Chapter 4
"Welcome to our home," Henri greeted.
"Thank you for having us," Patricia said as she was followed in by Sam. "Hey you," Emily greeted her boyfriend with a kiss and a smile.
Patricia and Sam were the last to arrive. Emily and her father Dave along with the Harts were already present. Everyone was seated in the living room. Dave was a widower. His wife had died a few years back.
"Thank you everyone for coming," Harry said after everyone was seated. "Henri and I have something we want to tell you. The Harts already know this as does everyone in this room except for Patricia and Dave. Henri and I are not from this world."
Dave grinned like he didn't believe it. Patricia had a different reaction. She paled dramatically and reached into her purse. She didn't take her hand out.
"Mogadorian or Loric," Patricia said into the silence.
Sam turned and gaped at his mother. The Harts were staring at Sarah in surprise.
"Loric," Henri hastily assured.
"You knew about them mom?" Sam asked.
"Of course I knew. Your father helped them. And it got him abducted," Patricia said. "Why have you returned?"
"I came back to see if Malcolm might have left something behind that would give us clues. All we were told when we boarded our ship to come to Earth was that there would be greeters here to help us get settled in. Malcolm helped Harry and I," Henri explained. "There had to be more
to it than that."
"This is crazy," Dave said. "You can't seriously believe it."
In response Harry activated his lumen in a low setting on his hands and then levitated Sarah into the air. Dave stared in surprise. Then he rose walked over to Sarah. He passed his arm through the air over her to see if there were some type of wires. Dave was actually a physics major and now consulted for a various labs remotely.
"Are you wearing a magnetic suit of some sort? No. That can't be right. Unless you've developed a room temperature super conductor I don't see this working. There is no cooling equipment. Do you have more proof?" Dave asked Harry.
Harry levitated Dave out the front door and showed Dave his cycle. "Now do you believe?" Emily asked her father.
"I believe," Dave said.
Once they all returned to the living room the discussion got back on topic.
"An alien named Pittacus Lore came to my husband's workshop one day. He explained he was from a planet called Lorien. He explained all about the Mogadorian threat. Your elders had been experiencing hostilities with the Mogadorians for some time. Pittacus said they would come for Earth next. I saw Pittacus' body after he died. I'm not privy to everything my husband discussed with Pittacus. But I know enough," Patricia said. "If Malcolm has any other materials they will be hidden somewhere in his workshop. He was always in there."
The room was silent for a little while after that. Sam had tears in his eyes hearing this about his father.
"The reason we also brought you here is because the Mogadorians will likely make their move in the near future. If they come to Paradise they will make the connection that I am friends with your children. As a result you should all go on the run if that happens. Henri and I can help with that," Harry said.
Harry filled Patricia and Dave in on the events that had happened a few nights past.
A Few Weeks Later
Snow had come to Paradise, Ohio. Harry stood outside wearing a smelly suit soaked in oil and other faster-burning accelerants.
"This seems like a very bad idea for training," Sarah said as Henri approached her boyfriend with a lighter.
"I agree," Emily added.
"Harry will be fine," Henri assured. "As long as he remembers not to breathe in. His lungs and insides are as vulnerable as yours and mine."
Harry nods. Henri lights Harry on fire. The flames rise eight feet into the air. Harry immediately rushes forward. He telekinetically levitates a cinder block and hurls it against a dead tree fifty feet away so that the block shatters. He then picks up five tennis balls soaked in gasoline, lights them with the fire surrounding him, and then keeps them spinning like they are being juggled. Next a wooden dowel rod is levitated. This next bit takes more concentration. The dowel rod shatters into many splinters. None drop to the ground. The splinters float in a cloud that is lit on fire before being forced back together into a spear of fire. Harry hurled the spear of fire into the tree.
Harry's lungs are burning from a lack of oxygen by this point. He wonders if there is some variation of a bubblehead charm combined with a flame freezing charm that can let him breathe even with his mouth open. That is a thought for later. His right hand reaches out for the long dead branch of the tree. It breaks free and flies back to his grasp before bursting into flame. He then drives the twenty-foot-long branch into the ground. Harry then dives into a snow back and rolls around until the flames are out. He then sucks in air to catch his breath.
"That was amazing," Sarah said with a wide smile while Emily nodded her agreement. "Wicked cool," Sam said as Harry rose out of the snow bank steaming.
Harry's clothes were in ruins.
"You need a shower," Sarah says while biting her lip. "I'll help clean your back."
Nobody protested Sarah's offer to Harry. Sam and Emily hung out in Harry's room. As far as Henri was concerned, Harry was proving himself an adult with his maturity. He was being trained as a warrior and had privileges as a result.
When Sarah gets out of her friend's car after returning from her Colorado trip it has been eight days since she has seen Harry. She isn't wearing any make-up. She is still quite beautiful to Harry's eyes. She leaps into his arms.
"I missed you so much," Sarah said.
"I missed you," Harry replied before kissing her.
"I need a shower. Will you wash my back?" Sarah asked. "Happily," Harry said.
Harry followed Sarah into the shower and they spent time cleaning one another intimately, sometimes with their hands and sometimes with their mouths. Their relationship was going well. They hadn't yet talked any further about Six or sharing. But there was no need to bring that up. They wanted to see if their relationship would last that long first. There was no use worrying over something if their own relationship wasn't viable long term.
Some time after their shower together they lay naked cuddling in his bed.
"Sam and Emily seem to be doing very well together," Sarah said. "In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if they were in a similar position at one of their houses right now."
"Probably Sam's house since his mother works at the hospital a lot," Harry said. "I'm happy for Sam. He seems like a good guy."
"I'm happy for Emily. And they are both good people," Sarah said. "I'm also happy for us." "I am too," Harry agreed.
Sarah had dinner with Harry and Henri before Harry drove her home.
"I had a couple of visions last night of Lorien," Harry said as the breakfast table the next morning.
"Tell me about them," Henri invited.
Harry explained the first vision. It was of their departure from Lorien where his grandparents had seen them off. The second vision however was different.
"Three Cepan loaded the rocket we think took off from the museum. There were fifteen Chimera, a bunch of supplies, and a swaddled blanket that looked like a child," Harry explained.
"There were two space stations near Lorien that I was aware of. One was destroyed within minutes of the first attack. I do not know of the fate of the other one. Obviously I was not privy to all government secrets. There could have been other hidden space stations. The rocket could have made it to a space station that was hidden and switched over to another ship hidden there. Anything is possible," Henri explained.
"It's good to know that others made it off Lorien. It gives us hope. We have no idea if they survived after this vision. But perhaps I'll have more visions," Harry said.
"Only the most powerful Garde ever developed visions like you are having. These visions typically didn't start until after all legacies had developed. You must be incredibly powerful for the visions to develop already," Henri explained.
The two discussed the visions some more before letting the matter drop.
Emma Granger came down from her bedroom to find her daughter sitting at their dining room table staring off into space.
"Hermione, what is it?" Emma asked. "You look like you haven't slept a wink."
"I got sick in the night," Hermione explained as if that should explain everything.
"Sick how?" Emma asked as she sat down next to her daughter and took her hand.
