Hello and thank you for checking out chapter two. It has been a pleasure to see people are already interested and engaged enough to ask some questions. For the convenience of both myself and future readers I'll answer them here.
Question: Did Subaru use return by death whilst in the abyss and if so, how often? (InfiniteCringeMaster)
Answer: Most certainly he was forced to use RBD many times as for an exact number I do not know. Though I imagine it to be in the triple digits at the least.
Question: Will I go more in depth about Subaru's journey in the abyss and how he became Bondrewd? (InfiniteCringeMaster)
Answer: Yes, I will definitely be going more into detail of Subaru's journey and how he became Bondrewd. Though I will likely keep these segments vague as to keep up some mystery and leave certain things up to the audience's interpretation.
Question: Since Bondrewd is still in his combat body does he still possess the same mutation under the mask, and would others be able to see it? (King Joker)
Answer: Yes, Subaru has the same mutation and yes others would be able to see it.
Finally thank you InfiniteCringeMaster for the suggestion of cross posting this on Ao3. I will likely do this in the future but for now I am going to focus on .
Thank you to everyone who has chosen to comment. I am happy to see you have enjoyed the first chapter of Re:Abyss and I hope you enjoy this chapter as well.
"Where is she, where is she?!" Emilia exclaimed running through the smelly and claustrophobic alleyways.
She hadn't long arrived before losing her escort Ram and then even worse some little blonde-haired thief had stolen the one thing she could not lose. Her Dragon insignia, without it she wouldn't be able to contend within the Royal Election and if she couldn't attend then her goals all she had worked for would be for nothing
"I have to find it; I have to rewrite the wrongs I have to save them!" She thought determined she turned right around the corner. What she saw gave her pause, four men three of them looking to be on the poorer spectrum whilst the fourth was covered in some form of dark overcoat. She noted slight bulges indicating armoured plates and the front of his mask seemed to glow an eerie purple. "Perhaps some form of metia," Emilia thought.
"Stop right there and return what you stole thief," she shouted, her tone filled with false bravado. "Just need to intimidate them, if I look scary, I don't have to get involved," she thought.
"Hey lis-," before the skinny one wielding the twin daggers could continue, the strangely garbed man interrupted him. "Ah I believe you are referring to the blonde-haired girl correct?" He pauses, Emilia excitedly speaks up, "Yes that's the one, so you do know her," she accuses.
The masked man chuckles, "Not personally, though I know of her. I'd be perfectly happy to lead you to her," he offers his arms outstretched as if seeking an embrace.
Before Emilia can comment however the skinny mugger interjects, "Well this is all well and good," he turns to the masked man pointing his dagger and gesturing to his helmet, "I believe you were just about to give up that fancy helmet of yours," he snarls clearly having grown fed up with the series of odd occurrences.
The masked man again chuckles, "My apologies but I cannot give up this helmet, it is rather important to me you see." Practically red with rage the skinny one takes a threatening step forward.
Innately Emilia called on her magic ready to defend the masked man, "Purely for my own benefit," she thought, "Saving him now will mean he's obligated to tell me all he knows," she assured herself.
However, her actions were unneeded faster than the eye could see the masked man's tail struck with a thunderous crack, "Gah!" The man screamed as he was launched into the air, his weapons falling to the floor along with his body not too long after.
Alarmed, his men turned to him, Emilia herself jumping back in alarm, "I didn't even see him strike," she thought cautiously, a new weariness for this stranger settling within her.
Before anyone could say anything the masked man again spoke first, "My apologies but I cannot allow you to swing such dangerous things around," he turns to his companions, "Worry not he should only be suffering from a minor concussion if you find him help soon he'll be alright."
Tentatively the men grabbed their unconscious friend before backing away quickly disappearing just around the corner. Slowly the man turned to Emilia before doing a small bow, "Ah where are my manners, my name is Bondrewd the Novel though you may call me Bondrewd."
She stares for a moment, thinking, "My name is Satella," she informs softly. Feeling in the deepest parts of her psyche, her own voice screaming at her for the lie. "It's better this way," she thought to herself self-deprecatingly. This way she could hold him at a distance, as if anyone would want to get to know a half elf. She could rip the metaphorical bandage of early and save herself the pain.
Bondrewd tilts his head, "Oh dear, lying to a stranger you just met how callous of you," he teases. Emilia felt herself freeze in place. "No, I didn't lie, my name is Satella," she insists desperately waving her hands mid-air.
