A Chilling Turn (Tally)

[Orion Rhys Brystan]

The sprawling urban city of Mumbai lay scattered upon the land like a broken vase tossed in every direction. Great towers of metal reached for the sky as cars ran along the narrow streets. The sun was just barely beginning to hint at its existence over the horizon. Pale beams of golden yellow streaked upward as the stars appeared to wink out of existence. A warm breeze floated over the waking metropolitan center, carrying with it the promise of a consistently pleasant day of comfortable tropical heat. The great city boasted one of the world’s greatest populations both in numbers and in density. To many, it was a sign of India’s burgeoning entrance into the world as something other than a third world nation.

But within the shadows of a hidden world, Mumbai was a seething mass of putrescent refuse tainting the land with its nauseating presence. So many wretched muggles congregated in one place, breeding like roaches and creeping farther and farther out across the land. It was enough to force bile into one’s mouth, the cold twisting of one’s gut in pure disgust painful enough to kill. Each year that passed saw more muggles born into the world, their numbers flourishing under the protection of ignorance while those who deserved life had to fight for each precious birth. Too long had the world stood by, unaware of the realities of life. It wasn’t enough to force England or even Europe, to see the truth of life. He could not stop until the entire world trembled with the force of his will and the masterful existence of the purebloods.

As the sun crept higher into the sky, painting the world in warm colors, the bright rays fell upon a strange figure standing a fair distance from the expansive metropolis. There wasn’t anything particularly strange about a person standing where they could see the whole of Mumbai laid out before them. Or even the fact that the person had arisen long before dawn to watch the sun creep up upon the dozing city. Rather it was the thick black winter boots that encased his feet that required a second glance. The steel toed leather boots were insulated to the point of turning into an oven. Black snow pants were tucked into the boots, laces snuggly sealing the top of the boot firmly around his lower calf. He wore a thick black turtle neck shirt under his heavy winter parka.

Gloves encased his hands and a black ski hat tugged low over his forehead, hiding his dark brown hair. Cold navy blue eyes stared out across the brightening land, a twisted smirk upon his handsome features. Orion was a blot of darkness upon the land, dressed entirely in black as he awaited the arrival of his sister-in-law. It had been far too long since he had taken the girl out for a little personal playtime. He looked as if he should be standing in feet of snow rather than just a few miles from the busy city of Mumbai, India. Yet despite the bulk of his clothing, everything about him screamed agile stealth. His wand was in a holder at his hip, a vicious knife next to it more out of habit than any true need for it. Today would not be close combat, despite the fact it was his favorite method of murder.

This would be a day for the world to remember, for the magical world to step from the shadows with destruction and death. Muggles had thrived too long in the light; their time was at an end at last. His fingers twitched within the gloves, itching to call forth the magic that threatened to explode from within him and release it upon the hapless city before him. But as powerful as he was, Orion knew this was not a task to be done lightly or alone. He had chosen Tallulah for one very specific reason. Her healing ability would prove very useful for the coming task. She had proven herself an asset many times since the great failure at Azkaban, but that just made him want to make use of her talents that much more. And if he was still a bit bitter over what had happened, who was he to ignore such a tempting chance for her to continue to prove herself to him. The sun slid fully into the sky, warming the earth with each passing second as more and more people walked about the city, ignorant of what was coming.

[Tallulah de Beaufort]

Tallulah despised this sort of country and avoided so much as thinking about them where ever possible, much less setting foot on their soil. It was the crawling heat and the putrid smell that deterred her from what was probably an otherwise beautiful nation. Things tended to grow in such warm conditions, diseases and foul things of all sorts thrived in the sticky torridness - mould, malaria and muggles. Out of every shadowed crevice, every blackened crack, they came crawling into existence like cockroaches swarming across the metropolis and scarring the landscape with their ugly, worthless lives. No matter what means of pest control was tried their numbers swelled and each passing day another unworthy little wretch was born into a world that did not want it. The longer they were allowed to roam free the more they would strangle the resources that should be used on those who deserved life.

