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Chapter Text

 

 Sungai whined through his fangs. He was unsteady on his feet, swaying like a flower in a breeze. The poison was rushing through his bloodstream already. 

 

 The vultures had finally made it past his family circle’s defenses and it was his own fault.

 

 The first of his kind, barely grown into adulthood.

 

 He was going to die.

 

 And there would be no peace between Water and Fire. 

 

 He would never have children.

 

 Then the pain tore through his slim frame. 

 

 His magic flared and he opened his mouth in a wide scream that tore through the realms. 

 

 The cup he held fell to the tatami floor making a soft noise. 

 

 The first person through the door was his sire. Krymsen had happened to be in the land based part of their home already, visiting with his Mera - the second person through the fusuma. 

 

 A quick scan of the large empty room had the Fire Gheyo Joker, Hathor, running detection charms on the cup, while the Blood Titled Aqua-kin’e cast diagnostics on him.

 

 The first person through the sliding door while portals sounded outside was standing two inches shorter than the ceiling, which they knew to be seven feet and five inches. He had to bend at the waist and duck his head to clear the entrance. He had forest green hair, light green skin, and a suffocating Alpha aura. His wings stretched out eight feet, browns and greens mixing in a gorgeous mossy array. Fairy dust shimmered across his wings, just barely noticeable. His eyes were fully black, no discernable pupil or iris. He was built like a brick wall, all firm muscle and angled lines.

 

 Dixon had centuries of experience controlling himself and assessing situations when instincts run high. Scent and a survey of the magic told him that the two casting magic were the Gheyic parents of the young Submissive. 

 

 It wasn’t usual for Fire and Water to mix, but stranger things had happened in his long life. 

 

 Dixon stepped past Krymsen and drew the Submissive into his arms. He guided them both to gently sit on the floor with Sungai in his lap. 

 

 “I’d like everyone’s heads below mine right now please.” Dixon admitted, barely a whisper. His control over his temper was firm, but his control over his instincts was not.

 

 The two Gheyos locked eyes, before dropping down to join him on the soft reed floor. He sat tall and they sat on their knees, averting their eyes from his. Even sitting on their knees, they were shorter than him.

 

 Dixon’s hand glowed blue as he wrapped it around Sungai’s throat. Dixon turned his head gently and began to kiss him softly but imploringly as he drew the poison slowly out of the young Submissive. The magic drifted down Sungai, his veins glowing blue with it. 

 

 Dixon’s aura flared and ebbed, before settling into a soft comfortable presence. Portals were still sounding. He continued counting them in his head, juggling more tasks than usual. Counting portals, healing his submissive, extracting the poison for magical analysis, and controlling himself. It was still less tasks than he was capable of.

 

 The blue glow began to retreat back up Sungai’s form. The magic finally reached the position where Dixon’s hand was on his throat. They pulled their faces away from each other marginally, thunking foreheads.

 

 The blue glow of his hand faded and he moved the hand to pull a vial out of his inner robes. He leaned away from Sungai and spit the poison into the vial. 

 

 Sungai gave a whine before burrowing his face into Dixon’s robes. 

 

 Krymsen held his hand out for the vial. It was carefully passed off, still uncorked from Dixon refusing to release the arm wrapped around Sungai’s waist. At a wave of Dixon’s free hand, the vial was sealed with a cork and warm wax.

 

 “That small drop of boiling water in your lap is named Sungai. I’m his Bearer, Hathor.”

 

 The tall dark Egyptian woman gave a soft playful shove to the shoulder of the impressive gheyo.

 

 “This absolute unit is our ACE, Krym. Or, Krymsen if you’re mad. They’re the Blood Title Captain of the Crimson Tide. They are my soul bonded. Sungai’s Third, Lucien, doesn’t leave the water, but I’m sure exceptions can be made.”

 

 “I’d like to convene my Circle mates and consult King Alcandor” Krym began, “As Blood Titled parent, I would like permission to begin a Hunt.”

 

 Dixon considered the request long enough for the sliding paper door to open again, admitting the first person to join them from the eleven portals Dixon had counted. 

 

 The newcomer scanned the room quickly, before his wings, scales, and claws retreated. “I was elected to check the house and hopefully bring you out.”

 

 Dixon regarded the young man with sandy brown hair dressed in formal robes. 

 

 “Rank?” Dixon asked mildly.

 

 “Beta. I’m Theo, Theo Gorgens.” He gave a soft smile and ran his hand through his slightly tousled hair like it was a nervous gesture.

 

 “Please join us on the floor, Theo. I would like your head lower than mine right now.”

 

 When Theo dropped to his knees, short enough to be lower than Dixon sitting on his heels, but about even with the Gheyo, Dixon returned his attention to Krymsen. 

 

 “You may begin the hunt, but you will include any Gheyo who have been called to our circle.” Dixon adjusted Sungai on his lap. 

 

 The adjustment put Sungai’s face in the crook of Dixon’s neck and Dixon’s arms around Sungai’s behind.

 

 “Bite,” Dixon said curtly. “You’ll feel better.”

 

 Sungai released the front of his robes to get better physical leverage and placed his hands on Dixon’s shoulders. He kissed up Dixon’s spring green neck to the juncture of his neck and jaw, before delivering a fanged bite. 

 

 Dixon moved one arm to thread his fingers through Sungai’s red and blue hair. He allowed Sungai a short comfort feed, before gently pulling his head away from his neck.

 

 Sungai released easily, arching his neck encouragingly as Dixon drew him close. Sungai trilled joyfully as Dixon struck. When Dixon withdrew, Sungai drew runes over their bonding marks in the bare remains of blood to a light flash of magic. 

 

 Sungai wrapped his arms around Dixon’s neck, while Dixon held him close with an arm down his spine holding his head, and an arm around his bottom. They clutched each other tightly while their magic reached out and tangled together. 

