Out Of The Darkness

Chapter 6

I've Seen Worse

Margaret shakily got to her feet; Harry broke the staring contest to help her up. She was too old to be running over here, but Harry felt grateful to her nonetheless. Not many people had cared about him, until it was known he was the boy who lived. They'd only cared about the name, the icon he'd been. He was nobody here, he loved it, and any accomplishment they admired him for, had been his own doing. Like gaining his qualifications at college and university and such. He was more proud of that, than he was of anything he'd done in the Wizarding world. Margaret cared about him because he was just Harry; he'd have loved to have her in his life before he grew so hard and jaded. Now he kept her at arms length but it didn't stop him from being fond of her.

"Do you want me to help you across the street?" he asked her softly, his green eyes gleaming with kindness.

"That's okay sweetie, I'll be fine," said Margaret, patting at Harry's arm absently and to reassure him. At least Harry had someone here to look after him, even if he was only a couple of years older than Harry himself. She was so happy he had found someone; she'd feared he'd never make friends or find someone to love.

"Take care of yourself, and remember call if you need anything," said Harry watching her go a worried frown on his face. It was as if Harry expected a car to come crashing around and run her over, just because he knew her.

Once she was safely in her house, he closed his door and turned to face Ash his face burning with suspicion. "Take those glasses off, look me in the eye and tell me you had nothing to do with this shit that's going down!" he said his face a stony mask, it was obvious Harry wasn't going to take any shit.

Acheron stiffened hearing Harry ordering around, nobody other than Simi had dared to order him around in such a fashion. Not since he had become a god anyway, of course this boy was a human and had no idea he could kill him where he stood. He glared at Harry completely affronted, "I have nothing to do with what's going on," his voice was slightly indignant.

"Glasses off," said Harry crossing his arms, he couldn't tell if he was telling the truth with them on.

Acheron copied his stance although it was much more defensive. "I don't take them off."

"Then leave," said Harry seriously, he wasn't about to trust him unless he knew the guy had nothing to do with his team being hunted and hurt. Ever since he'd met that guy things had gone from bad to worse. Well that was a lie, the boat explosion and the gear unexplainable screwing up had happened before.

Acheron knew he couldn't leave the boy undefended; someone was out to get him. He had a feeling whom that 'someone' was but he didn't have proof. He also had a feeling he knew what they were after - the Journal. "Just remember when I do this, there's no going back." said Ash his dire.

Harry stood and stared unmoving, it was obvious he wasn't going to be swayed. So Ash did what the boy wanted him to, he removed his glasses but stared at the floor not quite meeting Harry's gaze. He hated the evidence of his godhood. Nobody not even the gods could meet his gaze without curling their lips in disgust. This human wasn't going to be any different.

"Look me in the eye and tell me you had nothing to do with this and I'll show you what we found." said Harry.

Then Ash looked up, and said the words Harry wanted to hear. "I have nothing to do with what is going on." the most amazing thing of all Harry didn't seem bothered about his eyes. He was staring at him as though it didn't bother him the slightest. He was meeting his gaze steadily, no sign of disgust or fear evident.

"Thank you," said Harry relaxing, he was telling the truth, whatever was happening he truly had nothing to do with it. Now he felt like a right arsehole, but there was nothing to be done about it. He didn't trust easily or at all, he'd learned the hard way it always bit him in the ass. Seeing Ash' surprise he chuckled almost bitterly, "What did you expect me to do when I saw them?" Harry had to admit the man looked HOT those eyes suited him in Harry's opnion. Everyone could say they had brown, blue and green eyes but they couldnt say they had eyes like his, mercury like. They made him stunning, and Harry was very grateful he had self control otherwise he would have embarrassed himself in his own house.

"Nobody likes to look at them," he told Harry, this was no ordinary human, he was completely baffling. Even his Dark-Hunters had at first been wary of them, but they'd gotten used to them in time. He was becoming more and more fond of this human, too fond.