The air tasted dry and parched, particles of sand carried on the wind to feel like grit on the tip of her tongue; just like it had the evening she had made her first kill. She remembered it in vivid detail as though the moment had been captured on film in astonishing colour. She’d been fairly young, not the youngest to use an unforgivable curse certainly but younger than most at only fifteen. Orion had taken her somewhere comparable only to a wasteland and had taught her how to channel the pent up hatred from her childhood into powering the most unforgivable of all curses. It had amazed her how two little words could have done so much as the man fell lifeless the ground, his sun kissed features still and pale. Anyone who told you that they didn’t remember the first kill was a liar, Tallulah had never forgotten the wide grey eyes of that man moments before his last breath escaped his lips though how she felt afterwards was a little hazy to her now. There had been so many since then and all in such varying ways that she had to really focus to recall how it felt as her soul was torn. Now it was debatable if she even had any soul left after all that she had done for the cause.

Still, it had been a long time since Orion had taken her anywhere.
This little outing with him was long overdue in her opinion, though the absence of the playtime that had once been so frequent was no doubt due to the failure regarding Azkaban. It was the single blemish on her record that no amount of scrubbing would ever wipe clean, but since it had occurred she had done nothing but prove herself time and time again that such a failing would never be repeated. Today was just another chance to show him that Tallulah de Beaufort never made the same mistake twice. As always it was a pleasure to rid the world of the undesirable, though she considered muggles play things rather than threats to their new world order. They were lumbering idiots, completely unaware of their existence for the most part and as easy to round up and dispose of as cattle. Though they had no more right to existence than a beetle it was the half bloods and blood traitors that held her particular venom.

They were the ones that came in and infected blood lines previously as pure as mineral water and as sacred as an idol. They were trespassing in a world they didn’t belong and Tallulah despised them more than any of the filth that had the good fortune to be born among them. It was one thing to be ignorant but another to know the importance of pure blood and then disregard it. They were the worst kinds of villain in her mind and the Dark Lord was gracious enough to give her the time she needed to go about this as she saw fit – the elimination of the Tutela half bloods were her current personal vendetta. It filled her with a great sense of satisfaction every time she crossed another name off the list and everything else simply had to wait for the time being. However, this had been an opportunity to great pass up; chaos on such a scale that it would send a ripple of fear not just through the wizarding world but the whole world. The Tutela thought they could spark the fire of resistance, they would show them other wise.

“I didn’t take you for the type to enjoy a sunrise,” she smiled teasingly as she came to stand beside him overlooking the expanse of the city beneath them. The sun had barely just risen, a warm orange glow washing the landscape but a it was already a sweltering heat which made her attire as similarly strange as his. Thick fur boots encased leg-hugging pristine white snow trousers and an elegant white ermine coat slid over the curves of her hips and formed a crescent over her golden curls as a hood. Her dark green eyes were hidden behind large sunglasses and standing side by side, dressed in black and white they looked as different as a demon and an angel but as the hundreds of thousands of people below them were about to realise they were closer to the devil.

There could only be one reason he had chosen her for this when there were arguably more experienced Legioners that could have accompanied him, but they did not have her special talent. It had made her useful beyond others and was no doubt the reason Orion had taken such an interest in her to begin with when she would have otherwise been a nameless face in a crowd of young pure blood girls just like her. Some would think he did nothing more than use her but Tallulah knew better. Of course he used her – as she had given him permission to do when she joined but he was also protective of her, in both a general and personal sense. She admired him above anyone else for taking on the weight of responsibility for safe guarding the future of their blood line as a whole and of her future within that. She flipped back her hood and pulled each finger of her glove until she was able to pull it loose from her hand. She pocketed it and flexed the digits, feeling warmth grow in her fingertips and the beginnings of a bright light in the centre of her palm. “Ready when you are,” she grinned. It was about to get very chilly in Mumbai.

