Harry Potter: Echoes of the Gods Chapter 4: Labyrinth of the Forgotten, a harry potter fanfic

Chapter 4 Labyrinth of the Forgotten

Hiking through the French Alps in mid through late July was rather pleasant. While the snow was still rather deep, the air was cool and the existence of snow meant that Harry could refill their water bottles easily and apply warming charms to melt it, ensuring a constant supply of fresh water and saving the muggle store bought bottles in their packs.

Looking over at Daphne, it was hard to recognise the girl from the same he had met in Knockturn Alley. Her blonde hair was dancing out from under the hood of her muggle jacket, her cheeks had a rosy tint to them, and she was smiling as she looked out over the picturesque scene as the sun was beginning to set below.

"We should make camp." She said simply, looking over to Harry. He just nodded in return and they made their way up to a deep recess in the rock face above, stopping to explore it previously in search of the Cape of Shadows. They set up the muggle tent they'd purchased, and set to work on a campfire to prepare dinner.

While Harry made a broth for them, pulling some bread out of his magically extended pack, Daphne pored over the maps, checking off areas they had explored that day. The pair ensured that they were prepared, buying camping gear, various versions of maps and packing lots of food, water and muggle ration packs from the stores in the village, duplicating or expanding where possible to ensure they had enough supplies for a long time.

Harry looked over noticing she had stopped. "What's up?"

"Did we explore here?"

"Y… No?" Harry said softly, not remembering the particular area Daphne was pointing to. Daphne promptly stood and made her way out of the recess to see if she could observe the area in question. It wasn't far from where they were, but Harry had no recollection of passing it. Harry continued with the broth until she returned.

"Harry. I can see it, or rather I know where it is but whenever I focus on it I look out over the beautiful landscape." She declared with a worried look.

Harry handed her the ladle. "Serve that up, I'll take a look." He made his way out of the rock face and stared intently at the section in question.

Every time he stared at the area, his mind was met with a force attempting to redirect his attention to the landscape, which in turn increased Harry's willpower to stare at the section of mountainside that was attempting to hide from him.

After some time, he saw it. A small natural looking opening in the rockface that he was now certain held the treasure they sought. Turning and making his way inside the recess they had set up camp, Harry sat on the ground next to Daphne who handed him a bowl and some bread with a questioning look.

"Yeah, it's definitely there, strange you can't break the charm as a mentalist, it must be pretty powerful." He mused. "We'll break camp and make for it at first light."

Daphne nodded curious but also obviously excited having found this place in only a couple of weeks, finishing her meal then assisting Harry in the clean-up before the two turned in early.

"Yeah, this has to be it." Harry said softly to his travelling companion, his quickly becoming trademark feral grin sliding across his face. He made his way to the opening of the cave, holding Daphne's hand who seemed to keep glancing over her shoulder at the landscape, still being distracted by whatever charm Harry had managed to break with his willpower alone.

As they made their way to the threshold of the entrance, it seemed to Harry that she snapped out of it.

Not letting go of Daphne, Harry activated his Stealth Field, Sense Presence and Hide Presence before making his way inside. After a few minutes trek into the cave, the morning light seemed to disappear causing Harry to activate his Night Vision skill too.

As Harry's Night Vision skill adjusted his eyes to the darkness of the cave, he could make out the vastness of the chamber they had entered. The ceiling stretched high above them, with stalactites jutting down like ominous, natural chandeliers. The walls of the cavern were a mixture of jagged rock and smoother, worn surfaces, hinting at the passage of time and the power of nature. In the centre of the chamber stood several towering stone pillars, casting eerie shadows on the ground in the limited light. A grand staircase descended further into the depths of the cave, leading down into the heart of the Alps, its steps worn by the passage of countless beings throughout the ages.

His Survival Instinct skill also insisted that he activate his Area Silence skill, Shadow Armor which encased him in a flame like shadow, and a Shadow Sword in his main hand too, his other hand occupied by his travelling partner.

Edging up to the first corner of the cave system, Harry looked around the rock and observed a pair of Gargoyles, guarding the staircase on two of the pillars. While Dumbledore's Gargoyle was merely a statue that admitted people to his office, Harry instinctively knew these 2 were not the same, these were the real deal.

Leaning back to Daphne he whispered what he saw to her, to which the pair immediately heard the chittering of the monsters. Daphne's hand became a death grip on his own. "Wait here." He whispered.

"No… Wait." Daphne's harsh whisper demanded back. "You're an Assassin."

Harry nodded, realising Daphne couldn't see him he verbalised it. "Well… yeah."

"Well, you kill quickly, I need experience to level up, so I need to be involved right." Daphne explained in a hushed tone. "Lockhart got one thing right this year, you need to be involved in the fight to get the rewards, meaning I have to do something…"

"Okay." Harry shrugged. "So?"

"So… I'll be bait, then you take them out."

Harry let out a quick breath of shock before a smile set in. Trust the little Slytherin girl to find a both cunning and ambitious way to level up. However, what was more impressive was her trust in him. "Will that work?"

"As long as you don't let me die, yeah. They'll target me and I'll effectively be in combat with you. I won't get as much experience as you due to you doing the heavy lifting, but yeah, I'll get some, then we can both share in the rewards."

"Alright…" Harry whispered.

Squeezing her hand again and edging up to the corner, Harry crept forward maintaining his eyes on the twin monsters before him. When he was a good few feet from the pair, he squeezed Daphne's hand, and she instantly let go. As soon as she did, torches lit along the wall bathing the cavernous chamber in an ominous light as the gargoyles' attention shifted to her.

The gargoyles' faces twisted into grotesque masks of rage and hunger upon seeing the girl coalesce before them, their sharp teeth and flared nostrils giving them a fearsome appearance. Their wingspan was vast, and their powerful muscles rippled beneath their rough skin as they launched toward their prey.

