The very last thing anyone expected when returning to the catacombs in Feldcroft was a whole horde of Inferi ready to fight against all invaders. Alex, Ominis, and Erebus had indeed experienced it as they fought through them to get to Sebastian, but Ominis had to leave to get to Professor Black first before Anne could--leaving Erebus and Alex to continue onward.
Both of them got to Sebastian safely enough, but before Alex could attempt to dissaude Sebastian from his current trajectory, Erebus had sensed Solomon arrive through the Force. This soon led to a situation gone bad turning worse when Solomon took the Relic out of Sebastian's hands and destroyed it right in front of him--triggering his anger.
Erebus didn't get too heavily involved in the ensuing battle between Solomon, Alex, Sebastian, and the Inferi since he could feel there was a purpose he had to serve towards the end of this battle. After witnessing Alex using his Ancient Magic to end the battle--leaving Solomon to defend against a few potshots from Sebastian while limping--it was when Sebastian uttered the following sentence in response to Solomon's pleas that Erebus knew what he had to do.
"I won't let her suffer! Avada Kedavra!"
"NO!" Erebus shouted at Sebastian as he used the Force to push Solomon out of the way as he replaced him--getting hit by Sebastian's spell immediately.
This caused Sebastian, Alex, and Solomon (along with Anne who watched everything) to be left stunned as Erebus took on the Killing Curse dead on in the chest--making his health immediately reach zero from over four hundred points. This caused Erebus' body to fall onto the ground as he died from the curse's effect, yet this had a then-unknowable effect on Erebus and the future of the Wizarding World.
All manner of heroes and villains within the respective worlds within the Variant Timelines could feel Erebus' first death--especially those who are destined to meet him in the future. This caused significant changes for the future--deviancies that were left unaccounted for--but not even Erebus knew this.
As for the man himself, he went into a pure blank void upon being hit by the Killing Curse. This was roughly similar to what Harry himself experienced upon being hit by Voldemort during the final act of Deathly Hallows Part 2 and it seemed like Erebus also had a choice to make.
》You have died.《
》Due to this being your first death since being reborn, you have triggered the Death and Respawn tutorial. Time outside of this space has been halted.《
》Upon reaching zero health, you will die and be sent to the White Room. In this place, you will be safe from being taken to Heaven, Hell, or the Reincarnation Cycle. You can also recover from all status ailments, regain health points and Energy units, and rest before being sent back into the Living World.《
》Respawning will always give you a list of possible locations and bound points to return to. These include world lore-important locations (ex. Coruscant, Korriban/Moraband, Dromund Kaas, Tython, Hogwarts Castle, etc), but they are always fixed the current era you are in. You aren't allowed to respawn in the past or future of the current world you are in.《
》As you have died by the Killing Curse, the entity known as "Death" within the Wizarding World has taken notice of you and will be appearing within the White Room momentarily. All forms of invisibility and damage has been nullified.《
Erebus had read through it all and felt a shiver down his spine upon reading the final bit. 'How come Death had noticed me?!' Erebus thought to himself as he took a soft intake of breath within the White Room.
He was very much thankful that at least here, Death couldn't be invisible or damage him since that would be a greater pain than most things. Erebus even took this time to take a look at what he looks like as a soul.
To summarize, he looked like he was barely alive and ever-teetering on the edge of death.
Before he could continue thinking more about his appearance, the System notified him.
》Death has arrived within the White Room.《
Erebus turned around and saw the actual horseman of Death that was shown in the show Supernatural before he died by Dean's hands due to the effects of the Mark of Cain. Black tuxedo suit, distinctly flush and pink humanoid appearance, and a look of an old grandfather dealing with "annoying little protozoa" as he said to the mutated angel Castiel before the Leviathan arc of the same show.
Oddly enough, he found this incarnation of Death to be extremely better than the animation of Death from the first part of Deathly Hallows. Even though he knew that Death can take many forms, it was still a nice gesture for him to appear like his favorite actor for the role.
"Really?" Death asked Erebus as he observed his state. "I had expected better of you after being reborn."
"Well, I didn't like Solomon, but not enough for Sebastian to be left unforgiven by his own twin sister for killing his uncle," Erebus responded after seeing the obvious outcome should he have not intervened. "I also know that this will not be the last time I die."
Death nodded lightly. "Ah yes, let us not forget that you have the ability to respawn over and over again. For the time being, that does not matter. You saved a person from their Fate and essentially cheated me out of a soul, but I am a patient person."
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"Do you expect me to not save someone from dying?" Erebus asked.
"No, but you are no Winchester," Death mused. "Oh yes, I know of the brothers."
"I won't bother even bringing that up until I get there," Erebus sighed as if not wanting to entertain that can of worms quite yet. "That is if I can go there."
Death did not reveal anything else as if the very laws that govern the White Room were preventing him from revealing too much else about Erebus' future. He only continued on from the previous subject.
"I'll let you return back to the catacomb and enjoy your ability to respawn, but I want something in exchange," Death countered.
"I would say killing Voldemort, but I imagine you expect something else," Erebus responded to Death--who nodded lightly once again.
"It is simple. All you have to do is reach the world of Supernatural and help Dean put Lucifer back into his cage," Death responded casually.
