58 57. The hanged Man.

In the abyss of regret, the empty void ruptured asunder, birthing forth a seething confluence of raging crimson fire and the distant, icy shapeless cloud of darkness.

These forces waged war, each vying for dominion with an unrelenting ferocity that made them equals in power, if not in nature.

The crimson flames roared skyward, a tempest of fervent heat that cast defiant glares at the formless darkness, as if challenging its very existence.

From the crimson flames, emerged a creature of resplendent magnificence—a majestic bird of vivid plumage, emanating an aura of sublime warmth. With wings that seemed to embrace the inferno, it descended upon the formless cloud, a miasma born of pure malice that writhed and seethed like a creature with a will of its own.

Each strike of the bird's talons was a cascade of fervent energy, an embodiment of the flames' righteous fury aimed at quelling the shapeless rage.

Betwixt this never-ending war, hung the instigator, a mere boy, yet bearing the weight of this unwanted duel.

He was the innocent catalyst, unknowingly setting ablaze this unending strife, bearing the heavy yoke of consequence without the reins of control.

His desire was simple—unassuming even: happiness.

But in the cruel irony of fate, his very sorrow births a leech in circumstances beyond his grasp. This parasitic force fed insatiably on his anguish, pain, and anger, a ravenous specter devouring the fabric of his life.

In the boundless expanse of mind, where anguish and aspiration intertwine, battles raged not just between fire and darkness, between hope and despair, between the past and the present, between righteous vengeance and endless regret.

The scorching flames mirrored his longing for a reason, a reason to continue, their fierce incandescence a testament to his yearning.

Conversely, the ever-growing darkness reflected the haunting tendrils of despair, a malefic embodiment of his innermost torments.

Bound by unyielding chains, the boy found himself affixed to a rugged cross, an emblem of his burdened existence.

Five nails, driven through his very soul, bore witness to the multitude of regrets that clung to him like a shroud, each nail a cruel reminder of his regrets. Suspended between crimson fire and the formless darkness, his gaze began to dull, surrendering to the relentless onslaught of unending pain and remorse that had lain dormant for far too long.

"Moni, Noelle," his voice, a mere whisper, carried the weight of names that held any significance to him.

A flicker of hope, a glimmer of reason, sought to rise from the ashes of his suffering, to kindle the flames of the crimson fire that blazed with fervor. But their feeble efforts were but feeble sparks, extinguished by the relentless grasp of the cold darkness that loomed ever closer.

Just as his spirit teetered on the precipice of surrender, a rift tore through the fabric of his abyss. Through this jagged aperture emerged the one responsible for igniting this inferno of conflict- the perpetrator whose hands torched that set his world ablaze. The very person who had stoked the flames now raged within and around him.

An irrational fury surged forth, a tempestuous storm that eclipsed the boy's anguish for a moment.

"Did you?... Did you break my mother's lock? And why the hell are you here, Severus?"

"Oh, why, of course, to stop you," he said, his voice laced with unsettling confidence. Turning upside down, Severus matched his gaze, waiting for him to speak.

"Stop me! I don't even know what is going on," he exclaimed, fingers snapping themselves free from the cruciform, dragging Severus closer. The world seemed to shrink into the vortex of their confrontation. "You are the reason I lost control. You are the reason others are about to meet their doom. You are the reason... I can't fulfill my vengeance."

The bitterness in his voice hung heavy in the air, "All for your bloody curiosity, for your insatiable thirst for knowledge. Yes, I know. I'm well aware that I was chosen to be your laboratory rat, a mere specimen for you to dissect."

A torrent of memories surged, specters of the past clawing their way into the present, materializing in between them.

His pain was palpable, a raw wound exposed for all to see.

"Yes and No," Severus interjected, his words cutting through the swirling maelstrom with unexpected sincerity, "Yes, I am the reason you lost control. Yes, I wanted to study you, to unravel the mystery behind your crimson rage and cold darkness. And, No, they are not going to die need. Finally, as promised, you can still exact your vengeance, enact your wrath."

"It doesn't matter now! All these emotions, dormant in those memories, are all I can feel. The pain, the regret, and the fury... they have taken me as host. That accursed parasite within me stirs, feeding on these emotions. Your words, once honeyed, now ring hollow."

A storm of memories and emotions collided, an ethereal dance of sorrow and rage. "All your posturing, your grand façade of benevolence before the others, it crumbles in the face of truth. They are even oblivious to your own confessions. You admitted it yourself, you are a puppeteer, orchestrating lives, making them waltz to your tune." His voice grew stronger, a wildfire of resentment burning within him.

Severus, stood silent, bearing the brunt of his wrath with stoic grace.

"Because, You, Severus," he continued, his words like flames licking at the edges of reality, "are no different from those imprisoned me in my memories. Driven by curiosity, you are willing to transgress any boundary. To you, we are but pawns, pawns to be discarded once our utility has expired, mere instruments for your grand design."

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A/N:- Forgive me for the late upload, I have been a bit busy in my personal life. Making some time, I was able to pull off this chapter.

This must be my lowest-worded chapter, but I hope you like it.

While there are many inner conflicts in multiple characters, the way they will be handled is different. Each one of them will have their own path and circumstances.

And yes, Benjy is an important character, so I will have to give a proper development to him.

And about Severus, don't take it factually, it is perceptive of a character, not the whole truth.

I left a hint of a canon character in the chapter, let's see if you find it.

Support me at patreon.com/supes.

Don't forget to leave some stones.