874LAST TIME
"You want to know how to contain him, or put him down." Hill's face turned blank. "Do you think it'll be necessary?"
"Hopefully not," Fury said. "But if there's something I've learned is that it never hurts to be prepared. Stark we might deal with. His suit is just another weapon. But magic? We're out of our depth there. We don't even know the extent of what he can truly do. And we have no way to fight magic if one of his enemies spills upon our world and he and his people cannot get there in time."
"So, you want a way to nullify him or anything magical if they become a threat?"
"It'll be a last resort." Fury grimaced. "But the thing is, it is not only for him. If he has told us one thing it is that there are more like him. Horrors beyond what we can imagine. A countermeasure is a countermeasure regardless of why it is made. If some people and things can turn reality upside down, we need to know how to put it back up. And prevent it from happening again. Even if it is against one of our own."
Ch.23 Fly, You Fools!
24th March 2008
Kamar Taj, Kathmandu
The golden-bronze ring gleamed in the light of the afternoon sun that hung high over the valley of Kathmandu, its light streaming through the high windows of the inner sanctum. The Ancient One leaned over the table, examining the ring curiously, running her fingers over the metal.
"It's a relic." Her voice cut through the room's silence, and Harry's eyes snapped up. The Ancient One beamed at him, pride shining in her eyes. "Congratulations, Master Potter. You're the youngest relic creator in the history of Sorcerers."
'Hermione and Ron would be proud.' Harry felt a surge of pride through his chest, a warmth nestling in his gut.
"Thank you," Harry murmured as the warmth crept up his cheeks. "I'm having some trouble controlling the relic so far, but I'm glad that it is at least a relic."
"Trouble?" She frowned. "The ring allows you the power of telekinesis, which, if I'm not mistaken, you've been well versed in since you were eleven. You shouldn't be having trouble, Mr. Potter."
"I know. But I cannot control the movements as smoothly as I can with my spells." Harry slid the ring onto his fingers. "It's probably a mistake I made while messing with the runic circle to anchor the spell to the ring."
"Perhaps. Perhaps not." She rose to her feet, smoothening the creases on her robes. "Show me. Perhaps I can help figure out what the problem is."
"Right." Harry pointed his fingers at a nearby stool. "Here goes nothing."
He moved his fingers, and the stool shot up, stopping inches from the ceiling and wobbling in the air. The wood creaked slightly as Harry willed it under control, floating it downward. The Ancient One tilted her head before a smile quivered onto her lips.
She gestured to him to put the stool down, and Harry let go, the stool tumbling noisily to the floor.
Harry winced, hastily setting it right and repairing the cracks that had spread on the edges of the wood. "I'm sorry. But I cannot control the force with which it goes up. It seems like the object always wants to go up and up."
"Why don't you try again?" She traced a runic circle over the stool. "I think this ought to solve your problem."
Harry frowned. "You just made the stool heavier. If it goes up like normal and I can't stop it, it'll shatter through the ceiling."
"Humor me, please."
Harry sighed and concentrated on the stool, moving his fingers up. The table floated in the air like a feather rising, and he blinked as it stayed under his control, the stool following the movements of his fingers effortlessly.
"Just as I thought." She grinned, removing the spell from the stool with a flick of her fingers. The stool shot up like a rocket and cracked against the ceiling, falling to the floor in pieces. "The problem is with the spell you've incorporated. Your ring, so to speak, has a minimum lifting limit. I suspect that in trying to make the ring more powerful and allowing yourself to fly with it, you made a more powerful combination than you intended."
"I did." Harry's eyes widened. "That's why the increased weight worked. It has a lower limit for lifting. And since everything else was lighter—"
"It shot up, out of your control," The Ancient One repaired the stool with a wave of her hand, and smiled. "Why don't we test the ring out further."
The world around them cracked, shards of glass stretching over the walls, as she shifted them into the mirror dimension. Then, the land shifted and Harry stood in New York, the empty city stretching in all directions, the quietness filling Harry's ears.