 

 Shift

 

 Twist

 

 Click

 

 Sungai was smiling, happy tears running down his light blue skin. He gave a few nervous, happy giggles. 

 

 “Hi,” he whispered softly as he drew back to gaze into Dixon’s eyes. “You came.”

 

 They had been dreaming about each other from the first night Sungai had come into his inheritance. Dixon and Lukas had been preparing to return to Nevarah for weeks.

 

 Dixon smiled back, indulgently. “I did.” He adjusted Sungai to sit sideways in his lap. “You pulled quite a few people through.” He turned his gaze to the Beta. “This young man is Theo Gorgens. He says he’s our Beta.” 

 

 Sungai looked at Theodore, smiling still. “I’m Sungai. I’m a lot to handle.” He gave a little wave while his parents laughed. Dixon smiled fondly and ruffled his hair. 

 

 “I have all the patience in the world, spitfire. I’m heir to the heir to the Earth Clan Chief. Handling disasters is my specialty.” Theo was smiling now, relaxing fractionally, his ramrod straight back curving a little. 

 

 “I hope you can handle the heat.” Hathor laughed, her afro developing a soft flame.

 

 Krymsen grinned widely, inching over to wrap an arm around the Fire Gheyo. “If a bottom dweller like me can handle it, so can they.” Her flames vanished the moment Krym wrapped an arm around her and she settled into their embrace.

 

  “We should probably join everyone outside.” Theodore reminded. 

 

 Sungai was on his feet, eager as ever. “I can’t wait to meet everyone!” Sungai took Theo and Dixon’s hands when they stood, to Theo’s surprise. 

 

 When they all stood on even ground, Dixon towered over everyone at seven foot three. Hathor, Krymsen, and Theo all stood together in the middle of five and six feet.

 

 Sungai was comically small in comparison to the group. He barely reached five feet with his inheritance. His fluted ears were long, standing out from his head and covered in earrings. Runes were tattooed in swirls over his blue skin now that his light scattered scales had ebbed away. There were bangles on his wrists that jangled every time he moved. The roots of his hair were bright red and the ends were deep blue. Sungai was barefoot, wearing just a long orange tunic and green shorts.

 

 Krym and Hathor led the way out of the minka and onto the grounds of the family island. A tan blonde with shorter hair stood next to a blue man with wild black hair, fluted ears, and a scar on his forehead, both of them over two redheads on the ground, casting magic over them. Magic pulsed through the air.

 

 Three obvious Gheyos stood together, conversing quietly. Their shiny armor and weapons and powerful auras gave Sungai a heart-on.

 

 Two Dragels stood off to the side of the four entrenched in thick magic, whispering to each other. The mahogany skinned Dragel with massive wings spread out behind him had a hand on the shoulder of the shorter asian man with soft lavender skin. 

 

 Standing alone was an Aqua-kin’e, glancing occasionally at the Aqua-kin’e mage and looking intensely uncomfortable. Sungai released the Alpha and Beta and made a beeline for him. Alec looked shocked to be the first choice among the party. 

 

 When Sungai drew close, he offered his hand to Alec. “I’m Sungai Ruko. Yes, that one you’ve heard about. Trouble maker, political scandal. The worst example of noble Aqua-kin’e.”

 

 Alec paused before taking the offered hand. Instead of shaking it, he raised it to his mouth and kissed it.

 

 “You need more Aqua-kin’e.” Alec said mildly. It was the closest Alec could get to pleading with the young Submissive.

 

 Alec was both relieved and pleased when Sungai agreed. 

 

 “My instincts won’t settle for less. I can’t always be underwater though. It makes my flames uncomfortable.” Sungai glanced back at the mid-sized Japanese style house he spent half of his time in.

 

 “I don’t think the family kominka is large enough for all of us though.” Sungai whined softly.

 

 Hathor grumbled in Egyptian before switching to common. “The island isn’t warded enough.”

 

 “No, it isn't.” Krym agreed easily, with a pointed look to Sungai. “I’m going to the court, I’ll consult with Alecandor then with Caiden and Lucien and then I will return.” 

 

 Sungai took a moment to look embarrassed before moving to the center of the clearing - the middle of the island. He began tracing runes in the soft dirt with his feet. His hair flared into a blue flame. Magic flowed through his limbs and down into the runes he drew. Steam rose in smokey waves from the ground. With a flare, wards went up around the island. 

 

 Krym paced away, through the brush and down the beach. They waded into the water before diving and speeding away.

 

 Hathor turned with the question for Sungai. “Why exactly didn’t you put the wards up after you called us here to visit, child?”

 

 Sungai flushed purple. “Mama-” he whined.

 

 “None of that. Your Circle?” She waved a hand at the scattered group. “I believe there is something with the red-heads on the ground.”

 

 This drew Sungai across the gap, followed by Dixon and Theo. They came near, but didn’t draw close to the casting.

 

 “What’s wrong with them?” Sungai whispered, his face ashen.

 

 The Aqua-kin’e with black hair and a scar on his forehead looked over at Sungai. When their eyes met, it was like Sungai’s very soul was being peered into. He gasped, feeling the horrifying ghost of a hand around his very heart. 

 

 

Chapter Text

[Harry]

Harry was having a fantastic time, thank you very much. An enchanted saxophone played nearby. He was dancing around the small house in his voidspace to the music.

The walls swirled and whirled. Bubbles of joy built in his chest.

The only time he felt good was when he was high.

A muggle swatch of tin foil sat on the nearby coffee table. Little squares of paper were cradled in the boat of metal. Lysergic acid diethylamide. LSD.

“Driving in your car-” Harry twirled in a circle as he sang, before leaning dramatically against the wall.

“Oh, please don't drop me home-” his hands met against his chest as he belted out.

“Because it's not my home, it's their home-” His hands exploded out from his chest, momentum launching him back off the wall to continue dancing in the living room.

