Chapter 20: Rachel
My name is Rachel.
To be honest, I was actually a little relieved when the Hork-Bajir jumped out of their hovering Bug Fighters and charged for the door. It actually relaxed my nerves a little bit. Not because I felt that we needed any more enemies or anything, but because this was normal for me. I was used to fighting Hork-Bajir. They brought a sense of familiarity with the danger. Plus, Unlike the occasional Dementor that flew through the front door, Hork-Bajir actually stay down when I rip into them. They're an enemy that I actually can defeat.
/These guys don't make it so much as to the stairs./ I demanded, tensing in preparation as a low, threatening growl left my mouth. /The others have enough to deal with without them. Take them all down./
/With pleasure./ Ginny said cockily, her form coiling right beside the door. I didn't say anything, but I was proud and scared for her at the same time. She was keen to use her teeth and claws, to fight, just like me. That was good for a warrior in our situation and I liked it, but it reminded me too much of me. For just a second, I let myself worry about her falling into the same unnoticeable mental traps I did, learn to enjoy this too much and grow scared of who she was becoming.
But just as fast, the worry was gone and my own eagerness to fight resurfaced. Now wasn't the time for concern of one's mental health. Now was the time to fight.
The first step into the prison of the leading Hork-Bajir was his last, for while he was focusing solely on Ax, he never noticed the cougar pouncing. Crashing into the side of his back, Ginny sent him sprawling to the ground and sunk her long teeth into the back of his neck. The Hork-Bajir never had time to even see who was attacking him before he was dead.
Luna proved herself perfectly capable a second later against the second one to enter. Staring shocked at Ginny, he never noticed as an alligator appeared out of nowhere and threw up its open mouth.
"HRRAAAAAA!" Her powerful jaw almost bit right through its leg, above and safe from the leg blade, and jerked her head hard. The result was the leg coming right off and the rest of the Hork-Bajir fell back into his buddies. The move provided them a few seconds to back away, a good thing too, otherwise the next, much more prepared group would have sliced them to ribbons.
"BBBRRRUUUUUHHH!" Trumpeting away, Ax charged right at the door as the first wave poured in, however, he ignored them completely. Instead, he stomped his way right through their ranks, sending the seven of them diving to the sides, and slammed his head, tusks and all, right through the entrance as the next group tried to come in, sending another four flying back hard, two them gutted.
The Bug Fighters, using holograms to look like clouds, couldn't attack. Strange creatures randomly appearing was one thing, and apparently not too uncommon in the Wizarding World, but highly advance alien ships flying in a place where it was still very possible for more, unimprisoned, witches and wizards to show up was extremely hazardous to the secrecy of their invasion. The same held true for any signs of laser fire. So, that left Ax relatively safe to stay there, where he grabbed another Hork-Bajir with his trunk and gave it a good toss, right into the last one and leaving them as mess of limbs and blades, cutting through each others' flesh.
As that was going on, Neville and I made a charge of our own. Running on all fours, I ploughed into one Controller with all my weight and strength. Stunned, it hit the ground and laid there helplessly as I tore through its entire torso with a huge paw.
However, while I was doing that, another Hork jumped in and dug its wrist blade deep into my side.
"HHHHRRRAAAAOOORR!" Stumbling, I screamed in rage and turned to face it only for my first victim to grab my leg so hard that it pierced it with its claws.
Blood poured down my side and my leg. The pain would have sent a lot of animals running. However, it just made the bear, and me, furious. "HHRROOAARRR!" Thrusting both my front paws forward, I buried both sets of claws deep into the standing Hork-Bajir's chest and didn't even give him the time to register the pain before yanking him down onto his buddy. The momentum and the standing Hork-Bajir's horns did the rest, piercing the fallen Hork through the throat, both of them dying within half a minute.
Neville had done much better than me. Lowering his head as he ran, he not only brutally ploughed into a Hork-Bajir with his battering ram head, his horns pierced its chest effortlessly and with mighty upward swing of his head, he sent flying over his body and crashing into the one behind him while not losing the slightest bit of speed as he charged at his next opponent, this time crushing it between his horned head and the wall.
