Axel, Akiko and Martina appeared a short distance away from the designated area.
"We're here."
Martina looked around. "Is this really the forbidden forest?" She asked. The trees here were much larger and denser than usual, making the surroundings dark. The Forbidden Forest didn't look this... forbidden.
"Yes. It's way deeper though," said Axel. The Forbidden forest is humongous. And the place Axel and Akiko train is in the very outer layer of the forest, so Axel had never ventured this far into the place. You could simply say he cherished his life and had some common sense.
Akiko closed her eyes. "We need to hurry!" She urged.
"Wait." Axel put a hand on her shoulder. He knew they didn't have time, but precautions were a must. "Before we go in, I want you guys to know, we're probably up against Voldemort. And he has Rose Potter hostage."
"What?! Ohnono No! All the more reason we should hurry!" Said Martina. Of course! How could she forget?! Rose Potter was the girl who lived! Of course Voldemort would try to get her every year! The massive changes in the canon had given her the misconception that she didn't have to worry about the canon events repeating. But even if they didn't happen, she had forgotten that Rose Potter and Voldemort were still each other's nemesis!
Akiko on the other hand was even more surprised. "Vold…mort? As in your previous darklord? Isn't he gone?"
Axel shook his head. "No, he's not. So, we need to disguise your appearances before we go."
They were up against Voldemort. The most dangerous entity in two worlds. It's already assumed that they weren't going to be able to kill the guy. Then it is imperative that they hide their identities, lest they be targeted by the madman for trying to interfere with his plans.
Upon his reminder, their faces were covered with masks and they donned their hoods over their heads. Last Halloween, Martina had designed special clothing for them. Its base material was Basilisk skin, which could give a great defense against both physical and magical attack. But that was just one of its many features. Some other features would be that they were self-cleaning, and they could be changed into any attire you want.
All three of them were currently decked in their combat attire. Axel in a black hoodie, black jeans, black boots, fingerless gloves, and a mask that covered his face till his eyes. Martina was in a purple cloak, and Akiko was outfitted in standard ninja attire that clung to her voluptuous body.
Both the girls looked like they had more questions, like for example, 'how the fuck he knew all the information he just mentioned?' But they held it in for now, since they had more urgent matters at hand like maybe saving Rose, Hogwarts, Brittain, and World.
Not wasting any more time, Axel led them towards the disaster site. In front of them was just another part of the forest, appearing quite normal. Axel could not detect any abnormalities inside. Wards were blocking detection ahead.
This is one of the reasons why Voldemort is a fearsome entity. Even though he can't do anything directly, he can still instruct his followers on how to create wards of this caliber. Akiko was only able to sense the abnormalities because she had trained herself to be attuned to the basic yin element of nature, something no other ninja is known to match.
Martina had a troubled look on her face. "There are some obscure wards ahead. It might take me some time to decipher them."
"No need." said Axel.
[Arcane Eyes]
[Magic Hands]
[Ward Breaking]
[Traceless]
These wards might be tricky for Martina to break through due to their unfamiliar nature, but the wards themselves weren't too strong since the one who set them up isn't that skilled.
*Swoosh*
As soon as they entered, they realized just how serious the matter was.
Martina gasped, her knees buckling. But even before she saw the creatures, She felt a severe depression hit her mind, and her very essence, her soul, seemed to be slipping out of her.
Akiko gripped her head in pain due to the huge disturbance in the element. She wasn't affected by the Demogorgons presence, since Darkness was her affinity, but she was attuned to the Darkness and the yin element of this place was simply too chaotic.
There was a ghastly atmosphere inside the wards. Even from a distance they could see three giant silhouettes. 15 feet tall Skeletal creatures, wrapped in ragged and wispy cloaks made out of darkness. Their gray, translucent bones covered with rotten flesh visible at the uncovered parts.
[Light Infusion]
"Fumus Netorem"
Axel produced smoke infused with light element magic. Once it surrounded them, the horrific side effects of the Demogorgon's presence subsided somewhat, allowing the girls a chance to adjust their mental state.
They were really caught off guard by the combined effect of three demogorgons.
"T-There are three of them!" whispered Martina in shock. They had almost died handling just one. Now she was seeing three of them in front of her eyes.
"More are coming!" Said Akiko in urgency. "Too many of them!"
They quickened their footsteps. Soon the dense trees parted to make way for a huge clearing,
"Rose!" Martina almost rushed forward, but Axel dragged her back.