“And I'm welcome no more.” Harry shimmied back and forth on his feet, There Is a Light That Never Goes Out by The Smiths playing dramatically on the ghostly saxophone.

The war had taken a toll on Harry. He had killed Voldemort. Slaughtered him. The final time Harry was struck by the killing curse, he had inherited as an XXXXX creature. A wave of death magic had exploded out of him, killing every willing Death Eater in the vicinity, along with old Snake-face. The British wizarding world had thanked him for his service by exiling him from Great Britain. At least they hadn’t killed him.

It was only Harry Potter luck that his first Bulgarian friend had introduced him to his dragel family. They eventually got him to Nevarah. Viktor Krum was a good man, a good friend to him. He had been set up with a mentor, who had strategically angled him into the eyes of the Aqua-kin’e king.

Together, they had found his Aqua-kin’e family lines. Sirius was his Sire - a lost child of the merrow Blacks. James was his bearer, and a Peverell and Black through Dorea, but the Peverells had disregarded his claim without even meeting him. The Aqua-kin’e Blacks had welcomed him with open arms but the Evansons, his third’s family, had scattered to the wind, they had closed ranks close to twenty years ago and fled off realm- far before he had made it to Nevarah.

For a decade he had been quietly cleaning up messes for the courts. Alcandor loaned him out to the other royals when they needed somebody who left no trace. He was an unofficial fixer for the sitting royals.

“Driving in your car, I never, never want to go home-” Harry swiped his hairbrush off of the kitchen counter and sang into it.

“Because I haven’t got one la-di-dum. Oh, I haven’t got one, oh- oh-.”

Harry almost didn’t notice the tugging in his chest when it began.

The music stopped abruptly.

Magic swirled through the tiny one bedroom hut in his personal voidspace. The first floating object to reach his hand was a sober-up potion. He downed it with a grimace. It wouldn’t do to show up out of his brain on muggle intoxicants.

The sober-up chilled his body. The first emotional lows of the acid drop crept in. Tears welled in the corners of his eyes.

Worthless. Freak. Fag. Drug-addict.

Harry shook his head clear like an etch-a-sketch.

The second thing Harry grabbed was a wet hand towel. He rubbed it across his face, and then rubbed it in his hair. A switching spell changed out his damp loungewear for a crisp clean tunic with capri style linen pants. A crisp dry robe was slung over the ensemble. He remained barefoot.

If Lady Fate had determined it was his time to be in his own circle, then it was simply time. He had interacted with the Immortals enough to know how much independence he could have from their machinations.

Lady Death had come to him after the final battle. First in his dreams, and then, when he believed - she had called him to her own realm. For three of the years before Nevarah had accepted him, every night he would go to her realm and learn from her best and brightest. He would return to Earth, to Europe every morning, feeling refreshed as though he had slept the entire time.

When he left for Nevarah, she helped him create a lush, moist void space - somewhere between her realm and Nevarah. In it, he built a place where he could always stay. Where he could always return to.

The first place that was his, his first home.

He looked wistfully around the place, knowing he wouldn’t be in his sanctuary as often.

A whistle had his magic tidying the entire cottage.

The soul-magic portal opened around him, and he was gently deposited on what appeared to be a small island, with a handful of others.

The first thing that caught his attention was Fred and George on the ground.

Strange. He hadn’t known they were of dragel heritage.

Fred and George had gone to America with Molly and Arthur after the first Death Eater attack that targeted their whole family at their joke store. Bill had taken Fleur and Ginny to France, enrolling her in Beauxbatons. Charlie stayed on the preserve. But Ron refused to leave with his family. Ron had told Harry he would just draw the Death Eaters out of Britain so it didn’t make sense to abandon his other brother.

If Ron hadn’t turned his back on Harry with the rest of Britain, Harry might believe they were family. Seamus and Dean had done a number to convince Ron that his inheritance was just another example of Harry being dangerous and unhinged.

Hermione had vanished a month after the final battle after visiting her parents. When Harry had gone to Australia and asked Dan and Emma Granger where Hermione had gone, they were tight lipped, saying only that she had had an inheritance and her soulmate had retrieved her.

Soon into his dealings with the courts, he had heard tell of a Hermione that was a consort to the head Hellhound. According to everybody he had asked (read: interrogated) she was hardly seen by anyone outside of Death’s court, but to those that had seen her, she was a dark and powerful beauty that knew everything. She would look at people petitioning Lord Aiden and whisper into his ear. She would tell him every secret they were hiding from him.

Recently, he had had enough. He had gone to Death’s realm. He had asked her.

“Where is my sister? Where is my Hermione?”

Death had chuckled. She had told him that Hermione was Queen Consort of Death’s court.

She had told him that he could not go into Death’s court until Fate’s hand was played.

He scoffed to himself. Fate’s hand indeed.

Harry stretched his magic over the twins and began diagnostic spells.

Before long, a blonde teal eyed Dragel approached him. He pointed to his throat, and then to the bangles he held outstretched in his hand. Harry regarded him for a moment, before slipping on a bangle. The mental connection snapped into place when the blonde put the bangle on.

A soft, gentle voice filled his head within moments.

“I’m Quinn, I’m a healer. May I help you?”

Harry merely nodded, before filling Quinn’s head with the results of the diagnostics he had performed so far. They quickly fell into a cohesive unit. They worked in tandem, a level of comfort that Harry internally acknowledged as another potential soul bond.

After the stabilizing had finished, but before Quinn and Harry had a game plan, the small Aqua-kin’e submissive drew near to them. Harry was pleased he didn’t step into the magic.

“What’s wrong with them?” The short red and blue teenager asked with a soft whine of worry to his voice.