Luna moved in to finish what he'd started. The Hork-Bajir that flew was a wreck and slowly dying. Luna performed a mercy kill, digging right through its throat with one of her long claws as she walked over it, on her way to the other. The second was more or less ok and was climbing to her feet when Luna struck, jaw ready to maul. The Hork-Bajir responded in kind, jerking back and lashing out with her right wrist blade, cutting down the side of Luna's face. Fortunately, it was too little for Luna. Alligator scales are strong and protective. The cut only just managed to expose some of the more vulnerable flesh underneath.
Unphased, Luna spun her body and crashed her powerful tail into the Hork's legs, only for the Hork-Bajir to block it with her leg blades. But Luna was a determined gator and spun back around and barrelled forward on her short legs so fast the unprepared Hork-Bajir fell stumbling back and, for once, vulnerable. Capitalising on it, Luna grabbed her around the waist firmly, piercing countless holes into her flesh, and used the Hork-Bajir's momentum to send them into a barrel roll, jerking her head the whole time. Let's just say that the results weren't pretty and even I welcomed the distraction as Ginny pounced between us, bobbing, weaving and slinking around the last two Hork-Bajir inside pulling off a frenzy with every blade on their bodies. At the same time a pack of Dementors flew over my head.
They didn't stick around, considering there were plenty of human minds above that they could get a feed from, and I couldn't stop them even if I could reach them, so I simply headed to Ginny as fast as my three good legs could take me there.
/Ok, this is getting really bad./ She gasped as a hiss left her feline mouth. A response to the tail blade sideswiping her shoulder. The resulting wound had her flinching as she leapt off to the side to avoid a t-rex foot to the head. /I'm tiring out. I think I need a little help./
/Don't worry, I'm right behind you./ I responded, taking note of her fatigue. The cat family makes for amazing morphs, but constant movement at high speed tires them out a bit. Ginny had been forced to move at full speed the whole time and the cougar isn't Jake's tiger, it made perfect sense that she might need a second to catch her breath. Fortunately, I could give her that.
Only waiting for her to weave around me, I reared up and flung both front paws out, clotheslining both unsuspecting attackers. You'd think with a ten foot grizzly coming up right in front of them that they'd split some attention from the kitty, but nope, they were too busy randomly throwing bladed limbs to notice their surroundings. Both of them choking as they crashed on their backs, my arms having caught them right in their serpentine necks, all their focus went to breathing and neither was capable of stopping Ginny and I from clenching our teeth around their necks. Breathing would never be an issue for them again.
The still breathing four outside seemed to be giving Ax a bit of trouble. As powerful as the elephant was, Ax was far from used to that kind of bulk and wall breaking strength. He fights as himself, an agile, precision type attacker. So the four much more manoeuvrable Hork-Bajir had a distinct advantage. The terrain provided them extra help too, favouring smaller feet.
Running after one, he was forever being caught in the legs by the arm and tail blades of two of the others, hindering his movement even more and giving his target plenty of time to get away while the fourth, being the previous target, would reposition his own attack, generally aiming for the back of the ears and neck. Ax would quickly responded, trying to get at the attackers, but his slow turns gave them plenty of time to escape.
/This would not be a problem if I had as little as my tail blade./ He muttered grouchily, though he did trumpet victoriously a moment later as he actually managed to send the next attacker aiming for his ears away with the blunt force of tossing his head.
/Perhaps they will be of assistance./ Luna mused as Ginny and I went out to help him, she and Neville staying back to guard the door.
For a moment, I thought that she meant us. However, that was quickly dispelled as the distinct screams and moans of Hork-Bajir filled the air.
/What's going on?/ I asked, growing very confused. Bears have weak eyes, I didn't have a clue what was happening. All I knew was that that sound was horrible and it was draining all the excitement out of me.
/It looks like these blade lizards, or the Yeerks in their heads, who knows, has attracted the curiosity of the Dementors./ Ginny replied, slowing her run to a slow walk and rapidly turning her head from side to side as she sunk low to the ground. Signs of nervousness and caution.
