The last day or two had been exhausting for ... From the craziness of Klaus and Elijah's conquest over Kingpin to the destruction of an entire mountain within the Alps, it had been nonstop.
Niccolo had been briefing non-stop on the operations being conducted through Australia. Currently the chinese businesses were on their last legs within Australia whilst the Australian branch of Yggdrasil Interactive had just soared to the very top of the ASX; the Australian stock market, in value despite being the sole owner. Almost all states were churning away on maintenance and house price reductions. Inflation was decreasing as tariffs were placed on China and India, the two largest product producers of goods for Australia... This lead to dostic industries rising up again, many businessn and won taking the opportunity to carve their own na within the economic landscape.
Foreign house ownership, which had been a massive issue for all Australians, had been slashed down to a maximum of a single property to foreign investors. A citizenship would be required for any extensive investnts and even they ca with specific rules. Student Visas had been held back to an acceptable 10,000 per 4 years with a distinct focus on quality over quantity. Honestly, it made little difference to the things I was doing but it was pertinent to Australia's continued health and prosperity.
Speaking of my servants... Niccolo had been completing several of his projects. Using his position and pay he had been creating national schools for Economics, Politics, Law, History and Military Leadership. They pulled kids from the orphanage system and plunged them into the schooling system where they would be looked after by teachers, police officers and solicitors. For any child that was placed within the Military segnt of the school the Military Police were engaged alongside specific Generals and Officers. I had checked several of them yesterday and they were so smothered in personnel that it would be near impossible to harm the kids without a complete breach from all different parties; an unlikely scenario.
Margulis had chosen to focus completely on the governing structure. She targeted the justice system and created an audit system that occurred randomly and was sourced from different governntal branches or institutions. Besides that she had been focussing on cri as a whole. All of the troublemakers within Australian society who originally ca from different countries and still had duel-citizenships were expunged from Australia and sent back to their ho countries. Terrorism was being cracked down on heavily, her efforts and Niccolo's pulling out a very insidious group from Victoria that were drug trafficking and people smuggling.
I was honestly impressed by both of them. With them on my side I could probably pull off this 'ruling' thing.
As for the Tamaranean problem, well, my clones were on their way with Kara Zor-El and Koriand'r. The situation had been explained to them already... Which had been awkward, apparently, but they were well-natured enough to see my point of view. Koriand'r was taking the death of her planet hard, but that was to be expected, especially considering the fact that it had been fine just a day or two ago...
Alas, life was a fickle mistress and fate was a rather poignant bitch... Not that I had too much to complain about. I an, creating gas that could beco real and possibly eat the faces off of everyone in this multiverse simply because I was too casual in creating them, was a possibility. BUT, honestly, the only problem there would be my stupidity, not fate's machinations.
"Freya, your students are waiting for you..." Susan ducked her head around the corner before snapping back around, her speed bordering on ridiculous. I was seriously considering forking out points to grant her the speed force... Maybe then she could complete her little missions for death in an instant.
"Yeah, thanks honey... Have you finished reaping that one man's soul yet?" So humming followed as a response, Artoria giggling as she watched Susan off to the side. It was like trying to pull teeth from a chicken sotis, i swear.
"Not really. She doesn't expect to actually succeed... Says he is unkillable and is just curious to see if I could manage it." I facepald with a grimace.
"Is his na Deadpool?" Her head instantly ducked around the corner, her eyes widening whilst a toothbrush poked out from her mouth. My heart quivered a little at how cute she was standing there with shock plastered all over her aura.
"How'd you know!?"
I shook my head and dragged my hand down my face. "Don't even try. He is literally beyond ti and space, I saw it, he is bonkers and will not be touched by Death or you easily." Artoria blinked continuously for thirty seconds before they both, in synch, asked the sa question.
"""HE'S WHAT!?!?"""
Scratch that, a third voice joined them as Death herself popped out of a nearby shadowed corner. She looked craven and hungry at the ntion of that man and his powers.
'To be honest, I am not surprised she is just hiding out in my closets...' I looked behind her and watched as the hallway cupboard was left slightly ajar.
'Yeah... She's like a Disney villain.'
