A Legacy of Evil: Who's trapped Who? (Patreon)

I woke up to the splash of water on my face.

Also, I was naked. Tied to a chair bolted to the floor, in the midst of a room where a light shone in my face and outside of that circle, nothing but darkness as someone paced around. Slowly, quietly before they finally spoke in a local accent.

Tagalog first. Asking if I understood him, though I made sure to look knocked out and dazed. As he laughed quietly alongside his friends, I identified at least three different people in the room before he switched to English.

"Hey, Joe. Enjoyed your nap?"

"Ah, never better." I replied as I squirmed briefly and added. "Made sure I wasn't carrying concealed weaponry too, huh?"

"You understand of course. Can't really be too careful, not where wizards are concerned."

I caught a glimpse of a suit sleeve, brown skin and long, creepy looking claws as it retreated into the dark and he continued to speak.

"Still though, you're a surprise. You're not from any of our rivals, there's nothing in the Ministry records about you. If I had to guess, I'd say... Maybe one of Dumbledore's people. That bobo likes to send his students out to make trouble for everyone." There was a beat and he added, curious.

"I guess Marshall College as well, but well... Wizard. And your accent is definitely British. So tell me..."

His voice trailed off, I heard a screech of metal as he dragged a chair into the light, turned it around and took a seat, allowing me to see him in person, face to face.

His grin was devilish, an expression aided by the sharp, jagged teeth in his maw. Wrinkles and wild hair further added to the outlandish looking features and the academic in me idly put him down as a classification of ghoul. Aswang, and one who seemed to be doing very well if the suit was any indication. As if he had never stopped, he continued to speak.

"What brings a British wizard nobody, to blow up my guests and let himself be captured, hmm? Because you're not very good at this at all." He made a gesture around, as he added. "I hired the best to prevent any kind of apparition. You've got nothing on you that'll stand up to my kind and the wand you had?" He made a snapping motion as he smiled and spoke.

"Your kind's arrogance makes me sick."

And with a swift motion, he brought his hand around and slapped me across the face with a crack, hard enough that I almost felt my jaw dislodge. As I gasped, he grabbed me and tugged my face up as he snarled.

"What does Dumbledore want?"

His fist swung, I tensed but was still offput as he punched my stomach before he growled again.

"Who the fuck attacked our Manila site?"

Another punch, another loss of air as he yelled. "WHO ARE YOU WORKING FOR?!"

I groaned... As I did, I stared into his face, blearily and spoke quietly. He frowned, leaning in closer to hear as I whispered.

"Time.... Time...."

"Time?" He pulled back, confused and spoke rapidly in Tagalog to the others.

"Go gather the rest of the men. I want everyone armed and in force, if we're being raided, we'll be ready."

I heard footsteps. A door clicking open, a lock sliding in. A direction. Two left now. Quietly, I spoke again.

"Raid.... Time.... "

He frowned, I heard him walk to the side and then at that point, my finger twitched.

If I was a rich man.

Ya-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-dum.

Intent, will and power did the rest. The handcuffs clicked as I drowned it out by yelling. "IT COMES! DEATH COMES! IT FLIES FASTER, ON SWIFT WINGS!"

"This idiot is insane. Put him down."

I heard the click of a gun safety being pulled back and my finger twitched again. There was a surprised sound and the tweet of a songbird, as the transfiguration took effect. The horrified silence grew, a few seconds passed and then the interrogator yelled in fear.

"HE HAS A WAND!"

The handcuffs dropped. Both aswang were slammed against the wall and then pressed to the ceiling.

I conjured up new robes for myself, humming casually and cracked my neck before I turned to one and asked in Tagalog.

"What time is it now-never mind, I'll find out myself."

I flicked my hand, the chair I was on transformed into two spiked pillars and any screams they might have had were cut off as I impaled them.

