LONG ASS CHAPTER AHEAD OVER 3000 WORDS HAHAIHAOHOFDAHSHASOD...chapters might be that long starting from here, meaning they'll take longer to squish out XD ALSO, read A/N...plox.

The explosion reached far and further still, stalking the two on their hind. Subtract really didn't expect his new move to be so destructive. With one look behind him, he saw the exposed seabed of the sea and the wall of the sea circling around.

"It's lessening, we've escaped it," Subtract observed.

"You sure this time?" responded Add.

"I may have not properly predicted this experiment, but I can at least tell the outcome of one."

"Jeez, since when did you make this move...?"

"None of your business. All that matters is that it's destructive and goes on for a kilometre, or more."

"Keh, you owe it to a near victim."

Subtract glowered at him and stopped flying forward.

"Think...escaped? ...Idiocy...incompetence...!"

"What?!" Turning around, a black mass of smoke shot through the air aimed at Subtract solely. "He's still alive, this fucker!"

He quickly erected a barrier between him and the mass, but it was too hastily created to have any effect. It smashed through and took his right arm in.

"Fuck!" he swore, trying to desperately pull out his arm. It only reached the bottom of his shoulder before it dematerialised, taking Subtract's arm along with it.

Apple felt worried, even when she reached the shores of the Fluone Continent. They all traveled to Hamel with the crew members who acted as guidance. Captain Penensio was at the entrance to greet them, to which Elesis took the pleasure of returning it.

She turned back from the city, looking at where they came from. It was as if she expected Subtract and Add to appear there right now, but that was too impossible a task. A kraken was an unidentifiable creature in her eyes, but she had the pleasure of Aisha explaining to her what it was.

"In the waters between the continents, the Kraken has been known to exist before the time of the El. It's basically a gigantic squid with the arms of an octopus. The Kraken was known to sink many ships in its own region called the Triangle, which is so strange. We were never meant to have met the Kraken there in the first place...no ships have crossed the Triangle ever since."

This only proved to worry Apple more, but she kept the expression hidden. There was honestly nothing she could do now.

"We have prepared your lodgings, but the streets are a bit busy at the moment. Since we've evacuated citizens from Resiam, everything is busy," said Penensio. "I apologise, Red Knight. We weren't entirely prepared."

Elesis looked flustered and stuttered, "Y-you don't need to apologise! Geez, C-Captain..."

"Ha ha, you were always so modest."

"I don't want you telling me that."

"Alright, I won't."

"So, how long will we be here at the entrance?"

"Under an hour, or so. Meanwhile, you just have to wait here until we're able to take you to your lodgings."

Captain Penensio smiled slightly before turning to talk to an officer. Apple enlarged one of her drones and sat on it, turning to one of her drones to stare at the transparent card struck to it. She tapped it and it only responded faintly to her touch. Out of curiousity, she tapped all over its surface until a turquoise button appeared near the bottom. With a frown, she tapped the button which in turn enlarged the card itself.

"What is this supposed to be?"

A pink sound line metre showed itself on the card screen and when it immediately activated, Apple heard an ear-splitting scream. She knew it belonged to Subtract because she recognised the voice, but she couldn't believe her own ears. She didn't want to believe it. Whatever was happening to Subtract, she didn't want to believe. She didn't want to hear. Quickly turning off the sound, she backed away from her drone.

The Elgang rushed near her to prevent her from falling.

"What was that? Subtract's scream? What the hell is happening to him...?" questioned Raven.

"I don't...I don't know...whatever it is, he's in danger!" she responded hysterically. "We have to help him!"

"We can't," said Elesis.

Apple instantly turned to Elesis, "Why?!"

"We'll be putting the crew members on danger and we cannot afford that when we need as many men as possible here. And plus, Add is there. He will protect him, I promise."

"I guess so, but..."

"There's nothing we can do, but wait for their return. Until then, let's just wish for their safety, shall we?"

Subtract's whole right arm had been violently ripped off, along with its robotic implants. The ripping sensation of bones breaking, tendons shattering and veins splitting apart. His whole robotic arm, which had his nerves connected to, was lost once again. He screamed out in pain, quickly covering his bloody stump of an arm. Losing concentration over Gravity Denial, he felt himself fall but was immediately caught.

