Chapter 5:
Under the moonlight, there was a young boy and a girl in a maid outfit. They were staring at each other. The maid was disgusted by the sight of this boy. The boy on the other hand, was looking saddened, betrayed and mostly frustrated.
"Why..." Subaru asked under his breath with a disappointed face.
"You know why! Witch Cultist!" Rem barked like a dog while holding her Morningstar.
Subaru didn't know what was Rem talking about. He never heard of any cult before. "The Witch Cult" also didn't sound like a nice cult either.
"I don't even know what are you talking about. I'm not a cultist nor I haven't met with any witches." Subaru tried to explain but he felt something growing inside of him. He started to lose his patience.
"Stop lying you disgusting cultist. After all, you have done to me and my sister. You showed up here again with a fake smile and witch's scent all over your body maybe you can deceit Miss Emilia and my dear sister but you can't deceit me, you filthy man." Rem was spitting insults at him with a crazed face.
Subaru was firstly taken back from this but the insults of this maid made him angrier. He felt hatred for this pompous maid.
Did she really think she was greater than him?
No!
No one was greater than him. No one can look at him from above. Subaru was all above all living beings yet this maid was acting like He was some mere cultist.
"Now die Witch Cultist!" Rem shouted while swinging his morningstar at him.
Subaru activated "Undefiable" and he slapped the Rem's Morningstar with the back of his hand laziest way possible. Rem lost her grip on her morningstar and watched it fly out of the window. Rem turned to see Subaru.
"How insolent to think you can hurt me with your feeble attacks."
"Know your place, Maid!" Subaru talked like he was someone else.
Rem was confused. She thought this would be a quick job. She even thought she could finish this without even waking up anybody but she already started to hear the voices coming. Without her weapon she's the only choice was using magic. She saw Subaru was walking towards her.
She held her hand towards Subaru but before she could cast a spell she felt like she couldn't breathe. Subaru was squeezing her throat with his one hand. Rem looked at his left eye and saw nothing. Like she was looking down at the abyss. Rem couldn't believe the sheer strength the boy was carrying. Subaru was also confused. He did feel something inside of him. A crack. But it wasn't enough to shatter what's inside."
The blood came down from his eyes and nose as he was still holding Rem's throat. Then a voice came.
"Subaruu!" a sweet voice.
"Lord Subaru..." a familiar voice.
"Rem..." and a disappointed voice.
He deactivated "Undefiable".
Subaru dropped the girl and looked for the voices. He saw Emilia looking at him. She was covering her mouth with shocked expressions. Behind her, two maids were running to the scene.
"Hey! Emilia" Subaru said with a surprisingly calm voice.
"What's happened here!" Emilia quickly ran towards Subaru. The others have also arrived. Ram was holding her sister in her arms. She was alive.
"She tried to kill me, She said I was some cultist. I still don't know what she even meant." Subaru explained the situation.
"My stupid sister... Is that why she did this." Ram was gasping with tears.
"She swung her morningstar at me and I disarmed her then she tried to use magic. I didn't have any other choice but incapacitate her." Subaru tried to tell his reasons. He knew he was justified but he needed to explain to the others.
"I'm sorry for what my sister has committed. She deserves any punishment given by you." Ram slowly got up.
"Yeah, She really does." Subaru hissed.
"Trying to kill a Royal Candidate is an extreme crime. She should be executed on the spot." Eliza talked behind Ram.
"A Royal Candidate?" Emilia was shocked to hear this.
"Uhh. I was planning to say this in the morning but yes. I'm also a candidate for the throne." Subaru was hiding his face from Emilia.
And then a loud thud noise echoed around the hallway. Subaru looked down and saw Ram. Her head touching the ground as she kneeled before him.
"Please have mercy to my little sister, Lord Subaru. I know what she did was unforgivable but she did this only for me. If you want lives to be taken please take mine." Rem was still on the ground.
"Yeah, She did talk about you. She said I have done something to both of you." Subaru cleaned the blood off of his face.
"When we were little kids our village was attacked by the witch's cult. The only survivors were me and Rem. They destroyed our bloodline. We are the last Oni's we know so far. Rem never forgot what they have done to us." Ram gasped for air.
