Re Zero The Sage and The Crow
All rights to the characters belong to Tappei Nagatsuki, the original series creator.
Underlined Language: Represents English
Normal Text: Represents Japanese
Chapter 6 Mad Cackling in the Dark
Subaru was tired. It had been several hours since the apprehension of the thief that had tried to rob him, and he was now back at the inn that they had rented while they stayed in the Capital. In all honesty, the last several hours had been a blur. Garfiel had come running at full speed, kicking up a huge dust cloud as he ran with Beatrice slung under his arm. After seeing the damage done to Subaru, he and Beatrice had immediately healed his wounds, before turning their attention to the unconscious stranger before them. Garfiel had considered out loud breaking his neck while he slept for the crime of hurting Subaru, but Subaru protested. They would not kill the man in his sleep, they weren't butchers. They would instead turn him over to the proper authorities, and let them deal with the thief. Subaru did, however, take the knife that the stranger had possessed.
And yet, even though Subaru had won and the stranger was now to be safely locked away, he couldn't shake this feeling of dread. It was as if someone had placed a target on his back, and now he constantly had to check his surroundings, lest he be shot without his own knowledge.
This didn't even take into account the crow that had seemingly been following Subaru. There was something about that bird that brought a sense of dread to Subaru. Crows in his old world were often considered omens of death and ill fortune, so he didn't exactly find its presence comforting. After the fight he had looked at the adjacent rooftop in an attempt to see if the crow was still there, but it had disappeared. The only thing hinting at its apparent existence at the fight was a singular black feather atop the rafters, its presence almost mocking Subaru for his ignorance and ill-preparedness for the trials seemingly at hand.
Now here he was, sitting on the couch in the living room area of the portion of the inn they had rented, lost in these deep thoughts. He was so preoccupied that he didn't notice Garfiel come up behind him and clap him on the back. The gesture caused him to jump in his seat, spinning around and facing the young demi-human with surprise and indignation.
[Subaru: Please, at least say something before you go touching me when I'm thinking like this! After all I've been through today, I might have some PTSD from that experience.]
Garfiel grinned at Subaru's response, his eyes had a childish sparkle of pride and satisfaction that glinted in the light. He had the utmost faith that Subaru would pull through, and that pride was simply serving to confirm his already misplaced belief that Subaru could accomplish anything.
[Garfiel: What're ya talkin' 'bout? I knew y' would give that no good bottom feeder a good thrashin'. Ya had barely any damage compar'd t' that guy, a few bruises maybe, but he was a sight fer sore eyes.]
Garfiel had a point, on the surface level, it looked like Subaru had escaped that fight nearly unscathed, especially when you considered the state of the opponent in question. But the others had no idea, that fight had required the maximum amount of concentration from Subaru. Everything he had been taught by Clind at the Miload mansion had been thrown at the stranger from the whip techniques to the wrestling moves he had learned from his dad. Even that wasn't enough, the stranger had been so resilient that he had to rely on the one power that he was afraid of using. Subaru was still uneasy about using it, everytime he used it, it felt as if a piece of his soul was ripped away from him. The power that had once belonged to a madman now slept within him, and if he wasn't careful, it would control him. If he didn't have Invisible Providence or wasn't able to control it properly in that moment, he would have lost the fight and his life.
Subaru gingerly touched his throat where the knife had been steadily digging into his skin. He remembered the feeling of the cold metal, the black void of the hood staring down at him as he plunged the knife downward. It was no longer touching him but he could still feel a small prick where it had been, a phantom reminder of how close he had come to death this time. Now Subaru was no stranger to death. In fact, if any knew of his circumstances they might even say he was desensitized to it, but that didn't mean he intended to make dying a habit. He had been told to treasure himself more, to love himself as he loves those around him, and he was attempting to do that.
Garfiel saw how Subaru was frowning and seemed to not be relishing in his victory. A genuine look of concern came over his face.
[Garfiel: Cap'n?]
[Subaru: It's nothing Garfiel. I'm fine.]
[Otto: Well it doesn't look like you're fine. Why do you look like someone just took your favorite toy?]
Otto had interjected into the conversation. Opening the door and entering the room from the hall that led to the outside. He had an inquisitive expression on his face, he had heard the gist of the situation, but he hadn't learned the specific details about the attempted robbery yet. No doubt Beatrice had told him.
[Otto: You look like someone dragged you face first through the mud. What happened? And go clean yourself up before you get the place all dirty.]
[Subaru: Go clean up, tell you what happened. Will you make up your mind?]
Otto gave a mischievous smile at Subaru's response to his contradictory request. To Otto; Subaru looked awful, his clothes were stained with mud and blood, and his eyes looked scarier than usual thanks to the fatigue that Subaru felt.
[Otto: I heard what happened, or at least the basic information. Care to fill me in?]
Subaru looked at Otto. He wondered how the negotiations had gone with their contact, and he considered drilling Otto for the information. Subaru instead decided that he would share what he had gone through to him.
[Subaru: Met a guy. He tried to rob me. I beat him up. The end.]
[Otto: Could you at least try to put in some extra effort!]
[Subaru: Sorry my head hurts. He got a few good hits in I will admit.]
[Otto: Well you won at least, I guess that's more than I can usually expect from you.]
[Subaru: Do you have so little faith in my fighting abilities! And look who's talking! You're no champion of the ring either!]
Subaru snapped at Otto's wry response. Yes, Subaru was no fighter, but he still could hold his own against normal opponents. Well, whatever was considered normal here at least. Strike that, maybe only the really super duper untalented ones.
Otto raised his arms in surrender, showing that he meant no offense to him.
[Otto: Calm down Natsuki-san. I actually want to commend you on your performance. I had no idea that when I gave you that money that you would have a run-in with such a distasteful individual.]
[Subaru: Heh. When you put it that way…]
[Otto: Still, the nature of this robbery is extremely strange. It was in broad daylight for one thing, and it was in the middle of the shopping district to boot. Only an extremely skilled thief, or a very desperate one, could pull off such a task.]
