Chapter 64. The Promotion
"Alright. I'm going to do it," Harry said, taking a deep breath and exhaling slowly through his mouth.
They were standing in the second Room with their weapons ready. Iris was chewing her bottom lip while her White Sword hung at her side. Her crimson hair and green eyes had a soft luminance to them, making her seem divine and ethereal. The visible shine was due to the massive amount of power coursing through her body, making her vibrant aura tangible.
Daphne, on the other hand, sported a blank look, not displaying any of her concerns. Her blonde hair and blue eyes also glowed like Iris', thanks to the enchanted sword she was holding, which exponentially multiplied her already impressive power. She gave him a determined nod and tightened her grip on her sword and wand, ready to unleash her skills at his signal.
It was the day after the third task. The previous day of celebrations had been a great success. Everyone had participated in the joyous celebrations, disregarding their Hogwarts' houses, disregarding the schools they belonged to, and even disregarding if they won or lost. It was as if the entire Wizarding World had released a collective sigh at the conclusion, glad that nothing tragic happened and revelling in the fact that everyone was alive.
But the time for celebration was over now, and it was time to finish his last quest.
That was why the trio was alone in the second Room.
Of course, Tracey too wanted to remain with them while he concluded his last task. But she wasn't powerful enough to join them in case something unexpected happened. The only reason he was even allowing these two to keep him company was that he might need their strength if Voldemort did something unpredictable during the brief seconds he'd breathe.
The replica of the Room of Requirement had taken on a grim form. The chamber was small and sturdy. The floor was thick grey stone, as were the walls and the roof. There were no doors or windows, and innumerable traps were already laid in preparation that would decimate the dark lord on the off chance he overcame them and tried to escape.
Harry pointed his Black Sword before him and said, "Revive."
A bright globe of golden light phased through the floor and hovered in front of him. Quickly, the light stretched and twisted, moulding into a humanoid form. Then flesh grew over the golden spectre at a rapid pace, covering it entirely. Hiding it fully. Seconds later, a man stood facing him.
The man's hair was dark obsidian, and his eyes were warm brown. From the first glance, the man seemed like a handsome youth who'd charm everyone with his kind smiles. But the brief flare of red in those warm hazel eyes would decimate any hope of that kindness.
"Wha—"
Slick!
His query was cut short when Harry shoved his sword through the man's chest without a hint of mercy. The man's red eyes widened in horror and comprehension before they dimmed and turned glassy.
He wouldn't lie. The helpless and tortured expression of his foe soothed his turbulent mind. While there was no triumphant joy filling his soul, a weight did lift off his shoulders.
It was so strange that he wasn't jumping around in joy for killing the murderer of his sister. He should feel ecstatic. Really, he should. He should experience cruel satisfaction for snuffing out this man's life. But all he got was a tired sense of peace that he was done with this crap.
Slick!
He pulled back his sword and allowed the dead body to crash into the growing pool of blood. With an uncaring wave of his hand, he vanished the mess, leaving the room pristine and clean once again.
QUEST:
– Kill Voldemort.
Success!
REWARD: Gained!
– 10,000 XP
– Perk [?]
[Chaos' Heir]
— You are eligible to become a primordial.
Harry didn't see the quest window popping on and off in his vision as he had his eyes closed and was soaking in his triumph.
He smiled as his twin slammed into him, giving him a bear hug.
Storing his sword in Inventory, he wound his arm around her waist and pulled her as close as he could. Her relief was palpable. And he could almost hear the thundering of her heart as it pressed against his. Opening his right arm towards the other girl, he offered his invitation, and Daphne didn't need another signal.
For the moment, Iris ignored her possessive streak and adjusted a little to let the blonde hug him too.
He embraced his twin and his best friend. His closest confidants. And he hadn't felt lighter in years.
"It's over," his sister whispered, giving him a squeeze.
"It's over," Daphne repeated with a small smile.
He just nodded; no words could convey his relief.