"It feels odd, you know? New York being this quiet in the middle of the day."
The Ancient One let out a tinkling laugh as she walked down the road, her yellow robes billowing behind her. "It can be disconcerting, yes. It can even be disorienting at times— My ability to hear was taken away for a while once… It was an interesting experience."
"Wait, why?"
"A bargain." She grimaced. "I was facing an army of creatures from the outside. Spawns of the Sleeping One."
Harry winced at the name, feeling a twinge of dread shoot through his chest as he recalled what he had learned of the god from Outside, one of the Great Old Ones— Shuma Gorath.
"It was when I was the newly minted Sorceress Supreme. I struck a bargain— a sonic spell that destroyed the whole army in a single go." She looked up at the sky and let out a breath. "But as most powerful spells go, it was a principle of equal exchange— my ability to hear for the sonic spell."
"For how long?"
"Not long. A few months at best." She shrugged. "It was a long time ago. And… it's not what we're here for. We're here to test the ring further."
"Right," Harry wiggled his fingers and pointed it at a nearby car. "Heavy objects."
The car rose, hoovering a foot in the air, following Harry's finger, before rotating in circles as Harry willed it to.
"Do it without pointing your hand." She pushed his hand down, and the car remained floating. "Telekinesis works through your mind and not your hands. The hand is merely a guide for the mind. A guide you do not need."
Harry tucked his hand in his pocket and took a deep breath, imagining the car rising further before willing it to spin on its axis.
"Good, good. You can set it back," she instructed, and Harry gently laid the car back on the street, his hands still in his pocket. "Now, flying."
Harry felt anxiety gnaw on his insides. "Are you sure I should be flying so early? I mean, shouldn't I test the ring more? Gain more—"
The Ancient One moved her fingers, and Harry felt the land beneath his feet disappear and the world around him changed. Cold wind howled through his ears, and the blue and white expanse of the sky surrounded him, the buildings of New York a speck below him.
"Fuck, fuck, fuck." Harry flailed his arms, feeling the cold air bite into his skin as he plummeted.
He scrunched his eyes shut, feeling fear race through his veins. The next second, he smothered it, clenching his fists and flattening himself, feeling the wind push against him.
'I can't go out like this. Not when I meant to fly.' Harry recalled the rush of the wind; the rush of speed he had felt atop his broom.
The feeling of weightlessness disappeared, and the wind rushed through his clothes.
Harry opened his eyes and saw the skyscrapers of New York passing by him in a blur, their tops gleaming in the sunlight. His lips curved into a grin, and a laugh escaped his throat as he flew, pushing himself faster, feeling the roar of the wind again.
'This is even better than my Firebolt.' Harry weaved between skyscrapers, dove under bridges, and climbed back up to the clouds.
As he flew over the skyscrapers of New York, the mirror dimension shifted and the Ancient One rose in the distance, atop a block of floating concrete. The next moment, a brick soared toward Harry.
His eyes widened, and he swerved out of the way, letting it fly past him, into the city below.
'What the hell?' The rush of happiness faded in his veins, and he narrowed his eyes.
A chunk of concrete wheezed past Harry's head, thudding somewhere down in Brooklyn below. The Ancient One waved her hand in a wide arc, and another two rocks soared at him. Harry scowled and fired two blasting curses at the rocks.
The loud bang tore to the sky, dust and small rocks raining down into the river below. The next moment, a disc of energy screeched toward him, and he formed a shield, golden magic bursting over his arms.
"What are you trying to do?" He scowled
In response, scores of tiny birds flew into the sky and the Ancient One disappeared, the birds swarming around Harry, their sharp beaks glinting in the sunlight.
Harry spun his fingers, drawing onto the magic in the air. "By the fiery storm of Faltine, burn my foes!"