Add caught him in his arms without hesitation. The blood soiled his white clothes, but he didn't mind them at all. What he did mind was the amount of blood was spraying out of Subtract's stump. If he left it without any medical treatment, Subtract would easily die.

"Operator...!" he yelled, holding back the agony in his throat.

The healing Operator flew over in an instant, applying the healing force without delay. It healed way too slowly to stop the flow of blood gushing out.

"Che...too slow..." Subtract quickly opened up his storage and selected a bandage tape. It whirled out of the screen, tumbling into his hand before he quickly wrapped up his stump before pulling at the end.

He looked at Add who seemed to be staring at horror, as if he was seeing something else. In his own mind, he remembered the entire memory of watching his parents getting killed before him. The amount of gore and blood, how the arms and legs were chopped off one by one, and how their bodies were mutilated before he was driven insane. The only reason he could regain his composure was the fact that at least one of his family was alive. His brother was alive, he remained alive just to be seen and left behind.

"Oi, you idiot, what are you staring at me like that for? I'm alive," said Subtract, managing to snap Add out of it. "Now, this is just a temporary procedure. I'm no medical expert, so I don't know if it'll get infected or not. We've got to get to Hamel and the way to do that..."

Add sighed slightly in relief and pointed to one of Subtract's Operators, "Is to track Apple down, right?"

"Uh...yeah...wait, how the fuck did you know I put a tracker on her?"

Add sighed again, "Because we're freaking brothers, you idiotic moron. Something shone on one of Apple's drones."

"How bothersome. Operator, open up a communication line to Apple and her track signal."

One of his Operators beeped in compliance.

"Communication line history: opened once. Communication line, opening and tracking signal now."

It was opened? Subtract didn't like the thought of that.

"When was it opened?"

"Around four minutes ago."

"Fuck."

The Operator beeped three times, showing a familiar transparent card. A button appeared and he quickly pressed it. Gradually showing, a turquoise sound line metre appeared. Immediately afterwards, the Operator floated flat and showed a compass pointing to Apple's signal.

Add saw the arrow and starting flying in that direction silently.

"Hello? Is this Subtract?! Are you okay?! I heard you screaming from the transparent card and I thought you were..." started Apple.

"Dead? Too bad, I'm still here."

"Don't say something like that. Of course, I'm glad you're still there!"

"..."

"So, what happened to you?"

"I just lost my right arm, nothing life threatening."

He said it frankly, so matter of factly like it didn't matter. To Apple, that didn't sit well with her. It was strange because she was supposed to be a machine, a Nasod. Then again, she had an emotion circuit installed. She just didn't think she'd be this sensative.

"You just lost your arm?! That's a big deal, have you wrapped it up properly?"

Subtract looked at his arm, which stopped bleeding. There was only a red stain of blood showing. It felt like the pain had lessened and there was a burning sensation.

"Of course, I have. I don't have any plans on dying from blood lost. Anyways, I'll be in Hamel soon. If you didn't know..."

"Because of this tracker on my drone?"

"How the heck do both of you know?"

"I'm not naive, Subtract. This card was to track your signal, why not mine? And what do you mean both?"

"Never mind. So you guys arrived in Hamel already? That means there isn't much to cover then."

"The crew members were very fast in rowing...I'm not so sure..."

"Yeah whatever, we'll be there before sunset."

Subtract closed the communication line rather hurriedly. He didn't know what to make of the conversation. She was worried, but why? It wasn't as if he didn't know that Nasods had emotion circuits, but maybe it was because he didn't know to what extent it worked. Subtract himself never received any care, or got to know what it felt like.

For him, his eight years at Henir's was cold and unforgiving. Cold in that no love was ever shown from his supposed guardian who named himself the Administrator. Having been driven insane by torture, he never specifically remembered regaining his sanity. It was as if it all melted into the void of a being he was.

Just a being searching for a reason, searching for the one who abandoned him. To exact the justice the scumbag deserved, what he had always been running from. Other than this, Subtract knew naught of what love was or how to gain it. For nearly a decade, he went on with a single emotion with an empty carcass unknowingly searching for some sort of warmth.

Then, had he found something like that? From a tale he had read, was love really as warm and all-compassing? Surely, Apple was a curious subject. The only reason he placed that tracker was not caution, rather curiousity. Apple was so similar to a human with her emotions, yet her own existence was quite the opposite.

