Ch. 15 Wakanda

Thursday, December 5, 1991

Standing in my library, wearing my full armor, I stare at the cheap watch around my wrist. Other than telling the time, the time-piece also doubles as a portkey.

A portkey is a marvelous piece of magical achievement. The Portus spell is based entirely on intent and vision.

To create a portkey, one must have a clear picture of their destination and a clear picture of a return destination. The wizard must also decide on how to activate the portkey. Portkeys can be activated by touch, vocal command, or at a fixed time.

The creation of a portkey is rather easy if you have a decent understanding of where you want to end up. There is one thing to be cautious of. Where you want to land.

When someone Apparates, their magic will keep them from merging with something occupying the same space where they intended to arrive. Portkeys do not do that. If someone is standing where you want your portkey to take you, then it's highly likely you both will die a very gruesome death.

Another difference is the wards to prevent the use of a portkey and Apparation. Unlike the Anti-Apparation Ward, the Anti-Portkey Ward is a very complex piece of magic.

Most experienced wizards can create an Anti-Apparation Ward on the spot. Locking down an area with the Anti-Apparation Ward is a common practice for Aurors when they arrive at the scene of a suspected crime.

But the Anti-Apparation Ward cannot stop the use of a portkey to escape, and very few wizards are capable of casting the Anti-Portkey Ward.

To stop someone from using a portkey, whoever is casting the Anti-Portkey Ward, must have an in-depth knowledge of space and matter. Without sufficient insight of both, there will be gaps in the ward in which someone using a portkey could escape.

This is probably why the Ministry of Magic has outlawed the unauthorized making of portkeys.

Taking a deep breath, I clearly state, "Wah krongrah." (To victory)

With the activation of my portkey, the world swirls at unimaginable speeds. The pulling at my naval only contributes to the nausea I'm feeling.

Roughly landing on my feet, the world suddenly stops spinning. Trying to keep my dinner down, I force myself to stand straight. "Now, I know what it feels like to for a baby to be born." I don't attempt to stop a shudder at imagining my own statement.

Regaining my bearing, I quickly cast the Bedazzling Hex and Muffle spell. Once invisible and silenced, I take my time looking around. Seeing the underside of a giant stone panther, I can't help but smile.

I'm standing in the vibranium cave entrance at Mount Bashenga, Wakanda. I took a leap of faith and set my destination for the stone panther in the Black Panther movie. With this being the MCU, the statue should exist.

Looking over the glowing jungle, I can see the lights of tall buildings several miles away. The approaching sunset is far more beautiful than I expected. This looks identical to the scene in the movie.

I guess this confirms it's the MCU.

Turning from the colorful sky, I quickly make my way into the darkness of the vibranium cave. I selected to arrive at this time for a reason. It should have minimal staff and security.

I have to make this quick. The Uagadou School of Magic is in the bordering country of Uganda. It's a strong possibility Wakanda has produced several witches and wizards throughout its long history. I don't want to take a chance of running into a Wakandan witch or wizard.

It takes only a moment before I'm standing before the violet glow of a vibranium fill cavern. Forget the sunset! This is truly beautiful. It's an underground cavern made entirely out of raw glowing vibranium.

My attention is pulled to a couple, making their way up a white spiral ramp.

Jackpot!

Quickly approaching the two Wakandans, I send an Imperius Curse into the chest of each of them. The wonderful thing about this Unforgiveable, it breaks all language barriers. I can command them based on pure intent.

Ensuring I'm still under the Emdazzlement Hex, I mentally ask them if there are any magical beings in Wakanda. Shaking their heads, I then ask if there is anyone else in the area. They reply with another shake of the head.

Perfect.

Leading them back into the design lab, I notice several differences from the movies. The machines around the lab are not as small or streamlined, and the circular room is a bit more crowded.

Not wanting to stay longer, I have one of the Wakandans go and retrieve one ton of raw vibranium. While one is seeing to that, I have the other scientist download an English version of all their knowledge on a set of Kimoyo Beads.

The Kimoyo Beads can project a three-dimensional image of any image downloaded on them. There is even an audio function that will read aloud the information stored on Kimoyo Beads.

As a precaution, I make sure any type of communication with the Kimoyo Beads is impossible. I don't need the Black Panther coming to Britain looking for the stolen beads.

After nine minutes, the Wakandan knowledge filled Kimoyo Beads are finished. My anxiety is spiking with each passing minute. I debated on leaving the vibranium and moving on to the next stop to avoid being caught.

I have to keep reminding myself I am strong enough to handle anything that happens. There is also the fact that I'm waiting on the arrival of EIGHT BILLION DOLLARS worth of the miracle metal!

While waiting, I had my first victim disable all recording devices in and around the lab. Once the cameras were offline, I have him bring up a live feed of the Heart-Shaped Herb Garden from multiple angles. After studying the images, I am confident I can Apparate there.

It is exactly twenty minutes after leaving that the second scientist arrives on a small hoverbike with my shipment of vibranium. A total of 900 kilograms of vibranium divided up into four-hundred and fifty individual canisters carrying two kilograms of vibranium each.

Ensuring that all recording devices in the lab were disabled, I have the scientists point me towards the lab servers and hard-drives. With an overcharged Flamespark spell, I torch every bit of the circuits I can.

Many of the vibranium parts are still intact, but the other materials quickly deform. I doubt anyone will be able to recover enough of the servers to find out what happened here today.