Hermione met her mother's eyes and said, "The symptoms made me suspicious. It was morning sickness. I cast a charm to detect pregnancy. I'm pregnant," She said as tears came to her eyes.
Emotions warred within Emma at this news. Hermione had been devastated by the loss of Harry. She and Dan hadn't known how to help their daughter. But then Hermione had started to get better. They weren't sure what had caused it. They were just grateful. Emma hadn't thought Hermione had gotten better enough to find a new man. So, confusion was the primary emotions she felt.
"How far along are you?" Emma asked.
"Our spells can detect pregnancy very early. I became pregnant last week," Hermione explained.
"But Harry has been gone for months. Is this some magical thing I don't understand? Unless you've found someone else," Emma said.
"I have been having incredibly vivid lucid dreams of Harry making love to me at night. There have been others in the dreams, other women. You know Harry fell through the veil. We know so little about it. I don't honestly know that Harry is dead," Hermione said.
"So Harry impregnated you in a dream?" Emma asked incredulously.
"Given all I have learned about the magical world anything is possible," Hermione said. "Is there a way to tell for sure if the baby is Harry's?" Emma asked.
"It can be easily tested at Gringotts once the baby is born," Hermione said thoughtfully. Then her mind thought of something else. "There is a tapestry in the Potter family vault. Family tapestries rely on old family magic. I don't know if the magic can detect a child upon
conception. It might be a way to tell."
"We can go to Gringotts today and check," Emma suggested. Hermione nodded her gratitude.
Dan Granger ignored all the gold that Harry had left his daughter. Instead he was focused on the magical tapestry hanging on the wall of the vault. Dan was surprised to find his daughter's name on the tapestry given she and Harry hadn't gotten married. What was even more surprising was that Harry and Hermione were interlinked by a solid line. Beneath the two leaves on the tree which held Harry and Hermione were two more leaves.
"Are you alright?" Emma asked her daughter.
"I...so many thoughts," Hermione said as her mind raced. "I'm having twins. Harry's twins," She said as a smile slowly formed. "This means Harry is alive."
"How?" Dan asked. "Harry has been gone for quite some time."
"Apparently wizards can impregnate through dreams. Or at least this wizard can," Emma said.
"We really don't understand what the veil is. It very well could be a portal," Hermione said as she noticed a book on a pedestal next to the tapestry.
The only other time she had come to the vault was with Harry to briefly explore. They had assumed it was a Potter family grimoire. It couldn't be taken out of the vault. They had been rather pressed for time during that visit. A stylized P was embossed on the front cover. Hermione felt drawn to it. She walked over and opened the front cover.
The Book of Potter
By Ignotus Peverell
If you can read this book you are considered by the family magic to be part of the Potter family. I created this book to give additional information not shown on the tapestry. I do not think I am being arrogant to say that I am quite clever. My great grandmother is Rowena Ravenclaw who trained me in magic herself. Hopefully you have learned the family history (see the book over on the bookshelf titled Potter Family History). In brief our family represents the union of the Gryffindor and Ravenclaw families through the firstborn son of Rowena and Godric. They knew their offspring would be in danger due to their fame. So, their son took a different last name. That started off as Peverell. But after the notoriety my brothers and I have gained we have decided to change our name yet again to Potter. Hopefully it will stay that way for some time. I digress. Read the family history. To use this book, turn the page to the list of names of Potters. Press your finger or wand to a name to be taken to the detailed entry of that family member.
This book journals their entire history. The entire detailed entry can only be accessed by the head of the family, his wife or mate as recognized by family magic, and the person the entry is about while the person is still alive. After the person's death any member of the family can access the entry.
Hermione eagerly flipped to the next page. She was surprised to see her name there as Hermione Granger-Potter. She also saw Harry's name there. She eagerly pressed her finger to his name. The book flipped while turning the page to the next page and Harry's name immediately flowed onto the page followed by an overview of his life thus far including his current age. Hermione began to rapidly read. Her mind momentarily froze as she saw a certain piece of information.
Potential/Probable Mates: Hermione Granger, Sarah Heart, Maren Elizabeth A.K.A. Six This book was confirming what her dreams had shown her.
"This book is amazing," Hermione cried. "It's telling me exactly what happened to Harry from the moment he was born. It reads like a story." She wanted to skip past certain events and the book responded. It immediately took her to the veil incident. "It says he fell through the veil and ended up in another universe. His original body was destroyed. His magic somehow merged his Potter DNA into the body he found himself in. Oh wow."
"What is it?" Emma asked.
"The body he merged into is an alien from a planet called Lorien," Hermione said. She quickly skimmed through information as fast as she could. "He actually has that alien's personality a little blended with his."
Hermione speed read through Harry's new life. When she came to the part about his longing for her and how much losing her hurt she felt better about his seemingly being with other women. He thought he would never be able to be with her again. She also read about his raging hormones. Her lover had been a very potent man before. Apparently, this new body had hormones that supercharged his libido. She was beginning to understand more about what he was going through. A suspicion began to form. She skipped ahead to the entry of about a week ago. Her heart hammered in her chest as her suspicion grew more developed.
So, potent was Harry's love for Hermione that the dream vision his emerging powers created had taken on a new reality. His seed surged into her fertile womb created by his power as if it had come from his actual body. Within the next several minutes Hermione became pregnant with Harry Potter's children, a boy and a girl, who have Loric and wizarding traits.
Hermione sat down hard as she read the entry. She sat down on a plush chair that just happened to be conveniently placed.
"Don't keep us in suspense," Dan said. "What does it say."
"My babies are a boy and a girl. They are Loric and human. I'm carrying alien babies," Hermione admitted.
Dan and Emma were stunned.
"What do we know about these Loric?" Emma asked after a long minute or two of silence.
"I suspect if I read this I'll soon know everything Harry knows," Hermione said.
"Go ahead," Dan urged.
Dan and Emma sat down on a nearby couch and let their daughter read. They quietly discussed the implications of Hermione being pregnant.
"What did you learn?" Emma asked when she noticed her daughter was done a considerable time later.
"A lot," Hermione said before detailing all she had learned about the Loric.
"It sounds like Harry's personality has been changed by the blending with this Four," Dan noted.
"That's the only reason I'm not more heartbroken he is with other women," Hermione admitted while nodding. "He's still my Harry. But he's also got the body of a very sex-driven alien."
"So, our grandchildren are going to be powerful enough to be thought of as Greek gods," Emma said into the silence her daughter's statement caused.
"Yes. And that isn't taking into account their wizarding half. From what I gather Harry is going to end up very powerful," Hermione said.
The Grangers all digested that.
"What now?" Dan asked his daughter.
She got a glint in her eyes as she looked around the vault. The glint was a look of determination.
"I've been struggling to answer that question since Harry fell through the veil. Everyone knows we were together. I'm nearly as famous as he is. I intend to use that fame to open doors for me. I'm going to research the veil and everything I can about reality travel," Hermione said. "This is also going to help," She said as she held up the book. "I'm going to study how the magic of it works. It can keep track of Harry even in a different universe. That could give me a clue."
"You're going to try to get to him," Emma said.
"Yes. Or at the very least communicate with him. It would be beyond foolish to go running into the veil. I don't think Voldemort ended up in the same universe as Harry. It's possible the veil
could go to multiple universes," Hermione explained. "I'll be coming back here daily to continue my research."
