Title: Fallen Night
Fandoms: Harry Potter & Radiata Stories
Chapter: 11 of 11
Author: Batsutousai
Beta: Shara Lunison
Rating: T
Pairings: Harry/Jack
Warnings: OoC, AU, slash, non-human arc, war
Summary: Harry slipped when he was standing a little too close, and the next thing he knew, he was far away from everything he'd ever known, with something like eternity waiting for him.

Disclaim Her: This story uses characters and settings owned by J.K. Rowling, her publishers, Square Enix and tri-Ace. No money is being made from the creation of this fanfic, and no copywrite infringement is intended.

A/N: This is, quite probably, the shortest chapter of the lot. I could have lengthened it, I suppose, but that was too much of a hassle, so it's short.

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Chapter Eleven - Hic Sunt Dracones
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When Jack woke, it was to a cold bed. He touched the spot he remembered Harry being in and frowned a bit. He'd been certain they'd gotten past the awkwardness last night, but maybe not? He vaguely remembered telling the dragon he could make up excuses in the morning, and it was morning...

Sighing to himself, Jack dragged his weary body out of bed and completed his usual morning rituals before shuffling out to the courtyard, where Zane was watching the sun. "You're not in your command centre?" the human wondered.

Zane glanced back at him, a strange smile on his face. "The humans have been too damaged in their attack to worry about trying another one so soon." He glanced back to the south, green eyes gleaming in the morning light. "I'm expecting the most wonderful sight this afternoon or evening. I don't want to chance missing it."

Jack blinked, then shook his head. "Whatever." He turned to head back into the fort proper to get some food, then turned back to the light elf, frowning a bit. "I don't suppose you've seen Harry this morning?"

"Harry and Gawain accompanied Ridley out of the fort this morning," Zane replied, not looking away from the empty horizon to the south.

"They left?" Jack said, shocked. "They... Why? Where were they headed?"

Any response Zane might have made was cut off when a dark cloud rose over Radiata City. A dark dragon with silver plating rose through the clouds, letting out a roar of victory.

"Aphelion," Jack whispered and shuddered as the silver dragon turned south and disappeared beyond the cloud.

"They travel to the end of the world," Zane commented, eyes watching the spot the dragon had disappeared at. "To the City of White Nights."

"The end of the world?" Jack whispered, his heart stopping in his chest. "Why would they...?" He turned on his heel and ran for the gate that opened behind the fort. "Harry," he whispered.

Ganz and Adele were waiting for him by the pig, both outfitted for battle, while Gil hovered slightly behind them, eyes worried. "You're going after them," the light elf murmured.

"Of course I'm going after them!" Jack snapped, coming to a halt before his friends. "Ridley is my friend, and Harry..."

"You love him," Adele offered, sorrow in her eyes. When Jack gave her a shocked look, she smiled sadly. "Every time you look at him, you smile just like Mom used to do when Dad was mentioned. I may not like him, but I can't deny that he's special to you."

Jack offered an apologetic smile. "Sorry, Sis."

Adele sighed and shook her head. "I suppose I'll just have to get used to him," she offered and Jack's whole face lit up.

Ganz chuckled and dropped a friendly hand on Jack's shoulder. "Let's go, then," he suggested.

"What will you do when you reach them?" Gil asked as the three humans turned to the pig.

"I don't know, but whatever they're doing, I won't let them do it alone." Jack swallowed. "You saw Aphelion. I'll bet he's going to cause trouble and try to stop them. We can't let him get in the way!"

Gil nodded in understanding and joined the humans at the pig. "I'm coming with you," he warned.

Jack smiled at him. "Thanks."

None of them had ever been to the Dysett Region, which had the closest pig to the City of White Nights, so they had to travel first to the pig in the Aiden Region and sneak past the severely depleted human guards into the Septem Region, where they were caught by hollywoodies and blauniebels.

Not far into the Dysett Region, they were stopped by Gerald, who gave the four friends a disquieted look. "What took you so long?" he asked Jack.

Jack blinked. "Deputy Chief?" He shook his head. "I don't have time to fight you, and I don't want to hurt you. Please let us pass."

Gerald let out a loud laugh. "You've got balls, kid. I always liked that about you." He smiled as he brought his swords around in a ready stance. "But I can't let you pass. You sullied Theater Vancoor's good name when you went off to play for the other team."

"I sullied Theater Vancoor's good name?" Jack shot back, furious for the delay in their journey. Aphelion was likely already at the City of White Nights, and here Jack was, being chided like a little boy for fighting to save their world. "I'm not the one that agreed to fight next to Cross of all people while he went around, destroying dragons and weakening the natural resources of Tottaus! I'm not the one who's been working for the silver dragon, Aphelion, while he plotted to take over the world and shape it in his preferred image!"