Suddenly, he gasped and faltered back, breaking the hug and pushing the two away.
Something fiery was coming out.
Falling to his knees, he shoved his fist into his mouth and muffled his tortured scream. Every part of his body was burning. No, his very soul was on fire, not his body. He could feel it. He could feel the flames devouring his core. It was worse than the pain of being burned alive.
"Harry!"
Someone shrieked. He couldn't identify the voice, too busy drowning in his own pain. It must be Iris or Daphne, a small part of him guessed dumbly. Hands closed around him, trying to comfort him. But the warmth of their bodies was practically ice compared to the raging inferno inside him. His teeth bit into his fingers, and yet the only pain he felt was not coming from his body. It came from his soul.
He tasted iron from the blood trickling out of his mangled digits. He was dying, he realised as his vision blurred and he fell further into himself
It stopped in an abrupt manner, going away as soon as it came.
His vision returned, and he realised he was slumped in an armchair. Iris and Daphne were hunched over him, distressed at his state. Their silky hair fell down their fronts, framing their wide, frightened eyes. They were confused when he cupped their faces and traced his thumbs along their lips.
As he stared at them, he saw more than he had ever seen before. He could see the golden magic swirling in their bodies. He could see the concentrated blue light in their heads; it must be their minds, he thought absent-mindedly. And he could even see the white energy spanning through every single cell, connecting everything. Their souls.
He frowned, ignoring their gasps as his nails dug into their cherry-red lips.
These two were such primitive beings.
Such lowly creatures.
Now that he saw what they were made of, he couldn't help but think they were just mindless insects crawling on the ground, unaware of the vast world surrounding them. The way their being was divided into body, magic, mind, and soul, he could almost declare them unfeeling machines. After all, just like machines, they too had various cogs working together to make a whole.
Why had he ever felt love for these worthless insects? Well, he could appreciate their beauty; their bodies were the same as his, if a bit inferior. That was the only thing separating these humans from other worthless, primitive life forms.
Hmm, he could make them better. He should take their minds and magic and just leave the souls in their bodies. That way, they'd be perfect, unaging dolls. Then he'd be able to indulge in their beautiful bodies and wouldn't even have to interact with the lowly beings. He could use them whenever he wanted and throw them in the wardrobe when he didn't. But he could make another doll if he desired pleasure, even more beautiful than these cretins.
Why would he even need these pathetic mortals?
Just as he was going to destroy them so he wouldn't have to suffer their inane questions, a voice inside his head tore through his musings.
Harry, please. Stop right now. Don't fall. Don't fucking fall! Don't let this divinity overpower your soul and memories. Remember them. Remember your sister. Remember your friends. Remember your mother. Remember who you are.
He scrunched his eyebrows, knowing it was Isis pleading with him.
Isis. Iris. Isis. Iris. So confusing. They were his sisters, weren't they? His loved ones? Wait a minute, did he have two sisters? He couldn't remember. But he had to know. He had to know if he had two sisters. Because somehow he knew that he loved his sister the most. YES! Sister. He had only one. Yes, only one. Iris. It was her name. His soulmate. His partner in everything. His most precious. His everything.
But just as the realisation set in, a foreign power tried to make him forget and evolve.
Who the fuck was trying to overpower him? He was fucking Harry Potter. The one destined to be the ruler of the multiverse beside Creator. The man who'd make the multiverse a better place. And no one should have the power or the audacity to make him forget about his loved ones. Fuck this divinity. Fuck it twice. Fuck it thrice. He would rather die than change who he was.
He was Harry Potter. Iris Potter's twin. And Lily Potter's beloved son.
Just like that, he released Iris' and Daphne's jaws and looked at them apologetically.
But the pain that had gone away came back once again, angrily clawing at his soul for refusing to change and progress. It felt like someone was playing tug-of-war with his soul. He snapped his jaw shut and put his foot down. He wasn't going to budge. He was staying right where he was. And that just seemed to intensify the pain.