"We'll support you whatever you need," Dan told his daughter. "If you do manage to make it to his universe we'll be going with you."
Emma looked in surprise at her husband and then at her daughter before nodding. After all, Hermione was their only child.
"Thank you," Hermione said as she pulled her parents into a hug. "You two are the best parents."
The Grangers left the vault.
The next day when she came back Hermione began researching all Ignotus had left behind on the creation of the book which logged the lives of the Potters.
Winter break spent with Sarah was very enjoyable. They spent at least a portion of every day together. By the end of winter break a month and a half had passed since the trip to Athens. So far, the Mogadorians hadn't made themselves known. That didn't mean Harry and Henri let their guard down.
"What did Mark want?" Harry asked when Sarah greeted him. Mark had stopped her down the hallway.
"To invite all four of us to a party on Saturday," Sarah said as she handed a flyer to Harry and one to Sam standing holding Emily.
"After the beating Harry gave him I'm surprised he is even looking our way again," Emily said. Mark hadn't even looked Harry's way after the incident in the woods for quite some time.
"It could be a chance to get back at us," Sam suggested.
"I don't think so," Sarah said. "It might be a shot to mend some bridges."
"Goodness knows we need less enemies in the world," Harry mused. "I'll give it a shot if you will," He told his girlfriend.
"Then let's give it a try," Sarah said. "We're game," Emily agreed.
After school Sarah climbed onto the back of the cycle and wrapped her arms around Harry. They went straight to his house.
"I love that bike," Sarah said with a thrilled smile as she climbed off a few minutes later. "I love having you on it," Harry returned as he stole a kiss.
The two walked hand-in-hand into the house where Henri was sitting at the table reading a news article on the internet.
"Hello Henri," Sarah greeted.
"Hello Sarah, Harry," Henri returned.
"Whatcha reading?" Sarah asked while glancing over his shoulder.
"A follow-up article on a girl in Argentina that Harry and I suspect may be a member of the Garde. She lifted a piece of concrete off of a person. The concrete had to weigh several tons. The local mayor is offering a small reward for information on her whereabouts. It sounds like they may believe she has been kidnapped," Henri explained.
"Or more likely they are just using that excuse as a cover for wanting her found for other reasons," Harry pointed out.
"True," Henri agreed. "You ready for your training?" "Sure," Harry agreed.
Sarah watched Harry train while cheering him on. Then he showered. She joined him washing his back and more. Then they did their homework. In actuality he let his Loric computer do any of the homework that was busy work. They only did the homework designed to initially teach them a concept. Harry did some training on the Loric computer. He thought it would be a good idea for Sarah to learn a little bit of basic Loric science. He wasn't sharing anything with her that would be earth shattering. But he rightfully felt that if she was going to be with him for the long haul as his gut suggested she should know a little how to use Loric technology.
"What are you making?" Sarah asked as she noticed Harry constructing something holographically.
He poured power into the design and watched as the components were synthesized.
"This is going to be armor," Harry explained. "It's pretty energy intensive. But it is worth it. It will absorb quite a bit of energy weapons fire and melee weapon strikes."
Harry assembled the components telekinetically. "How does it work?" Sarah asked.
"You attach the pendant somewhere on your body. And then it is set with a mental trigger. The nanites inside look like a fluid. They flow out over the wearer and then solidify into a flexible body armor," Harry said as he finished the first two pendants. "Let me show you."
Sarah was wearing pants. He reached out and unzipped her pants causing her eyes to widen in surprise.
"Someone is frisky," Sarah said with a grin.
"I need your pants at least partway down so I can place the pendant. I'm going to put it on your inner thigh," Harry explained.
"Darn," Sarah said with mock disappointment.
She slid her pants down exposing her very toned flesh. Harry placed one of the pendants on her inner thigh. A band of nanites flowed out and wrapped around her thigh in a band that solidified into a very strong yet flexible strap.
"Now think armor on," Harry instructed.
Sarah did so. They watched as in seconds a skin-tight body armor flowed over her form. It flowed beneath her clothes.
"So, it is against my skin," Sarah said with realization.
"Yes. If your clothes get destroyed it might show more than you want to show. But it's better than dying," Harry said.
"Can you make some for my family?" Sarah asked.
"Yes. It will take me a couple of days. But I can make some for your family, Henri, the Goodes, and the Knapps, Emily and her father," Harry said.
The weather warmed up enough to melt the snow for Saturday. When the time for the party arrived Sarah actually drove her mother's car. She had just gotten her license the day before.
They pick up Sam first before heading to Emily's house. Mark's house is a large two-story structure with trees surrounding it. Harry and Sarah lead the way arm-in-arm.
"Abby and Dozer," Sarah explains as two dogs came running around the house smelling Bernie Kosar on Harry.
Abby was a golden retriever and Dozer a bulldog.
"Is it weird being back here?" Harry asked over the music. "A little," Sarah admitted. "But I'll get used to it."
Harry had never had to deal with ex's thankfully. Hermione had been his one and only relationship before Sarah. When they reach the front door Mark is there to greet them. He hugs Sarah. Then Mark shook Harry's hand while looking him in the eye. Mark looked away first. He also surprisingly shook Sam's hand and then Emily's.
"Glad you could all make it. The beer is in the kitchen," Mark shouted over the loud music.
Almost the entire football team seemed to be gathered in the kitchen as well. They all stared at Harry. Yet when he met their gazes they looked away.
Harry, Sarah, Sam, and Emily spend the next hour dancing. At some point someone brought in a bottle of vodka. One of the football players threw up in the bathroom. The smell of vomit was slightly off-putting. People kept coming in and out of the basement. One of the football players had lit a corner of a newspaper on fire in the kitchen just to watch it burn. Harry went up to the second floor to use the bathroom. When he came downstairs he found Sam standing by himself.
"Where did the girls go?" Harry asked.
"I'm not sure. They said they had to go check on something. Emily's ex-boyfriend Alex Davis just talked to me after they left," Sam said.
"Does the fact she dated him bother you?" Harry asked. "A little," Sam admitted.
"Don't compare yourself to him. Look at him," Harry said while gesturing to the guy in question who was currently in the kitchen slumped against the counter.
Davis was sweating with his eyes fluttering. He was obviously quite drunk. "He's a lot more fit than I am," Sam pointed out.
"That's something that can be changed with time. I wouldn't even bring it up," Harry said. "She's with you now just like Sarah is with me now."
"How do you deal with the fear that they will leave you for someone better?" Sam asks.
"Try your best not to dwell on that fear," Harry answered. "Be with them for however long as they have you. Eventually that fear will die when it proves false."
It was at this point that a football player rushed up the stairs with a crazed look in his eyes. He ran to the kitchen sink and turned on the water. Next he begins rifling through the cupboards.
"There's a fire downstairs," Brad, the football player, tells his teammates.
They fill pots and pans with water before rushing downstairs. More football players come rushing up for water a few moments later. Some of the drunken partiers in the living room cheer them on. Harry grabbed the only pot left and filled it with water before carrying it downstairs. When he gets to the basement he found half the basement in flames. Harry drops the pot and heads back up the stairs. He intercepts a drunken Mark carrying another pot down.
