Shattered Kasaneru

by BobDoorman

In Echidna's unending curiosity she decides to end her contract with Subaru. After this, another witch steps in and returns him all the way back to zero.

24. No Rest for the Stars

Subaru continued to gaze at where everyone was lined up waiting for Emilia to finish her trial. "Hm. Ha," He breathed in and out in a calm pattern. But his hands were balled into fists, and an angry light had entered his eyes.

His breaths lost their serenity as he kept standing there. Capella's smile would not leave his mind. And neither would his promise.

His eyes touched Otto. The merchant's bloody corpse bloomed in his mind, and the cut in Otto's side pressed guilt into his heart.

He swept his vision across Garfiel,and the boy's struggles played in his head. The smell of the tiger's blood was strong in his mind. His guilt grew as he remembered himself sitting there, immobile. Not even trying to help.

Then he gazed upon Rem. Theresia's blade sliced through her neck in his recollection. Her head thudded against the ground. He barely stopped himself from flinching.

Finally, his gaze sought Ram. As soon as his brown eyes landed on her pink hair, there was a massive hole stabbed through her neck.

He shied away from the group. Remorse and regret pushed him to turn and meet the purple eyes of the woman standing behind him. A few tears rolled down his face/

"Liar…" Emilia whispered as her nearly broken eyes touched his.

The memory of a sword covered in bloody silver hair blazed in his memory. He shut his eyes and forced his breaths to remain steady.

That attempt failed. And his trembling breaths fell from his throat as Emilia stepped over him once more.

"Subaru, why did you lie?" Emilia asked. He shifted his body to the side of her and leaned against the wall of Echidna's tomb.

"I let it happen, I let them suffer." Blood covered his hands for a moment, then it was gone.

"Subaaaru?"

I let them suffer. He wanted to close his eyes and get away from the world. If only for a moment. His legs started to fall out from under him.

I let them suffer so much. His knees hit the ground. The pain which flashed through his body was too minuscule for him to care about. He held his eyes closed and Emilia's soft hand rubbed against his shoulder.

A moment later he peaked out of his mind and found a concerned look on the half-elf's face.

In the distance Rem and Ram were also walking toward him.

All three women had dried blood covering their necks.

Subaru shied away from them. I let them suffer so much.

Ram reached out to him and caressed his cheek with her finger. A meter away Rem was helping Emilia calm down from her trial.

Why should he look at them? He'd let them suffer too much. But, if he laid on the ground here… then what would happen to them.

He stared past the three women kneeling over him, and five figures stood there haunting him.

A girl with mabeasts surrounding her.

A black-haired woman with a curved knife.

A red-haired swordswoman.

An eight-armed war god.

And a blonde-haired Sin Archbishop.

But then his eyes focused on those around him. Those he loved.

A blue-haired maid.

A silver-haired half-elf.

And a pink-haired woman, whom he treasured most in his heart.

Then he looked past them, but not at those haunting him, and his eyes landed on a gray-haired young man.

He could not let those he cared for fall into the hands of his enemies.

With a soft exhalation, Subaru stood. His limbs were loose as he knew what he needed to do. He may have failed in the previous loops. But no matter what. Success would greet him at the end. The suffering of his friends would be taken on by him.

A tiny bit of pain came to his mind as his nails dug into his palms. Small drops of blood pinged against the ground below him.

No matter what happens. No matter how many loops it takes. I will reach a future where none of them suffer. Only I will have to suffer.

"Rem you and Emilia go back to Emilia's cabin," He ordered the two women.

"So you never believed in me…" Emilia said.

"Emilia, I'll explain what is going on to you and Rem tomorrow. I'm going to need your h-" He stopped himself.

What if that causes them to suffer?

"Like I was saying Barusu, you're a moron for not realizing. That you don't have to defeat him alone." Subaru gripped onto the words, but they nearly slipped through his fingers.

They can't suffer but, if I try to do it all alone, then I'm just going to fail again. Maybe this is the correct path that I missed.

"I'm going to need both of your help in what's to come." He finished.

Emilia's eyes widened, "Oh…" She hadn't expected him to be so genuine in his words. A small smile slipped across her face as she and Rem headed back to her cabin.

"Good night, Subaru," The girl whispered as she was leaving. Subaru waved back to her. He couldn't spare the time to respond. With all that was coming there was no time to waste.

"What is to come, Barusu?"

Subaru looked back at Ram, "The Sin Archbishop of Lust. The reanimated corpses of Theresia van Astrea, and Kurgan of the eight arms. The Bowel Hunter, and someone who can control mabeasts. She has species from Augria. They'll attack in two nights."

Ram's eyebrows rose at all the information he'd dumped onto her all at once. "Well…" A slight tone of despair slipped into her voice, but with her next words it disappeared entirely, "Then we better get to work."

"Yeah, let's go grab Garfiel and Otto, and make sure Ryuzu stays as well." He said with a commanding tone. Ram gave him an odd look as his mind rushed through all the ways he had to reach the brightest future.

Once Otto, Garfiel, Ram, and Ryuzu were gathered around him Subaru readied himself to speak.

However, he was interrupted, "What's this for, eh?" Garfiel said with impatience and distrust.

Subaru looked down at him and answered his question, "I need you all to help me stop Sanctuary from being destroyed."

---

Garfiel watched Subaru take a deep breath. What the hell does he mean stop Sanctuary from being destroyed? Distrust burned within the boy. How would this guy who's never set foot in Sanctuary once in his entire life know that something was going to destroy it?

The only explanation that entered his mind was that Subaru was a Witch Cultist. A small snarl came from Garfiel's throat, but then Subaru met his eyes.

The desire to manipulate, probe, analyze and use was no longer there.

This new development put him off balance. So he didn't raise any protests as Subaru began to speak.

"Two nights from now a group of people will attack Sanctuary. They are the Bowel Hunter, a girl who can control mabeasts, two dead fighters who have been reanimated, and the Sin Archbishop of Lust."

Garfiel's eyes widened and then his suspicion returned. No matter how genuine Subaru's eyes seemed those words did nothing but condemn him.

"Do you have a plan to defeat them, Natsuki-san?" Otto asked.

"No, that's why you all are going to help me come up with one."

"Ha, lazy Barusu, just wants us to do his work for him." Ram insulted.

Subaru's face didn't change at her words, and he directed his eyes to Garfiel, "I understand why you would think I'm a Witch Cultist."

Garfiel's eyes widened and he took a step back. His fingers balled into fists. If he was in a less angry state of mind he may have realized how obvious of a conclusion it was to come to, but he was not in that state of mind. So instead he reacted with wrath.

He started to raise his hand and readied himself to attack Subaru. That merchant is just another cultist, and Ram needs to realize when she's being manipulated. I'll save her.

Ram stepped in front of Garfiel before he could do anything, and Ryuzu placed her hand on his forearm.

"Garf," Ram's voice held a warning.

"Young Gar, let's hear him out."

"Both of you stop," Subaru commanded. He pushed past Ram and put his body right in front of Garfiel's, "This is something both of us need to talk about."

"Yeah, les' talk," Garfiel pretended to agree with him.

What're you playing at, cultist?

Subaru's body was relaxed while his own was stiff. It stiffened further when the man leaned in a little closer to him, "If you have something you want to say then say it. We need to get this cleared up and then we can get on to figuring out how to protect Sanctuary."

"Mmh," He grunted as the damned cultist pretended to not want to destroy Sanctuary himself. Well, Garfiel wasn't just going to let that happen. He was the shield of the Sanctuary. And no one would threaten it while he was around.

"Do you think I want to destroy Sanctuary myself?" Subaru probed at his mind.

There, he's trying to trick me. The boy's head didn't feel like this was the right action, but his heart and body told him to do it, and he was far too angry to resist. There was no point in reaching up to touch his scar. Not when the cultist was being so forthright about their manipulation.

"Yes, and I'm not gonna stand for it," Garfiel pulled back his fist. In his anger, he ignored the glances Subaru cast around telling the others to not stop the tiger.

Subaru stared at him with an almost aloof gaze. He's insane too. Garfiel didn't hesitate to bash his fist into Subaru's sternum.

The black-haired cultist's body crumpled just a bit as Garfiel continued to push his fist against the man's sternum. The bone cracked under his knuckles.

"So my bet paid off, you weren't going to kill me," Garfiel's eyes widened at the lack of anything in Subaru's voice. There was no pain. There was no nervousness. And there was no surprise.

Garfiel pulled back his fist, "What're you talkin' 'bout cultist I can kill you whenever I damn well please."

"Then kill me," There was not a hint of fear in his voice.

"Of course I'd kill someone threatanin' Sanctuary,'' Garfiel brought his other fist into Subaru's lower jaw. The cultist's face was knocked to the side, and a bit of blood poured down his chin, but aside from that Subaru's expression had not changed. Though there was a hint of exasperation.

"Garfiel Tinzel. Stop being an immature little shit, and help me defend Sanctuary."

Garfiel's rage skyrocketed at the cultist's words. Who was he to tell Garfiel he was being immature? Even though a part of him agreed it still pissed him off.

"Who're you to come in here and tell my amazin' self how t'defend Sanctuary?" Garfiel pulled his fist back from Subaru's head and brought his other fist into the man's chest once more. His knuckles cracked against Subaru's sternum again, and the bone started to break. One more and he could shatter the man's rib cage.

But the thought of doing that suffused Garfiel with fear, which was quickly overwhelmed by his anger as Subaru didn't react to his hit.

There was a pop as his left hand pounded into Subaru's jaw again. The cultist's brown eyes stared back at him. His lower jaw was jutting out to the left a little. Not a hint of pain crossed his face as he raised his hand and cracked it back into place.

"I have one thing to ask you, Garfiel. What the fuck are you going to do against a Sin Archbishop? The only Bishop you could beat is Sloth. If Gluttony was alive he'd play around with you and then erase you from existence. If Greed was here he'd complain about his rights and then turn you into paste. If Wrath was here you'd punch her and fucking kill yourself. And when Lust gets here she'll turn into a fucking dragon and incinerate you! Unless you have some way to vaporize her on a cellular level!"

"Shut it! Fuckin' cultist!" Garfiel headbutted Subaru. The hit threw the well-dressed man onto his backside, but other than that he barely noticed.

"Is that all you can do? Is that really all Garfiel Tinzel Shield of the Sanctuary, can manage?" Subaru asked from the ground.

Garfiel clenched his fist until blood dripped down from his palm. He raised his knuckles to the cultist's face and held him up by his suit collar with his other hand.

"If this is all Sanctuary has defending it, then someone is going to come along and destroy it one of these days," Subaru's face was nonchalant. He was treating that as something self-evident. Garfiel wasn't going to let that happen.

"Garf!" Ram tried to stop what was happening when she noticed Garfiel readying to punch him once more. The boy was at the limit of his reasoning. Soon his inhibitions would fall away.

"Stay out of this, Ram." They both said.

Garfiel's rage, his unadulterated anger, grew at the way Subaru spoke to Ram. Like he knew her. Like he cared about her. When in reality he was only manipulating and using her for his insane ends.

"My amazin' self can defend Sanctuary." He said to Subaru as he got ready to break his jaw.

Subaru's eyes jumped around, and his feet pressed against the ground. The cultist's body was nearly diagonal to the ground.

"AH!" Garfiel grunted as he brought his fist down on Subaru.

Subaru did not grow scared as the blow sailed toward him. It was of no concern to Garfiel though. He knew Subaru would make no moves against him for fear of alienating the others.

But as blue globes of light burst into existence around Subaru the tiger questioned that assumption.

He looked back into Subaru's eyes, which now glowed with anger, strength, hatred, love, rage, despair, resolve, agony, and most importantly determination. Before he knew it dirt sprayed out as Subaru shoved his feet further into the ground and ducked beneath Garfiel's punch.

The tiger's eyes widened, and he brought his other hand to hit Subaru. However, instead of staying in that ducked position, Subaru launched himself toward Garfiel.

Damned cultist. The off-balance Garfiel tried to lunge back from Subaru, but the man twisted so his shoulder was facing the boy's stomach. Then Subaru rammed the boy and tried to tackle him.

In response to his intent, Garfiel brought his arms close again and grabbed Subaru. His legs easily kept him steady as Subaru kept trying to push, "I can stop you from doin' anythin'."

Garfiel readied to throw Subaru to the ground. But he was interrupted by two words that slipped from Subaru's lips.

"Can you?"

At the tone in those words, Garfiel knew he didn't have a choice to be defensive. He had to get rid of Subaru now. So the Shield of the Sanctuary squeezed his arms which were around Subaru.

But right before Garfiel could do anything another set of words came from Subaru, "El Shamac!"

Without being able to offer any resistance all the sensations in his body disappeared. He wasn't connected to himself anymore. But he wasn't going to go down easy.

He railed against the bonds that kept his mind and body separate. "AHH!" He regained his voice quickly.

Subaru didn't wait until Garfiel could escape. So he lifted Garfiel off the ground and tossed him down. But right before Garfiel dropped from his hand he pushed mana into the demi-human's body and shouted, "Ul Vita!"

The boy slammed against the ground and the wind was immediately knocked out of him. A couple of his rips snapped from the impact.

He struggled in desperation to force air into his lungs, but they were so heavy he couldn't get any air.

The tiger barely had enough time to notice Subaru pulling a knife from his belt and jamming it down toward his neck.

"Barusu!" Ram screamed out and attempted to stop him.

SHIT! Garfiel finally managed to breathe in, then tried to jump up. The weight was too much for him at first but it would not be impossible to move with.

Though Subaru already had a massive head start as the knife nearly touched his throat. When it did touch the weapon fell apart into a mass of purple crystalline dust.

"Huh?" Garfiel didn't know what to make of it, "The h-" He was cut off by a punch to his jaw.

His world spun as Subaru hit him again from the other side. "How hard is it to believe that I don't want to destroy your forest?" He said in between punches.

"That maybe-" Another punch. "I just-" Another, "Want to help!"

Subaru grabbed Garfiel by his vest and lifted him off the ground. The boy didn't fight back as he saw the pure honesty in Subaru's eyes. The anger that had consumed him couldn't hide what he saw anymore.

"Don't try and defend this place on your own." Subaru slammed Garfiel's head into the dirt behind him. "Someone once told me doing everything alone is idiotic."

From the way, Garfiel saw Ram smirk behind Subaru he knew who the man was referring to.

How can I trust him? Garfiel thought, but after this, it wasn't a real question in his mind. No Witch Cultist would do something like this. They wouldn't be this blatant in their attempts at getting rid of Garfiel.

And with each extra hit, Garfiel found himself trusting the boy more and more. His talk was cheap and mattered little. It could all be used for manipulation. But the way Subaru's punches held his emotion and showed how much he wanted to help Sanctuary, those truly convinced Garfiel.

I can trust this guy.

Garfiel snapped his hands around Subaru's wrists. A smile rose on the boy's face, "If there are as many people comin' to Sanctuary as you say, then we should get to work."

Some of the twisting in Subaru's face fell away as he pulled himself back into a kneeling position.

"Finally," Subaru whispered under his breath. He stood up and held his hand out to Garfiel.

The blonde-haired boy hesitated for a moment, but then clasped his hand around Subaru's.

---

Otto held his hand to his chin as he thought upon the plan all of them had just discussed. He wondered if he was confident. It was an odd plan with little time to pull off, and incredible odds against them. The chance of it working was slim at best.

"Alright everyone," Subaru interrupted his worries, "We all know our places, it's time to get to work."

At his orders, members of their little group all started splitting off and leaving the clearing. Garfiel and Ryuzu went off together, Ram went out into the forest alone, and that left him and Subaru standing alone.

"Natsuki-san?" Otto said. Subaru had never mentioned what his role in the plan would be, he'd explained that he would do that when Rem and Emilia were roped into the plan tomorrow.

"C'mon Otto, I need your help for this plan to work. And we can't waste any time standing around." He said with a mostly neutral face. Though there was a hint of fondness in his bearing.

When he heard those words a smile crossed the merchant's face, and all of his hesitation drained away. "Of course, Natsuki-san."

He would help the man with every fiber of his being, and do everything he could to make this plan work.

After all, a friend had just asked for his help.

The two men strode through the forest as they spoke with each other, "So how did you find out about all of this, Natsuki-san?"

"I have my ways. And some past experience," He responded as they scouted out areas for their plan.

His answer was odd, cryptic, but after all, he'd killed Gluttony and the White Whale in the same day, Otto figured his ways produced some pretty accurate knowledge.

