Harry Potter: Eorzean Odyssey

Chapter Two: A New Friend

Harry was silent as the group entered what he had found out was called the Twelveswood they were joined by three distinctly different patrol groups. They were making good time coming to a place called Little Solace It had taken them three days oa hard march to get here . Along the way, Harry had seen many creatures and wished Luna was here she would love this. Thoughts of Luna brought on other thoughts of home. The six people escorting him did not help He had learned a little about the great companies The Twin Adder, the Immortal Flames, and the Maelstrom.

What he had seen of them he was not impressed. He was aware they had just gotten beat within an inch of their life. He knew they were wary of him. He could understand that wariness. What he could not understand was the forced separation from Y'shtola. Every time he tried to go and speak to her One of the burly Immortal flames Yannif kept blocking him it came to a head when the man had pushed Harry hard enough that Harry stumbled keeping his balance his temper started to simmer Yannif sneered

"Look runt we don't know you, for all we know you are an agent of the empire until we can ascertain that we will treat you as we see fit" he punctuated his word by swinging a meaty fist at Harry's head.

Harry caught the blow across the cheek sent him reeling landing on his knees. The years of abuse and ridicule boiled to the surface and Harry lost control of his magic which had been touchy before falling into the portal "Stupefy" dropping the man "I would suggest the rest of you take him and stay away from me. I can and will do many things with my power that I would prefer not to ever do to a living being but if you push me and leave me no choice I will"

"Thy Friend seems out of sorts Y'shtola" Urianger commented quietly "Belong here he does not. His aether feels strange."

"If he is to be believed he came through a portal from another world" Y'shtola admitted plainly "Who is to say if he belongs here or not, he bears the mark of an Archon. I am inclined to give him a chance."

"Do mine ears deceive me? Fair Y'shtola sounds like she has a crush." Thancred broke in before Minfilia slapped him on the back of the head "He seems to be a good man. A bit confused about the circumstances he finds himself in."

"He is easy on the eyes" Yda giggled looking over her shoulder at Harry who was being escorted by a contingent of men six-strong representing the three great companies. "A girl could do worse." She watched as he took in the expression of wonder on his face then she frowned "He should not need a guard he has done nothing to deserve it"

"It is for his protection as much as ours, Yda" Papalymo sighed heavily "While I agree with you, he does not deserve to be treated like this… there is just so much that we do not know about him. While I mean no offense to Y'shtola we cannot be led by her hormones."

Y'shtola stiffened "I am not being led by my hormones or otherwise. He looks at all of me and not just my body. He is polite and kind…"

"I know, Y'shtola" Urianger comforted his longtime friend "We want nothing but the best for both of you"

The Black Wolf had been watching the mixed group of troops and archons retreat from Carteneau Valley from the safety of his cloaked Magitek Battleship. his musings however were disturbed "Van Baelsar I want those archons dead."

"I am not your assassin Lahabrea, I also do not follow your orders." The black wolf said quietly turning toward the man "Remember you are not immune to the things I will do to you."

Lahabrea stopped for a moment before slumping "You have this one chance to end the threat to the empire forever if they meet up with the main host you will never have the hold on Eorzean you desire."

"You seem so sure of that?" Van Baelsar smiled "tell me when did you have this epiphany? Before or after the boy laid you flat on your ass?" he asked amusement laced his voice "What you did not think I had eyes on you, Ascian?"

"If he is not killed now the empire will waste its might against Eorzea" Lahabrea snarled "He has power the likes we have never seen we must remove him now! It also can rid the world of interfering Archons!"

Gaius Van Baelsar stilled as he thought about what the Ascian had said he then looked to a screen on his left and zoomed in on the boy. If he had not been paying attention, he would have not seen the boy's aura erupt from his body. Smiling in his helmet he turned to Lahabrea "Very well however much like our Eorzean counterparts our forces are not in any shape to make forays against their forces but I do have a magitek drone cruiser that I can sacrifice for the cause. If it fails, we lose nothing."

"Van Baelsar, surely…" Lahabrea started only to be cut off

"Take it or leave it" Van Baelsar cut him off "The damage Bahamut did was on a global scale we are getting reports from deep within the empire. As such, our priorities must shift."

The Ascian looked at what should be his erstwhile pawn and faded between worlds silently

Turning to look at the boy again he could not understand how a half starved boy could be so dangerous sighing he pushed a few buttons and then went back to directing his forces back toward empire held Al Ahmigo. No further thought given to the forces of Eorzea

Pipin Tarupin was walking behind Harry and his escort. He noted that while Harry was a little agitated, he was polite and asked questions of all the creatures he had seen as they walked through the Twelveswood. He also noted that the young man's eyes Followed the Miqo'te Archons' every move. When she laughed, he would smile? When she was serious, he became guarded. He also took note of how the six escorts treated the young man. Never once did they offer to share their water or a bit of food from their rations. Every time the lad made to move to join the other Archons, he was stopped, forcefully stopped. However, when Yannif his second became overly physical he had enough. "Halt, we need to eat and rest a bit the council can wait a bit." Turning to the six who were escorting Harry. You are dismissed! Return to your units. I will escort him with the archons."