"I've seen worse," said Harry truthfully, his green eyes showing Ash just how much worse he'd seen with the torture in them. Harry then walked away to get his journals, which he kept all things that he'd brought up from the Aegean. Some of the things he'd actually kept without handing over. Mostly because he could feel the magic in them, and realized they weren't just normal artefacts. At least his living room was tidy; he just had every other single room to clean up. He was glad he had everything else valuable and magical locked away tightly and magically. Grabbing his miniaturized trunk, he opened it and grabbed his journals, before he walked back into the living room. He sat down on his couch, and pulled his table towards himself, Ash soon joined him. It was true, Voldemort's eyes were the worst thing he'd seen. They had been red, snake like and the evilness pouring out them made him horrific to look at. Ash's eyes while unique didn't any malice or evilness.

"This is everything we've found over the last year," said Harry handing it to him. "I don't know why you want to look anyway, Atlantis doesn't exist after all - everything I've done is moot I believe you called it." he said sarcastically

Ash ignored him, in all honesty he deserved the words, and he'd had much harsher ones sent his way. Ash then began flipping through the pages; he stopped at a certain page. He ran his hand over it, his heart clenching. This was Ryssa's hair comb, it matched the one he'd found centuries ago. His mind drifted over how beautiful she had looked with them in her long blond hair.

"Beautiful isn't it?" said Harry watching Ash closely, if he didn't know any better he'd have said the man knew whom it belonged to. His eyes gave away his thoughts, it was bringing back memories. Perhaps it was just familiar; to someone he'd once known in his life with a similar comb. He couldn't actually read any memories, but Harry wasn't stupid. It was at the very least invoking some sort of memory. "The workmanship I mean, according to history that shouldn't have been possible. Back then they supposedly didn't have bound books, hell according to history they barely had fire."

"It is beautiful," said Ash forcing himself to turn the page to see more pictures before he betrayed himself with his misty eyes. Then he saw something even more frightening.

"Where's this piece?" asked Ash.

Harry looked at what he was pointing too, "Why?" he said curiously, the very piece that had magic in it and he wanted to know.

"We need it," said Ash his voice very commanding, more commanding than Harry had heard Dumbledore being.

"Is it that valuable?" asked Harry, what if it was what they were looking for? He had to figure out what that dagger was. Better yet how anyone knew about it, there was definitely something wrong.

"Yes," said Ash after a few seconds hesitation. Then he began flipping through the books again, but found nothing. Just pottery shards and fragments, a few friezes and some bottles. He couldn't find anything other than the Atlantean dagger that could be important. But given that, why would a human n a car be after it? No human could understand its significance. And no nonhuman would have made this kind of mess and left it. They'd have simply attacked and tortured Harry until he told them where to find it. It was baffling but what else could they want? And more importantly how far would they go to get it? It was one thing to break into a house another to kill for it…would they though?

"I'm gong to walk around outside for a bit and check things out. I'll be back." said Ash standing up abruptly.

"You don't have to," said Harry feeling warmed by his worry, no matter what Harry could never get over the fact that someone cared. Then again given the way he'd grown up he'd never find it in himself to take it for granted.

"I'll see you soon," said Ash ignoring Harry's statement, hopefully the boy wouldn't do anything stupid. Once he was far enough from the houses he summoned Simi off him, "Watch Harry Simi, don't let him see you unless you have to, if anyone tries to hurt him - kill them." said Ash, it wasn't often Simi heard those orders, so it was no wonder her eyes lit up like Christmas, and she began smacking her chops, and brought out her barbeque ready for it. "Don't talk to the humans, and don't be seen." he told her once more.

"Yes Akri," said Simi almost jumping in delight. The Simi was finally getting to eat!

Ash used his powers to leave New Orleans and venture to Savitar's Island. Where the sun literarily never set. Magical in nature, the island constantly moved around the world as Savitar searched out the 'Perfect' wave. As expected, Savitar was lying on his back on a surfboard out in the water, staring up at the clear bright sky as the waves rocked him. Unlike the omniscient Chthonian, Ash wasn't a water baby. He heated surfing and lying under the sun.

He popped himself onto a board beside Savitar who laughed when he saw him sitting on the long board. "You look out of your element."

