HPNSA - BOOK TWO

CHAPTER FOUR
IN THE PRESENCE OF AUM



“Who is Aum?” Harry said.

“Aum is the Existence of the Magical World.” JI said.

“The creator?” Harry said.

“No, that is Aea, Bearer.”

“Why can’t you call me by my real name? I call you by yours.” Harry said.

“Ji means death in the ancient tongue. It is not in my nature to call someone other than their essence.”

“So that is all I am to you, a Bearer of the Iranna?”

“If you are resurrected, you will become different to our eyes, have a different essence and therefore receive a different name by which the Keepers will call you with.”

Harry kept quiet for the most part of their long journey. But when Ji took his hand to lift him unto a disc of light he asked her again of the deal that Ron made. “Can I ask Aum to free Ron from the Parley?”

“Don’t you want to be with him again?”

Harry looked at her. “So you mean, he’s not the price?” Harry said.

“Before we made the Parley he already paid. The Parley contains not the price but the task to save you.” Ji said. “No, Bearer, your Defender is not the price.”

Although the answer given was exactly what Harry wanted to hear, it now confused him greatly. Ron paid to make the parley - with what? Harry thought.

As if answering him Ji said, “Aum will reveal to you many things; things that very few have been privileged to witness. You will learn much of a story that took place when the world was still young, and why it has come down to you. There are things that must take place, Bearer…though I fear it will give you great sadness. But these things must happen for the world to be cleansed of evil.”

Harry did not like the sound of it but had no power over the disc that was moving faster now, taking him farther and farther into the edge of the known universe. Suddenly the physical world around him disappeared and darkness was slowly covering them. Ji and her shimmering dress provided the only light and even she became translucent, like she was melting into the surface of their surrounding, and Harry felt awed by her presence for the first time. He now felt like he was disappearing and his body had stopped moving though he was still going towards a very bright light – a ball of blue flame that spun slowly, menacingly, in front of him. Harry closed his eyes as the energy of the ball of fire engulfed him and then he found that he was now in a place with so many colours. He was floating in mid-air and he felt minute – like a speck of dust. He heard a voice inside his head; it was soft to hear like he was slowly being filled with warm milk. His mind answered back he couldn’t feel any other part of him anymore save for his thoughts. The voice spoke of a time beyond that written in books. Harry felt so much suffering, so much sadness.

Then he heard a sound – a wondrous song – it was the sound of creation, and he saw the beginning of time and life. He felt so important to be shown this event; the stars were slowly appearing and the division of light and darkness, and galaxies sprouted around him. The Keepers were born, and when the forces of the Universe converged to produce LAI and NIN – Keepers of Magic – the sound stopped and Harry looked upon the world though it was much younger then. He saw the creation of Magic and Non-magic folk and beasts and they roamed the earth living together in perfect harmony. There was peace.

But then the Keepers became jealous as Lai found favor in the eyes of Aum for she was a lover of life, gentle and filled with kindness. Her sister, Nin, who loved destruction, cruelty, and sorrow, showing no compassion even to her most appreciated work, found nothing from Aum except loathing. Her jealousy spawned malice and deceit and soon Aum rebuked her for her lust for carnage and condemned her with a lesser power – she was no longer allowed to influence Kroi, Keeper of the Gates of Life, to produce magical beings. In her fury, she waged war against the forces of the Universe and influenced many of the Keepers to join her rebellion.

When destruction and death engulfed the world that was made, Aum listened to Lai’s pleas and made a prophecy that a child from the mortal world will replace Nin. To ensure the fulfillment of this prophecy, Lai was given the sphere of Immortality – the Iranna – and the power to choose the Replacement for her sister.

Nin, who was still given leave to enter the presence of Aum, saw the gift and was angered by it. Not knowing the prophecy spoken by their father, she sent many of her creatures to destroy the children of men. And soon, the killings brought upon the division between Magical and Non-magic folk. Lai sent guardians – wizards, and powerful sorcerers - to defend them against Nin’s creatures, and her warriors – Knights – to combat the beings from the underworld. Soon, nearly all of Nin’s forces were kept at bay.

It seemed that the Prophecy was about to be fulfilled when Lai fell in love with one of her wizards. She wanted to share a child with him but since she was a Keeper and was not allowed to bear children of men she turned him into a Nymphrodite – half man, half woman - so he can bear her their child. Having great reverence for Lai, the wizard agreed and the seed was planted in his body. He carried the child to term, and when the child was born the heavens rejoiced and Lai decided this child is the answer to the Prophecy – he will become a member of the house of Aum.

