Consuming Darkness: Sebastian Sallow

Chapter 14

**violence and death warning**

-Ronnie-

   I walked into the Forbidden Forest and wandered around. It was surprisingly uneventful for how late it was. Then, after a little while of exploring, I saw a Unicorn off in the distance. I made myself disappear and slowly approached. All of sudden there was a rope around its neck and it was hauled to the ground.

   I heard a voice yell "Petrificus Totalus!" And the unicorn froze, petrified and injured.

I stood up revealing myself and yelled "Avada Kedavra!" Killing the poacher at the end of the rope. How dare he hurt an innocent beast like that! There were three more poachers that saw me, running towards me shooting spells and shouting curses.

    "Protego!" I defended myself from a close spell. "Stupefy!"

    I turned towards another "Crucio!" And the other "Imperio!" My words dripping with rage! My movements were fast and precise. The remaining poacher was hit by his partner with a curse from behind.  "Avada Kedavra!" I screamed killing all three of them at once, the cursing bounding between them with a bright green flash.

I cast Revelio, discovering footprints. I followed them, hoping to find their base. I wasn't ready to abandon this rage I felt.  Who cares about my soul? I had already used the killing curse in the past, the nightmares weren't stopping despite the fact that I hadn't used it since the end of last year.

    After following the footprints for the better part of an hour, I found their camp. Abandoning any attempt at stealth, I walked right up to the outermost guard.

   "You're not supposed to be here girl!" He called out, alerting the others within. I didn't care. What could they do to me? Nothing! They were vermin, degenerate wizards who killed and injured innocent animals for no reason! They had tried to kill me, Poppy, and anyone else who had tried to get in their way. I was going to rid the forest of these damned monsters.

   "Leave the forest and maybe I won't kill every last one of you!" I threatened. It felt good to be fighting again. I had missed the rush, the way my body and mind knew just what to do.

   A handful of others joined him and shot a barrage of spells in response. I disappeared into ethereal  light, appearing 15 feet away from their intended target. "Crucio!" I yelled sending one of them to their knees. The cruciatus curse alarmed them, some of them stepping back in fear, while the others grew enraged, attacking more ferociously all while they yelled to wake the rest of the camp.

   Good! Send them all out! Maybe if I fed the darkness inside it will leave me alone.

I continued to fight using every single spell, curse, and charm that I knew. I was hit in the leg with a flame curse but I embraced the pain, it drove me to fight harder, centering my mind. I had a few Wiggenweld potions but I'd save them for when I was on death's door. I let my pain drive me to survive and fuel my anger against the poachers.

   "Imperio!" I shouted. "Expelliarmus! Crucio!"The poachers were falling, turning on each other with my influence, geysers of flame spouting everywhere, but I had to be quicker, more ruthless, better.

   A spell hit me, as I dodged too late hitting my wand with Expelliarmus, knocking it out of my hand. I dove to pick it up quickly, but electricity jolted through my body and sent me flying back. I landed with a crash but I had managed to keep hold of my wand. I got to my knees as I shielded myself from another spell. "Avada Kedavra!" I screamed as tears began to well up in my eyes. I watched as four poachers fell at once. I was a monster. I already knew that was a fact, might as well embrace it and end these battles quicker. I couldn't save Professor Figg. I couldn't protect Natty. I had been nothing but a dark cloud and a burden on Poppy. I couldn't seem to let go of Sebastian, as hard as I tried! He told Ominis that he had fingered me! What the hell was that?! But more than anything, I hated myself for corrupting him... Who cares about my bloody soul?! I felt the tears roll down my face. The remaining two poachers started to run. "Avada Kedavra!" I yelled killing the both of them as the spell sought out those that were cursed by dark magic and then I heard a noise behind me.

   I spun around quickly holding up my wand "Avad-" my words caught in my throat.

   My wand clattered to the ground and stared in shock. Sebastian was staring back at me, hands raised. There was not fear in his eyes despite the fact that I had almost killed him, but I couldn't read his face and I couldn't look at him any more. I fell to my knees. I had almost killed him. I was going to kill him. I had almost killed him! Tears ran down my face. I couldn't move, I couldn't look at him, even if I could see. Why was he here?! How much did he see?

   I clawed at the dirt needing to hold onto something as sobs wracked my body. I felt Sebastian kneel down in front of me and pull me close to him and I cried harder. He moved and sat in the dirt pulling me into his lap and I laid my head against his chest as I sobbed. Why was he holding me? I didn't deserve this after what I had almost done. I almost killed him... the weight of that fact was going to spiral me into oblivion.

   "Ronnie... I'm sorry," Sebastian said in a low voice. His voice rumbled through my body shaking me out of my thought. I turned to look up at him and I saw tears in his eyes. I moved so I was kneeling in between his legs. I put my hands on both sides of his face. A tear rolled down his freckled cheek and I felt my heart break inside my chest.

   "No Sebastian..." I wiped his tears away. "No... I..." I didn't know what to say. I had almost killed him. He had to have seen me slaughter the poachers. What must he think of me now? And now he's apologizing?

   "I never should have shown you dark magic. This is my fault," he muttered. "I did this to you."

   "Don't... what... what are you even saying?!" I stumbled. When he didn't respond I whispered. "I almost killed you..."

   He chuckled and smirked weakly . "You couldn't have killed me."

   "I almost did!" I replied, appalled at his ability to find humor in this moment. I dropped my hands from his face as tears flowed once more.

   He wiped my tears. "You'd have to truly want to kill me in order to do that, and I know you hate me, but you could never kill me," he laughed softly, pulling me closer to him.

   "You are very confident for someone I almost killed..." I whispered. There was a loud howl in the distance causing us both to jump.

   "We should get out of here. It's late, and there are many things that want to kill us," Sebastian remarked as get stood up. He reached for my hand to pull me up, and I took it.