Chapter 154: Chapter 154: "Venturing into Dark Caves"
Harry stood alone at the edge of a cliff overlooking the turbulent sea. The fierce waves crashed against jagged rocks below, a stark reminder that no boat could safely traverse this stretch of ocean.
Dressed in his combat robes, with the early morning wind whipping around him, Harry felt the weight of his sword secured on his back. He was here for a purpose, ready for the challenge that awaited in the darkness below.
This desolate location was not just any spot; it was laden with dark history. It was here that Voldemort once concealed the Slytherin Horcrux, which Regulus Black, aided by Kreacher, later daringly stole.
This very place also witnessed a chilling episode from Voldemort's youth. As a little boy from the orphanage, Tom Riddle once terrorized two fellow orphans here, cementing the orphanage matron's deep-seated fear and distrust of him. With the vivid details from Voldemort's memories fresh in his mind, Harry understood the true extent of that day's events far beyond what was told in books.
Harry recalled the story of young Riddle's visit to this cliff with his orphanage peers. Riddle, an ambitious boy, was captivated by the sight of the violent waves crashing against the jagged rocks below. Yearning to be closer, he utilized his budding magical prowess, which was unusually strong for someone so young. With a focused gaze and sheer will, he crafted a makeshift path down the cliff face, a narrow trail just wide enough for a child.
Curious about Riddle's bold descent, two other orphans from the outing followed him, their curiosity piqued by his audacity. They traced his path to a hidden cave at the water's edge, where the ocean roared into a dark, expansive mouth.
While Riddle reveled in the wind and spray, exploring deeper into the cave, he was unaware of his followers until the cave's gloom and darkness scared them and revealed their presence. Angered by their intrusion on his solitary adventure, Riddle felt violated; they had used his magical path, turning his achievement into an adventure for their amusement.
Furious, he decided to teach them a lesson for exploiting his magic and hard work. As the frightened children turned to flee, Riddle summoned the ocean's fury, directing the violent waves at them with a mere gesture. Overwhelmed by the powerful water, they struggled against the suffocating rush of the sea.
However, as he watched their struggle, a flicker of awareness of the potential repercussions of his actions dawned on Riddle. He couldn't let harm come to them—not out of concern, but to avoid complications. Reluctantly, he ceased his assault, allowing them to scramble back up the cliff to safety.
The two orphans hurried back up the path they had come, hearts pounding and soaked through. Riddle followed after, rejoining the group from the orphanage as if nothing had occurred.
That day, the stories of what happened at the cliff spread in hushed tones among the children, each version slightly different, embellishing Riddle's already fearsome reputation. From then on, his peers kept their distance, wary of the enigmatic and dangerous boy.
Harry stood on the cliff, lost in thought about the young Tom Riddle's magical prowess. Even at a young age, Riddle had shown remarkable ability in wandless magic, manipulating the elements and terrain around him with ease—skills that even Harry, at that same age, could not have matched. This led Harry to ponder whether ignorance about the magical world and wands might actually foster a stronger innate magical intuition and creativity in wandless magic.
Shaking off these reflections, Harry turned his attention to the task at hand.
"Follow me, Mira," Harry instructed, his voice steady despite the weight of the task ahead. "This could be dangerous. If you sense any threat, take me away immediately."
"Yes, Master Harry," Mira replied, her tone dutiful and alert.
Harry knew the cave wasn't shielded against elf apparition, making Mira the perfect backup. With a focused leap, he used a magical flying skill he'd learned from Voldemort to float down to the cave, bypassing the need to navigate the treacherous rocks or face the rough waves by boat.
Upon reaching the ground, Harry landed softly, his robes billowing around him. Seconds later, Mira appeared beside him with a pop, prepared to follow wherever he led.
The cave's chill necessitated a warming charm, which Harry quickly cast upon himself to stave off the cold.
Harry, standing at the edge of the dark path, drew his wand and cast the Lumos spell. The tip of his wand ignited with a brilliant light, banishing the shadows and illuminating the rocky passage ahead.
As Harry ventured deeper into the cave, the path appeared to end abruptly, presenting what would seem to an unknowing observer as a mere dead end. However, armed with knowledge from Voldemort's memories, Harry recognized the illusion for what it was—a magically concealed entrance.