"Please, spare her life," Ram spoke one last time.
"Oi, Ram. Look at me." Subaru sounded warm.
"I wasn't going to kill her. If I wanted that I would have done it before you guys showed up. I want YOU to punish her. You are her sister, you know her better than anyone." Subaru said.
"Thank you, Lord Subaru," Ram said with tears in her eyes. She grabbed her unconscious sister and walked to their rooms.
"Are you okay Subaru? You were bleeding when I first got here." Emilia asked in a panic.
"Ahh... Emilia-Tan, seeing you care about me just healed all my injuries. " Subaru giggled.
"Don't say things like that after you almost died. I almost cried after seeing you like that." Emilia was hitting Subaru's shoulder with slow punches.
"Would you really cry for me if I die? You truly are wonderful Emilia-Tan." Subaru laughed with joy.
"Hmph!" Emilia grunted with vexation but there was a smile on her face.
"You are truly a dunderhead, Subaru."
Subaru was looking at her with admiration for her beauty. Her silver hair was shining under the moonlight and her amethyst eyes were just like the millions worth of jewelry.
"You should sleep, Subaru. We can talk more in the morning." Emilia waved before heading to her room.
Subaru was still frozen from the sight he saw. Until a voice talked from behind.
"Glad to see you okay, Lord Subaru." Eliza talked.
"Yeah, I'm perfect." Subaru was visibly happy.
"We shouldn't let the maid getaway." Eliza talked.
"Ah... Don't worry about it." Subaru just shrugged.
"Are you sure of that Lord Subaru? She did try to kill you once. What makes you so sure she won't try it again." Eliza talked with a concern for her lord.
"Just instincts." Subaru smiled.
"Please don't tease me, Lord Subaru. Your life on the line and the knight Sir Reinhard sent hasn't come to the mansion yet. Maybe we should leave." Eliza was still standing.
"No, we are staying. I still have things to do, Eliza. Thanks for your concern but we will be fine." Subaru smiled with a smug face.
"As you wish, my Lord." Eliza smiled back at him.
Subaru walked back to his room and lied down on his bed.
Darkness...
Subaru was engulfed by the darkness...
There was nothing around him.
Just nothing...
No, There was something among the darkness.
He sensed it.
He saw a dark figure of a woman.
He held his hand towards the woman figure,
But he had no hand.
He wanted to scream,
But he had no mouth.
He was one with the darkness.
He was the darkness...
Subaru woke up in sweats. He was breathing heavily.
"What was that dream," Subaru asked himself.
He looked himself at the mirror. There was still some blood under his nose. He washed it quickly. He heard a knock on the door. Subaru yelled.
"I'm up! What happened."
"I'm here to say breakfast is ready. We are waiting for your company Lord Subaru." Ram said behind the door without opening it.
"Now she's being formal with me. All I had to do was not to kill her sister." Subaru laughed at the pink maid.
He looked himself at the mirror one last time. He wanted to look good. He was going to go on a date with Emilia after all. He left his room and started to walk towards the dining room. He stopped at the door and took a deep breath.
He got inside. The first thing he realized was Emilia. She was beautiful as always. He walked and sat down beside Emilia. He also realized Rem was nowhere to be found. The meals got served by Eliza and Ram. Everyone started to eat without talking. Roswall was the one who broke the silence and started the talk with his style.
"I heard what happened Subaru-Kuuuunn." He said with a smile on his face.
Subaru looked at him.
"Oh, I'm sorry for my rudeness. I must call you Lord Subaru after all." The clown kept his smile on his face all the time.
"Oh, is this what's this about?" Subaru thought to himself.
Subaru smiled at the man.
"You can call me only Subaru. I wouldn't mind it cuz I'm sure I won't be calling you Master Roswall." Subaru also gave a fake smile.
Ram was furious about the man's actions towards her master but she knew he outranked her.
"But I had to thank you for the meals and giving me more time to spent with Emilia-Tan." Subaru showed his gratitude for the man.
Emilia just blushed.
Roswall just kept eating after hearing this.