"As for the situation?" Erebus inquired to make sure he knew at least enough to deal with everything.
"Do as you will," Death shrugged--knowing what Erebus planned to do. He didn't care about Anne's life in the slightest since she still lived.
Erebus nodded and left the White Room--choosing to respawn where he died.
==+==
Time resumed and for a single moment, Solomon was shocked at how the young man took the curse meant for him in his place. This was made even more shocking when it was his own nephew who dared to use the curse on him!
Sebastian had dropped his wand on the ground--letting it fall out of his hands--as he began to process what had just happened. He felt the urge to kill his own uncle using the Killing Curse, but Erebus took the curse for him instead!
"Boy! What have you done?!" Solomon began to say--enraged at Sebastian for even using that vile curse.
"I-I-I," Sebastian stuttered as he didn't know anymore what he had just done. Sure, he had killed his friend in cold blood, but he was still processing everything that happened.
As for Alex? Well, he could see something happening with Erebus' body. Through his vision, he could see the power of the dark magic being destroyed by the strange dark gray aura around his body as if it despised it.
'What is going on?' Alex thought to himself while Solomon and Sebastian were in a verbal abusing. 'Why do I suddenly feel so cold?'
A light shuffling could be heard aside from Solomon's angry voice and Sebastian's pleading tone. A soft groan as the cold in the area grew deeper--even the Inferi which were left alone since Sebastian used the curse started to step back.
Anne watched in horror as she and Alex saw Erebus--who had taken the Killing Curse directly--began to get off the ground while the surrounding environment grew so very cold. This horrified Anne and Alex--making them quiver in fear as the cold grew more intense--while Sebastian and Solomon slowly stopped their argument.
Before anyone could say anything, Erebus stood straight up and turned to look at Solomon directly--his sapphire blue eyes carrying a coldness to them that sent shivers down his spine.
"Too damn loud," Erebus faintly whispered as he used the Force itself to slam Solomon into the nearby wall and keep him there. "You'll wake the dead with all your screaming."
"Wha-what is happening?!" Sebastian cried out as his brain went into overdrive--feeling the side effects of a psychotic breakdown.
Erebus turned to Sebastian and said with a smirk "You killed me, Sebastian. It is only fair that I come back..."
He then looked to Anne and threw the Totem of Undying into her hand. She caught it, but what happened next made them question everything...
"...and hurt the one you cared the most as payback. Avada Kedavra!" Erebus finished with his wand pointed right at Anne--further shocking Sebastian and Solomon.
The beam hit Anne directly, but unlike what would've happened normally with the curse, the totem broke apart with a loud BANG and restored Anne to life--directly nullifying the Killing Curse on her. With that, Erebus put his wand away and finished with...
"She will be fine now. I will rest..." before disappearing right in front of them all.
As for what will happen now? Well, Alex and Sebastian chose to destroy Slytherin's spellbook while Solomon took Anne to St Mungo's. Ironically enough, this had benefitted Anne by curing her and thus saving their little family, but it didn't come without a cost.
Sebastian had been banished from his uncle's home and both Anne and Solomon left Feldcroft--leaving Sebastian without a home to go to for the next few years. Fortunately, neither Solomon nor Anne desired to press charges against Sebastian for his use of the Unforgivables since they figured out why Erebus chose to sacrifice himself.
He didn't want Sebastian arrested nor have the Ministry send him to Azkaban. All he wanted was for the lad to grow up learning from this experience.
==+==
Meanwhile...
The energy used in the revival continued to burn through Erebus' {Soul Core} and he understood why it was difficult for people to withstand the curse--why people would instantly die upon having the beam hit them. Although he too knew how to cast the Killing Curse, that didn't mean he could cast it willy-nilly.
Erebus also knew that the dark side of the Force began to crave more of such violence--especially when people could use the curse--and fuel its self-destructive nature, but he wouldn't allow it. He wouldn't let himself turn into a Voldemort since there were other plans in motion to aid Harry Potter when the time came.
He could even feel through the Force that it would be centuries--at least from his perspective--before he could return to the Wizarding World during Harry's time. Even now, Erebus understood that there would be more to do in terms of preparing for the inevitable battles ahead.
The man himself sat down in his cultivation chamber and began to cultivate once more--using the leftover energy from his revival to further enhance his cultivation for when he returns to Korriban. In this cultivation session, he opens up his mind to the future and began to see what was soon to come...
==+==
Upon the red sands where Darkness prevails and Chaos reigns, a man who dances in Shadow walks.
A saber of light he wields through the ages begins to burn ever bright. Monsters of Light and Darkness fear his might and flee in terror.
Men, women, and children learn to hatefully fear his power, yet upon the battlefield, none shall slay him. All who know the future understand that events are not what they once were.
An orphanmaker shall witness all his attempts crumble beneath his will.
A trickster ruler who governs over all shall find their Empire slipping.
A Spiral of fractured worlds shall find its enemies cowering in fear upon hearing his Name.
Two brothers shall find redemption through his guiding hand.
All who encounter his dance shall understand his story and fear his might.
For he is the Man who Walks in Shadow.
==+==