[7] Encounter : Lil' Bella and Ol' Bastard

Act 1 | Prologue | Encounter : Lil' Bella and Ol' Bastard

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It was been an year and an half since Hecate's advice and Zack had taken it to heart. He had realised that in order to grow in strength he will have to learn more about magic and for that he has to different travel to places to learn different magic.

Getting permission from his guardians was a bit hard bit Zack managed it somehow and his traveling partner was none other than Lalisa and Camila.

And this past year and half Zack had travelled all over Alaska, Canada, USA, Mexico, Most of South America (Columbia, Peru, Brazil, etc) and now he was on his quest to conquer Europe.

Zack smiled to himself as he looked outside of the house they were staying right now. Right now was in London staying in a hotel. He sipped his hot chocolate as he turnes his attention back to the book in his lap.

'Ancient Greece and Its Guardians.'

Zack was happy to learn every bit of information he could get on Hecate and her family(His In-Laws) and boy was he not impressed.

'Bunch of barbarians.' Zack thought. 'Guardians my ass. Not any better than children who were granted great powers.'

Though there was some misinformation, he talked it out with Hecate as she vists his mind every time he sleeps now. He learnt that the information on Hecate's origin was largely wrong.

Hecate though born into the Greek Pantheon to Titan Perses and Asteria and was quick to receive her greater ascension through Lady Death who was ordered by the 'Creator' granting her power and responsibilities greater than anyone in the greek faction. She was given her own personal realm to govern and tasked to maintain the magic balance throughout the multiverse.

Becoming more powerful than anyone in the Greek Pantheon, except for her parents, Hestia and a few she was treated like an outcast by everyone especially Zeus who was extremely jealous of her and her power but was unable to do anything because she had the protection of someone they couldn't hold a candle against.

While Hecate still has a powerful standing in Olympus but she doesn't really seems to mind it and only visits it once every hundred year or so.

But yep the rest was as it is, Greek Pantheon was full of sick scums. Zack shrugged as he didn't really care about them, he only cared about Hecate.

Learning about the existence of the Multiverse Zack was naturally very excited but decided he had much time to think about it as for now he has different priorities

Done with the book, Zack closed it and put it aside in favour of picking another one. A black tome to be more precise.

'Arnane Records from beyond the Veil. Vol 1'

Tugging the bookmark Zack continued from where he left on taking notes into his own diary for later experiment.

During his travel Zack had come across two fascinating ways to use magic.

First was strengthening his body and becoming a Close Combat Mage. This had multiple advantages, heavily flooding magic into his system to every inch of him could strengthen his body and the exposure over time to the magic would allow him to wield magic even without an anchor or focus and his body would develop a resistance and in rarer cases even immunity against magic used against him.

But there was one glaring problems. As far as the world knew Close-Combat mages were extinct except some in Japan and they were just magic-powered samurais. So without anyone to govern his training Zack was at a disadvantage as without proper guidance he would make a lot of mistake and possible overcharge his body and go *poof*.

That would mean no lil' Zacky no more and that made him shudder. It was not the most preferred type of death. So he had to hold that thought.

Second was the use of magic circle. Now in past due to his admittedly incomplt knowledge he knew the only way to use magic circle was in rituals and ceremonies but apparently it wasn't so.

Magic could be used as a substitute for wand as anchor and focus but the best part was that there was no limitation as to how and what kind of magic circle you could use.

As he became interested in that Zack began researching more into them and sadly found very little about them. The users were few and hidden, the only clue he has is a place called Kamar-Taj somewhere in Kathmandu, Nepal.

But skimming through history he found out that the angels and devils from Ars Goetia apparently used magic circles but weren't limited to them as they were basically made from magic.

He also learnt that sometimes, incantation were used to invoke greater circles like circles that contained a divine aspect.

And after coming across a detailed diagram of a magic circle of fire magic and managing to create a basic replica of it in his mind, Zack had another epiphany.