Breakfast ended not long after the conversation. Emilia got to her room for preparing for her date with Subaru. She was happy. She has someone other than Puck who is caring for him. She felt something towards him. It was nothing like something she felt before. It was different from what she felt for Puck. She wanted to be with him. She wanted to be close to him.
She was in her room brushing her silver hair. She looked at the mirror. She saw herself smiling then she assured Puck one last time for him to not come out while they were on a date.
At the same time, Subaru was walking around the garden. He looked at the gate and saw Ram greeting someone. Subaru walked towards them.
A young man was standing at the door. He had a knight outfit. He had blue hair which reminds him of the maid who tried to stomp on his pride. He was smiling but Subaru knew something was wrong with him. His colors were pale and Subaru knew, the colors never lie. Subaru got closer. The young knight saw Subaru.
"You must be Lord Subaru if I'm not wrong. My name is Gora. I'm here on behalf of the Royal Guards." Gora explained.
Subaru realized the man's speech was not usual for a knight. He lacks the manners of a knight. Subaru didn't say anything just nodded at the Ram. After seeing this Ram opened the door and let him in. The knight was walking behind the Subaru. Subaru turned to Ram and asked about Rem.
"She's in the capital. She won't come back here for 10 days. As you requested I gave her to worst punishment I can give to her."
"And It was sending her to capital?" Subaru asked in dissatisfaction.
"Yes, Lord Subaru it was. You see my sister is very fond of me. She cant stand being away from me for just a moment. So this will be hard for her." Ran explained.
After Subaru heard this a small smile formed on his face.
"Good then," Subaru said.
"Also can you give me any advice?" Subaru asked Ram.
"I'll try Lord Subaru" Ram was a bit shocked.
"Do you know somewhere nice where I can go with Emilia?" Subaru asked in a low voice.
"Yes, I know somewhere like that. It's a flower forest near the village." Ram just looks at him and then she gives the directions of the place.
"Heyy! Keep this between us Ram." Subaru warned her with a smile on his face.
Rem left Subaru and the knight to attend her duties.
Then Subaru turned to the knight.
"I'll have a date to attend so you have to wait here for my return," Subaru said.
Before the knight can say anything.
"No way, Lord Subaru," Eliza yelled from behind.
"That's too dangerous. We all know what happened last night." Eliza looked at the man with furious eyes but Subaru can see the caring under it.
"Since this is a date with me and Emilia-Tan. I can't let you guys be hanging with us. You can stay at the village while Emilia and I meet up in the flower field Ram told me about." Subaru told her.
Eliza wasn't satisfied by his solution but she knew she cant push her chance much longer so she accepted it.
"Well, then that's a deal." Subaru turned around and walked back to the mansion.
Subaru couldn't saw the knight's smile.
Subaru knocked on Emilia's door.
"Emiliaa-Tan, It's me Subaru. Are you ready for our da..."
Before Subaru can finish the door opened and Emilia was looking at him. Fresh flower scent came from the beauty in front of him. She was looking absolutely gorgeous.
"What a beauty..." Subaru talked under his breath.
Emilia also heard that She suddenly turned her blushed face and walked past him.
Eliza and Gora were waiting for them at the entrance of the mansion. Eliza and Gora sat down at the front while Subaru and Emilia got inside of the carriage. After a 15 minutes ride. They were at the village. Subaru got off from the carriage and saw the kids playing at the same spot as before. Subaru walked towards the kids while holding Emilia's hand. The kids looked at him but they didn't run away this time. Subaru thought this is probably Petra's work. Subaru looked at the kids. Their colors were lovely as well. Since they were children they were pure and innocent. Subaru saw Petra was running for him. She hugged him. Subaru also patted Petra's head. Then Petra focused on the girl beside Subaru. She realized they were holding hands. Petra puffed and quickly ran away leaving Emilia and Subaru to laugh. Subaru turned to Eliza and gave her a bag of coins.
"Use this to make your time pass faster." Subaru smiled.
"Thank you for your kindly act, Lord Subaru." Eliza was smiling.
"Take care, Eliza." Subaru also answered with a smile.
Subaru turned to the knight with a blank face and then nodded.