"How much of a chance do you think we have?" He asked Subaru.

The man thought about it for a moment before answering, "Depends on the result of the conversation," He was not referencing the one they were having right now, "If we succeed, then pretty good if we plan it right, and if we don't…" He shrugged and ducked under a branch, "Well let's just say we're going to have a pretty tough time."

"Is the second option doable?" He didn't feel any doubt about that second option, but he still asked.

"We can make it doable," Subaru didn't hesitate in his answer.

Otto grinned. The plan was going to work, and there was no point in thinking about what would happen if it didn't. All they could focus on was making it happen.

For the rest of their walk, Subaru explained everything that was about to happen, and how Otto would help him.

After a few minutes, the black-haired boy fell silent and the two men stepped up to a small cabin. Subaru grabbed onto the handle, and whispered, "Time to speak with Ros."

---

As Ram drew closer to her destination she glimpsed the black mass that represented Subaru's ground dragon and the carriage that was next to her. Otto's ground dragon was also waiting there; however, Ram paid it little attention in comparison to Patrasche.

With all that the ground dragon had done for Subaru she deserved at least a little thanks. So Ram strode up to the ground dragon. She didn't step with caution as some might have. This dragon had carried the maid on her back. There was no reason to think that she wouldn't be alright with Ram at least approaching her.

So when Patrasche opened her eyes and saw who it was there was no hostility in the dragon's eyes. Although there was certainly not the same gaze of affection when she looked at Subaru. But there was certainly a cordial glimmer in her lizard pupils.

Ram smiled at the ground dragon and offered her hand to pet Patrasche's scales. The dragon begrudgingly let it happen. But didn't seem particularly fond of the gesture.

"Idiot ground dragon, not recognizing my brilliance and how lovable I am. This works antithetical to your benefit." Ram said, giving a lecture to the lizard.

Patrasche seemed to understand her words and responded with a gaze that was akin to exasperation. But that was just because the dragon didn't recognize her greatness of course.

Even so, Ram stepped away from the dragon with a smile, "Fine. I'll leave you alone now. Though you are quite intelligent in comparison to Barusu and Otto I suppose."

Now she'd given the dragon some attention. After all, Subaru wasn't going to be giving her any of that any time soon. For now, all of Subaru's attention belonged to the plan to liberate Sanctuary.

And even after that Patrasche would get little attention. As it would be time for Ram to claim the affection that rightly belonged to her. A little might be left over for Patrasche though.

The thought of Subaru focusing entirely on her sent an anticipatory chill down her spine, but she couldn't let herself fall into that fantasy of the future. First, she had to help him overcome the dangers ahead.

To do so, she pulled open the back of Otto's carriage, and where inside he'd stashed some extra items.

She pulled out a small chest and cracked it open with the key the merchant had given her. Held within were some money and a few other bags. Her eyes scanned through the container until they landed on a small bag.

When she pulled it from the chest it jingled slightly, but not very much. There were only seven items inside that could help in the upcoming plan.

The merchant was incredibly smart for having brought items like these, and it showed great foresight. Of course, she'd never be caught dead telling him that, but that was another matter.

"Thank you, Otto," She whispered while stashing the bag in one of her skirt's concealed pockets.

Once that was done she got out of the carriage and continued to the next step of her role. She had been tasked with helping Subaru to get the villagers to stay in the church on the day of the Sanctuary's attack.

It was an easy job that she accomplished in only a few moments after entering the church. She didn't have to speak much, as the villagers already trusted her and Subaru after what happened with the kids back in the forest a couple of months ago.

When she was done with that she moved on to making sure Rem was alright. Subaru had been assured she could do something to help. Almost as if he'd seen her succeed before. But that was impossible.

It was far more likely that he just trusted her. Which she took comfort in.

So as she followed her Synesthesia she was sure of herself. And once more was filled with gratitude toward Subaru. After this was all over and they'd stopped what was threatening Sanctuary she would have to show her gratitude to him in some way. She would also have to bring the unfounded ego that he would no doubt gain back down. But that was a given.

"Hah, when that idiot does pull this off he really will have an ego," She said and caught sight of a cabin at the edge of her vision.

Don't worry Rem, I'll support you. No matter what.

She pushed warmth through her Synesthesia and continued toward her sister.

---

Garfiel Tinzel stepped carefully through the forest. He had to keep his manners while Ryuzu was right next to him.

"Hey granny, y'know I'm not lettin' you or the others be a part of this," He said to the small old woman walking alongside him.

"Is that an order, young Gar?" She asked with her lips tilted upward.

"With what's comin', yeah."

"Ah…" She hadn't expected him to do that. But it made sense considering what had happened to him recently. His pride was still a bit wounded after he'd gotten beaten up by Subaru.

Though it wasn't because of any malice toward Subaru, which had disappeared after their short fight. He was just young. Her smile widened at the fact that there seemed to be a little more maturity in him than there had been before.

He didn't barge through the forest acting out some fantasy or another from all the books he read. Instead, he stepped quietly. He was fully embracing his role as Shield of the Sanctuary. However, he'd also rejected it in some capacity. Now he was working with Subaru to defend the forest.

It's a good thing he's trusting young Su. She smiled. She had an odd feeling toward that boy. He seemed like someone who would enjoy a good cup of tea.

But still, it was interesting the way Garfiel had been looking at Subaru. There had been admiration there.

"I would advise a spot closer to the others that would be less dangerous, young Gar," She said as Garfiel led her into a clearing.

"Has t'be far away from Sanctuary," He responded and searched around the little clearing, "This is a good enough spot."

Ryuzu Arma smiled at his enthusiasm, "You know fighting far better than I, so I will trust your word on it."

"Thanks, granny," He said as he did another scan of the clearing with his bright green eyes, "Les' go get all the villagers ready."

She nodded to him, and the two set off for the next part of their work for tonight.

---

Subaru walked into Roswaal's cabin followed by Otto. Neither himself nor the merchant possessed any hesitation as they strode toward Roswaal's room.

The men didn't speak to each other as they reached the door. This is going to be difficult to pull off. Subaru thought to himself as he placed his hand on the door handle. But not impossible. He would not let those he loved suffer anymore, so as he opened the door he moved with strength, and spoke with confidence.

"Ros," He called to the man and walked into the room alongside Otto.

When the gray-haired man stepped in behind him Roswaal's eyes snapped wide. There was recognition in his heterochromatic eyes, but there was still surprise there.

Once they got into the room Roswaal pushed a wide smile onto his face. Subaru easily recognized it as fake.

It reminded him of all those times spent staring into a mirror. Coldwater on his hands. Pain crossed his expression again and again as he struggled to get his smile right. That look of dejection painted on his face as he stared into the mirror. The bags under his eyes.

He saw similar things in Roswaal and felt an odd sort of kinship with the man, but there was no time to focus on that now.

"So Roswaal, what would I have to offer for you to help me destroy what is coming to Sanctuary?" Subaru laced his words with age and tenacity.

A touch of hope entered Roswaal's eyes, "Straaaaight to the point are weeee?" Roswaal shook his head, "It is good manners to introduuuuce me to this man."

"Uh, hi," The merchant said, "I'm Otto, Natsuki-san's-"

"Friend. Now it is also impolite to try and throw off the man talking to you," Subaru chided the clown.

Roswaal squeezed the sheets in his hands.

"What do you neeeeed me to help you with?" The Margrave asked.

Subaru tilted his head, "Ah, youth, so impatient. Can't we both just discuss a mutual partnership?"

"Ah, we caaaan. But first, teeeell me why you've brought youuuur new friend."

At his words, Otto stepped forward and spoke, "I'm here because Natsuki-san asked me to be, and to negotiate this partnership."

"Hm. Weeeell then, let's discuuuuss."

---

Roswaal scanned Subaru and Otto.

Why didn't he bring Ram?

Had Subaru lost it? Then he examined Otto and Subaru once more.

He hasn't lost that. Then what has changed? He didn't know what was different about Subaru, but this was not his first loop.

He knew that dangers faced Sanctuary. And he understood they were something he could not defeat without Roswaal himself.

But where did that leave Subaru? This couldn't be the loop predicted in the gospel. But did he know about everything that threatened the Forest of Kremaldy?

For now, this could become a loop where he disobeyed the gospel. He would just have to wait and see what Otto and Subaru levied against him. And he needed to try and get access to how much information Subaru had.

The only problem with getting that was Subaru again. His ability to loop would mean that if he'd tried to enlist Roswaal's help in any of the previous loops then he would know the clown would only help him under the perfect circumstances.

This will be difficult. But if he refuses to tell me how much he knows then I will have to find out. Though… Hesitantly, the man hoped.

He hoped that instead of following the gospel's writ in Sanctuary he would be able to rely on Subaru's looping. Not an ideal choice, but after what the gospel had ordered him to do…

He would try and find any way to reach his teacher without listening to the gospel. At least until the Sanctuary was liberated.

"Soooo, what are you offering?" Roswaal's thinking would get him nowhere. He needed more information.

"We will stop anything that threatens Sanctuary, and either Natsuki-san or Emilia will take the trials of Sanctuary," Otto said in response.

"Only stoooop?" Roswaal questioned.

"We will kill what needs to be killed, and what doesn't, we won't," Subaru answered.

Keeping the wording vague to not give anything away. Roswaal thought. It was a clever strategy and left him with little to go on.

Hope continued to grow in his heart. This could be it. This could be the loop. Or, it could be so far from it. If Subaru's end wasn't perfect then there was no way for someone as weak, puny, and pathetic as Roswaal to fix anything. He needed his gospel or Subaru telling the future.

"I haaaaaave one condition," Roswaal raised his index finger, "But befoooore I speak on that, Otto-san, leaaaave."

Subaru gazed at Roswaal, and realized what he wanted to speak about, "It would be a good idea to listen, can you wait for me for a few minutes, Otto?"

The merchant's eyes jumped back and forth between Subaru and Roswaal. His head was tilted to the side with subtle confusion and he eventually listened to both of them, "Alright, Natsuki-san," The man stepped out of the room with his eyes on the ground.

"Don't mess around too much out there," Subaru said to him, "I still need you for this plan to have any hope of working."

Otto met Subaru's eyes and the corners of the merchant's mouth tilted upward, "Of course I won't do anything."

The two men nodded to each other and the merchant stepped from the room.

Once the door had shut behind him Roswaal finally spoke, "My condition is that youuuu will use your ability to reset if anyone dies. That you will reach for the perfeeect future."

"I plan on it," Subaru responded without pause.

"Goooood, now what is reaaaaaaally threatening Sanctuary?" This was the real determining factor. This question was the difference between a failed loop or a golden opportunity.

Subaru tilted his face and kept his expression neutral. He had expected the question. The black-haired boy inhaled and said, "You are Roswaal. If you don't help then this whole plan falls apart, but if you do then Sanctuary will be defended, and none of the people in it will have to suffer."

Roswaal's fists clenched against his blankets. A bit of his hope faded, but it didn't disappear. Subaru's eyes were so knowing that he had trouble thinking this wasn't one of his later loops.

Is this the opportunity I've been looking for? He ran through all the available information and came to a conclusion.

If it isn't then Subaru will just reset. But for now, it's a better plan for Sanctuary than what teacher's gospel offers.

"Weeell, I accept."

Subaru's eyes widened, then a bit of relief flooded into his body. "Alright, I'll come to get you as the sun sets on tomorrow." He walked toward the door without waiting to continue speaking to Roswaal. But that wasn't unexpected for the clown. With all that was threatening Sanctuary it was likely he had a lot of work to do.

"See you then, Subaru-kuuuuuun." Roswaal shoved down his doubts on whether he'd made the correct decision.

Subaru didn't give a response to Roswaal as he shut the door behind him.

"Ha." A sigh came from Roswaal as he dropped the smile from his face.

His doubts crept up on him and he pushed them out of his mind, "Too weak to even be sure of a decision when my new ally can reset the world whenever he pleases."

As he sat and began to wait for tomorrow's sunset, Roswaal wondered why he'd ever thought himself strong.

---

For the rest of the night, Subaru worked alongside Otto to make sure that they could use the forest to their advantage.

However the work was tedious so by the time the sun rose they were both incredibly tired, though far more confident in their chances. Though it wouldn't have mattered whether they got that slight boost in confidence or not. Both of them would have been willing to go through with the plan anyway.

"Haaa…" Otto yawned and tried to keep his eyes open.

Subaru turned to the man and said, "You can go to sleep if you want."

"No I'm fine for a little bit longer," He responded.

Subaru tilted his head. The merchant didn't seem like he'd be fine, but maybe Subaru himself was too tired to see that.

We should probably both sleep at least once over the next day. The black-haired boy decided as he pushed his hands through a small hole the two had dug in the ground.

"Yep, that should hold," He whispered and summoned a few spirits to hover around his arms, "Minya."

A wave of purple light shot into the ground. Subaru held his hands there and continued to draw mana through the spirits.

Once he was done he stepped back and wiped the sweat off his face. There was no indication that he'd just done any hard work on his neutral face, but it was still an arduous task.

"That one's good. We'll have to thank Garfiel later," He said to the merchant at his side.

If he had been seeking a response he was disappointed as a snore came from Otto's throat. Though he squished that disappointment within a moment. The gray-haired man at his side didn't have to suffer sleep deprivation to make this plan possible.

Only I should have to suffer. Subaru told himself as he slung Otto over his shoulder.

Subaru hiked to the church with shaky feet. By the time he arrived, there was a slight ache running through his body, but it was simple to ignore. After being eaten by the Great Rabbit a couple thousand times a little ache didn't affect him too much.

On silent feet, he set Otto down onto his bedroll. "Ha," A short breath escaped his throat as he finally stood up and was relieved of Otto's weight.

He ignored how much that breath quivered.

Without looking back at Otto he walked out into the forest, which was growing brighter by the second as the sun peeked over the horizon more and more. Subaru was indifferent to the bright light that struck his eyes and held them open as his pupils desperately tried to get used to all the sudden luminescence.

It didn't take him long to arrive at Emilia's cabin. Once he was there he stepped up to the door, grabbed the handle, and opened it as not a touch of hesitation entered him. A couple of spirits rushed out from him and under the next door to check who was inside Emilia's room.

He was met with the sight of Rem and Ram sitting next to each other while Emilia slept. Soon Subaru pulled open the door and let the sight fill his vision as he pushed his body into Emilia's room.

The oni twins turned to him as soon as the hinges of the door creaked a little. Both had small bags under their eyes. Neither's sleep deprivation was nearly as bad as Otto's as they had probably gotten some, even if the small, amount of sleep last night.

"Barusu."

"Subaru-kun," The two maids greeted him. Rem had a smile on her face and Ram had her normal scowl. He could tell that it was fake.

"What are you looking at?" Ram noticed that his eyes had remained on her, "You're disgusting."

His lips tilted up a tiny bit as he held his brown eyes on Ram's vibrant red eyes. The pink-haired maid's scowl melted into a smile as Subaru continued to look into Ram's eyes.

There was not a smile on his face, but his expression was better. In addition, the bags under his eyes had faded. Even if they remained, he didn't seem as tired as he had before.

He was interrupted from continuing to gaze into Ram's eyes by a soft giggle to his left. When he looked over Rem had a wide smile on her face.

"Ha. Thank you for saving me from the violating gaze of this trash, dearest Rem," Ram made her gratitude known. Though it didn't sound like Ram was gracious. There was a hint of disappointment as she realized Subaru's intent eyes had shifted away from her, if even for only the moment.

"Anyway, how is Emilia doing?" Subaru's vision shifted to the sleeping girl.

Emilia's silver hair was uncombed and gave off an unkempt air, and her eyes were scrunched up. It appeared like she was having a continual nightmare. He went to take hold of her hand but realized there was nothing he could do.

Rem had likely already tried to soothe the haunted expression on Emilia's face. And after what happened right before his save point… well he doubted he would be able to provide support for Emilia. At least until she woke up and he apologized or rectified his mistake.

Is there a way for her to pass the trials before this whole thing starts? It was a question that had been on his mind since after he'd beaten up Garfiel.

"Emilia-sama is doing as good as she can right now," Rem whispered to him.

Subaru knew she hadn't intended it, but he still felt a touch of self-blame for this situation. He pushed past that doubt. Not because he believed he shouldn't blame himself, but just because he couldn't be worrying about it right now. If he let himself be paralyzed by doubt then…

Images danced through his mind.

Elsa's blade stabbed through Ram's throat.

