AN: This chapter is dedicated to the one Australian I see re-reading every other day in my stats. I hope it's worth the wait.
Long before the first harvests. Before the trappings of beasts and man for burden. Before the first seed of hopeful futures was planted, there was only Panic.
The wild was resolutely fair, it cultivated the strong and the cowardly, the cunning and the lucky. Those who didn't survive laid down as fresh soil for those who thrived. Live at all costs. Cast aside your inhibitions and fear the monsters in the dark. It was the way of nature.
Until, through metal and magic mankind found its way to strike back at the dirt, to attack the neck of the beast that had hunted them and culled their loved ones. Manicuring nature to their will, a sweet irony, the fruit of the labors of humanity.
Soon through the ages mankind eventually forgot the ravages of the wild.
Griphook hated mapping portals. For one the uniform was undignified, he looked like an old muggle explorer. Pith hat and khakis weren't for him. And the shorts rode into his unmentionables. He'd have a word with Chairman Gark after this.
"Keep moving!" His gnoll captor's bladed whip slashed across his back.
Griphook really hated mapping portals. It led to situations like this. Lost somewhere in an uncharted pocket dimension, carried off to a gnoll flesh banquet, probably served between two slices of the sorry saps chained behind him.
He and his party were ambushed as soon as they got out the portal, his wizard escort was practically worthless. Last time he'd ever cheap out for Mother Goose graduates, if he ever made it out of this he'd spring for Hogwarts, or at least Dindsenchas maybe even a freelance Hit Wizard.
Thankfully they died before his glamour skin failed. Humans preferred seeing things that looked like them, it'd be bad for business if one of them blabbed that they saw his natural green colored form. He would lose his job for releasing company secrets, the shame would force him to eat his gold.
A strain on his chains took him from his thoughts. They arrived at what he assumed was the gnoll's camp, but it was... off.
Gigantic lively green thorns and stinging nettle, as thick as he was, coiled around in a dome shape blocking out what little sunlight there was.
Griphook felt dread, gnolls weren't this sophisticated. That meant this group had killed something powerful enough to produce something like this.
Or worse, they tried to.
"Keep all the beasts and pieces of Spring separated, those were the boss' orders. Treat them as if they were mine." A particularly large gnoll, with spikes and a patchwork of furred armour barked out.
Definitely the matriarch. It wasn't just the lipstick that gave it away. Griphook noticed a branding of an eye on her arm. His nose tingled. He sneezed from the magic wafting from it.
Griphook barely had a chance to think as he was separated away from the rest of the chain gang. Immediately prodded by his spear and whip wielding captors into a new group. He looked around finding only dryads and a few elementals. His heart sank at the implications.
"There must be some mist-Ak"
He was silenced with a whip crack.
"Keep quiet dryad or we'll turn you into charcoal!" A gnoll shouted from somewhere in front.
He made a face of genuine disbelief.
Out of the oven and into a Floo fire just because these gnolls had never seen a goblin "all natural" before. Griphook didn't know whether to laugh or cry at the absurdity of it all. He'd chosen to keep his mouth shut.
The gnolls started to march them deeper into the dome, the weave of thorns receding to let them in. Griphook heard a sound like cheap rope rubbing against each itself and tightening behind him, he wouldn't be leaving the way he came.
The inside felt like a greenhouse, the air was a sticky sort of humid. The whole thing was bathed in a green light from the sun shining through the leaves. In the center an old palace, now practically ruins, stood covered in growths.
What may have once been a pristine courtyard now engulfed by creeping vines. Hedgerows found wild and untamed. All leading up to a canal that slowly flowed along, filled with duckweed, hyacinth and pieces of debris. Partially spilling into a marble fountain caked with algae, various brambles having snapped the necks of the statues adorning it.
They passed over a rotten wood bridge, each body bending it ever so closer to the snapping point. It led to the half crumbling building barely supported by the roots of some huge plant. Griphook and the nature spirits were corralled in. Across hallways that traded wallpaper for leaves and stairs that made space for patches of dandelions.
He needed to get his calling stone to send for help, but the gnolls frisked him once he surrendered. He didn't know which one took it. As he was thrown into a cell he knew he'd have to make a plan. One did not last long at the mercy of gnolls.
A scream came from behind. A gnoll snatched a rather pretty looking dryad with pale skin and green hair. She and a few others made attempts to pull her away but were beaten back. The gnolls cackled as they carried her off to Gold knew where.
Griphook looked away unmoved, "Better them than I." He thought, trying to figure a way out. Time wasn't on his side and he would need a miracle.
Far down where the creek diverged, in an open cavern made from the crumbled walls of a throne room to a ruined palace. A willow tree waded in the water. Wispy branches with ropes of leaves loomed from the ceiling; curtaining off the outside world. Shouting could be felt coming from behind.
"Unhand me at once." A gray skinned man shouted haughtily. He didn't look very dignified at the moment. His puffy white hair was dotted with sticks and debris and his loose-fitting silk garments torn to tatters in his capture. His captors laughed as they threw him to the ground.
"You mutts! You wouldn't dare harm me. Do you know who I am?"
"Yes." A rumble came from the creek. "A minor courtier of the sky."
The zephyr's eyes darted back and forth. "Show yourself coward, to hide behind dogs is a testament to your lowbirth."
A sound of weapons being drawn shut him up.
The rumbling voice began again. "You are here for a purpose. Tell me all you know of the cloud peoples."
The zephyr didn't pause. "A turncoat is the worst of all the traits you landwalkers possess." He spat.
"You will get nothing from me."
"So be it. The laws of nature shall be followed." The voice croaked. "Fight for your life and win your freedom."
The zephyr had no chance.
Without a sound the curtain of leaves closed in around him. Venus fly traps with jaws in the shape of dogs drug him towards the creek.
A vine from the weeping willow wrapped around his chin forced him to look up at the sight of a gnarled tree with turquoise eyes weeping a thick glowing sludge and sharpened bark fashioned like teeth.
In fear he lost his dignity and started to thrash. "I'll tell you anything you want, I'll tell-"
A clawed branch slithered toward his nose with a dying leaf colored bulb of light forcing him to cross his eyes.
"Blikna." The Living Tree simply called out.
Thousands of black pustules grew on the cloud spirit's body. More and more as time went on rotting away every inch until there was nothing left but a softly glowing silver orb.
The Living Tree carefully took the orb into its claws, raising it high for all the gnolls to see.
"With this, our deal is half done. Collect your plunder, your portal will be finished with the final ritual."
A gruff bark came from the pack of gnolls. "The proper payment for half."
A rumble that could've been interpreted as a tsk. "You will be paid only when the job is finished."
A stare down began. A few gnolls growled. The Living Tree didn't move.
Eventually cooler heads prevailed.