"I am out of my element. Much like you in a Seattle Goth club." said Ash.

"I'm never out of my element Atlantean. And it must be dire indeed to get you in shorties and on a board. One day I'm actually going to get you to say 'Rad four-mill steamer, dude!'" said Savitar.

Crossing his arms over his chest, Ash laughed. "Not likely."

Savitar tsked at him before he returned to staring at the sky. "I've heard that before. So what brings you here, Grom?"

Ash ignored the surfing term that was usually reserved for kids under fifteen. Only Savitar could get away with calling him a youngster "There's a man-"

"Isn't there always?" interrupted Savitar. He already knew what Ash was going to say, he also knew everything that was going to happen. At least the three possible outcomes, unfortunately until Ash did something Savitar wouldn't know which course. His abilities were different from Ash's. Savitar could throw a stone but only once it had landed would he know its outcome. Ash could pick it up, throw it and all the while know where it would land.

Ash chose to ignore the sarcastic comment. "He's being pursued by someone and I don't know who."

Savitar arched a brow as he floated one heavily tattooed arm in the ocean. "Then you know I can't tell you anything."

"Dammit, Savitar, don't play this game with me. His life is in danger…maybe." said Ash his temper igniting.

Savitar grabbed Ash's board and brought him closer, "Like you, I wont tamper with fate." he said.

"Bullshit. You tamper with fate all the time." said Ash angrily.

He shoved Ash's board away, "But I won't tamper with yours. Ever."

Ash cursed as he paddled back to Savitar's side. "Have you any idea how frustrating it is to be the final fate of the world and have no control over your own?"

"Sure you do, little brother. Every decision you make causes your fate to unfold or to change. Have I taught you nothing?" Savitar said.

Savitar was right, but it wasn't that simple. Especially not when there was another person's life involved. Savitar didn't care for humans, that's where he and Ash disagreed. He had to think of something that would make Chthonian care…then it came to him "They've uncovered an Atlantean dagger," said Ash. It could kill him, Savitar and every other magical being out there.

Savitar sat up on his board and glared at Ash. "I hope you're planning on destroying it."

"I have to get it first. But that's the plan. Can you please, just this once, give me some insight to the future?"

"You know what the fates decreed for you. Through your own actions you will be saved." said Savitar shaking his head.

"That could mean anything," said Ash.

Savitar was quiet for a few minutes, before he gave Ash a sinister look "All right. I'm screwing with things here, but I'll tell you this much. It's not the dagger the thieves were after in his house. There's another journal his people found."

Ash cringed over this latest bombshell, "Ryssa's?"

Savitar nodded before he continued, "It's not the one Harry showed you. This one was found yesterday by one of his buddies. And it was written after Ryssa became Apollo's mistress. In it is the truth about him and Artemis and their need for blood. It also tells how to kill them."

Ash felt sick. Yeah, that would cause a global annihilation that would impress even his bloodthirsty mother. "And me? Am I in it too?"

Savitar sighed "Trust me; you don't want that in the hands of anyone else."

Ash's gut tightened "Where is it now?"

"I can't tell you that," said Savitar.

Ash flashed onto Savitar's board so he could tackle him. Unfortunately Savitar popped himself and the board from under him and appeared on the other side of Ash's abandoned board before Ash could grab him. "Hitting me changes nothing." said Savitar.

Ash swam to his board and glared at Savitar "Why didn't you tell me?"

"You of all beings know how fate works. What happened to you as a human happened because everyone from your parents on down tried to circumvent what was supposed to be- which was ultimately was the destruction on the Atlantean Pantheon. There was no changing that prophecy. But the way you suffered was completely unnecessary. Had your parents embraced their true destiny, you would have been saved years of torment. Fate will not be denied. We can sculpt it, but in the end we're all pawns to our final destinies. Good, bad or indifferent." said Savitar.

"I'm going to be exposed aren't I?" asked Ash his voice full of defeat.

"I don't know. You planning on dropping your pants around me? If so, warn me first. I don't want to go blind." said Savitar.

