After stepping out of the alley and seeing the harbor, Ian finally realized exactly where he was because it bore the city's markings and name.
Ancient Greece.
This region was not the capital of Ancient Greece, though.
Rather, it was...
Rhodes Island.
Yes, there was a harbor, which meant that it was either coastal or located on an island. Ian also knew the name of this place. Like Pompeii, it was an ancient land that had been destroyed.
Within the ancient history never mentioned in the Harry Potter series, there once existed an island that was among the earliest birthplaces of European magical civilization.
Rhodes Island.
This mysterious land in the Aegean Sea had become a hub for wizards' exchange and magical research centuries before the Common Era. Legend held that it wasn't just a gathering place for Greek wizards but also a vital nexus for Warlocks from Northern Europe, Egypt, and even the Middle East to share knowledge. In those days, Rhodes was hailed as "the beacon of magic," and its magnificent magical academies towered over the island.
At that time, Rhodes Island was hailed as the "Lighthouse of Magic," and magnificent magical halls were built across the island.
This island was once the cradle of early alchemy theories, the divination system of prophecy, and the intricate ancient magic text. Here, Wizards researched forbidden spells, created powerful runes, and even attempted to communicate with the Gods, seeking to obtain power beyond mortal limits. Yet, this glorious sanctuary of magic vanished from history overnight.
There were countless theories about its destruction.
Some ancient parchments recorded that when wizards attempted to cast a forbidden spell, they accidentally triggered a magical storm, causing the island's energy core to spiral out of control and explode. This disaster destroyed Rhodes Island itself and caused temporary magical disturbances across hundreds of miles of surrounding seas. It even influenced the later development of Muggle civilization.
There were also rumors… That all of this was the doing of the Olympian Gods.
They could not tolerate mortal wizards challenging their divine authority. They rained down divine punishment, sinking the entire island into the sea.
And they erased all traces of it from the Muggle world. Today, only the secret scrolls of a few ancient houses and fragments within Hogwarts' Restricted Section vaguely mention the "Lost Rhodes Island." For most modern wizards, it has become a legend—a cautionary tale about ambition, power, and the price they demand.
Of course.
Perhaps the reality Ian was about to witness would differ from any later accounts.
As the sun slowly sank into the Aegean Sea, it cast a golden afterglow over the ancient, solemn city of Rhodes Island. Famed for its colossal statue, the island was now bathed in a warm yet faintly scorching atmosphere. The air was thick with a salty sea breeze mixed with the rusty stench of blood.
The war had only just begun.
Several warships were anchored in the harbor, their sails snapping in the wind.
Towering marble columns carved with the faces of gods and the legends of heroes stood on both sides of the stone-paved streets... now being smashed apart by groups of Spartan soldiers.
It was as if they intended to destroy everything else in the city as well.
Civilians screamed and fled. Some clutched clay jars, some dragged children along, and others knelt on the steps of temples, praying desperately to the gods.
In the distance, the white stone columns of the temples were blackened by smoke, and flames devoured the surrounding olive groves. Ian could see Spartan soldiers throwing torches into civilian homes.
Flames instantly leapt onto rooftops.
Greek soldiers fought the Spartans, but their actions could hardly be called just; they continuously used civilians as shields against Spartan arrows.
For a moment, Ian couldn't tell who the real villains were.
Then...
"Athena! You betrayed me!"
The shout exploded like thunder.
The shout reverberated with such force that even the distant waves seemed to pause momentarily. Clay jars near the harbor shattered from the shockwave. The cry erupted from the heart of the city, carrying rage, anguish, and an indescribable power, as if the entire city itself were answering this primal roar.
Ian jerked his head up, startled to see the colossal statue of Zeus in the city center tremble slightly from the sonic force.
Loose stones clattered down.
"Damn it! Who the hell is shouting?!"
Ian instinctively pulled out his wand. His eardrums buzzed violently, and his chest felt as if it had been struck hard by an invisible fist. The sheer impact of the roar shook him to his core.
At the same time...
The already half-mad Spartan soldiers grew even more agitated.
Their eyes turned fanatical. Their expressions shifted from vigilance to fury and then to full berserk rage. Some drew their swords. Others raised their shields.
They all charged straight at the nearby Greek soldiers.
"Our master is in danger! Kill these evil ones!"
A scarred centurion roared.
A massacre erupted in an instant.
The Spartans lunged at their enemies like wild beasts. Blades flashed and blood sprayed. Civilians screamed in terror and fled in all directions. Some tripped and fell, getting trampled so badly that they could barely rise again. Torches fell and ignited abandoned stalls. Thick smoke billowed upward, turning the area into a chaotic inferno.
"Kill! Kill! Kill!"
The Spartan warriors were like trolls injected with berserk magic. Their bulging arms swung weapons as they hacked at the nearest Athenian soldiers. Blood splattered across pristine white stone walls, and screams echoed endlessly.