The Magic Cricle was another magic system and perhaps the heart of the spell. The true face and the incantation which were sequence of specific words and basically were a unique language exclusive to that particular spell.

"If I manage to master the true Magic Circle or at least comprehend a bit of the true face I'll be able to replicate and even create spells of my own without needing a focus or an anchor." Zack nodded as he put down the book and put on a jacket. It was around 6 and looking into thr bedroom Lalisa and Camila were sleeping after getting drunk.

Shaking his head with a helpless smile Zack cast a notice-me-not charm and headed out for a walk.

The weather was clear which was unusual for London.

'It must be God's grace. He's allowing Londoners to catch a glimpse of the sun.' Zack exaggerated and chuckled with humor. Grabbing an ice-cream he went ahead and took a sit on the bench of a park.

Savoring the taste of the ice-cream and enjoying the relaxing sight of the sunset Zack wasn't prepared as he felt his senses t()ingle nearly dropping his ice-cream.

Zack also learnt about more of himself as more of his abilities manifested as he progressed. His senses were very sharp and he was especially sensitive towards magic. So sensitive that could feel magic no matter how much diluted it was.

Instinctively his eyes glowed subtly as his vision changed. Every thing became much nore detailed as if watching a movie in the best resolution, enhanced even but the thing to note was the wisp of energy he could see coming from somewhere deep in the park. While he didn't have completed control over it just yet it turned on instinctively and has helped him a lot.

Chucking the rest of his ice-cream down he jumped of the bench and headed towards the direction the magic signature was coming from.

Reaching there he had to blink twice as standing infront of him was a girl around his age. The girl was really anxious and was startled when Zack suddenly approached her.

Looking closely Zack saw the girl who as messy raven hair and beautiful green eyes trapped behind circle-rimmed broken glasses was abnormal thin, cleary malnourished. Dressed in worn clothes of a male that were almost too big on her frail frame, her cute face starred a number of light bruises, a particular lightning-bolt shaped scar and as she shifted under his gaze he saw her wince in pain a couple of times.

But that wasn't even the biggest point of concern.

'What the hell is that?' Zack thought in disgust. Through his magic perception Zack saw a wormy-mass made of black corrupted magic and soul trying to wiggle into her head through the scar but only to fail and continue to wiggle in a gross manner. Not only that looking closely he saw a number of strong wards placed on her like health monitoring, tracking and even blood ward. 'What the hell?! What kind of overprotective person does this!'

But the right word here, perhaps wasn't 'overprotective' but 'obsessed'.

He could put his finger on what it was but something about this girl seemed familiar.

His his diagnosis and he became numb. To say that the girl was abused would be an understatement. Malnourishment aside the girl had multiple unhealed fracture recent being a few minutes ago and older one even dating back to three years ago when the girl was just four.

Fractures aside the girl also bad torn tissue and bruised internal organ and now that the looked more closely he saw red markings on her hand that were made by something like a belt.

And if that wasn't bad someone had also placed seals on her core which he had to admit was larger than that of most average adult wizards. He couldn't fathom why someone would do that to a child and the only possible theory he could come up with was either that some one was manipulating the girl or she was slaved by them OR worse, both.

None of them seemed pretty.

"U-Um... W-Who are you?" The girl stuttered snapping out of his thoughts and gave her a look which immediately cowed the girl. "I-I am H-Harleen Potter."

Zack's eyes slightly widened in realisation. 'Of course! No wonder she seems familiar! The freaking scar! How mind numbing books have I read about Harleen Potter's fans! The magical toddler who saved the collective asses of the adults of the magical Britain.'

The girl was probably in peril and had had caused accidental magic which resulted to her teleporting in this park.

As he ranted inside, outside he flashed her a disarming and gentle smile.

"Someone who can help you." Zack replied to the girls question causing the girls eyes to widen. "Call me Zack. Now let me help you."

