Chapter 33: Rescue
Chapter 33 –
"I will go in using my Astral form, I don't want to alert them of our presence, hiding from the damn trees in the forest was difficult enough. Karl on my signal, I want you to sever their connection from each other, pull them into the astral dimension and rip whatever is holding their soul in its state, Master Kaecillius, you need to burn down the animated trees inside. The Flames of Faltine should do the trick." Wong said as they surveyed the area outside the cave in which Nathan was being held hostage.
"Jolene, is there anything else we should know, did you find out who else is there with him?" Wong asked into the M-phone that was connected to Jolene who was with the other kids in their camp, as they acted as decoys.
"No, the map identifies that someone is there, but his name isn't showing up," Jolene said, her voice sounding nervous, and slightly on edge.
"Okay, stay on guard, once we're done be prepared to take Nathan and leave," Wong said as he prepared to cut the connection.
"Please, bring my son back alive," Jolene's voice cracked as it came through again.
"Don't worry ma'am, we won't let him die, I won't let him be lost too." Master Kaecillius said, and Wong cut the call.
Wong nodded to the others, and sat down in the meditative position, he projected his Astral form and turned invisible to the eye and sights using his Psionic energy.
Heading inside through the wall of the cave, he looked around and counted twelve trees guarding the interior, and the four men were sitting in another section around a ball of black flame as they feasted on the magic inside it.
He floated through the cave and landed beside where Nathan had been tied up using the roots. He inspected the roots and their interaction with Nathan's magic. It would be easy to cut the connection, but he would have to time it with Karl so that they are not given the opportunity to respond.
He sent a wordless telepathic message to Karl, 'Okay, I am by Nathan, I need you to get in position and sever their connection.'
'Alright.' Karl responded as he too projected his astral form by the meditating men, 'Nova Romans, from the 15th Century. It's likely their queen doesn't even remember they are here. What a waste. Alright, I am in position.'
Wong and Karl timed their attacks, as Wong materialized and cut the vines that held Nathan in place, and Karl forced the four men into the Astral plane, while simultaneously severing their soul's connection with each other.
oOOOOOOOOOOOOOOo
A loud, horrifying scream of agony brought Nathan back to reality, as he desperately fought to maintain consciousness. He could feel the drain on his magic stop and his control return.
He began trying to form a telekinetic blast to protect himself from anyone around him when a very familiar voice started to calm him down.
"Breath, Nathan. Breathe, we have you." He heard as he was floated in the air.
"M-master Wong?" He croaked.
"Yes, I have you." He replied soothingly.
Nathan looked around the cave, he noticed that Master Wong had freed the old man as well, his breathing was raggedy, but he was alive. As soon as he turned his head in the other direction he heard
"By the Flames of Faltine! I command you all to BURN!" and the entire cave along with the animated hollows was lit on fire. The screams sounded yet again from the chamber beside him, as Wong pulled Nathan through the burning caves.
Nathan saw that Karl Mordo was standing over the downed form of the four men that had attacked him previously, all tied up in eldritch energy. As soon as he turned back to face the floating figure of Master Wong, he was struggling to hold them down. As soon as Karl thought he had them tied down, he started to float back to his physical body again, but Nathan noticed that one of the figures had already broken loose.
Nathan struggled against the magical grip that Master Wong had placed him in, and he broke free. As soon as he was free, Nathan willed his magic to transfigure the earth beneath the man, who had begun preparing a psionic blast to tear off Karl's astral form. Nathan transfigured the earth into spikes and impaled the man from three different spots, killing him instantly.
Nathan felt bile form in his throat, as he puked his guts at the scene. He had taken his first life, and despite having been used as a magical battery, he was not ready to take his first life. The previous night, he had fought to incapacitate, and in hindsight, he realized he should have fought to kill, but he had not been ready.
"Breathe, Nathan. He was dying anyway, Karl had severed their souls, they would have died regardless." Master Wong said having returned to his body, as he rubbed circles on Nathan's back. "It is not easy to take a life, but it has been done. You may have saved Karl's life in doing so. Breathe, easy."
Nathan slowly, and shakily rose to his feet, as looked at the impaled figure. He looked at the others that Karl had tied up previously and could see that they had died too, not having been able to withstand getting their soul severed, but he still felt dirty having taken a life regardless.
He took a deep breath, as he steeled his nerves. He would panic later, he needed to get home and back to his family.
"H-how is my mum, and everyone else?" He asked finally.
"They are fine, safe. How do you feel?" Wong asked as he guided Nathan out of the cave.
"Tired, I-I just want to go home," Nathan replied, as he stumbled on wobbly feet.
"Easy, Nathan. We have you now." Karl Mordo said as he joined them at the entrance "Thank you for saving me back there,"
Master Kaecillius opened a portal to the campsite again, and they all stepped through.
Nathan was immediately engulfed in a short tight hug by his mum as she checked him all over for other visible injuries.
Seeing her safe, alongside the others broke whatever dam that was holding him from bursting, and Nathan started sobbing in her hug, as she whispered soothing words in his ear. He did not realize when his teary eyes closed, and he drifted off to sleep.
oOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOo
Jolene watched the slumbering form of her son, as he laid down beside the other older man who was rescued from the cave. None of the sorcerers of Kamar Taj had any idea who he was, and Jolene hoped that he would be fine.