Theresia's sword shoved through Otto and Ram's necks.

Emilia's silver hair stuck on Theresia's sword.

A spray of blood as Rem's head thudded against the ground.

Garfiel's struggles as he drowned in his blood.

Armed with those images he was able to get rid of his self-blame. At least for the moment.

"How long until she wakes up?" Subaru asked the two maids.

"Ha. Idiot Barusu can't even look at Emilia-sama and see for himself."

"She's stirring, so a few minutes maybe," Subaru turned his head to Rem and listened to her answer.

He didn't focus on the tilting of Ram's head as she realized he'd just ignored her insult.

"A few minutes? Huh." He had been wondering if he should go to work on developing all the things needed for the plan to work, but now he knew it would be more efficient to wait for Emilia to wake up.

So wait was what he did. He breathed out and let the minutes tick by unnoticed to him.

---

Rem and Ram studied him with confusion. Though it was not his odd ability to stand as still as a statue for minutes that made them scratch their heads. Something like that was normal with Subaru.

What they were left bewildered by was his ignoring of Ram's insult. He used to do that all the time but ever since the defeat of Ley he'd responded to Ram's insult most of the time. And even before that, he'd always acknowledged them in some way or another.

But here he'd let the insult hang and focused on something exterior.

What happened last night Barusu? Ram had seen how after he'd run up to where Emilia was stepping out of the trial he'd frozen. Then he turned around and looked at her with a completely different look from before. It was an odd gaze which he'd cast toward her. One full of determination and relentlessness.

It was similar to how his eyes had been in the month after they'd saved the children from the forest. The pink-haired maid didn't know what to make of it. He still seemed the same, just maybe a little more desperate. Which made sense considering what he'd told her about the attack on the Sanctuary.

Upon hearing what was coming she'd almost believed the situation insurmountable. Of course, she'd abandoned that doubt quickly as it would have done nothing to help the situation. But that didn't mean Subaru had been able to drop it.

Maybe it was just he doesn't think he has the time to slow down and relax. Ram was a little unsure as she tried to figure out a reasonable answer. The only problem was she had little idea as to how the inside of Subaru's mind worked.

She knew he wanted to protect everyone around him. And that he was willing to sacrifice himself and his happiness to any amount as long as it served that end. She also understood how he acted. But not once had she ever known why, or how he'd become this way.

A small grimace crossed the maid's face. Out of all the things she wanted to know and discover, more about Subaru was at the top of her list. But even still if she didn't fully understand why he did the things he did, she knew that at heart, he was still a good person.

Her grimace turned back into a smile, and she grabbed Subaru's hand.

Then she yanked on his hand, stood up from her chair, and pushed Subaru into her place. Once he was firmly in the chair she sat down atop his lap. "Ah, there we go," She whispered.

"Huh?" Subaru refocused on the current moment and stared up at Ram. Who was looking back down at him? "What the hell?"

"Ha. Stupid Barusu. I figured, in my infinite brilliance, that if you didn't have any intelligence to speak of at least you would make a comfortable cushion." Ram lectured him as she rested her head against his chest and let the smile on her face widen.

"Whatever helps you sleep at night, Ram," Subaru said. Warmth entered Ram's smile as he finally responded to one of her insults.

Ram shook her head on Subaru's chest, "You really don't understand a thing, Barusu."

"Oh, and what don't I understand?"

"According to the words that just came out of your mouth, everything."

Another small giggle came from Rem as she watched the conversation unfold, "Come on Rem, assist your sister in helping teach Barusu about how much he doesn't understand."

"Well first you're going to have to explain to me what it is I don't understand." Subaru butted in.

"I thought sister already explained that it was everything which you misunderstood," Rem said.

"See Barusu. Rem just showed you how truly little you are able to understand the world with your minuscule intelligence levels."

"You make it seem like I'm less intelligent than a dog."

"Ha. Saying you are less intelligent than a dog would be an insult to me and Rem. Actually everyone."

"Oh, what do you mean, Ram?" Subaru tilted his head.

"I mean that would be insinuating we all decided to hang around a rat. A dog fits you better, as those are at least cute," Ram looked up at him with a smug smile.

However, her expression was wiped away when smugness of his own appeared in Subaru's eyes. "So you're saying a dog fits me better because a dog is cute?"

Fuck. Ram had let her insults slip for a second, and her true feelings had shone through.

"Sister is of course only saying you would make a cute-looking dog. But since all dogs are cute, that in itself would be nothing special. And you would just be a dog," Rem explained to him, and bailed her sister out of danger.

"Wow. Both of you are against me, aren't you?" Subaru played up a bit of mock sadness.

"Don't worry Subaru-kun I think you would make a very good dog," Rem scrambled to try and compliment him.

Ram's smile turned into a grin, and Subaru's lips tilted up a tiny bit once they saw the look on the blue-haired maid's face.

Rem gazed around at them with a frantic and confused look. Then as she understood what had happened she started to laugh.

"Huh, what're you all talking about?" Emilia interrupted as a yawn came from her throat and her purple irises looked around at them all.

"Nothing Emilia," Subaru said, "Just Ram being bad at insulting people." His lips drew back into a perfect line and his serious expression returned.

"Okay, Subaru," Emilia whispered while she looked at him with distrustful eyes.

"Alright, Ram and I are going to go. We have some things we need to attend to. And once you two," He switched to speaking to Rem and Emilia, "Are done getting ready for the morning can you come outside. I'll leave a spirit for you both to follow. Some stuff's going to happen to Sanctuary, and I need your help."

"I understand, Subaru-kun." Rem said.

Emilia didn't say anything as she had zoned out and seemed to be looking at things that weren't there.

What did you see in that trial, Emilia-sama? Ram asked herself as she and Subaru stood up and stepped out from the cabin.

As the two closed the door and entered the sunlight Subaru raised his index finger and hand and summoned a spirit at the tip of his digit. Once the small ball of blue light was fully manifested he lowered his hand and kept walking.

"So where are we going now, Barusu?" Ram asked as she followed him.

After a moment Subaru looked over at her and said, "We need to talk to Ryuzu Shima."

---

Ryuzu Shima's pale hand rubbed along the bark of a tree as she snuck through the forest. She had noticed the changed air in the Sanctuary, and the fact that Garfiel had not come to speak to her last night.

Suspicion was burning in her chest as she peeked out of the tree line for a moment, then continued to make her way toward Garfiel's cabin. It was a gamble on whether the boy would even be there, but at least she could make herself some tea.

Though that would only be a small comfort against a Sanctuary that was changing as it was. Rapid change like this, at least without her and Garfiel's knowledge, was dangerous. So she had to keep an eye on it and get in touch with her grandson immediately.

She raced through the forest, barely holding to a pace that could be considered walking. A little crunch of grass rang out behind her, and she snapped her head around to look at it. Her eyes jumped around the rough path she'd made.

The clone didn't berate herself for her overly suspicious behavior as she continued to see if anyone was behind her. It was only natural in a scenario like this. With the other clones all missing this was no time to be careless.

Eventually, she decided that there was nobody behind her, then she continued walking.

"Mmh," A short grunt came from her as she bashed into something. Her right foot fell back and she stepped away from whatever was there.

She lifted her eyelids, which had closed when she bashed into whatever it was and gazed upon what lay before her.

But her ears picked up that information faster than her eyes, "Sup Shima, we want to talk." Her vision jumped to the two people before her.

Directly in front of her, and the one who'd spoken was a black-haired boy clothed in a suit befitting of a noble. On his right was a pink-haired maid.

Shima held herself from trying to find a way out of the situation. She didn't think they were going to hurt her.

Until her nose finally caught up to the situation.

An overpowering scent slammed into her. Fear and suspicion chilled her heart as the scent of the Witch poured from the man. It filled her nose and barely allowed any thought that didn't condemn him.

"I'll give you a sec to get used to that," Subaru said as he sat down on a smooth rock that was sticking out of the ground.

Evil. Evil. Evil. The massive amount of the scent brought out her base reactions. It took her incredible effort before she could bring her rational mind back out. Heavy breaths fell from her mouth as she took another couple of steps back.

"Hm, guess a hundred million and then another two years'll do that," The man mused about things she couldn't understand. And it seemed the maid at his side didn't understand either as her head had tilted to the side at his words.

The three remained in silence for a moment before Subaru broke the awkwardness, "Shima. I'm sure you've noticed the changes that have occurred in Sanctuary recently. Like the Ryuzu clones all being gone. And all the people being on edge."

"Yes, I have noticed that…" She tried to remember what Roswaal had told Garfiel about those who would be arriving, "Young Su." Shima was easily able to place his name once she remembered Roswaal had described him as having black hair.

"I'm going to explain what's going on," Subaru said. He didn't leave any room for her to protest against him.

"Go ahead," She offered her approval anyway, in an attempt to gain control of the conversation again.

"An Archbishop and her minions are on the way to the Sanctuary, and I've enlisted everyone's help in stopping her."

Distrust burned in Shima's heart at the man's words. How did he know about a Sin Archbishop attacking? With the Witch's scent so thick around him she could only come to one conclusion.

"You-"

"I'm sure you've noticed that Ram doesn't have any of the Witch's scent on her, Garfiel no doubt speaks highly of her, and you also likely know she has never planned or wanted, the destruction of Sanctuary," He interrupted and explained to her.

"Yes, I am aware of all those things," She was tempted to take another step back at his words, but what he said was true. Even if it sounded manipulative. Shima didn't know which was the correct course of action, so she decided to just sit down on a small almost flat stone. One which was very similar to Subaru's.

"Well then, Shima-san, do you trust my word when I tell you that Barusu here," Ram gestured to Subaru, "Has killed the White Whale and the Sin Archbishop of Gluttony."

Shima stared at the maid and felt yet more distrust. A man with that much of the Witch's scent doing things like that, actually anyone doing deeds like that was incredibly difficult to believe.

"If that is the case then why does the Witch show you such favor with her scent?" Shima asked.

"No idea. All I do know is that I want the Witch's Cult dead," Hatred sparked in his brown eyes, "The Sin Archbishop of Lust in particular."

His fists tightened and the man's body seemed to grow almost cold. The man was full of rage. But it wasn't the explosive rage that burst out. This was the cold rage that pushed people to do anything they needed to do.

Shima could tell that rage wasn't directed at her or Sanctuary, for if it was, then this man would have killed her before this conversation had even begun.

Her suspicion drained away when she truly thought of what that hatred meant. This man wasn't going to burn Sanctuary. He was too focused on killing this Sin Archbishop now that he heard they were coming to the forest.

"Can you promise to me that you have no ill intent toward Sanctuary?" Shima asked.

"I promise." A couple of small spirits floated up around Subaru.

A spiritualist? She knew how important promises were to them, though his convenient demonstration of the ability did set off her suspicion a little.

"Hm, I'll have to speak with Garfiel about you," Shima whispered.

"That's fine with me," Subaru said, then looked over to Ram, "Anything else you want to say?"

Ram shook her head, then Subaru stood up and the two started to walk away. But before they got very far Subaru turned to her and called out, "If you have any more doubts just talk to me or Garfiel."

Shima didn't respond, instead, she focused on him and Ram walking away. She took note of his words though and offered a bit of gratitude for them in her heart.

Once the two were gone she reached into herself, and realized that her Od was beginning to run dry for the day, "I'll have to find young Gar quickly then," She said as she stood up, dusted herself off, and walked in the opposite direction of Subaru and Ram.

---

Subaru led Ram into a clearing and grasped onto the spirit he'd left in front of Rem and Emilia's cabin. He easily figured out that the spirit was on the move leading the two girls to him and Ram.

"Let's wait here, Rem and Emilia are on their way," Subaru stopped walking and stood in place.

Ram nodded at his words and leaned against a tree. She crossed her arms and shut her eyes in an attempt to get what little sleep she could sneak in. Subaru rested his hand on her head to help soothe her into sleep. Thanks to his hand the maid fell into sleep with ease.

Once her breathing evened out and he could tell she was asleep he stepped back a few steps. He didn't want to continue bothering her now that she was asleep. Looking at the girl's light sleep he was reminded of his tiredness, though he didn't let himself fall into sleep. That was something only reserved for tonight.

He had so much work to do to keep Sanctuary safe that he couldn't let himself waste any time. So as Rem and Emilia slowly approached his and Ram's location he watched over the pink-haired girl with an ever-vigilant expression.

Eventually though, Rem and Emilia found their way to the clearing that he and Ram were waiting in. At the loud sound of plants and branches being pushed to the side, Subaru looked back to them and raised his finger to his lips.

"I'll tell you what I planned to in a moment," He whispered, "But for now let's let Ram sleep."

"Of course, Subaru-kun, sister deserves her rest," Rem said instinctively bowing a little. When he gave her a reassuring look she stopped herself from bowing any lower.

"Yeah Ram-san works hard," Emilia agreed with the two's sentiment that Ram should be allowed to sleep.

So that's what they allowed, and for the next few minutes, Ram slept in peaceful silence. Though eventually, Subaru had to decide it was time to wake Ram up. Which he did by stepping over to her and placing his hand on her shoulder, "Alright Ram, time to wake up."

"Huh, what do you want, lazy Barusu?" She woke and greeted him with a grumpy voice. It still held that same warmth as normal, but she wasn't the happiest about being woken up so soon.

"We still have to defend the Sanctuary," He said, cutting through any joking nature the conversation might have possessed. It would have been nice to argue with Ram a little, but they didn't have the time.

With the addition of Theresia and Kurgan, the situation had become all the direr. Although with Roswaal now aiding them the situation may be easily solvable.

That just means I'll have to keep Ros from getting access to any information. Subaru knew that there may be more about the situation he didn't know, which was why if this loop was to be successful he would have to keep Roswaal on his side.

Back outside of his mind, Ram noticed the serious nature of his voice and pushed aside her insults.

"Are you going to explain the plan, Barusu?"

"Mhm," Subaru turned back to Emilia and Rem, "Alright I asked you both here because we need your help to defend Sanctuary."

"Defend it from what, Subaaaru?" Emilia asked. There was a determined nature to her eyes, no doubt thanks to Rem. Unfortunately, there was still bitterness toward him. But at this moment he couldn't focus on that.

In response to her question, Subaru explained all the things that were threatening the Sanctuary. And about the tiny amount of time which they had to find a way to defend the place.

The only problem with his explanation was that Rem's anger flared up during it, but Ram was able to calm down her little sister. Subaru felt proud and maybe even a bit happy at how far the girl had come. Just like in the last loop when a similar event had happened Subaru's lips tilted upward a tiny bit.

"That sounds difficult, Subaru-kun." Rem said once her anger had calmed down and she analyzed the situation.

"The enemies aren't the worst part. The worst is-" He was about to say Roswaal, but decided against that. They didn't have to worry about that aspect of the plan, "Nevermind."

He gazed upon the expression on Rem and Emilia's face. Both held a doubting gaze that they would be able to overcome the challenges ahead in so little time with so little strength aside from Garfiel.

"I know what you both are wondering," They both looked up at him, "And yes, we can do this. We can overcome all the challenges ahead. All that I need is both of your help. So what do you say, are you willing to take on some Witch Cultists with me?"

Both of the girls nodded as Subaru's determination spread to them.

"Alright. Now," Subaru leaned over to them, "Here's how we're going to defend Sanctuary."

Subaru and Ram spent the next few minutes explaining the plan to them. The result was a determined Rem and a slightly distraught Emilia.

"Rem you and Ram go get to work, and Emilia I'll go with you," Subaru split them off into two separate groups, then they went their separate ways.

Subaru and Emilia walked in silence as the black-haired boy led the way. There was an awkward feeling in the air, which he decided to break after a few moments.

"Emilia, I can see that look on your face," He began, and set her eyes wide immediately, "I'm not as dense as I was when you first met me."

"It's just-" She started to say something, but was interrupted before she could get anywhere.

"I'm sorry for what happened yesterday," Subaru apologized. Emilia's lips tilted up a tiny bit as she heard the honesty in his voice.

Emilia shook her head, "It's fine Subaaaru."

Subaru shook his head in response, "I doubt it, but I can still see that the fact you facing and clearing the trials isn't in the plan is bothering you."

"I know it's selfish of me," She said.

Again Subaru dismissed her worries, "It isn't selfish, it's just that the trials can take time to pass successfully. Time we don't have right now."

Emilia lowered her head at his words and nodded.

Before her head could fall too low Subaru spoke, "But when we're done with Capella that would still leave the villagers stuck in the Sanctuary, they'll need someone to free them. And today I'll be honest Emilia. I believe that you can do it, after all, you have Rem supporting you."