"My apologies but I find it hard to believe that such a nice girl like you could be cursed with such a disgusting name," he grinds out towards the end as if the very mention of the name disgusted him, not too dissimilar to the majority of the population but his disgust seemed different more vitriol.
"He's got ya their Lia," an androgynous voice speaks aloud. Emilia looked down to her crystal necklace which was now glowing with a green light. Finally, the light seems to coalesce before forming a small grey cat. Floating beside Emilia wearing a small purple bag over his shoulder and his left ear drooping as if burdened by the weight of the golden ring piercing it.
Giving a small wink "Hey there Bondrewd I'm Lia's contracted Spirit Puck, please don't think bad of my daughter she's just a little messed up at the moment."
He turns to Emilia before admonishing her, "Anyway what did I tell you about lying, especially about that." Emilia flinches before giving a small bow, "I know Puck I'm sorry." She then turns to Bondrewd shame marring her normally pretty features, "I apologise for my deception, my real name is Emilia."
Puck nods his head in approval before floating up his paws behind his head and his form leaning back as if relaxing in the air. "So, what was that about helping my Lia?" He cracks open an eye looking directly into the purple visor of Bondrewds mask.
Panicked Emilia turns to Puck, "No Puck we can't just drag him into my problems," She turns to Bondrewd waving her hands dismissively, her voice picking up in both pitch and speed, "Please forget what you heard, I can handle it myself," she pleads.
"Come now you needn't fear, it would be dishonest off me to offer help only to snatch it away," Bondrewd speaks soothingly. "It would be my pleasure to help you track down the thief."
Emilia considers his words carefully, turning to Puck who gives a small shrug, "I think you should take him up on his offer Lia, I sense no lies nor malice from him." She eyed Bondrewd trying to understand him, "Perhaps he has not yet noticed that I am a half elf," she reasons.
"Why?' She asks quietly, "Why would you want to help someone like me?" She huddles in on herself as if ashamed of her own form. Bondrewd remains silent for a few seconds before he speaks, "Is it so strange to want to help a stranger, moments like these are the perfect chances to expand and form new bonds."
"But I'm half elf!" Emilia exclaims her voice loud with pain and sorrow, "Don't you see silver hair, elven ears, people see me and…and," she pauses as if afraid. "Think you're the Witch of Envy," Bondrewd finishes her sentence. Emilia nods her head slowly, to the side lines Puck floats watching Bondrewd carefully.
"Does blood or race define who you are?" Bondrewd pauses allowing his question to sink in before continuing, "I do not believe it to be so simple, one's true self is moulded both from their experiences and their own nature. Because of this I can tell from a single glance that you are a kind-hearted girl, as far away from the Witch of Envy as you can be."
Emilia looked to be frozen in shock, her eyes wide in surprise before a large smile formed on her face, "Yes, yes I completely agree," she exclaims excitably. Her eyes now show admiration for this strange man, this Bondrewd who did not judge her for her elven heritage.
"Such a beautiful smile," Bondrewd thinks. "Just like Mitty, Nanachi, Prushka, all of them had such shining smiles," sombrely Bondrewd muses, his mind plagued by nostalgia and regret. "Your sacrifices will not be in vain, I could not save your world, but I can save this one, Authorities, Divine Blessings, the nature of magic itself. I will discover the truth to all of them and bring this world to a new dawn."
Pucks eyes narrow thinking to himself, "His emotions are all over the place, but he seems to hold no malice for Lia, only what is that? Regret. Does he regret meeting Lia or is it something else?" Confused Puck gazes at Bondrewd, "He's strengthened his will like he's finally decided something." Having enough of guessing Puck interjects, "Hey now it nice to see you two so chummy but perhaps we best go looking for that thief."
Emilia, now snapped out of her stupor, turns to Puck, "Your right Puck, Bondrewd please take us to the thief." She turns to Bondrewd who simply nods, turning around and gestures for her to follow him before leaving the alleyway.
The last few minutes had been drowned in utter silence, Bondrewd walking forward with purpose as if he knew the most optimal route to their objective. Glancing at him curiously, Emilia wanting to end the awkward silence asks him, "So Bondrewd are you perhaps a demi-human," she takes a moment to glance at his lizard-like tail.
Bondrewd stops before turning to her. "Of a sort." He answers simply with his tone indicating his intention not to elaborate further. Before Emilia could ask, he patted her on the shoulder, "That child seems lost don't you think?" He gestures to a small girl crying in the street.
