I own nothing here except my OCs. Credit goes to bunny from reddit and Grammarly for beta.
Chapter 12 - Old Gallows Tree
James Potter sighed as he rubbed his forehead, trying to resist the sweet temptation of just slamming himself facedown on the desk. He felt like he hadn't showered in ages and the bags under his eyes have started to become very visible. He ran a hand through his black hair to try and calm himself down, but a groan escaped his lips as the flying notes zoomed all around him. It was annoying at best on any day of the week. But lately, it was much worse.
'May Merlin above damn that Skeeter,' he thought. It had only been a few days since that wretched article about Harry was published in the Daily Prophet and Wizarding Britain was in an uproar. There were Howlers flying all over and shattering eardrums, nearly deafening persistent reporters that never stopped their barrage of questions. Even rioters were at the Ministry's doorstep, all clamoring for an explanation from him, Dumbledore, the Minister of Magic … basically anyone with power that could be linked to the incident. Not to mention that within the week - if he was fortunate - the news would make it across the pond and the channel. It was nearly total chaos.
And with chaos came crime, and with crime came more work. Wizards harassing Ministry personnel, looting attempts, and even a few incidents of Muggle-baiting once they read that Harry was left with his Muggle relatives and came to their own conclusions. Poor Amelia Bones was ready to blow a gasket.
Speaking of…
"Auror Potter!" came the stern voice of his boss as she barged into the office. A frustrated scowl marred her face as she held and she was holding a pile of parchment.
Another sigh. "Yes, Amelia?"
She dropped the pile in front of him. "These are the reports of this morning's incidents, three in Diagon and one in Hogsmeade. I need this reviewed, copied and filed before the Wizengamot meeting today."
"Another one?" he groaned. "But it's only been two hours since the last report I filed!"
"Tell that to the morons who decided to - among other things - try and loot Honeydukes."
James's jaw dropped. Honeydukes!? Why!?
Without another word, she turned around and hurried out, but the Potter patriarch didn't miss the glare she threw his way. He shook his head. She was shooting that glare towards him and Sirius a lot lately, and he would bet his house on the reason why. Not only that, but he was relegated to desk duty when he should be out there on the field.
To be fair, he would just place an even bigger target on his back if he were to go out now. Vindictiveness and opportunism could sometimes be cruel partners.
Another two hours and some healing salve for his aching wrist later, James Potter walked out the door and proceeded to the lobby of the DMLE. He passed by the main reception desk and his fists tightened as a group of aurors whispered to themselves, trying very miserably to hide their stares.
'...I deserve this. I agreed to Dumbledore's stupid plan. I convinced Lily to give Harry away. And look where it got me. Even my own coworkers, who know me sometimes better than my wife, have started to scorn me.'
He entered the elevator and pressed a button, the floors passing by at a dizzying speed. But that did nothing to deter his thoughts.
'So far, there's no word from Amelia or any of the foreign ministries. If he's really not in England, then this will become much more difficult for me and Lily.' His eyes narrowed and he drew in a breath. 'I swear to you Harry, even if it takes me years, I will find you and I will bring you home. I will make everything up to you, and so will your mum. Your siblings will come rushing over and hug you to death and we will be a family again.'
The elevator suddenly stopped and opened its doors. James blinked for a second before he strode out, straightening himself. He mentally patted himself on the back for arriving early, for the hallway was mercifully empty, and only the dark-iron doors of the main chamber of the Wizengamot stood before him. While judicial matters were handled in the dungeon courtrooms below, it was here that the real governing of Wizarding Britain was done.
It was one of James's most hated places on Earth.
Just as he was about to enter the chamber, a smooth voice called out.
"Lord Potter, I was wondering when you would come."
The veteran auror turned and met the sly gaze of a tall, blonde man, who wore a black-and-green cloak. A walking stick with a snake's head was in his grasp and his posture oozed satisfaction, like a cat who had caught an injured mouse.
"Lord Malfoy," he replied, his eyes narrowing at the pureblood, who just smirked and approached him.
"I must admit, I did not expect you to arrive for this meeting today. Merlin knows how trying these times are for your family. A reasonable man would expect you to be by their side at this moment."
"My family is just fine," James spat. Lord Malfoy stepped towards him with a cocky swagger, stopping just inches away.
"I imagine so." Malfoy's smirk grew slightly wider. "Tell me, has there been any progress regarding your search? I've overheard a thing or two, but I felt it would best to hear from the horse's mouth. I wonder where the boy is right now. The world is a very big place. It would be terrible if you found him in … less stellar conditions."
James gritted his teeth as he resisted the urge to hex Malfoy right there. What enraged him even more was the possibility that he was correct.