Wanting to know, not want to know, what sort of feeling was this he wondered exhilarated.

Throughout all this thinking and reminiscing, Subtract didn't realise Add transferred him over to his Dynamos. It was only when the constant whirring pulled him out of the whirlpool of thoughts did he realise. Hopping off with ease, Add noticed and slowed down.

"You alright to walk already?" he asked.

"I lost an arm, not a leg," he replied. "Think I can see an edge over there."

When he pointed, there was indeed an edge of land ahead. It was a shimmering white, contrasting with the darkening sky. The sun laid out its orange glow towards their destination. Subtract saw through all of that, though. The shimmering white was just a former husk of what it was. It shimmered, yes, but there was something more overwhelming behind it. A black swarm laid on its hind, ominously glaring and slowly overcoming the light.

The Demons had done their mark on the continent and was slowly taking over it. That was what the Elgang for. A measly eleven people sent to stop an entire invasion that even an army couldn't stop. Everyone knew that, but signed up as being the Elgang sent out to stop the Demon Invasion from conquering Elrios. Even Subtract knew the magnitude of the invasion, even if all of the members of the Elgang were undoubtlessly powerful, eleven might be far from enough to stop it.

All this negative thinking, then again, I am Subtract. It was just a name, but that was enough to detest it. The origin would never leave his thoughts without a painful sensation of forgetting. It couldn't be any other name. Nothing else would've fit better.

He wouldn't forget. Eight years ago would never have been forgiven without the price of blood. Yet, he didn't shed it. There was only one reason he didn't want to admit. It made him weak, appear weak, be weak. That was something he couldn't ever afford.

"Eight years ago," started Subtract. Add stopped in his tracks, silent. "Why?"

"If I told you, it wouldn't be counted as a reason," he responded.

Subtract narrowed his eyes, "Say it anyway."

He wanted to know even if he couldn't accept it. At least, at the very least, it might give some peace of the mind. Or if it didn't, it would give him more of a reason to kill his older brother.

Add sighed to himself and looked upwards, hands in his pocket.

"I was scared," he answered. The next thing Add met was the surface of the water splashing harshly all around him. The painful agony stabbing into his back and the force of the water smashing into his face. Coughing out the water, he quickly turned around only to be met with a choking sensation on his neck. Subtract was on him with a summoned blade pointed downwards to his head.

"Is that right? Then, should you die here to face up to that fear?" he questioned. There wasn't an expression on Subtract's face, he just stared and was poised for the kill.

"I can't die here yet."

"Why would that be?"

"I have to save someone."

"That would be our parents, right?"

"…"

"You're a fucking idiot."

"I am, but I'll do it anyway."

"Keh, because we're brothers, huh? Both shitheads aiming for a similar goal. How funny is that?"

Subtract released Add and shattered the blade.

"I'm not going to save our parents. What I aim for is to save those two," said Subtract. "To me, they were more of a family than you three could ever be. You caused their deaths as well."

Add just stood up without responding. He didn't know what to say. This was the one time that he didn't act on his own insanity, he felt clearer but guilty still. A guilty conscience that plagued him in that library until he finally let go of his own sanity. Now? There was only a heavy feeling in his chest.

"Ah~ I don't know why I just don't kill you here and now. Would it really be that hard?" he sighed.

"Hmph, you wouldn't dare because of what you promised to Apple, right? Because you and her are-" started Add.

"Wha…?! You shut up! Eve and you are basically-"

"Shut the hell up! I'm just interested in her functions!"

"Yeah, sure, the way you look at her is-"

"Aaaaaaaaaaargh! Shut! Up!"

"You know what?!"

"What?!"

"Let's just get this flying over and done with!"

"Fine!"

When they arrived on the shore, Subtract just stayed silent while thinking on the way. He felt confused. Undeniably confused. He only learnt the basic characteristics of love, but he never thought them important. He didn't have such a feeling towards anyone, or at least he thought he didn't.

Shaking those thoughts away, he looked ahead to see the Elgang waiting at the entrance to a city. As soon as Apple saw him, she came charging at Subtract and wrapped her arms around him.

"Wha…!" Not knowing how to react, he just stared at Apple who honestly was a bit heavy.

"You had me worried, you!" she said.

"Over what…seriously, it's just my arm," he mumbled.

She let go of him and stared closely at his wound. It had stopped bleeding since then, but the red stains were still present. They appeared fresh and crimson dark.