[Subaru: Really? I thought that thievery was more common in the shopping district or things like that. After all, isn't it the place where the most money changes hands at all times. A place like that seems like it'd be a dream come true for any thieves.]
Subaru was under the impression that thievery was more common in that area of the city. His entire life in this world had been started with him trying to retrieve an insignia for Emilia. The thief in question had stolen the money extremely close if not in the exact same spot that Felt had stolen said insignia from Emilia.
[Subaru: Maybe that place is just bad luck for me, 'cause whenever I go there something bad happens.]
Actually, it wasn't so much that something bad happened in just the shopping district so much as it was that something bad happened whenever he came to the Capital. Everytime he came here he remembered getting either killed, beaten, or robbed. Maybe he should have stayed home after all.
Otto shook his head at Subaru's false interpretation of the nature of the shopping district. As someone who frequented the place regularly before joining the Emilia Camp, it made sense that he should know more about the intricacies of how the place worked.
[Otto: Typically, the guards are better at spotting and taking care of thieves before they do anything drastic. Otherwise, there would be no one who would wish to shop there if their money keeps getting stolen. So the guards typically keep a close eye on the shopping district to keep the flow of business going.]
Subaru raised an eyebrow at this comment, he didn't remember seeing a single guard at the shopping district when the thief had made his move. The whole area was bare of any of the people that were charged with keeping the peace. Subaru wondered if the guards were there then maybe the man wouldn't have tried to rob him.
He rested his chin on the arm which was placed upon the armrest of the couch. Were the guards and knights really that undermanned? Were they really that underprepared? If it was to the extent that they couldn't even protect the citizens from common theft, then perhaps the nation was in a more precarious position than he had first thought. It explained how Gale and his Blood Dragons had yet to be captured. They had taken advantage of the chaos instilled by the Royal Selection to pillage the countryside of all its wealth. So many questions, and today's events had brought even more questions.
Subaru reached into his pocket and ran his hands over the small object that was tucked safely inside, it had belonged to the thief. He had taken it when they had apprehended the thief. The very existence of this object, of this knife, gave a terrifying hint to the origins of the thief. Subaru didn't want to believe it, but there was already precedence that he wasn't the only one summoned to this world. Maybe he would see the thief tomorrow to confirm it. Subaru took it out of his pocket and turned it around in his hand. It was beautiful in a way that both confused and frightened those who looked at it with no knowledge of its true purpose. The handle was about four inches long and jet black, the grip was textured so one wouldn't lose their grip in whatever task they were doing that required it. A silver line ran down the middle of the handle on the part facing away from where it was to be held. Script was apparent on the black grip, it was a language not from this world, at least as far as Subaru knew. A single five letter word etched into the handle: FIGHT. Otto, upon seeing the hilt, sucked in his breath sharply, and Garfiel widened his eyes.
[Otto: What is that? I've never seen anything like it.]
Subaru gave his wrist a flick, and a three inch blade opened from the silver line that ran down the bottom of the handle. It was flat on the top where the metal met the handle when closed, but it sharpened into a nasty point and blade made for slashing and thrusting. The blade gleamed in the dim light, Subaru's face reflected off of it.
[Garfiel: That's a tiny knife.]
Garfiel, pointing out the obvious, had an interested expression on his face that belayed his seemingly unenthusiastic comment. Blades and the like interested him, and despite its appearance, this was indeed a very special blade. It was special not because it signified royalty or that it was exceptionally well made. Although, compared to most blades, this one was extremely well-made for its size compared to most in this world. No, its importance stems from where the blade came from.
[Otto: What a well-made knife. I've never seen its like before. It must be from someplace in Vollachia or Kararagi.]
[Subaru: No. It's not from either of those places.]
[Otto: Gusteko then?]
[Subaru: Not that either I'm afraid. The origins of this knife is a far off place that can't be accessed through traditional means. I will agree that it is really well made though. But I'm not really interested in the knife itself, I'm interested in its previous owner.]
[Garfiel: Ya gotta be kiddin' me. Boss, that guy tried t' rob ya, and my amazin' self doubts he'll be any help t' us.]
[Otto: I agree with Garf. There's nothing that can be gleaned from that man. And anyways, he's just a common thief, there's no point in wasting time questioning him about something he doesn't even know. Don't lose sight of the greater objective.]
[Subaru: It's not as if I know that he'll be any help. In fact I know that going would be a waste of time. But there's something I want to confirm at least, and I can only confirm it by going and talking to him.]
[Beatrice: What are you all blabbering about I suppose?]
A high pitched voice cut through the conversation. Its owner entering the room after spending time outside the inn. The others just gave her a blank look as she made her presence known.
[Beatrice: Are you all going to stare foolishly and not answer the question I suppose? Or will you actually explain things in fact?]
Beatrice glared at each of them, clearly upset with being kept out of the loop. As Subaru's contracted spirit, she felt obligated to know everything that was troubling Subaru. Otherwise, how would she fulfill her role as Subaru's spirit.
[Subaru: Ahh Beako! It's nothing really! I just wanted to go say hi to the guy I met today!]
[Beatrice: Quit talking to me like I'm a child in fact! It's going to give people the wrong impression I suppose! And by guy you met you mean the thief?]
Beatrice's face transformed into a cute pout. She turned her head to the side and refused to look at Subaru for not including her in the conversation.
[Subaru: Come on Beako! Don't be like that! We were discussing the pros and cons of going to see that guy! That's all!]
Slowly, she turned to look at him. She let out a small sigh.
[Beatrice: Betty's opinion carries more weight than these two in fact! Next time, wait until I've promptly arrived before making such decisions.]
Subaru meekly looked at the floor in response, content with Beatrice's answer.
[Subaru: Ok, ok. Thank you so much sensei.]
[Otto: I'm still blown away by the fact that she can say our opinion's can count for nothing right in front of us.]
[Garfiel: Fer real.]
[Beatrice: Hmmph! As Subaru's exclusive partner, my voice reigns supreme in fact! you two should know your place in the hierarchy of- Owowowowwow! Quit pinching me I suppose! I'm sorry! I'm sorry in fact!]