They were fast, Harry barely had time to move. Using Quick Step he launched at one of them, separating its head from its body. The other paused midair momentarily, observing the death of its twin, to which Harry launched up behind it and sliced its wings off, letting it crash to the ground beneath. He then quickly slashed off its legs so it was no longer a threat.

"Kill it!" Harry shouted to the frozen Daphne, who after some hesitation drew a large hunting knife she'd purchased in the town before they left, and she ploughed the blade into its face. It took her a few goes as the gargoyle was gnashing its teeth, trying to catch her. Monster blood was splashing and splotching everywhere with each attempt, however once she ploughed the long blade into its eye it stopped moving and Harry knew it was game over for the gargoyle.

"Y-You let me kill one?" Daphne breathed deeply, out of breath from her exertion.

"Well yeah… They were rather easy actually…"

"Easy for a cheat like you maybe!" Daphne laughed. She drew her status plate and squealed with excitement. "Harry! 3 levels!"

Daphne Greengrass – Age: 13 – Female – Level: 20

Job: Mentalist

Strength: 35

Vitality: 120

Defence: 30

Agility: 30

Magic: 600

Magical Defence: 300

Skills: Mind Charms (+Memory Alteration, +Emotion Control), Charms Expertise 1/5, Quick Learning, Mental Resistance (+Mental Shield), Deception Detection, Persuasion,

Job Specific Skills: (+Mind Charm Mastery -Mentalist Only-)

Affinities: Mind Magic, Charms, Defensive Magic, Magical Combat, Diplomacy

"Nice. Some of your stats went up too." Harry declared, "It'd be handy if you could get Hide Presence and Stealth Field though."

"I'm not an assassin, so that's unlikely." Daphne said, the smile still on her face from before.

"Let's keep moving then." Harry said as he turned and made his way toward the stairs.

"Wait… Harry…" Daphne groaned.

"What?"

"You have to get the cores."

"The what?"

"The cores?!"

"What?"

"I forget you're basically a muggleborn…" Daphne then laughed, taking her knife and slamming it up to the hilt into the monster beneath her. "Ugh…" She gagged as she effectively gutted the beast. The gargoyle's chest seemed to open easier than it should after it had died, to Harry's thinking anyway. "Holy shit, this is a huge core." She declared as she pulled a fist sized light blue ball from the chest of the monster.

"What's a core though, like why remove it, what's it do?"

"Well, there's lots of things actually." Daphne smirked, nodding to the next monster. Harry took the hint and went over to the gargoyle, re-summoned his shadow sword and cleanly sliced the monster in half, plucking the core from the ground as it fell out. "Definitely letting you grab them then, rather than get my hands dirty." She laughed. "Right, a core, well… It's the condensed mana from a beast, I think we were supposed to learn it in Defence Against the Dark Arts this year, but… y'know… Lockhart."

Harry understood why they didn't learn about it due to the incompetent, but nothing about the actual object. "Okay, so it's a mana core, but from a beast, what do I do with it?"

"So, you can absorb it by pressing it into your chest. It'll boost your stats either temporarily or permanently depending on the monster class, cores this sized—definitely permanent." Daphne checked off her fingers, "You can sell them and get gold for them, or you can consume, like brew them into a specific potion to power up your magic stat specifically. There's even some magical crafting where cores can be used as a component to create enchanted items or used in some artefacts. They're really versatile, but good-sized ones like this are really rare."

"Can you use one from a person?" Harry asked sceptically.

"Dark arts users might, but it's just not done. They supposedly will poison or kill you." Daphne said while still eyeing the large blue orb in her hand. "There were rumours the Dark Lord used them and made his followers do it too, but they're just rumours."

"How long do they last?"

"You mean like how long you can store them?" To which Harry nodded and Daphne shrugged. "Years I guess, I've never seen them disappear."

Harry eyed Daphne distrustfully, a thought immediately coming to mind. "How many?"

"Pardon?"

"You're a pureblood, your family must have had some handy at some point, especially for you to know so much about them before you're meant to know about them, so…" Harry continued his voice growing gravelly. "How… Many…"

Daphne blanched at his accusatory tone but otherwise didn't seem phased much by it. "Three, but I had to steal them all from my father. I pressed them all into my chest which is why my stats are a little higher than most our age. Just beware, it hurts. Draco says he has had heaps, but his stats don't seem to inflate that much from them, based on the way he talks about them anyway." She rushed out.

"Hmmm." Harry mumbled to himself as he tossed his into the air, catching it again. "That one's yours." He said before he made up his mind and slammed his into his chest.

The pain was intense, but nothing like when he was in the Cupboard at the Dursleys. He remained standing, just winded from the effort to do so. Blue shadowy mana coalesced around him as his body absorbed the core, then the pain ended, and the mana surrounding him rushed into him. His senses became keen, his heartbeat thundering in his ears, the rush of power was intense as only then did he collapse to his knees, his breath coming in great gasps. Looking up he saw Daphne staring at him wide eyed. After it all ended, he sighed and stood once more.

On a whim he pulled out his status plate:

Harry Potter – Age: 13 – Male – Level: 60

Job: Assassin

Strength: 140

Vitality: 270

Defence: 110

Agility: 850

Magic: 1700

Magical Defence: 700

Skills: Mana Manipulation, Accelerated Growth (+Self-Healing, +Regeneration), Night Vision, Sense Presence (+Hide Presence), Intuition (+Deception Detection, ++Survival Instinct), Physical Resistance (+Poison Immunity, +Phoenix Cleansing, +Hardened Body), Quick Step (+air-step, +Leg Strengthening), Apparition, Stealth Field (+Area Silence), Mind Fortress, Shadow Blades (+Shadow Swords, +Shadow Daggers), Shadow Armour

Job Specific Skills: (+Assassination -Assassin Only-)

Affinities: Fire Magic, Shadow Magic, Sword, Dagger, Stealth, Armed Combat

Daphne seemed to glide over demurely to check out the growth on Harry's stats. Her mouth dropped open in shock, as she looked at Harry's plate, up to Harry, down to the plate then to the ball in her hand. Nodding to herself she did the same.