"That's enough. Get to work." The voice of the matriarch broke through. "The sooner this damned ritual is finished the sooner we can leave."
The gnolls grumbled a bit under their breath but left the chamber with little else.
The matriarch stopped in the doorway. "You'd know better than to command my pack."
A branch swayed. "You are mercenaries, it matters little who commands you, only that my battles are fought."
"We. Are not. Dogs."
"Are you? You come at my call, you eat my scraps,"
The Living Tree motioned towards her arm. "You all enjoy my gifts."
The matriarch turned back towards the exit." Have our portal ready by mid day, they'll be here, by then."
As she left, the Living Tree went back to their globe of magic, images of a giant in a throne hall flashed across.
"Wonderful."
"Do you actually have a plan or are you going to wing it?"
Harry was starting to have doubts about this ingenious break in. Cooked up on a poor night's sleep and it somehow ended with both of them most likely dying. One major kink in it was that they had no way to get inside the massive domed fortress.
"I am a bird am I not?" The owl bear retorted, placing a haughty feathered claw on its chest.
"That's bird-brained." Harry corrected. "It's amazing the kind of foolishness a giant owl can have." Marigold and Lavender snickered. The owl bear gave them a harsh look and they both retreated behind Harry.
"I am quite wise." The owl bear sniffed. "I brought along a distraction, best case scenario you die to the gnolls and that is a few less tainted in the forest, a "win-win" as one would say."
"How are we friends again?" Harry turned his neck from his vantage point to stare at the owl bear crouching in the trees.
"We are not friends, this is a pairing of convenience. Nothing more." The owl bear said with finality.
"Have I been dumped by a bird?" Harry made a face. It was a lot to unpack.
"Focus, hairless wingless ape, a proper hunt requires one to know their prey." The owl bear looked over at Harry. "That means no napping." It harshly whispered.
Harry opened one eye. "I am focusing." He was preparing to meditate.
The feathers on the owl bear's neck puffed up. "None of that vile magic. You will do it the proper way. Or at least send those... bugs to scout for you."
Marigold had to be restrained by Lavender before she started her pint sized assault on the beast. Harry cooled her down.
"Fine." He conceded.
Harry had a hunch that his meditation would make him an easy target anyway, he wondered if the owl bear would have even protected him.
"I'll look for a way in." He wasn't going to send in Marigold or Lavender after what happened last time. He'd just have to be more subtle.
A "Mage Sight" was said with confidence.
It all went to shite.
Harry nearly shrieked in pain. The surrounding magic coming off the structure temporarily blinded him.
Shutting off the magic to his Mage Sight he looked over to see his pixies rushing towards him with concern and the owl bear who was watching him with a grinning sadistic expression.
Harry would have been impressed to find such a thing done with a beak, but he was too busy rubbing his eyes.
"Note to self, don't do the magic equivalent of staring at the sun." He thought.
"If you are quite done, we still have not found our entrance." The owl bear raised a wing towards the dome of vines.
"The top is undefended, but I do not trust the nettles." The claw moved towards the ground at several gnolls.
"The gnolls guard the ground with many of their numbers. Assaulting them would be risky without a distraction and would tip them off too early." The owl bear finished with a nod
Harry looked thoughtful for a while. He slowly motioned for the owl bear's ear, then whispered his plan to get in.
The owl bear sulked. "Could you not simply learn to fly?"
Harry shook his head. "Come on."
Back inside the dome, Griphook was frantically sawing the wooden bars of his communal cell with a sharp fingernail. His many escape plans had hit quite a few snags.
He forced himself to ally with the dryads out of necessity. They were not very useful, as whatever magics "The Living Tree" used was severely undermining the dryads control over nature here in the dome. They panicked even more once they found out.
Griphook would have laughed at them if his own life wasn't currently in danger. Although, he wasn't totally surprised at their ineptitude. Without their powers they were barely more than pretty faces and in open combat, forget it. Just a smidge of processed iron was enough to send most of them packing, blasted fey.
And if that wasn't bad enough, the number of captives was slowly depleting. He had no doubt that once the gnolls came back the odds wouldn't be in his favor. A race against the gallows.
Suddenly the wooden bars snapped, unable to support themselves. He finally got through the last one. Griphook practically jumped for joy, but as he was a respectable goblin he just showed his teeth. He made his way to the new opening when he heard a voice.
"Surely you'll need to make a bigger exit for all of us?" A wispy looking dryad commented. "Poor Greta would never fit through a little thing like that." A couple of nods from the peanut gallery and confirming mutterings almost made him facepalm.
"Greta is shaped like the Underking." He thought.
He'd never met an unattractive dryad but Greta looked like she was the guardian spirit of a rotten tree stump.
Griphook gritted his teeth and tried to show his reasoning. "Yes, but this way I can go out... and get help." The bastard goblin said with zero concern for dead weight allies.
"If we all leave now they would definitely notice something and figure out we escaped." Griphook paused to read the room. Some suspicion, but not enough to act. He could work with that.
"Lucky for all of you, my size will let me slip around virtually undetected." Goblins were often overlooked because of their height, one such slight caused at least three of the last ten goblin-wizard wars.
They all nodded collectively. Good now bring it all home with vague promises.
"I have one of my contacts in the area and he is on his way to assist with our extraction. Once I let him know our location and secure our escape, we'll come back to get you and get you home in no time at all." Griphook finished as he made his way through the opening.
No one protested it. He made his way to the door.
"Now remember, don't move from the cell or we won't be able to find you later on." He wagged his finger. The dryads nodded in unison again. Griphook likened it to a litter of dumb puppies.
He nodded his head in fake encouragement and then bolted for the hallway. Only looking back for any possible guards.
"Some of those bimbos may have green skin, but there's only wood in those heads." Griphook would have to find the exact gnoll that confused him for one of those termite ridden floozies and give him a goblin's share of revenge, from a safe distance naturally.
Wars had been started for less.
He made his way to his first obstacle. He saw the torches before the gnolls. Two guards that clearly didn't want to be doing their jobs. They simply shot the breeze.
"How much longer must we stay in these lands?" One grumbled.
"For as long as Mother says."
Griphook snuck low to the ground, looking for any sign of his avenue of escape.
"This land has two moons, which one should we howl to?" A scrawny looking gnoll with a spear turned towards his shift mate. Griphook saw the passage he was forced marched in now closed with the door most likely locked.
"Whichever one Mother says, is not hard." A gnoll with scars on his nose and a chipped axe said with exasperation.
Griphook saw the glint of a key ring in the torch light, hanging off the side of the scrawny gnoll. He wished he had a sliver of gold; it would have made the task much easier. He slowly inched closer towards the gnolls reaching for the key.
The scrawny gnoll nodded in agreement then stopped confused. Griphook froze with the key now in his grip. "What about Bossman? What if he likes different moon?" Griphook sighed inwardly.