Immediately Emilia rushes over hoping to comfort and help the child. Reaching her Emilia noted her green hair and young age, likely around ten or so. "Hi there are you ok?" Emilia questions in her best motherly tone hoping to help calm the distressed child. Noting the strange woman and her pointed ears the child froze in place, her fear increased when Bondrewd approached.
Before she could break down crying again Bondrewd interjects, "Oh dear it would seem you're afraid, well you should be after all the tickle monster can be rather fearsome," saying this Bondrewd's tail lurches forward giving a small and gentle boop onto the child's nose. Her face scrunches up before she gently batters the tail away only to come in for another strike quickly, she slapped it away giggling. "I'm going to get you," Bondrewd playfully declares.
Emilia stands off to the side giggling at the playful display. Suddenly Bondrewd's tail coils before striking faster than the child can react. It wraps around her waist before pulling her up into the air, squealing as the child lifts her hands into the air. With great gentleness Bondrewd places his hands under her armpits keeping her aloft in the air.
"Now that I've caught you will you tell me what's wrong child," he asks gently. The child looks down in shame, "I lost my mummy," she admits sniffling. "Well then me and my friend he will help you, here if we place you up there you will have a better view to spot her with," Bondrewd carefully places the young girl on to his shoulders the child giving off a small gasp of awe at her new found height.
Emilia, seeing the child now placated, walks over, "What's your name?" She asks gently. The child looks at her before proudly exclaiming, "Plum." Emilia gives off a gentle smile before speaking up again, "My name is Emilia and this is Bondrewd, it is nice to meet you." Emilia holds out her hand expectantly, Plum recognising the gesture reaches forward before giving Emilia a small handshake.
Turning to Bondrewd Emilia couldn't help but speak up, "You're really good with children Bondrewd." Bondrewd simply turns to her, "I've had plenty of practice." Before he continues on.
Eventually after walking for a few more minutes Plum spoke up, "Mummy, mummy!" She yells waving over to a middle-aged woman with purple hair. Seeing her missing daughter, the young mother races over. "Plum, you're ok!" She shouts relieved.
Bondrewd carefully picks Plum off his shoulders before handing her to the panicked mother who quickly takes her into her arms. "Miss Emilia and mister Bondrewd helped me," she admits, pointing to two named individuals. Looking up, Plum's mother regards the two warmly. "Thank you, for finding this little troublemaker." Hearing this Plum pouts as her mother ruffles her hair.
"Oh, it was no problem at all in fact it was nice listening to Plums opinions on the different colours of appas," Emilia interjects giggling at Plums adorable pout. Bondrewd simply nods his head before turning to Plum, he places his hand on her head practically engulfing, "Now you be good for your mother Plum," he sternly commands.
Nodding her head Plum turns to Emilia, thinking for a second she turns to her mother. "Mummy, can we give Miss Emilia the pin?" She asks. The mother smiles "Of course you can sweetie it is yours to give after all." With her mother's approval Plum quickly reaches into her pocket procuring a pink flower pin she offers it up to Emilia.
Carefully Emilia reaches forward taking the pin into her hands. "Please accept on my daughters and mine behalf," the mother smiles. Emilia looks at the pin before looking up, her face red with slight embarrassment. "O-of course, I'll treasure it always," she beams, pinning the flower to her chest.
After finally delivering Plum to her mother the duo continued on their way towards the slums. Glancing at Emilia, "That pin looks utterly delightful on you Emilia," he praised. Emilia's face grew red for a second but before she could comment a familiar cat chose to manifest himself.
Happily nesting himself in Emilia's hair he turned to Bondrewd with narrow eyes, "I should hope you're not trying to seduce my innocent Lia," he teases playfully though with a slight edge of protectiveness.
Emilia looks up at him confused. Bondrewd quickly spoke up, "Now, now I was only complimenting her. Though I believe I may be a bit too old for Emilia here," Bondrewd placates the Great Spirit.
Emilia couldn't help but huff crossing her arms across her chest behind her Puck mimics her exact actions sending a smug look at Bondrewd's. "Jeez you're teasing me now, I am half elf you know," she pouts. "Yea you tell him Lia," Puck cheers.
Seeing the cute display Bondrewd puts his hand to his chest, "Adorable," he simply responds. Hearing this Emilia stomps her foot on the ground, "You dunderhead that was your chance to apologise."
Laughing, Bondrewd quickly responds, "Never mind you must be older than me to be using such archaic speech. I don't think anyone says dunderhead in this day and age." He smiles beneath his mask remembering his old banter with Emilia. "Just like back then," he thinks fondly.
