Author Note / Very Important Please Read: Yo! We're finally up to chapter 7. I hope you guys have enjoyed so far. This chapter is short but one of the most important chapters in the whole fic. Thanks for reading and all your support. Please remember to review, follow and favorite. It greatly helps with my motivation and me writing the next chapter. Have a wonderful and awesome day!

PS: Can someone upload this chapter to reddit as well? Thanks for the two people that did it for me last chapter. Have a good day!

Chapter 7

The Hoshin estate was in cinders. The smell of charred wood carried from the heavy winds; everyone could smell it. Didn't take longs for the newspaper to report on the issue. The instance of what happened in the capitol swarmed through the ranks.

One man and one woman swarmed the Fang of Iron and burned the place to the ground. Many people died in both the flames and as well as the battle that was fought in the building. Ricardo and the rest of the Fang of Iron had their tents set up, trying to scavenge supplies and to get there facts straight about what happened.

Ricardo sat down on the stump of a large log. Two members of the Fang of Iron were around him as they were dressing his wounds. Ricardo grunted from the pain as the dirty bandages were now stripped for the new sterilized one. Anastasia Hoshin was pacing in front of the man, his boss, and the woman he helped practically raise…he could tell how stressed she was.

"Ana…" Ricardo finally spoke. Straining his words from the pain he was in, the stitches were just put in, but the effects of the serrated blades were still stinging. "I'm sorry, this was on me."

Ana turned around towards the man that helped raise her. Shaking her head in response as she approached him. "No, it's not…I'm just. I just don't understand, why?"

Ricardo and she were both thinking the same thing. Those two figures, they had zero clue of who their affiliations were or who they even were. Anastasia knew that her company had competitors, even then she couldn't understand what their objectives were?

They destroyed her base of operations here, they killed people for what appeared to be no reason. They wore strange armor and seemed to be Vollachian in origin, that fact even popped up more questions than answers.

It was true that she was annoyed by what happened. Not only her men and her estate were gone, though the ancient text of Hoshin the Great were gone now. They were burned to a crisp, notes written by hand centuries ago. Buying and collecting the notes would put the average person in debt for decades, but she had the money.

To prove only now fruitless in the end. Ricardo gritted as the new sterilized bandages were pressed against his large frame. His gaze fixated on Ana as she just shook her head. "…at least, I am glad that we're safe. Who knows what could of happened if we were all here?"

Though, to the pair. They each knew without telling the other that something was wrong, that these warriors beloved by the heavens were something else entirely. It can be the call of something far more…

Tozka

After they broke free from the battle. Subaru and Tozka both escaped through the capitol sewer system, the long and arching tunnel system eventually led them through the outer walls. Afterwards they made camp in one of the near forests that was close to the plains.

Subaru and Tozka were…complicated. One was just glad to be alive and one step closer towards his overarching goal, while the other clicked her teeth and kicked rocks. Angry at the unfinished duel.

Tozka laid her back on the prickling grass. The long grass pricking into her neck as her scabbards were aimlessly tossed to her side. The night looked beautiful, rows and rows of purple stars lit up the sky as the pale moon glistened with its radiance.

"Ah, Tozka…" Pandora's voice rose Tozka. The girl not standing up as she stared at the smaller woman in front of her. "…you've done well today. I've promised you that you would get the chance to fight stronger enemies the longer you stick with Subaru."

Tozka didn't speak. Her gaze still fixated on Pandora's cold blue eyes. She grunted in response. "Really?" She sarcastically spoke, training out her words. "I asked for battle and to duel stronger enemies." She pointed behind her. "That fucker, stopped me."

Pandora sighed, shaking her head in response as she took a step forward. "Ignoring your borderline insubordinate tone…Subaru is your leader now." She spoke. She kept on pressing Tozka. "Follow, his orders…and I'll give you what you desire."

Tozka sighed. Combing through her auburn hair, the tendrils of uncut hairs falling in front of her face as she needed to swipe them off. She got up from her seat, disturbed from her rest as she grabbed her swords. "…oh, you're leaving already?" Pandora spoke up. Tozka nodding her head in response. "Though, I haven't told you the rest of your mission."

Tozka's movements stopped. Turning around to meet Pandora's gaze once again. "The rest of my mission?" She repeated after Pandora. She took a couple steps forward as Pandora didn't steal her gaze away.