"You know what I mean," said Ash after pulling himself up on the board. "After all the battles I've fought to save the world and all the sacrifices in dignity and blood I've paid to set free so many Dark-Hunters, they're all going to find out I'm nothing but a pathetic whore. Aren't they?"

"You have never been pathetic." said Savitar sharply he was angry with Ash's words.

They both know he'd been a whore though and that the end of the day he was still one. Ash wanted to scream at the injustice of it all. You can't outrun your past, his own words were coming back to bite him. "How long do I have before I'm found out?" his voice full of resignation.

Savitar let out a long tired breath, "There are three outcomes for your journey Apostolos. In one you're exposed and you lose everything, even your life, and your mother destroys the entire world in a fit of anger. In the other you're exposed and the Dark-Hunters turn on you and Apollo's enemies destroy the god, then they wreak untold horrors on mankind as they enslave and abuse them."

Ash wondered briefly if he should even ask for the last one. "And the third?" he asked hesitatingly.

"In one word, grisly." said Savitar.

Ash cursed angrily, "So no matter what I do, the world is fucked?"

"I didn't say that. There's always hope, Apostolos. Of all men, you know that. It's only when you stop trying to affect the outcome of your life that you're truly defeated. What will come will come. Its how we deal with the shit in between that shapes us." said Savitar.

Ash snorted, "You don't deal with anything, Savitar. You sit out here in the sun, catching waves, spewing bullshit philosophy you don't follow."

"You're right. I gave up trying to affect my destiny a long time ago. But that's because every time I tried to change the future, I fucked it up worse. Eventually the rat gets tired of pulling the lever and sits down in the corner to lick his wounds. So if you're ready to hang it up and come sit on the beach with me-"

"I'm stuck fighting." said Ash.

"You're stuck fighting," said Savitar. "But you're welcome to come share my beach any time you get tired of the brawl."

Ash let out a long sigh as he considered it seriously. "Save me a spot. If this blows up in my face, I'll be back with my tail forever tucked between my legs." because deep inside he knew the truth - he'd been through enough ridicule. He couldn't stand to seethe people he loved look at him the way Ryssa had when she'd found him in the stew in Didymos. Even though she'd loved him and had forgiven him, the disappointment in her eyes was still seared into his soul. He couldn't take that again.

"Wave's coming," Ash warned his mentor he didn't move as Savitar popped up on his board with one perfect flip. The moment the wave stuck, Ash returned to New Orleans. Water sports had never been his thing. He preferred freefalling through the air or speeding on the ground. And he hadn't been a spectator in over eleven thousand years. If he'd learned anything in his godhood, it'd been to fight until they dragged him down. Even then, he didn't know how to not keep battling. There was another journal out there. Fine. He was going to find it and make sure no living human or other being ever read it.

Since Harry was in the middle of this, then he would do what he was doing originally - stick to him like glue. For all he knew perhaps they had posted it to him, if he was wrong he was wrong it was that simple. He found Simi exactly where he'd left her, she pouted childishly, complaining that she hadn't gotten to eat any bad humans. After placating her he returned her to his arm. Time to find out whether Harry would let him back in or not. Out of habit he put his glasses back on, before walking to Harry's door.

I kept to the original conversation between ash and Sav other than the tory/harry and he/she bit obviously. so will harry let him back in or be determined to keep ash out of his life? to keep him at arms length and out of harms way becuase he knows something is after him and he does think ash is human...how long will it take before ash gets back into Harry's house again :P will he use Simi to do it? after all nobody can say no to the simi :D lol which one of savitars predictions will come true? will we kill apollo and unleash Apollymi upon the world? how do you think harry would react to finding out about prophecies again? :P after all one had governed his entire life would he let another one? what kind of Master of death do you want harry to be? just the ability to turn invisible speak to dead people and be more powerful...or actually more complicatted...with the ability to see the shades of the dead dark hunters...know where the souls are that artemis keeps and able to remove them from her...withotu her knowing...and the ability to hide himself and others from the three fates? who keep cutting everyones strings on life...R&R PLEASE!