Virtual Gladiators – Part 7
Ron stood still, staring at Luna. He knew that, although Luna appeared friendly and harmless… it was just an illusion. A trap. A bloody lie.
After all, the combination of unpredictable Luna and the magic Stephen had taught her was pure destruction.
The reason was right in front of him.
That skinny blonde girl was surrounded by an army of magical creatures so bizarre they looked like something out of a fever dream: a Niffler with hummingbird wings, a translucent fox that shimmered like crystal, and a kind of hippogriff covered in bioluminescent moss and fungi.
"Yep, Red's more lost than Snape at a costume party," Wanda commented with a mocking grin, crossing her legs on her floating seat.
Behind Luna, a multicolored portal hovered in the air like a window to another world. From it, creatures of every kind emerged as if it were a parade of fantastic zoology.
"We've seen an army of rock and earth! And now one of magical beasts! This tournament just keeps outdoing itself!" Jordan said, visibly thrilled. His eyes sparkled like a kid in front of a shelf of exploding candy. "This is what keeps me glued to my seat! Action, risk, and a dash of Lovegood madness!"
Meanwhile, Ron drew a sword and raised his wand at the same time, imitating the style he'd seen Harry use. But unlike his friend"who'd trained with his magical brothers"Ron had trained on his own and with the twins. His style was less refined… but just as dangerous.
A strange, three-eyed rhino, covered in black scales and with horns like carved obsidian, began charging at him with brutal speed, shaking the ground beneath it.
Ron reacted instantly. He jumped and, with a swift wand movement, caused an explosion under his feet that boosted his leap even higher. In midair, he aimed at Luna.
"Bombarda Maxima! Confringo!" he shouted, firing both spells almost simultaneously.
One massive blast sent a huge bat-winged polar bear flying out of the way. The second spell landed right in front of Luna, but before it could reach her, a golden-feathered leopard grabbed her from behind and whisked her away gracefully.
Other creatures"like smoke dogs and wolves with spiral-shaped eyes"shielded her from the sharp rocks flying in all directions.
Stephen had made sure these creatures didn't feel pain when hurt. When their endurance reached its limit, they simply vanished like soap bubbles, bursting in gentle flashes of light.
Several dogs and wolves burst that way, prompting Luna's expression to shift from her usual dreamy distraction to something focused and serious.
"Blackie," she said, pointing to the small black dragon perched on her shoulder.
The dragon leapt to the ground and, in seconds, grew into a mid-sized beast with gleaming scales and eyes filled with fire.
Ron landed, conjuring a small layer of sand beneath him to soften the fall. At the sight of the dragon, fear flickered across his face for a moment. But he quickly regained composure.
"I've faced a basilisk… okay, with help. A dragon doesn't scare me that much," he muttered to himself, taking a deep breath.
He used another magical blast behind his back to launch himself straight toward the dragon.
The beast opened its huge mouth to swallow him whole, but Ron jumped at the last second. He conjured magical chains and hurled them at the dragon's jaws.
With surprising skill, he spun around its head twice, tying its mouth shut like a giant muzzle. In the end, he landed on its neck, gripping the chains tightly.
The dragon thrashed violently, trying to shake off the unexpected rider. Ron clung on for dear life, like a performer in a wild beast taming show.
"This is insane! Looks like so much fun!" Wanda squealed, clapping her hands as her feet bounced excitedly.
"Haha! Yeah! If he didn't put up a fight, it'd be a disgrace to the Weasley name," added Jordan, leaning toward the mic with excitement. "But this kid's got guts! This is getting legendary!"
Ron smiled confidently, striking a proud pose, like a dragon warrior out of an ancient legend.
"Look at him! All dashing and heroic!" Jordan shouted. "He's really feeling like the main character now!"
But his heroic moment didn't last long. A white, translucent bat with wings as thin as glass slammed into him at full speed, knocking him backward.
"Well… there goes his gallantry," Wanda teased through laughter. "Such an elegant landing!"
Ron held onto Blackie's neck chain, sliding along it with agility, trying to get closer to Luna. But several winged creatures were waiting: giant butterflies with multiple eyes, a pair of sparrows with feathers made of light, and a strange bat with spiral-shaped tails.
"Petrificus Totalus!" Ron shouted, aiming his wand.
The creatures froze midair, suspended like floating statues.
