LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 8: Chapter-8
[Jan 24th, 1945]
[The Rusty Manor]
Ritual Room - Midnight
The ritual room, a sanctuary of ancient magic, now served as the battleground for a life-and-death struggle. The walls, etched with ancient runes, flicker ominously in the dim light of sputtering candles. The air is thick with the smell of burnt ozone, and the tension is palpable, as the once-sacred space is filled with the deafening roars of clashing magic.
Gellert Grindelwald, battered and bloodied, grips the Elder Wand with a white-knuckled fist. His normally composed face is twisted in a snarl, his eyes burning with cold fury. Beside him, Vinda Rosier, equally battle-worn, unleashes curse after curse with deadly precision. Despite their injuries, they remain formidable, their raw power making the very air around them crackle.
Opposing them is Markus Stark, resolute and unyielding despite the toll the battle has taken on him. His robes are torn, and his face bears the marks of a relentless fight, but his eyes burn with fierce determination. Vinda, sensing the endgame, hurls a particularly vicious curse, but Markus, drawing on decades of experience, deflects it effortlessly.
With a swift counter-curse, he sends Vinda crashing into the stone floor. Her defiance flickers briefly as she struggles to rise, but with a final spell, Markus renders her unconscious, leaving her motionless.
Now, only Grindelwald remains. Markus, sensing the danger, conjures a massive boulder and hurls it at the dark wizard with all his remaining strength. Grindelwald, driven by a mix of desperation and dark resolve, channels an enormous red beam of magic from the Elder Wand.
The beam meets the boulder with a thunderous explosion, shattering it into countless fragments. The shockwave throws Markus across the room, where he crashes into the cold stone, severely injured. Grindelwald, though staggering from his own wounds, manages to stay on his feet, a twisted smile of satisfaction curling on his lips as the dust settles.
Amidst this chaotic battle stands Aryan Stark, his young face pale with terror. He is paralyzed by the horrific scene unfolding before him, his heart pounding in his chest. The once vibrant ritual room now feels suffocating, the oppressive weight of impending doom bearing down on him.
Grindelwald, with a cruel smile, flicks his wand, summoning a spear that materializes in mid-air, its sharp tip gleaming menacingly in the dim light. With a cold, calculated motion, Grindelwald sends the spear hurtling towards Aryan. The weapon cuts through the air with terrifying speed. Time seems to slow as Aryan watches it approach, his mind unable to process the deadly intent behind the attack.
In a desperate bid to protect her son, Joanna Stark pulls Aryan into her arms, trying to shield him with her own body. But before the spear reaches them, Markus, driven by a father's instinct to protect his wife and child, throws himself into its path. The spear impales him with a sickening thud, the force of the blow knocking him to the ground. He crumples, his life extinguished in an instant, his sacrifice a tragic testament to his love for his family.
Aryan's anguished scream echoes through the chamber, his world shattering as his father's lifeless body falls before him. Overwhelmed by grief and terror, Aryan collapses to the ground, unable to process the horror he has just witnessed.
But Grindelwald is unrelenting. With cold determination, he raises his wand again, summoning another spear. Joanna, despite her own overwhelming grief and fear, acts with the fierce instinct of a mother protecting her child. She conjures a shield with trembling hands, but it shatters under the force of Grindelwald's dark magic.
In a final act of defiance, Joanna throws herself in front of Aryan, taking the full brunt of the spear. The weapon pierces her side, driving deep between her collarbone and ribs. She gasps in pain, her strength fading as she collapses to her knees, her body failing her in her last moments of life.
At that moment, a spell explodes in front of Grindelwald, unleashing a thick cloud of black smoke that obscures his vision. The unexpected intervention buys just enough time for Sebastian, to grab Aryan and flee towards the protective dome.
As they escape, Aryan looks back in horror, his heart breaking as he sees his mother's agonized face. Joanna, now on the brink of death, reaches out weakly towards her son, her eyes filled with a mother's sorrowful love. Grindelwald, seething with fury, raises his wand to strike them down, but Aryan's overwhelming grief and despair trigger a surge of uncontrolled magic.
In a final, desperate act, Aryan's magic erupts from him in a powerful, uncontrollable pulse. The blast catches Grindelwald by surprise, sending him hurtling out of the ritual room. The force of Aryan's magic shakes the very foundations of the manor, causing the ceiling to crumble and sealing all exits, trapping everyone inside.
Auror Headquarters - The Next Morning
The Auror headquarters buzzes with an almost palpable sense of urgency. Wizards and witches rush to process the aftermath of the previous night's events. The air is thick with tension as the magnitude of what has transpired begins to sink in. Reports are being filed, messages are flying across the room via enchanted parchment, and a few Aurors huddle in tense conversation, trying to piece together the full story.
Elara Thorne weaves through the chaos, holding a stack of hastily compiled reports, her expression one of barely concealed anxiety. Cedric Mullins stands by a cluttered desk, his face set in a grim, almost resigned expression.
Elara sets down the reports with a heavy sigh, her voice carrying the weight of the night's revelations. "Can you believe the mess we're in? Word just came in from Lord Briggs—he's saying it was Lannister who threw in with Grindelwald to take down the Starks."
Cedric rubs his temples, trying to process the information. "Lannister allied with Grindelwald... for what? Revenge on the Starks? A grab for power? Typical Lannister arrogance. I can't say I didn't see this coming."
Elara leans in closer, her voice dropping to an intense whisper. "Here's the kicker—Grindelwald backstabbed him. Killed Cornelius Lannister right after they'd done the dirty work."
Cedric's eyes widen in shock. "Grindelwald turned on Lannister? I shouldn't be surprised, but... Merlin, that changes everything. Briggs must've been the first to know—no wonder he contacted us so fast."
Elara nods, her gaze sweeping over the bustling room. "Yeah, and now this place is in overdrive. We've got to sort through everything before it hits the papers. But there's no way the Prophet will make the morning edition with this. They'll be scrambling just to get something out for the late evening."
Cedric shakes his head in disbelief. "This will turn the whole wizarding world on its head. By the time the Prophet catches up, the rumors will have spread like Fiendfyre. Everyone's going to know Lannister was in bed with Grindelwald—and that he paid the ultimate price for it."
Elara glances at the enchanted clock on the wall, its hands spinning wildly as it tracks the incoming reports. "They'll have to rewrite the whole front page. And Merlin knows how they're going to frame it. A betrayal like this... it's going to shake the foundations of the Ministry."
Cedric's voice edges with worry as he adds, "The Prophet will have their work cut out for them. But the real question is, what happens next? With Stark gone, Lannister in disarray, and Grindelwald out there somewhere with most of his forces still intact... this war isn't over. It's only going to get worse."
Elara's eyes narrow in determination. "We need to be ready for whatever comes next. But right now, we need to focus on getting the truth out there. If the Prophet can't keep up, we'll make sure the right people know what's really going on."