Flames roared from his hands, consuming the birds and swirling around him, before he clenched his fist, snuffing the spell out.
As he prepared himself for another attack, an arrow of golden magic lit up in front of him. He frowned before following it downward, where the Ancient One stood atop the Stark Tower, her robes billowing in the wind. Harry landed in front of her, the gravel crunching beneath his feet.
"Having fun?"
"Flying, yes. The attacks, no." Harry glared at her. "You're more insane than Wood and the Weasley twins put together, I swear."
"I wished to test the ring further. You've created a wonderful relic, Master Potter." Her eyes sparkled as she shrugged. "And aside from the testing, I do hope you enjoyed being back in the air."
"I nearly forgot how much I loved flying," Harry breathed, still keeping an eye on her. "This is so much better than my broom. I mean, the Firebolt was great, but this was something else entirely."
"I am glad you enjoyed it." She grinned and waved a hand. Around the whole city, a net of golden magic lit up, collapsing into sparks, and dissipating. She chuckled at Harry's surprised look. "You didn't think I would've just sent you plummeting from the sky without consideration for your safety, did you?"
"I— I honestly didn't even think about it," Harry coughed. "But a little warning would've been nice."
"If I had warned you, you wouldn't have taken flying back on instinct. You're a natural flier, Mr. Potter." She smiled at him. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have someplace to be. Meanwhile, you should practice flying. Maybe even test out further capabilities here in the mirror dimension."
"I will." Harry nodded. "Where are you going?"
The Ancient One quirked an eyebrow, her eyes glinting in the sunlight. "You see, Mr. Potter? Every now and then I have to send a message to the cosmos. A message that I am the Sorceress Supreme and Earth is under my protection."
"Oh?"
Her eyes turned sharper, and she scrutinized him. "In fact, why don't you accompany me today? I'm certain you'll learn a thing or two. And gain some invaluable experience."
"Sure." Harry hesitated. "Though, what are we going to do, exactly?"
"Killing a demon from the outside, of course." She spun open a portal. "Precisely, a lesser old one, N'Gabthoth."
24th March 2008
Maine, New England
The salty gale of the ocean bit into his skin as Harry trudged by the edge of the water, the crash of the turf drifting to his ears.
"When you said kill a demon, a town in Maine was not exactly what I pictured," Harry commented. "I thought it'd be someplace less… scenic."
The Ancient One laughed, glancing over her shoulder. As her hip turned, Harry noticed a wooden hand fan on her belt and felt the humor drain away, dread filling his chest.
"Whatever this is, is big, isn't it?" He gulped. "That's why you brought those. You don't use them unless it's something dire."
She ran her fingers over the hand fan and inclined her head. "A lesser old one, despite the name, is a threat to be taken seriously. Most of them, including N'Gabthoth, are even stronger than gods in power. Some of his kind can even play in the leagues of Earth's Skyfathers and Skymothers or just a notch below when it comes to raw power."
"Then why aren't we summoning the whole force?" Harry felt his heart clench. "Or at least, having a few masters at hand?"
"The only reason they're not usually an annihilation threat is because, bar a handful, most do not have the intellect to do more than they're created to do," she said. "N'Gabthoth, for instance, is meant to wake the Sleeping One from his slumber."
Harry froze in his tracks and twisted toward her, his heart pounding against his ribs. "What!?"
"N'Gabthoth has been stirring for a while now," she said. "He would soon— maybe in a year or two, wake up and start his purpose of awakening the Sleeping One from his slumber. Unfortunately for him, we're pushing up his timetable."
"How is intentionally poking a god-level-monster, who is meant to wake up the Primordial monster, a good thing?" Harry blurted.
"An excellent question." The Ancient One gave Harry a smile that reminded him strongly of Dumbledore's. "You see, Mr. Potter, had we not been doing this right now, or soon, N'Gabthoth would've started gathering power. If he wakes up on his own accord, there's a possibility that he'll slip away in the mysterious pathways of the demon planes and continue his work unopposed. Even if we did locate him, we'll find ourselves too late."
