Author's Note: Thank you everyone for both your comments and your patients! I've recently gotten some free time to work on my stories so I'm working a few of my stories.
No beta this time around guys. So any grammar mistakes is the fault of the author.
Any feedback and/or critics is, as always, a welcome!
Chapter 6: No use going back to yesterday
"Ah, you've all returned!" Knowledge stood up, the large tome on her desk forgotten as her transparent faced stretched into a pleased smile. But it dropped a few notches as she took in the haggard appearance of the group. "Though not unscathed. Shall I assume it was an invigorating adventure then?"
Flumping into one of Knowledge's cushioned seats Mouse answered back with a from his ordeal but he had an air of contentment at the feel of soft comfort. "Invigorating is one way to put it. I'd say it was more of a nightmarish hellscape. And I wish never to do it again."
"Definitely," Harry winced at every careful step as Valor gingerly placed his aching body into the opposing chair. "Would not bloody recommend. Unless you have a taste for fire and pain."
"Well, it was never meant to be an afternoon picnic," stated Knowledge. "Fighting with a Demon is never a clean or simple affair after all."
"I'll say," Mouse opened tired brown eyes to give Harry an accusatory glare. "It was almost as bad as being gobbled up. Though it certainly adds flair for a good conversation piece."
Knowledge raised one eyebrow at Mouse's heated tone, clearly confused. Instead of demanding answers she chose instead to remain quiet and observe them.
"Not this again. Look I already told you I was sorry," squirming uncomfortably with guilt Harry could barely bring himself to even look at the angry spirit.
"Take your sorry and shove it up your ass."
Valor hovered awkwardly on the edges of the peripheral, only a step or two away from the group. Placing one metal glove onto the hilt of their sword they took a small step towards the little Mage. The fight with Amorra had taken far too much out of them and there was little they could do in the face of Faith's wrath but they would not stand idly by and just let it happen.
Now, this definitely peaked Knowledge's attention. Her form glowed faintly with delight as she leaned hungrily over her desk. Eyes bouncing from the furious looking Mouse and the protective nature that Valor was displaying and Harry's red-faced cheeks. Slowly she faded out her original book and pulled out another as tried to decipher the heated conversation.
What had exactly transpired in their battle with Rage? It must of been significant, especially enough to bring this tense and strange atmosphere. Knowledge thought happily as she clenched her hands together in delight.
How exciting!
"What do you want me to say Mouse! Blimey, I barely understand what happened much less how it happened!" He could just hear the scowl his words brought. Wincing slightly he continued, " I promise you, I haven't got a bloody clue!"
"By Andraste's tits you don't!" Mouse's knuckles whitened as he clutched tightly at the arms of his seat. "I'm gonna need a little more than this naive act!"
"What do you want me to say?" Harry replied bitterly. "I was actually hoping one of you would know. This is basically new territory for me! I don't know this world. I have no clue how I even got here. Hell, I didn't even know you were a damn Faith spirit! As you like to point out constantly, I don't know much! So what makes you think I would have any ideas!" He tried to stamp down his growing frustration. It would do little for the situation if his magic accidentally lashed due to his inability to reign in his emotion.
Dragging himself deeper into the seat Harry tried to anchor himself with slow exhales. In and out. He needed to keep a cool head here.
"One minute I was reaching out to you and then the next," Harry trailed off as a shudder crawled across his spine as T\the memories of their shared ordeal washed over him. The warmth they shared. The power. Guilty, Harry stared down at the clenched fist in his lap. "Look," In and out. Exhale, "all I can tell you that it's definitely not magic from my world. Whatever it was I did or how I did it. I'- I'm sorry." He sent Mouse a pleading look, silently begging for his forgiveness. He hoped the sincerity of his apologize could reach the stubborn spirit.
It wasn't like he could not understand Mouse's anger. It was never fun having someone take a hold of you. To have flesh and bone and sinew peeled back and your strings played to dance to another's tune. Harry Potter understood that anger very well.
"Fine," Mouse grumbled, a small pout turning his features sour. "But I still retain the right to be grumpy about it."
"Fair enough," Harry barked out a surprised chuckle, relief making a bit giddy. "But your guess is as good as mine. I just wanted to stop you from hurting Amorra."
"Who in Andraste's name was Amorra?" Mouse asked clearly confused.
"Amorra is what became of Rage." Valor answered, stepping between them both.
"Oh," Mouse blinked at Valor awkwardly. Shrugging in an uncaring manner he turned back to Harry with a scowl. "Okay, then but you shouldn't have been stopping me in the first place."