"We can't battle that with pots. Let's get outside," Harry shouted over the sound of the blaze.
Harry can see the terror in Mark's eyes. He nods and turns around to head back up. Harry rushed over and killed the music still playing.
"Everyone get out," Harry shouted. "Do as he says," Mark added.
The party began to clear out. Harry rushed upstairs and cleared out the rooms up there. He couldn't find Sarah. By this point they had gotten everyone out of the house. Harry rushed out there and looked through the crowd for Sarah. Emily stood next to Sam.
"Where is Sarah?" Harry asked.
"She said she was going to find you," Emily said worriedly.
By this point the fire has begun to fill the first floor heading towards the second. The vinyl siding is bubbling off. The front door is an inferno. The kitchen itself is visible as nothing but fire. Then they heard a long terrible scream followed by the barking of Mark's dogs. It was coming from the back of the house on the second story.
Harry slips away from the crowd while everyone is distracted by the sound. As soon as he is out of sight he apparated to the hallway on the second floor. Everything is ablaze. He kicked in the door where he heard the dogs barking. Sarah is huddled in the back corner of the room with the dogs clutched in her arms. She calls Harry's name over the blaze and a look of relief takes away some of the terror. He stared at Sarah and quickly tried to decide what to do. He could already tell people had moved around to the back of the house. At this point there were people around the house from all vantage points that they could see him. He could grab Sarah and the dogs
before apparating them all out. Doing so would reveal his apparition ability to Sarah. That wasn't the end of the world. Yet he was hoping to keep that particular ability secret as long as possible.
He could also go out the window. But doing that would likely reveal his abilities to everyone outside. He wracked his brain trying to think of another alternative. He had something. He focused with his telekinesis. As he walked through the flames, Harry created two telekinetic bubbles. The inner bubble surrounded Harry, Sarah, and the dogs. In between the two bubbles was a pure vacuum. He focused and expanded the distance between the inner and outer bubbles. Sarah was amazed as she found herself suspended off the floor by her boyfriend's powers. He rolled the bubbles through the house into a sheer drop from the second floor into the basement. Sarah screamed as they plummeted. But no sound carried through the vacuum barrier. No fire could get through either.
When they landed in the basement cushioned by the bubbles, Harry rolled the bubbles to one wall of the basement. He focused harder with his telekinesis and tore a hole in the foundation of the house. He did it again tearing a hole into the earth. Harry began using his telekinesis to dig a tunnel. It was incredibly taxing on his powers to maintain the bubble and dig the tunnel. It took at least five minutes to dig a tunnel to the tree line. The bubbles moved into the tunnel. Harry telekinetically pulled the soil he was excavating back into the tunnel behind them. When they emerged in the forest, Harry released the bubbles while gasping for air. The air in the bubble had begun to get quite stale with all the lives inside breathing. The dogs took off running.
"Are you ok?" Sarah asked with concern.
"That took a lot out of me," Harry said. "I've got a change of clothes in the storage on my cycle."
Harry's clothes were singed and burned from the fire. Sarah looked unharmed. "I can go get them for you," Sarah offered.
"No need," Harry said as the cycle hovered to a stop near them.
The cycle had projected the illusion of a rider until it was out of sight of people. Then it took off into the woods and came to Harry at his neural link call. Sarah watched in appreciation as her boyfriend changed.
"Thank you for saving me," Sarah said as she kissed him when he had finished changing. "I know it is soon. But I love you Harry. We'll make whatever happens with Six or whoever else you need to reproduce with work. It won't be easy. I'll try my best."
"I love you too," Harry said before kissing her as well.
By this point there were three fire trucks and police cars present. The house was cordoned off. When the officers spotted Harry and Sarah, two of them approached along with a man carrying a notepad. The nametags on the uniforms of the officers identified them as Tully and Murphy.
"Are you Sarah Hart and Harry Smith?" Tully asked. "We are," Harry confirmed.
"Were either of you in the house? Witnesses say you were unaccounted for and they thought they saw someone in the house," Murphy added.
"I was in there when the fire first started. But I couldn't find Sarah. It turns out she had taken the dogs for a walk just inside the woods," Harry said. "I had gone to find her."
"You took the dogs for a walk when it was this dark out," Baines, the reporter, said skeptically. "That's enough Baines," Murphy said.
"Was anyone hurt?" Sarah asked with concern.
"Thankfully no," Tully answered. "You two seem to be the last two unaccounted for."
"Thank god," Sarah said in relief.
The officers bid them farewell and then moved off.
Baines lingered and then said, "I can tell when I'm being lied to." "That must be handy," Harry replied with a raised eyebrow.
Harry had been practicing his legilimency. It wasn't yet efficient without a wand. But he was able to work weak legilimency on people. He reached out with his mind and ruthlessly crushed the suspicion Baines was directing at them. Baines moved off. Harry was hopeful that his legilimency worked.
Sam and Emily came over not long after.
"How did you get out?" Sam whispered.
"Through a tunnel," Harry said quietly. "I dug it through the basement wall." "Wicked," Emily said.
"I'm going to go talk to Mark. I'll be right back," Sarah said.
"That was pretty bad-ass going in there and rescuing her like that," Emily said.
"I just hope that reporter will leave it alone," Harry said.
He wasn't about to tell them he had any telepathy related powers. "He has no proof," Sam pointed out.
"You're right. He doesn't," Harry said as he thought through things. "Well that isn't exactly true. I pulled the soil back into the tunnel. But the fact that the soil is loose, and the concrete wall is broken in only one section is damn suspicious. Hold on a second."
Harry closed his eyes. He focused on using his telekinesis on the walls of the foundation. He pictured the foundation as clearly as he could. He felt his magical senses helping out his telekinesis. He was able to map out the foundation with his senses. With an intense effort of will he pulled the foundation apart.
"Are you ok?" Sarah asked her boyfriend in concern.
"Yeah. I just broke apart the foundation trying to make it look natural. I don't think foundations are typically completely destroyed by house fires. But it is better the entire thing than one small section," Harry said. "What did you learn from Mark?"
"His grandparents live nearby. He and his family are going to go stay with their grandparents until the insurance company can arrange something," Sarah said. "He was happy the dogs got out and nobody was hurt."
Harry nodded and said, "We should probably get home."
Sarah dropped off Emily and Sam. Harry had his cycle follow them. He took his cycle home from Sarah's house.
"You don't look good," Henri said when Harry walked into the house. "And you smell like smoke."
"Mark James' house burned down," Harry explained. "Were you involved?" Henri asked.
"I don't believe I was seen. I had to go in and save Sarah. But there was a suspicious reporter," Harry explained before launching into the full story leaving nothing out.
"We need to go," Henri said.
"We do. But here is the thing. I've been having visions about Six for some time now. She is close to finding us, very close. I'm pretty sure she is without her Cepan. We need to give her just a little longer to find us," Harry said.
"You can sense her?" Henri asked with surprise.
"Yes. I can't explain it. But we can sense each other. She is very close," Harry answered.
"You and her were so close as children," Henri said. "I shouldn't be surprised. We will give her a little time. But we need to prepare your friends and their families to bug out quickly."