Gerald was momentary taken aback by the rejoinder, but he quickly gathered himself and settled even more firmly into his fighting stance. "I fight for the honour of Theater Vancoor," he declared. "I will avenge our name!" And then he ran at Jack, two swords swinging quickly.

Jack caught the first sword with the Arbitrator and slid out of the way of the second. "Go!" he shouted at his friends. "I'll be fine! You have to warn Harry and Gawain about Aphelion!"

"We'll see you at the City of White Nights," Gil agreed as they ran around the duellists.

When Gerald moved to intercept the fleeing party, Jack got in his way, cutting dangerously close to Gerald's good eye. "You're fighting me, Deputy Chief," he reminded the man grimly.

Gerald narrowed his eye at the younger fighter and suddenly his two blades were a whirlwind, driving Jack back as he struggled to block and duck them, hearing his heart in his ears. Gerald was no rookie fighter, and he wasn't about to play around with Jack like he had back during the boy's entrance exam.

Jack was starting to actually worry for his life when he tripped over a half-buried stone and landed on his behind. Out of his pocket fell one of the bags of panic powder he'd bought from Gabe during a trip through Shangri La. Desperate enough to cheat, and silently thanking his goblin friend for always insisting he buy more, he ripped the bag open and tossed it in Gerald's face.

The Deputy Chief's good eye widened in surprise and then he was inhaling the confusion-inducing powder. Even as he started coughing it back out, his eyes glazed over and he started swinging his swords a bit aimlessly, barely even glancing at the fallen teen.

Jack took a moment to breathe in relief, then jumped back to his feet and efficiently disarmed the older fighter before knocking him on the back of the head with the flat of his blade. "I'm sorry," he told his fallen ex-superior as he dropped his swords next to him in the dirt, "but I can't let you distract me any longer from helping Harry. You can pay me back after Aphelion is no longer a problem," he promised, then turned his eyes to the hills that hid the City of White Nights and started running, sword held loosely in one hand in case he had to face down any other monsters.

Jack met up with the others at the entrance to the City, as promised. They had spent their part of the journey clearing the road of any monsters, which left Jack's path unbarred, allowing him to make up the lost time.

"Good to see you unharmed," Ganz commented with a grin as they started onto the white pathway that cut away from the desert.

Jack grimaced. "I cheated a bit. Tossed some panic powder in his face," he admitted.

"There are more important things than playing fair with a human who can't take 'no' as an answer," Gil offered, sniffing.

Jack couldn't help but smile at that. "Yeah, you're right. Thanks, Gil."

The light elf offered him the faintest of smiles, then turned back around to shoot a spell at an approaching earth cell.

The City of White Nights was made up of platforms connected by ladders, many of which were crumbling and would come falling down if they weren't careful. There were also sandfalls that would appear when they were not quite beneath them, and getting caught in one meant a nasty fall. At the centre of the spiralling platforms was the Gold Dragon's Castle, where their friends were sure to be.

Along the way, the four ran in to any number of elemental-based monsters. Gil's skills with water and wind-based spells made facing earth and fire cells a snap, and the sword Adele wielded was covered in flames, making aqua cells equally simple to dispatch. Ganz and Jack had nothing better than brute strength to power their swings, but it appeared to be more than enough to do the trick.

Finally, after three gruelling hours, they reached the entrance to the Castle. Just past the stairs in was a magical healing circle and they all made good use of it, sighing in relief as sore muscles were soothed and burns or cuts were healed over.

"I want one of those in the Fort," Jack decided, eyeing the stairs spiralling above them. "If I didn't know any better, I'd think we were in Radiata Castle, with all those stairs."

Ganz groaned. "When we finally get back into the castle as war heroes or whatever, I'm demanding a ground floor room," he muttered.

Jack let out a tired laugh, then clapped Ganz on the back and started the way up the stairs. "I don't care if I end up with algandars afterwards or not," the teen decided, "I am going to kick Aphelion's arse."

"I'll help," Gil grunted.

"You don't even have to walk these steps," Jack complained.

Gil shot him a disgusted look. "You weren't the one ferrying you lot around when you got caught by a sandfall or under a broken ladder."

Jack offered him a helpless smile. "Thank you? You're my favourite light elf ever?"

Gil snorted, amused, while Adele and Ganz let out breathless chuckles behind them.

Harry stood at the top of the stairs and he blinked in surprise at seeing them, even as the three humans and one light elf blinked in surprise at the sight of Ridley floating in front of a glowing golden dragon. "Jack? What are you four doing here?" the green-eyed dragon asked.

"Aphelion was headed this way," Jack explained as the party climbed up the last set of stairs.

"We came to offer our aide," Ganz agreed. "Just in case." Then his eyes slid towards Jack, and he added, "And Master Jack wanted to see you, I think."

