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(Enchanting Melodies) Chapter 364: Into the Maze
🕑 Added 2024-10-27 13:30:34 +0000 UTCChapter 364: Into the Maze
17 April 1995, Mount Olympus, Greece
Harry’s breath caught as the realization hit him. The complexity of the magic, the way space bent and twisted—it wasn’t just a passage or some enchanted tunnel. There was only one thing in all of mythology that could be this complex, this impossibly intricate. “We’re in the Labyrinth,” he muttered, his voice tinged with both awe and apprehension. “The one built by Daedalus.”
Harry wasn’t really one to be surprised. He’d been through enough bullshit that he learned to just go with the flow, but other than the fucking World Serpent, this had to be the most bullshit thing to ever happen to him. To think he only did it on a whim, hoping to help Daphne be done with the tournament fully, deciding that it was better to just go away and not deal with the inevitable fallout of whatever Dumbledore and Grindelwald were planning.
It wasn’t really a good plan, now that he thought about it. Harry had decided to enter out of desperation and not as a calculated move, and now he was stuck in whatever hell this place was. To be fair, he had no idea what the fuck the Olympus Academy was thinking to bring them to this place. It was beyond dangerous, and he fully expected there to be casualities for other schools. The average student wasn’t used to living without safety nets and it showed. Diggory and Johnson would have died easily in this task, and if he had been completely honest, Daphne relied a bit much on him.
She was a bit less prepared than she used to be before. Oh, they had trained like maniacs, hidden from sight, to shake off whatever rust she accumulated during her mourning, and while there was some improvement there, it was less than Harry expected. To be fair, he was fully committed to saving her, and even making sure she got that Golden Apple for her sister. He would talk to her about this later when they were in private and the world wasn’t watching. Hopefully, her sister would be healed by then and she’ll be more open to that conversation.
Speaking of Daphne, Harry could see her clenching her fist, obviously irritated. He could see why; he had to admit that Diggory and Johnson’s arguing was quickly getting on his nerves as well.
“I can’t see why we can’t follow my lead,” Diggory stated.
“Your lead?” Johnson snickered, mockingly, “Your lead almost got us all killed with the Hydra. For fuck’s sake, Diggory, you need to accept that this ‘good guy’ routine, while charming for the girls in school, doesn’t actually work in the real world.”
“Like you’re any better,” the Hufflepuff stated and probably continued to whine about something else. Harry was doing his best to tune them out, trying to figure out the logic behind the maze’s movement. Very few things in life were truly random, and there had to be some logic to how everything kept getting shifted around, some kind of pattern. His thoughts turned to his fellow champions and he couldn’t help but feel bad for them.
Apart from the Greeks, he didn’t think any of them were even aware that there weren’t any safety nets in the task. Each task had started with some dramatic speech about how ‘dangerous’ they were, and the delegates probably thought that this would be no different. That was honestly the biggest crime in Harry’s eyes, the fact that they weren’t transparent about the task. There was a difference between doing something while knowing that it presented an active danger to you and doing it unaware of any serious consequences that might occur. It wasn’t like people weren’t going to sign up. A golden apple was an insane prize, but there would have been fewer useless deaths.
There would be a reckoning for this. The ICW was definitely not going to let this pass, especially with a lot of dead underaged wizards and witches.
All of that aside, the idea of a genuine challenge, was something that excited Harry. Sure, he planned to make sure that his teammates stayed alive, but there was something thrilling about things not being easy. The Hydra alone would have been enough. It was a frustrating creature to fight, given its regeneration, and finding a way to negate it was more than fun. There was something in him that wanted to go all out, to actually fight it, but he repressed it in favour of staying hidden. It was the logical decision, but Harry missed being challenged.
The other tasks were just so… easy. He could have won them with a swipe of his wand if he took it seriously. It was why he always relied on trickery and deceit. He turned these into an intellectual challenge instead, and while that did scratch that itch, it was just different than just fighting with everything he had.
He felt fidgety like he was itching for a fight, before his eyes widened in alarm. He channelled his crest, and the feeling stopped entirely. It was subtle, so subtle that Harry didn’t even feel or hear it. The Labyrinth was pushing them towards conflict, trying to get them to act recklessly. It was so dangerous and so subtle. Harry quickly used his Arcane Hearing to understand its effect and even then, it was far from obvious.
It was so subtle, like a small tune, hidden behind an orchestra of magic and warped space, a very small spell whose main feature was to be accumulated, for the effect to grow with exposure. It was a nasty thing and something that gave Harry ideas to implement other types of subtle attacks. It was subtle enough to bypass the inherent protections of his family crest, even if he and Daphne were obviously more resistant, as they were not at each other’s throats like Johnson and Diggory were. Still, Daphne was obviously affected, considering how she was clenching her fists, a mark that she was getting frustrated. Deciding that he had enough, Harry made some new metallic spheres that he enchanted to negate the spell whenever it was near them.
When he activated it, the difference was very noticeable, and they were all drained of energy. Daphne gasped, “What was that?”