"Bossman delivers new flesh and shinies but Mother's word comes first." Griphook tiptoed towards the stairwell, the key making the faintest of clicking sound as he stealthily put it to the door.
"Bossman will give us beasts to bring back?" The now keyless gnoll asked.
Griphook slid through the smallest gap in the door he could afford.
The scarred gnoll cackled. "Of course. Our flesh feast shall have many new flavors this raid."
Griphook booked it as fast as his stubby goblin legs would allow up the staircase. He needed to find his things and leave. He'd need a holiday after a mapping expedition like this. Maybe a trip to a nice gem cave or his cousin Snotring's submerged mushroom plantation?
He ran down the greenhousified corridor hoping the gnolls were as simple as he thought them to be. As he crossed an open door his nose twitched. He could sense riches behind that door but not exactly what. He didn't stop to think about it.
"They would definitely put all their pilfered valuables in one place." He mumbled. He stepped in finding very little in terms of traps or sensors.
Griphook was greeted with various shiny baubles, some weathered coins, rusted weapons, one of the statues from the fountain and various brightly colored junk the gnolls must have found attractive. He frantically searched, but his calling stone wasn't among the pile.
"They wouldn't have known, gnolls can't sense magic." He thought. Did his captor try to keep the calling stone for himself? Griphook didn't get to ponder any longer once an alarm was rung.
He ducked behind the pile of stuff and watched as the two gnoll guards ran full tilt towards an exit of the palace. Both arguing about a retaliation attack on the base.
"What in riches is going on?" Griphook asked the air. He knew he'd have to figure it out eventually. He grabbed the coins and the least rusty daggers he could find. Ready for combat, but for now he'd do his best to not get involved.
Currently using a gifted magical lily pad boat as a makeshift submarine, under a polluted creek that once housed a benevolent nature spirit, while preparing to deal with a genocidal tree and their hired army of very bad dogs, Harry was trying to keep a claustrophobic owl bear calm.
"It's not so bad, deep breaths, a few more minutes and we can go topside." He replied Marigold patted the owl bear on its shoulder. She was nearly swatted for her trouble.
"Birds were not made to be underwater." The owl bear spoke through rapid breaths and shifting eyes.
"But bears like to live in caves, right? Just think of this as a stroll through a particularly damp one and you'll be fine." Harry was still facing forward, his eyes glazed over from focusing through Lavender's view topside.
The owl bear grunted between steps into more river mud. "Just get us there Hairless Ape!"
"Fine, fine." He waved the owl bear off. "This should be as good a spot as any."
Harry cleared his throat and fixed his satchel. "Excuse me, could you please bring us up?" He asked politely.
Nothing happened for a while. A bark of amusement came from behind him.
"Finally gone mad?" The owl bear mocked. "Has that vile sorcery rot your tiny brain, Hairless Ape?"
Lavender chose this time to get under the boat, job now complete, sopping wet. She shook herself dry much to the owl bear's chagrin. Marigold giggled a bit as they both turned back into earrings.
Harry waved off the owl bear. "Give it a minute maybe she's a tad shy."
The owl bear opened its mouth to protest, but was silenced by a rumble from all around them.
The lily pad lurched upward, sending everyone to their backs. Water rushed in. The owl bear yipped in shock.
The lily pad gave a loud croak that reverberated through the dome and exploded out of the water slamming into a group of unfortunate gnolls that were enjoying a lunch break on the banks. All the rest ran for cover. Screaming about some type of cannonball frog.
Harry and the owl bear tumbled out of the now shrunken lily pad. The owl bear rolled on its back into a carefully wrapped picnic meal, while Harry rolled on to his feet. He quickly wiped off the bottom of the lily pad on his worn shirt and stuffed it in his trouser pocket. He secured the satchel and took a moment to marvel at the ruins.
He felt the familiar tug of magic grow in his chest.
It screamed for him to head deeper into the ruined palace. It yearned for him to move past the long destroyed sculpture garden. The oppressive feeling of what's to come was the only part of his body stalling him from rushing in.
"The Living Tree." Harry whispered. Was he supposed to follow? It didn't feel quite right. He was brought out of his thoughts by a low growl from the gnolls.
"Hey, what was the plan again?" He turned to ask.
Harry looked around, finding himself alone. He frowned at the implications.
By now the gnolls were starting to give in to their natural curiosity and investigate the less than tactical surface breach. One by one, they stormed out of the structures and river banks weapons raised, yipping and snarling at him.
"So I did get dumped by a bird." Harry lamented, but he couldn't be for long.
Now in the middle of the quickly growing sea of cannibals Harry didn't dare make any sudden moves.
The gnolls in question jeered at him. Some licked their maws. Some brandished their pointy bits. One recognized him.
"Ahh, It is good to see you little wandwaver. Draampa is pleased. Food that hunts itself is a magic better than all others." His fellow gnolls laughed.
"Hello Draampa." Harry called out mockingly. "I was hoping we'd meet again. When you ran off I was devastated." Harry got a sense of nostalgia as the gnolls tried to encircle him. He needed a way to reach for his satchel.
"Devastated?" A peel of cackles waved through the gnolls. "Draampa sees. Allow Draampa to make it better."
There was no wind. But Harry felt a shift. He grabbed for his bag.
The swarm of gnolls charged all at once.
A wave of gleaming steel and fur crashed into him.
Each gnoll ripping and tearing into the dog pile.
The gnolls stopped their thrashing once they realized all that was left of their victim was a hand, currently trapped in a rude gesture. One brave gnoll sniffed it. Going in for a bite they got a mouthful of air.
A soft pop displaced the hand back to Harry; crouched to bolt, a ways away from the hill of dogmen. His hand exiting from his satchel as the gnolls followed to catch him.
Harry halted them with a sizable piece of honeycomb, still sticky and dripping with honey.
"Heel!" Harry waved around the honeycomb like a lunatic with a knife. The gnolls halted and backed up. Some getting on all fours, tongue wagging and all.
Harry was somehow bringing forth bits of their more playful canine nature. He was a tad confused that it actually worked, but confidence was a key to all magic.
"See the honey?" The gnolls nodded enthusiastically. "Go get it." Harry flicked the honeycomb like a coin pushing a substantial amount of magic into it. It started to spin. Faster and faster.
A soft humming became a deafening buzz as swarms of bees made of honey and wax spilled out of the comb and charged at the gnolls.
The sweet chaos was peppered with screams and shrill whelps of pain. Harry paid it little mind running into the palace, only a few of the gnolls were able to follow.
"Another." The gravelly voice of the Living Tree called out from his waterlogged throne. A few gnoll servants clamored to bring the next of the dryads to the ritual room. The latter was thrown on a pile with the rest of her hollowed out sisters.