Beatrice was quick to attempt to establish dominance over the two peeved individuals, who were unhappy at being called unimportant by the spirit. Subaru however, wasn't having any of that, and promptly got up and started to pinch her cheeks as punishment for her outbursts.
Subaru let go after hearing the ancient spirit repent and apologize to the individuals in question. Her cheeks were now a beet red, and she held a frown on her face that said that she wouldn't forgive this assault.
[Subaru: Now now. What did we say about that kind of talk? Even if you know them, it's impolite to make trouble for others.]
[Beatrice: Mmmmmmm I suppose.]
Beatrice, having learned her lesson, sat down on the couch that took up a large part of the room. She huffed at Subaru and crossed her small arms before asking once again.
[Beatrice: So what is it you want to ask him I suppose?]
[Subaru: Well… Since you asked so nicely.]
[Beatrice: The way you said that irritates me I suppose.]
[Otto: I know right.]
[Subaru: Can I say anything at all without you guys judging me for it?! Seriously, it's like everything I say has to be taken in a negative way!]
[Beatrice: You have your own self to blame for that. Anyway continue I suppose.]
Subaru sighed at this two pronged attack that Otto and Beatrice deployed before continuing.
[Subaru: The guy I met today… I want to talk with him. Not for any particular reason in regards to the investigation, but for my own curiosity. I believe that speaking with him may answer a few questions regarding my particular situation.]
[Otto: Situation? What situation?]
Otto perked up at the mention of some situation that might be troubling Subaru. It wasn't as if they knew everything about him. For instance, Subaru's past before arriving in Lugunica was a complete mystery to the members of Emilia Camp. So any information relevant to who Subaru was before always interested them, although they had no idea that it was tied to his origin in this world. They probably thought it was in relation to some other issue at hand, or maybe they thought he figured out a way to glean information about the Blood Dragons from this individual. But no, Subaru was to make it very clear that this was more of a personal mission than anything else.
[Subaru: It's more of a side-quest connected to my hometown, nothing too much.]
[Beatrice: There you go saying weird things again I suppose. Very well, I guess that if it's important to Subaru, then Betty will see it through in fact.]
Beatrice voiced her support after much silent deliberation. She then turned her gaze to Otto and Garfiel.
[Garfiel: If the boss thinks this'll give him closure fer whatever 's botherin' him, then we should knock it away before it starts becomin' a real hassle.]
Garfiel also voiced his support, now all that was left was Otto. After a little bit of silence, Otto heaved a massive sigh.
[Otto: I guess we can allocate some time to this. But remember, we're on a tight schedule. Many things to do and much groundwork to lay out.]
Otto reminded Subaru of the necessity to continue to seek allies in searching for the Blood Dragons. This was not something that they could gloss over or wait until next time, the simple math indicated that the more eyes looking, then the faster they would be found. The faster they could be found, the quicker they could stop them before they could do anymore damage.
They had finally laid out a little bit of the foundation, now all that was left was to continue the search.
Subaru got up and yawned, raising his arms towards the ceiling. His head still hurt, and his body ached. He resigned himself to preparing for the upcoming meeting before setting out the plan for the next day.
[Subaru: I'm going to bed. We have a long day tomorrow, and I would rather not be sleep deprived for the most of it.]
With those words, Subaru went to one of the bedrooms adjacent to the living room and closed the door behind him. He dropped to the bed like a rock, and almost immediately passed out. His last conscious thought before darkness took him was of how this whole situation was really confusing.
The Next Day
[Subaru: Who are you?]
Subaru said the words that had been at the back of his mind since arriving at the prison. He had arrived at this hell hole, unprepared for the massively cruel environment he was thrust into. His courage in seeing and questioning the man before him was hanging by a thread, its life dependent on the presence of the knight that stood steadfastly with him in purpose and in good faith.
Julius himself was shocked into silence by the words that had come out of Subaru's mouth, for he had never heard such a strange sounding tongue before. As someone who had made it a priority to study and understand the different cultures of the world in order to better himself as a knight, this was a new experience for him.
The words that Subaru had spoken sounded strange in this dark place. He had an odd feeling on the tip of his tongue, his accent and unfamiliarity with the language's nuances creating an awkwardness around the words that were spoken. But the verbal cues were still serviceable, and understandable to Subaru and the stranger, or so he hoped. He was beginning to doubt the strength of his plan and idea, about to curse himself with being a fool who had dared to believe that something might have happened.
But then, movement… Was it his imagination? No it wasn't. A rustle of clothes where there had once been silence, a flutter of the cape that could be made out in the dimly lit void. The man raised his head from his position of despair and loathing to regard the person who had spoken to him. Slowly, painfully slow, he moved his head to look at him, before turning his hooded face to the young knight that stood by Subaru. His head was tilted slightly in what only Subaru could describe as a look of confusion, as if he couldn't believe his own eyes.
[Subaru: Who are you?]
Subaru repeated the same line, mustering more volume and authority in his voice in an attempt to get the answers he desired. The hood was unnerving, it was a void within a void, and it suited the bleakness of this place well. There was no doubt that the man understood him, or at least was perplexed at the choice of words he had used, the movement and the eerie way he seemed to be observing Subaru seemed to confirm it. A small droplet of sweat ran down the side of Subaru's head, confirming his own feelings of anxiety.
There was still no answer, Subaru was beginning to lose faith again.
Then he heard and saw it. The stranger's sitting body in the cell began shaking slightly, becoming more pronounced as time went on. A strange sound was escaping from him, like gas leaking from a balloon.
[Stranger: Heeeehhh.]
[Subaru and Julius:...!]
The stranger, was laughing.
[Stranger: Hehehehehehehh! Hahhaahah! AHHHAHHAHAHHAHHHAHHAHAHHHHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAOOOOOOOOHOHOHAHHOHOH!]
The shaking of his body was uncontrollable, a terrible laugh echoed throughout the prison. Taking a peek at nearby cells revealed that the other prisoners were distressed at this noise that had disturbed their peace and quiet. Fearful of the sound that echoed throughout the walls around them.