“A very subtle curse. It was supposed to make us violent and reckless.”
Diggory gave Harry a dirty look, “Seriously? And you didn’t think to tell us?”
Harry simply shrugged, “I was waiting for the spheres to charge up to negate the spell. I got one for everyone in case we got separated,” he threw each of them a metallic ball, “These should ward off the effects. I have to say, given the legends of the Labyrinth, I didn’t expect our first challenge to be something like this. Daedalus, in the legend, was quite proud of his intelligence. It’s quite odd to rob his challengers of their intelligence before even seeing any of the challenges.”
“Daedalus,” Johnson reacted, “You said this name before, I think it was familiar.”
Daphne nodded. “Yeah, Daedalus. He was a genius inventor in Greek mythology—built the Labyrinth to hold the Minotaur. King Minos of Crete wanted the Minotaur locked away in a maze so no one could escape, and Daedalus made it happen. But here’s the thing, he got trapped there too. Minos locked him and his son, Icarus, up because he didn’t want anyone else to know about the Labyrinth. At least, that’s how the legends went, I think.”
“So, it’s a fancy maze and we just have to fight another Minotaur. At least the worst was behind us,” Diggory stated.
Harry shook his head, “I don’t think so. This place is a lot more dangerous than it looks. And let’s not forget about the Hydra outside. We need to be very careful.”
Without looking back at them, Harry decided to properly analyse the maze’s structure. To say that it was a work of art would have been an understatement. It was obviously designed as a prison of some sort, considering how the entire space was warped so intricately. It didn’t have any edges, no beginning or end, but there were obviously passages to somewhere outside, and Harry guessed that the Golden Apple had to be on the other side of one.
However, considering the countless forms of ambient magic involved, the Labyrinth had obviously started to act independently. Harry waited for the Labyrinth to shift, trying to listen to it with his Arcane Hearing. It was the most important thing to do. Afterwards, with some good control over the environment, he could finally find one of the exits, or maybe explore it a bit more, to find a clue to where the famed apple was.
Unfortunately, as if the maze itself knew what he was trying to do, the entire thing remained unchanged. He was tempted to groan in disappointment until he felt something coming, something big and very fast.
He opened his eyes and yelled at them, “We need to run, now!”
Harry had barely finished talking when something immense came at them. They were able to dodge, but with some kind of agility that was honestly unnatural for the creature’s size, it turned towards them.
Diggory chuckled, “It’s just a minotaur, nothing really serious.”
He was right, in a way, the creature was a Minotaur. Given its bull-like face, and huge, curved horns, it was the right conclusion to make. However, this was unlike any other Minotaur they had ever seen. It was far larger, for one, and the fire and shadow that trailed its every move were not one to be found in normal Minotaurs.
Of course, Diggory decided to conjure some kind of light orb and send it flying at the creature. Once more, Harry couldn’t help but be slightly worried about Diggory’s behaviour and his magic. He never really paid attention to the older wizard; he was sort of irrelevant, a boy who would peak in school, before settling down as an employee in the ministry for the rest of his life, like many before him. But that confidence, well, that arrogance, wasn’t something that he remembered from the boy before. He could have blamed it on the compulsion, but it was still there, even if he was less subdued. Hell, even his magic was relatively odd. It was a variation of hard-light construct, but it was too ordered, too rigid.
Harry could see Dumbledore’s fingerprint all over it and was planning on keeping a close eye on Diggory, just in case he betrayed them. Honestly, Dumbledore could go fuck himself. The former headmaster was probably more focused on breaking some kind of prophecy than some miracle cure. Even if he was, trusting Diggory of all people to take the apple was a foolish endeavour. Even with his new magic, the boy would be defeated in seconds by the Greek water elemental. And Harry, himself, was going to give that apple to Daphne, if only to release the weight that she’s been carrying all her life, from her shoulders.
As for the Minotaur, when the light faded from their sight, his skin had reddened slightly, as if sunburnt, and he had been sent back about a foot. Diggory just stared at the creature in pure disbelief, and Harry used that to throw a couple of exploding metallic balls at the Minotaur’s eyes, before conjuring a hole in front of it. Temporarily blind, the creature fell in it and Harry nodded at Daphne who conjured thousands of vines that bound it.
It wouldn’t hold for long, so Harry cast an exploding charm at the horn, breaking it before Daphne conjured another vine, which grabbed it and impaled the monster in its chest. The monster looked at them, confused, before slowly fading into golden light.
With his resurrection stone, Harry could tell that the creature’s soul hadn’t moved on. It had simply gone elsewhere, still bound to the Labyrinth. That had to be the most terrifying thing he ever experienced, and that alone made him all the more insistent on making sure everyone was alone. People couldn’t escape the Labyrinth, even in Death.
Diggory gasped in exertion, “What the fuck was that? I fought a Minotaur before, it wasn’t anything like it.”
“You fought a Minotaur, this is the Minotaur, the original, you might say. I think the others were man-made creatures, hoping to mimic the legend with Alchemy and Blood Magic. This thing was different, it was… more.”