"All paltry gains in the grand plan." He thought. The gnolls had burned the last of the hamlets searching for dryads. Even draining magic from the nearby water spirits was becoming a hassle. Still it was all necessary. His power grew everyday and once he grew tall enough to traverse the clouds he would have complete rule over the domain.
All the riches and prestige of this land would be finally his. And then? He... couldn't remember.
If a tree had eyebrows they would have raised.
How long had it been since he first moored his ship to this land in a search for a place to settle down? Time moves differently once one sailed the roots of the Yggdrasill.
"Boss." A skinnier gnoll feebly called out.
The Living Tree's branches peered down. Thoughts on whether or not to hex the mutt tossed about his mind. It wouldn't do to be caught off guard by his hired dogs.
The gnoll knew to speak quickly. "Err, Boss? We've prepared for the final ritual."
"Good." The Living Tree stood straight to address the few gnolls gathered in the bank. "Leave me." He bellowed out. The gnolls scampered. Once he was sure they all left, he turned to his work.
Using his many branches to scratch out runes. "With roots firmly in the ground all things will grow to reach the sky."
It was quite interesting to Harry, this palace. It was a mixture of styles, themes and iconography. All blended together and baked into what amounted as a marble and wood hedge maze. The only thing tying it all together was the vegetation and overgrowth, a tad bold. But then again Harry wasn't much of an architect and he doubted the pack of gnolls chasing him would be helpful enough to give a proper tour.
A debate on the artistic vision of pairing Islamic geometric mosaic with Native American wood totem carving, Harry felt, would be a good conversation starter for this particular group.
He ducked a snapping jaw from his left.
If only they could stop trying to kill each other.
Harry magicked back a couple of clay arrows with decent results, halting his pursuers. Once again his shield extended out to block a wide sword slash. The glass-like shield easily deflected the swipe. It flashed gold, sending back all the kinetic force he'd been storing up from the chase.
Harry found great joy in watching Drampaa careen into the rest of his pursuers.
He used the distraction to duck into one of the many rooms to hide. A small pulse of magic from Harry called the shield back.
After a few moments the group passed him. Harry knew it wouldn't last long; they'd sniff him out soon.
He began to look around the room finding that this one was a sharp contrast to every one he'd passed so far. He immediately noticed a light perfume that draped itself in the air, much more pleasant than the boggy stench outside. The room had a posh feeling to it. The walls were hastily painted a light purple and the room was fairly well furnished to start.
A poster bed with a multitude of soft looking furs and silks laid on it. An old timey vanity dresser stood next to it, riddled with trinkets and jewels and finally, an antique half length mirror.
Magic moved Harry over to the vanity. It seemed no different from what Aunt Petunia would have on her's back at Privet Drive. Perfume sprayers filled with glowing liquids, sweet smelling powders, combs and brushes with way too much hair locked in them and a jewelry box overflowing with spoils.
Harry, on a whim, took an ivory comb inlaid with gold and a bottle of perfume. He neatly placed them in his satchel along with a jagged yellow feather and a string of sky blue pearls that, with a bit of magic put through them, felt of what an air freshener thought the beach might have smelled like. Both items he thought he'd be able to make use of for later.
He was going to head elsewhere, but stopped when his magic started calling him towards a cufflink sized purple gem with a slightly sinister feel to it. Similar to the letter he found all those months ago. He remembered not to pick it up with his bare hands so he went over to the bed to nick some furs and a slip of silk. Wrapping the gem and putting it into his pocket for safety.
Checking the room for any other useful things he found very little and was preparing to leave when he heard a scuffling sound from behind. Harry immediately let loose a volley of clay arrows.
But nothing was there.
Weird.
Magic yelled at him to duck left. As he did, a slightly rusted knife embedded itself into one of the columns. He popped under the bed to get a look at his attacker, but found nothing. No feet?
Blinking back on top of the bed he was met with the sight of two flung daggers where he once was.
"Mage Sight" Harry muttered. After a few seconds to process everything he made a gamble.
"I know you're there, show yourself." He called out.
No answer, except another blade heading his way. This time however, he was prepared. Blinking over to the vanity, Harry grabbed a fistful of scented powder and scattered it into the floor.
An outline of a short humanoid shape just as Harry saw through his Mage Sight.
"Damn it!" A small green figure in explorer khakis coughed out between flickering in and out of Harry's sight. "What in riches was that?"
"You're a goblin?" Harry half shouted.
Harry had only heard about the goblin bank in passing during his education under Ollivander. He still had no idea where it was and Ollivander wouldn't say a word. No matter how much Harry prodded.
"Why'd you attack me?" He continued.
"I should be asking the question, what is a young wizard doing in an uncharted portal realm?"
Harry opened his mouth to speak but was cut off. "Forget it. I've been stranded here for weeks because of these vile gnolls. If you're here then your chaperone must be nearby. Tell them Griphook, 1st Chair of Gringotts will compensate them well for my safe return." Griphook lorded while he puffed out his chest with pride.
Harry grew miffed. "I don't have a chaperone and I don't particularly need one."
Griphook deflated. "What?!"
"I said-"
"I heard what you said wizard!" Griphook shouted, starting to pull at his hair. " Useless, absolutely useless." He turned to leave.
"Wait, where are you going?" Harry followed him out to the hall swiping another scrap of fur on his way.
"We can't leave without my friend, they must have gone to fight The Living Tree."
The goblin gestured with one of the daggers to the surrounding area. "We're in the middle of a ritually charged prison filled with gnolls." Griphook said exasperatedly. "Your friend is a lost cause." Griphook pointed towards himself. "I am going to find my things and leave." At this point he'd take those Mother Goose graduates.
"Oh, and what are you looking for?" A deep voice of barely restrained chaos questioned from behind the two of them.
Both boy and goblin turned around slowly. Blocking out the light from behind stood a towering gnoll, wielding a wicked battle axe, riddled with scars, spikes and a branding of a weeping eye on the forearm. Griphook gulped. Harry recognized Draampa peeking out from behind; cackling at their misfortune.
"I'm sure we could figure something out."
"Ready more meat!" One gnoll in a greasy toque blanche, preparing a pie crust the size of a trampoline, yelled out.
Her band of sous chefs scurried about, deathly afraid of her ire. She was responsible for the farewell feast this time and she wouldn't allow anyone to bugger it up, less they offer themselves to be more filling to the meat pie.
She smiled a bit, lost in thought.
She was very much looking forward to putting that rather mouthy magpie in. There'd be more than enough room for the rest. Perhaps some blood sausage for the road? Definitely a bone broth.
"Where's my mise en place?" She screamed out to a now empty kitchen. The soft sounds of low bubbling pots unattended next to half chopped vegetables.
How many gnolls did it take to prep a bunch of beasts? Four apparently. She climbed off of her little chef stool and stomped out of the kitchens. Slamming the door open she began with a yell.