Turning serious Bondrewd stops, Emilia following quickly in his footsteps "We are close," he states gesturing ahead to an old run-down tavern. Looking to the sky and noting the position of the sun. "Reinheart will be here soon, I must act quickly," he looks at Emilia. "Are you ready?" He asks. Emilia nods before looking down at Puck, "Puck are you ok," she asks noting his fading appearance.
"Sorry Lia but it looks like I'm at my limit," Puck laments before turning to Bondrewd. "You take care of my Lia you got that Bondrewd," he warns, his eyes flashing dangerously.
"Of course," Bondrewd nodded his head. Emilia removes her crystal from her chest allowing Puck to enter it. Before disappearing Puck clutches at his throat as if being strangled. Finally, he disappears in a flash of light, Emilia rolling her eyes as she places the crystal back into its original spot. "Honestly I told him to stop doing such silly things like that." She pouts.
"Despite being your contracted spirit, he treats you like a daughter," Bondrewd noted. A wistful smile forms on Emilia's face, "Yes he's always protected me, and he's always been like a father to me." Her smile quickly fades as they slowly approach the loot house, a feeling of dread taking root deep in her stomach.
Bondrewd walks forward, Emilia following closely behind him. Bondrewd first notices the door is left slightly ajar. Before they can move further, a scram emerges and a young voice full of hate exclaims, "You bitch I, I…I'll kill you!"
Rushing in both Bondrewd and Emilia are met with a gruesome sight. The loot house had been practically torn apart with strewn tables lying on the ground, shattered glass bottles and massive indents made into the wooden floorboards. "There's someone injured!" Emilia shouts pointing at the mountain of a body lying dead on the ground. Blood leaking from him staining the floorboards red and permeating the room with the dreadful stench of death.
Backed into the corner of the room was the young thief, her short blonde hair dishevelled and crimson eyes wide in panic. She turns to the two new strangers desperate for any form of help. Recognising them as the girl she stole from and the stranger she abandoned she felt all hope of rescue die with her guardian. After all, who would help slum trash like her.
Before the blonde-haired child stood a woman in all black, turning to greet them her clothes were revealing showing a great deal of her ample cleavage however, more alarming were her eyes that revealed a great hunger.
"Oh, what's this? Intruders," she speaks her voice seductive and excited that is until her eyes land on Emilia. Playfully she turns to the young thief, "How truly useless you are, you lead them straight here," she giggles. "As expected of street trash you can't even be expected to carry out a simple task. No matter, I'll just have to treat myself to your guts as well." She brandishes a wicked kukri blade, the ebony weapon already blemished red with blood.
Emilia readies her magic when Bondrewd places a comforting hand onto her shoulder "Please escort the young girl away from danger, I'll handle this one," he commanded his voice leaving no room for argument. Emilia hesitates before nodding, "I'll look for an opening, be careful."
"I can't help but feel I'm being underestimated here," the assassin interjects. Faster than most eyes could track she swings her blade at the blonde-haired girl.
Closing her eye's, the thief awaited her incoming death. Suddenly a strange sound like tightly wrung springs fill the room, followed by a clang, a gasp and the squelching sound of flesh getting pierced. Opening her eye's, she saw before her the assassin clutching her arm, her blade dropped to the floor. Gasping the assassin wrenches, a black spike free from her arm blood spurting out of the open wound.
"Oh, my is that a metia," the cloaked assassin asks her tone giving away no indication of pain but rather pleasure. "Perhaps I'll help myself to your guts first," she takes a step towards Bondrewd.
Seeing the assassin distracted, Emilia quickly darts around her towards the thief; she gently tries to usher her out of the loot house. "No! No, old man Rom. You can't, I won't leave him," she cries desperately though is unable to overcome Emilia's elven strength. Dragging the distraught girl out through the back.
The assassin, having kept her eye on her previous prey making note of their direction, turned her full attention to Bondrewd. Slowly she licked her lips, gaining a new hunger, "My you're brave, to enter the nest of a monster all alone." She giggles, reaching behind and procuring a new pair of kukri blades.
Tilting his head Bondrewd calls mockingly, "My, my how strange. I see no monster here Elsa." The assassin blinks, "You are already familiar with me then, and here I thought we could introduce ourselves like civilised killers."
"By all means let us not be impolite to each other, I am Bondrewd the Novel known as the Sovereign of Dawn." Bondrewd proudly introduces himself. Following his lead Elsa goes next, her voice filled with desire, "And I am Elsa Granhiert the Bowel Hunter." She does a small flourish with her lades before charging forward faster than a cannonball.