"But who knows? Maybe someone rescued him? A wizard who saw the distress of such a renowned figure in our society and took him in, taught him the ways of a proper wizard…"
James gasped inwardly before he nearly snarled and reached for his wand. That's it!
"Lord Potter, is that you?"
The two wizards turned to see a chubby man in a green bowler hat. Beside him strutted a toad-like woman dressed in eye-searing pink.
"Minister Fudge, so glad to see you," said Malfoy, turning and straightening his posture. "Has the case of Irish Firewhiskey been put to good use?"
"They were an absolute hit at the party, thank you Lucius," replied the Minister. He then turned to James and his jovial expression cooled. "Lord Potter, so good of you to come. Your presence is much needed in these meetings."
The Potter patriarch tried not to wrinkle his nose in disgust. It was toadies like Fudge that gave the Ministry a bad name, especially if they were in Malfoy's pocket. "I am sure it is, Minister. I always look forward to improving our society." Merlin, those words tasted awful.
Fudge laughed. "Ah, a true patriot!" He then took off his hat. "I haven't managed to talk to you about the recent news, have I? Dreadful, dreadful business, all of this. The Saviour of our world gone missing? What was Dumbledore thinking, placing him with Muggles?"
"I don't know what goes on in that old man's head anymore. I haven't spoken to him ever since we found out."
Fudge nodded vigorously. "As you should! I always felt like that man had too much power, and this is a perfect example of it! Isn't that right Lucius?"
"Definitely, Cornelius."
James inwardly winced. This conversation was starting to veer into uncomfortable territory.
"But of course, right now that isn't the main issue! Getting young Harry back is! I will notify Amelia that the DMLE's budget has been given a significant boost, and if you require any additional personnel, just ask."
"Thank you, Minister. I'm sure she would love to hear this, as would Lily." Now he's supporting him. Accursed politics, but every now and then they had their uses.
The Minister's smile widened. "Splendid! Now let's not dally any further, shall we? Give my well-wishes to Lily if I don't see her today."
The two politicians proceeded to enter the room, but not before Malfoy threw another smirk at him, one even more malicious than before. James stood there for a moment and controlled his breath. He couldn't hex Malfoy, not now. He needed composure for this meeting. Maybe later he'll convince Amelia to allow a raid on one of his cronies. That would definitely cheer him and her up.
'What he said about Harry, that someone else might've found him…' He shook his head as he took his seat in the chamber. 'It can't be. My eldest son, raised by a supremacist like Malfoy? I won't believe it. It just can't happen!'
Lucius Malfoy was in an excellent mood. The scandal of the century was happening and the blame rested on his most hated adversaries. The only thing that could have made his day even better was if Potter were absent from the meeting. That, however, was no problem; most of his supporters were absent, so Lucius could push forward laws that protected their society from filthy mudbloods and half-breeds like Veelas and Werewolves. Right now, he had to be subtle, but he had no doubt that Potter won't attend the next sessions. Patience was an important tool for any wizard.
The news took him too by surprise, and he admitted to himself that for a moment, he was quite stumped by what he read. But he was a Malfoy, and a Malfoy always had a plan.
"I appreciate you for coming here on such short notice," Lucius said to the man who had just entered his home office.
"Yes, yes, your message seemed quite urgent. All the same, I don't appreciate being summoned like this out of nowhere."
"Apologies, but I am sure that you will find interest in what I'm about to tell you." He gestured to a bottle of wine on the desk. "Drink?"
"Yes, please. Elf-made?"
The Malfoy Lord nodded and went to his chair. He cleared his throat and called out: "Dobby!"
His house-elf appeared before him, his posture submissive. "W-what can Dobby bees doing for you, Lord Malfoy, Sir?" he asked with a quiver to his voice.
"Two glasses."
The elf whimpered and snapped his fingers. The bottle levitated off the table and poured itself.
"Leave." The elf did so with a 'pop'.
"So, what's so important that you had to call me in the middle of the night?" the man asked.
Lucius handed him a glass and gave him the same smile a kneazle would to a cornered rat - predatory. "I have recently come by the most astounding piece of news, and I thought that you should learn of it before it makes its way to the next morning's Prophet."
"What is it? Has our illustrious Minister funded a new wing for the Department of Records? A new tome written by Merlin?"
He felt his grin widen. "Harry Potter has gone missing."
The man's eyes widened in shock. If the wine were in his mouth, he would've no doubt spat it out. His expression turned pensive and he let out a hum.
"Continue."
"My sources at the Prophet have told me that James Potter has requested help for a classified 'missing wizard' investigation. Naturally, the news made their way to the Prophet and to me, and apparently our 'Saviour' has vanished. I have not yet the full scope of the information, but it seems that Potter and Dumbledore found his safehouse on fire."