"I am not! ANYWAY! Did you just say that he is beyond ti and space!?" Her voice would have shaken an entire building, had this not been my own personal dinsion that the system was in total control of.
"Yes? I t him in the continuum. He was really funny, if you could get over the fact that he speaks too much." Death just stared at like I was the dumbest motherfucker on the planet. An emotion that was currently shared by most of the Illuminati no doubt... Not that they would exist much longer to continue having those thoughts...
"Th-that is not pos-" Another dark figure erged from the closet before Death could finish her words.
This woman, based upon her figure, was cut from the exact sa cloth as Death. There were differences however. She looked softer, more caring. Her skin was entirely pale but took on a silvery shine that took on the qualities of tears and distant stars. A swirling tattoo clung to the skin below her right eye, said receptacles of light staring out with all the colour of a blockhole's outer-rim. A crop top lightly draped over her upper body with a silver ankh necklace laying delicately over the folds of linen. Black gloves clung to her wrists and ended at her fingertips, as raven as space itself. Finally she wore long black pants that drifted down to her bare feet.
This new presence smiled cockily towards he entity that I knew to be death.
"I told you he wouldn't co to your domain, twin O'mine." Her purple-black lipstick glimred softly in the hallway's light whilst a cordial if slightly awkward grin plastered her almost dead-looking face.
'Death' turned to her twin and sighed deeply, glancing over to Susan once or twice before facing her twin head-on.
"Vita... I thought you were just saying those things to be a bitch..." The newly appearing 'Death' shrugged her shoulders before placing her hands on her hips and leaning to the side sowhat, her eyes languidly scanning us all before taking in her twin once more.
"And I thought that you ignored to continue being an ignorant twit, Mortis... It seems we are both surprised!" Her tone was utterly comical, with a small drawl and a roll of her eyes just after her sister's inconsiderate tone.
Silence was all that lingered for a ti... Until Artoria munched down on so popcorn from the Kitchen. We all turned to her, watching the delectable food slip down her throat as she swallowed. She shrugged and smirked whilst palming another handful of popcorn.
"How about you two talk to each other so more. Privacy is probably best for entities of your power." The two sisters, Mortis; the original Death that I knew, and Vita stared down... The latter was looked absolutely ecstatic at the idea whilst the forr was struggling not to groan under her sister's constant shining personality.
"Fine..."
The two of them walked into my closet, vanishing unceremoniously as my won all just watched on from our original positions. Another munch signalled the end to that however as Susan rushed over to Artoria and tried to steal the bucket of popcorn from her hands. "I want so too!"
I continued to watch the closet, my mind rebooting after witnessing the most bizarre and confusing series of events in my life; besides the ti continuum... And the fact that my gas can be made real... Or... Look, maybe I was being overdramatic...
'Guess I need to eat and et my students at the school again...' Shaking my head I grabbed my sandwiches from the table, bidding my won a goodbye before popping away to the duelling classroom in Freyavellir.
...
"Visualisation, intent, Emotion and Understanding?" Hermione's voice echoed through the classroom as I calmly entered.
She stood next to Harry and Sirius whilst her parents watched on from the side of the room, their faces scrunched up in minor frustration, seeing their young girl waving her wand around and magic coming out. It was most definitely a sore spot for them, their girl being able to use magic whilst they weren't.
'Guess I can teach them sorcery.' I ntally shrugged as Harry continued.
"Yeah! She taught us that a few days ago. Ever since I've been able to cast spells that were hard before... Like..." He paused and pulled out his wand, pointing it at an errant practice dummy. The end lit up and a pulse of bright white light soared out.
"Petrificus Totalus! "
The Dummy creaked as the arms snapped inwards, pressing against the sides of the body. A proud smile flickered on Sirius's face whilst Hermione stared at the dummy, dumbfounded... She looked like the dummy for a mont there. 'Pun intended'.
"See, it is really easy. You just have to put a little more thought into the spells."
Hermione raised her wand as I lood up from behind them, Sirius winking at whilst maintaining a perfectly innocent face. The parents off to the side were gazing at pleadingly, hoping that I wouldn't be too hard on Hermione.
"How did she go about this thod?" Harry was imdiately about to answer but stopped as I cut him off.