Sure enough, as I got closer, even the bear started feeling a little unnerved and my vision finally identified the black robes and decayed skin of the prison guards. They had stopped moving, merely hovering around the Hork-Bajir as the aliens screamed and wallowed in misery. It was safe to say that either the host, the parasite or both were just as effect by Dementors as humans and with so many Dementors around, they couldn't handle it. Suddenly I was well beyond glad that my grizzly morph had a non-sentient mind to hide behind. Even then, I still had a lack of cheerful memories that I could bring up and was missing all happy feelings. Their absence was enough on their own, without having to relive my worst memories and emotions over and over again.
/The Yeerks might deserve this...but the hosts don't./ I sighed, feeling a little conflicted, if only for a few seconds, as to whether or not we should stop this. Ax and Ginny seemed to share my sentiment as all three of us moved in, around the ghouls and killed all four with quick bites and stomps, making it as quick as possible. The cold and upsetment, unfamiliar to the bear, intensified as the Dementors closed in more tightly around us, as if miffed with us ripping away their meal, but after a few minutes where they seemed to decide that our minds were far to insufficient for their needs, they took off through the door...only to come flying out again at top speed a moment later.
/What happened there?/ Ginny cried, tensing again before taking off for the door herself. If the creeps were shooting out, than inside was the perfect place to be, to get away from their influence.
/A squid patronus flew around the corner./ Neville answered, turning back into the hallway and away from the dead bodies. I guess he was uncomfortable with them. He wasn't used to that particular aspect of war. Good guys generally try to take people in alive.
/A Patronus?/ Ginny asked, freezing in her tracks and causing Ax and I to tense.
/If it approaches Ginny and Luna, will that not.../
/Yes Aximili, it will set off our tracers./ Luna acknowledged, though unlike the rest of us, she was once again completely calm. I was starting to wonder if an Armageddon unravelling in front of her would ruffle her feathers, nothing else seemed to. /But there is nothing to concern ourselves with. It stopped at the corner, far from us./
/In that case, it's a good news, bad news deal./ Ginny muttered as Ax and I followed her in. Personally, I was enjoying the extra light and current lack of Dementors it provided. /The tracers won't go off, but Dementors can still re-enter this area. If they decide that our animal minds are the best that they're gonna get.../
She left it hanging, but we all got the message. And though we only got a weakened dose of their effect, it still was more than I wanted to deal with, let alone them trying the kiss thing they apparently do on us.
/Let's just hope the others can do their part quickly./ Neville grumbled, still looking anywhere than at the Hork-Bajir. Now that I was paying attention, Ginny and even Luna were hesitant to look too. But then, even I didn't like looking. When killing and looking at my work felt ok and easy...well, I hoped that day never came.
Things got pretty easy for us from there. I guess the Yeerks saw what happened to their ground troops and chose not to send any more to our location. Bug Fighter sized clouds were still landing on the roof, but none were coming down here to where there was no defence from Dementors. And the few Dementors that came to us seemed to decide the little feeding they got from our minds wasn't worth the assaults coming their way, even if nothing we did really seemed to hurt them too much. So, other than demorph and remorph between the protective bulk of an elephant and a bison to deal with my bleeding wounds, there wasn't much else for me, or the others to do.
"Is it safe down there now?" A voice echoed around the corridor about ten minutes later, startling me. I'd forgotten that where a patronus was, the caster wouldn't be far behind. "I got three people here who want off the island."
/How do they intend to get off the island?/ Ax asked, directing the question to Neville and the other girls. /I do not believe they have been informed of our method.
/Once they get roughly waist deep into the ocean, depending on their height, they could apparate away if they know how./ Ginny answered quickly, probably not wanting to delay the guy's answer. /If not, Luna will have to help them to the boat./
/Ok then. Girls, get ready to back away. I'll go to them and lead them out./ I decided, already making my way. Ginny and Luna were quick to respond too, Ginny slinking down to the basement and Luna heading out the door, toward the water in case she was needed.
Reaching the corner, I gave the group a soft grunt to warn them of my form, in case they hadn't looked around yet, and slowly came around to find myself face to face with four people, none of them looking well at all and only one managing to display any kind of determination and strength.
"I-is it safe for us to go?" A particularly green looking man asked shakily. The poor guy looked like he was about to faint from fright as I nodded and jerked my head back the way I came.