Quicker than what she expected, Bondrewd takes a step backwards, her attack missing its mark, reaching forward his hands snatched her wrists in his iron grip. For a second she struggles only to discover his grip was like granite crushing down on her limbs. Calmy Bondrewd drags her right-hand closer inspecting it. "Marvellous, you regenerated your hand even though it was previously impaled." He complimented.
Giggling Elsa responded, "I am more than a pretty face you know," bringing herself up she kicked with both of her legs spring boarding herself backwards and using the momentum to free herself of Bondrewd's grip.
As graceful as a cat she landed on her feet, watching Bondrewd like a juicy piece of meat. "Very well I shall take you more seriously, Gangway," tapping his helmet the purple light that emanated from it seemed to shrink into a tiny dot before bursting out into eight streams of purple beams. Ricocheting off the nearby walls the beams of light quickly found their mark. Unable to dodge Elsa was skewered, gasping as she felt her own flesh rendered from bone and her own inner organs pop like balloons. Her body collapses to the ground as a mess pile of flesh and bones.
"My sincerest apologies for the rather cruel attack, but I must simply see the full extent of your regenerative capabilities." Bondrewd's voice carries across the room filled with genuine sorrow.
Elsa basks in the pain, gasping and moaning as she feels her own flesh knit back together, and her bones fixing back into place. After a few seconds her body had reformed, and she stood before him as if never injured.
Lifting his arms up Bondrewd applauds, "Spectacular truly amazing, your regeneration is a treasurable sight to behold." Elsa giggles again, her lust for bloodshed clouding her mind, "Such a gentleman, your guts will be a sight within themselves."
Suddenly Bondrewd stops clapping, his tone changing dramatically, "It seems we've been cut short. To end an experiment such as this so early is truly a pity."
Elsa looks to him curiously only to be met with silence then a single word.
"Sparagmos!"
And then all she saw was light.
Outside of the loot house Emilia tended to the young thief's cuts using her healing magic. The young girl was shaking, eyes red and puffy. "What's your name?" Emilia tries to distract her. "Felt," the girl squeaks out.
The two lapses into silence before the small voice of Felt speaks up again, "We need to get out of here…th-that lady she tore into old man Rom like he was nothing, we aren't safe here," she pleads desperately. Emilia slowly nods her head, "Go get help, I'm going to stay here and help him," determined Emilia stands ready to charge back into the loot house.
"Would you perhaps be looking for a knight's help," a voice calls to them. Turning to the source both Emilia and Felt see a mop of familiar red hair. Eyes lighting up Emilia is quick to call to him, "Sir Reinheart come quick please there has been an attack!" Noticing her attire Reinheart steals his expression, "Of course Lady Emilia," he responds with full Knightley courtesy marching straight up to the loot house.
"Lady?" Felt questions her eyes narrowing as she looks at Emilia. Before she can ask further a sound begins to creep up in the air, like metal grinding against metal the sound grows in volume before the light of the sun itself bursts forth from the old rickety ceiling of the loot house. A scream followed not so long after.
Quickly the three of them burst into the house the sight before them was one which would engrave itself into their very own souls. The Bowel Hunter who had plagued both the lands of Gusteko and now Luginica was now on her knees clutching at her chest.
"So warm finally I feel warmth," Elsa thought to herself in ecstasy. So long damned to the cold she'd finally found warmth. Then a voice spoke and with it carried the icy flakes of reality. "You needn't worry from now on I will protect Melli." And then the warmth receded as quickly as it had embraced her; it abandoned her and with it her heart was taken. Looking down at her chest her skin once as white as her homelands snow was now charred black. She fell to her knees screaming, "The warmth, bring it back, bring it back! Wait, how does he know about Melli?" She thinks to herself; she lurches up ready to scream or threaten or anything to keep him away from Melli.
When she finally looks up however, she sees him. His dark clothes camouflaged perfectly within the darkness of the night sky leaving nothing but the purple glow of his mask as if beckoning her into the abyss. Fear. That is all she felt, she ignored the sound of the door being slammed open, her complete attention on the haunting figure before her. "Monster," is all she can utter before death took her similar to how life brought her into the world, cold and alone.
As Elsa's corpse falls to the ground Bondrewd slowly looked to the trio, he noted Felt clinging to Reinheart's arm fresh tears running down her face. "Marvellous," he thinks "A shame I had to allow Rom to die but I need Felt more reliant on Reinheart. This trial of loss will surely strengthen her bond with Reinheart…marvellous indeed."