Harry’s attention zeroed in on Sungai. Avada Kedavra green eyes met rich purple eyes. The world closed in around Harry, to the point where all that existed for Harry was him and Sungai. He drew on his death magic, looking at the soul of the young man. Harry’s magic wrapped around the small beating heart.
Death magic swirled around them, heavy with the weight of Gods long forgotten.

Harry weighed Sungai’s heart against the feather of Maat.

The scale tipped. It was lighter.

It passed. Harry felt the heavy power of Anubis, acknowledging that Sungai’s heart was worthy. Harry knew that Thoth would be recording it in his book.

Harry’s magic retreated, and with it so too did the weight of the gods. Harry gave a roguish grin.

“Well met, light of heart. Light of my heart. I am Harry of houses Perevell and Black, Disciple of Death and her Realms.”

Harry reached for Sungai’s hand and Sungai gave it to him easily.

“They bear a load of seals I haven’t seen since, well. Me.” Harry kissed the back of Sungai’s hand. “A manipulative old Torvak sealed them after their inheritances. Your scream shattered them. Your mute healer and I were just about to make a plan to strip the rest of the seals from them, to release them fully.”

"Will it hurt them?" Sungai fussed lightly.

-----------------------------------

 

“Will it hurt them?” Sungai knew he was being fussy. He didn’t want to be one of those whiny submissives, but here he was.

“Yes, a little.” Harry was back to all business. The roguish grin was gone and his focus was diverted to the blonde healer. “Now Quinn?” Harry questioned.

At the nod from the healer, Harry opened his arms wide, bringing his hands together in a clap that was not unlike the sound of a gun. A wave of black magic flashed out of his hands, sweeping over the boys on the ground.

Twin screams rang through the air as Harry’s magic shredded the seals on Fred and George. Their backs arched as the magic was sucked into the earth. The blonde healer cast an array of purifying spells while the twins began to sit up.

Their dragel attributes were rising to the surface. Long red hair burst into flames, George’s blue and Fred’s black. The differences ended there. Their tattoos, scales and wings were carbon copies of each other.

Twin souls with different flames. Sungai thought, his vanity pleased on a new level.

The first thing from the twins mouths wasn’t concern for themselves.

“Harry, mate-” Fred began.

“You’re blue.” George finished.

“Yes, I’m supposed to be blue flame-heads.” Harry offered his hands to the two to help them stand up. “Just like you’re supposed to be on fire.”

“Well I reckon,-” George began.

“This has something-” Fred continued.

“To do with Dumbledore.” They finished together. The twins took Harry’s hands and stumbled to their feet.

Harry hadn’t noticed he was still holding Fred and George’s hands, but Sungai and Dixon sure did.

“Fred and George Weasley, this is our soul-bonded submissive.” Harry introduced.

The twins shared a loaded look while their flames flickered out, leaving them almost indistinguishable.

“I think we need-”

“More information.”

Harry smiled fondly at them both. He returned his attention to Sungai after a moment.

“How about I explain, and you go visit with your very menacing looking gheyos.”

Sungai glanced between Harry and the twins, the healer, the pareya, and the gheyos.

He narrowed his eyes at Harry. “Because I want to. Not because you told me.”

Dixon gave a full throaty laugh. Theo was smiling indulgently.

Dixon led the way this time, with Sungai and Theo following behind him holding hands.

When they reached the gheyo, Dixon introduced himself first.

“I’m Dixon, World-Builder.” His alpha aura flared as if a declaration. “I command the earths and trees. I have built realms you have never seen and been places you could not survive. I am Gheyo and I am Alpha.”

Persimmon looked the behemoth of an alpha up and down. “Dixon. Dix-on. How do I get some dix-in?” She laughed throatily at her horrible joke. Behind Dixon Sungai was laughing soundlessly, covered by his hands.

“I’m Persimmon. I am a captain of the great Falmari of Aman.” At Dixon’s blank look she revised. “I’m a captain of the sea elves. I have dragel and elven heritage but I’ve never left Valinor before. I am Ace.”

Persimmon was an amazon of a woman. She stood tallest of the gheyos that had been called. At 6'6” she dwarfed the smaller bonded. Only Dixon stood taller than her. Her skin was like spun gold, and her lapis eyes sparkled with mischief. Her hair was short, spiky, and the white blond had clearly dyed aquamarine tips. Her oil slick armor shone in the light, the iridescence changing color for every shift she made. A great hunking codpiece sat below her waist menacingly.

Dixon held out his arm, and they clasped forearms. “Well met, child of Valinor. We are happy for your presence in our circle.” They released each other and Persimmon stepped back to let Dixon greet the others.

Sungai sidled up to the woman and let her slip an arm around his shoulders. He grinned in an oh so innocent way. “Do you fill that codpiece entirely, or is it just for show?”

Persimmon choked on air, coughing for a few seconds. When she had recovered, she grinned slyly. “Oh, it’s full enough. Full enough to break you.”

Theo and Persimmon dissolved into a fit of laughter when Sungai blushed bright purple, hurrying away to the Pareya some yards away.

Chapter Text

Dixon turned to the ace he knew well already.

“Hadrian. Blood-Raven.” Dixon smiled widely. “I never expected to see you face to face again.”

“Earth-Builder. It has been too long.” Hadrian smiled back, and before Blaise and Persimmon could react, Dixon had swept Hadrian into a dip, kissing him soundly on the mouth.

As they came up for air and out of the dip, they were laughing together. It was a sweet, intimate moment that felt like intrusion to Blaise and Persimmon.

“Would that I ever kiss your lips again, you would be mine,” Dixon smiled fondly at the man. “Isn’t that what you told me?”

“I… did. I meant it.” Hadrian was blushing under the mask he wore.

“Then give yourself to me, my ace.” Dixon commanded softly.

Hadrian unsnapped his pauldron, dropping to his knees in front of Dixon. He clasped his mask in his hand and pulled it from his face. Bright black eyes stared up at Dixon. A quiet heart cry from Hadrian shocked neither of the observing aces.

