Re:Abyss – Chapter 5
Hey, it's been a while. Very sorry for the wait however, as of a couple months ago I got myself a new job, so I've been pretty busy with that. Alongside that I had a bit of a writer's block for this chapter. Finally, though I am happy with what I have prepared and hopefully the upcoming chapters will be coming out much quicker than this one. In the meantime I hope you enjoy chapter 5 of Re:Abyss.
It was strange, that now he was at his most calm faced with eternity or as close as man could comprehend of eternity. He looked down to his thousand hands, each one unique, each one different, some scarred like wrinkled paper and others as smooth as silk.
Amongst the infinite he could not decipher his own, he had only just grasped his name. Only one thing he was sure of. That each hand led back to him like branches and himself the tree trunks an ever-expanding forest of himself and rooted to them all was one thing.
Return By Death
The power to harness infinity to rewrite history itself was at his fingertips. But how had he used it? For good or for bad, to kill or to save, to find love or to be hated.
He was not forced to lament this alone, looking up to the very back of the room a woman was hunched over her tears and sobs the only sounds indicating she was alive.
"Say Satella, can I ask something?" She peaked out from between her thin fingers, purple jewelled eyes that shined with untold anguish. He took her silence as permission to speak.
"Was I a good man?" He dreaded the answer though perhaps not to learn if he was evil or not but the nagging worry that she herself may not know. No that would be impossible she too was an equal constant in his infinity or at least as close as anyone else.
Her silence was all he needed. He felt something shatter like frozen glass.
"If I killed you, would it end? Could I finally die?" His voice was steadier now, almost calm like a tranquil ocean.
"No." Her voice broke crushed underneath the guilt of her own self perceived failures.
Natsuki Subaru however could only smile.
It had only been a few days since the witch beast incident, though most of the residents were still stricken by the events that had played out and the sacrifice made by Ram they had attempted to return to a sense of normalcy. Rem now stuck as the sole maid remaining had kept herself busy cleaning, preparing food and looking after the health of her dear sister.
Though despite her beaming smile it was obvious that she was struggling whenever questioned she would simply reply that she could handle it and to not trouble yourself. This response had mainly been aimed at Emilia who had been cornering Rem at nearly every opportunity offering her help.
"L-lady Emilia please such things are beneath your station." Rem pleaded attempting to wrestle a cleaning broom from Emilia. Her demonic strength is no match for the determined half-elf.
"But you're struggling aren't you Rem? You can't keep this up." Emilia placed her hand on Rem's head using her superior height to hold the shorter maid at bay.
"Even if that was the case it shouldn't fall to you to take up such duties." Rem was quick to respond with her droopy eyes, a clear sign of her tiredness.
"Just because I'm a Dragon candidate doesn't mean I am above helping someone in need you dunderhead. You need to sleep and if you won't cooperate then I'll have to use force."
From the side lines stood the trio composed of Bondrewd, Beatrice and Puck. "I gotta say I've never seen Lia this worked up before." Puck purred within Beatrice's grasp enjoying her gentle ministrations.
"She is certainly set on this." Bondrewd responded in amusement watching as Emilia was now attempting to pick up the blue haired maid. Puck narrowed his eyes, even after a full week he still didn't know what to feel. The man had yet still to show any of his true motivations or even any kind of information about his past. In fact, the only one who had seen his face has been Beatrice much to Emilia's poorly contained jealousy.
A few days after his arrival. Roswaal the man who treated everyday as if he had mapped out every detail as if nothing in the world could surprise him had gone recluse. Having locked himself in his own room he only accepted food that was left on the outside of his door and would only talk with Bondrewd.
Beatrice the previously recluse spirit trapped within a prison of her own making the lock of which was held tight by her love of her mother. Four hundred years she had remained there, countless men and women had entered to coax her out, spending years to befriend and earn her trust or as much as she was willing to give of her trust. Each and every one of them had failed, rejected by the stubborn spirit. Yet Bondrewd had released her of her shackles. Earned her love and loyalty all within a single night.