Harry felt the blood drain out of his face. "You saw this in the stone?"
"Indeed." She nodded. "By confronting him earlier and forcing him to fight us, we have a larger capability of determining the outcome. I think, between the two of us, we should be capable of killing him once and for all."
"Right." Harry scoffed. "Kill an age-old monster who's more powerful than most gods are. Just a regular day out."
"Have faith, Mr. Potter. Have faith." She patted his shoulder. "After all, the killing of N'Gabthoth is just a means to an end. What his death demonstrates is much more relevant."
"And that is?"
"It means that we can defend Earth and face threats that would have empires trembling," she declared. "And we'll do so without outside aid or desperation. They'll know that we didn't merely play defense. We confronted the threat of our own accord and our own will."
"That we're ready to take the war to them if they look at us the wrong way?"
"That we wouldn't hesitate to." She smirked, turning down a small path, toward a grove of trees. "Do you feel that?"
Harry frowned, extending his senses, feeling magic prickle his skin. His gut twisted, and he felt a chill crawl up his spine as faint chants reached his ears.
"What's that? A summoning ritual?"
"A worship ritual to empower N'Gabthoth," she replied. "It's chilling what a few misguided humans can do when they land upon the wrong resources."
"How did they even get the resources?"
The Ancient One raised an eyebrow. "You know we're not the first to use Sorcery and magic, and neither will we be the last. Kamar Taj is just for those who wish to protect Earth. In the past, and even in the present, there are those who know how to use spells or some sort of magic. What sets us apart is that we've a much more extensive compendium unlike them, who only have a tome or two, or a rock carving, or some sort of story to go by."
"I know that. But how did this specific group get the specific resources that they're using to do the ritual?"
"The town of Starkesboro, where we are, was always like this. Many locals would stray away from the place because of strange happenings. But the inhabitants… They've their stories. Most these days will dismiss it as tall tales. But some, not so much. And those who dwell on those stories, with enough determination, and a nudge or two, end up with the knowledge they wish. And do what they feel is right. In this case, aiding N'Gabthoth and through him, the slumbering one."
"Wait, there are people trying to wake that thing up?" Harry craned his neck.
"I suppose it is not entirely their fault." She sighed. "Old beings work subtly, often manipulating unsuspecting mortals instead of forcing them outright. They seduce them with promises of power, riches, glory, and whatnot. And the worst part? They don't even need to be conscious to do it. Or fully alive in some cases. Such is their power."
"So, we should save these people." Harry created a runic circle in the palm of his hand. "I'll contain and knock them out. You can break them out of his control."
The Ancient One grimaced and shook. "That, I'm afraid, is not possible. They're not really alive anymore."
"I can feel their souls." Harry waved his hand toward the hidden grove. "There are fifteen people there. I can even tell you their names if you want me to. They're alive."
"Mr. Potter, I told you not to use the Soul Stone." Her body tensed. "It is—"
"I'm not using the stone!" Harry held up his hand, the spell crumbling. "It's like the healing power now. I don't need to do it consciously. It just happens. And I feel like it is growing sharper as I use it."
A hint of realization gleamed in her eyes. "The stone's powers are melding with your own. I suspected it would've started happening but didn't assume."
"I— what?"
"A while after I took up the mantle of the Sorcerer Supreme, and as a result, the Time Stone, temporal magics started coming easier to me. I always suspected that the Infinity Stones might affect the wielder in the long run, but I had no other source till now. It is most fascinating."
"I'm sure," Harry scowled. "But you're changing the topic. They're alive."
The Ancient One let out a long sigh. "Why don't you feel them again? Look beyond the ordinary. Look deeper. Though, quickly."
Harry frowned and closed his eyes, extending his senses, and touched the nearest soul. A sick feeling twisted in his stomach, and bile rose in his throat before he pulled back, stumbling away.