Harry watched as the mana swirled around her, she collapsed screaming in pain, then groaned a little in pleasure then eventually stood herself, panting "It's never felt that intense, both pain and the rush of power before." She declared before pulling out her status plate and eyeing it with a squeal. Harry glanced over seeing it too:

Daphne Greengrass – Age: 13 – Female – Level: 25

Job: Mentalist

Strength: 55

Vitality: 130

Defence: 40

Agility: 40

Magic: 800

Magical Defence: 400

Skills: Mind Charms (+Memory Alteration, +Emotion Control), Charms Expertise 1/5, Quick Learning, Mental Resistance (+Mental Shield), Deception Detection, Persuasion,

Job Specific Skills: (+Mind Charm Mastery -Mentalist Only-)

Affinities: Mind Magic, Charms, Defensive Magic, Magical Combat, Diplomacy

"Yes yes yes!" Daphne screamed to the heavens as she dropped to her knees dramatically holding her plate above her, Harry chuckled at her enthusiasm as she then looked at him, stood and hugged him tightly. "Thank you thank you thank you so so much!" She squealed again.

"Easy." Harry said softly as he peeled Daphne from him. "We still have a ways to go, we should save a few of these when we get them too, I have a feeling we might get a few." He looked over at the stairs ahead. As he noticed before, he observed that the stairs were ancient as he mentally prepared to descend them.

Daphne nodded and pulled her blade out again. "Harry?" she said softly.

"Yeah."

"We need to break the trace on me when we get out of here."

"Yeah we do…" Harry said softly, looking at the knife still in her hand. "Still, if I get the kills and you get the cores, it's not the worst thing, right?"

"Maybe I got more from the core because I got the kill?"

"Possibly." Harry whispered. "Who knows."

"If you think we can do it, can we use that tactic a few times?"

"I'd rather not risk getting you killed so often. One slip up by me and you pay the price."

"Just sometimes then?"

Harry laughed at her exuberance, "Sure" he said softly before he held out his hand, activated Stealth Field and made his way down the stairs, Daphne in tow.

Harry gasped for air as he knelt, the battle he had just endured was intense, even for a cheat character like him.

The 1st floor of the cave system the pair wandered through while Harry was hiding them in his stealth field was still dark and depressive. That was when Daphne tripped, her hand slipping from his and they heard the growls. Shadow Wolves, Harry called them.

In the dim light of the cavern, the Shadow Wolves moved with a grace that belied their predatory nature. Their dark fur seemed to absorb the meagre illumination, rendering them nearly invisible as they prowled through the shadows. Each lithe, muscular body was built for stealth and agility, allowing them to weave in and out of the darkness with a fluid ease. Their piercing yellow eyes gleamed like sinister beacons in the gloom, reflecting a cunning intelligence and a chilling hunger.

The pair were trying to avoid them as they mapped out the floor, however they drew the attention of the wolves, and Harry had to fight a desperate battle fighting off and with hit and run techniques to keep the pack's attention on him while he kept Daphne alive. He had cleaved the legs off a few of them when he could, allowing her to finish them off.

As the pair gathered all the mana cores from the wolves, storing half of them in the pack preparing to absorb the other half, Harry heard Daphne scream, "Harry!" he turned just in time to see a large Snake approach him that had slipped by his Sense Presence.

"Stop!" Harry hissed, just as a blasting hex hit the snake in the head, blowing blood and gore all over Harry.

"Shit!" Daphne whispered. "Shit shit shit!"

"Thanks." Harry stated as he spat out a chunk of snake and the blood that had been blown into his mouth.

"No, the Ministry!"

"Eh, I don't think they'll notice."

"What?"

"Think about it, we're in a place no one has been for centuries, the area is soaked in mana and everyone gets turned away from the area by some sort of charm." Harry explained, ticking points off his fingers as he did. "Add to that we're in a different country…"

"You're just saying this now? I could have helped the whole time!"

"I just thought of it now." Harry shrugged as he cut the core out of the serpent and threw it to Daphne. "Here, use this one, you killed it all yourself. If your theory about killing it and using it is right, then you'll get a solid boost from it. We should keep all the ones from the wolves for now."

Daphne nodded and slammed the core into her chest. Harry watched still partly in awe at how it worked as the effect took over her body before she recovered and took out her plate and looked it over. Gasping. "Harry! I was right!"

"Good."

"I even got a skill!"

"Oh?"

"Hide Presence! It was probably a skill unique to the snake!"

"Probably how it snuck up on us… Perfect, now we don't even have to worry about the trace. Activate it and leave it on all the time, you're now my backup." Harry smirked, causing Daphne to laugh loudly.

From that moment, Daphne became a force to be reckoned with. In an effort to prove herself, she started blasting away the opposition.

"Harry! Harry! Did you see?"

"Yeah, I saw." Harry sighed almost dejectedly, not having much to do now that Daphne was launching all out assaults on her own. "Don't wear yourself out though."

Daphne merely smiled at him and they continued on.

"Let's setup camp." Harry declared as they walked to the cave wall, Harry and Daphne made light work of the rock, carving out a recess before stacking the rubble back up behind them. Lighting a fire with some leftover wood in the backpacks, the pair made a quick meal before putting the fire back out and deciding it would be best to take turns sleeping in shifts. Harry would have the first 3 hours; Daphne would take the second, alternating a few times until they were well rested.