Pandora's lips twirled into a small smirk, the act of emotion for someone like Pandora felt foreign to Tozka. Instinctively taking a step backward, her fingers shaking as the witch of Vainglory radiated with power. 'What is this feeling…" Tozka thought, her fingers curled along the leather of her sword, her eyes narrowed as her form fixated on the urge to do battle. 'Killing intent? No, it can't be…it is something else, a completely new feeling?'

Tozka took a deep breath. The sword clinking back into its scabbard as Tozka took a deep hollowed breath. "The girl…Emilia." Pandora parted her lips to speak. Her eyes fixated on Tozka's own. "She will become a problem. Someone like her must be taken care of…"

"So, assassination?" Tozka quickly spoke up. She never fought against a powerful mage before, especially against a candidate for the throne. 'This will surely have the heavens looking down on me.' She thought, a small smirk at the notoriety she would attain after such a thing.

"Are your psychotic urges all that drives you." Pandora spoke up. "No, Emilia at least for now must live. Natsuki, even after what she has done to him still loves her and the rest of his camp. He has not been broken, but his actions today and a little more shall surely mold him into the man I want him to become."

Tozka shrugged her shoulders in response. Pandora continuing her spiel as the young warrior listened intently. "I wish for you to make the half elf candidate to hate you. I want you to make her simmer with rage and fear." Pandora spoke plainly.

Tozka, her eyes widening as she stared at Pandora. "What…" She aimlessly spoke. The request was strange, it didn't help that Tozka had no real clue in what she was talking about. "Why…if you don't want me to kill her, then why do you want me to…"

Pandora was gone. Tozka quickly shaking her head left and right as she couldn't find any pin of her existence, it was almost like the woman herself vanished into thin air. Tozka closed her eyes, her fingers going towards the sides of her face as she began to lay back down onto the bed of grass.

She wanted to sleep. Even then, the words that Pandora spoke of still grasped within her head. "Make her hate me?" She repeated aimlessly into the starry filled sky. Her eyes narrowing as she yawned, exhausted from the prior battle.

Subaru

Subaru's back was pressed against one of the oak trees that riddled the outer regions of the capitol city. Subaru's breath eased from him as he tried to get some sleep, even then…how could he?

Subaru, every time he closed his eyes whether it be from his past experiences from return by death or now…from his sins, he would see them. The people he once protected, there contorted faces as they beat him. Now, they were accompanied by those that he killed. 'How many? I burned down that complex with the fang of iron. I know, I killed about five or six with Todd's axe but the rest…'

Subaru's palm went to his face once again. He still felt the surge of power from his gate, but he didn't know how to explain. It was almost like, every time he cut someone down, he grew stronger. He shook his head; the thought was insane.

Beatrice taught him about Mana and Magic before, he wasn't some cipher or parasite taking the strength of others. It had to be Pandora that gave him this strength or rather the ability to just be stronger. So, he told himself just that…

"Archbishop, your first mission…was a partial success."

Pandora's voice arose towards his side. He turned his head. The girl sitting beside him as her dark blue eyes peered into his own orange ones. "Pandora, I did what you asked of me. You promised me answers." Subaru said.

Pandora got up from her seat. Positioning herself in front of Subaru as he stared at her face. Her gestures unchanged as she began to speak. "Yes, I did promise to tell you my end result. Though, I must ask…I will answer any question that you wish, if this is what you wish to know."

Subaru, for the first time in this new world. Someone was going to tell him the truth and the whole truth. He could ask about anything. He could ask about the sage, the authorities, the Council of Wise Men.

He could ask about Hoshin the great or the true history of this world. If it was truly Satella that stole him from his world due to her possessiveness that she and the other witches dubbed "Love."

Yet, Subaru didn't care for these answers. The prior half elf's knight instead opting out for something else. This wasn't his world, and he didn't care for them anymore. He had to think about himself for once, but he wanted to know what her plans were.

"I wish to know your plans, Pandora." Subaru got up, towering over the young woman as Pandora's face remained unchanged. "Do you seek to do what Satella failed to do. To end this world because I won't have any part in it."

Subaru's tone was commanding and brash. It was simple but it got the point across. Pandora, her face twisted into one of a grimaces, her eyes narrowing as Subaru for the first time saw the girl glare at him. For the first time he was able to see clear and present anger over her face.

"Do you honestly believe I would want such a thing?" She chuckled, a maddened chuckle that etched into the air itself, it coiled a chill down Subaru's spine. "I am not Satella or Envy, I don't wish to see the world destroyed or in ruin. There is no victory in such things, I seek to accomplish my one and only goal."