As he said those words he was reminded of how much he'd been able to accomplish thanks to Rem's help.

"Let us start here. From square one. No, from zero."

"When this is all over you will be able to pass those trials. But in the meantime, we have work to do."

"Thank you, Subaru," Emilia said, and he turned around to joy in her expression. A little bit of joy entered his heart.

---

Thanks to those words the two walked through the forest, and for the first time since the events before Subaru's save point, if someone looked at the two, they would have the feeling they were good friends.

As the sun dipped low on the horizon Subaru rubbed at his eyes and tried to hold the tiredness away. The action was difficult as he hadn't slept in around two days by this point. And the dimming luminance of the sun didn't help in trying to remain awake.

"Haaa…" A short yawn escaped his throat as he leaned up against a tree.

"Lazy Barusu. Can't even stay awake for longer than two days," Ram insulted from behind him, but her voice was filled with concern.

Subaru met her eyes, "This coming from the person who snuck about five naps today."

Ram crossed her arms and threw her hair to the side, "You obviously don't understand that I did much more work than you did. And because of that I can't be expected to stay awake just as long as someone like you, with all your barusuness." The maid's words were blatant lies, but Subaru still felt there was a little truth in them.

"I should have worked a little bit harder," Subaru leaned further into the tree.

"Ha and you really are stupid," She said, "C'mon I can't watch you try and stay awake anymore, it's pathetic. Just embrace your laziness this once… Only so that I don't have to deal with it anymore."

The maid tried to cover up her concern as she grabbed Subaru's hand and led him to the cabin she had been planning on bringing him to last night.

The black-haired boy didn't complain as the sunlight faded, and was replaced by the pale gaze of the moon. While the two continued to walk, Subaru's tired eyes slid along the sky.

So many stars glimmered in that sky. They all looked down at him. I guess I can't go without sleep like you guys. His tired mind lacked rationality as he commented on the shining stars.

"Alright, slothful Barusu, time to sleep," Ram's concern was harsh as she dragged him into the cabin. He didn't protest as she pulled him into the bed.

A short yawn escaped his throat as he pulled the covers over himself and Ram did the same next to him. "Goodnight, Barusu," She whispered and planted a kiss on his lips.

"Goodnight, Ram," He said as her eyes slipped closed.

Subaru watched her for a moment as she fell into sleep. She'd been awake nearly as long as he had. But even while he lay there, next to Ram, who'd worked nearly as much as he had today, but was still taking the time to sleep, he couldn't quite believe that he had to relax.

He wanted to keep going to do more to stop Capella. So for nearly fifteen minutes, he laid awake, staring at the ceiling above him.

I need to kill Capella, but what if the way to achieve that is to sleep now, so I'm ready for later? The question hung in his mind as another minute ticked by.

"Haa," A sigh escaped his throat, and his eyes flicked back over to Ram.

I should sleep.

Subaru let his mind relax, and embraced his exhaustion.

---

The scent of green grass was carried to him by a soft touch of wind.

A memory of a tea's flavor surfaced in his mind.

A soft clang resounded as a cup of tea was set down into a saucer.

Pale skin with purple veins running through it met him.

Fluffy violet eyelashes.

Her eyelids lifted and deep black voids, there wasn't a hint of white in them, locked onto him.

They bored into him.

A smile stretched across the woman's face.

"I've seen your dreams. But what will happen if you can't dream?"

---

"Agh…" Subaru shot up in the bed. He tried to force air into his lungs as a cold sweat covered him.

"What the fuck?"

He kept trying to breathe but the task was difficult. More so than it should have been.

When he finally got enough air into his lungs he stared out the room's window. Nothing about the night had changed. He doubted he'd been asleep longer than a few minutes.

He searched around, a touch of desperation in his eyes. What had woken him up? It was a question Subaru didn't have the answer to. But there was a touch of fear in his eyes. A few globes of blue light manifested around him.

Was it Capella? He didn't care that the theory made little sense. It was better to be cautious when dealing with her, so he kept himself awake for a couple of minutes.

Though once nothing happened, and his spirits found nothing in or around the cabin to indicate her presence, he laid back down.

It may not have been Capella. But I will kill her, and I can do that better if I've slept. He reasoned to himself once more.

With that in mind, he shut his eyes.

But this time when he did so he didn't fall asleep. He only heard voices ring out in his mind.

"I'm sorry Natsuki-san. This is farewell."

"That's if you still have any expectations from me, I, who was not even able to acquire Felt-sama's trust."

"Or peeeerhaps, could it be that maybe your aching wounds give you some comfoooort right now?"

"Don't touch me so casually. 'don't need t' stand by yer fuckin' hand y'know."

"I have plans to go shopping this afternoon, I hope it'll stay sunnyyyyyy."

"Huuh would that be better? If Subaru says so, I will do so."

"Betty is tired. I've already given up, I suppose. I went against mother's instructions… I broke the contract… and despite that I'm still alive… why?"

"Thank you very much for taking the trouble to visit my lonely sister, Natsuki Subaru-sama."

All of their voices slammed into Subaru at once. He held his eyes closed and tried to ignore them, but each memory continued to repeat.

None of the voices stopped until he opened his eyes. Heavy breaths fell from his throat and tears rushed into his eyes at the distance in all of their voices. His eyes fell to his left on Ram.

There had been loathing in some of their tones.

I really did make the wrong decision when I took her hand. Wet streaks fell down his cheeks as he looked at his hand, and remembered the feeling of Echidna's grip within it.

After a few minutes, he returned to the tiredness pawing at him. He was hesitant to shut his eyes, and for good reason, because when he did so he heard all of the Emilia camp's voices.

Each one was filled with distance, loathing, and despair.

His breath trembled as he tried to hold his eyes closed against the voices. Unfortunately his eyes opened once more, as he ran from their pain.

For the rest of the night, he was only granted a reprieve from their voices as long as he kept his eyes open. Every blink was torture as he spent nearly eight hours staring at the ceiling.

By the time the sun rose upon the Sanctuary of Kremaldy massive bags had grown under Subaru's eyes. And his body ached from sleep deprivation. He pushed himself up and rubbed his face.

A moment later, Ram stirred and woke in his periphery as sunlight streamed into the cabin. She looked up with eyes full of laziness. Subaru turned his eyes to her sluggishly, then gazed down at her.

"Barusu?" Ram asked with a newly woken voice, "Why aren't you asleep."

He continued to look at her for a moment, before letting his head fall into his hands.

"Memories."

His eyes watered and he was forced to blink. However thankfully when he did so no voices screamed at him.

Once he opened his eyes again Ram grabbed onto his shoulder and forced him back down onto the bed.

"Sleep. Idiot Barusu, it may be demanding too much of someone with as little talent as you, but I will not let you go up against a Sin Archbishop without having slept in three days." Concern glimmered in her voice.

"No I need to get everything in order for the-" He was stopped by Ram's finger on his lips. There was a hint of anger in her eyes.

"You really are an idiot sometimes," Her insult held a bite, "Now sleep, I can handle your role. Trust me, Barusu."

Subaru closed his eyes to think about it and nearly fell asleep. When he snapped them open he fully realized how correct Ram was, though there was something she would be unable to handle.

"One thing though, wake me up at least an hour before sunset. And don't talk to Ros without me," Subaru said with a firm voice.

"Barusu why-"

"Trust me, Ram." He used her own words against her.

"Fine. Idiot Barusu," Any of the teeth her insult had held a moment ago was gone, "Now sleep."

He nodded, and let his eyes shut.

Without any chance to resist, sleep captured him.

---

"Barusu!" Subaru opened his eyes to Ram shaking him awake. "Get up," Ram said as she lifted him out of the bed.

Though he didn't notice her attempts to lift him as he was too busy bringing himself back from the empty dream he'd had. It seemed even he'd been too tired to have any nightmares.

He let out a small breath and bit the inside of his cheek to make sure he wasn't dreaming.

"Lazy, and heavy, Barusu," Ram complained as she dragged him from the bed and dropped him onto the floor.

Right before he could hit the floor he put out his arm and flattened his palm against the ground. His entire upper body weight concentrated on his hand as he held himself from falling, thankfully his legs were still on the bed.

"I'm up. How long till sunset?" He said while lowering himself to the ground. To get himself ready for the coming attack he steadied his breath and let his eyes shut for a moment.

In the darkness behind his eyelids he summoned an image of Capella Emerada Lugunica.

Subaru stood up off the ground and didn't wait for Ram to answer his question. "Don't answer that, it doesn't matter. Is everyone where they need to be."

"Ha. Like I would break the trust of even someone as low as yourself," Ram answered, and stepped up next to him.

"Good," Her eyes widened at the hatred for Capella burning within him, "Now get to where you need to be. Everyone knows their queues."

"Fine Barusu. I suppose even a broken clock says the right thing twice a day," Her insult held a touch of concern at his voice, and anger of her own.

Subaru didn't wait to step out after her, but he didn't follow her. Instead, he set his sights on the village in the center of Sanctuary.

"Time to kill a Sin Archbishop." After those words left his mouth it didn't take long for him to reach Roswaal's cabin.

He raced through the shack as the sun moved closer and closer toward the horizon. Due to his high emotions spirits manifested all around him, and by the time he reached the end of the hallway, and the door to Roswaal's room, he had nearly two dozen dancing around him.

More of the little lights rushed along his arm as he threw open the door.

He burst into the room and was met by Roswaal with makeup on his face and his full clown regalia covering his body.

"Hey Ros, it's time to go."

"Subaru-kuuun," Roswaal walked up to him and looked down upon him, "Whaaaat do you neeeed me for?"

"I need you to come with me," Subaru said, continuing to withhold all information from the clown.

Roswaal's smile widened at his words, "You play a daaangerous game, Subaru-kun."

Subaru ignored the man's attempts to get information out of him and gestured for the clown to follow while they stepped out from the room.

From there the two men walked to the church in silence. "An intereeeesting choice of location."

Still trying to probe for information huh? "It's central and helps us serve as the last piece of the plan while keeping an eye on the villagers."

Roswaal's eyes scanned him, no doubt attempting to discern how many loops he'd been through.

Eventually, the clown gave up and turned his blue and yellow eyes to the setting sun, "Weeeell it seems the time for your plan to begin is neaaar. I wonder how you will solve this befoooore sunrise."

The black-haired boy held down the surprise he felt at Roswaal's remark. It implied another threat was coming at sunrise. One which would, from the wording, make any plan no matter how good invalid if sunrise came.

Subaru couldn't ask Roswaal what was coming, so he just focused on the plan he did have. If it worked all the threats would be removed, and either he or Emilia could liberate the Sanctuary before sunrise.

Though he didn't have any more time to think.

"Mabeasts are coming." His spirits warned.

Well then, it's up to you now, Garfiel.

---

Loose clods of dirt pushed against the soles of Garfiel's feet as he shifted in place. It was a little annoying, but the boy didn't think to cover his feet. He hadn't worn shoes in over a decade. Though it may have been nice if he could, the Shield of the Sanctuary needed to be as strong as possible.

And thanks to his Divine Protection, the annoyance of a few pieces of dirt and rock was something he had to endure if he was to keep its advantage. So he let his feet remain connected to the ground as he rocked back and forth on the balls of his feet.

There was a tense silence around him, due to the coming attack, and all those who were surrounding Garfiel. His green eyes passed over the numerous white-robed women standing next to him. Each one had pink hair which tumbled down past their robes.

Garfiel tried to ignore the atmosphere around them as he waited for the upcoming fight. There was a feeling of butterflies in his stomach, but he pushed past it and focused on the dimming sunlight.

He continued to practically bounce on his feet while the sky turned dark and night took over. A bit of moonlight caressed him and the surrounding clones. "'S almos'time," The blonde boy whispered.

Soon the pale light around him took on a blue tint, but not from any change in the moon. No, this new color was from the blue globe of light at its side.

"They're coming then," Garfiel turned to one of the Ryuzu copies next to him. When he did so it stretched out its hands and proffered two shield-like gauntlets.

"Thanks, gr-" He grabbed them and stopped himself from finishing as the clone turned away from him. It had done what it was ordered to. Nothing more, nothing less.

A bit of guilt stabbed into Garfiel as his eyes once more passed over all the clones in front of him. The boy eventually shut his eyes, shook his head, and strapped the gauntlets onto his arms.

Once he was finished he balled his hands into fists, his knuckles turned white, and looked over to where massive footsteps rang out. Through gaps in the leaves, he caught glances at giant mabeasts with floral patterns covering their bodies.

Garfiel held his mouth shut and readied his body for a fight. He was met with the sound of soft footsteps beneath the mabeasts, and the noise of hooves clattering against a loose rock.

"Ah, who's this?" A black-haired woman stepped into the clearing and asked. Behind her, a girl riding atop a gabou moved into the clearing as well. The loud footsteps of courtesan bears stopped just before they left the trees.

"My amazin' self's Sanctuary's defender!" Garfiel called out in response.

The tall woman pulled a black knife from her outfit, "Interesting. I suppose we'll have to kill you to get past?" She didn't wait for his response, "Well it's not often I get to cut open the bowels of a demi-human, well I suppose it is, but not someone as human as yourself. I only ever find full or half demi-humans to…" She licked her lips, "Investigate. And you seem less than that."

"Well 'f ya can kill me then you'll get to see," He slammed his fists together, letting sparks fly out in front of him, "Garfiel Tinzel, Shield of the Sanctuary!"

The two met each other's eyes. Elsa raised her knife, and Garfiel put his arms up into a fighting stance.

"Elsa Granhiert, the Bowel Hunter."

The Bowel Hunter threw herself at Garfiel. Along the way bringing up her blade to slice at him. Her blade glimmered in his eye as he threw his left arm up to block it. But before she struck she jammed her foot into the floor and pivoted downward, getting low and thrusting her blade toward his stomach.

Garfiel snapped his right hand around her wrist, "Ain't lettin' you get away with that so easily."

He squeezed her wrist, snapping her bones. While he did so a smile grew on Elsa's face.

"Mmh," A moan passed her lips and she pulled her caught hand. Garfiel didn't let up his grip, and Elsa's smile only turned to a grin. She launched herself off the ground using her arm as leverage. There was a sickening crunch as her shoulder dislocated while she twisted her body in the air and kicked his femur.

Garfiel bit down on his lip to keep focused on the fight and jumped back from the woman, letting her arm free. "Ha…" He let out a sigh calming his nerves before jumping back toward her.

He brought his fist in an uppercut as she pushed her shoulder back into place. Once she did so she brought her knife toward his now exposed arm. In response, he snapped out his left hand deflecting her knife then followed through bashing his fist into her chin.

Elsa's body flew back as her jaws broke on contact with his fist. Her back thudded against the ground and Garfiel rushed forward to continue his assault, but a massive blast of fire burned in his periphery.

Shit! He pushed his foot against the ground and grasped for his divine protection. Once it was within his control he pushed a wall of earth into existence and blocked the gabou's blast. However, while he was focusing on that Elsa stood up and lunged toward him again.

"Ha!" She shouted out and tried to pierce his stomach. Garfiel just barely bent his body in time to put her out of range, but Elsa wasn't going to let that happen, so she pushed her other leg into the ground and blasted toward him.

Garfiel knew he had no room to back away so he wrapped his fists around her arm. Once she realized she was caught once more she pulled another knife out with her other hand and brought it toward him.

His green eyes snapped to it and he tossed away her other arm robbing her balance from her. Once her arm left his fists he dropped his shoulder and shoved it into her chest. Using all of his might he threw her back and pushed her to the point that she was barely able to stay standing.

Her back foot was forced back a step, and Garfiel's eyes glimmered with promise. He took the opportunity before him and stopped pushing into her. Instead, he snapped his arm up and around her shoulder. Then he grabbed onto the arm in front of him with his other hand.

"AH!" His eyes flipped red and his skin started to grow hair for a brief moment as he tore her arm off. Garfiel's vision blurred with anger as he held it firmly in his hand, spun, and batted her over the head with her own arm.

"Ha…" He let out a calming breath and brought his skin back to normal. His eyes turned green once more and locked onto Elsa. Who'd launched herself backward at his strike.

"I'm going to need you to do as much damage to Elsa as you can. Get rid of her health pool." A memory of Subaru's plan called into his mind as he tossed Elsa's arm to the ground.

Bile rose in his throat at the splatter of blood that came from it.

"Elsa!" A little girl screamed out while ten courtesan bears stepped into the clearing.

