Aaric looked back when he heard a thick, metallic voice. It was Hephaestus, walking towards them from another crevice in the mountain that housed his workshop.
"About what we discussed last time," Hephaestus said, getting directly to the point with characteristic brusqueness. He took a brief breath. "Does the offer stand till we meet next?"
"You can ask me whenever you want," Aaric replied with an easy shrug and a smile, earning a firm nod from the god.
"Thank you. Well, here are the weapons you asked for. I have somewhere to be," Hephaestus added, handing Aaric a small, spacial pouch before nodding briefly to the rest of the family and departing swiftly back toward the volcanic depths.
Aaric waved as the god left and then bowed deeply to Hades. He turned to his family. "I think it is time now," he said, getting nods from everyone. Portals formed beside each person, prepared to carry them back to their true drams places before they would wake.
Aaric's portal dissolved as it took him to Fleur, who stood in a moonlit glade. Her phoenix rested beside her.
She was gazing up at the moon, her silvery blonde hair shining under the light that seemed to be actively seeking her out. The moon reflected clearly in her dark blue eyes.
Aaric stood quietly beside her. Fleur noticed him from the corner of her eye and turned towards him with a soft smile.
"Good location you found for yourself," Aaric commented, gesturing around the quiet, pristine glade.
"Yes. I just felt a pull towards here," Fleur said, casting another glance at the luminous silver moon above.
She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Thank you for opening up such a vast and beautiful world for me."
"Well, thank Daphne for that," Aaric said with a shrug. He then formed a portal of soft light just for Fleur.
"Can I come and go from here whenever I am asleep?" Fleur asked Aaric. She gave her phoenix a gentle caress as she prepared to leave.
"Yes, she can help with that," Aaric confirmed, gesturing to the phoenix. Fleur nodded and stepped into the portal.
Aaric was left alone in the glade. He turned to the moon himself as the phoenix vanished in a burst of white flame.
"I hope you do not wish her harm," Aaric said, his gaze fixed upward as if expecting an answer from the night.
"I do not," came a beautiful, melodious voice from behind Aaric, rich with celestial power.
Aaric nodded once and then stepped into his own portal, to experience his dream before he wakes up.
Aaric woke up and sighed when he felt himself alone in bed. He was used to having Daphne and Luna with him when he would first awaken.
His frown quickly turned to a genuine smile when he saw Edwina and Simon already seated in the sunlit dining area, waiting for him.
"Good morning Mum, Dad," Aaric greeted them, receiving a kiss on the cheek from Edwina and a warm nod from Simon.
"Oh! Dad, here is your sword," Aaric said, retrieving the weapon and handing it over. It was not structurally changed, but the formerly golden components had taken on a darker hue mixed with an ethereal blue sheen.
Simon accepted the sword and placed it at his hip with a smile. "Good. I was missing it," he said.
Edwina rolled her eyes affectionately at Simon as Aaric finally sat down and the house elf, Nibbin served the food.
"When will Elder Huo return?" Aaric asked them as they began to eat.
"I do not know. I guess he will return after thoroughly researching the sliver of divinity we got from the gootslang," Simon said.
Elder Huo was currently in France with the Flamels, using their combined knowledge to research alchemy and the shard of divinity from the beast. Simon had no use for it now due to his awakening.
"Any update on the snake face?" Aaric asked, referring to Voldemort.
"Yes. He is recruiting every dark wizard and creature he can. I have formed an alliance with most magical governments and his death eaters have not been able to hurt innocents anymore," Simon said with a dismissive shrug.
"That just allows for a more thorough and easy cleanup when the time comes," Edwina added, taking a sip of her tea.
| Dordogne, France |
A sleek black sedan pulled up the gravel driveway. It interrupted the quiet of the Dordogne valley. The car was entirely alien against the soft light fading over the stone farmhouse and the simple, weathered fields.
Alain Valois a middle aged man was already wiping his hands on a rag stepping out the front door as the car engine died.
He saw the official government plates and the flash of blue on the dashboard. His posture stiffened immediately his expression moving from hope to sudden, chilling dread.
