Threads of the Soul

"Whatever happens, Don't interfere. No matter what."

That is what Seth had said to the group before they had arrived at the library and he began his confrontation with Seth. Those were the words echoing through Astra's mind as she watched those searing beams streak their way across the air separating the two men. Yet despite those words, she knew it wasn't right to just stand by and let Seth die.

Sure, he could make a knife and some other stuff float around, but that was nothing compared to the speed and raw power of Sirius. He might have been a scumbag, but there was a reason that he was kept around and that was his power.

However, when she began to raise her hand to interfere despite his wishes, she was beaten to the punch. Literally. With everyone so focused on their argument and the ensuing chaos, no one noticed the ghoulish minion slowly and casually making his way around the group until he was positioned right behind Sirius.

So, the moment his eyes began to glow intensely and cast out those golden beams, a grey and leathery fist immediately came into view and filled his eye-line. The beams, intended to burn through Seth's head, instead sizzled against the dead flesh of the ghoul as it continued to force its fist forward until it hammered into Sirius' pretty, and oh so punchable, face. A sickening crunch echoed out, a spray of blood flying into the air before raining down onto the black tarmac beneath their feet, as Sirius was sent sprawling by the haymaker.

The deadly eye beams immediately turned off from the impact, yet the ghoul didn't follow. Not yet at least. It simply straightened up and flexed its fist, the leathery skin seared down to the bone, showing its bare, blood stained knuckles and the charred flesh surrounding them.

Falling straight onto his butt, Sirius lifted a trembling hand to his wounded face. When he touched his nose, he winced and quickly recoiled his hand from the sudden surge of pain. It was only when he saw the crimson liquid completely covering his fingers, the same crimson liquid that was gushing from his nose and dripping from his chin, did he understand what had happened.

For others, it was obvious even before that moment, considering his nose was now curving to the left.

"Y-you broke my nose! You broke my fucking nose! How cou-"

His nose whistled with every whiney word he spoke, a sound that was quickly cut off by another haymaker crashing into his once pretty face.

That one put him flat on his back.

But the ghoul wasn't done yet.

Planting a foot either side of Sirius' sprawled torso, the ghoul knelt down so that his legs were pinning down Sirius' arms. A clawed hand wrapped around the throat of the pitiful 'golden god' and forced him to keep his eyes pointed up to the sky.

As blood flowed from his decrepit nose like a crimson waterfall, unable to move beneath the ghouls weight, Sirius heard Seth speak once again.

"A great man once said that a sword makes a good educational gift, and that cutting yourself with it is nothing more than an important lesson.

For me, that lesson was clinging to life and dragging myself back from the brink of death.

I was alone for quite some time, all thanks you of course. But it wasn't long after my lesson that I made some new friends. For example, my new friend Corvus. He's been a wonderful help, especially today. You might even recognise his cloak, then again... maybe you won't."

He finished with a sigh, casually flicking Sirius' forehead as he was pinned down by his puppet. He enjoyed the expression the traitor was making, twisted with bloodlust and seething rage, gritting his teeth so tight that they might shatter.

Sirius strained his eyes, trying to look to the side while the ghoul restained him, wanting to see this 'Corvus' the worm was so happily talking about.

Upon getting another look at the feather cloaked man, he finally connected the dots on why that outfit looked so damn familiar.

"Im-Impossible"

Sirius wheezed as he spoke, blood spraying from his lips and peppering the ghouls emotionless face with a crimson mist. But of course, the puppet didn't care. It was merely a tool under the control of its master, a master who simply chuckled and spoke with a mocking tone.

"Aww, what's the matter princess? Can't imagine he could take down the beast that made you piss your pants and run away?

Well surprisingly, you'd be right about that. He didn't kill it. I did. Thanks again for that by the way."

Venom laced Seth's voice as he spoke, his eyes never leaving Sirius' face for fear of missing a single one of those wonderful expressions as his entire pitiful world collapsed around him. He'd be lying if he didn't feel like a villain as he monologued.

"That lovely cloak was a gift for all his help, such as now. I'd never be able to beat you, not with your powers. But my friend here has some wonderful powers of his own, and he's going to use them to help me teach you a lesson.

So pay attention, because it will be a very. Important. Lesson."

Seth stood and left Sirius' strained field of view. Meanwhile the ghoul clenched its clawed hands into yet another fist so tight, that If it's blood splattered knuckle bones weren't already on display, it's knuckles would have turned white.

Sirius parted his lips, ready to speak once again, but the ghouls fist came crashing down, beating the words from his lips. Blood spattered across the tarmac, over and over, as the ghoul began to give the traitor his lesson.

The ghoul even let go of Sirius' throat, using both hands to deliver the valuable education, as its fists rained down like a torrential storm.

Observers watched on in a mix of horror and grim fascination. For many, it was like driving past roadkill or a terrible accident. They might recoil at the sight of blood or wince in sympathic pain every time a fist smashed down. But none could bare to look away, morbid curiosity forcing them to take in every detail lest they need to recount it for others.

If the world was the way it used to be, there would be no doubt many would be recording it on their phones.

Infact, someone was. Using the gift of communication, they were capturing every moment.

Every sickening crunch of bones, every pounding of flesh against flesh, every spatter of blood and tooth sent careening from his mouth. All of it was captured from the perspective of the viewers eye, ready to be shared with others.

Sirius was not one to take the beating lying down, however. Figuratively speaking, that is. For the entirety of the beating he had yet to sit up, in fact each powerful blows was digging him ever so slightly further into the ground.

But even as the fists crunched against his skull, the bare knuckle bones carving grizzly furrows into his cheeks with every blow, Sirius was determined not to go without a fight.

With his arms pinned down, he was forced to resort to his dazzling beams. But unfortunately, this 'Corvus' and his wretched undead was prepared for that. No doubt the worm had told him all about his powers.

Whenever Sirius was about to let loose a searing blasts of retribution, the ghoul clamped its hand over his eyes. Every single time, he was forced to uselessly blast into its sizzling palm, only to receive an extra hard punch as punishment.

But that didn't stop him. With every blast, he carved his way through the ghouls palm and steeled his mind to endure the strikes retribution. Once he was sure he had carved deep enough, he started to draw on his energy and build it behind his eyes.

Finally, after a full minute of an uninterrupted savage beating, which left his face utterly swollen and cut to shreds, Sirius finally let loose.

After building it up so much and denying it release, the blazing solar energy finally poured from his eyeballs like water from the cracks of a dam.

He let out a gut wrenching warcry as the beams burrowed through the ghouls hand, cooking the air as it flew through it, before crashing into the ghouls head. The beams barely halted for a second before they blasted out the back of the ghouls skull, soaring off into the distance before flickering and finally dimming as the energy well dried up.

Even if the undead wretch wasn't dead, it didn't matter. The overwhelming blast relieved the pressure on him just enough for Sirius to free his hands and flip the ghoul so that he was finally on top.

Staggering to his feet, his legs trembling and almost giving way as he did so, he let out another blast. While weaker that the previous one, it was still enough to split the flesh of the ghoul as he split it in twain before the built up energy finally disappeared.

However, now that everyone could get a proper look at Sirius, they noticed something seriously wrong with the self proclaimed golden god.

It was not his face, which was utterly disfigured beyond recognition and covered in so much blood there was not a millimetre of his true complexion visible.

Nor was it his eyes, which although they had dimmed still blazed like two eternal, golden suns in his skull.

Instead it was his body. A body that had once been robust, with well defined musculature worthy of the title of an adonis. However now, those muscles had melted away, leaving naught but pale skin clinging to his bones and ill fitting clothing hanging loosely off his starved figure.