And that was how the Knapps, the Goodes, and the Harts found themselves spending their weekend. Henri delivered a crash course on being on the run. The plan was for the families to stick together.
Todd Baines woke up to unfamiliar sounds. He sat up quickly and had to keep from falling out of the tree whose branches he had been sleeping in. He was not in his bed.
"Where the fuck," Todd began as his sleepy mind assessed the situation.
Todd was sitting smack dab in the middle of the Amazon rainforest. He was at least two months walk from the nearest human habitation. He had three months of MREs in a backpack along with a few survival tools. There was also a book on surviving in the wild. Todd realized in that moment that he had pissed someone off. Unknown to Harry who had transported him there, Todd had taken the precaution of emailing his story to several of his college friends. One of those friends worked at the Columbus Dispatch.
Harry was in home economics on Monday with Sarah when the story broke in the Columbus Dispatch. Baines had managed to get two people to come forward saying they saw a bubble of energy drop from the upper floors to the basement. The bubble had distorted the view of the witnesses slightly. So, no facial features were recognized. But two dogs were recognized within. Baines had found the destroyed walls in the basement and the loose soil. There was a lot of speculation. But that combined with Harry and Sarah's absence during much of the fire was pretty damning.
"Well I guess that means we are leaving," Sarah said as she finished reading a copy of the Columbus Dispatch article that Henri had just texted Harry.
Henri had already taken the digital version down. That wouldn't stop the physical papers. And it was likely already too late for the online version as well. But maybe the disappearance of the article would slow the Mogs down.
"I'd say so," Harry said. "Come on. Let's go find Sam and Emily."
Harry took Sarah's hand and left the classroom. The teacher had been busy helping other
students. She didn't notice them leave. Harry had texted Sam. Sarah had texted Emily and her family. Sam and Emily both in return relayed the news they were leaving to their families.
Six had been racing across the countryside on her motorcycle for hours. Only the fact that she could turn herself invisible along with her bike had kept the law off of her. She had been relatively close by in that she had been in Ohio. It had still taken her longer than she had liked to even reach the county where her target was located. She felt certain this time that the news she had seen pointed her correctly to Four. Unfortunately, this would also point the Mogadorians his way. She was truthfully nervous. The dreams she had been having about Four and his girlfriend certainly saw that Four had a lot to live up to. She hadn't seen him in person since he was a little boy. Yet already she felt like she was developing feelings for him.
"Get a grip on yourself girl. Those dreams might not have even been real," Six told herself.
Inwardly she really hoped they had been real. Those dreams had given her hope and spoke of an undeniable chemistry with Four. She knew they would be needed to repopulate their species. Yet chemistry between them would make their lives a whole lot easier. Six tightened her grip on the steering wheel and prepared to enter a warzone. She would be in Paradise, Ohio soon enough.
Henri was hurriedly packing the last of their essentials into the truck when he received an alert from the sensing crystals placed on the edge of town. Several Mogadorians had just entered town from all sides.
"Bernie, in the truck now," Henri called. The dog jumped in through the open door. Henri got in and put the truck in gear, "Here we go."
Henri took off towards the school hoping he got there before the Mogs. The sensors had also revealed beasts the Mogs had brought with them.
"Do you have your armor pendants?" Paul asked as he and his family stood in the entryway of their home.
It had been fortunate that Beth had been feeling a little under the weather that day, so had stayed home from school. Paul had been working from home that day. Annie hadn't had any showings at that time either. The entire family except for Sarah had been at home.
"Yes," Jake replied while Tim, Beth, and Annie nodded confirmation.
"If we see the slightest hint of danger Henri said we should deploy them. We're going to head to the school to meet up with Sarah and the others," Paul said.
Tim and Jake took Jake's truck. Paul, Annie, and Beth took their minivan. Everyone was worried for the future and hoped they would get out before the Mogs arrived.
Paradise High School
"The Mogs are in Paradise," Harry said as he received the data from the sensor crystals relayed via the neural link to his cycle. "And they brought beasts."
Harry had stopped in the hallway near the astronomy classroom. Sam and Emily had joined Harry in time to hear that announcement.
"How many?" Sam asked.
"Dozens," Harry said. "And they brought beasts with them. They've come into town on multiple fronts and are quickly converging on our location. We're going to have to fight. Henri is already on his way here."
"So are our families," Emily said.
"Text your families and tell them to stay back. Six is close. I can feel her," Harry said.
"You can't take dozens of Mogs and beasts by yourself," Sarah said worriedly. "Can you?"
"We'll see," Harry said even as his cycle flew through the hall into the school through the doorway he telekinetically opened up.
The cycle silently stood beside Harry. He reached into the saddlebag and removed Loric pistols. He passed out one each to Sam, Sarah, and Emily.
"Wicked," Sam said as he examined the gun. "How do we work them?"
"They are now keyed to you genetically. They will only work for you. You have fifty shots each before the fuel cell needs replaced," Harry explained before showing with his own version how to swap out the fuel cell. He gave each of them three extra fuel cells. "Make sure you want whatever is in front of that to die before you pull the trigger."
"No stun setting?" Emily asked.
"No stun setting," Harry said. "Sorry. I had to maximize these for lethality. The round is an energy round designed to punch through even shielded armor. It's about as fast and as small as a bullet. A whole lot of energy is packed into each projectile. It is meant to go through Mog light
armor."
"Will it kill a beast?" Sarah asked.
"It depends on the size of a beast and where you hit it. One or two shots will probably put down a small beast. The larger ones it will just piss off," Harry said. "Deploy your armor now."
As his friends were doing so, Harry had his cycle take over the school PA system.
"Attention students. We have just received a credible bomb threat on the school and the surrounding area. Please immediately evacuate the school into the woods behind and follow me. I will lead us to safety," Harry said in Mr. Harris' voice.
A bewildered Mr. Harris burst out of the office down the hall.
"What just happened?" Mr. Harris had enough time to say before students began streaming out of the classrooms. Faster than pretty much anyone could follow the image of Mr. Harris seemed to blink. "This way students. Follow me," Mr. Harris called and began leading them out of the school.
"What just happened?" Sarah called as the students began to empty out along with the teachers.
"My cycle deployed a Loric version of a drone. It projected the illusion of Mr. Harris and is trying to lead them through a gap another drone is going to try to open up in the Mogs surrounding the school. The second drone is going to have to sacrifice itself to hopefully stun or kill a few Mogs," Harry explained.
"Where is Mr. Harris at?" Emily asked.
"He is stunned in his office," Harry said. "The illusion generating drone hid him after it generated the illusion."
"Wicked," Sam said.
Harry glanced around the school at several points as if he could see through the walls.
"There's no more time. If any of you want to go with the students I would understand," Harry said.
None of the others moved and Sarah replied, "We're with you."
Just then the lights in the school died before coming back on. It looked dark out the nearest window. Any sound made came across as muffled.
"It's daylight out. What is going on?" Sam asked.
Harry connected with his cycle which had a limited ability to scan its surroundings.
"There is some kind of dampening field the Mog's are projecting from their transport. It's likely to lessen the likelihood of them getting exposed to the outside world," Harry explained. "It also probably helps them scare their victims."
Harry opened up his cycle saddlebag and removed a long glowing blue sword. This was a Loric crystal sword. In his left hand he held a Loric pistol.
