After nearly an hour of walking, Harry felt the staff he was using as a walking stick pulse slightly, a warm, tingling sensation traveling up his arm to settle at the base of his neck. Harry paused in his walk, looking around to see what had made the connection with his magic.
He had been walking along the edge of a lake, cool, crystal water glimmering in the afternoon sun. Harry had been walking in the general direction of the waterfall that he had spotted before from atop his broom. There was a path made of smooth stones winding along the lake's edge. There were a few places where the path broke off, leading into the jungle again, but Harry kept to the one that he was already on. The waterfall held the secrets of how to find Asylo, Harry was certain. And from the magic tingling down his spine, he knew that he was close.
Harry took another step, his staff sending the same pulse of magic through his body as he brought it down on the stones again. Harry smiled. The warm feeling of his magic washed over his body, lingering in the tips of fingers and settling into his bones. He continued walking steadily along the path until he reached the edge where there was only a thin ledge that ran from the shore to whatever lay behind the waterfall. Harry could barely hear his own thoughts over the sound of the water crashing before him. If it wasn't for his magical sense warning him of, he would have jumped out of his skin when Ember began to slither up his leg and torso so she could rest across his shoulders.
:I'm not looking forward to this: Ember hissed against his ear. :While I have enjoyed sailing, I am not meant to be underwater:
:I'll try to be quick: Harry promised. Ember hissed softly, a wordless affirmation of trust, and then tucked her head into the collar of his shirt, hiding from the water. Harry pulled one of the loose leather straps forward and tied his staff to it, feeling it magically secure itself as he did. That was an enchantment that he hadn't noticed for nearly half an hour of his walk; anything that was tied by the straps stayed completely motionless against the pack until Harry reached for it. It was a handy enchantment as it kept things from bumping against his legs and sides as he walked.
With quick but careful movements, Harry pressed his front as close to the rock wall as he could and began to inch along the path. His feet slid across the stone, the path worn and smooth from the force of the moving water. The enchantments on his armor and clothes kept them dry, but the water soaked his exposed hands and head, dripping across his brow and flooding his mouth as he pushed through the water. He felt Ember moving on his shoulders, obviously uncomfortable with the deluge of water and Harry quickened his pace. A few moments of quick shuffling later, Harry broke through the waterfall and found himself in a dimly lit cave.
The cave radiated an aurora of power, calling to Harry's magic the way that the fountain and the three towers had. Harry stepped further into the cave and a series of torches came to life along the curved wall. In the better light, Harry surveyed the cave.
It was as wide as it was tall, though it wasn't all that big either way. The center was dominated by a curving archway. The arch was carved from the same polished stone that the fountain of the three knights had been carved from, the same runic pattern repeating along the curves. Harry walked along the edge of the cave to go around to the other side of the arch. All he found was a mirror image of the archway and a second entrance to the cave. Harry realized that this must have been the entrance he'd spotted from the beach when he first arrived. The cave seemed much to small to connect the two entrances, but Harry rationalized that magic could shrink space in the same way that it could be expanded.
Turning his attention back to the archway, Harry felt Ember pull herself from his tunic and slither down his body to reach the floor. Her ambient magic began to grow in power, the red woven between her black scales glowing brighter and brighter. Her belly ignited this time as well, and Harry watched as she moved in a wide circle around the arch. Her magic called up a runic design etched into the stone, a river of silver, shimmering magic filling the groves. Harry stepped back, watching the rune come into being around the arch. His skin tingled from the power in the cave and he could feel that his elemental bloodwork runes had begun to shine as well.
:Your staff. Use it to strike the mark: Ember hissed the command softly but it seemed to echo in the expanse of the cave. Harry reached for his staff.
:What mark?: He asked, but his eyes found it before he finished saying the words. It was a perfect circle, completely flat, in line with the center of the arch way. The river of silver magic flowed to it but did not cover it. It was there, waiting. Harry held the staff with both hands, stepping into the place that seemed to be designated for him to stand, the magic curving around the carvings of two footprints. Raising the staff up, Harry brought it down sharply in the center of the marked circle. Silver sparks sprayed outwards and Harry felt the wind rushing all around him, though he remained still. Ember hissed but Harry couldn't make out the words. A bright light blazed before him and Harry closed his eyes. A sound like the roar of thunder beat around the cave and then, everything became still.
Harry opened his eyes. The archway had come to life, a swirling portal of bright, silver magic filling the space. Ember returned to Harry's side, wrapping around the staff in his hands and using it as a bridge to climb back onto his shoulders.
:We must go through, little one. Asylo awaits: Ember instructed when Harry remained motionless.
Harry pulled himself out of his mind, leaving the memories of a dark arch and a battle of the echo of Sirius's name ripping from his throat behind. This was a different arch. There was no battle being fought. Harry was alone.
Taking a deep breath, repeating the same phrase in his mind that had allowed him through the barrier, Harry stepped through the portal.
For a moment, Harry felt weightless. He was drifting through infinite space, at peace and blissful. There was a pressure against his mind, soft and questioning. Harry let it in. If this unseen force decided that it didn't like him and wouldn't let him pass through, there was nothing he could do about it now. Harry let his eyes close again, feeling Ember curl up tightly on his chest, and awaited his fate.