[Orion Rhys Brystan]

It was difficult to ignore the stifling heat that rose up from the sands as the sun crawled higher into the sky with each passing moment. He could see it rippling across the horizon like a thin film, distorting the tall towers of the city. Eyes paled an odd shade of crystal blue in the bright sunlight, reflected pure malevolence and repugnance. His stomach threatened to turn with the force of his revulsion at the sickly creatures pouring from the metropolis’ dwellings in numbers that made plaques seem like happy times. These vermin were far from those who earned his true vehemence, but their eradication was as necessary a step as preventing the tainting of their lines. Without muggles in the world, purity could once again reign supreme.

Inability to taint the lines meant that half-bloods and blood traitors would cease to exist once the current betrayers were dealt with. But first, the muggle world needed to be exposed to the reality of their inevitable destruction. His eyes slide sideways as his loyal follower settled into her rightful place at his side. “There are few who can truly appreciate a new dawn for what it is.” Orion returned with a smirk. He was not much for sentimental statements, but in a world where symbolism spoke volumes, he found himself unable to pass up the opportunity. The drastic difference in the pigmentation of their attire was just another one of those moments where the situation leant its self toward a greater meaning than what might have been intended in the first place.

Taking a step forward, Orion lifted one hand toward the sky and began muttering softly. The Latin phrases rolled off his tongue like the sweetest honey, the deep rumbling of his tone reverberating within his chest. For long tense moments, nothing appeared to be happening. His eyes darkened unnaturally, locked upon the awakening city of Mumbai as blackness stole all hint of white from his gaze. Wind kicked up abruptly with hurricane force that would easily register as a level four according to muggle scales, buffeting the duo as they screamed down upon Mumbai. Orion’s entire body was tense, muscles flexed as his physical body fought to draw increasing amounts of magical power from within himself. His mind slipped into the spell, all his concentration wrought deep within the magic.

For the time being, he would have to rely upon Tallulah to watch his back and ensure his safety. It was a difficult thing for him to do, to extend his trust and allow another to have such power over him. The spell he was using was ancient and taxing, leaving him incredibly vulnerable while casting it. Within seconds, the wind became ice cold as deep gray clouds swirled angrily into being overhead. His voice rose higher, the Latin words carried upon the racing air currents and seeming to echo within the heavens above. Orion could feel his power being drawn from his body at an increasingly taxing rate, arm shaking as he fought to continue to spell. Down in Mumbai, the harsh winds ripped apart the buildings, sending people screaming into the streets in terror.

The sun vanished behind the thick clouds and the air temperature plummeted. Ice formed rapidly upon every surface as the small amounts of water in the air froze. People cried out as their skin began to freeze, sucking the heat from their internal organs at an increasing pace. A thermometer outside a family’s house was unable to keep up as it dropped far below the scale, reaching -200 degrees C and still falling. All across the city, people froze where they stood as their skin hardened and muscles stopped working. The slow beat of their heats continued even after their bodies froze until all heat was leeched from within them and their organs finally stopped. Snow floated down from the dark clouds overhead, dusting the frozen graveyard in a white powder.

The pocket of icy air reached all the way to where Orion and Tallulah stood watching Mumbai freeze to death, providing relief from the oppressive heat of earlier. Letting his voice trail off as the recitation part of the spell came to an end, Orion struggled to keep the draw of magic from within him going. It would be some time before the whole of Mumbai was utterly frozen over and all its people killed from intense exposure. Already, exhaustion was starting to kick in, but he refused to end the spell until every last muggle was frozen solid. A twisted grin crossed his features. He wondered what the magical world would say to try and explain away this event to the muggle authorities who so arrogantly believed they were in charge.