The pair broke camp after their rest and ventured throughout the floor again. Killing dozens more wolves, harvesting and storing the cores.

Finally, after their perceived days became weeks and they eventually, completely lost track of time while exploring, the two found a set of doors in the wall and opened it. The room beyond was beautiful, a cavern of glowing crystal.

As Harry and Daphne entered the cavernous room, they were struck by the ethereal beauty that surrounded them. The walls, ceiling, and floor were adorned with large outcrops of glowing crystals, their radiant hues casting a mesmerising, otherworldly light throughout the space. The crystals appeared in various shapes and sizes, some as tall as a person, while others stretched across the ceiling like intricate chandeliers. The gentle hum of the crystals filled the air, creating an atmosphere of serene enchantment.

As the pair ventured further into the dazzling chamber, they couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched. Suddenly, they noticed subtle movement amidst the glowing outcrops. What they had initially dismissed as a trick of the light, or the play of shadows now revealed itself to be something far more substantial.

As their eyes adjusted to the shifting colours, the form of a colossal creature began to take shape. A Crystal Behemoth, a gargantuan being composed entirely of crystalline matter, stood before them. Its towering, jagged body seemed to refract the light from the surrounding crystals, creating an ever-changing kaleidoscope of colours. Its multifaceted eyes gleamed with a fierce intelligence, while its sharp, crystalline limbs gave an impression of both grace and deadly power.

Harry looked over to Daphne and she shrugged at him. "You keep Hide Presence active, aim for its joints with whatever spells you think might work. I'll see if Assassination gives me any targets to hit hard. Count to ten, then launch a spell and run, rinse and repeat."

Daphne breathed heavily and nodded before Harry activated Stealth Field, Hide Presence, Shadow Armor, Shadow Swords and every other skill that his Survival Instinct skill insisted upon.

Deciding to make haste, he ran toward the beast, his instinct on point. Daphne's first spell hit moments later; a blasting hex aimed beautifully at one of its shoulders. The spell impacted with tremendous force shattering crystal on its body and sending the shards flying, a testament to Daphne's growing power.

As the beast turned toward where Daphne was located, Harry activated Assassination. Instantly his body insisted he move, and he did in response, three quick slashes and the behemoth was slowed, deep gouges in the crystal behind its knees and one across the lower portion of its back in an attempt to find something that resembled a spine.

The behemoth, deciding Harry must be the main threat, turned to look for him, however he was nowhere to be found, having already retreated behind some crystal structures. Its mistake was soon realised.

In a moment of what Harry thought was brilliance, Daphne had launched three blasting hexes in rapid succession toward its unguarded back where Harry had created a gouge, and the triple impacts split the monster in half, shattering the remaining legs into dust.

The beast roared out in pain as it collapsed and attempted to crawl to a large crystal outcrop to the side of the room with only its arms remaining. Harry activated the Assassination skill once more and moved quickly out of cover, running up the jagged back of the monster, utilising his Quick Step and Air Step derivative to keep off the razor-sharp looking crystal spines protruding from the monster's upper back.

With a quick cross slash to the back of the monster's neck, it stopped moving altogether. For good measure Harry took his blades, drove them into the back of the beast and ran downward, splitting it in half and causing an enormous mana core to spill forth.

Daphne emerged from behind a crystal outcrop and made her way forward toward Harry who was eyeing the core, easily reaching his waist.

"Wanna crack it in half and we can both absorb it?" Daphne asked with a huge grin of accomplishment on her face. "Stuff carrying that around."

"Sure." Harry said simply, slicing it in twain quickly causing the two identical halves to fall to the ground.

"Never knew one this big existed, let alone absorbed it." Daphne sighed, "I'm kind of scared, more scared than facing that behemoth to be honest."

Harry just laughed, walked up to the core and laid himself on it, chest down. The pain this time was far more intense, he blacked out immediately.

When he came to, he was looking up into Daphne's concern filled eyes, his head resting in her lap. Groaning, Harry sat up and pulled out his status plate:

Harry Potter – Age: 13 – Male – Level: 72

Job: Assassin

Strength: 250

Vitality: 400

Defence: 210

Agility: 1050

Magic: 2000

Magical Defence: 900

Job Specific Skills: (+Assassination, +Execute -Assassin Only-)

Affinities: Fire Magic, Shadow Magic, Sword, Dagger, Stealth, Armed Combat

New Job Specific Skill: Execute

"Shit Harry!" Daphne let out without care, "A new Job specific skill!"

"Yeah." Harry said softly, "I wonder what Execute does."

"Really?" Daphne laughed, Harry meanwhile figured that the skill was designed to Execute enemies and laughed too. "Alright, my turn."

Harry was thankful that Daphne had the presence of mind to not absorb hers until after him, for anything could have attacked them while they were unconscious. Harry merely observed as she lowered herself chest down onto the large core, let out a shrill screech then passed out as he watched the mana coalescing around her, gathering and slowly seeping into her body.

Harry figured the pain must be caused from forcefully expanding or condensing of his own mana core, then the rush was from filling it to its new capacity.

Harry shrugged to himself then pulled out a sleeping bag from his backpack and tucked Daphne into it. He then took the time to take out a pad of paper, sketching out a map of the first floor from memory, then a sketch of the behemoth they faced. He was unsure if magical people categorised monsters, but it would be interesting to see what these ones were rated as if they did.

As Harry continued to sketch, he couldn't help but reflect on how Daphne's presence had influenced his attitude. Although his darkened personality, developed from his time in the cupboard at the Dursleys' made it difficult for him to feel truly positive anymore, having her as an ally did bring a certain balance to his outlook. He still maintained a cautious and vigilant demeanour, but Daphne's presence tempered his hostility towards himself, humanity and her. She'd stopped him from becoming a monster, and he supposed he'd saved her from a life of sex slavery and servitude.

