What Must Be Done

A/N: alright guys this is what i have, i don't know when i'll get a chance ot write for this story again, hopefuly within the week, but here you go, hope you enojy and i don't confuse you even more -.-;;;;

Chapter 10: Power's Place


Harry stared up at the platform the Rioxta called a Lorax. It was a sixty foot wide circle of piled dirt. The mound rose about eight feet in the air and at its center stood a spike made of metal Harry had never seen before. The spike had been pounded deep into the earth, its top rounded by the blows of a hammer. Around the spike were smaller spikes made of the same metal.

All and all the thing looked rather odd. Sort of useless and a little frightening. The Rioxta in the village said it was the power source. He had heard this in passing as hardly any of the villagers would speak to him. Some seemed afraid of him but most appeared furious with his presence.

The man named Vahala came to stand beside him.

“The Lorax will be filled with power in less than two turns of the sun. You will leave once you have the power,” the man said, his eyes upon the Lorax even as his disgust filled the air.

Harry turned to the man, his emerald eyes searching the man’s cold features. “Why do you hate me?” Harry asked.

Vahala turned to him. “You are human, worse you are English. These things make you our enemy. Would that you had been German, or even Indian, perhaps our welcome might have been more of a welcome, as it is you are our enemy. As ordained by the Cursed One we must help you. However we have no desire to see you ever again. Get your power and leave us forever, Raven.”

Harry shook his head and turned away. Vahala watched him go.

~~~~~

The day for power had come and Vahala was one of the many that had gathered to watch.

The Raven stood before the central Lifore spike. His arms were bent backwards; his hands tied together behind the spike with the sacred Yukin roots.

The night before the moon had endowed the Lifore spikes with the power of the Luna forest. It would be the power the Raven took away with him this night.

Sixteen men, all of which Vahala knew, were tied to the spike that stood in a circle around the Raven. These sixteen would be the first conduit for the power that would settle in the Raven’s soul.

All at once Vahala was envious and sick to see his brethren taking part in the ritual.

Joreshin stood before the Lorax mound and raised his hands high in the air. Turning from the Lorax the old man faced the crowd. His eyes were pure white with the Luna forest already settled in his mind. His arms slowly lowered until the hands grasped one another and his index fingers pointed away from his body and into the crowd.

Vahala felt his soul curdle as the people around him backed away. There was no possible way that it should be him. True, an unknown member was always chosen for the ritual but there was no way it would be him. However, it was him. There was no mistaking the direction the elder’s fingers were directed. They moved not an inch as Vahala’s neighbors scrambled away from him.

Shaking with loathing and excitement Vahala stepped forward.

“I’imala norishten. Chioshisht VAHALA!” the elder screamed into the silence and Vahala flinched at the sound of his name passing the possessed man’s lips.

Now shaking with pure and raw fear Vahala climbed the mound. He passed through the circle of his bound brethren and stood before the Raven. He waited for the power to possess him but nothing seemed to happen. Gathering his breath Vahala screamed, his voice carrying a distance he believed impossible.

Still there was nothing and those emerald eyes were watching him and he knew that there had been a mistake. As he was preparing to turn away from the bound Raven and return in shame to the crowd he felt a sudden pull upon his soul. Gasping he turned his eyes up to the moon.

Before he could stop he was speaking, but his words meant nothing to him, they were gibberish and yet power flowed with the mutterings.

“Nonon, meminin, toriri foreeeesh!”

Vahala felt the raw energies of the Luna forest, of his goddess and his own soul flow outwards with the words that should mean nothing. He felt himself sending power away from his body and when the last word was spoken he felt himself empty. There was nothing, blackness.

Vahala, son of Jimise and Horem fell to the ground, dead.

~~~~~

Harry closed his eyes as things, thoughts, power not his own flooded his mind. He was beyond knowing. He was past everything that was real. In his mind words formed.

‘I am the source, little boy. I am the energies of the world. Do you know what I am?”