"I'm fine Meili, just keep the mabeasts back for a little bit longer," Elsa forced herself to stand as a new arm sprouted and grew into place, "His bowels will be so much more enticing if I can get them myself."

"Yer a creepy bitch," Garfiel said as he raised his arms once more.

A small blush rose on Elsa's cheeks, "Bowels are so warm. Why is it creepy to covet warmth?" Elsa tilted her head then attacked him once more.

She raised her and brought them both toward Garfiel at once. In response he put his arms up and met them with his shield gauntlets. Sparks flew out as Elsa's knives bounced off and she threw her arms and knives out to her right.

He deflected them with his left arm and jammed his right arm forward. His knuckles popped as her sternum shattered. "Mmhhh," A long moan came from Elsa's throat and she shoved her body forward impaling herself on his hand.

Garfiel's eyes widened at her actions, and shock filled him. So he wasn't able to catch her other action in time.

She'd thrown away her left blade and gripped her right blade in both fists. Then shoved it forward.

The knife pierced into Garfiel's stomach, and pain shot through him.

Memories glimmered in Garfiel's mind. One was of a pink-haired woman, her features hid her true age.

"I am the Shield of the Sanctuary!"

His eyes grew crazed as he buried his hand further into her. He stepped forward, impaling herself further on her knife.

"Agh," Both of their throats made noises filled with bubbling blood. Though Elsa's was full of pleasure, where his was full of pain.

The two continued to walk forward. Slowly killing themselves on each other's weapons.

I have to kill her. He took a step forward and her knife sunk into his intestines.

Have to. Another step, and a hack of blood.

Sanctuary. Another step and he raised his fist.

Sanctuary. Another step and he brought his fist down.

Elsa's cheeks colored as Garfiel's fist shot toward her, "Ah, these bowels will be amazing!" She twisted her knife in his gut. His skin grew hairy patches and only one thought filled his mind.

Must defend Sanctuary.

Garfiel shoved past the pain and jammed his fist into Elsa's cheekbone. Her bones shattered under his attack. Only rage filled him as he tore his other hand from her throat and grabbed onto her lips. He felt the playful touch of Elsa's tongue on his palm as he snapped her neck and turned her head ninety degrees sideways.

"Do as much damage as you can, that is the best way to defend Sanctuary." With Subaru's words in his mind, Garfiel grabbed onto Elsa's chin with his other hand then shoved his fingers into her mouth. Her purple eyes danced with lust as she tried to bite down.

He didn't let her. And thrust the digits on his other hand into her mouth. Garfiel forced down any hesitation he may have had, and gripped the roof and bottom of her mouth with his two sets of fingers.

Once he had a firm grip, he pulled.

A tiger's roar tore past his lips as he kept pulling his hands further away from each other. His eyes turned red and sharp nails grew on his fingers as Elsa's jaw snapped.

The woman, who was only still alive thanks to her regeneration, groaned out in pleasure as her cheeks started splitting apart and blood poured down from the seams in her face.

Garfiel's body grew as he continued to tear her upper and lower jaws apart. Eventually he started to tear her throat and chest off of her face. Her breasts rubbed against his hairy tigerlike arm as he tore her ribcage in half.

All rational thought had disappeared from his mind as the gabou launched another great gout of fire at him and the ten courtesan bears stepped out into the clearing.

"AGGGGGGGHHHHH!" He shouted out in rage and ferocity as he ripped Elsa's front side completely off. Through red-tinted vision he watched as the gabou slammed its fire into him.

Burning pain seared through his mind as his flesh started to boil off and his hair started to char.

Shield of the Sanctuary.

Garfiel screamed out and threw his body at the gabou. However before he could get to Meili a courtesan bear jumped in front of him.

The two beasts roared at each other and Garfiel's mind screamed out.

Shield of the Sanctuary!

He shoved his fists into the bear, tearing right through its skin and gripping its black mabeast heart.

Shield of the Sanctuary!

Garfiel separated his hands and ripped the bear down the middle, as four more surrounded him another roar ripped from his throat.

Shield of the Sanctuary!

He screamed out, but this time he laced it with intent. As his yell reached the ears of the twenty Ryuzu doubles four split off and ran at the bears.

They each lodged themselves onto one of the mabeasts, and before the bears had a chance to throw them off detonated.

Their mabeast blood splattered as their backs were blown open. Garfiel easily plunged his fists through the disoriented beasts.

He turned toward the purple-haired girl and screamed out. Her eyes shot wide and with her braid swaying, she urged her gabou back. Garfiel brought his massive paw up and slashed it down at her.

"Not until I see your bowels first," Elsa's voice rang out in his ears as she flew under his legs, grabbed Meili with her left hand, and slashed his palm with her right hand and a new knife.

"RAAAA!" Garfiel screamed out at her once more and strode after her. However Elsa didn't go very far. She stopped at the opposite edge of the clearing to set down Meili. Once she was done with that she stood up straight and pulled another knife out of her outfit with her left hand.

"How very unfortunate. It seems the wound on your stomach has closed, well I'll just have to make a new one then." Garfiel took another step toward her. Now he was within attacking distance.

"I wonder, how will your bowels differ if I cut you open in this form?"

Shield of the Sanctuary. The thought passed through Garfiel's rage-filled mind once more as he slashed at her with his right arm.

Elsa launched herself into the sky, away from his rippling muscles and fur. She came down and landed on his back. "Give me those bowels."

Garfiel swatted at her with his left hand. In response, she threw herself back, and into the tree canopy. He turned to her as branches creaked.

As his red eyes landed on her, she blushed once more. The tree branch snapped as she rocketed toward him. Without hesitation Garfiel slammed his foot into the ground and raised a massive wall of earth. Once he heard her shoe clap against it he brought the wall back down into the ground and punched.

He didn't hesitate as Elsa floundered in the air and his fist bashed into her stomach. Her pelvis cracked under his attack and she was tossed backward like a ragdoll.

The tiger tried to pursue her, but six courtesan bears and the gabou blocked his path. He shouted out at them, using his scream to command six of the Ryuzu clones onto the bears.

The gabou he handled himself.

Garfiel wrapped his hands around its horn. The smell of burnt hair filled his nose. Pain rushed through his palms.

Shield of the Sanctuary.

He ignored all of it and snapped the gabou's horn.

It stopped struggling as he tossed it onto the ground, and crushed its stomach with his foot. Then he kicked his foot through the other six courtesan bears, which had been nearly killed by the Ryuzu double's explosions.

He took a step back. And looked down at his hands which had started to heal as his Divine Protection got to work.

His rage started to fall away as he turned back to Elsa. He expected to find her lying on the ground but she wasn't there. He would have to keep killing her then. Sanctuary had to be defended.

After a moment of his red eyes turning back to white Elsa flew past his face. His red eyes returned in full until the skin on his neck fell open in a horizontal slash. The gash in his neck widened until blood was pouring down his throat.

"I will see those bowels. One way or another," Elsa said once she landed on the ground.

Pain and terror rushed into his mind as blood filled his lungs. He tried to breathe, but to his ever-growing desperation, no oxygen entered. Only more blood poured down his throat. Its iron taste was all he could think about as his beast form melted away.

He coughed yet more blood onto the ground. Have to defend Sanctuary. Have to defend Sanctuary.

Elsa stepped over him and stared down at him. Her black eyes filled with lust and twisted love. Evermore terror stormed through Garfiel.

Need to defend Sanctuary. Garfiel was barely able to hold his fear from infesting his thoughts as he grabbed his neck with his right hand.

With a great effort to remain calm he grasped his gate and pushed healing energy into his neck wound.

"Ooh a healer, those are rare as well. Your bowels will be amazing," Elsa kneeled in front of him and raised her knife.

Thanks to his magic the blood flow stopped, and his skin knit itself together. After a second two thin layers of flesh covered his wound.

"Yer, a fuckin' crazy insane bitch, and I ain't lettin' you stay in Sanctuary," He hacked out whatever words he could find. With another deliberate effort to keep his mind still he used his authority as the Apostle of Greed to infuse his words with a command. "Ooh, and what're you going to do about little old me?" Elsa said, her voice steamy.

"This," Five Ryuzu clones all grabbed onto the woman, "Die you crazy bitch!" Garfiel screamed out and covered his fear of killing. The Sanctuary needed to be protected.

I am the Shield of the Sanctuary! Garfiel stood up and tackled Elsa to the ground. The Ryuzu clones all crowded around them.

"Mmh. This is fantastic. five? And you?" Her voice was full of pleasure and anticipation as stripes burst out along Garfiel's skin and his tiger form started to grow once more.

"Do it!" He cried out his order as his teeth grew in length and Elsa bit into his shoulder.

"Yes show me. Then let me see those bowels once you die from this."

The Ryuzu clones obliged both of them and detonated.

Pain shot through Garfiel and he barely retained his rationality as his hair melted in the heat and small patches of his skin sloughed off. It was a struggle against his beast blood and the sensation to hold Elsa in place. Her skin burned beneath him as she tried to fight against him.

The woman's hair burnt off along with her fingers, so instead of continuing to try and use her blades, she bit into his neck. Which due to Garfiel's hardened hide only resulted in her ripping out her teeth and bleeding all over his striped shoulder.

But she did have one other tactic left that could help her escape. She took her knee and jammed it up into the crook of his legs.

"AHHHHHHH!" Garfiel screamed out in shock, pain, and rage as his eyes turned red. The explosion faded away, finally and Elsa coughed in the smoke. She kept trying to push him off but Garfiel's rage was stronger than her charred arms.

"Elsa!" Meili screamed out to his side and ran over to him.

"Stop," Elsa's voice was mumbly from her lack of teeth, "Mei-eh-i."

She was unable to form the girl's name without her teeth.

"Let go of my big sister!" Meili tried to scratch his hide, but her nails only broke and bled on his skin. Garfiel's tiny piece of rationality in this form barely held him from slamming his hand into Meili.

"Mei-eh-i call for reinforcements," Elsa said as her teeth grew back.

The golden tiger knew what that meant. Elsa could still regenerate, which was demonstrated even further as her hair grew back and her body started returning to normal. Though it was far slower than it should have been.

Meili stopped attacking Garfiel and called a bat-like mabeast into her hand. Garfiel eyed her with anger and beast-like fury. Elsa's eyes followed his and figured out where he was looking. To stop Garfiel from attacking her sister she tried to dig her teeth into him once more.

Instead of screaming out Garfiel gave into his silent rage and cracked open his gaping maw. His sharpened feline teeth dripped with saliva as he stared down at Elsa. A grin grew on her face and her cheeks colored.

Without waiting for her to speak the tiger snapped his jaws shut on her face. His rage was sated when her cheekbones fractured and her face collapsed inward from his sideways bite.

As the woman's blood and brain matter covered his tongue his ferocity melted away. He rolled off of Elsa's corpse and stayed on his back as his tiger form disappeared.

When he fully regained his mind he immediately keeled over onto his side and threw up. Once he was done he desperately got the pieces of Elsa's brain out of his teeth.

"Ack…" He vomited once more as he finally got his teeth clean.

His nails dug into the ground as he forced himself up and fully focused on what Elsa had said to Meili. The woman had told her to call for reinforcements.

"Their reinforcements are two extremely powerful individuals, both will be able to kill you." Subaru's words whispered in his mind. He looked around for them while he straightened out his back. He stumbled backward before finally getting his balance.

Thankfully his Divine Protection was still working, but the process of regaining his stamina was slow going at best.

As he continued searching for the reinforcements his eyes landed on the corpse of Elsa, and his ears caught Meili's cries for her sister.

I needed to do it to keep Sanctuary safe. He thought to himself and tried to get rid of the memory of killing Elsa. Unfortunately, no amount of thought or willpower could erase the taste of Elsa's brain that lingered in his mouth.

He barely kept back a sob as he held his feet on the ground and flattened his palm on his stomach. With closed eyes and a haunting taste in his mouth, he pushed healing magic into his body.

The pale light of the moon only accentuated his guilt as it seemed like a shadow of Elsa haunted his vision. For a second it almost seemed like she was still alive, and maybe she was, but Garfiel didn't focus on it.

Great footsteps rang out at the edge of his hearing. Fuck that's the reinforcements. Garfiel shoved down the trauma of killing Elsa, or the possibility of killing her again, and ran from the clearing. He pushed his tired and broken body to the limit as he sprinted through the forest.

Of course, he didn't get very far until his neck ripped open a little and his stomach did the same.

The wounds weren't as bad as they had been but they were still bleeding. The healing magic he'd used wasn't holding up to the exertion of running through the forest. It had probably also been exacerbated by his tackling of Elsa earlier.

"Ha… ha…" He sucked in air to force his body to keep moving. There was nothing he could do except get to the next part of the plan.

Unfortunately, he was out of time, and strength. His Divine Protection couldn't keep him going long enough to reach the next point. And when he turned his head two hooded figures stood behind him.

Garfiel raised his fists to them and readied himself to go down swinging.

"Come at me, Garfiel Tinzel, Shield of the Sanctuary." He slammed his arms into each other and drummed up any last bit of stamina he could muster.

The two hooded swordsmen didn't respond, instead, they only stepped up to him, and a small white dove flapped around in the air above them. But before they could raise their swords and kill him about five small crystals landed at the two's feet.

Garfiel recognized them as soon as they emitted a fiery red glow. Instead of waiting to think he lunged backward and tried to turn around and run, but before he could the bulkier swordsman wrapped a hand around his leg.

"El Fula!" A pink-haired oni ran out from the other trees and sent a blast of wind at the man's arm. He quickly dropped it from Garfiel and jumped back from the blast.

"Rem let's go," Ram said as Rem, with a white horn atop her head, stepped out of the trees and put herself between Garfiel and the swordsmen. "I'm down one, we need to go otherwise I'll be down two."

"Yes, sister. Al Huma! Al Huma!" Rem put her arms under Garfiel's shoulders and knees then lifted him off the ground. The blue-haired maid carried him as the three started to move away from the swordsmen.

"El Huma. El Huma. El Huma," Rem shoved shard after shard of ice into existence and threw them behind her to hold the two swordsmen in place.

They only remained there out of a lack of orders as the red crystals started to shine. Without moving their feet once they chopped through any piece of ice that came their way.

Garfiel kept his green eyes on them as they started to fade into the distance.

Eventually, though, he couldn't look at them anymore as they were enveloped in the bright light of five fire crystals exploding at once. But just before that happened Garfiel saw a blonde woman standing between the fighters.

"That Archbishop is back there." He pointed out while Rem continued to carry him.

"That's to be expected, keep going. Neither of you tells him this but Otto just bought us about thirty seconds," Ram ran alongside them with a small bag clinking in one of her skirt's pockets.

"What are we going to do sister, we've moved the spot we were supposed to engage them in," Rem said in between breaths.

"Nothing changes, go to the same place. Barusu already planned for this eventuality, and it's best if the plan doesn't change."

Rem and Garfiel nodded at the maid's words.

After another moment Garfiel spoke up, "Rem put me down, my feet need to touch the ground."

"Just keep up, Garf," Ram said while Rem obliged him.

The maid turned her red eyes back to where the smoke of the explosion was barely visible in the night air, "We need you strong and quickly, after all, we have some swordsmen to deal with."

---

Ram held herself calm against the massive amount of pain rushing through her body. She'd had help for her magic earlier, but that didn't mean she hadn't faced recoil from it.

Can't think about the pain. She held it easy from her mind and continued to push her shaking legs to move in a sprint.

It wasn't long before the two swordsmen rebegan the chase. Through her Clairvoyance, she saw them rush through the trees chopping any branches they came across out of the way. They were in full pursuit now.

"They're coming, both of you pick up the pace," She shouted at them. At her words, Rem's legs moved faster than before, and she pulled out her flail. Garfiel pushed his bleeding body forward, steadily gaining speed as his Divine Protection worked.

Leaves collapsed down behind them as the eight-armed man blasted through the canopy and landed in front of them.

Noticing him Garfiel put himself in front of the two maids. His body started to grow stripes and change in size. "Idiot," Ram yelled as she snapped her vision onto the thin woman stepping out of the trees next to them.

"Garf, you and Rem keep your wits about you and get to the planned spot. I'll handle this one." Ram stepped toward the thin swordswoman.

"Course," Garfiel said while letting loose a roar and fully transforming. Rem let her horn glow on her head while she raised her morning star.

The two robed attackers raised their blades.

You always have to get us into these situations, eh Barusu. Ram smiled as she thought of the black-haired boy, and faced down the great enemy before her.