However, the Iranna was stolen and the thief gave the sphere to Nin, revealing the plans for a new Keeper of Magical Beasts. Nin sought the aid of Aij, keeper of the underworld, and unleashed the Incubus – a demon that lived on lust and fleshy desires. They were created with only one objective in their insipid minds – to become Beings, with a body that is able to do intercourse with the children of men.

Nin told them that only the Iranna can grant them this body, and so they scattered throughout the world seeking it not knowing that the sphere was with Nin all the time. Then Nin sent her creatures to kill the one she thought was meant to take her seat.

The wizard was able to defend himself against the creatures that were sent to destroy him. However, he failed to protect his son. By the time he found him, the beast had already devoured his flesh. The child died in his father’s arms.

In her sorrow, Lai beseeched Aum to intervene. Supreme justice stopped him from striking down Nin, for Nin had pleaded for her life, citing Aum’s treachery and revealing her knowledge of his conspiracy to dethrone her for all her brethren to hear. Learning that their father had done such a deed, more Keepers joined Nin in her rebellion, until at last, the house of Aum was in chaos, and the cosmos was in danger of obliterating itself. To prevent more of his children from joining the rebellion against the heavens, Aum divided their world – The Keepers were no longer allowed to have power over each other. Aum made a law that no Keeper is to be allowed intercession in the lives of the lesser creations – a Law that Nin and all those who follow her, have broken more than once – so that Lai had to play the part of rescuer, and redeemer.

Down on earth, the wizard was lured into false friendship with Nin, appearing before him as he knelt upon his son’s grave. Ji did not heed his parley. Nin told him of the gift that could bring his son back to life and, blinded by great sorrow, he accepted the gift without question.

The Iranna burned its way into his body and Nin placed it inside his right ovary. The insertion caused so much pain that when the Wizard was able to recover from it Nin was already gone, and above him he heard a great flapping of many wings. He stood and tried to fend off the threat but they were too many and they could smell the Iranna inside him. They were able to take him and he was carried to a high place where they tore at him with their serrated tongues until at last there was nothing left of him, and as he passed into darkness a great ball of gold turned into scarlet red, collected by the hand that burned the Iranna into his body. Lai wept for him greatly for though he passed through the veil and his soul was now in peace, he has forgotten about her and their child.

Then the great gates of creation opened and out came a flood of Nymphrodites - each one bearing the gift that was not meant for them. The demons hunted them and though Lai sent her wizards to protect them, still many were taken, tortured and died in great agony. And one day, a demon successfully took an Iranna and was turned into a magical being; standing six-feet tall, with golden hair and bright blue eyes, he was beautiful to behold but had a wicked soul, tainted with the love for destruction and lust to inflict pain on others.

Nin had regained the power that was taken from her – through the Nymphrodites, she was allowed once more to produce magical beings that were as cruel as her to fill the world of her tyranny and keep the prophecy from its fulfillment.

Fearful that more of these magical beings will inhabit the earth, Lai sought the help of Aum, and through Uz, Keeper of time, and though Kroi, Aum controlled the existence of Nymphrodites. Slowly they became scarce and the wizards guarded them with their lives for many fell in love with the Bearers. However, Nin used her children, Th’Mar and Hib’Nah to influence these wizards to take the Iranna for themselves. Since they yearned for immortality, they too found ways more grievous than the demons to torture the Nymphrodites beyond measure to get the Iranna.

Aum was filled with grief upon seeing the world that was made now laid waste by his own children. In his final attempt to renew his broken creation, Aum pronounced a Prophecy that would end the rule of chaos upon the world.

Harry was then shown the Prophecy,

…Time of the slayer will end…
…When Pillars of worlds unite…
…The child that was stolen returned…
…The heart that was broken will fight…
…The enemy will fall by the heart of the dead…
…While neither will fall by his sword…
…The curse of the Keeper will turn in its stead…
…The world of Aum thus restored...

Then Harry saw Nin thrown down from the heavens where she and her followers now await the fulfillment of the Prophecy in the great underworld beneath the belly of the Universe. Harry gasped as he saw Nin turn around and look at him with evil brooding in her large black eyes. He ventured to turn away his head for her gaze was piercing but a force was pulling him now, and when he blinked he saw a familiar sky. He was again upon his own grave looking at the sky that had now turned deep blue. The howling wind told him that it was still night – perhaps sometime at midnight. Harry sat slowly and there before him stood the child that he feared to see.