"Can you idiots do anything, without…" The gnoll was stopped by the sight of her sous chefs torn apart in the hallway.
She went to call the guards, but met a brutal slash from a set of claws. The last thing she would see would be a furious pair of orange eyes.
The owl bear wiped their claws on the chef's hat. They didn't need this one alive. The other gnolls squealed the second the first of them went down.
The Living Tree was keeping her family as a gift for these gnolls. They would pay dearly for this. The owl bear grimaced. Just a bit more and things could go back to normal.
The hairless ape would have to die, but the magic would be destroyed. That's all that mattered. It was magic that made them, her, like this.
The owl bear stalked towards the prisons. The hairless ape's unknowing distraction made the trip several times easier. With no guards around the break in was a simple affair of shoulder tackling the door down.
The crash echoed through the prison.
The owl bear walked forward. Several cages lined the walls but only a few with captives still residing in them.
"You took your sweet time." Each word was called out in a different voice and stitched together with a song like cadence.
The owl bear stopped in front of one of the cages. "I am trying to save you, should I not?"
Peering in to find a giant crow with a broken wing and missing several feathers.
"Lay off the both of you." An elderly voice called out. "Can't you wait until you're back at the Nest before you start bickering? An old bobcat standing on her hind legs with a cane hobbled forward checking the owl bear over for something. With a nod of finality she finally spoke.
"Hello Hedwig. I hope your journey here was pleasant." She purred out.
Hedwig blushed. "There were some… complications, Elder." The owl bear stood taller. "But I am here, finally, to end our curse.
A purr of acknowledgement came from the old cat. "Continuing your path of revenge, eh."
Hedwig sputtered. "This is not revenge, this is justice."
The giant crow cawed out a laugh. "You have not much time then. The Living Tree is finishing a ritual."
Hedwig turned; her eyes focused. "Explain."
"When we were brought here weeks ago we were separated from the nature spirits. Granny and I could feel the pulses of magic everyday. They only got stronger." The crow spoke with words from much more somber voices.
"The Living Tree has been hunting nature spirits since I was a cub. We only had a hunch what for. Never has it been this frequent. I wonder what must have caused this change?" The bobcat finished.
Hedwig's eyes widened. Claws extended, she slashed open the locks and rushed over to the next cage. Repeating the process.
The old bobcat helped the crow out of the prison. "What's the matter?"
"We have to leave, quickly. I must find him." She swiped at another cage. "I fear I know why the Living Tree is active."
The bobcat and crow shared a look.
The owl bear freed the last captive. "For now, I will free the spirits of nature. You should leave, I have left a path open."
Another pulse of magic came. With an undercurrent of … satisfaction.
Hedwig spared no extra time heading off deeper into the Palace of Spring. Determined to not allow the Living Tree anymore power. If she couldn't at least save her people, she would sacrifice herself. Only a passing thought hesitated her.
"Hairless Ape. Pray we do not meet again."
"Madame I don't believe that will be necessary." Griphook was doing his best to put on the old goblin charm. "My charge and I were just leaving."
The gnoll matriarch stepped forward. "I don't think so. You see, I was in the middle of a nice defeathering when I noticed someone was stalking around, killing my men and nicking my loot."
The gnoll tilted down a show of sharp teeth. "So imagine my delight when I find two such pests snooping in my quarters."
Griphook backed away slowly readying his daggers. "There must be some misunderstanding."
"There's no misunderstanding Mother. Draampa recognizes the wandwaver and one of the nature spirits we captured weeks ago."
Harry noticed something faint coming from the weeping eye branding.
The Matriarch growled at Draampa."This is the one that gave you all that trouble? He's just a whelp."
"Why are you working for the Living Tree?" Harry interrupted. The Matriarch swiveled over to him.
"They provide gold and meat, wandwaver." The Matriarch showed off some of her blood covered spikey accessories. "And some nice treasures to add to my hoard. Life is comfortable."
"I thought gnolls prefer to roam around? Doing the whole plunder raiding thing?" Harry subtly reached a hand into his satchel. "I sort of looked up to you all in that regard, I always thought you were free."
The Matriarch shook her head. "Everything has a price. Mine is a chance to bloody my axe."
The many scars that covered her told Harry she wasn't kidding.
"In exchange for all this we simply had to deliver him a few lousy nature spirits. Nothing we couldn't handle."
Griphook started to laugh. Bringing the gnoll's attention back to him. "And so now we're all trapped here with it."
Harry looked back. "What are you talking about Griphook?"
"They're trapped here. Not just in this dilapidated palace, but the Realm as a whole. This "Living Tree" is a living fly trap. And as long as it lives they'll never get out."
The gnoll's face twitched. Her eyes gained a turquoise glow.
Griphook turned to Harry. "That's the deal you get when you bite off more than you can chew. Powerful entities never give things away." "It's also bad for business." He finished in thought.
"Magic always has a price." Harry whispered, rubbing his slightly blackened fingers.
"The Living Tree has provided." A deep rumbling came from the earth below. Magic started to shift. Many eyes blinked open in the arms of the huge gnoll; crying a liquid with turquoise glow.
"Let me show you these gifts."
The gnoll charged.
Harry threw out several clay arrows, but was forced to move when they bounced harmlessly off the matriarch. Magic screamed at him to duck a cleaving swing from her axe. He barely had time to raise his ring forward.
Springing forth, the dirt smelling shield was already warped from the strength of the blow.
Harry noticed the goo dripping from the many eyes burning holes into what was left of his shield.
"Griphook, I could use a hand." He turned to find no one there. "Griphook?" Harry was blindsided with a strong clothesline.
The gnoll made to capitalize, but stopped to sniff the air, then kicked at a seemingly random spot. Something crashed into a nearby wall. Revealing the form of a dazed Griphook.
Harry glared. "You arse!" He called accusingly.
"I was just going for a sneak attack." The definitely lying goblin wheezed out.
"You could've gotten away too, if you didn't smell like my bathing powder." The Matriarch laughed.
"You definitely could use more." Griphook mumbled. The Matriarch swung her axe again in anger. Harry jumped in to shield. The axe scraped across with a sound like nails on glass.
"Can't you do anything?" Harry huffed while holding back the assault. He was feeling unusually winded.
Griphook gave Harry a sheepish look. "You wouldn't happen to have some gold on you?" He asked while pulling himself out of the wall.
"I'm sorry my cash is in my other pair of trousers." Harry deadpanned. The eye acid flicking out with every swing, taking away more of their precious shield. "Do you accept credit?"
"What's your excuse you're a wizard, use your wand."
"I don't quite have one yet." Harry admitted.
"Riches below, I'm too important to die here." Griphook cried out.
The shield shattered. The ring didn't get enough to glow. Harry panicked.