He trembled and writhed, now his body too getting affected by his inner pain.
He was dimly aware that his sister and Daphne had turned the armchair into a bed and that they were holding him down with their full strength. He must be subconsciously holding back so as not to hurt them; otherwise, they wouldn't have been able to restrain him. That thought brought a modicum of hope. And that hope turned the tide of this battle.
His one constant scream turned into an exhausted groan, and his consciousness slowly floated up. At last, his vision began turning normal, and it didn't feel like he was watching the world from the bottom of a muddy lake while the grindylows feasted on his flesh.
"Harry," Iris said in a trembling voice.
He realised she was hugging him and sobbing on his chest. He gently caressed her back and looked at Daphne on his other side, who was weeping and clutching his hand as if it were a lifeline. He pulled them both on top of him and kept on chanting, "I'm fine. I'm fine. I'm fine…"
It took some time before the girls calmed down and allowed him to sit with his back propped against the headboard. He had a hard time convincing them that he was okay. Understandably so, when a moment ago he was letting out his dying scream. But they must have sensed his healed body and mind, because in the end, they acquiesced reluctantly.
Still, it didn't mean they weren't latching onto him on either side, trying to prove to their minds that he was really okay. And he didn't begrudge them for that, and simply pulled them to his sides, rubbing their shoulders as they cuddled in.
'Isis, what was that?'
That was your ascension to godhood. Check your stats quickly.
His eyes widened, and he looked at his stats.
Character Sheet
Name: Harry Potter
Race: Elder God
Title: Chaos' Heir
Lvl: 1%
HP: Infinite
MP: Infinite
'Where are my Perks and Skills? Where are my traits?"
This is the long-awaited system update, it seems. The traits are gone. You won't be affected by [Lustful] or [Remorseless] anymore. The Perks and the Skills on the other hand, are still there. Though I think you can do all of that without needing those Perks and Skills anymore. That's why it's hidden, since they're redundant now.
'And my levels?'
You have to talk to Creator about that. I can't make heads or tails of that. Though I do know that your strength has skyrocketed. If I have to guess, I'll say you're as powerful as level 50,000.
It was all too much to take in. So he simply closed his eyes and tried to take a nap.
He didn't complain when his twin rested his head on her lap.
~xXxXx~
When he woke up, he was somewhere else. Somewhere familiar. The Chamber of Seven. The walls were the same light lilac, going up for eternity, while the floor was a deep shade of red. He didn't even have to look over his shoulder to know that there were seven mirrors arranged along the curving wall.
Before him was the pedestal atop which a throne sat. And lounging in it was Creator.
This wasn't a dream, was it?
A brief image of three people sleeping in a bed popped into his head, confusing him. Somehow, he just looked far into another universe and glimpsed at what was currently happening in his world. It must be a perk for becoming an Elder God. Then did that mean this was really a dream?
As if knowing his thoughts, Creator spoke up, "No, it's not a dream. You're a god now. You're dividing your consciousness and being in multiple places in multiple bodies. So yes, you're both sleeping and meeting me."
The ruler of the gods descended the steps and halted before him, a strange, soft smile playing upon his lips. It was definitely weird for him to see a true smile on Creator's face. He almost looked like a normal, kind man. Still, Harry guarded his reaction and looked up at him; God was still a head taller than him.
"I completed all the quests," Harry said.
"So you did. Congratulations on your ascension. Before I begin explaining what will happen, do you want me to get Voldemort's soul so you can punish him personally?"
Harry shook his head. "No, it's fine. I'll leave his punishment to the gods of the dead."
Honestly, Harry didn't even hate that man any more. The poor fool had been killed two times. First, by his own wife while they were in the middle of sex, and second, just today, by his own hand. All in all, Harry had enough revenge. He'd like to move forward in his life, thank you very much.
"You sure? Don't you want to turn him into a buxom elf and trap him—her, sorry—in a loop where she gets raped by orcs and goblins every day for the rest of eternity?"
