Y/n’s POV
"haaethaassssseyythsssaahaa“
To her surprise, as she spoke the strange words, the snakes on the door began to move, slithering and intertwining in a mesmerising dance. The locks clicked, and the door swung open, revealing the next room. Y/n stepped forward, but before she could fully enter, the door abruptly slammed, sealing itself shut with an echoing thud.
Being alone in those cold corridors was terrifying. She slid down the wall and crouched in a corner. The snake with the symbols underneath looked her way expectantly, but y/n made no move to begin the puzzle.
After a few hours that felt like years, she heard a muffled hiss. The snake door clicked and opened.
There he was, the red glow of his wand illuminating the dark corridors. His pale face displayed a mixture of shock, anger, and concern.
"Ominis!" y/n shouted, rushing into his arms. She wanted him to shout and scold her for her stupid idea, but instead, he remained silent. A single sigh escaped his lips as he buried his face in her neck and held her tightly.
They just stood there for a while, listening to each other's heartbeats. Time seemed to stretch on indefinitely until finally, y/n was the one to cautiously break the embrace and looked down in embarrassment.
"I don't know what I was thinking," she muttered softly, her voice tinged with self-disappointment. "how could I be so naive to believe that the doors were still open? Of course they weren't."
She waited for a reaction from Ominis, but it was in vain. He gazed into space, wearing a sad expression on his face.
"Ominis..." y/n whispered, attempting to get him to say something but he simply shook his head and turned away.
"Alright I won't force you to talk to me, but we need to find a way out of here." She pleaded, reaching for his hand, but he pulled away and scoffed. "You know how it works, y/n. Don't take me for a fool."
“It was so stupid of me, I really thought I could get through. I only asked Deek to tell you as the last resort but I was sure he wouldn't have to… Ominis I’m so sorry..” She reached out and grabbed both of his hands, desperately seeking some kind of connection in the midst of her mess.
"Alright, we can discuss this later. Let's just move on, please. You know what is ahead." he said, no longer pushing her away, but his demeanour remained distant, so painfully distant.
They walked through the door in silence, stepping into the room that had haunted their nightmares. The remnants of Noctua as some horrifying memorial lay undisturbed in the corner, just as they had left it, the word 'Crucio', scorched into the floor in front of her, the letters still burning with an ominous flame.
Y/n could feel a scream building up within her as the memories ignited like a raging inferno and yet, she had only endured the curse twice in her life. She glanced at Ominis, but his face revealed nothing.
As if on cue, he let go of her hand, turned around and walked a few steps away from her. His face still remained devoid of expressions as he spoke, "You know what to do. Just as you wanted to get in here, you must want to hurt me to get out."
His words pierced her heart. All this time he thought that she would be one to do it.
"Ominis," she whispered, her voice trembling. "I can't."
“Yes you can and you will, it's the only way out. I give you my consent, just do it.” he replied firmly.
“No, you don’t understand I can’t …I don’t know how, I’ve never learned this one from Sebastian.”
“WHAT?” the question echoed through the corridor for a while. The sudden realisation hit Ominis and his breath started to go raggett. “No, that can’t be right. Y/n don’t lie to me.” taking two steps back until his back hit the wall. "Don’t lie to me!" he repeated, desperation filling his voice.
Tears welled up in her eyes as she felt her knees give out and she sank to the floor. "Ominis, I’m so sorry.” she pleaded. "Please... do it, please!" Her words came out in gasps as she struggled to regain control over her voice.
"No!" he cried out, shaking his head vehemently. "Not you. I can't! NO!"
Ominis’ POV
Seconds turned into minutes, minutes into hours. Ominis grappled with his internal struggle. He would not cast the Cruciatus curse of his own would depend on it, but there were two lives at stake now. Most importantly her life, the life of a woman he loved, but It didn’t matter how much he tried to pursue himself, the curse would only work if he truly desired to inflict pain, and there wasn't a single fibre of his being that wished such agony upon anyone, especially not her.
“Ominis”, she whispered, her voice sounding raspy. With uncertain steps she walked closer to him and wrapped her small arms around him. He embraced her tingly. “I love you,” she said “I might never be able to understand how much I’m asking from you now. But I can’t let you die, Ominis. Whatever it takes I do it. Teach me how to do it.”
He shook his head and held her even closer. To torture her or to corrupt her soul forever, these were his options now. Doing nothing meant to let her die. He had to do it, had to…
"I'll cast it." he said, his voice barely audible.
She pulled away slightly, cupping his face. “Alright, thank you.“
He scoffed. Thank him? How could she be thanking him for this? He felt on the brink of madness. They stepped away from the wall together, creating some distance between them.
Darkness lurked within every person, and Ominis was no exception and now he had to tap into the depths of his being. He had spent his life concealing the worse within him, but now he needed to embrace it. Every wicked and cruel aspect of him, every suppressed memory and twisted desire, he had to access them all.
Memories of his childhood resurfaced - the haunting screams of tortured people in their manor, the darkest desires to make those who had hurt them suffer, his own family, it all surged forward.
Voices of his brother and father echoed in his mind, fueling his hatred and resentment. If they were here with him, he would want them to suffer, just as they had made others suffer. The intensity of his emotions repulsed him, but he didn't shy away from them. Instead, he delved deeper, tapping into the darkest corners of his soul.
His wand trembled in his hand, its tip glowing brighter with each passing moment. He shut his eyes tightly, feeling the scream of hatred rising within him. It clawed its way to the surface, emerging as a single word of the curse: "Crucio!"
And then the screams, her screams filled the air, his heart torn in half as the echoes of her agony reverberated through the corridor. The power of the curse surged through him, its malevolent energy crackling in the air and In that moment, a sick pleasure intertwined with his hatred, feeding the dark magic that coursed through his veins.
He held onto the curse, enduring the torment of what he had inflicted upon her. But then, another sound broke through - the squeaking of a door being opened. Reality began to seep back into his consciousness, and the weight of his actions crushed him. The wand slipped from his trembling hand, clattering to the cold floor, as he sank down with it.
Still on his knees, Ominis managed to reach her motionless body on the floor. She lay there, unmoving, her voice silenced by the agony she had endured. As he held her tightly in his arms, rocking her gently, his tears mingled with the anguish that consumed him
"Y/n, I'm sorry," he sobbed, his voice choked with remorse. "I'm so sorry. Please be alright, please..."
And then, a miraculous sensation brushed against his hand—the touch of her small fingers intertwining with his.
"Ominis," her voice, weak and filled with regret. "don't, it was all my..."
"Hush, love, don't speak." he whispered, gently lifting her up into his arms as if she weighed nothing. He carried her through the door, determined to find help and safety.
"Your wand!" y/n suddenly exclaimed.
"Damn!" Ominis cursed under his breath, realising he had left it in the other room just as the door started to move again. Y/n raised her own wand and whispered, "Accio." his wand flew through the air, landing safely in her outstretched hand, just seconds before the door closed and sealed itself shut.