Dixon smiled widely, pulling Hadrian up from the ground by his empty hand. Hadrian was the shortest of the Aces, but the most muscular. Dixon dwarfed all of them. Hadrian came up on his toes and Dixon leaned down. Their fangs met each other’s flesh at the same time, magic swirling around them in a tempest. Shadows and fairy dust drifted down to the ground as they pulled away, holding one another close.

It wasn’t enough to seal the bond, but it was enough to make them both feel at home again. Their whirlwind romance where Dixon had built a world with Hadrian as his contracted ace had been short, fast and mutually intoxicating. They had parted on good terms, resolving to dedicate themselves to their separate crafts. Both of them still visited Abydos when they were feeling nostalgic.

Being here, together, was more than either of them could have asked for.

A bright portal flashed in the middle of all of them, admitting a behemoth in dragon form, with five heads and potent magic pouring off of him. He roared with one head, spit fire into the air with another. A third head with a pair of dragon sized glasses looked around the clearing. The fourth and fifth were gnashing and baring their fangs. The head with the glasses cleared its throat, and the other four heads shook themselves and settled down.

A booming voice sounded from the head with glasses. “I’m late, aren’t I? I’m never in time to fight.”

The tiamat style dragon shrunk rapidly, morphing into a refined looking man in glasses that morphed to fit the now human face. Everyone’s attention was on him at this point. His dragel attributes were on display, pale skin stark against his black hair and ruby red eyes. His wings were a swirl of reds, blues, greens and purples.

Dixon was the one who finally spoke, loud enough to be heard by everyone.

“I think we should all sit down and introduce ourselves to each other.”

Sungai called out to the group, “Let’s go inside while we wait for my dad to get back.”

They trooped into the Japanese country style house to find Sungai engaging the space expansion runes in the four corners of the main room. They were briefly disoriented by the room stretching to accommodate them.

Harry began duplicating seating cushions without being asked, passing them out to the group.

Once everyone had settled onto the floor, Sungai began.

“My name is Sungai Ruko. I’m the product of a soul bond between a fire joker,” he pointed to Hathor, “And two Aqua-kin’e - merrow,” he spat the last word like a curse. “My dad is the blood title for our people. My third, my papa Lucien, had a hard life before he came to my family circle. He doesn’t leave the water - my family are very very protective of him.”

He rubbed his face with his slightly webbed hands, “My coming into being was very controversial in the courts. I’m basically an outcast from the so-called high society. When I showed an affinity for fire - fire under the water, I was asked politely - if you could call it that, to spend time on the surface. My parents built this home for mama and I to be close. There’s a submerged home just past the north beach where I spend time and visit with my purely aquatic family.”

He leaned back on his hands, “I became a runemaster last year. I’ve dedicated my life since childhood to my craft. I’m the youngest runemaster in Nevarah. I have the record for shortest rune-walk between the Here and After. I came into my surface dragel inheritance six months ago. I have four water forms and three surface forms.

Sungai looked at Dixon with a soft smile. “I like plants and animals, and reading - but my favorite thing to do these last six months has been to look up at the stars and wonder where all of you were, and what you were doing.”

He sat up off his arms and put a hand on his chest. “I’ve never been happier to have had my life put in mortal peril.” He laughed softly, mirth showing in his eyes.

Hathor chuckled, “Don’t let your dads hear that you little hellion.”

When the laughter had died down, Dixon spoke.

“I am Dixon, Lord of Worldbringing. I am a gheyic alpha. They call me World-Builder. I was born from a dragel who fell in love with the fairies of Ireland before the ships of man ever permeated her shores. I chose exile from the seelie, instead of giving up my magic. I have a job as a realm-terraformer. I mostly work with species who are seeking asylum from dangerous realms. I have a mentee, and we break and build new worlds to shelter these refugees. Lukas will join us when I call him, he’s just finishing the final clean up of dangerous creatures on the last world we worked on.” Dixon pointed to Theo, indicating he would go next.

“I’m Theo Gorgons. I’m a councilman for the earth clans. I mostly handle natural disasters, storms, anything that gets relegated to our small table. My mentor is Ilsa Gorgons. I am Heir Apparent to the Earth clan chief’s heir. I came as a refugee from Earth two decades ago.”

Harry snorted, muttering under his breath. “Coward.”

Theo cleared his throat. “In order to keep my fortune out of the hands of a dark lord, and myself from the madman’s clutches, I abandoned everything. My school, my friends. My home.”

Harry sniped in. “I didn’t abandon everything to HIDE from Voldemort. I suffered on Earth. I lost almost everything. I was exiled from the wizarding world for killing the evil that was trying to take over. I had nothing as a child. I lost everything as an adult. Being Harry Potter was a curse and you should be grateful you had somewhere to run.”

Pain. Pain. Pain. Crucio. Crucio. Crucio. Avada Kedavra.

Harry shook visibly as the memories wracked him. The horrors played before his emerald green eyes. Fred and George, who had been sitting close, moved in on either side of the man. They wrapped their arms around him, and Harry broke down crying.

After a few quiet respectful minutes had passed, Fred spoke up.

“Harry, George, Theo, Blaise, and I come from a world where a very bad man wanted to rule the world. He almost succeeded in ruling Britain. Me and Bill separated our family and took us to different countries to try to escape to safety after Harry urged us to. Harry and Hermione, and my brother Ron, stayed behind. They hunted down the pieces of the monster and destroyed them. When the final battle happened, Voldemort won the battle. He hit Harry with the killing curse. Somehow, instead of dying, Harry became a dragel. In the middle of half the British wizarding government. They declared him an XXXXX creature and exiled him from Britain. Hermione disappeared and Ron is an ass. Harry lost everything to a war he never had a choice in being the center of.”

