General POV.
Zayn was armed from head to toe. He was going with his supporters to inform James of his irrelevant, corrupted commandment and order.
For a decent start, they would ask him to give up his authorities but keep his possessions and he'd be permitted to stay in the land of the new ruler. If he refused or suggested unacceptable conditions then to the hell with him and his ruling party and the battle begins.
It was a simple plan but to Harry, it needed guidance, training, a strategy and a plan B.
To Zayn, it required courage, belief, awareness and determination.
As of the current moment, Zayn was getting ready in Liam's mansion, another Keeper with him that Harry had never seen before. He had dark-brown hair and he was very slim. He had a couple of blades.
Harry had Liam on his side, convincing Zayn that his plan missing certain elements such as surprise and back up would lead to an unfortunate failure.
"Are you trying to make me lose my spirit?" Zayn asked irritatingly.
"They're just trying to help." The unknown Keeper stepped in.
"Strategic planning." Harry stressed the pronunciation.
"I heard you the first seventy times, Harry." Zayn whined.
"Harry?! As in Gamer Harry?!" The strange boy asked enthusiastically.
"Yeah, I'm Gamer Harry." Harry repeated sarcastically and the boy's mouth opened and closed.
"I thought you'd look.... more different? Big fan, by the way! Love the games and plans-" He said after recollecting himself.
"More different? How so?" Harry went along the boy's enthusiasm.
"Uh- more chubby, less hair-" The boy suggested with an amused smile and Harry mumbled a 'sorry to disappoint'.
"Who are you?" Liam interfered rudely and Zayn rolled his eyes.
The boy was taken aback by Liam's rudely asked question and he extended his arm with a startled smile, "Jake Monroe, second Keeper in charge." He introduced himself and Liam sighed.
"Pardon me, Jake. The circumstances are making me lose my mind and manners apparently. It's Pri-" Liam restored his honorable tone before Jake interrupted him.
"Prince Liam. Of course, I know all about you." Jake completed.
"I'm offended. I honestly, thought I'd be more popular." Harry said.
"Oh dear, no! You're awesome!" Jake assured and was getting a handful of strange stares.
"Anyway, Um. I kinda think you guys are right. Maybe we really need to listen to them Zayn and have some sort of a guarantee." Jake directed his words to Zayn and received a disbelieving/dissapointed look.
"I won't use any surprise elements. I would offer my deal and fighting is plan B." Zayn clarified.
"I have the Key I could ward you guys with some defensive charms and unbreakable enchantments." Harry said, walking past them but Zayn grabbed his elbow.
"You know how to kill a Keeper, right?" Zayn asked.
"I do. Kill what he guards." Harry replied.
"He can't kill an entire city mate." Zayn tried to ease Harry's worry.
"He could still overpower you by wounding you with a dosage of venom, nobody could recover from." Harry suggested.
"Yeah, well..." Zayn trailed off, thinking.
"Yeah, well?!" Liam repeated shocked.
"I know a certain formula with Gamer's blood, it gives you strong stamina for three days and four hours precisely. We just might need a couple more ingredients." Harry said grabbing a knife and rolling the sleeve of his coat.
"HeyHeyHey!" Zayn said pulling the knife from Harry's hand.
"Let us help you! Even Jake told you to." Liam burst.
"I appreciate that help guys, I just don't think it's efficient. It'll only drain your energy..... and maybe some blood." Zayn assured.
"Okay then, let us come." Liam suggested as a last resort.
"No way, you're a soon-to-be King. And you-" Zayn refused quickly before Harry interrupted him.
"I am absolutely nobody. So, I'll come." Harry finished for him.
"I -uh.... I don't think that's a very bright idea." Jake interfered.
"Is he schizophrenic?" Harry asked Liam, referring to Jake and Liam muttered a 'possibly'.
"Excuse me, who are you?" Harry asked disdainfully.
"Jake Monroe. I thought we were past that." Jake rolled his eyes.
"I meant who are you to decide. I already knew your identity, Jake." Harry explained and Zayn shook his head.
"Shut up. both of you." Zayn finalized.
"I'll come. Not only to help you but also as a personal vendetta. He tortured me anyway." Harry decided.
"No, why!?" Jake interfered again.