"We have to get it properly treated."

"Jeez, a kraken that turns into a water dragon? I've never heard of something like that," said Aisha. "Back in my home town, we summoned creatures to tame and train with."

"You fight creatures?" questioned Rena. "Even though they're not demons?"

"I didn't mean we kill them, we just train with them and let them return."

"Ah, that's a relief. We normally train against Ents back in the Elven world. Due to the massive amount of nature el energy in our world, they naturally heal back their wounds."

"Regenerative creatures, huh? Oh, I got a good idea. Take me to your world when this whole Demon Invasion is over and done with!"

"Uh…that's a bit complicated…I mean, I can't just invite you without permission."

"You mean there's some sort of process?" asked Raven, leaning against the wall.

"Oh, how's Subtract doing?" responded Rena.

"His wound has been treated properly, but…" pursed Raven. "He wants to implant a new arm without waiting to recover first."

"Huh? Shouldn't we go check on him then?"

Raven sighed, "And he doesn't want anyone to check up on him. He's locked the door."

"Jeez, why has he got to go reckless like that? Kinda reminds me of you sometimes, Raven," said Rena, adding in a playful tone. Raven avoided her eyes awkwardly. Rena only laughed and patted him on his shoulder before following him.

Subtract honestly felt a bit annoyed. People were at his door, trying to get in for numerous reasons. He never really liked it when people asked him concerning questions. Just thinking about it reminded him of Glaive, and to be honest, he never really liked being bothered.

To be honest, he never comprehended that he was the type people would be worried for. Unknowing of the reason why, he could only try to take care of himself. He didn't think people should be worrying about him because he wasn't specifically important in the group. The Elgang could easily survive on their own without him because they were just that capable. He could've gone back to Henir's Time and Space without a further reason to live. It would've been easier.

He sighed to himself and unwrapped the new bandages, letting them fall delicately to the floor.

"Operator, prepare arm implants and perform the implantation."

The wound was still flesh red, oozing small droplets of blood and clear substances.

"If you're not going to open this door, then there's no point going through it in the first place," said Add.

"Huh?! What do you mean by that?!" questioned Elsword. "It's the only way in."

"Heh, not when you can just…do this…!"

A warping sound ensued to the side of the door and eventually purple cracks began to appear in the wall. The cracks widened and stretched out before the middle gave way to a portal. Subtract whistled, "Hoh, so he's able to make portals now?"

It wasn't a nice thought. Glaive was particularly interested in people with dimensional powers and he was probably watching by now. Glaive was never a good person to begin with and Subtract knew that best. Just how much experiments did I manage to survive back then… Subtract narrowed his eyes at the portal as Add came in. And it's not something I'd like to witness again.

"Jeez, you fucker, what the heck you think you're doing without waiting to recover?" he said.

"It's easier this way. If it fully recovers, it's more painful to open up the wound again," Subtract simply replied. His Operators beeped, signalling their acquisition. Subtract took a step back and sat on a chair, readying himself. "Plus being without an arm brings me out on a limb."

"Erk, your puns are bad, mind you stop?"

"Che, you dicktard."

"Fucktard."

"Shitard."

"You guys stop swearing at each other in there!" Apple hopped through the portal with a grumpy look on her face.

Subtract let out a hmph before turning his face away.

"I'll stay here instead and you go Add," she instructed. Add just shrugged his shoulders and quickly exited through the portal, closing it. "Jeez, both of you, with your dimensional powers. It's dangerous y'know."

"I already had it, but for him, I agree."

"Huh? You had it, since when?"

"… Why are you here again?"

"Because I won't let you go through this alone. Such an operation without proper guidance."

Apple sat next to Subtract and without warning, curled her hand in his.

"I heard this makes it less painful."

Subtract yanked his hand away.

"Don't be silly."

"It's true, come on, try it for once."

"Che, you're bothersome you know that?"

Apple only smiled and beckoned. Rolling his eyes, he curled his hand around hers.

A/N: And a d'awwww end to the chapter~! If ya like this fanfiction so far, please review/favourite/follow/share~!

And yeah, ...releases might be a bit hard to pump out especially because of school. And school is piling all their workload on all of us so...yeeeeeeeeee...*cries*

And thanks to ChillingLord for adding this fanfic to his/her follows~! OWO

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