The maid sisters both of whom distrusted him even more than he had changed too overnight. One who was previously filled with murderous hatred now behaved as his loyal attendant with a poorly hidden crush for the mysterious newcomer. The other sister once filled with simple distrust yet who had resolved to remain neutral was now in a coma having been heroically saved from death by said newcomer.
Emilia too, his precious daughter was enamoured with the stranger. He treated her as an equal and taught her his philosophies many of which had begun to resonate with her own. He taught her with such competence too, as if he knew every trick to hold her attention and interest. In a mere few days he had developed a bond that would take a teacher and student decades to master.
And then there were his emotions. They were to best put it tranquil or even more simply inhumane. Humans were emotional creatures at their core even the calmest most composed too and an empath of his calibre felt like building storms. Storms composed of wants, desires, shames whirling harder and harder until they broke fourth. Sometimes these breakthroughs were bouts of positive change, sometimes negative change. Triumphs and mistakes were ultimately what composes a human. Yet Bondrewd did not change, he did not grow or weaken he simply was. His emotions were real but felt premade as if he could pick and choose them on a whim.
Puck frowned for a moment something was going on here and he knew without a doubt that Bondrewd had something to do with it. Unfortunately, he couldn't just eliminate him, not with him having practically the whole support of the mansion.
He swayed through the air away from Beatrice's grasp towards his daughter. Noticing her adopted fathers approach, Emilia let down the struggling maid.
"Hmm Puck back me up here, she needs rest doesn't she. Tell her she's being a nincompoop." She directed a smug look to Rem ready to receive her father's backing.
"Uh yeah about that I was actually gonna ask if you could take a walk with me and maybe leave the poor servant girl alone for a while." He landed right atop her head, bending over to look her right in the eyes.
"But Puck you're supposed to have my side here can't we walk later." Already Emilia was twisting her face in an adorable pout. A look she had honed precisely to get her own way when trying to convince Puck.
"Not today Lia I'm gonna have to put my foot down and insist that we spend some father daughter bonding time together.
With a mournful sigh Emilia sternly regarded Rem. "Ok today me and Puck are going to spend some time together for today, but you better prepare another broom for me tomorrow you got that and don't lie to me I'll know." Emilia gestured with her hand, her finger pointing right at Rem.
"Of course, Lady Emilia." Rem lied.
"Good." Emilia nodded her head pleased.
"What a brat hogging Bubby all for herself, I suppose!" Beatrice huffed arms crossed. Her inner plot however was quickly uncovered when with a pleased sigh she accepted Bondrewd's gentle petting to ease her growing ire.
"Come Beatrice it I believe it will be approaching lunch soon and dear Meli will be growing hungry. He walked off Beatrice quickly trailing behind him.
"Why must you insist on feeding her yourself? Did the maid not offer to do it, I suppose." She complained her butterfly shaped irises bored into the back of Bondrewd's helm.
"That would be unreasonably cruel to dear Rem, to force her to make and feed the would-be killer of her sister don't you think?"
"I suppose that's why you insist on making the food yourself as well, in fact." In response to her questioning he gave a sheepish shrug.
"Actually, I just wanted to get better at cooking."
"Idiot, there are better ways to improve one's cooking than feeding dangerous criminals I suppose!"
"I beg to differ, criminals are blunter. They won't lie about their true feelings to make you feel better."
"Honestly you are just like mother and for all the wrong reasons, I supp-!" She paused mid step before rushing to the nearby window to peer out.
"Beako whatever is the matter?" Beside her Bondrewd approached looking out the window to the expansive lands of the Mathers domain.
For a moment Betty felt as if there was an intruder but it has now grown faint and now non-existent." She looked puzzled, scanning the fields for any sign or trace of a threat.
"Could it be possible for an enemy to hide from your notice?"
"Of course, not Betty has warded this mansion very thoroughly, I suppose." Stomping her foot Beatrice looked out the window again.
"If anyone one is shirking their duties then it should be the maid girl. The bushes haven't been trimmed since last week and are those rabbit holes I see?"