With a grinding noise, a stairway appeared to the side of where the behemoth was killed, signalling the entrance to the next level of the cave system. While Daphne was unconscious, Harry's thoughts turned to the challenges that awaited them on the floors below. While his trust in others had been severely damaged by his past experiences, Daphne had proven her worth and usefulness thus far. Harry knew that they would need to rely on each other moving forward, knowing the monsters and beasts would gradually get stronger. Any misstep could be deadly, and he remained ever vigilant of the potential dangers that might lurk around every corner.

Harry went back to his sketches as he thought absentmindedly, Sense Presence having been active since he'd entered the dungeon, he passively kept an eye out for intruders while he made his notes and drawings.

Daphne stirred and woke. "Thanks." She mumbled as she fumbled around inside the sleeping bag for her status plate. Harry meanwhile packed up his belongings and made his way over to her side.

"Stairway opened while you were out." Harry pointed over to their side.

"Cool." Daphne said softly as she observed her plate in obvious awe:

Daphne Greengrass – Age: 13 – Female – Level: 38

Job: Mentalist

Strength: 85

Vitality: 250

Defence: 60

Agility: 50

Magic: 950

Magical Defence: 500

Skills: Mind Charms (+Memory Alteration, +Emotion Control), Charms Expertise 3/5 (+Spellpower Potency, +Overpower), Quick Learning, Mental Resistance (+Mental Shield), Deception Detection, Persuasion, Hide Presence.

Job Specific Skills: (+Mind Charm Mastery +Mental Assault -Mentalist Only-)

Affinities: Mind Magic, Charms, Defensive Magic, Magical Combat, Diplomacy

New Skills: Spellpower Potency, Overpower

New Job Specific Skill: Mental Assault

Harry smirked at Daphne, "Spellpower Potency, Overpower and a job specific, nice gains there Greengrass."

"Heh, thanks." She smirked back as she poked at her status plate, "I'm keen to see what damage I can do now with Overpower."

The pair descended floor after floor, days and weeks flowing onward as they eventually made it to the final boss room.

They had levelled up many times from kill experience and core absorption, however they hadn't gained any further skills beyond what they'd gained from the behemoth.

Finally, they reached a large, grandiose door. Pushing the door open, Harry and Daphne stepped through the final doorway, finding themselves in an astonishingly vast chamber, the likes of which they had never seen before. The ceiling soared high above them, creating the illusion of an open sky with an artificial sun that bathed the entire space in a warm, golden light. Despite being deep within the French Alps, they couldn't help but feel as if they had stepped into a world of their own, a hidden sanctuary beneath the earth.

The chamber was filled with lush, verdant trees and an array of vibrant flora that created the impression of a thriving forest. The soft rustling of leaves and the gentle songs of unseen birds created a tranquil atmosphere, a stark contrast to the danger that they knew awaited them. The foliage and the landscape stretched as far as their eyes could see, giving the illusion that they were in a forest clearing rather than an underground cavern.

In the distance, beyond the tree line, stood a large, imposing house, seemingly abandoned yet somehow retaining an air of grandeur. Its mysterious presence only served to heighten the sense of anticipation and foreboding that hung in the air. As they cautiously ventured deeper into the chamber, Harry knew that their final test, the ultimate boss, was somewhere within this stunning landscape.

"It's beautiful." Daphne whispered.

Daphne's whisper seemed to reverberate through the chamber, and as her words hung in the air, a palpable shift occurred in the atmosphere. Shadows that had once clung to the edges of the trees and the corners of the grand house suddenly began to rush inward and converge, swirling and melding together in a mesmerising, dark dance. The artificial sun above seemed to dim, casting a more sombre light on the scene. From this darkness, a towering creature emerged, bipedal and awe-inspiring; its form was a mass of shadows, each tendril flickering and writhing like dark flames, making the figure seem to dance with a sinister life of its own.

As the shadows coalesced, they took form before the awestruck pair, giving birth to a monstrous being that exuded an aura of menace and power. As soon as the beast took form, it noticed Harry and Daphne standing there, unhidden and unprepared. The creature let out a deafening roar, the sound reverberating through the chamber with such force that it shook the trees and sent shivers down their spines. With its challenge issued, the monster unleashed an immense pressure of bloodlust that permeated the air, a suffocating weight bearing down upon them. It was clear that they had inadvertently caught the attention of the final boss, their lack of stealth and concealment leaving them exposed to its full wrath. As the once tranquil scene transformed into a battleground for the ultimate confrontation, Harry and Daphne crouched, ready to launch their assault.

Now a well-oiled machine, Harry launched at the creature, easily 20ft tall, drawing attention away from Daphne while she hid her presence. With its attention firmly on him now, Harry activated all of his Assassination skills and vanished from sight.

As soon as he did this the monster roared once more, causing Harry's Stealth Field to fall away much to his shock, and the monster to swipe at him. Harry raised his Shadow Sword and parried the move but was slammed sideways through a tree and beyond.

Harry groaned and thrust a sword into the ground, using it to steady himself and halt his momentum. He swiftly righted his stance and, employing Quick Step, he darted back into range. With his Assassination skill, he struck, carving deep gouges into the monster's ankles. He used Quick Step again to retreat as the monster's massive foot came crashing down in an attempt to crush him.

As he did this, a barrage of Blasting Curses, discovered by the pair to work best on crystalline beasts, slammed into the monster. Looking up, Harry saw that the beast had erected a shield made of a shadowy crystalline structure, which fell to the ground as the spells impacted. Only one of Daphne's curses got through, causing Harry to swear out loud.