George spoke up next, “Fred and I are inventors. We have- had. Five joke shops in four different magical cities in America. Harry says we’re fire pareya and he’s a mage.”

Blaise cleared his throat. “I left Earth long before Voldemort returned. I’m Blaise. Just Blaise. Storm Ace. I would be considered a storm noble based on my positioning at court. I’m a border patrol captain by trade.”

Harry had settled down, but was looking intently at the soft reed flooring. He cleared his throat. “The blonde is Quinten Kalzik - Quinn,” he said softly. “An accident took his voice. We’ve been communicating with mind-link bangles.” Harry looked up, making eye contact with Quinn. “He is a specialty healer, working out of the Kalzik family home. He says he speaks sign and whistle, and is willing to make temporary or permanent mindspeak connections with us.”

Quinn was smiling at Harry, evidently pleased by Harry’s attention to detail from when they were working together in the yard and quite surprised Harry knew who he was. Quinn hadn’t thought to interrupt Harry’s minor meltdown to introduce himself.

Sungai was quick to announce, “Permanent, please.”

Quinn turned that dazzling smile on Sungai, and it felt like the air had been taken out of Sungai’s lungs. He smiled back shyly, carefully re-learning how to breathe properly.

“A task for later, young one.” Dixon chided softly. “But I too will ask for a permanent connection. Our greatest strength should be our communication.”

Several faces began studiously looking away. If Dixon noticed, he didn’t say anything.

The Pareya that had stood apart shared a look, and the asian man gestured for the black man to go first.

“I’m Ethan Hartwood. I’m an earth pareya. I’ve recently been acting head librarian for the court scholars. I’m only filling in, I’m too young to take the position permanently. The actual head librarian is pursuing something they called a ‘meme’. Middle Earth is one of the more dangerous Earths, but you know how wizards are.”

Curiosity bubbled in Sungai. “What is he doing? A quest?”

Ethan sighed, his brain still wracked from hours of repeated music. “He’s taking the hobbits to Isengard. For fun.”

Fred and George began laughing uproariously.

Harry was smiling but Blaise and Theo looked confused.

Dixon’s face was all patience when he reminded everyone to stay on track. “Would that you could settle yourself, my temper will not be tested, sweet ones.”

The asian man spoke in a soft, accented voice. “I also come from earth, but I left as a refugee from a different dark lord. I came to Nevarah when Grindelwald terrorized the world. The non-magical people’s war was fueled by his lust for power. I prayed to the Goddess to take me away as the bombs fell. I bled for the Green Man to grant me safe passage. A portal opened, and I ran through, into the boundary of this realm. The Unseelie fairy court in Nevarah welcomed me and I sit as a court member in their slitheen. I am a gheyic pareya in your rankings. My element is storm, and my hand of power is touch-healing. I am called Chao most recently.”

Dixon turned his attention to the merrow that Sungai had seemed so drawn to. A ball of light grew in Dixon’s hand, and he threw it to Alec. Alec caught it easily, turning it over to look at it from all directions. “Whoever has the ball speaks next. No repeats.”

Alec blinked a few times. He sat cross legged, feet tucked under his knees. He held the light with both hands, between his legs. “I am Alec. I’ve thrown my lot against my family, and they resent that - so I will not be called by my family name. I work in the courts, and play beastmaster for the eyes of the nobles who grace our King’s court. My position is delicate. Almost as yours, Sungai.”

Sungai nodded. “The king is your cousin. Your family were competitors for the crown. You sided against them. My parents say that you are the only member of your family with honor.”

Dixon shot a stinging hex at Sungai, and Sungai yelped, looking shocked to his alpha. Steam drifted from his scalp.

“You do not have the sphere, spitfire. Do not be so quick to disregard my requests - they can become orders.”

Sungai had the good grace to look embarrassed.

Alec made eye contact with the man who had appeared last, gently tossing the sphere of light.

“I am Xiadhae. I am called The Tyrant. Tiamat was my mother and a dragel of mixed fairy heritage was my father. I took my dragon form from my mother, and took no elemental inclination from my father. I am gold-touched. You could consider me a professional villain. I am actually trained to be an accountant. I am an advisor by birth, but could be a handful of other ranks I don’t suspect we need, as they are filled.”

Xiadhae stood, walking over to Persimmon. He deposited the orb into her hand. He continued walking toward the door, pulled out two cigarettes - dropped one into Harry’s lap, and slipped out into the dim light of the setting sun.

“I suppose we can take a break,” Dixon allowed.

Chapter Text

 

 

 

 

 Xiadhae and Harry were leaning against the classic Japanese country house’s exterior walls. Rich hand rolled tobacco smoke drifted into the air above them. They spoke in hushed tones about the different tobaccos between worlds. Once in a while, Xiadhae would manipulate the smoke to show the shape of one or another plant.

 

 Persimmon and Hadrian boxed back and forth in just tunics and pants, their armor carefully left inside. Blaise watched on, also down to a tunic and pants. It was clear he was waiting his turn against the blood titled Ace. 

 

 Dixon watched the four land pareyas sitting together for a moment, Ethan in clear instructor mode for the fire twins. They sat in the soft ankle high grass, comfortably cushioned. Fred and George leaned on each other, taking comfort in their bond. Chao was leaning back, soaking in the last rays of the dusk, wings spread wide behind him. 

 

----------------------

 

 Sungai and Theo were alone in the house. Sungai had pulled Theo down to his bedroom in the basement. His room spanned the entire basement. A round bed sat on the near side of the room, draped in a rainbow of linens. On the far side of the room was a large pool, furniture dark blue under the water. A rack of towels hung by the steps to the pool. A desk sat close to the bed, strewn with papers with crispy black edges.

 

 Sungai guided Theo over to the plush bed, before he climbed into the center.