"You didn't say I suppose." Pointed out Bondrewd. The subsequent gaze he was met with could likely level mountains. Quick on his feet Bondrewd backed up his hands already in surrender.
"Come now Rem cannot be wholly blamed here not with recent developments regarding her sister." Beatrice considered his words carefully and her expression unreadable.
"Say how about I ask Rem to prepare one of those cookies you are so fond of, would that be enough to regain your favour?"
"Make it two, I suppose."
"Very well two cookies for the adorable and ever diligent Great spirit Beatrice." He ducked low as if he were a lowly peasant.
"Your offer is accepted, and you are forgiven by your loyal spirit." Smiled Beatrice already on the move to the nearby kitchens.
Bondrewd gave the fields a final look. "Well done Meli, you truly are extraordinary," he thought to himself before hurrying to catch up with Beatrice.
"You know you've become a lot more confident lately Lia." Outside the mansion Emilia sat underneath the mansion's gazebo petting Pucks eternally soft fur.
"Well I can't remain meek forever, Puck. Not if I want to become this country's future ruler." Chided Emilia looking down at Puck determined.
"Still it hurts, for any father to see their precious daughter growing up. I feel like I'm losing something, something we once held close." He hovered up away from her hands looking her in the eyes.
"Lia I am worried about how much trust you are putting in Bondrewd." He knew she wouldn't be happy to hear it. He flinched at the spark of her emotions even before she spoke.
"What are you saying Puck, Bondrewd is my friend and he's teaching me how to better lead. Isn't that what you wanted for me, to become a better leader?"
"But don't you find it odd, ever since he's gotten here everything has gone right for him. He has the Margraves ear, the sisters trust despite her initial hatred of him and he's even contracted Betty. All of this in the span of a few days. He knows exactly what to say almost like he already knows us." He fired back. The two stared each other down for a few moments before Emilia's expression darkened.
"Everything has gone well for him,'' you say. What about Ram or have you forgotten." He flinched back and before he could respond Emilia spoke up again now standing up to look down at him.
"And what was that about Rem hating him? I asked you how you thought the meeting went and you said good. Did you lie, Puck?" Her words are both innocent and scathing, burning him like fire.
"I just didn't want to worry you Lia." He offered weakly his defence crumbling before he could even finish his speech.
"Worry about what! That the people who serve under me may have some kind of dispute I don't know about. What other worries have you tried to keep me from?" Puck was shocked into silence, never having received any semblance of anger from his daughter before.
"I am going to continue with my studies, I don't want to talk to you not until you reconsider your feelings and apologise." Emilia was quick to storm off leaving Puck to himself.
Puck grinded his teeth together, the air around him growing colder as day slowly turned to night.
"Tomorrow I'll eliminate you tomorrow." Puck considered himself a forgiving spirit after all how many measly humans had he spared even after they mocked his precious Lia's very existence. But this he could no longer ignore he had allowed troublesome pests to fester and now it threatened his own relationship with Lia. This mansion could clearly not protect her therefore he will have to take her somewhere safe, kicking and screaming if need be. Oh, he was under no illusion that she would hate him but an elf's even if only half lifespan was long in time, she will forgive him and then things will go back to how they were. Just him and Emilia, he smiled at the thought. That is until he sensed it, then he smelled the stench of a being crafted over four centuries ago. A perverse twist of nature. A Great Witch Beast of which there were only three.
His time would be up soon, any minute in fact. "Lia I'm coming!"
It was still the same page; she hadn't turned to the next in over four hours. Instead she sat there with her eyes still moist. She had never argued with Puck before until now he had been her only support in a world that seemed set on hating her. But even if he didn't trust her it would seem not fully anyway. She sobbed again though no more tears were released from her puffy eyes. All previous tears had been absorbed by the very tome she was trying to learn from.
"Lady Emilia, are you ok?" The gentle voice of Rem asked.
"O-oh! Rem I am sorry to have troubled you." Emilia was quick to apologise to the already overworked maid.
"There is no need to apologise. But if I may ask, what is wrong?"
"Ah I wouldn't want bothe…"
"It isn't a bother to Rem." The maid interrupted offering a sweet smile.
