Black Saturday

Satyr IX

'All I request from thee is a bitta victuals. Bring me some nourishment, and I'll let you off the hook. So what's it gonna be then, eh?'
Luna stood back and held up her wand to Rahal, while Solomon lay on the ground— bleeding from his mouth and head. Everything had descended into lunacy in an instant, and the girl didn't know how she'd be able to fend off against such a powerful force of nature. Standing by her side— Harry Potter and Hermione Granger, wands as erect as her own. She didn't mean to get them involved in this...!

And then she snapped out of her daze.
'The hell's wrong with you, Moonshine?' Rahal waved in her face. Luna jumped, and pressed her hand against her wand. However, she realized she had been momentarily confused and quickly apologized for the bother.
Solomon said, 'Don't lose your mind so easily, Loons. I should've warned you this is a bit of a troublesome traveling method for your kind, considering you're so unused to dimensional travel.'
'I-I'm fine. Just got lost in a daydream, is all.' She couldn't convince herself that was a daydream. Not at all. Too real. Too vivid. The experience reminded her of the tales the other Ravenclaw girls would tell about Professor Trelawney, of how she'd occasionally fall into a trance that seemed far more genuine than her usual rambling. Luna never thought herself to be the psychic type, though the world of psychokinesis had always fascinated her. Anything to do with temporal shenanigans and unlocked mental powers seemed to be a thing that she should pursue. If only such abilities were not locked away and cast off as forbidden by the Wizarding elites! Yet there were always tales of random people— including those with otherwise no proficience into the psychotemporal arts— viewing the future. Not even just witches and wizards, either, but Muggles as well.
What was it that she had seen? Something about vituals... Rahal shot Solomon in the head, right in his temple, and she asked for some sort of food. The way she asked for it suggested Rahal was about to kill her. It's all a bit daft in the end.
Luna winced when Solomon grabbed her shoulder. 'Are you sure you're okay?'
This time, Luna forced herself to smile and say, 'It's alright. Just a thought I've been having. So is this Seventh Earth?'
Rahal nodded. 'Right here, it's not much. We landed in the middle of nowhere, so it's not like I'm screwing you over or anything.'
'This is Elon Isle,' said Solomon. 'We've set up shop and a home here out in the city. Otherwise, it's our playground. But chances are, you're not gonna see the main, glimmering metropolis. Not tonight, at least.'
'Of course, I know why you're at all interested in the place, Moonshine, so don't worry about it— we'll see those wondrous cryptids soon enough. Right now, Solomon and I just hafta get a little business in order.'
Solomon stared into the sky. Luna followed his gaze, but she saw nothing. The sky was a dark blue, purple and pink around the horizon, and mostly empty of clouds save for a few red streaks.
'I've called some of our friends to pick you up. I believe Harry Potter and his friends are with Mozzy.'
Luna gawked at him. 'Harry Potter?'
'Oi! We've told you this, Moonshine. That we've nicked Potter and fam and've gotten 'im to enjoy our lovely little pisslot. He's already seen Navia, I'm sure, and I'm sure he hates it just as much as you do.'
Solomon said, 'I'll leave Burgess to you.'
Rahal scoffed and shook her head. 'Whatcha tryna do, leave the bratchny on me? You think I want to mess?'
The reply was a straightforward, 'I'll take Luna to Moz and Potter.'
That made Rahal chuckle. 'Are you truly soft in the head or some'n, bruv? I'm her mate.'
Solomon flicked his hand towards her. 'See ya.' She folded her arms. Again, Solomon shoo'd her. Rahal's response? Sticking out her tongue. And then she walked off.
'Alone at last. For now.' Solomon unbuttoned his shirt and exposed his rigged, chiseled chest. 'We should head to Falstead. That's probably where we'll find Mozzy.' The trepidation from before returned, not least because of how random it was for him to expose his chest. That vibe she felt returned, and Solomon suddenly seemed to glow in the dusklight, as if he were radiating an invisible glow that could only be felt rather than seen.

Luna followed Solomon. At first, they trekked through the trees, stepping on and over branches. The mist reflected a cool violet off the sky, all the while the insects sang their mating calls through the night. Will o' the Wisps seemed to dance in the corner of her eyes, vanishing as she turned— perhaps never having been there in the first place.
She couldn't deny that the place felt magical. Magical in a rustic sort of way.

Their footsteps soon changed from snaps to muffled crunches. A grass road lain before them. They followed the path. Fifty paces onward, they came across a wooden sign with arrows pointing in two directions.

— FALSTEAD (3 KM)

— DANBURY (11 KM)

'How eager are you to get to civilization?'

Luna bit her lip and replied, 'We can take our time, if you'd like.'
'Just asking, since I figured you'd enjoy this next bit.' He placed his arm over her chest, stopping her. 'Be quiet, and open your ears. Whatever you do, don't attempt to capture whatever you see, so keep your wand aside.'
Luna nodded. Solomon turned to the trees. He flicked his finger towards himself, motioning for Luna to follow him— slowly. They sneaked towards a hedge, keeping their heads down. Luna felt her senses sharpen and her heart beat ever faster. This is why she wanted to come along, after all. To see fantastic creatures of another world!
Grass blades wilted and tipped in the breeze. Dragonflies landed upon tree branches. Small mammals, indescript, scuttled to tree stumps. All eyes forward.

There it is— that frightening beast!

Luna whispered, 'What is—' when Solomon pinched her lips. In that moment, she heard a voice in her head, a voice she found familiar.
'Beware of this one, Lovegood, for it is a strange cryptid yet unknown to this world.'
That was Solomon. He let go of her and she felt her mouth drop. Telepathy shouldn't be such a shock to her— so why did she tremble?
Solomon pointed, and the voice returned to say, 'It is a bizarre one that even I cannot recognize. Perhaps it is not of this world.'
The beast sat hunched over. It looked humanoid to Luna, but that was all she could ascertain in this dark lighting. That head, though... The head looked monstrous and utterly detached from anything Luna recognized. Sickening and grotesque, as if covered in swamp weeds.

It bolted away.

'Did you see that?' she shouted. 'It must've run at a thousand kilometers an hour!'
'Perhaps it was an ultraterrestrial,' Solomon said.
'A what? Enekai said something about those ultraterr...whatever you call it.'
Solomon stood up fully and paced around. 'I have to admit, Luna, that you lucked out. We had intended to bring you to this place to show you cryptids, and the first time you come, we see an entirely new creature.'
'Did Enekai plan this before now?'
'Actually, yes. We both did. Eni seemed a bit excited to show you around.' Solomon walked on and rubbed his chin. 'I'm concerned about this entity, though.'
Luna felt a great warmth inside of her as she considered Solomon's words. Everyone seemed to claim that Rahal was a less than reputable person, and yet they had become true friends...
'—and perhaps from the second realm as well. Are you listening?'
Luna blinked and said, 'Hmm? I'm sorry about that.'
Solomon slapped his sides and said, 'We should go. Harry Potter should be in Falstead at this moment.'
And that's when Luna noticed a strange inflection in his voice, as if— for the first time— he wasn't the one in control.