The stranger continued to laugh hysterically, burying his face in his hands and cackling madly as Subaru and Julius looked at each other uneasily, unsure of what to do. It was a laugh of joy, of rage, of broken dreams and lost hopes, it was a laugh from the belly, but there was nothing infectious about it. It seemed to have the opposite effect, instead of causing everyone to want to join in on whatever inside joke this stranger was thinking about, it activated every danger signal within Subaru's being, he wanted to get as far away as possible.
[Stranger:HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHOHOHOHOAHAHOAHOAHOAHHHHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHOHOHOHAHAHAHA!]
The stranger took his head from his hands and threw it backwards, laughing into the ceiling above. A laugh that Subaru knew all too well. A laugh of madness.
Subaru was tired of this, he needed answers but the stranger wouldn't give him any. Instead, he chose to cackle madly in the darkness of the cell. Subaru took a step back from the cell, then he turned towards Julius, about to tell him that he could continue the interrogation without him, he needed to get out of here. That man gave him the creeps, but before he could…
[Stranger: Ahhhhh… Damian.]
[Subaru: Huh?]
[Julius: What?!]
Julius and Subaru were startled as an unknown voice floated quietly from the cell. They quickly turned at attention to face its owner once again.
[Damian: My name. It's... Damian. You asked for it didn't you?]
Damian's voice was deep but calm, it reminded Subaru of waves crashing against a beach. Strong and steady, but could quickly change tune with the tides and weather. He didn't sound angry, or even the slightest bit inconvenienced by the situation he was in, in fact he sounded more amused than anything. He had an arrogant tone to him, one that seemed to point to an extreme level of confidence that Subaru immediately disliked.
[Julius: Subaru. What is this man saying?]
[Subaru: He said his name is Damian.]
[Julius: Damian?]
[Subaru: Yes.]
[Julius: That's a strange name.]
[Damian: The hell are you two fools blabbering about?]
Damian now sat cross legged in his cell with a renewed interest. His previously hooded face was now no longer covered by the hood, as throwing his head back to laugh had caused it to fall off. Yet his features were still hidden in the shadows of the cell, Subaru could only make out the slight smile on his face and the glint in his eyes from where he stood.
Subaru changed the flow of conversation once again to Damian.
[Subaru: Listen man, you're here today because you tried to steal from me. I would say you could get off easy if you answer the questions we got for you, but that's not up to me. My colleague here says that if you behave then you'll at last get a better cell, so I suggest you cooperate.]
Damian fell silent at this statement, proof that he had no desire to remain in this dump any longer than he had to. But Subaru could make out his smile growing, no more like a sneer, in the dim torchlight.
[Damian: Ask away dickhead.]
Subaru was confused for a second, although he had a decent grasp of the english language, there were some words that he still didn't know. It was irritating as a start.
[Subaru: First question: Why did you steal from me?]
Damian let loose a snort at this question, clearly he thought that it was a stupid question.
[Damian: If you need to ask why anyone steals anything… Then you're even dumber than I thought. I'm pretty sure the principals by which those with less survive in this world is pretty obvious. Or do I need to spell it out for you, dumbass?]
Subaru's eye twitched. This guy was not easy to talk to, that much was certain.
[Subaru: Dumber than you thought still makes me smarter than you. If I wasn't then you wouldn't be here right now.]
[Damian: HAH! You only won that fight 'cause you got lucky. Last I checked, you were on death's door. I was about to put you out of your misery before you got a lucky hit in. Mark my words though, whenever we fight again, and I can promise you there will be a rematch, you won't get anywhere close to beating me like this time.]
While this heated exchange was going on, Julius was going back and forth from Subaru and Damian, his brow furrowed in confusion.
[Julius: Subaru, is everything Ok? This guy seems to be getting a little hostile.]
[Subaru: A little is putting it lightly. But I'm fine.]
More importantly, he hadn't even gotten to the meat of the interrogation. There was still the topic of the mud stained cloak he wore that apparently belonged to the Blood Dragons. Not to mention the fact that Subaru thought this guy was from his own world. Perhaps what Subaru said wasn't the smartest thing in the world, but it definitely got a reaction out of Damian.
[Subaru: I beat you once, and next time will be the same story.]
[Damian: Really now! Let me out of this cell then! Let me out and I'll show you something beautiful. Your eviscerated corpse strung up and hung for all to see like a Christmas decoration!]
Damian's voice dropped several octaves and took on a sinister tone when he said this. Subaru was washed over by an incredibly subtle aura, a faint impression of cold anger and murderous intent. One look over to Julius revealed that he felt it too, his teeth were gritted and he had his sword partially drawn. It was an uncomfortable feeling that resulted from being in this man's presence, all of Subaru's fight or flight instincts were activated in that instant. But just like that the aura vanished, the bloodlust hidden once again under the man who called himself Damian's impassive facade.
There was also something in what Damian said that was not lost upon Subaru. He had mentioned Christmas. Subaru widened his eyes upon realizing this and quickly followed up Damian's statement.
[Subaru: You said... Christmas?]
[Damian: ...]
[Subaru: You wouldn't happen to be from Earth would you?]
Subaru asked the question that had been burning in his head this whole time. Throwing this curveball at Damian, who no doubt wasn't expecting to ever meet someone like him, Subaru said this without hesitation.
[Damian: Earth? By Earth do you mean a place not like this? A place I would much rather be than in this damn madhouse.]
Damian spoke quietly, his deep voice resonating through the cell.
[Subaru: If that's how you think of it then yes. That Earth.]
[Damian: Hmm. How interesting, you seem to be aware of some of the things I'm saying, not just the language I speak, but the terms and context as well. Which means you're also from home aren't ya? Heh. Decided to roll with the monsters since you can't beat them eh bitch?]
What the hell was this guy talking about? Monsters? Although he seemed to be excessively hostile in his way of speaking, he was no fool. He had immediately picked up on Subaru's familiarity of the word Christmas and brought it up.