"Go!" Ram shouted out and the two groups split up. Garfiel and Rem sprinted off into the forest while Ram leaped up into the trees. The two went in opposite directions.

Theresia followed as Ram wrapped her hand around a small branch and catapulted herself up into the canopy.

She leaped through tree after tree as the woman behind her sliced through the canopy and followed.

Ram held the woman's vision in her mind with her Clairvoyance, and ducked in between two branches, throwing herself to the next tree.

The woman lost sight of her for a second before slashing her sword through the two branches and revealing Ram's flying form.

Damn these aren't going to last long. Ram shot her hand to the pouch nestled in her skirt pocket and pulled out one of the crystals contained within whilst her other hand wrapped around a tree trunk and pivoted around and to the other side.

The woman's blade grazed the cloth on her back and just barely missed her as the woman chopped through the tree.

Ram pushed her foot into the branch beneath her, spun to face the woman, and stopped herself in place.

"Two," Ram raised her empty left hand and gripped the crystal in her right. The woman scrambled in an attempt to attack Ram, but her feet weren't touching anything, and her left hand was just barely meeting the lower part of the tree trunk she'd cut in half.

Blood streamed down from Ram's horn as she flattened her palm against the air, "El Fula!" A massive blast of air shot from her hand and sent the swordswoman flying, and the crystal in her right hand shattered.

Pain rocked through her as Theresia flew backward. I don't have the time for this. Ram pushed her body into action and flung herself onto the next tree.

Her arms shook and it felt like her muscles were tearing off. Though her limbs weren't truly injured.

Thanks to some mana crystals she'd gotten from Otto she could use magic without much physical repercussion, aside from a lot of pain.

But she couldn't let that pain stop her or slow her down. She had to keep herself from getting into another situation where she had to use those so soon after using the second. She only had seven, well five now.

She planned out how she could keep from using them while Theresia stood up in her Clairvoyance and launched herself back through the forest. Though this time she was sticking to the ground while chasing Ram.

It wasn't long before the woman caught up to her and ran below the pink oni.

Damn. Ram grasped the sack of crystal's in her right hand as Theresia cut through the branch she was about to step on.

Her left hand shot up and grabbed the branch above her. Ram used it to slingshot her body up and flip around so that her feet connected with the trunk.

Once her shoes were firmly on the tree she had a single moment to act, which she took by forcing the mana in her body into her feet. "Ah!" A yelp of pain slipped from her mouth as she shot forward using two blades of wind at her feet.

She soared past a few trees and slammed into a smaller one. She groaned as her chest slammed into it. But Ram had no time to stop, so she summoned up an image of Subaru and continued leaping through the trees.

Theresia cut through branch after branch below her to try and bring her to the ground, but Ram was used to the woman's trick and was able to keep her footing as she continued.

Her red eyes glimpsed her destination, and resolve poured through her. Fucking Barusu making me do all of this. A smile grew on her face as she swung her body forward using one of the branches above her.

Though there was still one obstacle in her way. Theresia moved ahead of Ram and cut through the tree she was jumping to, then with lightning speed, she cleaved through the trunk again and again.

When Ram grabbed onto it the entire tree fragmented and came apart beneath her.

Surprise filled Ram as she crashed into the ground and the wind was knocked from her. She tried to perform an incantation using the crystals in the bag. But she couldn't get any air into her lungs.

Theresia brought her blade out to her left and slashed it toward Ram.

Time slowed for a moment as death approached Ram. A memory rushed through her mind as death approached at breakneck speed.

It was Subaru laying against a building with her. They sat by, unable to do anything, as Ley Batenkaitos tore through those that fought him.

Subaru whispered and cried about how no matter how hard he tried he could never find a way to stop Ley.

That idiot. Trying to do everything on his own. Ram's eyes landed on Theresia's blade. You don't have to do things alone Barusu. I'll help you. I'll support you. I'll be there to give you strength.

Mana from her own body rushed through her arm. Pain wracked her and the muscles in that arm started to rip. But with that memory of Barusu in her mind, the pain didn't even register.

Ram dropped the sack of crystals and pushed mana into her right palm. You don't have to do anything on your own. You don't have to suffer in silence, Barusu.

I'll always be there to protect you.

Ram shot her right hand out to the side as Theresia's blade approached.

I'll always be there to love you, Barusu.

Ram caught Theresia's blade.

---

Rem pushed her legs into the ground again and again, as Garfiel ran alongside her in his beast form. The massive tiger was completely quiet other than his soft breaths as the two ran from Kurgan. Who was chasing them down, though he moved at a sluggish pace.

The maid cast her eyes back to where the swordsman was cutting through trees and following them at a walk.

"He's movin' slower then'e should," Garfiel's voice was loud as he noticed the same thing.

Rem's instincts and horn told her some decision had to be made. Did they continue running and hope Kurgan never picked up the pace. Or did they try and slow him down? She couldn't tell which was the right choice as they continued to run.

Sister. Sister should be here making the choices. She fell into self-loathing as she and Garfiel kept sprinting.

But thankfully, she had the words of a friend to support her.

"I can speak for Ram when I say she wants you to move forward." The memory called out to her and she worked on a plan.

"Garf, for now, don't disrupt Kurgan. Regain your strength until he changes his pace."

"Mhm," Garfiel grunted affirmation as she vaulted over a fallen tree and he threw himself over it.

Branches brushed his head, so he dropped his hands to the ground and ran on all fours.

The pattern of the two running and Kurgan following behind, but at a distance, continued. At least until a small white dove landed on Kurgan's shoulder.

"Look out for any animals acting weird, they're most likely the Sin Archbishop of Lust." She remembered the explanation Subaru had given her and Emilia.

"Garfiel it's Capella!" Rem shouted out and the boy stopped running and stood tall. Anger rushed through Rem as Kurgan stopped as well.

The bird whispered something in his ear, then he looked up at them. Lust flew away from the man. Rem barely held herself from trying to attack the woman as ash filled her nose, and the crackling of fire permeated her hearing.

Fortunately, she remembered what Subaru had said about Lust, and how difficult it would be to kill her.

Her knuckles grew white as she gripped onto her flail's handle. She took slow steps back, Garfiel followed suit, as Kurgan stared at them. After a few moments of the two steadily moving back the swordsman brought up his eight arms. Then the two hands that held a blade fell forward and he readied himself to fight.

"WITCH CULTIST!" Rem wasn't going to let that happen, so for a moment she gave in to her horn's influence and her impulses, "AL HUMA!" She raised her free hand and summoned a massive spike of ice into her hand.

"Mmh," Another grunt came from Garfiel as his pale green eyes stared at Kurgan, who'd yet to make a move. Then his eyes flipped to Rem as she sent her ice attack forward.

The swordsman easily cut through it, but Rem wasn't going to give him a break, "Ul Huma! Ul Huma!"

She brought two spikes up from the ground next to him. He chopped them away before she could do anything.

"Rem Kurgan's up to somethin', hold on fer a moment." Garfiel let his tiger form melt away, and grabbed onto Rem's shoulder with his normal human hand.

Rem couldn't disagree with his idea and forced her anger back down.

"What if Ram just loves you?" Subaru's words played in her head and she forced her impulses down.

The two stood against the man while there was a rustling in the trees next to them, "Are you two going to get moving?" Ram stepped out of the forest alongside him.

"Not yet, Ram, this guy's actin' funny," Garfiel said as he kept his eyes trained on the swordsman, who had still yet to make any moves.

Ram tilted her head at Garfiel's words, and a perverted smile started to spread across her face, "Did we plan for Kurgan's arrival beforehand?"

"Yeah. Don't you remember?" Garfiel asked while Rem's confusion skyrocketed.

Sister forgetting something?

"Oh, we did, right. And did we plan for any others, or was it just Theresia, Kurgan, Elsa, Meili, and Capella?" An almost perverted smile stretched across Ram's face for a moment.

Is she feeling okay? Rem thought to herself as she reached for her Synesthesia.

"Yep, that was all gettin' in the way of Sanctuary's safety."

"Excellent," Ram whispered to herself, and her smile widened into a grin.

Rem sought out her Synesthesia, and she realized that her older twin wasn't here.

Rage burned through Rem. This wasn't sister. This was just an Archbishop pretending to be sister.

"ARCHBISHOP!" Rem screamed out and sent her morning star flying at the Bishop. The false Ram caught her flail with almost no difficulty. The flesh on her hand melted around it, then acid started to come from the appendage that was twisted and grown around her weapon.

"Of course it's this lovely lady," Her grin was as wide as it could be, and she dropped Ram's face, assuming her normal blonde form.

"Th'fuck?" Garfiel shouted out his confusion and readied himself to fight.

"So I'm in the greatest window," She said as her eyes filled with sick joy and anticipation.

"Blue meat bag, go bring me the pink one. This lovely lady can handle these two," An excited expression stormed across the Archbishop's face as twisted appendages and growths protruded from her body.

"Entertain this lovely lady, meatbags."

---

Blood poured down Ram's arm as her hand was cut open by Theresia's blade, but thanks to the wind magic she'd used beforehand, the woman's blade didn't dig more than a centimeter into her palm. Ram wrapped her fingers around the woman's sword and held it there.

Excruciating pain wracked her body. Blood trailed down from her horn and her right palm was filled with a stinging feeling.

Which was nothing in comparison to the blowback of using her own mana for the second time. But that didn't matter to Ram, not with Subaru's black hair filling her mind. She snatched up the pouch of crystals in her left hand and tightened her grip on Theresia's sword, who was trying to rip her hand back.

But as one of the crystals shattered the reanimated swordsmen realized there was too much excess mana rushing through Ram for her to do anything.

Grabbing hold of a fourth and fifth crystal in her mind Ram landed a kick on Theresia's stomach and let go of her sword.

Once her right hand was free she raised it to the woman. While drops of blood poured down from her hand Ram gritted her teeth and prepared herself for pain.

Barusu.

"Al Fula!" Two of the crystals broke and a massive blast of air launched from Ram's hand. The swordswoman had no time to dodge, as she was still off-balance from Ram's kick.

Shoving down immense pain Ram pushed herself up and ran off into the forest. She limped forward as she held Subaru's face in her mind, and imagined what it would look like with a smile.

"Down five, two left," She kept track of her remaining resources as she kept her pace.

That Al Fula will keep her for a few minutes, but… Ram shook her head. This fight was just as difficult as Subaru had said it would be, if not more so. Ram needed to find a way to get more fighting strength, and fast. As in the back of her head, where she was watching with her Clairvoyance, Theresia finally stood back up from her spell.

Where are Rem and Garf? Ram pushed out with her Clairvoyance and found their perspectives. Once she shifted into them surprise blew through her as she saw her face in their vision.

"Lust's Authority lets her change into anything she wants." Subaru's words called out from her memories.

Ram didn't hesitate and pushed her body toward where the two were, using Synesthesia to direct her. Heavy breaths fell from her mouth as she barely caught sight of Garfiel's blonde hair, and across from him another woman with yellow hair.

Lust. She knew who that woman was. After all of Subaru's descriptions it would be odd if she didn't.

Ram kept rushing forward toward the blonde-haired boy, but even though Garfiel was so close, he was still entirely out of her reach due to the massive swordsman landing in front of her.

Ram's grip tightened on the bag in her hand and her bleeding worsened as Theresia stepped up behind her.

Only two crystals left. A steady breath left her lips as she kept her eyes on the two swordsmen around her.

"El Fula!" She screamed out, throwing her left palm out and pushing it toward Kurgan. A massive blade of wind exited her hand as she did so. However Kurgan, instead of jumping out of the way, cut down the blade of wind from the air, though he underestimated its strength a little and was left with gashes running down his arm.

"Sister!" Rem screamed out and the pink-haired maid knew she needed to move. She pushed her body into action, weaving around Kurgan, who was still in the process of regaining his footing after her attack.

Unfortunately Theresia was still able to move.

The woman grabbed onto Ram's leg, though strangely she didn't swing her sword. Her entire strategy had shifted. As if she was operating under different orders.

Theresia squeezed Ram's calf, but stopped before her fingers burst through the skin.

"Sister!" Rem shouted out again and Ram knew she needed to escape.

Rem. The red-eyed oni used her mind to grab onto the final crystal in her bag.

"El Fu-" Kurgan wrapped his hand around her mouth, ripped the pouch from her hand with another, then opened the bag and shattered the final crystal with two more hands.

Ram tried to force her words into an incantation anyway, but there was no room for her to speak, even if she could have spoken she didn't have any mana.

Though the wound on her hand had ceased its bleeding.

However this likely wasn't a good thing as Theresia sheathed her sword, and grabbed onto Ram's other leg with ease. The maid couldn't rouse an appropriate defense, as pain stormed through her, and blood filled her throat.

There was no way for her to get it out of her mouth. Kurgan's hand blocked her from spitting out the blood, so she was forced to swallow it.

The iron taste of it gave her a headache as the two dead swordsmen dragged her back toward the Sin Archbishop of Lust.

She continued to fight against their grips, but none of her feeble movements did a thing. Neither made a single sound as she continued to struggle. They brought her up next to the Sin Archbishop of Lust.

"Sister…" Rem's words were full of anguish, despair, and disbelief as Capella stepped over to Ram.

Butterfly wings twisted out of the woman's back, and her long black nail scratched along Ram's cheek. "Ooh this is going to be so-" She was interrupted as Garfiel shoved his fist through Capella's face.

There was no hesitation in his body as her head exploded while his fist burst through her skull.

He stepped back from her body and raised his arms, readying to fight Kurgan and Theresia. Though the two swordsmen didn't move an inch. They only continued to hold Ram.

Rem's horn grew brighter and the maid stepped up behind Garfiel.

"Let go of Ram," Garfiel slammed his gauntleted fists together. The two hooded figures stared at him. Unmoving.

"Fine then. Let'er go!" Garfiel pulled his fist back and moved to attack the figures, much to Ram's dismay.

Garf hold back! She tried to scream out, but Kurgan's hand remained steady on her mouth. When she bit down she only succeeded in finding more pain as her teeth moved a little in their place. Due to the other pain in her, she was unable to push through this new agony.

Ram was at her limit. She couldn't stomach any more pain. But maybe she wouldn't have to, Garfiel's fist was rapidly approaching Kurgan's chest, and neither he nor Theresia seemed to care.

"Listen up meat bag," Capella's hand shot up and her flesh molded around Garfiel's hand.

The boy's eyes widened as the Bishop pulled herself up off the ground, "You'll learn soon, that you don't defy this lovely lady."

Her head reformed atop her head, and an expression of anger and disdain filled her newly regenerated face.

"Garf!" Rem shouted out and raised her hand.

Ram screamed out the same thing in her mind, and the two twins were unified in purpose.

The two maid's Synesthesia strengthened for a moment, and Rem's face twisted in pain as her horn's glow increased and increased.

Ram shoved at the hands holding her. With her eyes held on Garfiel, she felt a pain greater than any she'd thought possible fill her.

Her rationality disappeared in face of that pain, and she didn't even notice as Rem fell to the ground. All she noticed was the small trail of blood that rolled down from her horn, and the taste of iron that filled her mouth as she bit down on the insides of her cheeks.

Garf. All the pain within her brought her rage to the surface and gave her eyes a cold intensity.

Let him go.

The hand Kurgan was using to cover her mouth exploded into diced pieces as wind rushed through it. Ram held her lips tight in anger as she kicked her legs. Theresia barely let go in time before her hands faced Ram's rage. But Kurgan was not as fast, so when Ram shook both of her hands, with all of the mana infusing her, his two hands exploded.

Ram's wrath grew in face of the exponential throbbing in her mind. She felt her muscles ripping themselves to shreds as ever more mana flowed into her.

"Let him go." The oni said coldly.

Capella tilted her head at the woman before jumping back from Garfiel, but not before crushing his hand in her skin. Then, the Bishop's body started to twist and tear as her size increased. Black scales covered her skin, her face changed shape, and black leathery wings sprouted from her back.

Ram waved her hand and the woman's body tore in half. As Capella was regenerating with an angry look on her face Ram was trying to hold down all the blood in her throat. Though as Capella stood once more Ram's expression twisted into a scowl and she let the blood out.

Nearly a liter of it exploded out from her throat and nose. "Disgusting meat bag," Capella condemned her.

Ram's scowl disappeared and a callous expression reigned on Ram's face. "You threatened Garfiel."

The oni waved her left hand and the woman was diced into tiny pieces. Capella screamed out as she was turned into paste on the ground.

