A.N.: Top 10?! Even with inconsistent updates?! You guys really forced me to write this extra chapter, even though I didn't promise it.
....
In the control room. -
Lily breathed a huge sigh and it was only then that she noticed - she had forgotten to breathe.
The whole time she was just clutching the locket in her fingers, ready to rescue Lucas in case of any mishaps, while also having to look out for any disturbances for the dark faction.
Thankfully, there were none.
She involuntarily let out a laugh, immense relief blooming in her chest. Only then did she have the chance to reflect on the whole series of action. What was that? Lucas was simply spectacular out there, but what/was/that?
'I am not arrogant enough to think I can stop their conspiracy - I just wanted to try to make any small changes I could from my side.'
She recalled his extremely 'modest' confession.
"Merlin's Tome, he had us all fooled, hadn't he? That humble little brat," she murmured as everyone waited for Lucas to emerge. Her gaze travelled to the sorry states of the Queen's guards and she blinked.
"And what… was that last magic? It created an explosion, but also seems to have cutting power. Perhaps Aurora found him something from the Dumbledore collection?" She asked Aurora, who was standing right beside.
But receiving no answer, she turned her gaze to her mentor, and did a double take.
Aurora's porcelain skin had taken a deathly pale complexion. Her long, elegant fingers—usually so steady and composed—were trembling uncontrollably, the slight vibration rattling the reverse portkey she held in her hand.
"Aurora… ? Are you alright?"
Aurora started, blinking her eyes which, Lily noted, were reddend, glistening with tears.
"I'm alright. It's just the cold."
That did not convince Lily. Because there are precedents her having a similar condition. "Is it, by any chance, related to the nightmares again?"
That was the only time Lily had seen Aurora lose her composure like this, but it usually happens when she falls asleep, not while awake - which only exacerbated her concerns.
But just then, she heard deafening cheers coming from the arena as everyone saw Lucas emerge from the cave, the egg secured to his chest with acromantula webs.
"HE HAS THE EGG! HE HAS THE EGG! Castillin has done it! Look out! Miss Delacour blocks it with her shield! And here comes the fire!"
"Egg has been secured, but now they have to escape! Castillin makes a run for it - OHHH - he almost got stomped! He escapes Skraal with the skin of his teeth! Great distraction by Miss Delacour!"
"Wait! What… What is t-that?!" Bagman stuttered and Lily also gasped.
As the camera zoomed out - under the night vision of the camera and the light of Fleur's flames, they saw it - a swarm of Acromantulas so large that at first it seemed like Lucas was not in a forest but in an enclosed cave full of dark jagged rocks.
"Castillin is surrounded! This is so much more terrifying than the large spiders! But He hasn't stopped! Wait! He holstered his wand! He is charging straight in with only his sword!"
"What is he doing?!" Aurora exclaimed in horror as Lucas entered the horde of Acromantulas without his wand. "Why not just use the magic?!"
"He might have reached his limit," said Lily, slightly perplexed why Aurora couldn't see it herself.
Despite popular belief, any individual's magic is, in fact, not infinite. It's just that most people never used anything other than simple spells, thus never really reaching their limit.
But the kind of magic that Lucas used? It can lead to magical and mental exhaustion even for many adults, let alone a 15 year old.
"We need to call him back." Aurora raised the reserve portkey, ready to activate it just as Lucas reached the swarm.
And Lily did not find that to be unreasonable in the slightest. An acromantula horde is no joke. The speed, the webs, the swarm tactics… facing all that without a wand?
Previously, Lucas only survived through some miracle he performed using extremely taxing magic. But now that he was exhausted, his survival rate had dropped to zero.
"Castillin Jumps - OH! Two spiders gone! What kind of acrobatics was that?! - He lands - Kills two more! HE'S SURROUNDED! I CAN'T SEE HIM! IS THIS THE END?!
"Accurso!" Aurora actually activated the portkey. Lily looked at the screen which showed live footage of arena grounds, expecting Lucas to pop up any second, disqualified from the task.
"HE ESCAPED! ALL THE SPIDERS HAVE BEEN CUT THROUGH!"
Instead, they saw Lucas appear several meters ahead of in the swarm, the spiders who attacked him now twitching on the ground.
Loud screaming, yelling, and applause was again, the crowd celebrating Lucas's survival.
"What happened?!" Lily asked over the noise of the crowd.
"The Portkey… did not work," said Aurora, her voice shaky.
Lily's head started to buzz. If the portkey does not work… Doesn't that mean Lucas could die at any moment?
"HE'S SURROUNDED AGAIN!"
Without saying a word, Aurora disappeared.
Unable to leave from her duties, Lily could only watch from the control room as the Acromantulas swarmed Lucas again. And this time, since the camera was very close to him, his actions were still visible.
"He ducks - four spiders on him - ALL SEVERED! More coming! He smashes two into each other with BARE HANDS! His swords cleaved through the rest! DOES HE HAVE EYES ON BACK?! They can't do anything to him! Look at Castillin! He is… he is actually SMILING!"
"And the Flames have appeared again! The spiders can't breach the flame walls! Skraal tries to chase but it seems that all 16 of its eyes have blinded! Lucas Castillin is finally out of danger! Damn it! I am relieved that he is not dying but Holy Morgana, I wanted to see more of that brutal masterpiece of a fight!"