Ozone filled the room as Harry sent a jagged blast of lightning. The teal ooze eyes widened as pure energy slammed straight into the gnoll's chest. It did little more than blacken her leather armor.
She sent a slightly disappointed look to Harry. "Is that it?" The eyes closed and sealed back into her fur, having seen enough.
Harry resisted the urge to facepalm. Months with no electricity.
"Are you sure you're a wandwaver? Even the young ones I've slain could do better than that."
Harry growled; the ring flickered on. He yelled as he threw a haymaker.
The Matriarch just grabbed his wrist while the golden shockwave of force contracted into her branding.
Harry's eyes widened.
"Now that's an impressive bit of magic you got there, and what do you know?" Her eyes locked on to the gleam of his ring.
"It's my style too." She finished. Harry's face twitched seeing the face of one of Dudley's old gang he lashed out with a kick practically choreographed. She wouldn't even have to block.
The Matriarch wasn't expecting a shockwave doubling her over. Her eyes darted down to see a goldish bug girl sticking her tongue out as they flew up to Harry's hand carefully placing the other ring back on.
Harry shook the numbness from his foot. "Definitely not too much more of that." He thought darkly. "Just need more time."
He looked around and noticed that a few more gnolls were starting to file in to witness the bout. The Matriarch capitalized.
He dodged another axe swing but was caught with the follow up backswing from the flat of the blade. The Matriarch then picked apart Harry's pitiful defenses. The entourage of gnolls started to jeer with each strike.
Punches and claw swipes in between faints from her axe proving time and time again Harry would've been dead ten times over, powerful magic or not.
Harry put up a token resistance. Until one of the gnolls produced both a struggling Griphook and Marigold.
A ferocious combo sliced him deeply across the chest. The pain brought him down, Harry reflexively curled up into a ball. He was sent careening towards the wall with a punt. The gnolls laughed as Harry slowly got up to his knees.
The Matriarch gave a throaty laugh readying her axe. Harry stood defiantly, wobbling a bit.
"With this our contract is done." The gnoll mother swung.
The axe was halted with a rumbling clang. Caught in the beak of Hedwig. With a speed faster than Harry could blink, she clamped down, shattering the Matriarch's axe to only a shaft.
"How vile." The owlbear spat. Hedwig turned her neck around and gave a disappointed look to Harry.
"This is who you lost to? You tarnish my image with such actions."
Harry felt a twang of pride at those words. It was great praise from the bird.
"I suppose I should be kinder towards your plight, this one wouldn't fall for your tricks."
"Yes I'll admit the little wandwaver had an impressive display or two but he folded once my boys grabbed his friends."
Drampaa and another gnoll held up their captives to send the point home.
"You must stop The Living Tree from finishing his ritual. Only you could do it." The owl bear emphasized.
Drampaa spoke up. "How so? Busy mother you could, but what of us?"
Hedwig looked back.
A gleam of mischief shown in Harry's eyes. "Griphook."
An orange light engulfed the hall. Trapping all gnolls that didn't dodge fast enough in a block of amber.
The Matriarch was ready to pursue but was blocked by a determined owlbear with revenge and sadism on the mind.
"Good craftsmanship," His fingers gently trailed the gold engraving of a comb." Only 20 karat, but it will do." He was lucky to notice the young wizards familiar before the gnolls did.
Griphook knew he'd be token to the little wizard for this, bad for business.
"Griphook!" Harry shouted to get his attention. "Where are they keeping the nature spirits?"
"This way down in the dungeons." He pointed. Both boy and goblin made their way down. Making quick work of any gnoll guards that crossed their path. Eventually they made it to the prison
"Griphook? Where are they?"
"The Living Tree must have-"
A swift knock to the head sent him to the floor as Harry turned to see a woman with green hair that reminded him of a tree stump. A branch fashioned into a bludgeon raised high.
He prepared to send out an attack.
"Greta you were supposed to hit the gnolls." A lanky woman called from behind."
"I don't know Winnefred, he looks like a Dogwood to me."
"You're the nature spirits!" Harry turned to Griphook's downed form.
"Did you have to bash him like a hooligan?"
"Aye the moss rock could've been a gnoll, for all we knew." Greta spoke nodding along in self confirmation.
Griphook slowly rose back up. He muttered something about grinding down a stump.
"You're the help he was supposed to get?" Winifred scowled at Griphook.
"He's just a child!"
"He's our way out!" Griphook yelled back. Wincing everytime his hand idly touched his new bump.
"So you'd throw him to the wolves to give us a few extra minutes."
"Hey! I've made it this far on my own." Harry huffed.
Failing to ignore the mental kicks from the flower girls. "You know what I meant." Harry thought back.
"And if the Living Tree gets to the rest of you then we're all dead." He finished.
"But-"
"Respect his choice Winnefred."
"I will but I don't like it." She sighed and huddled the rest of the dryads together.
"At least you will receive our boon. The Living Tree has devoured our sisters and ravaged our lands. Even his presence stifles our magics. It is very little to give but the rites of spring shall be given."
A familiar emerald light pooled into the dryads cupped hands. They finished together.
"Do you accept?"
In the hallways an earth shaking battle was destroying the palace.
Both beasts trapped in a trade of bone rattling blows; some blocked, some dodged, some leaving indents on the walls.
They locked claws again in their struggle, neither willing to give the other an inch. It was fairly even until the Matriarch opened her mouth releasing a plume of foul smoke. Hedwig choked. her coughing fit was all the matriarch needed. Much the same as Harry before, she was bombarded with a flurry of blows destroying the corridor and taking chunks from Hedwig.
A grim realization shot through her head in time with an elbow to her beak.
She would not be able to avenge her family.
And with the final blow to the gut Hedwig went down.
Glowing teal goop sealed some of the Matriarch's wounds closed. As she moved back to take a look at her handy work.
"Not nearly as thorough of a defeathering as I'd like, but I'd say you aren't going to swing back anytime soon." The Matriarch licked her lips. "I wonder how far the little wandwaver got?"
"Don't you dare touch him!" Hedwig shouted between coughs.
"What's stopping me. Your guilt?"
A pulse of magic ended the talk
With a sound of ripping steel a dark green portal appeared before the gnoll. This time a genuine laugh came from her. She looked down at her retching opponent.
"How cruel. Sending that boy to die." The Matriarch stepped in. Her clan's deal done.
Hedwig pulled herself to a wall, guilt and failure stopping her from trying to escape.
The palace started rumbling, swaths of the mosaic cracked, chunks of the ceiling like hail came down
Harry was stalking through the halls. These were significantly more...wet than the ones above. Sloshing mud and moss stuck to his worn trainers as he carefully made his way to where magic guided him. The pull in his stomach wanted him to go faster but Harry's caution won out.
Eventually the halls stopped having greenery and iconography. What was left was only roots and stone. All twisted into shapes of wailing faces and great beasts.