[Subaru: Enough of this! Talking with you gives me a headache. You're not only in here because you tried to steal from me...]
Subaru inclined his head, referring to the deeply mudstained cloak that Damian wore. Julius had mentioned earlier that it belonged to the Blood Dragons, the red streaks through it were proof. Although Subaru had thought that they were just really old bloodstains at first, it was just covered in so much dirt and grime that the previously red color had been almost completely swallowed up.
[Subaru: Your cloak. Where did you get it?]
Damian was silent, his voice no longer reaching the pair that stood outside. He was still, unmoving, and unflinching in the face of the two that meant to question him of his purpose.
[Subaru: You know that that cloak is symbolic of a dangerous criminal group? Depending on your answer, you may or may not stay here for a very long time.]
Subaru had no wish to play the bad cop. In fact, being intimidating was one of the things he failed most at, better to leave that job to Garfiel of Ram. But this guy was being unusually silent about the nature of the cloak, Subaru knew that if he could get him to talk, then perhaps they could fit another piece inside this elaborate puzzle.
[Subaru: I'll ask one more time. Why do-]
[Damian: It's none of your business.]
[Subaru: Tch!]
Damian harshly rejected Subaru's calls for cooperation. He evidently had no desire or wish to share anything he had, and was content to watch Subaru flail helplessly in the dark for answers.
[Subaru: What?! You know how many people these guys have killed? What's even the point of defending them anyway?!]
Subaru was losing his temper, his anger evident in his tone and the way he practically almost screamed those words. He couldn't believe that someone from his own world would defend such monsters. Or even try to keep information away from someone in the same boat as himself.
[Damian: Heh. I have nothing to do with those miscreants, I can assure you that. But that's all I'll tell you. As for why. Well… You can figure that out on your own.]
Subaru gritted his teeth. This guy was purposefully trying to spite him, for what reason, he didn't know yet. He needed to calm down but it was so difficult, he wanted to lash out, to make this guy pay for his insolence, he wanted to-.
[Julius: Subaru.]
Subaru felt a comforting hand on his shoulder, turning he saw that Julius was giving him a reassuring look, keeping him steady with his strong hand. Subaru felt all of the anger subside, all of the irritation give way to a neutral feeling, restoring his mind and heart to equilibrium. Subaru took a deep breath and consulted Julius about the issue.
[Subaru: What do we do? This guy isn't telling me anything?]
[Julius: Has he not? It was quite a heated conversation that you two were having. There must have been some information that he has disclosed in the conversation. Maybe something you missed?]
[Subaru: No he was quite blunt. He said that he stole because that's what thieves do, or at least that's the impression I got from his cryptic answer. He also says he's not part of the gang we're looking for, although I find it hard to believe. He refuses to elaborate on any of the finer details.]
Julius looked towards Damian thoughtfully, who had gotten up and was stretching his body lazily in the cell. He seemed to have no worries or indication of stress or severe anger, instead humming a soft tune to himself as he stretched his arms upwards.
[Julius: Maybe he may want something. As much as it pains me to say it, we may need to make a trade, because he is our only confirmed link to the Blood Dragons. We can't afford to lose this opportunity, and I would rather he be of use instead of simply executed or imprisoned for the rest of his life.]
[Subaru: Ex-ex-executed? I know that he technically qualifies as a criminal, but will he really be executed?]
[Julius: I'm afraid it's on the deputy commander's mind. Although I only learned of this information a little after him, the deputy commander intends to make a public execution to scare the other members out of hiding. At least, that's the conclusion I could draw from it, although, knowing him, he might do it just to make himself feel better.]
[Subaru: You know, the more I hear about this deputy commander dude, the less I want to meet him.]
Julius pursed his lips in response to this before letting Subaru know that others were in the same camp.
[Julius: Unfortunately, that sentiment is one shared by many. He is not a pleasant man, well he was once, but that is a story for another day. As for now, he wishes to make an example of this man. If there is anything he can give us before that happens, I'd like that to be a priority.]
Subaru was baffled by the behavior of this so called deputy commander. Executing a source of information because he felt like it? Where was the sense in that? The potential leads and gap closers that they could discover on this matter far outweighed any good that using him as an example would bring. In fact, it only would likely to lose any reason for the Blood Dragons to come out of hiding anyway, if this guy was really connected to them, then there was a possibility that they may come to rescue him. But then again, looking at the state he was in even before he had fought with Subaru, he couldn't find that likely.
Reports stated that they were able to ambush and wipe out a subjugation team made up of Royal Knights, hardly a small feat. This fact alone put them on an almost professional standing with most mercenary and warrior orders. Their garb also was described to have been a lot cleaner than what he had. If he was a part of the group at any point in time, he hadn't been in contact with them in a while, his dirty cloak was evident of that. Not to mention that so far he had only spoken one word of Japanese that Subaru could recall, it would be difficult to join and maintain connections with a dangerous criminal organization if you couldn't communicate properly.
Maybe there was something that he would trade, maybe his freedom? No, letting him off the hook and out into the world would be too risky, he would need to remain in custody until something could be decided. Hmmm.
Subaru felt in his pocket, he felt the familiar small textured grip of a knife that wasn't from here, concealing a small blade that could do more damage than first thought. He didn't mean anything by it, but Subaru took it out and began absentmindedly flipping it open and closed, more of a way to pass the time thinking of an idea then anything else. He closed and opened it, the blade making a clicking and snapping noise every time it was opened and closed.
[Julius: Subaru…]
[Subaru: Huh?]
Julius tapped him on the shoulder to get his attention, and pointed at the cell. What Subaru saw was a peculiar sight. Damian had stopped stretching, and was looking intently at Subaru, his eyes pinpoints of light in the dark. No, not looking at Subaru, looking at the knife in his hands. Subaru held up the knife and wiggled it in front of the cell.
[Subaru: Well well. Looks like there's something you want after all.]
Subaru grinned, knowing that he now had leverage, although it was leverage he didn't expect, against the man in front of him.
[Damian: Give it back.]