The blonde-haired bishop pulled her body back together and stood. Ram could have easily killed the woman, but she cared little at the moment.

"I saw the look of hatred in his eyes." She wasn't talking about Garfiel as she turned Capella into pulp once more.

The woman's face was filled with incredible agony as she tried to stand against Ram, whose horn was gushing blood.

"You hurt my Barusu."

Ram drew mana into her and didn't stop to think where she was getting it, instead, she just continued to draw and draw it. Thanks to the excruciating agony the normal lightheadedness of blood loss didn't affect Ram.

"And for that, die-" The oni was cut off as Rem groaned in pain on the ground.

Her blue eyes were staring at the sky, and as Ram's red eyes gazed upon them, she realized how much pain her sister was in, and she froze for just a moment.

"Oni," Capella dove for Rem while Ram was frozen. However this brought Ram out of her hesitance, and the reincarnation of the oni god took a step toward Capella.

Though there was one problem. When Ram's foot touched the ground every bone in her leg snapped out of the stress. "Ah!" The pain tripled and her sanity began to fade.

"Ah, so weak without your own horn, really you oni are such interesting meatbags," The woman touched her finger to Rem's horn. The blue-haired girl could do nothing to resist.

And when Ram tried to pull herself forward her fingers all broke. Her entire body was breaking.

"Though you're still meatbags, nothing before this lovely lady."

Rem's horn disappeared.

"Sister?" The girl's mind hadn't recovered and the memory of the pain was still haunting her.

"Rem!" Ram tried to move forward but she had no energy left. All her mana soon melted away as its source vanished.

"Sister!"

"Time to have some fun," Capella looked around upon the three fallen fighters.

Ram was stuck in place with a broken leg and hand.

Rem's mind was still reeling in the face of incredible pain.

And Garfiel was desperately trying to heal his hand.

A smile covered Capella's face, "I'm sure once he hears you screaming he'll come running."

She stepped over and kneeled next to Ram, "Now this lovely lady is going to have some fun with you, meatbag."

Ram stared up at the woman with eyes full of hatred. She desperately tried to push her body to do something, to try and move, to grasp any mana still left, or to do anything that could be done.

But as she floundered she realized the only solution was Garfiel healing his broken hand and fighting.

"Knock him out," Capella commanded the two corpses. Who both started moving to obey.

I'm sorry, Barusu. I couldn't follow the plan.

Ram kept trying to grasp at some string of hope, but there was nothing that could be done anymore. She was about to let despair take over…

But right before she could a beacon of hope presented itself.

It came in the form of a tiny minor spirit. The blue light it gave off may have been dim, but the hope it gave her burned as brightly as the sun.

More and more spirits started manifesting in the air, and a faint smile grew on Ram's face.

"I guess I'm not going to get to use any of the cool traps we set up before this, are we Otto?"

"Doesn't seem that way, Natsuki-san."

Two men appeared from the trees only a few meters away from Ram and Capella. One was clad in a green merchant's uniform.

And the other wore a well-fitting suit as a halo of minor spirits twirled above his head. He held a whip in his right hand, and ever more spirits rushed around his left hand.

"Capella," Hate filled his voice as he raised his left hand to her.

As much as Ram wanted to keep her eyes on him she had to look away when another rustling came on the other side of Capella in relation to the well-dressed man.

A girl with silver hair and another group of spirits stepped toward the Archbishop.

Then when Theresia and Kurgan changed direction and moved toward Emilia another presence entered the battlefield.

"I'm sorry old friend, but I can't allow that," A man with bright globes of mana hovering above his palms said.

Theresia and Kurgan turned to the man dressed as a jester.

"You only have to rest now, Theresia. Thank you for being a good friend to Carol."

The man slammed his foot into the ground, brought his palms out to the two swordsmen, and attacked.

"Al Goa," Massive gouts of fire exploded out from Roswaal's hands and blew the swordsmen to pieces.

"Idiot. Do you think putting on makeup will make you any less of a meatbag?"

Roswaal didn't listen to the woman's bluster and took a step forward.

While Capella did the same toward Roswaal, Subaru jumped into action and grabbed Ram at the same time as Otto picked up Rem and Emilia pulled Garfiel away from the fight that was about to start.

"Sorry, that took a while, had to get Otto and Emilia. Then Ros was a nightmare to try and deal with."

"Barusu, thank-"

"Subaaaaru-kun?" Roswaal interrupted her, "Is this all that threatens Saaanctuary?"

"No, but your book already told you that," Subaru said.

"Barusu this isn't-"

"It's at best his third loop," Capella pointed out.

Roswaal's expression fell as confusion reigned on everyone's faces.

"Loop? Natsuki-san?"

"This is not the loop then, it has already failed," Roswaal's speech pattern disappeared, and he moved to remove the makeup from his face.

However, before he could Capella's arm extended in length and grabbed onto Roswaal's arm. The magic-user didn't resist.

"Capella!" Subaru stood up from Ram and shouted out the Bishop's name. He pulled on mana from all the spirits in the atmosphere. Freezing the grass at his feet.

"El Minya!" Shards of mana burst into existence.

But he was far too late, by the time his shards were even real Roswaal had already turned into a disgusting blob that spluttered as it tried to breathe.

Emilia raised her arms and tried to bring icicles into existence to threaten Capella but Lust's form shifted rapidly as she jumped toward the half-elf.

She turned and ran toward Emilia in her normal form, then in the next step she was a centipede moving forward on the ground and dodging as Emilia tried to attack. Then when it got close enough to Emilia, Capella turned back into mostly human form, aside from the massive dragon claw in place of her right hand.

"Meatbag," Lust said as her scaly hand wrapped around the wide-eyed Emilia's arm.

Though the expression didn't last long on her face. Mostly because a second later she didn't have one. She was only another blob of flesh like Roswaal.

Subaru snapped his whip toward Capella and let loose a raw scream of anger and hate. Shards upon shards of flaming arrows of stopped time burst into existence. Though as each one was about to touch Capella the woman's flesh disappeared in that spot, creating a hole for it to slip through.

Capella's neck cracked and her red eyes locked onto him. She ran forward while her form shifted and transformed so rapidly none of Subaru's attacks landed.

Barusu! Ram desperately tried to do something, anything, but there was nothing to be done as Capella's hand landed on Subaru and he collapsed into the same state as Roswaal and Emilia.

The Sin Archbishop did the same to Garfiel and Rem before kneeling before Ram.

Hate filled Ram's body and bearing as her red eyes met Capella's.

"Soon you'll get to give this lovely lady some satisfaction," Capella grabbed onto Ram's broken body, "It's natural."

Ram's consciousness vanished as her form melted and her brain turned into something barely more complex than a fly's.

The last thing she saw was Capella's excited smile.

---

"Ah!" Subaru gasped violently as his normal form returned.

Without a word, a hand wrapped around his neck, and his lungs were crushed down into nothing. His heart slowed down as it received no oxygen. Subaru's mind touched the edge of unconsciousness as Capella tied him to a chair.

After a moment his lungs returned to normal and he sucked in as much air as he could. His heart pounded, and he stared down at his bonds.

"Time for this lovely lady to enlighten you."

Anger grew in his chest as he tried to break out. He summoned his spirits and tried to crystalize his bonds.

"Ah that is why I have this," Capella whispered and strapped a collar to his neck. His connection to the spirits instantly disappeared.

"Spirits!" He screamed out in his mind but no response came. In his desperation, he reached into the back of his mind toward where Nan's broken consciousness was still nestled.

"Nan!"

"..." Just like all the other times, only a deafening silence responded to Subaru.

The black-haired boy pushed his tongue through his teeth, but when he was about to bite down he realized something. He didn't have teeth.

And even if he did have them, Capella wasn't just going to let him die. She could completely heal any injury he gained in less than a second. Either he had to entirely obliterate himself, which was impossible in his current circumstances, or he had to wait until Capella grew tired of him.

Or until she decides it's time for me to reset. He hadn't been thinking too much about her knowledge of his resets, but it had been put on full display when everything had gone wrong. She'd known exactly which loop he was most likely to be on.

Something was happening here. And he needed to find out what. So he could endure any torture she put him through, and at the end of it all, he would find some way to die.

"Where is everyone else?" He asked her, doing his best to keep his voice calm. He couldn't let any of his anger or desperation appear.

"Don't rush things little meatbag," She leaned down and brushed her lips against his ear, "Mama is going to take care of everything, and enlighten you. But first, you have to trust me. So what do you trust me to do?"

Her words dripped with manipulation as Subaru tried to think through whether he should respond or not.

Eventually, his hatred for the woman won out, "I trust you to try and torture me. To try and fulfill your sick fantasies." He held himself from saying any more as it might negatively affect his ability to gain information from her.

"There we go, now let's reinforce that trust."

Capella laid her hands on his cheeks. Her nails grew into sharp blades, and she slowly rubbed them along his cheeks. Digging a little deeper each time.

Subaru's face and body didn't move an inch as she slowly tried to inflict as much pain on him as she could.

"You're resilient, but still only fit to worship me," Capella started to use her Authority to alter him.

For around half an hour she tried all different methods to getting Subaru to even grunt in pain. But no matter what she did he barely even noticed. At one point she even forced him to sweat stomach acid.

Her expression twisted into anger, then she stumbled upon an answer. Or that's how it seemed to Subaru. He had no idea how the woman thought as she stepped back and activated her Authority on herself.

Within a moment Ram was standing before him. Fully dressed in her maid uniform, though she was wearing the same twisted smile Capella had. However, that smile was less wide than it had been before.

From a small chest at the edge of the room Lust took out a set of knives. It was here that he finally realized where he was. This was the place where Garfiel had kept him captive.

Garfiel… He still had no idea what had become of anyone else.

Though he did flinch a little as Capella began torturing him with Ram's face. "Finally something, though that's all it looks like this is all this lovely lady is getting."

Capella stepped back without truly inflicting torture upon him.

"Stay put, meatbag," She commanded as she stepped out from the room. But, right before she did so she tapped his face, and his eyes and mouth stopped being able to open.

His eyelids and lips seemed glued shut. He soon was able to figure out that he didn't have any mouth, and his eyelids couldn't open anymore.

All he could hear were groans as chairs, and presumably, people tied to them were brought into the room.

After another moment his eyelids opened, but his mouth stayed sealed.

Before his eyes laid multiple chairs. Each held a person with their eyes covered and their mouth sealed shut. They were all about two meters away from him but lined up in a semi-circle around him.

Furthest to the left was Roswaal. The man's head was held low and he didn't move a muscle or try to struggle in any capacity.

To the right of Roswaal was Emilia. Who was struggling in confusion, but she couldn't do anything as she had an identical collar to Subaru's around her neck. Though it didn't make sense that Emilia wasn't able to break through a few ropes. Then Subaru realized Capella had probably taken away her elven strength.

Anguish filled Subaru and he endeavored to think of a way to kill himself as his eyes passed on from Emilia to the next chair.

Which held Rem. The blue-haired oni was desperately flailing around as much as she could trying to escape. But nothing would work. And it seemed there was no pain bothering her.

The lack of pain and injury was the same as his eyes passed to the chair directly across from him, that held Ram. Despair rushed into him as her pink hair registered in his mind.

Ram… Subaru stood up in his chair. Capella watched with a cruel expression. But right now he didn't care for her. He was only focused on Ram as he started to pull his hands backward and up.

Rope burn started to cover his wrists as he pulled them. He ignored any hint of pain. Ram was right there, and he had to get to her no matter what.

His face filled with resolve as he tore his hands from the ropes. The air touched his hands and any pain that came was nothing in comparison to the anguish of staring at Ram tied up.

"Fula!" His right knee burned with agony. Subaru didn't care and took a step toward Ram.

The pink-haired maid sat quietly focusing on whatever sound was coming. No doubt searching for a way to escape.

Subaru ripped the skin covering his mouth apart so he could speak. But before a word could exit his mouth Capella touched her hand to his forehead.

"This lovely lady won't allow that."

Subaru's sentience, and sapience, was ripped away as his brain turned to the size of a pea.

By the time he regained his senses, he was cuffed to chains on the back wall. He tried to walk forward, but he couldn't pull his hands out.

"Petelguese Romanee-Conti!" A memory from so long ago whispered into his mind as he heard the sound of chains.

Capella stood over him with that same smile. Subaru tried to speak, but his mouth was completely healed and covered in new skin.

He searched back around the room and took note of the last two chairs, which held Otto and Garfiel. Then he examined the group once more only to notice Rem was gone.

Subaru's brown eyes darted around and his vision rushed through the entire room. After a moment he found her chained up right next to him.

Her eyes were open and searching around the room too. Despair, anger, and guilt all filled her expression. She looked at all those tied up, then tried to run forward only to stop with the sound of chains behind her.

Soon her eyes switched to Capella and she tried to escape once more, only to tear open the skin on her wrists. Once she realized that was futile she gazed at Subaru.

Their eyes met. Subaru's heart filled with guilt and he let his eyes drop. He'd failed so horribly.

I underestimated Kurgan and Theresia.

Thanks to his mistake everyone was tied or chained up.

Capella's red eyes on them.

Subaru unable to kill himself.

He sat back down on the ground, pushing his back against the wall.

The Sin Archbishop of Lust tilted her head and leaned down to whisper in his ear.

"Time to see, meatbag. Oh this will be fun," Her voice was dripping with manipulation, but even so, Subaru could almost sense honesty in her voice.

Capella walked among the group of people who sat before Subaru and Rem. She touched her hand to each one and let their eyelids open. All of their eyes snapped open and examined the room. Except for Roswaal. The clown let his eyes remain closed.

I failed. I failed. They're going to suffer. And it's all because I failed. I need to die.

Subaru pushed his tongue out to the front of his mouth and pushed his gums into it. Blood sprayed out like a sponge as he tried to bite his tongue off with only his gums.

He didn't stop trying to die, but he did keep focused on what Capella was doing. He needed to watch. To see. To experience. To know. To understand the depths of his failures, and the agony those he loved were about to face.

"Now it's time for a few choices to be made," Capella said to everyone in the room, "I'm going to let about half of you go free at the end of this, but the other half, well we're going to have some fun. But first, let's focus on which of the two chained people I'll be torturing." She gestured to where Rem and Subaru were chained to the wall.

Everyone shoved at their bonds trying to escape.

"Well I see you're all wondering where your strength went, but first it's time for your choice," Capella touched her hand to Roswaal's face, and lips grew where her hands passed.

After a second he had a normal face.

"Reset. Reset. Reset. Reset. Reset. Reset," The clown whispered before opening his eyes and gazing at Subaru, "Reset Natsuki Subaru."

"Ooh, Natsuki Subaru, alright time to do some torturing," Capella's expression grew perverted as she stepped toward Subaru.

"Reset. Reset. Reset. Reset…" Roswaal continued to say over and over again as Capella stepped toward Subaru.

Multiple tendrils stretched out from Capella, and nearly a dozen eel-like creatures were stretching out from her body. They tried to jump toward Subaru, but they were too short, so they just barely reached him, and their teeth started to rub against his skin.

In that moment Subaru became reacquainted with the feeling of acid scoring through his skin.

Capella reached out a freakishly long hand and gave Subaru his lips back, however, she kept it so he had no teeth.

Subaru let out heavy breaths. Each one laden with hatred. He didn't make a single sound as Capella's tendrils touched him and started to sniff at him. Acid from their mouths dripped onto him and bubbled as his skin eroded. Which was soon healed as another tendril rushed over the wound.

Another tendril then rushed in and sank its teeth into his neck. Subaru didn't flinch or move a muscle as nearly fifty tendrils started tearing into him.

They ripped at his neck stripping it of skin and letting acid burn his muscles.

He heard a gnashing sound as half the tendrils started tearing at his face. Capella's smile widened as everyone but Roswaal started desperately trying to escape and get to Subaru.

Capella leaned down to whisper in his ear as one of the appendages ripped out his eye and started chewing at the edges of his eye socket, "You see you know what I'll do. I'm going to hurt you and torture you. I'm going to be the lovely lady who gives you the punishment you want. Because I'm Capella Emerada Lugunica," She turned to Roswaal.

"But Roswaal L. Mathers… wasn't he supposed to help you? The man who employed you? Didn't he claim to only want to speak to you? He was just manipulating you the whole time."

One of her growths tore at his chest, "Roswaal L. Mathers doesn't care about you."