For a moment a couple of the immortal flames looked like they were going to retort before he gave them a stern look "off you go lads if you want you can complain if you would like I am sure General, the Admiral, or the Elder Seedseer will have questions for all of us. However, a word of caution in your zeal to guard this man you forgot a few crucial details." The short Lallafell spoke grimly "He is an Archon that means he is to be counted among the wise. Never once did you offer him food or water or offer him even a modicum of respect. Trust me our leaders will not like to hear that."

Whatever else he was about to say was drowned out by the whine of a magitek engine that was closing fast.

Harry and Pipin both looked up as the aircraft started bearing down on them firing bolts of molten plasma seeing they were on the edge of Little Solace. Everyone scattered finding cover in the trees.

"What is that thing" Harry asked dreading the answer

"Garlean Magiech Mark VI Drone Cruiser, it's a mainstay of their aerial force. We should probably find cover Lad!" Pipin said to Harry as they both ducked narrowly avoiding getting hit by plasma bolts

Harry was about to break for a tree when he saw the damage the plasma was doing added to his already burdened soul. "What is it with people hurting others for no good reason," Harry said he flung his hand out before him "Protego" He incanted hoping it would work against those bolts he felt the draw on his magical core and thought to himself 'oh great going to take a dirt nap after this' as his core emptied something else welled up inside him invigorating him as the dome 150 foot in radius shimmered around Harry encompassing everyone just as a bolt of magitek plasma came streaking in only to be reflected into the oncoming drone disintegrating it in flight.

Van Baelsar had been watching the chaos his drone was causing with an air of disinterest "predictable" He murmured out loud but then he saw the aetheric reading go off the chart "Enlarge, enhance, record, and extrapolate" he commanded the device in front of him. He watched in fascination as a mere second before the plasma bolts would have hit the boy yelled thrust out his hands and a shield that did not stop the plasma but reflected it. His small command center started spitting out data "Lahabrea was right he is a threat" he looked around there were no other units nearby. "Transfer this information to my terminal and begin studying everything." The screen froze as the sensors were finally overloaded before resetting. As the system came up He checked his link to his private archive seeing the information there he brought up the boy's picture he touched his link pearl as he sent a picture "You should be receiving a picture. I want the man in this picture watched… Seduction may be an option use your best judgment. I want weekly reports." After shutting down his comms he began to look at the reports of destruction from within the empire and thought 'I will be back Eorzea, just you wait.

The other archons stood gaping as they watched the young man's hair whip in the aetheric wind that was swirled around him they heard him yell something in a language they could not understand but they felt the eruption of power emanate from his body and they saw the bolt of searing plasma rebound and utterly destroying the incoming cruiser.

Urianger had the good sense to put on his analyzer and the readings he got concerned him greatly the boy was putting out power levels that surpassed some of the primal's they had dealt with in the past the others finally took notice and followed suit until finally, even Y'shtola could not control her curiosity and slipped her detector on as well she saw not how much power the boy had but how the aether danced around him happily. Then she noticed many of the sylph dancing merrily around him. When normally they would be seeking shelter.

Harry felt like he was touching the world he could not help but think maybe he had enough power to go home and then another thought ran through his head 'just because I can, does not mean I should it could be dangerous for those near me.' with a hint of sadness, he let go of the power that had suffused him what he did not realize was that his normally bright green eyes had intensified.

Hawthorn Hut

Kan-E-Senna sat amidst the elementals near Hawthorn hut her companions each lay resting against nearby trees. Something happened at the Battle of Carteneau something unforeseen by any of the players on the board. Something new was afoot hopefully the archons could shed some light. Then she felt the land scream in terror she could feel burning on her skin and then she felt a power vast yet contained a solitary entity that had touched the soul of the world. She felt as the being forged shield of Will and Aether she caught a glimpse of black wild hair, fiery emerald green eyes, and pain so deep so vast that it threatened to consume her where she stood. This on top of all the loss over the last day broke her. Uncontrollably she began sobbing unable to stem the grief she felt for all the senseless loss. Then as quickly as it had overcome her, she felt the aether sing as it was released, content that it had performed its task

The Admiral, General, and the Sultana looked at this lithe young woman who bore the weight of a nation on slender shoulders they knew she was a gentle spirit who sought to heal not to harm. Nanamo Ul-Nammo the Sultana of U'ldah walked over and wrapped the Elder Seedseer into a gentle embrace "What did you see that hurt you so, Kan E-Senna?" the Short Lallafel ruler asked gently as her long time friend and fellow ruler sobbed into her shoulder "Let it out, my friend!"