"You couldn't revert back to human?" The strong guy asked with a look of annoyance. I just growled lowly and lumbered on my way back, leading them down the hallway and all the way to the water.
The second we passed through the destroyed entrance, a number of Dementors swooped on the group, eliciting a great deal of screaming from the shakier three spellcasters, but a simple wave of the fourth guy's wand had the squid surging right at them, its battering tentacles sending all of them flying away.
"How did you guys plan to come and go from this place?" The guy asked quickly, turning to me with raised eyebrows. Grunting in response, I turned my head and pointed to a ship you could barely see in the night with human eyes, letting the others direct me until I was pointing right at it. "So they have to swim." He grunted right back, looking pretty annoyed.
/Well sorry, next time we'll just leave you in that cesspool. Does that sound better than taking a dip?/ I ranted, though I made sure only my teammates could hear me.
/Luna, it looks like you're on./ Neville announced, taking over command.
"WHAT'S THAT?" A woman screamed, immediately setting everyone one high alert. Four wands and my claws were instantly directed to where she was looking only for me to relax and move slowly in the others' way. It was only Luna coming back out of the water twelve meters down the way.
Grunting softly, scare I might just make some of these guys pass out, I pointed a claw at their wands and shook my head as I pointed another to Luna.
"That's one of you...and is underage?" The last person in the group asked nervously as I kept repeating the motions, getting a nod from me in return. Moving on, I gave the weaker, fleeing three feather—like touches and coaxed them towards Luna while the tough guy moved away and went back to holding Dementors at bay. It didn't take long for the three to get the idea and within minutes all three of them was holding on to Luna's back as she swam back to the boat, a move that was only possible because of a feather-light charm they placed on themselves before getting in a dangerous range of Luna. Apparently being near or touching something or someone that was charmed wasn't enough to set off the tracers. Good thing too, getting them all out one at a time would have been long and dangerous.
/I really hope some of the prisoners can apparate, float or swim really well, otherwise this could be a really big problem./ Neville muttered. It was a pretty annoying thought, one that I was worrying about a lot too. We didn't really think this plan through. It was a spur of the moment idea and had a timeframe that was far too small, making us rush over details.
/It is not a major problem. If we must, we can have Cassie morph the humpback whale too. It would more than suffice./ Ax said calmly. I actually sighed in relief at that, a very unusual thing for a bear. Neville and Ginny seemed to be relaxing from their place in the ruined doorway too. Ax was right of course. I'd forgotten all about that morph. If worst came to worst, Cassie would use it. We would get everyone out, that was guaranteed.
Still, considering its size, the nature of the water level and aquatic terrain and how much we risked giving away with its appearance, I hoped we didn't have to. The witches and wizards might not think it's too strange with all the other Animagus running around, but the Yeerks were getting enough hints about us as it was. An even if they could risk firing on Azkaban with the high probability that wizards would figure out that it wasn't done by magic or human Muggle means, the same couldn't be said about a large group of people riding a whale in the water.
After all, it was amazing that Luna's current trip hadn't put our boat in danger. We don't need to make another, more tempting target.
AN: Thanks for the reviews everyone who took the time to write one. I really appreciate them.
To answer a question from Hawkcam1996, there is no pool actually on Azkaban. the Yeerks just keep a large ship bearing one in the upper atmosphere and watch over the island. If a pool was put in and the the Yeerks used it, they'd be constantly affected by the Dementors too and a pool fool of insane Yeerks would be a danger to themselves, their kind and everyone else.
AbZHz101, I'll say yes, there will be a colony, but I won't say anything else on that. I don't wanna give too much away.
Marcus S. Lazarus, I'm really glad you like the story. But now I feel the need to explain myself a little about the connection between the two stories. Originally this story was going to be a lot more influenced by Alternamorphs, but as I've been writing it the story kept evolving and changing here and there, like every story I've ever written, and it ended up being separated. This series is still much more heavily affected at its end though, so basically the nod to my other story sets it up for much later. I promise, there was never any intention of self advertisement, although I admit that it could definitely be seen that way.
While I'm talking to reviewers, RainEpelt, thank you. I always smile at your enthusiastic reviews. And I have no idea why I don't get more reviews. So I'm very appreciative of the ones I get.