"Wicked," Sam said appreciatively.
At that moment the sound of breaking glass was heard down the hallway. Harry sensed as something invisible came around the corner. He could feel her. She was so close.
"Six," Harry said.
"Four," Six said as she became visible and approached him, a Loric dagger with a long blade in her grasp.
"You are real," Harry said with a grin.
"I am. And so are you," Six said as she drew to a halt just before him. "I go by Harry," Harry said as he held out his hand.
"I prefer Six," Six admitted as she shook his hand.
There was an electric heat that flowed between where their skin touched. Six suddenly felt incredibly aroused. Harry did as well. The sound of a beast roaring outside the school was heard.
"We don't have time for a meet and greet. Six, this is Sarah, Sam, and Emily," Harry said while pointing out each. Harry walked over to his cycle and removed another Loric pistol and an armor pendant. "Here," He said as he handed her the pistol. "This will deploy armor on you."
"Awesome," Six said as the armor covered her form. "And wicked bike."
"Thanks. Now that you are here we can fight our way out and leave," Harry said. "We were waiting for you."
"You could sense I was close too," Six said with realization to which Harry nodded. "Do you still have a Cepan?"
"Yes. Henri," Harry said. "I take it yours didn't make it?"
"She died three years ago. I've been on my own since," Six explained.
"I'm sorry to hear that. How many people can you make invisible at once?" Harry asked. "Two people at a time. But I have to be holding their hands," Six explains.
"We can work with that. It's dark out there. My cycle has an adaptive camouflage feature that makes it practically invisible. When we get outside you two the bike and two people at a time out of here. Take Emily and Sarah out first. Then come back for Sam and I," Harry suggested.
"You just met me and already you're letting me ride your bike. I think I'm going to like you," Six said with a grin.
"I have a suggestion that might let us get out side without them even knowing it," Sarah said. "What have you got?" Six asked.
"There is a passage beneath the stage in the gym. The passage opens like a cellar door in the back of the school," Sarah explained.
"They won't be expecting that," Six said appreciatively. "Nice."
Any plan they had formed failed as they came around the corner leading to the gym. Six Mogs blocked the hallway. From the other end of the hallway a dozen more Mogs came.
"Into the classrooms," Harry said as he fired his pistol on full auto spray down the corridor.
Sam and Six fired their pistols in the other direction. Emily and Sarah ducked into the classrooms along the hallway followed by others. Harry's cycle released beams of white-blue energy down the hallway in either direction cutting into the Mogs. The pistols had already accounted for four Mogs. The cycle killed another eight Mogs with the destructive beams before the Mogs managed to duck into nearby classrooms. They returned fire back at the cycle. Its shields flared as it absorbed the hits and lashed out with Loric crystal darts.
"That cycle is bad-ass," Six yelled as she telekinetically yanked a Mog down the hall and let the cycle hit it with an explosive crystal.
"It is," Harry agreed as he too used his telekinesis to pull a Mog into the cycle's view.
Harry locked eyes with one of the Mogs at the same time Emily did. Emily let out a strangled cry. Harry saw why. It was like a legilimency attack from Voldemort. Harry sensed evil and darkness in that attack before his occlumency barriers slammed into place. Harry lashed out telekinetically driving the Mog he had locked gazes with into the Mog that had caught Emily's gaze.
"Don't look into their eyes," Six warned.
"Harry," Sam shouted in warning.
Harry looked back into their room to see one of the ceiling panels slide away. Suddenly Henri lowered himself out of the ceiling and dropped to the floor. Mark James followed Henri. Henri had his body armor on underneath his clothes. His Loric pistol was in his hand.
"Glad you could join us," Harry said as he continued to fire at the Mogs surrounding them.
"Sorry it took so long," Henri said. "We had to sneak past the Mogs. You're here," He added with a wide grin when he recognized Six among the group.
"I remember you," Six said as she shot at another Mog.
Sam, Emily, Sarah, and Mark had fallen back to near the windows of the classroom to keep an eye out there. Sam, Emily, and Sarah were shooting at Mogs trying to come in through the classroom windows.
"I remember you as well. Where is Katarina?" Henri asked.
"She didn't make it. She was killed three years ago," Six explained. "We can't linger here. The Mogs have a base about three hours from here in a hollowed-out mountain in West Virginia. They will be sending the soldiers even now. These are just scouts."
"Can we go back out the way you got in?" Harry asked Henri. Henri looked back at the ceiling panel.
"It's possible," Henri said. But the last one out will have to distract them. "You all go. I will stay and keep firing at them."
"Like hell," Harry replied.
"What he said," Six agreed.
"Everyone else goes. I can get out on my own using my bike," Harry said.
"Like hell to that. I just found you. I'm not leaving so quickly. You need someone to watch your back. I can make the two of us invisible," Six pointed out. "Does your bike carry two?"
"Yes," Harry admitted as he met her gaze while still firing down the hall.
The Mogs were being smarter about not exposing themselves as much by this point. Really they didn't want to press the attack. The Mogs just had to hold the Loric there until the soldiers arrived. Six felt her adrenaline pumping through her body as her heart raced. Four, Harry, was an exceedingly attractive man. The heat of battle mixed with her desire for him. It was purely lust at this point. Yet it was no less potent. She saw the desire in his eyes as well.
"Go tell the others the plan please," Harry said to Henri.
It was only a few moments later that Sarah came over.
"I don't want to leave you, Harry," Sarah said.
"I'll take good care of him," Six assured Sarah.
"Frankly I don't know you yet," Sarah told Six. "I believe you will try. Separating is not a good idea."
"I'm sorry," Harry said. "But it's the best plan we can come up with on short notice," He added as he continued to fire at Mogs.
Sarah leaned forward and kissed Harry hard. She captured his lips in a steamy kiss while Six continued to lay down fire at the enemy.
Sarah then walked over to Six and stared intently at her before saying, "I'll hold you to watching his back. He's your best chance at being a part of repopulating Lorien."
"There's no need to remind me of that," Six assured. "I am completely aware." Sarah nodded and went with the others to begin climbing into the ceiling. Six looked at Harry and said, "I can see why you like her."
Before Harry could respond, two Mog scouts burst through the classroom walls punching through the drywall. Emily and Sarah barely had time to scream before they were pulled through openings by the scouts. Henri had already been up in the ceiling with the help of Mark.
"Emily," Sam screamed as he charged right for the opening in the wall.
Harry was also moving. But he didn't go for the openings. He went for the wall itself. Harry tore through the wall like it was tissue paper only to find the room filled with fifteen scouts and the two girls. The thirteen scouts who weren't holding Sarah and Emily all had guns aimed at the opening Sam was about to charge through.
Harry raised his hand and telekinetically ripped all the guns until they were pointed at the ceiling. Many went off. The ceiling rained down upon them as Harry with blade in hand charged into the Mogs. He fired his pistol with his left hand while his right lashed forward with his glowing sword. Each thrust of his sword proved a lethal blow to a Mog. Some tried to re- aim their guns on him. He was moving very fast. The only two shots that actually hit him were absorbed by Harry's body armor.
"Back into the room," Harry whispered harshly as a cloud of Mog dust settled to the floor.