Harry grimaced. It reminded him of Dudley's talks about the hunting lodge he and Uncle Vernon frequented.
He tried his hardest to shove down the more bitter memories of his cousin.
But he couldn't forget about him laughing at the threat Vernon made to him that time. Something about mounting his backside on the wall of his office.
A pulse of magic broke him from his thoughts. Harry sprinted towards its epicenter, ignoring the small voice telling him not to run headlong into danger.
A flash in his senses told him to move, but Harry wasn't fast enough. The roots snatched him. Dragging him somewhere, Harry figured out it was a handmade cove in between mouthfuls of sand and peaks at the ceiling.
Still disorientated Harry found his world turned upside down, as he was hung by the leg like an animal in one of his snare traps.
Harry immediately swung himself to the side dodging a blast of sickly green light. He cut himself free with a bit of magic and dropped down prone as to not receive the follow up blast of light.
"What the hell was that?" More green blasts. "No banter, just straight to the shoot out?" Harry joked. "Not even a monologue?" A snare of willow vines trapped him again cocooning him from head to toe. The Living Tree slowly brought a glowing branch to where Harry's head would be.
"Normally I would, but you've proven that you're a cheeky little bugger." The light grew stronger. "And so Blikna." The withering green light unraveled the cocoon with its black pustules. Harry was not to be seen.
"Exactly my point." The Living Tree blocked a clay spear that went pretty far through his wooden arms. Harry tisked, not far enough for his liking. The Living Tree lashed out, Harry raised his shield. Grinding against the sands, Harry prepared to charge up his counterstrike when once again The Living Tree called out Blikna. Harry only had time to raise his shield against it. As the green light made contact Harry yelled in pain. His hands burned at the rings.
"My hounds told me of your earthen shields, good against swords and arrows maybe, but magic they are not it seems."
"Very stalker-ish mate. So why is an ancient fey taken so much interest in lil' old me? You a nonce?" Harry finished with an accusing look.
The Living Tree leered at Harry but he continued. "You needed me to be the catalyst for whatever you're cooking up. That's why you've only been taking nips of my magic, to try and tire me out. What's the matter? Not up to the task of capturing a -?"
Wait how old was he again?
"Do not delude yourself, boy. You are the final piece to My victory. My eyes have been set on you since you entered my forest. Although, how you eluded me for so long I never figured?"
"Well Magic, naturally." Harry quipped. "And since I entered your part of the forest aye? So you haven't seen my ace then?" He pulled out a pair of wood grubs from his satchel, still squirming about, and wiggled them at the tree.
Another Blikna was fired but Harry was prepared, rolling under the sickly green light Harry thought of his treehome. He was quickly reminded why he ended up carving it mostly by hand. The Living Tree shrieked in agony as it was carved up by tiny little bites of magic, phantasmal wood grubs turning him to a pile of sawdust.
Harry fell on his ass after that last one. The strain from using magic the entire day was hitting him hard. Deep gulps of air did nothing for him.
"No more ancient evils, please." Harry wheezed out. "100 years is my limit, then it's someone else's problem." He stopped when he felt the magic pool together. Harry was launched by the force. He should've noticed that the pull on his magic was still there. It was never that simple. Confirming ancient evils were the worst.
Once Harry got to his feet he was greeted with the sight of a half man half tree monstrosity.
Brown hair with splinters adorned inside. A face which seemed carved out of wood, and heavy lines that looked like wrinkling bark. The build of a hunter, someone who ran and stalked often. Sharp wooden branch fingers and teal eyes with war paint that made them look like the weeping goo Harry had seen before. The rest of his modesty was covered by a wispy looking tunic in a Norse style made of quilted leaves.
"Reducing me to such a state. It has been a while since I had to use my own legs." The hunter spoke.
"Very useful for moving, you see." Harry quipped. He was not looking forward to the continued fight.
"I prefer to let my prey come to me. I found raiding to be less than reliable."
"Wait, I get the Viking thing you've got, but why do you speak English?" Harry questioned.
"Ænglisc? Sprece þū?" The hunter looked genuinely puzzled. Harry decided to drop it as another quirk of magic. He threw out a few clay arrows while his opponent was still distracted. The hunter paid him no mind as he easily undid Harry's spell with a flick of his half wooden fingers.
With a harsh word he sent a burst of yellow magic that left a sour taste in the air. Harry was forced into fancy footwork to avoid the rainbow of magic being shot at him. Dirty reds that smelt of blood sausage, purple blotchy spells that gouged all the bark off of logs and do the same to skin, eggshell white spells that Harry's senses told him would wither his bones to dust with a clean hit.
Forced only to dodge as all of Harry's returns were countered with ease. His moss traps withered, his bees banished and his wood grubs, taken more seriously this time, were sent undone. He couldn't close the gap either, the druid was still very much a hunter. Goading him into debris when he was far away and chaining shorter less lethal spells when he tried to get close. Harry wouldn't dare use his shield again for blocking spells. The burns under his rings would see to that.
Was this the power of normal wizards?
Ollivander had trained him in mostly knowledge and drills so that he wouldn't be completely useless but the Living Tree clearly had experience in slinging formal spells. Were Harry's magics not good enough?
"They aren't boy." The Tree called reading his face. "Fool's cantrips are only funny once."
The Tree was right Harry needed to put him down with something potent.
Harry tried for lightning once again. He tried to find some of the anger he had at the Dursley's, at Vernon, but it just wouldn't come. The Living Tree pounced with longer chains of spells, languages that Harry was told were long dead combined together
He tried to remain calm, the same stillness he had gained against Denever, but it evaded him in the chaos.
Harry was pinned behind a log that was quickly being turned to kindling.
"Enough running boy, I enjoyed our hunt, but at least die with dignity."
Harry's panic flared. Did Olivander send him here to die?
Harry's body acted on its own. Piercing arches of lightning formed like a volley of arrows.
Harry heard a shout of Terun a blink before the flash erupted through the cove.
Harry's eyes adjusted. He didn't like what he saw.
Harry looked down at his shin, bark was starting to grow up his leg.
"With roots firmly in the ground, all things will grow to the sky." The Hunter chanted. "Thank you boy and here I thought you wouldn't take the bait." Arms spread wide one by one his eye tattoos shut and started to appear on Harry.
"The final piece of my victory, all the things needed for life, and my just my luck a piece of spring came stumbling by."
Harry wasn't paying too much attention as his scar started to burn furiously. He heard a hiss in his ears.
"What? No!" The Hunter locked eyes with Harry. Beyond Purple Vernon levels of anger were focused at him. "YOU VILE BOY! THIS IS YOUR DOING?"
The former Hunter started to grow back into his weeping tree but once he gained his bark again he didn't stop.
A great rumble ran through the land. Impossible for anyone not to notice. Harry wondered if Griphook was far enough away to not get squished.
