon enough."
That seemed to gain Alexander's attention. "Far more troublesome than me? Sounds like a group I'd like to meet. Who were they?" he asked.
Nicolas frowned. Alexander seemed far too at ease, and Nicolas smelled a trap. Still, Nicolas could use this moment to cast some subtle magic on himself, dispelling the fever and nausea he was now feeling.
"It was the Egyptian Priests, the first immortals. They relied on their Horcruxes for their immortality, but those things are too unreliable in my opinion. Far too easy for someone to wander upon your piece of soul and use it to enslave yourselves," Flamel explained, casting the spells he needed on himself. He frowned when his symptoms remained.
"Agreed," Alexander said, an amused smile on his face. "I think you should always keep your soul close."
Nicolas didn't like how Alexander smirked as he said that, but focused more on the fact that his hands were now trembling. "Quite. But the Egyptian Priests were a nasty bunch, willing to sacrifice anything or anyone in pursuit of their power."
Alexander cut in. "It was from them you learned how to harvest a runic language, didn't you?" he asked. Nicolas couldn't help but being mildly impressed with his knowledge, even if it was worrying.
"Yes. I stole the information from them, but they caught me. We fought, and I only prevailed because they had lived for so long that their minds were addled. Their magic kept them alive, but it could not stop the degradation of the mind," Nicolas explained. He looked down at his arms and legs, which were now shaking. With dread filling his belly alongside the nausea, he realized Alexander must have done something to him, must have hit him with something. "What did you curse me with?"
Alexander grinned and pointed to the Eiffel Tower that stood in the distance. Nicolas blinked in confusion for only a moment before he was suddenly blinded once more and knocked off his feet. His skin burned, and he cried out in pain, and his magic could do nothing to heal him.
Footsteps approached Nicolas, and he struggled to open his eyes. Standing over him was Alexander Dantes, with an enormous mushroom cloud forming over his shoulders, where the Parisian skyline once stood. The pride of the French people was gone, as well as themselves.
"I've killed you, Nicolas Flamel. And your body is only now realizing it," Alexander smugly said. Nicolas could only feel pain and horror.
Magic Break Can't Be Seen
Alexander Dantes
September 1st, 2017
Alexander lay in the dirt, gasping desperately for breath. His limbs struggled to obey his commands, twitching as an overwhelming wave of pain consumed his entire being. Liquid fire pushed through his veins, almost like magma, and Alexander almost wondered if this would be his end.
But he was not so weak willed as to believe that and gritted his teeth as he focused. Each breath felt like red-hot razor blades, slashing open his throat from within, but he pushed past that. He forced his arms beneath him, bracing himself on the ground before pushing up. Slowly, on shaking limbs, Alexander rose to his feet.
The pain did not lessen, and even the powerful regeneration Alexander possessed did little to aid him. All he could do now was patiently wait as his body adjusted to the upgrade he just gave himself. Time was his ally now, and as an immortal, he would never run out of it.
"What does it feel like?" Daphne asked. They were alone in the orchard a few hours before midnight, and the moon shone brightly upon them. And Alexander had just implanted the Greater Stone in his chest.
The implantation process was easy; he merely held the stone to his chest before using his Metamorphmagus ability to pull it in. Muscles and bones moved aside at his direction, pulling the greatest achievement possible in alchemy into his chest cavity. There it took the place of the Philosopher's stone, which was pulled out and discarded to the side. During the entire process, magic poured into Alexander, causing him to feel as though he was lit on fire.
Alexander grimaced. "Everything hurts. Even things I didn't think I could feel hurt. The inside of my teeth is a weird and forsaken place."
Daphne rolled her eyes at Alexander's poor joke. "Can you remove or numb your nerves?" she asked in concern.
"No. The magic is constantly pushing at me, Daphne, I can't numb myself to it. If I do, I think it runs the risk of killing me, or at least cause a messy explosion, if I can't restrain it in time. I'll just have to grin and bare it," Alexander said, with a pain-filled smile.
Daphne shook her head and approached, slowly laying a hand on Alexander's cheek. He couldn't hide his flinch at the caress, how it felt softer than silk yet bit at him with the pain of a Crucio. She pulled back.