"What the hell?"
"They're half-lives, Mr. Potter. They're already half gone. If we free them, they'd be nothing but empty husks."
The images of empty-eyed, screaming witches and wizards from his DADA books flashed in front of his eyes and Snape's drawling voice rang in his mind. 'The victims of the dementor's kiss. Alive, yet dead.'
"Dumbledore once told Voldemort that there are worse fates than death," Harry murmured.
"This, being one of them. Death would be mercy." The Ancient One patted his shoulder. "Why don't you set up some enchantments around the place? I'll—"
"Go and help them perfect the awakening ritual," Harry muttered, eyeing her. "Use them as means to an end. I figured it out."
The Ancient One looked unrepentant. "I could do other things, but tampering with the ritual would be the fastest way. They already have a connection to N'Gabthoth. They've given their souls to him. It is already being done, just slowly. I'll do it in a flash and turn the connection inwards to hit N'Gabthoth hard."
"And kill those people in the process?"
"Think of Professor Quirrell," The Ancient One replied, and Harry felt his gut drop, Voldemort's parasitic face flashing in front of his eyes from the back of Quirell's head. "This is similar. They're already tools, Mr. Potter. I'm just making them mine."
"It doesn't make it right!"
"Of course it doesn't. Just something less bad. And I shall do it a dozen times over because I am the Sorcerer Supreme and I have a duty that extends to the whole of Earth."
Harry's jaw twitched, and he balled his fist. "Just… make it painless. Quick."
"They won't even know, I promise." She smiled a sad smile. "Go on. Make sure that there's no one else in the way. N'Gabthoth is in the sea below. He'll emerge soon. Our job is to not let him come beyond this place."
"Understood."
"And one more thing, Mr. Potter. Do not use the Soul Stone, come what may. We do not wish to advertise that Earth now has another Infinity Stone. Use any spell you wish. Any magic. Anything except the stone. I'll give you… about five minutes to be prepared. After that, N'Gabthoth will awaken."
Harry nodded, his gut twisting as the Ancient One turned and disappeared amongst the grove of trees. He wrenched himself away as the chanting grew louder, the wind carrying their voice across the beach.
He spread his arms, golden lines burning through the air, forming a runic circle as the lines crisscrossed and symbols formed in a neat grid. With a flick of his wrist, the runic circle rose in the air and stretched, doming over the beach like a net. The few stragglers on the beach turned and walked away, disappearing in the distance. With another gesture, a sheen of magic rose, rolling over the sand and the waves.
Behind him, the chanting grew more fervent, and the magic in the air stung his skin, crawling into his bones.
'If the awakening ritual feels so wrong, I can't even think what N'Gabthoth himself would feel like.' Harry grimaced.
Crossing his arms over his chest, he gathered magic upon his fingertips, tracing a rune in the air. The magic thrummed for a moment before lines stretched over his torso and legs, forming an armor of golden magic. Harry flexed his fingers as the magic sunk over him.
'Thank you, Cagliostro.' A flash of light caught his eyes, and he looked over his shoulder, toward the grove of trees, beams of light peeking through the thick foliage around. 'That doesn't seem good.'
Harry felt his skin crawl like spiders were scuttling up his body. Magic twisted in the air and rumbled through the ground, the stench of rotting flesh hitting his nostrils. The waves in the sea rose higher and crashed, the water in the distance turning darker.
"Prepare yourself." The Ancient One appeared beside him, eyeing him from the corner of her eyes. "Though, I see you already have. That's quite an obscure spell you've on you."
"The library of Cagliostro has some great stuff," Harry said. "I found it while researching what kind of relic to create. I've even thought of creating a protection relic. But to truly make such a relic, I would need to learn a lot more, especially about protection spells of all kinds."
"Indeed." The Ancient One's eyes remained fixed on the water, as it began to swirl and darken, the sky above darkening until the sunlight was snuffed out from the town.