"She was in pain," Harry fired back, never one to let a challenge go unanswered. "She needed help. Compassion. Weren't you the one who said there was to be no more suffering."
"I also remember saying that there was to be no more mercy either." Mouse rolled his eyes, already wanting this conversation to end. "Or did you forget that part as she was trying to kill you both."
"What she needed," Harry emphasized his words with narrowed eyes. In and. In and out. Stay calm. He just quelled Mouse's growing temper no point in reigniting that fire. "Was help. Not an execution. We were only adding to her torment."
Harry did not understand why he was fighting about this. While a bit crude Mouse was right. Regardless of her own suffering Rage, no Amorra, had been trying to kill them in very violent ways. Killing the Demon. That had been the original goal and the only intended outcome, hell he had been all for it.
But glancing at the still form of Valor he could not help but disagree. Having felt her own agony screaming in his skull. Having seen her tragic unfair torment and the ending of her life. Hell, when he closes his eyes he could still see the hopeful expression on her face.
How could he regret the outcome that had brought her such peace?
"Well excuse me for trying to save your lives," Mouse yelled p in clear frustration. "Being burnt to a crisp was not a price I was willing to pay for a few of her tears!"
"Enough!" Valor cried out, fully done with the entire argument. "What's done is done. Bickering will not change what has already transpired. Nothing will. If you wish to express your anger then do so to me. The fault is mine to bear."
"Valor that's not what I-."
"Come on Valor we didn-'
Both Harry and Mouse spoke out as one to the standing warrior, feeling a bit mortified at their own behavior and at the tone of shame coming from the proud spirit.
'No," Valor interrupted them, with a solemn air. Their shoulder slumped and their tone laden with sorrow, "I should have told you the full nature and history of Amorra. But I did not think it important. It was my doing and my request that brought you both there. And it was reckless and foolish of me. For that, I apologize. Your blame is mine."
"And the whole not telling me that Mouse was a Faith spirit? Was that part of the plan." Harry's asked softly his curiosity demanding he had answers.
Valor turned to away, "That Is not a question I can answer."
Harry turned to Mouse with a raised brow. But instead of looking at Harry, the spirit in question was looking at his nails with a bored expression.
"Hey don't look at me. It wasn't my idea to keep things so hush-hush." Mouse shrugged.
Eyes narrowed in disbelief Harry turned his gaze to the last person in the clearing.
Instead of answering Harry's questioning gaze Knowledge was writing in a furious frenzy. In her hands was a book bound in green leather with strange golden symbols on the front. She would turn the page a few times and write a couple of notes and then repeat the process of few times. Seeing her rapidly taking notes kinda reminded him of the dreadful Rita Skeeter which honestly didn't bode well.
"Fascinating! How fascinating!" Her transparent canines were sharpened in a triumphant grin of approval. "Now you must tell me everything! Leave no details out. I must know what transpired on your adventure."
"Wait! Hold on a minute here!" Harry cried. "First off why the bloody hell didn't you think to tell me that Mouse was a Faith spirit!?"
"Oh," she blinked. "Why are you so angry? Was it ever really important?"
"I don't know! Kinda? Wait aminu-What in Merlin's name did you need her permission for anything!" He turned his head back to Mouse in bewilderment. This is entre conversation was starting to give him whiplash.
"Oh that," Knowledge waved her hand in a dispassionate manner. "Mouse owed me a bit of a favor for helping him out of a dreadful situation."
"Wait so that favor involved him not telling me? What the hell for?" He could feel the beginnings of another headache coming up. In and out. Stay calm. Calm
"Well, it was a few other things but I didn't wish to overwhelm you," Knowledge soothed. "You were already dealing with so much. It seemed so very unnecessary. But in hindsight, I can see the error in my judgment."
"More like you're need for experimentation," Mouse muttered quietly.
"Nonsense," Knowledge said. "Now tell me about your wonderful adventure, please."
Harry was a bit uneasy with that answer but what was he to do? Throw a tantrum like a child? Neither of these spirits owed him any allegiance or loyalty. It was only through Mouse's resigned mercy and Knowledge's curiosity that he had not been tossed to the wind. His position was tenuous at best. It was far better for him to stay in her favor, in the long run.
With a defeated sigh he told the ravenous spirit everything she wanted to know.
-line break-
"You could feel her pain," Knowledge asked with a note of intrigue as she stared at her green book in concentration.
"Yes," he nodded. "But before that, I was hearing some of her thoughts. When she blasted be the first time. Some of it seeped through, I guess."
With a casual hum Knowledge spoke again, "I assumed Rage did not take kindly to such an intrusion."