Emilia was impressed by Subaru's actions. The way he got along with the kids, how he acted towards his maid. Emilia felt his hand squeeze hers. Subaru quickly pulled her and they started to run. They were laughing as well. They laughed as they run till they got to the flower field. Emilia was mesmerized by the beauty of this scene. Subaru is also mesmerized but not by the flowers. He was looking at her. She was standing in the middle of the field around him several types of flowers with a dozen colors. With her colors getting involved. Subaru couldn't help himself. A single tear came down from his left eye. They sat down together. Emilia was happy.
"Thank you for bringing me to this place, Subaru." Emilia talked with her sweet voice.
"That's my pleasure, Emilia-Tan." Subaru smiled back.
They both giggled but soon it got cut off as two of them were thinking about the same thing at the same time.
"So you really are a Royal Candidate." A small pain can be heard from her voice.
"I guess I am." Subaru was also saddened by this thought.
"So is that means we are rivals now," Emilia asked.
"Of course not! I'm sure we can have an alliance or something." Subaru holds tighter her hands.
"Yeah, I would love to have an alliance between our camps." Emilia was also happy about this thought.
Subaru was looking at her but then he realized something about her colors. There was a single black dot at her heart.
"Why do you want to be king, Emilia," Subaru asked.
Emilia was taken back a bit from this sudden question but since it was coming from Subaru. She answered it.
"It's something selfish."
"Selfish how?" Subaru asked another question.
"You see I'm a half-elf and I'm the last one of my kind. The other half-elves are frozen at the Elior Forrest. I need the sacred dragon blood to unfreeze and save them." Emilia explained.
Subaru was listening to her carefully.
"Emilia..." Subaru said.
Emilia closed her eyes and she readied herself to hear how selfish she was.
"Emilia, when is the selfish part kicks in?" Subaru asked.
"Huh?" Emilia was shocked.
"I just told you," Emilia yelled.
"No, you just told me you wanted the save those poor half-elves. What's wrong with saving your people." Subaru explained.
"You are not a sinner but yet you see yourself as one." Subaru had a sad and also sincere face.
"What a beautiful soul you have, Emilia." Subaru was looking at her amethyst eyes.
Emilia started to tear up. She was never been this happy before. She looked at Subaru and saw him also trying to hold his tears. Tears started to fall from Emilia's eyes only to be wiped by Subaru's hand. They looked at each other for a moment.
"I promise I will do everything I can to help you with your goal, Emilia." Subaru smiled once more.
Emilia also smiled and she hugged Subaru tightly.
I promise I'll get you the Sacred Dragon Blood or I'll die trying." Subaru was holding Emilia.
Subaru closed his eyes for an incoming answer. He waited and waited and waited but the answer never came. Subaru slowly opened his right eye and peeked. Emilia had the most beautiful and biggest smile on her face. She was crying nonstop. The moment she stopped crying. She opened her mouth but a sudden sound wave hit them. They both looked at the village and saw a big explosion.
"What the fuck!" Subaru quickly got up and started to run towards the village then he stopped.
"Don't come to the village. It's dangerous now. Go to the mansion and get everyone you can." Subaru shouted while running again.
Emilia quickly ran towards the mansion.
Subaru ran across the field in just seconds. His legs wanted to give up but Subaru didn't let them. He got to the entrance and saw Petra was running for him. She was crying her eyes out and there was also blood in her clothes as well.
"What happened here, Petra. Tell me who did this." Subaru hugged Petra. While she kept crying to his shoulder.
"You have to save them, Lord Subaru." Petra cried harder.
Subaru looked at her.
"I would give up on anything just to make her look less helpless and scared." Subaru thought to himself.
"Where is Eliza?" Subaru asked.
"She tried to keep us safe from the bad guys. She distracted the blue-haired man while I and the other kids tried to escape." Petra was breathing heavily.
After hearing this Subaru felt the hatred. He knew that guy shouldn't be trusted. It was too late now. Petra was taken back from Subaru's broken face.
"Stay here and wait for Miss Emilia. She's getting help." Subaru said while taking a sprint for the village's center.
Petra didn't listened to him. She wanted to do something so she went back to the village.