But he couldn't really blame her for her reckless behavior. Because in the middle of the clearing, there was a huge ritual circle, in which laid Rose Potter. Her eyes were wide open, but all you could see inside them was darkness. Veins were visible on her face and neck, and almost palpable darkness seemed to be oozing out of her. Kneeling just outside the circle was Gilderoy Lockhart, with a small book perched atop his hands,
Seeing such a situation, of course Martina would want to rush in and save Rose. But they also had to consider the existence of the three creatures who were guarding that circle, and the fourth one which was still coming out, not to mention lockhart. They couldn't act recklessly . Things are actually life threatening right now.
Axel quickly gave them specific instructions.
[True Invisibility]
[Soundless]
[Presence Reduction]
Axel did not only cast these spells on himself, but on Martina too, before heading towards Rose. They could hear a terrifying voice coming from inside the diary, where two red eyes were visible. Even from a distance, they could feel the eerie and malicious presence which could be none other than Voldemort.
'What's with this man? First a locket and then a diary?' Despite the intimidation, Axel had to question the dark lord's choice of possession.
Voldemort laughed. "No one can stop me now!" He proclaimed.
At this moment, Akiko appeared some distance away from Voldemort. "Think again."
But her appearance right now was completely different. She had a layer of darkness surrounding her, preventing her from the influence of Demogorgons. This was a new Jutsu she had developed specially for these creatures.
Since Darkness was Akiko's affinity, she was the least prone to the Demogorgons attacks. That's why she was the one creating the distraction.
Lockhart stood up abruptly. "Who are you?!"
"A Shinobi?" Voldemort understood that the person in front of him was a Shinobi. But even he didn't expect his plan to be discovered so soon. And what was more peculiar was the fact that this Shinobi did not seem to be affected by the presence of the Demogorgon.
"Ah… you surprise me, Shinobi. Darkness affinity. One not too inferior to mine," he said with interest. "Rare. Too rare. You were able to feel the disturbance, weren't you? What is your name?"
Akiko shook her head. "I'm not telling," she said simply.
Eeven her voice was disguised. She could be any of the hundreds of female ninjas present right now at Hogwarts.
Voldemort laughed. "Fair enough. Then yin Shinobi, I'll tell you mine. I'm Lord Voldemort. And since you have such a rare talent, I will give you two options: Join me or die."
Akiko shook her head again.
"I will do neither."
Voldemort, who was still expecting a dramatic response from her upon hearing his name, was enraged. "Kill!" He ordered the three Demogorgons, AND the fourth one, which had already emerged by now.
But, Akiko didn't seem much concerned about that at all. She just looked at Voldemort as if waiting for something. No. She wasn't looking at Voldemort, she was looking "past" him!
'You done?' Her glance seemed to ask.
Only then did Voldemort and Lockhart start to notice. An intense Light had already begun radiating from Martina's staff. It was so much that even Axel's invisibility spell couldn't hide it!
While Akiko was distracting Voldemort and Lockhart, Martina had been preparing to cast her Guardian Angel spell, one even more powerful than the one she cast back at Hogwarts. And it was necessary. After all, they were up against creatures above XXXXX.
Covered in Axel's magic, which her extreme sensitivity to magic, she could exert much more powerful emotions into her spell.
"ANGELUS CUSTOS!!!"
The spell was complete. And this time, the guardian angel formed was smaller than last time. But…
*Screeeeeeeech*
An old cacophony of screeches was produced by the huge Demegorgons as they sensed imminent threat from the Corporeal figure that was beginning to take shape.
A blinding light filled up the place, erasing all the darkness away.
The Guardian Angel looked ahead at the Demigorgons as it rolled its shoulders and cracked its neck, as if getting serious this time. Then it slowly began walking in air towards the Demigorgons, as if ascending the stairs.
*Screeeeeeeech*
Despite the massive size difference and the numerical difference, it was the Demigorgons who took a few steps back.
Looking at the scene, Axel nodded in satisfaction. First Akiko distracted them enough for Martina to successfully cast her spell. Now, Martina's spell should distract them enough for him to retrieve Rose.
He quickly made his way towards the Ritual circle where Rose was lying. Everything was going as he had thought. But of course, there was a 'but'.
Something unexpected happened just as he approached the ritual circle.
The ritual circle suddenly began producing tendrils of darkness. And those tendrils were attracted to the pendant around his neck, breaking his invisibility.
'Shit!'
….
Around the same time, unexpected people arrived at Hogwarts. It was the Minister of Magic, bringing a huge force of Wizards and Ninjas along with her.
*****
A.N.: I need POWERSTONES. Or I'll delay the next chapter 👹
Next: Axel Vs Voldemort
Next next: Encounter with Kraken
Next... next: Who is the Real Monster?
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