Harry glared at him and returned to talking to Zayn, "I know another way to kill a Keeper." Harry announced.
"There's a different way?" Zayn scrunched his eyebrows.
"Obviously, so you know the one where you have to kill whatever he protects and since he's the Keeper of Keepers it means to kill yourselves, so not an option. The other way, is to get what he protects to kill him. Which means any one of you can stab him in the heart and he'd be dead." Harry shared.
"Harry, I'm so grateful but I can't take you and have you killed." Zayn said.
"Yeah Totally right." Jake said and Harry gave him a disrespectful sideways glance.
"You've never seen me in a battlefield." Harry said, the corner of his mouth tilting up.
A few moments passed in silence. Harry anticipating an approval and Jake hoping for the contrary.
"Fine. But teleport if you're cornered and if you die, i'll kill you." Zayn warned and signaled for them to leave.
He then thanked Liam, exchanged goodbyes and headed to the battlefield.
"We'll get out of the Wolverhampton woods and then teleport to the rest of our Keepers, then we head straight to James." Zayn informed them and Harry nodded.
He slowed his pace to walk beside Jake, leaving Zayn lead.
"Why are you creepy?" Harry asked casually as they walked.
"What? Me? Pfft. Creepy? I- I don't know what you're talking about." Jake replied paranoid and Harry scoffed.
"I'm going to figure out what you're up to." Harry said in his frightening tone.
"Nothing. Nothing at .....all." Jake assured but Harry had already sped up and caught with Zayn.
"C'mon guys." Zayn said and they teleported to the rest of the Keepers.
Apparently, the keepers were prepared and waiting for them. They stood in rows. With their weapons all around them. Zayn, Harry and Jake teleported right in front of them.
"What's he doing here?" A short friendly-looking blond haired boy that stood in the front row asked pointing at Harry.
"He's going to help us." Zayn said and the short guy shot Jake a glare.
Harry looked at the both of them suspiciously but his thoughts were interrupted by Zayn,
"Plan as it is, we'll stand united in front of him and offer our deal. If he refuses, don't strike until I tell you to." Zayn reminded.
"Are you ready?" Zayn asked Harry.
"Are you?" Harry reversed and Zayn nodded.
"Where's your weapon?" Zayn asked scanning Harry's hands.
"With my opponent." Harry replied.
"Right. The disarmament strategy." Zayn remembered that Harry had his weird ways.
"Alright! We were turned to Keepers with a self-important Master and we weren't able to defy. Tonight we speak. We trade our compliance for courage. We become soldiers because being Keepers never meant being submissive to nonsensical rules. We show Master James there's a reaction to every action. Are you ready?!" Zayn roared and they cheered.
"Let's go!" He encouraged and they set off.
Harry had disappeared amongst them, standing in between without weapons and with a coat. Only two characteristics saved Harry in any fight, fast and fearless.
So it was just a pretty simple equation for him.
Fast + Fearless = Alive
Turns out, where Zayn met the Keepers was actually pretty close to James' palace. It was warded with a glimmering shield of course, But the Keepers snapped their fingers -yes all of them- causing it to shatter into transparent shimmering dust.
A couple of Keepers and Harry surrounded James's palace with sacrificed blood along with other ingredients that would trap all the Keepers inside.
Afterwards, they marched inside, stepping into James' room and queuing in horizontal rows, leaving Zayn to step forward and Jake on his right side.
James didn't move from his chair, nor showed any sign of unexpectancy.
"James Shirley. We have attended such an appointment with a generous offer." Zayn started.
"And that is?" James asked in a monotonous manner.
"Give up your throne to me, and you'll be allowed to keep your possessions and stay in the ruler's land." Zayn recited smoothly as if it was the easiest bargain.
"What about my friends? Guys! What do you think about this?" James smiled as he called out to his pack of Keepers, which flooded in from behind him.
"They don't get to make that choice." Zayn spoke in an unaffected tone.
"Why do I smell a misfit among your army?" James changed the subject.
"Because you're nose is a thousands years old. Now, deal or not?" Zayn enquired.
"It's the Gamer, isn't it?" James asumed with a smile that had no humor. "Get him." He ordered.
//378; $38;;"&9,/5:;
Jake Monroe is portrayed by Grant Gustin. This fella ↓↓
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