"Am-am I trustworthy?" Emilia asked hesitantly.
"Rem believes so but why would you ask such a thing?"
"But am I dependable? Or inspiring? Do I seem intelligent? Could I be a good King?" Emilia grabbed the maid's shoulders looking her directly into eyes. To Rem all was made bare through Emilia's eyes the fear, the insecurity, the look of betrayal.
Shocked into silence by a gaze that reminded her so much of her own Emilia slumped backwards defeated.
"I understand you don't want to upset me. You may go now." She attempted to sound stern though such a task was impossible with her broken voice.
"No wait, that's not what Rem me-." Rem froze mid speech, her enhanced senses detecting a foul stench.
"Rem, what's wrong?" Emilia asked.
"We are under attack Lady Emilia, please prepare yourself." Armed with her morning star Emilia beside her readies her magic.
They heard the pitter patter of small paws hopping across the hallway before stopping at their door. The two briefly looked at each other confused before tensing when they heard the presumably small critter bang against the door with startling strength. As if they were bloodhounds locked onto the scent of prey, hundreds more came running there scurrying echoing through the hallway now the door was shaking the hinges straining against the crushing weight.
Aided by her enhanced hearing Emilia turned towards her wardrobe that had begun shaking when from within it stepped Bondrewd.
"Quickly we have the others and we must evacuate now." He ordered beckoning the two girls to step through the wardrobe. Quickly they did so the door came down with a loud crash behind them.
The sensation was strange like attempting to walk through water though as quick as the sensation had come it had passed with both oni and half elf finding themselves lunging directly through the main entryway and out into the front garden of the Mathers estate.
"Quickly now." Bondrewd broke them out of their dazed state; the two demi humans quickly followed his lead down the cobble steps. Ahead they could see the towering figure of Roswaal and not so towering figure of Beatrice; within Roswaal's arms was the comatose Ram and at Beatrice's feet was Meli though something was wrong. The young girl was crying, and Rem could pick up the scent of blood fresh in the air. It wasn't until they approached closer that they saw the reason behind Meli's pain. Her left arm had been cleanly bitten leaving behind only a bloody stump the sight of which made the two women gasp in horror.
"Betty has managed to stop the bleeding for now, I suppose. But much of my mana was spent redirecting this annoying pest throughout the mansion using door crossing."
"And though I have some mana to spare I have used a majority of it to keep Ram healthy in her comatose state." As if to add more fuel to their problems Roswaal also added his own share of disconcerting news.
"Did Meli do this?" Emilia's questioned though more for clarity and likely a more tactful method of questioning Meli's injury.
"Indeed, she did, somehow she was able to create a strong enough signal to attract the Great Rabbit itself. Unfortunately, while she was able to summon it, she could not control it. Both I and Beako were able to save her just in time."
The mansion's occupants, filled with grim resolve, turn to the mansion, watching as windows were torn asunder and the bodies of white rabbits descended like snow to the ground. Though where snow left soft clouds of ice the rabbit erupted into bloody mist as their bodies impacted the ground. The bodies continued to pile higher and higher eventually forming into a sort of makeshift cushion for the remaining rabbits. Of course, those who did die simply multiplied the swarm of carnivorous rabbits growing ever larger.
"Need a hand Lia." Surprised Emilia watched as Puck formed before her a cocky smirk on his face.
"Puck!" She announced happily.
"Your just in time with you here will clear these awful creatures away lickety split." Puck laughed ever so slightly in embarrassment at his adopted daughters' archaic language.
The horde was quick to descend on the group who readied themselves for the upcoming battle of attrition.
Grabbing his left-hand Beatrice chanted an ancient incantation near lost to time.
El Minya
Around her formed roughly forty stakes of crystalised stagnant time each one shone a bright purple before with a great heave as if throwing a heavy rock Beatrice sent her summoned projectiles flying. The first wave was hit dead centre, each rabbit near instantaneously entrapped within a tomb of purple crystal before rupturing violently hurling more of the deadly crystal into the fray of rabbits.