An elderly woman clutching a clay jar was knocked to the ground. Just as an iron boot was about to crush her skull...
"Protego!"
Ian's wand traced an arc of light, conjuring an invisible barrier that instantly hurled the Spartan warrior away.
The old woman crawled toward a corner in terror, while the soldier who had been flung aside glared viciously at Ian.
"Wizard?"
He wiped blood from his face and narrowed his eyes beneath his bronze helmet.
"Foreign mongrel... stay out of this!"
Judging from Ian's completely different appearance, the Spartans could clearly tell that he was neither Greek nor from any of the nearby peoples.
The Spartans were notoriously xenophobic.
But Ian couldn't care less.
"If it's war, let it be war," Ian said, his voice devoid of emotion as he gently rotated his wrist. A cascade of golden sparks erupted from the tip of his wand. "But civilians are innocent, at least."
He had come to this era to find a special rose. However, it was clear that he had arrived at the worst possible time, whether it was intentionally arranged by the Female Titan, Claire, or not.
Ian was about to cast another spell when...
Suddenly, a whistling arrow slammed into the wall beside his ear, its shaft vibrating violently. Ian dropped into a crouch and saw a Spartan warrior in the distance with his bow drawn and aimed straight at him.
"Foreigner!" The man roared in Ancient Greek.
"Kneel!"
His condescending tone was infuriating.
A flaming arrow flew right over Ian's head. It almost damaged his precious hair.
"Stop!" Ian shouted. His voice wasn't loud, yet it carried a strange power that cut clearly through the chaos and reached every ear.
This was clearly Ian using a magical effect to reinforce himself... It was the same kind of spell the Hogwarts headmaster used during opening ceremonies to amplify his voice.
This magic allowed Ian's voice to reach everyone present.
Several Spartans who had been hacking down enemies froze for a moment, their movements slowing. They quickly recovered, though, and one of them glared at Ian and roared.
"Just a wizard? We've killed plenty of your kind before. It seems our warnings didn't teach you a lesson about our mercy. If you dare stand in our way, you'll die too!"
It was the same man who had fired the arrow earlier.
"I am not your enemy," Ian said calmly, his voice utterly even. "But this slaughter serves no purpose. Both sides are massacring civilians."
Before the Spartans could respond...
"What did you say?"
The Greek soldiers weren't having it. Roaring, they charged forward, swinging their swords straight at Ian's head. After all, the truth really was a sharp blade. As local soldiers, their duty should have been to protect the civilians.
"Let me show you something amusing."
Ian merely raised his right hand.
A dim blue glow appeared in his palm and spread outward like ripples, sweeping across the entire area. Instantly, everyone's weapons let out a sharp, grating, gazhi screech.
Then...
"Cluck! Cluck! Cluck! Cluck!!"
The next moment, every Spartan soldier's weapon in the harbor began to twist and transform. Bronze swords softened and stretched, finally turning into brightly colored screaming chickens.
Yes! Every sword, spear, and axe became a red rubber chicken toy that shrieked hilariously when squeezed.
The scene fell into sudden silence.
The Spartan soldiers stared at the endless screaming chicken toys in their hands; shock and disbelief filled their faces. Some tried to draw their weapons again, only to find that they had all turned into these ridiculous toys.
"..."
The entire harbor sank into an eerie quiet.
Both sides exchanged bewildered looks. A few refused to believe it and squeezed their "weapons" tightly, only to be rewarded with a series of squeaks. A burly centurion, furious beyond measure, slammed his screaming chicken onto the ground, where it bounced twice and let out an even louder shriek.
"Pfft."
A Greek child hiding behind a cargo crate couldn't help but laugh.
That small giggle was like lighting a fuse.
The Spartans' faces flushed red, and their veins bulged on their foreheads. They tossed aside the screaming chickens and charged toward Ian bare-handed.
"You...you wizard!" One soldier who recognized Ian's identity pointed at him through clenched teeth.
"You're not a local wizard! You have no right to interfere in our affairs!"
"This is a war of gods!"
Before the soldier could finish speaking, their movements froze instantly.
Everyone, Spartan or Greek, was locked in place by Petrificus Totalus.
"If you won't listen to reason," Ian said calmly as he flicked his wand, "then I happen to know a bit of truth as well."
He looked at the Spartan statues frozen mid-charge across the harbor and nodded in satisfaction.
But before he could relax, the ground suddenly shook violently.
Dusk at the Port of Rhodes was soaked in blood-red hues. The setting sun poured molten gold over the war-torn harbor, coating the shattered shipwrecks, collapsed walls, and scattered corpses in a false brilliance.
Suddenly, the sky darkened, storm clouds churning ominously, as if foreshadowing an impending tempest of fate. A black shadow streaked across the horizon, a colossal eagle, its wings spanning the heavens, eyes flashing with thunderous golden light. It was Zeus's incarnate, King of the Gods of Olympus.
Silent yet supremely authoritative, he surveyed the world under his dominion.