The wind cut between them. Subaru's long dark hair fluttering with Pandora's own hair, she looked like a ghost. Her pale skin and light blue poncho making her nearly appear as such. "You've felt it haven't you, Subaru. The change in your strength, your abilities getting stronger." She spoke, Subaru nodding as she continued. "Almost like an echo over a great distance, almost like it's not your own strength but rather the strength of others that are empowering you. I suspect that over the course of your journey, that the more allies you make and the more enemies you face. Your power within Od Lagunica shall surely grow."

Subaru, he stared down at his hands. Pandora, the woman that saved him and gave him strength. He knew that he couldn't trust her. Even then, he was happy. He was stronger than before and now his strength will only grow. He'll keep on getting stronger and putting one-foot in front of the other, until he can go back home.

Subaru nodded his head with her statement. "Yet, I see that you are not satisfied." She spoke up. Her gaze fixated on Subaru still. "I seek to finish what Flugel himself started. I wish to finalize his dream and bring it into reality, that is my plan. I do not seek the end of the world…rather the rebirth of the world."

"The rebirth?" Subaru repeated after Pandora. The woman smirking at him. Her hands extended as she smiled, a pure smile that Subaru could tell was true.

"I seek to rebuild this world…not to end it, though to improve it. To push us to a better tomorrow."

Subaru's eyes widened at this. "I don't understand." Subaru spoke up. Taking a step forward. "You told me to destroy Hoshin's notes. I read a couple of them, I read about what he was trying to do. You're saying that you are going to change the world, but you made me destroy them."

"Though, you kept his journal…" She spoke. Subaru feeling the weight of the books still clutched within his cloak. "You disobeyed my orders. You saw what was within them, Hoshin. Before he died knew what was going to come." Pandora spoke up, her gaze uncompromising as Subaru didn't have the strength to turn away.

Subaru did go through Hoshin's first journal. It was a whole book compromised of his ideas of new warfare in this world. Subaru, he figured that Hoshin realized how dangerous such things were. The volachians were already battle hungry and making guns and other armaments could have very well sparked a world war.

Subaru already knew that this new world could not survive a massive war. Lagunica already had it's issues but if a true war broke out, it wouldn't be like Earth. Lagunica and the rest of the countries would be vaporized…atomized by their own weapons.

"You're not being specific…" Subaru uttered after a second. "You just told me how you want to rebuild the world. I've killed people before Pandora, I will do what you order of me, but I won't allow innocent people to get hurt. I only fight my enemies that don't give me a choice, I won't involve innocent lives." Subaru spoke, conviction littering his voice.

Pandora stared at this boy. This towering boy that reeked of Mana and strength. Subaru, he really was going to become something. Give him a sword and true training and he could very well become a truly mighty warrior. Yet, Subaru himself even to return home…would not hurt those that didn't give him a reason.

He won't stop moving forward for anyone, he won't go after those that seek him no harm. He was a monster, but he was not a butcher. "People will die, Subaru." Pandora answered as the small woman didn't part away. "…yet, I guarantee you Natsuki Subaru that it is your decision. The way the world shall change will be due to you. It is your choice, Archbishop."

'My choice.' Subaru thought. The words piercing into his head as he started to understand. "You're trying to tell me that my actions will affect the world, that it is my responsibility and whatever happens will be due to me."

Pandora nodded her head. "I seek to change the world. I have told you of my plans, I hope there is a bigger element of trust between us now, Subaru." She spoke. Subaru nodding his head. He turned around, resting his back once again along the slouching tree. "Okay, then…" Subaru clapped his hands and nodded his head. "What's my next mission?"

Pandora paused. Taking a deep breath, her lips parting as she spoke. "This will be a different mission from your first, the people of Lagunica and the world are distracted right now. This will be the perfect time." Pandora spoke, she took a knee as she stared into Subaru's eyes, the cold blue still causing shivers along the hairs on his arms.

"Perfect time for what?" Subaru questioned.

Pandora nodded her head. "You shall surely grow in strength, and Tozka is already a mighty warrior. Though, your duo won't be enough for the next stages of our plans. You, Natsuki Subaru…your next mission is to assemble an army to oppose the government of Lagunica."

Subaru's jaw dropped for a minute straight. Pandora's words rendering him near shell shocked as the words grappled along his head. "AN ARMY!" He screamed, his voice rippling through the wind.