The Living Tree roared as it became a behemoth. breaking through the ceiling of the palace Roots overturning tiles branches smashing walls, sap oozing dark blue glowing to the brim with magic.
Harry felt like an idiot. He released an Ent upon the land. With eyes the size of hills locked on him Harry did the only thing he could, he ran.
Harry sprinted through the dome. He knew the Ent would have no qualms with destroying his former lodging to get to him. Right on queue a claw made of tens of branches missed his ankles by seconds. The air of another fatal swipe.
Harry didn't dare look behind him. He didn't have to. The sounds of destruction and upturned earth paraded behind him. Gone was the cunning hunter that slowly lured him here, now a beast chased him.
Through the overgrown sculpture garden, ducking past the hedges, Harry made it to the rotten bridge.
He was barely half way across when the wretched thing was cut sending him nearly tumbling into the muck below. Slamming into rotten supports, Harry was at the mercy of branch swipes and snapping roots.
He couldn't blink across or he would be swatted like a fly. With the Tree running closing in Harry decided to go back to basics. He thought for a brief moment remembering some choice words.
"Oi, nonce tree, how's that power up going for you?" The Living Tree paused in half understanding. Harry pounced at the opportunity.
"Grown as stupid as you are tall, have you? Ancient prophecy and all you can do is flail like an idiot."
The Tree gained a glimmer of intelligence. But not enough to not fall for Harry's ruse. It swung it's branches in a wild arc to attack. Harry switched himself with a nice Harry size chunk of rubble closer to the other side. Emulating a London magic show he'd seen with Starfish. Quickly righting himself with some difficulty, his sprint continued.
Every part of his body protested. Even the sticky air of the dome was against his escape.
He barely got a breath before he came across the next obstacle to his plan. A wall of thorns, ivy and brambles. Woven together tightly, reaching far into the sky and now that he was close up found that they were as thick as him.
He tested it with a clay arrow and it was stopped immediately. Understandable it was never this easy. Harry was concerned when his arrow was eaten up by the greenery.
A roar from behind let him know that his escape was found out.
Harry decided that now would be the best time to try for something spectacular.
He stepped back, planted his feet and focused. Starting a fire was easy. Taming it was impossible. But concentrating it was a chore. He struck his magic against itself like two rocks making a spark. Dumping in magic for fuel he hurled it all at the wall.
Just barely enough for him to crawl through, right as the tree caught up with him. Harry had a second to get used to the brightness before the walls parted cleanly for the Living Tree.
He wasted a moment to complain properly.
Harry felt a sharp pain on his calf. Roots from the Living Tree burrowed into his flesh. He ripped them out right before a great swing shook the air from his chest.
Harry fell into the creek. Forced to dive deeper to avoid being speared like a fish on the living tree's branches. His lungs protested.
He swam for his life but soon realized he wasn't getting very far. Eventually he started moving backwards. Harry berated himself. The blasted tree could control this part of the creek. He nearly forgot. It was the reason he came to the further part of the forest in the first place.
The only warning Harry had was a tickle in his pocket.
The Living Tree was a simple man. A hunter by necessity. A Viking by choice. A cunning warrior by experience.
But all of that was stripped away. His ritual, a millennium in the making, ruined by a child. His anger was the only thing left of him. The last bit of humanity cloaked in raging magical hormones. The boy's absolute destruction was his last thought before nature took him.
His instinct to hunt enjoyed such a tricky target. This prey dodged and ran and hid and fought. If he had his mind left he'd also note resourcefulness.
But someone had to win this game. After his target fell into his creek it was over.
Ankle wounds, poison and now his currents. Like a fish in a flow trap the boy tried to swim faster but his branches forced him deeper.
He watched with satisfaction as the boy struggled for air but then he was blindsided by something exploding from the water.
The boy was riding a lily pad. The cheeky shit even got him in one of his eyes with the wake.
His anger pounced back. The chase began again. This time he would just kill bastard.
Harry was regretting hitting the Living Tree with that last donut. Twice was enough the third time was just excessive.
Was it him or was the tree growing?
He started pushing most of his remaining magic into the lily pad. Quickly swerving out of the way fully grown trees being tossed at his last position.
Harry swerved down the fork in the creek, calling out for any of the water spirits to answer him.
One poked her head out above the surface in confusion.
"What business do you require of us?" She easily kept pace with Harry's lily pad.
"Not much time. Ancient Tree. Evil. Chasing." A hurled rock slammed into the nearby water like a cannonball.
It got the nyaid's attention.
"Can you help me get them into the deepest part of the lake?" Harry made a wide turn. The Living Tree could be seen above all the rest. No different from the mountains in the distance.
A nod and a splash was his answer.
His focus went back to steering. Finally getting a good look at the lake. It was peaceful. The banks were maintained with a gentle hand. The water was clear to the bottom showing a rainbow of stones and waving reedmace. A few nyaids got close to him out of curiosity but quickly swam away.
Harry turned just in time to be cast across the lake, skipping like a stone. Only just catching his satchel from flying off.
Before he could sink into the lake he was set upon by hundreds of vines shaped like venus fly traps. Each biting into him and dragging him face to face with an extremely satisfied Living Tree.
Next was the pain.
It felt as if his soul was being ripped apart piece by piece trapped into the monster before him.
He didn't know at the time that the Living Tree took something more out of him. The thing that called him towards destiny. A bit of magic that always found something more to give when he'd asked.
"Yes." The Living Tree growled, Harry held firmly in his grasp, like a fish. Eyes focused on Harry like a prize.
"The Magic's of the last spirits hidden from me inside you." Slowly but surely the hunter came back, his mind gaining dominance over the old magics.
"A gambit if there ever was one." The Living Tree finally looked to himself in amazement. He bristled in more than a little amount of pride.
"I said you would be the final piece." His branches speared through Harry's chest with little ceremony.
"A lesson for you whelp, there's the hunter and the hunted." Harry's fist was clenched.
"Didn't your mum tell you not to play with your food?" Harry called through gritted teeth.
"Didn't your's tell you not to wander off into the woods?" The Living Tree flicked Harry off his branches sending him falling into the water below. Harry desperately clung to the branch but eventually it gave way and snapped.
The boy's last sound was a small splash.
The Living Tree waited for a moment as bubbles stopped rising to the surface. Content, he made to move on but couldn't. A dull ache came from his roots and the tips of his branches. Where the boy had taken a length of his branch, ice grew from him.
Twisting and coiling around him like a serpent, pulling him down into the depths. He tried to break out as all of the water in the lake rapidly became ice encasing nyaids and fish alike. All while the wind swirled around him, sapping him of all that he'd stolen.
The smell of mint and the sound of a woman laughing at his fate were the last thoughts of the Living Tree.
Chapter 5 Party, Party, Party!