But Blackie, clearly annoyed at being used as transportation, shook his head violently. Ron lost his balance and was flung backward. The dragon didn't stop there"it raised a claw and struck him head-on.
Ron blocked with his sword, but the impact sent him flying. While in the air, he flicked his wand.
"Mollicorpus!"
The spot he was about to land on transformed into a bed of soft enchanted pillows. He landed with some dignity, quickly got up, and returned to a guard stance. He looked at Luna, still surrounded by her magical army, and began thinking about how to approach again.
It was then that he noticed her gaze.
Luna was angry.
And although her frown made her look more adorable than terrifying, the intensity in her eyes was new, different... dangerous.
But she wasn't looking at him. She was looking at Blackie.
Ron followed her gaze. The black dragon had one paw lifted, showing a reddish mark: a cut from Ron's sword during the block.
A wound.
Magical creatures weren't supposed to feel pain"Stephen had made sure of that. But Blackie was different. He was special.
He was the first. Her companion from the very beginning.
Luna pressed her lips together tightly.
"Blackie's Mom!" she shouted in a high-pitched voice.
The air in the coliseum froze as if someone had hit a pause button. An electric tension swept across the entire stadium.
"Oh no... no, no, no... I don't like this at all," murmured Jordan, leaning forward with wide eyes.
A violet portal behind Luna began to expand, swirling like a magical storm.
"This is gonna hurt…" Wanda sang gleefully.
From the dimension emerged a massive dragon head"black as night, with eyes like full moons glowing in the darkness of the portal. The head alone was the size of a full-grown dragon.
"That's no ordinary mom!" Jordan exclaimed in disbelief. "That's the mother of all mothers! Sweet Merlin!"
Ron stood frozen, feeling his body being pushed back by the air the dragon inhaled.
"...mom," he whispered, eyes wide.
A violet light lit up the beast's throat.
A second later, a hellish blast of magical fire swept across half the coliseum. The sand turned to glass, the stone into solidified lava.
The stadium's magic shield activated just in time to protect the audience, but the devastation inside was absolute.
There was nothing left of Ron.
Not even ashes.
Just dust.
The enormous dragoness withdrew through the portal as if nothing had happened, returning to her realm like a spirit that had fulfilled its duty.
Silence fell.
"..." Jordan swallowed hard, speechless.
Stephen, from the control zone, covered his mouth with both hands, shaking inside. He couldn't laugh. Not yet.
"AHAHAHAHA!" Wanda, on the other hand, didn't hold back. She doubled over with laughter like a child at a playground. "What a drama! It was beautiful! He disappeared! POOF! Not even a hair left!"
Jordan blinked several times, then cleared his throat and resumed his role.
"Ahem… It looks like Ron has lost. Our winner is… Luna Lovegood and her incredible, destructive, and emotionally motivated black dragon!"
"Blackie's moooom!" added Wanda between laughs, wiping away a tear of joy. "That was the best thing I've seen in weeks!"
A few seconds later, Ron's body reappeared on a magical restoration platform. His face was filled with resignation, and his robes were still smoking. He let out a long sigh as he dusted himself off a bit.
At least he had put on a show. The crowd was still chanting his name enthusiastically, and that brought a half-smile to his face.
Still, he couldn't help but feel a sting of annoyance.
His two best friends weren't there to cheer him on.
...…
Meanwhile, deep within Black Castle, Harry was slowly flipping through a book that looked more like an archaeological artifact than a regular tome. Hermione and Tony watched closely. The "pages" weren't paper, but thin carved stone slabs covered in symbols and drawings.
"Well… when they said old, I didn't expect this old," muttered Tony, raising an eyebrow as he carefully turned a page.
"How ancient is it?" asked Hermione, who had come looking for them to watch Ron's fight, but completely forgot about the match the moment she saw the book.
"Cave engravings. We're talking the dawn of humanity… maybe even earlier," Tony replied seriously. It wasn't often he looked this focused.
The three of them leaned over a particular page. There, carved with simple but elegant lines, were seven golden figures. Each held a glowing orb in their hands, offering it to what appeared to be ordinary humans.
Harry frowned.
"Is that… us?"
Hermione tilted her head.
"Or maybe the first ones… like you."
Tony nodded slowly, eyes fixed on the drawing.
"Maybe we should call the others. This… this isn't just ancient history."