The man kept staring at him as he twirled the glass in his hand. "That is certainly an … interesting piece of news. Knowing our community, I assume the outcry will be massive."
"Certainly. The Vanquisher of the Dark Lord, missing? They'll cry for blood. I can expect a few heads to roll."
The man chuckled mirthfully. "Of that, I have no doubt. Is there a chance that the boy is dead?"
Lucius shook his head. "No. Potter and Dumbledore are convinced that he is alive. I imagine that they have a means of monitoring him, but not actually divining his location. From what I know of those two, they have only now requested aid and have begun investigating some time ago."
The man let out a hum and gazed into his glass, deep in thought. He then spoke again, his voice calculating. "You have a plan."
Lucius straightened himself. "Of course. I intend to send out my own agents to track him down. It wouldn't do for an upstanding member of society to ignore such a plight. But the world is vast, and I have need of some of your own contacts."
The man raised an eyebrow. "Assuming that I still have them, what's in it for me?"
"I am willing to cover part of the expenses. In addition, I'll invite you to join in once we claim our prize." He leaned forward and his voice lowered. "I don't exactly recall what happened to Nott Manor. It must feel different, living in a cramped muggle apartment with your wife and child. Not to mention the loss of so many heirlooms and books … a tragic thing, those raids."
The man's gaze darkened and he rubbed his short beard. His other hand gripped the glass tightly.
"I am planning to send word to the others. It would be a shame if they found out that Lord Nott, one of the Dark Lord's most faithful, declined to assist in such a task."
Nott let out a low growl, but then slowly nodded. "Very well. I'll see what I can do."
The Malfoy Lord smirked again and raised his glass up high. Soon, they would have a chance for revenge. "A toast then," he said, "to finding the missing Boy-Who-Lived!"
True to his word, he sent requests to his other colleagues. Some had declined, opting to try and reap their own benefits from the discord, while others offered their resources. While the agents he employed had their own channels of information, Lucius did not truly think they would actually succeed; at least not before Potter found him. Nevertheless, it was always best to have options available. If they did find him, Lucius was torn on what to do: allow his former comrades to have a measure of satisfaction for years of humiliation. Or perhaps what he had said to Potter a few minutes ago had merit. A boy with incredible political influence and potentially unknown magic power, with no knowledge of his birthright? A strong, pureblood hand to raise and guide him...
The anguished cries of James Potter and his mudblood whore would make it all sweeter.
Albus Dumbledore was sitting in his office in Hogwarts, staring at the accursed article that seemed to be the source of all his problems lately. While he had always humored the Prophet and its more … fantastical articles of journalism, this time he was on its receiving end. Public pressure could be a very potent weapon against the enemies of the masses. What was even more embarrassing was the fact that for once, most of what the article told was true!
He had no idea how that blasted Skeeter got that information. Despite his current rift with the Potters, they agreed on the fact the disappearance of young Harry should be kept as quiet as possible, and most certainly away from the public eye. So them gossiping about the incident to their friends was unlikely. A leak in the DMLE, perhaps? James did ask Amelia for help…
He took off his half-moon spectacles and sighed, pinching the bridge of his wrinkled nose. Since the article - which painted him as the main instigator of the incident - nearly all of Wizarding Britain seemed to cry out for his blood. Even his friends and associates abroad and in the ICW had heard the news and were starting to ignore his calls. They thought he should 'solve this mess himself since he started it.' His positions in the ICW and the Wizengamot were tenuous now, and he suspected that soon he would be called to step down. At the very least they couldn't touch his position as Headmaster of Hogwarts.
But even in his last bastion of power he wasn't safe. A mail-warding charm and a silencing charm on his office did nothing to deter the dozens of letters and Howlers, who instead either found themselves in the Hogwarts owlery or sometimes in the Great Hall, much to the poor students' chagrin. Speaking of, said students had lately been shooting him dirty looks. Whispers followed him constantly in the Great Hall or in the corridors. He didn't need his Legilimency to guess what they were gossiping about, and he had no doubt what kind of speculations were flying abound.
He was drawn from his musings when a silvery ball of mist flew into his office and hovered in front of him. The clipped voice of Professor McGonagall spoke from it.
"Headmaster, there are reporters on Hogwarts grounds and they are asking for your presence. They don't seem like they will leave any time soon, so I suggest you come down here and deal with them before they start harassing the students."
The aged wizard groaned as the mist faded into nothingness. Even his fellow teachers had been giving him the cold shoulder as of late, talking only about school matters and nothing else. Professor McGonagall would have customarily dealt with any reporters that came here, but she had been freezing him out since before the article.
He huffed in resignation and rose from his ornate chair, turning to his phoenix companion Fawkes. Ever since the day Number 4 Privet Drive had been set aflame, the magnificent bird had gone silent, its head always drooped. How long had it been since he had heard Fawkes' soothing song?