He got closer to the village's center. He passed a few villagers dead on the ground. Subaru just looked away in distaste. He stopped and saw the attackers. The villagers were tied up and they were in getting closer. He saw a girl lying on the ground. She was naked and there was a wound in her belly. She was looking at him with big green eyes. Subaru quickly ran towards her. The soldiers around her saw this and prepared to attack but the man with blue hair stopped them.
"Eliza..." Subaru holds his hand on her wound and tried to stop her bleeding.
Subaru couldn't believe it. She should've stayed at the mansion. She never should have come here. He promised her. She was going to her village and she was going to see her little sister. So why was this happening?
"I'm sorry Eliza. Please forgive me." Subaru cried out.
Eliza held her hand at Subaru's face.
There's one thing I'm searching for," she starts singing quietly once again only for Subaru to hear.
"No... Stop it." Subaru begged.
"The laughter of the stars..."
"Shining on the wind,"
"You can grab if you reach out your hand." She's hand slipped away from his face.
"Please STOP! Eliza..." Subaru begged her to stop once again.
"If you close your eyes,"
"You'll surely find it"
"The light that guided you when you were lost." Her voice started to fade away. Subaru hugged her.
"If you listen carefully"
"You'll surely hear it,"
"The gentle voice singing only for you..." Her eyes closed and her voice died. Subaru only heard her heavy and troubled breathing. He hugged her tighter.
"Don't you dare to die on me, Eliza? I gave you a promise. We were going to see your sister. You were going to sing this song for both of us. Right?" Subaru expected her to answer but it never came. He looked at her face. A single tear had fallen to her face from Subaru's right eye. Subaru cried 5 minutes straight while holding Eliza.
Subaru felt the seal inside of him shatter into thousand pieces. He felt the black pitch inside of him grow stronger and getting bigger. He knew something has changed inside of him. He felt the new memories hit him. He felt very old like He had lived centuries. Subaru saw someone in his new memories just like Emilia but she had a black dress. He felt the nostalgia again.
From the outer perspective, Subaru was holding the blonde hair maid and he was hugging her. The blue-haired man crouch down and smiled.
"I didn't knew you cared this much about the maid. Well, I can say she was delicious. Her screams are still in my ears. The way she tried to fight back. The way she looked at me when she realized she was helpless. It was just perfect." The man spoked while the others laughed.
"You see, we had intel about this. We even knew where was the guard sent by the precious "Sword Saint". We ambushed him and caught him off guard. He gave a real fight while trying to get to you. After we tortured and killed him. I disguised as him. I gave his name. You didn't even realize." He began to laugh with others.
"You might be asking yourself how we did know all of, let me tell you. Three days ago someone came to our camp. We got informed and received the plan of the attack and we also got paid." The man started to explain.
"We were going to kill every man on this village and keep the woman and children to ourselves. We also knew about you. Our informer told us to call you "Pride". I was going to kill you but I know that wouldn't be fun." The man's tone was taunting.
He grabbed Subaru from his hair and lifted his face.
"Cower me! Amuse me, Pride." The man growled.
"Show me something nice.
Subaru didn't say anything.
"Don't you get it yet? Those villagers are dead because of you. The maid died because of you!" The man, made him look at the carcasses of the villagers.
"We killed all of them."
Subaru stayed silent.
"Are you still calm after hearing that. You're so boring."
"Hey!" The man shouted to the other two bandits. They quickly grabbed one of the kids and threw her to the ground.
"My soldiers found this little piece of shit at the back of the village. She looks like she knows you." Blue haired man nodded.
Petra was crying and the bandits started to tear her clothes. The screams came from the villagers.
Subaru was stuck in his own mind.
"Stop. Please, just stop!" Subaru talked to himself.
"People die. But it doesn't matter to you." A voice talked to Subaru. It was his own voice. He was talking to himself.
"You're wrong." Subaru denied.
"I'm not wrong" the voice was starting to sound dark.
"You're wrong!" Subaru shouted again.
"Everything is just your toy to play with." The sound talked back.
"Release it, open up, and judge everyone for their sins." The voice demanded.
Subaru started to scream in his mind.
"Until everything disappears from before your eyes."