"That, is easy Ms Granger." They both froze before slowly turning towards , as if they had just been caught stealing candy from a jar in the kitchen. Sirius was cackling in the background whilst the Grangers laughed sowhat between each other, watching their cute daughter flush bright red.
"Visualisation, intent, Emotion and Understanding... Like I explained to Harry here... Is extrely simple if you are to break down the spell."
Hermione quickly blinked away her surprise, looking up at with a question locked and loaded at the tip of her tongue. "Well, I read this spell-" Harry cut in montarily, "In the library," She glowered out him before continuing... "In the library, that allow a wizard or witch to cloak themselves in shadows."
I nodded, following along.
"The incantation is Umbra Noctis, but it never works for despite stepping into shadows and being in gloomy places..." A small pout ford on her lips but I simply smiled.
"Okay, tell what you visualise when casting the spell."
"Shadow." She stated it so succinctly that it almost made stumble, both ntally and physically.
"Erm, okay... Intent?"
"To stay hidden?"
I resisted the urge to facepalm whilst Sirius now howled on the floor, his arms holding his stomach whilst Harry tried his best to maintain a straight face.
"Emotion...?" I asked it so softly and weakly that she squinted her eyes.
"I don't know, not wanting to be seen?"
I threw my hands up and turned on the spot crushing my fingers into a fist as several dummies exploded, their wooden remnants transfiguring into doves that then splattered into soft clumps of grass upon the floor.
"WRONG! It is all wrong! What are they teaching in that useless f-" The Grangers winced towards as I nearly swore, My calm was only just simring down the fury bubbling inside. It didn't help that Hermione was almost in tears...
'Deep breath in, deep breath out...' With the exhale I turned back to her with an apologetic look.
"It isn't your fault Hermione. It is the fault of your teachers." She reluctantly nodded whilst Harry rubbed circles on her back.
"Okay, first... Visualisation. Picture the darkness that pools in the corners, the cracks between stones, the hollow beneath the stairs. Don't just see it, feel it moving, curling like smoke or silk around your feet, rising to drape over you like a velvet cloak. Let it take you in, not as a threat, but as a welco refuge."
"Now, Intent. This isn't about simply hiding. It's about belonging to the dark. The spell's purpose, your purpose, is to vanish from the eyes of the world, to lt into shadow, to be seen only by those you allow close enough to find you."
She scrunched her face up in effort as she slowly opened them back up a minute later. Tears still marred her adorable face but they were slowly drying as determination set in, this version of Hermione was much more stable and willing to adjust to change and sneakiness; thanks to Harry's closeness no doubt.
"Then cos Emotion. An emotion that could work for this would be-" Hermione snapped her eyes wide and slapped her head with her right hand. "Loneliness..." My previous frustration bled away as satisfaction poured into my soul like water to a man in a desert.
"Exactly! You're not fighting the shadows, you're embracing them. Their loneliness, their quiet retreat from the light... That's what gives them power. You don't need emotion to complete the spell if your visualisation and intent are strong, but-" I leaned in slightly, lowering my voice, "-if you can channel that emotional resonance, that feeling of belonging in the unseen... the spell becos more than just a cloak. It becos a veil even detection charms and wards will struggle to pierce."
"That sounds really difficult." She pouted at the effort that the emotive segnt of the spell required whilst Harry just rolled his eyes.
"Spells are not always easy, but, they are usually well worth the effort when the mont calls for it... That is why we practice and train constantly." She nodded slowly before I apparated up to the duelling platform that quickly snapped upwards to et my feet.
"Great! Now, we will begin with an exploration of fighting. Sirius, get up here and fight so we can show the young'uns." The dog haphazardly attempted to stand quickly but nearly fell several tis before he managed to climb up the stairs to the platform.
As soon as he stabilized I extended my right hand with my index finger extended and shot out a basic Reducto spell. He raised a Protego to absorb the blow, barely managing it as he skidded back on his right foot, a shocked expression hastily lting into a very focused countenance.
"Fractura!"
The bone-breaking curse tore through the air, crackling as it sizzled the hydrogen molecules in the atmosphere. Narrowing my eyes I noted the presence of a silently cast Stupefy behind it.