Turning to where the spells came from, the beast drew in shadows from around the area, to form a spear crafted of shadow in front of its hands. It then punched the weapon, without thinking Harry apparated, then used Quick Step to slam his swords into the spear that had been created by the beast, to knock the weapon off course, hopefully saving Daphne from the spear.

Having succeeded, Harry used Air Step to stop his momentum and turned back to face his foe but saw nothing but a gigantic fist coming for him. Instantly it slammed into him, forcing him down and into the ground.

He bounced once then came to a stop, Harry struggled to his feet. Blood trickling down his right arm, which now hung limply by his side, and from the corner of his mouth as he coughed. His Survival Instinct skill forcibly activated Self-Healing and Regeneration, drawing heavily on his mana. He could feel it working; however, it was slow going.

"Daphne, don't answer!" Harry shouted; his voice strained from pain. The monster before him gathering shadows before it again to make into a new weapon. "I'm going to turn it. When I do, give it everything you have."

Hoping she'd heard and acknowledged him. Harry Quick Stepped behind the giant and activated Assassination. With his one good left arm, he managed to get in a few good hits to its ankles again, hoping to at least put it off balance.

Survival Instinct screamed at him to get out of there, so he did, he activated Quick Step again, moving backward he barely avoided the spear slamming into the ground where he was.

An instant later, a tremendous explosion rocked the area and the beast exploded into tiny shadow fragments. Harry was launched backward, shards of shadowy crystal lacerating him as he flew, eventually skidding along the ground, where another tree stopped him.

Harry saw the shadows coalescing once more as he blacked out.

A roar woke Harry, one eye opening. His head hurting like crazy, his body aching all over, slightly dizzy from blood loss as evident by the small pool surrounding him. The boss was still alive, Daphne was running flat out, launching curses at it trying her best to avoid the incoming spears from the beast.

"Ugh." Harry groaned as he struggled to his feet. His Survival Instinct screamed at him again to help his comrade or he was going to die too. 'I can't just sit here, she's tried so hard, done so much and come so far. Like me she's been let down by the world.' "AND I WILL NOT FAIL US!" Harry roared. Adrenaline coursing through his body. At that moment, a new Shadow Magic skill unlocked, Shadow Manipulation, along with a skill that didn't belong to the Assassin Class, Berserk. For every point of damage taken, Harry's stats increased, and Harry had taken a lot of damage from the few hits he'd received.

With the roar and sudden swell of power, rich blue-black mana swirling around him, Harry Quick Stepped into the battle once more. His arm just barely healed from the Self-Healing Skill, Harry's Survival Instinct activated Shadow Manipulation.

The shadows coalesced around Harry as they formed two gigantic swords. The Shadow Guardian's attention drawn to the increased threat, turned and charged forward to the still charging Harry, not able to coalesce any shadows, the beast had its fist raised in a final showdown.

Harry with his elongated swords however had the reach, and with a roar he activated Execute, which cleaved the beast in twain, top to bottom. "NOW DAPHNE, GIVE IT EVERYTHING YOU'VE GOT!"

From behind the beast a monstrous looking bolt of red curse light leapt toward the Guardian and upon impact, it exploded, once more sending Harry flying backwards. He was ready for it this time and had the swords crossed in front of him to block the sharp crystalline shards.

With no more shadows to draw upon the beast was defeated, the gigantic mana core of the Guardian rolled away from the crystal shards littering the now battle-scarred landscape.

Daphne ran to Harry, with golden hair flitting around her face and tears in her bright blue eyes let out a laugh of relief which caught in her throat as saw the exhaustion had caught up with Harry, and he collapsed. "I hope it's dead… that's all I've got." Harry said softly.

"Yeah, it's over, well done Harry." He heard a woman whisper as blackness claimed him once more.

Comfortable… Warm… These were what Harry felt when his consciousness slowly started coming back to him. It wasn't the comfort, nor the warmth of his sleeping bag, it was more. Added to that there was that weight across his legs and stomach.

Harry awakened, his senses coming to him fully as he became aware looking around taking in his surroundings figuring out immediately where he was. The aged, opulent master bedroom of the house within the final room seemed to be untouched by the passage of time. The grand four-poster bed stood as the centrepiece of the room, with intricately carved wooden posts and a canopy of rich, deep red velvet. The bedding was made of fine silk and embroidered with elaborate patterns in gold thread, giving the room a regal and lavish appearance. The windows were adorned with heavy velvet drapes, which when drawn, would no doubt cast the room in the warm, subdued artificial light created in the cavern. Along the walls, ornate tapestries depicting scenes of myth and legend added an air of grandeur, and the soft glow of magically lit candles flickered in antique sconces.

In one corner of the room, an elegantly carved wooden writing desk stood, its surface adorned with quills, inkwells, and parchment, as if waiting for someone to pen their thoughts. A large, ornate mirror with a gilded frame hung on the wall, reflecting the room's luxurious ambience. The room's wooden floor was covered by a plush, intricately designed rug that softened every footfall, and an opened stately wardrobe held garments of rich fabrics and colours, hinting at the wealth and power of the room's former occupants. The atmosphere within the master bedroom was one of timeless splendour, providing a sanctuary of rest and respite for anyone who entered.

Harry gazed down his body, noting the blonde hair spilling across the silk bedding. With her head resting beside him, arm and leg strewn across his body, Harry was certain that Daphne had levitated him to the room and took care of him while unconscious. The state of the place had Harry thinking she'd explored a bit, and that they were undoubtedly alone.

"Daphne." Harry said softly, not really wanting to wake her, but feeling like he should.