"Captain, shut up," Jack retorted, offering his friend an irritated look.

Harry sighed and stepped forward to draw Jack into a hug. "I'm sorry for leaving without any warning," he murmured into the teen's ear.

Jack quickly wrapped his own arms back around the dragon, not wanting to chance Harry pulling away. "I'm very cross with you," he offered, pulling back just enough to give the smiling dragon a mock furious look. "I demand you make it up to me!"

Harry laughed, eyes bright. "How should I do that?" he wondered before dipping his head down and gently pressing his lips against Jack's.

They pulled apart to the sounds of their friends' laughter and Gil's muttered, "Finally."

Jack's face was a bright red, but he was grinning like a loon. Harry's cheeks had the faintest of blushes on them and he whispered, "I... love you too, Jack."

Jack didn't think he'd ever been more happy in his life.

"Well, isn't this precious," an aristocratic voice broke in from behind Jack.

"Aphelion," Harry hissed, carefully drawing Jack out of the line of fire and behind him. "Go back to your hole, you piece of slime."

Lord Lucian – or Aphelion, as Harry had called him – smiled in amusement. "Well, well, if it isn't the long-lived human." He raised an eyebrow when none of the humans looked surprised at the statement. "Have you finally given up on hiding your refusal to die from your fellow men? How... cute."

"Why don't you just go peacefully back to your sleep?" Harry snarled. "Quasar is already communing with Ridley; you're finished!"

Lucian's face twisted nastily. "I refuse!" he hissed before morphing into his dragon form and raising his sword to attack Harry and Jack, who still stood behind the younger dragon.

"Protect Ridley!" Harry ordered before jumping forward and morphing into his own dragon form, knocking a surprised Aphelion out of the tower.

"He's a dragon," Adele breathed, staring after Harry and Aphelion's retreating forms with awe. Ganz, next to her, didn't look much better.

In her glowing ball, Ridley glanced over her shoulder, green eyes turned gold with the dragon's power. "Jack," she called, her voice echoing eerily.

"Ridley?" Jack replied, stepping closer to his friend.

"Don't disturb them!" Gawain ordered.

Ridley turned a little bit more and held out a hand towards Jack. The tips of her fingers breached the ball of light. "Come," she said.

Jack, as if under a spell, stepped slowly forward, despite Gawain's orders for him to stop, and took Ridley's hand. The girl drew him up into the bubble and the whole world around them disappeared. Jack found himself floating in a world of gold light, Ridley next to him and the shining form of Quasar before them.

Jack Russell, Quasar's voice echoed in their minds.

You know me? Jack thought back, unable to look away from the dragon.

I know only what Ridley has said of you, Quasar replied. I know you are just and brave. You are a leader, but you care very much for those you lead.

I'm not just, Jack replied, thinking back to his duel with Gerald.

Quasar considered the memory, then insisted, You are just. Yes, you used unfair means to win your fight, but you did not kill your opponent, only left him with a minor wound. You did not remove his weapons, or leave him surrounded by creatures of the wild. You showed kindness to an enemy; that is just.

Ridley's hand squeezed Jack's gently. Please, Quasar, why did you ask me to bring Jack? she requested. In this strange dimension of golden light, her voice didn't echo, and it took Jack a moment to realise that the echo in her voice had been Quasar's voice.

Quasar tilted its head. Yes, time grows short. Jack Russell, I have seen your heart; you love my brother, Harry Potter, the dragon of the dark elves.

Jack saw no reason to deny that. Yes, I love him.

You would love him enough to spend eternity with him? Quasar pressed.

Jack felt as though his heart was in his throat. Spend eternity with Harry? Give Harry the chance to no longer live alone? If there was a way, I would, he whispered and felt tears in his eyes.

I will show you this way, Quasar promised before rushing forwards into Jack.

Jack let out a helpless scream as everything suddenly burned and he was bombarded with centuries of knowledge. Somewhere, just beyond the cascades of pain, he felt arms holding him up – Ridley – and Quasar's voice echoed, Forgive me. There is no time to be gentle. If we are not awake when Aphelion dies...

Just as suddenly as it had begun, the pain ended and Jack felt a slight jolt as he and Ridley were dropped to the ground, the golden globe that had encased them gone. He laid heavily in Ridley's arms, gasping through the echoes of pain. As if from far away, he recognised Ridley's voice, assuring the others that he was okay, trying to explain what had happened without actually explaining anything. Jack felt a deep well of amusement aimed at his friend; she had spent too much time with elves and dragons, who worked to keep their secrets at all costs.

Another lance of pain shot through him and Jack let out a whimper, pressing his face into the padding between Ridley's neck and her extravagant shoulder-spikes. Aphelion is dead, Quasar's voice supplied as if from far away. We are the only dragon of the humans, now.