"I'm worried about leaving you in this state. This is the most vulnerable I've ever seen you," she said.
Alexander carefully wrapped a hand around hers, marveling at the softness of her skin. He squeezed gently but let go once he felt the bones shift underneath his grip. Daphne cursed and cradled her crushed hand.
"I'm more likely to kill someone than they are me right now," Alexander said. Daphne's hand healed before their eyes.
"There are still a lot of ways Lycans can die, Alex," Daphne said, flexing her healed hand. "You're not invincible."
Alexander nodded. "I know. Which is why I'll be staying here while you retrieve your sister. Between the Acropolis and the Lycans, I'll be safe until it's time to end this."
"But will you be ready in time? We're about to start the clock," Daphne said, worry clouding her voice. Alexander leaned in and lightly kissed her, feeling as though he was kissing a star.
"Two months is more than enough time for me to recover and adjust to my new strength. Have some faith in me, love. Now get to England. We have an immortal to kill," he said.
Daphne nodded, moving forward as if to hug him, but hesitated at the last moment. Gritting his teeth, Alexander stepped forward, wrapping her in his own embrace. She gave him a light squeeze, but it still felt more restricting that a boa constrictor. Still, Alexander held onto her desperately, trying to convey all of his love and trust for her into the act. Finally, he let go and Daphne vanished.
Alexander immediately fell to the ground, snarling. The pain was unimaginable, and now that Daphne was gone he allowed himself to feel it fully. He knew if he allowed it to show, she would not have gone, staying with him and sacrificing the chance to reconnect and help her sister before it was too late. As much as Alexander wished for Daphne's company, he knew how desperately she missed her sister, and refused to deny her this.
But now that she was gone, he allowed the pain to escape him. In an instant he transformed, howling his fury and pain to the moon, and tearing at the ground beneath his feet. He lashed out with an arm, shattering an apple tree in an instant, causing it to fall over. He howled, long and deep, echoing across Cape Horn like a vengeful spirit.
He raged for much longer than he would ever care to admit, driven by the pain. Alexander wondered if this was how werewolves felt the night of the full moon, and he let out a harsh bark of laughter when he realized that it was a full moon that night. Finally, he calmed down, and changed back into a human.
Alexander did feel slightly better after tearing apart the section of the orchard he was in. He conjured clothing around his body before resting on a tree stump, staring up at the moon overhead. He sat there for what felt like hours before two sets of footsteps approached him from behind, stopping a respectful distance away.
"I've always wondered if you could use magic to get into space," Alexander finally said. His two companions shifted slightly behind him. "Non-magical technology can get you there, of course, but I've always been curious if magic could."
Neither of his companions spoke. "I want to go to space," Alexander whispered, eyeing the stars.
"I wouldn't even know how to go about even starting that," Mark's voice said. Unseen, Alexander smiled, the scars on his face being tugged by the actions.
"I do," Alexander softly said, as if he had a secret. "What news do you have?"
"Potter's entered her interrogation room," Zhen's voice said promptly. "I'll have a copy of the interrogation report as soon as an Auror writes it."
Alexander did not move or reply for a long moment, letting his eyes trace the moon's surface. The pain still burned within him, but he was the master of it, and he would never allow it to consume him again. He hummed as he shifted his gaze to the wilderness before him, taking in the sights.
The Acropolis glowed in the distance, an impossible mountain made of crystal. It glowed softly in the moonlight, and Alexander's sharp eyes could see thousands of figures toiling away on dark metallic platforms. Each platform was covered in thousands of runes and served a purpose that only Alexander knew.
Suddenly, one of the dark platforms glowed, floating into the air. A dozen figures took flight after it, landing on it as it slowly orbited the mountain.
"Well, we've started the game. I wonder how it'll finish?" Alexander asked as another platform rose.
A lone wolf howled into the night.
Magic Break Can't Be Seen
Alexander Dantes
October 31st, 2017
As he stood over Nicolas Flamel, Alexander only felt victory. Nothing the wizard could do would save him, nothing could stop his demise. Alexander just had to wait, but that didn't mean he couldn't mock his foe.