 

 “My instincts want me to bond with you Theo. Do you have any conditions? Any concerns?” Sungai smiled when Theo sat down beside him. 

 

 Theo took Sungai’s smaller, slightly webbed hand in his own large, calloused hand. “If my mentor has her way, I will be clan chief one day. I have a lot of responsibility as a councilman as it is. I can’t give it up. I would ask you to hunt for a rheyo.”

 

 Sungai frowned first, then he put his empty hand on Theo’s cheek. “As you will it, my beta.”

 

 Theo kissed Sungai, the hand on Theo’s cheek moving to the back of his neck. Heated kisses melted into caressing hands. 

 

 In their stolen moments together, Theo took Sungai in all of the ways that mattered.

 

 The earth rumbled above and around them as they sealed their bond, a wave of contentment rushing down Sungai’s bond with Dixon.

 

---------------------------

 

 The earth rumbled while Dixon enjoyed the contentment radiating from Sungai.

 

 Blaise was now boxing back and forth with Persimmon, the three of them burning out the fight that had rung in their blood when they were summoned. Persimmon lashed out with a high kick but Blaise was suddenly just not there. He appeared behind her, sweeping her feet out from under her. The accompanying zap of electricity left her breathing heavily on the ground.

 

 “Match,” Hadrian announced.

 

 Blaise fell back. Persimmon got to her feet. “If you hadn’t played dirty, I could’ve won.”

 

 “Winning is all about playing dirty.” Blaise shrugged, completely unbothered. 

 

 Persimmon moved her hand in a wave, and an accompanying wave of muddy water from a nearby puddle swept over Blaise’s ankles, causing him to lose his footing. He fell forward, into the wave of water. Persimmon laughed as he sputtered to his hands and knees. 

 

 Persimmon’s face fell when Hadrian spoke, “Childish games will not make you second Ace.”

 

 “You are so sure you are first.” Persimmon sniped.

 

 It was Dixon who took the response though, lashing out with his alpha aura. “I say he is first ace, child of Valinor. Do you have a blood title to your name? You say you have never left your homelands shores. You are a child in the eyes of your people. You are a child compared to many in this circle. I should send you to the Crimson Tide to have you put in your paces.”

 

 “Alpha- I’m sorry,” Persimmon had tears in her eyes. Dixon had read her like a book. 

 

 While she was a captain of battle elves of water descent, she was still only a training captain. She had only begun as a training captain the equivalent of six months ago. She hadn’t banked on being called out for the eighteen years she had lived by a stranger. He was right. She was a child, maybe not in Nevarah or on Earth, but on Valinor she was still decades away from approaching maturity. 

 

 “If there is training to be had, it is my obligation to pursue it for the betterment of our circle,” tears were openly falling down her face. “Please do not send me away.”

 

 Sungai and Theo had chosen that moment to emerge from the house in search of the others. 

 

 “Nobody is being sent away,” Sungai stated in a tone that booked no argument. “Everyone who needs an education will receive it. You will all be supported in your dreams and goals. Right Dixon?”

 

 “So it shall be,” Dixon agreed easily. “Who has my light?” His eyes roved over the group. 

 

 “I-It’s with my armor Alpha. Inside.” Persimmon wiped at her face with the palms of her hands. 

 

 Dixon summoned it, giving Persimmon a pat on the shoulder as he handed it to her, “The truth, this time.”

 

 Persimmon wiped her damp hands off on her tunic. 

 

 Sungai was summoning pillows, throwing them at his separate soulbonded. They took seats on the earth and grass near each other. Blaise laid on his side in the grass with his elbow propped on the offered pillow, hand holding up his head. Sungai chose Hadrian’s lap as his next conquest when everyone had settled in the yard by the house. Fairy lights were twinking, strung up on what could be used as laundry lines.

 

 “I’m Persimmon,” she began. “I’m very young for one of my people. I’m a training captain for a group of fighters slightly younger than me. We are the new generation of water guards. I haven’t even seen my first tactical scrimmage as captain. I like being on the giving end of pranks and teasing.”

 

 She rubbed her eyes and ran her fingers through her hair. “I wasn’t always a girl. When I was 16 I came into my dragel inheritance and began becoming more feminine. I was but a boy, now I am something in between. I prefer being Persimmon, she rather than Simon, he. It feels better. More right.”

 

 Hadrian plucked the shining light orb from Persimmons outstretched hand. “I am Blood-Raven. I have held the title for thirty years. My name is Hadrian Maruke. I’m shadow, for those of you new to Nevarah. Lately I’ve been practicing for the fights during the hunt in a few weeks. I’ll have to defend my title again.” 

 

 Hadrian stretched his shoulders out, before wrapping them back around the submissive in his lap. “I work for the Cunninghams, our shadow royals. My contract is up when the hunt begins. I hadn’t really thought of what I wanted to do after the hunt.”

 

 The orb Dixon had made flickered out of existence. 

 

 “How many beds are in your house?” Dixon asked Sungai. 

 

 “Depends on what type of bed you’re looking for. There are three western style beds on the second floor. We have probably nine futon pads.”

 

 Dixon looked around the group. “Does anyone have sleeping arrangement preferences?”

 

 “We can enlarge my bed downstairs for anyone who wants to be close, but I want to sleep in my pool with Alec or Harry tonight. Or Alec and Harry.” Sungai announced, seeking eye contact with Harry and then Alec for confirmation.

 

 Alec nodded and Harry shrugged before nodding. “I don’t spend a lot of time in the water on my own dearest,” Harry said softly, “but we can spend some nights together under the water.”

 

 “Nearby sounds good,” Chao followed up, the pareya contingent nodding in agreement. 

 

 The group trailed behind Sungai as he and Theodore led the group downstairs into his wide bedroom. Lights sparkled from the pool in the ground.