Gangway
Following her attack Bondrewd let loose the violent energy contained within his very own mask, the aggressive lances of energy piercing through the rabbits like a quill through wet parchment.
With her horn unleashed, Rem made blood sports of the rabbits, her morning star turning them into red mist. Besides her Emilia, Puck and Roswaal unleashed there most controlled yet explosive spells wiping out swathes of rabbits at a time.
It was not enough. The rabbits that survived the group's initial onslaught moved quickly and a small pack leaped at Beatrice. Wrapping her up in his tail Bondrewd backpaddled both himself and Beatrice evading though just barely the rabbits gnawing molars.
Shamak
Beatrice called before a black smoke bellowed from between the two engulfing the rabbits in a shadowy realm of which only Bondrewd and Beatrice could navigate. Holding his palm towards the rabbits, Bondrewd called upon both Beatrice's gate and mana.
Minya
From his outstretched palm three crystals embedded themselves into the rabbits killing them instantly.
Yet they were not the only ones to lose ground. Though her body healed quick and her mana even quicker Rem's stamina was beginning to wane. Pushed to the ground she desperately swatted at the rabbits gnawing at her still healing flesh.
El Huma
Emilia was quick to help Rem her icicles slaughtering the next incoming wave readying to pounce Rem.
Roswaal flew over the rabbits like a hawk circling prey though he could not unleash any of his more powerful magic. A well placed Goa here and there did much to reduce their numbers significantly.
Of the fighters it was Puck who found himself struggling the most; he was after all a greedy spirit who required a large amount of mana to remain operating. He felt his Od burn as he forced himself to persist even after his allocated time. If this were to continue, he knew it would be Emilia's Od next and although she had much to give her heritage as a half elf guaranteed a long-life expectancy it was not infinite unlike the endless horde they now faced.
"Was this orchestrated by you I wonder, to remove me from the picture. Or is my beloved daughter correct and you are just a victim of my own paranoia." He stared at the masked man before looking to Beatrice, then the maids and then finally Roswaal.
"Though I don't like the idea of leaving you in such shady company I do suppose as a father I have to let you go eventually. Right?" He looked at Emilia soberly as she bravely faced the Great Rabbit down.
"I am so proud of you Lia." He announced before with great effort he wrenched his own connection from her the contract he had so lovingly crafted with her now gone null for all eternity. Gasping Emilia clutched at her chest before looking him right in the eyes, her own laden with confusion and hurt.
"Puck." Her voice was small but to Puck it was all he could hear even amongst the sound of battle.
"I love ya Lia." With such little mana to persist with Puck would not live long, but it was enough for one final attack, a final mark for the Beast Of the End.
Clasping his two paws together Puck unleashed pandemonium. The air stilled as white vapours of snow erupted from the little spirits paws spiralling into a beam of pure mana like a child with a stick Puck waves the lance of light around freezing anything the beam touched solid. After a few seconds that felt as if they had been dragged out by an eternity the light subsided.
The unending army of the Great Rabbit was held still, their white furred forms shrouded in ice. With an opening now presented Beatrice lifted her left hand calling upon the last of her remaining mana.
Al Shamak
From the centre of the now frozen horde black smoke exploded fourth expanding until it covered all of the snowy statues. Like paper reality was torn as a rift formed within the smoke swallowing the Great Rabbit. The great blight that had consumed thousands upon thousands of humans and demi humans alike now damned to a new unforgiving space.
"Puck!" Screamed Emilia clutching the rapidly fading spirit within her hand's tears running down her face in streams. His form was so weakened he couldn't even speak only feel. He felt both Emilia's and Beatrice's sadness. A part of him couldn't help but feel pleased that even after their fight his death still affected her this way. Yet it was Bondrewd's emotions that most interested him, would he in the wake of a supposed comrade's death finally let slip something of any inkling to a human heart. Apparently so for Puck did indeed feel a spark within Bondrewd as a single emotion finally broke free of Bondrewd's near inescapable mask.
Satisfaction
"Bastard." Puck thought before in a brilliant flash of light his form faded.