"You don't even know what's killing you, do you?" Alexander asked, stepping through the destroyed Parisian street. It was littered with debris and the buildings on either side were half destroyed. The damage a nuclear strike could cause was truly devastating.
"You... beast," Nicolas grunted from where he lay. He was half propped up against what was once a garden wall, only a few bricks remained.
Alexander sat a short distance away. "To put it in simple terms, you're suffering from radiation poisoning. In small doses it's recoverable, but I've been leading you on a merry goose chase all over the world, giving you a nice, high exposure. You only have a few more minutes to live."
He then wrinkled his nose and waved his wand at Flamel. "While men much younger than yourself suffer from having accidents, yours was probably because of the radiation. Still, take comfort in the fact that when I retell this tale, I'll be telling everyone you defecated yourself in fear of me."
Nicolas Flamel glared at him, but could do nothing as his body died. Alexander watched with interest as the man still tried to heal himself with magic. He wondered if Flamel would be desperate enough to try to Apparate away, as it was likely he'd Splinch himself.
"Why?" Flamel finally asked, blood bubbling from his lips and eyes.
"Why did I kill you?" Alexander asked, taking the jerk of Flamel's head as a confirmation. "I saw you sacrifice a group of children for power. That's what caught my eye anyway. Originally I was just going to let the world slowly die, the magicals and non-magicals tear each other to pieces, while me and mine remained safe, but then I found how you prolonged your life. And I realized the true threat you present."
Alexander leaned back, looking as though he was sitting comfortably on a couch, rather than the ruins of civilization. "Your legend could unite the world, giving the wizards the opportunity to not just fight back, but to conquer the non-magicals. And then you could have found my Acropolis, destroying us through sheer attrition. I couldn't let that happen."
"So I did my best to disrupt your efforts. Non-magicals are easy, a bribe here, an Imperius there, and they'll always remain divided. But wizards are much more difficult. They're greedy, yes, but they have power. I needed to break that power, so I started breaking down the barrier between the two worlds, slowly eroding the Statute of Secrecy."
"For a few years, I considered becoming a proper Dark Lord. But that's when Mikael stumbled upon me, and I couldn't deny the allure of using wizard kind's boogeyman against them. Everything proceeded as planned, which is really quite remarkable."
Alexander suddenly leaned forward, staring at Flamel with a vicious intensity. "I know you can appreciate the level of planning that goes into conquering the world, as you almost did it, but do you know how bloody complicated it is to maneuver three sides of a war? That it only lasted a few months is beside the point, it took years of planning and preparation."
A silence fell between the two men, both lost in their thoughts. There was a certain kind of horrific silence in the aftermath of a nuclear blast, as if the world around them was aware of the atrocity that was just committed.
"Why... destroy... world?" Flamel asked. He was nearing his end, and both men knew it.
Alexander grinned as he stood, stepping toward Flamel as if he was the Grim Reaper. "I could say it was to kill you, a most dangerous foe I wasn't quiet sure I could kill by myself, and it would be fact. I could also say it was to kill the non-magicals, allowing those of us with magic to take our rightful places in this world," he said, coming to a halt above Flamel.
"But really? It was for the ease of cleanup," Alexander said. He waved his arm at the surrounding street, vanishing stone bricks, scrap metal, and anything made by the hands of man. He then swirled his hand above his head, causing a cloud of particles to congregate in the palm of his hand, forming a green crystal. Flamel suddenly found the air just a bit easier to clean.
"My Lycans will slowly heal this world, undoing the damage we've done. And when we're done, it will be a pristine world once more, allowed to live and thrive without you nasty humans contaminating it. And the Lycans will watch over it, as guardians, so that nothing will ever harm it again. But there is no place for humans in my world."
Alexander shoved the green crystal into Flamel's chest, piercing his heart, and finally ending the wretched man. Flamel gave a soft gasp as his twitching limbs finally stilled, and the light in his eyes faded. Alexander stood once more, before pointing his finger at Flamel's corpse.