I pulled my hand into a fist and exhaled, my core tensing sharply. Heat surged through my veins like molten lava, then, with a burst, magic vented from my pores in a protective do.
'Protego Invulnerbalis '
An outwardly opaque crystal do absorbed both spell, the colour of the magic being eaten by my own spell before regurgitating back out towards Sirius. Dropping the spell I noted him falling backwards into a roll, dodging the spells in a quiet pant.
"Tenebrae Lancea! " I sent a quick wink over to Hermione.
Shadow leaked from the smallest of crevices and cracks in the room, a spear of darkest night forming within my left hand. No downward swing or motion gave away the attack as my magic rely pushed the spell to fruition and sent it spiralling towards the rusty old Hit-wizard.
"Holy shit!" He again rolled away, the duelling stage behind him cracking with the force of the spell and severing in half. That was until the enhanced wards and Reparo enchantnts kicked in.
'Fortunately my class book is fine' I watched it hover next to the duelling platform, the quill whipping across the paper like a haunting spectre.
" Confringo! " , " Accio! " , " Expelliarmus! " . The remainder of his spell chain was silent as pulses of varying spells bombarded the area around , kicking up debris and detritus that were soon ford into wolves and serpents that consud several rather nasty hexes and curses.
Say whatever you wished about the Black family, they weren't weak.
"Velox-Incendio " Sirius blanched as the Incendio spell soared through the air at three tis its usual speed, heat rippling off of it as if it were an active conflagration. I smiled at the spell as he summoned a Protego-Maxima, his lips thinning to a fine line in concentration as the spell slowly burned away his shield despite his efforts.
Unfortunately my adjusted spell was too much and he had to resort to apparition, which quickly found him behind and casting several more vocal spells.
"Nox-Ultima! "
Even through the enchantnts, Hermione flinched. The sudden absence of light pressed against her skin like damp cloth. Harry narrowed his eyes, wand still raised, but even he could feel the weight of that void. Sirius's usual advantage from this spell was inconsequential to , as I could see his magical and emotional aura. He didn't finish there however... " Bombarda-Maxima!" , " Nox-Serra! ". An explosion spell hit the shields of the duelling arena behind , tearing into them nastily was the shadows surrounding thinned and congealed into narrow blades. In a flurry of movent they proceeded to rain down onto from the all consuming darkness; which Harry and Hermione could see through thanks to the enchantnts on the platform.
" Inverprotegotempus...! " My voice growled out the words as the Protego I had summoned was inverted into an outward blast wave that then touched every blade that rained down upon and unravelled them with faint wisps of Chronomancy.
The wave struck him and lifted him up and backwards. In an instant I flicked my hand and edited the effect of the Chronomancy around him. Where he was once flying through the quickly unravelling void that he had conjured, he now stood perfectly upright upon the duelling platform, his eyes wide and his chest heaving powerfully. Energy siphoned from him in a deluge, his knees buckling under the pressure as he slowly collapsed forwards.
Harry and Hermione were instantly clamouring to climb the duelling platform, worry and concern etched into their expressions as the forr reached the side of his godfather. Hermione, the ever dutiful and smart witch that she was, cast diagnostic spells over him, exhaling in relief as her left hand dropped onto Harry's shoulder.
"He's fine Harry, he's just unconscious..." Harry let out a shaky breath before turning back to , his gaze eting mine as a shiver throttled through his spine with all the force that fear could conjure.
"Don't worry you two, he will be fine. As he is, he will be capable of surviving whatever it is that the prophecy from my wife is focused upon. More than that, I am here to heal him, so of course he'll be fine." Harry slowly nodded, relaxing imperceptibly into his Godfather who was slowly waking up.
I clapped my hands, enervating the dogfather from his nap. "That was a good fight Sirius."
"Huh? W-wait, what...?" I narrowed my eyes. "Stop playing Sirius. Or I'll be serious..."
The flop of black hair that covered his face quickly surged upwards as he reached his feet in but a mont. "You stole my joke!"
Everyone in the room then broke down into laughter, Hela off to the side grinning slightly before walking away with a shake of her head. I watched her go as Harry hugged Sirius seriously.
'I love the puns that could co from this...!'
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