"Hmm." Was all he got in response, so he gave her a little shove and she started to wake. "What Har… HARRY!" She shouted once her wits returned to her, sitting up and launching herself onto him hugging him close. "Finally, you're awake."

"Finally?"

"Yeah, it's been a few days."

"Oh."

"Yeah, this place is empty." Daphne declared, "I haven't explored much outside of this room. I wanted to make sure you were awake in case I needed some backup." She poked her tongue out at him at this declaration. It was then that Harry took in her appearance, it appeared she had gotten comfortable, she was sitting there in only her black bra and matching underwear, the pair having spent around a year with each other now, had grown comfortable with various states of undress, so she was unashamed by her appearance.

Harry then noticed his own state of dress. "Er… Daphne, why am I naked?"

"Well, you were dirty and covered in blood, so I had to clean you up." She then smirked, poking her tongue out at him once more, playfully. Daphne was obviously quite happy that he was awake once more.

Harry shook his head, shaking off his errant thoughts as he did. "Let's get exploring then." He said as he found his clothing beside the bed and dressed, Daphne did the same.

As Harry and Daphne explored the house within the final chamber of the labyrinth, they come across a seemingly ordinary room. However, upon entering, they noticed a faint, intricate pattern etched onto the floor beneath their feet. What they didn't know at the time was that the pattern was a magic circle, ancient and powerful, designed to protect the secrets hidden within the room.

Before they had a chance to fully comprehend the situation, the magic circle activated, sending both Harry and Daphne into a shared mental realm. This barrier was an additional safeguard, meant to read their minds and ensure that they were the right individuals for the room to reveal its contents. The labyrinth had served as a trial to test their character, and now the magic circle sought to confirm their worthiness.

Within this mental realm, Harry and Daphne found themselves in a space filled with swirling memories, emotions, and thoughts. They immediately sensed that the magic circle was probing their minds, assessing their intentions, and evaluating their experiences. Harry sighed and merely stood there, noticing Daphne doing the same as it seemed they had no ability to block it. Which frankly pissed Harry off a little.

Eventually the magic circle completed its evaluation, it appeared to deem them worthy of the knowledge concealed within the room as mental realm dissipated, and Harry and Daphne found themselves back in the room, transformed to reveal a hidden alcove containing a chest, as well as a Pensieve.

"Huh…" Harry said as he observed the two items appearing on the far side of the room.

"That was weird." Daphne stated as she walked over to the chest, waving her wand over it.

"What are you doing?"

"Testing it for traps, making sure it's safe."

"You know how to do that stuff? I didn't think we learnt that for a few years." Harry asked in confusion.

"How do I keep forgetting that you're essentially a muggleborn." Daphne stated gently, "Purebloods are trained from a young age in spells and curses that are generally protective in nature. Not everything, but enough to keep ourselves from harm and to give us a leg up over the 'rabble'. Really Harry, you're just noticing this now? I've been checking for traps regularly when we've set up camp and what not, do you think I just wave my wand around randomly?"

"Oh… No?"

Daphne smirked and shook her head, and eventually moved over to the Pensieve doing the same before she declared everything safe. "Pensieve first?" Daphne asked hesitating.

"Yeah." Harry said, making his way over there. The pair placed their faces in the bowl of the Pensive before they were drawn in.

The first memory coalesced before them of what appeared to be the labyrinth's creator meeting with a shadowy figure in a clandestine location. The creator seemed deeply troubled, and the shadowy figure's presence radiated malevolence. Their conversation was hushed, but the tension between them was palpable. The creator was clearly attempting to negotiate, while the shadowy figure seemed to be demanding something of great value that the creator was unwilling to give up. Harry figured he couldn't hear the conversation properly because the memory was so old, so shrugged and just watched impassively.

The next memory revealed the creator working with a team of skilled wizards and witches, each an expert in their own field. Together, they were devising intricate traps and enchantments to safeguard the labyrinth. They had formed some sort of alliance, dedicated to protecting the knowledge they had collectively amassed from falling into the wrong hands. The air was thick with determination and purpose, as they were all too aware of the dark forces that sought to claim the power hidden within the labyrinth. It seemed there were different races of people there, elves, half beasts, dragonborn, even what appeared to be vampires.

In another scene, the creator was locked in a fierce magical duel with a group of dark-robed assailants, their faces obscured by sinister white and red masks. The attackers were relentless, their magic fueled by a darkness which even Harry and Daphne could feel in the memory, but the creator fought with an equal measure of skill and tenacity. It was a battle that raged on, the outcome uncertain as the memory cut off before the battle had finished. However it seemed as if the creator risked everything to defend their life's work.

The final memory was of the creator, now visibly aged, standing before a council of venerable wizards and witches of the various races there once more. The creator's slightly muffled voice was filled with passion and conviction as they recounted the events that had led to the labyrinth's creation and the challenges they had faced. Despite their obvious exhaustion, the creator remained steadfast in their belief that the secrets within the labyrinth must be protected at all costs. He also insisted on them making their own labyrinths, to protect their own magic and secrets from falling into the wrong hands.

Harry and Daphne emerged from the Pensieve, both deep in thought. Daphne was the first to speak, "It looked like he was up against some group like the Death Eaters, looking to get information from him that he hid here, or something like that anyway. I don't know, it felt… incomplete… like the memories were corrupted or damaged probably because they're so old."

Harry shook his head dismissively. "I don't care about him or his enemies," he declared. "We came here for the knowledge and power that the labyrinth has to offer, not to take on someone else's cause."

Daphne nodded in agreement, understanding Harry's perspective. They had indeed faced their own trials and tribulations, and it was up to them to determine how best to use the knowledge they had gained. The labyrinth's creator had fought their battles, Harry and Daphne had already declared they would lead a life free of someone else's control.