Kan-E-senna cried for a few more moments "The spirits showed me the happenings in Little Solace units from our forces are escorting the Archons and a young man none of us have ever met, but bears the mark of an Archon." She swallowed heavily "They were attacked by one of the empire's drone cruisers the young man whose soul was already weary was saddened by what was happening to the living. His power is vast, I would liken it to a primals but very different rather than using his power to destroy. He forged a shield of will and aether the likes of which I have never seen in my life. To look into his eyes is to see a soul alone and tortured but filled with a light that can never be extinguished. The spirits of the land sing with his coming. But I swear his power rivals that of a primal."

That brought the General and the Admiral up short but Nanamo could see the seriousness in her friends' eyes "You fear he would unleash his power, enforce his will over us all?"

"Nay I fear the empire will learn of his power and try to either mimic it or force him to use it for their study." She said before dropping into a whisper "I fear they may hurt someone he cares about and he will not be able to control his power." That thought gave Nanamo pause

"Let us meet the young man first," she said helping her friend stand "Get our measure of him"

"Rather than waiting for them perhaps we should meet them in Little solace" The General rumbled with the Admiral nodding her assent.

Kan E-Senna looked at her fellow leaders "So we shall"

Urianger was the first to voice his concern "What is he that he has so much power?"

"I don't know but he bears an archons mark" Papalymo commented "The control of his power speaks of practice lots of practice perhaps where he comes from it is normal."

"He could have used it to attack but did not." Yda took up the conversation "He did not respond to Yannif until he was physically struck says a lot about a man."

Minfilia was about to say something when she felt the echo take hold, she could see a group of individuals mere children running through row upon row of orbs into a spinning room then she was alone until meeting up with her friends in a room with an ominous stone arch. She could almost make out the words the blond man was saying she could feel herself lift her hand and throw the orb she had been holding down on the ground. It kicked off a fight that saw more adults come to the aid of the children. she and a man she felt close to fought the blond man and another. The man she was fighting beside was hit by a spell knocking him through the arch. She felt anger and despair as she suddenly began speeding toward the arch herself feeling a set of arms grasp her as she fell through the arch. Then she was back at the Battle of Carteneau above it looking down at Louisoix's position she could see Harry appear from under something that had hidden him. She could also see the two bodies near him both men dead. And then she saw the boy who should have had the sense to run stand and prepare to meet fate head-on only for the master archon to send him away after the phoenix marked the younger man.

As suddenly as the vision came on it passed

"Everything he told you is true. I have seen it" Minfilia breathed heavily as she sank into Thancred's embrace "What we just witnessed him do is what he will always do he will defend those which he cares about."

"His Power is immense he needs to be watched" Urianger argued unlike before Y'shtola had enough

"To what end Urianger are we going to imprison him for his power, or maybe we will kill him to make sure he cannot use it against us?" The Miqo'te raged " Just because he could attack does not mean he will Master Louisoix trusted him and the phoenix marked him that should be enough for us.

Urianger was about to retort when he saw the look in his long-time friend's eyes and realized he could be overreacting "I am sorry my friend the last days have been trying for all of us Please forgive me."

Harry released the hold on the power he was channeling but the shield did not die it shimmered around Little Solace he turned and caught the looks of concern from the archons. He paid them little mind until he came Y'shtola face she looked serious as she snapped at the tallest archon he had a bad feeling he would not enjoy what came next but before he could bring voice to the worry he was tackled by a young Sylph "This one owes the bright-eyed walking one a debt that can never be repaid. Saved my tree, my family, my life. What can this one does to repay you, bright-eyed walking one?"

Harry was taken back to another time when a similar situation had occurred "You can start by calling me Harry and you can be my friend. There is nothing to repay."

"Hairy how can bright-eyed walking one be hairy you only have hair on the top of your head," the little sylph said perplexed the look on the little sylph's face and could not help it he started to laugh

"What is your name little one?" Harry asked trying to control his laughter "seriously I cannot call you little one forever."

The sylph looked conflicted she wanted to know what the bright-eyed walking one was called Hairy "This one is called Noraxia!"

Harry snorted another laugh "Noraxia I think you are confusing my name with the hair on my head. In my native tongue they sound the same they are spelled differently."

"Why if the sound the same are they different," Noraxia asked solemnly "Did your Mother not realize?"

Authors Notes: I would like to thank everyone for their patience and the condolences. I gave NaNoWriMo a hard pass this year I do have a rough outline for the sequal to Force and Magic: The Beginning and I am part way into the first chapter. I have half a chapter of Will of the Word. I am not going to lie writing is still hard I try a little every day but it usually amounts to less than one hundred words a pop. So chapters are likely to trickle in for the forseeable future.