It had been two days since they had rescued Nathan and the old man. Master Wolfe had said that Nathan would awaken soon. She hoped that his capture would deter Nathan from taking on the task that he had taken up, but she had a feeling that would not be the case. If anything else, it would cause him to work even harder so that this wouldn't happen again. She could already see that was the conclusion his friends had come to as well.
She sighed as she laid her head back on the headrest of the chair she was sitting in, and she closed her eyes to get a wink of sleep.
"M-mum?" Her son's voice awoke her the very next second and she was by his side in an instant, as she held his hand.
"I am here, Nathan. I am here. How are you feeling?" She asked she rubbed circles with her thumb behind his palm.
"Water. I need water." He whispered.
Jolene poured him water from the jar beside him and helped him sit up to drink.
Nathan took a sip of water as he assessed where he was, and he found comfort in the fact that he was safe back in Kamar Taj.
"How long was I out?" He asked finally, glancing at the still unconscious form of the old man who was with him in the cave.
"Two days. You've been unconscious for two days." Jolene said, as she grasped his hand again, she was still shaken up having seen the condition that they had found him in.
"How are the others?" He asked again, as he didn't notice any of his friends around.
"They are outside, practicing. They wouldn't leave your side, you know." She chuckled as she remembered the argument the kids had with Master Wolfe when she asked them to leave.
"And the island?" Nathan asked finally, as he looked at his mum.
Jolene hesitated and sighed "We have it, it's ours now. But, Nathan are you sure you still want to do this? Don't you see that you are taking on an impossible task, I can't see you like that again… I-I …..you were kidnapped... your magic drained, and you still want to go ahead with this?"
Nathan looked at the pleading form of his mum and his heart hurt, but he would not deter. He knew that he had let his guard down, he had been foolish in assuming that it would be so simple as to walk in, claim the island and expect everything to go his way. He would learn from this, but he would not back down. "Mum, I-I have to. If…if I don't, who will? But I promise I will be more careful, take more precautions. I will not put you, or my friends in danger again."
"I'd hoped you would say that." A voice sounded from the door, and the Ancient One walked into the infirmary, behind her his friends entered as well.
"How are you, Nathan?" Carlisle asked as she stood beside Jolene.
"I am fine, I think." He replied.
"He should be up and about by the end of the day, don't worry." The Ancient One said as she checked his vitals using magic. "The men that had kidnapped you, they were willing slaves, of the Dark Huntress as they like to call her. Vampiric in nature. She eats the life force of living beings and uses it to grant herself immortality. She has established herself a powerbase out there somewhere. I am not sure where exactly. I wish I could say more, but she's placed a curse on her own name, the sorcerers of Kamar Taj cannot speak her name, or at least those that were alive when she placed it. But, that isn't why I am here. You have taken a life, how do you feel about it?"
Nathan hesitated before replying "W-well, I puked when I did it. But, …. Now? I did not think it would be, you know, so easy. I don't feel any different. And that…. it scares me."
"Good, that means you're okay. You will be fine. You killed someone in the midst of battle, out of necessity, and from the look of things, you saved Karl's life in doing so. Take pride in that you survived, and managed to save someone else." The Ancient One said as she floated a clear liquid vial toward him. "This is Otkid's elixir. It will heal all your wounds, and cure any physical injuries you may have. Be careful, this is only found in Dimension π. Master Wong acquired it just this morning. Now if you will excuse me, I will be in my chambers. Get well, Nathan."
"Master," Nathan stopped her, and she turned around to look at him "I need to learn more... I-I don't want to feel powerless as I did. Those…. Those vampires? They overwhelmed me so easily. Had it not been for my natural mental defenses. We all would have..."
The Ancient One finally smiled at Nathan "I will personally train you, for howsoever you require it. All of you." And she left the room.
"You're still adamant about going through with this, aren't you?" Jolene sighed as she looked at the children in the room, her eyes finally settling on her son.
Nathan looked to his friends and they looked more determined than he had ever seen them, and they nodded at him. Knowing that he had their support, he looked his mother in the eyes and said "yes, mum. We will see this through."
Jolene resigned herself and said "Then.... I guess I will have to get that meeting with Sirius and Remus arranged as soon as possible. But, promise me, Nathan…. You will not put yourself in danger like that. Never again."
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Hello there,
So, I got Nathan his first kill. To be honest, this arc was used as a way to break Nathan out of his reverie, and get him blooded, he had adjusted to Hogwarts and lost his paranoia. The Ancient One manipulating him will eventually be caught, once Nathan gets into political machinations in the wizarding world. He will learn to recognize signs of manipulation because I don't think an average joe who's been reincarnated will ever have the chance of realizing he is being played and led around, especially when the one doing the leading is five-six hundred years his senior in all things considered.
I would like to know your thoughts about this arc, from here on out Marvel will be away for some time, I want to show his friends' reactions, and their thoughts about the whole thing, and flesh them out in general. I would appreciate advice on anything.
Hope you liked what I have done.
Please join the discord server, if you want to get in touch with me.
https : // discord . gg / qRgGsUXyNc
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