"Yes, an alliance of whatever you can find. Whether they be demi human or human. Nobles or commoners. Whether they be the greatest of knights of the lowliest of bandits, Natsuki Subaru. You, are the one that must lead them and organize that tribe." Pandora smirked, her words coming out like honey but the commanding tone she spoke in was uncompromising. Subaru gritted his teeth, knowing that he wouldn't be able to argue.

"What…where do I start?" Subaru stuttered, his fingers going to the side of his face. Massaging the corners as he felt himself grow more anxious by the second.

Pandora slipped a note from her poncho. She handed it to Subaru, the false knight grabbing the parchment with his hands. It was a scroll, rather than a piece of parchment. He unfastened it as he began to pinpoint certain things that felt familiar.

First off, the scroll was a map, there were numerous ink stains, and it was hard to read from how aged it was. There were towns that he didn't know the name of, most likely due to them being removed from the maps. Still, he was luckily able to pinpoint certain landmarks that he was familiar with.

There was a red dot, pushed to the far corner of the map. The place he knew that Pandora wanted him to go. "…your journey is your own, you don't even have to visit the temple but to get a better idea of your journey I would believe it would be a good place to start." Subaru dug the scroll into his pocket, only for Pandora to quickly grab his arm.

"Sever all ties to your past, Archbishop. No one must know of your true intentions…even Tozka herself. Remember, never forget your objective."

With those parting words Pandora vanished into thin air. Natsuki Subaru shaking trying to shake the head fog from himself as he went closer to the campfire. It was beginning to get colder. "Yo…"

Tozka's voice arose as it stirred Subaru once again. The girl sitting near him, not next but close enough to note. The girl now starting to arrange a pile between the pair, the kindling to start a flame for a campfire. Subaru's eyes radiated along the flames.

"Subaru, you got a second?" Tozka asked. The girl's fingers over the fire, rubbing them together as the cold was starting to settle in. Subaru nodded his head, gesturing her to continue. "Did you use your authority on me?"

Subaru's eyes widened. "How did you know?" He spoke up. The girl's brown eyes trailing towards him now. Tozka's lips separated, her words brash. "I've never disobeyed, Pandora. She's something else you know, like I can feel her power. Yet, she specifically ordered me not to help you out."

Subaru inched closer towards Tozka. He wasn't sure if he was even hearing her right, the only other sounds there was the crackling of the freshly made fire and the crickets. Subaru couldn't help smiling, Tozka saved his life. Heck, she even helped him relock his shoulder back into his arm after the battle. He was thankful towards her and owed her one. "Thanks, I know Pandora can be scary…so I really appreciate how you helped me out."

Tozka parted from Subaru's gaze, almost like she didn't hear him. Her brown eyes trickling towards the roaring orange flame. "It was strange. As you acted…and I realized you were in danger, I acted. It was like we were fighting in unison." She pulled her gaze away, fixating on Subaru's orange eyes. "Your impulse to fight, your impulse to act…to attack. I felt it mirrored within me." She took a deep breath, echoing those words as she pressed her right hand towards her chest.

Subaru shrugged his shoulders. "My authorities, they don't do that…I'm sorry, Tozka. Maybe, you just had a change of heart." Subaru answered, he tried to think of the most qualitive answer because it was obviously bothering her. He didn't want her to worry.

"It was a strange sensation; it was as if I had no choice in the manner."

Those words emptied between the pair, they cut through the air like an executioner's axe. Both figures didn't know what to do with that information, even Tozka herself was still confused about it. Partly even thinking she was just going mad, maybe even getting involved to have the thrill of a duel.

"Subaru, what are our plans?" She questioned.

Subaru pulled out the scroll tossing it over towards the girl in question. "We've got a new mission to recruit allies. Yet, we have to make it to some temple." Subaru spoke, Tozka was still going over the map.

"This is pretty far away; we should grab some supplies and head out first thing in the morning. We could steal a ground dragon carriage." Tozka announced. Subaru shook his head in response.

He threw a thumb towards his chest. "The Witches Scent agitates Ground Dragons; the thing litters me. So, I doubt we can take anyone." Subaru uttered. Tozka's eyes dragged along the map still, not noticing as Subaru got up from his seat. "This is going to be a long journey; I need to get something of mine…something that I should've never left behind."

"…Ah, what's that." Tozka murmured underneath her breath, distracted, and not listening as she still scanned the roads and strange names on the scroll.

"It's time, I go back to the Margrave Estate." Subaru's gaze narrowed as he pierced through the forest, his breathing hitched as his orange eyes filled with resolve. "Patrasche, the only one that didn't betray me. Don't worry, I'm coming back for you…"