Chapter 55. The Hanged Man -2.

"Is this all?" Severus inquired, his voice laced with a mixture of regret and apology. "Forgive me for subjecting you to this. For making you relive this hell."

Severus' voice hung in the air, heavy with the weight of his words, as he gazed at Benjy.

The authenticity and sincerity of his words seemed to linger in the vast emptiness that stretched between them. Tension hung like a veil, and the unspoken emotions were palpable.

Benjy's eyes bore into Severus, his skepticism evident.

"You expect me to believe this? To accept your apologies? You are just a crazy arsehole who wanted to play with his new toy." His voice held a guarded skepticism, his emotions forming a barrier against Severus' words.

Severus exhaled softly, a sigh born from the depth of his being. "Indeed, a crazy part of me wanted to study your inner working, to cut you open and learn about those two parasites behind you. But, I settled for just observing you. While I admit what I have done might paint me as a manipulator and puppeteer, I have never manipulated any of you into joining me. Well Perhaps, to some extent, I nudged the few pieces on the board. But the truth is — I am neither your friend nor your well-wisher."

His words seemed to hang in the vast emptiness, suspended between them, a fragile bridge of understanding. "From the very first letter I penned to you, I made it explicit that our relationship was a reciprocal contract, a mutual deal. A pact where you could exploit me just as I would avail myself of you."

The true reason for Benjy's allegiance came to light, discovered by Severus' probing into his mind. "But Your decision to align with me was not solely driven by vengeance, born from the abyss that threatened to engulf you. There existed within you a faint glimmer of compassion, a desire to aid those who shared your plight. You wished to be the hand of support for the helpless, much like your parents. Every night you dreamt the same dream, wished for the same wish. A wish that they had arrived a touch earlier, just enough for them to save your siblings."

A scoff punctuated the charged atmosphere as Benjy's laughter rang out. "Is this yet another one of your tricks? Do you truly think I'm susceptible to your manipulations? Believe me, I am over your shitty deceptions. What fairytale did you find in my head, all I want is vengeance, my retribution. I don't care what I have to do to achieve it. Don't think that only you possess the capacity for deception. But now, it doesn't matter—our fate is sealed; death awaits us. All because of your bloody curiosity."

"I understand that my words are hard to trust. However, don't believe me; rather, believe in yourself. Believe in the memory of your mother, who continued to resist me even beyond her death. She, who gave me the job of helping her son."

"Mother?! How did you meet my mother? How is that possible? When did this occur?" Benjy's questions tumbled forth in a rush, causing the already unstable mindscape to tremble further.

"Even in her passing, she not only shielded you from the full weight of your emotions surrounding that event but also infused a part of herself to safeguard those very memories. Her intent was to prevent you from descending into a destructive abyss. All she desired was—"

"No, stop!" Benjy's voice cracked, his plea shattering the realm into myriad fragments of memories. "I need to know about my mother, her part within me. Severus, I beg you, where can I find my mother? Please."

He pleads to Severus with a desperation that splintered the boundaries of their shared consciousness, the remnants of memory cascading like fractured glass. "Tell me, Severus, my mother's whereabouts. Please."

Severus cast a sorrowful gaze upon Benjy, his heart heavy with the knowledge that his forthcoming words could shatter the last speck of sanity in Benjy. He braced himself, recognizing the impending devastation that was set to befall Benjy, one that he created. He steeled himself, fully aware that his next words might worsen their already tenuous situation.

A somber sigh escaped Severus' lips, a fleeting reflection of the gravity of his actions. "She is no longer here, Benjy," he began, his voice gentle yet burdened with the weight of his action. "She existed as a fragment of her bygone memories, echoes of emotions, and the final breath of her life. She functioned as the lock that held back that destructive parasite within you. Her very essence served as the guardian, ensuring your safety. However, with the shattering of that lock, her memory too began to fad—"

The response was instant and visceral, a howl of anguish that reverberated through the shattered fragments of memories. The turmoil Benjy felt manifested physically, causing the already fragmented recollections to tremble violently.

"Nooooo!" he cried out, a voice saturated with a mixture of grief and seething rage. The fractured memories quaked in response, the shards threatening to crumble under the onslaught of Benjy's intense emotions.

"You… you are yet again the architect of my suffering, the orchestrator of my loss," Benjy's voice trembled with a potent mixture of anger and despair. He regarded Severus with eyes ablaze, a fire kindled "You wanted to push me to my limits, to see what I become. Very well, I shall show you."

A sinister darkness enveloped Benjy, the shapeless cloud expanding until it towered above in a colossal form. His voice, a rough and thunderous growl, rumbled like a tempest as it reverberated within the void. "You condier yourself a master of the mind's arts, don't you?" The immense form of Benjy seemed to dissolve into the abyssal depths of the encroaching obscurial. "Now consider this, do you truly believe yourself capable of defeating me within the realm of my own thoughts? Here, I reign as the only deity, it's god and you are but a mere trespasser in my domain."

Severus's mind raced, a whirlwind of thoughts desperately seeking an escape from this dire predicament. Yet, before he could formulate a definitive plan, an inexorable force tugged at his essence, threatening to pull him from inside out. Focusing his will, he swiftly wove a protective barrier, a resilient cocoon that sought to divert the crushing pressure away from his consciousness. "What?!" he exclaimed, astonishment etched into his mental voice.

The barrier faltered, unable to shield him from the relentless assault of the encroaching obscurial maelstrom. His mind raced, analyzing the situation with urgency. 'Benjy has completely given himself into the obscurial. It formed a formidable fortress that thwarts my every attempt at forming any constructs here. I must tread carefully, any misstep could turn me and my body outside into ashes. His willpower surpasses even my most cautious estimation. I've truly miscalculated Aaarh—'

From the broken shards of memories, the voice that emanated from Benjy's colossal, shadowy form resounded with a monstrous timbre, like the roar of a dragon, "Tell me, Severus," it thundered, each word a tremor in the darkness, "How does it feel to taste the bitter taste of powerlessness? How does it feel to have no solutions, no stratagems to exploit for your escape? Tell me, Severus, how does it feel to lose ?"

' Fuck, I really messed up this time. I am stuck in a maze of my own ..making,' his inner musings faltered, waning beneath the onslaught of the consuming obscurial, 'I'm really sorry, Ms. Flitwick. It appears that I may need to hurt your son. I have no choice, it's my only gambit left.' A curse that threatened consequences direr than the obscurial. Yet, as his incantation formed, a distant cry echoed, piercing through the tumultuous abyss.

A voice, resonating with an otherworldly authority, broke through the chaos.

"Do not hasten recklessly, oh child of Owuo."

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[Author note: Sorry for the late update. Right now, I am going through a rough time. Last year around this time, I was offered a job during my campus placement drive, but till now that fucking company has been postponing the onboarding time each time, while I have been offered a few other jobs and had other opportunities, I held them off since this company had a higher package. Yet, till now, I didn't receive any email or any response to my inquiry.

You might think why I am telling you all this, I had to move to another city in search of a job and a place to stay as my home town won't even be able to provide a part-time for me. Due to the urgency of the situation, I was not able to write any chapters. And honestly, I was a bit depressed. Color me surprised when I received my first-ever patron. Though it was just a dollar, I was happy. It motivated me to write, I decided to make sometime even a little every day to post. This is not a note for your pity but to show my appreciation to those who love my story. Thank you. ]

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