The majestic bird flew over the city, gazing down at the bustling yet ignorant masses below. Finally, it landed atop the massive statue of the Sun God at the city's center.
The moment its talons touched the stone, an ancient, mysterious power surged into the lifeless statue.
A faint golden glow spread across its surface like the first light of dawn, illuminating the entire city. Immediately after, a deep rumble echoed from beneath the earth as if the entire island were trembling.
As the vibrations intensified, two blazing golden lights ignited within the statue's eye sockets, resembling the first rays of the rising Sun. Then, the statue's stone skin began to peel away, revealing golden flesh pulsating with Divine Power beneath. The once-motionless limbs slowly stirred, joints grinding heavily as if a body dormant for millennia was finally awakening.
The statue of the Sun God had come to life.
On the distant city walls, countless soldiers and citizens gazed up in terror at the spectacle. Some fell to their knees in prayer, others screamed and fled in panic, while most stood rooted to the spot, witnessing the divine miracle unfold. Meanwhile, Zeus, still perched on the statue's shoulder in his eagle form, watched the unfolding events with a cold, detached gaze.
As if everything were proceeding exactly as he had planned.
Ian stood at the edge of the plaza, his gaze fixed on the newly animated Sun God statue. His heart still raced, but he suddenly noticed—the giant eagle that had perched on the statue's shoulder spread its wings and soared into the sky once more.
Its wings sliced through the stagnant air, its silhouette transforming into a black shadow against the twilight sky as it sped toward a hidden corner deep within the city—the ruins of the Old City, a place long forgotten by most.
Yet it was here that the giant eagle lurked, observing the animated statue's inexorable march toward some unknown destination.
With each colossal step, the Titan sent gusts of wind roaring across the harbor, its shadow casting a deathly pall over the port.
In the next instant, its foot slammed down with earth-shattering force, the temple's columns snapped like dry twigs, its dome collapsed under the crushing weight, and debris and dust erupted in a violent cloud. The colossus showed no mercy, crushing everything as though it were an anthill.
Its foot crushed the marketplace, reducing stalls, pottery, and fleeing civilians to bloody pulp beneath metal and stone. It kept moving, its knees bending with shrill, metallic screeches, like the growl of an ancient beast.
Its second step came down on the lighthouse.
Its base shattered instantly. The tower tilted, broke, and collapsed.
Dust billowed skyward.
With every step of the giant came the city's screams. Walls crumbled. Houses were reduced to rubble. Even the earth split open, forming spiderweb cracks.
It was as if the entire city were groaning in agony beneath its feet.
And still it advanced... toward a tower.
"Wait... what is going on? I just came here to look for a romantic rose. Is the rose really in a place like this?"
Ian hadn't even processed the situation when a furious roar tore through the night sky.
"Gods! You cannot stop me!"
The voice thundered with endless rage and resolve, shaking every stone in the city. Ian jerked his head up toward the sound.
A bald figure climbed onto the ruins of a shattered temple platform. He wore broken armor, and his body was covered in wounds, yet his eyes burned like raging fire.
"?"
Ian finally realized something.
He froze.
'What kind of influence did the Female Titan Claire exert on later generations to allow me to witness a scene straight out of a bargain-bin myth mashup in this history steeped in myth?'
Yes.
Ian recognized the bald man.
It was Kratos, the God of War.
Wielding the Blades of Chaos and with eyes blazing with vengeance, Kratos faced the towering statue of the Sun God in the distance. The divine effigy had not yet fully regained its mobility.
Yet it already radiated a suffocating pressure.
And yet...
Deprived of divine power, Kratos showed no fear.
Above Rhodes Island, the sky seemed set ablaze by war. Clouds rolled. Lightning flashed.
"You won't stop me either! You're nothing but a dead thing!"
Kratos stood atop a ruined tower. Gale-force winds tore at his cloak. His bare torso was covered in blood and scars, but nothing could hide the fury burning in his eyes.
The Sun God slowly raised his torch, its golden radiance illuminating the night sky. In the next instant, he violently swung it down, unleashing a torrent of flames that engulfed the entire battlefield.
Kratos roared in fury and charged headfirst into the inferno.
The battle raged with unparalleled intensity.
Giant boulders shattered, flames surged wildly, and the cacophony of roars and explosions wove together into a symphony of destruction.
All of this was coldly observed by a massive eagle circling high above.
Zeus, king of Olympus and the unseen observer.
He watched Kratos fight like a madman. Though his lips didn't move, a trace of mocking amusement flickered in his eyes.
"You can never escape my chessboard."
However, before that smug satisfaction could last even a moment, the air around him suddenly twisted.
A figure appeared beside him without a sound.
A small hand rested on his body.
"Long time no see, Zeus. Looks like you really enjoy turning into a bird, too. Was that inspired by my Animagus form?" Ian's voice exploded beside Zeus's ear.
The king of the gods saw the last person he wanted to see.
(End of Chapter)
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