"Incendio."
It was small, just a spark, but it flew through the air like a bullet. Flamel's corpse burst into a raging inferno, incinerating the crystal Alexander had used to kill the Dark Lord. A moment later the flames died out, revealing naught but ash that slowly blew away in the wind.
As Alexander took to the air, he marveled at how powerful he felt. The Greater Stone still burned in his chest, but it wasn't debilitating. It was thanks to this stone that he survived Nicolas' Killing Curse, as it acted like a Horcrux. Blood, soul, and magic were all tied together, tighter than a rope, after all. Alexander had made the stone out of his blood, which carried his magic, which was his soul. Millions of gallons of it spilled later, and he had an artificial soul, an anchor that would help preserve his body and his life.
He flew through the air, faster than any man-made jet. The world far beneath him burned and he could see hundreds of mushroom clouds, the remnants of nuclear explosions. Over the coming months the world would suffer, but he and his Lycans would slowly heal it. And then they would use the animals and plants within the Acropolis to reseed the planet.
A handful of minutes was all that was needed for Alexander to fly across the world. He slowed as he neared the Acropolis, taking in the giant crystal mountain and its floating platforms with glee. He was about to fulfill a dream decades in the making.
He landed on the peak of the Acropolis and touched his throat with a glowing blue hand. "Lycans! I have returned victorious!"
Underneath his feet, almost two million Lycans began to roar and howl their pleasure at their Alpha's return. Alexander could almost imagine the Acropolis shaking with the force of their might.
"As you know, nuclear bombs have fallen all over the world, contaminating the world with radiation. As far as I know, we are all that is left," Alexander said. He would know, as it was by his design.
"But fear not the radiation! The walls of the Acropolis are here to protect us, and the Lycan Serum allows our bodies to survive even the most irradiated areas! I have personally tested this, I assure you. You are safe."
Alexander paused, readying himself for the next bit. This was it, the moment he had dreamed of for years. "You have helped me build the Acropolis for years, you raised the metal platforms you see even now orbiting us. You will now see why the fruits of your labor are now your salvation! Brace yourselves!"
The blue glow faded from his hand and Alexander pointed to two of the metal platforms he could see. Unknown to the Lycans below, only a handful of the runes on the platforms were required to make them fly, as the rest served a far more important purpose. Alexander would activate them now.
A blast of magic left each hand, strong enough to kill a hundred wizards ten times over. The platforms greedily sucked in the magic, activating runes internally and externally the majority of the Lycans were unaware of. After a moment, Alexander pointed to two more platforms, repeating the process.
Dozens of platforms were required for this, and Alexander had the magic to spare. The Greater Stone sang as its magic was used, an infinite power source that refilled itself even as Alexander tried to empty it. Platform after platform was activated, each glowing with calm blue runes that pulsed gently. Finally, the last platform was activated.
Alexander closed his eyes, before slamming his fists into the Acropolis' peak, cutting his hand and covering it with his blood. The blood poured onto runes that were so fine they were practically invisible, only revealed by the presence of blood. And then they activated.
A shudder ran through the Acropolis as the entire thing shifted. Unseen to anyone, where the Acropolis rested on the ocean floor, great cracks appeared. Water shifted chaotically in the sea below, but it was only a prelude to what came next: The Acropolis began to rise.
Slowly the Acropolis pulled itself free of the seafloor, breaking off the stones that had long supported it. It slid free of the water, causing the waves to rush to fill in the space it just vacated. And still it rose, faster and faster, piercing through the clouds as it approached the speed of an airplane.
Yet the inhabitants of the Acropolis felt nothing past the initial shift. The metal platforms helped created a bubble around the Acropolis, dispersing the inertia gained, as well as keeping the oxygen they needed to survive in. And still the Acropolis rose.
Finally, outside of the atmosphere of the planet of their birth, the Acropolis slowed to a stop. The Lycans did not notice artificial gravity pulling them "down", nor how the temperature remained comfortable. Their attention was drawn to Earth, and how it was ravaged by flames and war.
