its over
A hit of great force shakes the forest on its surrounding, moving the trees around and raising dust, two men are standing in the middle of the crater that was caused by the hit one with black hair and the other with a hair red like fire.
-"cough" "cough" do you have to make it so loudly, there goes the stealth approach.
-haha sorry but this was the fastest way, the island can move so we don't have the leisure of time.
-I know, I know, but picking me up and jumping above the clouds, how did my neck didn't snap?
-I have the divine protection of the wind and falling protection.
-of course you do "sigh" damn Echidna always being a pain with the places to live the sanctuary and now this, why even having a floating island is a pain to get down, no matter how much of a NEET you are at some point you need to go out for food.
-you seem close to her...are you sure you want to do this subaru?
With that line the atmosphere between the two changed from a light aired one to a more heavy one bringing back the reality of their duty and reason for being in this place.
-Yeah it's because I know her, that this has to be done, I know that she is not going to stop no matter what we say.
with that line the two stayed silent and walked toward the mansion in the middle of the forest. The walk took about 10 minutes from where they arrived to the mansion but for both of them it felt way longer.
When they arrived at the mansion door the sword saint was the first one to approach the door.
-Reinhard wait!
with a serious tone which is unusual on the black haired knight, making his friend stop in his tracks.
-i'll do it Reinhard it has to be me, anyways knowing her the moment you touch the door you are going to get teleported to a volcano or something.
-seems possible but Subaru she…
-don't worry she is not going to burn alive or hit me with rocks falling from space, she just want to talk, maybe know why we are here even if she already have and idea why we are here, always wanting to know why's and how's that's who she is….she is not going to change no matter how many time passes even death cannot change her.
his tone getting more serious in the middle of his speech.
-falling rocks you mean al shario? aren't those falling stars.
- no no believe me if it really where starts then we won't have ground to be standing, there are definitely just some rocks floating in space, echidna was just hyping herself up im sure.
-ok if you said so in that case if you are going to be doing it alone then why did you bring me, you are not going to tell me that you only wanted someone to carry you here?
-i'll tell you later, hey Reinhard can you make a pyre and a hollow grave a torch would be nice too.
-why?
-just trust me, please.
-fine but you are going to come back right?
-don't worry about it, you know i have to come back or Emilia-tan is going to be angry.
-ok, i trust you just take care.
-see you later Reinhard.
He smiles as he part ways with the sword saint and open the door of the mansion as he leaves the door behind him, the smile on his face disappears, he take a quick look to the bracelet in his wrist the design is plain silver with dark jewels being the only thing to be highlighted in it, as he walk a little bit forward the lamp's of the mansion start making a path for him to follow.
- down the rabbit hole i guess.
While following the lamp path he arrives at the dining room and there she is the owner of the floating island, a being that cheated death, someone with an infinite thirst for knowledge.
-Echidna…
-well it has been sometime since we last met, even more since we talked the two of us alone.
-like 12 years since the trials of the tomb.
-Why don't you sit next to me and accompany in my lunch.
-no thank you, I have enough Echidna cook for a lifetime.
-that's a bad thing to say now that i'm alive i have been using proper ingredients….why don't you sit next to me, tell me what brings you here, to meet the witch that can burn you alive and bring down stars from the sky.
the knight look toward the chair at the left of the witch, she was sitting at the head of a large table with a tablecloth big enough for her to put all the plates needed for her launch, her lunch looked decent enough to subaru all these years he has been cooking under the watch of the twins maid's so he has become more critic when it come to food, but still laked somethings.
-first those are rocks, second you should eat more vegetables.
-thank for your concern but is none of your business i have my diet defined since a long time ago and they are not rocks they are stars.
-whatever you say but you really should eat more vegetables. Maybe that's why even the easiest exercises are hard for you.
Echidna pouted at that response with little to object.
-"ahem" then what did it bring you here, a estimated knight of the lugnica kingdom, did the council send you to collect me, in search of my knowledge.
-yeah the old bastard's wanted that but i know even if even if they offer a stupid amount of gold you wouln'd care after all, money have never been your greed.
-i'm happy to see how much you think of me, you are not the type to go on a fool quest… scratch that you are that type but go all the way here knowing already the answer to your question is weird of you….
She snap her finger and behind Echidna a figure identical to Subaru is set in flames. The roasted figure was holding a knife, Echidna turn her head to the roasted figure.