'Such a mess … why do they not see it? I only did this to protect young Harry. To help him prepare for the return of Voldemort. To ensure the greater good of wizardkind.
...nevertheless, the past is in the past. I must correct this mistake and bring young Harry home. I have not lost all of my political power, and James will surely accept additional assistance. While it's a shame the Dursleys are no longer an option, James and Lily will never hear of putting him elsewhere. But when he arrives at Hogwarts, I will step in and guide him down the proper path of light. As the prophecy foretold.'
"Ivy, William? Dinner will be ready soon."
"...okay, Mum."
"...we'll finish up here."
Lily Potter sighed as her two youngest went back to reading their books. Which ones, she couldn't exactly tell, but the number was probably somewhere in the double-digits - if the stacks of tomes on the table were any indication.
This had become a common scene in the Potter family library. While it had caught her off-guard at first, she soon realized the reason for their sudden habit. The twins seemed just as determined to find Harry and bring him home as she and James. They were most likely hoping to find an answer somewhere deep in the archives and grimoires generations of Potters collected. They even started asking her for lessons in magic, to which - after some consideration - she agreed. James was too busy with his own efforts and the DMLE.
While a part of her was deeply touched at the effort the two were willing to put to find their lost brother, another part of her was despairing at the gloomy and serious air this change had brought to their home. The mischievous aura and childish laughter that she'd gotten used to hearing every day was almost gone.
'Not only I have to pay the price for my stupidity, but now my whole family suffers for it.'
She exited the library and choked back a sob, dark thoughts starting to grip her heart. She had to lean on the ancient walls for support. What if they were never able to find Harry? What if he'd truly died in that fire, and Dumbledore was lying to them once again? Or … what if they did find Harry, but her family would remain shattered?
She furiously shook her head to banish those dark whispers, but they still lingered. 'No, I WILL find Harry, I will bring him home. He'll meet Ivy and William and then slowly our family will heal and be together again. I drifted apart from Petunia after I got accepted to Hogwarts, and I swear to Merlin, Maeve and Morgana that I will not let it happen to my children!'
-x-
Soon enough, just as the Potters and Dumbledore feared, the majority of the Wizarding World caught wind of the now-titled Boy-Who-Lived-and-Vanished (or Boy-Who-Vanished for those who were sick of hyphens). The child's fame abroad - for reasons that extended beyond surviving an unblockable curse - was even greater than Lily and James had guessed and now they were suffering from the collective backlash. All sides condemned their actions, some almost completely severed their ties to Britain, and many sympathetic hands were extended to help search for the missing Potter heir. They included the Bones, the Weasleys, the Longbottoms, and Abbots. Even the Davis and Greengrass families - who, while not actively on Voldemort's side during the war, were still considered Pureblood traditionalists, much to the unhappy couple's surprise - were willing to help. Remus Lupin had gotten in touch with some of his fellow werewolves. Sirius Black had reluctantly enlisted the help of the shady wizard Mundungus Fletcher, who kept an ear to the magical crime underworld. At the same time, dark forces secretly rejoiced at the new status of the one who had vanquished their master and extended their own feelers, hoping to snag the boy for themselves. All in all, some just cried and moved on, some were more vocal in their outrage, some searched themselves, but ultimately the one question on the minds of the entire Wizarding World was:
"Where is Harry Potter?"
June 10th, X777
The dirty-looking man screamed in agony as Bahamut brought his glowing fist down, cracking his chest. The green-eyed mage huffed and rose, staring the man down.
"I'm gonna ask you one last time - where is the Midnight Wolf guild?"
The man groaned and tried to lift his head, only to fall back down. With surprising strength for his age, Bahamut lifted the man by his leather vest.
"What was that?" He pressed his knuckles to the man's chest, causing him to cry out. "I couldn't hear you."
The man struggled for a moment before lifting his head … and spitting in his face.
"F-fuck you, brat!"
Bahamut's lips pressed tightly against each other. His grip on the man's vest slackened for a moment as he wiped the spit off his face with his fist. The man smirked for a moment but then his eyes widened in horror at the child's fist glowing once more.
"N-no, wait I-"
"Ion Crash!"
The man flew away from Bahamut and crashed through a tree before finally falling, his chest caved in, marked with a severe burn scar and blood dribbling from his mouth. The child bit his lip and let his magic fade. He looked away from the bloody sight and growled in frustration.
The sound of slicing flesh drew his attention. He turned and saw Kagura standing over another man, panting lightly, her sword glinting against the evening sun.
"Hey Kagura! Did he have anything useful to say?"