The ground shook again, and the armor over Harry glowed back into view faintly as magic flooded the area, the small tufts of grass near Harry's feet withering away. Behind him, the trees dried and began to rot, a foul stench drifting in the gale.
"I didn't know this thing had storm powers!" Harry yelled over the crash of the waves.
"It doesn't. This is a side effect of its awakening!" The Ancient One's lips curled. "It is the reason why I chose it. Its awakening will draw attention. The sort of attention I needed it to get."
"So when we kill it, we send a message?"
"Exactly. Prepare your spell."
A humongous dark dome, taller than Hagrid's brother, burst out of the waves. Two dark orange eyes opened, and a pair of sharp, ivory tusks, longer than Harry, glowed in the darkness. A roar pierced through the air, loud enough to send Harry's ears ringing as tentacles of dark mass, burst out, sticking into the water.
Harry felt power roll over his skin, and his head felt heavy and bile rose in his throat. 'The magic's wrong. This is worse than dark magic.'
The figure seemed to grow as it waddled forward, the tusks and eyes glowing brighter, the faint outline of its mouth visible.
Harry heard the sound of leaves rustling and twisted around to see a line of skeletal people break out of the grove, the skin on their rotting and black. Their arms were stretched toward him as they limped forward in the sand, and Harry felt his gut sink further with each step.
'Oh, Merlin.'
AND…. DONE! Hope you all liked the chapter!
So, yes. I did end it on a nice little cliffhanger. Been a while since I've done that, I reckon. But it was fun. It always is to end a chapter on the high note. Though, the cliffhanger aside, I did enjoy writing the chapter itself. From Harry's first relic, his flying again, and to the Ancient One's... more ruthless side, I felt it was fun.
As for N'Gabthoth, he is a monster straight from the pages of the comics, one who was powerful enough to have Stephen Strange rely upon the power of his predecessor (The Ancient One), to defeat it. The Ancient One's Astral form merged with Strange, to aid him fight N'Gabthoth, who had already taken Wong and a couple others captive.
On the other hand, Shuma Gorath, or as he's referred to, the Sleeping One is one some of MCU fans might be briefly familiar with. In Doctor Strange: Multiverse of Madness, Shuma Gorath is the one Wanda sets upon America Chavez. The monster, or more appropriately, a god of outside, is powerful enough to have an alternate version of Strange, resort to his more... desperate tendencies, i.e. to take Chavez's power. He died before he could. Even MCU's main Strange considered it for a moment iirc. He is easily above Odin's punching league. And N'Gabthot is in around Hela's, i.e. borderline skyfather.
If you want to know what happens next, THE NEXT FOUR CHAPTERS are up on pat-reon alongside multiple lore compendiums and other stories. So, if you want to (and can), please subscribe and support me as an author. It would mean a lot to me.
Link: www . pat reon HPFanfictioner66 (Remove spaces)
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To a LOT OF COMMENTERS: So, many comments were about Fury, relating with the actions he is taking. Some agreed that it was a good call on his part while many think he's a fool. Most of you are right in some parts. In my opinion, Fury is horribly paranoid but he's also not wrong. His contingencies have been up to a point, very useful to Marvel as a whole.
He's one of my fav characters, and he gives a whole new definition to a lot of things. But most importantly, despite all his actions, what is to be remembered is that he has Earth's best interest in his heart.
Guest: On the mortal part, she is kinda correct. Politically and all, SHIELD is extremely important. Yet, in the grand scheme, they mean little right now.
Blaze1992: It will have its part to play. What part is something which you'll have to wait for.
Ketom: If you pet Fury, he'll take your eye out, LMAO.
AvidReader2425: Skrulls are only one of them, yes. Harry's connection with the Soul Stone is unique and it'll be important for a lot of things.
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Thank you for all your reviews!
A huge thank you to Tulayb and Mughil for betaing this chapter!
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