When Harry opened his eyes again, he was laying flat on his back. His pack was gone, though his leather armor remained. In his hand rested the sword he had claimed, the other three weapons that completed the set missing as well. Ember no longer rested on his chest, but he could sense that she was nearby. Wherever his familiar was, Harry felt certain that the rest of his things would be with her.
He climbed to his feet, wielding the sword in his right hand. As soon as he was upright, Harry felt a presence at his back. His magic flared in his chest, directing his arm up in parrying motion. There was a sharp clang, the sound of metal impacting metal, and then Harry rolled away. Springing back onto his feet, turning with the blade raised defensively before his chest. A knight dressed in gleaming golden armor stood there, his blade dug into the ground right where Harry had been standing.
Harry felt as if his body was moving without his direction, leaving him entirely at the mercy of whatever innate knowledge that was contained within his magic. The golden knight lifted his weapon and advanced and Harry felt his body falling back into a defensive stance, his sword positioned to parry the incoming blade. A delicate dance took place, Harry guided by the magic in his soul and the blade in his hand.
He felt as though he was fighting for hours, his body covered in sweat and his arm shaking from the effort of wielding the blade. Blow after blow, gaining ground and losing it a second later, shifting back and forth across the floor. Harry grit his teeth, brought to one knee from the force of the knight's weapon against his own. His chest burning, Harry clenched his teeth and forced his weapon upwards. The knight stumbled and a burst of hot, flaming magic spilled from his chest. Harry sat on his knees, panting. The knight regained his footing and then, with Harry watching uncertainly, he sheathed his blade, took a knee, and bowed. Harry shifted to mirror his position, the tip of sword balanced against the floor as he lowered his head. When he looked up again, the knight was gone.
Harry's shoulders dropped and he leant onto his hands and knees, panting. The effort of fighting the knight had left him exhausted. He barely noticed that the sword disappeared from his grasp, only realizing that his right hand was empty when his palm met the cold stone floor. Harry knew that he couldn't stay like that, that there was something waiting for him to look up again, but he hesitated. The battle against the golden knight had been hard, the reliance on his magic to guide him had left him feeling drained, exhausted. He didn't think he could handle another fight. He had no way to access the potions and snacks that would restore his energy and without Ember there to curl around his shoulders or rest on his chest, Harry felt completely and entirely alone. He was at the mercy of magic, both his own and the magic around him.
After a while, Harry had no idea how much time had passed, he felt a pressure on his mind. It was time to get up, time to move on. He was there. Asylo was just beyond his grasp. It was waiting for him.
Harry struggled to his feet, the magic in the air pulsing around him as he stood slowly. First, he locked his feet into place. Even through the thick soles of his boots, Harry could feel the earth runes carved into his feet connecting with the ground below. He shifted his stance, flexing his hips slightly to activate the water runes. There wasn't a large body of water near, but that didn't matter. Harry could feel the power and grace of the water guiding his movements. His spine straightened, the air runes curved into his neck and shoulders guiding him to look up, standing tall. Finally, the power in his chest ignited, the runes of fire that decorated his chest and back coming to life. Grounded in the elements once again, Harry stood proud and firm.
The room he was in came to life as he stood, a weight settling over his shoulders and the bow he had taken from the first tower appearing in his hands. He could hear the sounds of stones shifting together and the ground rumbled softly as stone pillars rose from the ground. Sitting atop each of the pillars was a glowing ball of light. Taking the unfamiliar stance, pulling an arrow from the quiver on his back and knocking it back, Harry began his next task.
He felt as though he was shooting for hours. Most of his first shots didn't even reach the top of the pillars. The next ones went too high. Harry felt woefully out of his element in this. He wasn't an archer. He didn't know how to do this. But the quiver remained full and he made small changes to each shot he took until, finally, he began to hit his target.
He didn't hit each one on the first try, but he did hit them, one after the other. New ones came into being and Harry hit those too, again and again and again until his quiver began to feel lighter on his back. Finally, one large pillar appeared, the glowing orb that hovered above it a dizzying swirl of color and light. Harry drew his last arrow and felt the quiver fade from existence. He had one chance, one arrow left. If he missed, all would be lost. Harry positioned himself, drew the bow, and hesitated.
Breathing deeply, Harry stared down the arrow, directing it to where he wanted it to go. He couldn't miss. He wouldn't. He wouldn't let himself. He had come too far, his magic had grown too much over the past several days. It wouldn't fail him now. Releasing the arrow on an exhale, Harry waited for it to hit its mark.
It did and the orb exploded in a brilliant display of magic and light. Colors, animals, people, stars, all manner of things danced around Harry. He fell to his knees, overcome by the beauty of the kaleidoscope of power around him. His runes surged with the power, their dull glows joining in the colorful display. It was better than any firework Harry had ever seen, more captivating than anything he'd experienced.
The magic grew brighter as Harry felt himself sinking lower. His back touched the stone floor, his palms resting against the coolness. He was so tired. Any energy that he had gained back after his fight with the stone knight was gone now, sapped away by the effort of firing shot after shot with his bow. He wanted to stay there, resting beneath the glow of the magic that had guided and protected him on his journey. Blinking slowly, Harry felt his body relax. The magic washed over him like a warm blanket.
Exhausted, but happy, Harry slipped into a deep, peaceful slumber.