[Subaru: You want it? Then answer our questions.]
[Damian: No. You give it back now. It's mine. It belongs to me you bastard.]
[Subaru: Isn't that ironic coming from the guy that literally stole a bag of coins form me?]
Subaru gave Damian's harsh request an ironic and sarcastic rebuttal. He would not listen to someone who had absolutely no business calling others thieves when he himself stole for a living. Such arrogance and hypocrisy was unfathomable to Subaru, and made little sense.
Damian slowly approached the bars of the cell, so close was he that the light almost shined upon his face, revealing his features. He paused before stepping into the torchlight, almost as if debating if he should put the hood back on before revealing himself, he seemed reluctant to step out of the shadows. He met Subaru's eyes, those white pricks of light in the darkness, and crept out of the void and into the light, resting his hands on the bars of the cell.
For the first time, Subaru could see his facial features. His skin was pale in the faint light, probably due to malnourishment or dehydration. He was pretty tall too, standing well over Subaru's and even Julius' more modest statures, Subaru estimated him to be at least 6 feet 2 inches. His hair was a common brown that you'd find almost anywhere in this world or back home, but it was wild and greasy, as if he hadn't cleaned himself in a long long time. He had a beard and moustache growing too, unkempt and ragged, more fitting for someone who had lived in the wild for a while than someone who lived in the city. His facial features were very harsh however, his brow was wrinkled, and he had a glare perpetually stuck on his face, narrowing his eyes and giving them a vindictive look. Honestly his eyes kind of reminded Subaru of himself, but there was something inherently wrong with them. They were a normal hazelnut brown, but there was something else, something that bubbled just under the surface in that look. A madness that lurked and waited patiently, like a caged animal that might turn on its handlers given the chance.
Subaru felt a shiver go down his spine as he met that cold, calculating look. He knew immediately that nothing escaped this guy's gaze and attention, his eyes were too sharp, his madness too focused. Fighting him a second time… Subaru had a feeling that next time it might not even be a match if they were to find themselves at cross purposes again.
Subaru couldn't bear to look him in the eyes, they made him too uneasy, so he focused on his clothes instead. Damian's clothes were definitely from Earth, a muddy jacket peeked out from under the cloak, the pattern and colors it once had completely swamped in filth. His pants and shoes were also very distinct, he wore what once were blue, slim fitting jeans; but those too were tattered and dirtied beyond recognition. His shoes were in just as bad a shape, simple track shoes that looked close to falling apart, the symbol that indicated what brand it belonged to was barely legible.
[Damian: You have absolutely no idea just what you're getting involved with. So I suggest you give me the knife, let me out, and we'll all be on our merry ways.]
[Subaru: Hey can I say something?]
Damian narrowed his eyes suspiciously.
[Damian: What?]
[Subaru: How uncomfortable is it to live in jeans all this time? 'Cause I'm pretty sure that they're not meant to be worn until they look like… that.]
Subaru gestured with his hands, pointing out Damian's rough appearance. Damian scowled in response and fired back.
[Damian: This coming from the guy who looks like an extra off a horror movie? I don't think you have a right to judge anyone based off of appearances.]
[Subaru: Hey I can't help looking scary! When you're born with eyes like mine there's nothing you can do!]
[Damian: Sure you can. A ugly motherfucker like yourself would be doing the world a favor if you just put a paper bag on your- Wait just a damn minute! Don't go all off topic when we're over here exchanging information like that! It's bad manners!]
Damian switched from blisteringly insulting to indignant and annoyed by Subaru's tendency to switch up the conversation at random. How eye was beginning to twitch as he found himself on the other end of a strategy that had worked on all kinds of people. The Natsuki Subaru ad lib strategy.
Subaru grinned at Damian's peeved attitude.
[Subaru: I'm just trying to figure out why you're doing the things you're doing. You have no reason to be doing this thieving thing.]
[Damian: What the?! Are you telling ME how to live my life? Especially since a monster like yourself and that weird guy over there seem to be all peachy in this God-forsaken place.]
[Subaru: Hah! You sound like an American. Are you an American? And how are you gonna call me a monster when you're the one who looks like he hasn't seen civilization in years?]
Damian gritted his teeth and clenched his hands on the bars of the cell, he was beginning to lose patience.
[Damian: So what if I am? Does that bother you Mr. I-Look-Like-I-Shouldn't-Drive-Slowly-In-School-Zones?]
[Subaru: What?]
[Damian: Don't drive slowly through school zones? You know it's when… Sigh,,, DIdn't you learn any social jokes when you were in school? What the fuck. SHUT UP, SERIOUSLY! YOU'RE ANNOYING!]
Damian's temper flared up from ice cold to boiling hot when he realized that Subaru was just messing with him and wasting his time. He slammed his palms against the cell in frustration. Subaru took that as a sign that he was finally ready to start talking.
[Subaru:So does this mean that you finally want to start sharing? If you do you can get this back.]
Subaru held up the pocketknife and drew a circle around Damian's face, closing one eye as he did so. Damian was breathing heavily, anger flashed in his eyes at the thought of being messed with. He took a deep breath, composing himself. He looked Subaru straight in the eyes before responding, his eerie gaze stabilized and his composure changed back to his controlled, if not seething, state.
[Damian: Go. Fuck. Yourself.]
He spat those words out, refusing to swallow his pride and give in. Apparently not even the knife he wanted was enough to sway him.
Damian then silently turned around away from Julius and Subaru and receded back into the shadows. Once he reached the portion of the wall he had been sitting against previously, he turned around and sat down.
[Subaru: Hey are you kidding me?! Do you know what those guys have done?! The people they've killed?! You're gonna protect those monsters?! For what?! They'll just go killing more people!]
Subaru slammed his hands against the bars of the cell, screaming at Damian. Why was he constantly avoiding giving information? What did they do for him? How could he defend guys who killed for sport? These questions raced in Subaru's head, he gritted his teeth in rage and continued banging on the cell.
[Damian: The only monsters I see are the ones in front of my cell. I hate them, like i hate you, like I hate all the monsters in this wretched place. As for the people they kill…]
[Subaru: Ghk!]