Harry's jaw dropped, and he stared at the God. Was that what he did to his own Voldemort? Nevermind, he didn't want to know. Ignorance is bliss and all that.
"No. I'm pretty sure I'll leave the punishment to whoever is looking after his soul in the afterlife," he answered.
"Oh well. Your choice." Creator shrugged and proffered his arm.
Harry took it.
And the next moment, they left the Eternal Chamber of Seven.
The new place they landed was oppressive. It was a small cubic room, only big enough that he could raise his hand and graze the ceiling. Three walls were pristine white, while in place of the fourth wall, there were steel bars. Both the floor and roof were inky shadows, writhing and squirming. Harry was sure he'd be dead if not for Creator's protection.
But what most surprised him was a man slumped against the white wall and staring through the bars with glassy eyes.
Harry sucked in a sharp breath. The man was the doppelganger of Creator. From the curve of their noses to the style of their hair, they looked exactly the same. An obvious question caused the weight of apprehension to fall on him.
Why did Creator bring him to this cage?
"Heh. Don't be afraid. I'm not going to trap you here with my clone. I just wanted to show you the tool that you'd inherit."
"Tool?"
"Yes, that man is my half-soul. A sort of Horcrux, if you will. I made him when my ambitions landed me in this cage. And I was just fourteen then. You see, when I myself ascended to godhood, I didn't become an Elder God. No, I wanted to be the most powerful, so I hijacked the insentient Chaos and attached my soul to it, becoming Chaos itself. Alas, Chaos is an ever-expanding sea that can't be understood by a human mind." Creator smiled wistfully and stepped towards the bars, looking out at the ever-growing essense of Chaos.
It was black—blacker than anything Harry had ever seen. If absence of light were a colour, then this was it. He bit his tongue and pressed his palm on his pounding chest. Even with Creator's protection, there was still the pressure that tried to turn him into a pulp.
"I became trapped here. I couldn't move. I couldn't do anything. All I could do was see. See everything that was there. See everything that was happening. I was omnipresent. But what use was this power when I couldn't even utilise it? Every time a new world was created, I was hit with a migraine. And the multiverse expands every second. So I was suffering from a skull-crushing migraine every second."
God smiled softly at his past self and walked over to the doppelganger. He kneeled before it and looked at it critically. "A brilliant idea struck me between the migraines. And I split my soul in two. I split my body in two. I pulled my consciousness into one body and left this one as the medium between me and Chaos. And that's how I escaped my situation: by turning half my soul into a machine that would process the power of Chaos and pass it to me. This doll sees everything. It listens to everything. It knows everything. It's my greatest invention. And it will be yours soon."
Harry was horrified and yet amazed by the story. Say one thing about Creator, say he is ambitious. To think that a fourteen-year-old became the ruler of the entire multiverse. That had to be the most bizarre thing to ever happen. Still, this revelation raised many questions.
"Do I have to do this thing to become Order? Do I have to divide my soul in two?"
"Weren't you listening? This doll will be yours. You don't have to mess with your soul."
"But why would I need this doll when it belongs to you? And it is connected to Chaos, isn't it? How will it help me connect my soul to the ever-expanding sea of Order?"
Creator stood before him and grinned, as if he knew something that Harry didn't. "It was a lie. You were never meant to be Order. You were always meant to be Chaos, my replacement. And I've already set rules in the multiverse that will stop anyone from repeating my stunt and hijacking Order. Honestly, there's a chance that the multiverse would simply collapse if both Chaos and Order are taken. There needs to be at least one insentient primordial force to clean up our messes."
Harry stumbled back with wide eyes. "Why even lie?"
"It was the other gods' request that the next King should be good and not tyrannical. So I thought this lie would give you a hero complex and stop you from going bad. After all, would you still be the same if I'd said you were the next Chaos?"