"I don't care what people do, but if anyone gets our way, they're our enemy. And our enemies die." Harry stated softly.

Daphne nodded in agreement with Harry as he turned to the chest. "So?" Harry merely leaned down and opened the chest. Inspecting the contents showed a near midnight black cape and a large book, which Harry decided was the Tome they too sought.

Pushing aside the cloak for the moment, he picked up the tome and made his way over to a bench to the side of the room. Daphne grabbed the cloak and followed.

Opening the Tome, Harry observed it was handwritten, the entry page. 'The Tome of Shadows, Emrys Leclair'.

Flipping the page, he read the following;

Unto the valiant and noble spirit that hath rightly passed yon maze and unlocked its hidden truths, I extend mine felicitations and a word of heed. The lore within this scroll is of mighty potency and peril, a monument to the unceasing labours of them that have given their days to the quest of grasping the magicks of the mana that courses through this terra.

Wield this wisdom with judicious care and prudence, for the powers thou hast now in thy grasp might alter the very annals of time. Mind thee that might is neither of innate virtue nor vice; it is but an instrument, and its mark is shaped by the heart and purpose of its bearer.

As thou settest forth on the way ahead, be ever watchful, for in the murk lie both ally and adversary. Place thy trust in thy inner compass and let the teachings of yesteryears steer thy deeds this day.

May thy voyage be rich in sapience and revelation, and may thou muster the fortitude to craft a brighter morrow for all.

In earnest regard,

Emrys Leclair

"Fuck that's hard to read." Harry intoned, rubbing his eyebrows.

Daphne hmm'd then the pair both settled in to read the Tome. "This is going to take a good while to learn Harry, especially if it's all written like that." Daphne stated officiously, after they'd taken the time to flick through the large book. Harry nodded in agreement. "I'm thinking month's of non-stop studying and practising."

"To be honest, I want to learn it, then destroy it." Harry's admission caused Daphne to suck in a breath before she thought about it and nodded in agreement.

"Actually, that makes sense."

"Considering that group was after both of these, I'm thinking, based on the fact the cape can give you the stealth skill and some shadow control, you should take the cape and learn how to use it." Harry pointed out the line in the book. "The Cloak of Shadows shall tether itself but to a lone soul, until sundered by death, the supreme sovereign of the shades."

"Okay…" Daphne said, appearing unsure before she resolved herself and put it on. A whirl of mana surrounded her before it rushed into her chest, just like when she absorbed Mana Cores.

"That reminds me." Harry said softly watching her check out her status plate to confirm the application of the Stealth Field skill, to which she nodded and put the plate away again, before drawing her attention back to Harry. "We need to get the core from the boss from this floor."

Daphne's mouth made an O shape in shock that she'd forgotten before she ran from the room in excitement, Harry chasing up the rear.

"How do we do it?" Daphne said to Harry when he eventually caught up to her. "Absorb it I mean, it's huge."

"How about I cut it into small pieces, and we absorb it over time?"

"That works."

Having brought the core into the house, Harry and Daphne walked the grounds. Both still unable to comprehend how much work it would have taken, and the magic involved to create it.

"How long should we stay here?" Harry asked his travelling partner, seeing as she had more than proven herself to him, he had long since figured she deserved a say in what they did.

"Well the quest hasn't been satisfied, as we need to learn what's in the book." She reasoned quietly as they came across an outdoor spa. "I am so using this later." Daphne declared taking her shoes off and sitting on the edge, dipping her feet in. "I think we should complete the quest before we leave, learn everything in the book. But if that takes years, it's probably too long. So we should decide after about 14 day cycles."

Harry nodded, the room cycled day and night in a similar amount of time to the outside world, according to Daphne. "Yeah, that suits me fine, we can figure out what to do later. We can rest for a few days, read the book and start practising. We've got enough food on us still to last nearly a year."

Daphne mmhmmed, then turned to Harry, "And you need to get better at casting magic." Harry grimaced at that. "Oh don't give me that look. You were shit at it in classes before, but looking at your magic stat now, you shouldn't have an issue. Don't think I haven't noticed that you haven't pulled your new wand almost the entire time we've been in here."

"Yeah I suppose, I also use mana using Stealth Field and all that though… Fine Fine, you're right I should…" Harry sighed in agreement scratching the back of his head in embarrassment, "But the book takes priority." He then walked off, leaving Daphne to relax by the spa. "I'll have one later!" Harry yelled out to her, talking about a dip in the spa.

After spending that afternoon lightly studying the tome, Harry found a towel and made his way out to the spa, not seeing Daphne anywhere he undressed and slipped in.

Having not had the chance to bathe in what Harry thought to be many months, much more than a quick rinse in a stream or with wand water in the Labyrinth, the spa felt like heaven to Harry.

Closing his eyes, he leaned his head back and felt the stress of the last few months ebb away.

A shift in the water brought Harry back to reality and he felt the soft smooth skin of his travel partner lean against him. "Umm Daphne, I'm not wearing anything here." Harry said nervously, to which she just chuckled and leaned into him more. "Oh man, c'mon…"

"I don't care Harry." She whispered, barely above the sound of the bubbling water. "Neither am I and I'm not going to do anything more than this." Daphne leaned up and kissed his cheek before reaching down and putting her arm around his back, pressing her bare body against his side, making Harry sit up and look at her.

"You brought me along with you." Daphne said softly, tears now trickling down her face. "You have been an incredible travel partner, taught me combat, fought alongside me and we have conquered something no one has before. I can see why Ginny likes you so much. Your determination and resourcefulness have no equal, and now your power. I think I might just have to fight her for you."

Harry didn't know what to say, so he didn't. Instead, he wrapped his arm around her back, holding her close, relaxing his head back and closing his eyes. Together they merely lay there and enjoyed the warm water.