[Damian: I don't care. They can die for all I care. After all, when monsters kill monsters, this world becomes a better place, no matter who dies.]
Subaru met those tiny points of light where Damian's eyes were.
[Subaru: Why you! I should drag you out of that cell and beat you to a pulp! A man like you, who has no regard for life other than your own! Rot inside then! But not before I get Garfiel to beat you within an inch of your life!]
Subaru was incessantly banging on the cell now, yelling at Damian. He had gotten so mad that he was yelling at him in Japanese, so Damian couldn't understand him anyway. Damian simply pulled up his hood and ignored him, choosing instead to go back to resting his head in his arms like he was before they had spoken to him.
Julian grabbed Subaru, who's anger had gotten the better of him, and pulled him away from the cell.
[Julius: Calm down Subaru! He's not listening anymore, there's no point in wasting your voice on him if he won't say anything anymore!]
[Subaru: Ahh, that guy pisses me off to no end! Do you know what he even said?]
[Julius: No, but based on your outburst I can infer that it wasn't to our benefit.]
[Subaru: "Not to our benefit", is putting it lightly. He refuses to at least give us some information, not to mention the things he said can be described only as evil.]
Julius narrowed his eyes in the direction of the now silent Damian, he wondered just what exactly he had told Subaru, and was unnerved that he was resisting so much.
[Julius: That is indeed unfortunate. I'm afraid that the deputy commander won't like this at all. He may go ahead and execute him after all.]
[Subaru: Oy! Oy! Really? I don't think he realizes how valuable an asset this guy can be if he decides to just cooperate with us. What other option is there besides waiting him out? I'm sure after a couple of weeks he'll be ready to talk.]
[Julius: Hmm. I'm not so sure he'll wait that long. He is not a very patient man you see. If I successfully convince him to wait he may then resort to more… primal… tactics. That's not really something I can condone, even if the ends may justify the means.]
[Subaru: No way… You don't mean… Torture?]
[Julius: If that is what you were interpreting then yes, torture. He is exactly the kind of man who would resort to such measures to get what he wants. Which is why I was hoping he would give us the answers we needed now. It would save him a lot of agony in the future.]
Subaru couldn't believe it. The methods that the so called deputy commander would employ were terrible. Not to mention, even if they did succeed in getting him to talk, there was no one to his knowledge that could even understand Damian outside of himself, no one to talk to at all… Damian looked roughed up as it was, he may have been putting on a tough face but there was no doubt he was hurting inside. Several of his bones had to be broken or at the very least fractured. As much as he disliked him at the moment, there was no way that he was going to let someone fall to a cruel fate such as that.
He looked at Damian, who was still silently sitting against the wall, his head lowered in a way that seemed to evoke a sense of prayer to Subaru. He remembered just how dirty his clothes were, how tired and angry he was, how he refused to give in to the person who had probably ruined what little chance of survival he had left. A last F-U to this world that seemed to be treating him badly. Just how long had he been in this world anyway?
For the first time he felt something other than hate and confusion towards the strange person who sat motionless before him. After all, people weren't born bad. He felt a sense of pity, he pitied the man who seemed to have no one, who had to resort to crime to just scratch and claw to survive.
[Subaru: You really do have it rough… I'm sorry…]
[Julius: Subaru?]
[Subaru: Ahh sorry sorry. Just talking to myself is all. Thinking about how people aren't really inherently bad and with a gentle nudge anyone can be walked back into the light. That is why…]
Subaru had made up his mind. He would not leave this man here to rot away the last bit of his life.
[Subaru: Give him to me.]
[Julius: What?]
Julius' normally serene face was crisscrossed with a puzzled look. He had no idea what Subaru meant or was talking about in that moment.
[Subaru: I'm pretty sure I'm not speaking English this time. I said give him to me.]
[Julius: Subaru. This man is a prisoner, even though you are a newly appointed knight and have accomplished great things, you cannot circumvent the chain of command like that. The deputy commander would absolutely call for your head if you went against his orders. Are you aware of what that implies?]
[Subaru: I know exactly what that "implies" Julius. You don't need to tell me twice. Listen man, torturing him isn't gonna do anyone any favors, you know that as well as I do. Give him to me, let me take him to Roswaal manor for a month or two, I'll get him slowly indoctrinated into the ways of Subaruism.]
Subaru made air quotes when using the word that Julius used. He then threw his arm around Julius' shoulder and talked to him like he was trying to sales pitch him something, choosing his words carefully so as to convince him of the merit in doing so.
[Subaru: Once all is said an done, he'll be giving us whatever information we want. The deputy commander won't have to worry about a thing, you and I can rest our consciences knowing that we didn't condemn a man to a slow and painful death while there was something we could do; and most importantly, we get closer to catching Gale.]
[Julius: It's not that I don't think that this plan could work, but it's just that you underestimate his capacity to hold grudges. It may not seem like it but I'm actually looking out for you. He is not a man you want as an enemy Subaru, trust me.]
Subaru released Julius' shoulder and looked him square in the eyes.
[Subaru: As much as it pains me to say this in front of you. I do trust you. That is why I am asking you to trust me back when I tell you, I can do this. Just give me a bit of time.]
Julius smiled slightly at Subaru's blunt if not heartfelt confession. After a few seconds of silent debate, he sighed.
[Julius: As an Imperial Knight, my duty is to the nation first. The rules are the rules and I cannot allow them to be overturned by anyone.]
Subaru's heart sank, he couldn't believe what he was hearing. There was no way that Julius was going to do this, it went against everything he believed in…
[Julius: But, as I am one person, I cannot be everywhere at once. Should I leave and the prisoner disappear, then I will have no choice but to chalk it up as an escape in my report.]
Subaru's frown shifted to a grin. Yes! This is what he needed! Julius was going to turn a blind eye to them taking Damian so that they could attempt to coax him to cooperate.
[Subaru: Thank you Julius. I promise you won't regret this decision.]
Julius offered Subaru a wry smile in response.