He couldn't answer that. There had been many times in the last few years when he'd almost committed heinous crimes. And it was only the thought of being the good guy, of being different from Chaos, that stopped him from slipping down the slippery slope. The case with Narcissa Malfoy was the most recent one. If he had known he was going to be next Chaos, he might have simply blamed it on his 'naturally chaotic tendency' and fucked the crying woman, morality be damned. The same thing happened with Tracey's mum. If he had been aware of this lie, he might've tortured or raped her for hurting his friend. Chaos was meant to be evil and unpredictable, right?
So yes, the thought of being Order, the opposite of Chaos, had moulded his morals and stopped him from compromising with them.
"What now? What will stop me from using that excuse to do as I wish?"
"Your sister. Or maybe she won't. I don't care. I did what the gods requested of me, and that's enough effort on my part. Whether you turn bad or not, it won't affect me. I'll be long gone by then." Creator shrugged.
"Where will you go after retiring?" Harry asked, aware that one time when he left the multiverse and only returned after some gods manipulated Isis to attack him.
"Retire? Ha ha. No, junior, there won't be a vacation for me this time. I'm going to simply die and start afresh."
Harry was taken aback by that. "Can Gods even die? And why would you even want to? You sacrificed so much to get here. And now you'll simply die and leave it all to me?"
"Gods? Yes, I can do anything. Elder gods or minor gods? No, they can't die unless I kill them myself. That's the power I have." He smiled thinly.
"But why?"
"I have lived without my sister and friends for too long. This life is now just an unending chore. It's time for me to break free of this cage and fly away," he said, looking extremely tired.
It was such a human emotion that Harry almost mistook him for an ordinary man.
He felt miserable after hearing that. This seemed like deja vu. Another Illiniya Greengrass who wanted to end it and meet her family. And while he knew that Creator had done innumerable vile things throughout his life, he still had a soft spot for him. This was the same man who saved his family from a fate worse than death. How could he not be grateful for that?
"If it makes you feel better, this had been planned long before. And I'm not dying just to die. I have collected the souls of all my loved ones and rigged the system so that we will be reborn together. See this as a way to thank me. I need you at the top so you can stop other revengeful gods from coming after me. There's a reason I've chosen you. I know you're a rare minority who likes me and would protect my second chance to live a happy life. It will even our debts, so you can stop feeling beholden to me."
Harry pursed his lips and nodded.
"Good boy. Now let's return to the throne room." He patted Harry's back before they vanished once again.
~xXxXx~
They reappeared in the Eternal Chamber of Seven. Creator led him up to the throne and conjured a chair beside it for him. They both plopped down in their respective seats.
Without any prompting, he began once again. "The doll you saw earlier is already connected to your gamer system. In fact, you've been using the power of Chaos from the very beginning. But I had obviously put on some limiters for you to overcome. Now that you've surpassed them, I've removed all limiters. As you know, now you don't need skills or perks to do anything. You can simply control the very multiverse with your thoughts."
Harry gave a nod, showing that he was listening.
"But you aren't all powerful yet, so many things will still be out of reach. Like travelling through time or creating a universe. But as you continue growing strong, you'll get all those. Instead of levels, you have percentages now." Creator explained, conjuring a large blue screen before them; a copy of Harry's stats.
Character Sheet
Name: Harry Potter
Race: Elder God
Title: Chaos' Heir
Lvl: 1%
HP: Infinite
MP: Infinite
"The percentage shows how much power you can utilise from the doll connected to the ever-expanding sea of Chaos. For example, if I were in your place, it would've shown 100%. Next is your Race, which has been changed to the Elder God. But once you reach 50%, you'll become a primordial like me. And the last is the title, which is presently showing as 'Chaos' Heir'. But once again, when you attain 50% control, it will change to 'Lord of Chaos'. Did you get it?"
"Yes."
"Good. Any questions?"
"When are you deciding to die?"
"After your coronation, which will be in half an hour."
"What? Why such a hurry?"
"I'm feeling whimsical."
The smirk made it clear that Creator remembered their last conversation.