Letting myself out, I conjured up a Disillusionment and was soon stalking the halls of the ship. Most of the Aswang had left to the market, per the orders of the one interrogating me. Which meant so long as I was neat and quiet, I should have free reign. Prolonged fights would test the limits of my wandless magic but then again, I wasn't really using the most complicated of spells to fight.

It's not like it was difficult to materialize simple blades and spikes, nor launching them as I wanted. My response to defense was an overwhelming offense, as a poor guard turned the corner with his buddy and both soon weren't stabbed so much as flayed as a thick storm of bladed implements ran through them, letting me step over bodily chunks as I idly hummed to myself.

"Hogwarts, Hogwarts, hoggy-woggy Hogwarts. Teach us something please."

I still wasn't able to find a watch, as I mustered up a revealing charm, scrutinizing the defenses of the ship. Hmm. Here was one of the anchors, protecting it.

I took the equivalent of a hammer to it, ripping off the material it was painted on and disrupting the arcane network rather than disable it safely as I curled it, and as more sailors turned the corner, yelling as they came my way, I detonated it with a snap of my fingers as I exposed it to raw magic.

Even prepared for it, the explosion that was funneled the way of the sailors still almost deafened my ears and then if that wasn't enough, the water pouring in would have made most pause.

Not my problem though and I kept going, humming to myself as the Aswang who survived suddenly began screaming for entirely different reasons, as a woman's laughter echoed in the hall followed by a wet, tearing noise as I looked around for a hatch.

Doors sealed against for emergencies like this were easily bypassed. Teleporting past them was a second worth of work, the distinct crack lost in the chaos as the sounds of various, panicking customers was heard. I peered at the clock, saw it was almost ten in the morning and headed upstairs slowly, making my way through the crowd of people.

My little informant glanced up, the dementor behind the counter giving folks who came too close a shake of his hooded head before he went back to his Jane Austen novel and I tugged my hood back as I spoke.

"Sirrah, I just wanted you to know. It might be a great idea to leave now." I glanced at the clock and added. "In the next five minutes."

He blinked, confused and spoke. "Why? The explosion was strange, but we've enough wizards to fix whatever-"

"Please." I said and I realized I hissed the last bit. Goddammit, this outfit was really making me slip into character as I added. "I insist."

He blinked again. The dementor paused.... And snapped their book closed, after setting in a book mark and rising up, there was a rattling hiss and the vendor sagged.

"Oh, alright then. Maybe Bagdad will be more welcoming." He tapped the stall with his wand, folded everything up into a carpetbag and with a nod to me, he took the dementors hand and they vanished together.

"HANDS UP!"

I heard a click of guns, turned my head and realized I had been a bit too obvious. The rest of the security had shown up, guns pointed at my position as I raised my hands and stepped over to the railing overlooking the levels.

"Surrender!" One said and I nodded.

"Alright, I accept your surrenders."

They glared. A few had machetes drawn, still more seemed inclined to use what they had, as claws and teeth gleamed and the one who had spoke, managed to put scorn in it as he said in broken english.

"What argument?" I think he meant army, but I rolled with it as I smiled.

"The only argument I'd ever need." I said as the clock struck ten.

I took a step backward, dropping off the side.

The portkey set in place activated, bringing the second half of my preparation as I landed on green, shimmering scales as the few denizens still in the market screamed in absolute terror, dropping dead or frozen in place as they took the brunt of my allies stare.

Atop the Basilisk, I rose and finished my sentence.

"Sheer, brute force."

Nagini, gripping one of the crests atop the Basilisk kept her eyes squeezed shut and I reached out, taking her hand to help her balance as I added and reached for her waist as I took my wand back.

"Now then."

I stared. Me with a Basilisk and a wand.

Them, in a crowded place with guns, forced to fire blind and with the majority of their forces brought to the market in preparation for a conventional enemy. With a smile they couldn't see, I spoke lightly.

"Shall we?"

And then the waters burst from below, the Basilisk roaring as the sounds of the water spirits battle cry echoed and became the starting signal as chaos began to reign.