[Tallulah de Beaufort]

“I don’t know where you find the time to be quite so profound,” she replied, returning the smirk. Regardless of the serious nature and no doubt landmark event they were about to cause she still found the time to be mildly amused by their iconic appearance. She wasn’t much for day dreaming but when looking to the future became necessary it was images like the one they projected now that she hoped to see. Everyone loved a little bit of symbolism and in years to come when this day was commemorated it seemed only fitting they should allow the unintentional contrast it’s proper significance. Muggles liked their little memorials and anniversaries, as though remembering the tragic past was going to change it somehow, but it did mean that their deeds would go down in history. Tallulah rather liked that idea.

Orion began his incantation and she was suddenly glad she’d decided in favour of the extra thermal layer. She’d had to battle herself since arriving in the sweltering heat of India to keep the sleeves of her fur coat rolled down around her wrists instead of her instinctive urge to shed layers and dive into something excessively cold. She was going to be very thankful for the accumulated heat in a moment and those confused muggles that had stared at her awkwardly were going to realise in one sickening moment why she was dressed for the next ice age. Her heat began to beat faster as the words found their rhythm and the pounding in her chest quickened to match the tempo. For a long time is seemed like nothing was happening but she could feel it, in the pit of her stomach, the ancient magic accumulating in the air around them. There were times when it really was a privilege to watch him work. It was difficult sometimes to reconcile the man she had known all her life with the Dark Lord, though there could be no doubt in her mind that he was made for his task.

Her gaze snapped to the city below the instant the wind burst into life, her hair caught up in the beginnings of the twister. The temperature plunged quickly downwards and as the air began to crisp and chill so did the land around them. Tips of dry desert grass broke off as suddenly they froze and shattered, pavements began glaciers and buildings became entwined with an intricate ivy-like lattice work of icy fingers, curling around the steel frames. Glass shattered as atoms contracted and expanded and eventually tore apart, cascading razor sharp shards down onto the streets. The sounds that suddenly began emanating from every corner of the city were the most enthralling aspect of the spell however. Screaming began almost instantly as muggles were frozen in their footsteps, midstride and with the most amusing expressions on their faces. Terrifying creaking, smashing and rumbling began as the buildings were engulfed slowly by the bitter cold.

She was acutely aware how much trust he had placed in her on this occasion. The ancient magic that was pouring from the tip of his tongue with such ease was no simple charm easily emulated by school children but a complex and taxing mixture of the most powerful incantations known to man. As powerful as the Dark Lord was there wasn’t a witch or wizard alive with enough power to successfully complete the spell and fend off any attackers that would certainly make their appearance soon. He was vulnerable at this moment and if there was a time that the Tutela would have an advantage over them it was now so her presence was crucial in making sure that he was not interrupted. She edged closer as his arms began to shake and her fingertips reached out for the small sliver of bare skin just above his wrist. They latched on and she began her own unique brand of magic.

Her powers had been growing of late, much more rapidly than she was able to control. Wandless magic had come to her grasp as something of a surprise and she wasn’t yet in command of its entire power but as each day passed it was getting easier to call it at least. With this came a much greater boost to her natural healing ability and they had grown to the point where physical fatigue and sustained transfers of energy were well within her capabilities. A warm white light was growing around the place where her fingers joined his skin and her chest had begun to heave as the exertion in the cold weather made it hard to breathe. Her eyes were open however, where as a few months ago she would have to close them to concentrate on the deep magic she could now sustain it without having to shut out the world. She imagined strands of energy flowing through her fingers and into his veins and they commanded, the three energy potions she had taken before arriving working their way into his system so that he could keep the spell going.

She kept an alert watch out for any sign of intruders to their little party because something told her that a snow storm engulfing Mumbai was not easily explained away by the authorities. Not even a freak bout of weather could reconcile this kind of destruction and chaos for the muggles, they weren’t that stupid. Sure enough, the moment he had stopped the incantation there were the first faint popping noises that signalled the Tutela's arrival. A wicked grin curled the corner of her lips and she closed her eyes for just a moment to send a burst of energy through her fingertips towards him, then let go. A woman with dark chestnut brown hair in emerald green robes popped into her view as she turned to face the fools that had thought they could stop what they called 'mindless violence'. Tallulah was feeling particularly merciless lately, one of the main reasons she had jumped in glee when ordered to Mumbai in the first place.