Jack felt a memory creeping up on him slowly. He grasped at it, recognised it as the meeting with Parsec at the fort. It took him a moment to understand the significance, and then he asked, I thought dragons couldn't be killed. I thought you just slept.

That is true, usually, but our brother, Aphelion, waged a war against the rest of us and our children with his own children – our own children – humans. The dragons have convened and they have agreed, Aphelion must be dealt with. We gave Harry the strength to put him to rest for good. Humans were given two dragons for the duality of their natures: their kindness and their cruelty, their warriors and their mages, their men and their women. The humans do not truly need two dragons, not with the threat our brother was.

But then there is no silver to your gold, Jack whispered.

Quasar's voice echoed with laughter as the platform they stood on shook and Ridley's arms tightened to keep Jack steady. Our gold, Jack, the dragon reminded him.

"JACK!" Harry's voice shouted.

There is still a silver, Quasar added as Jack felt familiar hands take him from Ridley's grasp. He has simply never truly had his colour.

Jack opened his eyes at last, drained, and found himself looking into the worried green eyes of the man he loved – green eyes that were now ringed with silver. "Harry," he whispered, his voice carrying the faintest echo of Quasar's voice.

The silver-ringed green eyes widened in understanding. "Quasar," he breathed.

The others erupted in surprise and shock, finally understanding what Ridley had shied away from telling them. Jack reached up one heavy hand and rested it lightly against Harry's cheek. "I love you," he whispered.

Tears sprang into being in Harry's eyes. "I love you too," he whispered back before capturing Jack's lips in a happy kiss that sent energy coursing back through the new dragon's body. "I love you too, you silly, foolish boy."

Jack smiled and burrowed himself in Harry's embrace, feeling as if he had just come home.

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A/N: So, at the end of the non-human arc, Jack's voice is sort of echoey and there's a bit of a debate about whether or not he's become a dragon in Ridley's place. Well, I say 'Of course he became a dragon!' And then I went and made it more obvious here. Because that's what I do.

Hope you enjoyed this fic as much as I did! (Even if it took me two bloody years... -.-)
And, no, I'm NOT doing a sequel. Don't even go there.
~Bats ^.^x

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Deleted Scene - Just for Shits and Giggles
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Zane was rather let down when there wasn't an explosion to the south. He had been almost certain that the prophecy had meant that the humans' dragons would cease to be, which would mean the destruction of that damnedable tower of theirs at the end of the world. But no such luck.

Voices sounded behind him and he turned to watch as the two parties who had left for the City of White Nights returned to the Fort together. They all seemed to be in high spirits, with the girls teasing the boy, Jack, who was walking arm-and-arm with Lord Harry. Gil, Sir Gawain and his son were chuckling at Jack's expense.

As Zane watched, completely confused as to what had happened, Jack's sister turned to Lord Harry and snapped, "And you–!"

Lord Harry laughed the most honest and carefree laugh Zane had ever heard from the dragon. "I'm sorry!" he offered, clearly amused. "It just wasn't important you know."

"It wasn't–" The girl let out a disbelieving sound. "You're sitting there, quietly courting my brother, and no one thought to tell me you were a bloody dragon?"

"It wasn't important," Lord Harry insisted.

"It's even less important now," Jack commented lightly and Zane frowned as the strange dual quality to the boy's voice. Where had he heard that before? "Oh, hello, Zane," he called, noticing the watching light elf elder. "Did you ever see that amazing sight you were going on about?"

Zane frowned and fluttered closer to the group as they all stopped to look at him. "No. I take it your mission was a success?" He glanced at Ridley, hoping to see some sign of her dragon-hood, but all that had changed was the pair of faint wings fluttering behind her.

"One might say that, though not quite in the expected way," Lord Harry offered drily. "Quasar ended up joining with Jack instead of Ridley."

Zane blinked once, twice, then turned to the human that had been a thorn in his side practically from the start. "You are Quasar?" he asked, disbelieving.

Jack's eyes shone gold for a moment before he said, "Yes."

Zane finally realised where he'd heard the echoed voices before: One of the light elves he'd joined with as a boy had known the last gold dragon, who had always been more friendly with the fairy creatures than the silver dragon had been. The last Quasar had taken the form of a lovely young woman with golden eyes and a voice which often echoed, as if two people were speaking from the same mouth.

"...I think I need to go lay down," Zane decided, turning toward the entrance into the fort proper.

The humans all shared a laugh at that. Just as Zane was stepping through the doorway, Ridley laughingly demanded, "Oh, get a room you two!"

Zane looked back in time to see the tail-end of Lord Harry and Jack's kiss as the two turned to, simultaneously, stick their tongues out at the girl.

Yes, Zane needed a nap. And perhaps the ability to erase the past twenty-four hours from his memories.