Emily, Sam, and Sarah rushed back into the classroom. Harry telekinetically got them all into the ceiling while looking back towards the opening into the adjacent classroom. When everyone was up except himself and Six, Harry mentally summoned his cycle into the room. He mounted the cycle and Six leapt on behind him. She pressed herself against his back.
"Let's kill some Mogs," Six declared with a grin as the cycle tore into the hallway.
The cycle's shields flared from absorbing incoming fire even as Six shot her pistol outwards through the shield. Harry fired a crystal grenade down the hallway into the group of Mogs. After the explosion went off the cycle sped down the hallway on its antigravity engines. They sped through the hallways of the school slaughtering the Mogs. Whenever there was too big of a cluster of Mogs to just plow on through the cycle would launch a crystal grenade.
"They've made it into the tunnel below the gym," Harry said after a little while. "My cycle can detect their tech."
"It's possible the Mogs can too," Six pointed out.
"Possible," Harry agreed.
"I'll make us invisible. Let's go join them at the exit," Six said.
Harry nodded and piloted the cycle towards the exit of the tunnel his friends were coming out of. The cycle link warned Harry just as the group was climbing out of the tunnel. He immediately told the cycle to begin firing into the ring of around forty Mogs surrounding the tunnel exit. It was a trap. The Mogs were under some kind of cloaking field that the cycle could barely sense through. The sky above turned into a storm far too quickly to be natural. Harry glanced back and saw that Six's eyes were glowing slightly with Loric energy as she stretched her hands to the storm, controlling it. Six looked stunningly beautiful in that moment, like an avenging goddess from myth and legend. Lightning bolts began to rain down upon the Mogs. Henri's group had fallen back into the tunnel.
Even as the cycle and Six's lightning tore into the scouts, Harry spotted movement in the distance. The soldiers and beasts had arrived. The soldiers had transported the beasts in oversized shipping containers on tractor trailers. When they stood up the three beasts were between thirty or forty feet tall. Dozens of the smaller weasel-like beasts reached Harry's group first. They burst out of the tree-line hurtling at Harry's group.
"Kill them all before they can reach us," Henri called as he began firing.
Henri took three shots to hit one of the beasts. Sarah, Sam, and Emily didn't fare much better with their shots. Harry and Six began telekinetically ripping into the weasel-beasts. The beasts exploded from telekinetic force or were dropped by the energy rounds of the Loric pistols. Three weasels made it to the group. One weasel-beast leapt on Sam. One creature made it to Mark. And a third creature landed on Sarah. They clutched at the beasts trying to fight them off. Their body armor deployed a limited face shield and gloves. The creatures tried latching on to each
person but was unable to bite through the mess before Harry's sword was there slicing through the beasts.
When he reached Mark, Harry quickly killed the weasel-beast. Unfortunately, Mark had already been mauled fairly badly. His right arm was covered in jagged gashes. He had several gashes on his face. The large beasts were rapidly approaching.
"Here," Harry said as he reached into his saddle bag on his cycle and produced a first aid kit. "See if you can help Mark," He added to Sarah.
She nodded and took Mark into the tunnel. A dozen Mog soldiers came running their way at the same time as the three beasts. The Mog soldiers were seven or eight feet tall and looked more muscular than the scouts. They carried metal swords made of some pulsing material that almost looked alive. Harry sent a telekinetic wave at three of the soldiers. Two of the three soldiers slashed their swords down somehow cutting through the energy of the wave. The third soldier didn't deflect the wave in time and was sent toppling back until he fell beneath the feet of one of the beasts, crushing the soldier. Sam, Emily, and Henri were shooting at the soldiers. Harry's cycle was shooting at the soldiers.
The Mogs produced some sort of small circular shield attacked to their wrist which would block the Loric pistol rounds if wielded correctly. Sam managed to kill one when the soldier didn't properly block. Harry's telekinesis lashed out and swept the legs out of one massive beast sending it careening into another beast and crushing several Mog soldiers. Harry felt several small dagger-like projectiles from the tips of the swords wielded by three Mogs hit his body armor. The body armor held against the projectiles. Yet it still hurt like hell from the impact.
The third beast had closed within range of Six. A large fist came swinging down towards Six. She went invisible and moved aside at the last second. The fist hit the ground with a massive impact. Six managed to jump on the giant beast's wrist and run up its arm. When she was close enough, Six threw her Loric dagger at the beast's eye using her telekinesis to guide the weapon. The dagger sank into the massive eye and directly into its brain. The beast let out a screech as the telekinetically guided dagger shot around inside its skull guided by Six. The creature began to fall. She leapt off just before it hit the grounded and landed with a roll. Several more soldiers were crushed on the way down. Several of the Mog soldiers had fallen back and drawn canon- like guns that conformed to their forearms. The guns were drawing the lifeforce from the surrounding trees to charge up with energy. The tips of the guns began to glow.
The swords the Mogs were holding also seemed to amplify the fear aura the Mog scouts had been able to produce when you looked in their eyes. Harry had to tighten down on his occlumency to try to ignore it. The others didn't have that protection. He had been heading towards the downed beasts when the Mogs had apparently charged their weapons. The Mogs took aim and fired. Four of those canons let out white streaks of brilliant light which surged towards Harry. His perceptions sped up. Harry raised his right hand and lifted the nearest beast just by its head until its head intercepted the four beams heading towards them. There was a great explosion. The beast's head disappeared in a shower of gore.
Harry didn't stand around while this was going on. He charged forward and closed on the remaining beast. It had struggled on its knees preparing to stand up when Harry's Loric sword shot into its eye glowing brilliantly and proceeded to wreck its brain guided by his telekinesis. Meanwhile Harry and Six had closed on the Mog soldiers still left. The nearest two soldiers rushed towards Harry while Six still invisible caught one of the remaining soldiers by surprise. Six's dagger stabbed through the back of the soldier's neck leaving her with one opponent. Harry shot the closest soldier repeatedly with his pistol point blank in the face. That soldier dusted. Harry's sword returned to his hand just in time to meet the thrust of the remaining soldier's sword. Loric crystal met the metal of the alloy the Mogs used in a ringing crash. There was a crackle of power. And then the Loric crystal sent a surge of blue lightning into the other weapon causing the Mog metal to shatter. Harry didn't hesitate to stab his blade through the surprised Mog's throat. The Mog turned to ash as it died.
That's when two more beasts emerge from the forest, bigger than the previous three. They are easily forty feet tall or more. They are thick with muscle and teeth bigger than the basilisk Harry faced back at Hogwarts. The twin beasts let out roars. Bernie Kosar trotted up beside Harry and began to change. Bernie grew into a scaled dragon without wings every bit as menacing as one of the beasts. Suddenly Harry felt Bernie's thoughts. Bernie was saying that he had one of the beasts.
"He's a chimera," Six said from beside Harry.
"Yeah. And I just got a legacy where I can communicate with animals," Harry said. "Not very useful right now," Six said. "Let's kill one the one on the left together."
Harry simply nodded. Six summoned the storm. The beasts began to charge. Bernie began to charge. Harry prepared his most powerful telekinetic blast to date focused into the size of a couch. He wasn't sure where Henri had disappeared off to. But Harry didn't have the time to worry about that now. His concentration was entirely upon the beast on the left. He lit up the lumen in his palms to draw the second beast's attention away from Bernie.