Harry tried to speak but knew it was futile. Instead he thought, ‘you are the power I seek.’

‘I am the power that you need,” the voice yelled, its strength seemed to tear his mind into strips and he wavered in his sanity. ‘I am all! I am all and you are one! Are you worthy of me?”

‘I am,’ Harry thought. The voice laughed in his head and he crumbled beneath its weight.

‘You are nothing…yet you are worthy. I am your power now. Survive me and you may walk free!”

~~~~~

From the crowd the people heard the words exchanged between the Luna forest and the boy Raven.

The voices disturbed yet empowered the people and they glanced about. Hoping yet knowing. And the future lay itself bare before their gazes. All they had was dying. All they knew was vanishing. This single child was their worlds cure. If he could survive the trial they might live on. His living would renew their mother Luna.

As a single being they surged forward, stopping only when their feet touched the edge of the Lorax. As one they turned their souls outwards. They poured their energies into the Lorax, into the Raven. And they prayed. They prayed for salvation.

~~~~

Harry fought and fought. The demons in his mind rose again and again to advance upon him yet still he fought. Even as he tired, even as he fell, he fought. And it wasn’t enough.

As he fell for the final time, the time in which he would never rise again, power fell upon him. He felt the souls of many and of few converse within his mind. Knowledge and energy made him rise once more and with a scream he raised his hands.

“I am you!” he cried out at the demons. They paused, staring back at him. “I am you and you me, become mine as you are meant to be. I am nothing without my demons. I am nothing without fear. I am nothing without you. You are my souls and you are me. Enter me!”

When Harry fell again it was to be carried upon the demon’s backs into a place of honor and power. He had nothing left of himself yet he was never more himself. He was Harry yet he was more and he knew what he must do.

As the demons of his own soul lowered him to the dirt he raised his head and stared upon the Luna Forest.

“Do not shun me, my Luna,” Harry called out, his voice horse from exhaustion. The leaves of the alien trees shifted as though in a wind. Laughter filled the air but Harry ignored it. “Do not forsake me! I am not of your world yet I am your child. As all your children seek your guidance so am I here. Not yet am I to return to your soil. Not yet am I to rejoin you in your growth. I am here!” Harry screamed, “To be one! To be as you are! To be power! Forsake me and forsake yourself. Allow me to grow as your saplings grow. Bring me to myself and know you have done right!”

The forest rustled, the laughter died. The leaves, twigs, moss, the green turned in upon itself. Whispers as from nature hurtled about the trees and when they fell silent a woman emerged from the woods.

She was pure white. Hair, eyes, skin, dress, all of it white as snow.

“My son,” the woman whispered and her voice was that of the moon, the stars, the hounds in hunt and the whispers of lovers. “You have passed my trials. You have fought your own being and been in success as no other has ever been. I give onto you my powers. Should you but need me you but to call my name and I shall be there. My love shall guide you to the success of your heart. Be my weapon, be my love and my hand. Find the ones you seek. Vengeance and love will be yours!”

~~~~~~

Harry woke on the floor of his room. He blinked and sat up. Nothing was changed. Yet he felt within him the power of the forest, of Luna, and of a man he did not know, stir. Reaching within himself he questioned.

‘Vahala’ he realized. The soul that rested in his heart gave a nod and he shuddered with the odd sensation. ‘Why are you here?”

‘To guide you,’ the soul whispered. ‘I am your heart’s guide. I will stay with you until the quest is complete.’

Harry took a deep breath. “Thank you,” he whispered.

‘Not time for thanks,’ Vahala told him sternly. ‘Your daughters and father are trapped within the chaos realm. You must seek them out. They are in danger and are lost. Find them first then we may begin the journey towards the end.’

Harry bit his lip and nodded. If Moren had fallen into the chaos realm…but who was the father?

‘Severus Snape,’ Vahala answered.

Harry scowled, and then laughed. “Figures,” he muttered and stood. His legs shook beneath his weight but the ignored it. He needed to contact Blaise.
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A/N: Please Review!