"Delacour shows herself! She has been hiding over a tree this whole time! She jumps from the tree! Oh! What a lucky sonofa - I meant what a catch!"
….
Fleur tensed as Lucas's hand lightly tapped her fleshy, wet thighs. She began squirming uncomfortably, trying to make sure her battleskirt was covering her leggings which were wet from her urine.
But suddenly, the fire around them became precariously weak, starting to fizzle out again.
'Damn it!'
Lucas was already trying to think of countermeasures even before it happened. Veela Flames require absolute mental stability.
As soon as Fleur discovered that Lucas had discovered her embarrassment, she was going to freak. That, combined with the potential exposure to the whole world through live broadcast, and her current mental state could be imagined.
"Fleur! Focus!" Under her battleskirt, his hands squeezed her fleshy high, the pain waking her up somewhat.
He dug out the remnants of blade-heating spells and expulsion and created a warm airflow in his hands, drying her combat leggings.
"There. It's gone. Can you try not to kill me now?"
Lucas tried not to be angry. The fact that she hadn't already dried it off using her own magic spoke volumes about where her current priorities lied.
It would have only taken a few seconds, and yet she didn't. It showed that she was trying to contribute her best efforts towards the task completion.
Fleur's tense muscles seemed to relax, and the flames recovered, once again driving away the spiders.
"Thanks…" she said in a mosquito voice, which was quite out of character for her. "And... Je suis tellement, tellement désolée..." (i'm so, so sorry)
Her embrace around his neck tightened, her voice seeming to be on the verge of tears.
"Just. Focus. We'll talk later."
Lucas decided that this woman was unreliable after all. His hand left the soft touch of her thigh and dug out his wand from his holster.
"Accio sword."
He had dropped his sword when catching Fleur because the high frequency blade could actually injure her. Besides, he had figured he wouldn't need it since the task was almost over.
'Hm?' Lucas's brows wrinkled as he heard heavy snapping sounds up ahead. It didn't sound like the breaking of twigs - but actually branches.
Sure enough, a huge spider dropped in their path, its menacing and disgusting face illuminated clearly by Fleur's fire.
Fleur's scream was drowned out by the creature's screech.
'A wanderer!'
Lucas knew what was happening. Bone gnawing spiders don't always stay in their nests, waiting for prey. Instead, they are menaces who roam the forbidden forest, hunting for all sorts of prey.
Apparently, this one was nearby and answered the spider Queen's summons.
And its size was bigger than a car, meaning their flame shield wasn't enough to deter it.
"Fleur! Close your eyes and focus on your flames! I've got it!"
"Okay…" Fleur continued to focus on their flames shield while Lucas kept his pace.
"Lucas…?"
They were 20 meters away from the spider and it was also scuttling right forward to meet them.
"I've got it!" Lucas did not stop.
"Lucas!"
15 meters. Lucas continued to run.
"LUCAS!"
At around 7 meters, Lucas suddenly jumped, canceling his summoning charm. The sword - which was still vibrating at high frequency - tore through the air between his feet, carried forward by its inertia.
"Dispulso!"
Lucas cast the opposite of the summoning charm on it, also adding the remaining expulso to it as well.
The spell pushed the already fast-traveling sword to an even higher acceleration, leaving the Arachnid no time to react.
It buried itself to the hilt into his head, right between its numerous eyes, and the force even managed to lift it up several degrees. Lucas stepped over it twitching corpse, retrieving his sword on his way.
As soon as they crossed the finish line, Fleur's portkey activated. Lucas tightened his grip on her, tagging along - and was blasted by the noise that felt louder than the Quidditch world cup finals.
Lucas blinked, his eyes scanning the crowd. What the hell?
'Why is 'everyone' cheering? Surely, they aren't all from France?'
"Ladies and Gentlemen! They're back! That was one hell of a performance!" Ludo Bagman's voice boomed, which was followed by an even crazier applause.
"CASTILLIN!"
"CASTILLIN!"
"CASTILLIN!"
'What the…?'
Lucas noted that many people were standing, including some of the judges. And then he saw it: Ariana Dumbledore, the sorcerer supreme herself, applauding with a standing ovation.
Lucas didn't dare to make eye contact at all. He could technically absorb any mental magic trying to penetrate his mind but would prefer it if he didn't need to.
For now, he was just… satisfied, getting such recognition from everyone for the first time in his life, especially after all the hate and ridicule he was being subjected to this whole time.
Lucas slowly raised his sword, his face showing no emotion. The shouts of his name intensified.
""""CASTILLIN!""""
""""CASTILLIN!""""
""""CASTILLIN!"""""
Lucas slowly lowered his sword. The feeling was undoubtedly good.
He had always regretted not being able to participate in such activities, only seeing other parents proudly cheering for their kids.
As if his thoughts were read, with a sharp crack - Aurora Dumbledore appeared not far away. He saw that her robes were a bit disheveled, covered in spider webs.
She advanced towards him faster that he could react, her wand running diagnostics on him.
"Are you...alright?" He heard her ask, but he couldn't really focus enough to answer.
A smile appeared for the first time on his impassive face.
....
A.N.:. Yeah, so keep giving the stones whenever you have them. It DOES make a difference.