And then Subaru's painful screams turned to laughter. He laughed and laughed and laughed...
On the outside, Subaru was still on the ground with a blank face. Emilia and others arrived and saw Subaru at the hands of the Bandit leader.
"Hey, What's your problem, Pride." The blue-haired bandit mocked him.
Subaru got to his feet and slowly placed his hand on the man's chest.
Subaru activated "Touch of Redemption" for the first time. The reality got disturbed at the end of his hand.
"Don't defy me. Your molecules shall scatter like sand."
And then the shockwave hit the man's upper body, turning him to nothing but dust.
His lower body fell to the ground while the dust flew with the wind.
"You... what did you do?" The nearest bandit asked in fear.
"God, Devil, Judge, Sage, Monster. What will you sinful souls call me?" Subaru asked with a cold voice and then he started to laugh.
"This bastard... Finish him off." The other bandit yelled.
All five bandits tried to swing their swords at Subaru. Subaru activated "Undefiable" and stood still. When the swords hit him they shattered and fell to the ground.
"Sin will become a wedge that allows no escape." Subaru once again talked with a sincere voice.
Subaru snapped his fingers and the shockwave hit them and torn them apart. Turning their flesh into dust.
Emilia and the other were shocked and disturbed by this. Even Puck looked away in distaste. They couldn't even move. Emilia wanted to help Subaru but she knew he wasn't in his right mind. Puck also stopped her. Ram was terrified. The thought of this man turning her sister into dust by a single snap from his fingers.
The bandit who torn Petra's clothes was petrified. Subaru walked to him.
"First comes the commitment of sins." Subaru was smiling.
"I do not discriminate, I do not bless, I do not save." Subaru placed his hand at the man's head.
"I just judge. For all sins. Scatter!"
The Bandits flesh was torn apart and flew just to be turned into dust before it reaches the ground.
Petra was crying and she looked at Subaru with scared eyes.
"Don't be scared, little one." Subaru tried to assure her before turning to other bandits.
They tried to attack him again with their swords and bows. All of them were shattered upon contact with him.
Subaru also realized after the seal shattering inside of him, he adapted to his authorities much better. The "Undefiable" didn't hurt him like before. He just made him tired but nothing else. "Touch of Redemption" was a different story. Every time he judged someone with it, Subaru feels it's growing stronger. He wanted to use it all the time. He wanted to judge people with it. He was getting addicted to the feeling.
Subaru stopped and looked at the bandits.
They started to run away from him.
"Monster..." the one bandit shouted before turning to blobs of flesh and then to dust.
"Break!" Subaru snapped his fingers.
Two bandits exploded and turned to dust.
"Disappear!" Subaru snapped his fingers.
The bandit flew among the wind.
"Collapse!" Subaru snapped his fingers once again.
The remaining bandits were squeezed and then exploded.
Subaru was laughed in pure pleasure.
He turned around and saw the horrified looks of everyone.
Then he saw her, Emilia.
She was scared. Why was she scared?
Seeing Emilia this scared made him realized what he has done. He deactivated all his authorities and took a deep breath. He walked towards the deceased maid. He carried Eliza into his arms and started to walk towards Emilia. Subaru stopped at the front of the half-elf. Emilia looked at the maid and saw She was long gone then she looked at Subaru. She saw his pained expressions, his broken smile, and tears coming from only his right eye.
"I need someone to wake Eliza up." Subaru talked.
"I promised her. I was going to meet with her sister."
"Isn't it Right? Eliza," Subaru asked the maids in his hand.
"Just wake up you sleepyhead. We just need to get to the mansion and then you can take me to your village." Subaru smiled.
"She's gone Subaru." Puck said while pitying the boy.
Subaru looked up and saw Emilia crying.
Subaru opened her mouth to explain how Eliza is not dead but before he can say anything. He felt the darkness took over him.
He was here before.
He remembered the darkness
He remembered himself.
He saw the woman figure among the darkness.
Subaru couldn't see her whole face but he saw she was trying to say something.
Subaru held his hand towards the woman figure,
But he had no hand.
He didn't scream this time
Because he knew he had no mouth.
He was one with the darkness.
He was the darkness once again ...