A combination of information she would have rather never known and the uncontrollable situation that was quickly developing between her and a certain man had erased her previous distaste for messy deaths. Now she just wanted to see them all bleed, all those half blood, traitorous cowards that polluted their world. She wanted them all to suffer. Her emerald eyes locked with the woman who was staring around at the quickly freezing landscape in horror. Tallulah’s eyes flashed and her opponent realised too late that she was already dead. The cold atmosphere had travelled to the top of the hill where they stood and in an almost unseen movement she had drenched the woman in water. The effect was delectable to say the least. Able to move for a few seconds still while the water turned to ice and every ribbon of moisture in her body was frozen solid she screamed. The ice took a grip of her torso and her lungs and all that was left was the look in her eyes as she realised she was dead.

There were others, all as easily disposed of but their numbers would grow as word got around. She hoped that Orion was almost finished and glanced over but was caught off guard in that moment by an Expelliarmus. She went flying backwards, landing awkwardly in the snow with her wand nowhere to be seen. She glared, that was the second wand she had lost in as many weeks and she was not going to let this one lie. She was on her feet in seconds and her grip help the throat of the man who had disarmed her with surprising force. She didn’t like resorting to muggle violence but sometimes there was nothing quite so satisfying as snapping a neck and the act released endorphins into her blood stream in waves, sending tingles down her spine. She found her wand, lying in a ditch in the snow and grabbed it quickly, pocketing it and catching the glance at Orion. Most of those that were left had been caught in the spell and had frozen where they stood. She returned to his side and slipped her fingers around his wrist once more so that they could finish the spell and return to revel in the new wave of fear that would sweep across the world and teach those meddling Tutela a lesson they would never forget.

[Orion Rhys Brystan]

Words rolled off Orion’s tongue in seemingly endless streams of Latin babble. The complicated pronunciations that would leave most stumbling were effortlessly tossed out as if it was his native language. Each word reverberated in the storm clouds that had swallowed the sky above the city. If any of the pitiful muggles paused in their desperate attempt at escape, they would have heard the whispered sound of his voice as it hovered unnaturally on the harsh winds. In fact many would have cowered in fear had their frozen bodies allowed it as those vicious Latin syllables were the last thing they ever heard. Orion had spent years researching and comprising the spell he now uttered with such confidence. There had been many failed trials in figuring out the various components, and days where frustration had almost tempted him to give up in favor of a bloodbath.

It was the pure fear now rising into the air, the undeniable supernatural cause that had fueled his ambition and pushed forward the goal till the spell was completed. For weeks he had considered and repeatedly dismissed ideas of who to take until the clearest choice lay before him in the form of his wife's cousin. It was a testament to her training and natural instincts that he did not need to signal or speak for her to join in at just the right moment. The gentle touch of Tallulah’s chilled fingers against the warm flesh of his wrist was like a soothing balm. Orion could feel strength passing into his veins as clearly as one could feel a cold beverage in their gut on a hot day. The slight tremble to his outstretched arm faded away as power flooded through him with renewed intensity.

Between their connected flesh, the white light appeared as if Tallulah was pressing a star upon his wrist so bright it was blinding, yet controlled and contained. A smirk spread across his features, knowing without being able to look that she was holding out better than before. A perk of having known her for years meant that Orion had carefully watched as the girl’s power continued to grow with each passing year. Experience and use lent their favor to her, making what used to push her to the brink of collapse a simple task. The sheer power flowing into him might as well have been a drug. Endorphins danced through his system, washing away every sense until only the spell remained in his focus.