 

 Sungai went to the bed first. He began carving off runes in the bedframe under the messy circular bed with an ornate looking knife. He stepped back as the entire bed swelled into a larger size. The bed now took up most of the spare space within the basement. 

 

 “You made the bed… smaller?” Harry asked with amusement in his voice.

 

 “Liked the bed, not the size. Too empty.”

 

 The tunic was over Sungai’s head and on the back of the desk chair in a blink. The company of land walking bonded began getting ready for, and into bed. Sungai waded into the pool, settling in the bed under the water. Thin angelic fins fanned out from behind his ears, at his shoulders, and at his knees.

 

 As Harry waded into the water, the fins looked white, but when he submerged his head he could see that they were rainbow iridescent. Under the water, Sungai’s lips were a bright rich red, and his skin lovely and pale. He seemed smaller in this form. 

 

 Harry’s lower half morphed into tentacles, caribbean reef octopus colors stretching over his features. He swam forward, hovering in front of the bed. Sungai reached a webbed hand out to him.

 

 “It’s just sleep,” Sungai reassured, seeing Harry pause. 

 

 “Just sleep.” Harry confirmed, before joining their webbed hands. 

 

 Alec had given them their moment, joining them in the bed only after Harry settled into the bed. Alec was taller in the water, sleek, hard fins on his forearms and calves. He pulled Sungai across his chest.

 

 “I want everything you have to offer my sweet anemone,” Alec rubbed his face into Sungai’s neck. 

 

 “Blood, but no sex.” Sungai compromised. “And Harry doesn’t have to do anything he doesn’t want.”

 

 Alec flexed his jaws wide before setting his fangs into Sungai’s shoulder. Sungai angled his face in on Alec’s upper arm and took his own pound of flesh. The water swirled around them as they pulled away and Sungai drew runes over their bites. Something in Alec settled down and his muscles unclenched. 

 

 “I have problems.” Harry blurted out to the two Aqua-kin’e. He could feel open soul bonds to both of them. “I have problems and I’m antisocial. I work a lot and need a lot of personal space. I’m hard to like and harder to love.”

 

 Alec shifted Sungai and pulled Harry in to lay against them both. Harry continued babbling. “I take risks, unnecessary risks where I believe I’m the only person who can solve something. I’m not diplomatic. You couldn’t take me to a court dinner.” 

 

 Sungai cuddled Harry close, pressing their foreheads together on Alec’s shoulder. 

 

 “Magic chose us for each other, Harry. Whatever you can think of as a reason we won’t like you, is something we can work through together. I’ll take you as you are, and together we’ll all figure out who we want to be.”

 

 “You’re stupid if you think we’d turn you away for a little trouble.” Alec confirmed. “You’ve spent too much time with landwalkers.” 

 

 Harry laughed, but the laughter broke with a sob. He was crying, clinging to Alec and Sungai. They let him cry, holding him close while he got it out. Eventually the sobs turned to hiccups. When the hiccups settled, he gave a quiet, barely heard heartcry. 

 

 Sungai and Alec shifted, pulling Harry up to even with Alec. Sungai took his wrist and Alec took the bend of his neck. They sank their fangs into Harry at the same time. 

 

 From outside the pool, curious Gheyos watched as the water simmered and churned. 

 

 Harry bit Sungai, then Alec while magic raised around them. Sungai traced the runes, and the three of them gasped as their bonds flared to life. 

 

 For Harry, it was like coming home. 

 

 For Alec, it was having something of his own to protect.

 

 With it, Sungai settled enough for them to all drop off into a restful sleep under the water, Hadrian keeping a vigil over their vulnerable bodies.

 

—————————————

 

 

 Above water was not nearly as easy. The landwalking Pareya contingency settled into the bed easily enough with Dixon - Fred and George in the middle , but the two Ace’s who weren’t guarding the pool couldn’t decide who would patrol the island and who would guard the bed. 

 

 Hadrian silenced them both. “I am guarding tonight. The shadows are with me. I have a better relationship with the blood title parent than either of you two young ones. You are both sleeping tonight.” 

 

 Blaise accepted this easily enough but Persimmon was less than thrilled. A warning look from Dixon had her shutting her mouth as she began to protest. 

 

 Blaise and Persimmon settled in behind Xiadhae, who kept a respectable few inches on either side of himself next to Dixon. 

 

 Quinn had grabbed a futon style floor mattress and blankets from upstairs, and was settling in between the pool and the bed.

 

 A wave of magic from Dixon had the lights dimmed to a low level for emergencies. Hadrian settled in to watch over the group and the island, his shadows spread far and wide.

 

———————————

 

 Krym swam through the gorgeous blue waters on the way back to the island. They were fuming. If they swam slower than normal to bite back their temper, nobody would comment.

 

 Alcandor had suggested a self imposed exile to the surface until the attackers were found. Lucien had wanted his precious baby closer - as in home under the water. Caiden had barely convinced the fretful man that it would be more dangerous for Sungai under the water, especially since he had no pure aqua-kin’e Gheyos to protect him.

 

 The compromise was that Sungai and his bonded would stay in a beach house intended for lesser aqua-kin’e nobles up until the end of the upcoming hunt. Alcandor and Caiden were personally seeing to the wards. 

 

 The idea was that if Sungai could fill out his gheyos, he would be protected. Krym was carrying the gheyo cards for the few Crimson Tide that were surfacing in the group of hunt approved aqua-kin’e. Nobody was going to tell Sungai that they were only surfacing for him, to protect him.

 

 It was Krym’s secret hope that Sungai would gravitate towards one (or more) of the elite fighting force to keep as his own, but he would settle for having them on hand to protect the group.

 

 The underwater dwelling of their family island was coming into view. They stopped into it for a drink when dawn was still a couple of hours away. They nursed a few of the spicy liquor drinks they preferred, doing their best to calm down before they had to explain to Sungai that he was being thrown into the deep end.