A man exited the sedan wearing the crisp uniform of a high ranking Gendarme. The fabric looked too expensive the cut too sharp. He held a kepi hat under his arm his posture stiff as a rod.
« Monsieur Valois ? » [Mr. Valois?] the man asked. His voice was smooth and cultured.
« Oui ? » [Yes?] Alain answered instinctively straightening up.
« Je suis l'Inspecteur Malfoy » [I am Inspector Malfoy] the man with pale blonde hair and grey eyes said.
He showed a badge that shimmered slightly too brightly before tucking it away. « Puis je entrer ? Cela concerne votre fille Elodie. » [May I come in? This concerns your daughter Elodie.]
« Elodie ? Une mise à jour de déploiement ? Elle ne nous a pas contactés. S'il vous plaît entrez. » [Elodie? A deployment update? She had not contacted us. Please come in.] Alain Valois said speaking quickly as he invited Lucius Malfoy into his house.
Lucius was given a seat in the dining area where he sat solemnly with a respectful nod.
« Veuillez me donner un instant. Je dois appeler ma femme. » [Please give me a moment. I must call my wife.] Alain said hurriedly and went to a room behind Lucius.
Lucius heard the muffled voice of the man. « Solange viens. Il y a des nouvelles d'Elodie. » [Solange come. There is news of Elodie.]
Alain returned with his wife and introduced Lucius hurriedly who was already standing respectfully. He greeted the woman with a small nod.
The husband and wife sat on their chairs and gestured for Lucius to sit as well. They clasped each other's hands on the table and looked at Lucius in anticipation.
These were the parents of the woman Lucius had killed during his recent meeting with Voldemort.
Now he was here to give them closure about their daughter who was stationed in Marseille training as a medic before she was captured by the death eaters.
Lucius hated the lie but it had to be done.
« Il y a eu un incident » [There was an incident] Lucius started and took a difficult breath. « Pendant un exercice d'entraînement conjoint il y a une semaine. Une brèche de sécurité. Des hostiles ont fait exploser un engin instable. » [During a joint training exercise near the coast a week ago. A security breach. Hostiles detonated an unstable device.]
Alain wrapped an arm around his wife. « Elle est blessée ? On la transfère à l'hôpital militaire ? » [She is hurt? Are they transferring her to the military hospital?] he asked as his wife whimpered on his shoulder unable to form words.
« Elle n'est pas à l'hôpital Monsieur, » [She is not in the hospital Monsieur,] Lucius said with a voice devoid of inflection. « Elle est morte au combat. » [She was killed in action.]
Solange slid down from her chair to the floor her hand covering her mouth. Alain sat paralyzed staring at the silver buttons on Lucius's uniform unable to process the words.
« Mais elle était infirmière, » [But she was a medic,] Alain whispered his voice cracking. « Elle n'était pas au combat. Elle soigne les gens. » [She was not combat. She fixes people.]
« Elle s'occupait d'un officier blessé lorsque la deuxième explosion s'est produite. Votre fille n'a pas abandonné son poste. L'officier a survécu grâce à elle. » [She was attending to a wounded officer when the second blast occurred. Your daughter did not abandon her post. The officer survived thanks to her actions.] Lucius whispered his head slightly bowed.
Lucius felt deeply disappointed with himself. He could not even procure her body to give to her parents. The young woman's body was being profaned even after death being used as a Necromancer's toy.
Then came the hardest part. He sat there listening to the dry sobs of the father and looked at the eyes of the mother who had died with her daughter. It was her body that did not know it yet.
Every moment he stayed was a mirror to his past. The destruction and grief Voldemort and his supporters left behind.
He was not devoid of guilt either. He had caused such destruction and even helped others who had done the same using his money and influence.
It was fifteen agonizing minutes before he left the house his head down and his steps hurried as he took large gulps of the cool evening air.
He placed a hand on a nearby tree trunk and kept his head down. A high piercing sound just kept ringing in his ears a terrible sound that was not entirely physical.
A/n: Give me your thought on the chapter and reviews on the fic.
And.. you got any power stones? Well, hand em over then.