Even the distant crackling of ice creeping across metal and the shrieks of muggles as they frantically tried to escape the icy front without success seemed like a muted buzz in the back of his consciousness. Later, Orion would be able to play out every excruciating, tantalizing detail of the once flourishing city’s downfall, but for now he was caught up in the pure ecstasy that was the use of magic. For what was perhaps the first time in his life, his eyes glazed over as all awareness outside the spell faded away. He could feel Tallulah’s fingers on his wrist, grounding him from being swept away in the chaos. Though the verbal part of the spell came to an end, every ounce of his strength and focus was being poured into maintaining the deadly spell as it raced through Mumbai. A flash of immense power was Orion’s only warning before Tallulah’s fingers broke the connection between them.

Grasping the burst she had sent, he used it to bolster his strength and channeled every bit of power he had into maintaining the deadly spell. Only one thing would cause his trusted follower to leave his side at such an important moment. Mumbling under his breath again, he pulled the focus of the spell just a bit, creating a wave of freezing air and dragging it directly at their position on the hill. Beneath the thick layers of fabric, Orion was warm and comfortable. Only his face and the sliver of skin between his sleeve and glove felt the painfully cold air that swept around them. It was all the advantage Tallulah needed to dispose of the Tutela members who had found their way to them. A tremor shuddered through his body, a quick glance over his shoulder revealing the Tutela were backing off as Tallulah held one by the throat.

Gritting his teeth, Orion was forced to turn his attention back to maintaining the spell as his grip on the power began to falter. He hated not being the one to fight; having to rely on someone else to protect him was difficult. What power Tallulah had given him was now drained away, the spell once more sapping what magic he had left. Fortunately, it was nearly complete as the last of the city cracked as icy tendrils embraced the remaining buildings and their occupants. The return of Tallulah’s fingers to his wrist was a strange feeling of relief he hadn’t experienced before. Always confident about his abilities and constantly pushing himself to his absolute limits, Orion rarely depended on anyone for anything.

But when she returned to his side and the fresh power flowed between them again, it dawned on him that without her at his side the day might have ended less spectacularly. Gathering the last vestiges of his power, Orion wrapped up the spell with a few muttered Latin words. As his hand dropped, a shudder of exhaustion rolled through him. His eyes faded back to their normal dark blue, turning from the scene before them to smirk at Tallulah. The smirk only deepened as he took in the frozen statues that had once been Tutela members all around them. Many sported looks of terror and agony, permanently etched upon their icy features for all to see. The temptation to take a branch to one just to see what would happen was nearly overpowering.

But Orion knew that they could not remain there for much longer. Tutela knew they were there and already more would be on the way. The spell would hold off anyone coming for a short while, but eventually the natural temperature of the land would return. Though Orion had a feeling it would always be colder where the city of Mumbai had once thrived for generations to come. Twisting his hand to grip Tallulah’s wrist, he tugged her closer so he could speak softly. “Three jumps before returning.” He instructed without letting go. Given the large amount of power he had just expended, apparating would not be the wisest decision to make. Once again, he was going to have to put his trust in her to get them safely back to their headquarters where he could rest in safety.

[Tallulah de Beaufort]

Tallulah took a moment, whilst her fingers were still pressed firmly to his wrist, to admire the utter destruction he had managed to cause. Much more than just a past fling, than her cousin's husband, than the Dark Lord, the man she stood beside with such loyalty had her complete respect. He was magnificent in a way that no other Dark Lord had achieved, the total loyalty and submission to his will was not offered in fear but out of respect and trust. If anyone could finally bring their world to its knees and bring about the changes that so desperately needed to happen to preserve their way of life, then it could only be him. Her part was a small one to play in the grand scale of things, but the relief that flickered across his features as she returned to his side was comforting all the same. Her arrogance at being so accomplished despite her youth made her seem less than humble amongst her peers, but beside him she was merely another follower, willing to give her life for the cause.