Harry's charge towards the beast is meant more of a distraction. He had intended to move out of the way. But the beast was smarter and faster than it should be. A massive fist came around in a swipe and swatted Harry towards the forest. It was only his Loric fortitude and what he later suspected as an instinctual wandless cushioning charm that allowed him to survive the strike. The beast came after Harry into the forest. That was when Six mounted on the cycle took action. The cycle began firing into the back of the beast's head with energy rounds. They weren't powerful enough to penetrate the beast's thick hide. Yet they certainly got its attention. The beast turned to deal with the cycle. That's when an invisible Six leapt forward and jammed her Loric dagger into its eye. She leapt back to the cycle even as the beast's fist came up to try to pull the dagger out. By that point she had already driven the dagger telekinetically into the beast's skull. At that point it was all over for the beast.
The cycle flew down and allowed Harry to leap on behind Six.
"Are you ok?" Six asked.
"That hurt like hell. But I will be," Harry said. "Let's go help Bernie," Harry said.
Six nodded as the cycle shot towards Bernie Kosar battling the other beast. Bernie was pinned beneath the other beast with its jaws around his neck. Harry didn't hesitate. He threw his sword from the cycle as it shot closer and drove his crystal blade into the back of the beast's head. Despite its thick skull Harry's telekinesis proved more powerful sending the blade into the beast's skull. The blue glow of the sword was visible in the hole in the back of the beast's skull as the blade shredded its brain. Bernie Kosar had his eyes closed. He was still breathing. His form started shrinking back down. It took a little while until he was back in beagle-form. Harry and Six together levitated the dead beast off of Bernie before levitating the beagle back up to them.
"Did you see where Henri went?" Six asked.
"No. But the cycle can track his suit," Harry said as a holographic projection came up in front of them. "Here they are," He said as Henri was shown as a blue dot back near the school.
Sarah, Sam, and Emily were shown as blue dots nearby but not in the exact same location as Henri. Mark was probably with them.
"You've got to be kidding me," Six as the roar of another beast was heard. "They've got to be running out of beasts at this point."
"How are your energy levels?" Harry asked.
"I'm pretty tired," Six said, the exhaustion clear in her voice. "How about you?"
"I'll be fine," Harry said. And he would. His magical core seemed to be supplementing his depleted Loric energy. "Here," He said as he placed his hands upon her shoulders and channeled energy through his Lumen into Six.
She gasped as her back arched, her chest thrusting out, while energy poured into her. It lasted maybe ten seconds. But by the end of that ten seconds when the Lumen faded, Six felt completely re-energized. She also felt horny as hell. Six felt like she had a part of Harry inside of her, intimately.
"Thank you," Six gasped. "Let's go kick some Mog ass."
As the cycle took off towards the location of the others they encountered another dozen Mogs. The moment the cycle came into range of the Mogs, they began firing. They hadn't wasted the energy on invisibility at this point. The Mog canon beams struck into the shield on the cycle and stopped it cold. The cycle tried dodging out of the way. But as it did another canon round
impacted its shield. The Mogs were getting smarter by taking turns firing at the cycle. Meanwhile the beast with several soldiers driving it came into view. This beast was only half as large as the ones they had just faced. Yet that was still quite large. It had pale translucent skin stretched over ribs and joints that seemed to protrude from its flesh. Its eyes were white and sightless. There were pink scars along its flesh to show the Mogadorians' displeasure with it. This beast let out a low groan as it picked up the scent of Harry & Six. No rage or malice radiated from this beast like the others they had faced that night. This beast only radiated fear and sadness.
Harry's ability to communicate with the beast allowed him to see images of torture and starvation at the hands of the Mogs. This beast had been pitted against others forced to fight to toughen them all up. It had been locked away in a cold damp cave its entire life on Earth. While Harry was focusing on the beast, Six had started using her telekinesis to kill the soldiers firing on them one by one. Harry felt he was getting through to the beast. He was conveying all the emotions he had experienced along with images of the Mogs. He felt its fear and sadness turn to rage at the Mogadorians. The beast turned and began helping Six kill the Mogs.
Harry rushed through a few trees where his cycle had told him Henri was located. He found a Mog driving its sword into Henri's chest.
"No," Harry cried and lashed out with a mixture of a piercing curse and telekinesis that destroyed the Mog's upper body. "Henri," Harry said as he rushed over to his Cepan. Henri's eyes were already closed. "I should have focused on more healing spells," He said as he pushed his hands over the wound trying to staunch the flow of blood.
It was no use. If Harry had had his wand he could have repaired the damage. Yet he didn't have a wand.
"Harry," Six said as she rushed to his side. "Oh shit," She said as she stared at Henri in horror. "He can't die," Harry said firmly.
"I don't think we can do anything for him," Six said as she laid her hand on his arm.
Harry's magic reacted to his desire. A blue glow came from Henri's chest. The wounds weren't healing. Instead the blue glow expanded to encompass Henri's entire chest, then his head, his arms, his legs. The glow extended out six inches from Henri's form. It was so bright, Six had to look away. When the glow faded she found Harry's hands resting upon a semi-transparent crystal with a blue tint to it. Henri looked frozen in time inside.
"What did you do?" Six asked in amazement.
"I think Henri is in some form of stasis," Harry admitted. "I don't think he is getting any better or any worse."
"That's amazing," Six said.
It was then that Sarah, Sam, Emily, and a heavily bandaged Mark arrived with them. "What happened?" Sarah asked.
"Henri was badly injured. I didn't want him to die. My powers did something to keep him from getting worse," Harry explained.
"He looks frozen in time," Sam said.
"He very well might be," Six agreed. "We should get out of here."
"I think Henri will fit in Jake's truck. I already contacted everyone on the communicators you gave us," Sarah said. "They are on their way."
In short order, the Harts, Dave Knapp, and Patricia Goode had showed up at the school. Henri's crystal as they were referring to it was loaded into Jake's truck and covered with items to hide it. After that a caravan left the school. Six rode her crotch-rocket next to Harry's cycle. Sarah rode on the back of the cycle. The cycle was constantly searching out the security cameras in any town they passed through to mask any evidence of their passing.
"So, we should probably get to know one another," Sarah said.
Harry had put a small communications relay in the helmets they all wore. They could talk to those in the other vehicles as well. But Harry currently had himself, Sarah, and Six on a closed network.
"Yeah," Six agreed. "So these strange dreams of you two in sexual situations and me with you Harry...you've been having them too?"
"You don't beat around the bush," Harry said with a grin in his voice. "Yeah. I've been having them too."
"What the hell are they?" Six asked.
"I don't know," Harry admitted.
"I thought I was so messed up because I was seeing them," Sarah admitted.
"Me too," Six said. "But I'm not going to lie...they were very hot. So, let me tell you a bit about my history. My Cepan was named Katarina. She was killed three years ago. My Loric name was Maren Elizabeth. But I've been going by Six so long that I'm used to it."
Six continued to talk a little bit about her past. Then Harry and Sarah took turns. The caravan drove on trying to put as much distance between themselves and Paradise Ohio as they could.