"We will heal our world," Alexander said a moment later, his voice echoing through the Acropolis. Everyone crowded the outer shell, looking at their ravaged world. "We will reclaim it and restore balance, protecting it so this may never happen again. This I promise you, as your Alpha."
The Lycans cheered, howling their approval. The refugees from Hogwarts looked at the towering beasts in fear, their shattered home with devastation. But as Alexander turned his back on the world of his birth, he looked out at the stars and plotted.
After all, an Alpha should always look to expand his domain.
Magic Break Can't Be Seen
AN: And that's a wrap. I decided to combine the last two chapters since both were so short, and I can't really find the motivation to drag them out longer.
Flamel: Hoped he came across right. He's been alive for centuries, harvesting the blood and magic of thousands of wizards. He died because he viewed magic as the ultimate power, able to overcome everything. Unfortunately for him, magic has no cure for acute radiation poisoning (which is what killed him)
Alexander: Hoped this chapter cleared up why he's not been seen in the "present", and only seen through flashbacks. On September 1st, 2017, he implanted the Greater Stone within himself, allowing him access to a source of magic that will never run out since it's self-sustaining. He only survived because of his years of exposure to the Elixir of Life and the Lycan Serum, and his own will power.
It was always my intent to kill Flamel in this manner, although the location changed. Early drafts had me put them in South America, but I thought Flamel dying in Paris was fitting. I suppose you could joke the green crystal (which was just condensed radiation) was his Kryptonite.
Lycan powers: I've hinted at it in earlier chapters, but Lycans do have an innate ability beyond werewolves or wizards: They can absorb radiation. While on Earth this is just "good old nuclear fallout", they're now in space where solar radiation is. They'll never stop growing in power because of this. Alexander created the Lycan Serum with the intention that eventually they would be going to space.
Ancient Egyptian Wizards: It was a sub plot that never really panned out. I originally was going to have Harry and Susan discover their remnants, and how they hate and plot against Flamel, but I just couldn't get it to work naturally in the story. So instead I mention them as a vanquished foe, that Nicolas plundered for knowledge, which allowed him to create the original Philosopher's Stone. I also mentioned a flaw in immortality, in that human minds aren't really designed to live forever, and that after a few centuries they start forgetting things.
This story is really a Dark Lord vs Dark Lord story, with Muggles, wizards, and werewolves being used as fodder. The thing is, Alexander was aware of Flamel the entire time, while Flamel wasn't even aware of Alexander until it was the endgame. It's hard to fight against an enemy you don't even know exists. This is also why there is no "good guy" in the story, this world is full of horrible people whose power is so great they ruin it for everyone else. That Alexander wants to wipe the slate clean and start over, carefully controlling and manipulating society into his ideal image (which is decidedly inhuman), shouldn't be a surprise, but I know many of you found it so.
Personality wise, Alexander is difficult to explain. He's gone through massive changes since he was a first year student being bullied. He's a survivor at his core, but believes in getting an "eye for an eye" from those who have wronged him. But there is also the fact that after so many years of being treated like a lesser being, he just can't relate to the average human. He's intelligent enough to create a new race, so he bonds with it, and now the humans are competition. And coexistence isn't an option.
Space: It is the final frontier. Alexander has "conquered" the world and will spend a few decades repairing and healing it, before spending a few more centuries repopulating it with plants and animals. But the Acropolis can move through space (those metal platforms are the "engines", among other things), so it isn't locked into orbit. This was why I made the structure so large (to act as a self-contained colony), and so protected (the crystal structure can withstand crashing into a planet without breaking, although that'd overwhelm the wards protecting it).
Future of this series: I might release some one shots, or outlines in the near future, to show you guys what a possible sequel could have, but don't hold your breath. As fun as this story was to write, the last 6 or so chapters were a real drag, and I just wanted the whole thing to be over. This might change in the future, but I have a dozen other writing projects that I really should be working on, as they can actually make me money.
If you guys want to support me, or read my other works, check me out on Amazon! I publish under the penname William Theodore Savage, and I've self-published a few different works. This is where my main focus will be for the foreseeable future.
Thank you all for reading my story, and for all the support you've given me. It means a lot!