Raining Death

The entire ground around contracted, space itself warping inside the hemispherical spell as the magic forced everything into an implosion that would kill anything within and tear a gaping hole into Voldemort's forces. Hiscophney knew what he was doing; there was a reason why this spell was sealed away and considered banned. It went far beyond manipulating the elements, it called on the force of gravity itself to create something so dangerous that, if it went out of control, it could easily destroy the entire world. He was aware that he was dooming hundreds of his fellow Trazkabanian sorcerers and ice soldiers to death, but looking at the fighting going on around him, Voldemort's forces would take a much greater hit. With any luck, this one spell would wipe out thousands of dark creatures and wizards.

A small smile played around Hiscophney's lips as he thought of his wife and daughter. Their culture was a violent one, but despite that, they treasured women and children, because they were a symbol of the future, something that he believed the wizarding world had long forgotten. As he prepared himself to finish the spell and collapse the entire sphere, along with the several thousand beings in it, into a pinprick, he knew that his family would be safe. Lord Polairix would see to it.

" Gravity -" he halted in the middle of the final words to the spell when a new battlecry rose from behind the dark forces. That was followed by a hail of arrows so thick it blocked out the sky. The silver-tipped arrows brought down vampires and werewolves alike, and Death Eaters dropped in scores from the opening salvo. Everyone around Hiscophney, all the men and creatures that would have gotten caught in his spell, looked up as his shimmering dome dissipated, to behold the sight of dozens of goblin airships flying by overhead, their archers already nocking another set of arrows. The air resounded with the report of the airships' heavy cannons as fire and death rained down on Voldemort's forces from above.

The pop of multiple apparitions signaled the entry of more wizards to the battle, and Hiscophney found himself staring into the face of Neville Longbottom. The boy gave him a shy grin and a sloppy salute. "Potter's Legion, reporting, Mr. Commander, sir."

"Didn't Potter order you children to stay at home?"

"He did, but this is going to affect all of us. This isn't your war, or the ice people's war. This is our war. It's because wizards like Fudge that you got dragged into this. Being here, fighting alongside you, is the least we can do." Neville glanced over at the still shell-shocked Draco and Rabastan Lestrange. "I'll take Draco. We better hurry, before the surprise wears off."

"Agreed." Hiscophney smirked and threw a lightning spell at Lestrange, effectively separating him from Draco. Maybe there is hope for the wizarding world yet, he thought, with people like Potter and Longbottom .

...

Harry strained under the force of the Dementors' assault, and the few Patronii interspersed between the fighting groups didn't do much to help. The entirety of the battle around them vanished as he closed his eyes in concentration. The thousand Dementors battering at his mental shields took more power to hold at bay than he believed he had, but the ivory wand in his hand continued to maintain its brilliant white light. He wasn't aware of the frontlines crumbling, wasn't aware that the ice people's heavy artillery had stopped firing. He didn't know that the southern flank had been cut off, or that Hiscophney's attempt to come to the northern flank's aid had been stopped cold and surrounded. He knew nothing of Rotan's duel with Fenrir Greyback, or that around him, ice people and sorcerers were rushing inside to move the anti-personnel cannons from the center emplacement.

All he knew was that there was something evil, malicious, and dark battering at his mind, and that he needed to keep it at bay. Then, suddenly, he heard a voice in his mind.

Master, we are here. We hear your command. We will fight. The strain eased a little bit, enough for Harry to open his eyes. Above him, he could see Dementors dashing around each other, their shadowy forms entwined in a deadly flying ballet. From the north, a small stream of Dementors drove deep into the masses hovering above them as the creatures arrived from Azkaban. Harry could only look on in surprise as the hundred or so Dementors that were bound to the seat of Polairix dueled with a force ten times their size.

" Expecto Patronum !" The shout went up just after the friendly Dementors arrived.

Friendly Dementors? Harry mused with a slight hint of amusement. He wouldn't have believed it possible, but…

The combined Patronii from the Legion along with the distraction provided by the Dementors overhead finally allowed Harry some breathing room. He glanced over, only to find a unit of ice soldiers under heavy fire. While he could move and think and didn't have to dedicate his entire will to holding the Dementors at bay, he still was unable to effectively engage in combat. "Shacklebolt," he called out. The dark-skinned auror immediately broke off his spellcasting and looked over where Harry was pointing with his free hand.

"Got it, Harry," he replied. "Evans, McDermott, Owens, you're with me. Let's give them some fire support!"

The four aurors took off, managing to give the ice soldiers enough support to break through. When they passed him, Harry's blood ran cold when he realized they were carrying an injured Remus Lupin with them. One of the soldiers hurried over from the injured werewolf. "Milord, a message from Master Lupin and General Rotan. Voldemort is not on this battlefield."

"What?"

"Voldemort is not here, milord," the ice soldier repeated.

Dear lord… Harry thought, looking up at the Dementors above him. Was the fortress under attack when you left? he thought up at the friendlies from Azkaban.

No, a cacophony of eerie voices replied.

"I need to leave," Harry muttered.

"Milord?" The ice soldier looked confused.

"I need to leave, now ! Voldemort's attacking Azkaban at this moment!" Harry looked out over the battlefield, for the first time noticing the goblin reinforcements. One airship was painted a dark gold, and it was followed by a second one in a silver trim. The two of them were heavily guarded, set in the middle of a formation of at least a dozen other airships that were making a beeline for Harry's position. Even as he watched, one of them got hit by a massive firespell from below, the ship's belly exploding into splinters as it fell out of the sky. Goblin soldiers, most armed to the teeth, fell out of the now open hull, orienting their bodies and weapons downwards. Even in death, they would inflict as much damage as they could.

The airships stopped right over Harry, and two ropes dropped down. Lord Silver and Lord Gold rappelled down from their respective command ships to stand before Harry. "The goblin army is here to aid, Lord Polairix, as per the conditions of our treaty."

The goblin grinned toothily. "It will be our pleasure to provide our assistance in this battle. We bring to bear our fleet and army, numbering three thousand soldiers," Lord Silver declared formally.

The ice soldier that had come over spoke up, filling in Harry on the situation. "Milord, the southern flank with General Rotan is almost entirely cut off. He is rallying our forces to make a stand and cover our retreat, but without our heavy weapons it's only a matter of time before they are surrounded. I do not know the status of the other units, but it is likely that the northern flank is also facing heavy opposition. Their cannons are the only ones still firing."

Glancing over the area, Harry realized that the soldier was right. He could tell Hiscophney's troops were preparing to fall back; a regiment of ice soldiers was hauling the large cannons they had brought into the hall behind them. Once the center pulled back to reconnect with the south, that would leave the northern section in a similar predicament. "Lord Silver, please order your men to concentrate their attacks on clearing a path for our southern flank. We need to clear a path for them to reform the battle line with the other sections."

"As you wish." The goblin looked up and bellowed a few orders in his native tongue, before grabbing on to the rope and being hauled back up to his ship.

....

Join my P@treon and enjoy the complete book.

Link: p*atreon.com/0LordSilvere0 (Remove the *)

Free members get 2 chapters free.

Join Right Now