The girl calmed her breath and shook her head. She lowered her sword and looked past his shoulder, slightly grimacing at the sight of the bloody corpse. "I take it he didn't have anything to say either?"
Bahamut let out a 'tch' and kicked the dirt. 'Again, a dead end. This is the fourth time.' He then looked down at the other man who, despite the nasty gash on his chest, was still breathing. He clenched his fist and stepped forward before Kagura spoke up.
"You can't. We need him alive for the reward."
The green-eyed mage paused and looked back up at his companion, who gave him an unwavering stare. He exhaled and nodded; she had a good point. The poster did say that one of them should be alive for interrogation. "Okay, help me carry him back to the town."
Kagura's gaze softened and she wiped her sword on her sleeve. "Was he any trouble?"
"No, not really. I don't know why people thought he was a dark mage. He only knew two spells, and they weren't very strong."
"Don't you use only two or three spells to take them down?"
The boy sputtered. "Th-that's different! I know a lot more than just two or three!" He tried to speak again but saw the barest hint of a smile on Kagura's lips, making him pout.
"...just help me lift him up, ok?"
Later, the two children sat on their beds while Kagura counted the bounty. The innkeeper raised an eyebrow at the sight of the two's bloodied clothes - even more so when they asked for a room together - but still didn't say anything.
"Just like the poster said, 10,000 Jewel."
"Mm-hm. The job wasn't that hard and they weren't that big a deal, so it makes sense."
The girl placed the money in their shared bag. "...I thought you would complain how it isn't enough."
Bahamut shrugged. "Eh, I have a lot of money. I didn't really use much of it back in Crocus, only for some food and books."
"Oh? Where is it then? Did you forget it under the mattress back in the bookshop?"
The green-eyed mage shot her a scandalized look. "No! Gaelich helped me put in a bank! He said it's how people save money!"
"Really?" She'd heard the word a few times before but didn't really understand its meaning. "Was that why you were both gone for the day that one time? What if you want some more money?"
"Yeah, and he said that I have to go to one of the big towns or cities, and then I can ask for my … account? And they'll give me money. They use these magic orbs to talk to each other, so it isn't a problem if I'm not in Crocus."
"Oh, okay." Kagura stretched a bit and leaned on the wall. "Are you still upset that you couldn't bring all your books?"
"N-no. Why?" She pointed at him with an accusatory glance.
"Your fingers are twitching, and I've been around you long enough to know that you either want to fight or read. We just came back from a fight so…"
Bahamut looked down and indeed, his fingers were twitching like he wanted to grab something. His head dropped and he mumbled, "...okay, maybe." How was it that this girl managed to do this to him?
He clasped his fingers and sighed. When they had returned to Crocus after that village attack, the two had made good on their (technically his) plan to go out and look for the dark guild. They had talked to Gaelich about it who, after helping him put away his money, had had an interesting conversation with him.
"Boyo, I had a feeling about this when you first walked into my store, but now I know. You are gonna be great someday. It's not every day that a street kid becomes a mercenary and learns a branch of magic in a little more than 2 years. Now, I don't really care about what exactly you wanna do with your life, but can you promise this old man two things?"
"What?"
"First thing, take care of the little missy. You don't see it and she doesn't show it, but I've been around people long enough to see that she's attached to you. Take good care of her, and she'll take good care of you.
Last thing, stick to your principles. You're in a dangerous business, boyo, and I bet my hair that you'll get into a lot of sticky situations. Think what it is that you'll never do, know what lines not to cross. It'll help you focus and set you straight, cause when a man betrays his code, then he's betrayin' himself."
The next day they left, without even so much as a goodbye. That's how they've been living for the past couple of months, moving from town to town and tracking dark mages. So far they've managed to find a sort of rhythm to their daily life, but they haven't found any actual leads to their search.
'Take care of Kagura?' thought the mage. 'I'm already doing that, and I promised not to leave her behind. We fight bandits and dark mages and we're getting stronger, so one day I won't have to take care of her. But principles? Things I'll never do? Well … I only hurt my targets, does that count?
...I don't think this is supposed to be hard. Why does it feel like it?'
"Bahamut?"
The child was shaken from his musings as he looked up and saw his partner give him a worried look. "Are you okay?"
He blinked and nodded. "Y-yeah. Let's go to sleep. We'll look for a new target in the morning."
After a good night's sleep and a fresh breakfast, the two children stood in front of the town hall's bulletin board.
"Do you see anything?"
Bahamut's gaze roamed over the sheets of paper. "Not yet. There's an escort mission, escort, photoshoot? Weird. Finding an artifact … interesting, but I don't feel like it. I'm done with the escorts for now, so no to all of those. Maybe there's something in the next town?"
"What about that one?" asked Kagura, pointing to a paper on the top-right corner.