Once the storage devices are slag, I hit both scientists with strong Obliviate spells and stun them. Moving the entire ton of vibranium into two of the trunks in my subspace, I remove all traces of my presence.

Confident the Wakandans won't be able to trace this back to me, I Apparate into the center of the Heart-Shaped Herb Garden.

I know the area is being recorded, so I make sure to tread carefully under the Bedazzling Hex.

Instead of stepping on the ground, I just Grand Telekinesis to levitate myself over the garden. I slowly make my way to the nearest illuminating flower. I secure the glowing purple leaf in my subspace without removing it from the plant. This will prevent any cameras from capturing the image of a floating flower.

I secure another three heart-shaped herbs before I'm finished. I know there is a tonic to remove the powers gained. Having extras will ensure I can regain the enhancements in the event, it's removed.

After the four Heart-Shaped Herbs are in my subspace, I activate my portkey to the Apparation area of Diagon Alley. Not pausing a moment, I Apparate to Dragonsreach.

Once my stomach settles from the duel modes of travel, I confirm I'm back in my training hall. I nearly threw up my dinner!

Seeing the familiar room, I burst out in joyous laughter!

My heart rate hasn't stopped trying to beat its way out of my chest since this mission started.

Despite all my fears, one thing rings true. Infiltrating Wakanda was a complete success!

I bask in my success for several more minutes, before finally getting my emotions back under control.

"Trixie! It's finally time!" At my call, Trixie appears beside me wearing a white lab coat. I purchased the lab coat from a child's Halloween costume just for tonight.

I decided to go ahead and have the Super-Soldier Serum made with only a few modifications at the recommendation of Abraham Erskine. Dr. Erskine believed there was a very low possibility of failure with his old recipe. But once I disclosed a bit of my ancestry, he did insist on making a few adjustments.

Taking the new recipe to the corrupt chemists from the pharmaceutical company, I had them make enough for a single person. Once they completed the serum, I hit all of them with an extremely potent Obliviate. It will be impossible for them to recover the events of that night.

As an added bonus, Trixie and I stole every bit of the laboratory equipment that could be used to create a low-powered Vita-Ray Chamber.

My Vita-Ray Chamber should be able to barely reach the power levels that Steve Rogers was subjected to. It will be able to produce around ninety-five percent Vita-Rays from any home connected to a power grid.

I thought of using a lower setting to prevent myself from gaining too much size, but I was worried I wouldn't get the full benefit of the mental boost.

Setting up the chamber was Trixie's mission while I was in Wakanda. We were fortunate enough to have a low-level gang member volunteer the use of his home for the Vita-Ray Chamber. He had no say in the matter, nor will he have any memory of the event, but it's the thought that counts.

Offering my hand to the tiny house-elf, "Let's go, Trixie."

"Yes, Master Dragon Sir." Taking my hand, Trixie transports us to the site of our make-shift lab.

Looking around the small living room, I see the unconscious form of the homeowner. All of my attention focuses on the large object standing in the middle of the room.

The Vita-Ray Chamber is a metallic shaped coffin with multiple electrical cords connecting the chamber to several electrical outlets in the home.

I used Transfiguration, to form the entire Vita-Ray Chamber from scrap metal. I used the Resurrection Stone to have Dr. Erskine walk me through how to channel electricity through the Nitramene to generate Vita-Rays.

The inside of the chamber is set up with thirty-four auto-injection syringes. Once the chamber is sealed, I'll be injected with the Super-Soldier Serum a moment before Vita-Rays are channeled through my body.

Doing one final check on the chamber, I then remove the Super-Soldier Serum and heart-shaped herb from my subspace. I carefully load the auto-injectors with the Super-Soldier Serum while Trixie is using a mortar and pestle to crush a single heart-shaped herb.

With the serum loaded and Trixie finished preparing the heart-shaped herb, it's time to start. I strip off my armor and climb into the chamber in only my underwear.

Using telekinesis, I strap myself into the restraints. "Okay, Trixie. Once I finish drinking the crushed leaf, immediately flip the red leaver up. Wait five minutes, and then flip the red lever down."

With an absurd amount of dedication, "Master can trust Trixie."

Smiling at the house-elf, "I'm counting on you."

Before Trixie can reply, I levitate the mortar to my mouth and deeply drink of the purple liquid.

Letting the empty bowl drop, "Now Trixie!"

In one smooth motion, I'm enclosed in the chamber. Before I can rationalize the burning of my throat, thirty-four needles are deeply inserted into the largest of my muscles.

As a cool sensation is filling my muscles, a scorching flame races through my body.

It's at this point, golden lights fill the chamber, and the pain is magnified three-fold. I bite down on my lip to keep from shouting out in pain. The most worrying part, I am becoming incredibly drowsy.

I'm using every ounce of will power to stay awake, and I fear it isn't enough.

Despite the agonizing pain, I lose consciousness.

Awareness carefully fills my mind.

I feel... Amazing. The pain and burning are just memories. I don't know how much time has passed, but I slowly open my eyes.

I'm greeted to the sight of purple and black swirling through a sky filled with stars.

I stare up at the bewitching sky for a long moment enjoying its beauty. It is peaceful yet majestic. I think this is the Ancestral Plane.

A feeling of being watched breaks the spell. Looking to the side, I take in the sight of a colossal golden dragon. As I look over the massive being, I can't tell how large it is. I can only describe it as divine.

With sudden realization, I softly whisper, "By the Divines. You're Akatosh."

As if the very earth was speaking, "Welcome, my child."