"I am afraid I will have to stop you from doing that my child." A begger dressed in rags stepped out of the shadows. His face was dirty covered with black soot making it hard to make out his features. But the most noticeable thing was probably his long beard that seemed to mop the dirty. "It's better if you don't get involved in the life of little Harleen, it's for the greater good after all. It will also be the best for you two to forget about this."

"Of course only a senile old fool of a delusional wizard would style that kind of ridiculous beard which is neatly trimmed for a beard belonging to a mangly beggar. Next time you wear a disguise better make it look realistic because unlike you folks who think with their stick, muggles actually use their common sense." Zack deadpanned. The beggar froze for a moment before a his face housed a grim look. "I don't know what's going on in your pedo brain but I assure you I have no plans to go along with your scheme and the girl here also won't be any part of it."

With a wave of his hand Harleen fell asleep into Zack's arm. A shield automatically appeared as a stunner was shot in his direction.

Placing the girl in blissful sleep Zack cast full recovery on her which restored her body but the malnourishment, the worm and the wards places by this old bastard remained. Zack placed a strong shield on her before getting up.

"Now it's your turn." Zack turned to the beggar who was looking at Zack in shock unable to comprehend him. Zack cast a large scale barrier locking the both inside as untamed, magic pressure burst out of him caused the winds to pick up and thr old fool to die due to heart attack. Zack's eyes glowed ominously as his face morphed into one that of pure, unsaturated cold rage. "I have never felt so... Mad in my whole life."

"Who are you?" The begger asked still in shock not able to understand how this child was able to give of such pressure and worst there was killing intent in it.

"Why?... The audacity to do such a thing to an innocent child. Abusing her and purposely restricting her growth." Zack chuckled without any mirth. "You made my day old fool. Tonight I'm feeling absolutely murderous."

"I am afraid you won't understand. It's best if you just step aside-"

Zack just raised his hand and multiple lances made up of metal manifested and without a second thought were launched at the old fool who tried his best to dodge and defend but was still grazed by some them.

"Dark. I am afraid you have already gone dark-"

"Shut the fuck up!" Zack screamed in rage as he rushed at the fool. "Dark huh? Dark huh! I'll show you dark! Bombarda Maxima!"

The begger raised a shield to block the spell but was still blown away a bit. He shot a few curses of his own but was baffled as the child either dodged them completely or it was blocked by a shield which appeared automatically.

"Aquamenti!"

A Leviathan made of water materializedand attacked the beggar who raised a shield and tried his best to hold it as the everything else around him was destroyed.

'This child is so powerful already! He cannot be allowed to live! If he became more powerful I will not be his opponent!.' The beggar thought with a grimace it was unfortunate but he it was all for greater good. "Avada Kedavra!"

Zack's eyes widened as he saw the green ray of light head towards him for his life. He tilted his body and the spell teared through his barrier but missed him by an inch. Though he dodged he wasn't given a chance as the cunning old coot began firing the killing curse at him in quick succession.

Zack had to strain his muscle was he was forced to dodge the spells, turning his body in ways they had never been before.

Spinning on his heel and leaning back avoiding a another of the green curse he's eyes widened in panic as there was already another one heading towards his head. Thinking quickly he raised a wall if dirt and sigher as the spell hit it an dissipated but he relaxed to early as a Explosive spell hid the wall and he was blown backwards.

Rolling on the ground and then his back slamming against a tree Zack gritted his teeth as he tried stand back up. He felt warm liquid that was his blood, now dripping down his face. Opening his eyes he was the old fool was already infront of him grinning smugly in victory.

"Hahahaha! And to think that I thought you as a threat! Hahahaha! You are nothing but a child with a bit power which now I'm going to get rif of. I can't stomach when someone spoils my plan of the greater good. It is unfortunate that you have to die, you could have been of a great use but you have seen too much. Blame yourself if you want to blame someone. Now die!" The fool grinned.

"AVADA KEDAVRA!"

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A/N: Avada Ke-Edited. :P