The spell ended and the familiar smirk that so often graced her friend's lips returned as comforting proof than she had served him well. She could not conceal her own wicked glint, sparkling from the depths of her eyes as she surveyed the much smaller scale of destruction she had created. If it hadn't have posed some peculiar questions she might have asked to take the frozen woman back with her, as a souvenir. However, exhaustion was now creeping up on both of them. Her powers had grown remarkably since Orion had first come to know of their existence, but she still had a long way to go before she would be able to harness their full power. She was pleased with herself for how long she had been able to hold on and that her doing had aided with a spell that for all intents and purposes would have killed any other wizard trying to perform it. But, as someone had once told her, there was always room for improvement.

One last glance around the icy landscape satisfied her immensely and already the stories that would grace the front page of the Daily Prophet were echoing in her head. Chaos on such a scale that had never before been seen, in their time or any other, and such callous disregard for the millions of lives that had been lost. It made a marvellous point. The Muggle authorities would come and the Tutela would try to revert the damage as best they could, but the rumours would have already started and the true damage, beyond the physical, had already been done. The Tutela were weak, unable to guard against attacks in the great, wide world or even on themselves. It was time the public realised that this silly little rebellion they thought would be their deliverance was nothing more than muggle lovers with big mouths. It must be understood that it was better to fear them than to place trust in the Tutela. To Tallulah, fear was an emotion like any other, almost riveting in it's effects.

She felt the tug on her wrist and heard the soft mumble of his orders. He hadn't even needed to say the word apparition but already her stomach had plummeted. Nausea gripped her chest and throat fast and she had to swallow hard and shut her eyes to avoid succumbing to the dizziness. She nodded her understanding and was glad that he hadn't let go, holding onto something sounded incredibly difficult right now. With a sickening pop, she felt the tug of her own magic hurtling the pair forwards and landing them softly on a grassy slope in New Zealand. The next jump took them to Russia where she paused for much longer than the last time. She couldn't quite make her mind think of any more countries, her body and mind exhausted and sick from fight and apparition. Her fingers wrapped around his arm, steadying herself against him and let her mind go blank. They re-materialised by some sort of ocean but she didn't know precisely which one, or indeed which country they were in, but with three jumps completed she made the final trip back to the Headquarters.

She had fallen just a little short, a few metres into the graveyard instead of in the house but by now, she was too nauseas to care. She let go of him, collapsing onto a gravestone and grasping onto the cold stone the same way that drunkards did to toilet bowls. The soft wet feeling in her mouth made her gag but she managed to retain what was left of her composure and not actually throw up. She dragged herself back to her feet, quickly unbuttoning her jacket to allow the cool breeze to circulate and a couple of unsure footsteps towards the Manor. She paused and waited for him to catch up, clinging onto his arm as though she would fall over if he let go. A few more steps and the familiar air had done its work, settling her stomach and making her feel much more at ease. The wicked glint returned and she smiled to herself. "I can't wait hear what they have to say about this," she smirked at him.

[Orion Rhys Brystan]

The transformation that had overtaken the land was stunning to behold. Though there was sadly little time to admire the work he had put so many months into, Orion was still able to bask even for just a few moments in the success of his mission. Ice clung to every building, seeping deep into the very atoms of the material rendering it useless. Human statues brought a twisted gleam of satisfaction to his eyes, his sharp vision almost enough to see the fear frozen upon their features. Tutela had just suffered one of its greatest failures on a world-wide scale. There would be no more hiding behind natural causes, or sweeping reality beneath a rug of lies. Muggles would demand answers, blame each other, and they would destroy themselves while he watched from the shadows.