Harry's eyebrows twitched. "Fine. What about Isis? Is she integral to the system? Can I even free her without messing with the doll?"
"She's just a prisoner in the system with some power to create minor quests. You can easily extract her soul and create a body for her. But since it was me who trapped her there, you've got to reach my level before undoing the curse. Meaning, reach 100%."
"Why don't you release her? Hasn't she suffered enough?" Harry asked, hoping to free his friend.
At once, he knew that was not going to happen. Because all of a sudden, Creator's good humour vanished.
"Why don't I breed her and force her to kill her newborn? Why don't I keep on doing that every nine months until she begs me to take her life?"
Harry stilled at the venom in his tone, disgusted deeply at the revelation. He had grossly underestimated his hatred for Isis.
"That's what happened to her wretched companions. My mercy has its limits, junior. Don't test it. She's far luckier than the others. If it were up to me, she wouldn't even be alive right now."
"Alright," he mumbled, having almost forgotten that beside him wasn't a friend but a cruel God who had ruled over the multiverse with an iron fist.
A sudden flash of light welcomed two women, whom he guessed were goddesses. They were extremely beautiful, like goddesses ought to be, though the modern skirts and blouses were a bit jarring on such ancient beings.
One had the darkest shade of hair and eyes, which contrasted well with her milky pale skin. The other was a mystery. Her hair was fair, her skin was dark cream, and her smile was motherly. Even though they were both equally pretty, he felt an instant connection with the latter. And her purple eyes shone with mirth, as if she knew he was having inappropriate thoughts about her. It wasn't even his fault. It wasn't just her body that attracted him to her. It was some deeply ingrained instinct.
"Enough, Lady Magic, let the poor boy breathe." The pale lady chuckled, elbowing the grinning woman beside her.
"How can you expect me to do that when I can finally meet another son of mine? Come here, boy, give your mother a hug."
Harry heard an exasperated sigh from Creator, but his own body wasn't in his control, and he hurried down the steps. She opened her arms wide, and he readily collided with her, coiling his arms around her thin waist and embracing her tightly. Her body was divine. It was soft and so warm. It wasn't just lust that was making him stiffen in his pants; it was unbridled affection too. And he hadn't ever met her before.
This was so strange and concerning, but so damn lovely. Though a part of his mind realised it was the small pool of magic inside him getting attracted to the ocean inside her. He tried to right his mind, but her warmth was overwhelming, and the way his erection was digging into her thigh was maddening.
She giggled when his hands slipped under her skirt and cupped her lascivious arse. Before he could fall further into her allure, someone lightly chopped on his head and pulled him away from the source of all magic.
He whined childishly and got another chop as a result. "Stop dancing to her tune and strengthen your mind shields. While you're not as powerful as her, it should help."
Harry did just that, and his face coloured as the two ladies began laughing.
He couldn't remember when he had been this embarrassed.
"The boy's just like Harry. Only two times I've been molested in my eternal life. And both times by Harrys. Which says everything that needs to be said."
"Enough. The others will arrive soon. Please behave, mother. You can play with him later." Creator rubbed his forehead. These two were among the few people he liked. If he didn't, he wouldn't allow them such freedom.
"Fine." She pouted before sashaying to him and planting a loud kiss on his lips.
Harry resisted the urge to glower jealously as mother kissed that fucker. Where was his kiss? It was so unfair.
As if reading his thoughts, she skipped towards him and cupped his jaw before smooching the soul out of him. "There there, little Harry. Mommy loves you two equally. Never think otherwise. Whenever you want to kiss, tell me; I'll gladly shower any of my children with love."
Harry was too busy gawking dumbly at the seductress to see Creator's facepalm or notice the pale lady's chuckle.
Before Lady Magic could sow more chaos, another woman flashed into the chamber. And this one was an exact replica of the pale lady. Also, she waved at him as if they'd met before.
"Junior. Meet Lady Magic and Lady Life. And you've already met Lady Death."
And so it began. Harry's introduction to godhood.