[Julius: I hope not Subaru. I shall humbly place my faith in you for now. Now hurry up, I have to make a report about this soon.]
[Subaru: Right! Hang on just let me go get someone really quick!]
Subaru sprinted up towards the exit of the cell block. With this, he could save one more person from an undeserved fate. Excitement laced his entire being as he went to go tell everyone the good news, and formulate a plan to get Damian out of the cell. Although he already had the skeleton of one in the works as he ran to the inn, determined to finally break this stalemate.
Later That Night
Damian was tired, he was hungry, he was thirsty, and he hadn't slept in a warm bed in God knows how long. Everything was shit, the food, the water, the atmosphere, the people, especially the people. No, he couldn't even see them as people, he saw them as less, not even worth a second thought. He wanted to get out of here so bad, he still had things to do, and he would be damned before he rolled over and died quietly in this hellhole.
Damian rolled over on the cold ground of the cell, using the cloak as a blanket in an attempt to warm himself. The people who designed this place had the right idea, to break a prisoner you had to crush their hope. If they had nothing to hope for then they would lose to the despair that seemed to ooze out of the very walls of this place. However, Damian hadn't dared to hope for a single thing since he had come to this world, his very existence right now was a result of him casting hope aside and relying solely on his abilities and wits to survive. Here, in this darkness, where the other prisoners seemed to cry out in despair at invisible phantoms, he was in his element, he felt comfortable here, safe, but that didn't mean he wished to remain in a place like this.
He thought back to that boy, no, that monster, who had come to speak with him. He couldn't remember the last time he had had a conversation like that, the sound of his own voice seemed to surprise him. It was so sudden and unexpected, he couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of it all, the unfairness of it all. That monster had come asking about the other monsters in this world, the ones in red. The ones he had taken this cloak from. Fuck him. Fuck them. Fuck everything in this world. He wasn't about to cower and meekly surrender to anyone, not anymore.
Damian yawned. He was tired, so, so tired. Maybe he could finally get a goodnights sleep for once. It was a shame he lost his knife, he wished he still had it. He wanted to feel something familiar in his hands again…
CREAAAKKK!
Damian, who was previously nodding off, snapped awake at the loud creaking sound of the door leading to the cell block being thrown open. Was someone coming in? Now? All of the guards were outside though, and Damian doubted that anyone would come to see any prisoners this late at night. It must've been close to if not midnight by now. He heard a sound of shuffling out in the hall, quiet footsteps that seemed to not wake up anyone else in the block but him. He cast his eyes to the cell door where the torch, the only source of light in this place, was. He could've sworn he saw the shadow of a figure on the walls outside, the torch flickered and the flame seemed to threaten to go out before stabilizing. Damian blinked once and the shadow was gone.
Damian untangled himself from his cloak and got up slowly and quietly. Whoever it was, they were obviously up to no good. Was the monster and that purple haired one back to kill him in his sleep this time? Did they think that just because he was asleep he couldn't use any of his other senses to detect intruders? How naive of them. He would pretend to be asleep then, and when they stood over him ready to strike him down he would incapacitate one before wrestling the blade from the other. He would then take his time to make sure they thoroughly-.
Creak.
The door to his cell drifted open with a small creak. Slowly so that the movement was barely registered, it opened large enough so that a small person could comfortably fit through the gap. There was no one by the door though, there wasn't the sound of a key being turned or the figure of a person by the cell bars. Damian's eyes widened in shock. His heart was racing, adrenaline surged through his body as his fight or flight instincts were all activated.
[Damian: Is this place haunted?]
This thought sped through Damian's head. There were dog eared people and people with lizard heads in this world, so Damian figured that ghosts probably weren't too far of a stretch. Damian couldn't believe it. There was no way that he was gonna go out like some guy in a horror movie prologue, he refused to die in such a cliche manner.
Damian reached into his pocket, intending to pull out his pocketknife, but his hands came up with nothing. Shit, he had been so preoccupied with the thought that there might be a ghost in his cell that he forgot that that cunt had taken his knife.
Damian growled low in the back of his throat, he dropped to a ready stance, prepared to fight. If anything, he wouldn't go out like a bitch, he promised himself that much. It didn't matter what came through that door, he would show them a scrap. He was not a man anymore, he had thrown his humanity aside, he was a-.
[?: I see. Ya seem t' have a pretty good head on yer shoulders like the capt'n said. It's pretty difficult t' hear my amazin' self comin' if I don't want them t'. I'll give ya credit fer that.]
Damian froze. A voice seemed to echo all around him. Where was it coming from? Why was there someone in his cell? What the hell were they saying anyway? He didn't see anyone come into his cell at all.
Damian tensed his muscles, preparing to spring into action the moment he figured out the intruder's location. This seemed like an opponent beyond him, he wanted to run, but something was telling him that he would never make it to the door. So where exactly…
[?: Although I kinda wanna see what yer capable of…]
Behind him! Damian located this voice directly behind him! He had no time to focus on the how, right now it was kill or be killed. Damian quickly spun around, throwing a blind right hook into the darkness, trying to land a hit and gauge his opponent.
He never got the chance.
[?: I can't have ya makin' a fuss right now.]
Damian only saw a flash of yellow, and an impact slammed into his face. Time seemed to slow down as Damian collapsed. What was that? He didn't see a thing! Why is everyone in this Goddamn world so strong?
[Damian: What the actual fuck is going on?]
As these final thoughts ran through Damian's head, he fell to the ground and his consciousness left him.
In this sense, his wish to get a good night's sleep was ironically achieved.
Author's Note: Finally got this one done! Sorry it took so long! School is quite the bitch this semester. With this chapter comes the introduction of one of my OC characters, a character that I hope will be received well. And now we can begin the nitty gritty of the story. As always, I thank you all for taking the time to read this, and if you have any questions, comments, concerns, or story beats that you would like to see me include, don't be afraid to leave a review. Actually, if you have any questions, it'd be better if you DMd me directly because for some reason I can't reply to everyone's reviews. But thanks again everyone!