"Hmm?" He looked up and once he saw the paper, he jumped and tore it from the board. Landing with barely a sound, he began reading it aloud.
"Let's see: Incidents of assault in Gallowstown, suspect shown using possible forbidden magic. No deaths, but ten afflicted. Escalation is possible. Rune Knights agree to bolster their forces. Rank: unknown, possibly B to A. Reward: 75,000 Jewels."
Bahamut rubbed his chin in thought. "Gallowstown, huh … can you pull out the map?"
The brunette did so and he looked over it for a second before pointing at a dot on the western coast of Fiore.
"That's not far from here. I heard that someone is leaving for that same area back at the inn. If we hitch a ride with them now and the road is good, we can get there before sundown."
Kagura blinked, surprised. "You're taking it?"
"Well, it's something. A dark mage of this caliber might have a lead."
"But what if the request is outdated? It was on the top corner."
"True, but take a look at the paper." He waved it. "It's fresh and white, meaning that it was posted here not long ago."
Kagura nodded, although Bahamut saw the skepticism in her gaze. "Then why was it over there where people can't see it?"
He shrugged. "Dunno. Maybe the Rune Knights were embarrassed? They don't like taking help from mages like us."
She 'oh'ed and scratched her scalp.
"If it really is outdated, at least we can go see the ocean. The city's right on the coast, and I've never seen the ocean up close."
The ribbon-wearing girl tilted her head and hummed. "Me too. Seeing the ocean sounds nice."
And so it was that the two found themselves in the back of a lacrima-powered car, heading straight to Gallowstown. The time passed in comfortable silence between them, with only the occasional 'how are you doing?' or 'the view is pretty'. Just as Bahamut had predicted, by the time they reached the coastal town, the sun was approaching the horizon.
But soon they discovered it wasn't a bad thing.
"Whoa…"
The view was magnificent. The sun dyed the sky in a canvas of red and orange, with only the thinnest of clouds left floating in the velvet ceiling. The ocean served as a special mirror, reflecting the natural artwork through a lens of azure. The sound of seagull caws echoed throughout the stone streets as the waves crashed onto the docks, filling the air with a fresh, salty scent.
Bahamut was speechless. Not even the sunsets on Mt. Zonia were like this! And from the corner of his eye, he could see that Kagura must have been thinking something similar.
For a few minutes, they just leaned on the stone wall, admiring the view. What broke the tranquility was the sounds of a stomach rumbling.
"...wanna get something to eat?"
"Yeah, I haven't eaten since we left."
Bahamut reluctantly tore his gaze from the ocean view and looked at the stores flanking the road. His eyes then widened with joy as a particular store stood out from the rest and pointed at it.
"How about ice cream?"
Kagura swiftly turned her head and nodded fiercely. They ran to the store at full speed and stopped at the entrance. The green-eyed mage licked his lips as he took in the various flavors. Taking a deep breath of anticipation, he walked inside, with his partner right behind him.
The vendor, a young woman wearing a paper hat, smiled at them. "Hello there, can I get you anything?"
"Three large banana-chocolate scoops!" replied Bahamut, and Kagura followed with "Two scoops of strawberry shortcake with cherries, please."
"Okay, coming right up!" said the vendor. "Are your parents around or-"
Bahamut slammed some Jewels on the counter. The vendor blinked for a moment, stupefied, but the smile quickly returned to her face.
A minute later, the two were sitting near a table, happily devouring their frozen treats. Bahamut was rapidly scarfing down his order, while Kagura matched him with speed but surpassed him in grace. He tried to take another bite but suddenly he clutched his head.
"Ah! My head's frozen!"
The vendor, who had been watching the two from behind the counter, giggled. "It's called brain freeze, kid. You eat something cold too fast and that's what happens."
He groaned. "Come on, this never happened before! I've eaten tons of ice cream!"
"Maybe you should eat less like a brute then," Kagura remarked. The smile on her face was hardly innocent.
The boy grumbled but didn't comment. Luckily, his head returned to normal shortly and he resumed eating, this time at a slower pace.
They were just about finished with the ice cream when the sound of marching drew their attention. They looked out to the road and were met with the sight of a platoon of Rune Knights, marching in rank and file. 'They do look a lot cooler when they're like that,' thought the green-eyed mage. Much more impressive than the lone guard from that village at any rate. 'Too bad they don't like mages.'
He sucked his spoon for a moment before placing it in the empty bowl and getting off the chair. "Where are we going?" she asked.
He gestured to the Rune Knights with his head wordlessly. She let out an 'oh' and hopped off her own chair. He was about to head out when the girl stopped and bowed to the vendor. "Thank you for the ice cream."
She blinked. "O-oh. You're welcome, young lady. Just make sure to get back to your parents soon, ok? There are bad things happening on the streets at nighttime lately."
