Light's Herald

Hadrian waited in Ragnok's office as the founders investigated their vaults. He wondered how the political half of this would play out…after all those four titles were nobility even in the muggle world, and the queen would likely be involved eventually. Hadrian's head snapped to the side as he focused on the door along with Ragnok as a Goblin messenger stumbled into the room. The goblins panic was evident as he knelt in front of Ragnok.

"What is the meaning of this?" Ragnok demanded as he rose to his feet. The messenger replied hastily to avoid angering him any further.

"Our Egyptian encampment my king, it is under attack and we are taking heavy losses. Our enemy has yet to show himself and continues to decimate our ranks." The goblin rushed out. Hadrian stood his eyes alarmed as he traded looks with Ragnok.

"Leave us, we will respond momentarily." Ragnok order and the goblin fled the room leaving silence in his wake.

"This must be it…an opening salvo. The founders are unreachable in the vaults…I will head to the encampment and do my best to repel the attack. Please let them know what is going on when they leave the vaults. When the fighting is finished I will return." Hadrian finally stated in a heavy voice. His magic swirled around him as his robes shifted to an outfit he hadn't worn since the war. Black, poisonous green Basilisk battle robes with dragon hide boots that came to his knees. He had six daggers on two on each leg, two on the small of his back and two more up each sleeve. They were from the Peverell Vault and were made by the dwarven craftsman of old out of mithril. Across his back and over his right shoulder was a sword Hadrian had found exploring his old world. It was a shining silvery white with no separation between the hilt and the blade as it was all one piece of metal. It had black engravings along the blade and hilt and it was made by the High Elves over four thousand years ago. (Thranduil's Sword). His wand shot into his hand as his magic coiled tightly within him as his mind shifted track from headmaster…to General. When his eyes opened he knew they were now hardened chips of green. He waved his wand and his hair coiled into a tight braid that wouldn't get in his way during the fight.

Hadrian turned to face Ragnok and took the prepared portkey from him.

"May our enemies blood soak the earth, send this cowardly fiend running!" Ragnok stated forcefully and Hadrian thumped a fist to his heart.

The world vanished it a swirl of color and when it ceased chaos filled the air. Hadrian wasted no time in jumping into the fight as he brought down bandit after bandit without hesitation. The goblins were holding their own and the bandits were attacking the human contingent in desperation. Hadrian let out a stream of white hot fire that separated the opposing groups as he stood in front of the exhausted men. Hadrian didn't know it, but he gained many impressed, awe filled looks as the men expressed their thanks.

"Leave this place now, nothing but death awaits you here." Hadrian called in a voice as cold as the glaciers of the North. The bandits sneered and let out a pitiful rallying cry as they surged forward once more. Hadrian's eyes narrowed as his face lost all expression.

"So be it." Hadrian whispered. A wave of his wand caused the sand to rise and shift into numerous forms of animals from wolves to tigers another wave caused the innards of the animals to harden into glass as the outer layer remained sand to absorb and deflect impacts. The animals needed no encouragement as they began tearing into the bandits. Hadrian focused his attention on the figure he could see on a nearby dune watching the fight.

A twist of his magic and Hadrian stood facing the figure as he drew his sword.

"Gaia's children never cease to amuse me. You think that you can hope to match my strength ant?" The figure rasped out with a chuckle. Hadrian stared hard at the figure as he took in an analyzed the comment. Several things stood out to Hadrian. One the Gaia reference. Only those who didn't belong to Mother Magic called her Gaia, as it was a name used by her enemies. Even among the children of magic her true formal name was unknown. They simply had too many names for her. Second was this had to be the entity that Mother Magic was worried about. He could feel the lay lines below him filling with power.

"Only those who fail to understand the strength that comes from within, rise to your heights of arrogance. Come child, I will take great joy…in showing you just how wrong you are." Hadrian responded in a voice lined with steel. A growl echoed from the figure and Hadrian drew his sword up in time to block a strike aimed to remove his head. He locked his eyes upon the burning red coals of his opponent without fear or hesitation. Hadrian pushed and slid his sword up and twisted as the move forced the blade of his enemy away from him. His wand snapped up and he shot a bone crushing curse at the other. The figure twisted and avoided having the curse slam into his arm.

"I am beyond you, pitiful mortal! My master will take great delight in crushing you beneath his heel. Abaddon will see your kind purged from the realms." The figure cackled, madness clear in his voice and eyes. Hadrian felt his mind surge at the clues the other had dropped. If this was what he thought, he needed to shift tactics. Hadrian snapped his wings open and called upon the power beneath him as song burst from his throat. The figure jerked away a screech rising in protest as Mother Magic used Hadrian to attack the one he stood against. The song of the phoenix was a piece of magic unlike any other. It eased and uplifted the weary and strengthen the pure. Phoenix's were creatures of pure light, even more than the Unicorn. As such, while the normal and pure felt at ease during the singing, those of the dark; those who were twisted and filled with hatred felt naught but agony at the sound.

Hadrian watched as the figure clutched his hands over his ears in a desperate attempt to block out the song. Hadrian lunged forward his wand flashing as he shot a multitude of spells at the figure. His spells were blocked with a surge of dark and vile power that absorbed the spells. Hadrian fell back as a hand locked around his throat and the pair tumbled backwards down the dune. Hadrian struck out with a dagger, burying it in it's shoulder as his foot kicked out and forced it to relinquish its grip. Hadrian stood panting as he sucked in air. It certainly had strength on its side.