Approaching the deceptive wall, Harry softly recited the necessary incantation he remembered. Instantly, a radiant, arch-shaped outline flashed into existence, suggesting an opening hidden by enchantments, though it quickly faded back into the stone.
Understanding the cave's requirement for entry, Harry knew a blood sacrifice was needed to proceed. This sinister mechanism was Voldemort's design, intended to weaken any intruder by forcing them to offer their own blood before facing the perils that lay beyond.
Confidently reaching into his pouch, Harry retrieved a vial filled with his blood, prepared in advance for such a need. With a decisive motion, he splashed the contents against the cave wall. The silver glow of the arch reappeared more fiercely than before, this time remaining stable as the blood-soaked stone dissolved, revealing the dark expanse beyond the now open passage.
As Harry stepped through the arch, the dark interior of the cave was suddenly illuminated by his wand's light. Before him stretched a vast black lake, so extensive he couldn't see the far shores, enclosed in a cavern so tall its ceiling was lost to shadow. The light from his wand seemed to be swallowed by the oppressive darkness.
The island and the pedestal that held the dark potion used to hide the Horcrux were too far away to be visible. Harry knew he had two ways to approach the pedestal: he could either fly through the darkness or use a hidden boat under the lake to make his way across. Swimming was not an option, even the slightest disturbance on the water's surface might rouse the deadly inferi lurking beneath, ready to drag him into the depths.
Voldemort had designed this elaborate labyrinth to shield one of his precious Horcruxes. Although he could have fortified it further, eliminating any conceivable access to intruders—including the blood-activated entry and the boat leading to the pedestal—Voldemort had intentionally left manageable vulnerabilities, presumably to ensure he could retrieve the Horcrux himself if necessary. He avoided making the security impenetrable, wary that even he might one day find it challenging to reach his hidden fragment of soul.
Harry stood at the edge of the cavern, peering into the abyss, his sword now unsheathed and glinting in the dim light of his wand. He didn't need to venture far into the lake or confront the inferi at the central pedestal. He reasoned that stirring the water from where he stood would draw the inferi to him, simplifying the confrontation.
Fighting near the pedestal, surrounded by water, would mean defending himself from all directions—a much tougher scenario. Here, at least, his back was secure against the cave wall.
Behind him, Mira was alert and ready, understanding the stakes of their venture. At Harry's signal, she picked up a large stone and hurled it into the lake. The stone broke the surface with a loud splash, sending ripples spreading across the calm water. Instantly, the silence of the cave was shattered by ominous sounds reverberating around them, signaling the awakening of the inferi. Harry tightened his grip on his sword, bracing himself for the impending battle.
Chapter 155: Chapter 155: "Knight vs Inferi Horde"
Harry stood ready as the first inferi emerged from the dark waters. With a wave of his free hand, he cast a powerful "Lumos Maxima" spell, sending a bright light into the sky. The sudden illumination revealed wave after wave of inferi following the first ones out of the murky lake.
Without hesitation, Harry began swinging his sword, slicing left and right at the approaching horde. The inferi didn't try to defend themselves or dodge his attacks. They had only one purpose: to kill any intruders.
Harry's blade cut through their cold, lifeless flesh with ease. As he fought, he noticed the unsettling fact about these zombie-like creatures. The inferi showed no emotion, no pain from his attacks. Even when he sliced off a hand, they kept coming at him, relentless in their efforts to kill the intruder.
Harry remembered the dark magic Voldemort had used to create these inferi. He had seen it in Voldemort's memories - how the Dark Lord had invaded graveyards, casting forbidden spells to raise his army of the undead. Most of that army had been used in the wizarding war but some of them were sent here to guard his precious piece of soul.
Realizing the enormous number of enemies he faced, Harry understood he needed to be more precise. Only removing their heads would truly stop them. If he just slashed blindly through the horde, he would just waste his energy and wouldn't reduce their numbers effectively.
With this in mind, Harry changed his strategy. He began aiming his strikes higher, focusing on decapitating the undead creatures. Each swing of his sword now sent heads rolling, finally stopping the inferi in their tracks.
The battle raged on, and soon the ground around Harry was covered with the remains of fallen inferi. But as time passed and more inferi remains splashed into the lake, the intensity of the battle increased.