Kagura nodded and he took that as a cue to exit. The Rune Knights had gone further down the road, but they were still very much visible. Iron boots, tall spears and white clothing tended to do that.
The two began following the platoon at a sedate pace, letting their path guide them down the cobblestone road. The locals' eyes followed the Knights as they marched, too distracted to notice them trailing along. But Bahamut looked behind him a few times and noticed that as soon as the Knights were far enough, the locals hurried back into their houses, sometimes even ushering others along.
"They're scared," his partner whispered. "This mage must be really strong."
"Yeah, and they're doing that when there are Knights in the city," he whispered back. A grin started forming on his face. "This feels like it's gonna be interesting."
The Knights' path soon led them to a fountain square. The platoon stopped for a moment and the Knight in charge started barking orders. The two mages, who were leaning on the edge of the fountain, watched the whole scene, occasionally snickering at the apparent ridiculousness of the Knights' demeanor. When he was done, the platoon yelled out a "YES, SIR!" that echoed through the square, and they resumed their march.
The two stood up and were about to follow them when Bahamut suddenly stopped. His inner danger sense, honed after two years worth of dealing with ambushes, rung in his head and tingled down his spine. He slowly looked around, trying very hard not to tense up or give himself away, but nothing looked odd; no out-of-place item or person, the locals didn't seem threatening, the rooftops were bare … what was going on?
Why did he feel like someone was watching him?
"Um, Bahamut? Are you okay?"
The child didn't reply. Instead he grabbed Kagura's arm and began power-walking in the Knights' direction. Just as he left the area of the square however, he quickly ducked into a nearby alleyway and pressed his back to the wall.
Kagura wrenched her arm from his grasp and rubbed it. "What's going on? Did you see him?" she asked in a low tone.
The green-eyed mage didn't reply. His danger sense was still blaring and he had silenced his breath. His eyes were firmly focused on the stretch of cobblestone that led to the square, specifically where a large puddle of water was, nearly covering the whole width of the street. Someone was definitely following them, but who? No-one unusual came walking down.
'No, he's there. I don't know how, but I can't see him. If he was invisible, then the water in that puddle would've moved … argh! Maybe I'm getting too paranoid? I think that's the word. Still, something doesn't -'
"Well, well, well, look at what we have here."
Bahamut quickly turned around. Four grown men were standing inside the alley, sneering at him and Kagura. They all wore dirty clothes, and two held bottles in their hands. A strong scent wafted from their direction, making him wrinkle his nose. 'Drunks. Yay.'
"What's a couple of youngsters like yourselves doing all alone out here?" asked a fat one. "Don't you know it's bad for kiddies to go roamin' the streets now?"
"Yeah, they say there's a killer on the loose!" said another, taking a step forward.
"Ooh, scary!" said the third.
The children grimaced at the sloppy sight. 'Drunks who think they're funny. More yay.'
Bahamut grabbed Kagura's arm and moved to leave when one of the drunkards spoke up.
"Oi, oi, where are ya going?"
"We told ya it's dangerous to go out there now."
"Yes," the fourth said, speaking in a much clearer voice, undiluted by drink. His clothes were cleaner and he had a bandana covering his lower face. "It would be a shame if two youngsters like yourselves were to be … attacked."
Bahamut felt his companion tense in his grip. He slowly turned around, his eyes narrowed. "You better leave."
One of the drunkards snickered. "Oi, look at that. Kid thinks that he can fight."
The leader chuckled. "True, but a girl with a sword is hardly any defense, boy." He drew a dagger from his belt and pointed it in his direction. It glowed an eerie green, illuminating the area around him, bathing him in a sinister-looking glow.
Bahamut inwardly scoffed. A magic dagger? Really?
"Now, if you two let us look inside that bag of yours, we'll let you leave this alley in one piece. Run, and I'll cut you down before you can blink. I would rather avoid spilling blood today so make the smart choice."
The children didn't reply; instead, Bahamut clenched his fist and Kagura entered a stance. 'If it gets bad I can teleport us outta here. Wait, can I take her with me?' The drunkards stopped smirking and slightly straightened up.
The leader sighed in mock-remorse. "Very well. Just know that you made a mistake by refusing." The dagger's light grew brighter. "I won't kill you though, that way you'll remember that you've been beaten by -"
"AAAGGHH!" One of the drunks suddenly fell, clutching a stump where his arm used to be. His face was contorted in agony as he screamed. The others looked at him in shock. The fat one opened his mouth to say something, but then he was missing an arm.
He screamed. "What the-" and then broke off, gurgling in confusion.
Bahamut felt his danger sense blaring again, this time full-throttle. What was going on here!?