Without a wand, I was a dangerous wizard.

With one?

What chance did any of them have, in this situation? I heard a crack as various wizards and witches fled rather than stay, mass teleporting from the situation. Unfortunately for the Aswang, it meant there was less people to hide behind, much less suited to facing a wizard in turn as my spell work rapidly tore the ground beneath their feet, shielding my mount and Nagini alike when they fired back before my Basilisk hissed and struck out.

Aswang screamed and died, crunched between her fangs as she slithered and roared, her gaze merciless as those unlucky enough to sneak a peek perished where they stood, falling to the ground. I was too dangerous to be let alone, blind firing contemptuously blocked and while they focused on me, it meant there were few to deal with something else.

Have you ever tried to hit water? Shoot it? Useless, isn't it?

Waves of it slammed like battering rams into the members of the Dugong Pera, dragging them into the embrace of the spirit as she tore them limb from limb, laughing merrily as the waters turned red and pulled more. An entire ship, sinking slowly as soon enough, it began to dawn on them that perhaps escape was better.

As some fled for the exit, I flicked my wand and conjured up a wall, watching them fruitlessly scrabble their claws against it, others shooting it as I tsk'd aloud.

I flicked my wand again, sending them screaming and falling into the water as Nagini watched, wide-eyed as they were torn apart before she looked at me and spoke.

"Where did you even find a Basilisk in Hogwarts?!"

"She's a family pet." I said offhand, smiling at my own joke as Nagini made a noise halfway between frustrated cat and confused soul.

And then the Basilisk laughed, striking out as both of us understood her words that so terrified anyone yet alive.

"Such fun! Such fun!"

Aww, poor thing. Stuck in Scotland all this time, this must have been a vacation for her.

All too soon, I glanced to the side and saw the water spirit rise, nodding to me as I nodded back and gave a bubble head charm for myself and for Nagini who looked confused at first, before her eyes widened and she held on tight.

"Down below." I hissed and the Basilisk let out a laugh, slithering off as we dove down into the rising water.

I held out my wand, detonated a new hole and we slithered out, the Basilisk swimming as the ship sank and its contents with it.

Most of them anyway. I watched as in the distance, out from the water now that we were a safe distance away, merfolk swimming up in place, moving to help fellow victims that yet remained as I nodded in satisfaction. Good.

Communicating and offering an altered deal had been a risk earlier, but her need for revenge and empathy for those in similar strait helped me deal with that easily enough. We rose out of the water, the Basilisk happily swimming in the tropical water as bright sunlight hit us and I dispelled the bubble heads.

Nagini looked like a wet cat, debating what to say before she finally settled on a response.

"Are you insane?!"

"What? It was all under control." I said leaning back, in my soaked black robes and bare feet. I glanced at my toes, frowned and realized my clothes had been left behind.

Damn, I had liked those shoes. As we headed for shore, I glanced at her and cleared my throat. "At any rate, I've done what I needed. The market is gone, we've cut off the head of another branch of the Dugong Pera, and I'll have an easier time talking to Anton Trese about that rat hunting task offered by the Chinese Ministry. Of course... As you've seen, I couldn't have done it without you."

She stares and I smile winningly, offering a hand.

"So thank you. My friends call me Tom by the way."

She stares back. She knows exactly what she's going to be getting into, working with me. A few moments later, she huffs out and she shakes my hand in turn.

"Call me Nag, and I'll rip out your throat. I've heard all the jokes."

"Wouldn't dream of it."

And then I heard a screech, glanced up and saw an owl fly down towards us, dropping a letter in my hands. Confused, I opened it and looked at the first few sentences, holding back a snicker as I showed to Nagini who likewise tried to hide a snort and failed.

Dear Tom Riddle.

Why are there hookers in the San Agustin Church?

Sincerely,

Professor Trese.

In my defense, it wasn't the most outlandish thing I've done in the past two days.