More and more inferi crawled out of the water, their numbers seeming endless. Harry felt overwhelmed, realizing that one sword might not be enough to handle the growing horde.
In a split-second decision, Harry reached for a second sword. It was just an ordinary sword he had taken from the Black family collection as a backup. Unlike the special Gryffindor family sword he had been using, this one had no magical properties. Harry had never trained in using two swords at once, but desperate times called for desperate measures.
"There's always a time to learn," he thought to himself as he gripped both swords tightly.
With two blades now slicing through the air, Harry's efficiency doubled. He spun and twirled, his swords becoming a whirlwind of destruction against the inferi. The cave echoed with the sounds of metal cutting through flesh and bone, a grim melody accompanying Harry's deadly dance.
As he fought, Harry felt something change within him. To his joy, he noticed that the bottleneck that had been holding back his Knight training had finally broken. He also received a huge boost to his physical abilities.
This breakthrough had taken his knight progress from 60% to 70%, and with it came a surge in strength. Harry, filled with renewed energy, danced through the inferi horde, his happiness showing with each slice of his two swords.
As the fight continued, Harry lost count of how many inferi he had defeated. He guessed it must be around 200, but still, they kept coming. The lake seemed to have an endless supply of these undead creatures, each one replaced by two more as soon as they fell. However, Harry wasn't afraid anymore. He was slicing and dancing through the horde with a strange mix of determination and joy.
But all good things must come to an end. As hours went by, Harry's arms began to ache, and his breathing became heavy. The high-intensity fight was taking its toll. Sweat dripped down his face, stinging his eyes, but he couldn't afford to wipe it away. Every second was crucial in keeping the relentless horde at bay.
Despite his determination, Harry felt his strength fading. His movements, once quick and precise, became slower and less coordinated because of tiredness. The piles of inferi remains on the ground also made it harder to move freely. The inferi, almost as if sensing his fatigue, pressed their attack with renewed vigor.
Realizing he couldn't continue much longer, Harry decided to pause the attack for the day. It was clear he couldn't clear this lake of inferi in one day, as the waves of undead kept coming. He would need to return a few more times to finish the job.
With the last bit of his energy, Harry used his flying ability to lift himself above the grasping hands of the inferi. Hovering in the air, safe for the moment, he called out to his faithful companion.
"Mira! Now!" he shouted, his voice hoarse from exertion.
In an instant, Mira appeared beside him in mid-air. Understanding his unspoken command, she grasped his arm tightly. With a loud crack, they disappeared from the cave, leaving behind the horde of inferi still reaching for their vanished prey.
As they reappeared in a safe location, Harry collapsed to his knees, his swords clattering to the ground beside him. He was exhausted but happy. The battle with the inferi had pushed him to his limits and given a huge boost to his Knight training progress.
The task was not over though. He would take a good rest and return to the cave for another round of this challenging but rewarding experience.
And that's exactly what he did. After a few days of rest and recovery, Harry returned to the cave. This time, his goal wasn't to fight but to clear away the mountain of inferi corpses he had left behind before the next round of battle.
He carefully collected everything and transported it to a huge pit on a nearby small island, where he burned it all. During this clean-up operation, he ignored the new inferi that emerged from the lake, focusing solely on his task.
The next day, with his fatigue gone and his strength renewed, Harry went for another round against the inferi. Once again, he fought until he was near exhaustion before escaping with Mira's help.
This cycle of fighting and clearing inferi corpses continued for several days. Each time, Harry pushed himself to his limits, honing his skills and increasing his endurance. He could feel himself growing stronger with each battle, his knight training progressing rapidly.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity of combat, Harry noticed the number of inferi emerging from the lake was decreasing. The endless waves of undead were becoming smaller and less frequent. With a surge of determination, Harry pressed on, fighting tirelessly until at last, the final inferi fell to his blade.
As the last of the undead creatures crumbled to the ground, Harry stood alone in the cave, surrounded by the eerie silence that followed the long battle.
Exhausted but triumphant, Harry allowed himself a moment of pride. He had not only overcome this seemingly insurmountable challenge but had also made significant progress in his knight training. As he prepared to leave, Harry gazed into the shadowy depths of the cave. This would not be his final visit; he was determined to return one more time, but he wouldn't be alone.
Weekly Power Status
200+ Power
Ranking 
33 Power
stone 
Paragraph comment