The third drunk stammered, unable to believe his eyes. He then turned to the children, his face reddening similarly to someone Bahamut had the displeasure of knowing.
"YOU FUCKIN' BRATS! WHAT DID YOU DO TO -" He screamed and fell to the ground, only he was missing two arms.
While the leader was gaping in shock, Bahamut grabbed Kagura's arm and tried to drag her outside. "This is bad!" he hissed. "We need to get out of here!"
"W-why? How did they just-"
"I don't know! But there's something wrong here, so we need to-"
"Oi, don't go! The best part's just getting started!"
Their gaze was drawn to behind the leader's back. Out of the darkness of the alley emerged a grinning young woman. Her blonde hair was spiky and short, with a few bangs nearly covering her golden eyes. Her right arm was covered in a golden gauntlet and held a sword in it, which was swung over her shoulder. The hilt of the sword looked strange, a bit like an aureate key with a leather grip. The blade itself looked very menacing, though; a single edge, gleaming a silver-like color, held by a black grip.
The leader turned around and stood still. He tightened his grip on the dagger and pointed it at the newcomer.
"Don't you feel kind of bad, a group of drunks trying to mug a pair of kids? I mean sure, you wanna have a fair fight, but this seems a little too much, no?"
The leader let out a hiss as he eyed the woman's sword. Blood coated the blade, dripping down the black grip.
"Come on, what's the worry? Afraid of takin' on a real challenge? Or did the drink mess up your brain so hard you can't move anything?"
He growled. "You … you little bitch!" He dashed forward and wildly swung the knife, trying to land a hit but the woman just grinned even further.
"Now we're talking." She then clicked her teeth and-
-suddenly appeared right in front of the two mages, her black jacket slightly fluttering.
Bahamut blinked in shock. He didn't even see her move.
The leader stumbled forward, missing his target. It looked like he was about to turn around when his head flew off his shoulders … along with the heads of his friends. Without a sound, they all dropped like flies.
The two children's jaws dropped. When did she do that!?
The woman humphed and tapped her foot. "That was boring. Yeah, they're idiots with a bottle, but you can at least expect a little creativity from a guy with a magic knife. Guess dumbasses here are more common."
She then met the shocked gaze of the two and chuckled. "Thank you for the cheerin', you can calm down now."
They quickly closed their mouths and Bahamut slowly gathered magic in his fist. The woman raised her free hand placatingly. "Oi, relax. I'm not here to fight you."
"...how do we know that?" Bahamut asked, his fist still clenched.
"'Cause if I wanted to, you'd end up like those idiots." She pointed her thumb behind her. "Less blood though, you don't look like a total moron."
He gritted his teeth but nonetheless nodded. He hadn't even been able to catch a glimpse of her when she cut those drunks down.
"...you have a point."
She placed her hand on her hip and let out a bark of laughter, making her red-covered chest bounce. "Ha! A smart one, guess what they said about you was true. That little show back at the square was something too, nearly made me trip."
He blinked a few times before his eyes widened and pointed at her. "That was you!?"
"Wow, you really did sense me? I've gotta say, no-one ever managed to detect me before."
"Wait, she was why you suddenly rushed off?" Kagura asked, hand still on her sword's hilt.
"It looks like it, though I don't remember seeing her," he replied. The woman waved her hand.
"Eh, you wouldn't have seen me anyways. There are lots of good hiding spots if you know where to look, especially in a city."
Bahamut bit his lip and lowered his arm. This whole situation was moving very fast and he didn't know what to think.
"Wait a moment," Kagura said and raised her hand. "You said something about what 'they' said about him was true. You know him?"
"Sure I do!" she pointed at him. "You're Bahamut the kid mercenary, aren't ya?"
The boy's head shot up, startled. "How do you know my name? And who are you?"
The woman's smirk lessened to a mischievous smile. "Of course, where are my manners?" She lifted the sword off her shoulders - making him realize just how long it was - and dipped into a mock curtsey.
"The name's Dimaria Yesta, freelance mage, and I'm here 'cause I think we can help each other. Now, why don't we go and find us a nice place to sit before those pesky Knights show up again, okay?"
Ta-da! A new chapter! I know, amazing right!?
I wanted to release a little something for my birthday (Feb 19th) and I thought that a nice long chapter for my most popular story would do the trick. I would like to give a shoutout to bunny who I met on reddit. Their help was invaluable and the first to truly provide my writing some constructive criticism. Viva bunny!
I've also been helping author DWAR with his BWL Meets IMP Fanfiction, so go check it out. You may know him from Vader: Goblin's Bane.
I've also started a Discord server for my stories, so if you want to join up, the invite code is 2bD4UgyyPA.
If you like this story, check out my other stories or the challenges on my profile.
Last but not least...
Read and REVIEW!
