Kapitel 17: Chapter 17 Fragments of Memory

Maximus watched as the church doors slowly creaked open, shadows spilling across the stone floor. A man staggered inside, and Maximus readied himself to cast a spell. There wasn't time to hide his companions, and he doubted the Confundus Charm would work on someone more robust and mentally stronger than a little girl.

"Petrificus Totalus," he commanded firmly, his voice echoing off the walls.

The spell struck the intruder, who fell to the ground with a dull thud, eyes and mouth wide open in an expression of horror. Maximus slowly descended from the pulpit, examining the motionless figure with cold detachment.

"Bring him to the altar," he ordered, directing Arthur and Thomas.

The two Inferi lifted the man effortlessly, as if his body weighed no more than an empty sack. Maximus watched as they dragged the intruder, impressed by the almost supernatural strength they had developed. Once at the altar, Maximus remained silent, contemplating his next move.

"What if I try to read his thoughts?" he pondered. Legilimency wasn't his strongest skill, but he seemed to have more control now. He might learn something useful or even refine his command of dark magic. Besides, the man seemed like someone without family or friends who would miss him.

Maximus made up his mind and leaned over the body, raising his wand to the man's face.

"Legilimens," he murmured, letting the spell draw him into the man's mind.

The sensation was like entering a thick, suffocating fog. The air felt heavy, carrying a stench of dampness and decay. As he navigated through this disordered space, Maximus noticed scattered needles on the floor, cigarette butts, and remnants of joints. There was an unmistakable trace of mold and hopelessness, an echo of the man's life.

"Can I… smell this?" Maximus thought, surprised by the sensory experience within the stranger's mind.

He pressed on until he found the man—or rather, his mental representation—sitting on an old sofa with a vacant stare. His eyes were lifeless, and Maximus felt a mix of pity and disdain. However, he didn't allow himself to hesitate. He reached out and grabbed the man by the shoulders, forcing him to look at him.

Fragmented memories began to emerge: images of an unhappy childhood and a troubled adolescence, marred by small betrayals and constant rejections. Maximus saw the most recent event—a fierce argument with an older woman, the man's mother, who had finally kicked him out for good. The man sank deeper into his despair, spiraling into self-destruction.

Satisfied with what he had learned, Maximus pondered his next move. That was when a dark idea crossed his mind.

"What if I drag him into my mind?"

It was a strange possibility, but he wanted to test his limits. He tightened his grip on the man and closed his eyes, focusing on his mental lake: the central island surrounded by dark, deep waters. When he opened his eyes again, he found himself back in that place, but this time, he wasn't alone. The man was there, disoriented, staring at the vast expanse of water in terror.

Maximus, watching the trembling figure of the intruder, had a more sinister thought. "What if I consume him?" He had done this before, but now it felt different, as if this time he might gain something more. He could gain power, answers, or at least experience what it was like to exercise this ability with full consciousness.

"No one will miss him," he murmured, almost as if granting himself permission. He leaned in and began to devour the man, with a skill he had perfected with each attempt. This time it was quicker and more precise, as if his body had learned instinctively. The man screamed, his voice rising in a chilling terror, but it soon faded.

Maximus felt a surge of power, a vibration running through his body, but also something else… something he hadn't expected. Suddenly, a torrent of images and sounds overwhelmed him. He was in a run-down house, facing an emaciated man pointing a gun at him.

"NO, YOU OWE ME MONEY!" the man from the memory shouted, his eyes bloodshot. "YOU'RE GONNA PAY FOR THIS!"

Maximus heard a gunshot, and pain tore through his mind, only to snap him back to his mental lake in an instant. He gasped, looking at his trembling hands, trying to understand what he had experienced.

"What was that?" he thought, touching his temple. "A memory?"

He realized, with a chill, that he had acquired fragments of the man's memories. Not only had he devoured him physically, but he had absorbed parts of his life. A mixture of foreign memories and experiences blended with his own, creating chaos that threatened to consume his already deteriorating psyche.

"If I keep doing this indiscriminately… I could go mad."

Maximus forced himself to regain composure, feeling the weight of his decision. He would have to think carefully the next time he consumed someone.

Returning to himself, he found he was back at the church's altar. He looked at the man's body, which was no longer under the spell but remained motionless. The expression in his eyes was terrifying—empty, like a shell devoid of life.

Maximus leaned closer, searching for any trace of humanity in those lifeless eyes. He felt nothing—no remorse, no satisfaction. Only cold indifference.

"Change is inevitable," he thought, recognizing that each step he took distanced him further from the life he once had. He had become something new, a creature caught between two worlds, and he had to accept it if he wanted to move forward.

The air in the church felt heavier, as if the very structure had borne witness to the horror that had just occurred. Maximus knew he had to keep moving. The next destination was London, but the journey would be just a small part of the true challenge that awaited him in the future.

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Author notes

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