-mm so they send you to kill me, and the one that was next to me was and illusion, that sword saint make things complicated to read wherever he is close. It is not the first time this has happened, it happen a lot in the past but i cannot say that i'm not hurt that you accepted doing "stab"...huh?
While the body of the Subaru behind her disappeared, the one next to her had a silver knife inserted in Echidna's chest, the silver knife had black jewels identical to the ones the bracelet he had in his wrist, then she realise that he brought the sword saint so she could not read well the flow of mana, Subaru quickly catches echidna that was falling of the chair like a puppet without string.
-"cough" liquid metal huh"cough"interesting.
-i'm sorry Echidna. I'm sorry, i had to do thi had to.
The man in tears kept crying like a little boy while he kept apologizing, Echidna meanwhile only had one thought.
-why, because i'm a witch? Are we not allowed to live?
-no, it just you Echidna, just you, you are to dangerous your thirst for knowledge is to big what if you get interest in a black hole, the division of an atom or find something that od lagna didn't liked and decides to wiped whatever country you are just in case, even if we cut your connection to mana like rooswal, the risk is too big i...i no longer have return by dead now that satella is gone i cannot take the risk anymore i have to much to loose.
-i see...is sad i thought that i least i could be with beatrice again but.
she touch lightly the man chest
-she is,,,,,,,,here right?
-...yes a little before it was done in that fight she took a heavy blow, i could no longer return at that point...the last thing she did was become my gate.
-what cruel curse she put on you…...what keeps you living…...is a proof of your failure.
-...she meant it as a gift and i take it like that, it would be rude to have it anyother way.
-i...see..she…..was...a...good...child.
and with that line the witch drew her last breath, it took subaru ten minutes to calm down after that he gently as possible put Echidna body down on the floor, then took down one of the curtain, when he was done with that he took out the silver "knife" he give it a last look to the bloodied blade and throw it away, lastly he see's Echidna pendant all this time is has been shining in different tones of light, he knew who were there and maybe what there were thinking.
-i'm not going to say anymore that i already say...you have two options since you girls are not really dangerous as you are now i can put you in the royal treasure room where you will remain together or maybe emilia will keep you with her since she like you girls or you can follow Echidna to her fate...even the body of a dead witch is dangerous enough...shine once if you want the first one.
nothing
-yeah i thought it would be like this ok then.
He puts the pendant in his pocket and finishes warping Echidna in the curtain then he carries the body to the front door, where Reinhard is waiting with the pyre ready, he puts Echidna on it with the pendant on top and then asks Reinhard for the torch that was in his hand, after lighting the pyre, both stay there watching in silence, the crystal emits a cracking sound and its goes dark to never shine again. they both stay silent each with their own thought about the matter.
-...you know where i come from we used to burn witches in the past.
-...subaru?
-nothing is just that it kinda feels like i gone full circle even though it was way before my birth and very far away from my home.
-i see, hey what about the grave?, i made one close to the edge of the island, it is a nice place.
-thank you Reinhard come, let's talk about it on the way, there is nothing here left for us.
The two goes to where the freshly grave is made, they were in silence until subaru opened his mouth.
-...its over.
-what?
-the age of dragons, witches, knights is over, the little connection this world had to the gods is also already gone.
-I see to be honest i cannot say if it is good or bad.
-neither is just change, that how the world turns you know, you know?
gusteko have something similar to a train, even through they call it something dumb like rail box.
-the box that can move things on its own?
-yes yes you know it can also be used to move people so they can go to work faster or to travel just for the sake of it.
and so they keep walking, talking about mineal things like trying to wash away the event that recently happened, until they arrive at the edge of the island.
-here it is, i was going to make it close to the pyre but this place seems nicer, subaru for who is this grave?
-yes this indeed a nice place, you may have an idea but yes is for you...wait don't put that face it came out wrong "sigh" what i mean reinhard your duty is done.
-what do you mean?
-the connection to the gods is gone there is no more sword god to bless the Astrea linage you are the last sword saint.
-i have my thoughts on it but to be told in my face, it hits surprisingly hard.
-that's why i'm telling you there are no more sword saint's except you Reinhard, that's why i want you to fake your death.
-...why, i'm not good enough?
-i told don't put that face, on the contrary you are the perfect sword saint in every way, but you have already done enough, whatever great mission the world had for you its has already been done and even more, you deserve to rest, live your own life, not spend the rest of your days been the tool of those old bastard's.
