ROAR

Kai's hand slipped when he pushed against the ground.

There was wetness on the rocks; moss and small puddles of water. He could feel it, smell it, and touch it; the decisive moment. Kai struggled to stand up, his eyes never leaving the official wizard.

Peter's face was swollen, beyond the humanely describable terms. His left eyes couldn't be seen anymore under the protruded black-blue flesh. Traces of blood still lingered at the corner of his lips, and his wand-hand trembled with every step he took towards them.

Thump!

Kai hid Mr. Beedle behind him as he heard another crash. Simon and Shae's broom exploded in mid-air, throwing them off on the rocks. His eyes found Arlen then. The captain of guard was standing on his feet too, his wand out in open.

"Peter!" the second wizard landed beside Peter, his wand giving out a trail of smoke. "Are you alright?"

Kai knew they were in trouble then. Arlen's change in route had managed to injure two official wizards, but they weren't dead. The death of the newbie seemed worthless to Kai then.

'I'd rather thrust the longsword in both of them,' Kai thought, taking out the longsword.

"Yes." Peter nodded. "You sure took your time, Dickon."

Arlen, Simon, and Shae approached Kai. Arlen was still OK, but Simon could scarcely even walk. His left leg was broken, the white bone splintered and beaming out of the flesh. Shae supported him as they grouped around Mr. Beedle.

'He wouldn't be dancing anytime soon,' Kai thought dismayingly.

The two Order's Contestants caught up with the two parties facing each other. They got off their brooms behind the officials and scampered towards them. The gun was gone too as if it was just a bad dream.

"Two good sirs," the man called, his voice low and raspy. "They killed my sister. My sweet sister! I told you. There is an evil in them. They all are the followers of the dark."

"Yes," the woman nodded, bringing tears to her eyes. "Can you see the man behind them? He's the source of all darkness."

"Shut up!" Peter roared or tried to roar, but only spit, and a grumble came out. "No words from both of you."

"What's the use of taking out your anger on them, Peter?" Dickon asked, showing displeasure. "I told you. We are just recruits. It would have been wise to bring more force. Wiser, yet, for a veteran to accompany us."

Kai and Arlen exchanged glances. Simon passed a dagger to Shae, who looked at it as if it was the strangest thing in the world.

"My Lords," Arlen said, his words loud and amiable, "I think there's a misunderstanding."

"We are just guarding our liege, Lord Staton of York," Kai said, pointing his longsword at Mr. Beedle, and then pointed it at the man and woman behind the wizards. "From thieves. From liars, and savages."

Both wizards frowned upon hearing that. They looked back at the man, who seemed to have gone red in rage. "They lie," the man thundered, his finger pointing at Kai and Arlen, shaking like a twig. "There's no Lord Staton. That's Mr. Beedle."

"It doesn't matter," Peter said finally. "The truth will come out soon enough. Lay down your weapons and wands, guards or not. Come with us to the Wizard's Council HQ, and I promise you will have a chance to speak."

"Haha! That's ridiculous," Arlen scornfully laughed. "For all I know, it's you two who want to kill our good Lord here. How would we know what you are saying has some truth in it?"

"It's simple enough," Dickon said. "Here's the badge granted by the High Seat of the Wizard's Council."

Dickon reached out to the in-pocket of his doublet. Arlen broke into a sudden dash of madness then. Kai was at Arlen's tail, running zig-zag, hiding from Peter's eyesight. Peter let out a murderous grin, but just as he was about to use the spell, a water bullet hit the back of his head.

"YOU!" He roared, stumbling to find the balance.

"Petrificus Totalus!" Arlen shouted, his face becoming paler than the vanishing dark of the sky. Dickon couldn't react in time and stiffened. Kai jumped over Arlen and slashed at the wizard.

The steel had almost touched Dickon's neck when he heard the rumbling incantation.

"Incarcerous!"

Kai got flung by what seemed like thick ropes. They wrapped around him, entangling his arms and legs. If it weren't for his hands in an attacking position, the rope would have choked him to death by now. He rolled over rocks, struggling to catch a breath and try to disentangle himself.

He didn't hear the words again. But, in the next moment, he found Arlen blown away too; the ropes coiling around him like a snake, alive and monstrous.

'Damn it!' Kai cursed, trying to bring the longsword edge to the ropes.

"That's it!" Peter grumbled. Kai saw Peter shooting a glance at Simon, who was now lying on the ground. The official wizard came towards Kai then, the other half of his face also turning blue in rage.

"I gave you a chance," Peter said, pointing the wand at Kai.

Kai's mind shook. This was the second time he was having the same sense of crisis as he had felt in the inn.

Dickon shot towards Peter from behind. "Peter, NO!"

Peter didn't heed the call.

Kai saw Peter opening his mouth, but the incantation and intention, both felt dark even to him.

"Crucio!"

Ahhhhhh… Kai howled, but no voice came out. It felt like his insides were twisting into themselves. Thousands of needles were pricking his flesh, and hundreds of knives were cutting him apart.

Pain. So much pain.

On and on. It kept going on as if the pain was eternal. And suddenly it became quiet. In the twists and turns, the longsword had cut the ropes apart. But Kai couldn't find the strength to even think properly.

[Damage Taken: 65 points (HP) 30 points (SP)]

Kai saw a blackness covering his eyes. Only words kept coming to his ears, like murmurs. And hidden among these murmurs was a roar, so loud, that Kai felt he had returned to the thunderstorm, surrounded by the old enemies who he had killed.

This roar was lightning. It was Thunder. The storm's rage.

This roar… had come from Mr. Beedle.

"WHO DARE USE DARK MAGIC IN OUR PRESENCE?"

*************

AN: For those who don't remember the spells, or the mention of things outside Harry Potter Universe, I will be uploading facts and details about them on Discord. If you would like to know more, you can join. Discord Link: https://discord.gg/YYU3GyfZnv

Still, I will be describing all the things such that the readers won't be needing any outside reference. Its a challenge but I will gladly take it on. All the beasts, Items, things, and characters will have a good description of them, no matter which anime or book or movie is referred.

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