"In polite terms, yes." Mouse stretched out nonexistent crick in his arms, clearly bored with the whole topic. "I'd say she was more on the side of murderous."
"Amorra had been a kind innocent woman before Rage consumed her." Valor spoke. "Any reminder of her old life was most likely, unwelcome."
Tapping at the ink quill in her hand Knowledge looked at them in puzzlement. "Strange. So many questions and not enough answers." Harry fidgeted as she turned to him. "Why try so desperately to stop Mouse? You had no idea that you could truly save Rage. What did you hope to accomplish?"
"There wasn't really much in planning," Harry shrugged helplessly, "I just wanted it to stop." In those final moments, there had only been the screams.
Knowledge did not seem interested in that answer. "Was it anger? A survival response perhaps? What was the stimuli in the environment that unlocked such an ability? And could we possibly recreate it?"
"I already told," Harry snapped rubbing nervously at his robes. "I just heard her. And the song."
"Song?"
"Yeah, it was pretty overwhelming, actually."
"How interesting."
"You know what this is," Valor's voice held accusation. Throughout the entire tale, the spirit stood silent and rigid. Their hands clenched to their sides as Harry retold the story of Amora's torture.
"Hm," she blinked in surprise. "Oh well, it's more of a theory, really."
"Well, it would be wonderful if you enlighten us." With his earlier anger forgotten Mouse was just lazing around playing at the few loose strands at his chair.
"If this was another spirit I would almost call it possession. But Harry is unique in a few regards, at least unique enough for me to not jump to that conclusion first. Mouse is a powerful spirit and you overrode his will with hardly any effort. That takes not only a great amount of power but skill." Harry narrowed his eyes at Knowledge's pleased tone.
"But I'm a human! And I thought you said only spirits could-"
"Be your spirit or otherwise, the act of possession is not limited to one type or form." Valor placed a hand on Harry's shoulder trying to calm his rising panic. "It is not unknown for humans to take possession of us. Just like we can take possession of them."
"Thank you, Valor," replied Knowledge. "And yet the most puzzling thing is what was done to Rage. The act of seeing her memories. To enter her psychosis and to-well, to put it mildly- bring her back from her demonic state is quite remarkable. Especially since there was never a trace of Amorra to be found in the Fade. The person you brought forth was based on the dreams of Rage alone."
"Maybe she was one your worlds Mages or something," Harry was currently grasping at straws. Surely Knowledge had misspoken. He turned to Valor looking for answers.
"No," spoke Valor as he fiddled with the hilt of his blade. "It is as we said. In life, she was only ever Amorra. And she had no touch of magic on her, not i life. Her greatness was in her wish to heal and help others. It was only in death that she became the creature we fought."
"There has only ever been Rage. Nothing else." Knowledge turned back to Harry with a nod. "I have only heard one similar action from one other individual. Not done exactly the same but similar. She may be able to bring a clearer understanding to this dilemma. And if we're lucky maybe even help us understand this power of yours."
"No," he could feel the dread pooling into his stomach. "It doesn't matter. This whatever, it is. It does not matter to me in the slightest. I-I'll just never use it, ever. "This could ever be used as another anchor to hold him here. Another way to keep him from going home.
Well, no one liked that plan in the slightest. Harry winced as each spirit spoke out at once, loudly and venomously.
"No!" Knowledge shouted voice loud in volume. "You are being foolish and childish!" Her hands turn almost claw almost wanting to grab at Harry in clear frustration. "You are on the precipice of an unknown power! And what do you do!? You shut your eyes and hope it goes away. What an utterly foolish idea! To learn nothing of this your full capability and choosing instead to live in ignorance!" The look Knowledge gave him was nothing short of idiotic.
"Yeah as the guy you swallowed whole I wanna know what in Andratates name was done to me and how to keep in from happening again!"
"Are you sure that is wise, Mage?"
"Merlin's beard!" Harry shouted trying to quell the yelling in the group. "How about you just accept my decision for once, huh! Besides, it doesn't matter if I learn anything about it. Once I go home it won't matter."
"What if it happens again," asked Mouse, a twinge of nervousness in his tone. "What if you just get a little upset and them Bam! That's it! And then what if we can't get back out?"
"Mage," Harry felt the heavyweight of Valor's stare."Power comes with its own responsibility. And to ignore. To lock it away. It is to only an invitation for disaster upon not only you but those around you."
Damn it! Damn them all and their logical arguments. Harry understood the foolishness of his statement but to admit. Out loud even? It felt like he would be giving something up. Something far too precious.
"Fine," he muttered. There was no point to fighting this on any further he would just look foolish. No point in dragging his feet in the metaphysical sand.