“And the horn?”
“The Greek hero Perseus killed it with its horn in the legends. I noticed that its magical and physical resistance were insane, but that it was tied to its skin. The horn was more vulnerable and it’s a common theme for magical creatures in general being vulnerable to their own personal magic. The protection thinks that it’s their own and doesn’t try to negate it. But we need to get out of here and quickly.”
“And do what, exactly?” Diggory sneered, “We don’t even know where the Apple is.”
Harry shook his head in disappointment and looked away. He was trying to find an exit, any exit really. Just staying in the Labyrinth felt wrong given the obvious consequences of dying there. It was a fate that he wouldn’t wish on anyone.
He continued hearing the Labyrinth’s magic with his Arcane Hearing, trying to find an exit. It was like trying to hear a single conversation that was far away in a loud and full concert. The mental strain was immense, but he was convinced that he had to succeed.
But he was close, he felt he was. There was something there on the edge of his perception, something very hidden and sneaky, something that acted like a space-time gate. It was probably the way out of the maze and into the next challenge that they had to go through to get to Hera’s Garden.
Just as he was about the celebrate, the Labyrinth shifted once more, as if it knew that someone had solved its mystery and was outraged at the thought. But in a way, even if he wasn’t getting out, he did get a very nice advantage at that. He had heard how the maze shifted with his Arcane Hearing and could shift it back to the exit.
Of course, that was when a giant beast of fire and ash appeared from behind the section of the wall that had disappeared with the shift. The creature emerged, a towering fusion of rage and flame, with serpentine tails writhing at its back, each one snapping and spitting embers into the air. Its body was wrapped in scales that glowed like molten rock, cracked and pulsing with fiery veins, while shadows of ash swirled around it in a thick haze. Two twisted horns jutted from its head, reminiscent of a demonic crown, and its eyes burned with an unnatural, smouldering light. In one hand, it held a massive, barbed whip, glowing red-hot as it uncoiled and lashed the air with a crack that echoed through the labyrinth.
“What the fuck is that?” Johnson muttered.
Diggory, looking pale, responded, “I don’t know, but good luck with that.”
They had barely any time to respond before Diggory conjured some kind of banishing light, that blinded them all and pushed them, including the beast, back. Harry was able to shield himself and watched as the foolish boy ran away further into the Labyrinth, unknowing that he had sealed his fate. Harry let him, feeling that Dumbledore’s pawn being away from him was probably a good thing. He had wanted to keep the boy safe, to make sure his soul wouldn’t be bound to this place in Death, but Diggory did try to betray them.
Instead, he turned walked up to the monster of ash and fire and pointed his wand at it, noticing the creature’s obviously amused gaze. There was an intelligence there that wasn’t in any other magical creature he had seen before. It knew what it was doing and obviously liked seeing them suffering. It wasn’t just some foolish creature he could easily trick either. It was powerful, and it knew that.
Still, Harry stood there, in front of both Daphne and Johnson and spoke in a very clear and even voice, “We only wish to leave this place. There is no need for us to fight.”
The creature’s amusement obviously spiked and it conjured a ball of fire and threw it at them. With a wave of his wand, Harry negated it entirely, “So, be it.”
AN: Not sure about this chapter, to be honest. I think I made the mental compulsion section at the start a bit too long, but I think I made up for it by picking up the pace with the fights afterwards. I don’t know. I feel like there’s something missing, I guess. Still, I had a blast writing this and I don’t mind rewriting it based on your feedback. So, as usual, please let me know what you think and if you have any suggestions.
Comments
Sad Rain
Thank you for the chapter. Personally, I don't think the mental compulsion was too long. Although I have a strong feeling that that's not the end of Diggory.
AnteChao
“You fought a Minotaur, this is the Minotaur, the original, you might say. This reminds me of a Doctor Who scene. "You may be a Doctor, but I'm the Doctor. The definite article, you might say."
Afterdark230
Go figure a chimera, and go figure on Ced bailing on everyone. Perfect chapter as always, don’t be so hard on yourself, write the chapters as you feel need to be written. If we find any errors or holes we will be sure to tell you.
Anthony Braker
Your writing is great - this is an absolute blast of a story. Don’t be so unsure about your chapters. Excited for the next one
Tamen Dutta
Wait a minute...Kronos exists.....so Atlas..🤣🤣
Tamen Dutta
Yeah I thought of that too but the tails are pointing towards a chimera....maybe it's a combination of both which would technically make it a chimera haha
MonolithV
With the exception of the tails, it describes a Balrog.
MonolithV
Good shit!
Based_Bass
I’m…really wondering about Dumbledore’s wisdom in choosing Cedric. It’s also possible that he might’ve just not counted on the people from Olympus having their own agendas.
athass_prkr
Fixed. Thanks for letting me knnow.
athass_prkr
Spoilers :)
Tamen Dutta
Is that a chimera??
Tamen Dutta
causalities....should be casualties no??