With the muggles occupied with slaughtering each other in revenge for the continued tragedies he would bring upon them, Orion would finally be able to turn his focus to the elimination of the greatest enemy of his people: traitors. Pride in Tallulah sparked within him, a rare feeling for anyone to evoke. She had fulfilled his expectations and then managed to surpass them. There was nothing he couldn’t achieve with followers such as her devoted to their mutual cause. Her loyalty would be rewarded not just in missions but in the most precious commodity he could give, his trust. Very few could claim to be within his circle of trusted ones, especially after the disaster before when he had been forced to work alone. Perhaps it was time to forgive her error in that matter, Orion mused thoughtfully.

Tallulah had certainly done everything and then some to make up for the event. It was something to ponder more seriously later when exhaustion wasn’t creeping up on him like a tidal wave. Already he could feel his body weakening, magic drained to the point of having only his life left to pull from. All he wanted was to collapse onto the first couch or bed he saw in the safety of his Headquarters and sleep for a week. Originally, he had planned to whisk them away from the delightful scene of destruction himself but the spell had taken more out of him than he had anticipated. Orion knew well that Tallulah loathed apparating and often struggled with its side-effects. However, splinching himself was too great a concern to dare attempt the feat himself much to his frustration.

He hated not being the one in the control, remembering as a child too young to attend Hogwarts yet, reluctantly clinging to his father’s hand for such trips. The former Brystan Lord had soon learned portkeys and brooms left his hotheaded young son much easier to deal with rather than to force the child into apparating with him. The look upon Tallulah’s face at his order did not escape his attention. His fingers squeezed her wrist gently in encouragement even as his mocking smirk dared her to refuse. Taking a deep breath, Orion stepped closer to that their shoulders touched as he adjusted his grip on her wrist. It wouldn’t do to let go while they were in mid transport after all. A harsh pop snapped in his ears much like the crackle of changing altitudes as her magic dragged them from their lofty perch, leaving Mumbai behind.

By the second jump, Orion was convinced he was going to shatter her wrist with his grip, nausea digging into his gut as his exhaustion battled with the ill feeling of side-along apparition. In the moments it took for Tallulah to gather herself for the third jump, Orion couldn’t help but think that they looked like a pair of drunkards. She was hanging onto him just as much as he was holding her up simply to ensure he remained upright as well. Falling on his face was undignified, especially in light of their success. His eyes were squeezed shut with the effort to keep from being sick by the third jump. He really had forgotten how much he hated apparating with someone when it wasn’t under his own magic. Still, their near pathetic state had him almost snickering.

If only those whose deaths were on their hands could see them now, how truly worthless they would feel to have been taken down so easily. The moment Tallulah completed their final jump, Orion knew instantly that she had missed her intended destination. The sharp scent of rusting iron and freshly turned graveyard dirt flooded his nostrils with the delectable taint of drying blood. Releasing his loyal follower, he tipped his head back even as he swayed slightly in place. His muscles trembled with the effort, but his mind was separated from the effects upon his physical body. A dark laugh slipped from his lips, rising into the cool air with a demented glee. Eyes bright with mental clarity opened to find Tallulah already on the path toward the Manor.

Long sure strides carried him to her side, pointedly ignoring the protests of his exhausted frame. Had he been able to see himself, Orion might have wondered at the unusual paleness that painted his features like death. Yanking the ski cap from his head and the gloves from his hands, Orion ran his fingers through the dark locks of hair that were plastered against his head, returning them to their typical mused state. Shoving the items into the pocket of his jacket, he unzipped the thick winter coat and sighed in relief. Wrapping his arm casually around her waist, he hooked his fingers into the front pocket of her pants. Coming from anyone else, it might have seemed like an intimate gesture and in some ways it was, seeing as he rarely touched anyone.

At the moment however, Orion was simply exhausted and feeling very comfortable with his sister-in-law. Plus, he had a feeling they were both just a step away from falling over into a heap of unmovable parts. “No doubt they will try to cover it up.” He growled out, a smirk appearing as he glanced over at her. “But they will fail. Mumbai was only the beginning.” Turning his head to look at the Manor as it rose up before them, Orion chuckled darkly.