"Good," Knowledge clamped her hands in delight, the argument already at a close. "It will be sometime before she will answer my summons. She has things that occupy her time but I'm sure she will find this all intriguing enough to step away from her wolves for a bit. Will you all like to stay? I'm sure an audience would be helpful. Shall I put up a chair for you Valor? Mouse?"
"Wolves," Harry questioned clearly concerned.
"Oh, I'm staying," Mouse crossed his arms in an undignified huff. "I'm getting to the bottom of this, one way or another."
"No, I have neglected my duties enough. But thank just the invitation and but for your the help as well." Valor gave Knowledge a solemn nod before turning away to once again return to their duties.
"Very well then," Knowledge smiled, "Please do not hesitate to come to me for aid, Valor. You are always welcomed. As for you Mouse, it would be a pleasure to have you ."
"Valor wait," Harry called out desperately. Mouse and Knowledge watched as he struggled to get out his chair. Stumbling to his he hurriedly ran after the warrior spirit.
Valor stopped at the edge of the forest, turning towards Harry with the air of curiosity.
"I wanted to say thanks. For saving my life and all." He scratched at his messy dark locks in obvious embarrassment.
"I believe you did your own share of saving," Valor said.
"Yeah, I guess. But to be honest at the moment it didn't really feel like saving," Harry laughed nervously cursing at his own awkwardness and awful social skills. "But I didn't stop you just to say thank you. Well, I did. But not only that of course. I wanted to give this to you." Valor watched silently as he pulled out the singular red dragon scale.
With an air of reverence Valor slowly took it into their hands. Without a word they ran metal fingers across its smooth surface feeling the soft warmth coming from it.
"It was all that was left, after everything. I thought you would want to keep it. Take it as an apology for losing that staff you gave me." Harry fidgeted, voice trailing off in the quiet atmosphere a bit unsure how to properly break it.
"Amorra was a kind woman. Far kinder and braver than any mortal I had encountered. Her life was not a joyous one and death did not grant her any mercy." Valor turned the scale over in their hands a few times before shaking their metal head in a negative. "No. This is not meat for us." Carefully they grabbed Harry's hands and placed the scale delicately into his hands before closing it into a tightened fist.
"But-"
"I have," Valor interrupted his protest smoothly, their voice echoing like rolling thunder. " I have carried Amorra with me for some time. She is engraved into my very being. I will never forget her. But it would be nice if someone else knew her too. Will y-Will you do this for us?"
"I-Yes." Harry could feel the trembling in Valor's form. How could he say no to that request? Tightening his fist further Harry carefully placed the dragon scale in his robe pocket.
"Good." Valor released a soft hollow sigh. "And as for the staff." There was a momentary soft glow that quickly formed into a familiar shape. "Here." Valor pushed the staff forward towards him, wanting him to take it.
"I can't possibly-Its too much," Harry stammered.
"Hardly," Valor snorted. "If nothing this far too little especially for what you have done. I do not know what challenges your time in our world will bring you. But it would be wise to have some way to keep yourself safe. Please, take it."
"Okay," the wood felt heavy and warm in hands, Valor's power still echoing in its sturdy form Harry traced his hands over it in silent thanks. "Valor." Harry halted a little unsure if he should continue. "Tell me, why did you let me come along with you? Was there really ever a rampaging demon? Or was it something else?" Or someone else, he thought silently.
"The truth is a bit more complicated," Valor spoke.
"Isn't always?"
Valor only chuckled in answer at that. "The truth is there was a Demon getting out of hand, slowly encroaching upon the territory of others. And I-," Valor paused unsure if they should continue, not wanting to say the wrong thing. "I think you should keep the staff. Use it. Learn to properly defend yourself. Never allow yourself to be caught off guard. Never."
"Okay then," Harry could understand the words of warning when he heard them. "Thanks its appreciated, really."
"Good then," Valor said. They took a few steps before turning back to look at Harry their form a backdrop against the forest. "Goodbye, Mage. And keep your wits about you."
"Goodbye, Valor."
Thank you everyone for commenting! Tom2011, jmsdragn, seeker of truth, vkg313, ed665, jfrost22792, coduss, Tsukikageshi
And thanks to all my guests that left comments! I don't have y'all names but I still appreciate you!
Ed665: You are definitely right on that front. :)
Jfrost22792: Oh boy, the worst part is that there was originally gonna be a few more chapters. But I trimmed it down for the sake of the story. I'm definitely more of a slow starter as I like to establish a few things that will be important for later in the 's just the way I prefer to write. I understand if you wanna come back when this story has a few more chapters in, I won't mind.
Tsukikageshi: :)):)))!