Hadrian spun, his right arm spinning to deflect its claws as he tried to come up with another way to drive it away. He knew he had no way to kill it yet. His mind spun as one of his wolf figures rounded the top of the dune and slammed into the figure. Hadrian's eyes widened as a though filled him and he knew it was his only chance at this point. He raised his wand and let all his power flood the air around him. It turned to focus on him as it slammed its fist through the wolf's head and causing the magic to release as loose sand and glass shards fell into the sand below.

"What now insect?" It taunted, and Hadrian let his love for those he knew flood his soul.

"EXPECTO PATRONUM!" Hadrian called, and waves of white power surged forward. It shrieked and was flung several dozen feet at the first wave and Hadrian let out a savage grin as Prongs leapt from his wand. The spectral buck raced toward the down figure antlers down as the deer's footsteps echoed like thunder across the sands. Prongs slammed into the figure and Hadrian winced at the banshee like scream that filled the air. Black power tried to fight back before Prongs glowed with power and brought his front feet down crushing the black under white power that slammed into it like an anvil. The world flared white and Hadrian closed his eyes to avoid being blinded. He hissed, it sounded like metal being torn as the light finally faded. When Hadrian opened his eyes, he blinked in shock as he stared at his Patronus…that was still here. The buck slowly walked back towards Hadrian whose eyes widened when he saw the deer making sunken impressions in the sand where it walked. How…

Prongs came to a stop before its summoner and looked down at the stunned immortal. Hadrian raised his hand and slowly rested it between the antlers that seemed massive this close up. He sucked in a breath as his hand met resistance and stopped…Prongs was…solid.

"How is this possible?" Hadrian rasped in stunned amazement. A sense of amusement echoed through him and his mind flashed to his lost friends and family. Prongs nudged his hand and faded away like smoke. Hadrian was left standing with his hand out a look of shock and longing in his eyes. He dropped his hand to his side and slowly walked over to his sword as he sensed for the figure. He felt Mother Magic easing back into slumber and relaxed some. At least for now, the enemy had been repelled. He walked up the dune and rubbed his throat which he knew sported an ugly set of bruises around it. It would take a week or so to heal. He looked towards the encampment and felt sad at seeing numerous bodies laying in the sand. Such pointless death. He was glad that the bandits had fallen rather than the curse breaker's and the goblin's, but he still hated death. They looked at him in awe as he approached, and he could see two moving amongst the group healing injuries.

"Thank you for your aid, I fear we would have all been killed otherwise." An exhausted voice said and Hadrian turning felt his heart skip a beat as he stared at the worn form of William Weasley.

"You're welcome. I was in a meeting with Ragnok when the news came, coming was the least I could do since we have been worried about something like this for a while now." Hadrian replied, his voice somewhat hoarse from the attempted strangulation.

William nodded a thoughtful look in his eyes.

"Yes, was that the one the tablet warned about?" Weasley questioned and Hadrian gave a grim nod.

"It was. You and your group will need to be on guard as you progress further into the tombs. We know it was the Egyptian mages that locked them away, but we don't yet know what the keys are, and they could be anything. Keep a tight watch Master Weasley." Hadrian cautioned. When he received a nod, Hadrian pulled out the Portkey Ragnok had given him and active it. When he came to a stop in Ragnok's office he blinked as the intent, worried and somewhat furious gazes of the founders focused on him.

"What?" Hadrian rasped in confusion and Helga stood immediately, her eyes on his throat. She raised her hand and gave him a questioning look that held an offer. He nodded and felt her hand rest on the bruised skin gently. Her magic filled his neck, and his eyes closed as he realized what it reminded him of. It was like climbing under toasty warm and heavy blankets in the middle of a frigid winter.

"It will be a few days till your throat heals enough to talk normally. I will get you a throat soothing potion that you need to take with every meal for the next five days, that will help it heal better." Helga stated softly, and Hadrian gave her a grateful nod, but he wondered if he could get out of taking the potions. Merlin, he hated potions.

"What happened?" Ragnok asked as Hadrian was pulled into a seat between Salazar and Godric. Hadrian gave a grim smile.

"It was an attack from this entity we have been worried about. He used a group of bandits to attack the camp as he watched from a nearby dune. I separated the bandits and conjured several animations to handle the bandits while I confronted it. It did fall to combat, and we fought for about a quarter of an hour. During which several clues were dropped that will help in identifying it. It seems magic relying on pure and clean emotions is extremely damaging and harmful to it; magics such as phoenix song and the Patronus." Hadrian explained. The group gave slow nods as they tried to come up with magics they could use against it.

"What clues did it give away?" Salazar asked. Hadrian let out a hum as he focused of the little things from the fight.

"One it referred to Mother Magic as Gaia." Hadrian paused, and he could see the other understood what this meant. This wasn't an enemy to the wizarding world…it was an enemy of Mother Magic herself.

"Two it said that it wanted to purge magical kind. Those that weren't killed are going to 'be crushed beneath the heel of its master Abaddon." Hadrian finished, and their eyes narrowed.

"So… we are to come in conflict with the Demon Realm once more. This is not going to be easy, the muggles are not going to want to believe our warnings, very few will be ready or capable of standing against this threat." Godric muttered in worry. Hadrian nodded.

"It means we must prepare all we can. At this point every bit of help is welcome. The Alumni are preparing, and a meeting is being held in a two weeks' time to inform them of the coming trials. We will send out envoys to the different magical species to warn them, but you four…you need to take back what is yours and meet with the Queen, the muggle world must be warned of what is coming." Hadrian finished. It was time…for the first time in over 2500 years a war council would be called.