-that is not a good way to speak of the council of elders.
-You know it's true, whatever, you know what i mean, right here you have the chance of freedom, right now. i'll say Echidna go crazy by playing with some weird magic and that you die taking her out, if by some reason don't like the life as a normal person, you can always come back saying that it took a lot of time to heal your wounds, at least give it a chance become a farmer or a baker i won't recommend choosing woodchopper as a job since you could cut clean a tree with your bare hands and it would draw to much attention.
the sword saint started having doubts, a normal life didn't sounded so bad but
-what about everyone?
-i already talked with Emilia, Julius, Felix and Felt. They have different opinions but whatever your choice was they will respect it, and dont worry about felt you know how well she is doing in her totally legal job and how much she is loved there.
-...I see becoming a baker doesn't sound so bad seeing people happy by eating my prasteries, it is also a way to help people.
-good good you are already making an idea it doesn't sound bad at all nothing bad at all, maybe you could start a lineage of legendary baker's.
-Yeah I like how it sounds but what about the people?
-the great beast are gone, the witch cult is little more than a gang of crazy idiots now, soon we will wipe them off for good whatever little is left of them, i took care of the witch factors, the country's leaders don't have any reason to go to war right now, they are to busy with the their internal problems, this is the best moment for the people to take care of their own problem, is not good to depend in only one person.
-so times really are changing.
-it's neither good nor bad, it's just how it is.
The sword saint closes his eyes and takes his time to think.
-fine i'll give it a try, please turn around i need to do this alone.
Subaru turns around and walks a little bit away then he thinks of something.
-hey this may sound rude, can you change the color of your hair, i know it is the family color but for that very reason you need to start anew and the Astrea red is a given, if you don't want that's fine but give it thought.
Reinhard give the thought a moment of time and then
-ok is done, i think.
subaru turns around and well he wasn't that much different he only got rid of his coat and the dragon sword the biggest change would be his hair that now was
-black huh? good choice.
-there was a bad one?
-purple.
After a second they both share a laugh, Reinhard takes a last look at his "grave" it only has his coat inside and the dragon sword working as a mark for it.
-then who do i have the pleasure to meet?
-Rein would be good for now.
-is been a pleasure meeting you Rein even if our time together has been short.
-I suppose it's time to leave, before it gets harder to do so. been honest i dont have much words to say right now but its been fun subaru.
Rein extend his to subaru, subaru with wet eyes watch the hand for a time, after a while Rein with a sad smile start to lower his, only then to subaru to hug him with all his strength.
-"sniff" take care brother, our ride has been fucking wild.
Rein trying his best to contain his emotions, trying to say something to lighten the mood.
-what ride i'm sure we have never taken a carriage together.
-is a matter of spe..
-I know, i was trying to joke.
-haha now you start to joke, that's a good one.
With that both separated and turn on each other going on different paths, after 12 step's Subaru turns back and yells.
-hey! completely normal citizen Rein it has been great knowing you and being your friend.
-...yes i say the same, estimated knight of the lugnica kingdom Natsuki Subaru, it has been an honor being your friend.
Now seeing their friend's faces for what could be the last time, Rein jumps with a force strong enough to make a light shockwave, nothing too serious to push Subaru out the island but it showed how hurried he was leaving.
-so you can make an embarrassed face like that, show to a girl it would make her fall instantly, not me.
Remembering the last face he saw the now "death" sword saint made it bring a light smile to his face, it was a red face with wet eyes trying to hold the tears with everything he could like a little kid, subaru keep walking to the edge of the island where after looking around for a little he sit on the edge, after some time pases he draw a long sigh.
-the idea of a floating island is still stupid to me but i have to say, the scenery is really something.
mountains, rivers, even some villages could be seen, the sunset everything was being placed together in a way majestic, so natural, after another long sigh.
-now how the fuck do i get down? i could just call Reinha...no no it's Rein now and my pride as a man doesn't let me ruin that farewell….well i did told my friends where we would be going so let's give a day or two before they come, i can live well enough for that time i see a river with fish on the way to the mansion or i can hunt some birds...without Echidna the island is not going to move and i don't have the guts to enter her kitchen….ha even after i said how it was over they are still things to do, well that's just how it is.
With that the man carefully stood up from where he was sitting, took a good look at his friend's grave and left walking towards the forest looking for a source of water.