Subaru didn't say a thing in response to her whispers. Mostly because he didn't disagree with her words. He already knew that Roswaal prioritized his gospel over everything else.

"You already know that though… but how much does everyone else really care about you, Natsuki Subaru?"

Subaru's eyes widened, and as much as he wanted to refute the implication behind those words, nothing came into his mind.

"Do they really care about you, Natsuki Subaru? You care about them, and you tore your hands to ribbons pulling yourself out of that chair, but what are they doing for you?"

"Stop…" Subaru's voice was quiet as he whispered back to her.

As Capella continued to ask him that question over and over again he tried to reject it.

Whether they care about me or not doesn't matter. I will continue to help them no matter what. I will take on their suffering.

I will face any pain I have to for them.

I will fight for them no matter the agony.

Even if they don't care about me, that's what I decided.

The question Capella was raising wasn't new.

The last time he was in Sanctuary he'd asked this very same question to Echidna.

"Does it matter? Isn't that what you decided. To fight for them anyway? Even if they hate you. Even if they loathe you. Even if they want nothing to do with you." In the memory she sipped at her tea.

"Even if they weep… you'll still fight for them. You'll still take on their suffering. And I will help you attain that end, no matter how long or how difficult it is."

"Echidna, I… I can't do this forever," Tears had leaked down his eyes, "I'm at my limit. I've died hundreds of times. It hurts. It hurts. It hurts so much. Their teeth. Those teeth. Why do I have to do this? TO DIE FOR PEOPLE WHO DON'T GIVE A FUCK ABOUT ME! FOR PEOPLE WHO WON'T LISTEN TO ME WHEN I NEED THEM? For people who aren't Rem. It hurts. It hurts. It hurts so much. I want to be done, Echidna. I've died so many times, why can't I just stop. Can I die, permanently?"

"Don't worry, I'm here. I know the burdens you carry. Even if they do not," She leaned down over him and stroked his hair, "I will be there for you. Even when no one else is. Because you can satisfy me."

Subaru pulled himself out of the memory.

"I know you've thought about this before, and with your power, and that look in your eyes… I'm sure you've decided to continue on for them anyway, but if they don't care can you really continue on?" Capella continued to whisper into his ear.

"Shut up," He stood up and bashed his shoulder into her chest.

"I see. Well if you don't want to listen, you ungrateful meatbag, then I'll just have to show you."

She stepped away from him and over to Otto.

"Hello, little meatbag, which do you choose?" She laid her hand on his face and returned his lips to him.

"What do you mean?" Otto's voice was unsteady and full of hesitation as she stood over him.

"Should I torture the black-haired one or the blue-haired one? Your choice," She said. Otto's blue eyes jumped around desperately searching for a way to get out of the situation.

Subaru tried to call out for Otto, to try and tell the merchant to pick him, but he didn't have a mouth. There was no opportunity, so the merchant remained silent.

An air of desperation fell over the group as Otto kept trying to search for a way out. "I choose…" He had no idea what he was supposed to say.

Otto! Just pick me! Subaru opened his jaws, tearing the skin covering his mouth open, "Otto!" His voice was garbled as he tried to call out to the man, but right before he could say anything more Capella was standing over Subaru, and his mouth was sealed shut once more.

"Now then," She walked back to Otto, "Your choice, little sack of skin and green?"

"I choose…" Otto squirmed trying to find some way to break free of his bonds, or anything he could do to get out of the situation.

"Too late," Capella rubbed her hand along his skin. Otto's eyes opened wide and he froze in the wake of the perverted smile covering Capella's face, "Oh this lovely lady is going to have a lot of fun tonight."

"I cho-"

"I said too late," Capella kept her hand against Otto's cheek, then snapped the fingers on her other hand. A frantic expression appeared on Otto's face before he melted.

In an instant, all of his skin disappeared, and his body melted out across the floor. He had no bones. Only organs, muscles, and blood as his remains spread out across the floor.

Emilia and Garfiel's cheeks puffed out as vomit filled their mouths, and some came out of their noses. After a second they were forced to swallow it.

"Ah, beautiful. Now time to torture both of you," Capella's twisted grin glowed as she stepped over to the two of them.

Ram started to squirm violently as she stepped over. Capella paid her no mind.

Subaru met Ram's eyes as Capella ran one of her hands along his cheek. There was hopelessness in her normally vibrant red eyes.

Now they'd grown dull.

Tears leaked down Subaru's face as Capella grew the same tendrils as last time. "Ooh I should give you a mouth again, let this lovely lady hear you scream," She whispered to Rem.

Ram's eyes fell to the floor. A sob came from Subaru's mouth as Lust's tendrils started to bite into him.

Rem's screams rose alongside his sobbing. The blue-haired maid desperately tried to break out of her chains as she screamed.

Ram's body was frozen in her chair, and… tears were dripping down her face.

Ram the one who'd always been so determined. So stable. So unyielding.

She was crying.

"Ram…" Her name fell from Subaru's mouth. He didn't know what else to say as one of Capella's tendrils tore his nose off and then another healed it.

Ram's eyes returned to him. It was a wonder she was even able to hear him over Rem's screams, but she did.

"Ram…" He said it again, so close to choking up.

He barely held back another sob. Tears streamed down Ram's face as she stared at him, and how he was being mutilated and healed.

"Ram…" His garbled voice was so difficult to hear. He didn't have teeth, and he was barely able to say a word without choking up. But even still Ram heard him in perfect clarity and focused on him.

"Look at how little she's willing to help you. You ripped open your own mouth to try and speak to her. You tore yourself out of your ropes," Capella whispered in his ear before he could say anything else.

All that Subaru responded with were sobs and tears.

A new set of teeth gnashed at his arm, and Lust spoke in his ear once more, "And Otto, he didn't even do a single thing. He couldn't do the same thing you did. Why continue for people that don't care about you? Why continue for people you can't trust?"

Subaru shut his eyes and turned away from her. He didn't move as Capella's appendages bit into his neck and acid bubbled at his skin.

For the next few minutes, Subaru's weeping filled the room. Alongside Rem's screams.

Though eventually, Capella stopped her torture, and Rem's weeping joined Subaru's.

"Well that was fun," The blonde-haired woman stepped away from Subaru and Rem, and toward Garfiel, "Alright cat boy, time to choose. Who is going to get tortured next? Rem, or Natsuki Subaru?"

Capella stood over the boy. She brushed his face and returned his lips and speech to him. Then pointed to the remnants that were once called Otto Suwen, "Answer quickly now. You don't want to end up like him."

"Lady… fu-"

"Ooh don't get angry," Capella stared down at the wide-eyed Garfiel. His body was frozen in terror, "Actually how about I change the punishment for what happens. If you don't choose one of those two, then I'll just torture the pink one."

"Huh…" Garfiel didn't know what to say in the face of Capella's perversion and twisted cruelty.

"Now come on, mama doesn't have all day," She grabbed his arms and leaned down, putting her face right in front of Garfiel's, "Choose."

"I… choose," Garfiel looked over to the two and stared down at his legs, "Subaru." He whispered the last part so it could barely even be heard.

"I didn't catch that, say it a little louder, or I'll just assume you chose the pink one," Capella leaned in even closer so that her nose touched Garfiel's for a moment. All of his hotheadedness vanished before the Sin Archbishop of Lust.

"I choose, Subaru."

Garfiel's words hung in the air and brought despair to Ram and Emilia.

They were going to have to choose. There was nothing they could do to get out of it.

Subaru's eyes fell back to the cold stone floor. Little puddles grew beneath him as tears leaked down.

Capella stepped over to him, and spoke softly in his ear, "That wasn't unexpected was it, he didn't really like you anyway. But mama is still going to do what she does of course. After all, you can always trust me. But Garfiel he's so ever-changing. You can never tell what someone so young is going to do, especially when doesn't care about you."

Stop… Subaru couldn't push the word out of his mouth.

So he sat and endured Capella's torture.

"Ooh I wonder, could I…? No, I'll save that for later," Capella said as she ended her torture.

"Now onto the half-devil," Lust crossed the short distance and leaned over Emilia.

"Choose, you know what happens if you don't."

Emilia's expression twisted as Capella gave the girl her lips and voice back. "Please don't make me choose, please…"

"Ooh so I should torture both, is that what I'm hearing?" The blonde woman said gleefully.

"No…" Emilia's eyelids scrunched up and her lips fell open after a moment, "I choose…"

Guilt stormed across her face and she froze, "Subaru."

Emilia, it's better me than Rem…

Capella leaned down to talk once more as she continued her standard torture method, "Watching this never gets old. And you… that must hurt. You tried to help her so much. I'm sure you cared about her. But she just betrayed you."

Shut up. It's an impossible situation.

"Think about how little she actually tried. She didn't even try and tear herself out," Capella caressed his skin and left trails of acid on it. Subaru stared at the ground, refusing to even acknowledge her.

He tuned out Capella as his torture began and ended.

"Now time for the last choice," Lust stood up, crossed the distance to Ram, and leaned down.

"Who do you choose. If you don't then I'll just kill everyone here and torture those two for a couple of hours while you watch?"

Capella slid her hand along Ram's face and the oni's lips returned to her.

"How am I supposed to trust you won't do that anyway?" Ram's resolve held, if barely.

"You don't but think about it, if you just make that choice, there's the chance I'm telling the truth… the chance that you could avoid so much pain. All you have to do is pick," Lust smiled as she explained it to the girl.

Hopelessness entered Ram's eyes.

"I choose…" The oni's body froze, but her mouth didn't. It still struggled, moving and moving, but not a single word came.

Capella leaned in closer, "I could have some fun working through everyone here, torturing them and then murdering each one… or, you could choose one of those two," She gestured to Rem and Subaru, "An easy choice considering which one is more resistant to pain."

The Bishop tilted her head and waited for a moment, but Ram's lips only continued to flail about without making a sound. With an impatient, and gleeful gaze Capella stood up from Ram and took a couple of steps toward Garfiel.

"I'm sure you're going to give this lovely lady some entertainment…" Anticipation filled the woman as she reached her hand toward Garfiel, in an almost tantric manner.

Fear rushed through the blonde boy's eyes. His body froze as Capella moved to give him lips to scream with.

"I choose Barusu."

Capella turned to Ram and walked back over to her.

More tears leaked down Subaru's face, and emptiness filled his heart. It's an impossible situation. It's an impossible situation.

Ram cares about me.

Ram cares about me.

Ram cares about me…

She does…

She does…

She cares about me…

Subaru tried to reach for his memories, for all the memories he'd shared with Ram, but all he heard were three words.

"Natsuki Subaru-sama."

"Natsuki Subaru-sama."

"Natsuki Subaru-sama."

Capella, stop.

Please, just stop.

Subaru forced himself out of his mind and back into reality.

Where Capella was leaning over Ram, "I didn't hear that properly, who is this Barusu? I don't remember making that a choice."

"Stop…" Ram's voice was filled with agony as she whispered that word.

"Well... then I suppose I can just torture everyone here, after all the only choices I remember were Rem and Natsuki Subaru."

As Capella strode back over to Garfiel Ram's lips parted, "Please…"

Another sob fell from Subaru's throat, and Ram's face twisted in guilt.

Rem couldn't say anything over the memory of Capella's torture. All she could do was continue to whimper.

"Garfiel Tinzel, this is going to be fun, you'll be an interesting meatbag to inspect," Capella laid her hands on Garfiel. The boy's face was still full of fear as he tried to shy back in his chair.

However before Capella did anything more she was interrupted by Ram, "I choose, Natsuki Subaru."

"Ram…" A whisper fell from Subaru as Capella stepped back over to Ram.

"Barusu…" She responded to him before Capella made her lips disappear.

Subaru held his eyes on Ram's. He couldn't tell what the girl was feeling. He couldn't even see her through his tears.

"Ah, so you finally see," Capella breathed in his ear, "They don't truly care about you, they'll leave you to suffer, only because it won't hurt you as much, but from what I see you seem quite hurt."

"Shut the fuck up," Subaru responded to her.

"Why do you continue? I can already tell you've known how little they care about you for so long." She bit his earlobe, and his teeth grew back.

He would have bitten onto his tongue, but he knew how easily she could heal whatever injury he dealt to himself.

"Fuck off."

"Won't it feel so good to finally get it off your chest, and what am I even going to do with the information? All I'm going to do is torture you, and then we'll hit sunrise and you'll be forced to reset no matter what happens."

Subaru let his eyes fall to the ground, "As long as someone knows the burdens I carry I can continue."

"Ah, but what if they don't listen? What if they don't really care? What if they don't really know because they didn't care enough. And maybe they did care once, but in a time like this when things really got tough, they didn't even care enough to deal with some rope burns."

Subaru shut his eyes and turned away from Capella. He pushed his lips shut. He knew he'd made a mistake telling her, but there was nothing he could do until he looped.

"I want you to remember who made it so you had to experience this," Capella tapped his forehead, "And there's the pain center."

Capella removed her hand from his forehead and laid her sharp claw-like nails at the top of his neck. Then dug them in and dragged.

"AH!" Subaru yelped as a massive outpouring of agony filled him. It was worse than anything he'd ever experienced. Capella kept dragging her fingers and the moment stretched on into eternity.

It hurt. It hurt. It hurt so much. How could it hurt this much? The excruciating sensation running through Subaru made the Great Rabbit seem tame. Made it look like nothing more than a pair of fire ants biting at his finger.

He didn't, couldn't, notice the screams that tore from his throat. Not until his vocal cords started to get sore.

The soreness was an entirely new feeling. But it just made him scream more and more, and his hands started to pull against the chains and he tried to do anything to escape.

His skin ripped on the metal cuffs, and his mind threatened to break. Tears rushed into his eyes and he tried to escape.

WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY? He lost all capacity for rational thought.

"Ah, that worked far better than I thought!" Capella shouted out in delight at his pain.

Subaru turned his eyes up to her. Nothing more than why entered his mind as he stared at her.

"Let's test something eh, Subaru? Is there a limit to how high I can turn up this pain center?" Capella tapped his forehead once more.

Her nail digging a tiny bit into his skin was incredibly painful. "Ooh and I should also mess with this part a little, can't have a little meatbag like yourself passing out on this lovely lady."

"Now this should be the maximum this pain center should be able to go."

The slight digging of Capella's nail into his skin turned from massive pain to something unimaginable.

His screams echoed out across the room. And Capella almost had to cover her ears.

But Subaru didn't care. He couldn't. There was nothing he could care about other than the pain.

She pulled her hand away from his forehead, "This will be fun, time to begin our regularly scheduled torture. I just want you to remember who did this to you," She murmured as tendrils grew out from her body.

Each one had a mouth full of teeth and acid. Subaru shoved himself away and ran into the wall. He ripped his vocal cords from the scream that tore out when his back hit the wall.

"This is going to be one of the most fun to watch."

Acid dripped onto Subaru's arm, and everything but pain fell away as he was made a feast over and over again.

Subaru didn't know whether it lasted hours or seconds. All he knew was that it hurt. It redefined pain for him.

Before he even knew it he was on the ground weeping and sobbing from the sheer agony. "Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why?"

The word fell from his mouth over and over again. After around half an hour he finally regained the capacity to observe his environment.

His instinct pushed his tongue forward a little, but right when he remembered all the pain he'd just experienced he stopped himself.

For the next few minutes, he laid shaking on the ground. Until Capella grabbed his shoulder and forced him up against the wall and into a standing position. The pain that erupted was still potent enough to make him scream for a few moments.

Then when that pain faded he breathed in and out, shakily. He couldn't keep his breaths steady.

His eyes darted around the area behind Capella only to see silent people. Everyone stared down at the ground, any hope crushed and ground into dust by the sight and sound of his torture.

"Time to reset," Capella grew another tentacle from her back, and it gnashed its teeth as it moved toward its neck.

Subaru desperately shook his head back and forth as he tried to push himself into the wall to escape that thing.

He tried to speak, but his vocal cords had been ripped to shreds long ago.

"This was fun, really fun. See you next loop, and remember who caused this." Capella's appendage jumped forward and sank its teeth into his esophagus.

His mind once more exploded in mind-shattering pain as his neck was torn out and Capella dropped him.

Subaru fell onto his knees and leaned forward until the chains stopped him from hitting the ground.

His life slowly faded away while he was immersed in excruciation.

In the middle of the pain, and as his consciousness was reaching his end a single word pierced into his mind, "Barusu…"

Despair filled his heart at that voice, and he shut his eyes.

Natsuki Subaru, full of agony, breathed out one last time. Then fell into death's embrace.