“Hello Harry.”

“You…”

The little girl smiled at him and went closer. Harry felt her power and this made him move back until he hit his own gravestone. Still the little girl did not stop until at last she was standing about a foot away from Harry.

“You are…you’re Nin.” Harry gasped.

Nin smiled at him. “I see…” Her devious mouth opened a little and Harry saw the tip of a fang. “Have they shown you the Prophecy?” She did not blink and Harry could feel her eyes as they pierce through him like the sharp tip of a sword.

Harry could not answer; Nin was trying to penetrate through his consciousness as though reading his mind.

“Stop!” Harry cried feeling his wounds return. Nin was making him remember the torture that he went through and it was causing his body to hurt anew, and bleed.

Nin laughed at him and Harry felt like many sharp objects were piercing his ears.

“They will never save you, Bearer! Even now, my creation is with them and he will take the Iranna from your body and you will howl into the night and beg for death!” Nin cried in cruel laughter. The black of her eyes covering the entire eyeball, her fangs now clearly showing, dripped with blood as she went closer to him.

She whispered into his ear, “You will never take my place…I will drink your blood, Nymphrodite…”

Harry felt her hand upon his belly and his right ovary hurt incredibly. Then a gust of wind blew and Nin cowered from it, jumping back and landing on all four like an animal, and Harry saw how fearful she was seeing the one that approached them. The pain he felt disappeared completely, like it never happened.

“Be gone, lest I send down my warriors upon you!”

Nin hissed and disappeared leaving with a spine-tingling cry that echoed into the night. Harry looked upon the newcomer with gratitude. She walked towards him and though she too possessed great power enough to make Harry wince, her eyes were kinder and as Harry looked deeper into them he saw that they were filled with so much sadness. He then realized who this was.

“You are…you are Lai.” Harry said.

Lai nodded. Then she went closer to Harry and said, “I am here to give you a gift for your suffering and for the great sacrifice that your Defender gave.” She showed him a bowl of crystal that contained stones that were brightly colored. “Reach inside and take as many stones as you can get with one hand.” Hesitantly, Harry reached inside and when he took out his hand he was holding three stones. “Your gift is three days.”

“Three days?” Harry said.

“Yes, Bearer. Aum has given you three days that you will spend with only three people. You will not be seen nor heard nor felt by anyone save for those three.” Lai said.

“What happens after that?” Harry said.

“After that you will return to Aum and remain there.” Lai said.

“But why?” Harry said. “Why can’t I stay here, with them?” Harry said.

“Because Nin can see you, Bearer. Here she has power over you and she may persuade you to tell her the Prophecy.” Lai said.

“You mean, she doesn’t know?”

“What she knows is not enough to stop the fulfillment of the Prophecy. Yet if you remain here, she will stop at nothing until she gets it from you.” Lai said.

“But I hardly understand it, let alone tell her about it.” Harry said.

“But she will if she gets you to tell her. So much depends on the fulfillment of it that we cannot afford her knowing what you have seen and heard.” Lai said. “That is why I have come to give you this gift, for I know that there are those that deserve to see you, even for a day. To be with you, before the great race begins.”

“Three days…” Harry whispered. He began making choices of whom to see, whom to spend the three days with – three days that could be his last.

“Use it wisely, Bearer. Look deep into your heart and you will see those who need to see you greatly.” Lai said. “When you have chosen, hold out one of the stones and place it on that person’s hand and they will see you and feel you, and hear you, as though you are among them again. You have seven days to make the choice, after that the stones will lose their power and willing or not, you will return to Aum.”

A gust of wind came and Lai was gone. The first two choices were easy to make – Ron, and their son – he wanted to see them again, even if it is for the last time. The third was very difficult. It had to be someone who will be able to help Ron in his task. There were so many to choose, so many that would be able to help, and many that he wanted to see again. But he thought about what Lai said and realized that he also needed to think about those who needed to see HIM badly. Who would give anything to be with him again – perhaps to say the things that were left unsaid?

Harry went inside the castle and looked around him. The Hogwarts’ crest was still rent in half in the Great Hall and everywhere the Gryffindor banners all torn in two. He wondered why those that reconstructed the castle never repaired it. Then he went to the Southern Tower and stayed inside his old room. Looking at the windows he then remembered someone, someone he saw looking out a window, pale yet full of pride. Wondering if he made it out alive as well, Harry decided to visit the room next to his. To his great surprise the person he thought of was there. He went closer and happy to see him, Harry whispered his name, “Draco…”